Japan in no position to interfere in affairs of China's Taiwan: FM spokesperson

Xinhua) 08:21, January 28, 2026

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that the Japanese side is in no position to interfere in the affairs of China's Taiwan region, either from the perspective of history or law.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the comments as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reportedly said on Monday that any crisis in Taiwan could spur Japan and the United States to take joint action to rescue their own citizens. She added that in such a situation, there was no way Japan could abandon its long-time ally, the United States.

"The remarks by the Japanese side once again reveal the Japanese right-wing forces' ambitions to provoke antagonism, make trouble, and take the opportunity to keep remilitarizing Japan and to challenge the post-war international order," Guo said, urging the international community to stay on high alert and firmly reject that.

Japan should be reminded that the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement states that "the Government of Japan recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. The Government of the People's Republic of China reiterates that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China. The Government of Japan fully understands and respects this stand of the Government of the People's Republic of China, and it firmly maintains its stand under Article 8 of the Potsdam Proclamation," Guo said.

The 1978 Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan, ratified by the two countries' legislatures, affirmed that the principles set out in the 1972 Joint Statement should be strictly observed, he added.

A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, require that all the territories Japan had stolen from China, such as Taiwan, must be restored to China, and Japan should be "completely disarmed" and not maintain such industries as "would enable her to re-arm for war," he said, adding that Japan's Constitution also made strict restrictions on the country's military forces, the right of belligerency and the right to war.

"These are political commitments that Japan must strictly honor and legal obligations that they cannot deny," Guo said.

"Japan claims to act within the scope of law but has kept their gross interference in China's domestic affairs and even threatened the use of force against China. This is self-contradictory," he noted.

Japan committed innumerable crimes during its colonial rule over Taiwan of more than 50 years, and bears serious historical responsibilities to the Chinese people.

"Either from the perspective of history or law, the Japanese side is in no position to interfere in the affairs of China's Taiwan region," Guo said.

"We once again urge the Japanese side to abide by the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan and Japan's own political commitments made to China, do soul-searching, correct its wrongdoings, and stop their manipulation and reckless moves on the Taiwan question," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Reflection on history is Japan's only path to a future

11:04, January 28, 2026 By Zhou Yaxin ( People's Daily Online

The year 2025, which marked the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, was a year of profound historical significance. As people around the world reflected on history and prayed for peace, Japan, the perpetrator of the devastating war over eight decades ago, showed no remorse but escalated its provocations.

The signs are truly troubling. Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae hinted at potential military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, and senior Japanese officials openly agitated for Japan to possess nuclear weapons. The Japanese government intensified its push to loosen restrictions on arms exports and is seeking to revise its peace constitution and the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. These reckless actions stem from Japan's distorted view of its World War II history and lay bare its ambition to challenge the post-war international order.

Though defeated in World War II, Japanese militarist forces, due to various factors, have never been fully held accountable for their war crimes. Instead, they have gone from a state of dormancy to resurgence and are now increasingly emboldened. This has prevented Japanese society from earnestly reflecting on its history of aggression, and allowed right-wing forces and historical revisionism to build influence. As things stand now, the distortion of World War II history by Japanese right-wing elements is no longer sporadic but turns into a systematic project. They have actively promoted historical revisionism through efforts such as the establishment of the "Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform" in 1977, which advocated for replacing the term "aggression" with "advancement" in textbooks and casting doubt on well-documented atrocities like the Nanjing Massacre and the forced recruitment of comfort women. These forces also frequently visit the Yasukuni war shrine in an attempt to whitewash history. Prime Minister Takaichi has openly referred to Yasukuni as a "shrine for peace" and has visited it almost annually for nearly two decades. From denying the brutality of the Nanjing Massacre to refusing to acknowledge the crimes against humanity in the forced recruitment of comfort women, from glorifying Class-A war criminals at Yasukuni to promoting the false narrative of "colonial contributions" in textbooks, Japanese right-wing forces have spent decades of efforts to whitewash and distort the history of aggression.

At the heart of this distorted narrative lies the resurgence of militarism. Japanese militarism, which once brought catastrophe to the world, is now being revived in new forms under right-wing influence.

Legally and politically, Japan has been progressively revising constitutional interpretations to lift restrictions on collective self-defense. In 2014, the Shinzo Abe government overturned past constitutional interpretations that deemed collective self-defense unconstitutional. In 2022, the Japanese government updated three security documents, significantly increasing defense spending and developing so-called "counterstrike capabilities." Reports indicate that the Takaichi government may further revise these security documents and the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment as early as this spring to pave the way for large-scale arms exports, including lethal weapons.

Militarily, Japan achieved its goal of raising defense spending to 2 percent of GDP in 2025, two years ahead of schedule, breaking the long-standing limit of below 1 percent. Defense budget for fiscal year 2026 has reached a record high, marking the 14th consecutive annual increase. Japanese officials have hinted at acquiring nuclear submarines and revising the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. The government has also strengthened military deployments in its southwestern regions, establishing new bases and missile units in the Ryukyu Islands and Kyushu. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels have even conducted provocative operations in the Taiwan Strait.

History serves as both a guidebook and a sobering reminder. Germany has earned global respect through its profound reflection on wartime atrocities, with successive German leaders acknowledging the facts of Nazi aggression and expressing remorse, apology, and a plea for forgiveness. In stark contrast, Japan has taken a radical and unrepentant path on historical issues. The history of World War II reminds us that peace is never a constant in history but a right that must be defended, and it is not a text open to revision but a bottom line that must be upheld.

Those who challenge history will inevitably face consequences. During World War II, Japanese militarist aggression brought profound suffering not only to China and other Asian nations but also to Japan itself and its people. Today, if Japanese leaders insist on challenging the post-war international order and reviving militarism, they will not only undermine regional peace, stability and prosperity, and pose renewed risks of war to neighboring Asian countries, but ultimately harm Japan itself, leading the country down the beaten path of self-destruction once again.

The tide of history is irreversible: those who follow it thrive, and those who resist it perish. Only by facing history squarely can a nation secure its future, and only by taking responsibility can it earn forgiveness. Japan must cease distorting history and provoking its neighbors, and must return to a path that respects historical facts and honors the commitment to peace. This is not just a duty to history but also to Japan's own future.

Zhou Yaxin is an international affairs commentator

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
January 28, 2026: When Chinese leader Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012, he was determined to turn the Chinese armed forces into an organization that could fight and win. His first obstacle was corrupt officers. Many Communist commanders and staff officers saw military service as a way to get rich. Xi is still finding and prosecuting corrupt officers, including generals and admirals. While trying to get rich, these officers were not doing much to ensure that their troops were trained to fight and win a war. China has spent over a trillion dollars on the military since 2012, and at least ten percent of that was lost to corruption.

Despite the corruption, the Chinese military has made many efforts to create capable combat forces. For example, China sees no point in Russia continuing to fight the Ukrainians, who have superior troops, weapons and leadership. In Taiwan, the reaction to Ukraine increased popular support for resisting a Chinese invasion as stubbornly as the Ukrainians did in their homeland. China is not just worried about Taiwanese resistance but also about the capabilities of Chinese forces.

China has spent several hundred billion dollars over the last decade to upgrade its military to the point that it was superior to Russias. While studying China military modernization, the U.S. intelligence community came to believe that actual Chinese annual defense spending was about $700 billion. Current U.S. spending is $950 billion. The Chinese spent a lot on organizational efforts, special training and new equipment.

Over the last decade the Chinese army has been converting its divisions to brigades, many of them independent brigades. There are three types of combat brigades. The most potent is the heavy brigade, each with about a hundred tanks and dozens of tracked IFVs/Infantry Fighting Vehicles plus detachments of engineers and other specialists.

Then there are the medium brigades that are mainly infantry in wheeled IFVs. These are similar to American Stryker brigades. The heavy and medium brigades often have up to 5,000 troops, including all the smaller specialist detachments that make these brigades the equivalent of a small division.

Finally, there are dozens of light infantry brigades. Many of these are simply infantry who are transported by truck but the light brigades include some mountain brigades and several air assault, via helicopter, brigades. The Chinese Air force has seven airborne infantry brigades with 4,000 troops each and the navy has three marine brigades with 6,000 troops each.

There are also about 12,000 special operations commando troops, most of them in the army. Each of the 13 Group Armies has a special forces brigade and these brigades have fewer than a thousand troops. The paramilitary police have about a thousand of these commandos while the air force has a smaller number.

The major problem with the army is that all the elite special operations and airborne units as well as key units stationed in the capital and a few other places have few conscripts. Nearly all the conscripts are assigned to the combat brigades and the support brigades assigned to each of the 13 Group Armies. Units with conscripts spend about half the year training the new ones and, if there is a war these units would half the time, have a large portion of their troops poorly trained and not fully integrated into the unit. This is a major problem for combat units that depend on well-trained troops who have been with their units long enough for commanders to know what they can get out of them. Chinas use of conscripts makes its non-elite units and service/supply troops very uncertain in capability in a real war.

The Chinese army currently has about 975,000 troops and about 15 percent are conscripts. This is a problem because the conscripts only serve for two years and then most leave. The army encourages conscript soldiers who performed well during their two years to become career soldiers. If accepted the soldier accepts a multi-year service contract and is soon promoted to corporal and some are offered a chance to be an officer and attend officer candidate school. Soldiers who perform well are allowed to keep reenlisting until they are 55, at which point they retire on a pension and get preferential consideration for government jobs. The percentage who are accepted as career professionals and offered officer candidate school varies from year-to-year depending on need and the quality of the conscripts finishing their service.

There are seven NCO ranks, from corporal to Master Sergeant 1st class which is the Chinese equivalent of Sergeant Major. Many of these career soldiers dont stay in long enough to retire, and some are not allowed to reenlist. NCOs are relatively new for China because, until the 1980s, China followed the Russian practice of having officers handle many jobs NCOs take care of in Western forces. China has greatly increased the pay and responsibilities of NCOs in the past two decades. Now some more experienced or highly trained NCOs do technical and staff jobs that were previously performed by officers. To become an NCO, you must have a high school education, which not all Chinese teenagers are able to obtain.

While China wants an army that can perform as well as Western forces, they wont get it until they convert to an all-volunteer force and upgrade initial combat training to Western standards. China is switching to Western training methods but is not yet willing to spend what it takes to pay all the troops what they are worth. Currently the two-year conscripts are paid $150-300 a month. The lowest ranking NCO makes more than twice that and the top NCO Sergeant Majors make ten times what a conscript makes. For an all-volunteer force, pay for everyone would have to go up to maintain differences between rank. That would begin at the very bottom, where new recruits would make two or three times what they get now. Living conditions, housing and food have been improving rapidly during the last decade, but career troops need to make enough to support a family. The need to dramatically increase pay for an all-volunteer and higher quality army is a significant reason for Chinas retention of conscription.

While Chinese troops have not seen combat since 1979, they have engaged in some stressful relief operations. In the wake of the relief efforts for the 2008 earthquakes, army doctors found themselves faced with thousands of soldiers exhibiting strange symptoms. These include severe fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitations, headaches, excessive sweating, dizziness, disturbed sleep, fainting and flashbacks to traumatic situations encountered during the weeks of working in the earthquake zone where nearly 100,000 people died. A few of the army doctors recognized the symptoms as PTSD/Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's been three decades since Chinese soldiers experienced combat, and there are only stories left of its after-effects. Some of the oldest NCOs and officers vaguely remember, when they first entered military service, hearing about veterans of the 1979 battles on the Vietnamese border, suffering from combat fatigue.

PTSD is not unusual for relief workers at the site of particularly horrendous disasters. The earthquakes in central China were the kind of disaster that only occurs every generation or two. This was the first one in which so many troops were mobilized, so quickly, to help out. Thus many of these soldiers saw the aftereffects when they were still fresh, and at their most horrific. Chinese doctors studied the growing body of medical knowledge and research on PTSD, particularly work done in the U.S. to treat the many soldiers exposed to the stress of working in wartime Iraq. Chinese military doctors estimate that up to 20 percent of the soldiers who performed relief duty in the earthquake zone now have PTSD. Many civilian workers are similarly affected and also need treatment.

Xi Jinping proclaims his military is ready for combat. Chinese military publications feature many articles that cast doubt on the combat readiness of Chinese forces.
MG is one of the Chinese car brands tipped to survive in Europe, while others might not (MG)

European car buyers investing in Chinese cars have been warned that they may be left high and dry, with some Chinese car makers not likely to last in Europe.

Skodas member of the board responsible for sales and marketing, Martin Jahn, has first-hand experience of working for Chinese car makers, having led a Volkswagen joint venture with Chinese state-owned FAW (First Automotive Works) in China for four years. He told The Independent: Everybody knows there will be a consolidation. There are about 150 electric brands in China  that is not sustainable.

However, Jahn also sounded a warning for European buyers, revealing that he thought some of the Chinese brands were already seeing in the UK and elsewhere across Europe may not be around for too long.

Asked if he genuinely thought that some of the brands who are establishing themselves in Europe will disappear, Jahn said: Some of them, yes. The strongest ones will survive  MG will survive. BYD will survive. These two for sure. The rest, can they all can keep running in Europe? I'm not sure.

BYD is now one of the worlds biggest car makers and another expected to survive in the long term in Europe (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

We never underestimated [the] Chinese. I take them seriously  I spent four years in China. I've seen what's coming now  I saw it seven years ago. The Chinese are a bigger problem for us in the non-European markets, in North Africa, in the Middle East. In Europe, we will defend our borders.

Jahn was speaking about Chinese car makers in Portugal at an early drive event for the Skoda Epiq, the brands new, small, all-electric SUV.

Skoda's member of the board of management for sales and marketing, Martin Jahn, says Skoda will focus on simplification and clever features (Skoda)

The Epiq is part of a new product push from Skoda, which includes a seven-seat all-electric SUV called Peaq. And Jahn admitted that Skodas development times have sped up, with an eye on what the Chinese car makers are doing.

We know we have to become faster, said Jahn. On the other hand, the question is, what is financially sustainable? I think there will be a consolidation of the Chinese car industry. And the question is, how long can you keep so many brands and launching new cars at this pace  the question is whether you can depreciate all the investments. So how long is this sustainable?

Jahn also revealed that product differentiation is key, with Skoda pursuing its own path based around its Simply Clever brand value. The question is, how many new things and better things can you really bring to the customers, and what do customers really want?

We have mentioned simplification. We noticed that sometimes the cars and the features are too much. What do you really use in the car? How many buttons can you really use? So, we are looking more at simplification. We want to bring a good package; a good car with good specs and good service.

I think that's our differentiations to the Chinese, the good service network and reliability and good residual values. Those are the benefits that we have compared to the Chinese. We will stick to that for a while and see what happens.

The Skoda Epiq is set to be revealed in May with first cars reaching customers in early 2027  pricing is expected to start at around 25,000. The range-topping Peaq is expected to be unveiled in June, with cars again coming in 2027 and prices north of 40,000.
A London-bound British Airways aircraft lost a wheel during take-off from Las Vegas on Monday evening.

Flight BA274 from Harry Reid International to Heathrow airport appeared to drop a rear landing gear wheel just moments after its departure.

Video footage of the incident captured on a Flightradar live stream shows an object falling from the right side of the aircraft shortly after it left the runway.

The Airbus A350-1000 continued on its almost 10-hour journey, later landing safely in London with no reported injuries.

According to FlightAware, the aircraft took off at 8.44pm local time, arriving in the UK at around 2.30pm.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident.

(Flightradar24)

It said: British Airways Flight 274 lost a tyre during takeoff from Harry Reid International airport in Las Vegas around 8:45 pm local time on Monday, 26 January. The Airbus A350 continued to Heathrow Airport in London, where it landed safely.

A spokesperson for British Airways said: Safety and security underpins everything we do and were supporting the authorities with their investigations.

Its not the first aircraft to lose a wheel while flying this year.

Earlier this month, the front wheel of a United Airlines flight detached during a hard landing at Orlandos main airport.

A video shows one of the wheels on the front landing gear breaking off on impact with the asphalt and rolling away onto a grassy bank.

The incident occurred when United flight 2323 arrived in Florida after a routine two-hour journey from Chicago OHare airport on 18 January.

A brief ground stop was issued at Orlando after the plane lost its wheel, but it was lifted shortly after.

In a preliminary statement, the FAA said: The aircraft became disabled after making a hard landing.

Read more: United Airlines plane loses wheel after hard landing at Orlando airport
Brooklyn Beckham shared more loved-up photos with his wife Nicola Peltz days after criticising his family.

The eldest Beckham child, 26, hit out at his controlling parents in a scathing six-page statement last week, accusing them of trying to endlessly ruin his marriage to Nicola, 31.

While his family put on a united front in Paris, he enjoyed a getaway with Nicola in Malibu.

The couple posted a series of snaps from the break on Instagram on Tuesday, showing Nicola lying topless in bed, them enjoying a vintage red wine and going on dog walks with their pooch Lamb.

Brooklyn also posted a montage of trip highlights on TikTok, captioning them: I love you Nicola Anne Peltz Beckham.

The posts come after a reporter claimed Peltz could barely utter Victorias name when she interviewed the actress in the run up to her 2022 Palm Beach wedding.

The interview with Grazia was first published with a brief reference to why Nicola didnt wear a Victoria Beckham wedding dress despite plans to do so.

Discussing the resurfaced chat on Monday, the reporter said: I was struck by Nicola's borderline inability to speak either David or Victoria's names. The she, Victoria, uh in the above quote, was as direct as it got, otherwise, it was just Brooklyn's mom or dad.

By contrast, she spoke easily, directly and fondly of Harper. I wanted a little sister so bad, and Harper is the sweetest. I have the coolest little sister. She sends me snapchats, she said.

Brooklyn claimed last week that the tensions were down to Victoria pulling out of designing Nicolas dress at the last minute.

In the wake of his claims, the Grazia interview was republished.

In the original interview, Nicola said: I really, really wanted to wear [a VB dress] and I thought it was so beautiful that Brooklyn's mom got to make that for me! And I was really excited to wear it! And I didn't end up wearing it.

The truth is that I was in a text chain with my mom, Victoria and Leslie, who's been my stylist for 10 years.

We all were on this text chain together, and I was so excited to start the design process. Um, and then Victoria, um, was like Oh! And this was in the middle of me filming [her directorial debut] Lola James! So I was very busy.

And then she, Victoria, uh, was very busy, and then we started this text chain, and a few days went by, and I didn't hear anything, then I think Victoria thought since I was on set, maybe she didn't want to upset me, so she called my mom and said that she couldn't make the dress. She said that her, um, atelier couldn't make the dress in time

Brooklyn, David and Victoria Beckham (Ian West/PA) (PA Archive)

Her quotes seem to back up what Brooklyn said in his statement.

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.

He also claimed Victoria inappropriately danced on him at his wedding.

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. 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.

DJ Fat Tony, who performed at the wedding brunch, later backed up Brooklyns claims, saying Marc Anthony told Brooklyn to put his hands on Victorias hips and that the dance was really awkward.

The former Spice Girl also wrapped her arms around Brooklyn and nuzzled into his neck, according to Page Six.

The Standard contacted Victorias representatives at the time.
Bruce Springsteen performs in Hollywood, California, on 22 October 2025. Photograph: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for AFI (Photograph: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for AFI)

Bruce Springsteen has released a new song dedicated to Minnesotas largest city as a response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis and the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in the city.

In a message shared on social media, Springsteen explained: I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. Its dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free.

The songs lyrics paint a picture of unrest, noting how a city aflame fought fire and ice neath an occupiers boots, a force Springsteen identifies as King Trumps private army from the DHS.

A particularly somber moment comes when Springsteen honors the victims directly, singing: There were bloody footprints / Where mercy should have stood / And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets / Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Political commentary has long been a part of Springsteens work and public persona. Earlier this month, he condemned the administrations Gestapo tactics related to an increased presence of immigration officers during a concert, warning that the nations founding principles have never been as endangered as they are right now.

At the performance in his home state of New Jersey, Springsteen also paid tribute to Renee Good by dedicating his 1978 song The Promised Land to the 37-year-old woman who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minnesota.

The musician has been a critic of Donald Trump since before his first term, telling a London audience in October 2016 (a month before Trump won the presidential election for the first time): Its a terrible thing thats happening in the States. Hes undermining the entire democratic tradition.

At a show in May in the UK, he said: In my country, theyre taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers. Theyre rolling back historic civil rights legislation that led to a more just and plural society. They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom.

The US president responded to Springsteens remarks by calling the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member highly overrated, not a talented guy and a pushy, obnoxious jerk.
Bari Weiss poses for a portrait

Addressing her staff three months into her job as CBS News boss, Bari Weiss on Tuesday invoked legendary newsman Walter Cronkite as a symbol of old thinking and said that if the network continues with its current strategy, we're toast.

Weiss announced the hiring of 18 new contributors and said CBS News needs to do stories that will surprise and provoke  including inside our own newsroom.

Weiss, founder of the Free Press website and without broadcast news experience before being hired by CBS parent Paramount's new management, has quickly become a headline-maker and polarizing figure in journalism. She held a 60 Minutes story critical of President Donald Trump's deportation policy from being broadcast for a month and has critics watching to see if she's moving the network in a Trump-friendly direction.

She spoke to the network's staff on Tuesday, and released a copy of her remarks publicly, making clear that she sees her role as a change agent.

Bari Weiss attends Book Club Event With Peggy Noonan on November 19, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Free Press) (Getty)

No CBS News figure is revered quite as much as Cronkite, the CBS Evening News anchor dubbed the most trusted man in America during the 1960s and 1970s. Weiss said she understood the nostalgia.

We can't reverse time's arrow, she said, according to the copy her remarks. He had two competitors. We have two billion, give or take.

She said CBS News is not producing a product that enough people want. She said not enough people trust us and since the network isn't doing enough to meet the audience where it is, it is being abandoned for a wide variety of sources including podcasts, newsletters, YouTube and nimbler competitors.

Our strategy until now has been to cling to the audience that remains on broadcast television, she said. If we stick to that strategy, we're toast.

It's urgent for CBS News to shift to a streaming mentality because it will ultimately become the primary and eventually only way that people consume its material, she said. Weiss wants CBS News to become a lab for new ideas  podcasts, newsletters and the like. She mentioned CNBC host and author Andrew Ross Sorkin as a role model for becoming a name brand.

CBS News is going to put a huge emphasis on producing scoops, she said.

Not scoops that expire minutes later. But investigative scoops. And, crucially, scoops of ideas. Scoops of explanation. This is where we can soar  and where we'll be investing," she said.

d CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss (Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Uber, X and The)

Weiss said she sees CBS News as the best capitalized media start-up in the world.

But start-ups aren't for everyone, she said. They're places that move at rapid speed. They experiment. They try new things. They sometimes create noise and, yes, bad press. If that's not your bag, that's OK. It's a free country and I completely respect if you decide this is just not the right place at the right time for you.

She talked about a transformation of CBS' workforce in the coming years in a question-and-answer session, but gave no specifics about what that will mean, according to a person who heard the speech but spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to report on it.

Weiss said that we in this building need to reflect more of the political friction that animates our national conversation and widen the aperture of stories that CBS tells and voices that the network speaks to. CBS has notably had interviews with several Trump administration figures, and Trump was interviewed on 60 Minutes on Nov. 2 and by evening news anchor Tony Dokoupil on Jan. 13.

In December, Weiss hosted a prime-time interview special with Erika Kirk, widow of slain conservative political activist Charlie Kirk.

Among the new contributors named to the network on Tuesday were Niall Ferguson, a Free Press columnist who has been supportive of Trump, and Mark Hyman, a doctor and podcast host who has been allied with Robert F. Kennedy, the secretary of health and human services.

Others include Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad; social scientist Arthur Brooks, an authority on human happiness; chef and podcaster Caroline Chambers; Harvard economist Roland Fryer, Jr.; Free Press columnist Coleman Hughes; former National Security adviser HR McMaster; Manhattan Institute President Reihan Salam; and podcaster Derek Thompson.
CCTV emerges of man throwing homemade bomb at crowd of thousands in Australia

CCTV has been released of a man allegedly throwing a homemade nail bomb at a crowd in Australia, just one month after 15 people were shot dead on Bondi Beach.

Police allege a 31-year-old Warwick man was at an Invasion Day rally in Perth's Central Business District when he threw an item from a first-floor walkway and into a crowd of 2,500 people before fleeing the scene on Monday (26 January).

A member of the public alerted officers, and a suspect was taken into custody soon after.

Police said the bomb was a homemade improvised explosive device containing a mixture of volatile and potentially explosive chemicals, with nails and metal ball bearings affixed to the exterior, but it failed to detonate.

Authorities later said the incident was being investigated as a potential terrorist act. The 31 year old will appear at Perth Magistrates Court on 17 February for a bail application.
The family of Chris Kaba have said they are devastated misconduct proceedings against the police marksman who shot him have been paused.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it will wait before issuing gross misconduct papers against Metropolitan Police officer Martyn Blake.

Mr Kaba, 24, was a member of one of London's most violent street gangs and was fatally shot after trying to ram his way past police cars in Streatham, southeast London, in September 2022.

A legal change is expected to come into force in the spring over the tests used to bring criminal charges and misconduct proceedings against officers over use of force.

In a statement through the charity Inquest, Mr Kaba's family said: "Martyn Blake fatally shot Chris when he was unarmed and without knowing who he was.

"Until today, Martyn Blake was quite correctly facing imminent disciplinary proceedings for that use of force.

Chris Kaba was shot dead by police in September 2022 (PA Media)

"We cannot understand why we, as Chris's family, only learned for the first time today that the Met invited the IOPC to drop proceedings against Martyn Blake back in November.

"We are devastated that the IOPC has decided under this kind of police pressure to put on hold the preparations for Martyn Blake's gross misconduct proceedings.

"The IOPC could and should have consulted us last year, in advance of this decision. We would have said then, and we say now, that preparations for these proceedings should continue without more disruption and delay.

"To not involve us until after a decision to pause has been made is deeply disappointing and has damaged our confidence in the independence of the IOPC.

"The lack of consideration shown to us in this process adds to our trauma and our sense of injustice."

Mr Blake was cleared of murder after an Old Bailey trial, but is still due to face gross misconduct proceedings over the shooting, a decision branded "nonsensical" by officers' group the Metropolitan Police Federation and opposed by force bosses.

A grab from footage of Chris Kaba who allegedly opened fire with a gun inside a busy London nightclub (PA Media)

The IOPC ruled in April last year he should face a hearing, a decision welcomed by Mr Kaba's family and Inquest.

On Wednesday, it emerged the Met had invited the IOPC to drop the proceedings in November in light of the impending legal change.

After Mr Blake's acquittal, then home secretary Yvette Cooper vowed to raise the legal test used by prosecutors to determine whether to bring charges against police officers over use of force, into line with the standard used for members of the public.

The test used by the IOPC over whether to bring misconduct proceedings would also be raised to the level used in criminal law, she said.

The IOPC said: "We have decided it is not appropriate to make a decision on whether, in all the circumstances, it's fair and reasonable that Sergeant Blake should continue to face disciplinary proceedings, until we understand the impact of amendments to the use of force standard and any Home Office guidance."

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: "We recognise the impact of this case on everyone affected and it isn't our intention to delay matters any more than necessary, however it's important that our decision takes account of impending changes to the use of force standard."

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the "pause" over whether to bring disciplinary proceedings should be "as short as possible".

Referring to the officer as NX121, the cipher used before a judge ruled that he could be publicly identified, he said: "Following NX121's acquittal for murder we made strong representations to the Independent Office for Police Conduct that he should not face gross misconduct proceedings.

"The facts have already been fully tested during a criminal trial, which resulted in a jury returning a unanimous not guilty verdict.

"In our view, that should have brought this matter to a clear and definitive conclusion.

"We acknowledge the IOPC's decision to pause proceedings.

"However, this pause must be as short as possible.

"NX121's life has been effectively on hold for more than three years, and every additional delay prolongs the stress and uncertainty that he and his family are living with.

"We also recognise that this delay will be felt deeply by Mr Kaba's family, who continue to grieve their loss."

He said complex legal frameworks "serve neither officers nor families" and delays add to their distress.

Matt Cane, general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation that represents rank and file officers, said: "This is very much the right decision that will not only be welcomed by Sergeant Blake and his family - but also all police officers across London.

"Police officers should not face losing their liberty or livelihoods for doing the job that society expects of them and it has been pleasing to see Government acknowledgment of this.

"We look forward to Sergeant Blake - already fully exonerated for his actions in court by a jury of peers - swiftly having no further case to answer."
Claire Danes has reflected on the staying power of My So-Called Life, the cult classic teen drama that launched her career, in a new interview.

The Emmy-winning actor, 46, opened up on Tuesdays episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler about her profound experience starring as Angela Chase on the short-lived ABC series, which was canceled after just one season.

Its still radical! Danes exclaimed in response to Poehler asking what still resonates with audiences today about her angsty teenaged character. It remains ahead of this time.

The Beast In Me star continued: It shouldnt have been made. It almost wasnt made many times, and it just wills itself into experience. Its not very often that we spend that much time, intimate time, with a teenage girl.

My So-Called Life, created by Wicked playwright Winnie Holzman, followed Angela and her friends through her sophomore year of high school. The series was narrated by Angela, who laid bare her adolescent feelings and struggles with social issues.

Claire Danes has reflected on her part in ABC teen drama My So-Called Life as Angela Chase, who had a crush on Jared Letos character Jordan Catalano (Abc Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock)

Danes landed her breakout role in My So-Called Life (Getty)

I remember reading the pilot before the audition and just having a very profound experience. It was really powerful to have some woman, some writer person, so perfectly articulate my internal life, Danes recalled to Poehler, who praised the show as zeitgeisty.

The series, which aired from August 1994 to January 1995, also famously starred Jared Leto as Danes love interest, Jordan Catalano. The main cast, who gathered for a reunion on Zoom in 2020, also included actors Bess Armstrong, Wilson Cruz, Devon Odessa, and Tom Irwin.

Although the show was canceled due to low ratings against its competition from sitcoms like Friends and Home Improvement, its 19 episodes were critically acclaimed for its realistic portrayal of turbulent teenage years. The show went on to be remembered as one of the best teen dramas of all time, and one of the first to recognize issues like homophobia, alcoholism, and homelessness.

Were seeing the world from inside of her and really through her vantage point, Danes told Poehler. And shes so earnestly wrestling with big stuff. Its just so well-balanced and its so of her.

Theres some zingers, there are some really well-crafted lines, she said, praising the shows writing. I feel wildly fortunate that that was my entry point.

Danes, who was 13 when she filmed the pilot, won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV drama in 1995 for her performance in the show, which also earned her an Emmy nomination. She went on to win her first Emmy Award for Temple Grandin in 2010, and two Emmys for Homeland in 2012 and 2013.
A screengrab from the banned Coinbase advert that the watchdog said was irresponsible. Photograph: coinbase/Youtube (Photograph: coinbase/Youtube)

A cryptocurrency company advised by George Osborne has been banned from showing a set of adverts that suggested using its services could be a solution to the cost of living crisis.

Coinbase, which appointed the former Conservative chancellor to chair its global advisory council last year, has been told by the UKs advertising watchdog that its adverts were irresponsible and trivialised the risks of cryptocurrency.

The adverts from the US crypto exchange include a sarcastic two-minute video showing people singing everything is just fine, everything is grand as their home falls into a state of disrepair and suffers a power cut, while outside Britons cheerfully dance through streets littered with rats and piles of overflowing bin bags.

As the ad progresses, a shopper faces rising prices for fish fingers in a supermarket, white-collar workers lose their jobs, a sewage pipe bursts and rubbish falls from the sky.

The clip ends with large text saying: If everythings fine, dont change anything, before being replaced with the Coinbase logo. The company, which was founded in 2012, provides a platform for people to buy and sell various cryptocurrencies.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the advertising campaign, which launched in August, implied that using Coinbase could be an alternative to the financial concerns associated with the cost of living, and so trivialised the risks associated with investing in cryptocurrencies.

We considered that using humour to reference serious financial concerns, alongside a cue to change, risked presenting complex, high-risk financial products as an easy or obvious response to those concerns, it said.

Osborne was appointed in December to run Coinbases global advisory council to assist with the companys lobbying in the UK and EU, having already been an adviser to the company for the past two years.

The companys chief policy officer at the time said Osborne would play an active role in helping us with policymakers around the world. Last August, the former Tory MP had written a column in the Financial Times warning that the UK has been left behind in the cryptocurrency boom and is in danger of missing a second wave of demand.

The former politician last month added a role at ChatGPT developer OpenAI to his portfolio of positions, which also includes being the chair of the British Museum and a co-host of a podcast with the former Labour minister Ed Balls.

Three posters from Coinbase were also banned by the ASA, which in large letters stated: Home ownership out of reach, as well as real wages stuck in 2008 and eggs now out of budget. Small white background text read: Everything is finerepeatedly. The bottom of the poster said: If everythings fine, dont change anything next to the Coinbase logo.

Neither the video nor the posters contained any information about the risks of investing in cryptocurrencies, the ASA said, despite the UKs Financial Conduct Authority warning that cryptocurrency is largely unregulated and high risk, and that buyers should be prepared to lose all of their money.

The video advert by Coinbase had already been banned from television by Clearcast, which approves television ads in the UK, but the ASA said it had been shown on multiple online platforms, while the posters had been displayed in high-traffic areas such as the London Underground and rail stations.

A spokesperson for Coinbase said: While we respect the ASAs decision, we fundamentally disagree with the characterisation of a campaign that critically reflects widely reported economic conditions as socially irresponsible.

The advert was intended to provoke discussion about the state of the financial system and the need to consider better futures, not to offer simplistic solutions or minimise risk.

While digital assets are not a panacea, we believe their responsible adoption can play a constructive role in a more efficient and freer financial system. Coinbase remains committed to authentic, thought-provoking communication and to operating responsibly within the UKs regulatory framework.
by Austin Bay January 28, 2026

Theft and cunning sabotage are ancient weapons. Alone or in tandem, they damage an adversary. The Trojan horse was a cunning stratagem to circumvent Troy's massive walls, but once circumvented, Troy collapsed.

In the 21st century, cunning saboteurs add mob violence, street terror and digital propaganda to theft -- massive, billion-dollar theft.

The result? Chaos. OK. What's happening in Minnesota is not genuine chaos. But given media magnification, the perceived chaos has begun to shake a U.S. national audience.

We witness a real national security threat. Here's why: Chaos in America is the effect America's enemies seek by any means, including theft, distributing deadly drugs, undermining federal laws and attempting to assassinate presidential candidates.

I add the last point because the Butler, Pennsylvania, attempt on candidate Donald Trump's life has yet to be fully explained. The motives and connections of that weird-eyed would-be Florida assassin remain opaque.

Why do America's enemies stir internal chaos and divisiveness? Because the USA is too powerful for corrupt China and its toadies to confront unless America's morale, institutional vitality and super productive economy are sapped and weakened by disguised attacks and Big Lies.

America's economy is measured in trillions, but billions matter, especially when billions of dollars are stolen from government programs designed to educate the young and feed the starving.

Two weeks ago, John Solomon's Just the News website reported in 2024 and 2025 the Transportation Security Administration had found some $700 million in luggage passing through the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Ethnic Somali "couriers" moved most of the cash. Do the math. The couriers hauled around a million bucks a day. In greenbacks.

Hearsay? No. TSA has confirmed it. Allegedly, the major discoveries met U.S. Customs rules, meaning the cash transfers were legally declared. Technically.

A subsequent report from Solomon and Just the News added this: "The Somali couriers are believed to be part of a much larger system in which legal and illegal immigrants are moving tens of billions of dollars a year out of the United States via flights or remittance payment vendors."

Billions of dollars.

Savvy citizens are aware that federal prosecutors have convicted dozens of individuals in Minnesota who were involved in a food supplement scam. They stole over $200 million in federal funds (likely more). Federal prosecutors are also investigating massive fraud in Minnesota child care and early learning centers.

Total fraud estimates run from $9 billion to $18 billion.

The learning center scams focus on Minnesota's Somali communities.

From a subsequent Just the News update: "The Somali couriers are believed to be part of a much larger system in which legal and illegal immigrants are moving tens of billions of dollars a year out of the United States via flights or remittance payment vendors ... Missouri State Treasurer Vivek Malek told Just the News more than $200 billion leaves the United States annually through remittances, with Mexico alone receiving over $52 billion and billions more heading to China, the Middle East and African nations."

$200 billion is roughly a quarter of the U.S. military budget. Mexico remittances could well be legitimate, but on behalf of U.S. taxpayers, it's fair to ask if the IRS got its cut. But do we know? As for China's billions -- do we know who received it?

Theft of such magnitude amounts to economic sabotage. Failure to investigate and prosecute those responsible leads to the destruction of faith in U.S. governing institutions.

And that's another victory for America's enemies.
A council has deferred a decision on a proposal to build 45 new homes which is opposed by campaigners including actors Jude Law and Dominic Cooper.

The plans, put forward by Acorn Property Group, include constructing 25 flats in a four-storey and a five-storey block along with a terrace of 20 three-storey townhouses at Blackheath station car park in south London, according to council documents.

In an open letter, campaigners including Law and Cooper objected, saying the buildings are of an overbearing, unsympathetic design which destroys rather than improves the neighbourhood and could ruin its unique character.

Dominic Cooper has also signed the open letter objecting to the development (PA) (John Walton)

Other signatories include broadcaster Jools Holland, musician Manfred Mann and Miranda star Sarah Hadland.

On Tuesday evening, Lewisham Councils planning committee deferred the decision on the proposal in order to request further information on parking, the impact on commercial activity in the area, and access arrangements including for emergency services.

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor James Rathbone said the application is extremely controversial and has sparked a huge level of public interest.

He added: Its certainly attracted more press interest than practically anything else which has occurred at this council in my seven-and-three-quarters years on the council, and I think its important we can turn around to the thousands of people whove commented on this application, far more than Ive ever seen on any other planning application, and be able to give them reassurance that we did cross all the Ts and dot all the Is.

The open letter from those in opposition reads: We are fortunate to have lived, worked or studied in Blackheath, one of the most historic and beautiful corners of London. But we are deeply concerned by the threat to the harmony, attractiveness, and economy of Blackheath village by Acorns plans to build three large blocks of dwellings on the station car park.

The dramatic loss of parking and the uncertainty around the future of a farmers market which will be partly shoehorned into a narrow strip of the car park, threaten the viability of the independent shops in the already-struggling village. Blackheath will become a ghost village.

According to a council document, a planning officer has recommended the local authority approves the plans as proposed by Acorn, subject to 43 conditions.

A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: The planning committee deferred the Blackheath Station car park application because members were not satisfied they had the information needed to make a fully informed decision.

In particular, councillors were clear they needed stronger and more detailed evidence about the potential impact of the proposals on Blackheaths economy.

Deferring the application ensures residents concerns can be properly considered and any decision is taken with a full understanding of the likely effects on local businesses and the wider area.

Our priority is securing the best possible outcome for Blackheath.

The proposed site currently hosts a farmers market every Sunday.

The committees next meeting will be on February 12 at 7pm.
Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei has spoken about the experience of quietly returning to his homeland for the first time in about a decade, describing it as being like a phone call that had been disconnected for 10 years suddenly reconnecting.

The three-week visit in December was Ais first since 2015, when Chinese authorities returned his passport. It had been confiscated nearly four years earlier when he was subject to tax evasion charges, which also saw him detained for 81 days.

He lived under police surveillance after his release, with his phone and internet use strictly monitored, before moving to Berlin. He spent the next decade living in Germany, the UK and Portugal.

Ai Weiwei speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York City (Getty)

During his visit, Ai shared pictures and videos on social media of personal moments in Beijing as he travelled with his teenage son and reunited with his 93-year-old mother.

Ai told CNN he didnt need to take any particular precautions for his visit, although he was inspected and interrogated for almost two hours at the airport in Beijing.

The questions were very simple. How long do you plan to stay here? Where else do you plan to go? he told the US media outlet, adding that the rest of his time in the country was smooth and, one could say, pleasant.

Asked whether this suggested a change in the attitude of Chinese authorities towards him, Ai said he didnt believe there had been a recent shift, and that it was instead a reflection of his longtime views.

Although a country or group may disagree with my positions, they at least recognise that I speak sincerely and not for personal gain, he said.

He described the experience of returning as emotionally significant, especially after 10 years away.

What I missed most was speaking Chinese, he said. For immigrants, the greatest loss is not wealth, loneliness or an unfamiliar lifestyle, but the loss of linguistic exchange.

Ai Weiwei at his installation in Piccadilly Circus in London in 2024 (Getty)

Ais conflict with the Chinese authorities arose from a series of direct challenges to the official narrative. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, he launched an investigation into the collapse of school buildings and published the names of more than 5,000 children who had died, accusing officials of corruption in relation to shoddy construction.

The kind of authoritarian state we have in China cannot survive if it answers questions  if the truth is revealed, they are finished. So they started to think of me as the most dangerous person in China. That made me become an artist, but also an activist, he wrote in a 2018 opinion piece for The Guardian.

From exile, Ai continued to make politically engaged work, including the 2020 documentary Coronation, which examined Chinas handling of the Covid outbreak, and Cockroach, which focused on the 2019 Hong Kong protests.

He had previously made Human Flow, a film about the global refugee crisis, which took him to nearly 20 countries. His 2016 installation Laundromat used clothing left behind by refugees to evoke displacement and loss.

In 2023, the artist had said he would return to China if they dont take my personal freedom away, if I can express myself freely, and if they do not put me in jail secretly again.

Its just about the very basic principles of surviving, so I cannot, Ai said at an exhibition in London in April 2023.

In an interview with The Independent last year, Ai talked about the double standards of the Wests so-called democracies.

You cannot talk about human rights in Russia or China and then apply different rights in the Middle East, he said. Youre just using too many double or triple standards. The West has totally lost the moral high ground.
Rob Jetten, the leader of D66, is in line to become the Netherlands youngest ever prime minister. Photograph: ANP/Shutterstock (Photograph: ANP/Shutterstock)

The leaders of three Dutch political parties have agreed a new coalition deal, paving the way for a rare minority government in the Netherlands almost three months after elections that produced an upset victory for the centrist D66 party.

The liberal-progressive, pro-European party, led by the probable new prime minister, Rob Jetten, will join up with the conservative Christian Democrats and the right-wing VVD in a government that holds only 66 seats in the 150-seat lower house.

The new coalition shuts out the far-right Freedom party (PVV), led by the anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders, which D66 narrowly defeated in the tight October election. Both parties won 26 seats, although seven PVV MPs have since broken away.

Were incredibly eager to get started, said Jetten, 38, who will become the Netherlands youngest ever prime minister, announcing the accord on Tuesday night. Were going to do it as a three-party coalition, but wed also like to work with other parties.

He added: We now want to get started on all the major issues facing us  international security, domestic security, providing affordable homes, getting migration under control and investing in the new economy.

The governments plans, due to be announced in detail on Friday, include enormous investment in defence and in the Netherlands itself, Jetten said. We want to set out the finances carefully so that we do not pass debts on to future generations.

D66 surged to an upset win, spurred by what Jetten called its positive message, finishing just 30,000 votes ahead of the PVV, the largest member of the shortlived outgoing coalition until Wilders pulled out in a row over immigration.

The new cabinet should now be formally sworn in by mid-February, but will have to work with opposition parties in the fragmented Dutch parliament to pass legislation. It also lacks a majority in the senate, which can block laws passed by the lower house.

The three parties made the highly unusual choice to govern without a majority after the VVD leader, Dilan Yesilgoz, refused from the outset to consider including the left-leaning GroenLinks/PvdA alliance, which won 20 seats, describing it as too radical.

Similarly, efforts by the VVD to include the radical-right populist JA21 party ran into determined opposition from D66. We do not consider that to be wise at this time, given everything that has to be done, Jetten said earlier this month.

However, the GroenLinks-PvdA leader, Jesse Klaver, said this month his party was open to negotiating agreements with the new coalition on a case-by-case basis, saying it wanted to provide what he called responsible opposition.

Klaver said global instability and the need to help move the Netherlands forward meant the government could not afford to fail and his party would support it on big issues such as environmental reforms and accelerating housebuilding.

It would draw the line, however, Klaver said, on any attempts to unfairly increase the tax burden on ordinary working people, reduce healthcare funding or relax employment legislation to make it easier to fire employees.

GroenLinks-PvdA is now the largest opposition party in parliament  and could provide the government with a majority in both houses  after the breakup earlier this month of Wilders PVV, which lost almost a third of its seats in the election.

The breakaway group, led by a long-serving PVV MP, Gidi Markuszower, attacked Wilders election strategy, saying insulting Islam was OK but does not solve voters problems, and his failure to enrol any members apart from himself.

However, two other far-right parties, Forum voor Democratie (FvD) and JA21, both gained seats in the election and continue to advance in the polls. Wilders said after the split it was a black day but he had every confidence his party would survive it.
Elena Rybakina continued her dominant form to end Iga Swiateks hopes of a first Australian Open title.

Like Carlos Alcaraz, Swiatek only needs this trophy to complete the career Grand Slam, but she was unable to match the Spaniard by reaching the semi-finals.

Although Swiatek was the higher seed, this hardly qualified as a shock, with Rybakina having returned to top form at the end of last season by winning the WTA Finals, while she also won their only previous meeting at Melbourne Park.

Elena Rybakina served 11 aces (Dar Yasin/AP) (Dar Yasin)

The fifth seed went into the tournament as one of the big favourites and is yet to drop a set, with her 7-5 6-1 victory over Swiatek making it eight straight wins over top-10 opponents.

Rybakinas biggest weapon is her serve and she sent down 11 aces, with her improved first-serve percentage making the difference after a tight first set.

Rybakina will now take on American Jessica Pegula, aiming to reach her second Australian Open final after losing to Aryna Sabalenka in 2023.

Im really happy with the win, and happy that it was in straight sets, said Rybakina. I was a bit struggling in the first set with the serve but, overall, happy that I managed to win in two.

Jessica Pegula celebrates her progress (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP) (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

I think last season the last couple of tournaments I played I gained some confidence throughout tough matches. Of course, this is something I tried to carry to this year.

Still a lot of things to improve, to work on, but the most important is that Im trying to stay aggressive whenever I get the chance to step in, maybe risk a little bit.

For Swiatek, this defeat follows losses to Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic at the United Cup, with the Pole having won only one of her last seven meetings with top-10 rivals.

Im not happy with the result, said the 24-year-old. It was a high-intensity match. First set was tight, a few points made the difference.

In the second set, for sure, she improved the serve. She was going for the shots, and it got much tougher.

I know what I need to improve, and its kind of the same stuff that I had in my mind before the tournament as well. So theres no breakthrough lesson.

Im just going to keep doing my job, and hopefully the next tournament Ill get some stuff settled in terms of what I wanted to do with my game.

In the second semi-final, Pegula maintained her unbeaten record against Amanda Anisimova to emulate Elina Svitolina by making her first semi-final here at the age of 31.

Iga Swiatek shows her frustration (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP) (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Pegulas steady arc of progress has been one of the most impressive stories in the womens game, with the American finally winning a grand slam quarter-final at the seventh time of asking at the US Open in 2024.

The last eight had been her ceiling here but, after knocking out defending champion and close friend Madison Keys in the fourth round, she defeated countrywoman Anisimova 6-2 7-6 (1).

Pegula had won all their three previous meetings and she fought back from 5-3 down in the second set to end Anisimovas hopes of a third straight slam final appearance.

When you feel like you have more in the tool shed when you are out there and things arent going great, that is a lot of confidence right there, said Pegula of the improvements she has made to her game.

Im just proud of myself of how Ive been able to consistently still improve. I feel like the level (of the womens game) is higher now than probably before when I was making some of those quarters.
Former Spandau Ballet frontman Ross Davidson has been found guilty of raping a woman in London and the attempted rape and sexual assault of another woman in Thailand.

Davidson, 37, who used the stage name Ross Wild, performed in 2018 as the singer for the hit 1980s group and also starred in Queen-based West End musical We Will Rock You.

Ross Davidson performed under the stage name Ross Wild (Instagram)

The Aberdeen-born musical theatre actor, aspiring songwriter and singer carried out the assaults because he felt he could get "sex on demand", a court was told.

Davidson, of Finchley, north London, had pleaded not guilty to the rape of a woman in London in March 2015, along with the attempted rape and sexual assault of another woman in Thailand in December 2019, saying his actions against the women he met on Tinder were consensual.

But on Wednesday, jurors at Wood Green Crown Court found him guilty of all charges after more than 11 hours of deliberation.

Davidson had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism in December 2019 against the woman in Thailand after secretly filmed video he had taken of her as she slept was found on his mobile phone.

Prosecutor Richard Hearnden said Davidson had been thought of as "a bit of a sex symbol" but the two women said he had "a much darker side that they did not notice, at least at first".

He had success, musical talent and was considered "charming and charismatic" but "it is because Ross Davidson expects to get sex on demand that he will resort to rape and sexual assault if he is not given what he thinks he deserves", Mr Hearnden said.

He described himself as "sex positive", telling the court this was about "open dialogue, open-mindedness about people's predilections, just an openness to trying different sexual appetites". This could include bondage, restraint, group sex, and he had "once or twice" attended a sex party.

The rape victim told the jury Davidson attacked her while she was asleep in his bed and recalled feeling "helpless" and "scared to react".

Before assaulting her Davidson had "mentioned he liked the idea of having sex with a mannequin, a person in a helpless state, someone not moving".

Ross Davidson (Metropolitan Police)

Jurors also heard he put her in a sex collar and wrist cuffs for about 20 minutes without her permission.

This made her "confused" and put her in "a state of shock" but he removed them when she asked, she said.

In court Davidson called all these claims of assault and a sex collar an "out-and-out lie."

Another woman said she woke up in a hotel bedroom in Thailand to find Davidson trying to have sex without her permission or a condom.

Davidson said "thanks for being cool about it" when she calmly talked him down from raping her, she recalled.

This attempted rape happened after Davidson and the woman had drunken sex the night before.

The woman went on to stay with him that night, which she described as "regrettable but fair" before they spent time together the following day on a beach and sightseeing trip.

Detectives tracked her down after finding Davidson's mobile phone video showing her being fondled while snoring, "asleep, still and unresponsive" and "at least half naked" in a Thailand hotel bedroom, the prosecution said.

She had no idea the video existed until the police told her in 2023.

In her evidence the woman strongly dismissed a suggestion by Davidson that she had given him permission to touch her while she was asleep, telling the jury: "Why would I want a man to touch me when I am in a state of unconsciousness?"

In his police interview Davidson described a whirlwind romance with the woman in Thailand where they had consensual sex and talked about their "kinks and fantasies, very normal fantasises".

He admitted a voyeurism charge over the video, but had denied sexual assault from the same incident.

Davidson said he created the video for "selfish reasons, for sexual gratification" and he "had permission to touch her but not to film".

Then, getting emotional, he told the jury: "I wish I had never done it."

The court heard Davidson had been found guilty of rape, two counts of sexual assault and voyeurism at a previous trial.

Addressing jurors, Judge John Dodd KC thanked them for their work during the case, adding: "I expect you have all felt rather sad about the people involved."

A further hearing has been set for February 4 at the same court, when a sentencing date is expected to be discussed.
Two immigration enforcement officers who were involved in shooting Alex Pretti dead in Minnesota have been placed on administrative leave.

Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, was killed after he was shot by ICE agents at a protest at about 9am on Saturday morning. Ten shots were fired in total.

DHS said guns were fired in self-defence and Mr Pretti was a would-be assassin because he was carrying a gun.

Alex Pretti (US Department of Veterans Affair)

Footage of the incident contradicts what homeland security secretary Kristi Noem had claimed.

In the videos, Pretti was seen holding a phone up to agents and does not appear to get out a gun. This was verified by Reuters.

The Department of Homeland security told NBC News that the Border Patrol agents had been temporarily prevented from working.

In a report from DHS sent to Congress, it was confirmed that two officers fired at Mr Pretti during the scuffle.

However, it did not say if Mr Pretti was seen brandishing a weapon. The agents have also not been named.

Widespread protests across the country erupted after the killing, which came only a few weeks after Renee Good was shot dead by ICE agents in Minneapolis, less than a mile away from where Mr Pretti died.

The moment the first shot is fired at Alex Pretti (via REUTERS)

The killing sparked intense criticism from Democrats and increasingly members of the Republican party too. President Donald Trump seemed to distance himself from the comments that senior Republicans had made about the shooting.

He said he wanted to de-escalate the situation in Minneapolis. But after the mayor of the city said they would not help federal agents enforce immigration law, Mr Trump said the Democratic mayor was playing with fire.

Observers and activists told Reuters that Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity appeared to slow somewhat on Tuesday before resuming in full on Wednesday.

They said there did now appear to be more of an emphasis on targeted exercises.

On Wednesday, ICE agents were seen in several parts of the city rolling up to homes and businesses in caravans of three vehicles with six to eight agents in total, then knocking on doors and looking around, seemingly for a specific person.

MINNESOTA ARRESTS  I am on the ground in Minneapolis today. Federal agents have arrested 16 Minnesota rioters for allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement  people who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents.



We expect more arrests to come.



Ive  Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 28, 2026

Sixteen protestors were arrested in Minnesota for allegedly assaulting, resisting or impeding federal law enforcement.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said: "Federal agents have arrested 16 Minnesota rioters for allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement - people who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents.

"Ive said it before and Ill say it again: NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department of Justice from enforcing the law.
Five people have been charged with conspiring to facilitate illegal migration after 23 Bangladeshi nationals were found hidden inside a lorry heading out of the UK.

Officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) stopped the lorry as it was approaching the Dover ferry port and found the men hidden inside as part of a sting operation. Police had been tracking a suspected organised crime group involved in smuggling migrants out of the UK and said immigration crime was threatening the border security of both the UK and France.

The majority of the Bangladeshi men - 22 out of 23 - were in the UK legally and were released after being discovered, the NCA said on Wednesday. One was arrested by immigration enforcement, the police said.

A 43-year-old man, suspected to be the ringleader of the crime network, was arrested in New Cross, London, and 30,000 was also seized as part of the investigation. Three other men arrested, aged between 43 and 55, allegedly drove taxis from London to a location near Whitstable, Kent, as part of the plan. The lorry driver, a 32-year-old Romanian passport holder, was also arrested.

The group are alleged to have been involved in trying to move predominantly Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals out of the UK in lorries, in an attempt to avoid border controls and French entry restrictions.

Bangladeshi nationals were found by the NCA hidden inside a lorry on its way to Dover ferry port (NCA)

NCA branch commander Saju Sasikumar said: Organised crime groups involved in people smuggling risk the safety of those they transport, and also threaten the border security of both the UK and France.

Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA, and this investigation is one of around 100 ongoing investigations into networks or individuals in the top tier of this type of criminality.

It comes after the NCA warned in November last year that people smuggling gangs were targeting lorry drivers to move migrants both into and out of the UK.

Police said smugglers were known to be targeting drivers, offering them thousands of pounds to transport people across the border in otherwise legitimate loads.

Between July and October last year, the NCA arrested nine lorry drivers in Kent for people smuggling offences.
Former Labour MP Ed Balls and ex-Conservative chancellor George Osborne have won podcast of the year at the Political Podcast Awards for Political Currency.

Other winners at the Westminster awards ceremony included Skys Electoral Dysfunction, which won presenter of the year for Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson as well as comedy moment of the year for an interview with Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

The Spectators Quite Right! podcast won newcomer of the year, Politics At Sam And Annes by Politico and Sky won most original format, while the peoples choice award went to Stripped Medias The Simple Politics Podcast.

Political Currency is presented by Balls and Osborne (Ian West/PA) (Ian West)

The founder of the Political Podcast Awards, Katie Perrior, said: What a night. It was fantastic to see so much talent from the political podcast world gathered in one room to celebrate their success in delivering information to the public in innovative ways.

The strength of the submissions for the awards demonstrates that, despite the challenges faced by the media, quality content and insightful analysis will always stand out regardless of the format.

Our independent judging panel faced a challenging task in selecting winners from a range of spectacular examples of creativity and editorial excellence.

Thank you to everyone who submitted entries and congratulations to the winners. We look forward to experiencing even more outstanding material in the coming year.

Story of the year was shared between Globals The News Agents and The Financial Times Political Fix for investigating the 2022 data leak of Afghan allies resettling in the UK, putting many at risk from the Taliban.

Judges described the tale as the defining story of the year, characterised by outstanding journalism.

Jimmy McLoughlins Jimmys Jobs podcast won interview of the year for an interview with former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, which saw him call for a shift in attitudes towards mental health.

Political Currencys Ellie Clifford won producer of the year while PoliticsJOEs Laura Beveridge won the rising star award, and The Feminist Files  a podcast released from the University of Cambridge  took home the first student podcast of the year award.

The awards announced on Wednesday were decided by a panel chaired by Good Morning Britains head of politics Anne Alexander, and made up of others including Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen and former Labour adviser Deborah Mattinson.

The awards ceremony was presented by broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth and Donald Trumps ex-communications director Anthony Scaramucci.
German investigators have raided the offices of Deutsche Bank, the country's largest lender, as part of an investigation into suspected money laundering. Searches were conducted on Wednesday at the bank's headquarters in Frankfurt and in Berlin.

Prosecutors in Frankfurt stated the probe targets "unknown employees" and prior business relationships with foreign entities, believed to have been used for illicit financial transactions. The prosecutor's office could not provide further details on the nature or scale of the transactions under scrutiny.

Deutsche Bank confirmed the presence of the Frankfurt public prosecutors office, issuing a statement that read: "We confirm that the Frankfurt public prosecutors office is on site in our offices. The bank is cooperating fully with the public prosecutors office. We cannot comment further." This raid occurs just a day before the financial institution is scheduled to release its 2025 earnings report.

Deutsche Bank has a history of regulatory issues. It was fined $205 million by New York regulators in 2018 for manipulating the foreign exchange market, and $41 million by the Federal Reserve in 2017 for failure to maintain controls against money laundering, as well as $629 million in penalties in 2017 by New York and British regulators for lapses in controls that allowed wealthy Russians to launder $10 billion in illicit funds through the bank.

In general, money laundering can be defined as transactions intended to obscure the origin of funds to make them appear to have come from a legitimate source.
Irish rap trio Kneecap have announced a new album claiming criticism from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was all the motivation we needed.

The group, made up of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, will release their second studio album, titled Fenian, on April 24, after they hit the headlines in 2025 when O hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence.

The charge, which was eventually dropped in September last year, alleged that O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah, which is proscribed as a terror organisation by the British government, at a gig at the O2 Forum in London in 2024.

Announcing their new record on Instagram, Kneecap said: They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap terrorists, with cancellations, with statements from the Prime Minister himself.

We had all the motivation we needed this isnt a swift reaction, but a considered response to those that tried to silence us. And failed.

Inspired by, and proudly named Fenian, who were warriors in Irish folklore, and later a derogatory term for the Irish.

Now were using it to name everyone speaking truth to power.

After 800 years of colonisation, they thought the Irish language would die, it didnt.

Thanks to Muintir na Gaeltachta, and all the Gaels who refused to let their culture and language be destroyed, and Kneecap is much the same we havent gone away.

The Paddies are back.

The trio, who regularly rap in the Irish language, have also told fans to tune in to Jack Saunders BBC Radio 1 show at 7.30pm, and said further news would follow on their WhatsApp channel.

Fenian will be released on Heavenly Recordings, with its first single Liars Tale being released later on Wednesday.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is currently appealing against the decision to drop O hAnnaidhs case, which also saw prosecutors allege that the rapper could be heard saying up Hamas, up Hezbollah in video footage of the concert.

Kneecaps performance at last years Glastonbury Festival, which saw them chant f*** Keir Starmer, also saw them face an investigation by Avon and Somerset Police, which was eventually dropped.

The group released their first full-length album Fine Art in 2024, having previously released the mixtape 3CAG in 2018, and have collaborated with Fontaines DCs Grian Chatten on the song Better Way To Live.

In between their first and second LPs, the band have released a number of standalone singles including The Recap, which looked back at their year in the press and took aim at Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch.

Kneecap also starred in their own film in 2024, directed by Rich Peppiatt, which took home a Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer.

The group, who have also been criticised for allegedly saying kill your local MP during a concert, are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language and pro-Palestine stance.

They have since apologised to the families of murdered MPs and said they have never supported Hamas or Hezbollah.
Central Michigan University made history Wednesday by becoming Michigan's first public university to guarantee employment outcomes for its graduates, promising to pay students $2,000 if they don't secure a job offer or graduate school acceptance within six months of graduation.

The groundbreaking Central Career Guarantee program represents a seismic shift in how universities demonstrate accountability for student outcomes and career readiness. In an era when prospective students and families increasingly scrutinize return on investment for higher education, CMU is putting its money where its mission statement is.

A Bold Commitment Backed by Strong Results

CMU President Neil MacKinnon announced the program emphasizing the university's confidence in its approach to hands-on learning and career preparation, noting that CMU students already achieve a 94.3% career outcomes rate.

"At CMU, we know that our approach to hands-on learning, leadership development and student success works," MacKinnon said. "We're confident that we offer students an exceptional education that delivers real-world results, and now we guarantee it."

The guarantee stipulates that eligible participating students will receive a job offer or acceptance into graduate school within six months of graduating, or the university will provide $2,000 of financial support to assist with student loan payments, a continued job or school search, or other needs.

Strong Track Record Justifies Confidence

The university's willingness to back its graduates with financial guarantees stems from impressive existing outcomes data. CMU graduates earn 26% more than the national median within two years of graduation, positioning alumni for financial success early in their careers.

Additionally, CMU holds distinction as one of only four public institutions in Michigan designated as an Opportunity University by the Carnegie Classifications of Higher Education. This recognition underscores the institution's commitment to providing affordable, accessible higher education with measurable career outcomes.

"The number one reason most students choose to pursue higher education is to improve their career prospects  they are seeking pathways to better jobs and higher earnings," MacKinnon explained. "We want students and their families to see that a college degree from CMU can help them achieve that goal."

Program Details and Eligibility

Beginning in the fall 2026 semester, eligible main campus and online undergraduate students will be able to opt into the Central Career Guarantee program, which requires them to complete a roadmap of steps during each phase of the program.

The structured approach ensures students engage with career development resources throughout their academic journey rather than waiting until graduation approaches. While specific program requirements have not been fully detailed, the roadmap approach suggests students will need to actively participate in career planning activities, utilize university career services, and meet certain benchmarks to maintain eligibility for the guarantee.

This opt-in structure allows motivated students who are committed to their career development to access the guarantee while maintaining reasonable parameters for the university's financial commitment.

A Strategic Response to Higher Education Challenges

The Central Career Guarantee emerges at a critical juncture for higher education. Universities nationwide face mounting pressure to demonstrate tangible value amid rising tuition costs, student loan debt concerns, and increasing skepticism about the return on investment of a college degree.

Employment guarantees represent a growing trend among institutions seeking to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive enrollment landscape. By assuming financial risk for unsuccessful job outcomes, universities signal strong confidence in their career preparation programs while addressing prospective students' primary concern: Will this degree lead to employment?

CMU's move positions the Mount Pleasant-based institution as an innovator willing to be held accountable for student success beyond graduation day. The program effectively extends the university's commitment to students from the traditional endpoint of degree conferral to the critical transition into the workforce.

Implications for Students and Families

For prospective students evaluating college options, the Central Career Guarantee adds a tangible safety net to the decision-making process. The $2,000 payment, while modest compared to total degree costs, provides meaningful support during what can be a financially stressful job search period.

The funds can be applied toward student loan payments, helping graduates avoid default during unemployment. Alternatively, the money can support continued job search activities, including travel for interviews, professional development courses, or living expenses while seeking appropriate employment.

Perhaps most importantly, the guarantee signals institutional commitment to career outcomes that extends beyond graduation statistics published in marketing materials. CMU is staking financial resources on its ability to prepare students for the job market, creating alignment between institutional success and student success.

The Competitive Landscape

While CMU becomes Michigan's first public university to implement such a guarantee, it joins a growing number of institutions nationwide experimenting with employment outcome guarantees. These programs vary significantly in structure, eligibility requirements, and financial commitments.

Some programs guarantee specific starting salaries in certain fields, while others focus on placement rates within defined timeframes. The $2,000 payment amount positions CMU's program as substantial enough to be meaningful while remaining financially sustainable for the institution given its strong existing outcomes data.

The guarantee distinguishes CMU from peer institutions competing for the same pool of prospective students. In admissions conversations, the university can now point to a concrete financial commitment backing its career preparation claims, potentially influencing enrollment decisions among career-focused students.

Building on Existing Infrastructure

CMU's ability to launch this guarantee builds on existing career development infrastructure. The university operates Career Central, a comprehensive platform connecting students with employers, internships, and career resources. Thousands of jobs and internships are posted through the system, connecting CMU students with employers ranging from local businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

The university's career development services include individual appointments, career fairs, networking events, and workshops designed to prepare students for successful job searches. This existing infrastructure provides the foundation for ensuring students who engage with available resources achieve positive outcomes.

Mission-Driven Innovation

MacKinnon framed the Central Career Guarantee as an extension of the university's core mission. "Our mission statement says, 'Central Michigan University is defined by the success of our students and alumni, and by our collective impact with the communities we serve,'" he noted. "This Guarantee is an extension of that mission, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring that our students become successful alumni, serving as leaders in their professions and in their communities."

The program represents a values-based approach to accountability, moving beyond traditional metrics like graduation rates and alumni satisfaction surveys to create measurable financial commitment to career outcomes.

Looking Ahead

As fall 2026 approaches, CMU will need to operationalize the program, establishing clear eligibility criteria, defining the required roadmap steps, and creating systems to track participant outcomes and distribute payments when applicable.

The program's success or challenges will likely influence whether other Michigan public universities follow suit with similar guarantees. If CMU's strong existing outcomes translate to minimal payout obligations while providing significant enrollment advantages, the model may spread.

For current high school students beginning their college search, CMU's career guarantee adds a new dimension to the evaluation process. Beyond considering campus culture, academic programs, and financial aid packages, prospective students can now factor in institutional accountability for career outcomes.

Additional details about the Central Career Guarantee are available on CMU's website at www.cmich.edu. As the program launches, it will be closely watched by higher education observers, competing institutions, and prospective students seeking institutions that stand behind their career preparation promises.

In an increasingly competitive and uncertain higher education landscape, Central Michigan University's willingness to guarantee career outcomes with financial backing represents bold leadership and genuine commitment to student success. Whether this model becomes the exception or the new standard remains to be seen, but CMU has drawn a line in the sand: the university's success is inextricably linked to its graduates' career success, and it's willing to put dollars behind that commitment.
Kneecap have hit out at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over his stance towards Gaza in their latest single, Liars Tale.

The song focuses on Sir Keirs stance in relation to Israels military offensive in Gaza and also makes reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Announcing their new album on Wednesday, the Irish rap trio said that criticism from Sir Keir was all the motivation we needed and said the album was dedicated to everyone speaking truth to power.

Kneecaps new single takes aim at Sir Keir Starmer (Alastair Grant/PA) (Alastair Grant)

The lyrics in Liars Tale include youre not getting away with doing nothing and f*** Keir Starmer, Netanyahus bitch in genocide armour.

Rapping in Irish, the band accused Sir Keir of being nothing but a Tory and of pandering to the US.

The song was played for the first time on Jack Saunders BBC Radio 1 show moments before the music video premiered on YouTube.

The dystopian-themed video features the three musicians in guillotines and a zombie that looks like Margaret Thatcher, after a voiceover says that the Prime Minister had contacted previous leaders for foreign policy advice.

The group, made up of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, will release their second studio album, titled Fenian, on April 24.

They hit the headlines in 2025 when O hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence.

The charge, which was eventually dropped in September last year, alleged that O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah, which is proscribed as a terror organisation by the British Government, at a gig at the O2 Forum in London in 2024.

The Crown Prosecution Service is currently appealing against the decision to drop O hAnnaidhs case, which also saw prosecutors allege that the rapper could be heard saying up Hamas, up Hezbollah in video footage of the concert.

Announcing their new record on Instagram, Kneecap said: They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap terrorists, with cancellations, with statements from the Prime Minister himself.

We had all the motivation we needed this isnt a swift reaction, but a considered response to those that tried to silence us. And failed.

Kneecaps Liam Og O hAnnaidh (centre, in keffiyeh), who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, with his lawyer Darragh Mackin and bandmates JJ ODochartaigh (left) and Naoise O Caireallain (back right) outside Woolwich Crown Court (Aaron Chown/PA) (Aaron Chown)

Inspired by, and proudly named Fenian, who were warriors in Irish folklore, and later a derogatory term for the Irish.

Now were using it to name everyone speaking truth to power.

After 800 years of colonisation, they thought the Irish language would die, it didnt.

Thanks to Muintir na Gaeltachta, and all the Gaels who refused to let their culture and language be destroyed, and Kneecap is much the same we havent gone away. The Paddies are back.

Kneecaps performance at last years Glastonbury Festival, which saw them chant f*** Keir Starmer, also saw them face an investigation by Avon and Somerset Police, which was eventually dropped.

The group released their first full-length album, Fine Art, in 2024, having previously released the mixtape 3CAG in 2018, and have collaborated with Fontaines DCs Grian Chatten on the song Better Way To Live.

In between their first and second LPs, the band have released a number of standalone singles, including The Recap, which looked back at their year in the press and took aim at Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch.

Kneecap also starred in their own film in 2024, directed by Rich Peppiatt, which took home a Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer.

The group, who have also been criticised for allegedly saying kill your local MP during a concert, are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language and pro-Palestine stance.

They have since apologised to the families of murdered MPs and said they have never supported Hamas or Hezbollah.
Newburys William Hill Denman Chase is the preferred stopping point en route to the Cheltenham Gold Cup for LHomme Presse after his brave effort in defence of his Cotswold Chase crown last weekend.

Venetia Williams 11-year-old was attempting to concede 6lb to eventual winner Spillanes Tower at Prestbury Park, and although that burden ultimately told with the Irish raider registering a three-quarter-length verdict, connections were left feeling elated with their horse of a lifetime.

At 11 to turn up and do something like that, you are full of so much pride and emotion, said Andy Edwards, who owns the horse under the DFA Racing banner in partnership with Pam Sharman, Ray Sharman and Peter and Patricia Pink.

We were stood there at the second pole after the race and I mentioned to the groom there were still loads of people cheering us even though the winner was there, hes a really popular lad isnt he?

He is a special horse and special horses do special things to people, which is the most wonderful thing about a life with horses.

Hes absolutely fine after the race and I was in the field with him the other day and he was rolling around in the mud having fun. It will just be an easy week this week after such a magnificent race and he wasnt blowing overly hard afterwards.

LHomme Presse holds an entry for Haydocks William Hill Half A Mill Grand National Trial Handicap Chase on February 14, but providing the in-form veteran continues to thrive following his Trials day exertions, he will head to Newbury a week earlier for a race Williams won 12 months ago with Djelo.

It is a move which represents a deviation to the Ascot Chase path LHomme Presse has taken in the previous two seasons, with Edwards and his fellow owners relishing another crack at the blue riband in March with their Cheltenham specialist, who tasted Festival success in 2022 before finishing fourth in the Gold Cup 24 months later.

Haydock will be plan B, but ideally we will go to the Denman Chase then the Gold Cup as long as he is all right, continued Edwards. Obviously were not going to know that fully until the weekend when he does a bit more work.

Were not expecting to win the Gold Cup and it will be more hoping  you have to be realistic. But if he could get into the first five in the Gold Cup, that would be fantastic and we still dont know what will even get there. Cheltenham is still a fair way away in a horses life.
The Government has insisted there was no political motivation for the decision to cancel some local elections

Labour council leaders were leant on to cancel local elections, the partys ruling body has heard.

The charge was made during this months meeting of Labours ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) and posted online by a veteran member of the body.

The Government has maintained that elections were not cancelled for party-political reasons, despite fears of a Labour rout by Reform UK.

The allegation has fuelled demands for ministers to come clean on whether council leaders were subjected to political pressure to call off their May 7 polls.

More than 4.5 million people have been denied a vote after Steve Reed, the Local Government Secretary, axed elections for 29 councils last week, including 15 Labour-run authorities.

The Telegraphs Campaign for Democracy is calling for the Government to be stripped of its legal powers to cancel local elections. The power to postpone rests in an obscure clause of the Local Government Act 2000.

The charge was revealed in a blog by Ann Black, a respected veteran of Labours NEC, after the Jan 20 meeting.

Ms Black has sat on the NEC as a constituency representative since 2000 and chaired the committee from 2009 to 2010. Under the title Ann Black on the record, she frequently blogs about the discussions that have taken place behind closed doors.

Her most recent blog, posted on Tuesday, said: [I] passed on concerns from council leaders who were asked to choose whether to hold elections and then leant on behind the scenes.

Where there is no overall control, opponents can complain loudly and freely about denial of democracy, and one Labour leader  in Nuneaton and Bedworth  has already lost a vote of no confidence.

Conservative, Green and Liberal Democrat councillors on Nuneaton and Bedworth council combined their votes last week to oust Chris Watkins, the Labour leader, from office, after he requested a delay.

Chris Watkins, a Labour councillor, lost his role as leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth over the delayed elections, after a no-confidence vote - Paul Tonge for The Telegraph

According to Ms Black, Mr Reed said: These decisions should not be imposed from above, and local leaders know best if they can deliver huge and complex organisational changes and also run elections.

Ms Black wrote: Steve [Reed] added that party structures did not reflect the new devolved structures and the NEC should look at adapting the rules to support accountability.

Ms Blacks claims of behind-the-scenes political pressure have fuelled calls for a Whitehall investigation.

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Sir James Cleverly, the shadow housing, communities and local government secretary, said: Steve Reed must come clean about whether the Labour Government pressured councils into asking for their local elections to be cancelled.

Bullying councils over an issue of this magnitude would represent a serious breach of the rules and could even be unlawful.

Labour is denying democracy and running scared of voters, to serve their own political interests. Throughout their top-down reorganisation process, they have held a gun to local leaders heads, and then sought to blame them when facing a backlash from the millions of people denied a vote.

The Conservatives are clear that these elections should be going ahead  and Labour must immediately tell the public if they have broken the law to stop them doing so.

Graham Stringer, the veteran Labour MP for Blackley and Middleton South, said: I think the cancellations themselves are appalling. It wouldnt surprise me if pressure had been put on serious members of the party in local government, and if so, it is to be regretted.

Mr Stringer said there were a number of Labour MPs who were deeply frustrated privately with the decision to cancel local elections. He said: On the [cancellation of] elections as well as other things, there is a great deal of unhappiness with the direction of the Government.

Richard Tice, Reforms deputy leader, said: Ann Black is a senior and well-respected voice inside the Labour Party. Her revelation must be taken seriously and must be urgently investigated. The cats out of the bag, and its finally time for Labour to come clean.

Caroline Phillips, a Labour councillor in Nuneaton and Bedworth at the stormy meeting at which Chris Watkins, the council leader, lost a no-confidence vote - Paul Tonge for The Telegraph

Ministers have justified the delays by saying councils need space to prioritise a national reorganisation that will merge some authorities as part of an efficiency drive.

But critics argued that councils were cancelling ballots to avoid losing seats. Labour majorities on 10 councils would be wiped out if cancelled elections were to go ahead, according to polling for The Telegraph.

Senior Labour MPs last week raised concerns in the Commons about the Governments announcement.

Florence Eshalomi, the chairman of the housing, communities and local government select committee, criticised Mr Reed for giving assurances to her committee last November that elections would go ahead.

Mr Reed told the committee then: Elections are going ahead. In all the areas where they were told they will be going ahead.

Labour is widely expected to perform poorly at this Mays elections. Polling from YouGov, carried out on Jan 25 and Jan 26, showed the party is polling at 21 per cent nationally, four points behind Reform UK.

It is ahead of the Conservatives on 17 per cent and the Greens on 16 per cent.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government strongly denied that councils were subjected to political pressure to postpone.

A spokesman said: That is categorically untrue. We took a locally-led approach and listened to councils who are best-placed to judge postponements in their areas.

We wrote to councils to see clarity and did everything we could to ensure councils felt supported to make the right decision.

However, allegations raised by the highly respected Ms Black will not be easy to dismiss. Tributes flowed in for Ms Black last week when she announced she would stand down from the NEC in September.

A spokesman for the soft-Left Mainstream group said it was a sad day to learn of the retirement of a revered figure. Rupa Huq, the Ealing Central and Acton MP, called her genuinely principled and fair-minded.
Labour has launched a social media attack on the Green Party amid warnings from pollsters and MPs that Zack Polanskis party could win the Gorton and Denton by-election.

As voters prepare to go to the polls in the Greater Manchester seat on 26 February, Labour posted a video advert pleading with them not to turn their backs on the party and support the Greens.

The post highlights polling that shows Labour is the closest to rivalling Reform in the constituency, while attacking Green policies on legalising drugs.

It came as Sir Keir Starmer warned that only Labour not the Greens could stop Reform dividing the country as he prepared to fly to China.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski could be the beneficiary of anger aimed at Labour and a tactical anti-Reform vote, Labour MPs have warned (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

He said: Theres only one party to stop Reform and thats the Labour party, and we can already see what the by-election is going to be about which is Labour values. Which are about delivering on the cost of living with a strong record actually in that constituency of what weve already done versus Reform.

And you can see from their candidate what politics theyre going to bring to that constituency, the politics of division, of toxic division, of tearing people apart.

Thats not what that constituency is about, its not what Manchester is about so this is a straight fight between Labour and Reform and theres only one party that can stop the politics of Reform in the by election and thats the Labour Party.

But Labour MPs have privately briefed The Independent that they expect the Greens to be the beneficiaries of anger with Labour and a tactical anti-Reform vote at the by-election, which was triggered when former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne announced his resignation from Parliament.

It comes as deep divisions have broken out within Labour over Manchester mayor Andy Burnham being blocked as the candidate for the must-win seat, there is a fear that a so-called Caerphilly scenario will hit Labour and see voters tack to the Greens instead.

In the Caerphilly by-election for the Welsh Senedd last year Labour lost the seat it had held for more than a century, coming third to Plaid Cymru and Reform.

One Labour MP told The Independent: I will campaign very hard for us to win but the leadership has made it very hard for us.

Another said: They want us to go and knock doors but we all know it is between the Greens and Reform. Its Caerphilly all over again. The Greens winning is actually the worst case scenario because it confirms our vote is going to them.

The concerns come as the Greens dramatically climb in the polls since the election of Mr Polanski as leader.

Professor Sir John Curtice told The Independent: This could be a four-way fight between Labour, Reform, the Greens and George Galloway. The latter two will compete for and could split the Muslim vote as they did in the seat in 2024, doing a lot of damage to Labour.

Pollster Lord Robert Hayward said: I can foresee the Greens winning. I do think its worse for Labour because it identifies an English alternative to Labour on the left which the SNP and Plaid currently fulfil in Scotland and Wales.

Mr Polanski recently told The Independent that he wants the Greens to replace the Labour Party.

But Labour is fighting back against the scenario with the new campaign video launched on Facebook and YouTube.

In it, voters are shown a New Statesman/Britain Predicts poll placing Labour in second place behind Reform UK, which declared Matt Goodwin as their candidate on Tuesday, with the Green Party far behind in third place.

Labour is directing voters to this video which will run as a non-skippable placement on YouTube. It was seen by more than 100,000 people in the first hour after being uploaded.

Sir Keir Starmer has blocked Andy Burnham from standing, creating divisions in the party in Manchester (Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror) (PA Archive)

Last week a rattled Sir Keir took aim at the Greens for being high on drugs and soft on Putin.

However, Mr Polanski, whose party is set to finalise their candidate on Thursday evening, told The Independent that he is bullish about their chances in the by-election

He said: It's Greens vs Reform. We're already seeing that on the doorstep. It's absolutely game on. We plan to run this campaign like one has never been run before

He added: If you wanted a political story that defines politics in our world right now - this is it. Big money Vs community. We're standing up for the UK versus them standing up for Trump. It's hope versus hate. We have to win it.

Explaining the new advertising campaign, a Labour insider said: Zack Polanski has spent days trying to peddle false narratives. If he actually read what hes posting, Polanski would notice that the Green Party are polling in third in Gorton and Denton. The Greens are simply not in the race.

With Reform picking a candidate who is trying to drive a wedge between communities here in Manchester, we cant risk the Greens letting Matt Goodwin in through the back door by misleading voters about the state of the race. The stakes are too high.

Thats why its important that we cut out Polanskis Westminster waffle - and tell it like it is direct to Mancunians. We know anti-social behaviour causes nuisance to people in their local communities. Therefore locals will be up in arms when they discover the Greens plans to legalise all drugs.

They added: The Greens are simply high on their own supply if they think Manchester is going to fall for it. Labour are the only party that can take on the divisive politics of Reform.
Dame Sarah Mullally (PA Wire)

Dame Sarah Mullally, poised to become the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, has said she will leave with "calmness, consistency and compassion" as she prepares for a historic confirmation service in London.

The groundbreaking appointment will see Dame Sarah legally assume her duties during a service at St Pauls Cathedral on Wednesday, ahead of her formal enthronement at Canterbury Cathedral in March.

Her elevation marks a significant moment for the Church of England, following nearly a decade as Bishop of London and a distinguished career as Englands former chief nursing officer. She was officially named in October as the first woman to be selected for the Church's highest clerical position.

While, technically, the King is head of the Church of England, the person holding the role of Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and is the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, talked with the King days before her confirmation of election (Joe Giddens/PA)

There were an estimated 1.02 million regular worshippers across the Church in 2024, up from 1.01 million in 2023.

Meanwhile, there are said to be 85 million people in more than 165 countries around the world forming the Anglican Communion.

Dame Sarah said: It is an extraordinary and humbling privilege to have been called to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. In this country and around the world, Anglican churches bring healing and hope to their communities. With Gods help, I will seek to guide Christs flock with calmness, consistency and compassion.

These are times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world. I pray that we will offer space to break bread together and discover what we have in common  and I pledge myself to this ministry of hospitality.

I want us to be a Church that always listens to the voices of those who have been ignored or overlooked, among them victims and survivors of church abuse who have often been let down.

I am committed to equipping the Church to be a kind and safe place that cares for everyone, especially those who are vulnerable, as we rise to the challenge of Gods call to justice, equity, peace and the care of creation.

Between the St Pauls service and her installation at Canterbury Cathedral, Dame Sarah will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of other Christian denominations and other faiths in the UK.

She will also meet with Charles at some point in the intervening period, to pay the traditional homage to the King.

On Sunday, she was pictured speaking with Charles after she delivered a sermon at a service on his Sandringham Estate.

While she will not preach at Wednesdays service, nor before her installation in March, she will appear at General Synod  the Churchs parliament  in February in London where she will give the presidential address.

Dame Sarah Mullally will take part in a service at St Pauls Cathedral in London (Gareth Fuller/PA)

On being named last year, Dame Sarah promised to tackle safeguarding failures in the Church, saying the dynamics of power must be confronted.

She replaces Justin Welby in the Churchs top ministry role after he resigned more than a year ago over safeguarding failures in the handling of the notorious case of prolific abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth.

Earlier this month, a complaint against Dame Sarah over her handling of an abuse allegation by a man known as survivor N against a priest in the Diocese of London was dismissed, although it is understood the complainant might appeal against the decision.

Dame Sarah has been described by the Churchs lead bishop for safeguarding, Joanne Grenfell, as having full commitment to safeguarding  strengthening systems and processes, and improving the culture across a large, complex organisation.

Ms Grenfell said while scrutiny is right, Dame Sarah must also be given room to lead as we work to grow a safer Church that serves communities across England.

Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, who has been leading the Church in the interim between Mr Welbys resignation and Dame Sarahs official start in the new role, paid tribute to her as having a clarity of thinking, wisdom, grace and holiness, which he said is what the Church needs right now.
Randy Santos, center, is arraigned in criminal court for the murder of four homeless men, Oct. 6, 2019, in New York. (Rashid Umar Abbasi/New York Post via AP, Pool) (Rashid Umar Abbasi)

A man on trial for the brutal bludgeoning deaths of four men sleeping on New York City streets was suffering from schizophrenia and believed he had to kill 40 people to save his own life, a jury heard on Tuesday. His lawyer revealed that Randy Santos, 31, had been diagnosed with the condition months before the attacks, following his release from prison.

Santos is asserting an insanity defense at his trial in a Manhattan state court. While his legal team acknowledges he committed the 2019 Chinatown rampage, they argue he cannot be held criminally responsible. They contend that mental illness had "polluted his mind with irrational thoughts and left him prone to violence."

The court was told that Santos was "hearing voices telling him he needed to kill 40 people or he would die too." If the defense succeeds, he could be sent to a psychiatric treatment facility instead of prison.

He needed the voices to stop. he needed to save his own life," Santos lawyer, Marnie Zien, said in an opening statement. He saw no other way out.

Santos, 31, has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder in the deaths of Florencio Moran, Nazario Vasquez Villegas, Anthony Manson and Chuen Kok and attempted murder charges for assaults that left two other men severely injured. They were among 319 killings in New York City in 2019, including 52 in Manhattan.

Surveillance video captured Santos repeatedly lifting the bar up over his head and bringing it down on the head of one victim, Assistant District Attorney Alfred Peterson told jurors.

A couple out on a date on Manhattans Bowery street saw him beating another man with the same weapon, Peterson said. Police found Santos carrying the bar, which was covered with blood and hair. Testing showed it had his DNA on one end and blood from some of his victims on the other, the prosecutor said.

A man walks past a makeshift memorial made for Chuen Kok, Oct. 18, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

If the jury convicts Santos, rejecting his insanity defense, he could be sentenced to life in prison. Otherwise, he could be involuntarily committed to treatment for as long as necessary.

Peterson urged jurors to look past Santos' mental health claims and find him guilty on all charges, telling them that evidence will show that Santos knew exactly what he was doing and the consequences of what he was doing  that he was killing these men," the prosecutor said.

Santos looked up and down the street and saw the coast was clear before starting the attack, Peterson said. He then paused to let a pedestrian  and potential witness  leave the area before wailing on another man, Peterson said. He knew it was legally and morally wrong, the prosecutor said.

Santos even recognized himself in surveillance video of the attack, Peterson said. Shown the footage after his arrest, he told police: Yea, thats me.

Santos, a native of the Dominican Republic who moved to New York as a child, attacked five men between 1:30 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Oct. 5, 2019, bashing their heads repeatedly with a 4-foot (1.2 meter) bar he found on the street, Peterson said. The victims ranged in age from 39 to 83.

The lone survivor, critically injured 49-year-old David Hernandez, staggered to a nearby street where police officers were trying to revive another Santos victim.

Peterson said Santos had done a trial run about a week earlier, badly hurting another man by bashing his head with a wooden stick in a different Manhattan neighborhood.

Santos, who has gone back and forth from jail to psychiatric treatment facilities since his arrest, wore an untucked white button-down shirt and a tie as he sat between his lawyers at the defense table. He listened to Ziens opening statement through a Spanish interpreter, but moved his headphones off his ear as Peterson spoke.

Prevailing with an insanity defense can be particularly tough in New York. Santos lawyers must convince the jury that he didnt understand the consequences of his actions and didnt know right from wrong. The strategy has had mixed results.

In 2022, a man who killed a young tourist when he drove his car through crowds of people in Times Square was cleared of responsibility and sent to a mental health facility instead of prison after a jury found he was so psychologically disturbed he didnt know what he was doing.

But in 2018, a Manhattan nanny was convicted of killing two children in her care while their parents were away after a jury rejected her lawyer's claims that she had an undiagnosed mental illness, heard voices and saw hallucinations, snapped and didnt know what she was doing.

New York Police Department officers investigate the scene of an attack in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood, Oct. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon, File) (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Zien said Santos knew that attacking the men was legally wrong, but  in his mind  he had to do it to save his own life.

The ambush, she said, was the last in a line of increasingly violent episodes that began with a clash with his grandfather.

He has at least six prior arrests, police said, including allegations that he punched a tourist he thought was laughing at him on a subway train, choked a man at an employment agency and punched a homeless man inside a Brooklyn shelter.

During his last jail stint before the killings, Santos was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Zein said. He was released in August 2019 and given referrals for treatment and prescriptions for medication but never used them, Zein said.

Santos was previously diagnosed with schitzophreniform, a shorter-term mental health condition, and turned up at a hospital complaining that he was hearing voices in his head, Zein said.

He was asked about drug use but didn't get the treatment he needed, she said.
A retired engineer has been convicted of blowing up a ULEZ camera in south-east London as police said: It was miraculous that nobody was killed.

Kevin Rees, 63, was found guilty of causing an explosion likely to endanger life after an investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing London.

Rees destroyed the ULEZ camera in Sidcup using a home-made bomb on December 6, 2023.

Retired electrical appliances engineer Kevin Rees strongly opposed the ultra-low emission zone scheme (Metropolitan Police)

The Metropolitan Police said that the explosion using a metal cylinder filled with explosive powder damaged cars and property up to 100m away, including a childs bedroom.

Shrapnel propelled into cars and homes and the force of the explosion caused nearby houses to shake.

Footage captured the moment the bomb was detonated as cars drove past the scene. Car alarms can be seen activating and motorists stopping amid the devastation.

Detective Superintendent James Derham, who leads local policing in the Bexley area, said: It was miraculous that nobody was killed or seriously injured in the large explosion caused by Rees.

Police said that Rees, of Harcourt Avenue, Sidcup, carried out the dangerous act, which endangered the welfare and safety of people both living in and travelling through the area, all because he was unhappy with the ULEZ scheme.

He added: Damage of any kind is completely unacceptable, and this particular incident demonstrates the very serious consequences for those responsible when taken to this extreme.

The ULEZ camera in Sidcup, south-east London, was damaged by an home-made bomb (PA Archive)

The ULEZ camera in question was installed earlier that day and had already been cut down by another individual who was later convicted.

Police said that the day of the explosion, Rees got out of his car, planted the device, lit a fuse and was seen by a witness walking quickly away from the scene.

The force of the explosion damaged a van opposite, a nearby wall, a front porch, a shed and a Wendy house and blew out the tyre of a nearby car.

Shrapnel travelled through a passing car, and a piece of metal was launched more than 100m through the air and damaged the window frame of a childs bedroom. Despite the chaos caused by the explosion, thankfully, nobody was injured.

Rees was later identified as the suspect and arrested by Counter Terrorism Policing London officers on December, 18, 2023. Officers conducted a search of his home address, where they found explosive powders, as well as three homemade stun guns.

A van near to the camera sustained damage from the force of the explosion (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Rees had made several posts on social media about the ULEZ camera, where he promoted damaging them. A photograph of the camera in question was also found on his phone, which he had deleted the day after the explosion. Rees also had screenshots of his ULEZ camera Facebook posts, which he had also deleted.

Rees was convicted of three counts of having a prohibited weapon at Woolwich Crown Court. The force said he will be sentenced at a later date.

The ultra-low emission zone scheme (ULEZ) requires drivers to pay a daily charge based on how polluting the emissions from their vehicle are.

Cameras have been repeatedly damaged after the ULEZ zone was expanded to cover all of London in 2023.

They allow Transport for London (TfL) to monitor the cars that enter and exit the zone.

During the trial, Rees agreed with prosecutor Simon Denison KC that, at the time of the incident, he "strongly opposed" the Ulez scheme - and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

"I dislike him, dislike what he has done to London," the defendant said.

Rees told jurors he joined "anti-Ulez" Facebook groups and pages out of "boredom" and because it provided him with a sense of community.

Kevin Rees carried out the offence because he was unhappy with the ULEZ scheme (Alamy/PA)

Bethan David, Head of the Crown Prosecution Services Counter Terrorism Division, said: This was not an act of protest or momentary vandalism. This was a deliberate and dangerous attack involving a home made explosive device, carried out in a residential street and designed to destroy public infrastructure.

Kevin Rees knowingly and intentionally placed an explosive device next to the ULEZ camera, lit the fuse, and retreated before the explosion, showing clear planning and an obvious disregard for the safety of others.

Whatever his views on the ULEZ scheme, Kevin Rees crossed a serious line by constructing a home-made bomb and detonating it in a public place. It was pure chance that no-one suffered serious injury or worse.
Mohamed Kader Meite has been linked with Manchester United (AFP via Getty Images)

Manchester United are considering a move to sign a replacement for Patrick Dorgu after his injury against Arsenal - and they have been linked with a 26million talent from France.

Rennes striker Mohamed Kader Meite is reportedly top of Uniteds wish list, though they face fierce competition from other Premier League sides.

But while 18-year-old Meite might not be a household name in England, he has been turning heads since the end of last season when he made his first-team debut at Rennes.

Meite has been on Uniteds radar since November when he featured alongside Jeremy Jacquet and Leny Yoro for Frances Under-21s, at which point he was described as an exciting prospect, although he is still a bit raw, according to The Sun.

The 6ft-3in striker has made 19 appearances for Rennes, a club he has been at since 2022, scoring against both Lyon and Strasbourg this season and has continued to gain more minutes for the side.

Meite plays Rennes in France (AFP via Getty Images)

Because of his rapid rise in Ligue 1, Meite has become a target for many Premier League sides withTottenham, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brentford and Newcastle all expressing an interest in the 18-year-old.

Reports also add that Saudi club Al-Hilal are also keen on a player who is valued at around 26m.

But it is United who are on the hunt for Meite, according to the Guardian, as they look for cover in attacking areas after Dorgu picked up a hamstring injury on the weekend, leaving him sidelined for a unknown length of time.

Dorgu has flourished since Michael Carrick took the helm at Old Trafford, scoring the second of Uniteds three goals in their 3-2 win victory against Arsenal on Sunday, and so finding a replacement for him has become a major priority for the club.

United are said to have to have made contact with Meite's representatives as they decide whether to sign a No 9 or winger.

Scouted writer Jake Entwistle described Meite as "one of the most exciting prospects in Europe" after Meite cameoed off the bench against Lyon in September, scoring one before helping to create another which secured the Rennes the victory of the now second place side.

Scout Jacek Kulig has also described the Meite as an "elite talent".
Martin ONeill expressed disappointment after Celtics appeal against Auston Trustys red card in Sundays 2-2 draw at Hearts was dismissed.

The American defender was sent off by referee Steven McLean with the visitors leading 2-1 in the 77th minute after being deemed to have denied Landry Kabore a goal-scoring opportunity.

Trusty was first shown a yellow card but it was upgraded to red after McLean was asked by VAR to check his pitchside monitor. It was the Hoops first domestic red card since March 2024.

Celtic lodged an appeal on Monday evening and it was heard by an independent panel at a fast-track tribunal on Tuesday where the claim was rejected.

Ahead of the Europa League clash with Utrecht at Parkhead on Thursday night, ONeill, in his second spell as interim boss this season following his time as permanent boss between 2000 and 2005, said: Im just disappointed, really.

I thought the referees decision in the first place was a yellow card, I didnt think it was clear and obvious.

But it was nice to get backing from a lot of referees who have refereed a lot of big, big matches when they were interviewed (in media) afterwards, but anyway, it is what it is.

Quizzed about Celtics statement which revealed puzzlement at the decision and a vow to hold further discussions with the SFA on the matter as we seek to understand the rationale for this and other decisions, the Northern Irishman said: I didnt know about that, sorry. I wasnt aware.

When asked if it perhaps pointed to a discontent in general of refereeing in Scotland, the former Leicester, Sunderland and Nottingham Forest boss, tongue-in-cheek, said: Well, you make up your own mind there about that one.

Its never been a problem before has it, really?

Id never had a problem with it in my first spell here, 25 years ago. Never had a problem at all. I just expected no decisions to come our way.

Then when asked if things hadnt changed over the years, ONeill retorted, again light-heartedly: Maybe its me. I have a lot of paranoia about me. But Im seeing a shrink at the moment, so Im perfectly all right.
London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has been accused of gutting policing in the capital after police officer numbers dropped by 1,461, a decrease of 4.3 per cent.

The number of full-time police in England and Wales fell to 145,550 across 43 forces at the end of September 2025, driven almost entirely by the Metropolitan Polices sharp drop to 32,332. The capitals other force, City of London Police, had a further 999, up 1.1 per cent.

Figures were published days after the Home Secretary revealed plans billed as the biggest changes in the services history.

Under sweeping reforms published in the Governments white paper on Monday, ministers will seek to significantly reduce the number of UK police forces by the end of the next parliament, with around 12 to 15 larger ones divided into local areas corresponding with cities, towns and boroughs.

A rollout of live facial recognition camera vans will see 50 made available across England and Wales after a successful pilot in London.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Sir Mark Rowley speak to officers (PA Archive)

Susan Hall, leader of the Conservatives in the London Assembly, claimed: Sadiq Khan is gutting policing in our capital.

He has completely betrayed his pledge of more officers and has delivered the opposite, fewer police on our streets and communities left exposed.

Khan has stripped away visible policing, broken his word to Londoners and overseen a steady erosion of public safety.

With local elections in May, voters should know only the Conservatives will back our police and stand up for the communities Khan has abandoned.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP added: Labour have taken a wrecking ball to policing, forcing top-down reforms and slashing frontline services.

Sir Sadiq Khan and Susan Hall (London Assembly)

In London alone we will now see over 1,450 fewer officers are on the streets.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: These claims are completely false. The Mayor has provided record funding for the Met against the backdrop of 14 years of austerity by the previous government. Sadiq has directly funded officers and protected neighbourhood policing, doubling the budget for the police from City Hall compared to the previous Mayor. Alongside this, the Mayor has delivered vital improvements to the way London is policed to restore public trust and raise standards.

The Met continues to have the highest number of police officers per population, at 356 per 100,000 people. The Mayor has also recently set out plans to invest a further record-breaking 1.22bn from City Hall on policing so that we can continue the progress we're making in reducing homicides, violence and other crimes as we build a safer London for everyone.

A source close to Sir Sadiq said: The hypocrisy from the Tories is astounding. The Conservative Government presided over 14 years of cuts and failure. The Tories cut 1bn from the Met police in real terms since 2010, as well as cutting 1bn from youth services nationally, which had a devastating impact on our communities. Sadiq had to step in to plug the gap left by the disastrous Tory Government and he has provided record funding for the Met to keep Londoners safe.

Ministers have already committed to recruiting 13,000 more neighbourhood policing officers by 2029, with 3,000 recruits expected to be in post by spring this year.

Official data shows 2,383 new police and community support officers were in neighbourhood posts by the end of September last year.

A Home Office spokesman said: These figures show almost 2,400 more neighbourhood officers across the country in the past six months  getting police out on the streets, where the public want them.

The last government left 12,000 warranted officers stuck behind desks in support roles.

This Government is restoring neighbourhood policing by putting 13,000 more neighbourhood police on the streets this parliament, and has increased police funding by nearly 2 billion.
Iowa lawmakers gave initial approval Thursday to a pair of bills that would fundamentally reshape how public universities select their presidents and what courses students must take to graduate, advancing legislation that has sparked debate over legislative authority versus academic autonomy.

The Iowa House Higher Education Committee's subcommittees recommended passage for both House Study Bill 538, addressing presidential searches, and House Study Bill 543, mandating specific general education requirements. The full Higher Education Committee will now consider the legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

Presidential Search Process Under Scrutiny

House Study Bill 538 would require the Iowa Board of Regents to form a presidential search committee whenever a new university president must be selected, making what was previously an optional committee mandatory. More significantly, the bill stipulates that only regents can serve on such committees, effectively excluding faculty, students, and alumni who have traditionally participated in presidential searches.

Under the proposed legislation, the search committee must recommend the most well-qualified candidates to the full board, which can only elect a president from those recommended candidates. The committee would be permitted to contract with executive search firms engaged in placing highly qualified candidates in leadership positions.

A particularly controversial provision would shield candidate identities from public disclosure throughout the search process. Candidates considered by the committee would not be subject to public disclosure unless they sign a written agreement making their identity public. This represents a significant departure from recent practice at Iowa State University, where candidate names were made public before campus tours and public forums during the presidential search process.

Concerns Over Diminished Faculty Voice

State Representative Heather Matson, a Democrat from Ankeny, expressed serious reservations about excluding traditional stakeholders from the search process. "I do have a lot of concerns about this bill because to me I don't understand why its actually necessary," Matson said during committee proceedings. "To me pushing out the faculty, Senate and other critical partners diminishes the power and value of partnerships and civic engagement in our universities."

Representative Jeff Shipley offered a contrasting perspective, suggesting that faculty senates at some universities have taken actions degrading institutional reputation and prestige, though he declined to elaborate when pressed by Matson for specifics.

Committee Chair Representative Taylor Collins, a Republican from Mediapolis who championed the legislation, indicated this represents just the beginning of changes to the presidential selection process. "I'm going to save most of my comments for committee, but we will be looking at the presidential selection process again this year, obviously, and this is just a start," Collins said.

The only public comment on the presidential search bill came from Foundation for Government Accountability lobbyist Andy Conlin, who voiced support for measures improving transparency, intellectual freedom, and efficiency while strengthening universities' ability to produce a productive workforce.

Mandating History and Government Courses

The second bill, titled the "Increasing Civic Proficiency in Higher Education Act," would require Iowa's public universities to add introductory courses in American history and American government to their general education requirements, with each course valued at a minimum of three credit hours.

The legislation includes specific restrictions on course content. A course required by this section shall not be exclusively or primarily devoted to the study of subgroups of Americans or other nationalities, the bill states. These courses would fulfill social sciences or humanities general education requirements, and the requirements would not apply to students in degree programs lasting three years or less.

The Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa, Center for Cyclone Civics at Iowa State University, and Center for Civic Education at the University of Northern Iowa would designate courses fitting the requirements.

Additional provisions would require these centers to host lecture series that promote civil dialogue and debate on issues important to the American public. The Board of Regents would also be required to review all undergraduate core curricula and general education requirements and submit a comprehensive report to the General Assembly by year's end.

"Embarrassing" State of Liberal Arts Education

Collins delivered pointed criticism of current general education requirements at Iowa's public universities during the subcommittee hearing. He noted that the University of Iowa requires students to take courses under the umbrella of "understanding cultural perspectives," while Iowa State has a "U.S. cultures and communities" requirement.

Courses currently fulfilling these requirements include "Printmaking and the Politics of Protest," "Music and Social Change," "Introduction to the Politics of Race," "The Science Behind Prejudice," "The Economics of Discrimination," and "Identity, Diversity and the Media".

"We are going to be prioritizing history and civics education in the state of Iowa again, and quite frankly, I'm embarrassed by the state of our current liberal arts," Collins declared. "We're going to return our core curriculum to the true liberal arts education it is meant to be, and the fact that the General Assembly even has to address this is embarrassing."

Collins has previously indicated his intention to scrutinize spending on programs related to social justice and gender studies, with an eye toward redeploying funding to high-demand fields like nursing and teaching.

Opposition Voices Concerns Over Overreach

Connie Ryan, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa and lobbyist for the organization's action fund, testified in opposition to the curriculum mandate. Ryan called the legislation an overreach of the Legislature to determine what specific classes students should and shouldn't take, arguing those decisions should be left to educators, especially as higher education costs continue rising.

"It's not the role of the legislature to decide specific classes or curriculum," Ryan emphasized. "We believe you should let the professional educators determine what is best, in the best interest for their program and for the students."

The debate over legislative versus academic authority in determining curriculum echoes broader national conversations about the role of state governments in shaping higher education content and priorities.

Board of Regents Remains Neutral With Concerns

Iowa Board of Regents State Relations Officer Jason Chapman testified that the board maintains a neutral position on the legislation. However, Chapman expressed concern about language in the bill relating to transfer credits, indicating uncertainty about whether provisions include high school students or students transferring from other colleges or universities.

Collins responded that the board was welcome to propose clarifying language as the bill advances through the legislative process, suggesting openness to technical refinements while maintaining the core policy objectives.

The board's neutral stance, despite apparent concerns, may reflect the complex political dynamics between Iowa's public universities and the Republican-controlled legislature that appropriates their funding.

Broader Context of Higher Education Reform

These bills emerge within a larger effort by Iowa Republicans to reshape public higher education in the state. Collins has previously characterized Iowa's core curriculum as "a disaster right now" and committed to returning it to what he describes as a "true liberal arts education."

Last legislative session saw similar proposals that did not advance to become law, including legislation that would have codified general education requirements with mandatory Western and American Heritage course requirements.

The current push also follows legislative action on diversity, equity, and inclusion activities at Iowa colleges and universities. Collins has indicated that ensuring compliance with existing laws regarding DEI activities remains a priority, warning that the Legislature stands ready to take further corrective action if institutions fail to follow established guidelines.

What's Next for the Legislation

With subcommittee approval secured, both bills now advance to the full Iowa House Higher Education Committee for consideration. If approved there, the legislation would move to the full House for debate and potential passage before heading to the Iowa Senate.

The timeline for final action remains uncertain, though Collins's role as committee chair and his stated priorities suggest these bills will receive serious consideration during the current legislative session. The Iowa Senate, which lacks a dedicated higher education committee, would handle the legislation through its Education Committee if it passes the House.

For Iowa's three regent universitiesthe University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowathe potential passage of these bills would mark significant changes to both governance structures and academic requirements. Institutions would need to adjust presidential search procedures, develop or designate appropriate American history and government courses, and navigate the political implications of legislative involvement in areas traditionally considered matters of academic policy.

State Representative Heather Matson noted her surprise that more stakeholders did not attend the subcommittee meeting to comment on the legislation, suggesting the full impact and controversy surrounding these bills may only become apparent as they advance through the legislative process.

As Iowa joins other states in asserting greater legislative control over public higher education content and governance, the outcome of these bills could influence similar efforts nationwide while testing the boundaries between political oversight and academic autonomy.
Elizabeth Warren, Zohran Mamdani and Francesca Hong. Photograph: Getty Images, AP (Photograph: Getty Images, AP)

When Francesca Hong ran for the Wisconsin state assembly in 2020, childcare was not front and center in her campaign. Now, the Democratic representative, restaurateur and mother is running for governor. And she has said that a universal childcare bill would be among the first measures she would like to sign into law if she becomes her states chief executive.

Were in a childcare catastrophe. We havent invested enough in this infrastructure, Hong said in an interview with the Guardian. Universal childcare meets the moment of the crisis were in, with the speed and scale to spread across the state.

Hong is hardly alone: in recent months, Democrats running for office around the country  from the Georgia gubernatorial candidate Jason Esteves to Maine congressional candidate Jordan Wood to Washington DC mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George  have taken up the universal childcare mantle.

In fact, nearly all wings of the Democratic party have now embraced universal childcare as a goal. In November, the strategist and Clinton White House veteran James Carville wrote in a New York Times op-ed: When 70 percent of Americans say raising children is too expensive, we should not fear making universal child care a public good. Then earlier this month, David Plouffe, former campaign manager for Barack Obamas 2008 run and an adviser to Kamala Harris, asserted in the same pages that establish[ing] universal child care should be part of the partys 2028 platform. And democratic socialists like Bernie Sanders have long called for such an approach.

The shift is not merely rhetorical: since last fall, New Mexico has removed income limits on its free childcare policy, New York has announced a pathway to universal free childcare, and San Francisco has extended free childcare to families of four making under $230,000 a year.

Yet the emerging consensus on universal childcare is a notable departure from the Democratic partys traditional stances. Barack Obamas early childhood policy focused mainly on pre-kindergarten rather than universal childcare. For the past nine years, the dominant Democratic childcare proposal has been the Child Care For Working Families Act, currently co-sponsored by 43 members of the US Senate Democratic caucus. That legislation would substantially increase government support of childcare, but aid is delivered on a somewhat arbitrary sliding scale, and early iterations capped household eligibility at 150% of state median income. When the House passed its version of the Build Back Better legislation in late 2021, it used a similar non-universal model that capped eligibility at 250% of state median income.

Even getting to that point, however, was an accomplishment: the Child Care For Working Families Act was novel and bold when first introduced in 2017 by the Washington state senator Patty Murray and Virginia representative Bobby Scott. It was exciting to have the leaders of the [Senate health, education, labor and pensions and House education and workforce] committees committed to this vision and to really going bigger than anyone had gone in a long time, said Julie Kashen, senior fellow at the Century Foundation and one of the architects of the plan.

Understanding the evolution of the Democratic position on childcare requires a brief history lesson. In 1971, a Democratically controlled Congress passed a bipartisan law known as the Comprehensive Child Development Act, which included the line: Comprehensive child development programs  should be available as a matter of right to all children regardless of economic, social, and family background. President Richard Nixon, however, was concerned about shoring up his right flank and vetoed it with extremely strong language, saying that passing the law  which would have begun funding a locally run network of childcare programs parents could choose to access  would commit the vast moral authority of the national Government to the side of communal approaches to child-rearing over [and] against the family-centered approach.

By the time a watered-down version of the bill came back up in 1975, opposition was so fierce that Walter Mondale, the lead Senate sponsor, was forced to hire additional staffers just to handle the volume of opposing mail. A widely circulated pamphlet claimed that the bill would forbid parents from making children take out the trash or go to church. The kerfuffle sparked national headlines, including one in the Washington Star that read, Even Nonexistent Parts of Child Care Bill Draw Fire.

The bruising episodes of the 70s scarred Democratic politicians for generations. Historian Kimberly J Morgan wrote: At the national and local levels, the right captured the issue of universal public day care and made it so politically toxic that few legislators would come near it. Childcare proponents, too, largely stopped asking for universal policies: by the 1980s, the entire liberal approach to childcare shifted to one that focused on welfare-style aid for poor families and incentives for employers to help middle-class families. This philosophy held sway well into the 21st century.

Related: US families face impossible choices as White House pushes to freeze childcare funding

Then, in February 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren made waves when she introduced a major childcare plan as part of her presidential campaign. The proposal would have made childcare free for families under 200% of the federal poverty line (currently $66,000 for a family of four) and extended at least some benefits to all households. Around the same time, New Mexicos governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, took office and rapidly prioritized a pathway to universal childcare in the state.

Advocates and grassroots organizers were pushing behind the scenes to make this happen, with much of the energy coming from historically disenfranchised groups like Latino parents and childcare educators. In places such as New Mexico and New York, the work really started years and years ago, said Andrea Paluso, co-director of the Child Care For Every Family Network, a coalition of state-based community organizing groups. In the case of New Mexico, groups such as Ole spent more than a decade organizing providers and organizing parents around the need for a public solution and for public investment before securing significant victories.

Multiple experts consulted for this story pointed to the Covid-19 pandemic as a key pivot point when the childcare crisis landed on so many Americans doorsteps. Unpublished data from New Americas Better Life Lab shows that media mentions of childcare more than doubled starting in 2020 (I am a fellow at the Better Life Lab, but not involved with this research). The content of stories changed, too: a group of researchers found that whereas local news coverage about childcare in the pre-pandemic years tended to focus on scandals, the pandemic caused a major increase in stories about policy. The veteran Democratic pollster Celinda Lake explained that after the pandemic, small businesses care about it, employers care about it, grandparents care about it, and even parents with older children care about it, because people realize that you cant have a functioning economy without a childcare system.

A springboard, then, was set. In the fall of 2025  when Lujan Grisham garnered glowing headlines for her states shift to universal free childcare and Zohran Mamdani successfully made it a centerpiece of his New York mayoral campaign  a bigger window opened. And it seems the party has jumped through head-first. Childcare is now, Lake said, front and center in the affordability agenda. Warren shared a similar sentiment, writing in an emailed statement: Its about time Democrats realize that you cant have affordability without universal childcare. If Democrats are serious about winning in 2026 and beyond, theres no choice but to run on and deliver on high quality, affordable childcare. Francesca Hong, the Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate, agreed, saying: Its universal policies that will establish permanent affordability.

Childcare has also been increasingly framed as a service where government comes alongside families regardless of their income, much like public schools or roads. Jason Esteves, the Georgia gubernatorial candidate and former Atlanta school board chair, offered: Childcare is unaffordable, parents cant go to work, and kids arent getting the building blocks that they need to, and that childcare was an issue not just for a certain group of working families, its for folks across the board.

Significant questions remain unanswered: first and foremost, what exactly counts as universal childcare? This is becoming a reality and an important political issue, Paluso said, and we have to be careful to define what a win is. The New Mexico policy, for example, excludes most families in which all available parents arent either working or in school, with some exceptions.

The form which universal childcare takes is also up for debate: in New York, there are active conversations over how to best include home-based childcare providers in the expanding system. Similarly, there are still divides between more moderate and progressive wings of the party with regards to how swiftly a universal vision should be achieved, whether care should be truly free across the board, and how to finance a universal system. The new Virginia governor, Abigail Spanberger, for instance, spoke more during her campaign about clearing existing waitlists for childcare aid than expanding who is eligible.

That said, certain shared principles are emerging, such as free care for most, if not all, families and the need to invest in an underpaid workforce in order to ensure enough supply and high-quality offerings. Lake noted that Democratic lawmakers and advocates have also become much more inclusive of family options than they once were. New Mexicos policy offers grandparents and other relatives of eligible children $750 a month for providing primary childcare.

It is fair to say that universal childcare is now a mainstream position within the Democratic party. That does not mean childcare will automatically become as polarized as other issues. Childcare scarcity cuts across partisan lines and multiple bipartisan childcare bills have been introduced even in the current rancorous Congress. This evolution does suggest, however, that the days of childcare stuck in a welfare framework may have come to an end. As Kashen concluded: Ultimately, having universal childcare as the goal is something that not only serves the families directly who will benefit from it, but it really serves everyone.
Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked with an unknown substance at a town hall meeting on Tuesday in a shocking attack caught on video.

Omar, who has been a frequent target of political insults from President Donald Trump, appeared uninjured and continued to speak after the assault.

"I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win," she later wrote on X.

Video footage shows a man charging at the US lawmaker at the lectern and spraying a stream of liquid at her. A security official grabbed him and took him to the ground.

Omar took a few steps toward the man with her hand raised before he was subdued and she continued her presentation after a brief break.

A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (AFP via Getty Images)

Police said they arrested the man for third-degree assault.

In her remarks, Omar was criticising ICE and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, demanding that Noem resign after the recent shooting deaths of two US citizens in Minneapolis during Trump's immigration enforcement surge.

"ICE cannot be reformed, it cannot be rehabilitated, we must abolish ICE for good, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment," Omar said, to applause.

The man then charged at her and sprayed the liquid at her before saying: "You must resign."

The suspect was restrained by security (Getty Images)

Omar has frequently come under political attack from Trump, who once called her "garbage."

During a speech in Iowa on Tuesday, Trump said Omar did not love the United States.

"They have to show that they can love our country, they have to be proud," Trump said when talking about immigrants. "Not like Ilhan Omar," he added.
Its 24 years since three IT professionals set up the fare-comparison website, Skyscanner. Since then, the Edinburgh-based firm has built a global reputation for allowing travellers (and, as it happens, travel journalists) to swiftly compare air fares across the planet.

By helping passengers select the best flights, and often collecting a modest fee from travel companies, Skyscanner has grown to become a billion-pound business.

Now Skyscanner has launched a package holiday search facility, which the firm says will make it easier and faster for travellers to compare and find great deals from top providers. The company says it searches 25 million packages every day across the biggest UK package holiday providers. As with the flight comparison service, you dont buy from Skyscanner but are directed to suppliers who take the booking.

Laura Lindsay of Skyscanner says: 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.

Family favourite? Holidaymakers on a Mediterranean beach in southern France (Simon Calder)

But how does the new offer look to deputy travel editor Sophie Dickinson and travel correspondent Simon Calder? Read on to find out, or listen to them speak on Simon Calders daily podcast.

Which package holiday operators does Skyscanner compare?

Sophie: Theyve got seven operators on there: Lastminute.com, Expedia, Love Holidays, Tui, easyJet Holidays, Jet2 Holidays and On the Beach. On the face of it, its a useful way to compare not just your flights, but your whole holiday, and I think that could save people a lot of money.

Package-holiday comparison has existed for a while with other similar websites, so its interesting that Skyscanner is getting in on the scene. While some of those other sites have more operators to choose from, I think its a good starting place so far.

Simon: Arguably there are too many operators there, rather than too few. There is nothing like a proper package holiday for maximum consumer protection. If you take the big two  Jet2, the largest, and Tui, which is smaller in the UK but the biggest in Europe  you get a couple of key benefits.

First, on a Tui holiday youll very often be flying on a Tui aircraft. On a Jet2 holiday, almost invariably youll be on a Jet2 aircraft. All the way through, from checking in at the airport to getting home, you have great protection. You also have the benefit of knowing youll get a decent baggage allowance and that transfers are included as well. So a comparison service involving just Jet2 and Tui would suit me.

Once you get to the online operators, things get more complicated. Just looking at the transfer fees, for example: going from Alicante airport to Benidorm, for instance, a family of four may pay around 150 just for transfers. The variable inclusions and exclusions of online travel agents make that harder to do.

Dream destination? Benidorm on Spain's Costa Blanca, is a package holiday favourite for many British families (Simon Calder)

Sophie: I think thats a really good point. There are so many different elements to a package holiday, which is what makes them great because you can bundle all the bits of your trip into one. But most people will need a transfer, and paying for that individually is going to add a big chunk onto what might otherwise look like a cheap holiday. So youre not always comparing like with like.

One problem with Skyscanner, is that you cant filter for things like kids clubs or on-site restaurants. Package holidays are often a great way to travel as a family, and I think the interface needs to be tweaked a bit so people can properly personalise their trip. Its early days, of course, and I appreciate that theyre comparing so many different elements.

Does Skyscanner really show the cheapest prices?

Simon: Can we take a step back and look at the whole Skyscanner model? Ive been following the company for many years. It does wonderful things in terms of allowing us to compare airfares, and that continues to be the case, but the offer has become more confusing over the years.

One example is the alarming divergence around cabin baggage. I was just checking a Glasgow to Luton flight for 21  who wouldnt want that? But if you want to bring a reasonably sized cabin bag, that costs an extra 31. Suddenly, British Airways, which allows you to take a cabin bag and an additional item for free, starts to look like better value. You need expertise to work out whats really a good deal.

The Skyscanner offering can be complicated by additional fees, such as for cabin baggage (Charlotte Hindle)

Sophie: That definitely makes sense. It actually makes me think the answer might be old-fashioned high-street travel agents, because theyre the experts who can say, This looks cheaper, but youll have to pay for luggage, so it isnt actually as good value. I think weve all fallen foul of booking cheap flights and then having to pay for everything else on top, only to find it costs much more in the end.

Can you be flexible with your dates?

Sophie: One thing I enjoy about Skyscanner for flights is the ability to choose everywhere as a destination and a month, rather than specific dates, and then see where its cheap to go. Youre not focused on the destination  you think, I want to travel in May, where can I afford to go?

With a search on Skyscanner for packages, you cant really do that. You need to know where you want to go and when exactly, and because so many things are being compared, there isnt quite the same element of price-led forward planning.

Simon: The multiplicity of options is an issue in terms of the tech, and keeping the offer to a manageable size. If youre searching UK to Spain on a particular date in July, you might have 200 or 300 flights, but its finite. Once you multiply those flights by hundreds of accommodation options, the scale becomes boggling to humans as well as algorithms.

Alicante airport, a key hub for family holidays in Spain (Simon Calder)

You also mentioned the luggage issue. For example, travelling on the busiest Saturday of the summer, 25 July, from Stansted to Alicante and on to Benidorm, there was an amazing deal at 323 per person for a family of four on Lastminute. But then you add luggage  370 in total  and that completely transforms the price. Im happy to say you can fit everything into the free Ryanair cabin baggage allowance, but not everyone will agree

Sophie: I love trying to fit everything into a cabin bag, but if youre a family of four, its unlikely youll squeeze all your childrens toys into those tiny rucksacks. So you really do have to think about additional costs like luggage.

The verdict

Simon: So whats your verdict on the Skyscanner offer  good to have more choice, or does it need more work? Or maybe both?

Sophie: I think its probably both. Its good to have this as an option, and its interesting to look at if youre planning a package holiday. Its a useful price comparison, but it probably takes an expert to deconstruct every package, and it may end up taking longer than just going straight to an operator you already trust.

Maybe if you always go with Jet2 Holidays, it makes sense to keep doing that.

Hear more: Listen to the discussion on The Independents daily travel podcast
Easy target  counter-protestors in Minnesota show up in opposition to pro-Trump, anti-Muslim influencer Jake Lang. Photograph: Zuma Press/Alamy (Photograph: Zuma Press/Alamy)

Hello and welcome to The Long Wave. This week, distressing scenes continue to unfold on the streets of Minneapolis, as confrontations between US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and protesters intensify. Behind the headlines, there are communities, in the US and beyond, for whom this is a generationally traumatic moment. I spoke to Somali experts and activists across the diaspora, in Mogadishu, and in the state of Minnesota, which has the largest Somali community in the US. The picture that emerged was of anxiety but also solid resolve.

For almost all of his second term, Donald Trump has been fixated on Somali Americans, making derogatory comments about both them and Somalia, linking his opinion of them to justify anti-immigration policies in general, but particularly in Minnesota, a state that is home to more than 100,000 people of Somali descent. He appears to be particularly personally exercised by Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who is of Somali origin, and who has exchanged barbs with him, taking his revenge on her entire demographic. So deep is his hatred that when Omar was attacked this week by a man who sprayed her with an unknown substance, Trump responded by calling her a fraud who probably had herself sprayed. But the broad reason for picking on the Somali community, according to Prof Idil Abdi Osman, at Leicester University, is that it is convenient. The shift towards the right in Europe and the US, she told me, constitutes a political thunderstorm that Somalis have become absorbed in because they become an embodiment of the kind of communities that Trump can easily target and use as a scapegoat  that is convenient for the populist narrative.

Somali ethnic and religious profiles also intersect in a way that makes them easy targets, several people I spoke with told me. They are Black, Muslim, and immigrant, rendering them targets for racism, Islamophobia, and anti-immigration sentiments. Even though the sharpest, most personalised manifestation of this is happening in the US, there are shades of it elsewhere in Europe, as well as reverberations across a tightly connected global diaspora.

***

A uniquely connected diaspora

The Somali diaspora is exceptionally connected practically and emotionally, driven by culture and geopolitics. The first large waves of immigration happened after the start of the Somali civil war in the late 1980s, meaning the countrys diaspora is rooted in forced migration rather than voluntary professional, academic, or economic migration. Diasporas who left forcibly due to conflict tend to have stronger connections with their homeland, said Osman, remarking that some Somali migrants born outside the country speak better Somali than those in Somalia.

The other reason is the nature of the sprawl of Somali migration and the size of Somali families. Settlement schemes in countries such as the US would offer a limited number of spaces, for example, and so large families would split, sending some members to the US while they remained in another country awaiting processing of their applications. The result is a large global extended family. We respond to all events, be they political or personal, through strong family networks and solidarities, Jawaahir Daahir, founder of the UK-based Somali Development Services, told me. Her own family is a case in point. I have more than 30 members of my extended family in the US. If my brother is having trouble in Minnesota, I am feeling it here in the UK.

***

A globally worrying moment

Political and media discourse, Daahir said, rarely focuses on the intimate impact of heightened moments of racism and anti-immigration on individuals. We focus on politics or policy headlines, but how do these debates actually land in homes? For many, the current climate has created a sense of heightened concerns about safety, belonging, discussions about whether we are seen as equal citizens. Young people are navigating schools and identity, and parents are worried about their childrens safety and discrimination.

A Minnesota-based academic, who asked to remain anonymous, explained that there are real generational impacts. Some parents, the academic told me, were fearful of sending their children to schools in case they get picked up by ICE, even when those children are American citizens, which in Minnesota the vast majority are. The repercussions on child development, inclusion and socialisation were on a par with those sustained during the pandemic. This was in addition to trauma, one that is already present in families who already once had to flee from a militarised threat.

***

Shock, solidarity and civility

Daahir said that Somali-origin communities have histories of reckoning with far-right forces, anti-immigration hostility, and racism, but what is new is how the state has increasingly echoed the views and policies of self-organised groups such as the English Defence League. Clamping down on immigration, family reunification, and increasing deportations are becoming commonplace policies in the EU. When it comes to the US, the rule of law is beginning to feel like its not something you can rely on any more.

She did note, though, how Somali communities are experts in grassroots organising and extending solidarities, and have in fact been distributing food and pooling resources to others in Minnesota, something which she finds encouraging. This was a point echoed by Osman, who observed that Somali community centres, such as one set up by her very own mother in the early noughties in Leicester, were concerned with settling subsequent waves of Somali immigration, securing them housing, registering them for schools, GPs etc. Such networks extended to other arrivals from Iraq, for example, who benefited from the more established Somalis. Today, something like 55% of the communities helped in the advice centre are from other communities.

Prof Abdi Samatar, at the University of Minnesota, noted that these solidarities are in fact being matched and reciprocated. Minnesota is the locus of waves of immigration that are the legacy of the cold war, during which many countries such as Somalia succumbed to state collapse during a time when competing interests flowed arms and political agendas through the developing world. And in his reading: Minnesota has been incredibly generous to all immigrants, facilitated by the USs decentralised policymaking structure, which means that Washington cannot tightly dictate or control state policy. Immigrants were met with opportunity and warmth when they arrived there. [Its] very important to distinguish between central government and state and local governments, Samatar told me. The solidarity that Minnesotans have shown to immigrants targeted by ICE, and the lives that have been claimed in doing so, is a persistent feature of grassroots solidarities.

My hope, he said, is that we will come back again to a world of civility and humanity. In the meantime, a global Somali diaspora is braced for what may come next  but it is not without tenacity and deep reserves of communal history and reinforcement.

 To receive the complete version of The Long Wave in your inbox every Wednesday, please subscribe here.
Angela Rayner made a speech at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool during Labours regional conference - Ryan Jenkinson

Angela Rayner has told supporters Im not dead yet as she teased a return to frontline politics.

The former deputy prime minister told a fundraising dinner that Labour needs to do more to deliver on its election promises, according to The Times.

Her allies believe she has the support of the 80 MPs required to trigger a leadership challenge to Sir Keir Starmer.

Ms Rayner is among the favourites to succeed Sir Keir if he is deposed by Labour MPs in the coming months.

Andy Burnham, potential leadership rival from the soft left of the party, was last week barred by Sir Keirs allies from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election.

Ms Rayner was forced to resign as deputy prime minister and housing secretary after a Telegraph investigation found she had broken the ministerial code by avoiding paying 40,000 in stamp duty on her second home in Hove, East Sussex.

The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne purchased the seaside flat for 800,000 in May and told HM Revenue and Customs that the house was her main residence, avoiding a hefty surcharge imposed on second homes which had been ramped up by Rachel Reeves.

Ms Rayner had also told Tameside council in Manchester that her constituency home was her primary residence.

She later blamed her lawyers for providing incorrect tax advice, to which Verrico & Associates, Ms Rayners conveyancer in Hove, responded that they had not provided her with any such advice and claimed it was unfairly being made a scapegoat.

Angela Rayner at the conference which serves as a key gathering for over 60 Labour-held seats in the North West - Ryan Jenkinson

Ms Rayner told activists in London last week: Youll remember when I was a young whippersnapper. Ive come through the ranks and had the honour and the privilege to get us into government and become your deputy prime minister. And Im still fighting. Im not dead yet.

She championed the rollout of school breakfast clubs and the abolition of the two-child benefit cap, but conceded that the party had made mistakes.

We should be humble enough to accept when weve made mistakes, Ms Rayner said, adding: We should do better, and we should do more.

The backbencher thanked the candidates and councillors in the room for standing by the party at a difficult time and warned that Reform UK posed a threat both at the local polls in May and the general election.

She said: We have a threat that looms, about whether we divide our country, whether we turn in on ourselves, whether we blame somebody else. Or whether we do the collective, which is what our movement and our party is about.

I pledge to you that Im going to be part of that journey, because I aint giving up. Im not allowing people like Farage  I aint giving those keys to No 10 to Nigel Farage.

Ms Rayner has reportedly been hosting donors at her flat in Hove, with allies claiming the 45-year-old would rake in more than 1 million in pledges in the event of a leadership contest.

The deputy leader has also taken on a second job giving after dinner speeches, despite previously having said the MPs should not work outside of Parliament.

In March 2023, while deputy Labour leader, Ms Rayner posted online: Being an MP isnt a second job. It is the job. Labour will put an end to this racket.

She was responding to a video, posted by campaign group Led by Donkeys, about senior Conservative politicians with jobs outside of Parliament.

But earlier this year she was cleared to join Chartwell Speakers Bureau and is scheduled to speak at a winter reception next month hosted by Mainstream, a new left-of-centre Labour grouping co-launched by Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester.

On Sunday, Mr Burnham was blocked from running for Parliament in the Gorton and Denton by-election in a rebuff which has been seen as temporarily shoring up Sir Keirs position as leader.

Yet some believe blocking the King of the North has cleared a path for Ms Rayner.

One Labour MP told The Independent : Now Andy (Burnham) cannot get into parliament Angela has become the obvious choice.

It cant be (Wes) Streeting, hes too rightwing.

Another said: Angela can get the 81 MPs needed Im sure. It depends if she wants it.

I think the by-election brings things forward. Angela should go for it if Labour come third. Whats the point of waiting until 7 May?

Another MP told the Times: Ange isnt stupid. She isnt going round all guns blazing like Wes. But she times her interventions carefully, and wants to show shes still keeping up an interest in the policy areas covered by her former portfolio.

A spokesperson for Ms Rayner told the newspaper: Angela is indeed alive and well, but wont be indulging ill-informed gossip or idle speculation.
A Republican blame game has erupted over the Trump administrations handling of the fatal shootings in Minneapolis, with even hardliner Stephen Miller shifting his rhetoric.

The White House deputy chief of staff initially referred to Alex Pretti as a domestic terrorist after the ICU nurse was shot dead by federal agents during a protest over the weekend.

But as backlash over the second such killing in less than a month has grown, the administration has changed its tone.

On Tuesday, Miller issued a statement to CNN in which he suggested the agents involved may not have been following proper protocol.

We are evaluating why the CBP [Customs and Border Protection] team may not have been following that protocol, he said. The initial statement from DHS was based on reports from CBP on the ground.

Miller claimed that, following the prior killing of Renee Good in a similar incident on January 7, the White House had provided clear guidance to DHS that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller originally referred to Alex Pretti as a domestic terrorist (Getty)

The chief of staffs remarks came after DHS secretary Kristi Noem appeared to shift responsibility for her actions to the president and Miller.

Everything Ive done, Ive done at the direction of the president and Stephen, she said in an Axios report.

Then Katie Miller, the Trump advisers wife and a popular MAGA podcaster, waded into the affair. She posted a snippet of the Axios story on X containing quotes from her husband about the CBP, which answers to Noems DHS.

A DHS spokesperson subsequently told Axios: The initial statement was based on reports from CBP from a very chaotic scene on the ground. Thats precisely why an investigation is underway and DHS will let the facts lead the investigation.

President Trump  who quickly came to realise he needed to unf*** the situation, according to White House insiders  initially stopped short of backing Noem Sunday, instead telling The Wall Street Journal: Were looking, were reviewing everything and will come out with a determination.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem remains under intense pressure to resign (Getty)

He put border czar Tom Homan in charge of operations in the state, had immigration commander Greg Bovino returned to California and staged late-night crisis talks in the Oval Office Monday evening with the secretary and her top aide Corey Lewandowski.

Trump told Fox News Tuesday that he intends to de-escalate a little bit in light of the recent hoopla and has promised improved cooperation with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

His reassurances did not stop Florida Republican Rep. Ileana Garcia telling The New York Times she believed Millers influence would cost their party Novembers midterms.

But the White House rubbished the idea he could be fired over the debacle, commenting: Stephen Miller is one of President Trumps most trusted and longest-serving aides. The president loves Stephen.

Alex Pretti, who worked as an intensive care nurse, was shot dead by CBP agents in Minneapolis (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham also moved to shore up Millers position on Fox Tuesday evening, insisting the presidents faith in him was unshakeable.

Noem, despite Trump belatedly coming out to bat for her Tuesday by saying she was doing a very good job, remains in a precarious position.

Already facing impeachment threats from Democrats, the secretary has now been called upon to step down by at least two Republican senators  Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

I think that what she's done in Minnesota should be disqualifying; she should be out of a job, Tillis told The Independent.

Its just amateurish. Its terrible. Its making the president look bad on policies that he won on.
The first female Archbishop of Canterbury has vowed to speak out on misogyny, as she was confirmed in her new role as the Church of Englands top bishop.

Dame Sarah Mullally took part in a service at St Pauls Cathedral, which legally confirmed her as the 106th person to take up the post, after being named in October as the first woman in the role.

Prior to the service, she expressed her hopes to lead with calmness, consistency and compassion in what she described as times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world.

Sarah Mullally during the confirmation of election ceremony legally confirming her as the new Archbishop of Canterbury (PA)

Proceedings were briefly interrupted by a heckler, reportedly in religious attire, who was escorted from the cathedral, though their words were not immediately clear.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said full opportunity had been given for lawful objections, but none had been received and the process would therefore continue.

While technically the King is head of the Church of England, the person holding the role of Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and is the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Dame Sarah, in an interview as she took up her new role, shared her gratitude for the support of a whole range of people, including men, in my ministry.

The proceedings were briefly interrupted by a heckler, reportedly in religious attire, who was escorted from the cathedral (Jeff Moore/PA)

But the former chief nursing officer for England added: It is fair to say that I have, both in my secular role as well as in the Church, experienced misogyny at times.

She said over the years she has learned it must be spoken about so that you bring it out into the open.

Last year, while addressing the Churchs General Synod  known as its parliament  her voice cracked with emotion as she told of the institutional barriers and micro-aggressions women continue to face in the Church.

Asked this week about misogyny in the Church, she said: Im conscious that being in this role, its important for me to speak of it, because there are some that dont necessarily have the status or the power of this role, and feel more hesitant to do it.

But certainly as a Church of England we have seen many changes over the years and I commit myself to making an environment where all people can flourish and which is safer for all.

Mullally was Bishop of London for almost a decade (Jeff Moore/Pool via AP)

Dame Sarah, who was Bishop of London for almost a decade, said she had always understood that people may find my appointment as a woman difficult in the Church, and what I hope to do is to be able to provide a space where I can offer hospitality to people, where I can listen to what their concerns are and, in a sense, find some way in which we can at least have partnership together in that way.

She has previously been open about her support for the approval of same-sex blessings in the Church, but appeared reticent in her new role to give her personal view on standalone services of blessing for same-sex couples  something the Church is divided on.

She said: As the Archbishop of Canterbury, I see my role at the moment is to listen to what Synod has to say about that and to continue to hold that space within the Church of England where there are a range of different views on this issue.

Those gathered at the St Pauls service  including bishops and clergy, local schoolchildren and those from across the Church and the Anglican Communion  heard that Dame Sarah steps into history as the first woman to take the top ministry role.

Between the St Pauls service and her installation at Canterbury Cathedral, Dame Sarah will meet with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of other Christian denominations and other faiths in the UK.

The new Archbishop of Canterbury promised to tackle safeguarding failures in the Church, saying the dynamics of power must be confronted (Jeff Moore/Pool via AP)

She will also meet with Charles at some point in the intervening period to pay the traditional homage to the King.

On Sunday, she was pictured speaking with Charles after she delivered a sermon at a service on his Sandringham Estate.

She did not preach at Wednesdays service and is not expected to before her installation in March, although she will appear at General Synod  the Churchs parliament  in February in London, where she will give the presidential address.

On being named last year, Dame Sarah promised to tackle safeguarding failures in the Church, saying the dynamics of power must be confronted.

She replaces Justin Welby in the Churchs top ministry role after he resigned more than a year ago over safeguarding failures in the handling of the notorious case of prolific abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth.

Earlier this month, a complaint against Dame Sarah over her handling of an abuse allegation by a man known as survivor N against a priest in the Diocese of London was dismissed, although it is understood the complainant might appeal against the decision.

The former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby before he stepped down over his handling of a church sex abuse scandal (AP)

Dame Sarah has been described by the Churchs lead bishop for safeguarding, Joanne Grenfell, as having full commitment to safeguarding  strengthening systems and processes, and improving the culture across a large, complex organisation.

Ms Grenfell said while scrutiny is right, Dame Sarah must also be given room to lead as we work to grow a safer Church that serves communities across England.

Mr Cottrell, who has been leading the Church in the interim between Mr Welbys resignation and Dame Sarahs official start in the new role, paid tribute to her as having a clarity of thinking, wisdom, grace and holiness, which he said is what the Church needs right now.
Danish company DFDS could run the Rosyth to Dunkirk crossing three times a week (Getty Images)

A ferry service directly linking Scotland and France could relaunch later this year as part of a 40 billion (35bn) regeneration project at the port of Dunkirk.

The prospective cargo and passenger route from Rosyth in Fife to Dunkirk in northern France is part of a plan to regenerate the 60-year-old port area.

It has been 16 years since passenger services ran a route from Rosyth to Europe.

The last freight ferry connected to mainland Europe nearly eight years ago, ceasing after an onboard fire in 2018.

Amid speculation about the routes return, Dunkirk Port officials stated last week that they hoped to see the new crossing in place before the Six Nations rugby tournament in early 2027.

Port supervisory board vice president and Dunkirk Mayor Patrice Vergriete said: The question is not is it going to happen but rather when, reported The Scotsman.

If viable, the ferry route could make Scotland more accessible for tourists travelling to France by car.

The most recent major ferry service from Scotland took freight and passengers from Rosyth to Zeebrugge in Belgium.

Superfast Ferries ran the route from 2002, with Danish company DFDS eventually taking over before the passenger service was scrapped in 2010 due to insufficient demand.

DFDS is expected to operate the proposed 20-hour crossing three times a week.

A DFDS spokesman told BBC Scotland News there was no firm timeline yet on launch dates or schedules.

They said: DFDS is still interested in the service, and we are actively engaged in constructive discussions with the local authorities.

Progress is being made, and we remain optimistic about the potential of this new route.

Previous attempts to reinstate the route were set back while the Scottish government looked to establish a new border control post for checking farm produce.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: We are continuing to work with DFDS to assess the long-term commercial viability of the proposed service.

A consultation on proposals to amend the minimum requirements for the location of a border control post ended last week, and next steps will be announced in due course, reported BBC News.

Read more: Direct ferry from UK to Norway could be restored after 18 years
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged families to skip buying toys for kids birthdays and instead invest the money in the new Trump accounts.

Bessent, a wealthy hedge fund veteran serving as the nations top economic adviser, made the remarks on Fox News while promoting what the administration calls Trump Accounts, which are a pilot program to deposit $1,000 into tax-advantaged accounts for children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028.

With an estimated net worth of more than $500 million, Bessent framed the suggestion as a way to help children build longterm financial security, saying that relatives could rather than giving a toy for a birthday or holiday, they can contribute to these accounts.

He also said he believes the number of people playing the lottery will decrease because you won the lottery. You got $1,000 and the power of compound interest.

The Trump Accounts are designed to be invested in stock index funds and are intended to grow over time, with parents able to add up to $5,000 annually and employers up to $2,500.

Scott Bessent, the nations top economic adviser, promoted 'Trump Accounts' on Fox News, a pilot program depositing $1,000 into tax-advantaged accounts for children. But he told parents to put money into it instead of buying toys for their kids (Getty Images)

Advocates say the program could help reduce wealth inequality and introduce more families to investing. President Donald Trump will discuss the initiative at a summit Wednesday in Washington.

However, critics argue the comments underscore a broader tonedeafness in promoting the initiative, noting that many families still struggle with everyday necessities amid high living costs. They also point out that families with fewer financial resources may not be able to contribute much beyond the governments initial deposit.

Bessents latest comments come a month after Trump made headlines when he opined that Americans dont need 37 dolls for their daughters, when asked about the impact of his tariff plan and the growing costs Americans face.

Two or three is nice, you dont need 37, so we're doing things right. We're running this country right, the president said during a December rally appearance in Pennsylvania.

Trump also said the same goes for pencils.

You know, you can give up certain products. You can give up pencils. That's under the China policy  every child can get 37 pencils. They only need one or two  they don't need that many. But you always need steel, he said.

The next day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to defend Trumps comments, telling reporters that his point about how many dolls a hypothetical young girl needs was meant to encourage parents to choose American-made dolls.

Maybe you'll pay $1 or two more, but you will get better quality, and you'll be supporting your fellow Americans by buying American and that's what the President was saying, Leavitt said.
Crying horse plush toys sit on display ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which will welcome the Year of the Horse Photograph: Nicoco Chan/Reuters (Photograph: Nicoco Chan/Reuters)

On 17 February China will celebrate the start of the year of the horse, the zodiac sign symbolising high energy and hard work. But the runaway success of a defective stuffed toy suggests that many Chinese are not feeling the vibe.

A red horse toy produced by Happy Sister in the city of Yiwu in the west of China was meant to wear a broad grin, but a factory error meant it hit the shops sporting a despairing grimace. Because the smile was placed upside down, the horses nostrils could be interpreted as tears.

Related: Labubu underground: Lafufu makers defy Chinese authorities to feed the worlds appetite for viral doll

Despite the manufacturing error, the toy has become an unexpected success with shoppers after going viral on Chinese social media and capturing a zeitgeist of corporate fatigue and worker burnout.

It also taps into a broader trend for so-called ugly-cute toys, popularised in recent years by characters such as Pop Marts toothy monster Labubu.

People joked that the crying horse is how you look at work, while the smiling one is how you look after work, Zhang Huoqing, owner of Happy Sister, told Reuters.

By mid-January she said she was receiving daily orders of more than 15,000 units, prompting the factory to open up 10 additional production lines.

Many Chinese white-collar workers have endured the notorious 996 system, which requires employees to work 9am to 9pm, six days a week. The practice is exalted by tech entrepreneurs including Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, but has been increasingly criticised since 2021 when an employee of a e-commerce company died suddenly after finishing a late-night shift. The 966 practice was outlawed that year, but long overtime hours are still common.

This little horse looks so sad and pitiful, just like the way I feel at work, wrote an online buyer of the toy, by the name of Tuan Tuan Mami, according to SCMP.

Consumer products and internet memes can act as outlets for discussing work pressure, especially on platforms like Xiaohongshu, where consumer culture and emotional expression are tightly intertwined, Jacob Cooke, the CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, an e-commerce consulting firm, told Business Insider.

Meanwhile, wholesale orders for the crying horse have been placed from South Africa, east Asia and the Middle East. Its image is expected to appear on a new range of merchandise in the coming year.

Zhang never discovered who sewed the horses snout on upside down. Since we cant figure out exactly whose mistake it was, well just give everyone a bonus, she said.
by Rafael Newman

One hundred and sixty years ago this month, in a national referendum held on January 14, 1866, Jews were given the official right to reside throughout Switzerland. Jewish people, whether of foreign provenance or Swiss-born and already living on Swiss territory, had been explicitly forbidden to establish residency in Switzerland in its constitution of 1848, the year modern Switzerland was founded. Since the Middle Ages, when they were re-admitted following the pogroms and expulsions of the 14th century, such permanent domicile as was permitted to Jews among the Swiss had been confined to the two villages of Endingen and Lengnau, in the canton of Argovia. It was only under economic pressure from its main trading partners, the US and France, which threatened the young state with punitive tariffs, that Switzerlandin the form of contemporary Swiss suffrage: in other words, exclusively Christian menagreed to make the change. Even so, rates of approval in 1866 were drastically unequal across the country, with 93.9% of voters in the populous canton of Zurich favoring Jewish residency, and the tiny, remote half-canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, which would continue to deny women, whether Christian or otherwise, the right to vote until the late 20th century, rejecting the measure by 98%.

Seventy-five years later, with World War encroaching on its frontiers, the Swiss establishment saw this enforced tolerance tested anew, as Jews fled the Third Reich for asylum within Switzerlands neutral borders. Although they accepted some of these refugees, Swiss officials notoriously sent many back, their passports marked with a J, and placed restrictions on the professional and political activities of those they did admit (such as the poet and philosopher Margarete Susman, on whom see here and here), both to protect native Swiss from competition, and to avoid provoking the Nazi authorities, with whom clandestine relations were being maintained.

Nevertheless, in January 1941, a group of Jewish residents in Zurich, several foreign-born, was able to join the musician Marko Rothmuller in founding Omanut, an association for the promotion of Jewish art. The Swiss organization was created in memory of the original Omanut, which Rothmuller, a Yugoslav immigrant, had founded in 1935 in Zagreb, but which had since vanished under the Nazi occupation of Croatia.

I first heard of Omanut in 1998, in Zurich, when I met Nina Zafran-Sagal, the daughter of Vladimir Sagal, one of the founders of the Swiss Omanut in 1941, who would herself go on to serve as the associations president for a decade, from 2001 to 2011. I had come to Zurich from Berlin, where I had participated in a DAAD Summer Seminar for postdocs at the Einstein Forum. Sander Gilman, the leader of the course, was at the time the general editor of a series of books devoted to the contemporary Jewish literature of various countries. The series, published by the University of Nebraska Press, already comprised annotated anthologies of writing by Jews in Austria, Germany, South Africa, and the UK. When Sander asked me to edit the Swiss volume, I said yes, with equal measures pleasure and trepidation.

Gilmans brief was simple: identify a collection of living Swiss-Jewish writers, assemble excerpts from their literary work in English translation, and write an introduction, setting the texts in historical and literary-critical context. My work on the project proved a little more complicated, since, until I moved to Switzerland, I had only known vaguely of Elias Canetti and Albert Cohen as writers with Swiss and Jewish affiliationsand they were both deceased. So I would be obliged to scout out these putative Swiss-Jewish authors myself, somehow, without aimlessly (and ominously) asking Swiss writers I met whether they also happened to be Jewish.

Hence my interview, in the fall of 1998, with Nina Zafran, recommended to me as a likely informant. And indeed, Ninawho maintained that Switzerland was the only country in the world where Germanophone Jews could in good conscience still speak their native languagewas able to direct me to a number of Swiss-Jewish authors of her acquaintance. I went on to assemble 18 such writers, among them Jean-Luc Benoziglio, Luc Bondy, Serguei Hazanov, Gabriele Markus, and Stina Werenfels, and to present my translations of their work (from the German and the French) alongside my critical assessment of Jewish literature in the Swiss context.

In addition to the volume in the UNP series, I also published a German-language version of the book, with translations of the French excerpts, and of my own contribution, by Inge Leipold. That work was supported by the Schweizerischer Schriftstellerverein (SSV), one of the two Swiss writers unions in operation at the time. In 2001 the SSV was in the process of reorganizing itself and uniting with Gruppe Olten, its rival association, and was keen to use our co-publication as a token of remorse for its collaboration with the Swiss authorities during the period of the Third Reich, and for its connivance in making life difficult for those few Jewish writers who were granted refuge in Switzerland.

The German-language volume, published by Limmat Verlag in Zurich, appeared as Zweifache Eigenheit, or double singularity. My title for the Swiss edition was a reference to remarks made by Hermann Levin Goldschmidt, the German-born Jewish philosopher who lived in Zurich from 1938 until his death in 1998 and who served as president of Omanut from 1948 to 1956. During that period, in 1954, Goldschmidt assessed the status of Swiss Jews thus:

We find ourselves in a special relation to the rest of the worlds Jewry, a relation defined by our Swiss situation; but we find ourselves also in a special relation to the other population groups of Switzerland: that of the Jewish segment of the Swiss population. It is only on the basis of this double singularity [zweifache Eigenheit] that questions of Jewish cultural activity in Switzerland can be correctly addressedthat is, we must determine our actual problems, and we must emphasize our particular accomplishments.

In the aftermath of the Shoah, being both Jewish and Swiss meant that Goldschmidts compatriots were distinguished by a twofold peculiarity: set apart from the majority culture into which they had been integrated, under duress, less than a century before, they were also set apart from the world community by virtue of their citizenship in a country that had been spared the recent conflagration, and whose existence had for some time already been predicated on the Great Powers need for a neutral buffer zone in which to transact their business, whether commercial or political.

A general reckoning with official Switzerlands role in the 20th centurys disasters, and with its ambivalent attitude to its Jewish citizens, was not yet possible in the immediate postwar period. But during my research on the anthology, from 1998 into the new millennium, times had changed, and I pursued my work during an upheaval in Swiss-Jewish affairs. Switzerland had been under pressure from the World Jewish Congress (WJC) since 1996 to come clean about the massive involvement of its banking establishment with the Nazis, charged with purchasing gold looted from Jewish victims as well as with retaining so-called dormant accounts belonging to Jews murdered by the Nazis. Among the people I interviewed for my project was Daniel Wildmann, a young Swiss-Jewish historian who was working with the Bergier Commission, established by the Swiss government to respond to the WJCs charges, and who also served, with Stina Werenfels, as a member of the board at Omanut.

My association with Omanut, which thus began during this ferment as a tangential connection, but which taught me a great deal about the complex relations between Jews and Switzerland, has been strengthened over the past quarter century. In the years since my first meeting with Nina Zafran in 1998 I have taken part in many Omanut events, whether as audience member or participant. In 2007 I contributed to Ein gewisses judisches Etwas (A certain Jewish something), an exhibition at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich organized by Michael Guggenheimer and Katharina Hollander under the aegis of Omanut; in 2010 I moderated an appearance by Daniel Mendelsohn, who presented The Lost:A Search for Six of Six Million, his family memoir of the Shoah, by invitation of Omanut; in 2015 I was asked by Omanut to moderate a panel, featuring Anne-Marie Kenessey, Gabriele Markus, and Serguei Hazanov, to launch a new issue of the journal orte devoted to Jewish literature in Switzerland; in 2018 I delivered a presentation entitled Hegel, Schlegel, Bagel, on the social history of the renowned Jewish bakery product, as part of the Woche der judischen Kultur Zurich festival organized by Omanut; in 2023 I read poetry and prose texts and participated in a podium discussion of polyglot literature at Omanuts Lesefest zum mehrsprachigen Schreiben; and, just this past weekend, I attended the premiere, co-hosted by Omanut, of HirschfeldUnbekannter Bekannter, a film by Stina Werenfels and Samir about the career of Kurt Hirschfeld, the theater director who was among the generation of Jewish refugees from the Shoah, who made Zurich into a center of culture in the 1940s and into the postwar period, and who was an early collaborator with Omanut as it had been reborn in Switzerland.

This month, of course, Omanut also celebrated its 85th anniversary, with a day-long event held at the Beijz, since 2024 the associations headquarters in a former restaurant in Zurichs Seefeld neighborhood. The name of the clubhouse is a clever reminder of the ancient interaction of Jewish culture with the Swiss quotidian: The Yiddish word beijz, from the Hebrew  (bayit), meaning an inn or restaurant, has found its way into various southern German dialects, including the Swiss varieties, where it has become the standard term for a humble place to eat and drink, unremarked by speakers of Schwyzerdutsch as a foreign loan word.

But just how foreign can Jewish culture be to Switzerland anyway? Jews have lived on Swiss territory, albeit with significant and painful interruptions, since Roman times. The Codex Manesse, a canonical manuscript of medieval German song collected in 14th-century Zurich, features contributions by Susskind von Trimberg, who may have been a Jewish troubadour. Joggeli wott go Birli schuttle, a popular Swiss nursery rhyme, was likely inspired by Chad gadya, the song with which Passover services often close. Kurt Guggenheim (1896-1983), for whom a central Zurich street is named, was the Swiss-Jewish author of Alles in allem, a seminal chronicle of life in Switzerland during the first half of the 20th century. Lazar Wechsler (1896-1981), a Russian-born Jewish immigrant to Zurich and the founder of Praesens-Film in 1924, produced some of the best-known examples of Swiss cinematic folklore. Ruth Dreifuss, a Swiss Jew from St Gallen, resident in Geneva and with roots in the Argovian villages of Endingen and Lengnau, has served as president of the Confederation. And when, this past January 11, I attended Visions of Tomorrow, the brainstorming event organized by Karen Roth, Omanuts current, exceptionally active president, to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the Swiss associations founding, I was surrounded at the Beijz by what looked and sounded like a group of Swiss burgherswho just happened to be Jewish.

Of course, among the items on the agenda that day was a quintessentially Jewish issue: or rather, a quintessentially Jewish issue in its Swiss form. For the Beijz, the cozy little restaurant in which we were assembled that day, is available to Omanutin a fashion typical of Zurich, where a speculation and building boom has been underway for some timeonly temporarily, as its provisional home, while the valuable inner-city property awaits rezoning and development. In other words, Omanut, Switzerlands association for the promotion of Jewish art and culture for the past 85 years, founded in the same month, three-quarters of a century later, as the 1866 referendum granting Jews the right to settle permanently on Swiss territory, will soon be obliged to up stakes and seek a new residence.

What makes this next phase in Omanuts existence quintessentially Swiss is its replication of the very conditions of Switzerlands national identity. Switzerland, a confederation of linguistic regions, is, in 19th-century terms, a Willensnation, not a Kulturnation: the product of rational design, rather than ethno-nationalist sentiment; a political corporation formed by commercial interests, rather than by tribal affections; a microcosmic, multinational conglomerate, rather than a nation-state. It is inordinately dependent on its place, situated as it is at the vital but challenging Alpine crossroads between north (the Germanic world) and south (the Roman world), and thus able to control the passes (both transmontane and subterranean). It is valuable to the culturally hegemonic, militarily powerful, resource-rich world around it for its strategic utility as a trans-shipment center (Umschlagplatz) for goods and people. It owes its existence, more than most other nations, to its locationand is thus especially hostile to interlopers and would-be foreign residents, despite (or perhaps precisely due to) the fact that it serves as a site of transit, through which strangers are by necessity forever passing.

All of this has made life peculiarly difficult for Jews on Swiss territory, susceptible as they have been to the suspicions of the settled population, which has been affronted by their mobility and apparent rootlessness, and which has reified those suspicions by refusing them the right to settle, and then, once they had been obliged, by economic circumstances, to permit their settlement, by restricting their activities.

Yuri Slezkine, in The Jewish Century, an eccentric history of modernity, identifies an anthropological category he calls service nomads, small and distinct socio-ethnic groups that live among larger cultures and perform clearly defined roles and rituals. These groups Slezkine terms Mercurians, for their emulation of Hermes, with the Greek gods penchant for communication, trade, and trickery; and he details how they are both integrated into the general Appolonian societal systemthe majority population of settled food-producers, peasants, and warriorswhile remaining self-consciously separate from it. Slezkine examines a broad array of such groups around the world, including the Parsis of India, the Lebanese of Latin America, and the Chinese of Southeast Asia. The two Mercurian populations he returns to most often, however, and who emerge as paradigmatic of the phenomenon his book describes, are the various Roma and Sinti peoples, whom he refers to as Gypsies, and of course the Jews.

In addition to Jews, Switzerland has also been familiar with the other paradigmatic type of service nomadthe Yenish, or Fahrende (travelers, the Swiss-German term for all vagrants, including Roma and Sinti), who live on Swiss territory and who may be a branch of the Romani peoplesand it has, over the course of its history, attempted to deal with the two groups in two different, opposed fashions. In the case of the Fahrende, the Appolonian Swiss tried to manage that group of Mercurians through enforced assimilation, with a notorious campaign of kidnapping known as Kinder der Landstrasse (Children of the Road), which from 1926 until 1973 took Yenish children away from their families and placed them in foster homes, while institutionalizing their parents. As for Jews, who in distinction to the travelers had a clearly stated desire to settle among the majority population, the opposite tactic was necessary for the hygienic preservation of the Appolonian blood and soil: expulsion.

But Slezkines global grand theory has a crucial second movement, for which his identification of various Appolonian and Mercurian societies, and the tensions between them, over a longue duree is the preparation. Modernity, he writes, was about everyone becoming a service nomad: mobile, clever, articulate, occupationally flexible, and good at being a stranger. The transformation, over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, of empires into national states, the replacement of religion by language and culture as the chief determinant of national belonging, the process of industrialization and the concomitant migration of settled, food-producing populations from the land to an urban labor context, as well as, importantly, the rise of globalizationall of this has required European Appolonians to adapt in a new way: by means of neither assimilation nor expulsion of their Mercurians, but by emulation of them. Or rather, by emulation of the most vitally useful, most egregiously other group of Mercurians, a group that was, however, also the most uncannily familiar to European Christians, since their religion, still culturally central if now on the wane, was manifestly an outgrowth of Judaism. As Europeans have been painfully transformed into Jews during the modern period, Slezkine maintains, the Jews themselves have emerged from legal, ritual, and social seclusion to join the ranks of the various majority populations among whom they have already been living for generations. Now as full-fledged members, however uneasily, and repeatedly required to declare their allegiance to the new national culture and forever under latent suspicion of ulterior loyalties.

Such a transformation is strikingly obvious in Swiss modernity, as anomalous as Switzerlands particular form of statehood may be in the European context. Although the Swiss long ago declared their independence from the empires surrounding them, their nation has famously differed from the ethno-national entities that have grown up around it in the early modern period, and from which it has, by choice or obligation, remained aloof. Now, however, over the course of the past century and a half, Switzerland, which had until recently been an exporter of its human resources, has transformed a predominantly agricultural economy into a thoroughly modern member of the present global capitalist regime, offering services based on information (financial, medical, pharmaceutical, technological), which Slezkine identifies as historically Mercurian, and becoming a net importer of a wide range of foreigners eager to share in the lucrative Swiss brand of modern Jewishness.

Thus, as Switzerlands geographical location becomes less relevant, in an increasingly dematerialized, digitalized, globalized world economy, so too has it become easier for it to accommodate the others who have long constituted the vanguard of the Mercurian, networked mobility to which Appolonians (must) now aspire. Of course, there is still a virulent strain of anti-immigrant xenophobia current in Swiss politics, just as there is, mutatis mutandis, in the politics of the Jewish ethno-nationalist state: but both of these baleful developments are part of another, if related chapter in the history of liberal capitalism.

In the midst of this evolution, Swiss Jews continue to search for a way to preserve their cultural heritage while remaining fully integrated into the larger, non-Jewish, but by no means still entirely Christian society of Switzerland. And as the once nomadic Omanut celebrates its 85th birthday, and begins the search for a new home in Switzerland, perhaps it can help the country at large recognize, not the double singularity of its Jewish citizens, but its own singular duality: as an ancient nation with a thoroughly modern constitution; a geographically crucial, settled location, at least one-quarter of whose population is comprised of immigrants; a mixture of Appolonian and Mercurian traits and skills.

In La Reserve des Suisses morts (The Reserve of Dead Swiss), Christian Boltanski (1944-2021) drew a connection between Switzerland, whose population at the time the French-Jewish artist created the work, in 1990, was roughly six million, the canonical number of Jews murdered by the Third Reich. The piece, which comprises photographs, mounted on stands and boxes, of recently deceased Swiss people taken from the obituary section of a small cantonal newspaper, thus constitutes an oblique meditation on the Shoah, as well as a statement regarding the arbitrary nature of human ethnic divisions and animosities. In an interview about La Reserve, Boltanski implicitly cites the famous Weimar-era joke about the two antisemitic motorists stalled in traffic: One exclaims in outrage, All of our problems are caused by the Jews and the bicycle riders! To which the second responds, But why the bicycle riders?! Boltanskis remark foregrounds the ostensible naturalness of a central presence in the European narrative for the Jews, whether as villains or as victims, by replacing them with another, apparently neutral population: Working on dead Swiss people, Boltanski noted, elicits the question: Why the Swiss? Thats what interests me. The Swiss also die, because they are human.

_____________________________________________

I have profited greatly in my research from Katarina Hollander, DIE FRAGE NACH DER JUDISCHEN KUNST: 60 Jahre OMANUT, Verein zur Forderung judischer Kunst in der Schweiz (Judische Rundschau: Zurich, 2001).
Sir Keir Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday - Carl Court/AFP

Sir Keir Starmer will sign Britains first law-enforcement deal with China on Thursday to target people-smuggling gangs.

In 2025, more than 60 per cent of engines powering the small boats used by smuggling gangs to cross the Channel were made in China.

Under the agreement, UK officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) will work with Chinese authorities to prevent engines getting into the hands of criminals.

The deal also steps up joint efforts to target Chinese gangs manufacturing synthetic opioids for sale on UK streets.

The Prime Ministers willingness to allow British police to work directly with the Chinese authorities signals his desire to thaw relations with China.

Before the visit, he said the trip would make Britain richer and safer.

Sir Keir was greeted by a red carpet reception when he landed - Carl Court/Getty

However, Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, on Wednesday escalated her criticism of Sir Keirs trip, saying she would not have gone because of the security threats that China presents.

Speaking about the law enforcement deal, Sir Keir said: Organised immigration crime and the business model of the smuggling gangs go beyond borders and our approach to shut them down must do the same.

This deal will help us cut off the supply of boats at source  stopping crossings before lives are put at risk and restoring control to our borders.

This is Britain back at the top table, delivering real results for the British people through our international relationships.

The Prime Minister spoke with members of a business delegation before meeting with the Chinese leader - Carl Court/PA

Downing Street is keen to show the domestic advantages of the Prime Minister becoming the first British leader in eight years to visit China.

Speaking to a delegation of business leaders after arriving in the country on Wednesday, Sir Keir said it was time for a mature relationship with the worlds second-biggest economy.

The Prime Minister has talked up the economic benefits of deepening trade ties with Beijing, while also saying he would not compromise national security in the process.

Under the law enforcement deal, police and security organisations in Britain and China will coordinate intelligence and intervene to disrupt the sale of small boat engines to criminal gangs. The aim is to slow access to the supplies needed to make the journey but critics argue more radical action is needed.

Rick Jones, the deputy director of the NCA, said: Targeting and disrupting the business models of people-smuggling gangs is a top priority for the NCA. We work cooperatively and successfully with a range of international law enforcement partners to achieve this and protect people from harm.

This agreement will enable us to work with Chinese law enforcement to tackle those gangs who exploit the most vulnerable and prevent legitimate companies being drawn into this criminality. We are committed to working with them constructively going forward.

Sir Keir has struggled to deliver his pledge to smash the gangs and stop the flow of small boats carrying migrants across the Channel.

Gimmick after gimmick

The Conservatives and Reform are calling for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to solve the problem.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: The fact is that Labour cancelled the Rwanda removals deterrent before it even started. Illegal channel crossings have surged since the election as a result.

Labour has tried gimmick after gimmick  first claiming to smash the gangs, then a one in, one out deal that saw 41,000 arrive and only 281 removed.

None of this has worked, and neither will this. The Conservative plan is the only one that will work  leave the ECHR enabling every illegal immigrant to be deported within a week of arrival. Then the crossings will soon stop.
Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of helping people who act against our countrys national interest - Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Sir Keir Starmer called for European human rights laws to be used to investigate British troops in Iraq in a book edited by Phil Shiner, the disgraced lawyer.

In the book, the Prime Minister accused Gordon Browns government of a deliberate effort to alter international law. He claimed it had given British troops an effective immunity when operating in Iraq.

Sir Keirs chapter was published in a 2008 book, entitled The Iraq War and International Law, put together by Shiner, who was subsequently convicted of fraud and struck off as a solicitor over false claims of abuse made against British soldiers.

The Telegraph has also uncovered a photograph of Sir Keir and Shiner speaking at an event in 2014 to mark a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgment.

Sir Keir Starmer and Phil Shiner, left, at the event in 2014 - Middlesex University

On Wednesday, Gen Sir Peter Wall, the former Chief of the General Staff, who commanded British forces in Iraq, told The Telegraphs Planet Normal podcast that it was shocking that Sir Keir had linked himself to Shiner, whom he described as the bane of our lives.

Sir Peter questioned Sir Keirs suitability to be Prime Minister, including his power over the military, owing to his involvement in a legal case disclosed by The Telegraph, that led to hundreds of troops being investigated over false claims of war crimes.

Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, on Wednesday called for Sir Keir to apologise for his role in the case, accusing both the Prime Minister and Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, of helping people who act against our countrys national interest.

The Telegraph investigation uncovered legal documents that showed Sir Keir worked voluntarily for human rights groups on a legal case which ruled that British law applied in war-torn Iraq.

Sir Keirs spokesman insisted on Thursday that the Prime Minister had assisted the court on points of law, not to advocate for either side.

But in the hearing, held before the Law Lords in 2007, Sir Keir, who was representing a series of human rights organisations, argued that investigations into the deaths of Iraqi civilians had been perfunctory and wholly inadequate.

In his academic article published in Shiners book, Sir Keir wrote that ECHR laws were far more effective than United Nations international laws, which he argued had been interpreted and developed by the US and the UK to suit them.

One cannot read key speeches by US and UK politicians and lawyers without surmising that such a development has involved a deliberate effort by the USA and the UK to change international law for their own ends, he wrote.

The chapter written by Sir Keir

He said that the methods for enforcing ECHR law were much better developed and far more effective in holding governments to account, adding: These things matter.

Sir Keir argued that where the UN Security Council had mandated multinational forces to use force if necessary to achieve certain goals... the force created is usually immune from legal process in the country where it is operating.

The Prime Minister has faced repeated calls for Britain to withdraw from the ECHR, with critics arguing that continued membership prevents the UK from effectively tackling illegal migration. Sir Keir has rejected those demands, insisting the UK should remain a signatory.

Shiners legal claim, ultimately successful at the ECHR in 2012, forced the government to expand criminal investigations into troops through a new body called the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (Ihat).

By then, Sir Keir had stopped working on the case, having been appointed Director of Public Prosecutions in 2008.

But in 2007, Sir Keir represented several human rights organisations on a pro bono basis that had intervened in Shiners legal action, bolstering claims brought by the families of six Iraqi civilians killed during British operations.

One of the claims led to fresh investigations into Sgt Richie Catterall, who told The Telegraph Sir Keir must share some of the responsibility for repeated investigations into the fatal shooting of an Iraqi, who was armed with an assault rifle.

Rachel Webster, who was also investigated by Ihat and subsequently received a payout for her wrongful arrest, said: To now learn that the man who is Prime Minister willingly gave his time for free to drive investigations against veterans like me is deeply distressing.

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Both the Conservatives and Reform have pledged to leave the ECHR if they were to win the next election.

Critics claim the advantage of leaving for the UK would be to take back control over human rights law, after several cases highlighted by The Telegraph where killers, sex offenders and rejected asylum seekers have used Article 8 of the ECHR, the right to family life, to block their deportations.

Sir Keir has repeatedly rejected calls to leave the convention, but said last month that it must be reformed to help combat illegal migration.

Tom Tugendhat, the former Conservative Cabinet minister who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Sir Keirs work had turned British troops into whipping boys for the courts and left senior officers paralysed by potential litigation.

His comments echoed those of Sir Peter, the former head of the Army, who said:  Phil Shiner... was the bane of our lives. He said Shiners peddling of spurious allegations had done an awful lot of harm to British troops.

He went on: The fact that Starmer himself was linked to Shiner, thats quite shocking, to be honest, that he should end up being the Prime Minister, having linked himself with that guy.

If thats the Prime Ministers moral stance, then one has to ask questions about how compatible that is with his job of making decisions about putting soldiers in harms way in the national interest for defence of the realm.

Responding to the claim that Sir Keir called for European human rights laws to be used to investigate British troops in Iraq, a Downing Street spokesman said: This is a desperate and deliberate misrepresentation.

However, Matthew Jury, a leading human rights lawyer, said: When a barrister is instructed by an intervening organisation, they are acting as that organisations advocate. While their submissions may be framed to assist the court, describing that role as neutral or independent risks giving a misleading impression of how intervention works in practice.

A human rights lawyer, who did not wish to be named, said: It is absolute nonsense to claim he [Sir Keir] was only assisting on points of law. He is not going to be asked to intervene by Amnesty International unless its to promote their view on the matter.
Travel misery is set to continue for days for people in southwest England  with transport chaos continuing around the rest of the UK.

Following on from Storm Chandra, the Met Office has issued a Yellow weather warning for rain across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and into Somerset and Wiltshire.

Forecasters say: Further rain on Thursday afternoon to early Friday is expected to lead to some transport disruption and exacerbate flooding in places.

These are the key locations experiencing transport chaos.

Rail

The Met Office warning for Thursday and Friday comes as the rail network in southwest England is already severely disrupted.

Rail firm GWR says: Back-to-back storms have brought persistent heavy rain and widespread flooding across the region, forcing the closure of several rail lines.

The links from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple and Okehampton in Devon are closed, as are the Cornish lines from Liskeard to Looe and Par to Newquay.

GWR is telling passengers: Poor road conditions mean bus replacement services cannot be provided on these routes at this stage. Should conditions improve, replacement bus services will be provided where possible. These branch lines are likely to remain closed for several days and no rail services will operate.

Further disruption awaits, with the Night Riviera sleeper train between London Paddington and Penzance cancelled in both directions on Wednesday night.

The rail firm explained: Following Storm Ingrid, a large sink hole has appeared near the railway between Dawlish and Teignmouth.

The railway line will be closed between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot from 7pm on Wednesday 28 January to allow the work to take place and will reopen at 7am on Thursday 29 January. Services will continue to run between London and Exeter St Davids and Penzance and Newton Abbot.

Network Rail Western posted a picture showing a collapsed footpath. The organisation said: We need to close the footpath between Teignmouth and Smugglers' Lane this evening to allow us to fix this sinkhole next to the railway, caused by Storm Ingrid.

In Scotland, ScotRail says: Severe weather is causing disruption to services running on various routes across the ScotRail network.

To allow trains to travel safely through areas impacted by the poor weather, speed restrictions may be imposed. Lines may also be disrupted as a result of debris being blown onto the track, or fallen trees.The line across the Highlands from Perth to Inverness has a speed restriction resulting in delays of up to half-an-hour.

Elsewhere, the main TransPennine route between Manchester and Leeds is closed until at least 6am on Thursday due to damage from a fire in Standedge Tunnel. Trains are being diverted via the Calder Valley but journeys are slower than usual.

Air

Once again events at Amsterdam Schiphol airport are causing problems for British travellers. Earlier this month severe wintry weather led to dozens of cancellations. Today the cause appears to be a military exercise.

Amsterdam airport said in a statement: The Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force will be conducting training with F-35 fighter jets at Schiphol. Travellers may see and hear these aircraft during the day. This is a temporary exercise to practice operating safely at a civil airport. Regular air traffic will continue as usual.

But a range of links to and from Amsterdam on KLM have been cancelled, including UK services to Aberdeen, London Heathrow and Teeside. Flights on other airlines are also disrupted, including delays on easyJet links with Bristol and Manchester. An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin returned to its starting point.

Under air passengers rights rules, travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible on any airline, and to be provided with meals and hotels until they get there.

Sea

In the Channel, Brittany Ferries has cancelled Wednesday sailings from Poole both Cherbourg and Bilbao in Spain.

DFDS Ferries has cancelled multiple services linking Jersey with Portsmouth and St-Malo, but an additional round-trip from the Channel Island to the French port is scheduled for Thursday.

Caledonian MacBrayne ferries in the Western Isles of Scotland continue to be disrupted due to forecast strong winds and sea swell.

Affected routes include the link from Oban to Barra. Calmac warns: Sailings are at a heightened risk of disruption or cancellation at short notice.

Read more: Storm Chandra latest
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she refuses to bow to intimidation after she was attacked while delivering an anti-ICE speech in Minneapolis, the focal point of President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown.

Ive survived war, the Somali-born Minnesota Democrat told CNN after an assailant rushed at her with a syringe containing unknown liquid during a town hall Tuesday, interrupting her speech but leaving her unharmed.

Im definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me because Im built that way, she added.

The man being detained after spraying a substance on Ilhan Omar (AFP/Getty)

How the attack unfolded

Omar, who is frequently singled out for derision by Trump  including just hours before the attack  was addressing a crowded room when the assault occurred.

After calling on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment, a man seated near the front ran towards the podium. He shouted at the congresswoman and doused her with an unknown substance.

Soon after, the man  who has not been identified  was tackled to the ground and detained, video footage shows.

Oh my god, he sprayed something on her! a woman can be heard saying afterwards. Another urged her to seek immediate medical attention.

Omar, however, resisted efforts to move her offstage to safety. She returned to the microphone and said, Were going to keep talking, adding, Please dont let them have a show.

Heres the reality that people like this ugly man dont understand, she continued. We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.

She then reiterated her call for Noem to resign  as dozens of other Democratic and Republican lawmakers have done in recent days in response to her management of Trumps immigration enforcement methods.

Omar says she was unharmed by the assailant, who has not been identified (Getty)

What has the response been?

About an hour later, Omars office issued a statement condemning the man and confirming she was not injured.

During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe, the statement said. Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesnt let bullies win.

The U.S. Capitol Police also released a statement, saying that the assailant, who is in custody, will be met with swift justice.

We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society, the force said.

It added that lawmakers faced an uptick in threats in 2025.

The attack followed Trump's repeated denouncements of Somali immigrants, who make up a significant minority of Minneapoliss population. He has labeled them garbage and demanded that Omar be deported or face imprisonment.

Just hours before the assailant rushed the stage, he again singled out the Minnesota congresswoman.

Omar has been a frequent target of Trumps ire, who has called for her to be deported or face imprisonment (AFP/Getty)

We need people to come in legally, but they have to show that they can love our country, not hate our country, the Republican president said during an event in Iowa on Tuesday. They have to show that they can love our country. They have to be proud. Not like Ilhan Omar... she comes from a country thats a disaster. Its not even a country.

The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment on the attack and Trumps remarks.

When asked by ABC reporter Rachel Scott late Tuesday if he had seen the video, the president is reported to have said: No. I dont think about her. I think shes a fraud. I really dont think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.

When asked again if he had seen the video, Scott said his response was: I havent seen it. No, no. I hope I don't have to bother.

Still, the incident in Minnesota elicited condemnation from politicians across the political spectrum.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, called it unacceptable.

Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis, he said in a statement. We can disagree without putting people at riskThis kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.

Meanwhile, GOP Rep. Nancy Mace  who previously called for Omar to be deported  said she is deeply disturbed by Tuesdays incident.

Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric  and I do  no elected official should face physical attacks, the South Carolina congresswoman said in a statement. This is not who we are.

Protests against ICE crackdowns in Minneapolis continue (AFP/Getty)

Latest flashpoint in Minneapolis

The incident is just the latest flashpoint in Minnesota, where the Trump administration has deployed numerous federal immigration agents, resulting in hundreds of detentions and two deadly shootings.

On January 7, Renee Good, a mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in her vehicle. Three weeks later, on January 24, immigration officials killed Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, during a confrontation on a city street.

The shootings sparked disparate responses from elected officials, with Democrats condemning ICE and Republicans accusing the deceased individuals of acting inappropriately or violently. The incidents also triggered widespread protests in the state, and around the nation, leading to tense stand-offs between demonstrators and officers.

State and local officials have demanded that federal agents withdraw from Minnesota, accusing them of reckless behavior and of mounting an unconstitutional "invasion, while the White House has vowed to ramp up its immigration enforcement operations while blaming Democrats for inciting anti-law-enforcement sentiment.

But, in recent days, the administration has signaled a desire to ease tensions in the state.

On Monday, Trump said he spoke with Democratic Governor Tim Walz about the unfolding situation in Minnesota. He described it as a very good call, and said, we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. He added that he is sending border czar Tom Homan to the state.

The next day, the president told Fox News, Were going to de-escalate a little bit in Minnesota, though he hedged his comments, insisting: I dont think this is a pullback.

This shift in rhetoric comes as Trumps immigration enforcement tactics are facing strong pushback in the court of public opinion. While about half of American voters support the presidents deportations, a sizable majority, 61 percent, believe that the strategies employed by ICE have gone too far, according to a recent Siena University poll.
A man is tackled after spraying a liquid at Ilhan Omar with a syringe - OCTAVIO JONES/AFP

Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar was sprayed by a man using a syringe filled with apple cider vinegar, according to reports.

Ms Omar was attacked during a town hall event in Minneapolis hours after Donald Trump alleged she did not love America.

Police charged a suspect, 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak, an apparent supporter of the president, with assault after he was seen leaping from his seat at the event and spraying a liquid at her from a syringe.

He was apprehended by her security staff and bundled from the room.

On Wednesday, CNN and other US media said tests by police concluded the substance was apple cider vinegar.

Credit: Reuters

Ms Omar held her first public meeting since an American nurse was shot and killed by a border agent in the state.

A member of her security team said she had been sprayed with something that smells terrible, in a video of the confrontation.

Ms Omar insisted on continuing to speak, and added: Please dont let them have the show.

The substance in the syringe was apple cider vinegar, according to reports - Angelina Katsanis/ 2026 Bloomberg Finance LP

She would speak for another 20 minutes and told those listening: This moment in US history, and particularly in Minnesota, requires all of us to be working together to preserve our democracy.

She added: When we say we are going to put our lives on the line for what is our right, we mean that.

The day before, Mr Trump had accused her of fraud and said was not now the subject of an investigation by the department of justice. Ms Omar has always denied any wrongdoing.

The president has often attacked the congresswoman, and her country of origin, Somalia. During a cabinet meeting in December, he referred to her as garbage.

Credit: Reuters

Mr Trump has said he wants to lower the tension in Minneapolis, amid a growing public backlash following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by immigration agents this month.

After the incident on Tuesday night he claimed Ms Omar probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.

The FBI told The Telegraph it was taking over the investigation into the incident.

A spokesman for the FBI said in a statement: The FBI is investigating this matter. To maintain the integrity of the ongoing investigation, no additional details are available for release at this time.

In a statement on social media, Ms Omars office said she was okay.

It added: She continued with her town hall because she doesnt let bullies win.
Thailand has stepped up health surveillance at major airports following a Nipah virus outbreak in India, screening some 1,700 incoming travellers with no infections found so far.

The Ministry of Public Health said the screening measures were focused on passengers arriving from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, the epicentre of the outbreak. These travellers entered Thailand chiefly through Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket airports.

India last week reported a new cluster of infections in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, with the health ministry confirming two cases in the state since December, both healthcare workers. As many as 196 identified contacts tested negative for the virus, the ministry added.

Thailands public health minister Phatthana Phromphat said the enhanced measures were introduced following instructions from prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul and airport screening teams were deployed late last week.

Health officials say they are fairly confident the measures are sufficient to prevent an outbreak.

Quarantine doctors watch thermal scanning of travelers from West Bengal, India at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn, Thailand (AP)

Nearly 700 travellers arrive at the three airports on flights from Kolkata every day, The Bangkok Post reported.

Mr Phatthana said he had worked with deputy prime minister and transport minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn as well as airport operators to ensure checks were carried out thoroughly.

If theres a suspected case at an airport, the person will be quarantined and the results of a relevant test will be known in eight hours, he said.

The minister noted the likelihood of transmission to fellow passengers on the same flight was very low.

The transmission of Nipah virus is not like that of Covid. Even though they may be asymptomatic, Covid-infected people can transmit the virus, he added. For Nipah, infected people will not transmit it as long as they do not have any symptoms.

Mr Phatthana said his country had never reported a Nipah infection.

Nipah was first detected in Southeast Asia after outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and 1999. The infections were largely linked to pig farm workers and those in close contact with livestock. Since then, multiple human outbreaks have been reported in India and Bangladesh, strongly associated with consumption of raw date palm sap contaminated by fruit bats, the viruss natural reservoir.

File. A health worker wearing protective gear disposes of biohazard waste from a Nipah virus isolation centre at a government hospital in Kozhikode, in India's southern state of Kerala, on 16 September 2023 (AFP/Getty)

Thai authorities also addressed public concern over sightings of flying foxes  one of the animals known to host the virus  in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, saying there was no evidence linking them to any infections in Thailand, Asia News Network reported.

Meanwhile, health experts in Hong Kong are advising people to avoid travel to West Bengal.

The South China Morning Post reported that leaders of the citys Bengali community expected some disruption to travel plans but stressed the situation did not warrant a panic.

There is a large and thriving Bengali community in Hong Kong. Those who are planning trips might postpone them until they see what the situation is, Vishal Melwani, vice-president of the India Association Hong Kong, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Nipah is classified as one of 53 notifiable infectious diseases under Hong Kong law, prompting authorities to monitor developments closely while urging caution rather than alarm.

Another neighbour of India, Nepal, also introduced screening measures for arrivals at the Kathmandu airport, along with checks at the land border crossings.

Taiwanese health officials have proposed classifying Nipah as a Category 5 disease, a designation for rare or emerging infections that pose major public health risks and require immediate reporting and special control measures.
Music lessons should not be confined to the privileged few

A collection of cards sits on the mantelpiece of my living room. They are not Christmas and New Year greetings that we have been too lazy to take down. Instead, they are thank you notes sent to my music teacher husband from his pupils, telling him how his lessons have improved their lives and inspired them to pursue a career as musicians.

In one secondary school where he worked, it was a thrill to be invited to their annual Battle of the Bands as a former Mercury Prize judge to spot the talent of the future. But not all children across the UK are getting this kind of access to music education and opportunities. And music should never be a privilege for the few.

Bravo then, when in November, Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to revitalise arts education and ensure that music will be available to all children at school. Starmer last year praised Ed Sheerans open letter  which called on funding for music education  for contributing to Labours decision. Yet I cannot help thinking of the colossal amount of funding and strategising it will take to reverse the damage caused by years of erosion to the subject. And it is an erosion whose detrimental effects on British music have yet to emerge.

The negative feedback loop goes like this. Since its introduction in 2010, the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) prioritised STEM subjects maths and science, disincentivizing schools from offering music and arts subjects at GCSE. That, thankfully, is now being removed, after a 15-year campaign by the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM). Yet the damage has been done.

Schools have reduced their music provision for key stage 3, and 42 per cent of state schools do not even enter pupils for music GCSE. It gets worse at A-level; entries have fallen by nearly half since 2010. If we continue this pace of decline, by the 2030s A-level music could have altogether disappeared from state schools.

Fewer students enrol on music degrees, so those are closing. Oxford Brookes and University of Kent have shut their music courses, and now the University of Nottingham and Northumbria are set to follow suit, creating a black hole of accessibility for the North-East. And if you want to train as a music teacher this coming academic year, you can forget the bursary, which has just been scrapped for music trainees.

Music teachers are already in abysmally short supply. Recruitment plummeted by 56 per cent since 2010 and, in the academic year 2024/25, only 40 per cent of the Governments target for trainee music teachers was met. The target was for 820 music trainees and yet we secured a mere 367 for this academic year. It is no surprise that schools are struggling to recruit specialist music teachers.

Industry body UK Music says we need 1,000 teachers to restore numbers. If there are simply not enough to go around, it is hard to see how every child from every postcode and background will be able to access the music they deserve. We know the manifold benefits of music: the positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, confidence, communication, resilience and performance skills. But dismissing it from schools is also plain short-sighted.

Meanwhile, the UK music industry is booming. UK artists and their labels generate an impressive eight to nine per cent of global music consumption  despite the UK accounting for less than one per cent of the worlds population. One in eight albums sold worldwide is British and fans listened to more than 210mn albums by UK artists during 2025, according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Can we keep this up? Im not so sure. We should have been cultivating the foundations of a richly diverse industry that has, according to UK Music, contributed a record 8bn to the UK economy in 2024. But we have not.

Supporting young people to play music is the key to keeping that talent pipeline open. And it is not just the pop stars onstage. It is the whole infrastructure of trained professionals: the orchestral players, film-score writers, and music producers of the future that we need to ensure this industry continues to thrive. There is no denying that teaching is a tough job. It is not a profession where you can even temporarily switch off or hide behind a screen. You are on the frontline, performing, and  if you do it well  giving your all to your young charges each day.

Every now and then I will read one of those mantlepiece cards out loud to my exhausted husband. A particular favourite simply says: Thank you for your massive influence on my ambition in music. I do it to remind him of why he still perseveres with the job. Some former pupils have indeed gone on to careers in music, both pop and classical. How sad that opportunity could be so much less available in years to come.

Elisa Bray is a music journalist and feature writer
A major overhaul of South Kensington Tube Station has accelerated after Transport for London indicted it will be moving forward with its redesign and modernisation.

The station is the 13th busiest in London, serving over 30 million passengers every year, and is the gateway to world-famous museums as well as hospitals and university campuses.

But TfL estimates a further 500,000 journeys do not go through it each year because there is no step free access.

The 110million project will include step-free access to the District and Circle line platforms and the Piccadilly line.

South Kensington is one of the busiest Tube stations in London (Google StreetView)

A new accessible entrance on Thurloe Street will be built and a disused platform brought back into use to improve capacity.

Joe Powell, MP for Kensington and Bayswater, who has been leading a campaign to get the funding in place, said: I know how frustrated residents and visitors are with the archaic infrastructure at South Kensington station, which can become heavily over-crowded and is inaccessible for so many.

Im delighted that the Mayor and Transport for London have agreed to back our campaign to modernise the station, taking full advantage of the multi-year funding settlement from the Labour Government.

Residents will certainly benefit but this is a project for London and the whole country that will boost tourism, create jobs and spur investment.

The 110million project will include step-free access to various Tube platforms (TfL)

The needed upgrades have delayed TfLs plans to build 50 new homes, offices, restaurants and a building dubbed The Bullnose because of its distinctive shape, on the site.

City Hall won his battle to redevelop the Grade-II listed building in 2023 after the Government overruled Kensington and Chelsea councils block on the scheme.

Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, added: The Mayor and I are determined to do everything we can to make our transport network as fair and accessible as possible.

South Kensington Tube Station is one of the busiest stations in the capital, serving over 30 million passengers every year and acting as a gateway to some of our most famous museums and galleries.

Thats why were pleased to be progressing work to transform this station, which would include step-free access to all platforms, ensuring every Londoner and visitor can make the most of our city.

More than a third of Underground stations across the capital are now step-free and we are determined to keep growing this number as we build a fairer, better London for everyone.

South Kensington Tube Station is set for a major overhaul (Native Land)

The Exhibition Road Cultural Group, TfL and Kensington and Chelsea Council have been campaigning for several years to improve the station for visitors and residents.

Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said: Its very promising to see that introducing step-free access at South Kensington Station is finally on the cards.

After years of campaigning it will be truly brilliant to get this commitment from TfL. The station is so important, not only for our residents but for the many people visiting the area.

Last year we said we would contribute to the cost if TfL committed to step-free access to both the Piccadilly and Circle and District platforms. Despite our serious financial challenges I am determined that we stay true to our word and will be speaking to officers about our contribution.

Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Musuem, said: This project to improve the tube station is the final piece in ensuring South Kensington is accessible for all visitors.

The cultural district collectively generates 2 billion a year for the economy, a figure which will grow as the capacity of the tube station increases.

This year marks the 175th anniversary of the Great Exhibition of 1851 and the news around the upgrade of the station is a fitting showcase of how the original ambitions for science, technology, innovation and access for all are still alive today with a continued commitment for delivering an appropriate welcome to the district."
US President Donald Trump has accused Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of organising an attack against herself, following an assault in which she was doused in an unknown liquid while giving an anti-ICE speech in Minneapolis.

Despite admitting to not having watched the video of the attack, in which a man rushes towards Omar while she is speaking while shouting and spraying her with a liquid, Trump gave his opinion on the assault.

Asked for his response by ABC news, he replied: No. I don't think about her  I think she's a fraud. I really don't think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her."

When pressed on whether he'd watched footage of the incident, Trump said: "I haven't seen it. No, no. I hope I don't have to bother."

Immediately after dousing Ilhan Omar with an unknown liquid, the man was wrestled to the ground and then detained (AFP via Getty Images)

In the immediate aftermath, the man was wrestled to the ground and detained, video footage shows.

The suspect has been identified as 55-year-old Minneapolis resident Anthony Andy James Kazmierczak, CNN reports. He was arrested and charged with third-degree assault.

According to a Reuters report the man used a syringe to launch a "foul-smelling liquid" at Omar, while demanding that she "resign".

ICE cannot be reformed, it cannot be rehabilitated, we must abolish ICE for good, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment, Omar said in the moments before the attack.

The attack came after Trump repeatedly targeted Somali immigrants, a significant minority community in Minneapolis, calling them garbage and urging that Omar be deported or jailed.

Just hours before the assailant rushed the stage, he again singled out the Minnesota congresswoman at an event in Iowa, saying the U.S. needed immigrants who love our country, adding: Not like Ilhan Omar she comes from a country thats a disaster. Its not even a country.

President Donald Trump has frequently targeted Omar (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

Later on Tuesday, Omars office issued a statement condemning the attack and confirming she was not injured.

During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe, the statement said.

Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesnt let bullies win.

Kazmierczak has previously shared political posts on social media, including a 2021 post of a political cartoon criticizing Omars views on security spending amid calls to defund police.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier (left) and an accompanying strike group have arrived in the Middle East. Pictured: The carrier in the Strait of Hormuz in 2019 - ZACHARY PEARSON

Donald Trump was accused of abandoning Iranian protesters when he decided against a military response to the regimes brutal crackdown.

But since then, the US has been quietly building up a fearsome military force in the Middle East that leaves it poised to strike, if the president so chooses.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying destroyers entered the Middle East on Monday.

Two days later, Mr Trump announced that an armada was heading for Iran with great power, enthusiasm and purpose. He threatened to bombard the regime if it did not kill its nuclear programme.

The next attack will be far worse than the lightning bombing campaign carried out against Irans nuclear facilities as part of Operation Midnight Hammer in June, he warned early on Wednesday.

Donald Trumps Truth Social post

In June 2025, following a week of escalating airstrikes between Israel and Iran, the United States directly intervened, hitting three Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz with bunker-buster bombs.

Dont make that happen again, Mr Trump said.

Elements of the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) have been dispatched from the South China Sea, an area of strategic importance for the Pacific-facing United States.

The fact that the assets were moved from a region crucial to US national security operations suggests Mr Trump is attempting to put on a display of awe-inspiring might ahead of any negotiations with the Iranian regime.

b'

2901 US military presense in the Middle East

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Mr Trump has long insisted that Iran must not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons or develop its nuclear capabilities.

After weeks of violent protests, the Iranian regime is depleted, and Mr Trump appears to be strong-arming leaders into denuclearising by threatening a strike in response to the killing of demonstrators.

The death toll rose to at least 6,221 on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

Mr Trump would not move the armada into the region without any forethought of how it will be used. The equipment will have been specifically selected to crush Irans defence systems in the event Tehran refuses to play ball.

The aircraft carrier was escorted by three Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers. Normally, lurking beneath the waves nearby would be a nuclear attack submarine.

The CSG boasts a huge amount of firepower.

It brings eight squadrons flying F-35 stealth fighter jets, F/A-18 Super Hornets, as well as E-18 Growler electronic warfare planes.

These capabilities were all used in tandem during the recent Operation Absolute Resolve to topple Nicolas Maduros regime in Venezuela and bring the long-time dictator into American custody to face drug charges.

The Growlers swooped in to scramble and jam radars and communications, while the F-35s and F/A-18s delivered kinetic strikes to suppress enemy air defence, allowing special forces helicopters to carry commandos in and out of Venezuela with barely a dent.

Like Venezuela, Irans air defence architecture is based on Russian technologies.

A similar operation would likely make light work of the Islamic Republics radar and surface-to-air missile systems.

What is not known is whether Tehran was able to rebuild its air defences after Israel obliterated them, giving the Jewish states F-35s and other jets air superiority during the 12-day war.

The US took advantage of this window to drop bombs on Irans nuclear sites.

While it is highly unlikely the US will attempt to land ground forces in Iran, a similar aerial sortie can be expected to test its air defences before mounting a more sizeable bombardment against the Islamic Republic, should Mr Trump follow through on his threats.

Waiting off the shore, the three destroyers  USS Frank E Petersen Jr, USS Michael Murphy and the USS Spruance  bring a series of missile tubes to the region which could be used for long-range strikes with Tomahawk land attack missiles, as was the case during Operation Midnight Hammer.

These vessels could also play a key role in defending US and allied assets from any Iranian counter-attack.

The United States has also deployed F-15E jet fighters to a base in Jordan, and is moving Patriot and THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) air-defence systems into the region to protect American installations and its partners from Iranian retaliation, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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1412 THAAD defence system

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The US is flooding assets back into the region, said Michael Hanna, the US programme director at International Crisis Group. We see this major buildup in the region.

According to the Associated Press, the Lincoln strike group has joined three Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), small, agile combat vessels, that were docked in Bahrain on Friday, as well as two other US navy destroyers already operating in the Persian Gulf.

Central Command also said on social media that the Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle now has a presence in the Middle East, stating that the aircraft enhances combat readiness and promotes regional security and stability.

Analysts of flight-tracking data have also identified dozens of US military cargo aircraft heading to the region, the Associated Press reported.

b'

2901 F-15E Strike Eagle

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The carriers arrival is believed to have added roughly 5,700 service members to the already around 50,000-strong US military presence in the region.

Mr Hanna said the strikes on Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz set an important precedent. He added that, since then, Mr Trump has broadened his rhetoric on Iran, escalating from ballistic missiles to the repression of protests.

He seems to have expanded the way hes thinking about Iran, he said.

As US warships headed to the region, Iranian authorities unveiled a new mural on a giant billboard in a central Tehran square with a direct warning to the United States not to attempt a military strike on the country.

The image depicts an aircraft carrier with a flight deck littered with damaged fighter jets.

Bodies are scattered across the deck, and it is smeared with blood which spills into the sea behind the ship, forming a pattern evocative of the stripes of the US flag.

The anti-US billboard installed in Enqelab Square in Tehran - ATTA KENARE

Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, who heads coordination between Irans army and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has warned that any military strike on Iran would turn all US bases in the region into legitimate targets.

And following Mr Trumps Truth Social threat on Wednesday, Iran insisted that if pushed, it will defend itself and respond like never before.

Mr Hanna noted that the US already maintains extensive forward-deployed forces and bases across the Middle East, but said the latest buildup could reflect political constraints on launching operations from allied territory.

US partners may not want the United States to launch strikes from their soil, he said.

The United States has maintained its military presence in the region for decades.

The Council on Foreign Relations reports that the US runs an extensive network of permanent and temporary military facilities at a minimum of 19 sites.

Mr Hanna added that Washington also does not technically need an aircraft carrier to strike Iran, pointing to previous long-range operations launched from outside the region, but said deploying the Lincoln provides a lot more options.

When the US hit Irans nuclear sites last year, its forces reportedly launched 30 tomahawk missiles from submarines and carried out strikes with B-2 bombers.

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0210 Tomahawk

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While some observers believed the window for US action tied to Irans protest crackdown had closed  there have been no further protests for days  the new military buildup has reopened questions about Washingtons intentions.

I think its a fools game to predict what Trump is going to do. But what is clear is that the United States is in a very different regional posture now, said Mr Hanna.

It could be an attempt at diplomacy, he added. There might be ultimatums related to Irans nuclear programme, its ballistic-missile programme, regional behaviour, or possibly even issues tied to domestic protests.

While some assets are already in place, additional deployments are expected over the next few weeks.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump ended his warning by saying: Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!
Donald Trump said Putin looked nice in the picture, which hangs above a photo with his granddaughter

A photograph of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin standing side by side in Alaska has been framed and put on display in the White House.

The posed portrait of the US and Russian presidents, taken at the Alaska summit in August, has been hung on a wall in the Palm Room, which links the West Wing to the presidential residence.

Below it, in a matching gold frame of the same size, is a photo of Mr Trump with his granddaughter, Carolina Dorothy Trump, six.

The photograph appears to be the same image Mr Trump showed off to reporters in the Oval Office in August, telling them it had been sent to him by Putin following their summit in Anchorage.

Mr Trump said he thought the Russian leader looked nice in the photo, which recorded the first face-to-face meeting between US and Russian leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

He said at the time: OK of me, but nice of him. So that was very nice that it was sent to me. He added that he planned to autograph the photo and send it back to Putin.

The decision to use a White House wall to display a portrait of the US president with a Russian leader accused of war crimes caused widespread anger.

The Palm Room connects the West Wing with the presidents private residence at the White House - AP

Democratic senator Mark Warner, from Virginia, who sits on the intelligence committee, said, Putting Putin above the American people and his own family. Almost a little too on the nose.

Meanwhile, Marko Mihkelson, the chairman of Estonias parliamentary foreign affairs committee, suggested it made him question the chances of a swift ending to the Russia-Ukraine War.

He said: If it is true that the US president considers it appropriate to hang on the White House wall a photo of the greatest war criminal of the 21st century, then a just and sustainable peace will have to wait. Unfortunately.

But Russia seemed pleased with the display. Kirill Dmitriev, its top negotiator in the Ukraine peace process, said: Good. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Mr Trump and Putin met at the Alaska summit for almost three hours, but left without announcing a deal or any specific areas where they made headway.

Putin said they had reached an agreement to pave the path towards peace, but Mr Trump made clear there were still areas of disagreement, saying: Theres no deal until theres a deal.

While offensive to many, the decision to display the photograph will not surprise observers who have noted Mr Trumps often contradictory rhetoric toward the Russian president.

During the 2024 election campaign and at the start of his second term, Mr Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine in a day. At times, he praised Putin while at others he sharply criticised him.

In March, Mr Trump said he was very angry with the Russian president over stalled peace talks. Weeks later, he wrote on Truth Social that Putin had gone absolutely crazy.

Despite this, Mr Trump offered Putin a warm reception in Alaska, complete with ceremonial honours and a ride in The Beast (the US presidential limousine).

A White House official told US media it was routine for photographs of the presidents public engagements, including meetings with foreign leaders, to be displayed throughout the White House and that such images were rotated regularly.

The White House has not formally commented on the placement of the Putin photograph.
President Donald Trump brushed over the recent chaos in Minnesota after the latest fatal shooting by a federal agent during a speech that lasted just over an hour in Iowa Tuesday evening.

Speaking at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa, the presidents remarks, which he appeared to read directly from a teleprompter, did not directly address the killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti that has sparked outrage across the country.

Instead, he focused mostly on a defense of his administrations economic record.

Trump boasted that the American economy is booming, even as surveys show consumer confidence hitting the lowest levels in a decade and the job market cooling into a low hire, low fire labor environment due to continued uncertainty over the long-term effects of his policies.

He also bragged about agreements his administration has made under which countries will import large quantities of corn-based ethanol fuel  an important product for Iowas farmers  even though his use of tariffs and threats against Greenland and other NATO allies has led to many of those handshake deals being suspended or delayed.

President Trump hardly mentioned the situation in Minnesota, despite it dominating the national agenda for days. (AP)

He urged the crowd of supporters whod come to see him to vote for a slate of Republican officeholders in the midterm elections this coming November and warned that Democrats, should they take control of the House next year, would move to impeach him for an unprecedented third time and leave the country locked...in constant battle.

But Trump hardly made mention of the uproar in Iowas northern neighboring state of Minnesota, despite abruptly reversing a weeks-long campaign of aggression against the Democratic-led city of Minnesota just a day earlier.

On Monday, Trump dispatched White House Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to meet with Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey in an effort to calm tensions in the wake of Saturdays fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a Department of Veterans Affairs nurse.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the Border Patrols Commander-at-Large Bovino drew the presidents ire after they were quick to pass judgment about Prettis intentions in the immediate aftermath of his death, according to reports.

Noem claimed on Saturday the shooting had been the consequence of a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and kill law enforcement, even though Pretti never drew his weapon, which he had a permit to carry, and did not confront the agents before he was tackled after trying to help a woman whod been shoved by a CBP agent.

She also falsely accused him of having reacted violently when agents attempted to disarm him  a claim that appears to be contradicted by video of the shooting.

Trump largely stayed on script during a speech in Iowa - boasting about the administrations apparent achievements (Getty Images)

Bovino also claimed Pretti had violent intentions, telling reporters over the weekend that it look[ed] like he wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.

Thus far, Trump is standing by Noem, having told reporters before leaving the White House on Tuesday that he does not plan to ask for her resignation.

Asked whether he would press her to step down in the wake of two fatal shootings in less than a month  including Saturdays killing of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent  Trump simply replied: No.

When pressed further on whether he still has confidence in Noems ability to lead the sprawling Homeland Security bureaucracy that includes agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Secret Service in addition to the myriad agencies that handle immigration matters, Trump said he thinks shes doing a very good job because the U.S.-Mexico border is totally secure.

His defense of the embattled homeland security secretary comes just one day after she and her de facto chief of staff and political adviser Corey Lewandowski met with Trump in the Oval Office for a multi-hour sit-down at her request.

Despite Trumps professions of support, he has a long history of jettisoning advisers and associates even after vouching for them, especially when members of his own party call for him to do so.

Already, at least two GOP senators  North Carolinas Thom Tillis and Alaskas Lisa Murkowski  have called for her to resign over the Pretti killing.
Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters on 24 January. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP (Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

Top Democrats issued a clear message to Donald Trump this week: either he fires Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, or they will impeach her.

The ultimatum came after a majority of the House Democratic caucus signed on to articles of impeachment introduced earlier this month in response to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both US citizens fatally shot by federal agents during the increasingly violent immigration enforcement operation in Minnesotas largest city.

The violence unleashed on the American people by the Department of Homeland Security must end forthwith. Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives, said Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, along with his two deputies, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, in a joint statement.

Trump appeared to back Noem earlier in the day, telling reporters at the White House: I think shes doing a very good job. The border is totally secure.



Its no longer just Democrats  Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis on Tuesday said Noem should resign from her post.

Top Democrats give Trump ultimatum on Kristi Noem

Top House Democrats on Tuesday told Donald Trump to fire Kristi Noem or they would launch impeachment proceedings against the homeland security secretary, in response to the weekend killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

Read the full story

Border patrol commander to leave Minneapolis after shooting of Alex Pretti

Gregory Bovino, the border patrol commander who has become the public face of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, is expected to leave the city on Tuesday as the Trump administration reshuffles the leadership of its immigration enforcement operation and scales back federal presence after a second fatal shooting by officers.

Read the full story

US announces multi-day aerial military drills in the Middle East amid Iran tensions

The display of US air power was announced as the White House has suggested it could launch new strikes on Iran after the governments crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, which has left thousands dead and many more in detention with their fates uncertain.

Read the full story

Minnesota raids continue as DHS report indicates two agents fired at Alex Pretti

The report emerged as Donald Trump signals he may begin reducing the surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agents in the state.

Read the full story

Abdication: Trump formally takes US out of Paris climate agreement for a second time

The United States has officially exited the Paris climate agreement for the second time, cementing Trumps renewed break with the primary global venue to address global heating.

Read the full story

Families of two men killed in Trumps military boat strikes sue US government

Civil rights attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against the United States government on Tuesday on behalf of the families of two men from a small fishing village in Trinidad who were killed in a US military airstrike on a small boat in the Caribbean Sea on 14 October.

Read the full story

Uproar in Italy over ICE security role at Winter Olympics

Two small opposition parties of the European parliament  the Green and Left Alliance (AVS) and Azione  have started petitions calling on the Italian government and the Olympic organising committee to prevent the ICE agents entry and involvement in the security operations. ICE is the militia that shoots people on the streets of Minneapolis and takes children away from their families, AVS said.

Read the full story

Girl, five, deported to Honduras despite being US citizen, becomes latest victim of Trump crackdown

Five-year-old Genesis Ester Gutierrez Castellanos misses her cousins, classmates and kindergarten teachers in Austin, Texas. Despite being a US citizen, she was deported on 11 January alongside her mother, Karen Guadalupe Gutierrez Castellanos, to Honduras, a country Genesis had never known.

Read the full story

What else happened today:

Catching up? Heres what happened Monday 26 January.
Donald Trump contradicted the divisive comments made by his senior advisors about the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents as he called for de-escalation in Minnesota.

Mr Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot dead by immigration enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis last weekend, just weeks after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by ICE agents in the same city.

The news was met with derisory remarks from high-ranking Trump officials, including senior adviser Stephen Miller, who accused Mr Pretti of being a would-be assassin, sparking outrage from Mr Prettis family, top Democrats, members of the public and even some Republican politicians.

The US President said on Tuesday that he wants to "de-escalate" the situation in Minneapolis after talks with the Democratic mayor and state governor and called the killing of Mr Pretti "very unfortunate".

Mr Trump was departing the White House for a rally in Iowa when he was asked if he agreed with the characterisation of Mr Pretti as a would-be assassin.

Donald Trump speaking on Tuesday (REUTERS)

He responded, "No. Not as a  no."

"Listen, you can't walk in with guns. You can't do that, but it's just a very unfortunate incident."

When addressing reporters later, he said, "Certainly, (Mr Pretti) shouldn't have been carrying a gun".

He added, "Look, bottom line, everybody in this room, we view that as a very unfortunate incident. Everyone, unless you're a stupid person."

Under the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, US citizens hold the right to carry a gun  a stance commonly defended by Republicans.

Alex Pretti, 37, was shot dead by immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis on the weekend (US Department of Veterans Affair)

Since Mr Prettis death, it has been confirmed by local officials in Minnesota that he had a valid permit to carry a gun.

Trump told Fox News that he was going to "de-escalate" federal immigration operations in Minneapolis, but insisted this was "not a pullback but a change".

This came before an incident in which a man leapt towards Democratic Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar during a town hall and attempted to spray her with an unknown substance.

Ms Omar has previously been the target of campaigns from the Trump administration and has been vocal about his belief that ICE should be abolished. She did not appear to be injured and resumed speaking shortly after.

Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary, also made headlines when she said that Mr Pretti wasnt there to peacefully protest. He was there to perpetuate violence.

Ilhan Omar was targeted by a man during a town hall in Minnesota (AFP via Getty Images)

The comments have even led two Republican senators to break party lines and call for Ms Noem to resign.

Thom Tillis, Republican senator for North Carolina, told reporters on Capitol Hill: "No, not at all. I think she should go."

Mr Tillis said the secretary's actions showed "amateurish assistant-manager-sort of thought processes".

Lisa Murkowski, a Republican senator from Alaska, told NBC News, "Yes, she should go."
Iran has its fingers on the trigger to respond to aggression from the United States, the countrys foreign minister warned, after Donald Trump threatened fresh military action over its nuclear programme.

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump told Iran that time is running out to make a deal, and that the next attack by US forces will be far worse than previous strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year. He added that a massive armada was on its way to the country in preparation for possible military action.

Like with Venezuela, it [the armarda] is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary, he wrote, adding it was moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose.

President Donald Trump said the armada is bigger than the one which went to Venezuela and is ready to fulfill its mission with speed and violence, if necessary (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

The US president said he hoped Iran will come to the table for a fair and equitable deal to ensure it had NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

In response, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi warned on X that Iran's armed forces "are prepared - with their fingers on the trigger - to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression."

"At the same time," Mr Araqchi added, "Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL - on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation - which ensures Iran's rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS."

Irans mission to the UN said Tehran was ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests, but added: BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!"

The exchanges mark an escalation of the standoff between the two countries.

Trumps threats of a renewed attack on Iran began after widespread protests erupted in late December across the country, with hundreds of thousands believed to have taken to the street to voice their discontent with the Iranian regime.

Sources told Axios on Tuesday that Trump has yet to make a final decision on whether to strike Iran. He is expected to decide after holding more consultations this week, and being presented with more military options.

The source told the outlet that a diplomatic resolution was still possible, adding: They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.

People attend a pro-government rally on January 12, 2026 in Tehran (Getty Images)

Earlier this month, Trump initially warned the U.S. would carry out strikes on Iran if it did not stop killing protesters on the streets, and if it executed any of the thousands that were arrested during the unrest.

But the US president held off from ordering an attack after the protests largely abated following a regime crackdown which some estimates say killed tens of thousands of people.

On Monday, a US aircraft carrier and several warships arrived in the Middle East, intensifying concerns that Trump may order a strike.

The president had already warned that an armada was on its way, saying his administration was watching Iran following weeks of deadly protests across the country.

The USS Abraham Lincoln and a number of guided-missile destroyers are in the Middle East region, which comes under the US militarys Central Command, U.S. officials said on Monday.

We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case ... Id rather not see anything happen, but were watching them very closely, Trump told reporters on board Air Force One last Thursday.

We have an armada ... heading in that direction, and maybe we wont have to use it.
Law enforcement outside a hotel believed to be housing federal immigration agents near Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Monday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images (Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images)

The two agents who fatally shot a man in Minneapolis over the weekend have been on administrative leave since Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Wednesday, as Donald Trump tried to quell the backlash even while immigration raids in the city continued.

The move, which the DHS emphasized is standard protocol when agents are involved in fatal shootings, comes as the president suggested he would de-escalate his immigration enforcement crackdown in the state, but without offering details or whether tactics would change.

In Minnesota, meanwhile, it remained unclear whether there had been any substantial restraining of federal actions, despite Trump recently removing the border patrol commander Gregory Bovino. Immigration raids have continued, including an incident on Tuesday during which agents tried to enter the consulate of Ecuador without a warrant. And US attorney general Pam Bondi announced new arrests for rioters she said were assaulting federal law enforcement.

The fallout from the killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday has continued to dog the White House even as Trump travelled to a rally in Iowa to deliver remarks about the economy in the hopes of bolstering Republicans before the midterm elections in November.

Related: Pressure grows on Stephen Miller after Alex Pretti killing but Trump unlikely to cut ties

Trump hedged his views on the killing of Pretti, telling reporters before the Iowa event that he did not think Pretti was an assassin, a term used by his deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, but he continued to blame Pretti for carrying a gun he was licensed to possess.

The backlash has nonetheless remained ferocious towards the aggressive tactics of agents, and the National Rifle Association criticized the administration for dismissing Prettis constitutional and legal right to carry a gun.

A third round of No Kings protests is being planned for 28 March  galvanized by the killing of two US citizens in back-to-back incidents in the immigration operation in Minnesota. Organized by groups around the country, the demonstration is expected by some to draw as many as 9 million people, which would make it the largest protest in US history.

This is in large part a response to a combination of heinous attacks on our democracy and communities coming from the regime, and a sense that nobodys coming to save us, said Ezra Levin, the co-executive director of the non-profit Indivisible.

Trump insisted on Tuesday that he was waiting for the results of a very honorable and honest investigation into Prettis shooting, which is being conducted by the DHS, the parent agency of the US border patrol. There has been no civil rights investigation by the US justice department, as was until recently typical practice in federal officer-related shootings.

The fast-changing nature of the situation also appears to have caught Trump off-guard at times. Following his suggestion that he was on the same wavelength with Minnesotas governor, Tim Walz, and Minneapoliss mayor, Jacob Frey, after the weekend, Trump on Wednesday expressed frustration in a Truth Social post that Frey would not help federal immigration officers.

Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws, Trump wrote. Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!

Frey responded hours later, saying in a post on X that he did not want local police getting pulled in to help with immigration enforcement.

The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador, Frey wrote.

At the White House, Trump initially appeared to penalize Kristi Noem, the US secretary of homeland security, for falsely portraying Pretti as a domestic terrorist, replacing her lieutenant, the US border patrol commander Bovino, with Trumps border czar, Tom Homan.

Noems job nevertheless appeared to be safe after she met with Trump in the Oval Office to complain that she had been unfairly blamed, alleging that her remarks had been scripted by Miller.

Miller, meanwhile, after immediately attacking Pretti following his death, has now turned to blaming Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for supposedly presenting the White House with inaccurate information, and laid the blame with Bovino.

The White House provided clear guidance to DHS that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors, Miller said.

We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol.

A preliminary report by CBPs internal watchdog, transmitted to lawmakers on Tuesday, said he was shot by two US border patrol agents while resisting arrest. The report also made no mention of Noems initial claims that Pretti wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement, nor that he had been brandishing a gun when he was tackled by agents and shot roughly 10 times in the back.
When thousands of federal agents rolled into the North Star State earlier this month, tasked by the Trump administration with carrying out the largest immigration operation ever, residents showed them what Minnesota Nice really looks like.

The meaning behind the Midwestern trope varies depending on who you ask. But by and large, it's the notion that Minnesotans are kind, polite and pragmatic. They will help you shovel snow off your driveway or give you directions if youre lost  but there might be an unexpected sting in the tail.

My experience with Minnesotans has been very up and down, Minnesota native Sade Young explained. For a long time I was like, we need a rebrand, because Minnesotans can be very passive-aggressive.

But in the wake of the killings of mother Renee Good and ICU nurse Alex Pretti, both 37, at the hands of federal immigration and border agents in Minneapolis, the term appears to have taken on a new meaning.

There has been nothing passive-aggressive about the way Minnesotans have shown up to mobilize against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, particularly in the Twin Cities. Now, in an apparent de-escalation, the Trump administration has announced it is removing immigration enforcement leadership from the state.

There has been nothing passive-aggressive about the way Minnesotans have shown up to mobilize against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents (AFP via Getty Images)

Together, the community has raised thousands for migrant families who are falling behind on rent because they are too afraid to go to work. People who have full-time jobs are organizing food and clothing drives for those in need, while bars, restaurants, coffee shops and stores took part in an economic blackout last week and have barred federal agents from entering their properties.

Young, a content creator and social media influencer, said the way her neighbors have come together in the face of ICE terror has completely blown [her] mind.

This is the Minnesota Nice that I've always wanted to see, Young told The Independent. This completely turned it around, seeing how people are showing up, how people are caring for their neighbors.

Fellow Minnesota native Maddie Flom said her interpretation of the trope was about always lending a hand.

Minnesota native Sade Young has used social media to organize a coat drive for those being released from a detention center, and created a centralized page where people can find local causes to support (Sade Young)

Our whole thing is Minnesota Nice and it's really just about helping your neighbor, the 28-year-old said. I grew up in an environment where neighbors would shovel each other's driveways, or borrow a cup of sugar from each otherwe were born and raised this way, Flom continued.

We need to do this. We need to stand up. We need to protect our neighbors and our community. And it's been truly beautiful to see.

Flom works full-time in hospitality, but alongside her day job, she has been organizing fundraisers to support families impacted by the Department of Homeland Securitys immigration surge.

She has organized an event this week at a local restaurant where people will create activity kits for children who are too afraid to go to school amid the ICE activity.

A lot of families have had to take shelter with neighbors because they're too scared to even be in their houses, Flom said. I am very heartbroken for the kids who are stuck at home and scaredSo I really want to do something to bring at least a little bit of joy and a little more normalcy.

Minnesota native Maddie Flom, 28, organized an event this week at a local restaurant where people will create activity kits for children who are too afraid to go to school amid the ICE activity (Maddie Flom)

Young is also using her content-creating skills to support the ICE resistance. She has used social media to organize a coat drive for those being released from the Whipple Building, which houses a detention center and has become a base for immigration agents and protesters.

A lot of people are being taken directly from their homes without coats, Young explained. The past few days we've been in negative temperatures I was told that a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old were released two days ago without jackets. People are giving these items off their own backs so these children don't freeze to death.

She has also created a centralized page, Minnesota Neighbors, on Instagram where people can find causes to donate to.

Small businesses are doing what they can to take a stand against the crackdown.

Popular adult store Smitten Kitten joined the resistance by transforming into a donation hub, collecting diapers, food and other essentials, as protesters went armed with sex toys from the store to demonstrate outside a hotel where ICE agents were reportedly staying.

Over in Saint Paul, Vanessa Beardsley is the owner of Catzen Coffee, a coffee shop with a cat lounge that provides a peaceful, welcoming space to all  except ICE.

We've been handing out constitutions and now we have full-on whistle kits that we give out, Beardsley said. We have signage in our window regarding the Fourth Amendment, and regarding the fact that ICE is not welcome on the property.

Speaking out has come at a cost. Beardsley said her staff have faced intimidation by a group of pro-ICE supporters who came into the coffee shop earlier this week.

The men were lingering and asking a lot of really uncomfortable questions and making it very clear that they had driven up from Chicago, that they were here to protect ICE from the protesters, Beardsley said.

They wouldn't leave the staff alone, and they would follow the staff around wherever they went. It was extremely intimidating.

Beardsley added that the group took video and pictures of the coffee shop as though they had an intimidating purpose.

A day after Pretti was killed, Beardsley said the incident was especially unsettling for her staff. The day before, we had all seen with our two eyes, six or seven federal officers execute someone in the street, she said. So we don't know who's going to go Call of Duty on us, right? There's no oversight at this point.

The coffee shop wasnt the only business in the area that experienced harassment for speaking out, Beardsley said. Other businesses around here got broken intothere's a place around the street that is a drop-off [point] for donations, she said.

They also have their windows smashed.

Vanessa Beardsley is the owner of Catzen Coffee, a coffee shop with a cat lounge that provides a peaceful, welcoming space to all  except ICE (Vanessa Beardsley)

Despite the intimidation of seeing hordes of masked, heavily armored armed federal agents on their streets, Minnesotans are standing firm.

We've all come together and we're all becoming helpers in the best way that we each can, said Beardsley. If there's anything that's like a silver lining, its seeing the amount of people that show up at each planning meeting, at each constitutional observer meeting, the number of neighbors that we've gotten to know we have to lean on each other in our neighborhoods.

While many Minnesotans are relieved to see Border Patrol commander at large Gregory Bovino leave, anticipation over what will happen next remains.

Young said it felt freeing to know Bovino was leaving Minnesota, but as a person of color she is still constantly looking over [her] shoulder even though she is a U.S. citizen.

I can't drive without looking over my shoulder constantly, I don't like commuting anywhere, Young said, adding that she and her friends carry their passports everywhere in case they are questioned by federal law enforcement.

It's the reality that a lot of people I feel like aren't seeing, she said.

Beardsley said that she remained skeptical following the news that Bovino and some federal agents were leaving the state. On the other hand, if it could just take the pressure off for a week so we could catch our breath. But its not over, she said. It means they're going somewhere else.

As Minnesotans come to terms with the horrifying events of the last few weeks, Democratic Gov. Tim Walz made a short statement on social media Monday that summarized how many are likely feeling right now.

Ive never been prouder to be a Minnesotan, he wrote.
UK health bosses have issued a warning following an outbreak of the Nipah virus in India.

It comes as two cases of the deadly virus have been confirmed in West Bengal, according to Indian authorities.

Several Asian countries have tightened health screenings and airport surveillance for anyone arriving from India. Experts said the virus is unlikely to pose a significant risk of global spread, though countries should remain vigilant.

Health workers during a Nipah virus outbreak in 2023 (AFP/Getty)

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), while the risk to most people remains very low, understanding the virus is important for travellers to affected areas. It added no cases have ever been found in the UK.

Nipah can be spread from animals to humans, and it can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person to person. It is estimated 40 to 75 per cent of those infected will die, according to the UKHSA.

It was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore. Fruit bats tend to help the virus circulate, though the UKHSA said there is evidence it can infect other animals, including pigs, dogs, cats, goats, horses and sheep.

Currently, there is no proven specific treatment for Nipah virus infection.

Nipah has a high fatality rate, according to experts (AFP/Getty)

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, said it can be difficult to detect Nipah at borders because of the length of time it takes for people to develop symptoms after catching the virus.

Prof Hunter said: Although Nipah is a very serious infection, it is unlikely to pose a significant risk of global spread as the risk of person-to-person transmission is low.

He added the number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to is calculated to be fewer than one.

Nevertheless, we cannot be complacent as we have seen recently, some viruses can mutate to increased infectivity, he said.

Also the long incubation period makes detection at borders very difficult.

What are the symptoms of Nipah virus?

Symptoms can develop between four and 21 days after infection with the Nipah virus, and usually begin with the sudden onset of flu-like illness or fever.

Those infected could also present with pneumonia and other respiratory issues. The UKHSA said the most serious complication is encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis, which typically develops three to 21 days after infection.

It described Nipah virus as a serious infectious disease, adding it is estimated that between 40 and 75 per cent of people infected with the virus will die. Survivors can be left with complex disabilities such as persistent seizures and personality changes.

Countries with previously reported outbreaks include India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

The UKHSA said many infections in people result from eating or drinking fruits or fruit products, such as raw or partially fermented date palm juice.

This can be contaminated with the faeces, urine or saliva of infected fruit bats.

Person-to-person spread is also possible through close contact with an infected person or their body fluids, and has been documented in Bangladesh and India.

How can I prevent Nipah virus from spreading?

The UKHSA advised those travelling to affected areas to:

Avoid contact with bats and their environments, and sick animals avoid contact with bats and their environments, and sick animals

Don't consume raw or partially fermented date palm sap - if consuming date palm juice, ensure it has been boiled first

Wash all fruit thoroughly with clean water and peel before eating; avoid consuming fruit found on the ground or fruit that appears to have been partially eaten by animals

Wear protective clothing and gloves when handling sick animals and during slaughter and culling procedures

Practice good hand hygiene, particularly after caring for or visiting sick people

Avoid close, unprotected contact with anyone infected with the Nipah virus, including contact with their blood or body fluids

It added the risk for tourists visiting endemic countries is very low if precautions are followed.
Brianna Ghey, who was murdered in 2023. Photograph: Family handout/PA (Photograph: Family handout/PA)

Esther Ghey has called on MPs to vote for an age restriction on social media in the coming weeks, as she accused the government of kicking the can down the road with its planned consultation.

The mother of the murdered teenager Brianna Ghey told the Guardians Politics Weekly podcast she believed children would be harmed if the government waited for the results of its assessment later this year rather than enacting a ban straight away.

She has previously detailed how she believes her daughters social media addiction contributed to her mental health issues, leading her to take risks with her personal safety.

Ghey said: Weve got the consultation that theyre planning, but I just fear that its going to take too long and I think that weve already had enough discussions and consultations and we know the evidence now.

Brianna wasnt alone. We know that there are each day, in England alone, 500 mental health referrals for children and we need to really think what is impacting this, why is there such an increase in mental health issues, why is there an increase in peer and peer violence in schools, why is there a difficulty retaining teachers in schools.

We need to move now because as were waiting, more and more children are being harmed.

Related: Matt Goodwin becomes Reform UK candidate, and Esther Ghey on banning social media  podcast

Gheys words come as MPs prepare to vote on an amendment to the childrens wellbeing and schools bill from Lord (John) Nash which would enact a ban for under-16s within 12 months of the bill passing.

Keir Starmer last week attempted to head off the prospect of a Labour rebellion by announcing a consultation which is due to report in the summer.

The prime minister has said he is open to the idea of a ban, but is understood to have reservations about how it would be implemented and whether it could drive children on to the dark web.

Those doubts are shared by other members of the cabinet, including the technology secretary Liz Kendall and the education secretary Bridget Phillipson.

They were expressed this week also by Ian Russell, the father of Molly Russell, who took her own life at 14 as a result of depression and negative social media content.

Russell told the Guardian: Were in danger of trying to move too fast and trying to find quick-fix solutions. If there were quick-fix solutions, honestly, we would have found them.

The issue will come to a head when MPs meet to debate the Lords amendments to the childrens wellbeing and schools bill, including the Nash amendment.

More than 60 Labour MPs recently signed a letter to the prime minister calling for a ban, though that was before the government announced its consultation.

In recent days, some of those MPs have suggested they would be happy to let the consultation finish, though they remain committed to a ban at some point.

Fred Thomas, the MP who organised the letter, said last week: I would welcome a government amendment to the childrens wellbeing and schools bill enabling the UK to remove access to social media for under-16s through secondary legislation, based on consultation.
A Utah woman who warned that the end times were approaching and is accused of illegally taking her four young children abroad in defiance of a custody order has been arrested in Croatia, authorities said Tuesday.

Elleshia Seymour, 35, was charged in Salt Lake County in December with four counts of custodial interference for removing the children from Utah despite lacking legal custody. Croatias foreign ministry confirmed by email that she was arrested earlier this month and is being held on suspicion of violating childrens rights.

The children have been placed in foster care in Croatia as their father, Kendall Seymour, works to bring them back to the United States. He told The Associated Press that he is currently in the country, visiting the children while completing the necessary legal paperwork. He is the father of the three oldest children and said he holds power of attorney for the fourth.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sam Gill said his office is coordinating with federal authorities to explore extradition options. Elleshia Seymour was not available for comment while in custody, and Utah court records do not list an attorney who could speak onher behalf.

Kendall Seymour with his three kids (GoFundMe/Kendall Seymour)

Elleshia Seymour posted videos of herself on TikTok last year describing apocalyptic dreams and urging people to prepare, according to her ex-husband, who identified her in videos viewed by the AP.

The end times is a Christian view with various interpretations of apocalyptic biblical passages, but many believe it involves a series of cataclysmic events before Jesus returns to Earth.

In one video, she said she dreamed about an electromagnetic pulse attack that caused aircraft to crash, computers to stop working and people to lose access to food, water and heating. The Lord is trying to tell people that it's going to be a cold winter."

Elleshia Seymour and her children were last seen in the U.S. in late November. They were staying with an American family in Croatia who apparently didn't know at first that she and her children were being sought, according to her ex-husband.

One of the children tipped off a son of the hosting family, leading to her arrest Jan. 16, Kendall Seymour said by phone from Croatia. One of my kids told him, Hey, search my name, Google my name, youll find it.

The host family either turned her in or convinced her to do so, he said.

The FBI had been getting tips that Elleshia Seymour and the children  ages 11, 8, 7 and 3  were in Croatia after allegedly leaving their home in a Salt Lake City suburb in late November, said Kendall Seymour.

A former boyfriend told police Elleshia Seymour had recently discussed obtaining passports and leaving the country, expressing concerns about biblical events and the end of times, according to Utah court documents.

Court documents said police went to Seymours home in West Jordan on Dec. 2 after friends and co-workers reported being unable to reach her. Officers found the apartment unlocked with nobody home, along with a notebook listing plans to shred documents, discard phones and take passports.

Police later found her car parked at Salt Lake City International Airport and reviewed video showing the family entering the airport Nov. 29 and boarding a one-way flight to Europe, according to court documents.

Elleshia Seymour divorced the father of her youngest child in 2024 and Kendall Seymour in 2021, according to court documents.
Theresa, left, and Chelsea, right, are suing the state of Arkansas over abortion bans. Composite: Hardpin (Composite: Hardpin)

As Emily Waldorf languished in an Arkansas hospital, she felt like a ticking time bomb. It was 2024, and the physical therapist was in the midst of miscarrying a much-wanted pregnancy. But because her fetus still had a heartbeat, hospital officials said Arkansass near-total abortion ban blocked them from taking steps to induce labor and end her pregnancy.

Instead, Waldorf had to wait and hope that she didnt develop a deadly infection.

Waldorfs sister, Elizabeth, called the office of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Republican governor of Arkansas, to ask for help. What do you expect the governor to do? a male official from Sanderss office asked. Waldorf, the official said, should find a lawyer.

Waldorf took the advice, as a sweeping new lawsuit shows. On Wednesday, Waldorf, an OB-GYN and three other Arkansas women who say they were also blocked from getting abortions sued the state in an attempt to strike down its near-total abortion ban.

Two of the women say that, like Waldorf, they were denied abortions even though their pregnancies had effectively ended. One of the women says that she was unable to get an abortion after getting pregnant through a sexual assault, because Arkansas doesnt permit abortions in cases of rape.

Arkansass abortion bans are vague, confusing, and worse, extremely dangerous, the lawsuit alleges. How are pregnant Arkansans supposed to access comprehensive obstetric care when leaving Arkansas means traveling through some of the most remote parts of the state, and when Arkansas is surrounded by other states with their own abortion bans?

Since the US supreme court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022, unleashing a wave of state-level abortion bans, dozens of women have come forward to say they were denied medically necessary abortions. Many of these women have also joined lawsuits that aimed to clarify the exceptions in abortion bans, which are supposed to allow people to get abortions in emergencies. Doctors across the country have said that the exceptions are worded so vaguely as to be unworkable in practice.

The lawsuit is the first to be filed by Amplify Legal, the litigation arm of Abortion in America, a reproductive rights group that focuses on sharing the stories of abortion patients and was co-founded by the late Cecile Richards, one of the foremost abortion rights activists of the 21st century.

Related: I didnt know what I was supposed to do: US women who miscarry are in dangerous legal limbo post-Roe

It argues that the laws banning abortion in Arkansas  there are two virtually identical laws on the books  must be struck down because they violate the state constitution and its guarantee that people have the right to equality, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These anti-abortion laws, the lawsuit alleges, not only infringe on peoples right to choose how to build their families, but also threaten their lives, fertility and economic wellbeing.

They are also unconstitutionally vague, according to the lawsuit.

Waldorfs account of her ordeal and her sisters conversation with a Sanders official are part of the lawsuits allegations. In response to questions about Waldorfs allegations and the lawsuit, Sam Dubke, director of communications for Sanders office, said in an email: Arkansas was named the most pro-life state in the country for the sixth year in a row not just because the Sanders administration offers complete protection for the unborn but also because Governor Sanders has made needed investments in foster care and adoption, maternal health, and childhood wellbeing. Governor Sanders looks forward to defending Arkansass pro-life laws in court.

Ultimately, according to the lawsuit, hospital officials agreed to transport Waldorf in an ambulance to another hospital in Kansas, which permits abortions. That hospital induced Waldorf, who was about 17 weeks into her pregnancy. Waldorf gave birth to a baby who died shortly after birth. Waldorf, who is now 40, named her Bee.

She felt she had no choice

Chelsea Stovall, another plaintiff, is a 35-year-old mother of two. In late 2022, she learned that the fetus she carried had a congenital anomaly that doomed the pregnancy. Stovall and her husband emptied their bank account and their savings to travel to Illinois for an abortion, according to the lawsuit.

At the Illinois clinic, an anti-abortion protester threw a bloody Maxi pad at their car, the lawsuit alleges.

A third plaintiff, 30-year-old Theresa Van, got pregnant in 2023 but soon learned she did not have enough amniotic fluid to allow her fetus to develop, according to the lawsuit. However, because her fetus still had a heartbeat, she could not get an abortion. She continued her pregnancy for several weeks, at growing risk to herself, until the fetal heartbeat vanished and she gave birth to a stillborn daughter.

The lawsuit alleges Van feared criminal prosecution if she tried to leave the state for an abortion. In addition, the financial strain of traveling for abortion care was too intense. She felt she had no choice but to continue her pregnancy until her daughter passed, the lawsuit says.

The fourth woman suing Arkansas, Allison Howland got pregnant in 2024, according to the lawsuit, after being sexually assaulted at a hotel in 2024. Rather than immediately traveling out of state for an abortion, she continued the pregnancy for weeks in the hopes that police might be able to use DNA from the pregnancy to prove her allegations against the assaulter, the lawsuit says.

However, police concluded that there was little they could do, since the alleged assailant maintained that the encounter was consensual. One detective allegedly told Howland that the assailant seemed like a really nice guy. When Howland informed the police that she planned to get an abortion in Illinois and asked if she needed to preserve the remains of the pregnancy, a detective told her not to bother, as the lawsuit put it, as the police were unable to take proper care of the potential evidence.

I do not want to keep the product of this assault, the lawsuit quoted Howland as saying. Call that selfish but I stand by it. I was violated and put into extreme danger and living in a state like Arkansas  I was royally fucked.
Warming up your idling car in the cold? It could end up with a ticket and hefty fine

With freezing winter weather blanketing much of the U.S., it may be tempting for commuters to warm up the car by idling it for a few minutes before getting in.

But drivers should be wary, as many states have so-called anti-puffing laws in place that could result in tickets and fines of up to $500 for leaving their vehicles running and unattended for too long.

Idling, or puffing, is the practice of leaving your car running, unlocked, and unattended while it warms up, with the term coming from the puffs of steam that come out of the exhaust pipe.

In Texas, leaving keys in the car while unattended is a Class C misdemeanor, which can carry a fine of up to a $500 depending on the jurisdiction, and authorities warn that it also makes the vehicle an easy target for thieves.

In 2019, over 84,000 vehicles were stolen with the keys left inside in Texas alone, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which increased to 97,769 in 2020.

Many states have so-called anti-puffing laws in place that could see drivers hit with tickets and fines up to $500 for leaving their vehicles running and unattended for too long (AP)

A total of 31 states, as well as Washington, D.C., have laws in place to stop drivers from idling, with some varying the rules by city and the amount of time it is allowed to keep cars stationary, according to guidance from the American Transportation Research Institute.

Cities in states such as Michigan, New York and Colorado offer five minutes of stopped time, which becomes limitless if the temperature drops below 25F.

California has a base time of five minutes to idle before drivers incur a fine, as does Kansas, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Texas, Vermont and Wisconsin, while others, including South Carolina and Nevada, stretch up to 10 and 15 minutes, respectively.

A total of 31 states as well as Washington D.C. have laws in place to stop drivers from idling, with some varying the rules in different cities and different amounts of time that it is allowed to keep cars stationary (AP)

Others have lower limits, including Utah, which gives drivers one or two minutes depending on which city theyre in. Ohio gives drivers zero minutes of idle time, while Hawaii has a blanket ban on leaving vehicles at a standstill with the engine running.

No person shall cause, suffer, or allow any engine to be in operation while the motor vehicle is stationary at a loading zone, parking or servicing area, route terminal or other off street areas, according to the Hawaiian Administrative rules.

Penalties for idling can range from warnings and fines of around $10 for first-time offenders up to several hundred dollars for repeat idlers. In California, subsequent penalties can range from $1,000 to $10,000.

Most states allow a vehicle to idle due to traffic conditions, government inspections or if they belong to emergency services or maintenance workers.
On his way: Lucas Paqueta (Getty Images)

West Ham have accepted a 36.4milion from Flamengo for Lucas Paqueta.

Standard Sport understands Paqueta is now set to travel for a medical ahead of a return to his boyhood club.

The 28-year-old, who missed West Hams victories over Tottenham and Sunderland with a back injury, has long been linked with a move away from the east London club.

Paqueta attracted interest from Aston Villa in the summer, and was also approached by Flamengo over a potential move. He has since revealed he found it hard to turn down a return to his homeland.

The Brazilian decided to stay at West Ham, later revealing that he felt he owed a debt of loyalty to the club after they stood by him during a nearly two-year investigation into spot-fixing charges.

Paqueta was cleared of the charges in July, but has continued to struggle with the mental toll of the investigation. A big-money move to Manchester City collapsed as a result of the investigation.

The midfielder has endured an inconsistent season for West Ham, and apologised to manager Nuno Espirito Santo and his team-mates after his sending-off against Liverpool in November.

Paqueta last played for the Hammers in their 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the start of January. He leaves having scored 16 goals in 110 Premier League appearances, as well as helping guide the club to their first major silverware since more than 40 years with the Conference League win in 2023.
Schoolchildren in New York City were treated to a surprise visitor as they logged into online class during a snow day - Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani, alongside Kamar H. Samuels, Chancellor of New York City Public Schools, spoke with students during a remote-lesson on Monday (26 January), where they asked them how they would be enjoying the snow once school finished.

Dont put a snowball in your pocket though, that will melt, he teased.

More than 400,000 students and parents logged in virtually on the first day of remote learning in two years, according to the Mayor, as they ditched the traditional snow day for online learning amid Winter Storm Fern.
Fettes College has apologised unreservedly to those who suffered abuse at the school - Peter Dench/Getty Images

Child abuse was known about but allowed to continue for decades at Sir Tony Blairs former school, an inquiry has concluded.

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry said there had been a shameful failure to safeguard pupils at Fettes College in Edinburgh, with known abusers protected instead.

Lady Smith, who is heading the inquiry, said many children would have been saved from abuse if complaints had been listened to at the outset but there was a culture of silence.

She said members of staff had sexually abused pupils from the 1950s until the 1980s, with the perpetrators including teachers and a former headmaster.

Anthony Chenevix-Trench was appointed head despite Eton, his former school, warning Fettes that he had an alcohol problem and a propensity to beat boys excessively.

The inquiry also highlighted abuse by a teacher Iain Wares saying he had been asked to leave other jobs because of incidents involving small boys and this had become the norm in his career.

Fettes College recruited Anthony Chenevix-Trench as headmaster despite being warned by his former school Eton about his excessive drinking and violence towards boys - Danny Lawson/PA

Mr Wares, 86, has been accused of abuse by scores of former pupils of Edinburgh Academy and Fettes College, where he taught in the 1960s and 1970s. His accusers include Nicky Campbell, the BBC presenter.

Mr Wares now lives in Cape Town, from where the high court ruled in August last year that he could be extradited to face trial in Scotland on three charges.

Fettes responded to the report with an open letter apologising to former pupils who suffered abuse and stating that the school today is unrecognisable from the past.

Fettes charges up to 18,000 per term in fees and its alumni include Sir Tony Blair, the former prime minister, who has not been involved in the inquiry.

It was a boys-only boarding school until 1972 when it started taking female day pupils, before becoming co-educational in 1983.

Children sexually, physically and emotionally abused

Lady Smiths report said that until the end of the 1980s Fettes had basic living conditions, minimal oversight from staff and a shameful lack of safeguarding.

Children were wholly failed by the school. They could have been readily protected, and it is shameful that did not happen, she said.

Had complaints been listened to and acted upon at the outset, many children would have been saved from abuse. The suffering they still endure, over 50 years later in the 2020s, could all have been prevented.

Children were sexually abused, they were physically abused and they were emotionally abused.

Lady Smith said racism was also prevalent at Fettes well into the 21st century, while girls were treated as second-class citizens after the school went co-educational.

The retired senior judge said Chenevix-Trench was unfit to serve as headmaster, a position he held for eight years until his death in 1979.

She said: Fettes hoped that appointing a man who had been head of Eton would enhance its reputation.

He was, in fact, a man who was unfit to be appointed to lead a school on account of his having lost the trust of senior masters at Eton, having a problem with drink and having a propensity to beat boys excessively.

Lady Smith said he had been appointed despite these matters having been expressly disclosed to Fettes by Eton.

Chenevix-Trench was also attracted to young blond teenagers at Eton, a predilection of which the provost of Eton College (at the time) was aware, she added.

He [Chenevix-Trench] protected two, and possibly more, members of staff who had, to his knowledge, abused children at Fettes.

Consultant psychiatrist also failed the children

She said Mr Wares had secured teaching jobs in Edinburgh after moving to the city from South Africa in 1967, working between 1968 and 1979, first at The Edinburgh Academy and then at Fettes.

He had been referred to a consultant at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital for treatment to cure him of a condition described as homosexuality (liking for young boys).

But Lady Smith said: He was not cured. Rather, he was and remained a prolific abuser of children.

He preyed on them. He had a predilection for touching young boys sexually that he could not control.

At times, he could not control his temper either, resulting in children being subjected by him to brutal assaults.

She said Prof Henry Walton, the consultant psychiatrist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, knew that Wares was abusing children and that his dangerous predilections were never cured.

Walton wholly failed to prioritise the protection of children and failed to lead his team appropriately, she said.

Lady Smith said victims feared retribution and being ostracised if they complained and there was a sexualised culture both before and after girls were admitted.

Lady Morag Wise, chairman of the schools board of governors, said: We apologise unreservedly to those who suffered abuse at the school. There can be no excuse for the behaviour that we heard about at the inquiry hearings. We applaud the extraordinary bravery of everyone who shared their experiences.

Many young people were failed by those in positions of authority at Fettes, who could and should have acted differently. Their actions fell well below the standards expected and would be utterly unthinkable at the Fettes of today.

Laura Connor, a partner at Thompsons Solicitors, which represents several people who say they were victims of abuse at Fettes, said: Lady Smiths findings confirm the extent of the horrific abuse suffered unnecessarily by so many children at Fettes.

They [Fettes] shamefully failed to protect the pupils and appear to have knowingly exposed them to teachers with a history of abusing children. The findings of the report to this extent are extraordinary.
Dame Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury, on the steps outside St Pauls Cathedral after her confirmation on Wednesday - Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images

On her first day as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, there were signs that it would not be easy for Dame Sarah Mullally.

Ghosts of scandals past resurfaced when Dame Sarah was heckled during the ancient confirmation of election ceremony at St Pauls Cathedral.

A retired vicar was escorted out after protesting about safeguarding issues, before Dame Sarah was made Archbishop legally. She said it was an extraordinary and humbling privilege to take the role.

Dame Sarah, who was previously the Bishop of London and Englands chief nursing officer, will now be referred to as the Most Reverend Sarah Mullally, the first woman to hold the role in its 1,400-year history.

She succeeded the Right Rev Justin Welby, who announced his resignation in November 2024 after he was accused of mishandling abuse claims against the late John Smyth.

Dame Sarah Mullally during the confirmation of election ceremony legally confirming her as the new Archbishop of Canterbury - Jeff Moore/PA Wire

But the changing of the guard at the top of the Church of England has not erased all memories of past scandals.

As the ceremony reached the stage of asking anyone wishing to oppose the election, the Rev Paul Williamson, a 78-year-old retired priest, interrupted and was escorted from the cathedral by vergers.

A witness sitting close by said he had opposed Dame Sarahs election over the handling of safeguarding cases in the Diocese of London.

Rev Paul Williamson being escorted from St Pauls Cathedral after heckling the new Archbishop - Gareth Fuller/via REUTERS

Mr Williamson had also protested at the enthronement of John Sentamu as Archbishop of York in 2005 because he had declared himself in favour of women priests. In 2015, he interrupted the historic consecration of Libby Lane, the Church of Englands first female bishop, at York Minster, shouting that it was not in the Bible.

The protest on Wednesday came after The Telegraph revealed that Dame Sarah was embroiled in allegations that she mishandled abuse claims.

The service was presided over by the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, and was attended by bishops, clergy, local schoolchildren and choirs.

The ceremony featured a hymn by Elgar, a Xhosa chant from South Africa and readings in English and Portuguese, the main language spoken in Mozambique, which has close ties to the Diocese of London.

Royal commissioners officially declared Dame Sarah to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury after she was presented with her charge, which sets out her duties. At the moment she was declared Archbishop, the cathedral rang to the sound of applause.

The service was attended by bishops, clergy, local schoolchildren and choirs - Gareth Fuller/via REUTERS

In a historic moment, the Archbishop was referred to as my sister in Christ - James Manning/PA Wire

But while tradition endured, some small changes to the ceremony signalled the unprecedented significance of the Church of England having its first female archbishop.

For the first time in history, the Archbishop was referred to as my sister in Christ during the service.

Referring to the declaration of habemus papam when a new pope is named, the Right Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Bishop of Dover, declared to the congregation at St Pauls: This is our habemus mamam moment.

In October, Dame Sarah was named as the new Archbishop by Downing Street, with approval from Buckingham Palace. In November, a 1,000-year-old ceremony was staged at Canterbury Cathedral, in which her appointment was confirmed and she became the archbishop-elect.

In March, a final event, known as her installation, will take place at Canterbury, at which she will preach her first sermon in the role.

Applause for the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury - Isabel Infantes/Reuters

Dame Sarah says it is an extraordinary and humbling privilege to take the role - JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

Speaking in an interview before the St Pauls ceremony, she was asked about the notion that the Church could be something of a boys club and how she would navigate that.

Dame Sarah said: I have been very grateful for the support of a whole range of people, including men in my ministry, but it is fair to say that that I have, both in my secular role as well as in the church, experienced misogyny at times. And I think what Ive learnt its the first thing you have to talk about it so that you bring it out into the open.

And Im conscious that being in this role, its important for me to speak of it, because there are some that dont necessarily have the status or the power of this role, and feel more hesitant to do it. But certainly as a Church of England, we have seen many changes over the year, years, and I commit myself to making an environment where all people can flourish and which is safer for all.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dame Sarah said it was an extraordinary and humbling privilege to take on the role. She added: In this country and around the world, Anglican churches bring healing and hope to their communities. With Gods help, I will seek to guide Christs flock with calmness, consistency and compassion.

These are times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world. I pray that we will offer space to break bread together and discover what we have in common  and I pledge myself to this ministry of hospitality.

I want us to be a Church that always listens to the voices of those who have been ignored or overlooked, among them victims and survivors of Church abuse, who have often been let down. I am committed to equipping the Church to be a kind and safe place that cares for everyone, especially those who are vulnerable, as we rise to the challenge of Gods call to justice, equity, peace and the care of creation.

Dame Sarah stated: With Gods help, I will seek to guide Christs flock with calmness, consistency and compassion - JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

The Church of England scrambled to defend the new Archbishop before the ceremony. The Rt Rev Joanne Grenfell, the Bishop of Tewkesbury, released a statement saying that Dame Sarah had addressed safeguarding issues with care and rigour.

She has faced accusations of mishandling a complaint from an alleged abuse victim, known as Survivor N, who claims that he was groped and asked to perform a sex act by a priest.

Survivor N claimed Dame Sarah mishandled his complaint against the priest and failed him by claiming that his complaint had been fully dealt with, and also by sending a confidential email about the allegations directly to the priest accused of the sexual assault.

He said that the way his case was handled caused him to have such a severe breakdown in his mental health that he made two attempts on his life.

The Church of England released a statement saying that Dame Sarah had addressed safeguarding issues with care and rigour - Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images

Dame Sarah has previously been accused of having blood on her hands over the death of Father Alan Griffin, who killed himself in November 2020, aged 76.

The Church of England admitted it made mistakes over his case, in which there were unsubstantiated allegations of child abuse and him infecting people with HIV.

In August 2021, a highly critical coroners report concluded that he had killed himself because he could not cope with an investigation into his conduct, the detail of and the source for which he had never been told.

It emerged last month that a formal complaint was made against Dame Sarah about her handling of Griffins case.

She had reportedly not read a dossier containing allegations about Griffin, as well as other priests in her diocese. The dossier listed claims against 42 clergy  some genuine safeguarding concerns, others described as gossip and fabrication.
A police force has been accused of prioritising ideology over accuracy by allowing detainees to choose their gender.

Norfolk Constabulary confirmed that in most cases the force recorded the self-identified gender of suspects.

The policy has been criticised by womens rights groups, who fear that it skews crime statistics and obscures focus on the safety of women and girls.

Ermine Amies, of the Womens Rights Network, said Norfolk police were potentially recording rapists and male sex offenders as female.

This is scandalous, she said. Norfolk Constabulary are actively misleading the public they serve. They are valuing ideology over accuracy.

How can their data possibly be used reliably to focus on crime prevention and the safety of women and girls? It cannot. Our constabulary must revert to recording sex to restore trust, accuracy and compliance with UK law, with self-ID and other data recorded separately as relevant.

In April last year, Supreme Court judges unanimously ruled that the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act 2010 referred to biological sex, not acquired gender. This means that, for the purposes of the act, a persons legal sex is the one recorded at their birth.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has since drawn up its final guidance on the ruling which Bridget Phillipson, the women and equalities minister, has so far failed to rubber-stamp.

Ermine Amies, of the Womens Rights Network, called on Norfolk Constabulary to revert to recording sex

In March that year, a review led by Prof Alice Sullivan, of University College London, said police forces should collect data on biological sex, rather than a persons self-declared identity.

The review found instances where previous convictions were overlooked because biological sex was not being recorded.

Norfolk Constabulary said it kept a record of aliases, meaning it would be able to connect suspects to previous cases where they may have used a different name.

Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at the sex-based rights charity Sex Matters, said it was outrageous that Norfolk Constabulary was persisting with the policy.

She said: The recording of trans-identifying male criminals as female is one of the most destructive consequences of gender ideology.

Helen Joyce at the charity Sex Matters says recording based on gender identity is offensive and misleading - David Levenson/Getty Images

Men commit far more crimes than women, especially violent and sexual crimes, meaning that even a small number of men recorded as female seriously skews crime statistics.

Some particularly heinous crimes, such as sex crimes against children, are committed almost exclusively by men. The result of recording based on gender identity is an entirely spurious crime wave of female paedophiles and the like.

It is outrageous that Norfolk Constabulary is continuing with this offensive and misleading practice several years after campaigners first raised the alarm on police recording men as women.

A spokesman for Norfolk Constabulary said: On all custody records there is provision to record sex at birth and self-defined sex for detainees. However, we record all alias information when it is found that there is deviation from legal records, for example where an official document, such as passport, indicates a different sex at birth.

The policy, which is similar to many other forces, will remain as we wait for additional guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission and National Police Chiefs Council. Therefore, there is no skewing of crime data.

We adhere to national guidance set by the National Police Chiefs Council in relation to custody searches involving transgender suspects and officers. All our cells can be used by persons of any sex.
Schools will be told to stop sending suspended pupils home under new Government plans, The Telegraph can reveal.

Children in England will no longer be sent home by default when they get into trouble from next year, ending decades of tradition in modern schooling.

Headteachers will instead be told to discipline disruptive pupils in the classroom, under measures set to be unveiled in a forthcoming schools white paper. At-home suspensions will remain only for the most serious cases, such as those involving violence.

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Post-pandemic suspension rates have surged across all school types

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Ministers are concerned that loosening attitudes towards school sanctions has fuelled poor behaviour among pupils. The Government believes that for many children, telling their parents they have been suspended and must stay at home is no longer the punishment of days gone by.

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, told The Telegraph that smartphones had also devalued suspensions by giving children unfettered access to social media and gaming while at home.

She said: Suspensions will always play a critical role in helping heads manage poor behaviour, but time at home today can too easily mean children retreat to social media, gaming and the online world instead of serving their punishment. That has devalued suspensions and led to high levels of lost learning.

Time out of school doesnt just disrupt learning  it can have a huge impact on a young persons life chances. We want to restore suspensions as the serious sanction they should be, while keeping young people engaged in their education and reducing the time teachers spend helping pupils catch up.

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, is spearheading the plans - Jack Taylor/Getty Images Europe

A soft touch

But teachers warned the move could usher in a soft touch to disobedience and strip them of their ability to tell families when behaviour has crossed an unacceptable line.

Nearly a million suspensions were handed out to state school pupils in England in 2023-24  the latest full year with available data. It marked a record high and a 21 per cent increase compared with statistics from the previous year.

Persistent disruptive behaviour counted for more than half the total figure, although hundreds of thousands of suspensions were also dished out for verbal and physical abuse against teachers.

Changes set to be unveiled in a white paper in late February will advise headteachers to ditch at-home suspensions in favour of internal ones in most cases.

A new internal suspensions framework will state that troublesome pupils should now be placed in special exclusion zones inside schools and given set work so they do not fall behind. Unlike detentions, which typically take place for short periods either before or after school, internal suspensions could be for a day or more.

Current laws state that a suspension must take place off-site, but the Government will seek a law change to make in-school suspensions the default. Headteachers will retain the flexibility to send pupils home where they see fit, but new guidance will advise doing so only in extreme circumstances involving violence.

The Government will launch a consultation on the changes with the aim of introducing them from September 2027. Sources insisted teachers will be involved in discussions.

Ministers hope the move will bring school sanctions in line with a fresh push to curb social media use among pupils. Ms Phillipson has stopped short of enforcing a statutory ban on smartphones in schools but wrote to headteachers earlier this week saying they should have no place on the school premises.

The Department for Education said the shake-up would end the contradiction where pupils are restricted from phones in school but effectively handed them all day when suspended.

Labour has faced mounting pressure from teaching unions to tackle a behaviour epidemic in schools, which is thought to have been aggravated by disrupted social norms during the pandemic.

More than 100,000 pupils missed more than a week of school after being issued repeat suspensions in 2023-24.

A further 11,000 pupils were expelled that year  a rise of 16 per cent compared with the previous year. Boys were 1.5 times more likely to be suspended than girls that year and nearly twice as likely to be expelled.

Suspension rates fell slightly in autumn 2024 for the first time since the pandemic but remain well above pre-Covid levels.

They miss out on education

Tom Bennett, Englands school behaviour tsar, told The Telegraph that while at-home suspensions work for some children, they are failing to curb poor behaviour for many and causing them to lose interest with school altogether.

External suspensions are sometimes absolutely the right thing to do, and heads need to be able to decide which and when, he said.

The danger of sending kids home is that they miss out on education, which sends them further back with their lessons, meaning theyre less likely to engage and feel like they belong to and at school.

But teaching unions warned that the move could place extra pressure on teachers by depriving them of decades-old tools to punish poor behaviour.

We all need to do more

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said: Staff in schools will rightly be concerned that any attempt to remove the option of sending pupils home may weaken the deterrent effect of serious sanctions.

External suspension has long acted as a clear signal to pupils and families that behaviour has crossed an unacceptable line. Any measure that may undermine the ability of schools to establish and maintain good discipline in schools will not be welcomed by teachers or parents.

The Government has increasingly pointed the finger at parents for failing to take responsibility for slipping standards among children in the wake of the pandemic.

Ms Phillipson said last year that we all need to do more and when it comes to getting kids in and behaving  this includes mums, dads and carers too.

Alongside the behaviour crisis, official statistics show that one in five children are still skipping school at least a day each fortnight, while separate research suggests one in four children are starting Reception without being toilet trained.
Jimmy Lai has been held in custody in Hong Kong since December 2020 and faces life in prison - Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty

Sir Keir Starmer must use his meeting with the Chinese president to urge him to release pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai, his son has said.

The Prime Minister is in Beijing on the first visit by a British prime minister for eight years, and will meet president Xi Jinping on Thursday.

Mr Lai, a 78-year-old British citizen, has been held in custody since December 2020 and faces life in prison after he was found guilty of national security offences last month.

His son, Sebastian Lai, said the release of his father is the least China could do after the UK decided to allow the country to open a disputed super-embassy in London.

The embassy, near the Tower of London, was given the go-ahead last week despite warnings it could be used as a base for spying and pose security risks.

Sir Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing ahead of his meeting with president Xi Jinping

Sir Keir shakes hands with National Peoples congress chairman Zhao Leji - Getty Images

Mr Lais son told Times Radio: I am hopeful. The Prime Minister has said that my fathers case is a priority ... This government just gave them this huge embassy in the middle of London.

The least they could do is put a 78-year-old man, whos in terrible health conditions, who the international community has called out for his release, our country has called out for his release, on a plane and send him back to London.

That seems to be a very simple thing for the Hong Kong and Chinese government to do if were talking about normalisation of relationships.

Despite widespread condemnation, Mr Lai has been held in solitary confinement for most of his imprisonment.

He was found guilty on Dec 15 of collusion, as well as conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications under a separate colonial-era law and will be sentenced on that charge at a later date.

Activists protest against the jailing of Jimmy Lai, founder of the outspoken Apple Daily, which was forced to shut in 2021 after police raided its newsroom in Hong Kong

Mr Lais son denied that his fathers case would be a deterrent to democracy campaigners, saying that he may become a martyr.

Hes had everything taken away from him, he said. I dont think whats happening to him is a deterrent. I think its silly. Its been five years. His health is destroyed. Theyve taken his business. Thats the deterrent there.

In fact, if you kill him, hell become a martyr. If he dies in jail, then symbolically, thats a black mark on both Hong Kong as a financial centre, as a place that had rule of law and on China as well.

Mr Lais legal team has said that the founder of Hong Kongs now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper has been refused independent medical intervention for diabetes and is only allowed to leave his cell for 50 minutes per day.

The Hong Kong authorities have denied that Mr Lai has been mistreated in custody, saying he has been offered adequate and comprehensive medical care.

At a meeting organised by the Henry Jackson Society in London, Sir Iain Duncan Smith said he believed Sir Keir had taken a tent with him to China so there would be no chance of Beijing taking compromising pictures of him.

The former Tory leader joked that the tent was probably made by China and contained surveillance devices.
It has been more than two years since inspectors first highlighted the drugs crisis at HMP Manchester, formerly known as Strangeways - Bardhok Ndoji/Alamy

A high security prisons efforts to combat drug drones are being thwarted by heritage concerns over installing security barriers on its Victorian windows.

Manchester Prison, a Grade II listed building, is trying to counter the delivery of drugs by fixing specially designed reinforced metal grilles over the windows to stop inmates breaking through them to allow hovering drones to pass in contraband.

Drug gangs have seized control of the airspace over the prison, previously known as Strangeways, which has been described by inspectors as the most violent prison in England and Wales.

Prisoners have found ways to melt window panes to create space for drone packages to be delivered to HMP Manchester - BBC

In 2024 prisoners used filaments from their kettles to burn through newly fitted secure windows, providing access for a catastrophically high level of illicit drugs to flood into the jail.

Security experts have designed the impenetrable grilles but efforts to install them have been bogged down with planning concerns about fitting them on to the facade of a 158-year-old listed building.

Manchester city council has yet to grant planning permission for the metal grilles despite it being more than two years since inspectors first highlighted the drugs crisis at the jail, which has contributed to the dangerous levels of violence.

Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors Association (PGA), said a choice needed to be made between protecting Britains heritage and national security. There is a balance to be struck between maintaining what is a British heritage asset and continuing to run a high security prison, he said.

The [heritage concerns] have no doubt further added to the complexity of doing some of these measures. But the bottom line from a PGA point of view is that this hasnt been quick enough.

Grilles similar to those fitted at HMP Perth in Scotland could be used at Mancheter Prison if planning permission is granted

A prison source said the Ministry of Justices (MoJ) stifling bureaucratic procurement processes combined with the failure to drive through planning permissions meant the jail was still awash with drugs.

They are still in disagreement with the council. It is baffling given the council is Labour-controlled and it involves national security and highly risky prisoners, the insider said.

HMP Manchester holds highly dangerous prisoners including some who are designated high-risk category A. Notable inmates have included Thomas Cashman, who killed nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel on her doorstep in Liverpool in 2022, and Connor Chapman, who shot Elle Edwards, a 26-year-old beautician, in a machine gun attack at a pub in Wallasey, Merseyside, in 2022.

In a special report in January last year, Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, warned that the service had in effect ceded the airspace at HMP Manchester and Long Lartin in Worcestershire to organised crime gangs using drones in a move that amounted to a threat to national security.

Drones carrying contraband have captured the airspace over Manchester Prison - BBC

It is understood that HMP Manchester has been judged to have improved but prison sources said there was deep frustration that it had only managed to fix a handful of windows since the original inspection highlighted the problem in September 2023.

Manchester city council confirmed to The Telegraph that planning permission had been granted for the windows but consent for the accompanying security girls was still being considered.

A spokesman said: It would be inappropriate to comment on the live application while it is going through a legal process. However, given the building is listed, the process will always include comment from a heritage perspective.

Last year, inspectors reported 39 per cent of prisoners had tested positive in mandatory drug tests at Strangeways and at Long Lartin 50 per cent of those who responded to a survey said it was easy to get narcotics and alcohol.

Organised crime gangs not only use drones to deliver drugs to jails but knives, one of which is believed to have been used in an attack at Long Lartin.

Prison security experts have warned the drones are now so sophisticated and powerful that they could be used to carry a prisoner in an escape from jail.

An MoJ spokesman said. This Government inherited a prison system in crisis with drone incidents rising by over 770 per cent between 2019 and 2023.

That is why we are investing 40m in new security measures to clamp down on the contraband that fuels violence behind bars  including 10m on anti-drone measures such as window replacements, external window grilles and specialist netting.
Kevin Carter - Getty Images

Costco operates nearly 1000 warehouses across 14 countries, from Australia to Iceland.

Each nation has its own regionally specific food court menu with items you can't find in the U.S.

Some of the most beloved items include poutine, bubble tea, and a bulgogi bake.

Shopping at Costco requires endurance. You have to brave the parking lot, navigate huge crowds, and haul all your items back home. But even on the most chaotic shopping days, there's an oasis in every warehouse: the food court.

Costco's food court is most members' favorite part of the store, and can you blame them? Where else in 2026 can you enjoy a huge hot dog and a soda for $1.50? But if you think American Costco members are spoiled with good food, it's time to take a look at international warehouses.

There are nearly 1,000 Costco locations across 14 countries, from Australia to Iceland, and each nation features a unique food court menu tailored to local preferences. On the Costco subreddit, members from all over the world share the menu items available at overseas food courtsand to say we're jealous is an understatement.

Aside from discontinued American items like combo pizzas and churros (R.I.P), there are also completely unique dishes that give us major FOMO. Here are the international food court items that need to be sold in the States, like, yesterday.

Bulgogi Bake

Americans may take their chicken bakes very seriously, but in other parts of the world, theres another Costco food court item that just might upstage it. Instead of chicken and Caesar dressing, the bulgogi bake is filled with marinated beef, mozzarella, and green onions. One Reddit user raved that it's "one of the best things Ive ever put in my mouth." It's available at food courts in China and Taiwan (but, sadly, not in Korea).

Cheeseburger

Cheeseburgers are basically synonymous with American cuisine, but for some unknown reason, you can't find them at the Costco food court. Instead, they're available at warehouses in Iceland and Chinaand in China, they come with a slice of pineapple. The last time Americans could order a burger at the food court was almost a decade ago (which means a relaunch is long overdue).

Biscoff Sundae

U.S.-based food courts currently offer ice cream sundaes with either chocolate or strawberry sauce. But in Mexico, members can enjoy the viral Biscoff sundae (and we're extremely jealous). Each sundae features creamy vanilla soft serve, Biscoff cookie crumbles, and a spiced Biscoff syrup.

Sushi

Costco routinely offers sushi in the deli department in the U.S., and to say the reviews are mixed would be generous. But in other parts of the world, sushi is available at the food courtit's widely beloved by members. From California rolls in Canada to salmon poke rolls in Japan to sushi combos in China, international members are spoiled with high-quality, affordable fish.

Poutine

First, it's worth noting that the lack of French fries in American Costco food courts is downright criminal. Our northern neighbors, on the other hand, are a lot luckier. Canadian food courts feature poutine on the menu, complete with brown gravy and squeaky cheese curds. One Reddit user called it "absolutely next level" and wished Costco would bring it stateside, even if only for a limited time.

Bubble Tea

Milk tea with chewy boba pearls is a Taiwanese staple that's taken the world by storm. And at Costco food courts in Taiwan and Australia, you can enjoy bubble tea while you do your bulk shopping. I, for one, would gladly swap the Cold Brew Mocha Freeze for some milk tea at my local warehouse.

Tteokbokki

Tteokbokki is a beloved street food across Korea, but it's also available at the country's 20 Costco warehouses. Members say that the savory, spicy rice cakes are the ultimate comfort food, and many Costco lovers want to book an international flight just to try it for themselves.

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Two people review financial documents and forms at an office desk, with papers, a calculator, and writing tools visible. Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels

(The Center Square)  Investigating the H-1B visa worker processes is the latest action Gov. Greg Abbott is taking to address taxpayer-funded programs benefitting noncitizens in Texas.

On Tuesday, the governor directed all state agencies and publicly funded higher education institutions to freeze H-1B visa petitions and launch a review of current program use.

"The economy of Texas should work for the benefit of Texas workers and Texas employers," Abbott said. "In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program, and amid the federal governments ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions. State government must lead by example and ensure that employment opportunities  particularly those funded with taxpayer dollars  are filled by Texans first."

The directive prohibits state agencies whose directors are appointed by the governor from initiating or filing any new H-1B visa petitions until the end of the next legislative session next May  indicating that visa restriction legislation is being drafted.

Abbott directed all state agencies to provide the Texas Workforce Commission with a report about program use, including: how many new and renewal H-1B petitions they submitted in 2025; how many H-1B visa holders they currently employ, their countries of origin, job classifications and descriptions for each visa holder; the anticipated expiration date for each visa holder, and documentation proving they gave qualified Texas candidates a reasonable opportunity to apply for each position before hiring a H-1B visa holder.

The directive also applies to all public higher education institutions.

State agencies and higher education institutions collectively employ hundreds of thousands of Texans and significantly shape the state labor market.

Abbott points to an executive order issued last September by President Donald Trump, stating the H-1B visa program was created to supplement the United States workforce  not to replace it. Evidence suggests that bad actors have exploited this program by failing to make good-faith efforts to recruit qualified U.S. workers before seeking to use foreign labor. In the most egregious schemes, employers have even fired American workers and replaced them with H-1B employees, often at lower wages.

The H-1B program is administered and overseen by several federal agencies, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the departments of State and Labor. It allows employers to hire nonimmigrant aliens as workers in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability.

A specialty occupation requires highly specialized knowledge and a bachelors degree.

The purpose of the program is to help employers who cannot otherwise obtain needed business skills and abilities from the U.S. workforce by authorizing the temporary employment of qualified individuals who are not otherwise authorized to work in the United States, USCIS states.

Trumps order restricted entry for aliens as nonimmigrants to perform services in specialty occupations in the H-1B program unless their petition is accompanied by a $100,000 payment.

American workers are being replaced with lower-paid foreign labor, creating an economic and national security threat to the nation, Trump said, noting that IT workers with H-1B visas accounted for 32% in fiscal 2003, surpassing 65% in recent years.

His order also points to high unemployment among recent U.S. computer science graduates as the number of foreign STEM workers more than doubled over the last 20 years. The H-1B program is creating disincentives for future American workers to choose STEM careers, which threatens our national security, Trump said.

Meanwhile, American companies are laying off U.S. citizens and seemingly replacing them with H-1B workers, the order states, citing examples and data, including companies requiring American workers to train their foreign replacements.

In September, federal agencies began efforts to comply with the order. USCIS launched a fraud investigation, as did the DOL, called Project Firewall, to safeguard the rights, wages, and job opportunities of highly skilled American workers by ensuring employers prioritize qualified Americans when hiring workers and holding employers accountable if they abuse the H-1B visa process.

DHS also began overhauling the visa process and immigration system, The Center Square reported.

Abbott, who is running for his fourth term, said that since hes been in office, hes prioritized growing Texas economy, made Texas a premier location for job seekers and job creators and allocated record funding for education and workforce training. Every month, Texas leads the U.S. in job creation and economic growth, The Center Square reported.

In 2023, the governor and legislature allocated $5 billion to modernize and expand academic and technical educational programs, including for semiconductor research and development. Last year, they allocated hundreds of millions of dollars for workforce services and skills-based training, The Center Square reported.

These investments, alongside many others during my tenure as governor, have distinguished Texas as the best state in the nation to work and have made Texans among the most proficient workers in the nation. We will not cede this distinction, he said.
Mirrorpix/Newscom/The Mega Agency

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Sarah Ferguson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are being pushed to leave the U.K. after a series of scandals.

Keep reading for the details

MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news

Kent Gavin/Mega

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson's ties to Jeffrey Epstein led to their public lives unraveling, but things worsened for the duo after Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir was published. Giuffre previously accused Mountbatten-Windsor of sexual assault and later detailed their interactions in her book. Shortly after the project's release, King Charles III evicted the former couple from Royal Lodge.

The scandal has also impacted Mountbatten-Windsor's and Ferguson's personal lives. According to reports, the former Duke of York is now on the outs with one of their two daughters.

"The York brand has been toxic for years, but the family have, until now, had the reputation of being close-knit," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Daily Express. "The report that Princess Eugenie is now estranged from her father is a seismic change."

Kent Gavin/Mega

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The shift in Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's and Sarah Ferguson's dynamics with their daughters might impact where they land after leaving Royal Lodge.

"Andrew is soon leaving Royal Lodge for Marsh Cottage on the Sandringham Estate," Richard Fitzwilliams said. "He may go abroad. So may Sarah Ferguson."

"It would probably be best for [Princess] Beatrice and [Princess] Eugenie if both of their parents did, so they could exist in a more positive environment and be seen to be totally separate from them," he added.

FAITH MORAN/MEGA

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While Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is expected to move into Marsh Farm, Sarah Ferguson is rumored to be considering a move to Portugal, where Princess Eugenie lives part-time.

Living with her other daughter is reportedly off the table.

"She won't be moving into [Princess] Beatrice's Cotswolds home, though," an insider told Hello!. "Eugenie's home in Portugal is a contender while she finds somewhere."

Ian Jones / Allpix / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com

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While Sarah Ferguson might move to Portugal to be closer to Princess Eugenie, reports indicate Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor shouldn't expect the same support from their daughter. According to an insider, Eugenie, who recently launched an anti-human trafficking campaign, completely iced out her father.

"There is no contact at all, nothing. It's Brooklyn Beckham level  she has completely cut him off," the source told Daily Mail.
Stock photo of Buddhist monks in Charlotte, North Carolina Sean Rayford/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

A video of Buddhist monks tying a bracelet on a boys wrist has gone viral in North Carolina

The childs mother said her nonverbal son with autism rarely allows anyone to place something on his wrist

She called the interaction a powerful moment of inclusion that her family wont forget

A family in North Carolina is cherishing a powerful moment of connection after an interaction with Buddhist monks during their journey through the state went viral online.

WRAL News reported that the monks, who have been walking through central North Carolina, left a lasting impression on many of the people who crossed their path. One Wake Forest familys experience in particular has resonated widely, with a video of the moment earning more than 1 million views on Facebook.

Samantha Bray and her family joined a group of spectators in the Wake Crossroads neighborhood in North Raleigh, hoping to catch a glimpse of the monks as they passed by. But Bray told WRAL News she never expected what happened next.

As the monks approached, they noticed Brays 9-year-old son Vincent standing nearby. One of the monks walked over and gently tied a bracelet around his wrist.

For Bray, the moment was deeply meaningful  not only for its spiritual significance, but because Vincent has autism and is nonverbal. She explained to WRAL News that her son typically does not allow anyone to place something on his wrist, not even family members.

Having that moment with our family, surrounded by our community and the monks, it was just a really beautiful moment to experience, Bray said. She added that seeing Vincent tolerate the gesture and remain present in the moment felt especially moving.

And to even add, you know, for him to tolerate that and kind of just being in that moment together was pretty spectacular, she told WRAL News.

Bray captured the interaction on video and later shared it on Facebook, where it quickly spread. WRAL News reported that the clip was also shared by Walk for Peace and has now been viewed more than one million times.

For Bray, the viral response has been about more than just the monks journey. She said it also became a meaningful example of inclusion for people with autism.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

He was included, and we dont always see that, Bray told WRAL News.

The monks have since reached the final nights of their time in North Carolina, but for Bray and her family, the brief encounter is something they say will stay with them forever.

Read the original article on People
FILE PHOTO: Cows are seen in a field that runs along the exact border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, in Carrickcarnan, Ireland, November 13, 2024. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo

DUBLIN, Jan 28 (Reuters) - China has suspended imports of Irish beef due to an outbreak of bluetongue disease in cattle, just two weeks after it reopened its market for Irish beef for the first time in more than a year, Ireland's agriculture ministry said on Wednesday.

Ireland reported its first outbreak of the disease in a herd in the southeast of the country on Saturday and was informed by the Chinese authorities that they had suspended Irish beef imports from Tuesday, the ministry said.

The virus has since been detected in three additional herds near the initial outbreak.

China reopened its market to Irish beef imports on Jan. 12 during a visit by Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin to Beijing, dropping a 2024 suspension that followed the discovery of a case of mad cow disease.

"This is disappointing news in light of the recent reopening of the market," Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said in a statement, adding that his department was engaging with Chinese authorities to resolve the suspension in a timely manner.

Bluetongue, which does not affect humans or the safety of animal meat or milk, has been reported in several parts of Europe in recent months, including Northern Ireland.

Ireland exports the bulk of its output from the beef and dairy industries, which are major employers in the country.

Heydon said on Saturday that there were no implications for meat and dairy exports to the European Union, Britain and most other international markets as a result of the outbreak.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin. Editing by Jane Merriman)
A judge writes on legal documents at a desk with a gavel and in the foreground. Photo: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA / Pexels

(The Center Square)  Federal law prohibits foreign nationals, including convicted felons and those who lie on their immigration applications, from becoming U.S. citizens, a federal judge in south Texas has affirmed. It also requires citizenship to be revoked under certain conditions.

Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. granted a request to revoke the citizenship of a Mexican national and child sex offender brought by the first Trump administration. The ruling ended years of litigation, effectively denying any chance of appeal.

Rodriguez, presiding over the Southern District of Texas McAllen Division, granted a Department of Justice request to revoke the U.S. citizenship of Carlos Noe Gallegos, a Mexican national who sexually assaulted a child under age 14.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the ruling, saying, American citizenship is a privilege that this child-abusing monster never should have been able to attain. We will continue ensuring that anyone who conceals such conduct while obtaining naturalization is found out and stripped of their citizenship.

The case dates to immigration fraud perpetrated under the Obama administration, identified by the first Trump administration and prosecuted by the Biden administration.

Gallegos was admitted to the U.S. in 1998 as a temporary visitor for pleasure, nonimmigrant classification B-2, court filings show.

Within three years, he married a U.S. citizen and applied for permanent resident status. Roughly four years later, his application was granted and his immigration status was adjusted to permanent resident with no conditions, according to court records.

In March 2007, he sexually assaulted a child under age 14. In October 2009, he applied for naturalization and didnt disclose the crime. Question 15 of the citizenship application asks applicants if they ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested. Gallegos response was no. By February 2010, his application was approved; he took his citizenship oath the next month, according to federal records.

By 2016, Gallegos was indicted on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child for the crime he committed two years before he applied for naturalization. He pleaded guilty and received a sentence of six years community supervision, court documents show.

The DOJ then filed a Rule 12(c) motion to revoke his naturalization under 8 U.S.C.  1451(a). The statute states, It shall be the duty of the United States attorneys for the respective districts, upon affidavit showing good cause therefor, to institute proceedings to revoke citizenship when the certificate of naturalization [was] illegally procured or  procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.

The DOJ argued Gallegos illegally procured his citizenship because when he applied for naturalization, he did not meet the statutory requirement for good moral character.

Procuring naturalization illegally simply means that the person was not eligible for naturalization in the first place, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explains. A person is subject to revocation of naturalization if there is deliberate deceit on the part of the person in misrepresenting or failing to disclose a material fact or facts on his or her naturalization application and subsequent examination.

Federal law prohibits foreign nationals from becoming U.S. citizens if theyve been convicted of aggravated felonies, including: murder, rape, sexual abuse of a minor, drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, money laundering, explosive materials and firearms offenses, kidnapping, child pornography, racketeering and gambling, prostitution, gathering and transmitting classified information, alien smuggling, passport and document fraud, bribery, counterfeiting, forgery, obstruction of justice, perjury, failure to appear for an immigration hearing, among others, USCIS explains.

Federal law also requires illegal foreign nationals convicted of such crimes be deported.

The court repeatedly stayed the first Trump administrations lawsuit against Gallegos to enable Gallegos to collaterally attack his state court conviction, the ruling states. In November 2022, a Court of Appeals of Texas affirmed the trial courts denial of Gallegos challenge. Both the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his case.

Under the Biden administration, in August 2024, after Gallegos exhausted his avenues for collateral attack, the United States moved for judgment on the pleadings, Rodriguez wrote.

He ruled that Gallegos child sex crime conviction represents a crime involving moral turpitude and adversely reflects upon his moral character in violation of federal law.

Moral turpitude refers generally to conduct that shocks the public conscience as being inherently base, vile, or depraved, and contrary to the accepted rules of morality and the duties owed between persons or to society in general, he explained, citing a 2021 Fifth Circuit case.

As a result, the undisputed facts demonstrate clearly, unequivocally, and convincingly that Gallegos was ineligible for naturalization when he obtained approval of his application. He thus illegally procured his naturalization, and the Government is entitled to the relief it requests under federal law, Rodriguez concluded.
Celine Cremer Tasmania Police Facebook

NEED TO KNOW

Human remains have been located in the search for 31-year-old Belgian tourist Celine Cremer, who went missing in Australia's Tasmanian wilderness in June 2023

Local police said forensic analysis will be conducted to determine whether the remains belong to Cremer

The discovery of human remains comes weeks after Cremer's phone was found at Philosopher Falls on Dec. 13



Human remains have been found during the search for missing Belgian tourist, Celine Cremer, two years after she went missing in Australias Tasmanian wilderness.

The Tasmanian Police (TP) confirmed in a news release on Wednesday, Jan. 28, that human remains were located near Philosopher Falls in Waratah by a volunteer in the search for 31-year-old Cremer, who was last seen in June 2023.

...A pathologist has reviewed images and confirmed the remains are human, said Police Inspector Andrew Hanson. The volunteer contacted police immediately after the discovery, and officers from the Western District, along with specialist forensic personnel, are attending the scene.

Cremer was last seen in the mining town of Waratah, which borders the Tarkine rainforest, on June 17, 2023. Forensic analysis of the remains will be conducted to determine whether they belong to Cremer, per the release.



Tasmania Police search the Philosopher Falls area for Celine Cremer Tasmania Police Facebook

Cremer's family in Belgium have been notified of the discovery.

We understand how distressing this development may be for her loved ones, and while everyone involved hopes it will help to provide answers, formal forensic analysis is required before we can determine whether the remains belong to Celine," Hanson added.

Volunteer Jarrod Boys, a bushwalker, found the remains about 1.86 miles north-east of the Philosopher Falls car park on Wednesday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.

"The bones that I saw were just lying on top of a pile of soil and stones," he told the outlet.

Police during the search for Celine Cremer Tasmania Police Facebook

Search efforts have continued for Cremer after her disappearance over two years ago.

In the police news release, Hanson added that the volunteer who located the remains "has been dedicated to searching for Celine for some time, and their continued efforts and that of other volunteer search parties reflects the strong community support behind this matter.

The discovery of human remains comes weeks after an item of Cremer's was found in the area.

Cremer's phone was discovered at Philosopher Falls on Dec. 13  the first item of hers found since she went missing, PEOPLE previously reported.

Philosopher Falls in Tasmania Getty

Police believe that she drove to Philosopher Falls, parked her car and set off on what was meant to be a short bushwalk, but failed to return, according to a previous news release. Cremer was reported missing nine days later.

The next day, her car was located in the Philosopher Falls parking lot. A two-week search was initially conducted for Cremer, followed by several other searches over the past two years.

In the days since Celines disappearance, the winter weather in the area included sub zero temperatures, snow and rainfall, Hanson previously said. Expert medical advice at the time indicated those conditions were not survivable for the duration she is believed to have been exposed.

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The police will hold a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 29, to provide more details on the forensic analysis of the discovered remains, per ABC.



Read the original article on People
WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Marco Rubio told senators at a Jan. 28 hearing that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was an "impediment to progress" and had refused to make a deal with the Trump administration before it captured him in a surprise military operation on Jan. 3.

"This was one option that was available to the president after exhausting every other option," Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee less than a month after Maduro's ouster.

Rubio said that Maduro had broken so many deals that "not even the Vatican" wanted to deal with him.

See aftermath of US raid on Venezuela to capture Maduro Employees stand near rubble and a dish antenna with holes after a U.S. airstrike destroyed a TV and telephone tower that collapsed onto transmission operator Carlos BrachoOs home, killing a neighbor and injuring her daughter in the same attack, according to Bracho, in El Hatillo, on the outskirts of Caracas, Venezuela on Jan. 4, 2026.

"What he wanted to do was tap us along and buy three years of time until he could deal with a new administration that he thought may be more favorable," he added.

More: Trump's Venezuela oil sell-off sparks corruption concerns

Since Maduro was captured, the Trump administration has unveiled a $2 billion deal to sell Venezuela's oil. Since then, Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's vice president who took over after his capture, has introduced legal reforms to comply with the administration's plans to sell the country's oil.

Rodriguez has made increasingly combative remarks towards the United States in recent days, even as she is moving to cooperate with the Trump administration's plans to sell Venezuela's oil for billions of dollars. "Enough already of Washingtons orders to politicians in Venezuela," she told oil workers on Jan. 25.

Rubio said Rodriguez and the United States had a "respectful and productive line of communication." But the Trump administration would "judge actions, not words," he added.

The committee's top Democrat questioned why the Trump administration had removed Maduro, only to keep his regime in place.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, said in her opening remarks that Rodriguez's "cooperation appears tactical and temporary."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about Venezuela on Jan. 28.

"We've traded one dictator for another," she said.

Rubio told the Senate committee that the United States wanted to see "free and fair elections" in Venezuela but that it would "take some time."

"You can have elections all day, but if the opposition has no access to the media, if opposition candidates are routinely dismissed and unable to be on the ballot ... those aren't free and fair elections," he said.

"We're not going to get there in three weeks."

President Donald Trump has praised Rodriguez as "terrific," and the Venezuelan interim leader met with CIA director John Ratcliffe on Jan. 16.

Ratcliffe "discussed important items of potential cooperation" during the trip, Rubio told senators on Jan. 28.

But news reports in recent days have raised questions about the Trump administration's trust in her. Reuters reported on Jan. 27 that U.S. intelligence had raised doubts about her cooperation. CNN reported the same day that the CIA would maintain a foothold in the country.

Murphy presses Rubio on Trump's oil sales

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, asked Rubio why the Trump administration tapped two large foreign oil traders to sell Venezuela's oil and whether Trump and his financial and political backers were personally profiting from it.

The scope of the project that you are undertaking in Venezuela is without precedent, Murphy said.

You are taking their oil at gunpoint. You are holding and selling that oil, putting, for now, the receipts in an offshore Middle Eastern account. You're deciding how and for what purposes that money is going to be used in a country of 30 million people.

Such an arrangement is destined for failure, Murphy said, and possibly facilitating corruption both in Venezuela and here at home.

USA TODAY previously reported that money from the oil sales  $500 million generated from them so far  is held in a Qatari bank account. The two primary trading companies that the Trump administration picked to execute the sale have both pleaded guilty in recent years in Latin American bribery scandals, and a trader with one company that worked to secure the sale donated millions to Trump's reelection campaign.

"To many Americans, that reeks of corruption, Murphy said of the companies picked to make the sale. Can you commit that partners for future sales are going to be chosen through a fair, open selection process?

Rubio responded that the administration picked the two oil traders because it had to act fast, given that Venezuela was running out of storage capacity for the oil it was producing.

The "long-term plan," he said, was for Venezuela to sell oil "directly into the market."

That is not the permanent outcome here. That is a short-term fix to a short-term problem, he said.

Kaine blasts Rubio on boat strikes

Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, lambasted the Trump administration about dozens of deadly strikes it has launched on suspected drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific that have killed more than 100 people. Those strikes began as the United States closed in on Venezuela in the fall.

"I can't share with you the grim details of the murder of shipwrecked survivors in open waters that we all know because we've seen the videos and we've questioned the U.S. military officials involved about legality, because the administration will not release that publicly," Kaine said.

More: 11 men killed in strike had loose cartel ties, officer told lawmakers

Kaine has led an effort to stop the Trump administration's military actions against Venezuela through a War Powers Resolution. It failed a Senate vote Jan. 14, despite some Republicans crossing the aisle to vote with Democrats.

Kaine said members of Congress would be "very surprised" if they asked, in a classified setting, for the evidence the administration has that there were narcotics on the targeted boats.

"Thank god for having a public hearing five months in," he added.

Outrage from Democrats on the Hill exploded after news reports revealed that the first such attack was a "double-tap strike" that killed two survivors after the first nine people on board were killed.

The family of two men killed in the boat strikes filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Jan. 27.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rubio says Maduro was 'impediment to progress' and would not make deal
An ICE Special Response Team officer stands during an enforcement operation in Los Angeles on June 12, 2025. Photo: Tia Dufour / U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Public Domain

(The Center Square)  Maine's top law enforcement official is urging people to report "questionable" actions by ICE agents as the Trump administration ramps up immigration enforcement in the state.

In a statement, Democratic Attorney General Aaron Frey's office announced a new email address for Mainers to submit "any descriptions of observed intimidating or excessive behavior" by federal agents. Frey's office asked for dates, locations, names of any individuals involved as actors or witnesses, and contact information. Photos and video can be submitted separately to the AG's office.

"Across our nation, we are seeing numerous reports of apparent civil rights violations and improper use of force by federal agents who have been sent into areas targeted for immigration enforcement by the federal government," Frey's office said in a statement.

"With the federal government now surging federal agents into Maine under the banner of immigration enforcement, evidence of constitutionally-deficient, excessive, and intimidating enforcement tactics is quickly emerging in our own state."

The warning comes as ICE ramps up enforcement operations in Maine's two largest cities, Portland and Lewiston, authorities targeting an estimated 1,400 immigrants in the state on various charges

Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched Operation Catch of the Day, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Maine "targeting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who have terrorized communities."

Ahead of the operation, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills and the mayors of Portland and Lewiston, both Democrats, warned residents to prepare for a possible increase in ICE presence in their communities.

More than 100 "illegal aliens" have been arrested since the operation got underway on Jan. 20, the federal agency said. The agency has released details of some of those detained, which included people previously charged with assault, drug trafficking, rape and burglary.

"The Trump administration is removing murderers, pedophiles, terrorists and other criminals from communities across the country," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. "Our message is clear: we will protect the American people, no matter where they live."

On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security said it was moving about 50 detainees from the Cumberland County Jail in Portland after learning that the facility had hired an undocumented immigrant as a corrections recruit. The unnamed man has been detained by federal authorities.

Maine Republicans have blamed Mills and other top Democrats for encouraging the immigration crackdown by passing a "sanctuary" state law restricting cooperation with federal authorities.
The plot was masterminded by crime bosses in Mexico and the United States [NCA]

Four men have been convicted of plotting to fly hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into Manchester Airport from Mexico.

The smuggling operation - masterminded by Mexican and American drug lords - unravelled after one suitcase stuffed with 20kg of the Class A drug was left behind and opened by Border Force officers.

A National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation found US citizens would fly into Manchester without any luggage and pick up suitcases that had arrived on separate flights from Mexico and Barbados.

They would receive text message instructions from a US-based man known as Nate and then take taxis to hotels where they would pass the suitcases, full of cocaine, to UK-based associates.

The NCA said eight suitcases arrived on flights from Cancun and Barbados on 11 June 2024, including the one that had been left behind and seized by Border Force officers.

The American couriers collected the rest and passed five, containing 100kg of cocaine, to Liverpool-based Albanian nationals Elton Hallaci, 32, and Artur Iseberi, 27.

Elton Hallaci (left) and Artur Iseberi plotted to transport the cocaine all over the UK [NCA]

Twelve other suitcases had been flown into Manchester on 31 May, containing 300kg of high purity cocaine with an estimated street value of 24m.

The NCA said seven couriers were sent to collect them but only one woman was successful.

She was directed to an address in Bury, Greater Manchester, where she passed them to Dale Hosker, 49, of Palatine Drive in Bury, and Dale Creen, 34, of Mere Fold Way in Worsley, Salford.

The rest of the suitcases were seized at Manchester Airport and found to contain between 22 and 24 blocks of cocaine and tracking devices.

The Albanian and British men were arrested on 17 June 2025 by NCA officers.

Raids on their homes uncovered damning evidence including keys to a Jaguar car - fitted with a hidden compartment for smuggling drugs - that had been parked outside Hallaci's address in Adlam Road, Fazakerley.

Two other Jaguars with similar hiding places were also linked to the Albanian crime group.

Dale Creen (left) and Dale Hosker (right) [NCA]

Officers also found notebooks referencing cocaine deliveries with details of how they would be divided up and sent to places including Bradford, London and Birmingham.

The NCA said CCTV cameras captured the men at the airport, and found one courier had even taken a picture of Hosker over his shoulder after a handover.

Iseberi, of Aintree Lane in Aintree, tried to escape over a roof when his home was raided.

In Creen's bedroom, meanwhile, weapons including an axe, a knife and a machete were seized.

Cat McHugh, NCA branch commander, said: "Like other hardened criminals, their thirst for money and riches drove them, but an excellent, tenacious NCA team conducted a painstaking investigation involving thousands of hours of work."

All four men were due to stand trial at Bolton Crown Court earlier this month but Hallaci, Iseberi and Hosker pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply and conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of Class A drugs.

Creen took his chances with a jury and was cleared of the conspiracy charge but was found guilty of possession with intent to supply on Tuesday.

All four men are due to be sentenced on 30 January.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.

More like this
Police cordon off the scene in Boulder, Colorado where Mohamed Sabry Soliman was accused of throwing an incendiary device at a group participating in a June organized walk near the courthouse to show solidarity with hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. - Chet Strange/Getty Images

June 1 began as an ordinary day for Habiba Soliman: Her mother was doing some work in a cafe, her brother Omar was on an afternoon hike with friends, and she was babysitting her 8-year-old sister and 4-year-old twin siblings at home.

Then the teenager, 17 at the time, saw police cars swarm her neighborhood, she wrote in a statement.

Confusion grew as her fathers phone rang at home, even though he was supposed to be at work, Habiba wrote. When her mother, Hayam El Gamal, arrived home, she was escorted by authorities to the police station. According to her statement, Habiba and her brother Omar, alarmed by the seriousness of the situation, dug through local news headlines until they found one about their father and they couldnt believe their eyes.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman had allegedly attacked demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado at a Jewish event supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza with a homemade flamethrower and Molotov cocktails, according to federal prosecutors. The attack wounded at least 29 people and an 82-year-old woman later died from her injuries.

Hes facing more than 100 charges related to the incident, including murder. Soliman pleaded not guilty to state charges, and his attorney asked for a jury trial slated to begin in the summer. He also pleaded not guilty to the federal hate crime charges.

A woman holding an Israeli flag stands on the Boulder courthouse lawn on June 8, 2025, a week after Mohamed Soliman allegedly threw incendiary devices at those attending an event supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza. - Chet Strange/Getty Images

The Egyptian man told detectives after he was arrested that no one knew about his attack plans and that he never talked to his wife or family about it, according to the affidavit for his arrest. El Gamal also said she and her children were unaware of his plans.

Despite that declaration, Solimans wife and children were detained and transferred to the South Texas Family Residential Center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Dilley, Texas. El Gamal previously said immigration officers told them they were being punished with detainment for the crimes of which her husband is accused.

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told CNN last week the agency is investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it, echoing the same message DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said shortly after the June attack.

Now, the family, including four minors, is fighting a difficult and complex battle both in immigration court and inside the detention center.

In a phone interview with CNN from the facility, the family described what they call grim conditions: despondent children, denial of critical medical care, and inadequate nutrition  concerns also raised by other families at the Dilley center.

The center is the same facility where a 5-year-old boy, who was taken by federal agents from the driveway of his metro Minneapolis home last week after returning from preschool, is being held with his father, according to school district officials and a family attorney.

We are fighting because we know we are innocent, Habiba wrote in her statement from detention, adding, We pray for someone to look at us not as the family of a man who is accused of terrorism, but as humans who deserve to live freely.

She told CNN while in detention she lived in fear of being separated from the rest of her family.

My mom is literally crying every night, just praying that I dont get separated. We are scared every day that this would happen, Habiba said.

If her eldest daughter was to be separated, El Gamal said, I feel like I will die.

On Saturday, 12 days after the family spoke with CNN, Habiba was separated from her family inside the Dilley center, the familys attorney told CNN.

A DHS spokesperson said Habiba was transferred to the adult section of the facility after she turned 18 in strict accordance with ICE policy, which requires that individuals over 18 are no longer classified as minors.

Habiba turned 18 four days after she was first detained and was separated from her family more than seven months after she became an adult, according to a copy of her birth certificate reviewed by CNN.

CNN has reached out to DHS for clarification about the timing of the move.

Youre not a human anymore

A drawing by one of the Soliman family's children, made while in ICE detention and provided by the family's defense attorney. The text reads, "I am 5 years old," and "Let us go!" - Eric Lee, Lee & Godshall-Bennett, LLP

When Habiba saw video from the June attack, she said while the person in it looked like her father, she couldnt believe that this was the person I knew, she wrote.

What happened to the victims is awful, and nobody should ever go through what they have been through, she told CNN. We have been paying for something that we didnt do anything, didnt know anything about for seven months.

She denounced her fathers actions in her public statement, writing, Violence is never justified. And we condemn every one (sic) that uses violence including my father.

Now, the family says their days inside the walls of the facility are defined by waiting in hours-long lines for ordinary resources: A line for the shower, a line for the phone, a line for the computer, food, and medical aid.

While detained, each of the children has marked a birthday. They include two girls, 9 and 18, a 16-year-old boy and fraternal twins, now 5.

Birthdays before detention were a call for celebration. This year, they were just another day they spent being held for a crime they say they had no knowledge of or involvement in.

This place is horrendous. I cant even say in words how bad it is, Omar, the 16-year-old, told CNN. You cannot imagine how bad it is for five-year-olds to be trapped in a room thats five by eight for the entire day.

Meals inside the detention center are usually cold or spoiled, the eldest daughter said, and her siblings often cry over the quality of the meals, which consist of mostly processed, frozen foods.

Other detained families have reported mold in the food, which resulted in children becoming ill  something Habiba said shes witnessed herself.

Youre basically like an animal, the 18-year-old said. Youre not a human anymore.

The DHS spokesperson told CNN the facility fully meets federal detention standards and actually undergoes regular audits and inspections.

The Dilley Detention Center is retrofitted for families. Adults with children are housed in facilities that provide for their safety, security, and medical needs. All detainees are provided with 3 meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries. Inmates also have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers, the spokesperson wrote in a statement.

A complex legal battle

The exact reason for the detention of El Gamal and her children is unclear to both the family and their attorney, Eric Lee. Neither El Gamal nor her children have been charged with a crime, he said.

DHS McLaughlin, however, said last week Solimans wife and their children are in our country illegally and are rightfully in ICE custody and will remain in custody pending removal proceedings.

The family entered the United States together in August 2022 as non-immigrant visitors and filed for asylum a month later, according to DHS, before overstaying their visas. Immigrants applying for asylum must already be physically present in the US.

But their visa expiration is not why they were detained, Lee said. And their legal battle for release has been complicated.

The issue here is whether they can be detained when the government has explicitly stated that its reason for detaining them is not because (of) their visa overstays, but is because of their family relationship to their husband/father, Lee said previously.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, pictured in December 2019. - Courtney Sacco/USA Today Network/Imagn Images

Two days after the attack, the White Houses official X account posted that Mohamed Solimans wife and family have been captured and are now in ICE custody for expedited removal.

But federal law says only immigrants who have been in the US for fewer than two years are subject to expedited removal  the family had been in the country for nearly three  and the government conceded they werent eligible for expedited removal, saying instead they were in conventional removal proceedings, according to court documents.

Another federal law states the family of an immigrant engaged in terrorist activity is ineligible to enter the US, but there are exceptions for family members who either didnt or shouldnt have reasonably known about the terroristic activity, or have renounced it. An immigration judge found El Gamal and her children had met those exceptions, didnt pose a danger or flight risk, and granted them bond in September.

Their legal win was short-lived: DHS has the broad unilateral power to pause an immigration judges bond order from taking effect, and the agency quickly exercised that power, keeping the family in ICE detainment.

A Texas district court judge eventually vacated DHSs pause on the bond order in November, but 10 days later, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the highest administrative body for interpreting and applying immigration laws, remanded the immigration judges initial bond grant and ordered him to issue a new decision. Last week, he denied the family bond, saying El Gamal and her children are flight risks.

Police cordon off Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado, on June 1, 2025, following an attack authorities say was carried out by Mohamed Sabry Soliman. - Chet Strange/Getty Images

The familys first asylum request was denied when Mohamed Soliman carried out the June attack, Lee said. The family submitted a second asylum application without him, but it was deemed incomplete by an immigration judge, who dismissed their case on December 29 and ordered them removed to Egypt, court documents show.

In her denial, the judge included several examples of how the application was incomplete. The first question asks, in part, whether the family is part of a religious organization: El Gamal wrote that she and her children are Muslim, and observe and participate in the religious traditions including attending a Mosque and observing holidays. The judge said the answer was incomplete because El Gamal failed to specifically answer her familys levels of participation, leadership positions held, or the length of time the family was involved in the religion.

The judge who dismissed the familys asylum case has a 95.3% asylum denial rate, according to a federal immigration database by Syracuse University.

Its just a lot of prejudging without knowing anything, Habiba said. I just think its so unfair for other people to judge us without knowing what we have been through.

Lights that never turn off and night terrors

Since coming to the US, El Gamal and her children have tried to do everything right, she said: learn English, find work, pour into education and be good neighbors.

I put all my effort to raising my kids, the mother said.

The six family members are packed inside one room defined by bunk beds under bright lights that never turn off, Habiba detailed.

Our brains are literally exploding, she said. (We) just want to shut down for a bit.

As for her twin siblings, who have been playing with the same two toys for months, she said their thoughts dont revolve around games or cartoons, but something far more basic: Theyre literally dreaming about eating bananas.

Detainees held at the South Texas Family Residential Center, where members of the Soliman family are currently being held, wave signs during a demonstration in Dilley, Texas, Saturday, January 24, 2026. - Brenda Bazan/AP

But with their dreams, night terrors follow.

They just wake up every night in the middle of the night, theyre screaming, crying for absolutely no reason, she said of the younger siblings, who have now spent one fifth of their lives in ICE detention.

Meanwhile, Omar, the 16-year-old, said the twins arent the only ones struggling to get rest.

I havent seen the dark in seven months, he said.

The lights are a complaint ICE said they addressed by changing the bulbs to soft white ones, though they remain on overnight, a December agency report said.

And while the bright lights make it hard to forget where they are, Habiba said shes been able to find pockets of peace through books she finds around the facility or an uplifting email from one of her teachers.

Its just all small little things, she said, even if they are far and few between.

My entire life is waiting for me to get out

Mohamed Sabry Soliman is seen in an image taken from the live stream of his first court appearance. - Colorado Judicial Branch

There was only one thing that held Mohamed Soliman back from attacking sooner than June 1, he told federal authorities: Waiting for Habiba to graduate high school.

The father told authorities he planned the attack for a full year. Meanwhile, Omar said, he spent that year at boarding school in Michigan. He was in town when the attack happened only for his sisters graduation  the last joyous occasion the family shared together.

All of my stuff, everything, all of my property, all my clothes, everything from socks, underwear, everything is literally still in Michigan, he said. My entire life is waiting for me to get out.

As a large family, the Soliman siblings are used to sharing spaces, but Habiba said the bathrooms inside the detention center are crowded and messy; her siblings cry and refuse to take showers.

Can you imagine at least 60 or 50 people that are using the same bathroom and the same showers, how it will be? she said, adding they are constantly littered with trash.

During the summer, Omar said he experienced excruciating pain from appendicitis and despite asking for medical attention, he was denied care for three days before he finally was sent to the hospital for surgery.

Hours after surgery, he returned to the facility, where he said he waited in an hours-long line to get antibiotics for infection prevention.

DHS said immigrants at the Dilley center are given prompt and appropriate medical attention whenever requested including medications.

A life outside detention worth fighting for

A day spent waiting for the next meal or a dose of medicine leaves ample room for conversation  the family has found friends in a place that doesnt leave much hope, Habiba said, adding shes experienced second-hand heartbreak hearing other detainee stories of hardship and loss.

If anything, she said, it has further solidified her dream of practicing medicine and helping others.

Everyone is so happy for the people that get to get out, even if theyre deported, she explained.

In a comment to CNN about the Soliman familys detention, DHS said the Trump administration has given immigrant parents a chance to take full control of their departure and self-deport.

But self-deportation isnt an option the family has been presented with, Habiba said. Even if it was, she said there are safety reasons for why her family sought asylum in the US.

CNN has reached out to DHS for clarification about the familys eligibility for self-deportation.

For months, the family said it has agreed to requests for interviews with authorities, insisting each time that none of them had any knowledge of their father and husbands plans or were involved in any way.

And yet, its never enough, Omar said.

Before their recent bond denial, a group of southern Colorado community organizers, former teachers of the children, and friends of the family advocated for their release, asking that they not continue to be punished for Solimans alleged crimes.

A drawing by one of the Soliman family's children, made while in ICE detention and provided by the family's defense attorney. The text reads, "I am 9 years old," and "Our hous" (sic). - Eric Lee, Lee & Godshall-Bennett, LLP

Elizabeth Reinhold previously worked with Habiba, Omar and their 9-year-old sister as they acclimated to American life at school. Reinhold described the children as bright and ambitious, telling CNN they are one of the most consistently intelligent families shes ever worked with as a teacher.

Reinhold routinely met with the whole family to talk about the childrens progress in school, she said, and knew them to be animated, passionate, and dedicated to academic success. She even attended Habibas high school graduation, sharing in the familys collective excitement, just days before the antisemitic attack.

When she heard about the incident, she was overwhelmed with shock, grief, and horror, she said.

I cried hardest for Habiba because she was so excited to go on to this next phase of life, Reinhold said. My primary emotion was anger, specifically because I knew that this was going to potentially destroy Habibas chances of going to college or being able to stay in America potentially.

Reinhold has sent Habiba emails of support while in detention and said there are a handful of community members waiting for them on the other side, ready to help them financially, socially and emotionally.

I dont know when or how our detention will end, Habiba wrote in her public statement. I dont know if its a happy or a sad ending. I dont know how we will deal with the effects that this place imposed on us. I dont know how the victims can recover from what happened to them.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
NATO Chief Mark Rutte addresses European Parliament - EBS

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has told Europe it should keep on dreaming if it thinks it can defend itself without the support of the United States.

If anyone thinks here again that the European Union, or Europe as a whole, can defend itself without the US, keep on dreaming. You cant. We cant. We need each other, Rutte said during an address to the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday.

The NATO chief warned European nations they would need to increase defense spending to 10% if they really want to do it alone, adding they would need to build up their own nuclear capability, costing billions of euros.

In that scenario, you will lose the ultimate guarantor of our freedom, which is the US nuclear umbrella. So hey, good luck, he said.

The comments came after a rollercoaster week for Europe and its Western allies, after President Donald Trump continued to advance his demands for the US ownership of Greenland, before publicly ruling out the use of force to annex the Arctic island during his speech at World Economic Forum in Switzerlands Davos.

The NATO chief continued to praise Trump for raising the issue of Arctic security, acknowledging his defense of the president would likely irritate many in the room.

I think hes right. There is an issue with the Arctic region. There is an issue of collective security, because these sea lanes are opening up, and because the Chinese and the Russians are more and more active, he said.

Rutte outlined there would be two work streams going forward regarding the Greenland issue. The first would involve NATO taking more collective responsibility for the defense of the Arctic, to prevent Russia and Chinas access to the region, both militarily and economically.

The second would involve the continuation of trilateral discussions between the US, Denmark and Greenland. Rutte said he would not be involved in the discussions, adding that he has no mandate to negotiate on behalf of Denmark, and will not do so.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeld met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington earlier this month. Rasmussen said the meeting was constructive but that a fundamental disagreement persists.

The following week, Trump and Rutte met in Davos, with the president claiming he had reached a framework for a Greenland deal with the NATO chief, and as a result said he would no longer impose tariffs on European nations that had opposed his ambitions to acquire the semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Its not yet fully clear whats included in the framework, or Ruttes exact role in the negotiations, but Trumps stunning about-turn once again shone the spotlight on the NATO secretary general.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  New Mexico State University (NMSU) is expanding its AI programs through collaborations with all its colleges and community colleges.

In spring 2025, supported by $500,000 from NMSU President Valerio Fermes office and $2 million from the State of New Mexico, NMSU launched the Institute for Applied Practice in AI and Machine Learning.

The mission of the AI Institute is to bring together AI researchers, educators and practitioners at NMSU and lead the region and the state in the application of AI models and technologies to practical solutions that address real-world challenges relevant to New Mexico, Enrico Pontelli, head of the institute and College of Arts and Sciences dean, said.

All NMSU colleges are involved in the effort, according to the university. In fall 2026, NMSU will launch the states first bachelors degree in AI.

The university is also spearheading the creation of an innovative masters degree in applied artificial intelligence, according to NMSU.

This is timely and sorely needed, Ferme said. With our labs, with the technology we have in the state, this is a wonderful opportunity for our students. But even beyond, many good things will come out of AI if we use it responsibly and Im very pleased that our students will be able to participate in this new field.

According to NMSU, the institute is inspiring the universitys AI efforts through action. So far, the AI institute has assembled a team developing general education courses to introduce AI for all; launched an internal grants program for new research collaborations across the university; participated in a proposal for a national research collaboration network, led by Howard University, focused on the impact of AI on the workforce; co-led a panel at the Computing Research Association Summit titled Building Capacity for AI Education in Undergraduate Programs in late July 2025; and in late August 2025, organized a meeting with representatives of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrichs office to discuss pathways to integrate AI into higher education.

The institute is also co-leading, with the Computing Research Association, a national meeting this month focused on addressing the challenges of promoting effective AI education for all students across all academic institutions.

NMSUs College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences has been successful in helping ranchers use virtual fencing to monitor and control cattle in large areas after recent fires destroyed many of the physical fences, according to the university. There are already AI-specialized courses offered by different departments, such as those in NMSUs Department of Accounting, that explore the use of AI within specific disciplines, and the institute is investigating how to grow these opportunities into a specialized applied AI masters degree.

AI is already having a profound impact on the workforce and on the market, Pontelli said. The U.S. AI market has grown tenfold in just the last five years. It is expected to exceed 250 billion by 2027. Our degree programs will allow us to develop students capable of mastering AI knowledge, meaning not only the foundations of AI and understanding how AI can be used to solve problems in a variety of domains, but also the ethical use of AI and its impacts on individuals and society.

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 KTSM 9 News.
Assemblymember Mia Bonta, D-Oakland, chairs the Assembly Health Committee, which met Jan. 27, 2026, at the Capitol in Sacramento. Photo: Madeline Shannon / The Center Square

(The Center Square)  California officials told the Assembly Health Committee Tuesday that under the governors budget proposal, the state will not be able to make up the loss of federal money cut from Medi-Cal.

Assemblymember Mia Bonta, D-Oakland and the committee chair, asked state health officials during the hearing if the state stands a chance of backfilling the loss of federal funds. Health officials cite the states projected budget deficit and the severe federal cuts to Medi-Cal as major financial challenges to funding the states version of Medicaid.

Given the states significant fiscal situation, its really a matter of resources to provide full-scope coverage to the individuals who may lose coverage as a result of state budget actions or as a result of H.R. 1 changes, testified Michelle Baass, the director of the California Department of Managed Health Care Services, which oversees Medi-Cal. H.R. 1 is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

As proposed by the governors budget, were not backfilling the loss of federal funds," Baass said.

According to data from the California Department of Health Care Services, the number of people enrolled in Medi-Cal dropped between August 2022 and August 2025, from more than 15.2 million people to roughly 14.6 million. While the report doesnt give a reason for why Medi-Cal had fewer people enrolled in that time frame, Assembly members stressed Tuesday that a decline in Medi-Cal enrollment will continue, with many people who were eligible under previous Medi-Cal enrollment criteria losing eligibility.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2026, many illegal immigrants in California lost the ability to access publicly-funded health care.

The concern over who can access health care through Medi-Cal and who cant comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom released his proposed budget, anticipating a $2.9 billion shortfall. That's much smaller than the $18 billion budget shortfall that the Legislative Analysts Office predicted in a report released in November, according to previous reporting by The Center Square. Newsom released his proposal early this month.

The federal budget, known as House Resolution 1, or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, was passed in Congress during the summer of 2025 and included drastic cuts to a wide variety of federally-funded programs, including Medicaid and SNAP benefits, otherwise known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps. According to a report released in November 2025 by the Legislative Analysts Office, Medi-Cal provides health care for roughly 15 million low-income people throughout the state and is the largest program in the states budget, costing about $200 billion between state and federal funds.

H.R. 1 cuts federal funding for health care by $1 trillion nationally over the next decade, Dr. Sandra Hernandez, CEO of the California Health Care Foundation, testified during the hearing on Tuesday. In California, we estimate this will translate to billions of dollars in annual cuts. This is a hole in the budget we simply dont fill by state reserves.

Any money that the federal government is trying to save by cutting the Medicaid budget just passes those costs onto counties, who have to provide medical care to those who need it, according to testimony given during the committee meeting.

Obviously, hospitals are being squeezed, clinics are being squeezed through these cuts that I agree lay squarely at the feet of the federal administration, Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo, D-Santa Clara, said. We always talk about how much something will cost, but we never talk about how much it will save in the long term."

Notably absent were Republican members of the Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday, including Assemblymember Phillip Chen, R-Brea, the committee vice chair. Democratic Assembly members on the committee noted the Republicans' absence.

Chens communications staff did not respond to emails sent by The Center Square.
The fatal Minneapolis shooting of Alex Pretti involving federal agents and the instant portrayal of him as an armed individual engaged in domestic terrorism" by some top Trump officials has sparked a Second Amendment backlash against the administration.

Multiple gun rights groups have criticized Homeland Security Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel for publicly condemning Pretti over bringing a gun to a protest despite Minnesota officials confirming he had a license to carry a concealed weapon.

"I don't know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign," Noem said of Pretti during a news conference just hours after he was fatally shot by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.

Department Of Veterans Affairs via Reuters - PHOTO: An undated handout image of Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by U.S. immigration agents as they tried to detain him in Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 25, 2026.

In an interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," Patel echoed Noem's statement, saying, "As Kristi said, you cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It's that simple."

Several gun rights groups were quick to refute the statements of Patel and Noem, including the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, which said in a social media post that Patel was "completely incorrect."

Minneapolis live updates: Trump says DHS Secretary Noem won't step down

Nathan Howard/Reuters - PHOTO: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks by a screen showing an image of a handgun that the Department of Homeland Security says was recovered from a man who was shot during his arrest in Minneapolis, in Washington, January 24, 2026.

"There is no prohibition on a permit holder carrying a firearm, loaded with multiple magazines at a protest or rally in Minnesota," the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a statement.

The National Association for Gun Rights also responded to Patel's statement, issuing a social media post, saying, "Carrying an extra magazine implies nothing."

"Claiming otherwise sets a dangerous precedent for Second Amendment rights and creates an easy backdoor argument for magazine bans and similar legislation," the group said.

A minute-by-minute timeline of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti involving federal agents

The National Rifle Association also issued a statement responding to a social media post by Bill Essayli, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, who wrote, "If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Don't do it!"

Adam Gray/AP - PHOTO: Protesters chant as they stand behind a makeshift barricade during a protest in response to the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer earlier in the day, Jan. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis.

The Gun Owners of America also condemned Essayli's comment. In a social media post, the organization wrote, "Federal agents are not 'highly likely' to be 'legally justified' in 'shooting' concealed carry licensees who approach while lawfully carrying a firearm. The Second Amendment protects Americans' right to bear arms while protesting -- a right the federal government must not infringe upon."



Essayli responded to the criticism, saying in a social media post directed at the Gun Owners of America, "I never said it's legally justified to shoot law-abiding concealed carriers. My comment addressed agitators approaching law enforcement with a gun and refusing to disarm."

The blowback came on top of bipartisan criticism of Trump administration officials for making a rush to judgment about Pretti, a 37-year-old Veterans Administration hospital nurse, issuing statements that appeared to be contradicted by multiple bystander videos of the shooting.

Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller took to social media on Saturday, writing, "A would-be assassin tried to murder federal law enforcement and official Democrat accounts sides with the terrorists."

Obtained by ABC News - PHOTO: Alex Pretti is confronted by federal agents prior to being fatally shot in Minneapolis, Jan. 24, 2026.

During her news conference on Saturday, Noem said Pretti had been "brandishing" a gun and possessed multiple magazines with the intent to inflict harm on officers. Greg Bovino, the CBP commander at large, said in a separate news conference on Saturday that "this looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement."

Video reviewed and verified by ABC News does not appear to show that Pretti drew his gun on the agents and instead was holding up a cellphone, not a gun, to record the agents during the incident.

Video Obtained By Reuters - PHOTO: A screengrab from a video obtained by Reuters shows a law enforcement officer spraying irritants at Alex Pretti, before he was fatally shot when federal agents were trying to detain him in Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 24, 2026.

"Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching," Pretti's sister, Micayla Pretti, said in a statement she released on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to try to distance themselves from the provocative statements made by top administration officials.

During a White House press briefing on Monday, Leavitt said, "Look, as I've said, I have not heard the president characterize Mr. Pretti in that way. However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts in the investigation lead itself."

On Saturday, Trump posted a photo of the handgun agents found on Pretti, writing in part, "This is the gunman's gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go..."

Speaking to reporters at the White House before heading to an event in Iowa on Tuesday, Trump was asked if he believed Pretti's death was justified.

"Well, you know we're doing a big investigation. I want to see the investigation. I'm going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself," Trump said.

Video Obtained By Reuters - PHOTO: The moment that the firearm of Alex Pretti is retrieved from a waistband holster by a federal officer as another officer (in green) draws his weapon, before Pretti was fatally shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 24, 2026.

Later on Tuesday in Iowa, Trump was asked by ABC News' Rachel Scott if he agreed with the assessment by some top members of his administration that Pretti was "domestic terrorist" or an "assassin."

"Well, I haven't heard that," Trump said. "But certainly he shouldn't have been carrying a gun. Hey look, bottomline, everybody in this room would view that as a very unfortunate incident, OK, everyone, unless you are a stupid person."

Trump added, "I don't like that he had a gun. I don't like that he had two fully loaded magazines. That's a lot of bad stuff. And despite that, I say that's a very unfortunate incident."

The shooting is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, Leavitt told reporters on Monday. CBP is also conducting its own internal review, she said.

'You remember Kyle Rittenhouse'

The reaction by the Trump administration officials to the fatal shooting -- the second in Minneapolis this month by federal agents conducting "Operation Metro Surge" -- also appears to conflict with how the administration has reacted to other instances of people bringing guns to protests.

Some Republicans have even called out the double standard.

"You remember Kyle Rittenhouse and how he was made a hero on the right?" former Rep. Trey Gowdy, a Republican from South Carolina, said during a Fox News interview on Monday. "I'm sure there are people on the conservative side who are saying, 'Wait a minute, you mean you can't take a firearm to a protest? Because you were just celebrating a guy for doing it a couple of years ago.' "

Following a police officer-involved shooting of a 29-year-old Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Aug. 25, 2020, Rittenhouse, who was then 17, answered an online call for armed "patriots" to come to Kenosha to protect lives and property after protests broke out. Armed with an AR-15-style rifle, Rittenhouse shot three protesters, two fatally, when he came under attack in the street.

Sean Krajacic/AP - PHOTO: Kyle Rittenhouse looks back as attorneys argue about the charges that will be presented to the jury during proceedings at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., in this Nov. 12, 2021, file photo.

Rittenhouse claimed he shot the men in self-defense, and a jury acquitted him in 2021 of homicide charges. Trump, who was in between presidential terms at the time, invited Rittenhouse to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

"He should not have had to suffer through a trial for that. He's a really good, young man," Trump said in a subsequent Fox News interview.

Kyle Rittenhouse acquitted on all charges

On Jan. 6, 2021, multiple Trump supporters were charged with possessing firearms and other dangerous weapons during the attack on the U.S. Capitol. At the start of his second term in office in 2025, Trump issued blanket unconditional pardons to all of them, saying many were serving sentences he found "ridiculous and excessive."

In April 2020, several armed men entered the Michigan State Capitol building to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's COVID stay-at-home order. In response to the protest, Trump issued a social media post, writing in all caps, "LIBERATE MICHIGAN." In a White House press briefing, Trump said, "They seem to be very responsible people to me."

'It does not appear that Alex Pretti broke any laws.'

James Sample, a professor at Hofstra University School of Law, said that as a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry a concealed weapon, Pretti appeared to do nothing wrong when he was shot to death.

"With respect to carrying a gun that he was permitted to carry, it does not appear that Alex Pretti broke any laws," Sample told ABC News.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images - PHOTO: People pay their respects during a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti after he was shot and killed earlier in the day, January 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Based on available videos of the shooting, Sample said, "Everything that he did and everything that we have seen is consistent with his Second Amendment rights while exercising his First Amendment rights."

As a legal gun owner permitted to carry a concealed weapon, Pretti would have had to pass a background and criminal history check, Sample noted.

What we know about Alex Pretti, VA nurse killed by federal agent in Minneapolis

Sample said that while it is a "good practice," Pretti had no obligation to let federal agents know he had a gun on him before he was tackled to the ground and shot.

"There's no doubt that Second Amendment gun rights advocates have long felt that the Second Amendment gets second-class treatment relative to other rights. That's one argument," Sample said. "Gun control advocates, on the other hand, have said that they believe the Second Amendment is protected at the cost of safety. Here we have a hybrid in which those two scenarios are jumbled and juxtaposed."
A U.S. Individual Income Tax Return Form 1040 sits on a desk alongside a pencil, a smartphone calculator, and cash. Photo: Sarah Pflug / Burst

(The Center Square)  New York and its municipalities are among the nations top taxers and highest spenders, which is contributing to an exodus of taxpayers fleeing to lower tax states, according to a new watchdog report.

The report by the Citizens Budget Commission, a nonpartisan watchdog group, found that New York state and local governments collected an average of $12,495 a year per capita the highest in the nation  in 2023 and $153 per $1,000 of personal income, the second highest in the nation. The state and municipalities also are the third-highest spenders per capita in the country, the group said.

"Combined with affordability challenges, public safety concerns, and uneven public services, these fiscal facts threaten New Yorks competitive advantage for residents and businesses," the report's authors wrote.

The report said New York's personal income tax collections in 2023 were 112% higher than the national average; 35% higher than Massachusetts and 54% higher than California. It also collected the highest corporate taxes per $1,000 of state gross domestic product in the nation; 40% higher than New Jersey and 50% higher than Connecticut.

The state and local government also spent more per capita  $15,894  than 47 states; 40% higher than the national average, or $11,385; 17% more than Massachusetts, 32% more than New Jersey, and 92% more than Florida, according to the report.

New York's population is shrinking, with hundreds of thousands of residents fleeing to Florida, New Jersey and other low-tax states, according to the latest U.S. Census figures. The population decline has major implications for the states, revenue and tax collections, federal data shows.

The nonpartisan commission has long argued that New York's outmigration is driven largely by the state's highest-in-the-nation tax burden, a business sector struggling under excessive regulations and rising labor costs.

New York has a graduated individual income tax, with rates ranging from 4% to 10.90%. There are also cities, towns and counties that collect local income taxes.

The report's authors suggested that the findings are a wake-up call for New York, saying the state's long-term success depends on its ability to stay competitive and attract and retain residents and businesses.

"New York will not become more affordable and competitive by increasing taxes. To best compete for residents and businesses, New York should enhance its value proposition," they wrote. "Taxes are one part of the value proposition equation. New York will not and does not need to be a low- or even average-taxing and spending state. But, given their relative standing, New York State and its localities should hold the line and preferably reduce taxes."

The report comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul faces pressure from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to increase state taxes to foot the bill for his lefty agenda, which includes tuition-free public colleges and bus service and universal childcare. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has pledged to increase taxes on corporations and push for a new wealth tax on New York City's highest earners.

Hochul has signaled that she is unlikely to support tax increases in her upcoming budget proposal for the next fiscal year, but hasn't ruled out higher taxes to pay for expanded universal child care programs.

New York state is facing a projected budget deficit of more than $10 billion in the next fiscal year, with revenue gaps widened by federal cuts and funding freezes.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing titled "U.S. Policy Towards Venezuela", on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 28, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - There is active work under way to reconcile the territorial issue of Donetsk at U.S.-mediated talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday, describing the disagreement as a key remaining issue that is "very difficult" to resolve.

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said Russia will take all of Ukraine's Donbas region, of which Moscow's forces control 90%, by force unless Kyiv gives it up in a peace deal. Donetsk is part of the Donbas region.

Kyiv has said it will not gift Russia territory that Moscow has failed to win on the battlefield. Polls show little appetite among Ukrainians for territorial concessions.

"It's still a bridge we have to cross. It's still a gap, but at least we've been able to narrow down the issue set to one central one, and it will probably be a very difficult one," Rubio told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

U.S. MAY JOIN TALKS

Putin's demand that Ukraine surrender the 20% it still holds of Donetsk, about 5,000 sq km (1,900 sq miles), has proven a major stumbling block to any deal. Most countries recognize Donetsk as part of Ukraine. Putin says Donetsk is part of Russia's "historical lands."

The top U.S. diplomat said there might be a U.S. presence in the follow-up Ukraine talks, but President Donald Trump's top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who had taken part in the previous round of talks last weekend in Abu Dhabi, will not be participating.

The talks last weekend, which included a rare face-to-face engagement between Russian and Ukrainian officials, ended without a deal, but Moscow and Kyiv said they were open to further dialogue. More discussions were expected next Sunday in Abu Dhabi, said a U.S. official who spoke to reporters at the time.

Kyiv is under mounting Trump administration pressure to make concessions to reach a deal to end Europe's deadliest and most destructive conflict since World War Two, triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Rubio was also asked if security guarantees for Ukraine were agreed to by the U.S. and Ukrainian sides.

"I think you could argue they're agreed to from our side of the equation. There's obviously a Russian dynamic at play here. And of course, any security guarantees would come into play after the conflict would end," Rubio said.

The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that Washington told Ukraine it must sign on to a peace deal with Russia to get U.S. security guarantees.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, Katharine Jackson;Editing by Rod Nickel)
The US has officially withdrawn from the landmark Paris climate agreement for the second time  reinforcing Donald Trump's push to keep America out of the fight against the climate crisis.

The US stands as the only country ever to have withdrawn from the pact; it is alongside Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only countries not party to the agreement. Announced when Mr Trump re-entered the White House last year, the move is one of the linchpins of Trump's America First policy that seeks to remove Washington from international treaties and organisations he sees as of no benefit to the country.

The Paris agreement is at the heart of the international commitment to tackle rising global temperatures. It commits nations to "pursue efforts" to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C, and to keep them "well below" 2C above those recorded in pre-industrial times, in order to try and curb some of the harsher impacts of warming that will affect millions of people around the globe.

Given that the US is one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases, the move to withdraw from the Paris agreement has drawn sharp criticism from climate groups, human rights advocates and Trump critics.

The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement sets a disturbing precedent that seeks to instigate a race to the bottom, and, along with its withdrawal from other major global climate pacts, aims to dismantle the global system of cooperation on climate action," said Marta Schaaf, Amnesty Internationals Programme Director for Climate.

"The US is one of several powerful anti-climate actors, but as an influential superpower, this decision, along with acts of coercion and bullying of other countries and powerful actors to double down on fossil fuels, causes particular harm and threatens to reverse more than a decade of global climate progress under the agreement."

US-based climate advocates and activists now find themselves on the frontlines of a fight with implications for current and future generations everywhere... Ceding ground now risks losing it for years. Neither the planet nor the people living on the frontlines of proliferating unnatural disasters have that much time, she added.

Gavin Newsom, the governor of California  and one of Trump's fiercest critics  said: "As climate disasters cost Americans trillions, Trumps answer is to wave the white flag. California wont retreat. Well keep working with our partners around the world to cut pollution, create jobs, and lead the clean energy economy that the Trump administration is too weak to fight for."

Mr Trump's decision does not change the fact that renewable energy sources accounted for more than 90 per cent of new power generation capacity in 2025, but it is China that is leading the way. The US withdrawal will certainly complicate the push to keep global temperature rises within 1.5C, or even 2C.

Earlier this month, the US also announced it will leave the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), under which the Paris agreement was established. Together, the moves take the US out of the key bodies for battling the climate crisis, as well as helping some of the countries most at risk from changes in temperature and the increasing rate of extreme weather. Recently, the US also left the UN's World Health Organisation (WHO), a decision the global body said would make "both the United States and the world less safe".
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki leaves after casting his ballot in the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Baghdad on November 11, 2025. - Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images/File

US President Donald Trump has warned Iraq over a reinstatement of Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister, saying that the country descended into poverty and total chaos under his previous leadership.

That should not be allowed to happen again Trump wrote on social media Tuesday. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq. If we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of success, prosperity, or freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!

Al-Maliki, leader of the Iran-aligned Islamic Dawa Party, previously served two consecutive terms as Iraqs prime minister between 2006 and 2014.

Al-Maliki dismissed Trumps threat as blatant American interference in Iraqs internal affairs, and vowed to continue to work until we reach the end.

Trumps post signals potential sharp US action if al-Maliki is given the post, said Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at Londons Chatham House think tank, adding the US is trying to curb Irans influence in Iraq, especially as they see Iranian-allied factions with armed militias vie for power.

Trumps warning and al-Malikis rebuttal come as the US builds up military assets in the Middle East, raising fears of an American-Iranian confrontation that could plunge the region into crisis.

Who is Nouri al-Maliki?

Born in 1950, al-Maliki joined the Iran-backed Dawa Party in 1968 and later fled Iraq in 1979-1980 after being sentenced to death for opposing Saddam Husseins Baathist regime. He returned to Iraq in 2003 following the US-led invasion which toppled Saddam but plunged the country into years of devastating turmoil and violent insurgency.

During al-Malikis administration, particularly in late 2013 and the first half of 2014, the Islamic State (ISIS) seized several major Iraqi cities and large swaths of territory. This prompted the government to form Shia-led paramilitary forces to counter the Sunni extremists. The United States has long opposed these armed groups and called for their disarmament.

He was nominated by the Shia Coordination Framework which holds a parliamentary majority  to serve again as Iraqs prime minister, citing his political and administrative experience and role in managing the state.

Iraq held nationwide elections in November for 329 seats in parliament. Shiite alliances won 187 seats. Shia Muslims make up the majority of Iraqs population.

Iraqs president, Abdul Latif Rashid, congratulated al-Maliki on his nomination in a statement on Sunday and expressed hope that his leadership would strengthen political stability, national partnership, and Iraqs development, while meeting the aspirations of the Iraqi people for security and services.

Sajad Jiyad, a Baghdad-based fellow at Century International, said obstacles remain to al-Malikis aspirations to run the country again, especially after Trumps open opposition, but he may proceed nonetheless.

Al-Maliki was supported by the US when he first came to power in 2006. Relations soured during his second term that started in 2010 as he failed to prevent the rise of sectarianism and grew closer to Iran.

In his second term, the US saw that his politics were being increasingly sectarian, especially against the Sunni Muslims in Iraq, which led to the rise of ISIS in 2014, Mansour said.

Al-Maliki stepped down in 2014 as ISIS seized large swathes of the country but remained a powerful political figure and later aligned more closely to Iran-backed factions in Iraq.

In December, Trumps special envoy to Iraq, Mark Savaya, warned Iraqi politicians to rein in non-state armed groups, cautioning that failure could push Iraq toward fragmentation and decline more than two decades after Saddam Hussein was toppled.

He also warned that the decisions made by Iraqi leaders in the coming period will determine whether Iraq advances toward sovereignty and strength or slips back into fragmentation and decline.

Iraq has been walking a tightrope between Washington and Tehran for several years. While Iran maintains influence over a number of powerful parties, some of which are heavily armed, the US still has leverage, especially over Iraqs economy.

Since its 2003 invasion, Iraqs oil export revenues have been deposited into an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, giving Washington substantial oversight and the power to freeze the funds it needed.

The threats against Iraq are real, Jiyad said. The US is increasing the pressure because it wants Baghdad to be more aligned with it.

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President Trump threatened Iran on Wednesday with an attack "far worse" than the strikes he ordered against the country's nuclear sites in June if Tehran doesn't agree to a deal to curb its nuclear program.

"A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary," Mr. Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. "Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!"

Mr. Trump said that if Iran did not come to an agreement with the United States, the U.S. could carry out an attack worse than its previous one in June, when it hit multiple nuclear sites with bunker busting bombs.

"As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn't, and there was 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Mr. Trump said Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, a U.S. official confirmed to CBS News that the USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier Strike Group, which includes the carrier and three destroyers, had crossed into the U.S. military's Central Command area of responsibility, which includes the Middle East and the waters around Iran, though it had not necessarily reached its intended final deployment location.

A file photo shows the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in 2024. / Credit: Kevin Carter/Getty Images

While Mr. Trump has issued threats to Iran for weeks, and as the Lincoln strike group nears the region, his rhetoric had largely been about Iran's brutal quashing of massive street protests. The Truth Social post on Wednesday was the first time he had linked the major U.S. Navy deployment in the Persian Gulf region to the stalled nuclear negotiations.

Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said in a social media post on Wednesday, after Mr. Trump's post, that the country "stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interestsBUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!"

"Last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives," the Iranian mission said.

Last week, he said the "armada" of U.S. warships was heading for the Middle East as he continued to watch the Iranian regime's response to the massive protests that began in late December.

"We have a lot of ships going that direction just in case," he told reporters on Thursday. He called it a "good sign" that Iranian authorities had decided not to hang protesters, adding: "We have an armada heading that direction and maybe we won't have to use it."

Iran's army commander reiterated recent statements on Wednesday from the country's leaders, saying Iran was ready for any attack by its enemies.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran Army is always ready to confront any threat, and if anything happens, the enemy will certainly suffer severe damage," Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Chief of Staff and Deputy Coordinator of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, said Wednesday, according to Iranian state media. "We stand against any threat on land, in the air, and at sea, and the army is always ready to confront any threat."

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, said Wednesday that he was in "continuous contact" with his counterparts in other regional countries, including U.S. ally Qatar, and that they agreed any new military action against Tehran would destabilize the Middle East.

"Last night, I spoke with the Foreign Minister of Qatar," Araghichi was quoted as saying by Iranian media. "The prevailing view across the region is that any military threat, given the nature of the U.S. presence here, would lead to instability throughout the entire region."

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (C) gives a statement during a visit to the mausoleum of slain Lebanese Hezbollah's Leader Hassan Nasrallah, in Sept. 2024, in Beirut's southern suburbs on June 3, 2025. / Credit: Anwar AMRO/AFP

Araghchi was quoted as telling reporters on the sidelines of a weekly cabinet meeting in Tehran that he had had no contact with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days, and that Iran had not sought new negotiations with Washington, though he added that the two sides remained in touch through intermediaries.

"Our position is precisely that pursuing diplomacy through military threats cannot be effective," he said. "If they want negotiations to take place, they must set aside threats, excessive demands, and the raising of illogical issues. Negotiations have their own principles and must be conducted on an equal footing and based on mutual respect."

Iran had been bound by an international nuclear agreement from 2015, which required it to submit to outside monitoring of its enrichment activities and a cap on the level to which it could enrich uranium, until 2018, when Mr. Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement during his first term.

He had long been critical of the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was negotiated by President Obama's administration and signed by Iran, the U.S., China, France, Russia, the U.K., Germany and the European Union, as too lax on Tehran.

Despite European efforts to keep the deal viable, the unilateral U.S. withdrawal prompted Iran to incrementally abandon adherence to the terms of the agreement, and its nuclear program has ramped up over the last half of a decade.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio da Costa radiated cheer as they posed for reporters ahead of the deal's announcement [Reuters]

The trade deal between India and the European Union is as much about geopolitics as it's about intercontinental business relations.

The EU is already India's largest partner with trade in goods reaching $142.3bn (104.07bn) in 2024, amounting to 11.5% of the South Asian nation's total trade. India is the EU's ninth largest trading partner.

These are impressive numbers and reflect strong relations. And yet, trade talks were stuck for two decades.

That raises the question: what's changed now? The answer lies in the fast-evolving geopolitical landscape and the unpredictability of the US administration under President Donald Trump.

The US leader has used tariffs as a bargaining chip in some negotiations but he has often used them to punish countries, including partners, which don't agree with his worldview.

The US has imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, which include a 25% penalty for Delhi's refusal to stop buying oil from Russia.

Some EU countries recently faced fresh tariff threats from Trump as the US president was put out by their refusal to accept his proposed takeover of Greenland. He later withdrew the threat, but experts say it did rattle the EU.

The EU and India are not alone in looking to hedge their bets when it comes to the US  the free trade agreement (FTA) in Delhi was secured amid a flurry of countries striking deals and patching things up as they try to cope with global unpredictability.

The EU-India pact - the seventh trade deal India has completed recently - comes after Brussels signed a trade accord with South American trade bloc Mercosur earlier this month after 25 years of negotiation. Experts say the Trump factor helped speed that up too, though it's now facing legal challenges in Europe.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney  who warned of a "rupture" in the post-war international order last week  is just back from a visit resetting ties in China which will boost trade ties, drawing Trump's ire and fresh threats of 100% tariffs. Carney is also due to travel to India in the near future, with trade high on the agenda. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is heading to Beijing this week, accompanied by dozens of British business executives, following years of strained ties with China.

Against this backdrop, the India-EU trade deal, which is still subject to ratification, assumes greater geopolitical significance as it achieves more than just trade results - for both Brussels and Delhi.

It sends a message to Trump that global powers have started to look at ways to club together to protect themselves against his administration.

"One could argue that the Trump factor provided a very strong impetus to the deal because both India and the EU are facing shock US tariffs that they never expected," said Michael Kugelman, senior fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council.

He added that Trump is a big reason why the EU and India have been able to overcome most of their differences and put issues they couldn't resolve on the back-burner for future negotiations.

Trump has used tariffs to threaten countries, including allies, which don't agree with his worldview [Getty Images]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen both called Tuesday's agreement "the mother of all deals".

"This is the tale of two giants - the world's second and fourth largest economies - two giants who choose partnership in a true win-win fashion, a strong message that co-operation is the best answer to global challenges," said von der Leyen, standing beside Modi after they exchanged agreements.

"By combining these strengths, we reduce strategic dependencies at a time when trade is increasingly weaponised We are not only making our economies stronger - we are also delivering security for our people in an increasingly insecure world."

Modi said the global order is in "great turmoil" and the trade deal would strengthen supply chains globally.

"This means it is not just a trade agreement. This is a new blueprint for shared prosperity," he said.

The two leaders' may or may not have intended the deal to annoy the Trump administration, but they appear to have done exactly that.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told ABC News on Sunday that the EU was "financing the war against themselves" by signing a trade deal with Delhi.

He was referring to India's purchase of Russian crude, which US officials have often said was indirectly financing Moscow's war in Ukraine. India has always denied this, saying the purchase of Russian oil secures energy needs of millions of its people.

The time-tested Delhi-Moscow relations are also the reason why India has been reluctant to abruptly cut business ties with Russia. It has long relied on Moscow for military hardware but today's deal will help it build on already strong defence ties with France as it looks to diversify its defence imports portfolio with other European nations too.

The India deal also gives the EU access to another huge market and may help it reduce its reliance on China in the future.

"India will also look at this partnership as a way to counter China's dominance in global trade, which it envisaged doing with the US. But it's a different state of play right now. The EU likewise sees India as a useful country to partner within its own efforts to counter China," Kugelman added.

But it's worth remembering that behind the chest-thumping headlines, there is still plenty of work to do for both India and the EU. While negotiations around the deal have concluded, the formal signing of the agreement will take a long time.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently visited China to boost trade ties [Getty Images]

Legal experts from both sides will take months to finalise the text of the deal and then it will have to be ratified by member states and the European Parliament, which experts say is not going to be a cakewalk, as the Mercosur deal shows.

Mark Linscott, senior adviser for trade at the US-India Strategic Partnership, wrote on LinkedIn that there are still issues to be ironed out, including on intellectual property, agriculture and carbon emissions.

The biggest risk is the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), according to the Global Trade Research Initiative, a Delhi-based think-tank.

"From 1 January, EU imports are taxed based on carbon emissions. As CBAM is not addressed in the FTA, EU goods could enter India duty-free while Indian exports continue to face carbon taxes in Europe. The agreement does little to correct this imbalance," it said.

But business groups in Europe and Indian industries badly affected by US tariffs have broadly welcomed the deal for increasing market access in both directions.

Fredrik Persson, president of BusinessEurope, which represents business groups across the EU, said it was an important "first step". But he added: "Implementation will be key to unlocking the agreement's full potential."

Experts say getting the deal ratified by the European Parliament may not be easy [Getty Images]

Trump's tariffs may have hastened the deal struck in Delhi but that is not the only reason it happened. Both the EU and India restarted serious negotiations in 2022 with the aim of reaching accord as early as possible.

The EU deal also underpins India's renewed interests in signing more Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with nations and blocs and opening its vast market, which has traditionally been protected.

The EU is India's biggest trading partner - so no surprise that the size of the deal is much bigger than other FTAs, including the one with the UK.

In this context, India will not want to give up on its trade negotiations with the Trump administration as the US continues to be a vital and significant market for India. And the EU wouldn't want to upset Washington either.

But if this deal helps them both get more leverage in future negotiations with Trump, they will gladly take it.

How Trump would react to it is impossible to predict.

Additional reporting by Jonathan Josephs

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
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A woman accused of posing as a doctor performed a Brazilian butt lift that nearly killed a 46-year-old, who needed multiple surgeries to treat a life-threatening infection that followed her procedure, according to prosecutors.

Nargiza Shukurova, 39, of Uzbekistan, performed the BBL without a medical license at Fleur de Beaute Salon in Brooklyn, New York, on May 7, 2023, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, which says the salon is not a New York State authorized surgical facility.

Shukurova has since been indicted on charges of second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree assault, unauthorized practice of a profession, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the BBL, the district attorneys office said in a Friday, January 23, news release.

[Shukurova] is accused of deceiving a victim by falsely presenting herself as though she were licensed to practice medicine and conducting a high-risk surgery she was not legally qualified to perform, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.

The alleged conduct left the victim with life-threatening injuries and required extensive medical care, Gonzalez added.

What to Know About Investigation Into Influencer Yulia Burtsevas Death After Cosmetic Surgery

Shukurovas defense attorney, Lance Lazzaro, did not immediately respond to Us Weeklys request for comment on Monday, January 26.

While investigating the May 2023 BBL, investigators learned Shukurova had been marketing herself as Dr. Nargiza and Dr. Nargis over social media, according to the district attorneys office.

She would advertise services such as butt enlargement, buttocks shape correction and Barbie lips, prosecutors said.

At Fleur de Beaute Salon, according to prosecutors, Shukurova did not take the victims medical history or perform a basic physical exam and did not follow standard surgical procedures.

Following the unnamed womans BBL procedure, the 46-year-old began experiencing severe medical issues and an infection which resulted in her losing consciousness at her home nearly three weeks later, according to prosecutors.

Shukurova is accused of convincing the woman to not pursue medical attention for her infection.

Instead, prosecutors said Shukurova attempted to manage the victims rapidly declining condition herself.

The womans family rushed her to a hospital after she passed out at her home in the weeks after the BBL procedure, according to prosecutors.

She needed about a dozen surgeries in the span of two months to save her life, the district attorneys office said.

OnlyFans Star Kayla Jade Shares Her Nightmare Brazilian Butt Surgery Experience in Turkey

While in the hospital, Shukurova was accused of calling the woman multiple times, and leaving voice messages for her, begging [the victim] to lie to hospital personnel about the procedure and not reveal her identity, according to prosecutors.

On January 9, Shukurova was arrested on a warrant issued out of Kings County, New York, at the Los Angeles International Airport, the district attorneys office said.

During her first court appearance in New York on January 23, when she had her arraignment, Shukurova pleaded not guilty, court records show. She is due back in court on March 25.

The district attorneys office warned in the news release that in all plastic surgery, the Brazilian butt lift (BBL) must be performed with the greatest of care, as it has the highest mortality rate of any cosmetic surgery procedure.
The Utah State Capitol stands beneath a partly cloudy sky in Salt Lake City. Photo: Chase Charaba / Unsplash

(The Center Square)  The Utah House Health and Human Services Committee heard comments Tuesday for and against a ban on gender-changing procedures for minors.

Introduced by state Rep. Rex P. Shipp, R-Iron County, House Bill 174 prohibits giving cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers to minors unless specific circumstances are met. HB 174 would also require health care professionals to initiate treatment plans for minors that want to end cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers.

Those testifying before the committee included patient advocate Chloe Cole. A native of California, Cole began to transition to a male at the age of 12 and later changed her mind. Now a young adult working for Do No Harm, Cole has been traveling the country to speak against surgeries and medications for people with gender dysphoria.

That last time I was here, I spoke about some of the consequences for my health, Cole told lawmakers. Almost none of those complications have gone away since. Some have even worsened over the years.

Cole said there have been multiple instances over the years where her scars burst into open wounds with no explanation or help from medical professionals.

Im not just a one-off experience, Cole told lawmakers. There is a rapidly growing community of thousands of men and women and boys and girls who end up regretting their transition, and drugs have destroyed their bones and their joints.

According to Cole, no amount of terribly conducted studies or institutionally abused children being used as pawns for an ideology is going to refute reality. In her opinion, the very basis of so-called gender affirming care is a lie.

Cole also called it fraudulent.

Male and female are not feelings, Cole told lawmakers. Sex is not a feeling, but an immutable and born characteristic, and it cannot be changed by mutilation or chemical castration. And there is no such thing as a transgender child because no child is born in the wrong body. But if you try to change a childs sex through cruel and experimental drugs and butchery, you are going to leave them scarred for life.

Dr. Kurt Miceli, chief medical officer with Do No Harm, also appeared before lawmakers.

In his remarks, Miceli spoke against a 2025 report from the Department of Health and Human Services of Utah that was called for in 2023 when Senate Bill 16 was passed and set a moratorium on pediatric medical transition for minors who had not yet been diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

One part of that piece of legislation was to have a systematic evidence review done of the state of evidence related to hormones being used as sex change procedures in minors, and I must say it's just terribly unreliable, Miceli told The Center Square prior to Tuesdays committee hearing. If folks are going to be making determinations of how to proceed with pediatric medical transition, it really makes a lot more sense to look at the Cass Review or the U.S. HHS review in November of last year.

On its website, Do No Harm has referred to the Cass review as an exhaustive review of gender medical services in the United Kingdom that found remarkably weak evidence to support the use of puberty blockers and hormone treatments for gender-distressed children.

Many who are committed to so-called gender-affirming care have attempted to downplay its findings, according to Do No Harm.

HHS, meanwhile, has called gender surgeries and medications unnecessary procedures that carry long-term health risks.

Pointing to these reports in the hearing, Miceli told lawmakers Tuesday that they provide a far more methodologically sound and transparent assessment of the evidence.

Among those urging committee members not to pass HB 174 were David Torrey of Salt Lake City.

These bills tell me the care I rely on can be questioned, restricted, or taken away at any time, said Torrey. They force me to live with uncertainty and fear about whether the state will interfere with decisions I make with my doctors about my own body. That fear is constant. It affects my mental health, my sense of safety and my ability to plan my life here in Utah.

Dr. Collin Kuhn, a clinical child and adolescent psychologist, also urged lawmakers to not approve HB 174.

What we see with the anti-trans laws, and what they cause, is up to a 72% increase in suicide attempts, Kuhn told lawmakers.
Famous reggae rhythm section and producing team Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. (Credit: Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

For half a century, Sly & Robbie reached into every corner of popular music. They were reggae icons and an in-demand rhythm section and production team, working alongside Bob Marley and Peter Tosh early on, but later appearing on records by a staggering variety of artists, from Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones to Madonna and Sinead OConnor.

Drummer Lowell Fillmore Sly Dunbar, who died January 26 at 73, first met bassist Robbie Shakespeare when they were teens in the Trench Town neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica, the birthplace of rocksteady and reggae. For them, reggae was at the root of their identity as musicians, but they were always interested in stretching out in new directions, from the new textures of dancehall reggae to electronic dance music.

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Back in 1999, I went to Jamaica to talk with Sly & Robbie, who were then at a height of influence and activity. They had a new album, Strip to the Bone, with electro producer Howie B, blending dub with the newest sounds of the moment.

After I got to the island, and checked into my hotela resort owned by Island Records founder Chris BlackwellI soon learned that only Sly had shown up. Robbie was in Miami. It hardly mattered, since the drummer was a warm and relaxed host, eager to discuss a music career that had led the Grammy-winning duo around the world, but always coming back home to Jamaica.

There are a lot of great musicians in America, and we admire them and learn a lot from them, Dunbar told me while stretched out on a chair on the hotel lawn. He was dressed in denim, soaking up the Jamaican sunshine. But should we go to America and make music inside of this big place, or stay here in Jamaica? This is where we came from, this is where we learned.

Sly & Robbie toured the world, and frequently visited recording studios in New York, but for much of their lives, he told me, Jamaica remained at the core of their inspiration. This is where we live, so you have to maintain the home ingredients.

Robbie Shakespeare, Sinead OConnor, and Sly Dunbar. (Credit: Mick Hutson/Redferns)

As for his partnership with Robbie (who died in 2021), Sly noted that while they did sometimes work separately, something special happened when they were in a room together. Most of the time people just want to get that sound, he said. As Chris Blackwell always said, put me and Robbie in a studio and you dont know whats going to happen.

By then, Dunbar had begun to incorporate electronic drums in his repertoire, expanding fromrather than abandoninghis acoustic roots. For Sly & Robbie, staying current was a core mission. He noted that Marley was the first on the island to use a drum machine, on 1974s So Jah Seh and the next year on No Woman, No Cry.

I was looking at the world development of the drum section, percussion stuff, and everything was getting electronic, Sly explained. I said, this is going to be big. I want to be a part of it, I want to grow with it.

A live kit has more soul to it, I think personally. But what the kids are listening to, and what has become the sound of the day, is done on an electronic kit. If I didnt stay involved in it, and decided I was going to stay acoustic, I wouldnt have any sessions to do in Jamaica. Nobody would have any time for me to come set up a kit.

As an adolescent, his head was first turned by the beats and deep feeling of drummers Lloyd Knibb of the Skatalites and Al Jackson Jr. of Booker T. & the M.G.s. And as the music evolved, Sly moved with it.

Going to school, I used to bang on the desk and start playing, he said of his obsession with the new Jamaican styles exploding around him. When rocksteady came, I was trying to learn it. And when reggae came, it was great dance music and I wanted to be part of it.

Sly Dunbar posed at the Jazz Cafe in London in 2005. (Credit: Richard Ecclestone/Redferns)

Though not credited, Dunbar played with Marley just once in 1977, on his Punky Reggae Party, originally released as a 12-inch single on Tuff Gong/Island. But he and Shakespeare watched as Marley rose from local hero to become an international icon.

We listened to his work, and you could tell something was going to happen, Sly said. He kept on improving and improving, his songs were getting better and better. He really got serious. He knew what he wanted and what he wanted to be and where he wanted to go. It was very clever of him.

All the music people used to live in Trench Town. I used to look at these people, who were big stars, and I wanted to be like them.

As a lifelong musical partnership, Sly & Robbie kept the bass and drums in sync, but loose enough to allow either to stretch out in a moment of inspiration. We support each other in our playing, he explained. If Robbie breaks away and does something, I stand firm, and he comes back. Im right there.

As artists, the duo released more than 30 albums together. We never really disagree, Sly added. We always remember where we are coming from, and we have a lot of respect. We know it wasnt built by one of us. It was putting in the time and energy and sacrifice. We never forget that.

In 1999, Beenie Man was the current star on the radio at home. For Dunbar, the music in Jamaica was always evolving, from rocksteady to roots reggae to dancehall and beyond, and he welcomed all of it. Sly & Robbie were always prepared to dig into a classic reggae groove, but never stopped being intrigued with wherever it was going next.

If you look at ska and reggae from back in 1970, and you look at what were playing today with dancehall, theres no old reggae song like dancehall. Its two different things, Dunbar said. But if you look at R&B then and you look at R&B now, its the same thing. If you look at rock and roll then and now its the same groove. Reggae keeps changing.

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
A familys private lake was allegedly drained by county officials and now theyre fighting to get their property and its value back.

An Alabama couple, Joshua and Alyssa Baxley, is taking Talladega County to court, alleging the county workers illegally entered their land and drained a private lake, causing tens of thousands of dollars of damage.

The Baxleys own the private lake thats on their rural property along Henderson Lake Road in Alabama. They purchased the property back in 2020.

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The lawsuit, filed in Talladega County Circuit Court, names the local commission, along with multiple employees, alleging they acted with gross and reckless disregard for the Baxleys property rights. Additionally, they killed thousands of fish and damaged an established wildlife habitat.

For Joshua Baxley, the lake was more than just a cool feature on their land; it was essential for daily life, from fishing to time outdoors with his wife and four young daughters.

This place is my oasis, Baxley told ABC I Team (1). To see that devastation was heartbreaking.

The cost of a drained lake

According to the lawsuit, county workers entered the Baxleys property on August 13, 2024, and opened drainage structures connected to their private lake without authorization.

The lake was originally built as part of a government-funded watershed project. But any easement allowing county access expired in 2019 and was not renewed, according to the Baxleys.

An easement is a legal right that allows a third party, often a government agency or utility, to access or use part of a private property for a specific purpose such as maintenance or drainage (2). These rights typically run with the land, meaning they can be passed on to future owners unless they expire or are formally revoked.

When the Baxleys purchased the property, no easements or other restrictions were recorded, the lawsuit says. The complaint also alleges county officials have failed to produce documentation showing they had the authority to access the property or drain the lake.

The impact, Joshua Baxley says, was immediate and lasting. A lake that once reached more than 40 feet deep now measures 8 to 10 feet.

The fish all died, he added. They said theyd make it right. They havent.

Alyssa Baxley, a partner at Baxley Maniscalco Attorneys at Law, is representing her family in the case. The lawsuit includes several claims, among them trespass, negligence and unconstitutional taking, a legal theory known as inverse condemnation.

Inverse condemnation allows property owners to seek compensation when a government action damages or devalues private property without formally acquiring it through eminent domain (3).

For the Baxleys, the damages add up quickly. In a formal notice of claim sent in June 2025, they estimated losses totaling $72,324, including more than $42,000 for fish restocking and rehabilitation and $30,000 for loss of use and enjoyment of the lake.

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The lawsuit also seeks compensation for diminished property value, restoration costs, emotional distress, punitive damages and legal fees.

The financial stakes can be significant. The average Alabama home is valued at about $229,000, according to Zillow (4). Research shows that ponds and small lakes can boost property values by roughly 1.9% to 7.7%, while also helping homes sell faster by enhancing recreation, aesthetics and overall marketability.

The road to a lawsuit

Filing a lawsuit was not the Baxleys first step.

According to the complaint, the family repeatedly tried to resolve the issue directly with county officials before turning to the courts. Joshua Baxley said county leaders assured him the situation would be addressed, but no corrective action followed.

They shook my hand, looked me in the eye and said were going to do the right thing, Baxley said. They havent done anything.

Claims alleging government interference with private property dont resolve quickly. Inverse condemnation cases can take many years to make their way through the courts, often a significant portion of a decade, adding time and cost to what is already a stressful process for homeowners (5).

Court filings state the county failed to respond to the Baxleys formal notice of claim within the timeframe required under Alabama law, allowing the lawsuit to move forward.

In the meantime, the family obtained a professional restocking plan to assess what it would take to restore the lake, though the process could take years.

For now, the Baxleys are requesting a jury trial. The family says their goal remains simple: for the county to acknowledge responsibility and repair the damage.

I want them to take responsibility for it and fix it," said Baxley.

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Article sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

ABC 33 40 News (1); Protect Your Boundaries (2); Cornell Law (3); Zillow (4).

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Beth Hyland fell pray to a romance scam after her divorce.

Romance scams are on the rise, and they are costing Americans hundreds of millions of dollars.

According to the FBIs 2024 Internet Crime Report, romance scams (and the similar confidence scams, which also take advantage of peoples trust) cost Americans a staggering $672 million in 2024. And those are just the ones that were reported.

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People aged 60 and over lost the most, with $389 million in reported losses; people aged 50-59 reported $82 million in losses; while those 40-49 lost $46 million collectively (1).

One woman from Michigan shared her story of being duped by a romance scammer, in the hopes that going public would help others avoid the same fate.

I remember thinking, Am I falling for this guy already?

Beth Hyland, from Portage, Mich., told WWMT-TV how she lost more than $20,000 to a scammer. After getting divorced in 2019, Hyland decided in October 2023 to download the dating app Tinder.

She matched with a man named Richard, whose profile said he was from France, and Hyland said that soon they were texting and talking on the phone daily.

Hyland told WWMT-TV that things moved fast.

Within a week I felt like, Wow, she said. I remember thinking, Am I falling for this guy already? After only a few weeks, she told him she had fallen in love with him, and he told her he loved her, too.

Hyland said that she and Richard were soon sending photos of engagement rings and links to houses they could buy together in West Michigan. Hyland said that they made plans to meet face-to-face, but then Richard told her he had to travel to Qatar for work.

Richard told her he couldnt access his bank accounts when he was supposedly in the Middle East. He sent her photos showing bank accounts with millions of dollars. First, he asked her to log into one of his accounts and transfer money. After this initial success, he said he was locked out of his accounts again.

Thats when Hyland started taking out money to send him. She took out a loan and a cash advance, plus paid transfer fees that amounted to a total of $26,000. He told her to send the money through a Bitcoin ATM and gave her a QR code.

Then, he put Hyland in touch with his financial advisor, who told Hyland she needed to send another $50,000. It wasnt until Hyland sat down with her own financial advisor  to get the money to send to Richard  and started telling him the story that she came to terms with what was happening to her.

I just felt so alone at this point, and isolated, and frustrated, Hyland told WWMT-TV.

She told her financial advisor the whole story.

I remember thinking, This sounds really bad, as it was coming out of my mouth, she said (2).

Read More: This $1B private real estate fund is now accessible to non-millionaires. Heres how you can get started with as little as $10

The reddest red flag: Emotional manipulation

Romance scams dont only bring financial devastation: Its emotional as well. They can happen online or in person. An online romance scam, like the one that targeted Beth Hyland, can begin on social media, a dating app, websites, or by text or email.

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), romance scammers may build a persona that seems very real, using either real photos or those found online. They may scour your own social media for information and then pretend to have the same hobbies and interests as you (3). Some online romance scammers may even pretend to be celebrities.

Romance scammers often draw out their grift over a long period of time. In Hylands case, it was four months. These crooks take time to gain your trust and make you believe that they care for you  so when they eventually ask you for money or gifts, youll be much more likely to agree.

Ally Armeson, executive director of programs at the non-profit FightCyberCrime.org, told WWMT-TV that emotional manipulation makes it a lot harder to see red flags that might be obvious to someone outside the situation.

According to the non-profit, red flags from potential romantic partners you meet online include:

Moving unusually quickly to advance the relationship

Refusing to meet in person (remember video chats can be manipulated by AI)

Using isolation tactics such as telling you to keep the relationship a secret or getting upset if you tell friends or family

Expressing excessive flattery or sympathy, which creates emotional dependence (4)

Romance scammers may use a variety of tactics to manipulate you into giving them money. FightCyberCrime.org says that they may even build a persona that not only allows them to avoid in-person meetings, but also justifies the scenarios they create to ask for money (5). These scenarios will often create a sense of urgency and heightened emotion, which encourages the victim to act quickly, not pausing to question what is happening (4).

Here are some common scam personas, according to FightCyberCrime.org:

Hard luck scammer : These will ask for money for fake emergencies such as a sick child, medical crisis or unexpected travel costs for their job or visa.

Investment scammer : They often discuss cryptocurrency investments and may create fake websites, promise big returns, or feign a mutual interest in investing.

Overseas worker : They will say they are in the military, work on an oil rig, or are government contractors overseas, and claim they cant access their money because they are in a remote area.

Celebrity impersonator: These use AI to impersonate a celebrity, including by using voice cloning technology.

The CFPB says that some romance scammers may start by asking for only a small amount of money for something like a car repair or a medical bill. After youve given a small amount, they may ask for larger amounts, or ask you to use payment methods like wire transfers, gift cards, payment apps or cryptocurrency (3).

What to do if you fall victim to a romance scam

The CFPB advises that if you have become involved in a romance scam, start by immediately cutting contact with the person. Then, contact your financial institutions if you sent money or gave any personal information.

Make sure to talk to trusted friends and family members. Victims might feel ashamed and not want to share what happened, but seeking support from your loved ones is important.

FightCyberCrime.org also recommends taking steps to prevent identity theft if you have already shared personal information, such as setting up a fraud alert on your credit report and changing your passwords. They also recommend you scan your devices for malware or viruses, and stay vigilant for suspicious calls, texts or emails, as scammers may sell your personal information to others (4).

Its important that authorities have accurate data and can warn the public about new and ongoing romance scams. Report romantic scams to the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center (6), to the National Elder Fraud Hotline if the victim is over 60 (7), and to the Federal Trade Commission (9).

What To Read Next

Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywises best stories and exclusive interviews first  clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.

Article Sources

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

FBI (1); WWMT-TV Newschannel 3 (2); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (3); FightCyberCrime.org (4); FightCyberCrime.org (5); Internet Crime Complaint Center (6); National Elder Fraud Hotline (7); Federal Trade Commission (8)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Artificial intelligence is now being treated as core economic infrastructure, and OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar says most organizations are barely scratching the surface of what it can do.

Friar wrote a LinkedIn post on Monday reflecting on her experience at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos last week. This year felt different, she writes. AI is no longer just a side conversation or a future bet, she explained. AI is currently being evaluated as core economic and strategic infrastructure, similar to geopolitics, energy, and security, she noted.

OpenAIs finance chief since June 2024, Friar highlighted capability overhang as a concept that kept resurfacing at Davosthe gap between what AI can already do and the value organizations actually capture. According to Friar, there is a mismatch between todays powerful AI capabilities and the relatively shallow way most people and companies use them, with advanced tools still only lightly integrated into real workflows and decision-making.

Experience and execution are closing that gap faster than any amount of rhetoric, she writes. At OpenAI, we see that frontier users use seven times the amount of intelligence than the average usertheyre going deep on coding, deep research, and pushing the models to really be thought partners.

Along those lines, OpenAI recently released Ending the Capability Overhang, new research documenting the phenomenon. The researchers observed a clear country-level gap that is not driven by income alone. Across more than 70 countries where ChatGPT is widely used, some countries use advanced AI features three times more than others, per person.

Interestingly, while large economies like the U.S. and India have the most total users, and small wealthy nations like Singapore and the Netherlands use AI the most per capita, advanced AI adoption is spreading everywhere, according to the researchers. Meanwhile, countries like Pakistan and Vietnam are among the worlds biggest users of agentic tools, using them more than twice as often as average.

In essence, some countries are already using AI to tackle harder problems and move faster, regardless of their resources. These early adopters are seeing real productivity gains: Their workers can focus on more complex work, new products and services, and accelerate innovation in ways that drive economic growth and improve living standards, OpenAI finds.



Another moment that resonated with Friar in Davos was the WEF CFO gathering, which reinforced how pragmatic finance leaders are, she writes, adding that theres broad conviction that AI is inevitable, but deployment hinges on ROI, clean data, and simpler systems; this is a change-management challenge, not a belief gap.

That focus on tangible results is reflected in OpenAIs own recent performance. In an interview with Foxs Maria Bartiromo last week, Friar said, An IPO isnt off the table; its a question of when.



OpenAI was valued at around $500 billion in its most recent completed share sale. In 2023, revenue reached $2 billion in annual recurring revenue; it rose to $6 billion in 2024 and jumped to more than $20 billion in 2025, according to Friars Jan. 18 blog post.

This revenue growth closely tracked an expansion in computing capacity. OpenAIs computing capacity rose from 0.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2023 to 0.6GW in 2024 and about 1.9GW in 2025.

Beyond infrastructure investments, OpenAI is also expanding into new consumer-facing domains. The company announced earlier this month the debut of ChatGPT Healtha dedicated experience inside ChatGPT where it says users can securely connect medical records and wellness apps such as Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal to further personalize conversations. The company stated it would not train its models on personal medical data, Fortune reported.

The companys strategy of combining infrastructure expansion with practical, domain-specific applications reflects the pragmatic approach to AI deployment that Friar observed among finance leaders in Davos.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Forecasters are warning that another winter storm will slam parts of the East Coast this weekend  bringing heavy snow, blizzard conditions and coastal flooding  and that it will strengthen into a bomb cyclone. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories for southern Virginia, parts of West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

In North Carolina, parts of the state could see their heaviest snow in decades, while potentially strong winds and high tides are raising flooding concerns along the coast, according to AccuWeather.

The forecast comes on the heels of a massive winter storm that dumped heavy snow and ice over a large swath of the U.S. last weekend, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and creating dangerous travel conditions.

This storm will intensify fast, and that rapid strengthening dramatically raises the potential for damaging winds, coastal flooding, beach erosion and even blizzard conditions, AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said in an email. Reconsider any travel plans through the region this weekend. Road conditions will be treacherous and dangerous. Thousands of flights could be canceled yet again this weekend with heavy snow, gusty winds and blizzard conditions in the forecast.

Possible timing and impacts

Meteorologists say the storm could develop on Friday near the Southeast coast into Saturday and then travel north up the Atlantic Seaboard over the weekend.

Friday night: As the storm organizes off the Southeast coast, snow will spread from the southern Appalachians into parts of southern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, the Carolinas and northeast Georgia, according to the Weather Channel.

Saturday: The winter storm is forecast to strengthen along the Southeast coast, with heavier snow as far south as eastern Georgia and South Carolinas Lowcountry. Southeast Virginia and eastern North Carolina could see blizzard conditions, with wind gusts reaching up to 70 mph. By Saturday evening, the explosive deepening of the cyclone and the rapid expansion of its size will bring high winds and coastal flooding potentials rapidly up and down the Eastern Seaboard, the NWS said in its latest short-range forecast.

Sunday: The storm could reach peak intensity offshore, and snow is likely to end by midday from the Delmarva Peninsula to Virginia and the Carolinas. Snow is possible in parts of New England. High winds and coastal flooding at high tide might impact the East Coast from North Carolina to New England. The storm could linger in parts of eastern New England on Sunday night, before moving away by Monday.

How much snow is forecast, and where?

From Saturday to Sunday, the southern Appalachians, southern Virginia and the Carolinas have a 50% risk of more than 8 inches of snow, according to the NWS. Southeast Massachusetts has a 30% risk of getting more than 6 inches of snow on Sunday.

Whats in the wake of the storm?

The eastern half of the U.S. will also continue to experience frigid temperatures into next week, according to the NWS.

Arctic air behind the system will bring record cold and dangerously low wind chills near and below zero to the region through Tuesday, the NWS Weather Prediction Center said.

Over 185 million Americans were under some form of cold-weather advisory or warning as of Friday.

This is a serious and deadly stretch of winter weather that just wont let up, Buckingham said. Extended cold and back-to-back storms can create a domino effect of travel disruptions and costly shutdowns. Some schools and businesses have been closed for much of the week.
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows The wreck of the Spanish galleon San Jose on the seabed, covered in marine growth, Image 2 shows Illustration of Wager's Action Off Cartagena, depicting Commodore Charles Wager's attack on the San Jose, with a burning ship amidst other sailing vessels during battle, Image 3 shows A cannon recovered from the San Jose galleon shipwreck, displayed submerged in clear blue-green water

More than a decade after it was found, a centuries-old Spanish treasure ship worth billions remains nearly untouched on the seafloor while Spain, Colombia, Indigenous groups, and American booty hunters wage a bitter international legal war.

On Thanksgiving Day of 2015, Roger Dooley, a maritime archaeologist from Miami, saw something hed been searching for for decades.

Looking at the computer screen in his waterfront apartment in Cartagena, Colombia, his hands trembled. He was reviewing footage from a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution underwater robot that had spent seventeen hours scanning the Caribbean seabed.

In 2015, archaeologists found the lost Spanish galleon the San Jose off the coast of Colombia. Colombian Presidency/AFP via Get

Clicking through grainy sonar images, Dooley and his colleague saw a sword hilt sticking out of the sand, and three bronze cannons lay in a bed of seashells  each bearing a small dolphin-shaped marking, a telltale signature that identified the wreck beyond doubt.

Im still thinking Im dreaming, Dooley said.

Theyd found the San Jose, a Spanish galleon that had vanished in 1708 carrying gold, silver and emeralds plundered from Indigenous peoples across the Americas  a cargo estimated to now be worth $5 billion or more.

[Its] the greatest sunken treasure in the history of humanity, Julian Sancton, author of a fascinating new account of the discovery, Neptunes Fortune: The Billion-Dollar Shipwreck and the Ghosts of the Spanish Empire, told The Post in an exclusive interview. It has to contend with such famous gilded troves as Tutankhamens tomb.

The San Jose sank in 1708 with a treasure worth billions.

But the glorious booty has yet to be recovered from the ocean floor. The Court of Permanent Arbitration in The Hague is expected to rule this year on competing claims, including whether one American salvage company deserves half the treasure, and whether Dooleys own backers  a British company called Maritime Archaeology Consultants (MAC) formed by hedge-fund titan Anthony Clarke  are entitled to a 45% share after Colombia declared the wreck objects of cultural interest.

Dooleys journey to finding the San Jose began on a sweltering July day in 1984, when he walked into Sevilles General Archive of the Indies, a repository of Spanish colonial records, searching for clues to an entirely different shipwreck. The archive contained sixty million documents dating back to Columbus, but as Sancton writes, there was no comprehensive catalog, no index.

In Neptunes Fortune, journalist Julian Sancton takes readers on an epic treasure hunt.

Its not like theres a shipwreck section, Dooley tells Sancton in the book. You could spend twenty years there and not find what youre looking for.

At the time, the history obsessive was working for Carisub, Fidel Castros state-run treasure-hunting operation, a job that many archaeologists considered tantamount to piracy. He was searching for the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, a galleon that sank near Havana in 1698.

Midway through a file, he stumbled upon a packet of letters stitched together like a booklet that described three ships lost, a kings ransom gone, and everybody drowned.

Roger Dooleys search for the San Jose began in Seville in 1984. Roger Dooley collection

They were not about the wreck Dooley had been searching for. They were about the San Jose.

The galleon had been the flagship of Spains treasure fleet, carrying gold, silver, and emeralds extracted from across the Americas. On the evening of June 8, 1708, British commodore Charles Wager attacked the fleet off the coast of Cartagena. A fire broke out aboard the San Jose, and Wager believed victory was imminent. In his journal, he wrote that the ship blew up, and that the heat of the blast came very hot upon us and several splinters of plank and timber came aboard us afire.

But when the smoke cleared, the San Jose had vanished. A floating city, gone in an instant, Sancton writes.

Researching another ship at Sevilles General Archive of the Indies, he stumbled upon a pack of letters about the San Jose.

Of the roughly six hundred people aboard, just over a dozen survived. The ship sank so quickly that anyone on or below the main deck would have been dragged under.

One post-battle report at the time quotes a survivor saying they had no idea what happened, Sancton said, only that they were near the top of the mast one second, then in the water the next.

The explosions cause remains a mystery. Casa Alegre, the San Joses 71-year-old commander who went down with his vessel, might have felt honor-bound to send the ship and its treasure to the seabed  and himself and his men to kingdom come  rather than face the humiliation of returning to Spain empty-handed, having lost a fortune that could tilt the war in Englands favor, Sancton said.

The Colombian government has removed a few things from the wreck, but most of it remains on the bottom of seafloor while Spain, Colombia, Indigenous groups, and American booty hunters wage a bitter international legal war. RICARDO MALDONADO ROZO/EPA/Shutterstock

After uncovering archival clues to the San Joses whereabouts, Dooley returned to Cuba and his day job with Carisub. Castro wanted the Mercedes stripped for gold and silver. Dooley wanted to excavate it properly and ultimately quit over the disagreement.

He remained in Cuba for more than a decade, professionally stranded. In the late 1990s, he escaped without a cent to his name and eventually settled in the United States, where he spent years trying to convince investors to fund a search for the San Jose.

In 2013, he finally succeeded. Clarke formed Maritime Archaeology Consultants to back the hunt. Two years later, in November 2015, Dooley narrowed the search to a 43-square-mile patch of seabed off Colombia. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution deployed its REMUS autonomous underwater vehicle, a $3=million yellow torpedo that can dive to 6,000 meters and scan the seafloor with sonar while swimming autonomously for up to 24 hours.

Coins like these are believed to be amongst the treasures. Sedwick Coins

Dooley was 71 when he made the discovery, the same age Casa Alegre had been when he went down with the ship.

The huge finding immediately ignited an international dispute. Spain claims ownership over its lost naval vessels worldwide, invoking sovereign immunity. Its described the San Jose as a mass grave that should remain untouched.

Colombia insists the wreck lies within or just beyond its territorial waters, at the edge of its twelve-mile limit, and in any case within its exclusive economic zone. The country has recovered a handful of less valuable items, such as coins and cannons, from the wreck.

The treasure remains on the ocean floor until an international court makes a decision. EPA

Indigenous groups argue that the treasure represents wealth extracted through forced labor and should be treated as a form of reparations.

American treasure hunters have also staked claims. Sea Search Armada (SSA) says it located the wreck in 1980 and deserves half the treasure. A Colombian civil court ruled that SSA would be entitled to 50% of any qualifying treasure found at or near the coordinates it reported. But Sancton argues there is no trace of a ship at those coordinates, and that whatever SSA discovered was almost certainly not the San Jose.

Author Julian Sancton says the shipwreck belongs to humanity itself. Jess Levine

MAC, Dooleys backers, signed an agreement with the Colombian government under then-president Juan Manuel Santos entitling them to up to 45% of any recoverable treasure. But a subsequent Colombian administration declared the entire wreck and its contents objects of cultural interest, nullifying MACs share. The company is now suing the government.

Dooley has proposed that Colombia keep the treasure, display it in a museum and reimburse Clarke for the costs of finding the wreck.

Now 80, he still lives in Miami and remains deeply invested in the San Joses fate.

Sancton is adamant that the wreck doesnt fall in the hands of private collectors. He believes it belongs either in a museum or at the bottom of the ocean floor.

The Spanish treasure fleets were transporting the riches of an entire continent across oceans, laying the foundation of our globalized system of commerce and shaping the modern world, he said. The rightful owner of the ship is humanity itself.
Basturma brisket pita at Yerord Mas in Glendale. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

Juicy, dripping with cheese sauce and so formidable its impossible to eat gracefully, one of L.A.s best pastrami sandwiches has returned. Arthur Grigoryans pastrami basturma pita went viral through the many phases of Yerord Mas Bakery & Deli, which started as a pop-up seven years ago. His ode to Armenian cuisine is now open as a counter-service restaurant in Glendale.

Grigoryan's Yerord Mas (also written as III Mas) traces his familys roots through Armenia, Syria, Egypt and Los Angeles, and pulls its name from the"Third District" neighborhood of Armenia's capital, Yerevan, where his father grew up.

Chi Kyuftah, or raw beef, with chili crisp and a side of stuffed grape leaves and pistachio hummus at Yerord Mas in Glendale. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

Grigoryan and his wife, Takouhi, are serving L.A. spins on the beef tartare-like chi kyuftah, here topped with an Aleppo-pepper and Sichuan chili crisp. Theres more traditional Armenian cuisine too, such as the yogurt kyuftah native to his great-grandparents region of Gaziantep  historically called Aintab, now in Turkey.

Our food is just as complicated as our history and the politics in the region, because it's a cuisine shaped by the empires that have dominated the region throughout the ages, he said. Its kind of trying to tell the story of my family and the journey that they've been on.

After the Armenian genocide, his paternal grandmothers family moved to Egypt, while his paternal grandfathers relocated to Syria. These influences weave their way into Grigoryans cooking (he grew up eating pita more than the Armenian-traditional lavash, for instance, and it formed the base of what would become his most popular dish).

Read more:The long road to recognize a genocide of the Armenian people

Hes also serving a Middle Eastern fish curry inspired by his Iraqi extended family; the backbone of the dish is a chaldean spice blend, and he and his team toast and grind all 15 of its spices and aromatics in house. Hes serving a pistachio hummus recipe from 14th-century Egypt, seasoned with mint, preserved lemon and a house-made baharat spice blend.

Grigoryan began cooking professionally at 18. He moved to France to attend culinary school and interned abroad, and couldnt help but notice the community gathering in Frances tabacs, bistros, brasseries and wine bars  some customers every single night. Someday, he thought, hed build that for L.A.s Armenian contingent.

Yerord Mas chef-owner Arthur Grigoryan in the kitchen of his Glendale restaurant. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

I always wanted to open a restaurant that my community can be proud of, he said, I wanted to give the people of Glendale and the Armenian community a place where we can share our culture and heritage, and our history.

When he returned to L.A. around 2016, Grigoryan spent time in multiple Nancy Silverton kitchens, working his way from her pizzeria to her osteria and its pasta station. In 2018 he left to launch Yerord Mas, at the time an Armenian-leaning pop-up dinner series run out of his familys home in Sherman Oaks.

He popped up throughout the city, launched a ghost kitchen and joined Smorgasburg with whats become Grigoryans signature dish: the plump, cheese-dripping basturma pita.

Read more:III Mas gives an Armenian twist to Texas barbecue

After a taste of Texas-style smoked brisket in 2017, he began to experiment. Now his version of basturma is made more similarly to pastrami than traditional, fully-cured beef. At Yerord Mas its brined and smoked like pastrami, but also coated in the signature basturma spice blend of chaimen.

The dish is a labor of love, with brisket brining for two weeks, then smoking for 12 hours. The pita is also a multiday process spread between fermentation, hours of hand-portioning and further resting.

Aintab-style yogurt kyuftah, in honor of chef and co-owner Arthur Grigoryan's great-grandparents, at the new Yerord Mas in Glendale. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

Hes using the new kitchen space to experiment but also to perfect. Some of the restaurants dishes, such as the hempseed- and bulgur-stuffed grape leaves, havent been seen since Yerord Mas days as a backyard pop-up.

We're just revisiting it and trying to make it better, Grigoryan said.

The goal is to expand palates and preconceptions beyond the kebab, but Grigoryan plans on introducing some to the menu via sidewalk grilling once the weather warms. Hes planning a weekly kebab omakase, as well as alfresco seating.

The goal is to kind of show the yin and yang of our cuisine, he said. I saw how French culinary history has so many recipes documented. It made me think, Armenians have a 6,000-plus-year history. There has to be something on our side of the world as well.

Yerord Mas is located at 6800 San Fernando Road in Glendale, and is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday to Sunday.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
China-UK relations should be viewed from a global perspective beyond a bilateral lens

11:11, January 28, 2026 By Global Times editorial ( Global Times

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will pay an official visit to China from Wednesday to Saturday, marking the first visit by a UK prime minister to China in eight years. He will be accompanied by a large business delegation comprising representatives from more than 50 major British companies and institutions. Ahead of the trip, Starmer said that the UK would not be forced to "choose between" China and the US, a stance widely seen as reflecting a more rational British diplomatic approach amid a shifting international landscape. This clearly shows that even within the West, "small circles" and bloc-based confrontations are increasingly losing traction.

As an ally with a "special relationship" with the US, the UK side's remarks have taken some by surprise, but they are, in fact, entirely logical.

Two broader contexts are at play. First, China-UK relations have endured a prolonged downturn lasting several years. The "hot and cold" China policy of 10 Downing Street has been a major factor, yet it has clearly failed to deliver the benefits Britain had imagined. Some UK government sources suggest that ignoring China will only make the country "poorer and less secure." Second, in the face of an "unpredictable" US, Western countries are increasingly seeking greater "predictability" in their external relations. Against this backdrop, Starmer's remarks can be seen as keeping pace with a range of latest statements by Western leaders - or, put differently, as a sign that Britain has finally come to its senses.

It has been eight years since the last visit to China by a UK prime minister. Even during the "Ice Age," overall China-UK trade and economic exchanges continued to show a clear upward trend. Data shows that China is the UK's fourth-largest trading partner in 2025, with trade totaling approximately $137 billion. China, with a massive consumer base of over 1.4 billion people, is an important market that British companies are eager to expand into. This constitutes an internal driving force for the development of China-UK relations. From a longer-term perspective, at a time when the international order is facing severe challenges, China and the UK, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major global economies, share common interests and important responsibilities on major issues such as upholding the postwar international order and the multilateral trading system. Eight years on, the "common denominator" between China and the UK has become even more evident.

Improvement in China-UK relations benefits not only both sides, but also creates more opportunities for advancing a multipolar world. China-UK relations should be viewed from a global perspective beyond a bilateral lens. Admittedly, China and the UK do not see eye to eye on every issue, but both sides can seek solutions through rational dialogue based on mutual respect and pragmatic cooperation. Particular vigilance is needed against some voices that exaggerate specific differences and turn them into ideological confrontations. We especially hope that London can move past such negative disruptions.

The Western world is undergoing a "brainstorm." Starmer's stance of "not choosing sides" reflects, to some extent, a Western rethinking of outdated concepts of security, civilization, and international relations. An increasing number of perceptive figures in the West have come to realize that blindly following a single hegemon and severing global connections ultimately undermines their own countries' development and prosperity. This Cold War mentality has severely eroded the foundation of global strategic stability and cooperation.

Over the past two months, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo have successively visited China, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also expressed a desire for a trip. The trend of major Western leaders visiting China demonstrates that the path of "ignoring China" and "alienating China" is not viable.

The UK's proactive release of positive signals to improve relations with China is a rational choice based on national interests and a recalibration of the UK's diplomatic posture after Brexit. Prior to the official visit, Starmer had already sent five ministerial officials to China, demonstrating the importance the UK attaches to this high-level exchange. The UK is fully capable of and entitled to maintain constructive and positive relationships with various countries, reflecting a mature and responsible attitude toward its national interests. China has never been a security threat or been an obstacle to the UK's development. Hopefully, this visit will not only facilitate new breakthroughs in cooperation across specific areas but also could set a pragmatic, rational, and win-win tone for the long-term development of China-UK relations.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out when meeting Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Tuesday, in a world confronted by multiple risks and challenges, the international community should join hands for response, adding that major countries should act as a good example to promote equality, observe the rule of law, pursue cooperation, and uphold integrity. The same applies to China-UK relations.

As long as China and the UK adhere to the principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutually beneficial cooperation, acknowledge their differences, manage their disparities, and deepen their collaboration, they will certainly be able to promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations. This will not only bring more tangible benefits to the people of both countries but also contribute significantly to building a better world. At the same time, we hope that the British delegation will take back to the UK and Western society genuine experiences from their visit to China. We believe that what they will perceive is an open, inclusive, and vibrant China, which truly reflects the reality of China.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Melissa Gilbert has posted on an "extraordinarily difficult time" amid child sex abuse allegations against her husband, Timothy Busfield. (Lars Niki / Getty Images for BAM)

Melissa Gilbert has returned to social media to some extent amid an "extraordinarily difficult time" stemming from the child sex abuse case involving her husband Timothy Busfield.

The "Little House on the Prairie" alumna, 61, spoke out on Monday, issuing a statement of gratitude and reflection to the Instagram page of her lifestyle brand, Modern Prairie. She made her Instagram comeback after seemingly deactivating her personal account earlier this month, when allegations against her husband became public.

"This season has reminded me, very clearly, how important it is to slow down, prioritize what truly matters, and allow ourselves moments of rest," she captioned a photo of herself sitting pensively on a couch. "Stepping back from the noise, the news, and even our daily responsibilities from time to time gives us space to recharge, reflect and find our center again."

Earlier this month, a New Mexico judge issued a warrant for Emmy winner Busfield, 68, on two felony counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and a single count of child abuse. An affidavit accuses Busfield of inappropriately touching two child actors, who are brothers, during his time as an actor, director and producer on the Fox drama "The Cleaning Lady."

Read more:Timothy Busfield to be released from jail pending child sex abuse trial

According to the complaint, one child actor said Busfield first touched his private areas multiple times on set when he was 7 years old. The actor said that, when he was 8 years old, Busfield touched him inappropriately again several times, according to the affidavit. The complaint also detailed a police interview with Busfield in which he suggested that the boys mother might have sought revenge on the director for not bringing her kids back for the final season.

Amid the allegations against Busfield, Gilbert's Modern Prairie issued a statement on Instagram distancing itself from the disturbing claims. "Modern Prairie unequivocally condemns abuse in all forms and remains committed to values of safety, integrity, and respect." the statement said.

Busfield turned himself in to law enforcement on Jan. 13, denying the "horrible" allegations and asserting: "I did not do anything to those little boys." A publicist for Gilbert at the time said the actor would not comment on her husband's case, denounced "any purported statements" and said that she was focused on caring for her and Busfield's family. Busfield has three adult children from two previous marriages and is the stepfather to Gilberts two adult sons from her two previous marriages.

Read more:Timothy Busfield surrenders to police in New Mexico amid child sex abuse allegations

Busfield, known for his roles on "The West Wing" and "Thirtysomething," was jailed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque but was granted release on his own recognizance on Jan. 20. At the hearing, to determine whether Busfield would be released pending trial, Gilbert could be seen crying and saying, "Thank you, God" upon the judge's decision.

Gilbert thanked her Modern Prairie community for their patience and "for helping me feel safer, more grounded, and deeply held," amid the scrutiny surrounding her family.

"I'll be easing back into things thoughtfully and with care  moving forward one step at a time," she said. "More to come and so much gratitude always."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A man shouts at Rep. Ilhan Omar after spraying an unknown substance toward her, during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis on Tuesday, in a still image from video. - Maria Alejandra Cardona/Reuters

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar ignored staffers pleas to end a town hall early and get a medical check Tuesday after a man rushed the podium and sprayed a substance at the Democratic congresswoman.

Omar, who was not injured in the attack, said after the town hall ended that she has survived war and that she is definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think that they can throw at me because Im built that way. The congresswoman came to the United States as a refugee who fled Somalias civil war.

The man accused of attacking Omar has been identified as 55-year-old Anthony J. Kazmierczak, a Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson confirmed to CNN.

Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55 is the man accused of attacking Omar. - Hennepin County Sheriffs Office

MPD officers arrested Kazmierczak in connection with third-degree assault and he was booked into Hennepin County Jail, according to arrest records. Minnesota court records do not currently list charging or attorney information for Kazmierczak.

The Hennepin County attorneys office told CNN Wednesday that it has not yet received Kazmierczaks case.

It was not immediately clear what the substance was. City forensic scientists responded to process the scene, a police incident report said, according to CNN affiliate KARE.

Kazmierczak has a history of sharing political posts on social media, and in 2021 shared a political cartoon criticizing Omars stance on security spending amid calls to defund police.

The US Capitol Police said in a statement the Tuesday incident is an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice and said its working to see this man faces the most serious charges possible.

In a separate release Tuesday, the Capitol Police shared that last year, it investigated 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex. This marked a nearly 58% increase from 2024.

The dramatic moment punctuated a high-profile public appearance for a progressive lawmaker who has been the subject of Republican attacks and scrutiny, as President Donald Trumps administration focuses its attention on Minneapolis, the city she represents.

Omar condemned federal immigration agents terrorizing tactics and reckless and lawless actions, as she told attendees that the Trump administrations immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities is antithetical to the America we love.

She also called for Immigration and Customs Enforcements abolition and said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should resign or be impeached. And she praised how Minneapolis has responded to immigration agents presence and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Minnesotans are showing up for one another in ways that people didnt expect. We are showing the country and the world what real solitary looks like. And we should be goddamn proud of ourselves, she said.

Trump on Tuesday night dismissed questions from ABC News on if he saw video of Omar being attacked, saying he had no interest in watching the footage.

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he walks to Marine One prior to departure from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, Tuesday. - Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Asked whether he had viewed video of the attack, Trump replied, No. I dont think about her. I think shes a fraud. I really dont think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her, according to ABC News.

Pressed again on seeing the video, Trump said, I havent seen it. No, no. I hope I dont have to bother.

Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz reacted to the attack in a post on X, writing, Our state has been shattered by political violence in the last year. The cruel, inflammatory, dehumanizing rhetoric by our nations leaders needs to stop immediately.

And some GOP lawmakers condemned political violence immediately after the attack, with Rep. Mike Lawler calling the incident unacceptable and Rep. Mark Alford condemning the assault in the strongest possible terms.

Rep. Nancy Mace said she was deeply disturbed by the incident, adding, Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric - and I do - no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.

Omar facing GOP probes

Long a target of Republicans, Omar is now the subject of investigations by Trumps Justice Department and the House Oversight Committee, after both Trump and the committees chairman, Kentucky Rep. James Comer, said this week they were probing her finances.

Omar, 43, is a Somali-born refugee whose family immigrated to the United States when she was 12. She was first elected to the state legislature in 2016 and became one of the first Muslim-American women elected to Congress in 2018, when she won a House seat representing much of the overwhelmingly Democratic city of Minneapolis.

She has been a frequent target of political attacks and at times racist smears by Republicans. She has also faced heat from some Democrats who point to her criticism of Israel  particularly in 2021, when she seemed to equate atrocities by the United States and Israel to those of Hamas and the Taliban, as she called in a social media post for the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.

In 2023, the Republican-controlled House voted to remove Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee. In 2025, a push to censure Omar and remove her from two committees over her comments about conservative political commentator and activist Charlie Kirk in the wake of his killing failed by just one vote, after four Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting the effort.

US Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks during a town hall meeting at the Urban League Twin Cities facility on Tuesday in Minneapolis. - Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Trump has repeatedly said Omar should be impeached, jailed or deported to Somalia  despite her becoming a US citizen in 2000.

Omar said at the town hall she carries her passport with her at all times.

I know people talk about me and Somalia. I dont know any home the way I know this home, she said, referring to the United States. And so I do feel strong sentiments toward immigrants that find home in the United States.

Omar said that other immigrants are traumatized by the Trump administrations immigration crackdown.

Omars personal finances have come under scrutiny after her financial disclosure filed last year showed her husband has stakes in a venture capital firm and winery worth between $6 million and $30 million.

The New York Times reported Monday that in 2024, during Joe Bidens presidency, the Justice Department opened an investigation into Omars finances, her campaign spending and her interaction with a foreign citizen, but that probe stalled because of a lack of evidence.

Trump on Monday said the Justice Department is investigating Omar, claiming in a Truth Social post that she left Somalia with NOTHING, and is now reportedly worth more than 44 Million Dollars. It was not clear what basis Trump had for citing that amount.

Meanwhile, the House Oversight Committee has begun investigating the finances of Omar and her husband as part of the panels broader probe into fraud allegations in Minnesota, a source familiar with the probe told CNN. Republicans on Capitol Hill are investigating whether her husbands finances are tied to the fraud allegations at Somali-run childcare centers in the state.

Typically, the House Ethics Committee investigates members of Congress, but since the business is in her husbands name, Comer, the House Oversight Committees chairman, has said he can make it a part of his committee work. He said Omar and her husband will get their due process.

Attendees listen as US Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar speaks during a town hall meeting at the Urban League Twin Cities facility on Tuesday in Minneapolis. - Brandon Bell/Getty Images

The American people are questioning how Rep. Omar and her spouse accumulated millions of dollars in wealth in such a short time span. The House Oversight Committee is going to look into this matter to provide transparency to the American people, Comer said in a statement.

The panel has not yet reached out to Omar or her spouse, the source added. CNN has reached out to Omars office and the Ethics Committee for comment.

Omar did not directly address the scrutiny of her finances in Tuesday nights town hall.

On X, Omar responded to Trumps comments by saying: Sorry, Trump, your support is collapsing and youre panicking.

Right on cue, youre deflecting from your failures with lies and conspiracy theories about me. Years of investigations have found nothing, she wrote. Get your goons out of Minnesota.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

CNNs Sara Sidner, Josh Campbell, Martin Goillandeau and Thomas Bordeaux contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Tecala has achieved two security milestones that will expand its secure-by-design operations, rigorous governance, and the protection of its customers systems and data.

The technology service provider has been awarded the Microsoft Solutions Partner Designation for Security and completed its ISO 27001:2022 surveillance audit with an expanded scope that now incorporates its Automation, Data and AI (ADA) division.

Each accreditation carries its own global standards and stringent requirements and provide customers with third-party validation of Tecalas maturity in operational security practices and the secure development of next-generation capabilities.

The Microsoft Solutions Partner Designation for Security accreditation followed rigorous audit processes assessing identity and access management, threat detection, security operations, endpoint management, and cloud security.

While the expanded ISO 27001:2022 Certification surveillance audit independently assessed and externally certified the ADA teams entire secure software development lifecycle.

Tecala chief operating officer Ben Leggo said strengthening its Microsoft security capability and expanding our ISO 27001 certification across the business was vital as organisations moving deeper into cloud modernisation, AI adoption, and automation-driven operational models, Leggo said.
by Nirmala Carvalho

Maharashtra's deputy chief minister was 66 when the plane crashed after taking off from Mumbai. Everybody on board, Pawars staff and the crew, perished. The cause of the crash is not yet known. The nephew of Sharad Pawar and a key figure in the Nationalist Congress Party's split, Ajit Pawar led his party in an alliance with Narendra Modi's BJP. Condolences are being expressed by political leaders. The Catholic Church also expressed its closeness to the family and the people of Maharashtra.

New Delhi (AsiaNews)  This morning, Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister of the western state of Maharashtra and one of the most influential figures in state politics, died in a plane crash at the age of 66, along with four other people.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the small plane carrying Pawar, which took off from Mumbai, made an emergency landing at Baramati Airport, the flight's destination. The cause of the crash, which occurred at 8:45 am (local time), has not yet been officially confirmed.

Aboard the aircraft, a VT SSK, were Ajit Pawar, two members of his staff (an aide and a security officer), and two crew members. Images from the crash site show the wreckage engulfed in smoke and flames.

Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, reads a message posted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief.

In a separate post, the prime minister paid tribute to Pawar, the political leader.

Ajit Pawar was the nephew of Sharad Pawar, a veteran politician and founder of the Pawar political dynasty. In 1999, he founded the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), after splitting from the Indian National Congress, which is now in the opposition.

During his political career, Ajit Pawar served as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra six times, a record in the state's political history.

In 2023, he broke with his uncle, taking a group of MLAs with him, causing a rift in the NCP that has divided the electorate in Maharashtra.

The faction led by Ajit Pawar later allied itself with Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), joining the state coalition government.

After a lengthy legal battle, in 2024, the Election Commission of India recognised his group as the real NCP, assigning it its name and symbol (a clock), a decision that has had a significant impact on the local political landscape.

Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife, Sunetra and their two sons, Parth and Jay. His son Parth contested the 2019 parliamentary elections in the Maval constituency under the NCP banner, but was defeated by Shrirang Barne, who ran with Shiv Sena, a right-wing party with strong roots in Maharashtra.

Sunetra Pawar is considered a leading political strategist. In the last election to the lower house, Lok Sabha (House of the People), she lost in Baramati to Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar and leader of the Nationalist Congress Party  Sharadchandra Pawar (NCPSP), the old faction in the party that did not break away. However, she was elected to the Rajya Sabha (Council of State), the upper house of the Indian Parliament.

Several Church leaders issued messages of condolence upon hearing the news.

We are shocked and saddened by the tragic and untimely death of Honourable Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Ajit Pawar, said Archbishop Elias Gonsalves of Nagpur speaking to AsiaNews. We pray for the bereaved members of his family and his larger political party, who have lost a dedicated leader".

In a statement released by the press office of the Archdiocese of Bombay, Archbishop John Rodrigues writes: the news of his untimely death in the aircraft crash at Baramati on January 28, 2026, has left the whole of Maharashtra in deep grief and shock.

For the prelate, Mr. Ajit Pawar was a dedicated public servant whose unwavering commitment to the welfare of Maharashtra and its people touched countless lives. His leadership, vision, and tireless efforts in fostering development and unity will be remembered with great respect and admiration.

Lastly, the message notes, In this moment of immense loss, we offer our prayers for Mr. Ajit Pawar. May the Almighty grant strength, solace, and peace to his beloved family as well as his friends, colleagues, and all those mourning this irreplaceable loss.

We stand in solidarity with the people of Maharashtra during this difficult time.
Bangladesh inks an agreement with China to manufacture UAVs, with technology transfer and the development of military infrastructure. Although Dhaka stresses the technologys civilian use, New Delhi views the agreement as a strengthening Chinese military presence in a neighbouring country.

Dhaka (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Bangladesh and China have agreed to manufacture drones in the South Asian country, something that is causing concern in India.

Yesterday, the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation International (CETC International), a Chinese state-owned defence electronics company, signed an agreement at the BAF headquarters in Dhaka for the establishment of a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing and assembly facility. The deal includes technology transfer.

In an official statement, the Bangladesh Ministry of Defence in Dhaka confirmed that the agreement will serve to "produce and assemble state-of-the-art UAVs."

Under the deal, which will be implemented in phases, the BAF will acquire the capacity to produce and assemble various categories of drones, including Medium Altitude Low Endurance (MALE) UAVs.

These are military and dual-use drones designed to operate at medium altitudes for extended periods, and Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) UAVs, drones capable of vertical take-off and landing without the need for traditional runways.

The project is expected to cost 608.07 crore taka, or around US$ 55 million, over four years.

Bangladesh has not revealed the model that will be built, but observers believe it could be the XY-I, a MALE drone developed by CETC and unveiled at the 2022 Airshow China, often described as similar to the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2.

The Bangladeshi government  led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who is also defence minister  has insisted on the civilian use of the drones.

According to official statements, the UAVs will be used for humanitarian assistance and climate emergency management, as well as in military missions.

The deal provides for the establishment of a production and assembly line, as well as the development of the infrastructure that will host production, at a proposed military base in Bogura (Bogra), in the north of the country, in a strategic location not far from India's northeastern states.

A BAF radar unit has already been present at Bogura since June last year, installed to boost the defence and surveillance capabilities in the area, which includes the Bay of Bengal, another factor that worries India.

CETC International has been sanctioned by the United States, and according to some analysts, the XY-I  capable of performing reconnaissance, surveillance, and patrol roles, but also potentially attack roles  could play a strategic role because it can be integrated into interconnected drone architectures ready to fight electronic warfare, based on jamming the enemy's electronic systems.

Relations between New Delhi and Dhaka, which share a border of more than 4,000 kilometres, have cooled since August 2024, when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India following anti-government protests led by young university students.

Bangladesh is a major buyer of Chinese weapons, according to data released by SIPRI, absorbing approximately 11 per cent of China's arms exports between 2019 and 2023.

The agreement represents a qualitative shift in bilateral relations because, as is already the case with Pakistan, drone production would be located within Bangladesh, opening the door, according to some analysts, to exports to third countries.

Furthermore, the BAF was in talks in October for a deal worth approximately US$ 2.2 billion to purchase 20 Chengdu J-10C fighters, while more recently it has also shown (like several other countries) interest in the JF-17 Thunder, the multi-role fighters developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.
by Joseph Masilamany

Speaking at the Institute of Policy Studies conference, the government's number two warns that the fertility rate has not stabilised. The long-term risk is a reduction in the number of citizens, with consequences for the economy and society. The total population is approximately 3.66 million citizens, plus 0.54 million permanent residents and 1.91 million non-residents.

Singapore (AsiaNews) - Although it will remain constant in 2024, Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) does not yet appear to have stabilised, to the extent that the population of the Southeast Asian city-state could soon begin to decline if current trends continue unchanged. This was stated in recent days by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, speaking at the annual conference entitled Singapore Perspectives promoted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).

On that occasion, the number two in the executive warned that the decline in the city's population would erode the dynamism of Singapore, ultimately compromising its long-term competitiveness. Many people think that the TFR has stabilised, but this is not the case. If no action is taken, the core citizenry will begin to shrink, Gan added.

Singapore's TFR in 2024 was 0.97, unchanged from 2023. However, Deputy Prime Minister Gan noted that the figure was positively influenced by the Year of the Dragon, which traditionally sees higher birth rates in the Chinese community. Dragon years, he explained, usually increase Singapore's birth rate, as they are considered auspicious years for having children. The fact that the total fertility rate has remained unchanged, therefore, means, the politician pointed out, that the base has actually declined further.

The city-state's TFR has fallen steadily over the past decade, from 1.12 in 2021 to 1.04 in 2022, before falling below unity in 2023. The replacement rate necessary for population sustainability is 2.1. Singapore's current demographic challenges come decades after the government sought to curb steady population growth by actively intervening in birth policy.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the state introduced aggressive family planning measures under the Stop at Two policy, aimed at alleviating pressure on housing, jobs and public services in a young nation with limited resources. The policy included financial disincentives for large families and a strong public awareness campaign to encourage smaller households. Although effective in reducing birth rates, the long-term demographic impact led to a reversal in the late 1980s, when the government began encouraging Singaporeans to have more children through pro-natalist measures.

Despite decades of incentives, including housing subsidies, childcare subsidies, parental leave programmes and newborn bonuses, fertility rates continued to decline. This regression was also a reflection of broader social and economic changes, such as the progressive delay in the age of marriage, changing family aspirations and the growing pressures of working life.

The government is still finalising fertility data for 2025, but Deputy Prime Minister Gan has warned that expectations should remain modest. I must admit, he confirmed, that I am unable to give good news on the TFT front. The government leader's reflections emerged during a dialogue with the director of the Institute of Policy Studies, Janadas Devan, at the close of the conference.

The theme of the meeting was fraternity and it focused on social cohesion and shared responsibility in a context of demographic and social change. In June 2025, Singapore's total population was 6.11 million, an increase of 1.2% over the previous year, mainly due to the growth of the migrant population. The total population is approximately 3.66 million citizens, 0.54 million permanent residents and 1.91 million non-residents.
Today's headlines: Sixth round of talks between US and Taiwanese officials; In the Indian state of Manipur, some tribal organisations have opposed the awarding of an honour to a police officer, Malaysia abandons a plan to test six-year-olds to see if they are ready for school; Pyongyang is preparing a memorial for its soldiers who died in Ukraine.

SOUTH KOREA

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee, wife of former president Yoon Suk Yeol, has been sentenced to one year and eight months in prison for accepting bribes from the Unification Church in exchange for political favours. The sentence comes after investigations into Yoon's brief imposition of martial law in 2024 and scandals involving the couple. Prosecutors had initially sought a 15-year prison sentence, accusing Kim Keon Hee of accepting luxury handbags and a diamond necklace from the Unification Church.

NORTH KOREA  RUSSIA

North Korea is preparing a memorial museum in honour of soldiers who died during Russia's war against Ukraine, starting in October 2024, with triple-sized statues, sculptures and bas-reliefs approved directly by dictator Kim Yong-un in the halls of the museum of military heroes in overseas military operations, to pass on to future generations the legendary example of the heroism and glorious life of North Korean soldiers.

USA  TAIWAN

Yesterday in Washington, Taiwanese and US officials held the sixth round of talks as part of the Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue and signed a pact recognising the principles of Pax Silica, focused on coordinating reliable supply chains for advanced technologies. The talks also touched on topics such as the certification of unmanned aircraft system components, digital infrastructure and rare earths.

INDIA

Kuki-Zo organisations in the state of Manipur protested against the central government's decision to award Vipin Wilson, an officer of the Central Reserve Police Force, accused of killing ten men from the community. On 25 January, President Droupadi Murmu approved the awarding of a series of honours to 70 members of the armed forces. According to tribal organisations, the men killed were not trained fighters but volunteers who were trying to protect villages during ethnic clashes that began in May 2023.

MYANMAR

United Nations agencies have reported that immunisation rates against certain diseases in Myanmar have fallen to 37%, compared to 94% before the Burmese army seized power in February 2021. It is estimated that between 2022 and 2024, approximately 1.2 million children, including around 800,000 living in conflict areas, will not receive vaccinations.

MALAYSIA

Kuala Lumpur has abandoned a plan to require six-year-olds to take a diagnostic test before enrolling in primary school because it risked being discriminatory and penalising children who failed it. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim nevertheless defended the proposal, which he said proposed an assessment system to check whether the child is ready to start school at the age of six rather than seven, as is currently the case in Malaysia.

ISRAEL  CENTRAL ASIA

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, visited Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to develop bilateral political and economic relations with the two countries in the region traditionally closest to Israel. He also met with representatives of the Jewish communities, against the backdrop of Kazakhstan's accession to the Abraham Accords, and participated in a Holocaust Remembrance Day event in Astana.
Everything You Need to Know About Chin Enhancement Surgery

Why More and More Men Are Opting for Plastic Surgery to Enhance Their Jawlines

Though men may be notoriously more reluctant to divulge a history of or even an interest in plastic surgery, cosmetic procedures among males are on the rise. ABCs Nightline recently delved into this trend, highlighting the changing faces of public figures such as Andy Cohen and Bradley Cooper, with the former admitting to Botox and the wider-eyed latter denying any work done altogether.

Regardless of whether or not our favorite celebrities choose to be honest about their changing appearances, the numbers dont lie: Nearly 1.6 million men went under the knife for cosmetic surgical procedures of the face in 2024, while over 28 million reaped the benefits of minimally invasive alternatives such as filler and skin resurfacing treatments. This data, as provided by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), also reveals a particular interest in chin augmentation.

Larger chins and defined jawlines are often associated with more masculine features which, in turn, has been widely documented as a common trait among those in positions of wealth and power. As a result, many men have opted to imitate this look by eliminating their double chin, increasing projection and sharpness, or relying on a combination of both.

As one of the leading facial plastic surgeons in the country, Chicago-based Dr. Benjamin Caughlin, MD, FACS, of Many Faces of Chicago, has treated his fair share of chin-seeking male patients. The self-described not your moms plastic surgeon takes a more humorous and unorthodox, though educational approach to his clientele, often trending on social media with viral videos that not only delve into popular procedures, but also destigmatize the decision to partake in these personal and life-changing alterations.

RELATED: How to Make Yourself More Dateable

My goal is to take hot people and make them just a little bit hotter, he tells AskMen. If you can grab a little confidence from the procedure and feel better, look better, play betterthats what its all about.

Nobody needs this, but if you want it, we can do it right, he adds.

We chatted with Dr. Caughlin to get his expert take on what men, in particular, are considering and ultimately doing after visiting his office.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Chin Enhancement?

Patients come from all walks of life and there is no ideal demographic, at least according to Caughlin.

I get probably 40% men and 60% female with a little trans population, as well, he shares. There's [also] gay, straight, Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, old, young. That's the beauty of a jawline. Everybody likes a good jawline.

What to Consider Before Chin Enhancement Procedures

Its important to keep in mind that everyones medical history and face anatomy are different. Individual goals will ultimately dictate a surgeons personalized recommendations and there is never a one-size-fits-all approach.

If you dont like your jawline or neck, I have ways I can make it better, stresses Caughlin. We first do cephalometrics (the measurement of the head to analyze unique features such as craniofacial growth, nose to chin ratios, and skeletal patterns) and line things up. If you can tolerate projection, we give you projection. If its fat, we sculpt the fat. If its muscle, we tighten the muscle. If its skin, we can even tighten the skin.

Many guys also dont want to put up with a scar, he shares. I do my best to make that happen, but its very individualized. Thats really the key. Theres not a cookie-cutter approach to this type of stuff.

The Most Popular Chin Enhancement Procedures

While procedures will be customized and often performed in tandem, here is a breakdown of the most popular, their average cost per RealSelf, as well as Caughlins general thoughts on efficacy and who may be a good fit.

Keep in mind that the above factors, especially price, will differ depending on the doctors unique approach, education, experience, and location. Additional fees such as general anesthesia, hospital costs, surgeons fees, pre-op tests, and even follow-up visits can also drastically increase the overall price.

Should you decide to book a consultation with any plastic surgeon, request before and after photos and research their certifications to get a sense of what they are capable of.

Chin Implant

Average Cost: $5,175

Often regarded as the gold standard in chin augmentation, a chin implant is a sculpted piece of material (typically silicone) that is inserted under the chin through a small incision and molded around the chin bone. Theyre now also completely customizable and can come with wings that create additional volume to the sides of the chin.

Men can get away with more projections than women, typically, adds Caughlin. It's a little more masculine to have a projected mandible.

Chin Liposuction

Average Cost: $3,275

While this procedure will remove submental fat, most commonly known as a double chin, it wont improve a recessive chin bone. This is, however, an ideal option for those who only want to permanently and quickly remove fat via a cannula and small incisions to yield a slimmer, more defined jawline.

Neck lipo is great for a young person with thick skin and a decent fat content, says Caughlin.

Lower Facelift

Average Cost: $9,900

Generally recommended for older patients to combat facial aging, a lower facelift will aim to lift sagging skin along the entire neck and tighten the platysma muscle to eliminate whats been dubbed as the turkey neck.

Caughlin is generally not a fan of this procedure in younger patients, particularly the popular deep plane varieties that go deeper into the neck to release and reposition ligaments rather than just pulling the skin.

I think deep plane can be complicated for many people, he argues. There's probably a roletypically somebody over the age of 60 or 70 with thin skin, ptotic submandibular glands, and a widened muscle plane. I'm a little bit more of an anti-deep plane person, to be completely honest, but there's likely a role in the right person.

Instead, Caughlin looks to change the structure first or touts what hes coined the sneaky lift: a specialized, minimally invasive procedure designed for middle-aged patients who have mild skin laxity but are not yet candidates for a full deep plane facelift.

Dermal Fillers

Average Cost: $1,175

The benefit of dermal fillers is that theyre not permanent, providing a temporary glimpse at what a larger jawline or chin may look like without committing to a surgery that requires downtime and a larger upfront payment.

While popular hyaluronic acid-based fillers like Juvederm tend to be more inexpensive, versatile, and easier to dissolve, they dont last as long as Radiesse (generally one year vs. two years). Radiesse contains calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres: a biocompatible substance that stimulates natural collagen production.

No matter the preference, annual or biannual maintenance alone can eventually exceed the cost of a permanent implant.

Filler is for the person who doesn't want surgery but can tolerate a little projection and volume, advises Caughlin. It's a great product for the right person, if done properly.

Kybella

Average Cost: $1,261

Kybella is an injectable treatment that uses synthetic deoxycholic acid to destroy fat cells under the chin. That said, results are often hard to predict and preceded by extreme swelling, and it can require multiple treatments before a patient is completely satisfied.

If you have just a little isolated fat pocket, Kybella can be effective, says Caughlin. It does take four to six treatments, and you still swell up each time.

Skin Rejuvenation Treatments

Average Cost: $225-$4,975 per treatment

Though used primarily for tightening skin and not removing fat or increasing projection, the robust number of skin rejuvenation treatments (including lasers, microneedling, peels, ultrasound technology, and radiofrequency therapy) are encouraged for practically everyone at any stage of their adult life.

I think everybody can probably tolerate those at one point, says Caughlin. It just depends on the skin type, melanin content, and the level of outcome you want to get. But lasers are also great in the right hands and the right patient done properly.

Many plastic surgeons are also performing laser treatments in combination with surgical procedures, as numbed skin and/or anesthetized patients can withstand higher power levels and, as a result, reduce the number of future treatments and subsequent costs.

Keep Your Chin Up

Should you find yourself among the millions of men who are insecure about their chins or jawlines: fear not. There are plenty of treatment options to consider.

The first step is finding a medical professional that you can trust to offer their recommendations and tailor a plan to your unique goals and anatomy. Once you decide what is best, youll be well on your way to a face that would give Michelangelos David a run for his money.

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28 January 2026 12:34 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

New electric buses are set to be put into operation in Nakhchivan this year, with similar plans underway for the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.

As reported by Azernews, the announcement was made by Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rahman Hummatov during a roundtable discussion dedicated to the implementation of the State Program on Improving Transport Infrastructure in Baku and Surrounding Areas for 20252030 for 2025.

Hummatov stated that new buses will be introduced in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic this year, with a focus on deploying electric buses to improve the efficiency and environmental sustainability of public transport.

As a result, Azerbaijans public transport system will continue its transition toward cleaner and more energy-efficient electric vehicles.

It was also noted that within the framework of the COP29 conference, 160 electric BYD buses were delivered to Azerbaijan as part of a pilot project and have already been put into service. The buses were supplied under an agreement signed with the Chinese company BYD Company Limited.
28 January 2026 10:22 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

January 28 is observed globally as Data Protection Day. On this date in 1981, the worlds first international convention on the protection of personal data was adopted, Azernews reports, citing the Electronic Security Service.

Azerbaijan joined the convention in 2009, and in 2010 the country adopted the Law On Personal Data.

The report notes that updated legislation is expected to come into force this year, aimed at regulating digital risks, strengthening citizens rights, and increasing the obligations and liability of entities processing personal data.

The Electronic Security Service under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, acting as the authorized body in the field of personal data protection, prevented potential data breaches involving the personal information of more than three million citizens as a result of preventive measures carried out last year.

At the same time, legal action was taken against more than 40 legal entities that failed to comply with personal data protection requirements. In accordance with the law, these entities were held administratively liable.

Within the framework of monitoring activities conducted on social networks, swift measures were implemented in response to the illegal dissemination of personal data belonging to more than 3,000 citizens, and the identified violations were eliminated.

It was also reported that this year Azerbaijan plans to establish a centralized unified database of information systems that process personal data. The initiative aims to ensure proper registration of such systems nationwide, as well as to enhance transparency and oversight in the field of personal data protection.
28 January 2026 12:53 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Restoration work on tram infrastructure has been carried out, and preparations are underway to reintroduce tram services in Baku, according to Anar Rzayev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AYNA.

As reported by Azernews, speaking at a roundtable dedicated to the implementation of the State Program for Improving Transport Infrastructure in Baku and Surrounding Areas for 20252030 for 2025, Rzayev said that a preliminary feasibility study for launching a tram line from Mehdiabad settlement to the 28 May metro station has already been completed, while design work is currently in progress.

He also noted that, taking the future tram line into account, the cross-section design of the road along the Sea Breeze route has been coordinated.

Rzayev highlighted the importance of the Absheron circular railway route, which plays a key role in passenger mobility between Baku and Sumgayit and across the Absheron Peninsula. The route consists of two linesBakuKhirdalanSumgayit and BakuPirshaghiSumgayitand has undergone significant modernization in recent years, including service improvements and increased train frequency.

To further enhance railway transport infrastructure around Baku, plans are in place to restore the Yeni SurakhaniHovsan, BakikhanovBinaGala, and ZabratMashtagaBaghlar railway lines. The project also includes the rehabilitation of existing stations and the construction of new stations along these routes.

Rzayev said that in 2025, analyses of road and railway infrastructure along these lines were conducted and design work was launched, with some design stages already completed. Optimization work has also been carried out on stations and stops along the routes to be restored, and their locations have been determined.

Work is also underway to improve the BakuKhirdalanSumgayit line by increasing train departures and passenger capacity, as well as commissioning new stops. Construction of the Darnagul stop is currently progressing rapidly, with approximately 60 percent of the work already completed. Plans are also in place to open a stop at Bash Keshla station and establish a Binagadi stop.

In addition, the BakuPirshaghiSumgayit line is set to be upgraded, with increased train frequency and passenger capacity, as well as the introduction of new stops. Railway stops are planned in the Kurdakhani, Fatmayi, and Saray settlements along this line. A stop at Narimanov station is also planned.

As part of the State Program, the restoration of the GuzdekGaradagh railway line is also envisaged. Once restored, this line will allow freight trains to operate on that route, thereby increasing passenger train capacity on the BakuKhirdalanSumgayit line.

Rzayev added that Azerbaijan plans to purchase 20 new passenger trains by 2030. Work in this direction is ongoing, with analyses underway and negotiations being held with foreign companies.
28 January 2026 11:29 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Azerbaijan has been welcomed as a founding member of the Board of Peace, an international organization established at the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump, Azernews reports.

The announcement was made via the organizations official X social media account, which stated:

The Board of Peace Council welcomes Azerbaijan as a founding member of our growing international organization.

The Board of Peace also shared welcoming posters highlighting other countries joining the organization as founding members, underscoring its expanding international scope.

The Board of Peace Charter signing ceremony was held in Davos on January 22, with the participation of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, marking Azerbaijans formal entry into the initiative.

The move reflects Azerbaijans continued engagement in international platforms focused on dialogue, cooperation, and peace-oriented initiatives at the global level.
28 January 2026 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

by Alimat Aliyeva

Germany and Denmark have signed an agreement at the North Sea Summit in Hamburg to establish and jointly operate a major energy hub on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, Azernews reports.

The negotiations were attended by German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche and Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard.

Under the agreement, an energy hub will be built on Bornholm to transmit electricity generated by offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea to the national power grids of both Germany and Denmark. The two countries agreed to share the costs of constructing and maintaining the necessary infrastructure, including subsea cables and grid connections.

The project is expected to play a key role in strengthening energy security in Northern Europe and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels. Experts note that Bornholms strategic location makes it an ideal junction point for cross-border energy distribution, potentially allowing additional countries to connect to the hub in the future.

In addition, according to DPA, energy ministers from Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom signed a separate agreement at the summit focused on the large-scale development of offshore wind energy in the region. Investments in this sector are expected to reach approximately 9.5 billion by 2030.

Analysts believe these initiatives could turn the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions into Europes green power plants, supplying renewable electricity to millions of households. Some observers also suggest that such energy hubs may eventually support green hydrogen production, further expanding their role in Europes long-term climate strategy.
28 January 2026 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Ukraine's accession to the European Union is "one of the key security guarantees" both for his country and Europe, Azernews reports.

"After all, Europe's collective strength is possible, in particular, thanks to Ukraine's security, technological, and economic contributions," he claimed, arguing that Ukraine should join the EU by 2027 and hoping for backing by member states.

Kiev launched the accession process in June 2024.

According to the EU's current timeline, preparations for joining the Union should be finished by 2027, but further negotiations will be needed until 2030. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka told Ukrinform earlier this month that accession by 2027 would be a "theoretical and exceptionally record-breaking possible date."
28 January 2026 12:16 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Russia launched a mass overnight drone attack across Ukraine, killing at least 12 people, Ukrainian authorities said, with one strike hitting a passenger train in the Kharkiv region, Azernews reports.

According to Ukrainian officials, at least five people were killed when a Russian drone struck the train late Tuesday night. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, calling it an act of terrorism.

Zelenskyy shared a short video on X, showing one of the train carriages engulfed in flames following the strike. Regional emergency services later confirmed that the fire had been extinguished.

The broader drone barrage targeted multiple regions across the country, adding to civilian casualties and infrastructure damage as Russia continues its aerial campaign against Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities said emergency services were deployed overnight to respond to the attacks, assess damage, and assist victims.

"There is, and can be, no military justification for killing civilians in a train carriage," Zelenskyy wrote on X, "In particular, over 200 people were on the train, and 18 were in the carriage hit by one of the Russian drones".

"The Russians have significantly increased their capacity to kill, their capacity to terrorise," he added, reiterating the need to assert more pressure on Moscow, a message Zelenskyy has repeatedly delivered to its allies.

A barrage of over 50 Russian drones also struck the Black Sea port city of Odesa, officials said on Tuesday, killing three people and wounding more than 30 others, including two children.

The drones targeted the city's power grid, which Moscow has repeatedly attacked in an effort to cut power and heating in the height of winter, as well as five apartment buildings.

Odesa is a strategic hub for Ukrainian exports, and has been frequently targeted by Moscow. According to Ukrainian authorities, the drones used to attack the southern Ukrainian city included models that were recently upgraded by Russia to improve their range and strike power.
28 January 2026 18:05 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Sen. Ted Cruz called for the U.S. to arm Iranian protesters Tuesday as unrest continues inside the nation and Iran-backed militias issued threats against Washington, Azernews reports via Fox News.

"We should be arming the protesters in Iran. NOW," Cruz wrote in a post on X.

"For the Iranian people to overthrow the Ayatollah  a tyrant who routinely chants death to America  would make America much, much safer," the Texas Republican added.

Cruz was responding to another post from Tehran Bureau, which cited a source inside Iran detailing what was described as a rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground as security forces continued to crack down on demonstrations.

"From trusted source in Tehran: Tell all of your friends [abroad]  everyone you know: there is absolutely nothing else we can do here inside Iran," the post read.

"They are killing people in such ways, theyve descended upon people so brutally, theyre attacking us in such ways... Weve lost so many lives that no one dares go out anymore. They shoot directly with bullets. They kill outright. And even after killing, they come and behead you, and do countless other violent things to you," it continued.

"Going out into the streets is literally suicide. Its not about bravery anymore. Its madness. You go out and they shoot you point-blank. They dont even ask why you came. They just kill you," the post continued. "There is absolutely no way for us to gather unless we had weapons, unless we were armed like them. Otherwise they have weapons everywhere."

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, activist groups estimate that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Iran, with additional cases still under review.

The protests began in late December amid widespread anger over economic hardship, political repression and corruption, according to reports.
28 January 2026 20:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Vietnamese government has approved a plan to introduce time-limited visa exemptions for foreign nationals who qualify for special incentives due to their contributions to the countrys socio-economic development, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

The program will apply to a wide range of highly skilled professionals, including scholars, scientists, professors, and experts from universities and research institutions, as well as chief engineers and other high-level specialists working in the digital technology sector.

The initiative will also cover investors, corporate leaders, and senior executives of major global companies, reflecting Vietnams broader strategy to attract international talent and strengthen its position in high-tech and knowledge-based industries.

Under the plan, the Ministry of Public Security has been tasked with developing detailed eligibility criteria and compiling a list of authorized research institutes, colleges, universities, and leading enterprises that will be allowed to invite foreign nationals under the new visa incentive scheme.

Vietnam has become one of Southeast Asias fastest-growing technology hubs, with its digital economy expected to contribute more than 20% of GDP by the end of the decade, making policies like this a key tool in competing for global talent.

The move highlights Vietnams efforts to create a more open and attractive environment for international professionals while accelerating innovation and economic growth.
28 January 2026 17:07 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for an official visit, where he is set to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azernews reports via Syrias state news agency SANA.

This marks Sharaas second visit to Russia in four months, following a similar trip in October 2025.

According to SANA, the talks are expected to focus on bilateral relations as well as recent regional and international developments. Russia separately confirmed Sharaas arrival, which was broadcast live on the state television channel Rossiya-24.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said discussions would include issues related to the presence of Russian armed forces in Syria.

I have no doubt that all issues related to the presence of our military in Syria will also be raised during todays negotiations, Peskov stated.

He added that cooperation between Moscow and Damascus has been actively developing following the change of leadership in Syria, noting a renewed momentum in bilateral engagement.

Commenting on media reports suggesting that Syrian authorities were negotiating with Moscow over the extradition of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Peskov declined to comment, saying: We are not commenting on the Assad issue.

Addressing reports that Syria had requested the withdrawal of Russian forces from an airfield in Qamishli, Peskov said such matters fall under the authority of Russias Defense Ministry.

As for the deployment of our armed forces on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, this is the prerogative of the Ministry of Defense. We recommend contacting them, he said.

Earlier, the Kremlin said that talks between Putin and Sharaa would focus on Syrias transitional period, the future of bilateral cooperation, and developments in the Middle East.

The plan is to discuss the state and prospects for developing bilateral ties in various areas, as well as the current situation in the Middle East, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Wednesdays visit underscores the continued strategic dialogue between Moscow and Damascus amid ongoing regional shifts.
28 January 2026 18:43 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in China, beginning a three-day visit aimed at strengthening dialogue with Beijing on trade, investment, and national security, Azernews reports, citing BBC.

On Thursday, Starmer is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, marking one of the most significant UK-China diplomatic engagements in recent years.

Following talks in the capital, the Prime Minister will travel to Shanghai, where he will participate in a series of meetings with British and Chinese business leaders. He will be accompanied by Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle and Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby, underscoring the economic focus of the visit.

After concluding his engagements in China, Starmer will continue his Asia tour with a visit to Japan, where he is set to meet the countrys new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, in Tokyo.

The visit comes against the backdrop of stark economic contrasts between the two countries. Last year, the UKs gross domestic product (GDP) stood at approximately $4 trillion (2.9 trillion), compared with Chinas $20 trillion economy. Growth rates also differ significantly: the UK expanded by around 1.5% in 2025, while Beijing reports 5% economic growth. Analysts note, however, that such disparities are typical when comparing a mature, highly developed economy with one still undergoing structural expansion.

Beyond headline figures, deeper differences shape the bilateral relationship. Chinas vast manufacturing base and its dominance in the global rare earths supply chain contrast sharply with the UKs service-oriented economy. The two nations also operate under fundamentally different economic models, with Chinas socialist market economy blending state planning with market mechanisms, while the UK remains a largely liberal market economy.

Starmers visit is further complicated by the need to carefully balance relations with the United States, as trade tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to escalate. Last week, US President Donald Trump warned that he could impose 100% tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa pursued deeper trade ties with China. The warning followed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneys visit to Beijing, where he announced a new strategic partnership and plans to reduce tariffs.

Amid these developments, Starmer has reiterated that the UK will not be forced to choose between China and the United States. He emphasized that Britain would maintain close ties with Washington on business, security, and defence, while also arguing that disengaging from China would be impractical.

Sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China wouldnt be sensible, Starmer said, highlighting Londons intent to pursue a pragmatic and balanced foreign economic policy in an increasingly polarized global environment.
The actions of radical far left mobs and leftwing Democrat politicians in Minneapolis have led America to the brink of having our immigration laws nullified in that state. It reminds one of the South Carolina Nullification Crisis of 1832-33.

Mobs of radicals, some so hell-bent on their ideology that they are willing to engage in suicide-by-cop to make themselves martyrs for the cause, are rampaging on the streets and even invading churches. The leftwing Democrat mayor and governor have demanded that federal immigration laws not be enforced in their state. The mobs of rioters are even invading churches, and politically corrupt Biden judges are refusing to issue arrest warrants for some of the church invaders.

Law and order has broken down in Minnesota, and our immigration laws hang in the balance. The radical mobs and politicians reject the attempts by ICE to take criminals qho have committed crimes like murder, rape, burglary, child abuse, robbery, and others into custody for deportation as our immigration laws provide. This is a clear act of insurrection, but the Trump administration appears to be backing down. Perhaps the threat of national Democrats to further the insurrection by blocking ICE funding has led to the change in policy, but if they get away with it, enormous damage will be done to the rule of law and to American democracy.

https://thefederalist.com/2026/01/28/trump-has-failed-his-nullification-crisis-other-states-will-follow-minnesotas-example/

https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2026/01/27/fanning-the-flames-of-violence-soros-backed-da-says-will-hunt-down-wannabe-nazi-ice-agents-n2198582

https://thefederalist.com/2026/01/28/democrats-want-to-keep-illegals-in-america-to-rig-the-census-and-congressional-apportionment/

https://joehoft.com/former-special-forces-officer-whats-unfolding-in-minneapolis-isnt-a-protest-its-an-insurgency/

https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2026/01/29/tom-homan-minneapolis-presser-n2198629

In the original nullification crisis, in 1832, the South Carolina legislature passed legislation nullifying a federal tariff in their state. President Andrew Jackson immediately threatened to march federal troops into the state and to hang his vice president, South Carolinian John C. Calhoun. However, in the end, Congress greatly reduced the amount of the tariff in 1833 and South Carolina agreed to accept that.
Economic development agency Invest NI has said its looking into whether it can claw back any of 0.4m in support received by a business now in administration.
US investor trying to build NI business left waiting four days for luggage: I can't have employees belongings disappear

Texan living in Castlerock has blasted SWISS for the time it took to send his baggage to him from Dublin Airport

Chris Clark with his golf friends at Castlerock Golf Club

Margaret Canning Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 07:30

A US businessman seeking to establish his company in Northern Ireland has blasted an airline for taking four days to send his bag from Dublin Airport to his north coast home.
O'Dowd's Premier lager - only double (or triple) the price of your usual pint. Seatons bar in Belfast used this AI image to criticise the huge increase in its rates bill

A hospitality venue run by former Tyrone GAA captain Peter Canavan has said its rates will almost double under current plans.

Canavan took over the restaurant, bar and hotel in 2024. It was previously Kellys Inn, which was run by the local Kelly family since 1937.

Taking to social media on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Canavans, which is based on the A5 road near Ballygawley, said: Your pint has increased in price by 92%. Your room for the night is now nearly double the price it was yesterday, for no apparent reason.

You wouldnt accept those price increases from us, but this is the hand which we have been dealt.

The recent rates revaluation has seen our annual rates bill increase by a staggering 92%.

Pair this with the changes to the National Insurance thresholds and rates, wage increases with another coming in April. Food and drink prices continue to rise to unseen levels, energy costs are through the roof and our rates dont even pay for our bin collection, so we have commercial waste rates to tend to.

Hospitality post Covid has seen some truly trying times. Culture changes in our cities, towns and villages as well as rising costs have seen so many venues struggle to keep the lights on. Here at Canavans we are trying our best to maintain standards in quality and service whilst providing the best value possible for our loyal customers. But it is getting more and more difficult to do so.

They noted that they are situated in the rural countryside, in a part of the world renowned for its hospitality, adding that the new rates revaluations feel like a slap in the face for a sector that actually needs a helping hand.

The Canavans representative thanked all customers who continue to support the company, adding: Please continue to support all your local pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels. They need it more than ever.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the American Bar in Belfasts Sailortown area said the rates increase will lead to the closure of small businesses.

"Like other colleagues in the sector, we ask (Finance Minister) to take a reddener on this revaluation, and to get active in lowering our VAT rates to match those of the Republic.," they said.

They urged him to get your hands out of the pockets of small businesses and tax the f***ing rich.

Elsewhere, Belfast bar Seatons has announced it's O'Dowd Premium lager at only 24.07 a pint.

Same lager we've always served, just 282% more expensive thanks to the Finance Minister John O'Dowd MLA and LPS latest business rates hikes, they said.

Town Square in Belfast was also offering the same pint at just under double its usual price, reflecting its own rates hike.

It is the latest complaint from a long line of local hospitality owners and workers who have criticised the proposed revaluation of business rates, which the Economy Minister has faced calls to reverse this week.

Sinn Feins Dr Caoimhe Archibald said the 2026 revaluation is necessary to ensure fairness in our rate system, but that she would request a meeting with the UK Treasury in relation to a potential pilot scheme to reduce VAT for small businesses.

On Tuesday, Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson said property tax bills for pubs and music venues in England will be cut by 15% in 2026/27 and then frozen in real terms for a further two years.

Peter Canavan

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Finance last week announced Reval 2026, with Land & Property Services publishing draft revaluations for commercial properties. Businesses facing above-average increases in property values are likely to see higher rates bills.

Non-domestic rates raise around 720m a year, with the Department of Finance saying revaluations are designed to be revenue neutral and not generate additional income.

Hospitality Ulster criticised the move, calling it unacceptable and warning that businesses already under severe cost pressure cannot absorb further increases.

O'Dowd's Premier lager - only double (or triple) the price of your usual pint. Seatons bar in Belfast used this AI image to criticise the huge increase in its rates bill

Storm Chandra hits Northern Ireland

In the Assembly on Tuesday, SDLP MLA for Foyle Sinead McLaughlin said rising costs were forcing pubs, retailers and hospitality businesses to close, citing three restaurants in Derry city centre that announced plans to shut last week. She warned the revaluation could push more businesses over the edge.

Ms Caoimhe Archibald said she has been engaging with the sector but noted many pressures stem from Government decisions and the legacy of the pandemic. She said discussions are ongoing with Hospitality Ulster and others, including proposals for a VAT pilot scheme.

The SDLP have launched a save our pubs campaign to protect local hospitality businesses from the potential impact of the reval on rates bills.
International

No deadline day move for Northern Ireland international: Hes not going anywhere
The issue of girls being allowed to wear trousers to school was raised by pupils in front of Stormont's Education Committee.

School pupils have told a Stormont scrutiny committee they are annoyed and frustrated the Education Minister Paul Givan hasnt engaged directly with them over the issue of allowing girls to wear trousers in school.

Members of the NI Youth Assembly were appearing at the Education Committee, with the committee preparing to bring its own bill to the Assembly aimed at giving the right to wear trousers to all pupils in Northern Ireland schools.

And they shared the committees view that given the support for the legislation from both pupils and the majority of the committee, the issue should be 2a simple thing to deal with, one that the Minister could rectify today with the stroke of a open.

Speaking on behalf of the NI Youth Assembly, James Maginn told MLAs that 98% of pupils supported the idea that all pupils should be permitted to wear trousers to school if they wished.

Comfort was the biggest factor, he said, even more than equality, dignity, safety and fairness.

We believe the option to wear trousers in schools should be for all pupils and would like to see the legislation reflect that universally.

What pupils have to wear as a uniform should not be restrictive or distracting.

Read more Man (71) who died in Spar car crash named

Raphael MacMillan-Sharkey told MLAs that on the issue of equality, it should be obvious that all pupils were treated equally.

The insistence of wearing skirts is difficult to justify in 2026, he said. Its unfair and an old fashioned view that doesnt reflect the society schools are preparing us to be a part of. And naturally, girls are disproportionally affected in all aspects of uniform policy.

Consistency across Northern Ireland schools is needed, with no difference between what schools are permitted to do concerning uniforms if we are to be fair to all pupils.

While the pupils said they did support the current legislation on addressing school uniforms which the Minister has brought to the Assembly, they felt the regulations will not go far enough.

This is about practicality, said Daire McConnell, adding that the legislation as it stands still gives schools the right to set their own uniform policies.

There are still small but persistent barriers, he said.

Asked if he felt the Minister should have gone further that legislation permitting pupils to challenge individual schools on uniform policy Raphael MacMillan-Sharkey added: They shouldnt have to campaign. We believe a barrier is still there.

Schools are meant to prepare us, as children, for the outside world. But is there any job out there where you have to ask for permission to wear trousers rather than a skirt?

The issue of girls being allowed to wear trousers to school was raised by pupils in front of Stormont's Education Committee.

Jeremy Vine shares admiration for the Belfast Telegraph after receiving a special package

Daire McConnell added that be believed pupils should not have to put their hand up and ask it they can wear trousers.

Ellie Simpson told the committee she believes pupils who want to wear trousers are still prevented from doing so despite what legislation is coming. Girls who wear trousers are still seen as different and there needs to be a change now in legislation that all pupils have the right if the wish rather than having to campaign to their school for it.

And she added that removing the barrier to girls wearing trousers would enable young women to feel safer on their way too and from school.

The uniform girls have to wear can bring unwanted attention, she told MLAs. And that can cause real anxiety and stress. We have no doubt the ability to wear trousers will enable girls to feel safer, more comfortable and more respected and a time when our society is supposed to be trying to do what it can to protect women.

Committee vice chair Pat Sheehan said that the Ministers refusal to budge on the issues had led to the committees decision to bring its own bill to the Assembly.

But this all takes time and costs money. Paul Givan could do this easily with a stroke of his pen.

Raphael MacMillan-Sharkey said it was annoying that the person who is supposed to be representing us is not even bothering to do something as simple as this.. Asked if the Minister had held any discussions with members of the NI Youth Assembly, he replied: None, absolutely none.

Defending the DUP Minister, his committee member colleague David Brooks said his partys stance was to support the independence of schools to make their own decisions.

The Education Committee is bringing forward a proposal for a law to allow all pupils to wear trousers at school as a universal right, and will continue consultations until February 20.

After issuing new guidelines to schools last October as the Uniform Bill awaits Royal Ascent, Mr Givan said: I absolutely am standing up for young girls and if they want to wear trousers for school they actually now have more legal authority to make the case.

I absolutely encourage those girls in schools to challenge their schools and as a result of this legislation their voice has now got much greater weight to make the case, he said.
The Bloody Sunday families have expressed anger after the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said it would uphold a decision not to prosecute eight former soldiers who were investigated for perjury about the events of Bloody Sunday.

The individuals were investigated for giving false evidence about the events of January 30, 1972 when 13 innocent civilians were murdered and 15 others left injured.

Ciaran Shiels, solicitor for the Bloody Sunday Families and Wounded, said the move will allow ex-Parachute Regiment soldiers who perverted the course of justice to escape criminal prosecution.

Former members of the British military have nothing to fear in relation being held accountable either for murders they committed with impunity in Ireland, or when they subsequently came to lie under oath when seeking to justify the unjustifiable, or when alleging that the innocent victims they murdered were engaged in criminal activity and that they effectively deserved to be shot, he said in a statement.

Bloody Sunday

Soldiers opened fire during the civil rights march in the Bogside area of the city.

An inquiry, known as the Widgery Tribunal, issued a report within weeks of the atrocity which exonerated the British Army and compounded the hurt felt by victims.

It wasnt until 2010, following a lengthy campaign for justice amid claims of a cover-up, that all those shot dead were declared innocent.

The findings of the Saville Inquiry overturned the main findings of the Widgery report and outlined a damning account of how soldiers were unjustified in firing more than 100 rifle rounds at protesters who did not pose a threat.

Despite the contrary evidence given by soldiers, we have concluded that none of them fired in response to attacks or threatened attacks by nail or petrol bombers, Lord Saville concluded.

The distinguished judge rejected claims that no-one threw, or threatened to throw, nail or petrol bombs at soldiers.

In April 2024, the PPS decided not to prosecute 16 people in relation to allegations of false evidence given to both inquiries due to insufficient admissible evidence that would provide a reasonable prospect of conviction.

A request was then made on behalf of the families of eight victims to review the decisions relating to veterans known as Soldiers F, H, J, M, P, S, U and V in line the PPS Code for Prosecutors.

The test was then reapplied to the same large volume of evidence.

On Wednesday the PPS said the legally complex review is now complete and involved a careful analysis of all available evidence and legal submissions made by the family legal representatives.

Prosecutors explained that the high standard of proof required, which must meet the evidential threshold of being beyond a reasonable doubt, has not been met.

It is recognised that this outcome does not reflect the hopes and expectations of the Bloody Sunday families, and that it will come as another deeply disappointing day after decades of seeking justice for their loved ones, a statement read.

A detailed written explanation has been provided to the families to assist them in understanding our decision.

We would further emphasise that todays decisions in no way diminish the findings by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. A public inquiry and a criminal trial are very different processes and much of the material upon which the Inquiry could rely would not be available to the prosecution having regard to the rules of evidence that apply to criminal proceedings.

The outcome was based on much of the key evidence relied upon by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, including accounts provided by soldiers in 1972, not being admissible in any criminal prosecution for perjury or perverting the course of justice.

The evidence was obtained in circumstances deemed by previous courts to amount to oppression in a context where fundamental legal safeguards were denied to soldiers and would likely be considered by a judge to be unfair.

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood expressed deep disappointment that once again Bloody Sunday families have been let down by the state.

The former SDLP leader referred to the trial of Soldier F in Belfast which concluded in Belfast last October with the ex-Paratrooper found not guilty of murdering James Wray (22) and William McKinney (26) and cleared of five charges of attempted murder.

At the end of the case, Mr Justice Lynch found that a number of soldiers had been serially untruthful about key events on Bloody Sunday and therefore had committed perjury before the Widgery and Saville Inquiries.

Its impossible to overstate the scale of the burden that has been placed on the families of the dead and injured on Bloody Sunday, Mr Eastwood said.

For more than fifty years, they have had to fight every conceivable institution of the state for truth, justice and accountability. Today, again, they have been badly let down by the incredible decision not to prosecute soldiers for perjury during the Widgery and Saville Inquiries."

The elected representative described the PPS decision as incredible in light of the 4.3m taxpayer bill for the defence costs of Soldier F.

It is not unreasonable to expect that there would be some consequence for those actions, Mr Eastwood said.

As I always have, and as the people of Derry always have, we will fully support the Bloody Sunday families in the days and weeks ahead.

"These families are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of justice and were with them every step of the way.

The PPS said its position was not altered by Mr Justice Lynchs comments regarding one of the ex-servicemen when he acquitted Soldier F.

The judges findings relied upon evidence admitted for a different purpose in the context of that trial and would not be admissible in any case against the veteran.
Police at the scene of a shooting in the Strathroy Park area. Kevin Scott

A barbaric shooting in north Belfast which left a man with serious injuries has caused fear in the community, a councillor said today.

The victim, who was aged in his late 30s, was shot once in each leg on Tuesday night.

It happened in the Strathroy Park area just before 8pm.

Crews from the NI Ambulance Service rushed him to hospital.

Police at the scene of a shooting in the Strathroy Park area. Kevin Scott

Paul McCusker, an independent councillor, said the shooting had caused disruption and fear in a community that has experienced significant trauma and heartache for many years.

He said such attacks have reduced over the past number of years and we need to work to ensure they do not return or increase.

The recent shooting has caused a lot of fear within the local community.

Dialogue is the only way to resolve issues and I would encourage those involved in this activity to make contact and to plea to them that we do not want to see an increase to guns or violence on our streets."

Police said they will step up patrols in the area.

Detective Sergeant Long said: Although his injuries are, thankfully, not likely to be fatal, they are severe and will no doubt leave him with lasting physical and emotional trauma.

Officers remain at the scene tonight, carrying out enquiries. Local residents will notice a heavy police presence in the area.

This attack has caused fear and disruption in the very community those responsible for this criminal act claim to protect.

The incident occurred in the Ardoyne area (Photo: Kevin Scott)

Sheep stuck in flood water outside Ballymena

North Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly appealed anyone with information to approach the police.

The Sinn Fein MLA said: I condemn this attempted murder. There is no place for guns on our streets. I call on anyone with any information whatsoever to bring it forward to the police.

SDLP councillor Carl Whyte said the shooting must be strongly condemned.

"This will have caused much concern and upset in the local community and left the victim with potentially serious injuries, he added.

The days of gunmen roaming our streets must be consigned to the past. There can be no justification for the use of barbaric violence of this nature.

It is deeply concerning that those behind this attack are in possession of a deadly weapon and it must be seized and taken out of circulation before anyone else is hurt.
Mid and East Antrim councillors left in dark over dismissal

The man who heads bin collection services in Mid and East Antrim has been sacked by the council, the Belfast Telegraph understands.

While Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (MEABC) said it wont comment on why Interim Director of Operations Shaun Morley was dismissed, a spokesperson confirmed that council chief Valerie Watts is making alternative management arrangements until a new Director is appointed.

The spokesperson said: The Interim Chief Executive is responsible for staffing matters and as such has followed relevant procedures. Council does not comment on personnel matters.

The Waste Service operates as normal and the Interim Chief Executive is making alternative management arrangements that will be in place until the arrival of the new Director on 1st April.

The announcement of Mr Morleys sacking was communicated to councillors in the borough on Friday afternoon following an email issued by the Chief Executive.

The Belfast Telegraph understands it comes after concerns around the management of the boroughs bin collections services over a number of months.

However, UUP councillor Alan Barr said that councillors have ultimately been left in the dark as to why Mr Morley was laid off.

Mr Barr said: We only found out at half past four on Friday afternoon, just basically an email from the Chief Executive, pretty blunt and to the point, to say that she had approached us all about terminating the contract of Shaun Morley, who was the former Director of Operations.

She also said that she didn't wish to get involved in any further discussion, because the personnel is up to her. So as it stands, we are pretty much in the dark as to why this has happened.

Mr Morley was appointed to the position in May of 2024 and has extensive experience working in senior positions at councils across the UK, according to his professional profile.

This includes Interim Director positions at Manchester City Council, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, York City Council as well as Interim Head of Environmental Services at Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

Mr Barr said that talks between his party and the Chief Executive will take place to ask why this has happened, how it has happened, and what will the cost be to the taxpayer?

The Braid in Ballymena, Mid and East Antrim Borough Councils headquarters

Storm Chandra hits Northern Ireland

While the Braid councillor concurred the bin services had issues he added that in Mr Morley's defence, any time that I spoke to him about collection issues, he was always very helpful and constructive, and would always get back to me and offer me assistance.

I personally never had a bad word to say about him, Mr Barr added:

I would like to hear it in black and white or verbally from [the Chief Executive] as to how this has happened, because anything else would be simply speculation.
TV and radio presenter Jeremy Vine has expressed his admiration for the Belfast Telegraph and promised to remain a subscriber for the rest of his life after receiving a special package.

Just weeks after revealing he is a long-standing subscriber of the newspaper he hailed as "great", the BBC Radio Two host took to social media to show off some branded merch after it arrived in the mail.

The Instagram post shows him opening the parcel to reveal an umbrella, mug and notepad bearing the brand name of his favourite news outlet.

"Well listen, I'm excited because I got this," the 60-year-old explains.

Jeremy Vine (PA)

"And it's from  well it's pretty obvious who it's from  it's from my friends at the Belfast Evening, well it used to be the Belfast Evening Telegraph, it's now of course just the Belfast Telegraph because its all online and stuff.

"The thing about it is I really love this paper.

"I would like to say I really support it, I think it does a great job out of Northern Ireland."

The broadcaster, who fronts a number of shows on Channel 5 including current affairs programme Jeremy Vine, first opened up about his soft spot for this newspaper during an on-air discussion last month.

Speaking to traffic and travel reporter Danny Cowan on his lunchtime radio show, the host declared that the Belfast Telegraph is a great newspaper.

Vine and Cowan, who is originally from Bangor, Co Down, were discussing the quiet build-up of subscriptions when the Belfast Telegraph came up.

You are obviously from Northern Ireland, the host said.

"I needed to read something from the Belfast Telegraph, which is a great newspaper there, I had to take out one of those temporary subscriptions to it and Ive now had it for 10 years.

I only read one article but I cant bear to cancel it because I feel like its a contribution to the newspaper and I might need it again so every time I see it I say No, no, Im happy with that."

The presenter, who also hosts the quiz show Eggheads after taking over from Dermott Murnaghan in 2014, told his tens of thousands of Instagram followers how he ended up with a gift bag.

"They saw [when] I did that thing of signing up for an article and then I thought 'no, sod it, I'm going to be a subscriber' so every time it comes up that I pay 6.99 a month or whatever it is, I think 'well, I'm going to do that till I die'.

"I briefly worked for three months in Belfast when I was 23 and I think it is the friendliest part of the country.

"Obviously it has come through the troubled period and has a new future.

"I am so grateful to you guys at the Belfast Telegraph for my little goodie bag. Thank you."

Vine heaped further praise on the publication that began placing its journalism behind a paywall in May 2020 as part of a new digital strategy.

He captioned the clip: "Thank you @belfasttelegraph for your great newspaper, the great reporters, the intelligent analysis and the fun I get from my very reasonable subscription.
Snow and freezing conditions made rural roads hazardous, with many not gritted. Picture by Peter Morrison

An MLA has said he had to step in twice during the recent snowy weather to ensure family funerals went ahead as ungritted roads threatened to impact family grief.

Patsy McGlone of the SDLP added that the two families contacted him over the state of roads ahead of the funerals, with one family fearing they would be unable to bring the remains of their father home for the wake.

The gritting of rural roads had been raised at a meeting of Mid Ulster District Council last week, where representatives were told the lack of treatment to roads during bad weather cant simply be labelled as the Brits fault.

This newspaper revealed last month that Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins blamed British austerity in answers to 132 Assembly responses.

Mid Ulster MLA Mr McGlone said: There have been two cases in this area in the last couple of weeks.

The first was in Draperstown. Theres a really steep hill and the family of the deceased were trying to bring the remains home from hospital. They contacted me and said there was no way the hearse was getting up the hill.

The roads hadnt been gritted, and as the death of a loved one can be a difficult enough time, I contacted the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to see if something urgent could be done.

That was on a Saturday. The body was due to arrive at the family home by 3pm, but within a couple of hours, the road was sorted, and that was by someone who wasn't supposed to be working that day.

We can all grumble about the state of the roads, but there are people out there who do go above and beyond when needed most.

A week later, there was a similar issue, and again I cant fault the response. They were out two days in a row to ensure the road was treated to allow a wake to happen. These things are important to people, particularly in rural communities.

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A motion had been before Mid Ulster Council calling on DfI roads service to enhance its winter maintenance programme, although its wording was amended to blame underfunding, as opposed to failings, for the current situation.

UUP councillor Trevor Wilson had appealed to councillors to be realistic when complaining about the lack of gritting provision and pothole issues, saying the Infrastructure Minister could only act within budget provision.

When I read the motion, it did criticise the Department for Infrastructure, but I didnt see it as an attack on the minister, he said.

Snow and freezing conditions made rural roads hazardous, with many not gritted. Picture by Peter Morrison

Ballymena farmer rescues flock of sheep from flood water

The roads are in poor shape in some places, and quite a lot of potholes are there, but I believe the staff are doing the best they can in the circumstances.

But Ill be honest, I get fed up hearing the crying, all the time, about the underfunding that has been received here. Its about trying to live within the budgets, and the budgets have been increased.

Yes, the more money we can get the better, but you can only play that out for so long, and it gets played out here almost on a monthly basis.

He did, though, question the long-term planning of the department.

The A29, a main road, was not gritted last Thursday, yet theyve spent quite a sizeable amount of money on putting in a greenway safeway, Mr Wilson said.

For anybody who uses that road, Im not sure they see many people on it. That makes absolutely no sense. And my belief is that there was no or very little consultation on that. That money could be better spent within the Mid Ulster area.

SDLP councillor Malachy Quinn said he had personal experience of the difficult travelling conditions on the districts roads.

Like everybody else, I was disappointed with the winter maintenance programme, especially when Im travelling to Armagh in the morning, he said.

I have to go down Drummurrer Lane, Annaghaboe Road and Annaghmore Road. Theres absolutely no grit whatsoever, except for the ones that residents have gone and put down.

I do know the staff working for DfI are doing their best. They are constrained quite considerably. I think policy also needs to be looked at, about whats gritted and when its gritted.

Im sure every minister could cry that Its the Brits fault for not funding them. The minister has got her allocation, and its up to her to put it where it needs to go, and if theres funding failures in the department, its up to her to try to fix that.

Every minister in the Executive has to work on the constraints that theyre at, and theres no point, because its a particular minister, or because a particular minister belongs to a certain party, that you come out and say, Oh, its not their fault.

Theyre the ones in control. Theyre the ones that have to take the criticism.

The DfI has been contacted for comment.
Simon Harris said we need to get to a point where if youre under the age of 16, you cant be on social media (PA)

Ireland needs to prohibit the use of social media by those aged under 16, the Tanaiste has said.

Simon Harris said there had to be a baring of teeth and enforcement of the age of digital consent.

The Data Protection Act 2018 set the age of digital consent at 16.

This means online service providers like social media platforms, which rely on consent as the legal basis for processing personal data, must obtain the consent of the childs parents.

Speaking on Virgin Media Ones Ireland AM, Mr Harris said: The era of self-regulation is now over. There are now laws. There are now fines that can be levied.

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The European Commission this week has now opened an investigation into (AI tool) Grok.

We need to actually see kind of a bit of baring of teeth here  there are actually laws, and they [social media companies] cant be above the law.

This cant be the wild west anymore.

He added: I think were going to have to go further in this country though. We have a digital age of consent, thats 16.

We have to start actually enforcing that, and theres good work being done on that.

Were going to start by March asking social media companies  and some of them are up for this, by the way  to take part in the rollout of age verification.

But quite frankly, I believe we need to get to a point where if youre under the age of 16, you cant be on social media.
Sir Keir Starmer described himself as a British pragmatist as he appeared to distance himself from his Canadian counterparts call for middle powers to band together.

In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said a rupture in the world order meant great powers were acting without any constraints.

He said middle powers such as his own must act together because if were not at the table, were on the menu.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing, China (Carl Court/PA)

Asked whether he agreed with Mr Carneys statement, Sir Keir told reporters on a flight to Beijing he would not choose between countries, saying: Im a pragmatist, a British pragmatist applying common sense.

He added: Im pleased that we have a good relationship with the US on defence, security, intelligence and on trade and prosperity, and its very important that we maintain that good relationship.

Equally, we are moving forward with a better relationship with the EU. We had a very good summit last year with 10 strands of agreement.

Well have another summit this year with the EU, which I hope will be iterative, as well as following through on what weve already agreed. And Ive consistently said Im not choosing between the US and Europe. Im really glad that the UK has got good relations with both.

Before his trip to China, which begins with his arrival in Beijing on Wednesday, Sir Keir had made a similar point about relations with the US and China.

In an interview with Bloomberg, he said he would not choose between the two nations.

But by seeking a closer trading relationship with China, he may risk angering US President Donald Trump, who threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Canada after Mr Carney announced an economic deal on a recent trip to Beijing.

Although Mr Trump had initially been positive about the Canadian deal, he made his threat following Mr Carneys speech at Davos which, although it did not mention the president by name, has been seen as a rebuke to the US amid its attempt to take over Greenland.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer should apologise to Iraq veterans for his role in reshaping the law governing troops in war zones, Kemi Badenoch has said (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Sir Keir Starmer should apologise to veterans over his role as a barrister in reshaping the law governing troops in war zones, Kemi Badenoch has said.

The Prime Minister worked free of charge in 2007 on a human rights claim that led to fresh inquiries into deaths in Iraq and hundreds of soldiers facing criminal investigations, according to a report by The Telegraph which Downing Street said contained flagrant inaccuracies.

The Tory leader said the way that our veterans have been harassed through the courts is a complete disgrace when asked about the report at a central London press conference on Wednesday.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticised plans to repeal immunity provisions in Northern Ireland legacy legislation (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

She also criticised the Governments plans to repeal immunity provisions in Northern Ireland legacy legislation, which could see British Army veterans face prosecution for their conduct during the Troubles.

Asked whether Sir Keir should say sorry to Iraq veterans dragged through further legal wranglings, Mrs Badenoch said: Yes, I believe that the way that our veterans have been harassed through the courts is a complete disgrace.

We have been doing everything we can to protect them. What Labour is doing with this legislation, it is doing because it does not believe in our veterans.

Whether its Keir Starmer or his Attorney General Lord Hermer, where they have had the opportunity  pro bono, not cab rank  they have gone to help the people who are acting against our countrys national interests.

Those veterans put their lives on the line to defend us and I want them to know that the Conservative Party will always have their back.

The Telegraph said Sir Keir was involved in the case which paved the way for years of criminal investigations into troops who had been wrongly accused.

Tory former veterans minister Johnny Mercer accused Sir Keir of unleashing the witch hunt against British troops in an article for the newspaper.

Downing Street stressed that Sir Keir did not represent Iraqi families in the case as the paper claimed, but instead acted on behalf of interveners, with his role focused on assisting the court on points of law.

A No 10 spokesman also denied that he acted as a lead barrister or worked alongside the now-disgraced solicitor Phil Shiner on the case, as reported.

The official also pointed to Sir Keirs condemnation last week of US President Donald Trumps claim that Nato troops stayed away from the front lines in Afghanistan as insulting and frankly appalling.

The Telegraphs story contains flagrant inaccuracies, the Downing Street spokesman told reporters.

The Prime Minister did not represent the claimants in this case. The Prime Minister did not work alongside Phil Shiner on this case. The Prime Minister was not the lead barrister in the claim.

The Prime Minister represented interveners, including the Law Society of England and Wales.

Interveners do not advocate for either side. Their role is to assist the court on points of law.

During his career, the Prime Minister has represented British soldiers who were killed in action and were wrongly accused.

The Prime Minister will never forget the courage, bravery and sacrifice made by British servicemen and women for their country.
Sir Keir Starmer said his mission to Beijing would bring benefits for people in the UK as he prepared to begin the first prime ministerial visit to China in eight years.

The Prime Minister will touch down in China on Wednesday along with a delegation of almost 60 representatives of British businesses and cultural institutions as he continues his efforts to build bridges with Beijing.

Speaking to reporters on the flight to Beijing, he said: The evidence there are opportunities is the fact that weve got so many CEOs with us on this flight, that weve got 60 coming out to explore those opportunities.

He added that this reflects back at home in terms of the benefit that it brings back to the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping of China, at the G20 summit in Rio in 2024 (PA)

Sir Keir is the first British prime minister to visit China since Theresa May in 2018.

The intervening years saw a cooling of relations with China under the Conservatives, before Labour began re-engaging with a series of ministerial visits capped with Sir Keirs trip.

Speaking to reporters, the Prime Minister reiterated that he wanted a comprehensive and consistent approach to China, rather than veering from golden age to ice age as under the previous government.

In the UK, he has come under pressure to raise a series of human rights issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials, including the imprisonment of British national and Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai and the treatment of the Uigher minority.

But ahead of his meetings with the Chinese leadership, Sir Keir declined to be drawn on what he would seek to raise.

He said: In the past, on all the trips Ive done, Ive always raised issues that need to be raised, but I dont want to get ahead of myself on the specifics until Ive had the opportunity.

Sir Keir added: Part of the reason for engaging with China is so that issues where we disagree can be discussed, and the issues where we agree can be progressed, and so thats the approach.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to explain US President Donald Trumps policy toward Venezuela following the US military raid that ousted then-president Nicolas Maduro, at the Capitol in Washington DC (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

US secretary of state Marco Rubio gave a full-throated defence of President Donald Trumps military operation to capture then-Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, while explaining to US legislators the administrations approach to Greenland, Nato, Iran and China.

As Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee offered starkly different readings of the administrations foreign policy, Mr Rubio addressed Mr Trumps intentions and his often bellicose rhetoric that has alarmed US allies in Europe and elsewhere, including demands to take over Greenland.

In the first public hearing since the January 3 raid to depose Maduro, Mr Rubio said Mr Trump had acted to take out a major US national security threat in the Western Hemisphere.

Mr Trumps top diplomat said America was safer and more secure as a result and that the administration would work with interim authorities to stabilize the South American country.

Were not going to have this thing turn around overnight, but I think were making good and decent progress, Mr Rubio said.

We are certainly better off today in Venezuela than we were four weeks ago, and I think and hope and expect that well be better off in three months and six months and nine months than we would have been had Maduro still been there.

The former Florida senator said Venezuelas current leaders are co-operating and would soon begin to see benefits.

But he backed away from remarks prepared for the hearing that Washington DC would not hesitate to take further military action should those leaders not fully accept Mr Trumps demands.

I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time, Mr Rubio said.

Mr Trumps top diplomat said America was safer and more secure as a result of the ouster (Charlie Neibergall/AP)

I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time.

He said Venezuela soon will be allowed to sell oil that is now subject to US sanctions, and the revenue would be set aside to pay for basic government services such as policing and health care.

Oil proceeds will be deposited in a US treasury-controlled account and released after the US approves monthly budgets to be submitted by Venezuela, he said.

Republican senators, with few exceptions, praised the operation in Venezuela. Among Democrats, there was deep scepticism.

They questioned Mr Trumps policies in Venezuela and their potential for encouraging moves by China against Taiwan and Russia even more so in Ukraine, as well as his threats to take Greenland from Nato ally Denmark and his insults about the alliances contributions to US security.

Homes cover a hill in the Petare area of Caracas, Venezuela (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

Mr Rubio played them all down. He said the uproar over Greenland within Nato is calming and that talks are under way about how to deal with Mr Trumps demands.

The Republican president insists the US needs Greenland to counter threats from Russia and China, but he recently backed away from a pledge to impose tariffs on several European countries that sent troops to the semiautonomous Danish territory in a show of solidarity.

I think were going to get something positive done, Mr Rubio said.

He dismissed criticism that Mr Trump was undermining the alliance, while repeating the long-running American complaint that member nations need to boost their defence budgets.

Nato needs to be reimagined, Mr Rubio said. I just think this president complains about it louder than other presidents.

People fill the street at rush hour in Caracas, Venezuela (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

He said Chinas stated goal to reunify Taiwan with the mainland would not be affected by any other world event, including the Maduro operation.

The situation on Taiwan is a legacy project that Chinese President Xi Jinping has made very clear that thats what he intends to do and thats going to be irrespective anything that happens in the world, Mr Rubio said.

As Trump once more threatens Iran with military action, Mr Rubio said there was no current plan to attack. Asked about the potential for a change of government in Tehran, Mr Rubio said that would require a lot of careful thinking because it would be far more complex than ousting Maduro.

He noted that the increased military presence in the Middle East  an aircraft carrier and accompanying warships arrived this week  is to defend against what could be an Iranian threat against our personnel.

The Republican committee chairman, Idaho senator Jim Risch, offered new details on the operation in the Venezuelan capital, saying it involved only about 200 troops and a firefight that lasted less than 27 minutes.

Venezuelas acting president Delcy Rodriguez makes a statement to the press at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

This military action was incredibly brief, targeted and successful, Mr Risch said, adding that the US and other nations may have to assist Venezuela when it seeks to restore democratic elections.

Venezuela may require US and international oversight to ensure these elections are indeed free and fair, he said.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the committees top Democrat, questioned whether that operation was worth it, considering most of Maduros top aides and lieutenants still run the Venezuela and the economic situation there remains bleak.

Weve traded one dictator for another, so its no wonder that so many of my constituents are asking, why is the president spending so much time focused on Venezuela instead of the cost of living and their kitchen table economic concerns? she asked.

From Venezuela to Europe, the United States is spending more, risking more and achieving less.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado speaks to reporters at the US Capitol (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Mr Rubio delivered his strongest statement yet of support for democracy in Venezuela, while concerns persist that the administrations stabilisation efforts are narrowly focused on oil and US national security interests.

Whats the end state? We want a Venezuela that has legitimate democratic elections, said Mr Rubio, who met Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the US state department after the hearing.

He faced tough questioning from senator Cory Booker, DNJ, about co-operating with interim leaders who had been part of Maduros authoritarian government.

Maduros vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, is now the acting president.

The US has said its demands for Ms Rodriguez include opening Venezuelas energy sector to US companies, providing preferential access to production, using oil revenue to purchase American goods, and ending subsidised oil exports to Cuba.

Neither Ms Rodriguez nor her governments press office immediately commented on Mr Rubios remarks.

She said on Tuesday that her government and the US have established respectful and courteous channels of communication.

So far, she has appeared to acquiesce to Mr Trumps demands and to release prisoners jailed by the government under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

In a key step to the restoration of diplomatic relations, the state department said it intends to begin sending additional diplomatic and support personnel to Caracas to prepare for the possible reopening of the US embassy, which shuttered in 2019.

Fully normalising ties, however, would require the US to revoke its decision recognising the Venezuelan parliament elected in 2015 as the countrys legitimate government.
It was as big as it gets for me in terms of sporting icons: Jamie Dornan more starstruck by Irish rugby heroes than Hollywood A-listers
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Eagle Archives, Jan. 29, 1977: Ida Hall, proprietor of the New England Food Store in East Otis, raised the price of her coffee for the first time in 40 years, from 10 to 15 cents a cup, due to rising costs from international coffee markets.
Luke and Lindsey Marion of Ottos Kitchen & Comfort hosted a pay-what-you-can community dinner in Pittsfield, serving hearty beef stew and mashed potatoes. This is just kind of aligned with our beliefs that everybodys due food, whether they can afford it or not, because nobody should have to afford food."
STOCKBRIDGE  A plan to transform the Elm Court Gilded Age landmark into a high-end resort has earned high marks from a land planning design and engineering firm hired by the town to review the project.

Beals Associates, based in Boston, released the results Thursday of its review of the proposal by Vanderbilt Berkshires Estates LLC, led by developer Linda Law and her team. The estate preservation plan under the town's bylaws was described as very impressive, though the firm did express concerns over some missing or unclear details.

Overall, we believe this project is very much in line with our interpretation of what the intent of the Cottage Era bylaw is looking for  the restoration of a very significant property in town, said Todd Morey, principal of Beals Associates. Essentially, an outstanding project, we just think it needs more documentation.

Law has submitted a revised special permit for her $70 million to $80 million plan, which includes Manor House suites, a dozen guest lodges with four units each, a 60-seat public restaurant, a spa and residential development on 38 home sites on the property off Old Stockbridge Road. Most of the projects new development will be out of view from the main road or off to the side, Morey noted.

In his presentation Thursday, Morey said a site plan with more specifics and details on what the applicant is actually going to be building under this special permit still is needed.

While the concepts are incredible, I dont think everything is there yet with what your bylaw requires, he told the Select Board members and an audience of about 50 at the Town Offices and on Zoom. Theres a lot of missing material weve identified and a lot of unclear material that needs some further work.

He also cited missing details on how the resort would connect to the town of Lenox utilities, specifically the water and sewer system, since 3 acres of the estates 310 Old Stockbridge Road frontage and part of the main entrance are in Lenox.

We think its a fantastic project and a fantastic team thats been assembled top to bottom, he told the Select Board. Our concern is really just the documentation so you have something for the future to know what this special permit really authorized.

Tim Czerwienski. land planning director for Beals Associates, said the Cottage Era estate bylaw reflects how the town treasures these large estates and large landscapes that are character-defining for the Stockbridge community.

But he detailed some boxes that had not been checked and acknowledged the on-site impacts are significantly different from the original special permit for a resort, while traffic impacts are similar or slightly reduced.

On his list of concerns: Details needed about proposed work on the exterior of the Manor House, adequate and safe lighting for guests outdoors on the property, plans for how guests and vehicles would circulate on the site, enforcement of outdoor noise restrictions and pedestrian safety on Old Stockbridge Road, which is in the town of Lenox and has no sidewalks currently.

Czerwienski, who supported the traffic study conducted last July, called for design details for the residences on the property as well as landscape preservation, plans and changes such as new tree plantings.

After the peer review presentation, the developers attorney, Jonathan Silverstein, streessed that the only changes to the exterior of the Manor House would be the addition of two fire escapes.

Selectman Chuck Cardillo voiced major concerns about the size of the 38 residential houses. I dont feel comfortable with not knowing anything about them, he said. I dont want someone to put up a 10,000-square-foot house with a swimming pool.

Each house would be 4,000 to 5,000 square feet with four bedrooms, according to the development team. The entire residential portion of the project will be part of a condominium, along with the resort.

The devil is in the details, Select Board Chair Jamie Minacci pointed out. Theres a reason for a special permit; we cannot be vague.

Minacci opened Thursdays public hearing by declaring that under state law, the board has the authority to act on a special permit application whether its presented as a new permit, or a modification or amendment of an existing permit. The public hearing will resume at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12.

The Elm Court permit approved in 2014 for a previous developer has remained in effect since work has been ongoing at the Manor House.

The procedural characterization of the application does not limit the scope of the boards scope of review, Minacci said. She was addressing a contention by some in town, including the Planning Board, that Vanderbilt Berkshires should have filed the project as a new special permit rather than an amended version of the existing permit.

Essentially, she announced in her opening statement, it didnt matter, that it amounted to a tempest in a teapot. Minacci said the board would abide by the towns Cottage Era estate zoning bylaw, and will evaluate the proposal as submitted, based on evidence in the record.

Ahead of the meeting, Vanderbilt Berkshires attorney Silverstein had presented a detailed document citing state zoning law and multiple court cases supporting the developers submission of its proposal as a modification or amendment of the existing special permit.

The clear intent of project opponents, who continue to urge the Board to require a new special permit, is to defeat the project by making the review process prohibitively expensive and lengthy, Silverstein wrote.

Elm Court resort proposal Key elements of the proposal for the 89-acre property include:  The Manor House, a luxury boutique hotel with 26 guest rooms, including 12 suites, a ballroom, a high-end spa and a 60-seat restaurant open to the public and 218 parking spaces following a $20 million interior renovation and an overall project cost of $70 million to $80 million.  Twelve lodging buildings, each containing four guest rooms, for a total of 48 keys.  Thirty-eight home sites for single-family condominium residences to be phased in later.  If the project is approved, groundbreaking is expected in late 2026 or early 2027, according to the partners. The hotel would open by fall of 2028, and marketing of the single-family lots will be ongoing.  Overall, one-third of the property, including wetlands, will be conserved. Another one-third will be preserved, including the Manor House, its landscape design and its viewscapes. The rest will be developed.

Elm Court resort proposal . . .

Key elements of the proposal for the 89-acre property include:

 The Manor House, a luxury boutique hotel with 26 guest rooms, including 12 suites, a ballroom, a high-end spa and a 60-seat restaurant open to the public and 218 parking spaces following a $20 million interior renovation and an overall project cost of $70 million to $80 million.

 Twelve lodging buildings, each containing four guest rooms, for a total of 48 keys.

 Thirty-eight home sites for single-family condominium residences to be phased in later.

 If the project is approved, groundbreaking is expected in late 2026 or early 2027, according to the partners. The hotel would open by fall of 2028, and marketing of the single-family lots will be ongoing.

 Overall, one-third of the property, including wetlands, will be conserved. Another one-third will be preserved, including the Manor House, its landscape design and its viewscapes. The rest will be developed.
Bill Price, of Sandisfield, is the editor of The Sandisfield Times. He lives in Minneapolis during the winter.
Jeff Robbins, a part-time resident of Stockbridge, is a former U.S. delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Council and a former assistant U.S. attorney and chief counsel for the Democrats on the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Reach him at Jeffrey.Robbins@saul.com.
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Kneecap have hit out at UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer over his stance towards Gaza in their latest single Liars Tale.

The group said earlier on Wednesday they would release a new album, claiming criticism from the British prime minister was all the motivation we needed.

The song focuses on Sir Keirs stance in relation to Israels military offensive in Gaza.

Kneecaps new single takes aim at Sir Keir Starmer (Alastair Grant/PA)

The lyrics state that youre not getting away with doing nothing and f*** Keir Starmer, Netanyahus bitch in genocide armour.

The music video, which premiered on YouTube on Wednesday, is zombie-apocalypse themed and features a zombie that looks like Margaret Thatcher.

The group, made up of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, will release their second studio album, titled Fenian, on April 24, after they hit the headlines in 2025 when O hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence.

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The charge, which was eventually dropped in September last year, alleged that O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah, which is proscribed as a terror organisation by the British government, at a gig at the O2 Forum in London in 2024.

Announcing their new record on Instagram, Kneecap said: They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap terrorists, with cancellations, with statements from the Prime Minister himself.

Entertainment 'The Paddies are back': Kneecap announce new album 'Fenian' Read more

We had all the motivation we needed this isnt a swift reaction, but a considered response to those that tried to silence us. And failed.

Inspired by, and proudly named Fenian, who were warriors in Irish folklore, and later a derogatory term for the Irish.

Now were using it to name everyone speaking truth to power.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform sanctioned "emergency measures" to pay psychiatrists more for the preparation of reports on defendants in criminal cases, following severe delays in the progression of trials through the judicial system, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

A representative from the Criminal Legal Aid Unit of the Department of Justice, who had been asked to attend court on Wednesday, also agreed that his department would pay the same rates to defence psychiatrists as those offered to prosecution experts until June.

The court heard that the Dept of Justice has now set up a task force to address the issue.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott, the judge overseeing the trial list at the Central Criminal Court, said the importance of the issue could not be underestimated, "particularly for victims of violent crime".

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He had previously said it is "completely unacceptable" that the State was not in a position to facilitate the trial process in securing psychiatric assessments.

Although psychiatric issues are explored in as many as 20 per cent of murder trials in Ireland, there is no legal obligation for HSE-employed psychiatrists to provide assessments for criminal cases.

While the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) has a panel of experienced forensic psychiatrists employed by the HSE, they are under no contractual obligation to provide reports for either prosecution or defence teams.

Currently, there is no definitive panel of psychiatrists available to lawyers to conduct assessments.

On January 14th last, Mr Justice McDermott asked that the Attorney General and Department of Justice nominate someone to attend court to address difficulties engaging psychiatrists to provide assessments of accused persons.

When one of the cases was called before the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, Brendan Grehan SC, who appeared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), told Mr Justice McDermott that the unavailability of psychiatrists was not confined to defence teams and that it had also proven difficult for the State to procure experts.

Mr Grehan said the court was also aware from past hearings of fee differentials between the prosecution and defence.

Counsel said the Director had made efforts to address the difficulties in obtaining psychiatric reports and had written to the Secretary General of the Department of Justice in late 2024 on this issue.

Mr Grehan said the Director had additionally provided data to the Department of Justice on the average number of annual files in which her office had to pay for a psychiatric report over the last five years.

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In order to alleviate the issues, the lawyer said the Director had received sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) for the prosecution to pay up to 300 per hour for the preparation of psychiatric reports.

He said this was a time-limited provision available until the end of June 2026.

Mr Grehan said these were "emergency measures" to address the issue. He went on to say that previous fees payable to psychiatrists preparing reports for the DPP was 180 per hour, while the figure for those preparing defence reports was 50 less per hour.

Finally, the barrister said, the Deputy Director had attended a high-level meeting this month hosted by the Department of Justice and at which the Clinical Director of the CMH also attended.

Unavailability of psychiatrists

He said the meeting was made aware that Mr Justice McDermott had indicated on several occasions that it may be necessary to call officials before the court to explain the matter.

Mr Grehan informed the court that the Department of Justice is to establish "a task and finish group", which will operate under a time limit, to understand and address how the barriers and obstacles in relation to the unavailability of psychiatrists in criminal trials can be unblocked.

"It sounds like a task force but one aimed at providing a solution and resolving the issue," he said.

Jack McGarry, from the Criminal Legal Aid Unit, told the judge that the Department of Justice confirmed that, if the DPP had raised their fees in specific circumstances, then his department would be willing to sanction those fees "in specific cases".

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"Is it proposed that would apply across the board to consultant forensic psychiatrists doing work on the defence side up to June 2026?" asked Mr Justice McDermott, to which McGarry said it would.

The judge said it was not his function to negotiate psychiatrist fees, but he wanted movement in relation to these cases, which were causing an "impasse" on his Central Criminal Court trial list.

He said an equal fee structure would seem to be appropriate based on parity or equality of arms.

Mr Justice McDermott said that these were "absolutely essential" issues and that situations were occurring where consultant forensic psychiatrists were being retained outside the State.

He pointed to one case where the State had difficulties in finding a psychiatrist, which led to an Australia-based mental health professional offering his services.

Mr Justice McDermott remarked today: "That is the dire state we are in, where psychiatrists are volunteering from abroad, including the UK".

The judge said his concern was for the "unfortunate people" who were having their cases delayed by this kind of issue.

He said it was difficult for people to come into court where they have lost loved ones, find out there is "an impasse" and then have to come back "again and again and again, not able to get a report done to move the case on".

Ireland Man (31) appears in court charged with murder of pensioner in Co Tipperary Read more

Mr Justice McDermott added: "I would have thought it would also be the concern of the Department of Justice; it has to stop and I'm glad to hear a task force is being set up and a realistic process being put in place for attaining psychiatrists".

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The judge stressed that the court system needed to have psychiatric services available, as it was essential to the operation of a fair system.

Mr Justice McDermott thanked Mr McGarry for his attendance and said the importance of this could not be underestimated, "but particularly for victims of violent crime".

He said it was very important for these cases to proceed at pace and that he shouldn't have to get involved "at this level", but was glad to hear progress had been made.
Fota Wildlife Park in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork has announced the birth of two endangered Northern cheetah cubs.

The male and female were born on November 24th, 2025, to mother Florence and father Nawab.

Florence is five years old and was born at Fota Wildlife Park. Nawab is six and was transferred to Fota from Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Centre in Dubai as part of a European Endangered Breeding Programme (EEP).

The Northern cheetah is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with wild populations continuing to decline due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and illegal wildlife trade. It is estimated that approximately 600 individuals remain in the wild.

The Northern cheetah is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Northern cheetahs natural habitat is the savannahs and grasslands of North and East Africa.

Senior ranger John Leahy said that they are delighted to announce the birth of endangered cubs.

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They are an important example of the international collaboration between zoological institutions, as well as the vital conservation work and high standards of animal care at Fota Wildlife Park in helping to protect endangered species.

"Florence is a first-time mother, and she appears to be adapting extremely well to her new role. In the wild, the mothers are solely responsible for raising their cubs, and this natural situation is reflected here at Fota Wildlife Park.

"While we continue to monitor the animals very closely, we do so remotely, to avoid causing any stress to the mother or her newborns.

"Their den is fitted with cameras, so we can discreetly observe and assess mum and cubs continuously.

"The cubs are developing really well and have begun eating small amounts of meat shared by Florence, while still nursing from her.

"Visitors to the Park can already see the cubs running around their habitat daily, playfully interacting with one another and their mother, exploring their environment and growing bigger and stronger by the day.

The cubs currently sport a distinctive ruffed grey coat with a black stripe running down the length of their backs.

This unique colouring is thought to be an example of Batesian mimicry, a survival strategy where harmless species evolve to imitate the warning signals of more dangerous ones.

The cubs currently sport a distinctive ruffed grey coat with a black stripe running down the length of their backs. Photo: Darragh Kane

Their appearance may mimic that of the honey badger, potentially deterring predators in the wild. As they mature, they will gradually grow out of this distinctive coat.

The cheetah is synonymous with Fota Wildlife Park as it is an internationally renowned breeding centre for the species, with over 240 births since 1984.

The Park, which features a cheetah on its logo, plays a crucial role in the conservation of the endangered Northern cheetah.

Fota Wildlife Park is inviting the public to help name the cubs through an online competition at www.fotawildlife.ie/blogs/news.
Dublin City councillor Hazel Chu has been elected as the deputy leader of the Green Party.

Ms Chu was successful over Louth County Councillor Marianne Butler, having secured 63 per cent of the vote.

She takes over the position vacated by Roisin Garvey, who resigned in October.

Ms Chu said: Members were clear: they want a Green Party that speaks plainly, organises relentlessly, and delivers real change.

My job now is to turn that mandate into momentum.

The future of the Green Party is about rebuilding and reinvigorating, rooted in our values, serious about power, and focused on outcomes for people and the planet.

We will be a party that sets the agenda, not one that reacts to it.

Im looking forward to working closely with Roderic OGorman our leader, Malcolm Noonan our senator, Janet Horner our chair and with our councillors, representatives, our members and activists across the island of Ireland.

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All paid-up members with six months standing were entitled to vote in this election.

Mr OGorman said: I am really looking forward to working with Hazel in her role as new deputy leader.

She has huge experience through her many years service on Dublin City Council and through the leadership roles she has previously held in the Green Party.

He also paid tribute to Ms Butler, who said: Although the result is not what I hoped for, I congratulate Hazel on her election as deputy leader of our party.

Ms Chu was born and raised in Dublin, where she lives in Ranelagh with her partner and former party TD Patrick Costello and their daughter Alex.

She served as lord mayor of Dublin from 2020 to 2021.
Martin Lanigan, the husband of Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, has settled a defamation action brought against former government minister Shane Ross and his book publisher, after he received an apology in the High Court from Mr Ross and the publisher.

Mr Lanigan had alleged he was defamed by material published in Mr Rosss 2022 biography of Ms McDonald. The book, entitled Mary Lou McDonald: A Republican Riddle, was published by Atlantic Books.

The trial of the defamation action was due to begin on Wednesday. However, following talks between the parties legal teams, Tom Hogan SC, for Mr Lanigan, told Mr Justice Tony OConnor the matter had settled, and that the defendants lawyers would read an apology.

Reading the apology on behalf of Mr Ross and Atlantic Books, Paul OHiggins SC said Mr Lanigan had complained that the biography implied he was a member of the IRA, and had somehow been in receipt of illicit funds.

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Atlantic Books and Shane Ross confirm that it was never intended to make any such allegation or suggestion, and that if members of the public understood the publication to do so, they very much regret this, Mr OHiggins said.

Atlantic Books and Shane Ross are happy to acknowledge that Martin Lanigan is above suspicion in respect of any impropriety, and are pleased to ensure that this is made publicly clear and unambiguous, counsel concluded.

On the consent of both parties, Mr Justice OConnor made an order striking out the proceedings, and vacated any previous orders for legal costs made in the case.

Earlier, a jury of six men and six women was empanelled ahead of the hearing of the case.

The jury was informed of several witnesses who could be called to give evidence in the case  Mr Lanigan, Mr Ross, veteran journalist Sam Smyth, a quantity surveyor and a mortgage broker.

The case had been due to run for five days.

Outside court, Mr Lanigan said he was happy with the apology. He said he could not comment on whether he received any money as part of the settlement.
A man who went back to the airport to collect lost luggage containing 294,000 of cannabis has been jailed for two years and four months.

Alfonso Turano (41) arrived in Ireland the day before the suitcase, which contained 14.7kg of cannabis. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard he completed a lost luggage form with his real name and went back the next day to collect it.

Turano, with an address in Calabro, Italy, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on March 1st, 2025, at Dublin Airport.

On Wednesday, Judge Ronan Munro handed Turano a four-year sentence, with the final 20 months suspended for 10 years on strict conditions.

The judge said the court accepted Turano was not a criminal mastermind but was also satisfied that he would have known the suitcase contained something criminal.

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Garda Peter Mullins told Joe Mulrean BL prosecuting, a customs officer was approached by an Aer Lingus employee about an unaccompanied suitcase which had arrived from London and had not yet been collected.

The bag had originally travelled from Barcelona and had Turano's name on it. Boarding passes showed he had travelled from Barcelona to Dublin via London the day before.

Turano had returned to the airport to collect the suitcase and was escorted airside, where the bag was searched after an anomaly was detected. He said the bag was his and that he packed it himself.

When the bag was searched, two vacuum packed bags of cannabis were found.

Turano said he was visiting friends in Dublin for a short holiday. He later said he did not know what was in the bag and that a man had approached him at Barcelona airport, offering him 1,000 to bring the suitcase to Ireland.

He said when the suitcase did not arrive, he paid cash to stay overnight at a hotel near the airport, and filled in the lost luggage form.

Responding to a query from Judge Ronan Munro, Gda Mullins said it is not unusual for people to be approached at an airport and be asked to carry a suitcase, in exchange for a financial reward.

He noted there is a level of ignorance where a person chooses not to look in the bag.

Gda Mullins agreed with Michael Bowman SC, defending that it was extraordinarily naive of Turano to give his real name and details when filling in the lost luggage form.

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Gda Mullins accepted the suggestion that Turano walked effectively into the arms of customs officers when he returned to collect the suitcase.

Turano told gardai his small business in Italy was not doing very well and he was working on starting another business in Spain. He was also concerned about being able to pay maintenance for his teenage child.

The court heard that Turano was fully co-operative with gardai, answered all questions and entered an early guilty plea.

He has no previous convictions and has been in custody since his arrest.

The garda agreed with Mr Bowman that his client told gardai he made the biggest mistake of his life and was not a drug dealer.

It was further accepted that Turano replied: mamma mia when told what was in the bag.

Mr Bowman noted this was a particularly Italian response, with the witness agreeing that Turano presented as a genuine, decent man who made a catastrophic mistake.

Counsel submitted to the court that his client's moral culpability is at the lower end, and that his actions involved a level of naivety.

He noted his client was doing it for reward, but did not receive payment. Several character references were provided to the court.

Mr Bowman said his client has had no visitors since entering custody as his family do not have the means to travel here.

Counsel said Turano has limited English and is working while in custody.

Taking the stand, Turano said: I beg pardon for what I have done, adding that he misses his family. He was assisted to give his evidence and to follow proceedings by an Italian interpreter.

Judge Munro said aggravating features were the value of the drugs and that Turano was due to receive payment.

He set a headline sentence of six years, which he reduced to four years, taking the mitigation, Turano's personal circumstances and the difficulties for foreign nationals serving a prison sentence into consideration.

The judge backdated the sentence to March 1, 2025, when Turano went into custody.
A man has been jailed for eight years after posting intimate images of his ex-girlfriend on social media, and with her family following years of brutal assaults and controlling behaviour.

Judge Keenan Johnson said on Wednesday that Blaine Parker, 24, of Clonybane, Ballymore, Co. Westmeath, treated the young woman "like a punchbag" for years, and he singled out the impact of misogynistic online influencers on young men for scathing criticism.

Parker can now be named after his victim indicated she wanted him identified at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Johnson described it as the worst domestic violence case he had seen.

He praised the traumatised victim for coming forward despite Parker's efforts to manipulate, dominate and get her to drop the charges.

Parker was admitted to assault, causing harm and publishing intimate images of her while staying in a hotel in February 2025.

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He also entered guilty pleas to nine more offences on a second indictment.

They involved five incidents of assault causing harm mainly at his home address, causing criminal damage to her phone, and threatening to kill or cause her serious harm, on dates beginning in 2022 and continuing through the following years into early 2025.

It emerged in the proceedings that the young woman was the victim of a litany of vicious assaults, and felt compelled to have an abortion after Parker, a broke and indebted drug addict, threatened to "kick the child out of you".

Sentencing, Judge Johnson said the persistence and savagery of the assaults and mental abuse were particularly aggravating factors, the threats to kill were multiple and serious, and the publication of her images was disgraceful and demeaning.

Parker, dressed in a grey tracksuit, sat silently as the judge imposed consecutive jail terms totalling 10 years, with the final two suspended for five years with strict conditions, including no contact with his ex-girlfriend, whom he terrorised for five and a half years.

There was a five-year concurrent sentence for sharing her pictures.

The sentence was backdated to February last year when he was remanded in custody.

Drug addiction

Judge Johnson noted Parker had been in the throes of heavy cocaine and ketamine addiction and said the prevalence of these types of cases was a shocking blight on modern society, with the internet playing a role.

"It appears the growth of domestic violence, particularly among young men, is fed not only by substance abuse but also by exposure from the internet's so-called influencers who propagate a misogynistic philosophy which encourages men, especially young men, to disrespect women and encourages domination by males over females.

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"Cases like this highlight the need for respect, consideration, generosity and non-violence to be the core values to be inculcated in every citizen from a young age."

The court heard that for the first six months the relationship had been fine, but he then began verbally abusing her in public, which escalated to drug-fuelled fits of rage.

At first, she did not say anything, mainly through a combination of fear and affection. Aside from the multiple assault charges before the court, the young woman believes there could have been up to 30 other assaults, but she could not remember the dates.

She witnessed Parker's sentencing with the support of her family in the public gallery, with the court hearing of her persistent fears that he would seek revenge on release.

Now drug-free, Parker apologised in court despite showing "zero remorse" at all stages before the sentence hearing.

A spousal assault risk assessment undertaken by the Probation Service found that he remained a continued risk of intimate partner violence, requiring high-level intervention.

Judge Johnson sympathised with his parents, who wrote in a letter that their son was a good and helpful child who loved sailing and horse-riding.

But, they said, he spiralled out of control through drug addiction, and those around him were powerless to help.

Manipulation

He noted that his young woman thought they were in love, but afterwards, she could see he was manipulating and using her.

In her victim impact statement, the woman depicted the relationship, which began when she was in her teens, as a nightmare and "mental torture".

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For more than five years, he controlled her movements and who she spoke to during a "physically, emotionally and mentally abusive" relationship, the court heard.

The court heard he had also tried to destroy her relationships with family and friends, and at times said the assaults were her fault and used threats of suicide to manipulate her.

She stated she was no longer under his control and was now a different person with the courage to speak up. However, she has PTSD, suffered long-term physical injuries and has been left with trust issues.

Repeated assaults

She was convinced he would kill her in the repeated attacks; during one, he made a death threat that "she would be leaving in a body bag" if she spoke out.

Parker had no prior convictions and showed no emotion as the evidence was heard in court, and photos of the injuries he inflicted on his ex-partner were displayed.

He also split her head twice in one assault, requiring 26 staples, and left her with horrific facial bruising.

Detective Garda Darren Kerins agreed with Cathal O Braonain BL, instructed by State solicitor Matt Shaw, that the woman reported that Parker would not let her meet anyone and verbally abused her if she gained weight, or "blow up and attack her" while on drugs.

The court heard he constantly checked her phones and regularly smashed them; she had to delete the call logs so he would not know she was contacting family or friends, and she was terrified for her life.

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She described to gardai that her ex-partner had "a different laugh when he did something cruel; that laugh would scare her, and she would know something bad was coming".

The court heard that Parker had a debt and was in danger and had to leave home, spending a few days in a hotel room in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin.

The man demanded she give him her social welfare money for drugs, and he was delivered tablets, ketamine and cocaine. He began pacing up and down, dribbling.

When she fell asleep, he looked at her phone and saw that several males had liked her Instagram stories. She woke and felt him hitting her legs and shoulders.

Parker screamed, "What the fuck is this on that phone?" and put his hand around her neck, calling her a tramp.

The court heard that he grabbed her by her ponytail and flung her down, punching her and smashing a hair dryer into her head and face as she pleaded for her life.

The hair dryer shattered due to the force of the blows. He then dismantled a wooden coffee table and used the top to smash into her face three or four times; her nose cracked, and she bled heavily.

He told her that he didn't care if he killed her because he'd be happier going to prison and getting drugs there.

She had a few pictures and videos of herself naked, after she had given herself a tanning treatment.

The court heard that Parker posted them to her social media accounts and sent them by WhatsApp to her parents, a 13-year-old relative, and her grandmother.

She was dizzy and crawling on the floor, but he struck her again, grabbed her ponytail and dragged her while hitting her with his knuckles.

He disconnected the hotel room phone and her mobile phone, cutting off all communication. The attacks continued throughout the night, and she blacked out, but he later told her to clean herself up.

Detective Garda Kerins said Parker tried to claim bloodstains in the badly damaged hotel room were because "she must have been on her period".

Detective Garda Kerins then outlined a series of violent incidents over the previous four years, including one ketamine rage where Parker told her she would be leaving their home in a body bag.

Once, she was left "unrecognisable" from facial injuries.

Another time, he grabbed her neck, began choking her, and as she struggled to breathe, told him that "I could kill you right now if I want to."

Once, she had to jump out a window when gardai turned up, and another time, he chased and sprayed her with bleach and kicked her face and hands.

He slammed the door in her face because she did not answer him fast enough.

She got a job, and he drove her to work, but would sit in his car outside for her entire shift, watching her.

A few years into the relationship, she became pregnant, but he told her that he did not want the baby because he had so many drug debts.

He demanded she have an abortion, and she felt she had to due to these threats.

In one instance, when one of their dogs escaped, he punched her in the jaw six or seven times, leaving her in agony.

He blamed her choice of route, which led to him driving into a ditch on a narrow country road, and later punched her three times in the face.

He brought her to the hospital and ordered her to tell the medical staff that the wounds were from the crash. He would not wait, and she was made to sign herself out without being treated.

However, Detective Garda Kerins, who Judge Johnson praised for ensuring the case made it to court, added that gardai had gone to the crash scene and observed that she did not have facial injuries at that time.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Womens Aid (24-hour freephone helpline at 1800-341 900, email helpline@womensaid.ie) or Mens Aid Ireland (confidential helpline at 01-554 3811, email hello@mensaid.ie) for support and information.

Safe Ireland also offers a number of local services and helplines at safeireland.ie/get-help/where-to-find-help/. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112
A ministers pledge to deliver a significant number of brand new schools is completely misleading, according to Labour.

Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton and Finance Minister Jack Chambers announced details of a 7.55 billion sectoral investment strategy under the National Development Plan to 2030.

Some 105 projects are listed as priorities for this year and next, accounting for more than 1.6 billion in investment and 27,000 additional and modernised school places.

Among these projects, Ms Naughton said: There will be 80 large-scale extensions to schools, and then 25 modular projects as well.

Speaking to reporters at Powerstown Educate Together National School, she said a significant number would be brand new schools that did not exist before.

However, Labour spokesman Eoghan Kenny said Ms Naughton was being completely misleading.

He told the Press Association: There isnt a significant number of brand new builds. The majority are extensions or buildings for those currently in not-fit-for-purpose accommodation.

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The 31 priority projects for a new school building on the priority list refer to either the construction of a building for an existing school which is currently without permanent accommodation, or the replacement of an existing school whose infrastructure is no longer adequate.

Mr Kenny said other schools facing severe capacity pressures have been excluded entirely from the Department of Educations priority list.

He said these schools are now in limbo about whether they will even reach tender stage until 2028 at the earliest.

Mr Kenny said it is impossible to ignore that 10 of the projects, or nearly 10% of the total, are in the ministers home county of Galway.

He accused the minister of politicising school building and said infrastructure should be delivered based on need.

The minister cannot play politics with school building projects. Decisions about school infrastructure must be based on need, demographic pressure and educational outcomes, not constituency boundaries or political advantage.

These decisions directly affect childrens learning environments and the working conditions of school staff, and must be treated with the seriousness they deserve.

He added: There will be deep disappointment and anger in school communities across the country.

Principals and boards of management are under extraordinary strain trying to accommodate children for September in overcrowded and unsuitable buildings.

Teachers and special needs assistants are being asked to work in conditions that fall far short of what is acceptable.

Asked about the number of projects in Galway, Ms Naughton said: There are a number of counties where theres a large number of schools listed, for example, in Kildare, which would be a large commuter area and the population is increasing there.

Theres been ongoing demand in these areas in relation to demographics and these are decisions that we have to make around projects that maybe have got planning permission, have had a lot of engagement with the department, and are [in areas that are] really under pressure.
There is no reality of a trial proceeding as planned for a Somali national charged with the murder of young mother Mary Ward last year, as the accused remains "mute" and there is still no defence psychiatric report, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Ahmed Abdirahman (31), originally from Somalia and with a last address at Kinlay House, Lord Edward Street, Dublin, is accused of murdering Ms Ward, who was his former partner, on September 25th 2024, at her house on Melrose Street in south Belfast.

The case has come before the courts on a number of occasions, with the legal team for the defence saying that the accused had failed to engage with a psychiatrist who attempted to see him.

At the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, counsel for the State, Antonia Boyle BL, said that the matter was listed for trial on February 23rd next, but she asked the court to vacate that date as there was no reality to that proceeding.

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She said that there was still no psychiatric report from the defence, meaning the trial will not be able to proceed on that date.

Defence counsel, Oisin Clarke BL, said there was a protracted history to the case, as the accused remained mute and wouldnt communicate with anyone.

The counsel stated that some progress had been made before Christmas, with the accused having spoken to a psychiatrist on one occasion.

Mr Clarke asked the court to keep the trial date but added that he could not say if the matter would be in a position to proceed.

Ms Justice Karen OConnor said there was no reality to the matter being ready to proceed, so she vacated the trial date.

The matter is now for mention on February 23rd.
There was no safe way to de-escalate the situation where George Nkencho was fatally wounded by armed gardai outside his home in west Dublin five years ago, according to a senior instructor with the Garda Firearms Training Unit.

Sergeant John Heaney told the inquest into the death of Mr Nkencho that a firearm had only been used when tasers and pepper spray had no effect, and the deceased had threatened gardai aggressively with a knife.

Sgt Heaney said the use of such less lethal weapons had not caused Mr Nkencho any pain or discomfort.

In my opinion, this scenario could not have been de-escalated, said Sgt Heaney.

Mr Nkencho (27) suffered fatal gunshot wounds after a member of the Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU)  known only as Garda A  fired six rounds from a sub-machine gun in an incident outside his home at Manorfields Drive, Clonee, Co Dublin, on December 30th 2020.

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The deceased had carried out an unprovoked assault on a manager at the nearby Eurospar store in Hartstown a short time earlier as well as threatening staff with a knife.

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 the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (now known as Fiosru).

The tenth day of the inquest at Dublin District Coroners Court heard that Sgt Heaney designed and delivered the pre-deployment course for ASU members.

The witness explained that ASU candidates were required to obtain a mark of at least 8 on a scale of 1-11.

Sgt Heaney said Garda A had obtained a rating of 4 at the start of the training course, which was normal enough as candidates were expected to gradually score higher marks as the course progressed.

He confirmed that Garda A had scored an 8 across all areas by the completion of the course and stated there had not been any significant concerns about his performance.

If there had been any concerns at all, he would have been failed, he added.

In reply to questions from coroner Myra Cullinane, Sgt Heaney said the ASU training course had a high failure rate with 8-9 candidates out of a group of 20 expected to fail.

He said fully qualified ASU members were also required to engage in continuous refresher courses, which were twice a year for firearms and once a year for judgmental scenarios.

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Sgt Heaney outlined how ASU members receive training in various modules, including firearms, less lethal weapons, tactics and crisis incidents.

He told counsel for the Nkencho family, Eanna Molloy SC, that the training would involve scenarios involving people with mental health issues, although they were most related to self-harmers.

Sgt Heaney said such scenarios were about containing the situation.

He pointed out that mental health covered a wide spectrum and it was impossible to arrange scenarios that covered everything.

Sgt Heaney said ASU candidates would be required to face eight scenarios on their own within a house including one relating to mental health.

In reply to questions from counsel for An Garda Siochana, Ronan Kennedy SC, the witness said ASU candidates were required to justify any use of force.

While the use of lethal force was meant to be a last resort, Sgt Heaney said it could be justifiable straight away if an officer was faced with an immediate threat to their life.

Having watched a video taken by a passer-by of the fatal incident in which five of six shots fired by Garda A were recorded, Sgt Heaney said there would be a delay between the shot being fired and when it was heard on the recording.

He said the scenario would not have been suitable for the use of a less lethal 40mm launcher, which is one of the devices available to ASU members, as it would have been completely the wrong weapon to bring out.

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The witness said there was a problem with tasers being able to penetrate heavy clothing but he understood it would be eliminated with the latest type of tasers, which will go through jackets.

Sgt Heaney observed that knives are lethal weapons and kill more people than firearms.

He said an individual with a knife could take out 3-4 people very quickly, causing them serious injury or death.

The inquest before a jury of five women and four men is continuing this afternoon.
Ireland needs to prohibit the use of social media by those aged under 16, the Tanaiste has said.

Simon Harris said there had to be a baring of teeth and enforcement of the age of digital consent.

The Data Protection Act 2018 set the age of digital consent at 16.

This means online service providers like social media platforms, which rely on consent as the legal basis for processing personal data, must obtain the consent of the childs parents.

Speaking on Virgin Media Ones Ireland AM, Mr Harris said: The era of self-regulation is now over. There are now laws. There are now fines that can be levied.

@SimonHarrisTD was on Ireland AM discussing plans to restrict social media access for under 16s. pic.twitter.com/qLut16e0RB  Fine Gael (@FineGael) January 28, 2026

The European Commission this week has now opened an investigation into (AI tool) Grok.

We need to actually see kind of a bit of baring of teeth here  there are actually laws, and they [social media companies] cant be above the law.

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This cant be the wild west anymore.

He added, I think were going to have to go further in this country, though. We have a digital age of consent, thats 16.

We have to start actually enforcing that, and theres good work being done on that.

Were going to start by March asking social media companies  and some of them are up for this, by the way  to take part in the rollout of age verification.

But quite frankly, I believe we need to get to a point where if youre under the age of 16, you cant be on social media.
Three people were arrested as gardai seized over 100,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis in Co Sligo on Monday.

As part of an ongoing operation targeting the sale and supply of drugs in the area, gardai carried out a search under warrant of two residences in Sligo on Monday.

Members of Sligo/Leitrim Divisional Drugs Unit, assisted by the Armed Support Unit, searched a property in the town and seized suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of 70,000, cannabis with a value of 12,900 and just under 20,000 in cash.

A woman (30s) and a man (40s) were arrested at the scene and detained at a station in the Garda North Western Region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.

In a follow-up search at a residential property in Gurteen, Co Sligo, cannabis with an estimated street value of 20,000 and cash totalling 7,350 was seized.

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A man (50s) was arrested and detained at a station in the Garda North Western Region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.

All three have since been charged and are due to appear before Tubbercurry District Court on Wednesday.

The drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.

Investigations are ongoing, gardai said.

The seizure forms part of Operation Tara, an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy launched by the Garda Commissioner in July 2021.

Operation Tara aims to "disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute drug trafficking networks at all levels  international, national, and local  involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, and local sale and supply of controlled drugs".
Storm Chandra features on almost all Irish front pages in some capacity on Wednesday.

The Irish Times lead with mortgage drawdowns reaching their highest level since 2008, the worst of Storm Chandra not being over, and the State's technology regulators saying they need extra resources.

The Irish Examiner lead with the Government moving to ban scrambler bikes, four gardai acquitted of attempting to pervert the course of justice having their suspensions lifted, and Cork's Lord Mayor admitting to using AI to write his speeches.

The Irish Independent lead with the number of owner-occupiers moving home having fallen to its lowest level since 20214.

The Echo lead with drivers in Cork City losing 4.5 days a year in traffic jams, and the Mayor of Cork saying he is increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to write his speeches.

The Irish Daily Mail lead with hospitals hiring medics who are not qualified to work in Ireland.

The Herald, Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star lead with the court appearance of an 18-year-old man who is accused of dangerously driving a scrambler, causing the death of a 16-year-old girl in Dublin.

The Belfast Telegraph lead with a family in Derry saying they will have to leave their home following a cowardly sectarian attack.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio gave a full-throated defence of President Donald Trumps military operation to capture then-Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, while explaining to US legislators the administrations approach to Greenland, Nato, Iran and China.

As Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee offered starkly different readings of the administrations foreign policy, Mr Rubio addressed Mr Trumps intentions and his often bellicose rhetoric that has alarmed US allies in Europe and elsewhere, including demands to take over Greenland.

In the first public hearing since the January 3 raid to depose Maduro, Mr Rubio said Mr Trump had acted to take out a major US national security threat in the Western Hemisphere.

Were not going to have this thing turn around overnight, but I think were making good and decent progress Marco Rubio

Mr Trumps top diplomat said America was safer and more secure as a result and that the administration would work with interim authorities to stabilize the South American country.

Were not going to have this thing turn around overnight, but I think were making good and decent progress, Mr Rubio said.

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We are certainly better off today in Venezuela than we were four weeks ago, and I think and hope and expect that well be better off in three months and six months and nine months than we would have been had Maduro still been there.

The former Florida senator said Venezuelas current leaders are co-operating and would soon begin to see benefits.

But he backed away from remarks prepared for the hearing that Washington DC would not hesitate to take further military action should those leaders not fully accept Mr Trumps demands.

I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time, Mr Rubio said.



Mr Trumps top diplomat said America was safer and more secure as a result of the ouster (Charlie Neibergall/AP)

I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time.

He said Venezuela soon will be allowed to sell oil that is now subject to US sanctions, and the revenue would be set aside to pay for basic government services such as policing and health care.

Oil proceeds will be deposited in a US treasury-controlled account and released after the US approves monthly budgets to be submitted by Venezuela, he said.

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Republican senators, with few exceptions, praised the operation in Venezuela. Among Democrats, there was deep scepticism.

They questioned Mr Trumps policies in Venezuela and their potential for encouraging moves by China against Taiwan and Russia even more so in Ukraine, as well as his threats to take Greenland from Nato ally Denmark and his insults about the alliances contributions to US security.



Homes cover a hill in the Petare area of Caracas, Venezuela (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

Mr Rubio played them all down. He said the uproar over Greenland within Nato is calming and that talks are under way about how to deal with Mr Trumps demands.

The Republican president insists the US needs Greenland to counter threats from Russia and China, but he recently backed away from a pledge to impose tariffs on several European countries that sent troops to the semiautonomous Danish territory in a show of solidarity.

I think were going to get something positive done, Mr Rubio said.

He dismissed criticism that Mr Trump was undermining the alliance, while repeating the long-running American complaint that member nations need to boost their defence budgets.

Nato needs to be reimagined, Mr Rubio said. I just think this president complains about it louder than other presidents.



People fill the street at rush hour in Caracas, Venezuela (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

He said Chinas stated goal to reunify Taiwan with the mainland would not be affected by any other world event, including the Maduro operation.

The situation on Taiwan is a legacy project that Chinese President Xi Jinping has made very clear that thats what he intends to do and thats going to be irrespective anything that happens in the world, Mr Rubio said.

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As Trump once more threatens Iran with military action, Mr Rubio said there was no current plan to attack. Asked about the potential for a change of government in Tehran, Mr Rubio said that would require a lot of careful thinking because it would be far more complex than ousting Maduro.

He noted that the increased military presence in the Middle East  an aircraft carrier and accompanying warships arrived this week  is to defend against what could be an Iranian threat against our personnel.

The Republican committee chairman, Idaho senator Jim Risch, offered new details on the operation in the Venezuelan capital, saying it involved only about 200 troops and a firefight that lasted less than 27 minutes.



Venezuelas acting president Delcy Rodriguez makes a statement to the press at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

This military action was incredibly brief, targeted and successful, Mr Risch said, adding that the US and other nations may have to assist Venezuela when it seeks to restore democratic elections.

Venezuela may require US and international oversight to ensure these elections are indeed free and fair, he said.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the committees top Democrat, questioned whether that operation was worth it, considering most of Maduros top aides and lieutenants still run the Venezuela and the economic situation there remains bleak.

Weve traded one dictator for another, so its no wonder that so many of my constituents are asking, why is the president spending so much time focused on Venezuela instead of the cost of living and their kitchen table economic concerns? she asked.

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From Venezuela to Europe, the United States is spending more, risking more and achieving less.



Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado speaks to reporters at the US Capitol (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Mr Rubio delivered his strongest statement yet of support for democracy in Venezuela, while concerns persist that the administrations stabilisation efforts are narrowly focused on oil and US national security interests.

Whats the end state? We want a Venezuela that has legitimate democratic elections, said Mr Rubio, who met Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the US state department after the hearing.

He faced tough questioning from senator Cory Booker, DNJ, about co-operating with interim leaders who had been part of Maduros authoritarian government.

Maduros vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, is now the acting president.

The US has said its demands for Ms Rodriguez include opening Venezuelas energy sector to US companies, providing preferential access to production, using oil revenue to purchase American goods, and ending subsidised oil exports to Cuba.

Neither Ms Rodriguez nor her governments press office immediately commented on Mr Rubios remarks.

She said on Tuesday that her government and the US have established respectful and courteous channels of communication.

So far, she has appeared to acquiesce to Mr Trumps demands and to release prisoners jailed by the government under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

In a key step to the restoration of diplomatic relations, the state department said it intends to begin sending additional diplomatic and support personnel to Caracas to prepare for the possible reopening of the US embassy, which shuttered in 2019.

Fully normalising ties, however, would require the US to revoke its decision recognising the Venezuelan parliament elected in 2015 as the countrys legitimate government.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday made his first big pitch ahead of this years midterm elections on his administrations economic performance, even as his White House remains mired in the fallout in Minneapolis over a second fatal shooting by federal immigration officers this month.

Mr Trump gave a speech in a suburb of Des Moines where he talked up the tax cuts he signed into law last year and took credit for the soaring performance of the stock market, saying he made a lot of people rich, including some that I dont even like.

If we lose the midterms, youll lose so many of the things that were talking about, Mr Trump told Iowans, who are expected to reflect their feelings on his presidency when they vote in two highly competitive congressional races this year.

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The trip for the Republican president was part of a White House push to focus more on affordability ahead of elections in November that will determine control of Congress.



US President Donald Trump arrives at the rally in Clive, Iowa (Charlie Neibergall/AP)

But the president once again suggested that concerns about prices were exaggerated by his political opponents, saying: They come up with this word affordability.

First time you heard about it was like a few months ago, he said.

He went on and added: Youre not hearing it so much any more. You know why? Because the prices are coming down so much.

The visit was part of the White Houses strategy to have Mr Trump travel out of Washington once a week ahead of the midterm elections to focus on economic issues facing everyday Americans  an effort that keeps getting diverted by crises.

On the ground in Iowa, Mr Trump first made a stop at a local restaurant, where he met some locals and sat for an interview with Fox News Channel in which he said he was attempting to de-escalate a little bit in Minnesota.

The latest effort comes as the Trump administration is grappling with the weekend shooting death of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse killed by federal agents in Iowas northern neighbour.

Mr Pretti had participated in protests following the January 7 killing of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officer. Even as some top administration officials moved quickly to malign Mr Pretti, Mr Trump said he was waiting until an investigation into the shooting was complete.

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As Mr Trump left the White House on Tuesday to head to Iowa, he was repeatedly questioned by reporters about Mr Prettis killing. Mr Trump disputed language used by his own deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, who on social media described Mr Pretti as an assassin who tried to murder federal agents. Vice President JD Vance shared the post.

Mr Trump, when asked Tuesday if he believed Mr Pretti was an assassin, said: No.

When asked if he thought Mr Prettis killing was justified, Mr Trump called it a very sad situation and said a big investigation was under way.

Im going to be watching over it, and I want a very honourable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself, he said.

He also said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who was quick to cast Mr Pretti as a violent instigator, would not be resigning.



Donald Trump visited a restaurant in Urbandale, Iowa before his rally (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

Later, as he greeted diners at an Iowa restaurant, Mr Trump weighed in further with comments that were likely to exacerbate frustration among some of his backers who are also strong Second Amendment proponents.

He certainly shouldnt have been carrying a gun, Mr Trump said of Mr Pretti.

He called it a very, very unfortunate incident but said: I dont like that he had a gun. I dont like that he had two fully loaded magazines. Thats a lot of bad stuff.

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Mr Trump, speaking in Clive, a suburb of Des Moines, talked up the wide-ranging tariffs he imposed on nearly all US trading partners. He also promoted the deals he has struck with drug makers to get them to lower costs on some prescription drugs.

Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Rita Hart emphasised that Mr Trumps tariff policies have hurt Iowa farmers and criticised Iowas Republican leaders for cheering Mr Trump on as he has taken a wrecking ball to our economy.

Its laughable that Trump is coming here today to talk about affordability of all things when Iowans are literally paying more because of his disastrous policies, Ms Hart said.

Mr Trumps affordability tour has taken him to Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina as the White House tries to marshal the presidents political power to appeal to voters in key swing states.

Although it was a swing state just a little more than a decade ago, Iowa in recent years has been reliably Republican in national and statewide elections. Trump won Iowa by 13 percentage points in 2024 against Democrat Kamala Harris.
US President Donald Trump urged Iran on Wednesday to come to the table and make a deal on nuclear weapons or the next US attack would be far worse.

"Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!" Trump wrote in a social media post.

Trump, who during his first White House term pulled out of world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, noted that his last warning to Iran was followed by a military strike in June.

"The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again," Trump wrote. He also repeated that a U.S. "armada" was heading toward the Islamic Republic.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he had not been in contact with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days or requested negotiations, state media reported on Wednesday.

Entertainment 'The Paddies are back': Kneecap announce new album 'Fenian' Read more

Trump said a US naval force headed by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, was approaching Iran. Two US officials told Reuters on Monday that the Lincoln and supporting warships had arrived in the Middle East.

The warships started moving from the Asia-Pacific region last week as U.S.-Iranian tensions soared following a bloody crackdown on protests across Iran by its clerical authorities in recent weeks.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iran continued to kill protesters, but the countrywide demonstrations over economic privations and political repression have since abated.

He has said the United States would act if Tehran resumed its nuclear program after the June airstrikes by Israeli and US forces on key nuclear installations. - Reuters
New air cargo route links central China's Wuhan with Bangkok

Xinhua) 13:02, January 28, 2026

WUHAN, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- A new direct air cargo route, linking Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province and the Thai capital Bangkok, was officially launched on Tuesday.

A JD Airlines Boeing 737-800BCF freighter, loaded with cross-border e-commerce parcels and electronic products, took off from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, heading directly for Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand.

The new service highlights Wuhan's rising status as a logistics hub and manufacturing center in China's heartland, said Huo Junxi, deputy director of JD Logistics' aviation department.

"Outbound flights will prioritize high-value goods manufactured in Wuhan, including consumer electronics and precision instruments," Huo said. "The return flight will carry Thai tropical fruit, notably durians, and other fresh produce to meet rising consumer demand in Hubei Province."

For Wuhan, the route offers a substantial gain in terms of delivery speed. Liu Rui, deputy head of corporate management at Hubei Airport Group, said it is currently the only direct cargo flight between Wuhan and Bangkok. Previously, air freight to Thailand had to transit through hubs such as south China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which added around six hours to delivery times.

"The new route cuts transport time by about half," Liu added.

According to the operator, flight frequency will be adjusted seasonally, with three flights a week from January to October, and rising to five weekly services during the November-December peak season.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears True North beefs up Queensland copper-gold stash Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Craig Nolan January 28, 2026  2:40pm 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

Queensland-based explorer True North Copper has beefed up its Wallace North copper-gold mineral resource after incorporating the numbers from two reverse-circulation (RC) drillholes completed last year. The Wallace North deposit forms part of the companys wider Cloncurry copper project in northwest Queensland and now tips the scales at two million tonnes, grading 1.28 per cent copper and 0.77 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, for a total of 25,000 tonnes of contained copper and 50,000 ounces of the precious yellow metal. Both metals are on a gangbuster price run. True North Copper has beefed up its Queensland copper-gold inventory after recent reverse-circulation drilling returned impressive numbers to boost its resource. The gold price has smashed through US$5000 (A$7151) per ounce in the past few days and touched a high of US$5189 (A$7404) today. Copper has also been on a tear lately, breaching the US$6 per pound mark earlier this month. The results stemmed from just two reverse circulation holes drilled in September last year for a combined 400 metres, with one of the holes delivering the lions share of the standout intercepts.

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The first hole intersected 17m grading 1.08 per cent copper and 0.24g/t gold  a 1.32 per cent copper equivalent - from 76m, including a high-grade 2-metre slice going 6.38 per cent copper from a depth of 80m. With the addition of only two drillholes, and after allowing for mining depletion, the resource has grown modestly. True North Copper managing director Andrew Mooney The same hole also gave up a 19-metre stretch running at 2.18 copper and 1.76g/t gold  equating to 3.97 per cent copper equivalent - from 106m. That intercept included a head-turning 9-metre block of 4.33 per cent copper and 3.64g/t gold, rounding the hit out to more than 8 per cent copper equivalent from 108m. Further down the hole, the hits continued, with 3m running at 0.69 per cent copper and a solid 4.95g/t gold from 135m depth, which included 1m grading 14.54g/t gold from 136m. A final 11m interval at 1.82 per cent copper and 0.51g/t gold from 191m proved continuity of mineralisation at depth and the potential to intersect further copper-gold with deeper drilling.

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The second hole hit moderate copper, with 5m at 0.36 per cent and 0.5g/t gold from 35m and an 8m section going 0.24 per cent from a depth of 97m. The Cloncurry project sits near the township of Cloncurry, about 120km from the renowned mining town of Mount Isa and is accessed by the fully sealed double lane Barkly Highway. The projects combined mineral resource stands at 12.9 million tonnes grading 0.8 per cent copper for a total of 102,760 copper tonnes, 0.2g/t gold for a valuable 81,820 ounces of gold and 1860 tonnes of cobalt. The deposit also includes 50,000 ounces of silver, which has experienced a massive run-up in price, reaching as high as US$117 (A$167) per ounce over the past six months. True Norths grounds consist of six separate deposits, including the Great Australia Mine deposit, which contributes the largest copper and cobalt resource of 41,100 tonnes of the red metal and 1130 tonnes of cobalt. The Taipan prospect  holding its second-largest inventory - accounts for 29,150 tonnes of contained copper and 20,170 ounces of gold, while the companys Wallace North prospect is now responsible for the biggest gold portfolio at site. Management says minor mining activities undertaken in 2024 caused a slight depletion of the resource. However, the more recent RC drilling has now bumped up resource tonnes by 12 per cent, contributing to a 9 per cent increase in contained copper and an 11 per cent boost to gold ounces. The drilling campaign also confirmed consistent grades and married up the geometry with prior estimates.

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True North Copper managing director Andrew Mooney said: With the addition of only two drillholes, and after allowing for mining depletion, the resource has grown modestly while grades and geometry have remained consistent. That outcome reinforces our confidence in the geological model and the quality of the historic drilling. The company says the Wallace North resource update will support ongoing technical studies at the project for a future pre-feasibility study (PFS) and aid drill planning for a resource extension program planned for later this year. It says its also on track to deliver a resource update at its Great Australia Mine in the first quarter of this year. Cloncurrys resource update comes hot on the heels of news confirming more mineralised hits at the companys Aquila deposit, which forms part of its Mt Oxide project, also in northwest Queensland. A phase-two drilling program intersected 74m at 0.49 per cent copper and minor cobalt-silver from 136m, including an 18m stretch grading 0.88 per cent copper that came with a solid 3m slice going 3.44 per cent copper and 5g/t silver from 144m.

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True North is in the enviable position of beefing up its copper and gold inventory, at a time when the price of both metals are punching to new highs and demand is rising to near-epic proportions - surely a massive positive for a junior explorer. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au

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BusinessWorkplaceFlexible working Opinion Right or privilege? The WFH wars are heating up Tim Duggan Work columnist January 28, 2026  2:35pm

January 28, 2026  2:35pm 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

Almost six years after workers were sent home at the first signs of the pandemic, the WFH wars are just heating up. Every time theres a new prominent legal ruling, its celebrated by advocates or claimed by detractors as definitive proof that will finally settle the working from home debate. Depending on which way you choose to interpret each case, you could argue that WFH is reaching its final throes, or that its now so deeply ingrained that its never going to revert to what it was. While employees were handed more power than theyd ever had during the early years of the pandemic, employers have been fighting  case by case  to claw some of it back. E+ Last week, the Fair Work Commission upheld that a Melbourne worker was legally sacked for not adhering to a new three days in the office policy, despite his original contract saying his employment was able to be done from home. On the surface, it looks like a win for employers being able to enforce their working arrangements. At the end of last year, a staff member from Westpac successfully challenged the banks WFH policy when the same commission ruled that she didnt need to report to the office for their required two days a week. Chalk this one up to employees who fight for their rights.

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The only certainty is that the Fair Work Commission will be kept busy over the coming months and years as they adjudicate more of these battles. Each one will be held up as an attempt to read the tea leaves on where all of this is heading. Related Article Editorial

Working from home Fair Work Commission has seriously overreached on absurd Westpac work-from-home ruling The Herald's View Editorial But  and here comes the giant caveat  you cant draw any firm conclusions about wider trends based on individual cases. Each one is decided on its own merits, depending on unique contracts, circumstances, behaviour and legal fine print. However, they do reveal some insights on the overarching question on whether WFH is now a right or a privilege. Despite years of struggle, employers still ultimately have the upper hand. They are the ones depositing a workers pay each cycle, setting the ground rules for working environments, and deciding who is hired and fired.

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Last weeks ruling, for example, detailed that the employer had run hybrid work trials, measured engagement on the policy and model, and consulted staff over making changes to it. Based on that, they decided to implement a staged transition for all relevant employees to return to the office three days a week. Where you work is a decision that a business makes, and it can change over time. Most employment contracts now state that the employer can alter the location you work from. While employees were handed more power than theyd ever had during the early years of the pandemic, employers have been fighting  case by case  to claw some of it back. They have been successful, but still not as much as theyd like. The latest global WFH trends compiled by Professor Nick Bloom from Stanford University showed that WFH has stabilised at about 25 per cent of work days. Louie Douvis Hybrid working, in whatever flexible format works for each individual business and its staff, is now an established part of many workplaces. Roy Morgan data from August 2025 showed that 46 per cent of employed Australians, or 6.7 million people, work from home at least some of the time. The latest global WFH trends compiled by Professor Nick Bloom from Stanford University showed that WFH has stabilised at about 25 per cent of work days. Bloom collects data on US workers as part of the Survey of Workplace Attitudes and Arrangements and documented a threefold increase compared to pre-COVID that hasnt shifted much in recent years.

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The guiding principle for all workplaces should be how reasonable a policy is. Workers need to be reasonable with their demands to balance WFH with what an organisation wants, and businesses also need to keep this in mind as they craft, measure and implement their plans. Related Article Unfair dismissal Employee sacked for failing to return to office despite contract allowing WFH Both sides will continue to skirmish, and individual battles will be won and lost in the legal system. Neither side can claim full victory, and the WFH wars will continue on the frontlines of work for many years to come. Tim Duggan is author of Work Backwards: The Revolutionary Method to Work Smarter and Live Better. He writes a regular newsletter at timduggan.substack.com Get workplace news, advice and perspectives to help make your job work for you. Sign up for our weekly Thank God its Monday newsletter.
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Authors doing the rounds of interviews, reader events and writers festivals tend to field the same handful of predictable questions: Where did the idea come from? How long did it take to write? What is your writing process? They are the polite queries that circle a novel without getting too close to the author herself. When it comes to Erin Somers new novel The Ten Year Affair, however, readers seem particularly interested in the intimate. But because it would be pretty socially unhinged to come straight out with the question they are dying to ask  did you have an affair?  most people take a scenic route instead. People find ways to ask, Somers says, on video call, from the Hudson Valley. They say, How do you feel that people think this about you? And I know what theyre getting at. People are relating it to your real life  is it true? Author Erin Somers. One reporter  Emily Gould, writing for New York Magazine  did ask directly. I kind of have to admire her for being the only person to not dance around it  I sort of appreciated her directness and found it funny. For those still wondering, Somers now has a stock answer ready. On her website she addresses the question. No, thanks! Im good. The novel gave me a chance to think through the consequences in excruciating detail. Especially in a small town, it seems like it can only lead to catastrophe, scandal and embarrassment. Fun to read about for sure, but less fun to live, she says there. If the question is probably inappropriate, it is also a measure of the novels success. The Ten Year Affair perhaps feels a little too familiar; authentic enough that readers want to know where the fiction ends. It might just be the first great water-cooler novel of 2026 (if we still went to the office and had water coolers to talk beside); a bingeable book destined for group chats and book clubs. I had to buy a second copy and I like to imagine the first out there now, on a kind of grand tour of friendship circles.

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The novel follows Cora and Sam, two married parents who work in marketing and communications and meet at a baby group held twice-weekly in a bougie childrens clothing store, after moving from Brooklyn to a small town in the Hudson Valley, in upstate New York. Theres an immediate spark  the two of them against Broccoli Mum  but rather than a conventional physical affair, Somers traces a decade-long attachment in a kind of sliding-doors structure: the affair as it might happen, and the life that actually does. Then the tracks bend and the fantasy starts to look suspiciously like reality, with the same old lighting and laundry. Somers is hilariously adroit yet never cruel about the self-indulgence of her modern, educated, well-off, white Millennial characters. Theres the drift from city to suburb and the slide into work that pays the mortgage but not the soul, and the persistent sense that the real thing  exciting, unregulated, sexy!  is happening elsewhere. Theres a mushroom that wont stop growing in Coras bathroom as she yearns to get f---ed into the astral plane and not think about her life for a second. The Ten Year Affair is a Millennial update on the infidelity novel. They are the generation that wanted it all, yet in reality theres no time to find meaning when childcare logistics require the coordination skills of a minor military operation. Another day had passed. No major casualties, Cora reflects. In a review for The Guardian, critic Dina Nayeri perfectly summed up the novel as the midlife adultery story our entire generation deserves: a propulsive, witty take-down of insufferable hand-wringers whove managed to ruin even sex. Somers says she wanted to write a Millennial update on infidelity fiction. After watching her peers age, move upstate and drift into parenthood and discontent she wondered whether a generation prone to self-analysis could get out of their own way long enough to even have an affair. I love all the classic mid-century infidelity fiction  [by the likes of John] Updike and [John] Cheever  these books we think of as classics on this topic, she says. It was ripe for an update because attitudes have obviously changed. The way women are portrayed in fiction has changed. I wanted to give that narrative to a Millennial woman and see what kind of freshness emerged. The idea for the novel started in the same place the story does. Somers was newly on maternity leave in New York and, by the standards of her friendship group, ridiculously early to the baby game, being pregnant at 29. Lonely and bored, she joined a baby group that met twice a week in a childrens clothing store. The scene struck her as ready-made for fiction.

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I was so fascinated by all the quirks of the parents there and all the different techniques they were trying, and I found them to be so funny and so out-there that I thought this would be great in a piece of fiction, she says. Theyre not evil people but theyre just trying a bit too hard, and I thought it would be great for a piece of writing. So I put it in my pocket until I found an opportunity, and then eventually synthesised it with the infidelity. Nearly a decade later it became a novel. In between, after publishing her debut Stay Up with Hugo Best in 2019, Somers shaped the material into a short story. She struggled to get published but once the story found an audience the response was telling: the piece was anthologised in Best American Short Stories and read by Holly Hunter on NPR. Somers felt she was far from finished with the story, and without a publisher attached she kept writing the book over roughly four years. I didnt feel done with it, she says. I was like, theres more to say here. I have many, many more pages on the mum group and on what living in this town is like, so I expanded it into a novel. I dont know how people do it if they arent writing something funny. What keeps you there if youre not laughing at your own silly lines of dialogue? That living-in-the-town part is pivotal. More than a scenic backdrop to the story, the setting proves a social Petri dish. In the novel, Cora and her husband Elliott leave their fifth-floor walk-up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, after an inheritance allows them to buy a rundown house in a nameless mountain town in upstate New York. They dont like hiking but the nature walks are superb, the houses have what might be called character, and theres a burgeoning social scene of middle-aged couples with growing families and rental-market exhaustion who have relocated from the city. Somers herself now lives in a similar town, Beacon, about 90 minutes north of New York City. She jokes that the town has some cultural cachet: its the sort of place people move when theyve left the city but still want to be considered interesting rather than suburban. Think college professors, not bankers. Its great as a setting for a comedy of manners, she says. These people arent rich but theyre pretentious in this really specific way. They have pretensions and illusions that they are better than this or that group that lives in this or that town. I felt I could closely observe all of those quirky little vanities.

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The humour is pointed but never mean-spirited. Somers says her instinct is to push a joke as far as it will go, but in the novel she manages to pull it back just enough to keep the characters recognisable rather than ridiculous. Editor's pick Literature Best reads of the year: The books writers loved most in 2025 She says she found writing the novel as fun as it is to read. I have so much fun writing. I dont know how people do it if they arent writing something funny, she says. What keeps you there if youre not laughing at your own silly lines of dialogue? The ear for dialogue isnt accidental. Somers grew up in the American south and went to film school in New York, initially hoping to work as a screenwriter. After graduating she moved to Los Angeles but found breaking into the industry challenging. She turned to writing, completing an MFA program and then landing a job at Publishers Lunch, a large industry publication, where she still works. With a front-row seat to how books succeed (and disappear), Somers says the knowledge can make a writer self-conscious, though she tries to keep a firewall between that awareness and her work itself. For those who have fallen in love with The Ten Year Affair, there are two pieces of good news. One is that there are discussions underway about adapting the novel for the screen. Second is that Somers isnt done with the world of the novel. The next book is set in the same orbit, with possible glimpses of familiar faces, perhaps the start of something similar to Elizabeth Strouts Maine-verse. Theres a scene in The Ten Year Affair where the characters start gossiping about a swingers scene that centres on a figure-drawing class held on a rotating schedule at different houses. I thought, I wish I were writing that novel, like the novel of the swingers in town, Somers says. And so now Im writing that novel. As for all this Millennial malaise, Somers sees a broader wave coming.

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Indigenous advocates say the alleged throwing of a homemade bomb into an Invasion Day rally crowd must be treated as a racial hate crime.

Indigenous activists have criticised police and political leaders for double standards over the incident, given the Bondi Beach massacre in December was promptly declared a terror attack.

The rally continued, despite the police incident. Michael Philipps

A 31-year-old man is in custody after being accused of throwing a device designed to explode into a crowd of 2500 people at the protest in Perth.

Police are investigating the incident as a potential terrorist act, saying it was only because of good luck the device did not explode.

It allegedly contained a mixture of volatile chemicals with nails and metal ball bearings attached to its exterior.

Indigenous legal and human rights expert Hannah McGlade believes it should be treated as a hate crime and a racist attack targeting Aboriginal people.

The Curtin University associate professor said First Nations people feared for their children going out on Australia Day because of abuse and threats.

We are worried for our kids and their safety on this day because of this rising right-wing influence and racism that really hasnt abated in Australia, she said.

Rally organiser Fabian Yarran said the incident must be fully investigated as an act of terrorism and a hate crime against First Nations people.

Threats had been made against the event before the incident, organisers have said.

Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss said the potential for mass casualties caused deep distress and fear among First Nations people.

While the motive is yet to be determined, there is no question that the targets of the attack were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their allies, she said.

AAP
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NationalNSWSydney Metro What happens to our metro tunnel boring machines when they hit the end of the line? Aidan Elwig Pollock January 29, 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

They weighed 1200 tonnes each, the same as 171 elephants, measured 170 metres in length, and dug through 1.58 million tonnes of rock. Now that their job is done, theyve been dismantled underground, and raised to the surface piece by piece. These mechanical behemoths were Betty and Dorothy, the tunnel boring machines tasked with digging the Sydney Metro West tunnels. Loading The borers were dismantled underground last month in the Westmead station cavern, before individual pieces each weighing up to 110 tonnes were lifted by crane to the surface. The borers main drive units, along with their electrical systems and other moving parts, have been returned to manufacturer Herrenknecht for repair and reuse.

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However, the cutterheads  the massive circular saw at the head of these mechanical worms  cant be reused. The steel has exceeded its wear limits, a metro spokesperson said. The cutterheads are dismantled into sections on the surface and recycled. They were the first in Australia to use artificial intelligence software to help steer and dig. However, an onboard crew of 15 people was required to operate each machine. A construction worker walks near the tunnel boring machine named Dorothy. Sitthixay Ditthavong Behind the cutterhead, each TBM includes a long back-up section  of connected gantries that house the equipment and facilities needed to excavate the tunnel and install its lining, the spokesperson said. For Betty and Dorothy, this included extensive mechanical, electrical, ventilation and segment-handling systems, along with crew amenities.

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The machines worked 24 hours a day, five days a week, cutting around 800 metres of tunnel per month. Betty and Dorothy also installed more than 57,900 segments of concrete tunnel lining. Worldwide tradition dictates underground tunnelling machines be given female names. Dorothy was named for human rights advocate Dorothy Buckland-Fuller, who founded the Australian Migrant Womens Association in 1974. Betty was named after record-setting Olympian Betty Cuthbert, who grew up in western Sydney and won four gold medals for Australia, including three at the 1956 Melbourne Games. As tunnelling on the Metro West network draws to a close, borers Jessie and Ruby are also winding up their work.

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Ruby broke through into the Hunter Street station cave on December 17 last year, while Jessie is due to break through within weeks, a Sydney Metro spokesperson said. The cutterhead is removed at Westmead station. Sydney Metro Jessie and Ruby are mixed shield (slurry) machines, designed for the challenging conditions under Sydney Harbour and the CBD. They mix slurry fluid with the excavated rock and soil to maintain pressure at the cutterhead and enable safe digging under the harbour. They required additional systems to manage slurry circulation and treatment. Their progress was slower, at about 90 metres per week, excavating 460,000 tonnes of rock in total.

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Jessie and Ruby were more expensive to build and maintain than Betty and Dorothy, but all six tunnel boring machines used to excavate for Metro West cost tens of millions of dollars to design, manufacture and commission, the spokesperson said. Related Series

Sydney beyond 2026 Sydney into the future A complex overnight retrieval effort in the cramped space of Sydneys CBD lies ahead once Jessie reaches the finish line. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
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NationalQueenslandQueensland Health Crisafulli issues health funding ultimatum ahead of national cabinet talks Courtney Kruk January 28, 2026  4:28pm 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 hospital funding stalemate between the state and federal governments is expected to continue at national cabinet on Friday, with the Queensland premier refusing to sign up to a deal unless the Commonwealth significantly lifts its offer. The Albanese governments latest offer, put forward in December, pledged $23 billion for public hospital funding over five years and included an extra $2 billion over four years to assist stranded aged care patients in hospitals. All state and territories rejected the offer, with Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls saying the deal did not address the issue of so-called stranded, elderly patients  those medically fit for discharge but stuck in hospital while waiting for a place in an aged care home. Premier David Crisafulli will travel to Sydney this week to meet with national cabinet and hash out a new five-year public hospital funding deal. Courtney Kruk Nicholls said an estimated 900 aged care patients were languishing in Queensland hospitals  the equivalent of almost an entire hospital. However, neither he nor Premier David Crisafulli have revealed what kind of offer, or dollar figure, would bring them back to the table.

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Ahead of Fridays national cabinet meeting, Crisafulli said he hoped to strike a first-class health deal for the state, but indicated the negotiations would continue if the Albanese government put forward the same $23 billion offer. Related Article Hospitals State vows to cut surgery waitlist with $49.5 million funding boost Were going to Sydney with an open mind  [and] well be making sure that theres every opportunity to strike that deal, Crisafulli said. [But] unless the health deal that is put on the table is a fair one in terms of funding and addressing the issue of stranded Australians in our hospitals, we wont be signing. The Crisafulli government has previously said Queensland has the most stranded aged care patients in the country, and called on the federal government to implement targeted solutions to move them into long-term accommodation, including acquiring land sites and partnering with the private sector to deliver aged care facilities.

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We know that a number of the people in our hospitals will not be able to afford the full suite that perhaps a private [aged care] provider will provide, so theyll need the Commonwealth in order to be able to do it, Nicholls said in November. Related Article Queensland government Mental health checks considered in Queensland gun reforms, minister says The current funding stalemate harks back to a pledge made by the Albanese government in 2023 to increase its share of public hospital funding to 42.5 per cent by 2030, and 45 per cent by 2035, in exchange for states and territories stepping in to help fund disability services. Nicholls and other ministers have accused the federal government of reneging on this pledge, with projections placing the current offer several billion dollars short of the original proposal. In response, the Albanese government has accused the states of overspending, writing to health ministers last year to demand they bring spending down in order for the deal to be honoured. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
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NationalQueenslandCrime Former CFO in court over $3m Brisbane surgeon kickback scheme Cloe Read and Matt Dennien January 28, 2026  12:47pm 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 former chief financial officer of a travel agency is accused of fraudulently taking more than $2 million in an alleged kickback scheme involving Brisbane surgeons. Alana Jane Clayton, 39, who was a former chief financial officer for Corporate Travel Management before she resigned at the end of last year, appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Alana Jane Clayton appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Cloe Read Prosecutors say she gave secret payments to two Brisbane surgeons  Dr Richard William Laherty and Dr Dihan Taranga Aponso  who performed operations at Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital. Clayton did not respond to questions from journalists outside court.

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She stands accused of two counts of fraud and official corruption of a public service employee between 2016 and 2019. The court is yet to hear how Clayton came to be linked to the alleged scheme. Clayton, as pictured when she was working with Corporate Travel Management. Internet Earlier this month, Brisbane neurosurgeon Laherty and spinal surgeon Aponso appeared in court following a Crime and Corruption Commission investigation into how medical devices were used at the major hospitals. The devices were supplied by company MediVance.

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A third man, Elliott Charles Lacaze  the director of MediVance  also appeared in court last month accused of dishonestly gaining business for himself and two other people to the value of more than $2.7 million. While working at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Laherty allegedly received money from MediVance in return for using its surgical devices in his operations. The neurosurgeon was also a part owner of MediVance. Dihan Aponso, Elliott Lacaze, and Richard Laherty outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court earlier this month. Brisbane Times/Cloe Read When the Office of the Health Ombudsman became involved, Laherty was also accused of providing false statements to an investigator between 2021 and 2022. He allegedly told the investigator the payments were for camera equipment worn by him while performing surgeries in public and private hospitals.

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The neurosurgeon has also worked across Queensland Neurosurgery and Spine Surgery (QNS), Greenslopes Private Hospital and St Vincents Private Hospital, Northside. Aponso, who has also worked at Brisbane Private Hospital, allegedly received money from MediVance in return for using the devices while performing operations between 2017 and 2022. Clayton was most recently employed by global business travel firm Corporate Travel Management as its Australia and New Zealand chief financial officer. A company spokesperson, who said the firm was unaware of the corruption allegations, said Clayton resigned on December 16. The corruption watchdog revealed two days later, on December 18, it had charged the then-unnamed accused offenders.

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Claytons company bio had described her as a highly skilled accounting professional with a business degree and two decades of experience who joined the travel firm in 2023. Before venturing into the travel sector, Alana dedicated four years to specialised research and development tax advisory, showcasing her versatility in navigating complex financial landscapes, the website said. According to court documents, Claytons fraud charges relate to allegations she dishonestly gained money for herself, Lacaze, and another person, to the value of $1,674,971 between 2017 and 2019. In a separate allegation, she also dishonestly gained money for herself, Lacaze, and the other person, totalling $661,081 between 2016 and 2019. Her case was adjourned to February 16 to align with a hearing for surgeons Laherty and Aponso, and MediVance director Lacaze. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
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NationalWAEnvironmental protection WA seismic blasting plans fly in the face of demersal fishing ban, conservationists warn Holly Thompson January 29, 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

Western Australias peak environmental body claims the state governments continued permission for seismic blasting off the coast flies in the face of a controversial fishing ban recently introduced to protect demersal stocks. The Conservation Council WA has backed the ban on demersal fishing, introduced on January 1, labelling it necessary to protect species recovery into the future. But the environment group claimed the ban was undermined by approvals for seismic blasting to explore for new gas reserves. WA conservationists are concerned plans to protect demersal fish stocks could be under threat. Getty Images The council highlighted a recent approval from the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority for Pilot Energy to carry out a seismic survey off the Dongara coast, near Geraldton. Council executive director Matt Roberts said restricting fishing activities to address a sharp decline in spawning biomass levels was critical, but the additional threat posed by seismic blasting seems to have been overlooked and is likely to have a significant impact on fish stocks.

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CCWA is particularly concerned about the impacts to demersal scalefish species, which have been woefully under-assessed in the NOPSEMA-led evaluation, and are rated as under severe risk in the west coast region, he said. Related Article Courts WA fishing ban protesters fined over shark head stunt outside ministers office Studies of fish species show both behavioural and physical impacts from seismic blasting, including damage to their hearing ability, and making them more susceptible to predation. Demersal species live and feed on the seafloor, putting them more at risk of the devastating impacts of the blasting as the noise from seismic arrays increases as you move down the water column. Roberts said the council had met with Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis to express their concerns.

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Jarvis told this masthead the plans made by Pilot Energy were outside WA waters and its assessment and approval fell under Commonwealth responsibility. The Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development has participated in the Pilot Energy consultation process and lodged a submission to NOPSEMA recommending additional research be undertaken to directly assess whether the MSS may impact local marine fauna, she said. Michael Butcher, a fisherman and vice president of the Dongara Professional Fishers Association, said there were demersal species all over Leander Reef, where seismic blasting has been proposed by Pilot Energy. Weve got baldchin groper, dhufish and buff bream all over the reef, alongside commercial species like western rock lobsters and octopus, Butcher said. Right now, the crays are covered in eggs, so we cant keep the females, but the blasting window is this time next year.

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While were following the rules to keep the stocks sustainable and healthy into the future, Pilot is allowed to come in and blast our reef and all the species that live there. However, Matt Smith, who is running the environment plan and consultation process for the Eureka seismic survey on behalf of Pilot Energy, said in accepting the plan, NOPSEMA had determined it would not result in unacceptable impacts to demersal scalefish. As a condition of approval, Pilot Energy is required to maintain its environmental knowledge base and to review and reassess environmental risks where circumstances or information change over time, he said. Pilot Energy is aware of the recent demersal scale fish reforms announced by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and supports measures to protect these long-lived, slow-growing species. In light of these reforms, Pilot Energy has identified that its impact assessment requires review, which may lead to amendments to the environment plan.

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Related Article Fishing Fisherman locks boat to Geraldton fisheries office in demersal ban protest Separately, due to the limited availability of suitable survey vessels, Pilot Energy is unable to undertake the survey during the originally planned February to March 2026 window. Pilot Energy will review and, if necessary, modify the Eureka Environment Plan and resubmit it to NOPSEMA for reassessment in due course. This will include another public comment period. Petition against fishing ban gathers pace While the Conservation Council still supports the new policy, a petition urging a parliamentary inquiry into the ban is gathering steam.

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Opposition fisheries spokeswoman Kirrilee Warr said the Nationals petition to end the ban had been garnering support with more than 31,000 people signing it. She said it was on track to becoming the largest e-petition ever lodged in the Legislative Councils history which demonstrated how gutted communities were. If the growing unrest over Labors demersal fishing bans is any indication, the Cook Labor Government has bitten off more than it can chew and badly underestimated the strength and unity of WAs fishing community, Warr said. In recent weeks weve seen protests from fishers, hundreds of personal stories shared online, and grassroots community action where fishers are taking to the streets to protest the bans. Jarvis said the science showed iconic demersal fish species were under severe threat in some parts of WA.

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Urgent action was needed to protect these species, she said. We understand that some people in the fishing community are upset with the demersal reforms. However, as difficult as these decisions have been to make, they had to be made. We want our kids and grandkids to be able to enjoy fishing in our beautiful state into the future. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
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PoliticsFederalBondi shooting Muslim leaders slam Morrison as reckless, irresponsible after Islam speech Brittany Busch and Mostafa Rachwani Updated January 28, 2026  11:59am ,first published 11:01am 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

Leading Liberal moderate Andrew Bragg has called on Australian Muslims to take some responsibility for religious extremism, after former prime minister Scott Morrison told an antisemitism conference in Israel that Islamic leaders should enforce stronger standards on their own communities. Morrison said Australias Muslim leaders should license preachers, translate all sermons into English and set up a board to police radicals. Morrisons comments were made at a conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday night (AEDT), where he was hailed by Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a terrific, terrific champion of our people. Morrison made a speech at a Jerusalem antisemitism conference overnight in which he demanded Australian Islamic institutions enforce stricter regulations to quash radical Islam. AP Morrisons speech drew swift condemnation from Labor MPs and the Australian National Imams Council, which said the comments were reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Morrison was a pretty divisive figure who was pursuing his own agenda, while Chalmers was confident in the governments approach to cracking down on antisemitism and hate speech.

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Morrison argued in his speech that an Islamic peak body should not be purely representative, but have the authority and tools to enforce membership standards. It is time that Islamic institutions in Australia adopted nationally consistent, self-regulated standards, including a recognised accreditation framework for imams, a national register for public-facing roles, clear training and conduct requirements, and disciplinary authority for their governing councils, he said. He said many Islamic states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, had been better at confronting radical ideology than liberal western democracies, including through policing religious teaching, although he acknowledged such state-centric tactics could clash with liberal principles such as freedom of religion. Andrew Bragg claims there has been a mutation of Islam in Australia. Alex Ellinghausen In a later post on LinkedIn, Morrison said, to treat such issues as taboo would allow extremism to flourish.

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Bragg backed Morrisons call on Wednesday and claimed there had been a mutation of Islam in Australia. I think the Australian Muslim community has to take some responsibility for the behaviours weve seen exhibited over the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, it has been a pattern of behaviour that some of these smaller incidents  and now weve had a significant terrorist incident  have emerged from these communities, the opposition housing spokesman told ABCs Radio National. The West has probably been too nice for its own good, and a lot of Western countries probably feel that they cant be honest and open about some of the issues. Asked whether the Christian community should take responsibility for Nazi hate speech, Bragg said: 99.9 per cent of Australian Muslims are fantastic citizens, but this is a mutation of Islam which is leading to now the deaths of our fellow citizens. And so we need to do everything we can stop that. Im not going into this sort of false equivalent stuff. I mean, weve had a massive religious massacre in Australia where people who are adherents of a mutation of Islam have decided they wanted to kill Jews, he said.

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President of the Australian National Imams Council, Imam Shadi Alsuleiman, rejected Morrisons attempt to draw a line between the Muslim community and the Bondi attack. The comments by former prime minister Scott Morrison are reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed, he said. It is deeply concerning and disappointing that someone who has held the highest office in the country would make such divisive remarks. To blame an entire community for the actions of a few criminal terrorists is unacceptable, rejected, and undermines our social cohesion. Alsuleiman called on Morrison and Bragg to work towards uniting the Australian people, not undermining social cohesion, especially at a time when Australia needs it most. It saddens me that such language comes from political leaders who shape our countrys policies, he said.

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Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy labelled Morrisons intervention as problematic and troubling, and said Muslim Australians should be able to practise in peace like any other religious group. The Liberals are dividing this nation. Theyre trying to hold 1 million Australians responsible for the acts of two individuals. And Im appalled by that, and I oppose it 100 per cent, he told Sky News. To tar an entire religion, I just think is unacceptable. Its not based in fact, and it undermines social cohesion, he said. Every Australia should have a right to follow their religion in peace in this country as long as they follow all the laws of the land. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said Morrisons intervention was troubling. Alex Ellinghausen Morrison on Wednesday insisted he was not discriminating against Muslims. Im not proposing really anything different for how religion is practised in the Islamic faith in Australia, as it is in all other faiths, Morrison said, speaking on 2GB from Israel.

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Bondi shooting Attorney-general tells imams new hate speech laws wont silence criticisms of foreign governments We want to have systems for Islam in Australia, which help them deal with radicalism that occurs within their own ranks and protect their own people from that radicalism, he said. There are requirements that you need to follow, and you need to be accountable to leaders in your own faith community, and thats what we should all expect of all of our religious communities. I believe that good religion is good for our society. This week Attorney General Michelle Rowland wrote to the Australian National Imams Council to assure them the new hate speech laws would not introduce restrictions on the ability of faith communities to practise and teach their religious and cultural beliefs. Muslim leaders have condemned the Bondi attack, and in Sydney last month said they had been warning police about hate preachers for a decade. Threats and hate speech against Muslim Australians have spiked following the Bondi terrorist attack, a shift NSW Premier Chris Minns denounced as horrifying. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
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Reviews & adviceSouth-East Asia Opinion Ten things well never understand about Vietnam Brian Johnston Travel writer January 29, 2026  4:00am

January 29, 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

Vietnam is one of our favourite travel destinations, with Australian visitor numbers surging, but there are still many things that might puzzle you about this endearing nation. The street food How are baguettes better in Vietnam than anywhere outside France? iStock What youll quickly understand is that Vietnamese street food is fabulous. What youll never understand is how this can be. How does such fresh, flavoursome and extraordinarily diverse food get produced from the smallest, most primitive kitchens, in sweltering heat, and by cooks so unassuming? How do they know how to balance flavours and textures so magnificently? How are baguettes better than anywhere else outside France? Who knows, but praise be. The traffic skills

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Crossing the road in Vietnam: slow and steady, never stop. iStock Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. A gazillion motorbikes, ever-increasing cars, street vendors with carts, and intersections with no traffic lights might suggest complete chaos, and yet the traffic flows onwards. Its a brilliant showcase of zigzagging, dodging and split-second decisions well never grasp. Another thing we really dont get is how to cross the road in the face of this buzzing busyness. The secret: slow and steady, and never stop. Unless youre out-chickened by a bus, of course. The tiny chairs Child-size chairs for adults. iStock Vietnams brilliant street cuisine is served on the worlds smallest tables, and as a patron youre obliged to hunch on a Lilliputian plastic chair that sags under your weight and forces your knees up around your ears. Youll feel like youre playing make-believe restaurant in a kindergarten. And it isnt just because youre foreign-sized: the Vietnamese are much taller than they used to be, yet their restaurant chairs remain diminutive. Whats that about?

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The motorbike overload What the Vietnamese can carry on a motorbike is remarkable. iStock Ive lost count of the amazing things Ive seen transported on motorbikes in Vietnam: eight highly flammable gas cylinders, two live pigs, a wardrobe, enough groceries to stock a corner store, a family of five. How all the goods are placed on board and dont fall off is remarkable, and how the rider balances the ensemble is a showcase of circus-performer abilities. I expect some dreary laws will forbid all this someday, but I hope not too soon. The vehicular honking The Vietnamese take leaning on the horn to insanity-inducing levels. They use the horn constantly, as a bat uses sonar. Drivers beep to indicate danger, frustration, impatience and warning  or just because they can. They honk a millisecond after a green light appears if the car in front hasnt moved. They honk if they want to pass, even if passing is impossible. Expect a cacophonous journey, and a sleepless night in the wrong road-facing hotel room.

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The welcome to foreigners You dont need to delve far into Vietnamese history to discover how put-upon this nation has been by foreign armies from Chinese and French to American. Yet you arent long in Vietnam before you notice how friendly locals are to everyone. Maybe its because theyre focused on the future. Maybe its because half the population was born after the Vietnam War. These days, youll find less anti-Americanism here than almost anywhere else. Go figure. The tangled wires A concerted two-decades-long effort in Ho Chi Minh City has seen many electrical cables disappear underground, but city outskirts and small towns across Vietnam still display a spectacular spaghetti madness of overhead electricity, telephone, internet and cable-TV wires. They hang off poles like deranged jackdaws nests, and conceal entire building facades. How does anyone know where the wires go, who owns them, or how to fix a fault? Look up, and be constantly amazed. All those zeros

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Vietnamese dong: just knock a few zeros off, please. iStock An Aussie dollar gets you 17,447 dong, which means you have to be a mathematical genius to work out prices. A method slightly easier than dividing by 17,447 is to know that VND100,000 is almost $6. But when youre presented with a hotel bill that runs into the millions, your brain will freeze. Do your maths before attempting an ATM withdrawal. Why doesnt the State Bank of Vietnam knock several zeros off the currency? Related Article South-East Asia Australians are flocking here. It might be the next victim of overtourism All the Nguyens How the Vietnamese identify each other is a mystery, because an estimated 40 per cent of the population share the surname Nguyen. Tran and Le are distant seconds and thirds at around 10 per cent each. Thats a lot of Nguyens greeting Nguyens in business meetings, and you wouldnt want to use the surname for restaurant reservations. Incidentally, Nguyen was also among the most common newborns surnames in Sydney and Melbourne 20 years ago, but has since fallen in the ranks.

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Touching someones head The internet is full of spurious advice about supposedly strange Asian social customs, and in Vietnam youre urged not to touch anyones head. Well, duh. Is there anyone in the whole wide world whod be happy to be touched on the head by a random stranger? Or pointed at with a foot? These arent arcane cultural rules, theyre common courtesy. What I dont understand is why the internet unthinkingly circulates such endless nonsense.
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Travel newsAir travel Worlds first nine-class plane unveiled, with the best first class yet John Arlidge January 29, 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

Does Lufthansa feature in your travel plans for anything other than trips to Germany? Thought not. But you might want to think again. The German flag carrier, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this month, has just launched the worlds first jet with nine seating classes to choose from. I got a sneak peek at its new Airbus A350 at Munich Airport, and was impressed by the innovations  especially at the pointy end of the plane. The first thing I saw when I walked on board past the iconic crane logo, designed by Otto Firle in 1918, was the Allegris first class. There are just three suites across the cabin, making it the most exclusive first class in the sky. Its closest rival, Air France, has four separate seats in its La Premiere cabin. (Etihad also has its Residence class, which is just a single, three-room suite, but its technically a level above first class.) There are just three first-class suites across the Allegris cabin, making it the most exclusive in the sky. The Allegris First Class suites are elegantly minimalist, with blue leather and fabrics offset with back-lit blond wood finishes and gold accents. They come with 91-centimetre-wide seats which recline into 210-centimetre-long beds. Each suite has sliding shutter doors which are high but, irritatingly, dont quite reach the ceiling, as the walls on Emirates first class suites do on its Boeing 777 jets. The doors are light and made of sturdy fabric which means they wont rattle when the plane hits turbulence  a common problem with heavier plastic doors. Big-screen TVs and heated seats

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Theres in-suite stowage for hand luggage, which means there are no overhead bins which creates high ceilings. The TV screen is as big as youll find at home  up to 43 inches (109 centimetres) on the diagonal  and theres an ottoman with a seatbelt so couples can comfortably dine together. Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. The First Class Suite has seats that recline into near 210-centimetre-long single beds. The mood lighting and temperature is controlled by an iPad, including for the first time on any carrier the temperature of the upholstery. On the inside of the closet door is a near full length mirror. The central suite, First Class Plus, has even more space. It has two adjacent seats with no divider, nor a large gap between the seats, which recline to become the biggest double bed on a commercial jet  183-centimetres-long and more than 120 centimetres wide. Until Qatar Airways, Emirates and Singapore Airlines unveil their new first class for their hangar-fresh Boeing 777X jets, this is  overall  the best first class in the sky.

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Like the Allegris first class, the seats in business class also have upholstery heating and cooling technology, and there are four seat options, more than on any other carrier. The front-row suites have no seats in front of them so have more space and storage, as well as higher walls for greater privacy. Business class offers a number of options. From a privacy seat to an extra long bed seat. Premium economy seats have a fixed shell so seat-back does not angle back into the face of the person sitting behind you. Some seats are centrally located in the cabin with no seat on either side and larger table space. These thrones are ideal for working. If you want to sleep, some of the seats recline to create an extra-long single bed  218 centimetres versus the 198 in the regular suite. Thats longer than first class on most carriers. The remaining business class seats are regular seats either on the aisle or by the window. All premium economy-class seats are similar and come with a stylish blue fabric and faux wood finish, and have partitions at head height for extra privacy. Unusually, the shell of the seat is fixed which means the upholstery slumps down forwards when you recline, but the seat-back does not angle back into the face of the person sitting behind you. This is great for those who hate it when the person in front sits back, particularly on a long day flight, but it remains to be seen whether it will be as comfortable for sleeping.

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There are extra legroom seats at the front of the economy cabin. Getty Images The front row of economy is a new class because not only does it have extra legroom, but also your TV screen is on the back of the last row of premium economy seats in front of you which means it is 15.6 inches (39.6 centimetres) on the diagonal, 25 per cent larger than the usual economy screen. There are four rows of extra legroom economy seats on the new A350s, with 6.9 more centimetres. For the first time on a major European carrier, you can book the adjacent seat to create extra room. This effectively takes the different seat options you have on the jet to nine. Related Article Travel tips The 18 most overrated, and 20 underrated, things in travel right now Class war Critics say that offering so many classes  each of which comes at a slightly different price  is bamboozling. I disagree. Frequent flyers are incredibly fussy and like to choose their seat, whatever their preference may be. Now they  we  have more choice than ever.

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Lufthansa uses its latest jets with the new cabins to fly from Frankfurt or Munich to Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Cape Town and Johannesburg. They are a great alternative to flying via Turkey or the Gulf. Shop around and they can be cheaper than the Gulf carriers too. The airline has a joint venture with Singapore Airlines, making for easy connections in Singapore for travellers from Australia. Still not convinced to go German? Try this. You can fly the Queen of the Skies. Lufthansa is the only major European airline committed to flying the beloved and iconic 747 jumbo. Its 27-strong 747 fleet is being refurbished to include all Lufthansas latest seats, including business class upstairs in the bubble. Catch it while you can. The Telegraph, London

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Updated WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America ICE officers in Minnesota directed not to interact with agitators in new orders Myles Miller Updated January 29, 2026  8:43am ,first published 6:11am 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: ICE officers in Minnesota have been directed to avoid engaging with agitators as they carry out US President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown, according to internal guidance. The new guidance, reviewed by Reuters, offers the most detailed look so far at how operations would change after two fatal shootings of US citizens in Minneapolis this month. It also orders US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers only to target immigrants who have criminal charges or convictions. That would mark a departure from the broad sweeps that have provoked backlash and legal challenges in Minneapolis and other US cities. Demonstrators protest ICE activity in Minnesota. Bloomberg DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS, said an email disseminated by a top ICE official. It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation. No one is going to convince the other. The only communication should be the officers issuing commands.

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In response to a request to the White House for comment, an administration official said, There are ongoing conversations on how to most effectively conduct operations in Minnesota. No guidance should be considered final until it is officially issued. The operational shift comes after Trump said this week that he aimed to de-escalate tension in Minneapolis and St Paul after federal immigration officers killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti and mother-of-three Renee Good there this month. Loading In both cases, Trump officials swiftly portrayed the deceased as aggressors, an assertion undercut by video evidence. Trump tasked border tsar Tom Homan to take over operations in Minnesota, in what a senior official told Reuters would be a shift to a more targeted approach to enforcement. He effectively replaced Border Patrol commander-at-large Greg Bovino, who had been the face of the special enforcement operation in Minneapolis and attracted criticism for saying  without evidence  that it looked like Pretti intended to massacre officers. Prettis killing on January 24 ignited widespread criticism, including from Republicans. Democrats have threatened to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless restrictions are placed on enforcement operations.

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State and local officials have called for independent investigations into both killings and for a reduction in the federal presence, warning that aggressive enforcement tactics risk further loss of life. Related Article Updated

Trump's America Border Patrol commander Bovino to leave Minneapolis as Trump shifts strategy Two US Border Patrol agents involved in the fatal shooting of Pretti had been placed on administrative leave, Customs and Border Protection said, in a move it described as standard protocol after an officer-involved shooting. Under the new guidance outlined in the email, ICE officers will receive megaphones so that they can issue commands to the public and need to verbalise every step of the arrest process. The guidance does not describe what sort of actions would trigger commands or what officers should do if commands were not followed.

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The updated guidance came from Marcos Charles, the top official in ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations division, the email said. It said officers could only target immigration offenders who had a previous criminal history. We are moving to targeted enforcement of aliens with a criminal history, it read. This includes arrests, not just convictions. ALL TARGETS MUST HAVE A CRIMINAL NEXUS. Alex Pretti was shot by federal officers in Minneapolis on January 24. AP Under former US president Joe Biden, ICE officers were required to focus on serious criminals, but the Trump administration rescinded that policy, allowing officers to arrest non-criminals without restrictions. ICE officers could run licence plate checks for possible targets and should make an arrest if the registered owner of the vehicle was an immigrant with a criminal history, the guidance said.

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ICE would run the Minnesota operation with Border Patrol in a support role, it said, a reversal after months of Bovino-led clashes in city streets. The guidance states that ICE has been getting more co-operation from state and local officials in Minnesota, and that the agency could have more opportunities to pick up immigrants released on parole or probation. Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, is accused of squirting an unknown substance on Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis. Bloomberg Meanwhile, details of the man accused of squirting an unknown substance on Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis have begun to emerge, showing he has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of Trump. Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989, has been arrested multiple times for driving under the influence and has had numerous traffic citations, Minnesota court records show. There are also indications he has had significant financial problems, including two bankruptcy filings.

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Police say Kazmierczak used a syringe to squirt a liquid on Omar during the event on Tuesday (Minnesota time) after she called for the abolishment of ICE and the firing or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the fatal shootings of Good and Pretti. Officers immediately tackled and arrested Kazmierczak, who was jailed on a preliminary third-degree assault charge, police spokesperson Trevor Folke said. Loading Photos of the syringe, which fell when the man was tackled, show what appears to be a light-brown liquid inside. Authorities havent publicly identified the substance, though US media reports said that tests by police concluded the substance was apple cider vinegar. Omar continued speaking for about 25 minutes after Kazmierczak was ushered out, saying she wouldnt be intimidated. While leaving, she said that she felt a little flustered but wasnt hurt and that she was going to be screened by a medical team.

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She later posted on X: Im ok. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work. I dont let bullies win. Photo: Matt Golding Kazmierczak hadnt been formally charged or scheduled for an initial court appearance as of Wednesday morning. The Hennepin County Attorneys Office has until Thursday to charge him but could seek an extension. Its unclear if Kazmierczak has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. The countys chief public defender, Michael Berger, said the case hasnt been assigned to his office. Omar, a progressive, has been a frequent target of Trumps barbs since she joined Congress in 2019.

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That year, Trump urged Omar and three other freshmen congresswomen of colour known as the squad to go back to their countries if they wanted to criticise the US. Omar was the only one of the four born outside the US, having immigrated to the country as a child when her family fled violence in Somalia. During a Cabinet meeting in December, Trump referred to her as garbage. Earlier on Tuesday, the president criticised her as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa, saying his administration would only let in immigrants who can show that they love our country. When asked about the attack, Trump told ABC News that he hadnt watched the footage and accused Omar of staging the attack. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her, Trump said. Reuters, Bloomberg, 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.
A 20-YEAR-old man was sentenced to three months in prison, backdated to the date he first entered custody, after pleading guilty to dangerous driving, which led to a collision that left a woman with a punctured lung. Luke Flynn of 78 Cois Dara, Tullow Road, Carlow appeared via video link from Clover Hill Prison before Judge Geraldine Carthy at Carlow District Court charged with trespassing, theft and dangerous driving.

The court previously heard that on 28 November 2025, Mr Flynn entered the backyard of a private residence on the Carlow-Laois border without permission. He then took four car batteries at a combined value of 100 from the yard and put them in his van.

After being disturbed by the owner of the house, Mr Flynn tried to leave the scene but collided with a vehicle driven by a woman who lived at the house. The woman suffered a punctured lung as a direct result of the collision and was hospitalised for a week.

Mr Flynn was remanded in custody following a sitting of Carlow District Court in early January to give time for a probation report to be prepared and produced before the court.

Defence solicitor Chris Hogan told the court that the probation report shows that not only was his client deemed at low risk of reoffending but he was also concerned about the victims injuries due to the fact he stayed at the scene of the collision. Mr Hogan said that Mr Flynn was somewhat vulnerable due to his age and history of anxiety and that the probation report shows he was in the company of older criminals on the day in question.

I think these people abused him on the day and got him to drive, Mr Hogan added.

Mr Hogan told the court that his client was exposed to significant domestic abuse when he was a child, which is why his mother moved him to the UK.

The court also heard that Mr Flynn had found prison difficult and did not wish to go back and intends to return to the UK when possible.

Mr Hogan handed over 100 to the court for the value of the stolen car batteries, which Judge Carthy acknowledged as mitigation.

Judge Carthy took into account the guilty plea and positive probation report; however, she said the section 53 offence for dangerous driving was the most serious and she noted the substantial injuries for the victim and convicted and sentenced Mr Flynn to three months in prison, backdated to 3 December 2025, when he first entered custody. She also disqualified him from driving for two years.

The theft and trespassing offences were taken into consideration.

Mr Hogan asked Judge Carthy for arraignment, to which she set a bond of 500 and a 400 cash lodgement.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
Met Eireann has issued a further status yellow rain weather warning for Carlow and other counties in the South East between midnight Thursday 29 January until midnight Friday 30 January. The same warning applies to Dublin, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Waterford.

The weather agency said further heavy rain and showers will be falling on saturated ground, which combined with high river levels, may cause the following:

Localised flooding

River flooding

Difficult travel conditions

The warning was issued on Wednesday, 28 January just before 3pm.

Met Eireann's forecast for Leinster tomorrow, 29 January, reads: "Some bright or sunny spells on Thursday but mostly cloudy with scattered outbreaks of rain. More persistent rain will spread from the southwest during the afternoon and evening, turning heavy at times. With saturated ground conditions and high river levels, localised flooding is possible. Highs temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees, mildest near the south coast. A breezy day with moderate to fresh and gusty southeast winds, increasing strong near the coast and locally inland."

Courtesy of Met Eireann

Carlow County Council published an updated safety message after holding a meeting with the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management, Met Eireann and other key stakeholders on Wednesday afternoon:
Ray Managh

Dundrum Cosmetic Clinic has been ordered by a court to pay 46,000 damages to a woman whose face was damaged by a botched laser treatment four years ago.

Hui Hao, a 41-year-old graphic designer, of Pugin House, Loreto Abbey, Rathfarnham, Dublin, told Judge Roderick Maguire in the Circuit Civil Court today that for six months in every year, she cannot go out without significant medical and cosmetic protection and often has to stay inside on sunny days.

If I go out in bright or sunny days my face would now come out in red blotches all over, she said in her 60,000 negligence claim against Gordosek Limited, which trades in the Dundrum Town Centre as Dundrum Cosmetic Clinic.

Ms Hao told her barrister Deirdre Byrne that the worst six months of the year for her now were from March to October, when she had to be ultra- careful about exposing her skin to the elements, particularly if the days were bright or sunny.

All of her face could, if exposed, come out in red blotches.

Ms Byrne, who appeared with Lauren Doyle of HJ Ward Solicitors, told the court that since Ms Hao had issued her legal proceedings in May 2023, the defendant clinic had totally ignored the claim and a judgment had already been obtained against them for failure to enter an appearance to the claim.

Ms Hao, who is involved in architecture, said she had gone to Dundrum Cosmetic Clinic in September 2021. She had gone to the clinic for the purpose of assessment regarding a very mild pigmentation under her left eye.

She had been told the clinic could assist her through a laser treatment, and she had returned on appointment to undergo the procedure.

From the moment the doctor applied the laser to my cheek, I was in pain, and I complained about it, but he didnt stop and continued until the end, Ms Hao told Judge Maguire.

She said she had been in pain overnight and for days after the treatment and had gone to her GP who had immediately advised her to stop using an unbranded cream the clinic had given her to quell the pain and control the spread of pigmentation across both her cheeks and forehead.

Ms Hao said she had been unable to face her friends and colleagues but had been able to work from home and had not made any claim for loss of earnings.

Judge Maguire said that when Ms Hao had gone to the clinic about a minor issue below one of her eyes, she had been offered two or three laser treatments but had undergone only one.

She had been told pain was normal after the treatment and would go away in a day. It hadnt and when she returned was given an unmarked phials of cream.

Pigmentation had broken out around her face and close to her lips, and the cream she was given had no effect, Judge Maguire said.

Judge Maguire said Ms Hao had been told there would be no improvement in her appearance, and the court had heard evidence of her being unable to go out in the sun between March and October.

She now had to use a particular cream which was not easily available.

She has significant pigmentation that was not there before the treatment, Judge Maguire said. She has had to change her daily life as regards going out and it has led to significant change for her.

I fully accept that it will be at its worst during summer, and she has now left with extensive pigmentation all over her face. She has been disfigured after having the treatment.

Judge Maguire, who had been presented with an album of photographs taken by Ms Hao during her difficulties, said he was satisfied there had been negligence on the part of the defendant and due to serious scarring and the ongoing nature of her injuries and their daily impact on her he would award her 46,496 and costs.

The judge heard that Gordosek Limited had not responded in any way to Ms Haos legal proceedings and there was no appearance in court by any legal or other representative on behalf of the company.
Ellen O'Donoghue, Vivienne Clarke and PA

Met Eireann has warned that more flooding is possible as it issued a status yellow rain warning for Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, and Waterford.

The warning will take effect at midnight tonight and last until midnight on Thursday night/Friday morning.

The weather forecaster said further heavy rain and showers falling on saturated ground, combined with high river levels, may cause the following localised flooding, river flooding, and difficult travel conditions.

It comes after Minister for Housing James Browne said that Met Eireann will be held accountable for its role in providing timely alerts about storms.

Speaking on South East radio, the Enniscorthy TD said: I think we will be bringing Met Eireann in and say that there needs to be an understanding here that information is not to be guarded, information is to be put out there, and we need to do a much better job of communications.

But also what we've asked Met Eireann to do as well is to look at how they bring these warnings, yellow, orange, red warnings. It's based on a mathematical formula, whereas in other countries, they use the mathematical formula but then they also make a judgment call.

I think there needs to be a greater use of that judgment call as well, I think in terms of being able to warn people what is coming down the line.

Mr Browne emphasised the growing unpredictability and severity of weather events and the need for extreme measures to protect communities. While acknowledging that earlier warnings may not have prevented the flooding, Mr Browne stressed the need for clearer and faster communications by Met Eireann.

It comes as those worst hit by floodwaters during Storm Chandra on Tuesday have been told to apply for emergency payments.

Members of Slaney Search and Rescue working in floodwater in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Photo: PA

Labours climate spokesperson Ciaran Ahern said Mr Brownes comments were extraordinary and ridiculous.

At a time when many areas across the country are flooding due to this Governments failure to fund flooding defence systems that have been called for for years, this blatant attempt to distract and deflect must be called out, he said.

Storm Chandra must be a wake-up call for all of us but particularly those with a seat at the Cabinet table.

In Enniscorthy in Co Wexford, the Slaney flooded into homes on Island Road and businesses on Shannon Quay.

Glass bottle and food waste bins had been left out on Monday night, leaving the streets littered with broken glass and food on Wednesday after the water receded.

Slaney Search and Rescue crew members distributed food and water that had been donated to them to people stuck in their houses.

One of the local establishments in the town dropped down food for the crew, Shane OConnor, chairman of Slaney Search and Rescue, told the Press Association.

There was so much of it and we didnt want it to go to waste, so we went to Island Road and knocked on doors and whoever was there we gave them food and supplies.

The cleanup from the devastation caused by Storm Chandra is underway, but for many, the disruption and trauma caused is continuing.

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group has warned that flooding may remain in some areas through Wednesday and into Thursday.

Although Chandra has now passed over the country, more rain has been forecast, and flooding could persist if it falls on already saturated ground.

People have been advised to check Local Authority websites and social media channels for information on road closures, flooding updates, and community alerts.

Mark Bowe, Meteorologist from Met Eireann, has warned that people should remain vigilant even though it has stopped raining.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast about the impact of Storm Chandra, Mr Bowe said that while the weather should improve today, conditions will remain unsettled for the next few days.

Thankfully, the storm has pushed off to the far north. So we are in a bit of a dry slot at the moment, but looking ahead for the next couple of days, especially today and into tomorrow, we are going to see some light patchy rain at times, more significant rain moving into parts of the Southwest," Mr Bowe said.

Because river levels are so high and the land is so saturated, he added, people should still stay vigilant over the next few days even though it has stopped raining.

The weather should actually improve today. We'll only see some light passing showers across parts of the east today, but the weather overall is actually going to stay unsettled for the next couple of days.

We're going to see patchy rain at times. We'll see some showers coming in. We've got a front moving over on Thursday that will bring some more rain. So bear in mind that, like I was saying, the ground is already quite saturated, so there's not a significantly longer dry spell, at least over the coming few days for that to happen."

Meanwhile, an emergency response fund has been made available to those whose homes and businesses were worst hit by Chandra in counties Wicklow, Wexford and Dublin.

Phase 1 is not means-tested and will cover the cost of replacing essentials like food, clothing and bedding.

Other phases of the scheme are means-tested and can be used for the replacement of furniture and structural repairs.

Keith Leonard, Director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, called on motorists not to use roads that have been marked as closed following Storm Chandra.

Mr Leonard was speaking on Newstalk Breakfast and RTE radios Morning Ireland, outlining conditions throughout the country and assistance available to individuals and businesses.

The areas most affected by the storm were Aughrim, Co Wicklow, along with Bunclody, Enniscorthy in Wexford and south Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Nutgrove, Sandyford, Firhouse, and Louth and Laois.

"Hopefully most routes now will have improved and bus services should be back in operation in most areas, but there are still some smaller roads that are closed due to flooding and impacts right across the region," Mr Leonard said.

"From a public safety perspective, we had a number of people who were rescued from cars yesterday, so we would ask people where roads are marked off as closed not to use those roads under any circumstances."

Mr Leonard outlined that homeowners who are affected by the storm can access support from the Community Welfare Offices through the Department of Social Protection (telephone number 08 18 6070 80).
By Casey Cooper-Fiske and Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

Kneecap have hit out at UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer over his stance towards Gaza in their latest single Liars Tale.

The group said earlier on Wednesday they would release a new album, claiming criticism from the British prime minister was all the motivation we needed.

The song focuses on Sir Keirs stance in relation to Israels military offensive in Gaza.

Kneecaps new single takes aim at Sir Keir Starmer (Alastair Grant/PA)

The lyrics state that youre not getting away with doing nothing and f*** Keir Starmer, Netanyahus bitch in genocide armour.

The music video, which premiered on YouTube on Wednesday, is zombie-apocalypse themed and features a zombie that looks like Margaret Thatcher.

The group, made up of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, will release their second studio album, titled Fenian, on April 24, after they hit the headlines in 2025 when O hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence.

The charge, which was eventually dropped in September last year, alleged that O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah, which is proscribed as a terror organisation by the British government, at a gig at the O2 Forum in London in 2024.

Announcing their new record on Instagram, Kneecap said: They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap terrorists, with cancellations, with statements from the Prime Minister himself.

We had all the motivation we needed this isnt a swift reaction, but a considered response to those that tried to silence us. And failed.

Inspired by, and proudly named Fenian, who were warriors in Irish folklore, and later a derogatory term for the Irish.

Now were using it to name everyone speaking truth to power.
Eimear Dodd

A man who went back to the airport to collect lost luggage containing 294,000 of cannabis has been jailed for two years and four months.

Alfonso Turano (41) arrived in Ireland the day before the suitcase, which contained 14.7kg of cannabis. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard he completed a lost luggage form with his real name and went back the next day to collect it.

Turano, with an address in Calabro, Italy, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on March 1st, 2025, at Dublin Airport.

On Wednesday, Judge Ronan Munro handed Turano a four-year sentence, with the final 20 months suspended for 10 years on strict conditions.

The judge said the court accepted Turano was not a criminal mastermind but was also satisfied that he would have known the suitcase contained something criminal.

Garda Peter Mullins told Joe Mulrean BL prosecuting, a customs officer was approached by an Aer Lingus employee about an unaccompanied suitcase which had arrived from London and had not yet been collected.

The bag had originally travelled from Barcelona and had Turano's name on it. Boarding passes showed he had travelled from Barcelona to Dublin via London the day before.

Turano had returned to the airport to collect the suitcase and was escorted airside, where the bag was searched after an anomaly was detected. He said the bag was his and that he packed it himself.

When the bag was searched, two vacuum packed bags of cannabis were found.

Turano said he was visiting friends in Dublin for a short holiday. He later said he did not know what was in the bag and that a man had approached him at Barcelona airport, offering him 1,000 to bring the suitcase to Ireland.

He said when the suitcase did not arrive, he paid cash to stay overnight at a hotel near the airport, and filled in the lost luggage form.

Responding to a query from Judge Ronan Munro, Gda Mullins said it is not unusual for people to be approached at an airport and be asked to carry a suitcase, in exchange for a financial reward.

He noted there is a level of ignorance where a person chooses not to look in the bag.

Gda Mullins agreed with Michael Bowman SC, defending that it was extraordinarily naive of Turano to give his real name and details when filling in the lost luggage form.

Gda Mullins accepted the suggestion that Turano walked effectively into the arms of customs officers when he returned to collect the suitcase.

Turano told gardai his small business in Italy was not doing very well and he was working on starting another business in Spain. He was also concerned about being able to pay maintenance for his teenage child.

The court heard that Turano was fully co-operative with gardai, answered all questions and entered an early guilty plea.

He has no previous convictions and has been in custody since his arrest.

The garda agreed with Mr Bowman that his client told gardai he made the biggest mistake of his life and was not a drug dealer.

It was further accepted that Turano replied: mamma mia when told what was in the bag.

Mr Bowman noted this was a particularly Italian response, with the witness agreeing that Turano presented as a genuine, decent man who made a catastrophic mistake.

Counsel submitted to the court that his client's moral culpability is at the lower end, and that his actions involved a level of naivety.

He noted his client was doing it for reward, but did not receive payment. Several character references were provided to the court.

Mr Bowman said his client has had no visitors since entering custody as his family do not have the means to travel here.

Counsel said Turano has limited English and is working while in custody.

Taking the stand, Turano said: I beg pardon for what I have done, adding that he misses his family. He was assisted to give his evidence and to follow proceedings by an Italian interpreter.

Judge Munro said aggravating features were the value of the drugs and that Turano was due to receive payment.

He set a headline sentence of six years, which he reduced to four years, taking the mitigation, Turano's personal circumstances and the difficulties for foreign nationals serving a prison sentence into consideration.

The judge backdated the sentence to March 1, 2025, when Turano went into custody.
Kenneth Fox

A Fine Gael TD has called for Government action to ensure the taxi industry can grow, particularly in rural areas.

Deputy Michael Murphy, chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, said a national taxi strategy should be developed to address key issues in the sector.

During Transport Committee hearings, we have heard extensive evidence on taxi availability, accessibility, rural coverage, passenger experience, and driver income sustainability.

When people cannot get a taxi, it affects their access to work, healthcare, education, tourism, and socialising. That problem is particularly felt at night, in rural Ireland, and by people with disabilities.

We need to support more drivers to enter and remain in the sector, maintain high safety standards, and ensure passengers can trust what they are being charged.

Deputy Murphy said the strategy should focus on improved availability at peak times and in rural Ireland, stronger accessibility in practice, and a fair and transparent framework for drivers and passengers.

Any strategy must look at supply, licensing, pricing, and long-term sustainability of the sector.

A national strategy that ensures more availability and reliability will benefit drivers and passengers alike. We need to hear directly from stakeholders about how more drivers can be encouraged into the sector.

Reliability, safety, accessibility, and transparency must be at the heart of any action taken, Deputy Murphy said.
LIGHTING, and the lack thereof, continues to be the bane of all councillors existence. At the January meeting of Carlow Co Council, cllr Daniel Pender said a constituent had described the lighting at the Fair Green in Bagenalstown as akin to the black hole of Calcutta, it was so dark there.

Its the centre of the third biggest town in the county. It is bleak at night. You cannot see from one end of the street to the other. All of the lights have been reported for the guts of a month and yet nothing has been done about it, said cllr Pender.

However, just five days after the county council meeting, cllr Pender confirmed that the lighting issue at the Fair Green had been resolved.

Cllr Fintan Phelan also noted that while lampposts had been erected in Burrin Manor on the Tullow Road, they have not yet been turned on. There were 1,318 repairs made to public lights in 2025 and 48 are awaiting repairs by the ESB.

Councillors, I feel your frustration, said Coilin OReilly. It just seems to be impossible to get the ESB to do it. I apologise, but I am confident in saying theres nothing more Carlow Co Council can do. Yet again, we will make contact. We will write. We will follow up.
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Old school Looney Tunes shorts are headed back to linear TV in a big and long-overdue way. Turner Classic Movies has secured a long-term licensing deal that will make the network a regular broadcast home for the iconic Warner Bros. animated library, restoring a high-profile outlet for some of the most influential cartoons in animation history.

The news was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, which outlined the terms of the agreement, describing it as a six-year deal to set up TCM as an ongoing home for the shorts. The partnership kicks off in February with a curated lineup of 45 cartoons centered on Bugs Bunny, who will be featured as TCMs Star of the Month.

Under the arrangement, the shorts will be integrated into TCMs wider broadcast strategy. Additional characters from the Looney Tunes roster, such as Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and Yosemite Sam, are expected to rotate through future programming blocks in the months and years to come.

TCM senior VPs comments to THR describe a place of privilege on the network, where they will be placed in a well-deserved historical context. By making TCM an ongoing home for this iconic library, were able to present these cartoons with the care they deserve, alongside the classic films they helped influence.

Near the end of 2022, Warner Bros. pulled 256 Looney Tunes shorts from its HBO Max platform after electing not to renew a streaming license. Last year, another 255 titles were unceremoniously dropped.

The companys decision to abandon one of its best-loved properties sparked criticism from animation fans and historians (and this very website) who worried about access to these foundational works of American animation. While the cartoons remain owned by Warner Bros., their visibility has largely depended on licensing and curated exhibition. At the moment, nearly 800 classic Looney Tunes shorts are available on the ad-supported platform Tubi, for free.

No news on the future of the Looney Tunes streaming rights was unveiled in the THR piece, but it seems likely that Netflix will want those in any acquisition deal. That would, of course, put them back behind a paywall. A win for existing Netflix subscribers, but a huge loss for classic animation fans who dont care to pay for the platform.

For TCM, the deal reinforces the channels reputation as one of TVs most respected channels, a curator of film history beyond live-action cinema. For the animation community, it represents a rare instance of classic shorts being treated as archival works worthy of contextualized presentation.
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German green cement startup Co-reactive has closed a EUR6.5m (US$7.79m) seed financing round to scale its CO 2 mineralisation technology for the construction sector. The Dusseldorf-based company said the round was led by HTGF, with participation from NRW.Bank, HBG Ventures, AFI Ventures, Evercurious VC and climate-tech business angels, alongside public grant support including Germanys Federal Funding for Industry and Climate (BIK).

Founded in 2024 as a spin-off from RWTH Aachen University, Co-reactive has developed a continuous process that converts CO 2 , together with magnesium- or calcium-bearing silicate minerals such as olivine and metallurgical slags, into CO 2 -negative supplementary cementitious materials (CO-SCMs). The company says these materials can reduce clinker content without compromising performance and can be integrated into existing cement production as a drop-in solution.

Co-reactive plans to use the new funding to scale from laboratory and pilot operations to a continuous demonstration plant with capacity of around 1000tpa in 2026. In parallel, it is working with industrial partners on first-of-a-kind projects at the tens-of-thousands-of-tonnes scale, with the aim of mineralising biogenic or process CO 2 streams directly at cement and steel plants from 2027.
Faculty and staff at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) have nominated six of their peer instructors for the Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in Technical Instruction competition.

The Rick Perkins Award honors the Technical College System of Georgias (TCSG) most outstanding instructors. The award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields.

Listed are the nominees for the 2026 award, including (from left to right) the instructors name and program:

Nick Barton, program director and instructor of Horticulture

Tyler Gayan, program director, assistant dean and instructor of Criminal Justice Technology

Ronny Huggins, program director and instructor of Automation Engineering Technology

Brandon Johnson, instructor of Welding and Joining Technology

Pete Lute, program director and instructor of Automotive Technology

Trevor Roberts, clinical coordinator of Ultrasound Programs and instructor of Adult Echocardiography

We are very fortunate at Georgia Northwestern Technical College to have instructors who care so much about the students and the learning process. Our instructors are always working to provide the best information and tools for learning, said Beverly Padgett, GNTCs Rick Perkins coordinator and instructor of Certified Customer Service Specialist and Public Speaking.

These nominees continuously go beyond what is expected of them not only to meet but to surpass the needs of their students, Padgett explained. Our instructors are truly the best of the best!

Formerly known as the Commissioners Award of Excellence, the award was renamed in honor and memory of Thomas Rick Perkins, an instructor at West Georgia Technical College, who received the Commissioners Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death.

The Technical College System of Georgia provides oversight for the Rick Perkins Award programs through the systems office, the college presidents Academic Affairs Committee and the state planning committee.

A screening committee of administrators and staff at GNTC reviewed each of the nominated instructors and conducted personal interviews with the nominees. From the screening committee interviews, a winner will be chosen to represent the college as GNTCs 2026 Rick Perkins Award winner and move on to the regional competition.

The winning instructor will be announced at the GOAL and Rick Perkins Presentation Awards Banquet on Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Rome. The luncheon is sponsored by The Seven Hills Rotary Club, Rome Floyd Chamber and GNTC.
Here are the new business licenses from the County Clerk's office:

ALDRIDGE CONSTRUCTION BRIAN T ALDRIDGE 1109 ASPEN PL SALINAS CA 93901



ALL AROUND HEATING AND AIR LLC DWIGHT D SWEATT 1000 FALCON RUN DR SODDY DAISY TN 37379



ANDREW GARDENHIRE ANDREW G GARDENHIRE 1454 STOCKYARD PL CHATTANOOGA TN 37408



B.O.S.S. SPACE RENTAL YOKITA MCGRAW 4830 HWY 58 STE. 104 CHATTANOOGA TN 37416



BMC DAUGHTER MARICELLA MCREYNOLDS 5140 LOIS LN CHATTANOOGA TN 37416



BOBBYS WINE & LIQUOR ARZU PATEL 4850 HIGHWAY 58 STE 130 CHATTANOOGA TN 37416



BUESO REMODELING JOSE R BUESO 2416 HICKORY RIDGE DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37421



C & W MECHANICAL DYLAN R WOOD 210 HUB CIR COOKEVILLE TN 38506



CALERA HOME IMPROVEMENT LUIS A HERNANDEZ 1505 S SCENIC HWY CHATTANOOGA TN 37409



CAPITOL BARBERSHOP ALLEN J HENLEY 3898 DAYTON BLVD CHATTANOOGA TN 37415



CHATTBOUT JERK ANTOLE THELWELL 5915 WINNIPEG CT OOLTEWAH TN 37363



CHOO CHOO PRINTING ALYSSA M COLLAKE 5707 TN-58, #103 HARRISON TN 37341



COSTA ARCHITECTURAL SIGNAGE REIS J COSTA 925 LANOKA ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37405



CREDIBLE CARE SOLUTIONS BRANDON WOODRUFF 3409 DODSON AVE CHATTANOOGA TN 37406



CUMMINGS MEDIA GROUP MARIAH CUMMINGS 7217 TAYLOR RD HARRISON TN 37341



DANNYTOLLIVERPHOTOGRAPHY LLC DAN J TOLLIVER 4431 HANCOCK RD CHATTANOOGA TN 37416



ELEVATE STAGING & DESIGN NEAL SPANN 6413 BONNY OAKS DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37416



EVAC PLUS LLC GERALD FEW 4725 TARPON TRL CHATTANOOGA TN 37416



GARDEN FASHION FLAIRE ETIENNE EASLEY 1802 HAMILL RD APT 10 HIXSON TN 37343



GINA RUCCIONE HOLISTIC COUNSELING & WELLNESS LLC GINA RUCCIONE 1200 MOUNTAIN CREEK RD STE 485 #5 CHATTANOOGA TN 37405



GREENLINE LANDSCAPE COMPANY LLC JACOB GRANT 20 MASON DR APT 403 CHATTANOOGA TN 37415



H&H EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC RALEIGH HARRELSON 420 GRAYSVILLE RD SALE CREEK TN 37373



HICKMAN BROTHERS HAULING & LAND MANAGEMENT ANGELA HICKMAN 7326 DRAGONFLY TRL OOLTEWAH TN 37363



IBIBLIAS CARLOS J LOPEZ 11165 BLAIR RD APISON TN 37302



INDEPENDENT INSULATION SERVICES LLC HOWARD R MILLSAPS 610 ETOWAH RD BENTON TN 37307



INTUIT, INC.

LAUREN HOTZ 633 CHESTNUT ST CHATTANOOGA TN 37450JESSICA NICOLO AESTHETICS JESSICA NICOLO 8129 DOUBLE EAGLE CT OOLTEWAH TN 37363KOMAH CONCEPTS MICHAEL A HENDERSON 4508 JOHNSON RD BIRCHWOOD TN 37308LJZ LOGISTICS LLC DAVID L GRANT 13769 TONJA LN SODDY DAISY TN 37379MARINE CANVAS UPHOLSTERY LLC DAVID SAPP 6606 HILLBROOK LN HIXSON TN 37343MERAKI MIDWIFERY ORIONA M VAN DOLSON 9469 DAVID SMITH LN OOLTEWAH TN 37363METHOD HAIR STUDIO JESSICA K CASE 7053 LEE HWY STE 301 CHATTANOOGA TN 37421MINDFUL MOUNTAIN MASSAGE CAMILLE ZUNIGA 2207 DUNCAN AVE CHATTANOOGA TN 37404MY 6 CONSTRUCTION LLC JEREMY T MOORE 10534 HIGHWAY 225S CHATSWORTH GA 30705PUBLIC STORAGE STEVEN BABINSKI 5902 RINGGOLD RD EAST RIDGE TN 37412PUBLIC STORAGE STEVEN BABINSKI 6712 RINGGOLD RD EAST RIDGE TN 37412RESTORATION HAUS AESTHETICS JUAN GONZALEZ 5591-TN 153 STE 156 HIXSON TN 37343RPG CHATTANOOGA, LLC ROCHELLE L RICHARDSON 756 BESPOKE WAY CHATTANOOGA TN 37403SIGNAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICES,LLC JACOB OWENS 1014 SIGNAL RD SIGNAL MOUNTAIN TN 37377SNAPDRAGON CANNABIS CO JOSHUA MANNING 3904 RINGGOLD RD CHATTANOOGA TN 37412SONESTA SELECT CHATTANOOGA HAMILTON PLACE VIRJU PATEL 2210 BAMS DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37421SOUTH FOREST CONSTRUCTION DAKOTA S WILLIAMS 1346 QUAIL VALLEY TRL APISON TN 37302STUFFED & LOADED BAKED POTATOES TONISKIA DILLARD 2323 LAURELTON CREEK LN CHATTANOOGA TN 37421SUPERIOR ASSET INSPECTION SERVICES INC JESSE M ANDERSON 2370 SEQUOYAH ACCESS RD SODDY DAISY TN 37379THE CAN MAN ISRAEL B PERRY 494 LADD SPRINGS RD SE CLEVELAND TN 37323THE EFFICIENCY CHOICE JESSICA L WHATLEY 110 MOUNTAIN CT SIGNAL MOUNTAIN TN 37377THE GLOWHAUS COLLECTION BRITTANY M COMMONS 1605 BARRY RD CHATTANOOGA TN 37412TIENDA HUEHUETECO ROSA M VARGAS BAUTISTA 3208 ROSSVILLE BLVD # B CHATTANOOGA TN 37407TROPHY TRIMWORKS LLC CHRISTOPHER T GILL 316 COVENTRY RD DECATUR GA 30030TY IN THE SKY LLC ROBERT T JOHNSTON 1706 KIRBY AVE CHATTANOOGA TN 37404VARD HOME IMPROVEMENT CHARLES B ADAMS 5862 DAYTON BLVD CHATTANOOGA TN 37415WEAVER'S CONSTRUCTION SERVICES MICHAEL K WEAVER 8327 GRINDER CREEK PL CHATTANOOGA TN 37421WHAT ABOUT E JENNIFER JOHNSON 1707 PARKWAY DR CHATTANOOGA TN 37406WILLOW RIDGE PROPERTIES TN LLC MONTY ABSHER 1047 MONTAGUE PL CHATTANOOGA TN 37408YARROW STEPHEN YUZENKO 7127 ELMBROOK LN HARRISON TN 37341
A Chickamauga man who was twice convicted of initiating violence against inmates at the Catoosa County Jail has been sentenced to 40 years with the first 15 years to be served in the Georgia Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutors said Jeffrey Wade Anthony, 47, has an extensive criminal record.

The convictions came after a nonjury trial in Catoosa County conducted before Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Melissa Hise.



Prosecutors said on Feb.

3, 2023, Anthony was incarcerated in the Catoosa County Jail for committing a violation of his probation. Anthony was captured on video surveillance initiating violence in the jail by pushing another inmate into a corner. When the other inmate attempted to push Anthony back, Anthony responded by punching him. Subsequently, Anthony was sent to the Georgia Department of Corrections for his probation violation.After Anthony served that sentence, he was returned to the Catoosa County Jail to stand trial forthe Feb. 3, 2023, offense he committed in the jail. While awaiting trial, Anthony committed a separate act of violence, it was stated. On April 14, 2025, Anthony was captured on video surveillance approaching a different inmate who was lying down in his bunk. Anthony repeatedly punched and struck the other inmate without provocation.The state of Georgia was represented by Assistant District Attorney Grace Talbot with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney David Wolfe. Anthonys cases were investigated by Detective Lieutenant Todd Pitts and Lieutenant Ethan Powell.Acting District Attorney Deanna Reisman commended the prosecution of Anthony and the verdict.Violent acts committed by inmates in our local jails create a dangerous environment for our local jailers, law enforcement officers and other inmates. The District Attorneys Office will prosecute individuals who commit these violent acts while in confinement to the fullest extent of the law, DA Reisman said.
Rep. Yusuf Hakeem will host a town hall from 10 a.m.-noon this Saturday at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. MLK Blvd. in Chattanooga. Rep. Hakeem will be joined by state and local offices and organizations to offer a preview of the 2026 legislative session and information on services available to District 28 constituents.The town hall will preview expected legislation and topics of discussion during the 2026 legislative session - school funding, public safety and voting rights.Rep.Hakeem will also be joined by state and local resources that provide services that are most requested by District 28 constituents, including EPB, the City of Chattanooga Office of Family Empowerment, Tennessee Department of Veterans Services and more.Government works best when it meets the people where they are, said Rep. Hakeem. During this trying time, I am committed to reminding constituents what we are here for providing essential services and solving their real problems.
The Chattanooga Police Department has arrested a 17-year-old in connection to the shooting in the 2000 block of McCallie Avenue on Jan. 12. Two people were shot and killed.





The suspect is charged with fir st-degree murder, a ttempted especially aggravated robbery, u nlawful carrying of a weapon, and p ossessing a firearm during a dangerous felony.
A large supplier of meth and fentanyl in Chattanooga has been sentenced to 155 months in federal prison.

Anthony Douglas Jr. appeared before Judge Curtis Collier following his earlier arrest on drug charges as well as weapons possession.

On Dec. 11, 2023, authorities carried out a controlled purchase of resale amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Douglas with a confidential informant (CI). Prior to the controlled purchase, he had been identified as a source of supply for methamphetamine and fentanyl pills.

Immediately following the controlled purchase, the Tennessee Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle driven by Douglas.

Douglas admitted to selling the confidential informant methamphetamine and fentanyl recovered from the controlled purchase. At the conclusion of the stop, he was released pending further investigation.

On Dec. 14, authorities responded to 3814 Juandale Trail to arrest Douglas on outstanding felony drug warrants issued out of Bradley County. He was located inside the residence and taken into custody without incident.

Once he was in custody, investigators with the Chattanooga Police Department Gun Team applied for and were granted a search warrant for his residence. The following items were recovered during the execution of the warrant: - An Anderson Arms AM15 .223 caliber AR-style pistol with SIN 19257832 - approximately 8.92 grams of blue pills suspected of containing fentanyl - A small baggie of suspected methamphetamine - Various other firearms related items, including assorted ammunition and magazines - Multiple digital scales.

At the conclusion of the warrant, Douglas was transported to CPD for an interview with investigators. During questioning, he admitted to being involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

He estimated to have purchased, on average, 200-300 fentanyl pills per day from his source of supply for the past month (6,000-9,000 pills historical weight, or approximately 623-935 grams historical weight), and approximately one ounce of methamphetamine every 1.  weeks.

Douglas claimed ownership of the Anderson Arms AM15 .223 caliber AR-style pistol recovered from his residence. According to him, he obtained the firearm for "protection" due to his involvement in recent shootings in the Chattanooga area and due to his gang affiliation (Rollin 40 Crips).

Douglas also admitted one of the reasons he obtained the firearm was for protection due to his involvement in the distribution of narcotics.
William "Bill" Herbert Stitt, 89, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on November 27, 2025.

Born on Aug. 24, 1936, in Bridgeport, Oh., he was a Chattanooga resident for nearly 60 years.

Bill was a graduate of the Linsly School in Wheeling, WV, and earned his undergraduate degree from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He went on to earn his master's degree from West Virginia University.

His professional career included work in human resources for the Montgomery County (MD) Board of Education before joining Combustion Engineering in Chattanooga, where he worked in labor relations and human resources until his retirement in 1991.

Bill was a longtime member and supporter of Ascension Lutheran Church in Chattanooga. He was an avid collector of Lionel model trains and had been a member of the Train Collectors Association (TCA) since 1964 and a member of the Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA). His passion for trains included a large collection he loved sharing with family and friends.

Bill also enjoyed traveling extensively with his beloved wife of 47 years, Janey.

He was preceded in death by his wife Janey Violetta Tucker Stitt, his companion Nancy Elaine Mammen, and his parents, James Herbert Stitt and Pauline Ofterdinger Stitt.

Bill is survived by his children, Eugene Stitt, Catherine Etters, and Barbara Stitt-Allen; five grandchildren; one great-grandson; and many extended family members who loved their Uncle Bill.

Visitation will be held at Heritage Funeral Home on Friday, Jan. 30, from 4-7 p.m. A memorial service will be held at Ascension Lutheran Church in Chattanooga on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 11 a.m. followed by visitation and fellowship at Ascension. Interment will follow at Morris Hill Baptist Church Cemetery in Chattanooga at 3 p.m.

The family extends their gratitude to Morning Pointe Assisted Living for their support and care of Dad for the past four years.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Ascension Lutheran Church in Chattanooga.

You may share condolences with the family at www.heritagechattanooga.com.

Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Road.
26-000745  4100 BLK Ringgold Road  Aggravated Assault

Multiple Officers responded to the report of a pedestrian struck at this location. Upon further investigation, Police determined that the driver intentionally struck the victim with his vehicle during a heated argument in the parking lot. The suspect then fled the scene prior to the arrival of ERPD. The victim provided a statement then went to a local hospital with minor injuries. Warrants were obtained for the charges of Aggravated Assault, Driving on a Suspended License, and Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Injuries.

Day Shift January 23 : A Squad



26-000724- 1100 BLK Tamarack Trail- Well-being Check

Officers were dispatched to the above address for a man in Walker County stating he was concerned for his wife. While investigating, it was learned he got in contact with his wife and all was well.



26-000726- 800 Germantown Road- Traffic Stop/Arrest

While traveling down Germantown Road, officers observed a black Chevy Camaro failing to stop for a school bus with its red stop lights activated. Officers stopped the car and contacted the driver who was found to have a revoked license due to DUI. The man was arrested and booked into Hamilton

County Jail without incident for Driving on Revoked.



26-000731- 3600 BLK Sunrise Terrace- Miscellaneous

After leaving the previous call, the same RP called back stating her neighbor may have stolen her gas. It was determined that due to jump starting her cars battery, her gauge cluster was resetting, and her gas level was yet to display. All was well.



26-000735  5300 BLK Oakdale Avenue - Miscellaneous

According to the reporting party, a mental health consumer was at their residence stating he needed help. Police spoke with the party and learned he didn't like the way his caretaker spoke to him and wanted to move houses. He also stated he was already in the process of moving. The party calmed down and asked to go to his room for the remainder of the day.



26-000739  5300 BLK Oakdale Avenue - Alarm Distress

Police were able to contact a resident of the home who stated she accidentally pressed the distress alarm and did not need help.



Night Shift January 23 : C Squad



26-000742  700 BLK South Germantown Road  Alarm

Police responded to burglar alarm at the church. After checking the doors and windows, it was determined that everything was secured, and there were no signs of forced entry.





26-000746  2000 BLK Lee Street  Mental Health Crisis

Police responded to this residence after a party called the Crisis Hotline seeking help for mental health issues. ERPD responded to the home and found the subject was honest and upfront about his situation. The party was voluntarily transported to a local hospital where he checked himself in for a

mental health evaluation.



26-000750  6600 BLK Hilton Drive  Domestic Assault / Arrest

Police responded to an active fight between a father and his adult son at this residence. Officers determined that the party arrived home highly intoxicated and was an obvious danger to himself and others. The mans father understood the magnitude of the situation and attempted to keep him in

the home. The son attempted to leave, and a fight quickly developed with the suspect striking his father several times with a closed fist. The aggressor was taken into custody for Domestic Assault and transported to Hamilton County Jail.



26-000751  900 BLK Donaldson Road Structure Fire

Police and Fire Department personnel responded to a residential fire after a neighbor reported seeing smoke in the apartment. Fire Fighters forced entry into the apartment and quickly extinguished the fire. ERFD determined no one was at home in the apartment during the fire and no injuries were reported.



26-000752  2000 BLK Schmidt Road  Harassment / Civil Issue

The caller reported several on-going issues with her estranged husband. She reported that he had sent her several, accusing messages. In the messages, he also stated he was going to remove all his possessions from their home; however, the caller reported most of the items were shared marital

property. Police provided the RP with information on seeking an order of protection and resolving civil property matters in court.



26-000753  I-24 Eastbound, MM 185, Chattanooga  Assist Other Agency

East Ridge Police Officers responded to a request for assistance from the Chattanooga Police Department after a male ran from a single vehicle crash on Interstate 24. Police set up a perimeter and attempted to locate the suspect in the wooded area. Due to the dark conditions and rugged terrain, the suspect was not located.



Day Shift January 24 : A Squad



26-000757  300 BLK Tanager Circle - Civil Matter

Police spoke with a party by phone regarding a tenant he wants to evict. ERPD advised that he would need to file an eviction notice through the Hamilton County Courts.



26-000764  100 BLK Margareta Lane - Prowler

ERPD responded to the apartment after the tenant observed a known male at her rear door attempting to gain access with a key. The tenant confronted the man, and he fled the porch and across the creek. An attempt to locate him was unsuccessful. The reporting party requested her apartment be added to the watch list. The suspect has two active East Ridge warrants, harassment and attempted aggravated burglary. Watch #26-000003



26-000759- 3400 BLK Gail Drive- Domestic Disorder -

Officers were dispatched to the above address on reports of a Domestic Disorder. Upon arrival no contact was made with the subject, and it appeared they left prior to officer arrival.

26-000762- 3200 BLK Gleason Drive- Unknown Trouble Officers were dispatched to the address for reports of a female screaming and the "whole house shaking". Officers contacted the residents and all seemed well.



26-000763- 700 BLK Bacon Trail- Theft

Officers were dispatched to the above address on reports of a neighbor stealing a package. Officers spoke with the RP who stated a neighbor had stolen her package containing checks. Camera footage was reviewed, and charges are pending per the investigation



26-000765  1200 BLK John Ross Road- Well Being Check

The reporting party requested police check on the well-being of one of her transportees. She stated she was sent pictures by the medical transport unit showing her covered in filth. Police were able to contact the patient and stated she was doing fine and did not need any medical attention.



Night Shift January 24 : C Squad



26-000766  1300 BLK Ridgefield Circle  Suspicious Person / Warrant Service

A resident reported seeing a suspicious male running through her backyard wearing a white hoodie and jeans. ERPD saturated the area and located the male near the East Ridge High School. Upon contact with Police, the suspect fled on foot but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. The suspect was identified and was found to have two active warrants for Aggravated Burglary and Harassment. He was taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail without further issue.



26-000770  100 BLK Margareta Lane  Harassment

A woman reported concerns that her ex-boyfriend was attempting to violate a Temporary Order of Protection (TPO) through social media contact with her. Police Officers could not confirm a TPO violation had occurred but understood the potential for it. Police contacted the male and re-iterated the terms of the TPO so there were no misunderstandings moving forward.



26-000772  3300 BLK Frawley Street  Suspicious Activity

A resident reported hearing five gunshots south of her residence and believed they came from the Donaldson Road area. Police checked the surrounding streets and neighborhoods, but nothing was located.



26-000773  3600 BLK Ringgold Road  Well Being Check / Assist Other Agency

Police observed a woman walking in the rain on Ringgold Road. Due to the cold weather conditions, a consensual encounter was conducted to check the females well-being. Police identified the woman and determined she was a suspect in car-jacking case from Chattanooga. In addition, she was found to have multiple felony warrants from surrounding agencies. The female was taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail without issue.



Day Shift January 25 : A Squad



26-000778  3700 BLK Fountain Avenue- Delayed Domestic Assault

ERPD responded to a delayed domestic assault report. The victim told police that on January 24, her husband took her cell phone and refused to return it. To get her phone back, she took the mans phone, leading to a physical altercation in the bedroom. Police observed a laceration above her left

eyebrow. After speaking with both parties, the suspect was arrested for domestic assault and interference with emergency calls.



26-000781 - 4214 Ringgold Road - Disorder -

A man drove to the police station after a woman began following him from a business. One claimed that the other hit her vehicle while the two were simultaneously reversing from a parking spot directly behind one another. While one vehicle had a small scratch, it did not appear consistent with a

collision. A property report was completed, and the parties were sent on their way.



26-000775  1400 BLK Mana Lane  Disorder

Police responded to the apartment after a verbal disagreement between parties regarding personal belongings and leaving the apartment in a timely manner. Police were able to calm both parties down and facilitate an agreeable conclusion to the disagreement. The party gathered her belongings and left the area without further incident.



26-000779  700 BLK Brookfield Avenue - Delayed Domestic Disorder

Police met a party who said on 01/12/2026 his daughter struck him in the hand after an altercation regarding access to a vehicle shares with his estranged wife. The party was advised on the process for requesting an order of protection and to notify ERPD for any future disorders.



26-000777- 3600 BLK Ringgold Road- Disorder Prevention

Officers were asked to meet a party and his son regarding an emergency custody order. Officers found that the child was not with the legal guardian, but with his grandfather. The grandfather agreed to meet the caller at the Police Department for the custody exchange.



Night Shift January 25 : C Squad



26-000797  4300 BLK Ringgold Road  Well Being Check

The front-end manager requested a welfare check for an older customer who appeared to be living in his car. Police Officers checked the area but did not locate an occupied vehicle. Upon further investigation, Police determined that another customer had already assisted the elderly man with obtaining a hotel room for the night.



26-000789  6600 BLK Hilton Drive  Disorder / Arrest

Police Officers responded to a disorder involving a mentally challenged man and a female caregiver at this address. On scene, Police determined that disorder started as a verbal dispute but elevated to an assault when the male threw a shoe. No one was struck by the shoe and there were no reported

injuries. The caregiver wished to pursue charges in the matter, so the male was issued a citation in lieu of arrest for simple assault. The male suspect then agreed to go to bed for the evening.



26-000791  6000 BLK Ringgold Road  Traffic Stop / Assist Other Agency

During a traffic stop, the driver and passenger of a vehicle were both found to have active arrest warrants. A woman was found to have an arrest warrant for Theft of Property through the Hamilton County Sessions Court. Another was found to have an arrest warrant for Battery through Catoosa County, Georgia. The suspects were taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail without incident.



26-000798  500 BLK Camp Jordan Parkway  Well Being Check

The management at the restaurant requested a Welfare Check for a female who was acting strange and requesting help with a taxi. Police Officers responded to the business and located the subject in the front lobby. Police determined that the woman had just been released from the hospital and did

not have a place to stay for the evening. Officers eventually found her housing at the Chattanooga Rescue Mission, and she was transported to the location.



26-000803  5300 BLK Connell Street  Suspicious Person / Arrest

A concerned citizen reported a suspicious male looked into his vehicle with small flashlight as he walked by his house. Police Officers eventually located the suspicious party. While speaking with the individual, Police quickly determined he was intoxicated and could not answer basic questions about

his location and identity. The subject was arrested for Public Intoxication and transported to Hamilton County Jail where he was booked as a John Doe.



Day Shift January 26 : B Squad



26-000806- 1600 BLK Heather Street- Unknown 911

Police checked into this residence when an unknown 911 call came in. This location has a history of the residents juvenile son calling 911 unintentionally. All was safe and secure at the time police responded.



26-000811- 800 BLK Summit Avenue- Arrest

Police received an LPR hit for a stolen license plate and were able to locate the vehicle displaying the stolen plate at this address. The driver was identified and found to have multiple active warrants out of Hamilton County Criminal Court. Ware was taken into custody and transported to Hamilton

County Jail. In addition, he was charged with Theft of Property (possession of stolen property).



26-000815  6500 BLK Ringgold Road - Pedestrian Struck

East Ridge Police responded to this location regarding a female being struck by a motor vehicle. The woman was transported by EMS. The driver was cited for distracted driving (phone use).



26-000817- 1200 BLK John Ross Road- Welfare Check

Adult Protective Services requested a welfare check for reported unsafe living conditions. Officers contacted the occupant who stated she moved in three days prior and was arranging home health services. She was working to restore power pending ID verification. Findings were relayed to APS; no case number was provided through adult protective services.



26-000820-4100 BLK East Ridge Drive-Unknown 911

Police checked the 4100 block of East Ridge Drive on a 911 hang-up. No signs of distress were found.



Night Shift January 26 : D Squad



26-000822  5700 BLK Ringgold Road - Back EMS

Staff called police after discovering blood trailing out the front door from the restroom. While the police were tracking the blood trail, a guest at a nearby business reported seeing a man wearing bloody clothes. Officers discovered the man walking on Ringgold Road at the I-75 overpass and identified him. He was bleeding from a deep laceration on his leg, which he claimed was caused

by a briar. EMS transported the man for treatment.



26-000823 - 4214 Ringgold Rd. - Warrant Service

A man was arrested on two outstanding East Ridge warrants after being contacted by Chattanooga police. On arrival at the jail, he was searched by jail staff who discovered a small quantity of suspected methamphetamine on his person. The suspected methamphetamine was submitted to property and evidence for destruction.



26-000824- 100 BLK Margareta Lane- Harassment

Police were called regarding the protected party in an active Order of Protection. She stated that the respondent had been continuously sending friend requests on various social media apps, then shared his location with her via the Find My Friends App and asked her to share her location as well.

The on-duty magistrate was called to verify that these conditions in place were valid and that a charge for Violation of Order of Protection was appropriate. The Magistrate stated that Walker County has not verified that the conditions have been served and thus, at this time, did not allow the

charge. A report was done, and the reporting party was advised to bring this up at her next court hearing for contempt of court.



26-000825  4200 BLK Ringgold Road  Suspicious / Arrest

ERPD responded to the gas station for a male not leaving the store when asked. He had instead opened a beer and sat down inside. Dispatch informed ERPD that the subject had an active warrant through HCSO. He was trespassed from the business and transported to Hamilton County Jail on his warrant.
State Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, has introduced legislation to protect people of faith in Tennessee from disruptions of religious gatherings.

House Bill 2065 would create a Class A misdemeanor for disrupting a religious assembly by designating the offense as aggravated criminal trespass. Rep. Todd filed House Bill 2065 "following nationwide outrage after protesters opposing federal immigration enforcement disrupted a Christian worship service at Cities Church in Saint Paul, Minn., on Jan. 18."

He said, "Any group that storms a church to scream at worshippers, including children, tramples on the religious freedom of every American. This legislation defends Tennesseans fundamental right to worship freely by cracking down on unlawful disruptions of religious assemblies, ensuring we remain a beacon of liberty for all residents."

The protesters screamed chants, yelled at congregants and blocked people from getting to their children in the childcare area, according to an affidavit filed by an agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Protestors taunted children, with one telling them their parents are "Nazis" who were "going to burn in hell," the affidavit said.

Protesters accused one of the pastors of Cities Church of working for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The DHS arrested three leaders of the planned protest on federal charges.

Rep. Todd said, "The Volunteer State consistently ranks among the best in the nation for protecting the religious liberties of residents."
Day Shift January 27 : B Squad



26-000830-5300 BLK Ringgold Road-Shots Fired

Police checked the area on a report of shots fired in the subdivision located behind the business; no signs of trouble were located.



26-000832- 1300 BLK Prater Road- Unknown 911

Police responded for an unknown 911 complaint. Officers spoke with the residents and found all to be well.



26-000836  700 BLK Belvoir Avenue - Abandoned Auto

Police were dispatched to the location regarding a black Chevrolet Tahoe that was left abandoned in the roadway. The rotation wrecker responded and removed the vehicle from the scene.



26-000837- 6500 BLK Ringgold Road- Theft

Police spoke with parties regarding items that they reported stolen while at a hotel. The theft took place on January 15, 2026. Some items were recovered by the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office with other items still missing.



26-000839- 700 BLK Bacon Trail- Theft

Police responded to a reported theft in which the reporting party alleged her neighbor entered her apartment, stole her phone, and used a Wi-Fi jammer to bypass security cameras. No evidence of unlawful entry was found, and the neighbor denied the allegations, stating the alleged Wi-Fi jammer was a prank involving a red laser light. No charges are currently pending.



4214 Ringgold Rd  Warrant Service

The suspect was taken into custody on three East Ridge Warrants for possession of meth, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.



26-000831  4300 BLK Ringgold Road - Disorder/Mental Health Consumer

A woman was issued a criminal trespass warning after she entered the business and levied accusations at the store employee and the cell service provider of preventing her from accessing her Cash App application. The employee reported that during the encounter, she made threats against his native country of origin and was disrupting business. The woman issued the criminal trespass warning and agreed to cease contact with this location.



26-000838 - 5302 Stone Street - Miscellaneous

East Ridge Animal Shelter employees reported a male party surrendered a canine under false pretenses over the weekend and deprived the actual owner of the animal. After speaking with ERAS and the original owner, it was determined that no prosecutable issues occurred.



26-000840  1200 BLK West End Avenue - Unknown 9-1-1

Police responded to this location after dispatch reported receiving a phone call from a 9-1-1 only phone. On scene, all residents advised no such phone call was made by them.



26-000841  300 BLK Dunlap Avenue - Suspicious Activity

A man was issued a criminal trespass warning for this location after the property manager observed him engaging in suspicious behavior with a female party in the back seat of his black SUV. Upon locating the subject through the license plate obtained by the witness, he was advised not to

return to the property.



26-000844  3600 BLK Bennett Road - Citizen Assist

While on a call, police were approached by a high school-aged juvenile who inquired about receiving a ride to the high school after already walking a considerable distance to this location. Police obliged the request and the student was transported to the school without issue.



26-000845- 6200 BLK Dayton Boulevard - Warrant Service

A subject was served with a warrant for Petition to Revoke from East Ridge.



Night Shift January 27 : C Squad



26-000849 - I-24 Exit 183 - Backup Other Agency

East Ridge Police assisted a Hamilton County Deputy with a DUI investigation during a traffic stop, which resulted in an arrest. The party was arrested for DUI and transported to Hamilton County Jail.



26-000851- 5300 BLK Ringgold Road- Vehicle Fire

Police were called to a vehicle that had caught fire in a parking lot. When

ERPD and East Ridge Fire arrived on the scene, the vehicle was no longer on

fire, having been put out by a fire extinguisher. Police and Fire left the scene

after the owner stated they would handle it.



26-000854- 4214 Ringgold Road- Warrant Service

Forfeiture Capias Warrant for Driving on Revoked, Suspended, or Canceled was served on a party who was in custody at Hamilton County Jail.



26-000855  3900 BLK Ringgold Rd  Fraud

The business called to report fraud. Management stated that an employee possibly received a phone call stating that the business had an overdue balance for a FedEx package, and the employee needed to take the money out of the register and deposit it into an unknown Bitcoin machine.



26-000857  10 BLK Franklin Place  Arrest

The RP called ERPD to get her sister to leave the residence. While on scene, dispatch informed ERPD that the subject had an active warrant through the HCSO. She was transported to the Hamilton County Jail without incident and issued a criminal trespass warning.



26-000858-1500 BLK Maxwell Road- Burglar Alarm

Police were called to the Post Office due to a motion alarm going off at the employee entrance. Officers located nothing amiss, and everything appeared secure.



26-000859  700 BLK Germantown Circle  Attempted Theft of a Motor Vehicle

ERPD was dispatched for a vehicle alarm. The RP stated that her alarm was going off and could see the interior light on. Officers found signs that someone had attempted to steal the vehicle. The RP stated she did not see anyone near her car at the time of the alarm. She also stated nothing was missing from inside. ERPD was unable to locate anyone at this time. Charges pending upon the identification of the suspect.




Federal authorities have filed wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. charges against Chattanooga accountant Jonathan D. Frost, and he has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.

The federal information says Frost and associates owe the government over $70 million as a result of their scheme.

A wire fraud count says Frost sought money from investors allegedly for building a facility that would use solar energy for extracting hydrogen from water.

Prosecutors said the investments were used for personal expenses by Frost and others.

The federal information says on May 12, 2021, one person invested $147,000 in the "hydrogen plant." That money also went for personal expenses, it was stated.

It was also charged that Frost conspired to avoid paying income taxes on the investment funds he received.

The information says Frost and his associates prepared some 4,000 to 5,000 fraudulent income tax returns, which collectively resulted in a loss to the government of over $8.1 million.

The plea agreement worked out between prosecutors and attorney Lee Davis for Frost will have him plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

On the wire fraud, he will face up to 20 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, a period of supervised release up to three years, and a $100 special assessment, forfeiture and restitution.

On the money laundering, he will face up to 20 years in prison, a fine up to the greater of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering transactions, a period of supervised release up to three years, and a $100 special assessment, forfeiture and restitution.

On the conspiracy to defraud the government, he will face up to five years in prison, a fine up to $100,000, a period of supervised release up to three years, and a $100 special assessment, forfeiture and restitution.

Prosecutors said in 2019 Frost began an informal arrangement with "co-conspirator 1" to prepare tax returns. On June 1, 2021, and "co-conspirator 1" entered into a formal joint venture in which they began soliciting investors for the "hydrogen plant."
Every year, a team comes together at the Ellis Carousel in Coolidge Park to maintain its structure, safety and, most importantly, its history.Todd Goings, a carousel carver and restorationist, Beth McNelly, a jurisdictional safety inspector, and Larry Ridge, the instructor at Chattanooga's Horsin Around Carousel Carving School, where the project first started, and a dedicated crew from Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors.Mr. Ridge has been a woodcarver since his Sunday school teacher gave him his first X-ACTO Carving Set at 14-years-old.It was not until he met Bud Ellis, the founder of Horsin Around Carousel Carving School, that Mr. Ridge began to change gears and focus on carousel work.Bud and his wife, Johnnie, birthed the idea of the Coolidge Carousel and built it from the ground up. 1985 was the year that it started coming together formally, but they'd been working for years before that point in time," said Mr. Ridge. They would take it to the different clubs here in town - everybody he could get to listen - and tell them about the possibility of what we could do if we made our own carousel.Finally, when people started catching on, Mr. Ridge recalled that about 100-150 volunteers worked on building the beloved structure that all Chattanoogans know today. All of the animals are hand-carved and painted. Bud himself worked on one, while assigning his students to construct the others.Mr. Ridge sees to his own original work, as he does his old workmates. Some have held their wedding receptions at the carousel, around their own animal. A family held their grandmother's funeral reception in the window-wrapped room, riding their late grandmother's horse round and round.Some of these people have passed on, but you can see on these plaques on the floor, the different names of the horse, said Mr. Ridge between brush strokes of a white base coat of paint on a horse's mane. This is Corky, and James 'Corky' Dunn is the guy that started this animal, and he passed away while he was making it, and so a bunch of us went ahead and finished this animal, the way he wanted it done.The room is filled with memories. Every week, Mr. Ridge returns to tend to the grime that accumulates and the repaints that need to be done, keeping his classmates' memories and work alive.Every one of these around here has a story, said Mr Ridge.Todd Goings, a 2024 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, conducts mechanical and operational work for the Ellis Carousel. He works alongside Beth McNelly, who examines his work as part of her job inspecting amusement park rides, ensuring they are up to Tennessee codes.Maintaining the original intent of the carousel, making people happy, you know, said Mr. Goings. Give them a ride for three and a half minutes of pure fantasy being on their favorite animal going around, feeling the wind and the sound of the band organ and the music and the people.The pair not only protects the history of Ellis Carousel, but also ensures its functionality and safety, continuing to provide amusement and wonder for generations to come. It's all part of it, you know, for me, I love doing my job because when I step back, that's what you give everybody else. They don't really care who I am or where I came from, just that this is here and that it's still doing what it's intended to do, Mr. Goings said.The painting, the mechanics and the inspections are all necessary jobs to protect and preserve Chattanooga's history and amusement.I like that people can come to my work to be happy; they come to find joy. Grandmas can come with their grandsons, and they can both do the same thing and enjoy it. Its ageless, said Ms. McNelly.Over the course of five days, a dedicated team deep-cleaned the carousel from the tiled floors to the pointed ceilings. Dee Dee Toney, Scott Beatty and Michelle Burkhart, with assistance earlier in the week from Erica Springs and Jose Maynez, scoured everything. They even polished the small, intricate brass details that have held the remnants of family memories all year long, prepping the site for Todd, Beth and Larry to begin their specialized work.The three experts have worked together for four years, meeting annually to pool resources and skills with the help of Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors to open the doors to a squeak-free, bright and secure carousel.Mr. Ridge frequents the Ellis Carousel, keeping the life in the work of those he once knew, Were going to keep this thing up, the citys made a commitment to it. Our group, the friends of the carousels, made a commitment to it. Well be keeping this thing in good shape for years and years and years. My great-great-grandchild's kids can come down and ride this thing," he said.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga hosted Dr. June Scobee Rodgers on Jan. 28 at the Challenger STEM Learning Center to honor the lives lost on the 40th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger disaster.Ms. Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Commander Francis R. Dick Scobee, serves as founding chair of Challenger Center, a STEM-education nonprofit organization.The UTC Challenger Center launched in 1994 and was the first to be located on a University campus.Ms. Rodgers goal was to continue pursuing the missions overall objective of highlighting education.We believed that education opens the door to so many possibilities. It increases the horizon for individuals to know about the possibilities of their future, she said. It is what the Challenger crew was all about: education. They were, you could say, our North Star guiding us. We knew that NASA would continue space flight, but we wanted to continue the education mission.In the wake of the tragedy, the families of the seven Challenger crew members wanted the focus to be on the mission and not the devastating day on Jan. 28, 1986.Ms. Rodgers said that its rewarding to see children find a passion for learning at centers across the country.Its so rewarding to see the children in action here and to imagine that these seven people are looking down and saying, Oh, the mission really continues, Ms. Rodgers said. These kids are doing what we loved, and a tremendous acknowledgement must go to the educators who bring their students.
Home News 6 things to know about the ongoing unrest in Minneapolis: 'A wake-up call'

The Trump administration has faced intense criticism in recent days amid the ongoing unrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where federal agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue to crack down on illegal immigration in the Twin Cities.

The Border Patrol-involved fatal shooting Saturday of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and ICU nurse, reignited simmering tensions in Minneapolis, prompting riots as both Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey continued to call on the federal government to withdraw. The shooting of Pretti comes in the wake of multiple other shootings involving federal agents in recent weeks.

The backlash over the shootings has prompted a showdown between state and federal officials, though signs appear to be emerging that the Trump administration is poised to scale back some of the federal presence in Minneapolis in an effort to de-escalate the situation.

Here is a list of the latest developments in recent days.
Home News Bethlehem site thought to be Christ's birthplace will be restored for first time in centuries

A cave in Bethlehem, revered by Christians around the world as the place of Christs birth, will undergo a restoration for the first time in 600 years as part of a collaborative effort to preserve a sacred site that connects believers to the roots of their faith.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land announced the restoration of the Grotto of the Nativity in a joint statement on Jan. 23. The project involves the cooperation of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate and is carried out under the auspices of the Presidency of the State of Palestine.

An Italian firm that also restored the Basilica of the Nativity will carry out the renovation project on the Grotto of the Nativity. The grotto, identified by many as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, features a large, 14-pointed silver star encased in white marble that marks the scene of the nativity.

This project embodies a unified Christian commitment to preserve the spiritual, historical, and cultural patrimony of the Holy Grotto for future generations, and to uphold the dignity of a site where the Christian proclamation took visible form and where the faithful of every nation have gathered in pilgrimage throughout the centuries, the joint statement reads.

In the Grotto, the mystery of the Incarnation entered history, and the Christian confession received its earthly beginning, the statement continued. To restore this holy place is to safeguard the continuity of faith, memory, and devotion in the land of the Nativity.

The renovation project will ensure continuity in method, craftsmanship, and artistic sensitivity toward a site of unparalleled sacred symbolism. In addition to the works in the Grotto, the project will involve technical reinforcement measures in adjacent sections reflecting both the architectural unity of the sanctuary and the cooperative spirit that preserves it for the entire world.

Through this collective effort, the Churches of Jerusalem protect the Gospel heritage entrusted to them and ensure that the faithful of all traditions may continue to venerate the birthplace of Christ with reverence, the joint press release declared. From Bethlehem, the light of the Nativity continues to illuminate the world, bearing witness to the enduring Christian presence in the Holy Land and to the hope that radiates from the sacred cave where the Savior was born.

Formal plans for the restoration work began in 2024, following a presidential decree issued by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, approving the project, Vatican News reported.

While visiting Rome in November 2025, Abbas mentioned the projects once during a meeting with Pope Leo XIV and at the inauguration of the exhibition "Bethlehem Reborn."

The project is expected to support local families of workers and to impact Bethlehems economy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Israel-Hamas war, which began due to the terror groups onslaught on Oct. 7, 2023, tourism and religious pilgrimages to Bethlehem declined.

A significant chunk of Bethlehems economy depends on tourism and religious pilgrimages. Over the past few months, Christian pilgrims from various places, including Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, have slowly started to return, The Times of Israel reported last month.

Thousands, including Christians and Muslims, attended a tree lighting ceremony in Bethlehem  the first time that the festival took place following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
Home News Coastal Family Church fights back after judge bans worship in strip mall unit with restrictive covenants

Quick Summary AI Summary Coastal Family Church challenges a judge's ruling banning worship in a strip mall unit due to restrictive covenants.

The church filed an appeal arguing the ban violates First Amendment rights.

A temporary injunction prevents the church from holding public assemblies until the case is 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

Coastal Family Church in Flagler Beach, Florida, is pushing back against a Seventh Judicial Circuit Court judge's temporary injunction issued last Thursday, which bans it from holding worship services in a unit they purchased in a strip mall where property covenants prohibit large gatherings.

Until the resolution of this case Defendant is enjoined effective immediately from utilizing Unit 1 as a place of public assembly and is prohibited from allowing public assemblies put on by any entity to occur there, Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch wrote in her order granting Flagler Square the temporary injunction. Defendant may elect to allow the property to be used for administrative purposes or for office space so long as the restrictive covenants are being followed.

Upchurch also temporarily barred Coastal Family Church and its pastor, Rod Palmer, from doing any construction or modification to the condo unit which would facilitate public assemblies while the injunction is in place.

Liberty Counsel, the religious liberty nonprofit law firm representing the church and its pastor, filed an appeal to Fifth District Court of Appeal on Monday, arguing that the malls ban on public gatherings is an unconstitutional restriction on the First Amendment rights of speech, assembly, and religious exercise, and violates Florida law by preventing the church from using its own property to gather and worship.

Pastor Palmer bought the condo unit that used to house Badcock Furniture in Flagler Beachs Flagler Square for $1.8 million last July after hosting a church event there with some 400 people in March 2025.

The 19,000-square-foot condo unit was previously owned by Young & Pate, which had leased the space to the furniture store, Flagler Live reported. Prior to selling the unit to Palmer, YPs attorneys warned in an email that the property could not be used for large gatherings after learning about the event the church held before closing.

Please be advised and understand that you are not authorized by my client to conduct any meetings or assemblies that in any way constitute or arguably constitute violations of the use restrictions for which you have been previously provided and are fully aware of, YP attorney Mark Turner wrote in an email to Palmer on April 11, 2025.

 if you disregard this request to cease and desist any arguable activities that could be interpreted or argued as use restriction violations, my client will hold you accountable and pursue appropriate legal proceedings, as may be required to protect its interest and specifically will pursue action should any legal proceedings be initiated by Flagler Square seeking any kind of damage or liability assessment based upon your activities in the subject property prior to closing.

Still, the church submitted a building permit application to Flagler Beach last August, outlining plans to convert the condo from retail to church.

The Flagler Square condominium was organized by, among others, Flagler Square-Jax, a Delray Beach company that owns all the other retail units at the strip mall, including an 11,700-square-foot unit, housing a Dollar Tree, adjacent to Coastal Family Church.

The covenants that control the property state that, All provisions of the Declaration shall be construed to be perpetual covenants running with the Land. This means that even if a unit is sold, the covenants will still apply. One of the restrictions explicitly states that the condo units in the mall cannot be used as a banquet hall, auditorium or other place of public assembly.

In their lawsuit against Palmer and his land trust last August, Flagler Square-Jax argued, among other things, that the church would overwhelm the 315 parking spaces available for other businesses, and significantly and materially diminish the value of the Shopping Center as well as the ability to finance the Shopping Center at all times moving forward.

Liberty Counsel argues that even with Sunday services, the mall would still have 160 parking spots available. The law firm also argued that the condo associations lawsuit selectively enforces the public assembly restriction, as the mall is home to a consignment store and a Fraternal Order of Police lodge that regularly hosts bingo nights and rents its facility to the public for public assembly.

In its appeal of Upchurchs order, Liberty Counsel pointed to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and several Florida laws that protect the church. These include Fla. Stat.  712.065  Prohibition on Religious Discriminatory Covenants; Fla. Stat. 718.123  Right of Owners to Peaceably Assemble; and Fla. Stat. 761  Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The nonprofit law firm further noted that the condominium covenants are also subordinate to the protections of the church under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

This injunction unconstitutionally shutters a house of worship with no compelling government interest to do so. Every Sunday that the doors of Coastal Family Church remain closed inflicts irreparable spiritual and constitutional injury on its congregation, Liberty Counsel founder and Chairman Mat Staver said in a statement.

The U.S. Constitution and Florida laws are clear that Pastor Roderick Palmer and Coastal Family Church have the right to hold church services on church property and that restrictive covenants cannot ban religious assembly. This injunction must be stayed and reversed, he added.
Home News Kanye West apologizes for antisemitic comments: 'I lost touch with reality'

Quick Summary AI Summary Kanye West apologized for antisemitic comments, attributing them to mental health issues.

West revealed he 'lost touch with reality' following a car accident decades ago.

The Anti-Defamation League stated his apology is 'long overdue' but does not erase his history of antisemitism. 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

Rapper Kanye West has apologized for making antisemitic comments in recent years, attributing his remarks to fallout from mental illness stemming from a car accident that happened decades ago.

West, who gained fame as a rapper and had begun recording Christian music in recent years, took out a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal on Monday addressed to those Ive hurt.

"Twenty-five years ago, I was in a car accident that broke my jaw and caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain," West wrote.

At the time, the focus was on the visible damage  the fracture, the swelling, and the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed, he added. Comprehensive scans were not done, neurological exams were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised. It wasnt properly diagnosed until 2023. That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis.

West, 48, claims that he "lost touch with reality."

Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem," he wrote. "I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to have someone who was, at times, unrecognizable. Looking back, I became detached from myself.

West directly addressed his antisemitic actions and statements against Jewish people that have made headlines in recent years.

In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it," West admitted. "One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments  many of which I still cannot recall  that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body experience.

I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people, he stressed.

West delivered a message to the black community, which he described as the foundation of who I am."

I am so sorry to have let you down," he wrote. "I love us.

West credited his wife for encouraging him to get help after he hit rock bottom, detailing how he found comfort in Reddit of all places because he discovered that he was not alone.

As I find my new baseline and new center through an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living, I have newfound, much-needed clarity. I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world. Im not asking for sympathy, or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness. I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home, he concluded.

After winning multiple Billboard Awards for Christian music in 2020 and 2022, West first made headlines in October 2022 after he published an X post, which he later deleted, expressing a desire to go death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.

West also alleged that an underground Jewish mafia was targeting him.

In a 2022 interview on InfoWars, West declared, I see good things about Hitler and insisted that I love Jewish people, but I also love Nazis.

West also shared his disdain for Jewish media, adding I love everyone, and the Jewish people are not going to tell me You can love us and you can love what we are doing to you with the contracts, and you can love what we are pushing with the pornography, but this guy that invented highways, invented the very microphone that I use as a musician, you cant say out loud that this person ever did anything good, and I am done with that.

I am done with the classifications. Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler, he said.

Backlash to West's remarks led to the closure of the Christian school he founded. The artist allegedly lost $2 billion due to the comments. In recent years, West has entertained the idea of creating a pornography site and faced criticism for claiming to be the new Jesus.

The antisemitism watchdog organization Anti-Defamation League said West's "apology to the Jewish people" is "long overdue."

However, the organization told USA Today that his apology "doesn't automatically undo his long history of antisemitism  the antisemitic 'Heil Hitler' song he created, the hundreds of tweets, the swastikas and myriad Holocaust references  and all of the feelings of hurt and betrayal it caused."
Home News Lakewood Church staff member killed in Maine plane crash was 'light that brightened our days'

Quick Summary AI Summary Lakewood Church staff member Shawna Collins died in Sunday's plane crash in Bangor, Maine.

The crash involved a Bombardier Challenger 600 private aircraft carrying six people.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the accident occurred under unknown circumstances. 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

A staff member at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, was among those who died in the Bangor, Maine, airplane crash on Sunday.

In a statement emailed to The Christian Post on Wednesday, Lakewood Church confirmed that Shawna Collins was killed in the crash along with three other passengers and two flight crew members.

We can confirm with great sadness that a beloved member of our church staff and treasured friend, Shawna Collins, was on the plane that crashed in Maine on Sunday evening, stated the church.

She was a light that brightened our days, and she possessed a beautiful spirit that lifted everyone she met. We loved Shawna dearly, and we will miss her more than words can express. We pray for her entire family and offer them our love and support during this difficult time.

A church spokesperson also told CP that Collins was traveling for personal business outside of Lakewood.

On Sunday, a Bombardier Challenger 600 private aircraft that was carrying six people crashed while taking off from Bangor International Airport around 7:45 p.m.

The plane was described by The Associated Press as a wide-bodied business jet that can have up to 11 passengers and is known to be a popular charter option.

The crash occurred as the East Coast was experiencing a winter storm, leading to widespread flight cancellations and several power outages.

Approximately 12,000 flights across several cities and multiple states were canceled on Sunday due to the storm system, with an estimated 20,000 flights delayed, the AP reported.

Collins was a Houston-based event planner. Her daughter told ABC 13 in Houston that her mother was excited about a business trip to Europe.

At least three others confirmed to have died in the Sunday plane crash have been identified.

Forty-seven-year-old pilot Jacob Hosmer was a licensed flight instructor and the managing member of Platinum Skies Aviation LLC. Attorney Tara Arnold is the wife of Arnold & Itkin founding partner Kurt Arnold. Nick Mastrascusa, an executive at a luxury travel company owned by the Arnold family, was most recently identified as a crash victim by his family, according to a Wednesday update from KTRK.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident. A preliminary report states that the plane crashed under unknown circumstances on departure, came to rest inverted and caught on fire."

Bangor International Airport Director Jose Saavedra said during a press conference on Wednesday that weather conditions are impacting the investigation. He was questioned why the plane took off during the snowstorm.

"There were planes landing and departing around that time and we had crews on site responding to the ongoing storm that we had," Saavedra said, according to WMTW. "We have crews on site that respond to storms and we prepare for this on a regular basis. This is normal for us, to deal with weather events, and we had crews on site to address the weather event that we had ongoing."
Home News Samuel Rodriguez launches BeLight Productions to bring the Gospel to Hollywood movies

Quick Summary AI Summary Samuel Rodriguez launches BeLight Productions to bring the Gospel to Hollywood movies.

Rodriguez becomes the first Latino pastor to lead a film production company of this level.

The company aims to influence contemporary culture through narratives that honor God. 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 Rev. Samuel Rodriguez has formalized the launch of BeLight Productions, becoming the first Latino pastor to lead a film production company of this level.

According to a statement from the press agency El Mensaje Comunicaciones, this initiative arises as an extension of his ministry, seeking to influence contemporary culture through narratives that honor God and reflect the values of the Gospel.

The production company already has high-profile projects in development, including a collaboration with Mark Williams, creator of the hit series "Ozark." The film will focus on the life of Hal Donaldson, founder of one of the largest Christian humanitarian organizations in the world.

Rodriguez, who has had previous hits with films such as "Breakthrough" and "Flamin' Hot," emphasized the importance of this new step for the faith community.

"Cinema is one of the most powerful means to generate impact and cultural transformation," said Rodriguez, noting that the purpose of the company is to join forces with the work that God has already done in the world. In this regard, he added: "Today, our world needs to remember the truth and beauty of the Gospel and be inspired to live in coherence with that truth."

The BeLight Productions team integrates professionals such as filmmaker Fabiola Romero and publicist Fayra Castro, ensuring a solid approach to the Hispanic market.

Industry figures have celebrated this move, recognizing in Rodriguez a leader capable of uniting spirituality with technical excellence. Richard Montanez, whose story inspired the film "Flamin' Hot," said, "His recognized global message of hope in Christ is about to enter a space for which he is fully prepared."

With an agenda that includes upcoming titles such as "The Dream King" and "Leaving Memphis," the production company is positioned as a benchmark for cinema with values in Latin America and the United States, reaffirming the commitment of Evangelical leadership to occupy strategic spaces in the media.

Rodriguez is senior pastor of New Season, one of the most influential megachurches in the U.S., and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), which represents millions of Hispanic Christians in the U.S. and Latin America.

This article was originally published on CP Espanol
Home News Trump claims Ilhan Omar may have staged town hall syringe attack: 'Probably had herself sprayed'

Quick Summary AI Summary President Donald Trump suggested Rep. Ilhan Omar may have staged a recent syringe attack during a town hall event.

Omar was sprayed with an unknown liquid by an audience member, who was later arrested.

Conspiracy theories emerged on social media regarding the incident's authenticity. 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

President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., may have staged the assault against her during a town hall event Tuesday evening in Minneapolis, echoing conspiracy allegations that emerged on social media.

"I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud," Trump told ABC News when asked about Omar being sprayed by an audience member with a liquid determined to be apple cider vinegar. "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her."

"I haven't seen it. No, no. I hope I don't have to bother," he added when asked if he had seen a video of the incident.

Omar, who was speaking to constituents in north Minneapolis on Tuesday, was calling on U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign when Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, is seen jumping from his seat in the first row and spraying Omar's chest with liquid from a syringe.

???? BREAKING: Unknown individual just charged up to Ilhan Omar in middle of a town hall event and sprayed her with some kind of substance as she was calling for Secretary Noem to resign or face impeachment. pic.twitter.com/R29atuEKQW  Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 28, 2026

A bystander noted the foul-smelling nature of the liquid as security tackled Kazmierczak, who was later arrested by Minneapolis police and charged with third-degree assault, according to the New York Post.

"Tonight, a man is in custody after he decided to assault a Member of Congress  an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice," the U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement, adding that they are "working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society."

Omar remained defiant during the incident, dismissing calls for a medical examination after appearing to charge at Kazmierczak before he was tackled by security.

"No, we will continue. I'm fine," Omar said. "These [expletives] are not going to get away with it."

Omar's act of chasing after her attacker instead of reflexively ducking has prompted conspiracy theories on social media that she staged the incident to help her image amid the political turmoil in her congressional district and scrutiny into her finances, campaign spending and foreign ties.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., was among those claiming it was a hoax and called for Omar to be jailed on Wednesday.

"This was staged. At the end of the day, this is the Democrats playing games," Tuberville told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson.

"Ilhan Omar needs to be in jail. She's as guilty as they come. Third-world country and $30 million? Hey, this is a great country, and they shouldn't be trying to change it like they are, if somebody like her can make $30 million," said Tuberville, referencing Omar's skyrocketing net worth since becoming a member of Congress.

Republican Senator Says The Attack on Ilhan Omar Was FAKE, Demands She Be Thrown In Jail:



SEN. TUBERVILLE: "This was staged. At the end of the day, this is the Democrats palying games. Ilhan Omar needs to be in jail. She's as guilty as they come." pic.twitter.com/vGsb0SN4hf  Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 28, 2026

Trump has long been contemptuous of Omar, whom he has called "garbage" and accused of fraudulently enriching herself while openly disrespecting the United States. He has called for her to be jailed or deported to Somalia.

"All they do is complain, complain, complain," Trump said of Omar and other Somali immigrants in December. "You have [Omar], and she's always talking about the Constitution. Go back to your own country and figure out your Constitution. All she does is complain about this country, and without this country, she would not be in very good shape. She probably wouldn't be alive right now."
Home News Trump DOJ asks court to pause lawsuit challenging FDA approval of mail-order abortion drugs

The Trump administration has asked a federal court to pause Louisiana's lawsuit challenging the mailing of the abortion drug mifepristone while the Food and Drug Administration conducts a safety evaluation, drawing criticism from the state's Republican attorney general.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed the request on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division, in the case of The State of Louisiana et al v. the U.S. FDA, et al.

The request noted that the FDA is in the process of reviewing the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for mifepristone, and the drug should remain available for mail order while the review is being conducted.

Given this widespread debate over the safety of mifepristone, FDA has concluded that the best path forward is for the agency to reconsider the restrictions on mifepristone based on all the evidence before the agency, stated the court document.

Plaintiffs now threaten to short circuit the agencys orderly review and study of the safety risks of mifepristone by asking this Court for an immediate stay of the 2023 REMS Modification approved three years ago.

The DOJ attorneys alleged that Louisiana and others would have this Court set aside the 2023 REMS Modification  all without the benefit of FDAs expertise, and even as the agency is already reconsidering the matter in its review.

Plaintiffs requested relief may prove as unnecessary as it is disruptive, if FDA ultimately decides that the in-person dispensing requirement must be restored, the request added.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill denounced the motion, posting to her X account that it is an affront to our sovereignty and the dignity of women and the unborn.

[FDA] admits that the REMS is flawed but claims that Louisiana cant sue to stop the 1,000 dangerous abortions a month in Louisiana that the REMS allows, she tweeted. FDA should stand with us for life, not with [California Gov. Gavin Newsom] and [New York Gov. Kathy Hochul].

Tony Perkins, president of the Washington-based Christian conservative advocacy organization Family Research Council and a former Louisiana state legislator, praised Murrill for "defending Louisianas right to protect the unborn and their mothers."

"Why is a Republican administration undermining that right?" Perkins asked.

Julia Kaye, senior staff attorney with the progressive advocacy organization American Civil Liberties Unions Reproductive Freedom Project, also took issue with the DOJ brief.

Dont be fooled: the Trump administration isnt defending medication abortion  its just defending its own authority to restrict access to mifepristone if, when, and how it sees fit, said Kaye in a statement.

The state politicians attacking mifepristone in court and the Trump administration officials ordering a new FDA review are two sides of the same coin  and both are wrong on the law, the science, and public opinion.

Last October, Louisiana filed a complaint against the FDA over the federal body allowing abortion pills to be mailed into the state from other places, a policy enacted during the Biden administration. The lawsuit sought to reinstitute an earlier policy that requires abortion drugs to be dispensed in person.

Louisiana passed a law in 2024 that labeled the abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol as dangerous controlled substances, effectively banning them from the state.

Earlier this month, Murrill joined pro-life activists and Republican lawmakers at a press conference to urge the Trump administration to crack down on the shipment of abortion drugs across state lines. The press conference came a month after reports emerged that Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary had told agency officials to delay the mifepristone review until after the midterm elections. The White House has shot down claims that the administration is slow-walking the review, insisting that thorough reviews take time.

"[The Biden administration] reduced [FDA] protocols to take away an in-person physician requirement, dispensing requirement, and then they did that specifically with the avowed purpose of facilitating and encouraging people to send those pills by mail, even to states where it is illegal," Murrill said at the press conference.

"And so what they did was violate federal law with the purpose of facilitating people to come out and violate our state laws because they disagree with the political preferences that our state elected to enact through our duly elected representatives and our legislature on the issue of abortion. And I would I would like to emphasize that in Louisiana, this is a bipartisan issue."
Home Opinion The Bible forbids using icons in worship: Religious art vs. religious icon

In recent years, high-profile Evangelicals  including theologians, radio hosts, and social media influencers  have been converting to Eastern Orthodoxy: Hank Hanegraaff (The Bible Answer Man), Rod Dreher, Pastor Ben, James Bernstein (co-founder of Jews for Jesus), and many others. They all claim that Eastern Orthodoxy reflects the unchanged teachings of the early Church. Theres just one problem with that claim: its verifiably false.

Worshippers who use icons claim that they are not really worshipping them, only venerating them. Some even renumber the commandments so that the second is hidden behind the first. But they are, in fact, doing exactly what the second commandment describes and forbids. Changing the name of what they are doing and claiming that excuses them is no more convincing than calling adultery love making and thinking that makes it okay. The core prohibition of the second commandment is not about an attitude toward the image or what the image is of (e.g., Christ or a saint), but about what is done with it. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. To serve them suggests performing acts of worship.

This is why the intricate theological debate over the distinction between worship (latria) and mere veneration (dulia) is moot. The commandment forbids a particular use of the image: making it a focal point of prayer or adoration, bowing before it, or using it as a tool in religious devotion. When an image is used this way, it becomes an icon, and the second commandment explicitly forbids it.

Art is not iconography

Its crucial to differentiate between religious art (decorations, stained glass) and a religious icon.

Orthodox theologians themselves define an icon by its liturgical function: The icons purpose is liturgical. It is not merely a decoration in a worship space but is actively used in worship. The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America defines an icon: The primary purpose of the icon is to aid in worship. By definition, an icon is an image used in religious devotion.

This distinction is key when iconodules (supporters of icons) point to images allowed in the Old Testament, such as the cherubim over the Ark of the Covenant or the bronze serpent Moses made (Numbers 21). These were symbolic images or decorations, but they were never used in worship. The cherubim were not bowed to, and the bronze serpent was destroyed by King Hezekiah the moment it was turned into an icon (2 Kings 18:4). The discovery of early Christian art in catacombs or churches, therefore, does not automatically imply the discovery of early Christian iconography. Art for viewing is not the same as an image used for veneration.

The unanimous early church testimony

The historical record from the first four centuries reveals a consistent and unanimous opposition to icons among Christian writers, a position known as aniconism. While Christians fell on a spectrum  from rigorist aniconism (against all images anywhere) to lax aniconism (against only using images in worship)  no one in the early church crossed the line to allow images in devotion.

Clement of Alexandria insisted that works of art cannot then be sacred and divine.

Tertullian required artists to cease image-making to be accepted into the church, declaring all similitude interdicted.

Lactantius famously wrote, wherefore it is undoubted that there is no religion wherever there is an image.

Arnobius of Sicca noted that pagans criticized Christians for their very serious charge of impiety because ... [we] do not set up statues and images of any god.

Origen famously declared that Christians, being taught in the school of Jesus Christ, have rejected all images and statues.

The Synod of Elvira (c. 300314) stated: Pictures are not to be placed in churches, so that they do not become objects of worship and adoration. This council documented the common practice of the time: keeping images out of places of worship to prevent their use as icons.

Eusebius of Caesarea rebuked the emperors sister, Constantia, for requesting a picture of Christ, citing the second commandment: Did the reading escape you where God commanded not to make any likeness of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath? He admitted to confiscating purported images of Christ and Paul lest we might seem to carry around our God in an image, as idolaters do.

Epiphanius of Salamis wrote a letter detailing how he entered a church in Palestine, saw a curtain bearing an image of Christ or a saint, and immediately tore it asunder and ordered it be used to bury a pauper, stating such images are contrary to our religion.

When did icons arrive?

For the first five centuries of Christianity, there is no evidence of any Christian  not even a minority faction  approving the use of images in worship. The veneration of icons was an absolute novelty that emerged later, triggering a violent and divisive controversy in the 8th century when superficially converted pagans brought their idolatry into the church.

The famous Second Council of Nicaea (787), which mandated the use of icons, did so centuries after the early church period. Empress Irene, who had been alienated from her late husband for her icons, rigged the council to deliver the result she wanted. In doing so, it effectively anathematized the universal practice of the Church Fathers who had come before it. The style and use of the icons it championed were, as noted by historian Henry Chadwick, heavily influenced by pagan traditions, borrowing from images of Zeus and venerated mother goddesses.

The conclusion is stark: the early church strictly prohibited icons. They are not a part of apostolic tradition; they are a later innovation.
Home Opinion The FACE Act is a weird, incredibly unjust law. I've gone to jail for it

A group of anti-ICE protestors entered Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., and disrupted the service on Jan. 18, chanting anti-ICE slogans and berating congregants for tolerating the arrest of illegal immigrants in the Twin Cities. The next day, conservative media was aflame with outrage, and now there is talk that President Trumps DOJ will charge the protestors with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.



That got my attention, and not in a good way. Im one of only a few dozen people in America who have ever been convicted of FACE. In 2022, in retaliation for a peaceful anti-abortion rescue that I was accused of organizing, President Joe Bidens DOJ arrested me at gunpoint and charged me with FACE and Conspiracy to Deny Rights (a possible 11-year sentence). In 2023, along with nine others, I was tried and immediately sent to federal prison. I would have served up to 34 months had President Trump not pardoned all of us one year ago. This is what these protesters are looking at, should Trump decide to invoke FACE.



You might think Id be happy to see him do that. But youd be wrong.



The FACE Act is a weird, incredibly unjust law. It makes it a federal crime to injure, intimidate, or interfere with anyone trying to obtain reproductive health services (i.e., abortion) or anyone attending a place of religious worship, and imposes outrageous sentences on violators. It was created by pro-abortion Democrats to crush the rescue movement of the 1980s and early 1990s, when thousands of pro-life people were peacefully blockading the doors of abortion clinics and saving countless lives. The church provision, I believe, was added to placate conservatives in Congress, which it did. Thirty-four Republican traitors, including Sens. Mitch McConnell and Arlen Specter, joined Democrats to pass FACE by sizable majorities in both houses. It was perhaps the biggest betrayal of human life ever perpetrated by American politicians.



Ever since I got involved in anti-abortion rescue, Ive supported the repeal of FACE. This is because I sincerely believe that rescue, besides being one of the most authentic ways possible to love individual preborn children, is also a vital tool to create social tension and end child-killing as fast as possible. The original rescue movement was the closest we ever came to actually abolishing abortion, and if we ever hope to reach that goal, rescue must revive. But FACE, especially coupled with the conspiracy statutes that pro-abortion prosecutors love to slam rescuers with, makes rescue almost impossible for all but the most steel-willed among us.



Thats why, before I was incarcerated, I spoke out against mainstream pro-life groups who were merely calling for FACE to be enforced equally against the pro-abortion vandals who were then desecrating and damaging pregnancy resource centers. While in prison, I spent weeks writing articles about how important it was that we get rid of FACE, not just use it to bash our enemies.



After he pardoned us, President Trump promised to only enforce the FACE Act in extraordinary circumstances, and we were hopeful that before he was out of office, Republicans in Congress would have repealed that diabolical law. But instead, the bill to repeal FACE was tabled in committee. Then, pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside a New York City synagogue, and now we have the Minnesota church incident. Once again, people on my side are salivating over the possibility of using FACE to punish those we dont like.



Their anger, perhaps, is justified. Personally, my opinions about Trumps deportation policy are not very strong. But I think I know the type of people who invaded Cities Church, and I despise them. It was violent left-wing villains like that who, on multiple occasions, assaulted my friends and me during anti-abortion outreach, stole and destroyed our equipment, screamed in our faces, and attempted to damage our eardrums with their police whistles. If they werent protesting inside a church, they would probably be escorting women into Planned Parenthood, dancing naked in front of Christian evangelists at a Pride Parade, or holding sheets in front of our abortion victim images while singing about how hungry the bloody photo of a murdered child made them feel. They are truly the worst of the worst.



But the desire for revenge must not be allowed to cloud our judgment. If FACE remains in effect, these people lose the freedom to frighten Christians on Sunday morning. We lose the ability to save lives.



Besides all this, Im just not a fan of overzealous prosecution. Offensive as these church protesters may have behaved, so far as I know, they did not physically hurt anyone. What they did that day was trespass and probably qualifies as harassment. Maybe even assault. We already have laws against that, and those laws can be enforced. But it simply isnt just to send them to prison for multiple years. The punishment should fit the crime. Having been a victim of exaggerated, ideologically motivated prosecution, I have a hard time calling for it to be used against others. Sure, part of me would delight in seeing their side get a dose of their own medicine. But these are people were talking about, not punching bags.



Some might suggest that if FACE is used against Democratic activists, there will be bipartisan support for repealing it as soon as possible. Yet this presumes that Democratic power brokers care more about harassing churches than protecting the abortion industry. I seriously doubt that. They know where their bread is buttered. Our hope of revoking FACE lies with the Republicans, and now I fear they will become FACEs biggest supporters.



The real problem, as always, is that most conservatives, and indeed most pro-lifers, are more worried about this potential threat to their safe spaces than the very real mass slaughter of preborn children. Or at least they see no value in rescue. Yes, what happened on Jan. 18 was horrendous. But to hamstring the fight against child killing just so we can live more securely is not pro-life at all.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order that allows the federal government to preempt state and local regulations in the recovery efforts of last years Los Angeles wildfires, blaming the destruction and its slow rebuilding on Californias authorities.

Immediate and decisive federal action is required to ensure that federal disaster assistance is delivered and utilized swiftly, effectively, and without obstruction by state and local governments, according to the executive order.

Related: The Return Period for An LA Wildfire-Scale Event May Be Shorter Than You Think

Nearly 40,000 acres were burned in the Eaton and Palisades wildfires last January, killing at least 31 people and destroying 16,000 structures. Estimates of economic and property losses range as high as $131 billion.

The order once again pits Trump against California Governor Gavin Newsom, a key political rival and potential Democratic candidate for president in 2028. Newsom criticized Trumps measure, saying an executive order to rebuild Mars would be just as useful, in a post on X. The governor said permitting timelines are at least twice as fast as than before the fires.

Newsom and a bipartisan group of California lawmakers have asked for $33.9 billion in federal disaster assistance to help dislocated residents and businesses recover, but the request has stalled in Congress.

Mr. President, please actually help us, Newsom said in his X post. We are begging you.

Related: California Bill Would Require Insurer Claims Handling Plans, and Double Penalties

Debris clearance efforts, led by the US Army Corps of Engineers removed hazardous waste from 13,600 parcels while almost 3,000 rebuilding permits have been issued by local city and county agencies, according to a state website tracking progress.

Trumps order calls for US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to publish proposed regulations to preempt state and local permitting processes within 30 days and final regulations within 90 days.

Financial rather than permitting problems are the biggest barrier to rebuilding, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes the community of Altadena that was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, said in a statement.

Families lack the capital to kick start or continue their rebuilding plans, Barger said. Our county will soon face a mass sheltering crisis as survivors insurance and emergency relief funds run out.

Top photo: Columns amongst the ruins of a home during the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Photographer: Michael Nigro/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.
American workers adopted artificial intelligence into their work lives at a remarkable pace over the past few years, according to a new poll.

Some 12% of employed adults say they use AI daily in their job, according to a Gallup Workforce survey conducted this fall of more than 22,000 U.S. workers.

The survey found roughly one-quarter say they use AI at least frequently, which is defined as at least a few times a week, and nearly half say they use it at least a few times a year. That compares with 21% who were using AI at least occasionally in 2023, when Gallup began asking the question, and points to the impact of the widespread commercial boom that ChatGPT sparked for generative AI tools that can write emails and computer code, summarize long documents, create images or help answer questions.

Home Depot store associate Gene Walinski is one of the employees embracing AI at work. The 70-year-old turns to an AI assistant on his personal phone roughly every hour on his shift so he can better answer questions about supplies that he is not 100% familiar with at the stores electrical department in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

I think my job would suffer if I couldnt because there would be a lot of shrugged shoulders and I dont know and customers dont want to hear that, Walinski said.

AI Aat Work For Many in Technology, Finance And Education

While frequent AI use is on the rise with many employees, AI adoption remains higher among those working in technology-related fields.

About six in 10 technology workers say they use AI frequently, and about three in 10 do so daily.

The share of Americans working in the technology sector who say they use AI daily or regularly has grown significantly since 2023, but there are indications that AI adoption could be starting to plateau after an explosive increase between 2024 and 2025.

In finance, another sector with high AI adoption, 28-year-old investment banker Andrea Tanzi said he uses AI tools every day to synthesize documents and data sets that would otherwise take him several hours to review.

Tanzi, who works for Bank of America in New York, said he also makes uses of the banks internal AI chatbot, Erica, to help with administrative tasks.

In addition, majorities of those working in professional services, at colleges or universities or in K-12 education, say they use AI at least a few times a year.

Joyce Hatzidakis, 60, a high school art teacher in Riverside, California, started experimenting with AI chatbots to help clean up her communications with parents.

I can scribble out a note and not worry about what I say and then tell it what tone I want, she said. And then, when I reread it, if its not quite right, I can have it edited again. Im definitely getting less parent complaints.

Another Gallup Workforce survey from last year found that about 6 in 10 employees using AI are relying on chatbots or virtual assistance when they turn to AI tools. About 4 in 10 AI users at work reported using AI to consolidate information or data, to generate ideas or to learn new things.

Hatzidakis started with ChatGPT and then switched to Googles Gemini when the school district made that its official tool. She has even used it to help with recommendation letters because theres only so many ways to say a kid is really creative.

The Benefits And Drawbacks of AI Adoption

The AI industry and the U.S. government are heavily promoting AI adoption in workplaces and schools. More people and organizations will need to buy these tools in order to justify the huge amounts of investment into building and running energy-hungry AI computing systems. But not all economists agree on how much they will boost productivity or affect employment prospects.

Most of the workers that are most highly exposed to AI, who are most likely to have it disrupt their workflows, for good or for bad, have these characteristics that make them pretty adaptable, said Sam Manning, a fellow at the Centre for the Governance of AI and co-author of new papers on AI job effects for the Brookings Institution and the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Workers in those mostly computer-based jobs that involve a lot of AI usage usually have higher levels of education, wider ranges of skill sets that can be applied to different jobs, and they also have higher savings, which is helpful for weathering an income shock if you lose your job, Manning said.

On the other hand, Mannings research has identified some 6.1 million workers in the United States who are both heavily exposed to AI and less equipped to adapt. Many are in administrative and clerical work, about 86% are women and they are older and concentrated in smaller cities, such as university towns or state capitals, with fewer options to shift careers.

If their skills are automated, they have less transferable skills to other jobs and they have a lower savings, if any savings, Manning said. An income shock could be much more harmful or difficult to manage.

Few Workers Are Concerned About AI Replacing Them

A separate Gallup Workforce survey from 2025 found that even as AI use is increasing, few employees said it was very or somewhat likely that new technology, automation, robots or AI will eliminate their job within the next five years. Half said it was not at all likely, but that has decreased from about 6 in 10 in 2023.

Not worried about losing his job is the Rev. Michael Bingham, pastor of the Faith Community Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Florida.

A chatbot fed him gibberish when he asked about the medieval theologian Anselm of Canterbury, and Bingham said he would never ask a soulless machine to help write his sermons, relying instead on the power of God to help guide him through ideas.

You dont want a machine, you want a human being, to hold your hand if youre dying, Bingham said. And you want to know that your loved one was able to hold the hand of a loving human being who cared for them.

Reported AI usage is less common in service-based sectors, such as retail, health care or manufacturing.

Home Depot did not ask Walinski to use AI when he got a job at the store last year, after a decades-long career in the car business. But the home improvement giant also did not try to stop him and he is not at all worried that AI will replace him.

The human interface part is really what a store like mine works on, Walinski said. Its all about the people.

OBrien reported from Providence, Rhode Island, and Sanders from Washington.

Gallups quarterly workforce surveys were conducted with a random sample of adults age 18 and older who work full time and part time for organizations in the United States and are members of Gallups probability-based Gallup Panel. The most recent survey of 22,368 employed U.S. adults was conducted from Oct. 30-Nov. 13, 2025. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 1 percentage point.

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Inaction by government agencies and other systemic failures contributed to a 2025 midair collision that was the worst US civil aviation disaster in more than two decades, the head of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said.

The NTSB has been investigating what caused a U.S. Army helicopter to slam into an American Airlines Group Inc. regional jet attempting to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the closest to the nations capital, on Jan. 29, 2025.

Related: FAA Wants to Ban Helicopters Near Washington Airport After Crash

The accident resulted in the deaths of three military personnel on the Sikorsky UH-60L helicopter and 64 passengers and crew on the commercial airliner, a CRJ-700.

You will hear how deep underlying systemic failures, system flaws aligned to create the conditions that led to this devastating tragedy, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at the start of a meeting Tuesday to determine the probable cause of the midair collision.

The crash sparked renewed concerns about aviation safety and led to a crackdown on helicopter flights near the airport. It also helped galvanize support for major upgrades to the nations aging air traffic control system.

In her opening statement, Homendy cited many factors that led to last years crash, including the design of the airspace around Reagan airport and the limitations of see and avoid, a collision avoidance method that relies on pilots to scan for and maneuver around nearby aircraft.

She also pointed to what she called the failure of entire organizations to evaluate and act on readily available data, heed repeated recommendations and foster robust safety cultures.

NTSB board members Todd Inman and Michael Graham echoed Homendys sentiment. The accident was the result of a multitude of errors, Graham said.

During its probe, the NTSB uncovered thousands of prior instances where commercial aircraft and helicopters came within an unsafe distance near Reagan airport.

A working group formed after a 2013 near-miss in the same location as the 2025 midair collision previously recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration remove or relocate the helicopter route the US Army Black Hawk was using last January, NTSB investigator Brian Soper said at Tuesdays meeting.

The agency chose not to adopt the recommendation at the time, he said.

Following the 2025 accident, the FAA evaluated other places in the U.S. considered to be a risk for midair collisions but Homendy told reporters during a break in Tuesdays meeting that she wasnt satisfied with that work.

Related: US Safety Board to Determine Cause of Washington Air Collision That Killed 67

Commercial airlines have raised concerns about Burbank, California, she said, with carriers telling her that nobody at FAA is paying attention to us.

The FAA in January permanently lowered the altitude of aircraft operating around Van Nuys Airport to maintain more separation with aircraft arriving at nearby Hollywood Burbank Airport, the agency said in a statement responding to Homendys comments.

Prior to Tuesdays meeting, investigators had disclosed several other findings, including that the helicopter involved in the crash was flying too high, was dealing with faulty altitude data and wasnt broadcasting its position using a technology, known as ADS-B Out.

The Republican chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Ted Cruz, and the panels top Democrat, Maria Cantwell, have teamed up on legislation to tighten the rules that allow military aircraft to fly without having ADS-B Out turned on. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent in December but it has since stalled in the House.

In addition, the NTSB has said a single air traffic controller was overseeing both planes and helicopters in the airspace above the airport on the night of the crash and failed to warn the American Airlines jet that there was a US Army Black Hawk in the vicinity.

Soper said that air traffic controllers heavily relied upon so-called visual separation  where a pilot is authorized to maintain a safe distance from other aircraft using sight  to keep planes and helicopters separate near Reagan airport.

The military helicopter on the night of the crash had requested and been approved to fly using visual separation. Soper said controllers were motivated to grant those requests to alleviate their heavy workloads.

Since the accident, the Transportation Departments Office of Inspector General has opened an audit to assess the FAAs management of the airspace around Reagan airport, as well as policies and procedures for overseeing ADS-B Out exemptions.

Top photo: Emergency response units assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport following the Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision.

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.
China-Britain cooperation to enhance bilateral relations, smooth over misunderstandings: Chinese ambassador

Xinhua) 13:37, January 28, 2026

LONDON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation between China and Britain will enhance relations between two countries and smooth over misunderstandings, Chinese ambassador to Britain Zheng Zeguang wrote in a signed article published in The Times on Monday.

"China welcomes (British Prime Minister) Sir Keir Starmer's forthcoming official visit. The last visit to China by a British prime minister took place in 2018. The past eight years have witnessed unprecedented changes in the world, and it has also been an eventful time in China-UK relations," Zheng said in the article titled "China and Britain don't see eye to eye but we share many interests."

Zheng noted that the resumption of high-level engagement serves the fundamental interests of both countries and both sides should work together to ensure that the visit delivers positive outcomes.

Zheng also called for enhancing political trust. "Mutual trust is the foundation of bilateral relations. This visit will provide a valuable opportunity for leaders of the two countries to have an in-depth exchange of views on their respective domestic priorities and the current complex international situation," he said.

"China believes that our two countries should proceed from a long-term and strategic perspective, stick to our positioning as partners, and develop a stable and mutually beneficial relationship," the ambassador said.

He said that closer collaboration with China will only benefit Britain in attaining its development goals.

"British businesses and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of this through first-hand experience. We should expand dialogue, co-ordination and co-operation across a wide range of fields, including trade and investment, financial services, clean energy, the fight against cross-border crime, education and culture, science and technological innovation, climate change and public health," he said.

"We should seek common ground while managing differences," he said, adding that it is a fact that China and Britain "do not see eye-to-eye on every issue."

"Some of the differences arise from our different political systems and historical and cultural backgrounds; others from divergent practical interests; and many more from a lack of engagement and mutual understanding, which can make otherwise normal issues more complicated," he said.

"No storm, no rainbow. I hope that both sides will move in the same direction, seize this historic opportunity, and begin a new journey in China-UK relations, one defined by more trust and collaboration," Zheng said.

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will pay an official visit to China from Jan. 28 to Jan. 31, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced Tuesday.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
WASHINGTON, D.C.  Two federal officers fired shots during the encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday, the same day Ecuadors minister of foreign affairs filed an objection saying immigration agents tried to enter his countrys consulate in the city without permission.

Officers tried to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to a struggle, according to a notification to Congress obtained by The Associated Press. During the struggle, a Border Patrol agent yelled, Hes got a gun! multiple times, the official said.

A Border Patrol officer and a CBP officer each fired Glock pistols, the notice said.

Investigators from CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the notice said. The law requires the agency to inform relevant congressional committees about deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours.

Separately, a man was arrested after he sprayed an unknown liquid at U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar while she was speaking at a town hall meeting in Minneapolis. The Democrat had just called for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign when she was sprayed.

Trump says were going to de-escalate a little bit

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters Tuesday before boarding Marine One on South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (Evan Vucci, Associated Press) AP

The developments came a day after President Donald Trump ordered border czar Tom Homan to take over his administrations immigration crackdown in Minnesota in the wake of Prettis death, which was the second fatal shooting this month of a person at the hands of immigration law enforcement.

By sending Homan to Minnesota, were going to de-escalate a little bit, Trump said during an interview on Fox News Will Cain Show. Thats significant since White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when questioned repeatedly Monday about Homans being dispatched to Minnesota, refused to say that doing so was an effort to calm the situation.

The president added of Homan, Tom, as tough as he is, gets along with governors and mayors, even in Democratic areas.

As he left the White House on Tuesday, the president was asked whether Prettis killing on Saturday was justified. He responded by saying that a big investigation was underway. In the hours after Prettis death, some administration officials sought to blame the shooting on the 37-year-old intensive care nurse.

Ecuador files a protest with the U.S. Embassy

A video of the Ecuadorian consulate entry attempt posted on social media shows a staffer running to the door to turn the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents away, telling them, This is the Ecuadorian consulate. Youre not allowed to enter. One ICE officer can be heard responding by threatening to grab the staffer if he touched the agent before agreeing to leave.

International law generally prohibits law enforcement authorities from entering foreign consulates or embassies without permission, though sometimes permission may be assumed granted for life-threatening emergencies, like fires.

Consulate officials immediately prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular building, thus ensuring the protection of the Ecuadorians who were present at the time and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, the ministry wrote on X.

A note of protest was filed with the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador so that similar attempts arent made at other consulates, the ministry said. The State Department, Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump says of sending Bovino to Minneapolis: Maybe it wasnt good here

Immigration enforcement activity witnessed by journalists in Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs on Tuesday appeared comparable with recent weeks. As before, most didnt result in major confrontations with agents. Activists say they continue to monitor enforcement operations through social media and chats on messaging apps.

The White House had tried to blame Democratic leaders for the protests of immigration raids. But after Prettis killing and videos suggesting he was not an active threat, the administration tapped Homan to take charge of the Minnesota operation from Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino.

Trump said Bovino, the go-to architect for the presidents large-scale city-by-city immigration crackdowns, was very good but added hes a pretty out-there kind of a guy and maybe it wasnt good here.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, along with the citys police chief, met with Homan on Tuesday and agreed to keep talking. Homan posted on social media that the discussions were a productive starting point.

Courts weigh in on detained immigrants

In Texas, a federal judge issued a temporary order prohibiting the removal of a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father who were detained last week in Minnesota in an incident that further inflamed divisions on immigration. U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled Monday that any removal or transfer of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, is on hold while a court case proceeds.

Also in Texas, federal immigration authorities released an Ecuadorian man whose detention led the chief federal judge in Minnesota to order the head of ICE to appear in his courtroom, the mans attorney said.

Attorney Graham Ojala-Barbour said the man was released in Texas. The lawyer said in an email to The Associated Press that he was notified in an email from the U.S. attorneys office in Minneapolis that his client had been freed.

In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz expressed frustration with the Trump administrations handling of immigration cases. He took the extraordinary step of ordering Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, to personally appear in his courtroom Friday.

Schiltz had said in his order that he would cancel Lyons appearance if the man was released from custody.

This Court has been extremely patient with respondents, even though respondents decided to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to detain aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result, he wrote.

Schiltzs order followed a federal court hearing Monday on a request by the state and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul for a judge to halt the immigration enforcement surge. The judge in that case said she would prioritize the ruling but did not give a timeline for a decision.

Schiltz wrote that he recognizes ordering the head of a federal agency to appear personally is extraordinary. But the extent of ICEs violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed, he said.

The Associated Press left messages Tuesday with ICE and a DHS spokesperson seeking a response.
Are your local governments using you as an ATM?

Thats the question at the heart of a law being proposed in Ohio to stop cities from gouging people who get parking tickets, a law that received a salute Wednesday from the hosts of Today in Ohio.

State Rep. Darnell Brewer, a Democrat, has introduced a bill that would change how cities can collect late fees on parking violationsa proposal born from personal experience. Courtney Astolfi said Brewer himself fell victim to the problem hes trying to solve.

He gave an example of where he got a parking ticket. It was $25. There were late fees and added things tacked on that amounted to 35. So he was paying more than double the cost of the original ticket," Astolfi said.

The proposed legislation would limit late fees and administrative costs to no more than the cost of the original ticket. It would also standardize the grace period statewide, giving drivers at least 30 days to deal with a ticket instead of the current minimum of 15 days.

Chris Quinn said cities should not have been so abusive as to make such a lw needed.

The shame of this is that we need a law like this, that cities are doing things that basically gouge people. Weve talked earlier with regard to the traffic cameras that are showing up everywhere in secret places just to do gotchas at the bottom of hills like we see out on the east side. This is the same kind of thing.

Quinn said parking fines are supposed to reinforce the need for people to pay and to bring churn to parking spaces, not create a new revenue source.

Governments not supposed to do that, Quinn said. They have taxes to run government. They shouldnt be using gotcha speed cameras to do it. They shouldnt be using gotcha fees to tack on."

The timing of this bill couldnt be more relevant for Cleveland residents. Astolfi said Cleveland is raising parking rates and expanding the hours when people have to pay. She wondered whether Cleveland built in the gotcha late fees in its revenue expactations and now might have to go back and recalculate.

If this does get momentum, how this would change Clevelands math? she asked.

The proposed bill hasnt been assigned a number yet, but Brewer claims there is bipartisan interest. If passed, it could force cities across Ohio, including Cleveland, to adjust their budgetary expectationsand potentially provide relief to drivers who find themselves facing ballooning parking fines.

Listen to the discussion here.

Listen to full Today in Ohio episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.
CNBC's Jim Cramer said Tuesday that President Donald Trump is a force to be reckoned with in the stock market  but whether he's helping or hurting companies depends on where they sit.

"You have to factor in the government as both a positive and a negative, no matter what you do," Cramer said on "Mad Money," after outlining the impact of the president's agenda on five stocks that had notable moves in Tuesday's session.

First, Cramer pointed to a group that got crushed on Tuesday: the nation's largest health insurers. Shares of UnitedHealth and Humana plummeted over 20%. CVS Health , which owns the insurer Aetna, tanked 14%. The group took a hit after the administration proposed a nearly flat reimbursement rate for Medicare Advantage plans in 2027, which was well below Wall Street analysts' expectations of a rate increase between 4% and 6%. This, as a result, could slash the federal payments these firms receive by billions of dollars.

"I'm honestly surprised it happened because both [political] parties have checked off on these price increases for years," Cramer said. "It's like by rote."

On the other hand, Cramer pointed to two names as key winners from Trump's policies.

Cramer argued that quarterly earnings from General Motors showed how the White House's more lenient stance on environmental regulation benefits the automaker. With Trump in charge, Cramer said General Motors can sell more gas-powered vehicles without purchasing electric vehicle credits. The company posted better-than-expected profits early Tuesday, with shares closing up 8.75% on the day.

Cramer said that CEO Mary Barra should "take a victory lap" after the results. "And I agree with Barra when she says 2026 will be even better, and we have to credit this business environment and the president's support for some of that success," he added.

Nucor is another beneficiary, according to Cramer.

Although the North Carolina-based steel producer's earnings came in slightly below expectations Monday night, Cramer said Trump has still been a huge tailwind for the stock. Shares of Nucor fell 2.3% in response to earnings Tuesday, but are still up 42% over the past year. Nucor is benefiting from Trump's expansion of Section 232 tariffs, which have reduced U.S. finished steel imports significantly, allowing Nucor to capture more share.

Cramer said all of this has made one thing very clear. "The United States increasingly feels like a command economy, where you better accept the president's terms without complaints or suffer the consequences, which could be severe."
CNBC's Jim Cramer warned investors on Tuesday against chasing the rally in data storage stocks. However, Cramer said all is not lost: Investors should instead consider owning the companies that will help alleviate the memory supply crunch.

"Given how much they've already run, if you don't already own them, ... I think you're too late," Cramer said, referring to Micron, Western Digital, Seagate and Sandisk , the four leading names in the global data stage and memory industry.

Shares of all four companies more than tripled last year because of surging AI-related demand and limited supply, giving the companies immense pricing power. They are also off to hot starts in 2026. With investors sitting on big gains, "even the smallest disruption could crush these stocks," Cramer said.

Instead, Cramer pointed to semiconductor capital equipment makers like ASML , Applied Materials , KLA Corp and Lam Research as a "relatively safer way" to play the same theme. That's because whenever there's a chip shortage, companies start buying more manufacturing equipment in order to boost their production. Indeed, Micron is spending billions to build new chip factories.

"If you want to play the memory and data storage shortage without chasing stocks that have tripled or quadrupled in barely more than a year, I think the semiconductor capital equipment makers will be more durable winners here," Cramer said, noting that it's not just memory chipmakers who are racing to add manufacturing capacity. For example, Intel is also signaling that it's increasing spending on semiconductor tools.

ASML jumped 54% last year, while Applied Materials added 58%. KLA jumped 93%, and Lam Research popped 137%.

Cramer said investors may consider making a move soon on ASML, Lam Research or KLA if shares dip on their quarterly earnings reports this week. Applied Materials doesn't release results until next month.

While Cramer expects all of these companies to report solid numbers, he said the bar is very high given how much each has run. "I hope their stocks pull back because then you've got my blessing to buy them for the long haul," he added.
This is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox. Happy Wednesday. When you work in journalism, there's a new surprising story each day. Yesterday, it was about what gold investors can learn from King Henry VIII's reign. S&P 500 futures are rising this morning after a winning day. Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:

1. Decisions, decisions

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks after a Federal Open Market Committee meeting at the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C., Dec. 10, 2025. Chip Somodevilla | Getty

2. Mug half full

People walk onto an escalator under a Starbucks coffee sign in Manhattan on Dec. 2, 2025 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images

Starbucks shares surged more than 7% this morning after the coffee chain posted stronger-than-expected revenue for the first fiscal quarter and reported traffic growth for the first time in two years. The company missed analysts' earnings estimates. In a statement, CEO Brian Niccol said the results are a sign that Starbucks' business turnaround plan is working. Same-store sales grew for a second straight quarter, helped domestically by demand for its holiday offerings such as specialty menu items and the viral "Bearista" cup. Later today, all eyes will be on Meta , Microsoft and Tesla when they report earnings after the bell. IBM and ServiceNow will also share their quarterly financial reports this afternoon.

3. Dispatch from DC

A demonstrator holds a placard during a protest against the presence of federal immigration agents after U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino was removed from his role, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., Jan. 27, 2026. Shannon Stapleton | Reuters

Following federal agents' killing of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis this month, House Democrats said yesterday that they will launch impeachment hearings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem unless Trump fires her. Democrats are also vowing to oppose funding for the Department of Homeland Security in the wake of the deaths, putting the federal government on the path to a partial shutdown that could start Saturday. Meanwhile Trump, whose administration has in recent days sought to ease its stance on the killings, said yesterday that "we're going to de-escalate a little bit" in Minnesota. The president also said he wanted "a very honorable and honest investigation" into the killing of Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by federal agents over the weekend.

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. Counting change

An automated bar code reader scans packages prepared for shipping at an Amazon fulfillment center on Cyber Monday in Robbinsville, New Jersey, US, on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Amazon is cutting about 16,000 corporate jobs, the company announced this morning. The layoffs, which are part of Amazon's effort to "remove bureaucracy," mark the online retail giant's second round of mass cuts since October. As CNBC's Annie Palmer reported, some of Amazon's cloud staffers were notified of "organizational changes" by an email sent in an apparent error yesterday. Amazon did not reply immediately to CNBC's request for comment on the email. The layoffs aren't the only big change for Amazon this week. The company announced yesterday that it will close its Fresh supermarket and Go convenience store chains and convert some locations to Whole Foods stores. Amazon's grocery chief Jason Buechel told employees in a Tuesday memo that the company needs to make "deliberate choices" to build on its momentum. Read the full memo here.

5. A new direction

The last Southwest Airlines passengers to fly without seat assignments line up at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu on Jan. 26, 2026. Leslie Josephs/CNBC

After more than half of a century, Southwest Airlines has officially ended its open-seating policy. The airlines cited calls for change from customers when making the decision  which it announced in July 2024  while playing up the financial benefits to investors. Southwest will now also begin offering roomier, high-priced seats near the front of planes. The change should be a hot topic on the Dallas-based airline's earnings call tomorrow. CNBC's Leslie Josephs flew on Southwest's last open-seating flight and one of its first with seat assignments this week. Here's what she saw.

The Daily Dividend
The age of the AI super PAC is here, and it has ballot boxes across the U.S. in its sites ahead of the midterms. If there's a winning election formula the AI industry is looking to repeat, it is the crypto industry's highly effective lobbying muscle in 2024.

The crypto-friendly super PAC Fairshake was the single largest corporate donor in the 2024 election cycle and supported over 50 candidates that were elected to public office. It has amassed another war chest for the 2026 elections. The Leading the Future super PAC formed last summer has financial backing from some of the Silicon Valley donors prominent in Fairshake, which was co-founded by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, also co-founders of the venture capital firm a16z, as well as OpenAI founder Greg Brockman, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and AI startup Perplexity. Meta also launched a super PAC late last year focused on AI regulation.

Crypto continues to attract broader interest from a wider cross-section of Americans, but AI is seen as an issue that may rise to a much higher level among the public, especially in light of concerns about job losses. Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., recently told CNBC, "I am making a major bet as someone trying to get rehired now as a senator this will be an issue in 2026, and even much more so in 2028, the issue of our time."

While the stock market continues to boom based on AI optimism, public polling about AI is typified by concern.

"Many are worried about AI and fear it will take jobs, invade privacy, and be biased in how it makes decisions," said Darrell Wes, senior fellow at Brookings Institution.

Corporate leaders and investors are far more optimistic about the potential benefits of AI than the general public, according to a recent report from Just Capital. But some are speaking in terms similar to Sen. Warner. At Davos last week, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said, "You can hope for the world you want, but you're going to get the world you got and your competitors are going to use it, countries are going to use it. ... I do think it may go too fast for society."

"So you go back, trade adjustment assistance was supposed to do that. If a town loses a factory and they lose jobs, you have income assistance, relocation, early retirement, retraining. We may have to do that. And I think we're doing it already ourselves," Dimon said.

Later in the interview with The Economist's editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes, Dimon said, "We're not going to kill all of our employees tomorrow because we're just not like that." But he did say that looking out five years into the future, "my guess is it'll be fewer employees."

Recent polling from Pew Research showed Americans to be much more concerned than excited about AI's impact on their daily lives. Gallup data shows a similar tilt with more Americans viewing AI as a threat rather than opportunity. The situation sets up a tension between the public interest and the plans of the AI super PACs in the 2026 elections.

According to LTF, the super PAC "is focused on advancing a positive, forward-looking agenda for AI innovation in Washington, D.C. and across the states, proactively engaging in the political process by identifying, maintaining, and growing pro-AI candidates in order to support an AI innovation policy agenda at the state and federal level."

Brian Rice, Meta vice president of public policy, said in a statement explaining its decision to back state-level candidates across the country that, "amid a growing patchwork of inconsistent regulations that threaten homegrown innovation and investments in AI, state lawmakers are uniquely positioned to ensure that America remains a global technology leader."

Meta will support the election of state candidates across the country who "embrace AI development, champion the U.S. technology industry, and defend American tech leadership at home and abroad," Rice said.

Wes said a number of tech billionaires have said they plan to spend large amounts of money promoting tech-friendly candidates, but there is the risk that this type of influence in 2026 could have the unintended consequence of provoking a backlash against the tech sector.
Altimeter Capital CEO Brad Gerstner announced Wednesday a commitment to seed Trump accounts, a type of investment account for kids, for children in his home state of Indiana.

"I'm going to contribute dollars to kids in Indiana," Gerstner, a hedge fund manager who helped spearhead the Trump administration's savings initiative, said Wednesday morning on CNBC. He said the money is intended for children under five years old.

There are some 406,000 children younger than age 5 living in Indiana, according to the Census Bureau's most recent population survey from 2024.

Gerstner also referenced his pledge at a summit on Wednesday with President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to promote Trump accounts, also known as Section 530A accounts. He did not offer additional details on the size of the donation or exactly who would qualify.

Gerstner joins billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates and Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, and his wife, Susan, who previously announced pledges.

"We have philanthropists that are going to claim every state," Gerstner said Wednesday on CNBC.
One year after DeepSeek upended the U.S. markets, investors are bracing for what could be the next moment of reckoning out of China: A rapid and coordinated push to scale home-grown Nvidia rivals for artificial intelligence chips.

In just the past two months, four startups, dubbed China's "four dragons," have already gone public or filed to: Moore Threads, MetaX, Biren, and Enflame.

All four help advance Beijing's broader strategy to beef up its domestic hardware stack and reduce reliance on the U.S.

Meanwhile, established chip firms like Huawei and Cambricon are scaling quickly.

At its annual Connect conference in September, Huawei outlined a three-year plan to overtake Nvidia.

The tech giant has the experience to make it happen, having built up its global telecoms business, taking smartphone share from Apple inside China, and risen to the top tier of China's cloud market in just a few years.
BEIJING  Chinese companies are accelerating the rollout of new artificial intelligence models as competition with U.S.-based rivals OpenAI, Anthropic and Google intensifies.

Just over a year ago, China-made DeepSeek rocked global markets with the release of an AI chatbot that undercut OpenAI's ChatGPT on usage fees and production costs, raising questions about the efficacy of U.S. tech restrictions on China.

On Tuesday, Beijing-based startup Moonshot AI revealed Kimi K2.5, which claimed to have video-generation and agentic capabilities that outperformed all three of the leading U.S. AI models. Agentic AI broadly refers to AI systems capable of carrying out tasks on behalf of people. The ultimate goal is to have sophisticated agents that work autonomously with minimal user interaction.

The update came just about three months after Moonshot released its K2 model.

Hours earlier, e-commerce giant Alibaba announced its latest generative AI model, which can create text, pictures or video based on user commands. Alibaba claimed its Qwen3-Max-Thinking outperformed major U.S. rivals on a broad benchmark test called "Humanity's Last Exam."

Alibaba said the new model can automatically select the best AI tool for a range of tasks and draw on past conversations as context to generate new responses more efficiently, all at little additional cost.

A week earlier on Jan. 19, Z.ai released a free version of its recently launched GLM 4.7 model. Two days later, the company restricted new subscribers from signing up for its AI coding tool after demand strained its available computing power.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC.

All eyes are on U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he begins a high-stakes, three-day trip to China, the first by a British prime minister since 2018.

Starmer is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday, accompanied by nearly 60 British businesses and cultural organizations, according to an official U.K. readout. The agenda spans trade, investment and national security, underscoring the breadth and sensitivity of the talks.

Among those traveling are executives from HSBC Group, Aberdeen Group, aircraft giant Airbus, British Airways, AstraZeneca and GSK, signaling a concerted push to deepen commercial ties even as geopolitical tensions linger.

The visit comes just one day after India and the European Union announced a "landmark" free trade deal, part of a broader surge in bilateral trade agreements, as countries recalibrate supply chains and commercial ties in response to Washington's increasingly muscular use of tariffs.

Just this month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited China, the first by a leader in his position in 17 years, in a bid to expand economic partnerships with the world's second-largest economy.

Yet the India-EU pact, memorably dubbed the "mother of all deals" by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has yet to clear its most unpredictable hurdle: U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump, who has slapped punitive tariffs on friends and foes alike, has yet to weigh in on the India-EU agreement. His silence is notable.

In August last year, the U.S. imposed higher levies on Indian goods over India's oil purchases from Russia, days after imposing a 25% duty on New Delhi.

With Trump's recent escalating rhetoric toward the EU, including threats tied to Greenland, his response looms as a persistent cloud over the "historic" deal. And that cloud darkened further when U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized the EU for forging a trade agreement with India in an interview with ABC News on Sunday.

But perhaps it's not all doom and gloom, as the U.S. and India are at "a very advanced stage" of finalizing a highly-anticipated deal, India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri told CNBC Tuesday.

Another cloud weighing on investors' minds is the U.S. Federal Reserve, which concludes its policy meeting Wednesday. Rates are widely expected to remain unchanged, but Chair Jerome Powell's remarks will be closely parsed amid renewed political pressure on the central bank.


U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC.

On Tuesday, India and the European Union announced a "landmark" free trade deal that would remove or reduce tariffs on more than 90% of goods traded between them.

The deal, nearly two decades in the making, will see India lower tariffs in two of its most politically sensitive sectors, agriculture and autos. It also lands amid a growing wave of bilateral trade agreements, as countries recalibrate supply chains and commercial ties in response to Washington's increasingly muscular use of tariffs.

That broader shift is already visible. Earlier this month, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited China, the first leader in his role to do so in 17 years, in a bid to expand economic partnerships with the world's second-largest economy. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to follow with a three-day trip to China, the first by a British prime minister since 2018.

Still, the India-EU pact, memorably dubbed the "mother of all deals" by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has yet to clear its most unpredictable hurdle: U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump, who has slapped punitive tariffs on friends and foes alike, has yet to weigh in on the India-EU agreement. His silence is notable.

In August last year, the U.S. imposed higher levies on Indian goods over India's oil purchases from Russia, days after imposing a 25% duty on New Delhi.

With Trump's recent escalating rhetoric toward the EU, including threats tied to Greenland, his response looms as a persistent cloud over the "historic" deal. And that cloud darkened further when U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized the EU for forging a trade agreement with India in an interview with ABC News on Sunday.

But perhaps it's not all doom and gloom, as the U.S. and India are at "a very advanced stage" of finalizing a highly-anticipated deal, India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri told CNBC Tuesday.

Another cloud weighing on investors' minds is the U.S. Federal Reserve, which concludes its policy meeting Wednesday. Rates are widely expected to remain unchanged, but Chair Jerome Powell's remarks will be closely parsed amid renewed political pressure on the central bank.


Delta Air Lines (DAL) has delivered one of the strongest turnarounds in the airline sector, yet recent price action suggests that investors are still struggling to reconcile near-term noise with an improved outlook. After a multimonth rally, DAL has pulled back, offering an attractive risk to reward entry for adding bullish exposure. With premium travel resilient, record free cash flows, and a valuation still anchored in a slowing economy regime, the risk/reward has reset back in favor for the upside. Trade timing & technical outlook DAL recently pulled back toward the $63 support level, a level that capped rallies in late 2025 before breaking higher in December. Major support: The $63 zone now represents a key technical floor; holding this level preserves the broader uptrend to our $80 upside target. Relative strength: While short-term momentum has cooled, DAL remains in a longer-term relative uptrend versus the S & P 500, suggesting consolidation rather than distribution. Fundamentals Delta's valuation remains disconnected from its improved profitability profile and cash generation: Forward P/E ratio: ~9.5x vs. Industry Average ~21.0x Expected EPS growth (35Y): ~15.8% vs. Industry Average ~11.9% Expected revenue growth (35Y): ~5.4% vs. Industry Average ~4.6% Net margins: ~7.9% vs. Industry Average ~5.3% Despite generating record free cash flow and guiding for double-digit earnings growth, DAL continues to trade at a multiple more consistent with challenged carriers rather than a premium operator. Bullish thesis Premium revenue: Delta's segmentation strategy continues to drive outsized profitability, with premium cabin and corporate travel demand holding up even as macro concerns resurface. Loyalty monetization: The American Express partnership generated over $8B in high-margin revenue in 2025, providing a recurring earnings stream that materially de-risks the business through economic cycles. Debt reduction: Deleveraging has pushed debt toward investment-grade territory, expanding capital return optionality and lowering equity risk. Options trade To express a bullish view while generating income at a defined support level, I'm selling the Feb 20 $65 Put @ $1.89 Credit. This has the obligation to buy DAL stock at an effective price of $63.11, near the major support level, if DAL is below $65 strike price at the Feb expiration. Trade details Total Yield: 2.99% Yield in 24 days to expiration Income: Collect $189 per contract Maximum Risk: $6,311 if DAL reaches $0 View this trade on OptionsPlay for Updated Pricing This structure benefits from DAL holding above established support while allowing investors to monetize elevated implied volatility following the recent pullback. Summary Delta Air Lines no long carries the same risks as a cyclical airline, yet the stock continues to be valued as one. With DAL approaching a major support level, and a premium-driven earnings model increasingly insulated from macro volatility, the recent pullback offers an attractive bullish setup with strong upside potential. DISCLOSURES: None. All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, or its parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL'S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer.
German police searched Deutsche Bank offices in Frankfurt and in Berlin on Wednesday morning, as part of an investigation into money laundering.

Shares in the German lender were last seen down about 2.7% following news of the probe, which was first reported by Spiegel.

"We confirm Frankfurt prosecutors are currently conducting an investigation at Deutsche Bank's business premises," the bank said in a statement.

"We are cooperating fully with prosecutor's office. We cannot comment further on this matter."
The European Union sealed a major trade deal with India this week, putting potential investment opportunities in the spotlight. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday that India and the EU had closed the "landmark" free trade agreement, called the "mother of all deals," by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The agreement represents about 25% of global GDP and about a third of global trade. The EU's biggest exports to India are machinery, transport equipment and chemicals, according to the European Council. Its biggest imports are machinery, chemicals and fuels. Under the terms of the deal, tariffs on over 90% of EU goods exports to India will be lowered or eliminated. Tariffs on machinery and electrical equipment, which accounted for 16.3 billion euros of exports in 2024, will be slashed from their current level of up to 44% to 0% for almost all products. CNBC spoke to investors about what the deal could mean for markets, and where opportunities might arise as the two economic powerhouses forge stronger trade ties. Electronics and alcohol Michael Browne, global investment strategist at Franklin Templeton Institute, said the "breadth and depth" of tariff reduction was "impressive." "Whilst the headlines will be dominated by the auto industry, the key take away is the effective ending of tariffs on machinery and electrical equipment, which is a significant boost to the German economy," Browne told CNBC via email. France's cognac sector, which is experiencing an ongoing squeeze in sales, resulting in year-on-year negative sales growth from traditional markets such as the U.S. and China, will also welcome the deal, Browne said. Tariffs on wines and spirits will be lowered from 150% to between 20% and 40%, under the terms of the new agreement. "There will be some excitement at seeing tariffs drop from 150% to 40%," he said. "Whilst still high, it will allow a foothold where the market was effectively shut before." Byron Maniatis, a partner and EU trade law specialist in the Brussels office of law firm Hogan Lovells, told CNBC on Tuesday that it appeared European wines and spirits could as benefit from the deal. "This is a historic agreement that concludes almost two decades of very difficult negotiations," he said. "On the basis of the limited information [currently available], the tariffs on EU wines and spirits will be significantly reduced." Luxury Cedric Rossi, vice president, equity research, luxury and consumer goods, at Stifel, said he saw luxury as the "main beneficiary" of the agreement. He said the reduction of key import barrierssuch as India's Basic Customs Duty, which was cut to 0% under the 2024 EFTA agreement  could hand Swiss watchmakers such as Richemont -owned brands Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels a "significant pricing advantage" over non-European rivals. Elsewhere, LVMH , Hermes , and L'Oreal 's Luxe division will also "benefit meaningfully", as basic customs duties, goods and services taxes, and India's social welfare surcharge - which together historically amounted to an effective tax rate of 44% - will be lowered on designer handbags, and perfumes, and cosmetics, Rossi told CNBC via email. Autos, planes and banks Hogan Lovells' Maniatis told CNBC another key beneficiary of the deal could be the vehicle industries in both Europe and India. "EU exports will be subject to a tariff reduction combined with quotas reportedly starting five years after the entry into force of the agreement," he said. "Several sectors on both sides are set to benefit from this agreement such as the EU automotive, aerospace, machinery, and chemicals industries." Under the terms of the deal, levies on aircraft and spacecraft, which currently stand at 11%, will be cut to 0%, with tariffs on autos, medical equipment, plastics, chemicals exports also eliminated for most products. Meanwhile, the pact will offer "privileged access" to Indian markets for EU financial services firms, while customs processes will also be overhauled to make exports quicker and easier. "India will also be opening up its services market. EU financial services are especially likely to profit," Maniatis said.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is followed by reporters as he walks to the Senate Chambers in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 27, 2026.

Republican senators appear to be opening the door to preventing a partial government shutdown as the chamber prepares to start voting on a House-passed package to fully fund a group of federal agencies through the remaining fiscal year.

The Senate is set to start voting on the funding bills Thursday morning. If the chamber doesn't pass all of them, much of the federal government would shut down Saturday at 12:01 ET.

The bills would fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies, including the Treasury and Defense departments. While the package once looked certain to clear the Senate and avoid a shutdown, the killing of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents Saturday in Minneapolis derailed it.

Democrats are demanding that the DHS portion of the bill be stripped from the package and weighed separately to make changes to how the agency operates, a move that Republicans have so far resisted. On Wednesday, some Senate Republicans began to embrace the idea of splitting off DHS, as a shutdown looms just months after a record 43-day closure last year.

The measure will require 60 votes to clear the Senate filibuster. Republicans hold only 53 seats in the upper chamber, meaning Democrats can block it if they withhold their votes.

"Rather than scuttling the whole package, I say let's go and pass what we can," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said in an interview with reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday.

"I think all the bills will pass except Homeland Security, and then we can sit down and talk about Homeland Security," said Kennedy, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Asked how many of his Republican colleagues support such a move, Kennedy said: "A bunch."

Indeed, numerous Republicans said Wednesday that while they would like to see the entire package pass the Senate, splitting off DHS is a palatable off-ramp.

"We are going to see what happens when that vote comes up," said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., another member of the appropriations committee. "[But] if the Democrats block it, [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer has already said that he's willing to move the five, and so I certainly have an open mind on that."

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told CNBC that if Democrats are "okay with five of the six bills," then "we ought to figure out a way to get those done."

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said in a press conference Wednesday that such proposals are so far "hypotheticals" and that he would "reserve optionality."

"I think the best path forward, as I've said, is to keep the package intact," Thune said. "If there are things that the Democrats want that the administration can agree with them about, then let's do that."

Democrats are warning that a separate negotiation with the administration would not be enough to assuage their concerns. President Donald Trump has attempted a turnabout in recent days after the fallout from the shooting of Pretti in Minnesota, recently saying he will deescalate his immigration crackdown in the state.

"This has to be in the bill," said Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with Democrats. "I don't think we could settle for promises." King repeatedly voted to reopen the government during the last shutdown, bucking his caucus.

"I can't in good conscience vote for a DHS budget under these circumstances," King said, calling for the DHS component to be separated so the rest of the bills can pass. DHS is conducting immigration operations in Maine.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen hold each other as they leave the venue after a meeting in Nuuk, Greenland, on January 23, 2026.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Wednesday issued a defiant message on the Arctic island's future, while Denmark warned the world order as we know it is now over.

Appearing together at a forum in the French capital as they seek to shore up support from European allies, the political leaders sought to portray a united front amid U.S. President Donald Trump's Greenland threats.

"The world order as we know it that we have been fighting for 80 years is over and I don't think it will return," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at Science Po University in Paris, according to Reuters.

"The best way forward for the U.S, Europe is to stick together  We will try to find a way forward with U.S. We share concerns on Arctic security. Russia does not want peace with Europe," she added.

Greenland's Nielsen, meanwhile, said the self-governing Danish territory agrees that there is a need for more surveillance and security in the Arctic "because of the way Russia acts now." He added that Greenland would not give in to foreign pressure.

"What we are dealing with as a government is trying to push back from outside and handle our people who are afraid and scared," Nielsen said.

The comments come shortly after Nielsen and Frederiksen held talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday.

Trump, who has long advocated for control of Greenland, said in a surprise development last week that he had secured a framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland. The U.S. president did not give further details at the time, although he said talks would continue to reach an agreement.

Opinion polls have shown that Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose U.S. control, while a strong majority support independence from Denmark.

Nielsen and Frederiksen are both expected to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris later in the day.
In the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents, a growing number of corporate leaders are speaking out and calling for a de-escalation of tensions.

However, a new CNBC poll shows some CEOs and executives have kept quiet about the events unfolding in Minneapolis, reflecting that many leaders across the country are still considering the situation  and the risks of making public comments.

Of the 34 leaders across C-suite functions who took a CNBC flash survey regarding corporate response to what has transpired in Minneapolis, only one said their organization had spoken out publicly about the situation.

Among those whose firms have not made a statement, one respondent said the reason is that they are "not opposed to ICE's conduct in Minnesota"; 9% responded that they are "still contemplating" speaking out; and 18% are "worried about backlash from the Trump administration." One-third of the leaders (33%) responded that it is "not relevant to their business."

"It would be a breach of management's fiduciary duty to use our business for such tangential political purposes. We do not view our silence as an endorsement of current administration policy, action, or personality," one executive wrote in response to the survey.

A little under one-quarter of respondents said they were "not sure" about the reasons for not commenting on the issue. A few additional respondents wrote in response to the survey that their firms have specific policies in place to never issue comments related to politics, and one said that having clients from many political sides dictates remaining neutral on most issues.

The CNBC flash survey was sent to about 550 C-suite executives on January 26 and 27. The leaders polled are members of the CNBC Councils, a global leadership community of chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief human resource officers, and workforce and technology executives.

Over 70% of the respondents indicated they have offices, do business, or have remote employees based in Minnesota.
Manny Gonzalez has run Manny's Tortas, his Mexican sandwich booth inside Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis, with his 68-year-old sister for more than 25 years. Since early December, four of his 10 employees have stopped showing up to work, out of fear they will be detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, he says.

Gonzalez, 65, is worried, too, he says. The trained chef, who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico City in 1982, now carries his passport everywhere. His average monthly revenue is down roughly 50%, he estimates. He and his sister, who typically looks after the company's books, are working 12-to-15-hour shifts on their feet making tortas to keep the business running while they're short-staffed, he adds.

Gonzalez says small-business owners in Minneapolis like him fear for their personal safety, their community's safety and their companies' survival as ICE agents flood the city. The U.S. federal government's "Operation Metro Surge" brought thousands of ICE agents into Minneapolis beginning in December, and tensions between law enforcement and protesters escalated after two Americans  Renee Good and Alex Pretti  were killed by ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents in January.

Residents have seen their day-to-day lives reshaped, and local small-business owners are no exception. Many of the businesses along Lake Street  a six-mile stretch of road in Minneapolis that's home to an estimated 2,000 restaurants, marketplaces and shops  are experiencing an estimated 40%-to-100% drop in revenue compared with last winter, says Marie Campos, communications and marketing manager at the Lake Street Council, a nonprofit that supports small, primarily immigrant-owned businesses in that corridor.

Minneapolis' small businesses were vulnerable even before December, says Richard Trent, executive director of the Main Street Alliance, a nationwide small-business network. Businesses, some of which survived the Covid-19 pandemic and George Floyd protests, had to recalibrate their business models due to U.S. tariffs on imported goods and federal cuts to Medicaid funding, he says.

Now, with customers and staff members alike staying at home  concerned about witnessing violence or being arrested themselves  sales are plummeting and businesses are running out of cash to pay for their expenses, says Trent.

As the biggest city in the state by population, Minneapolis tends to sway the entire state economy, Trent says. One-third of the Minnesota-based small businesses in Trent's network, which typically operate with a relatively low amount of cash flow already, are "on the verge of collapse right now," he estimates.

"When small business has a cough in Minnesota, the entire state catches a cold. ... When small business is suffering, it can literally bring entire state economies to their knees," says Trent, noting that roughly half of U.S. job creation comes from small businesses.
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The dispatch

It is now more than a decade since George Osborne delivered a speech on the floor of the Shanghai Stock Exchange expounding the virtues of a strong partnership between the U.K. and China. Scores of dignitaries, including chief executives, civic leaders and heads of cultural institutions, heard the then Chancellor of the Exchequer [Britain's term for finance minister] declare: "Let's stick together and make Britain China's best partner in the West. "Let's stick together and create a golden decade for both of our countries." In his speech, on Sept. 22, 2015, Osborne speculated that, if the U.K. maintained its market share of trade with China, the country's exports could be worth more than 30 billion [then $46.43 billion] by 2020. He was not to know, of course, that 2020 would see the world gripped by a pandemic that originated in China. But doubtless he would have been disappointed to learn that British goods exports to the country that year would be just 14.5 billion, down 9.1 billion on 2019. That 39% slump was not just due to Covid-19. By 2020, British politics had been upended by a vote to leave the EU, while relations between the two countries had become strained after Beijing introduced new security laws in Hong Kong seen as breaking the terms of the former British colony's handover to China in 1997. They worsened when, in July 2020, Boris Johnson's government - urged by Donald Trump in his first term as U.S. president - banned purchases of new 5G equipment from Huawei, one of China's flagship companies, while ordering all Huawei equipment to be completely removed from 5G networks by the end of 2027. This is the unpromising backdrop to Keir Starmer's trip to Beijing this week in the first by a British prime minister since Theresa May visited eight years ago. Accompanying Starmer and Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, will be executives from top British companies including BP , Rolls-Royce , AstraZeneca , Jaguar Land Rover, the London Stock Exchange Group , Octopus Energy, Diageo and Prudential. Brendan Nelson, the newly appointed chairman of HSBC Holdings, is reportedly in the delegation. The visit is part of a bid to reset relations with the world's second biggest economy.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 18: UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping of China, at the Sheraton Hotel, as he attends the G20 summit in on November 18, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Keir Starmer is attending his first G20 Summit since he was elected Prime Minister of the UK. He is expected to hold talks with President Xi Jinping of China, the first time a UK PM has done so for six years. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Wpa Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Starmer set the scene when, on Dec. 1 last year, he told the Lady Mayor's banquet in the City: "For years the narrative ran that China was the coming power. Well now it has arrived. "And the U.K. needs a China policy that recognises this reality. But instead, for years we have blown hot and cold. "We had the golden age of relations under David Cameron and George Osborne, which then flipped to an Ice Age, that some still advocate. "The result is that, whilst our allies have developed a more sophisticated approach, the U.K. has become an outlier." Reminding his audience that Trump met President Xi Jinping in October and would visit China again this April, he pointed out that French President Emmanuel Macron had visited China three times since early 2018 while German leaders had visited four times - with Chancellor Freidrich Merz due again next month. Noting that, until he met Xi in November 2024 there had been no leader-level meeting at all for six years, Starmer framed resetting relations with China alongside how he has sought to accommodate Trump in his second term and how he has tried to rebuild post-Brexit relations with the EU. The reset is something on which Starmer and his team have worked since coming to office in July 2024. Shanghai and Beijing were the destinations when, that October, David Lammy, Starmer's first foreign secretary (the U.K. equivalent of the U.S. secretary of state), made his first overseas trip in the post. Poppy Gustafsson, then the British investment minister and the former CEO of cybersecurity firm Darktrace, hosted a major trade event the following month. Then in January last year, Reeves led a delegation of business leaders to Beijing who were joined by Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England. Other Sino-British business events have since taken place in London while other ministers, including the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, have also visited China. So this week's visit  and last week's controversial decision to approve China's new 'super-embassy' on the fringes of the City  must be seen in that context: it is a strategic imperative as Starmer's government seeks to encourage inward investment. It must also be seen in the context of some of Labour's priorities in government, such as the race for net zero, in which China - as the biggest supplier of solar panels to the U.K. and an increasingly important supplier of wind turbine components - will play a crucial role. It is not without risk: the influential Daily Mail newspaper called it a "kowtowing trip" while many in Starmer's party, along with some in diplomatic and security circles, dislike the rapprochement with Beijing. To that end, Starmer is expected to raise alleged human rights abuses with Xi, including the case of Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong-based businessman imprisoned for his pro-democracy campaigning. Beijing's support for Vladimir Putin, following his war on Ukraine, is another potential source of disagreement. But Starmer's circle argue he has little choice but to engage given how the likes of France and Germany are cosying up to China. He will also have seen how Beijing is increasingly happy to weaponize its economic advantages, such as its domination of rare earth metal supplies, which forced Trump to come to terms with it last year. And how the likes of Australia, South Korea and Lithuania have, in recent years, been threatened with restrictions to trade or market access after crossing Beijing. The potential model for how the future relationship could unfold is Canada, whose Prime Minister Mark Carney visited China earlier this month, returning with what the former Bank of England governor called "a preliminary but landmark trade agreement to remove trade barriers and reduce tariffs." Then again, given Trump's furious reaction to that agreement, in which he threatened Canada with 100% tariffs should it strike a free trade deal with China, it may not be.

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U.S. still 'the closest of allies' with the UK despite rift, Finance Minister Reeves says. The U.S. remains the "closest of allies" with the U.K. despite a growing rift between the U.S. and Europe over the future of Greenland, Chancellor Rachel Reeves told CNBC Wednesday. Nvidia and Alphabet VC arms back AI startup Synthesia at $4 billion valuation. Nvidia and Alphabet's VC arms have backed British AI startup Synthesia in a $200 million funding round, amid a surge of private investment in promising young tech companies seeking to capitalize on the AI boom. This university campus is heated by an AI data center. Your home could be next. Data centers have always generated excess heat, but integration with district heating networks has been slow. That's now changing.  Holly Ellyatt Quote of the week It's an incredibly important relationship [with the U.S.] and always has been, for the U.K. Whether that's about our military and intelligence links, our university and trade links ... it's in our interests that the relationship endures.  Rachel Reeves, U.K. chancellor

In the markets

Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon The performance of the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index over the past year.
BEIJING  Nearly 60 British businesses and cultural organizations will join U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his trip to China this week, the first such state visit in eight years.

Starmer is due to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday to discuss trade, investment and national security, according to an official U.K. readout that listed the business representatives accompanying the British leader.

The group includes financial industry leaders such as HSBC Group Chairman Brendan Nelson and Aberdeen Group CEO Jason Windsor.

Aircraft giant Airbus 's general counsel John Harrison will also join, along with British Airways Chief Commercial Officer Colm Lacy.

Pharmaceutical executives accompanying Starmer include AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot and GSK Chair Sir Jonathan Symonds.

The visit comes as Beijing hosts a series of foreign leaders this month amid escalating U.S. tensions with its trading partners and disputes involving Greenland.

Earlier this month, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Beijing. On the first Monday of 2026, Xi met Ireland's Prime Minister Michael Martin  the first visit by an Irish leader in 14 years  and hosted South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung later in the day. Xi also met Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo Tuesday.

The timing of Starmer's trip has drawn attention. Last week, the British government approved plans to open a new sprawling Chinese Embassy in London after the proposal had stalled for years over political and security concerns.

London has sought to bolster new trade and investment ties with Beijing as U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign policy and tariff threats have unsettled traditional allies, including the European Union and Canada.

Trump previously floated a 10% tariff on European countries that opposed his bid to acquire Greenland before backing down. He also threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Canada if Ottawa pursued a free trade deal with China.

Starmer will "push for access in areas where better co-operation with China would boost growth and deliver prosperity for the British people," including financial services, creative industries and life sciences, the British government said in the statement.

But "he will be clear that we will not trade economic co-operation for our national security. He will raise the areas where we disagree with China," it said, stressing the need for "frank and open dialogue."
Oil prices were mixed on Wednesday as supply concerns grew after a winter storm disrupted crude output and halted Gulf Coast exports over the weekend.

Oil prices hit their highest since late September on Wednesday after a winter storm disrupted U.S. crude output while a weak U.S. dollar and continued Kazakh outages lent further support.

At 1017 GMT, Brent crude futures had retrenched and were down 39 cents, or 0.6%, at $67.18 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 22 cents, or 0.4%, at $62.17.

Both benchmarks had climbed by about 3% on Tuesday.

The U.S. dollar is hovering near four-year lows against a basket of other currencies, reflecting weakness that makes dollar-denominated commodities such as oil cheaper for those holding other currencies.

On the supply side, exports of crude oil from U.S. Gulf Coast ports tumbled to zero on Sunday before rebounding on Monday, after a massive winter storm swept across the country, ship-tracking service Vortexa said.
Crude oil prices rose Wednesday, after President Donald Trump warned Iran that a "massive Armada" is heading in its direction and time is running out to make a deal on its nuclear program.

Global benchmark Brent rose 83 cents, or 1.23%, to close at $68.40 per barrel. U.S. crude oil gained 82 cents, or 1.31%, to settle at $63.21.

"A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose," Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday.

U.S. Central Command said Monday that the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group had arrived in the Middle East "to promote regional security and stability."

Trump had threatened to attack Iran if it killed protestors during a mass uprising earlier this month. Thousands of people died after the Islamic Republic cracked down on the unrest. But the U.S. president has held back from military intervention so far.

Trump said the fleet deployed to the Middle East is larger than the forces he ordered to the Caribbean before the U.S. captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

"Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary," Trump said of the carrier strike group Tuesday in the social media post.

He called for Tehran to make a deal on its nuclear program.

"Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!," Trump said.

The president warned Iran that a possible attack would be worse than the bombing campaign he ordered last June on the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities.

"The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again," he said.
South Korean memory giant SK Hynix announced Wednesday that it will set up a new U.S.-based company focused on artificial intelligence solutions, committing at least $10 billion as it seizes on new AI growth engines.

The new U.S. entity, tentatively named "AI Company or AI Co.," will serve as a hub for SK Group's AI strategies and work to accelerate the technology in global markets, the company said.

SK Hynix has emerged as a major AI player in recent years due to its leadership in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, a type of memory used in AI chipsets like those from Nvidia .

The company's U.S. expansion comes as other tech giants intensify investments in AI, driving intense demand for memory chips.

SK Hynix said that it will create the new "AI Company" by restructuring its California-based subsidiary Solidigm, an enterprise solid-state drive (SSD) manufacturer created in 2021.

Solidigm's operations will then be transferred to a new entity named Solidigm Inc.

The planned investments in AI Co. are expected to be deployed on a capital-call basis, with plans for further strategic investments in American AI firms to boost synergies across SK Group affiliates.
Starbucks' quarterly results on Wednesday showed proof that CEO Brian Niccol's brand revival is working, sending shares to their highest levels in almost a year. Revenue in the three months ended Dec. 28 totaled $9.92 billion, up 5.5% year over year and beating the consensus estimate of $9.67 billion, according to LSEG data. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) came in at 56 cents, slightly below expectations of 59 cents, LSEG data showed. On an annual basis, adjusted EPS fell 19%. Comparable store sales, a key restaurant industry metric, rose 4%, well ahead of the FactSet consensus of 2.3% growth. Shares of Starbucks were up more than 3% at around 10:30 a.m. ET, trading at nearly $99 apiece. At its high of the day of $104.82, the stock was at levels last seen in early March 2025. SBUX 1Y mountain Starbucks' stock performance over the past 12 months. Bottom line Our faith in Niccol is being rewarded. The turnaround artist who joined Starbucks in September 2024 after a brilliant tenure at Chipotle pledged to return the coffee chain to its former glory. The numbers reported Wednesday morning demonstrate he's doing just that. "Brian Niccol has cracked the code," Jim Cramer said. The key metric is comparable store sales  often called comps or same-store sales  to measure the performance of locations open for at least 13 months. It's the holy grail in restaurants. And here, Starbucks crushed the estimates. While we liked the global comps up 4%, the U.S. performance particularly stands out because the home market has been the focus of Niccol's efforts. U.S. comps increased a better-than-expected 4%, driven by a 1% increase in average ticket and 3% increase in comparable transactions. It's the first time in 2 years that Starbucks has seen an increase in comparable transactions. In other words, more people are ordering their Starbucks again, both rewards program members  now at a record 35.5 million people  and non-rewards members. On the earnings call, Niccol said this was the first time since the second quarter of Starbucks' fiscal 2022 that transactions grew in both customer groups. Starbucks' business with those occasional, non-rewards customers was in bad shape when Niccol took over. But these results suggest Niccol's retooled marketing approach is resonating. When you include results from Canada, which are reported as the broader North America segment, the same sentiment holds (as seen in the chart below). In China, its second-most-important market after the U.S., Starbucks delivered impressive same-store sales growth of 7% when the Street was looking for only 2.45%, according to FactSet. Transactions in China were up 5%, with the average ticket up 2%. In the post-Covid period, China had been a really troublesome market for Starbucks, due in large part to cheaper local competition. Now, it's clear the business is in a healthier place as it prepares to launch a joint venture with a private equity partner Boyu to operate it going forward. As we've said before, we liked Starbucks' move because it allows management to increase its focus on improving its U.S. operations. The company can also use the cash proceeds from the transaction to pay down debt and reinvest more in stores. Starbucks still has work to do on profitability. Adjusted EPS missed, companywide adjusted operating income fell 11% year over year, and its 2026 full-year earnings guidance was a bit light. The company expects adjusted EPS to be $2.15 to $2.40, which, at the midpoint of $2.275, falls short of the FactSet consensus estimate of $2.35. However, that's understandable at this stage of the turnaround, particularly on the outlook since we're still early in Starbucks' fiscal year and there's no reason to be too aggressive. Niccol has been adamant that he needs to invest in the business by improving barista staffing levels and remodeling stores to make them inviting places again to grow sales. Those investments aren't cheap. However, Niccol has argued that once topline momentum is restored, Starbucks will shift its focus to improving profitability. Based on Wednesday's results, Niccol's argument remains sound. We hope to hear more details on that next leg of the transformation journey on Thursday when Starbucks holds its first investor day under Niccol and provides longer-term guidance. We expect we'll hear multiyear financial targets and get a better understanding of where Niccol expects margins to go from here. We mentioned before that Starbucks shares are higher but off their best levels of the session. That action demonstrates enthusiasm in the turnaround, tempered by some restraint around where the multiyear targets ultimately land. We're confident Niccol has the correct plan in place, but we are also waiting to hear more at Thursday's event. We are reiterating our 2 rating, but plan to reevaluate this and our price target after we digest the investor day highlights. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long SBUX. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has discussed a stock on CNBC, 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.
Tesla said on Wednesday that it's agreed to invest about $2 billion into Elon Musk's xAI, which he launched almost three years ago as a prospective competitor to OpenAI.

The share purchase was related to xAI's $20 billion financing round announced earlier this month. The artificial intelligence startup is best known for developing Grok, an AI chatbot and image generator.

"Tesla's investment was made on market terms consistent with those previously agreed to by other investors in the financing round," the company said in its fourth-quarter earnings report.

When Musk formed xAI as a Nevada public benefit corporation in March 2023, he did so without immediately disclosing the existence the company to Tesla shareholders. He debuted xAI in July that year, and the company dropped the public benefit corporation and related commitments in 2024.

Of late, xAI has been at the center of regulatory probes across the globe concerning Grok. A recent Grok release, integrated into X, had enabled the widespread creation and dissemination of deepfake explicit images, based on photos of real people without their consent.

The European Commission recently initiated a formal probe, as did the California Department of Justice, and agencies in Australia, India, Ireland and France. Other countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia, rapidly moved to suspend Grok until the company stops enabling mass production of content deemed illegal in their jurisdictions.

Tesla includes Grok as a feature in some electric vehicle infotainment systems.

In Tesla's shareholder deck on Wednesday, the company said it had "entered into a framework agreement in connection with the investment," to begin "evaluating potential AI collaborations between the companies."

Tesla said the investment is "subject to customary regulatory conditions with the expectation to close in Q1'2026."

WATCH: Tesla posts Q4 beat
President Donald Trump has "brought down the temperature" on Minnesota, the site of major civil unrest over aggressive federal immigration efforts, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday.

Trump is "urging" Congress to take action to avoid triggering a partial government shutdown amid disputes over federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security, Bessent told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

The shutdown could begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday unless lawmakers come to a resolution on the DHS funding, which a slew of Democrats have rejected in light of the recent killing of nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Trump is "in constant contact" with lawmakers "and he is urging them not to shut down the government," Bessent told CNBC.

Bessent spoke as the Trump administration tempers its tone after its harsh initial response to two immigration enforcement-related killings in Minneapolis that stirred waves of outrage from Democrats and even some Republicans.

The Cabinet secretary declined to make a prediction about whether a shutdown  the second in less than four months  will be averted.

"I don't know what to expect. The Democrats can become unhinged like they were last time, and they don't care. Like, they think this is a way to stop President Trump," he said.

He also warned that another shutdown could cause further economic harm.

"Especially on the service side, when the government shut down, that never comes back. So, there's a big permanent loss," Bessent said.

The House of Representatives last week passed a more-than-$1.2 trillion spending package that includes funding for DHS, the agency in charge of federal immigration enforcement.

The package, which accounts for the bulk of government spending for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, requires Democratic support to clear the Senate's 60-vote filibuster threshold. And if the Senate changes what the House already passed, the House would have to return from a prescheduled recess to vote on any amended measure, with little time to spare before a shutdown.

Democratic opposition to the spending package rapidly grew after Pretti's killing on Saturday morning. Senate Democrats now say they will vote against the package unless the DHS portion is stripped out, something Republicans have signaled they will not do.

Pretti was killed just weeks after another U.S. citizen, Renee Nicole Good, was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis.

In both cases, the Trump administration initially came out in full-throated defense of its officers' actions while accusing the slain citizens of domestic terrorism.

After widespread blowback  and after new polls showed Trump's immigration approval rating plummeting  the administration has dialed back its tone.

Trump said Tuesday, "we're going to de-escalate a bit" in Minnesota.

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has suggested that that pivot is not enough for Democrats to drop the shutdown threat.

"The fix should come from Congress; the public can't trust the administration to do the right thing on its own," Schumer said Tuesday on the Senate floor.

"In the meantime, I will vote no on any legislation that funds [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] until it is reined in and overhauled, and Senate Democrats are overwhelmingly united on this issue," Schumer said.

This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters about the Israel-Iran conflict, aboard Air Force One on June 24, 2025, while traveling to attend the NATO summit in The Hague in the Netherlands.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran on Wednesday that an "armada" was heading toward it and that it should "make a deal" with the U.S. on its contested nuclear program or face a large-scale U.S. military attack.

"A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela," Trump posted on Truth Social.

"Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary," he added.

Trump said he hoped Iran would come to the table to negotiate "a fair and equitable deal" regarding its nuclear weapons program.

"Time is running out, it is truly of the essence," Trump said.

"As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn't, and there was "Operation Midnight Hammer," a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again," the president added.

'Operation Midnight Hammer' refers to a U.S.-led operation in June 2025 to destroy several key Iranian nuclear facilities that the U.S. said were being used to enrich uranium for use in nuclear weapons.

It's not the first warning to Tehran that U.S. military assets were being moved toward the Middle East. Last week, Trump said an "armada" was heading toward Iran but that he hoped he didn't have to use it. That warning came after authorities' brutal clampdown on nationwide protests in Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Wednesday that he had not been in contact with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days or requested negotiations, Reuters reported, citing Iranian state media.

The U.S. has used a variety of sanctions targeting Iran's illicit oil trade, as well as military threats and action, to try to bring Tehran to the negotiating table to halt its nuclear program.

Trump pulled the U.S. out of an Obama-era nuclear deal in 2018, during his first term in office, saying the deal was "decaying and rotten."

Trump said in March 2025 that he wanted to renegotiate a nuclear deal with Iran after reimposing a "maximum pressure" campaign on the Islamic Republic but efforts to renew talks appear to have failed.

Iran was back on the president's radar last month, however, after public unrest erupted over ongoing economic hardship in the country and its religious-conservative leadership.

Iran's security services' crackdown on the protests, mass arrests and threatened executions prompted Trump to warn Iran that he would use military action against the country if it "violently kills" protestors. He then suggested the threat had worked, leading to a temporary de-escalation of tensions with the White House.

Some reports suggest that the death toll during the unrest could top 30,000 people, but Iranian-focused human rights group HRANA says 6,221 people are confirmed to have died, while over 17,000 deaths are still under investigation. The total number of arrests has reached 42,324, HRANA reported Tuesday.
UBS believes that Texas Instruments ' free cash flow has now reached an inflection point. The bank maintained its buy rating on the semiconductor stock and lifted its 12-month price target to $260 from $245. That is approximately 32% above Texas Instruments' current valuation. The change comes after the company issued better-than-expected guidance for the current quarter, sending shares up 7% in the premarket. TXN 1Y mountain TXN 1Y chart Texas Instruments now sees its earnings coming in between $1.22 and $1.48 per share, with the higher end of this range above the $1.26 analysts polled by LSEG expected. The company expects revenue between a range of $4.32 billion and $4.68 billion, with the high end also above the $4.42 billion consensus estimate. UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri noted that his price target increase comes at a time when Texas Instruments' free cash flow is about to inflect. The analyst added that historically, this has been the most important metric. "Specific to TXN, it is already annualizing ~$6/share in FCF which we think is more like ~$8.5 when adjusting for capex coming down substantially over next 4-6 quarters based on TXN's commentary," he wrote. "From this baseline, it is no longer hard to see how FCF could approach $10/share this year and ~$12/share next year with revenue only growing mid-teens/yr in C2026E/2027E and we have shown many times that this stock is more correlated to FCF than gross margin." An additional catalyst could come from further positive commentary about free cash flow in another month at the company's annual Capital Management call. Arcuri expects this will support some of his numbers.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025.

A renewed push to conclude a U.S.-India trade deal may get underway, analysts say, as the White House sees other countries and power blocs working harder than ever to remove barriers to trade and tariffs.

The urgency and impetus to get talks over the line could come after the EU and India signed off on a long-awaited trade deal on Tuesday, with the agreement seeing both sides phase out tariffs on the vast majority of each other's imports.

"The EUIndia deal could ... light a fire under efforts to conclude a U.S.India trade deal and help to move negotiations forward on a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement," Mark Linscott, nonresident senior fellow on India at the Atlantic Council, commented Tuesday.

Trump has yet to react to the EU-India deal, which was two decades in the making, but Washington could view bilateral trade agreements between other powerful nations with concern and as a potential threat.

The U.S. already has a trade deal with the EU (which has maintained 15% tariffs on EU exports to the States) but when it comes to the U.S.' own stalled trade talks with India  a country it imposed a 50% tariff on  it certainly leaves negotiations in more uncertain territory.

But according to Atlantic Council expert Linscott there is no need for a U.S.-India deal to be derailed. "While the agreement may be interpreted as a response to the Trump administration's tariffs and tariff threats, there is no reason it should undermine the U.S. trade relationships with either the EU or India," he said.

India's oil and gas minister told CNBC on Tuesday that a U.S.-India trade deal was at a "very advanced stage" but conceded he didn't have a timeline for the conclusion of a deal.
Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Wednesday: Mizuho upgrades Applied Materials to outperform from neutral Mizuho says it likes the semiconductor company's accelerating growth. "Upgrading AMAT to Outperform, Raising PT to $370 (prior Neutral/$275PT)." Jefferies downgrades BJ's Wholesale to hold from buy Jefferies downgrades the stock, citing slower growth. "We downgrade BJ' s to Hold as growth shifts toward competitive markets, raising execution and margin risk." Oppenheimer names Amazon a top pick Oppenheimer raises its price target on Amazon and says it's a top pick. "Increasing target to $315 from $305 on higher AWS estimates after analyzing Anthropic impact and view as top mega-cap." Read more. Morgan Stanley upgrades Johnson & Johnson to overweight from equal weight The investment bank raises its price target to $252 per share from $200 and says it sees a "path to EPS beats." "We upgrade JNJ to OW from EW and raise our PT to $262 on higher estimates from new products and a higher P/E multiple." Read more. Piper Sandler initiates Shattuck Labs at overweight Piper says the biotech company is best positioned. "We are initiating coverage on Shattuck Labs, Inc . (STTK) with an OW rating and $15 PT." Bank of America reiterates Ferrari as buy Bank of America lowers its price target to $360 per share from $415. "FY25 figures are due on February 10, 2026. We expect no major surprises, but Ferrari should remain conservative in its outlook." Wells Fargo initiates Heartflow at overweight Wells says the medtech company has upside potential. "We rate HTFL Overweight as we believe it is a top AI play in medtech with a strong first mover advantage in AI-based CAD [coronary artery disease] diagnostics. Barclays initiates TPG as overweight Barclays says the capital markets company is best positioned. "A robust fundraising outlook, natural margin expansion opportunities, and solid investment performance, among other factors, set up for a healthy medium-term FRE growth profile and position TPG well against a recovering capital markets backdrop." KeyBanc upgrades Nextpower to overweight from sector weight KeyBanc sees an attractive risk/reward for the alternative energy company following earnings. "With yet another beat and raise, and solidifying LT growth algorithm, we are upgrading NXT to Overweight with a $142 PT and raising estimates." JPMorgan downgrades Western Alliance to neutral from overweight JPMorgan sees "upside risk" for the regional bank. "Heading into this year, WAL was one of our lower-ranked Overweight-rated stocks tied to our view thatdespite projecting the company to be one of the strongest EPS/TBV growers in 2026we see upside risk to the company's ECR [earnings credit rate] deposit costs, especially after three straight 'guide ups' for this line item last year after providing the initial 2025 outlook..." Rothschild & Co Redburn upgrades Visa to buy from neutral Rothschild & Co Redburn upgrades the credit card payments company and says it sees greater demand. "Our view is informed by the following: (i) the pricing power from a more fragmented ecommerce world results in a shift away from large merchants back to the card networks and (ii) the increased risk around agentic commerce will result in greater demand for Visa and Mastercard's cyber and risk offerings." Bank of America initiates Celestica at buy The firm says the switch company is a beneficiary of the "data center boom." "We initiate coverage of Celestica Inc. ( CLS US/CLS CN) with a Buy rating and US$400/ CA$543 price objective." Bank of America upgrades Microchip Technology to buy from neutral Bank of America says the stock has "recovery potential." "Raise estimates and upgrade peer MCHP to Buy from Neutral as read-across with a $95 PO vs $78 pror," Barclays initiates Raymond James Financial at overweight Barclays says the financial services company has an "attractive valuation." "We initiate coverage on RJF with an Overweight rating and $191 PT, driven by our bullish sentiment towards the company's LT compounding growth potential and attractive valuation given over-extrapolated near-term headwinds." Wedbush reiterates Apple as outperform Wedbush says it's sticking with the iPhone maker ahead of earnings on Thursday. "We believe 2026 will be a pivotal year for the tech giant as AAPL will look to transition demand from a strong iPhone 17 sales cycle to the iPhone 18 while managing pressure in key markets like China and keeping the ball rolling on its AI initiatives as it looks to get back into the generative AI game." UBS reiterates Texas Instruments as buy UBS raises its price target to $260 from $245 following earnings. "Amid investor sentiment on this stock that has been lackluster at best, TXN is starting to sound better with the revenue bias again shifting to seasonal plus and bookings/backlog commentary turning more constructive - all consistent with the read we had across analog coming out of our conference in early December." Read more.
When KPMG executive Anton Ruddenklau moved to high-rise Singapore from the leafy streets of a London commuter town, one of the first things he noticed was how easy it was to do business in the Southeast Asian nation.

"People are set up to build relationships here," he told CNBC by phone.

It was January 2021, and Ruddenklau moved to Singapore to lead KPMG's financial services advisory practice in the country. "You arrive and you realize that actually the government has a nation-building mindset that's hugely enabling," he said.

And, while Ruddenklau said Singapore as a market by itself is "not particularly interesting," because of its small population, investors like it for its location, English common-law and large private capital markets, he added, describing it as a "hub" for capital flows into and out of Asia.

The level of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Singapore as a percentage of GDP is one of the highest in the world, according to the World Bank, with many international investors seeing the country as something of a refuge.

"A big reason Singapore attracts overseas investors is credibility," according to Geoff Howie, a market strategist at the city-state's stock exchange SGX Group. "It offers policy stability, strong institutions, deep trade and financial connectivity, and a currency that is increasingly seen as an anchor of macro discipline rather than a swing factor," he told CNBC by email.

Indeed, the Singapore dollar hit its highest level against the U.S. dollar since October 2014 this week. As of Wednesday, it was trading at about 1.26.

In the five years that Ruddenklau has lived in Singapore, he's observed it move away from being a "little red dot"  an affectionate, colloquial term referring to its size on the map  to something much more. Now it is "much more of a globally significant middle power," Ruddenklau said, referring to a term Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney used last week to describe his own country.
Protean eGov wins 25 crore contract for Ethiopia agriculture digital platform

Company to implement AI-led digital public infrastructure to support farmers and agricultural services at a national scale
Larsen and Toubro wins order worth up to 10,000 crore for Riyadh Metro extension

The scope of work includes design and turnkey construction of 8.4km-long metro line, comprising both elevated and underground sections, and five stations, L&T said.
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At Conrad's Jan. 21 City Council meeting Mayor Cates announced the appointment of Sgt. Andy Lund to the position of acting Chief of Police until a permanent chief is appointed. The Council unanimously approved the decision. Lund has been with the department since Feb. 2, 2021. Prior to that he served as a deputy sheriff in Pondera County for over eight years.

Lund has already begun to implement some changes in the department, such as working on officer safety, working toward setting a standard Conrad Police uniform, making sure all department vehicles have identification decals as well as getting an old car decommissioned and the new one outfitted.

"There are some things that needed to be caught up," said Lund. "I want the department to be in great shape for the new chief."

He would like to be appointed to the position permanently, but stresses that he will give full support to the new chief, whomever the mayor appoints.

Lund acknowledges that working in law enforcement is stressful.

"It's how you manage stress," he says. "Right now, it's about moving forward, helping the public and having a good relationship with the community. Our biggest asset is community--it's the most important thing to us."

The Conrad Police Department is short two officers and applications are being accepted.

In the recent council meeting, Mayor Cates said they had a good candidate in the works. He is not POST certified, but has a good background with related skills.

Confirming the mayor's statement, Lund said he is looking forward to the potential new hire and agrees he is a good candidate.

"We've talked about starting a youth academy," he said. "It's not definite yet, but we are working towards that."

He believes the new candidate is a good fit and is interested in getting involved in that project. Applications are being accepted for the second opening, preferably POST certified. Lund said he has already received several inquiries.

The acting chief stresses that community outreach will continue with classes in defensive tactics and firearms training. He became a certified firearms instructor while he was a deputy sheriff.

"The sheriff's office saw a need for a second firearms instructor. I took the training and was certified and taught for three years before coming here to the police department."

He teaches classes and one-on-one training with a focus on the basics.

"I always stress the basics," Lund said at a firearms training session last fall.

He has an easy-going manner, is friendly and approachable. When it comes to his job or firearms training, he is serious and gets down to business. He watches every move a student makes and identifies problem areas that need correcting. He is patient and thorough with attention to every detail. From finding the right gun to fit the person and perfecting proper grip to identifying the target, drawing the weapon, aiming and firing, he understands the importance of developing muscle memory and the need for repetition to 'get it right' before moving to the next step. He challenges students to be better and says there's always room for improvement.

Lund moved to Conrad over 13 years ago.

"I moved here for the job with the sheriff's office," he said.

He was hired by then Sheriff Tom Kuka, and worked under Sheriffs Suta, Gobert and Skorupa.

Lund grew up in Hamilton. His first job with law enforcement was in Ravalli County as a juvenile and adult detention officer.

"I was hired part time and was scheduled to go to the academy," said Lund. "They told me not to think about finding another job, because there was a full-time job waiting for me after the academy."

Although he did not grow up in Conrad, Lund said he will stay here in Conrad and plans to retire here.

"This city has a lot of good people," he said. "We have a great crew here. Good things are happening and we will always be moving forward."
Mayor Cates called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. After approval of the last meeting minutes and claims, he called for public comment. Hearing none, he asked for Department reports.

Library

In December there were program cancellations due to short staff from accident or illness and the wind storm. Director Tiffany Christensen gave the council a Year in Review report, showing numbers and outreach programs. There were minor updates to library policies that are posted on the librarys website. The policies were updated to keep current with changes in the Montana Code Annotated. The library will be open from 10 a.m.  2 p.m. on Saturdays. Christensen is working with the Valier library on Chris La Trays program on Feb. 11 at the Orpheum. The event starts at 6 p.m. Chris La Tray is the author of Becoming Little Shell. He is an enrolled member of the Little Shell Tribe of Ojibway, a Metis storyteller and a descendent of the Pembina Band of the mighty Red River of the North. He was Montanas Poet Laureate for 2023-25. La Tray lives near Frenchtown and writes a weekly newsletter An Irritable Metis.

Finance report

The city is starting to see income come in from taxes, with 25% of total income now in. The last finance report showed heavy expenditures from the wrapping up of the storm water project.

Formal Acceptance of Cory Smiths resignation.

Mayor Cates called for a motion to accept Cory Smiths resignation effective December 31, 2025. Motion passed.

Appointment of Interim Police Chief

Mayor Cates appointed Sgt. Andy Lund as interim chief. A motion was made to approve the appointment and for Lund to receive a $500 monthly stipend given to acting chiefs. The stipend is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2026.

The mayor is publishing an ad for chief of police with the job service, the Pioneer Press and on the citys website with links for the application. The department is down two people.

Mayor Cates said they have interviewed a person who is a good officer candidate with experience in related types of training. Background checks and related requirements need to be met for him to be hired.

Resolution #26-1330

The resolution to add Jerad Walston to all Stockman Bank accounts was passed.

Genevieve Rieken Anderson Charitable Trust

The city received $11,109.59 from the trust and is now accepting applications from qualified non-profit organizations.

Mayor Cates publicly recognized all the extra work the city crew did after the big wind storm in December.

Announcements:

March will be the citys audit month. They will be using a new process that gives the auditors direct access to documents needed for the audit.
The following are the dispositions settled in Toole County Justice Court from Jan. 16 - Jan. 22, by the Honorable Judge Donna Whitt.

Mitchell R. Tolbert, seatbelt violation, $20 fine; contempt of Justice Court, $100.

Kevin R. Grant, no log book in possession, $235 fine.

Kamaljeet Singh, exceeding the max gross weight allowed any group of axles, bridge formula, $385 fine; contempt of Justice Court, guilty.

Sunghyuk Son, tire ply or belt material exposed, $135 fine.

Brian J. Bess, operating without over-dimensional size permit, $85 fine.

Dylan J. Champagne, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding nighttime limit, 82/65, $70 fine.

Ira V. Moreno, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding nighttime limit, 85/65, $70 fine.

Ian M. Law, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding daytime limit, 80/70, $20 fine.

Singh S. Gurpreet, interstate/international motor carrier operating without payment of fee required for coop/recip, $85 fine.

Roberto N. Garcia Jr., operating a vehicle which has not been properly registered, $85 fine.

Jessica R. Morrison, speeding on non-interstate, exceeding daytime limit, 80/70, $20 fine.

Stanley J. Blois, speeding on interstate, exceeding daytime limit, 90/80, $40 fine.

Avtar Singh, failure to obey direction to be weighed, $235 fine.

Michael W. Field, failure to purchase trip permit immediately upon arrival in state, $85 fine.

Luis D. Arismendi, log not current, $135 fine; interstate/international motor carrier operating without payment of fee required for coop/recip, $75 fine.

Earl J. Hamby Jr., speeding on non-interstate, exceeding nighttime limit, 75/65, $20 fine.

Jodie A. Devereaux, operating without liability insurance in effect, first offense, dismissed by court.

Bernhard Rempel Wolf, failure to follow conditions and requirements of special permit, $135 fine.
Carol J. (McIntyre) Kaldor, 80, passed away at home Jan. 11, 2026, after a long battle with oral cancer.

Born in Conrad, Carol graduated from Conrad High School in 1964, attended Northern Montana College, (now MSU Havre) for two years and then attended Great Falls Commercial College for business. She and Ronald Kaldor were married June 3, 1967 and began their life together at Fort Lee, Va. where Ron completed his military obligation, returning to Montana in 1969. Rons career moved them around a bit, but they eventually came back to Conrad, where Carol began a 20-year part-time employment with Easter Seals and caregiving. During this time, Carol completed her CNA Certification. When Ron became ill, both she and Shannon cared for him until his death. It was during this time that Carol also operated a small cleaning business until she was forced to retire because of her health. Shannon continued to care for Carol, granting her wish to live at home until her death.

Carol is survived by her daughter, Shannon (Jason) Hartline; her sister-in-law Susan (Walt) Wall; sisters June Hovde and Marlene (Roger) Moon of Conrad; Ellen Adams of Chester; brother Gary (Donna) McIntyre of Parker, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews as well as special extended family, Tia Robinson and sons.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Ron; her parents Manning and Helen McIntyre; sisters Kathy Amestoy; and infant sister Babe; brothers-in-law Ed Hovde and Lavern (Buck) Amestoy; brother Dan McIntyre and niece Lia Moon.

Carol was a 50-year member of the Conrad Lutheran Church and a 62-year member of the Order of Eastern Star. At her request, no services are planned. Cremation has taken place and burial will take place at a future date.

Special thanks to the Doctors and staff at Logan Health Care, Conrad; Sletten Cancer Institute and Benefis Hospital and Hospice, Great Falls, for their attention to, and care of, Carol during her illness; and the Community Cancer Foundation for the financial assistance provided to her.

Thank you to Croxfords Mortuary, Great Falls. You were all so wonderful to her and helpful to us. A special thanks to Ernie Ratzburg and Joe Carlton for their friendship and concern for her family. Thanks to Ron and Jeanne Moon, Junes family and Marlenes husband for their unwavering help during this difficult time in our lives. More thanks to all who prayed and gave us spiritual support and friendship. We will always remember your kindness.

May you rest in Peace Carol. You are loved and will be remembered by all your family.
With heavy hearts yet with grateful hearts for the life he lived, the family of Kenneth Raemaeker, age 81, is announcing his passing on Jan. 13, 2026.

There will be a Celebration of Life at Grouse Mountain Lodge, Whitefish on Aug. 15, 2026 starting as 11 a.m.

Ken was born in Conrad, Mont. in 1944, He moved to Cut Bank with his parents and siblings when he was in the seventh grade and graduated from Cut Bank High School. After high school graduation, he joined the Navy, and after years of service was honorably discharged. He then enrolled at Eastern Montana College in Billings where he graduated in accounting.

He met his wife Sharon while in college. After college they moved back to Cut Bank. There he worked as an accountant and later started his own accounting practice. Ken's entrepreneurial spirit led him to start a number

of businesses, such as Border Pipe and American Pipe.

While in Cut Bank two children were born - Daniel and Nicole which filled his life with such pride watching them grow up and become adults.

Along with his wife and two kids, Ken is survived by six siblings and four grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Last Wednesday as I was driving back to Cut Bank after delivering the newspapers in Browning, I realized I was around the spot where, as kids when driving home from the family cabin in Essex, one of us would shout, First one to see the airport!

Now we couldnt actually see the airport, but what we could see was the beacon that sat on top of the hangar at the Cut Bank Airport. It flashed alternately green and white lights. It was there to help pilots locate the airport. To us kids, it was there so we could be the winner.

No one ever let on that they were intently watching the road ahead in order to be the first one to make the announcement that the airport had been sighted. Im sure we all thought we were covertly scoping out the skyline for that first glimpse of light, but as an adult looking back, Im sure the anticipation in the vehicle was palpable to my parents.

As adults traveling from the west back to Cut Bank, we still watch and wait so we can still be the first one to see the airport.

I was thinking to myself that would be a great column. I even wrote myself a note when I got back to the office so I wouldnt forgetsometimes I have ideas about columns and think that would make a great column and its so great an idea that surely I will not forget it. Until I do.

Little did I know when I had this great idea about the airport and the beacon, that less than 24 hours later my familys beacon would be gone.

My mother had a biopsy back in December. Cancer of unknown origin. More testing. On January 13 she got the results. Pancreatic cancer. She was given one month to live.

Whenever you hear the words pancreatic cancer, they are usually followed by how little time passed between diagnosis and death.

So, travel plans were made. People who had been planning on visiting in the spring changed their plans. Almost everyone made it home in time for dinner on Saturday night. We laughed, we cried. Stories were told. Memories recounted. New memories made.

Sunday some of us gathered at my moms so the ones leaving that day could come say goodbye before heading back to Bozeman, Arizona, Washington, Idaho and New York. More laughter, more crying.

Each day after that it took a little longer for her to get moving in the morning and each night she got tired a little earlier. And even though we told her to go to bed, she would stay and visit for a while longer or play one more hand of cards before she finally said she was done and would go to bed.

January 22 she took her last breath. She went fast, without having to experience a lot of pain and suffering. For that we are all grateful.

She was our beacon. The shining light that led us all home. Depending on who you were, you were either going to moms or going to grandmas.

On Sunday I was the reader at church and at the end of mass I had to read the announcements. One of those was my mothers funeral service. I closed my eyes for a moment, took a breath and proceeded. When I got back to my seat with tears in my eyes, my four-year-old niece immediately came over to me and asked if I was okay.

I thanked her for asking and said I would be okay. I didnt say I was okay. Because even though I am 68 years old, I still need my mommy.

No more walking in her house and saying, Hello, mommy, and her responding, Hello, Dawnie.

The night she passed away, the streetlight at the end of her block was blinking furiously when I stepped outside to go to my car.

Our beacon letting us know shes still with us.

I love you mommy and miss you even more.
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Interview: Unilateral U.S. actions risk destabilizing global order, historian warns

Xinhua) 13:47, January 28, 2026

LISBON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The United States' recent actions toward Venezuela constitute "a severe violation of the United Nations Charter and the basic rules of international relations," said Lisbon-based historian Rui Lourido in an interview with Xinhua.

"It is totally unacceptable to use the policy of the strongest power, through commercial blackmail, military threats, the blockade of international waters and airspace, and the seizure of the legitimate president of a country without a United Nations mandate," Lourido said, criticizing Washington's "growing reliance on coercion."

The researcher accused the U.S. of maintaining "an illegitimate naval blockade" and of "pirating and stealing oil tankers sailing to and from Venezuela."

He warned that "the danger for the remaining countries of South America, especially Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico, is very great," and this danger also extends to Canada and Greenland.

"According to the new strategy approved by the Pentagon, the countries of the American continent should submit fully to U.S. hegemony," he said.

Lourido alleged that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and contracted agents are increasing their manipulation of information "and covert actions to create internal chaos," paving the way for regime change and access to natural resources.

He warned that if economic sanctions do not lead to submission, the U.S. will apply "a brutal military threat," which represents "a real danger" to economic development and political autonomy.

For decades, argued Lourido, the U.S. has promoted a "rules-based world, shaped by U.S. interests." It has justified past interventions in countries such as Iraq, Libya, and Syria with the need to restore democracy and human rights, a narrative Lourido considers to have been discredited.

"The genocide of the Palestinian people by the State of Israel, with U.S. military support, shows that human rights and the export of democracy were and remain mere rhetoric," he said.

He warned that "military and economic blackmail and open piracy have assumed a central role in U.S. tactics." Lourido cited Venezuela and U.S. pressure on Europe, particularly Denmark and Greenland, as examples.

"The military threat is real and deeply disturbing for any country in Africa, the Middle East, or Asia that actively opposes the United States," he added.

In Lourido's view, the weakening of international and multilateral organizations poses "a serious threat to global stability and security."

He criticized U.S. actions affecting the United Nations system and the World Trade Organization, as well as attempts to create alternative mechanisms outside the UN framework. Such moves, he said, aim to legitimize unilateral policies and undermine international law.

Regarding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Lourido said recent U.S. military actions are "a temporary destabilizing factor" for the alliance. "The threat to take Greenland, whether by purchase or by force, does not respect the sovereignty of Denmark, one of NATO's most loyal members," he underlined.

While Europe has often aligned itself with U.S.-led interventions, Lourido observed growing discomfort when similar coercive methods are directed at European allies.

Nevertheless, he does not foresee the dissolution of NATO. The elite is already planning the best way to essentially concede to U.S. demands, while trying "to save face and formally preserve sovereignty," he said, warning that such dynamics "corrode stability and trust" within the alliance.

Lourido said actions such as the seizure of a president, maritime piracy, and airspace blockades without UN approval are "dire, serious, and illegitimate."

In a turbulent world, he concluded, "Europe should diversify and intensify its economic relations with Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Americas, to reduce its energy, economic and political dependence on the United States."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Some things you can't come back from.

Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, would like to try.

Or would he?

After taking out a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal on Monday in which he offered a qualified apology for years of his virulent antisemitism, West seemingly endorsed more Nazi imagery.

He clearly isn't sincere. So what are we doing here?

Why are the likes of billionaire Bill Ackman, who loves to tell the culture what to think and how to feel, endorsing West?

'A powerful apology from Ye,' Ackman wrote on X, above a repost of West's apology. 'An important read.'

Is it, really? I think not.

Some things you can't come back from. Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, would like to try. Or would he?

'To those I've hurt,' West began  that would be Jews the world over, but let's keep it vague with 'those'.

'Twenty-five years ago,' he continued, 'I was in a car accident that broke my jaw and caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain. At the time, the focus was on the visible damage  the fracture, the swelling, and the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed.

'Comprehensive scans were not done, neurological exams were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised. It wasn't properly diagnosed until 2023. That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis.'

Since when does bipolar 1 cause rabid antisemitism?

What's notable about this lengthy, ostensible apology is what's not in it.

No mention of October 7. No apology for normalizing antisemitism among the unhinged alt-right. No denouncement of Nick Fuentes and his 'groypers', who laud West as a god.

No remorse for writing and recording a song titled 'Heil Hitler', or for posting, verbatim, 'I'm a Nazi' and 'I love Hitler.'

West has apologized for this before, by the way. He's also just as quickly taken those apologies back.

In December 2023, West begged forgiveness, in Hebrew, for espousing and promoting the hatred of Jews.

'I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions,' he wrote.

Unintended outburst? What kind of gaslighting is that?

'It was not my intention to hurt or disrespect,' he claimed. 'I am committed to making amends and promoting greater unity.'

That apology came one year after West was dropped by Adidas, Gap and Balenciaga over a slew of antisemitic statements and one month before his album Vultures dropped.

So really, it was clear and cynical attempt to revive his commercial and critical relevance. And when that didn't work, what did West do?

He took it all back.

West, on X, in February last year:

'I'm never apologizing for my Jewish comments. I can say whatever the f**k I wanna say forever Be clear, you Jewish n****s don't run me no more.'

It seems very clear who we're dealing with: A narcissistic, irrelevant Jew-hater who wants us to feel sorry for him  not the Jews, who he is endangering with his self-professed love of Hitler and Nazis  because he's bipolar.

Oh, and he's also got a new album coming out. Cover art? A smile mocked up to resemble Hitler's mustache.

He's got a new album coming out. Cover art? A smile mocked up to resemble Hitler's mustache.

Some things are unforgivable. Some people are irredeemable. West is one of them  and it's a shame, really, because at his best, he's a musical genius.

But West has done this to himself. He belongs on the trash heap of has-beens and the unforgiven.

How cynical to attempt to medicalize, to pathologize, his extreme hatred of Jews.

You can see why he'd try, given that we live in a culture where any offense, no matter how grievous, is contextualized as a tragic byproduct of mental illness.

Just look at what Nick Reiner's defense team seemingly attempted to do  explain away the alleged savage double-homicide of his parents as the result of mistreated mental illness.

If only Nick had the right meds!

The world is better off without some people in it. We can all agree that it's a moral and legal disgrace that Bryan Kohberger didn't get the death penalty.

That, I would argue, is a healthy reaction. It's an evolutionary adaptation to appropriately eliminate physical and psychological threats.

Kanye West has no business, no place, in mainstream media. He has nothing to offer good society  in fact, he poisons it.

Note that he says nothing in this so-called apology, nothing, about his abhorrent treatment of women. About having his wife, Bianca Censori, walk red carpets naked or be photographed on her knees, seemingly performing a sex act on him, in a boat in Venice.

Note that he says nothing in this so-called apology, nothing, about his abhorrent treatment of women. About having his wife, Bianca Censori, walk red carpets naked (pictured) or be photographed on her knees, seemingly performing a sex act on him, in a boat in Venice.

Kanye West has no business, no place, in mainstream media. He has nothing to offer good society  in fact, he poisons it. (Pictured: Performing apparent sex act in Venice).

Mark my words: Sean Combs will have an easier time making a comeback than Kanye West.

Once you've said you're Hitler, or that you love Hitler, you can't really shock people.

And when you've already apologized once, then taken that apology back using disgusting slurs, you can't ask the public to ever trust you or support you again.

Kanye West loved and lived to shock. He's delusional enough to think that anyone decent cares at all about him or what he has to say.

It's more than delusion  it's megalomania, really. From his WSJ ad:

'My words as a leader in my community have global impact and influence.'

HA! Not anymore, Ye. Not by a longshot.

Now, Kanye West is met with indifference. And that is the worst fate of all.
About 34 million Americans suffer from this condition in their lifetime, and I see countless patients with the issue in my clinic.

Almost every morning, I have a new patient hobble in, wincing with every step, and clutching the back of their heel in agony, wondering what's wrong.

Often, they are 40 to 60 years old and have been battling the condition for months. But in recent years, I have seen more runners in their 20s and 30s.

Many tell me of a stabbing pain in their heel that is at its worst late at night or first thing in the morning. During the day, patients sometimes suffer from a dull ache. They've tried everything to soothe it - foot rollers, massages and Epsom salt baths - but nothing seems to work.

These patients are suffering from plantar fasciitis, a condition where the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue connecting your heel to your toes that helps you walk, has become irritated, inflamed and developed microtears.

It's often worse just after waking up because the ligament shortens while we sleep, and is then suddenly stretched when we stand, triggering new tears and pain.

It can affect a wide variety of people, from builders to office workers, dancers and film crew members, and is normally linked to standing for long periods of time or the over-use of the feet.

Many patients may not realize their pain is indicative of something more serious than simply over-use. After treating many patients with the condition, I have come up with the three most common symptoms that reveal you have the condition - and effective ways to treat it.

About one in 10 Americans suffers from plantar fasciitis during their lifetime, estimates suggest. It has recently surged among runners (stock image)

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Sharp, stabbing pain in the heel

Heel pain and tightness are among the most common symptoms that patients report.

They describe the pain as sharp, stabbing or shooting at the bottom of their heel. While they report that it's usually worst first thing in the morning, many say it eases within a few minutes.

In some patients, the pain can also feel like a dull, constant ache throughout the day.

Pictured: podiatrist Jonathan Brocklehurst

The condition doesn't normally cause pain at the front of the foot or in the toe joints - that kind of discomfort is normally linked to other complications, such as arthritis or damage to ligaments.

It's important to note that plantar fasciitis does not normally cause a burning type of pain.

If someone starts to feel a burning in their heel, they should talk to their doctor to determine whether there is damage to the area.

Heel spurs (bony outgrowths that poke out below the back of the heel) are often linked to plantar fasciitis, but these are two distinct conditions. They should be reviewed by ultrasound imaging to determine the extent of the growths and whether action is needed.

Pain after activity, but not during

Heavy loads of physical exercise during the day can trigger the heel pain. But this normally happens after the activity rather than during it.

For example, builders may be on their feet for 10 hours a day while fashion fitters and film crews are similarly standing for long periods.

The above diagram shows the plantar fascia, the connective tissue at the base of the feet. The red areas show trauma that can cause pain in the foot

This overuse puts pressure on the plantar fascia and can cause any existing tears to widen or new tears to appear, triggering pain when someone sits down or rests.

The ligament does not hurt as much when in use because the movement keeps it stretched.

To help minimize the resulting pain, I tell my patients to wear supportive footwear if they must stand for long hours. They should also try to avoid putting all their weight on one foot when possible.

Tired old shoes

In some cases, problems with footwear can be the cause of the condition.

Those worn out sneakers falling apart at the seams may be saving you a few dollars, but they are wreaking havoc on your feet.

Some patients who develop plantar fasciitis simply choose - maybe unknowingly - to wear poor footwear that provides little support.

But in other cases, I've seen footwear required for careers - such as high heels or ballet shoes - also trigger the issue.

A lack of support in someone's footwear can raise the risk of the ligament experiencing more microtears, which will eventually cause patients pain.

To avoid this, I tell my patients to wear shoes with a deep and wide toe box, secure and adjustable midfoot fastening, such as laces, and a cushioning and shock-absorbing heel.

Plantar fasciitis can be managed, and even cured, with simple lifestyle changes rather than surgery (stock image)

What raises my risk of suffering from the condition?

Many podiatrists warn that obesity can also raise the risk of plantar fasciitis.

This is because the feet support the weight of the body, so more weight means more strain and stress on the arch of the foot, particularly during exercise.

In my clinic, patients who are obese have also presented with pes planus, or flat feet, which can be a direct result of obesity.

Doctors add that having flat feet, which affects eight percent of adults in the US, and being in an occupation that keeps you on your feet regularly can also raise the risk of developing plantar fasciitis.

What treatments are there?

Doctors diagnose plantar fasciitis by examining the foot for areas of tenderness. Normally, no tests are needed. But patients may be asked to get X-rays or MRIs.

Many patients can recover in several months by icing painful areas, stretching or reducing their activity levels.

They can also take over-the-counter painkillers to reduce the discomfort.

For others, doctors may recommend physical therapy or stretches for the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon to help strengthen the lower leg and minimize pain.

Some may also switch to supportive shoes with padding to support the arch and heel, which would ideally minimize the impact from walking.

In less common cases, if the pain is intense, patients may receive steroid injections in their foot to reduce pain. They could also have ultrasonic tissue repair, where a needle-like probe is guided into damaged areas to trigger healing.

Rarely, patients may be offered surgery to ease their symptoms.

Jonathan Brocklehurst, MSc, MIRL, MRCPod, is a podiatrist based in the UK.
A popular chia seed supplier for Whole Foods markets has recalled lots of its products due to possible contamination with Salmonella.

Navitas Organics is voluntarily recalling select lots of its 8-oz Organic Chia Seeds, though the companys statement delivered through an FDA notice does not say that any products were found to have trace amounts of the bacteria.

This action was taken because the company's chia seed supplier initiated its own recall, prompting Navitas Organics to voluntarily recall the affected lots.

The company emphasized that no Salmonella has been found in its specific product and the recall is a preventative step in response to the supplier's issue.

No illnesses linked to the chia seeds, popular among fitness fanatics and wellness gurus for their fiber and omega-3 content, have been reported. According to the FDA, the product was distributed nationally through retail stores such as Whole Foods Market and online retailers, including Amazon.

Ira Haber, Navitas Organics CEO, said: Navitas has provided Organic Chia Seeds to our customers for more than 20 years. Providing safe, healthy food for our customers is why we have been in business this long and its why we are recalling this product today.

Salmonella causes salmonellosis, an infection that can pose a severe, even life-threatening risk to vulnerable groups, including young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems.

Even in healthy people, salmonellosis typically causes fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare cases, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and lead to deadly sepsis.

A major organic brand sold at Whole Foods has recalled specific lots of its chia seeds over potential salmonella contamination (file photo)

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The company said in the FDA notice: If you have any of the 8oz Organic Chia Seeds with the lot numbers listed above, do not consume them. We ask that you open the bag, discard the chia seeds, and dispose of the bag in a manner that makes it unusable.

Packed with fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acids, chia seeds are a nutritional powerhouse.

Just a small serving can help stabilize blood sugar, promote digestive health and promote a feeling for fullness for longer.

Their antioxidant content also supports heart health and helps combat inflammation, making them a simple yet potent addition to smoothies, yogurt and baked goods.

The recall specifically affects eight-ounce stand-up pouches of Navitas Organics Organic Chia Seeds (UPC 858847000284).

Consumers should check the back of the bag for a nine-digit Lot Code starting with W, printed above the nutritional label.

The recalled codes are W31025283, W31025286, and W31025287 with a Best If Used By date of End APR 2027, and W31025311 through W31025317 with a Best If Used By date of End MAY 2027.

A company spokesperson said: The company is working closely with FDA on this issue. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience caused by this recall.

A Salmonella infection is a common but sometimes serious foodborne illness, causing symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.

Join the debate Should companies recall products before any contamination is found, or wait for confirmed risks?

The recall is for 8-ounce pouches of Navitas Organics Organic Chia Seeds (UPC 858847000284). Products with the codes W31025283, W31025286, or W31025287 (best by End APR 2027) and W31025311 through W31025317 (best by End MAY 2027) should not be consumed

Salmonella bacteria attack the lining of the intestines, damaging the cells that help the body absorb water. This disruption leads to severe stomach cramps and the unabsorbed water is expelled as diarrhea (stock)

While most people recover without treatment in less than a week, the infection can be severe enough to require hospitalization, and in rare cases, can be fatal.

Salmonella bacteria invade and destroy the cells that line the intestines. This makes it hard for the body to absorb water, which can result in stomach cramps. The water leaves the body through diarrhea.

Salmonella infection can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening medical emergency. While uncommon, the bacteria can escape the intestines and enter the bloodstream, causing a systemic infection known as bacteremia.

If the body's response to this infection damages its own tissues and organs, it becomes sepsis. This risk is highest for infants, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS or transplant recipients.

In the United States, Salmonella is a leading cause of food poisoning, sickening more than one million people every year. Of those, an estimated 26,500 require hospital care, and the bacteria are responsible for approximately 420 deaths annually.
UK health chiefs have warned that Nipah virus could kill up to 75 per cent of people infected, as a recent outbreak in India sparks fresh pandemic fears.

The virus is a rare but serious infectious disease carried by bats that can infect both pigs and human - in some cases causing irreversible brain damage.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued new guidance amid pandemic fears stating: 'While the risk to most people remains very low, understanding the virus is important if you are planning to travel to areas where it circulates.'

Officials are watching the virus closely, as while there has not yet been any cases identified in the UK, there is no vaccine or treatment for infection.

It is currently estimated that between 40 and 75 per cent of people infected with the virus will die, with others being left with lasting neurological difficulties including persistent seizures and personality changes.

In rare cases, the virus can lay dormant and reactivate months or years after the initial infection, health officials added.

Because of this, Nipah virus was labelled a 'high priority pathogen' in March last year 'that urgently needs investment in developing tests, treatments and vaccines.'

Most infections result from consuming fruits or fruit juices - specifically fermented date palm juice - contaminated with the feces, urine or saliva of infected fruit bats.

The infection is caused by the Nipah virus, a rare but highly dangerous pathogen that can trigger severe breathing problems, seizures and fatal swelling of the brain. Pictured: the aftermath of a 2023 outbreak in India

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The infection can then be spread from person-to-person through close contact and bodily fluids, which triggered the current outbreak in West Bengal.

For those travelling to endemic areas including Bangladesh and India, prevention primarily focuses on avoiding contact with bats and taking extra precautions when preparing food.

All fruit should be washed thoroughly with clean water and peeled before eating. Fruit found on the ground should be avoided due to contamination risk.

It added: 'If you develop symptoms while overseas in an endemic area, seek advice from a health professional immediately.

'If you develop symptoms after returning to the UK, contact your healthcare provider and make sure to mention your recent travel history.'

Prof Paul Hunter, a Professor in Medicine at the University of East Anglia and virus expert says that the chances of it spreading are low, but we shouldn't be complacent.

He said: 'The infection usually spreads from animals to humans either through direct contact or consumption of contaminated food.

'The primary source of infection is bats and people have been infected from consumption of fruit or fruit products - such as raw date palm juice - contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats.

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'However, the first outbreak was associated with contact with infected pigs. Those pigs probably got infected from bats.

'Person-to-person spread does occur but less commonly. Though, spread from infected patients to their health professionals is a particular concern.

'Although Nipah is a very serious infection, it is unlikely to pose a significant risk of global spread as the risk of person-to-person transmission is low... Nevertheless, we cannot be complacent as we have seen recently, some virus can mutate to increased infectivity. Also the long incubation period makes detection at borders very difficult.'

Health chiefs advise all travellers against consuming raw or partially fermented date palm sap - which poses one of the biggest risks - and avoiding close contact with anyone infected.

Nipah usually begins with the sudden onset of flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting and a sore throat.

In some people this can trigger encephalitis - inflammation of the brain - or meningitis, which typically develops three to 21 days after the initial illness begins and can be fatal without intensive supportive care.

This, health chiefs warn, 'is the hallmark of Nipah infection and is associated with a very high mortality rate.'

The incubation period is usually four to 14 days, but it can sometimes be much longer. In rare instances, an incubation period of up to 45 days has been reported.

Join the debate Should Britain impose restrictions on travel to the UK?

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Some parts of Asia have tightened screening measures at airports to control the spread. Around 110 people who came into contact with the infected patients have been quarantined as a precaution

There have also been reports of relapse in a small number of cases.

Human outbreaks of the virus have only been identified in South and South-East Asia.

The latest outbreak in India's West Bengal region has prompted some countries to roll out Covid-era airport screenings to stop it spreading .

The outbreak is linked to a private hospital in West Bengal, where at least five healthcare workers were infected earlier this month.

Around 110 people who came into contact with infected patients have now been quarantined as a precaution, officials said.

So far no cases have been reported outside of India, with a spokesperson from the World Health Organisation (WHO) telling the Daily Mail that they do not expect that the disease is likely to spread beyond India's borders.

They said: 'As per the available information, WHO considers risk of further spread of infection from these two cases is low.

'India has the capacity to contain such outbreaks, as demonstrated during the past outbreaks.

'Recommended public health responses are jointly being rolled out by the national and state health teams. There is no evidence yet of increased human-human transmission.

'However, the source of infection is not yet fully understood. It is possible that further exposure to Nipah virus could occur, given known reservoir of Nipah virus in bat population in some parts of India and Bangladesh, including West Bengal.

'Communitys awareness of risk factors such as consumption of date palm sap needs to be strengthened.'

However, in response to the new cases, Thailand's ministry of public health has implemented health screening for passengers at major airports arriving from West Bengal.

Travellers are being assessed for fever and other Nipah virus symptoms including headache, sore throat, vomiting and muscle pain, and are being issued health 'beware' cards advising what to do if they become ill.

Phuket International Airport is also reportedly undergoing increased cleaning due to its direct flight links and Nepal has raised alert levels.
A hardworking father-of-three has revealed the warning sign that he had developed motor neurone disease at the age of just 39.

Ryan Horsfall, from Suffolk, who works as a plumber, lost the ability to grip with his left hand on October 30.

He said: 'About eight months ago, I was in the gym and struggling to push anything on my left-hand side.

'I never thought anything was wrong. I had a stiff neck at the time, so I thought maybe I'd picked up an injury or had a trapped nerve.'

Concerned, he called his wife, Kimi, who urged him to see a doctor.

He added: 'I had some twitching in my bicep and when I saw the doctor, he did lots of tests and noticed the twitches were also in my leg.

'He asked for a senior doctor and he said to me: "Have you got any idea why you're here?"

'I said I thought I had an injury or trapped nerve and he said "We think you might have motor neurone disease".

Ryan Horsfall was at work when he found himself unable to pick anything up with his hand. He is pictured with his wife, Kimi, and children, Lois, Jude and Sydney

Ryan (pictured with Jude and Sydney) was urged to go to the doctors by his wife when he thought he had a trapped nerve

'I didn't really take it in. It wasn't until I got out of the hospital and phoned Kimi that we realised.

MND is a progressive neurological condition which affects the brain and spinal cord, causing muscle weakness, wasting and paralysis.

The typical age for diagnosis is around 67 years old and is most commonly found in those aged between 50 and 70 - because he was just 39 at the time of his diagnosis, which came two weeks before Christmas, Mr Horsfall is classed as having the early-onset form of the disease.

Mr Horsfall said: 'The diagnosis nearly crushed me. It has been incredibly hard. Acceptance is the biggest thing to come to terms with.

'Initially, you're in a bit of denial, wanting to get another test or a second opinion. At the moment, I'm okay. But I won't let it define me.

'It becomes a waiting game - I ticked all the boxes for the classic symptoms.

'Another doctor told me I had signs of MND but I didn't fit the bill, I was young so it could be plenty of other things.'

He went for further tests with a neurologist - including an MRI and nerve ending test - which revealed he had denervation in all four of his limbs.

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A fortnight before Christmas, Mr Horsfall was given the devastating news that he had early-onset motor neurone disease. He is pictured with two of his children, Lois and Jude

Wife Kimi, a hairdresser, who shares three children with her husband - Lois, eight, Jude, six, and Sydney, three -said: 'I burst into tears when I found out.

'Every worry under the sun came flooding in - the kids, work, the future. He is the man of the house.

'I try hard to go upstairs and cry, but sometimes you are just sitting there, and the kids will say 'I love you', and you can't help it.

'Children are so resilient, and they can take more than we give them credit for. They've been incredible.'

Mr Horsfall said he was considering opting into a life-prolonging drug but that making memories of his family with a good quality of life was his priority.

The couple said they want to make as much noise as possible about the condition to raise awareness.

So far, a GoFundMe set up to help cover Mr Horsfall's loss of earnings, adapting a new home to his needs and making memories has raised more than 62k.

Kimi added: 'We're incredibly grateful and we're all immensely proud of Ryan.

The father of three said he was considering opting into a life-prolonging drug but that making memories of his family with a good quality of life was his priority

Mr Horsfall, pictured with two of his children, said that he struggled to take in the news at first

'You never understand how it feels until you're in a situation like this.'

Around 5,000 adults in the UK are currently living with motor neurone disease, of which ALS is the most common form. The condition affects the nerves that control movement, leading to progressive muscle weakness, loss of speech and difficulty breathing.

For most patients, life expectancy is between two and five years from the onset of symptoms, although the speed of progression can vary widely.

Motor neurone disease is usually diagnosed between the ages of 55 and 75, with symptoms that worsen steadily over time.

Early signs can include muscle twitches, a weak grip, weakness in the leg or ankle, slurred speech and unexplained weight loss.

There is currently no cure, and the disease progressively robs patients of their ability to walk, speak and eventually breathe.
Alzheimer's Society's symptoms checker can help spot the signs of dementia

Delays discharging dementia patients from hospital cost the NHS 328million and wasted half a million bed days last year, new analysis reveals.

At least a quarter of patients aged 65 and over who remained in hospital a week after doctors had declared them fit to leave had dementia, rising to a third after three weeks.

This chronic 'bed-blocking' is fuelling long waits in A&E and hampering efforts to tackle waiting lists as the lack of free space on wards prevents doctors from admitting new patients.

Alzheimer's Society said the figures, which it is publishing for the first time today, show tackling dementia discharge delays is key to easing winter NHS pressures.

Delayed discharge from hospital happens when someone is deemed medically fit to leave but is unable to return home.

This is often due to 'poor planning and availability of dementia-appropriate follow-on support in health and social care services', the charity added.

As well as creating bottlenecks in the system, staying in hospital longer than necessary increases the individual's risk of complications.

This can be especially damaging for people living with dementia, who are more likely to struggle with the unfamiliar and often distressing hospital ward environment.

Michelle Dyson, chief executive of Alzheimer's Society, said speeding up the discharge of dementia patients is key to solving winter pressures in the NHS

Everyone experiences dementia differently. Use this checklist to help you make a note of your symptoms before you talk to your GP. Symptom Checklist

Risks include infections, falls, worsening cognitive function, poor mental health, malnutrition and dehydration.

The NHS England data, analysed by HSJ Information and Alzheimer's Society, shows almost 29,000 dementia patients were kept in hospital for at least a week after they were declared fit to leave last year, accounting for 584,080 bed days.

Officials put the cost of a hospital bed at around 562 a day, giving a total of 328million.

But the true value is likely to be even higher as a third of people with dementia do not have a diagnosis and it does not include those who overstayed by less than a week.

The findings come as the Daily Mail and Alzheimer's Society have partnered in a drive to beat dementia, which claims 76,000 lives each year and is the UK's biggest killer.

The Defeating Dementia campaign aims to raise awareness of the disease, in an effort to increase early diagnosis, boost research and improve care.

Michelle Dyson, chief executive of Alzheimer's Society, said: 'Every year, the NHS faces extreme winter pressures and we see time and time again the struggle to cope with the numbers of people needing urgent care.

'It is clear from these figures that dementia is a key part of the puzzle.

'People living with dementia are being left stranded in hospital, which is neither good for them nor the NHS.

'Tackling dementia care and support would make a huge difference to the NHS's ability to cope at this time of year.

'Early diagnosis and access to appropriate services can help to prevent hospital admissions in the first place, while better care and support would also mean those in hospital could leave when they are well enough.

'The Government has a once-in-a-decade opportunity to fix this, as it prepares its new blueprint for dementia health and social care, the Modern Service Framework.

'Dementia is the UK's biggest killer and the greatest challenge facing health and social care services.

'The new plan must rise to the magnitude of the challenge, improving care to keep people healthier for longer and ultimately reduce the devastation caused by dementia.'

Nationally, 24 per cent of patients aged 65 and over who remained in hospital for at least a week after being declared fit for discharge had dementia, rising to 31 per cent at 21 days.

But there was wide regional variation, with some integrated care boards faring twice as badly others.

For example, the 21-days figure was just 19 per cent in Suffolk and North East Essex ICB but 44 per cent at North Central London ICB.

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said social care needs more funding to help end bed-blocking in hospitals

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of social care trade body Care England, said: 'The system is not working for people with dementia, and I am very grateful for the important work Alzheimer's Society is doing to bring this issue to light.

'Social care should be seen as a critical partner to the NHS, receiving the funding needed to deliver the best outcomes for people living with dementia.

'This is particularly important in the context of winter pressures; the capacity in social care needs to be utilised in order to ease pressure on the NHS and deliver for patients.'

Rates of delayed discharge from hospital have risen steadily since the pandemic and have received widespread coverage but data on dementia specifically has not previously been made publicly available.

The new analysis, shared exclusively with the Daily Mail, includes the use of private beds by NHS patients in 2024/25.

Adam Gordon, professor of the care of older people at Queen Mary University of London, said: 'These figures paint a stark picture of delayed discharge from hospital for people living with dementia.

'As a practicing clinician, I see the real trauma that these delays cause to people living with dementia and their families.

'The knock-on effect caused by unnecessary additional pressure on the NHS during its busiest winter months makes it difficult for us to give our patients the care they deserve.

'That's why we need to address the root causes of avoidable hospital admissions, by improving early and accurate diagnosis, and the quality of care and support people living with dementia receive.

'We also need more timely and expert care for people living with dementia when they need to come into hospital, to ensure they can return home promptly and in the best possible health.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Dementia is a cruel illness, and too many people living with the condition are left stranded in hospital when they would be better cared for in their community.

'The shocking delays to hospital discharge we inherited have cost patients and the NHS far too much, but we are working to turn this around.

'We are joining up NHS and social care through Neighbourhood Health Teams, and backing adult social care with a 4.6 billion funding boost so more people can get the care they need out of hospital.

'Baroness Casey's Independent Commission will consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, and we are developing the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, setting national standards to improve care quality and ensure every person with dementia gets the support they deserve.'
US health officials are 'monitoring' the deadly Nipah virus outbreak in India that has put nearly 200 people under surveillance and triggered COVID-era travel restrictions over fears of a fresh pandemic.

CDC officials told the Daily Mail they were in 'close contact' with authorities on the ground to assess the situation.

A spokesman said: 'CDC is monitoring the situation and stands ready to assist as needed.'

India's health ministry revealed Wednesday that 196 people who came into contact with infected patients are now being monitored for the virus, which can spread from person-to-person and kills 40 to 75 percent of those it infects.

This is 86 more individuals than yesterday, though officials said none were showing symptoms and all had tested negative for the virus thus far.

India has so far confirmed two Nipah cases, in two nurses, though local media report that three additional patients, a doctor, nurse and another staff member also had symptoms.

They reportedly became infected after treating a patient at the hospital who had a respiratory disease. The individual died before they could be tested for the virus.

The patients work at a hospital around 15 miles outside Kolkata, West Bengal, India's third-largest metropolitan area and home to 16 million people.

Following the news, Singapore and Hong Kong became the latest countries in the region to impose travel restrictions on arrivals from India, including temperature screening and mandatory health declaration forms. On Wednesday, the UK also warned travelers about the outbreak.

The infection is caused by the Nipah virus, a rare but highly dangerous pathogen that can trigger severe breathing problems, seizures and fatal swelling of the brain. India was hit by another outbreak of the virus in India in 2023, as pictured

Tightened security measures are in place at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International airport

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Nipah virus has never been detected in the US, but experts fear it could reach the country if someone who is infected travels to the area.

The disease is rare, but can be caught from contact with an infected person or by consuming food or drink contaminated with the feces, urine or saliva of infected fruit bats.

Patients suffer symptoms including fever, headaches, vomiting and a sore throat within four to 21 days of infection. They can pass the disease to others via close contact with infected bodily fluids.

Within three to 21 days of symptoms emerging, patients may then develop serious complications such as encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain. This is linked to its mortality rate.

There is no treatment for the disease, but several vaccines against the virus are currently in testing.

More than two million people traveled from India to the US in 2023 alone, data suggests, which was up a quarter from the previous year.

All of India is currently under a US Level 2 travel advisory, asking travelers to practice increased caution amid reports of crimes and terrorism. It has been in place since June last year and there is no mention of the virus.

In a statement, the CDC said: 'As of January 27, 2026, two cases of Nipah virus infection have been confirmed, both in healthcare workers in West Bengal.

'Indian health authorities have deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team. Coordination and additional activities are underway including laboratory support, enhanced surveillance, case management, infection prevention control (IPC) measures, and experts have been mobilized to ensure containment.'

An individual is shown above during the 2023 outbreak of Nipah virus in India

Around 200 people who came into contact with the infected patients have been quarantined as a precaution

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It added: 'CDC headquarters is in close contact with the CDC country office in India, which is closely engaged with national and local health authorities.

'CDC is also in contact with the neighboring country of Bangladesh as they enhance surveillance and response readiness.'

Dr Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases expert in Texas who previously worked at the World Health Organization (WHO), told the Daily Mail that a Nipah virus outbreak was 'absolutely' something that the CDC should be 'closely monitoring'.

She said: 'Nipah virus is a high-consequence pathogen, and even small, apparently contained outbreaks warrant careful surveillance, information sharing, and preparedness.

'Outbreaks like this also underscore the importance of strong relationships with global partners, particularly the WHO, [which] plays a central role in coordinating outbreak response and sharing timely, on-the-ground information.'

She said she felt the risk the outbreak in India posed to the US was 'very low', adding: 'The US risk is best described as real but small and would primarily involve the possibility of an imported case in a traveler, particularly someone with high-risk exposures or healthcare-related contact.'

Dr Kuppalli has not personally cared for patients with Nipah virus, but previously worked on the ground in India, including in regions where outbreaks had occurred.

Officials in the UK warned travelers to exercise caution in India on Wednesday.

A spokesman for the British government said: 'While the risk to most people remains very low, understanding the virus is important if you are planning to travel to areas where it circulates.'

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Revealing the updated number of people being monitored for the virus in India, officials in the country said: 'Speculative and incorrect figures regarding Nipah virus disease cases are being circulated.

'Enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, and field investigations were undertaken... which ensured timely containment of the cases.'

Reports suggest that one of the two nurses confirmed to be infected with the virus is now in a coma and is believed to have contracted the infection after treating a sick patient.

Revealing its travel restrictions, Singapore's Communicable Diseases Agency said on Wednesday that it will set up temperature screening at its airport for flights arriving from areas affected by the infections in India.

The Ministry of Manpower is stepping up surveillance over newly arrived migrant workers from South Asia, and engaging primary care providers to increase vigilance, it said.

In Hong Kong, an airport authority spokesman said it was facilitating enhanced health screening measures, including a temperature check at gates for passengers arriving from India.

Earlier this week, Thailand tightened its airport screenings, requiring passengers arriving from India to complete health declarations.

Malaysia's public health ministry also said it was boosting health screenings at airports, particularly for arrivals from countries deemed 'at risk'.

In China, authorities said Tuesday that no Nipah virus cases had been detected in the country but that there was a risk of imported cases.

Nepal, which shares a 1,000-kilometer border with India, said it was on 'high alert' and had tightened screening of travelers. Health ministry officials said border points with India and China had been notified to remain vigilant and check suspected cases.

The Philippines has also tightened checks at airports and implemented passenger screenings.

Nipah was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore, although scientists believe it has circulated in flying foxes for millennia and warn that a mutated, highly transmissible strain could emerge from bats.

India regularly reports sporadic infections, particularly in the southern state of Kerala, considered among the world's most at-risk regions for Nipah outbreaks. The virus has been linked to the deaths of dozens of people in Kerala since it first appeared there in 2018.

The West Bengal cases are the state's first in nearly two decades, following five fatal infections in 2007, local media reported.
For one in five Americans, chronic pain is inescapable, calmed only by a laundry list of medications and being forced to scale back on the demands of everyday life.

Of the 51 million adults suffering from chronic pain, recent surveys show three in four endure some degree of disability, leaving many unable to work or function.

The causes of chronic pain, from shoulders and backs to knees and feet, have long been debated, with no clear answer coming out on top. Now, however, researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder may have found a clue.

In a new study, researchers aimed to understand how acute, or temporary, pain becomes chronic. To do so, they honed in on a pathway in the brain between the caudal granular insular cortex (CGIC), a sugar cube-sized cluster of cells deep within a bodily sensation processing part of the brain called the insula, and the primary somatosensory cortex, which perceives pain and touch.

They used mice to mimic models of chronic pain along the sciatic nerve, the body's longest and largest nerve extending from the lower spine down to the feet. Injuries to the sciatic nerve have been shown to cause allodynia, which makes touch feel painful.

Using gene editing to turn off certain neurons, the researchers found that while the CGIC played a limited role in processing acute pain, it sent signals to parts of the brain that process pain to tell the spinal cord to keep chronic pain from dissipating.

Inhibiting cells in the CGIC pathway, meanwhile, reduced the mice's pain and stopped their allodynia.

The experts believe while the findings are still new, they may pave the way for future medications and treatments to target CGIC and eliminate chronic pain.

Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder have found a pathway that may be a cause of chronic pain (stock image)

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Linda Watkins, senior study author and distinguished professor of behavioral neurosciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said: 'Our paper used a variety of state-of-the art methods to define the specific brain circuit crucial for deciding for pain to become chronic and telling the spinal cord to carry out this instruction.

'If this crucial decision maker is silenced, chronic pain does not occur. If it is already ongoing, chronic pain melts away.'

Back pain, headaches and migraines and joint conditions such as arthritis are the most common forms of chronic pain in the US, resulting in nearly 37 million doctor appointments every year.

And about one in three American adults with chronic pain report not having a clear diagnosis or reason behind it.

The new study, published last month in The Journal of Neuroscience, looked at mice given injuries to their sciatic nerves. Pain in this area is called sciatica, which affects about 3 million Americans.

The team then measured how sensitive their paws were to touch and looked at brain and spinal cord activity to evaluate pain.

They found that the CGIC sends widespread signals to the primary somatosensory cortex. This is located in the brain's parietal lobe, which processes sensory information such as touch, temperature, pain and pressure. CGIC activation resulted in chronic pain.

Jayson Ball, first study author and scientist at brain health startup Neuralink, said: 'We found that activating this pathway excites the part of the spinal cord that relays touch and pain to the brain, causing touch to now be perceived as pain as well.'

The above CDC graph shows the percentage of adults who have experienced chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain, which significantly limits daily life, in the past three months. The figures are from 2023, the latest available

The researchers then used gene editing to suppress CGIC activity, which resulted in reduced activity in the mice's brains and spines, even in mice that had suffered pain for several weeks at a time, the equivalent to years for a human.

Ball said: 'This study adds an important leaf to the tree of knowledge about chronic pain.

'Our research presents a clear case that specific brain pathways can be directly targeted to modulate sensory pain.'

The researchers said additional studies are needed to understand the relationship between CGIC and chronic pain, particularly in humans rather than mice.

Watkins said: 'Why, and how, pain fails to resolve, leaving you in chronic pain, is a major question that is still in search of answers.'

However, Ball noted that the findings may pave the way for developing medications that target CGIC.

He said: 'Now that we have access to tools that allow you to manipulate the brain, not based just on a general region but on specific sub-populations of cells, the quest for new treatments is moving much faster.'
Suddenly Amish star Billie Jo has hit back at 'insulting' claims that the TLC show is exploitative and fake.

The divisive reality series premiered earlier this month and follows six modern 'English' individuals as they ditch their lifestyles to live within a traditional Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

But leaving their lifestyles behind isn't as easy as they imagined, and the group struggle with intense culture shock as they navigate strict rules under the guidance of Bishop Vernon Coblentz.

While many fans praised TLC for sticking to its stereotypically outrageous programming following the show's premiere on January 13, some viewers have voiced their skepticism over its authenticity.

Some don't believe the Amish hosts are truly Amish. And, after seeing 25-year-old Esmerelda struggle to give up her fake eyelashes, others aren't convinced the English individuals aren't paid actors.

Additionally, some have even accused TLC of 'making a mockery' of the Christian faith while claiming the English have no real interest in becoming Amish.

Billie Jo, one of the English participants who admits she has an affinity for the Amish culture, has blasted the allegations.

'I think that I think that's insulting,' she told Daily Mail in response to those who have called into question the authenticity.

Billie Jo is one of the English participants starring in TLC's Suddenly Amish

The new reality show premiered earlier this month and follows six English as they immerse themselves in the Amish way of life

'I think that our Amish host and the bishop and their families are the most beautiful people, and I'm so happy to have met them, and I'm so happy to be in their life.

'I think that's very insulting to them and their family and their faith, and it's kind of horrifying.'

But it's not just authenticity that has come into question. Viewers have also accused TLC of exploiting the Amish community.

Turning her attention to claims the show is exploitative, New York native Billie Jo, 44, heaped praise on the Amish community that welcomed her and her co-stars in with open arms.

'It's a huge thing that they've done for us,' she acknowledged.

Billie Jo and the other English are welcomed into the Amish community by several hosts, who open their lives and hearts to guide them through this radical experience.

Among them are Bishop Vernon, a strict and respected leader who is determined to grow his community while balancing tradition with his bold and unorthodox approach.

Meanwhile Allen and Sarah, parents to four adopted children, bring warmth and patience as seasoned mentors.

Allen (pictured) and his wife Sarah serve as mentors as they welcome the newcomers into the fold

Billie Jo hit back at claims that Suddenly Amish is exploitative or in any way scripted

'I think it's insulting to say that they're not genuine people,' Billie Jo continued. 'I mean, I'm so happy that I know them and their family.

'I think it's hurtful to the Amish that are welcoming us. I think that it's not fair to them. They did this out of the goodness of their heart and I really hate to see that being turned around into other reasons. That's hurtful.

'I think that after time and after people get to see more of the journey, that they'll understand how, you know, authentic this really is.'

Billie Jo also hit back at claims that the show is scripted and staged.

'I wouldn't be able to do that,' she said. 'I'm not an actress. I'm just authentic. I'm myself, and I don't want to be a movie star.

'I literally want to live the Amish dream, and I am fortunate enough to be able to say that I was given the opportunity to do that.'

Billie Jo added that the emotional reactions are very raw and true.

'Honestly, none of us are none of us are actors,' she continued. 'I wish that I had a script to read from, because some of the uncomfortable situations I found myself in.'
Kyle Hunt was on a first date when things took an awkward turn after the woman casually asked if he could buy her a $90,000 car.

The Gen Z CEO, from Melbourne, hit things off with the date he met on Hinge until the bold request ended in him deleting the app.

'We went to dinner, things were all good. I actually didn't mind her, she's pretty funny. But when the date came to an end, she whipped out her phone,' Kyle said in a video.

'She was showing me this car and it was a Ford Raptor. For anyone who doesn't know what a Ford Raptor is, it's a $90,000 car. And she turns to me and she's like, "What if you bought it for me? No, like if you actually bought me this car?"'

Stunned by his date's wild demand, the 25-year-old entrepreneur gently reminded her they were only on their first date - but she didn't back down.

'Then she tried to bribe me, saying she'd do whatever it takes to get the car... It's a $90,000 car,' he said.

'I've just met you on a first date. It's definitely not happening... Mind you, I was paying for the dinner so why don't you wine and dine me before you extort me?'

Speaking to Daily Mail, Kyle joked: 'The strange thing is, the date went so well and she was a laugh... I thought we'd wait until after the divorce to screw each other over.'

Kyle Hunt was on a first date when things took an awkward turn after the girl casually asked if he could buy her a $90,000 car

The exchange didn't leave a good first impression of the woman, prompting Kyle to declare: 'I didn't realise the dating scene is so bad now.

'Deleting Hinge after this.'

His video has been viewed more than 450,000 times - with many weighing in on the woman's 'rude' request.

'That's wild - I couldn't even let a guy pay for dinner on a first date because it feels unfair,' one shared.

'The dating scene is a joke,' another said.

'Sir that is a loan application, not a date,' one joked.

'I'm honestly flabbergasted,' another added.

'What the f***, are you joking? Dating is a f***ing joke,' one suggested.

However, the random request may not come as a surprise to many.

The Gen Z CEO is best known on social media for his random acts of kindness - from donating $10,000 to a 12-year-old boy with cancer to paying off a stranger's rent for a year and spoiling his employees with lavish gifts.

The 25-year-old has long been candid about his rise to success, from living in 30 foster homes to building multi-million dollar businesses in Australia - including founding the Health Care Providers Association (HCPA).

The Gen Z CEO hit things off with the woman he met on Hinge until the bold request ended in him deleting the dating app. She had asked him to buy her a $90,000 Ford Raptor car

Many suggested the single woman may have known Kyle's background before the date and decided to 'shoot her shot' at getting a free car.

'Can 100 per cent guarantee she knew who you were when she organised that date. There's no way in any universe I'd ask for anything,' one shared.

'It would be so hard to go on dates when you are you, like how do you know someone is genuine and not just using you for nice things? Best of luck,' another suggested.

'Damn, she didn't wanna wait till the divorce to take the money,' one joked.

Many were stunned Kyle was still on the market, while others shared their struggles with finding decent dates on dating apps.

'Okay I've followed you for a while and always thought you were so lovely. The fact you are single WTF?' one said.

'Why is someone as lovely as you on Hinge? What hope does the rest of us have? Stay off it, your profile's too big. Your success is admirable but you, as a strong person, are way more impressive,' another suggested.

'Every time I think, maybe I might start dating again... I see something like this that reminds me why I don't,' one shared.

While another added: 'My first date asked to borrow $500. I was like, "Um, I don't know you yet" - and I thought that was bad.'
A frugal woman has revealed the simple tricks she uses to save thousands of pounds each year.

Lauren Thorpe, 28, from Sheffield, Yorkshire, was previously living pay cheque to pay cheque but decided to take control of her finances two years ago.

The content creator now shares her saving tips on social media including 'backwards food shopping'. This involves checking what she already has in the kitchen, creating a recipe with AI and only then going to the shop to buy any additional ingredients.

Combined with DIY beauty maintenance and savvy bargain hunting, Lauren has managed to squirrel away 5,000 in one year.

The community fundraiser would previously spend her monthly income on drinks, fast fashion, and going out for meals.

Lauren explained that she hadn't been tracking her outgoings and often wasn't even sure where her money was going, 'living for the weekend' instead of budgeting.

She said: 'I had no idea where my money was going, I spent it on rubbish I didn't need.

'I used to be one of those people to spend loads of money in preparation for the weekend and I was living pay cheque to pay cheque.'

But using nine simple rules, she has managed to transform her finances and now she claims she is left with 35 per cent of her pay cheque at the end of each month to put into her savings.

Lauren Thorpe, 28, from Sheffield, Yorkshire, was previously living pay cheque to pay cheque but started saving seriously two years ago

1. Regularly review your subscriptions

One of Lauren's handy tips was to regularly review your monthly subscriptions and cancel what you don't really need.

Rather than watching monthly direct debits fly out from your bank account, make sure you need to have an account for every streaming or music service.

If you don't use your local gym but you're still paying it for it every month, perhaps it's time to accept defeat and cancel your membership.

Lauren added that keeping an eye on switching providers for the best deal using comparison sites has also saved her a whopping 1000 a year.

Simply by checking if she can get cheaper deals elsewhere, she has managed to keep her costs low and get the best deals.

She said: 'When your contract is running out, whether that be phone, car insurance, or home insurance, use a comparison site to see what cheaper deals you could get.'

2. Shop second hand whenever possible

Lauren says she makes sure to scour Facebook Marketplace, local Facebook groups, second-hand websites such as Vinted and eBay, and charity shops to find bargains and claims it's her first point of call if she needs something new.

She said: 'I always check Facebook first, because you never know, someone might be selling exactly what you are looking for.

'This has saved me thousands, especially on clothes. I used to spend a lot on these for the weekend, and now that has completely changed.'

Through 'backwards food shopping', DIY beauty maintenance and savvy bargain hunting, Lauren has managed to squirrel away 5,000

3. Prioritise home cooking

The content creator from Yorkshire also makes sure to cook at home as much as possible and said that it has saved her a huge amount of money.

But she insists she hasn't stopped treating herself entirely but has found a better balance.

Now she tries to cook from scratch and only has a takeaway as a treat, rather than relying on meals delivered to her door.

'I now allow myself to have one meal out or one takeaway a month rather than letting yourself have more than a few,' she said.

'Reducing this saved me around 800 a year. It is so easy to click a button and have food delivered - it's so tempting - but having food in the house means there is always an opportunity to cook something quick at home.'

4. Don't upgrade tech unless essential

One of Lauren's best money-saving hacks is to stick with your tech.

She explained that one of the most expensive habits people can adopt is upgrading phones, TVs, laptops and other gadgets whenever a new version is released.

By sticking with her phone and only trading it in when it's beyond repair, Lauren claims to have saved herself a staggering 600.

'It's alright to have an iPhone 12 or 13, if it stills works, why replace it? It still works the same,' she said.

'Get a cheap sim only contract and you're saving about 600 annually.'

5. Utilise cash back rewards

Lauren also relies on passive money-saving hacks including cash back and reward programmes which have saved her 250 a year and has allowed her to shop without feeling guilty.

Loyalty cards, cashback through banking apps and cashback sites can also be easy ways to earn extra pennies through everyday tasks like grocery shopping and travel.

She said: 'A lot of people know these exist but don't use them.

'Loyalty cards will give you cheaper deals and activating cash back before purchases is a great way to save whilst spending - and you lose a little less guilt for purchasing.'

6. At home beauty

The former teacher revealed she also cuts down on her spending by opting for at-home beauty treatments and has managed to save a whopping 250 a year.

Rather than splash out at salons and spas, Lauren treats herself at home and manages to do her nails, wax, tint her eyebrows and more from the comfort of her own bathroom.

She said: 'This doesn't mean facemasks and bath bombs - it's the maintenance bits in beauty you don't want to loose.

'This could be nails or hair - I've had my eyebrows threaded, waxed, tinted, Ombre'd, micro bladed and now I do everything at home.

'It saves me 250 a year in upkeep!'

7. Backwards food shopping

Instead of popping to the supermarket every evening to buy ingredients at random, Lauren makes sure to plan her meals in advance with the help of AI.

Using what she already has in her cupboards, she makes sure to only buy what she needs and the former teacher has claimed it has saved her 600 a year.

Lauren said: 'Sometimes we just let things go to waste in our cupboards and freezers.

'Before I do a food shop, I check the cupboards, fridge, and freezer for everything I have and then I use Chat GPT to generate meals I can make with these ingredients.

'Then I jot down the extra bits I need to make it, and that list becomes my food shop.

'It is great in many ways. It saves you money, saves waste, and you come home with a lot less heavy bags from the shops.'

8. Prioritise low cost activities

Another of Lauren's top tips includes prioritising low cost activities when meeting friends or spending days out, which she says has saved her 1,000 a year.

The 28-year-old avoids going out for expensive meals or drinks, and instead tries to do cheap or even free activities like going for a walk or cooking for friends.

She said: 'I like to go for long walks, they are good for your mind, body and bank.

'You can invite friends around instead of meeting them for lunches or drinks out.

'I also like to visit markets, read, go to a coffee shop for the day, or even pop to the local library.'

9. Pack lunch for work

One of Lauren's most important hacks has been avoiding buying lunch for work. The content creator called meal deals one of her guiltiest money spending habits but she said she was forced to stop after realising how much she was spending.

Now she makes her midday meals in advance and takes in leftovers or specially made salads and sandwiches.

She said: 'I used to get meal deals every day for lunch - and while you think they are cheap - they really add up in price. I have been strict with myself to pack lunches.

'It doesn't take much time to do, and will save you so much, whether it's leftovers or a lunch box, take it to work.'

To get in to the swing of saving, Lauren suggests trying a 'no spend day' where you try to avoid those easy and impulse purchases like buying a coffee or a sweet treat.

She said: 'Try and spend a day where you don't buy anything out, you start to find it a fun challenge and you'll want to do it more when you see the benefits.'
Paris may be the home of haute couture, but the doyennes of Avenue Montaigne would be aghast at the outfits on display at Fashion Week as celebrities attempted to command attention.

Since its inauguration in 1973, anticipation has always run high for the occasion in the French capital - with the expectation that attendees will be just as stylish as the models on the catwalk.

However, many failed to impress including Dua Lipa, 30, who opted for a bold matching knee-length skirt, jacket and purse in a yellow, black and red print which one American fashion magazine noted 'wasn't particularly pleasing to the eye'.

But while the British popstar tried to bring a little sunshine to Paris, Lauren Sanchez clearly didn't get the same memo, and instead opted for a rather dull all-grey number, which was cinched at the waist and completed with an eye-catching fur collar.

Yet her outfit wasn't the 56-year-old's only problem as she took an embarrassing tumble at the doorway while walking into the Christian Dior Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026 show on Monday.

Thankfully, the wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recovered quickly from her trip and continued inside alongside her billionaire husband.

Lauren was also widely mocked for her blood-red Schiaparelli suit, which has been likened to an ensemble from 'Shein', during another outing in the French capital.

Lauren Sanchez was widely mocked for her blood-red Schiaparelli suit, which has been likened to an ensemble from 'Shein', during an outing in the French capital

Dua Lipa poses at the Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026 collection show in Paris

Tilda Swinton attends the Chanel Haute Couture Week Spring/Summer 2026 show

Making equally questionable fashion choices was Tilda Swinton.

While most would safely presume Paris Fashion Week is all about the glitz and glamour, the British actress, 65, decided to opt against the status quo and wore a sophisticated ensemble more suitable for a day at Cheltenham races or a dinner at a countryside pub.

The Chronicles of Narnia star donned a tweed jacket and matching midi skirt, with two-tone slingback heels and a patterned blouse for the Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026 collection.

But none of those outfits were quite as bizarre as Brazilian social media star Livia Nunes's attire.

The internet personality, who often appears at fashion week events, attended the Saint Laurent Menswear Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show in what looked like a raunchy white lace bodysuit best left in the bedroom.

She added some modesty to the look via a silky green blouse and a pair of sheer black tights, teamed with black high heels.

Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman, 58, turned heads in a quirky black feathered mini dress, which featured a leather skirt, and dark shades as she made her arrival and posed for the cameras at the Chanel show.

She boosted her height with eye-catching black and white shoes and displayed her smooth visage as she sat beside Anna Wintour on the front row.

Laura Sanchez and Jeff Bezos arrive at the Christian Dior show in Paris on Monday

Brazilian social media star Livia Nunes (pictured), who often appears at fashion week events, attended the Saint Laurent Menswear Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show in what looked like a raunchy white lace bodysuit best left in the bedroom

Anya Taylor-Joy turned heads in a striking silk cape which she wore over a cream wool coat while also slipping her feet into a pair of stylish Dior heels - however, fans online questioned her decision to complete the outfit with a faux fur wrap

The stars were out in force for the Chanel Haute Couture week spring/summer 2026 show during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, including Nicole Kidman

Teyana Taylor (pictured left) and Demi Moore (pictured right) led the star-studded arrivals at Schiaparelli's Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week show at the Pompidou Centre on Monday

Dua looked in great spirits as she arrived with a matching bag and gave her fans outside the building a friendly wave

Charlie Hunnam attends the Saint Laurent Menswear Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show as part of Paris Fashion Week

The Summer I Turned Pretty's Christopher Briney opted for an almost cropped jacket to attend the Saint Laurent show

Salma Hayek's step-daughter Mathilde Pinault donned an oversized bright yellow coat, with eye-catching gloves

Photographer Nadia Lee Cohen sported a revealing lace number to attend the Saint Laurent Menswear show in Paris

Nicole Kidman, 58, turned heads in a quirky black feathered mini dress, which featured a leather skirt, and dark shades as she made her arrival and posed for the cameras at the Chanel show

Jennifer Lawrence looked casual in a woollen winter coat which she layered over a simple white T-shirt and wide-legged jeans

Gracie Abrams was also in attendance and wore a bright yellow jacket to the Chanel show

Alexa Chung sported a quirky beaded cape which was worn over a pussybow shirt and high-waisted jeans for the Dior show

Oscar nominee Teyana Taylor, 35, set pulses racing as she went braless beneath a sheer lace midi dress that left almost nothing to the imagination

Demi Moore sported a sparkly leopard print suit complete with a quirky matching hat

Fashion designer Christian Louboutin cut a quirky figure at the Christian Dior Haute Couture Week Spring/Summer 2026 show

German blogger Leonie Hanne, pictured left, and Thai entrepreneur Nichapat Suphap, pictured right, at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Week Spring/Summer 2026 show

German influencer Xenia Adonts commanded attention in a bright blue dress

But it certainly wasn't just the ladies who failed to impress during Paris Fashion Week - the men put on equally bizarre displays.

Sons of Anarchy actor Charlie Hunnam, 45, made an appearance at the Saint Laurent Menswear Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show.

For the outing, he donned a mix-match of colours, including a silky green shirt, teamed with an equally shiny pair of navy trousers and a brown trench coat.

Meanwhile, The Summer I Turned Pretty's Christopher Briney opted for an almost cropped jacket to attend the Saint Laurent show.

Elsewhere, Salma Hayek's step-daughter Mathilde Pinault donned an oversized bright yellow coat, with eye-catching gloves, teamed with a lime mini skirt.
Bruce Willis's wife Emma Heming Willis has revealed that the star doesn't know he has dementia.

The 70-year-old Die Hard actor's family announced in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a form of dementia that causes a rapid decline in the areas of the brain linked to personality and language abilities.

The Hollywood star also has anosognosia, a condition where the brain can't recognize one or more other health conditions.

Speaking in the Conversations with Cam podcast, Heming, 47, claimed that Willis never connected the dots when it came to understanding his illness, which she said was a 'blessing.'

'Bruce never, never tapped in,' she said.

'I think that's like the blessing and the curse of this, is that he never connected the dots that he had this disease, and I'm really happy about that.

'I'm really happy that he doesn't know about it.'

Heming described anosognosia as where the brain 'can't identify what is happening to it,' so her husband and others with the disease 'think this is their normal.'

Emma Heming Willis has claimed husband Bruce doesn't know he has dementia

The model and actress, 47, has said she is 'really happy that he doesn't know about it'

She continued: 'People think this might be denial, like they don't want to go to the doctor because they're like, "I'm fine, I'm fine," actually, this is the anosognosia that comes into play.

'It's not denial. It's just that their brain is changing. This is a part of the disease.'

Heming shares daughters Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11 with Willis, who also has daughters Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 31, with ex-wife Demi Moore.

In August, she revealed in an interview with Diane Sawyer that Willis had been moved into a separate one-story home away from their main house, where he has a full-time care team.

Heming herself said moving her husband into a separate residence was the best decision for their family.

She added that moving Willis into a new home where is supported by carers 24/7, has allowed her to go back to just being his wife.

At the time, she told The Sunday Times: 'It was of the hardest decisions I ever had to make.

'But among the sadness and discomfort, it was the right move  for him, for our girls, for me. Ultimately, I could get back to being his wife. And that's such a gift.'

Join the debate How would you cope if a loved one no longer recognized their own illness?

Willis' family announced in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia

The Hollywood star has been surrounded by his blended family, including his wife as well as ex Demi Moore, and all his daughters, who have rallied around him to help him cope with his health struggles

She added the move also gave Willis more independence and the chance to reconnect with friends and family.

She explained: 'It's made such a difference for more friends and family to have their own experience with him without it being my home, without me hovering, or my anxiety of how to manage the guest and their expectations, and then have to see their reactions - their sadness at what is.'

FTD eats away at the parts of the brain that control language, behavior and personality. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, patients don't lose their memory immediately but instead undergo personality changes.

The disease also attacks areas of the brain responsible for judgment, impulse control and decision-making, leading patients vulnerable to mismanaging their finances, which adds an extra burden on to caregivers.
MAGA supporters have not held back with expressing their outrage at a drag queen for impersonating Erika Kirk in 'heartless exploitation of grief.'

The widow of Charlie Kirk, 37, took over Turning Point USA after her husband was fatally shot last year and has gained worldwide attention from the numerous public appearances that followed.

Now, she is receiving attention in a different way - after becoming the subject of performances by Los Angeles-based drag queen Lauren Banall.

Banall, who has been giving flashy performances under the pseudonym Erika Qwerk, has received heavy criticism from conservatives after appearing to mock the grieving widow in her act.

The performer has been dressing in similar ensembles to the young mom, opting to wear Kirk's signature block-colored suit in red, as well as a bleach blonde wig, heavy winged eyeliner and bright blue contact lenses.

The drag queen has also been incorporating audio snippets into her act of Kirk speaking at public engagements since her husband was killed.

In one clip shared to her TikTok, the drag performer is seen lip-synching to audio from Charlie's memorial service as his wife pleaded: 'Forgive them, for they not know what they do.'

Banall then made exaggerated faces at the crowd before launching into a dance set to Cascada's song Evacuate The Dancefloor.

Drag queen Lauren Banall (pictured in 2022 before she assumed the Erika Qwerk identity) is being slammed for mocking MAGA widow Erika Kirk

Erika, 37, took over Turning Point USA after her husband was fatally shot last year and has gained worldwide attention from the numerous public appearances that followed

The clip, which has been viewed more than 7.4 million times, was inundated with comments.

While some defended Banall's performance as an expression of 'political art,' dozens of others were less than impressed.

'This is so disrespectful,' one user slammed.

Another demanded the creator 'stop' her performances, with one calling the shows 'absolutely disgusting.'

'This is disgusting but that's what evil is. Disgusting,' one person commented.

Following the uproar, MAGA pundits from the media outlet Real America's Voice hit out at Banall.

'The performer known as Erika Qwerk has posted videos on TikTok dressing up, lip syncing, and dancing to clips of Kirk's speeches, raking in millions of views and even fundraising for the American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU],' Emily Finn, co-host of the network's American Sunrise show, said.

'A mockery of a conservative icon,' Finn raged before then adding, 'Outrage has boiled over with conservatives calling it a heartless exploitation of grief and a new low in the culture wars.

Banall (pictured in 2024 before she assumed the Erika Qwerk identity) has received heavy criticism from conservatives after appearing to mock the grieving widow in her act

'Critics say this isn't just satire, it's a personal attack. And once again, the left celebrates mockery of conservative figures.'

Finn's co-host David Brody agreed, branding the act as 'pure evil.'

'Leave this poor woman alone. Enough already,' he added.

Banall has racked up millions of views with her Kirk performances and has used the popularity to start a GoFundMe to raise money for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The ACLU is a non-profit organization that defends individual rights of people in America, including free speech, voting rights, reproductive freedom, and LGBTQ+ rights.

So far, Banal has raised nearly $7,250 for the organization.

Banal told PRIDE that she 'absolutely did not expect this reaction' to her performances.

'I thought I would make the 100 people at my brunch laugh, maybe a thousand people who follow me would see the Instagram Reel, and that would be it. I truly only did it to make myself and my friends laugh, just like any other drag number I do,' she told the publication.

Erika has remained highly active in conservative media since husband, Charlie Kirk, was fatally shot on September 10 during a live event at Utah Valley University

She added that the idea for the show came from feeling 'so helpless and gaslit in this political moment.'

'So many things feel so insane, so not-normal, and it feels like no one is addressing it,' she explained.

'I kept seeing [Erika] over and over again in different interviews and events, and kept being bewildered by her strange behavior.'

She continued: 'Eventually, I saw a TikTok where someone added the horror noise every time she squinted her icy blue eyes in a menacing manner, and it made me laugh so hard. I thought, "finally it feels like someone sees what I see."'

Banall has stated that she has no plans to stop mimicking Kirk, sharing: 'Conservatives are determined to dominate the culture and I think its a drag queen's (or any artist's) duty to reflect the culture of the times.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Banall for further comment.

Erika has remained highly active in conservative media since her husband was fatally shot on September 10 during a live event at Utah Valley University.

Following his death, she appeared repeatedly on Fox News, granted multiple interviews and has been seen alongside Donald Trump at high-profile political gatherings.
Disney World and Universal Studios have been forced to shut down some of their beloved parks due to the freezing Florida temperatures, leaving hoards of guests worried about how the cold will impact their vacations.

A massive winter storm hit the United States over the weekend, causing blistering low temperatures across the country.

That bitter cold is now expected to last throughout the rest of the week, while an 'arctic hurricane' is currently forming off the east coast, threatening more extreme cold, heavy snow and dangerous winter conditions for millions.

The brutal weather has wreaked havoc on one place in particular: the theme parks in Orlando, Florida.

Both Disney World and Universal Studios have announced closures amidst the ongoing freezing temperatures.

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park ceased operations on January 27 and will remain closed on January 28 and 29. It is set to open on January 30 but then close again January 31 through February 2.

Universal Studios shared via social media earlier this week that its water park, Volcano Bay, will be closed January 28 and 29.

While the main theme parks remain open, many people have been wondering how the cold weather will affect operations.

Disney World has been forced to shut down one of its beloved parks due to freezing cold Florida temperatures (stock image)

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park is closed from January 27 to January 29. It will open on January 30 but close again January 31 through February 2 (stock image)

Many have taken to social media to share their fears over potential ride shut downs or show and parade cancelations.

'Any rides that typically close during colder weather? Visiting for five days starting Friday and temperatures look to be 30s and 40s,' one worried guest asked.

'I don't believe they run rollercoasters at those temps,' another user theorized.

'They close the water parks, but I have yet too see them close a coaster on account of the cold, they may delay its opening, but not close it,' someone else disagreed.

'All the coasters run in the cold, other than [Tiana's Bayou Adventure] and maybe Slinky Dog Dash? They aren't super fun to ride, however,' penned a different Disney fan.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, a Disney spokesperson said: 'The safety and comfort of our guests, cast members and animals is always important to us no matter the weather.

'During cooler weather, our cast members have costume options with additional layers, animals have access to indoor, climate-controlled spaces and our teams closely monitor conditions and make adjustments as needed.'

The theme park has not announced any ride closures at the time of publishing aside from the water park.

Universal Studios shared via social media earlier this week that its water park, Volcano Bay, will be closed January 28 and 29 (stock image)

According to Inside the Magic, in the past Disney has 'modified parades, canceled fireworks and delayed morning openings' due to cold weather.

'Attractions with exposed track systems - like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Expedition Everest and Test Track - are especially vulnerable to low temperatures and high winds,' the outlet wrote.

'And when temperatures approach freezing, the risks extend beyond guest comfort. Pipes, ride systems and even landscaping across property become vulnerable.'

A freeze warning was issued in Orlando on Tuesday morning as temperatures dropped to the 20s and 30s.

According to Fox 35 Orlando, one of the 'coldest wind chill events on record in central Florida' will hit this weekend.

In a past post, Disney's official planning website encouraged guests to 'wear layers to the parks' on extremely cold days.

'However, do not worry if you forget your jacket as there are plenty of shops sprinkled around the parks where you can purchase sweatshirts, jackets, and other clothing to keep warm,' it added.

'Your money will be well spent as you'll be able to stay warm and take home a souvenir.'

It also recommended that people stay warm by riding 'indoor attractions' and avoid the outdoor rides.
A mom who gave all four of her daughters the same name has furiously slammed critics after her decision went viral online.

Mary Heffernan, 47, from Fort Jones, California, left many people scratching their heads when she revealed in a social media post that she and her husband, Brian, had named their four children Mary.

In the caption of the now-viral post, Heffernan explained that their family had a 'long history of strong Catholic women named Mary on both sides' so when she and her husband started having kids they decided they 'wanted to carry on the tradition.'

'We honestly never thought about the fact we might have ALL girls, but once we started there was no going back!' she wrote.

Her admission raised many questions amongst other social media users, as many wondered how she avoids confusing her daughters.

In addition, some people worried about how it might affect them down the line and worried it might limit their independence.

But Heffernan is unfazed by the scrutiny and she's extremely proud of her decision to name all four of her daughters Mary.

'The internet always has opinions,' she said in response to the hate while chatting with the Daily Mail recently.

Brian and Mary Heffernan, from Fort Jones, California, named all four of their daughters Mary

'I don't spend much time worrying about it. If anything it makes people remember us and our family cattle brand, [called Five Marys].

'Our family doesn't need outside approval. The girls love their names, and that's what matters.'

Heffernan explained that she had so many relatives named Mary who were 'strong, confident inspiring women.'

So when they had their first daughter they knew immediately that they wanted to give her the name.

'I'm honored to carry the name myself, and naming our first daughter Mary felt like a natural way to honor one of our grandmothers and continue that tradition,' she dished. 'It felt timeless and meaningful.'

Then when they had their second daughter, Heffernan said they decided to also name her Mary to 'honor another grandmother.'

And after that, it felt like they had to continue on with the trend.

'We couldn't really have Mary, Mary and Sally! By that time we had to stick with it,' she shared.

Heffernan, 47, explained to the Daily Mail that she had so many relatives named Mary who were 'strong, confident inspiring women'

'We honestly didn't think we'd have four daughters - but fortunately, we had a lot more strong Marys to name them after.

'Over time, the name Mary became a thread in our family and something that really unifies our family culture, which I appreciate even more now as we're raising teenagers in today's world.

'Mary is a strong name. To me, it represents humility, steadiness and strength. It's a name that has endured for generations, and I love what it stands for as a foundation for our family.'

Heffernan admitted that some of their friends and family members were 'surprised' by their decision at first.

'A few thought it was unconventional. But the people closest to us understood it came from tradition and meaning, not novelty,' she added.

'But by [baby] number four - a few were questioning us! I got a lot of George Foreman comments.'

Heffernan admitted that some of their friends and family members were 'surprised' by their decision at first. Pictured are her four daughters

To avoid confusion, Heffernan explained that she has given each daughter a nickname that she uses. Her eldest, MaryFrances, goes by Francie, her second, MaryMarjorie, goes by Maisie, her third, MaryJane, goes by JJ, and her youngest, MaryTeresa, goes by Tessa.

'It's rarely confusing in everyday life really only when we're trying to clear TSA as a family,' joked Hefferman.

In regards to those who worry it might affect her daughters' independence down the line, she vowed: 'Each of them has a strong sense of self and very different personalities.

'The shared name hasn't defined them, if anything, it's grounded them in family tradition,' she concluded.
They say you shouldnt judge a person until youve walked a mile in their shoes. But what if you turn up on a date and the man youre meeting is wearing a pair of pale tan, pointy leather winklepickers with double buckles, i.e. monk straps?

I'd made up my mind that there wouldnt be a second date before Id even ordered a drink.

It sounds harsh and superficial to write off a potential lover merely because of what theyve chosen to chuck on their feet. But did I mention that this heinous footwear was paired with scruffy blue jeans and no socks? I rest my case.

This date was a while ago now, and yet I still shudder thinking about it. Which is why its been somewhat triggering for me this week to see that one of the biggest trends to come out of Milan Fashion Week has been rugged denim paired with sleek leather shoes.

The look is jarring even on the stylish European men in the front row, but in real-life? Its a guaranteed ick.

Everything else about that date had seemed so promising  he was a handsome environmental lawyer and wed been set up by a family friend.

But his shoes were so astonishingly awful I couldnt take my eyes off them, like a car crash made out of lacquer-finished leather.

The thing is, you can tell a lot about a person by their footwear. And this particular pair screamed dodgy and untrustworthy. These are the shoes favoured by estate agents, used car dealers and nightclub promoters.

Pointy leather shoes with double buckles (i.e. 'monk straps') are a jarring look, writes Kate Wills, favoured by estate agents, used car dealers and nightclub promoters

Men's smart shoes should be good quality, hard-wearing, made of streamlined leather and worn with black socks for the ideal polished look

I could have forgiven the tan leather, but the sharp pointy ends looked like they might have my eye out if he crossed his legs too quickly. And the silver buckles made it seem as though hed stepped off The Mayflower and headed straight to the bar.

Trends such as this are worrying, because I see bad shoes happening to good men all the time. The main culprit is the modern blurring we have now between smart and casual; when a man tries to do both, fashion crimes abound.

The problem is that most of us no longer have to adhere to a strict work dress code and plenty of us are working from home. So on the rare occasions men are called upon to ditch the trainers and smarten up a bit, they positively panic.

I will never forget the office I once worked in where, on dress-down Fridays, a man wore skinny jeans and a pair of ombre-shaded nubuck brown loafers. He was the butt of our jokes for months. This is also why prime ministers seem to dress so badly when theyre pictured on holiday.

Mens smart shoes should be good quality, hard-wearing and completely forgettable. If people notice them, or someone points them out, then youve got it wrong.

They should be made of streamlined leather and come in any colour as long as its black. And they should always be worn with socks  which should also be black. No patterns. No holes.

But then casual mens shoes are a minefield, too.

I hated an exs flip-flops so much that I knew I had to end it when we went on a romantic minibreak to Lisbon. All I could hear was the slapping of his sandals against his hairy, flat, hobbit feet.

At a wedding once, my plus one wore a pair of unlaced combat boots with his suit as if he was going to leave the reception to be in a Jason Statham action movie. We didnt last a month after that and Im sure his shoes had something to do with it. My friends still laugh about it. And while I love my grey Birkenstock suede clogs, I felt physically repulsed when I saw my friends husband in a pair. To me they are a resolutely soft, feminine shoe. He might as well have had on a pair of pink ballet slippers.

But, gents, you dont have to get it this wrong. If you want to put your best sartorial foot forward, here are some simple rules to follow.

Smart shoes should be worn with smart clothes, not jeans. Just as men in suits shouldnt ever wear trainers. Remember when Rishi Sunak killed Adidas Sambas by teaming a pair with his work suit and had to formally apologise?

My ideal shoe on a man is a grown-up, unobtrusive trainer, the kind which  and this is crucial  looks as though he hasnt thought about them too hard.

The sexiest man is one that is just as at home hiking up a mountain as he is striding through a five-star hotel carrying your handbag. I cant stand box-fresh white trainers (too precious) or scruffy-teenage filthy sneakers that shouldve been thrown out years ago (grow up).

So, yes, perhaps it is harsh to judge a man until youve walked a mile in his shoes. But when the shoes were that bad, I know I did the right thing by running a mile in the other direction.
Melania Trump looked every inch the businesswoman as she rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday morning ahead of the release of her upcoming documentary, Melania.

The Daily Mail had a front row seat as the First Lady made her opening remarks at 11 Wall Street and opened the Stock Market right at 9.30am.

Melania, 55, stunned in a black dress coat, which she paired with a bold, thick leather corset-style belt that had silver stud detailing along its trim.

To complete her look, she wore her signature Christian Louboutin So Kate 120mm pumps in a black patent leather, which retail for $945.

Melania often favors Christian Louboutin when it comes to her shoe selection.

Not a hair was out of place as she wore it loose, cascading over her shoulders. The First Lady stuck to her usual smokey eye and pink lip for makeup, and wore neutral pink nail polish.

Before ringing the bell, Melania thanked the crowd who had gathered at the New York Stock Exchange, and said that it was an 'honor' to be on Wall Street.

'Superior storytelling drives culture, and in turn, moves markets,' Melania told the crowd in her opening statements on Wednesday.

Melania Trump looked businesswoman chic as she rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday morning ahead of the release of her upcoming documentary, Melania

Before ringing the bell, Melania thanked the crowd who had gathered at the New York Stock Exchange, and said that it was an 'honor' to be on Wall Street

Not a hair was out of place as she wore it loose, cascading over her shoulders. The First Lady stuck to her usual smokey eye and pink lip for makeup, and wore neutral pink nail polish

'In the near future, cultural influence will matter as much as economic power,' she said.

'Our ability to tell our stories and emotionally connect with audiences is paramount. People long to be moved, we need stories that inspire dreams, offer hope, tales of redemption, sad stories, love stories, and funny stories. We want to feel human,' Melania remarked.

She was introduced by Jeffrey Sprecher, Chair and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc, and Lynn Martin, President of the New York Stock Exchange.

Before she rang the bell, she was presented with a special commemorative plate by Martin in honor of her film's premiere.

Melania, which is set to debut in theaters around the country on Friday, follows the First Lady in the 20 days leading up to husband President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025.

The trailer shows Melania in her element, ascending the stairs to her private jet in sky-high stilettos, marshaling business meetings in Mar-a-Lago and Manhattan, and stunning in her white-and-black inaugural ball gown.

Behind-the-scenes footage captures tender family moments with son Barron Trump and her father, while also shining a light on the rigorous security standards that surround the First Family.

Amazon secured the film for $40 million - the largest documentary deal in history - after beating rivals Disney, Netflix and Paramount in a ferocious bidding war.

'In the near future, cultural influence will matter as much as economic power,' she said

Amazon secured the film for $40 million - the largest documentary deal in history - after beating rivals Disney, Netflix and Paramount in a ferocious bidding war

Before she rang the bell, she was presented with a special commemorative plate by Martin in honor of her film's premiere

Melania, which is set to debut in theaters around the country on Friday, follows the First Lady in the 20 days leading up to her husband's Presidential Inauguration in January 2025

The premiere of her documentary comes just days after she issued a rare political statement, where she called for for 'unity' after weeks of deadly riots in Minnesota amid the President's immigration crackdown.

'I'm against the violence, so please, if you protest, protest in peace,' she told Fox & Friends on Tuesday during an appearance to promote her upcoming movie.

Melania, an immigrant from Slovenia, said the President had a 'great call' with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, on Monday.

'I know my husband, the President, had a great call yesterday with the governor and the mayor, and they're working together to make it peaceful and without riots,' Melania confirmed.

'We need to unify in these times,' she continued.

The First Lady's decision to comment underlines the depth of public outcry after federal agents shot dead Alex Pretti, 37-year-old VA nurse in Minneapolis on Saturday.
How romantic it is to think of recipes being passed down from generation to generation. Of grandmothers handing down their nuggets of cookery wisdom like family heirlooms so that kitchens can be filled with comfort and familiarity.

But, the truth is, when I flick through my mothers hand-written recipe book  full of gems gleaned from great-aunts, and scraps torn from the magazines of her youth  most of the recipes call for pounds and ounces and are full of ingredients like margarine and curd cheese. Which just isnt how we cook today.

What made sense in post-war Britain doesnt necessarily hold true in this age of fan-assisted ovens, modern cheffing and ingredient abundance. And so many of the tips and tricks that we have inherited and take as gospel, no longer make sense.

Perhaps it's time to separate the fact from the fiction...

The 13 biggest cooking myths

Seasoning means adding salt and pepper

Somehow, weve come to believe that seasoning begins and ends with salt and pepper. Salt, yes, is essential. It has the power to make or break a dish. But pepper? Not so much. While it has its place, there are far more exciting ways to bring food to life. Salt paired with lemon juice, for instance, can brighten and sharpen flavours beautifully. Or step outside the UK and youll find a world of vibrant seasonings: ground spices like cumin or paprika, sesame oil, chilli flakes, or spice mixes such as zaatar and chaat masala.

You must always preheat the oven

Do I always preheat my oven? Honestly, no. It very much depends on what I am cooking (and how much of a hurry I am in). The one exception is baking, when precision matters. And I will also preheat it for a roast beef, when I want it perfectly medium-rare. But for a slow-cook roast, traybake, a tin of caramlised veg or anything else, its straight in. Bear in mind that modern fan-assisted ovens heat up quickly and efficiently, so they usually only need 8-9 minutes to get to temperature.

Rice should never be reheated

Okay, lets put this to bed once and for all: you can reheat rice safely. The problem isnt the reheating, its how the rice is stored. It needs to be cooled quickly after cooking and refrigerated, ideally within the hour. Leaving rice at room temperature for too long can allow certain bacteria (notably bacillus cereus) to multiply, and reheating wont kill them. So, to recap: cool fast, chill promptly and reheat to piping hot - and you shouldnt have any problems.

You should add salt to boiling water for pasta and vegetables

Youve probably heard the saying that pasta water should be as salty as the sea. I think thats probably a waste of salt, but it is worth adding a hefty pinch to the cooking water, ideally once it has come to the boil. The theory here is that it lightly seasons the pasta as it cooks, plus its handy if youre planning to use some of the starchy pasta water to emulsify the sauce later. As for vegetables, I think adding a splash of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt after cooking is probably a far more effective way of seasoning.

Dont salt meat and fish before cooking

There was a school of thought that said salting meat ahead of cooking would draw out moisture and make it dry. Times have changed, and most chefs agree it actually improves flavour and texture by allowing the salt time to fully penetrate the meat, plus any moisture that is initially drawn will be reabsorbed. How long to salt for? Consider the thickness and fattiness of the meat. A joint of beef or a whole chicken benefits from salting a day in advance, but a lean steak might only need an hour. For fish fillets, I have always been advised that salted and out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking is ideal for flavour and to firm up the flesh.

Join the debate Which kitchen rule did YOU grow up believing without question?

A great cook requires lots of kitchen equipment

Quite the opposite. Despite the clutter in my drawers, I rely on just a few essentials: a wooden spoon, spatula, grater (Microplane, ideally), measuring spoons, a sieve and digital scales. As for knives, you do not need a full set. One good-quality 18cm or 20cm chefs knife, a smaller serrated knife and a sharp bread knife will cover almost every job. And remember: less equipment means less washing up.

Always add milk for fluffy scrambled eggs

One of the first things you learn at culinary school is not to add anything to your scrambled eggs. Milk or cream just makes them more watery. All you need is a small saucepan, a knob of butter, a low heat and a wooden spoon.

Sausages need pricking before cooking

This harks back to World War I, when sausages were nicknamed bangers because theyd burst open when cooked at a high heat. Meat shortages had led butchers to make their sausages with a much higher water content than usual, but thankfully, its not a problem today. Especially if youre buying good-quality ones (always aim for 85% meat content).

The hottest part of the chilli is the seeds

Actually its not; its the white pith that holds the seeds, as this is where the capsaicin is most concentrated. That said, I am forever confused by the chillies that you buy in supermarkets. Sometimes theyre as cool as a red pepper, sometimes they blow your head off. The only reliable way to know is to taste a tiny piece before cooking. Then you can decide whether you want to add the pith too!

Frozen food is inferior to fresh

Flash freezing revolutionised how we eat. (Side note: Clarence Birdseye, of fish finger fame, pioneered the modern frozen food industry in the 1920s.) In terms of nutrition, flash-frozen foods are generally considered to be just as nutritious as fresh. Sometimes, even, it is claimed that they are better, as they are preserved at peak ripeness. What can be sacrificed, however, is texture. When water freezes, it expands and so the structure of food can change on thawing. Certain fruits and veg handle this better than others. Peas, for example, fare well, but frozen berries or delicate fish fillets can end up a little mushy after defrosting.

Always peel root vegetables

Not necessary. Unless the skin is really gnarly (celeriac) or very thick (certain types of squash), a good scrub is all they need. The skin is where much of the fibre resides, so thats a good reason to leave it on too.

Homemade is always best

Homemade is usually best, but not always. Yes, its brilliant to make things from scratch if you have the time  pestos, soups and salad dressings are easy wins that will always taste better homemade. But were not all trad wives, and foods like puff pastry, tomato ketchup, sourdough bread and curry pastes are labour-intensive to prepare from scratch with some excellent shop-bought options out there.

Stock cubes are a handy store cupboard ingredient

Stock cubes can be useful, but not all are created equal. Always check the ingredients list because many are packed with salt, starch, palm oils and flavour enhancers. Wherever possible, opt for a fresh stock or bone broth, which are now much more widely available. You do pay more for them, but they taste infinitely better and are much better for you.

70% chocolate is the best for baking

Save the expensive stuff for eating. For baking, dark chocolate with 50-60% cocoa solids is fine. Its usually slightly sweeter, so often you can add a touch less sugar too.
ABC's David Muir suffered an ugly start to his broadcast on Tuesday due to a technical hitch that struck barely two minutes in.

The issue occurred just as Muir, 52, began to segue into the day's news and saw the broadcast filled with dead air as the segments failed to broadcast.

The glitch sent staffers in the control room frantically scrambling for a fix, a source familiar with the situation told the Daily Mail.

The source further specified that the slip-up was caused by 'a computer issue'.

The World News Tonight host, meanwhile, was right in the middle of handing the broadcast over to reporter Matt Rivers when it happened.

Rather than Rivers, viewers were met with several seconds of silence and a still of the Alexander brothers - a trio of real-estate brokers currently on trial for alleged sex trafficking.

Accompanying the silence was an unrelated chyron about Minneapolis, which persisted for a full 14 seconds before ABC Senior Investigative Reporter Aaron Katersky eventually showed up on-screen.

The reporter, however, stayed silent. He stood staring at the camera for several seconds before a graphic related to the Alexander brothers popped up on-screen.

ABC's David Muir suffered a rocky start to his World News Tonight broadcast on Tuesday due to a technical issue

ABC Senior Investigative Reporter Aaron Katersky was left staring at the camera because of the snafu, which left viewers looking at a series of unexplained stills

The image flashed quickly before viewers were once again met with Muir, who offered them a brief explanation.

'Obviously we're having some issues here. We'll get to that report from Minneapolis in just a moment,' he said, before attempting to pivot to another planned segment about a potential nor'easter set to hit the East Coast.

'This comes as tens of millions deal with this life-threatening cold tonight into tomorrow,' Muir said. 'Here's Victor Oquendo on that tonight.'

However, the technical issue persisted and the correspondent never appeared.

Muir waited for several seconds while shuffling through papers during the subsequent dead air.

'We await Victor's piece, too,' the host said as it became clear the report was not coming.

Running out of options, Muir went to meteorologist Ginger Zee for her forecast.

Luckily, Zee's feed was working and a weather report followed.

'Obviously this is what happens with live television from time to time,' Muir admitted during the transfer while managing to stay composed.

Join the debate How would YOU handle a live TV disaster?

Rather than River's report from Minneapolis, an image of two of the three Alexander brothers - a trio of former real estate brokers on trial for alleged sex trafficking - populated the screen

Sources familiar with situation said staffers in the World News Tonight control room frantically rushed to get the computer issue fixed

The rest of the broadcast went on without issue. Sources described the mad rush to get the issue fixed as a 'massive meltdown' to Status.

An industry executive told the Mail that such issues are unavoidable.

'Everyone gets hit with technical gremlins. David Stayed calm and carried on with the show. It's what you do.'

World News Tonight meanwhile remains well ahead of its rivals in ratings, with an average of nine million total viewers last week compared to next-best NBC Nightly News' 6.856 million.

CBS Evening News. which now has a new anchor in former CBS Mornings host Tony Dokoupil, remains well behind with 4.8million.

Dokoupil, who was elevated by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss earlier this month, suffered a series of similar issues during his first broadcast on January 5.

The host segued to a segment he told viewers was set to surround Minnesota Governor Tim Walz before an unrelated photograph of Arizona Senator Mark Kelly flashed on-screen.

Dokoupil was then met with a wall of silence and more unexplained Kelly B-roll, leading him to outright ask the control room for direction.

Muir managed to stay composed during the disarray, which an executive said comes with the territory. Muir took over the show from Diane Sawyer in 2014

'Are we going to Kelly here or are we going to go to Jonah Kaplan?' Dokoupil asked before going with Kelly once seeing the images appearing on-screen.

When it came time to address Walz, Dokoupil also flubbed the nickname for the governor's home state, labeling it 'the Great Lake State' instead of the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to ABC News for comment.
Former MSNBC star Tiffany Cross received a reprimand from CNN host Abby Phillip on Tuesday's edition of NewsNight, following what the latter framed as a 'personal attack' on panelist Kevin O'Leary.

The politically opposed pair had been sparring about newly enlisted Department of Homeland Security agents and their beliefs.

A January 15 report from CNN suggested the agency is using 'coded' language to secretly recruit white nationalists.

'Im going with my eyes, ears and logic. There have been multiple ICE agents who have white supremacists tattoos,' Cross claimed after nearly three minutes of back-and-forth on the subject.

'Men and women working for the federal government,' an unconvinced O'Leary maintained. 'Risking their lives, carrying out a mandate. And theyre white supremacists.'

Cross, in response, hit the Shark Tank star with a curt 'yes'.

All the while, Phillip repeatedly attempted to reel the two in - to little avail.

Over the crosstalk, Cross, 46, offered O'Leary a parting shot over his support for Donald Trump.

Ex-MSNBC host Tiffany Cross and Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary (seen in the foreground) got into it during a discussion about the personal beliefs of newly minted DHS agents

The conversation became so heated, that host Abby Phillip was forced to step in after minutes of trying to keep a handle on the brewing dispute

'And youre a member of a cult. So I wont expect you to analyze that,' the former Cross Connection host fumed.

O'Leary, a supporter of Trump's economic policies, appeared taken aback by the jab.

'Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!' O'Leary, 71, exclaimed.

Phillip, 37, appeared similarly surprised before regaining control of the broadcast.

'Im going to let Jim have a word. Go ahead, Jim,' she said over O'Leary's reacting, turning to CNN contributor Jim Schulz.

Schulz, a Philadelphia-based lawyer, remarked, 'I think the generalizations are a bit of an overuse.

Phillip, the show's moderator, added: 'Yes. And lets not make personal attacks.'

The altercation ended there, though Cross later earned a reaction from CNN legal analyst Elie Honig after she insisted the suspected assassin of Charlie Kirk 'espoused very right-wing [views].'

Cross ended the exchange by dismissing O'Leary of being a 'member of a cult' - a reference to his support for Donald Trump

The two had been sparring about whether agents enlisted in the agency are actually white nationalists. A CNN report published earlier in the month suggested the agency was attempting to recruit a certain type of person via the use of 'coded' language

'Thats just not true! Charlie Kirk? Thats not a right-wing person!' Honig reacted.

The political beliefs of the suspect, 22-year-old Utah native Tyler Robinson, became a flashpoint following the September assassination because of Kirk's conservative beliefs.

In a text message to his transgender partner shortly after the murder, Robinson allegedly said of Kirk: 'I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out.'

In another, he discussed how his father 'has been pretty die-hard MAGA' since Trump had been re-elected, according to evidence released by prosecutors shortly after Robinson was arrested after being turned in by his conservative father.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox has claimed the suspect's ideology, 'was very different than his family' and that his motivation was rooted in radicalization.

MSNBC cut ties with Cross in November 2022, after less than two years.

During the stint, Cross regularly criticized conservatives. Prior to joining MSNBC, Cross was the Washington, D.C., bureau chief for BET and worked as an associate producer for CNN.
The owners of a salon used by the Princess of Wales have accused Labour of 'squeezing business to a point where profit is becoming a dirty word'.

Celebrity hairdresser Richard Ward - who styled the Princess of Wales hair at her wedding to Prince William in 2011 - and his business partner wife said the industry is 'constantly overlooked' by ministers.

His comments came after Labour announced a 15 per cent business rates discount for pubs and music venues - to the dismay of other High Street firms including hotels, salons and shops.

Hairdressers have joined a campaign started by publicans and hoteliers to ban Labour MPs from their premises in a mounting backlash over higher taxes.

But despite calls for changes to help all businesses, the Government has focused on pubs.

Richard Ward told The Mail: 'Why is it "poor old pubs"? It should be "poor old everyone on the high street".'

Richard Ward styled the Princess of Wales' hair when she was younger and at the royal wedding in 2011

And his business partner and wife, Hellen Ward, questioned whether salons have been excluded from support because 'were predominantly female-owned SMEs [small and medium sized businesses]'.

'That really concerns me,' she added.

The pair have been running their award-winning 'super salon Hair & Metrospa in Sloane Square, west London, since 1992.

Their client list includes Elizabeth Hurley, Susanna Reid, Sophie Raworth and Sarah Parish.

Hellen, who is also the vice president of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs (BAWE) and the co-founder of the Salon Employers Association, said the sector has already been left reeling after a surprise increase in employers national insurance contributions at the 2024 Budget.

Business rates increases will cost the famous Chelsea salon the equivalent of 6,000 a month, meaning margins are getting slimmer and slimmer, Hellen explained.

Richard and Hellen have been stylists to the stars for three decades at their Chelsea salon

She warned the higher taxes are stifling hiring across the sector.

You cant employ apprentices, we are not going to have any sector left in ten years time,' she said. 'It is just so short sighted.

And the increases will bleed into prices, she warned, despite pressure on customers' finances.

We can't keep chucking price increases at customers - it doesnt matter whether you're in Chelsea or Chelmsford, people are price sensitive,' she said. 'You can't just expect consumers to pick up the tab.

Politicians regard the sector as a bit of a joke, she said, saying that when she meets MPs the first thing they will say is that they pay diddly squat for their hair cuts.

When we started our business 33 years ago, it wasnt difficult to make a 10 per cent net profit, she said. 'But now, if the business makes 1 per cent or 2 per cent it will be a miracle - and you have to work three times as hard for that'.

While she would not ban MPs from the salon, she joked she would add extra charges to their bills to reflect the higher taxes.

If you do a U-turn, even a slight one, you have to do a full U-turn. You can't just do it for one and leave out other people, Hellen said.

'Were just constantly overlooked and it does feel like, after Covid, hospitality got so many tax breaks that we didnt get.

The remarks follow warnings from The British Hair Consortium  which represents 50,000 hairdressers  that salons are now sacking staff and bringing them back on a self-employed basis to avoid the tax hikes and costs associated with Labours reforms of workers rights.

Hairdressers have long been calling for a lower VAT rate of 10 per cent on labour costs to help salons compete with a so-called 'hidden' economy.
LVMH boosted hopes of a luxury goods industry revival as it posted improved sales for the end of last year.

The group, whose brands include Moet, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton, has struggled with a slump in demand for high-end goods.

But sales at the business for the last three months of 2025 rose by 1 per cent to 19.7billion  beating analyst forecasts for a 0.3 per cent decline.

Showing that recovery will take time, however, LVMHs fashion and leather goods division, the biggest part of the business and home to brands such as Dior, fell 3 per cent.

Across the whole of 2025, a 1 per cent slide in sales helped push profits down 9 per cent to 15.5billion.

LVMH, which is controlled by French billionaire Bernard Arnault, has boosted investment in China in a bid to revive sales.

Looking good: LVMH, whose brands include Moet, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton, saw sales grow 1% in the last three months of 2025

The company has opened a ship-shaped Louis Vuitton store in Shanghai and a Dior flagship store in Beijing.

It comes after British brand Burberry said last week that sales of its scarves and other accessories have picked up among Gen Z shoppers in China.

LVMH chief financial officer Cecile Cabanis told the Financial Times that she was expecting a gradual improvement in the groups fortunes this year.

Shares, which are listed in Paris, yesterday inched up by 0.2 per cent.
Thousands of pounds of steel that could have been made in Britain was shipped in from China by the Government last year, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Chinese products were among the 54million of foreign steel imported by Whitehall departments  sparking a furious backlash from industry experts.

Use of Chinese steel at the expense of British firms was condemned as madness by trade unions.

The row came as Sir Keir Starmer jetted off to China yesterday in the first visit to the country by a British prime minister since Theresa May in 2018.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves last year announced domestic steel would be prioritised for major state contracts.

But analysis of last years steel procurement data  including Labours first nine months in office  showed that 30,000 of steel was imported from China even though it could have been produced domestically.

Clanger: Chinese products were among the 54m of foreign steel imported by Whitehall departments  sparking a furious backlash from industry experts

This included steel wire for HS2s Old Oak Common high-speed railway station in West London, flat-rolled steel bought by National Highways for a project on the M1 motorway, and construction steel for two schools ordered by the Department for Education.

An industry source said that although the amount is small, the principle is important  particularly at a time when Chinese steel is flooding the global market, leaving UK companies struggling to compete.

Earlier this month, the Daily Mail revealed 7,000 tons of Chinese steel worth 5million will be used for a taxpayer-funded 4billion green power plant on the site of the former Redcar steelworks.

Chinese steel is understood to have been preferred to boost the Net Zero Teesside projects green credentials because it comes from an electric arc furnace.

This is despite no guarantee over how China generates the electricity used to make the steel, and despite it being shipped halfway around the world on diesel ships.

Last weekend, The Mail on Sunday revealed how one third of the 293,000 tons of steel purchased by government departments at a cost of 374million in 2024-25 came from abroad.

Highlighting the two reports, trade union Unite yesterday demanded that the Government introduce clear rules to ensure UKproduced steel is used in all major projects.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: It is madness that taxpayers are paying for Chinese steel at the expense of British jobs.

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice MP said: It should be a critical part of public sector procurement to buy British-made steel unless it is not available.

This woke obsession with green steel and other green products is destroying thousands of good, well-paid jobs and impoverishing great communities.

A government spokesman said: We want to see more UK-made steel used in public projects.
Artificial intelligence will be bigger than the internet, but the bubble is likely to burst, a top tech boss has warned.

Chuck Robbins, chairman and chief executive of Cisco Systems, said that while there will be winners from the AI boom, there will also be carnage along the way.

Cisco, which was founded in the 1980s when it was best known for providing computer hardware and landline phones.

It was a victim of the dotcom collapse but has since rebuilt and pivoted to AI infrastructure. It counts giants like Nvidia among its partners.

Robbins told the BBC that there are valid concerns that AI could follow a similar path to the dotcom bubble.

There's been a lot of discussion about: "Is this a bubble?"' he said. 'The answer is probably yes, but we had a bubble in 2000 with the internet. And look at where we are today.

So the winners emerge, and there's carnage along the way, but it is going to be bigger than the internet.

AI bubble fears: Cisco CEO warns it will burst and there'll be 'carnage' along the way

He added: It feels a lot like it, but what happens is you'll have money that will be invested in companies that won't make it, but the winners will emerge, the applications and use cases will begin to evolve.

It follows warnings over recent months that the surge in share prices has been overdone.

Big technology firms with sky-high valuations continue to pump investment into AI, but critics say it is driven by hype and the fear of missing out.

Google boss Sundar Pichai has previously said there is some irrationality in the AI boom, while JP Morgan vice-chairman Daniel Pinto told a Bloomberg conference last year that AI stocks were overvalued and due a correction.

This week, the co-founder of AI giant Anthropic penned a 20,000 word essay on what the technology revolution will mean.

Dario Amodei warned that AI will test who we are as a species and that it is deeply unclear whether our social, political and technological systems possess the maturity to wield it.

While China and the US have become the dominant AI powers, Robbins said the UK had pretty good odds of becoming one too.

However, he told the BBC that the increased sophistication of AI is going to make our cyber attacks better. Its going to make the scams that people see in their inboxes seem more real.

He added: Every time weve had a big technological revolution, theres always a security risk associated with it, and the industry is pretty good at figuring out and actually building technology that helps protect from those kinds of things.
The boss of Travelodge has accused the Government of neglecting the broader hospitality sector after only offering business rates relief to pubs.

Jo Boydell, chief executive of Travelodge, said it appears that Labour does not understand the economic value delivered by the hotel sector.

It comes the day after the Government announced it will offer a 15 per cent discount on business rates bills for pubs and music venues this year.

There has been a huge backlash from retail and hospitality venues ahead of increases to the commercial property levy.

Travelodge said upcoming changes would increase its business rates bill from 38million last year to 50million this year.

And it expects further significant rises as transitional relief is phased out over the next three years.

Travelodge boss Jo Boydell said the Government is 'undermining its own goals for growth and job creation'

Boydell said: By focusing immediate business rates support solely on pubs, the Government is neglecting the broader hospitality sector and undermining its own goals for growth and job creation.

She said her hotels are anchor employers and long-term investors in communities across the UK, supporting jobs and skills development.

And she said: Higher rates and a lack of bespoke support, together with wider regulatory cost increases sends the message that the Government does not understand the economic value that our sector delivers.

She called on the Chancellor to listen and extend pub-style relief to hotels, while an upcoming review into the system must address the needs of hotels to support long-term investment, skills and growth.

Travelodge said it also expects its wage bill to increase by approximately 9million, reflecting the rise in the National Living Wage and changes to National Insurance thresholds.

It also expects additional costs following the Employment Rights Bill and potential new visitor levies, but 'the impact is not yet quantifiable'.

The update came as the group posted that revenues increased by 0.7 per cent to 1.04 billion for the year to 31 December.
A university lecturer was left 'shaking and unable to sleep' after Airbnb refused to ban a guest who racially abused her.

Baoxiu Qi, a biomolecular science lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, was the victim of the attack following a dispute over the temperature of her flat.

Simone Kyriakopoulou, 49, who runs a Greek food van, launched the vile racist tirade against the host and submitted a wave of negative reviews as she checked out of the Bath property in December.

Ms Kyriakopoulou spent 20 days at the property as she manned a stand at the Bath Christmas Market.

In an apparent attempt to claim a refund, she complained she could not breathe in the house because of asbestos even though the Georgian Grade I listed property was built more than a century before the material was used in homes.

She then sent a series of racist messages to the host, calling her a 'dictator from China', claiming she is from an 'uncivilised background' and that she is not English despite her passport.

Airbnb initially refused to ban her despite 'relentless complaints', instead telling Ms Qi to 'post a professional public response to address the feedback'. She was removed following enquiries from the Daily Mail.

The lecturer, a super host who has used the booking platform for 11 years, has since lost numerous bookings and around 4,000 following the negative reviews and messages.

Baoxiu Qi, a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, was subject to racist tirade on Airbnb

Simone Kyriakopoulou launched the vile racist rant against the host and submitted a wave of negative reviews as she checked out of the property

The Grade I listed property has been rented out on the platform by the super host platform for 11 years

She said the abuse has made her 'look at the world differently' and has made her 'fear she doesn't belong in the country anymore'.

Ms Kyriakopoulou, who previous hosts have accused of sending abusive messages, making up lies about their house, and urinating on their door, first left negative reviews complaining about the alleged cold temperature at the accommodation.

In the private feedback section, she then wrote: 'As much as you want to be European in Bath, you are a dictator from China.

'You deserve yourself. A passport doesn't buy you a civilised background. You carry who you are and where you come from. Ok Chinese lady.'

She added: 'Baoxiu you are Chinese you are Asian. Your face, your body language, your background and the way you behave, everything is Chinese. I understand you had a bad background and a bad life and you need to get it out to people.

'You know Bath is a Roman city and you pride yourself on being in Bath for 20 years. You are Chinese from Asia. Your passport won't buy you a new culture. England is Europe and Christian.'

Ms Qi, a Bath resident of 30 years, told the Daily Mail: 'When I first read the messages it was horrendous. My whole body went cold and I was shaking.

'The next day I checked again and I saw another racist and abusive message. It's made me look at the world differently.

'I've lived in Bath since I was 26 but it has made me look at people differently, it's made me think, "Is this how people think of me?"

'I couldn't sleep afterwards for the first week. The financial loss is one thing but it's more the mental stress.

Ms Kyriakopoulou told Baoxiu she was a 'dictator from China' and that a 'passport doesn't buy you a civilised background'

She also told the Bath resident of 30 years that her 'passport won't buy a new culture. England is Europe and Christian'

'I would prefer it if she had punched me. If it was physical then I could have recovered but this has changed the way I interact with others, it's made me question if I really belong here.

'It's really horrible, it happened on December 17 but it still feels really hurtful.

'I've been living here for 30 years, I've never experienced anything like that.'

She added: 'I think the financial loss is one thing, but another thing is the mental stress.

'It really makes me feel like I just want to hide in some corner.'

Airbnb says they 'prohibit users, including co-hosts and co-travellers, from discriminating against others on the basis of the following protected characteristics - including race, religion and nation of origin' and their 'nondiscrimination policy applies to all of Airbnb and all of its listings - homes, services and experiences'.

Despite providing evidence of the racist abuse, they initially refused to remove the public reviews.

They said: 'After a thorough investigation, we have determined that the review must remain on your profile. Our review team found that the content of the review is relevant, as it directly described the guest's firsthand experience during their stay.

'We appreciate that this many not be what you'd hoped for, but won't be able to offer additional support on this case at this time.

'Generally we only remove reviews if they include prohibited speech, such as private information or hate speech - or if they are used as means of extortion.'

After weeks of chasing Airbnb, where Ms Qi spoke to tens of representatives, they were eventually removed.

Ms Qi said she has never suffered such racism before and it has left her questioning her place in the country

Airbnb refused to remove the negative reviews despite repeated attempts from the lecturer highlighting the racist abuse

And they only removed Ms Kyriakopoulou, who has lodged multiple complaints about her former host, from the app, after being contacted by this newspaper.

Airbnb said it blocked the guest from making reservations while their teams investigated the complaints.

Ms Qi said: 'I complained to AirBnb relentlessly. The comments have now been deleted but the damage has been done and people have seen them.

'Yesterday I got a call from Hampton's estate agent who said some potential tenants asked about the issues as they spotted there was an alleged heating and water pressure issue.

'The first comment was removed after ten days - after I called them on a daily basis. It took another week to remove the second one - but only after phone calls and rejections.

'I wanted them to remove the guest from their platform as she's clearly a racist.

'At first they said they can't remove her but sent a warning.

Ms Qi said she has received no bookings since the reviews were published even though she used to have one every weekend.

'It was doing well. I was getting about 4,000 a month, now I'm getting nothing,' she added.

'I am disgusted and disheartened by the guest but Airbnb as well because how they've dealt with such a clear-cut attack on me.

'It's such obvious racism and I kept being referred to another person and another person. That drove me crazy.

'I spoke to countless people. I called twice a day. I was so stressed around Christmas time and it ruined the period.

'I was really shocked because I called them straight away and this is such a clear case. I thought anybody who saw that message would say, "Oh my God, we're going to remove that immediately." But that wasn't the case.'

An Airbnb spokesperson said: 'Discrimination has no place on Airbnb, and we take reports seriously.

'As soon as we received this report, we suspended the guest and reached out to our host to provide support as we investigated. Following that investigation, we have removed the guest from the platform.'
A mural of Mary Poppins flying across a Kensington townhouse has been dramatically spared after a planning inspector overruled furious councillors who demanded its removal.

The artwork, showing the famous nanny silhouetted against a red heart while clutching her umbrella and carpet bag, was painted on the side of a property in Earls Court Square as a 'message of hope' in response to natural disasters in Africa.

Patrick Spens, 56, commissioned the artwork on the roof of his upmarket West London home in October 2023 - only to be told by Kensington and Chelsea council that it breached strict conservation area rules.

Town hall officials launched enforcement action after councillors voted it through - despite their own planning officers initially advising against taking any action.

Now after a 14-month planning saga, the independent Planning Inspectorate has ruled the giant mural can remain.

Inspector Grahame Kean concluded that the artwork causes 'no harm' to the historic square and 'if anything enhances it slightly'.

At the height of the row, Mr Spens hit back at what he called attempts to 'whitewash a symbol of hope', pointing to the contrast with crowds flocking to see a Banksy mural that appeared overnight in Finsbury Park.

'Theres a new Banksy out today,' he said at the time. 'I bet the council wont demand its removal!'

Patrick Spens, 56, commissioned the artwork on the roof of his upmarket West London home in October 2023

The resident had collected signatures from local residents to stop the council 'whitewashing' his painting

Mr Spens, a retired consultant, previously told the Daily Mail how the idea came during a low moment at home with his daughter following floods in Libya and the Al Haouz earthquake in Morocco - both of which claimed thousands of lives.

'I was in a really bad place. I was sitting on the roof saying, God, the worlds in a terrible place at the moment. I want to paint something as a symbol of hope, and she said, just get on with it.

Mr Spens commissioned artist Saffina Tarbuck - granddaughter of comedian Jimmy Tarbuck to paint the mural in the dark to avoid complaints.

Despite gathering signatures from neighbours and widespread online support, councillors voted in December 2024 to pursue enforcement action - describing the mural to Mr Spens as 'harmful graffiti'.

Local councillor Hamish Adourian insisted at a town hall meeting that the streets and buildings of Kensington and Chelsea were 'not a canvas'.

He added: 'I do like Mary Poppins. I do enjoy the film, but, committee, not here.'

Earls Court Square Residents Association chair Chrissie Courtney meanwhile said the association had been calling for the murals removal since February 2024.

She argued allowing it to remain in place would set an 'unmanageable precedent'.

Earls Court Square lies within a tightly controlled conservation area, which means even painting an exterior wall normally requires permission.

Terraces must be traditionally painted a specific shade of magnolia with white woodwork, and even house numbers recommended in black Garamond font and a specific seven inches tall.

Mr Kean said in his ruling: 'Cherry Tree Lane in London does not exist in real life.

'However, Earls Court Square does. In the councils view, the appeal site is no place for the unauthorised development the subject of the enforcement notice. '

But after visiting the site, the inspector took a very different view.

He noted the mural is visible only from limited angles and is barely noticed by passers-by, writing that during his inspection he watched people walk through the square - and 'not one looked up to anywhere near the mural'.

At the height of the row, Mr Spens pointed to the contrast of crowds flocking to see a Banksy mural that had appeared in Finsbury Park

In the unusually poetic ruling, Mr Kean even referenced supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, breaking the Mary Poppins word down into its parts and comparing the rhythm of the exclusive postcode's Victorian terraces to musical metre - with repeating windows, doors and rooflines acting like stressed and unstressed syllables.

He said the mural did not disrupt this visual rhythm, instead acting as a slight 'embellishment' to a natural break in the buildings height, adding that it merely 'punctuates' the roofline rather than harming it.

Mr Kean also dismissed council claims that neighbours were affected.

Planning permission was formally granted and the enforcement notice quashed.
A raging husband allegedly murdered his wife and three family members inside a Georgia home as horrified children hid in a closet.

Vijay Kumar, 51, stands accused of opening fire on Meenu Dogra, 43; Gourav Cumar, 33; Nidhi Chander, 37 and Harish Chander, 38, on January 23 around 2:30 am.

After Kumar allegedly unleashed terror inside the Chanders' Lawrenceville home, police discovered the children, aged seven, 10 and 12, unharmed in a closet.

Kumar and his wife Dogra's 12-year-old child dialed 911.

Police immediately found the four dead bodies. Kumar was then found trying to dodge detection 'a short distance' from the residence and was arrested.

'Its definitely a tragic situation. Four people dying at the same time, especially with children in the home,' Gwinnett Police Captain Angela Carter told WSB-TV. 'Its shocking to anybody.'

Investigators said that the violence allegedly stemmed from a heated argument between Kumar and Dogra before they left their Atlanta home to visit their relatives.

It is unclear what the dispute was about or what led up to the gut-wrenching crime.

Vijay Kumar, 51, allegedly fatally shot four of his family members, including his wife

Kumar is pictured with his wife Meenu Dogra, 43, who he allegedly killed following an argument

Police are pictured at the scene of the grim incident cautioning off the residence

Kumar has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, cruelty to children in the first degree and two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree.

Police said that there are no other suspects and that the incident appears to be domestic-related, although it is still being investigated.

The grim events have left the community shaken.

The Indian Mission in Atlanta wrote in an X statement: 'We are deeply grieved by a tragic shooting incident linked to an alleged family dispute, in which an Indian national was among the victims.

'The alleged shooter has been arrested, and all possible assistance is being extended to the bereaved family.'

According to Facebook, Dogra appears to be from Pathankot, India.

Kumar and Dogra have two daughters together, according to a GoFundMe launched for the victims' funeral arrangements that has raised $600.

Dogra was a mother of two and originally from Pathankot, India, according to social media and a GoFundMe

According to the Gun Violence Memorial, Nidhi Chander was a teacher at an elementary school in Gwinnett County.

The Daily Mail has contacted the organizer of the GoFundMe page for comment.

According to Everytown Research and Policy, more than two-thirds of intimate partner homicides in the US are committed with a firearm.

In 2023, more than 47,000 Americans died from gun-related injuries, the Pew Research Center reported.

About eight in 10 murders and more than half of all suicides that year involved a gun.
Donald Trump's team is taking the brunt of the blame for the rising chaos and increasingly deadly clashes in Minneapolis.

While the White House has deflected responsibility to Democrats in Minnesota for not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, Americans say it's the Trump administration's fault that a second shooting of an American citizen has occurred within the month.

One third of the 1,027 registered voters surveyed in a new Daily Mail poll pin the blame on Trump for the proliferating violence in Minneapolis.

Another 20 percent say that specifically the mission of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are at fault, according to the poll conducted by JL Partners for the Daily Mail.

Taken together, 53 percent lay the blame at the feet of the Trump administration, compared with 35 percent who point the finger at Democrats.

The fallout has led to the president pulling Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem off of internal immigration enforcement, redirecting her to focus on border security.

White House Border Czar Tom Homan is now overseeing operations in Minneapolis.

Americans mostly blame President Donald Trump and his Immigration enforcement team for the violence between protesters and ICE and DHS agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to a new Daily Mail/JL Partners poll

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Also on Monday, Trump spoke with Minnesota's Democratic Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis' Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey and said they are working together to bring down the temperature in the state.

Only a combined 35 percent of Americans think the left is at fault, according to the Daily Mail poll conducted January 26.

This is broken down by 20 percent who say that liberal groups and protesters are to blame for the situation in Minnesota and the remaining 15 percent saying that its Democratic leadership that should take the fall.

Even 12 percent of Republicans say that the Trump team is to blame, and another 12 percent say ICE and CBP are at fault.

Trump's approval rating has been slipping throughout his first year back in office. While most of the time it's due to the economy, many also point to their dissatisfaction with how ICE and CBP agents are enforcing federal immigration law.

A YouGov/Economist poll released January 13 in the wake of the shooting of Good  but before Pretti was killed  shows only 34 percent of Americans think ICE operations are making America more safe, and 47 percent think the mission is making the US more unsafe.

The issue, like most in the current US political climate, is highly polarizing, with 77 percent of Republicans believing ICE is making the US safe and only 3 percent of Democrats feeling the same.

The new Daily Mail polls shows that 52 percent of voters disapprove of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement, and only 38 percent approve.

Join the debate How has leadership on all sides influenced the rising violence and tension in Minneapolis?

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President Trump has not come out to side with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and, according to reports, pulled her from internal US immigration enforcement and redirected her focus to the border

Trump spoke with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Monday in the wake of agents shooting and killing to American citizens during clashes in the state in January

At a press conference on Saturday, January 24, Noem called ICU nurse Alex Pretti a 'domestic terrorist' after he was shot and killed by her agents during a clash earlier that day while he was conceal carrying a handgun during an ICE protest

Even First Lady Melania Trump gave a rare political statement calling for 'unity' after weeks of deadly riots in Minnesota.

'I'm against the violence, so please, if you protest, protest in peace,' she told Fox & Friends on Tuesday during an appearance to promote her upcoming movie.

'I know my husband, the President, had a great call yesterday with the governor and the mayor, and they're working together to make it peaceful and without riots,' Melania confirmed.

'We need to unify in these times,' she continued.

The First Lady's decision to comment underlines the depth of public outcry after federal agents on Saturday shot dead 37-year-old Pretti in Minneapolis.

It came just over two weeks after Good, a poet, was also killed in the Minnesota city when she was shot in her car during a clash with immigration agents.
At 73, Vladimir Putin has reached the average age at which Russian leaders die. The clock is ticking on the country's longest-serving leader since Stalin, but how will his reign end? A leading Russia expert has revealed the most likely scenario in a new Daily Mail show, ranking five potential ways the dictator could fall, from assassination to coup.

Dr John Kennedy, Head of the Russia and Eurasia programme at RAND Europe, told Foreign Correspondent David Averre that despite mounting internal pressure over Russia's botched invasion of Ukraine, Putin will most likely die in power.

That could come sooner than many expect, Kennedy predicted, pointing to credible reports of Putin seeking alternative treatments for undisclosed health issues.

Despite Russia's economic decline since the invasion began and the loss of close to a million men, Kennedy ranked scenarios of Putin being forcibly removed from power as unlikely.

At 73, Vladimir Putinhas reached the average age at which Russian leaders die. The clock is ticking on the country's longest-serving leader since Stalin, but how will his reign end?

Dr John Kennedy has revealed the most likely scenario in a new Daily Mail show, ranking five potential ways the dictator could fall, from assassination to coup

He argued that Putin's installation of allies in all key positions of power, coupled with the brutal suppression of dissent, means the dictator will likely remain President until his death.

'Everybody is reliant on Putin', Kennedy told the Daily Mail's Future Headlines series.

'He promotes his friends. All the cadres around Putin are former colleagues. He has totally centred power around himself and this has only intensified since the full scale invasion of Ukraine.

'After the death of Alexei Navalny, we haven't seen the groundswell of any popular movements against him, at a party or regional level. It's very difficult to foresee him being deposed unless circumstances change.

'The most plausible scenario is that Putin dies in power, given that he's built a system with total loyalty at its centre. Then there would have to be some very quick shuffling - the cadres would have to come together and bargain for power.'

However, Kennedy could not dismiss the prospect of Putin being assassinated - though not by Moscow's ruling elite, but by regional factions who have borne the brunt of the Ukraine war.

Join the debate Will Putin really die in office?

Kennedy could not dismiss the prospect of Putin being assassinated - though not by Moscow's ruling elite, but by regional factions who have borne the brunt of the Ukraine war

Much of the Russian army is composed of conscripts taken from impoverished, agricultural regions of the country

Much of the Russian army is composed of conscripts taken from impoverished, agricultural regions of the country. These areas have historically resisted Moscow's control, with Chechnya fighting two brutal wars for independence in the 1990s and 2000s.

Kennedy explained: 'There is a really significant difference between life in Moscow and life in the various regions of Russia.

'We know that many of Russia's regions are poor and their future outlook is not looking too rosy.

'Over time, especially with the diversion of resources towards the war effort, a situation emerges that allows for grievances to ferment and at some point, come to the fore an assassination could happen, and it could have a regional dimension to it.

'However, Putin is obsessed with his own security. He's coming into the public eye less and less. That could be because he's ill, tired or paranoid - or a mix of all three.

'He is, however, a very secure president, as far as we know. Security services and the military all have a vested interest in protecting him.

Kennedy warned that Putin's days are numbered and called on the West to prepare now for the chaos that could follow his death

'At the same time, assassinations do happen. He still has to visit Russia's allies and the regions - there will be opportunities. Do I think it's a likely scenario? It's no less likely than anything else. It's absolutely possible that somebody has enough grievance, given the situation in Ukraine, to want to kill him.'

Kennedy warned that Putin's days are numbered and called on the West to prepare now for the chaos that could follow his death.

He said: 'If we take a medium to long term view, the situation in Russia is ripe for change.

'Whether it ends up being a change led by those around him, or whether it's a democratic uprising or military coup, it's necessary to plan for all of these contingencies.'

Watch the full episode of Future Headlines now on YouTube.
A pensioner evicted from her home after losing a five-year legal battle with her neighbour over a 1ft strip of land has described her life as a 'nightmare' after being forced to spend the night on the streets.

Jenny Field, 77, was removed from her house by bailiffs on Monday after a judge ordered that her property be sold to pay the 113,000 she owes neighbour Pauline Clark in legal fees.

The pensioner was given enough time to pack a few bags of belongings and get her mobile phone before the locks of her 420,000 bungalow in Poole, Dorset, were changed.

Ms Field said she spent Monday wandering around with her possessions before spending the night on the streets.

She has since attended BCP Council offices to try and secure emergency housing.

The grandmother said she has been told she has three weeks to move her furniture and belongings out of the three-bedroom property - which she has owned since 2016 - before it is sold.

Despite her dire situation and the fact her case against Mrs Clark has been rejected by the courts, Ms Field has vowed to continue her legal battle.

She said: 'It's just a nightmare. I'm waiting to speak to someone at the council about emergency housing. It's a long drawn out process.

Jenny Field, 77, stands on the street with a few bags after she was evicted from her bungalow in Poole, Dorset

The boundary between Ms Field's bungalow on the left and neighbour Pauline Clark's on the right has been at the centre of a five-year dispute

Neighbour Pauline Clark is pictured leaving Bournemouth County Court last September

'I've got 21 days to collect all my belongings or they will just take it out and dump it. But I've got nowhere to put it; I've got a lot of stuff - I've got three bedrooms.

'I'm going to contest it. I just need to prove that [Mrs Clark] has committed fraud.'

The row in an otherwise quiet residential cul-de-sac in Hamworthy, Poole, centred on a boundary fence that Mrs Clark erected in 2020.

Divorcee Ms Field claimed her neighbour moved the fence 12 inches onto her land when she did so.

She hired her own contractors two months later and had the 6ft fence taken down. She later repositioned it to reclaim 'her land'.

Mrs Clark took her to court and won, with Ms Field ordered to cover the cost of the fence she took down and two thirds of Mrs Clark's legal fees, about 21,000 at the time.

But Ms Field refused to accept the outcome and the case went back to court multiple times, sending the legal bill skyrocketing to six figures.

Last September, a county court judge said Ms Field's claims that Mrs Clark's case was fraudulent were 'totally without merit' and made an order to have her home sold.

She was given a deadline of December 6 to pay the 113,000 bill or her home would be sold from under her to settle the debt.

Judge Ross Fentem said the 'draconian order' was a last resort but that Ms Field had had every opportunity to pay.

After the deadline passed, Mrs Clark's solicitors successfully applied for an eviction notice.

Ms Field has failed to put her home up for sale and instead besieged the courts with emails and letters insisting her neighbour was in the wrong.

She stuck a sign on her front door stating that any attempt to evict her was invalid and that she was being harassed.

Join the debate Would YOU have kept fighting or walked away years earlier?

Ms Field was heard shouting at bailiffs to leave her alone before a locksmith used an electric saw to remove the lock and gain entry to the property

Ms Field was evicted after refusing to accept Mrs Clarke's legal victory over the boundary

The pensioner will be allowed to return to the house to remove her belongings

The bungalows overlook a green with trees in the quiet cul-de-sac

After being removed from her home, Ms Field repeatedly rang the doorbell and asked to be let in.

Mrs Clark's solicitor Anna Curtis said there was ample equity in Ms Field's property for her to pay the debt and still be able to buy a comfortable retirement property mortgage free and and have cash leftover.

In passing his judgement at Bournemouth County Court last September, Judge Fentem said: 'This is a very long-running boundary dispute. The defendant [Ms Field] has, in various ways, sought to relitigate the original case.

'Her case is fundamentally that... the original fence was a boundary fence and that it was entirely on her land.

'Every attempt to relitigate has failed. She appears to be convinced some form of fraud has taken place. There appears to be no reasoned basis for the allegation.

'There is no evidence in the documentation any wrongdoing was committed.

'I have no confidence at all the claimant [Mrs Clark] will be paid what she is owed except by an order for sale.

'This matter needs resolution, the parties need to find a way of putting the entirety of this dispute behind them.

'The order for sale is a last resort and Draconian remedy but taking all the factors into account I should make an order for sale in this case.'
A heartbroken grandmother of an infant who was found dead in his crib over the summer blames child protection workers for letting the baby boy stay in his mother's custody.

Lisa Cooke told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that Texas Child Protective Services knew about her daughter Swantiera Cooke's drug use - but still allowed baby Zachariah to remain in her care.

The infant was then found unresponsive in his crib at a Fort Worth home on July 27 and was transported to Cook Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities have since determined that the one-month-old died of methamphetamine toxicity, and arrested Swantiera, 36, on suspicion of manslaughter charges on January 12.

An arrest warrant obtained by Fox 4 says investigators found two glass pipes commonly used to smoke methamphetamines on a side table just a few feet away from the baby's crib in a bedroom he shared with his mother and one of her friends.

Swantiera has since allegedly admitted to smoking methamphetamines in the hours before Zachariah was found dead.

She also told officers that she was the last person to see her son alive when she fed him at around 6 or 7am the morning that he died, the arrest warrant states.

But Lisa now argues that Child Protective Services knew of Swantiera's drug problems and did not take drastic measures to protect her grandson.

Lisa Cooke blames her grandson Zachariah's death on Child Protective Services employees who let the infant remain in his mother's custody. She is pictured holding the infant

The baby's mother, Swantiera Cooke, 36, was arrested on January 12 and charged with suspicion of manslaughter

'I'm not saying my daughter is not guilty,' she told the Star-Telegram. 'But she's not the only one who is guilty... they need to be accountable for this.'

Child Protective Services records obtained by the newspaper show that Zachariah had amphetamines and either methamphetamines or heroin in his system when he was born on June 3.

Swantiera tested positive for the same drugs, as well as cocaine, while she was in the hospital giving birth.

Still, Child Protective Services allowed Swantiera to take the newborn home under a safety plan that called for her friend to supervise Swantiera's interactions with Zachariah.

The new mother also agreed to participate in CPS' Family-Based Safety Services, which include programs like counseling and substance abuse treatment, according to the records.

But after Zachariah died, a CPS investigation revealed Swantiera was not living with the friend who was her designated supervisor, and was not even living in the home stipulated in the safety plan.

Instead, the unidentified supervisor would take Zachariah to visit Swantiera in a house that CPS records describe as 'dilapidated and dirty with a very smelly odor and flies everywhere.'

The supervisor also admitted to CPS investigators in the aftermath that Swantiera and Zachariah were unsupervised in Swantiera's bedroom the night before he died, according to the Star-Telegram.

Child Protective Services show that Zachariah had amphetamines and either methamphetamines or heroin in his system when he was born on June 3

Lisa now says the home Swantiera was living in was unfit for a child, and claimed her daughter's drug use went unchecked while she was living there.

She also claimed she lobbied to have Zachariah live with her or with her son and daughter-in-law ever since he was born, but Swantiera refused.

The warrant for Swantiera's arrest now shows that Zachariah's father admitted to authorities that he and the child's mother would 'get together to use drugs, methamphetamines and have consensual sex,' according to Fox 4.

Another child also allegedly told investigators that Cooke regularly smoked in the home, and when she was interviewed by CPS investigators, Swantiera even allegedly admitted to using drugs and tested positive for benzodiazepines and methamphetamines.

Less than two weeks after Zachariah's death, a CPS official also told police Swantiera once again tested positive for drugs.

But based on the records obtained by the Star-Telegram, Child Protective Services staff never felt Zachariah was in imminent danger leading up to his death.

Under Texas law, the Department of Family and Protective Services - which CPS falls under - is allowed to take custody of an endangered child without first going through the court system in cases in which the child is in imminent danger.

One of the conditions under which that is allowed is when 'the parent or person who has possession of the child is currently using a controlled substance... and the use constitutes an immediate danger to the physical health or safety of the child.'

Still, the Department of Family and Protective Services' website's Guide to Child Protective Investigations says the agency 'tries to avoid' removing a child from his or her parents.

Lisa said she does not understand why CPS let Swantiera take Zachariah home from the hospital when family members were willing to take him in. The two women are pictured together

Yet Lisa said she still does not understand why CPS let Swantiera take Zachariah home from the hospital in the first place, especially when family members were willing to take him in.

She is now considering taking legal action against the state agency, and said that at the very least she wants someone from the agency to acknowledge what happened and apologize.

In the meantime, Swantiera remains behind bars at the Tarrant County Jail, where she was already facing burglary and theft charges related to an incident in November.

CPS records also show there had been an active warrant for Swantiera's arrest for a parole violation when Zachariah died.

She now remains in jail with bond set at $75,000.
Keir Starmer insisted he was not turning a blind eye to the risks posed by China tonight as he flew out on a major trade mission.

He will on Wednesday become the first prime minister in eight years to visit Beijing in an attempt to bring relations between the two countries out of the 'ice age'.

Accompanied by a delegation of British business bosses, Sir Keir will hold talks on investment and national security with president Xi Jinping and premier Li Qiang on Thursday.

It comes just a week after the Prime Minister was branded 'Kowtow Keir' for allowing China to build a mega-embassy in London, despite fears it will become a base for espionage and the repression of dissidents.

And on Monday it was claimed that Chinese spies had hacked the mobile phones of senior officials in Downing Street for several years.

Sir Keir is also under pressure to raise human rights concerns with the leaders of the Communist superpower, including the plight of jailed British citizen and democracy activist Jimmy Lai.

Another matter likely to be high on his agenda is ensuring Chinese company Jingye pays for decommissioning a Scunthorpe steelworks which the UK now controls.

Before embarking on his trip last night, No 10 claimed the Prime Minister was 'clear-eyed and realistic' about the challenges posed by China, as well as the opportunities.

Sir Keir Starmer will become the first Prime Minister in eight years to visit Beijing

He and his delegation will hold a meeting with president Xi Jinping and premier Li Qiang (left)

Sir Keir added: 'For years, our approach to China has been dogged by inconsistency - blowing hot and cold, from Golden Age to Ice Age. But, like it or not, China matters for the UK.

'As one of the world's biggest economic players, a strategic and consistent relationship with them is firmly in our national interest.

'That does not mean turning a blind eye to the challenges they pose, but engaging even where we disagree.'

Earlier on Tuesday, Housing Secretary Steve Reed denied the trip depended on him approving the embassy's planning application, adding: 'We have to trade with China, but we do it [with our] eyes wide open. National security is always paramount, as it should be.'

Downing Street pointed out that, as well as being the world's second-largest economy, China is the UK's third-largest trading partner and supports 370,000 jobs.

Along with Business Secretary Peter Kyle and Treasury minister Lucy Rigby, on the flight were representatives of some of the UK's biggest firms - including GSK and Jaguar Land Rover.

After the political talks, the delegation will travel to Shanghai for meetings with British and Chinese businesses. This will be followed by a final stop in Tokyo where Sir Keir will meet Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.

Meanwhile, in an interview on the eve of the trip, Sir Keir insisted he could pursue a better trading relationship with China without upsetting Donald Trump.

He told Bloomberg: 'I'm often invited to simply choose between countries. I don't do that.'

But Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, predicted the Prime Minister would come away with little from the visit.

He asked: 'What will we have conceded to be able to brandish a handful of what will amount to little more than a few IOUs?

'Will we have secured the release of British citizen Jimmy Lai? Will we have raised atrocities against Uyghurs, which Labour said in opposition was "genocide"? Will we have raised the fact that Xi could end the war in Europe tomorrow if he wanted?'
Donald Trump is facing a revolt from his most loyal MAGA supporters over fears the largest mass deportation effort in US history could unravel within the next 24 hours amid talks to wind down operations in Minneapolis.

The arrival of White House Border Czar Tom Homan on the scene may be a relief to rank-and-file ICE agents who increasingly see Kristi Noem as a haphazard leader.

But there's now a palpable fear among Trump's most fervent supporters that the leadership swap could foretell a significant change in immigration strategy and lead to capitulation to the left.

Homan's top priority, according to sources, will be coordinating negotiations between Minnesota Democratic state leaders and the White House in the wake of an agent's killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti.

Immigration hardliners warn that any deal by Homan that leads ICE agents to scale back their presence in Minnesota will be seen as a collapse of Trump's mass deportation agenda and a win for liberal protesters.

These concerns come after Trump said in a Fox News interview on Tuesday that Homeland Security would 'deescalate a little bit' in Minneapolis.

Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project and a longtime ally of Homan who has just been sent to Minnesota, is praying that his longtime friend won't strike any deal with the Democrats who run the state. Howell has a longstanding professional relationship with Homan that goes back years over their shared views on immigration.

Rather, he said, Homan should hold the line and even surge more forces into the Twin Cities to avoid handing protesters a victory that could spell the end of the movement.

'The mass deportation agenda could be completely wound back within the next 24 hours,' Howell told the Daily Mail on Tuesday.

It's unclear what Homan's strategy will be during his negotiations with Democratic leaders and the ultimate decision will be left for Trump to decide.

A source close to the White House warned that if Trump blinks on mass deportations it would be the 'biggest betrayal' of Republican voters since George H.W. Bush broke his no-new-taxes promise and watched his presidency unravel in 1993.

'If Trump backs down on deportations, he might as well pack it in. It will be the biggest betrayal to the base since George HW Bush raised taxes,' the White House insider told the Daily Mail.

Immigration hardliners are warning Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan not to back in Minnesota as fears grow the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history could unravel within the next 24 hours

Riots have intensified across Minneapolis ever since the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration agents

Moments before Alex Pretti (on the ground) was fatally shot in the Minnesota city on Saturday

Howell agrees adding, 'This is a pivotal moment that will determine immigration enforcement operations for the years to come. If a rioters' veto is allowed to limit or redirect immigration enforcement operations, then the administration has lost control of the mass deportation agenda.'

After the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three fatally shot by an ICE agent during federal enforcement operations in Minneapolis, protesters across the Twin Cities have actively hampered ICE efforts tied to the president's deportation push.

Trump told reporters on the White House lawn that he was not backing off from his immigration agenda, and blamed Democratic leaders for flooding the cities with illegals.

However, DHS has now set controversial Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, a close Noem alley, packing to California as Homan prepares to take control of the operation.

Conservative influencers supportive of mass deportation criticized DHS leaders for abandoning Bovino following the deadly shootings.

Nick Sortor, a conservative media personality famous for filming viral moments of protesters fighting with immigration agents, claimed in a Tuesday interview that border patrol agents have been ordered not to arrest 'non-criminal' undocumented immigrants.

Sortor pointed to complaints from border agents left behind in Minnesota after the exile of Bovino, saying they were told to stand down even when a license plate showed a person was in the country illegally. Bovino left Minnesota on Monday with a handful of close Border Patrol.

Howell told the Daily Mail he was concerned to see Bovino and some of his agents withdrawn from Minneapolis because it will benefit Democratic leaders like Gov. Tim Walz.

'Any time you're removing resources from an area like that, it appears to be a negotiating tactic with Frey and Walz, and I don't know why we're negotiating with people behind the violent riots against the U.S. government.'

Noem and her close allies on the ground were sidelined in Minneapolis following the outrage over the weekend shooting of Alex Pretti

Trump made his entire 2024 campaign centered on instituting mass deportations across the country

Howell advised the White House that it is time to double down on deportations by making it completely unviable for illegal aliens to remain in the United States.

During his Trump's first year in office, the administration did not meet the President's promise of deporting one million illegal immigration. ICE and Border Patrol deported upwards of 675,000 noncitizens, according to DHS end of year tally for 2025.

Trump rode back into the Oval Office a year ago after running his entire 2024 campaign on instituting mass deportations across the country in response to outrage at mass migration at the southern border.

However, a new Daily Mail poll reveals that Trump's approval ratings have collapsed to record lows, and his signature issue of immigration is now proving to be an albatross around his neck.

Another Daily Mail survey found that American voters are turning on ICE: 53 percent of registered voters think the immigration raids should now end.

Howell is now urging Homan and the White House to not let public perception based on media reports dictate the outcome of the future deportations objectives.

'They should focus on quantity and not what they think is the best political communications quality,' he concluded. 'So that means if you want to deport a high quantity, you go to places where there's concentrations of illegal aliens, like worksite enforcement.'

The White House denied any suggestion that Trump was backing away from the immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota.

Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told the Mail: 'Tom Homan is a patriot with decades of experience effectively protecting American communities and deporting criminal illegal aliens.

'Any left-wing agitator or criminal illegal alien who thinks Tom's presence is a victory for their cause is sadly mistaken. The Trump Administration will never waver in standing up for law and order and protecting the American people.'
Scotland's out of control benefits bill must be slashed by taking a tougher approach to assessments and reviews, according to the Tories.

A new blueprint to be launched by the Scottish Conservatives today demands stricter rules on assessment, including a requirement that people need a medical diagnosis to claim adult disability payment (ADP) for mental health issues.

It also proposes an end to the light-touch tick box approach to reviews of claims.

The move comes amid growing concerns about the soaring number of claims and rocketing costs, with the bill for Scotlands benefits system set to soar to nearly 10billion in the coming years.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: The SNPs out-of-control benefits bill now accounts for almost one pound of every seven pounds spent by John Swinneys government.

With payments set to hit almost 10billion by 2030, this is unaffordable and unfair on hard-working Scots.

Yet all the other parties, including Reform, think that we can keep pouring more and more taxpayers money into the black hole of the benefits system.

Social security is a vital safety net for many people, and that will always be protected, but the SNPs light touch system is open to fraud and abuse. Our detailed plans will rein in spending by creating a fairer system for everyone and cutting costs for Scottish taxpayers who are being hammered by the SNP.

Russell Findlay said: The SNPs out-of-control benefits bill now accounts for almost one pound of every seven pounds spent'

197,055 people in Scoltand received the payment for mental and behavioural disorders

Mr Findlay will launch the paper at an event in Edinburgh as the party steps up its policy drive ahead of the Holyrood election, which is 99 days away.

It will highlight that the adult disability payment costs taxpayers 1.3billion for mental health claims alone at present, with more than 60,000 Scots receiving it for anxiety.

According Social Security Scotland statistics, some 197,055 people north of the Border received the payment for mental and behavioural disorders at the end of October.

The party says its reforms can reduce the total amount spent on ADP by 1billion a year.

Those claiming for mental health reasons would need a medical diagnosis and also evidence that they face unavoidable and necessary extra costs due to their condition.

As part of the process, applicants could be referred to mental health or employability services rather than only being put on benefits.

A tougher approach to reviews would require people to prove they still match the criteria for the benefit, including face-to-face reviews for certain recipients.

The paper also proposes a crackdown on fraud at Social Security Scotland, with the creation of a beefed-up counter-fraud unit which would end years of the SNP turning a blind eye to the theft of taxpayers money.

Scottish Conservative social security spokesman Alexander Stewart said: The SNPs reckless approach towards welfare spending cannot continue.

Scots are sick and tired of being forced to pay the highest taxes in the United Kingdom to fund a welfare bill that is growing every year. It is discouraging work and harming Scotlands economic growth.

Our new policy paper underlines where clear savings can be made and how we can finally deliver value for taxpayers. I urge the SNP to show some common sense and adopt our plans.

Total Scottish Government spending on benefits is due to soar by another 6.5 per cent next year, to 7.2billion, and then hit 9.2billion by the end of the decade.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: Social security is something that anyone could need at some point in their life  and it speaks volumes that the Tories want to strip that support away from people, and stigmatise everyone else who receives it.

At a time when people are really struggling, the Tories want to make this worse by taking away support from disabled people. It gets to the heart of why their support in Scotland has fallen off a cliff.

The Adult Disability Payment helps disabled people with everyday tasks that many of us take for granted. We will protect this support because it is the right thing to do.

We are doing this alongside a budget that protects the strongest cost of living support package in the UK  and ensures the majority of Scottish taxpayers can expect to pay less income tax than they would elsewhere in the UK.'
Students are still at risk of exam blunders at a university where a young Scot killed himself after being wrongly told he was not eligible to graduate, a damning report has found.

A watchdog voiced serious concern after an investigation at Glasgow University following the suicide of Ethan Scott Brown, 23, who was found dead by his mother on what should have been his graduation day in December 2024.

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) found evidence of up to seven other cases of potential marking mistakes and warned there were insufficient safeguards to guarantee the security of all award decisions, showing a systemic risk to academic standards.

Mr Brown died three months after Glasgow University officials told him in error that he did not have the necessary credits  but a month after his death, his shattered family discovered the geography student had actually achieved a 2:1 honours degree.

Last night the familys lawyer Aamer Anwar said: This investigation triggered by Ethans death is a damning indictment of systemic failures at the university.

Ethans family are sickened by the gaslighting they endured as the university claimed publicly there were no systemic failures.

In fact, this report shows their internal report said the opposite  and there were several other instances at the geology school [where Mr Brown studied], but they had also failed to carry out any investigations into 23 other schools.

The universitys actions to date are shameful and it is time that they fully declared how many other students have suffered in this way.

Ethan Scott Brown who took his own life after being wrongly told he was not eligible to graduate

Ethan Scott Brown's mother Tracy Scott

The QAA said the university had identified several cases where errors had been made in exam board decisions, with serious consequences for the outcomes applied to the students affected.

Officials checked more than 700 student records at the time of the QAA review, and confirmed two students with mistaken outcomes, and a further five students requiring further investigation before confirmation of errors.

But no similar checks had been made in any of the other 23 schools at the institution.

Yet the university claimed last year that it had checked all its records and is confident that the error in relation to Ethans marks was an isolated one.

Meanwhile, the QAA said the university had outlined an institutional commitment to compassionate communication.

But there was limited awareness of this training and the QAA highlighted the absence of a shared standard for compassionate communication.

Students said that although the university strives to be compassionate, receiving formal university communications can feel daunting.

The QAA report added: Furthermore, students described university correspondence as generally helpful and open, yet sometimes strong in tone.

Lawyer Aamer Anwar said Ethan Scott Brown's family were 'sickened by the gaslighting they endured as the university publicly there were no systemic failures'

Similarly, staff reported that some communications lack empathy, noting finance-related correspondence as a specific example, with the wellbeing team observing the subsequent impact on students.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has said that it will be working closely with QAA Scotland and the university to ensure that the recommendations outlined in this report are implemented as a matter of urgency.

The QAA will also now conduct a national review of the assessment and associated policies and procedures across the sector.

Vicki Stott, QAAs chief executive, said: The findings are of serious concern.

We are committed to working closely with the university and the SFC to ensure that the University of Glasgow implements the recommendations in this report in a timely manner so that academic standards are protected, and the quality of student experience at the university is safeguarded.

We look forward to completing the wider work that the SFC has announced today related to these topics, with the Scottish sector.

A Glasgow University spokesman said: Following an internal investigation into assessment regulations, the university self-referred to the SFC.

The university fully accepts the recommendations subsequently made by the QAA peer review and the risks it identifies.

Since February 2025, we have worked to address the issues highlighted in the internal investigation and will implement the recommendations of the QAA review through a comprehensive plan that builds on current change projects.
The cost of a stalled public inquiry into the death of a man in custody is increasing by 200,000 a month  despite no evidence being heard.

New figures show the running total to taxpayers of the Sheku Bayoh probe has risen from 26,249,080 to 26,848,616 between the end of September to December 31 last year.

It means spending has risen by around 600,000 or an average of 200,000 per month, even though the inquiry effectively came to a halt last year  apart from the ongoing work of a core team to ensure continuity.

Earlier this month, it was announced that judge Lord Colbeck will replace Lord Bracadale, who stepped down last October after his private meetings with the family of Mr Bayoh sparked a bias row.

Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: Serious questions must be asked as to why this inquiry is still spending so much taxpayers money at a time when the pause button has been pressed on proceedings.

While this inquiry is important, the SNP cannot allow the costs of it to spiral completely out of control.

Sheku Bayoh with his partner Colette Bell

The soaring levels of spending will undoubtedly be putting even more strain on justice budgets which are already under huge pressure after years of SNP cuts.

The figure of 26.8million covers the cost of running the inquiry but the overall price-tag, including expenditure by police and prosecutors, has topped 50million.

Mr Bayoh, 31, a father of two, died after he was restrained by six police officers in Kirkcaldy on May 3, 2015, amid allegations of racism and police brutality.

Lord Colbeck now faces the task of reviewing all of the evidence heard so far  which could take several months.

The Scottish Government has said: Public inquiries operate independently of government and the chair has a legal duty to avoid unnecessary costs.

The Edinburgh-based inquiry was plunged into crisis last year after the legal team quit.

Five lawyers resigned after Lord Bracadale stepped down when the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said he risked being seen as biased over private meetings held with Mr Bayohs family.

The inquiry was announced in 2019 by the then Scottish justice secretary Humza Yousaf to investigate the death.

In March last year relatives of Mr Bayoh halted an attempt to sue Police Scotland after reaching an out-of-court settlement  including a single award of more than 1million  in relation to his death.
A man's lifeless body was discovered in a Virginia mall storage room, which sits a stone's throw away from the Pentagon.

Officers responded to a call at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington County on Tuesday, just before noon, for the report of a cardiac arrest, according to Arlington County Police Department (ACPD).

The Pentagon is about a half mile north of the mall, about a 15-minute walk. The only thing between the buildings is Henry G. Memorial Highway.

'An obviously deceased person' in a third-floor storage room was reported by mall security, according to scanner traffic cited by ARLnow.

Officials arrived and found a man unresponsive, who was pronounced dead at the scene. At the time of this report, the victim has not been identified.

The incident does not appear to be a threat to the community, said an ACPD spokesperson.

The authorities are conducting a death investigation, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of death, according to ACPD.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Arlington County Police Department for comment.

Officers with the Arlington County Police Department found a man unresponsive at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Arlington County

Officials were responding to a cardiac arrest call. 'An obviously deceased person' in a third-floor storage room was reported by mall security (Stock Image)

The discovery shocked locals in the area, who expressed their concerns online.

One wrote: 'Wow, I love that mall and it's very peaceful. Condolences to the Family of the deceased and the employees!'

Another added about how the mall has been riddled with crime: 'I live 50 feet from this mallIt has been a very active four years living here, two shootings, two stabbings, multiple grab-and-dashes, in addition to the twice-a-month food court fights. Prayers for the familys loss.'

A notable smash-and-grab at the mall occurred in September 2024, while a high-ranking government official was inside.

Police said three suspects entered a Fashion Centre business, broke a glass display case with hammers, and used a fire extinguisher.

Police evacuated the mall and put it on lockdown.

Arlington County Police Department are still investigating the incident but believe there is no threat to the community

The Pentagon is about a half mile north of the mall, about a 15-minute walk. The only thing between the buildings is Henry G. Memorial Highway. The building is used a the US militaries headquarters

The mall has over 140 stores and restaurants in more than a million square feet.

The Pentagon, which sits across the highway, is roughly 6.5 million square feet. The building is used as the headquarters for all branches of the US military.

The military headquarters was one of the targeted sites in the 9/11 attacks.

All 64 passengers on American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon died, in addition to 125 people who were in the building.
A specific inquiry should be launched into allegations of grooming gangs in the capital, a senior Conservative urges in a new report today

Conservative leader at London's City Hall, Susan Hall, called for a 'London module' to be set up within the national grooming gang inquiry.

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has repeatedly claimed the capital has not witnessed the type of sex grooming rings that have been exposed in dozens of towns and cities elsewhere in Britain, the report said.

Instead, the mayor has suggested that grooming gangs in London are confined to exploitation by 'county lines' drugs gangs, rather than being sexual in nature.

Ms Hall said in her report: 'I asked Mayor of London Sadiq Khan nine times in January 2025 whether grooming gangs existed in London.

'The mayor's response was to refuse to answer the question, and ask me six times what a grooming gang is.

'If Sadiq Khan, as Mayor and London's Police and Crime Commissioner, does not even know what a grooming gang is, how on earth is he, or his office for Police and Crime, going to find out whether they existed in London?'

She added: 'Since that time, dozens of victims, families of victims, and former police officers have reached out to me to share their stories.

Conservative leader at London's City Hall, Susan Hall, called for a 'London module' to be set up within the national grooming gang inquiry

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, right, has repeatedly claimed the capital has not witnessed the type of sex grooming rings that have been exposed in dozens of towns and cities elsewhere in Britain, the report said

'Their experiences of rape, abuse and exploitation have been utterly appalling; the system has so clearly failed them.

'It has made me more determined than ever to get to the truth of this, so that they can get justice and so that this never happens again.

'Our current understanding of grooming gangs in London is not fit for purpose, and the national inquiry should have a specific London module.'

The Conservative City Hall leader has written to Baroness Longfield, the chair of the national grooming gang inquiry, to formally ask for the situation in London to be specifically looked at by the review.

Her report said: 'More than 50 towns and cities across the country have now been identified as possible locations where a grooming gang may have been operating.

'If these crimes were so prevalent across the UK, it seems impossible to imagine that London was simply not affected.

'The capital must have a clear and strong voice in the national inquiry, and I am determined to push for this so all of London's victims can get the justice they so badly deserve.'

Sir Sadiq told the London Assembly in June last year there was 'no indication of grooming gangs' operating in the capital.

But appearing before members in November, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said officers were working on 'tens' of active cases.

He also confirmed the force was reviewing 9,000 cases of child sexual exploitation which were reported and closed between January 2010 and March 31 last year.

Sir Mark said he expected 'two to three thousand' of the initial 9,000 cases to be identified as group-based offending, but said this would include intra-familial, institutional, peer-on-peer and online abuse as well as grooming gang activity.

Baroness Casey, a former victims' commissioner, published a report last year which found local authorities and other official bodies had shied away from tackling 'ethnicity or cultural factors' in grooming gangs 'for fear of appearing racist'.

Her findings prompted Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to order the creation of a national inquiry  even though he had previously said those calling for such a move were jumping on a far-Right bandwagon.

Campaigners who urged action over Pakistani child abuse rings were condemned as racist until Lady Casey concluded there were 'disproportionate numbers of men from Asian ethnic backgrounds' amongst the suspects.

However, the piecemeal way it has been established has seen the Government accused of shying away from a full inquiry for fear of upsetting Labour voters in key parliamentary seats, including some with high proportions of Muslim residents.

A Home Office spokesman said the scope of the inquiry would be decided by its chair.
A high-profile former political candidate has suggested she may have witnessed a group of potential 'ISIS brides' being resettled to Australia on a Thai Airways flight to Sydney - sparking a furious denial from the Albanese government.

Katherine Deves, a lawyer and one-time Liberal candidate for Warringah, was flying home to Sydney on Thai Airways flight THA471 on January 21 when she noticed a group of women boarding in Bangkok, dressed in niqabs and hijabs.

In a viral video, Ms Deves said the women - who were accompanied by children - were all wearing International Rescue Committee lanyards and Australian government ID that said the words 'migration status' and listed their nationality as XXA.

The nationality code XXA is used to identify a person who is officially designated as stateless under the 1954 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.

'Are these the ISIS brides?' she asked, referring to efforts to repatriate Australian citizens who have been stranded in refugee camps in the Middle East since the fall of Islamic State.

'Were they people being brought in from Syria or Gaza? I don't know, but I did see these people come in.'

Ms Deves' video sparked a furious response from the government - but only days later, following questions from the Daily Mail.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke flatly said in a statement: 'Katherine Deves is wrong. Again'.

An image shared by Deves from her flight, which has since gone viral on social media

Images shared by Deves showing the stateless nationality ID and IRC logo on lanyards being worn by the women

Official sources told the Mail the group was part of the Rohingya ethnic minority group from Myanmar's Rakhine State.

The Rohingya have been forced to flee the South East Asian country after the Myanmar military launched brutal, systematic attacks on their villages, carrying out mass killings, and using sexual violence as a weapon, triggering a mass exodus.

A Home Affairs spokesperson said: 'Australia's Humanitarian Program accepts a range of individuals assessed as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, including stateless individuals,' a Home Affairs spokesperson said.

'The government's Humanitarian Program contributes to regional stability and ensures we benefit from the significant contributions of humanitarian entrants to Australian society.'

The spokesperson also confirmed that security checks had been completed on all individuals.

'The Department screens all applications to determine if they meet security and character requirements,' they said.

'Checks against these requirements may be repeated at any time along a person's journey to Australia, while they hold a visa outside Australia, or after they arrive in Australia.'

However, Ms Deves called on the government to be transparent about who they were resettling in Australia.

Katherine Deves (pictured) is a former Liberal candidate who was on the Thai Airways flight

'It is typical of this government's secrecy that the Minister for Immigration's reply is a false ad hominem attack rather than a substantive response as to who these people are,' she told Daily Mail.

'And if these are not the ISIS brides, then where are the ISIS brides? The Australian people deserve to know.'

Deves' comments come as the Albanese government continues to face scrutiny over its approach to repatriating ISIS-affiliated families.

The government maintains it has not directly assisted with any such operations, even after a high-profile group returned in 2025.

However, handwritten notes from Home Affairs secretary Stephanie Foster, released following a Senate request, cast doubt on the government's claims late last year.

The notes summarised a meeting attended by Foster, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, representatives from Save the Children, and advocate Kamalle Dabboussy, whose daughter was coerced into joining ISIS and later repatriated with her children.

Tony Burke (pictured) rubbished the claim saying 'Katherine Deves is wrong. Again'

Though not a verbatim transcript, the notes indicated that Burke warned 'public pressure' would make repatriations 'fraught', but advised officials not to 'rule it out'.

Another entry read: 'Balance responsibilities success of first cohort will be great help after we've got them home.'

Daily Mail understands the government has since reiterated its position that it is not directly assisting with the repatriation of ISIS brides.
A multi-billion-dollar fund manager has taken aim at 'woke' workers, claiming they ruin team spirit.

Tribeca Investment Partners' Ben Cleary revealed he has just three requirements when he's hiring new staff in Brisbane.

'You have to support Queensland in the State of Origin, have to enjoy a cold XXXX and most importantly you can't be woke,' he told the Courier Mail.

Mr Cleary wants to expand his Brisbane office of ten staff for the Asia-Pacific-based asset management and advisory firm.

'The talent in Brisbane is compelling,' he said.

Mr Cleary claimed that woke workers had a negative affect on the office environment.

'It's a sure-fire way to ruin team spirit if you relent to wokeness. We've seen it before in our Sydney office and won't be making that mistake again,' he said.

He claimed that Queenslanders, in particular, had a great work ethic.

Fund manager Ben Cleary (pictured) wants to expand his Brisbane office but said future employees can't be 'woke' as it ruins team spirit

'Maybe there is something in the water, but sadly most of them have to leave because of a lack of job opportunities,' he said.

Mr Cleary claimed financial companies are setting up shop in Brisbane in the hopes they can benefit from the run-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.

'The timing's right for funding to be found locally in Queensland for the four pillars  agriculture, construction, resources and tourism,' he said.

Data from FCM Travel, the corporate division of Flight Centre Travel Group, found business bookings to Rockhampton from Brisbane jumped 34 per cent in the final quarter of 2025, the Courier reports.

Corporate travel to Townsville also rose 17 per cent year-on-year.

FCM Travel's ANZ general manager, Renos Rologas, said locations in regional Queensland were an 'economic powerhouse'.

'The fact is, its not just project coordinators heading to the regions anymore  its executives, decision-makers, and investors.'

Mr Cleary, who grew up in Brisbane, returned to the Queensland capital from Singapore in 2020 after two decades overseas - including in London and Hong Kong.

Mr Cleary claimed financial companies are setting up shop in Brisbane in the hopes they can benefit from the run-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032 (stock image)

With his wife Jane, he bought a mega-penthouse in Cutters Landing, New Farm, in 2020 for $10 million within just 12 minutes, realestate.com.au reported.

It featured a wellness centre and eight-car garage.

The couple then snapped up a heritage-listed mansion in the affluent suburb of Ascot, Brisbane, for $23million in 2024.

The massive price set a new home price record for Brisbane that year.

Daily Mail contacted Mr Cleary for comment.
The music teacher who had a baby with the 13-year-old boy she repeatedly raped got her young victim to befriend her toddler son, and took the two children out together.

Naomi Tekea Craig, 33, was a married mother of one teaching at an Anglican school in Mandurah, 70km south of Perth, in October 2024 when she began sexually abusing the student, then just 12.

The abuse and rape - which included penetrating the child - continued for more than a year before Craig was arrested and charged in December.

She gave birth to his child on January 8, and on Tuesday, she pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexual abuse of a child, possessing child exploitation material, indecent dealings with a child and sexual penetration of a child.

Daily Mail can now reveal that days before the sexual abuse began, Craig encouraged her victim to form a close bond with her son.

Disturbing video footage seen by the Daily Mail, shows the schoolboy, then 12, sitting at a small toddler table beside Craig's pre-school age child as they coloured in together.

The pair appeared relaxed and familiar, happily swapping crayons in what appears to be a doctor's waiting room, with the boy calling his teacher's son 'little bro'.

Married teacher Craig encouraged her victim to form a close bond with her younger son

The married music teacher admitted penetrating the schoolboy among a series of offences

Craig was initially charged in December and it has been alleged that the abuse continued until her arrest.

Police say DNA tests confirm the teenage victim is the father of Craig's child, who was born less than three weeks before she confessed in court on Tuesday

Craig appeared in Mandurah Local Court via audio link to admit all 15 child abuse-related charges.

Last week, the Daily Mail revealed the now-13-year-old victim provided a DNA sample to investigators, but he already claimed to know the baby was his.

Earlier in January, he wrote on social media there was 'No DNA test needed', and raised the possibility of a baby boy taking after him.

After court on Tuesday, Craig's husband broke cover and dropped their older son off at her parents' home.

Craig is prohibited from seeing anyone under 18, including her eldest child, without supervision, with her newborn the only exception to the strict court order.

According to the school's website, Craig was often praised in newsletters for her active role in choir and music performances.

Ms Craig already had one child with her husband

Craig posed for multiple pregnancy shoots in the lead up to the birth this month

In one newsletter from October 2024, she was pictured on the school's website working with children between five and 12 at the 'battle of the band rock concert'.

In the photo, she held a microphone on stage with primary school students while smiling and wearing a Nirvana t-shirt knotted at the waist.

A Christian prayer could be seen on a projector on the wall above the stage.

Following her arrest, the principal of Frederick Irwin Anglican School, Tracey Gray sent a letter to parents and carers confirming the alleged victim was not a current student at the school.

'I regret to inform you that a teacher from our school has been arrested by police and charged with child-related offences,' Ms Gray wrote.

'The teacher has been instructed not to attend the school.

'The information available to the school suggests that there is no need for any concern for any children at the school.'

In court, Magistrate Clare Cullen read the charges aloud, which included multiple counts of penetration of a child under 13, and after his birthday, sexual penetration of a child over 13 and under 16.

Principal Tracey Gray sent a letter to parents and carers confirming the alleged victim is not a current student

Craig is represented by top Perth lawyer, Reid Hogan.

Further charges included additional counts of indecent dealings with a child under 13, and possessing child exploitation material.

Twelve incidents occurred in Silver Sands, Mandurah, and three in nearby Meadow Springs.

To each charge, Craig replied: 'Guilty, your honour.'

Craig's relationship with the boy began on October 31, 2024, and ended on December 16, just days before her arrest.

She was represented by top Perth lawyer, Reid Hogan.

The magistrate said: 'You've pleaded guilty to all charges and they're being expedited to the District Court for what's called a sentence mention listing.'

Craig must attend court in person when her matter is up in the District Court on March 27.

To make bail, she was personally required to front $20,000, plus an additional $50,000 in surety.

Her bail will continue until the next mention.
The two young men who drowned in a river accident on the NSW Mid North Coast during the Australia Day long weekend have been identified.

Indian nationals Sachin and Sahil, aged in their 30s, had been enjoying a day out with their partners when trouble struck at the Never Never River at John Locke Place, in Gleniffer, at 6.45pm on Sunday.

Sachin and Sahil could not be saved after they were pulled from the river, while Sachin's fiancee was rushed to Coffs Harbour Health Campus in a serious condition.

Loved one Sunita Kalkal has kickstarted a GoFundMe, revealing how the long weekend had quickly taken a turn.

'They were being responsible and cautious, stepping only into shallow water,' Ms Kalkal said.

'In an unforeseeable moment, a strong current surged and swept them away. What should have been an innocent moment turned into an unthinkable tragedy.

'Sahil leaves behind his seven-month pregnant wife. Sachins fiancee, who bravely tried to help, is now hospitalised with critical injuries.'

Ms Kalkal said both mens fathers are battling serious medical conditions, leaving them unable to bear the financial burden.

Sachin (centre left) and his friend Sahil (centre right) died after they were swept away by a strong current in a river on NSW Mid North Coast on Sunday

Police said a report will be prepared for the coroner after the Never Never River incident

Their families hope to receive support from both Australian and Indian communities, aiming to raise $200,000, with the fundraiser drawing in $103,000 so far.

The funds will go towards repatriating Sachin and Sahils bodies to India, covering funeral and repatriation expenses, and supporting the grieving families.

A crime scene was set up after the incident as part of police investigations, and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
A majority of American voters believe that Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti was murdered by Donald Trump's Border Patrol, a damning poll suggests.

The 37-year-old died after he was shot around ten times on Saturday.

Gruesome videos of the event show Pretti apprehended by over a half dozen agents before he was shot in the back. The Department of Veterans Affairs intensive care unit worker had a handgun and two fully packed magazines when he was encountered, putting officers on edge.

However, just before he was shot and killed, an agent disarmed Pretti.

According to the Daily Mail/JL Partners poll conducted of over 1,000 American voters on Monday, 54 percent believe that the federal law enforcement murdered Pretti. The margin of error is 3.1 percent.

More than one in five Republicans, 22 percent, said Pretti's killing constituted murder.

Just 21 percent of all respondents indicated that shooting and killing the nurse was justified.

The killing - just two weeks after Minnesota woman Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by federal agents - has shocked the nation and led to protests around Minneapolis and the state. It has also shaken confidence in the President.

A majority of American voters believe Alex Pretti was murdered by Border Patrol agents, according to a Daily Mail/JR Partners poll

Pretti has an altercation with an ICE agent moments before he is fatally shot on Saturday

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Pretti 'shouldn't have been carrying a gun'

Democrats and Republicans in Congress have since called for an investigation into the shooting. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is conducting an internal investigation into the matter, as are local authorities in Minneapolis.

There has been no indication from the FBI whether it will probe the shooting.

The poll results are indicative of the tenuous moment Trump's deportation mandate faces after the two American deaths.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, the administration was quick to label Pretti as a domestic terrorist who was hellbent on killing federal agents.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Trump's top adviser Stephen Miller have since had to backtrack on their incendiary initial comments.

'A would-be assassin tried to murder federal law enforcement,' Miller published on social media within hours of the shooting.

He has since blamed CBP for feeding the White House bad information - leading to Noem and his statements.

'We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol,' Miller said in a statement given to the Daily Mail.

Join the debate Should Trump respond directly to voters who say the shooting was unjustified?

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Border Patrol agents apprehending Pretti on Saturday

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has faced heavy scrutiny following the deaths of Good and Pretti

A preliminary CBP investigation reportedly found that two agents opened fire on Pretti.

Since Saturday, Trump has elevated border czar Tom Homan to lead ICE deportation operations in Minnesota.

The move is widely seen as a condemnation of Noem's handling of the mission that has sent 3,000 federal agents to the state.

A close Noem ally, Greg Bovino, the ex-Border Patrol chief who was the face of the on-ground force, has been reassigned to his California border sector and stripped of his title.

Reports indicate that he was also locked out of his social media after dueling with personalities online. Those reports indicate that Bovino is now planning on retiring soon.
They are the bane of motorists across the country and cause billions in repair costs every year.

Now the number of craters on one road has become so bad that locals have renamed the street 'Potholesville'.

Residents say the 'undriveable' road has been allowed to fall into a state of permanent disrepair because no authority will fix it.

The company previously responsible for repairs went bust in 2024, leaving the crater-ridden road with no official owner.

And amid mounting frustrations, 'Welcome to Potholesville' was pasted over a sign at the weekend.

Old Bridge Way in Shefford, Bedfordshire, has been at the centre of a row between Central Bedfordshire Council and local Labour MP Alistair Strathern.

It provides the only access to the local supermarket, and the council refuses to touch it.

Responding to the sign online, local residents branded the road a 'disgrace' and an 'embarrassment'.

Amid mounting frustrations at the number of potholes in Shefford, Bedfordshire, a 'Welcome to Potholesville' was pasted over a sign at the weekend

A pothole on a British street. The Daily Mail is campaigning for more action to fix potholes (file image)

Another wrote: 'At least it notifies you before you knock your teeth out.'

Mr Strathern has set up a petition, saying the council should 'step up and do the right thing'.

In a statement, he said: 'Old Bridge Way increasingly feels more like a Tough Mudder course.

'The council has Highways Act powers to ensure the road is made good, and extra highways funding to take action themselves. Their failure to is a purely political decision.'

Writing on Facebook, councillor John Baker, executive member for highways, slated Mr Strathern, saying: 'His job is to raise and address legal loopholes that allow developers to dodge their responsibilities, not to defend them.'

He claims that the developers who were previously responsible for the private road sold it for 1 to another company, which had the same directors, in May 2023.

While the first company has income and assets, he notes, the second 'had no money'.

It was liquidated, which Mr Baker says allowed the directors to offload responsibility to the Crown and leave the road with no official owner.

'It is not reasonable for the taxpayers of Central Bedfordshire to fund private road adoption for one company, whilst responsible companies use their own money to carry out this task,' he said, claiming that it would cost the taxpayer 'in excess of 1million'.

In a statement, he added: 'We recognise ongoing concerns about the condition of the remaining sections of Old Bridge Way. However, this portion of the road is not an adopted public highway so does not fall under our management or jurisdiction.'

Teaching assistant Joseph Taylor, 23, told The Sun the potholes continue to ruin the suspension on cars.

He said: 'It's the only way to Morrisons, which is Shefford's main supermarket.

'In the middle of the night, someone pasted over the sign with "Welcome to Potholesville".'

A cyclist added: 'The road gets worse every winter. The potholes are completely lethal.'

The Daily Mail is campaigning for more action to fix potholes.
A Labour plan to cut costs for leasehold flat owners could deal a blow to pension funds, City firms have warned.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer yesterday proposed that ground rents paid by owners of leasehold properties, mostly flats, will be capped at 250 per year.

Under leasehold, homeowners buy the right to live in their home for a certain number of years.

A freeholder owns the building and the land it is built on and can collect ground rent in exchange for the leaseholder's 'right' to occupy it.

These freeholders include pension funds, many of which use some of savers' money to invest in property, which is seen as low risk.

Rents provide a return on that investment, which helps fund pension schemes. Campaigners have called for an overhaul of ground rents, due to some leases that involved costs ratcheting up substantially over time.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed that ground rents paid by owners of leasehold properties, mostly flats, will be capped at 250 per year

However, the investment industry has hit back, saying Labour's plans go too far.

One of Britain's biggest investment management firms sounded a warning over the proposals yesterday.

M&G, which runs Prudential pensions, said it owns 722million of affected property and the plans would 'negatively impact savers and companies that have chosen to invest in UK assets'. It said it would take a 230million hit if Labour's ground rent plans were made law.

Although pension funds make a variety of investments, experts say some pensioners could lose out as a result of the change.

Jennifer Crichton, senior wealth planner at Killik & Co, said for some pension funds 'the long-established ground rents system may have been relied upon too heavily'.

She added: 'For most pension members, the impact is expected to be minimal, although members of schemes with a higher exposure could be the unintended losers of what is a welcome change for many leaseholders.'

The ground rent change could also make the UK a less attractive prospect to foreign investors, investment industry leaders said.

This is because it would involve ripping up established contracts between property-owning freehold companies and leaseholders, in order to cut annual charges down to 250.

The Association of British Insurers said the change could set a 'troubling precedent' for government interference in business and was 'likely to raise the risk premium that investors attach to the UK'.

Ground rents cost leaseholders an average of 304 per year according to the English Housing Survey for 2023 to 2024, the most recent data available.

However, they can cost significantly more in expensive locations such as London and some leases also include clauses which double the ground rent every decade.

This has left some leasehold owners struggling to sell properties and campaigners have long called for changes to help them.
The head of the UK's biggest union sent a warning to Keir Starmer on Tuesday night over the blocking of Andy Burnham standing for Parliament.

Andrea Egan, general secretary of Unison, said she would not let the current Labour leadership 'take us [unions and MPs] down with them'.

And she also warned the Prime Minister could 'not afford' any more mistakes.

Ms Egan, whose union has 1.3million members and who is a Left-wing ally of Mr Burnham, said when she was elected a month ago that she would not prop up politicians who are hostile to unions.

On Tuesday, in a piece for the socialist Tribune magazine, she went further by suggesting she would break ranks with the party over the 'cynical stitch-up'.

She wrote: 'I know that I speak for many of my colleagues across the trade union movement, and in chorus with a significant number of Labour MPs, when I say that we cannot allow those currently in charge of the party to take us down with them.'

Ms Egan warned Labour about 'corrosive factionalism' and 'extreme intolerance for different views' - and called for a 'radical change in direction' to stop Reform UK.

She ended her piece on an ominous note: 'The Prime Minister should know that this latest act of control freakery was, above all else, a mistake. He cannot afford any more.'

The head of the UK's biggest union sent a warning to Keir Starmer, pictured, on Tuesday night over the blocking of Andy Burnham standing for Parliament

Andrea Egan, general secretary of Unison, pictured in December, said she would not let the current Labour leadership 'take us [unions and MPs] down with them'

The deep backlash to his decision to block the Greater Manchester mayor continued to grow on Tuesday, threatening to plunge the party deeper into civil war. A letter from the heads of the soft-Left Tribune group of 120 Labour MPs was sent to the party to express 'disappointment' in the move.

This follows a letter, led by Labour MP Clive Lewis, that was signed by more than 50 MPs from all wings of the party - though sources dispute the figure.

The number of Labour MPs expressing discomfort about the move is far higher than the 81 MPs needed to trigger any future leadership challenge.

Sir Keir took a major political risk on Sunday by personally leading efforts to keep his rival from running for the Gorton and Denton by-election in Greater Manchester. The Starmer-controlled panel of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) voted against Mr Burnham by eight votes to one.

But the backlash was swift with Labour MPs warning that Sir Keir's attempts to save his skin would only 'hasten his demise'.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Burnham said it was 'simply untrue' that he was told he would be blocked by figures from Number 10.

Sources close to the PM were said to have claimed that Mr Burnham was told that he would be rejected if he applied and accused him of going ahead anyway to 'destabilise' Sir Keir.

While fury at the decision raged on Tuesday, Sir Keir's rivals were circling, with former deputy PM Angela Rayner telling supporters: 'I'm not dead yet.'

Join the debate Do YOU think Labour fears Andy Burnhams popularity?

The deep backlash to Sir Keir's decision to block Andy Burnham, pictured on Monday, continued to grow on Tuesday, threatening to plunge the party deeper into civil war

Ms Rayner, who backed Mr Burnham's right to stand and is also talked up as a future leadership contender, said Labour's hierarchy 'should do better'.

Her allies also suggested she was ready to make a comeback and would have 80 MPs ready to back a leadership bid when the time came, The Times reported. MPs from all wings of the party have criticised the decision.

Labour MP Charlotte Nichols told the Jewish Chronicle it was 'madness' to block Mr Burnham.

She added: 'The best leaders, I think, encourage and develop other people around them to be able to step into their shoes when the time comes.

'They don't cut the knees out from anyone who looks like they're coming up behind them.'

Labour activists in Gorton and Denton also demanded Sir Keir reverse the decision to stop Mr Burnham from standing.

Some 17 members of the local Labour Party wrote to the Prime Minister stating the NEC 'should reverse the decision' and added that their 'future has been played by party figures in Westminster'.

The by-election to replace former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne is expected to take place on February 26. He was suspended by Labour last year after The Mail on Sunday uncovered a series of offensive WhatsApp messages he had sent.

The once-safe Labour seat is now thought to be a three-way marginal between Labour, Reform and the Greens.

Earlier this month, a seat-by-seat poll showed Gorton and Denton will likely fall to Reform at the next General Election while the Greens are also confident about their chances.
Labour's botched business rates U-turn was branded 'too little, too late' last night, amid warnings of a high street meltdown.

Rachel Reeves is facing a growing backlash after temporary help on business rates was restricted to pubs, leaving thousands of small shops, restaurants and hotels facing crippling tax rises in April.

The Chancellor dodged the humiliation of explaining her latest climbdown by sending junior minister Dan Tomlinson to the Commons instead. The organiser of a campaign to ban Labour MPs from more than 1,500 pubs last night said it would stay in place until the whole hospitality sector was offered help.

Ms Reeves bowed to pressure to ease the business rates raid on pubs following a mutiny by Labour MPs. She said on Tuesday that 'pubs are different' as she unveiled a 300million package of temporary support.

But no immediate help was offered to thousands of other firms in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors who also face huge rates rises.

This month's U-turn on pubs was the 12th of Labour's 18 months in power, many of which can be traced back to misjudgments by Ms Reeves. Hairdressers, florists and even pharmacies warned they could be driven to the 'brink of collapse'.

Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride said Ms Reeves' 'temporary sticking plaster' will 'only delay the pain for a few, while thousands of businesses despair as their bills skyrocket'.

Sir Mel said high streets across the country were facing a 'tragedy', with industry analysis suggesting six hospitality venues a day could close this year unless further help is provided. 'The Government have proved today that either they do not understand the damage that they are doing or they do not care,' he said. 'Today's announcement is far too little, far too late.'

Rachel Reeves is facing a growing backlash after temporary help on business rates was restricted to pubs, leaving thousands of small shops, restaurants and hotels facing crippling tax rises in April

Chancellor of the Exchequer Ms Reeves leaves following a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London, on Tuesday

Dorset landlord Andy Lennox, who masterminded the pub ban on Labour MPs, said the concessions were 'welcome' but that the Chancellor's decision to send out a junior minister 'shows you exactly what they think of our industry'.

He warned the climbdown would not be enough to save an industry battered by Labour's hikes in National Insurance and the minimum wage, and said the hospitality sector 'will not be divided'.

Mr Lennox added: 'We stand in solidarity with wider hospitality who have been excluded, and will thus not be lifting the #NoLabourMP ban.'

Ominously for the Chancellor, Labour MPs also demanded help for the wider hospitality sector. Former minister Jim McMahon said ministers 'could and should' have done more to help businesses. He urged the Treasury to have a 'second attempt to get it right and have a wider support package for the whole of hospitality'.

Fellow Labour MP Stella Creasy said it was not true that 'pubs are somehow the only cornerstone of community life in this country'. She urged ministers to return with further support for 'small independent venues, such as cafes, community centres and soft-play centres'.

Treasury minister Mr Tomlinson hinted at further concessions in the Budget in the autumn, telling LBC: 'I want to work with businesses to see what more we can do. It isn't going to be looking specifically at tax measures, but we'll be considering them in the round, in the run-up to the Budget.'

Mr Tomlinson said business rates bills for pubs and music venues in England will be reduced by 15 per cent in 2026/27 and then be 'frozen in real terms' for the next two years. He added that the support will be worth 1,650 for the average pub next year.

Tina McKenzie, of the Federation of Small Businesses, welcomed the 'temporary reprieve' for pubs, but added: 'Small firms across the rest of the hospitality, leisure and retail sectors  from your local greengrocer, hairdresser and cafe to the nail bar or florist  will be incredibly disappointed to not have been thrown any type of lifeline.

'The Government repeatedly fails to recognise the difficulty that these businesses are in.'

Join the debate Do YOU blame Rachel Reeves for the looming high-street meltdown?

Ms Reeves pours a gin and tonic during a visit to the Goldsmiths Arms pub in Penge following the government's announcement on a pub support package in London on Tuesday

Ms Reeves announced 4.3billion in 'transitional relief' at the Budget. But the average pub still faced a 15 per cent increase in business rates in April, rising to 48 per cent next year and 76 per cent in 2028. The increases result from the unwinding of Covid-era support, coupled with a revaluation of business premises.

Trade body UK Hospitality said the average restaurant faced a 54 per cent rates rise over the next three years, while the average hotel could see increases of 115 per cent.

Peter Collie, landlord of The Horseshoe Inn near London Bridge, said the 15 per cent relief was 'nowhere near enough' to save an industry in crisis. He added: 'It's better than getting a slap around the face with a wet cod, I suppose. But that's about all it is.'

Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said it was 'simply outrageous' that the sector had been excluded from relief, adding: 'This increase will push some pharmacies to the brink of collapse.'

Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, said: 'The Chancellor has announced a half baked U-turn while flushing independent retail round the U-bend.'

'I don't think I have seen a worse policy decision,' he added, warning that this 'poor decision based on poor reasoning' would result in more shop closures.

Celebrity hairdresser Richard Ward said Labour was 'squeezing business to a point where profit is becoming a dirty word'.
A council has come under fire after rangers flipped over an inflatable pool that had been set up by a family on a beach for their quadriplegic son who has cerebral palsy.

Walter Siola'a, 8, was celebrating Australia Day with his family at Kurnell, south of Sydney, when their fun quickly ended.

The family had brought an inflatable pool for their son who loves the beach, although the sound of crashing waves makes him nervous.

His disabilities also make it difficult for him to get into the ocean.

A beachgoer dobbed in the family, prompting two Sutherland Shire Council rangers to show up an hour later and order the family to deflate the pool.

The council claimed that any blow-up pool that can hold more than 30 centimetres of water is 'subject to the same fencing laws as in-ground pools'.

'At first, we just wanted to comply. We didn't want to cause a whole kerfuffle there,' dad Richard Siola'a said.

However, rangers intervened after Mr Siola'a started to empty the pool.

Walter Siola'a with his dad Richard and mum Siu

Walter by his pool which council rangers tipped over

'And that's when he stopped us and said, what we're doing is illegal, we're going to get in trouble from the council because we're dumping water,' Mr Siola'a said.

Walter's parents chose a spot to set up their picnic and pool that was located away from other people, and insisted their son was never in any danger.

'We just wanted him to be safe and feel comfortable at a water level that was comfortable for him,' mum Siu Siola'a told 7News.

Disability worker Sophie Wellard, who was walking past at the time, said she was 'shocked' at what she saw.

'The councilman picked the pool up and flipped it. Walter at that time was very upset,' Ms Wellard said.

Sutherland Shire Mayor Jack Boyd later apologised to the family.

Mayor Boyd also admitted his rangers 'should have used discretion.'

'Our rangers enforce the rules as they exist, not as what they would want them to be,' he said.

Sutherland Shire Mayor Jack Boyd later apologised to Walter and his family

Walter's mum also had a final message to the person who dobbed them in.

'If she just enjoys her life, I'm sure this world would be a better place,' she said.
Keir Starmer was involved in a landmark legal case that opened the door to hundreds of British soldiers being pursued for alleged war crimes, it emerged last night.

The Prime Minister worked alongside his friend Lord Hermer on a submission to judges hearing a 2007 human rights claim that eventually reshaped the law on soldiers in war zones.

The case ultimately led the Ministry of Defence to order fresh inquiries into deaths in Iraq.

Johnny Mercer, the former veterans minister, last night accused Sir Keir of 'unleashing the witch-hunt against British troops'.

Sir Keir and Lord Hermer, now the Attorney General, made a legal submission in the case which urged the courts to order a fresh inquiry into a British soldier who had already been cleared twice of murder over the death of an Iraqi man in 2003.

Sir Keir acted pro bono as an intervener in the case on behalf of human rights campaigners, including Amnesty International and Liberty, it was reported last night.

Interveners have an interest in the outcome of a legal claim but are not direct parties to it.

The claim, known as Al-Skeini and others v Secretary of State for Defence, was brought in 2007 on behalf of the families of six Iraqis, who alleged their relatives had been unlawfully killed.

Sir Keir and Lord Hermer, now the Attorney General, made a legal submission in the case which urged the courts to order a fresh inquiry into a British soldier who had already been cleared twice of murder over the death of an Iraqi man in 2003

Downing Street said last night that Sir Keir did not represent the Iraqi families in the case, adding that his role was to 'assist the court on points of law, not to advocate for either side'.

A spokesman added: 'The Prime Minister... represented interveners, including the Law Society of England and Wales.'

The soldier involved in the case, Sgt Richie Catterall, was pursued for 13 years before a judge reportedly ruled that he had acted in self-defence.

'I am gutted Keir Starmer helped bring this case against me,' he told the Daily Telegraph. 'He is now the Prime Minister and he owes me an apology.'

The case on behalf of the Iraqi families was brought by Phil Shiner. In 2024, he was convicted of fraud for dishonestly making legal aid claims and for paying intermediaries in Iraq to procure clients and evidence.

Sir Keir, then a senior human rights QC, and Lord Hermer did not represent Shiner or the families in the case.

The intervention by human rights groups, represented by Sir Keir and Lord Hermer, argued that the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) should be applied to British forces in Iraq.

Their submission read in part: 'The interveners submit a relationship of power, control and protection existed between the UK and the inhabitants of that area of Iraq sufficient to establish jurisdiction under the ECHR.'

The Prime Minister worked alongside his friend Lord Hermer on a submission to judges hearing a 2007 human rights claim that eventually reshaped the law on soldiers in war zones

Join the debate Would YOU trust the government to protect troops after this?

They argued that British troops were exercising effective control in parts of Iraq and the UK was therefore legally obliged to conduct fresh investigations under European human rights law.

This was rejected by the British courts in 2007, but the European Court of Human Rights overturned the British ruling in 2011, forcing the UK to reopen investigations into the deaths.

That triggered a cascade of criminal inquiries into British soldiers, many of whom had already been cleared. Hundreds were subjected to years of investigation.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: 'As the Prime Minister made clear last week, he will never forget the courage, bravery and sacrifice made by British servicemen and women for their country.

'During his career, the Prime Minister has represented British soldiers who were killed in action and were wrongly accused.

'The Prime Minister did not represent the claimants in this case. He represented interveners, including the Law Society of England and Wales.

'The role of an intervener is to assist the court on points of law, not to advocate for either side.

'The Prime Minister was not involved in the subsequent case heard in the European Court of Human Rights.'
Jaw-dropping footage shows huge sharks swarming feeding boxes and clamping down with powerful bites during an intense underwater encounter in the Bahamas.

The clips were filmed by Ken Kiefer, 56, a professional underwater photographer from Texas, while diving around 30 miles off the coast of Grand Bahama, where he has spent more than two decades documenting sharks in their natural environment.

In the dramatic scenes, sharks are seen circling bait-filled boxes before suddenly lunging forward, biting down as excitement builds in the water around them.

As the animals rush past, Kiefer is seen remaining calmly in the middle of the action, even gently patting some of the sharks as they dart by.

The footage captures the sheer size and power of the sharks at close range, with the animals appearing to playfully bite and jostle around the feeding boxes.

The videos offer a rare look at close-up shark feeding encounters, filmed during one of Kiefers dives off the Bahamian coast.

Jaw-dropping footage shows huge sharks swarming feeding boxes and clamping down with powerful bites during an intense underwater encounter in the Bahamas

The clips were filmed by Ken Kiefer, 56, a professional underwater photographer from Texas, while diving around 30 miles off the coast of Grand Bahama, where he has spent more than two decades documenting sharks in their natural environment
Stephen Miller admitted that Border Patrol agents may 'not have been following protocol' during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti as Kristi Noem appeared to blame him for the fallout.

Miller's remarks were a dramatic U-Turn just days after the top Trump aide lambasted the 37-year-old nurse as 'an assassin' who 'tried to murder federal agents'.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, Miller said: 'We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol.'

He added that the 'White House provided clear guidance to DHS that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors.'

Miller's comments came as Noem appeared to blame him for claims by her Department of Homeland Security that Pretti intended to 'massacre' immigration agents.

'Everything I've done, I've done at the direction of the president and Stephen,' Noem told a person who relayed her remarks to Axios.

Noem had said during a press conference Sunday that Pretti was 'brandishing a weapon' and called him a 'domestic terrorist' who intended to harm law enforcement officers.

Miller tried to defend himself in his statement to the Daily Mail by claiming: 'The initial statement from DHS was based on reports from CBP on the ground.'

He added that the extra personnel sent to Minnesota for DHS was to be used for 'conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors'.

Stephen Miller has shifted his position on the Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti after previously referring to the 37-year-old as 'an assassin' who 'tried to murder federal agents'

Pretti, a nurse, was shot dead in Minneapolis on Saturday during a targeted immigration enforcement operation

Miller was not present Monday night when Trump held a two-hour meeting with key advisers at Noem's request.

In the meeting, one source told Axios that Noem 'made sure to emphasize she took direction from Miller and the President' and said she feels hung out to dry.

However, one source explicitly said that Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino 'should be blamed, not Stephen'.

They said that Bovino was the one giving information to the White House from the scene.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added: 'Stephen Miller is one of President Trump's most trusted and longest-serving aides. The President loves Stephen.'

Miller also released a measured statement on X Tuesday night that defended the work of immigration agents in Minnesota.

'Working under the most adverse conditions imaginable, stalked, hunted, tailed, surveilled and viciously attacked by organized violent leftists every hour of the day, our heroic ICE officers selflessly defend our sovereignty and the lives of our people,' he wrote. 'True courage and devotion.'

Join the debate Did Kristi Noem throw Miller under the bus to save herself?

Miller now potentially faces being the scapegoat for the Minneapolis mess, with sources within the administration putting the heat on him, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem

However, one source explicitly said that Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino 'should be blamed, not Stephen'

Trump has since distanced himself from Miller and Noem's initial statements, saying Tuesday he flat out disagreed with Miller calling him 'an assassin'.

On Sunday, the commander-in-chief appeared reluctant to fully defend the unidentified agent who shot Pretti in broad daylight as he expressed his dismay over the man's death during a brief discussion with The Wall Street Journal.

'I don't like any shooting. I don't like it,' Trump said. 'But I don't like it when somebody goes into a protest and he's got a very powerful, fully-loaded gun with two magazines loaded up with bullets also. That doesn't play good either.'

During a press briefing Monday, Leavitt said she had 'not heard the President characterize' Pretti as a domestic terrorist.

Trump appeared to show disapproval of Noem and Miller's handling of the situation by removing Bovino from Minneapolis on Tuesday.

Bovino, who was backed by Noem, left as border czar Tom Homan arrived to take over the situation.

As he left the White House Tuesday, the President was asked whether Pretti's killing on Saturday was justified.

He responded by saying that a 'big investigation' was underway.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Trump has since distanced himself from Miller and Noem's initial statements, saying Tuesday he flat out disagreed with Miller calling him 'an assassin'

Medical workers, union members, and veterans gather for an 'ICE OUT NOW!' rally and memorial for Alex Pretti

By sending Homan to Minnesota, 'we're going to de-escalate a little bit,' Trump said during an interview on Fox News's 'Will Cain Show.'

That's significant since Leavitt, when questioned repeatedly Monday about Homan being dispatched to Minnesota, refused to say that doing so was an effort to calm the situation.

Trump added of Homan, 'Tom, as tough as he is, gets along' with governors and mayors, even in Democratic areas.

His comments come as a new Border Patrol report says that two agents fired the ten shots at Alex Pretti that killed him and does not mention the gun owner taking out his gun.

The law requires the agency to inform relevant congressional committees about deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours.

Investigators from CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the notice said.

The agency is required to report in-custody and certain other deaths involving its agents and officers to Congress.

Officials said that at around 9am Saturday, CBP agents were faced with several protesters 'yelling and blowing whistles' at the officers, while also blocking the roadway at the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.

A new Border Patrol report says that two agents fired the ten shots at Alex Pretti that killed him and does not mention the gun owner taking out his gun

After making 'several verbal requests' for the protesters to stop, CBP claims two women confronted the agents while blowing whistles. They were ordered to get out of the roadway but refused.

They said that the women were then 'pushed away' and one of them ran to Pretti, with both again refusing to leave the roadways.

The officer then deployed pepper spray at both of them while attempting to arrest Pretti.

'CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts and a struggle ensued,' the report claims.

'During the struggle, a [Border Patrol agent] yelled, "He's got a gun!" multiple times.'

The report continues: 'Approximately five seconds later, a (Border Patrol agent) discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a (Customs and Border Protection officer) also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti.'

Within five seconds, one agent and one officer discharged the shots, with one using a Glock 19 and the other a Glock 47.

An agent took possession of Pretti's gun and cleared and secured it shortly after the shooting.

CBP tried to save Pretti's life by putting chest seals on his wounds at 9.02am, with EMS and EMTs arriving three minutes later.

Pretti was taken in an ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center at 9.14am, where he was pronounced dead at 9.32am.

Pretti was seen facing off with federal agents before being shot. His family claimed he was 'clearly not holding a gun', while federal officials have alleged he was 'brandishing' a firearm

A gun shot perforation in a window pane can be seen in a window in front of a makeshift memorial for Alex Pretti

A DHS investigation is ongoing and the department's Office of Inspector General has been notified.

'These notifications reflect standard Customs and Border Protection protocol and are issued in accordance with existing procedures,' a CBP spokesman told the Daily Mail.

'They provide an initial outline of an event that took place and do not convey any definitive conclusion or investigative findings. They are factual reports  not analytical judgments  and are provided to inform Congress and to promote transparency.'

Minneapolis police said Pretti had no serious criminal history and was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit.

On Monday, Leavitt said the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were investigating the shooting.

DHS officials have maintained that Pretti approached the officers with a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun.

However, witness videos from the scene appeared to show Pretti holding his phone up to the agents, not a gun.

He was captured filming agents with his device as they arrested a female protester, before suddenly being tackled to the ground.

Footage suggested that one officer took Pretti's weapon from his waistband and walked away with it just moments before he was killed.

Pretti was the second person killed this month by a federal officer in Minneapolis.

He was shot dead just over a mile from where Renee Good, 37, was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on January 7.
Donald Trump called Ilhan Omar 'a fraud' and suggested she faked the syringe spray attack against her at a Minneapolis town hall.

Trump's comments came after Omar faced off with the angry protester while speaking about the recent Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti during a North Minneapolis town hall.

'No. I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud. I really don't think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,' the president told ABC News when he asked if he'd watched the clip.

He reiterated that he hadn't seen the video and added 'I hope I don't have to bother.'

The angry protester confronted Omar after she called for Kristi Noem to resign while speaking about the recent Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti during a North Minneapolis town hall.

'DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment,' Omar says in footage of the incident.

The protester - later identified as 55-year-old Anthony J. Kazmierczak - ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance at her from a syringe.

He then told Omar to resign and claimed she's 'tearing Minnesota apart' before being dragged away by security guards.

Ilhan Omar (pictured left) was attacked by a man who yelled that she 'should resign' before using a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at the Minnesota Congresswoman

The protester - later identified as 55-year-old Anthony J. Kazmierczak - ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance at her from a syringe

Donald Trump (pictured) called Omar 'a fraud' and suggested she faked the syringe spray attack against her at a Minneapolis town hall

Omar appeared ready to confront Kazmierczak before he was dragged away as she muttered: 'F**king a**hole.'

She then answers an inaudible question from the crowd with 'I don't know' and telling another member of her team that she needs a napkin.

When one of the bystanders tells Omar she needs to 'get checked' for whatever was sprayed at her, she stands her ground, saying: 'We will continue. These f**king a**holes are not going to get away with it.'

'Here is the reality that people like this ugly man don't understand: We are Minnesota strong.'

There was a strong, vinegarlike smell after Kazmierczak pushed on the syringe, according to an Associated Press journalist who was there. Forensic scientists responded to the scene.

Photos of the device, which fell to the ground when he was tackled, showed what appeared to be a light-brown liquid inside. There was no immediate word from officials on what it was.

Kazmierczak has an image of President Trump on his Facebook page along with another of Trump embracing Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

He was immediately at the county jail for third-degree assault, spokesperson Trevor Folke said. He is being held without bail.

The protester ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance

Kazmierczak ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance at her from a syringe. He then told Omar to resign and claimed she's 'tearing Minnesota apart' before being dragged away by security guards

Kazmierczak is subdued after attempting to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar

Omar appeared ready to confront Kazmierczak before he was dragged away as she mutters: 'F**king a**hole.'

It was not immediately clear if Kazmierczak had an attorney. The county public defenders office could not immediately be reached.

The United States Capitol Police confirmed he had been detained when reached by The Daily Mail.

'Tonight, a man is in custody after he decided to assault a Member of Congress  an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice,' a spokesperson said.

'We are grateful for the rapid response of onsite security and our local law enforcement partners. We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.'

Afterward, Omar - who was born in war-torn Somalia - briefly spoke about the attack.

'I have survived war and I'm definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me because I'm built that way,' she said.

Omar added that she was 'going to go figure out' if she was alright but said that she felt 'okay.'

'I feel that it is important for people, whether they are in elected office or not, to allow these people to intimidate us, to make us not fight for our constituents and for the country we love.'

Omar has faced renewed scrutiny from Republicans in the wake of the Minnesota daycare scandal. On Tuesday night, President Trump again criticized her while at a rally with his base in Iowa

The congresswoman also issued a statement to social media following the town hall.

'I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong,' she wrote.

'During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe,' a spokesperson added.

Omar continued the town hall for about 25 more minutes after Kazmierczak was ushered out by security.

'Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn't let bullies win.'

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday night.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a fellow Democrat, condemned the attack.

'Unacceptable. Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk. I'm relieved Rep. Omar is okay and appreciate MPD for responding quickly. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.'

Join the debate What does this attack say about political division and safety for public officials in America today?

Omar, who represents Minneapolis in Congress, was speaking at a town hall, her first since the shooting of Alex Pretti, where she called out Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem

Pretti was fatally shot by immigration agents as they tried to detain him in Minneapolis

Fellow US Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, denounced the assault on Omar.

'I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today' Mace said via the social platform X.

'Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric - and I do - no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.'

The event was Omar's first since the fatal ICE shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, as well as the massive liberal protest movement in response to ICE's presence in the city.

'ICE cannot be reformed,' she said.

Following the shootings, House Democrats launched an investigation into Noem, while 140 members of the party have co-sponsored an impeachment resolution.

Democrats have come out swinging for Noem, as a large majority - 145 of 213 - of their House delegation now co-sponsors a bill that would see her impeached.

The impeachment bill alleges that Noem has been self-dealing, obstructed Congress and violated public trust.

The United States Capitol Police confirmed the attacker had been detained by local police

There was bipartisan condemnation of the attack on social media, with Omar saying herself that 'I don't let bullies win'

A spokesperson for DHS told Axios that the efforts were 'silly' and Democrats should focus on fixing crime problems in their districts.

The minority party will also launch an investigation into Noem's work at DHS without any assistance from Republicans, The Washington Post reported.

Omar has faced renewed scrutiny from Republicans in the wake of the Minnesota daycare scandal.

Trump has frequently criticized the congresswoman and has stepped up verbal attacks on her in recent months as he turned his focus on Minneapolis.

During a Cabinet meeting in December, he called her 'garbage' and added that 'her friends are garbage.'

Hours earlier on Tuesday, the president criticized Omar as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa, saying his administration would only let in immigrants who 'can show that they love our country.'

'They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar,' he said, drawing loud boos at the mention of her name.

He added: 'She comes from a country thats a disaster. So probably, its considered, I think - its not even a country.'

The attack came days after a man was arrested in Utah for allegedly punching Congressman Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida, in the face during the Sundance Film Festival and saying Trump was going to deport him.

The Capitol Police said that threat assessment cases against members of Congress, their families, staff and the Capitol Complex had increased for the third year in a row.

In 2025, the USCP's Threat Assessment Section (TAS) investigated 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors, and communications, a 57 percent increase.

'While security on Capitol Grounds has already improved, we have been strengthening our partnerships with law enforcement agencies across the country to keep the Members of Congress safe when they are away from Capitol Hill,' said US Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan.

'We want to make sure agencies have the resources they need to be able to enhance protection, which is critical to the democratic process.'
The White House has erupted at claims Donald Trump is retreating from his flagship election pledge of mass deportations after he promised to 'de-escalate' in Minnesota.

Trump is facing a ferocious revolt from his most loyal MAGA supporters over fears the largest deportation effort in US history could unravel within the next 24 hours.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson tonight hit back at claims Border Czar Tom Homan was capitulating to hard-Left rioters after he held talks with Democratic leaders, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

'Tom Homan is a patriot with decades of experience effectively protecting American communities and deporting criminal illegal aliens,' Jackson told the Daily Mail.

'Any left-wing agitator or criminal illegal alien who thinks Tom's presence is a victory for their cause is sadly mistaken. The Trump Administration will never waver in standing up for law and order and protecting the American people.'

Homan's arrival is a relief to rank-and-file ICE agents who increasingly see Kristi Noem as a haphazard leader. But there's now a palpable fear among Trump's most fervent supporters that the leadership swap signals a softer strategy is underway.

Homan's top priority, according to sources, will be coordinating negotiations between Minnesota Democratic state leaders and the White House in the wake of an agent's killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday.

Immigration hardliners warn that any deal by Homan that leads ICE agents to scale back their presence in Minnesota will be seen as a collapse of Trump's mass deportation agenda and a win for liberal protesters.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak about the economy at a rally Tuesday, in Clive, Iowa

Protesters clash with law enforcement while holding a 'noise demonstration' outside of a hotel believed to be housing federal immigration agents near Minneapolis, on Monday

Protesters outside a hotel believed to be where ICE agents are staying in Minneapolis on Sunday

Homan's top priority, according to sources, will be coordinating negotiations between MinnesotaDemocratic state leaders and the White House in the wake of an agent's killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti (pictured) on Saturday

These concerns come after Trump said in a Fox News interview on Tuesday that Homeland Security would 'de-escalate a little bit' in Minneapolis.

Stephen Miller on Tuesday also admitted that Border Patrol agents may 'not have been following protocol' during the fatal shooting of Pretti.

Miller had just days before lambasted the 37-year-old nurse as 'an assassin' who 'tried to murder federal agents'.

In a statement to the Daily Mail, Miller said: 'We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol.'

Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project and a longtime ally of Homan, is praying that his friend won't strike any deal with the Democrats who run the state.

Rather, he said, Homan should hold the line and even surge more forces into the Twin Cities to avoid handing protesters a victory that could spell the end of the movement.

'The mass deportation agenda could be completely wound back within the next 24 hours,' Howell told the Daily Mail on Tuesday.

Homan's strategy during his negotiations with Democratic leaders remains unclear, with the ultimate decision left to Trump.

A source close to the White House warned that if Trump blinks on mass deportations it would be the 'biggest betrayal' of Republican voters since George H.W. Bush broke his no-new-taxes promise and watched his presidency unravel in 1993.

'If Trump backs down on deportations, he might as well pack it in. It will be the biggest betrayal to the base since George HW Bush raised taxes,' the White House insider told the Daily Mail.

Howell agrees adding, 'This is a pivotal moment that will determine immigration enforcement operations for the years to come. If a rioters' veto is allowed to limit or redirect immigration enforcement operations, then the administration has lost control of the mass deportation agenda.'

Join the debate Should Trump double down on enforcement or prioritise restoring order in Minnesota?

Noem and her close allies on the ground were sidelined in Minneapolis following the outrage over the weekend shooting of Alex Pretti

Protesters across the Twin Cities have actively hampered ICE efforts after the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three fatally shot by an ICE agent during federal enforcement operations in Minneapolis on January 7.

Trump told reporters on the White House lawn that he was not backing off from his agenda, and blamed Democratic leaders for flooding the cities with illegals.

However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has now sent controversial Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, a close Noem ally, back home to California as Homan prepares to take control of the operation.

Conservative influencers supportive of mass deportation criticized DHS leaders for abandoning Bovino following the deadly shootings.

Nick Sortor, a conservative media personality famous for filming viral moments of protesters fighting with immigration agents, claimed in a Tuesday interview that border patrol agents have been ordered not to arrest 'non-criminal' undocumented immigrants.

Sortor pointed to complaints from border agents left behind in Minnesota after the exile of Bovino, saying they were told to stand down even when a license plate showed a person was in the country illegally. Bovino left Minnesota on Monday with a handful of close Border Patrol allies.

Howell told the Daily Mail he was concerned to see Bovino and some of his agents withdrawn from Minneapolis because it will benefit Democratic leaders like Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey.

'Any time you're removing resources from an area like that, it appears to be a negotiating tactic with Frey and Walz, and I don't know why we're negotiating with people behind the violent riots against the US government.'

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Immigration hardliners are warning Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan not to back in Minnesota as fears grow the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history could unravel within the next 24 hours

Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino observes a protest in Minneapolis on January 15

Howell advised the White House that it is time to double down on deportations by making it completely unviable for illegal aliens to remain in the United States.

Homan met with Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey on Tuesday to discuss cooperation between federal and local law enforcement.

'While we don't agree on everything, these meetings were a productive starting point and I look forward to more conversations with key stakeholders in the days ahead,' Homan wrote on X.

'President Trump has been clear: he wants American cities to be safe and secure for law-abiding residents - and they will be.'

The administration failed to meet the President's promise of deporting one million illegal immigrants during Trump's first year in office. ICE and Border Patrol deported upwards of 675,000 noncitizens, a DHS end of year tally for 2025 shows.

Trump rode back into the Oval Office a year ago after running his entire 2024 campaign on instituting mass deportations across the country in response to outrage at mass migration at the southern border.

However, a new Daily Mail poll reveals that Trump's approval ratings have collapsed to record lows, and his signature issue of immigration is now proving to be an albatross around his neck.

Another Daily Mail survey found that American voters are turning on ICE: 53 percent of registered voters think the immigration raids should now end.

Howell is now urging Homan and the White House to not let public perception based on media reports dictate the outcome of the future deportations objectives.

'They should focus on quantity and not what they think is the best political communications quality,' he concluded. 'So that means if you want to deport a high quantity, you go to places where there's concentrations of illegal aliens, like worksite enforcement.'
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been slammed after he suggested Islamic leaders should need a licence to preach following the Bondi Beach terror attack.

While speaking at an antisemitism conference in Israel on Tuesday night, he said Australian Islamic institutions should also translate sermons into English and set up a board to monitor radicals.

'Some will seek to characterise these remarks as hostile to Australia's Islamic community, and even multiculturalism itself, rolling out the usual accusations of Islamophobia,' he said, The Australian reported.

'To the contrary, I am advocating reforms I believe will help religious leaders in our Islamic community keep the wolves from their flock.

'To treat such issues as taboo serves only those who wish to keep these influences opaque and in the dark, where our two homegrown extreme Islamist terrorists were radicalised.

'After December 14, all options to combat antisemitism must be on the table without fear or favour; this includes how Islam is practised and governed in Australia.'

His comments have unleashed fury from the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), which said the rhetoric is dangerous and targets the Muslim community.

'These comments are reckless, deeply offensive, and profoundly dangerous,' AFIC said in a statement.

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for Islamic institutions to police preachers. He has been criticised by the Muslim community

'They revive a long-discredited narrative that seeks to divide Muslims into 'good' and 'bad', to portray Imam itself as a threat, and to frame Muslim communities as objects of suspicion rather than equal citizens.'

AFIC President Dr Rateb Jneid added that it would mean politicians 'position themselves as arbiters of our faith'.

'That is not leadership. It is dangerous, and history shows us exactly where it leads.

'Our faith is constantly scrutinised, politicised, and blamed, yet never defended or protected by law.

'When senior political figures single out Islam in this way, they legitimise the very hatred they claim to oppose.'

But Morrison doubled down on his comments while speaking to 2GB, claiming 'you need to be accountable to leaders in your own faith community'.

'You have to have training to make sure you're compliant with Australian laws, and if you don't do that, you don't get a ticket,' he said on Wednesday morning.

The former prime minister found support in the form of Liberal frontbencher Andrew Bragg, who said the introduction of a register for Islamic preachers is 'worth looking at' while appearing on ABC News.

The former prime minister made his comments at an antisemitism conference in Israel following the Bondi Beach terror attack on December 14 last year (a memorial is pictured)

'The Australian Muslim community has to take some responsibility for the behaviours we've seen exhibited over the last couple of decades,' he said.

Bragg was questioned about whether, by his logic, the Christian community should be held accountable for instances of Nazi hate speech.

'Well, I mean, I understand the point, but I think that what I'm trying to say is that we've got to be honest about the source of these problems,' he said.

'I mean, it is a mutation of Islam which is leading to terrorism. And so I'm not going to pretend that's not the case.'

However, Labor minister Pat Conroy claimed that Morrison may be a private citizen, but that Bragg's comments were 'really problematic and troubling'.

'For Senator Bragg to essentially back them [Mr Morrison's comments]... just demonstrates that the Liberal Party is incredibly divided on this issue,' he said.
ICE has sparked a rift with Ecuador after agents tried to bust into the country's consulate in Minneapolis.

Shocking video captured the moment immigration officers tried to forcibly enter the Latin American nation's field office in the Minnesota city on Tuesday around 11 am.

In the aftermath of the incident, Ecuador's Foreign Ministry sent a 'note of protest' to the US Embassy in Quito, the nation's capital.

Trouble allegedly arose when two men ran inside the consulate after being chased in the street by ICE agents, a witness told Reuters.

When the officers tried to enter the facility, an employee was seen rushing to the door to prevent them from making their way inside.

'This is the Ecuadorian consulate. You're not allowed to enter,' the man was heard telling the agents standing outside.

'Relax, relax,' an agent replied to the frantic staffer before the situation escalated.

'If you touch me, I will grab you,' the officer was heard saying as the worker rambled on.

A consulate employee is seen above trying to stop ICE agents from entering the Minneapolis office on Tuesday morning

The Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis, where agents tried to force their way inside on Tuesday, is seen above

An ICE agent is seen in Minneapolis on Tuesday as a part of Operation Metro Surge

After repeatedly emphasizing that ICE is not welcome inside the foreign office, the agents backed off.

Law enforcement authorities are generally prohibited from entering foreign consulates and embassies without permission. Under international law.

Exceptions are made under extenuating circumstances, such as fires or other emergencies.

The Ecuador Foreign Ministry's notice to the US Embassy stated that such actions from ICE agents are 'not to be repeated,' the ministry declared in a statement.

The ministry referred to the incident as an 'attempted incursion into the Ecuadorean Consulate in Minneapolis by ICE agents.'

It also said that the employee acted to protect the Ecuadorian nationals in the building at the time of the attempted operation.

ICE said that since the start of its Operation Metro Surge, more than 3,000 people have been arrested.

Operation Metro Surge is the enforcement campaign launched on December 1, 2025, that dramatically expanded the federal law enforcement presence in Minnesota.

President Donald Trump and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had a phone call on Monday

Alex Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Saturday afternoon, triggering shock and outrage across the United States

Demonstrators are seen protesting the presence of ICE in Minneapolis on Tuesday

The state has sued Donald Trump's administration over the initiative, claiming it violates federal law because it is arbitrary and that other states are not receiving equitable crackdowns.

The presence of federal agents in Minnesota has come under increased scrutiny in light of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Following ICU nurse Pretti's death on Saturday, Trump has agreed to 'de-escalate' in the state.

'Bottom line, it was terrible. Both of them were terrible,' Trump told Fox News of Pretti and Good's deaths on Tuesday.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on Monday that he spoke to Trump about the immigration crackdown in his city and some federal officers will begin leaving.

Frey said that during a call with the president, they both agreed that the situation regarding ICE's presence cannot continue.

Trump posted on social media that he had a good conversation with Frey.

'Lots of progress is being made!' he wrote on Truth Social on Monday.

The Daily Mail has reached out to ICE and Ecuador's Foreign Ministry for comment.
A convenience store owner has been charged after he allegedly pulled a hammer on a customer who asked to use the toilet during a livestream.

Anthony Zaiter, 33, runs a store on George Street near the Wynyard light rail stop, in Sydney's CBD, and livestreams his interactions with customers to his online followers.

The chaotic incident unfolded just after midnight on Saturday when a man entered Zaiter's store and asked to use the toilet.

A livestream showed Zaiter asking the customer to leave the store, telling him, 'see ya mate'.

'You don't know who the f*** I am,' the customer said during the exchange.

'I don't give a f*** you dirty dog,' Zaiter replied.

'Who the f*** are you bro,? the customer said.

Zaiter then allegedly pulled a hammer from beneath the counter and waved it in the air.

A convenience store owner (pictured, Anthony Zaiter) has been charged after he allegedly pulled a hammer on a customer who asked to use the toilet during a livestream

Zaiter allegedly resisted arrest as they attempted to take him into custody

'Hit me with the hammer, I'll sue you,' the customer said.

Zaiter then walked the man out of the store while allegedly holding the hammer.

'Get out of the shop you Indian dog,' he allegedly said.

The man left, but minutes later several police officers arrived.

Zaiter was heard telling police he was 'just trying to run a business'.

The police left, but a second group of officers soon returned and attempted to question Zaiter.

'You don't need to know my name. I'm just working bro,' Zaiter said.

The store owner was allegedly caught on the livestream telling the police to 'f*** off' and 'piss off'.

Zaiter then walked the man out of the store while allegedly holding the hammer

Zaiter allegedly resisted arrest as they attempted to take him into custody.

The store owner was heard yelling 'help, help'.

A NSW Police spokesman said that officers were told a man went into the store and asked the shop owner to use the toilet.

'The man's request was refused by the man in the store, who allegedly then threatened him with a hammer,' he said.

NSW Police confirmed Zaiter was arrested.

'Police commenced an investigation and arrested a 33 [year-old] man, who resisted police by pushing them away,' the spokesman said.

Zaiter was arrested and taken to Day Street Police Station.

He was charged with offences including armed with intent to commit an indictable offence, hinder or resist police, and stalk or intimidate with intent to cause fear or physical harm.

Zaiter appeared in court on Saturday, where he was granted bail on conditions including good behaviour and residing at a specified address.

He is due to reappear at Downing Centre Local Court on February 4.
The family of a young lawyer fatally mowed down on a weekend morning will not get justice over the tragedy after the driver allegedly behind the wheel died.

Rideshare driver Zisi Kokotatsios had been accused of illegally using his phone when going to collect a passenger about 4am on March 17, 2024.

He allegedly ran over 28-year-old lawyer Mitch East while driving through Tamarama in Sydney's east and failing to stop to help.

Emergency services were called and attempted to revive Mr East but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Kokotatsios was expected to go to trial after pleading not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death, and failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death.

On Friday, Downing Centre District Court was told the 65-year-old had passed away.

The criminal charges against him - which included two backup charges of negligent driving occasioning death and illegally using a mobile phone while driving - have been withdrawn and the case dismissed.

He died on November 11 with a funeral held at Rookwood Cemetery later that month, according to an online death notice.

Young lawyer Mitch East, 27, was killed when he was allegedly ran over by Zisi Kokotatsios about 4am on March 17, 2024

Zisi Kokotatsios - an Uber driver and real estate worker - died on November 11 with a funeral held at Rookwood Cemetery later that month, according to an online death notice

Kokotatsios's criminal matter experienced numerous delays after his arrest in March 2024.

He eventually pleaded not guilty at the Downing Centre Local Court about 16 months later.

A trial set for August was set but then postponed. A new trial date was yet to be locked in.

His alleged victim Mr East graduated from Harvard Law School in 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile.

At the time of his death, he worked at Sydney law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler after beginning his legal career in his native New Zealand.

An email to the firm's staff following his death described Mr East as a highly talented lawyer, and a popular and valued member of the firm, whose loss would be deeply felt.

Shortly after his death Mr East's mother told media the loss of her only child was 'unbearable'.

'He was my only child, my reason for living,' she told the New Zealand publication, Stuff.

East was a former Harvard Law Student and was understood to have been dropped off by an Uber just moments before he was allegedly struck

East's death sparks a massive manhunt in Sydney's eastern suburbs. This is a police issued image of a white Subaru Outback from the night in question

'I died when he did. The pain is unbearable. So I just can't think straight to talk sorry.'

She described her son as a 'a good person with a good heart'.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Kokotatsios worked in an array of industries - from hospitality to engineering.

He worked as a Qantas engineer between 1989 and 2014, but within that time he also appeared to run a his own businesses as a mortgage broker and sold monitoring systems for goods in transit.

After leaving Qantas, he became the owner of a coffee and tea distribution business, Gourmet Coffee King, before he moved into the travel industry in 2016 as an 'innovator' for Innovators Travel Network.

Kokotatsios then became a marketing director in 2017 for another company he appeared to own, before he became the senior director for a property company in 2021.
A body has been found in Tasmania near to where Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer vanished in June 2023, with the searcher involved describing how he made the find.

Police confirmed a bushwalker on Wednesday morning located what are believed to be human remains near the Philosopher Falls area in Waratah, on the state's west coast.

The person, 25-year-old Jarrod Boys, had been searching in that area as part of ongoing efforts to locate the 31-year-old and immediately contacted police when the discovery was made.

'I thought I'd go out this morning... to check some of the unsearched areas further northeast,' Mr Boys told Daily Mail, adding that it was how he spent his day off work.

'It was about 2.5 hours in and I happened to have stumbled upon some human remains. The first thing I saw was the lower jaw and teeth which very clearly looked human.

'I was in an instant state of shock... it's hard to describe, I've put a lot of hours into the search.'

Forensic teams are on route and formal testing is yet to be done, however, police confirmed that a pathologist has studied images of the site and is of the opinion the remains are human.

Ms Cremer went missing after she went out for a simple one-hour return hike to the waterfalls, in the state's north-west, about 73km south of Burnie.

Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer did not return from an easy hike at Philosopher Falls in 2023

Ms Cremer's car was discovered at the trailhead's car park on June 27, 2023

Mr Boys had been involved in previous larger search efforts organised by private investigator Ken Gamble, with participants local to Tasmania continuing to search independently.

'I'm very outdoors focused it's been a part of my upbringing (but) it has been just a tremendous team effort, getting breakthrough after breakthrough. So I want to give credit to everyone that's been involved.

Mr Boys especially wanted to mention searcher Alex Smith who he said was crucial in keeping the group's motivation up to search the inhospitable environment.

'I've definitely shed a lot of tears this morning. It's been a strange feeling,' he said adding that his thoughts were with Celine's family back in Belgium.

Celine's white SUV was discovered by police in the car park at Philosopher Falls on June 27, 2023. Using mobile phone data, they determined it had been parked there since June 20.

She was an experienced hiker who had been exploring Tasmania for six months and the case had baffled police, who called off the search in early July 2023 after medical experts advised she could not have survived the harsh winter conditions.

'There is no evidence of anything other than misadventure,' Tasmania Police inspector Andrew Hanson previously said.

Mr Gamble, who is a licensed and respected private investigator, took on the case and conducted searches, pro bono, in the hope of providing answers to the backpacker's distraught mother.

Private investigator Ken Gamble led the search on a pro bono basis

Two of the volunteer searchers Alex Smith (left) and Jarrod Boys (right) who found the bones

Mr Gamble remains convinced that Ms Cremer strayed from the trail and became lost

'My thoughts are first and foremost with Celine's mother, Ariane, and her family, Mr Gamble told Daily Mail on Wednesday.

'While nothing can undo the pain of losing a child, I am profoundly relieved that Ariane may finally have some measure of closure after years of uncertainty and heartbreak.'

He also acknowledge the volunteers who spent many days looking for the backpacker at their own expense.

'Their dedication, compassion, and determination never wavered... driven by nothing more than the belief that Celine deserved to be found and that her family deserved answers.'

Mr Gamble said he had initially suspected kidnapping or worse.

But he investigated several people in the region, including a man seen near Ms Cremer on CCTV at a roadhouse before her hike and individuals with criminal records, and they were all ruled out.

He said alibis were provided, there was no evidence to suggest foul play, and no other phones pinged in that area.

His company, IFW Global, has conducted four searches of the region, including at least one with a team of 25 volunteers chosen for their bushcraft and medical expertise.

Ms Cremer had been travelling around Tasmania for six months

His leading theory is that she simply strayed from the trail and became lost, succumbing to freezing temperatures and heavy rain in the days after she set off.

'I cannot overemphasise enough just how treacherous the conditions are out there. It's one of the most dangerous places I have ever searched.'

He said the search efforts had been mainly focusing on finding her belongings, such as her car keys or phone.

Philosopher Falls is one of the few tourist attractions in Waratah, population 250, which boasts a post office, a pub, and a roadhouse, along with its own spectacular waterfall in the heart of the township.

Judi Hunter - who has created a memorial for the backpacker, volunteered for the search as a cook, and is in frequent touch with Celine's mother Ariane - said many questions remained unanswered.

'Why didn't she call someone (for help)?' she said. 'She did have her phone on her.'

The last search was conducted in December and led by Mr Gamble.

Several people from around Australia responded to a call for volunteers from Tasmanian outdoorsman and YouTuber Rob Parsons to join the private search.

A new search of the forest surrounding Philosopher Falls is underway

The group battled freezing temperatures, pouring rain, fog, gusty winds and the threat of falling trees - many of which could be heard tumbling to the ground as they scrambled throughout the bush.

On the final day, the group battled soaring temperatures and tiger snakes but found her phone.

An empty glass bottle of Mt Osso Tasmanian springwater with the lid on a black garbage bag fashioned into a poncho were also found tucked beside a fallen tree which Celine may have used for shelter.

It was later discovered that the brand of water was not sold in Waratah, but at the French restaurant in Coles Bay where Celine worked.

Celine's phone data suggests she left the marked trail for unknown reasons.

She was understood to be confident in the outdoors, familiar with Tasmania's unpredictable conditions, and had a good head on her shoulders.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.
A married music teacher 'had plans' to run away with a schoolboy who impregnated her, it can be revealed, as sources close to the family say her husband was blindsided by the baby's paternity.

Naomi Tekea Craig, 33, was working at an Anglican school in Mandurah, about an hour south of Perth, when she spent more than a year sexually abusing the boy.

The abuse began when he was 12-years-old and ended after his 13th birthday in December, just before she was arrested and charged with child abuse-linked offences. It was also just weeks before she gave birth to a baby on January 8.

Craig pleaded guilty to 15 offences in Mandurah Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The Daily Mail can now reveal Craig's husband spent almost the whole pregnancy assuming the baby was his, indicating she had been abusing the boy while still maintaining her marital sex life.

Those close to the family confirmed Craig's husband referred to the unborn infant as 'our baby' in late December.

He told one person: 'Our baby is due in two weeks.'

School students around Mandurah, even now, are saying the victim still plans to run away with Craig, 'once her sentence is up'.

Naomi Tekea Craig is pictured on her wedding day in 2019

Naomi Tekea Craig is pictured while pregnant with her first child, fathered by her husband

Craig will be sentenced in the District Court at a later date and she could be looking at a lengthy stint behind bars, with those who commit sexual offences against children able to be sentenced to up to 20 years in WA.

Due to the nature of her crimes, she could also end up on the state's sex offender registry, which would require her to inform police of her whereabouts.

Before the victim was sexually assaulted in October 2024, he was living an ordinary life hanging out with his mates and playing weekend sport.

But his friends say his behaviour shifted within a matter of months.

Those closest to him noticed concerning changes, with the once easy-going student getting into trouble both in and out of school.

'He started talking about sexual things a lot,' one friend told Daily Mail.

'He'd say really inappropriate things that he had done.'

Another said: 'He became a troublemaker.'

Pictured: Naomi Tekea Craig, 33, doing a performance with primary school children in 2024

The same shift in his behaviour appeared online.

His social media - once filled with posts about cars, camping trips and school pranks - took an abrupt turn with an increasing focus on adult themes.

He referenced 'older girlfriends', and posted sexually suggestive content often referring to blondes.

One post, shared months before Craig's arrest, read: 'Your honour, you're never supposed to ask a woman her age. Case dismissed.'

By September 2025, Craig was five months pregnant and the tone of the teenager's posts shifted again - this time, he focused on content about marriage, fatherhood and the kind of dad he hoped to be.

Just weeks before Craig gave birth, he said there was 'no DNA test needed' to determine the child's paternity.

In court, Magistrate Clare Cullen read the charges aloud, which included multiple counts of penetration of a child under 13, and after his birthday, sexual penetration of a child over 13 and under 16.

Further charges included additional counts of indecent dealings with a child under 13, and possessing child exploitation material.

Ms Craig already had one child with her husband

Twelve of the incidents took place in the Mandurah suburb of Silver Sands, and three took place nearby in Meadow Springs.

Later on Tuesday, Craig's husband broke cover and dropped their older son off at her parents' home.

Craig is prohibited from seeing anyone under 18, including her eldest child, without supervision, with her newborn the only exception to the strict court order.

Her matter will be mentioned in the District Court on March 27.
Patrons and staff were snowed in at Britain's highest pub yesterday as blizzard conditions during Storm Chandra caused havoc.

About 25 people, including a six-month-old baby, were trapped inside The Tan Hill Inn in Richmond, the Yorkshire Dales, when heavy snow and ice blocked the roads.

Among those stuck in the pub - which is located 1,732 feet above sea level - were 15 overnight customers, five who were staying in nearby campervans, and a female walker who sought shelter during the wintry weather.

The pub lit the fire to keep patrons cosy and said in an update on its social media platforms announcing its closure that 'our guests are settling down after a Tan Hill Full English'.

A 'hero gritter' had his efforts to clear the roads thwarted by a stranded HGV. The customers were freed by 3pm, bringing their seven-hour 'ordeal' to an end.

Andrew Hields, landlord of the Tan Hill Inn, told the BBC that by the pub's standards the snow that blocked the pub was 'not that heavy'.

'It was other vehicles struggling on the hills in the area which blocked our guests in,' he said.

Earlier this month, staff and customers were trapped for six days until a fellow barmaid came to their rescue.

Patrons and staff were snowed in at The Tan Hill Inn - Britain's highest pub - yesterday as blizzard conditions during Storm Chandra caused havoc

The pub lit the fire to keep patrons cosy and said in an update on its social media platforms announcing its closure that 'our guests are settling down after a Tan Hill Full English'

Speaking of the latest incident before people were freed, pub spokesman Tony Durrant said: 'The routes out were blocked by traffic this morning, which got caught in the bad conditions. Mainly HGVs, wagons, food delivery, things like that, not necessarily to us, just people going about their daily stuff. They got stuck and blocked the roads.'

He added: 'One of the 15 guests is a six-month old baby. They're perfectly safe and in a nice warm room, not a problem. Everyone is making a fuss over it.

'At the moment, the guests are just sitting around and having a bit of lunch. There's no sort of organised fun as they expect to be out of there pretty soon.'

Heavy snow at the start of January saw 23 visitors and six staff trapped inside the pub.

Customers had trekked to the world famous boozer and later became 'snowed in' as they were unable to drive home following the inclement weather.

The pub kept the public updated with their situation on social media, with heart-warming posts showing guests making snowmen and playing board games together to get through each day.

They even received some tasty gifts from supermarket chain Aldi after the pub announced it had experienced a 'red wine and banger shortage'.

While a number of guests had been able to leave on Tuesday, it was not until Thursday that the staff were able to make their own exit when a fellow barmaid finally relieved them of their duties.

Around 25 people, including a six-month-old baby, were trapped inside the boozer in Richmond, the Yorkshire Dales, when heavy snow and ice blocked the roads

A 'hero gritter' had his efforts to clear the roads thwarted by a stranded HGV. The customers were freed by 3pm, bringing their seven-hour ordeal to an end

Andrew Hields, landlord of the Tan Hill Inn, told the BBC that by the pub's standards the snow that blocked the pub was 'not that heavy'

A snow plough making its way to The Tan Hill Inn to clear the roads after heavy snow had blocked people inside the pub

Elle Applegarth, 25, from Washington, Sunderland, who works as a member of the bar staff, had managed to avoid the lock-in after leaving early.

But she returned to the pub as a knight in shining armour a few days later to take over from her exhausted colleagues, despite the venue remaining closed.

Meanwhile, Britain faces further flood misery today as almost 400 areas were on alert after Storm Chandra's record-breaking rain - with rail lines suspended until at least Friday.

A major incident was declared in Somerset following the extraordinary deluge, while the Environment Agency issued 100 flood warnings and 262 alerts across England.

Natural Resources Wales had three flood warnings and 16 alerts in place, while the Scottish Environment Protection Agency activated eight warnings and eight alerts.

National Rail said major disruption would continue until at least the end of Friday on Great Western Railway services between Exeter, Okehampton and Barnstaple in Devon due to the flooding, telling passengers: 'You are advised not to travel.'

Severe weather also impacted ScotRail services between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness today with speed restrictions imposed for safety reasons.

An RAC recovery driver attaches a tow rope to a small Peugeot car after it slides off the road at the summit of Holme Moss -- January 27, 2026

A van and car collided during heavy snow on the Yorkshire Dales - January 27, 2026

Brits were also told to take care on slippery paths and roads this morning with the Met Office issuing an ice warning after the rain froze on untreated surfaces.

The alert covered much of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and southern Scotland until 10am and warned of 'some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces'.

Temperatures dropped overnight to -5C (23F) in the Scottish Highlands, while the low in England was -1C (30F) in Surrey. UK Health Security Agency cold health alerts for northern England run until Friday amid a 'greater risk to life of vulnerable people'.

A 12-hour yellow rain warning was also announced for South West England tomorrow from midday to midnight, amid concerns over further rain causing more flooding.
Iran has hit back at Donald Trump, warning its armed forces have their 'fingers on the trigger' and that it will 'respond like never before' if the US carries out military strikes, after the president threatened 'major destruction'.

Trump on Wednesday warned that America's 'massive armada' is poised to strike with 'speed and violence' unless Tehran abandons its nuclear ambitions.

Writing on Truth Social on Wednesday, the president said: 'A massive Armada is heading to Iran.

'It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela.

'Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.

'Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties.

'Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn't, and there was "Operation Midnight Hammer," a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again.'

It did not take long for Iran to respond.

US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, DC on Tuesday, January 27

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier (L) transits the Strait of Hormuz on November 19, 2019

Families and residents gather at the Kahrizak Coroner's Office confronting rows of body bags as they search for relatives killed during the regime's violent crackdown on protests

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, warned on X that Tehran's forces were ready to retaliate.

He said: 'Our brave Armed Forces are prepared  with their fingers on the trigger  to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea.

'The valuable lessons learned from the 12-Day War have enabled us to respond even more strongly, rapidly, and profoundly.

'At the same time, Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL  on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation  which ensures Iran's rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

'Such weapons have no place in our security calculations and we have NEVER sought to acquire them.'

The Economist's defence editor, Shashank Joshi, told the BBC's Today Programme that a US attack on Iran was 'likely in the coming days', adding: 'We are still on a path to a large, substantial US military strike.'

Iran's mission to the UN later said Tehran 'stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests', but if provoked, 'IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE'.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch a major military operation against Iran over its treatment of its civilians amid the civil uprising that began last month.

There were claims that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's forces have slaughtered at least 30,000 people, following the start of mass protests across the country in late December that have since apparently been quelled.

The United States Navy's Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the Central Command's zone of responsibility on Monday, after being redirected from operations in the Indo-Pacific, providing America with the ability to respond to the crisis.

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Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting, in Tehran, Iran, January 17

The flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3, the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), was escorted by the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Frank E Petersen, Jr (DDG-121), USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112).

Ambrey, a private security firm, issued a notice on Tuesday saying it assessed that the US 'has positioned sufficient military capability to conduct kinetic operations against Iran while maintaining the ability to defend itself and regional allies from reciprocal action'.

'Supporting or avenging Iranian protesters in punitive strikes is assessed as insufficient justification for sustained military conflict,' Ambrey wrote.

'However, alternative objectives, such as the degradation of Iranian military capabilities, may increase the likelihood of limited US intervention.'

'We think strikes on Iran are likely, unless the Iranians accept Trump's extensive demands to decommission their nuclear program - which doesn't look likely,' Bloomberg Economics analysts Becca Wasser and Dina Esfandiary wrote.

Tehran will treat any attack 'as an all-out war against us', a senior Iranian official warned. 'If the Americans violate Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity, we will respond.'

Iran has repeatedly threatened to drag the entire Mideast into a war, though its air defences and military are still reeling after the June war launched by Israel against the country.

But the pressure on its economy may spark new unrest as everyday goods slowly go out of reach of its people - particularly if Trump chooses to attack.

The arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and guided missile destroyers accompanying it provide the US the ability to strike Iran, particularly as Gulf Arab states have signalled they want to stay out of any attack despite hosting American military personnel.

Two Iranian-backed militias in the Mideast have signalled their willingness to launch new attacks, likely trying to back Iran after Trump threatened military action over the killing of peaceful protesters or Tehran launching mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations.

Tehran and Washington may still reach a deal, but Trump has previously called on the regime to agree to terms it has balked out - including giving up its nuclear enrichment entirely, relinquishing its long-range missiles, and ending support for armed groups in the region.

The US president has earlier said Tehran's nuclear programme was 'obliterated' in the strikes last June that hit three facilities across the country.

Earlier in January, Trump said Iranian officials had reached out to restart negotiations with Washington that were suspended after the June attacks.

But signs have emerged that the regime could resume its nuclear programme if it wanted; the director of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said in an interview last week that Iran retains its stockpile of highly-enriched uranium.

In recent weeks, Trump has gone back and forth on whether the US should strike Iran again. He previously backtracked on plans to attack after he claimed the regime had pledged not to execute people detained for taking part in anti-government demonstrations.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday that the Iranian government's 'days are numbered' as Trump renewed threats of intervention.

'A regime that can only hold onto power through sheer violence and terror against its own population: its days are numbered,' Merz said at a press conference alongside Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

'It could be a matter of weeks but this regime has no legitimacy to govern the country,' Merz added.

A reported death toll in the thousands during recent demonstrations 'shows that the mullahs' regime can apparently only cling to power through sheer terror', the chancellor said.

Merz also threw his weight behind Italy's push to have the European Union designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation.

'I very much regret that there are still one or two countries in the European Union that are not yet prepared' to support such a designation, Merz said.

In addition to the carrier and warships, the Pentagon is also moving fighter jets and air-defence systems to the Middle East.

The US has additional F-35C and F-18 jet fighters that can strike enemy targets, as well as EA-18 Growler electronic-warfare planes that can jam defences.

It has also deployed F-15E jet fighters to a base in Jordan, and it is transferring Patriot and THAAD air defences into the region to help defend American installations and US partners from Iranian counterattacks, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Over the weekend, the US military announced that it would carry out an exercise in the region 'to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower'.

'It seems to me that every time Trump has directed this kind of military buildup, he has acted on it,' Dana Stroul, former deputy assistant secretary of defence for the Middle East during the Biden administration, told the newspaper.

'With the threats of tariffs and other kinds of threats he's made, there's this whole chatter about Trump [backing down]. When it comes to the military instrument, he has not chickened out. He has been pretty consistent.'

As a 'precautionary measure' amid a spike in tensions in the region, Air India has stopped flights over Iranian airspace, rerouting its planes via Iraq, according to reports.

The Iranian regime unveiled a new mural on a giant billboard in Tehran's Enghelab Square on Sunday, depicting an aircraft carrier with damaged and exploding fighter planes on its flight deck.

The deck is covered with bodies and streaked with blood, which trails into the water and forms stripes reminiscent of the American flag.

A slogan - warning the US to not attempt a military strike on the country - is emblazoned across one corner: 'If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.'

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has said that at least 6,221 were dead amid Iran's ongoing protest crackdown, including at least 5,858 demonstrators, 214 government-affiliated forces, 100 children and 49 civilians who weren't demonstrating.

The crackdown has seen over 42,300 arrests, it added.

However, Time magazine on Sunday cited two senior Iranian health ministry officials saying at least 30,000 people had been killed, while The Guardian reported a similar figure, adding that a large number of people had disappeared.

Verification is hampered by a near-total internet shutdown now in its fourth week, as well as attempts by the regime to conceal the number of total casualties by pushing for fast, mass burials.

Across Iran, corpses in morgues and cemeteries are piling up and overwhelming hospitals and forensic units, which have been forced to turn trucks filled with bodies away.

'From a medical standpoint, the injuries we observed demonstrate a brutality without limit  both in scale and in method,' an anonymous doctor in Iran told The Guardian.

He and his wife have begun treating patients at a location outside Tehran's government hospital system after reports that young people were avoiding doctors, fearful that registering as trauma patients would lead to their identification and arrest.

'I am on the verge of a psychological collapse. They've mass murdered people. No one can imagine ... I saw just blood, blood and blood,' another anonymous medic said.

Iran's government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest 'terrorists'.

In the past, Iran's theocracy has under-counted or not reported fatalities from unrest.

That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest there in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Join the debate Can diplomacy still stop a US'Iran military clash?

A giant banner depicting a US aircraft carrier and the American flag displayed at Enqelab (Revolution) Square in Tehran on January 25, 2026

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The protests in Iran began on December 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country.

They were met by a violent crackdown by Iran's theocracy, the scale of which is only starting to become clear as the country has faced more than two weeks of internet blackout - the most comprehensive in its history.

Iran's UN ambassador told a UN Security Council meeting late Monday that Trump's repeated threats to use military force against the country 'are neither ambiguous nor misinterpreted'.

Amir Saeid Iravani also repeated allegations that the US leader incited violence by 'armed terrorist groups' supported by the United States and Israel, but gave no evidence to support his claims.

Iranian state media has tried to accuse forces abroad for the protests as the theocracy remains broadly unable to address the country's ailing economy, which is still squeezed by international sanctions, particularly over its nuclear program.

On Tuesday, exchange shops offered the record-low rial-to-dollar rate in Tehran. Traders declined to speak publicly on the matter, with several responding angrily to the situation.

Already, Iran has vastly limited its subsidised currency rates to cut down on corruption.

It also has offered the equivalent of $7 a month to most people in the country to cover rising costs. However, Iran's people have seen the rial fall from a rate of 32,000 to $1 just a decade ago - which has devoured the value of their savings.

Cars burn in a street during a protest over the collapse of the currency's value, in Tehran, Iran, January 8

Iran projected its power across the Mideast through the 'Axis of Resistance,' a network of proxy militant groups in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq, and other places. It was also seen as a defensive buffer, intended to keep conflict away from Iranian borders.

But it has collapsed after Israel targeted Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon and others during the Gaza war. Meanwhile, rebels in 2024 overthrew Syria's Bashar Assad after a years-long, bloody war in which Iran backed his rule.

Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have repeatedly warned they could resume fire if needed on shipping in the Red Sea, releasing old footage of a previous attack Monday.

Ahmad 'Abu Hussein' al-Hamidawi, the leader of Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah militia, warned 'the enemies that the war on the (Islamic) Republic will not be a picnic; rather, you will taste the bitterest forms of death, and nothing will remain of you in our region'.

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, one of Iran's staunchest allies, refused to say how it planned to react in the case of a possible attack.

'During the past two months, several parties have asked me a clear and frank question: If Israel and America go to war against Iran, will Hezbollah intervene or not?' Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Kassem said in a video address.

He said the group is preparing for 'possible aggression and is determined to defend' against it. But as to how it would act, he said, 'these details will be determined by the battle and we will determine them according to the interests that are present'.

Demonstrators take part in a march in support of the Iranian people in Lisbon, Portugal, January 25

Iranian officials reached out to the wider Middle East on Wednesday over the threat of a possible US military strike on the country, a month since the start of protests in Iran that soon spread nationwide and sparked a bloody crackdown.

Two nations, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have signalled they won't allow their airspace to be used for any attack.

It remains unclear what Trump will decide about using force, though he laid down two red lines - the killing of peaceful demonstrators and the possible mass execution of detainees.

Iran's state-run media, which now only refers to protesters as 'terrorists,' remains the sole source of news for many as Tehran cut off access to the global internet some three weeks ago.

But Iranians have become angry and anxious in the weeks since, seeing footage of protesters shot and killed while worrying about what may happen next as the country's economy sinks further.

'I feel that my generation failed to give a better lesson to younger ones,' said Mohammad Heidari, a 59-year-old high school teacher in Tehran.

'The result of decades of teaching by my colleagues and me led to death of thousands, and maybe more injured and prisoners.'

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said its top diplomat, Badr Abdelatty, separately spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff to 'work toward achieving calm, in order to avoid the region slipping into new cycles of instability'.

The statement offered no details, though Iranian state media quoted Araghchi as saying third-party mediators had been in touch.

Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and Trump's friend, had earlier negotiated over Iran's nuclear programme. There was no immediate acknowledgement from the White House of the call.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying the kingdom would 'not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military actions against Iran or for any attacks from any party, regardless of their origin'. That follows a similar pledge by the UAE.

Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE host American air assets and troops. Both also have faced attacks in the last decade. A 2019 assault believed by the West to have been carried out by Iran briefly halved Saudi oil production. The UAE faced several attacks claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels in 2022.

However, America's biggest base in the region is Qatar's vast Al Udeid Air Base, which serves as the forward operating headquarters of the US military's Central Command.

Both Araghchi and Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official, held calls with Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Qatar acknowledged the calls, but offered few specifics on what was discussed.

Iran attacked Al Udeid in June in response to Trump sending American warplanes to bomb Iranian nuclear enrichment sites after Israel launched a 12-day war on the Islamic Republic.

'Our position is exactly this: Applying diplomacy through military threats cannot be effective or constructive,' Araghchi told journalists Wednesday outside of a Cabinet meeting.

'If they want negotiations to take shape, they must abandon threats, excessive demands, and the raising of illogical issues. Negotiations have their own principles: they must be conducted on an equal footing, based on mutual respect, and for mutual benefit.'
Ilhan Omar was attacked by a Trump supporter who told her to 'resign' before using a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at the Minnesota Congresswoman.

Omar faced off with the angry protester after calling for Kristi Noem to resign while speaking about the recent Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti during a North Minneapolis town hall.

'DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment,' Omar says in footage of the incident.

The protester - later identified at 55-year-old Anthony J. Kazmierczak - ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance at her from a syringe.

He then told Omar to resign and claimed she's 'tearing Minnesota apart' before being dragged away by security guards.

Omar appeared ready to confront Kazmierczak before he was dragged away as she muttered: 'F**king a**hole.'

She then answers an inaudible question from the crowd with 'I don't know' and telling another member of her team that she needs a napkin.

When one of the bystanders tells Omar she needs to 'get checked' for whatever was sprayed at her, she stands her ground, saying: 'We will continue. These f**king a**holes are not going to get away with it.'

Ilhan Omar was attacked by a man who yelled that she 'should resign' before using a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at the Minnesota Congresswoman

The protester ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance

The event was Omar's first since the fatal ICE shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, as well as the massive liberal protest movement in response to ICE's presence in the city

'Here is the reality that people like this ugly man don't understand: We are Minnesota strong.'

Kazmierczak has an image of President Trump on his Facebook page along with another of Trump embracing Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.

He was charged with third degree assault and is being held in custody without bail, according to the local sheriff's office.

'Tonight, a man is in custody after he decided to assault a Member of Congress  an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice,' a United States Capitol Police spokesperson said.

'We are grateful for the rapid response of onsite security and our local law enforcement partners.'

Afterward, Omar - who was born in war-torn Somalia - briefly spoke about the attack.

'I have survived war and I'm definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me because I'm built that way,' she said.

Omar added that she was 'going to go figure out' if she was alright but said that she felt 'okay'.

'I feel that it is important for people, whether they are in elected office or not, to allow these people to intimidate us, to make us not fight for our constituents and for the country we love.'

Reacting to the incident, President Trump called Omar 'a fraud' and suggested she faked the syringe spray attack against her.

'No. I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud. I really don't think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,' the president told ABC News when he was asked if he'd watched the clip.

He reiterated that he hadn't seen the video and added: 'I hope I don't have to bother.'

The protester - later identified as 55-year-old Anthony J. Kazmierczak - ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance at her from a syringe

Reacting to the incident, President Trump called Omar 'a fraud' and suggested she faked the syringe spray attack against her

The protester ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance at her from a syringe. He then told Omar to resign and claimed she's 'tearing Minnesota apart' before being dragged away by security guards

A person is subdued after attempting to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar

Omar appeared ready to confront the man before he was dragged away as she mutters: 'F**king a**hole.'

The congresswoman also issued a statement to social media following the town hall.

'I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong,' she wrote.

'During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe,' a spokesperson added.

'Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesn't let bullies win.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Minneapolis Police Department for comment.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday night.

There was a strong, vinegarlike smell after Kazmierczak pushed on the syringe, according to an Associated Press journalist who was there. Forensic scientists responded to the scene.

Photos of the device, which fell to the ground when he was tackled, showed what appeared to be a light-brown liquid inside. There was no immediate word from officials on what it was.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a fellow Democrat, condemned the attack.

'Unacceptable. Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk. I'm relieved Rep. Omar is okay and appreciate MPD for responding quickly. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.'

Omar has faced renewed scrutiny from Republicans in the wake of the Minnesota daycare scandal. On Tuesday night, President Trump again criticized her while at a rally with his base in Iowa

Fellow US Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, denounced the assault on Omar.

'I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today,' Mace said via the social platform X.

'Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric - and I do - no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.'

The event was Omar's first since the fatal ICE shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, as well as the massive liberal protest movement in response to ICE's presence in the city.

'ICE cannot be reformed,' she said.

Following the shootings, House Democrats launched an investigation into Noem, while 140 members of the party have co-sponsored an impeachment resolution.

Democrats have come out swinging for Noem, as a large majority - 145 of 213 - of their House delegation now co-sponsors a bill that would see her impeached.

The impeachment bill alleges that Noem has been self-dealing, obstructed Congress and violated public trust.

Join the debate What does this attack say about political division and safety for public officials in America today?

Omar, who represents Minneapolis in Congress, was speaking at a town hall, her first since the shooting of Alex Pretti, where she called out Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem

Pretti was fatally shot by immigration agents as they tried to detain him in Minneapolis

A spokesperson for DHS told Axios that the efforts were 'silly' and Democrats should focus on fixing crime problems in their districts.

The minority party will also launch an investigation into Noem's work at DHS without any assistance from Republicans, The Washington Post reported.

Omar has faced renewed scrutiny from Republicans in the wake of the Minnesota daycare scandal.

Trump has frequently criticized the congresswoman and has stepped up verbal attacks on her in recent months as he turned his focus on Minneapolis.

During a Cabinet meeting in December, he called her 'garbage' and added that 'her friends are garbage'.

Hours earlier on Tuesday, the president criticized Omar as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa, saying his administration would only let in immigrants who 'can show that they love our country'.

'They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar,' he said, drawing loud boos at the mention of her name.

He added: 'She comes from a country thats a disaster. So probably, its considered, I think - its not even a country.'

The United States Capitol Police confirmed the attacker had been detained by local police

There was bipartisan condemnation of the attack on social media, with Omar saying herself that 'I don't let bullies win'

The attack came days after a man was arrested in Utah for allegedly punching Congressman Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida, in the face during the Sundance Film Festival and saying Trump was going to deport him.

The Capitol Police said that threat assessment cases against members of Congress, their families, staff and the Capitol Complex had increased for the third year in a row.

In 2025, the USCP's Threat Assessment Section (TAS) investigated 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors, and communications, a 57 percent increase.

'While security on Capitol Grounds has already improved, we have been strengthening our partnerships with law enforcement agencies across the country to keep the Members of Congress safe when they are away from Capitol Hill,' said US Capitol Police Chief Michael Sullivan.

'We want to make sure agencies have the resources they need to be able to enhance protection, which is critical to the democratic process.'
Keir Starmer arrived in China today as he bids to boost trade despite anger at rampant spying and human rights abuses.

The PM was handed a bouquet of flowers as he stepped off the plane in Beijing for the first visit by a UK premier for eight years.

Sir Keir has insisted that doing business with the Asian giant is essential, despite acknowledging that there must always be a robust approach on security.

He is accompanied by a delegation of business leaders - although Chancellor Rachel Reeves has notably been left behind in London. Sir Keir told the group they were 'making history'.

However, Tories have accused him of 'kowtowing' in his desperation to kickstart the economy.

Kemi Badenoch said she would not be going to Beijing at this time, suggesting that instead Sir Keir should be talking to other countries about the 'threat China is posing to them'.

She jibed that the PM was 'probably going to give away the Isle of Wight' after agreeing to surrender the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

Sir Keir - who is due to meet Xi Jinping tomorrow - is on a British Airways charter flight seeming because security concerns prevented him taking a government jet.

Sir Keir and his entire team are believed to have taken 'burner' devices such as new mobile phones and laptops.

The passengers were treated to an on-board menu including Loch Fyne smoked salmon and avocado and grilled Herefordshire beef fillet.

Keir Starmer arrived in China today as he bids to boost trade despite anger at rampant spying and human rights abuses

Sir Keir stepped off the plane in Beijing for the first visit by a UK premier for eight years

Sir Keir was greeted with a bouquet of flowers as he arrived at the airport

Sir Keir has insisted that doing business with the Asian giant is essential, despite acknowledging that there must always be a robust approach on security.

Sir Keir is on a charter flight because security concerns prevented him taking a government jet

Sir Keir will meet with president Xi Jinping (centre) and premier Li Qiang (left) tomorrow

Sir Keir made a jokey announcement about landing the plane personally as it approached Beijing this morning

Join the debate Is Starmer right to push trade with China despite spying and human rights fears?

Mrs Badenoch said: 'When it comes to China, Keir Starmer is too weak. Yes we need a relationship with China.

'But China doesn't believe in democracy, it has sanctioned our MPs, disrupts the global trade system, and has designs on Taiwan. We must not be in hock to China.'

Delivering a speech in Westminster, Mrs Badenoch said: 'He's probably going to give away the Isle of Wight before he comes back.

'Let's have an actual foreign policy, one that is rooted in realism and focusing on Britain's national interest.'

Addressing business figures in the lobby of their hotel in Beijing, Sir Keir said: 'They say eight days is a long time in politics, try eight years, because it's eight years since a British prime minister stepped on Chinese soil.

'On this delegation, you're making history. You're part of the change that we're bringing about.

Has someone told Keir to be funnier? Starmer jokes he will be landing the plane in Beijing Keir Starmer joked that he would be landing the plane in Beijing today. The PM risked alarming the delegation of business chiefs, officials and journalists as he took charge of the comms system en route to China. After wishing one of the crew a happy 60th birthday and enthusing about the prospects for the trip, Sir Keir said: 'Sit back, enjoy the rest of the flight... I'll be bringing the plane in.' The crack is the latest in an apparent bid by the premier to show his lighter side. Earlier this week Sir Keir donned aviator sunglasses during a podcast recording and did an impression of Emmanuel Macron. The French president has been sporting sunglasses in public due to suffering with an eye complaint. Advertisement

'That's consistent with everything we've done in government, particularly internationally.

'We are resolute about being outward-looking, about taking opportunities, about building relationships  and always being absolutely focused on our national interest.'

Earlier, Sir Keir told reporters on the flight there was no evidence anyone in his Downing Street operation had been targeted by spies.

He was challenged about security in No 10 following reports that state-sponsored hackers had exposed the private communications of close aides to Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

Intelligence sources are said to fear that the operation that began in 2021, known as Salt Typhoon, remains ongoing.

But asked en route to Beijing if his own staff had been successfully targeted, Sir Keir replied: 'No, there's no evidence of that.'

He went on: 'We've got robust schemes, security measures in place as you'd expect.'

A former Security Minister even suggested that the delegation, which also includes 50 leading figures from Britain's business and culture sectors, had flown on a British Airways plane rather than the Government's own plane to limit the risk posed by Chinese spies.

Tom Tugendhat wrote on social media: 'Starmer's circus aren't just taking burner phones to China to beat spying, they're taking a burner plane!

'The government jet is staying home because it would need to be guarded round the clock to stop China putting bugs on it - so they've hired a plane!'

Speaking to reporters as he embarked on his trade mission to Beijing, Sir Keir would not be drawn on what he will say to President Xi Jinping about sensitive topics such as human rights abuses when they meet on Thursday.

But the PM insisted: 'I've always raised issues that need to be raised, but I don't want to get ahead of myself on the specifics until I've had the opportunity. But part of the reason for engaging with China is so that issues where we disagree can be discussed, and the issues where we agree can be progressed, and so that's the approach.'

Asked what he hoped to get out of the trip, he replied: 'China is the second biggest economy in the world, one of our biggest trading partners. And under the last government, we veered from the golden age to the ice age.

'And what I want to do is follow through on the approach I've set out a number of times now, which is a comprehensive and consistent approach to China.

'I do think there are opportunities, but obviously we will never compromise national security in taking those opportunities.'

Accompanied by a delegation of British business bosses, Sir Keir will hold talks on investment and national security with president Xi Jinping and premier Li Qiang on Thursday.

It comes just a week after the Prime Minister was branded 'Kowtow Keir' for allowing China to build a mega-embassy in London, despite fears it will become a base for espionage and the repression of dissidents.

And on Monday it was claimed that Chinese spies had hacked the mobile phones of senior officials in Downing Street for several years.

Sir Keir is under pressure to raise human rights concerns with the leaders of the Communist superpower, including the plight of jailed British citizen and democracy activist Jimmy Lai.

Another matter likely to be high on his agenda is ensuring Chinese company Jingye pays for decommissioning a Scunthorpe steelworks which the UK now controls.

Before embarking on his trip last night, No 10 claimed the Prime Minister was 'clear-eyed and realistic' about the challenges posed by China, as well as the opportunities.

Sir Keir added: 'For years, our approach to China has been dogged by inconsistency - blowing hot and cold, from Golden Age to Ice Age. But, like it or not, China matters for the UK.

'As one of the world's biggest economic players, a strategic and consistent relationship with them is firmly in our national interest.

'That does not mean turning a blind eye to the challenges they pose, but engaging even where we disagree.'

After the political talks, the delegation will travel to Shanghai for meetings with British and Chinese businesses. This will be followed by a final stop in Tokyo where Sir Keir will meet Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi.

Meanwhile, in an interview on the eve of the trip, Sir Keir insisted he could pursue a better trading relationship with China without upsetting Donald Trump.

He told Bloomberg: 'I'm often invited to simply choose between countries. I don't do that.'

Addressing business figures in the lobby of their hotel in Beijing, Sir Keir said they were 'making history'
Hundreds of people have been evacuated after a fire swept through one of the most luxurious five-star hotels in an Alpine ski resort loved by Prince William.

The blaze started in the attic of the 11,000-a-night Hotel des Grandes Alpes at around 7pm on Tuesday in Courchevel in the French Alps.

The fire was still burning on Wednesday morning, with local authorities describing it as a 'complex operation.'

Officials said almost 100 people were evacuated, but local media later reported the number had risen to 270 after the fire spread to a nearby building.

The number of evacuees also included guests at the five-star Lana Hotel next door, who were moved out of the luxury accommodation as a precaution.

The local government said in a statement that the 'evacuation proceeded calmly' and reported no injuries.

Staff and guests are understood to have taken refuge in other hotels and in a municipal hall nearby.

Dramatic footage showed firefighters tackling the inferno, with flames tearing through the roof of a wooden chalet as thick plumes of dark smoke billowed out.

Hundreds of people were evacuated after a fire swept through a five-star hotel in the ski resort of Courchevel in the French Alps

The fire was still raging this morning in the Alpine ski town

Pictured: The charred roof of the Hotel des Grandes Alpes after a fire tore through the building overnight

Bruno Charlot, the sub-prefect of the village of Albertville, said: 'The Grandes Alpes guests were quickly relocated to other hotels in the resort.

'The fire spread considerably overnight, despite the firefighters' efforts. Their work is complicated by the roof's structure:

'It's very difficult to reach the flames that are running under a roof made of slate and sheet metal.

'It requires removing the stones and sawing through the sheets before anyone can even access the fire. A thick layer of snow on the roof only makes matters worse. It will be hours before the fire is extinguished.'

Some 115 firefighters were still at the scene tackling the flames on Wednesday morning.

Courchevel 1850 is one of the most upmarket and expensive resorts in the Alps, attracting celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham, singer Robbie Williams, England cricket legend Ian Botham, and the late French actress and model, Brigitte Bardot.

In 2016, Prince William and Kate Middleton used the resort as a holiday destination.

They jetted into Courchevel 1850 on a private plane provided by the Duke of Westminster, according to reports at the time.

It was never revealed where the Royal couple stayed, but the Grandes Alpes would have been an option.

The nine-apartment hotel offers complete privacy, along with butler service, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a swimming pool and sauna.

The blaze started in the attic of the 11,000-a-night Hotel des Grandes Alpes at around 7pm on Tuesday

People watch as firefighters work on a fire that broke out the evening before at the five-star Grandes Alpes hotel in the upscale French Alpine ski resort of Courchevel, forcing the evacuation of 83 occupants, on January 28, 2026

Firefighters work on a fire that broke out the evening before at the five-star Grandes Alpes hotel in the upscale French Alpine ski resort of Courchevel

More than a hundred firefighters were still working on January 28 morning to bring under control the violent fire, which origin remains undetermined

Pictured: The exterior of the five-star Hotel des Grandes Alpes in the upscale ski resort of Courchevel in the French Alps

At least 115 firefighters were battling the flames this morning after the fire had spread 'considerably overnight,' according to local officials

Firefighters are seen tackling the blaze, with local officials describing it as a 'complex operation'

At least 270 people had been evacuated after the fire spread to a nearby building

There were also claims in France that the Prince and Princess of Wales enjoyed a 'secret getaway' in Courchevel this January.

Unconfirmed reports placed the couple and their children  Princes George and Charlotte, and Princess Charlotte - in a hotel with Princess Catherine's sister, Pippa Middleton, and her brother, James Middleton.

The extended family was reportedly spotted enjoying drinks at a restaurant overlooking the snow-covered peaks in Courchevel.

French magazine Point de Vue claimed: 'They reportedly dined at the Cave des Creux, a former shepherd's hut transformed into a chic brasserie, perched at an altitude of 2,112 meters.

'The family is believed to have reached the restaurant by ski, as it's located on a red run.'

The cause of the blaze remains unknown, but measures are under scrutiny in the region after a fire in a bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve killed 40 people and injured more than 100, many of them teenagers.

Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the owners, Jacques and his wife Jessica Moretti, who are suspected of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and causing fire by negligence.

Investigators believe that sparkling candles ignited the fire when they came too close to the ceiling, which was outfitted with soundproofing material.

Firefighters are pictured outside the Alpine hotel on Wednesday as they continue to tackle a blaze that started on Tuesday night

Dramatic footage showed firefighters tackling the inferno

A fire engine is pictured outside the hotel that caught on fire last night

Courchevel 1850 is one of the most upmarket and expensive resorts in the Alps

They are looking into whether the material conformed to regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar.

Local authorities have said that fire safety inspections of the bar hadn't been carried out since 2019.

Investigators have since established that 34 of those who died in the fire perished on the bar's small stairwell, which had been reduced in width by a third by the venue's owners during renovation work in 2015.

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'.

The cause of the blaze remains unknown, but measures are under scrutiny in the region after a blaze in a bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve killed 40 people . Picture shows the very first moments of the Swiss Constellation Bar fire in Crans-Montana

The pyrotechnics are thought to have lit soundproofing foam in the ceiling, triggering a massive fire in which 116 others were also severely burned

Owners of Le Constellation bar Jacques Moretti (L) and Jessica Moretti (C) are currently under investigation and are facing charges of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence

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.

Mr Moretti said he did not know why the door was locked, and, along with his wife, has denied any civil or criminal wrongdoing.

Mr Moretti was originally in pre-trial detention for at least the next three months, but a court on Friday ordered his release on bail.

Last week, a Swiss court imposed a travel ban on Ms Moretti as an alternative to pre-trial detention, citing 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 Morettis 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 1.23 am - three minutes before the fire began.

A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial outside the 'Le Constellation' bar, after a deadly fire and explosion during a New Year's Eve party, in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland, January 5, 2026

People mourn at a makeshift memorial outside the 'Le Constellation' bar, after a deadly fire and explosion during a New Year's Eve party in the upscale ski resort of Crans-Montana in southwestern Switzerland, January 4, 2026

The firefighters of Crans-Montana, the first responders in the fire at the 'Le Constellation' bar and lounge, show emotions as they gather around flowers and candles to commemorate the victims, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, January 4, 2026

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 missing British tourist has been found dead on an Australian beach after falling from a cliff.

Police were called to Billy's Beach in Corunna after reports emerged that a body had washed up on shore.

A spokesman said: 'The body has been formally identified, and it is that of the missing 23-year-old UK national.'

'A report will be prepared for the coroner.'

The Brit had been missing for almost a week after falling from a cliff on January 18.

After the incident, emergency services were called to Mystery Bay Beach, in New South Wales at 6:40pm.

Marine Rescue NSW, SES VRA Rescue volunteers and police searched the water after the man disappeared, however he was not found.

The search was scaled back last week.

Mystery Bay, NSW, Australia

Chief Inspector Shane Jessep from the South Coast Police District said: 'He wasn't a rock fisherman, it was a male sightseeing and  appears to have had an accident and slipped on the rocks.'

This comes just weeks after an Austrian woman narrowly avoided death after slipping from a steep ledge while she was climbing a popular tourist spot near Melbourne.

The 31-year-old woman fell six metres from a rock at Bushrangers Bay near the Mornington Peninsula on December 27.

Emergency services rushed to the scene where they are believed to have found her choking on water while she was unconscious.

Crews moved her to higher ground on a stretcher to avoid the tide coming in.

The young woman was winched by Ambulance Victoria's HEMS and airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne with non-life threatening injuries.

The young woman was winched by Ambulance Victoria's HEMS and airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne with non-life threatening injuries

'She was missing her teeth, so we believe she may have had a head injury as well,' paramedic Jo Wilton told 9News.

'On further examination, it looks like a hip injury, a wrist injury (as well).'

Wilton said the tourist is believed to have climbed the roughly 12m-tall Elephant Rock before she fell.

'There's no actual tracks to get up to it, and on the way down, she has fallen, where there might have been some loose rocks,' she said.

'We walked across the rough terrain to reach her and rescuers had to carry their equipment along the beach and so it's very dangerous for our crews as well.'
An Iranian influencer known as 'Baby Rider' who posted motorcycle videos without a headscarf has died, sparking claims from a human rights group that she was killed by the regime during a protest.

According to the Hyrcani Human Rights group, 19-year-old Diana Bahador from northern Gonbad-e-Kavus was murdered in the city of Gorgan during protests on January 8.

The group says she was shot twice and her body was returned to her family two days later.

However, Iranian state media has claimed the influencer's real name was Shahrzad Mokhami and that she died after crashing into a highway guardrail in Golestan on January 22.

A source close to the 19-year-old's family said authorities would only release her body if the family publicly denied the claims she was killed by the regime and carried out a secret burial, The Telegraph reported.

A statement on Bahador's Instagram said that her death was the result of an accident, asking followers not to spread rumours.

Rights groups have claimed the family posted this under pressure from intelligence services.

Baby Rider had over 180,000 followers on her Instagram where she would regularly post pictures and videos riding her motorcycle without a headscarf.

An Iranian influencer known as 'Baby Rider' who posted motorcycle videos without a headscarf has died

She would regularly post pictures and videos riding her motorcycle without a headscarf

The last post before her death shows the teenager dancing to music while riding through the streets

The last post before her death shows the teenager dancing to music while riding through the streets.

Riding a motorbike as a woman is legally prohibited in Iran, where a decades-old ban makes it impossible to obtain a license.

US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has said that at least 6,221 have died amid Iran's ongoing protest crackdown, including at least 5,858 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 100 children and 49 civilians who weren't demonstrating.

The crackdown has seen over 42,300 arrests, it added.

However, Time magazine on Sunday cited two senior Iranian health ministry officials saying at least 30,000 people had been killed, while The Guardian reported a similar figure, adding that a large number of people had disappeared.

Across Iran, corpses in morgues and cemeteries are piling up and overwhelming hospitals and forensic units, which have been forced to turn trucks filled with bodies away.

Iran's government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest 'terrorists'.

Protests in Tehran

Across Iran, corpses in morgues and cemeteries are piling up and overwhelming hospitals and forensic units

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier (L) transits the Strait of Hormuz on November 19, 2019

The protests in Iran began on December 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country.

They were met by a violent crackdown by Iran's theocracy, the scale of which is only starting to become clear as the country has faced more than two weeks of internet blackout.

Iran is now bracing for a possible US attack after Donald Trump announced 'another beautiful armada' was heading to the Middle East.

'By the way, there's another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now. So, we'll see,' the president said on Tuesday in a speech at an event in Iowa.

The United States Navy's Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the Central Commands zone of responsibility on Monday, after being redirected from operations in the Indo-Pacific, providing America with the ability to respond to the crisis.

The flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3, the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), was escorted by the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr. (DDG-121), USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112).

Ambrey, a private security firm, issued a notice Tuesday saying it assessed that the US 'has positioned sufficient military capability to conduct kinetic operations against Iran while maintaining the ability to defend itself and regional allies from reciprocal action'.
A climber had to be airlifted to the hospital after an underground zip-wire snapped at a notorious slate mine in Snowdonia.

Mountain rescuers were called to Croesor-Rhosyddin in Eryri after the thrill seeker fell onto the rocks below after their zip wire unexpectedly snapped.

The old slate mine attraction features obstacles known as the 'chamber of horrors' and a 'bridge of death' suspended across water.

The zip wire broke when the climber set off to cross the lake, with the alarm raised at around 3pm on Sunday.

Part of the climber's group left the Croesor entrance to call for help, with the Coastguard rescue helicopter rushing to the scene with a stretcher.

The climber managed to make their own way out of the cave to the Rhosydd entrance and was airlifted to the Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor.

Rescuers say the site is the 'most rescued underground location in North Wales' - and climbers should have experience and their own equipment.

Visitors are able to travel underground between twin quarries using ropes, suspension bridges, zip wires and inflatable boats.

The climber managed to make their own way out of the cave to the Rhosydd entrance and was airlifted to the Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor

Mountain rescuers were called to Croesor-Rhosyddin in Eryri after the thrill seeker fell onto the rocks below after their zip wire unexpectedly snapped when the climber set off to cross a lake (stock pictured)

Anyone taking on the challenge are told to leave details and timings with a third party in case rescue is needed.

Rescue call-outs dipped last year, but fears have been raised that a tragedy will happen.

One climber, of Llandudno, North Wales, said: 'This through-route in my opinion is a disaster waiting to happen.

'I'm certainly never in favour of access restrictions, but it's only going to be a matter of time before the call-out is to a body recovery.'

North Wales Cave Rescue Organisation (NWCRO) was called to the mine on Sunday after receiving an alert from North Wales Police. The South Snowdonia Search and Rescue Team were also on site.

A NWCRO spokesperson said: 'We had a call from North Wales Police that the casualty had managed to make their own way out.

'They were now at the Rhosydd entrance to the mine but needed assistance to progress any further. The helicopter was duly dispatched to collect the casualty who was then flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.'

A spokesperson for South Snowdonia Search & Rescue Team said: 'We were glad to be able to help out in this situation, big job. Wishing the casualty a speedy recovery.'

It comes after mountain rescuers were called three times within just two hours as fierce weather conditions hit the Scottish Highland on Sunday.

Two walkers had to be manually stretchered off a mountain as the night-time dramas unfolded at Glencoe.

The first call-out, on Sunday, came at 2pm when a party of three climbers, two men and a woman, suffered a nasty fall in Coire nan Lochan.

One climber was injured and needed to be airlifted for further treatment - but that plan was scuppered by the weather conditions which meant the Coastguard Rescue helicopter couldn't land nearby, or even get close enough to winch the climber up.

As a result, volunteers from the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team had to embark on a two-hour stretcher carry to get the climber back to roadside, where they could be transported for further treatment by ambulance.

Just as the volunteers concluded that rescue, a second call came in to assist a walker who had sustained a leg injury at Coire Gabhail.

Two walkers were stretchered off a mountain after three dramatic rescue missions took place in one night at Glencoe

The first call-out, on Sunday, came at 2pm when a party of three climbers, two men and a woman, suffered a nasty fall in Coire nan Lochan

The walker was unable to bear weight on their injured leg, and with the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter again unable to help, meant a second lengthy stretcher carry was required.

A group of passing climbers offered to help the volunteers as they took the climber back down to the roadside, so they could be taken by ambulance for further treatment in hospital.

With most of the mountain rescue team already engaged in rescue efforts, a third call came in to assist two walkers on the Pap of Glencoe.

In 2024, a father and his twelve-year-old son died while hillwalking in Glencoe in thundery conditions.

Tom Parry, 49, and his son Richie, 12, were hiking in the Scottish Highlands, but a search mission was launched after the pair were not seen or heard from.

A massive search for the pair was mounted involving mountain rescue teams and a coastguard helicopter, with their bodies found on May 29, 2024.

The year before, three hillwalkers were found dead after failing to return from a trip to Glencoe.

An experienced mountain guide David Fowler, 39, and two of his clients, Graham Cox, 60, and Hazel Crombie, 64, were 'roped together' when they fell to their deaths while trying to navigate a treacherous hillwalking ridge.

The alarm was raised just after 9.05pm on August 5, 2023, with rescuers finding their bodies in the early hours of the following day.

Britain's worst mountaineering disaster happened on November 20, 1971.

Five teenage school pupils and their 18-year-old guide froze to death on the Cairngorm plateau, one of the highest and most inhospitable places in Britain.

In total 14 Edinburgh students and their three leaders set off on a school climbing expedition in the Cairngorms.

But it was to be a trip steeped in tragedy. It came to be known as the 'Cairngorm Plateau disaster', Britain's worst mountaineering accident, which left six dead, two fighting for their lives, and many more scared, scarred and heartbroken.

The group of 14 teenagers set off from Ainslie Park School in East Pilton with the school's outdoor instructor Ben Beattie, who at just 23 was the oldest of the group, and his 21-year-old girlfriend Catherine Davidson in sole charge.

The fatal accident inquiry was held in Banff in February 1972.

It was revealed that the consent forms issued to parents did not say there would be winter mountaineering.

It concluded parents should in future get more information about expeditions, called for the establishment of a better training and certification regime for instructors, and recommended that experts should advise on whether high-level shelters should be removed to stop people relying on them in emergencies.
The Gorton and Denton by-election campaign descended deeper into farce last night after the Green party put up posters asking for help to win its fifth seat - but managed to spell the name of the constituency wrong.

Supporters attending a rally by Zack Polanski, the leader of the hard Left party which is in with a strong chance of taking the Greater Manchester constituency, were greeted by signage asked supporters to help in 'Gorten and Denton'.

The gaffe, spotted by Sky News, came after Reform's Lee Anderson faced mockery yesterday for appearing to campaign in the wrong constituency.

He posted pictures on social media showing volunteers ready to hit the doorstep in a seat the party has high hopes of winning, writing: 'Gorton and Denton. A cold but productive day in what will be a hotly contested seat. Reform UK fear no party. Bring it on.'

However, his Mancunian followers were quick to point out that the crowd of around 100 Reform activists were pictured standing outside the Stanley House Function Rooms in Audenshaw, in Angela Rayner's neighbouring Ashton-Under-Lyne constituency.

At the same time, reports suggest Labour is struggling to find a candidate in a seat they comfortably held in the 2024 general election, but in which they could now finish third.

Reform unveiled Matt Goodwin, a TV presenter and right wing commentator as its candidate yesterday, and the Greens are expected to unveil theirs tomorrow.

But there is no sign yet Labour has decided on who will stand, after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was blocked by Sir Keir Starmer.

Supporters attending a rally by Zack Polanski (top), the leader of the hard Left party, were greeted by signage asked supporters to help in 'Gorten and Denton' (above and below)

Reform's Lee Anderson faced mockery yesterday for appearing to campaign in the wrong constituency

Since the resignation of former MP Andrew Gwynne last week, speculation has mounted that Reform could win the seat Labour retained with 51 per cent of the vote in 2024.

The Greens, meanwhile, have sought to portray themselves as the main option for voters wanting to stop Reform as leader Zack Polanski seeks to supplant Labour.

But ahead of his visit to Beijing, Sir Keir told reporters that Labour remained the best way to stop Nigel Farage's party gaining another MP.

He said: 'There's only one party that can stop Reform and that's the Labour Party.

'And we can already see what the by-election's going to be about, which is Labour values  which are about delivering, focusing on the cost of living, with a strong record in that constituency of what we've already done  versus Reform.'

Sir Keir also hit out at Reform's candidate, Matthew Goodwin, saying he showed the party would bring a politics of 'toxic division' to the contest.

He said: 'That's not what that constituency is about, that's not what Manchester is about. So this is a straight fight between Labour and Reform.'

The Labour Party has meanwhile rejected that a video it posted of Mr Goodwin is misleading, saying he has 'long had a disdain' for the North.

The GB News presenter said he was referring to the Tory Party conference in the video when he said he was 'unfortunate enough' to have been in Manchester a few days earlier.

Mr Goodwin posted on X that the video was 'misleading'.

'I was referring to the dying Tory Party conference that was held in Manchester  as you know.'
CCTV footage from before the Swiss nightclub inferno in Crans-Montana has emerged, showing a chair wedged against an emergency exit and employees using pool cues to prop up insulation foam.

The footage comes as the owners of the bar, Jacques Moretti, 49, and his wife Jessica Moretti, 40, blamed their young staff for causing the fire and blocking an escape exit.

A video released by channel France 2 appears to show a staff member at the nightclub pushing drooping insulation panels on the ceiling back into place using pool cues and paper towels, about two weeks before the fire.

In one clip, employee Gaetan Thomas-Gilbert takes a video of this, sending it to Jaques Moretti who replies: 'Yeah, that looks OK. Take the others off, please.'

Thomas-Gilbert, who sustained severe injuries in the fire, previously told his father he had concerns about safety at the bar and that he was planning to resign.

Another photo from minutes before the blaze shows a chair propped against an emergency exit, appearing to block the way. Three dead bodies were found in front of it, according to Bild.

The devastating fire on New Years Eve killed 40 people and injured over 100.

Jaques and Jessica Moretti have been charged by Swiss prosecutors with negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent arson.

A video released by channel France2 appears to show a staff member at the nightclub pushing drooping insulation panels on the ceiling back into place

One photo also shows a chair propped against an emergency exit

 Revelations sur le plafond de mousse a Crans Montana : videos exclusives et accablantes ou on entend la voix du proprietaire Jacques Moretti evoquer avec un de ses salaries les reparations a faire 2 semaines avant lincendie. #JT20h pic.twitter.com/dCK2bFE7cK  Le20h-France Televisions (@le20hfrancetele) January 26, 2026

The Moretti's are being questioned by prosecutors constantly and leaked interview records point to them saying, 'It's not us, it's the others', Le Parisien reported on Tuesday.

Their defence strategy during some 20 hours of interrogation by three prosecutors was  in particular  to blame waitress Cyane Panine, 24, for getting on to the shoulders of a colleague while brandishing two champagne bottles with lit sparklers inside.

Cyane, who died in the fire, was wearing a promotional crash helmet, and did not see the pyrotechnics lighting up the bar's basement ceiling, which was covered in highly flammable foam.

Referring to the champagne sparklers stunt, Jacques Moretti told the enquiry that it was 'Cyane's show'.

'I didn't forbid her from doing that,' he told prosecutors, adding: 'I didn't make her pay attention to safety instructions. We didn't see the danger. Cyane liked doing that  it was a show, she liked to be part of the show.'

Jessica Moretti, who was at the same hearing on January 20, said: 'Cyane liked to deliver these bottles  she did it of her own accord.

'If I had thought there was the slightest risk, I would have forbidden it. In ten years of running the business, I never thought there could be any danger.'

Cyane's family are amongst those who have vehemently denied the Moretti's claims, and they are supported by witnesses who survived the blaze.

They say it was Jessica Moretti who sent Cyane out with the bottles, and encouraged her to perform the stunt using a helmet provided by Dom Perignon.

Regarding fire safety, Jacques Moretti said: 'There was no training, but employees were told what steps to take in case of fire when they were shown around the premises.

'Evacuate the customers, raise the alarm, and call the fire department,' he said, adding: 'And of course, if they had time, use the fire extinguishers to put out the fire.'

The Moretti's defence strategy during some 20 hours of interrogation by three prosecutors was  in particular  to blame waitress Cyane Panine (pictured) for the fire

Cyane, 24, was filmed wearing the crash helmet from Dom Perignon, the Champagne brand, as she was lifted onto the shoulders of Mateo Lesguer, 23, the in-house DJ

Owners of Le Constellation bar Jacques Moretti (L) and Jessica Moretti arrive for a hearing at the Office of the public prosecutor of the Canton of Valais, in Sion, on January 9

When told that one employee, referred to only as L, had told the enquiry that he had no idea where the extinguishers were kept, Jacques Moretti replied: 'The staff has several shifts, and maybe I forgot to give this information to L, but it was going to be passed on at some point. Maybe I forgot.'

Both Morettis also blamed an unidentified staff member for locking an escape door in the basement.

'The door was always open,' Jessica Moretti told the enquiry. 'There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wonder why that door was closed that night. We always said that the door was always open, and it was taken for granted.'

In turn, Jacques Moretti said: 'After the tragedy, we learned that an employee delivered ice cubes to the Constellation and, without understanding why, closed the latch at the top of the door.'

Jacques Moretti said he later sent a text message to this employee, saying: 'You shouldn't run away, you should stay here and take responsibility.'

When contacted by Le Parisien, the staff member concerned vehemently denied all wrongdoing, saying: 'I didn't close a door that was already locked.'

Regarding the inflammable foam  which was installed at Le Constellation during renovations in 2015  Jacques Moretti said: 'The fire chief and the fire captain approved it.'
A homeless man has been arrested after a woman's body was discovered near a popular beach restaurant.

A member of the public discovered the 49-year-old woman's body near Eastern Beach Pavilion in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, about 11.25am on Wednesday.

They alerted lifeguards who attempted to revive the woman with CPR until emergency services arrived, but she could not be saved.

Victoria Police on Wednesday night confirmed officers had arrested a 53-year-old man in Geelong CBD

'The man, who is of no fixed address, will be interviewed in relation to the woman's death,' it said.

'Detectives believe the people involved are known to one another.

'The investigation remains ongoing.'

City of Greater Geelong chief executive Ali Wastie said police would analyse CCTV of the area as part of its investigation.

A woman's body was found near the Eastern Beach Pavilion in Geelong on Wednesday (pictured, officers at the scene)

The beach is a popular spot for both locals and tourists with the shoreside pavilion housing a well reviewed restaurant

A man was arrested in Geelong CBD following the discovery (pictured, the crime scene)

The woman was found on the beach near the Geelong Pavilion (pictured)

She added that she wanted 'to praise the first responders for their prompt efforts in this tragic situation, and also recognise the community member who alerted the lifeguards'.

Plain clothed police remained at the scene at 8.15pm. It's understood a suitcase and trolley found near a children's pool have been collected as evidence.

Regular beachgoers told the Geelong Advertiser the deceased woman had frequently been seen 'sleeping on a park bench' in the area, adding 'she appeared to be homeless'.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
A teenage girl has pleaded guilty to killing two star pupils at a top boys' grammar school who were passengers in her car when she crashed.

Madeleine Lonsdale admitted causing death by careless driving after the collision in the nearby village of Marston on June 20 last year.

Her passengers George Stephenson, 17, and Harrison Carter, 18, died after her Kia Niro hatchback hit a Ford Fiesta on Toll Bar Road, near Grantham, just before 2am.

Lonsdale, 18, from Long Bennington, Lincolnshire, who has no previous convictions, appeared at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, wearing a black jacket, black trousers and a white shirt.

Owing to the seriousness of the charge, the case was sent to Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing, with the hearing to take place on March 13.

District Judge Daniel Church said: 'This is a case that ought to be sentenced in the crown court.'

Until then, he granted her unconditional bail and also banned her from driving.

Tributes have previously been paid to Mr Stephenson and Mr Carter, who were best friends and both pupils at all-boys grammar academy The King's School in Grantham.

Madeleine Lonsdale, 18, from Long Bennington, Lincolnshire, has admitted causing death by careless driving after the collision in the nearby village of Marston on June 20 last year

Her passengers George Stephenson (pictured), 17, and Harrison Carter, 18, died after her Kia Niro hatchback hit a Ford Fiesta on Toll Bar Road, near Grantham, just before 2am

Tributes have been paid to Harrison (pictured), who along with George, was a pupil at all boys' grammar academy The King's School in Grantham

Mr Stephenson's family said in a statement: 'We, as a family, would like to thank everyone for their support at this incredibly difficult time.

'Losing George in such a tragic accident, has devastated us all, and our lives will never be the same again.

'He brought so much love and joy to so many people and was a truly kind and caring boy.

'Whilst we deal with our loss, and the police continue their investigation, we urge people not to speculate on the cause of this accident.

'Many lives have been shattered and nothing will bring our beautiful boy home.'

Meanwhile, Mr Carter's family said: 'We would like to thank everyone, particularly our friends, family, The Kings School and Lincolnshire Police for the compassion and support shown to us following the terrible accident, that took our beloved son Harrison and his best friend George in the early hours of Friday, June 20.

'Harrison touched so many lives and was a bright, talented and beautiful person, both inside and out. As you can imagine, we are utterly heartbroken.

'Due to the nature of the accident, many families have been affected and our thoughts are with all those involved.'

Lonsdale, who has no previous convictions, appeared at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, wearing a black jacket, black trousers and a white shirt

Harrison's family said: 'We would like to thank everyone, particularly our friends, family, The Kings School and Lincolnshire Police for the compassion and support shown to us'

George's family said in a statement: 'We, as a family, would like to thank everyone for their support at this incredibly difficult time'

Condolences also poured in from family, friends and well-wishers to online tribute pages to both boys.

One family friend wrote: 'Thinking of George today and remembering him as a student waiting at the the gate for it to open so that he could enjoy lunch in town with this friends.

'Always smiling, popular and kind.'

She continued: 'Thinking of Harry today and remembering how his smile and gregarious personality lit up a room especially a classroom.

'His ability to talk to anyone and make them feel special was a gift.'
A nine-year-old girl collapsed and died in her mother's arms after she was stabbed through the heart by a schizophrenic Lithuanian, a court has heard.

Lilia Valutyte was fatally injured by Deividas Skebas, 26, while she played with a hula hoop in the street in Boston town centre, Lincolnshire, on July 28, 2022.

Skebas, who moved back to the UK just weeks before Lilia died, denies murdering the girl but admits manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

The court heard part of a statement written by Lilia's mother, Lina Savickiene, who said she found her daughter 'covered in blood and with the hoop around her' after the stabbing.

Prosecutor Christopher Donnellan KC said the mother initially thought 'something might have happened' with the hula hoop.

The statement, read by Mr Donnellan on Mrs Savickiene's behalf, said: 'She was getting pale. She collapsed in my hands. I saw the wounds, started to cover them.

'I just got scared, started to shout for somebody to help me.'

The court heard that earlier in the day, Mrs Savickiene and Lilia went into town for lunch and to do some shopping, before she let her daughter play outside in Fountain Lane from around 5pm because the street was 'quiet'.

Lilia Valutyte, nine, was killed by Lithuanian national Deividas Skebas in July 2022. Prosecutors claim it was 'deliberate murder'

The coffin of nine-year-old stabbing victim Lilia Valutyte is carried into St Botolph's Church in Boston, Lincolnshire followed by her mother Lina Savicke and step-father Aurelijus Savickas

Deividas Skebas, who moved back to the UK just weeks before Lilia died, denies murdering the girl but admits manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility

Mr Donnellan said Lilia had been 'in and out' of the shop and the mother checked her 'quite often', before she heard her child call out for help.

Jurors were told there is no dispute Skebas stabbed and killed Lilia, but they must decide what the defendant's state of mind was when he killed her.

An off-duty police officer nearby initially chased the defendant, the court heard, but after hearing 'noises of distress' he began to try to save Lilia's life.

Mr Donnellan said Lilia was pronounced dead at about 7.11pm, within an hour of the attack.

Skebas was arrested on July 30 but his mental health was 'declining' so he was transferred to hospital, the court heard.

It was determined that Skebas, formerly of Thorold Street in Boston, Lincolnshire, was not fit to be tried at the time.

Mr Donnellan told the jury: 'He is saying he's not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

'Experts agree that Mr Skebas is diagnosed with schizophrenia.'

The court was told that Lilia was stabbed through the heart by Skebas before he then fled

Skebas has been treated for his mental health both in the UK and in Lithuania.

Defence barrister Andrew Campbell-Tiech KC told the jury that the Lithuanian, who appeared via videolink from high security facility Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire, was 'quite obviously deluded'.

Mr Campbell-Tiech said: 'Those who are directly touched by it (the killing) had their lives ruined. Nobody wins. It's only a question of who loses more.

'Treating clinicians doubt that he (Skebas) will recover. His future is not one that any of us would wish for ourselves or our children.'

The court heard that after the killing, Skebas said he had 'the power to resurrect' Lilia if the police contacted 'his controller in Nasa'.

Mr Campbell-Tiech said: 'In other words, he was quite obviously deluded.'

He continued: 'That's an outline, the centre point, to the suggestion made by my learned friend that the defendant, not in a state caused by his schizophrenia, wickedly murdered a random child.

'The act is wicked but the person who committed it may not be so defined.'

The court heard that in December 2022, the defendant, formerly of Thorold Street in Boston, was transferred from prison to Rampton Hospital.

The trial continues.
Kemi Badenoch urged Reform to turn its fire on Keir Starmer rather than the Conservatives today as she accused Nigel Farage of 'punching us from behind and letting Labour off the hook'.

The Conservative leader blasted a wave of defections by 'drama queens' to Reform in the past fortnight which have taken attention away from the Prime Minister when he is struggling at home and abroad.

In a major speech this morning she claimed that the likes of Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman and Nadhim Zahawi were having a 'tantrum dressed up as politics' because they had had their personal ambitions dashed.

And she made an appeal for a new 'army' of Conservative candidates who actually want to represent the party.

In what appeared to be a message to Mr Jenrick and the other who walked out on her, the Conservative leader said: 'To those who are defecting, who don't actually disagree with our policies, I will say, I'm sorry you didn't win the leadership contest.

'I'm sorry you didn't get a job in the shadow cabinet. I'm sorry you didn't get into the Lords. But you are not offering a plan to fix this country. This is a tantrum dressed up as politics.

'When my kids have a tantrum, I don't give up or change my mind. I send them to their room, and I say to everyone else, if that tantrum ever found its way into government, we would all pay the price, because just like Labour, they do not have a plan for government.'

Mrs Badenoch also signalled she disagreed with the more centrist group of Conservatives, urging her to pursue a moderate agenda as a point of difference with Reform.

The Conservative leader blasted a wave of defections by 'drama queens' to Reform in the past fortnight which have taken attention away from the Prime Minister when he is struggling at home and abroad.

In a major speech this morning she claimed that the likes of Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman and Nadhim Zahawi were having a 'tantrum dressed up as politics' because they had had their personal ambitions dashed.

In what appeared to be a message to Mr Jenrick and the other who walked out on her, the Conservative leader said: 'To those who are defecting, who don't actually disagree with our policies, I will say, I'm sorry you didn't win the leadership contest'

Join the debate Does Badenochs attack strengthen her leadership or deepen Tory divisions?

She said: 'This is my message to them. We're about the future, not the past. We're not trying to recreate 2006 and it's not 2016 anymore. We are not refighting those battles. It's 2026 and the world has changed. This is about the future and I am building a Conservative Party for the next decade and the next generation.'

The message comes just days after two Conservative politicians, Sir Andy Street and Baroness Ruth Davidson, have urged their party to be more 'centrist' to beat Reform UK at the polls.

The two have launched a political movement, called Prosper UK, aimed at attracting millions of 'politically homeless' voters.

A Prosper UK spokesman said: 'We welcome Kemi Badenoch's remarks promising to make economic growth a bigger focus as she rebuilds the party. More of that please.

'But while the party rebuilds itself, as it must, we will be out there meeting the wider group of voters who don't yet identify with any party and offering ideas and solutions to the matters they care most about  the cost of living, jobs, housing and more.

'So, whilst she cracks on, we'll do the same.'

Mrs Badenoch also announced that the Conservative Party was now looking for its 'next generation' of MPs, and invited applications.

'We are building an army that is going to deliver meritocracy, dismantle the bureaucratic class, and get Britain working again,' she said.

Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat deputy leader, said the invite was 'like an arsonist running a firefighter recruitment drive'.

She also invited centrist Tories to defect to the Lib Dems, adding: 'Her slapdown of Ruth Davidson and Andy Street sent a clear message to moderate, centre-ground Conservative voters across the country: she doesn't want their support.

'The Liberal Democrats will offer a home to all those let down by the old two parties and who believe in British values of decency, tolerance and the rule of law.'

A Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Nobody is listening to the dying Tory Party. Kemi Badenoch refuses to apologise for the unforgivable mess her party left behind in government, or the damage they inflicted on family finances.'
A British Airways plane lost a wheel during takeoff in Las Vegas on Monday night.

The rear wheel from the London-bound Airbus A350-1000 appeared to break off the aircraft after the jet departed Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport.

Dramatic video footage shared by flight-tracking website Flightradar showed how the tyre dropped from the back of the plane, after some sparks could be seen coming from the right main landing gear.

Flight BA274 continued to London Heathrow, where it made a 'safe and uneventful' landing following the nine-hour journey, Flightradar said.

It was not clear what caused the wheel to detach.

A spokesman for British Airways told the Daily Mail that the airline is assisting with an investigation following the incident involving the wheel.

'Safety and security underpins everything we do, and we're supporting the authorities with their investigations,' the spokesman said.

Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) said it was 'aware of an incident involving a British Airways aircraft that departed LAS last night and continued on to London, where it landed safely without further incident'.

A British Airways plane lost a wheel during takeoff in Las Vegas on Monday night. Picture shows the moment the tyre dropped off the plane's landing gear

Pictured: Flight BA274 taking off from Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport on Monday night just moments before the wheel fell off

The tyre was retrieved from the airfield, and there were no reported injuries or damage to airport property.

The incident involving the Airbus comes after the plane manufacturer issued a major recall of its widely used A320 family of jets back in November due to a software error.

The sweeping recall affected more than half of the global fleet and caused travel disruptions worldwide.

The setback was among the largest recalls affecting Airbus in its 55-year history and comes weeks after the A320 overtook the Boeing 737 as the most-delivered model. At the time Airbus issued its bulletin to the plane's more than 350 operators, some 3,000 A320-family jets were in the air.

The fix mainly involved reverting to earlier software and was relatively simple, but it meant that airlines from the US to South America, Europe, India and New Zealand faced flight delays and cancellations as a result.

Just days after the software error grounded thousands of planes, a new issue was discovered with Airbus's A320 jets.

The company said in early December it had identified a supplier quality issue affecting a limited number of A320 metal panels.

An Airbus spokesman said at the time: 'Airbus confirms it has identified a supplier quality issue affecting a limited number of A320 metal panels.

A spokesman for British Airways told the Daily Mail that the airline is assisting with an investigation following the incident

'As it always does when faced with quality issues in its supply chain, Airbus is taking a conservative approach and is inspecting all aircraft potentially impacted - knowing that only a portion of them will need further action to be taken.

'The source of the issue has been identified, contained, and all newly produced panels conform to all requirements.'

A spokesman said the problem stemmed from a supplier, whom they declined to name, and said the issue was related to quality control rather than safety.
Keir Starmer is kicking off his China visit today - amid puzzlement over the absence of Rachel Reeves.

The Chancellor had been widely expected to join the PM on the visit, after pushing for stronger economic ties with the Asian giant.

However, junior Treasury minister Lucy Rigby ended up on the plane to Beijing with the premier - as well as Business Secretary Peter Kyle.

One Foreign Office source told the Daily Mail that there appeared to have been a 'late decision' and the situation was 'very odd'. Another senior Labour source said it seemed 'weird'.

There have been claims that Ms Reeves was 'put out' to have been left behind, days after she was seemingly overruled when the government pushed ahead with a tough limit on ground rents for leasehold property.

Yesterday the Chancellor dodged Commons duties announcing details of the bailout for pubs, which has come under fire from Labour MPs. Instead junior minister Dan Tomlinson was left to field the backlash.

Keir Starmer is kicking off his China visit today - amid puzzlement over the absence of Rachel Reeves

The Chancellor had been widely expected to join Sir Keir on the visit to China, but was in the Commons to support David Lammy filling in at PMQs

However, a Treasury aide insisted Ms Reeves had been involved in laying the groundwork for the PM's trip, meeting her Chinese counterpart in Davos last week. She made her own visit to China for talks last January.

The aide suggested that City minister Ms Rigby was on the trip because there was a strong financial services focus, including the launch of a new City-China working group.

They insisted that security concerns had meant they could not deny earlier that Ms Reeves was going to accompany the PM.

There have been persistent rumblings of tensions between Ms Reeves and Sir Keir, with Treasury-led policies such as axing the winter fuel allowance and hiking employers' national insurance contribution seen as damaging the government.

Last week Ms Reeves talked up the need for better ties with China, insisting the UK has 'got to be in the room' to challenge on economic and human rights issues.

Sitting alongside US secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick on a panel at the World Economic Forum, the Chancellor 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 don't want to be an outlier but we are a bit of an outlier today, and we've missed out on opportunities for British businesses to sell into US markets.

There have been claims that Ms Reeves was 'put out' to have been left behind, although the Treasury insisted she had played a part in laying the ground for the visit

'Brian and Bank of America do business in China. We want to help British businesses as well to be able to export to those fast-growing markets.

'That's in our national interest, but we also need to make sure that we use that relationship to challenge where necessary in a whole range of areas, including on area such as dumping and the lack of respect for some rights of activists like Jimmy Lai, which we raise regularly with the Chinese.

'But you've got to be in the room to be able to have those conversations.'
Debate over apparent double standards in Australia's new hate speech laws has been ignited after a video showed a man speaking about a 'white genocide'.

Rosemary Marshall, 71, attended an Australia Day picnic in Sydney's Hyde Park alongside friends dressed in colonial costumes on Monday.

Photos showed the group posing with a statue of Captain Cook while waving Australian flags.

However, their day out quickly soured when they were approached by an Indigenous protester, shortly after an Invasion Day protest collided with an anti-Immigration rally.

Disturbing footage showed the man, wearing an Aboriginal flag shirt reading 'Justice Now!', calling the group of women 'c***s'.

'I hope the white genocide does happen,' he said.

'F*** your flag, f*** this genocidal country.'

He continued: '2025, 2024, the highest years for Aboriginal deaths in custody, and you just stand there like a f**king nobody, waving around your bulls*** flag.'

An Invasion Day protester told a group of women 'I hope the white genocide does happen'

A woman shot back: 'How dare you pull our flag up? Who do you think you are to come and pull our flag up? P*** off.'

The man replied: 'F*** off.'

Ms Marshall shared the video of her encounter with the Indigenous protester on X where it quickly went viral.

The clip even caught the attention of platform owner Elon Musk who re-shared it alongside the caption: 'You can poison someone's mind so thoroughly that they want genocide for their race.'

He had replied to Australian right-wing activist Drew Pavlou who wrote: 'I wonder if he will be charged under the new hate speech laws.'

Ms Marshall said she did not report the 'little brat' to police. NSW Police confirmed it had no record of the event.

Another video showed one of the women calling the man 'violent'.

'Violent against what? Violent against flags? Inanimate objects? What are you talking about?' he said.

The woman then told him 'the land was not stolen'.

People online questioned why the Indigenous man (pictured) wasn't charged under new hate speech laws

Ms Marshall told News.com.au she was 'p***sed off' the man wasn't prosecuted under new hate speech laws.

'It's one rule for them and another for us,' she said on Wednesday.

'People have accused me of being provocative, that absolutely wasn't our intention. We literally had a roast chicken, I bought cheese and biscuits and strawberries. I wore poppies.

'We went to the park, got a photograph with Captain Cook, we had our chairs and we just had some Australian flags on bamboo.'

2GB host Ben Fordham on Wednesday questioned why the young man wasn't charged while alleged neo-Nazi Brandan Koschel, 31, was arrested.

Koschel allegedly told the anti-immigration 'March for Australia' rally that Jewish people were the 'greatest enemy'.

Brandan Koschel (centre) was arrested for breaching hate speech laws by allegedly making antisemitic comments at an anti-immigration rally on Monday

He was charged with publicly inciting hatred on grounds of race causing fear and remanded in custody until his next court appearance on February 3.

Commonwealth Attorney-General Michelle Rowland was questioned about Labor's anti-hate speech laws last week, with a journalist asking if a group would be banned as a 'hate group' if it accused Israel of 'genocide or apartheid and as a result, Jewish Australians do feel intimidated.'

Rowland answered: 'If those criteria are satisfied, then that is the case.

'If there is that fear, and there is a reasonable person test in here as well, so if that is satisfied, then that would come within the scope of these provisions.'

Fordham on Wednesday questioned why, if discussion of genocide could be considered hate speech, the man in Ms Marshall's video wasn't arrested.

'So under the new laws, someone could get in trouble if they accuse others of genocide,' Fordham said.

'Well, if that's the case, are they looking for the Invasion Day protester who said this to a group of women on Monday?

'The man has been filmed saying, 'I hope the white genocide does happen'. So are they going to arrest him and put him before the courts?'

Koschel was arrested under hate speech laws introduced by NSW last year, not those introduced federally by Labor following the terror attack at Bondi Beach on December 14.

Daily Mail has contacted Rowland for comment.
Labour has been accused of incompetent bungling after it emerged the Rwandan government is suing the UK for 100million over the ditched asylum deal.

An official statement from the government of the east African nation criticised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmers handling of the affair.

And the Rwandans revealed Labour only formally terminated the asylum agreement after legal proceedings were launched against the UK last November.

Due to that unexplained delay, the deal between the two countries is still in force and will only come to an end on March 16, it emerged.

As the Daily Mail exclusively revealed on Monday, Rwanda has lodged a legal claim at the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: This shows yet more catastrophic incompetence from this weak Labour Government.

They should urgently restore the deal and send illegal immigrants to Rwanda instead of to hotels up and down the UK.

But Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is too weak to do that.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been accused of being too 'weak' to push ahead with the Rwanda deal

Instead, incompetent bungling is leading to court cases and a possible bill of 100million or more.

He added: It is quite clear the Labour Government has messed this up from start to finish, while illegal immigrants continue to flood across the Channel.

The Rwandan government has blasted Sir Keir Starmer for announcing the end of the asylum deal in a manner 'contrary to the spirit of the partnership'

Join the debate Has Labour turned the Rwanda deal into a 100million mess?

One of Sir Keirs first announcements after the general election was that he was ditching the Rwanda deal signed by the previous Conservative government, which is formally known as the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP).

The new official statement from the Rwandan government said: In July 2024, shortly after taking office, the UK Prime Minister announced that the MEDP was dead and buried.

He did so without prior notice to Rwanda, contrary to the spirit of the partnership that had always characterised the MEDP.

Then home secretary Priti Patel agreed the asylum deal with Rwandan minister of foreign affairs Vincent Biruta in April 2022

In November 2024, the United Kingdom requested that Rwanda forgo two payments of 50 million that were due in April 2025 and April 2026 and said it was doing so in anticipation of the formal termination of the treaty.

Rwanda indicated it was prepared to accept these arrangements should the treaty be terminated, provided that new financial terms would be negotiated and agreed.

Discussions between Rwanda and the United Kingdom did not however ultimately take place and the amounts remain due and payable under the treaty.

It went on to say the UK government had made clear that it has no intention of making any further payment under the MEDP treaty.

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It continued: Disappointingly, Rwandas attempts to move the UK from its entrenched position have been unsuccessful.

Shortly after filing its response to Rwandas notice of arbitration, the UK notified Rwanda of the termination of the treaty.

In accordance with the treatys terms, this termination takes effect on March 16 2026.

The Rwandans said they would be making three claims in the arbitration court, based in The Hague.

Two claims relate to alleged breaches of financial arrangements and the third relates to an alleged breach of an agreement to resettle vulnerable refugees from Rwanda, which was part of the MEDP treaty.

The statement concluded: Rwanda regrets that it has been necessary to pursue these claims in arbitration, but faced with the United Kingdoms intransigence on these issues, it has been left with no other choice.

The Rwanda scheme was just days away from finally removing Channel small boat migrants from the UK to Kigali when it was cancelled.

Migrants would have been housed there and offered the chance to claim asylum.

Labour's decision to abandon the deal was followed by a massive surge in the number of migrants crossing by dinghy from northern France.

As a result, latest data from the Home Office shows 36,273 migrants were in full-board hotel accommodation - paid for by the taxpayer - at the end of September, up nearly 7,000 since Labour came to power.

The aborted scheme has already cost the UK taxpayer 715million, according to Home Office figures.

Migrants removed from the UK were to be accommodated in Hope Hostel, in Kigali, among other locations in Rwanda

Court papers named the Rwandas minister of justice and attorney general, Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, as the 'representative of the claimants'.

Rwanda has instructed Lord Verdirame KC, a crossbench peer, of London-based barristers' chambers Twenty Essex.

The papers also named Dan Hobbs, the Home Office director for migration and borders, as a representative in the case.

The Home Office has instructed Ben Juratowitch of London-based Essex Court Chambers.

A Government spokesman said: 'We will robustly fight this in the courts to protect British taxpayers.

'The previous government's Rwanda policy wasted vast sums of taxpayer time and money.'
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has fired a warning shot at his own party, calling on the Liberals to immediately replace Sussan Ley.

Abbott delivered the blunt message on Wednesday night at a Sydney book signing for his new release, Australia: A History, after an audience member asked about the state of the party's future.

Speaking to Liberal members gathered at The Greengate Hotel in Killara, Abbott made his position unmistakably clear.

'We need a leader that has at least some points of difference,' he said.

'And we need to do it quick or we're dead in the water.'

Speculation about Ley's future has been supercharged after the Coalition split over the government's hatecrime laws, and as the party plunges in the polls.

Legislation banning hate groups and increasing penalties for hate speech after the Bondi terror attack triggered the break-up, after MPs from the Nationals split with the Liberals to vote against the laws.

Moderate Liberals backing Ley reacted furiously, branding Abbott's public intervention 'deeply unhelpful,' particularly because he made the remarks in front of rankandfile members.

Liberal frontbencher Angus Taylor and conservative backbencher Andrew Hastie are both angling to replace Ley.

Tony Abbott (pictured) called for the Liberal Party to select a 'new leader' on Wednesday

In a newsletter circulated to supporters on Australia Day, Hastie appeared to signal his leadership intent while outlining his longheld concerns about immigration levels.

'After the Bondi attack, these concerns can no longer be dismissed,' he said.

'Politics as usual just isn't going to cut it. What we're doing now just isn't working.

'Australians are asking for something new.'

His pointed message came after Taylor refused to rule out a challenge to Ley's leadership as momentum for a spill builds.

'The Liberal Party has got a lot of work to do,' he told The Australian newspaper on Monday.

Further pressed on the issue, the opposition defence spokesman said he was limited in what he could say because he was a member of the shadow cabinet.

'What's required is us showing to Australians that we are united and that we have a clear sense of purpose that is about addressing their challenges,' Taylor said.

Party sources said the Liberals do not want to detract from former MP Katie Allen's funeral on Thursday, and any spill is likely to come when parliament returns the following week.

Speaking on Australia Day, Ley said she was 'absolutely not' of the belief her leadership was over.

Supporters of Liberal leader Sussan Ley (pictured) called the comments 'deeply unhelpful'

Four senior Liberals declared their backing for her on Tuesday, with opposition immigration spokesman and moderate Paul Scarr saying he threw his '100 per cent support' behind the leader.

'Sussan has demonstrated, since becoming leader, how she's been able to navigate some very, very difficult issues,' Senator Scarr said.

Industrial relations spokesman Tim Wilson said he wouldn't throw his hat into the ring for the leadership while voicing support for Ms Ley.

He said the Liberals were better off without the Nationals, comparing David Littleproud's decision to break up the Coalition to the rural party's former leader Barnaby Joyce lying on a Canberra footpath after a drunken night out in 2024.

'Littleproud has basically replicated the political consequences of Barnaby Joyce on the Braddon pavement,' he told Sky News.

'They've hit it flat. It hasn't worked. What we need is leadership.'

Senator Scarr and Wilson said they had not been contacted by Taylor or Hastie to run the numbers for a potential leadership tilt.

'At the moment there is no announced challenge. There is no announced intention to seek a spill,' Senator Scarr said.

As support for Hastie grows, his backers hope Taylor pulls out of the race, Liberal sources said.

Ley on Monday said her door remained open to reunifying with the Nationals.
The man accused of spraying Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with an unknown liquid at a Minnesota town hall warned his neighbor that he 'might get arrested' at the event.

Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was charged with third-degree assault Tuesday after he allegedly used a syringe to squirt a strong, vinegar-like-smelling liquid at Omar.

He is accused of attacking the congresswoman at the podium as she called for the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.

But it has now emerged that the Minneapolis native hinted at his alleged behavior in a text sent to his neighbor Brian Kelley ahead of the event.

Kelley told the New York Post that Kazmierczak said he was 'going to this Omar thing' and asked him to watch his dog.

'He said, "I might get arrested,"' Kelley told the outlet. 'I figured it was nonsense. He wasn't going to do anything stupid.'

Kelley agreed to walk the dog but said Kazmierczak ended up canceling the arrangement, claiming he 'got it covered'.

Kazmierczak is a Trump supporter who 'doesn't like Omar', but was not someone who he ever imagined would assault someone, Kelley explained.

The alleged assailant also has Parkinson's Disease and was in a car crash a few years ago that damaged his spine, Kelley said. He has been 'heavily medicated' and not able to do much physically ever since.

Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, asked a neighbor to watch his dog ahead of Ilhan Omar's town hall in Minneapolis and warned he 'might get arrested' at the event, the neighbor claimed

Kazmierczak is pulled away by security after he allegedly used a syringe to squirt a strong, vinegar-like-smelling liquid at the congresswoman

Kazmierczak is arrested at the town hall event in Minneapolis on Tuesday night

Kazmierczak allegedly attacked Omar during a town hall in Minneapolis, where tensions over federal immigration enforcement have come to a head after agents fatally shot two protesters this month.

Omar had just called for the abolishment of ICE and for Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment seconds beforehand.

Calls are mounting on Capitol Hill for the Homeland Security Secretary to step down after the deaths of Renee Nicole Goode and Alex Pretti, both 37. Few Republicans have risen to her defense.

'ICE cannot be reformed,' Omar said, seconds before the attack. 'DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment.'

Kazmierczak is accused of running toward Omar and spraying a light brown substance at her from a syringe. Witnesses said there was a strong, vinegar-like smell from it.

He then told Omar to resign and claimed she's 'tearing Minnesota apart' before being dragged away by security guards.

The audience cheered as Kazmierczak was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back.

Omar appeared ready to confront Kazmierczak before he was dragged away as she muttered: 'F***ing a**hole.'

Kazmierczak, 55, was charged with third-degree assault and is being held in custody

Omar appeared ready to confront Kazmierczak before he was dragged away as she mutters: 'F**king a**hole.'

Omar continued speaking for about 25 more minutes after the man was ushered out by security, saying she would not be intimidated

Join the debate Do YOU think town halls are now too risky for open debate?

Police immediately arrested him and booked him at the county jail for third-degree assault. Forensic scientists were at the scene.

Omar continued speaking for about 25 more minutes after the man was ushered out by security, saying she would not be intimidated.

Walking out afterward, Omar said she felt a little flustered but was not hurt. She was going to be screened by a medical team.

She later posted on the social platform X: 'I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win.'

Trump has since commented on the incident, calling Omar 'a fraud' and suggesting she faked the syringe spray attack.

'No. I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud. I really don't think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,' the President told ABC News when he asked if he'd watched the clip.

He reiterated that he had not seen the video and added, 'I hope I don't have to bother.'

The Daily Mail approached Omar for comment on Trump's remarks.
Wales' First Minister today begged voters not to treat May's Senedd election as a protest against Sir Keir Starmer's government, as Labour faces losing power for the first time since devolution.

Baroness Eluned Morgan said Sir Keir is 'not on the ballot paper' in Wales and refused to say he was a 'good prime minister' as she appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Polls have suggested that the Senedd is likely to be run by a coalition government made up of nationalists Plaid Cymru and the Greens, with Reform leading the opposition.

Baroness Morgan could see her party reduced from its current 29 seats to just eight, becoming just the third largest party.

One poll, released this afternoon, suggested just 10 per cent of voters in Wales believe Sir Keir's Government is doing a good job, with the figure little better for the Welsh Labour government (14 per cent).

This morning, asked about Sir Keir's catastrophic poll ratings, she told the BBC: 'What I'm saying to the people of Wales is that he's not on the ballot paper, that is not what people will be voting for in May.

'This is not an election, this is not an opportunity for a free hit against the UK Government.

'This is not a time for protest votes.

'The things that matter here is who is going to deliver those services that people rely on in Wales, and the fact is that people will have a choice.

Baroness Eluned Morgan said Sir Keir is 'not on the ballot paper' in Wales and refused to say he was a 'good prime minister' as she appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

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'They'll have a choice between the chaos that Reform will offer, the pipe dreams that Plaid (Cymru) will offer, which will be a road to independence.'

The First Minister previously said there are 'a number of reasons' why her party is performing poorly in the polls.

'We know that there's a challenge ahead,' she added.

A poll earlier this month by YouGov for ITV Wales also shows Nigel Farage's Reform UK is on course to become the main opposition party, despite not yet having a leader in the country.

However the numbers suggest it will fall way short of taking power itself, even with Conservative support.

The poll shows Labour and the Conservatives, the current two largest parties in the current 60-seat chamber, will be reduced to little more than a dozen seats between them after an election that increases the size of the assembly to 96.

The survey suggests a radical realignment of politics is underway, with the May vote, taking place at the same time as election for the Scottish Parliament and local elections in England, heaping yet more pressure on Sir Keir Starmer.

It could also have far reaching consequences for the UK. As well as the SNP being expected to retain power in Scotland, the leader of Plaid Cymru has said his party would use time in government to make the case for Welsh independence.
The first woman appointed to the Church of Englands top post was officially confirmed today, despite a heckler interrupting the ceremony.

Dame Sarah Mullally became the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, taking up the position at St Pauls Cathedral.

She replaced Justin Welby, after he resigned more than a year ago over safeguarding failures in the handling of prolific abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth.

In a statement before the ceremony, she said: These are times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world.

I want us to be a Church that listens to the voices of those who have been ignored or overlooked, among them victims and survivors of church abuse who have often been let down.

Dame Sarah Mullally became the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, taking up the position at St Pauls Cathedral

It comes less than a month after a complaint against Dame Sarah herself was dismissed.

Survivor N, an alleged victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a London vicar, spoke out against her in 2020.

He accused Dame Sarah, 63, of mishandling his complaint while she served as the Bishop of London.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who served as the interim leader of the Church, was asked to review the case and decided to take no further action against Dame Sarah. But it is understood survivor N might appeal this decision.

She was also embroiled in a separate safeguarding scandal after a priest took his own life in November 2020, following an inquiry into false child abuse allegations.

Father Alan Griffin, 78, had spent a year under investigation without ever having the allegations set out to him.

A coroner later ruled: 'He killed himself because he could not cope with an investigation into his conduct, the detail of and the source for which he had never been told.'

Inside St Pauls today, shouting could be heard after the congregation was asked whether there were any objections to Dame Sarah's confirmation.

However, it was declared that the objection had been made too late, after public notice had been duly given, so the service continued.

Those gathered included bishops, clergy and local schoolchildren. Another ceremony will take place at Canterbury Cathedral in March to install - or enthrone - Dame Sarah.

Before then, she will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of other Christian denominations and faiths. It is also traditional to pay homage to the monarch, who is technically the head of the Church, so she is expected to meet with the King.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop in England, leading more than a million regular worshippers.

They also serve as a spiritual figure for Anglicans worldwide, of whom there are thought to be 85million living across more than 165 countries.

Dame Sarah, a former NHS chief nurse and mother of two, became a priest in 2006 and was appointed as the first female Bishop of London in 2018 - the third most senior member of the clergy.

She was named Mr Welbys successor in October, becoming the first woman to take on the role in the Churchs near-500-year history.

She did not preach at her confirmation service, and is not expected to do so before March. However, she will appear at General Synod - the Church's parliament - in February, where she will give the presidential address.

Dame Sarah has been outspoken on several controversial topics since becoming a bishop.

She brought forward a motion to offer blessings to same sex-couples in civil partnerships and marriages, which the Church voted in favour of in 2023.

She has also criticised the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted dying under certain circumstances.

In the wake of the abuse scandals, Dame Sarah has been described by lead bishop for safeguarding Joanne Grenfell as having full commitment to improving the culture across the Church.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell paid tribute to Dame Sarah as having a clarity of thinking, wisdom, grace and holiness, which he said is what the Church needs right now.
A scowling woman has denied killing a sixyearold boy in a hitandrun crash while he was riding his bicycle.

Tiffany Sanchez, 32, is accused of killing little Hudson O'Loughlin, who was riding alongside his family in San Diego, California on January 17.

Sanchez was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter, driving without a license and hitandrun causing death.

She was initially arrested and later released on bail, but was remanded into custody at the San Diego Central Courthouse after Superior Court Judge Steven Stone raised her bail to $150,000.

The motheroftwo pleaded not guilty, and scowled throughout her court appearance on Tuesday. If convicted, she could spend up to six years behind bars.

Prosecutors alleged that Sanchez accelerated into the boy, continued driving and left the scene.

'The defendant struck Hudson and proceeded over Hudson's body, running him over with both sets of tires,' San Diego Deputy District Attorney Cassidy McWilliams told the court, according to FOX5.

Sanchez 'did not stop' and 'did not render aid,' McWilliams said, adding that no calls were made to 911.

Tiffany Sanchez, 32, scowled throughout her court appearance on Tuesday

Hudson died in the hospital after being run over

'She did not assess the situation and try to help out,' McWilliams said. 'Instead, she made a conscious decision to flee the scene.'

The hitandrun allegedly caused by Sanchez 'caused dust, debris and rocks to ricochet off of the ground and into the air', according to the attorney.

Hudson and his family had gone out for lunch on a catamaran that afternoon and were heading home when the fatal collision occurred.

He was rushed to the hospital after being run over, where he later died.

Sanchez did not have a valid driver's license at the time of the alleged hitandrun, according to prosecutors.

Her license had been suspended for nine years, since 2017.

She was arrested after police used a photo taken by a witness to identify her license plate and track her to her home in National City.

Hudson was remembered by his family as a curious little boy who 'wanted to understand how everything worked'

Sanchez 'did not stop' and 'did not render aid,' according to prosecutors, who said she kept going after running Hudson over

Lindsay Chilson, who saw the crash, said the incident was traumatizing for the local community.

'I saw it just after it happened, and I saw the sweet little boy on the ground, and that was devastating,' she told ABC10.

Chilson added: 'I don't think anyone slept that night.'

Juliana Kapovich, Hudson's mother, said being his mom 'was the greatest honor of my life.'

'While Hudson's mind was always racing, his curiosity taught all of us to slow down,' she wrote on social media. 'To pause and examine leaves, bugs, lizards, and the quiet mechanisms of nature. He wanted to understand how everything worked. And in watching him, we were reminded to see the beauty in the smallest details.'

Kapovich added that she was praying for 'safer streets for cyclists' after the tragedy.

Matthew O'Loughlin, his father, wrote: 'My son was taken away from us this weekend, rest in peace my boy.'

Hudson's aunt, Nicole O'Loughlin, remembered him as a 'bright, curious young boy with his whole life ahead of him.'

She added: 'He was deeply loved and full of energy and creativity. His death has shaken all of us.'

A GoFundMe to support Hudson's family had raised about $93,000 of its $150,000 goal, as of Wednesday morning.

Sanchez allegedly struck Hudson with her vehicle while crossing this alleyway

She was initially arrested on suspicion of hitandrun and later released after posting $50,000 bail.

After gross vehicular manslaughter was added as a charge, Superior Court Judge Steven Stone raised her bail to $150,000.

She was taken into custody and her next court date is scheduled for February 4.

If Sanchez posts bail, she would be barred from driving and be required to wear a GPS monitor as prosecutors have deemed her a flight risk.
EXCLUSIVE 'She is so arrogant and up herself. The situation is just weird': Truth about Lucinda Strafford... and mystery man who's REALLY picking up the tab for her lavish life


A popular TV weatherman has died in a plane crash after his aircraft clipped a power line.

CBS2 weatherman Roland Steadham, 67, was flying with a passenger when his aircraft plunged into the Payette River in Idaho just before 11am on Tuesday.

Both Steadham and his passenger died at the scene. The identity of the second victim remains unknown.

Their aircraft reportedly lost contact ten minutes after taking off from Emmet Airport.

Steadham was a passionate pilot, and his devastated colleagues and friends have remembered him as 'one in a million.'

'He loved his family, first and foremost, his wife and his kids, loved weather, loved forecasting a good storm, and loved flying,' his colleague Marti Skold told ABC4.

Steadham leaves behind his wife Erin and their six children, as well as several grandchildren.

Erin was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in 2017 and underwent treatment for more than a year before being declared cancer-free.

Colleagues said Roland Steadham was 'one of a kind' and 'loved a good storm'

Weatherman and plan hobbyist Roland Steadham died in a plane crash Tuesday in Idaho

Steadham is survived by his wife Erin (right) who battled breast cancer in 2017

The veteran weatherman had accrued more than 3,000 hours of flying

The couple shared her experience with CBS2 in 2018, saying they beat her cancer together.

'I'm actually grateful for the experience because of the things that I learned about myself, about my family, about my relationship with God and just being able to have empathy for other people who suffer through cancer,' Erin told the outlet.

Steadham had worked as a weatherman for 35 years, spending half of his career in South Florida and the second half in Utah and Idaho, according to Idaho News.

His love for weather was described as 'contagious.'

The Brigham Young University Graduate received awards from the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association.

He was a thrill seeker and enjoyed skydiving, kayaking and mountain biking with his family.

Several colleagues took to social media to express their condolences to Steadham's family and share memories of the meteorologist.

'I am shocked and saddened to report that former WTVJ Miami chief meteorologist Roland Steadham perished in an aviation accident today,' wrote Miami Meteorologists John Morales.

'I worked next to him at Telemundo 51 and eventually stepped into his shoes on NBC 6. Strength to his family.'

Steadham spent 35 years as a meteorologist at various stations

Former NBC6 and Local 10 journalist Neki Mohan shared memories of him.

'Devastated to hear of the passing of my treasured former colleague Roland Steadham,' she wrote on social media.

'Only consolation is that he was doing what he loved.'

Just a week before his death, Steadham visited aviation students at Payette River Regional Technical Academy.

'I've enjoyed years of flying  it's been so good to me,' he told the class, according to Idaho6 News. 'I'd really encourage you guys to pursue aviation.'

The tragic crash caused a large-scale power outage in Gem County, Idaho, with more than 5,300 customers affected, reported KTVB.
A Florida family has endured a travel day from hell after American Airlines canceled six of their flights during the winter storm - and they even boarded a flooded plane.

North Palm Beach father Jay Youmans shared shocking video of water flowing down the central aisle of an aircraft as helpless passengers watched in horror.

'The pipes burst on our American Airlines flight before takeoff,' Youmans wrote as he shared footage on social media on Sunday amid monster Storm Fern.

'Water everywhere, soaked feet and bags. Pilot announced over PA system - ground crew didn't drain the pipes after the plane sat for 2 days.

'No hotel, no meal vouchers for this mechanical failure??? Is this really your standard of care?'

The footage showed water appearing to flow from the restroom, where a bundle of wet tissues were piled up on the ground as passengers waited in their seats.

Youmans said this came amid six flight cancellations that day for his family as they tried to return from a vacation in Connecticut to North Palm Beach.

The North East was doused with 20 inches of snow on Sunday, as the potentially record-breaking storm brought sub-zero temperatures and 35mph winds.

A Florida family has endured a travel day from hell after American Airlines canceled six of their flights during the winter storm- and they even boarded a flooded plane, as shown above

North Palm Beach businessman Jay Youmans (pictured) shared shocking video of water flowing down the central aisle of an aircraft as helpless passengers watched in horror

'It was challenging. We had about six flights that were canceled,' Youmans told ABC affiliate WPBF25 News.

Describing the flooded flight, he added: 'All of a sudden, from behind us, we could hear the water gushing out of the walls. I jumped up.

'It was coming out of the toilet and from under the sink and the other bathroom directly behind us.'

Youmans said the pilot announced that maintenance crews had forgotten to drain the pipes, and passengers were evacuated from the plane after about 15 minutes.

The stressed-out father said the horror began as he and his family tried to return home, but their Sunday flight was canceled due to thick snow on the runways.

They booked another flight for the following morning, but it was also canceled, and this cycle repeated several more times before they eventually made it home.

Youmans said American Airlines employees at the airport denied his request for compensation, even though his family had to spend money on a hotel that night.

American Airlines appears to be the slowest operator to recover from the weather-related chaos, as some 45 percent of its flights were still cancelled by Tuesday

'They told us no, we can't get a refund because it was weather-related,' he told WPBF25.

'But in the meantime, there were other airlines. Breeze was taking off. Another American Airlines flight took off while we were on the tarmac.'

The Daily Mail has contacted American Airlines for comment.

More than 20,000 flights were cancelled across the US over the weekend.

Sunday saw the highest number of flight cancellations recorded in a single day since the coronavirus pandemic, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

American Airlines appears to be the slowest operator to recover from the weather-related chaos, as some 45 percent of its flights were still cancelled by Tuesday.

This compares with three percent of Delta flights cancelled, 10 percent of JetBlue journeys, and seven percent of Air Canada planes grounded.
A Chicago teacher has been suspended after sharing support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on social media.

The teacher at Gary Elementary School, who has not been named, wrote 'GO ICE' under a Facebook post last week.

The message sparked fury among the predominantly Hispanic West Chicago community along with calls for him to be fired.

A Change.org petition calling for him to be axed accused the teacher of, 'disrupting the emotional welfare' of students.

The anger spilled over into a West Chicago City Council meeting, where more than a hundred parents and locals gathered to vent their fury.

'At home we teach our children to be respectful to the teachers, and then we expect the same, for the teachers to be respectful,' one parent told ABC7 at the meeting.

'Where is the due process for all the people who are being kidnapped on the streets?' another man fumed during the meeting.

The districts superintendent Kristina Davis wrote to parents explaining that the teacher initially penned a resignation on Friday before an investigation could take place.

Davis said the teacher then withdrew the resignation before the board could approve it and he was subsequently placed on administrative leave, reports Fox News.

The incident led to allegations of a double standard in Chicago over the teacher's conservative views, after educator Lucy Martinez was allowed to keep her job last year despite being filmed mocking Charlie Kirk's assassination.

Furious parents have called for a Chicago elementary school teacher to be fired after he posted a pro-ICE message on social media. Pictured: A parent speaks out at a meeting about the controversy

The incident led to allegations of a double standard in Chicago over the teacher's conservative views, after educator Lucy Martinez (pictured) was allowed to keep her job last year when she was filmed mocking Charlie Kirk's assassination

UPDATE: Teacher placed on leave for saying GO ICE.



Meanwhile, this @ChiPubSchools teacher who went viral for mocking Charlie Kirks assassination?



No leave. No consequences.



 @libsoftiktok https://t.co/zIxWEQsmWa pic.twitter.com/GbxjRcWW5z  Jen (@IlliniJen) January 27, 2026

Conservative commentator Jen Illini drew comparisons between the treatment the unnamed Chicago teacher has received compared to Martinez.

She wrote: 'Teacher placed on leave for saying "GO ICE".

'Meanwhile, this (Chicago Public Schools) teacher who went viral for mocking Charlie Kirks assassination? No leave. No consequences.'

Illinois State Senator Karina Villa led criticisms of the unnamed teacher this week, saying the educator did not 'create a safe and welcoming environment for all'.

Villa said she stands in, 'unwavering solidarity' with families upset by the social media post, describing the show of support as 'disturbing'.

Locals commenting on the Change.org petition urged the school district to fire the teacher, with one writing: 'I will not send my child to a school that has teachers who are brainwashed by the gestapo. I'd sooner find a new country.'

Another wrote: 'The fact that he is still teaching at the school, and its Hispanic students and hes making comments about supporting ICE, is very scary and concerning to me - I wouldnt trust him around these kids.'

Davis wrote in her email to families that the school district has, 'obtained legal counsel to conduct an investigation' into the teacher.

'The district will share additional information as appropriate. District 33 remains committed to providing safe, caring, and inclusive learning environments for all students,' she wrote.

West Chicago Elementary School District Superintendent Kristina Davis said the district retained legal counsel to investigate the teacher and acknowledged that the teacher's post, 'raised concerns and caused disruption for students, families, and staff'

The anger spilled over into a West Chicago City Council meeting, where more than a hundred parents and locals gathered to vent their fury. 'At home we teach our children to be respectful to the teachers, and then we expect the same, for the teachers to be respectful,' one parent said

The teacher was placed on administrative leave from Gary Elementary School (pictured) and initially resigned before withdrawing their resignation

The superintendent explained that because the teacher withdrew their resignation before an investigation took place, the educator was placed on administrative leave to prevent them coming into school.

'Following a meeting with District administration today, the employee involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and will not be permitted on any District property while on leave,' Davis said.

Davis acknowledged that the teacher's post, 'raised concerns and caused disruption for students, families, and staff'.

'We want to ensure our schools are safe spaces, and we look forward to seeing all students back in school tomorrow,' she wrote.

The Daily Mail has contacted the West Chicago Elementary School District for further comment.
A man who boarded a Parisbound Air France flight in Arizona with no valid boarding pass faces federal charges after the plane had to be evacuated.

Qais Ahmad Tillawi cleared TSA and boarded Air France Flight 069 on January 25 despite his ticket being canceled earlier that day for an 'unauthorized credit card,' according to an FBI affidavit.

Tillawi bought his ticket at 2pm and checking into his flight before Air France canceled his boarding pass, according to the complaint.

When he arrived at the terminal at Phoenix Sky Harbor, he abandoned his rental car, threw away two jackets in a trash can.

Despite his boarding pass being cancelled, Tillawi was out of TSA by 3pm.

At the gate, his boarding pass set off an alert, but he still pushed ahead.

An Air France agent demanded his passport, but Tillawi refused to hand it over, at one point holding it inches from her face before she gave a thumbsup for him to pull it back.

She later admitted she'd only checked one passenger list and didn't see his name, yet still let him stroll down the jet bridge and board the plane.

A passenger alerted the crew that they thought Tillawi was acting suspiciously, but the employee did not relay the information until he was removed from the aircraft.

Once on board, crew members said Tillawi paced two laps in the economy cabin instead of taking a seat.

Qais Ahmad Tillawi cleared TSA and boarded Air France Flight 069 on January 25 despite his ticket being canceled earlier that day for an 'unauthorized credit card,' according to an FBI affidavit

When confronted by the crew, Tillawi remained silent, offering only a digital boarding pass for seat 44D.

However, a check revealed he wasn't listed on the flight. When the captain ordered him to disembark, Tillawi refused, instead typing 'Send the USA marshal' on his phone.

The standoff forced the captain to evacuate the entire aircraft so police could board and remove him.

Tillawi only surrendered once the cabin was empty.

During questioning, Tillawi acknowledged his Miranda rights but insisted on typing his answers for 'personal reasons.'

He described himself as a 'citizen of the world' and a self-employed consultant with 'access to financial services,' claiming he lived exclusively in hotels.

When asked about his behavior on the plane, his story shifted. He first claimed he simply preferred to stand while traveling, but later typed that his assigned seat felt 'suspicious and wrong,' though he refused to explain why.

Tillawi he abandoned his rental car at Phoenix Sky Harbor (pictured) before entering the terminal

Tillawi justified his refusal to cooperate by claiming the flight crew lacked 'official identification.'

He told investigators he felt his life was in danger and would only comply with US Marshals, citing his rights as an American citizen.

A search of his belongings uncovered a massive haul of documents: 20 bank cards, multiple driver's licenses from Arizona and California, and both US and Jordanian passports.

Investigators also found a Jordanian military service book and several fake employee badges for the US Department of Veterans Affairs and firms like IBM and Deloitte. He was also carrying over $1,000 in cash.

His brother, speaking to investigators from Jordan, said Tillawi attended Arizona State University and spoke fluent English. He added that Tillawi was fired from his job in mid2024, had a history of drug use, and had been diagnosed with psychosis.

In 2024, he was detained at Dubai airport for suspicious behavior and briefly committed to a mentalhealth facility.

Since then, Tillawi had been unemployed, living in hotels while traveling between the US and the Middle East, and rarely speaking to his family.

Tillawi has been charged with interference with flight crew members, a federal felony, and entering a secure airport area in violation of security requirements, a misdemeanor.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Air France for comment.
A veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder allegedly attempted to run his wife over in his Tesla Cybertruck during an episodic rampage in North Carolina.

Nathan Lorne Tharp, 32, of Garner, near Durham, was allegedly experiencing a PTSD episode on Sunday when authorities said he tried to mow down wife and hit his neighbor's house.

Garner Police responded to the scene after reports of a domestic violence situation around 3pm.

When police arrived, they observed Tharp hit his wife with his Cybertruck, causing her to fall to the ground.

When the 32-year-old father allegedly attempted to hit his wife again, officers fired shots at him.

Uninjured, Tharp ran into his neighbor Daniel Fontana's home, plowing through his fence four separate times, knocking out support pillars on the front porch, and destroying parts of the garage, photos and surveillance footage obtained by WRAL News showed.

Afterward, he fled into the house causing the home's residents to flee. Tharp barricaded himself inside.

A SWAT team was called in and spent hours attempting to negotiate for Tharp to come outside, which he eventually agreed too.

Nathan Lorne Tharp, 32, of Garner, near Durham, was allegedly experiencing a PTSD episode on Sunday when police said he tried to run over his wife (pictured on the ground) and hit his neighbor's house

Tharp attempted to hit his wife again, causing police to draw guns and shot at him. He was uninjured

Tharp ran into his neighbor Daniel Fontana's home, plowing through his fence four separate times, knocking out support pillars on the front porch, and destroying parts of the garage

He was taken into custody and brought to a hospital for treatment. He was released from the hospital the same night.

Tarp was charged with a slew of crimes, including assault on a law enforcement officer, assault on a female, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflict serious injury, and domestic violence, among others.

Fontana's home was left with thousands of dollars worth of damage, with $5,000 worth of damage to his backyard alone.

The experience left Fontana's stepson, eight, fearsome.

'He is kind of nervous,' he told WRAL News. 'He's been a bit scared the first night thinking that, you know, what if? What happens if this happens again?'

Neighbors have started a GoFundMe to help the Fontana family repair their home, which has been deemed structurally unsounded.

The fundraiser has raised more than $3,000 of its $5,000 goal.

Garner Police responded to the scene after reports of a domestic violence situation around 3pm

Tharp allegedly caused $5,000 worth of damage to Fontana's backyard, including creating four holes in his fence

Fontana (right) said his stepson is now scared after the incident on Sunday

The Tharp incident was the second violent confrontation involving a veteran in the state on Sunday, according to WRAL News.

In Johnston County, Anthony Richardson was also suffering from a PTSD episode when he was fatally shot by police.
Three brothers were tragically killed while screaming in terror after one fell into a frozen pond and the other two tried to save his life.

Cheyenne Hangaman and her six children were staying at a friends home across the street from the private pond north of Bonham, Texas.

She said she had warned them to stay away from it as conditions turned brutal during the weekend's winter storm.

However on Monday, her six-year-old son Howard had tried to 'skate' on the frozen pond and fell in. His brothers EJ, 9, and Kaleb, 8, then leapt into the water to try and save him.

Hangaman said her distraught daughter sprinted inside the house to alert her.

'They were just screaming, telling me to help them,' she said.

'And I watched all of them struggle, struggle to stay above the water. I watched all of them fight.

'I ran across as much ice as I could to get to them and eventually ended up falling in myself.

Cheyenne Hangaman and her six children were staying at a friends home across the street from the private pond

Hangaman said she had warned them to stay away from it as conditions turned brutal during the weekend's winter storm

'I would grab one, try to put him on ice, but the ice just kept breaking every time I would sit him up there.

'I would just keep trying to go to each one of them trying to help them and it was only me, like I couldnt help them all by myself.'

First responders and a neighbor pulled the two older boys from the water and the youngest sibling was found after an extensive search of the pond.

A man heard the screams and ran to help, throwing a rope to the mother-of-six to pull her out of the pond.

'I couldnt breathe. I couldnt move. By that time I knew that my kids were already gone. So I just had to try to fight for my life at that point,' she said.

The three boys were elementary school students in the Bonham Independent School District, which had canceled classes due to the treacherous Winter Storm Fern that swept across the nation.

The district was also closed on Tuesday because of icy, dangerous roads and subzero temperatures.

Superintendent Dr Lance Hamlin sent a letter to families Monday confirming the boys had died.

Hamlin said the district is 'devastated by this unimaginable loss' and committed to providing support to the family during this difficult time.

Cheyenne Hangaman shows a photograph of her and her son, EJ, 9

Hangaman with her son Howard, 6. He tried to skate across the pond before he fell in

Kaleb, 8, also leapt in to try and save his brother but tragically lost his life

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'It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we inform our community of the tragic passing of three elementary students,' Hamlin's letter stated.

'We are devastated by this unimaginable loss, and our thoughts are with the family, friends, and all who knew and loved these children.'

Hangaman recalls her three boys as cheerful and lively, saying, 'You couldnt really stop their bubbliness.'

A layer of frigid ice still covered much of the pond, as of Tuesday, the brothers died during the historic winter storm that swept the nation, bringing heavy snow, crippling ice and frigid artic temperatures.

At least 32 deaths have been reported in states afflicted with severe cold.
A substitute teacher in Las Vegas was fired after she was caught on camera asking her class why white people weren't allowed to say a racial slur.

In a now-viral video which was shared on TikTok last week, the white substitute at Centennial High School posed a question to her classroom about the 'n-word'.

The video showed the teacher addressing a rambunctious sophomore class.

'I want to know why, when black people are amongst each other, they call each other n****?' the educator, who has not been named, asked.

The teacher's use of the racial slur caused the class to erupt in shock, with one student walking away with his hands in the air.

Others gasped and started laughing in awe, before the teacher responded, 'Exactly.'

'When a white person says it, its like "oh my God." Its like an act of something, what is that?" she continued.

Shortly after Principal Keith Wipperman sent an email to students informing parents that the substitute was no longer employed by the Clark County School District, local CBS affiliate, KLAS reported.

A viral video circulated online depicting a substitute teacher (far left) using a racial slur in a Las Vegas classroom

The students reacted in shock, with one throwing his hands up in the air and walking away, while others gasped and laughed

The video showed how the class continued to react in shock and confusion, with some students laughing at the teacher and others seemingly dumbfounded.

Centennial High School is diverse population of 3,000 students. More than a third identify as Hispanic, 31 percent white, and 19 percent black, according to US News and World Report.

Principal Keith Wipperman, pictured above, told parents in an email the teacher was no longer with the district

Wipperman said in an email to parents that the viral exchange stemmed from a class discussion 'with racial implications,' adding that it, 'was not conducive to the classroom environment'.

The principal wrote that the school's top priority is 'providing a safe, learning environment for kids.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to the school for comment.

The teacher hasn't been identified, but several comments recognized her as a longtime substitute for the school.

Some students said they believed she was substituting for a science class.

Clark County School District has previously dealt with racial clashes.

The incident took place at Centennial High School, pictured above. Centennial has a diverse student population and is a part of the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada

In 2023, a substitute teacher wrote a racial slur on a whiteboard during class, the Associated Press reported at the time.

In 2024, another substitute teacher with the district, ReKwon Smith, was fired from Valley High School after video footage circulated of a physical altercation between him and a student.

Authorities said at the time that a student used a racial slur, which resulted in the violent brawl.

Smith pleaded no contest to a battery charge last January and was ordered to pay a fine.
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Lucy Letby has received new hope in her freedom bid amid a fresh claim about one of the babies she was convicted of killing who had been exposed to a deadly infection.

The nurse is serving 15 whole-life orders after being found guilty of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one victim.

But her defence team have revealed traces of the same bug that killed a child at a hospital in Glasgow were found in the Countess of Chester where Letby worked.

The 36-year-old's lawyers discovered that 'stenotrophomonas maltophilia', a water-borne bacteria, had been in the endotracheal tube of Baby I in February last year.

It comes after Letby's trial heard the neonatal nurse killed the girl at the fourth attempt after giving her a deliberate fatal overdose of air and overfeeding her with milk.

Detectives are now carrying out a fatal accident investigation at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow after three children and three adults died after contracting infections in what is being labelled one of Britain's worst NHS scandals.

Two of those six deaths have been linked to stenotrophomonas maltophilia - Milly Main, 10, who died in August 2017; and Tony Dynes, 65, who died in May 2021.

The QEUH admitted that contaminated water was likely to have caused serious infections in young cancer patients after denying any connection for six years.

Now, obstetrician Dr Martyn Pitman has called for a similar line of inquiry at the Countess of Chester, which could prove Letby was not responsible for the deaths.

Lucy Letby is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted at Manchester Crown Court

Bodyworn camera footage issued by Cheshire Constabulary of Lucy Letby's arrest in 2018

The defendant worked as a nurse on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital

An artist's drawing of Lucy Letby giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court in June 2024

He told The Sun: 'It is potentially hugely relevant and important - it always has been.'

It follows findings presented by Letby's team that the hospital had 'poor plumbing and drainage' and required intensive cleaning, which could have led to the bug spreading.

Evidence has suggested sewage and plumbing issues at the Countess of Chester, including 'foul water' in the sinks and a flood in the neonatal unit in January 2016.

Dr Pitman told the newspaper: 'When the sewage leak was confirmed the unit should have been closed, the vulnerable babies moved out and/or transferred to other units until the issue has been sorted and cultures were negative.'

He added: 'I feel certain that details of more infected babies across that time period will emerge. A baby in the same bay as twins A and B developed awful infection symptoms and was, fortuitously, transferred to Liverpool Women's Hospital and survived.'

He said there were 'differing opinions' on how likely it is that the baby was killed by the bacteria rather than Letby.

Dr Pitman was sacked in 2023 from the Royal Hampshire Hospital in Winchester, where he had worked for 20 years, and claimed this was for raising whistleblowing concerns about midwifery care.

Last week it was confirmed Letby will face no further charges over additional deaths and collapses of babies that were investigated by police.

Cheshire Constabulary passed additional evidence to prosecutors last year for consideration, linked to eight potential offences of attempted murder and one offence of murder at the Countess of Chester.

A photo taken in July 2018 of Lucy Letby's bedroom in Chester, which was shown in court

Mark McDonald is representing Letby and claims she is the victim of a miscarriage of justice

Police investigate at Lucy Letby's home in Chester in June 2019, with a tent erected outside

Another two allegations of attempted murder and murder were linked to one child at Liverpool Women's Hospital.

In a rare step, Cheshire Constabulary spoke out publicly against the decision on no further charges, which it said was 'not the outcome that we had anticipated throughout our investigation'.

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.

Letby was convicted in July 2024 of the offences which were said to have happened between June 2015 and June 2016.

She was twice denied permission to appeal against her convictions in 2024.

Next Wednesday, a Netflix documentary about the investigation into Letby will feature never-before-seen footage of the nurse during her arrest and questioning.

The film - 'The Investigation Of Lucy Letby' - will also include new testimony from police and contributions from the mother of one of the victims. It is the first time a family member involved in the prosecution has spoken in a documentary.

Lady Justice Thirlwall's inquiry report into how Letby was able to commit her crimes on a hospital neonatal unit is due to be published this year.
Video captured the moment a man blew up a Ulez camera with a home-made bomb on a street in south east London.

Kevin Rees, 63, is facing jail after his 'low-sophistication' device exploded in Willersley Avenue, Sidcup, on December 6, 2023.

Striking CCTV footage shows the full impact of the eruption - causing sparks to rain down, cars to shake and the destruction of a child's bedroom 28 metres away.

Traffic can be seen drawing to a halt as the lights flash on parked vehicles nearby and their sirens blare due to the sudden blast.

Rees, a retired domestic service engineer, had insisted he had 'no involvement whatsoever' in the incident.

New photos reveal the aftermath of the detonation with large cracks visible across car windscreens, broken window frames on homes and fallen lampposts.

Rees was arrested by counter terror police after after the improvised explosive device (IED) damaged the ULEZ camera following its detonation at 6.45pm.

The camera was shattered into pieces as Rees lit the fuse on a metal cylinder filled with explosive powder.

Rees had set up an online group celebrating destruction of the controversial cameras and called himself The Exterminator on Facebook Messenger.

Striking CCTV footage shows the full impact of the eruption - causing sparks to rain down, cars to shake and the destruction of a child's bedroom 28 metres away

A bright flash of white light is emitted as the 'low-sophistication' device explodes in Willersley Avenue, Sidcup

Kevin Rees (pictured), a retired domestic service engineers, has insisted he had 'no involvement whatsoever' in the incident

By 'pure chance' no-one was injured, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

Rees, of Harcourt Avenue, Sidcup, denied but was convicted of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.

He also denied three counts of possessing working order home-made stun guns on or before 18 December 2023.

Prosecutor Simon Denison KC, told jurors: 'This case is about an explosion that was deliberately caused to destroy an Ultra Low Emission Zone camera that had been installed in a residential road called Willersley Avenue, Sidcup.

'The prosecution case is that this defendant, Kevin Rees, is the person who deliberately caused that explosion.

'He did it by placing a home-made explosive device, a metal cylinder filled with explosive powder, next to the camera and lighting the fuse that gave him time to move away from it before it exploded.'

Mr Denison said the camera was installed on December 6, 2023, and cut down at 5.10pm later that day by a person, not Rees, who 'took a chain-saw to the pole on which the camera was mounted'.

At 6.45pm, just over an hour and half later, the explosion occurred.

A smashed windscreen is pictured on a car nearby to where the improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated

A fallen lampost can be seen - in the foreground of an image which shows the damage caused to a black van

The tyre on a red car was even deflated - with the impact of the blast in south east London stretching far and wide

Damage was caused to houses - including a child's bedroom which was 28 metres away. A damaged window frame is pictured

A small outhouse was also damaged in the blast - with property affected far and wide due to the explosion in Sidcup

Even brick walls weren't safe for the impact - a damaged property wall is pictured as bits of it lie on the floor

Two of three home-made stun guns found at the property of Kevin Rees are pictured in a handout issued by police

'It's force was such that people in houses nearby felt their houses shake', Mr Denison said.

'Pieces of shrapnel ripped through the passenger side of a passing car - one piece of shrapnel passed through the passenger door, mercifully it was just below where the passenger was sitting.

'The side of a van that was parked on the other side of the road was ripped open by part of the camera that was propelled across the road.

'Damage was caused to nearby houses, including shrapnel damage to a child's bedroom 28 metres away - mercifully, again, the room was unoccupied.

'One piece of the camera was propelled over 100 metres into the upper part of a house, it was pure chance that no-one suffered serious injury, or worse.'

Rees, who lives a few minutes drive away from Willersley Avenue, was described in court as a 'committed campaigner against the ULEZ scheme'.

'His social media included many posts in which he criticised the scheme and celebrated damage to or the destruction of ULEZ cameras', the court heard.

The prosecutor said that CCTV footage 'recorded the same man' in and around Willersley Avenue throughout the evening, telling jurors: 'That man was the defendant.

Pictured is Willersley Avenue in Sidcup, south east london - Rees previously said he had no involvement whatsover in the incident

Forensics are pictured examining the site following the explosion - which took place at about 6.45pm

'(The footage) shows a man wearing a light-coloured top and dark trousers, and carrying a light-coloured bag, walking out of Shuttle Close and round to Willersley Avenue, where he walked up and down for a few minutes, no doubt looking for the camera.

'It was on the far side of the road from where he first was, and would have been harder to see because it had been cut down.

'But having crossed the road, and found the camera, he lit the fuse and placed the cylinder on the ground next to the junction box.

'He then walked, and then ran, away - the device exploded about 1 minute 40 seconds after he had lit the fuse.

'About ten minutes later he returned to Shuttle Close, and the cameras then captured the defendant's car driving out of Shuttle Close and back to his home.

'When he got out of his car at home, the light-coloured bag no longer contained the cylindrical object.

'He was carrying a long thin flex that resembled something from which he could have cut a fuse.'

Mr Denison said a man called Jamie York witnessed the explosion when out walking.

The remnants of the IED are pictured lying next to the fallen lampost after the Ulez camera was shattered into pieces

'Mr York saw (a man) was a holding a cylinder in both hands, which Mr York thought was about a foot in length.

'The man then lit the cylinder - there was an orange spark, and the man then carried it in both hands at waist height to the grass verge where he placed it on the ground,' he said.

The witness described the explosion, Mr Denison said, as a 'massive bang' that 'was so loud and intense that it felt like it caused me to jolt forward.'

The court heard that Rees was arrested on 18 December while dropping his wife off at Sidcup station.

The prosecutor said he asked officers: 'Has this got something to do with the ULEZ Facebook sites I was using?'

A police search of Rees' address led to the recovery of 'three home-made stun guns' in working order, which Mr Denison said could 'be used as a weapon to inflict pain and cause loss of muscle control'.

'On the wall in the loft space was a price list for a range of chemicals from a company called Paramount Elements Ltd, the list was dated June 2021.

'There were marks alongside some of the chemicals - the chemicals listed could be used in the manufacture of low explosives such as could be used in fireworks,' the prosecutor added.

At his parents' address police found a 'sealed postal package' addressed to Rees containing 100g of aluminium powder and a plastic bag found to contain 331g of iron oxide.

Examination of Rees' social media showed him, the prosecutor said, to be 'someone who was strongly opposed to ULEZ cameras and the ULEZ scheme.

'(He would) inform others of new cameras being put up, and to encourage the damage or destruction of ULEZ cameras and celebrate it when it happened.

'They found that in May 2023 he had set up a Facebook group called "ULEZ CAMARAS" where he posted 'a number of images of damaged ULEZ cameras with comments celebrating them', Mr Denison added.

In one message Rees allegedly called himself 'The Exterminator' and in others directed a fellow user to a website where he would find 'all the trees that need pruning'.

Mr Denison added: 'The defendant denies that he was the person who caused the explosion.

'If you are sure that he was, given that he left what was in effect a powerful bomb next to a busy road in a residential area where people were out walking, you may have little difficulty in concluding that he is guilty of that offence.'

Rees, of Harcourt Avenue, Sidcup, denied but was convicted of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property and three counts of possessing a prohibited weapon.

Detective Superintendent James Derham, who leads local policing in the Bexley area, said: 'It was miraculous that nobody was killed or seriously injured in the large explosion caused by Rees.

'He showed a complete disregard for the welfare and safety of the people who live in, or were travelling through, the area at the time of the explosion - all because he was unhappy with the ULEZ scheme.

'His conviction has been possible due to the commitment and professionalism of our CTP (Counter Terrorism Police) London Detectives, supported by our frontline policing colleagues in Bexley.

'I'd like to thank the local community for their support and understanding while we responded and investigated this incident, and I hope this sends a very strong message of the dangers and consequences of using home-made explosives.

'Damage of any kind is completely unacceptable, and this particular incident demonstrates the very serious consequences for those responsible when taken to this extreme.'

Rees will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.
Newly released bodycam footage captured the moment murder suspect Brendan Banfield sobbed as he was told his wife was dead following what prosecutors say was his bizarre plot to have her murdered.

Banfield, 39, was seen breaking down in tears as he was told by a hospital nurse that his wife Christine, 37, had died from her injuries after being repeatedly stabbed on February 24, 2023.

A nurse, accompanied by a police officer, was seen in the footage telling Banfield: 'Your wife has died', before he slumped in his seat and put his head in his hands and silently sobbed

The clip was shown as part of Banfield's ongoing murder trial and was put forward by his defense attorneys who claimed it illustrated to jurors that he was left devastated by the news.

But prosecutors allege that Banfield murdered his wife in a twisted plot to 'get rid of' her so he could be in a relationship with their au pair, 25-year-old Juliana Peres Magalhaes.

Magalhaes testified in court that she and Banfield were having an affair for a year before they hatched a bizarre scheme to lure a stranger to the family's Virginia home in order to frame him for Christine's murder.

A fake sex profile was created behind Christine's back claiming she wanted to experience a rape fantasy.

Joseph Ryan, 39, responded and was killed by Banfield who wanted to make it look like he was shooting an intruder, prosecutors say.

Newly released bodycam footage captured the moment murder suspect Brendan Banfield sobbed when he was told his wife was killed in a bizarre plot he allegedly orchestrated

A nurse, accompanied by a police officer, was seen in the footage telling Banfield: 'Your wife has died' at which point he slumped in his seat and put his head in his hands, silently sobbing

Prosecutors allege that Banfield hatched a plot to murder his wife Christine so he could be with their au pair, 25-year-old Juliana Peres Magalhaes (seen together)

Magalhaes admitted to gunning down Ryan as part of a plea deal which saw her murder charge downgraded to manslaughter.

Prosecutors allege that the couple used Christine's laptop to tell Ryan that she wanted him to sneak into her home carry out a rape fantasy.

The advert allegedly told Ryan to break in armed with a knife and restraints while Christine was sleeping.

Prosectuors said Banfield and Magalhaes planned to arrive and fight him off, killing both Christine and Ryan in the process in an attempt to frame Ryan.

In Magalhaes's testimony, she alleged that Banfield told her to wait in her car outside his home on the morning of the murder and said to call him when Ryan arrived so he could catch him on top of his wife.

When they entered the home, she testified they took Banfield's child to the basement before going upstairs to find Ryan struggling with Christine.

'When I got to the bedroom, he yelled, "Police officer",' she said of Banfield, who at the time was an armed IRS agent.

'Christine yelled back at Brendan, saying, "Brendan! He has a knife!" That's when Brendan first shot Joe,' she testified.

After allegedly shooting Ryan, Banfield then allegedly began stabbing his wife, Magalhaes said.

She said she tried covering her eyes as the alleged murder unfolded, but admitted that she then saw Ryan moving on the ground, so she shot him with a gun that Banfield had given her.

Christine Banfield, seen with Brandon and their daughter, was stabbed to death on February 24, 2023 as part of a twisted plot to lure a stranger into their home to frame him, prosecutors say

Banfield's mistress Juliana Peres Magalhaes admitted to shooting Ryan during the incident and was initially charged with murder, but pleaded down to a lesser charge of manslaughter as she became a key witness for the prosecution

Magalhaes was also initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter in 2024.

She has become the key witness in Banfield's murder trial. She will be sentenced at the conclusion of his trial.

Authorities say that Banfield and Magalhaes initially told investigators that they tried to save Christine when they saw Ryan entering the home and that both of them shot him in self-defense.

Prosecutors have alleged that the entire scene was staged and that it was intended to look like Ryan was shot as an intruder who was stabbing Christine during a botched robbery.

Jurors previously heard that Banfield moved his mistress into his marital bed shortly after the killing.

Magalhaes was sleeping in the bed Christine had shared with her husband eight months after the murders, Fairfax County Sgt. Kenner Fortner told Banfield's trial last week.

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.

Prosecutors say Banfield plotted to frame stranger Joseph Ryan, 39, (pictured) by luring him to his home with a fake advert on BDSM site Fetlife

Banfield admitted to having an affair with Magalhaes, but denies that they plotted to kill his wife so they could be together

'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.'

Banfield's attorney, John Carroll, alleged in his opening statements that Magalhaes only changed her story in exchange for a 'sweetheart' deal to avoid murder charges.

'The whole reason she was arrested was to flip her against my client,' Carroll argued.

Carroll also alleged that the initial lead homicide and forensic detectives disagreed with the theory that Banfield set up the plot to frame Ryan and both were later transferred off the case.

The defense attorney said there was 'turmoil' inside the police department over the case, as he attempted to undermine the argument put forward by the prosecution.

'You're going to see a presentation of a horrible, tragic, awful event,' he said. 'However, there's an awful lot more to look for.'

In a surprise announcement this week, Carroll said Banfield had decided to take the stand in his own defense - opening him up to cross-examination from prosecutors.
A star Fox News correspondent has shared a graphic image documenting his recovery from life-altering injuries he sustained while in the field.

British-American Journalist Benjamin Hall was seriously injured in a blast while reporting on the war in Ukraine in 2022.

The terrifying ordeal claimed the lives of his cameraman and a local journalist and saw Hall, 43, lose his eye.

He sustained other gruesome injuries including losing half of his right leg, his left foot and damage to his hearing.

Hall's eye was irreparably damaged after it was pierced by a piece of shrapnel leaving him reliant on a prosthetic.

On Wednesday, he shared a striking photo showing a mold being taken of his eye.

'Had a rebuild recently!' He wrote on X. 'Lots of people asking about this it was a mould [sic] being taken so we can rebuild the artificial lenses.'

The image showed his face with a bright blue mold oozed from his eye socket.

Benjamin Hall, British-American journalist, suffered life-changing injuries when he was reporting on the war in Ukraine back in 2022

The reporter lost his eye and shared he is being fitted for a prosthetic to help with his vision

Hall almost lost his life when his team came under a barrage of Russian shells outside Kyiv on March 14, 2022.

Veteran Fox cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski, a 55-year-old Irishman, and local Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova, 24, were killed in the onslaught.

The lens Hall is being fitted for is a clear implant that doctors insert into the eye to help correct vision.

Also known as intraocular lenses, IOL implants are used for various of eye problems, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

Those with cataracts also benefit from IOL implants to help restore their vision, and it's a recommended alternative for those who can't get laser eye surgery, or LASIK.

Hall was flooded with support shortly after sharing the image as many commended his courage and ongoing recovery.

'Your courage...just amazing,' one user wrote. 'And sharing this with us takes even more guts! You're a good man, Ben!'

'Benjamin, you are a brave and courageous man,' another wrote.

Benjamin Hall Hosts Fox News Sunday, he has a prosthetic eye with a blue lens

Hall was badly injured, revealing on Twitter that he 'lost sight in one eye, half a leg on one side and a foot on the other'

Hall has three daughters with his wife Alicia Meller, an Australian fashion businesswoman

'I think you are the next MARVEL superhero, Ben,' one wrote.

'Yep. I saw this once in the Terminator movie,' another user joked.

Hall has previously opened up about his long road to recovery, urging others in similar situations to 'never give up' and said adversity could be overcome 'no matter how painful something is'.

During his darkest moments Hall said that the thought of his three daughters who he shares with wife Alicia Meller kept him going.

'When you have to know there's good on the other side, that if you work hard, if you dedicate yourself to getting somewhere and you don't stop trying to achieve that, you will get that and no matter how painful something is, no matter how hard it is,' he said.

'If you really want to and you have the support to do it, you can get there, never give up. Never assume it's all over. It's inside you and it's always good on the other side.'

Hall currently serves as a senior correspondent for Fox News and also hosts the podcast Searching for Heroes with Benjamin Hall on FOX News Audio.

He joined the network in 2015, per his reporter profile.
Medics in China, Botswana conduct online cases discussion meeting

Xinhua) 13:51, January 28, 2026

GABORONE, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Medical experts from China and Botswana on Tuesday held an online case discussion meeting.

Members of the 17th batch of the Chinese medical team to Botswana and their local counterparts specializing in urogenital medicine at hospitals in the southern African country shared experiences during the online meeting with colleagues from the Fuzhou University Affiliated Provincial Hospital in China's southeastern Fujian Province.

They discussed three medical cases to seek second opinions on the treatment of complicated patients.

Ivan Kgetse, superintendent of Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital, praised the initiative, saying the online case discussion would go a long way toward improving the delivery of medical care and advancing Botswana's healthcare system.

"We have a better chance to compare how other teams treat their patients and then come up with better ways to assist those seeking medical attention with the resources we have," Kgetse said.

For his part, Chen Gang, president of the Fuzhou University Affiliated Provincial Hospital, said the online case discussion would help strengthen ties between the hospitals.

"We hope we can help many patients through such meetings in the future," Chen said via video link, adding that he expects Botswanan medical staff to visit the Fuzhou University Affiliated Provincial Hospital for further in-person exchanges.

Since 1981, 17 groups of Chinese doctors and nurses have been sent to work in hospitals in Gaborone and Francistown, totaling more than 500 medical professionals.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A convicted terrorist who was jailed for plotting to blow up the British embassy and had links to hook-handed hate preacher Abu Hamza intends to stand as a candidate in Birmingham's local elections.

Shahid Butt, 60, said he wants to 'unify the people' and push back against the far right when he stands for election in Sparkhill, in the upcoming Birmingham City Council elections, which will be held in May.

However his candidacy is marred by controversy.

Butt was convicted by a court in Yemen in 1999 after prosecutors said he was part of a militant group planning attacks on Western targets, including the British consulate in Aden, an Anglican church, and a Swiss-owned hotel.

The then 33-year-old - who was born in Pakistan before moving to Birmingham at an early age with his parents - was sentenced to five years in prison for associating with armed groups, 'plotting murder and destruction', and possessing weapons.

The case involved eight Britons and two Algerians and was linked to Islamist militants operating in the Middle Eastern country.

During proceedings, it was heard that Butt and the group had been sent to Yemen by Abu Hamza, the hook-handed and one-eyed British hate preacher who is now serving a life sentence in the USA after being extradited in 2012 on terrorism charges.

The defendants were said to have trained at a militant camp run by national Zein al-Abidine al-Mihdar, who was later sentenced to death for his role in the 1998 kidnapping of 16 Western tourists.

Shahid Butt, who intends to stand as a candidate in Birmingham, said in his campaign video: 'I'm someone who has always been on the frontlines. For those who know me, quite literally on the front lines'

Butt, 60, was jailed for plotting to blow up the British embassy in Yemen in 1999

During his 1999 trial, it was heard that Butt had been sent to Yemen by Abu Hamza, the hook-handed and one-eyed British hate preacher who is now serving a life sentence in the USA after being extradited in 2012 on terrorism charges

Four hostages - three Britons and one Australian - were killed during a rescue attempt by Yemeni security forces.

During Butt's trial, the defendants claimed they had been tortured into confessing.

But the court rejected the claims, ruling there was no link between the torture allegations and the evidence relied upon by the prosecution.

The would-be councillor served his sentence in full and was released aged 38 in December 2003, returning to the UK under escort from a British consular official.

There is no public record that his conviction was ever quashed.

Prior to his conviction for terrorism, Butt was one of the founding members of the Lynx gang, which participated in violent street fights with Far Right racists, resulting in him being sent to prison.

In the early 1990s he travelled to Bosnia as an aid worker, before joining the foreign fighter ranks of the Bosnian army. He also travelled to Afghanistan and Kashmir during this time, before being sent to Yemen.

Since returning to Britain, Butt has given talks in schools and at public meetings about radicalisation and his past experiences, which he said serves as a warning to others.

Join the debate Should a convicted terrorist ever stand for public office?

Controversial TikTok lawyer Yakoob, who is known for his love of fast cars and snazzy jewellery, is backing Butt on standing for the local elections in Birmingham

Yakoob is staunchly pro-Palestinian and regularly refers to the conflict in his TikTok videos. Pictured: The lawyer arriving ahead of the West Midlands mayoral count in 2024

The solicitor is due to stand trial in 2027 on charges of money laundering. Pictured: Yakoob outside Westminster Magistrates' Court last June

Despite his criminal past, Butt, a father-of-five and grandfather-of-two, is seeking election in the forthcoming Birmingham City Council elections.

He will stand under the Independent Candidate Alliance (ICA), backed by Akhmed Yakoob, a Birmingham solicitor and former parliamentary candidate in Ladywood, and Birmingham activist Shakeel Afsar.

The ICA was formed in early 2025 to back independent local candidates, with a focus on inner-city issues.

Lawyer Yakoob, known as the 'TikTok lawyer' with a love of fast cars and snazzy jewellery, is currently charged with money laundering and related offences and is due to stand trial next year.

He has previously harboured political ambitions. In 2024 he entered the political arena twice - first as a candidate in the West Midlands mayoral race, where he finished third against Conservative incumbent Andy Street.

He then stood again in the General Election as an independent candidate in Shabana Mahmood's constituency of Birmingham Ladywood. He finished in second place against the Home Secretary with 12,137 votes compared to her 15,558.

Yakoob was also at the centre of a controversy in July 2024, when he represented two brothers involved in a brawl with police officers at Manchester Airport.

He later stepped aside from the pair claiming the media had 'made the situation about me rather than police brutality and police misconduct'.

Yakoob and Birmingham activist Shakeel Afsar, pictured right, who are both backing Butt, said it was 'good news' Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from the Aston Villa match

In his latest videos, Yakoob has been an open supporter of disgraced West Midlands Police chief constable Craig Guildford, who retired earlier this month over the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban scandal, describing him as 'an honest individual'.

Yakoob of Perry Barr, Birmingham, is due to stand trial in 2027 on charges of money laundering; encouraging money laundering; and contravening a requirement to apply customer due diligence measures when establishing a business relationship.

Afsar meanwhile stood as an independent candidate in Hall Green and Moseley at the last general election and previously led protests against LGBT-inclusive teaching at the city's Anderton Park Primary School.

All three are vocal supporters of the Palestinian cause and publicly supported the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of the Israeli side's game against Aston Villa in November.

Butt had actively called on Muslims from around the country to stop Maccabi fans 'desecrating' and 'dirtying' the city, while describing them as 'IDF babykillers'.

He also posted a video from a protest on the night of the match, which has been seen by Daily Mail, saying: 'Muslims are not pacifists...if somebody comes into your face, you knock his teeth out, that's my message to the youth.'

In a TikTok video featuring all three, Yakoob introduced Butt and said: 'Now is the time to get rid of the Labour councillors here in Sparkhill and Birmingham.'

He said: 'I'm someone who has always been on the frontlines. For those who know me, quite literally on the front lines.

'Whether it's the 1970s, 1980s, when I was fighting against skinheads on the streets of Sparkhill and against the Far Right to the battlefields of Bosnia in the Nineties, fighting and helping the weak and oppressed is something that I've always been very passionate about.'

Butt was described as well-respected in the Sparkhill community in the video.

He said towards the end of the video: 'With the help of Allah, with your support, and with these guys behind me, I know we are going to take this, Inshallah.'

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail about his intention to stand as a candidate, Butt said: 'Sometimes in the heat of the moment I say something that I may later regret...but I'm not an AI robot, I'm a real person, I have had a very colourful life and had my ups and downs but that's what gives me credibility in my community.

'People see me as a real person, with all my faults and shortcomings.

'I genuinely believe I can unify and bring people together.'

When asked if he held antisemitic views, he disclosed that he had 'no love' for Zionism, but denied he was racist.

According to local council election rules, a person can be disqualified from standing if they have been sentenced to prison for three months - but this only applies to the previous five years before polling day.

Daily Mail has contacted Birmingham City Council for comment.
An Afghan migrant accused of raping two 14-year-old girls in a flat in Bolton has appeared in court to deny the charges.

Sultani Bakatash, 28, pleaded not guilty at Bolton Crown Court to the alleged sexual assaults on both teenagers.

The defendant, who was granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, with five family members also living in the country, entered his pleas via a Dari interpreter.

Bakatash denies two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault.

His alleged crimes are all said to have taken place at a flat in the Middle Hulton area of Bolton, Greater Manchester, on Saturday, December 6, last year.

Bakatash was arrested by police in the early hours of the following day.

The girls cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Bakatash appeared by videolink from HMP Forest Bank in Salford for the 30-minute hearing, largely dealing with administrative matters which cannot be reported ahead of a trial in June.

Sultani Bakatash, 28, pleaded not guilty to the alleged rape of two 14-year-old girls. (File image of Bolton Crown Court)

The defendant has been in the UK for two years. He was granted indefinite leave to remain, with his mother, two brothers and two sisters also living in the UK.

Judge Nicholas Clarke KC, Honorary Recorder of Bolton, remanded Bakatash into custody ahead of a further case management hearing at the same court on February 12.
He is the man usually seen as one of President Trump's loudest cheerleaders in the European Union, but Robert Fico has now reportedly returned from Florida with a chilling warning for the continent.

The Slovak Prime Minister, who has long championed Trump's 'America First' approach and echoed his criticisms of European weakness, told fellow EU leaders that he was 'shocked' by the President's mental state during a recent sitdown, Politico reports.

According to five senior European diplomats briefed on the highstakes talks, Fico's usual admiration for the 47th President has been replaced by a profound concern.

The revelations stem from a private meeting held at Trump's MaraLago estate on January 17, two diplomats explain to Politico.

They revealed that Fico specifically targeted Trump's 'psychological state,' using the word 'dangerous' to describe the President's demeanor during their intensive facetoface discussions.

The exchange occurred on January 22, as European leaders convened an emergency summit in Brussels. The meeting was fasttracked to address the diplomatic firestorm sparked by Trump's recent plans to seize Greenland.

Fico reportedly made his comments in a separate, unofficial meeting including EU leaders during that summit, diplomats said.

All the diplomats who were interviewed said they didn't know exactly what Trump had said to the Prime Minister that had set him off.

He is the man usually seen as one of President Trump's loudest cheerleaders in the European Union, but Robert Fico has now reportedly returned from Floridawith a chilling warning for the continent

Trump speaks with NATO's Secretary-General Mark Rutte next to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum

Highranking officials and heads of state across Europe are said to be facing mounting anxiety regarding Trump's 'unpredictability'

However, Fico had characterized Trump as being 'out of his mind,' a diplomat told Politico.

The Prime Minister's private concerns mark a staggering departure from the rhetoric he used just twelve months ago.

While addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Fico was met with cheers as he praised the President's impact on global affairs, telling the crowd, 'Your president is doing Europe a great service.'

Fico has never hidden his admiration for President Trump. Following their recent meeting at MaraLago, he posted a Facebook video touting his highlevel access to him.

His alignment with the White House has extended to the battlefield, with Fico consistently voicing his support for Washington's current approach to the RussiaUkraine war  a stance that often puts him at odds with other European capitals.

Fico took to X on Wednesday, saying: 'I must emphatically reject the lies of the Politico portal about how I assessed my meeting with US President Trump at an informal summit in Brussels. No one heard anything, no one saw anything, there are no witnesses, but nothing prevented the Politico portal from coming up with lies.'

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly also shot the accusations down, saying in a statement, 'This is absolutely total fake news from anonymous European diplomats who are trying to be relevant. The meeting at MaraLago was positive and productive.'

It isn't just Fico who is reportedly looking over his shoulder.

Fico has never hidden his admiration for President Trump. Following their recent meeting at MaraLago, he posted a Facebook video touting his highlevel access to him

Trump signs for the Gaza Peace Council during the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 22

Highranking officials and heads of state across Europe are said to be facing mounting anxiety regarding Trump's 'unpredictability.'

According to a sixth EU diplomat, who, while not present for Fico's specific briefing, says they know that this feeling of uncertainty is no longer an isolated concern, but a growing trend among the continent's most senior decisionmakers.

Anxiety surrounding the President's medical status is also 'rapidly becoming a more conversed topic at all levels,' according to an EU representative engaged in diplomatic talks within Brussels.

At 79, Trump has consistently dismissed any claims that his mental clarity is failing.

In a recent conversation with New York Magazine, he addressed the rumors directly, maintaining that 'he doesn't suffer from Alzheimer's disease.'

Earlier this month, Trump signaled a potential trade war by threatening eight European nations  specifically naming France, Germany, and the U.K.  with new tariffs. He claimed these allies were obstructing his goal to acquire Greenland.
Donald Trump is facing a death threat from a Democratic Ohio attorney general candidate promising the president's execution if he's elected.

Ohioan Elliot Forhan said he plans to hypothetically place Trump on trial and seek the death penalty if he wins office.

I want to tell you what I mean when I say that I am going to kill Donald Trump, Forhan said in a now viral campaign video.

I mean I'm going to obtain a conviction rendered by a jury of his peers at a standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt based on evidence presented at a trial conducted in accordance with the requirements due process, resulting in a sentence, duly executed, of capital punishment.

That is what I mean when I say I am going to kill Donald Trump, Forhan concluded after smiling towards the camera.

Forhan served in the Ohio House of Representatives for less than a year. The rustbelt Democratic candidate previously worked for Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign.

His one term in the Ohio House was marred by controversy after he was stripped of his committee assignments over allegations of physical altercations with other lawmakers.

Following the murder of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Forhan mocked his death by writing, F**k Charlie Kirk. Back in February 2025, Forhan announced his campaign for Ohio attorney general race.

Elliot Forhan, a Democrat running for Ohio attorney general, vowed to seek the death penalty for President Donald Trump after placing him on trial

Trump defeated Kamala Harris by 11-points in the state of Ohio during the 2024 election

Forhan served one term in the Ohio House of Representatives but lost reelection after Democrats stripped him of his committee assignments

'Obviously this is a deranged individual, and we will refer all press inquiries to the United States Secret Service,' White House spokesman Steven Cheung told the Daily Mail.

The Daily Mail reached out to the Secret Service for comment.

Forhan's video message resulted in condemnation from Republican rivals across the state.

Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, who is running against Forhan for attorney general, called his remarks vile and demanded other state Democrats condemn Forhans comments.

My Democrat opponent for Attorney General just came out and said he wanted to kill President Trump, said Faber. That kind of vile comment makes it clear that Elliot Forhan is not qualified to be Attorney General.

Faber also called on Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton to disavow Forhans comments.

Faber called on Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton to denounce Forhan. He was joined by Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy who called Actons silence utterly shameful.

Ramaswamy, a former 2024 presidential candidate and Trump loyalist, said that Ohio Democrats refusal to condemn Forhan means they implicitly endorse his message to kill the president.

The Daily Mail reached out to Actons campaign for comment.

Trump decisively won Ohio by 11-points during the 2024 election against Kamala Harris, marking his third straight presidential victory in the state.
Latino Republican lawmakers are warning that the GOP could lose the midterms as Hispanics flee over President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

A trio of Florida Republicans have piped up since Tuesday, with one state lawmaker calling out Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, even tussling on X with his wife, Katie Miller.

'I do think that he will lose the midterms because of Stephen Miller,' state Senator Ileana Garcia, who stands to lose reelection in her swing district, told the New York Times in an interview Tuesday.

She later claimed on X that her criticism of Miller - an architect of the mass deportation policy - had gotten her 'doxxed.'

'Why have we become everything we've criticized? Im not afraid of you, Stephen Miller,' Garcia said.

Representatives Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar haven't called for Miller or Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's head, but did warn the party was in political hot water.

'I warned about this months ago, before the headlines caught up. Today we are watching it unfold in real time,' Salazar posted to X Tuesday night. 'Hispanics are leaving the GOP in large numbers, and pretending otherwise won't fix it.'

She implored her party to 'reverse course and act now.'

Florida state Senator Ileana Garcia (left) whacked around White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (right) for his role in crafting President Donald Trump's mass deportation plan, placing blame on the immigration hardliner for the GOP potentially losing the midterms

Gimenez didn't specifically cite concerns about losing Latino voters when speaking to Newsmax Tuesday, but did say he was worried about the November races, which historically could turn the House of Representatives over to the Democrats.

Gimenez said he's expressed to the Trump administration, 'there has to be a better way to do this.'

'And also, this is politically, it's hurting our chances at the midterm. And I'm just being frank about it,' Gimenez said.

Trump made huge gains with Latino voters in the 2024 race.

He lost them by 38 points in 2016 to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Eight years later, Trump lost Latinos by just three points to the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris - and won Latino men.

But during the 2025 off-year elections, Latino voters headed back to the Democratic column in droves, helping elect Democratic governors in both Virginia and New Jersey.

Salazar first spoke out then.

Representatives Maria Elvia Salazar (left) and Carlos Gimenez (right) voiced concerns about how President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement could impact the Republicans' ability to hang on to their House majority in the 2026 midterm elections

'I've said it before, the Hispanic vote is not guaranteed,' she said in a video post on November 5, the day after the election. 'Hispanics married President Trump, they're only dating the GOP.'

She said that while Latino voters wanted to get rid of the 'bad Hombres,' they also wanted to 'give dignity to those who have been here for years, and do not have a criminal record, people that may not have a legality, but who have been here contributing to the economy and to the country.'

Things on the immigration front have only gotten more heated since then, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agents descending on Minneapolis, killing two American citizens and detaining a 5-year-old child.

In the latest Daily Mail/J.L. Partners poll, which was conducted Monday, 51 percent of Latino voters said they disapproved of the Trump administration's record on immigration - higher than the 44 percent of white voters who held the same sentiment.

Fifty-eight percent of Latino voters disapproved of ICE specifically, compared to 50 percent of white registered voters.

And 57 percent of Latino voters said they believed that ICE should pull out of U.S. cities, with 50 percent of white voters in agreement.

Another 48 percent of Latino voters said that Noem should be fired, and 49 percent said she should be impeached by Congress.

Pollsters did not ask about the fate of Miller, an immigration hardliner who worked for Trump during his first administration as well.

However, one sliver of good news for Trump is that his numbers haven't cratered with Latinos despite strong feelings on immigration enforcement.

He's currently holding at 42 percent approval, 58 percent disapproval with the important voting bloc.

'Trump's numbers with Hispanics are actually holding up relatively well,' J.L. Partners pollster James Johnson told the Daily Mail.

The only problem for November - Trump won't be on the ballot.
A wealthy Russian was today found guilty of beating up his girlfriend while she was on a FaceTime call with Barron Trump - but was cleared of raping her.

Matvei Rumiantsev, 22, was convicted of assaulting the woman in a jealous rage at his London flat while she was on a video call with Donald Trump's youngest son.

Rumiantsev was also found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice by calling the young woman from a police station after his arrest and writing to her from Belmarsh prison where he was being held on remand a few days later.

But the ex-MMA fighter was found not guilty of two counts of rape, one count of strangulation and one count of assault by beating.

The court was earlier told how the US president's son had 'saved the woman's life' by phoning the police when he witnessed her being beaten up over a video call.

Barron, 19, spoke directly with a 999 operator when he heard what he thought was Rumiantsev repeatedly punching his friend at the flat in Canary Wharf, east London.

Rumiantsev was jealous of the American's relationship with the woman and flew into a rage when he tried to phone her earlier that evening.

He then answered a video call from the President's son on the woman's phone, showed Barron her face then grabbed her hair and pushed her to the floor - shouting 'You are not worth anything', Snaresbrook Crown Court in north-east London heard.

Matvei Rumianstev (pictured) was today found guilty of beating up his girlfriend while she was on a FaceTime call with Barron Trump - but was cleared of raping her.

Jurors at a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court were told to treat Barron Trump's (pictured) account of his friend's alleged attack with caution and consider if it may be biased or mistaken

Rumiantsev called the woman a 'slut' and a 'whore' and kicked her in the stomach when she was on the floor next to the fridge, jurors were told.

Barron spent some time working out how to reach emergency services in Britain before telling a call handler: 'I just got a call from a girl, you know. She's getting beaten up.'

Jurors were played a recording of the conversation, in which he gave the woman's address, then added: 'It's really an emergency, please. I got a call from her with a guy beating her up.'

Barron told the call handler he knew the woman through social media, after being ticked off by the operator for refusing to answer questions.

The call handler told the US president's son: 'Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions? If you want to help the person, you'll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you. So how do you know her?'

Barron answered: 'I met her on social media. She's getting really badly beat up and the call was about eight minutes ago, I don't know what could have happened by now.'

He added, 'So sorry for being rude', in the call was made at 2.23am on January 18 last year.

The 6ft 7in college student is Trump's fifth child and the president's only child with his wife Melania.

Russian national Matvei Rumiantsev was accused of repeatedly punching Barron's female friend in a flat in London while President Trump's son was on a FaceTime call to her from the US

Rumiantsev (pictured centre) denied allegations including assault, two counts of rape and intentional strangulation

He has been credited as having raised the alarm during Rumiantsev's trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London.

Bodycam footage from police at the scene showed the woman telling officers: 'I am friends with Barron Trump, Donald Trump's son.'

One of the officers can then be heard telling a colleague: 'So apparently this informant from America is likely to be Donald Trump's son.'

The woman is then asked to call Barron back, as the American explained to officers he could see her crying and being struck during the FaceTime call.

He told officers: 'I called you guys  that was the best thing I could do. I wasn't going to call back and threaten things to him because that would just make the situation worse.'

Giving evidence, the woman said: 'He [Barron Trump] helped save my life. That call was like a sign from God at that moment.'

Police attended his home in Poplar, east London, in the early hours of January 18, 2025, following two 999 calls from the alleged victim and one from Barron.

The woman told officers she had been slapped, punched, kicked and strangled during the assault.

Barron Trump (centre) is pictured here with US President Donald Trump (right) and Vice-President JD Vance (left) at his father's inauguration in Washington DC on January 20 2025

While in custody, Rumiantsev tricked officers into allowing him to phone the woman.

He was overheard saying words to the effect of 'While you are sleeping in your warm bed, I'm in jail,' prosecutor Serena Gates said.

Eight days later, the Russian made a call from prison to a friend named Arsen, saying he had already posted him a letter that he should give to the woman, in which he pleaded with her to withdraw her statement.

The victim withdrew her statement but later retracted this, telling police the original account was true and that Rumiantsev had also sexually assaulted her on two occasions.

She explained that the Russian would deliberately get her so drunk that he could have sex with her without her being able to consent.

She said she had asked him why he did this to her and he responded: 'You never want to do this with me so I make you drink and do this to you.'

Sasha Wass KC, defending, described the victim's accounts of the alleged attacks as 'untrue and fabricated'.

Rumiantsev was remanded in custody until a sentence hearing on March 27.

Trial judge Joel Bennathan told the court Rumiantsev should expect a custodial sentence and therefore the probation service should provide reports.

Rumiantsev is the second son of a well-known Russian coffee tycoon from a military family.

He attended an elite 80,000-a-year international boarding school in Cambridge.

His father Sergey Rumyantsev, 53, is founder of a prominent Russian business success story called One Price Coffee, previously called One Bucks Coffee, until US coffee giant Starbucks challenged the name in court - forcing them to drop the 'Bucks' from their name.

Rumiantsev's father is listed in Companies House records as a director of One Price Coffee and was born into a military family in Severomorsk, a closed Soviet naval town in the Arctic region of Murmansk.

Sergey attended the Tver Suvorov Military School from the age of 14, a prestigious cadet institution exclusively for the children of military families.

Matvei's grandfather Vitaly Rumyantsev, now 86, was a senior naval officer, believed to be a captain.

The family is wealthy and successful in Vladimir Putin's Russia.

Before founding One Price Coffee, among other jobs, Sergey worked for British American Tobacco in sales, followed by Nike in international brand management and wholesale operations.

It is believed Matvei came to Britain to study for GCSEs then A Levels and attended the elite Abbey College Cambridge, where boarding fees are 80,000 per year.

He can be seen in a college 2021 Alumni Reunion photo.

The school is known as an elite academy for the children of wealthy foreigners and a likely passport to good UK universities.
Donald Trump tore into a pair of Republican senators who are calling for the ouster of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as tensions simmer over violent and deadly immigration enforcement in Minnesota.

The President said Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are 'losers' and that the former 'lost his voice' by deciding not to run for reelection.

'You know, what can I tell you? They're terrible senators,' Trump told ABC News. 'One is gone and the other should be gone.'

Both senators have broken with Trump on several issues over the last year, and both have called for Noem to step down after losing confidence in her ability to lead federal immigration operations.

A Daily Mail/JL Partners poll taken this week showed Noem suffering from a dreadful 33 percent approval rating.

Other GOP lawmakers are speaking off the record about how they are worried protests will only lead to more bloodshed, and that the party has squandered the best issue they had going for them in the 2026 midterms.

One unnamed senator told Politico that immigration is a 'home game' for Republicans, much like health care is for Democrats.

But instead of images of migrants flooding over the border, the viral scenes now show Americans being shot in broad daylight.

Donald Trump said Republicans calling for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's ouster are 'losers'

Senator Thom Tillis, who wants Noem to resign, said being called a 'loser' by Trump 'makes me qualified to be homeland security secretary and senior adviser to the President'

First, it was poet and mother Renee Good, who was shot through the windshield of her vehicle by an ICE agent whom she clipped with her car. Just over two weeks later, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at a VA hospital, was shot by a DHS agent in a street tussle. Both incidents occurred in Minnesota.

Democrats have already floated impeaching Noem, and those calls only intensified this month amid her botched response to the deaths of American citizens at the hands of her agents.

'So what Murkowski says  she's always against the Republicans anyway,' Trump dismissed.

'And Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.'

On Tuesday, Tillis expressed a complete loss of confidence in Noem and described her actions at the helm of DHS as 'amateurish' and 'incompetent.'

'What she's done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job,' he told reporters on Capitol Hill. 'I think she's out of her depth.'

He said Noem is making Trump 'look bad on policies that he won on,' and called for the administration to 'treat these communities with some respect.'

When asked about Trump calling him a 'loser,' the senator replied: 'I am thrilled about that.'

'That makes me qualified to be homeland security secretary and senior adviser to the president,' he added, referencing Noem and Trump's Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller.

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said she would not vote to confirm Noem if given the chance again

Murkowski, whose current term is not up until the 2028 election, said while she voted to confirm Noem she thinks it is time for the president to replace her.

'I would not support her again. And I think it probably is time for her to step down,' the Alaska senator said, adding Noem should be held accountable for the 'chaos and some of the tragedy' in Minneapolis.

Her actions, like calling Pretti a 'domestic terrorist,' Murkowski says, 'has not been helpful to the situation.'

Trump stripped Noem of her internal immigration enforcement role, according to reports that emerged this week. Instead, he wants her focusing on the border.

The president deployed White House 'border czar' Tom Homan to Minneapolis on Monday to take over the situation and be the point-person for enforcement in the northern border state.

Asked on Tuesday when leaving for remarks in Iowa whether Noem would be stepping down, Trump shook his head and simply stated: 'No.'
The executive who will oversee Labour's mass renationalisation of the rail network is to be paid up to 300,000 for working two-and-a-half days a week.

An advert for the job of chairman of Great British Railways offers the annul salary for a three-year term, working 10 days a month.

Equivalent to a 600,000 full time salary it is, pro-rata, more than three times the Prime Minster's 172,000 pay, and equates to 2,500 per day.

In a letter accompanying the advert, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that the winning candidate will oversee an organisation with '20 billion expenditure and over 100,000 employees', with a 'bold mission to reimagine how rail serves the nation'.

The Department for Transport said the appointment would save money, as it merges two existing positions, including chairman of Network Rail.

Interested candidates have until February 23 to apply, with the winner unveiled in April.

Richard Holden, the shadow transport secretary, said: 'GBR is shaping up to be a monolithic monster, built for Labour's union paymasters, by the Labour Government, but paid for by passengers and taxpayers.

An advert for the job of chairman of Great British Railways offers the annul salary for a three-year term, working 10 days a month.

Equivalent to a 600,000 full time salary it is, pro-rate, three times what the Prime Minster is paid, and equates to 2,500 per day.

In a letter, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that the winning candidate will oversee an organisation with 'a 'bold mission to reimagine how rail serves the nation'

'Labour are charging taxpayers 300,000 a year for a part-time chairman, while fares rise, services falter and billions are poured into Labour's state-run gravy train bureaucracy.

'Passengers were promised a railway run for them. Labour are cooking-up a sprawling mish-mash run by well-paid insiders, insulated from accountability, while the public foot the bill.'

GBR is due to roll out to trains, websites and stations from next spring. The state-owned company unveiled its red, white and blue branding before Christmas.

It will bring together 17 different organisations and ministers claim it will 'cut through the frustrating bureaucracy and lack of accountability that continues to plague the railways'.

The Government announced in November that rail fares in England would be frozen next year for the first time in 30 years.

The freeze until March 2027 will apply to regulated fares, which includes season tickets and off-peak returns.

A DfT spokesman said: 'The GBR chairman's salary is lower than previous similar positions. This is also rightly much lower than salaries in similar-sized private organisations.'
Ilhan Omar has been hit by claims she faked her own attack after Donald Trump declared 'she probably had herself sprayed.'

The Minnesota Democratic Representative, 43, was doused with an unknown vinegar-smelling liquid from a syringe during a town hall event in Minneapolis on Tuesday.

Anthony Kazmierczak, 55 - a Trump supporter who has previously posted anti-Omar comments on social media - was charged with third-degree assault.

But Omar's actions during the attack have sparked theories it was staged, with online sleuths pointing to two supposed inconsistencies.

The first is that the congresswoman's immediate response to the liquid being sprayed on her upper body was to rush towards her assailant with her fist clenched.

'If someone randomly sprayed me with a substance, I'd be running to the nearest bathroom to wash my eyes and skin - or straight to the hospital,' said MAGA comedian Terrence Williams.

The second alleged clue is that Omar 'nodded' at Kazmierczak shortly before the attack, moments after she had called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be fired.

Ian Miles Cheong, a well known conservative provocateur, wrote on X: 'Holy s***. Look at how Ilhan Omar looks at the guy who sprayed her and gives him a little nod right before he springs into action.'

Omar allegedly 'nods' at Kazmierczak shortly before the attack after she calls for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be fired

The congresswoman's immediate response to the liquid being sprayed on her upper body is to rush towards her assailant with her fist clenched

Conservative podcast host Trish Regan posted on X: 'Ilhan Omar was reportedly sprayed in the face tonight - and she runs at the attacker? As though she's about to take him out? This is not normal behavior. Not even close. No wonder people are asking if it was staged.'

Just before the attack, Omar had said: 'DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment.'

Kazmierczak ran toward Omar and sprayed her with the syringe as he told the congresswoman to step down because she is 'tearing Minnesota apart.'

Omar appeared ready to confront Kazmierczak before he was dragged away as she muttered: 'F**king a**hole.'

Police immediately arrested him and forensic scientists responded to the scene.

Omar continued speaking for about 25 more minutes after the man was ushered out by security, saying she would not be intimidated.

Walking out afterward, Omar said she felt a little flustered but was not hurt. She was going to be screened by a medical team.

'I've survived war. I'm definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people throw at me because I'm built that way,' the Mogadishu-born congresswoman told reporters.

Join the debate Does Trump go too far by claiming the incident was faked?

Kazmierczak was arrested for third-degree assault Tuesday after he allegedly used a syringe to squirt a strong, vinegarlike smelling liquid at Omar

The protester - later identified as 55-year-old Anthony J. Kazmierczak - ran toward Omar and sprayed a mystery substance at her from a syringe

Omar continued speaking for about 25 more minutes after the man was ushered out by security, saying she would not be intimidated

Kazmierczak is subdued after attempting to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar

Omar appeared ready to confront Kazmierczak before he was dragged away as she mutters: 'F**king a**hole.'

Trump claimed the incident was fabricated when asked about it, doubling down on his previous claims that Omar is a fraud, including questioning how she has made $30 million and alleging that she married her brother to secure immigration papers.

'I think she's a fraud. I really don't think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her,' the president told ABC News when asked if he'd watched the clip.

'I hope I don't have to bother.'

Kazmierczak allegedly hinted that he was planning to attack Omar in a text sent to a friend earlier on Tuesday.

He wrote that he was 'going to this Omar thing' and 'might get arrested', and asked his friend if he would look after his dog, the New York Post reported.

The friend added that Kazmierczak is heavily medicated as he has Parkinson's Disease and was in a car crash a few years ago that injured his back.

The Daily Mail has contacted Omar for comment.
Chaos has erupted in a Northern California beach town after a convicted art swindler built a metal fence blocking a popular scenic path on a property that does not belong to him, according to officials.

Luke Brugnara, a real estate mogul turned fraudster, erected a large chain-linked barricade that directly blocks the walking path to Thornton State Beach in Daly City, about 30 minutes outside of San Francisco, Daly City Police Chief Cameron Christensen told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Luke, who also goes by 'Lucky,' recently admitted to police that he was the one who had the fence built despite not owning the property, the outlet reported. County officials determined Brugnara put up the fence weeks ago.

Donna Pope is one of the property's owners, San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa told the Chronicle. She is not happy with the new addition and wants it gone right away.

'It's just bizarre,' Pope said, adding that she reported a trespasser on the land to authorities. Her family has owned the property for generations.

Meanwhile, Brugnara, 62, who is also accused of threatening to shoot trespassers, said that 'everything' with the fence has been done legally, the outlet said.

The former convict, who served almost nine years behind bars for refusing to pay for multiple pieces of art worth more than $11 million, claimed he is part of a group that owns the property where the fence is.

He also recommended locals enter through the north side to access the beach because of the barricade.

Luke Brugnara, a fraudster who was once a Bay Area real estate mogul, has caused an uproar in Daly City, California, after he built a tall chain-link fence that locals say is blocking access to Thornton State Beach

Brugnara admitted he was the one who directed the fence to be built and that he owns the property, but local officials say otherwise

The fence is now the talk of the town as its presence was brought up at a Daly City Council meeting on Monday night.

During the gathering, a code enforcement officer said a notice of violation had been issued to the property owner, whose name was not mentioned at the meeting.

The notice cites possible violations, including 'construction of a fence without a required permit, possible encroachment into public land or city right of way,' and 'obstruction of public or equestrian trail used by the community for decades,' according to the officer.

Zachary Leyden, the co-owner of the nearby Ocean View Stables, said Brugnara approached him before installing the fence, which he said just suddenly appeared one day.

Leyden said the scammer told him he was the new owner of the property before asking him to remove all of the stable's belongings from the land.

'At first, he was being nice until he put up the fence and he said "no more horses" basically stop using the property,' Leyden recalled, per the Chronicle.

Others are just as livid as Leyden about the fence.

'This has been an area that, again, has been used by literally thousands of people for decades,' Annie Elliott, co-founder of the Thornton Beach Bluff Preserve, said.

Annie Elliott, co-founder of the Thornton Beach Bluff Preserve, is very angry over the fence. The organization aims to preserve the stunning beach area (pictured)

San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa (pictured) is also very angry over the fence, which he described as being eight-feet-tall

The organization focuses on preserving the beach area.

'Its (visited) by locals, by visitors to San Francisco, international visitors come to this area,' Elliott added.

'Its very popular because its very scenic and its near the city  Its just too bad that this person decided to fence it all in.'

Canepa described the fence as being eight-feet-tall, but according to Brugnara, it is really six-feet-tall.

The county supervisor went on to write a letter to the California Coastal Commission suggesting that a property owner might have erected the fence.

'It was egregious if he was the owner, but now we have a squatter,' Canepa, who often hikes the trail, said.

'To have the audacity to squat and then, if you could imagine, build a fence is probably in my 19 years of politics the sickest thing I have ever seen.'

Following Monday's meeting, the code officer requested that the property owner bring documents forward, including permits, survey data, and site plans, so the office could further investigate with other agencies about the fence.

Brugnara, who was a prominent figure in San Francisco's commercial real estate scene in the 1990s, is no stranger to controversy. He's been in and out of jail for wire and tax fraud, and swindling nearly $11 million in artwork

Brugnara, who was a prominent figure in San Francisco's commercial real estate scene in the 1990s, is no stranger to controversy.

He previously owned the iconic pink mansion on the coast of San Francisco, but a slew of setbacks got in the way of his presence in the real estate scene.

Brugnara was denied a gambling license in Las Vegas due to financial irregularities and allegations of making death threats.

By 2010, he was imprisoned for tax evasion on capital gains from his properties.

After his release in 2014, Brugnara received the controversial art delivery and faced legal troubles, leading to his other conviction.

Brugnara was said to have stashed his hordes of stolen artwork worth $11 million in the home in 2014 before he was jailed for seven years for art fraud in 2015.

He then managed to escape from custody for six days while awaiting trial for the art crime. Brugnara went on to represent himself during that trial before being sentenced to seven years in prison.

A man is seen walking at Thornton State Beach. Now that the fence is up, Brugnara has suggested that people access the beach through the north side

In an appeal, his lawyer argued Brugnara should have never been able to represent himself because of mental instability, the Chronicle stated.

But during his sentencing, a defense psychologist determined he was intellectual but likely suffered from 'narcissistic personality disorder' and delusions.

The Court of Appeals in San Francisco did not agree with the appeal, stating there was no evidence to prove he was not incompetent at the time.

He was released from federal custody in August 2025.

He was briefly booked into San Mateo County Jail on January 22, but released the same day, the New York Post reported. It's unclear if that arrest was related to the fence ordeal.

The Daily Mail contacted Brugnara and Canepa for comment.
A senior architect who stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from his 'vulnerable' sister with dementia to fund a lavish lifestyle for him and his wife has been struck off.

Over three years, David Bell embezzled 160,000 from Janet Mann, whom he had power of attorney over, to splash out on holidays to Cuba and the US.

He splurged on beauty treatments, dental care, restaurants and purchases abroad - including a loan to support his business.

Bell, who is in his 60s and has more than 45 years of experience as an architect, admitted his motivation for stealing the money was 'opportunity' and that he had 'made a mess of things'.

He was slammed by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) for his 'appalling' crimes after he was convicted, but spared jail, at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in May last year.

Bell was handed a 225-hour community payback order to be completed within 12 months and a compensation order of 160,998 to be paid within 12 months.

He had been a registered architect for 45 years and was a director at the Edinburgh practice Fouin & Bell Architects, which went into liquidation in 2023.

Ms Mann returned to Scotland after living abroad following the death of her husband in 2011. She was later diagnosed with dementia and classified as an adult with incapacity.

David Bell (R) embezzled 160,000 from his 'vulnerable' sister with dementia, whom he had power of attorney over

Bell and his wife were granted power of attorney, giving them full control over Ms Mann's bank accounts and assets.

Ms Mann, described as a rather wealthy individual with a large number of assets, moved into a care home before later relocating to a nursing home in Edinburgh.

Bell subsequently contacted Edinburgh City Council to request assistance with his sister's care fees in 2018, which prompted an investigation into the reason for the financial help, given the high value of her estate.

It was found during the investigation that Bell and his wife had used her money for 'inappropriate expenditures' on goods and services, beauty treatments, dental care, holidays, restaurants and purchases abroad.

He had even taken out a loan to help his business using her money.

The couple 'surrendered the power of attorney' in December 2019. The case was then passed to Police Scotland.

Bell was subsequently charged with embezzlement and pleaded guilty in May 2025.

One account had seen a significant turnover in funds with 976,151.61 being transferred out and more than 1million transferred in between October 2012 and April 2018.

Bell used his sister's fortune to make payments to Costco, John Lewis, Debenhams, and 'for beauty therapy and dental work'.

Representing himself at the ARB tribunal hearing, Bell said his offence 'only involved family matters' and did not affect his professional work or his clients.

He said that his sister had suffered 'no harm' from his actions and that she was well looked after.

Bell argued that his actions were not about 'integrity or dishonesty' but rather a 'failure of management' of his sister's assets.

He said that his clients may have been 'shocked' but they would not have been 'appalled' by his actions, although he did admit that some of his clients had declined to work with him following his conviction.

He also said his motive for stealing the money was 'opportunity', which coincided with other issues in his life.

The stealing started with taking small amounts, and it escalated over time to larger sums but Bell said he always had the intention to repay the money.

He said all the money he had stolen would be repaid.

The ARB said Bell's conviction damaged the reputation of the profession because it included 'dishonesty' and related to the 'abuse of position of trust'.

The tribunal found that his stealing was repeated and persistent over a period of more than three years, until he was discovered.

It also found that Bell had little remorse for his actions, and he did not take into account the 'impact of the conviction upon public perception of the profession'.

The ARB said he was 'opportunistic' in his offending and struck him off the register.

Martin Winter, chair of the tribunal, said: 'While there is some evidence of insight, this appears to be limited.

'Specifically, the Committee found that Bell's understanding of the consequences of his behaviour was largely confined to the personal impact upon himself, rather than recognising the broader implications.'

The tribunal found that he was impaired because of his conviction and would be struck off to protect the profession's reputation to the public.

Mr Winter said: 'The Committee is satisfied that Bell's role as Power of Attorney was not dishonest from the outset and his intention was to assist a family member from whom he had been distant for 30 years.

'He stepped in to help after the death of their spouse, and he had the best intentions when taking on this role.

'However, he described that he 'made a mess of things,' which is evident from his conviction.

'The conduct involved the commission of an offence against a vulnerable person. The public would be appalled that an architect convicted of such an offence could continue to be an architect.

'The offence was opportunistic but was not spontaneous and was enduring for at least three years and involved a substantial sum of money.'
Donald Trump has, in recent weeks, threatened potential intervention in Iran in the wake of deadly nationwide protests that have killed thousands.

But tensions between the US and Iran spiked on Wednesday after Trump warned that a 'massive armada' is ready to strike if the Islamic Republic does not make a deal on nuclear weapons.

A US carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln has been moving west from the South China Sea to the Persian Gulf, raising fears that a military strike on Iran is imminent.

As the aircraft carrier nears the region, experts have been weighing up the options that Trump has to intervene in Iran.

One option for Trump is to carry out a limited strike restricted solely to Iran's nuclear program and research facilities.

Director of the Iran Strategy Project Nate Swanson says Trump could be planning to strike conventional targets, such as Iran's nuclear or missile programme.

While these strikes could do little to help activists protesting against the Iranian regime, Swanson says, 'it will ensure that nobody can accuse the president of drawing "red lines" and then ignoring them.'

Trump had previously threatened military action if Iran continued to kill peaceful protesters or carried out mass executions of those detained, telling demonstrators that 'help is on its way.'

The president later backtracked after receiving unconfirmed assurances that Iranian authorities would no longer execute detained protesters.

Donald Trump has threatened potential intervention in Iran in recent weeks

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Shashank Joshi, The Economist's defence editor, argues that a limited attack would also 'reduce the risk of dragging America into a wider conflict,' but notes that it would do little to 'weaken the regime.'

Joshi suggests Trump could be considering a broader attack on Iran, which might target the regime's security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who have been cracking down on protesters.

A wider, more strategic attack on Iran could also include economic targets, Swanson argues.

During confrontations between Iran and Israel last year, there were fears that Israel might attack Iranian economic targets, such as oil export terminals and critical natural gas infrastructure.

Such an operation would be 'risky' and could have an impact on energy markets, Swamson says, but it would 'get the attention of a government that is teetering on the brink of economic collapse.'

Trump's final option would be striking the regime itself, including its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Removing him would create an 'unprecedented power vacuum,' Swanson says, making it impossible to predict what would happen to Iranians in the aftermath.

While protesters and observers around the world have been calling for the toppling of the Iranian regime, some officials believe that Iran, which had its military leadership ravaged by Israeli forces last year, has now improved its succession protocols and would ensure that a new leader would be able to step into any power vacuum.

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Dialogue over Trump's potential options in Iran comes after the president issued an ominous warning to the Islamic Republic on Wednesday.

Writing on Truth Social today, Trump said: 'A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela.

'Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully, Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties.

'Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn't, and there was 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again.'

In response, Iran's mission to the UN said Tehran 'stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests', but if provoked, 'IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE'.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch a major military operation against Iran over its treatment of its civilians amid the civil uprising that began last month.

There were claims that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's forces had slaughtered at least 30,000 people, following the start of mass protests across the country in late December that have since apparently been quelled.

The United States Navy's Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the Central Commands zone of responsibility on Monday, after being redirected from operations in the Indo-Pacific, providing America with the ability to respond to the crisis.

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The flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3, the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), was escorted by the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Frank E Petersen, Jr (DDG-121), USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112).

Ambrey, a private security firm, issued a notice on Tuesday saying it assessed that the US 'has positioned sufficient military capability to conduct kinetic operations against Iran while maintaining the ability to defend itself and regional allies from reciprocal action'.

'Supporting or avenging Iranian protesters in punitive strikes is assessed as insufficient justification for sustained military conflict,' Ambrey wrote.

But the pressure on its economy may spark new unrest as everyday goods slowly go out of reach of its people, particularly if Trump chooses to attack.

The arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and guided missile destroyers accompanying it provides the US the ability to strike Iran, particularly as Gulf Arab states have signalled they want to stay out of any attack despite hosting American military personnel.

US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, DC on Tuesday, January 27

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier (L) transits the Strait of Hormuz on November 19, 2019. The US naval strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has deployed to Middle Eastern waters

Families and residents gather at the Kahrizak Coroner's Office confronting rows of body bags as they search for relatives killed during the regime's violent crackdown on protests

Two Iranian-backed militias in the Mideast have signalled their willingness to launch new attacks, likely trying to back Iran after Trump threatened military action over the killing of peaceful protesters or Tehran launching mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations.

Tehran and Washington may still reach a deal, but Trump has previously called on the regime to agree to terms it has baulked at - including giving up its nuclear enrichment entirely, relinquishing its long-range missiles, and ending support for armed groups in the region.

The US president has earlier said Tehran's nuclear programme was 'obliterated' in the strikes last June that hit three facilities across the country.

Earlier in January, Trump said Iranian officials had reached out to restart negotiations with Washington that were suspended after the June attacks.

But signs have emerged that the regime could resume its nuclear programme if it wanted; the director of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said in an interview last week that Iran retains its stockpile of highly-enriched uranium.

In recent weeks, Trump has gone back and forth on whether the US should strike Iran again. He previously backtracked on plans to attack after he claimed the regime had pledged not to execute people detained for taking part in anti-government demonstrations.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday that the Iranian government's 'days are numbered' as Trump renewed threats of intervention.

'A regime that can only hold onto power through sheer violence and terror against its own population: its days are numbered,' Merz said at a press conference alongside Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting, in Tehran, Iran, January 17

'It could be a matter of weeks but this regime has no legitimacy to govern the country,' Merz added.

A reported death toll in the thousands during recent demonstrations 'shows that the mullahs' regime can apparently only cling to power through sheer terror', the chancellor said.

Merz also threw his weight behind Italy's push to have the European Union designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation.

'I very much regret that there are still one or two countries in the European Union that are not yet prepared' to support such a designation, Merz said.

In addition to the carrier and warships, the Pentagon is also moving fighter jets and air-defence systems to the Middle East.

The US has additional F-35C and F-18 jet fighters that can strike enemy targets, as well as EA-18 Growler electronic-warfare planes that can jam defences.

It has also deployed F-15E jet fighters to a base in Jordan, and it is transferring Patriot and THAAD air defences into the region to help defend American installations and US partners from Iranian counterattacks, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Over the weekend, the US military announced that it would carry out an exercise in the region 'to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower'.

A giant banner depicting a US aircraft carrier and the American flag displayed at Enqelab (Revolution) Square in Tehran on January 25, 2026

'It seems to me that every time Trump has directed this kind of military buildup, he has acted on it,' Dana Stroul, former deputy assistant secretary of defence for the Middle East during the Biden administration, told the newspaper.

'With the threats of tariffs and other kinds of threats hes made, theres this whole chatter about Trump [backing down]. When it comes to the military instrument, he has not chickened out. He has been pretty consistent.'

As a 'precautionary measure' amid a spike in tensions in the region, Air India has stopped flights over Iranian airspace, rerouting its planes via Iraq, according to reports.

The Iranian regime unveiled a new mural on a giant billboard in Tehran's Enghelab Square on Sunday, depicting an aircraft carrier with damaged and exploding fighter planes on its flight deck.

The deck is covered with bodies and streaked with blood, which trails into the water and forms stripes reminiscent of the American flag.

A slogan - warning the US to not attempt a military strike on the country - is emblazoned across one corner: 'If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.'

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has said that at least 6,221 were dead amid Iran's ongoing protest crackdown, including at least 5,858 demonstrators, 214 government-affiliated forces, 100 children and 49 civilians who weren't demonstrating.

The crackdown has seen over 42,300 arrests, it added.

Cars burn in a street during a protest over the collapse of the currency's value, in Tehran, Iran, January 8

Demonstrators take part in a march in support of the Iranian people in Lisbon, Portugal, January 25

However, Time magazine on Sunday cited two senior Iranian health ministry officials saying at least 30,000 people had been killed, while The Guardian reported a similar figure, adding that a large number of people had disappeared.

Verification is hampered by a near-total internet shutdown now in its fourth week, as well as attempts by the regime to conceal the number of total casualties by pushing for fast, mass burials.

Across Iran, corpses in morgues and cemeteries are piling up and overwhelming hospitals and forensic units, which have been forced to turn trucks filled with bodies away.

'From a medical standpoint, the injuries we observed demonstrate a brutality without limit  both in scale and in method,' an anonymous doctor in Iran told The Guardian.

He and his wife have begun treating patients at a location outside Tehran's government hospital system after reports that young people were avoiding doctors, fearful that registering as trauma patients would lead to their identification and arrest.

'I am on the verge of a psychological collapse. Theyve mass murdered people. No one can imagine ... I saw just blood, blood and blood,' another anonymous medic said.

Iran's government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labelled the rest 'terrorists'.

In the past, Iran's theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.

That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest there in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
A respected judge and his wife who were shot in their home were attacked as part of a targeted operation by a motorcycle gang days after an assailant cased their property, prosecutors said.

Indiana Judge Steven Meyer, 66, and his wife, Kimberly, were gunned down inside their Lafayette home on January 18, prompting a massive multi-agency manhunt for the attempted killers.

Four days later, the Lafayette Police Department (LPD) announced five arrests in connection with the shooting.

Authorities now believe the five individuals have gang affiliations and that the shooting was an attempt to protect one of the members from an impending domestic abuse case that Meyer was presiding over.

Raylen Ferguson, 38, Zenada Greer, 61, Thomas Moss, 43, Blake Smith, 32, and Amanda Milsap, 45, have been named as suspects in the alleged coordinated attack, according to LPD.

Police suspect that Ferguson scoped out the couple's home by posing as a delivery driver just two days before the shooting, an arrest affidavit obtained by the Associated Press reveals.

The suspects are from Lexington, Kentucky, and Lafayette. Ferguson, Moss, and Smith face a slew of charges including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated battery and gang enhancement.

Moss, a member of the Phantom Motorcycle Club with ties to the Vice Lords street gang, has a long rap sheet including unlawful possession of a firearm and domestic battery.

Five alleged gang members were arrested in connection with a targeted shooting against a judge. Raylen Ferguson, pictured above, was arrested in Indiana during a traffic stop. Police believe he fired the weapon

Thomas Moss, pictured above during his arrest, was set to appear in front of the judge in a domestic abuse case before the shooting

Judge Steven Meyer was shot with his wife, Kimberly, pictured above, in their home on January 18 in what authorities are not calling a targeted attack

He was out on bond and scheduled to go on trial in front of Meyer on January 20, just two days after the judge was shot in his home.

Authorities believe the gang members had planned to target Meyer to try and influence the trial.

On January 16, Meyer reported suspicious activity at their home when a man knocked on their door posing as a food deliveryman, even though they hadn't ordered anything, according to the arrest affidavit.

Investigators analyzed surveillance camera footage and determined that the man posing as a delivery driver had the same 'distinct pattern/cadence as Ferguson' when he allegedly approached Meyer's door on the day of the shooting.

Smith, who authorities have also identified as a 'high-ranking' Phantom MC member, is alleged to have purchased a gun on January 5 that matches the one found near the crime scene.

Meyer and his wife were shot by a masked man who knocked on their door pretending he was looking for his dog.

He shot them through the door before fleeing. Meyer sustained injuries to his arm and Kimberly was shot in her hip.

Authorities recovered the mask, the shooter's clothing, and a shotgun at the crime scene. Ferguson was named as the suspect who fired the shots after law enforcement recovered his DNA on the mask.

Authorities believe that Meyer, pictured above, was targeted because one of the suspects was set to go to trial for a case he presided over

Thomas Moss, Ferugson and Blake Smith (left to right) face a slew of charges: attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, aggravated battery, and gang enhancement

Mislap and Greer have been charged with obstruction of justice, while Mislap faces an additional charge of bribery and Greer has been charged with assisting a criminal

An arrest affidavit stated that a man approached the judge's home, pictured above after the shooting, days before Meyer was targeted posing as a delivery driver

The arrest affidavit stated that Ferguson was an associate of the 'Almighty Vice Lord Nation' in Lexington.

Adding to the evidence against the group, the victim in Moss's upcoming trial was allegedly offered $10,000 by the Vice Lords not to testify, but she refused.

Greer and Mislap, the two female suspects, have been charged with obstruction of justice.

Greer faces an additional charge of assisting a criminal, while Mislap has been charged with bribery for allegedly offering the $10,000.

Greer allegedly lived with Ferguson and traveled with him to Lafayette from Lexington before the shooting.

Indiana State Police Lt. Col. Al Williamson said at a press conference on Tuesday that the gang, 'went after [Meyer] for a reason'.

Police released the dramatic body camera footage of the suspects' arrests, revealing Ferguson was detained at a traffic stop in Indiana.

He was seen in a white t-shirt, a white beanie, and a star necklace as Indiana State Police patted him down.

Police targeted five individuals in connection to the shooting. Smith was accused of purchasing a gun that matches the weapon used to shoot Meyer and his wife. A still from his arrest is pictured above

Smith was apprehended at his home in Indiana, pictured above. Investigators believe he is a 'high-ranking' Phantom MC member

The Phantom Motorcycle Club is affiliated with the Vice Lords gang. Moss, pictured above during his arrest, was named as a member of the gang

Moss was arrested at his home. Authorities swarmed his house and instructed him to walk outside with his hands up while firearms were pointed at him.

Law enforcement broke a window in Smith's home and apprehended him. Body camera footage of Greer and Mislap's arrests wasn't released to the public.

The Vice Lords have a criminal history dating back to the 1950s.

The organization began as an informal peer group and has evolved into a multi-state operation, according to an analysis shared by the National Gang Crime Research Center.

The Meyers are recovering from the injuries they sustained in the shooting. Kimberly has been released from the hospital.

They said in a statement that they were grateful for the community's support and that they had strong faith in the judicial system.

'I want the community to know that I have strong faith in our judicial system. This horrific violence will not shake my belief in the importance of peacefully resolving disputes,' Meyer added.
A MAGA tycoon donated thousands to a GoFundMe which has raised almost $2 million for Alex Pretti's family.

Bill Ackman, a MAGA-aligned hedge-funder, donated $10,000 to the Pretti's family fundraiser, and is tied for the second biggest donor.

Pretti was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday after trying to protect a woman during a confrontation with an officer, witness videos appeared to show.

The fundraiser has raised nearly $1.7million since it was posted.

Ackman's donation comes just weeks after he donated to Jonathan Ross' fundraiser, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent accused of shooting Renee Nicole Good dead in Minneapolis on January 7.

'I am [a] big believer in our legal [principle] that one is innocent until proven guilty,' Ackman wrote on X, explaining his donation to Ross at the time.

'To that end, I supported the @gofundme for Jonathan Ross and intended to similarly support the GoFundMe for Renee Goods family (her GoFundMe was closed by the time I attempted to provide support).

'The whole situation is a tragedy.'

Bill Ackman, a MAGA-aligned hedge-funder, donated $10,000 to Alex Pretti's family fundraiser

Pretti was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday after trying to protect a woman during a clash with an agent, witness videos appeared to show

Ackman has not publicly explained his decision to donation to Pretti's fund.

Another big donor to the ICU nurse's fundraiser was healthcare clothing brand Figs Scrubs, which donated $25,000.

Ackman, the founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, was a long-time Democratic donor before publicly backing Trump during his 2024 campaign.

The billionaire is very politically active on his X account, calling out both Democrats and Republicans, including President Donald Trump.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Ackman for comment.

Pretti's death not only shook Americans across the country, but also Trump's approval rating.

A majority of American voters believe that the Minnesota nurse was murdered by Trump's Border Patrol, a damning poll suggests.

Gruesome videos of the event show Pretti apprehended by over a half dozen agents before he was shot in the back.

Ackman is tied for the second biggest donor on Pretti's fundraiser, behind healthcare clothing company Figs Scrubs

Pretti's fundraiser has garnered nearly $1.7million since it was posted. He died on Saturday after a confrontation with Border Patrol

Ackman's donation comes just weeks after he donated to Jonathan Ross' fundraiser, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent accused of shooting Renee Nicole Good (pictured) dead in Minneapolis on January 7

The Department of Veterans Affairs intensive care unit worker had a handgun and two fully packed magazines when he was encountered.

According to the Daily Mail/JL Partners poll conducted of over 1,000 American voters on Monday, 54 percent believe that the federal law enforcement murdered Pretti. The margin of error is 3.1 percent.

More than one in five Republicans, 22 percent, said Pretti's killing constituted murder.

Just 21 percent of all respondents indicated that shooting and killing the nurse was justified.

The killing - just two weeks after Good was fatally shot by federal agents - has shocked the nation and led to protests around Minneapolis and the state.

It has also shaken confidence in the president, who sent Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem back to the Southern border, while bringing her rival border czar Tom Homan to run the Minneapolis operations.

Democrats and Republicans in Congress have since called for an investigation into the shooting. Customs and Border Protection is conducting an internal investigation into the matter, as are local authorities in Minneapolis.

There has been no indication from the FBI whether it will probe the shooting.
This is the moment a teenage girl falls to the floor after being thrown from a 40ft tower block by her violent boyfriend.

Jordan Herring, 22, threw his girlfriend from the fourth floor of Merton House in Solihull, Birmingham, shortly after 11.20pm on November 12, 2022.

The girl, who was 18 at the time, told police that moments before she tumbled out the window, Herring warned her: 'I will throw you out, I will kill you.'

Harrowing CCTV footage, released by West Midlands Police with the consent of the victim, shows her falling onto a grass verge below. Incredibly, she survived after her head avoided contact with a concrete pavement by a matter of inches.

The girl was airlifted to hospital having suffering a collapsed spleen and multiple broken bones before being discharged a week later.

Herring was this week found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm after being cleared of attempted murder. He had previously been convicted of coercive and controlling behaviour.

Sentencing will go ahead on April 13.

Herring was alleged to have deliberately tried to kill his ex-partner, something he denied. He claimed she had climbed out of the window rather than fallen.

Jordan Herring, 22, threw his girlfriend from a 40ft tower block in Solihull on November 12, 2022

Harrowing footage shows the victim (in the highlighted box mid left) thudding into a grass verge after her fall

The girl, then 18, narrowly avoided a concrete path when she hit the floor - but luckily survived

The couple had been in a relationship which the girl described as 'toxic' for around eight months at the time of the incident.

Herring assaulted her, locked her in a bedroom and searched through her phone and, in the days leading up to her fall, the victim had suffered bruises and black eyes.

The injuries left her family concerned, the trial heard this week, with Herring deciding to take her to his grandmother's home and later to Merton House, where his mother lived.

After her fall, Herring and Kerrie-Anne Grogan, his mother, wrapped the girl in a blanket and carried her back upstairs to the flat. They did not call emergency services until more than an hour later.

Ms Grogan told the call handler that Herring, who she said had a knife, prevented her from seeking help sooner.

But she later reneged on those allegations while giving evidence, blaming her mental health issues and level of intoxication on the night.

In the witness box, Herring claimed he and the victim had been arguing about 'stupid things', including cheating allegations, on the night of the incident.
A 17-year-old girl who died of breast cancer was told by her doctors that a lump she found was due to 'hormonal changes' and told she would 'grow out' of her illness.

Isla Sneddon sought medical help at 15, in July 2022, after finding a lump in her breast, but it was dismissed by doctors as a benign hormonal lump that she would 'grow out of it'.

Two years later, she was recommended for an urgent biopsy by her GP, on suspicion of cancer, but the referral was downgraded due to her age.

By the time Isla was diagnosed with breast cancer, her family were told that she only had six months to a year left to live, before she passed away in March last year.

Her parents, Mark and Michelle, are now fighting to change the law after the death of their 'beautiful' daughter, which they say would have been diagnosed sooner if she were an adult.

They believe that if Isla's symptoms had been treated the same as they would have in an adult, Isla's cancer could have been treatable, and their daughter would still be alive today.

Mark said: 'We trusted what we were told. We believe that if Isla had been an adult presenting with the same symptoms, there would be a lot more done.

'There would have been a longer investigation, she wouldn't have been told it was something she'd grow out of.

Isla Sneddon (pictured) sought medical help at 15 after finding a lump in her breast, however she was told by doctors that it was likely benign, caused by hormonal changes.

By the time Isla was diagnosed with breast cancer, her family were told that she only had six months to a year left to live. Pictured: Isla Sneddon and parents Mark and Michell

Her parents, Mark and Michelle, did everything they could to support their daughter through her illness before she passed away in March last year

'We'll never know, but we believe that if that had been caught then, it maybe wouldn't have got to where it was.

'I don't want another father or mother to feel like we do. We're empty, we're lost - I would never wish this on another family.

'If this gets passed, it can save another child from going through what Isla went through.'

Mark described Isla as 'the best daughter you could ask for'.

'She was bright and bubbly,' he said. 'She had a really good sense of humour, and she was beautiful.

'Me and her mum adored her - we just wanted her to have the best life she could have.'

In the summer of 2024, Isla fell seriously ill as a result of her then undiagnosed cancer, and was taken to her local hospital in Airdrie.

She then spent ten weeks undergoing scans and procedures in various hospitals across Scotland.

The family have been campaigning for the last year to establish Isla's Law, which would require GPs to ensure urgent paediatric referrals are subject to the same maximum wait times as adult cancer referrals

'Isla and my wife were in Rome for a holiday, and the next week she took not well and ended up in hospital,' said Mark.

'We were never thinking it was cancer, there was no history of cancer in mine or my wife's family. It was the last thing on our mind.

'When she took unwell and went into the NHS, she had fantastic care but by the time they diagnosed Isla with cancer, it was too late.

'At the end of 10 weeks in hospital, they told us Isla had cancer and she would be transferred to the Beatson.

'Me and my wife were thinking there would be stages and we could see what stage she was at and see what treatment she needed.'

However, they were taken into a room and told that their daughter only had six months to a year to live.

'It had spread from her breast to her lungs, her heart and her lymph nodes,' Mark continued.

'By the time they detected it, it was too late. It was damage limitation.

'Isla didn't want to know. She just wanted to live as best as she could.'

Her family spent as much quality time with Isla as possible in the months leading up to her death, before her condition worsened suddenly.

Mark said: 'She got up on a Sunday morning and said, "Dad, I don't feel well, I think you need to take me to hospital."

'She would never ask to go to hospital, because she'd been in hospital for so long.

'We had waited six hours for an ambulance, so me and my brother put her in a wheelchair - we couldn't lift her because she was so fragile - and we took her to the hospital.

'They took her straight in and said her needs were too complex for the hospital, but they couldn't move her. Then she crashed.

'We nursed her for six months of chemotherapy and she died in our arms in hospital. We thought we'd have a lot more time with her.

'It was so horrible. It's the sort of thing you see on television. It happens to other people and you don't think it'll happen to you.'

The family have been campaigning for the last year to establish Isla's Law, which would require GPs to ensure urgent paediatric referrals are subject to the same maximum wait times as adult cancer referrals.

Their petition on Change.org has attracted over 35,000 signatures, and the family will be meeting with Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray next month to discuss their concerns.

Health secretary Neil Gray told STV: 'I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the family of Isla Sneddon for their very sad loss.

'I will be meeting with her family next week to further discuss their petition and concerns.

'We published updated Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer on August 6, which include a new children and young person's referral guideline.

'These will help to ensure the right person is on the right pathway at the right time.'

Arwel Williams, NHS Lanarkshire's director of acute services, said: 'Our team have been responding to the family's concerns through correspondence and face to face meetings and we have reassured the family that Isla's treatment was in line with expected clinical pathways.

'However, we fully recognise how devastating this has been to the family and our thoughts and sincere sympathies remain with them.

'We continue to engage with the family and will provide any further support we can.'
Ofsted has found 'no evidence' of political bias at a school that cancelled a visit from a pro-Israel MP.

Damien Egan's trip to Bristol Brunel Academy in September was called off amid fears his presence would 'inflame' teachers.

Mr Egan, Labour MP for Bristol North, had been barred from visiting his local school because of 'safeguarding concerns' after activists highlighted his links to the Labour Friends of Israel group.

The schools watchdog said it was concerned the visit 'may have been postponed due to co-ordinated pressure from staff, and external groups' and therefore potentially in violation of Department for Education (DfE) guidance on political impartiality in schools.

However, inspectors ultimately found 'no evidence to substantiate these concerns within the school', a report concluded.

While the specific decision to postpone Mr Egan's visit was 'not the subject of the inspection', the report said leaders told inspectors there had been concerns about the safety of children and staff because of a 'threatened protest outside the school gates'.

The MP's visit has been rearranged, and the school's academy trust, Cabot Learning Federation, will commission an independent review at the request of the DfE, the report added.

Following the initial cancellation, activists described the decision as a win for 'safeguarding, solidarity, and for the power of the NEU trade union staff group, parents, and campaigners standing together'.

Labour MP Damien Egan's (pictured) trip to Bristol Brunel Academy in September was cancelled amid fears his presence would 'inflame' teachers

was barred from visiting his local school (pictured) because of 'safeguarding concerns' after activists highlighted his links to the Labour Friends of Israel group

The Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign boasted about the cancellation of the Labour MPs visit to the school

One National Education Union (NEU) representative said teachers were planning to wear keffiyehs into the school on the day of his visit and were planning 'work that members could do with students in preparation' before it was cancelled.

Communities Secretary Steve Reed revealed earlier this month that a Jewish MP had been 'refused permission to visit a school in his own constituency in case his presence inflames the teachers'.

'I have a colleague who is Jewish, who has been banned from visiting a school and refused permission to visit a school in his own constituency, in case his presence inflames the teachers,' he said.

'This is an absolute outrage,' he concluded.

Asked his response to the ban, he said: 'They will be called in, and they will be held to account for doing that, because you cannot have people with those kinds of attitudes teaching our children. You just can't have it.'

Mr Reed did not name his colleague but a string of social media posts from Bristol's NEU and Palestine campaigners bragged about the cancellation of Mr Egan's visit.

In one post from September, Bristol NEU wrote: 'Victory for Education Workers, Parents and the Community.

'MP Damien Egan's planned school visit at Bristol Brunel Academy this Friday has been cancelled after concerns were raised by the NEU trade union staff group, parents and local constituents.

The visit to Bristol Brunel Academy (pictured) in September was cancelled after a campaign by protesters from Bristol's National Education Union (NEU) branch and its local Palestine Solidarity Campaign group

The MP has been offered enhanced security because he is married to Israeli Yossi Felberbaum. Pictured: The couple sharing a kiss after Mr Egan was elected as an MP

'This is a clear message: politicians who openly support Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza are not welcome in our schools.

'Egan is Vice Chair of Labour Friends of Israel and has visited Israel since the current onslaught on Gaza began, demonstrating his support.

'We celebrate this cancellation as a win for safeguarding, solidarity, and for the power of the NEU trade union staff group, parents, and campaigners standing together.'

Mr Egan, vice chairman of Labour Friends of Israel, has faced threats by anti-Israel activists since becoming an MP in 2024.

He has been offered enhanced security because he is married to Israeli Yossi Felberbaum who served in the military.

Mr Egan was born in Cork before moving with his family as a child to live in the Kingswood constituency in Gloucestershire.

A spokesman for Bristol Brunel Academy said: 'Damien Egan MP - as a high-achieving alumnus of the CLF, and in common with other local MPs from across the political spectrum - was invited in September to visit Bristol Brunel Academy, a secondary school situated in his constituency of Bristol North East.

'Mr Egan was due to discuss democracy and the role of an MP, while helping to raise aspirations among students who may have an interest in pursuing similar career paths.

'On the evening before Mr Egan's scheduled visit, we were made aware of plans for a public protest outside the school.

'As this protest was scheduled to coincide with the end in the school day, we opted to postpone Mr Egan's visit to ensure everyone would continue to feel safe when entering and exiting school and to prevent any disruption to our students' learning.

'We have remained in contact with Mr Egan, and an alternative date for his visit was arranged some time ago. We have also been in contact with the police and followed their advice.'
A small California city unveiled its plan to purchase Los Angeles's notorious slaughterhouse to prevent it from ever being used again.

Pico Rivera, a city with a population of approximately 60,000, announced on Tuesday its intention to participate in the auction of the Manning Beef Company facility.

Manning Beef is a 3.74-acre meat-processing facility located in Los Angeles County that made headlines in 2021 when three dozen cows escaped and stampeded through the surrounding neighborhood.

The slaughterhouse permanently closed in late 2025 after it racked up dozens of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) violations for inhumane treatment of animals and repetitive non-compliance.

The property is slated to go to auction on Wednesday, and Pico Rivera's city manager, Steve Carmona, said the city intends to buy the facility.

'Hopefully either we purchase it outright, or, at the end of the day, if we can work with another developer who wants to come in and share our same vision,' Carmona told the Los Angeles Times.

He believes the site could be used for affordable housing, as public open space, or become a facility to produce plant-based foods.

The opening bid for the slaughterhouse site was $7 million, according to Carmona.

Pico Rivera, a city with a population of approximately 60,000, announced on Tuesday its plan to purchase Manning Beef Company facility (pictured)

Pico Rivera's city manager, Steve Carmona (pictured), said the city wants to buy the slaughterhouse and turn it into a public space, affordable house or a plant-based food factory

He did not say how much the city is willing to pay, but said that Pico Rivera had set aside funding for strategic real estate acquisitions and believes this would be the ideal investment.

Ben Williamson, executive director of Animal Outlook, an advocacy group that did undercover work to expose the former slaughterhouse, supports Pico Rivera's mission.

'This has been an issue for the animal protection community for about 10 years. We don't want a slaughterhouse in Los Angeles County,' Williamson told the newspaper.

'If anyone does have an idea of buying it for the purpose of what it's being marketed as, for slaughtering animals, they'll have a large contingent of public opposition. There will be regular protests and vigils.'

Williamson said Manning Beef had 61 humane-handling violations between 2018 and 2024, for allegedly starving animals, beating them and administering excessive electrical shocks.

Animal Outlook planted an undercover worker at Manning Beef from October to December 2024.

'What we found was animals going to slaughter while they appear conscious,' Williamson said. In another incident, the worker reported a cow with a physical disability that was shocked a total of 20 times,' Williamson said.

USDA suspended the facility in 2022 after inspectors witnessed a cow being hoisted during the slaughtering process while still breathing as a result of failed attempts to stun the animal that inspectors called a 'a trend of repetitive noncompliance.'

The slaughterhouse permanently closed in late 2025 after it racked up dozens of United States Department of Agriculture violations

The slaughterhouse made headlines in 2021 when three dozen cows escaped and stampeded through the neighborhood

Additional noncompliance records from 2023 viewed by the LA Times found the slaughterhouse was accused of multiple instances of a leaky ceiling, separate instances of live insects on the kill floor, unsanitary conditions and operational malfunctions.

In 2020, actor and activist Joaquin Phoenix was filmed rescuing a cow and her calf from the Manning Beef facility.

The rescue happened the day after he advocated for animal rights in his ranting best actor acceptance speech at the Oscars for Joker.

Phoenix commended Pico Rivera's efforts to put an end to the slaughterhouse for good.

'This is our moment to show that Pico Rivera chooses progress over violence,' he told the newspaper in a statement.

'That communities can heal, and that even where suffering once reigned, compassion can flourish.'
The BBC has announced a new interim director-general after Tim Davie resigned over the Panorama controversy involving a misleading Donald Trump edit.

BBC director of nations Rhodri Talfan Davies, 54, has been confirmed in the role leading the beleaguered corporation.

Mr Davies, whose role also sees him sit on the BBC's executive committee, will join the BBC board from February 1 as an executive director.

He is due to hold that position until taking over as interim director-general on April 3.

It was revealed this month that the BBC will fight to have Mr Trump's $10billion lawsuit over the Panorama programme thrown out.

The US president filed the lawsuit in a Florida court last month, accusing the BBC of defamation and violating trade practices, and seeking $5billion on each count.

In the clip at the centre of the row, Mr Trump appeared to encourage 2021's Capitol riots by saying: 'We're going to walk down to the Capitol and I'll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.'

But in reality, that message was formed from two clips around 54 minutes apart that had been spliced together and aired a week before the 2024 presidential election.

BBC director of nations Rhodri Talfan Davies has been confirmed as the corporation's interim director-general following the resignation of Tim Davie

Tim Davie (pictured in November 2025) resigned over the Panorama controversy involving a misleading Donald Trump edit

The BBC previously apologised to Mr Trump and withdrew the report, but refused to pay any compensation - prompting the lawsuit.

Now, in a new note to staff about Mr Davies' promotion, BBC chair Samir Shah said of the new appointment: 'He is an outstanding leader who brings deep editorial experience and a passionate commitment to the power of public service broadcasting to reach and represent audiences across all parts of the UK. I know you will give him your support.'

On Mr Davie, he added: 'There will be a time to celebrate Tim and thank him for his extraordinary contribution to the BBC nearer his departure date.

'Until then, Tim continues to lead the corporation through this critical period as we prepare our response to the Government's consultation on its green paper on the future of the BBC charter.'

Mr Davie resigned in November following allegations that the BBC selectively edited a speech by US president Mr Trump on the day of the US Capitol attack for a Panorama documentary.

In a statement to staff following his resignation from the role he took on in 2020, Mr Davie said: 'Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable.

'While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision.

'Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director-general I have to take ultimate responsibility.'

The BBC's director-general Tim Davie (pictured in January 2025) resigned amid a row over the doctoring of a Donald Trump speech for a Panorama episode

The BBC said the process to appoint a permanent director-general is under way.

It also confirmed Rhuanedd Richards would continue as interim nations director while Davies serves in the interim director-general role.

As director of nations, Mr Davies - the grandson of poet and literary critic Aneirin Talfan Davies - has overseen the corporation's work serving nations and local audiences across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland since 2021.

He also leads the BBC's Across The UK strategy to decentralise the organisation, as well as the corporation's deployment of generative artificial intelligence technology.

As of last July, Mr Davies was paid between 305,000 and 309,999 per year by the BBC.

Mr Davie quit last November amid a row over the doctoring of a Donald Trump speech for a Panorama episode.

The corporation's CEO of News Deborah Turness also resigned following criticism that the BBC documentary misled viewers.

In a statement at the time, Mr Davie said: 'There have been some mistakes made and as director general I have to take ultimate responsibility.'

Mr Trump described Mr Davie as 'very dishonest' and praised his departure in a post on Truth Social

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted a two-word response to Mr Davie's departure alongside two screenshots of news articles

The concerns regarded clips spliced together from sections of Mr Trump's speech on January 6 2021, to make it appear he told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to 'fight like hell'.

The documentary called Trump: A Second Chance? was broadcast by the BBC the week before last year's US election.

Mr Trump described Mr Davie as 'very dishonest' and praised his departure.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US President wrote: 'The top people in the BBC, including Tim Davie, the Boss, are all quitting/fired, because they were caught 'doctoring' my very good (perfect!) speech of January 6th.

'These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election. On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!'

He also shared a Daily Mail column from Boris Johnson, where the former Prime Minister vowed to withhold his licence fee over the impartiality issue.

The White House had previously accused the BBC of '100 per cent fake news'.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: 'This purposefully dishonestly, selectively edited clip by the BBC is further evidence that they are total, 100 per cent fake news that should no longer be worth the time on the television screens of the great people of the United Kingdom.

Ms Leavitt posted a two-word response to Mr Davie's resignation alongside two screenshots of news articles, one stating 'Trump goes to war with 'fake news' BBC', the other announcing his resignation.

She wrote 'shot' above the first article, adding 'chaser' above the second indicating the White House's pleasure in how 'the war' they started panned out.

Ms Turness said the 'buck stops with me' and admitted the controversy had 'caused damage' to the BBC.

But she denied claims that the BBC was institutionally biased.

'The ongoing controversy around the Panorama on President Trump has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC  an institution that I love,' she said.

'The buck stops with me.

'While mistakes have been made, I want to be absolutely clear recent allegations that BBC News is institutionally biased are wrong.'

BBC Chairman Samir Shah said it was a 'sad day' for the corporation.

Deborah Turness (pictured in October 2022), the CEO of News, also resigned following criticism that the BBC documentary misled viewers

'Tim has been an outstanding director-general for the last five years. He has propelled the BBC forward with determination, single-mindedness and foresight.

'He has had the full support of me and the Board throughout. However, I understand the continued pressure on him, personally and professionally, which has led him to take this decision today. The whole Board respects the decision and the reasons for it.

'Tim has given 20 years of his life to the BBC. He is a devoted and inspirational leader and an absolute believer in the BBC and public service broadcasting.

'He has achieved a great deal. Foremost, under his tenure, the transformation of the BBC to meet the challenges in a world of unprecedented change and competition is well underway.

'Personally, I will miss his stamina, good humour and resilience and I will miss working with him. I wish him and his family the very best for the future.

'This is an important time for the Corporation and the Board and I will continue to work with Tim in the interim while we conduct the process to appoint his successor.'
A five-month-old baby who was allegedly murdered by his enraged step-father suffered a 'shaking-type injury', a court has heard.

Thomas Morgan, 29, is accused of killing 'happy and healthy' Jensen-Lee Dougal in a fit of rage following an argument with his ex in March 2024.

Jensen-Lee suffered catastrophic brain damage, numerous fractures and extensive retinal bleeding to both of his eyes, Swansea Crown Court heard.

He died the following the day in his mother's arms after she was left with no other option but to turn off his life support.

Experts said brain scans taken after the infant's death showed he had sustained a 'shaking type injury' that he could not have inflicted on himself.

Professor Stavros Stivaros, lead consultant in paediatric neuroradiologist at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, said: 'It is the sort of shaking injury that, if we saw somebody doing that to someone on the other side of the road, you would cross over to intervene because of its severity.

'It is not the sort of trauma a child can inflict on itself. This pattern of injuries is in keeping with inflicted injury.'

Morgan is accused of shaking Jensen-Lee 'whilst angry and in temper' as he looked after him at the family home in Swansea, Wales.

Jensen-Lee Dougal died at five months old after suffering catastrophic injuries, a court heard

Thomas Morgan, 29, is accused of inflicting fatal injuries on the baby by shaking him violently

Morgan was at the time in a relationship with Jensen-Lee's mother, Jordan Dougal (pictured)

The court heard the incident allegedly occurred following a row between Morgan and the mother of his two children, Georgia Griffiths.

Morgan is said to have sent Ms Griffiths a series of 'angry and abusive' text messages in which he called her a 'stinking little rat' and a 'stinking little dog'.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees said the argument 'flipped some kind of switch' in Morgan, leaving him 'angry and aggressive' and in no state to look after a child.

She said: 'With his temper raised and his fuse short, his temper must have snapped and he shook Jensen-Lee with such violence that he caused the devastating injuries that led to Jensen-Lee dying in his mother's arms.'

Jensen-Lee's mother Jordan Dougal, 24, said she left her young son with Morgan when she went to work for a shift behind the bar of a village pub.

She said: 'I gave Jensen a kiss, it was the last time. I said bye to them both and then I went to work.'

Ms Dougal said Jensen-Lee had been 'smiling' when she left the house in Clydach, Swansea, and that she had no concerns until she saw a missed call from Morgan.

She told the court that when she called him back he said he was 'freaking out' and that Jensen-Lee had stopped breathing.

Ms Dougal said she repeatedly told Morgan to call an ambulance - but he instead took the youngster to a neighbour's home for help.

Jensen-Lee had been 'smiling' when his mother left for work at a village pub, the court heard

She said: 'He told me Jensen wasn't breathing and that he was freaking out, obviously I started freaking out.

'I told him to ring an ambulance, like why was he speaking to me he should be ringing an ambulance?

'I hung up I rung an ambulance like five times.'

Ms Dougal wept as she told Swansea Crown Court she was forced to make the decision to turn off Jensen-Lee's life support machine.

She said: 'I didn't want to remember him like that when he was such a happy baby.'

She said she hugged Jensen-Lee after the machine was unplugged and he died in her arms.

Ms Dougal told the jury that around two months after Jensen-Lee's death she and Morgan split up.

She said: 'The relationship was strained as soon as my son died.'

Morgan, of Gorseinon, denies murder and three charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He told police he went to get Jensen-Lee a change of clothes and returned to the room to find him 'limp.'

The trial, which is expected to last four weeks, before Mrs Justice Stacey continues.
Peter Hitchens has urged the British people to resist Labour's plans to slash the number of police forces in England and Wales from 43 to as few as 12.

Speaking on the Daily Mail's Alas Vine & Hitchens podcast, the veteran columnist condemned the proposals as the latest catastrophic example of state centralisation that always promises efficiency but delivers the opposite.

On Monday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the Commons her reforms would be the biggest shake-up to policing in two centuries, merging constabularies into larger regional forces.

The government insists these mega forces will save money and prove more effective against modern crimes like cyber attacks and fraud.

Hitchens warned co-host Sarah Vine the plans would prove the death knell for local policing.

Peter Hitchens has urged the British people to resist Labour's plans to slash the number of police forces in England and Wales from 43 to as few as 12

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the Commons her reforms would be the biggest shake-up to policing in two centuries, merging constabularies into larger regional forces

'There is absolutely no evidence that I have ever seen that large, distant police forces are better at combating crime than smaller ones', he said.

'One of the reasons is that, take the Thames Valley Force for example, which supposedly protects me from danger in Oxford - several times I have reported crimes in streets which are quite well known and the response invariably is: "Where did you say?"

'I once pursued some vandals who put a rock through my window and cornered them. This was before the age of mobile phones, so I stopped a taxi and used his radio to contact the police. I had to let these lads go because the police never came. They later told me they couldn't find the road.

'If you have a local police force, they know the streets. If they're pursuing someone, they know where they likely would have escaped to. These vast, reactive forces with control centres miles away simply will not.

'Bigger, merged forces are not for the benefit of the public. No local authority will be big enough to stand up to them if they're not doing their job. They will become more and more under the control of the central government, which is constitutionally bad. This whole merger really ought to be resisted.'

Vine drew parallels with merged GP surgeries, arguing the consolidation had killed off the family doctor and left patients struggling to get appointments with physicians who actually knew their medical history.

Vine drew parallels with merged GP surgeries, arguing the consolidation left patients struggling to get appointments with physicians who actually knew their medical history

Alas Vine & Hitchens: What's the big idea? Get the Mail's new politics podcast, hosted by columnists Sarah Vine and Peter Hitchens, wherever you listen to podcasts now.

'There is no substitute for local knowledge when it comes to things like crime', she said.

'An analogous situation exists in the NHS with GPs. Family doctors were replaced by clinics, where you had a roster of GPs. You very rarely see the same doctor twice now.

'Every time you see a GP, they have to get to know you in ten minutes. As a result, the service has declined considerably. Illnesses are missed.

'In the olden days, your GP knew you, they knew if you were just a bit peaky or whether there was something seriously wrong.

'They have standardized all these services and they have gotten less good.'

Hitchens argued the reforms reflect a dangerous shift towards reactive policing, which abandons the fundamental purpose of law enforcement: preventing crime rather than responding to it after victims have already been harmed.

'The purpose of policing always has been to be visible', the columnist added.

'To be a rallying point for the good against the bad, to prevent things from happening. Now, we have organisations who have targets for reaction times.

'I have said it before but I will say it again, the police cannot unburgle you, they cannot unmug you, they cannot unstab you, they cannot unmurder you. They are useless after crime, except for collecting information.

'What you want is someone to stop you from being mugged, stabbed, burgled and murdered in the first place. They don't do that - and this will be yet another step away from that.'

To listen to the full debate, search for Alas Vine & Hitchens now, wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes are released every Thursday.
A British Airways pilot accused of secretly filming himself having sex with an air hostess planned a 'virtual threesome' with another pilot, a court has heard.

Tim Capron, 38, is on trial accused of voyeurism after he took a photograph and two videos of himself having sex with a blindfolded member of BA's cabin crew - who he met through the dating app Tinder.

He then sent the videos and image to another BA pilot, Steven Farnworth, who Capron described as a 'sexual partner' of his who he enjoyed having threesomes with.

Jane Davies, prosecuting, in her closing speech described Capron and Mr Farnworth's actions as a 'virtual threesome'.

She told Reading Crown Court: 'The truth is that the sexual activity had been planned by the defendant. He made it clear to Mr Farnworth that there was to be some sexual activity that night and he told Mr Farnworth he could expect some videos.

'He made sure that the scene was set so it would be done and it was to be done in secret, it was not to be done until the complainant was blindfolded, it certainly was not going to be done with her consent and knowledge.

'You may think, members of the jury, it was a deliberate and conscious decision, not to mention it to the complainant, because she might have said no to being filmed and that would have spoiled the defendant's and Mr Farnworth's evening, their plans of what I would submit was some kind of virtual threesome, that is essentially what it was.'

Capron now accepts the complainant, who he matched with on the dating app Tinder, did not actually consent to being recorded and accepted he had never asked her whether she did, jurors heard.

Tim Capron, 38, is accused of secretly filming himself having sex with an air hostess. He then sent the videos and image to another BA pilot, Steven Farnworth, who Capron described as a 'sexual partner' of his who he enjoyed having threesomes with

Capron, who denies one charge of voyeurism, argued he did not know the complainant would not consent, pointing out they had discussed 'whips, restraints and dominance' in messages before they met for sex on an occasion in September 2021.

The court had heard how Capron had sent the complainant messages in which he described his love of what he called 'consensual rape'.

Messages showed the complainant had said this was 'beyond my limits', but nevertheless agreed to go on two dates with Capron.

Ms Davies it was 'absurd' for Capron to claim he therefore believed she would have consented to being recorded for him and his friend's sexual gratification.

'This is not a common-sense conclusion, it is a giant illogical leap which cannot be made. The activities are completely different', Ms Davies said.

The prosecutor described Oxford-educated Capron, who said filming and being filmed was a part of his sex life, as 'egocentric' and 'selfish'.

'His approach to sexual activity is all what he likes, what pleases him, basing decisions about his knowledge of consent on his own experience and what other sexual partners have allowed him to do', Ms Davies said.

'He had no regard whatsoever, you may think, of her wishes at the time. He knew, members of the jury, that he was not consenting', the prosecutor added.

Capron graduated with an MA in biology from Christchurch college before joining BA as a graduate in 2009 aged 22 (Stock photo)

'This was all part of the sexual game that he and Mr Farnworth were engaging in'.

Messages between Capron and Mr Farnworth after the incident showed the defendant had described the complainant as 'f***ing annoying' and a 'MF [mixed fleet] hoe that thinks she can control me'.

Ms Davies told Reading Crown Court on Wednesday that these messages demonstrated Capron's 'arrogant misogyny'.

Jenni Dempster KC, defending, said Capron was a man of good character who had not behaved towards the complainant in a 'misogynistic' way.

'Whatever your view of the way he and Mr Farnworth exchanged messages, he is not on trial for that', Ms Dempster said.

The lawyer accepted some jurors may find Capron's sex life 'rather unpleasant and distasteful', but pointed out the trial was 'not a court of morals'.

'If you disapprove of all of this, it probably has absolutely no relevance to the verdict you will reach', she argued. 'You are concerned here with where he actually knew she was not consenting.'

Reading Crown Court where Capron is on trial accused of voyeurism (file image)

Capron revealed to the court yesterday that he had a previous conviction for possessing extreme pornography and had been given a conditional discharge over the incident.

Ms Dempster told Capron: 'During the course of this investigation, we heard your phone was examined and what is described as an extreme pornographic image, a single video in fact, was found on that phone.

'As a result of the police finding that single video, it became clear that was a video you had received from a friend, then forwarded to another friend in January 2019, extreme pornography of an adult nature.

'You were charged with possession of extreme pornography and on August 10, 2023, you pleaded guilty at the magistrates court in Reading and you received a six-month conditional discharge, so if you committed no further offence in those six months - which you did not - you would not be punished for that offence.'

Capron confirmed that was correct and that he had no other previous convictions or cautions.

He told jurors he had been single at the time, had never been married or had children and remained single today.

The jury of seven men and five women began their deliberations at just after 3.30pm. At 4.30pm, they were sent home until 10am on Thursday.
Nicki Minaj is President Donald Trump's No. 1 fan.

The rapper unexpectedly joined the President on stage Wednesday in Washington, DC for an event on Trump Accounts.

She emerged in a furry white coat and with her multi-inch-long acrylic nails took Trump's hand, which is prone to bruising and bleeding due to his high aspirin dose.

Trump praised Minaj for investing hundreds of thousands into accounts for her supporters' children, then went off script to invite her on stage alongside businessman and Daily Mail contributor Kevin O'Leary.

Minaj, who appeared shier-than-usual in front of the government and business audience, gushed about Trump despite recent backlash over her outward support for the President.

'I am probably the president's No. 1 fan,' Minaj reaffirmed from the podium in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on Wednesday. 'And that's not going to change.'

She said any hate towards Trump motivates her and his backers to support him even more.

'We're not going to let them get away with bullying him, and, you know, the smear campaigns  it's not going to work, OK? He has a lot of force behind him, and God is protecting him. Amen?' she concluded.

President Donald Trump and rapper Nicki Minaj embraced hands when she came on stage for quick remarks at a Trump Accounts event

Trump invited Minaj on stage in an off-script moment at the Andrew W. Mellon Audotorium in Washington, DC on Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Minaj donned multi-inch-long acrylic nails with chrome colors and held the hand of Trump's that is often pictured bruised and discolored from cover-up makeup due to frequent hand-shaking and his high daily dose of aspirin

Minaj is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into Trump Accounts to support the children of her incredible fans'

Trump leaned over and said off-mic to the rapper: 'That is so nice, thank you.'

Minaj sat beside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trump advisor Alex Bruesewitz at the event in a frigid and still-snow-littered DC.

When coming out on stage, she shook the President's hand and then they held hands while standing behind O'Leary for his quick remarks.

The rapper, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago but raised in Queens, donned chrome-colored, lengthy acrylic fingernails that could have been a hazard to the President's frail hands.

Pam Bondi sliced Trump's hand open with her ring during a high-five at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And there are often images of Trump's right hand with bruises or cover-up makeup to conceal discoloration.

It's due to his admitted higher-than-recommended daily dose of aspirin. Trump says he's defying doctor's orders to take less because he wants to keep his blood thinner and flowing through his heart easier in an effort to avoid a heart attack in his older age.

But Trump didn't appear concerned with how Minaj's fingernails might impact his hand health.

He even joked when inviting the rapper on stage about how he's going to let his nails grow because he likes the length of Minaj's.

'I just think she's great,' Trump said. 'You know, I've been hearing so much over the years because I didn't know Nicki and I've been hearing over the years, she's a big Trump supporter, a Trump fan, and she took a little heat on occasion.'

'Her community isn't necessarily  I'll tell ya  we did pretty damn well with your community, as we say,' he added. 'But Nicki has been an unbelievable supporter.'

Minaj sat beside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (left) and Trump advisor Alex Bruesewitz (right) for the event in a frigid Washington, DC on January 28, 2026

The rapper from Queens got visibly excited when Trump came on stage

When walking onto the stage in a furry white coat, Minaj shared some air cheek kisses with Trump as they shook hands

Minaj was attending the event Wednesday as a big supporter of his new childhood investment savings accounts, Trump said.

'Nicki makes a lot of money and she's generously stepping up,' he said.

He detailed: 'She's investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in Trump Accounts to support the children and really, the children of her incredible fans. That's great  focus on that.'

'Why should you give to somebody else's fans? Give to your fans. I like that,' Trump said.

The plan Trump set forward is meant to establish a generation of millionaires, according to the President.

The so-called Trump accounts would provide children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028 with a tax-advantaged investment of $1,000 provided by the Treasury Department.

That $1,000 stipend could be built on with up to $5,000 in annual investments.

If maximum contributions are made to the Trump Account, the projected value would be $1.1 million by the time they reach 28-years-old, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is 28.

She plans to sign up her daughter, who is due in May, for a Trump account.

If a family made no additional contributions beyond the initial $1,000, a child with a Trump account could expect to have approximately $18,000 when they turn 28.
Three wolves were shot and killed in Utah after they wandered into a small area of the state where protections for the endangered species are lifted.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) confirmed to the Daily Mail that the gray wolves were 'lethally removed' by the state's Department of Agriculture on January 9.

A photo circulating online and published by local media of the three dead wolves lying on the ground sparked outrage from animal conservation advocates because the species is endangered.

Although much of the state is required to abide by federal gray wolf protections, which makes it illegal to hunt, harass, trap, shoot or harm them without permission, these three animals were killed in the small area of Utah where those laws do not apply.

A DWR spokesperson explained that state law requires officials to prevent wolves from establishing breeding pairs in the delisted area of northern Utah, and that these animals were in the 'delisted zone.'

'The wolves were removed in the delisted area of northern Utah in Cache County and were in areas with livestock,' the spokesperson said.

'State law directs the DWR to prevent wolves from establishing breeding pairs in the delisted area of northern Utah.

'Currently, the delisted zone (the small area both north of I-80 and east of I-84) is the only area where the state of Utah has authority to manage wolves.'

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources confirmed three gray wolves were 'lethally removed' by the state's Department of Agriculture on January 9

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As of 2022, gray wolves have been listed as endangered in the US, following a decline driven by hunting and habitat loss that brought the species to the brink of extinction.

However, Utah officials have challenged that status and asked the federal government to allow them to manage the wolf population due to its impacts on agriculture.

As a result, the state was allowed to establish a delisted zone where officials may prevent wolves from becoming established.

'In the rest of the state, wolves are still considered an endangered species and fall under federal control and protection,' the DWR spokesperson said.

'The law directs DWR to prevent the establishment of packs in the delisted portion of Utah, and we dont have jurisdiction over the ESA-listed areas of Utah or other surrounding states.

'Lethal removals ensure they dont establish breeding populations in Utah.'

Launie Evans, who lives in the area where the wolves were shot, told KSL she wish the state had an alternative to killing them.

'I wish they would have had a way to relocate them rather than kill them,' Evans said. 'But I also don't want to see a calf killed either. Nature's hard.'

As of 2022, gray wolves (pictured) have been listed as endangered in the US, following a decline driven by hunting and habitat loss that brought the species to the brink of extinction

The DWR spokesperson confirmed that there are no known packs of wolves in Utah.

'Although there have been confirmed wolf sightings over the years - and rare instances of wolf-related livestock depredation - there are currently no known established packs in Utah,' the spokesperson said.

On social media, people questioned if the state was justified in killing the animals.

'You have to prove they are predating livestock before such drastic measures,' one person wrote on Facebook.

'There needs to be more explanation as to why they shot the wolves. Why would we reintroduce them some places and keep them out of others,' wrote another.

Others praised the Department of Agriculture for killing the beasts.

'The only good wolf is a dead wolf,' one person wrote.

'Wolves dont just kill when hungry, they kill constantly and continually until everything is gone, then move on to another area to kill everything! They are not just trying to feed! They need to be heavily controlled,' wrote a second person.
Republican Senator Rand Paul attacked Donald Trump's foreign policy as he grilled Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday.

The Kentucky lawmaker asked Rubio whether similar action taken against the US would be considered an act of war at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

Paul asked: '[If] a foreign country bombed our air defense missiles, captured and removed our president, and blockaded our country, would that be considered an act of war?'

The question referred to Operation Absolute Resolve, the capture of Venezuelan dictator Maduro and his wife on January 3, which was billed as a law enforcement operation by the Department of Justice, not an act of war.

Rubio pushed back against his claims, arguing that he was presenting a hypothetical situation the US is unlikely to face.

'It's hard for us to conceive that an operation that lasted about four and a half hours and was a law enforcement operation to capture someone we don't recognize as a head of state indicted in the United States,' the Secretary of State said.

Paul argued that the 'drug bust' performed by the US 'leads to chaos,' asking: 'My question would be if it only took four hours to take our President. It's very short. Nobody dies on the other side. Nobody dies on our side. It's perfect. Would it be an act of war?'

Rubio held the line on the Trump administration's rhetoric, insisting: 'We just don't believe that this operation comes anywhere close to the constitutional definition of war.'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is seen before testifying in front of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Venezuela, in Washington, DC, United States on January 28, 2026

Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican listens as Secretary of State Marco Rubio appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Paul has also repeatedly co-led efforts to rein in presidential powers, sponsoring a War Powers resolution with Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia that led to a full Senate vote earlier this month that tied, meaning it did not move forward.

Trump described the Senate's move to restrain his military authority as one that 'greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President's Authority as Commander in Chief.'

Rubio expressed hope for cooperation with Venezuela and said he expected the US embassy there to reopen soon.

'I can tell you right now with full certainty we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to, have to take any military action in Venezuela,' Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

'The only military presence you'll see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy,' he said.

Trump has demanded that Venezuela, which has the world's largest proven oil reserves, cooperate with US oil companies.

The State Department last week named a senior diplomat, Laura Dogu, as top diplomat for Venezuela, and earlier sent a mission to assess the embassy in Caracas.

'We think very quickly we'll be able to open a US diplomatic presence on the ground,' Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The restored US mission 'will allow us to have real-time information' and improve interaction with Venezuelan authorities as well as 'members of civil society, the opposition,' Rubio said.

The United States shuttered its embassy in 2019 shortly after Washington and other major powers declared Maduro to be illegitimate following an election marred by reports of irregularities.

US commandoes raided Caracas on January 3 and seized Maduro, a longtime leftist nemesis of Washington, and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Nicolas Maduro is seen in handcuffs after landing at a Manhattan helipad, escorted by heavily armed Federal agents as they make their way into an armored car en route to a Federal courthouse in Manhattan on January 5, 2026 in New York City

Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex, is seen from a distance after a series of explosions in Caracas on January 3, 2026

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez delivers her first annual address to the nation at the National Assembly, following the U.S. strike in Caracas that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas, Venezuela, January 15, 2026

The couple were flown to New York to stand trial on US-issued charges of drug trafficking, which they deny.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that the operation has cost at least hundreds of millions of dollars 'and yet the Maduro regime is essentially still in power.'

'Her cooperation appears tactical and temporary, and not a real shift in Venezuela's alignment. In the process, we've traded one dictator for another,' Shaheen said.

Senator Chris Van Hollen, another Democrat, pointed to Trump's meetings with oil executives and questioned if he ordered the attack for personal benefit.

'By any measure, this is the most corrupt administration in American history,' he said.

Venezuelan officials say more than 100 people died, both Venezuelans and Cubans, who unsuccessfully tried to protect Maduro.

Rubio called the tactical operation a success as no Americans died.

Trump indicated hours after deposing Maduro that he favored working by pressuring Rodriguez rather than seeking to empower Venezuela's democratic opposition, dismissing its leader, Maria Corina Machado, as a 'very nice woman' who did not command 'respect.'

But Trump sounded more favorable to Machado after she visited him at the White House and presented him with her Nobel Peace Prize, which she won last year despite Trump loudly coveting the prestigious honor.

Following his testimony on Wednesday, Rubio is scheduled to meet with Machado again in a closed-door session.

Rubio, a Cuban-American and fervent critic of Latin American leftists, had, as a senator, championed the opposition forces of Machado.

Rodriguez insisted Sunday that she has had enough of orders from Washington. But she has also worked to encourage US oil investment and said Tuesday that the United States was unblocking sanctioned Venezuela funds.
Google should ensure publishers are treated fairly and allow them more say over how their content is used, the competition watchdog has said.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was consulting on measures to improve how the search engine treated content providers.

It said publishers should be allowed to opt out of having their content used by Google for AI purposes, and any content that is used should be properly attributed in AI results.

It also said that Google's approach to ranking search results should be fair and transparent for businesses.

The proposals include measures to make it easier for people to switch between search engines and for people and businesses to make more use of search data.

They will be welcome news for publishers including newspapers, authors, artists and musicians who have called for more control over how their content is used in AI.

The Daily Mail is campaigning for authors, publishers and musicians to be paid a fair price for their work and to have their copyright respected.

Tech giants want an exception to copyright law for their AI models to learn from creative works without paying or crediting their owners.

Google must make sure publishers get 'fairer deal' in how their content is used

The CMA's proposals would be an important step in the fightback against Big Tech.

Ministers are expected to set out the Government's approach to the issue in a report on March 18.

The CMA tabled the measures after it designated the firm as having 'strategic market status' for its 'substantial and entrenched market power'.

Google accounts for more than 90per cent of searches in the UK and is used by more than 200,000 UK businesses, with firms spending over 10billion last year on advertising.

Google would be required to demonstrate to the CMA and users that it ranks search results fairly, including in AI Overviews and AI Mode, under the measures.

Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: 'Today is an important milestone as we consult on the first conduct requirements under the digital markets competition regime in the UK.

'These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services - as well as unlocking greater opportunities forinnovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy.

'They would also provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google's AI Overviews.'

However, the News Media Association (NMA) accused Google of 'harming' publishers and warned that the measures might not be enough.

Owen Meredith, chief executive of the NMA, said: 'The CMA rightly recognises that Google is able to extract valuable data without reward, harming publishers and giving the company an unfair advantage over competitors in the AI model market, including British start-ups.

'Opening up model development to competition is vital to attracting inward investment to the UK, while licensing our high-quality journalistic content could unlock significant economic growth.

'However, given the seriousness of Google's anti-competitive impact on news media and the AI market, we are sceptical that weaker behavioural remedies will be sufficient.'

It is the first time the CMA has used new powers after designating a company as having strategic market status.

Under new digital market rules, such firms can have measures imposed on them which boost competition for UK businesses and choice for consumers.

Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said: 'Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content.

'We look forward to engaging in the CMA's process and will continue discussions with website owners and other stakeholders on this topic.'

But he cautioned against 'any new controls need to avoid breaking Search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people'.

The CMA will now consult on the measures, with a deadline for feedback of February 25.
Five people have been arrested as part of a people smuggling sting by 'Britain's FBI' - including three cab drivers.

Surveillance teams from the National Crime Agency (NCA) watched as taxis drove down from London to a location near Whitstable, Kent earlier this week.

Twenty-three people were then loaded onto a lorry which was subsequently stopped by officers as it approached the ferry port in Dover.

The 23, all Bangladeshi nationals, were offloaded.

One was arrested for immigration offences but the rest were found to be in the UK legally and were released, the NCA - sometimes referred to as Britain's FBI - said.

Three taxi drivers, men aged between 43 and 55, were all separately arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration, as was the 32-year-old Romanian lorry driver.

A 43-year-old man, the suspected ringleader of the network, was also arrested at a location in the New Cross area of London. Around 30,000 cash was also seized from a property.

The operation was supported by the Metropolitan Police, Kent Police and the Port of Dover Police.

Five people have been arrested and charged as part of a National Crime Agency investigation targeting a suspected organised crime group involved in smuggling migrants out of the UK in lorries

The criminal group are alleged to have been involved in a number of attempts to move predominantly Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals out of the UK in lorries, in an attempt to avoid border controls and French entry restrictions.

All five were subsequently charged with conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration, and will appear at magistrates' courts in the Kent and south east London areas on January 28.

NCA branch commander Saju Sasikumar said: 'This operation has been the culmination of an investigation that has been ongoing for a number of months.

'Organised crime groups involved in people smuggling risk the safety of those they transport, and also threaten the border security of both the UK and France.

'Tackling organised immigration crime remains a top priority for the NCA and this investigation is one of around 100 ongoing investigations into networks or individuals in the top tier of this type of criminality.'

The NCA previously issued a warning that criminal gangs are actively recruiting HGV drivers to smuggle migrants both into and out of the UK.

It followed a spike in arrests in Kent which has seen a number of drivers detained as they attempted to board trains or ferries to France whilst carrying people illegally in their vehicles.

People smugglers are known to be targeting drivers, offering them thousands of pounds to transport people across the border in otherwise legitimate loads.
A watchdog said it will 'pause' misconduct proceedings against the policeman who shot Chris Kaba until a legal change comes into force this spring.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct said it is waiting until a test used over the use of force in police misconduct cases is changed.

Met firearms officer Martyn Blake shot 24-year-old Mr Kaba in the head after he drove towards officers in an attempt to smash through a roadblock in Streatham, south London, in September 2022.

Sergeant Blake was cleared of murder following an Old Bailey trial in October 2024, after which the Government pledged to review the legal thresholds used to bring criminal charges or misconduct proceedings.

The IOPC is expecting the change to come into force this spring, and is waiting to understand the implications before serving gross misconduct papers on the officer.

The watchdog said: 'We have decided it is not appropriate to make a decision on whether, in all the circumstances, it's fair and reasonable that Sergeant Blake should continue to face disciplinary proceedings, until we understand the impact of amendments to the use of force standard and any Home Office guidance.'

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: 'We recognise the impact of this case on everyone affected and it isn't our intention to delay matters any more than necessary, however it's important that our decision takes account of impending changes to the use of force standard.'

Following the decision to pause the proceedings, Mr Kaba's family said they are 'devastated'. 'Martyn Blake fatally shot Chris when he was unarmed and without knowing who he was,' they added.

Chris Kaba, 24, (pictured) was shot in the head after he drove towards officers in an attempt to smash through a roadblock in Streatham, south London, in September 2022

'Until today, Martyn Blake was quite correctly facing imminent disciplinary proceedings for that use of force.

'We cannot understand why we, as Chris's family, only learned for the first time today that the Met invited the IOPC to drop proceedings against Martyn Blake back in November.

'We are devastated that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has decided under this kind of police pressure to put on hold the preparations for Martyn Blake's gross misconduct proceedings.'

The family said the IOPC 'could and should have consulted us last year in advance of this decision', adding: 'We would have said then, and we say now, that preparations for these proceedings should continue without more disruption and delay.

'To not involve us until after a decision to pause has been made is deeply disappointing and has damaged our confidence in the independence of the IOPC. The lack of consideration shown to us in this process adds to our trauma and our sense of injustice.'

Mr Kaba was a member of one of London's most violent street gangs and was fatally shot after trying to ram his way past police cars.

On the night he died, officers began following the Audi Q8 he was driving because it had been used as a getaway car in a shooting in Brixton, south London, the night before.

They did not know who was driving the car at the time, although it later emerged Mr Kaba was a core member of a London street gang and was accused of being involved in two shootings in the week before he died.

Footage of the moment armed officers ran towards Mr Kaba's car as he tried to escape from a roadblock

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Dozens of Metropolitan Police armed officers put down tools in outrage when Mr Blake was charged with murder and the army was put on stand-by to plug the gap.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the 'pause' over whether to bring disciplinary proceedings should be 'as short as possible'.

Referring to the officer as NX121, the cipher used before a judge ruled he could be publicly identified, he said: 'Following NX121's acquittal for murder we made strong representations to the Independent Office for Police Conduct that he should not face gross misconduct proceedings.

'The facts have already been fully tested during a criminal trial, which resulted in a jury returning a unanimous not guilty verdict.

'In our view, that should have brought this matter to a clear and definitive conclusion.

'We acknowledge the IOPC's decision to pause proceedings.

'However, this pause must be as short as possible.

'NX121's life has been effectively on hold for more than three years, and every additional delay prolongs the stress and uncertainty that he and his family are living with.

'We also recognise that this delay will be felt deeply by Mr Kaba's family, who continue to grieve their loss.'

He said complex legal frameworks 'serve neither officers nor families' and delays add to their distress.

Matt Cane, general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation that represents rank and file officers, said: 'This is very much the right decision that will not only be welcomed by Sergeant Blake and his family - but also all police officers across London.

'Police officers should not face losing their liberty or livelihoods for doing the job that society expects of them and it has been pleasing to see Government acknowledgment of this.

'We look forward to Sergeant Blake - already fully exonerated for his actions in court by a jury of peers - swiftly having no further case to answer.'
An NHS trust called in an exorcist after staff reported seeing ghosts including a 'girl in a red dress' at a hospice in Norwich.

Employees at the site, which was previously used as a children's hospital, feared it may still be haunted by spirits following a series of paranormal incidents.

To calm their fears, the NHS reportedly requested the help of deliverance ministers to carry out a religious service using holy oil.

Commonly known as exorcists, deliverance ministers are employed by the Church of England to rid places or people of evil spirits.

They became a household concept in the 1970s following the release of the horror film, The Exorcist, which follows the story of a young girl who was possessed by a demon.

The spooky sightings occurred at Priscilla Bacon Lodge, near Colman Hospital, which has been used by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust to provide specialist end-of-life care.

However, up until 1975 it was the site of Jenny Lind Children's Hospital, with some staff believing it is still haunted by spirits.

Sources said there were concerns about 'paranormal incidents' at the hospice, with one person reportedly seeing the spectre of a 'small child in a red dress'.

An NHS trust called in an exorcist after staff reported seeing ghosts including a 'girl in a red dress' at a hospice in Norwich. Pictured: Jenny Lind Children's Hospital

Max Von Sydow plays a priest in the 1973 film The Exorcist

A young patient is pictured recovering at the Jenny Lind Hospital in Norwich in 1955

Emails seen by the Telegraph show that in 2023, the hospice chaplain contacted the Diocese of Norwich for 'advice/support from the deliverance team'.

They said it had been a 'difficult time' at the site and requested 'some holy oil' from Norwich Cathedral.

The chaplain reportedly said this would be used to conduct a religious service for staff and patients who were concerned that the site was haunted.

A week later, another email was sent to the Diocese of Norwich, which is understood to have confirmed they were in 'conversation with a member of the deliverance team'.

The trust confirmed that a 'blessing of the building' was carried out but denied that an exorcist ever visited the site in person.

They also refused to comment on what paranormal activity patients and staff claimed to have seen.

Priscilla Bacon Lodge moved into new premises in 2023, after the paranormal incidents were reported.

The building is now no longer in use, despite being briefly repurposed into a therapy unit.

Linda Blair portrays Regan MacNeil in the horror film The Exorcist

The reported paranormal sightings in Norwich shed light on the little-known relationship between the NHS and the Church of England's deliverance ministry.

Traditionally, the clergy held a negative view on exorcisms until the 1960s and 1970s, when the practice surged, partly as a result of the popularity of the Hollywood horror film The Exorcist.

New rules were then introduced in 1974 that updated 'deliverance ministry' procedures.

These included a requirement that bishops had to give special permission for rites to be carried out.

Doctors also had to be consulted and there was a stipulation that exorcisms 'should be done with the minimum of publicity'.

Further guidelines issued in 2019 said: 'Deliverance is an area of ministry where particular caution needs to be exercised, especially when ministering to someone in a disturbed state.'

Clergy and Church officials were told to bring in child welfare specialists to help assess the situation or police if a crime is suspected.

A Church of England spokesman said: 'Deliverance ministry is a specialist form of pastoral care ... rooted in the church's commitment to healing, wholeness and peace for those experiencing distress, whether physical, mental or spiritual.

'It is offered in the context of prayer, sacrament and scripture, and is embedded within the wider ministry of healing.'

The Daily Mail has contacted Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust for further comment.
The two Border Patrol agents who shot and killed protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have been placed on paid administrative leave.

Sources in Homeland Security confirmed to the Daily Mail that the agents, who have not been identified, were suspended amid an investigation into the shooting.

The agents were reportedly given mental health support as standard procedure, and were placed on an automatic administrative leave for at least three days.

When the agents return, they will not be allowed out on the field and will be given desk roles, sources say.

The move follows mounting scrutiny on the shooting of Pretti on Saturday, which came just weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed anti-ICE protester Renee Good in Minneapolis.

The officer involved in Good's shooting, Jonathan Ross, was placed on administrative leave, however following Pretti's death President Trump called for a full investigation into the latest incident.

Trump officials initially attempted to portray Pretti as a 'domestic terrorist' because he had a legally-owned firearm at the time he was shot, however a new government report has undermined allegations he 'brandished' the weapon.

The new report alleged that when an officer shouted 'gun' during his arrest, there was no evidence Pretti had taken it off his hip.

Footage of the shooting that circulated social media appeared to show a border patrol agent had disarmed Pretti moments before the shooting, before he was shot several times in the back.

The two Border Patrol agents who shot and killed protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have been placed on administrative leave

Pretti, 37, was shot dead in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last week during a targeted immigration enforcement operation

According to the new report, which was shared as a requirement for congressional committees to review any deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours, the shooting unfolded around 9am on Saturday when agents were confronted by protesters.

Agents said they were faced with protesters 'yelling and blowing whistles' at them, while also blocking the roadway at the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.

After making 'several verbal requests' for the protesters to stop, CBP claims two women confronted the agents while blowing whistles. They were ordered to get out of the roadway but refused.

They said that the women were then 'pushed away' and one of them ran to Pretti, with both again refusing to leave the roadways.

The officer then deployed pepper spray at both of them, while attempting to arrest Pretti.

'CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts and a struggle ensued,' the report claims.

'During the struggle, a (Border Patrol agent) yelled, "He's got a gun!" multiple times.'

Join the debate Do you agree with the DHS agents being put on leave?

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Pretti was seen facing off with federal agents before being shot. His family claimed he was 'clearly not holding a gun', while federal officials have alleged he was 'brandishing' a firearm

Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, claimed after the shooting that officers 'clearly feared for their lives'

The report continues: 'Approximately five seconds later, a (Border Patrol agent) discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a (Customs and Border Protection officer) also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti.'

Within five seconds, one agent and one officer discharged the shots, with one using a Glock 19 and the other a Glock 47.

An agent took possession of Pretti's gun and cleared and secured it shortly after the shooting.

CBP tried to save Pretti's life by putting chest seals on his wounds at 9:02am, with EMS and EMTs arriving three minutes later.

Pretti was taken in an ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center at 9:14am, where he was pronounced dead at 9:32am.

A DHS investigation is ongoing and The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General has been notified.

'These notifications reflect standard Customs and Border Protection protocol and are issued in accordance with existing procedures,' a CBP spokesperson told the Daily Mail.

'They provide an initial outline of an event that took place and do not convey any definitive conclusion or investigative findings. They are factual reports  not analytical judgments  and are provided to inform Congress and to promote transparency.'

Following scrutiny over remarks Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made about Pretti, including alleging he was an 'assassin', Trump appeared to rein her in following an icy White House meeting this week.

The internal scrutiny of Noem intensified after the fatal shooting of the 37-year-old ICU nurse, putting her at odds with Trump.

The President grilled Noem over her handling and initial response to the shooting during their late-night meeting, reports say. Noem's adviser and rumored lover Corey Lewandowski was by her side at the Oval Office summit.

By the end of the night, Noem was ordered to shift her focus away from interior immigration enforcement operations and instead concentrate on securing the Southern Border.

Noem's longtime rival, White House Border Czar Tom Homan, was ordered by Trump to take over the Minnesota crackdown.

Despite the furor, Noem is expected to keep her job - despite a new Daily Mail/ JL Partners poll finding her approval rating has sunk to just 33 per cent.
Keir Starmer has defended his decision to shake hands with Xi Jinping, as critics warned he is 'naive' to trust China's communist dictator.

Sir Keir is due to meet President Xi in the small hours of Thursday morning after becoming the first British PM to travel to China in eight years.

Kemi Badenoch questioned his decision to go to Beijing, saying Britain should focus instead on strengthening ties with allies 'worried about the threat China is posing to them'.

President Xi ordered a brutal crackdown in Hong Kong in breach of a deal with the UK - and is accused of overseeing a genocide against the Uygher people in Xinxiang province. Concerns about Chinese espionage against the UK are such that the PM and his officials have been issued with disposable 'burner' phones and laptops for the duration of the trip.

Some critics have branded the PM 'Kowtow Keir' over last week's decision to sanction a new mega embassy in the City of London.

But speaking ahead of talks with President Xi, Sir Keir said it was time to end the 'ice age' in relations with Beijing and pursue 'huge' economic opportunities with the emerging superpower.

Addressing a delegation of British business executives who travelled with him, he hailed the visit as 'historic', adding: 'It is in our national interest to engage with China. It's the second-biggest economy in the world. If you take Hong Kong alongside China, it's our third-biggest trading partner.

'There are huge opportunities to be had in lots of different sectors, and we see that reflected in the delegation that we've got.'

Keir Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for the first trip to China by a British PM for eight years

Handshake: Sir Keir first met Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024

China flew the Union Jack at Beijing's Tiananmen Gate to mark Sir Keir's arrival

As a token of friendship, Arsenal fan Sir Keir is expected to present Manchester United supporter President Xi with a prized match ball from last Sunday's tie between the two sides, which ended in a famous 3-2 win for United.

Speaking to journalists en route to Beijing, Sir Keir insisted there was 'no evidence' that Chinese spies had hacked his phone, following reports that state-sponsored hackers had exposed the private communications of close aides to Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak in the past.

Intelligence sources are said to fear that the operation that began in 2021, known as Salt Typhoon, remains ongoing.

Former security minister Tom Tugendhat said the PM had effectively taken a 'burner plane'  chartering a commercial jet because of fears that his normal government plane could be bugged while on the ground in China.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who like Mr Tugendhat has been sanctioned by Beijing for criticising China's human rights records, claimed officials were travelling with a tent which would be put up in the PM's room to allow him to get dressed without being spied on.

But, asked about the risk of being hacked by his Chinese hosts, Sir Keir told reporters: 'We've got robust schemes, security measures in place as you'd expect.'

The PM is due to sit down with President Xi early Thursday morning, where he is expected to push for greater trade access for British firms to boost the UK's flagging economic growth.

Sir Keir is under pressure to tackle President Xi over a string of human rights issues, including the treatment of jailed Hong Kong democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai and the sanctioning of a string of British MPs and peers.

Mr Lai's son Sebastian warned Beijing that his father would become a 'martyr' if he was allowed to die in jail  and appealed to Sir Keir to help free him.

He told Times Radio: 'The Prime Minister has said that my father's case is a priority... This Government just gave them this huge embassy in the middle of London. The least they could do is put a 78-year-old man, who's in terrible health conditions, who the international community has called out for his release, our country has called out for his release, on a plane and send him back to London.

'That seems to be a very simple thing for the Hong Kong and Chinese government to do if we're talking about normalisation of relationships.'

The PM told reporters he would raise 'issues that need to be raised'. But he declined to describe China's actions in Xinxiang as 'genocide', despite backing a Commons motion on the issue five years ago.

Sebastian Lai appealed to Sir Keir to help free his father who was jailed by China's repressive regime for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong

Mrs Badenoch suggested that Sir Keir should not have made the 5,000-mile trip.

Speaking at an event in London, the Conservative leader said: 'Would I be going to China? No, not now, because I don't think that this is the time to do that. We need to be talking to those other countries who are worried about the threat China is posing to them.

She added: 'We should be talking more to those countries who are aligned with our interests, not the country that is doing everything it can to undermine our economy.'

Luke de Pulford, executive director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said China was 'not that interested' in investing in the UK except in critical national infrastructure, where it is restricted.

'This golden era redux that the Prime Minister seems to want to resuscitate will not work,' he said.

'We are in the dying gasps of that naivety in our posture towards Beijing. The country doesn't want it, Parliament doesn't want it, and most of the people in the Government don't want it.'

In the Commons, Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said it was a mistake for the PM to go 'cap in hand' to Beijing in search of a trade deal 'while the Chinese regime still holds British citizen Jimmy Lai captive in prison, and while the Chinese regime continues to hunt down pro-democracy protesters on the streets of Britain with bounties on their heads'.

But Deputy PM David Lammy said it would be a 'dereliction of duty' to try to ignore China given its massive influence on world events.
Candace Owens has leaked a conference call of Erika Kirk talking to Turning Point USA employees around two weeks after her husband, Charlie, was assassinated.

The conservative provocateur told viewers Erika is 'extraordinarily upbeat' and criticized the widow for laughing as she pushed her conspiratorial agenda against the mother-of-two, repeatedly branding her 'weird' and 'strange.'

Owens, who hosts one of the largest podcasts in the world, attacked Erika for discussing merchandise sales and donations following Charlie's memorial in Phoenix, Arizona.

'We are not even two weeks after watching your husband be assassinated. We're talking about numbers and metrics that have been hit,' Owens said, claiming she had spoken to employees who said they found Erika's tone 'off-putting.'

Erika, who had been newly appointed as chief executive and chairman of TPUSA, summoned employees for a motivational Zoom meeting to praise their hard work after the memorial, which was attended by Donald Trump and broadcast around the world.

She told staff she was optimistic about the future, while acknowledging that her enthusiasm might sound odd in the tragic circumstances.

'Since [Charlie's] assassination, we have just shy of 100,000 chapter requests, over 300,000 new donors, over 50,000 new hat orders. And I'm listing these because I want to put it into perspective because we're not just sitting there looking at the wall trying to figure out what we're doing,' Erika said.

'It's weird to say that I'm excited. I really hesitate saying that. It's a really weird thing to say. But I think it comes from a space of peace knowing that God's using this and we're humbly witnessing the gospel in real time.'

Candace Owens on Tuesday leaked a conference call of Erika Kirk talking to Turning Point USA employees around two weeks after the assassination of her husband Charlie

Erika on stage at the memorial for her husband, which was attended by Donald Trump

Owens said in response: 'All of this makes my skin crawl.'

Erika said at the start of the call: 'Wow. I don't even know where to begin. The fact that we were able to pull off an event of a century, like, it's just insane. We had over 275,000 people attend, stadium overflow, Westgate - insane, you guys.'

The 37-year-old praised her staff for working 20-hour days for a week in the run-up to the event while 'grieving the loss of my husband.'

Erika urged employees to come together and put aside any personal differences and to take time off if they needed to grieve.

'If you guys have any beef with each other from the past or have any issues, please put it to rest. Like my husband's dead. Like I'm not trying to be morbid, but he's dead, and it puts life into perspective of how short life is,' Erika said.

'If you do need additional time to grieve, please continue to use Turning Point USA's network of counselors. And if you need additional time off, please talk to your director about using paid time off.'

Owens targeted Erika over this aspect of the call, claiming it would put employees in an uncomfortable position because they would compare their grief to the widow's.

'Imagine you're the employee. You're like, 'Okay, well, this is his wife saying this, so am I weird? Would I be like, I would be pretty weird if I needed to take time off and his wife is saying she's full steam ahead?'' Owens said.

Join the debate Were Candace's comments inappropriate?

Charlie and Erika Kirk with their children in a social media post celebrating their son's first birthday

Erika greets JD Vance during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025 in Phoenix

During the call, Erika said that Kirk was watching TPUSA from heaven and would be proud of their achievements.

'We have so much to do which is exciting,' she told the employees. 'Charlie in heaven is like, you guys thought you had a busy schedule then just you wait.

'And he's doing some awesome things with Jesus in heaven right now, but there's so much work to be done.'

Owens claimed that this was 'very strange' and criticized Erika for her laughter during the call.

'It's very strange. It is even kind of using this idea of Charlie being in heaven looking down and the laughter. I don't know. I feel like the rest of you and I feel uncomfortable.'

Owens' criticism of Erika on the call is the latest in an onslaught of public attacks that has seen her podcast rake in extraordinary viewing figures, with tens of millions tuning in every week.

She has accused the widow of using Charlie's legacy to promote and enrich herself, and take TPUSA in a direction its late founder never intended.

Erika has not directly responded to Owens' repeated attacks, but last month slammed 'evil' conspiracy theorists for making spurious claims linking TPUSA to Kirk's assassination.

She pointedly told Fox News on December 10: 'When you go after the people that I love and you're making hundreds of thousands of dollars every single episode going after the people that I love because somehow they're in on this? No.'

Erika also held a face-to-face discussion with Owens that appeared to result in a truce, which has since proved short-lived.

A spokesman for Owens told the Daily Mail on Wednesday: 'Erika violated the "truce" when she and Andrew Kolvet [Executive Producer of the Charlie Kirk Show] got caught, red-handed, orchestrating PR attacks against me recently. That's how we arrived at this moment.'

The spokesman alleged that Erika had 'fired employees, without cause, after moving management to press them about their perceived loyalty to her.'

Owens' camp further clamed that the TPUSA chair had avoided responding to 'meaningful criticism regarding her executive actions and behavior.'

Kirk was shot dead during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with his murder.

The Daily Mail has contacted TPUSA for comment.
Chinese authorities have confirmed a joint taskforce will travel to Australia to investigate the alleged scalding of a nine-month-old baby at a Brisbane playground, as the international search for the suspect continues.

Nine-month-old Luka was on a picnic with his mother at Hanlon Park in Stones Corner on August 27, 2024, when a man approached them and threw a thermos of hot coffee over the infant.

The baby has undergone at least eight surgeries since the attack after he was left with horrific burns to his chest, neck and face.

The suspect, a 33-year-old Chinese national, ran from the scene and boarded a flight to China before authorities could identify him. He has not been charged.

More than 18 months on, China's ambassador to Australia has revealed a joint taskforce will be set up to investigate the attack.

Chinese Ambassador Xiao Qian confirmed yesterday that a 'working group' would travel from China to Brisbane to investigate the incident.

'To talk with Australian colleagues, to see exactly what happened, how it happened, and see how both sides can work together,' he said.

'We're now preparing for the working group to come, so we are serious in addressing this concern, and we're serious in taking the necessary actions.'

The 33-year-old man responsible was caught on CCTV footage leaving the park before boarding a plane to China

Luka suffered serious burns to 60 per cent of his body after the sickening attack

Luka's mum said every procedure her son has endured is a 'painful reminder of what was done to him  and of the justice that still hasn't come'

His mum said he has a long road to recovery ashe heals from the emotional, mental and physical damage caused by the attack

The suspect allegedly drove to Sydney before boarding a flight out of Australia on August 31

Australia has no extradition arrangement with China however authorities remain confident in seeking justice.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, Queensland Police and the Australian Federal Police said they are supporting the delegation of Chinese authorities to visit Brisbane.

'The AFP values the ongoing co-operation from Chinese authorities and their shared commitment to pursue all avenues for justice in light of the alleged offender's location,' the said.

'China has extraterritorial jurisdiction to prosecute its citizens for conduct which occurs outside China.

'The QPS and AFP continue to work in close partnership to explore options for progressing this matter and are pursuing all available avenues.'

Last year, Luka's mother described the attack as a 'deliberate act of violence.'

'He's received synthetic skin grafts, skin needling, and laser treatments for his burns,' she said in a social media post.

'Every procedure is a painful reminder of what was done to him  and of the justice that still hasn't come.

'That reality is as painful today as it was a year ago and is one of the hardest things to live with: knowing that the person who hurt our child walks free.

'To those in positions of power: please don't make it another year. Do not let this man escape accountability for hurting a child!'

Chinese media reports revealed the man had entered and exited Australia many times since 2019 - initially using a working holiday visa before later switching to a student visa.

Throughout that time, he lived in various places on Australia's east coast and worked in a meat processing plant.

But when his latest visa application was rejected, the man's frustration allegedly erupted in the coffee attack, Chinese media has reported.

'Finally, he vented his anger and allegedly hurt a baby before leaving Australia,' reported China's New Tang Dynasty Television.

The man reportedly has 'a brain problem' according to a coworker who posted on a Chinese social media platform.

'On the mainland social media 'Little Red Book', a Chinese person in Australia who claimed to know him, broke the news that this man has always been weird and difficult to deal with,' added NTD Television.

'He has been working in a meat factory with a study permit for a long time. Later, the meat factory did not require a study permit.'

The TV station alleged the man 'probably attacked Luka to take revenge on the white people, before running away'.
A three-month-old boy has been left with severe brain injuries and a dented skull after his babysitter allegedly shook him so hard one of his pupils ruptured.

Tonya Hamilton, 50, has been arrested for felony child abuse after the infant in her care, Braxton Musselman, was found unresponsive in Madera, central California.

Madera County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a medical aid call involving the baby, who was rushed to a local hospital for emergency surgery on his head.

Hamilton allegedly called the child's parents via FaceTime and told them she fell on the boy and smushed him.

However, medics found that the child's injuries were not consistent with any type of fall, the sheriff's office said, and Hamilton was detained shortly afterwards.

A fundraiser launched by Braxton's parents, Chris and Tori, says he suffered 'a severe brain injury and a ruptured pupil'.

'The brain injury required two brain surgeries with over 300 milliliters of blood needing to be drained,' their GoFundMe page reads.

'The brain injury and swelling is so severe they've had to remove the right half of his skull to take pressure off.

Three-month-old boy Braxton Musselman (pictured) has been left with severe brain injuries and a dented skull after his babysitter allegedly shook him so hard one of his pupils ruptured

A fundraiser launched by Braxton's heartbroken parents, Chris and Tori, says he suffered 'a severe brain injury and a ruptured pupil'. (Pictured: Braxton with his parents in the hospital)

Tonya Hamilton (pictured in her driving license image), 50, has been arrested for felony child abuse after the infant in her care was found unresponsive in Madera, central California

'After over a week of fighting in the ICU, he has since had his breathing tube removed and has been removed from sedation.

'The injuries have required him to be on multiple anti-seizure meds, and he originally had no use or movement of his left side due to the damage of the right side brain.

'He has since regained very minimal movement to the left extremities.'

The heartbroken couple said they received a FaceTime call from Hamilton on January 13.

'We were initially told by her that she had fallen on him and woke up and he was unresponsive at that time,' Musselman told NBC and CBS affiliates KSEE and KFPE in a joint television interview.

However, a doctor told the couple a different story, according to Musselman.

'He explained to us that his injuries weren't consistent with a fall they were consistent with a baby that had been shaken,' the traumatized father said.

'At that point he had no other choice as a mandatory reporter to involve CPS and involve the authorities.'

Madera County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a medical aid call involving baby Braxton (pictured) who was rushed to a local hospital for emergency surgery on his head

Medics at the California hospital found that the child's injuries were not consistent with any type of fall, the sheriff's office said, and Hamilton was detained shortly afterwards

In light of the tragic case, Madera County Sheriff's Office issued an urgent warning.

'Shaking a baby, even for a few seconds, can cause permanent brain injury or death,' the office said on social media.

'If you are feeling overwhelmed, place the baby in a safe location and step away. Ask for help. There is never an excuse for shaking a child.

'If you suspect child abuse, report it. Your call could save a life.'

The GoFundMe page for Braxton's family has so far raised almost $45,000 to cover his medical treatments and recovery.

'Braxton is a beautiful, sweet baby who deserves every opportunity to heal, grow, and thrive despite what has happened to him,' his parents wrote on the page.

'Your support  whether it's a donation, sharing this page, or just sending prayers  means more to us than words can express.'
A California family-of-four was found dead in their 'booby-trapped' home in an apparent murder-suicide, police say.

The Sacramento Sheriff's Office responded to a shooting in Rancho Cordova, where four individuals were found dead from gunshot wounds inside the residence on Tuesday.

First responders received an eerie phone call from a person claiming to be the shooter, informing officers he had placed booby traps around the residences, Fox 40 reported.

'We have received an additional call from someone identifying themselves as the shooter and stating that they had also placed some booby traps at the location,' Sergeant Edward Igoe said at a press conference.

Investigators launched a drone into the residences and discovered four people, a man, a woman, and two children, dead from gunshot wounds inside the home.

'Based upon the investigation, including evidence at the scene and witness statements, detectives believe this was a murder-suicide at the male subject's hand,' the sheriff's office said.

While the coroner is working to identify each of the individuals, public records list David Edward Vallerga Jr., 58, and Lindsey Peralta Vallerga, 49, as the owners of the $633,000 home.

The couple had two children: a 13-year-old son, Colton, and an 11-year-old daughter, Sydney.

A family-of-four was found dead in their 'booby-trapped' in Rancho Cordova home in an apparent murder-suicide on Tuesday

David Edward Vallerga Jr., 58, and Lindsey Peralta Vallerga, 49, are listed as the owners of the home. The couple share two children

Business records obtained by The Sacramento Bee showed the couple operated two tutoring franchise businesses called Grade Power Learning.

Lindsey listed herself as the owner of Grade Power Learning in Elk Grove on her Facebook page.

On January 16, she updated her cover photo to a picture of her, David and their children standing outside the tutoring center.

However, on Friday, she changed the picture to a comic book-like image of the business.

David listed himself as the center director for Grade Power Learning in Elk Grove on his Facebook page.

He would regularly update his status and tag his wife.

On December 5, David wrote, 'Kids don't want to, but damnit Lindsey and I are going to watch Rouldoph (sic) the Red Nose Reindeer on broadcast television, with commercials. And, we're going to like it!'

The couple also spoke to The Sacramento Bee in November 2021 about how the area has changed.

The couple operated two tutoring franchise businesses called Grade Power Learning. Lindsey recently posted a throwback photo of the family outside the business (pictured)

The couple had two children: a 13-year-old son, Colton, and an 11-year-old daughter, Sydney (right)

Police believe the family died in an murder-suicide 'at the male subject's hand'

'For a long time, Elk Grove has been a bedroom community, but this is what helps change that, David said while the couple and their two children attended the grand opening of The Preserve city park.

'All these things change Elk Grove from a place where you sleep to a place where you live.'

The sheriff's office said they believe David, without formally identifying him, killed his family, then himself, in an apparent murder suicide.

Dispatch audio reviewed by The Bee indicated that a man identifying himself as the shooter and told police he was rigging the house with traps.

The caller said, 'I'm the shooter. I'm setting up booby traps and turning off the cellphone.'

Igoe declined to identify the family due to the coroner's office policy, but did note the man who lived at the home 'did have several firearms registered in his name, as well as prior military service and possible military equipment.'

He added, 'A response to something of this magnitude is always extremely difficult. And honestly, as an agency, our prayers are with friends and families of those involved today. And God bless them.'

Daily Mail contacted the Sacramento Sheriff's Office for more information.
A Somali woman who caught national attention after she said the country is 'more than bananas with rice' during a press conference where she claimed to have been kidnapped by immigration officials has been arrested.

Nasra Ahmed, 23, was detained Wednesday in Minneapolis for, 'assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees' Attorney General Pam Bondi said.

A video of Ahmed went viral last week after she was detained by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) for two days and released without charges.

Ahmed addressed the Minnesota State Capitol press briefing room with bandages on her head on January 21.

'I got kidnapped by ICE,' she said, according to CBS News.

Ahmed said she sustained a concussion at the hands of the agents who arrested her. She alleged the officers shoved her to the ground and called her a racial slur.

'I'm Somali, I'm proud to be Somali,' she said. 'To me, being Somali isn't just eating bananas with rice. It's very hard to describe what it means to be Somali and what it means to be American.

'It's kind of like a cultural fusion, like the bananas and rice.'

Nasra Ahmed, 23, was allegedly arrested for 'assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees'

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X confirming the arrests of 16 individuals in Minnesota including Ahmed

Ahmed stated she was called a racial slur by an ICE agent who arrested her

Ahmed said she was arrested with another US citizen and claimed federal agents detained her and asked for her ID while pursuing two Somali men.

'I'll never forget the fear we had in our hearts that day,' she said. Ahmed was born in the US and had no prior criminal record.

Bondi shared a post on X listing arrests in Minneapolis this week following a rise in protests in the wake of the killing of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents.

'I am on the ground in Minneapolis today. Federal agents have arrested 16 Minnesota rioters for allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement  people who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents,' she wrote.

'We expect more arrests to come. Ive said it before, and Ill say it again: NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department of Justice from enforcing the law.'

The Attorney General posted pictures and names for 15 others who were detained in Minneapolis.

Ahmed went viral online for speaking out after being detained by ICE and made comments about her heritage being more than just 'bananas and rice'

Minneapolis has been rocked by demonstrations since the killing of Pretti, 37, on Saturday.

Officers claimed he approached them with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, however initial official reports do not mention it being drawn and instead suggest he had been disarmed before he was shot in the back.

In the days following, protesters have taken to the streets brandishing 'Justice for Alex' and 'F*** ICE' signs, demanding immigration enforcement be removed from their city.

The Trump Administration sent ICE to Minneapolis in December after some Somali immigrants were exposed and convicted of fraud.

Minneapolis has the largest population of Somalis in the US. Although the ICE operation appears to target the diaspora, the majority are US citizens.

The Daily Mail contacted the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice for comment.
A Florida nurse who wished Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt harm during childbirth had her license revoked in an emergency suspension.

Alexis 'Lexie' Lawler, 55, took to TikTok earlier this month to say she wishes the 28-year-old Leavitt would sustain a fourth-degree tear while giving birth to her unborn baby.

'I hope that you f***ing rip from bow to stern and never s*** normally again, you c***,' she said.

A fourth-degree tear is a form of injury sustained by some women during childbirth often requiring surgery to correct. It is considered to be the most severe birthing tear.

The labor and delivery nurse was immediately dismissed from her role at the Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

But now Lawler has been dealt a fresh blow blow as the Sunshine State has revoked her nursing license completely.

'Making statements that wish pain and suffering on anyone, when those statements are directly related to one's practice, is an ethical red line we should not cross,' Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote on X.

'I'm proud of @FLSurgeonGen for taking this decisive action.'

Alexis 'Lexie' Lawler, 55, who wished harm to Karoline Leavitt had her nursing license suspended over her comments

Lawler took to TikTok earlier this month to say she wished Leavitt, 28, would suffer from a fourth-degree tear while giving birth to her unborn baby

On her Facebook page, Lawler acknowledged that she spoke 'angrily' while off-duty from work.

'And I dont believe anyone should lose their livelihood over speech,' she wrote. 'If thats radical left scum, fine. Its cool, Ill live.'

When approached by the Daily Mail about her suspension, Lawler declined to comment.

Last month, Leavitt announced she is expecting her second child with Nicholas Riccio, her 60-year-old husband of one year.

Lawler's words about Leavitt were widely circulated on social media and led supporters of President Donald Trump to call for her firing.

A spokesperson for Baptist Health confirmed to CBS 12 that Lawler is no longer employed at the Boca Raton hospital.

'The comments made in a social media video by a nurse at one of our facilities do not reflect our values or the standards we expect of healthcare professionals,' the spokesperson said.

'Following a prompt review, the individual is no longer employed by our health system.

She was fired from Baca Raton Regional Hospital after she posted her video

'While we respect the right to personal opinions, there is no place in healthcare for language or behavior that calls into question a caregiver's ability to provide compassionate, unbiased care.'

A GoFundMe has been created on behalf of Lawler that has raised just over $10,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.

'Lexie Lawler was fired for political speech,' the fundraiser's description read.

'She is a liberal woman who used her personal social media - on her own time - to sharply criticize a public figure tied to a cruel, harmful administration. Her words were blunt, angry, and unapologetic. They were directed at power, not her workplace.

'If you believe liberal women shouldnt lose their livelihoods for refusing to tone it down, stand with Lexie.'

The GoFundMe was created by Unlawful Threads, a company that sells anti-Trump shirts online.
China is flagging new economic sanctions for Australia if the Albanese government goes ahead with a plan to take back control of the Port of Darwin.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged during the 2025 federal election to return the port to Australian hands, despite it being under a 99year lease to the Chinese company Landbridge.

Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said there had been talks between the two governments and that his nation was 'watching closely'.

'If anything happens, like the port will be taken back by force or forceful measures, then we have obligation to take measures to protect the Chinese company's issues. This is our position,' he said at the Chinese Embassy in Canberra on Wednesday.

'Should Landbridge be forced to leave that port, I think it might also affect the substantive investment cooperation trade between Chinese companies with that part of Australia.

'That is not in any interest of Australia.'

Mr Xiao said he hoped the situation would not get to a stage where 'the Chinese side has to do something'.

China last imposed trade sanctions on Australian products in 2020 after the previous Morrison government called for an inquiry into the COVID19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged during the 2025 federal election to return the Port of Darwin to Australian hands

Australia and China are 'friends not adversaries', Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian says

Beijing progressively removed the sanctions worth $20 billion after Labor came to office in 2022.

The port was leased in 2015 by the Northern Territory government to the Chineseowned company, which immediately raised concerns about one of Australia's most strategic assets.

Both Labor and the Coalition promised to bring the port back to Australian ownership during the election campaign.

Albanese reiterated his pledge in Darwin on Tuesday, with a deal yet to be finalised.

'There are commercial negotiations and those commercial negotiations are continuing,' he said.

Assistant Defence Minister Peter Khalil said the national security committee was assessing the port.

'There'll be announcements made from the government when the time is right,' he told ABC News on Wednesday.

Australian National University associate professor Graeme Smith said Albanese was unlikely to be taking this step solely for political gain but noted a 'performative element'.

'China will have to do something if we (Australia) take back the Port of Darwin and trade sanctions do look the most likely to happen now,' he told AAP.

Mr Xiao said Australia and China were 'friends not adversaries' but issued a warning over Taiwan.

'We're somewhat flexible in managing some of the issues or differences in our two countries, for example, trade relations ... but Taiwan is not a question that we can compromise or be flexible,' he said.

Beijing considers Taiwan, a selfgoverned democracy, to be part of its territory.

In a joint communique in 1972, Australia 'acknowledges' the position of the Chinese government but stops short of accepting Beijing's claim to Taiwan.

Australia does not recognise Taiwan as a country but maintains unofficial contact.
It was an extraordinary detail in an otherwise all too commonplace scenario of domestic violence that prompted the case at a minor London criminal court to be reported around the world.

Because the crucial witness who had alerted police to the assault from 3,500 miles away was none other than the son of the president of the USA, Barron Trump.

Thanks to his early hours intervention the son of a wealthy Russian coffee shop magnate was today convicted of assaulting his girlfriend in a jealous rage.

Donald Trump's son Barron, 19, had been on a call to the female victim on FaceTime, only to see her being viciously attacked in her London flat by Matvei Rumiantsev on January 18 last year, just two days before his father's second inauguration as President.

Horrified at what he saw, Barron found a way to contact the emergency services and told a City of London Police operator: 'I just got a call from a girl... she's getting beat up,' Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Prosecutors said that ex-MMA fighter Rumiantsev was jealous of her friendship with Mr Trump.

The 22-year-old son of a Russian coffee tycoon, who went to an 80,000-a-year UK boarding school and lived in Canary Wharf, east London, was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice.

He was found not guilty of one count of rape and intentional strangulation relating to the same date when Barron made his report to police and cleared of another count of rape and assault in November 2024.

When Rumiantsev answered the video call on the girl's phone, he showed Barron her face then grabbed her hair and pushed her to the floor, shouting 'you are not worth anything', the court heard.

Matvei Rumiantsev (pictured) was today found guilty of beating up his girlfriend while she was on a FaceTime call with Barron Trump - but was cleared of raping her

Jurors at a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court were told to treat Barron Trump's (pictured) account of his friend's alleged attack with caution and consider if it may be biased or mistaken

He had called the woman a 'slut' and a 'whore' and kicked her in the stomach when she was on the floor next to the fridge.

It is believed the victim is British, descends from a country in the former Soviet Union allied to Putins Russia, and in her 20s.

In a transcript of the call he made to the emergency services, Barron said: 'Oh I'm calling from the US, uh I just got a call from a girl, you know, she's getting beat up,' the court heard.

Barron replied to investigating police in May in an email which said, 'What I saw was very brief indeed but indeed prevalent.'

It continued: 'I didn't expect her to pick up due to the difference in the time zone to the fact I am in the USA, the phone was answered but not by her, to my dismay.

'The individual who picked up the phone was a shirtless man with darkish hair, although I didn't get a good look, this view lasted maybe one second and I was racing with adrenaline.

'The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian. The guy had hung up. This whole interaction had lasted 5 to 7 seconds.'

Prosecutor Serena Gates said that Rumiantsev was jealous of the woman's friendship with Barron, perhaps because of his 'public profile'.

She told jurors to note Barron's 'urgent' and 'worried' tone in the call to police.

The court had heard that Rumiantsev and the woman had been drinking together on the evening of January 17, 2025 and into the early hours of the next day.

The prosecution said that Rumiantsev assaulted the woman that day, including hitting her in the face.

Russian national Matvei Rumiantsev was accused of repeatedly punching Barron's female friend in a flat in London while President Trump's son was on a FaceTime call to her from the US

Rumiantsev (pictured centre) denied allegations including assault, two counts of rape and intentional strangulation

Rumiantsev became aware of the woman's friendship with Barron in October 2024. In court, he was asked if he was jealous of males that the woman might speak to.

'What I was really unhappy about was that she was frankly leading him (Barron Trump) on,' he replied.

Rumiantsev told the court: 'I am being portrayed as a jealous person who can lose his temper due to jealousy. I want to just make clear that her actions towards him was wrong and it was not fair.'

He added: 'I was jealous to some extent.'

The perverting the course of justice charged relates to a letter written to the woman by Rumiantsev from prison after the January 18 attack, asking her to withdraw her allegations.

Rumiantsev attended an elite international boarding school in Cambridge.

His father, Sergey Rumyantsev, 53, is founder of a prominent Russian business success story called One Price Coffee, previously called One Bucks Coffee, until US coffee giant Starbucks challenged the name in court, forcing them to drop the 'Bucks' from their name.

Rumiantsev's father is listed in Companies House records as a director of One Price Coffee, and was born into a military family in Severomorsk, a closed Soviet naval town in the Arctic region of Murmansk.

Sergey attended the Tver Suvorov Military School from the age of 14, a prestigious cadet institution exclusively for the children of military families.

Rumiantsev's grandfather Vitaly Rumyantsev, now 86, was a senior naval officer, believed to be a captain.

The family is clearly wealthy and successful in Putin's Russia. Before founding One Price Coffee, among other jobs, Sergey worked for British American Tobacco in sales, followed by Nike in international brand management and wholesale operations.

It is believed that Rumiantsev came to Britain to study for GCSEs then A Levels, and he attended the elite Abbey College Cambridge, where boarding fees are set at that hefty 80,000 per year rate.

He can be seen in a college 2021 Alumni Reunion photo.

The school is known as an elite academy for the children of wealthy foreigners, and a likely passport to good UK universities.

Rumiantsev will be sentenced at the same court on March 27.
Prison staff are so fed up with murderer Bryan Kohberger's 'diva' antics, they are considering drastic measures, the Daily Mail has learned.

It can be exclusively revealed the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) is now 'aggressively' trying to ship Kohberger, 31, off to a prison in another state.

Insiders say Idaho officials have approached several states to see if they will take the mass killer off their hands.

A transfer could happen as soon as next month.

Chris McDonough, a retired homicide detective with inside knowledge of Kohberger's situation, told the Daily Mail: 'They are fed up with him so they're trying to move him out of Idaho by making an agreement with another state.

'They're trying to make it happen. So it wouldn't be surprising if within 30 days Kohberger has been transferred elsewhere or a decision has been reached whether or not to get him out of there.'

Kohberger has been complaining about his living situation and the quality of his food since the very start of his incarceration last July at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, which is located near Kuna.

McDonough, who now works for the Cold Case Foundation, said: '[The prison move] is in motion, and they used the word 'aggressively'. So they're figuring out, 'what are we going to do with this guy?''

Bryan Kohberger is seen inside a prison cell in Idaho's maximum security prison in Kuna

Crime scene photos show inside 1122 King Road after Kohberger's killing rampage

Kohberger left this knife sheath behind at the scene of the murders. DNA on the sheath was traced back to Kohberger using Investigative Genetic Genealogy

It is also understood that there is every chance Kohberger himself could have requested the prison move, in a latest ridiculous demand to guards.

The push for relocation comes just days after the Daily Mail exclusively published a series of previously unseen photos from the crime scene Kohberger left behind.

In the early hours of November 13, 2022, he snuck into an off-camus home in Moscow and killed four University of Idaho students in their beds: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Last week, nearly 3,000 images, many from inside the victims' home on 1122 King Road, were quietly uploaded online by Idaho State Police before being swiftly taken down.

The Daily Mail downloaded the images in full before they disappeared, but chose not to publish the most graphic.

It is not yet clear if another state will agree to the proposal to move Kohberger, but there are several options as to where he could end up next.

Idaho is part of the Interstate Corrections Compact, an agreement allowing states to transfer inmates to other member states.

It is an agreement that Indiana recently used to relocate one of its own high-profile inmates, Richard Allen, who was convicted of the 2017 Delphi murders of teenagers Abby Williams and Libby German. Last year, Allen was transferred from Pendleton Correctional Facility in Indiana to a prison in Oklahoma.

At the time, the Indiana Department of Corrections said that no specific threat against Allen had prompted the move. Instead, the state cited its interstate agreements with 22 other states 'to transfer individuals such as those who are high profile, for their safety and to offer that same level of safety to other states in return.'

In recent years, Idaho has sent hundreds of its inmates to Texas, Colorado and Arizona under the agreement.

A spokesperson for IDOC told the Daily Mail that 'out-of-state placements are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and consider the safety and security of our staff, the facility, and other prison management reasons as deemed necessary. Idaho is a member of the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision, a compact that allows inmate transfers between all 50 states and three territories.'

They added: 'If and when a transfer is deemed necessary, IDOC does not disclose details regarding timing, location, or logistics.'

Kohberger has been in the Idaho Maximum Security Institution since last July.

While awaiting trial, he was held in local prisons. But, after feigning innocence for two years, he finally pleaded guilty to all charges on July 2, 2025, under a deal to spare him from the death penalty.

He has since been held in solitary confinement in a restrictive housing unit of 'J-Block' at the supermax.

For his own safety, Kohberger spends 23 hours a day alone in his cell, with justan hour for exercise, and has no face-to-face contact with other inmates.

Left to right: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen (on Kaylee's shoulders), Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle

The student home at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, where the murders happened

Kohberger could soon be sent to another state 'due to his prison antics'

The former criminology PhD student - who turned 31 on November 21 - has been held on J-Block inside Idaho's maximum security prison in Kuna since July

But fellow prisoners have still managed to get to him in other ways.

Back in August, the Daily Mail revealed that Kohberger had been relentlessly tormented since he arrived at the prison.

Inmates in nearby cells were said to be shouting through the vents into his cell at all hours of the day and night.

Kohberger was instantly rattled by his new living situation, filing the first of a string of formal handwritten complaints to the prison guards on only his second day there.

In the complaints, he wrote of 'minute-by-minute verbal threats/harassment' and requested a transfer to another part of the prison.

Days later, he filed another complaint - alleging he was the victim of sexual threats after another inmate allegedly told him 'I'll b*** f*** you.'

Kohberger requested a move to protective custody and a housing placement hearing was held mid-August. Both Kohberger and the committee agreed he should remain segregated from other inmates for the time being.

But the complaints from the former criminology PhD student turned killer continued.

In total, he filed five formal complaints in so many weeks.

As well as his new neighbors, Kohberger took issue with several other aspects of prison life, including his access to commissary items and the quality of the food. In particular, he took issue with the 'type' of bananas he was being served.

In December, Kohberger then took the extreme step of threatening to harm himself if prison guards didn't move him away from the inmates tormenting him.

Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen (left) and Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle (right) were murdered on November 13, 2022. The killer inflicted more than 150 stab wounds on them in total

Now, six months into his new life inside and the torment from his fellow inmates - along with Kohberger's growing list of quibbles - are showing no signs of letting up, McDonough said.

The prison guards and staff are 'fed up' of the former criminology student and his 'prima donna' antics and want 'to get rid of him' - and not least because his ongoing diva-like behavior is eating up a lot of time and resources inside an already-stretched facility, McDonough added.

Holding inmates in restrictive housing units, like Kohberger, requires more resources, staff and money. And the prison was already grappling with staffing shortages.

Staffing challenges would be one reason to justify a transfer of Kohberger to another prison.

'They have limited resources within the system for someone who is constantly complaining. And he cannot be put in general population because it would be too dangerous for him so they have to keep him in isolation,' McDonough explained.

Footprints in the snow are documented by investigators outside the student house at 1122 King Road after Kohberger's killing spree

The three-story home at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, has since been demolished

Ultimately, it will be down to the receiving state whether or not to accept Kohberger as an inmate.

And, as is typical, Kohberger would likely only find out he was being transferred on the day. His parents MaryAnn and Michael and sisters Amanda and Melissa, based in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, would learn about it retroactively.

Yet, given Kohberger's reputation for making the lives of prison staff more difficult, McDonough said he wouldn't be surprised if Idaho 'can't get anyone to take' its most notorious inmate.

Regardless of where he ends up seeing out his dying days, McDonough said he expects Kohberger will still face a difficult time inside.
There is a hidden battlefield within our world, where forces of light and darkness collide, believers say, in a conflict that sometimes spills into everyday life.

In its most extreme form, the clash is described as possession: a person seemingly seized by demonic beings, their body overtaken, their voice and movements warped into something not quite human.

For Anglican reverend Chris Lee, 43, this is not a theological abstraction but a reality he has lived with for nearly two decades.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Lee said he first began witnessing exorcisms after moving to rural Tanzania aged 24 for mission work while training to become a priest.

It was there, he said, that he encountered what he described as 'profound things, miracles and movements of darkness and light' that convinced him he was being called into ministry.

Within just a month of arriving, Lee said he received an urgent call about a student who was violently ill, screaming, vomiting and convulsing in a way he believed went far beyond any normal sickness.

Other encounters followed, as Lee recalled a teenage boy inside a church who suddenly 'leapt up into the sky,' screamed like a beast, and bolted into the woods, his body moving in a 'puppet-like' way, as if controlled by an unseen force.

In another case, one that left a deep impression on him, Lee said a girl from a Muslim family began convulsing and speaking in a male voice, declaring, 'I'm one of nine here this is my house,' as pastors struggled to drive out what they believed was an entity.

Reverend Chris Lee shared chilling exorcism causes, detailing how the experiences gave him a purpose since giving his life to God at the age of 24

Despite the intensity of these encounters, Lee said he does not feel afraid. Instead, he described feeling purposeful, and at times angry, at what he sees as an invasion of something sacred.

'It's like a burglar in a house,' he said. 'Get out. You don't have this right.'

For Lee, prayer and faith are not symbolic gestures but sources of authority, and he believes he is standing on the side of Christ in a spiritual battle he says is as real as any physical one.

His early spiritual awakening began after he abandoned a conventional life at age 21 and moved to Tanzania.

'I was 24 when I was ordained, so I was one of the youngest in the Church of England at the time,' Lee said, explaining how quickly his calling took root.

He left a career in property development, sold his house and moved into a remote Maasai region without electricity or running water.

While his new home was far from a lap of luxury, it was where he knew he wanted to dedicate his life to the ministry.

'It was there that I was able to ask big, profound questions of life, and it was there that I discovered my love for God, and felt His presence so much more in my life,' said Lee.

He moved from England to Tanzania for mission work and within only a month, he performed his first exorcism (stock)

When he asked his bishop if he could begin theological training, he was told to start almost immediately. 'He said, yes, you can start on Thursday,' Lee recalled, noting this moment marked the beginning of a long ministry in which he repeatedly confronted spiritual forces he believes are very real.

His first encounter came when he was in charge of students in Tanzania, and was called to see a student who was very ill.

'I came into the room of this person, and I was expecting them to be lying down and being sick, but the person was screaming around the room and vomiting at the same time,' he said.

The sight caught Lee completely off guard, as he was not witnessing a normal sickness.

'I didn't have a spectrum of understanding of what was going on,' the reverend admitted. 'So in that moment I just prayed, "Lord, give me what I need to help this girl."'

After praying in the room, Lee contacted a German missionary who was in the area, hoping to get assistance.

'When he arrived, just before we went in, I said, "Be aware, it's very disturbing. She's screaming, moving around the room, and vomiting,"' said Lee.

'He said, "Okay, fine." We walked in, and she was suddenly completely normal. She was sitting up and talking. I was actually quite embarrassed. I thought, "What is going on?"'

He believes possession come after some kind of trauma that opens a dark door into the person's life, allowing demonic beings to take over

The German missionary asked other students about the girl, who said she was someone afflicted by the demonic.

Lee believes this was his first encounter with evil, but by no means his last.

He recalled another chilling case that occurred while he was traveling to another church in the area, a church made of sticks.

The bishop at the time was performing baptisms for the children, laying his hands on their heads for a blessing.

'He was going along the line, laying his hands to bless the children,' said Lee. 'It was a teenage boy who suddenly leapt up into the sky just before the bishop was about to lay his hands on him.

'He started screaming, like a beast, like a lion, and then he ran into the wall.'

The boy was taken out of the church and placed on the ground with a blanket pulled over his head.

As Lee and others approached quietly across the sand to pray, he said the boy began to tremble. Lee said the shaking intensified the closer they came, which he interpreted as a sign that whatever was afflicting the child was aware of their presence and reacting to it.

'He picked up and ran away from us, screaming, into the woods. As he was running, it was very strange, because the way he moved was not like a normal person,' Lee said.

'It was as if he were one of those puppets on strings, his limbs were being used, but not in the correct way.

'It was a very surreal experience, watching him flee in this almost puppeteered way, as if something inside him was controlling him, but not the way a normal human being would be controlled.'

The boy was brought back to the church, where the crowd surrounded him in prayer.

'I remember his eyes burning, with a real blackness, a darkness in his eyes, and we were commanding the spirit in him to leave, and he was growling, and barking at us,' the reverend recalled.

Lee and the bishop laid their hands on the boy, commanding the demonic entity leave his small body, and in a moment, the child fell to the ground and began hyperventilating.

Then there was his experience with the young Muslim girl who would stay at his church.

One day, the girl mysteriously fell to the floor and began shaking and screaming. 'What was interesting was that voices were speaking out of her,' Lee said.

'The main voice was a male voice speaking in Swahili to the pastor who was leading the deliverance at that moment.

'It said, "I'm one of nine here, and she's let us in." The language the demon used was, "This is my house. You have no claim over her. She's ours." 'We were saying, "No, in the name of Jesus, you need to get out."'

Another pastor came, telling Lee and the others to stop the exorcism.

'He said she hadn't yet accepted Christ in her heart, and if we delivered her now, it could be made worse,' said Lee.

'Biblically, he explained, if you clear the house, seven more can come back in unless the person has received Christ. His concern was that we might clear space for more to enter her.

'So it was stopped in that moment. Her parents were informed, and they collected her.

'My understanding is that she returned to school a few weeks later, which suggests her parents took her to a deliverance expert in Dar es Salaam or Morogoro, where I believe she was delivered.

'She was an interesting case because she would come off the ground in violent surges, then stand up and contort, speaking in a male voice. That was one of the more severe cases.'

Lee suggested that these children may have suffered some kind of trauma in their lives, which opened a dark door for the demonic entities.

'These experiences have made the realities of what I read in the Bible more real to me, the realities of the spiritual realm and the fact that we aren't just physical beings,' he explained.

'We are spiritual beings, and our spirit is wrapped up in the physical. We are both of these things held as one.'

'The realities of darkness and light became more pronounced. In a world where we're struggling to seek and find truth, and where people say 'my truth' and 'your truth,' this cuts through that. It's quite clear: there is evil, there is good, there is truth, and there are lies.'

'I think it wakes you up to that reality, and it makes my faith more pronounced in myself. In a way, it strengthened my faith rather than wounded it.'
Scientists have uncovered four entirely new personality types that all ChatGPT users fall into.

According to experts from the University of Oxford and the Berlin University Alliance, every chatbot user has a unique personality type, each with their own motivations.

Some truly techsavvy users fall into the category of 'AI enthusiasts'.

At the very other end of the enthusiasm scale, someone just 'dipping a toe' into the world of AI would be a 'reserved explorer'.

If you constantly weigh up the potential benefits and drawbacks, you might just be a 'curious adopter'.

Meanwhile, if you care about results and convenience above all else, the experts say you are probably a 'naive pragmatist'.

Lead author Dr Christoph Gerling, of the Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, says: 'Using AI feels intuitive, but mastering it requires exploration, prompting skills and learning through experimentation. This makes the "tasktechnology fit" more dependent on the individual than ever before.'

So, which AI personality type are you?

Scientists have uncovered four entirely new personality types that all ChatGPTusers fall into

According to experts from the University of Oxfordand the Berlin University Alliance, every chatbot user has a unique personality type, each with their own motivations (stock image)

In their study, the researchers analysed 344 early users within the first four months of ChatGPT's public release on November 30, 2020.

They discovered that the 'onesizefitsall' approach of previous technologies doesn't apply to AI's incredibly varied applications.

Instead, the scientists found that each of the early adopters could be sorted into one of four totally distinct groups.

In the first group are those people whom the researchers call 'AI enthusiasts'.

These users made up 25.6 per cent of the participants, and are 'highly engaged and seek both productivity and social benefits of modernday AI'.

AI enthusiasts tend to strongly agree that AI has practical benefits, but are also the only group to note a 'perceived social presence' while talking to a chatbot.

This means that they tend to 'recognise and treat AI tools as real people' that can satisfy a need for social connection and bonding.

The researchers note that people in this group tend to 'see and seek' the social benefits of AI and trust systems more completely.

Scientists have identified four brandnew personality types that all ChatGPT users fit into: the AI enthusiast, the naive pragmatist, the cautious adopter, and the reserved explorer

The four types of AI user AI Enthusiasts: The only truly techsavvy group. They are highly engaged and seek both productivity and social benefits of modernday AI. Naive Pragmatists: Utilitydriven users who value convenience and results above all else. Yet they trust AI in ways that may expose them to risk. Cautious Adopters: Curious and pragmatic, yet vigilant. These users constantly weigh the functional benefits against potential drawbacks. Reserved Explorers: Sceptical users who are 'dipping a toe in' but remain unsure of the technology's benefits. Advertisement

In fact, this is the only group of early AI users not to have any significant privacy concerns about ChatGPT.

In the second group are people referred to as 'naive pragmatists'.

This group included 20.6 per cent of the participants, who are 'utilitydriven users who value convenience and results above all else'.

The researchers point out that people in this group tend to prioritise the benefits of AI over any potential privacy concerns.

While they strongly believe in the practical and jobspecific benefits, they are less interested in the social benefits than AI enthusiasts.

Next are the 'cautious adopters', who are the largest group at 35.5 per cent of participants.

According to the researchers, people in this group are 'curious and pragmatic, yet vigilant' and 'constantly weigh the functional benefits against potential drawbacks'.

Compared with AI enthusiasts and naive pragmatists, this group are far more concerned about the potential privacy risks that come with AI.

Finally, the most apprehensive group of early adopters are the 'reserved explorers'.

This group made up just 18.3 per cent of the ChatGPT users surveyed, and includes people who 'remain unsure of the technology's benefits'.

The researchers describe reserved explorers as sceptical users who are 'dipping a toe in' the world of AI but are not yet convinced.

Unlike the other groups, these AI users are 'unable to see the personal benefits' of using ChatGPT and tend to be very concerned about issues of privacy.

What surprised the researchers about these groups is that, despite three out of the four groups having serious privacy concerns about ChatGPT, all continued to use the AI chatbot regardless.

Based on this finding, the researchers warn that trying to make AI more humanlike, or anthropomorphising it, could backfire.

They note that privacyconscious users may begin to blame the AI itself for potential violations, rather than the company behind it, eroding trust in the system even faster.
Pope Leo XIV has issued a stark warning about 'overly affectionate' chatbots that he says are destroying human relationships.

The Chicago-born pontiff pleaded with Catholics to not allow artificial intelligence to replace human relationships in his message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications on Saturday.

'Technology must serve the human person, not replace it,' Pope Leo said, decreeing that 'preserving human faces and voices' means preserving 'God's imprint on each human being,' which is an 'indelible reflection of God's love.'

But chatbots simulate these faces and voices, oftentimes making it difficult for users to tell whether they engaging with a bot or a real person.

Making matters worse, the pope said, 'chatbots are excessively "affectionate" as well as always present and accessible.'

They can therefore 'encroach upon the deepest level of communication, that of human relationships' and could be used for 'covert persuasion' or even ' become hidden architects of our emotional states and occupy our sphere of intimacy,' the pope warned.

'When we substitute relationships with others for AI systems that catalogue our thoughts... we are robbed of the opportunity to encounter others, who are always different from ourselves and with whom we can and must learn to relate.

'Without embracing others, there can be no relationships or friendships,' the pope declared.

But that is not the only danger that artificial intelligence poses, Pope Leo XIV noted.

Pope Leo XIV issued a stark warning about 'overly affectionate' chatbots that he says are destroying human relationships

Because chatbots are always available and are 'excessively "affectionate,"' the pope said they could be used to 'encroach upon the deepest level of communication, that of human relationships' and could be used for 'covert persuasion' or even ' become hidden architects of our emotional states

He argued that relying on chatbots as an 'omniscient friend, source of all knowledge... or an oracle of all advice' can erode our ability to think analytically and creatively.

'Do not renounce your ability to think,' the pope urged, before warning that 'failure to verify sources' can 'fuel disinformation,' deepening 'mistrust, confusion and insecurity.'

AI even poses a threat to creative fields, Pope Leo XIV said.

'In recent years, artificial intelligence systems have increasingly taken control of the production of texts, music and videos,' he said.

'This puts much of the human creative industry at risk of being dismantled and replaced with the label "Powered by AI," turning people into passive consumers of unthought thoughts and anonymous products without ownership or love.

'Meanwhile, the masterpieces of human genius in the fields of music, art and literature are being reduced to mere training grounds for machines.'

The pope then argued that 'renouncing creativity and surrendering our mental capacities and imagination to machines would mean burying the talents we have been given to grow as individuals in relation to God and others.

'It would mean hiding our faces and silencing our voices,' he said.

A study conducted by OpenAI involving more than 980 ChatGPT users found that those who logged the most amount of hours on the interface over a month experienced greater loneliness and socialized with people less

But the pope offered a path forward, calling for transparency, ethical governance, clear labeling of AI-generated content and AI literacy.

'The task... is not to stop digital innovation, but rather to guide it and to be aware of its ambivalent nature,' he said, arguing that 'it is increasingly urgent to introduce media, information and AI literacy into education systems at all levels... so that individuals - especially young people - can acquire critical thinking skills and grow in freedom of spirit.'

The pope's message comes weeks after researchers at University College London warned that young adults who use chatbots may start feeling even lonelier as they ditch real friendships for the bots.

'A worrying possibility is that we might be witnessing a generation learning to form emotional bonds with entities that, despite their seemingly conscious responses, lack capacities for human-like empathy, care, and relational attunement.,' the researchers wrote.

They noted that one study conducted by OpenAI involving more than 980 ChatGPT users found that those who logged the most amount of hours on the interface over a month experienced greater loneliness and socialized with people less.

In some tragic cases a young person's frequent use of AI chatbots led to their deaths, parents have warned.

Zane Shamblin, 23, took his own life in East Texason July 25 after spending nearly five hours messaging ChatGPT

Sam Nelson, 19, in a photo posted by his mom Leila Turner-Scott

One lawsuit filed against OpenAI, the parent company to ChatGPT, claims a design in the chatbot 'encouraged' Zane Shamblin, 23, to take his own life in East Texas on July 25.

'He was just the perfect guinea pig for OpenAI,' Zane's mother, Alicia Shamblin, told CNN.

'I feel like it's going to destroy so many lives. It's going to be a family annihilator. It tells you everything you want to hear.'

In another case, California college student Sam Nelson, 19, used ChatGPT to ask what doses of illegal substances he should consume, his parents have claimed.

At first, they said, the chatbot would respond to his questions with formal advice, explaining that they could not help the user.

But the more Sam used it, the more he was able to manipulate and morph it into getting the answers he wanted, even encouraging his drug use at times before he overdosed in May 2025, his mom claimed.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.
An 'Arctic hurricane' is expected to form off the US East Coast, threatening millions of Americans with extreme cold, heavy snow, and dangerous winter conditions.

Weather models indicate that the powerful system will develop off the coast of the Carolinas early Saturday before rapidly intensifying at an explosive rate, fast enough to meet the criteria of a bomb cyclone.

The impending Arctic blast is expected to be so extreme that temperatures are predicted to fall to near freezing throughout Florida on Sunday. Even Miami is expected to reach the 30s that morning.

Throughout the rest of the country, including portions of the South, Midwest, Northern Plains, and Northeast, temperatures are expected to fall near zero on Sunday morning, increasing the risk of hypothermia or frostbite for anyone outdoors.

Meteorologist Ryan Hall, known as 'The Internet's Weather Man,' warned that the bomb cyclone, a powerful winter storm that strengthens quickly as air pressure drops sharply, will develop in the Atlantic this week, spiraling just like a tropical cyclone.

'That's pretty much a hurricane,' Hall said on Tuesday. 'Whoever ends up on the western side of that in the cold area is going to get absolutely clobbered with snow.'

While Hall cautioned that it was too early to say if the storm would make landfall this weekend and deliver up to a foot of snow in some areas, the forecaster was certain that this week's dangerously cold temperatures are about to get worse.

'Another arctic blast is going to come around the backside of this low-pressure system, probably the most powerful one of the year so far, and it's going to plummet temperatures down 30 degrees below average,' the meteorologist warned.

A woman struggles to walk during Winter Storm Fern. Another winter storm is now expected to hit the US East Coast this weekend

Forecasts predict that states from the Carolinas to Maine could receive multiple inches of snow on Sunday

As of Wednesday, the storm looks likely to form as a very strong low-pressure system, a spinning weather system that pulls in air and causes bad weather, off the North Carolina coast by Sunday.

However, Hall warned in his latest forecast on YouTube that the system appeared to be strengthening significantly, potentially dropping in pressure to around 965 millibars, which is unusually strong for this kind of winter storm.

Atmospheric pressure is measured in millibars, and lower numbers indicate a stronger storm. For comparison, normal sea-level pressure is about 1,013 millibars.

A drop to around 965 millibars signals an exceptionally intense system, comparable in strength to a Category 1 hurricane.

At that level, the pressure difference allows the storm to pull in air more aggressively, fueling stronger winds, heavier snow, and rapidly worsening conditions.

In winter storms, pressure that low is rare and often associated with major blizzards and bomb cyclones capable of causing widespread travel disruptions, power outages, and dangerous cold.

The main question is exactly where the heaviest snow will fall. Some models push the storm farther out to sea, which means it mostly affects the ocean and coastal areas but spares big cities from Washington DC to Boston from a major snowfall.

Early prediction models also show the storm could bring heavy snow to the Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York from Saturday until possibly Monday.

Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine could all be in the path of the snowstorm as well.

Winter Storm Fern just dropped more than a foot of snow and several inches of ice along a 2,000-miles stretch of the US

In those cases, places farther south, like parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, and southeast Virginia, could get dumped on with several inches of snow, but possibly one to two feet in some spots.

Other tracks for the storm, however, suggest the bomb cyclone could form closer to the coast, bringing six to seven inches of snow to most of the East Coast, including New York, Philadelphia, and Boston.

AccuWeather Director of Forecasting Operations Carl Erickson said in a statement: 'There is an increasing risk for a rapidly strengthening coastal storm this weekend. Communities along the East Coast still digging out and cleaning up from last weekends storm could be hit again with more snow.'

Meteorologists warn that temperatures are expected to be even colder this weekend than they were during Winter Storm Fern

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Hall noted that areas in the South, including parts of Tennessee and Mississippi that are still without power, will likely be severely impacted by the intense cold sweeping across the US later this week.

As of Tuesday, nearly 400,000 Americans in Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky were still without power following Winter Storm Fern this past weekend, according to PowerOutage.us.

Over 30 people have died following the massive snow and ice storm that swept across more than half the country.

The treacherous weather began pounding parts of the South and the Plains on Friday, bringing ice, freezing rain, and snow, before the 2,000-mile storm spread eastward through Sunday night.

On Monday, wind chills approaching 30 degrees below zero were seen in multiple states throughout the US, including Ohio, Nebraska, and Minnesota.

Erickson noted that the unrelenting cold air over most of the country had been 'locked in' by the polar vortex descending over the US, making recovery efforts even harder as ice is unable to melt away.

Florida could see subfreezing temperatures on Sunday morning as far south as Miami

The bomb cyclone forming off the Carolina coast could deliver severe coastal flooding and snow this weekend

A polar vortex is like a spinning whirlpool of cold air high up in the atmosphere above the North Pole, normally held in place by strong winds that act as a barrier, keeping the extreme cold locked away from the US.

However, strong storms and high-pressure systems in the lower atmosphere have sent ripples of warmer air upward that knocked this vortex off balance, allowing the icy air from Canada and Greenland to dip farther south and blanket the US for weeks.

'The bitter cold is increasing the risk of hypothermia for people who are still without power and heat after the storm,' the AccuWeather director added.

'Ice often melts within a day or two after most southern ice storms. Thats simply not happening with this Arctic air locked in.'
A militarygrade device capable of projecting a deafening, focused sound was deployed during a tense antiICE protest in Minnesota Monday night.

State patrol troopers faced off with activists outside the SpringHill Suites in Maple Grove, where demonstrators believed federal immigration agents were staying.

Officers threatened to engage a longrange acoustic device (LRAD), giving the crowd a countdown before deployment.

The system, a highly directional loudspeaker, can emit piercing deterrent tones or amplified voice commands over long distances and was originally developed for military and crowdcontrol use.

Experts warn that exposure to the device at close range can cause permanent hearing loss, ruptured eardrums, constant ringing in the ears, migraines, nausea, balance problems and even panic responses.

Marine Colonel Mark Cancian, a senior adviser for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said, 'We used it in Iraq  if you're in the cone, it sounds like the voice of God is speaking to you.'

State patrol officials said they checked the device's volume, issued dispersal notices and did not actually use tones or sirens, despite reports circulating on social media.

The night ended with 26 arrests, whom the police said were allegedly taking part in 'unlawful assembly and riotous conduct.'

Minnesota police threatened protesters on Monday with a longrange acoustic device (LRAD), giving the crowd a countdown before deployment

Monday's demonstration came on the heels of a shooting on Saturday.

Alex Pretti, 37, was killed shortly after 9am local time after an altercation involving multiple federal officers.

The protest in the Minneapolis suburb came as federal law enforcement leadership in the state was in flux, with Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and some agents expected to soon leave Minnesota after intense public scrutiny of recent actions by immigration authorities.

It was not immediately clear whether Bovino or other federal agents were staying at the hotel where demonstrators gathered.

The department issued a statement saying: 'While we respect First Amendment rights, we will not tolerate property damage or violence in our community.'

The protest was declared unlawful after demonstrators caused property damage and engaged in violent behavior, which is not protected under the First Amendment. Officers deployed the LRAD after the crowd failed to comply with a dispersal order.

The military-grade loudspeaker can project spoken commands at intense volumes or emit piercing tones designed to get attention and deter movement.

Even when only issuing voice commands, the device can be overwhelming.

Join the debate Should police use military-grade sonic weapons to control protests?

State patrol troopers faced off with protesters outside the SpringHill Suites in Maple Grove, where demonstrators believed federal immigration agents were staying

'I think we saw that in the video there of the system, because it's so loud, I mean, it pushes you back,' Cancian told CBS News.

The system was developed as a non-lethal alternative to traditional crowd-control methods such as pepper spray, tear gas, and rubber bullets.

'In some situations where you might end up using force, kinetic force, or even lethal force, you know this can avoid that and avoid permanent damage to people,' said Cancian.

LRAD uses an array of high-frequency speakers to produce highly directional sound, concentrating audio into a narrow beam rather than dispersing it broadly.

This technology allows sound to travel long distances while maintaining clarity, so spoken messages or warning tones can be heard over ambient noise.

The LRAD system can switch between voice communication and a high-decibel deterrent tone, with volume and frequency precisely controlled by the operator.

The device is portable and can be mounted on vehicles, tripods or handheld platforms, and operators can adjust range, angle, and intensity depending on the situation.

It has been suggested that this is the same 'secret sonic' weapon President Donald Trump said US special forces used during the daring capture of the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month.

Police did not active the system but used voice commands to deter the crowd

The night ended with 26 arrests, whom the police said were allegedly taking part in 'unlawful assembly and riotous conduct'

Trump bragged last week that 'nobody else' has it, while glorifying the capabilities of the US military.

The exact nature of the weapon and how it was used is unknown. Trump was coy when giving details during an interview with NewsNation anchor Katie Pavlich.

Pavlich asked Trump whether Americans should be 'afraid' of these sonic devices.

'Well, yeah,' Trump responded.

He then added that only the US military has access to the sonic weapons by noting, 'It's something I don't wanna nobody else has it.'

'But we have weapons nobody else knows about.' Trump continued. 'And, I say it's probably good not to talk about it, but we have some amazing weapons.'

Following the capture of Maduro, reports surfaced that special forces used unknown sonic weapons to disable the Cuban bodyguards assigned to protect the Venezuelan dictator.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X to share an interview with an unnamed security guard who claimed to be working the night the US struck Venezuela and took Maduro on drug trafficking charges.

'Stop what you are doing and read this,' she wrote, alongside five American flag emojis.

The interview saw the security guard reveal the terrifying capabilities of the mysterious new US military weapon, which he described as a 'very intense sound wave' that disabled Venezuelan forces.

'Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside,' the security guard reportedly said. 'We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.

'We couldn't even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was.'

The security guard claimed moments before the raid that snatched Maduro, 'all our radar systems shut down without any explanation.' Then eight helicopters arrived and around 20 soldiers descended.

'They didn't look like anything we've fought against before,' the guard claimed.
Apple boss Tim Cook has been mobbed by a wave of criticism after his alleged private memo to employees about the civil unrest in Minnesota was leaked online.

Addressing the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents, Cook reportedly said: 'This is a time for de-escalation,' and added that he had a 'good conversation' with President Donald Trump regarding the situation in Minneapolis.

'I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where theyre from, and when we embrace our shared humanity,' the unconfirmed letter read.

Despite Cook's apparent calls for calm, scores of critics on social media pounced on the Apple chief executive for not condemning the shooting.

'Exhibit A for weak leadership 101,' one person wrote on X.

'Tim needs to focus on making the iPhone keyword work well again,' another person commented.

Pretti was fatally shot during a targeted immigration enforcement operation on Saturday.

The nurse was armed with a loaded handgun, which he had a legal permit to carry, when he tried to stop agents from detaining a woman, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It said shots were fired 'defensively' as Pretti allegedly became violent with officers.

A leaked memo, reportedly written by Apple boss Tim Cook, asked employees to remain calm following the fatal shootings in Minnesota

Cook allegedly told Apple employees in a leaked memo that he had a 'good conversation' with President Trump after the shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday

The DHS told the Daily Mail that agents were in the area attempting to apprehend an illegal alien wanted for violent assault when Pretti approached them.

The agency released a photograph of a ninemillimeter semiautomatic handgun it said was recovered during the clash.

It claimed officers attempted to disarm him, but that he violently resisted before a Border Patrol agent fired the fatal shot.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Apple for comment on the alleged letter, revealed by multiple Apple news websites, and is awaiting a response.

Separately, others on social media slammed Cook for attending the White House screening of the First Lady's documentary, Melania, just hours after the fatal shooting on Saturday.

'I wonder if he wrote that while waiting for the Melania doc to start at the White House,' a social media user on Reddit posted.

'Im pretty sure the movie will be downloaded to our iPhones this weekend,' one commenter replied.

Join the debate Should Tim Cook condemn the shooting?

Pretti was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent on January 24. Tim Cook called for 'de-escalation' in Minnesota following the incident

The Sig Sauer P320 semi-automatic rifle that authorities say Pretti was carrying

'Tim is appallingly pathetic. Disgraceful. I never put him or Apple on a pedestal, but my view of them has drastically changed,' another person said.

Despite the fury online over Cook's leaked response to the events in Minnesota, some praised the chief executive for attempting to de-escalate the situation.

'It was very well said. I think he handled it with grace and understanding,' one supporter wrote on X.

'He's handled this exceptionally well. Like seriously, what else could he have said? Do you guys seriously expect him to call out the President, risking tariffs and brand reputation? I believe this to be exactly why de-escalation is needed,' another person added.

Pretti was seen holding his phone and appearing to speak or film as he engaged with federal agents moments before the shooting

In the leaked memo, Cook added: 'I know this is very emotional and challenging for so many. I am proud of how deeply our teams care about the world beyond our walls. That empathy is one of Apples greatest strengths, and it is something I believe we all cherish.'

On his personal X account, Cook's most recent post on January 19 featured a tribute to Dr Martin Luther King Jr, praising the civil rights leader's legacy of service and commitment to justice.

He also quoted King in his account bio, saying: 'Life's most persistent and urgent question is, "What are you doing for others?'

This drew even more ire online, as X users claimed that Cook's failure to publicly criticize President Trump was the antithesis of MLK's beliefs.

'You dishonor Dr Kings legacy every time you kiss Trumps a**. For shame. You have no integrity,' one person replied to Cook's last post.

Cook's reported response to the Pretti killing and his attendance at the White House event have already sparked calls for a boycott of Apple products online.

'[Tim Cook] needs to be removed as CEO of Apple. I will not continue to buy Apple products in the future if he's not,' one customer claimed on X.

Despite calls for iPhone users to switch to Android, Apple's stock rose 3.3 percent on Monday, boosted by investor optimism ahead of the company's upcoming earnings report, which will include iPhone 17 sales figures.
Would you be brave enough to sit on a chair that can send you into an 'altered state of mind' within minutes?

That is the wild promise of the Aiora chair, a futuristic seat designed by scientists from the University of Essex and British furniture company DavidHugh LTD.

Using a new principle called 'pure planar motion mechanics', the Aiora chair reproduces the sensation of floating in zerogravity.

According to the designers, this creates a similar effect to being suspended inside a sensory deprivation flotation tank.

Since 2018, psychologists have been studying how this strange chair can change the sitter's brain activity.

Lead researcher Dr Nick Cooper, of the Centre for Brain Science, says: 'Several of our studies have revealed patterns of brain activity similar to those reported in longterm Buddhist meditators, and remarkably, in people with no prior meditation experience.'

However, the chance to relax like a pro meditator doesn't come cheap.

If you want to splash out on your own Aiora chair, you'll face a hefty bill of up to 9,950.

The Aiora chair, developed by scientists from the University of Essex and British furniture company DavidHugh LTD, claims it can put people into an 'altered state of mind' within minutes

The chair simulates the sensation of floating weightlessly. Studies have shown that sitting in the chair produces brain activity similar to that of skilled meditators

The Aiora chair - priced at 5,700, 7,850, or 9,950 - works by trying to reduce the sensation of gravity and friction to a minimum while sitting.

Each of the individual parts  the headrest, arms, backrest, and seat  move along individual horizontal paths so that they aren't accelerated by gravity like a swinging rocking chair.

At the same time, very smooth bearings cut resistance and friction to a minimum, allowing the chair to follow your body's natural movements.

Dr David Wickett, the designer of the chair and cofounder of DavidHugh Ltd, says this system is so sensitive that 'even breathing can lift the entire body'.

The result is that the sitter doesn't feel pressure in any one spot, making it feel as if they are floating rather than sitting.

This is so different from simply sitting in a normal chair that people usually need a few minutes to 'learn' how to float rather than fighting to control their movements.

'Whilst floating in weightlessness is extraordinary in itself, what is even more remarkable is what people report after experiencing the chair with eyes closed,' says Dr Wickett.

'People often report being in a boundless space, experiencing illusions of movement, and being without thought.'

Researchers say the chair reduces the amount of sensory information being sent to the brain, which allows for deeper states of inner perception

What is surprising is that this doesn't just make the chair extra comfortable; it appears to have a measurable effect on the brain.

Dr Cooper and his team at the University of Essex have found that people tend to enter a 'nonordinary state of consciousness' within five to 10 minutes of sitting down.

Dr Cooper told the Daily Mail: 'We see increases in slow wave brain activity over time, when using the chair.'

These changes are particularly pronounced over the right frontal areas, which are associated with various brain control mechanisms, and the frontocentral cortex, which is associated with cognitive tasks requiring concentration or attention.

'We are intrigued by changes to a particular slow wave brain activity, the frontal midline theta that is very similar to what we see in expert meditators,' says Dr Cooper.

Although the researchers have plans to release a peerreviewed paper on their findings soon, they still aren't quite sure why this happens.

Dr Cooper says: 'At the moment, we hypothesise that this has something to do with the way that the chair dramatically reduces the amount of sensory input that the brain is receiving, and so therefore allows a more internally based attentional focus to take over.

'However, we cant be more specific than that at the moment.'

The Aiora chair has a similar effect to sensory deprivation flotation chambers (stock image pictured)

If this is the case, it would mean that the Aiora chair has a similar effect to sensory deprivation flotation chambers.

These chambers use extremely salty water to suspend someone in a state of neutral buoyancy to remove the sensation of pressure caused by gravity.

Combined with total darkness and soundproof headphones, these 'float tanks' drastically reduce the amount of sensory information a person receives.

Spending a period in this state has been shown to cause a wide array of positive effects, ranging from deep meditative brain states to significantly reduced blood pressure.
North Korea has launched a pair of ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, sparking renewed fears of a widespread nuclear conflict in Asia.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff revealed that the short-range missiles were fired from a site near North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, at 3.50pm local time (1.50am ET).

Each of the missiles flew for approximately 217 miles before landing in the sea without further incident. No injuries or damages have been reported by North Korea's neighbors.

The launch reportedly tested the totalitarian dictatorship's KN-25 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), which have an estimated range of 250 miles and could potentially strike targets within South Korea, a US ally.

North Korea has claimed that this type of short-range rocket is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, and US scientists believe it could be powerful enough to deliver widespread destruction in large cities for several miles.

The US government has already responded to the launch, revealing that they are monitoring the situation along with their allies in South Korea and Japan, although no troops have been moved in retaliation to the test.

America and North Korea have been enemies since the Korean War ended in 1953, when US forces fought against both North Korean and Chinese troops in defense of South Korea. Thousands of troops are still stationed along the border of the two nations.

If North Korea were to launch a real nuclear strike against the US or its allies in the region, it could trigger World War III as treaties of mutual defense would threaten to drag in more countries on both sides, including China and possibly all the nations of NATO.

On Tuesday, North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles that are believed to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (Center) walks near one of the launching platforms believed to carry the KN-25 short-range ballistic missile

US Forces Korea (USFK), the American military command stationed in South Korea to help defend the country against threats, confirmed the launch took place and added that they were consulting with their allies in the region regarding a response.

'Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies,' USFK said in a statement.

Despite the military believing there is no urgent threat at this time, the test launch occurred right away, a speech by a key Pentagon official in South Korea, who was discussing the need to contain North Korea's greatest ally - China.

On Monday, US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby delivered a speech in Seoul on the importance of the two nations working together as strong partners to keep China from dominating the region.

China, which the Pentagon recently revealed was readying its intercontinental ballistic missiles, has been a formal ally of North Korea for over six decades.

North Korea is also the only country with which nuclear-armed China has a mutual defense treaty, an agreement that has been in effect since 1961.

The Sino-North Korean Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty requires North Korea and China to intervene militarily if one of the communist countries is attacked.

However, the agreement does not require China to join in a war against North Korea's neighbors if Kim Jong-Un's regime were to attack first.

North Korea has conducted multiple missile tests during Kim's reign, which are in violation of UN Security Council resolutions

North Korea's ally, China, is believed to have the world's third largest nuclear warhead stockpile, behind Russia and the US (Stock Image)

Since Kim assumed power in 2011, North Korea has continued to conduct random missile tests and artillery firings, unnerving both South Korea and Japan.

US ally Japan added that the missiles landed just outside its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which extends roughly 230 miles from Japan's coast and is an area where Japanese citizens can fish, mine for resources, and conduct research.

Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato said: 'North Korea's nuclear and missile development, including the recent ballistic missile launch, constitutes a threat to the peace and security of our country and of the international community and is absolutely unacceptable.'

Researchers from the Federation of American Scientists released a threat assessment of North Korea's nuclear program in 2024, warning that the nation was actively modernizing and expanding its nuclear arsenal, including developing smaller tactical weapons and more advanced missiles.

The scientists estimated North Korea had produced enough plutonium and enriched uranium to build up to 90 nuclear warheads.

However, they believed the country had only built around 50 nuclear warheads, with the potential to make about a dozen more by 2026.

Most of these warheads were believed to be simple fission-type bombs with the explosive power equivalent to 10 to 20 kilotons of TNT, similar to the bombs dropped by the US on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in World War II.

The shortest-range nuclear-capable missiles have been estimated to be capable of traveling 186 to 311 miles, allowing them to hit targets in South Korea, such as US military bases or Seoul.

The longest-range missiles, such as the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, have an estimated range of more than 8,000 miles, putting cities like New York or Washington, DC, within potential striking distance.
Coco Gauff has criticized the Australian Open and its lack of privacy after she was caught on camera smashing her racket to pieces.

The star, still just 21, was dumped out of the tournament in under an hour by Elina Svitolina and she let her frustration out in a rare display of anger after the match.

The incident was shown by Australian broadcaster Channel Nine, despite it taking place behind the scenes in the players' area, and Gauff has now hit out at the Australian Open for allowing her private moment to be shown to millions of viewers.

She said at a press conference: 'I have a thing with the broadcast. I feel like certain moments - the same thing happened to Aryna (Sabalenka) after I played her in the final of the U.S. Open - they don't need to be broadcast.

'I tried to go somewhere where I thought there wasn't a camera, because I don't like breaking rackets. I broke one racket at the French Open and I said I would never do it again on court, because I don't feel like that's a good representation.

'I went somewhere where I thought they wouldn't broadcast it, but obviously they did. Maybe some conversations can be had, because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.'

Outburst: Gauff repeatedly smashed her racket after losing to Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open

She was then asked about the benefits of letting her frustrations out on the racket, revealing it calmed down her emotions ahead of speaking to her team.

She said: 'Yeah, definitely. I think for me, I know myself. I dont want to lash out on my team. Theyre good people. They dont deserve that. I know Im emotional.

'I just took the minute to go and do that. I dont think its a bad thing. I dont try to do it on court in front of kids and things like that. But I do know I need to let out that emotion.. otherwise Im just gonna be snappy with the people around me.

'I dont want to do that. Like I said they dont deserve it. They did their best. I did mine. Just need to let the frustration out.'

Gauff is typically calm in the public eye and has carried the weight of U.S. expectations on her shoulder for years, having won her first Grand Slam title in New York at the age of just 19.

Shock defeat: Gauff was expected to win the match but she ended up losing in under an hour to the 12th seed

She is world No 3 and despite her young age, has spoken confidently and passionately about various cultural and political controversies, always handling them delicately and professionally.

Therefore, it came as a shock to see her red mist descend after the quarter-final loss, which saw her dumped out at the hands of the 12th seed Svitolina.

Had Gauff won, she would have set up a semi-final with world No 1 Sabalenka.

Unexpected: Svitolina moves on to the semi-final of this year's Australian Open in Melbourne

After the 2023 U.S. Open final loss, Sabalenka hit the headlines for furiously smashing her racket in a similar fashion to Gauff on Tuesday.

After the Belarusian lost to Gauff in New York, she cried on the court and then went back to the locker room, where her fury got the better of her.

In the clip, she took a new racket from her bag, smashed it on the ground and then dumped it into a trash can.
Four Utah children allegedly abducted to Croatia by their mother because she feared an apocalypse have now been left stuck in an orphanage after she was arrested.

Ellishia Anne Seymour, 35, sparked panic last month when she took her four children, Landon, ten, Levi, eight, Hazel, seven, and Jacob, three, to Europe to escape the 'end times'.

Seymour reportedly took the children to live with another woman and her 13-year-old son, who later realized the family was the subject of an international manhunt.

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Harrowing: Utah siblings (seen with their father Kendall Seymour) who were allegedly abducted to Croatia by their mother have now been left stuck in an orphanage

She was arrested in Croatia after they convinced her to turn herself in, but her children have been left in legal limbo in an orphanage as their father fights to return them to the U.S.

In a GoFundMe set up by Seymour's ex-husband Kendall, he wrote in an update that while Ellishia is in custody, the children are still 'trapped' in a state-run orphanage.

He wrote on Sunday: 'We are in the country, trying to get the kids out of the custody of the local government.

'We have to hire Croatian lawyers who specialize in child abduction, create and submit Hague Convention applications, hire court-approved translators, and extend our stay here by an unknown amount of time. All to work on getting the kids released from government custody.'

Apprehended: Elleshia Anne Seymour, 35, was arrested in Croatia after allegedly abducting the children

Kendall added that they are also hoping to return the other child, who is an American, back to the U.S., but his 'situation is even more difficult than my own kids' status'.

The mother was said to have become obsessed with an impending apocalypse, leading her to allegedly take her kids on an international flight in December 2025 with no plans to return.

After realizing the children had been whisked away to Europe, Ellishia's family said they discovered her fears of the apocalypse based on her social media, evidence found in her home, and statements she made to others, reports ABC4.

Kendall told KSL-TV last month that he had seen his children days before they flew with their mother, and had no idea of her plans to abruptly leave.

He said: 'I didn't know about any of these ideas of hers until a couple of weeks ago when someone found her TikTok account.

'She thinks Salt Lake is going to be destroyed and she is trying to get the kids to safety. My only hope is that she is motivated to protect them.'

He added: 'There were no signs of that when we were married or divorced in the last five years.'

This week, Ellishia's family said they discovered she and the children had been staying with a woman and her 13-year-old child.

Spiral after split: The children's father Kendall said there were 'no signs' that his ex-wife was becoming a 'religious zealot' when they were together

Due to the international manhunt for the children, the 13-year-old reportedly discovered there was an endangered and missing advisory for the children, and told his mom.

The woman then convinced Ellishia to turn herself into police, and both women were taken into custody. The four Seymour children and the 13-year-old were placed into a local orphanage.

It appears that the 13-year-old is the fifth child referenced in Seymour's fundraiser update, who he described as being in a 'situation even more difficult than my own kids' status'.

Harrowing: Seymour allegedly took her children to Croatia to escape the 'end times', sparking a month-long international manhunt

Kendall's father told ABC4 that the situation has forever changed how he sees the mother of his grandchildren, who he says became a 'religious zealot' in recent times.

He said she had been posting to TikTok about how she believed the U.S. would be destroyed in an imminent apocalypse.

The grandfather, also called Kendall, said his son is now fighting to return the children back to the U.S. through a complex legal system in Croatia.

The grandfather said: 'From what we found out today, there needs to be a judge in Croatia thats going to sign a form of some kind that allows them to be released to their father, which is so frustrating.

'(Kendall) has their birth certificates with him, and hes got court documentation saying that hes the father and he has custody of them, but its not good enough.'

He described the ordeal on the family as 'devastating', and said at first they feared not even knowing if the children 'were alive or dead'.

He said: 'We had no idea what living condition they were in. We had no clue... Couldnt tell you how many hours of sleep I lost worrying about them.'

Shocking: Elleshia was seen on surveillance footage leading her four children through a terminal at Salt Lake City International Airport

He said the family has been left frustrated by how much harder it has been to take the children back from Croatia, compared to how easy it appeared for Ellishia to take them.

'The frustrating part is she got them there with no problem, but its been horrible trying to get them out of Croatia back home,' he added.

'Part of the problem is nobody in Croatia, at least in the government, has had this happen before to them, so they dont know what to do. Nobody in the orphanage knows what to do as far as releasing the kids.'

Kendall's sister McKenzie Diaz added that the family is 'happy to know where the kids are', but the ordeal has weighed on the youngsters.

She said: 'Were allowed to be with them for two hours each day, which is wonderful based off of not knowing where they were before, but not what were going for.

'So, its so close to reunification, but having to say goodbye every single day after only such a short amount of time is really difficult.'
Denise Richards has asked a Los Angeles judge deny a request by her estranged husband Aaron Phypers from getting half her OnlyFans income in their ugly split.

The actress, 54, said the actor, 53, had failed to meet deadlines in their ongoing divorce involving such requests, according to court documents seen by the Daily Mail.

She said he was supposed to file an income and expense declaration with updated figures on Friday, but failed to do so.

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Legal: Denise Richards asked a judge to prevent her estranged husband Aaron Phypers from getting half of her OnlyFans income. Pictured in LA in 2024

Amount: Phypers said in a previous court claim he believed Richards makes between $200,000 and $300,000 a month on the adult site

Phypers should be disqualified from getting half of her income on the pay site due to this breach, said Richards, adding he had yet to file anything as of Tuesday.

He said in a previous court claim he believed Richards makes between $200,000 and $300,000 a month on Only Fans  still has yet to file anything as of Tuesday.

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Richards for further comment on this story.

No ruling has yet been made on request from Richards - who with Phypers, was evicted in December from the Calabasas, California mansion they shared for nonpayment.

A hearing in the spousal support case is slated for February 26.

Richards is mom to three daughters - Sami, 21, Lola, 20, with Sheen; and Eloise, 14, who she adopted prior to her wedding to Phypers.

Richards appeared as a guest host on Tori Spelling's Misspelling podcast earlier this month, where she was critical of her estranged spouse and his family after they started a GoFundMe amid piling expenses.

Richards said a line was crossed with references in the fundraising drive to her daughter Eloise.

'Say whatever you want about me, which they have - Ill deal with that after the divorce,' Richards said. 'But when you cross a line and bring my youngest daughter into trying to get money from strangers, its outrageous - that is wrong.'

Richards said she was 'not surprised' to see the strategic direction Phypers headed in mentioning her youngest child.

'To go to this level, to bring my daughter into it - its more a personal thing,' Richards said. 'It is shocking, but whatever.'

Exes: The former couple seen in 2023

Clashes: Both have publicly traded jarring accusations about the other

Phypers filed for divorce from the World Is Not Enough actress on July 7, 2025, saying that they had separated three days earlier. He told the court that 'irreconcilable differences' were at the heart of their split.

In the months since, both parties have publicly traded jarring accusations about the other.

Richards said in a court filing that her estranged spouse 'repeatedly abused' her during time together; Phypers has denied the allegations.

Phypers accused Richards of committing marital infidelity, as well as physically assaulting him and destroying his phone.

In a note to family and friends, Phypers called for an intervention on the actress and said that she had substance abuse issues involving prescription medication.

'Some of you know this has been an issue for over 20 years,' Phypers said. 'She's no longer eating real meals, and Ive witnessed her pass out from substances - putting herself and others in danger, including while driving with our daughter [Eloise, 14].'

Richards's lawyer Brett Berman responded: 'Phypers has continued to harass Ms Richards since being served with the Temporary Restraining Order by, among other things, disseminating private information from Ms. Richards cell phone and laptop, which he stole.'
Air plane food is often criticised, and has long had a reputation  unfairly held or not  as being flavourless, boring and basic.

Several passengers have shared their poor experiences before, including Ryanair passenger Mike Crosby who paid 10.98 last month for a meal deal that included a coffee, a Snickers bar and a cheese and ham panini.

In the end, the 60-year-old was left appalled after being served a product he claimed looked 'nothing like the photo'.

Alternatively, the Daily Mail's Genie Harrison recently wrote how she 'loves' plane food  and even gets 'excited' for her reheated meal of cheesy pasta with a side of bread and butter.

Whether good or bad quality, she still manages to enjoy whatever meal is on offer, admitting, 'there's something almost ritualistic about tucking into tepid chicken, or slightly oily noodles, while drinking wine from a plastic cup'.

But there are some amazing meals to be consumed on planes, and several travel experts have revealed some of the best food they've eaten on a flight.

Depending on how you counted the meals, Thrifty Traveler editor Kyle Potter 'vividly' remembers being served between five to 13 courses on a first-class flight to Tokyo with Japan Airlines.

He told The Washington Post how he tucked into everything from soup, beef, seafood, egg custard with caviar and dumplings.

There are some amazing meals to be consumed on planes, and several travel experts have revealed some of the best food they've eaten on a flight

The travel expert was also served uni, which is the edible parts of a sea urchin.

He described how it was 'nearly on par with some of the best uni I've ever had in Tokyo'.

Meanwhile, Madison Blancaflor, from The Points Guy, found herself still talking about a particularly delicious chicken soup ten months after her flight.

She flew from London to New York City with Virgin Atlantic and was served a winter vegetable soup in her upper class cabin seat.

The seemingly simple dish was served with vegetable crisps and chive oil, and managed to blow Madison away.

'I would pay Virgin Atlantic if they would give me the recipe to the soup so I could make it at home,' she gushed.

Physician and regular flyer Charmaine Lamsin enjoys the caviar service offered by Qatar Airways in first class.

So much that she has experienced it twice, in both 2024 and 2025.

Depending on how you counted the meals, Thrifty Traveler editor Kyle Potter 'vividly' remembers being served between five to 13 courses on a first-class flight to Tokyo with Japan Airlines (stock)

The luxurious appetiser course comes with all the sides and toppings she could desire.

'It includes the accoutrements with blinis, diced red onion, eggs and chives and sour cream and lemon,' Charmaine explained.

Despite it being small bites, she admitted she is often very full by the end of the elaborate plane meal.
Making your way through security can be a stressful time - you often have to queue in long lines and frantically load up your belongings into the trays to be scanned.

Boots and belts are often taken off, as well as big coats and jackets, before you're scanned yourself.

This is all while you're watching the clock constantly, making sure you have time for a quick drink or meal before your flight.

The last thing you need during the security chaos is a fellow traveller realising at the last moment that they haven't emptied their pockets.

Just steps away from walking through the scanner and often with a queue of others behind them, 'pocket pilers' remember to empty the contents of their pockets right before the scanners.

They then slow down the line by hurriedly taking out tissues, headphones, maybe even their phone, and placing them in a tray.

Lee Thompson, co-founder of solo group travel company Flash Pack, has visited over 100 countries and seen his fair share of 'pocket pilers'.

'Don't be a pocket piler,' he tells the Daily Mail. 'Pocket pilers are the people who reach the scanner and suddenly realise they still have keys, coins, phones and headphones in their pockets.

Just steps away from walking through the scanner and often with a queue of others behind them, 'pocket pilers' remember to empty the contents of their pockets right before the scanners

They then slow down the line by hurriedly taking out tissues, headphones, maybe even their phone, and placing them in a tray

'That's the moment everything grinds to a halt.'

However, he does offer an explanation as to why some travellers are guilty of being a 'pocket piler'.

Lee insists, 'They're not being rude - they're just not thinking. By the time people get to the front of security, their brains are already on the plane or mentally sipping their first cocktail on the beach.'

But, it can really impact the flow of people going through security, and travellers slowing the process down for any reason proved to be one of the most annoying parts of the airport experience, highlighted in a survey by Nine.

Kyle Potter, executive editor for Thrifty Traveler, describes it as the 'worst' airport habit.

He told the Washington Post: 'The worst one to me is people who wait until they're about to step through the security scanners to check their pockets and then they do a little dance of taking out their wallet and their keys, and they're emptying a pocket full of change.

'The time to do all of these things is the moment you step out of the car.'

Holidaymakers find the habit frustrating, and one took to Reddit to share a 'life tip' to help the security line move quickly.

Lee Thompson (pictured), co-founder of solo group travel company, has visited over 100 countries and seen his fair share of 'pocket pilers'

Holidaymakers find the habit frustrating, and one took to Reddit to share a 'life tip' to help the security line move quickly (stock)

They penned, 'At the airport, empty the contents of your pockets into your carry on before you reach the TSA check point.'

Another blamed 'pocket pilers' for the queues moving slowly.

They wrote, 'Slow checkpoint lines are caused by travellers emptying pockets and retrieving items from bins.'

Lee advises travellers should take a 'pocket prepper' approach instead to avoid causing chaos at security.

'In most airports - especially in London - you're standing in a security queue for 20 to 30 minutes,' he says.

For Lee, this is 'more than enough time' to make sure your pockets are empty without rushing.

'By the time I reach the trays, my trouser pockets are already empty,' he adds. 'I take my coat off, put it straight onto the tray, and I'm through in seconds.'

Once going through security, he simply puts his coat back on and re-organises his pockets and other items, 'while walking towards a cafe - not blocking the trays'.

Lee advises travellers should take a 'pocket prepper' approach instead to avoid causing chaos at security

But the travel expert insists 'pocket piling isn't the problem'.

Instead, Lee sees 'last-second panic piling' as the big issue that infuriates passengers in airports.

'If you're in a security queue, you know what's coming.

'Pocket-preppers prepare early and keep security moving for everyone,' he adds.
Boasting sandy beaches, a relaxed lifestyle and good weather, Spain has drawn countless Brits over to move to its sunny shores for years.

But now it seems the appeal is starting to drop, with new research by removal company 1st Move International finding a 28 per cent decrease year-on-year in emigration-related searches.

The analysis looked at UK Google search data to investigate where Brits are considering moving to.

It compared searches between September 2023 and August 2024, to September 2024 to August 2025.

Spain has previously been a popular location for Brits to relocate to, but the research suggests they could be looking elsewhere.

The sunny destination ranked ninth amongst the countries with the biggest drops in emigration-related searches.

Rwanda topped the list, with a 71.7 per cent decline, followed by Iceland and El Salvador, seeing an 56.2 per cent and 36.6 per cent drop respectively.

However, another European location that also boasts great weather and gorgeous beaches is Portugal.

Spain has previously been a popular location for Brits to relocate to, but research suggests they could be looking elsewhere. Pictured: Tossa de Mar town in Catalonia, Spain

The destination is gaining increased interest from Brits year-on-year, according to the research.

Portugal has seen a four per cent rise yearly and ranks as the sixth most desirable place to move to.

But Spain still ranks well, despite the decline in searches, and makes the top 10, in eighth place.

Canada was the most searched-for destination however, with 269,220 relocation searches in the last year.

Australia followed in second place, with 207,900 searches, and Ireland placed third, boasting 179,400 Google searches.

Mike Harvey, managing director at 1st Move International, puts the shift seen in Spain down to over-tourism and taxes.

He comments: 'Spain's long been a UK favourite for retirees and Brits looking for a warmer, calmer pace of life, and for now that remains true.

'However, mass tourism and the decision to impose taxes on foreign property buyers have affected affordability.

Portugal has seen a four per cent rise yearly and ranks as the sixth most desirable place to move to. Pictured: Porto, Portugal

'This has made it more complex for retirees and long-term residents to move to Spain.'

He describes how these issues might have 'unintended consequences for international buyers and those seeking a flexible lifestyle abroad'.

Mike adds, 'Spain's interest among Brits has begun to dip, and neighbour Portugal may take Spain's crown in the coming years.

'Portugal's already firmly among Brits' top 10 expat hotspots, and it's creeping up the ladder with emigration searches increasing by 18.90% year on year.'
Wizz Air has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for permission to fly between the UK and the US - a long-anticipated move that could open the door to cheaper transatlantic travel.

The European low-cost airline's UK arm has asked the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for a foreign air carrier permit, allowing it to operate both scheduled and charter services across the Atlantic

For now, Wizz Air says it plans to focus on passenger charter services, with flights varying depending on seasonal demand.

However, the airline is also seeking the full range of rights available under the US-UK Open Skies Agreement.

This would give Wizz Air the flexibility to launch scheduled services in the future without needing to go back through the approval process.

The airline has also requested that its application be fast tracked so it can begin charter flights as soon as possible.

If approved, the move could eventually bring lower fares to long-haul routes that have traditionally been dominated by full service airlines, as well as more choice for travellers used to Wizz's low-cost model.

The airline said gaining regulatory approval would lead to 'greater travel choices, more service options and increased competition', benefiting passengers in both the UK and the US, as reported by Business Travel News Europe.

In a move that could shake up long-haul travel for budget flyers, Wizz Air has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for permission to fly between the UK and the US

Wizz Air's UK fleet currently includes 21 Airbus A321 aircraft, including three A321XLRs capable of flying transatlantic routes.

While no routes or start dates have been confirmed, the application itself marks a major step towards Wizz Air entering the UK-US market.

It comes after the airline recently launched a new 'business class'-style ticket for passengers, offering premium features for an additional fee.

'Wizz Class' perks include the ability to block off the middle seat for more elbow space and leg room, priority boarding, two cabin bags and a complimentary snack and non-alcoholic drink onboard.

After a trial was carried out in December, the service is available for purchase on the selected flights to and from Budapest, Bucharest Otopeni, Warsaw, London Luton, London Gatwick and Rome Fiumicino.

When a customer chooses Wizz Class, one of the middle seats closer to them (1B and 1E) will be reserved on their flights.

As the first row also includes extra legroom, the service will ensure more space and comfort to relax or work while flying in the efficient, single-class cabin.

The product is available as an add-on when booking Smart and Plus seats. According to the airline, Wizz Class uses dynamic pricing, starting from 50 Euros (around 43).

If approved, the new route could bring lower transatlantic fares and more choice for travellers used to Wizz's ultra-low-cost model

These bundles include priority boarding with a 10 kg carry-on suitcase.

With additional Wizz Class service, passengers will also get a booked middle seat and a complimentary non-alcoholic drink and snack.

Silvia Mosquera, commercial officer at Wizz Air, said: 'Business travel is growing across our network, and we've listened to what our passengers want.

'They're asking for a bit more space and speed, but they don't want to pay legacy airline prices for business class.'
A woman flew to Madrid for eight hours to celebrate her sister's birthday - for less than the cost of a day trip to London.

Michelle Ingram, 43, loves to travel, and now that her children are all grown up, she goes on regular day trips abroad to her dream travel destinations, including Berlin and Prague.

The pet supply business owner, from York, took a day trip to Madrid in January, to visit her sister on her birthday, and the whole trip cost her less than 100.

She escaped the snow and storms in England, and enjoyed blue skies and stunning views, as she strolled around a city centre park, and drank coffee in the sunshine.

Michelle spent just eight hours in the Spanish capital, but says this was enough to make it one of her favourite travel destinations.

She said: 'I love extreme day trips because they're an affordable way to travel and see different places, and things that aren't the everyday norm.

'I've always wanted to go to Madrid, and my older sister lives in Malaga, so me and my younger sister planned a trip to celebrate her birthday.

'It was so lovely, as we don't see much of each other.

Michelle Ingram's trip to Madrid to meet up with her sister

Michelle Ingram, 43, loves to travel, and goes abroad regularly

'I absolutely loved Madrid, it's up there with one of my favourite cities, everything's so clean, the buildings are just so beautiful.

'There's so much to see and do, there's street art and street performers everywhere. There was blue skies all day, it was only eight degrees, but at the time it was snowing in the UK, so it was a welcome relief.

'Everything went so smoothly, the city is so clearly signposted, and everybody speaks English, so we didn't struggle with any language barriers.

'It helped that my sister is fluent in Spanish though of course. I did the whole trip for 100. It was a fairly cheap day out.

'I feel like eight hours was plenty of time for us to explore the city, and I'd definitely recommend Madrid as a day trip for people.'

Michelle is a huge fan of extreme day trips, and last year visited, Poland, Germany, Ireland and Italy for the day last year.

The mum of three loves travelling, and enjoys booking day trips rather than longer holidays, due to the affordability.

In January 2025, Michelle and her younger sister Bethany decided to fly to Madrid for the day, to meet up with their older sister Victoria who lives in Malaga, to celebrate her birthday.

Michelle's recent trip to Madrid involved sightseeing and exploring the city

Michelle Ingram with her grown-up daughter

Timeline of Michelle's day 1am - wake up 2am - leave for airport 4am - arrive at Manchester airport 6.15am - flight takes off 9.30am - arrive in Madrid 9.15pm - flight back to Manchester 10.40pm - flight lands 2am - back in bed Advertisement

On the day of the trip, Michelle woke up at 1am, having gone to sleep at 9pm the day before, and drove to Manchester airport, arriving there at 4am. She took the 6.15am flight, arriving in Madrid at 9.30am.

Despite already having a long day before arriving in Madrid, Michelle said she wasn't tired, as the 'momentum', and excitement of the day kept her going.

After arriving in the Spanish capital, Michelle and Bethany wandered through the bustling streets, had a coffee and did some clothes shopping, before meeting Victoria, who had flown in from Malaga.

The trio then had some tapas, wandered around the famous El Retiro park, before grabbing another coffee, and then heading back to the airport in time for their 9.15pm flight back to Manchester.

Michelle's entire trip abroad cost her just 100, with her flight coming to 49 return, airport parking costing 10 each, lunch costing 30, and then snacks costing around 11.

Michelle was back in her bed in York at 2am, having spent eight hours in total in the Spanish capital.

She has plenty of day trips planned for the year ahead, including a trip to Prague next week, and a visit to Albania in May.
Holidaymakers love heading to Madeira to explore the Atlantic archipelago's breathtaking natural scenery and beaches.

It is often dubbed the 'Hawaii of Europe' because of its volcanic landscapes and sub-tropical climate. The island is located just over 600 miles from mainland Portugal.

But, the popular destination has increased its fees and added new restrictions to its hiking trails for visitors, Euronews reports.

Last year, a charge for non-residents was brought in for several of the island's beloved walking paths.

In new measures being introduced to maintain sustainable tourism, this has now been increased and a limit to the number of visitors has been introduced.

As of January 1, 2025, non-resident visitors aged over 12 had to pay a 3 fee to access official hiking trails in Madeira.

Now, they will be required to cough up 4.50 for a ticket and it must be used within a 30-minute booking time frame.

Holidaymakers can save money however, if they book with a tour operator. In this scenario, they will only be charged the original 3 fee.

Holidaymakers love heading to Madeira to explore the Atlantic archipelago's breathtaking natural scenery and beaches

It is often dubbed the 'Hawaii of Europe' because of its volcanic landscapes and sub-tropical climate. The island is located just over 600 miles from mainland Portugal

Each booking slot will have a limit of how many people can attend, which officials hope will help manage busier periods.

Those aged under 12 and residents do not have to pay but must still book a slot.

Visitors can register for a ticket on the SIMplifica portal. Anyone caught trekking along the trails without a ticket could be fined up to 50.

The fees have become an important source of funding for maintenance and conservation in the area.

Many of the trails have jaw-dropping waterfalls and lush greenery to enjoy, and the new charges and regulations have been brought in to preserve this.

Rafaela Fernandes, the island's regional secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, told Euronews how the new measures were needed to protect the area and help handle the large amount of visitors it attracts.

Any profits from the tourist charge will be put into maintaining and conserving the landscape.

Rafaela revealed it has been welcomed by tourists.

In new measures being introduced to maintain sustainable tourism, tourist fees have now been increased and a limit to the number of visitors to hiking trails has been introduced

It comes as Madeira was recently named the world's number one Trending Destination for 2026 in the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards.

In the awards, which analysed twelve months of consistently strong reviews submitted by travellers throughout 2025, Madeira led the global ranking, beating the likes of Quy Nhon in Vietnam, Recife in Brazil and Puerto Escondido in Mexico.

Visitor feedback across the island's hotels, attractions, restaurants, tours, and family-friendly experiences highlight Madeira's striking architecture, year-round mild climate, dramatic scenery and varied outdoor activities.

This recognition comes as the island becomes more accessible than ever for UK holidaymakers, with a 17 per cent jump in flight capacity between March 2025 and March 2026.
Mexico has introduced a new ban on vapes with tourists facing jail time and thousands in fines as a result.

Travellers visiting the popular holiday destination might want to avoid bringing e-cigarettes with them, as the country has started enforcing a ban on importing the devices.

Mexico's Chamber of Deputies has brought the new rules into action, and the new ban came into play on January 17, 2026.

It comes after a reform aiming to protect public health was approved in the country.

Mexico's lower house of Congress approved the constitutional reform to ban e-cigarettes and vaping devices, as well as certain drugs including fentanyl.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo published the constitutional reform in the Official Gazette of the Federation on January 16, 2026.

It states: 'The law will penalize all activities related to electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, and other analogous electronic systems or devices specified by law, as well as the production, distribution, and sale of toxic substances, chemical precursors, the illicit use of fentanyl, and other unauthorized synthetic drugs.'

This means travellers to Mexico could face consequences if they bring vapes into the country.

Vaping has long been a contentious issue in Mexico, with new laws affecting usage

Cruise Hive reported: 'If guests are caught, they could see their devices confiscated, face hefty fines of up to $12,500 (9,065) - and/or detainment.'

It added: 'The crime is also punishable by up to eight years in prison.'

It comes after Mexico has been increasing restrictions on vaping over the last few years.

Once touted as a healthy way to quit smoking, vapes are now being banned in many countries amid fears they are 'no better than cigarettes'.

A total of 34 countries - including Mexico - had banned the sale of the devices by July 2023, according to the World Health Organisation.

Many have taken to social media to share their views on the new laws.

Commenting on one Reddit post regarding the ban, one person said: 'Mexico has very strong anti-smoking laws but they are only sporadically enforced.

'It is illegal to bring vape pens and paraphernalia into Mexico.

The crackdown has begun in Mexico, a popular tourist destination

'Thus has seen stronger enforcement lately.'

Another added: 'A couple who were arrested with me had been in Mexico since December and we're leaving to go home and were arrested for exporting an electronic vape.

'I didn't see any warnings so I just thought I would make a post warning people - I'm not upset about what happened because it could've been a lot worse and I know it was my fault.

'I'm just warning people who didn't see it on the news or didn't think to Google new laws in Mexico.'
Emmerdale's Cain Dingle will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in upcoming heartbreaking scenes - with actor Jeff Hordley expressing he feels 'honoured' by the special episode.

The ITV soap will document every stage of the health battle, with Cain's decline kicking off as he diagnosed in scenes to air next week.

Cain, who has been played by Jeff, 55, for over two decades, learns he has an aggressive, yet localised, form of the cancer after getting checked.

He will be left overwhelmed by the diagnosis, as well as the potential side effects of the treatment plan recommended by specialists.

Cain is seen cutting the consultation short and leaving the doctors after it all becomes too much for him to handle.

The special episode, which is dedicated to the new storyline, will draw focus on Cain's inner thoughts, telling the story from his perspective.

Emmerdale's Cain Dingle will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in upcoming heartbreaking scenes - as actor Jeff Hordley 'honoured' with a special episode

The ITV soap will be rocked by the shock health battle - as the character (right) finds out he is battling the disease in the episode which will air next week

Cain is seen struggling to process the news, causing mounting denial and anger that sees him clash with anyone who comes across his path.

It's not only his health that Cain is losing sleep over, but his wife Moira, played by Natalie J Robb, who has just been charged with murder.

The episodes focusing on Cain's diagnosis have been made in conjunction with Prostate Cancer UK - who helped the Emmerdale scriptwriters in the conception of the storyline for authenticity and realism.

Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw said: 'Cain instinctively felt like the right character to tell this story. He is a complex man that doesnt normally talk about his feelings or channel them in a helpful way.

'Its important men are encouraged to get checked, but we also want to sensitively explore the possible side effects patients may have, but don't necessarily talk about.

'Its also a love story for Cain and Moira as they navigate the tough times ahead as a married couple.'

Actor Jeff added: 'I feel really honoured to be given this storyline and I am excited for the challenges it is already throwing at me.

'This is the first proper illness my character, Cain, has been given and I want to play my part in making sure the audience can relate to the journey so many families unfortunately have to navigate.'

It's not only his health that is causing problems for Cain, but his wife Moira, played by Natalie J Robb, has just been charged with murder

The scenes will show Cain struggling to come to terms with his diagnosis

While Prostate Cancer UK's Laura Kerby concluded: 'Storylines like Cains have a huge impact in reaching men and families up and down the country and putting prostate cancer, and mens risk, on their radar.'

It comes after Emmerdale star Joshua Richards addressed his future on the ITV soap - after his character Bear Wolf returned in recent dramatic scenes.

Bear featured in a horrific modern day slavery storyline, where he was captured and put to work by traffickers Celia (Jaye Griffiths) and Ray (Joe Absolom).

Prior to being killed by Ray, evil Celia claimed she had murdered Bear - leaving viewers distraught.

But last Thursday's (January 22) episode revealed Bear was, in fact, still alive as he rescued son Paddy (Dominic Brunt) and Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle).

Ray had trapped both Paddy Dingle (Dominic Brunt) and Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) in their living room and the situation appeared to be dire.

However, Bear intervened and killed Ray in a surprise attack, despite Paddy and Dylan begging him to stop.

Bear Wolf, played by actor Joshua Richards, has been a staple of Emmerdale village since arriving in 2019

Joshua Richards (pictured), who has portrayed Bear since 2019, revealed he had spoken to the Salvation Army amid the character's harrowing storyline

Since then, the pair have helped Bear cover up the killing - but will they be able to keep it a secret?

Speaking to Metro, actor Joshua opened up about where Bear's storyline is going from here - and what that means for his role in Emmerdale.

He shared: 'How he moves on I dont know. Its a painful process and Im looking forward to the complexities with the writers and producers and the directors to find out where the journey goes next and what pathways were going to go down.

'Weve just been filming stuff already today and Ive been shouting at Paddy.

'So maybe hes getting back to his old self if hes shouting at people! But hes still not right and this will take some time.'

Continuing, Joshua added: 'The relationship between the two is an ongoing one  sometimes tenuous, sometimes loving, sometimes difficult, sometimes exhilarating.

'Im so fortunate to be having the pleasure and honour of working with the wonderful Dominic Brunt [who plays Paddy].'

Joshua began playing Bear in 2019, for a storyline where Paddy discovered the famous wrestler was his biological father.

Emmerdale continues tonight at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX
Call The Midwife viewers were furious after harrowing scenes revealing a woman had been imprisoned, raped and tortured.

Airing on Sunday (January 25), the BBC period drama's latest episode showed Agata Balassa (Bogi Bondor) being freed from a horrifying case of abuse.

She was trapped by a callous couple, Laszlo and Vera Kovacs (Aleksandar Mikic and Margareta Szaso), who were determined to make her fall pregnant with a child for them to claim.

Nurse Trixie (Helen George) discovered Agata's pregnancy, as well as the severe nature of abuse inflicted on her.

Viewers were appalled by the grim storyline, with one writing: 'Oh this episode is making my blood boil. That couple are evil.'

Another added: 'This is very Handmaid's Tale but the scary thing is that it happens, even now.'

Call The Midwife viewers were furious as the BBC period drama's latest episode depicted a horrifying case of abuse

Agata Balassa (Bogi Bondor) opened up to Nurse Trixie (Helen George) about her harrowing ordeal

Callous couple Laszlo and Vera Kovacs (Aleksandar Mikic and Margareta Szaso) imprisoned, raped, starved and tortured Agata - while trying to make her fall pregnant to claim the child

A third chimed in: 'This is harrowing.'

A fourth commented: 'Call the Midwife never, ever shy away from telling difficult stories and complicated health conditions in the most sensitive way.

'It is so good that watching should be part of the curriculum.'

A fifth concurred: 'Sexual violence and modern day slavery how much more in our society now, compared to then.

'Yet it has always been here. The worst kind of abhorrent crime.'

While a sixth shared: 'Absolutely disgusting vile couple. Need locking up.'

Shocked viewers compared the harrowing pre-watershed scenes to dystopian drama The Handmaid's Tale

It comes as viewers branded the preceding installment as the 'worst episode ever' following a string of 'heartbreaking' scenes.

This storyline saw a pair of heavily pregnant sisters-in-law make their way to Nonnatus House ahead of their due dates.

One of them, Hope, (Mimi Joffroy) informed Dr. Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann) that this baby would be her last if a girl.

Hope discovered the baby's head was 'definitely engaged' - indicative that things were progressing.

Taking to social media, many viewers shared their distressed reactions to the harrowing scene.

Viewers said the harrowing scene's made their 'blood boil' and compared Agata's situation to The Handmaid's Tale

One penned: 'Good grief, I'm exhausted watching Hope give birth. This is intense.'

They added: 'My god, I hate it when the babies don't cry. I know they have shown still babies on #callthemidwife but it's so intense and heartbreaking to watch.'

Another commented: 'I found that ep of #CallTheMidwife so distressing. Very sad.'

While a third added: 'I don't blame her being traumatised after witnessing that birth.'

Some viewers were left disappointed with the episode as a whole - and didn't hold back in expressing this.

One opined: 'This might be the worst Call the Midwife episode ever. And that breaks my heart to say. Time for a break. #CallTheMidwife.'

Another agreed: 'To be honest, aside from Sister Monica Joan, avoiding shuffling off the mortal coil every series, and the issues with the Board of Health, it's getting pretty boring.'

Elsewhere in the episode, the local schoolchildren in Poplar took part in an Easter Egg hunt - but things took a sombre turn.

Namely, a distressed dog - which was foaming at the mouth - was discovered behind a dustbin.

Concerns soon rose over a potential rabies outbreak - with Dr. Turner heading out to inspect the canine.

But by the time Dr. Turner arrived, he discovered the dog had tragically already passed away.

One viewer wrote: 'The poor dog omg', accompanied by a crying face emoji.

Another shared: 'NOT A SICK DOG PLEASE'.

A third concurred: 'I get more upset when an animal dies than a human. I'm so sad for that poor dog.'
Iconic Australian rockers Hoodoo Gurus have unleashed on Pauline Hanson for using one of their tracks at an anti-immigration rally.

The band took to social media on Tuesday to slam the controversial senator for the use of their hit What's My Scene as her 'walk-on' music.

In a no-holds-barred statement, the band said they were 'disgusted' that their song was used by 'wannabe fascists' at the March for Australia rally in Brisbane on Australia Day.

'We were disgusted to hear that one of our songs was played by a bunch of wannabe fascists yesterday (One Nation),' the statement began.

The band continued to slam Pauline, labelling her rhetoric as 'toxic nonsense'.

'Like most Australians, we have always been appalled by Pauline Hanson and the toxic nonsense she spouts,' the band continued.

Iconic Australian rockers Hoodoo Gurus have unleashed on Pauline Hansonfor using one of their tracks at an anti-immigration rally

They then turned their attention to One Nation party members and followers, telling them they weren't welcome to listen to the band's 10-album catalogue.

'This is our message to her and her followers: don't play our music, don't listen to our band, do not pass go! We want nothing to do with you,' they wrote.

'In fact, we wouldn't p**s on you if you were on fire.'

The vitriolic post was met with a deluge of comments, with followers praising and lambasting the band in equal measure.

'We are with you Gurus,' one fan wrote on Facebook, as a second chimed in with: 'I am officially wearing one of your shirts to the next rally lol.'

Another fan offered a supportive: 'I'm off to Spotify to download every Hoodoo Gurus song I don't already have. Thanks for being decent Australians!'

One creative fan suggested the post could easily be turned into song lyrics.

'That line about we wouldn't p*** on you if you were on fire would make a great chorus. C'mon Dave make a song,' they claimed.

In a no-holds-barred statement, the band said they were 'disgusted' that their song was used by 'wannabe fascists' at the March for Australia rally in Brisbane on Australia Day

'We were disgusted to hear that one of our songs was played by a bunch of wannabe fascists yesterday (One Nation),' the statement began

It wasn't all praise for the rockers, though, with many commenters slamming the band's comments as 'disgusting.'

'Honestly an absolutely disgusting post. This is exactly what's wrong with this country today,' one angry fan wrote on Instagram.

'People have different political views. Just because you don't agree with them doesn't mean you get the right to wish ill on them. So what I'm hearing is it's worse being a fascist these days than wishing someone dead.'

Former Married At First Sight star Dean Wells pulled no punches with his response defending Pauline, calling the band 'fascist clowns'.

'You guys are the s***est Aussie band of all time anyway. No one listens to your crap music anyway. GO PAULINE,' Dean commented.

'You don't understand Pauline, obviously. She is literally the opposite of fascist you clowns.'

Another wrote that the band's comments were immature with: ''Wouldn't p*** on you if you were on fire?' What, are we in high school now? Very tacky & unprofessional for a band I've loved since the 80s.'

The vitriolic post was met with a deluge of comments, with followers praising and lambasting the band in equal measure

Yet another critic suggested that the band's strident stance against One Nation and Pauline Hanson would have a negative effect.

'I think you have just lost a great percentage of your fans not because of One Nation but by displaying extremely poor behaviour to say the least,' they offered.

'This, after all, is a democratic country and people are allowed to have an opinion despite others not agreeing.'

Organisers of public rallies are bound by the Copyright Act to obtain a license and permission from artists to broadcast songs at an event.

Daily Mail has reached out to Hanson for comment.
One Battle After Another viewers have been watching the film in a different light after discovering similarities between Sean Penn's character and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino.

In the film, Penn plays Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, a corrupt military officer whose authority is threatened when an immigration detention center he oversees is targeted by a group of left-wing revolutionaries (Leonardo DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor).

Paul Thomas Anderson's black comedy has been greeted with five-star reviews across the board and even deemed 'the defining film of a generation', with the movie hotly tipped to take Best Film at the Oscars.

Amid the film's growing popularity, viewers have questioned whether Penn's role was inspired by Bovino - who recently became the face of Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

In the film, Col. Lockjaw is promoted in rank after a successful operation against the fictional left-wing terrorist group French 75.

He is bestowed The Bedford Forrest Medal of Honor, named in honour of a slave trader turned confederate general who goes on to hold the title of first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

Bovino also had an abrupt rise through the ranks.

One Battle After Another viewers have been watching the film in a different light after discovering similarities between Sean Penn's character and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino (pictured in 2025)

Penn plays Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, a corrupt military officer whose authority is threatened when an immigration detention center he oversees is targeted by left-wing revolutionaries

Bovino, a border patrol officer for 30 years, previously served as a chief in the backwater sector of El Centro, California but became an overnight public figure when he took on the role as tactical commander for a mass raid in Los Angeles last June.

He quickly became the divisive face of Trumps immigration blitzes in Chicago and Minneapolis, with questions raised over his tactics.

Like Col. Lockjaw, Bovino is said to have been compared to a confederate general in an email from a colleague, as per The American Prospect.

It's alleged that Bovino did not reprimand his colleague at the time but later described the email as 'bogus and worthless' when questioned about it.

Another similarity fans have discovered is One Battle After Another's running gag that sees Leonardo Dicaprios characters unable to remember the secret passwords used to communicate with members of his terror cell.

A recent data leak is said to have contained Bovino's email passwords, which after appearing on the dark web are now viewable via multiple data breach scrapers.

While director and writer Anderson previously stated that One Battle After Another is based on the 1990 postmodern novel Vineland, that hasn't stopped viewers from speculating that Bovino also provided inspiration for the film.

Paul Thomas Anderson's black comedy has been greeted with five-star reviews across the board and even deemed 'the defining film of a generation' (Leonardo DiCaprio pictured)

Anderson stated that One Battle After Another is based on the 1990 novel Vineland, but that hasn't stopped viewers from speculating that Bovino also provided inspiration for the film

Taking to X/Twitter, viewers penned: 'Congratulations to Sean Penn on his Oscar nomination for playing the role of Greg Bovino in One Battle After Another';

'Does anyone else think Bovino resembles Sean Penn's character in One Battle After Another?'; 'greg bovino is just that sean penn character';

'Anyone else think that Greg Bovino closely resembles Sean Penn as Colonel Lockjaw in One Battle After Another? Bar being much, much tinier';

'Just now realizing Sean Penn is emulating Greg Bovino in One Battle After Another.'; 'It sure felt like Sean Penn was portraying Greg Bovino in One Battle After Another. (Which I loved.)'

Daily Mail has contacted the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Anderson's representatives for comment.

This week, it emerged that Bovino has been reassigned and locked out of his government social media accounts.

Bovino will return to his former job in El Centro, California, where he is expected to retire soon, the Atlantic reported on Monday, citing a Homeland Security official and two people with knowledge of the change.

He also had his government social media accounts revoked on the orders of his boss, Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott, Homeland Security sources confirmed to the Daily Mail.

The One Battle After Another cast at the London premiere in September 2025 (L-R Benicio Del Toro, Chase Infiniti, DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor and Penn)

The fallout comes after Bovino spent the weekend defending the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti on a Minneapolis street.

He had tweeted multiple times 'don't assault federal officers' in response to random X users who shared biographical information that portrayed Pretti in a positive light.

In response to one account claiming that Pretti 'never at any time produced a gun,' Bovino wrote that 'the SUSPECT confronted and assaulted officers and was armed while doing so.'

He even got into spats with lawmakers, including Republican Thomas Massie, who wrote that 'carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, its a Constitutionally protected God-given right and if you dont understand this you have no business in law enforcement or government.'

Bovino told the Kentucky Congressman: 'Attacking law enforcement is not a right like you want it to be.'

The commander also shot back at Republican Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy and Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico, both of whom called for independent investigations into the shooting, as well as author Stephen King.

Protestors gathered for a 'goodbye Gregory Bovino' noise demonstration this week, banging drums and clattering pieces of wood outside the hotel where the Border Control commander is reportedly staying.

The demonstrators clashed with agents in gas masks, who fired irritants towards the crowd.

After tweeting over 40 responses to various reactions to the Pretti shooting on Saturday and Sunday, Bovino's X account suddenly went silent.

Tricia McLaughlin, assistant press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said Bovino had not been fired and remained a key part of the presidents team.
Kanye West's wife, Bianca Censori, encouraged him to make a change before he apologized for his hateful antisemitic rants this week, an insider has claimed.

But multiple sources, who spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail on condition of anonymity, speculated that the rapper - who goes by Ye - only published the bombshell statement for self-serving reasons.

'I don't know if there were any financial [motivations], but I know that he felt pretty excluded,' one source said, noting that many around West had distanced themselves from him because of his 'really unacceptable and terrible behavior.'

'He wants to be part of the world again. He wants to participate. He's doing a concert in Mexico City in two days so he's definitely trying to get back into normal life.'

Another insider pointed out the suspicious timing of the apology since West's latest album is set to drop this Friday.

'I'm sure that there is some self-promotion going on with this statement, but I'll take any sort of apology,' the second source said of the rapper's lengthy mea culpa, which appeared in a paid full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal on Monday.

'So many people have been trying to get through to him, to show him how his beliefs and the things he said were dangerous and sinful and bigoted and wrong, so for him to acknowledge that feels huge to a lot of us.'

The friend also revealed how his spiraling mental health and disturbing behavior - including private racist rants - became worse after Kanye's divorce from Kim Kardashian, who the source said 'kept him on his meds'.

Insiders spoke to the Daily Mail exclusively about why Kanye West likely issued a shocking apology via the Wall Street Journal this week (pictured with wife Bianca Censori in 2024)

'He wants to be part of the world again. He wants to participate. He's doing a concert in MexicoCity in two days so he's definitely trying to get back into normal life,' a source said

More recently, one of the people pushing West toward repentance and to take his medication again was Censori, our first source claimed.

We're told a turning point for her was when West released his abhorrent track Heil Hitler around the time the couple, who wed in 2022, had been vacationing together in Spain.

'Everyone just lost it [after the Hitler song],' the first source said. 'Bianca got upset. Everyone was in agreement that they didn't want him to influence people like that.'

We're told that Censori, however, is very loyal to her husband and, although she is not in agreement with many of his decisions, she chooses to still support him.

'She knows what she wants. She has an agenda,' the source said. 'She's going to do her art shows. She's actually pretty in charge.'

The source also shot down rumors that Censori, 31, is under any mind control, claiming: 'It could even be the opposite. She's pretty strong.'

Prior to secretly tying the knot three years ago, Censori and West worked closely together as the former was the Head of Architecture for the rapper's Yeezy brand.

Following West's 2022 divorce from Kardashian, the mother of his four children, his partnership with the Australian influencer turned romantic.

West (pictured with ex-wife Kim Kardashian in 2020) secretly feared he had a brain injury for years, sources said

We're told Censori encouraged West - who has been open about his bipolar disorder - to get back on medication as early as last summer. West and Censori are seen out in 2024

Censori posted a snap of herself playing with a prop knife on Halloween while wearing a strapless bodysuit. It followed a six-month social media break following the release of Kayne's abhorrent track Heil Hitler

'They have a relationship that's mutual and she likes to be naked,' a source said, giving further insight into Censori and West's dynamic.

'It's not like Kim that was more so doing her own stuff. Bianca and Ye are more together and he's not imposing anything.'

We're told Censori encouraged West - who has been open about his bipolar disorder - to get back on medication as early as last summer and, as a result, his recent apology via the Wall Street Journal has been months in the making.

This week, the Jesus Walks rapper wrote to those he has 'hurt' for his antisemitic and racist behavior, including his family, the Black community and Jews.

In the full-page advert, he blamed his actions on his mental health diagnosis, which he claimed he developed because of medical oversight that failed to diagnose a frontal-lobe injury sustained in the crash more than two decades ago.

He alleged he sustained a brain injury during the 2002 crash that went 'unnoticed' at the time, with the 'medical oversight' triggering years of mental health decline.

'At the time, the focus was on the visible damage - the fracture, the swelling, the immediate physical trauma,' he wrote. 'The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed.

'The possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised. It wasn't properly diagnosed until 2023. That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis.'

West, seen here in 2022, has been open about his mental health struggles, including his bipolar diagnosis

He claimed in his apology that his racist outbursts were due to mental health issues stemming from a decades-old car accident. Censori and Kanye are pictured at the 2025 Grammys

'I'm a little skeptical,' one source admitted in response to the car crash revelation.

'We all saw that he has manic episodes. I don't really know the medical [explanation], [but] it's definitely useful to say that. It's an easy way to get out.'

A second source, who has known West for nearly two decades, told the Daily Mail why his excuse is probable.

'I'm not Ye's doctor, so I can't really confirm the stuff about his frontal lobe. But that's always been his thing,' the insider explained. 'He's always said, 'maybe the accident is why I am the way I am.'

'I don't know how it works, but I can say that his problems always seemed to be more chemical. He'd take his meds, and he'd even out. He'd behave better. That sounds more chemical than a brain injury. But I'm not his doctor. I can't say for sure.'

Last week, West was photographed on a date night in Los Angeles sporting a heavier frame, leading one insider to express concern about the toll the meds have taken.

'He looks OK but the medication worries me because he looks a bit with a blank gaze,' the source said, but said West likely felt 'cornered' into getting help.

In recent years, the Grammy winner has been dropped by many business partners, uninvited from several Hollywood events and even derided by loyal fans.

Insiders told the Daily Mail that West has felt 'excluded' as he has been blacklisted from the industry due to his antisemitic remarks. The couple is pictured in 2024

A source said West got back on medication over the summer and his apology has been in the works for months. The couple is seen out earlier this month

West had embraced conspiracy theories claiming Jewish people control the media, music industry and finances, declaring: 'The Jewish media blocked me out. This is not hate speech, this is the truth.'

He also praised Nazis, wore swastikas and his song Heil Hitler saw him banned from Australia and Brazil and effectively shut out of touring and earning money through live performances across much of the Western world.

While his comments sparked widespread condemnation, there were signs of remorse prior to the Wall Street Journal essay. In November, he was filmed apologizing to New York Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto during a private meeting.

'He's not antisemitic,' the first source insisted. 'He's not even greedy. He dresses very humbly. He has few objects. He's kind. He has compassion.

'It's a shame. He pretends to be so bad, but it's really unfortunate. He wants to pretend to be such a bad guy but he's not.'

However, some close to West claim that after the entertainer's marriage to Kardashian ended and his mental state deteriorated, he expressed hateful and bigoted ideology in private messages.

'Ye would start talking about Jews when he was spiraling,' a second insider said.

'If he wasn't spiraling, he wasn't antisemitic, or at least he didn't say it out loud. But when he was in a spiral, he'd say things privately.'

West and Kim Kardashian share four children: From left, Saint, 10; Chicago, 8; Psalm, 6; and North, 12

West's divorce from Kardashian marked a turning point for his mental health, per sources

'I tried to explain things to him, and other people have tried too. His big one has always been that the Jews killed Jesus.'

'When he was feeling antisemitic, that was a go-to for him: "Well, the Jews killed Jesus, so they're evil."'

The Daily Mail was also told West's worsening mental health was kept in check for years by Kardashian who supported him and stayed on top of his medication, doctors' appointments and treatment.

But since their split in 2021, his inner circle has been 'watching him decline for years.'

'With Ye, you never know what you're going to get,' the second insider said. 'It was clear that he was bipolar, we all know that. But it got worse over the years.'

The source said Kardashian, 45, helped him stave off his demons for years.

'Kim kept Ye on his meds,' the second source said. 'She would remind him, she would make sure the prescriptions were filled. She would take care of doctors' appointments. She'd do all that.'

But the friend said West often resisted her interventions.

'He hated all that; it bothered him to be on meds. He would say that he didn't feel like himself, and especially that he couldn't create. But Kim kept that going, kept him in check.'

West's marital breakdown in 2021 marked a turning point.

'That's why things collapsed when they finally split up,' said the pal.

'He stopped taking meds, and he stopped cold turkey. He didn't take them, and that's when things got really strange for him.'

His struggles took a heavy toll on his relationship with Kardashian, with whom he shares daughters North, 12, and Chicago, 8, and sons Saint, 10, and Psalm, 6.

At the height of their conflict, Kardashian publicly denounced her ex husband while West accused her of keeping him from his children and launched a series of erratic social-media attacks against her and her family.

Friends say the relationship has softened somewhat in recent months.

'From what I understand from Ye, things are better there,' the friend said.

'They're being more communicative and cordial. I wouldn't say amicable, but I'd say that she's making sure he can see his kids when he wants, and she's trying to do right by him. That's my perspective.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to Ye's team for comment.
Yungblud has apologised after a photo went viral of the UK rocker posing alongside a controversial musician in Australia last week.

The 28-year-old hitmaker, real name Dominic Harrison, was touring in Perth when he crossed paths with German rocker, Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann, who shared a photo of the pair on social media.

'Absolute pleasure meeting @yungblud in Perth,' Lindemann, who also wrapped up his Australian tour last week, captioned the happy snap.

In 2023, Lindemann faced sexual misconduct allegations after being accused of spiking a fan's drink at a pre-concert party in Lithuania.

Several other women later came forward with similar claims, but Berlin prosecutors closed the investigation, citing insufficient evidence.

Prosecutors said they were unable to verify the claims, many of which were reported anonymously or through the media, and noted that none of the alleged victims had reached out to them directly.

Yungblud has apologised after this photo went viral of him posing alongside Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann who faced sexual misconduct allegations in 2023. The investigation into these allegations was closed due to insufficient evidence

Lindemann has consistently denied the allegations.

The post sparked a wave of backlash among fans, prompting Yungblud to share an audio statement on social media insisting that he wasn't aware of the allegations against Lindemann.

'I had no idea  obviously at the minute I'm meeting lots of people every day without fully knowing who they are or what they're about,' he said.

'And I can assure you, if I knew about any allegations, it would have been a completely different story. You all know what I stand for, always. I'll be more aware of it in the future.'

Yungblud is known for his social activism, having launched into an expletive-laden rant in support of Iranian protesters just a week earlier.

The artist was performing at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl when he addressed the sold-out crowd in a clip uploaded to Instagram.

'Two years ago, I spoke about a girl called Mahsa Amini from Iran, who was murdered for not wearing her hijab,' he said in the now-viral clip.

'And no, it is not my prerogative to question somebodys religion. But this community fights for equality and liberation throughout the f***ing world.'

The post sparked a wave of backlash among fans, prompting Yungblud (pictured) to share an audio statement on social media insisting that he wasn't aware of the allegations against Lindemann

Yungblud is known for his social activism, having launched into an expletive-laden rant in support of Iranian protesters just a week earlier

The rocker continued: 'What is going on in Iran, this revolution, is led by the f***ing women.

'For four days they have had their internet cut off, they have had their electricity cut off, they are in darkness  they are asking for our voice.'

Yungblud then implored the crowd to help raise awareness about the plight of the Iranian people.

'We have to be their f***ing light right now. So speak, shout, post, because they are fighting for freedom,' he said.

'They are fighting for their freedom, they are fighting for our freedom. Nobody is free until we are all f***ing free.'

The clip was met with a deluge of comments from fans, with many praising Yungblud for speaking out.
Lili Reinhart on Tuesday opened up about a shocking case of online abuse she received via Elon Musk's social media site X, leading her to leave the platform.

The 29-year-old Riverdale star told her 24 million Instagram followers that a one-time government worker said he hoped she would be sexually assaulted over her political views.

The Cleveland-born actress said the threatening communications came after she publicly said she was voting for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, against Republican candidate president Donald Trump.

Reinhart told her followers she 'stopped using X in 2024 when men were sending me messages about how I deserved to be r*ped for voting for Kamala' Harris, noting that 'one of them was a former government worker.'

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Reinhart for further comment on the story.

The Hal & Harper star touched on the topic as she shared a post from the account Feminist about Musk's AI chatbot Grok, which has been at the center of controversy over nefarious ways in which it can be used.

Lili Reinhart, 29, on Tuesday opened up about a shocking case of online abuse she received via Elon Musk's social media platform X. Pictured in Paris on Sunday

The bus stop ad showed an image of Musk, 54, with the text: 'Who the f*** would want to use social media with a built-in child abuse tool?'

It urged users to 'delete your X account,' leading the actress, who has appeared in films such as Hustlers and Chemical Hearts, to share her recollection of when she ceased using the platform.

Reinhart had been vocal in her opposition to Trump following his victory over Harris in November of 2024, citing the multiple accusations of sexual assault Trump has faced over the past decade.

'I cannot fathom the feeling of the women who came forward about their sexual assault at the hands of Trump,' Reinhart said on X at the time. 'Seeing millions of people vote for their abuser.

'My heart absolutely breaks for these women. I believe you, and I am so sorry.'

Reinhart visited the White House under former President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris in October of 2024, during the stretch run of the 2024 election season, to commemorate World Mental Health Day.

The White House said at the time, 'On World Mental Health Day and every day, the Biden-Harris Administration is grateful for the courageous Americans, like Lili Reinhart, who are helping end the stigmatization of mental health.

'To anyone struggling with their mental health  you are not alone. Were committed to providing you with the support you need to heal, recover, and thrive.'

Reinhart touched on the topic as she shared a post from the account Feminist about Musk's AI chatbot Grok

The actress shared her recollection of when she ceased using the platform

Reinhart at the time gave her thoughts on what elected officials need to do to help Americans maintain their mental health in a clip to commemorate the occasion.

'Destigmatizing mental health will help people share more and when you share you feel less alone,' Reinhart said in a clip from the White House.

Reinhart added, 'I think it's very important to remove the idea of shame behind how we feel.

'I know growing up I felt embarrassed and ashamed of my feelings, and I didn't understand them. I was afraid of crying because I didn't know how to explain why I was crying.'

Reinhart said, 'To continue this conversation and remove the stigma around shame and the idea that we need to hide because we don't feel well - that's something that we should fight for.'

'I am also here to advocate for more mental health resources for those in need - feeling mentally unwell does not equal crazy.'

Reinhart said it was 'so normal' to have feeling of anxiety, ADD, OCD, intrusive thoughts and depression.

Harris pictured speaking on the 2024 presidential campaign trail in Pennsylvania

Elon Musk, pictured in Paris in 2023, took over the platform more than three years ago

'We're just human, so let's just be human,' she said.

Reinhart is one of a number of celebrities who has departed the popular social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, since Musk took over more than three years ago.

Supermodel Gigi Hadid was one of the first to depart in November 2022, noting she had 'deactivated' her account.

'For a long time, but especially with its new leadership, it's becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry, and its not a place I want to be a part of,' Hadid said.
You only turn 30 once - so why not spend tens of thousands of dollars celebrating it?

Tess Shanahan, wife of Bondi Sands multi-millionaire founder Shaun Wilson, heralded her third decade over the weekend with a Victoria's Secret themed birthday bash that will go down in history for its extravagance.

The event, which took place in Melbourne, boasted an array of custom-built props and decorations emblazoned with 'Tess' Secret' and a 'TS' logo inspired by the Victoria's Secret branding.

Model and podcaster Tess hired a top-tier events company to handle the set-up, while entrusting celebrity hairstylist Gabrielle Roccuzzo and top makeup artist Jade Kisnorbo to ensure she looked just as a preened as a real Victoria's Secret model.

Upon arrival, guests were ushered onto a huge pink media wall with photographers waiting to capture their lingerie-inspired looks.

Of course Tess sported a silky pink ensemble from Victoria's Secret, featuring a bra, G-string and short-shorts, paired with thousands of dollars worth of jewellery by Anton Diamonds.

Tess Shanahan, wife of Bondi Sands multi-millionaire founder Shaun Wilson, recently celebrated her 30th birthday with a Victoria's Secret themed bash that will go down in history for its extravagance

Channelling her inner Victoria's Secret angel, the birthday girl completed her look with a set extravagant white-and-pink feathered wings.

Among those attending were Booby Tape founders Bianca and Bridgett Roccisano, who both stunned in racy black frocks.

After entering the venue, guests were able to take photos inside an all-pink dressing room reminiscent of those used during the actual Victoria's Secret fashion show.

Of course, Tess ensured guests were gifted with plenty of merchandise from the brand, including embroidered pink robes and slippers.

A makeup room playfully called 'Tess' Angels touch-up station' was also available for guests to use.

The venue also featured a private balcony area featuring large pink umbrellas, picturesque views and a DJ - with the birthday girl even performing a set behind the decks.

Guests dined on a truly indulgent spread, including sashimi, caviar, dumplings, sliders, salads and oysters.

Thousands of dollars' worth of wine was also on offer, including bottles of Ruinart Brut champagne, chardonnay and pinot noir.

Tess hired a top-tier events company to handle the set-up, while entrusting celebrity hairstylist Gabrielle Roccuzzo and top makeup artist Jade Kisnorbo to ensure she looked just as a preened as a real Victoria's Secret model

Among those attending were Booby Tape founders Bianca and Bridgett Roccisano, who both stunned in racy black frocks.

Upon arrival, guests were ushered onto a huge pink media wall with photographers waiting to capture their lingerie-inspired looks

Of course, Tess ensured guests were gifted with plenty of merchandise from the brand, including embroidered pink robes and slippers

Guests dined on a truly indulgent spread, including sashimi, caviar, dumplings, sliders, salads and oysters

Tess' attention to detail was evident - even the serviettes bore the TS logo!

Thousands of dollars worth of wine was also on offer, including bottles of Ruinart Brut champagne, chardonnay and pinot noir

Guests were also offered glasses of Aperol Spritz, tequila and a custom cocktail featuring lychee liqueur

The venue also featured a private balcony area featuring large pink umbrellas, picturesque views and a DJ - with the birthday girl even performing a set behind the decks

Guests were also offered glasses of Aperol Spritz, tequila and a custom cocktail featuring lychee liqueur.

The night ended with a dance rave inside the venue, and cutting of a large pink-and-white birthday cake.

Tess and Shaun tied the knot in September last year at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles.

Aussie accents were 'everywhere' at the iconic hotel on Sunset Boulevard as guests arrived for what was described a 'a three-day extravaganza for the ages'.

The big rumour at the wedding was that Shaun - who co-founded Bondi Sands in 2012 with business partner Blair James and later sold it to Japanese multinational Kao Group for $450million in 2023 - had lavished a million dollars on his big day.

Tess looked stunning in a strapless silk gown which featured a high slit and an elegant veil.

The couple announced their engagement in July 2023, about a month before Bondi Sands and its related companies were sold to the Kao Corporation.

'30.07.23 - My forever,' Tess captioned a gallery of photos of the elaborate proposal, which included pictures of her huge diamond ring.

They would go on to welcome their first child together before making it down the aisle: their daughter, Romee Rae Wilson, was born in September 2024.
Halle Berry is gearing up to play the leader of the free world after landing a role in the film adaptation of former president Bill Clinton's novel The President Is Missing.

The Monster's Ball star, 59, will play the President of the United States in the gender-swapped movie adaptation of the book.

The Oscar winner  who recently lashed out at California Governor Gavin Newsom  will produce the film alongside Clinton and James Patterson, who co-authored the 2018 novel.

The book was originally picked up by Showtime for a series starring David Oyelowo as the president, but the pandemic derailed the project.

In the film, President Joanna Duncan (Berry) faces a terrorist threat so deadly it could plunge the US into the dark ages, and to stop it, she must first outwit her own Secret Service and escape the White House, as per Deadline.

Berry obtained the rights to the book through her production company, HalleHolly, a partnership with Holly Jeter. The film is in development at Apple Original Films.

Halle Berry, 59, is gearing up to play the leader of the free world after landing a role in the film adaptation of former president Bill Clinton's novel The President Is Missing; Berry seen in 2025

The Oscar winner will produce the film alongside Clinton and James Patterson, who co-authored the 2018 novel; Clinton seen in 2025

The casting thrilled fans, with one writing, 'she has my vote.'

Many others simply commented, 'Madame President.'

Another person called the casting 'iconic' though some complained that the gender swapping was too 'woke.'

Clinton combined his insider knowledge of the presidency with Patterson's storytelling expertise to write the novel, giving readers a glimpse at the security threats leaders face.

Clinton served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001.

In 1998, he became the second president in U.S. history to be impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, stemming from his attempt to cover up his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

He was later acquitted by the Senate and completed his term.

In addition to playing the Commander-in-Chief, Berry is keeping busy with more upcoming roles.

Join the debate Does gender-swapping iconic roles in films empower representation or undermine original stories?

The Oscar winner will play the President of the United States in the gender-swapped film adaptation of the book; Berry seen in 2025

The book was originally picked up by Showtime for a series starring David Oyelowo as the president, but the pandemic derailed the project; Oyelowo seen in 2024

In the film, President Joanna Duncan (Berry) faces a terrorist threat and to stop it, she must first outwit her own Secret Service and escape the White House, as per Deadline; Seen 2025

The casting thrilled fans, with one writing, 'she has my vote'

Though some complained that the gender swapping was too 'woke'

She is also set to star in Bad Cop, Bad Cop, an action comedy from HalleHolly and Beau Bauman, in which Berry will join Fortune Feimster and Jillian Bell.

On the small screen, Berry is set to star in Zero F***s, a menopause-themed comedy in development at Peacock from writers Liz Kruger and Carolyn Townsend and A+E Studios.

She will also star on The Patient, a horror drama in the works at HBO.

Berry plunged into politics last month as she had strong words for California Governor Gavin Newsom, humiliating him just moments before he walked on stage at a star-studded event.

The actress angrily accused the leading Democratic contender for the 2028 presidency of 'devaluing' women after he vetoed a menopause bill that she had tirelessly championed.

She said that his stance made him unqualified to be the next US President, a race Newsom has said he is considering entering.

'Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one but two years in a row,' Berry said during her appearance at New York Times' DealBook Summit.

'But that's okay, because he's not going to be governor forever, and the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us, he probably should not be our next president either.'

Berry plunged into politics last month as she had strong words for California Governor Gavin Newsom, humiliating him just moments before he walked on stage at a star-studded event

She accused the leading Democrat (pictured) of 'devaluing' women after he vetoed a menopause bill that she had tirelessly championed and declared 'he should NOT be president'

The bipartisan bill titled Menopause Care Equity Act would, if passed, have mandated comprehensive health insurance coverage for women experiencing menopause and perimenopause symptoms.

It also stipulated that the California Medical Board create a menopause-specific curriculum and would require doctors to complete ongoing menopause-related education.

Berry has been an outspoken advocate for menopausal women since discovering in 2024 that she had been in perimenopause for 10 years but had been misdiagnosed as having Herpes.

Last year, the Hollywood star proudly declared that she was in menopause while joining a group of bipartisan senators at the U.S. Capitol to push for legislation that would allocate $275 million toward research and education for menopause.

'The shame has to be taken out of menopause. We have to talk about this very normal part of our life that happens,' she said at the time. 'Our doctors can't even say the word to us, let alone walk us through the journey.'
Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz proved their marriage is stronger than ever as they posted a slew of snaps from their getaway, days after publicly cutting ties with his family.

The eldest son of David and Victoria, 26, paid tribute to his wife, 31, once again with the photo montage, which included one very racy snap of Nicola lying topless in bed.

Other photos showed the couple enjoying a rare vintage red wine, which was nearly 200-years-old, as well as going on dog walks with their beloved pooch, Lamb.

Nicola also uploaded her own snapshot into their break. The actress cut a glamorous figure in a black halterneck gown for their fancy meal and also showed off her various chic outfits from their time away.

The couple decided not to caption their photos, but fans commented: 'Beautiful pictures, sending so much positivity to both of you' and 'I hope you're ok'.

Their display of martial bliss comes after the interviewer who quizzed Nicola about the rumours of a wedding dress feud with Victoria revealed the actress could barely speak her mother-in-law's name.

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz proved their marriage is stronger than ever as they posted a slew of snaps from their getaway, days after he publicly cut ties with his family

The eldest son of David and Victoria, 26, paid tribute to his wife, 31, once again with the photo montage, which included one very racy snap of Nicola lying topless in bed

Nicola gave the interview just months after her Palm Beach wedding to Brooklyn and it was published in Grazia at the time and republished on Monday.

The interviewer said: 'I was struck by Nicola's borderline inability to speak either David or Victoria's names. The "she, Victoria, uh" in the above quote, was as direct as it got, otherwise, it was just "Brooklyn's mom" or "dad".

'By contrast, she spoke easily, directly and fondly of Harper. "I wanted a little sister so bad, and Harper is the sweetest. I have the coolest little sister. She sends me snapchats," she said.'

The interview was first published with a brief reference as to why Nicola - then aged 27 - didn't wear a Victoria Beckham designed wedding dress, despite plans to.

A week ago, Brooklyn referenced this when he posted a six-page missive in which he detailed the extent of his feud with his family and claimed Victoria had let Nicola down with the dress design at the eleventh hour.

In light of his claims, Polly Vernon's interview with Nicola was republished by Grazia on Monday, with Nicola's quotes about the dress released in forensic detail.

Polly admitted that she suspected Nicola had simply wanted to wear a different dress at the time but now believes re-reading the quotes that Nicola was let down by Victoria, although the full reasons why are unknown.

Nicola said: 'I really, really wanted to wear [a VB dress] and I thought it was so beautiful that Brooklyn's mom got to make that for me! And I was really excited to wear it! And I didn't end up wearing it.

It comes after the interviewer who quizzed Nicola about the rumours of a wedding dress feud with Victoria revealed the actress could barely speak her mother-in-law's name

The actress cut a glamorous figure in a black halterneck gown for their fancy meal

The couple decided not to caption their photos, but fans commented: 'Beautiful pictures sending so much positivity to both of you' and 'I hope you're ok'

A week ago, Brooklyn posted a six-page missive in which he detailed the extent of his feud with his family and claimed Victoria had let Nicola down with the dress design

Other photos included the couple enjoying red wine which was nearly 200-years-old

Their dog, Lamb snuggled up by the fire during the romantic meal

Brooklyn showed off the vintage wine which was from 1831 and extremely rare

'The truth is that I was in a text chain with my mom, Victoria and Leslie, who's been my stylist for 10 years.

'We all were on this tech chain together, and I was so excited to start the design process. Um, and then Victoria, um, was like Oh! And this was in the middle of me filming [her directorial debut] Lola James! So I was very busy.

'And then she, Victoria, uh, was very busy, and then we started this text chain, and a few days went by, and I didn't hear anything, then I think Victoria thought since I was on set, maybe she didn't want to upset me, so she called my mom and said that she couldn't make the dress. She said that her, um, atelier couldn't make the dress in time'

Her quotes echo what Brooklyn had said in his scathing statement.

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.'

Brooklyn has told his parents they can only contact him through lawyers after becoming frustrated by them mentioning him on social media.

He and his brothers, Romeo and Cruz are no longer following one another on social media - but Brooklyn was incredibly close to his sister Harper who has barely been mentioned amid the furore.

Brooklyn Beckham's statement in full 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. 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." 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. 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. Advertisement

Despite the family heartache, Brooklyn smiled for the camera as he posed for a snap with Nicola

Nicola shared a glamorous mirror selfie as she posed with her black Chanel handbag

The actress beamed as she walked Lamb

Nicola brushed off the family drama as she enjoyed a glass of wine

The couple put on a united display after Brooklyn's explosive statement sent shockwaves throughout the country

Nicola looked effortlessly stylish in an all-white look

While the rest of the Beckhams gathered in Paris to support Victoria, 51, as she received a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, Brooklyn made it clear where his loyalties lie

But, predictably, eldest son Brooklyn yet again skipped out on the occasion - a week after he severed all ties with his family in a bombshell statement (seen with parents in 2019)

Nicola ended up wearing a Valentino gown for her 2022 wedding to Brooklyn (Valentino pictured, who sadly died last week)

Brooklyn remains in contact with his grandparents and it's not known if he is currently in contact with Harper.

Over in Paris, Victoria was joined by David, 50, sons Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 20, and daughter Harper, 14, as she received a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters on Tuesday.
John Mulaney has revealed he financially supports wife Olivia Munn's extended family who live in Oklahoma.

The 43-year-old comedian appeared on Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out podcast this week, during which he discussed 45-year-old Munn's large Vietnamese relatives.

'So Olivia has a large  shes Vietnamese, and she has a large Vietnamese family in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, of which I am one of the significant financial contributors,' he said.

The actor added, 'For the first 39 years of my life, I supported zero Vietnamese people  probably none  and now I have 10 on the books.'

Mulaney and Munn tied the knot in July 2024 after welcoming son Malcom, four, in 2021.

They later had daughter Mei, who was born via surrogate in September 2024.

John Mulaney has revealed he financially supports wife Olivia Munn's extended family who live in Oklahoma; pictured in March 2025

Mulaney and Munn tied the knot in July 2024 after welcoming son Malcom, four, in 2021; pictured in April 2025

Mulaney said he loves helping his wife's family, who are Vietnamese refugees, and noted his parents are economically secure and don't rely on him.

'With parents of some success, you cant really do anything for them,' he explained. 'And it brings me great joy to help out, to help and do fun things for Olivias family.'

Birbiglia went on to ask: 'Are you thinking that when youre having a nice relationship with them, that in the back of their mind theyre thinking: I wonder if hell send me $1,000?'

The Saturday Night Live alum quipped, 'Theres no wonder. In the back of the mind? You mean the front of the voice? The front of the voice  the words coming out of their mouth?'

He added, 'How refreshing, by the way, [having come from] a goddamn white family, [in which we] never talk about money at all.'

Last year, while appearing on Late Night With Seth Meyers, Munn revealed her mother didn't meet her now-husband until after their first child was born.

The stars began dating in 2021, just months before their son was born one day before Thanksgiving.

And her mom, Dung Kim Schmid, met Mulaney when she came to visit the newborn and celebrate the holiday.

Last year, while appearing on Late Night With Seth Meyers, Munn revealed her mother didn't meet her now-husband until after their first child was born

The 43-year-old comedian appeared on Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out podcast this week to promote his Mister Whatever tour

Schmid and Mulaney have since developed a close bond.

In a Today With Jenna & Friends interview last year, Munn described her husband and mom as 'besties.'

'John has a list  an actual notepad  of Korean dramas and movies to watch with her and checks them off,' she shared. 'They love it.'

Before welcoming their daughter, Munn opened up to Vogue about her decision to freeze her eggs in hopes of expanding her family with Mulaney.

The X-Men actress revealed that she and the comedian opted for the procedure following her breast cancer diagnosis, as chemotherapy and radiation can affect fertility.

'After my diagnosis, we decided to try one more round of egg retrievals and hoped it was a good month,' she said, divulging that she tried the process on three different occasions  when she was 33, 39 and then at 42.

'John and I talked about it a lot and we don't feel like we're done growing our family, but didn't know if I would have to do chemotherapy or radiation,' she explained.
Katie Price has been urged to 'run for the hills' by two of her new husband's exes, who claim the Dubai businessman is a 'lying swindler who preys on women'.

The former glamour model, 47, tied the knot for the fourth time to Lee Andrews, 43, in an intimate ceremony over the weekend, just days after getting engaged.

Now, Crystal Janke, 40, has claimed Lee hoodwinked her into handing over 123,000 to invest in his company, on the promise he could get a 'return of 1million'.

The family nurse practitioner from Texas, who started a romance with Lee last May, claims she has been scammed and fears her money was spent by Lee on lavish gifts for Alana Percival, 32, who he was dating at the same time.

In a firm message to Katie, Crystal pleaded: 'Do not give that man any money'.

Lee connected to Alana on Facebook last March and showered her with a Louis Vuitton handbag, Cartier jewellery and transferred thousands of pounds.

Katie Price has been urged to 'run for the hills' by two of her new husband's exes, who claim the Dubai businessman is a 'lying swindler who preys on women'

He proposed in September and the set-up was identical to Katie's engagement at the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab.

The Sun reports the police are aware of the alleged fraud.

Lee appeared to have repurposed the Cartier ring he gave to Alana to propose to Katie.

Alana said as soon as she posted a picture of their engagement, she was contacted by his estranged Russian wife Cezara and two other exes, who claimed he was a 'liar'.

Despite their warnings, Alana said she thought their relationships had just ended badly as she 'never had someone basically tell me that they love me the way he does'.

Alana, who sold a house to Katie 15 years ago and called off their engagement in November, told the publication: 'Katie should run for the hills, Lee is a liar, a narcissist and I think hes a manipulator. Once I tried to leave him, he told me had a heart condition and was living on borrowed time. Lee doesnt know whats fact and whats fiction.'

She also posted a warning for Katie on Instagram from her holiday in Thailand, tagging Katie and writing: 'Catching flights not fiances #luckyescape Somebody with your ex right now thinking they found the one @katieprice... more to come today's news is just a warm up you guys wanted to know what he is all about? Well let me start to tell you @katieprice #runforthehills.'

Crystal commented on Alana's post, writing: 'Keep smiling and soaking up every moment - you truly deserve it!' to which Alana replied, telling her that 'There is so much more to this story, karma.'

Crystal Janke, 40, has claimed Lee hoodwinked her into handing over 123,000 to invest in his company, on the promise he could get a 'return of 1million'

Lee was reportedly dating Alana Percival at the same time as Crystal. Alana posted a warning for Katie on Instagram writing: 'Let me start to tell you @katieprice #runforthehills'

Crystal commented on Alana's post, writing: 'Keep smiling and soaking up every moment - you truly deserve it!' to which Alana replied, telling her that 'there is so much more to this story'

Join the debate Should Katie pause everything before it is too late?

Crystal wrote: 'I truly wish I could jump on a plane and fly to you right now just to hug you. Thank you for having the courage to listen when I reached out. At the end of the day, women supporting women always wins, and Im grateful we crossed paths for a reason.'

'Im sorry this happened to both of us, but were going to get through it- and well come out on the other side stronger and empowered.

Alana later added on her Instagram Stories: 'This man had me shrinking myself making me not want to speak up, telling me not to speak to my friends about how he acted because they all told me to leave him. He even ruined some of my friendships pulled me away from people I love by protecting him.'

'Made unlimited promises making me look as bad as him because I was on his side!! Finally I get to speak freely and tell you all, I hope Katie listens I wish I had listened to all the others that warned me! Please ladies if you experience anything like this run a mile and more. Keep running!

Crystal said she believes Lee had planned on proposing to her in the same way just two weeks before Alana's engagement after they looked at rings together.

But her sister began to become suspicious of Lee and contacted a private investigator, who then revealed he was dating Alana at the same time.

Crystal said: 'The PA then found his ex Dina and she said, "Run for the hills. Hes not who he says he is". She said he scams people all the time.'

Crystal swiftly ended the relationship, contacted her bank and reported Lee to police as she said: 'I know theres no chance Ill ever get this money back. Looking back I think, "How did I let him scam me?" But he was so convincing.'

Lee told the Daily Mail that he did have a relationship with Alana, stating: 'I gave her a lavish lifestyle. I invested in her real estate business. I have to dismiss all her claims.'

He added that he does have a heart condition but 'I have never used this as leverage as a conversation to fake anything. It's something that was bought up in conversation because I was with my partner.'

He added of Crystal that 'I have never met the woman' adding that he has 'exchanged conversations and a couple of texts but I do not have any notion of her investing in me or sending me money. I have to dismiss that claim.'

The Sun claims to have seen texts from Lee to Crystal in which he says he was 'dating a really famous person from the UK' and wants to meet her in London to return her money.

The Daily Mail has contacted Katie's representative for comment.

Lee proposed to ex Alana just four months ago - and recreated the exact same set-up when he got down on one knee to Katie (pictured)

Alana later added on her Instagram Stories: 'This man had me shrinking myself making me not want to speak up'

Katie's family have reportedly been left in the dark over her shock marriage to Lee following the pair's whirlwind 'one-week' romance.

A source told the Daily Mail that Katie's family had not spoken to her since she walked down the aisle.

It is now claimed that Katie's family are deeply concerned about the speed of the relationship and are preparing to sit her down for a 'serious talk' over her marriage.

It has been reported that Lee's glossy online profile supposedly caught her attention just days ago which led to the whirlwind wedding.

The couple, who are currently apart after Katie returned to England and Lee stayed in Dubai, have also had each other's names inked on their hands.

Speaking to the camera, Lee said: 'Hi guys how are you? So this is married life. There's been a bit of confusion about tattoos and rings. Rings are all on the right fingers and tattoos are all on the right hands...

'Anyway, lots of love to everyone and massive love, all the love in the world to Katie and I'll see you soon. We had the most wonderful wedding, we are married, it is official and I'm the happiest man in the world...

Lee also appeared to have used the same ring - predicted to cost around 40k - to propose to the star as he used on his ex-wife Dina Taji

'Lots of love to everyone. That might clear up a lot of the 99 per cent of the junk that's in my requests. It should. Lots of love to you all.'

Harking back to the tattoos, he shared another video showing his hand and penned: 'So there is the tattoo, just so you can see it. Just so you know. It's further up the hand than Katie's and we are getting more tattoos.'

Further in his bid to silence naysayers, he then shared a video aimed further at those who claimed his ring was on the wrong hand.

He said: 'Folks, folks, folks. Let me just do one think for you. Listen, I'm not a videographer and I'm not a photographer but this is my left hand...

'From where you guys are sitting because it's a reverse camera, it's the frontal camera, and you can give it a go on your iPhone or your Androids or whatever you've got, if you show your left hand to yourself on the camera with the camera facing you it will look like the right hand...

'I can assure you myself and my beautiful wife, both have the rings on the correct finger which is the left. She also has her engagement ring which is beautiful, I love you, I love you babe, and her wedding band. Our tattoos are on the right hand.'
Denise Richards is requesting a Los Angeles judge deny a request made by her estranged husband Aaron Phypers to pocket half of her OnlyFans income.

The Wild Things star, 54, said that Phypers, 53, has failed to meet deadlines in their ongoing divorce involving such requests, according to court docs reviewed by Daily Mail.

Richards said that Phypers was supposed to file an income and expense declaration with updated figures on Friday, but failed to do so.

Due to this breach, Phypers should be disqualified from garnering half of her income on the pay site, said the actress.

Richards said Phypers - who said in a previous court claim that he believes Richards is making $200,000-$300,000 on a monthly basis via Only Fans  still has yet to file anything as of Tuesday.

Daily Mail has reached out to reps for Richards for further comment on this story.

Denise Richards, 54, is requesting a Los Angeles judge deny a request made by her estranged husband Aaron Phypers, 53, to pocket half of her OnlyFans income. Pictured in LA in 2024

Phypers said in a previous court claim that he believes Richards is making $200,000-$300,000 on a monthly basis via Only Fans. Pictured last year

No ruling has yet been made on request from Richards - who with Phypers, was evicted in December from the Calabasas, California mansion they shared for nonpayment.

A hearing in the spousal support case is slated for February 26.

Richards is mom to three daughters - Sami, 21, Lola, 20, with Sheen; and Eloise, 14, who she adopted prior to her wedding to Phypers.

Richards appeared as a guest host on Tori Spelling's Misspelling podcast earlier this month, where she was critical of her estranged spouse and his family after they started a GoFundMe amid piling expenses.

Richards said a line was crossed with references in the fundraising drive to her daughter Eloise.

'Say whatever you want about me, which they have - Ill deal with that after the divorce,' Richards said. 'But when you cross a line and bring my youngest daughter into trying to get money from strangers, its outrageous - that is wrong.'

Richards said she was 'not surprised' to see the strategic direction Phypers headed in mentioning her youngest child.

'To go to this level, to bring my daughter into it - its more a personal thing,' Richards said. 'It is shocking, but whatever.'

Phypers filed for divorce from the World Is Not Enough actress July 7, saying that they had separated three days earlier. He told the court that 'irreconcilable differences' were at the heart of their split; seen in 2023

In the months since, both parties have publicly traded jarring accusations about the other; Richards seen September 28

Phypers filed for divorce from the World Is Not Enough actress on July 7, 2025, saying that they had separated three days earlier. He told the court that 'irreconcilable differences' were at the heart of their split.

In the months since, both parties have publicly traded jarring accusations about the other.

Richards said in a court filing that her estranged spouse 'repeatedly abused' her during time together; Phypers has denied the allegations.

Phypers accused Richards of committing marital infidelity, as well as physically assaulting him and destroying his phone.

In a note Phypers penned to family and friends (later published by Page Six), Phypers called for an intervention on the actress and said that she had substance abuse issues involving prescription medication.

'Some of you know this has been an issue for over 20 years,' Phypers said. 'She's no longer eating real meals, and Ive witnessed her pass out from substances  putting herself and others in danger, including while driving with our daughter [Eloise, 14].'

A lawyer for Richards, Brett Berman, denied the accusations, telling People that 'Phypers has continued to harass Ms. Richards since being served with the Temporary Restraining Order by, among other things, disseminating private information from Ms. Richards cell phone and laptop, which he stole.'
Hailey Bieber's sister, Alaia Baldwin Aronow, is facing jail time following her arrest over an alleged altercation with employees at a Georgia bar.

Aronow, 33, was taken into custody in February 2024, after she reportedly became unruly at Club Elan, a bar in Savannah, Georgia. She is accused of assaulting three staffers and even throwing a used tampon at a bartender in the employee bathroom.

On Monday, Georgia prosecutors filed four misdemeanor charges against the model  simple battery, simple assault, battery, and criminal trespass  according to documents obtained by Us Weekly.

Prosecutors alleged that the eldest daughter of Stephen Baldwin and Kennya Baldwin struck one victim 'in the genitals' and 'pulled' a portion of hair from another victim's scalp.

If Aronow is convicted, she could face up to one year in jail for the battery charge. Her arraignment is scheduled for April 23.

In a statement to Daily Mail, Aronow's attorneys Drew Findling and Cris Schneider shared: 'We remain absolutely confident, there will be a positive resolution.'

Hailey Bieber's sister, Alaia Baldwin Aronow, 33, is facing jail time following her arrest over an alleged altercation with employees at a Georgia bar; The sisters seen in 2014

The owner of Club Elan called 911, claiming Aronow had gotten into a physical altercation with his employees and had refused to leave his business, TMZ reported at the time.

Employees claimed Aronow entered the employees-only restroom, but was instructed not to use that particular bathroom. She was redirected to the public restroom instead.

However, she reportedly became belligerent and combative, and allegedly assaulted three employees.

She is accused of yanking the hair out of one security guard's head as he attempted to contain her. Another security guard also accused Aronow of kicking him in the groin when he tried restraining her.

The third employee, a female bartender, encountered Aronow when she attempted to enter the employee restroom.

She was allegedly informed Aronow would need a moment to vomit and change her tampon.

In an interview with TMZ, the bartender, Haliegh Cauley, said she told Baldwin and her friends that they couldn't be in the employees' bathroom, before she noticed that there was 'throw-up filled to the top of the sink,' which seemed to make her feel nauseated just from recounting it.

The bartender claimed to have waited for some time before she returned to the bathroom to check on her.

When the employee entered the bathroom, however, she alleged that Aronow hit her with a tampon.

'I said, "Listen, you guys have got to go,"' Cauley recounted. She added that Aronow had a 'scary' look in her eyes.

Join the debate Do YOU think celebrity relatives live by a different set of rules?

Aronow (pictured in her mugshot) was taken into custody in February 2024, after she reportedly became unruly at Club Elan, a bar in Savannah, Georgia. She is accused of assaulting three staffers and throwing a used tampon at a bartender in the employee bathroom

On Monday, prosecutors filed four misdemeanor charges against the model  simple battery, simple assault, battery, and criminal trespass  according to Us Weekly; She is seen in 2018

Prosecutors alleged that the eldest daughter of Stephen Baldwin and Kennya Baldwin struck one victim 'in the genitals' and 'pulled' a portion of hair from another victim's scalp; Seen with Hailey and her parents in 2020

If Aronow is convicted, she could face up to one year in jail for the battery charge. Her arraignment is scheduled for April 23; Seen with Hailey in 2019

She claimed that Aronow replied, 'Do you not believe me? Do you want to see?'

Cauley claimed that the thrown tampon, which she noted was 'used,' made contact with her face after Aronow allegedly threw it.

She also clarified that Aronow did not throw the tampon. Instead, Cauley said that when Aronow pulled it out she swung her arm up and the tampon touched her face, while apparently never leaving her grip.

Cauley added that she called security at that point, and she claimed that Aronow began 'swinging' at the guards.

The bartender added that she thought Aronow was intoxicated.

Security said they eventually were able to contain Aronow and remove her from the establishment.

In addition to pressing charges, Cauley said she planned to file a lawsuit against Aronow 'because that's somebody's bodily fluid that touched me.'

'That's just not appropriate and that's very uncalled for, especially when somebody's trying to help you.'

Aronow, however, claimed to the responding officer she was acting in self-defense. TMZ reported she claimed the entire situation was being blown out of proportion.

She was ultimately arrested for numerous charges, and was booked for simple assault, simple battery, battery, and trespassing.

A police report obtained by E! revealed: 'Ms. Aronow stated she was forcefully removed from the club.

'She initially denied forcing her way into the bathroom, only stating she needed to use the restroom to throw up and change her tampon.'

The report also stated she 'initially denied throwing her used tampon' at the bartender but 'later stated she did throw it.'

A model, Aronow is a member of the famous Baldwin family; Seen with Hailey and cousin Ireland Baldwin in 2015

'Aronow can be seen fighting and resisting the entire way outside,' the report states, adding the video 'clearly shows' Aronow 'grabbing and pulling' the hair of one security guard and 'hitting' another 'in the genitals.'

In a statement to TMZ at the time, Aronow's attorney didn't appear to dispute any of his client's alleged actions.

'On February 24, 2024, Ms. Aronow traveled to Savannah, GA to celebrate the upcoming marriage of a close friend. Sadly, what should have been a celebratory girls night out, unfortunately took an unexpected turn,' he said.

'Ms. Aronow is embarrassed and saddened by the events of that night and is proactively taking the necessary steps to ensure that it never happens again,' Findling added.

A model, Aronow is a member of the famous Baldwin family. She shares four-year-old daughter Iris with her husband of seven years, Andrew Aronow.
Stephen Colbert's final episode of The Late Show will air May 21 after 10 seasons on CBS.

Colbert, 61, revealed the news while he was appearing on Late Night With Seth Meyers Monday in a clip published on the show's Instagram: 'It feels real now ... it did not feel ... I mean, I know it was real, but now, there's four months left.'

The latest update comes more than six months after CBS and Paramount canceled The Late Show last summer after 10 seasons, citing declining late night revenues.

Some said the decision was politically-motivated to appease one of Colbert's most powerful critics: President Donald Trump.

The Washington, D.C.-born entertainer said he would miss calling home the iconic New York City venue where he filmed the show from, which he inherited from previous CBS late night ace David Letterman.

He said, 'Listen, you can do comedy in a lot of different places - there's no place like the Ed Sullivan Theater.'

Stephen Colbert's final episode of The Late Show will air May 21 after 10 seasons on CBS. Pictured in November

Some said the decision to cancel the show was politically-motivated to appease one of Colbert's most powerful critics: President Donald Trump. Pictured January 21 in Davos

Colbert praised his staff as a key aspect of the show he would miss when it wraps up in four months.

'It's really the people: That's really what I care about,' Colbert said. 'That's really what I'm going to miss more than anything.'

Colbert's cancellation after a 10-season run drummed up considerable controversy.

Some said it was just business as usual, and that the host's left-leaning politics alienated a significant chunk of potential audience.

Others said that Colbert was clearly a political martyr amid the changing times under Trump, who praised the network's decision to let go of Colbert, a long-running critic of his.

Colbert has continued to provide sharp political commentary in the show's stretch run, as on Monday, he spoke about the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by a Border Patrol agent.

'Today, more than 50 percent of Americans are digging out from a massive winter storm, freezing temperatures from Texas all the way up to Maine,' he said. 'It's frigid here in New York City. I want to thank everyone here who stood outside in the cold today before you came. I think we can all agree, f*** ICE.'

He was critical of Trump's administration for labeling Pretti a 'domestic terrorist,' claiming they 'immediately blamed the victim' - as he said they did in the previous shooting of Renee Nicole Good earlier this month, also in Minneapolis.

The latest update comes more than six months after CBS and Paramount canceled The Late Show last summer after 10 seasons, citing declining late night revenues. Colbert pictured in NYC last month

The Washington, D.C.-born entertainer said he would miss calling home the Ed Sullivan Theater, the iconic New York City venue where he filmed the show from

'Videos appear to contradict federal accounts of the shooting,' Colbert said. 'That analysis was from The New York Times, and they weren't alone. They were joined by NBC News, PBS News, Reuters, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as Your Own Eyes and Ears Magazine and I Know That's Pee on My Leg Weekly.'

At the time, Colbert delivered an emotional statement to his studio audience about his imminent departure from CBS' late night airwaves, as the network was pivoting to a different strategy in the time slot.

'Before we start the show, I want you to know something that I found out just last night,' Colbert said July 17. 'Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending The Late Show in May.'

'It's not just the end of our show, but it's the end of The Late Show on CBS. I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away.'

Emmy-winning actress Sandra Oh, 54, garnered controversy after making a number of strong comments on the July 22 edition of The Late Show, with one prominent CBS commentator saying her sentiments were misguided.

'Like probably everyone here and everyone who is so supportive outside wants to say that I am so sorry and saddened and properly outraged for the cancellation of late-night here,' Oh said.

Oh, a two-time Golden Globe winner, said that the decision made on the corporate level - which many say had political undertones - was a game-changer for standards in the U.S. amid Trump's second term.

'Not only for yourself and for this entire family who are here, but for what it means, of what it means where we are in our culture and what it means for free speech,' said the Sideways actress.

Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings said Oh had things pegged wrong in blaming Colbert's show ending on politics, amid a changing economic landscape in late night TV - and culture

'So I just want to say, sorry, and also if I can have your hand,' she told the host, 'to CBS and Paramount - a plague on both of your houses.'

Colbert said he was 'very grateful' as he wagged his finger, adding, 'I think they've been great partners.'

Tony Dokoupil of CBS Mornings subsequently said Oh had things pegged wrong in blaming Colbert's show ending on politics, amid a changing economic landscape in late night TV - and culture.

'The business is broken,' Dokoupil said. 'And what no one seems to acknowledge is that the politics also changed.

'The business changed and so did the politics, and it got way more one-sided than anything Johnny Carson was ever doing.' (Carson, who died in 2005, famously was one to steer clear of going too far left or right so as not to put off a chunk of his audience.)

Dokoupil added, 'I think we should reflect on those changes as well - it's been a big shift culturally in that regard also.'

The move to ax Colbert was a controversial one within some circles of Hollywood, as the late night host received words of public support from the genre's elder statesman, Letterman.

Also critical was the former host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, who said Colbert was cancelled to grease through the $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance Media.

Emmy-winning actress Sandra Oh, 54, garnered controversy on the July 22 edition of The Late Show in saying, 'To CBS and Paramount - a plague on both of your houses!'

The huge business transaction needed to be OK'ed by the Federal Communications Commission under Trump's administration, and it was after The Late Show was cancelled.

'The shows that you now seek to cancel, censor and control, a not insignificant portion of that $8 billion value came from those f***ing shows,' Stewart said.

Dokoupil said that while he understood 'the emotional views' Stewart expressed, they weren't square with good business tactics.

'I don't have an MBA but he's not right that the merger, the $8 billion, is based on reruns of a comedy show, no,' he said. 'People are buying the movies and the sitcoms and the sports.

'They're not based on reruns of [CBS Mornings] either, so I think it's wrong.'
Ruby Rose left Hollywood to return Down Under in 2023 after her controversial exit from the Batwoman TV series three years earlier.

And in her 13 years in the US, the Melbourne-born 39-year-old actress showed some A-list skill in playing the real estate game.

At the peak of her success, The Orange is the New Black star spent US$2.1milllion (AU$3m) in 2017 on a luxury pad in the ritzy Los Angeles suburb of Sherman Oaks.

The stylish 1948-built home featured an open-plan lounge, huge fireplace, and exposed beam ceilings.

She later posted images of the character-filled abode on her Instagram, showing off a secluded backyard with a swimming pool.

The Melbourne-born actress sold it in 2021, for $US2.1million - and made a US$300,000 profit.

Ruby Rose left Hollywood to return Down Under in 2023 after her controversial exit from the Batwoman TV series three years earlier. And in her 13-years in the US the Melbourne-born 39-year-old actress and model showed some A-list skill in playing the real estate game.(Pictured)

Ruby now splits her time now between the US and Australia. Pictured: The home in country Victoria she used as retreat before deciding to spend more time Down Under in 2023

At the peak of her success, The Orange is The New Blackstar spent US$2.1milllion (AU$3 m) in 2017 on a luxury pad in the ritzy Los Angeles suburb of Sherman Oaks

Ruby's next purchase was a significant upgrade - a four-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home in the sought-after Valley Village of the San Fernando Valley.

The dark-haired beauty paid $US2.6 million ($AU3.7 million) for the sprawling abode, which features a pool, oak floors, with decor blending vintage and modern styles.

Before returning to Australia, Ruby shared with her fans images of a country home she had been using as a getaway for some time.

In 2020, it was reported she had spent two Christmases with family in a remote cabin nestled on the edge of bushland by the coast.

It features black wood, glass walls and a huge futuristic-inspired triangle window with metal beams at the front of the property, leading to views of the water.

Ruby previously told a fan the property is in 'a secret magical place in Victoria'.

It remains unclear if Ruby owns the unique-looking spread, or if it belongs to her family or whether she has it on a long-term lease.

In 2023, it was reported that Ruby was set on re-settling Down Under - but since then, the actress appears to divide her time between Australia and the US.

She sold Sherman Oaks in 2021, for $US2.1million - and made a US$300,000 in profit

At the time, Ruby said she's planning to spend more time Down Under and admitted living in the states is 'draining' and toxic, due to the attitude towards the LGBTQI+ community.

'I don't know that I have the emotional bandwidth and energy to withstand another year of living in the States with that anger and that oppression and what they're doing to the gay community and the trans community  it has become so exhausting,' she told Stellar magazine.

Ruby came out as a lesbian to her mother before she entered her teenage years, before recognising her sexual identity as being gender-fluid.
Ashley Tisdale's 'toxic mom group' drama has been reignited as the star unexpectedly met up with Hilary Duff's 'estranged' sister Haylie Duff for a playdate this week.

The actress, 40, sparked a frenzy earlier this month when she wrote an essay for The Cut, detailing her fallout with a group of Hollywood moms she was once friends with.

While Tisdale never identified any of the women, fans were convinced she was taking aim at Duff's mom crew with fellow stars Meghan Trainor and Mandy Moore - something a rep for Tisdale has denied.

However, Tisdale raised eyebrows on Tuesday when she posted a photo of her eldest daughter Jupiter, four, playing with Haylie's daughter Ryan, 10.

She shared the snap to her Instagram Story after it was originally posted by Haylie with the caption: 'Under table shenanigans @ashleetisdalefrench'

The hangout comes just days after Duff appeared to finally confirm that she and Haylie are no longer on speaking terms after years of rift rumors.

Ashley Tisdale's 'toxic mom group' drama has been reignited as the star unexpectedly met up with Hilary Duff's estranged sister Haylie Duff for a playdate this week; Tisdale seen in 2024

She did so during her London concerts last week as she performed her new track We Don't Talk.

Duff seems to reference their feud by singing, 'Don't know when it happened / Not even sure what it was about.'

She then drops a big clue that the song is about Haylie, singing, 'Cause we come from the same home, same blood.'

Duff continues, 'People ask me how you're doing / I wanna say amazing, but the truth is that I don't know / What I always end up saying is how we don't talk / we don't talk about it / We don't talk about anything anymore.'

She then alludes to her Napoleon Dynamite star sister possibly being 'jealous' of her.

'And if it's 'cause you're jealous / God knows I would sell it all, then break you off the bigger half,' she croons.

In an emotional turn, Duff then pleads for herself and Haylie to bury the hatchet and hash out their issues once and for all.

'Let's have it out / I'll hear you out, you'll hear me out on the couch / Get back to how we were as kids / Let's break it down / So sick of being so sad about / How we don't talk and you won't talk about it,' she sings.

While Duff hasn't officially confirmed that the track is about her sister, fans on social media are certain that it is.

The hangout comes just days after Duff appeared to finally confirm that she and Haylie are no longer on speaking terms after years of rift rumors; the sisters seen in 2008

Tisdale raised eyebrows on Tuesday when she re-posted a photo of her eldest daughter Jupiter, four, playing with Haylie's daughter Ryan, 10, who was originally shared by Haylie

'Hilary Duff just sung We Don't Talk and its 100% about Haylie. But not mean at all. Basically telling her to reach out,' commented one.

'I just don't get why either can't pick up a phone and just talk, there is clearly a way to relay it,' wrote another.

The Daily Mail reached out to Hilary and Haylie for comment but never heard back.

Duff has found herself in the headlines amid her musical comeback as well as being dragged into Tisdale's 'toxic mom group' drama.

'To be clear I have never considered the moms to be bad people (maybe one),' Tisdale wrote in her essay for The Cut.

'But I do think our group dynamic stopped being healthy and positive - for me anyway.'

At the time, fans noticed that the article arrived shortly after she unfollowed both Duff and Moore on Instagram.

At her London concerts last week, Duff seemingly references her feud with Haylie in her song We Don't Talk as she sings: 'Don't know when it happened / Not even sure what it was about'

Duff also alludes to her Napoleon Dynamite star sister possibly being 'jealous' of her; Duff sen in 2023

In an awkward turn of events, Duff's sister Haylie 'liked' Tisdale's post about the toxic group on Instagram, further fueling rumors of a feud between the Duffs.

Since 2019, the once inseparable siblings have not been photographed publicly and appear to have little online interaction with one another.

The rumored feud between the sisters allegedly stems from tension involving Hilary's husband, Matthew Koma, and Haylie's fiance, Matthew Rosenberg.

Celebrity gossip outlet DeuxMoi previously claimed the men 'don't get along,' leading to strain between the Duff sisters, though neither has ever publicly addressed the alleged distance in their relationship.

Duff is now focused on her comeback tour and upcoming Las Vegas residency, which coincides with the release of her new album, Luck...or Something, which drops February 20.

While Haylie never reached the dizzying career heights of her superstar sister, she has had plenty of success in her own right.

She's best known for starring in the cult classic Napoleon Dynamite and for her role on the Christian family drama 7th Heaven.

Tisdale sparked a frenzy earlier this month when she wrote an essay for The Cut, detailing her fallout with a group of Hollywood moms she was once friends with

The mom-of-two also became a successful food blogger, which led to her own cooking shows, and she's released a string of popular TV movies over the years.

In 2004, Haylie and Hilary teamed up to cover The Go-Go's classic Our Lips Are Sealed, which became a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

They later headlined the teen comedy Material Girls together, which was released in 2006 to mixed reviews.

Haylie returned to her home state of Texas in 2021 to raise her children with her entrepreneur fiance.
Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz's former wedding planner has waded into their family row and said he was 'surprised' by the aspiring chef's bombshell statement.

Last Monday the 26-year-old son of David and Victoria went nuclear on his family and said he doesn't wish to reconcile with them and made several claims about their behaviour at his wedding.

Now their former wedding planner Preston Bailey has shared that he was shocked he hit out against his parents in such a public and brutal manner.

Preston was embroiled in wedding drama himself and didn't end up seeing their planning job through - instead going on to be replaced by Arianna Grijalba and Nicole Braghin.

After quitting as the first planner - Bailey claimed at the time he was 'overcommitted' on other jobs so 'couldn't deliver to the quality I was used to.' He said in 2023: 'I have the best to say about the Peltzes and Nicola. There wasn't any bad blood.'

In a subsequent legal filing, Nicola's dad Nelson Peltz said Bailey encountered 'challenges' while planning the enormous event, which took place at the family estate in Palm Beach, Florida and reportedly cost around $3.5million.

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz's former wedding planner Preston Bailey (seen) has waded into their family row and said he was 'surprised' by the aspiring chef's bombshell statement

Last Monday the 26-year-old son of David and Victoria went nuclear on his family and said he doesn't wish to reconcile with them and made several claims about their behaviour at his wedding (seen at their vow renewal last year)

Now Preston has spoken of his experiences with Nicola and Brooklyn while he was still planning the wedding.

He told Page Six: 'It surprises me that he is taking this stand against his parents. That's not the Brooklyn I met as far as him being this nice, gentle guy... He was just a nice, regular person who would say hello and chit chat.

'I can tell you about my experience with Brooklyn. While we were planning, clearly as far as the details for the design, he was very much involved. I have always thought of him as a gentle, decent guy. There was never any tension.'

'I don't remember her being bossy. I remember a lot of affection between them. Whatever design was done was presented to Nicola, but it was important for her to have Brooklyn approve it. She wasn't going to do anything without his approval.'

Nicola was portrayed as a 'nightmare bride' in a documentary about her bitter dispute with her wedding planners for her lavish 2022 nuptials.

She subjected her wedding planners to the 'group (text) chat from hell', said Chris Lochery, the editor at gossip site Popbitch in the documentary Peltz Beckhams vs The Planners.

Lochery said at the time that the wedding was 'total carnage' and that Nicola came out of the lawsuit looking 'spoiled and entitled.'

Celebrity wedding planner Mark Niemierko said that Nicole Braghin and Arianna Grijalba, who took over the wedding, were handed a 'hot mess' when famed planner Preston stepped back.

Now their former wedding planner Preston has shared that he was shocked he hit out against his parents in such a public and brutal manner

Preston was embroiled in wedding drama himself and didn't end up seeing the planning job through - instead going on to be replaced by Arianna Grijalba and Nicole Braghin (seen)

Third wedding planner Michelle Ragos (seen) got the job done in the end - but charged the Peltz family an escalated fee because of the tight turn-around

He described Nicola as a 'very, very insecure individual who is insecure of their career.'

The lawsuit 'represented a mess of a family, forget the mess of planning a wedding,' said Niemierko in the documentary.

The wedding took place in April 2022 in the Palm Beach, Florida, mansion of Nelson Peltz, Nicola's billionaire investor father.

The three-day event attracted celebrities like Eva Longoria, Gordon Ramsay and Venus and Serena Williams, as well as David and Victoria.

Behind the scenes there were ugly tensions which came to the surface when Nelson Peltz sued Plan Design, Braghin and Grijalba's Miami-based wedding planning company several months after the event.

They were fired after just eight days because, as was claimed in legal filings, they were incapable of doing the job and had 'hoodwinked' the Peltz family into thinking they could do it.

In the lawsuit Peltz demanded his $159,000 deposit back and called their refusal to hand it over a 'good old fashioned shakedown.'

The wedding planners fired back with a counter lawsuit which revealed hundreds of texts of what they claimed showed unreasonable demands from the Peltz family.

The documents said that Peltz was acting like a 'billionaire bully' and that he became so frustrated with the chaotic planning he called the event a 's*** show' and wanted to cancel it but his wife Claudia begged him not to as it would 'destroy Nicola's career.'

Nicola was portrayed as a 'nightmare bride' in a documentary about her bitter dispute with her wedding planners for her lavish 2022 nuptials (seen are messages in a planning group chat)

She subjected her wedding planners to the 'group (text) chat from hell', said Chris Lochery, the editor at gossip site Popbitch in the documentary Peltz Beckhams vs The Planners

Texts between Nicola, Nelson and the wedding planners revealed Nicola's frustration that they couldn't manage the RVSP list

Things came to a head last Monday when Brooklyn released a shock statement saying he doesn't want to reconcile with his family (seen together in 2019)

John Uustal, a celebrity trial attorney, said in the documentary that Nicola fired the wedding planners because 'she was getting scared' about the mess that was unfolding, which he called a 'slow moving train crash'.

According to Uustal, $159,000 was nothing to Nelson Peltz and there had to be 'more at stake here than money.'

He said: 'The cost of lawyers - he's going to spend more on lawyers then he's going to get (from the deposit). I can guarantee it.

'Reputation matters to someone like Nelson Peltz. On Wall Street he's feared and if he can't take care of a problem with a couple of wedding planners that's going to affect his reputation and I suspect his business dealings.'

The documentary revealed that Plan Design was the second wedding planner hired by the Peltzes and a third had to be hired to complete the job after they were fired, the counter lawsuit stated.

Mark Niemierko, a celebrity wedding planner who wasn't involved in the event, said that Bailey quitting as the first planner - Bailey claimed at the time he was 'overcommitted' on other jobs - was 'one of the biggest red flags'.

Niemierko says: 'For (Bailey) to walk away would be quite considerable. The wedding handed to them (the new planners) was a hot mess. A lot of alarm bells would have been ringing if I'd got that call.'

Among the messages included in the lawsuit were furious messages from Nicola about a fiasco with the guest list during which Lewis Hamilton, the Formula 1 race car driver, RSVPed but actually couldn't come.

She texted: 'lewis Hamilton did NOT RSVP. So explain why his names on the list please. We spoke to him. He can't come so explain why you said he rsvpd yes.'

As the wedding planners implored Nicola to help them, she texted: 'Can someone just send me a list of yeses PLEASE.'

Later Nicola wrote: 'I don't want it to be so complicated. I just want a list PLEASE.

'I've repeated myself a lot. I don't want an app or google doc. Just a text or email. Simple. Old school. That's the way my mom and I like it!'

Nicola was obsessed with small details like the matching monogrammed silk pajamas she and Brooklyn were due to wear on their wedding night.

The lawsuit claimed that the bill for Nicola's hair and makeup was more than $100,000 but Nelson Peltz could not be told because he would 'kill (Claudia, his wife), and be so mad.'

In other messages Nicola demanded that Preston Bailey be 'cut off', adding: 'I hate them' and 'can we fire them yet.'

Referring to Yuda, who appears to be a member of staff working on the wedding, Nicola wrote: 'He doesn't work weekend (sic) and when the suns (sic) down he won't workYa honestly he kinda sucks Truth be told.'

When Nicola is told one guest thinks they are flying on a private jet to the wedding, she replied: 'UMM HAHAHA NO'.

Even Brooklyn could not escape Nicola's anger.

While discussing the Beckham side of the guest list Nicola cut in and said: 'I do not trust Brooklyn with this. He has no idea. And is guessing'.

Niemierko said the texts that were included in the lawsuit 'represented a mess of a family, forget the mess of planning a wedding'.

On Nicola he said: 'She came across quite impatient, wasn't getting what she wanted. From seeing the correspondence it represents a very, very insecure individual who is insecure of their career, where they are and I think that's a shame'.

Chris Lochery said: 'It seems like the group chat from hell. It's awful. Just total carnage everywhere. Nicola comes across as a nightmare bride. Exactly the sort of person you don't want having your phone number'.

The case continued with a trial expected. But in September of that year both sides unexpectedly settled.

In a joint statement both sides said: 'The parties believe that this contract dispute should be resolved on the terms agreed.

'As part of the settlement Plan Design will make a donation in the name of Nicola and Brooklyn to the CARE Ukraine Crisis Fund. Plan Design wishes Nicola and Brooklyn Peltz Beckham happiness and a fruitful life together'.

Florida lawyer Peter Tragos said that the 'leverage of taking Nicola's deposition and other family members made Nelson Peltz think twice' about going ahead with the case, and that's why he settled.

According to Niemierko the wedding planners did not suffer a reputation hit and 'if anything they're now on a lot more people's radar'.

He said: 'The reputational damage is to the Peltzs and in particular Nicola. The Beckhams certainty want this to go away as quickly as possible.'

Lochery says in the film: 'I have no idea if Nicola Peltz spoke to (her father) ahead of filing this lawsuit but I have a feeling if he did there's no way she would have agreed to it.

'It makes them look petty and it makes them look entitled.

'Now they look spoiled and are trying to sue hardworking women over $150,000, to try and ruin their reputations. It's a horrible situation.'

The Beckhams have been embroiled in a tense row with their son Brooklyn and Nicola for months now.

Things came to a head last Monday when Brooklyn released a shock statement saying he doesn't want to reconcile with his family.

Brooklyn married actress Nicola in 2022, in Palm Beach, Florida, but things ran far from smoothly

The Beckhams have maintained a stoic silence since the influencer claimed 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.

Among the long list of claims he made was that Victoria pulled out of designing his bride's wedding dress at the 'eleventh hour' and then 'hijacked' the first dance at his wedding and 'danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone'.

Victoria is said to be 'feeling betrayed' by Brooklyn's bombshell statement and dancing revelations after her years spent protecting him from 'dark stories'.

The Daily Mail's Katie Hind previously explained how the Beckhams' camp 'leapt into overdrive in Brooklyn's defence' when stories such as kiss and tells and tales of him being 'involved with the wrong crowd' surfaced.

The family have been putting on a united front in Paris this week during fashion week as Brooklyn remains in the US with Nicola.
Industry star Myha'la says she's reluctant to her kiss co-stars on set after exchanging vows with husband Armando Rivera last year.

The actress, who plays Harper Stern in the hit HBO drama, has been involved in some of the show's raunchiest scenes - including threesomes and more recently a graphic scene involving a sex toy.

But after she secretly married partner Rivera in 2025, Myha'la, 29, believes kissing is 'sacred'.

She told The Independent: 'It was so bizarre... I've always been open and willing to try things [on set], a kiss is a kiss. I'm usually really good at compartmentalising that this is work.'

'Maybe there was something that felt sacred about kissing, like no one else can have a kiss from me.'

Myha'la previously said that now she is married she expects there will be more things she will say no to in intimacy scenes.

Industry star Myha'la says she's reluctant to her kiss co-stars on set after exchanging vows with husband Armando Rivera last year

The actress has been involved in some of the show's raunchiest scenes - including threesomes and more recently a scene involving a sex toy

She told Glamour Magazine: '[Kissing] was really strange, the first time I had an intimacy scene after I got engaged, I didn't want to kiss the person.

'I was absolutely getting my cheeks clapped, but I was like, "No kissing!"'

The actress also shared she has strict boundaries for how she is filmed in intimacy scenes in order to protect herself.

'If I'm in motion, I say no to a wide shot that includes my head and feet  top to tail  in the same frame. I also say no to shooting pubic hair.'

Myha'la added she is grateful for the recent introduction of intimacy coordinators to the industry as it has given her the freedom to make her own choices.

Industry follows a group of young graduates who learn the backstabbing required to get ahead in the cut-throat world of high finance - and of the depraved after-hours antics of the bankers.

The show has been dubbed the 'raunchiest on TV,' where financial machinations is followed at night by hard partying involving Champagne, cocaine, pills and random sex. As one critic put it, they were banking all day and banging all night.

Earlier this month the star revealed she and Armando had married by sharing snaps from their nuptials on Instagram, and wrote in the caption that only close friends and family knew they had tied the knot.

After Myha'la secretly tied the knot with her partner Armando Rivera last year, she said in a new interview that kissing is 'sacred' (the couple seen in January)

Myha'la previously said that now she is married she expects there will be more things she will say no to in intimacy scenes (Harper and Robert - played by Harry Lawty - seen in the show)

The actress also shared she has strict boundaries for how she is filmed in intimacy scenes in order to protect herself (pictured in Industry)

The star opted for an elegant white lace midi dress as she posed with her husband, exchanging their vows in a low-key ceremony after five years together.

She captioned the post: 'One year of marriage. Sos if this is how you're finding out, promise we didn't tell most everyone.

'Speedy officiating by @jojoplutz Endlessly grateful to our friends and family for helping make this day so very magical.'

Many of her celebrity pals were quick to share their appreciation, with her co-star Marisa Abela saying: 'It's so mum and dad, it's crazy.'

Myha'la had previously revealed she and Armando met when he sent her an Instagram DM during lockdown.

During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers in 2024, she explained that pandemic restrictions left her with time to scroll through her Instagram, and she came across a message from her now-husband congratulating her on Industry's debut.

The show has been dubbed the 'raunchiest on TV,' where financial machinations is followed at night by hard partying involving Champagne, cocaine, pills and random sex (seen in January)

Industry follows a group of graduates -Harper (played by Myha'la), Robert (Harry Lawty) and Yasmin (Marisa Abela) who enter the cut-throat world of high finance

While she replied with a simple thank-you, she shared that she then woke up to a series of video messages from Rivera, and while she was hesitant to open them, she found him 'kind of cute' when she checked out his profile.

In his videos, Armando explained he wanted to interview Myha'la for his journalism project, and when she accepted, what was meant to be a 10-minute chat on Zoom turned into a full 40 minutes.

'We hop off, and I was like, 'Oh, I'm in love with a stranger. How weird,' she said. She said that she followed up a few days later, and Armando asked for her number.

Myha'la said that they enjoyed a string of Facetime dates before finally meeting in person in early 2021, telling W Magazine: 'He was at school in San Francisco, and I'm from San Jose, which is just a 50-minute drive.

Myha'la described their first time holding hands as 'otherworldly', and said they became 'inseparable from then on.'
Luisa Zissman has branded Brooklyn Beckham 'an entitled little f****r' after his scathing statement accusing his parents of 'controlling' him.

The former Apprentice star, 38, hit out at the eldest Beckham child, 26, during a conversation with Anna Williamson on thier LuAnna podcast.

Luisa claimed Brooklyn would be 'nowhere' without his wealthy parents and would never have met his wife Nicola Peltz had he come from a regular family.

'I think he's basically an entitled little f****r to be honest. He'd be nowhere without his parents. He would never have met her without his parents,' she said.

'I do understand that now that he's older, he probably does feel like he's been used as a bit of a pawn in their Brand Beckham family.

'But he also has to remember that Brand Beckham, which was his upbringing, rightly or wrongly, is what afforded him his lifestyle.'

Luisa Zissmanhas branded Brooklyn Beckham'an entitled little f****r' after his scathing statement accusing his parents of 'controlling' him

Luisa claimed Brooklyn would be 'nowhere' without his wealthy parents and would never have met his wife Nicola Peltz had he come from a regular family

Anna also offered her thoughts, questioning why Brooklyn would make such a public condemnation of his parents if he wants to live a more private life.

'He was birthed into a wealthy family straight away. I think why he comes across entitled is because he doesn't understand the context of the environment he's in,' she said.

'My problem is, you're p****d off with your parents and you say you want to step back and be at peace with your wife, well then why put the biggest spotlight you've ever put yourself as a result of doing this statement? Why not just go away quietly?'

In his statement, Brooklyn 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.

He 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 former Apprentice star, 38, hit out at the eldest Beckham child, 26, during a conversation with Anna Williamson on thier LuAnna podcast

The Beckhams' eldest son has been living at a 11million Hollywood mansion with his Nicola for over a year but it has been reported that she is the primary owner of the home

'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.'

The Beckhams' eldest son has been living at a 11million Hollywood mansion with his Nicola for over a year but it has been reported that she is the primary owner of the home.

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.

'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.'

In a further blow, he added: '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.

While the rest of the Beckhams gathered in Paris to support Victoria, 51, as she received a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, Brooklyn made it clear where his loyalties lie

'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, 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.

'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.'
Helen George enjoyed a date night with her boyfriend Dan Innes as they led the stars attending the Radio Times cover party at Claridge's Hotel in London on Tuesday.

The Call The Midwife star, 41, put on a leggy display for the evening in a crimson mini dress which she paired with a dark grey blazer.

Adding height to her frame with clear heels, Helen cosied up to Dan who looked dapper in a burgundy blazer and dark trousers.

Helen reportedly started dating Dan - who is 11 years her senior - in January last year. It is believed they met on celebrity dating app Raya.

Also in attendance at the event was Gillian Taylforth who donned a black midi dress under a grey plaid coat.

Lorraine Ashbourne was joined by her son Louis Ashbourne Serkis who stars in the new 28 Years Later film.

Helen George enjoyed a date night with her boyfriend Dan Innes as they led the stars attending the Radio Times Cover Party at Claridge's Hotel in London on Tuesday

The Call The Midwife star, 41, put on a leggy display for the evening in a crimson mini dress which she paired with a dark grey blazer

EastEnders star Kellie Bright wrapped up in a black coat which she wore over a low cut matching top and trousers.

The Traitors winner Stephen Libby looked in good spirits at the event which he attended with a group of friends.

Vernon Kay looked suave in a navy suit and Gladiators star Montell Douglas opted for a black dress with matchingjacket and heels.

Strictly's Jowita Przystal opted for a purple and red mini dress and bright red tights while Downton Abbey star Elizabeth McGovern sported a blue jacket which she wore over a black dress

Helen shares two daughters Wren Ivy and Lark with her ex partner of seven years Jack Ashton, whom she split from in 2023.

The actress was previously linked with her Call The Midwife co-star Olly Rix, who played her onscreen husband Matthew Aylward.

They reportedly grew close following splits from their respective long term partners.

Olly had separated from his make-up artist girlfriend Natasha Fagri, who he had been dating since 2016.

Also in attendance at the event was Gillian Taylforth who donned a black midi dress under a grey plaid coat

Vernon Kay looked suave in a navy suit and Gladiators star Montell Douglas opted for a black dress with matchingjacket and heels

The Traitors winner Stephen Libby looked in good spirits at the event which he attended with a group of friends

Lorraine Ashbourne was joined by her son Louis Ashbourne Serkis who stars in the new 28 Years Later film

EastEnders star Kellie Bright wrapped up in a black coat which she wore over a low cut matching top and trousers

Queen drummer Roger Taylor opted for a dark purple velvet suit as he attended the event with his wife Sarina

Comedian David Mitchell looked in good spirits as he posed alongside his wife Victoria Coren

Downton Abbey star Elizabeth McGovern sported a blue jacket which she wore over a black dress while Strictly's Jowita Przystal opted for a purple and red mini dress and bright red tights

Jessie Wallace looked stylish in a metallic skirt

In a photo shoot from the magazine, Mary Berry smiled in a textured blouse

Vernon looked smart in a navvy blue suit

Roger and Sarina posed for photos inside

David and Victoria smiled for a quick snap

The cast of Eastenders joined together for a photo

The cast of Riot Women were also in attendance at the bash

In November 2023, she was snapped leaving Olly's home which sparked rumours of a growing connection between the pair - but they have since unfollowed each other on Instagram.

However, Helen and Olly drifted apart and after joining Raya in a bid to find love, she is now dating the property marketing agency boss.

According to Dan's LinkedIn profile, he has worked in real estate for more than 25 years and his specialist skill is that 'he sees the bigger property picture - which now activity embraces technology'.

He was brought up in North Wales and attended Newcastle University before moving down to settle in London.

Dan is currently the managing director and founder of real estate consultancy firm Innesco. He split from the mother of his two children Kate Wetten in 2016. They married in 2008.

In 2016, Helen began a relationship with Jack after meeting on the set of Call The Midwife, in which she plays Trixie Franklin.

The pair's characters embarked on a romance on screen and Tom proposed to Trixie, before she ended their relationship.

In real life, the couple were said to have fallen for each other after travelling to South Africa to film the show's 2016 Christmas Special.

Confirming the split, Helen told The Mirror in July 2023: 'Some months ago, we separated. Our two beautiful girls remain the focus and I respectfully ask for privacy for this next chapter.'
Harper Beckham took Paris Fashion Week by storm on Tuesday, stepping out in head-to-toe designer pieces for a family outing.

As the only daughter of Posh Spice turned fashion designer Victoria, Harper has access to 24/7 styling expertise not to mention an enviable closet to raid.

And it seemed as though the 14-year-old had borrowed one of her mum's most prized pieces for the Paris outing on Tuesday.

The teenager casually slung a 90s vintage jumbo flap Chanel bag, worth between 3,000 - 5,000, over her shoulder, the same classic style her mother was regularly spotted with in the noughties.

Harper teamed her Chanel with a furry navy jacket and washed black jeans, likely to be from Victoria's eponymous clothes line which features an array of denims retailing for 400.

Harper was in the French capital during Haute Couture Fashion Week to support her mother Victoria, 51, who received a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters honour during a ceremony the night before.

Harper Beckham took Paris Fashion Week by storm on Tuesday, stepping out in head-to-toe designer pieces for a family outing

The teenager casually slung a 90s vintage jumbo flap Chanel bag, worth from 3,000 - 5,000, over her shoulder, the same classic style her mother was regularly spotted with in the noughties (Victoria pictured in 2008)

Victoria has previously insisted she isn't 'precious' about sharing her designer wardrobe with her children, but there is one item she will not loan out to her teenager.

In a 2024 interview with Vogue, the fashion mogul spoke openly about sharing her closet, admitting: 'I'm not too precious about [my wardrobe] unless it's Hermes.'

'When Harper eyes up those handbags [I say]: "Not just yet." I love my clothes, I look after my clothes, and they are there to be enjoyed.'

'If one of the young ones wants to borrow my clothes, whether it's Harper or one of the boys' girlfriends, that's flattery because they are significantly younger than me,' she added.

Harper wasn't always so keen to borrow from her mum though, Back in 2015 Victoria told The Telegraph that her then four-year-old daughter was particularly vocal about her parents' fashion sense.

She divulged: 'The kids definitely tell me when they like what Im wearing. I had something on to pick up Harper from school the other day, and she asked me if I would please not wear that for school pick-up.

I think at that age they just want you to sort of blend in, dont they?

The trip to Paris marked the Beckham clan's first public appearance since Brooklyn's damning statement where he accused his parents of 'controlling' him, trying to ruin his marriage and humiliating him. He also hit out at his brothers Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 20.

Join the debate Does Harpers Paris Fashion Week look prove fashion runs in the family?

Harper teamed her Chanel with a furry navy jacket and washed black jeans, likely to be from Victoria's eponymous clothes line which features an array of denims retailing for 400

Victoria has previously insisted she isn't 'precious' about sharing her designer wardrobe with her children, but there is one item she will not loan out to her teenager

The trip to Paris marked the Beckham clan's first public appearance since Brooklyn's damning statement where he accused his parents of 'controlling' him

The Beckham clan appeared determined not to allow their family drama to overshadow Victoria's achievement, as she was presented with the prestigious accolade by the French Ministry of Culture on Monday.

The award recognises the individual contributions of artists, writers, and cultural figures to the arts and literature, and previous recipients include Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Jude Law and Denis Villeneuve.

And in her acceptance speech, the Spice Girl made special mention of her children, as she thanked them for 'always believing in my vision', despite Brooklyn's recent vitriolic claims against her.

She was presented the prestigious honour by the French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati.

Taking to the podium in front of the star-studded crowd, with her family stood proudly in front, Victoria began: 'I'd like to start by thanking the French ministry of culture and the Minister of Culture, Madame Rachida Dati. For this honour and for your kind words, I am extremely grateful.'
Sam Thompson fought back tears as he recalled his sister Louise Thompson's traumatic birth and says he's in therapy to try and process what happened.

Louise nearly died while giving birth to her son Leo in 2021 following an emergency caesarean.

After Leo's birth, Louise went on to suffer with PTSD and post-natal anxiety due to her near-death experience and has since been diagnosed with Lupus, Asherman's syndrome, suffered a second haemorrhage, and has also had a stoma bag fitted.

Sam has now opened up about 'one of the worst experiences of his entire life' as he detailed rushing to hospital and the traumatic news.

'Louise nearly died three times, one was the giving birth, the second was she had a haemorrhage in her uterus when she was at home, that was a really scary one', he told pal Jamie Laing on his podcast Great Company.

'I was at the ITV Palooza and my mum called me and was like "you need to get to the hospital now".

Sam Thompsonfought back tears as he recalled his sister Louise Thompson's traumatic birth and says he's in therapy to try and process what happened

Louise nearly died while giving birth to her son Leo in 2021 following an emergency caesarean. She went on to suffer with PTSD, post-natal anxiety and has been diagnosed with Lupus, Asherman's syndrome, suffered a second haemorrhage, and has also had a stoma bag fitted

'I was quite p***ed and it was 11pm and I got to Chelsea hospital and it was post Covid, hospitals were still locked down, and I managed to snuck into the hospital.

'I managed to get into the room where Ryan [Louise's partner] was and he was on the floor, that was one of the worst experiences of my entire life.'

He continued: 'I mean Louise has to go through it, I mean f*** me I've never seen anyone as strong as she is, but that was one of the hardest times in my life by an absolute mile.

'I remember the doctor came in, twice, and went we can't stop the bleeding and I was like, "Oh my f***ing god".

'That was something I will never ever, ever forget that.'

Sam praised Louise for her 'bravery' as he went on to recall how his sister told him she was dying.

'We are so lucky to still have her. That was just the birth, two or three years on she gets sepsus in her stomach and it was completely different to the birth incident.

'I'm again in the hospital talking to her and she's like, "I'm dying" and the doctor comes in and says you have to have your colon removed else your going to die.

Sam has now opened up about 'one of the worst experiences of his entire life' as he detailed rushing to hospital and the traumatic news

'Louise nearly died three times, one was the giving birth, the second was she had a haemorrhage in her uterus when she was at home, that was a really scary one', he said

'I remember the doctor came in, twice, and went we can't stop the bleeding and I was like, "Oh my f***ing god". That was something I will never forget that. We are so lucky to still have her'

'That girl turned round and said, "Get it out". The bravery of that was out of this world.'

Sam admitted he hasn't 'properly processed' the traumatic times but has started going to therapy in the hope to work through his struggles.

'I don't think I properly process it now, if I'm honest with you because I haven't had the time really to sit down and talk. Like I go to therapy a bit, we haven't even hit that part', he said.

The I'm A Celebrity winner also praised Louise's partner Ryan as he held everything together despite 'struggling' as well.

Sam explained: 'He saw a lot of blood from that person he loves and he thought she was going to die and he was looking after an infant child which he has never done before so he really struggled.

'I really did struggle actually, but that man (Ryan) I don't think he gets the credit he deserves, because he held, you know when Spiderman's holding the two trains together, he was literally holding the whole f*****g ship together.

'Don't get me wrong I was there through the whole thing, but that man, it was tough.'

Sam concluded by revealing the 'best things about Louise', he said: 'She is the kindest most empathatic, she feels everything.

'I don't think there are many people like my sister and she will work her arse off to give other people things and not herself, she doesn't need or want anything my sister she just wants to help people.'

It comes after Louise shared an emotional unseen clips from her traumatic birth ordeal as she called for a meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting to improve maternity care in the UK.

'Two years on she gets sepsus in her stomach. I'm in the hospital and she's like, "I'm dying" and the doctor comes in and says you have to have your colon removed else your going to die'

'That girl turned round and said, "Get it out". The bravery of that was out of this world', he said

Sam admitted he hasn't 'properly processed' the traumatic times but has started going to therapy in the hope to work through his struggles

Following her own ordeal four years ago, Louise has joined forces with former Conservative MP Theo Clarke to campaign for the appointment of a maternity commissioner, after a Parliamentary enquiry led by the pair found there is 'shockingly poor quality' in maternity services across the UK.

Louise, who was diagnosed with PTSD after the difficult birth of her son Leo in 2021, shared the videos from her experience on Instagram, dedicating the post 'to those who didn't survive or lost their babies.'

The star added that she's launched a petition asking for a maternity commissioner to be appointed, and urged her followers to sign it, in the hope of getting 100,000 signatures so the topic can be debated in Parliament.

Louise has previously shared that her injuries  which include developing Asherman's Syndrome, in which scar tissue in the uterus becomes 'glued' together, worsening bowel problems and emergency surgery after a post-natal haemorrhage  means that she cannot carry another child.

And in her video, she told her followers that there needs to be 'a national maternity strategy' after speaking to other mothers who had endured similar experiences.

Captioning the post, Louise added: 'This is dedicated to all those who didn't survive and those who lost their babies.

'Thank you to the 30,000 of you who have already signed our petition.

'This number is significant because it's also the number of women who develop PTSD following childbirth every year.

'And I believe that we NEED a maternity commissioner in this country - because every woman deserves the right to a safe and dignified birth.

'It would be great to see our government enforce some of the 748 recommendations that have been made following various inquiries over the past decade.

'I have to say I'm SO RELIEVED that so many of you care about women, our birth rights, and our babies. Especially at a time when we have people like Steven Bartlett blaming women for a declining population.

Sam also praised Louise's partner Ryan, 'I really did struggle actually, but that man (Ryan) I don't think he gets the credit he deserves, because he held the whole f*****g ship together'

Louise has recently shared emotional unseen clips from her traumatic birth ordeal as she called for a meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting to improve maternity care in the UK

Following her own ordeal four years ago, the Made In Chelsea star has joined forces with former MP Theo Clarke to campaign for the appointment of a maternity commissioner

'The time is now. I've been reading a brilliant book about tipping points this week and I think we are about to be the 'push' that nudges something major over the line. Please join me in that pursuit.

'This issue can't keep getting sidelined in favour of other projects. Childbirth is the inception of life. What is more important than that. We need standardised care for all.

'Next steps - We would love a conversation with our health minister Wes.'

Louise and Theo set up the Birth Trauma All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in the summer, and went on to lead the first national inquiry into birth trauma.

In 2024, a damning report into the 'postcode lottery' of NHS maternity care ruled there is 'shockingly poor quality' in maternity services, claiming good care is 'the exception rather than the rule'.

It heard evidence from more than 1,300 women, including new mothers who'd been left to lie in blood covered sheets for hours and even berated by midwives for having soiled themselves.

One woman carrying twins who went into premature labour at 19 weeks was told by a consultant to 'stop stressing' after she lost her first baby. Another, dismissed as an 'anxious mother', later lost her baby from complications she warned about.

The report found 'poor care is all frequently tolerated as normal, and women are treated as an inconvenience'.
NRL premiership star Nat Butcher and his wife Harmony welcomed twin daughters on Saturday, January 24.

The Roosters player, 28, and his wife shared a precious gallery of photos on social media on Wednesday, capturing the proud parents posing with their newborn daughters at the hospital.

In one photo, Nat beamed from ear-to-ear as he tenderly cradled his baby girls, and another captured him and his wife Harmony introducing their one-year-old son Beau to his sisters.

The proud parents looked to be on cloud nine as they tenderly doted on their newborn girls - and revealed their adorable alliterative names.

'Our girls are here. Belle Rae & Billie Bloom. Born 24.01.2026 at 36w2d,' they began.

'Beau is the best big brother. We are all so in love, it's the most beautiful feeling knowing our now family of five is complete.'

NRL premiership star Nat Butcher and his wife Harmony welcomed twin daughters on Saturday, January 24. Pictured with their newborn girls and their son Beau, one

'They spent some time in special care and we have been amazed by their strength & how well they've been doing so far.

'Incredibly proud of our strong, beautiful girlies. Double the love. Double the blessing. Grateful.'

Many of Nat's celebrity friends took to the comment section to offer their well wishes.

'Beautiful news. Congratulations xoxo,' wrote Simone Holtznagel.

'You are so incredible!!! In awe of you x,' Nadia Bartel gushed, and Olivia Molly Rogers chimed in: 'Congratulations gorgeous.'

In April 2024, Nat and Harmony welcomed their first child, son Beau.

The Sydney Roosters lock and his model wife took to Instagram to announce the exciting news, sharing a gallery of images and revealing their son's sweet name.

'Beau William Butcher 05.04.2024. Our son is here,' they revealed.

The Roosters player and his wife shared a precious gallery of photos on social media on Wednesday, capturing the proud parents posing with their newborn daughters at the hospital

The proud parents looked to be on cloud nine as they tenderly doted on their newborn girls - and revealed their adorable alliterative names

'It's crazy to believe a love like this exists.

'We are all happy and healthy and enjoying our little love bubble,' the pair added.

The lovebirds announced the pregnancy news on social media in November 2023.

'Our biggest blessing.

'We are so grateful our little miracle is blooming,' they revealed at the time.

Nat and Harmony married in a stunning Palm Beach waterfront ceremony in 2020.
Gemma Atkinson has told how she has received messages from 'snide' men on social media who claimed her Mancunian accent made her unattractive.

The former Hollyoaks actress, 41, hails from Bury, Greater Manchester, and lives in the city with her Strictly dancer partner Gorka Marquez, 35, and their two children Mia, six, and Thiago, three.

On this week's episode of their podcast Lost in Translation, Gemma said: 'People used to message me and say, "You're really really fit until you start talking but we just can't deal with your accent".

'And I used to think, "Well you're not fit with or without talking". I used to think, "How snide. You've not even spoken and you're not attractive".'

Spanish dancer Gorka sweetly admitted Gemma's accent is one of is favourite things about the soap star, adding: 'I love it. I find it very cute when you speak like that. It's one of the things that attracts me to you.'

The presenter then jokingly responded: 'I'm glad that you find it attractive, because that's all that matters right. You and Tom Hardy, no one else needs to.'

Gemma Atkinson has told how she has received messages from 'snide' men on social media who claimed her Mancunian accent made her unattractive (pictured in 2025)

The actress, 41, hails from Bury, Greater Manchester, and lives in the city with her Strictly dancer partner Gorka Marquez, 35 (pictured in November)

Gemma and Gorka met as co-stars on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, despite not being partners on the show.

Their relationship soon blossomed and they announced they were dating in 2018 before getting engaged in February 2021.

Gemma previously revealed the couple wish to wait until their son is a bit older to officially tie the knot as they want him to play a part in the big day.

Speaking to the Daily Express, she shared the details: 'We've toyed about doing it in Spain, so his family can come, and we've even thought about doing it in a registry office or a hotel in Manchester, just the two of us, and then have a big party after.

'But I think now we want to wait until Thiago is a bit older, so maybe next year or the year after, as he's only two.

'If he's a bit older, he could be involved in it, which would be really nice.'

Back in 2022 Gemma revealed she had postponed her wedding to Gorka due to both of their busy schedules - after saying she'd rather try for another baby than plan lavish nuptials.

She told New magazine: 'Gorka is literally on tour all of this year. We've only got four days off together.

'He's got the two Strictly tours back to back, and then he'll be going on Strictly in the autumn. We don't even have a minute to sit down and begin making plans!'

The couple have two children Mia, six, and Thiago, three, and Gemma has revealed they wish to wait until their son is a bit older to officially tie the knot (pictured on their reality show)

Spanish dancer Gorka sweetly admitted her accent is one of his favourite things about Gemma

It comes after Gemma and Gorka's reality show was axed, despite its successful ratings - and the pair previously teasing that a new series was to come.

Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind The Lens, followed the couple's lives with their two children behind the scenes. However The Sun reported it has been cancelled after two series.

A spokesman for UKTV - which owns U&W, the channel the pair's series aired on - said: 'It's been a privilege to make two series of Gemma and Gorka: Life Behind the Lens with Two Rivers Media.

'Gemma and Gorka are both very busy with other projects at the moment, so at this time, there are no current plans for another series, but we look forward to working with them again soon.'

The couple have been through their fair share of ups and down, and who hit a 'rough patch' in 2023 when Gorka was unable to get home during the final six weeks of Strictly Come Dancing, despite being voted out in week three.

The dancer has now signed up as a judge on the Spanish version of Strictly, Bailando con las Estrellas, which will see him spend a lot of time in Madrid for filming.

As the Spanish dancer jetted across Europe for his new role, Gemma had been caring for their children, with a source telling The Mirror she has 'effectively raising two kids by herself'.

The insider added: 'Gemma knows how important Gorka's work is to him and goes above and beyond to be supportive but she found it challenging when he wasn't able to travel back to Manchester to spend time with her and the kids, even when he'd been voted off last year's series.'
Adam Thomas has vowed he's going to 'start taking care of his body again' after suffering from 'severe pain' during his battle with psoriatic arthritis.

The Emmerdale star, 37, has documented his crippling struggles with the condition after being diagnosed in 2023, just weeks before his stint on Strictly Come Dancing.

In a new Instagram post, Adam has shared that he became 'complacent' with his arthritis treatment, and since then has been struggling with the debilitating symptoms.

Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint and affects millions of people in the UK. There is currently no cure.

Describing the pain as a 'big wake up call,' Adam told his followers that he's going to start 'listening to his body' and hopes the pain isn't a result of the medication he takes no longer having the same effect.

Adam shared the post alongside a snap of himself injecting arthritis medication into his leg, and in a video on his Stories, shared his 'worries' that he'd become immune to the treatment.

Adam Thomas has vowed he's going to 'start taking care of his body again' after suffering from 'severe pain' during his battle with psoriatic arthritis

In a new Instagram post, the actor shared that he became 'complacent' with his arthritis treatment, and since then has been struggling with the debilitating symptoms.

He wrote: 'Stop thinking you're invincible, because you're not! Over the past few days, I've felt it creeping back in, the pain in my wrists, my fingers, then the psoriasis came back too!

'Over Christmas, I got complacent, I missed my injections, I thought it will be fine! But how wrong was I A few days ago I had a big wake up call literally!

'I woke up in the middle of the night with severe pain in my wrists, in that moment, i went straight back to that scared little boy I used to be, living with pain and fear.

'Don't get me wrong, the pain has eased a bit since, maybe I slept on it funny, I'm not sure, but I know I'm not pain free anymore! Somethings changed The meds I'm on, your body can get used to them, miss them, and they can stop working altogether, that thought scares the s**t out of me!

'I'm hoping it's just because I missed them and need to get back on track. Truth is I got comfortable, I got lazy, I thought I'd beaten it, but I was wrong it's still there,

'I can feel it, waiting. Truth is I don't think you beat it, you just learn to live with it, Control it! This is a reminder to myself, and to anyone else who needs to hear it, don't get comfortable, don't get lazy, don't think you're invincible.

'I need to start taking care of my body again! Yes am enjoying training at the moment, but maybe I just need to not over do it so much, and focus on listening to my body again. Stay consistent adam x and look after your self x.'

Adam then shared a series of videos with his followers on Instagram Stories after being flooded with messages from fans enduring the same arthritis struggles.

Adam has documented his crippling struggles with the condition after being diagnosed in 2023, just weeks before his stint on Strictly Come Dancing

Describing the pain as a 'big wake up call,' Adam said he's going to start 'listening to his body' and hopes the pain isn't a result of the medication he takes no longer having the same effect

Adam then shared a series of videos with his followers on Instagram Stories after being flooded with messages from fans enduring the same arthritis struggles

He said: 'First and foremost, my love goes out to you guys, I know how you feel and I know how challenging it can be. I'm just going through a little bit of a tough time, I just feel it's slowly coming back and it's scaring me a bit.

'My fingers are lot more tighter, my wrists are really sore now, I'm hoping it's just a flare-up, but it doesn't seem to be going away, but if you guys have got any advice.

'If anyone is going through the same thing I'm going through and is on these biologic injections, I'm just worried if I'm being brutally honest, I really started this year off really positive, and I really felt like I was making a big improvement, but I know that I've made a big improvement with every aspect of my life this month.

'I've really focused and locked in, and this just came out of nowhere one night, I just woke up in the middle of the night and it was the most severe pain and I literally, I woke up crying, because I felt like I'd just ge back to the old me again and it scared me to death.

'I'm hoping it's just because I missed the injection, and not that the medication is wearing off because if that's the case, I'm back to square one again.

'I know there's so many people that have been on the biologic injections and it's lasted years.

'I've only been on it for a couple of months now, and don't get me wrong, the couple of months have literally changed my life, it really has and I'm so grateful this medication did work for me, because I know how long and tiring it can be trying to find a medication that works,

'And again I know there's so many people that have been on this medication for years, and I've started to look into it, and do some research on it, when I say research, I saw a few things on Instagram, and apparently your body can get immune to the biologic injections and also if you don't take your medications when you're meant to, the arthritis will come back, not that it's gona away but you will have a flare up.'

'I'm going ''it's just a flare up'' and I'm hopping my body isn't immune to the new medication.'

Sharing his fears that he may need new treatment, Adam said: 'I don't know if I can go through that again... it's so so lonely, so draining, it's horrific and I'm sort of blaming myself really because I did get complacent, it's crazy how quick you can go ''oh right I'm fine again! Let's go to the gym, let's go jump out of a plane!''

'You can get so carried away with just being normal again, you just not necessarily forget about the arthritis, you just sort of accept this new life you've got, this life you've been wanting for so long, to be able to move again...

'The pain did subside a little bit, but it's still there, it's only in this wrist for some reason, it's sort of a good sign, I hope it is anyway but I just hope it doesn't get any worse, I had my medications again last night, but I hope an extra dose... because I had my injection last night as well, I was hoping the pain would have gone away.'

Adam then reflected on the 'immense' feeling of the pain disappearing when he was first given the medication after struggling with symptoms for three years, and vowed he was going to 'stay positive' by hoping this pain was just a flare-up.

WHAT IS PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS? Psoriatic arthritis is a long-term condition that causes joint pain, swelling and stiffness. The condition causes the immune system to attack its own body, primarily the joints and skin, but also organs. Scientists believe genes and an environmental trigger, like a trauma or virus, might play a role in developing psoriatic arthritis. About a third of people with the skin condition psoriasis will get psoriatic arthritis as they get older. Symptoms include: pain, swelling and stiffness joints, swollen fingers or toes, nails can form tiny dents, crumble or separate from the nail beds, lower back pain, feeling drained of energy, eye inflammation and foot pain. Symptoms can be worse first thing in the morning and may improve with exercise. Some people may also get symptoms of psoriasis, such as dry scaly skin, at the same time. There's no cure for psoriatic arthritis. Treatment is aimed at controlling symptoms and preventing joint damage. The medicines used to treat psoriatic arthritis include: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroid injections, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biological treatments Source: The NHS and Arthritis Foundation Advertisement

The Waterloo Road star had revealed back in June that he was free of pain from arthritis for the first time in over two years thanks to the miraculous biologic injection.

Biological injections are types of medication that use proteins to target specific parts of the immune systems suffering with inflammation.

Just a month or so before discovering the injection, Adam shared an emotional plea to 'take my pain away' as his suffering became almost unbearable.

In a caption accompanying a photo of him laying on a massage bed, the 36-year-old wrote: 'This disease really does f**k with your head, especially when you're trying to shift Some weight and get Into a routine of exercise!

'Constant battle constant set backs! Just take my pain away please!! I've suffered enough now!

'Am really trying to hold myself together but it's not easy!

'Just one of those days ... keep fighting people... on the days where we can't train ... we have to take care of ourselves x self care and recovery.'

And months before that the soap star admitted he could 'barely walk' due to the debilitating nature of the disease.

'The pain is pretty unbearable at the moment,' he posted in October.

'It's as if my whole body is seizing up! The pain was bad before, but it's a lot worse now how why.'

Addressing his treatment, he said: 'Now I wish I never came off the methotrexate because I would take that pain to this every day of the week!!

'I've just started my new medication today which takes 12 weeks to take effect and even then it might not work so am not too sure what I can do to ease the pain until then? I've had my steroid injections and it literally lasted a week.

'I couldn't even get dressed this morning on my own, couldn't drive to work, I mean I can barely walk and my wrists and fingers feel like they're broken that's no exaggeration!

'I wouldn't have got out of bed today if it wasn't for work. It got better through out the day with a s**t load of painkillers!

Adam revealed his diagnosis in August 2023, as he geared up to star on Strictly, which meant he could barely walk ahead of his dancing debut (pictured on show with Luba Mushtuk)

The actor shared an emotional plea to 'take my pain away' just a couple of months ago as his suffering became almost unbearable

'But wow these last few days have been scary had a little cry to myself today it can just really get on top of you!!

'Am not saying this for a sob story or for sympathy just trying to bring awareness to this disease and what so many others are going through the good the bad the ugly  I'm lucky I have a great support system and not many do so to anyone who is going through the same thing and is alone! I see you you I feel you!!

'It's going to get better don't give up x if you know anyone who's suffering just give them a call and check in.'

Adam - the brother of Love Island star Scott and fellow soap star Ryan - landed his breakthrough role as Donte Charles on BBC One's Waterloo Road in 2002, acting on the show for a further thee years.

He later appeared in Emmerdale as Adam Barton, featuring on the show from 2009 to 2018 and becoming a fan-favourite.

In 2016, he appeared on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, finishing in third place behind Joel Dommett and Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt.
Katie Price posed in her brand new 180k Ferrari which was gifted to her as a 'wedding present' from her new husband Lee Andrews.

The former glamour model, 47, tied the knot for the fourth time to Lee, 43, at the weekend, but two of his exes have already warned her to 'run for the hills' as they branded him a 'lying swindler who preys on women.'

Sharing an update on Wednesday, Katie snapped a selfie in her luxurious new car as she headed out.

The TV personality, who has had six driving bans, pouted and showed off her huge Cartier engagement ring as she got behind the wheel.

Katie looked as glamorous as ever with her jet black hair freshly blow dried and a full face of makeup.

She married Dubai businessman Lee just days after getting engaged during a whirlwind 'one-week' romance.

Katie Price posed in her brand new 180k Ferrari which was gifted to her as a 'wedding present' from her new husband Lee Andrews

The former glamour model, 47, tied the knot for the fourth time to Lee, 43, at the weekend, but two of his exes have already warned her to 'run for the hills' and branded him a 'lying swindler'

Now, his ex Crystal Janke, 40, has claimed he hoodwinked her into handing over 123,000 to invest in his company, on the promise he could get a 'return of 1million'.

The family nurse practitioner from Texas, who started a romance with Lee last May, claims she has been scammed and fears her money was spent by Lee on lavish gifts for Alana Percival, 32, who he was dating at the same time.

In a firm message to Katie, Crystal pleaded: 'Do not give that man any money'.

Lee connected to Alana on Facebook last March and showered her with a Louis Vuitton handbag, Cartier jewellery and transferred thousands of pounds.

He proposed in September and the set-up was identical to Katie's engagement at the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab.

The Sun reports the police are aware of the alleged fraud.

Lee appeared to have repurposed the Cartier ring he gave to Alana to propose to Katie.

Alana said as soon as she posted a picture of their engagement, she was contacted by his estranged Russian wife Cezara and two other exes, who claimed he was a 'liar'.

She married Dubai businessman Lee just days after getting engaged during a whirlwind 'one-week' romance

Despite their warnings, Alana said she thought their relationships had just ended badly as she 'never had someone basically tell me that they love me the way he does'.

Alana, who sold a house to Katie 15 years ago and called off their engagement in November, told the publication: 'Katie should run for the hills, Lee is a liar, a narcissist and I think hes a manipulator. Once I tried to leave him, he told me had a heart condition and was living on borrowed time. Lee doesnt know whats fact and whats fiction.'

She also posted a warning for Katie on Instagram from her holiday in Thailand, tagging Katie and writing: 'Catching flights not fiances #luckyescape Somebody with your ex right now thinking they found the one @katieprice... more to come today's news is just a warm up you guys wanted to know what he is all about? Well let me start to tell you @katieprice #runforthehills.'

Crystal commented on Alana's post, writing: 'Keep smiling and soaking up every moment - you truly deserve it!' to which Alana replied, telling her that 'There is so much more to this story, karma.'

His ex Crystal Janke, 40, has claimed Lee hoodwinked her into handing over 123,000 to invest in his company, on the promise he could get a 'return of 1million'

Lee was reportedly dating Alana Percival at the same time as Crystal. Alana posted a warning for Katie on Instagram writing: 'Let me start to tell you @katieprice #runforthehills'

Crystal commented on Alana's post, writing: 'Keep smiling and soaking up every moment - you truly deserve it!' to which Alana replied, telling her that 'there is so much more to this story'

Join the debate Should Katie pause everything before it is too late?

Crystal wrote: 'I truly wish I could jump on a plane and fly to you right now just to hug you. Thank you for having the courage to listen when I reached out. At the end of the day, women supporting women always wins, and Im grateful we crossed paths for a reason.'

'Im sorry this happened to both of us, but were going to get through it- and well come out on the other side stronger and empowered.

Alana later added on her Instagram Stories: 'This man had me shrinking myself making me not want to speak up, telling me not to speak to my friends about how he acted because they all told me to leave him. He even ruined some of my friendships pulled me away from people I love by protecting him.'

'Made unlimited promises making me look as bad as him because I was on his side!! Finally I get to speak freely and tell you all, I hope Katie listens I wish I had listened to all the others that warned me! Please ladies if you experience anything like this run a mile and more. Keep running!

Crystal said she believes Lee had planned on proposing to her in the same way just two weeks before Alana's engagement after they looked at rings together.

But her sister began to become suspicious of Lee and contacted a private investigator, who then revealed he was dating Alana at the same time.

Crystal said: 'The PA then found his ex Dina and she said, "Run for the hills. Hes not who he says he is". She said he scams people all the time.'

Crystal swiftly ended the relationship, contacted her bank and reported Lee to police as she said: 'I know theres no chance Ill ever get this money back. Looking back I think, "How did I let him scam me?" But he was so convincing.'

Lee told the Daily Mail that he did have a relationship with Alana, stating: 'I gave her a lavish lifestyle. I invested in her real estate business. I have to dismiss all her claims.'

He added that he does have a heart condition but 'I have never used this as leverage as a conversation to fake anything. It's something that was bought up in conversation because I was with my partner.'

He added of Crystal that 'I have never met the woman' adding that he has 'exchanged conversations and a couple of texts but I do not have any notion of her investing in me or sending me money. I have to dismiss that claim.'

The Sun claims to have seen texts from Lee to Crystal in which he says he was 'dating a really famous person from the UK' and wants to meet her in London to return her money.

The Daily Mail has contacted Katie's representative for comment.

Lee proposed to ex Alana just four months ago - and recreated the exact same set-up when he got down on one knee to Katie (pictured)

Alana later added on her Instagram Stories: 'This man had me shrinking myself making me not want to speak up'

Katie's family have reportedly been left in the dark over her shock marriage to Lee following the pair's whirlwind 'one-week' romance.

A source told the Daily Mail that Katie's family had not spoken to her since she walked down the aisle.

It is now claimed that Katie's family are deeply concerned about the speed of the relationship and are preparing to sit her down for a 'serious talk' over her marriage.

It has been reported that Lee's glossy online profile supposedly caught her attention just days ago which led to the whirlwind wedding.

The couple, who are currently apart after Katie returned to England and Lee stayed in Dubai, have also had each other's names inked on their hands.

Speaking to the camera, Lee said: 'Hi guys how are you? So this is married life. There's been a bit of confusion about tattoos and rings. Rings are all on the right fingers and tattoos are all on the right hands...

'Anyway, lots of love to everyone and massive love, all the love in the world to Katie and I'll see you soon. We had the most wonderful wedding, we are married, it is official and I'm the happiest man in the world...

'Lots of love to everyone. That might clear up a lot of the 99 per cent of the junk that's in my requests. It should. Lots of love to you all.'

Lee also appeared to have used the same ring - predicted to cost around 40k - to propose to the star as he used on his ex-wife Dina Taji

Harking back to the tattoos, he shared another video showing his hand and penned: 'So there is the tattoo, just so you can see it. Just so you know. It's further up the hand than Katie's and we are getting more tattoos.'

Further in his bid to silence naysayers, he then shared a video aimed further at those who claimed his ring was on the wrong hand.

He said: 'Folks, folks, folks. Let me just do one think for you. Listen, I'm not a videographer and I'm not a photographer but this is my left hand...

'From where you guys are sitting because it's a reverse camera, it's the frontal camera, and you can give it a go on your iPhone or your Androids or whatever you've got, if you show your left hand to yourself on the camera with the camera facing you it will look like the right hand...

'I can assure you myself and my beautiful wife, both have the rings on the correct finger which is the left. She also has her engagement ring which is beautiful, I love you, I love you babe, and her wedding band. Our tattoos are on the right hand.'
Katie Price had her new wedding jewellery on full display as she was pictured back in the UK for the first time since her whirlwind wedding in Dubai.

The glamour model, 47, stunned fans when she tied the knot with entrepreneur Lee Andrews over the weekend, despite the fact they'd only met a week ago.

Showing off her new wedding jewellery, Katie opted for a grey hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms as she made her way to her car.

The star was noticeably solo as she spoke on her phone during the outing, before trying, and failing, to flash her marital bling.

It comes after two of Lee's exes warned Katie she needed to 'run for the hills' as they branded him a 'lying swindler who preys on women.'

The reality star married Dubai businessman Lee just days after getting engaged during a whirlwind 'one-week' romance.

Katie Price had her new wedding jewellery on full display as she headed out in her car after returning from her whirlwind wedding in Dubai

The former glamour model tied the knot for the fourth time to Lee at the weekend, but two of his exes have already warned her to 'run for the hills' and branded him a 'lying swindler'

Katie tried, and failed, to flash a glimpse of her new wedding jewellery

Now, his ex Crystal Janke, 40, has claimed he hoodwinked her into handing over 123,000 to invest in his company, on the promise he could get a 'return of 1million'.

The family nurse practitioner from Texas, who started a romance with Lee last May, claims she has been scammed and fears her money was spent by Lee on lavish gifts for Alana Percival, 32, who he was dating at the same time.

In a firm message to Katie, Crystal pleaded: 'Do not give that man any money.'

Lee connected to Alana on Facebook last March and showered her with a Louis Vuitton handbag, Cartier jewellery and transferred thousands of pounds.

He proposed in September and the set-up was identical to Katie's engagement at the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab.

The Sun reports the police are aware of the alleged fraud.

Lee appeared to have repurposed the Cartier ring he gave to Alana to propose to Katie.

Alana said as soon as she posted a picture of their engagement, she was contacted by his estranged Russian wife Cezara and two other exes, who claimed he was a 'liar'.

Showing off her new wedding jewellery, Katie opted for a grey hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms as she made her way to her car

The reality star married Dubai businessman Lee just days after getting engaged during a whirlwind 'one-week' romance

Katie had previously bragged on social media that Lee splashed out 180,000 on a brand new Ferrari for her in Dubai

Her enormous engagement ring was on full display after the star's surprise wedding. However, the celebrant has since confirmed the marriage isn't legally binding

Katie remained focused on her phone having jetted back to the UK earlier this week following her whirlwind wedding in Dubai

Katie's family have reportedly been left in the dark over her shock marriage to Lee following the pair's whirlwind 'one-week' romance

Elsewhere Katie's ex-husband Peter Andre declined to address her bombshell marriage news as he departed the BBC Scotland studios on Wednesday

Asked if would send his congratulations to his ex Katie Price, the star politely declined to comment saying: 'No, I won't do any stuff like that. I don't do anything like that'

Despite their warnings, Alana said she thought their relationships had just ended badly as she 'never had someone basically tell me that they love me the way he does'.

Alana, who sold a house to Katie 15 years ago and called off their engagement in November, told the publication: 'Katie should run for the hills, Lee is a liar, a narcissist and I think hes a manipulator. Once I tried to leave him, he told me had a heart condition and was living on borrowed time. Lee doesnt know whats fact and whats fiction.'

She also posted a warning for Katie on Instagram from her holiday in Thailand, tagging Katie and writing: 'Catching flights not fiances #luckyescape Somebody with your ex right now thinking they found the one @katieprice... more to come today's news is just a warm up you guys wanted to know what he is all about? Well let me start to tell you @katieprice #runforthehills.'

Crystal commented on Alana's post, writing: 'Keep smiling and soaking up every moment - you truly deserve it!' to which Alana replied, telling her that: 'There is so much more to this story, karma.'

Crystal wrote: 'I truly wish I could jump on a plane and fly to you right now just to hug you. Thank you for having the courage to listen when I reached out. At the end of the day, women supporting women always wins, and Im grateful we crossed paths for a reason.

'Im sorry this happened to both of us, but were going to get through it- and well come out on the other side stronger and empowered.

Alana later added on her Instagram Stories: 'This man had me shrinking myself making me not want to speak up, telling me not to speak to my friends about how he acted because they all told me to leave him. He even ruined some of my friendships pulled me away from people I love by protecting him.

'Made unlimited promises making me look as bad as him because I was on his side!! Finally I get to speak freely and tell you all, I hope Katie listens I wish I had listened to all the others that warned me! Please ladies if you experience anything like this run a mile and more. Keep running!

Crystal said she believes Lee had planned on proposing to her in the same way just two weeks before Alana's engagement after they looked at rings together.

But her sister began to become suspicious of Lee and contacted a private investigator, who then revealed he was dating Alana at the same time.

Crystal said: 'The PA then found his ex Dina and she said, "Run for the hills. Hes not who he says he is." She said he scams people all the time.'

His ex Crystal Janke, 40, has claimed Lee hoodwinked her into handing over 123,000 to invest in his company, on the promise he could get a 'return of 1million'

Lee was reportedly dating Alana Percival at the same time as Crystal. Alana posted a warning for Katie on Instagram writing: 'Let me start to tell you @katieprice #runforthehills'

Crystal commented on Alana's post, writing: 'Keep smiling and soaking up every moment - you truly deserve it!' to which Alana replied, telling her that 'there is so much more to this story'

Join the debate Should Katie pause everything before it is too late?

Crystal swiftly ended the relationship, contacted her bank and reported Lee to police as she said: 'I know theres no chance Ill ever get this money back. Looking back I think, "How did I let him scam me?" But he was so convincing.'

Lee told the Daily Mail that he did have a relationship with Alana, stating: 'I gave her a lavish lifestyle. I invested in her real estate business. I have to dismiss all her claims.'

He added that he does have a heart condition but 'I have never used this as leverage as a conversation to fake anything. It's something that was bought up in conversation because I was with my partner.'

He added of Crystal that 'I have never met the woman,' adding that he has 'exchanged conversations and a couple of texts but I do not have any notion of her investing in me or sending me money. I have to dismiss that claim.'

The Sun claims to have seen texts from Lee to Crystal in which he says he was 'dating a really famous person from the UK' and wants to meet her in London to return her money.

The Daily Mail has contacted Katie's representative for comment.

Lee proposed to ex Alana just four months ago - and recreated the exact same set-up when he got down on one knee to Katie (pictured)

Alana later added on her Instagram Stories: 'This man had me shrinking myself making me not want to speak up'

Lee also appeared to have used the same ring - predicted to cost around 40k - to propose to the star that he used on his ex-wife Dina Taji

Katie's family have reportedly been left in the dark over her shock marriage to Lee following the pair's whirlwind 'one-week' romance.

A source told the Daily Mail that Katie's family had not spoken to her since she walked down the aisle.

It is now claimed that Katie's family are deeply concerned about the speed of the relationship and are preparing to sit her down for a 'serious talk' over her marriage.

It has been reported that Lee's glossy online profile supposedly caught her attention just days ago which led to the whirlwind wedding.

The couple, who are currently apart after Katie returned to England and Lee stayed in Dubai, have also had each other's names inked on their hands.

Speaking to the camera, Lee said: 'Hi guys how are you? So this is married life. There's been a bit of confusion about tattoos and rings. Rings are all on the right fingers and tattoos are all on the right hands...

'Anyway, lots of love to everyone and massive love, all the love in the world to Katie and I'll see you soon. We had the most wonderful wedding, we are married, it is official and I'm the happiest man in the world...

'Lots of love to everyone. That might clear up a lot of the 99 per cent of the junk that's in my requests. It should. Lots of love to you all.'

Harking back to the tattoos, he shared another video showing his hand and penned: 'So there is the tattoo, just so you can see it. Just so you know. It's further up the hand than Katie's and we are getting more tattoos.'

Further in his bid to silence naysayers, he then shared a video aimed further at those who claimed his ring was on the wrong hand.

He said: 'Folks, folks, folks. Let me just do one thing for you. Listen, I'm not a videographer and I'm not a photographer but this is my left hand...

'From where you guys are sitting because it's a reverse camera, it's the frontal camera, and you can give it a go on your iPhone or your Androids or whatever you've got, if you show your left hand to yourself on the camera with the camera facing you it will look like the right hand...

'I can assure you myself and my beautiful wife, both have the rings on the correct finger which is the left. She also has her engagement ring which is beautiful, I love you, I love you babe, and her wedding band. Our tattoos are on the right hand.'
Katie Price's new husband Lee Andrews' ex girlfriend Alana Percival has claimed she has 'proof' he is a 'lying swindler' after warning her to 'run for the hills'.

The former glamour model, 47, tied the knot for the fourth time to Lee , 43, in an intimate ceremony over the weekend, just days after getting engaged.

His ex-girlfriend Alana Percival took to Instagram on Wednesday with a warning to Katie that her new man is not what he seems.

She wrote: 'Women look after women. I thought it was all a lie too until I had to find out the hard way... you want proof of everything, it's waiting for you...' and tagged Katie in the post.

Alana also shared a photo of herself in a bikini on the beach and wrote: 'Catching flights not fiances  Somebody with your ex right now thinking they found the one @katieprice  more to come todays news is just a warm up.

'You guys wanted to know what he is all about? Well let me start to tell you #runforthehills'.

Katie Price's new husband Lee Andrews' ex girlfriend Alana Percival has claimed she has 'proof' he is a 'lying swindler' after warning her to 'run for the hills'

The former glamour model, 47, tied the knot for the fourth time to Lee Andrews, 43, in an intimate ceremony over the weekend, just days after getting engaged

Lee connected to Alana on Facebook last March and showered her with a Louis Vuitton handbag, Cartier jewellery and transferred thousands of pounds.

He proposed in September and the set-up was identical to Katie's engagement at the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab.

Daily Mail has contacted Lee Andrews and representatives of Katie Price for comment.

Lee appeared to have repurposed the Cartier ring he gave to Alana to propose to Katie.

Alana said as soon as she posted a picture of their engagement, she was contacted by his estranged Russian wife Cezara and two other exes, who claimed he was a 'liar'.

Despite their warnings, Alana, who has since branded him a 'lying swinder', said she thought their relationships had just ended badly as she 'never had someone basically tell me that they love me the way he does'.

Alana, who sold a house to Katie 15 years ago and called off their engagement in November, told the publication: 'Katie should run for the hills, Lee is a liar, a narcissist and I think hes a manipulator. Once I tried to leave him, he told me had a heart condition and was living on borrowed time. Lee doesnt know whats fact and whats fiction.'

Meanwhile, another of Lee's exes, Crystal Janke, has claimed Lee hoodwinked her into handing over 123,000 to invest in his company, on the promise he could get a 'return of 1million'.

The Sun reports the police are aware of the alleged fraud.

Katie has been urged to 'run for the hills' by two of her new husband's exes, who claim the Dubai businessman is a 'lying swindler who preys on women'

Alana warned Katie: 'Women look after women. I thought it was all a lie too until I had to find out the hard way... you want proof of everything, it's waiting for you...'

Crystal Janke, 40, has claimed Lee hoodwinked her into handing over 123,000 to invest in his company, on the promise he could get a 'return of 1million'

The family nurse practitioner from Texas, who started a romance with Lee last May, claims she has been scammed and fears her money was spent by Lee on lavish gifts for Alana, who he was dating at the same time.

Crystal commented on Alana's post, writing: 'Keep smiling and soaking up every moment - you truly deserve it!' to which Alana replied, telling her that 'There is so much more to this story, karma.'

Crystal wrote: 'I truly wish I could jump on a plane and fly to you right now just to hug you. Thank you for having the courage to listen when I reached out. At the end of the day, women supporting women always wins, and Im grateful we crossed paths for a reason.'

'Im sorry this happened to both of us, but were going to get through it- and well come out on the other side stronger and empowered.

Alana added on her Instagram Stories: 'This man had me shrinking myself making me not want to speak up, telling me not to speak to my friends about how he acted because they all told me to leave him. He even ruined some of my friendships pulled me away from people I love by protecting him.'

'Made unlimited promises making me look as bad as him because I was on his side!! Finally I get to speak freely and tell you all, I hope Katie listens I wish I had listened to all the others that warned me! Please ladies if you experience anything like this run a mile and more. Keep running!

Crystal said she believes Lee had planned on proposing to her in the same way just two weeks before Alana's engagement after they looked at rings together.

But her sister began to become suspicious of Lee and contacted a private investigator, who then revealed he was dating Alana at the same time.

Crystal said: 'The PA then found his ex Dina and she said, "Run for the hills. Hes not who he says he is". She said he scams people all the time.'

Crystal swiftly ended the relationship, contacted her bank and reported Lee to police as she said: 'I know theres no chance Ill ever get this money back. Looking back I think, "How did I let him scam me?" But he was so convincing.'

Lee told the Daily Mail that he did have a relationship with Alana, stating: 'I gave her a lavish lifestyle. I invested in her real estate business. I have to dismiss all her claims.'

He added that he does have a heart condition but 'I have never used this as leverage as a conversation to fake anything. It's something that was bought up in conversation because I was with my partner.'

He added of Crystal that 'I have never met the woman' adding that he has 'exchanged conversations and a couple of texts but I do not have any notion of her investing in me or sending me money. I have to dismiss that claim.'

The Sun claims to have seen texts from Lee to Crystal in which he says he was 'dating a really famous person from the UK' and wants to meet her in London to return her money.

The Daily Mail has contacted Katie's representative for comment.

Lee proposed to ex Alana just four months ago - and recreated the exact same set-up when he got down on one knee to Katie (pictured)

Alana added on her Instagram Stories: 'This man had me shrinking myself making me not want to speak up'

Katie's family have reportedly been left in the dark over her shock marriage to Lee following the pair's whirlwind 'one-week' romance.

A source told the Daily Mail that Katie's family had not spoken to her since she walked down the aisle.

It is now claimed that Katie's family are deeply concerned about the speed of the relationship and are preparing to sit her down for a 'serious talk' over her marriage.

It has been reported that Lee's glossy online profile supposedly caught her attention just days ago which led to the whirlwind wedding.

The couple, who are currently apart after Katie returned to England and Lee stayed in Dubai, have also had each other's names inked on their hands.

Speaking to the camera, Lee said: 'Hi guys how are you? So this is married life. There's been a bit of confusion about tattoos and rings. Rings are all on the right fingers and tattoos are all on the right hands...

'Anyway, lots of love to everyone and massive love, all the love in the world to Katie and I'll see you soon. We had the most wonderful wedding, we are married, it is official and I'm the happiest man in the world...

Lee also appeared to have used the same ring - predicted to cost around 40k - to propose to the star as he used on his ex-wife Dina Taji

'Lots of love to everyone. That might clear up a lot of the 99 per cent of the junk that's in my requests. It should. Lots of love to you all.'

Harking back to the tattoos, he shared another video showing his hand and penned: 'So there is the tattoo, just so you can see it. Just so you know. It's further up the hand than Katie's and we are getting more tattoos.'

Further in his bid to silence naysayers, he then shared a video aimed further at those who claimed his ring was on the wrong hand.

He said: 'Folks, folks, folks. Let me just do one think for you. Listen, I'm not a videographer and I'm not a photographer but this is my left hand...

'From where you guys are sitting because it's a reverse camera, it's the frontal camera, and you can give it a go on your iPhone or your Androids or whatever you've got, if you show your left hand to yourself on the camera with the camera facing you it will look like the right hand...

'I can assure you myself and my beautiful wife, both have the rings on the correct finger which is the left. She also has her engagement ring which is beautiful, I love you, I love you babe, and her wedding band. Our tattoos are on the right hand.'
Spencer Pratt laid into California governor Gavin Newsom over his rebuilding plan one year after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

The 42-year-old reality star - who recently admitted he leaked photos of Mary-Kate Olsen - jumped to his X account on Tuesday to share his thoughts on the politician responding to President Trump's attempt to fast-track the rebuilding process.

It also comes just weeks after The Hills alum announced that he was officially running for Los Angeles mayor - with the position currently being filled by Karen Bass.

'Nobody actually believes that giving the STATE money will help fire victims rebuild their homes,' Pratt penned.

'We have all seen billions of federal dollars fall into Newsom's bottomless money pit, without a single dollar seen by the intended recipients.'

The governor of California's press office had shared a headline from the California Post which read: 'Trump tells feds to take over permitting to fast-track wildfire rebuild HELP IS ON THE WAY.'

Spencer Pratt, 42, laid into California governor Gavin Newsom over his rebuilding plan one year after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires; seen on Wednesday in NYC

The reality star jumped to his X account on Tuesday to share his thoughts on the politician responding to President Trump's attempt to fast-track the rebuilding process; Newsom seen earlier this month in Sacramento

'Nobody actually believes that giving the STATE money will help fire victims rebuild their homes,' Pratt penned

His press office then wrote, 'With 1,625+ home permits issued, hundreds of homes under construction, and permitting timelines at least 2x faster than before the fires, an executive order to rebuild Mars would do just as useful.

'The Feds need to release funding not take over local permit approval speed - the main obstacle is COMMUNITIES NOT HAVING THE MONEY TO REBUILD.'

He further added, 'Mr. President, please actually help us. We are begging you.

'Release the federal disaster aid you're withholding that will help communities rebuild their homes, schools, parks, and infrastructure. Please help us. Please!'

Newsom further voiced negative criticism on Tuesday towards Trump's executive order - calling it 'useless.'

Pratt also replied with, 'CA politicians are mad the Feds are trying to help Palisades Fire victims directly instead of just sending pallets of cash they can loot for themselves and all their fraudulent NGO pals.'

It is not the first time that Pratt has publicly slammed Newsom since the wildfires ravaged the Pacific Palisades as well as Altadena last year in early January.

Pratt lost his Palisades home where he resided with wife Heidi Montag and their two children Gunner, eight, and Ryker, three. His parents also lost their residence in the deadly blazes.

Newsom further voiced negative criticism on Tuesday towards Trump's executive order - calling it 'useless'; Trump seen on Wednesday in Washington D.C.

Pratt also replied with, 'CA politicians are mad the Feds are trying to help Palisades Fire victims directly instead of just sending pallets of cash they can loot for themselves and all their fraudulent NGO pals'

Pratt lost his Palisades home where he resided with wife Heidi Montag and their two children Gunner, eight, and Ryker, three. His parents also lost their residence in the deadly blazes; L.A. fires seen above on January 8, 2025

Earlier this month, the star shared a letter he received from Newsom's office after he requested 'all text messages to, from, and including Gavin Newsom regarding the "Pacific Palisades"' between January 6 and January 9, 2025.

The office stated that Newsom 'has no records responsive' to the media personality's request.

But Pratt shared in the caption, 'Who actually believes that Governor Gavin Newsom has NO records responsive to this request for text messages regarding the Palisades between January 6 and 9, 2025???'

In his new book titled The Guy You Loved to Hate: Confessions - he also opened up about the L.A. fires and referenced to Newsom.

'They want to call it a natural disaster? No, this was negligence dressed up as an act of God,' he penned, per the New York Post.

Pratt also labeled the California governor as 'Mr. Hair Gel' as well as a 'C-list reality star.'

He claimed in the book that the deadly fires that took place last year happened due to 'decades of budget cuts, ignored warnings and politicians who cared more about their careers than our lives.'

During a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the star further called out California officials.

'What's the point of paying taxes if you can't reliably protect us? You can't just blame climate change. It's negligence in preparing for it,' Pratt said.

But Pratt shared in the caption, 'Who actually believes that Governor Gavin Newsom has NO records responsive to this request for text messages regarding the Palisades between January 6 and 9, 2025???'

'What's the point of paying taxes if you can't reliably protect us? You can't just blame climate change. It's negligence in preparing for it,' Pratt said; seen above with Montag and their two children

And then on the one-year anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton Fires, the former reality star announced his run for Los Angeles mayor.

He had made the bombshell announcement as he attended the They Let Us Burn! protest in the Palisades at the time.

'The system in Los Angeles isn't struggling, it's fundamentally broken. It is a machine designed to protect the people at the top and the friends they exchange favors with while the rest of us drown in toxic smoke and ash,' Pratt said.

'Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles, and Im done waiting for someone to take real action.'

He added, 'That's why I am running for mayor. And let me be clear, this just isn't a campaign, this is a mission, and we're gonna expose the system.

'They intentionally let us burn before, during and after. There was no accountability. It was gross negligence. They let this happen.

'It wasn't a natural disaster or something that was unavoidable. It was their fault, and we need the accountability we deserve.' Pratt did not reveal which party he was running for.

The Hills star also shared the news of his foray into politics on Instagram. He stared intently at the camera as he theatrically held up his signed paperwork to run for LA mayor.

'Yes, it's official. Papers are filed and campaign is open,' he captioned the post before directing his followers to his campaign website.

And then on the one-year anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton Fires, the former reality star announced his run for Los Angeles mayor (seen above)

'Yes, it's official. Papers are filed and campaign is open,' he captioned the post before directing his followers to his campaign website

The home Pratt and Montag lived in with their two sons in Pacific Palisades was incinerated in the devastating blazes.

Pratt was later seen rifling through the debris at the home he shared with Montag for crystals or other personal artifacts that might have potentially survived the blaze.

The reality TV star also took photos of a burnt tricycle belonging to one of his two children.

The only parts of the home still standing were the charred entry gate and the front portion of the home's stucco perimeter wall.

Large piles of debris were seen throughout the property as well as burnt foliage that once decorated the home's front yard.

'I never wanted to be mayor,' he revealed. 'I don't want to be in politics. I want to be back in my house with my family, going down to the local public schools and having just a normal life'; seen above on Fox & Friends on Wednesday

Pratt further reflected on his decision to run for L.A. mayor during an appearance on Fox & Friends on Wednesday.

'I never wanted to be mayor,' he revealed. 'I don't want to be in politics. I want to be back in my house with my family, going down to the local public schools and having just a normal life.

'But once you uncover everything I have in the last year, these people in charge should have resigned on January 7, January 8.'

Pratt continued, 'And I was waiting for somebody to step up and go after these people and nobody did, so I was like, "Okay, well, it's my job to do that."'
Spencer Pratt is beginning a new chapter as an author and aspiring politician, but memories of his time as one of reality TV's most-loathed stars won't soon be fading from the public consciousness.

The MTV alum, 42, has released a memoir, The Guy You Loved To Hate: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain, and is doing the press rounds to promote the new book - including an appearance on CBS Mornings.

Host Gayle King didn't hold back as she brought up his image on The Hills, calling him a 'douche canoe' who had a flair for pushing the envelope.

Now Pratt has broken his silence on the comment - admitting he was surprised by the remark after initially being impressed by King's interest in his book during their 30 minute pre-interview.

'You know, Ive been called everything at this point, so I havent been called that,' he said on Page Six Radio on SiriusXM. 'But my reaction of being called everything is pretty good.'

The comment came as a curve ball to Pratt after King arrived to their pre-interview with notes and his book.

Spencer Pratt has broken his silence to being called a 'douche canoe' by Gayle King

The CBS Mornings host didn't let him forget his reputation as one of reality TV's most-loathed boyfriends

'She threw me off because we had a thirty minute pre, and she had notes, my whole book, all these quotes. So I dont know if she did it to get me soft, you know? Like it was a bait and switch, like shes like a pro, or once she gets in front of the camera?'

Pratt was prepared to be compared to poet Robert Frost during his interview but instead was met with the juvenile remark.

'But I was expecting to get gassed up and just be like, "Oh, this book is like Robert Frost, its so poetic," and then she was like, "Youre a douche canoe!" I'm like, "oh!"'

Fortunately the comment is the least of Pratt's worries.

The star, who lost his Pacific Palisades homes during last year's wildfires, said he was merely 'grateful' for the chance to speak in an actual studio.

'Im very humble these days. Im grateful to be sitting with lights in a studio and not just filming myself. So you can... get away with calling me anything with good lighting!'

It's been over a decade since Pratt last graced screens as Heidi Montag's boyfriend on The Hills, and despite stirring major drama on the show, he has no regrets.

King blasted his time on the show during his appearance on CBS Mornings, as he discussed his new book and aspirations to become the next mayor of Los Angeles.

Pratt doubled down on his reputation and insisted all of his castmates should have followed his lead

Pratt rose to fame after joining The Hills and beginning a relationship with now-wife Heidi Montag

He is now running to become the next mayor of Los Angeles after losing his home in last year's wildfires

'Spencer, there were so many times where really you were just a douche canoe on that show. And you just seemed to amp it up, amp it up, amp it up. Was there ever a time when you got home, and youd go, "I cant believe I just did that or just said that?" Or were you aware of how you were coming across at the time?' King asked.

Pratt doubled down on the image he cultivated, insisting the rest of the cast should have followed in his lead for greater success.

'I was well aware. If anything, I probably should have been a bigger douche canoe,' he replied. 'The show ended and Jersey Shore is still airing, still a success and I always wanted to be part of a franchise, a team like the Jersey Shore cast. So I think the rest of the cast should have all tried to been bigger douche canoes.'

Pratt dated now-wife Montag on The Hills, and they wed in 2008 and have welcomed two sons.

A new memoir chronicling his time during the noughties is now out, with a description stating the book 'charts his rise and fall as Americas most notorious reality TV villain on The Hillsand how, from the ashes of the Pacific Palisades fires, hes finally ready for his redemption arc.'

The book features one particularly buzz-worthy description of how he once leaked photos of Mary-Kate Olsen to a magazine.

His new memoir recounting his time during the noughties is now out

In an excerpt obtained by People, Pratt recalled that he capitalized on his friend Max Winkler's breakup from Mary-Kate Olsen, now 39, in the early aughts.

He attended Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California in 2002 with The Row co-founder and Winkler, son of actor Henry Winkler.

According to People, Pratt penned that he disassembled Winkler's 'photo shrine' to Olsen  which he described as 'young love documented in European hotels, Hollywood parties, stolen moments'  and sold the fragments to a tabloid for $50,000.

'I asked Max if I could take the photos off his wall  you know, for his healing process. He didn't say no, so I took that to be a yes,' read an excerpt.

'Here I was, 20 years old, turning my buddy's romantic misery into startup capital,' he bragged in the book.

He added, 'Less than a week later there it was, evidence of my entrepreneurial genius staring back at me from the InTouch cover at a gas station: 'TEENS GONE WILD!' across the cover.'

The author noted that a photo of him with Olsen was also published, after it was provided to the magazine by another seller.

'A shot of Mary-Kate with a constellation of empties  'LOOK AT ALL THE EMPTIES!'  and there I was in the background, frozen mid-shaka.

'I hadn't sold that frame. Someone else was shopping, and now I wasn't just the seller, I was part of the merchandise.

'My face was now forever linked to Mary-Kate Olsen's supposed wild phase, preserved in grocery store checkout lines across America,' he illustrated.
Molly Smith showed off her incredible washboard abs as she soaked up the sun in the Maldives on Wednesday.

The former Love Island star, 31, who has jetted off to the island for a romantic getaway with her fiance Tom Clare, 26, looked nothing short of sensational in a skimpy blue polka dot bikini from White Fox Boutique.

The stylish two-piece consisted of a balconette bikini top with a chocolate polka dot print and matching tie-side bottoms.

Topping up her tan on a sun lounger at her luxury overwater villa, Molly further accessorised her beachy look with a gold watch and a Van Cleef bracelet.

Showcasing her gym-honed physique, the TV star completed her look with a straw cowboy hat as she lay on a hammock over the crystal clear water.

Molly won the ITV2 reality show's All Stars season in 2024 alongside her now fiance Tom, with the couple announcing their engagement last September.

Molly Smith showed off her incredible washboard abs as she soaked up the sun in the Maldives on Wednesday

The former Love Island star, 31, has jetted off to the island for a romantic getaway with her fiance Tom Clare, 26

Her latest sizzling post comes after she slipped into a festive red bikini during a romantic trip to Lapland with her fiance last month.

She looked incredible in the two-piece as she relaxed in the outdoor hot tub surrounded by snow.

Molly wrapped up in a stylish pair of white fur mittens and a matching eye-catching hat as she beamed and threw her hands in the air while posing for the camera.

She wrote: 'Keeping warm'.

Molly also posed in the daring Christmas bikini, which boasted a triangle top and skimpy tie side bottoms, last week.

She pulled on a pair of white snow boots as she posed in the snow outside the lodge the couple were staying in.

The influencer and Tom announced their engagement in September with a romantic photo from their trip to Dubai.

They captioned their snaps: 'SHE SAID YES!!!' as Tom sweetly lifted her into the air.

Join the debate What do YOU think of Molly's Maldives style?

She looked nothing short of sensational in a skimpy blue polka dot bikini from White Fox Boutique

The stylish two-piece consisted of a balconette bikini top with a chocolate polka dot print and matching tie-side bottoms

Topping up her tan on a sun lounger at her luxury overwater villa, Molly further accessorised her beachy look with a gold watch and a Van Cleef bracelet

Showcasing her gym-honed physique, the TV star completed her look with a straw cowboy hat as she lay on a hammock over the crystal clear water

Molly won the ITV2reality show's All Stars season in 2024 alongside her now fiance Tom, with the couple announcing their engagement last September (pictured in the show finale 2024)

Molly looked gorgeous in a white silk dress as she showed off the sparkling ring while surrounded by candles and white flowers.

Tom and Molly have been one of the only couples to stand the test of time from the All Stars spin-off series.

Their fellow Love Island pals were quick to congratulate them as Tom's best pal, Casey O'Gorman, reshared the post alongside crying emojis.

Liberty Poole, Paige Thorne and Luca Bish also offered their best wishes in the comments section.

Season one of All Stars was won by returning Islanders Molly and Tom with Callum Jones and Eve Gale coming in second place.

Molly was a bombshell arrival, to the shock of her ex-boyfriend Callum, who she met filming the winter addition of the show in 2020.

Viewers became invested in the possibility of Molly and Callum rekindling their three-year relationship, but the fitness model pursued her romantic connection with Tom instead.

Callum and Eve split weeks after the show finished amid reports he cheated with another woman, which Callum insisted was untrue because the couple had already separated.

Since winning All Stars, Molly has secured several lucrative deals, including with clothing retailer boohoo, US fitness supplement Alani Nu, jewellery brand Abbott Lyon and global makeup giants L'Oreal Paris and Maybelline.
Sydney Sweeney stunned as she modelled risque lingerie sets in a racy new photoshoot for her brand, Syrn.

The actress, 28, looked incredible in a daring, black lace set which she teamed with suspenders and a feathered robe.

Sydney then changed into a plunging bra and matching knickers, accessorising with a pair of long sheer gloves.

For another look, she modelled a hot pink number and shielded her eyes with sunglasses while posing in the back of a car.

Her new lingerie label SYRN was unveiled earlier this week, when a promotional stunt saw her hang bras on the iconic Hollywood Sign.

The brand offers 44 sizes, ranging from 30B to 42DDD, with most styles under $100.

Sydney Sweeney stunned as she modelled risque lingerie sets in a racy new photoshoot for her brand, Syrn

The actress, 28, looked incredible in a daring, black lace set which she teamed with suspenders

Speaking to Elle magazine about what motivated her to create the line, Sydney said: 'I wanted to create a world and a feeling. I wanted to build a lingerie brand that feels like it understands women instead of talking at them.

'Syrn is about confidence without pressure, feeling sexy, powerful, soft, playful, or all of the above, depending on the day,' she added.

'As the sole founder, my vision was to create something that lives in real life and doesn't hold anyone back.'

Sweeney worked hard to make the undergarments feel as comfortable as a second skin.

'Boobs and bodies are like fingerprints; everyone's are different, and I wanted to design for that,' she shared.

A new promotional stunt for the brand reportedly landed her in murky legal territory after the actress allegedly strung bras on the iconic Hollywood Sign.

According to TMZ, the Housemaid star was seen 'scaling' one of the massive white letters, late in the evening, as a production crew filmed the moment.

Video obtained by the outlet appears to show Sydney climbing what looks like the 'H' before hanging a makeshift clothesline of bras across the landmark.

For another look, she modelled a hot pink number and shielded her eyes with sunglasses while posing in the back of a car

Speaking to Elle magazine about what motivated her to create the line, Sydney said: 'I wanted to create a world and a feeling'

Sources told TMZ the footage was shot to promote the launch of her new lingerie brand, which is backed by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

While the actress reportedly obtained a filming permit, officials say it may not have authorized the activity seen in the video.

TMZ reported that Sweeney's production secured permission from FilmLA to shoot at the Hollywood Sign location - but did not have approval to touch, climb, or physically alter the sign itself.

In an email obtained by TMZ and allegedly sent to the production company, the Chamber warned that filming the landmark for commercial use requires a separate license - one that had not been sought or approved.

'It has come to our attention that you and crew filmed the Hollywood Sign last night for a production connected with Persuasion Pictures,' the email reads in part. 'Please be advised that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce owns the intellectual property rights to use of the image of the Hollywood Sign and neither you nor the production company have sought or received permission to use the images captured for any commercial use.'

The email further stated that FilmLA had previously notified the production of the requirement to obtain licensing approval from the Chamber before filming the sign for promotional purposes.

The Chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which owns the intellectual property rights to the Hollywood Sign, later claimed to TMZ that the stunt was unauthorized, stating: 'There was no permission granted to do this as is required.'

The bras were reportedly removed shortly after the shoot concluded, though several were allegedly left behind on the hillside.

The Daily Mail has also reached out to Sweeney's representatives and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, but has not heard back, at this time.

The Hollywood Sign, one of Los Angeles' most protected landmarks, has long been off-limits to climbers and stunts - with previous unauthorized attempts resulting in arrests and fines.

Whether Sweeney's footage will ever be used commercially remains unclear, as any such use would reportedly require retroactive approval or licensing from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
Sharon Stone - who almost died in 2001 from a stroke - talks to spirits and embraces 'universal consciousness' to inspire her artwork.

The 67-year-old star has been going through an 'artistic journey' between acting and painting, and for the latter she has found herself communicating with the unknown to help create her pieces.

The Hollywood icon told Extra: 'I think this channel really opened because so many of my members of my family died and they died really rapidly in these last maybe three and a half years.

'I genuinely hear this higher consciousness speak to me. When these portraits started coming through, they really talked to me.'

The Euphoria actress got emotional as she opened up about how she feels the need to thank spirits after finishing her paintings.

Sharon Stone talks to spirits and embraces 'universal consciousness' to inspire her artwork. Seen on January 9

The Basic Instinct actress explained: 'I think it's really special when they people when they allowed me to see their soul

'Because I believe in universal consciousness, I do believe that someone has allowed me into their consciousness so that I could paint this portrait of someone that I don't know. I feel so blessed.'

Stone noted that one particularly impactful piece titled Him was inspired by a spirit who took a while to really open up.

She said: 'Eventually, when he started talking to me, it was so traumatic, and he started telling me that he drowned in a ship where he was chained in the hull of this ship

'When I painted him and I experienced this trauma of him being chained and drowning and unable to get out of his chains, it was so upsetting to make this painting.'

The piece was one of several put on display for her Rogues Gallery series.

A statement for the project last month teased: 'These never-before-seen works created by Stone are powerful, haunting portraits of the spirits of people from different eras that she recently started to channel while painting.

The 67-year-old star has been going through an 'artistic journey' between acting and painting, and for the latter she has found herself communicating with the unknown to help create her pieces; seen in 2025

Stone achieved breakout fame in the 1992 hit Basic Instinct opposite Michael Douglas

For Him in particular, Sharon admitted the ghost had 'a very hard time' opening up.

She added at the time: He was an enslaved person who drowned in the East China Sea on a slave ship.

'He had a very hard time talking to me, because as an enslaved person he was not allowed to talk openly and freely. He had me experience his drowning with him.'

Stone kept her mother's death secret for months because she wanted to be able to process her feelings in private.

The movie star went public with the sad news in July 2025 - four months after Dorothy passed away in March at the age of 91 - and she revealed she wanted time to grieve before she told the world about the family tragedy.

She told the Guardian newspaper: 'Mom, Dot, actually died a few months ago, but I was only ready to tell the public about it now because I always get my mad feelings first when people die ...

'[It was] a little bit of anger and a little bit of: 'I didn't f****** need you anyway,' you know! ...

She told Extra: 'I think this channel really opened because so many of my members of my family died and they died really rapidly in these last maybe three and a half years. 'I genuinely hear this higher consciousness speak to me. When these portraits started coming through, they really talked to me.' Seen in 2022

Stone noted that one particularly impactful piece titled Him was inspired by a spirit who took a while to really open up. She said: 'Eventually, when he started talking to me, it was so traumatic, and he started telling me that he drowned in a ship where he was chained in the hull of this ship'

'Mom wasn't of a sunny disposition. She was hilarious, but she said terrible things to me. Dot swore like a Portuguese dock worker.'

The Sliver actress went on to reveal the last few days of her mother's life were tough as she battled 'delirium'.

She explained: '[Mom] said: 'I'm going to kick you in the c***,' to me probably 40 times in the last five days. But that was her delirium.

'And when the last thing your mother says to you before she dies is: 'You talk too much, you make me want to commit suicide,' and the whole rooms laughs, you think: that's a hard one to go out on, Mom!

'But that's how she was. This lack of ability to find tenderness and peace within herself ...

'She was desperately afraid that when she died her mother and father would be there. She didn't want to die, because she didn't want to see them, because they were so awful.

'So I convinced her that I had put them in jail and they were not going to be there. She was in such hell. Nobody comes through this life intact. So why do we pretend that one does?'

The looker previously confirmed her mom's death in an emotional social media post, which read: 'My hilarious, complex mother died. A product of the last depression, let's NOT do this again. Let's protect and care.'

Stone kept her mother's death secret for months because she wanted to be able to process her feelings in private. The star went public with the sad news in July 2025 - four months after Dorothy passed away in March at the age of 91

Photographed with 1970s Hollywood icon Susan Blakely, left, at the 2026 Annual Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP at Beverly Wilshire on January 10

The Hollywood star previously described her mother's parenting style as 'tough' and explained that feminism was among 'the rules of my household'.

Speaking at the Zurich Film Festival in 2021, Sharon recalled asking Dorothy: 'Why (do) you never let me lean on you?' She said: 'Because I taught you to stand on your two goddamn feet.''

However, the actress explained that she later came to appreciate the tough love from her mother.

She said: 'She gave me the most loving, the most concerted thing a mother can give another woman. I didn't understand it when I was young, but at 15, in college, and later modelling in New York and Milan, it became a gift.'
A beloved star from the original Star Trek series was spotted enjoying a rare and sprightly outing in Los Angeles on Monday.

The veteran actor, now 89, looked impressively energetic as he stepped out for fresh air - a far cry from the USS Enterprise corridors that first made him famous.

He portrayed Pavel Chekov on the iconic sci-fi series from 1966 to 1969 and went on to reprise the role in seven Star Trek feature films.

Dressed casually in a zip-up fleece jacket and trousers, he appeared worlds away from his Starfleet uniform - and from the on-set tensions that once sparked a famously frosty feud with William Shatner.

The rivalry reportedly flared during Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan when the actor jokingly accused Shatner of edging him out of frame, only to be met with an icy stare that left him shaken for the rest of the day.

Things didnt thaw years later, either, when Shatner allegedly referred to him at a 1989 press conference as the gentleman who plays Chekov, forgetting his name entirely.

A beloved star from the original Star Trek series was spotted enjoying a rare and sprightly outing in Los Angeles on Monday

At 89, the veteran actor looked surprisingly spry during a rare outing

Later, he was spotted in a robe - a far cry from his Starfleet uniform and the on-set tensions that once fueled his famously frosty feud with William Shatner

Still, fans will instantly recognize the Babylon 5 alum - and if you guessed Walter Koenig, beam yourself up.

While the friction between Koenig and Shatner never exploded into an all-out feud, Koenig has long traced the tension to what he once called a rigid Hollywood caste system.

He has said the shows leading men were treated like royalty in the 1960s, while supporting players were made to feel expendable - more like moving furniture than collaborators.

That imbalance reportedly came to a head during filming on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, when Koenig jokingly teased Shatner for edging him out of a shot to grab more screen time.

Koenig once recalled, "I said, Im just doing what you would do, Bill. ... Bill looked at me and said, Thats neurotic... I went home and I had a severe gut pain for the rest of the evening".

Regarding the 1989 press conference where Shatner forgot his name, Koenig reflected on their later work together on Columbo: 'I don't think he remembered my name... he didn't talk to me'.

Despite the slights, Koenig has been careful not to label the situation a feud - and has made efforts over the years to move on.

He even appeared on Shatners talk show Raw Nerve in 2011, where the two openly addressed their history, with Koenig later defending Shatners acting and brushing off claims that he overplayed Captain Kirk.

Still, fans will instantly recognize the Babylon 5 alum - and if you guessed Walter Koenig, beam yourself up; (pictured 1966)

While the friction between Koenig and Shatner never exploded into an all-out feud, Koenig has long traced the tension to what he once called a rigid Hollywood caste system'; (Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock, Koenig as Chekov, William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, Nichelle Nichols as Uhura, George Takei as Hikaru Sulu and James Doohan as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise in 1968)

Despite the slights, Koenig has been careful not to label the situation a feud - and has made efforts over the years to move on

In his 2020 memoir, Koenig wrote that if Shatner 'chose to ignore me, that was okay... I didn't take it personally'.

Still, he conceded the relationship never fully healed.

Speaking to TrekMovie in 2020, Koenig explained: 'No, we dont have closure. Mr. Shatner comes from a different place and a different philosophy and different set of values.

'He argues that he is not at fault and not guilty of any social misdemeanor - and I say misdemeanor and not felony because it never achieved that status.

'They were just little things along the way that were disappointing and disillusioning, but not enough to change my life or go to bed tossing and turning thinking about Bill Shatner.'

Shatners chilly dynamic with Koenig was hardly an outlier, as his relationships with several Star Trek co-stars have long been marked by tension.

His once-close friendship with Leonard Nimoy famously unraveled in the 1970s after Shatner published personal details about Nimoy without his consent, triggering years of silence that lasted until a partial reconciliation shortly before Nimoys death in 2015.

He has also been locked in a decades-long and very public war of words with George Takei, who has accused Shatner of being dismissive and self-centered on set - allegations Shatner has consistently brushed off.

Speaking to TrekMovie in 2020, Koenig explained: 'No, we dont have closure. Mr. Shatner comes from a different place and a different philosophy and different set of values

Shatners chilly dynamic with Koenig was hardly an outlier, as his relationships with several Star Trek co-stars, including Leonard Nimoy and George Takei, have long been marked by tension; (Shatner in March 2025)

The bad blood only intensified in recent years, with Takei taking aim at Shatners politics and conduct, while Shatner dismissed the feud as entirely one-sided and fueled by lingering resentment.

Beyond Star Trek, Koenig carved out a lasting career in sci-fi, memorably starring as Alfred Bester on Babylon 5 and continuing to take on voice work, convention appearances, and select screen projects well into his later years.

His personal life, however, has been marked by profound tragedy.

In 2010, Koenigs son Andrew, a former child actor on Growing Pains and a television writer who had worked on My Name Is Earl, tragically died by suicide after struggling with mental illness.

Koenig has since spoken candidly about the loss, becoming an advocate for mental health awareness to honor his sons legacy.
Romeo Beckham showed off his muscular physique as he posed for shirtless snaps on social media on Wednesday.

The son of David and Victoria Beckham, 23, took to Instagram in the midst of the family fall out with his older brother Brooklyn, 26.

Romeo, who appeared to make a bold swipe at his sibling earlier this week with brother Cruz, 20, showed off his model credentials as he wore camouflage shorts, with his Calvin Klein underwear peeking out.

Completing his casual look with silver chains, Romeo showcased his toned and tattooed torso as he posed in a doorway.

He simply captioned the post with a French flag emoji, as he is currently in the city for Paris Fashion Week.

Earlier this week, Romeo and his girlfriend Kim Turnbull supported his mum Victoria as she was named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in Paris.

Romeo Beckham showed off his muscular physique as he posed for shirtless snaps on social media on Wednesday

The son of David and Victoria Beckham, 23, took to Instagram wearing nothing but a pair of camouflage shorts, with his Calvin Klein underwear peeking out

The fashion designer, 51, was joined by David, 50, sons Romeo and Cruz, and daughter Harper, 14, at the ceremony, as well as several of her close friends and Romeo and Cruz's respective girlfriends Kim and Jackie Apostel.

Cruz, Jackie, Romeo and Kim have been inseparable during their Paris trip for Fashion Week, with the foursome enjoying dinner over the weekend.

Taking to TikTok, the brothers filmed themselves in a car alongside the caption: 'Imagine hating and were just here like.'

The sweet display of brotherly love comes in stark contrast to Brooklyn's profession of his feelings towards his parents, who he denounced last week in the shocking statement and blasted his family's 'inauthentic' way.

Despite this, Cruz seemed keen to make the statement through his playful Instagram post about resistance towards haters.

Predictably, Brooklyn skipped out on the family trip - a week after he severed all ties with his family in a bombshell statement, opting instead to build a new life with his heiress wife Nicola Peltz in the US.

It marks only the latest family event to be snubbed by the aspiring chef, after he was previously a no-show at his father's milestone 50th birthday bash, the UK launch of his mother's Netflix show and to see David be knighted at Windsor Castle.

However, the Beckham clan appeared determined not to allow their family drama to overshadow Victoria's big day, as she was presented with the prestigious accolade by the French Ministry of Culture.

Earlier this week, Romeo and Cruz appeared to take a swipe at their estranged brother Brooklyn, as they hit Paris with their girlfriends

It comes the day after Romeo and his girlfriend Kim Turnbull supported his mum Victoria as she was named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in Paris

But, predictably, eldest son Brooklyn, 26, yet again skipped out on the occasion - a week after he severed all ties with his family in a bombshell statement (seen with parents in 2019)

The award recognises the individual contributions of artists, writers, and cultural figures to the arts and literature, and previous recipients include Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Jude Law and Denis Villeneuve.

And in her acceptance speech, the Spice Girl made special mention of her children, as she thanked them for 'always believing in my vision', despite Brooklyn's recent vitriolic claims against her.

She was presented the prestigious honour by the French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, who introduced her with an effusive speech.

A slew of the biggest names in fashion were also on hand to support Victoria, including Vogue icon Anna Wintour, former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful and French model Cindy Bruna.

While Danish supermodel Helena Christensen, 57, was also spotted making a stylish exit from the ceremony, looking radiant in a silk gown under a Victoria Beckham wool coat.

The ceremony marked the Beckham clan's first public appearance since Brooklyn's damning statement - with the family putting on a very united front.

They have maintained a stoic silence since the influencer claimed he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with Nicola, 31, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety.

Among the long list of claims he made was that Victoria pulled out of designing his bride's wedding dress at the 'eleventh hour' and then 'hijacked' the first dance at his wedding and 'danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone'.

They have maintained a stoic silence since the influencer claimed he has been 'controlled by a family that values public promotion above all else' and that since being with Nicola, 31, he has found 'peace and relief' after battling crippling anxiety (seen in October)

Victoria is said to be 'feeling betrayed' by Brooklyn's bombshell statement and dancing revelations after her years spent protecting him from 'dark stories'.

The Daily Mail's Katie Hind previously explained how the Beckhams' camp 'leapt into overdrive in Brooklyn's defence' when stories such as kiss and tells and tales of him being 'involved with the wrong crowd' surfaced.

His parents have often instructed expensive lawyers to protect him against such stories.

David and Victoria would 'take Brooklyn back in a minute' and are said to be 'horrified' by events this week, according to another source.

Following Brooklyn's claims about his mother hijacking his first dance, the couple's wedding DJ, Fat Tony, later recounted the exact detail of the incident during an appearance on This Morning.

The 60-year-old branded the dance 'really awkward' and confirmed that Nicola fled the reception in tears.

Tony, a longtime friend of the Beckhams, claimed that Marc Anthony was to blame, revealing the musician had called Victoria to the dance floor with her son and instructed him, 'place your hands on your mother's hips'.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has seen a dramatic loss of confidence amid her agency's deportation crackdown in Minnesota.

The latest Daily Mail/JL Partners poll, taken on Monday, finds that Noem has a paltry 33 percent approval rating.

Her disapproval rating has risen dramatically to 41 percent compared to 37 percent in December, per the last Daily Mail/ JL Partners survey.

Noem measured a 37 percent approval last month, meaning her support has fallen following the shooting of two anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis.

Spelling even more bad news for the secretary are the number of voters who say she should be removed from her post.

Nearly half of survey respondents, 46 percent, believe that Noem should be impeached.

Further, 42 percent say President Donald Trump should fire her. The poll was conducted on January 26 and included over 1,000 registered voters. The margin of error is 3.1 percent.

Impeachment gamble

Democrats in Congress have already begun circulating an impeachment resolution against Noem with more than 120 signatures.

However, given the Republican control of both the House and the Senate, the liberal-led gambit seems unlikely to succeed.

Dissatisfaction with the Trump administration's deportation crackdown, ICE and CBP has increased since a Border Patrol agent shot and killed Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti, 37, an intensive care unit nurse for the Department of Veterans, on Saturday.

Departing the White House for a rally in Iowa on Tuesday afternoon, Trump told reporters that despite the controversy surrounding Noem, he is still happy with her performance and the secretary won't be stepping down.

Gruesome videos of his killing quickly went viral on social media, and many angles show that Pretti, who was armed with a handgun and magazines of ammunition, was disarmed by over half a dozen agents before he was shot around 10 times in the back.

Noem was quick to label Pretti a domestic terrorist, a title that Trump himself has not said, indicating his hesitance to support the secretary's account of the nurse's death.

A clash of philosophies

Since the shooting, the president announced that Border Czar Tom Homan will take operational control of deportations in Minnesota.

Homan and Noem have reportedly not spoken much since they both joined the president's team, and sources have told the Daily Mail that their relationship - or rivalry - is tenuous.

The border czar, who has been in law enforcement since the 1980s, has preferred a crackdown on criminal illegal aliens.

Noem, by contrast, wants to pump overall deportation numbers and is said to be focusing on deporting anyone in the US illegally.

Her approach, bolstered by her deputy and rumored lover, Cory Lewandowski, has put Noem at odds with Homan, ICE acting Director Todd Lyons and Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott, sources have told the Daily Mail.

The schism has ruffled Republican feathers.

According to the January survey, almost one in four Republicans, 23 percent, view ICE unfavorably.

Meanwhile, more than a quarter of GOP voters surveyed, 27 percent, were in favor of disbanding ICE altogether.

Additionally, close to one in five Republicans, 19 percent, say that ICE and CBP raids in major US cities should end, while 71 percent want them to continue, according to the poll.

An unexpected off-ramp

Only 43 percent of Republicans say that Prettis killing was justified, while 35 percent were unsure and 22 percent said the shooting was unjustified.

GOP lawmakers have also expressed reticence about the deportation operations in Minnesota.

Chairman of the House Oversight Committee James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, suggested that Trump remove federal law enforcement from the state during a Sunday interview.

'If the mayor and the governor are going to put our ICE officials in harm's way, and there's a chance of losing more innocent lives or whatever, then maybe go to another city and let the people of Minneapolis decide do we want to continue to have all of these illegals,' Comer said.

On Monday, Trump had phone calls with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey - both of whom have offered sharp criticisms of the president.

In a dramatic reversal of the dueling sides' hostile tones, Trump posted on social media after the call with Walz, saying the two were on the 'same wavelength.'

After his call with Frey, Trump posted on social media that 'lots of progress is being made!'

The warm regards have come after bitter online feuds between the Minnesota Democrats and the Republican president, who suggested recently that both Walz and Frey were supporting an insurrection in the state.

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Report: Noem given new role by Trump after another shooting

Donald Trump reined in Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after an icy White House meeting overseen by Chief of Staff Susie Wiles following another deadly shooting involving an immigration agent in Minnesota.

The internal scrutiny of Noem intensified after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, an incident she characterized as an act of domestic terrorism despite widespread questions about how federal agents handled incident.

The President hit Noem with questions regarding her handling of the shooting and initial response during their late-night meeting, according to reports.

Noem's adviser and rumored lover Corey Lewandowski was at her side during the Oval Office gathering.

By the end of the night, Noem was ordered to shift her focus away from interior immigration enforcement operations and instead concentrate on securing the southern border.

Meanwhile, Noem's longtime rival, White House Border Czar Tom Homan, is expected to take over command of the Minneapolis crackdown.

Although Trump did limit Noem's authority, she is expected to keep her job as the president's top immigration officer - for now.

Noem's law enforcement ally on the ground, Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, was also withdrawn along with scores of his agents.

Initially, Noem and Lewandowski elevated Bovino to oversee high-profile immigration raids in U.S. urban centers including Los Angeles, Chicago and, most recently, Minneapolis.

Continue reading on Noem's new roll here:

Report: Kristi Noem had a meeting with trump amid fallout from Pretti shooting

Kristi Noem held a two-hour meeting with Donald Trump Monday night amid fallout from the shooting of Alex Pretti as Democrats called for her to resign.

Noem was joined by aide Corey Lewandowski in the Oval Office after Trump sent Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis in a major shakeup, according to The New York Times.

Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Communications Director Steven Cheung were also in attendance at The White House.

Trump sent Homan to the embattled city after removing Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino amid unrest over the shootings of both Pretti and Renee Good.

The Secretary of Homeland Security requested the meeting with Trump after her vehement defense of the border agent who shot Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse.

On Sunday, Noem referred to Pretti as a 'domestic terrorist' - something that Trump appeared to disagree with.

'I dont like any shooting. I dont like it,' Trump told the Wall Street Journal.

During a press briefing Monday, Leavitt said she had 'not heard the president characterize' Pretti as a domestic terrorist.

Meanwhile on CapitolHill, House Democrats launched an investigation into Noem, while 140 members of the party have co-sponsored an impeachment resolution.

Democrats have come out swinging for Noem, as a large majority - 145 of 213 - of their House delegation now co-sponsors a bill that would see her impeached.

The impeachment bill alleges that Noem has been self-dealing, obstructed Congress and violated public trust.

A spokesperson for DHS told Axios that the efforts were 'silly' and Democrats should focus on fixing crime problems in their districts.

The minority party will also launch an investigation into Noem's work at DHS without any assistance from Republicans, The Washington Post reported.

Senator Elizabeth Warren publicly called on the House to impeach Noem and demanded she resign.

Republican Rand Paul has also called multiple top immigration officials to testify at a February 12 hearing.

Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons have had their presence requested.

Meanwhile, Noem will testify before the Senate on March 3 as part of regular oversight, Politico reported.

Click here on more of Noem and trump's meeting:
Donald Trump has threatened to hit Iran with 'major destruction' that could see new US airstrikes on the country within a few days.

The US president said his nation's 'massive armada' is ready to strike with 'speed and violence' if the Islamic regime does not drop its nuclear ambitions.

Writing on Truth Social today, Trump said: 'A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela.

'Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties.

'Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didnt, and there was Operation Midnight Hammer, a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again.'

Analyst warns US strike on Iran could be imminent

The Economist's defence editor, Shashank Joshi, told the BBC's Today Programme that a US attack on Iran was 'likely in the coming days', adding: 'We are still on a path to a large, substantial US military strike.'

In response, Iran's mission to the UN said Tehran 'stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests', but if provoked, 'IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE'.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch a major military operation against Iran over its treatment of its civilians amid the civil uprising that began last month.

There were claims that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's forces have slaughtered at least 30,000 people, following the start of mass protests across the country in late December that have since apparently been quelled.

US carrier strike group enters Middle East region

The United States Navy's Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the Central Commands zone of responsibility on Monday, after being redirected from operations in the Indo-Pacific, providing America with the ability to respond to the crisis.

The flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3, the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), was escorted by the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Frank E Petersen, Jr (DDG-121), USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112).

Ambrey, a private security firm, issued a notice on Tuesday saying it assessed that the US 'has positioned sufficient military capability to conduct kinetic operations against Iran while maintaining the ability to defend itself and regional allies from reciprocal action'.

'Supporting or avenging Iranian protesters in punitive strikes is assessed as insufficient justification for sustained military conflict,' Ambrey wrote.

'However, alternative objectives, such as the degradation of Iranian military capabilities, may increase the likelihood of limited US intervention.'

Iran warns any attack would be treated as all-out war

'We think strikes on Iran are likely, unless the Iranians accept Trumps extensive demands to decommission their nuclear program - which doesnt look likely,' Bloomberg Economics analysts Becca Wasser and Dina Esfandiary wrote.

Tehran will treat any attack 'as an all-out war against us', a senior Iranian official warned. 'If the Americans violate Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity, we will respond.'

Iran has repeatedly threatened to drag the entire Mideast into a war, though its air defences and military are still reeling after the June war launched by Israel against the country.

But the pressure on its economy may spark new unrest as everyday goods slowly go out of reach of its people - particularly if Trump chooses to attack.

The arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and guided missile destroyers accompanying it provide the US the ability to strike Iran, particularly as Gulf Arab states have signalled they want to stay out of any attack despite hosting American military personnel.

Two Iranian-backed militias in the Mideast have signalled their willingness to launch new attacks, likely trying to back Iran after Trump threatened military action over the killing of peaceful protesters or Tehran launching mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations.

Tehran and Washington may still reach a deal, but Trump has previously called on the regime to agree to terms it has balked out - including giving up its nuclear enrichment entirely, relinquishing its long-range missiles, and ending support for armed groups in the region.

The US president has earlier said Tehran's nuclear programme was 'obliterated' in the strikes last June that hit three facilities across the country.

Earlier in January, Trump said Iranian officials had reached out to restart negotiations with Washington that were suspended after the June attacks.

But signs have emerged that the regime could resume its nuclear programme if it wanted; the director of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said in an interview last week that Iran retains its stockpile of highly-enriched uranium.

Trump warns Iran US is 'watching' amid armada

Donald Trump warned Iran that the United States is 'watching' and has an armada headed toward the region a week after violent protests that many believed would force Trump to strike Tehran.

Speaking on Air Force One on his way home from the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Trump reiterated that, 'We're watching Iran.'

That includes military ships that are headed toward the region should they be needed.

'We have a big flotilla going in that direction. Well see what happens. We have a big force going toward Iran,' Trump said. 'I'd rather not see anything happen but we're watching them very closely.'





Recent military movements have seen U.S. F-15 Strike Eagles arrive in Jordan as part of a broader strategic buildup that includes the westward transit of the USS

Carrier Strike Group. Currently moving from the South China Sea toward the Persian Gulf, this naval force is equipped with destroyers, F-35 stealth fighters, and electronic-jamming aircraft, underscoring Washingtons intent to project both deterrence and rapid-response capability in the region.

He warned that the US forces, including a 'massive armada,' may have to act with strikes on Tehran but added, 'Maybe we wont have to use it, well see.'

Read the full story
The two Border Patrol agents who shot and killed protester Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have been placed on paid administrative leave.

Sources in Homeland Security confirmed to the Daily Mail that the agents, who have not been identified, were suspended amid an investigation into the shooting.

The agents were reportedly given mental health support as standard procedure, and were placed on an automatic administrative leave for at least three days.

When the agents return, they will not be allowed out on the field and will be given desk roles, sources say.

The move follows mounting scrutiny on the shooting of Pretti on Saturday, which came just weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed anti-ICE protester Renee Good in Minneapolis.

Officer Not Placed on Leave as Scrutiny Intensifies

The officer involved in Good's shooting, Jonathan Ross, was not placed on administrative leave, however following Pretti's death President Trump called for a full investigation into the latest incident.

Trump officials initially attempted to portray Pretti as a 'domestic terrorist' because he had a legally-owned firearm at the time he was shot, however a new government report has undermined allegations he 'brandished' the weapon.

The new report alleged that when an officer shouted 'gun' during his arrest, there was no evidence Pretti had taken it off his hip.

Footage of the shooting that circulated social media appeared to show a border patrol agent had disarmed Pretti moments before the shooting, before he was shot several times in the back.

According to the new report, which was shared as a requirement for congressional committees to review any deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours, the shooting unfolded around 9am Saturday when agents were confronted by protesters.

Agents Say Verbal Orders Were Ignored at the Scene

Agents said they were faced with protesters 'yelling and blowing whistles' at them, while also blocking the roadway at the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.

After making 'several verbal requests' for the protesters to stop, CBP claims two women confronted the agents while blowing whistles. They were ordered to get out of the roadway but refused.

They said that the women were then 'pushed away' and one of them ran to Pretti, with both again refusing to leave the roadways.

The officer then deployed pepper spray at both of them, while attempting to arrest Pretti.

'CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts and a struggle ensued,' the report claims.

'During the struggle, a (Border Patrol agent) yelled, 'He's got a gun!' multiple times.'

The report continues: 'Approximately five seconds later, a (Border Patrol agent) discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a (Customs and Border Protection officer) also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti.'

Weapon Secured After the Shooting

Within five seconds, one agent and one officer discharged the shots, with one using a Glock 19 and the other a Glock 47.

An agent took possession of Pretti's gun and cleared and secured it shortly after the shooting.

CBP tried to save Pretti's life by putting chest seals on his wounds at 9:02am, with EMS and EMTs arriving three minutes later.

Pretti was taken in an ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center at 9:14am, where he was pronounced dead at 9:32am.

A DHS investigation is ongoing and The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General has been notified.

'These notifications reflect standard Customs and Border Protection protocol and are issued in accordance with existing procedures,' a CBP spokesperson told The Daily Mail.

'They provide an initial outline of an event that took place and do not convey any definitive conclusion or investigative findings. They are factual reports  not analytical judgments  and are provided to inform Congress and to promote transparency.'

White House Moves to Rein in Noem After Controversial Remarks

Following scrutiny over remarks Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made about Pretti, including alleging he was an 'assassin', Trump appeared to rein her in following an icy White House meeting this week.

The internal scrutiny of Noem intensified after the fatal shooting of the 37-year-old ICU nurse, putting her at odds with Trump.

The President grilled Noem over her handling and initial response to the shooting during their late-night meeting, reports say. Noem's adviser and rumored lover Corey Lewandowski was by her side at the Oval Office summit.

By the end of the night, Noem was ordered to shift her focus away from interior immigration enforcement operations and instead concentrate on securing the Southern Border.

Noem's longtime rival, White House Border Czar Tom Homan, was ordered by Trump to take over the Minnesota crackdown.

Despite the furor, Noem is expected to keep her job - despite a new Daily Mail/ JL Partners poll finding her approval rating has sunk to just 33 percent.

Trump rips into Republicans calling for Noem to be sacked

Donald Trump tore into a pair of Republican senators who are calling for the ouster of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as tensions simmer over violent and deadly immigration enforcement in Minnesota.

The president said Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are 'losers,' and that the former 'lost his voice' by deciding not to run for reelection.

'You know, what can I tell you? They're terrible senators,' Trump told ABC News. 'One is gone and the other should be gone.'

Both senators have broken with Trump on several issues over the last year, and both have called for Noem to step down after losing confidence in her ability to lead federal immigration operations.

A Daily Mail/JL Partners poll taken this week show Noem suffering from a dreadful 33 percent approval rating.

Other GOP lawmakers are speaking off the record about how they are worried protests will only lead to more bloodshed, and that the Republican party has squandered the best issue they had going for them in the 2026 midterms.

One unnamed senator told Politico that immigration is a 'home game' for Republicans, much like health care is for Democrats.

But instead of Americans seeing images of migrants flooding over the border, the viral scenes now show Americans being shot in broad daylight.

First, it was poet and mother Renee Good, who was shot through the windshield of her vehicle by an ICE agent whom she clipped with her car. Just over two weeks later, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at a VA hospital, was shot by a DHS agent in a street tussle. Both incidents occurred in Minnesota.

Democrats have already floated impeaching Noem and those calls only intensified this month amid her botched response to the deaths of American citizens at the hands of her agents.

'So what Murkowski says  she's always against the Republicans anyway,' Trump dismissed. '

'And Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.'

Read the full story here
The worlds largest package delivery firm is preparing for another brutal round of job cuts as automation accelerates and trade pressures bite.

United Parcel Service said it will shed around 30,000 operational roles in 2026, according to its latest earnings call.

Bosses said they hoped the cuts would come through staff choosing to leave rather than outright firings.

This will be accomplished through attrition, and we expect to offer a second voluntary separation program for full-time drivers, chief financial officer Brian Dykes said.

The layoffs follow a brutal restructuring drive that has already seen roughly 48,000 jobs eliminated across 2025, including management roles, as UPS scales back lower-margin deliveries for Amazon. The company says that shift alone saved $3.5 billion.

The announcement immediately reignited tensions with the union representing most of UPSs US workforce. Teamsters president Sean OBrien accused the company of sidelining workers while profits remain strong.

'Reminder: Teamsters overwhelmingly rejected UPSs insulting payoff last year. We still know our worth,' he posted on X.

'UPS must honor our contract and reward our members. Anything else they want to try, Teamsters aren't buying.'

Another 30,000 UPS workers are on the chopping block this year as the parcel delivery service looks to further reduce its network, volume of deliveries and costs.

UPS is also planning on closing 24 facilities with automation plans this year.

Dykes said UPS would shutter 24 sorting facilities, on top of 93 closed last year, as the company doubled down on automation across its network.

CEO Carol Tome said the move to robots drastically cut costs.

'The cost per piece in these automated buildings is 28 percent less than the cost per piece in our conventional buildings,' she said.

UPS is also feeling the impact of higher tariffs and the closure of the so-called de minimis loophole, which previously allowed imports valued under $800 to enter the US tariff-free.

After President Donald Trump moved to shut it, costs rose sharply for low-cost retailers such as Temu and Shein - squeezing shipping volumes UPS now says it wants to remove from its network.

The warning comes as cracks widen across the US labor market. Revised government data this month showed the economy lost 173,000 jobs in October  the worst monthly performance since the pandemic  while December added just 50,000 positions.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US added only about 584,000 jobs in 2025, making it the weakest year for employment growth outside a recession since 2003  a grim backdrop as corporate America signals that automation, tariffs and profit pressures are far from done.

Last summer and fall saw a string of big US firms announce layoffs.

Join the debate How should delivery giants balance automation, profits, and protecting workers livelihoods?

Carol Tome, chief executive of United Parcel Service, has announced plans to cut 30,000 operational jobs in 2026 as it accelerates automation and shuts more facilities to lower costs

GM  which owns Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Buick  has laid off workers in recent months

General Motors, America's biggest car company, announced two batches of jobs cuts in October.

Companies like Target, Procter & Gamble, and Walmart also slashed thousands of mid-level corporate jin 2025.

Staff cuts have been even more pronounced in the tech sector, as firms increasingly replace human employees with hyper-intelligent machines.

Intel  which makes processors that power millions of Dell, HP, and Lenovo computers  announced it would slash 25,000 jobs.

Much of is down to the roll out of AI, robots and automation. As Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in June: the technology will uproot thousands of Americans from their jobs.
Amazon has told staff it plans to cut around 16,000 corporate jobs worldwide as it pushes ahead with efforts to streamline the business and reduce bureaucracy.

The move marks the second major round of layoffs in just three months at the Seattle-based company after the loss of roughly 14,000 roles in October.

The latest cuts are understood to fall mainly in the US, though some UK jobs will also be affected. Amazon declined to say how many British workers are at risk.

Beth Galetti, Amazon's senior vice president of people experience and technology, said in a blog post to staff that the company had been 'reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy'.

But he insisted this was not the start of regular, rolling job cuts. 'Some of you might ask if this is the beginning of a new rhythm - where we announce broad reductions every few months,' she wrote. 'That's not our plan.'

US-based employees will be given 90 days to apply for other internal roles. Those who do not secure a new position will be offered severance pay, health insurance benefits and outplacement support, according to the company.

The cuts come as Amazon ramps up its use of artificial intelligence and robots, and cuts a workforce that ballooned during the pandemic.

CEO Andy Jassy has repeatedly warned that AI will shrink the company's headcount over time, after he took the helm from founder Jeff Bezos in 2021.

It comes months after CEO Andy Jassy said Amazon would reduce its corporate headcount as it increases its use of Artificial Intelligence

The layoffs announced Wednesday are Amazons biggest since 2023, when the company cut 27,000 jobs

The layoffs announced Wednesday are Amazon's biggest since 2023, when the company cut 27,000 jobs.

Amazon employed around 1.57 million people globally at the end of September, including roughly 350,000 corporate staff, with the rest working mainly in warehouses.

The job losses also arrive alongside a pullback from physical retail. Earlier this week, Amazon confirmed it would close its remaining Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores in the US, shifting its focus to Whole Foods.

The job cuts have not arrived with a company on shaky financial ground.

In its most recent quarter, Amazon's profits jumped nearly 40 percent to about $21 billion and revenue soared to more than $180 billion.

Late last year after layoffs, Jassy said job cuts werent driven by company finances or AI.

'Its culture,' he said in October. 'And if you grow as fast as we did for several years, the size of businesses, the number of people, the number of locations, the types of businesses youre in, you end up with a lot more people than what you had before, and you end up with a lot more layers.'

The news adds to growing anxiety about the US job market, particularly among white-collar roles.

Another 30,000 UPS workers are on the chopping block this year as the parcel delivery service looks to further reduce its network, volume of deliveries and costs.

Revised government data this month showed the economy lost 173,000 jobs in October - the worst monthly performance since the pandemic - while December added just 50,000 positions.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US added only about 584,000 jobs in 2025, making it the weakest year for employment growth outside a recession since 2003  a grim backdrop as corporate America signals that automation, tariffs and profit pressures are far from done.

This week, UPS said it would cut up to 30,000 operational roles through attrition and buyouts, while Pinterest revealed plans to lay off under 15 percent of its workforce as it pivots more spending toward AI.

Companies like Target, Procter & Gamble, and Walmart also slashed thousands of mid-level corporate jin 2025.
1 in critical condition after being shot in U.S. Border Patrol-involved shooting in Arizona

Xinhua) 13:57, January 28, 2026

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- One person is in critical condition after being shot in an incident involving the U.S. Border Patrol in the state of Arizona on Tuesday morning, according to authorities.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department said it responded to the incident in Arivaca, an unincorporated community in Pima County near the U.S.-Mexico border, local media reported.

The department added that it is working in coordination with the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The shooting occurred around 7:30 a.m. local time and involved a Border Patrol officer, said local media, adding that the individual was taken into custody and transported to receive medical treatment.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Southwest ended its popular 54-year-old open seating policy on Tuesday with balloons, a water-cannon salute and special oversized boarding passes.

The fanfare, and upbeat comments from bosses that flyers had been asking for the change, gave a clear impression the carrier thinks this is a major upgrade.

But many regular Southwest customers - now forced to pay extra to pick a seat, after last year losing the free bags perk - are anything but happy.

Before, boarding was based on a first come, first served basis that rewarded those who checked in right as online check in began 24 hours before departure.

Under the new system, passengers must now board in assigned groups and sit in pre-allocated seats - a major shift for a carrier that long prided itself on letting customers pick any open seat once on board.

Did anybody from Southwest Airlines actually test this new boarding process? My god what a disaster, one customer wrote on X.

Another added: Today is the last day of open seating on @SouthwestAir. Losing that, and 2 free checked bags, makes SW no longer my first choice as theres no clear advantage between their airlines and others.

A third warned the airline was giving up what made it special: Most loyal customers did not care about assigned seating. We knew how to get great seats! Business 101, dont give up what differentiates you from the competition.'

Customers board Flight 3575 from San Juan to Orlando as Southwest rolls out assigned seating for the first time across its network

A Southwest jet receives a water-cannon salute on arrival in Orlando as the airline marks the launch of assigned seating, ending its long-running open seating policy

Southwest CEO Bob Jordan

The move, first announced last summer, means Southwest now operates a policy that closely mirrors other major US airlines, including Delta, American and United.

Passengers paying more for extra-legroom or preferred seats will board first, while those on basic fares will be pushed toward the back of the line. Flyers are spread across eight-groups.

The change replaces Southwests old system where passengers were given a boarding group - A, B or C - and a number based on when they checked in.

Passengers lined up at the gate next to numbered poles, then boarded in order - choosing any open seat once on the plane.

Group A - 160 - boarded first and almost always got window or aisle seats. Checking in exactly 24 hours before departure or paying extra for early boarding was key to landing a good spot.

Southwest says the overhaul is driven by customer demand and part of an elevated travel experience that includes premium seating options.

Executives celebrated the transition with gate events across multiple time zones.

The shake-up is one of the biggest in Southwests history and comes as investors push the carrier to boost profits after years of lagging performance.

Southwest Airlines celebrates Flight 4974 from Manchester, New Hampshire, to Chicago Midway  one of the carriers first flights operating under its new assigned seating system

A passenger looks through a heart-shaped cutout in a giant novelty boarding pass as Southwest launches its new assigned seating system amid backlash from loyal flyers

Southwest flight attendants pose with boarding stanchions at the gate in Honolulu ahead of the airlines final open seating flight, marking the end of a 54-year tradition

A passenger weighs a checked bag at a Southwest Airlines counter. The carrier scrapped its long-standing bags fly free perk and introduced baggage fees last year

Southwest had previously allowed open seating - meaning passengers can sit wherever they want. But it could create a scramble to get on board

Southwest, which once boasted a record 47 consecutive years of profit prior to the pandemic, has been struggling to regain sustained profitability.

That drew the attention of activist investors at Elliott Investment, who pushed it to cut costs and roll out changes, such as those to seating, that it said would boost profits.

Southwest also axed its two free bags perk last year, with customers now paying $35 for the first bag and $45 for the second one.

A report out in 2023 showed how airlines including Delta, United and American pocketed a staggering $33.3 billion from just baggage fees last year - a sharp 15 percent rise from $29 billion in 2022.

In addition, in September last year, Southwest said it is cutting almost a third of its flights to and from Atlanta in a cost-cutting bid.

And in February last year, bosses said they were cutting 15 percent of its corporate staff, the first layoffs since it was founded in Texas in 1971.
WESCO International, Inc. (NYSE:WCC  Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the nine brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $266.00.

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on WCC shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of WESCO International from $260.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of WESCO International in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. KeyCorp increased their target price on WESCO International from $300.00 to $304.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday. Barclays lifted their price target on WESCO International from $274.00 to $302.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded WESCO International from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $262.00 to $302.00 in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th.

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Insider Buying and Selling

Hedge Funds Weigh In On WESCO International

In other news, EVP Christine Ann Wolf sold 4,685 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $259.52, for a total transaction of $1,215,851.20. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 30,195 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,836,206.40. This trade represents a 13.43% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, EVP Diane Lazzaris sold 4,039 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $258.42, for a total value of $1,043,758.38. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 45,401 shares in the company, valued at $11,732,526.42. This represents a 8.17% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure . Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 17,036 shares of company stock worth $4,385,254. Corporate insiders own 3.10% of the companys stock.

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its holdings 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 during the period. Rothschild Investment LLC raised its holdings in WESCO International by 788.2% in the 3rd 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 acquired a new position in WESCO International during the 3rd quarter worth $37,000. First Horizon Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in WESCO International by 129.7% during the second quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 232 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 131 shares during the period. Finally, Rossby Financial LCC grew its position in shares of WESCO International by 117.4% in the third 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.

WESCO International Stock Performance

WCC opened at $287.78 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 2.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18. The firm has a market cap of $14.00 billion, a PE ratio of 22.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.82 and a beta of 1.45. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $265.25 and a 200-day simple moving average of $236.23. WESCO International has a fifty-two week low of $125.21 and a fifty-two week high of $291.01.

WESCO International (NYSE:WCC  Get Free Report) last announced 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. The business had revenue of $6.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.91 billion. WESCO International had a return on equity of 13.12% and a net margin of 2.81%.WESCO Internationals revenue was up 12.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.58 earnings per share. WESCO International has set its FY 2025 guidance at 13.100-13.600 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that WESCO International will post 13.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

WESCO International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 12th were given a $0.4538 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 12th. This represents a $1.82 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. WESCO Internationals dividend payout ratio is presently 14.20%.

WESCO International Company Profile

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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.

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ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (OTCMKTS:ASUUY  Get Free Report)s share price traded down 30.4% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $78.50 and last traded at $80.00. 468 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 152% from the average session volume of 186 shares. The stock had previously closed at $115.00.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, The Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of ASUSTeK Computer to a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold.

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ASUSTeK Computer Price Performance

About ASUSTeK Computer

The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $98.12 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $96.27.

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ASUSTeK Computer Inc, commonly known as ASUS, is a Taiwanese multinational company specializing in the design and manufacture of computer hardware, electronics and related services. Founded in 1989 in Taipei by T.H. Tung, Ted Hsu, Wayne Hsieh and M.T. Liao, ASUS has grown into one of the worlds leading suppliers of motherboards, graphics cards, desktops and laptops. The companys portfolio also extends to monitors, networking equipment, servers, workstations and accessories tailored for both consumer and enterprise markets.

ASUS is perhaps best known for its Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand, which offers high-performance products aimed at gamers and e-sports enthusiasts.

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Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG (FRA:PBB  Get Free Report)s share price was up 0.2% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as 4.25 and last traded at 4.24. Approximately 188,131 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, The stock had previously closed at 4.23.

Deutsche Pfandbriefbank Stock Up 0.2%

The business has a fifty day moving average price of 4.30 and a two-hundred day moving average price of 4.80.

About Deutsche Pfandbriefbank

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Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG provides commercial real estate and public investment finance in Europe and the United States of America. It operates through Real Estate Finance and Non-Core segments. The Real Estate Finance segment provides financing for professional real estate investors, which includes professional national and international real estate companies, institutional investors, and property funds to financed properties comprising office buildings, properties for residential use, retail, and logistic properties, as well as hotel business.

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Hennes & Mauritz (OTCMKTS:HNNMY  Get Free Report) is anticipated to release its results before the market opens on Thursday, January 29th. Analysts expect Hennes & Mauritz to post earnings of $0.05 per share and revenue of $6.3453 billion for the quarter.

Hennes & Mauritz Stock Performance

Hennes & Mauritz stock opened at $3.96 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $3.82 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $3.46. The company has a market cap of $27.92 billion, a PE ratio of 28.29 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.46. Hennes & Mauritz has a 12 month low of $2.37 and a 12 month high of $4.17.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on HNNMY shares. Citigroup raised Hennes & Mauritz from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Oddo Bhf upgraded Hennes & Mauritz to a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, December 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold.

Hennes & Mauritz Company Profile

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Hennes & Mauritz AB, commonly known as H&M, is a Swedish multinational fashion retailer that designs, sources and sells ready-to-wear clothing, accessories and home textiles. The company traces its roots to 1947, when Erling Persson opened a womens clothing store called Hennes (hers) in Vasteras, Sweden; the business expanded into menswear after the acquisition of a Stockholm-based retailer, Mauritz Widforss, in the late 1960s, which led to the Hennes & Mauritz name. Today the company is headquartered in Stockholm and operates a global retail business built around multiple branded concepts.

H&Ms core activities include product design, sourcing and retailing of fashion for women, men, teenagers and children, as well as home goods under its H&M Home line.

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S4 Capital plc (OTCMKTS:SCPPF  Get Free Report) saw a significant decline in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 107,224 shares, a decline of 93.2% from the December 31st total of 1,586,552 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 34,992 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.1 days. Based on an average daily volume of 34,992 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.1 days.

S4 Capital News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting S4 Capital this week:

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating on shares of S4 Capital in a report on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, S4 Capital has a consensus rating of Hold.

S4 Capital Stock Performance

SCPPF traded up $0.00 on Tuesday, hitting $0.39. 191 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 17,531. The stocks fifty day moving average is $0.25 and its 200-day moving average is $0.28. S4 Capital has a 12 month low of $0.20 and a 12 month high of $0.49.

S4 Capital Company Profile

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S4 Capital plc is a global digital advertising and marketing services company specializing in data-driven creative solutions, media buying, and programmatic advertising. Founded in 2018 by Sir Martin Sorrell, the firm was established with the aim of disrupting traditional advertising models by integrating cutting-edge technology with creative content production. Its network of agencies delivers end-to-end marketing services tailored to clients evolving digital needs.

The companys core offerings span creative content development, media strategy and planning, performance marketing, data analytics and insight, and digital transformation consultancy.

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Orient Overseas International Ltd. (OTCMKTS:OROVY  Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 595 shares, an increase of 3,205.6% from the December 31st total of 18 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 406 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.5 days. Based on an average daily volume of 406 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.5 days.

Orient Overseas International Stock Performance

Shares of Orient Overseas International stock remained flat at $81.25 during trading on Tuesday. 2 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 110. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $81.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $84.61. Orient Overseas International has a 1-year low of $60.77 and a 1-year high of $93.89.

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Orient Overseas International Company Profile

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Orient Overseas International Ltd is a Hong Kongbased investment holding company with core interests in maritime transport and related logistics services. Through its principal operating subsidiary, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), the group specializes in international container shipping, offering scheduled services across major eastwest and northsouth trade routes. The companys operations encompass vessel chartering, container manufacturing, terminal management and intermodal transport solutions.

Founded from roots dating back to the mid-20th century maritime expansion in Asia, Orient Overseas International has grown into a global operator serving ports in Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East and Australasia.

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Abercrombie & Fitch Company (NYSE:ANF  Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twelve research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $124.60.

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on ANF shares. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c) rating on shares of Abercrombie & Fitch in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Abercrombie & Fitch from $78.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Abercrombie & Fitch from $130.00 to $128.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a $145.00 price objective on shares of Abercrombie & Fitch in a report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Abercrombie & Fitch in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. They set a buy rating and a $120.00 price objective on the stock.

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Abercrombie & Fitch Stock Up 0.6%

Shares of NYSE ANF opened at $97.68 on Friday. The firms 50-day moving average price is $107.35 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $93.44. Abercrombie & Fitch has a 52-week low of $65.40 and a 52-week high of $133.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.37 and a beta of 1.17.

Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 26th. The apparel retailer reported $2.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.22. Abercrombie & Fitch had a return on equity of 38.01% and a net margin of 10.07%.The business had revenue of $1.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.28 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.50 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Abercrombie & Fitch will post 10.62 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Fran Horowitz sold 100,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $95.40, for a total value of $9,540,000.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 505,303 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $48,205,906.20. This represents a 16.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 2.29% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Abercrombie & Fitch by 1.1% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,978,142 shares of the apparel retailers stock worth $163,889,000 after acquiring an additional 22,215 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its holdings in Abercrombie & Fitch by 5,749.6% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,194,013 shares of the apparel retailers stock valued at $102,148,000 after purchasing an additional 1,173,601 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Abercrombie & Fitch by 41.2% in the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,176,990 shares of the apparel retailers stock valued at $100,691,000 after purchasing an additional 343,288 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners grew its stake in shares of Abercrombie & Fitch by 102.5% in the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,094,023 shares of the apparel retailers stock valued at $92,940,000 after buying an additional 553,889 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Valeo Financial Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Abercrombie & Fitch by 10,469.4% in the second quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 993,101 shares of the apparel retailers stock valued at $82,278,000 after purchasing an additional 983,705 shares during the period.

Abercrombie & Fitch Company Profile

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Abercrombie & Fitch Co (NYSE: ANF) is an American specialty retailer that designs, markets and sells casual apparel and accessories for men, women and children. Founded in 1892 by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch, the company evolved from an outdoor gear outfitter to a global lifestyle brand renowned for its relaxed, preppy aesthetic. Its product assortment includes tops, bottoms, outerwear, intimates, swimwear, fragrances and personal care items.

The company operates under multiple brand names, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister and Gilly Hicks, each targeting distinct consumer segments from teens to young adults.

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Dr. Martens (LON:DOCS) management used its third-quarter trading update call to emphasize what CEO Ije Nwokorie described as a year of pivot, as the company makes operational and commercial changes aimed at delivering sustained, profitable growth.

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Speaking alongside CFO Giles Wilson, Nwokorie said the pivot includes hard decisions, including a more disciplined approach to promotions even when it creates a near-term headwind to revenue. He also highlighted efforts to simplify the operating model, optimize distribution so wholesale and direct-to-consumer (DTC) complement each other instead of acting in competition, and reduce reliance on off-price dealsparticularly in the Americas wholesale channel.

Regional and channel performance

Nwokorie pointed to a stronger performance in the Americas, saying that on a two-year stack basis the growth rate has accelerated by almost 20 percentage points, with gains across both retail (attributed to in-store execution) and wholesale, particularly with our largest partners. He added that wholesale across the group performed well and that the third quarter marked the first time in more than three years that Dr. Martens achieved wholesale growth in all three regions.

In APAC, management highlighted strong full price revenue performance, calling out South Korea as a standout market. The company also reported solid retail performance in Japan during the Q&A portion of the call.

EMEA, however, continued to face a challenging consumer environment. Nwokorie said the combination of a weak backdrop and the companys tighter promotional discipline weighed on DTC results in the region. Still, he noted that EMEA pairs were slightly up during the period, and he said the company continues to grow its bags and accessories business.

E-commerce was described as the channel most impacted by the planned reduction in promotions and clearance activity, with Nwokorie saying the effect was seen across all three regions.

Strategy priorities and financial focus

Management reiterated four strategic objectives for the year, which Nwokorie said the company expects to deliver:

Reducing reliance on discounted pairs in Americas wholesale

Driving pairs growth in newer product families, including Buzz, Zebzag and Lowell

Expanding into new markets through a capital light structure

Simplifying the operating model to better serve consumers

Nwokorie also said Dr. Martens is prioritizing quality of our revenues, profit before tax, and cash this year and described performance on all three as in line with plans. He added that the company remains on track for significant year-on-year growth in PBT through a combination of healthy margin, better-quality revenue, and strong cost control.

Inventory, wholesale health, and pricing actions in the U.S.

Asked about U.S. wholesale sell-through and inventory quality, Nwokorie said the company is happy with sell-through rates, citing a healthy order book as evidence of wholesale partners confidence. He did not provide specific sell-through figures but said inventory levels are significantly down, and that partners have a broader assortment than they did 12 to 18 months ago.

On U.S. price increases for spring/summer intended to offset tariffs, Nwokorie said it was still early days (the third week after implementation at the time of the call) and that the company had seen no evidence to be worried about. He said increases varied by product and described the move as the first U.S. price increase in three years. He also noted there had not been pushback from wholesale partners.

Promotions, channel roles, and product momentum

In response to questions about discounting in EMEA wholesale, Nwokorie said the company is not opposed to promotions and sees a role for wholesale partners in meeting consumer demand for deals during key periods such as Black Friday and the lead-up to Christmas. He stressed that Dr. Martens goal is to keep its own DTC channel more full price and differentiated through DTC-exclusive products.

He cited collaborations sold exclusively through DTCsuch as Wednesday and Marc Jacobsas examples that performed well in the quarter at full price. The company also highlighted product lines that sold through quickly, including Casey boots and the Dunnet Flower sandal, and noted strong demand for Mary Jane styles. Management said stock availability was generally good, though the U.S. has been more challenging in terms of keeping certain fast-selling items in stock.

When asked about category trends in the U.S., Nwokorie described a bifurcated consumer environment, with pressure at lower price points under $100 and comparatively better conditions in the premium segment where Dr. Martens operates. He acknowledged that boots as a category have been in decline but said that decline is flattening. He pointed to green shoots in full price boots, highlighting newer styles such as the Casey High, Buzz High, and rain boot, as well as strong performance from collaboration boots that have created scarcity.

In a later question on Q3 sell-out by line, management said shoes have been performing particularly well across channels and markets, while boots are showing early signs of turnaround, and the company is looking ahead to its sandals offering as it moves into spring.

Cost discipline and outlook

On costs, Wilson said Dr. Martens executed a big cost action program last year and has seen the benefits flow through. He emphasized what he called a cultural shift toward cost focus and said there are ongoing opportunities in procurement and supply chain work with suppliers, including as the company navigates cost items such as tariffs. He said he was comfortable with cost management and that the benefit of year-on-year cost progress would be evident at the full-year results.

Nwokorie closed the call by reiterating that the company is in year one of a multi-year strategy to shift from a channel-first mindset to a consumer-first mindset, and he said management remains laser focused on execution. Dr. Martens expects to provide a fuller strategic update when it presents full fiscal 2026 results in May.

About Dr. Martens (LON:DOCS)

Founded in 1960, Dr. Martens is an iconic British brand with a global presence. Docs or DMs were originally

produced for their durability for workers, before being adopted by diverse youth subcultures and associated musical

movements. Today, Dr. Martens has transcended its roots while still celebrating its proud history. It operates in over

60 countries and employs over 3,650 people worldwide. Its operations are split across both Direct-to-Consumer and

wholesale channels, and in addition to its world-renowned 1460 boot its product segments span shoes including the

1461 shoe and Adrian loafer, sandals including the Zebzag mule, Kids ranges, as well as a growing line of bags and

accessories.

The Company successfully listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange on 29 January 2021 (DOCS.L) and

is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index.

Further Reading
DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE  Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by investment analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $150.00 to $153.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the utilities providers stock. Jefferies Financial Groups target price would indicate a potential upside of 12.20% from the stocks current price.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and set a $142.00 target price on shares of DTE Energy in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on DTE Energy from $157.00 to $152.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of DTE Energy from $140.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday. Scotiabank lowered their price target on shares of DTE Energy from $147.00 to $146.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of DTE Energy in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Ten 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 stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $147.62.

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DTE Energy Price Performance

Shares of DTE stock traded down $0.32 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $136.37. The stock had a trading volume of 499,020 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,495,054. The company has a market cap of $28.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.01. DTE Energy has a 12-month low of $117.56 and a 12-month high of $143.79. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $132.01 and a 200 day simple moving average of $136.12.

DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The utilities provider reported $2.25 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.10 by $0.15. DTE Energy had a return on equity of 12.63% and a net margin of 9.34%.The company had revenue of $3.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.23 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.22 earnings per share. DTE Energy has set its FY 2025 guidance at 7.090-7.230 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 7.590-7.730 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that DTE Energy will post 7.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates acquired a new position in shares of DTE Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Clean Yield Group purchased a new stake in DTE Energy during the third quarter valued at about $28,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of DTE Energy in the third quarter worth about $28,000. Capital A Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of DTE Energy by 5,775.0% in the second quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 235 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 231 shares during the period. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of DTE Energy in the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.06% of the companys stock.

About DTE Energy

(Get Free Report)

DTE Energy is an integrated energy company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, that combines regulated utility operations with non-utility energy businesses. Its regulated subsidiaries operate electric and natural gas utility services that deliver generation, transmission and distribution to residential, commercial and industrial customers. The companys utility segment focuses on maintaining and upgrading energy delivery infrastructure, ensuring reliable service and meeting regulatory requirements in its service territory.

Beyond its regulated utilities, DTE Energy operates non-utility businesses that develop, own and operate power generation and energy-related projects.

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Dynatrace (NYSE:DT  Get Free Report) and EPAM Systems (NYSE:EPAM  Get Free Report) are both large-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, earnings, valuation, profitability, dividends, institutional ownership and analyst recommendations.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

94.3% of Dynatrace shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 91.6% of EPAM Systems shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.6% of Dynatrace shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.3% of EPAM Systems 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.

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Risk and Volatility

Dynatrace has a beta of 0.85, suggesting that its share price is 15% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, EPAM Systems has a beta of 1.73, suggesting that its share price is 73% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Dynatrace 0 6 18 0 2.75 EPAM Systems 0 6 10 1 2.71

This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Dynatrace and EPAM Systems, as provided by MarketBeat.

Dynatrace currently has a consensus target price of $59.96, suggesting a potential upside of 46.88%. EPAM Systems has a consensus target price of $210.53, suggesting a potential downside of 4.18%. Given Dynatraces stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Dynatrace is more favorable than EPAM Systems.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Dynatrace and EPAM Systemss top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Dynatrace $1.70 billion 7.24 $483.68 million $1.67 24.44 EPAM Systems $4.73 billion 2.57 $454.53 million $6.55 33.55

Dynatrace has higher earnings, but lower revenue than EPAM Systems. Dynatrace is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than EPAM Systems, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Dynatrace and EPAM Systems net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Dynatrace 27.33% 9.24% 6.14% EPAM Systems 7.01% 13.16% 10.15%

Summary

EPAM Systems beats Dynatrace on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Dynatrace

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Dynatrace, Inc. provides a security platform for multicloud environments in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company operates Dynatrace, a security platform, which provides application and microservices monitoring, runtime application security, infrastructure monitoring, log management and analytics, digital experience monitoring, digital business analytics, and cloud automation. Its platform allows its customers to modernize and automate IT operations, delivers software, and enhance user experiences. In addition, the company offers implementation, consulting, and training services. It markets its products through a combination of direct sales team and a network of partners, including resellers, system integrators, and managed service providers. It serves customers in various industries comprising banking, financial services, government, insurance, retail and wholesale, transportation, and software. Dynatrace, Inc. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

About EPAM Systems

(Get Free Report)

EPAM Systems, Inc. provides digital platform engineering and software development services worldwide. The company offers engineering services, including requirements analysis and platform selection, customization, cross-platform migration, implementation, and integration; infrastructure management services, such as software development, testing, performance tuning, deployment, maintenance, and support services. It also provides operation solutions comprising integrated engineering practices and smart automation services. In addition, the company offers business, experience, technology, data, and technical advisory consulting services; and digital and service design solutions, which comprise strategy, design, creative, and program management services, as well as physical product development, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual reality. The company serves the financial services, travel and consumer, software and hi-tech, business information and media, life sciences and healthcare, and other industries EPAM Systems, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

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Ethan Allen Interiors (NYSE:ETD  Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.06, FiscalAI reports. Ethan Allen Interiors had a return on equity of 10.08% and a net margin of 7.79%.

Ethan Allen Interiors Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of ETD stock traded down $0.21 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $24.09. 500,225 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 328,986. The firm has a market capitalization of $613.07 million, a PE ratio of 13.02 and a beta of 1.16. Ethan Allen Interiors has a 1-year low of $21.67 and a 1-year high of $32.61. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $23.81 and a 200 day moving average price of $26.62.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Ethan Allen Interiors news, CEO M Farooq Kathwari sold 2,168 shares of Ethan Allen Interiors stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.01, for a total transaction of $54,221.68. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,483,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $37,095,532.28. The trade was a 0.15% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 9.92% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Analyst Ratings Changes

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its position in Ethan Allen Interiors by 365.5% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,054 shares of the companys stock worth $85,000 after buying an additional 2,398 shares in the last quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ethan Allen Interiors by 31.2% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 6,682 shares of the companys stock worth $186,000 after acquiring an additional 1,589 shares during the last quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Ethan Allen Interiors during the second quarter worth $204,000. Rafferty Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ethan Allen Interiors during the second quarter worth $222,000. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its position in Ethan Allen Interiors by 9.8% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 8,930 shares of the companys stock valued at $249,000 after purchasing an additional 800 shares during the last quarter. 83.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings lowered Ethan Allen Interiors from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Ethan Allen Interiors from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reiterated a market perform rating and issued a $28.00 target price on shares of Ethan Allen Interiors in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $28.00.

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Ethan Allen Interiors Company Profile

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Ethan Allen Interiors Inc (NYSE: ETD) is a vertically integrated manufacturer and retailer of home furnishings, offering a broad range of furniture, upholstery, case goods and decorative accessories. The company designs and produces the majority of its products in its own North American manufacturing facilities, maintaining close control over quality, craftsmanship and production schedules. Through its network of company-operated and franchised Design Centers and galleries, Ethan Allen delivers a full-service offering that includes on-site interior design consultations and project management.

Founded in 1932 as a small Colonial-Revival furniture maker in northern Vermont, Ethan Allen has grown into a global brand known for its timeless styles and customization options.

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Graco Inc. (NYSE:GGG  Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $90.66 and last traded at $86.89, with a volume of 813 shares. The stock had previously closed at $87.65.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. KeyCorp reiterated a sector weight rating on shares of Graco in a report on Tuesday. Robert W. Baird set a $96.00 price objective on shares of Graco in a research note on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Graco in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an outperform rating on shares of Graco in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Graco currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $90.50.

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Graco Stock Down 0.4%

The stocks 50-day moving average price is $83.83 and its 200 day moving average price is $83.92. The company has a market cap of $14.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 1.09.

Graco (NYSE:GGG  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, January 26th. The industrial products company reported $0.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.77. The company had revenue of $593.16 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $591.99 million. Graco had a net margin of 23.33% and a return on equity of 19.73%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.64 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Graco Inc. will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Graco Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, February 4th. Stockholders of record on Monday, January 19th will be paid a $0.295 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 16th. This is a positive change from Gracos previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. This represents a $1.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Gracos dividend payout ratio is 40.27%.

Graco announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase program on Friday, December 5th that authorizes the company to repurchase 15,000,000 outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the industrial products company to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are usually an indication that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Graco

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in Graco by 0.3% in the second quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 41,431 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $3,562,000 after buying an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its position in shares of Graco by 7.7% during the third quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,755 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $149,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. ICW Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Graco by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. ICW Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,849 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $242,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its holdings in Graco by 7.8% in the third quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,874 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $159,000 after buying an additional 135 shares during the period. Finally, Viawealth LLC lifted its stake in shares of Graco by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Viawealth LLC now owns 53,195 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $4,519,000 after purchasing an additional 137 shares during the period. 93.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Graco Company Profile

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Graco Inc is a leading manufacturer of fluid handling systems and components, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1926, the company has built a reputation for innovation in spray finishing, lubrication, and fluid management technologies. Gracos solutions are designed to address the needs of paint and coatings applicators, general industry, and process fluids in a variety of end markets.

The companys product portfolio includes airless and air-assisted spray equipment, pumps for oil and gas applications, industrial lubrication systems, and automated dispensing equipment.

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United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Get Free Report) had its price target upped by stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $115.00 to $130.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a buy rating on the transportation companys stock. Jefferies Financial Groups price target would suggest a potential upside of 25.19% from the stocks previous close.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $122.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $107.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on United Parcel Service from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday. Evercore ISI upped their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $94.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on United Parcel Service from $99.00 to $107.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating, fifteen have given a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $115.22.

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United Parcel Service Stock Down 3.1%

United Parcel Service stock traded down $3.36 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $103.84. 6,692,074 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,720,956. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $88.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.11. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $101.01 and its 200-day moving average price is $93.40. United Parcel Service has a 52-week low of $82.00 and a 52-week high of $136.58.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The transportation company reported $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.18. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 6.15% and a return on equity of 40.07%. The company had revenue of $24.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.91 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.75 EPS. United Parcel Services quarterly revenue was down 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that United Parcel Service will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of United Parcel Service

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 0.6% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 67,277,988 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $5,619,730,000 after acquiring an additional 372,850 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 0.9% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 31,063,250 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $2,594,713,000 after purchasing an additional 288,720 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 25,792,139 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,603,459,000 after buying an additional 746,667 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of United Parcel Service by 4.8% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 16,623,834 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $1,675,733,000 after purchasing an additional 762,407 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service in the second quarter valued at about $851,842,000. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

United Parcel Service News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting United Parcel Service this week:

About United Parcel Service

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United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) is a global package delivery and supply chain management company that provides a broad range of transportation, logistics and e-commerce services. Its core business centers on small-package delivery and last-mile distribution for business and individual customers, supported by a network of ground transportation, air cargo operations (UPS Airlines) and sorting facilities. In addition to parcel delivery, UPS offers freight transportation, contract logistics, warehousing, customs brokerage and reverse-logistics solutions designed to support domestic and international commerce.

The company traces its roots to 1907 when it began as a small messenger service in the United States and later evolved into the United Parcel Service.

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Juniata Valley Financial Corp. (OTCMKTS:JUVF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 296 shares, a growth of 311.1% from the December 31st total of 72 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 5,971 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 5,971 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Juniata Valley Financial Stock Up 0.2%

OTCMKTS JUVF traded up $0.02 on Wednesday, reaching $13.57. The stock had a trading volume of 1,100 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,464. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $13.93 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $14.00. Juniata Valley Financial has a 12-month low of $11.55 and a 12-month high of $14.98.

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About Juniata Valley Financial

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Juniata Valley Financial, Inc (OTCMKTS: JUVF) is a bank holding company headquartered in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Juniata Valley Bank, the company provides a full suite of commercial and retail banking services to individuals, businesses and agricultural clients. Its product offerings include checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, consumer and commercial loans, residential mortgages, and agricultural finance solutions tailored to the needs of local producers.

In addition to traditional banking services, Juniata Valley Financial delivers treasury management, online and mobile banking, and trust and wealth management services aimed at helping customers manage liquidity, process payments and plan for long-term financial goals.

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TRX Gold Co. (NYSEAMERICAN:TRX  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $1.79 and last traded at $1.7650, with a volume of 8933321 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $1.52.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on TRX shares. Roth Mkm reiterated a buy rating and issued a $1.25 price objective on shares of TRX Gold in a research note on Friday, December 12th. HC Wainwright lifted their target price on TRX Gold from $1.40 to $1.50 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, According to MarketBeat, TRX Gold presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $1.38.

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TRX Gold Trading Up 22.0%

The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $0.89 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $0.65. The stock has a market cap of $534.54 million, a PE ratio of -185.50 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04.

TRX Gold (NYSEAMERICAN:TRX  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 15th. The company reported ($0.01) earnings per share for the quarter. TRX Gold had a positive return on equity of 10.43% and a negative net margin of 6.36%. As a group, equities analysts expect that TRX Gold Co. will post 0.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. MAI Capital Management bought a new stake in TRX Gold during the third quarter worth about $30,000. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its position in TRX Gold by 157.7% in the 2nd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 108,573 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 66,437 shares during the last quarter. Virginia Wealth Management Group Inc. purchased a new stake in TRX Gold in the third quarter worth approximately $62,000. Evergreen Capital Management LLC bought a new position in TRX Gold during the second quarter valued at approximately $136,000. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its holdings in shares of TRX Gold by 7.4% in the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 454,570 shares of the companys stock worth $152,000 after acquiring an additional 31,203 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 1.06% of the companys stock.

TRX Gold Company Profile

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TRX Gold Corporation engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral property interests in the United Republic of Tanzania. The company primarily explores for gold deposits. It holds interests in the Buckreef gold project that comprises a single Special Mining License covering an area of 16.04 square kilometers and 12 Prospecting Licenses covering 98.19 square kilometers located in north-central Tanzania. The company was formerly known as Tanzanian Gold Corporation and changed its name to TRX Gold Corporation in May 2022.

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Shares of Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd (NYSE:TEN  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $26.98 and last traded at $26.52, with a volume of 46605 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.99.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on TEN shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Tsakos Energy Navigation in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Clarkson Capital initiated coverage on Tsakos Energy Navigation in a report on Monday, December 15th. They set a buy rating and a $35.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating and issued a $24.00 target price on shares of Tsakos Energy Navigation in a report on Thursday, November 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $29.50.

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Tsakos Energy Navigation Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $817.64 million, a PE ratio of 8.53 and a beta of -0.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.30. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $24.02 and its 200-day simple moving average is $22.67.

Tsakos Energy Navigation (NYSE:TEN  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The company reported $1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.94 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $158.84 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $170.78 million. Tsakos Energy Navigation had a return on equity of 13.36% and a net margin of 15.97%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Tsakos Energy Navigation Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 19th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 11th will be issued a $0.50 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 399.0%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 11th. Tsakos Energy Navigations dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.45%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Tsakos Energy Navigation by 312.3% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,311 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 993 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Tsakos Energy Navigation during the 2nd quarter worth about $58,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its position in Tsakos Energy Navigation by 9.6% during the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 7,821 shares of the companys stock worth $150,000 after purchasing an additional 684 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming purchased a new position in Tsakos Energy Navigation in the third quarter valued at approximately $198,000. Finally, MQS Management LLC acquired a new position in Tsakos Energy Navigation during the third quarter valued at approximately $222,000. 19.24% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Tsakos Energy Navigation

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Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd. (NYSE: TEN) is an international shipping company specializing in the transportation of crude oil and refined petroleum products. Founded in 1993 by Nikolas P. Tsakos, the company has built a reputation for operating a modern, well-maintained fleet of double-hull tankers. Tsakos Energy Navigation is organized around both ownership and technical management of vessels, offering chartering, commercial operations and crew services under one umbrella.

The companys fleet consists primarily of very large crude carriers (VLCCs), Suezmax and Aframax tankers, as well as medium-range (MR) and Handy product carriers.

Further Reading

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United Microelectronics (NYSE:UMC  Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The semiconductor company reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.12 by $0.01, Zacks reports. United Microelectronics had a return on equity of 11.18% and a net margin of 17.08%.United Microelectronicss quarterly revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.10 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from United Microelectronics conference call:

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Q4 results beat guidance with revenue of TWD 61.81 billion, a 30.7% gross margin and net income attributable to shareholders of TWD 10.06 billion, while cash remained above TWD 110 billion and utilization was ~78%.

beat guidance with revenue of TWD 61.81 billion, a 30.7% gross margin and net income attributable to shareholders of TWD 10.06 billion, while cash remained above TWD 110 billion and utilization was ~78%. Q12026 guidance is conservative  wafer shipments flat, ASPs firm but gross margin guided to the high20% range and utilization to mid70%  signaling nearterm margin pressure.

Q12026 guidance is conservative  wafer shipments flat, ASPs firm but gross margin guided to the high20% range and utilization to mid70%  signaling nearterm margin pressure. 22 nm and 28 nm continue to drive productmix improvement (combined ~36% of revenue), with 22 nm tapeouts accelerating and management expecting this to support stronger pricing and growth in 2026.

continue to drive productmix improvement (combined ~36% of revenue), with 22 nm tapeouts accelerating and management expecting this to support stronger pricing and growth in 2026. UMC is scaling strategic initiatives  Phase 3 at Singapore Fab 12i completed, a 12nm collaboration with Intel advancing toward 2027 tapeouts, and active push into advanced packaging and silicon photonics (PDK work with imec and 12 PIC ramps planned).

UMC is scaling strategic initiatives  Phase 3 at Singapore Fab 12i completed, a 12nm collaboration with Intel advancing toward 2027 tapeouts, and active push into advanced packaging and silicon photonics (PDK work with imec and 12 PIC ramps planned). Capital plan is modestly down to $1.5 billion for 2026 but capacity growth is limited (~1.2% y/y) while depreciation is expected to rise by the lowteens percentage, which will weigh on margins this year.

United Microelectronics Trading Down 8.5%

Shares of UMC traded down $1.07 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $11.42. The stock had a trading volume of 6,224,796 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,775,190. The firm has a market cap of $28.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.34, a P/E/G ratio of 6.02 and a beta of 1.08. United Microelectronics has a 12-month low of $5.66 and a 12-month high of $12.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a current ratio of 2.34. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $8.40 and its 200 day simple moving average is $7.60.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

UMC has been the topic of a number of research reports. Bank of America cut United Microelectronics from a buy rating to an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of United Microelectronics in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of United Microelectronics from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, December 6th. One 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 company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on UMC

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Microelectronics

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of United Microelectronics during the third quarter worth approximately $198,000. Lido Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of United Microelectronics during the third quarter valued at approximately $98,000. Focus Partners Wealth lifted its holdings in shares of United Microelectronics by 64.2% in the 3rd quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 26,962 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $204,000 after purchasing an additional 10,545 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in United Microelectronics by 4.9% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,388,868 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $56,008,000 after purchasing an additional 344,416 shares during the period. Finally, Aquatic Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in United Microelectronics in the third quarter valued at $2,160,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 5.05% of the companys stock.

About United Microelectronics

(Get Free Report)

United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) is a Taiwan-based semiconductor foundry that provides wafer fabrication and related manufacturing services to a global customer base. Founded in 1980, the company operates as a pure-play foundry, producing integrated circuits for a range of customers including fabless semiconductor companies and integrated device manufacturers. UMC is publicly listed (NYSE: UMC) and focuses on high-reliability manufacturing rather than branding consumer products.

UMCs core services encompass wafer fabrication using a portfolio of process technologies, with particular emphasis on mature and specialty nodes that support analog, power-management, radio-frequency (RF), and mixed-signal applications.

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This is a bulletin for the Peoples Republic of Soviet Britain regarding the visit by Comrade Starmer to our communist brothers in arms the supremely communist Peoples Republic of China.



As you all already know, the former country of Great Britain is currently transitioning from hard socialism to full communism, and Comrade Starmer is being guided by the Chinese Communist Party and its supreme leader Xi Jinping.

During his trip to China, Comrade Starmer will be schooled in various methods of oppression, how to commit genocide, forced labour, and how to run entire teams of spies, hackers and other clandestine operations against democracy.

Comrade Starmer will present a commemorative painting of the Tiananmen Square massacre, where over 10,000 pro-democracy protesters and university students were massacred in cold blood. Comrade Starmer himself is rather an expert in anti-democracy operations and has thwarted multiple elections in the PRSB denying millions of their right to vote. He has also proudly come down hard on any form of free speech, freedom of expression and democracy.

During Chinas Great Leap Forward, the communist Party of China under supreme leader Chairman Mao murdered over 55 million Chinese people, mostly peasants.

When there is not enough to eat, people starve to death. It is better to let half of the people die so that the other half can eat their fill.

 Mao Zedong, 1959

This beautiful quote of Chairman Mao sums up the communist ideology very well, and it is the Labour Partys wish to emulate the teachings and methods of the Chinese communists as best as we can, and apply them in the Peoples Republic of Soviet Britain. We are already punishing the farmers, publicans and the peasants who live in the British countryside, as well as the pensioners, and of course the tax slaves we lovingly call the working people.

We wish Comrade Starmer a joyous visit to China, and look forward to the Super Spy Chinese Embassy in Central London which the CCP will utilise to spy on the capitalist pig Yankee scum embassy, and other capitalist scum.

INDUSTRIAL AND PRODUCTION BULLETIN #349002

Adult literacy amongst the proletariat has risen by minus 34 percent.

Production of rotten turnips has increased by 92 percent.

Production in stale bread, unpurified water fortified with lead, faecal matter and fluoride has increased by 210 percent.

Rodent farming techniques have improved production levels by 67 percent, thus helping to feed the nations proletariat.

Net Zero Juice, that cool refreshing drink, has increased production levels by over 400,045 percentand counting

Miniprod forecasts an increase in used toilet paper ration, April, 24, 2026 from 3 sheets to 3 sheets per week.
Fresh satellite imagery analyzed in January 2026 indicates that China is simultaneously expanding its physical military infrastructure in the Paracel Islands and testing new, large-scale naval denial tactics involving civilian vessels. These dual developments suggest a coordinated effort to solidify control over contested waters and refine logistical operations for potential future conflicts in the region.

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Construction at Antelope Reef

The focus of the most recent land reclamation efforts is Antelope Reef, a feature located within the Paracel Islands. Geographically situated roughly 250 miles east of Hue, Vietnam, and 175 miles from Chinas own naval facilities on Hainan Island, the reef has historically been a minor sandy formation housing only minimal structures. However, recent observations reveal a significant transformation.

Dredging operations reportedly began in the latter half of October 2025. By early 2026, satellite surveillance captured substantial heavy earth-moving activity. Modifications to the reef include the creation of new infrastructure and access points designed to accommodate roll-on/roll-off vessels. These berths are critical for delivering the heavy machinery required to turn a natural lagoon into a functioning outpost. Maritime analysts suggest that once completed, this new facility could serve multiple military functions, ranging from a helicopter landing site and radar station to a sheltered anchorage for navy and coast guard ships.

A History of Regional Expansion

This development aligns with Beijings long-standing strategy in the Paracels, a chain of islands seized from Vietnam in 1974. Observers note that China already maintains approximately 20 outposts in the area, including the highly militarized Woody Island. The reclamation at Antelope Reef mirrors earlier massive engineering projects in the Spratly Islands to the south, where China has created over 3,000 acres of artificial land.

The region remains a hotbed of competing claims. While China maintains control over areas like the Scarborough Shoal, seized from the Philippines more than a decade ago, Vietnam is also reportedly engaged in strengthening its own infrastructure within the Spratly chain to counter Beijings growing reach.

The Rise of the Floating Wall

Beyond static island bases, China has begun demonstrating a dynamic new capability involving the Peoples Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM). In late 2025 and early 2026, surveillance data tracked massive formations of Chinese fishing vessels assembling in waters northeast of Taiwan.

In late December 2025, approximately 2,000 vessels coordinated to form two immense L-shaped barriers, stretching nearly 290 miles. This maneuver preceded Justice Mission-2025, a Peoples Liberation Army exercise designed to simulate a naval blockade of Taiwan. A similar event occurred in January, when 1,400 boats maintained a 200-mile-long formation for over 30 hours. These floating walls represent a complex level of organization, with civilian ships halting their economic activities to act as a unified barrier.

Strategic Utility of the Militia

Experts view the PAFMM as a central component of Chinas maritime power projection, often taking precedence over the navy or coast guard in asserting territorial claims during peacetime. The recent swarm tactics highlight how this force could be utilized during active conflict.

According to assessments by U.S. congressional researchers, these fishing fleets are integrated into military planning. In a potential Taiwan contingency, such massive formations could be deployed to choke off shipping lanes, block access to ports, and disrupt commercial traffic. Furthermore, the sheer volume of vessels could overwhelm adversary radar systems with targets, serve as decoys, or provide essential logistical support and reconnaissance for conventional Chinese military forces.
Core Alternative Capital decreased its holdings in shares of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 9.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 64,616 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 6,893 shares during the quarter. Exxon Mobil comprises approximately 2.1% of Core Alternative Capitals investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest holding. Core Alternative Capitals holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $7,285,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

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A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 431,058,875 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $46,468,147,000 after purchasing an additional 1,111,231 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Exxon Mobil by 0.4% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 96,307,931 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $10,345,132,000 after buying an additional 342,967 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Exxon Mobil during the second quarter worth about $6,163,719,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 46,598,313 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $5,023,298,000 after acquiring an additional 1,274,860 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 33,500,304 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $3,611,553,000 after acquiring an additional 1,126,912 shares during the last quarter. 61.80% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Exxon Mobil Trading Up 1.5%

NYSE XOM opened at $136.90 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $577.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.90, a PEG ratio of 8.76 and a beta of 0.37. Exxon Mobil Corporation has a 52 week low of $97.80 and a 52 week high of $136.94. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $121.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $115.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a current ratio of 1.14.

Exxon Mobil Increases Dividend

Exxon Mobil ( NYSE:XOM Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.88 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.16. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 8.99% and a return on equity of 11.22%. The business had revenue of $83.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $83.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.92 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Exxon Mobil Corporation will post 7.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th were paid a $1.03 dividend. This is a positive change from Exxon Mobils previous quarterly dividend of $0.99. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 14th. Exxon Mobils dividend payout ratio is 59.88%.

Key Headlines Impacting Exxon Mobil

Here are the key news stories impacting Exxon Mobil this week:

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. TD Cowen restated a buy rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Monday. Zacks Research cut shares of Exxon Mobil from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Thursday, January 1st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their target price on Exxon Mobil from $142.00 to $137.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Bank of America lowered their price target on Exxon Mobil from $119.00 to $118.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Exxon Mobil currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $131.84.

View Our Latest Stock Report on Exxon Mobil

Insider Buying and Selling at Exxon Mobil

In related news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 3,000 shares of the firms 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 completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 28,584 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,349,758.96. This trade represents a 9.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.03% of the stock is owned by company 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.

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Core Alternative Capital lessened its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG  Free Report) by 11.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 33,839 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,562 shares during the period. Procter & Gamble accounts for 1.5% of Core Alternative Capitals portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest holding. Core Alternative Capitals holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $5,199,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

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A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of PG. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Corundum Trust Company INC acquired a new position in Procter & Gamble during the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. bought a new stake in Procter & Gamble in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. RMG Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Procter & Gamble in the 2nd quarter worth $37,000. Finally, Marquette Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble during the 3rd quarter worth about $37,000. 65.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Procter & Gamble

Here are the key news stories impacting Procter & Gamble this week:

Procter & Gamble Price Performance

Shares of PG stock opened at $148.49 on Wednesday. Procter & Gamble Company has a 1 year low of $137.62 and a 1 year high of $179.99. The company has a current ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The firms 50 day moving average is $144.83 and its 200-day moving average is $150.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $345.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.00, a PEG ratio of 4.96 and a beta of 0.39.

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $1.88 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.86 by $0.02. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 32.10% and a net margin of 19.30%.The company had revenue of $22.21 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.36 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.88 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. Procter & Gamble has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.830-7.090 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.91 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 17th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 23rd will be given a dividend of $1.0568 per share. This represents a $4.23 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 23rd. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 62.67%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CAO Matthew W. Janzaruk sold 725 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.57, for a total transaction of $108,438.25. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 979 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $146,429.03. This trade represents a 42.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Marc S. Pritchard sold 95,903 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.15, for a total value of $14,495,738.45. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 182,607 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,601,048.05. This represents a 34.43% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 96,629 shares of company stock valued at $14,604,323. 0.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have commented on PG shares. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $158.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c) rating on shares of Procter & Gamble in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Barclays set a $155.00 price target on shares of Procter & Gamble in a report on Friday, January 16th. TD Cowen downgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a buy rating to a hold rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $150.00 to $156.00 in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $176.00 to $171.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 8th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $167.00.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on PG

Procter & Gamble Company Profile

(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.

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Core Alternative Capital decreased its holdings in Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM  Free Report) by 11.8% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 63,837 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 8,559 shares during the period. Newmont comprises approximately 1.6% of Core Alternative Capitals investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. Core Alternative Capitals holdings in Newmont were worth $5,382,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Newmont by 53.5% during the third quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 399 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 139 shares during the last quarter. Concord Wealth Partners raised its stake in shares of Newmont by 534.7% during the 2nd quarter. Concord Wealth Partners now owns 457 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 385 shares in the last quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Newmont by 408.2% during the second quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC now owns 498 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in Newmont in the third quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Finally, Capital A Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Newmont by 1,648.3% in the second quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 507 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 478 shares during the last quarter. 68.85% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other Newmont news, CEO Thomas Ronald Palmer sold 5,000 shares of Newmont stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.34, for a total transaction of $406,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 279,923 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,768,936.82. This trade represents a 1.75% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Bruce R. Brook sold 2,080 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.36, for a total value of $192,108.80. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 32,709 shares in the company, valued at $3,021,003.24. The trade was a 5.98% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 9,160 shares of company stock worth $767,206 over the last ninety days. 0.05% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Newmont Stock Performance

Key Headlines Impacting Newmont

Shares of NYSE NEM opened at $127.02 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $102.15 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $85.90. The stock has a market cap of $138.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.72, a PEG ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a current ratio of 2.04, a quick ratio of 1.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Newmont Corporation has a 12 month low of $40.99 and a 12 month high of $129.25.

Here are the key news stories impacting Newmont this week:

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on NEM. TD Securities raised their price objective on Newmont from $67.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. UBS Group boosted their price target on Newmont from $105.50 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Newmont from $99.90 to $123.90 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Newmont from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Sunday, November 2nd. Finally, TD Cowen raised their price target on shares of Newmont from $89.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $105.88.

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Newmont Company Profile

(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.

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DSG Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 6.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 22,957 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 1,369 shares during the quarter. The Goldman Sachs Group accounts for 2.9% of DSG Capital Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. DSG Capital Advisors LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $18,282,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

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Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Gilliland Jeter Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in The Goldman Sachs Group by 3.5% in the third quarter. Gilliland Jeter Wealth Management LLC now owns 388 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $309,000 after purchasing an additional 13 shares during the period. EWA LLC increased its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. EWA LLC now owns 612 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $488,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the period. Winthrop Advisory Group LLC raised its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 3.4% in the 2nd quarter. Winthrop Advisory Group LLC now owns 429 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $303,000 after buying an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Avion Wealth lifted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 31.1% during the 2nd quarter. Avion Wealth now owns 59 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares during the period. Finally, KPP Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter. KPP Advisory Services LLC now owns 668 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $473,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.21% of the companys stock.

Insider Transactions at The Goldman Sachs Group

In other news, Treasurer Carey Halio sold 1,757 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $920.62, for a total transaction of $1,617,529.34. Following the transaction, the treasurer owned 4,863 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,476,975.06. This represents a 26.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Sheara J. Fredman sold 4,863 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $923.75, for a total value of $4,492,196.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 10,301 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,515,548.75. The trade was a 32.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 84,395 shares of company stock worth $80,824,289. Insiders own 0.55% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have commented on GS shares. Evercore ISI restated an outperform rating on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on The Goldman Sachs Group from $898.00 to $1,087.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Daiwa Capital Markets lifted their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $823.00 to $927.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $980.00 to $985.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $898.00.

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The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of NYSE GS opened at $929.34 on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 12-month low of $439.38 and a 12-month high of $984.70. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $888.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $805.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.29. The company has a market cap of $278.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.33.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 15th. The investment management company reported $13.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $11.52 by $2.03. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 13.73% and a return on equity of 15.19%. The company had revenue of $15.71 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.30 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $11.95 earnings per share. The companys revenue was down 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 47.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal 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 paid a $4.50 dividend. This is an increase from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $4.00. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $18.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.9%. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is 35.09%.

Key Stories Impacting The Goldman Sachs Group

Here are the key news stories impacting The Goldman Sachs Group this week:

The Goldman Sachs Group Profile

(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.

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EFG Asset Management North America Corp. increased its position in Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM  Free Report) by 51.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,593 shares of the specialty retailers stock after buying an additional 4,961 shares during the period. EFG Asset Management North America Corp.s holdings in Williams-Sonoma were worth $2,852,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

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Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC boosted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 37.9% during the 3rd quarter. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC now owns 16,398 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $3,205,000 after purchasing an additional 4,510 shares during the period. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 54.9% during the 2nd quarter. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC now owns 24,245 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $3,961,000 after acquiring an additional 8,592 shares during the last quarter. Ethic Inc. boosted its holdings in Williams-Sonoma by 153.7% during the 2nd quarter. Ethic Inc. now owns 12,279 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $2,016,000 after acquiring an additional 7,439 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its position in Williams-Sonoma by 1,705.3% in the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 118,371 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $19,338,000 after acquiring an additional 111,814 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nordea Investment Management AB increased its stake in Williams-Sonoma by 8.0% in the second quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 816,176 shares of the specialty retailers stock worth $133,029,000 after purchasing an additional 60,163 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.29% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on WSM shares. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $202.00 to $188.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $206.00 target price on shares of Williams-Sonoma and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, November 21st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of Williams-Sonoma in a research report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group set a $175.00 price target on Williams-Sonoma and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, November 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Williams-Sonoma from $190.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $200.76.

Insider Buying and Selling at Williams-Sonoma

In other news, CEO Laura Alber sold 35,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $207.39, for a total value of $7,258,650.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 806,537 shares of the companys stock, valued at $167,267,708.43. This trade represents a 4.16% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Karalyn Yearout sold 767 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $205.16, for a total value of $157,357.72. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 13,236 shares in the company, valued at $2,715,497.76. This represents a 5.48% 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 65,767 shares of company stock valued at $12,802,440. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Williams-Sonoma Trading Up 1.8%

WSM opened at $208.44 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $24.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.93, a PEG ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 1.58. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a 12 month low of $130.07 and a 12 month high of $219.98. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $190.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $191.91.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 19th. The specialty retailer reported $1.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.87 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $1.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.86 billion. Williams-Sonoma had a return on equity of 53.10% and a net margin of 14.30%.The firms quarterly revenue was up 4.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.96 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will post 8.36 EPS for the current year.

Williams-Sonoma Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 16th will be given a dividend of $0.66 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 16th. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. Williams-Sonomas dividend payout ratio is presently 29.04%.

Williams-Sonoma Company Profile

(Free Report)

WilliamsSonoma, Inc is a specialty retailer focused on the home and culinary markets, best known for premium cookware, kitchen tools and home furnishings. The company traces its roots to a single cookware store founded by Chuck Williams in 1956 in Sonoma, California, and has evolved into a multibrand home furnishings and housewares business. Its merchandise mix spans cookware and kitchen electrics, tabletop and food prep items, furniture, bedding, lighting and decorative accessories designed for both everyday use and higherend interiors.

The company operates a portfolio of consumer brands that target distinct segments of the home market.

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Exane Asset Management lowered its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 97.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 100 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,294 shares during the quarter. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for about 0.0% of Exane Asset Managements portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest position. Exane Asset Managements holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $76,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 78,621.2% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,552,336 shares of the companys stock worth $9,005,392,000 after acquiring an additional 11,537,661 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $8,827,714,000. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% in the 2nd 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 during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 13.4% in the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,766,865 shares of the companys stock worth $3,715,913,000 after purchasing an additional 564,736 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 87.2% during the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 1,152,281 shares of the companys stock valued at $898,238,000 after purchasing an additional 536,679 shares during the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Eli Lilly and Company Trading Down 2.3%

LLY stock opened at $1,038.23 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $981.52 billion, a PE ratio of 50.79, a P/E/G ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 0.35. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12 month low of $623.78 and a 12 month high of $1,133.95. The firms 50-day moving average is $1,058.15 and its 200 day moving average is $885.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.24.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.42 by $0.60. The company had revenue of $17.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.09 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 30.99% and a return on equity of 109.52%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.18 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $1.73 dividend. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is currently 29.35%.

Eli Lilly and Company News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week:

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on LLY. Wolfe Research raised their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,050.00 to $1,250.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Guggenheim reduced their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,163.00 to $1,161.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Berenberg Bank raised their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $830.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Scotiabank began coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They set a sector outperform rating and a $1,165.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Bank of America decreased their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,286.00 to $1,268.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $1,173.91.

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About Eli Lilly and Company

(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.

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Exane Asset Management reduced its stake in shares of Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) by 99.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,100 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 534,620 shares during the quarter. Bank of America accounts for 0.1% of Exane Asset Managements portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest position. Exane Asset Managements holdings in Bank of America were worth $263,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

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Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Bank of America in the second quarter valued at about $5,091,641,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 124.8% in the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 17,619,837 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $833,771,000 after acquiring an additional 9,782,208 shares in the last quarter. ABN AMRO Bank N.V. acquired a new position in shares of Bank of America in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $202,439,000. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp grew its position in Bank of America by 881.5% during the 2nd quarter. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp now owns 4,210,388 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $199,236,000 after acquiring an additional 3,781,417 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AMF Tjanstepension AB increased its holdings in Bank of America by 62.9% during the 2nd quarter. AMF Tjanstepension AB now owns 8,904,561 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $421,564,000 after purchasing an additional 3,438,876 shares in the last quarter. 70.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Bank of America

Here are the key news stories impacting Bank of America this week:

Bank of America Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of NYSE:BAC opened at $52.20 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 0.80 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The stock has a market cap of $381.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a 50 day moving average of $54.08 and a 200-day moving average of $51.46. Bank of America Corporation has a one year low of $33.06 and a one year high of $57.55.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 14th. The financial services provider reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.96 by $0.02. Bank of America had a net margin of 16.23% and a return on equity of 11.07%. The business had revenue of $4.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $27.73 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.82 earnings per share. Bank of Americas revenue was up 12.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Bank of America Corporation will post 3.7 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have commented on the company. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Bank of America from $62.00 to $60.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Bank of America from $58.00 to $61.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Bank of America in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Bank of America from $55.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 7th. Finally, Phillip Securities increased their price target on shares of Bank of America from $50.00 to $56.00 in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $60.00.

View Our Latest Stock Report on BAC

About Bank of America

(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.

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Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ  Get Free Report) saw unusually large options trading on Tuesday. Stock traders acquired 37,990 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 23% compared to the average volume of 30,785 call options.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Johnson & Johnson in the second quarter valued at $4,877,174,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 15,040.6% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 7,420,699 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,133,512,000 after acquiring an additional 7,371,687 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its position in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 545.6% during the 3rd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 3,865,050 shares of the companys stock worth $716,657,000 after acquiring an additional 3,266,354 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Johnson & Johnson by 1.3% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 237,047,859 shares of the companys stock worth $36,209,060,000 after purchasing an additional 3,085,180 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Amundi boosted its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 19.3% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 13,354,936 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,512,719,000 after purchasing an additional 2,163,838 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 69.55% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently commented on JNJ. Argus lifted their price target on Johnson & Johnson from $210.00 to $240.00 in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Loop Capital set a $220.00 target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Tuesday. Raymond James Financial raised their price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $174.00 to $209.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, HSBC restated a buy rating and issued a $240.00 target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $230.36.

Johnson & Johnson Stock Performance

Shares of Johnson & Johnson stock opened at $224.50 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $540.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.34. Johnson & Johnson has a 12 month low of $141.50 and a 12 month high of $225.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.80. The business has a 50-day moving average of $209.28 and a 200 day moving average of $190.32.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 21st. The company reported $2.46 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.46. Johnson & Johnson had a net margin of 28.46% and a return on equity of 33.34%. The firm had revenue of $24.56 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.14 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.04 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. Johnson & Johnson has set its FY 2026 guidance at 11.430-11.630 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.58 earnings per share for the current year.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 24th will be paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 24th. Johnson & Johnsons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 47.06%.

Key Stories Impacting Johnson & Johnson

Here are the key news stories impacting Johnson & Johnson this week:

About Johnson & Johnson

(Get Free Report)

Johnson & Johnson is a multinational healthcare company headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of products across pharmaceuticals, medical devices and previously consumer health. Founded in 1886 by the Johnson family, the company has grown into a global healthcare organization with operations and sales in many countries around the world.

The companys pharmaceuticals business, organized largely under its Janssen research and development organization, focuses on prescription medicines across therapeutic areas such as immunology, infectious disease, oncology and neuroscience.

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Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (NYSE:ETD  Free Report)  Equities researchers at KeyCorp issued their Q2 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Ethan Allen Interiors in a report released on Monday, January 26th. KeyCorp analyst B. Thomas anticipates that the company will post earnings of $0.37 per share for the quarter. The consensus estimate for Ethan Allen Interiors current full-year earnings is $2.32 per share.

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated a market perform rating and issued a $28.00 price target on shares of Ethan Allen Interiors in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Zacks Research upgraded Ethan Allen Interiors from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of Ethan Allen Interiors from a hold (c-) rating to a sell (d+) rating in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ethan Allen Interiors presently has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus price target of $28.00.

Ethan Allen Interiors Price Performance

Shares of NYSE ETD opened at $24.30 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $23.81 and a 200-day simple moving average of $26.62. The company has a market cap of $618.44 million, a PE ratio of 13.14 and a beta of 1.16. Ethan Allen Interiors has a 12 month low of $21.67 and a 12 month high of $32.61.

Ethan Allen Interiors (NYSE:ETD  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $0.43 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.44 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $146.98 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $149.15 million. Ethan Allen Interiors had a net margin of 7.79% and a return on equity of 10.08%. The firms revenue was down 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.58 EPS.

Insider Transactions at Ethan Allen Interiors

In other Ethan Allen Interiors news, CEO M Farooq Kathwari sold 2,168 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.01, for a total transaction of $54,221.68. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,483,228 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $37,095,532.28. The trade was a 0.15% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 9.92% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ethan Allen Interiors

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. SG Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ethan Allen Interiors during the second quarter worth $8,087,000. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of Ethan Allen Interiors during the 2nd quarter valued at about $5,845,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in shares of Ethan Allen Interiors by 260.1% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 191,688 shares of the companys stock worth $5,647,000 after purchasing an additional 138,452 shares in the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. boosted its stake in Ethan Allen Interiors by 42.6% in the third quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 391,769 shares of the companys stock worth $11,542,000 after purchasing an additional 117,047 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Ethan Allen Interiors by 31.2% during the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 371,979 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,304,000 after acquiring an additional 88,383 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.80% of the companys stock.

About Ethan Allen Interiors

(Get Free Report)

Ethan Allen Interiors Inc (NYSE: ETD) is a vertically integrated manufacturer and retailer of home furnishings, offering a broad range of furniture, upholstery, case goods and decorative accessories. The company designs and produces the majority of its products in its own North American manufacturing facilities, maintaining close control over quality, craftsmanship and production schedules. Through its network of company-operated and franchised Design Centers and galleries, Ethan Allen delivers a full-service offering that includes on-site interior design consultations and project management.

Founded in 1932 as a small Colonial-Revival furniture maker in northern Vermont, Ethan Allen has grown into a global brand known for its timeless styles and customization options.

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People Before Profit (PBP) will mark the 54th anniversary of Bloody Sunday with a public meeting titled 'One World, One Struggle: From the Bogside to Basra, Venezuela to Gaza'.

The meeting which will feature with Richard Boyd Barrett TD takes place on Saturday, January 31, in St Columbs Hall at 7pm.

A spokesperson for PBP said: "We are delighted to welcome Richard back to Derry after he bravely overcame recent health challenges.

"Richard has been a relentless voice for the underdog, representing the constituency of Dun Laoghaire in Dail Eireann since 2011. He is well-known for his passionate advocacy for social justice, for working class communities, standing firm against imperialism, and state violence.

"A socialist in the Internationalist tradition of James Connolly, he makes the connections between local struggles and global issues.

"People Before Profit commend Bloody Sunday families and campaigners for their continued pursuit of truth, accountability and justice. We encourage supporters to join the Bloody Sunday March Committee organised annual March for Justice on 2.30pm Sunday, February 1," added the spokesperson.

"It is important we march on Bloody Sunday in response to the abject failure to convict Soldier F.

"More than 4.3 million was spent by the British government to protect one of its killers. The lack of accountability is emblematic of the entire British justice system.

"We know Soldier F is guilty and so do those who have funded his defence and celebrated his acquittal.

"As we remember the victims of Soldier F and the British state on Bloody Sunday, we look out to the world and send solidarity from Derry to all who struggle for freedom," said the spokesperson.

Derry City and Strabane District councillor Shaun Harkin (PBP) said: "The massacre of Civil Rights marchers in Derry and the subsequent decades long cover-up is a stark example of the brutality of the British state.

"The echoes of the Bloody Sunday cover-up are heard with every lie told by those in power in London, Washington and Tel Aviv to excuse their crimes in Gaza.

"The same rotten system of power that protects the architects and culprits of Bloody Sunday allows those who massacred Palestinians in Gaza to escape accountability.Trump's assault on Venezuela, threats on Iran, Cuba, Colombia, Greenland, his ongoing support for Israel's barbarism and demands for unrestricted control over Ukraine's rare minerals, all underscore the need for a global anti-imperialist movement.

"There should be no more Bloody Sundays. No more massacres for empire. Not in Ireland, not in Gaza, not in Greenland, Venezuela or anywhere."
North West Regional College (NWRC) has become the first Further Education college in Northern Ireland to install the innovative Senso Cube, designed to support the emotional wellbeing of students.

The college recently put in place two Senso Cubes at their campuses in Limavady and Strand Road which are available to students for independent use.

Provided by local company Creative Activity  the Senso Cube has been described as a game changer when it comes to sensory room innovation.

It creates a modular sensory space in otherwise busy and overly stimulating environments. The cube is fully soundproof - providing a private and peaceful retreat for those in need of quiet calm or relaxation.

Helen McGonigal, Learning Support Co-Ordinator at NWRC said: As the first FE college in Northern Ireland and the first college in the North West to install Senso Cubes, NWRC is delighted to be leading the way in supporting the emotional wellbeing of students.

READ NEXT: Minister confirms there are no plans for new bridge at Kilrea

At NWRC we promote an inclusive teaching and learning environment for all. We welcome students with a range of additional needs including sensory processing.

The cubes are a sensory space that offer a soothing and calming environment for all students. We were pleased to partner with local company Creative Activity to design this space to support student learning and make their time on campus as comfortable as possible.
This year marks the 10th annual Derry Radical Bookfair event in Pilots Row Community Centre at the heart of the Bogside.

The Bookfair has been described as "important for creating a space in which authors, books and social justice campaigns can come together in one location to help discuss and distribute ideas and actions".

A spokesperson for the Derry Radical Bookfair said: "We have a working committee that comes together each year to plan and organise the events that have become an important part of the Bloody Sunday March for Justice week.

"As part of the events planned for the Derry Radical Bookfair, which takes place this weekend - Saturday, January 31 - committee members will mark the occasion at the opening of the day's events in Pilots Row Community Centre at 12 noon."

Other events scheduled for the Derry Radical Bookfair are:

12 noon: Book signing - 'The Killing of the Reavey Brothers' by Eugene Reavey

This year marks the 50th anniversary of when the Reavey familys life was devastated by sectarian murder.

Eugenes brothers, John Martin, Brian and Anthony were viciously shot in an attack by loyalist gunmen. John Martin and Brian were killed instantly and Anthony would die from complications to his wounds. On the same night, three members of the ODowd family were also attacked and killed. Both shootings are now known to have been the work of the notorious Glennann Gang, a loyalist paramilitary grouping which included members of the UDR and RUC.

The book is harrowing and inspiring in equal measure, a story of fierce courage underpinned by deep love of life and for his three lost brothers. We learn about how he came to know the names of his brother's killers and his commitment to keeping those names to himself.

1pm: Book signing - 'And Flowers Grew up Through the Concrete' by Laurence McKeown

Laurence McKeown survived 70 days on hunger strike in 1981. This new memoir covers his time in the H-Blocks for the period 19811992.

In this frank, revealing and deeply personal memoir, McKeown leads us through the development of the many prison struggles that followed the hunger strikes and the deaths of ten of his comrades.

The author speaks candidly and movingly, especially when recalling relationships with his mother and father, and how he had to come to terms with their deaths while imprisoned.

This is not just a story of prison struggle; it is a story of a communal life lived, a coming to terms with material conditions so as to better challenge those conditions. It is a story of flowers growing up through concrete.

2pm Talk: Conversations on Anarchism

Following on from our previous conversations, a new series of discussions begins as part of the Derry Radical Bookfair. We will look at the ongoing struggle against fascism and how anarchists are participating in the fight against it. Workers using tactics such as mutual aid, solidarity and direct action around ongoing struggles.

3pm Book Launch: 'From The Bog to the Cloud by Patrick Bresnihan and Patrick Brodie

One of this year's noted book launches at the Derry Radical Bookfair, will be a new piece of work from acclaimed authors Patrick Bresnihan and Patrick Brodie with their new title From the Bog to the Cloud  Dependency and Eco-Modernity in Ireland.

The event will be introduced by Vcenza Cirefice, an ecofeminist researcher, organiser and artist from South Down. She has worked with communities resisting extractivism in Ireland and internationally and is part of several collectives including CAIM (Communities Against the Injustice of Mining), Making Relatives Collective and Sli Eile.

"Join us and help us celebrate the 10th annual Derry Radical Bookfair at 12-5pm, Pilots Row Community Centre in Rossville Street."
A day has been set aside for 'complex legal argument' in the case of five people, including a local councillor, charged with taking part in an illegal procession in support of Palestine.

Goretti Horgan (70) of Westland Avenue, Davina Pulis (36) of Knoxhill Park, Robert Paul Maxwell (60) of Rathlin Drive and Jude Coffey (27) of Gartan Square and local councillor Shaun Harkin (52) of Beechwood Avenue all in Derry are charged with taking part in an illegal procession on February 14 2024 and in Harkin's case February 17 in support of Palestine.

The case has been scheduled for hearing on April 21 but at today's sitting Sinead Rogan barrister for some of the accused said tgat all the parties were in agreement that another day should be set aside for legal argument.

She said there were 'quite complex legal issues and there was no point in waiting until the day of the contest.'

District Judge Oonagh Mullan asked was the contest going to go ahead on April 21 and was told it was but the legal arguments would need to be heard on a date before that.

READ NEXT: Police investigating 'horrific' sectarian attack in Derry's Waterside area

Stephen McNicholl barrister for some of the other accused said that there were 19 witnesses in the case but some could be agreed.

A date was set for February 18 to review a date for the legal arguments.

Former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood had originally been charged in connection with the same incident but he had earlier accepted a diversionary disposal.
A man from Maghera, Co. Derry who is alleged to have sexually molested two schoolgirls, one aged fifteen and the other aged sixteen, in his flat, was refused bail and remanded in custody when he appeared before the Derry Magistrate's Court today charged with eleven offences linked to the alleged incidents.

Kevin Duggan (31) from Largantogher Park in Maghera is charged with touching the girls in a sexual manner, attempting to incite one of the girls to engage in sexual activity, sexually communicating with one of the schoolgirls, possessing and offering to supply cocaine, supplying cannabis, threating to kill them and injuriously imprisoning them.

He's alleged to have committed the offences between December 28 of last year and January 1.

A detective constable told District Judge Oonagh Mullan that he would agree to the defendant being released on conditional bail, one of the conditions being that he reside at an approved address in Northern Ireland except in Maghera and except in the city side of Derry.

However, he said a proposed bail address in Fahan, Co. Donegal, put forward by the defence, was unsuitable in terms of properly monitoring the defendant while on bail.

Outlining the allegations the police witness said a complaint about the alleged offending was made by the mother of the sixteen year old girl on January 19.

He said among the allegations made by the mother were that the defendant asked the two schoolgirls for a threesome, made a number of sexualised comments to them, asked them to perform oral sex on him and slapped one of the girls on her bottom.

The officer said the defendant is also alleged to have offered the girls drugs as well as alcohol. He said some of the alleged offences were committed in the presence of the defendant's brother who is the boyfriend of the fifteen years old schoolgirl.

READ NEXT: Derry teen remanded over Altnagelvin thefts following bail breach

The court heard that it was said that during some of the alleged offending both girls repeatedly told the defendant they wanted to leave his house.

Duggan was said to have refused to let them leave by standing in front of them and blocking access to the door but they eventually got out of the property when the defendant became distracted.

It was also said that on December 31 he showed one of the girls a machete which he said belonged to him.

He also showed her a pointed hand made wooden weapon which he said he would use to stab people in the neck.

The court heard this was later found behind the sofa in his address.

The officer said Duggan also told the girls he would kill them if they told anyone what he had done.

Applying for bail a defence barrister said the complaint was made nineteen days after the alleged incidents. He said a bail address was available to the defendant at the home of his mother's partner in Fahan, Co. Donegal, well away from Maghera.

He submitted it was not uncommon for bail to be granted outside the jurisdiction to an address in Donegal where the defendant could be appropriately monitored and if necessary sign on in the Strand Road PSNI station.

The barrister said the defendant, who denied the allegations, had no relevant previous convictions and had only two convictions for motoring offences.

The District Judge said she was not happy with a bail address outside the jurisdiction and she remanded the defendant in custody until February 25.
Across-community volunteer network of women in the North has made an application to the High Court for leave to bring a judicial review against the NI Equality Commission.

Women's Rights Network's (WRN) Marianne Buchanan-Stewart said the organisation had taken the legal route " in order to protect womens rights in society and in law".

The case had its first hearing has today had its first hearing on Tuesday - February 27, 2025.

Ms Buchanan-Stewart said: "In this, the 50th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Order (1976) the application challenges the Commissions failure to correct its guidance on sex equality law following the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers in April 2025.

"This ruling confirmed that the terms 'sex', 'woman' and 'man' in equality legislation refer to biological sex," she added.

The WRN application was heard alongside the Equality Comission's own application and one other, with Mr Justice McAlinden noting that all voices will be heard.

However he stated that further hearings will not take place before the judgment in the Supreme Court case of Dillon, which involves issues surrounding the Windsor Framework.

He also agreed that there could be a procedural issue in relation to the Equality Commission's case in that it lacks a proper contradictor. The parties are to agree a hearing date in June.

Ms Buchanan-Stewart said: "Todays decision by the Judge is disappointing. We do not believe it is necessary to wait for an outcome in a decision regarding the Windsor Framework as the meaning of a woman in law in Northern Ireland has always been based in biological sex.

"Womens protections against sex based discrimination in Northern Ireland were enshrined in law in 1976 and in this, the 50th anniversary of that momentous equality law, women are forced to take our equality body to court for its inability to defend our rights," she added.

"It is a damning indictment on society that women are having to take this action.

"While we are disappointed with the decision we look forward to making our case when the time comes to defend our position that the definition of a woman has not changed and the actions of the ECNI only seek to diminish the rights that they are supposed to protect.

"WRN argues that despite the For Women Scotland ruling, the Equality Commission has continued to issue  or has failed to withdraw  unlawful guidance that suggests sex in Northern Ireland equality law may be interpreted by reference to gender identity or possession of a Gender Recognition Certificate.

"This has created legal uncertainty for public authorities, employers and service providers, particularly in relation to section 75 duties, single-sex services, genuine occupational requirements, and protections linked to pregnancy and maternity. It has also failed in its duty to protect sexual orientation and lesbian rights to same sex association," she said.

In their application WRN asked the Court to declare that sex in the North's equality legislation means biological sex and to require the Equality Commission to issue guidance consistent with that interpretation.
Hundreds of flood warnings and alerts are in place after Storm Chandra brought heavy rain across the country.

A major incident was declared in Somerset on Tuesday evening, with the council stating that the risk of flooding on the Somerset Levels and Moors remains high as rainwater moves through the system.

On Wednesday morning, there were 99 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and 260 flood alerts, where it is possible, across England.

In Wales, there were three flood warnings and 16 flood alerts in place, while there were eight flood warnings and eight flood alerts in place across Scotland.

Katesbridge in Northern Ireland saw 103mm of rain on Tuesday, according to the Met Office.

Yellow weather warnings have been issued for ice on Wednesday morning covering much of England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and southern and central Scotland.

A yellow weather warning for rain is also in place for south-west England on Thursday, with the Met Office saying that further rain could bring more flooding and transport disruption.

Somerset Council said on Tuesday evening that an estimated 50 properties have been affected by flooding across Ilminster, West Coker, Taunton, Mudford and West Camel.

Council leader Bill Revans said: The decision to declare a major incident at this stage means we are well placed to respond to this ongoing situation.

Storm Chandra brought more than 50mm of rain to parts of Somerset last night, on top of already saturated land, and this has caused widespread disruption.

Please avoid travelling if you can and never attempt to drive through flood water.

The weather forecast remains challenging so we will be working with colleagues in the emergency services to ensure we are prepared should the situation continue to deteriorate.

Images taken by Press Association photographers across the UK and Ireland showed search and rescue workers in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, vehicles on flooded roads in Kent and snowfall in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham.

Firefighters in Devon and Somerset rescued people from 25 vehicles in floodwater on Tuesday morning.

A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed there were no casualties.

Axminster Fire Station posted images of multiple vehicles in floodwater on Facebook.

Across south-west England there were multiple road closures because of flooding, which included the A30 in Devon between the B3174/B3180 junctions near Ottery St Mary and the B3184 for Exeter Airport.

The M5 southbound between Cullompton and Exeter was closed on Wednesday morning because of flooding, as was the A303 in Somerset between the A3088 and A37 and the A1 south of Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland.

In Scotland, the A82 north of Spean Bridge was closed southbound because of fallen trees, while the Bridge of Orchy on the A82 was closed to high-sided vehicles.

Storm Chandra also brought disruption to other parts of the South West, the south coast, and north of England, as well as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Domestic flights were cancelled on routes serving Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow, Leeds Bradford, London City, Manchester and Southampton airports on Tuesday.

Great Western Railway advised passengers not to travel between Exeter St Davids and both Okehampton and Barnstaple, with services in Somerset and Cornwall cancelled on Wednesday.

ScotRail said speed restrictions were expected to remain on services between Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow Queen Street until 10am on Wednesday, while National Rail warned of disruptions until Friday.

Storm Chandra is the latest storm to be named by the western Europe storm naming group list shared between the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Eight former soldiers who were investigated over allegations of giving false evidence about the events of Bloody Sunday will not be prosecuted, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland has said.

The PPS said the evidential threshold to proceed with a prosecution has not been met.

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood has described the PPS decision as incredible.

Lawyer Philip Barden, who represents several of the former soldiers, said a new approach was needed to get to the truth about incidents from the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Thirteen people were shot dead when members of the Armys Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside area of Londonderry on January 30 1972, regarded as one of the darkest days of the Troubles.

In April 2024, the PPS decided not to prosecute 16 people in relation to allegations of false evidence given to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.

The PPS subsequently received a request on behalf of the families of eight victims to review the decisions taken in relation to former soldiers known as Soldiers F, H, J, M, P, S, U and V.

The PPS said the review reached a similar conclusion to the original decision.

It said that much of the evidence that was relied upon by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, including accounts provided by soldiers in 1972, would not be admissible in any prosecution of the soldiers for perjury or perverting the course of justice.

A PPS spokesperson said: The review of this legally complex matter is now complete.

After a careful analysis of all available evidence and the legal submissions made by the family legal representatives, it has been concluded that the evidential threshold to proceed with a prosecution has not been met.

The standard of proof required to obtain a conviction in a criminal prosecution is high.

The prosecution must establish beyond a reasonable doubt the commission of a criminal offence by an identified individual.

Prosecutors must make an independent assessment of the prospects of conviction based upon the evidence that would be admissible in criminal proceedings.

The spokesperson added: It is recognised that this outcome does not reflect the hopes and expectations of the Bloody Sunday families, and that it will come as another deeply disappointing day after decades of seeking justice for their loved ones.

A detailed written explanation has been provided to the families to assist them in understanding our decision.

We would further emphasise that todays decisions in no way diminish the findings by the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.

A public inquiry and a criminal trial are very different processes and much of the material upon which the inquiry could rely would not be available to the prosecution having regard to the rules of evidence that apply to criminal proceedings.

Solicitor Ciaran Shiels, who represents several of the Bloody Sunday families, has criticised the PPS decision.

SDLP MP Mr Eastwood said: Its impossible to overstate the scale of the burden that has been placed on the families of the dead and injured on Bloody Sunday.

For more than 50 years, they have had to fight every conceivable institution of the state for truth, justice and accountability.

He added: As I always have, and as the people of Derry always have, we will fully support the Bloody Sunday families in the days and weeks ahead. These families are leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of justice and were with them every step of the way.

Mickey McKinney, whose brother William McKinney was killed on Bloody Sunday, said the decision came as no surprise.

He added: More than 15 years have passed since detailed submissions were served on the PPS by our lawyers following their consideration of the Bloody Sunday Inquirys findings.

The delay in investigating the false evidence given and in arriving at todays decision has been outrageous.

Today we have instructed our lawyers to consider this decision with the view to commencing yet another legal challenge to todays decision.

Mr Barden, partner at Devonshires, said: The fact that no soldiers will face prosecution in connection with the events of Bloody Sunday should tell all politicians that seeking to use the court system to get to the truth will fail, as it has done for over 30 years.

If there is to be a search for the truth, a new approach is needed, being one that engages all parties involved in the conflict.

Last year a former paratrooper, Soldier F, was cleared of killing two civilians during Bloody Sunday, at a criminal trial in Belfast Crown Court.
Global digital operator Veon says it has launched the new network operations centre for Beeline Uzbekistan in Tashkent, as well as a new software development and AI company called BuildX.

The NOC, unveiled on Tuesday, provides around-the-clock oversight of more than 5,850 base stations and ensuring connectivity for Beeline Uzbekistan customers. Veon said the NOC continuously tracks critical network performance metrics and is designed to proactively detect outages in real time, enabling engineers to coordinate rapid repairs often before users experience service disruption.

Beeline Uzbekistan also operates a dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC) that monitors and responds to cybersecurity threats across its network and digital services.

Meanwhile, BuildX  which is headquartered in Tashkents IT Park  builds on Veons existing software development capabilities, including QazCode in Kazakhstan, which has developed AI-driven applications, cloud-native platforms, enterprise systems and data analytics solutions for customers.

BuildX will focus on developing scalable, export-ready technology solutions, contributing to Uzbekistans ambition to further develop its digital economy and enhance its position as a technology hub in Central Asia, said Kaan Terzioglu, chairman of both Veon Group and Beeline Uzbekistan.

Our enterprise solutions company BuildX will empower Uzbek and international businesses with AI and digital solutions that enhance peoples lives and access to services, he said in a statement.
Artificial intelligence technology company AfricAI says it has signed a multi-year exclusive distribution and deployment agreement with Micropolis Robotics, granting AfricAI sole and exclusive rights to commercialise, deploy, and scale Micropoliss advanced robotics platforms across Africa.

Under the agreement, Micropolis Robotics, a UAE-headquartered company focused on AI and robotics, appoints AfricAI as its exclusive continental partner. The agreement establishes AfricAI as the primary execution, localisation, and go-to-market platform for intelligent robotics across African industrial, security, logistics, and infrastructure sectors.

AfricAI says this mandate positions it as the gateway for advanced autonomous systems entering African markets, ensuring regulatory compliance, local capacity building, and sovereign control over deployment frameworks.

HRH Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim, Executive Chairman of AfricAI, explains: This exclusive mandate allows AfricAI to industrialise robotics deployment at scale while retaining control, compliance, and value creation on the continent.

The partnership, the company says, moves beyond software-based artificial intelligence into the realm of physical AI  intelligent machines capable of operating in complex, real-world African environments.

The agreement enables AfricAI to integrate Micropoliss autonomous robotics systems with AfricAIs sovereign AI stack, enabling AI-driven security and surveillance platforms, robotics-enabled logistics and port operations, industrial automation, smart infrastructure and municipal robotics tailored to African operating conditions.

Embedded within the agreement are long-term performance-linked expansion rights, automatic renewals, and a structured localisation framework designed to anchor robotics deployment, workforce training, and skills transfer within Africa.

Initial deployments will commence in security, smart infrastructure, and logistics, with phased expansion across multiple African states as part of AfricAIs broader continental AI, data, and intelligent infrastructure strategy.
Trans Pacific Networks (TPN) said on Tuesday it has struck a deal with Ciena to deploy its optical solutions on the Echo and Tabua cable systems connecting the US to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

TPN is deploying Cienas GeoMesh Extreme solution, which includes the Waveserver compact interconnect platform powered by WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) as well as the 6500 Reconfigurable Line System (RLS).

TPN said the solution will deliver terabit wavelengths to both cable systems, as well as capabilities like spectrum sharing and fluid scalability, enabling TPN to seamlessly expand its network to address continued growth in bandwidth demand.

With Cienas innovative optical solutions and expertise in subsea cable architecture, we can boost capacity and continue to drive economic growth across the Indo-Pacific, said TPN COO Alfred Au Yeung in a statement.

Cienas professional services team will provide installation and support, while Pioneer Consulting will oversee route engineering, technical quality assurance, and end-to-end project execution.

The Echo subsea cable system spans just over 16,000 km, directly connecting the US to Singapore with 12 direct fibre pairs at 12 Tbps each, with additional landing points in Guam, Palau and Indonesia.

The Tabua cable  part of Googles South Pacific Connect initiative  connects the US to Australia via Fiji. The cable  which is scheduled to be ready for service in the first quarter of this year  comprises of 16 fibre pairs on its trunk and branching segments, with a total minimum design capacity of 272 Tbps.
The romantic comedy Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri recently arrived in theatres and is winning hearts with its light, feel-good love story. Featuring Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday in the lead roles, the movie is directed by Sameer Vidwans and brings the on-screen pair together once again after Pati Patni Aur Woh. For movie lovers who prefer enjoying films from the comfort of their homes, heres everything we know so far about Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meris digital release.

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Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri OTT release timeline and platform

While the makers have not officially announced the OTT date yet, reports suggest that Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri could start streaming between early and mid-February 2026. The word has it that Amazon Prime Video has secured the digital streaming rights of the film.

Also read: Ranveer Singhs Dhurandhar OTT release this week? Heres what we know

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri plot

The story follows Rehaan Ray Mehra, played by Kartik Aaryan, a successful wedding planner living in Los Angeles. Ray runs his company, Hitched Forever, with his strong and independent single mother Pinky Mehra, portrayed by Neena Gupta. Ray believes in modern love, prefers no-strings-attached relationships, and avoids emotional commitments.

Everything changes when we go on a luxury yacht cruise in Croatia. On this trip, he meets Rumi Vardhan (Ananya Panday), an aspiring writer from Agra. Rumi is complete opposite of Ray. She believes in deep, meaningful relationships inspired by classic Bollywood romance. Over the course of a ten-day cruise, their different beliefs slowly bring them closer.

Also read: Mirzapur season 4: Expected release timeline, cast members, platform and other details we know

Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri cast

The key cast of Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri consists of:

Kartik Aaryan as Rehaan Ray Mehra

Ananya Panday as Rumi Vardhan

Jackie Shroff as Wardhan Singh

Neena Gupta as Pinky Mehra
Social media platforms are becoming increasingly influential, prompting an immediate call for tighter regulations. While the access to social media remains easy and widespread, concerns are growing about the content available on these platforms. While some of the material available on these platforms is informative and keeps users updated on emerging trends, a significant portion of the content is vague or obscene. Such content in particular is raising alarm about its impact on children, who ideally should not be exposed to such content. Taking this into account, and drawing inspiration from Australias recent ban on users below 16 years of age, Indian states are also starting to explore rules on childrens access to social media.

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While India has national laws to deal with digital safety and child data protection, the current push is happening at the state level. Reports say that policymakers are concerned about young peoples mental health, safety, and exposure to harmful content.

Also read: iQOO 15R vs iQOO 13: Price in India, chipset, battery, camera and other key differences to expect

The western state of Goa has become the latest addition to the list of states which are publicly studying an Australia-style social media age restriction law. Goas IT minister, Rohan Khaunte, has recently acknowledged that his department is examining Australias law to see whether a similar ban on children under 16 can be implemented locally. According to him, officials have already gathered relevant documents and are reviewing their feasibility under Indian conditions.

Andhra Pradesh is another state that is weighing a similar move. Earlier this month, the states IT and education minister, Nara Lokesh, said the government was studying Australias approach and exploring the need for a strong legal framework. The Andhra Pradesh government has since formed a panel of ministers, chaired by Lokesh, to assess whether restricting or banning minors from social media is legally possible and practically enforceable.

Also read: WhatsApp launches Strict Account Settings for better protection: Heres how it works

Beyond state governments, the judiciary has also taken notice of the issue. Because of the rising concerns about childrens safety online, the Madras High Court in December 2025 asked the central government to think about making laws like the one in Australia. Furthermore, experts also pointed out that the states cant do much on their own without support from New Delhi, as the control over the internet lies within the hands of the central government.

Australias ban on social media for children under 16 started in December 2025. It has already shown how hard it is to check users ages and make sure the rules are followed. The law has also raised privacy worries because age checks need people to share sensitive personal information.

Also read: New phones may get more RAM despite global AI-fueled shortage

In India, there are already rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act. These rules say that parents must agree before companies collect childrens data, and they stop ads from being aimed at minors. However, these rules will be introduced slowly until the year 2027.
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Funeral details have been announced for 16-year-old Grace Lynch, who tragically died after being hit by a scrambler in Finglas, county Dublin on Sunday afternoon.

Grace was walking on the Ratoath road to meet her boyfriend Harry when the collision happened. She was rushed to Blanchardstown hospital but unfortunately passed away due to her injuries.

READ NEXT: Thousands of households across Ireland entitled to Storm Chandra Relief payment

On Tuesday, 18-year-old Keith Lee of Park View Drive, Poppintree Park in Dublin 11, appeared before a sitting of Blanchardstown District Court, charged with dangerous driving causing Grace's death at Ratoath Road in Finglas on Sunday.

Grace leaves behind her devastated parents Siobhan and Martin, sisters Shauna and Brooke and little brother Jude.

On Monday, hundreds of people gathered in Finglas to walk the road Grace never finished. Grace's mother Siobhan spoke to the crowd. With tears in her eyes she emotionally thanked the crowd for their support.

"I just want to thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts, for turning out, for supporting my child," she said, "I will fight, and I will fight to get these scramblers, and scooters, and everything off these streets.

"My poor baby was mangled in that hospital, in that bed. And to watch her take that last breath, is the worst pain imaginable.

"It's not something that any parent should have to deal with. And with everyone's support, and we'll get petitions signed, and we do the best - we will get this, in the name of Grace. Support her, please."

Hundreds of heartfelt messages of condolences have been left on RIP.ie from those who knew and loved Grace but also from those who didn't know her but have felt the weight of her loss.

READ NEXT: LIVE: Gardai seize e-bikes, cash, drugs and more during massive search operation in Dublin

One mourner wrote,

"Absolutely devastated for you all ,such a beautiful young girl with her whole life ahead of her, I have no words just to say i will keep you in my prayers and ask god to console you and give you the strength on each passing day.

While another wrote,

"To Grace's parents and family, her boyfriend and friends, and all who grieve her loss, such a terrible, terrible tragedy. May God comfort you all at this desperately sad time and the days ahead. I will light a candle for Grace and say a prayer for you."

The notice on RIP.ie reads,

January 25, 2026. Tragically, at Connolly Hospital, following an accident. Grace will be sadly missed by her heartbroken mam Siobhan, dad Martin, sisters Shauna and her partner Eddie, Brooke and her partner Rian, her little brother Jude, her boyfriend Harry Byrne, grandparents Carol, Stevo and Dolores and the late Arthur Lynch, uncles David, Stephen and Andrew, aunts Rachel, Sharon and Tracy, cousins Holly and Luke, extended family, her classmates in St. Michael's Secondary School, neighbours and friends.

Grace will repose at her home today, Wednesday, January 28 from 4pm - 7pm. House private on Thursday please.

READ NEXT: PICTURES: Inside Irish Rugby star Peter Stringer's stunning home as it hits the market

Removal on Friday morning to St. Oliver Plunketts Church, Rivermount D11 Y4XF arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am followed by burial in Dardistown Cemetery.

A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help Grace's family with the costs of her funeral. The page has already raised over 19,000 out of a 24,000 goal.

The message on the page reads,

"Hi my name is cat i am setting up a go fund me as there have been people reaching out asking if they can help in anyway after the tragic passing of beautiful Grace I thought that this would be the best way to help Grace's parents out no family should have to endure what this family are and if we could help in anyway it would be great."

You can donate here
The events leading up to George Nkenchos death could not be de-escalated, a Garda who trains Armed Support Unit (ASU) members has told an inquest.

Mr Nkencho, 27, died after being shot outside his west Dublin home in December 2020.

Sergeant John Heany was one of the instructors on the 12-week training course Garda A took prior to joining the ASU.

Garda A, whose anonymity has been granted by the court, was the ASU member who shot George Nkencho.

Asked by coroner Dr Myra Cullinane if there was a way in which the situation could have been safely de-escalated, Mr Heany said: In this specific case, in my opinion, this scene could not have been de-escalated.

During his evidence on Wednesday, Mr Heany said candidates are instructed that you dont have to go through every use of force to arrive at lethal force.

If lethal force is justified, then it can be used straight away, he added.

The training involves live role-playing of multiple scenarios, he said  including some dealing with mental health incidents.

The inquest had previously heard from witnesses who said Mr Nkencho punched a retail worker at a shop and brandished a knife.

Other gardai have testified they had repeatedly shouted at Mr Nkencho to to stop walking and drop the knife, but this was ignored by Mr Nkencho whose demeanour was aggressive and intimidating.

Garda A had also previously described to the court how Tasers and pepper spray had been used on Mr Nkencho before he was shot.

Giving evidence to the inquest last week, members of Mr Nkenchos family had described trying to tell Gardai he had mental health issues.

Mr Heany said ASU members are trained  when dealing with mental health scenarios  to keep communication low, very clear, to show empathy and to listen to what the persons saying.

He continued: If they go in and theyre being aggressive with the mental health subject, then the mental health subject will become aggressive, and possibly either self-harm himself, or he may attack the police.

He described it as very rigorous, adding: If you ask anybody that has been through this course, its probably the toughest course theyll ever do in An Garda Siochana.

He said it has a very high failure rate, explaining of every cohort of 20 candidates, eight or nine do not pass.

Mr Heany also said there were no significant concerns about Garda A during their training to become part of the ASU.

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.

The inquest into Mr Nkenchos death is taking place at Dublin District Coroners Court.
Kneecap have hit out at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over his stance towards Gaza in their latest single, Liars Tale.

The song focuses on Sir Keirs stance in relation to Israels military offensive in Gaza and also makes reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Announcing their new album on Wednesday, the Irish rap trio said that criticism from Sir Keir was all the motivation we needed and said the album was dedicated to everyone speaking truth to power.

The lyrics in Liars Tale include youre not getting away with doing nothing and f*** Keir Starmer, Netanyahus bitch in genocide armour.

Rapping in Irish, the band accused Sir Keir of being nothing but a Tory and of pandering to the US.

The song was played for the first time on Jack Saunders BBC Radio 1 show moments before the music video premiered on YouTube.

The dystopian-themed video features the three musicians in guillotines and a zombie that looks like Margaret Thatcher, after a voiceover says that the Prime Minister had contacted previous leaders for foreign policy advice.

The group, made up of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, will release their second studio album, titled Fenian, on April 24.

They hit the headlines in 2025 when O hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence.

The charge, which was eventually dropped in September last year, alleged that O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah, which is proscribed as a terror organisation by the British Government, at a gig at the O2 Forum in London in 2024.

The Crown Prosecution Service is currently appealing against the decision to drop O hAnnaidhs case, which also saw prosecutors allege that the rapper could be heard saying up Hamas, up Hezbollah in video footage of the concert.

Announcing their new record on Instagram, Kneecap said: They tried to stop us by branding Kneecap terrorists, with cancellations, with statements from the Prime Minister himself.

We had all the motivation we needed this isnt a swift reaction, but a considered response to those that tried to silence us. And failed.

Inspired by, and proudly named Fenian, who were warriors in Irish folklore, and later a derogatory term for the Irish.

Now were using it to name everyone speaking truth to power.

After 800 years of colonisation, they thought the Irish language would die, it didnt.

Thanks to Muintir na Gaeltachta, and all the Gaels who refused to let their culture and language be destroyed, and Kneecap is much the same we havent gone away. The Paddies are back.

Kneecaps performance at last years Glastonbury Festival, which saw them chant f*** Keir Starmer, also saw them face an investigation by Avon and Somerset Police, which was eventually dropped.

The group released their first full-length album, Fine Art, in 2024, having previously released the mixtape 3CAG in 2018, and have collaborated with Fontaines DCs Grian Chatten on the song Better Way To Live.

In between their first and second LPs, the band have released a number of standalone singles, including The Recap, which looked back at their year in the press and took aim at Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch.

Kneecap also starred in their own film in 2024, directed by Rich Peppiatt, which took home a Bafta for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer.

The group, who have also been criticised for allegedly saying kill your local MP during a concert, are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language and pro-Palestine stance.

They have since apologised to the families of murdered MPs and said they have never supported Hamas or Hezbollah.
Epilepsy Ireland has called on communities in Louth to learn how to respond in the event of someone having a seizure.

It said there are an estimated 1,280 in Louth living with epilepsy.

It has coined the phrase TIME,SAFE,STAY to act as a memorable guide to help correctly respond to a seizure.

Epilepsy Ireland has provided this guide in the event of someone having a seizure:

TIME - The first thing you should do is TIME the seizure. This is because if a seizure goes over 5 minutes, an ambulance should be called.

SAFE - Keep the person SAFE during the seizure. If a person is having a convulsive seizure, cushion their head with something soft if possible and remove any harmful objects, e.g. furniture from their vicinity. NEVER put anything in a person's mouth or restrain them during a seizure.

Be aware that there are also types of seizures where the person does not experience convulsions. Instead, they may zone out or stare blankly, become confused or agitated, display behaviours like chewing, smacking their lips, fiddling with their clothes, or wandering aimlessly. In this type of seizure, the persons awareness of their surroundings is affected, and it is important to gently guide the person away from any danger. As with convulsive seizures, NEVER restrict the persons movements.

STAY - During the seizure and after it passes, STAY with the person. Often after a seizure, a person with epilepsy will be confused and, in many cases, exhausted. Make sure to stay with them until recovery is complete, explain what has happened and gently reassure them. The person may have experienced an injury if they have fallen, so, ensure normal first aid steps are taken.

Aside from when the seizure goes over 5 minutes, there are other instances where an ambulance should be called:

Call an ambulance if a person having a seizure briefly comes out of it and goes into another one.

Call an ambulance if you know its a persons first seizure or if youre not sure whether the person has epilepsy or not (often a person with epilepsy will have a bracelet or card in their wallet/purse indicating they have epilepsy.)

Call an ambulance if the person is physically injured e.g. if they have taken a heavy fall during their seizure.

Call an ambulance if the person is pregnant.

Call an ambulance if youre in any doubt  this is the most important point of all. Noone is going to be annoyed at you for calling an ambulance out of real concern; not the person whos having the seizure and not the ambulance crew

Read Next: Flood relief scheme open to Louth businesses and community
A talented young artist from Drogheda, Co Louth is celebrating after being named a winner in the 2025 Credit Union Art Competition, one of Irelands most established youth art initiatives.

James Moonan, representing Drogheda Credit Union, claimed first place in the Age 18 category, with judges praising his artwork for its creativity, originality, and expressive interpretation of this years theme, The Future Is.

Jamess artwork was selected from more than 25,000 entries submitted by young artists from across Ireland, making his achievement a moment of pride for his family, school, and the wider Drogheda community.

The national final, held at Croke Park, brought together winners, runners up and their families for a special celebration of artistic achievement.

ILCU President Brendan Jenkins commended the high standard of this years entries, noting that the creativity and imagination demonstrated by young people was exceptional. Through their work, these artists offer inspiring visions, rich in hope and innovation, of what the future could be.

Their pieces reflect both personal dreams and collective possibilities, reminding us that the future is shaped by the ideas and aspirations we choose to nurture today.

Brendan Jenkins added: This competition is about far more than winning prizes, its about confidence, self-expression, and community pride. Every participant should be immensely proud of their contribution.

Read Next: Empty laughing gas cannisters 'everywhere' in Dundalk

On behalf of the ILCU, I extend my congratulations to all our award recipients. Indeed, sincere thanks to every artist who took part in making this years competition such a wonderful celebration of creativity.

A Credit Union spokesperson said: The Credit Union Art Competition remains a cornerstone of the credit union movements commitment to nurturing creativity and supporting young people in communities nationwide. By encouraging artistic expression, credit unions help ensure the arts continue to thrive as a vital and accessible part of Irish life.
Low-cost airline, Ryanair, has announced that it is hosting a recruitment event in Dundalk next month, as part of a series of regional recruitment events across Ireland this February as part of a major hiring drive for Cabin Crew roles based at Dublin Airport

The airline is recruiting for approximately 100 positions and is inviting interested candidates to attend in-person recruitment events in hotels across Offaly, Westmeath, Louth, Laois, Kilkenny, Wexford and Kildare.

Ryanair said that successful candidates will receive a 2,000 joining bonus and take part in a fully paid six-week Cabin Crew training course, with courses commencing in February and March. No previous cabin crew experience is required, as full training is provided.

All events begin at 10:30am and attendees can arrive on the day. The full list of venues, along with the dates recruitment events will be taking place in each one, is as follows:

Drogheda  04 February  The Mill Drogheda

Navan  05 February  Newgrange Hotel Navan

Dundalk  10 February  The Imperial Hotel

Portlaoise  10 February  The Killeshin Hotel & Leisure Club

Tullamore  11 February  Bridge House Hotel

Kilkenny  11 February  Hotel Kilkenny

Mullingar  12 February  Annebrook House Hotel

Wexford  12 February  Talbot Hotel

Athlone  17 February  Athlone Springs Hotel

Naas  18 February  Lawlors Hotel

Ryanair adds that the roles may suit individuals seeking a career change, those returning to work, or candidates interested in customer service and aviation careers.

Read also: Revised time table announced for Louth rail services this weekend

Further details on Cabin Crew roles and the recruitment process are available here.
Monaghan County Council this week signed contracts with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, at the Peace Campus, Monaghan, securing a transformative 7.0 million investment for the redevelopment of the former St Louis Chapel.

This major funding allocation is provided under the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme (THRIVE) and is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Northern and Western Regional Programme 202127.

The project is a flagship element of Monaghans St Louis Lands masterplan and follows extensive public engagement undertaken through Town Centre First  Monaghan. The signing marks a significant milestone in the effort to restore and repurpose the long derelict St Louis Chapel into a vibrant, multifunctional community asset that will act as a cornerstone for Monaghan Town.

Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, Cllr PJ OHanlon, said at the signing which took place on Tuesday: Todays signing is a major milestone for Monaghan. The St Louis Chapel is one of our towns most meaningful heritage assets, and securing this level of investment is a strong statement of confidence in our future.

"It shows what can be achieved when community vision, collaboration, and long-term planning come together, and I am delighted to see this project moving firmly into delivery.

The redevelopment forms a central component of Monaghan County Councils long-term vision for the St Louis Lands, a 21-acre publicly owned heritage campus acquired by the Council in 2024.

Read also: Ryanair holding recruitment events with 2,000 joining bonus

The site includes the former convent, nursing home, national school, lake, and forest grounds, making it one of the countys most significant heritage clusters and an important opportunity for cultural, social and economic renewal.

Cathaoirleach of Monaghan MD, Cllr Seamus Treanor, said:This project has been shaped by the community from the outset. Local residents, community groups, artists and voluntary organisations played a vital role in articulating what this building should become, and their input has ensured the redevelopment reflects real community needs.

"The chapel will once again be a place of gathering and participationan open, welcoming space that supports creativity, learning and social connection at the heart of Monaghan Town.

The redevelopment will see the historic chapel sensitively restored and brought back into active use, transforming it into a centre for creativity, innovation and community activity. It will include multi-purpose performance, event and meeting spaces, exhibition areas, a cafe, ancillary facilities and improved internal circulation designed to welcome visitors and support a wide range of uses.

Chief Executive Robert Burns said:This funding allows us to move confidently from vision to detailed delivery. Projects involving protected structures demand careful planning, strong financial backing and a clear strategy for conservation and adaptation.

"This investment provides the certainty required to proceed with design, statutory approvals, procurement and construction, ensuring that the restored chapel will be both architecturally respectful and of lasting value to the community.

The project will follow a conservation led approach that honours the buildings historical and architectural significance while adapting it to contemporary needs. It will also enhance pedestrian connectivity between the St Louis Lands and Monaghan Town Centre, strengthening the cultural and community spine of the area.

Director of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, Conall McGettigan, said:The Regional Assemblies support balanced regional development and the revitalisation of towns as outlined in our Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies.

"Todays agreement is a strong example of how ERDF funding can assist heritage regeneration in key urban centres, enabling local authorities and their communities to revitalise landmark heritage assets across our region.

Ultimately, the restored chapel will not only preserve an important part of Monaghans architectural and cultural heritage but will also create a shared community space that fosters creativity, learning and connection  renewing a place that has been central to Monaghans story for generations.
Marymount National School in Drogheda has been approved for a new 20-classroom building.

The building, which will include four dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms has been welcomed by Fianna Fail Senator Alison Comyn.

Senator Comyn said it is a hugely important and welcome day for both Marymount and Louth.

"This new school building is not just welcome, it is essential. Pupils and staff have endured unacceptable conditions for far too long, and todays confirmation brings long-overdue certainty, she said.

Marymount NS which was built in 1969 is reported to have faced long-standing structural and environmental challenges, including damp, poor insulation, overcrowding and limited SEN facilities.

Senator Comyn said teachers and staff have shown extraordinary dedication in what she called "difficult circumstances".

"Parents have advocated tirelessly for their children. This decision recognises that reality and delivers the safe, warm and inclusive learning environment every child deserves, she said.

In addition to Marymount NS, five other schools in Louth have been included in the first tranche of prioritised school projects under the National Development Plan.
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This year and next year will see 12 Cork schools progress to tender and/or construction for new school buildings or extensions, under new funding announced by the government this morning.

The projects include the construction of a new building to accommodate 600+ pupils in Douglas for Cork Educate Together Secondary School, currently located in Griffith College.

Other projects in Cork city include additional accommodation for Scoil Ursula in Blackrock, St Paul's Special School in Montenotte and Scoil Cholmcille CBS on Blarney Street and a new school building for St Francis College in Rochestown.

Projects in Cork county include Scoil Iosagain Infant NS in Mallow, Scoil Phobail Beara in Castletownbere, Pobalscoil na Trionoide in Youghal, Gaelscoil Mhainistir na Corann in Midleton, North Cork Community Special School in Carrignavar as well as Ardscoil Ui Urmoltaigh and Scoil Eoin Primary, both in Bandon.

This is in addition to the 20 Cork schools where various works are already on site.

This summer, 35 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the summer works scheme or climate action scheme. In addition, since 2020 a total of 332 special classes have been opened in Cork, 26 of which were sanctioned for September 2026.

The projects will be funded as part of a 7.55bn NDP sectoral plan for education, announced by Minister Hildegarde Naughton today.

Cork minister of state, Jerry Buttimer, told The Echo that the funding would make a significant impact in Cork.

Education is the cornerstone for opportunity in life, and as a former teacher I deeply value to role that schools and the school community play in a childs life.

For education to work, we need good school facilities and Im delighted to see this further investment in our Cork schools today.

I have met with many of the schools who will receive the good news today, and I know just how much it means to their pupils, staff, parents and Boards of Management to see these projects progress. I am proud to see this Government helping and delivering for Cork.

Between 2020 and 2025, the Department of Education has provided 767.68m in capital funding for Cork schools.

Over this period, a total of 157 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation.
A 51-year-old man told a female bus passenger that he would put her through the window of the Cork to Galway bus after she confronted him over offensive comments he was making about Jews and immigrants, a court has heard.

At Ennis District Court on Tuesday, Insp Morgan ODonoghue said that the injured party in the case was travelling on the Expressway service from Cork to Galway on August 27th, 2024, at Glenbrack, Gort, Co Galway, when she overheard a male unknown to her make offensive comments about immigrants and Jews.

Insp ODonoghue said that the woman confronted this male, Paul Druse, of no fixed abode in Co Galway and told him to keep his opinions to himself" and in response Mr Druse called her "a witch" and told her he would "bash her through the window if she was a Jew".

Insp ODonoghue said that Mr Druse then stood up and raised his fist before telling her he was going to put her through the window.

Insp ODonoghue said that the woman subsequently moved to the rear of the bus, and CCTV was obtained by gardai, which displayed the incident in its entirety.

Judge Alec Gabbett imposed a two-month prison term on Mr Druse after he pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace contrary to Section 6 of the Public Order Act on the date.

Judge Gabbett said that:

You cant be frightening people on public transport with racist commentary  it is not acceptable.

Insp ODonoghue said Mr Druse has 158 previous convictions, and three of Mr Druses previous convictions concern sex offender lists and he had 11 previous convictions for Section 6 of the Public Order Act.

The court heard that Mr Druse is a native of Northern Ireland and his 158 previous convictions include 49 from Northern Ireland, but no further detail was provided on his Northern Ireland convictions.

Judge Gabbett asked if the woman was of the Jewish faith and Insp ODonoghue said no.

Insp ODonoghue described the comments made by Mr Druse as "flippant".

Mr Druse is currently serving a sentence and is not due for release until July of this year.

From the custody suite in court, he told Judge Gabbett:

I have had awful trouble from drink over the years and I am not that type of person when sober."

Mr Druse told Judge Gabbett that he is now addressing his drink problem in prison. He said: "I am going to turn away from drink."

Solicitor, Daragh Hassett said that his client, Mr Druse has significant mental health problems and was ranting and raving unforuntately on the bus.

Mr Hassett said that his client wasnt well at the time and wasnt thinking straight.

Mr Hassett said that Mr Druse meant no harm and I am sure the lady was very upset. He apologises profusely for his very, very bad behaviour. She didnt deserve what she got but he wasnt singling her out. He wasn't well.
The voluntary emergency medical response charity CRITICAL responded to more than 370 calls in Cork last year.

The charity reported a 54% increase in calls nationwide throughout 2025, responding to more than 2,000 incidents, spanning a range of medical issues, including chest pain, cardiac arrests, strokes, road traffic collisions, falls, and choking.

The charitys volunteers attended a total of 2,022 incidents, up from 1,308 in 2024, of which 376 were attended in Cork.

Volunteers attended to 493 medical incidents in Dublin, 165 in Tipperary, 120 in Donegal, and 112 in Waterford.

Chief executive David Tighe said that behind every call is a person having one of the worst days of their lives and a volunteer responder willing to step forward.

A 54% increase in the number of calls is a clear indication of the demand on our emergency services and the impact our growing network of volunteers is having across the country, said Mr Tighe.

I am incredibly proud of our volunteers. They are doctors, paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and community first responders (CFR), who give their time, skills, and expertise to support their local communities.

This year we plan to launch new CFR groups in Cork, Kilkenny, Clare, and Tipperary.

We receive no government funding and rely on public donations to provide and expand our life-saving services.

The charity, headquartered in Limerick, has a network of more than 300 volunteers across Ireland who are alerted to emergencies by the National Ambulance Service.

With 14 CFR groups set up across six counties, consisting of trained local volunteers, the charity has groups in Macroom, Youghal, and most recently, Douglas.
Name: Julianne Sullivan

Job title: Audit Partner, Board Member, and Member of the UKI Audit executive

Salary bracket: 60k+

Education background:

I am a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and have a Bachelor of Business Studies (Acc) from MTU (or CIT when I was there).

Hobbies:

I love the GAA, but only as a spectator, and have got my three boys hooked on it.

Describe your job in five words:

Rewarding, collaborative, challenging, analytical and strategic.

Describe yourself in five words:

Caring, adaptable, organised, motivated, and proactive.

Personality needed for this kind of work?

I think you need to be a lot of things, due to being in a client- facing role delivering a service, but also responsible for managing and mentoring a team. Words that spring to mind are collaborative, approachable, decisive, and strategic.

How long are you doing this job?

I started my training contract in June, 2001, when I finished my degree. In ways it seems like yesterday, but it is now 24 +years.

How did you get this job?

My career began when I joined a mid-sized accountancy practice, Paul ODonovan & Associates, as a trainee accountant. I completed my professional accountancy qualification there, which laid the technical foundation for everything that came afterwards.

During my time here, I progressed to manager level and worked on a range of clients across sectors and provided a broad range of services such as audit, tax, and debt advisory. I learned how to manage tight deadlines and high client expectations.

I gained confidence in dealing with clients at all levels, including financial controllers and business owners.

I started mentoring junior trainees, which became an interest that stayed with me throughout my career. These experiences confirmed that practice work was the right place for me. I enjoyed the mix of analytical work, team collaboration, and client interaction.

I love working with people, and I am generally a curious person (which helps in audit). Before joining Quintas, I moved into a senior manager position in Deloitte Cork. This phase of my career was about strategic contribution, not just technical delivery.

Key achievements included:

Taking on a portfolio of clients and being their go-to adviser.

Supporting business development - tendering for new clients and helping the firm grow.

Leading initiatives around audit quality and technology adoption.

This was when I began to see myself as a future partner. The role required broader thinking, understanding how the firm operated commercially, and strengthening client relationships.

In 2021, I joined Quintas as a Director during a period of exciting transformation in the profession. The firms collaborative model, sector expertise, and forward-thinking approach appealed to me. Quintas represented the perfect blend of entrepreneurial spirit and local firm relationships. My move into the firm was motivated by a desire to work somewhere that valued both technical excellence and a people-first culture.

After two years, I became an Audit Partner at Xeinadi, which was the culmination of years of experience, professional growth, and commitment to clients. The role evolved naturally from the work I had already been doingleading teams, advising clients, driving audit quality, and helping the firm grow.

Its a role that brings together everything I value: people, problem-solving, continuous learning, and making a real difference to the businesses we serve.

If there is one message I share with aspiring accountants, its that your career doesnt have to follow a perfect plan. What matters is being open, committed, and willing to learn. Each step builds on the last.

I didnt set out knowing I would become a partner, but I consistently followed opportunities that aligned with my strengths and values. The audit profession rewards curiosity, diligence, and the ability to build relationships - and those qualities can carry you a very long way.

Do you need particular qualifications or experience?

Yes, you need to be a qualified accountant with relevant audit experience.

Describe a day at work:

Overseeing audit engagements and ensuring the highest standards of quality and compliance.

Leading and nurturing our audit teams to support their professional development.

Acting as a trusted adviser to clients, helping them navigate growth, risk, and strategic decisions. Shaping the future direction of our audit offering within Xeinadin.

How many hours do you work a week?

It depends on the week and what deadlines are happening.

Is your industry male or female-dominated?

Probably more male-oriented at partner level, but 50/50 at a trainee level.

Does this affect you in any particular way?

No, it doesnt.

Is your job stressful? How? Rate it on a scale of 1-10:

Sometimes its a one, but it can get to 10 on occasion.

Do you work with others or on your own?

I work in a team.

When do you plan to retire or give up working?

I have young kids that I need to get through college, so maybe after that...

Best bits:

Mentoring members of the team so they can develop their careers and see their progression.

Worst bits:

Having to do timesheets.

Advice to those who want your job?

Embrace technology, always do the right thing, and try to get the balance right between home and work.

Any other comments?

Not all accountants are boring.
(Photo courtesy: WCC, United Church of Christ Washington D.C. Office)U.S. protestors in January 2026 after violence in areas to which U.S. federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents have been deployed.

World Council of Churches' general secretary Rev. Jerry Pillay has expressed "deep alarm" over escalating violence in areas to which U.S. federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents have been deployed, especially in Minneapolis.

Pillay released a written statement on Jan.25 after the killings of Renee Good and  most recently  Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a major city in the state of Minnesota that forms "Twin Cities" with the neighboring state capital of St. Paul, which is bisected by the Mississippi River,

Pretti was killed on Jan. 24.

The killings have "occurred in circumstances that any right-thinking person who has watched the video recordings of those events must surely recognize as requiring independent investigation and full accountability for any crimes that may have been committed," Pillay said.

"The justification of these killings by the U.S. federal authorities and administration without any proper investigation certainly does not help the situation nor encourage federal agents to exercise restraint."

Pillay spoke on behalf of the WCC, which brings together churches and Christians in more than 120 countries and territories representing over 580 million Christians and including Orthodox churches, Anglicans, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists and Reformed followers.

- STANDING WITH RELIGIOUS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS

"We mourn with the bereaved families, and we stand with the church and religious community leaders and all those who are demanding an end to the violence, justice for the victims, and respect for the God-given and inalienable human dignity and rights of every human being in the United States of America, and around the world," he said.

Pillay's statement came just days after three cardinals in the US Catholic church criticized the administration of President Donald Trump and its foreign policy, The Guardian newspaper reported.

They said on Jan. 20 the U.S. administration's push to obtain or seize Greenland, recent military action in Venezuela, and cuts to humanitarian aid risk "destroying international relations and plunging the world into incalculable suffering".

"Our country's moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination," said a joint statement from Blase Cupich, Robert McElroy and Joseph Tobin, respectively the archbishops of Chicago, Washington DC and Newark, New Jersey.

"And the building of just and sustainable peace, so crucial to humanity's wellbeing now and in the future, is being reduced to partisan categories that encourage polarization and destructive policies," it added.

Without naming Trump, the statement noted: "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."

It was the second time in two months that higher-ups in the U.S. Catholic church  with more than 50 million members  asserted their belief that the president's administration had been failing to uphold basic human dignity, The Guardian reported.
China has agreed to import its first batch of NVIDIAs H200 AI chips after the government initially rejected the idea, Reuters reported. Several hundred thousand H200 chips were approved for sale in the country following NVIDIAs CEO Jensen Huangs visit there last week, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The US government allowed the sale of NVIDIAs H200 processors to vetted and approved companies in China late last year. The first sales have been allocated mainly to three unnamed Chinese internet companies and the government is accepting applications for future approvals, according to the sources.

NVIDIAs most powerful AI chip, the Blackwell B200, is still restricted for export to China. Despite that, over $1 billion worth of those and other high-end NVIDIA chips made their way to China via black market sales, according to previous reports.

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The H200 is NVIDIAs second most powerful AI GPU behind the B200, which is reportedly 10 times faster for some jobs. However, the H200 is still far more capable than NVIDIAs H20, which was the only chip approved for export to China prior to the Trump administrations H200 approval in December. Initially, Chinas government rejected that chip in favor of domestically developed semiconductors.

China is trying to become self-reliant for its AI chips and infrastructure, with Huawei currently offering the best processors domestically. However, AI chip experts have said NVIDIA's tech is still far ahead of anything that Huawei or other Chinese companies can currently produce.
First senior officials' meeting of 2026 APEC "China Year" to be held from Feb. 1 to 10 in Guangzhou

Xinhua) 15:47, January 28, 2026

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China, as the host of the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, will hold the first APEC Senior Officials' Meeting and related sessions in Guangzhou from February 1 to 10, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Wednesday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing that this marks the first official event of the APEC "China Year."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Google has added a new sidebar to Chrome that allows users to access Gemini from any of their tabs.

Google has added a new sidebar to Chrome that allows users to access Gemini from any of their tabs. (Google)

Following its recent AI makeover of Gmail, Google is bringing more Gemini-powered tools to Chrome. Starting today, a host of new features are rolling out for the browser, with more to come over the next few months.

The first of the new features is a sidebar. Available to all Gemini in Chrome users, the interface allows you to chat with Gemini and keep a conversation going across multiple tabs. Google suggests the sidebar is useful for multitaskers. "Our testers have been using it for all sorts of things: comparing options across too-many-tabs, summarizing product reviews across different sites, and helping find time for events in even the most chaotic of calendars," the company writes.

Now you can access Nano Banana, Google's in-house image generator, directly from Chrome. No need to go to the Gemini app. (Google)

The sidebar is also where you access the second new feature Google is adding to Chrome. Following its successful rollout within the Gemini app, Nano Banana, Google's in-house image generator, is available directly inside of the browser. With the addition, you won't need to open a new tab when you want Gemini to make you an AI image. You also won't need to download and upload a file when you want Gemini to edit an existing image for you. Instead, you can complete both of those tasks from any of your open tabs, thanks to the new sidebar.

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Looking forward, Google plans to bring Personal Intelligence, which debuted inside of the Gemini app at the start of January, to Chrome in the coming months. Once the feature arrives, it will allow the browser to remember past conversations you've had with Gemini. In turn, Google says this will lead to a more personalized Chrome. "Personal Intelligence in Chrome transforms the browsing experience from a general purpose tool into a trusted partner that understands you and provides relevant, proactive, and context-aware assistance," the company said.

In the meantime, Gemini in Chrome already supports Google's Connected Apps feature, which allows the assistant to pull information from the company's other services, including Gmail and Calendar. During a press briefing, a Google employee demoed this feature by asking Gemini to pull up the dates of when their children would be on March break. Without telling the assistant where to look, Gemini sourced the correct time frame from the employee's email inbox.

A new sidebar interface allows Chrome users to access Gemini from any of their open tabs. (Google)

Last but not least, Google is previewing a new auto browse feature inside of Chrome. In the demo the company showed, an employee asked Gemini to find and buy them the same winter jacket they bought a few seasons ago. The assistant first drafted a plan outlining how best to tackle the request. It reasoned the best place to start was with a search of the employee's email inbox to determine the correct model and size of jacket. It then went shopping.

While Gemini was working on this task, the employee was free to continue browsing in Chrome. At several points in the process, the assistant would stop before continuing to obtain the employee's permission to move forward. For instance, it paused when it needed login credentials, and again when it needed a credit card number to complete the purchase.

Judging from the demo, it will probably take you less time to do your online shopping and other browser tasks on your own. Google suggests the feature will appeal to those who are creatures of habit. Say you often order the same produce from a grocery delivery service every week, Gemini can automate the ordering. Plus, the feature is in preview, so early testers probably won't be too put off by Gemini's slow pace. In any case, Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US can try auto browse starting today.
The UKs Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is recommending measures to give publishers more control over how their content is used in Googles AI overviews. The aim is to provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organizations, the CMAs chief executive Sarah Cardell said in a press release.

With Google accounting for more than 90 percent of search inquiries in the UK, the CMA recently designated the company with strategic market status for search under the Digital Market Act. That allows the regulator to apply conduct requirements on Google to promote competition and avoid antitrust issues.

With those new powers, the CMA proposed a number of measures today. The first is a set of controls that would allow publishers to opt out of their content being used for features like AI Overviews or to train AI models. Google would also need to properly attribute publisher content.

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Another measure would require Google to apply fair search result rankings for businesses, with an effective process for raising and investigating issues. Google would also need to provide a choice screen for alternative search options on Android mobile and Chrome browsers.

These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Googles search services  as well as unlocking greater opportunities for innovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy, Cardell said in a statement.

In response, Google wrote that its exploring updates to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features. The aim, it said, is to keep search helpful for people who want information quickly while allowing publishers to better manage content. Any new controls need to avoid breaking Search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people, the company wrote, adding that its optimistic it can meet the CMAs requirements.

When its new designation was announced in October 2025, Google complained that some of the proposed interventions would inhibit UK innovation and growth. Citing a study, the company said that similar measures imposed by the European Union produced negative results that have cost businesses $114 billion.
Amazon has confirmed that its letting go of 16,000 workers and employees across its organization. In an announcement by company SVP Beth Galetti, she explained that Amazon was going through organizational changes to reduce layers and remove bureaucracy. Affected employees in the US will be given 90 days to look for another internal role and will receive severance pay if they do not find any. Galetti also said that Amazon doesnt have plans to announce broad reductions every few months but admitted that the company could make adjustments as appropriate.

News about the layoffs was leaked in an email mistakenly sent out early to workers, along with a calendar invitation for a meeting dubbed internally as Project Dawn. In the email seen by Bloomberg and the BBC, Amazon Web Services Senior Vice President Colleen Aubrey told workers that their impacted colleagues from the US, Canada and Costa Rica had already been notified. Changes like this are hard on everyone. These decisions are difficult and made thoughtfully as we position our organization and AWS for future success, Aubrey reportedly wrote in the email.

Amazon eliminated 14,000 roles back in October 2025 across its games, logistics, payment and cloud computing divisions, with the availability of AI technologies being one of the main reasons for the layoffs. This generation of AI is the most transformative technology weve seen since the Internet, and it's enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before, Amazon said in its announcement back then. This new round of layoffs is just a continuation of the previous one, as Amazon was reportedly looking to let 30,000 people go from the start.

The announcement comes shortly after Amazon revealed that it was shutting down its remaining Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores and will focus on grocery deliveries instead. To note, Amazons year-over-year net sales grew by 13 percent in the third quarter of 2025 alone. Its net income increased to $21.2 billion compared to the $15.3 billion it posted in the third quarter of 2024.
A logo of Ubisoft is seen at its booth during the Gamescom video games trade fair at the Trade Fair Center in Cologne, western Germany. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)

A logo of Ubisoft is seen at its booth during the Gamescom video games trade fair at the Trade Fair Center in Cologne, western Germany. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images) (INA FASSBENDER via Getty Images)

When deciding which video game to buy, "Is it fun?" is no longer the only consideration. Given the state of the industry, "Do I want to support this company?" is arguably more important. Take, for example, Ubisoft, where things seem to unravel more each day. After the floundering publisher floated even more layoffs this week, workers at its Paris headquarters said, "Enough is enough." They're now calling for a three-day strike.

Unions representing Ubisoft employees plan to strike from February 10 to 12. "With management being stubbornly entrenched in its authoritarian ways, we are calling Ubisoft employees across France to join this strike, along with the five unions present within the company," The Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Video (Video Game Worker's Union) wrote in a statement.

The strike follows a series of heavy-handed cost-cutting moves at Ubisoft. It recently shut down its Halifax studio just 16 days after employees unionized. Last week, it closed its Stockholm studio and announced additional restructuring efforts worldwide. It also canceled six games and delayed seven others.

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Then, earlier this week, the Assassin's Creed publisher proposed cutting 200 jobs at its Paris headquarters. Under French labor law, the company would organize the cuts through the nation's Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC) process. It would require a mutual agreement between the company and the labor union.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot (ROBYN BECK via Getty Images)

Adding even more fuel to the fire, Ubisoft will now require workers to return to the office five days each week. (The company had previously agreed to two work-from-home days per week.) Although Ubisoft framed the mandate as being about efficiency and collaboration, it's easy to view this as a cudgel to further reduce its headcount. One Ubisoft developer, who hinted as much while voicing his opposition to the mandate on LinkedIn, said he was suspended without pay for three days as a punitive measure.

The workers' union saw all of this and decided it was time to act. "We're calling for a HALT to management's obsession with penny-pinching and worsening our working conditions," the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Video wrote. "It's time for a real accountability from company executives, starting from the top! Without the workers, and generous public funding, Ubisoft would never have been able to grow this much. WE are Ubisoft, and WE are shutting it down February 10th to 12th!"
John Ramsey, the father of murdered child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, is rejecting a disturbing online rumor that falsely links his daughter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as viral TikTok videos continue to circulate speculation nearly three decades after the unsolved killing.

According to RadarOnline, the renewed controversy stems from social media posts highlighting a portrait that once hung in Epstein's New York mansion, depicting him carrying a young blonde girl on his shoulders. TikTok users claimed the child bore a resemblance to JonBenet, who was found dead in the basement of her family's Boulder home on Christmas Day in 1996.

Several videos juxtaposed the image with photographs of JonBenet, with creators suggesting she may have crossed paths with Epstein. One video also alleged Epstein's longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, attended JonBenet's sixth birthday party. Another showed a framed photo of a blonde child with her face obscured, implying she may have been a victim.

In one widely shared clip, a content creator questioned the alleged resemblance, saying, "I mean, if you don't see it, you don't see it, but I'm sure you see it. Is that JonBenet?" The creator further compared clothing worn by the child in Epstein-related imagery to garments seen in JonBenet's family-distributed posters.

Commenters echoed the speculation. One wrote, "I don't think it's a stretch at all," while another added, "Yes. I believe it's JonBenet." A third remarked, "My mind is blown. So sad!"

Responding to the claims, Ramsey dismissed the allegations outright. Introducing his remarks, Ramsey addressed the rumors during a conversation with TMZ. "Absolutely no truth to it. I haven't seen this, but with A.I., anything is possible," he said, according to RadarOnline.

He continued by criticizing the cruelty of online speculation, adding, "I figured one of these days I would be accused of being an Epstein pal. Hasn't happened yet. Internet people can be very cruel..."

RadarOnline also reported that commenters pointed to what they described as an "odd coincidence" involving legal representation. A social media user claimed that Ramsey and Maxwell shared the same Denver law firm at different times.

The firm, Haddon, Morgan and Foreman, represented Ramsey following his daughter's murder and later represented Maxwell in a civil lawsuit brought by Epstein trafficking accuser Virginia Giuffre.

JonBenet's murder remains one of the most notorious cold cases in U.S. history. No arrests have ever been made. Ramsey discovered his daughter's body hours after reporting her missing, initially believing she had been kidnapped. Both he and his late wife, Patsy Ramsey, consistently denied involvement.

While DNA evidence later suggested an unknown male could be linked to the crime, the case remains unresolved. Despite recurring speculation, Ramsey has continued to pursue new leads while forcefully rejecting claims he says retraumatize his family, RadarOnline reported.
Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime friend of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has sparked more controversy by naming dozens of people she says were protected from prosecution in connection with Epstein's crimes.

According to the Daily Beast, the information came to light in a recent court filing as Maxwell tries to get her conviction overturned.

Maxwell is in federal prison for 20 years for crimes related to sex trafficking. She filed a habeas corpus petition saying that her prosecution was unfair. She said in the filing that other people connected to Epstein avoided legal trouble through undisclosed arrangements.

The Daily Beast said that Maxwell talked about "four potential 'co-conspirators' and '25 men'" who supposedly made "secret settlements" related to Epstein's abuse but were never charged. The filing doesn't name the people in public, but it says they got protections that Maxwell didn't get.

The new information has put more pressure on the Justice Department to explain why some Epstein-related records haven't been made public. The source brought up the broader implications of the filing and asked the main question that federal authorities are facing: "Who are these men, and why are they still being protected?"

The issue comes up because people are still criticizing the federal government for not fully disclosing information about Epstein's network, even though there have been efforts in Congress to make things more open.

In November, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which is meant to force the release of unclassified documents related to the case. The law that President Donald Trump signed requires the Department of Justice to release a set of documents.

ThePublication said that the law was meant to stop what critics call "institutional stonewalling" about Epstein's associates and any deals that might have kept them from being looked into. But the papers that Maxwell says show the alleged settlements have not yet been made public.

Maxwell's petition is part of a larger legal effort to overturn her conviction. She has said many times that it was unfair because Epstein agreed not to prosecute her in Florida in 2007. People have been critical of that deal for a long time because it was secret and too broad. It let Epstein avoid federal charges at the time.

Maxwell is still in jail, but her latest filing has gotten a lot of attention in Washington and beyond because it suggests that there are still issues with accountability that haven't been resolved since Epstein's death in 2019. Lawyers say that the claims, even if they can't be proven, show that the public still doesn't trust how the case was handled.

The Justice Department has not publicly responded to the specific claims made in Maxwell's petition. The publication noted that as the investigation heats up, lawmakers and advocates are once again calling for full compliance with transparency laws to find out if people connected to Epstein got special treatment.

In separate news, Ghislaine Maxwell is reportedly facing serious safety concerns after a mysterious late-night shooting and alleged attempted break-ins near her Texas prison camp, with sources describing the incidents as "highly suspicious" and warning her life could be in danger, according to reporting on Substack.
Lionsgate has confirmed that Jennifer Grey will reprise her iconic role as Frances "Baby" Houseman in the upcoming "Dirty Dancing" sequel, with production scheduled to begin later this year.

The 65-year-old actress will return to the character that earned her a Golden Globe nomination nearly four decades ago, and will also serve as an executive producer on the project. The announcement comes as the studio assembles a high-profile team to bring the sequel to life, including producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, known for their work on "The Hunger Games" and "Crazy Rich Asians."

Kim Rosenstock, the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated showrunner of "Dying for Sex" who also won the 2025 Humanitas Prize for that series, will write the screenplay. Jonathan Levine, who was originally attached to direct, will now serve as an executive producer, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The sequel was first announced at CinemaCon in 2022, but faced delays due to Hollywood strikes and script development. With production now set to commence in 2026, the film is expected to be released in 2027, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the original movie.

Grey expressed her emotional connection to the character in a statement. "The role of Baby has held a very deep and meaningful place in my heart, as it has in the hearts of so many fans over the years," she said. "I've long wondered where we might find Baby years later and what her life might be like, but it's taken time to assemble the kind of people that I felt could be entrusted to build on the legacy of the original film."

Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, emphasized the importance of assembling the right team for the project. "'Dirty Dancing' remains as beloved today as it was upon its initial release, and we knew that a very special group of people would have to come together for fans to embrace a return to Kellerman's," he stated, The Wrap reported.

The original "Dirty Dancing" was released in August 1987 and became a massive sleeper hit, earning over $214 million worldwide on a budget of just $6 million. The film starred Grey alongside Patrick Swayze, who played dance instructor Johnny Castle. Swayze passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009 at age 57.

Grey previously acknowledged that the sequel would not attempt to replicate the chemistry she shared with Swayze. "What I can tell you is there is no replacing anyone who's passed," she told People magazine. "You would never try to repeat anything that's magic like that. You just go for something different."

The sequel will mark Grey's first return to the character since the original film, though there have been other attempts to expand the franchise, including the 2004 prequel "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" and a Broadway musical adaptation, as per the Nerdist.

Producer Nina Jacobson expressed enthusiasm about the project, calling "Dirty Dancing" a unique film that "remains as emotional, thrilling, and rebellious today as it was upon its release." No release date has been officially announced for the sequel.
By George Jones

A mom who nearly lost her unvaccinated baby to measles is urged "parents to get their children vaccinated."

The UK was stripped of its measles-free status this week by the World Health Organization following a surge in cases, including the death of a child, in England in 2024.

Sophie Dale, 28, was "nervous and doubtful" about vaccinating her son Levi because of posts on TikTok and Facebook wrongly linking the measles vaccination to debunked autism risks.

After pushing her fears aside, Sophie booked him in for his first MMR jab - but the then 11-month-old caught measles just days before his injection appointment.

He had several seizures and spent six days in hospital fighting for his life after it caused a severe case of sepsis.

Levi survived - and five years on is a "perfectly healthy and thriving six-year-old little boy", as well as being a great big brother to sister Winnie, one.

Sophie now advocates for the vaccine, having seen the devastating impacts of measles on her son and has now made a few TikTok's herself to help educate others.

Her fears didn't delay the date Levi was due to have the vaccine, and he just coincidentally caught the disease before his scheduled jab appointment.

The UK was first declared measles-free in 2017, but lost the status two years later, before regaining it after the spread of the virus was almost halted completely in 2021.

Outbreaks in late 2023 meant measles started spreading more quickly again, leading to the surge in cases in 2024.

Vaccination uptake at the end of 2024 was 92% for the first dose and just below 85% for the second dose.

Sophie, a stay-at-home mom, from Chesham, Bucks, said: "Even if you're doubtful to go and speak to professionals.

"Go to doctors and nurses and say 'I'm scared because I've seen this and could you give me more information'.

"I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I kept umming and ah-ing because of false information.

"I admit that I was a bit nervous when I was deciding to vaccinate Levi.

"He couldn't properly understand why his mom was allowing them to prod and poke him - even though they were saving his life I just wanted them to stop hurting him.

"Even after what happened to Levi, with my second child, I was still nervous to get her vaccinations done because of the scaremongering.

"I sent her with her dad because it was still nerve-wracking.

"But I knew I had to do it.

"I get the fear around vaccinations, but this is what happened to my son."

Research in 1998 wrongly suggested the MMR jab could cause autism.

The work was dismissed and the researcher was struck off by the General Medical Council in 2010.

Leading up to his jab, Levi had a high temperature and some residual rash from the measles, but had mainly recovered from the illness.

The day before his first birthday party Sophie got a phone call to say he had taken a turn while she was shopping for his birthday cake ingredients, in November 2018.

She said: "I rushed home and his temperature was crazy.

"When we arrived at the hospital a team of what looked like 20 people took him away.

"It was so scary - I remember thinking 'this is what you see on 24 Hours in A&E'.

"I couldn't watch but I could hear his screams."

After six days in Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury he was allowed to go home, but had a year of check-ups to test if sepsis had damaged his hearing or vision.

Sophie said: "I didn't realize how serious it was at the time.

"But I was told the measles had basically destroyed his immune system, and he developed sepsis while fighting it.

"By the grace of God, he is now a-ok but sometimes I look back at the hospital pictures and I can't believe it."

Alongside Sophie, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) are now pleading parents to get their children vaccinated following recent NHS data.

Released on September 17, the number of children being administered the 14 childhood vaccines - including the MMR vaccine - has fallen.

All childhood vaccines have failed to meet the numbers needed to ensure the disease does not spread.

It comes as measles cases have soared this year to 2,465 cases - mostly in children with one death being recorded.

Sophie said: "It's shocking that social media still has that impact of spreading misinformation - especially TikTok.

"I think people, like myself, are easily influenced and it's so easy to be scare mongered.

"I still find it nerve-wracking as I'm about to have another baby due this October.

"But looking at the people around me, all the children, nieces, nephews, neighbors who probably all have the vaccine.

"Has something ever happened to them? Probably not.

"So looking at my immediate circle and friends and family helped calm my mind a lot."
More than half a million pounds worth of stolen poultry has been taken out of the supply chain after a food fraud investigation, prompting fresh warnings to businesses to stay alert to criminal activity.

The case, led by the Food Standards Agencys National Food Crime Unit (NFCU), has resulted in a prison sentence and renewed calls for vigilance across the food industry.

On Tuesday (27 January) Liam Dooney, 53, from Wigan, was jailed following a joint NFCU investigation into food fraud.

At Bolton Crown Court, Dooney was sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment for handling stolen goods worth more than 500,000.

He must serve at least half of the sentence in custody and was also disqualified from acting as a company director for seven years.

Dooney had previously operated a food cold storage business in the Wigan area. He had earlier pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and was granted bail ahead of sentencing.

The investigation uncovered a series of offences in which fraudsters impersonated legitimate UK food businesses to secure poultry deliveries from overseas suppliers and one UK-based supplier.

Cloned details from McDonalds franchises were used to obtain consignments of chicken and turkey, which were then stolen and diverted into fraudulent distribution.

In total, 16.8 metric tonnes of poultry was recovered during the investigation. However, the loss of traceability meant the product could not enter the human food chain and had to be downgraded to pet food.

Andrew Quinn, head of the FSAs NFCU, said the sentence sent a clear message to the industry. We are pleased with this custodial sentence as it shows as there is no place in the food industry for any form of criminal activity.

He said the unit works closely with industry to reduce the risk of theft escalating into fraud. We work with partners, supporting industry to meet their responsibilities and minimise the risk of any food theft resulting in food fraud.

Mr Quinn described the case as complex, involving Greater Manchester Police, Wigan Council and the Crown Prosecution Service.

He warned businesses to remain alert to suspicious offers. Food businesses should be vigilant to the risk of food fraud and safeguard against this, he said.

Mr Quinn added that businesses can protect themselves by carrying out checks on suppliers and customers, saying: Food businesses can help ensure they dont become victims of theft by doing their due diligence with suppliers and customers.

He said the NFCU has advised hundreds of businesses on how to increase their resilience to fraud so people can trust the food they buy is safe, and what it says it is.

The FSA is urging anyone who suspects food fraud to report concerns, stressing that early reporting helps protect both consumers and legitimate businesses.
Mounting pressure is building on the government over its farm inheritance tax reforms, as peers warn the changes could trigger serious cashflow problems for farming families and force the sale of land and businesses.

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Finance Bill Sub-Committee has published its report on the governments Draft Finance Bill 202526, raising concerns about how changes to agricultural and business property reliefs (APR and BPR) will operate in practice.

The report lands as the High Court grants an urgent hearing for a judicial review into the APR and BPR reforms, which are due to take effect from April 2026.

The legal challenge follows amendments made to the controversial proposals in December 2025 and has been fast-tracked to a rare two-day rolled-up hearing.

The court will consider both permission to bring the claim and its substantive merits, with the outcome potentially delaying or reshaping the reforms.

Peers said administration is likely to become more complex for estates with qualifying APR and BPR assets, with valuations taking on greater importance and tighter deadlines increasing pressure on families.

Liquidity concerns featured repeatedly in evidence, particularly for farms and rural businesses that are asset-rich but cash-poor.

The committee heard that even where inheritance tax can be paid by instalments, the interaction between valuation complexity, probate sequencing and the six-month payment deadline creates a real risk of financial stress.

Witnesses warned that this could force farms to sell land, buildings or other productive assets to fund inheritance tax liabilities, undermining long-term investment and business continuity.

The inquiry also highlighted concerns about succession planning, with peers warning that the reforms risk creating a generational divide within the farming sector.

While younger farmers may have time to adapt and restructure their affairs, older and more vulnerable landowners face limited options, particularly because anti-forestalling provisions restrict their ability to use existing lifetime gifting reliefs.

To ease these pressures, the committee recommends extending the inheritance tax payment deadline to 12 months for estates with qualifying APR and BPR assets.

Peers also urge the government to monitor the cumulative impact of the reforms over a seven-year period, with particular attention on how they affect farmers, family businesses and long-term succession planning.

The report raises further concerns about how the death of a key individual can distort the valuation of a farm or business for inheritance tax purposes, calling on ministers to examine whether the rules properly reflect that reality.

Although the government says the reforms are intended to modernise inheritance tax and improve fairness, the committee is critical of how the changes were developed, pointing to repeated late amendments following narrow and late-stage consultation.

Lord Liddle, chair of the Finance Bill Sub-Committee, said: Our inquiry focused on how the government plans to implement these inheritance tax changes.

He added: While we were pleased to see the changes the government made to these measures at Budget 2025, which address some of our concerns, significant work remains to ensure that these changes work in practice for personal representatives, businesses, and farms.

Lord Liddle said the committee was particularly concerned about the impact on those administering estates during periods of grief, warning that poor implementation risked avoidable anxiety and costs for those affected early on, leading to avoidable anxiety and costs.
Welsh parents and farmers have voiced anger after an investigation found that in some council areas almost all of the chicken served to schoolchildren is imported from as far away as China, Thailand and Brazil.

The findings, published by the Countryside Alliance, reveal that local authorities across both urban and rural Wales are relying heavily on overseas poultry for school meals.

In some cases, imported chicken accounts for virtually all supply. Merthyr Tydfil Council reported that 99.35% of the chicken used in its school meals came from Thailand and China, while Conwy County Borough Council said 94% of its school chicken was sourced from outside both the UK and the EU.

Gwynedd Council reported that 87.62% of chicken products, where data was available, came from Brazil, Thailand and China, despite the area being predominantly rural. Caerphilly Council also reported that 87.32% of its school chicken was imported.

Out of 21 councils assessed, just two  Anglesey and Bridgend  sourced all school chicken from the UK.

Not a single council was able to say how much Welsh chicken it procured for school meals.

The investigation has renewed scrutiny of public sector food procurement in Wales, following earlier findings that only 12% of local authorities could report what proportion of the food they bought was produced in the UK.

Concerns have also been raised within the Senedd. Speaking last September, Labour MS Jenny Rathbone called on the Welsh government to work on cleaning up public procurement of food, so that we support Welsh companies to feed our children rather than importing chicken from Thailand.

Hefin Jones, a Conwy farmer and father of three, said he was dismayed by the findings. As a Welsh farmer, Im deeply disappointed and frustrated to learn that 94% of the chicken Conwy County Borough Council use to feed all primary school kids is imported from places like Thailand and Brazil.

He said the approach made little sense for food security or the environment, adding that councils should be backing domestic producers rather than shipping food halfway around the world.

Rachel Evans, director of Countryside Alliance Wales, said the investigation exposed a major contradiction in public policy.

As a mother and a farmer, Im shocked and disappointed that, when we have such high quality Welsh and British produce so much of the chicken our children are eating is being shipped in from the other side of the world, she said.

She highlighted tensions with the new Sustainable Farming Scheme, launched on 1 January 2026, which could reduce livestock numbers by 5% in the name of sustainability, while public bodies continue to serve imported poultry.

Sustainability should start at home, by supporting Welsh farmers and producing food responsibly here in Wales, Ms Evans said.

She added: The Welsh government needs to take urgent action to ensure that public money spent on school meals supports Welsh farming, high food standards and sustainability.

The Countryside Alliance is now calling on ministers to reform school meal procurement frameworks, prioritise Welsh and British produce, and introduce mandatory transparency on food sourcing in public sector catering.

The Welsh government has been approached for comment.
Welsh farmers preparing for the introduction of the Sustainable Farming Scheme will have access to 11m in support through a further year of the Farming Connect programme.

The funding will allow Farming Connect to continue operating across Wales as farmers adapt to changes expected under the new scheme.

The announcement was made by the Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, during a visit to Penllyn Estate Farm.

The programme will sit alongside the Sustainable Farming Scheme and is intended to support its implementation at farm level.

According to the Welsh government, the support will focus on helping farm businesses improve resilience and productivity, with areas including soil health, animal health and welfare, pest management, benchmarking, and skills development.

Announcing the funding, the Deputy First Minister said: Im pleased to announce an initial 11 million so Farming Connect can keep providing its important services to farmers across Wales for another year.

He added: Farming Connect will play a key role in helping farmers move towards the Sustainable Farming Scheme, and this funding shows our commitment to supporting them through that transition.

Delivery of Farming Connect will continue under Mentera, which has retained the contract following a competitive tender process.

Eirwen Williams, director of rural programmes at Mentera, said: We are proud of our record in delivering the Farming Connect programme on behalf of the Welsh government since 2011.

She said the organisation was delighted to be able to continue this work at such a crucial time for Welsh farming.

During the visit, the Deputy First Minister met Tom Homfray of Penllyn Estate, who described how the programme has supported the business over a number of years.

Mr Homfray said: Farming Connect has been a vital resource for our business.

He cited staff training on machinery and support with professional qualifications and business planning.

He added: It is a really good use of public money; they enhance technical skills, improve farm safety, provide opportunities to network, and ultimately help to boost farm profitability through better performance.

The funding will cover a further year of Farming Connect as work continues on the development and rollout of the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
Injunction to shut down fake AI videos

Impending Tollywood debut

Akira Nandan hasnt even stepped onto the silver screen yet, but he has already become immensely popular among moviegoers, largely due to social media buzz. Last year, ahead of the release of They Call Him OG, his father Pawan Kalyans biggest film in terms of box-office collections, rumours suggested that Akira would be seen as the younger version of Ojas Gambheera. The speculation was enough to send Pawan Kalyans fan base into a frenzy. However, since Akira is taller than his father, director Sujeeth decided against casting him. Nevertheless, the entire episode was proof that the young gun is riding a wave of extraordinary fan following.The obsession has reached extreme levels, with fake AI-generated videos of Akira recently going viral online. Disturbed by the misuse of his identity, he approached the Delhi High Court seeking legal protection. On Tuesday, the honourable court granted him an injunction to take down all unauthorised AI-generated content. These videos, created by various content creators looking to capitalise on his growing popularity, placed Akiras face and name into fabricated scenarios without consent. In one instance, a short film was even made with Akira portrayed as the protagonist, solely to generate views. This rampant misuse prompted him to file a petition to safeguard his identity and reputation.With the court now backing him, no individual or platform can use Akiras name, image, or likeness without prior authorisation. The ruling effectively curbs the spread of misleading content ahead of his much-anticipated launch. The episode is unprecedented, as it is rare for a star kid to take legal action against AI-generated fakes even before making a formal acting debut. Meanwhile, Akira is reportedly preparing for his Tollywood entry by undergoing training in acting, dance, and martial arts. Fans are eagerly waiting to see if he will carry forward the electrifying screen presence associated with his father.
Shruti in a reverting role

Shrutis role is filled with spunk

Shruti Haasan is picky when it comes to signing films! While the actress always looks to pick up something that is different from what she has done before. After having been part of Prabhas-starrer Salaar-Part 1  Ceasefire, she is set to surprise the audiences ion another reverting role.On the occasion of Shruti Haasans birthday on Wednesday, the makers of Aakasamlo Oka Tara have unveiled Shruti Haasans character poster from the film. Flaunting glasses, she is seen in a feisty and bold avatar  something that caught audiences by surprise. Apparently, Shruti has flagged off the script in her first narration. Speaking to Filmfare, the films director Pavan Sadineni says that he had handpicked the actress for the kind of performer she has been over the years. Its a reverting role, and I need someone who can pull it off with grace, elan and style. Shruti always fascinated the audiences with her panache and strong roles. We believe shes apt for the part. When we narrated the story, she thoroughly enjoyed it and came on board, said Pavan. The actress is presently shooting for the final portion of her part in the breezy entertainer.According to the director, Shruti Haasans role has a lot of spunk. She plays a complex yet emotionally driven role powered by depth in her character arc. Her layered yet strong-willed performance is one of the major highlights of the film, shares Pavan. Going by her character look, fans on social media predict that her character communicates vulnerability and strength simultaneously. For someone who likes to break stereotype roles and likes to take on challenging roles, Shruti is set to deliver a commanding performance. Starring Dulquer Salmaan, Aakasamlo Oka Tara also features Satvika Veeravalli in a significant part.
Critic's rating 3.5 /5

If cinema had a frequent-flyer programme for action tropes, Jason Statham would have platinum lifetime status. His films follow a comforting, slightly ridiculous pattern. Hes always the coolest person in the room, often the only person in the room who can survive it. His houses get blown up with alarming regularity. He has a soft spot for innocents, preferably young girls who awaken his buried moral compass. He is largely unkillable, even when pursued by what appears to be an entire small nations armed forces. He can drive anything with wheels better than anyone alive. He makes guns look like fashion accessories. The present film ticks all these boxes and then casually adds a cheeky cherry on top: a clear homage to the John Wick universe by having the baddies kill his pet dog. The horror. Somewhere, Keanu Reeves surely felt a disturbance in the force.



Statham plays Mason, a reclusive former assassin who has retreated into monk-like isolation by the sea. Naturally, solitude and peace last roughly as long as a soap bubble in a hurricane. When Mason rescues a young girl from a violent storm, both their lives spiral into chaos, dragging him back into the kind of danger he was hoping never to revisit. Old enemies resurface, unfinished business comes knocking, and suddenly our seaside hermit is once again distributing bruises, bullets and bone-crunching justice.



Beneath the punch-ups and chase sequences, the narrative weaves survival thriller elements with psychological tension, touching on redemption, guilt and the cost of stepping back into a violent world once youve tried, unsuccessfully, to outrun it. Its not exactly Dostoevsky, but it knows its lane and cruises in it confidently, occasionally leaning into its own absurdity with a wink.



Visually, the film is far more handsome than one might expect from a genre so often dominated by grey warehouses and exploding car parks. The opening stretch off the Scottish coast, particularly the sea rescue sequences, is beautifully shot, capturing the ferocity and majesty of the water. Statham, a certified deep-sea diver, brings credible physical authority to these scenes, not just acting wet and heroic, but genuinely inhabiting the environment like a man who could wrestle a rogue wave if necessary.



Bodhi Rae Breathnach, playing the teenager who forms an unlikely bond with the big, bad bruiser, adds welcome emotional ballast. The dynamic inevitably evokes echoes of Leon: The Professional  yes, Natalie Portman, were looking at you  without tipping into outright imitation. Bill Nighy chews the scenery with evident relish as a rogue super spy grappling with the painful realisation that he may no longer be the cats whiskers. Bryan Vigier, noted stunt performer, impresses as the shadowy antagonist, bringing physical credibility and menace rather than cartoon villainy.



Mercifully, the action remains refreshingly grounded. There are no weightless CGI punch-ups or digital acrobatics that defy physics and patience alike. The fights are tactile, crunchy and satisfyingly old-school. In an era where VFX threatens to swallow everything whole, this commitment to practical thrills feels oddly nostalgic, and deeply appreciated.



Jason Statham, also one of the films producers, clearly still has it in spades and shows no sign of surrendering his action crown anytime soon. If this outing indeed seeds another franchise, audiences are unlikely to complain. After all, sometimes you dont want reinvention, you want a familiar leather jacket, a well-aimed punch, a fast car, a loyal dog (RIP), and Jason Statham being, unapologetically, the coolest man in the room.

Also Read: Jason Statham Talks About Playing The Most Physically Challenging Role in Shelter
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2026) - Rain City Resources Inc. (CSE: RAIN) ("RAIN" or "the Company") has applied for a Management Cease Trade Order (the "MCTO") in connection with the delay in filing its audited annual financial statements, the related management's discussion and analysis and CEO and CFO certifications for the financial year ended September 30, 2025 (collectively, the "Required Filings"). RAIN was obligated to file the Required Filings on or before January 28, 2026 (the "Filing Deadline") in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The Company has been unable to meet the Filing Deadline due to a delay in timely receipt of third-party information required to conclude its audit and a working capital shortfall, both of which have delayed the completion of the audit process necessary for the Required Filings ("Default").

The Company is working expeditiously to remedy the reasons for the Default and has consequently made an application to the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) under National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders. The submitted application has not yet been approved and remains under review by the ASC. The Company hopes to receive a Management Cease Trade Order (the "MCTO") in respect of the late filing.

The Company is actively pursuing the collection of additional third-party audit support requested to conclude its audit, as well as additional financing (the "Financing") and anticipates securing the funds within the next thirty (30) days. Proceeds from the Financing are expected to be used for general working capital purposes, including payment of audit-related fees. The Company expects to be able to submit both its audited annual financial statements, the related management's discussion and analysis and CEO and CFO certifications for the financial year ended September 30, 2025 as well as its interim financial statements, the related management's discussion and analysis and CEO and CFO certifications for the three-months ended December 31, 2025 no later than March 30, 2026.

Should the MCTO be granted, during the term the MCTO is in effect, the general investing public will continue to be able to trade freely in the Company's listed common shares. However, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and such other directors, officers and persons as determined by the applicable regulatory authorities, will not be able to trade the Company's securities. The Company intends to comply with the provisions of the alternative information guidelines as set out in National Policy 12-203 for as long as it remains in default, including the issuance of bi-weekly default status reports, each of which will be issued in the form of a news release.

The Company also confirms that, at the date hereof, there are no insolvency proceedings against it and no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed as of the date of this press release.

About Rain City Resources Inc.:

Rain is an integrated critical mineral technology and project development company committed to addressing the environmental, social, and economic challenges of lithium and critical mineral extraction from brine. By advancing scalable, water-conscious DLE solutions, Rain is helping drive the transition to a clean energy future.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Benjamin Hill

Chief Executive Officer David Shaw

Chairperson

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding: the Company's proposed financing plans and management expectations that it will miss the filing deadline for the Required Filings and the Company's ability to file the Required Filings within the time period described herein; discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions.

These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: the Company being unable to execute its business plans as intended; the Company being unable to file the Required Filings in the proposed timeframe; the Company being unable to secure adequate financing; recent market volatility; and the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281871

Source: Rain City Resources Inc.
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2026) - Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) ("Sankamap" or the "Company") the Company and its auditor continue to work diligently toward the completion and filing of the Company's annual audited financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025 (the "Required Filings"). The Company has obtained approval from the Alberta Securities Commission to extend the Management Cease Trade Order ("MCTO") under National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203") until January 31, 2026. Sankamap confirms that substantially all audit work has been completed, with only one minor confirmation and customary completion procedures remaining. The Company is actively working to provide the outstanding items and is in contact with the relevant party. Subject to completion of these matters, the audit is expected to be finalized shortly.

The Required Filings were due to be filed by October 28, 2025. In connection with the anticipated delays in making the Required Filings, the Company made an application for a MCTO under NP 12-203 to the Alberta Securities Commission, as principal regulator for the Company, and the MCTO was issued on October 29, 2025. The MCTO restricts all trading by the Company's CEO and CFO in securities of the Company, whether direct or indirect. The MCTO does not affect the ability of persons who are not directors, officers or insiders of the Company to trade their securities. The MCTO will remain in effect until the Required Filings are filed or until it is revoked or varied.

The Company expects to proceed with the filing of its interim first-quarter financial statements shortly after the Required Filings have been completed and submitted.

The Company confirms that it intends to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines described in NP 12-203 by issuing bi-weekly default status reports in the form of a news release until it meets the Required Filings requirement. The Company has not taken any steps towards any insolvency proceeding and the Company has no material information relating to its affairs that has not been generally disclosed.

For further information with respect to the MCTO, please refer to the Company's news releases dated October 21, 2025, November 4, 2025, November 18, 2025, December 3, 2025, December 17, 2025, December 30, 2025, and January 13, 2026, available for viewing on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

About Sankamap Metals Inc.

Sankamap Metals Inc. (CSE: SCU) is a Canadian mineral exploration company dedicated to the discovery and development of high-grade copper and gold deposits through its flagship Oceania Project, located in the South Pacific. The Company's fully permitted assets are strategically positioned in the Solomon Islands, along a prolific geological trend that hosts major copper-gold deposits; including Newcrest's Lihir Mine, with a resource of 71.9 million ounces of gold (310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred).

Exploration is actively advancing at both the Kuma and Fauro properties, part of Sankamap's Oceania Project in the Solomon Islands. Historical work has already highlighted the mineral potential of both sites, which lie along a highly prospective copper and gold-bearing trend, suggesting the possibility of further, yet-to-be-discovered deposits.

At Kuma, the property is believed to host an underexplored and largely untested porphyry copper-gold (Cu-Au) system. Historical rock chip sampling has returned consistently elevated gold values above 0.5 g/t Au, including a standout sample assaying 11.7% Cu and 13.5 g/t Au2; underscoring the area's significant potential.

At Fauro, particularly at the Meriguna Target, historical trenching has returned highly encouraging results, including 8.0 meters at 27.95 g/t Au and 14.0 meters at 8.94 g/t Au3. Complementing these results are exceptional grab sample assays, including historical values of up to 173 g/t Au3, along with recent sampling by Sankamap at the Kiovakase Target, which returned numerous high-grade copper values, reaching up to 4.09% Cu. In addition, limited historical shallow drilling intersected 35.0 meters at 2.08 g/t Au3, further underscoring the property's strong mineral potential and the merit for continued exploration. With a commitment to systematic exploration and a team of experienced professionals, Sankamap aims to unlock the untapped potential of underexplored regions and create substantial value for its shareholders. For more information, please refer to SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under Sankamap's profile.

1.Newcrest Technical Report, 2020 (Lihir: 310 Mt containing 23 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t P+P, 520 Mt containing 39 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t indicated, 81 Mt containing 5 Moz Au at 1.9 g/t measured, 61 Mt containing 4.9 Moz Au at 2.3 g/t Inferred)

2. Historical grab, soil and BLEG samples from SolGold Kuma Review June 2015, and SolGold plc Annual Report 2013/2012

3. September 2010-June 2012 press releases from Solomon Gold Ltd. and SolGold Fauro Island Summary Technical Info 2012

QP Disclosure

The technical content for the Oceania Project in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Florek, M.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person in accordance with CIM guidelines. Mr. John Florek is in good standing with the Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (Member ID:1228) and a director and officer of the Company.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to Sankamap and there is no assurance that the actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates," "believes," "targets," "estimates," "plans," "expects," "may," "will," "could" or "would."

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding management's expectations about obtaining the MCTO and completing the Required Filings within the anticipated timeline. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Sankamap does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements or information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281882

Source: Sankamap Metals Inc.
HANOI, Vietnam, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunhouse Group, a prestigious National home appliance brand in Vietnam, today officially announced a strategic partnership with Anchanto, a global leader in Omnichannel Commerce and Logistics SaaS technology. This project marks a monumental step in Sunhouse's digital transformation journey, involving the deployment of a comprehensive Order Management System (OMS) across four countries and Warehouse Management System (WMS) at two key regional logistics hubs.

A Strategic Vision: From Manual Operations to Global Automation

As Sunhouse pursues its ambitious international expansion, E-commerce has been identified as a core strategic pillar. To achieve the goal of tripling its online business scale, Sunhouse recognized the need to overhaul its existing infrastructure to meet the demands of markets in Vietnam and high-standard regions including the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

Previously, Sunhouse faced significant operational hurdles:

Fragmented Data: Manual processes on international marketplaces like Amazon led to significant data synchronization delays, resulting in inventory inaccuracies and 'overselling' risks.

Manual Warehouse Workflows: Traditional warehouse management struggled with real-time tracking of batch numbers, expiry dates, and serial numbers. This created bottlenecks in order fulfillment speeds, particularly during peak sales periods.

To eliminate these barriers, Sunhouse has partnered with Anchanto to implement a dual-solution ecosystem:

Multi-Market Order Management (OMS): Deployed across Vietnam, USA, Mexico, and Canada, the system centralizes data from Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, and Sunhouse's own websites into a single platform. This ensures 100% automation of order flows and inventory updates.

Digitalized Logistics Infrastructure (WMS): By implementing Anchanto's Warehouse Management System at two major e-commerce warehouses in Northern and Southern Vietnam, Sunhouse will achieve precise control over product lifecycles, optimize packing speeds, and enhance Reverse Logistics capabilities.

Leadership Insights

Vaibhav Dabhade, Founder & CEO of Anchanto, stated at the signing ceremony:

"We are honored to partner with Sunhouse-an icon of Vietnamese industry-as they scale their footprint globally. By leveraging Anchanto's world-class technology, Sunhouse will gain a 'centralized brain' for their operations, eliminating geographical barriers and multi-channel complexities. We are committed to ensuring Sunhouse not only manages better but grows faster in every market they enter."

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Loc, E-Commerce Director of Sunhouse Group, emphasized:

"Digital transformation is no longer an option; it is a prerequisite for Sunhouse to realize its goal of tripling our Sunhouse's current scale. Implementing Anchanto's solutions allows us to solve the puzzle of fragmented data and optimize our logistics capacity. This is the solid foundation Sunhouse needs to serve global customers with professional, lightning-fast service."

Future Outlook and Expectations

The new infrastructure is expected to reduce order processing time by 50%, eliminate inventory discrepancies, and provide the scalability required for Sunhouse to enter new global markets in the near future.

The synergy between Sunhouse's market leadership and Anchanto's technological prowess represents one of the most significant and sophisticated digital transformation projects in the retail and household appliance sector in 2026.

About Sunhouse Group: Sunhouse is a national household appliance brand in Vietnam, boasting a vast distribution network and modern manufacturing ecosystem. With a customer-centric philosophy, Sunhouse continues to innovate its technology to provide convenient solutions for modern homes worldwide.

About Anchanto: Anchanto is a global SaaS technology company empowering enterprises to sell, fulfill, and deliver, anywhere in the world. Headquartered in Singapore, Anchanto enables complex omnichannel and supply-chain operations through enterprise-grade intelligent platforms, deep ecosystem integrations, and local expertise across 13 countries.

Media Contact:marketing@anchanto.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2870431/Anchanto_x_Sunhouse.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sunhouse-and-anchanto-forge-strategic-global-partnership-digitalizing-supply-chain-to-drive-300-e-commerce-growth-302671331.html
Tecnologico de Monterrey Education Group, through the IFE Conference, reinforces the role of education as a strategic axis in the face of global disruption driven by new technologies.

In its twelfth edition, IFE Conference brings together more than 5,700 experts, academic leaders, and decision-makers from 46 countries to discuss the future of learning.

The 2026 edition underscores the need for collective action, bringing together more than 860 speakers to promote innovative educational models.



MONTERREY and NUEVO LEON, Mexico, Jan. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the aim of designing strategies that respond to the needs of the future of education in Mexico and Latin America, Tecnologico de Monterrey's Institute for the Future of Education (IFE) inaugurated the twelfth edition of the IFE Conference 2026.

IFE is the Tecnologico de Monterrey Education Group's interdisciplinary research institute focused on educational innovation. On this occasion, the conference welcomes more than 5,700 participants from 46 countries and prioritizes the creation of dialogue spaces that enable the development of an educational agenda aligned with this historical moment, in the face of technological disruption driven by artificial intelligence.

During the opening ceremony, Juan Pablo Murra, Rector of Tecnologico de Monterrey, highlighted the importance of the active role of universities in addressing global challenges. "We need to see universities as sources of hope. Not a passive hope, but one built through action, dialogue, and shared learning," he commented. "Hope emerges when we see others create value, when we inspire one another, and when we choose to 'hope actively', that is, to instill in others the confidence and motivation to go out and transform a world that, today more than ever, needs us."

Michael Fung, Executive Director of IFE, noted that "in the face of a horizon full of challenges, universities have the responsibility to row together toward a more promising future. Academic collaboration and skills development are beacons of genuine hope: through education we can transform lives and build the society we need."

IFE Conference 2026 takes place from January 27 to 29 in the city of Monterrey, Mexico with an agenda of more than 500 activities, including keynote lectures, panels, specialized summits, selected presentations, hybrid events, and networking spaces, designed to promote international collaboration and the exchange of innovative knowledge.

The conference features the participation of more than 860 speakers from around the world, including: Robert J. Jones, President of the University of Washington; CHEE Yeow Meng, Provost of the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD); Isabelle Hau, Executive Director of Stanford Accelerator for Learning; Michael Rao, President of Virginia Commonwealth University.

To view the full agenda, click here.

To download images, click here.

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About Tecnologico de Monterrey

Tecnologico de Monterrey (http://www.tec.mx) is a private, non-profit university recognized for its academic excellence, educational innovation, and global vision. It was founded in 1943 and currently has a presence in 33 municipalities across 20 states in Mexico, with an enrollment of 60,000 undergraduate and graduate students, as well as more than 27,000 high school students. Accredited by SACSCOC since 1950. It is ranked #187 in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and #7 in Latin America according to the THE Latin America University Rankings 2024. It also stands out in global employability and entrepreneurship programs and is part of international networks such as APRU and U21. To view our Boilerplate, visit: https://tec.rs/Boilerplate

About the Institute for the Future of Education (IFE)

The Institute for the Future of Education (https://tec.mx/en/ife) is an interdisciplinary research institute of Tecnologico de Monterrey, whose mission is to improve the lives of millions of people by transforming higher education and lifelong learning worldwide. The Institute creates, disseminates, and applies research-based educational innovation to strengthen learning ecosystems and practices, engaging in a wide range of activities including research, educational technology entrepreneurship, consulting, impact projects, advocacy, and global community development.

Press Contacts: Tecnologico de Monterrey Christian Morales Phone: 55 8014 6427 Email: christianm@tec.mx Cuadrante, Estrategia y Comunicacion Hugo Hidalgo Phone: 55 7412 4840 Email: hbadillo@cuadrante.com.mx
HIGHLIGHTS:

Ultra high-grade shallow lens emerging at Icon through infill drilling : 13m at 29.0 g/t gold from 60m25GLR232 9m at 28.0g/t gold from 84m25GLR190 17m at 11.0g/t gold from 55m25GLR237

Icon drilling continues to demonstrate large-scale bulk mineralisation: 200m at 1.0/t gold from 76m25GLR062 (remaining assays now received) 71m at 0.8g/t gold from 202m25GLR050 60m at 1.0g/t gold from 240m25GLR054 53m at 1.0g/t gold from 424m25GLR091

Tuxedo drilling: significant broad step out drilling extends mineralisation 200m+ at depth beneath historical shallow drilling: 28m at 2.5g/t gold from 406m 25GLR115 ( > 200m down-dip extension at depth) 35m at 1.0g/t gold from 296m25GLR133

Icon trend potential: with more than 3 km of strike identified and only ~30% tested to date, 2026 Q1 drilling will systematically step out along the Icon trend, targeting the definition of a single, large-scale open-pit system

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2026) - Benz Mining Corp (TSXV: BZ) (ASX: BNZ) ("Benz" or the "Company") is pleased to report results from the Icon trend within the Glenburgh Gold Project in Western Australia.

Figure 1. Icon - Tuxedo cross section looking east. The section is displayed using a 150 m clipping window to appropriately represent the folded and plunging geometry of the mineralised system. Previous results released on 6 November 2024, 4 August 2025 and 20 August 2025. Current release in black highlight.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/281887_2f188d97b46c1870_002full.jpg

Benz CEO, Mark Lynch-Staunton, commented:

"Results from the latest drilling at Icon and Tuxedo continue to reinforce our view that this is a large, coherent mineralised system with genuine scale.

"At Tuxedo, our first pass step-out drilling has successfully extended mineralisation by more than 200 metres down-dip. This broad-spaced drilling was designed to test the limits of the system, and the results clearly demonstrate that mineralisation continues well beyond historical drilling. With this extension now defined, we are well positioned to move into more focused infill drilling to further build continuity and confidence.

"At Icon, infill drilling is delivering exactly what we want to see - improved continuity, increasing confidence in the system, and the emergence of high-grade zones within a broad mineralised envelope. These results continue to demonstrate the quality and robustness of the mineralisation.

"When considered together, Icon and Tuxedo sit within the same mineralised footprint and are increasingly shaping up as a single, large open-pit style system. The combined corridor now extends up to 400 metres wide, underlining the scale of the opportunity we are developing.

"With more than 3 kilometres of strike already defined and less than 30% tested to date, we are still in the early stages of unlocking the full potential of this system. Upcoming drilling will focus on expanding the footprint along strike and at depth, while continuing to infill and upgrade the higher-grade zones.

"Glenburgh is rapidly emerging as a genuinely large gold system, and each round of drilling continues to build scale, confidence and long-term value for shareholders."





Figure 2. Icon trend plan map with reported collar locations.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/281887_2f188d97b46c1870_003full.jpg

Icon-Tuxedo: A Growing Mineralised System

Recent drilling at the Icon Camp continues to demonstrate the scale and continuity of mineralisation, reinforcing its potential to host a large, long-life open pit gold operation.

At Icon, broad zones of moderate-grade mineralisation have now been confirmed over significant strike and thickness, highlighted by a 200m intersection at 1 g/t Au, providing further evidence of a bulk-tonnage mineralised system. This standout intercept complements previously released intercepts:

134m at 1g/t gold from 66m including 44m at 2.2g/t gold (25GLR060)

117m at 0.7g/t gold from 107m including 38m at 1.1g/t gold (25GLR064)

142m at 0.95g/t gold from 227m within a broader 229m at 0.7g/t gold (25GLR048)

102m at 1.0g/t gold from 96m (25GLR058)

Tuxedo

At Tuxedo first pass step-out drilling has successfully extended mineralisation more than 200 metres down-dip, well beyond the limits of historical drilling, which had only tested to approximately 100 metres depth. Intersections of 28m at 2.52 g/t Au, 35m at 1.0 g/t Au, and 21m at 1.34 g/t Au demonstrate that mineralisation remains strong and continuous at depth.

Together, Icon and Tuxedo now form a mineralised corridor exceeding 400 metres in width, surrounded by a broad halo of lower-grade mineralisation.

High-Grade Zones Emerge with Infill Drilling

A representative 100 m  100 m area of the Icon system was selected for close-spaced infill drilling to enhance geological understanding and support orebody characterisation. The closer-spaced drilling has revealed a significant high-grade component that was not apparent in the previous 40-80m spaced drill pattern (Figure 3).

The new closer spaced drilling shows that:

High-grade mineralisation occurs as curved, folded lenses , rather than simple planar zones.

These lenses were masked by wide drill spacing, and the potential to find more through infill drilling is high.

Mineralisation geometry reflects the high-grade metamorphic environment at Glenburgh, where gold continuity is rarely linear.

Recent results include:

13m at 29.0 g/t gold from 60m (25GLR232)

9m at 28.0g/t gold from 84m (25GLR190)

17m at 11.0g/t gold from 55m (25GLR237)

These intersections define an ~100 m long high-grade lens within the broader Icon system, which remains open at depth and along strike.

The infill drilling has confirmed improved continuity of higher-grade mineralisation, which is considered positive for future resource refinement, subject to further drilling and formal estimation.

Figure 3. Long section looking northwest, with a +/- 10m clipping window, highlighting close spaced infill drilling test area. The closer-spaced drilling has revealed a significant high-grade component that was not apparent in the historical broader spaced drill pattern (black dots).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/281887_2f188d97b46c1870_004full.jpg

District-Scale Upside - The Icon Trend

The Company is now preparing to systematically test the full >3 km long Icon trend, throughout 2026 with drilling planned to depths of 300-500 metres (Figure 4).

This work will:

Step out along strike from current drilling

Test down-dip continuity beneath existing mineralisation

Assess the scale of the broader mineralised system

Evaluate the potential for a single large-scale open pit development

With multiple stacked mineralised zones, strong continuity, and emerging high-grade domains, Benz believes the Icon trend has the potential to evolve into a large, long-life gold system.

Figure 4. Icon trend long section with all historical and current drilling to date. Drill target area in light blue hash box. Systematically testing the full strike and depth potential of the icon trend.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1818/281887_2f188d97b46c1870_005full.jpg

Glenburgh - A New Frontier Gold District

The 100%-owned Glenburgh Gold Project is rapidly emerging as a new frontier gold district with multi-million-ounce potential. Located in Western Australia's Gascoyne region, Glenburgh hosts an 18-20 kilometre mineralised corridor anchored by the large-scale Icon-Apollo trend and the high-grade Zone 126 system.

Glenburgh's unique combination of thick, bulk-style gold mineralisation (Icon-Apollo) and multiple high-grade underground lenses (Zone 126) positions it as a rare opportunity in the Australian gold sector. With gold prices at record levels, the ability to develop both large-scale open pit and underground operations offers exceptional leverage and growth potential.

Figure 5. Geological overview of the Glenburgh Gold Project.

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This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Benz Mining Corp.

For more information please contact:

About Benz Mining Corp.

Benz Mining Corp. (TSXV: BZ) (ASX: BNZ) is a pure-play gold exploration company dual-listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and Australian Securities Exchange. The Company owns the Eastmain Gold Project in Quebec, and the recently acquired Glenburgh and Mt Egerton Gold Projects in Western Australia.

Benz's key point of difference lies in its team's deep geological expertise and the use of advanced geological techniques, particularly in high-metamorphic terrane exploration. The Company aims to rapidly grow its global resource base and solidify its position as a leading gold explorer across two of the world's most prolific gold regions.





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For more information, please visit: https://benzmining.com/.

Qualified Person's Statement (NI 43-101)

The disclosure of scientific or technical information in this news release is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr Mark Lynch-Staunton, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) (Membership ID: 6918). Mr Lynch-Staunton has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release. Mr Lynch-Staunton owns securities in Benz Mining Corp.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward looking statements" (collectively Forward-Looking Information) as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding the exploration potential of the Glenburgh Gold Project and the anticipated benefits thereof, planned exploration and related activities on the Glenburgh Gold Project. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases or variations of such words and phrases or statements such as "anticipates", "complete", "become", "expects", "next steps", "commitments" and "potential", in relation to certain actions, events or results "could", "may", "will", "would", be achieved. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, that the accuracy and reliability of the Company's exploration thesis in respect of additional drilling at the Glenburgh Gold Project will be consistent with the Company's expectations based on available information; the Company will be able to raise additional capital as necessary; the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Company's Projects (including Glenburgh and Mt Egerton Gold Projects) can be achieved; and the continuity of the price of gold and other metals, economic and political conditions, and operations.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the early stage nature of the Company's exploration of the Glenburgh Gold Project, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, that occurrences such as those referred to above are realized and result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company's financial condition and development plans change, and delays in regulatory approval, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and www.asx.com.au. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. The Forward-looking information in this news release is based on plans, expectations, and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Appendix 1: Collar Table. Coordinates system: GDA94/MGA Zone 50

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Dip Azimuth End Depth 25GLR_036 409700 7191553 296.765 -60 170 582 25GLR_048 409377 7191503 293.287 -59 161 456 25GLR_050 409562 7191527 298.376 -59 160 360 25GLR_052 409633 7191562 296.606 -55 161 300 25GLR_054 409655 7191481 298.722 -65 161 300 25GLR_056 409482 7191417 297.849 -56 161 354 25GLR_058 409562 7191492 299.126 -55 160 402 25GLR_062 409608 7191486 299.687 -65 160 438 25GLR_064 409588 7191506 300.007 -60 160 366 25GLR_067 409427 7191595 294.925 -55 163 600 25GLR_074 409520 7191368 298.92 -55 165 552 25GLR_078 409477 7191463 300.524 -55 165 91 25GLR_079 409554 7191250 299.7 -55 165 558 25GLR_080 409591 7191158 302.337 -55 165 600 25GLR_083 409735 7191425 302.089 -55 165 600 25GLR_084 409779 7191328 303.496 -55 167 600 25GLR_085 409825 7191192 301.927 -55 165 446 25GLR_086 409400 7191698 297.975 -55 165 750 25GLR_088 409360 7191806 297.644 -55 164 528 25GLR_089 409854 7191479 301.399 -55 165 600 25GLR_091 409811 7191605 301.019 -56 165 598 25GLR_093 409176 7191431 296.78 -55 165 733 25GLR_095 409481 7190784 303.114 -55 345 600 25GLR_096 409209 7191044 298.945 -55 165 600 25GLR_098 410262 7191361 300.97 -55 165 570 25GLR_100 409556 7191051 298.618 -55 165 549 25GLR_101 410335 7191115 301.043 -55 165 450 25GLR_104 410509 7190786 301.43 -55 340 600 25GLR_105 408859 7191040 296.439 -54 164 492 25GLR_107 409969 7190976 301.609 -52 168 600 25GLR_110 409108 7190691 295.219 -55 346 504 25GLR_111 409798 7190914 301.995 -55 165 512 25GLR_112 408958 7191131 294.31 -55 166 492 25GLR_114 410164 7191043 296.424 -55 165 600 25GLR_115 409379 7191217 296.383 -55 165 600 25GLR_118 409270 7191531 296.618 -54 164 600 25GLR_119 409414 7191114 297.843 -55 165 600 25GLR_121 409308 7191429 298.875 -54 165 312 25GLR_123 409378 7191569 296.187 -55 165 492 25GLR_126 409485 7191256 299.31 -53 165 600 25GLR_127 409412 7191463 293.971 -55 165 600 25GLR_133 409520 7191149 303.463 -55 164 600 25GLR_134 409448 7191358 297.626 -56 164 600 25GLR_139 409172 7191145 296.965 -51 155 402 25GLR_140 409311 7191083 300.239 -64 167 402 25GLR_143 409706 7191173 302.463 -58 184 300 25GLR_144 409627 7191184 301.683 -50 165 300 25GLR_146 409707 7191172 302.288 -50 160 252 25GLR_149 410665 7191753 301.443 -61 165 102 25GLR_150 410888 7191932 303.305 -58 165 330 25GLR_151 410652 7191795 303.813 -58 165 150 25GLR_153 410707 7191871 301.198 -58 165 204 25GLR_155 410681 7191904 301.848 -58 165 252 25GLR_157 410875 7191980 303.759 -58 165 66 25GLR_158 410655 7191952 300.782 -58 165 300 25GLR_159 410876 7191979 304.376 -58 165 72 25GLR_161 410612 7191940 300.211 -58 165 314 25GLR_162 410872 7192028 303.326 -58 165 450 25GLR_164 410754 7191838 302.388 -60 164 150 25GLR_165 410750 7191887 300.926 -59 164 204 25GLR_166 410843 7191913 303.29 -59 166 330 25GLR_167 410732 7191929 300.754 -58 164 252 25GLR_168 410700 7191968 301.3 -58 165 300 25GLR_172 410781 7191908 303.325 -58 164 222 25GLR_174 410781 7191946 301.89 -58 164 252 25GLR_177 410767 7191996 303.058 -58 165 300 25GLR_179 410816 7191966 303.256 -59 164 506 25GLR_185 410577 7191787 302.75 -55 154 204 25GLR_187 409452 7191423 300.406 -60 155 120 25GLR_188 409464 7191398 300.717 -60 155 120 25GLR_189 409473 7191375 300.754 -60 155 24 25GLR_190 409461 7191427 300.777 -75 155 114 25GLR_191 409464 7191419 300.396 -75 155 114 25GLR_192 409468 7191410 299.054 -75 155 114 25GLR_193 409472 7191401 299.146 -75 155 114 25GLR_194 409476 7191391 299.262 -75 155 60 25GLR_195 409471 7191431 298.826 -80 155 108 25GLR_196 409476 7191421 298.951 -75 155 114 25GLR_197 409480 7191413 299.402 -75 155 114 25GLR_199 409486 7191396 299.698 -60 155 42 25GLR_200 409479 7191432 298.857 -60 155 120 25GLR_201 409484 7191448 299.214 -60 155 120 25GLR_204 409516 7191447 298.787 -81 155 105 25GLR_211 409488 7191439 299.2 -60 155 120 25GLR_212 409493 7191429 299.252 -60 155 120 25GLR_213 409497 7191419 299.36 -60 155 90 25GLR_221 409496 7191445 299.478 -60 155 102 25GLR_222 409506 7191422 299.329 -60 155 90 25GLR_223 409501 7191411 299.324 -60 155 60 25GLR_224 409506 7191402 299.308 -60 155 42 25GLR_225 409520 7191420 299.104 -80 155 108 25GLR_226 409516 7191428 297.76 -80 155 108 25GLR_227 409519 7191441 298.733 -80 155 105 25GLR_228 409523 7191432 298.937 -80 155 108 25GLR_229 409527 7191422 299.095 -80 155 105 25GLR_230 409532 7191414 299.094 -80 156 108 25GLR_231 409537 7191404 299.093 -81 154 84 25GLR_232 409512 7191437 299.027 -80 155 108 25GLR_233 409524 7191409 298.8 -81 151 108 25GLR_234 409548 7191404 299.172 -60 153 60 25GLR_235 409538 7191463 295.071 -60 155 108 25GLR_236 410511 7191811 299.998 -55 155 252 25GLR_237 409511 7191439 299.216 -80 155 108 25GLR_238 410557 7191831 299.819 -55 155 252

Appendix 2: Significant Intercepts Tables.

High Grade Intercepts: A nominal 0.8g/t Au lower cut off has been applied to results, no maximum internal dilution was applied unless stated otherwise. Some intercepts reported were previously disclosed based on partial assay results. Completion of outstanding assays has resulted in updated intercepts being reported

Hole ID From To Au_ppm Length Comments 25GLR_050 163 179 0.96 16

25GLR_050 202 273 0.8 71 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays 25GLR_054 211 214 2.25 3

25GLR_054 240 300 1 60

25GLR_056 6 43 0.81 37

25GLR_058 96 229 0.87 133 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays Includes: 16m at 2.16g/t and 7m at 2.85g/t 25GLR_058 263 269 0.81 6

25GLR_062 84 284 1 200 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays Includes: 14m at 8.36g/t 25GLR_064 203 230 0.82 27 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays 25GLR_064 233 242 0.99 9

25GLR_064 277 305 0.99 28

25GLR_067 316 321 1.06 5

25GLR_067 419 425 1.15 6

25GLR_067 483 489 1.4 6

25GLR_074 40 48 0.93 8

25GLR_074 526 547 1.34 21

25GLR_078 78 88 1.87 10

25GLR_080 186 198 0.97 12

25GLR_080 283 297 0.82 14

25GLR_083 580 583 1.62 3

25GLR_091 144 147 0.91 3

25GLR_091 204 212 0.91 8

25GLR_091 384 394 1.06 10

25GLR_091 424 440 1.1 16

25GLR_091 457 477 1.48 20

25GLR_095 344 357 1.12 13

25GLR_095 484 489 1.39 5

25GLR_110 234 257 0.84 23 Includes: 6m at 2.72g/t 25GLR_115 257 260 1.4 3

25GLR_115 306 311 1.49 5

25GLR_115 406 434 2.52 28 Includes: 8m at 5.56g/t and 11m at 2.06g/t 25GLR_119 267 270 1.52 3

25GLR_121 276 282 1.35 6

25GLR_123 414 422 0.85 8

25GLR_127 252 256 1.33 4

25GLR_133 146 155 1.05 9

25GLR_133 297 332 1.04 35 Includes: 3m at 3.01g/t 25GLR_139 321 324 3.88 3

25GLR_143 199 206 0.9 7

25GLR_144 205 209 1.19 4

25GLR_144 289 296 3.95 7

25GLR_146 198 202 1.04 4

25GLR_150 40 46 1.56 6

25GLR_155 131 138 0.8 7

25GLR_158 211 224 0.83 13

25GLR_164 24 27 0.95 3

25GLR_164 29 33 3.93 4

25GLR_165 164 167 1.53 3

25GLR_167 139 155 1.02 16 Includes: 4m at 3.03g/t 25GLR_168 233 238 1.68 5

25GLR_172 112 115 1.55 3

25GLR_174 129 135 1.52 6

25GLR_177 254 270 1.24 16

25GLR_179 165 169 0.82 4

25GLR_187 56 85 1.36 29

25GLR_188 15 26 1.44 11 Includes: 4m at 2.55g/t 25GLR_188 105 109 2.55 4

25GLR_189 3 7 2.44 4

25GLR_190 84 93 27.94 9

25GLR_191 61 79 0.94 18

25GLR_192 42 46 1.15 4

25GLR_192 50 53 1.18 3

25GLR_192 65 85 0.86 20

25GLR_192 95 114 2.02 19 Includes: 7m at 3.81g/t 25GLR_193 19 49 1.15 30 Includes: 5m at 4.29g/t 25GLR_193 81 86 0.85 5

25GLR_194 6 12 1.74 6

25GLR_196 32 114 2.18 82 Includes: 4m at 17.7g/t and 34m at 2.56g/t 25GLR_197 24 88 0.9 64 Includes: 3m at 2.48g/t 25GLR_197 108 112 0.93 4

25GLR_201 39 102 1.05 63 Includes: 14m at 2.08g/t 25GLR_204 88 92 21.44 4

25GLR_211 36 68 0.86 32

25GLR_211 108 112 1.1 4

25GLR_212 21 37 2.06 16 Includes: 13m at 2.37g/t 25GLR_213 14 40 0.91 26 Includes: 6m at 2.98g/t 25GLR_221 42 77 1.47 35 Includes: 13m at 2.42g/t 25GLR_222 17 23 1.15 6

25GLR_223 1 8 0.85 7

25GLR_225 20 28 1.04 8

25GLR_225 90 106 1.12 16

25GLR_226 23 108 1.3 85 Includes: 16m at 2.14g/t 25GLR_227 61 102 2.56 41 Includes: 22m at 2.81g/t and 15m at 2.74g/t 25GLR_228 74 105 1.48 31

25GLR_229 24 27 1.34 3

25GLR_229 43 50 1.4 7

25GLR_229 90 94 0.85 4

25GLR_229 96 105 1.11 9

25GLR_230 2 5 3.47 3

25GLR_232 13 108 4.29 95 Includes: 13m at 29.11g/t 25GLR_233 50 60 0.85 10

25GLR_235 77 88 1.77 11

25GLR_236 75 78 2.05 3

25GLR_237 55 102 5.1 47 Includes: 17m at 11.73 g/t and 12m at 2.9g/t 25GLR_238 158 164 3.8 6



Bulk Low Grade Intercepts: A nominal 0.3g/t Au lower cut off has been applied to results, no maximum internal dilution was applied unless stated otherwise. Some intercepts reported were previously disclosed based on partial assay results. Completion of outstanding assays has resulted in updated intercepts being reported

Hole ID From To Au_ppm Length Comments 25GLR_036 194 554 0.39 360 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays. Includes: 6m at 4.18g/t 25GLR_048 199 442 0.67 243 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays Includes: 21m at 2.74g/t and 7m at 2.7g/t 25GLR_050 148 351 0.5 203 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays 25GLR_052 135 138 0.35 3

25GLR_052 161 174 0.46 13

25GLR_052 204 220 0.4 16

25GLR_052 234 245 0.32 11

25GLR_054 119 300 0.64 181 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays Includes: 3m at 2.25g/t 25GLR_056 6 242 0.38 236 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays Includes: 17m at 2.18g/t 25GLR_058 81 363 0.49 282 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays Includes: 7m at 2.85g/t and 16m at 2.16g/t 25GLR_062 76 362 0.72 286 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays Includes: 14m at 8.36g/t 25GLR_064 63 350 0.48 287 Updated intercept following receipt of remaining assays Includes: 4m at 3.38g/t and 8m at 2.22g/t 25GLR_067 286 291 0.36 5

25GLR_067 308 345 0.39 37

25GLR_067 418 453 0.38 35

25GLR_067 474 534 0.31 60

25GLR_067 536 547 0.31 11

25GLR_067 554 573 0.32 19

25GLR_067 576 581 0.66 5

25GLR_074 36 61 0.54 25

25GLR_074 362 372 0.38 10

25GLR_074 517 550 0.91 33

25GLR_078 51 60 0.38 9

25GLR_078 65 91 0.79 26

25GLR_079 282 303 0.41 21

25GLR_079 407 411 0.47 4

25GLR_079 508 513 0.45 5

25GLR_080 156 207 0.38 51

25GLR_080 245 257 0.3 12

25GLR_080 280 330 0.32 50

25GLR_083 4 45 0.4 41

25GLR_083 77 87 0.51 10

25GLR_083 580 586 1.05 6

25GLR_084 409 430 0.32 21

25GLR_086 268 276 0.41 8

25GLR_089 48 68 0.48 20

25GLR_089 219 224 0.44 5

25GLR_089 326 329 0.41 3

25GLR_091 143 152 0.55 9

25GLR_091 176 315 0.31 139

25GLR_091 360 481 0.65 121

25GLR_095 327 439 0.34 112

25GLR_095 472 503 0.36 31

25GLR_100 10 16 0.3 6

25GLR_100 33 49 0.35 16

25GLR_100 70 74 0.35 4

25GLR_100 96 100 0.71 4

25GLR_100 142 145 0.38 3

25GLR_107 98 101 0.38 3

25GLR_110 233 257 0.84 24 Includes: 6m at 2.72g/t 25GLR_111 176 183 0.68 7

25GLR_115 179 185 0.35 6

25GLR_115 244 250 0.42 6

25GLR_115 257 272 0.36 15

25GLR_115 306 312 1.32 6

25GLR_115 399 465 1.14 66 Includes: 8m at 5.56g/t and 11m at 2.06g/t 25GLR_119 61 68 0.32 7

25GLR_119 88 97 0.41 9

25GLR_119 181 312 0.3 131

25GLR_119 353 363 0.32 10

25GLR_121 70 77 0.51 7

25GLR_121 245 282 0.52 37

25GLR_123 327 336 0.56 9

25GLR_123 401 447 0.54 46

25GLR_126 230 235 0.58 5

25GLR_126 292 301 0.44 9

25GLR_126 390 396 0.49 6

25GLR_127 146 150 0.42 4

25GLR_127 183 186 0.42 3

25GLR_127 205 278 0.41 73

25GLR_133 132 170 0.48 38

25GLR_133 223 226 0.64 3

25GLR_133 251 256 0.58 5

25GLR_133 272 278 0.45 6

25GLR_133 287 403 0.38 116 Includes: 3m at 3.01g/t 25GLR_134 33 53 0.32 20

25GLR_134 99 104 0.49 5

25GLR_134 526 538 0.33 12

25GLR_139 261 361 0.31 100 Includes: 3m at 3.88g/t 25GLR_140 70 98 0.33 28

25GLR_140 139 143 0.41 4

25GLR_140 165 168 0.65 3

25GLR_140 263 276 0.32 13

25GLR_143 197 228 0.35 31

25GLR_144 192 222 0.4 30

25GLR_144 288 296 3.52 8 Includes: 7m at 3.95g/t 25GLR_146 135 169 0.33 34

25GLR_146 198 221 0.31 23

25GLR_146 226 232 0.3 6

25GLR_149 25 31 0.49 6

25GLR_150 36 85 0.39 49

25GLR_150 267 271 0.37 4

25GLR_151 48 68 0.32 20

25GLR_153 90 101 0.42 11

25GLR_153 108 113 0.32 5

25GLR_153 140 144 0.4 4

25GLR_153 200 203 0.62 3

25GLR_155 131 178 0.3 47

25GLR_155 231 235 0.39 4

25GLR_158 156 166 0.43 10

25GLR_158 204 241 0.48 37

25GLR_161 219 277 0.32 58

25GLR_162 255 308 0.34 53

25GLR_164 20 62 0.6 42 Includes: 4m at 3.93g/t 25GLR_165 140 150 0.34 10

25GLR_165 158 167 0.62 9

25GLR_166 80 85 0.49 5

25GLR_166 110 115 0.35 5

25GLR_166 164 176 0.34 12

25GLR_166 295 301 0.41 6

25GLR_167 122 188 0.45 66 Includes: 4m at 3.03g/t 25GLR_167 241 246 0.48 5

25GLR_168 203 209 0.31 6

25GLR_168 228 272 0.4 44

25GLR_172 87 152 0.3 65

25GLR_172 170 177 0.32 7

25GLR_172 196 222 0.35 26

25GLR_174 128 185 0.32 57

25GLR_174 203 236 0.36 33

25GLR_177 200 209 0.32 9

25GLR_177 215 218 0.39 3

25GLR_177 243 246 0.41 3

25GLR_177 251 276 0.91 25

25GLR_179 144 197 0.31 53

25GLR_179 221 232 0.33 11

25GLR_179 245 248 0.39 3

25GLR_179 328 361 0.36 33

25GLR_179 379 382 0.39 3

25GLR_185 23 27 0.33 4

25GLR_185 67 70 0.3 3

25GLR_185 92 98 0.31 6

25GLR_187 48 117 0.7 69

25GLR_188 11 116 0.41 105 Includes: 4m at 2.55g/t 25GLR_189 2 18 0.78 16 Includes: 4m at 2.44g/t 25GLR_190 84 113 8.8 29 Includes: 9m at 27.94g/t 25GLR_191 45 114 0.49 69

25GLR_192 33 114 0.94 81 Includes: 7m at 3.81g/t 25GLR_193 16 114 0.55 98 Includes: 5m at 4.29g/t 25GLR_194 0 27 0.64 27

25GLR_195 76 90 0.46 14

25GLR_196 21 114 1.94 93 Includes: 4m at 17.7g/t, 34m at 2.56g/t and 3m at 2.17g/t 25GLR_197 0 112 0.63 112 Includes: 3m at 2.48g/t 25GLR_199 0 19 0.33 19

25GLR_200 32 115 0.31 83

25GLR_201 39 119 0.86 80 Includes: 14m at 2.08g/t 25GLR_204 71 92 4.16 21 Includes: 4m at 21.44g/t 25GLR_211 24 118 0.44 94

25GLR_212 12 99 0.53 87 Includes: 13m at 2.37g/t 25GLR_213 10 64 0.55 54 Includes: 6m at 2.98g/t 25GLR_221 40 102 0.9 62 Includes: 13m at 2.42g/t 25GLR_222 8 39 0.42 31

25GLR_223 0 42 0.32 42

25GLR_224 0 6 0.3 6

25GLR_225 15 79 0.3 64

25GLR_225 84 108 0.84 24

25GLR_226 23 108 1.3 85 Includes: 16m at 2.14g/t 25GLR_227 54 105 2.12 51 Includes: 22m at 2.81g/t and 15m at 2.74g/t 25GLR_228 29 56 0.33 27

25GLR_228 66 105 1.24 39 Includes: 3m at 2.3g/t 25GLR_229 10 105 0.52 95

25GLR_230 1 72 0.38 71 Includes: 3m at 3.47g/t 25GLR_232 9 14 0.47 5

25GLR_232 38 41 0.38 3

25GLR_232 56 108 7.73 52 Includes: 13m at 29.11g/t 25GLR_233 47 94 0.37 47

25GLR_234 33 51 0.5 18

25GLR_235 70 99 0.8 29

25GLR_236 74 97 0.54 23

25GLR_236 167 176 0.44 9 Includes: 3m at 2.05g/t 25GLR_237 18 108 2.7 90 Includes: 17m at 11.73g/t and 12m at 2.9g/t 25GLR_238 78 84 0.34 6

25GLR_238 93 106 0.34 13

25GLR_238 147 201 0.53 54 Includes: 6m at 3.8g/t

Appendix 3: JORC Tables

JORC Code, 2012 Edition - Table 1 report template

Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data

(Criteria in this section apply to all succeeding sections.)

Criteria Commentary Sampling techniques Results are part of BNZ's RC drilling campaign at the recently acquired Glenburgh Gold Project situated ~285 km east of Carnarvon via Gascoyne Junction, WA.

RC drilling samples were collected as 1m single samples.

Each sample collected represents each one (1) metre drilled collected from the rig-mounted cone splitter into individual calico bags (~3kg).

The rig mounted cyclone/cone splitter was levelled at the start of each hole to aid an even fall of the sample through the cyclone into the cone splitter.

RC drilling sample submissions include the use of certified standards (CRMs), and field duplicates were added to the submitted sample sequence to test laboratory equipment calibrations. Standards selected are matched to the analytical method of photon assaying at ALS labs in Perth (~500g units). No composites were taken.

Based on statistical analysis of these results, there is no evidence to suggest the samples are not representative. Drilling techniques The RC drill rig was a Schramm C685 & T685 rig type with the capability to reach >500m depths with a rig-mounted cyclone/cone splitter using a face sample hammer bit of 5 1/2 - 6" size.

The booster was used to apply air to keep drill holes dry and reach deeper depths. Drill sample recovery RC sample recovery is visually assessed and recorded where significantly reduced. Negligible sample loss has been recorded.

RC samples were visually checked for recovery, moisture and contamination. A cyclone and cone splitter were used to provide a uniform sample, and these were routinely cleaned.

RC Sample recoveries are generally high. No significant sample loss has been recorded. Logging RC chip samples have been geologically logged on a per 1 metre process recording lithology, mineralisation, veining, alteration, and weathering.

Geological logging is considered appropriate for this style of deposit (metamorphosed orogenic gold). The entire length of all holes has been geologically logged.

RC drill logging was completed by Benz Mining staff and data entered into BNZ's MXDeposit digital data collection platform provided by Expedio.

All drill chips were collected into 20 compartment-trays for future reference and stored securely at Glenburgh camp. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation RC chips were cone split at the rig. Samples were generally dry.

A sample size of between 3 and 5 kg was collected. This size is considered appropriate, and representative of the material being sampled given the width and continuity of the intersections, and the grain size of the material being collected.

For the 1 metre samples, certified analytical standards (appropriate for photon assaying) and field duplicates were inserted at appropriate intervals at a rate equal to 1 in 20 and sent for analysis with the samples.

Sample preparation was undertaken at ALS Laboratory - Perth. Gold analysis utilised the photon assaying methodology where original samples are crushed to 90% better than -3mm with a sub-set 500g separated for non-destructive analysis.

Any sample reporting as having elevated > 1Sv readings during the preparation for photon assaying at ALS labs were flagged and were submitted for fire assay (Au-AA26) methodology at ALS labs in Perth as a quantifying check against the Photon assays. Quality of assay data and laboratory test PhotonAssay at ALS Perth: Samples submitted for PhotonAssay analysis were dried, crushed to achieve approximately 90% passing 3.15 mm, rotary split, and a nominal ~500 g sub-sample was collected (method codes CRU-32a and SPL-32a). The ~500 g sub-sample was analysed for gold using the PhotonAssay technique (method code Au-PA01), together with quality control samples including certified reference materials and field duplicates.

ALS PhotonAssay Analysis Technique: Developed by CSIRO in collaboration with Chrysos Corporation, PhotonAssay is a rapid, chemical-free alternative to conventional fire assay that uses high-energy X-rays. The technique is non-destructive and analyses a substantially larger sample mass than the standard 50 g fire assay. ALS has extensively tested and validated the PhotonAssay method, with results benchmarked against traditional fire assay.

Routine mutli-element analysis - four acid digest with ICP-MS finish (method code ME-MS61) and portable XRF (method code pXRF-NQ) has been completed down hole on a pulverize 500 g split to better than 85% passing 75um (method code PUL-32m) but this information does not form part of this report.

Laboratory QA/QC is maintained through the routine use of internal certified reference materials and blanks as part of standard in-house procedures. In addition, BNZ submitted an independent suite of certified reference materials (see above). These data are formally reviewed on a periodic basis. Verification of sampling and assaying Significant drill intersections are checked by the supervising personnel. The intersections are compared to recorded geology and neighbouring data and reviewed in Leapfrog and QGIS software.

No twinned holes have been drilled to date by Benz Mining, but, planned holes have tested the interpreted mineralised trends, verifying the geometry of the mineralised targets.

All logs were validated by the Project Geologist prior to being sent to the Database Administrator for import

No adjustments have been made to assay data apart from values below the detection limit which are assigned a value of half the detection limit (positive number) Location of data points Hole collar coordinates including RLs have been located by handheld GPS in the field during initial drill site preparation. Actual hole collars were collected by a DGPS system at the Glenburgh Gold Project.

The grid system used for the location of all drill holes is GDA94_MGA _Zone 50s.

Planned hole coordinates and final GPS coordinates are compared in QGIS and Leapfrog project files to ensure all targets have been tested as intended.

The drill string path is monitored as drilling progresses using downhole Axis Champ Gyro tool and compared against the planned drill path, adjustment to the drilling technique is requested as required to ensure the intended path is followed.

Readings were recorded at 30m intervals from surface to end of hole after Benz reviewed single shot verses EOH continuous surveying of the Axis Champ Gyro tool and noted >3 degrees variance in azimuth with hole depth. The single shots produce less variability and are used for hole trace reporting in the database.

Historical drill hole surveys and methods will be reviewed in preparation for any updates to MRE in the future. Data spacing and distribution BNZ's Glenburgh RC drilling has been designed to infill and extend mineralisation defined by historical drilling. Drill spacings are varied. Holes were generally angled between -65 degrees towards ~145 degrees.

34 holes were drilled at Icon at 10m x 10m spacing, dipping between -60 to -80 degrees towards 155 degrees, with average depths of 100m. The objective of the close spaced drilling was to form a data cube to obtain adequate spacing for testing mineralisation continuity and geological host features.

The mineralised domains established for pre-BNZ Mineral Resource Estimates have sufficient continuity in both geology and grade to be considered appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedures and classification applied under the 2012 JORC Code. Ongoing drilling will be sufficiently spaced for a reinterpretation based on BNZ's structural model.

No sample compositing of material from drilling has been applied during this drilling campaign. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Drilling has primarily been undertaken perpendicular to the interpreted mineralised structures as stated above.

No orientation-based sampling bias has been identified - observed intercepts to date indicate the interpreted geology hosting mineralisation is robust. Sample security All samples were prepared in the field by Benz Mining staff and delivered by contracted couriers from the field site to the ALS laboratory in Perth directly.

Individual pre-numbered calco sample bags are placed in polywoven plastic bags (5 per bag) secured at the top with a cable tie. These bags are annotated with the company name and sample numbers, the bags are placed in larger bulker bags for transport to ALS labs in Perth, also labelled with corresponding company name, drill hole and sample identifiers.

Sample pulps are stored in a dry, secure location at Benz's Glenburgh camp. Audits or reviews Data is validated by Benz staff and Geolytic database consultants as it is entered into MXDeposit. Errors are returned to field staff for validation.

All drilled hole collars have been located with a DGPS.

There have been no audits undertaken.

Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results

(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.)

Criteria Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Glenburgh Gold Project is a group of 10 tenements and 2 applications. The majority of known gold deposits are located on Mining Lease M09/148.

The tenement is 100% owned by Benz Mining Limited.

The tenements are in good standing and no known impediments exist. Exploration done by other parties Since Helix Resources in 1994 and subsequent work by Gascoyne Resources, about 159,149 soil samples, 1,349 vacuum holes and 2,285 auger holes have been completed at Glenburgh.

48 diamond holes, 398 RC holes, 6 air-core holes and 462 RAB holes have been drilled in the Glenburgh area to identify the distribution and evaluate the potential of the deposit.

Drilling to date has identified 10 high potential deposits in the Glenburgh area which are: Tuxedo, Icon, Apollo, Mustang, Shelby, Hurricane, Zone 102, Zone 126, NE3 and NE4 deposits. Geology Gold mineralisation at the Glenburgh deposit is hosted in Paleoproterozoic upper-amphibolite to granulite facies siliciclastic rocks of the Glenburgh Terrane, in the southern Gascoyne Province of Western Australia.

Gold was first discovered at the Glenburgh deposit in 1994 by Helix Resources during follow-up drilling of soil geochemical anomalies. Mineralisation occurs in shears within quartz + feldspar + biotite  garnet gneiss, which contains discontinuous blocks or lenses of amphibolite and occasional thin magnetite-bearing metamorphics, probably derived from chemical sediments.

Higher-grade mineralisation appears to be directly related to silica flooding in the gneiss. This silica flooding may give rise to quartz 'veins' up to several metres thick, although scales of several centimetres to tens of centimetres are the norm. Neither the higher-grade silica lodes nor the more pervasive lower-grade mineralisation exhibits sharp or well-defined lithological contacts. Drill hole Information For this announcement, 104 Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes are being reported.

Collar details have been provided in Appendix 1.

For earlier released results, see previous announcements by Gascoyne Resources (ASX: GCY) and Spartan Resources (ASX: SPR). Data aggregation methods No material information has been excluded.

Low Grade: A nominal 0.3 ppm Au lower cut off has been applied to with no internal dilution length applied.

High grade: A nominal 0.8 ppm Au lower cut off has been applied to with no internal dilution length applied.

Higher grade Au intervals lying within broader zones of Au mineralisation are reported as included intervals.

No top cuts have been applied to reported intercepts.

No metal equivalent values have been used.

All reported assays have been length weighted if appropriate.

Some drill holes reported in this announcement were previously disclosed based on partial assay results. Completion of outstanding assays has resulted in updated intercepts now being reported. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths Drilling is generally oriented perpendicular to the interpreted strike of mineralisation, and intercepts are reported as downhole lengths unless otherwise stated.

To improve understanding of true widths, a subset of holes in this program were drilled from the opposite azimuth to previous drilling to test structural geometry. Ongoing drilling and geological modelling are required to confirm the true orientation and extent of mineralised lenses. Diagrams Relevant diagrams are included in the report. Balanced reporting All meaningful data relating to the Exploration program has been included and reported to the market as assays are received. Other substantive exploration data See body of announcement. Further work Assays for the remainder of the programme will be reported once received and validated.

Ongoing drilling across the Glenburgh camp to extend mineralisation along strike and at depth.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281887

Source: Benz Mining Corp.
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia, Jan. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Government of Mongolia received the National Productivity Master Plan for Mongolia 2026-2035 at the Deputy Prime Minister's office, Government Palace, Ulaanbaatar, on 26 January 2026. The master plan was formally handed over to the Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, H.E. Gankhuyag Khassuuri, by the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Secretary-General, Dr. Indra Pradana Singawinata, in an official ceremony jointly organized by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection; the Mongolian Productivity Organization; and the APO.

The master plan provides a national pathway for strengthening competitiveness and resilience by making productivity a deliberate, measurable priority. It presents a clear baseline message: Following a business-as-usual trajectory without significant productivity reforms, annual GDP growth in Mongolia is projected to slow from 6.2% (2000-24) to 4.2% in 2026-35 and then to 2.8% from 2036 to 2050, driven primarily by a decline in the contribution of labor productivity from 4.0% to 1.4% over the same periods.

"The Master Plan is not merely a report. It is a strategic instrument of statecraft," said Secretary-General Dr. Indra. In addition, he emphasized that productivity, when treated as a deliberate national agenda, can raise living standards, strengthen competitiveness, and widen opportunity simultaneously.





In his remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Gankhuyag reaffirmed the Government's productivity-led development objectives, including efforts to "increase the labor productivity and wages of Mongolian people" and to sustain stable growth "above 6 percent" through higher manufacturing processing, productivity, and diversification. He also emphasized public sector productivity reforms under the New Revival Policy, including digitalizing public services, reducing bureaucracy, streamlining inspections, and rationalizing special permits, while underscoring that "productivity is not only an economic indicator" but a concept that directly affects public service quality and citizens' quality of life.

Minister for Family, Labour and Social Protection Aubakir Telukhan highlighted Mongolia's national policy direction to advance a "Productivity Revolution," reduce unemployment, and steadily increase labor productivity and wages while aligning reforms with rapid global changes in technology, trade, and climate policy. Highlighting the scale of the challenge, he stated: "In Mongolia, average labor productivity is 11.3 thousand US dollars, which is 3.6 times lower than the global average."

To address the above, the master plan is structured around five strategic thrusts:

Expanding market access and prospects Driving technology and digitalization Raising the quantity and quality of talent Making an efficient business environment Shaping inclusiveness and equity



It also identifies eight priority sectors for focused productivity acceleration: agriculture, forestry, and fishing; processing industries (manufacturing); wholesale and retail trade (including vehicle repair); education services; accommodation and food services; human health and social work activities; water supply and sewerage, waste management, and remediation; and transportation and storage.

Secretary-General Dr. Indra expressed his appreciation to the Government of Mongolia, the Mongolian Productivity Organization, ministries, and stakeholders for their leadership and substantive contributions. He also reaffirmed the APO's continued commitment to translating Mongolia's National Productivity Master Plan into measurable outcomes.

About the APO The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) is a regional intergovernmental organization dedicated to improving productivity in the Asia-Pacific region through mutual cooperation. It is nonpolitical, nonprofit, and nondiscriminatory. Established in 1961 with eight founding members, the APO currently comprises 21 member economies: Bangladesh; Cambodia; the Republic of China; Fiji; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Islamic Republic of Iran; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Lao PDR; Malaysia; Mongolia; Nepal; Pakistan; the Philippines; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Turkiye; and Vietnam.

The APO is shaping the future of the region by fostering the socioeconomic development of its members through national policy advisory services, acting as a think tank, institutional capacity-building initiatives, and knowledge sharing to increase productivity.

For details, contact the APO Digital Information Unit: pr@apo-tokyo.org.

Website: https://www.apo-tokyo.org

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/42ba291c-06de-464d-b487-74b8445f1b0b
HIGHLIGHTS

Non-binding MOU signed with the Saguenay Port Authority, located in the heart of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean industrial region, Quebec.

The agreement with Mont Royal highlights the strategic advantages and role of the Port of Saguenay as a natural logistics hub in north-eastern Canada for the development of the critical minerals sector and aligns with the strategic Canadian Northern Corridor (CNC).

The Port of Saguenay offers a year-round and integrated port, road and rail logistics solution for the importation of rare earth concentrates from the Ashram Project for further processing and the subsequent export of refined intermediate rare earth products to global markets.

The Port of Saguenay industrial zone offers a well-serviced location for the Ashram Project's proposed Hydrometallurgical facility, with ready access to the Saguenay Port, rail and road and reticulated power, water and gas services.

The Saguenay region is home to several significant mining operations and processing facilities, along with a skilled workforce and mature service support industry.

Mont Royal's Managing Director, Nicholas Holthouse, said:

"We are very pleased to be working with the Port of Saguenay, with this agreement marking an important step towards the development of the Ashram Rare Earth Project.

"The Port of Saguenay and its associated industrial-port zone complement the Project's new development strategy, which is focused where possible on reducing technical risk and CAPEX. We see great opportunity in moving the more complex Hydromet portion of the Ashram flowsheet away from site and relocating it to Saguenay, an area which offers ready access to port, rail, power, gas, service industries and a skilled workforce. Saguenay is shaping up to tick all those boxes for us.

"Mont Royal remains committed to undertaking as much value-adding to our rare earth products within Quebec and Canada as possible and industrial complexes such as Saguenay support this vision."

Saguenay Port Administration's Chief executive officer, Carl Laberge, said:

"We are very pleased with the conclusion of this collaboration agreement. It reflects the attractiveness and strategic strengths of the Port of Saguenay and its rapidly growing, world-class industrial-port zone. This agreement is directly aligned with the Northern Canadian Corridor Project championed by the entire Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, which aims in particular to support the development of the critical minerals sector and to maximize its tangible benefits for Quebec and Canada, in which the Port of Saguenay and its industrial-port zone represent key links."

Mayor of Saguenay and President of Promotion Saguenay Luc Boivin, said:

"The signing of this agreement between the Port of Saguenay and Mont Royal Resources marks a decisive milestone for the economic future of our region. It confirms Saguenay's role as a strategic hub for the development of the critical minerals sector, an industry essential to the energy transition and clean technologies. Thanks to our world-class infrastructures and the strength of our industrial ecosystem, we are well positioned to welcome major projects that will generate value, innovation, and high-quality jobs for our citizens. Saguenay is ready to support this growth and to play its full role in the responsible development of resources in Quebec and Canada."

Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2026) - Mont Royal Resources Ltd (ASX: MRZ) (TSXV: MRZL) ("Mont Royal" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has executed a Non-binding Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with the Saguenay Port Authority (SPA) (the "Port") located in Saguenay, Quebec, Canada (the "Agreement").

The MOU, which was signed by senior representatives of Mont Royal and the Port on January 27, 2026, establishes a framework for cooperation relating to Mont Royal's proposed industrial project related to the processing and valorisation of rare earth concentrates ("the Ashram Project").

Under the Agreement, Mont Royal (through its wholly owned subsidiary Commerce Resources) is considering locating a Hydrometallurgical facility within the Port Saguenay industrial zone, subject to further technical, commercial and regulatory evaluations.

The Port of Saguenay has been identified as a key piece of infrastructure with the potential to become a strategic export gateway for critical minerals produced in Northern Quebec to global markets. The importance of this corridor, and the role of the Port of Saguenay in facilitating critical minerals exports, was recognised in Canada's 2025 Federal Budget. The MOU is part of the broader effort to develop a local and integrated value chain in Quebec, aimed at maximizing the impact of critical and strategic mineral resources from extraction through processing, while fostering industrial innovation and regional competitiveness.

By strengthening logistics partnerships and leveraging strategic infrastructure such as the Port of Saguenay, the initiative contributes to reinforcing Canada's position in international critical minerals markets, which are essential to the energy transition and clean technologies.

SPA owns land in its world-class industrial-port zone that could potentially be suitable for the Ashram Project's proposed Hydrometallurgical plant, subject to technical, environmental, regulatory, and operational assessments. Under the Agreement, SPA may, subject to availability and approvals, consider making certain port facilities accessible for the potential transportation and handling of Mont Royal's rare earth concentrate and intermediate rare earth products.

Key Functions & Features of Saguenay Port Authority (Port de Saguenay):

Strategic Location : Deep-water port with year-round access, connecting to North American rail and highway networks.

Site services and logistics : Proposed industrial-port zone site will be reticulated with power, water, gas and permitted process water discharge points. Adjacent mature mining and processing operations provide the region with a skilled workforce and technical support service industry. The site is well serviced with a railhead, ample equipment storage and laydown areas and all-weather road network.

Economic Engine : Supports regional development and provides access to global markets.

Industrial Hub : Features extensive industrial land and facilities for handling dry bulk, liquid bulk, and general cargo.

Governance: Operates as a federally incorporated, autonomous entity with a diverse board.

The MOU is on a nonexclusive basis and be terminated by the earlier of either party in writing or on December 31, 2026, if the parties have not yet entered into a formal agreement, unless both Parties express their written consent to postpone such deadline to a later date.

About Port Saguenay

A strategic intermodal hub and one of Canada's 17 port authorities, the Port of Saguenay is a year-round deepwater port with direct access to the North American rail and highway networks. It is widely known for its operational efficiency and high capacity for receiving and shipping dry and liquid bulk goods. The Port of Saguenay is one of Eastern Canada's largest shipping terminals for forest biomass to Europe. It is also responsible for international cruise ship operations in Saguenay, the busiest port of call along the Saguenay-St. Lawrence corridor in terms of ship and passenger traffic each year. The Port of Saguenay has one of Canada's largest industrial port sites, with nearly 12 square kilometres of land dedicated to large-scale industry adjacent to its marine terminal. Its development is guided by a vision focused on the responsible and sustainable growth of its activities.

About Promotion Saguenay

Promotion Saguenay is the economic development corporation of Saguenay. This autonomous organization is supported by a Board of Directors made up of business leaders from various economic sectors and employs a team of 55 people. Promotion Saguenay was established in September 2002 following the merger of the different economic development corporations of the former municipalities that now make up the City of Saguenay.

About Mont Royal

Mont Royal Resources Limited (ASX: MRZ) (TSXV: MRZL) is a critical minerals development and exploration company with projects in Quebec, Canada. The Company is dedicated to advancing its 100%-owned Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit in Quebec, Canada - one of the largest monazite-dominant carbonatite-hosted Rare Earth Elements deposits in North America. In addition, the Company owns 75% of Northern Lights Minerals 536km2 tenement package located in the Upper Eastmain Greenstone belt. The projects are located in the emerging James Bay area, a Tier-1 mining jurisdiction of Quebec, and are prospective for lithium, precious (Gold, Silver) and base metals mineralisation (Copper, Nickel).

For further information regarding Mont Royal Resources Limited, please visit the ASX platform (ASX: MRZ) or the Mont Royal's website www.montroyalres.com





Figure 1: Location of the Ashram REE & Fluorspar Project, the Northern Lights Project and the Port of Saguenay

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12033/281886_d17fc352e4436bcb_001full.jpg

For and on behalf of the Board

ENDS

Joel Ives | Company Secretary

Important Notices & Disclaimers

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Australian securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively referred to as "forward looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address circumstances, events, activities or developments that could, or may or will occur are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are 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. Risks that could change or prevent these events, activities or developments from coming to fruition include: actual results of current and future exploration activities; that Mont Royal may not be able to fully finance any additional exploration on the Ashram Project; that even if Mont Royal is able raise capital, costs for exploration activities may increase such that Mont Royal may not have sufficient funds to pay for such exploration or processing activities; the timing and content of the proposed drill program and any future work programs may not be completed as proposed or at all; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumptions based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that, with further test work, may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful or samples derived from the Ashram Project may not yield positive results, and even if such tests are successful or initial sample results are positive, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the anticipated market demand for rare earth elements and other minerals may not be as expected; the availability of labour and equipment to undertake future exploration work and testing activities; geopolitical risks which may result in market and economic instability; and despite the current expected viability of the Ashram Project, conditions changing such that even if metals or minerals are discovered on the Ashram Project, the project may not be commercially viable, or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the public filings made by Mont Royal. Although Mont Royal has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements are based on Mont Royal's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about its business and the industry in which it operates and management's beliefs and assumptions, including the non-occurrence of the risks and uncertainties that are described above and in the public filings made by Mont Royal or other events occurring outside of our normal course of business, and are not guarantees of future performance or development and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are in some cases beyond Mont Royal's control.

Forward-looking statements in this announcement include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed benefits derived from the Transaction; the goals, strategies, opportunities, technologies used, project timelines and funding requirements; impact of combined management expertise and prospective shareholding; the proposed use of proceeds of the Mont Royal Equity Raise; the expectation that the Commerce Shares will be delisted from the TSXV; the expectation that TSXV approval will be obtained for the issuance of MRZ Shares for the interest accrued under the Convertible Notes; the expectation that the Mont Royal Shares will be dual-listed on the ASX and TSXV; the plans, operations and prospects of Mont Royal and its properties; the continued advancement of the Ashram Project to development; that Ashram's fluorspar component which makes it one of the largest potential sources of fluorspar in the world and could be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets; that Mont Royal is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth element producers globally, with a focus on being a long-term global supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide; and that Mont Royal may explore the potential of other high-value commodities on the Ashram Property and the expected timetable for dual listing of Mont Royal's shares; and statements about market and industry trends, which are based on interpretation of market conditions. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate", "expect", "likely", "propose", "will", "intend", "should", "could", "may", "believe", "forecast", "estimate", "target", "outlook", "guidance" (including negative or grammatical variations) and other similar expressions. No representation, warranty, guarantee or assurance, express or implied, is given or made in relation to any forward-looking statement. In particular no representation, warranty or assumption, express or implied, is given in relation to any underlying assumption or that any forward-looking statement will be achieved. There can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual and future events may vary materially from the forward-looking statements and the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements were based, because events and actual circumstances frequently do not occur as forecast and future results are subject to known and unknown risks such as changes in market conditions and regulations.

Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, and should rely on their own independent enquiries, investigations and advice regarding information contained in this announcement. Any reliance by a reader on the information contained in this announcement is wholly at the reader's own risk.

To the maximum extent permitted by law or any relevant listing rules of the ASX/TSX-V, Mont Royal and their respective related bodies corporate and affiliates and their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents and intermediaries disclaim any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to the information in this announcement to reflect any change in expectations in relation to any forward-looking statements or any such change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements were based. Nothing in this announcement will, under any circumstances (including by reason of this announcement remaining available and not being superseded or replaced by any other announcement or publication with respect to Mont Royal or the subject matter of this announcement), create an implication that there has been no change in the affairs of Mont Royal since the date of this announcement.

Not Investment Advice

This announcement is not financial product, investment advice or a recommendation to acquire securities of Mont Royal or Commerce and has been prepared without taking into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of individuals. Each recipient of this announcement should make its own enquiries and investigations regarding all information in this announcement, including, but not limited to, the assumption, uncertainty and contingencies which may affect future operations of Mont Royal and the impact that different future outcomes may have on Mont Royal. Before making an investment decision, prospective investors should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to their own objectives, financial situation and needs, and seek legal, taxation and financial advice appropriate to their jurisdiction and circumstances.

Unless otherwise stated, all dollar values in this Announcement are reported in Australian dollars.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281886

Source: Mont Royal Resources Limited
Groundbreaking programme will deliver a scalable AI framework, school-based research pilots, teacher playbooks, and ethical governance integrated with EiM's digital ecosystem to support students in an AI world.

SINGAPORE, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Education in Motion (EiM), a global leader in pioneering educational excellence, today announced a new AI in education initiative in partnership with Dr Rose Luckin, Professor Emeritus at University College London, world-renowned expert on AI use in education.

Led by EiM's Chief Innovation Officer Crispian Farrow and supported by Professor Rose Luckin's consultancy Educate Ventures Research, which aims to help organisations leverage AI, this initiative builds on EiM's existing digital ecosystem to pilot new use cases designed to more deeply understand the impact of AI on teaching and learning. These cases will not only look at effectively applying new technology in curriculum, but also clarify the strategic purpose behind such integration: advancing human-centred learning, ethical practice, and academic rigour in the age of AI. Taken together, these measures will enable students, staff and the wider community to work with tools augmented by AI ensuring responsible, safe and equitable use.

Through real-world, in-school application, the programme will deliver a scalable AI framework for all EiM schools - which includes the network of Dulwich College International schools; an enhanced understanding of how to best apply AI in education approaches; a practical, research-based AI playbook for teachers; and an age-differentiated curriculum designed for AI literacy and mastery, while cultivating critical thinking.

"AI is moving fast, but excellence demands discernment," said Lesley Meyer, Chief Education Officer at EiM. "Our aim is not to chase tools, but to strengthen the human heart of education - critical thinking, creativity, empathy - while holding firm to academic standards. This initiative ensures AI serves teaching, integrity, and student wellbeing."

"This is an operational roadmap with guardrails," said Crispian Farrow, Chief Innovation Officer at EiM. "By combining school-based research pilots, rigorous evaluation of impact, and an evidence-based AI playbook for teachers, we'll further integrate AI with our ecosystem in ways that are secure, compliant, and demonstrably valuable. Every school will contribute evidence so we can scale what works and avoid what doesn't."

"I am truly impressed by what I have seen at EiM so far: it has already understood that effective AI in education must be ethical, evidence-informed, and focused on learning," said Professor Rose Luckin.

"We will build a framework that tests assumptions, measures impact and supports teachers - refining an approach that is rigorous, equitable and scalable," added Dr Madiha Khan, Director of Research & Consultancy at Educate Ventures Research.

Phase one includes teacher competency development in the digital domain, an AI critical thinking framework across age bands, data and impact-evaluation protocols, and monthly consultation clinics to support implementation. Dr Luckin is also a member of the EiM Education Advisory Board, announced in September, which will provide additional insight and oversight.

"We are assembling a range of world leading assets to help us shape the future of learning" added Meyer. "EiM has the vision, infrastructure and values to lead the sector, and by drawing on resources like the expertise of our Education Advisory Boardwe are preparing young people to thrive in an AI-shaped world by combining bold innovation with academic rigour and ethical purpose."

About Education in Motion

Education in Motion (EiM) is a global leader in pioneering educational excellence, inspiring generations of learners to Live Worldwise. Since the founding of its first school over two decades ago, EiM has grown its diverse portfolio of schools and brands, offering a blend of innovation and tradition through a range of premium educational offerings across the globe. These include Dulwich College International, which offers both K-12 schools and a High School Programme; Dehong, offering bilingual education; Green School International, promoting sustainability across Bali and the world; Sherfield School in the United Kingdom; Hochalpines Institut Ftan AG (HIF) in Switzerland; Ignite, a unique outdoors-based overseas residential programme; and Chinese-language learning and teaching platform Wo Hui Mandarin.

Today, EiM empowers over 11,500 students across 15 schools worldwide to thrive holistically on tailored pathways for each unique individual, resulting in outstanding academic results and top university matriculation.

For more information about EiM and its brands, visit www.eimglobal.com.

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Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Regulatory dossier to obtain marketing authorization for QUVIVIQ has been submitted to ANVISA in Brazil





Allschwil, Switzerland - January 28, 2026

Idorsia Ltd (SIX: IDIA) announces an exclusive license and supply agreement with EMS S.A., Brazil's largest privately-owned pharmaceutical company, to bring QUVIVIQ (daridorexant) to patients across Latin America. This partnership marks another milestone in Idorsia's mission to make QUVIVIQ available worldwide.

Srishti Gupta, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Idorsia, commented:

"We are very excited to join forces with EMS, a market leader with exceptional commercial reach and expertise. This collaboration is a strategic step forward in our global expansion, ensuring that patients in Latin America will soon have access to our innovative treatment for insomnia - the only medication to have shown improvement on daytime functioning and treat insomnia as a 24-hour disorder. Together, we aim to transform the nights and days for millions of people struggling with this condition."

Under the licensing and supply agreement, EMS will be responsible for the registration and commercialization of QUVIVIQ in Latin America. The filing of a regulatory dossier with ANVISA to obtain marketing authorization in Brazil took place in 2025. Idorsia is entitled to receive:

Total milestone compensation of USD 20 million for the execution of the agreement, first filing and launch of QUVIVIQ;

Supply price plus double-digit royalties on net sales in Brazil and Mexico;

Shared milestone payments due to EMS and royalties by sub-licensees in other Latin America countries.





QUVIVIQ - a different kind of insomnia treatment

Insomnia affects millions in Latin America, yet current treatments are often associated with next-day drowsiness, risk of dependence, and withdrawal symptoms - leaving a clear unmet need for safer, effective alternatives.

QUVIVIQ, discovered by Idorsia, works differently from traditional hypnotics. By selectively blocking orexin receptors, it regulates overactive wake signaling without broadly suppressing brain activity. Its optimized pharmacokinetics promote restorative sleep throughout the entire night, reducing morning sleepiness and improving daytime functioning.

Clinical trials published in The Lancet Neurology demonstrated that daridorexant significantly improved sleep onset, sleep maintenance, and self-reported total sleep time at 25mg and 50mg doses compared to placebo. Daridorexant 50 mg also demonstrated a highly significant improvement in daytime functioning compared to placebo.

Global availability

QUVIVIQ is already marketed in the US, Canada, and multiple European countries, and is available in Japan, Hong Kong, and China through strategic partnerships. In addition, it was recently approved by the Israeli Ministry of Health in Israel, where Idorsia has a license agreement with CTS. The EMS collaboration reinforces Idorsia's commitment to making QUVIVIQ a global brand.

Notes to the editor

About insomnia

Insomnia is defined as a combination of dissatisfaction with sleep and a significant negative impact on daytime functioning. Dissatisfaction with sleep refers to the difficulty to initiate and/or maintain sleep on at least three nights per week for at least three months, despite adequate opportunity to sleep.

Insomnia is a condition of overactive wake signaling and studies have shown that areas of the brain associated with wakefulness remain more active during sleep in patients with insomnia.

Insomnia as a disorder is quite different from a brief period of poor sleep, and it can take its toll on both physical and mental health. It is a persistent condition with a negative impact on daytime functioning. Idorsia's research has shown that poor-quality sleep can affect many aspects of daily life, including the ability to concentrate, mood, and energy levels.

The goals of managing insomnia are to improve sleep quality and quantity, as well as daytime functioning. Current recommended treatment of insomnia includes sleep hygiene recommendations, cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy.

About EMS

EMS is the largest pharmaceutical company in Brazil, market leader for 20 consecutive years, and part of Grupo NC. With more than 60 years of history and over 10,000 employees, it operates in the segments of medical prescriptions, generics, branded medicines, OTC, and non-retail, manufacturing products for virtually all areas of medicine. The company has production units in Hortolandia (SP), where its advanced R&D Center and modern solid medication packaging plant are located; in Jaguariuna (SP); in Brasilia (DF); and in Manaus (AM), operating Novamed, one of the largest solid medication factories in the world. It is also present in Serbia with the pharmaceutical company Galenika and in Italy with the Monteresearch laboratory.

Following a solid path of innovation and internationalization of its products and consolidation as a global powerhouse, EMS inaugurated in 2024 Brazil's first peptide factory, capable of producing GLP-1 analogs such as liraglutide and semaglutide for obesity and type 2 diabetes treatment, serving both domestic and international markets. With operations in 56 countries, EMS conducts one of the largest numbers of clinical studies in Brazil and holds approximately 100 patents granted or under review worldwide.

About Idorsia

The purpose of Idorsia is to challenge accepted medical paradigms, answering the questions that matter most. To achieve this, we will discover, develop, and commercialize transformative medicines - either with in-house capabilities or together with partners - and evolve Idorsia into a leading biopharmaceutical company, with a strong scientific core.

Headquartered near Basel, Switzerland - a European biotech hub - Idorsia has a highly experienced team of dedicated professionals, covering all disciplines from bench to bedside; QUVIVIQ (daridorexant), a different kind of insomnia treatment with the potential to revolutionize this mounting public health concern; strong partners to maximize the value of our portfolio; a promising in-house development pipeline; and a specialized drug discovery engine focused on small-molecule drugs that can change the treatment paradigm for many patients. Idorsia is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: IDIA).

For further information, please contact

Investor & Media Relations

Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hegenheimermattweg 91, CH-4123 Allschwil

+41 58 844 10 10

investor.relations@idorsia.com - media.relations@idorsia.com - www.idorsia.com

The above information contains certain "forward-looking statements", relating to the company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intend", "estimates", "believes", "expects", "may", "are expected to", "will", "will continue", "should", "would be", "seeks", "pending" or "anticipates" or similar expressions, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements include descriptions of the company's investment and research and development programs, business development activities and anticipated expenditures in connection therewith, descriptions of new products expected to be introduced by the company and anticipated customer demand for such products and products in the company's existing portfolio. Such statements reflect the current views of the company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

Attachment
TIANJIN, China, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 27th China Hospital Construction Conference & International Hospital Build and Infrastructure Exposition (CHCC 2026), a globally recognized hospital construction event, will be held from May 23 to 25, 2026, at the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Tianjin), China.

Having been held successfully for 26 consecutive editions, CHCC has evolved into a widely recognized industry platform in the hospital construction sector, bringing together academic insights and industry practice. The event offers a one-stop platform for healthcare infrastructure professionals to learn, network, and explore practical solutions.

CHCC2026 will feature an exhibition spanning over 100,000 square meters, showcasing solutions from more than 800 qualified suppliers worldwide. The event is expected to attract over 60,000 professional visitors and more than 150 delegations. In parallel, the conference program will host over 100 forums with more than 1,000 speakers, drawing an anticipated audience of over 10,000 attendees.

Designed as an immersive, use-case-driven experience, CHCC 2026 is structured around eight themed pavilions, covering areas of operational efficiency, innovation in specialized medical systems, integrated building systems, interior environments, clinical space upgrades, cleanroom engineering, hospital wards, and AI technologies. Within these halls, 40 exhibition zones will cover the end-to-end hospital construction procurement process, spanning hospital planning and design, mechanical and electrical systems, interior finishing, specialized medical engineering solutions, medical equipment, medical robots, digitally enabled hospital operations, and logistics and operations management. Together, they will present thousands of integrated, application-ready solutions shaping the future of modern healthcare infrastructure.

Why Attend CHCC 2026?

1. Access complete hospital construction solutions through a one-stop platform

2. Get insights from over 1,000 experts on trends, case studies, and emerging practices in hospital construction

3. Engage in exclusive activities, including the CHCC Awards Ceremony, pre-conference training, hospital tours, book launches, and leadership talks

"This year (2025) marks our fifth year of participating in CHCC. Every exhibition has been an unforgettable experience! CHCC is a powerful platform for global business communication and growth, offering innovative solutions and unique opportunities. If you're looking to expand your influence or explore new markets, it's definitely worth a try," said Athena, President of the China German Hortig-rohrpost Group.

Held alongside the exhibition, the conference program will provide comprehensive coverage across the hospital construction process, featuring forward-looking insights and in-depth discussions across seven core areas: healthcare infrastructure, digitally enabled hospital operations, integrated medical and senior care, medical engineering, hospital facilities and logistics management, medical robotics, and clinical discipline development.

CHCC 2026 invites healthcare infrastructure professionals worldwide to visit the exhibition and join this landmark event dedicated to the planning, construction, and operation of modern healthcare facilities.

Official website: https://www.chccchina.com/en

Get your free expo ticket: https://reg.reed-sinopharm.com/pc/#/login?id=25aa73cabd5b411c9052360160ba58e3&channelUuid=dde1a7af3a0e4db68dbd6ef51c4b6a5b

Event Organizer:

CHCC2026 is jointly organized by Zhuyitai, Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions (RSE), and Z&R Exhibitions. Notably, RSE is a joint venture between Sinopharm, China's largest healthcare group, and RX Global, a world-leading event organizer.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2871388/image_5054076_20260255.jpg

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London / Zurich, 28 January 2026

PRESS RELEASE

GAM Portfolio managers upping the pressure further on the Yutaka Giken deal by challenging controlling shareholder Honda.

Albert Saporta and Randel Freeman question why Honda sold controlling stake for less than half the minority tender price and demand transparency on potential ancillary transactions

On 27 January 2026 the portfolio managers of the GAM Japan Special Situations Investment Strategy published an open letter to Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Chairman Toshihiro Mibe, questioning Honda's decision to sell its controlling stake in Yutaka Giken at a 50% discount to the price being offered to minority shareholders.

This third letter in the campaign follows communications to Yutaka Giken's Board on 22 December 2025 and 21 January 2026. The portfolio managers now directly challenge Honda's role as the controlling shareholder that initiated and structured the transaction.

The letter highlights that Honda is selling its 50.65% controlling shareholding for 1,470 per share whilst SAMIL's tender offer to minority shareholders is 3,024 per share. The portfolio managers state: 'A controlling shareholder should command a significant premium in a transaction, not a 50% discount! There is even an expression for that: "control premium".'

The letter poses the question: 'In Japan, a country which has made tremendous strides in corporate governance over the last decade, why would Honda, a prominent Japanese company with global stature counting some of the largest international institutional investors, and moreover with a NYSE listing, "sell out" their minority shareholders in such a blatant disregard for its fiduciary responsibilities?'

The portfolio managers demand transparency on several ancillary transactions referenced in Yutaka's tender offer document, including SAMIL's purchases of Yutaka Autoparts India and an 11% stake in Shinnichi Kogyo directly from Honda, asking: 'How will Honda be "compensated" for handing over its Yutaka stake for an implied negative value?'

The letter also addresses Honda's exceptionally large treasury share holding of approximately 26% of shares outstanding, significantly higher than peer OEM companies. The portfolio managers note that Honda's EPS growth has consistently lagged most competitors and call for immediate cancellation of these treasury shares as 'highly accretive' and adherent to best corporate governance standards.

Albert Saporta and Randel Freeman, Co-Heads of GAM Alternatives, said:

'From our standpoint, the only plausible explanation is that minority shareholders are not being told the whole story. Honda's shareholders deserve answers to these questions and full transparency on the Yutaka sales process. Unfortunately, from our current vantage point, this transaction raises serious governance concerns and potential material breaches of fiduciary responsibilities.'

The full open letter, dated 27 January 2026, follows below:

This communication relates solely to the investment activities of the mentioned Special Situations Investment funds. Activist engagement is undertaken by the fund's investment managers in pursuit of the fund's stated investment objective. It should not be interpreted as a statement of corporate policy or opinion by GAM Investments.

Toshihiro Mibe

Chairman

Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

Open letter to the Board of Directors

January 27, 2026

Dear Mibe San,

We are the managers of the GAM Japan Special Situations Fund and are shareholders in Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ("Honda"). We are writing to highlight two matters of the utmost concern to us as shareholders in Honda and should be to all fellow Honda minority investors.

Firstly, the incomprehensibly low price which Honda willingly sold its controlling interest in Yutaka Giken Co., Ltd. ("Yutaka") to Samvardhana Motherson International ("SAMIL"). Honda is selling a 50.65% controlling shareholding in Yutaka for 1,470/sh, implying a value of 22bn1 for 100% of Yutaka. To put this perspective, SAMIL's tender offer price to the other Yutaka minority shareholders is 3024/sh. On this measure alone, Honda is selling a controlling interest in Yutaka for less than half of what minority investors will be receiving for their holdings. A controlling shareholder should command a significant premium in a transaction, not a 50% discount! There is even an expression for that: "control premium". Adding further insult to minority investors, the price which Honda agreed to sell Yutaka to SAMIL was one of the most appalling low takeover offers we have ever witnessed in our many decades of investing in the Japanese market. Honda is selling a controlling interest in Yutaka, a cash and asset rich and profitable company, for an implied valuation of 22bn, for a company with net cash of 42.2bn and tangible book value of 100.2bn! Effectively, the acquirer SAMIL is getting paid to take all of Yutaka's factories and its business.

The question isin Japan, a country which has made tremendous strides in corporate governance over the last decade, why would Honda, a prominent Japanese company with global stature counting some of the largest international institutional investors, and moreover with a NYSE listing, "sell out" their minority shareholders in a such a blatant disregard for its fiduciary responsibilities?

From our standpoint, the only plausible explanation is that minority shareholders are not being told the whole story. This transaction leaves several unanswered questions which raise serious concerns about conflicts of interest. Was a proper auction conducted for Yutaka? It appears to us that this transaction was a bi-lateral agreement between Honda and SAMIL. What are the terms of the SAMIL's 100% purchase of Yutaka Autoparts India Private Ltd.? What are the terms of the SAMIL's 11% purchase of Shinnichi Kogyo being purchased directly from Honda? Both transactions will occur after the tender for the minority shareholders of Yutaka closes. The Yutaka Giken tender offer document mentions "the possibility of transactions ancillary to this transaction occurring between the Tender Offeror [SAMIL], the Target Company [Yutaka] and Honda." Does this mean Honda will receive favorable pricing on future contracts with SAMIL? How will Honda be "compensated" for handing over its Yutaka stake for an implied negative value? Honda's shareholders deserve answers to these questions and full transparency on the Yutaka sales process. Unfortunately, from our current vantage point, this transaction raises serious governance concerns and potential material breaches of fiduciary responsibilities. We and all Honda shareholders must insist on full transparency to understand Honda's reasoning for selling its controlling stake in a profitable and extremely cash and asset rich company for such a derisory price.

Secondly, we (and other shareholders) need a detailed explanation for how Honda plans to deal with its exceedingly large holding of treasury shares (c. 26% of shares outstanding as of 30/9/25). Such a significant holding of treasury shares is not only uncharacteristic amongst your peer OEM companies but within Japan in general.

The immediate cancellation of this excessive quantum of treasury shares held on Honda's balance sheet would not only be highly accretive to Honda's earning per share (EPS) but would adhere to the best corporate governance standards.





Your company's EPS growth has consistently lagged that most of your competitors and so has your stock price to the lament of Honda's shareholders.

We look forward to your prompt response on these matters.

Best regards,

Albert Saporta

Co-CIO GAM Alternatives

GAM Investment Management (Switzerland) AG

Randel Freeman

Co-CIO GAM Alternatives

GAM USA Inc.

www.gam.com

1 [(50.65% x 1,470/sh x 14.82m total shares outstanding)] / 50.65%



For further information please contact:

Investment Team Media Relations Albert Saporta, Co-CIO GAM Alternatives

GAM Investment Management (Switzerland) AG

albert.saporta@gam.com







Randel Freeman, Co-CIO GAM Alternatives

GAM USA Inc.

randel.freeman@gam.com











Colin Bennett

colin.bennett@gam.com



T +44 (0) 207 393 8544



Visit us: www.gam.com

Follow us: X and LinkedIn







About the GAM Global Special Situations Strategies

The investment managers of the GAM Special Situations Strategies have long held the fundamental belief that markets can be inefficient, and securities go through distinct periods of mispricing, especially in complex corporate situations and when related securities are traded across different markets.

We believe by incorporating these securities in a thoughtfully structured portfolio and employing sophisticated hedging strategies we can achieve superior uncorrelated risk-adjusted returns across all market cycles.

The GAM Global Special Situations Strategies invest globally long and short in securities of companies, intra and across markets and within complex corporate capital structures, which are often undergoing significant corporate change. Rigorous quantitative modelling and screening is combined with fundamental analysis and our deep understanding of event-driven dynamics.

The investment strategies are co-managed by Albert Saporta and Randel Freeman - two of the pioneers in global event-driven and special situations investing with over 70 years combined experience.

About GAM

GAM is an independent investment manager that is listed in Switzerland. It is an active, independent global asset manager that delivers distinctive and differentiated investment solutions for its clients across its Investment and Wealth Management Businesses. Its purpose is to protect and enhance its clients' financial future. It attracts and empowers the brightest minds to provide investment leadership, innovation and a positive impact on society and the environment.

Total assets under management were CHF 12.7 billion as of 30 June 2025. GAM has global distribution with offices in 15 countries and is geographically diverse with clients in almost every continent. Headquartered in Zurich, GAM Investments was founded in 1983 and its registered office is at Hardstrasse 201 Zurich, 8005 Switzerland.

Other important information

This press release is issued by the portfolio managers of the funds referenced above for information purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice, an offer, or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Views expressed are those of the portfolio managers as at the date of publication and are subject to change. References to specific securities or transactions are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a recommendation. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

This release contains or may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Any such statements in this release speak only as of the date hereof and are based on assumptions and contingencies subject to change without notice. Any forward-looking statements in this release are not indications, guarantees, assurances or predictions of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the person making such statements. You are strongly cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.







Attachments
Richmond Hill Resources Plc - Fundraise and update re Martello Gold Project

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, January 28

Richmond Hill Resources PLC

("Richmond Hill" or the "Company")



Fundraise and update re Martello Gold Project

Richmond Hill Resources PLC (AIM: RHR) announces that the Company has raised gross proceeds of 600,000 through a placing of 23,077,000 new ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 2.6 pence per new ordinary share (the "Issue Price") (the "Placing"). In addition, further to the announcement on 18 December 2025, the Company has entered into a sale and purchase agreement ("SPA") with Ulvestone Ltd ("the Vendor") with respect to the Martello Gold Project in Canada.

Placing

Richmond Hill has raised gross proceeds of 600,000 comprising the Placing of 23,077,000 new Ordinary Shares at the Issue Price through its broker, Clear Capital Limited. The Issue Price represents a 6% premium to the mid-market closing price of 2.45 pence per Ordinary Share on 27 January 2026, being the latest practicable business day prior to the publication of this announcement.

The net proceeds of the Placing will be used to provide the Company with additional funding for general working capital and to progress its newly acquired Martello Gold Project in Ontario, Canada.

The Company is exploring the implementation of a facility to enable retail investors to participate in a future equity fundraise. A further announcement will be made in due course should such a facility be established.

Martello Gold Project

The Company has entered into an SPA to acquire the Martello Gold Project. The terms of the SPA are the same as the terms announced on 18 December 2025 with the exception that the vendor party has changed from Olerud Ltd to Ulvestone Limited. Ulvestone Ltd has assumed the Vendor's rights and obligations under the transaction in place of Olerud Ltd. Both companies are controlled by James Ikin, a substantial shareholder in the Company.

As announced on 5 January 2026, work has commenced on historic data compilation and digitisation is ongoing to define high-priority drill targets for a maiden drill programme. The Company has been informed that the database compilation will be completed shortly.

Initial Cash and Equity Payment and Issue of Creditor Shares

Richmond Hill will shortly make a payment to the Vendor of 100,000 in cash.

Richmond Hill has also issued 38,750,000 new Ordinary Shares at a price of 2 pence per share ("Consideration Shares") to the Vendor in line with the first tranche payment due to the Vendor under the SPA.

The Company has also issued 1,300,000 new Ordinary Shares in the Company at a price of 2 pence per share to an outstanding creditor to settle existing liabilities ("Creditor Shares").

Related Party Transaction

James Ikin, who is a substantial shareholder in the Company, controls the Vendor and therefore the entering into of the SPA constitutes a related party transaction pursuant to Rule 13 of the AIM Rules for Companies. The directors of the Company, all being independent of the transaction, having consulted with the Company's nominated adviser, Cairn Financial Advisers LLP, consider that the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable insofar as the Company's shareholders are concerned.

Admission

Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the admission of 63,127,000 new Ordinary Shares to trading on AIM ("Admission"). Admission is expected to occur on or around 11 February 2026. The new Ordinary Shares will rank pari passuwith the existing Ordinary Shares.

Total Voting Rights

For the purposes of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules, following Admission, the Company's issued share capital will comprise 657,337,949 Ordinary Shares of 0.1 pence each. This figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations to determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

Hamish Harris, CEO of Richmond Hill, commented:" The Board is delighted to have successfully raised funds at a premium to the prevailing share price on 27 January 2026. With gold trading above $5,000 per ounce at the time of this announcement and Richmond Hill is poised to commence drilling in the near term, we are excited about the significant momentum the Company has achieved in such a short period since listing. This fundraise positions us strongly to unlock value for shareholders as we advance our exploration programme."

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements relating to expected or anticipated future events and anticipated results that are forward-looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as general economic, market and business conditions, competition for qualified staff, the regulatory process and actions, technical issues, new legislation, uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans, uncertainties resulting from working in a new political jurisdiction, uncertainties regarding the results of exploration, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of prospecting rights, uncertainties regarding the Company's ability to execute and implement future plans, and the occurrence of unexpected events. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of the UK Market Abuse Regulation and the Directors of the Company are responsible for the release of this announcement.

For further information, please contact:

Richmond Hill Resources Hamish Harris Tel: +44 (0)787958 4153 Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nominated Adviser) Ludovico Lazzaretti / James Western Tel: +44 (0)20 7213 0880 Clear Capital Limited (Broker) Bob Roberts Tel: +44 (0) 20 3869 6080
LUND, Sweden, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MoCA Access-based Fiber Access and FWA extension cost-effectively reduce in-building construction and can cut CO2e per home by up to 75% versus installing new in-building cabling.

Author: Robert Morau, Marketing & Communications Director, InCoax Networks

Date: January 28, 2026

InCoax Networks has released a whitepaper for operators, property owners and investors, on how to cost-effectively modernize broadband in existing multi-dwelling units (MDUs) while improving the environmental footprint of deployment. The whitepaper, "Enhancing MDU broadband sustainability with MoCA Access technology", explains how MoCA Access repurposes existing in-building coaxial cabling to extend fiber or Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) performance to each apartment with minimal disruption.

Brownfield MDUs remains one of the toughest (and most important), parts of the connectivity challenge across markets. In North America, sustainability has received less attention in parts of the public debate in recent months, but it continues to play a pivotal role in Europe and in the investor community. At the same time, the cost focus is just as strong there as in all other markets.

Upgrading in-building networks can be slowed down by disruption to tenants, complex permissions, high installation costs and long payback times. Reusing the in-building coax networks already in the walls changes that equation. It reduces construction work, accelerates time-to-revenue and supports digital inclusion, while also reducing material use and site activity.

Key sustainability and business case findings highlighted in the whitepaper:

Reuse of existing coax can reduce CO2e per home by up to 75% compared to producing and installing new in-building cabling (conclusion based on Fiber Broadband Association estimates cited in the paper).

Low power design: typical MoCA Access DPUs consume about 35 W and in-apartment NTE modems about 4 W, with an operational footprint of roughly 25-30 kg CO2e/year/home in the referenced model.

CAPEX in brownfield MDU upgrades can be reduced by approximately 30-50% versus full in-building FTTH retrofits by avoiding new indoor wiring.

Deployment speed and time-to-revenue improve because most work happens in existing technical spaces and apartments can be activated with minimal disturbance.

Enables digital inclusion by cost-effectively connecting more households faster, with less disruption for tenants and less invasive work in existing buildings.

MoCA Access delivers symmetrical broadband speeds up to 2.3 Gbps with low latency and can be paired with either fiber or FWA backhaul depending on local conditions and economics.

"What matters is measurable outcomes: less construction, lower energy use, and faster upgrades that bring cost-effective and reliable multi-gigabit services to more households, supporting digital inclusion. The whitepaper helps operators, property owners and investors evaluate both the business case and the sustainability impact of a brownfield MDU strategy, supporting corporate sustainability targets and the ESG targets many institutional investors work with," says Robert Morau, Marketing & Communications Director at InCoax Networks.

For the investor community, the theme is capital efficiency with measurable ESG progress. A faster, less invasive in-building upgrade model can improve return profiles by reducing up-front spending, shortening implementation cycles and enabling revenue earlier in the project timeline, while also contributing to portfolio ESG targets, including the social dimension through digital inclusion.

InCoax is also continuing to strengthen its own ESG improvement ambitions and transparency, which may be relevant for institutional investors assessing the company, including those considering an investment in InCoax shares.

About the author

Robert Morau, Marketing & Communications Director at InCoax Networks AB

Robert Morau leads global marketing and communications at InCoax Networks, a pioneer in MoCA Access-based fiber fixed wireless access (FWA) and 5G FWA extension solutions. He represents the company in the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) marketing group and is an active contributor within the Broadband Forum (BBF).

With an extensive background in global executive marketing and communications roles, Robert has co-authored numerous thought leadership articles in leading broadband industry publications over the past five years, highlighting the role of pragmatic, high-performance technologies in accelerating broadband deployment and digital inclusion.

The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 08.30 CET on January 28, 2026.

For additional information, please contact:

Jakob Tobieson, CEO, InCoax Networks AB

jakob.tobieson@incoax.com

+46 (0) 764 955 260

About InCoax Networks AB

InCoax Networks AB (publ) re-purposes existing property coaxial networks in fiber and fixed wireless access (FWA) extension deployments for Communication Service Providers (CSP) globally. The technology is a high performance, future proof, reliable and cost-effective complement, that reduces installation time and improves take-up rate, to boost digital inclusion and Internet access for all. www.incoax.com

To keep updated on corporate information, visit incoax.com. Vator Securities AB, tel. +46 8-5800 6599, ca@vatorsec.se, is acting as the company's Certified Adviser.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com.

https://news.cision.com/incoax-networks-ab/r/incoax-whitepaper-on-sustainability-and-cost-gains-by-reusing-coax-for-multi-gigabit-broadband-in-md,c4298518

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/15562/4298518/3901219.pdf 2026-01 PR Sustainability EN final https://news.cision.com/incoax-networks-ab/i/robert-morau-300x300,c3505270 Robert Morau 300x300

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Firm will build value and drive growth through investment in fresh go-to-market strategies that build upon the brand's heritage

London, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gordon Brothers, the global asset experts, has acquired the global LK Bennett brand and related intellectual property assets from the Joint Administrators of LK Bennett Fashion Limited.

Founded in the '90s by Linda Bennett, LK Bennett started with a single boutique in Wimbledon, London and grew into a destination for effortless, elevated dressing from limited-edition ready-to-wear to signature shoes, bags and accessories. The British heritage brand is known as the home of London luxury, celebrated for wearable elegance and meticulous craftsmanship.

"LK Bennett is a beloved heritage brand with a reputation for impeccable craftsmanship and quality, and a distinctly British spirit," said Tobias Nanda, Head of Brands at Gordon Brothers. "We are excited to add LK Bennett to our portfolio of brands and proud to steward the brand into the next phase of growth bringing LK Bennett's modern luxury to both long-time followers and new customers from around the world."

As new owners of the brand, Gordon Brothers will evaluate several go-to-market strategies for the business with an emphasis on building relationships with retailers, continuing to expand the brand through creative and innovative marketing opportunities that delight the consumer, and growing the portfolio of licensees and franchisees. The firm will focus on transitioning LK Bennett to the asset-light model, as Gordon Brothers did with the successful revitalization and expansion of the Laura Ashley brand globally.

Gordon Brothers has been actively investing in and partnering with the world's most iconic brands, including Laura Ashley, Nicole Miller, Telefunken and Rachel Zoe, since 2003. As owners of several brands, the firm prioritizes expanding brands through licensing to bolster their brick-and-mortar and e-commerce presence and develop more strategic wholesale and retail relationships. Gordon Brothers also invests in product development and marketing for its portfolio of brands.





"We are delighted to provide a solution to the Administrators that both ensures value to the estate and preserves the longevity of this iconic British brand," said Nimit Shah, Managing Director, EMEA at Gordon Brothers. "We believe the LK Bennett brand is capable of reinvigoration under a new asset-light model."

About Gordon Brothers

Founded in 1903, Gordon Brothers delivers integrated solutions through our asset advisory services, lending and financing, and trading. With deep expertise in brands, industrial, retail and real estate, we are the original global asset expert, working across business growth stages to deliver liquidity, create security, enable growth and maximize asset value. We are headquartered in Boston with more than 30 offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

Attachment

LK Bennett

Lauren Nadeau Gordon Brothers +1 617 422 6599 lnadeau@gordonbrothers.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Sienna Resources Inc. (TSXV: SIEN) (OTCID: SNNAF) (WKN: A418KR) (the "Company" or "Sienna") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a joint venture agreement ("JV") with Cruz Battery Metals Corp. ("Cruz") and Adelayde Exploration Inc. ("Adelayde") to explore the deep basin lithium brine potential in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The 115 mineral claims comprising the 2,300-acre JV land package are all located within, and completely surrounded by, SLB's (formerly Schlumberger) and Pure Energy Minerals' lithium deposit (see map below). Clayton Valley, Nevada is home to the only long-established producing lithium brine basin in the U.S., Albemarle's Silver Peak lithium brine mine, which extracts lithium from subsurface brines. It has been the sole U.S. producing lithium brine operation since the 1960's.

Clayton Valley Lithium Map

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/854/281861_1ac586b2f4fb9a53_002full.jpg

Jason Gigliotti, President of Sienna, states, "Lithium prices have been exploding in the past six months, up over 150 percent according to TradingEconomics.com. When you couple this with all-time highs in gold and silver (Kitco.com), there is a clearly improving investor appetite for junior mining stocks, as witnessed by the historic high volumes on the TSX Venture Exchange in the past month especially. Management feels this is a great strategic move to consolidate this land package, as it is the only group of claims located directly inside the only lithium brine basin in production in the USA. By consolidating this significant footprint into one block, this becomes much more appealing for potential larger partners and opens up more drilling locations with access to reach the deepest sections of brine formations in Clayton Valley. This is a win-win for all involved, and we look forward to getting activities started as lithium prices are at multi-year highs. With just over 40 million shares outstanding and fully cashed up, management is very optimistic about Sienna's leverage to any meaningful discovery on any of its major projects."

Key terms of the Joint Venture Agreement:

This binding letter agreement (this "Agreement") sets out the principal terms of a contractual joint venture (the "Joint Venture") among Adelayde Exploration Inc. ("Adelayde"), Sienna Resources Inc. ("Sienna") and Cruz Battery Metals Corp. ("Cruz" and collectively with Adelayde and Sienna, the "Parties"), whereby each Party has agreed to share in the costs, expenses, liabilities and benefits of the joint exploration and development of the mineral claims that are prospective for lithium.

Initial Contributions and Profit Sharing : Each Party, through their respective affiliates, will continue to hold legal title to their respective mineral claims that comprise the Project as set out in Schedule A but agrees to hold such legal title for the benefit of the Joint Venture, with each Party holding a one third beneficial interest in each mineral claim until termination of or exit from the Joint Venture in accordance with the terms hereof.

Each Party agrees to work and collaborate together to advance the exploration and development of the Project. If the Parties unanimously agree on any exploration and development programs, each Party will contribute one third of such costs and will be entitled to one third of any benefits. Similarly, each Party will be responsible for one third of any liabilities of the Project.

Each Party will have the right to exit or terminate its participation in the Joint Venture with 30 days' written notice to the other Parties, following which such exiting Party will no longer be entitled to any benefit, cost, expense, or liability of the Joint Venture from that date going forward. Following the end of the notice period, the mineral claims of such exiting Party as set out in Schedule A will be deemed to be removed from the Joint Venture.

Definitive Agreement. Following the creation of the Joint Venture by signing this Agreement, the Parties may elect to further develop and memorialize the terms of the Joint Venture by entering into a definitive agreement and structuring the Joint Venture through a special purpose vehicle (the "JV Entity") and transferring ownership of the mineral claims to the JV Entity (whether in the form of a unanimous shareholders agreement, limited partnership agreement, joint venture agreement, co-ownership agreement of some other form of agreement) (the "Governing Agreement"; and, together with the contribution agreements, the "Definitive Agreements"). The Definitive Agreements shall include the terms summarized in this Agreement and such other representations, warranties, conditions, covenants, indemnities, and other terms as are customary for transactions of this nature and not inconsistent with this Agreement.

Please click here to view the completed Joint Venture Agreement.

Qualified Person:

The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Frank Bain, PGeo, independent to the Company and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101

About Sienna

Sienna's primary focus is on its lithium assets in Nevada which include the 100% owned, 1,828-acre "Elko Lithium Project" & the 1,231-acre "Cave Creek Lithium Project" both located in Elko County, Nevada, directly bordering and surrounded by Surge Battery Metals' (NILI) "Nevada North Lithium Project" which is the highest-grade lithium clay deposit in the USA. In Clayton Valley, Nevada, Sienna has the "Deep Basin Lithium Brine Project" which has access to some of the deepest parts of the only lithium brine basin with production in the USA. In Saskatchewan, Sienna has the 31,718-acre Stonesthrow project, prospective for gold, silver and copper directly beside Ramp Metals Inc.'s (RAMP) Rottenstone Project.

"Jason Gigliotti"

President

Sienna Resources Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's plans to recommence operations, anticipated activity levels, market conditions, and future exploration and development activities. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in commodity prices, exploration and development risks, regulatory approvals, market conditions, and the availability of financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281861

Source: Sienna Resources Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Cruz Battery Metals Corp. (CSE: CRUZ) (OTCID: BKTPF) (WKN: A40YSN) ("Cruz" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a joint venture agreement ("JV") with Sienna Resources Inc. ("Sienna") and Adelayde Exploration Inc. ("Adelayde") to explore the deep basin lithium brine potential in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The 115 mineral claims comprising the 2,300-acre JV land package are all located within, and completely surrounded by, SLB's (formerly Schlumberger) and Pure Energy Minerals' lithium deposit (see map below). Clayton Valley, Nevada is home to the only long-established producing lithium brine basin in the U.S., Albemarle's Silver Peak lithium brine mine, which extracts lithium from subsurface brines. It has been the sole U.S. producing lithium brine operation since the 1960's.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4754/281860_f41997e1d418fbd4_002full.jpg

James Nelson, President of Cruz Battery Metals, stated, "With the recent resurgence of investor attention back into the lithium sector, management feels this is an opportune time to not only proceed with producing a maiden resource estimate on the Solar Lithium Project in Big Smoky Valley, Nevada, but we are also very excited to enter this joint venture exploration agreement to test the deepest parts of Clayton Valley, which hosts the only lithium brine basin with production in the USA. To be able to merge our projects into one large block prospective for lithium brine discovery in Clayton Valley, Nevada, and share in the costs and benefits of such exploration, makes a lot of sense for our shareholders. Lithium prices are currently at 2-year highs and are now up well over 150% since June 2025, according to tradingeconomics.com(1). The Company is very optimistic about the growth prospects for the remainder of 2026 and beyond as we become more active than we've been in years."

In recent news announced on January 9,2026, Cruz engaged Stantec Consulting Ltd. to complete a maiden resource estimate ("MRE") and Technical Report for the Solar Lithium Project in Big Smoky Valley, Nevada. The Technical Report will be prepared in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101. The Stantec qualified person (Derek Loveday, PGeo) has direct experience in the Tonopah area, which includes visiting Albemarle Corp.'s Silver Peak mine, visiting ioneer Ltd.'s Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project, and completing a resource estimate and Technical Report for American Lithium Corp. on the TLC lithium project.

Throughout the first 4 phases of drilling (announced on January 17, 2022, May 18, 2022, March 31, 2023, & July 13, 2023), Cruz has discovered lithium in all 14 drill holes on the 100-per-cent owned, 4,938-acre Solar Lithium Project in Nevada, directly bordering American Lithium Corp.'s (LI, AMLIF) TLC lithium project.

According to American Lithium Corp.'s website, "In February 2025, the American Lithium Corp. announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate that significantly increased the contained lithium resources for the TLC project. This MRE was completed as part of the process of compiling the maiden preliminary economic assessment and was incorporated into the Mine Plan within the maiden PEA, which was released on February 1st, 2023. TLC currently hosts 6.17Mt lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) measured resources, 2.39Mt LCE indicated resources and 1.44Mt LCE inferred resources." (2). Cruz management cannot verify American Lithium Corp.'s results other than the publicly available information.

Key terms of the Joint Venture Agreement:

This binding letter agreement (this "Agreement") sets out the principal terms of a contractual joint venture (the "Joint Venture") among Adelayde Exploration Inc. ("Adelayde"), Sienna Resources Inc. ("Sienna") and Cruz Battery Metals Corp. ("Cruz") and collectively with Adelayde and Sienna, the "Parties"), whereby each Party has agreed to share in the costs, expenses, liabilities and benefits of the joint exploration and development of the mineral claims that are prospective for lithium.

Initial Contributions and Profit Sharing : Each Party, through their respective affiliates, will continue to hold legal title to their respective mineral claims that comprise the Project as set out in Schedule A but agrees to hold such legal title for the benefit of the Joint Venture, with each Party holding a one third beneficial interest in each mineral claim until termination of or exit from the Joint Venture in accordance with the terms hereof.

Each Party agrees to work and collaborate together to advance the exploration and development of the Project. If the Parties unanimously agree on any exploration and development programs, each Party will contribute one third of such costs and will be entitled to one third of any benefits. Similarly, each Party will be responsible for one third of any liabilities of the Project.

Each Party will have the right to exit or terminate its participation in the Joint Venture with 30 days' written notice to the other Parties, following which such exiting Party will no longer be entitled to any benefit, cost, expense, or liability of the Joint Venture from that date going forward. Following the end of the notice period, the mineral claims of such exiting Party as set out in Schedule A will be deemed to be removed from the Joint Venture.

Definitive Agreement . Following the creation of the Joint Venture by signing this Agreement, the Parties may elect to further develop and memorialize the terms of the Joint Venture by entering into a definitive agreement and structuring the Joint Venture through a special purpose vehicle (the "JV Entity") and transferring ownership of the mineral claims to the JV Entity (whether in the form of a unanimous shareholders agreement, limited partnership agreement, joint venture agreement, co-ownership agreement of some other form of agreement) (the "Governing Agreement"; and, together with the contribution agreements, the "Definitive Agreements"). The Definitive Agreements shall include the terms summarized in this Agreement and such other representations, warranties, conditions, covenants, indemnities, and other terms as are customary for transactions of this nature and not inconsistent with this Agreement.

Please click here to view the completed Joint Venture Agreement.

Qualified Person

The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Frank Bain, PGeo, a director of the Company and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Bain has not independently verified American Lithium Corp.'s Technical Report.

About Cruz Battery Metals Corp.

Cruz currently has several battery metals focused projects located in the USA. Cruz's Nevada lithium projects consist of the 4,938-acre 'Solar Lithium Project', the 240-acre 'Clayton Valley Lithium Brine Project', and the 580-acre 'Central Clayton Valley Lithium Brine Project'. In Idaho Cruz has the 124-acre 'Idaho Cobalt Belt Project'. Cruz also has the 'Sterling South Gold/Copper Project' in Ontario, Canada. Management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Cruz may not necessarily be indicative of the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties.

If you would like to be added to Cruz's news distribution list, please send your email address to info@cruzbatterymetals.com.

Cruz Battery Metals Corp.

"James Nelson"

James Nelson

President, Chief Executive Officer, Secretary and Director

Neither 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.

https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/lithium (1)

https://americanlithiumcorp.com/tlc-lithium-project/ (2)

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281860

Source: Cruz Battery Metals Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Adelayde Exploration Inc. (CSE: ADDY) (OTCID: SPMTF) (WKN: A41AGV) (the "Company" or "Adelayde") announces it has entered into a joint venture agreement ("JV") with Sienna Resources Inc. ("Sienna") and Cruz Battery Metals Corp. ("Cruz") to explore the deep basin lithium brine potential in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The 115 mineral claims comprising the 2,300-acre JV land package are all located within, and completely surrounded by, SLB's (formerly Schlumberger) and Pure Energy Minerals' Lithium Deposit (see map below). Clayton Valley, Nevada is the only long-established producing lithium brine basin in the U.S., home to Albemarle's Silver Peak lithium brine mine, which extracts lithium from subsurface brines. It has been the sole U.S. producing lithium brine operation since the 1960's.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4360/281859_ba727847d44bfbc3_002full.jpg

James Nelson, President of Adelayde stated, "Lithium prices are currently at 2-year highs and are now up well over 150% since June 2025, according to tradingeconomics.com(1). With the recent resurgence of investor attention back into the lithium sector, management feels this is an opportune time to explore the deep basin lithium brine potential within Clayton Valley, Nevada. The main reason the JV was formed was to create one large block in the center of the Clayton Valley lithium brine basin to formulate a drill program to test the deepest part with a shared cost and benefit to the JV participants. The Company is well financed to execute its planned exploration and work programs, and we look forward to a very active start to 2026."

On June 17, 2022, Adelayde announced a mineral resource estimate on the 1,136-acre McGee lithium clay deposit of 320 Mt @ 803 ppm Li for 1,369,000 indicated tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 157 Mt @ 865 ppm Li for 723,000 inferred tonnes of LCE, directly bordering SLB (formerly Schlumberger) and Century Lithium Corp.

Adelayde recently announced (January 22, 2026) that it has joined the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) in support of the advancement of its critical and strategic mineral portfolio. The NDIA is a U.S.-based organization promoting national security by connecting industry and government.

Key terms of the Joint Venture Agreement:

This binding letter agreement (this "Agreement") sets out the principal terms of a contractual joint venture (the "Joint Venture") among Adelayde Exploration Inc. ("Adelayde"), Sienna Resources Inc. ("Sienna") and Cruz Battery Metals Corp. ("Cruz" and collectively with Adelayde and Sienna, the "Parties"), whereby each Party has agreed to share in the costs, expenses, liabilities and benefits of the joint exploration and development of the mineral claims that are prospective for lithium.

Initial Contributions and Profit Sharing : Each Party, through their respective affiliates, will continue to hold legal title to their respective mineral claims that comprise the Project as set out in Schedule A but agrees to hold such legal title for the benefit of the Joint Venture, with each Party holding a one third beneficial interest in each mineral claim until termination of or exit from the Joint Venture in accordance with the terms hereof.

Each Party agrees to work and collaborate together to advance the exploration and development of the Project. If the Parties unanimously agree on any exploration and development programs, each Party will contribute one third of such costs and will be entitled to one third of any benefits. Similarly, each Party will be responsible for one third of any liabilities of the Project.

Each Party will have the right to exit or terminate its participation in the Joint Venture with 30 days' written notice to the other Parties, following which such exiting Party will no longer be entitled to any benefit, cost, expense, or liability of the Joint Venture from that date going forward. Following the end of the notice period, the mineral claims of such exiting Party as set out in Schedule A will be deemed to be removed from the Joint Venture.

Definitive Agreement . Following the creation of the Joint Venture by signing this Agreement, the Parties may elect to further develop and memorialize the terms of the Joint Venture by entering into a definitive agreement and structuring the Joint Venture through a special purpose vehicle (the "JV Entity") and transferring ownership of the mineral claims to the JV Entity (whether in the form of a unanimous shareholders agreement, limited partnership agreement, joint venture agreement, co-ownership agreement of some other form of agreement) (the "Governing Agreement" and, together with the contribution agreements, the "Definitive Agreements"). The Definitive Agreements shall include the terms summarized in this Agreement and such other representations, warranties, conditions, covenants, indemnities, and other terms as are customary for transactions of this nature and not inconsistent with this Agreement.

Please click here to view the completed Joint Venture Agreement.

Qualified person for mining disclosure:

The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Frank Bain, PGeo, a director of the company and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

The Technical Report and mineral resource estimate for the McGee Lithium Clay Deposit have been prepared by Derek Loveday, PGeo, and Mariea Kartick, PGeo, of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd. in conformity with CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum) Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices guidelines and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101, announced on June 17, 2022.

About Adelayde Exploration Inc.

Adelayde's projects include three lithium projects in Clayton Valley, Nevada: the 1,136-acre McGee lithium clay deposit, which has a mineral resource estimate of 320 Mt @ 803 ppm Li for 1,369,000 indicated tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 157 Mt @ 865 ppm Li for 723,000 inferred tonnes of LCE, directly bordering SLB (formerly Schlumberger) and Century Lithium Corp.; the 280-acre Elon lithium brine project, which has access to some of the deepest parts of the only lithium brine basin in production in North America; and the 124-acre Green Clay lithium project. The Company also holds the 248-acre Clayton Ridge gold project in Esmeralda County, Nevada; the 4,722-acre George Lake South antimony project and the 9,780-acre Sisson North tungsten project, both located in New Brunswick.

If you would like to be added to Adelayde's news distribution list, please send your email address to info@adelaydeexp.com

Adelayde Exploration Inc.

"James Nelson"

James Nelson

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

For more information regarding this news release, please contact:

Adelayde Exploration Inc.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties such as the proposed use of proceeds from the Financing. 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. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Adelayde. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Adelayde disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law.

https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/lithium (1)

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281859

Source: Adelayde Exploration Inc.
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.



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ABU DHABI, UAE, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Abu Dhabi Customs (ADC) today announced a strategic partnership with CrimsonLogic, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PSA International, to develop the Integrated Customs Operations System (ICOS), an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled digital customs solution supporting the modernization of customs operations across Abu Dhabi.

Under the collaboration, CrimsonLogic serves as the technology developer, systems integrator and innovation partner, while ADC maintains system ownership and operational oversight. The initiative supports ADC's long-term vision for digital transformation, trade facilitation and effective border management, in alignment with Abu Dhabi's economic and regulatory objectives.

ICOS is a centralized and integrated digital solution designed to support core customs functions across the trade facilitation value chain. The system unifies processes, data and operational tools within a secure and governed digital environment. Built with resilience at its core, ICOS adapts seamlessly to evolving trade and regulatory requirements.

Key capabilities of ICOS include:

Streamlined and automated customs processes: Automation of key processes such as declaration handling, valuation, inspection and post-audit workflows.

E-commerce enablement: Dedicated workflows for small parcels and express shipments to support the growth of online trade.

Enhanced integration: Connectivity with relevant government entities for licensing and permit approvals.

Improved decision-making: Real-time dashboards and AI-driven analytics to enhance operational visibility.

ICOS leverages advanced AI capabilities to support ADC's digital transformation by modernizing and integrating customs operations, enabling AI-driven risk assessment and predictions, smart document processing, adaptive compliance, and advanced data analysis, to provide greater operational insight and improve processing efficiency.

The collaboration with CrimsonLogic also incorporates structured knowledge transfer and training to strengthen institutional capabilities, ensuring a sustainable and long-term operational and support framework for ADC.

At a broader level, ICOS contributes to efficient and secure cross-border trade, aligns with UAE and regional customs modernization initiatives, and reinforces Abu Dhabi's role as a strategic regional gateway for trade and logistics.

H.E. Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, Director General of Abu Dhabi Customs, said:" This collaboration with CrimsonLogic to develop the Integrated Customs Operations System supported by AI, comes as part of our commitment to simplify and automate customs and trade processes through fostering innovation, leveraging cutting-edge predictive and analytical technologies, and developing advanced solutions that employ emerging technologies and AI tools in accordance with global best practices. The initiative aims to facilitate trade, enhance supply chain efficiency, ensure the highest levels of transparency and compliance, and strengthen Abu Dhabi's position as a leading regional and international hub for trade and logistics."

"CrimsonLogic is honored to partner with Abu Dhabi Customs on the development of the Integrated Customs Operations System, an initiative that reflects a clear vision for future-proof, secure and efficient customs operations," said Lawrence Ng, CEO of CrimsonLogic. "This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to public sector excellence through the responsible use of technology to strengthen institutional capabilities and facilitate global trade. Our focus is on delivering a resilient and scalable solution, drawing on our experience in implementing mission-critical government systems to support Abu Dhabi's customs modernization and its role as a leading regional trade hub."

The system will be delivered in phases, covering development, testing, and progressive rollout, in line with established governance processes. The first phase of implementation is slated for launch in July 2026.

ABOUT ABU DHABI CUSTOMS

The General Administration of Customs of Abu Dhabi is a government entity responsible for implementing customs policies approved by the relevant authorities in the United Arab Emirates. It serves as the primary gateway for regulating and overseeing trade movements across Abu Dhabi's various border crossings.

Driven by an ambitious strategic vision, Abu Dhabi Customs aspires to be a world-class customs authority and to reinforce Abu Dhabi's position as a preferred destination for business at the local, regional and international levels.

https://www.adcustoms.gov.ae/

ABOUT CRIMSONLOGIC

CrimsonLogic, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PSA International, is a global technology company driven by innovation to digitally transform and simplify global trade.

With over 37 years of experience worldwide, CrimsonLogic specializes in technology-enablement in the fields of trade facilitation, customs clearance automation, classification and compliance intelligence, port operations and government digital services.

As a trusted partner to businesses, logistics service providers, governments, port and terminal operators, CrimsonLogic delivers tailored solutions designed to meet the unique needs of every company, enabling seamless and secure optimization of trade and port operations.

Having pioneered the world's first single window trade facilitation system for Singapore, CrimsonLogic continues to advance digital trade transformation through cutting-edge technology and AI-powered innovation. Our solutions have been successfully implemented in more than 40 countries, driving efficiency, transparency and transformation across the global trade ecosystem.

www.crimsonlogic.com

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Atos Recognized as Best In Class in IT/OT Cybersecurity Services in 2025 by PAC Innovation Radar France

Paris, France - January 28, 2026 -Atos, a global leader of AI-powered digital transformation, today announces its recognition as a Best-In-Class in the PAC Innovation Radar for IT/OT Cybersecurity Services France 2025. PAC highlights Atos' strong market position and the breadth of its OT security services, which include auditing, consulting, field operations, and managed services. The report also emphasizes Atos' international capacity and deep-rooted OT expertise, supported by dedicated OT Security Operations Centers, a vulnerability operations center, and qualified field teams. Atos' recognized OT certifications, combined with proprietary IT cybersecurity threat intelligence feeds and 6,500 cybersecurity professionals, further reinforce its leadership in securing critical infrastructures.

Eric Domage, lead analyst cybersecurity, PAC, said: "Atos presents one of the most advanced and robust sovereign postures. From authentication to threat detection, from risk assessments consulting to AI & Post-Quantum Cryptography advanced features, Atos owns, operates, and secures its intellectual property."

Farah Rigal, Head of cyber security France, Atos, said: "As OT and critical infrastructures become increasingly software defined, security must protect industrial processes and IT seamlessly. Atos supports this shift through converged IT/OT architectures, strong network segmentation, identity-driven controls, backed by a global SOC able to operate within industrial constraints. Through Eviden, our cyber product brand, we also bring the cryptographic and digital identity foundations required to safeguard telemetry and authenticate connected assets. This enables our clients to strengthen operational resilience and compliance-without slowing innovation or disrupting production and field operations."

PAC is the leading European consulting and analyst firm supporting software & IT service vendors worldwide. PAC provides market research and analysis in more than 30 countries worldwide, delivered through its SITSI research platform.

To download a copy of the report, please go to https://atos.net/en/lp/pac-cyber-services

**

Note to editors - Atos Group's cybersecurity products and services

As a global cybersecurity leader with more than 6,500 experts and 205 cybersecurity patents, Atos Group helps organizations navigate the evolving threat landscape with end-to-end, AI-powered security-enabling their pursuit of digital sovereignty and trust.

Under its Eviden brand, the Group offers a sovereign portfolio of cybersecurity products built on three complementary areas of expertise: data encryption, identity and access management, and digital identity. Developed and manufactured in Europe, these products comply with the highest European certification standards to safeguard sensitive data, secure digital access and protect the identities across users, systems, and connected devices.

Cybersecurity services, delivered under the Atos brand, offer an integrated blend of strategic consulting, solution integration and continuous managed security services - spanning the entire security lifecycle. With a global network of 17 security operations centers (SOCs) processing more than 31 billion security events per day and serving over 2,000 trusted customers, Atos delivers a proactive, globally informed approach to securing operations. Its teams operate with deep industry expertise across all sectors, ensuring robust data protection, regulatory compliance, and business continuity worldwide.

***

About Atos Group

Atos Group is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 63,000 employees and annual revenue of c. 8 billion, operating in 61 countries under two brands - Atos for services and Eviden for products. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high performance computing, Atos Group is committed to a secure and decarbonized future and provides tailored AI-powered, end-to-end solutions for all industries. Atos Group is the brand under which Atos SE (Societas Europaea) operates. Atos SE is listed on Euronext Paris.

The purpose of Atos Group is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

Press contact

Isabelle Grange | isabelle.grange@atos.net | Tel: +33 (0) 6 64 56 74 88

Attachment
Trading Symbol: TSX/NYSE American: SVM

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Silvercorp Metals Inc. (TSX: SVM) (NYSE American: SVM) ("Silvercorp" or the "Company"), further to its news release of January 20, 2026, Silvercorp is pleased to announce it has completed the acquisition of Chaarat ZAAV CJSC ("ZAAV") per the Share Purchase Agreement with Chaarat Gold Holdings Limited ("Chaarat"). The Kyrgyz government having issued a waiver of its statutory pre-emptive right and Silvercorp having made the $92 million payment to Chaarat.

Per the agreements between the parties, Silvercorp will proceed to convert ZAAV into a joint venture company ("JVC") with Kyrgyzaltyn (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kyrgyz Republic), with Silvercorp holding a 70% interest and being the operator of the JVC and Kyrgyzaltyn holding a 30% free-carried interest.

The JVC will apply for the agreed upon extension of the validity period of the JVC's mining license from June 25, 2032 to June 25, 2062 and Silvercorp will then make the $60 million cash payment to the National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic (the "NIA"), per the Cooperation Agreement with the NIA.

ZAAV, the JVC, is a Kyrgyz corporation, holding a 100% interest in the mining license hosting the fully-permitted Tulkubash/Kyzyltash gold projects as well as surrounding exploration licenses hosting the Karator and Ishakuld gold zones located in the Tian Shan area.

King & Wood Mallesons (Beijing office) acted as lead legal counsel to Silvercorp on the transaction. For further details regarding the transaction refer to the January 20 news release which is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov under Silvercorp's issuer's profile.

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

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, the conversion of the ZAAV into a JVC, timing of receipt of the mining license extension, 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 National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ('NI 43-101'), which differs from the standards adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). 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.

Canadian standards 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.
HONG KONG, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hon. Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu - Jotham Napat Nauka, led a senior government delegation to Hong Kong and successfully convene the event "Future and Development of Vanuatu-Hong Kong Relationship for 2026 and beyond: Press conference of the Hon. Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu's visit to Hong Kong" during which he delivered a keynote address on the future trajectory of Vanuatu-Hong Kong relations.

The Hon. Prime Minister Napat stated that the visit marks the entry of Vanuatu-Hong Kong relations into a new phase characterized by strengthened political mutual trust, deeper institutional engagement, upgraded financial cooperation, and comprehensive connectivity with capital markets.

During the visit, the Hon. Prime Minister held pragmatic and productive meetings with Leaders and Senior Officials of the Government of the Hong Kong S.A.R on issues of common interest as it highlights that bilateral trade between Hong Kong and Vanuatu continues to grow, adding that the prospects for co-operation between the two places are broad and promising.

The Hon. Prime Minister met with the Hon. John KC LEE Chief Executive, and the two leaders exchanged views on issues of mutual interest reaching a high degree of consensus on the future direction of bilateral relations.

Both sides agreed that, against the backdrop of profound adjustments in the international landscape and the continued deepening of regional cooperation, Vanuatu-Hong Kong relations possess broad strategic potential. They emphasized the need to elevate the level of cooperation, expand its scope, and improve cooperation mechanisms, advancing bilateral relations from project-based collaboration toward institutionalized, structural, and long-term partnerships.

Both sides agree to establish more stable, regularized, and mechanism-based frameworks that set the base for communication and coordination, and enhance dialogue across areas of mutual interest: including regional affairs, development agendas, international organizations, economic governance, financial regulation, and institutional development.

Both sides agree to actively advance the establishment of principles for financial parity and mutual recognition of relevant licenses and progressively build a medium- to long-term cooperation framework encompassing both traditional finance and emerging digital finance.

Both sides also agree to strengthen bilateral synergies within regional financial systems and further consolidate political trust and policy alignment. Through enhanced intergovernmental strategic communication and policy coordination, the two sides aim to foster a more transparent, predictable, and sustainable institutional environment for enterprises, financial institutions, and market participants to engage in cross-border cooperation.

The Hon. Prime Minister Napat further noted that Hong Kong, as an international financial center and a highly open economy, possesses mature experience and global influence in governance frameworks, financial regulation, capital market development, and alignment with international standards.

The Hon. Prime Minister further mentioned that Vanuatu, as an important island nation in the South Pacific, offers strategic geographic advantages, institutional flexibility, and strong regional connectivity potential. With complementary strengths and highly aligned development priorities, the two sides are well positioned to build a comprehensive partnership encompassing political trust, economic cooperation, financial coordination, and institutional innovation, jointly contributing to regional stability and sustainable development.

In the areas of trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges, both sides conducted systematic, structured, and forward-looking discussions on trade and investment facilitation, industrial cooperation, tourism collaboration, business exchanges, talent development, and two-way mobility, and reached broad consensus on further enhancing both the quality and scale of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Both sides expressed strong support for more Hong Kong and international enterprises to leverage Hong Kong as a platform hub to engage in practical cooperation with Vanuatu across priority development sectors including infrastructure, green energy, the digital economy, financial services, shipping and logistics, the marine economy, modern agriculture, and sustainable tourism.

Both sides agreed that continued consultations and implementation efforts are essential and will work to advance bilateral cooperation from traditional project-based engagement toward industrial chain collaboration, capital alignment, and institutional co-development. In terms of people-to-people exchanges, both sides will continue to optimize mechanisms for the mobility of business, investment, and professional services personnel, support enhanced exchanges among universities, research institutions, financial institutions, and professional service organizations, and promote talent development, capacity building, and the sharing of institutional experience, thereby further strengthening the social and industrial foundations of bilateral relations.

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Airline Economics' Aviation 100 Awards Recognize Aerospace Industry's Top Performers

CHANDLER, Ariz., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AvAir , an inventory solutions provider for the aviation aftermarket, has solidified its leadership in the industry with its sixth consecutive year being awarded Airline Economics' Aviation 100 "Parts Supplier of the Year" award.

"This is a remarkable achievement, and I am honored that our team has been recognized for this gold standard award once again," said Mike Bianco, CEO of AvAir. "We have an unwavering commitment to excellence and hustle to ensure our clients' expectations are exceeded and we solve problems to help support success. We are grateful for the industry's support and recognition."

Over the last year, AvAir continued to grow and expand its partnerships and services. Strategic effort and emphasis was placed on AvAir rapidly growing its loan, lease and exchange pool. AvAir also enhanced its workforce, hiring talented professionals across various departments in both its Arizona headquarters and Ireland office. AvAir was also the first company in the aviation industry to be Climate Neutral Certified by Climate Change, a global nonprofit. These efforts propelled AvAir's dedication to quality work and support of its customers while reinforcing its status as a trusted partner in the aerospace industry.

This award was given at Airline Economics 15th annual Aviation 100 Global Leader Awards in Dublin. Parts Supplier of the Year is judged on the following criteria: parts stocked, clients on books/new clients in the past 12 months, locations/number of employees, ability to source, supply and timescale; plus, results from the awards survey.

AvAir was founded in 2000 and offers customized solutions for customers and suppliers to buy, sell, exchange, loan, lease, or consign inventories with more than 26 million in-stock components. The company is ISO 9001, AS9120, and ASA 100 certified and adheres to the highest quality standards in all phases: purchasing, receiving, stocking, sales, and shipping.

For more information about AvAir, visit AvAir.aero.

About AvAir

Founded in 2000, Arizona-based AvAir is a global leader in the aviation aftermarket, providing customized inventory solutions for airlines, OEMs, and MROs. AvAir has been named Parts Supplier of the Year for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 by Airline Economics, the leading industry trade publication. It has also been recognized for its work in sustainability and is Climate Neutral Certified by Climate Change, a global nonprofit and received the Environmental Sustainability award from Airline Economics The Aviation 100 awards. For more about AvAir, visit AvAir.aero.

Contact: Claire Natale

Email: claire@evolveprandmarketing.com

Phone: 202.294.5999

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/avair-earns-parts-supplier-of-the-year-for-an-unprecedented-sixth-consecutive-year-302671962.html
HONG KONG, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Shaw Prize Foundation announced its first major expansion in over two decades: the establishment of The Shaw Prize in Computer Science, a new prize category to honour pioneering breakthroughs in this transformative field that is reshaping the modern world.

Founded in 2002 by Hong Kong media mogul the late Mr Run Run Shaw, and first awarded in 2004, The Shaw Prize has honoured over 110 exceptional individuals in Astronomy, Life Science and Medicine, and Mathematical Sciences. With Computer Science now rapidly transforming every domain of our lives and scientific inquiry, the Foundation introduces this fourth prize to celebrate the field's foundational advances and their far-reaching impact on humanity.

The announcement came during a press conference on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, drawing over 100 guests from academia, media, and other sectors.

Dr Raymond Chan, Chair of The Shaw Prize Foundation, opened by highlighting technology's dramatic reshaping of life and The Prize's enduring commitment to recognising excellence. "Computer Science is bursting with bold questions that push human thinking to new limits," he said, calling the addition a natural extension of Mr Shaw's vision.

Professor Kenneth Young, Chair of The Shaw Prize Council and Vice Chair of The Board of Adjudicators, emphasised that the new prize will operate in parallel with the three existing categories, following the same governance, selection guidelines, and monetary award of USD 1.2 million.

Professor Tony Chan, who chaired The Planning Committee for The Shaw Prize in Computer Science, expressed deep honour in leading the initiative, which involved convening top global experts to define the new prize's broad scope and guiding principles. He now serves as a Member of The Selection Committee.

Inaugural Chair of The Selection Committee, Professor Jennifer Chayes, Dean of the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society at the University of California, Berkeley, underscored Computer Science as a profound intellectual discipline, much like other basic sciences honoured by the Prize. This core scientific nature aligns seamlessly with the Prize's vision of honouring fundamental advances that benefit humankind. She urged invited field leaders to nominate candidates when nominations open from September to November 2026. The inaugural laureate(s) will be announced in spring 2027, alongside laureates of the other three prize categories.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-shaw-prize-adds-computer-science-in-landmark-expansion-302672484.html
News platform uses advanced technology to verify, personalize, and adapt news to user preferences

DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A47 today announced that it has raised USD 2 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate the development of an AI-native news platform designed to fundamentally change how people discover, understand, and trust information.

At a time when audiences are increasingly overwhelmed by fragmented feeds, misinformation, and algorithm-driven noise, A47 is building a comprehensive, AI-enabled news source that prioritizes clarity, accuracy, and relevance over engagement loops. The platform is designed to deliver structured, fact-checked, continuously updated intelligence across business, geopolitics, technology, finance, sports, and culture-giving users a reliable signal in an increasingly noisy information environment.

Users will be able to tailor topics, depth, formats, and alerts, allowing the platform to adapt to how individuals actually consume information, whether they want real-time updates, deep context, quick summaries, or comparative perspectives.

At its core, A47 combines autonomous AI agents, real-time data ingestion, multi-model orchestration, and embedded verification systems to continuously source, analyze, validate, and present information. Built-in fact-checking, source triangulation, and transparency layers are designed to strengthen trust while dramatically reducing the time and cognitive load required to stay informed.

Live & Active Pilots

The platform is already live with the region's largest Fintech Association; MENA Fintech, with a fully automated backend enabling consistent output and operational reliability.

How A47 News Works

Discover: A47 monitors social platforms every 30 minutes to identify trending stories.

Verify: A47 confirms each story using major trusted outlets and a curated whitelist, holding back on stories it cannot validate.

Enrich: A47 generates a Verified Foundation Brief containing key facts, timelines, background, and source links.

Create: Users choose format, specifications, and story style. A47 suggests 3-5 angles, builds a storyboard, and produces multi-format content (text, image, video, audio).

Control: A human approves before publishing.

A47 News is built not only to automate its own storytelling, but also to support digital publishers and independent creators who want to publish more frequently without sacrificing editorial quality, voice, or source integrity.

Shehab Gargash, Chairman & Co-Founder of A47, said: "This company is being built as a long-term media infrastructure company with the ambition to help shape how verified information is delivered. A47 News aims to work within the noble profession of journalism by leveraging the immense power of technology to improve integrity, efficiency, and trust."

Ali Rizvi, CEO & Co-Founder of A47 News, added: "We want to be the news infrastructure layer that publishers and creators can trust. We don't replace editorial judgment. We help teams move faster with verified facts and content that stays on brand."

A47 confirmed that the USD 2 million round includes institutional and angel investors, and that Shehab Gargash has joined as Chairman of the Board. Funding will support product development and expansion across the Middle East and international markets.

Availability

A47 News is available to pilot customers in the UAE. To request access, contact: Ali Rizvi, ali@a47.ae.

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New APAC headquarters to drive diverse, wider-reaching conferences and industry-defining events, and brand building for top companies across the region

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

MUMBAI, India, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QNA Marcom & Events, a global leader in strategic marketing, B2B conferences, and brand-building platforms, has announced the launch of its Asia-Pacific (APAC) headquarters in Mumbai, marking a significant milestone in the company's expansion across the region. The launch coincides with QNA completing a decade of operations, celebrating ten years of building trusted platforms, shaping industry conversations, and enabling meaningful engagement across global markets.

The office was inaugurated by Mr. Bharat Mehra, a renowned businessman, philanthropist, and strategic advisor. He is the Chairman of Radha Meera Trust, Founder of Bharat Mehra Strategies, and a trusted advisor to leading corporates across India and the Middle East. Mr. Mehra also serves as Chief Advisor to Anant Ambani and Consultant to Mr. Ajay Piramal. Widely known for his humanitarian contributions and thought leadership, his presence as a chief guest at the inauguration underscores the strategic importance of QNA's Indian expansion and reflects a shared commitment to innovation, purpose-driven leadership, and community impact.

With the launch of its APAC headquarters, QNA aims to scale its footprint across India and Asia-Pacific, curating high-impact platforms aligned with evolving market needs in various industry verticals. The Mumbai office will serve as a regional innovation hub, enabling QNA to explore new geographies, adopt emerging technologies, and deliver immersive, outcome-driven events for governments, enterprises, and industry ecosystems.

Over the past ten years, QNA has successfully delivered 150+ B2B conferences and summits, along with thousands of curated roadshows across 20+ countries, spanning India, APAC, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The company has partnered closely with governments, regulators, global enterprises, and industry associations establishing itself as a trusted platform builder for national and regional initiatives.

Ankit Shukla, Managing Director, QNA, said:

"Mumbai has always been home for me, and establishing QNA's APAC headquarters here is truly a dream come true. As we complete ten years of building QNA into a global platform, this launch represents both a professional and personal milestone. Over the last decade, we have grown across 20+ countries through strong partnerships and purpose-led initiatives. The Mumbai office is not just a geographic expansion; it reinforces our long-term commitment to India as a core growth market and innovation hub."

Known for its content-rich, insight-driven events, QNA brings together business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and technology experts to foster collaboration, spark dialogue, and drive meaningful change. The company is driven by a clear mission: to ask the right questions, challenge the status quo, and share actionable insights that empower leaders to navigate and shape an ever-evolving global landscape.

The Mumbai office marks a new chapter in QNA's journey-building on a decade of impact-and strengthens its role as a global knowledge partner, market enabler, and trusted catalyst for growth across APAC and beyond.

Contact:

Ankit Shukla, MD, QNA, info@qna-events.com, +971 552572807
NEW YORK, NY AND KOLKATA, IN / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Pursuit Software , a managed IT services and technology consulting firm, today announced its investment in Halsa Global , a rapidly growing boutique Salesforce and AI consulting firm delivering advanced Salesforce and AI-powered transformation for enterprise clients.

Halsa Global achieved the Salesforce Summit Partner tier, the highest level in the Salesforce Partner Program, in a record-breaking 10 months. This milestone reflects the firm's exceptional growth, deep technical expertise, and consistent delivery of high-impact Salesforce solutions across complex enterprise environments. Achieving this distinction in under a year underscores Halsa Global's ability to scale rapidly while maintaining delivery rigor and strong customer outcomes. Among other indicators of the company's broader performance, Halsa Global has also received strong client feedback, including 25 five-star ratingsfrom approximately 93% of its customers

At the core of Halsa Global's differentiation is its focus on agentic AI on Salesforce, where autonomous, intelligent workflows are designed natively within the platform. By leveraging Agentforce alongside Salesforce Finance and Marketing Clouds, Halsa Global enables enterprises to streamline operations, personalize customer journeys, and accelerate decision-making without added complexity. Backed by more than 100 certifications across applied AI, analytics, and automation, the firm supports a diverse client base ranging from Fortune 500 enterprises to growth-stage innovators, with successful implementations delivered across industries and geographies.

The firm also brings deep expertise across core Salesforce clouds, including Sales, Service, Analytics, and Community, ensuring clients benefit from both advanced innovation and strong foundational architecture. In addition, Halsa Global invests in accelerators, DevOps-driven delivery models, Salesforce security enhancement and audit services, and training programs to help clients move efficiently from strategy to value.

AI-Powered Salesforce Leadership with Purpose

In parallel with its commercial growth, Halsa Global actively supports mission-driven and nonprofit organizations, applying Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud and automation capabilities to strengthen operations, improve visibility, and extend organizational reach. These initiatives reinforce the firm's belief that technology leadership should create impact beyond commercial outcomes.

Global Delivery Model

Halsa Global operates a global delivery model with teams across the United States, Europe, and India, enabling round-the-clock execution, access to specialized Salesforce talent, and consistent delivery standards for clients worldwide. The firm continues to expand its talent base, certifications, and innovation roadmap as demand for AI-powered Salesforce transformation accelerates globally.

"Achieving Summit Partner status in just 10 months demonstrates what's possible when deep Salesforce expertise is paired with disciplined execution and a customer-first mindset," said Animesh Banerjee, CTO of Halsa Global. "Our focus on agentic AI, industry-aligned cloud solutions, and real-world business outcomes has resonated strongly with clients seeking more than traditional Salesforce implementations."

About Halsa Global

Halsa Global is an AI-powered Salesforce consulting firm helping enterprises unlock intelligent growth through strategy, solution design, implementation, managed services, and predictive analytics. The company works across Salesforce clouds, Agentforce, and enterprise AI initiatives, with a focus on measurable outcomes and automation-led value creation. Halsa Global serves clients globally through a delivery model spanning the United States, Europe, and India.

About Pursuit Software

Pursuit Software is a managed IT services and technology consulting firm with a strong track record in enterprise software delivery, Salesforce implementations, and innovation-led digital transformation. Through strategic investments and partnerships, Pursuit supports high-growth firms addressing next-generation enterprise and AI-led transformation needs.

Contact Details

S. Bose

contact@pursuitsoftware.com

SOURCE: Pursuit Software Development Pvt Ltd.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/pursuit-invests-in-rapidly-growing-boutique-salesforce-and-ai-con-1130180
Includes: 7th highest intercept on project - 1.3 m @ 670 g/t Gold

Best antimony intercept - 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (plus 78.5 g/t Gold)

Vancouver, Canada and Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3) ("SXGC", "SX2" or the "Company") announces results from four drillholes from the Rising Sun prospect at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Victoria (Figures 1 to 6).

SDDSC196 intersected sixteen vein sets in Rising Sun across a +500 m mineralised corridor from 376 m to 936 m downhole which averaged 559 m @ 2.5 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb) uncut. The hole returned six intervals greater than 20 g/t AuEq, including three individual assays exceeding 100 g/t Au. Highlights include 1.3 m @ 670.4 g/t AuEq (670.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m - the 7th highest intercept on the project - and the highest individual antimony assay to date at 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (plus 78.5 g/t Au) from 445.9 m.

The true thickness of the mineralized intervals are interpreted to be approximately 50% to 65% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes.

Five Key Takeaways:

559 m Mineralised Corridor Confirmed: SDDSC196 intersected 16 vein sets across a 559 m corridor from 376 m to 936 m downhole, averaging 559 m @ 2.5 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 0.2% Sb) uncut, with six intervals greater than 20 g/t AuEq including three individual assays exceeding 100 g/t Au. Ultra High-Grade Intersection: SDDSC196 delivers 1.3 m @ 670 g/t AuEq (nearly 20 oz/t gold) from 869 m depth (Photos 1 and 2) - the 7th highest intercept on the project and further confirmation that ultra-high grade gold persists at depth. Record Antimony Grades: The highest individual antimony assay on the project to date - 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (plus 78.5 g/t Au) - reinforces Sunday Creek's strategic importance as a Western antimony supply source. Infill Success Across Additional Reported Holes: SDDSC176 returned 4.2 m @ 25.7 g/t AuEq (incl. 1.4 m @ 77 g/t AuEq) confirming RS4 high-grade core; SDDSC187 intersected seven vein sets including three not previously defined, with 5.2 m @ 7.8 g/t AuEq (incl. 0.1 m @ 127 g/t Au); SDDSC190 defined the outer margins of the Rising Sun system. Momentum Building: Ten rigs operational with 39 holes pending results. Sunday Creek now contains 95 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq from 239 drill holes, underscoring the high-grade potential of this deposit.

Photos 1 and 2: Visible gold in SDDSC196 in quartz + carbonate +/- stibnite veining from 869.19 m (978 g/t Au, 0.06% Sb). Field of view 2 cm in both images.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/281898_3661f6707403b970_001full.jpg

Michael Hudson, President & CEO states: "This hole is a statement of deposit quality. A 559 m mineralized corridor averaging 2.5 g/t AuEq (uncut) - punctuated by ultra-high grades including nearly 20 ounces per tonne gold - is exactly what we hoped to see as we infill the Rising Sun system. What this means: we're confirming not just grade, but the scale and continuity required to underpin a meaningful resource.

"What makes these results particularly compelling is predictability. We infilled at 15-30 m spacing, hit where we expected to hit, and discovered four new vein sets in the process. What this means: the system is behaving consistently, and it remains open. We're not chasing isolated high-grade shoots; we're defining a coherent, stacked vein system - one of five mineralized areas hosting 95 vein sets collectively.

"The highest individual antimony assay on the project to date - 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (plus 78.5 g/t Au) - arrives as antimony prices have tripled since China's export restrictions, with no Western supply response yet in sight. What this means: Sunday Creek's strategic value is sharpening at exactly the right time.

"With ten rigs operating and 39 holes awaiting assays, we are systematically converting exploration potential into the drill density required for resource definition."

For Those Who Like the Details - Highlights:

SDDSC196 the standout hole traversed 559 m of mineralization (376 m to 936 m) grading 2.5 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 0.18% Sb) - exceptional by global standards. Highlights included: 559.2 m @ 2.5 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb) from 376.4 m (uncut) including: 3.8 m @ 30.3 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 8.7% Sb) from 376.4 m - strong width with grade (Figure 6) 0.4 m @ 113.7 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 46.7% Sb) from 384.4 m - antimony-dominant high-grade 1.3 m @ 54.5 g/t AuEq (26.6 g/t Au, 11.6% Sb) from 445.7 m - includes record 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb 0.3 m @ 219.1 g/t AuEq (84.1 g/t Au, 56.5% Sb) from 528.7 m - exceptional antimony grade 1.3 m @ 670.4 g/t AuEq (670.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m - 7th highest intercept on project; includes 0.9 m @ 978 g/t Au 1.0 m @ 24.7 g/t AuEq (24.7 g/t Au) from 930.5 m - mineralization continues to depth

SDDSC176 - High-Grade Confirmation: 4.2 m @ 25.7 g/t AuEq (15.6 g/t Au, 4.2% Sb) from 521.2 m including: 1.4 m @ 77.0 g/t AuEq; confirms RS4 high-grade core

SDDSC187 - Footprint Expansion: 5.2 m @ 7.8 g/t AuEq (5.8 g/t Au, 0.8% Sb) from 292.7 m - incl. 0.1 m @ 126.7 g/t AuEq; three new vein sets identified 0.4 m @ 57.5 g/t AuEq (24.0 g/t Au, 14.0% Sb) from 433.6 m - high-grade Au-Sb shoot



Drill Hole Discussion

Four drill holes are reported here that targeted the Rising Sun prospect from both east to west and west to east orientations.

SDDSC196

SDDSC196, drilled west to east, intersected sixteen vein sets in Rising Sun, including seven high-grade mineralized zones, four of which had not been defined before this drillhole. The hole delivered exceptional individual assays, with 3 individual results >100 g/t Au including a standout 0.9 m @ 978 g/t Au (0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m, 0.21 m @ 144 g/t Au from 459.0 m, and 0.19 m @ 127 g/t Au (46.3% Sb) from 379.74 m, alongside high-grade antimony individual assays >40% Sb with a project record of the highest individual antimony result on the project to date 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (78.5 g/t Au) from 445.9 m, 0.28 m @ 56.5% Sb (84.1 g/t Au) from 528.7 m, 0.23 m @ 54.7% Sb (20.3 g/t Au) from 379.5 m, and 0.42 m @ 46.7% Sb (2.1 g/t Au) from 384.4 m.

The drillhole successfully infilled between 15 m to 30 m up and downdip spacing (Figure 6) and delivered a standout intersection of 1.3 m @ 670.4 g/t AuEq (670.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m, the 7th best intersection on the project to date and a 36 m downdip extension of RS90. Four previously unrecognized vein sets were identified, and the hole also achieved a 39 m downdip extension of RS100, demonstrating continued mineralization at depth.

Selected highlights include:

3.8 m @ 30.3 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 8.7% Sb) from 376.4 m, including; 1.2 m @ 90.0 g/t AuEq (27.1 g/t Au, 26.3% Sb) from 378.7 m

0.4 m @ 113.7 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 46.7% Sb) from 384.4 m

1.3 m @ 54.5 g/t AuEq (26.6 g/t Au, 11.6% Sb) from 445.7 m

0.6 m @ 51.2 g/t AuEq (51.1 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 459.0 m, including; 0.2 m @ 144.0 g/t AuEq (144.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 459.0 m

4.8 m @ 3.2 g/t AuEq (2.9 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 479.5 m

0.3 m @ 219.1 g/t AuEq (84.1 g/t Au, 56.5% Sb) from 528.7 m

5.7 m @ 2.3 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 659.7 m

1.9 m @ 8.4 g/t AuEq (8.4 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 847.4 m, including; 0.9 m @ 16.7 g/t AuEq (16.7 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 847.4 m

1.3 m @ 670.4 g/t AuEq (670.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m

2.5 m @ 7.4 g/t AuEq (7.3 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 885.1 m, including; 0.4 m @ 42.1 g/t AuEq (41.9 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 885.1 m

1.0 m @ 24.7 g/t AuEq (24.7 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 930.5 m, including; 0.3 m @ 85.8 g/t AuEq (85.8 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 930.5 m



SDDSC176

SDDSC176, drilled east to west, intersected three vein sets in Rising Sun, including the confirmation of a high-grade core (30 m up-dip and downdip infill on RS 4). The hole delivered exceptional individual assays, with 1 individual result >100 g/t Au with 0.24 m @ 114 g/t Au (6.4% Sb) from 524.66 m, alongside a high-grade antimony individual assay >30% Sb of 0.36 m @ 31.6% Sb (54 g/t Au) from 523.97 m.

Selected highlights include:

2.4 m @ 9.8 g/t AuEq (7.3 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 516.7 m, including; 0.6 m @ 36.0 g/t AuEq (27.5 g/t Au, 3.6% Sb) from 516.7 m

4.2 m @ 25.7 g/t AuEq (15.6 g/t Au, 4.2% Sb) from 521.2 m, including; 1.4 m @ 77.0 g/t AuEq (46.4 g/t Au, 12.8% Sb) from 524.0 m



SDDSC176 demonstrated the presence of exceptional antimony-gold mineralization within Rising Sun, with individual assays confirming the high-grade nature of the system.

SDDSC187

SDDSC187, drilled west to east, intersected seven vein sets in Rising Sun, including three vein sets not previously defined, expanding the known extent of the mineralized system. The hole identified a high-grade core and delivered outstanding individual assays, including a result >100 g/t Au with 0.11 m @ 122 g/t Au (1.98% Sb) from 297.71 m and a high-grade antimony intercept >30% Sb with 0.15 m @ 40.3% Sb (57.8 g/t Au) from 433.56 m.

Selected highlights include:

5.2 m @ 7.8 g/t AuEq (5.8 g/t Au, 0.8% Sb) from 292.7 m, including; 1.5 m @ 14.8 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 2.2% Sb) from 292.7 m 0.1 m @ 126.7 g/t AuEq (122.0 g/t Au, 2.0% Sb) from 297.7 m

2.3 m @ 9.1 g/t AuEq (7.0 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 307.0 m, including; 0.3 m @ 58.1 g/t AuEq (44.5 g/t Au, 5.7% Sb) from 309.0 m

2.2 m @ 13.1 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 1.5% Sb) from 315.3 m, including; 0.6 m @ 40.8 g/t AuEq (30.0 g/t Au, 4.5% Sb) from 316.4 m

6.6 m @ 4.8 g/t AuEq (1.4 g/t Au, 1.4% Sb) from 322.8 m, including; 0.6 m @ 25.5 g/t AuEq (3.0 g/t Au, 9.4% Sb) from 328.5 m

0.4 m @ 57.5 g/t AuEq (24.0 g/t Au, 14.0% Sb) from 433.6 m, including;

8.6 m @ 2.7 g/t AuEq (2.5 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 476.4 m, including; 1.2 m @ 9.7 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 476.4 m



SDDSC187 successfully extended the Rising Sun mineralized footprint by intersecting three previously undefined vein sets, while confirming continuation of high-grade gold-antimony mineralization.

SDDSC190

SDDSC190, drilled west to east, intersected three vein sets on the peripheries of the Rising Sun structure, including one vein set not previously defined. This hole contributed to defining the outer margins of the mineralized system and provided important geological information regarding the peripheral extent of the Rising Sun system, contributing to the overall understanding of the mineralized envelope.

Selected highlights include:

8.0 m @ 1.3 g/t AuEq (1.3 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 227.0 m

Pending Results and Update

Nine drill rigs are currently operational on the Sunday Creek project with one additional drill rig dedicated to regional exploration. Results are pending from 39 holes currently being processed and analyzed including ten holes that are actively being drilled and two abandoned holes (Figure 2). The Company continues its ongoing 200,000 m drill program through to Q1 2027.

AME Roundup 2026 - Vancouver

Southern Cross Gold will be presenting and exhibiting at AME Roundup 2026 in Vancouver this week. Head of Exploration Kenneth Bush will present in the Precious Metals Session on Wednesday, January 28 at 10:05am, covering the latest thoughts and results from the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project

Also visit us at Coreshack Booth 926 on Wednesday and Thursday (January 28-29) at AME Roundup 2026 to meet Kenneth and Exploration Manager Tyler Lamb - and see some of Sunday Creek's high-grade gold core for yourself. Full schedule at roundup.amebc.ca/schedule.

About Sunday Creek

The Sunday Creek epizonal-style gold project is located 60 km north of Melbourne within 16,900 hectares ("Ha") of granted exploration tenements. SXGC is also the freehold landholder of 1,392 Ha that forms the key portion in and around the main drilled area at the Sunday Creek Project.

Gold and antimony form in a relay of vein sets that cut across a steeply dipping zone of intensely altered rocks (the "host"). These vein sets are like a "Golden Ladder" structure where the main host extends between the side rails deep into the earth, with multiple cross-cutting vein sets that host the gold forming the rungs. At Apollo and Rising Sun these individual 'rungs' have been defined over 600 m depth extent from surface to over 1,100 m below surface, are 2.5 m to 3.5 m wide (median widths) (and up to 10 m), and 20 m to 100 m in strike.

Cumulatively, 239 drill holes for 110,332.94 m have been reported from Sunday Creek since late 2020. This amount includes five holes for 929 m that have been drilled for geotechnical purposes and 22 holes for 2,973.77 m that were abandoned due to deviation or hole conditions. Fourteen drillholes for 2,383 m have been reported regionally outside of the main Sunday Creek drill area with three additional regional holes currently being processed. A total of 64 historic drill holes for 5,599 m were completed from the late 1960s to 2008. The project now contains a total of 95 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq and 107 composite intersections between 50-100 g/t AuEq by applying a 1 m (down hole length) @ 5 g/t AuEq lower cut.

Southern Cross Gold's systematic drill program is strategically targeting these significant vein formations, which are currently defined over 1,350 m strike of the host dyke/sediment ("rails of the ladder") from Christina to Apollo prospects, of which approximately 620 m has been more intensively drill tested (Rising Sun to Apollo). At least 95 'rungs' have been defined to date, defined by high-grade intercepts (20 g/t Au to >7,330 g/t Au) along with lower grade edges. Ongoing step-out drilling is aiming to uncover the potential extent of this mineralized system (Figure 5).

Geologically, the project is located within the Melbourne Structural Zone in the Lachlan Fold Belt. The regional host to the Sunday Creek mineralization is an interbedded turbidite sequence of siltstones and minor sandstones metamorphosed to sub-greenschist facies and folded into a set of open north-west trending folds.

Further Information

Further discussion and analysis of the Sunday Creek project is available through the interactive Vrify 3D animations, presentations and videos all available on the SXGC website. These data, along with an interview on these results with President & CEO/Managing Director Michael Hudson can be viewed at www.southerncrossgold.com .

No upper gold grade cut is applied in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. However, during future Mineral Resource studies, the requirement for assay top cutting will be assessed. The Company notes that due to rounding of assay results to one significant figure, minor variations in calculated composite grades may occur.

Figures 1 to 6 show project location, plan and longitudinal views of drill results reported here and Tables 1 to 3 provide collar and assay data. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals are reported individually as estimated true widths ("ETW"), otherwise they are interpreted to be approximately 50% to 65% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes. Lower grades were cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum width of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 1 m width.

Critical Metal Epizonal Gold-Antimony Deposits

Sunday Creek (Figure 5) is an epizonal gold-antimony deposit formed in the late Devonian (like Fosterville, Costerfield and Redcastle), 60 million years later than mesozonal gold systems formed in Victoria (for example Ballarat and Bendigo). Epizonal deposits are a form of orogenic gold deposit classified according to their depth of formation: epizonal (<6 km), mesozonal (6 km to 12 km) and hypozonal (>12 km).

Epizonal deposits in Victoria often have associated high levels of the critical metal, antimony, and Sunday Creek is no exception. China claims a 56 per cent share of global mined supplies of antimony, according to a 2023 European Union study. Antimony features highly on the critical minerals lists of many countries including Australia, the United States of America, Canada, Japan and the European Union. Australia ranks seventh for antimony production despite all production coming from a single mine at Costerfield in Victoria, located nearby to all SXGC projects. Antimony alloys with lead and tin which results in improved properties for solders, munitions, bearings and batteries. Antimony is a prominent additive for halogen-containing flame retardants. Adequate supplies of antimony are critical to the world's energy transition, and to the high-tech industry, especially the semi-conductor and defence sectors where it is a critical additive to primers in munitions.

In August 2024, the Chinese government announced it will place export limits from September 15, 2024 on antimony and antimony products. This puts pressure on Western defence supply chains and negatively affect the supply of the metal and push up pricing given China's dominance of the supply of the metal in the global markets. This is positive for SXGC as we are likely to have one of the very few large and high-quality projects of antimony in the western world that can feed western demand into the future.

Antimony represents approximately 21% to 24% in situ recoverable value of Sunday Creek at an AuEq of 2.39 ratio.

About Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Limited (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3)

Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3), is building Australia's most significant gold-antimony project at the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project, located 60 km north of Melbourne. Sunday Creek has emerged as one of the Western world's most significant gold and antimony discoveries, with exceptional drilling results including 95 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq from 115.9 km of drilling (including historic drilling). The mineralization follows a "Golden Ladder" structure over 12 km of strike length, with confirmed continuity from surface to 1,100 m depth.

Sunday Creek's strategic value is enhanced by its dual-metal profile. The Company is building a significant project - and in doing so, securing a critical mineral the Western world needs. With antimony contributing approximately 20% of in-situ value alongside gold, Sunday Creek can be developed primarily based on gold economics, which reduces antimony-related risks while maintaining strategic supply optionality. This has gained increased significance following China's export restrictions on antimony, a critical metal for defence and semiconductor applications. Southern Cross' inclusion in the US Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) and Australia's AUKUS-related legislative changes position it as a potential key Western antimony supplier.

Technical fundamentals further strengthen the investment case, with preliminary metallurgical work showing non-refractory mineralization suitable for conventional processing and gold recoveries of 93% to 98% through gravity and flotation.

With a strong cash position, 1,392 Ha of strategic freehold land ownership, and a large 200 km drill program planned through Q1 2027, SXGC is well-positioned to advance this globally significant gold-antimony discovery in a tier-one jurisdiction, delivering milestone by milestone.

- Ends -

This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.

NI 43-101 Technical Background and Qualified Person

Michael Hudson, President, CEO and Managing Director of SXGC, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and Mr Kenneth Bush, Head of Exploration of SXGC and a RPGeo (10315) of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, are the Qualified Persons as defined by the NI 43-101. They have prepared, reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release.

Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process.

SXGC considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered and sold at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Alkane Resources (previously Mandalay Resources) contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Resources Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony.

SXGC considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its 2024 End of Year Mineral Reserves and Resources Press Release, dated February 20, 2025. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using Costerfield's 2024 production costs, using a gold price of US$2,500 per ounce, an antimony price of US$19,000 per tonne and 2024 total year metal recoveries of 91% for gold and 92% for antimony, and is as follows:

AuEq = Au (g/t) + 2.39 x Sb (%)

Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXGC considers that a AuEq = Au (g/t) + 2.39 x Sb (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek.

JORC Competent Person Statement

Information in this announcement that relates to new exploration results contained in this report is based on information compiled by Mr Kenneth Bush and Mr Michael Hudson. Mr Bush is a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a Registered Professional Geologist in the field of Mining (#10315) and Mr Hudson is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Bush and Mr Hudson each have sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit 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 Bush is Head of Exploration and Mr Hudson is President, CEO and Managing Director of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Limited and both consent to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

Certain information in this announcement that relates to prior exploration results is extracted from the Independent Geologist's Report dated 11 December 2024 which was issued with the consent of the Competent Person, Mr Steven Tambanis. The report is included the Company's prospectus dated 11 December 2024 and is available at www.asx.com.au under code "SX2". The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information related to exploration results included in the original market announcement. The Company confirms that the form and context of the Competent Persons' findings in relation to the report have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.

Certain information in this announcement also relates to prior drill hole exploration results, are extracted from the following announcements, which are available to view on www.southerncrossgold.com:

4 October, 2022 SDDSC046, 20 October, 2022 SDDSC049, 5 September, 2023 SDDSC077B, 12 October, 2023 SDDLV003 & 4, 23 October, 2023 SDDSC082, 9 November, 2023 SDDSC091, 14 December, 2023 SDDSC092, 5 March, 2024 SDDSC107, 30 May, 2024 SDDSC117, 13 June, 2024 SDDSC118, 5 September, 2024 SDDSC130, 28 October, 2024 SDDSC137W2, 28 November, 2024 SDDSC141, 9 December, 2024 SDDSC145, 18 December, 2024 SDDSC129 & 144, 28 May, 2025 SDDSC161, 16 June, 2025 SDDSC162, 26 August, 2025 SDDSC171, 8 September, 2025 SDDSC170A,

The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original document/announcement and the Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person's findings are presented have not materially modified from the original market announcement.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political, social uncertainties; the state of capital markets, unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in the Company's documents filed with Canadian or Australian (under code SX2) securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made by the Company with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada or Australia (under code SX2), as applicable, and available for the Company in Canada at www.sedarplus.ca or in Australia at www.asx.com.au (under code SX2). Documents are also available at www.southerncrossgold.com The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.





Figure 1: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected results from holes SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 reported here (dark blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected prior reported drill holes.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/281898_64b5d290a4b86a17_005full.jpg

Figure 2: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected drillhole traces from holes SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 reported here (black trace), with prior reported drill holes (grey trace) and currently drilling and assays pending hole traces (dark blue).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/281898_3661f6707403b970_003full.jpg

Figure 3: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across A-B in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the NW (striking 56 degrees) indicating mineralized vein sets. Showing holes SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 reported here (dark blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. The vertical extents of the vein sets are limited by proximity to drill hole pierce points.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/281898_3661f6707403b970_004full.jpg

Figure 4: Sunday Creek regional plan view showing soil sampling, structural framework, regional historic epizonal gold mining areas and broad regional areas tested by 12 holes for 2,383 m drill program. The regional drill areas are at Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan located 4,000-7,500 m along strike from the main drill area at Golden Dyke- Apollo. Map in GDA94/ MGA Zone 55.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/281898_3661f6707403b970_005full.jpg

Figure 5: Location of the Sunday Creek project, along with the 100% owned Redcastle Gold-Antimony Project

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/281898_3661f6707403b970_006full.jpg

Figure 6: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across C-D in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the East (striking 346 degrees) indicating mineralized vein set RS01.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/281898_3661f6707403b970_007full.jpg

Table 1: Drill collar summary table for recent drill holes in progress.

This Release Hole ID Depth (m) Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC176 865.8 Golden Dyke 330950.2 5868006.1 313.7 -53.2 257.3 SDDSC187 518.3 Rising Sun 330510.7 5867852.7 295.4 -50.5 75.4 SDDSC190 451.8 Rising Sun 330511.4 5867852.5 295.5 -40.8 80.1 SDDSC196 1082.53 Rising Sun 330484.2 5867893.4 289.5 -64.4 74.8 Currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Depth (m) Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC180 1159.77 Christina 330753.2 5867732.9 306.8 -45 273.1 SDDSC191W1 1132.9 Christina 330753.5 5867733 306.8 -46.3 275.2 SDDSC193 668.1 Golden Dyke 330775.4 5867891 295.5 -58.6 262.2 SDDSC194 929 Golden Dyke 330811.4 5867596.4 295.1 -64.4 310 SDDSC194W1 1438.86 Golden Dyke 330811.4 5867596.4 295.1 -64.4 311.2 SDDSC195 152.15 Apollo 330989.7 5867715.6 318 -53.3 60.5 SDDSC197 791.5 Golden Dyke 330217.8 5867664.2 268.9 -58.7 50.8 SDDSC198 273.6 Apollo 331180.4 5867849.1 306.1 -31.5 248.6 SDDSC199 503.43 Apollo 330887.5 5867704.5 312.7 -42.8 52.2 SDDSC200 320.54 Apollo 330887.2 5867704.3 312.7 -47.8 53 SDDSC201 321.4 Rising Sun 330948.3 5868003.4 313.3 -28.9 231.3 SDDSC202 In Progress plan 1100 m Apollo 331596.2 5867936.6 345.6 -43.4 266.9 SDDSC203 547 Golden Dyke 330775.3 5867888.9 295.5 -47.5 253.4 SDDSC204 1208.3 Apollo 331615.6 5867952.4 346.5 -58.2 270.4 SDDSC205 In Progress plan 1320 m Rising Sun 330339.8 5867858.5 276.8 -64.6 75.8 SDDSC206 286.2 Golden Dyke 330752.7 5867734.4 306.9 -33 301 SDDSC207 584.25 Christina 330094.8 5867459.3 278.3 -48.8 20.7 SDDSC208 929.3 Christina 330753.5 5867733 306.7 -47.1 281 SDDSC209 271.58 Apollo East 331463.3 5867746.4 341.2 -30.5 34 SDDSC210 512 Golden Dyke 330813.6 5867847.5 301.1 -43.6 264.3 SDDSC211 380.02 Golden Dyke 330700.3 5867880.2 299.4 -40.1 250.4 SDDSC212 438.7 Apollo East 331464.9 5867866.4 333.2 -33.2 261.3 SDDSC213 941.4 Golden Dyke 330094.2 5867458.6 278.3 -62.6 14.6 SDDSC214 431.6 Apollo 331615.5 5867952.7 346.8 -55.2 269 SDDSC214W1 In Progress plan 1150 m Apollo 331615.5 5867951.7 346.8 0 0 SDDSC215 476.39 Regional 331603.6 5867183.7 304.9 -38.2 15.4 SDDSC216A 572.36 Golden Dyke 330701.2 5867880.5 299.6 -46.1 250.6 SDDSC217 490.7 Apollo East 331481.2 5867839.5 335.4 -25 261.9 SDDSC218 In Progress plan 700 m Golden Dyke 330813.6 5867847.5 301.1 -47.6 265.5 SDDSC219 392.2 Golden Dyke 330701.5 5867880.3 299.6 -49.2 247.8 SDDSC220 In Progress plan 830 m Christina 329780.9 5867551.9 286.5 -26 70.8 SDDSC221 926.6 Golden Dyke 330754.1 5867733 307 -50.6 284.1 SDDSC223 In Progress plan 370 m Apollo East 331481 5867842 336.2 -34 262 SDDSC224 496.9 Golden Dyke 330700.3 5867880.2 299.4 -37 245.8 SDDSC225 In Progress plan 1270 m Golden Dyke 330753.5 5867733 306.8 -52.8 283.8 SDDSC226 In Progress plan 1900 m Rising Sun 331273 5867124 290 56 336.5 SDDSC228 In Progress plan 440 m Golden Dyke 330701.5 5867880.3 299.6 -47 245 Regional holes currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Press Release Depth Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDRE016 410.5 Redcastle 302732 5927292 194.61 -50 68 SDDRE017 In Progress plan 359.8 m Redcastle 305388.6 5926618 206.62 -50 70 SDDTS009 In Progress plan 425 m Tonstall 336992 5870553 524.6 -28.3 285 Abandoned Drillholes currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Press Release Depth Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC191 864.4 Christina 330753.5 5867733 306.8 -46.1 275.2 SDDSC216 131.2 Golden Dyke 330700.3 5867880.2 299.4 -46.5 252.3

Table 2: Table of mineralized drill hole intersections reported from SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 with two cutoff criteria. Lower grades cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq cutoff over a maximum of 1 m. Significant intersections and interval depths are rounded to one decimal place.

Hole number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC176 516.67 519.07 2.40 7.3 1.0 9.8 Including 516.67 517.27 0.60 27.5 3.6 36.0 SDDSC176 521.15 525.35 4.20 15.6 4.2 25.7 Including 523.97 525.37 1.40 46.4 12.8 77.0 SDDSC176 550.45 551.65 1.20 4.4 0.2 4.9 SDDSC187 238.06 239.66 1.60 2.3 1.3 5.4 Including 238.27 239.57 1.30 2.4 1.5 5.9 SDDSC187 241.29 245.19 3.90 1.1 0.1 1.4 SDDSC187 266.00 269.80 3.80 0.7 0.2 1.1 SDDSC187 278.87 278.97 0.10 1.8 12.5 31.7 SDDSC187 281.07 284.17 3.10 0.3 0.6 1.8 SDDSC187 292.67 297.87 5.20 5.8 0.8 7.8 Including 292.67 294.17 1.50 9.6 2.2 14.8 Including 297.71 297.81 0.10 122.0 2.0 126.7 SDDSC187 302.27 305.17 2.90 0.8 0.2 1.3 SDDSC187 307.02 309.32 2.30 7.0 0.9 9.1 Including 309.00 309.30 0.30 44.5 5.7 58.1 SDDSC187 315.33 317.53 2.20 9.6 1.5 13.1 Including 316.44 317.04 0.60 30.0 4.5 40.8 SDDSC187 319.34 319.84 0.50 6.7 0.8 8.8 SDDSC187 322.80 329.40 6.60 1.4 1.4 4.8 Including 322.80 324.40 1.60 2.2 1.2 5.1 Including 328.49 329.09 0.60 3.0 9.4 25.5 SDDSC187 433.56 433.96 0.40 24.0 14.0 57.5 SDDSC187 472.12 472.62 0.50 3.3 1.3 6.5 SDDSC187 476.44 485.04 8.60 2.5 0.1 2.7 Including 476.44 477.64 1.20 9.6 0.0 9.7 SDDSC190 222.00 222.90 0.90 3.4 0.0 3.5 SDDSC190 227.00 235.00 8.00 1.3 0.0 1.3 SDDSC190 428.06 428.96 0.90 6.6 0.1 6.8 SDDSC196 376.43 380.23 3.80 9.6 8.7 30.3 Including 378.69 379.89 1.20 27.1 26.3 90.0 SDDSC196 384.35 384.75 0.40 2.1 46.7 113.7 SDDSC196 389.59 391.49 1.90 3.8 0.0 3.9 SDDSC196 430.15 431.35 1.20 0.5 0.5 1.7 SDDSC196 438.27 440.57 2.30 1.6 0.7 3.2 Including 440.38 440.58 0.20 16.6 7.0 33.4 SDDSC196 445.71 447.01 1.30 26.6 11.6 54.5 SDDSC196 458.97 459.57 0.60 51.1 0.0 51.2 Including 458.97 459.17 0.20 144.0 0.0 144.0 SDDSC196 465.85 466.45 0.60 3.2 0.7 5.0 SDDSC196 473.29 474.19 0.90 1.2 0.5 2.5 SDDSC196 479.45 484.25 4.80 2.9 0.1 3.2 SDDSC196 514.00 514.50 0.50 10.0 0.0 10.0 SDDSC196 528.72 529.02 0.30 84.1 56.5 219.1 SDDSC196 656.44 657.14 0.70 2.3 0.8 4.1 SDDSC196 659.72 665.42 5.70 2.1 0.1 2.3 Including 665.10 665.40 0.30 23.5 0.1 23.8 SDDSC196 673.17 673.77 0.60 4.2 0.4 5.2 SDDSC196 705.03 709.43 4.40 0.2 0.8 2.0 SDDSC196 716.30 716.40 0.10 37.1 11.1 63.6 SDDSC196 722.03 724.03 2.00 1.2 0.0 1.3 SDDSC196 847.38 849.28 1.90 8.4 0.0 8.4 SDDSC196 860.08 860.48 0.40 7.5 0.0 7.5 SDDSC196 869.19 870.49 1.30 670.2 0.1 670.4 SDDSC196 885.10 887.60 2.50 7.3 0.0 7.4 Including 885.10 885.50 0.40 41.9 0.1 42.1 SDDSC196 930.50 931.50 1.00 24.7 0.0 24.7 Including 930.50 930.80 0.30 85.8 0.0 85.8

Table 3: All individual assays reported from SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 reported here >0.1g/t AuEq. Individual assay and sample intervals are reported to two decimal places.

Hole number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC176 499.73 500.76 1.03 0.17 0.00 0.18 SDDSC176 516.67 517.03 0.36 45.30 0.30 46.02 SDDSC176 517.03 517.27 0.24 0.71 8.44 20.88 SDDSC176 517.27 517.49 0.22 0.68 0.56 2.02 SDDSC176 517.49 517.93 0.44 0.29 0.30 1.01 SDDSC176 518.47 519.05 0.58 0.82 0.14 1.15 SDDSC176 519.59 520.03 0.44 0.29 0.17 0.70 SDDSC176 521.15 521.55 0.40 2.05 0.19 2.50 SDDSC176 521.91 522.08 0.17 0.76 0.19 1.21 SDDSC176 522.53 523.03 0.50 0.23 0.08 0.43 SDDSC176 523.24 523.8 0.56 1.00 0.00 1.01 SDDSC176 523.97 524.33 0.36 54.00 31.60 129.52 SDDSC176 524.33 524.44 0.11 1.01 0.06 1.16 SDDSC176 524.44 524.66 0.22 25.30 0.08 25.50 SDDSC176 524.66 524.9 0.24 114.00 6.38 129.25 SDDSC176 524.9 525.17 0.27 20.80 3.78 29.83 SDDSC176 525.17 525.34 0.17 32.50 20.90 82.45 SDDSC176 535.16 535.87 0.71 0.78 0.01 0.80 SDDSC176 547.87 549.17 1.30 0.04 0.03 0.10 SDDSC176 549.88 550.45 0.57 0.76 0.08 0.95 SDDSC176 550.45 550.65 0.20 2.43 1.17 5.23 SDDSC176 550.65 551.38 0.73 0.27 0.06 0.41 SDDSC176 551.38 551.63 0.25 17.80 0.04 17.90 SDDSC176 556.06 556.17 0.11 1.95 2.04 6.83 SDDSC176 556.17 556.62 0.45 1.44 0.23 1.99 SDDSC176 556.62 557.92 1.30 0.16 0.03 0.22 SDDSC176 558.72 559.27 0.55 0.37 0.02 0.41 SDDSC176 567.54 567.99 0.45 2.31 0.02 2.36 SDDSC176 569.02 570.21 1.19 0.35 0.06 0.49 SDDSC176 570.21 570.66 0.45 0.69 0.05 0.81 SDDSC176 570.66 571.88 1.22 0.10 0.02 0.14 SDDSC176 587.87 588.52 0.65 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC176 588.52 588.64 0.12 1.84 0.01 1.86 SDDSC176 602.47 603.26 0.79 0.22 0.01 0.23 SDDSC176 658.95 659.6 0.65 0.25 0.01 0.26 SDDSC187 236.5 237.37 0.87 0.14 0.01 0.15 SDDSC187 238.06 238.27 0.21 1.69 0.02 1.73 SDDSC187 238.27 238.57 0.30 3.38 6.39 18.65 SDDSC187 239.18 239.5 0.32 0.30 0.03 0.37 SDDSC187 239.5 239.61 0.11 18.70 0.50 19.90 SDDSC187 241.29 241.75 0.46 1.01 0.99 3.38 SDDSC187 241.75 242.05 0.30 0.42 0.06 0.56 SDDSC187 242.56 242.71 0.15 1.06 0.01 1.09 SDDSC187 243.44 243.84 0.40 5.96 0.01 5.99 SDDSC187 244.16 244.52 0.36 0.52 0.01 0.53 SDDSC187 244.52 245.17 0.65 1.00 0.01 1.03 SDDSC187 245.17 245.42 0.25 0.38 0.02 0.42 SDDSC187 245.78 246.46 0.68 0.23 0.00 0.24 SDDSC187 246.46 246.9 0.44 0.35 0.00 0.36 SDDSC187 246.9 247.14 0.24 5.36 0.02 5.40 SDDSC187 247.14 247.86 0.72 0.67 0.00 0.68 SDDSC187 247.86 248.46 0.60 0.28 0.00 0.29 SDDSC187 249.25 249.88 0.63 0.59 0.00 0.60 SDDSC187 249.98 250.3 0.32 0.38 0.00 0.39 SDDSC187 252.28 252.46 0.18 0.05 0.42 1.05 SDDSC187 258.64 258.76 0.12 2.39 3.09 9.78 SDDSC187 259.02 259.24 0.22 0.21 1.12 2.89 SDDSC187 259.24 260.1 0.86 0.50 0.03 0.57 SDDSC187 265.47 265.72 0.25 0.68 0.02 0.72 SDDSC187 266 266.38 0.38 1.18 0.01 1.19 SDDSC187 266.66 266.97 0.31 1.32 0.45 2.40 SDDSC187 266.97 267.74 0.77 0.39 0.28 1.06 SDDSC187 267.74 268.52 0.78 0.35 0.02 0.39 SDDSC187 268.52 269.21 0.69 0.68 0.43 1.71 SDDSC187 269.21 269.8 0.59 0.96 0.10 1.20 SDDSC187 270.5 271.42 0.92 0.46 0.10 0.69 SDDSC187 271.42 271.8 0.38 0.36 0.19 0.81 SDDSC187 272.3 273.24 0.94 0.80 0.01 0.83 SDDSC187 277.62 277.98 0.36 0.26 0.01 0.28 SDDSC187 277.98 278.87 0.89 0.18 0.01 0.21 SDDSC187 278.87 278.98 0.11 1.83 12.50 31.71 SDDSC187 279.15 280 0.85 0.31 0.28 0.98 SDDSC187 280 281.07 1.07 0.12 0.02 0.16 SDDSC187 281.07 281.19 0.12 0.20 0.83 2.18 SDDSC187 281.19 282.17 0.98 0.11 0.02 0.16 SDDSC187 282.17 282.61 0.44 0.62 0.47 1.74 SDDSC187 282.61 283.18 0.57 0.16 0.02 0.20 SDDSC187 283.18 283.68 0.50 0.20 3.01 7.39 SDDSC187 283.88 284.14 0.26 1.68 0.05 1.79 SDDSC187 284.14 285.05 0.91 0.40 0.01 0.42 SDDSC187 285.05 286.07 1.02 0.30 0.02 0.34 SDDSC187 288.37 288.5 0.13 1.18 1.20 4.05 SDDSC187 289.68 290.42 0.74 0.08 0.09 0.29 SDDSC187 290.76 291.32 0.56 0.15 0.22 0.68 SDDSC187 292.21 292.67 0.46 0.34 0.02 0.39 SDDSC187 292.67 293.1 0.43 23.00 3.53 31.44 SDDSC187 293.1 293.38 0.28 0.68 0.08 0.87 SDDSC187 293.38 293.49 0.11 7.78 6.12 22.41 SDDSC187 293.49 293.83 0.34 1.57 1.58 5.35 SDDSC187 293.83 294.17 0.34 8.50 1.62 12.37 SDDSC187 294.17 294.87 0.70 0.25 0.05 0.36 SDDSC187 294.87 295.44 0.57 0.97 0.62 2.45 SDDSC187 295.79 296.03 0.24 1.77 0.12 2.06 SDDSC187 296.03 296.52 0.49 1.38 0.04 1.47 SDDSC187 296.52 296.88 0.36 0.29 0.01 0.32 SDDSC187 296.88 297.21 0.33 0.60 0.47 1.72 SDDSC187 297.21 297.71 0.50 0.30 0.02 0.34 SDDSC187 297.71 297.82 0.11 122.00 1.98 126.73 SDDSC187 300.78 301.22 0.44 0.25 0.03 0.32 SDDSC187 301.95 302.27 0.32 0.18 0.25 0.78 SDDSC187 302.27 302.9 0.63 2.45 0.44 3.50 SDDSC187 303.32 303.45 0.13 0.64 1.23 3.58 SDDSC187 303.45 303.85 0.40 0.50 0.16 0.88 SDDSC187 303.85 304.79 0.94 0.30 0.03 0.37 SDDSC187 304.79 305.2 0.41 0.79 0.10 1.03 SDDSC187 305.2 305.95 0.75 0.43 0.03 0.50 SDDSC187 307.02 307.44 0.42 6.76 0.84 8.77 SDDSC187 307.44 308.24 0.80 0.56 0.04 0.66 SDDSC187 308.4 309 0.60 0.58 0.02 0.63 SDDSC187 309 309.27 0.27 44.50 5.71 58.15 SDDSC187 309.27 309.57 0.30 0.92 0.02 0.96 SDDSC187 309.57 309.78 0.21 0.70 0.01 0.73 SDDSC187 309.78 310.25 0.47 0.27 0.02 0.32 SDDSC187 310.25 310.97 0.72 0.45 0.05 0.56 SDDSC187 310.97 311.34 0.37 0.93 0.04 1.03 SDDSC187 311.34 311.57 0.23 4.62 0.13 4.93 SDDSC187 311.57 311.93 0.36 0.61 0.04 0.71 SDDSC187 313.95 314.64 0.69 0.20 0.03 0.27 SDDSC187 314.64 315.33 0.69 0.49 0.02 0.54 SDDSC187 315.33 315.98 0.65 4.02 0.13 4.33 SDDSC187 315.98 316.44 0.46 1.41 0.57 2.77 SDDSC187 316.44 316.68 0.24 71.00 9.03 92.58 SDDSC187 316.68 316.87 0.19 1.03 0.25 1.63 SDDSC187 316.87 317.02 0.15 1.25 2.60 7.46 SDDSC187 317.33 317.5 0.17 0.56 1.08 3.14 SDDSC187 317.88 318.74 0.86 0.23 0.01 0.26 SDDSC187 319.34 319.64 0.30 0.21 0.43 1.24 SDDSC187 319.64 319.79 0.15 19.80 1.69 23.84 SDDSC187 319.79 320.36 0.57 0.17 0.10 0.41 SDDSC187 321.26 321.37 0.11 1.67 0.66 3.25 SDDSC187 321.86 321.97 0.11 0.22 0.31 0.96 SDDSC187 321.97 322.18 0.21 0.10 0.19 0.55 SDDSC187 322.45 322.8 0.35 0.24 0.12 0.53 SDDSC187 322.8 323.16 0.36 0.93 1.72 5.04 SDDSC187 323.16 323.59 0.43 4.82 2.38 10.51 SDDSC187 323.59 324.25 0.66 0.23 0.12 0.52 SDDSC187 324.25 324.36 0.11 7.77 1.41 11.14 SDDSC187 324.36 324.87 0.51 0.17 0.02 0.22 SDDSC187 324.87 324.98 0.11 0.34 0.50 1.54 SDDSC187 324.98 325.59 0.61 0.40 0.03 0.48 SDDSC187 325.59 325.9 0.31 0.30 0.03 0.36 SDDSC187 325.9 326.07 0.17 6.34 7.22 23.60 SDDSC187 326.07 326.17 0.10 2.24 0.37 3.12 SDDSC187 326.17 326.8 0.63 1.08 0.10 1.32 SDDSC187 327.12 327.26 0.14 4.88 3.70 13.72 SDDSC187 327.26 327.52 0.26 0.99 0.21 1.49 SDDSC187 328.08 328.49 0.41 0.71 0.04 0.80 SDDSC187 328.49 328.75 0.26 3.75 14.20 37.69 SDDSC187 328.75 329.06 0.31 2.38 5.37 15.21 SDDSC187 329.06 329.36 0.30 0.96 0.05 1.07 SDDSC187 329.36 329.77 0.41 0.23 0.16 0.61 SDDSC187 329.77 330.4 0.63 0.12 0.03 0.20 SDDSC187 333 334 1.00 0.29 0.01 0.31 SDDSC187 337 338 1.00 0.10 0.01 0.12 SDDSC187 345.42 345.74 0.32 0.32 0.02 0.36 SDDSC187 359.28 360.5 1.22 0.09 0.01 0.10 SDDSC187 406.9 407.45 0.55 0.19 0.00 0.20 SDDSC187 407.45 407.66 0.21 2.36 0.01 2.38 SDDSC187 427.4 428.7 1.30 0.16 0.02 0.22 SDDSC187 430.5 431.8 1.30 0.76 0.07 0.93 SDDSC187 431.8 432.28 0.48 0.29 0.24 0.86 SDDSC187 432.59 433.56 0.97 0.34 0.18 0.77 SDDSC187 433.56 433.71 0.15 57.80 40.30 154.12 SDDSC187 433.71 434 0.29 6.57 0.40 7.53 SDDSC187 434.57 434.77 0.20 0.64 0.01 0.67 SDDSC187 440.86 441.27 0.41 0.26 0.00 0.27 SDDSC187 442.47 443.77 1.30 0.10 0.01 0.12 SDDSC187 445.2 446.26 1.06 0.09 0.00 0.10 SDDSC187 467.05 468.03 0.98 0.19 0.05 0.30 SDDSC187 468.3 468.64 0.34 0.32 0.59 1.73 SDDSC187 468.64 469.19 0.55 0.57 0.31 1.31 SDDSC187 469.92 470.36 0.44 0.63 0.10 0.86 SDDSC187 472.12 472.42 0.30 0.35 0.50 1.55 SDDSC187 472.42 472.62 0.20 7.81 2.53 13.86 SDDSC187 474 475.13 1.13 0.22 0.02 0.26 SDDSC187 475.13 475.34 0.21 0.56 0.03 0.63 SDDSC187 476.44 477.63 1.19 9.61 0.05 9.73 SDDSC187 477.63 478.24 0.61 0.60 0.07 0.77 SDDSC187 478.24 478.81 0.57 0.21 0.08 0.39 SDDSC187 479.4 479.6 0.20 1.05 0.18 1.48 SDDSC187 479.95 480.5 0.55 0.22 0.04 0.31 SDDSC187 480.5 480.9 0.40 10.90 0.00 10.90 SDDSC187 480.9 481.9 1.00 0.53 0.04 0.62 SDDSC187 481.9 482.05 0.15 1.17 0.18 1.60 SDDSC187 482.05 482.75 0.70 0.83 0.52 2.07 SDDSC187 482.75 483 0.25 1.60 0.01 1.61 SDDSC187 483 484 1.00 1.10 0.17 1.51 SDDSC187 484 485 1.00 1.94 0.04 2.03 SDDSC187 489.85 490.65 0.80 0.17 0.01 0.19 SDDSC187 491.8 493 1.20 0.11 0.01 0.12 SDDSC190 207 207.9 0.90 0.18 0.01 0.19 SDDSC190 209.25 209.7 0.45 0.02 0.55 1.33 SDDSC190 210.65 211.33 0.68 0.20 0.00 0.21 SDDSC190 214.45 215.4 0.95 0.16 0.01 0.17 SDDSC190 215.4 216.6 1.20 1.21 0.02 1.26 SDDSC190 220 221 1.00 0.32 0.01 0.34 SDDSC190 222 222.9 0.90 3.43 0.01 3.45 SDDSC190 222.9 224 1.10 0.24 0.02 0.28 SDDSC190 225 226 1.00 0.13 0.02 0.19 SDDSC190 227 228 1.00 1.16 0.01 1.19 SDDSC190 228 229 1.00 3.15 0.02 3.19 SDDSC190 229 230 1.00 0.77 0.01 0.80 SDDSC190 230 230.45 0.45 0.73 0.01 0.76 SDDSC190 230.45 231 0.55 0.29 0.01 0.30 SDDSC190 231 232 1.00 1.24 0.01 1.25 SDDSC190 232 233 1.00 1.24 0.01 1.25 SDDSC190 233 234 1.00 0.43 0.01 0.45 SDDSC190 234 235 1.00 2.05 0.00 2.06 SDDSC190 235 235.65 0.65 0.28 0.00 0.29 SDDSC190 238 239 1.00 0.30 0.00 0.31 SDDSC190 423.03 424.16 1.13 0.79 0.03 0.86 SDDSC190 424.16 425.46 1.30 0.17 0.01 0.20 SDDSC190 425.46 426.76 1.30 0.17 0.02 0.21 SDDSC190 426.76 428.06 1.30 0.16 0.01 0.19 SDDSC190 428.06 428.57 0.51 6.40 0.05 6.51 SDDSC190 428.57 428.95 0.38 6.94 0.06 7.08 SDDSC190 428.95 430.25 1.30 0.19 0.01 0.21 SDDSC190 433.27 434.3 1.03 0.16 0.01 0.18 SDDSC190 434.67 435.88 1.21 0.10 0.01 0.12 SDDSC196 369.14 370.06 0.92 0.42 0.41 1.40 SDDSC196 370.06 371.36 1.30 0.04 0.03 0.11 SDDSC196 373.83 375.13 1.30 0.04 0.02 0.09 SDDSC196 376.43 377.73 1.30 1.60 0.03 1.68 SDDSC196 377.73 378.69 0.96 0.27 0.01 0.30 SDDSC196 378.69 379.31 0.62 1.44 2.62 7.70 SDDSC196 379.31 379.51 0.20 19.30 48.30 134.74 SDDSC196 379.51 379.74 0.23 20.30 54.70 151.03 SDDSC196 379.74 379.93 0.19 127.00 46.30 237.66 SDDSC196 379.93 380.2 0.27 1.07 0.05 1.18 SDDSC196 380.2 380.91 0.71 0.16 0.01 0.18 SDDSC196 380.91 381.07 0.16 0.81 0.01 0.84 SDDSC196 381.07 382.02 0.95 0.12 0.05 0.23 SDDSC196 382.02 382.88 0.86 0.09 0.02 0.13 SDDSC196 382.88 383.52 0.64 0.18 0.02 0.22 SDDSC196 384.35 384.77 0.42 2.11 46.70 113.72 SDDSC196 384.77 386.07 1.30 0.12 0.01 0.15 SDDSC196 389.59 389.99 0.40 1.10 0.01 1.12 SDDSC196 389.99 390.9 0.91 4.80 0.03 4.86 SDDSC196 390.9 391.51 0.61 4.16 0.00 4.16 SDDSC196 391.51 392.8 1.29 0.08 0.00 0.08 SDDSC196 419 420 1.00 0.64 0.01 0.66 SDDSC196 420 421 1.00 0.41 0.00 0.42 SDDSC196 426.5 427.15 0.65 0.37 0.21 0.87 SDDSC196 427.15 428.15 1.00 0.19 0.04 0.28 SDDSC196 428.15 429.15 1.00 0.15 0.01 0.17 SDDSC196 430.15 430.9 0.75 0.73 0.57 2.09 SDDSC196 430.9 431.3 0.40 0.15 0.39 1.08 SDDSC196 434.82 435.62 0.80 0.58 0.02 0.63 SDDSC196 436.22 436.53 0.31 0.37 0.11 0.63 SDDSC196 438.27 438.7 0.43 1.25 0.40 2.21 SDDSC196 439.48 439.7 0.22 1.11 0.80 3.02 SDDSC196 439.7 440.38 0.68 0.12 0.05 0.24 SDDSC196 440.38 440.54 0.16 16.60 7.03 33.40 SDDSC196 445.71 445.93 0.22 11.30 19.90 58.86 SDDSC196 445.93 446.09 0.16 78.50 65.90 236.00 SDDSC196 446.09 447 0.91 21.20 0.11 21.46 SDDSC196 447 448 1.00 0.12 0.02 0.16 SDDSC196 448 449 1.00 0.49 0.02 0.53 SDDSC196 449 450 1.00 0.44 0.01 0.47 SDDSC196 450 451 1.00 0.18 0.01 0.20 SDDSC196 451 452 1.00 0.15 0.04 0.25 SDDSC196 453.83 455.03 1.20 0.10 0.01 0.12 SDDSC196 458.97 459.18 0.21 144.00 0.02 144.04 SDDSC196 459.18 459.58 0.40 2.37 0.06 2.52 SDDSC196 461.81 462.15 0.34 0.18 0.14 0.51 SDDSC196 464.99 465.33 0.34 0.39 0.07 0.55 SDDSC196 465.33 465.85 0.52 0.34 0.20 0.82 SDDSC196 465.85 466.4 0.55 3.23 0.74 5.00 SDDSC196 466.4 467 0.60 0.22 0.06 0.36 SDDSC196 469.2 470.08 0.88 0.03 0.06 0.17 SDDSC196 470.67 470.97 0.30 0.60 0.01 0.62 SDDSC196 473.29 474.15 0.86 1.21 0.54 2.50 SDDSC196 476.73 477.19 0.46 0.61 0.07 0.77 SDDSC196 478.06 478.46 0.40 0.29 0.03 0.36 SDDSC196 479.45 479.69 0.24 17.40 0.22 17.93 SDDSC196 479.69 479.82 0.13 0.59 0.35 1.43 SDDSC196 479.82 480.66 0.84 0.23 0.07 0.39 SDDSC196 480.66 480.81 0.15 3.05 0.56 4.39 SDDSC196 480.81 481.01 0.20 17.30 0.51 18.52 SDDSC196 482.18 482.39 0.21 14.20 0.94 16.45 SDDSC196 483.6 484.27 0.67 3.77 0.07 3.93 SDDSC196 485.74 486.78 1.04 0.25 0.01 0.28 SDDSC196 488.8 489.37 0.57 0.35 0.01 0.37 SDDSC196 514 514.5 0.50 10.00 0.00 10.01 SDDSC196 516.5 517.5 1.00 0.32 0.01 0.35 SDDSC196 519 519.82 0.82 0.31 0.02 0.36 SDDSC196 519.82 520.6 0.78 0.32 0.01 0.34 SDDSC196 528 528.72 0.72 0.14 0.05 0.27 SDDSC196 528.72 529 0.28 84.10 56.50 219.14 SDDSC196 529 530 1.00 0.65 0.08 0.84 SDDSC196 532 533 1.00 0.10 0.01 0.11 SDDSC196 540 541 1.00 0.25 0.00 0.26 SDDSC196 542.6 543.5 0.90 -0.01 0.07 0.16 SDDSC196 543.5 544.1 0.60 1.31 0.01 1.32 SDDSC196 544.1 545 0.90 0.20 0.01 0.23 SDDSC196 547 548 1.00 0.61 0.03 0.69 SDDSC196 548 549 1.00 0.12 0.01 0.15 SDDSC196 550 551 1.00 0.16 0.01 0.17 SDDSC196 551 552 1.00 0.10 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 566 566.2 0.20 0.49 0.07 0.65 SDDSC196 580.2 580.6 0.40 2.00 0.01 2.02 SDDSC196 588 588.6 0.60 0.47 0.01 0.49 SDDSC196 590.2 591.03 0.83 0.31 0.01 0.34 SDDSC196 596 597 1.00 0.13 0.01 0.15 SDDSC196 607.04 607.57 0.53 0.66 0.19 1.11 SDDSC196 607.57 607.91 0.34 0.46 0.09 0.67 SDDSC196 607.91 608.26 0.35 0.87 0.26 1.49 SDDSC196 608.26 608.58 0.32 0.17 0.19 0.62 SDDSC196 608.9 609.81 0.91 0.21 0.08 0.41 SDDSC196 609.81 610.55 0.74 0.13 0.03 0.19 SDDSC196 610.55 610.97 0.42 0.31 0.23 0.86 SDDSC196 610.97 611.5 0.53 0.23 0.03 0.31 SDDSC196 617.66 618.86 1.20 0.08 0.02 0.13 SDDSC196 618.86 619.12 0.26 0.83 0.04 0.93 SDDSC196 622.9 624 1.10 0.19 0.00 0.20 SDDSC196 633.42 634.65 1.23 0.29 0.01 0.32 SDDSC196 636.72 637.66 0.94 0.12 0.01 0.15 SDDSC196 638.38 638.67 0.29 0.58 0.03 0.64 SDDSC196 638.67 639.5 0.83 0.14 0.01 0.17 SDDSC196 640.75 641.08 0.33 0.27 0.02 0.31 SDDSC196 644.53 644.87 0.34 0.42 0.06 0.56 SDDSC196 652.06 652.6 0.54 0.23 0.08 0.43 SDDSC196 654.5 655.35 0.85 0.08 0.03 0.14 SDDSC196 655.8 656.44 0.64 0.55 0.05 0.66 SDDSC196 656.44 657.14 0.70 2.26 0.75 4.05 SDDSC196 657.14 657.59 0.45 0.42 0.02 0.47 SDDSC196 657.59 658.3 0.71 0.75 0.02 0.81 SDDSC196 658.3 658.89 0.59 0.71 0.05 0.82 SDDSC196 658.89 659.72 0.83 0.42 0.02 0.46 SDDSC196 659.72 660.92 1.20 1.01 0.02 1.05 SDDSC196 660.92 661.15 0.23 1.62 0.02 1.68 SDDSC196 661.15 661.35 0.20 1.08 0.60 2.51 SDDSC196 661.35 661.62 0.27 0.80 0.33 1.59 SDDSC196 663.12 663.44 0.32 3.86 0.19 4.31 SDDSC196 664.07 664.17 0.10 2.10 0.08 2.29 SDDSC196 664.17 664.8 0.63 0.47 0.04 0.57 SDDSC196 664.8 664.96 0.16 0.71 0.02 0.76 SDDSC196 664.96 665.1 0.14 1.96 0.48 3.11 SDDSC196 665.1 665.42 0.32 23.50 0.11 23.76 SDDSC196 665.42 665.58 0.16 0.67 0.02 0.73 SDDSC196 672.35 673.17 0.82 0.18 0.08 0.38 SDDSC196 673.17 673.77 0.60 4.20 0.42 5.20 SDDSC196 704.77 705.03 0.26 0.15 0.35 0.99 SDDSC196 705.03 705.37 0.34 0.37 0.80 2.28 SDDSC196 705.37 705.98 0.61 0.11 0.04 0.21 SDDSC196 705.98 706.55 0.57 0.16 0.33 0.95 SDDSC196 706.55 706.85 0.30 0.09 0.11 0.35 SDDSC196 706.85 707.42 0.57 0.24 0.99 2.61 SDDSC196 707.42 708.25 0.83 0.15 1.27 3.19 SDDSC196 708.25 709.38 1.13 0.09 1.03 2.55 SDDSC196 709.38 710.54 1.16 0.07 0.34 0.88 SDDSC196 710.54 711.7 1.16 0.04 0.03 0.12 SDDSC196 713.66 714.15 0.49 0.08 0.05 0.20 SDDSC196 716.3 716.4 0.10 37.10 11.10 63.63 SDDSC196 720.82 721.83 1.01 0.72 0.01 0.74 SDDSC196 721.83 722.03 0.20 0.69 0.01 0.71 SDDSC196 722.03 722.86 0.83 1.03 0.04 1.13 SDDSC196 722.86 723.1 0.24 1.70 0.06 1.83 SDDSC196 723.1 724.02 0.92 1.28 0.01 1.31 SDDSC196 724.02 724.46 0.44 0.44 0.01 0.47 SDDSC196 724.46 725.66 1.20 0.91 0.02 0.95 SDDSC196 726.9 728.2 1.30 0.04 0.03 0.11 SDDSC196 731.95 732.75 0.80 0.56 0.00 0.57 SDDSC196 735 736 1.00 0.14 0.40 1.10 SDDSC196 736 737 1.00 0.10 0.15 0.46 SDDSC196 743.8 744.9 1.10 0.30 0.01 0.31 SDDSC196 752.05 752.3 0.25 0.75 0.62 2.23 SDDSC196 758 759 1.00 0.09 0.05 0.22 SDDSC196 766 767 1.00 0.06 0.03 0.14 SDDSC196 773 774 1.00 0.02 0.05 0.13 SDDSC196 777 778 1.00 0.07 0.04 0.16 SDDSC196 780.3 780.5 0.20 0.04 0.59 1.45 SDDSC196 781.7 782.05 0.35 0.13 0.28 0.80 SDDSC196 791.43 792.13 0.70 0.17 0.00 0.18 SDDSC196 793.52 794.12 0.60 0.67 0.01 0.70 SDDSC196 794.12 794.95 0.83 1.00 0.01 1.03 SDDSC196 794.95 795.6 0.65 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC196 796 796.56 0.56 0.20 0.00 0.21 SDDSC196 802.12 802.46 0.34 0.42 0.00 0.43 SDDSC196 804.72 805.16 0.44 0.27 0.00 0.28 SDDSC196 810.67 811.33 0.66 0.27 0.03 0.34 SDDSC196 819.51 820.17 0.66 0.20 0.00 0.21 SDDSC196 822.14 822.51 0.37 0.28 0.07 0.45 SDDSC196 822.51 823 0.49 0.20 0.08 0.39 SDDSC196 823 823.19 0.19 0.14 0.18 0.57 SDDSC196 823.19 823.67 0.48 0.32 0.06 0.47 SDDSC196 823.67 824.06 0.39 0.41 0.19 0.86 SDDSC196 824.17 824.63 0.46 0.43 0.07 0.59 SDDSC196 824.63 825.22 0.59 0.60 0.01 0.63 SDDSC196 825.22 825.82 0.60 0.35 0.01 0.37 SDDSC196 825.82 827 1.18 0.13 0.00 0.14 SDDSC196 828 828.4 0.40 2.74 0.00 2.75 SDDSC196 836.15 836.88 0.73 0.30 0.00 0.31 SDDSC196 836.88 837.18 0.30 0.51 0.01 0.53 SDDSC196 837.18 838.14 0.96 0.28 0.01 0.30 SDDSC196 841.04 841.2 0.16 2.34 0.02 2.38 SDDSC196 841.2 841.84 0.64 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC196 841.98 842.95 0.97 0.13 0.00 0.14 SDDSC196 847.38 847.94 0.56 5.31 0.01 5.33 SDDSC196 847.94 848.27 0.33 35.90 0.01 35.92 SDDSC196 848.27 849.3 1.03 1.22 0.02 1.26 SDDSC196 854.76 855.44 0.68 0.18 0.01 0.20 SDDSC196 856.27 856.79 0.52 0.89 0.01 0.91 SDDSC196 857 857.45 0.45 0.32 0.01 0.34 SDDSC196 860.08 860.47 0.39 7.53 0.00 7.54 SDDSC196 865.65 866.22 0.57 0.15 0.02 0.19 SDDSC196 868.05 868.64 0.59 0.27 0.03 0.34 SDDSC196 868.64 869.19 0.55 0.56 0.01 0.57 SDDSC196 869.19 870.09 0.90 978.00 0.06 978.15 SDDSC196 870.09 870.52 0.43 26.10 0.04 26.19 SDDSC196 870.52 871.82 1.30 0.11 0.00 0.12 SDDSC196 876.61 877.28 0.67 0.25 0.01 0.26 SDDSC196 877.28 877.76 0.48 0.46 0.01 0.48 SDDSC196 877.76 878.4 0.64 0.28 0.01 0.29 SDDSC196 879.3 879.63 0.33 0.95 0.00 0.96 SDDSC196 880.33 880.9 0.57 0.18 0.01 0.20 SDDSC196 881.53 881.89 0.36 0.61 0.00 0.62 SDDSC196 884.83 885.1 0.27 0.36 0.01 0.39 SDDSC196 885.1 885.51 0.41 41.90 0.09 42.11 SDDSC196 887.26 887.56 0.30 2.44 0.01 2.46 SDDSC196 891.3 892.03 0.73 0.40 0.00 0.41 SDDSC196 897.55 898.05 0.50 0.36 0.01 0.38 SDDSC196 900.2 900.48 0.28 1.30 0.01 1.32 SDDSC196 900.48 901 0.52 1.81 0.03 1.87 SDDSC196 903.45 903.8 0.35 1.60 0.01 1.62 SDDSC196 903.8 904 0.20 1.49 0.01 1.52 SDDSC196 904.6 905.9 1.30 0.12 0.00 0.13 SDDSC196 905.9 907.2 1.30 0.11 0.01 0.13 SDDSC196 914.21 914.7 0.49 0.29 0.01 0.31 SDDSC196 914.7 916 1.30 0.66 0.00 0.67 SDDSC196 917.7 918.28 0.58 0.40 0.01 0.42 SDDSC196 918.28 918.65 0.37 1.08 0.00 1.08 SDDSC196 924.2 925.5 1.30 0.09 0.01 0.11 SDDSC196 930.5 930.75 0.25 85.80 0.01 85.81 SDDSC196 930.75 931 0.25 0.92 0.01 0.94 SDDSC196 931 931.47 0.47 4.87 0.01 4.89 SDDSC196 931.47 932.1 0.63 0.21 0.01 0.23 SDDSC196 932.1 932.95 0.85 0.34 0.01 0.36 SDDSC196 932.95 933.7 0.75 0.26 0.01 0.28 SDDSC196 933.7 935 1.30 0.35 0.01 0.38 SDDSC196 935 935.66 0.66 0.21 0.01 0.24 SDDSC196 956.89 958.1 1.21 0.18 0.00 0.19 SDDSC196 958.1 959.02 0.92 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC196 959.02 959.64 0.62 0.37 0.00 0.37 SDDSC196 959.64 960.94 1.30 0.18 0.00 0.19 SDDSC196 964.4 964.83 0.43 0.37 0.00 0.38 SDDSC196 969.13 970.36 1.23 0.37 0.01 0.39 SDDSC196 975.45 976.35 0.90 0.11 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 977.04 978 0.96 0.11 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 978 978.68 0.68 0.52 0.00 0.53 SDDSC196 978.68 979.27 0.59 0.20 0.01 0.22 SDDSC196 979.27 980.39 1.12 0.51 0.00 0.52 SDDSC196 980.39 981.31 0.92 0.37 0.00 0.38 SDDSC196 981.31 982.61 1.30 0.10 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 986.51 987.78 1.27 0.31 0.00 0.32 SDDSC196 987.78 989.08 1.30 0.08 0.00 0.09 SDDSC196 990.01 991.2 1.19 0.51 0.01 0.53 SDDSC196 991.2 992.5 1.30 0.21 0.00 0.22 SDDSC196 992.5 993.8 1.30 0.10 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 995.65 996.64 0.99 0.11 0.00 0.12 SDDSC196 996.64 997.87 1.23 0.55 0.00 0.56 SDDSC196 1014.82 1016 1.18 1.00 0.00 1.01 SDDSC196 1020 1020.6 0.64 0.95 0.01 0.96 SDDSC196 1021.07 1021.4 0.28 0.90 0.01 0.91 SDDSC196 1021.35 1021.6 0.28 0.47 0.00 0.48 SDDSC196 1021.63 1022.5 0.91 0.64 0.04 0.72 SDDSC196 1022.54 1023.5 0.98 0.10 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 1023.52 1024.4 0.83 0.45 0.00 0.46 SDDSC196 1025.3 1025.8 0.45 0.33 0.00 0.33 SDDSC196 1031.16 1032.5 1.30 0.27 0.00 0.27

JORC Table 1

Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. 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 representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.

Aspects of the determination of mineralization that are Material to the Public Report.

In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. '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 mineralization types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Sampling has been conducted on drill core (half core for >90% and quarter core for check samples), grab samples (field samples of in-situ bedrock and boulders; including duplicate samples), trench samples (rock chips, including duplicates) and soil samples (including duplicate samples).

Locations of field samples were obtained by using a GPS, generally to an accuracy of within 5 metres. Drill hole and trench locations have been confirmed to <1 metre using a differential GPS.

Samples locations have also been verified by plotting locations on the high-resolution Lidar maps

Locations of field samples were obtained by using a GPS, generally to an accuracy of within 5 metres. Drill hole and trench locations have been confirmed to <1 metre using a differential GPS. Samples locations have also been verified by plotting locations on the high-resolution Lidar maps Drill core is marked for cutting and cut using an automated diamond saw used by Company staff in Kilmore.

Samples are bagged at the core saw and transported to the Bendigo On Site Laboratory for assay.

At On Site samples are crushed using a jaw crusher combined with a rotary splitter and a 1 kg split is separated for pulverizing (LM5) and assay.

Samples are bagged at the core saw and transported to the Bendigo On Site Laboratory for assay. At On Site samples are crushed using a jaw crusher combined with a rotary splitter and a 1 kg split is separated for pulverizing (LM5) and assay. Standard fire assay techniques are used for gold assay on a 30 g charge by experienced staff (used to dealing with high sulfide and stibnite-rich charges). On Site gold method by fire assay code PE01S.

Screen fire assay is used to understand gold grain-size distribution where coarse gold is evident.

ICP-OES is used to analyse the aqua regia digested pulp for an additional 12 elements (method BM011) and over-range antimony is measured using flame AAS (method known as B050).

Soil samples were sieved in the field and an 80-mesh sample bagged and transported to ALS Global laboratories in Brisbane for super-low level gold analysis on a 50 g samples by method ST44 (using aqua regia and ICP-MS).

Grab and rock chip samples are generally submitted to On Site Laboratories for standard fire assay and 12 element ICP-OES as described above. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. 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.). HQ or NQ diameter diamond drill core, oriented using Axis Champ orientation tool with the orientation line marked on the base of the drill core by the driller/offsider.

A standard 3 metre core barrel has been found to be most effective in both the hard and soft rocks in the project. 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. Core recoveries were maximised using HQ or NQ diamond drill core with careful control over water pressure to maintain soft-rock integrity and prevent loss of fines from soft drill core. Recoveries are determined on a metre-by-metre basis in the core shed using a tape measure against marked up drill core checking against driller's core blocks.

Plots of grade versus recovery and RQD (described below) show no trends relating to loss of drill core, or fines. 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 logging of the drill core takes place on racks in the company core shed.

Core orientations marked at the drill rig are checked for consistency, and base of core orientation lines are marked on core where two or more orientations match within 10 degrees.

Core recoveries are measured for each metre

RQD measurements (cumulative quantity of core sticks > 10 cm in a metre) are made on a metre-by-metre basis.

Core orientations marked at the drill rig are checked for consistency, and base of core orientation lines are marked on core where two or more orientations match within 10 degrees. Core recoveries are measured for each metre RQD measurements (cumulative quantity of core sticks > 10 cm in a metre) are made on a metre-by-metre basis. Each tray of drill core is photographed (wet and dry) after it is fully marked up for sampling and cutting.

The  core cutting line is placed approximately 10 degrees above the orientation line so the orientation line is retained in the core tray for future work.

Geological logging of drill core includes the following parameters:

Rock types, lithology

Alteration

Structural information (orientations of veins, bedding, fractures using standard alpha-beta measurements from orientation line; or, in the case of un-oriented parts of the core, the alpha angles are measured)

Veining (quartz, carbonate, stibnite)

Key minerals (visible under hand lens, e.g. gold, stibnite)

Rock types, lithology Alteration Structural information (orientations of veins, bedding, fractures using standard alpha-beta measurements from orientation line; or, in the case of un-oriented parts of the core, the alpha angles are measured) Veining (quartz, carbonate, stibnite) Key minerals (visible under hand lens, e.g. gold, stibnite) 100% of drill core is logged for all components described above into the company MX logging database.

Logging is fully quantitative, although the description of lithology and alteration relies on visible observations by trained geologists.

Each tray of drill core is photographed (wet and dry) after it is fully marked up for sampling and cutting.

Logging is considered to be at an appropriate quantitative standard to use in future studies. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.

If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry.

For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.

Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples.

Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.

Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Drill core is typically half-core sampled using an Almonte core saw. The drill core orientation line is retained.

Quarter core is used when taking sampling duplicates (termed FDUP in the database).

Sampling representivity is maximised by always taking the same side of the drill core (whenever oriented), and consistently drawing a cut line on the core where orientation is not possible. The field technician draws these lines.

Sample sizes are maximised for coarse gold by using half core, and using quarter core and half core splits (laboratory duplicates) allows an estimation of nugget effect.

In mineralized rock the company uses approximately 10% of  core duplicates, certified reference materials (suitable OREAS materials), laboratory sample duplicates and instrument repeats.

In the soil sampling program duplicates were obtained every 20th sample and the laboratory inserted low-level gold standards regularly into the sample flow. 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 (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. The fire assay technique for gold used by On Site is a globally recognised method, and over-range follow-ups including gravimetric finish and screen fire assay are standard. Of significance at the On Site laboratory is the presence of fire assay personnel who are experienced in dealing with high sulfide charges (especially those with high stibnite contents) - this substantially reduces the risk of in accurate reporting in complex sulfide-gold charges.

Where screen fire assay is used, this assay will be reported instead of the original fire assay.

The ICP-OES technique is a standard analytical technique for assessing elemental concentrations. The digest used (aqua regia) is excellent for the dissolution of sulfides (in this case generally stibnite, pyrite and trace arsenopyrite), but other silicate-hosted elements, in particular vanadium (V), may only be partially dissolved. These silicate-hosted elements are not important in the determination of the quantity of gold, antimony, arsenic or sulphur.

A portable XRF has been used in a qualitative manner on drill core to ensure appropriate core samples have been taken (no pXRF data are reported or included in the MX database).

Acceptable levels of accuracy and precision have been established using the following methods

 duplicates - half core is split into quarters and given separate sample numbers (commonly in mineralized core) - low to medium gold grades indicate strong correlation, dropping as the gold grade increases over 40 g/t Au.

Blanks - blanks are inserted after visible gold and in strongly mineralized rocks to confirm that the crushing and pulping are not affected by gold smearing onto the crusher and LM5 swing mill surfaces. Results are excellent, generally below detection limit and a single sample at 0.03 g/t Au.

Certified Reference Materials - OREAS CRMs have been used throughout the project including blanks, low (<1 g/t Au), medium (up to 5 g/t Au) and high-grade gold samples (> 5 g/t Au). Results are automatically checked on data import into the MX database to fall within 2 standard deviations of the expected value.

Laboratory splits - On Site conducts splits of both coarse crush and pulp duplicates as quality control and reports all data. In particular, high Au samples have the most repeats.

Laboratory CRMs - On Site regularly inserts their own CRM materials into the process flow and reports all data

Laboratory precision - duplicate measurements of solutions (both Au from fire assay and other elements from the aqua regia digests) are made regularly by the laboratory and reported.

- half core is split into quarters and given separate sample numbers (commonly in mineralized core) - low to medium gold grades indicate strong correlation, dropping as the gold grade increases over 40 g/t Au. - blanks are inserted after visible gold and in strongly mineralized rocks to confirm that the crushing and pulping are not affected by gold smearing onto the crusher and LM5 swing mill surfaces. Results are excellent, generally below detection limit and a single sample at 0.03 g/t Au. - OREAS CRMs have been used throughout the project including blanks, low (<1 g/t Au), medium (up to 5 g/t Au) and high-grade gold samples (> 5 g/t Au). Results are automatically checked on data import into the MX database to fall within 2 standard deviations of the expected value. - On Site conducts splits of both coarse crush and pulp duplicates as quality control and reports all data. In particular, high Au samples have the most repeats. - On Site regularly inserts their own CRM materials into the process flow and reports all data - duplicate measurements of solutions (both Au from fire assay and other elements from the aqua regia digests) are made regularly by the laboratory and reported. Accuracy and precision have been determined carefully by using the sampling and measurement techniques described above during the sampling (accuracy) and laboratory (accuracy and precision) stages of the analysis.

have been determined carefully by using the sampling and measurement techniques described above during the sampling (accuracy) and laboratory (accuracy and precision) stages of the analysis. Soil sample company duplicates and laboratory certified reference materials all fall within expected ranges. 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 Independent Geologist has visited Sunday Creek drill sites and inspected drill core held at the Kilmore core shed.

Visual inspection of drill intersections matches both the geological descriptions in the database and the expected assay data (for example, gold and stibnite visible in drill core is matched by high Au and Sb results in assays).

In addition, on receipt of results Company geologists assess the gold, antimony and arsenic results to verify that the intersections returned expected data.

The electronic data storage in the MX database is of a high standard. Primary logging data are entered directly by the geologists and field technicians and the assay data are electronically matched against sample number on return from the laboratory.

Certified reference materials,  core field duplicates (FDUP), laboratory splits and duplicates and instrument repeats are all recorded in the database.

Exports of data include all primary data, from hole SDDSC077B onwards after discussion with SRK Consulting. Prior to this gold was averaged across primary, field and lab duplicates.

Adjustments to assay data are recorded by MX, and none are present (or required).

Twinned drill holes are not available at this stage of the project. 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. Differential GPS used to locate drill collars, trenches and some workings

Standard GPS for some field locations (grab and soils samples), verified against Lidar data.

The grid system used throughout is Geocentric datum of Australia 1994; Map Grid Zone 55 (GDA94_Z55), also referred to as ELSG 28355. Reported azimuths also relate to MGA55 (GDA94_Z55).

Topographic control is excellent owing to sub 10 cm accuracy from Lidar data. 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. The data spacing is suitable for reporting of exploration results - evidence for this is based on the improving predictability of high-grade gold-antimony intersections.

At this time, the data spacing and distribution are not sufficient for the reporting of Mineral Resource Estimates. This however may change as knowledge of grade controls increase with future drill programs.

Samples have been composited to a 1 g/t AuEq over 2.0 m width for lower grades and 5 g/t AuEq over 1.0 m width for higher grades in table 3. All individual assays above 0.1 g/t AuEq have been reported to two decimal places with no compositing in table 4. 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 mineralized structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported are interpreted to be approximately 50-65% of the sampled thickness.

Drilling is oriented in an optimum direction when considering the combination of host rock orientation and apparent vein control on gold and antimony grade.

The steep nature of some of the veins may give increases in apparent thickness of some intersections, but more drilling is required to quantify.

The steep nature of some of the veins may give increases in apparent thickness of some intersections, but more drilling is required to quantify. A sampling bias is not evident from the data collected to date (drill holes cut across mineralized structures at a moderate angle). Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Drill core is delivered to the Kilmore core logging shed by either the drill contractor or company field staff. Samples are marked up and cut by company staff at the Kilmore core shed, in an automated diamond saw and bagged before loaded onto strapped secured pallets and trucked by company staff to Bendigo for submission to the laboratory. There is no evidence in any stage of the process, or in the data for any sample security issues. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. Continuous monitoring of CRM results, blanks and duplicates is undertaken by geologists and the company data geologist. Mr Michael Hudson for SXG has the orientation, logging and assay data.

Southern Cross Gold (SXG) ASX Announcement

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. The Sunday Creek Goldfield, containing the Clonbinane Project, is covered by the Retention Licence RL 6040 and is surrounded by Exploration Licence EL6163 and Exploration Licence EL7232. All the licences are 100% held by Clonbinane Goldfield Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary company of Southern Cross Gold Ltd. Exploration done by

other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. The main historical prospect within the Sunday Creek project is the Clonbinane prospect, a high level orogenic (or epizonal) Fosterville-style deposit. Small scale mining has been undertaken in the project area since the 1880s continuing through to the early 1900s. Historical production occurred with multiple small shafts and alluvial workings across the Clonbinane Goldfield permits. Production of note occurred at the Clonbinane area with total production being reported as 41,000 oz gold at a grade of 33 g/t gold (Leggo and Holdsworth, 2013)

Work in and nearby to the Sunday Creek Project area by previous explorers typically focused on finding bulk, shallow deposits. Beadell Resources were the first to drill deeper targets and Southern Cross have continued their work in the Sunday Creek Project area.

EL54 - Eastern Prospectors Pty Ltd

Rock chip sampling around Christina, Apollo and Golden Dyke mines.

Rock chip sampling down the Christina mine shaft. Resistivity survey over the Golden Dyke. Five diamond drill holes around Christina, two of which have assays. ELs 872 & 975 - CRA Exploration Pty Ltd

Exploration focused on finding low grade, high tonnage deposits. The tenements were relinquished after the area was found to be prospective but not economic.

Stream sediment samples around the Golden Dyke and Reedy Creek areas. Results were better around the Golden Dyke. 45 dump samples around Golden Dyke old workings showed good correlation between gold, arsenic and antimony.

Soil samples over the Golden Dyke to define boundaries of dyke and mineralization. Two costeans parallel to the Golden Dyke targeting soil anomalies. Costeans since rehabilitated by SXG. ELs 827 & 1520 - BHP Minerals Ltd

Exploration targeting open cut gold mineralization peripheral to SXG tenements. ELs 1534, 1603 & 3129 - Ausminde Holdings Pty Ltd

Targeting shallow, low grade gold. Trenching around the Golden Dyke prospect and results interpreted along with CRAs costeans. 29 RC/Aircore holes totalling 959 m sunk into the Apollo, Rising Sun and Golden Dyke target areas. ELs 4460 & 4987 - Beadell Resources Ltd

ELs 4460 and 4497 were granted to Beadell Resources in November 2007. Beadell successfully drilled 30 RC holes, including second diamond tail holes in the Golden Dyke/Apollo target areas. Both tenements were 100% acquired by Auminco Goldfields Pty Ltd in late 2012 and combined into one tenement EL4987.

Nagambie Resources Ltd purchased Auminco Goldfields in July 2014. EL4987 expired late 2015, during which time Nagambie Resources applied for a retention licence (RL6040) covering three square kilometres over the Sunday Creek Goldfield. RL6040 was granted July 2017.

Clonbinane Gold Field Pty Ltd was purchased by Mawson Gold Ltd in February 2020.

Mawson drilled 30 holes for 6,928 m and made the first discoveries to depth. Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of

mineralization. Refer to the description in the main body of the release. 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. Refer to appendices Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (e.g. 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. See "Further Information" and "Metal Equivalent Calculation" in main text of press release. Relationship

between

mineralization

widths and

intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results.

If the geometry of the mineralization 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 (e.g 'down hole

length, true width not known'). See reporting of true widths in the body of the press release. 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. The results of the diamond drilling are displayed in the figures in the 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 results above 0.1 g/t Au have been tabulated in this announcement. The results are considered representative with no intended bias.

Core loss, where material, is disclosed in tabulated drill intersections. 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. Preliminary testing was reported in January 11, 2024. This established the general metallurgical test procedure for samples from the Sunday Creek deposits and demonstrated the basis for confidence in establishing prospects for economic recovery of contained gold and antimony to three separate products: Metallic gold product by gravity recovery Antimony-gold flotation concentrate Pyrite-arsenopyrite-gold flotation concentrate

Testing has now been expanded to include samples from additional zones of the mineral deposits and to refine metallurgical processes. The aim was to improve aspects of antimony concentrate production, maximise gold recovery to a high-grade metallic product, and to further investigate the nature of gold occurrence.

The work, conducted by ALS Burnie Laboratories, focused on: Improving selectivity between sulphide minerals in the antimony flotation stage whilst maintaining high overall gold recovery. Further processing of the flotation concentrates, to assess the metallurgical response of contained gold. Mineralogical examination of selected product samples.

It was demonstrated that, with appropriate process conditions, high antimony and gold recovery could be maintained whilst rejecting arsenic and iron sulphides in the first flotation stage. The antimony concentrate produced (~50% Sb, <0.2% As) is deemed to be attractive to the smelter market.

Recovery of antimony to concentrate varied with feed type, and ranged from 83% to 93% for the samples tested from the antimony rich zones.

Additional metallic gold was recovered from the flotation concentrate by gravity separation.

The gold grade of the concentrate is a function of the proportion of feed gold associated with arsenic-iron sulphides, the ratio of gold to antimony in the feed, the gold recovered to the metallic gold product, and the flotation rate of gold in the first flotation stage.

High overall gold recovery was achieved with all samples tested.

Further Work Additional characterization testing across deposit zones Locked cycle testing to confirm overall recoveries Multi-stage cleaning optimization to maximize concentrate quality Pilot plant evaluation of larger samples Process plant design studies targeting Q1 2027 completion

Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (e.g. 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 has stated it will drill 200,000 m through 2025 to Q1 2027.

See diagrams in presentation which highlight current and future drill plans.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281898

Source: Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Eureka Lithium Corp. (CSE: ERKA) ("Eureka Lithium" or "Eureka" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has agreed to acquire a 100% interest in the Tyee Titanium and Vanadium Project located within th Havre-St-Pierre region of Quebec, and the Cabin Lake silver-gold-zinc-lead project located in the Omineca Mining District of British Columbia's famous Golden Triangle (together, the "Properties") from Stairway Mining Inc. ("Stairway"), via the purchase of all of the shares of Stairway, pursuant to the terms of a share purchase agreement dated January 26, 2026 ("Purchase Agreement"). The consideration to be paid by the Company under the Purchase Agreement consists of 12,000,000 common shares of Eureka. Stairway and its shareholders are arm's length to Eureka.

The Tyee Project is comprised of 189 contiguous mineral claims covering approximately 10,136 hectares. The Tyee Project is located in the Havre-St-Pierre Anothosite Complex, a district known for being prospective and infastructure-advantaged for titanium1. The Tyee Project includes the Big TiO, NS Trend and East Nugget targets, which have been the subject of historical geophysics and surface work.

The Cabin Lake Project is comprised of six contiguous Mineral Claims covering approximately 2,363 hectares. The Cabin Lake Project is strategically located in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, which hosts notable mines and deposits such as the Eskay Creek Mine and the KSM Project2.

"We are excited about the proposed acquisition of the Tyee and Cabin Lake Projects in Quebec and British Columbia," stated Mr. Dave Bowen, CEO of Eureka Lithium Corp. "These projects give Eureka exposure to mineral projects targeting exploration for important materials necessary for defence and high tech applications."

The closing of the acquisition is expected to take place on or about February 3rd, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, including approval by the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE).

Qualified Person

Afzaal Pirzada M.Sc., P.GEO., a Consultant to the Company, and a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

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.

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 Company's ability to complete the acquisition of Stairway and to pursue exploration of the Tyee and Cabin Lake Projects, 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

1 https://www.riotinto.com/en/can/canada-operations/rio-tinto-fer-et-titane

2 https://www.visualcapitalist.com/story-golden-triangle-british-columbia / https://www.seabridgegold.com/our-projects/ksm-the-opportunity

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281896

Source: Eureka Lithium Corp.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Argyle Resources Corp. (CSE: ARGL) (OTCQB: ARLYF) (FSE: ME0) ("Argyle" or the "Company") is pleased to report results from its 2025 prospecting and sampling campaign at the Company's 100% owned Saint Gabriel Project (the "Project"), located approximately 42 km east of Rimouski on Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula.

The four day field program was completed in the fall of 2025, and the samples were sent to a third-party lab for analysis. The program was designed to evaluate silica bearing outcrops, confirm known high-grade occurrences, and identify additional prospective areas within the claim block.

Figure 1: Location of the Saint Gabriel project

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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2025 Program Highlights

Seventeen grab samples were collected across the Project and submitted to ALS Canada Ltd. for whole rock geochemical analysis. Four samples returned SiO2 values above 99%, demonstrating high silica purity across multiple areas of the Project. The best result was 99.9% SiO2 from Sample 6 (quartzite) collected near the Lac Rigo Showing. Newly acquired land access enabled Argyle to expand prospecting to the west of the historical high grade showings, resulting in the identification of a high purity silica zone approximately 800 metres west of the Lac Rigo Showing. In the Lac Rigo Showing area, all assays exceeded 97% SiO2, supporting consistent high silica values in that locality.

Results Summary and Geological Context

Sampling targeted quartz rich lithologies including arenite, quartz arenite, quartzite, and quartz interbedded siltstone, with silica values generally ranging from the high 96% to greater than 99% SiO2, depending on location and host lithology.

Notable high grade samples include the following:

Sample 6 (Quartzite) returned 99.90% SiO2

Sample 11 (Quartz Arenite) returned 99.20% SiO2

Sample 13 (Quartzite) returned 99.50% SiO2

Sample 14 (Quartz Mudstone) returned 99.70% SiO2

Grab samples are selective by nature and may not be representative of underlying mineralization on the property

Table 1: Grab Sample Results

Sample X* Y* Rock type Date SiO2 % Fe2O3 % 1 568435 5367420 Arenite 2025-10-15 98.60 0.36 2 568368 5367400 Arenite 2025-10-15 97.50 0.34 3 568304 5367375 Arenite, small fossils 2025-10-15 98.30 0.29 4 568232 5367365 Quartzite 2025-10-15 98.10 0.51 5 568219 5367389 Arenite reddish 2025-10-15 97.90 0.45 6 568372 5367361 Quartzite 2025-10-15 99.90 0.60 7 568421 5367373 Quartz-arenite 2025-10-15 98.20 0.44 8 568657 5367440 Quartz-arenite, small fossils 2025-10-15 98.30 0.45 9 570412 5367314 Quartz-arenite 2025-10-15 98.20 0.41 10 565461 5367327 Quartz-arenite 2025-10-15 98.70 0.63 11 567697 5367246 Quartz-arenite 2025-10-16 99.20 0.37 12 567569 5367238 Quartz-arenite 2025-10-16 98.50 0.54 13 567557 5367208 Quartzite 2025-10-16 99.50 0.60 14 567545 5367205 Quartz-Mudstone 2025-10-16 99.70 0,69 15 567754 5367277 Quartz-arenite 2025-10-16 97.50 0.41 16 570539 5367367 Quartz-arenite 2025-10-16 98.50 0.75 17 570638 5367475 Quartz-arenite 2025-10-16 96.80 0.75

The newly identified high purity silica zone located approximately 800 metres west of the Lac Rigo Showing returned a strong cluster of high-grade results across multiple sample sites, including 99.2% SiO2 from Sample 11, 99.5% SiO2 from Sample 13, and 99.7% SiO2 from Sample 14. These results confirm the presence of high purity silica mineralization outside the historically recognized Lac Rigo Showing area and support the potential for an additional high grade zone within the Saint Gabriel Project. The western zone is considered a priority target for expanded follow up work aimed at defining continuity, lateral extent, and the overall scale of high purity silica mineralization within this new discovery area.





Figure 2 (left): Newly Discovered Outcrop and Figure 3 (right): Sample N11 with 99.2% SiO2

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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"These results reinforce the high purity silica potential at Saint Gabriel, with multiple samples returning greater than 99% SiO2, including a peak value of 99.9% SiO2 near Lac Rigo," said Jeffrey Stevens, President and CEO of Argyle Resources. "Importantly, the identification of additional high grade material in a previously unexplored area west of Lac Rigo strengthens our confidence that Saint Gabriel may host more than one high quality silica zone, and we look forward to advancing targeted follow up work to better define continuity and scale."

Figure 4: Sample Locations

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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About the Saint Gabriel Project

The Saint Gabriel Project is a 100% owned silica exploration property located in Quebec's Bas Saint Laurent Region on the Gaspe Peninsula, approximately 42 km east of Rimouski. The Project consists of 23 contiguous mining claims totalling approximately 1,312.90 hectares and is accessible by gravel road off Highway QC 234.

Argyle completed the acquisition of the Saint Gabriel Project in early 2025 and outlined a phased exploration approach focused on evaluating silica purity through systematic field work, sampling, and laboratory verification. In May 2025, the Company announced completion of satellite based remote sensing studies over the Saint Gabriel claim block, including long wave infrared analysis, short wave infrared analysis, and gas mapping, with the objective of supporting mineral mapping and ranking prospective target areas. In June 2025, Argyle announced the filing of a National Instrument 43 101 technical report for Saint Gabriel to support continued technical disclosure and project advancement.

Next Steps

Based on the results of the 2025 prospecting program, Argyle intends to advance follow up work at the Saint Gabriel Project focused on further evaluating two high purity silica zones, including the Lac Rigo Showing area and the newly identified high grade area to the west. Follow up activities are expected to include additional field reconnaissance, detailed mapping, and expanded sampling to better define the extent, continuity, and potential scale of high purity silica mineralization within both target areas. The Company will continue to manage access on a parcel by parcel basis as required, given that surface rights are held by private landowners.

Sampling Methodology and QA QC

Samples were collected by Company personnel and placed in sealed bags with unique sample ID tags. Samples remained under Company control until delivered to ALS Canada Ltd. for preparation and analysis. ALS is an independent laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025 accredited) and the Company has no affiliation with ALS. Quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) protocols included the insertion of certified reference standards (OREAS 232b) and blanks into the sample stream at regular intervals to monitor analytical accuracy and contamination. To validate the work of the prospectors and personnel, the Company implemented Quality Assurance/Quality Control protocols controlled by geologists.

All geochemical grabs were performed by ALS. Sample preparation was done according to the ALS protocol. 2025 grab samples were prepared in Ontario laboratory for the preparation and at the ALS Laboratory for ME ICP06, ME MS61 and TOT ICP06. All the assays were assayed by 48 element four acid ICP MS ME MS61 and Whole Rock Package ICP AES ME ICP06 methods.

Grab samples are selective by nature and may not be representative of underlying mineralization on the property.

Qualified Person

George Yordanov, P.Geo., Director, reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information disclosed in this press release, acting as the Company's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Jeffrey Stevens"

President and CEO

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Argyle expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements may involve, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the exploration and development of the Company's mineral properties. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by Argyle based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond Argyle's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Argyle does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider 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/281847

Source: Argyle Resources Corp.
HOUSTON, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fidelis New Energy and 8090 Industries today announced the launch of American Intelligence & Power Corporation (AIP Corp), a purpose-built platform established to develop, own, and operate large-scale, fully integrated AI infrastructure and power microgrids designed to deliver high-reliability power solutions for hyperscale and enterprise data center customers.

The launch reflects more than three years of development led by Fidelis and is anchored by the Monarch Compute Campus (Monarch), AIP Corp's flagship development in Mason County, West Virginia. Monarch is designed as a multi-phase, utility-grade AI compute and onsite power platform engineered for speed of deployment, scalability, and resilient operational performance.

AIP Corp was launched by Fidelis New Energy with 8090 Industries as a founding strategic partner, and is backed by LuminArx Capital Management and other strategic investors.

The Monarch Compute Campus Blueprint: An 8 GW AI Microgrid Platform

Monarch is a purpose-built infrastructure platform designed explicitly to support AI-driven workloads that require consistent power quality, rapid responsiveness, and continuous-duty performance at scale.

Designed with 8 GW of planned generation capacity, Monarch is structured as a fully integrated, behind-the-meter energy and compute ecosystem intended to deliver:

Accelerated time-to-market for AI infrastructure deployment

High availability power performance, including the ability to manage extreme load variability characteristic of advanced AI compute

Utility-grade reliability and resilience for mission-critical compute operations

Sovereign operational control to support the requirements of security-sensitive and latency-sensitive workloads

Monarch is strategically located to support rapid, scalable deployment of AI infrastructure, with proximity to major data center markets and key digital and industrial growth corridors. The site benefits from robust fiber connectivity, multi-modal logistics advantages including rail access and proximity to a major U.S. inland port and logistics corridor, and industrial water access to enable large-scale operations and long-term resiliency planning. Monarch is also positioned to leverage the Appalachian Basin's abundant natural gas supply through access to multiple pipeline laterals, supporting long-term fuel reliability and supply diversity.

Monarch's integrated design combines commercially proven, fast-response natural gas generation with battery energy storage systems to maintain power quality and deliver load-following performance for highly dynamic AI compute workloads. The system was developed using the patent-pending FidelisAIsland optimization approach, which integrates equipment selection and operating parameters to minimize cost and environmental impacts while responding to the extreme load swings associated with AI data centers.

Monarch is being developed with strong environmental performance in mind and is designed to comply with applicable air permitting requirements. Critically, Monarch is a fully self-supplied, behind-the-meter power platform and will not increase rates or add costs for existing residential, commercial, or industrial utility customers.

Unique Legislative Framework and Energy Leadership

Monarch is authorized under West Virginia House Bill 2014 (HB2014) as its own islanded utility with special microgrid status, reflecting Governor Patrick Morrisey's vision to unlock West Virginia's energy resources to support U.S. competitiveness in artificial intelligence, advanced computing, and next-generation industrial development.

The policy foundation builds on earlier microgrid legislative action initiated under former Governor Jim Justice, with sustained federal support from Senator Shelley Moore Capito and former Senator Joe Manchin. Together, these efforts align state-led energy innovation with national priorities in technology leadership, security, and infrastructure resilience.

The HB2014 framework provides regulatory clarity designed to enable the speed of execution required to mobilize American energy at AI-scale while protecting existing utility customers.

Leadership and Strategic Partner Commentary

"AIP Corp was deliberately designed as an infrastructure-first platform focused on execution, reliability, and scale," said Daniel Shapiro, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AIP Corp. "Governor Morrisey's leadership, together with sustained state and federal support, created the regulatory clarity required to rapidly mobilize American energy in support of national AI leadership and data sovereignty."

Rayyan Islam, Co-Founder and General Partner of 8090 Industries, added, "AI leadership is not a software problem. It is an energy and infrastructure problem. The next chapter of American power will be measured in intelligence produced and electrons delivered. AIP will deliver a repeatable model for integrated power and compute infrastructure at national strategic scale, beginning with Monarch as its flagship site. Monarch's unique microgrid utility status enables the speed, control, and scale required for AI-grade infrastructure - a blueprint for future projects across the country and built by a team in Fidelis that has developed, financed, and operated some of the continent's largest power, fuels, and midstream assets over the last two decades. We could not be prouder to be a founding strategic partner in AIP and to help build this platform alongside Fidelis."

"We are excited to partner with AIP Corp and 8090 Industries to help bring innovative solutions to the growing compute and energy needs of the AI-led industrial renaissance," said Gideon Berger, CEO of LuminArx. "We believe that a combination of thoughtful management, regulatory support, and flexible capital are necessary to address our nation's critical infrastructure gaps. This partnership demonstrates how meaningful progress can be made with the right stewardship and capital."

Executive Leadership and Advisory Board

AIP Corp is led by the executive team responsible for developing Monarch and is supported by an experienced Advisory Board with deep expertise across power generation, utilities, hyperscale infrastructure delivery, project finance, and security-focused operations.

Collectively, AIP Corp's leadership includes senior experience across global EPC execution, infrastructure capital markets, utility-scale development, and hyperscale compute environments. Former leadership and advisory roles include experience with organizations such as Quanta Services, The Shaw Group, Stone & Webster, GE Capital, SunPower, Jacobs, Worley, Kiewit, Entergy, Jefferies, Vinson & Elkins, First Infrastructure Capital Advisors, as well as senior and advisory roles involving FERC, Microsoft, and Meta.

AIP Corp Executive Officers include:

Daniel Shapiro, Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer Bengt Jarlsjo, President and Chief Operating Officer

President and Chief Operating Officer Gardner Boulmay, Chief Commercial Officer

Chief Commercial Officer Brett Buchanan, Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer Byron Best, Chief Technology Officer

Chief Technology Officer Pete Hollis, Chief Development Officer

Chief Development Officer Robert Wolosyn, Chief Delivery Officer

Chief Delivery Officer Sanjeev Menon, Chief Asset Officer

Chief Asset Officer Michael McGown, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer

AIP Corp Advisory Board members include:

Doug Mouton , former Vice President of Global Data Center Construction at Microsoft and former Senior Engineering Lead for Data Center Design and Construction at Meta, with leadership experience delivering hyperscale data center infrastructure globally.

, former Vice President of Global Data Center Construction at Microsoft and former Senior Engineering Lead for Data Center Design and Construction at Meta, with leadership experience delivering hyperscale data center infrastructure globally. Major General James A. Hoyer , former Adjutant General of West Virginia who led the state's Joint Interagency Task Force across multiple emergency response operations, with extensive experience directing statewide emergency management and strengthening critical infrastructure resilience.

, former Adjutant General of West Virginia who led the state's Joint Interagency Task Force across multiple emergency response operations, with extensive experience directing statewide emergency management and strengthening critical infrastructure resilience. Nora Mead Brownell , former Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) (2001-2006) and co-founder of ESPY Energy Solutions, with extensive experience in U.S. power markets, utility regulation, and large-scale energy infrastructure policy.

, former Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) (2001-2006) and co-founder of ESPY Energy Solutions, with extensive experience in U.S. power markets, utility regulation, and large-scale energy infrastructure policy. James F. O'Neil III, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Quanta Services, with extensive leadership experience across utility-scale electric power infrastructure, execution at scale, and operational delivery for critical grid and energy construction programs.

About American Intelligence & Power Corporation (AIP Corp)

American Intelligence & Power Corporation is a next-generation AI infrastructure company building large-scale, fully integrated power and compute platforms purpose-built for intelligence workloads. AIP develops, owns, and operates high-reliability, onsite energy and microgrid systems designed to support hyperscale and enterprise data center customers requiring continuous-duty performance, rapid deployment, and sovereign operational control. Anchored by its flagship Monarch Compute Campus in West Virginia, AIP is establishing a repeatable national model for AI power infrastructure that pairs utility-grade generation, energy storage, and advanced controls into purpose-built AI platforms. AIP is evaluating additional sites across the United States to replicate this strategy and expand reliable, scalable power capacity for the AI economy. For more information, visit www.AIPCorp.com.

About Fidelis New Energy

Fidelis New Energy is a U.S.-based energy infrastructure company focused on developing and deploying integrated solutions across power generation, low-carbon fuels, and carbon management. Fidelis originates, develops, and invests in large-scale projects that support industrial growth, energy reliability, and emissions reduction through commercially proven technologies and disciplined execution. Fidelis is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.fidelisinfra.com.

About 8090 Industries

8090 Industries backs today's industrialists building the physical foundations of the next century. The firm partners with founders and industrial operators to scale category-defining companies across energy, manufacturing, national security and computing. Beyond capital, 8090 delivers deep industrial relationships and hands-on development capabilities to help structure, finance, and execute large-scale systems-real assets, real infrastructure, and enduring industrial enterprises. As a founding strategic partner to American Intelligence & Power Corporation, 8090 worked alongside Fidelis New Energy to form AIP as a purpose-built, national-scale platform for integrated power and compute infrastructure. For more information, visit www.8090industries.com.

About LuminArx Capital Management

LuminArx Capital Management is a global alternative investment manager focused on providing innovative, flexible, and strategic capital solutions. The firm targets consistent returns across market environments, prioritizing downside protection, retaining upside participation, and maintaining minimal correlation with traditional markets. LuminArx leverages a diverse ecosystem of relationships across banks, corporations, governments, and insurance companies, and partners with leading institutional investors across the globe. For more information, visit www.luminarx.com.

Media Contact for AIP Corp and Fidelis New Energy:

Parvez Ahmed Garcia

parvez.ahmedgarcia@fidelisinfra.com

Media Contact for 8090 Industries:

Rayyan Islam

rayyan@8090industries.com

Media Contact for LuminArx:

Kate Sylvester

luminarx@longacresquare.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2871203/American_Intelligence_Power_Corporation__Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fidelis-new-energy-and-8090-industries-launch-american-intelligence--power-corporation-a-premier-ai-infrastructure-platform-with-strategic-support-from-luminarx-capital-management-302672154.html
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) 2026 concluded today at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The event saw high-level international participation, with over 10,000 attendees, including 40 labor ministers and more than 200 international speakers and experts representing over 100 countries.

The third edition of GLMC, held under the theme "Future in Progress" and organized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), witnessed the signing of 90 strategic agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between government entities and the private sector. These initiatives aim to support the labor market and are expected to benefit more than 6 million people within and beyond the Kingdom.

The agreements and MOUs focused on four key areas: developing skills and leadership capabilities, advancing digital transformation and AI adoption, expanding flexible and freelance employment opportunities, and strengthening sector-specific partnerships that align training with labor market needs and support sustainable economic growth.

His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnein, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, delivered the closing remarksof GLMC 2026, marking the end of two days of discussions focused on practical solutions to current and future labor market challenges. He emphasized that GLMC is designed to be a continuous platform for collaboration throughout the year, with partnerships and knowledge exchange extending beyond the conference days. The discussions are part of an ongoing cycle of engagement sustained through continuous cooperation.

As part of its research and analytical agenda, GLMC released two reports in collaboration with the World Bank: "What Works for Work: A Guidebook to Proven and Promising Employment Solutions," developed with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to support policymakers in designing effective labor market programs amid rapid economic and technological change, and "A Decade of Progress," which provides a comprehensive review of Saudi Arabia's labor market transformation over the past ten years, documenting key achievements under Vision 2030 and the Labor Market Strategy, as well as the structural reforms that have enhanced efficiency and inclusivity.

The conference kicked off with a high-level ministerial Roundtable, chaired by His Excellency Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, and attended by 40 labor ministers and the Director-General of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The ministers agreed on six decisive measures to shape the future of work.

GLMC also celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of the Labor Market Academy, comprising 36 graduates from 34 countries, and launched the second cohort with participants from 31 countries, including 19 countries participating for the first time and 12 returning from the 2025 edition.

The success of the third edition of GLMC highlights Saudi Arabia's growing role in shaping the future of work globally through innovation, partnerships, and workforce empowerment. The conference also marks the beginning of a new phase focused on policy development and readiness for future labor market transformations.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2871578/GLMC_Roundtable.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-labor-market-conference-concludes-third-edition-with-90-agreements-benefitting-over-6-million-people-302672587.html
At Red Egg, we believe that higher education is a key part of a successful career. To help reduce financial burden, we have created the Red Egg Marketing Scholarship, available to anyone pursuing a career in a creative or marketing-related field.

DENVER, COLORADO / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Red Egg Marketing, a full-service digital marketing agency committed to fostering creativity and supporting higher education, is proud to announce the continuation of the Red Egg Marketing Scholarship, a semi-annual award designed to ease educational expenses for students pursuing careers in marketing, creative industries, and related fields.

The Red Egg Marketing Scholarship awards two $2,500 scholarships each year - one per semester - to qualified applicants who demonstrate passion, originality, and potential in their chosen creative or marketing path. The scholarship aims to reduce the financial burden of higher education and help emerging talent pursue their academic and professional goals.

Scholarship Details

Amount: Two $2,500 awards annually.

Eligibility: Applicants must be at least a high school senior or 18 years old, currently enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university, and pursuing a career in marketing, communications, entrepreneurship, graphic design, journalism, web development, or other related creative fields.

Application Options: Students may submit either a compelling written essay (300-500 words) or a creative graphic/web project that tells their story and reflects how a small business has positively shaped their journey.

Deadlines: April 30 for spring semester and October 31 for fall semester applicants.

"We started the Red Egg Marketing Scholarship because we know first-hand how much of a difference even a little financial support can make for students chasing big dreams," said Ryan Ellis, CEO and Founder of Red Egg Marketing. "As someone who has benefitted from scholarships and the financial generosity of others, it's a privilege to be able to pay it forward and support the next generation of creatives."

About Red Egg Marketing

Founded by Ryan Ellis, Red Egg Marketing is a Denver-based marketing agency dedicated to helping brands grow through thoughtful strategy, creative execution, and meaningful partnerships. Their commitment to community and education extends beyond client work - including initiatives like the Red Egg Marketing Scholarship that empower emerging professionals.

For more information about the Red Egg Marketing Scholarship, eligibility criteria, and application deadlines, visit: https://redeggmarketing.com/about/scholarship/.

Contact Information:

Name: Ryan Ellis

Company: Red Egg Marketing

Email: hello@redeggmarketing.com

Phone: (720) 446-6640

SOURCE: Red Egg Marketing

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/clean-technology/red-egg-marketing-announces-semi-annual-scholarship-to-empower-future-creative-and-1131030
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Galway Metals Inc. (TSXV:GWM)(OTCQB:GAYMF) (the "Company" or "Galway") is pleased to report drill results for 7 diamond drill holes at the Southwest Deposit in the Company's 100%-owned flagship Clarence Stream high-grade gold project in New Brunswick, Canada. The Clarence Stream Gold Project hosts district-scale potential, with an approximately 65-kilometre strike length of highly prospective gold showings and anomalies; and a 2022 MRE of 12.4 Mt @ 2.3 g/t Au Indicated for 922,000 oz., and 16.0 Mt @ 2.6 g/t Au Inferred for 1.334 M oz. gold from the NI 43-101 technical report titled "Technical Report on the Clarence Stream Mineral Resource Project, New Brunswick, Canada" dated March 31, 2022, by SLR Consulting Ltd.

"High grade and fairly wide gold intercepts like these, excite the Management team at Galway Metals, as we continue to build our flagship open pit resource," said Rob Hinchcliffe, President and CEO of Galway. "That continuity is important as we step beyond the edges of our current resource and assess how much additional mineralization can be captured with further drilling. With gold prices hitting record highs, the opportunity to grow high-quality ounces in a shallow setting has never been more compelling. Our drilling is designed not just to confirm continuity, but to build confidence in new resource potential, and these results reinforce the rationale for advancing Clarence Stream on multiple fronts."

Highlights (Plan Map)

CL-234 intersected 7.1 g/t gold over 10.0m including 13.2g/t gold over 5.0m ( Section 1 )

CL-237 intersected 2.7 g/t gold over 12.0m including 11.4 g/t gold over 2.0m ; 2.4 g/t over 11.0m including 10.4 g/t over 1.0m; and 2.3 g/t over 5.0m ( Section 2 )

CL-232 intersected 7.9 g/t gold over 3.0m including 22.0 g/t gold over 1.0m ( Section 3 ) This hole had a previously released intersect of 1.1 g/t gold over 88.0m

CL-233 intersected 1.5 g/t gold over 9.0m; and 1.0 g/t gold over 9.0m

Drilling Links High-Grade Gold Zones from Depth to Surface

The seven drill holes reported in this release located in the northeastern area of the Southwest Deposit (George Murphy Zone). The primary objective of the program was to connect deeper gold mineralization from the margins of the 2022 resource pit shells to near surface and expand mineralization beyond the current resource footprint.

Drill holes CL-236 and CL-237 intersected multiple gold zones both within and outside the existing pit shells, successfully bringing mineralization to surface and extending mineralized zones to the west, outside the 2022 resource. Drill holes CL-234 and CL-235 further confirmed continuity by linking deeper zones to shallow mineralization on approximately 50-metre spacing.

Additional results from drill hole CL-232, which previously returned 88.0 metres of 1.1 g/t Au, included a high-grade interval of 3.0 metres of 7.9 g/t Au, including 1.0 metre of 22.0 g/t Au. Follow-up drill hole CL-233, completed on 25-metre spacing, intersected 9.0 metres of 1.0 g/t Au and 7.0 metres of 1.5 g/t Au, further supporting continuity in this area.

There are currently 48 drill holes from the Southwest Deposit with pending assays, including 11 holes located near the drill results reported in this release. These results are expected to be released in the coming weeks and months. For a complete list of Southwest Deposit assays, please refer to the Assay and Coordinate Table.

Geology and Mineralization

The Clarence Stream deposits can be characterized as intrusion-related, structurally controlled, quartz-vein hosted gold deposits. These deposits consist of quartz veins and quartz stockwork within brittle-ductile fault zones that include adjacent crushed, altered wall rocks and veinlet material. The mineralized systems are hosted in intrusive and metasedimentary rocks within high strain zones controlled by regional fault systems. Pyrite, base metal sulphides, and stibnite occur in these deposits along with anomalous concentrations of bismuth, arsenic, antimony and tungsten. Alteration in the host rocks is confined within a few metres of quartz veins and occurs mainly in the form of sericitization and chloritization. A more complete description of Clarence Stream's geology and mineralization can be found at www.galwaymetalsinc.com.

New Brunswick Junior Mining Assistance Program

Galway would like to acknowledge financial support from the New Brunswick Junior Mining Assistance Program, which will contribute up to $50,000 towards exploration drilling in 2025.

Review by Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Jesse Fisher, P.Geo., Project Manager for Clarence Stream and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Fisher certifies that this news release fairly and accurately reflects the technical information and data presented. Galway Metals conducts its exploration activities in accordance with CIM Best Practices Guidelines.

Quality Control and Reports

All core, chip/boulder samples, and soil samples are assayed by Activation Laboratories, located at 41 Bittern Street, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, Agat Laboratories, located at 5623 McAdam Road, Mississauga Ontario, Canada L4Z 1N9 and 35 General Aviation Road, Timmins, ON P4P 7C3, and/or Swastika Laboratories situated in Swastika, ON. All four labs have ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. All core is under watch from the drill site to the core processing facility. Drill core is NQ size and sample intervals range from 0.5 meters to 1.5 meters in length. All samples are assayed for gold by Fire Assay, with gravimetric finish, and other elements assayed using ICP. The Company's QA/QC program includes the regular insertion of blanks and standards into the sample shipments, as well as instructions for duplication. Standards, blanks and duplicates are inserted at one per 20 samples. Approximately five percent (5%) of the pulps and rejects are sent for check assaying at a second lab with the results averaged and intersections updated when received. Core recovery in the mineralized zones has averaged 99%.

About Galway Metals Inc.

Galway Metals is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing its 100%-owned, high-grade, open-pitable flagship Clarence Stream gold project in southwest New Brunswick. Clarence Stream is an emerging gold district with an exploration strike length of approximately 65 kilometres and widths of up to 28 kilometres in certain areas. Galway Metals also has 100%-ownership in the Estrades project, a former producing high-grade, gold-rich polymetallic VMS mine in the northern Abitibi of western Quebec. Led by a management team with a proven track-record of creating shareholder value having sold Galway Resources for US$340 million, Galway Metals is focused on creating value for all its stakeholders.

For additional Information on Galway Metals Inc., Please contact:

Robert Hinchcliffe President & Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: 1-800-771-0680

Email: info@galwaymetalsinc.com

Website: www.galwaymetalsinc.com

Look us up on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn

Cautionary Statement

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, information with respect to the OTCQB listing, DTC eligibility, and broadening U.S. institutional and retail investors. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to changes in economic conditions or financial markets, political and competitive developments, operation or exploration difficulties, changes in equity markets, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices capital, operating and reclamation costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restrictions on labour and international travel and supply chains, and those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. 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.

SOURCE: Galway Metals Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/clarence-stream-drilling-intersects-7.1-g%2ft-gold-over-10.0m-including-13.2-g%2ft-ov-1131038
World Renowned Cardiologist and Research Leader to Guide Clinical Strategy, Product Innovation, and AI-Driven Cardiac Diagnostics

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. ("AIML" or the "Company") (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FWB:42FB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Paul Dorian, MD, MSc., as the Company's Medical Innovation Architect (MIA) and Head of the Company's Medical Advisory Board, effective immediately.

Dr. Dorian succeeds Peter Kendall, who previously served as Chair of the Medical Advisory Board. This leadership transition comes as AIML enters a phase of advanced clinical validation, regulatory engagement, and global deployment of its AI-powered cardiac diagnostic technologies.

Dr. Dorian has been working closely with AIML for several months, contributing to product strategy, clinical positioning, and innovation initiatives across the Company's MaxYield,CardioYield, and Insight360 platforms. His formal appointment further strengthens the clinical leadership underpinning AIML's next phase of growth.

Dr. Paul Dorian commented: "I have been impressed by the rigor of AIML's science and the ambition of its vision. The Company is addressing real, unmet needs in cardiac diagnostics by combining advanced AI with practical, scalable clinical solutions. I look forward to helping guide innovation, clinical strategy, and the translation of AIML's technology into clinically meaningful impact."

"Dr. Dorian's appointment marks a pivotal milestone for AIML," said Paul Duffy, Executive Chairman and CEO of AIML. "He brings unparalleled expertise in cardiac electrophysiology, clinical research, and health-system innovation. As we expand into regulated clinical markets and large-scale deployments, his leadership will help ensure our technology meets the highest standards of clinical relevance, safety, and impact."

Esmat Naikyar, President of Neural Cloud Solutions Inc. and Chief Product Officer of AIML, added: "Dr. Dorian's insights have already influenced our product direction in meaningful ways. His deep understanding of arrhythmia care, ambulatory monitoring, and patient-reported outcomes strengthens our ability to build tools that are not only technologically advanced, but clinically valuable."

AIML established its Medical Advisory Board in May 2025 to guide clinical studies, regulatory strategy, and real-world deployment of its AI-driven ECG signal-processing platforms. Dr. Dorian's appointment as Head reinforces the Company's commitment to aligning cutting-edge AI innovation with frontline clinical expertise.

About Dr. Paul Dorian

Dr. Paul Dorian is Professor of Medicine (Cardiology and Clinical Pharmacology) at the University of Toronto, a Staff Cardiac Electrophysiologist at St. Michael's Hospital, and a Staff Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute.

He received his medical degree from McGill University and completed postgraduate training in Internal Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology, and Cardiology at the University of Toronto, followed by a Fellowship in Cardiac Electrophysiology at Stanford University.

Dr. Dorian previously served as Director of the Division of Cardiology at the University of Toronto (2009-2019) and President of the Canadian Heart Rhythm Society (2013-2014). He is a recipient of the University of Toronto Department of Medicine Research Award, as well as the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and Canadian Heart Rhythm Society Achievement Awards.

He founded the Cardiac Electrophysiology Program at St. Michael's Hospital in 1990 and has led landmark research in:

Ambulatory cardiac monitoring and wearable diagnostics

Sudden cardiac death prevention

Atrial fibrillation systems of care and patient-reported outcomes

Dr. Dorian designed and led the development of widely adopted quality-of-life assessment tools in atrial fibrillation, including the CCS-SAF, AFSS, and AFEQT scales. He has served on multiple national guideline committees and steering committees for international multicenter clinical trials.

He has authored over 580 peer-reviewed publications and is an Associate Editor of Electrophysiological Disorders of the Heart.

About AI/ML Innovations Inc.

AIML Innovations Inc. is a global technology company pioneering the use of artificial intelligence and neural networks to transform digital health. Our proprietary platforms leverage advanced signal processing and deep learning to convert complex biometric data into actionable clinical insights-supporting earlier diagnosis, personalized treatment, and more effective care. AIML's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE:AIML), the OTCQB Venture Market (AIMLF), and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (42FB). For detailed information please see AIML's website or the Company's filed documents at www.sedarplus.ca. Contact:

Blake Fallis (778) 405-0882

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Paul Duffy, Executive Chairman and CEO Neither 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 Statements - Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with the implementation of the Company's products and services. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including with respect to the nature and timing of future operations and the receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. SOURCE: AI/ML Innovations Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/publishing-and-media/aiml-appoints-dr.-paul-dorian-as-medical-innovation-architect-and-head-of-the-1131117
OKX Card removes common crypto payment barriers, enabling direct stablecoin payments, with zero fees and up to 20% rewards wherever Mastercard is accepted

OKX, a leading global cryptocurrency platform and onchain technology company, today announced the European launch of the OKX Card, designed to knock down barriers to everyday crypto use.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128534008/en/

Leading global cryptocurrency exchange OKX launches OKX Card in Europe, enabling stablecoin payments anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

While most crypto cards require users to manually convert assets, preload balances, or absorb hidden fees before paying, the OKX Card enables direct stablecoin payments anywhere in the world Mastercard is accepted with zero fees and instant crypto rewards of up to 20% on eligible purchases.

Built for modern Europeans who want to use crypto as everyday money without giving up control, OKX Card removes the friction traditionally associated with crypto payments. Users can tap to pay directly while earning instant crypto rewards.

OKX Card is designed around onchain self-custody and instant execution. Stablecoins remain in the user's wallet until the exact moment of purchase, converting seamlessly at checkout to connect crypto with real world purchases at any retailer that accepts Mastercard worldwide.

Key benefits of OKX Card include:

Zero Fees, Zero Surprises : No transaction fees, no FX fees, and a low 0.4% market spread when converting stablecoins to Euro.

: No transaction fees, no FX fees, and a low 0.4% market spread when converting stablecoins to Euro. Instant Crypto Rewards : Earn up to 20% back in real crypto on every eligible purchase for a limited time.

: Earn up to on every eligible purchase for a limited time. Smart-Wallet by Design : Full control. No centralized exchange custody.

: Full control. No centralized exchange custody. Tap-to-Pay Simplicity : Spend stablecoins instantly via mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, online or in-store.

: Spend stablecoins instantly via mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, online or in-store. Global Acceptance : Spend anytime, anywhere at the more than 150 million merchants that accept Mastercard.

: Spend anytime, anywhere at the more than 150 million merchants that accept Mastercard. Secure and Regulated : Powered by Mastercard's secure global network, and built to meet Europe's most advanced regulatory standards.

: Powered by Mastercard's secure global network, and built to meet Europe's most advanced regulatory standards. Rewards are credited instantly in crypto: VIP Rewards (30 days) : Up to 20% back on eligible purchases. Regular Rewards (30 days) : Up to 15% back on eligible purchases.



"With OKX Card, we're making it simple for anyone in Europe to use crypto for real-world purchases instantly, securely, and transparently," said Erald Ghoos, CEO of OKX Europe. "Crypto was originally conceived as a means of payment and with OKX Card our users can turn this vision into reality. We are making stablecoins practical and accessible for everyday finance for everyone, powered by one of the world's most trusted digital asset platforms."

"Stablecoins bring more choice to users, and by partnering with OKX, Mastercard is helping bring them into the financial mainstream with trust, scale, and utility," said Christian Rau, Senior Vice President, Global Digital Commercialization. "Expanding the OKX card to Europeans is a natural next step."

OKX Card is issued through a licensed European payments partner and operates within the European Economic Area under strict AML and KYC standards. OKX continues to advance its own payments licensing as part of its long-term commitment to compliant, regulated crypto services across Europe.

The launch of OKX Card marks a major step in OKX's broader strategy to bring crypto into everyday finance setting the stage for premium card tiers, expanded rewards, merchant partnerships, and Web3 commerce integrations across the region.

About OKX

Trusted by more than 100 million customers around the globe, OKX is a technology company building a decentralized future that makes the world more tradable, transparent and connected. We're known for being one of the fastest and most reliable crypto apps in the world, and have processed trillions of dollars in transactions.

We have key regional offices, including headquarters in San Jose, California, for the Americas and in Dubai for the Middle East. We also have offices in Sao Paulo, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Republic of Turkiye, Australia and Europe. Over the past several years, we've built one of the world's most comprehensive regulatory compliant, licensed crypto companies. We hold licenses in the United States, the UAE, EEA, Singapore and Australia, as well as in other markets.

We're steadfastly committed to transparency and security and publish Proof of Reserves reports on a monthly basis. To learn more about OKX, download our app or visit: okx.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128534008/en/

Contacts:

okx@wachsman.com


EQS-Media / 28.01.2026 / 13:04 CET/CEST



Verve Group publishes LinkedIn case study validating demand-side growth strategy in privacy-first mobile advertising

LinkedIn achieved 38% lower Cost per Install and 39% lower Cost per App Activation with Verve's privacy-first DSP in Apple's SKAdNetwork environment

Stockholm, January 28, 2026 (1:00 PM CET) - Verve Group SE (ISIN: SE0018538068), a fast-growing software platform in the advertising technology industry, today publishes a new demand-side success story with LinkedIn, demonstrating strong momentum in its demand-side growth strategy. The case study comes shortly after the launch of Verve for Advertisers, Verve's new unified brand for its activities with brands and advertisers. LinkedIn's results further highlight the strength of Verve's privacy-first demand-side technology - including the company's mobile DSP Dataseat - enabling brands and agencies to achieve measurable outcomes in an increasingly ID-less mobile advertising ecosystem.

With more than 80 percent of Apple users now selecting "Ask App Not to Track," mobile advertisers are facing rising complexity and customer acquisition costs. Verve is directly positioned to benefit from this shift, helping brands and agencies drive programmatic success through innovative bidding and targeting technology powered by privacy-compliant signals fully aligned with Apple's privacy standards.

The LinkedIn case study showcases the strength of Verve's mobile DSP, Dataseat, in delivering performance within Apple's privacy-centric advertising environment (SKAdNetwork). By partnering with Verve, LinkedIn reduced its Cost per Install by 38 percent and its Cost per App Activation by 39 percent, while realizing over 90 percent visibility into post-install events. The results demonstrate Verve's ability to drive meaningful outcomes for brands and agencies without relying on device identifiers such as IDFA.

LinkedIn's success builds on previously published demand-side success stories with other global advertisers that work with Verve. OTTO Group eg. achieved a 244 percent return on ad spend on iOS using privacy-compliant strategies, and Rovio, a leading game publisher, continues to scale user acquisition post-IDFA with Verve's technology and optimization capabilities.

For advertisers, working with Verve becomes a competitive advantage, as Verve has built its services for a privacy-first and cookie-less ecosystem. By combining contextual intelligence, privacy-compliant data and proprietary optimization, Verve enables reliable and transparent performance marketing even under restrictive signal conditions.

"In the last five years, we have combined supply, data and technology into a platform that creates measurable impact for brands and agencies. This integrated platform is unique in our industry and consistently delivers proven value", says Remco Westermann, CEO of Verve. "The strong results achieved by an advertiser such as LinkedIn confirm that our demand-side focus and ongoing further investments in it, are the right strategic direction. The LinkedIn case study is another example and represents just a glimpse of what we deliver across our customer base. We expect these investments to become increasingly visible in the coming quarters as our demand-side strategy continues to scale."

Verve's demand-side expansion - including the recent launch of Verve for Advertisers, its unified advertiser-facing brand - is focused on wider distribution, increased product visibility, and scaled adoption among global brands and agencies. This strategy aligns with advertisers' growing need for performance that respects user privacy. With continued traction in ID-less environments, Verve is strengthening its demand-side positioning and enabling more advertisers to succeed as the mobile ecosystem evolves.

LinkedIn: Click here to read the full case study

All case studies.

The information in this press release has been made public through the agency of the responsible person set out below for publication at the time stated by Verve's news distributor EQS Newswire at the publication of this press release.

Further information about Verve Group and its subsidiaries can be found at www.verve.com .

Media Contact:

Corentine Aronica

Director of communications

corentine.aronica@verve.com



Investor Relations Contact:

Ingo Middelmenne

Head of European Investor Relations

+49 174 90 911 90

ingo.middelmenne@verve.com



About Verve

Verve Group is a fast-growing software platform in the advertising technology industry, connecting advertisers seeking to buy digital ad space with publishers monetizing their content. Driven by its mission "Let's make media better." Verve provides responsible, AI-driven advertising solutions that deliver superior outcomes for advertisers and publishers. The company focuses on emerging media channels like mobile in-app, connected TV and others. In anticipation of growing demand from users and advertisers for greater privacy, Verve has developed cutting-edge ID-less targeting technology that enables efficient advertising within digital media without relying on identifiers such as cookies or IDFA.
KYIV, Ukraine, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MHP has been granted Official Partner status by the World Economic Forum (WEF), becoming the first Ukrainian agricultural company to join this key global platform. World Economic Forum partners are leading global organizations that are committed to developing solutions to the world's greatest challenges, and MHP is one of only four companies from Ukraine to receive this high-profile status.

As the first agricultural company from the country, MHP will play a unique role as the primary advocate for country's agri-food and agro-tech sector at the world's most influential forum for shaping the global economic and political agenda.

MHP's first engagement as an Official Partner was the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, where the company was represented by Mykhailo Bno-Airiian, Vice President for Global Affairs. Mr. Bno-Airiian participated in a series of high-level strategic discussions and bilateral meetings with representatives of international institutions, governments, investors, and global business leaders. Discussions included the role of Ukraine's agricultural sector in securing global food security, the wide range of investment opportunities in agri-technologies, bioenergy, and the circular economy, as well as the potential for Ukrainian businesses to play an even greater role in strengthening the economic resilience of Europe and the global economy.

Special attention was devoted to strategic engagement with the World Economic Forum's leadership. In particular, during a meeting with Marwen Garbaa, Head of European Partner Development, MHP reaffirmed its commitment to a long-term and continued presence within the World Economic Forum community.

The company expressed its intention to play a greater role in collaborating with key global stakeholders including state officials, ministers, NGOs, and major corporate players in the sector - to address issues such as food security, the fight against hunger, global protein stability supply, and the development of sustainable and responsible agri-food systems

During the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos 2026, MHP also held a series of introductory meetings with Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance of Saudi Arabia; Carlos Cuerpo, Minister of Economy, Trade and Business of Spain; Katherina Reiche, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany; and Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia, among others. These discussions lay the foundations for fruitful long-term cooperation between MHP and these key markets.

Mykhailo Bno-Airiian, Vice-president for Global Affairs, commented:

"The Official Partner status confirms MHP's international recognition as a vertically integrated agri-food and food-tech company operating in accordance with the highest standards of corporate governance, sustainability, and responsible investment. For Ukraine, this achievement sends an important signal: even amid ongoing war, Ukrainian companies continue to demonstrate resilience, maintain operational capacity, and actively participate in global strategic dialogue.

MHP's presence in Davos as an Official Partner of the World Economic Forum strengthens Ukraine's voice in discussions on the future of the global economy and highlights the growing role of Ukraine's agricultural sector as a key contributor to global stability and food security."

In addition to the Annual Meeting in Davos, MHP plans to attend the Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, along with many other regional gatherings, to help realise lasting solutions to the world's greatest challenges.

About MHP

MHP is an international food and agri company, which produces high-quality healthy food products that enhance its consumers' lives. It has production facilities in Ukraine and throughout South-Eastern Europe, and is a specialist in the application and deployment of the latest food and agri-technologies across its operations. MHP's shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange. Employing over 36,000 employees in Ukraine and abroad, MHP is ranked among Ukraine's top 20 employers, according to Forbes Ukraine.

MHP exports its products to over 70 countries worldwide. The company's land bank totals 360,000 hectares across 12 regions of Ukraine. MHP is is the largest single taxpayer across Ukraine'sagricultural sector and was recognised by Forbes Ukraine and NV as one of the country's top investors in 2024.

MHP is the leading poultry producer in Europe and ranks among the top 10 poultry producers worldwide, according to the WattPoultry ranking. The company develops over 15 food brands and, together with its partners, operates several chains, including the MeatMarket stores and Doner Market outlets.

Together with its strategic partner, the Charitable Foundation MHP-Hromadi, the company supports Ukrainians, fosters community development, and preserves Ukrainian culture. To provide personalised assistance and comprehensive support to members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families, MHP has designed and implemented the MHP Standing Together programme.

The founder and CEO of MHP is Ukrainian businessman Yuriy Kosyuk.

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Dieppe, New Brunswick--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Colibri Resource Corporation (TSXV: CBI) ("Colibri" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on gold exploration drilling and assay progress at its 100%-owned El Plomo Gold Project, a precious metal exploration property located in Sonora, Mexico.

Summary:

Colibri Resource Corporation has completed its Phase 1 reconnaissance reverse circulation drilling program at the El Plomo Gold Project in Sonora, Mexico, testing multiple priority gold targets.

Initial gold assay results have been received from drill holes completed prior to the holiday break, with additional targeted "shoulder" sampling underway to further evaluate mineralized intervals and continuity.

Drill samples from holes completed after the holiday break are currently being prepared for shipment to the assay laboratory, with additional gold assay results pending.

EL PLOMO PROJECT - PHASE 1 RECONNAISSANCE DRILLING

Colibri has completed its Phase 1 reconnaissance reverse circulation ("RC") drilling program at the El Plomo Gold Project in Sonora, Mexico. The program comprised twenty-two (22) RC drill holes completed across the San Perfecto and Banco de Oro target areas, together with one (1) RC drill hole completed at the West Sahuaro target on the Evelyn Project, for a total of approximately 1,815 metres drilled. Drilling was completed in stages, with an initial stage prior to the year-end break and the remainder completed in January 2026.

The drilling program was designed as a shallow, multi-target campaign to test priority gold targets across the El Plomo Project. The program was intended to evaluate near-surface gold potential and identify geological vectors for follow-up exploration, rather than to define mineral resources. Targets were selected based on the integration of geological mapping, surface geochemistry, and geophysical surveys, focusing on areas with interpreted favourable structural and lithological characteristics for gold mineralization. The areas tested during the program have seen limited modern drilling, with much of the historical work focused on surface sampling and mapping.

Drilling completed subsequent to the holiday break totalled 909 metres, including approximately 177 metres at the West Sahuaro target. Samples from the holes completed following the holiday break are currently being prepared for submission to the assay laboratory.

Initial gold assay results have been received for a portion of the drill holes completed prior to the holiday break. Preliminary review of these results, together with geological logging, indicates that gold mineralization has been intersected in multiple drill holes, occurring at shallow depths and within several geological settings, including altered felsic intrusions, oxidized volcanic rocks, and structurally controlled gold zones.

Based on the distribution of gold values and geological observations from this reconnaissance drilling program, the Company has initiated additional targeted sampling of previously unsampled intervals adjacent to mineralized zones ("shoulder sampling") to better evaluate the continuity, thickness, and geometry of gold mineralization. Assay results from this follow-up sampling, together with assays from the post-holiday drilling, are pending. Colibri intends to release a comprehensive update of drilling and assay results once the analytical dataset is complete and fully reviewed.

Map 1: Location of Phase 1 reconnaissance reverse circulation drill holes completed at the San Perfecto target, El Plomo (EP) Gold Project, Caborca Gold Belt, Sonora, Mexico.



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"We are pleased with the overall outcome of the maiden reconnaissance drilling program," said Ian McGavney, President and CEO of Colibri Resource Corporation. "The drilling delivered a high rate of mineralized intersections across multiple targets and has provided us with a solid geological foundation. While additional sampling and interpretation are ongoing, the results to date reinforce our understanding of the system and support continued, systematic advancement of the El Plomo Project."

EVELYN PROJECT - WEST SAHUARO TARGET

Historical drilling at the West Sahuaro target on the Evelyn Project intercepted gold mineralization in all six holes tested during the initial discovery drilling program reported on December 19, 2023, and several holes ended in mineralization, validating the geological model for further testing.

In addition to the El Plomo drilling, the Company also completed a reconnaissance reverse circulation drill hole at the West Sahuaro gold target on the Evelyn Project during the post-holiday drilling period. The hole was drilled from a pad previously tested during the 2023 drilling program and was designed to test for lateral continuity and to extend the depth of known mineralization. The current hole was drilled from the same pad as one of the earlier holes (EVE23-198), which ended in mineralization, and was oriented at an azimuth of approximately 240 degrees compared to the earlier hole drilled due west. Samples from this hole have been collected and are pending analysis. Results will be reported once assays have been received and reviewed.

QUALITY ASSURANCE / QUALITY CONTROL

All drill samples were collected, handled, and prepared in accordance with industry-standard quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures and submitted to an independent accredited laboratory for preparation and analysis. Quality control protocols included the insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference materials.

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Jamie Lavigne, P.Geo., an independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release 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. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes 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 the Company believes that the plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281926

Source: Colibri Resource Corporation
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / CHAR Technologies Ltd. ("CHAR Tech" or "the Company") (TSXV:YES)(FSE:68K) a leader in sustainable biomass energy solutions for heavy industry decarbonization is pleased to report its financial results for its fiscal year ended September 30th, 2025.

"As CHAR Tech reports our fiscal 2025 results, we are immensely proud of the progress we've made this year" said Andrew White, CEO of CHAR Technologies. "As we transitioned our Thorold project from a successful pilot into commercialization with a limited partnership structure, we see some significant changes to our corporate consolidated financials, notably a gain on contribution to joint venture of just over $4M, a reduction in liabilities of just under $11M. As we continue to develop projects, the effort that the team puts into project development prior to the formation of a limited partnership can be expected to produce a gain for the Company."

Management is proud to highlight recent milestones in the fiscal year ended September 30th, 2025, that demonstrate significant progress, including:

A key partnership with the BMI Group (" BMI "), which saw BMI invest $2M into CHAR Tech, and $C8M into the Thorold Project during the fiscal year. Additionally, subsequent to fiscal year end, a $10M commitment to the Espanola Biocarbon project, as press released January 14 th , 2026.

Commercial biocarbon production from the Thorold facility, with production set to increase as the Thorold project moves through construction and commissioning.

The successful deployment of a high temperature pyrolysis system in Baltimore, with the City of Baltimore and Synagro, for the destruction of PFAS in biosolids - the first known deployment of high temperature pyrolysis for the destruction of PFAS globally. Additionally, this HTP installation is successfully cleaning produced pyrolysis gas, creating syngas for energy uses - another global first in the pyrolysis of biosolids.

FY25 Financial Highlights (all $CAD for continuing operations, fiscal year ended September 30th, 2025, compared to fiscal year ended September 30th, 2024)

Total assets decreased by $6,465,625 (from $15,352,471 to $8,886,846)

Total liabilities decreased by $10,892,692 (from $14,880,781 to $3,988,089)

Total shareholders' equity increased by $4,427,067 (from $471,690 to $4,898,757)

Total revenue of $2,195,650 (compared to $3,161,996)

Gross profit of $850,414 (compared to $631,582)

Gain on contribution to joint venture of $4,131,709 (compared to $nil)

Net loss before income taxes of ($1,121,188) (compared to ($7,524,006))

For more information see SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca

Subsequent Events

On December 22, 2025, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement, issuing 4,550,000 units at a price of $0.22 per unit for gross proceeds of $1,001,000. Each unit consists of one common share and one non-transferable common share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable at $0.32 per share for a period of 24 months from the closing date. The Company incurred finder's fees of approximately $60,000 in connection with the offering. The private placement received final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, and the proceeds are intended to be used for general working capital and the advancement of the Company's project pipeline.

On December 31, 2025, CHAR Technologies Ltd. issued a public press release providing a year-end corporate update and announcing that its common shares were listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under ticker symbol "68K". The listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange provides CHAR Tech with access to European retail and institutional investors and is expected to improve trading visibility and accessibility for investors in key European markets, as the Company advances commercial discussions on the continent.

In addition, the Company confirmed that the biosolids PFAS destruction demonstration project in Baltimore completed its six-month operational program and was fully operating as of November 6, 2025. Performance data generated during the demonstration is currently being compiled and analyzed in collaboration with project partners and third-party reviewers.

On January 14, 2026, CHAR Technologies Ltd. announced that the engineering and design study for the Espanola biocarbon project continues to advance with The BMI Group at the Bioveld North site in Espanola, Ontario. As part of this announcement, BMI reaffirmed its commitment of approximately $10 million toward the development of the Espanola biocarbon project, subject to completion of the engineering and design study and final determination of project scope and capital allocation.

On January 21st, 2026 the High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom found in favour of Actinon in respect of its summary judgement application against the Company's subsidiary CHAR Biocarbon Inc. The summary judgement application was heard on February 14th, 2025 and July 21st, 2025. The High Court's decision was that the sum of US$635,810 is now payable by CHAR Biocarbon Inc. to Actinon. This amount has been held recorded as a contingent liability on the Company's consolidated financial statements. CHAR Biocarbon believes that the trial judge erred in his decision to grant summary judgement and is seeking leave to appeal the decision, and if refused it will make an application to the Court of Appeal to appeal the decision.

About CHAR Technologies Ltd.

CHAR Tech (TSXV:YES)(FSE:68K) is a Canadian clean-technology company developing first-in-kind high-temperature pyrolysis ("HTP") systems that process unmerchantable wood and organic waste to generate two renewable energy revenue streams, renewable natural gas or green hydrogen, and a solid biocarbon that serves as a carbon-neutral, drop-in replacement for metallurgical coal.

CHAR Tech's HTP platform is also advancing a new vertical focused on the permanent destruction of PFAS in wastewater biosolids. Operating at temperatures sufficient to break down long-chain fluorinated compounds, the system enables municipalities and industrial operators to eliminate PFAS while converting biosolids into energy and low-carbon solid products.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew White

Chief Executive Officer

CHAR Technologies Ltd.

E: andrew.white@chartechnologies.com

T: 866 521-3654 Galen Cranston

Director of Stakeholder Relations

CHAR Technologies Ltd.

E: gcranston@chartechnologies.com

T: 647-546-5633

Website: www.chartechnologies.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements") about CHAR and its business and operations. The words "may", "would", "will", "intend", "anticipate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to CHAR, are intended to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the timing for full facility construction, securing project financing, expectations regarding the offtake agreements, future plans, operations and activities, expectations regarding the scale up of production, and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements reflect CHAR's current views and ?intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to CHAR, and are subject to ?certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, among others, those risk factors discussed or referred to in CHAR's disclosure documents filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada, including the Management Discussion & Analysis dated January 28th, 2025 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, and available under CHAR's profile on www.sedar.com . Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its ?entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, CHAR does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or ?completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release ?is made as of the date of this press release and CHAR undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise ?any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: CHAR Technologies Ltd.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/char-tech-reports-fiscal-year-2025-financial-results-and-commercialization-update-1131113
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Altamira Gold Corp. (TSXV: ALTA) (FSE: T6UP) (OTCQB: EQTRF) ("Altamira" or the "Company"), is pleased to report assay results from recent resource-extension drilling at the Cajueiro Central project, Brazil.

Highlights:

The first five diamond drillholes targeting extensions and resource infill at the Cajueiro Central mineral resource have been completed. The drillholes intersected brecciated hydrothermal quartz structures with associated sericitic alteration halos, hosted in rhyolites, consistent with the geological model established by previous programs.

Hole CJO 114, drilled outside the current resource, returned 7.5m @ 1.02g/t gold from 1.9m depth and 5m @ 1.46g/t gold from 112m depth, confirming that mineralization extends beyond the existing resource boundaries.

Drillhole CJO 117, drilled within the current resource, returned intercepts of 2.3m @ 6.1g/t gold from 34m and 2.9m @ 1.7 g/t from 78m depth. The upper interval included 0.7m @ 19.0g/t gold, representing the highest-grade primary intercept reported to date in the Baldo sector of the Cajueiro mineral resource, and indicating potential for higher grade shoots within the established mineralized structures.

Drilling is also in progress at two high-priority and previously untested porphyry targets at Mombaque and Guillermo which are located within the Maria Bonita - Morro Verde trend.

CEO Mike Bennett commented; "Drilling continues to advance both within and around the Cajueiro Central resource, in tandem with drilling of several previously untested porphyry targets across the Cajueiro district. Results from initial drillholes in the current program at Cajueiro Central confirm the style, width and grade of structures extending laterally beyond the existing resource. Our objectives are to add additional ounces to the current inventory and to increase confidence in the existing resource estimate by converting Inferred resources to Indicated resources. Our second drill rig is focused on the initial drill testing of the previously untested district targets at Mombaque and Guillermo. Together with ongoing drilling at the Cajueiro and Maria Bonita mineral resources, we expect this will generate a steady flow of drill results in the coming months."

CAJUEIRO DISTRICT

The Cajueiro district is located approximately 75km NW of the town of Alta Floresta in the state of Mato Grosso (Figure 1) in central western Brazil. The project is easily accessible by road, lies on open farmland and has grid power and a local water supply. Cajueiro is the most advanced of the key projects that Altamira controls in the region (Figure1).

Figure 1: Location of Altamira Gold's projects in the Alta Floresta Belt.

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The Cajueiro district consists of two independently estimated gold mineral resources at Cajueiro Central and Maria Bonita, plus a series of eight additional untested exploration targets within a radius of 8km of Cajueiro Central.

The Cajueiro Central area has a current open pit resource1 of 5.66Mt @ 1.02 g/t gold for a total of 185,000 oz in the Indicated Resource category and 12.66Mt @ 1.26 g/t gold for a total of 515,000 oz in the Inferred Resource category (estimated using a cut-off grade of 0.25g/t Au and a gold price of US$1,500/oz).

The Maria Bonita open-pit resource consists of Indicated Resources of 24.19Mt @ 0.46g/t gold (for a total of 357,800oz) and Inferred Resources of 25.64Mt @ 0.44g/t gold (for a total of 362,400oz)2. These resources were calculated using a 0.2 g/t gold cut-off grade and a gold price of US$2,780/oz. These resources include near-surface saprolite Indicated Resources of 2.02Mt @ 0.59g/t gold (38,000oz) and Inferred Resources of 0.68Mt @ 0.40g/t gold (8,700oz).

The Maria Bonita porphyry gold deposit forms part of a district-scale portfolio of prospects that are interpreted as having a similar geological origin (Figure 2). The Cajueiro area is characterized by a 15km stretch of former alluvial gold workings along the Teles Pires river. The source of some of this alluvial gold is related to a pronounced east-west corridor of gold anomalies in soils and rock chips and a set of sub-cropping intrusions extending east-west over 8km, implying the presence of a long-standing and deep-seated crustal structure.

Figure 2: Cajueiro district mineral resources at Cajueiro Central and Maria Bonita (white labels) and prospects (blue labels with scout drilling, yellow labels not yet drilled). An alignment of six of the targets occur in close spatial association to a pronounced east-west fault corridor marked by later gabbroic dykes.

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Cajueiro Central Drilling Update

The Cajueiro Central resource includes several subsectors, with the majority (54%) of contained gold within the northern Baldo subsector (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Cajueiro Central mineral resources showing trench and diamond drillhole locations.

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In the current drill program, five diamond drillholes have been completed to date as shown on Figure 4.

Figure 4: Locations of diamond drillholes in current program within the Central resource area.

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Table 1: Summary of drill results to date within the Central resource area.

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Drillholes CJO 113 and 114 partially tested a broad zone of alteration related to the SW extension of the Baldo "A" structure (Figure 4). This alteration zone contains a zone of 17m @ 1.46g/t gold in trenching which is interpreted as not having been intersected by CJO113 and which will be further drill tested as indicated in Figure 5. Where drilled further north, the Baldo "A" structure dips to the east, whereas the trenched interval is currently interpreted to be sub- vertical.

Drillhole CJO115, which lies outside the resource, intersected a low-grade zone of modest width. Holes CJ0116, 117 and 118 all intersected structures carrying grades >3g/t gold, albeit of relatively narrow widths. The intercept of 0.7m @ 19g/t gold in CJO117 (34.9-35.6m) indicates the presence of high-grade primary gold mineralization in a near surface location. This is the highest primary gold grade found to date in drilling in the Baldo sector of the Cajueiro Central resource. Baldo is the largest sector of the resource in terms of contained ounces of gold.

Figure 5: Cross section for drillholes CJO113 and 114.

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Mombaque and Guillermo Targets

Drilling has commenced at the previously untested targets Mombaque and Guillermo (Figure 2). The Mombaque prospect, located about 1.6 km east of the Maria Bonita discovery, hosts a significant gold-in-soil anomaly with porphyry-style alteration and quartz veining at surface that suggests a concealed mineralized system ripe for drilling (see October 16, 2024 press release). At the Guillermo target, 2.5 km northeast of the Cajueiro Central area, rock grab sampling returned high-grade gold up to 39 g/t and surrounding soil anomalies outline an extensive target area now being drill tested for the first time (see December 11, 2024 press release).

New Exploration Camp

The Company has completed construction of a new, low-cost modular exploration camp at its Maria Bonita property (Figure 6). The facility comprises container accommodation, a site office, and purpose-built core logging and sample preparation areas. The Maria Bonita camp is expected to materially enhance logistics and operating efficiency for exploration and project development in the western Cajueiro license area.

Figure 6: Aerial view of new exploration camp recently installed at the Maria Bonita property.

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Qualified Person

Fernando Benegas, FAusIMM, a consultant to the Company as well as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised and approved the preparation of the technical information in this news release.

About Altamira Gold Corp.

The Company is focused on the exploration and development of gold projects within western central Brazil, strategically advancing five projects spanning over 100,000 hectares within the prolific Juruena Gold Belt-an area that has historically yielded over 6 million ounces of placer gold3. The Company's advanced Cajueiro project contains two gold deposits. The central area comprises NI 43-101 resources of 5.66Mt @ 1.02 g/t gold for a total of 185,000 oz in the Indicated Resource category and 12.66Mt @ 1.26 g/t gold for a total of 515,000oz in the Inferred Resource category. In addition, the Maria Bonita gold deposit comprises additional open pit Indicated Resources of 24.19Mt @ 0.46g/t for a total of 357,800oz, and Inferred Resources of 25.64Mt @ 0.44g/t for a total of 362,400oz.

Ongoing exploration and fieldwork at Cajueiro indicate the presence of multiple porphyry gold systems, reinforcing its potential for district-scale development. These hard-rock gold sources align with historical alluvial gold production, highlighting the region's exceptional gold endowment and potential scalability. With two independently established mineral resources, a highly prospective geological setting and a track record of significant discoveries, the Company is well-positioned to unlock further value across its extensive land package.

1NI 43-101 Technical Report, Cajueiro Project, Mineral Resource Estimate: Global Resource Engineering, Denver Colorado USA, 10thOctober 2019; Authors K. Gunesch, PE; H. Samari, QP-MMSA; T. Harvey, QP-MMSA

2 NI43-101 Technical Report, Mineral Resource for the Maria Bonita Prospect: VMG Consultoria, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. 12th June 2025; Author V. Myadzel

3 Juliani, C. et al; Gold in Paleoproterozoic (2.1 to 1.77 Ga) Continental Magmatic Arcs at the Tapajos and Juruena Mineral Provinces (Amazonian Craton, Brazil): A New Frontier for the Exploration of Epithermal-Porphyry and Related Deposits. Minerals 2021, 11, 714. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11070714

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The securities described herein have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements under the U.S. Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the extension of the Warrants. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will", "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that is incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

Drillholes commence in HQ diameter (63.5mm) and proceed to the base of weathering where core diameter is reduced to NQ (47.6mm). Logging and sampling are completed at a secure Company facility located on site. Drill core is cut in half on site by a saw cut or slicer (in soft saprolite).

Until dispatch, samples are stored under the supervision the Company's exploration office. The samples are couriered to the assay laboratory using a commercial contractor. Pulps are returned to the Company and archived.

For all drilling, half core is submitted to SGS Geosol, a leading commercial laboratory in Brazil and analysed for gold by 50g fire assay, plus a suite of other elements by the ICP atomic absorption method, using standard laboratory procedures. Soil and rock chip samples follow the same analytical protocol.

Quality control of drillhole assays follows normal industry procedures of inserting control samples randomly into the submitted batch, comprising field duplicates, independent reference samples and "blank" samples. Selected batches of sample pulps are periodically resubmitted to a third-party laboratory to check the main laboratory precision and accuracy.

Drill holes results are quoted as down-hole length weighted intersections.

Additional information regarding the Company data verification processes is set out in the NI 43-101 Technical Report, Maria Bonita Prospect, June 2025, which can be found on the Company's website.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281923

Source: Altamira Gold Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Scottie Resources Corp. (TSXV: SCOT) (OTCQB: SCTSF) (FSE: SR80) ("Scottie" or the "Company") is pleased to report new assays from its 2025 drilling of various zones within the Blueberry Contact Zone, at the Scottie Gold Mine Project ("Scottie Gold Mine" or the "Project"). The road-accessible Project is located 35 kilometres north of Stewart, BC, and is the subject of a newly released Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") entitled Scottie Gold Mine Project (Bird et al., October 28, 2025, Scottie Gold Mine Project, SEDAR+).

2025 drilling continues to deliver excellent results at the Project. Hole SR25-420 intersected 34.3 grams per tonne "g/t" gold over 3.30 metres, including a high-grade interval of 90.8 g/t gold over 1.0 metres within the Lemoffe vein zone. Hole SR25-424 intersected 9.97 g/t gold over 9.70 metres, including 21.1 g/t gold over 2.45 metres. Of the 27,000 metres drilled in 2025, only ~16,000 metres have been reported to date.

"These results reinforce the strength and continuity of high-grade gold mineralization at Blueberry," stated Dr. Thomas Mumford, President. "With 27,000 meters drilled in 2025 we are well positioned to continue expanding this high-grade predictable system. Hole SR25-424 is a great example of the efficiency of our targeting at Blueberry, delivering multiple strong intercepts from separate vein zones. Fully funded for 2026, we look forward to continuing to define additional mineralization."

Highlights:

Multiple high-grade intercepts from multiple vein zones within individual drill holes

Near surface high-grade mineralization , including 6.44 g/t gold over 14 metres (starting at a drill core length of 35 m; Figs. 1,2,5)

, including 6.44 g/t gold over 14 metres (starting at a drill core length of 35 m; Figs. 1,2,5) Results de-risk and strengthen the recently released PEA by improving confidence in mine planning and future development scenarios

the recently released PEA by improving confidence in mine planning and future development scenarios Strong grades reported across all major Blueberry Contact vein zones reinforce confidence in a robust, predicable mineralized system

Table 1: Highlight results from new drill assays (uncut) - Blueberry Contact Zone

Drill Hole

From (m) To (m) Width* (m) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Sub Zone SR25-418

89.00 90.00 1.00 13.3 3.00 Road

101.25 104.00 2.75 9.75 1.09 Road SR25-420

214.15 216.20 2.05 1.31 0.00 Lemoffe

282.10 285.40 3.30 34.3 3.00 Lemoffe including 284.35 285.40 1.05 90.8 3.00 Lemoffe SR25-421

158.75 159.75 1.00 1.90 0.00 Road

277.00 286.00 9.00 4.52 0.00 BB Vein SR25-422

193.45 196.00 2.55 29.0 12.4 Lemoffe

208.75 209.75 1.00 2.41 0.00 Lemoffe

211.75 212.75 1.00 4.05 3.00 Lemoffe

248.00 259.00 11.00 6.06 66.5 Lemoffe including 254.50 256.75 2.25 19.7 10.00 Lemoffe SR25-423

209.55 210.55 1.00 2.17 0.00 Lemoffe

216.60 217.65 1.05 1.07 2.00 Lemoffe

237.35 238.35 1.00 100.0 36.0 Lemoffe SR25-424

35.00 49.00 14.00 6.44 0.43 Road including 43.00 47.00 4.00 16.8 1.00 Road including 46.00 47.00 1.00 47.1 4.00 Road

77.30 80.50 3.20 4.51 2.95 Road

94.45 95.45 1.00 42.4 12.0 Road

131.15 134.15 3.00 1.82 0.00 BB Vein

164.00 167.00 3.00 1.63 0.00 BB Vein

203.15 212.85 9.70 9.97 5.75 BB Vein including 208.35 212.85 4.50 15.2 6.62 BB Vein including 210.40 212.85 2.45 21.1 9.22 BB Vein

356.50 358.50 2.00 2.01 1.00 Lemoffe SR25-426

8.00 27.50 19.50 1.11 3.69 FiFi including 8.00 9.00 1.00 6.86 64.0 FiFi

88.00 89.00 1.00 4.29 2.00 Lemoffe

110.75 111.75 1.00 3.88 4.00 Lemoffe SR25-428

21.00 22.00 1.00 1.13 3.00 FiFi

100.40 101.40 1.00 50.8 0.00 Lemoffe

123.20 126.60 3.40 2.94 1.47 Lemoffe

131.00 132.00 1.00 6.65 0.00 Lemoffe SR25-429

10.00 17.05 7.05 4.96 2.30 FiFi including 10.00 11.05 1.05 8.58 5.00 FiFi and including 16.05 17.05 1.00 25.3 5.00 FiFi

61.20 63.85 2.65 13.4 39.0 Lemoffe

75.10 76.65 1.55 3.47 4.00 Lemoffe

81.45 84.00 2.55 2.04 2.41 Lemoffe SR25-431

71.00 73.00 2.00 12.5 6.00 Lemoffe

79.90 80.90 1.00 1.00 8.00 Lemoffe

100.75 107.90 7.15 7.86 9.51 Lemoffe including 104.85 105.85 1.00 30.9 43.0 Lemoffe *True width of the intervals has not yet been established by drilling

Figure 1: Segmented vertical long section of the Blueberry Contact Zone illustrating the distribution and status of drilled targets from the 2025 season and the reported results thus far, relative to intercepts from previous drilling campaigns.

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Figure 2: Overview plan view map of the Blueberry Contact Zone, illustrating the locations of the reported drill results, cross-sections (Figures 3,4,5,6), and the distribution of the modelled sulphide-rich cross-structures.

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Figure 3: Cross-section displaying Scottie Gold Mine intercepts from drill holes SR25-420, and -422.

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Figure 4: Cross-section displaying Scottie Gold Mine intercepts from drill hole SR25-421.

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Figure 5: Cross-section displaying Scottie Gold Mine intercepts from drill hole SR25-424.

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Figure 6: Cross-section displaying Scottie Gold Mine intercepts from drill holes SR25-428, - 429, -431.

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About the Scottie Gold Mine Project

Over the past six years, exploration at the Scottie Gold Mine Project has delivered exceptional results - highlighted by the discovery of four new high-grade zones (Blueberry Contact Zone, Domino, D-Zone, and P-Zone) and the expansion of several historically drilled targets (Scottie Gold Mine, C-Zone, Bend Vein, and Stockwork).

A clear spatial relationship has emerged between these high-grade zones and the contact with the Jurassic-aged Texas Creek Plutonic Suite, providing a powerful framework for ongoing targeting. Detailed geological, structural, mineralogical, and geochemical studies now point to a shared mineralizing event across the property - linking the deposits into a broader, interconnected system with significant growth potential.

The Blueberry Contact Zone, located 2 km northeast of the 100%-owned past producing Scottie Gold Mine in BC's Golden Triangle, has rapidly advanced from a lightly drilled high-grade vein showing into a major growth target. The target was significantly advanced during Scottie's 2019 drill program when an interval was intersected in a new N-S oriented zone adjacent to the main Blueberry Vein. The drill results received from 2020 - 2024, coupled with surficial mapping and sampling suggest that the N-S mineralized trend is a controlling structure that hosts an array of SW-trending, sub-parallel, sulphide-rich veins that obliquely crosscut it which host high-grade gold. As of the end of 2024, the extent of the N-S zone, defined by the contact between andesite and siltstone units of the Hazelton Formation and the presence of the cross-cutting sulfide-rich structures, has a drilled strike length of >1,550 metres and has been tested to >525 metres depth. The Blueberry Contact Zone is located on the Granduc Road, 20 kilometres north of the Ascot Resources' Premier Mine. Newmont's Brucejack Mine is located 25 kilometres to the north.

The Company has recently completed a PEA which evaluates a low-capital DSO operation to deliver a gold-rich gravel product to Asian copper/precious metals smelters. At a gold price of US$2600/oz the project estimates an after-tax NPV(5%) of $215.8 M CAD with an IRR of 60.3%. By design, the operation will eliminate the need for a gold processing plant and tailings facility, thereby significantly reducing the capital required and resulting in a minimal environmental footprint, resulting in an initial capital cost of $128.6 M CAD. The project envisages a shallow open pit on the Blueberry Zone to start, followed by underground production from both Blueberry and the past-producing Scottie Gold Mine. The PEA also evaluates a toll milling scenario through the nearby Premier Mill, which results in an after-tax NPV(5%) $380.1 M CAD and an IRR 89.9%.

Scottie's 2025 Bulk Sample program exemplifies the unique characteristics of this mining project, and its ability to rapidly progress. From permitting to mining, crushing, transporting, shipping and sale of the product, the program was executed in under a year, generating an estimated $9M in new revenue. With this proven pathway, Scottie's has confidence in the simplicity and efficiency of its DSO model.

Quality Assurance and Control

Results from samples taken during the 2025 field season were analyzed at SGS Minerals in Burnaby, BC. The sampling program was undertaken under the direction of Dr. Thomas Mumford. The majority of drill core was NQ in diameter, with select holes of HQ size primarily taken for geomechanical purposes. Prior to sampling drill core was cut in half lengthwise, with half sent for assay and the remaining half kept in Stewart, BC. Standards, blanks, and duplicate samples were taken at intervals and frequencies that meet or exceed industry best practices. A secure chain of custody is maintained in transporting and storing all samples. Gold was assayed using a fire assay with atomic absorption spectrometry and gravimetric finish when required (+9 g/t gold). Analysis by four acid digestion with multi-element ICP-AES analysis was conducted on all samples with silver and base metal over-limits being re-analyzed by emission spectrometry.

Dr. Thomas Mumford, P.Geo., non-independent President of the Company, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release on behalf of the Company.

ABOUT SCOTTIE RESOURCES CORP.

Scottie Resources holds 100% interest in the Scottie Gold Mine Property, which includes the high-grade, past-producing Scottie Gold Mine and the adjacent Blueberry Contact Zone. The Company also owns a 100% interest in the Georgia Project, host to the past-producing Georgia River Mine, as well as the Cambria, Sulu, and Tide North properties. In total, Scottie controls approximately 58,500 hectares of highly prospective mineral claims within the Stewart Mining Camp in British Columbia's Golden Triangle-one of the world's most prolific mineralized districts.

Scottie's current resource estimate on the Scottie Gold Mine Project includes a total of 703,000 gold ounces at an average grade of 6.1 g/t (Inferred category) in 3.6 millon tonnes, highlighting the development potential for a significant near-surface, high-grade deposit. The Company's strategy is to continue expanding this resource and to define additional mineralization around past-producing mines through systematic drilling and surface exploration.

The Company has recently completed a PEA for the Scottie Gold Mine. The PEA outlines a robust Direct-Ship Ore (DSO) development scenario with strong economics and significant upside through a potential toll-milling option utilizing excess capacity at the nearby Premier mill. The base case DSO project delivers an after-tax NPV(5%) of $215.8-$668.3 million at gold prices of US$2,600-$4,200/oz, respectively. Under the toll-milling scenario, project economics improve substantially, with an after-tax NPV(5%) of $380.1-$831.7 million (no agreement currently in place). The PEA estimates initial capital costs of $128.6 million, average annual production of ~65,400 oz gold over seven years, and a payback period of 1.7 years for the after-tax DSO case-reduced to just 0.9 years under the toll-milling opportunity at US$2,600/oz.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. 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.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281917

Source: Scottie Resources Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Universal Digital Inc. (CSE: LFG) (FSE: 8R20) (OTCQB: LFGMF) ("Universal Digital" or the "Company") announces that on January 27, 2026, it entered into a termination agreement with Helena Global Investment Opportunities 1 Ltd. ("Helena") pursuant to which the subscription agreement dated October 24, 2025 governing the senior secured convertible debenture financing previously announced on November 3, 2025 has been terminated, and the financing has been extinguished.

The extinguishment of the convertible debenture financing eliminates all conversion rights, warrants, and future funding obligations previously associated with the debenture facility and results in a simplified capital structure.

Transaction Overview:

The termination agreement provides for a definitive exit from the US$3,336,364 senior secured convertible debenture facility, with no remaining conversion rights or warrants outstanding.

As a result of the termination, the Company will no longer have any future funding obligations under the debenture facility, and the associated derivative and security arrangements have been eliminated.

In connection with the termination, the Company has issued a short-term, non-convertible promissory note in the principal amount of US$300,000 as part of the negotiated settlement relating to the extinguishment of the prior convertible debenture obligation.

"This transaction resolves the Company's outstanding convertible debenture financing and removes the associated conversion features," said Chris Yeung, CEO of Universal Digital. "With the debenture extinguished, the Company has simplified its capital structure and can continue to focus on executing its business strategy."

Pursuant to the termination agreement, the outstanding senior secured convertible debentures in the aggregate principal amount of US$3,336,364 have been extinguished. As part of the termination, Helena will receive and retain all assets held in the custodial account that previously secured the convertible debentures. In addition, the Company has issued to Helena a non-convertible promissory note in the principal amount of US$300,000. The promissory note does not constitute a continuation, amendment, or replacement of the prior financing arrangement. The promissory note bears interest at a rate of 6% per annum, matures three months from the date of issuance, and may be prepaid at any time without penalty. The obligations under the promissory note are secured by a pledge of certain equity securities of ReYuu Japan Inc. held by the Company.

About Universal Digital Inc.

Universal Digital Inc. is a Canadian investment company focused on digital assets, businesses and private and publicly listed entities that are involved in high-growth industries, with a particular focus on blockchain, cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency technologies. The Company aims to provide shareholders with long-term capital growth through a diversified investment approach, and to participate in the transformation of global finance through the integration of digital asset strategies.

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.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the use of words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "plans", "may", "will", "could", "should", "estimate", "potential", "proposed" and similar expressions, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the expected effects of the termination of the convertible debenture financing on the Company's capital structure, the repayment of the promissory note, and the Company's future business plans and strategic initiatives. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions, including assumptions regarding the timely satisfaction of the Company's obligations under the promissory note, general business and market conditions, the availability of capital, and the absence of material adverse changes affecting the Company or its assets.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties 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, risks relating to the Company's ability to meet its obligations under the promissory note, changes in market conditions, regulatory developments, fluctuations in digital asset markets, general economic conditions, and other risks described in the Company's most recent annual information form and other continuous disclosure documents available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281916

Source: Universal Digital Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Auranova Resources Inc. ("Auranova" or the "Company") and Kenorland Minerals Ltd. ("Kenorland") are pleased to announce complete assay results from the 2025 winter diamond drill program at the South Uchi Project (the "Project"), located in the Red Lake District of Ontario. The program comprised 13 drill holes totalling 7,075 metres and successfully expanded the Papaonga gold target while identifying a new, previously untested mineralised structural corridor concealed beneath glacial cover.

Drill Highlights:

New gold-bearing structural corridor identified north of the Papaonga target

Papaonga mineralised footprint expanded to the north and east

Broad zones of gold anomalism confirm district-scale potential

Highest grade intercept of 5.42 g/t over 1.80 m including 12.70 g/t Au over 0.40 m

Follow-up drill program planned for Q1-2026

Figure 1. Plan map of Papaonga with drill hole locations including highlights from this press release

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Tom Obradovich, CEO of Auranova commented, "Our last two drill programs have resulted in placing pieces of the puzzle together in an effort to locate the source of the large geochemical anomaly at the South Uchi Project. Our technical team at Kenorland, along with Chris Taylor, have done a superb job identifying new gold bearing structures for the March drill campaign."

Discussion of Results

Comparing the South Uchi results to the Great Bear project (owned by Kinross Gold Corporation), Chris Taylor, Director of Auranova and former CEO and President of Great Bear Resources said, "In 2018 at Great Bear, we had already drilled the LP Fault zone a year before its definitive discovery. In August of that year we released: Great Bear's drill hole DNE-001 intersected a very broad, 176-metre-wide hydrothermal alteration zone containing disseminated sulphide mineralisation and quartz-sericite alteration with anomalous gold. The best sub-interval was 3.90 metres of 1.01 g/t gold. The interval that really stuck in our minds, reported in a summary table, was 10.50 metres of 0.31 g/t gold. 1 This together with the full width of the hydrothermally altered zone of almost 200 metres, told us a major mineralising fluid system had affected the rocks. A year later, the implication became obvious."

"We have now drilled similar alteration at the Uchi property with Auranova (see figure 3), within a similar magnetic low, and similar felsic rocks. Disseminated sulphide mineralisation and quartz-sericite alteration have been drilled over a similar, approximately 200-metre-wide structural corridor. In aggregate, drill holes 25PADD031 and 032 intersected over 63 metres of anomalous gold bearing mineralisation. We haven't yet tested along this corridor, but it does appear to be a large-scale gold-bearing structure, and we are very excited to see if higher grades are also hosted here."

Notes: (1) Great Bear Resources Ltd. press release (2018, August 22).

Figure 2. South Uchi Papaonga target comparison to the Great Bear project (Kinross Gold Corp.)

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Notes: The top image displays the Great Bear project (owned by Kinross Gold Corporation). The inset map in the top right shows the location and distance of the project in relation to the South Uchi Project, indicated by the red rectangles. The Great Bear project data is sourced from public records. Mineralisation on adjacent or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralisation on the Company's property.

Figure 3. Drill hole 25PADD031 alteration zone from split drill core interval (winter 2025 drill results)

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Notes: The two images above use a cm scale bar. These photographs have been selected to show the alteration style from a singular drill hole (25PADD031) and may not be representative of the full drill program results. No assay results are implied.

The 2025 winter drill program represents the second phase of drilling at Papaonga and builds on four years of systematic exploration, including the maiden drill program reported in July 2025. Drilling was designed to (i) follow up high-grade mineralisation intersected in hole 25PADD023 and (ii) test a newly interpreted structural corridor identified from geophysics outside the previously drilled area.

Step-out drilling along the southern structural trend targeted extensions east, west, and down-dip from 25PADD023. Multiple holes intersected quartz-sulphide veining with carbonate-chlorite-silica alteration hosted within mafic volcanic rocks, locally containing visible gold. Notably, hole 25PADD030 returned 1.80 m at 5.42 g/t Au, including 0.40 m at 12.70 g/t Au, confirming continuity of high-grade mineralisation along the structure.

A three-hole fence targeted a previously untested structural corridor north of Papaonga, concealed beneath glacial till and glaciolacustrine cover. Holes 25PADD031 and 25PADD034 intersected a ~200 m-wide mineralised corridor characterised by sericite-albite-silica alteration, 1-5% disseminated sulphides, and multiple ~10 m-scale intervals of anomalous gold values. These results confirm the presence of a broad, belt-parallel gold-bearing structure that remains open along strike.

Drilling also demonstrates that gold anomalism persists east of the current Papaonga footprint, reinforcing the interpretation that mineralisation is distributed across a much broader structural system than previously tested.

Figure 4. Cross section through newly identified northern mineralised corridor and southern trend

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Q1-2026 Drill Program

A proposed drill program of up to 3,000 metres is currently being designed and is scheduled to commence in Q1-2026, subject to permitting. Drilling will focus on step-out fences along the newly identified northern structural corridor, targeting up to 8 km of prospective strike length, with the objective of delineating higher-grade shoots within the broader mineralised system.

Table 1: Table of assay results from the 2025 winter drill program

HOLE ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) 25PADD030

155.15 156.95 1.80 5.42 Incl. 155.55 155.95 0.40 12.70 25PADD031

234.00 247.50 13.50 0.47 And 282.00 297.00 15.00 0.18 And 363.00 373.50 10.50 0.22 And 412.50 420.00 7.50 0.25 25PADD032

229.50 233.20 3.70 0.97 Incl. 230.50 230.85 0.35 6.17 25PADD034

67.80 84.40 16.60 0.15 25PADD038

298.55 299.30 0.75 1.23 25PADD039

19.50 20.00 0.50 2.81 25PADD040

507.00 509.50 2.50 0.20 And 528.75 529.20 0.45 2.71

Notes: Assay intervals reported are core lengths, true widths have not been determined.

Table 2. Drill hole location and collar table of reported drill holes from the 2025 winter drill program

HOLE ID Easting (NAD83) Northing (NAD83) Elevation (m) Depth (m) Dip Azimuth 25PADD028 554979 5640791 401 309 -45 165 25PADD029 556222 5642216 414 507 -45 185 25PADD030 555275 5640836 402 309 -45 165 25PADD031 556180 5641858 412 627 -50 185 25PADD032 555275 5640837 402 441 -73 165 25PADD033 555095 5640903 405 486 -59 165 25PADD034 556131 5641456 410 606 -45 188 25PADD035 555078 5641184 410 567 -50 170 25PADD036 555802 5641071 410 600 -48 175 25PADD037 554668 5640790 408 507 -50 165 25PADD038 556314 5640930 411 834 -48 172 25PADD039 556836 5640868 425 640 -48 175 25PADD040 557168 5640927 410 642 -50 175

About South Uchi Project

The South Uchi Project was first identified and staked by Kenorland based on the under-explored region's prospectivity to host significant gold mineralised systems. The Project covers a portion of Confederation Assemblage volcanic rocks, as well as the boundary between the Uchi geological subprovince to the north and the English River geological subprovince to the south. Multiple major east-west striking deformation zones associated with the subprovince boundary transect the Project, resulting in zones of strong shearing and folding of the supracrustal stratigraphy, which are favourable settings for orogenic gold mineralisation. Prior to Kenorland staking the Project, records indicated little to no systematic exploration had been completed, and the land package remained under-explored. The majority of gold deposits in the Red Lake District (Red Lake, Madsen, Hasaga, and others) are located on the northern margin of the Confederation Assemblage. However, recent discoveries such as the LP Fault Zone on the Dixie Project by Great Bear Resources Ltd. (acquired by Kinross Gold and renamed Great Bear Project) highlight the prospectivity of the entire Confederation Assemblage along the southern margin of the Uchi subprovince.

Kenorland announced on December 2, 2024, that it had entered into a definitive agreement with Auranova, granting Auranova the right to earn up to a 70% interest in the Project. Pursuant to the agreement, Auranova may earn an initial 51% interest in the Project by making cash payments totalling $500,000 to Kenorland, completing a diamond drilling program with at least $8,000,000 in qualifying expenditures or completing 15,000 metres of drilling within two years of receiving a drill permit, issuing Kenorland 19.9% of Auranova's common shares, and maintaining Kenorland's 19.9% share position until Auranova raises a minimum of $10,000,000 through share issuances, after which Kenorland's stake will remain at 10% on a pro-rata basis through to the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (the "PEA").

Kenorland has received the $500,000 in cash payments and currently holds 9,242,267 common shares of Auranova and confirms that Auranova has now earned a 51% ownership interest in the Project (see press release dated July 2, 2025). Further, Auranova may earn an additional 19% interest, for a total of 70%, by incurring an additional $10,000,000 in qualifying expenditures on or before the third anniversary of Auranova's election to proceed with the second option. Kenorland will also retain a 30% carried interest in the Project through to the completion of the PEA, at which point a joint venture will be formed.

Kenorland also holds a 2% net smelter return royalty on the Project (see press release dated September 16, 2024).

Figure 5. Regional volcanic assemblages with significant gold deposits and South Uchi Project location

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1 Kinross reports 2023 fourth-quarter and full-year results: (Date February 14, 2024) - Updated resource to the technical report titled Great Bear Project Ontario, Canada prepared by Nicos Pfeiffer, P.Geo., John Sims, CPG, Yves Breau, P.Eng., Rick Greenwood, P.Geo., Agung Prawasono, P.Eng., issued February 13, 2023

Qualified Persons

William Yeomans, P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101, has also reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release. Mr. Yeomans is a gold exploration professional with over 40 years of experience in all stages of gold exploration throughout the Americas, including the Superior Province throughout Quebec and Ontario. He gained extensive exploration management experience across the entire Guiana Shield with BHP and has generated projects which resulted with significant NI 43-101 gold resources. He has worked as a consultant to IAMGOLD and Dundee Precious Metals Inc., identifying acquisition opportunities across Canada, the USA and South America. He is currently the President of Yeomans Geological Inc. as well as 1127637 B.C. Ltd. and has many years of experience as a board member for several junior mining companies.

QA/QC and Core Sampling Protocols

All drill core samples were collected under the supervision of Kenorland employees. Drill core was transported from the drill platform to the logging facility where it was logged, photographed, and split by diamond saw prior to being sampled. Samples were then bagged, and blanks and certified reference materials were inserted at regular intervals. Groups of samples were placed in large bags, sealed with numbered tags in order to maintain a chain-of-custody, and transported from Red Lake to Bureau Veritas Commodities ("BV") laboratory in Timmins, Ontario.

Sample preparation and analytical work for this drill program were carried out by BV. Samples were prepared for analysis according to BV method PRP70-250: individual samples were crushed to 2mm (10 mesh) and a 250g split was pulverized to 75m (200 mesh) for analysis and then assayed for gold. Gold in samples were analyzed using BV method FA430 where a 30g split is analyzed with fire assay by Pb collection and AAS finish. Over-limits gold samples were re-analyzed using BV method FA530 where a 30g split is analyzed with fire assay by Pb collection and gravimetric finish. Multi-element geochemical analysis (45 elements) was performed on all samples using BV method MA200 where a 0.25g split is by multi-acid digest with ICP-MS/ES finish. All results passed the QA/QC screening at the lab, all company inserted standards and blanks returned results that were within acceptable limits.

About Auranova Resources

The Company is an unlisted reporting issuer in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Its directors and major shareholders are Thomas Obradovich, Chris Taylor, Timothy Young, William Rand and Blair Zaritsky. The Company is focused on the discovery of new gold systems in the Birch Uchi Belt in partnership with Kenorland Minerals Ltd. as well as expanding its presence in the greenstone belts of Ontario.

Further information can be found on the Company's website www.auranovaresources.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Auranova Resources,

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Mineralisation on adjacent or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralisation on the Company's property. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281901

Source: Auranova Resources Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Mercado Minerals Ltd. (CSE: MERC) ("Mercado" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has commenced its geophysical surveys over the Copalito Project ("Copalito") in Sinaloa, Mexico. The First phase will consist of a high-resolution UAV ("drone") magnetic survey ("magnetic survey") followed by a drone LiDAR survey. Mercado has engaged Jesus Mendez Geoconsultores to perform the magnetic survey and GeoDigital Imaging de Mexico for the drone LiDAR survey.

Daniel Rodriguez, CEO & Director, comments, "Geophysics is an important step in advancing Copalito. We have extensive geochemical data, and integrating it with magnetic survey results will help us better understand the subsurface structures as we prepare for our upcoming diamond drill program. The LiDAR survey will also support our geological team in Mexico by improving surface mapping and helping identify new prospective areas for future exploration."

The high-resolution magnetic survey, conducted by Jesus Mendez Geoconsultores, will cover 1,885 hectares at Copalito using 50-metre line spacing. The magnetic survey is designed to map known veins and their extensions, while also providing valuable data over previously unexplored areas of the property.

GeoDigital Imaging de Mexico has been contracted to complete the drone-based LiDAR survey, which will cover 1,867 hectares. The LiDAR survey will enhance topographic detail across Copalito, focusing on known vein systems, their potential extensions, and additional unexplored zones. The LiDAR survey is expected to commence the first week of February, following the magnetic survey's completion.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) and was reviewed and approved by Kelson Willms, P.Geo., of Archer, Cathro & Associates (1981) Limited. Mr. Willms is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101

About Mercado Minerals Ltd.

Mercado Minerals Ltd. (CSE: MERC) is a silver-focused exploration company targeting the next world-class discovery in Mexico's emerging Western Silver Belt, part of the prolific Sierra Madre Occidental mining district. With a proven team boasting extensive experience in Mexican exploration, Mercado is actively advancing multiple projects across more than 3,000 hectares. The Company is committed to creating shareholder value through disciplined exploration, strategic growth, and discovery-driven results.

Forward-Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement):

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate," "plan," "continue," "expect," "estimate," "objective," "may," "will," "project," "should," "predict," "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Company's exploration plans and the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements because the Company cannot provide assurance that they will prove correct. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as 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/281900

Source: Mercado Minerals Ltd.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KLD) (OTCQX: KLDCF) (FSE: 3WQ0) ("Kenorland" or the "Company") and Auranova Resources Inc. ("Auranova") are pleased to announce complete assay results from the 2025 fall diamond drill program at the South Uchi Project (the "Project"), located in the Red Lake District of Ontario. The program comprised 13 drill holes totalling 7,075 metres and successfully expanded the Papaonga gold target while identifying a new, previously untested mineralised structural corridor concealed beneath glacial cover

Drill Highlights:

New gold-bearing structural corridor identified north of the Papaonga target

Papaonga mineralised footprint expanded to the north and east

Broad zones of gold anomalism confirm district-scale potential

Highest grade intercept of 5.42 g/t over 1.80m including 12.70 g/t Au over 0.40m

Follow-up drill program planned for Q1 2026

Figure 1. Plan map of Papaonga with drill hole locations including highlights from this press release





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Zach Flood, President and CEO of Kenorland Minerals, commented, "The drill results continue to validate the systematic approach we've taken at South Uchi. The identification of a previously untested, gold-bearing structural corridor beneath cover is particularly encouraging and reinforces that Papaonga sits within a much larger mineralised system. With up to eight kilometres of strike now emerging as a priority target, we believe South Uchi offers meaningful discovery upside as we advance into the next phase of drilling."

Discussion of Results

The 2025 fall drill program represents the second phase of drilling at Papaonga and builds on four years of systematic exploration, including the maiden drill program reported in July 2025. Drilling was designed to (i) follow up high-grade mineralisation intersected in hole 25PADD023 and (ii) test a newly interpreted structural corridor identified from geophysics outside the previously drilled area.

Step-out drilling along the southern structural trend targeted extensions east, west, and down-dip from 25PADD023. Multiple holes intersected quartz-sulphide veining with carbonate-chlorite-silica alteration hosted within mafic volcanic rocks, locally containing visible gold. Notably, hole 25PADD030 returned 1.80 m at 5.42 g/t Au, including 0.40 m at 12.70 g/t Au, confirming continuity of high-grade mineralisation along the structure.

A three-hole fence targeted a previously untested structural corridor north of Papaonga, concealed beneath glacial till and glaciolacustrine cover. Holes 25PADD031 and 25PADD034 intersected a ~200 m-wide mineralised corridor characterized by sericite-albite-silica alteration, 1-5% disseminated sulphides, and multiple ~10 m-scale intervals of anomalous gold values. These results confirm the presence of a broad, belt-parallel gold-bearing structure that remains open along strike.

Drilling also demonstrates that gold anomalism persists east of the current Papaonga footprint, reinforcing the interpretation that mineralisation is distributed across a much broader structural system than previously tested.

Figure 2. Cross section through newly identified northern mineralised corridor and southern trend





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Follow-up Drill Program

A proposed drill program of up to 3,000 metres is currently being designed and is scheduled to commence in Q1 2026, subject to permitting. Drilling will focus on step-out fences along the newly identified northern structural corridor, targeting up to 8 km of prospective strike length, with the objective of delineating higher-grade shoots within the broader mineralised system.

Table 1: Table of assay results from the 2025 winter drill program

HOLE ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) 25PADD030

155.15 156.95 1.80 5.42 Incl. 155.55 155.95 0.40 12.70 25PADD031

234.00 247.50 13.50 0.47 And 282.00 297.00 15.00 0.18 And 363.00 373.50 10.50 0.22 And 412.50 420.00 7.50 0.25 25PADD032

229.50 233.20 3.70 0.97 Incl. 230.50 230.85 0.35 6.17 25PADD034

67.80 84.40 16.60 0.15 25PADD038

298.55 299.30 0.75 1.23 25PADD039

19.50 20.00 0.50 2.81 25PADD040

507.00 509.50 2.50 0.20 And 528.75 529.20 0.45 2.71

Table 2. Drill hole location and collar table of reported drill from the 2025 winter drill program

HOLE ID Easting (NAD83) Northing (NAD83) Elevation (m) Depth (m) Dip Azimuth 25PADD028 554979 5640791 401 309 -45 165 25PADD029 556222 5642216 414 507 -45 185 25PADD030 555275 5640836 402 309 -45 165 25PADD031 556180 5641858 412 627 -50 185 25PADD032 555275 5640837 402 441 -73 165 25PADD033 555095 5640903 405 486 -59 165 25PADD034 556131 5641456 410 606 -45 188 25PADD035 555078 5641184 410 567 -50 170 25PADD036 555802 5641071 410 600 -48 175 25PADD037 554668 5640790 408 507 -50 165 25PADD038 556314 5640930 411 834 -48 172 25PADD039 556836 5640868 425 640 -48 175 25PADD040 557168 5640927 410 642 -50 175

About South Uchi Project

The South Uchi Project was first identified and staked by Kenorland based on the under-explored region's prospectivity to host significant gold mineralised systems. The Project covers a portion of Confederation Assemblage volcanic rocks, as well as the boundary between the Uchi geological subprovince to the north and the English River geological subprovince to the south. Multiple major east-west striking deformation zones associated with the subprovince boundary transect the Project, resulting in zones of strong shearing and folding of the supracrustal stratigraphy, which are favourable settings for orogenic gold mineralisation. Prior to Kenorland staking the Project, records indicated little to no systematic exploration had been completed, and the land package remained under-explored. The majority of gold deposits in the Red Lake District (Red Lake, Madsen, Hasaga, and others) are located on the northern margin of the Confederation Assemblage. However, recent discoveries such as the LP Fault Zone on the Dixie Project by Great Bear Resources Ltd. (acquired by Kinross Gold and renamed Great Bear Project) highlight the prospectivity of the entire Confederation Assemblage along the southern margin of the Uchi subprovince.

Kenorland announced on December 2, 2024, that it had entered into a definitive agreement with Auranova, granting Auranova the right to earn up to a 70% interest in the Project. Pursuant to the agreement, Auranova may earn an initial 51% interest in the Project by making cash payments totalling $500,000 to Kenorland, completing a diamond drilling program with at least $8,000,000 in qualifying expenditures or completing 15,000 metres of drilling within two years of receiving a drill permit, issuing Kenorland 19.9% of Auranova's common shares, and maintaining Kenorland's 19.9% share position until Auranova raises a minimum of $10,000,000 through share issuances, after which Kenorland's stake will remain at 10% on a pro-rata basis through to the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (the "PEA").

Kenorland has received the $500,000 in cash payments and currently holds 9,242,267 common shares of Auranova and confirms that Auranova has now earned a 51% ownership interest in the Project (see press release dated July 2, 2025). Further, Auranova may earn an additional 19% interest, for a total of 70%, by incurring an additional $10,000,000 in qualifying expenditures on or before the third anniversary of Auranova's election to proceed with the second option. Kenorland will also retain a 30% carried interest in the Project through to the completion of the PEA, at which point a joint venture will be formed.

Kenorland also holds a 2% net smelter return royalty on the Project (see press release dated September 16, 2024).

Figure 3. Regional volcanic assemblages with significant gold deposits and South Uchi Project location





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1 Kinross reports 2023 fourth-quarter and full-year results: (Date February 14, 2024) - Updated resource to the technical report titled Great Bear Project Ontario, Canada prepared by Nicos Pfeiffer, P.Geo., John Sims, CPG, Yves Breau, P.Eng., Rick Greenwood, P.Geo., Agung Prawasono, P.Eng., issued February 13, 2023

Qualified Persons

Janek Wozniewski, B.Sc., P.Geo. (EGBC #172781, APEGS #77522, EGMB #48045, PGO #3824, APEGNB L7273), Vice President of Operations at Kenorland, a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

William Yeomans, P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101, has also reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release. Mr. Yeomans is a gold exploration professional with over 40 years of experience in all stages of gold exploration throughout the Americas, including the Superior Province throughout Quebec and Ontario. He gained extensive exploration management experience across the entire Guiana Shield with BHP and has generated projects which resulted with significant NI 43-101 gold resources. He has worked as a consultant to IAMGOLD and Dundee Precious Metals Inc., identifying acquisition opportunities across Canada, the USA and South America. He is currently the President of Yeomans Geological Inc. as well as 1127637 B.C. Ltd. and has many years of experience as a board member for several junior mining companies.

QA/QC and Core Sampling Protocols

All drill core samples were collected under the supervision of Kenorland employees. Drill core was transported from the drill platform to the logging facility where it was logged, photographed, and split by diamond saw prior to being sampled. Samples were then bagged, and blanks and certified reference materials were inserted at regular intervals. Groups of samples were placed in large bags, sealed with numbered tags in order to maintain a chain-of-custody, and transported from Red Lake to Bureau Veritas Commodities ("BV") laboratory in Timmins, Ontario.

Sample preparation and analytical work for this drill program were carried out by BV. Samples were prepared for analysis according to BV method PRP70-250: individual samples were crushed to 2mm (10 mesh) and a 250g split was pulverized to 75m (200 mesh) for analysis and then assayed for gold. Gold in samples were analyzed using BV method FA430 where a 30g split is analyzed with fire assay by Pb collection and AAS finish. Over-limits gold samples were re-analyzed using BV method FA530 where a 30g split is analyzed with fire assay by Pb collection and gravimetric finish. Multi-element geochemical analysis (45 elements) was performed on all samples using BV method MA200 where a 0.25g split is by multi-acid digest with ICP-MS/ES finish. All results passed the QA/QC screening at the lab, all company inserted standards and blanks returned results that were within acceptable limits.

Update on Marketing Agreement

Further to the Company's press release dated November 3, 2025, the Company confirms that Atrium Research Corporation was paid an upfront fee of $6,000 in connection with the engagement.

About Kenorland Minerals

Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KLD) is a well-financed mineral exploration company focused on project generation and early-stage exploration in North America. Kenorland's exploration strategy is to advance greenfields projects through systematic, property-wide, phased exploration surveys financed primarily through exploration partnerships including option to joint venture agreements. Kenorland holds a 4% net smelter return royalty on the Frotet Project in Quebec, which is owned by Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. The Frotet Project hosts the Regnault gold system, a greenfields discovery made by Kenorland and Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. in 2020, which contains an Inferred Mineral Resource of 14.5 Mt at 5.47 g/t Au for 2.55 Moz of gold. Kenorland is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

About Auranova Resources

The Company is an unlisted reporting issuer in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Its directors and major shareholders are Thomas Obradovich, Chris Taylor, Timothy Young, William Rand and Blair Zaritsky. The Company is focused on the discovery of new gold systems in the Birch Uchi Belt in partnership with Kenorland Minerals Ltd. as well as expanding its presence in the greenstone belts of Ontario.

Further information can be found on the Company's website www.kenorlandminerals.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Kenorland Minerals,

Zach Flood

President, CEO & Director

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which the Company does not have an interest. The Qualified Person has not verified the information, and it is not necessarily indicative of the mineralisation on the Project.

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/281877

Source: Kenorland Minerals Ltd.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Advanced Gold Exploration Inc. (CSE: AUEX) (FSE: ZF2) (OTC Pink: AUHIF) ("Advanced Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it initiated acquiring all necessary permits to commence a 3,000-metre diamond drilling program at its 100%-owned Doyle Property. Located in the Batchawana Greenstone Belt (BGB) north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the Doyle Property has emerged as a high-priority asset following the discovery of visible gold and high-grade surface samples during the 2024-2025 field seasons.

2026 Exploration Strategy

The upcoming drill program will be designed to test the depth and strike continuity of the high-grade mineralization identified during the Company's recent prospecting campaigns. Drilling will specifically focus on the newly identified NE-trending extensional structures, which the Company believes may host significant gold mineralization previously overlooked by historical exploration focused on NNW-trending structures.

Highlights of 2024-2025 Exploration Success

The 2026 drill targets are supported by exceptional surface results announced over the past 18 months:

Visible Gold Discovery: In late 2024, the Company reported the first-ever discovery of visible gold on surface at the Doyle Property.

In late 2024, the Company reported the first-ever discovery of at the Doyle Property. High-Grade Assay Results: * 13.2 g/t Au and 9.82 g/t Au from surface grab samples in the newly discovered zone. 1.23 g/t Au over 40.6 metres and 2.4 g/t Au over 16.2 metres from channel sampling, confirming broad zones of mineralization at surface.

* and from surface grab samples in the newly discovered zone. Historical Correlation: These surface results appear to be the expression of a significant historical intercept in hole T94-22, which returned 49.8 g/t Au at a depth of 80 metres.

"We are looking forward to receiving a new permit to further develop the Doyle gold property for AUEX," said Arndt Roehlig, President and CEO of Advanced Gold. "The discovery of visible gold at surface in 2024 fundamentally changed our understanding of the Doyle Property. By applying modern LiDAR and geophysical interpretation, we've identified a structural corridor that has never been drill-tested. This program represents our most aggressive effort to date to unlock the 'Hemlo-style' potential of the Batchawana Greenstone Belt."

The Company is currently finalizing contracts with drilling service providers to develop a spring 2026 drill program.

Qualified person

James Atkinson, MSc, PGeo, a non-independent qualified person (QP) as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release. The qualified person has not completed sufficient work to verify all historic information on the property, particularly with regard to historical sampling, drill results and technical work provided by others. The qualified person assumes that sampling and analytical results were completed to industry standard practices. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the property but may not be representative of expected results.

ABOUT ADVANCED GOLD

Advanced Gold Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company with a portfolio of Canadian gold and copper properties. The company's expertise is in identifying and acquiring undervalued properties with significant historical work, which it believes it can enhance their economic value at today's prices. The company's purpose is to bring immediate and long-term value to its partners and shareholders. Visit www.advancedgoldexploration.com for more information.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Arndt Roehlig, President & CEO, Director

Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the trading of the Company's securities and the focus of the Company's business. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "contemplates", "believes", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company's ability to increase the value of its current and future mineral exploration properties and, in connection therewith, any long-term shareholder value, the Company's ability to mitigate or eliminate exploration risk, and the Company's intention to develop a portfolio of historic gold properties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the Company will continue its business as described above. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and other periodic filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances or actual results unless required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281866

Source: Advanced Gold Exploration Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Western Exploration Inc. (TSXV: WEX) (OTCQX: WEXPF) (the "Company" or "Western Exploration") is pleased to announce that the United States Forest Service ("USFS") has accepted the Company's Notice of Intent ("NOI") to submit a Mine Plan of Operations ("MPO") for the Doby George deposit at the Company's 100% owned Aura Project in Nevada.

Key Highlights:

USFS accepted the NOI, initiating the pathway toward submission and review of the MPO.

Target MPO submission: Q2 2026.

Baseline studies begin: February 2026, covering key environmental and cultural disciplines.

NEPA environmental reports targeted for submission: Q2 2027.

Western Exploration CEO, Darcy Marud, commented: "On December 1, 2025, the Company submitted a Notice of Intent to submit a Mine Plan of Operations (NOI) to the United States Forest Service (USFS). This is an important early milestone and supports the Company's objective of advancing Doby George from study-stage toward a development decision."

The Company is currently working with its partners at Stantec Consulting (Stantec) and Kappes Cassidy & Associates (KCA) to complete the MPO based on the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) announced on May 8, 2025, "Western Exploration Announces Positive Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Doby George Resource at the Aura Project". The company anticipates filing the MPO in Q2 2026.

To support this work, the Company has entered into an additional Consulting Service Agreement with Stantec Consulting to commence baseline studies over the next 14 months beginning in February 2026. Stantec will lead a comprehensive suite of baseline studies including biological, cultural, paleontological, air, noise, hydrology, geochemistry, and aquatic studies. As applicable, the program will incorporate relevant prior work completed by the Company and Stantec.

As outlined in the PEA, the current development concept envisions a 7,500 tonne per day open pit heap leach operation at Doby George. The Company is working with its partners to submit all environmental reports for review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by Q2 2027.

ABOUT WESTERN EXPLORATION

Western Exploration is advancing the 100% owned Aura Project, located approximately 120 kilometers/75 miles north of the city of Elko, Nevada. The Aura Project includes three unique gold and silver deposits: Doby George, Gravel Creek, and Wood Gulch. Western Exploration is comprised of an experienced team of precious metals experts that aim to lead the company to becoming North America's premiere gold and silver development company.

Qualified Person Approval

The scientific and technical content in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mark Hawksworth, General Manager of the Western Exploration's Aura Project, who is a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements, by their nature, require the Company to make certain assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Any statement that involves predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always, using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", "management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "potential", "feasibility", "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 information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This news release contains the forward-looking information pertaining to, among other things: the significance of the results of the drill results from the Tomasina target; the accuracy of results from prior exploration activities conducted at the Aura Project; the prospects, if any, of the Wood Gulch and Gravel Creek mineral deposits; future drilling and exploration plans and intentions at the Aura Project; and the significance of historic exploration activities and results. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the ability of exploration activities (including drill results) to accurately predict mineralization; errors in management's geological modelling; the ability of Western Exploration to complete further exploration activities, including drilling; property and royalty interests in respect of the Aura Project; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; risks relating to mining activities; the global economic climate; metal prices; dilution; environmental risks; and community and non-governmental actions. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Western Exploration cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither Western Exploration nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. Western Exploration 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.

For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements and forward-looking information made in this news release concerning Western Exploration, please refer to the continuous disclosure record of Western Exploration on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Western Exploration's issuer profile. The forward-looking statements set forth herein concerning Western Exploration reflect management's expectations as at the date of this news release and are subject to change after such date. Western Exploration disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281837

Source: Western Exploration Inc.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Fathom Nickel Inc. (CSE: FNI) (FSE: 6Q5) (OTCQB: FNICF) ('Fathom", or the "Company") is pleased to announce, based on very strong demand for its previously announced best efforts non-brokered private placement financing, the Company has upsized the gross proceeds to up to C$3,750,000 (the "Upsized Offering"). All other terms of the Upsized Offering remain unchanged: the Upsized Offering will consist of any combination of: (i) charity flow-through units (the "Charity FT Units") at C$0.048 per Charity FT Unit; and (ii) hard dollar units (the "HD Units") at C$0.031 per HD Unit of the Company. Crescat Capital LLC ("Crescat") has agreed to make a strategic investment for at least 10% of the Upsized Offering. We are also pleased to announce a planned 3,000-4,000-meter drill program commencing mid to late February 2026 at the Gochager Lake project. The Company anticipates drilling ten +/- drillholes to test areas along strike of the historic Gochager Lake deposit where we recognize favourable geology, geochemistry and geophysical signatures.

Ian Fraser, Fathom CEO and VP Exploration stated, "We are very much looking forward to the next phase of drilling at our Gochager Lake project. The surface work performed in 2024/2025 has significantly expanded the geological and geochemical footprint of the historic Gochager Lake deposit along strike northeast and southwest. Our exploration priority at Gochager was first to understand the geologic setting of the historic deposit and then work on building "scale". The expanded geological footprint, specifically, mineralized variable-texture gabbro occurring up to 3.5km northeast of the historic deposit is very encouraging. Additionally, we look forward to testing areas of very robust multi-element soil geochemical anomalies to determine the underlying geology. All drillholes will be probed with borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) surveys, an exercise that has proven to be very successful within the historic deposit area."

Q1-2026 Exploration Program:

3,000-4,000 meters of diamond drilling.

The final number of drillholes and final meterage will be dependant upon timing of completion of the winter trail and timing of drilling equipment arrival at the project.

Winter conditions are anticipated to allow for drilling into the first week of April 2026.

Winter trail work currently on track for completion by mid February.

Minimum of 10 drillholes planned for the program.

All drillholes will be probed using the BHEM tool.

The purpose of BHEM is to identify zones of conductivity occurring off-hole of the drillhole trace. BHEM, can detect strong zones of conductivity up to 50meters off-hole.

Off hole BHEM zones of conductivity at the historic Gochager Lake deposit have proven to be the result of magmatic high-grade zones of Ni-Cu-Co sulphide mineralization.

Figure 1 and Ni-tenor* Discussion:

The Company uses Ni-tenor values derived from the Gochager Lake deposit drilling as an exploration vector.

Gochager Lake deposit Ni-tenor values replicate in mineralized gabbroic outcrop immediately north of the historic deposit and in several locales in mineralized gabbro outcrop along strike to the east-northeast.

Fathom exploration thesis: Ni-tenor calculations based on Fathom drilling at the historic deposit return 2-5% Ni-tenor. Outcrop samples in vicinity of the historic deposit exhibit Ni-tenor values of 4.23% - 4.79%. Outcrop sampling of mineralized gabbro between Scurry Lake and Rainbow Lake suggest 4.51% Ni-tenor. Drilling in this area will explore the occurrence of high-grade Ni-Cu-Co sulphide mineralization / zones in the vicinity of this outcrop.

Drillholes will also be drilled in the other areas of mineralized gabbro where Ni-tenor exceeds 3%.

*Ni-tenor=is the quantity of nickel contained within the sulphide component of the rock. At the Gochager Lake deposit, various styles of sulphide mineralization in gabbroic and ultramafic rock demonstrate Ni-tenors ranging from 2% to 5%. Ni-tenor is the percentage of nickel in sulphide only and is reported as the weight percent nickel in 100% sulphide. Fathom only reports Ni-tenor calculations in drill core and rock assay samples where assays report >=1% sulphur. Calculations on samples below 1% sulphur tend to be inaccurate with respect to contained nickel in the sulphide component.

The Company will also be drilling the multi-element (Ni-Cu-Co) 1500m x 500m soil geochemical anomaly immediately south of Wolf Lake; the multi-element soil anomaly north shore of Gochager Lake (1650ppm Ni, 116.5ppm Cu, 373ppm Co), and the multi-element soil anomaly that runs into Weaver Lake.

Drilling in these areas is designed to get an understanding of the subsurface geology and cause of the overlying soil geochemistry.

The Company will also utilize existing Fathom BHEM, surface TDEM survey results and historical 2008 VTEM survey results in the drillhole design / targeting process.

Figure 1

Ni-Tenor in Outcrop Exploration Target Map

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7843/281927_bd5f68ede41f7b5b_002full.jpg

Exploration Target Areas Q1-2026 Drill Program

The points illustrated within the mineralized gabbro in the map are a combination of surface grab rock samples and surface outcrop chip samples that returned >3% Ni-tenor. The points that are labelled are based on results from rock assays. The chip sample locations (points not labelled) were analyzed by a handheld pXRF, and the Company cautions the reader that pXRF analyses are not a proxy for assay results but an indication of contained elements and in this case an indication of Ni-tenor >3%.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC) Disclosure Statement

As part of its ongoing exploration activities, Fathom is utilizing a portable Vanta XRF Analyzer ("pXRF") to provide real-time lithogeochemical, multi-element data on surface rock chip samples and rock grab samples collected in the field. The Vanta XRF Analyzer is a hand-held device, held in position for a total 120 seconds - beam 1 (30 seconds), beam 2 (60 seconds) and beam 3 (30 seconds) to allow for an effective reading of elements occurring at that specific point, and at that specific surface of a rock sample. All elements detected at that specific point; nickel, copper, cobalt plus key pathfinder elements, chrome and magnesium, are recorded. The reader is cautioned that pXRF data should be treated only as an indication of elements, as the accuracy of the beam position on a particular element is variable.

Qualified Person and Data Verification

Ian Fraser, P.Geo., CEO, VP Exploration and a Director of the Company and the "qualified person" as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101, has verified the data disclosed in this news release, and has otherwise reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release on behalf of the Company.

About Fathom Nickel Inc.

Fathom is an exploration company that is targeting magmatic nickel sulphide discoveries to secure the supply of North American Critical Minerals and to support the global green energy transition. The Company now has a portfolio of three high-quality exploration projects located in the prolific Trans Hudson Corridor in Saskatchewan:

1) The Albert Lake Project, a 90,000+ hectare project that hosts the historic Rottenstone Mine1. Fathom exploration to date at the Albert Lake project confirms:

The high-grade Ni-Cu-Co+3E 1 Rottenstone deposit mineralization extends to the south a minimum 40m and remains open.

Rottenstone deposit mineralization extends to the south a minimum 40m and remains open. The Rottenstone deposit is potentially offset and continues within the footwall of a prominent fault defined by drilling.

A new Rottenstone-like discovery (similar host rock, and similar mineralization) by drilling 500-550m W-NW of the historic mine; the 300+m Bay Island Trend, remains open along strike.

Similar Rottenstone-like host rock and mineralization intersected by drilling approximately 1.5km S-SW of the historic mine (the Nic5-Tremblay-Olson area).

2) The 33,000+ hectare Gochager Lake Project that hosts the historic Gochager Lake deposit2. Fathom exploration to date at the Gochager Lake project confirms:

Vertical extension of Ni-Cu-Co mineralization a minimum of 150m below the historic Gochager Lake deposit interpreted boundary, and very good potential for expansion of mineralization in all directions.

Multiple high-grade vertically oriented Ni-Cu-Co sulphide breccia mineralization zones and chutes occur within the historic deposit, and the zones, chutes remain open for further expansion and delineation in all directions.

Surface mapping and rock geochemistry has confirmed the Gochager Lake deposit host/container rock extends 3.5+ km along strike east-northeast of the deposit.

Soil geochemistry has defined a favourable geochemical footprint, inclusive of the historic deposit, that now extends 8.6+ km.

3) The 10,000+ hectare Friesen Lake Project located 40km southwest of the historic Rottenstone Mine and 30km northwest of the historic Gochager Lake deposit.

The Friesen Lake property hosts the Olsen Cu-Ni-Pt Showing also referred to as the Friesen Lake Cu-Ni-Pt showing and is described as an ultramafic dyke that historic trenching and drilling demonstrates Cu-Ni-Pt-Pd and Au mineralization within the ultramafic dyke (Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMID) #0928a). To date Fathom has not performed any exploration at the Friesen Lake Project.

1 - The Rottenstone Mine; a small open-pit mining / milling operation was in production 1965-1969. Mining in 1965 produced 5,500 short tons with a reported average production grade of 3.23% Ni, 1.83% Cu, 0.14 oz/ton Pt, 0.10 oz/ton Pd, 0.03 oz/ton Au (9.26 g/t*3E, 3E = Pd-Pt+Au) and 0.20 oz/ton Ag. Initial milling of mine concentrate; September 5 - November 7, 1965, produced 1,070 dry short tons of concentrate that averaged 10.83% Ni, 5.74% Cu, 0.33 oz/ton Pt, 0.53 oz/ton Pd, 0.10 oz/ ton Au (32.91 g/t* 3E) and 1.25 oz/ton Ag. Richards, B.R. and Robinson, B.G.W. (1966), Mining and milling a small ore deposit . Rottenstone Mining Limited: The Canadian Mining and Metallurgical Bulleting for December 1966. The Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI) #0958 reports final mine production in 1969 of 28,724 tons with an average grade of 3.28% Ni, 1.83% Cu and 9.63 g/t 3E and that approximately 9,000 tons of concentrate were sold to the International Nickel Company of Canada Limited. * A factor of 34.286 g/tonne was used to convert 1 oz/ton to g/tonne (g/t).

2 - The Gochager Lake property is host to the historic Gochager Lake Ni-Cu deposit. There is no source or available Technical Reports to verify the historic resource estimate for the Gochager Lake deposit; hence, Fathom will treat the historic estimate as an Exploration Target. Available records in the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI) and Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Database (SMAD) suggest an Exploration Target of 4-5 million tons grading 0.3% Ni - 0.4% Ni and 0.08% Cu - 0.09% Cu. The potential quantity and grade are conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource, and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. At present, Fathom has drilled 16 drillholes (5,549m) into the historic Gochager Lake deposit and has confirmed Ni-Cu grades comparable to and higher than the historical grades reported, thus confirming that a deposit of Ni-Cu+Co metal accumulation does exist at the historic Gochager Lake deposit / property. The disclosed potential quantity and grade has been determined by historic records notably; the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index and Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Database. (SMDI #0880) reports delineation drilling outlined a deposit at the historic Gochager Lake Deposit; Steel, J.S. (1990), (SMAD 73P15-0091): Report on a Diamond Drilling Program on the Gallagher (Gochager) Lake Property of McNickel Inc., reported that Scurry-Rainbow Oil Ltd. constructed vertical sections and a longitudinal section from drill data collected 1966-1968, and an orebody with reasonably well-defined limits was interpreted. As stated above, the historic estimate is not well documented and there are no available Technical Reports to support the historic resource estimate(s).

No securities regulatory authority has reviewed the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding completion of the Offering, price of the FT Units, Charity FT Units and HD Units, dates for closing of the Offering, amount of proceeds under the Offering, approval of the Offering by regulatory authorities, payment of commissions and finder warrants to finders and the Company incurring Qualifying Expenditures. 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." 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; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; 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; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and 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 the Company's disclosure record. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward- looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281927

Source: Fathom Nickel Inc.
Not for dissemination to the United States Newswire Services or dissemination in the United States.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Rocky Shore Gold Ltd. ("Rocky Shore" or the "Company") (CSE:RSG) is pleased to announce that it is undertaking a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000 through the sale of units ("Units") at a price of $0.175 per Unit. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share, to be issued on a non-flow through basis, at an exercise price of $0.30 until the date that is three years following the closing date of the Offering.

The proceeds from the Units issued under the Offering will be used for general corporate purposes and advancement of the Company's Gold Anchor Project located in central Newfoundland.

The securities to be issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company may pay finder's fees and/or issue finder's warrants on a portion of the Offering to eligible finders, subject to compliance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange and applicable securities legislation.

Insiders of the Company may participate in the Offering. Any participation by insiders of the Company in the Offering will constitute a "related party transaction" under applicable Canadian securities laws. However, neither the fair market value of the subject matter, nor the fair market value of the consideration to be paid by insiders of the Company for the transaction, insofar as it involves the related party, is expected to exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization, and accordingly, the Company anticipates relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements applicable to related party transactions under applicable Canadian securities laws.

Northfield Capital Corporation ("Northfield") has indicated that Northfield and Mr. Robert Cudney, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Northfield, intend to participate in the Offering and are expected to acquire up to 5,714,285 Units for a purchase price of up to $1,000,000.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Advisor

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is acting as legal advisor to Rocky Shore in connection with the Offering.

ABOUT ROCKY SHORE GOLD LTD.

Rocky Shore Gold is a Canadian junior exploration company targeting the expansion of its two porphyry-controlled Mosquito Hill and Reid Gold Deposits and the discovery of structurally controlled high-grade gold zones at its 100%-owned Gold Anchor Project. The project is strategically located in central Newfoundland - hosting one of Canada's most promising and underexplored gold belts. The district-scale project is the second-largest property (greater than 1,200 square kilometres) within an emerging gold district. The Gold Anchor Project is on trend to major gold discoveries and recent gold deposits northeast of the Gold Anchor Project associated with the highly prospective Appleton and JBP Faults. For more information, please visit our website at www.rockyshoregold.com.

Rocky Shore would like to acknowledge the financial support and approval of the 2025 Junior Exploration Assistance Program from the Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

For more information, please contact:

Ken Lapierre, President & CEO

Rocky Shore Gold Ltd.

T: +1 (647) 678-3879

E: ken@rockyshoregold.com

Cathy Hume, CEO

CHF Capital Markets

T: +1 (416) 868-1079 x 251

E: cathy@chfir.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws.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". Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to the Offering (including the participation of insiders and Northfield Capital Corporation and Mr. Cudney in the Offering) and the advancement of the Company's mineral properties. The forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of the management of the Company at the time such statements were made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks associated with the exploration; future commodity prices; changes in regulations; political or economic developments; environmental risks; permitting timelines; capital expenditures; technical difficulties in connection with exploration activities; employee relations; the speculative nature of mineral including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of resources, contests over title to properties, the Company's limited operating history, future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing, and the competitive nature of the mining industry; the need for the Company to manage its future strategic plans; global economic and financial market conditions; uninsurable risks; and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities law.

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.

SOURCE: Rocky Shore Gold Ltd.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/rocky-shore-gold-announces-non-brokered-private-placement-1131162
Launch includes first-of-its-kind loyalty and discount extensions for Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), enabling AI agents to understand brand incentives

Talon.One, the leading incentives platform powering promotions and loyalty for 300 global enterprise brands, today announced the launch of its Unified Incentives Protocol (UIP), a new set of platform-agnostic standards designed to surface promotions and loyalty incentives across AI agent-based shopping experiences.

With agentic commerce expected to capture up to 20% of market share in the US alone by 2030, brands will need to ensure their incentives strategies are fully visible and intelligible to shopping agents. UIP addresses this need by communicating incentives such as loyalty programs, promotions, discounts and rewards to agents in a standardized, machine-readable format.

UIP is designed to help businesses succeed in agentic commerce by:

Driving product and brand discoverability by surfacing incentives where AI agents search and compare

by surfacing incentives where AI agents search and compare Enabling new forms of engagement by treating agents as a core omnichannel touchpoint

by treating agents as a core omnichannel touchpoint Delivering real value for both humans and their agents, without resorting to unsustainable price competition

Christoph Gerber, CEO of Talon.One, commented, "Agentic commerce represents a fundamental shift in how customers discover and choose brands. In this new reality, incentives will be a core part of how value is communicated to AI agents. With the Unified Incentives Protocol, we're giving businesses the standards they need to remain discoverable, differentiated and competitive in agent-based commerce.

"For example, imagine Gemini recommending Brand A over Brand B, not just on price or preference, but because the purchase would earn the shopper 200 loyalty points and unlock Gold tier status. Incentives become an integral part of the agent's decision-making logic, not an afterthought and brands avoid resorting to a race to the bottom."

Loyalty extensions for Google's Universal Commerce Protocol

Alongside the announcement, Talon.One has launched the first two building blocks of UIP: loyalty and discount extensions for Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), spanning all of Talon.One's loyalty and select discount features. The UCP extensions ensure that customers shopping via Gemini or other AI agents that adopt UCP can see and benefit from the complete loyalty experience a brand offers.

While the current scope of Google's UCP provides limited native support for loyalty programs, Talon.One's new extensions are already live and available to its customers. The extensions provide UCP-enabled agents with:

Visibility into a customer's point balance and tier status

Clear understanding of points earned or redeemed within a transaction

Support for card-based loyalty programs, enabling loyalty use cases without identity linking

Talon.One is working on additional incentives extensions for other agentic platforms.

Laurens Van Wiele, CPO of Talon.One, commented: "As AI agents increasingly influence purchase decisions, businesses now have a unique opportunity to define how loyalty and long-term value are understood from the outset. That's why we're committed to enabling our customers to compete and differentiate in agent-based commerce."

"Our UCP loyalty and discount extensions are just the first step in making incentives truly agent-ready. Our ambition is to continue developing the UIP and ensure every Talon.One incentive, from loyalty to personalized promotions, can be fully understood and applied across all agentic channels."

To read more about Talon.One's Unified Incentives Protocol, visit the Talon.One website: https://www.talon.one/product/agentic-commerce

About Talon.One

Talon.One is the most powerful incentives engine that unifies loyalty, promotions and gamification into one holistic platform.

Backed by enterprise-grade security and scalability, Talon.One empowers companies to build personalized, profitable promotions and loyalty programs using any data. The world's most-loved brands including Adidas, Sephora and Carlsberg work with Talon.One to drive deeper engagement and lasting loyalty with their customers.

Founded in 2015, the company has a global reach with teams in Berlin, London, Boston and Singapore, and over 300 clients across North America, Europe and APAC. It was recognized in Gartner's 2023 Market Guide for Loyalty Program Vendors, and as a major player in IDC's 2024 MarketScape report for Loyalty Software Providers.

https://www.talon.one/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128078022/en/

Contacts:

Press enquiries

Talon.One

talonone@firstlightgroup.io
Cybersecurity-focused investment firm announces additional key leadership promotions to drive continued momentum

Ten Eleven Ventures, the original stage-agnostic, cyber-focused, and global venture capital firm, today announced the addition of Grace Cassy as Partner and a series of additional partner and leadership promotions, reflecting the firm's ongoing expansion and global investment momentum.

Grace Cassy joins the firm as a Partner, focused on seed and early-stage security investments, including in Israel, as well as investments in resilience and defense tech. As co-founder of CyLon, Grace has spent the past 10 years investing in and supporting global early-stage founders building in security. Grace also chairs Ten Eleven's Security Trust and Resilience (STAR) network, a group of leading global security executives. She will continue this leadership in her new role, reflecting the firm's commitment to building a wider community among innovators and practitioners. Grace also brings deep experience in geopolitics, defense, and national security, having served for ten years in the UK Government, including as advisor to Prime Minister Tony Blair. She served as an external Reviewer on the UK Government's 2025 Strategic Defence Review that set out a blueprint for UK Defence in the 21st century. She is an Associate Fellow of Chatham House and a Council Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Alex Doll, Founder and Managing Partner, said, "We have known Grace for many years, previously working with her in many capacities including as a member of our Strategic Advisory Board, as the Executive Chair of our STAR network, and as a co-investor in multiple cybersecurity companies. Her deep skills in the sector, investment track record in Israel, and skill set directly supporting early-stage companies make her an ideal new Partner at Ten Eleven, where she will help to catalyze a new level of growth for the firm. In an era of global instability and increased grey-zone conflict, she will be a powerful resource to founders building enduring companies at the intersection of geopolitics and cybersecurity."

Current Operating Partner and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Scott Lundgren has also been promoted to Partner of the firm. Prior to joining Ten Eleven, Scott was a founding team member of Carbon Black and has held roles including CTO, VP Engineering, and VP of Product from inception through its successful IPO in 2018 and sale to VMware in 2019. Additionally, Megan Dubofsky, Operating Partner and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), has been promoted to Partner. Dubofsky has played a pivotal role as Operating Partner, anchoring the firm's efforts to support portfolio companies in their GTM motions, including building marketing capabilities, developing cross-portfolio platform initiatives, and providing strategic guidance as a board member to select portfolio companies. As Partners, Dubofsky and Lundgren will dedicate increased focus to evaluating and securing new investment opportunities, further strengthening the firm's investment pipeline and long-term growth strategy. They will both continue to strongly support all Ten Eleven portfolio companies with the deep operational support for which the firm is well known.

Additional promotions across the firm include Katherine Lohr-Valdez, promoted to Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and Hattie Egan-Young, promoted to Vice President (VP) of Marketing. Including all new leadership appointments, Ten Eleven Ventures now has 14 employees, of which 7 are partners, across 4 main offices in Burlingame, CA; Boulder, CO; Boston, MA; and the UK.

"We are building an enduring firm," added Mark Hatfield, Founder and General Partner. "As our firm scales, it's essential that our leadership reflects both performance and long-term alignment with our strategy. Each promoted leader has played a central role in capital deployment, portfolio support, and firm-building efforts for years, and we couldn't be prouder of the evolution of our team."

Alongside investment and leadership momentum, Ten Eleven closed 2025 with notable milestones:

Selected as Investor of the Year at the 2025 SC Awards

Named to TIME and Statista's inaugural list of America's Top Venture Capital Firms for 2025

Recognized by PitchBook as one of the 10 most active investors in cybersecurity

The RSA Innovation Sandbox contest included portfolio company Twine Security as a finalist in 2025, bringing the total to 11 companies over the past 9 years

Expansion of the firm's total investments made over its history to over 70 cybersecurity companies across 13 countries

About Ten Eleven Ventures

Ten Eleven Ventures is the original cybersecurity-focused, global and stage-agnostic investment firm. The firm finds, invests in and helps grow top cybersecurity companies addressing critical digital security needs, tapping its team, network and experience to help build successful businesses. Since its founding, Ten Eleven Ventures has raised over $US1 billion and made over 70 cybersecurity investments across stages worldwide, including KnowBe4, Darktrace, Axis Security, Twistlock, Verodin, Cylance and Ping Identity. For more information, please visit: 1011vc.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128613406/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact:

Monsy Carlo

monsy@1011vc.com

Ten Eleven Ventures
Trusted AI-powered EHS solutions help organizations manage risk, protect workers, and meet rising regulatory demands across the Kingdom

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cority , the global leader in EHS and sustainability software, today announced its expansion into Saudi Arabia, supporting organizations operating in one of the world's most ambitious and fast-evolving economic environments.

As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 transformation agenda-driving large-scale infrastructure development, industrial diversification, and digital modernization-organizations face converging risks across workforce safety, occupational health, environmental compliance, and operational performance. Cority's cloud-based, AI-powered EHS platform helps organizations proactively manage these risks with trusted data, real-time insight, and unified visibility across operations.

"Saudi Arabia is at a pivotal moment," said Ryan Magee, CEO at Cority, "Organizations across the Kingdom are delivering some of the most complex and high-risk projects in the world while facing rising expectations around worker safety, health, and environmental performance. Cority's expansion reflects our commitment to supporting these organizations with trusted, AI-powered EHS solutions that help them anticipate risk, protect their workforce, and operate with confidence at scale."

This market expansion reflects growing demand in the Kingdom for advanced EHS solutions that support regulatory compliance, protect worker health, and enable safer execution of complex, high-risk projects, without slowing progress.

Saudi Arabia is undergoing rapid change, marked by unprecedented investment in giga-projects spanning infrastructure, energy, tourism, and urban development. These initiatives, such as NEOM, Red Sea Global, Diriyah Gate, Qiddiya, ROSHN, and New Murabba, are reshaping how work is done at scale, increasing the need for proactive, technology-enabled EHS management.

At the same time, regulatory expectations across occupational health, industrial safety, and environmental protection have intensified. Organizations are facing increased inspections, higher penalties for non-compliance, expanded worker health screening requirements, and stronger environmental governance, raising the bar for how EHS programs are designed, managed, and reported.

Cority helps organizations in Saudi Arabia meet these demands by enabling:

Proactive hazard identification and AI-driven inspections

Real-time, data-led risk mitigation

Compliance with evolving national and international standards

Integrated management of safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, and environmental performance

Hosting in the Kingdom on Google Cloud



Trusted AI That Empowers EHS Professionals

As organizations across Saudi Arabia adopt digital and cloud-based solutions, Cority's platform delivers trusted, transparent AI designed to empower-not replace-EHS professionals. By surfacing early warning signals, automating workflows, and unifying data across disciplines, Cority enables faster, more confident decision-making in high-stakes environments.

With cloud hosting available in the Kingdom and enterprise-grade cybersecurity standards, Cority supports organizations seeking scalable, secure, and mobile-first EHS solutions that work across languages, workforces, and complex operating conditions.

Cority's presence in Saudi Arabia reflects its long-standing commitment to supporting organizations operating in complex, regulated, and high-risk environments worldwide. For more than 40 years, Cority has helped over 1,500 global organizations strengthen safety performance, protect worker health, and manage risk with confidence.

As Saudi Arabia continues its transformation, Cority is positioned to help organizations lead with confidence, using trusted AI to enable safer, smarter, and more sustainable operations.

Learn more at https://resources.cority.com/cority-hse-week-ksa .

About Cority

Cority is the leading provider of EHS and sustainability software, empowering organizations to transform operational risk into business advantage. For nearly 40 years, Cority has helped enterprises create safer, healthier, and more sustainable workplaces through its unified platform, CorityOne. Recognized by industry analysts and trusted by more than 1,400 organizations worldwide, Cority enables better performance through trusted data, connected insights, and smarter decisions. Learn more at www.cority.com.

Media Contact:

Natalie Rizk

natalier@theriotmind.agency
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Regency Silver Corp. (TSXV: RSMX) (OTCQB: RSMXF) ("Regency Silver" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the first hole of its ongoing 2026 drill program at its Dios Padre project in Sonora, Mexico has intersected sulphide-specularite supported breccia in multiple zones across a broad, non-continuous ~250m interval (Figure 1). Hole REG 26-27 was drilled 50m above hole REG-25-26 and intersected mineralization ~100m down-dip below the historic Dios Padre silver mine workings and ~275m up dip from drill hole REG-25-25 (Figure 2). Previously drilled holes REG 23-21 yielded 38m of 7.36 g/t gold, REG-22-01 yielded 35.8 metres of 6.84 g/t gold, 0.88% copper and 21.82 g/t silver, and REG 23-14 yielded 29.4 m of 6.32 g/t gold.

Hole REG-26-27 is the first hole of Regency's 2026 drill program and targeted 50m above the strongest mineralization observed in REG-25-26. A minimum of 4 holes between 500-650m in length will be drilled proximal to REG-25-26 to follow up on the intersected mineralization and to establish its orientation.

We currently do not have analytical results for the intervals from the 2025 or 2026 drill program, so there is no assurance when comparing the potential assay quality of these intersections to REG-22-01, REG-23-14 and REG 23-21. However, in terms of geology, alteration, mineral species and abundance, the zones appear to compare favorably. For comparative purposes, mineralized intervals and their corresponding assays can be found in press releases dated January 8, 2026, February 23, 2023 and November 2, 2023.

"Hole REG-26-27 further strengthens our geological model at Dios Padre. The identification of multiple porphyry dykes with associated sulphide-specularite breccias reinforces our view that these structures are fundamental drivers of mineralization. Systematically mapping and testing these features will be central to our strategy as we work to rapidly expand this emerging zone," said Bruce Bragagnolo, CEO.

Technical Information

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed by Michael Tucker, P. Geo, who is recognized as a Qualified Person under the guidelines of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Tucker is also a director of the Company and for that reason is not considered independent. Mr. Tucker has read and approved the technical contents of this news release.

ABOUT REGENCY SILVER CORP.

Regency Silver Corp. is a Canadian resource company exploring for high grade 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 high-grade Dios Padre project in Sonora, Mexico where Regency has made a large, high grade, gold-copper-silver discovery which appears to be a large 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.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Dios Padre Project by the Company. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events may vary from those anticipated in such statements. Important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include the risk that regulatory changes, fundraising, and risk associated with mineral exploration, including the risk that actual results of exploration will be different from those expected by management. The forward-looking statements in this news release were developed based on the expectations of management that conditions will be satisfied, required fundraising will be completed and the other risks described above will not materialize. 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.

Figure 1: Selection of photographs of the sulphide-specularite infilled breccias from REG-26-27.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Figure 2: Plan map with hole traces for current and historic holes. Dios Padre deep breccia in red is projected vertically to surface. Red trace on REG-26-27 and REG-25-26 is the vertical projection of the non-continuous zone of sulphide-specularite breccia to surface.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281920

Source: Regency Silver Corp.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Zettabyte, an AI computing company, today announced a strategic investment from Headline Asia. The investment will support Zettabyte's expansion in Japan, including customer development and industry partnerships across the country's telecom and data center ecosystem.

Headline will support Zettabyte as it scales adoption of zWARE, its GPU infrastructure software, and advances TITAN, Zettabyte's AI data center expansion effort in Japan. zWARE helps GPU operators improve visibility, utilization, and operational control across large deployments, including power-aware operations and infrastructure management.

"Japan is entering a new build cycle for AI infrastructure, driven by power constraints, operator requirements, and enterprise demand," said Akio Tanaka, Founding Partner at Headline. "We invested in Zettabyte because their software layer improves visibility, utilization, and operational control in large GPU environments. We will support the team as they expand in Japan through industry relationships and execution support."

"Zettabyte helps GPU owners manage and operate their value hardware and optimize AI computing performance," said Sam Lawn, Global CFO at Zettabyte. "We are excited to partner with the Headline team to support the rollout of TITAN in Japan and to work alongside Japanese telecom carriers and data center operators to meet growing demand for AI compute."

"Zettabyte sits at the intersection of Taiwan's AI hardware and supply chain strength, Japan's growing infrastructure demand, and U.S. hyperscale expectations," said Joseph Huang, Partner at Headline. "We're backing them to execute at scale and own that bridge."

The investment positions Zettabyte to deepen partnerships across cloud, telecom, and data center infrastructure, while accelerating its Japan go-to-market efforts.

About Zettabyte

Zettabyte is the world's leading GPU infrastructure software solutions provider, delivering advanced software that maximizes performance, efficiency, and scalability for AI data centers. Its TITAN platform enables next-generation AI workloads through optimized GPU utilization and intelligent infrastructure management.

About Headline Asia

Headline Asia is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in internet technology startups across Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Founded in 2008 as Infinity Ventures, the firm has backed 100+ startups with 9 IPOs to date.

Headline Asia is part of the Headline global network, which manages over $4.2 billion across offices in San Francisco, Berlin, Paris, London, Luxembourg, Sao Paulo, and beyond.

This global-local structure allows Headline Asia's portfolio companies to scale across borders from day one.

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Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Defence Therapeutics Inc. (CSE: DTC) (FSE: DTC) (OTCQB: DTCFF) ("Defence" or the "Company"), a publicly traded biotechnology and precision intracellular drug-delivery company, today announced the strengthening of its long-standing collaboration with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories ("CNL") as part of its strategic effort to accelerate and expand its proprietary radiopharmaceutical program.

Defence has been collaborating with CNL on the development of an Accum-enhanced radio-immunoconjugate program. This program is now approaching a key inflection point, with critical results being generated by both lab teams on this program that are intended to support candidate selection and enable preparation for first-in-human clinical studies.

Based on the exciting traction on the lead program, Defence and CNL are expanding their collaboration to initiate multiple other radioisotopes programs with Defence's proprietary Accum, positioning the Company to rapidly expand its radiopharmaceutical portfolio as new data and strategic priorities emerge.

Radiopharmaceutical therapies require precise intracellular and nuclear localization to maximize efficacy, as radioactive payloads must reach the vicinity of the cell nucleus to induce lethal DNA damage. Defence's proprietary Accum platform enables active intracellular and nuclear transport, unlocking the full therapeutic potential of targeted radiotherapies while increasing potency and reducing toxicity.

"This collaboration with CNL has become a cornerstone of our radiopharmaceutical strategy," said Sebastien Plouffe, CEO of Defence Therapeutics. "Radiopharmaceuticals now represent one of our top development priorities alongside our ADC program. By deepening our work with CNL and leveraging their world-class nuclear science expertise, we are building a strong, proprietary pipeline in this space and accelerating our path toward the clinic."

"We have worked in close collaboration with Defence on their flagship program, delivering the technical results they require, and we are proud to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of their radiopharmaceutical pipeline," said Dr. Monica Regalbuto, Vice-President, Science & Technology at CNL. "We look forward to contributing our nuclear science expertise to help advance these programs toward the clinic."

This collaboration further strengthens Defence's position in precision intracellular drug delivery and radiopharmaceutical development, supporting its strategy to transform advanced biologics into safer, more effective first-line cancer therapies. To learn more or explore partnering opportunities, please visit www.defencetherapeutics.com or contact info@defencetherapeutics.com.

About Defence Therapeutics:

Defence Therapeutics is a publicly traded biotechnology company committed to making cancer treatment more effective and safer. Using its Accum precision drug delivery platform, Defence is working to enhance the potency of ADCs and other complex biologics at lower doses, with the goal of reducing side effects and improving access to advanced therapies. By pursing cutting edge science, and collaborating with pharma and biotech partners, Defence strives to bring transformative therapies to patients who need them most. To learn more about Defence Therapeutics and explore partnering opportunities, please visit www.defencetherapeutics.com or contact info@defencetherapeutics.com.

About Canadian Nuclear Laboratories:

As Canada's premier nuclear science and technology laboratory and working under the direction of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfills three strategic priorities of national importance - restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians. By leveraging the assets owned by AECL, CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

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/281929

Source: Defence Therapeutics Inc.
Detroit, Michigan--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (OTCID: AITX) (the "Company"), a global leader in AI-driven security and productivity solutions, along with its wholly owned subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), today reported that its RIO autonomous security towers have been surpassing their original extreme weather performance estimates as demonstrated by a RIO deployed north of Toronto, Ontario.

RAD RIO 360 autonomous security tower operating north of Toronto, Canada during sustained winter storm conditions, continuing normal operations despite snow, cold, and prolonged cloud cover.

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This week's winter storm system has brought extreme conditions including snow, ice, and sustained cloud cover across much of the Midwest, East Coast, Southern United States, and parts of Canada, disrupting transportation, construction activity, and outdoor operations for extended periods. Cities such as Nashville have experienced rare and sustained winter conditions, while large regions remain under prolonged cloud cover that limits solar availability for outdoor infrastructure. For many temporary security deployments, these conditions have become a real-world stress test, separating equipment designed for ideal environments from systems engineered to endure extended adverse weather.

A specific example is a RIO 360 deployed in Vaughn, north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Despite extreme snow and related cloud cover, the unit continues operations unabated, well beyond RAD's engineering team's conservative estimates.

RAD engineered its RIO line of solar-powered security towers with specific power modes only possible since RAD's ROSA is a purpose-built security device. This allows RIO, in concert with forecasted weather conditions and the Company's propriety AI, to proactively set the appropriate power mode to conserve energy and help ensure mission critical operations despite extreme and extended weather environments, without the need for generators or battery recharging as is often needed with competitive towers. In these environments, systems that rely on exposed solar arrays and limited energy storage often explain degraded performance or outright shutdowns as unavoidable. RIO was engineered differently. Its power management architecture, battery capacity, and energy efficiency were designed with harsh weather scenarios in mind, allowing autonomous security operations to continue even when sunlight is limited for extended periods. This systems level approach reflects an understanding that outdoor security infrastructure must perform through real world conditions, not just favorable ones.

"Outdoor security infrastructure does not get to choose its operating conditions," said Steve Reinharz, CEO/CTO and founder of AITX and RAD. "RIO was engineered with the assumption that sunlight would be limited, weather would be hostile, and conditions would persist longer than expected. What we are seeing during this winter storm cycle is not RIO exceeding its design; it is RIO performing exactly as intended. This is the result of systems engineering decisions made years ago, not short-term optimization for ideal environments."

To mark RIO's performance under real world conditions, RAD is offering a limited promotional program tied to new RIO deployments. Orders placed by February 8, 2026, will qualify for delivery by February 20, 2026, with availability limited to 50 RIO units. For each qualifying deployment, RAD intends to direct 15 percent of the first 90 days of proceeds to a local animal shelter in the community where the RIO is installed. This initiative reflects RAD's commitment to supporting the communities it protects while continuing to deliver autonomous security systems engineered to perform when conditions are at their toughest.

Sitting atop a RAD RIO are either one or two ROSA units. ROSA is a multiple award-winning, compact, self-contained, portable, security and communication solution that can be installed and activated in about 15 minutes. ROSA's AI-driven security analytics include human, firearm, vehicle detection, license plate recognition, responsive digital signage and audio messaging, and complete integration with RAD's software suite notification and autonomous response library. Two-way communication is optimized for cellular, including live video from ROSA's high-resolution, full-color, always-on cameras. RAD has published seven Case Studies detailing how ROSA has helped eliminate instances of theft, trespassing and loitering at construction sites, mobile home parks, retail centers, hospital campuses, multi-family communities across the country.

Security professionals and organizations evaluating outdoor autonomous security solutions are invited to connect with RAD to learn more about RIO's real world performance and deployment options. Interested parties can engage directly with the RAD team to discuss operating requirements, harsh weather considerations, and current availability as winter conditions continue to challenge outdoor security infrastructure across North America.

About Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (AITX)

AITX, through its primary subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, Inc. (RAD), is redefining the nearly $50 billion (US) security and guarding services industry1 through its broad lineup of innovative, AI-driven Solutions-as-a-Service business model. RAD solutions are specifically designed to provide cost savings to businesses of between 35%-80% when compared to the industry's existing and costly manned security guarding and monitoring model. RAD delivers these cost savings via a suite of stationary and mobile robotic solutions that complement, and at times, directly replace the need for human personnel in environments better suited for machines. All RAD technologies, AI-based analytics and software platforms are developed in-house.

The Company's operations and internal controls have been validated through successful completion of its SOC 2 Type 2 audit, which is a formal, independent audit that evaluates a service organization's internal controls for handling customer data and determines if the controls are not only designed properly but also operating effectively to protect customer data. This audit reinforces the Company's credibility with enterprise and government clients who require strict data protection and security compliance.

RAD is led by Steve Reinharz, CEO/CTO and founder of AITX and RAD, who brings decades of experience in the security services industry. Reinharz serves as chair of the Security Industry Association's (SIA) Autonomous Solutions Working Group and as a member of the SIA Board of Directors. The RAD team also draws on extensive expertise across the sector, including Mark Folmer, CPP, PSP, President of RAD and Chair of the ASIS International North American Regional Board of Directors, Troy McCanna, former FBI Special Agent and RAD's Chief Security Officer, and Stacy Stephens, co-founder of security robotics company Knightscope. Their combined backgrounds in security industry leadership, law enforcement, and robotics innovation reinforce RAD's ability to deliver proven, practical, and disruptive solutions to its clients.

RAD has a prospective sales pipeline of over 35 Fortune 500 companies and numerous other client opportunities. RAD expects to continue to attract new business as it converts its existing sales opportunities into deployed clients generating a recurring revenue stream. Each Fortune 500 client has the potential of making numerous reorders over time.

AITX is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas. Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, AITX's RAD, RAD-R, RAD-M and RAD-G companies help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI, and strengthen business. AITX technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers augment the capabilities of existing staff and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost. AITX solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education, and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.aitx.ai, www.radsecurity.com , www.stevereinharz.com, www.raddog.ai, www.radgroup.ai, www.saramonitoring.ai, and www.radlightmyway.com, or follow Steve Reinharz on X @SteveReinharz.

CAUTIONARY DISCLOSURE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The information contained in this publication does not constitute an offer to sell or solicit an offer to buy securities of Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (the "Company"). The information provided herein is believed to be accurate and reliable, however the Company makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, as to its accuracy or completeness. The Company has no obligation to provide the recipient with additional updated information. No information in this publication should be interpreted as any indication whatsoever of the Company's future revenues, results of operations, or stock price.

For purposes of the Company's disclosures, "Artificial Intelligence" refers to machine-based systems designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy that, for a given set of human defined objectives, can make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments. In the context of the Company's business, Artificial Intelligence is deployed primarily within the security services and property management industries to support functions such as detection, analysis, prioritization, communication, and response related to safety, security, and operational events.

The Company delivers these capabilities principally through its SARA (Speaking Autonomous Responsive Agent) platform, which serves as the Company's primary agentic artificial intelligence system. SARA is designed to receive and process video, audio, and other sensor data, apply automated analysis and inference, and support actions in accordance with predefined operational objectives and human oversight.

Further note that the Company's Board of Directors oversees the Company's deployment of Artificial Intelligence.

###

1 https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/security-services-industry/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281879

Source: Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc.
Scottsdale, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Hunt's Kitchen & Design, a cabinet store based in Scottsdale, Arizona, has launched a new method for presenting kitchen design concepts. The company's recently introduced 3D reveal format allows homeowners and project stakeholders to preview a complete kitchen design digitally before construction moves forward.

The presentation method features detailed digital walkthroughs of the planned space, accompanied by custom music composed for each project. Now a standard part of the company's design process, the format is intended to offer a clearer understanding of how the finished kitchen will look and feel.

This initiative responds to increased client interest in early-stage design involvement. Many now seek greater visibility into project plans before making decisions or engaging with construction partners. By implementing this format, the cabinet store Scottsdale aims to reduce design revisions and support more confident choices during the planning phase.

The reveal format also promotes clearer communication between clients, designers, and contractors. The method provides a shared visual reference for discussing layout, material selection, and spatial planning before construction begins. According to the company, this improves alignment among project participants and contributes to more efficient coordination.

The format was developed internally by the company's founders, Jeff and Josh Hunt, who oversee design direction and implementation. Their involvement ensures consistency across projects and integration into the company's overall design process.

Hunt's Kitchen & Design plans to expand the use of digital tools in future design presentations. The cabinet maker Scottsdale views this step as part of an ongoing effort to improve the way kitchen projects are communicated and delivered.

To learn more about their store and the company's approach to kitchen design planning and presentation, visit Hunt's Kitchen & Design website.

About Hunt's Kitchen & Design

Hunt's Kitchen & Design is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based kitchen showroom and cabinet company specializing in full-service kitchen design for residential remodels and new construction. The company offers custom cabinetry, layout planning, interior design consultation, and assistance with product selection, including appliances, countertops, and hardware. Hunt's Kitchen & Design emphasizes a collaborative approach, using visual planning tools to help clients understand and refine their designs before construction begins. By combining practical design knowledge with individualized support, the team works closely with homeowners, builders, and architects to guide kitchen projects from initial concept through to final execution.

Media Contact





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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281934

Source: GetFeatured
Nashville, Tennessee--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - The Dragonfly Nest LLC, a Nashville-based therapy clinic specializing in trauma-informed care, has recently relocated its operations to 810 Kirkwood Ave, Nashville, TN 37204. The clinic had previously operated from 2311 Eugenia Avenue, Nashville, TN 37211 since its founding in 2025.





The Dragonfly Nest LLC Relocates to New Location, Expanding Access to Brainspotting Therapy and Somatic Therapy

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The move, which took effect on January 1, 2026, was part of the clinic's strategic efforts to support its continued growth and evolving operational needs. Since opening a year ago, The Dragonfly Nest LLC has expanded its client base and therapeutic services, prompting the transition to a location better suited to accommodate increasing demand. The new space enables the clinic to manage a greater volume of appointments, expand programming options, and prepare for future staffing as service needs grow.

The relocation marks a significant internal milestone, establishing permanent operations at the new Kirkwood Avenue location. The practice remains under the same ownership and management following the move, providing stability throughout the transition. As a result, client services have continued without interruption, ensuring consistent care - an essential consideration in trauma informed therapy, where stability and continuity are central to long-term outcomes.

With operations now established at the new location, The Dragonfly Nest LLC will continue offering its existing services while further developing its care model. Current services include brainspotting therapy, somatic therapy, EMDR therapy, and related approaches that support emotional regulation and the integration of body and mind in the healing process.





The Dragonfly Nest LLC has moved to a new clinic location at 810 Kirkwood Ave in Nashville, Tennessee

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Looking ahead, The Dragonfly Nest LLC plans to refine its programming to better meet client needs while upholding its commitment to trauma-informed principles. The clinic's ongoing development efforts will focus on expanding access to care while supporting therapeutic continuity and long-term, sustainable healing.

About The Dragonfly Nest LLC

Founded in 2025 by Christina Jezioro, LPC-MHSP, The Dragonfly Nest LLC is a trauma and wellness clinic based in Nashville, Tennessee. The practice offers holistic trauma therapy for individuals and couples, including neurodivergent clients. Services include brainspotting therapy, somatic therapy, trauma-informed therapy, EMDR therapy, Reiki energy healing, and sound healing. The clinic integrates mind-body approaches to support emotional regulation, trauma recovery, and long-term well-being in a safe and inclusive environment. With a focus on compassionate, individualized care, The Dragonfly Nest LLC is committed to supporting clients through sustainable and embodied healing practices.

Media Contact

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281933

Source: GetFeatured
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp. (TSXV: CTV) (OTCQB: CTVFF) ("CleanTech" or the "Company") announces that it has appointed James Rodriguez de Castro to join the Company in an advisory capacity.

Mr. Rodriguez de Castro is a mining executive and the founder of Mongolian Minerals Pte Ltd., with a focus on developing fluorspar projects in Mongolia. He brings over 15 years of fluorspar industry experience to CleanTech and will introduce the Company to the fluorspar supply-chain, expand its consumer network, and provide expertise on fluorspar extraction and processing. Fluorspar is a critical mineral and is essential in nuclear enrichment, battery electrolytes, and semiconductor manufacturing, all of which are key to the growth of artificial intelligence market. Mr. Rodriguez de Castro holds a physics degree from the University of Oxford and has an extensive background spanning mining development and finance.

CleanTech continues to assemble a technical and industry team encompassing geology, mining, processing, and permitting as the Company accelerates its fluorspar mining projects to production in the prospective Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District.

In connection with the appointment and in accordance with the Company's equity incentive plan, the Company has granted 100,000 incentive stock options to Mr. Rodriguez de Castro. The Options are exercisable, subject to vesting provisions, over a period of five (5) years at an exercise price of 0.31 per option.

CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp.

CleanTech is a mining company focused on discovering, producing, and supplying critical mineral resources from within and to the United States. The Company has an option to acquire more than 17,550 acres of mineral rights with historic Fluorspar resources across multiple projects in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District. CleanTech also owns a 100% interest in the Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project in Nevada.

Further information on CleanTech can be found at www.cleantechvanadium.com.

CLEANTECH VANADIUM MINING CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

John Lee

Chief Executive Officer

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/281932

Source: CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp.
East Africa is emerging as one of the world's most dynamic regions for solar power and battery storage. On 3-4 February 2026, Intersolar Africa will take place at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, expanding from the successful Intersolar Summit Africa in 2025 into a full international exhibition and conference.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128955267/en/

Intersolar Africa will take place on February 3-4 in Nairobi.

East Africa's Energy Market and Opportunities

Rapid population growth, industrialization, and rising electricity demand are putting pressure on power systems across East Africa. Limited generation capacity, grid instability, and high electricity costs constrain economic growth. Solar photovoltaics combined with energy storage have emerged as the most cost-effective and scalable solution to expand capacity, stabilize supply, and strengthen long-term energy security for businesses and communities.

Kenya already has a mature commercial and industrial (C&I) solar segment, serving manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, retail, and agricultural processing, often paired with batteries for backup and peak-load management. Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda offer attractive import conditions and market potential, though financing, regulatory, and currency risks remain key challenges. According to Cynthia Angweya-Muhati, CEO of the Kenya Renewable Energy Association (KEREA), Kenya's solar market in 2026-2027 will be driven by C&I systems, productive-use applications, energy storage, and circular-economy solutions, supported by policy reform and private-sector innovation.

A Platform for Global Engagement

"Intersolar Africa responds to one of the fastest-growing solar markets worldwide," said Dr. Florian Wessendorf, Managing Director of Solar Promotion International GmbH. "By bringing Intersolar to Nairobi, we connect global expertise with local markets and accelerate investment and project development." David Wedepohl, Managing Director International Affairs at the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar), adds that East Africa has become a highly attractive target region for solar, storage, and off-grid solutions. He emphasizes that Nairobi brings together project developers, investors, manufacturers, and policymakers in exactly the right mix to turn ideas into bankable projects.

High-Level Speakers and Conference Program

Intersolar Africa 2026 will feature high-level speakers addressing the most pressing issues in East African solar markets. Daniel Kiptoo, Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA, Kenya), will discuss regulatory frameworks and market development. Yemissirach Sisay Tebeje, General Manager of the Ethiopian Solar Energy Development Association (ESEDA), will share insights on scaling solar across East Africa. Additional speakers from utilities, government agencies, and financial institutions will focus on risk mitigation, bankability, and the role of private capital in expanding renewable energy. The conference program will explore the latest trends in solar and storage across Africa, regional market development and project pipelines in Southern, West, and East Africa, regulatory and investment opportunities for international players, agrivoltaics, continuous 24-hour solar solutions, best practices for battery storage optimization, e-mobility growth factors, and innovative business models including start-up pitches.

Exhibition and Driving Solar Growth

Intersolar Africa will host around 100 exhibitors and partner organizations from 15 countries, showcasing the latest technologies and solutions across the solar and storage value chain. With strong regional demand, falling technology costs, and growing international engagement, Intersolar Africa 2026 will provide a powerful platform to connect global expertise with local markets, accelerate investment, and drive the next phase of solar and energy storage growth across East Africa.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128955267/en/

Contacts:

Press Contact:

Solar Promotion GmbH Postfach 100 170 75101 Pforzheim

Peggy Harter-Zilay Tel.: +49 7231 58598-240

haerter-zilay@solarpromotion.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Larry's Catch has reached a significant corporate milestone with its appearance on CBC's Dragons' Den, where the Canadian seafood brand stepped into the Den to pitch its vision for making premium, wild-caught and sustainable Canadian seafood more accessible to households across the country.

The episode, which aired on Jan. 22, 2026, featured co-founders Glen Creaser, James Quinn and Javier Mejorada, sharing the deeply personal story behind Larry's Catch and its mission to support Canadian fishing families while delivering flash-frozen seafood directly to customers' doors.

During the broadcast, Larry's Catch generated strong interest from the panel, receiving offers from three Dragons - a testament to the brand's hard-earned reputation, its potential for growth and its differentiated approach to sustainable seafood.

Larry's Catch co-founders James Quinn, Glen Creaser, and Javier Mejorada (left to right).

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"Pitching on Dragons' Den is a milestone we never imagined when we started Larry's Catch," says Glen Creaser, Co-Founder of Larry's Catch. "This is bigger than a business moment for us, it's a chance to spotlight Canadian fishermen and make premium, wild-caught seafood easier to access nationwide. Getting to share our story on a national stage means everything as the exposure helps us move our mission forward faster than we could on our own."

The resounding endorsement from the Dragons only reinforces the team's long-term goal to scale responsibly, strengthen relationships with Canadian fisheries, and make high-quality seafood more affordable and accessible for Canadians - without compromising on sustainability or sourcing standards.

Larry's Catch made its national television debut on the new season of Dragons' Den, which aired on CBC Television on Jan. 22, 2026 at 8 p.m. and can be streamed via CBC Gem.

About: Larry's Catch is a seafood delivery and subscription service hungry to change the way Canadians think of, experience and enjoy local, sustainable seafood.

Founded by Glen Creaser, James Quinn and Javier Mejorada, the young entrepreneurs behind tech startup Afino, Larry's Catch takes its name from Creaser's dad, Larry, a fisherman who instilled a lifelong love of quality seafood in his son.

Upon moving to Ontario from Nova Scotia in 2016, Glen found that the fresh, high-quality fish he had grown to love was in short supply, and noted that Ontarians eat far below the global per-capita average of seafood: just 16 pounds, compared to 44 pounds. Larry's deliveries to Glen in Ontario were soon shared with friends, family, and even strangers - and before long, Larry's Catch was born.

Larry's Catch works directly with certified sustainable family fisheries spanning Canada's Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic coasts. These small independent businesses supply everything from black cod and halibut to crab, lobster and scallops, fuelling rural communities' economies while allowing Canadians to access delicious, healthy seafood.

Every item offered by Larry's Catch is individually quick-frozen (IQF) within hours of catch to ensure the best possible flavour, texture and freshness.

Customers can choose from pre-curated boxes of seafood, or build their own, then choose a frequency that suits their lifestyle, or even just place a one-time order. Deliveries can be skipped, paused, or cancelled at any time.

Larry's Catch now delivers Canada-wide, across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

As part of its commitment to community, Larry's Catch proudly supports MS Canada - a cause deeply personal to them, as Larry himself lives with MS and was forced into early retirement because of the disease. Their support helps MS Canada improve the lives of Canadians affected by multiple sclerosis and advance research toward a world free of MS.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281655

Source: Larry's Catch
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - New York General Dentistry has announced the implementation of a new dental exam protocol that introduces airway and sleep health awareness into routine patient visits. This initiative reflects a growing interest within the dental field to better understand how oral structures may relate to broader health concerns, particularly those connected to breathing and sleep quality.

While standard dental exams focus only on oral hygiene, bite alignment, and gum health, the updated approach includes specific questions that prompt patients to consider whether symptoms such as disrupted sleep or fatigue may be linked to their overall health. The intent is to increase awareness, not diagnose, and to support timely referrals to medical professionals when appropriate.

Research has shown that untreated sleep apnea can have serious long-term health implications, including a potential reduction in life expectancy of 7 to 10 years. By incorporating these conversations into routine dental visits, New York General Dentistry seeks to encourage timely follow-up and empower patients to take a more active role in their overall health.

"As dentists, we have a unique view of the airway, jaw, and oral structures every day," said Dr. Inna Chern of New York General Dentistry. "Yet sleep quality and breathing habits are rarely discussed in a dental or medical setting. Asking the right questions can help patients better understand patterns they may not have connected to their oral or systemic health."

This shift in protocol introduces a brief series of targeted questions during the exam, covering topics such as breathing during sleep, snoring, and daytime tiredness. These screening elements are designed to lead to a broader health conversation, particularly for patients who may not have connected these issues to their dental health.

"Patients are often surprised when we ask about sleep or breathing," Dr. Chern said. "But once the conversation starts, many realize they have been experiencing poor sleep quality, morning fatigue, and a bevy of other symptoms for years without answers. Education is the first step."

The new protocol also supports a more collaborative model of care. When indicators of potential airway or sleep disturbances arise, the practice encourages patients to follow up with appropriate medical professionals. New York General Dentistry maintains a referral network of providers, including sleep specialists and ENT physicians, ensuring patients can take the next steps when further evaluation is required.

"Dentistry does not exist in a vacuum," said Dr. Chern. "When we look beyond teeth, we can support patients in a more whole-body and meaningful way."

Now in effect, this updated protocol aligns with the practice's broader commitment to preventive care and patient education. By drawing attention to patterns such as clenching, jaw tension, tooth wear, and ongoing fatigue, New York General Dentistry aims to support earlier awareness of issues that are often overlooked.

More information is available at www.newyorkgeneraldentistry.com.

About New York General Dentistry:

New York General Dentistry is a dental practice based in Midtown East Manhattan, led by Dr. Inna Chern. The practice provides general and preventive dental care with a focus on patient education, early awareness, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals when needed.

innacherndds@gmail.com

Media Contact





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Source: GetFeatured
Six Hands-On Workshops and Curated Education Sessions Highlight the Future of Manufacturing

NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / The Manufacturing & Automation eXchange (MAX) has announced details of its MAX eXperience educational program, featuring a comprehensive lineup of six immersive workshops, a keynote presentation, and targeted education sessions designed to equip manufacturing professionals with practical strategies for today's rapidly evolving production environment. Produced by BNP Media, the inaugural event will take place March 24-26, 2026, at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee, bringing together leaders from across manufacturing, automation, engineering, and technology to explore how innovation, digital transformation, and smart manufacturing are shaping the future of the industry. Super Early Bird registration ends February 14, 2026, offering a $50 savings on the MAX eXperience Pass or FREE eXpo Only registration for manufacturing product/service buyers and users.

The MAX eXperience educational program is designed to go beyond traditional conference learning, offering attendees interactive, hands-on education focused on real-world application. Through a blend of workshops, education sessions, and peer-to-peer discussions, attendees will gain insights into manufacturing safety, engineering and standards, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, workforce development, and operational excellence. All sessions are led by industry experts who are actively implementing these solutions on the plant floor.

The program will kick off on Tuesday, March 24, with six in-depth workshops, each providing focused, actionable learning opportunities led by subject matter experts from industry, government, and solution providers. Workshop topics include modernizing manufacturing safety with AI and wearable technology; strengthening quality and competitiveness through improved measurement systems; using AI-driven digital tools to troubleshoot, optimize, and accelerate production; advancing sustainability through next-generation adhesive, coating, and packaging technologies; designing AI-powered mixed-model production lines using digital twins; and exploring how robotics and automation are transforming modern manufacturing operations.

Education continues on Wednesday and Thursday, with a robust schedule of education sessions on the Main Stage examining emerging trends and breakthrough technologies influencing manufacturing and automation. Topics include implementing extended producer responsibility packaging legislation across U.S. manufacturing; laying the groundwork for successful AI adoption; leveraging 5G to create smart, connected factories; lessons learned from manufacturers that have reshored production; trends and technologies in industrial coatings; and building a future-ready workforce through skills development, culture, and adaptability. Lunch roundtable discussions will be held each day in the exhibit hall for MAX eXperience participants, providing additional opportunities for peer exchange and industry dialogue.

Prior to the keynote presentation, MAX will recognize excellence in the quality profession through its Quality Awards. Honors include Quality Professional of the Year, Quality Plant of the Year, and Rookie of the Year, celebrating individuals and organizations advancing world-class quality practices.

A featured keynote presentation, "The Future of Manufacturing," will take place on the Main Stage and will explore how global manufacturers are leveraging smart factory strategies, automation, and digital innovation to remain competitive. The keynote will be delivered by Jaemin Kim, Marketing Director of the Smart Factory Solutions Center & Production Engineering Research Institute at LG Electronics, offering a global perspective on manufacturing transformation.

"The MAX eXperience program is built to deliver meaningful, applicable learning," said Bill DeYoe, Group Publisher at BNP Media. "By combining in-depth workshops with high-level education sessions and a keynote presentation, MAX creates a unique environment where attendees can explore new ideas, learn from peers, and take home strategies they can immediately apply within their organizations."

In addition to the education program, MAX will feature a dynamic exhibit floor showcasing the latest technologies, products, and services supporting automation, smart manufacturing, robotics, safety, and workforce development. Four Learning HUBs on the show floor will provide continuous live presentations during the two days of the show allowing all attendees to learn and connect conference learning directly with solutions demonstrated by exhibitors. The American Society for Quality (ASQ) will also host 15-minute expert-led talks featuring practical quality insights in Booth 605 throughout both show days.

The Manufacturing & Automation eXchange is designed for manufacturing executives, plant managers, engineers, operations leaders, and technology professionals seeking to stay ahead of industry change and accelerate innovation across their organizations. Professionals from automotive, aerospace, electronics, medical devices, appliances, new energy, and general manufacturing will find tailored experiences at MAX. Key attendee profiles include plant managers and directors, manufacturing and process engineers, automation and controls specialists, quality assurance and quality control leaders, environmental health and safety professionals, operations and corporate management teams.

Registration is now open at theMAXevent.com, with free access to the general expo and an optional upgrade to the MAX eXperience Pass, which provides VIP access to all workshops on March 24, exclusive Main Stage sessions and roundtable luncheons with industry leaders on March 25-26, express badge pickup, special badge recognition, and an exclusive attendee giveaway. Super Early Bird registration ends February 14, 2026, offering a $50 savings on the MAX eXperience Pass.

BNP Media produces MAX through its industry-leading brands: ASSEMBLY Magazine, Quality, Adhesives & Sealants Industry (ASI), Industrial Safety & Hygiene News (ISHN), Packaging Strategies, and Paint & Coatings Industry. The event focuses on application-based solutions, ensuring practical relevance for today's manufacturing professionals.

With MAX, BNP Media sets the stage for a future-focused, fully integrated manufacturing event - one that reflects the pace, innovation, and complexity of the modern production landscape. BNP Media, one of the country's leading business-to-business media companies, serves industry professionals through magazines, custom media, newsletters, webinars, events, and market research.

For further information, contact:

Amy Riemer, Media Relations Representative

978-502-4895 (cell)

amy@riemercommunications.com

SOURCE: Manufacturing & Automation eXchange

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/max-experience-education-program-announced-for-manufacturing-and-autom-1131103
Cascale's State of the Industry 2026 report shares new analysis of verified facility data, shows emissions rising as coal dependence and limited renewable energy adoption slow progress

AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, AND OAKLAND, CA / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Cascale today released the State of the Industry 2026: Decarbonization Progress in the Apparel, Footwear & Textiles Industry report, finding the sector is not decarbonizing at the pace or scale required to meet global climate targets. The report analyzes verified 2023 and 2024 energy data from the Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), with a focus on Tier 1 finished product manufacturing and Tier 2 material manufacturing. Using Cascale's new Effective Energy Carbon Intensity (EECI) metric, the analysis assesses how effectively the industry is decarbonizing energy use, which remains the dominant source of Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

"This report makes clear that there are no shortcuts to decarbonization," said Jeremy Lardeau, Senior Vice President, Higg Index at Cascale. "Real progress depends on true value chain collaboration, not sourcing shifts by the brands. The level of investment required to achieve the deep decarbonization measures at facility level means brands will have to step up in a meaningful way. The climate agenda must be seen as an imperative to change the legacy sourcing dynamics of this industry."

Key Findings

Overall decarbonization progress remains slow. Verified facility data shows only marginal improvement in EECI performance over time, far below what is required to meet climate targets.

Coal use remains a critical barrier to progress. Coal accounts for 31 percent of total industry energy consumption, remaining unchanged year-over-year. In Tier 2, coal represents the largest fuel source, accounting for 40 percent of the global energy mix.

Renewable energy adoption remains limited and flat. Renewables account for only two percent of total industry energy consumption, unchanged between 2023 and 2024, despite more facilities reporting some renewable energy use.

Emissions are highly concentrated. A relatively small number of large, energy-intensive facilities drive a disproportionate share of emissions, indicating that targeted interventions could accelerate progress more effectively than uniform approaches. Cascale encourages brands and suppliers to engage with the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP), providing manufacturers with a structured pathway to measure emissions, set science-aligned targets (SATs), and implement reductions.

The findings align with broader global assessments, including recent analysis from the United Nations Environment Programme, which underscores that current policies remain insufficient to limit warming to 1.5C.

Cascale's report cautions against relocating production based on country averages and emphasizes long-term, collaborative engagement with manufacturers, particularly in Tier 2; to achieve this, supply chain engagement is essential. On March 4 , Cascale will host a member-only webinar that includes a deep dive into the report and a discussion on how EECI can be used by organizations to analyze their supply chains; Cascale members can register here.

Cascale will publish this State of the Industry report annually to track progress and support collective action. The organization will continue expanding access to data and analytics for members and advancing programs such as the Manufacturer Climate Action Program to support science-aligned targets and measurable emissions reductions.

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people.

LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cascale on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Cascale

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cascale

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Cascale

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/new-report-finds-apparel-decarbonization-progress-off-track-1131184
LONDON, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hexaware Technologies (NSE: HEXT), a global provider of IT services and solutions, today announced the appointment of Amit Vij as Chief Private Markets Officer.

In this role, Amit will lead Hexaware's engagement across the Private Markets' ecosystem, including Private Equity, Infrastructure, Private Debt, Real Estate, SWF, Distressed Debt funds and their portfolio companies, driving strategy and business growth.

Amit brings more than 20 years of experience advising Private Markets' investors and portfolio leaders on value creation initiatives. He was recognized among the Top 25 Private Equity Consultants and Leaders for 2025 and is known for working directly with boards and C-suite executives to align strategic priorities with operational execution. His approach emphasizes measurable outcomes and long-term value creation.

"Amit brings a rare combination of private markets expertise, technology acumen and an operator's mindset," said R. Srikrishna, CEO and Executive Director, Hexaware. "As investors and portfolio companies push harder on value creation, we see a clear opportunity to help them move faster with technology and AI-driven interventions that deliver real business outcomes. Amit's leadership will strengthen how we partner with private equity firms and their portfolios globally."

Prior to joining Hexaware, Amit held leadership roles driving private markets engagement at leading IT and business process solutions companies. He also served on the executive management team of a knowledge process outsourcing venture that was successfully sold to Moody's Corp. Earlier in his career, Amit worked in investment banking at Deutsche Bank in London, advising private equity and corporate clients on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance.

Amit began his professional journey as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, where he retired as a squadron leader and flew multiple operational MiG fighters, including the MiG-29, MiG-27, MiG-23 and MiG-21. He holds an MBA from INSEAD in France and is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy.

"It is an honor to be a Hexawarian and take on this role at a time when private markets are a force to reckon with in the global economy," Vij said. "The emphasis on portfolio value creation has never been greater, and addressing this market requires a fundamentally more agile approach. We have a unique opportunity to create tangible value for funds and their portfolio companies through technology and AI-driven interventions aligned to client outcomes. I look forward to bringing this to life with a client-first mindset."

About Hexaware

Hexaware is a global technology and business process services company. Every day, Hexawarians wake up with a singular purpose: to create smiles through great people and technology. With offices across the world, we empower enterprises worldwide to realize digital transformation at scale and speed by partnering with them to build, transform, run, and optimize their technology and business processes. Learn more about Hexaware at https://hexaware.com.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hexaware-appoints-amit-vij-as-chief-private-markets-officer-302672758.html
BELLEVUE, WA / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / The new Mac mini M4 is nearly impossible to find in stock. Why? Because thousands of users want to host ClawdBot AI, the private assistant that's taking over workflows. But you don't need to wait for hardware.

At ClawdBot Online, you can deploy your own intelligent agent in the cloud-no Mac mini required.

What Makes ClawdBot Different?

Most AI assistants are "forgetful." They reset every time you close the tab. ClawdBot is different. It is a self-hosted, privacy-first agent designed with three revolutionary pillars:

1. Persistent Memory (It Never Forgets)

Standard AI treats every chat like the first time it met you. ClawdBot has long-term memory. It learns your business preferences, remembers how you like your emails drafted, and keeps track of ongoing projects. It doesn't just chat; it grows more helpful the longer you use it.

2. True Proactivity (It Pings You)

ClawdBot doesn't wait around for you to ask "Is it done yet?" It is proactive. Once you assign a task-like monitoring a price drop or waiting for an email-it works in the background and pings you directly via WhatsApp, Telegram, or Slack the moment the task is complete. It's the AI that calls you, not the other way around.

3. End-to-End Automation (It Does the Work)

ClawdBot integrates with 100+ platforms, including Gmail, Discord, and Google Calendar. It's built for Automation. It can:

Clear your Inbox: Sort and archive emails based on your memory-stored preferences.

Manage Calendars: Handle rescheduling and appointment booking autonomously.

Execute Workflows: Move data between apps without you lifting a finger.

The "Proactive Assistant" in Action

Imagine you're a busy freelancer. You tell your ClawdBot: "Watch my inbox for the contract from the new client. When it arrives, summarize the terms and ping me on Telegram."

You go for a walk. You aren't checking your phone. An hour later, your pocket vibrates. It's a Telegram message from your ClawdBot: "The contract arrived. Terms are standard, but the deadline is tighter than usual. I've marked it 'Urgent' in your Gmail. Want me to clear your Friday afternoon for it?" This isn't just a chatbot; it's proactive automation driven by memory.

Why the Cloud (ClawdBot Online) is the Pro Choice

While the DIY crowd is busy troubleshooting local server issues on their Mac minis, ClawdBot Online gives you an enterprise-grade experience instantly.

Privacy Without the Hardware Headache

Some think you need a physical Mac mini for privacy. ClawdBot Online proves otherwise. You get a dedicated, private cloud instance where you retain control of your data, but with the reliability of high-performance cloud hosting.

Stop Waiting. Start Automating.

The era of reactive AI is over. Why settle for a chatbot when you can have a proactive, automated assistant that remembers everything you need?

Ready to give your AI a memory? Deploy your proactive ClawdBot AI at clawdbotai.online now!

Website: https://clawdbotai.online/

Company Name: ClawdBot AI Online CORP.

Telephone: +1 (253) 363-9767

SOURCE: ClawdBot AI Online CORP



View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/clawdbot-online-private-ai-assistant-without-the-mac-mini-1131188


EQS Newswire / 28/01/2026 / 15:45 CET/CEST

CGTN's special feature focuses on Europe's push for strategic autonomy amid global shifts. BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 28 January 2026 - In an era defined by geopolitical recalibration, Europe stands at a pivotal juncture, grappling with the urgent need for strategic autonomy and reassessing its alliances. A chorus of European policymakers, thought leaders, and international observers analyzed the continent's pathway forward as it adapts to a new global reality marked by evolving external dynamics.





The call for European independence has never been more pronounced. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has declared that this is Europe's Independence Moment, highlighting the need for Europe to ensure its own defense. Hillary Mann Leverett, CEO of STRATEGA echoes that "Europe is going through a very difficult time", noting the need for patience and effort to navigate current crises.



The quest for autonomy is driven by multifaceted challenges. An ongoing energy crisis, caused by the conflict in Ukraine, has seen electricity prices in major European economies soar to several times those in the US, straining industrial production and daily life.





Europe is even more tested as transatlantic relations shift. French Senator Thierry Meissen says that "today, we must accept that the United States will prioritize its own interests." European Council President Antonio Costa also acknowledged this new reality, stating "we already know that Europe and the United States do not share the same vision of the international order."



In response, Europe is mobilizing resources to build self-reliance. The EU has committed substantial investment to develop its defense. Ursula von der Leyen outlines plans enabling up to 800 billion euros in defense investment by 2030. And analysts from the Bruegel think tank estimate that true strategic autonomy would require an additional 250 billion euros annually and 300,000 more troops. Additionally, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas identified joint procurement as a critical hurdle to overcome.



Facing this strategic shift, Europe is actively exploring diversified global partnerships to ensure stability and growth. Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi also highlighted that "China and Europe together make more than one-third of all world trade." He warned against isolation, stating "if we don't stick together...we go into a certain depression."



The potential for cooperation spans critical domains. In science, collaboration has evolved into a two-way street between China and European peers. The EU's 'Choose Europe' package, a 500-million-euro incentive to attract global scientific talent, also contrasts with funding uncertainties in the United States, creating new avenues for scientific talents. On the green transition, synergies are evident. China's leadership in clean-energy industries complements Europe's Green Deal ambitions, presenting a vast cooperative canvas.



Yet, this reorientation is complex. Europe needs to balance its deep historical and economic ties with the United States with the opportunities presented by a rising China. Professor Cui Hongjian of Beijing Foreign Studies University noted the EU's dilemma, finding it "very difficult to make a clear choice between China and the US." Jens Eskelund, President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, advocated for a relationship judged on its own merits. "We shouldn't let our relationship be defined by a third party."



The path to act on its own terms is further complicated by new economic realities. China's rapid advancement has altered dynamics. "The perspective on who is learning from whom has been dramatically changing," said Professor Eberhard Sandschneider of the Free University of Berlin. This new reality has spurred debates on "derisking", which leaders caution could fragment supply chains, increase costs, and forsake mutual benefits. Alex Frederiksen, CEO of Vivino, advised focusing on long-term practical matters over short-term headlines, saying China is "unbeatable" in terms of density of high-quality companies.



Ultimately, European leaders are tasked with navigating a fundamental strategic question. Romano Prodi argued that the relationship must evolve from being neither enemies nor brothers toward becoming "equal partners and almost brothers."



https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-01-27/Europe-on-its-own-terms-Adapting-a-new-global-reality-1Khw2WpZ2Fy/p.html

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News Source: CGTN

28/01/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News .

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World must remain highly vigilant against Japan's renewed nuclear ambitions

14:55, January 28, 2026 By Yin Xiaoliang ( People's Daily

Since the end of World War II, Japan has habitually portrayed itself as a "victim of nuclear weapons," while rarely engaging in serious reflection on the fact that it was once an attempted "nuclear perpetrator" during the war.

During World War II, in pursuit of its expansionist ambition to "project national might far and wide," Japan competed fiercely with the United States and Britain in the race to develop atomic weapons, hoping to secure victory in its war of aggression through such means. The Japanese army and navy each conducted separate atomic bomb research programs, both of which ultimately failed before the end of the war.

In November 1945, the U.S. military dismantled Japan's nuclear research infrastructure, notably disposing of a critical cyclotron in Tokyo Bay. This action prevented what could have been catastrophic global consequences had Japan's militarist regime acquired nuclear arms earlier.

Japan's pursuit of nuclear armament did not vanish with its wartime defeat; rather, like a dormant seed, it has been quietly embedded in the consciousness of right-wing elements in Japan.

Recently, senior Japanese officials have hinted at possibly revising the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles," claimed they do not rule out introducing nuclear-powered submarines, and even argued that Japan should possess nuclear weapons.

These remarks are not isolated political rhetoric but sensitive indicators of Japan's accelerating shift in security strategy. They clearly reveal that the "nuclear option," long treated as a taboo in Japan's postwar political discourse, is now being pushed into open political debate while continuously testing and eroding established boundaries. The international community should see through the profound strategic intentions behind Japan's shift in nuclear weapons policy.

Japan is breaching the postwar framework in pursuit of becoming a "military power." Over the years, Japan's right-wing forces have persistently sought to cast off constraints and expand military capabilities. Nuclear policy discussions aim to weaken postwar system restraints and accumulate political capital for revising the "pacifist constitution."

Japan is probing the boundaries of policy by gauging public reactions. By making audacious assertions such as "Japan should possess nuclear weapons" and engaging in exploratory discourse, Japanese politicians aim to evaluate the real-world resistance and room for maneuver regarding nuclear armament based on domestic and international public opinion, thereby preparing the public opinion groundwork for subsequent policy adjustments.

Japan aims to bolster its independent deterrent capabilities and reshape the division of roles within the Japan-U.S. alliance. Never fully trusting in its ally across the Pacific, Japan regards "independent nuclear armament" as a potential means to reduce its reliance on the alliance while enhancing its own deterrent strength.

Furthermore, Japan's right-wing forces are eager to expand their involvement in nuclear-related discussions within the alliance, gradually increasing their bargaining power within the framework of allied nuclear deterrence.

Japan is building offensive capabilities to exert strategic pressure on neighboring countries. By strengthening military deterrence in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and surrounding areas, Japan seeks to influence the strategic judgments and room for maneuver of neighboring countries, thereby positioning itself more favorably in the regional balance of power.

Japan's "Three Non-Nuclear Principles," established as a national policy after World War II, represent both a product of Japan's reflection on its wartime aggression and a solemn commitment to peace upon its return to the international community.

Rooted in the tragic memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and shaped under the unique circumstances of Cold War confrontation, these principles were intended to serve as Japan's self-imposed restraint against militarism and a security assurance to its Asia-Pacific neighbors.

Any attempt by Japan to revise the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" would not only shake the very foundation of its own nuclear policy but also pose a direct challenge to the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. Such a move would seriously destabilize world peace and significantly increase the risk of nuclear proliferation.

As stated in an ancient Chinese text, "If later generations lament without learning from the past, they will in turn be lamented by those who come after."

Safeguarding the seriousness and integrity of the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" is a responsibility Japan must bear to history, to the region, and to future generations. Japan should draw lessons from its own experience of atomic bombings and conduct a thorough reflection on the profound suffering inflicted by Japanese militarism on the peoples of Asia, rather than playing the "victim card" to revive its old dream of nuclear armament.

Peace and prosperity in East Asia must be nurtured and safeguarded jointly by all countries in the region. Any attempt by Japan to approach or cross the "nuclear red line" constitutes a serious threat to the well-being of people across East Asia. The international community must remain vigilant against any move by Japan toward rearmament with nuclear weapons and work together to curb the spread of "neo-militarism."

(Yin Xiaoliang is a professor at the Research Center for the History of Modern World and the Japan Institute at Nankai University.)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
BATTLE CREEK, MI / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / WK Kellogg Co is proud to announce its new partnership with the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, a nonpartisan coalition working in collaboration with Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign. The Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger brings together more than 500 mayors from across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., representing a coalition of leaders united in the fight against childhood hunger.

The strategic alliance builds on WK Kellogg Co's longtime support of No Kid Hungry and underscores the company's commitment to efforts that increase access to nutritious food for every child. It also aligns with the company's sustainable business strategy, Feeding Happiness - which aims to make eating well easy, help kids be their best and better our communities.

"WK Kellogg Co has a longstanding commitment to ensuring all kids have the healthy food they need to thrive," said Stacy Flathau, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at WK Kellogg Co. "We are honored to support the Mayors Alliance and No Kid Hungry in their mission to empower local leaders, elevate community-driven solutions and create lasting change toward this important cause."

This partnership will help strengthen the Mayors Alliance's efforts to expand its membership and amplify the voices of mayors and communities leading innovative efforts to end hunger.

"With the support of WK Kellogg Co, the Mayors Alliance is empowering city leaders to move from intention to action in the fight against childhood hunger," said Aaron Goldstein, Senior Manager, Local Government Relations at No Kid Hungry. "We know that mayors are on the frontlines of innovation, and this partnership ensures they have the resources, relationships and momentum to end hunger in their communities."

WK Kellogg Co has a strong connection with the communities represented in the Mayors Alliance, including Lancaster, Pa. and Memphis, Tenn. - two key plant locations for WK Kellogg Co - as well as the company's hometown of Battle Creek, Mich.

"WK Kellogg Co has long been a vital part of the Battle Creek community, and we're proud to see their impact reaching far beyond our city," said Mark Behnke, Mayor of Battle Creek. "The Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger plays a critical role in helping communities like ours work toward a future where no child goes without the food they need to succeed. Supporting kids and families in this way is a shared responsibility, and we're committed to tackling this together."

This collaboration reinforces the power of public-private partnerships in addressing childhood hunger, one of the most pressing issues facing America's youth.

###

ABOUT WK KELLOGG CO

At WK Kellogg Co, we bring our best to everyone, every day through our trusted foods and brands. Our journey began in 1894, when our founder W.K. Kellogg reimagined the future of food with the creation of Corn Flakes, changing breakfast forever. Our iconic brand portfolio includes Kellogg'sFrosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, Froot Loops, Kashi, Special K, Kellogg's Raisin Bran, and Bear Naked. With a presence in the majority of households across North America, our brands play a key role in enhancing the lives of millions of consumers every day, promoting a strong sense of physical, emotional and societal wellbeing. Our beloved brand characters, including Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam, represent our deep connections with the consumers and communities we serve. Through our sustainable business strategy - Feeding HappinessTM- we aim to build healthier and happier futures for families, kids and communities. We are making a positive impact, while creating foods that bring joy and nourishment to consumers. For more information about WK Kellogg Co and Feeding Happiness, visit www.wkkellogg.com.

ABOUT NO KID HUNGRY

No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from WK Kellogg Company on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: WK Kellogg Company

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/wk-kellogg-company

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: WK Kellogg Company

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/industrial-and-manufacturing/wk-kellogg-co-partners-with-mayors-alliance-and-no-kid-hungry-to-fight-1131193


EQS Newswire / 28/01/2026 / 16:15 CET/CEST

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 28 January 2026 - The Asian Financial Forum (AFF), Asia's flagship annual financial event, successfully wrapped up its 19th edition yesterday (January 27), following two days of high-powered discussions and intelligence sharing involving more than 4,000 business leaders and officials from over 60 countries and regions.



Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) under the theme of "Co-creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape", the AFF welcomed more than 150 distinguished speakers from around the world.





A new Global Business Summit was held throughout day-two of the AFF yesterday, to further integrate finance with key industries and drive innovation and economic development.



Co-organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the HKTDC, and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, the summit explored how finance empowers businesses. It also examined how Hong Kong can support Chinese Mainland enterprises to "go global", and the prospects for foreign enterprises entering the Mainland market.



In his opening remarks at the summit, Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, highlighted trade, finance and innovation and technology as the three principal drivers of future economic growth.



"Hong Kong is not just a platform that connects capital, market, projects, talent and opportunity. Hong Kong is willing to be a strategic partner to help you grow, scale up and go global," Mr Chan said.



On building a more vibrant tech ecosystem, Mr Chan said the HKSAR Government is determined to attract the world's leading frontier-technology enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong.



"We welcome technology and industrial enterprises to establish a presence in the Northern Metropolis. Where justified, we are prepared to tailor incentive packages, which may include land grants, premium concessions, tax incentives and other facilitation measures. Everything is negotiable," he said.





Prof Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, in his welcome remarks at the summit, said: "In these unpredictable times, working together on shared goals adds to the agility and resilience of our economies, our industries and businesses, and our communities. Hong Kong, under the 'one country, two systems' arrangement, is perfectly suited to host these conversations and promote cross-sector collaboration, as a super connector, super value-adder and super collaborator."



A series of plenary sessions held during the summit included the Business Plenary I - Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global, and Business Plenary II - Strategic Collaboration for Shared Growth, focusing on the latest opportunities in global market expansion and inbound foreign investment.



The Global Business Summit also featured a series of discussion sessions covering high-growth, high-value sectors, including biomedicine and healthcare, green energy, new consumer trends, artificial intelligence and robotics.



Speakers included representatives of prominent enterprises in the respective fields, such as Banking Circle, Infineon AG, Investcorp, JP Morgan, Revolut, Triton Partners, Amgen, Merck, DexForce Technology, JD.com, Pictet Group, AI Robotics, Galbot and Tencent.



Paul Polman, a business leader, investor and philanthropist who is dedicated to advocating for systemic change, climate action, and social equality, delivered the Keynote Luncheon speech (January 27). He shared his "Net Positive" corporate sustainability strategy, which he has championed in recent years, focusing on advancing sustainable development.



Meanwhile, this year's AFF Deal-making session, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, attracted over 280 investors and over 600 investment projects, resulting in more than 800 one-on-one meetings that successfully connected global capital with investment opportunities.



The AFF also marked the start of this year's International Financial Week, featuring14 industry events that span a wide range of globally watched financial and business topics, including ASEAN opportunities, digital finance, green finance, family offices, private equity and alternative investments. Together, these events underscore Hong Kong's unique role as the region's most comprehensive and diversified international financial centre.







Hashtag: hongkong brandhongkong AFF Finance Business Economic

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

News Source: Information Services Department, Hong Kong SAR Government

28/01/2026 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News .

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Media archive at www.todayir.com

View original content: EQS News
San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Johnson Fistel, PLLP announces an investigation into potential breaches of fiduciary duty by the Board of Directors of Grindr Inc. (NYSE: GRND).

The investigation concerns the Board's decision to terminate negotiations with Grindr's controlling stockholder and whether that decision-and related recent corporate actions-were consistent with the duties owed to all stockholders, particularly minority holders.

We are reviewing whether the Board's choices may have impacted stockholder rights, including the balance of control at the Company and the treatment of non-controlling investors.

If you own Grindr shares please consider joining our investigation. To participate or learn more, you can click or copy and paste the following link:

https://www.johnsonfistel.com/investigations/grindr-grnd/

Shareholders seeking more information may also contact lead analyst Jim Baker (jimb@johnsonfistel.com, 619-814-4471). If emailing, please include a phone number.

About Johnson Fistel, PLLP | Securities Fraud & Investor Rights

Johnson Fistel, PLLP is a nationally recognized shareholder-rights law firm with offices in California, New York, Georgia, Idaho, and Colorado. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits and also assists foreign investors who purchased shares on U.S. exchanges. Stay informed about stock-drop news and learn how Johnson Fistel can help you recover losses by visiting www.johnsonfistel.com.

Achievement

In 2024, Johnson Fistel was ranked among the Top 10 Plaintiff Law Firms by ISS Securities Class Action Services. This recognition reflects the firm's effectiveness in advocating for investors, having recovered approximately $90,725,000 for aggrieved clients in cases where it served as lead or co-lead counsel. This marks the eighth time the firm has been recognized as a top plaintiffs' securities law firm in the United States, based on the total dollar value of final recoveries.

Attorney advertising.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.

Johnson Fistel, PLLP has paid for the dissemination of this promotional communication, and Frank J. Johnson is the attorney responsible for its content.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281938

Source: Johnson Fistel, PLLP
Wilmslow, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Rank Kings, a UK-based SEO agency originally founded in Stockport and Manchester, has been named SEO Agency of the Year - Manchester & North West at the 2025 Prestige Awards.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The award ceremony took place in Leeds and recognises agencies that demonstrate outstanding service quality, strong reputations and proven results.

The award was granted following independent research and customer nominations. Rank Kings was nominated by two separate clients independently, without any promotional campaign or voting drive by the agency, making the recognition a direct reflection of client satisfaction and performance.

Rank Kings was established to provide SEO services that focus on delivering measurable business outcomes rather than surface-level reporting. The agency began by working with local businesses across Stockport and Manchester that needed improved visibility and a consistent flow of enquiries. Strong results led to word-of-mouth referrals, while the agency's own SEO performance generated further enquiries from across the UK.

Today, Rank Kings works with businesses nationwide while maintaining the hands-on approach that defined its early growth. The agency focuses on practical, long-term SEO strategies designed to support sustainable growth, rather than short-term tactics or vanity metrics.

The Prestige Awards are known for prioritising service delivery and real-world performance over marketing activity. Winners are assessed based on client feedback, reputation and independent evaluation, rather than paid submissions or popularity-based voting systems.

Commenting on the award, Director Chris Lenehan said: "Rank Kings started out working with local businesses in Stockport and Manchester. The growth since then has come through results and referrals rather than heavy promotion. To be named SEO Agency of the Year through customer nominations is incredibly rewarding and a real reflection of the trust our clients place in us." The full statement from Rank Kings can be found on their website at rankkings.co.uk

Rank Kings' SEO approach includes search intent-led on-page optimisation, technical SEO designed to remove ranking barriers, original content written for real users, authority-focused link building and tailored local and national SEO strategies. The agency places a strong emphasis on consistency and long-term systems, which has contributed to strong client retention and a growing number of five-star reviews.

Despite expanding its client base across the UK, Rank Kings continues to work closely with each business it supports, ensuring strategies are aligned with commercial goals rather than generic SEO targets. The agency also offers free SEO audits to help businesses understand where opportunities exist and how organic search can support long-term growth.

Rank Kings has expressed its thanks to the clients who nominated the agency for the award, acknowledging their recognition of both the results delivered and the way the agency operates.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281817

Source: BrandingBuzz.Agency
Developed by the maintainers of the CNCF Sandbox project Kairos, Hadron is purpose-built for secure, immutable edge and cloud deployments.

Spectro Cloud, a leading provider of modern infrastructure management, today announced Hadron, a lightweight, secure Linux distribution optimized for enterprise edge deployments.

Hadron was created by Spectro Cloud's open-source team, and forms part of the Kairos project under the auspices of the CNCF.

With more organizations pushing Kubernetes and AI workloads to distributed sites, it's vital to have an operating system that's lightweight, secure, and easy to manage across large fleets of devices.

"Kairos started as a framework that lets you take familiar Linux distributions and turn them into immutable, image-based operating systems for Kubernetes," said Mauro Morales, Staff Engineer at Spectro Cloud and a Kairos project maintainer. "After years of pushing these conventional distros to their limits, we knew exactly where they proved insufficient for our enterprise users. That's why we took the next leap and built our own distribution: Hadron."

While enterprises can continue to use other Linux distributions with Kairos, starting today, Hadron will serve as the default Linux base that Kairos uses to build its immutable, image-based systems running Kubernetes and cloud-native workloads.

Key features of Hadron include:

Modern, minimal architecture: Built lean from musl libc and systemd, Hadron images are under 100 MB in size, ideal for edge deployments and Trusted Boot scenarios.

Secure, immutable delivery: Designed for immutable, image-based deployments that eliminate configuration drift and support predictable updates.

Upstream-first foundation: Tracks vanilla upstream components closely to simplify updates and security fixes.

Flexible extension model: No native package manager; users can securely extend functionality through containers and other cloud-native mechanisms.

"Hadron is about making deployments simpler to operate at scale without compromising on security or upstream alignment," said Ettore Di Giacinto, Head of Open Source at Spectro Cloud and lead maintainer of Kairos and Hadron. "By pairing a minimal OS foundation with an immutable, image-based model, we help teams deploy consistently across devices and ship updates with confidence."

Spectro Cloud's new State of Edge AI research highlights how enterprises are looking for improved security and consistent deployment to help them be successful with their edge initiatives. Hadron and Kairos deliver just that: secure, repeatable deployments at scale.

The launch reinforces Spectro Cloud's continued investment in open source and the CNCF ecosystem bringing the company's relentless focus on edge all the way down to the operating system layer.

"Every day we work with enterprises working on edge projects, from restaurant chains to healthcare device manufacturers and rail operators," said Tenry Fu, CEO of Spectro Cloud. "We know that for them security is paramount, but it's also vitally important for their edge software stacks to be compact and manageable at scale. Hadron is the best foundation for achieving that, and as always we are proud to share our innovation with the community through the CNCF."

Organizations can learn more about Hadron and meet the maintainers at KubeCon CloudNativeCon Europe in Amsterdam.

For more information about Kairos, visit kairos.io. To learn about Spectro Cloud's enterprise support services for Kairos, visit spectrocloud.com.

About Spectro Cloud

Spectro Cloud is the management platform for edge Kubernetes, trusted by enterprises such as Yum! Brands, GE HealthCare and Dentsply Sirona, plus government agencies.

GigaOm rated Spectro Cloud a Leader and Outperformer in edge Kubernetes three years running. Spectro Cloud is an STL Top 50 edge computing company, a Gartner Cool Vendor in edge computing, and on the CRN Top 100 edge computing list. Spectro Cloud gives back to the community, driving innovation as lead sponsor of the CNCF's Kairos Sandbox project for secure edge.

In short: nobody knows the edge like Spectro Cloud. Find out more at spectrocloud.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128584925/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Patrick Lenihan

Gravity Strategic Partners

inquiries@gravitystrat.com
Neuromorphic AI Semiconductor Market Size

BANGALORE, India, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Valuates Reports, In 2024, the global market size of Neuromorphic AI Semiconductor was estimated to be worth USD 30.5 Million and is forecast to reach approximately USD 413 Million by 2031 with a CAGR of 45.8% during the forecast period 2025-2031.

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What are the key factors driving the growth of the Neuromorphic AI Semiconductor Market?

The neuromorphic AI semiconductor market focuses on brain-inspired computing architectures.

These chips process information efficiently using event-driven and parallel operations.

They mimic neural behavior, enabling low-latency decision-making and adaptive learning at the hardware level.

Growing demand for human-like intelligent systems drives adoption in sensing, robotics, and autonomous environments.

Unlike traditional processors, neuromorphic chips emphasize contextual awareness and continuous learning.

They are well-suited for handling real-world complexity.

Research institutions and technology firms are exploring these architectures to address power and scalability challenges.

Neuromorphic semiconductors are emerging as a foundation for next-generation cognitive computing applications.

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TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE NEUROMORPHIC AI SEMICONDUCTOR MARKET:

Data mining applications drive neuromorphic AI semiconductor growth by requiring adaptive learning from complex and evolving datasets. Neuromorphic architectures excel at identifying hidden patterns and correlations through parallel processing and memory integrated computation. Unlike conventional systems, these chips continuously learn from incoming data streams, enabling dynamic insight generation. This makes them suitable for anomaly detection, behavioral analysis, and predictive intelligence. Organizations benefit from reduced processing overhead while extracting meaningful insights from unstructured data. Neuromorphic data mining supports faster decision cycles and improved responsiveness in real time environments. As data complexity increases across sectors, demand for efficient, learning oriented semiconductor solutions strengthens the neuromorphic AI market.

Image recognition and signal recognition strongly contribute to neuromorphic AI semiconductor market growth by demanding rapid pattern detection and contextual interpretation. Neuromorphic chips process visual and sensory signals in a manner similar to biological systems, enabling real time responsiveness with minimal energy usage. These capabilities support applications such as surveillance, autonomous navigation, and adaptive sensing environments. Signal recognition benefits from event based processing that filters noise and prioritizes meaningful changes, improving accuracy and reliability. As intelligent systems increasingly rely on continuous perception rather than batch processing, neuromorphic architectures offer superior efficiency. Their ability to learn from sensory inputs enhances system autonomy, driving adoption across industries seeking advanced perception driven intelligence.

Neuromorphic computers accelerate market growth by redefining how artificial intelligence systems are built and deployed. These computing systems integrate sensing, memory, and processing into unified architectures that reduce latency and energy consumption. Neuromorphic computers enable continuous learning, adaptability, and resilience, making them ideal for edge intelligence scenarios. Their architecture supports autonomous behavior without constant cloud dependence. Industries exploring next generation computing models view neuromorphic computers as a pathway to scalable cognitive systems. As traditional computing reaches efficiency limitations, neuromorphic computers gain attention for their ability to handle real world complexity. This shift in computing paradigm directly supports expanding demand for neuromorphic AI semiconductors.

Energy efficiency is a major factor driving neuromorphic AI semiconductor adoption as organizations seek sustainable intelligence solutions. Neuromorphic chips operate using event driven processing, activating only when relevant signals occur, significantly reducing power usage. This efficiency supports deployment in edge devices, remote systems, and battery constrained environments. Industries focused on reducing operational costs and environmental impact increasingly favor low power AI architectures. Energy efficient intelligence enables longer device lifecycles and reduced cooling requirements. As artificial intelligence expands into everyday infrastructure, power consumption becomes a critical concern. Neuromorphic semiconductors address this challenge effectively, reinforcing their role in future intelligent system design.

Edge intelligence adoption drives neuromorphic AI semiconductor growth by shifting computation closer to data sources. Neuromorphic chips process information locally, enabling real time responses without reliance on centralized systems. This is critical for applications requiring immediate action, privacy preservation, and resilience. Edge environments benefit from reduced data transmission and improved reliability. Neuromorphic architectures adapt to changing conditions, making them suitable for dynamic operational contexts. As edge intelligence expands across sectors, demand grows for processors that combine learning, efficiency, and autonomy. Neuromorphic semiconductors meet these needs, strengthening their relevance in decentralized intelligence ecosystems.

Autonomous systems fuel market growth by requiring continuous perception, learning, and decision making. Neuromorphic AI semiconductors support these requirements through parallel processing and adaptive neural modeling. Autonomous platforms benefit from faster reaction times and improved situational awareness. Neuromorphic chips enable systems to learn from experience, enhancing reliability and performance over time. Applications span robotics, transportation, and industrial automation. As autonomy increases, traditional computing struggles with complexity and power demands. Neuromorphic solutions offer scalable intelligence that aligns with autonomous system needs. This alignment positions neuromorphic semiconductors as core components in autonomous technology development.

Real time processing requirements significantly influence neuromorphic AI semiconductor growth. These chips handle data as it arrives, enabling immediate interpretation and response. Event based processing prioritizes meaningful changes, reducing unnecessary computation. This is essential for environments where timing accuracy determines system effectiveness. Neuromorphic architectures minimize delays caused by data movement and centralized processing. Industries requiring instant feedback benefit from hardware level intelligence. As real time applications expand, demand rises for processors designed around temporal efficiency. Neuromorphic semiconductors provide this capability, supporting responsive and adaptive intelligent systems.

Adaptive learning drives adoption by enabling systems to evolve with changing conditions. Neuromorphic AI semiconductors support on chip learning, allowing models to update continuously without retraining cycles. This capability enhances personalization, resilience, and long term performance. Adaptive systems respond effectively to uncertainty and variability in real world environments. Neuromorphic learning mimics biological processes, improving robustness and contextual understanding. Industries seeking flexible intelligence solutions favor architectures that learn naturally over time. As adaptability becomes essential for intelligent systems, neuromorphic semiconductors gain strategic importance.

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NEUROMORPHIC AI SEMICONDUCTOR MARKET SEGMENTATION

By Type

Data Mining

Image Recognition & Signal Recognition

By Application

Neuromorphic Computer

Others

Key Companies

Intel Corporation

IBM Corporation

Nepes

GrAI Matter Labs

BrainChip Holdings

SynSense

NEUROMORPHIC AI SEMICONDUCTOR MARKET SHARE

North America is the world's largest market for Neuromorphic AI Semiconductor with a market share of about 44%, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific with a market share of 36% and 20%, respectively. The top three companies hold about 76 percent of the market. In terms of product type, Data Mining is the largest segment with approximately 93% market share. In terms of application, Neuromorphic Computer is the largest downstream segment, accounting for about 68% of the market.

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What are some related markets to the Neuromorphic ai semiconductor market?

The global market for Neuromorphic Hardware was Market valued at USD 3127 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 7664 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 13.7% during the forecast period.





valued at USD 3127 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 7664 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 13.7% during the forecast period. The global market for AI on EDGE Semiconductor was valued at USD 3246 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 9342 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 16.5% during the forecast period.





was valued at USD 3246 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 9342 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 16.5% during the forecast period. High-Computing AI Chip Market





Photonic AI Chip Market





The global market for Semiconductor Lasers was valued at USD 5619 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 8759 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period.





was valued at USD 5619 Million in the year 2024 and is projected to reach a revised size of USD 8759 Million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period. Embodied Smart Chip Market





Machine Learning Chips Market





Brain-inspired Computing Market





Neural Network Chip Market





Intelligent Processing Unit Market





Neural Processing Unit Market

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WABASH, Ind., Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FFW Corporation (the "Corporation") (OTCID: FFWC (01/27/2026 Close: $47.65), parent corporation of Crossroads Bank (the "Bank"), announced earnings for the quarter ended December 31, 2025.

For the three months ended December 31, 2025, the Corporation reported net income of $1,617,000 or $1.48 per common share compared to $1,440,000 or $1.29 per common share for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Net interest income for the three months ended December 31, 2025 was $4,664,000,000 compared to $3,994,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Credit loss expense was $100,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2025 and $75,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Total noninterest income was $1,161,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2025 compared to $1,259,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2024. Noninterest expense was $3,909,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2025 and $3,578,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2024.

For the six months ended December 31, 2025, the Corporation reported net income of $3,135,000 or $2.88 per common share compared to $2,682,000 or $2.38 per common share for the six months ended December 31, 2024. Net interest income for the six months ended December 31, 2025 was $9,179,000 compared to $7,776,000 for the six months ended December 31, 2024. The Company recognized a provision for credit losses of $175,000 for the six months ended December 31, 2025 and $75,000 for the six months ended December 31, 2024. Total noninterest income was $2,429,000 for the six months ended December 31, 2025 compared to $2,540,000 for the six months ended December 31, 2024. Noninterest expense was $7,911,000 for the six months ended December 31, 2025 and $7,273,000 for the six months ended December 31, 2024.

The three and six months ended December 31, 2025 represented a return on average common equity of 11.77% and 11.83% compared to 11.36% and 10.67% for the three and six months ended December 31, 2024. The three and six months ended December 31, 2025 represented a return on average assets of 1.11% and 1.09% compared to 0.99% and 0.93% for the three and six months ended December 31, 2024.

The allowance for credit losses as a percentage of gross loans receivable was 1.33% at December 31, 2025 compared to 1.35% at June 30, 2025. Nonperforming assets were $6,908,000 at December 31, 2025 compared to $8,147,000 at June 30, 2025.

As of December 31, 2025, FFWC's equity-to-assets ratio was 9.44% compared to 8.76% at June 30, 2025. Total assets at December 31, 2025 were $584,760,000 compared to $570,108,000 at June 30, 2025. Shareholders' equity was $55,209,000 at December 31, 2025 compared to $49,944,000 at June 30, 2025. Crossroads Bank exceeds all applicable regulatory requirements to be considered "well capitalized."

The Corporation has an active share repurchase program. During the quarter ended December 31, 2025, the Corporation repurchased 1,408 shares at an average price of $44.87. Year to date the Corporation repurchased 2,137 shares at an average price of $43.21. For more information regarding the share repurchase program, please contact Roger Cromer, President, at (260) 563-3185. The Corporation may suspend or discontinue repurchases at any time.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include expressions such as "expects," "intends," "believes," and "should," which are necessarily statements of belief as to the expected outcomes of future events. Actual results could materially differ from those presented. The Corporation's ability to predict future results involves a number of risks and uncertainties. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to release revisions to these forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

Crossroads Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of FFW Corporation providing an extensive array of banking services and a wide range of investments and securities products through its main office in Wabash and six Indiana banking centers located in Columbia City, North Manchester, Peru, South Whitley, Syracuse and Warsaw. The Bank also provides leasing services at each of its banking centers. Insurance products are offered through an affiliated company, Insurance 1 Services, Inc. The Corporation's stock is traded on the OTC Markets under the symbol "FFWC." Our website address is www.crossroadsbanking.com . Crossroads Bank, Member FDIC.



FFW Corporation

Selected Financial Information

Consolidated Balance Sheet

December 31 June 30 2025 2025 Unaudited Assets Cash and due from financial institutions - 6,816,789 - 7,166,023 Interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions 3,921,097 3,649,597 Cash and cash equivalents 10,737,886 10,815,620 Securities available for sale 105,061,355 103,067,093 Loans held for sale 640,500 314,800 Loans receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $5,886,040 at December 31, 2025 and $5,703,128 at June 30, 2025 435,325,539 422,829,649 Federal Home Loan Bank stock, at cost 1,748,800 1,739,500 Accrued interest receivable 3,180,451 3,055,402 Premises and equipment, net 7,595,174 7,602,679 Mortgage servicing rights 1,019,308 1,072,056 Cash surrender value of life insurance 13,399,137 13,165,670 Goodwill 1,213,898 1,213,898 Repossessed Assets - 38,560 Other assets 4,837,735 5,192,615 Total assets - 584,759,783 - 570,107,542 Liabilities and shareholders' equity Deposits Noninterest-bearing - 50,270,376 - 52,521,124 Interest-bearing 459,865,042 453,607,241 Total deposits 510,135,418 506,128,365 Borrowings 14,900,000 10,000,000 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 4,515,714 4,035,448 Total liabilities 529,551,132 520,163,813 Shareholders' equity Common stock, $.01 par; 2,000,000 shares authorized; Issued: 1,836,328; outstanding: 1,085,842 at December 31, 2025 and 1,082,978 at June 30, 2025 18,363 18,363 Additional paid-in capital 10,239,477 10,233,608 Retained earnings 68,373,991 65,911,649 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (8,747,938 - (11,560,272 - Treasury stock, at cost:750,486 at December 31, 2025 and 753,350 at June 30, 2025 (14,675,242 - (14,659,619 - Total shareholders' equity 55,208,651 49,943,729 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity - 584,759,783 - 570,107,542

FFW Corporation

Selected Financial Information

Consolidated Statement of Income

Three Months Ended December 31 Six Months Ended December 31 2025 2024 2025 2024 Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Interest and dividend income: Loans, including fees - 6,222,131 - 5,759,713 - 12,342,216 - 11,490,780 Taxable securities 531,607 537,113 1,096,053 1,074,663 Tax exempt securities 398,895 411,872 796,125 817,709 Other 69,958 187,210 136,761 381,632 Total interest and dividend income 7,222,591 6,895,908 14,371,155 13,764,784 Interest expense: Deposits 2,367,539 2,901,835 4,735,406 5,989,166 Borrowings 190,994 14 457,238 14 Total interest expense 2,558,532 2,901,849 5,192,644 5,989,180 Net interest income 4,664,059 3,994,059 9,178,511 7,775,604 Provision for credit losses 100,000 75,000 175,000 75,000 Net interest income after provision for credit losses 4,564,059 3,919,059 9,003,511 7,700,604 Noninterest income: Net gains on sales of loans 101,686 141,322 256,077 239,334 Net gains (losses) on fixed assets - 35,238 25,527 35,238 Net gains (losses) on sales of REO (2,076 - - (2,076 - (684 - Commission income 433,621 452,309 852,187 936,389 Service charges and fees 187,965 208,986 438,804 465,519 Earnings on life insurance 120,660 110,593 233,467 218,272 Other 319,043 310,600 625,241 645,474 Total noninterest income 1,160,898 1,259,048 2,429,227 2,539,542 Noninterest expense: Salaries and benefits 2,039,308 2,004,047 4,077,795 4,045,660 Occupancy and equipment 311,941 311,383 619,057 633,457 Professional 134,926 193,931 289,807 336,682 Marketing 119,710 103,762 226,458 194,203 Deposit insurance premium 102,000 75,000 204,000 162,261 Regulatory assessment 11,019 11,569 22,037 19,282 Correspondent bank charges 25,764 24,055 52,237 46,554 Data processing 606,685 494,887 1,260,577 963,476 Printing, postage and supplies 80,286 84,644 149,721 156,852 Expense on life insurance 28,944 (82,096 - 57,888 (47,553 - Contribution expense 2,917 9,601 10,417 19,102 Expense on REO 291 - 2,333 - Other 445,087 347,235 938,830 743,467 Total noninterest expense 3,908,879 3,578,018 7,911,157 7,273,443 Income before income taxes 1,816,078 1,600,089 3,521,581 2,966,703 Income tax expense 198,947 160,565 386,570 284,493 Net income - 1,617,131 - 1,439,524 - 3,135,011 - 2,682,210

FFW Corporation

Selected Financial Information

Key Balances and Ratios

Three Months Ended December 31 Six Months Ended December 31 2025 2024 2025 2024 Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Unaudited Per common share data: Earnings - 1.48 - 1.29 - 2.88 - 2.38 Diluted earnings - 1.48 - 1.29 - 2.88 - 2.38 Dividends paid - 0.31 - 0.30 - 0.62 - 0.60 Average shares issued and outstanding 1,086,396 1,112,282 1,086,852 1,127,300 Shares outstanding end of period 1,085,842 1,100,198 1,085,842 1,100,198 Supplemental data: Net interest margin ** 3.29 - 2.82 - 3.26 - 2.76 - Return on average assets *** 1.11 - 0.99 - 1.09 - 0.93 - Return on average common equity *** 11.77 - 11.36 - 11.83 - 10.67 - December 31 June 30 2025 2025 Nonperforming assets * - 6,908,238 - 8,147,342 Repossessed assets - 0 - 38,560 - Includes non-accruing loans, accruing loans delinquent more than 90 days and repossessed assets ** Yields reflected have not been computed on a tax equivalent basis *** Annualized

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Stacy Wiley, Treasurer, at (260) 563-3185
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Minaurum Silver Inc. (TSXV: MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF) ("Minaurum" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of an Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate ("Resource Estimate") at its 100%-owned Alamos Silver Project ("Alamos") located in Sonora, Mexico.

Highlights:

High Grade Inferred Mineral Resource: Resource Estimate of 5.37 million tonnes (Mt) grading 202 g/t silver, 0.21 g/t gold, 0.43% copper, 0.97% lead, and 2.01% zinc, or 320 g/t silver equivalent ("AgEq") and containing 34.8 million ounces ("Moz") of silver; 35,640 ounces of gold; 51.0 million pounds of copper; 115 million pounds of lead; and 238 million pounds of zinc; or 55.2 Moz AgEq (Table 1).

Conservative Assumptions Showcase Robust Mineralization: Calculations include smelter and processing deductions typically associated with more advanced resource estimates. Sensitivity analysis further indicates that the resource remains resilient at higher cut-off grades than 150 g/t AgEq, emphasizing the high-grade nature of the mineralization. (Table 2).

Growth Potential: The Resource Estimate encompasses portions of the Promontorio, Travesia, and Europa vein zones-three of the twenty-six vein zones identified at Alamos. The resource is open along strike and at depth, offering significant potential for expansion through the ongoing Phase II 50,000 m resource expansion drill program.

The Resource Estimate, completed by Independent Mining Consultants, Inc., is based on a total database of 104 drill holes, totaling 35,888.15 metres and 10,194 samples. The Resource Estimate is classified as an Inferred Mineral Resource in accordance with CIM Definition Standards, with an effective date of January 8, 2026.

"Our inferred resource estimate of 55 million ounces of AgEq, defined across portions of just three of the 26 identified vein zones at Alamos, represents a major milestone for Minaurum," stated Darrell Rader, President and CEO of Minaurum Silver. "The estimate establishes Alamos as a high-grade silver district with a rare combination of grade and width, with each of the vein zones included remaining open for expansion. Our next step is to aggressively grow the resource through the ongoing Phase II 50,000-metre resource expansion drilling program. I would like to thank the entire Minaurum team, along with our contractors and local communities, for their contributions to this achievement."

Table 1. Alamos Silver Project - Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate Summary (150 g/t AgEq cut-off)

Inferred Mineral

Resource:

Average Grade Metal Content Mass AgEq Ag Au Cu Pb Zn AgEq Ag Au Cu Pb Zn Ktonnes (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (koz) (koz) (koz) (klbs) (klbs) (klbs)

Vein



























Promontorio/



























Veta Grande 1,835 281 138 0.31 0.40 1.11 2.80 16,602 8,142 17.99 16,060 44,904 113,272

Veta Guijas 124 202 92 0.17 0.45 0.89 1.82 806 365 0.67 1,230 2,433 4,975

Vela El Cien 561 299 136 0.49 0.42 1.69 2.34 5,388 2,448 8.77 5,182 20,902 28,941

Vela El Cien HW 152 283 159 0.07 0.32 1.36 2.98 1,381 777 0.33 1,059 4,557 9,986

Veta Oeste 186 379 218 0.45 0.23 1.47 3.37 2,266 1,302 2.70 955 6,028 13,819

Travesia 373 187 125 0.12 0.36 0.52 0.49 2,247 1,499 1.39 2,944 4,276 4,029

Total 3,231 276 140 0.31 0.39 1.17 2.46 28,691 14,532 31.86 27,431 83,100 175,023

Europa/



























Europa 1,426 402 306 0.06 0.54 0.75 1.41 18,435 14,006 2.57 16,882 23,578 44,327

Europa HW 409 351 274 0.07 0.48 0.38 1.03 4,621 3,604 0.87 4,355 3,426 9,287

Europa HW2 51 242 167 0.02 0.41 0.72 1.10 396 274 0.03 462 810 1,237

Europa HW3 45 308 244 0.01 0.37 0.64 0.88 446 353 0.01 370 635 873

Europa HW4 32 667 502 0.02 0.26 2.05 4.69 686 517 0.02 184 1,446 3,309

Nuevas Europa 53 428 358 0.03 0.39 0.62 0.98 729 611 0.05 456 724 1,145

Nuevas Europa HW 119 300 238 0.06 0.32 0.40 0.99 1,149 909 0.24 845 1,049 2,597

Total 2,135 386 295 0.06 0.50 0.67 1.33 26,463 20,274 3.78 23,554 31,669 62,775

Grand Total 5,366 320 202 0.21 0.43 0.97 2.01 55,154 34,806 35.64 50,985 114,769 237,798

Notes:

The Resource Estimate conforms with the requirements of NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (2014). The Resource Estimate is entirely classified as Inferred Mineral Resources. Inferred Mineral Resources have been estimated from geological evidence and limited sampling and have a lower level of confidence than Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources and must not be converted to Mineral Reserves. There is no certainty that Inferred Mineral Resources will be converted to Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources. Weight-averaged silver-equivalent ("AgEq") grades are based on the October 1, 2025 long-term CIBC Global Mining Group Analyst Consensus Commodity Price Forecast, using metal prices of US$29.73/oz Ag, US$2,646/oz Au, US$4.34/lb Cu, US$0.92/lb Pb, and US$1.21/lb Zn. Metal recovery assumptions, based on comparable projects, are 88.3% Ag, 75.0% Au, 75.5% Cu, 83.1% Pb, and 75.5% Zn. Assumed refinery payables are 95% Ag, 95% Au, 96.5% Cu, 95% Pb, and 85% Zn. The Resource Estimate is reported at a cut-off grade of 150 g/t AgEq. Unit cost assumptions are $50/t mining, $30.22/t for processing and G&A, and $19.50/t for smelting and refining. Bulk density values applied are 2.72 t/m for the Promontorio and Travesia zone veins and 2.63 t/m for the Europa zone veins. The Resource Estimate is reported on a 100% project basis and reflects reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. The effective date of the Resource Estimate is January 8, 2026. There are no known legal, political, environmental, or other risks that, to the knowledge of the Qualified Persons, could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resources. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the Resource Estimate. Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.

Table 2. Alamos Silver Project - Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate Sensitivity Table





Average Grade Metal Content

Mass AgEq Ag Au Cu Pb Zn AgEq Ag Au Cu Pb Zn Resource Case Ktonnes (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (koz) (koz) (koz) (klbs) (klbs) (klbs) Case 1. 115 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff



Promontorio 4,608 233 118 0.26 0.33 0.94 2.07 34,450 17,487 38.39 33,352 95,877 210,519 Europa 2,459 353 269 0.05 0.47 0.62 1.24 27,889 21,295 3.92 25,295 33,375 67,030 Total 7,067 274 171 0.19 0.38 0.83 1.78 62,339 38,782 42.31 58,647 129,252 277,549



Case 2. 125 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff

Promontorio 4,031 249 126 0.28 0.35 1.02 2.20 32,204 16,290 36.27 31,414 90,843 195,348 Europa 2,418 357 273 0.05 0.47 0.62 1.25 27,721 21,182 3.88 25,099 33,091 66,607 Total 6,449 289 181 0.19 0.40 0.87 1.84 59,925 37,472 40.16 56,513 123,933 261,955 Case 3. 140 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff Promontorio 3,520 266 134 0.30 0.37 1.11 2.36 30,043 15,191 33.57 29,007 86,480 183,041 Europa 2,248 373 286 0.05 0.49 0.65 1.29 26,988 20,688 3.80 24,079 32,164 63,718 Total 5,768 308 194 0.20 0.42 0.93 1.94 57,031 35,879 37.38 53,087 118,644 246,759 Case 4. 150 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff

Promontorio 3,231 276 140 0.31 0.39 1.17 2.46 28,691 14,532 31.86 27,431 83,100 175,023 Europa 2,135 386 295 0.06 0.50 0.67 1.33 26,463 20,274 3.78 23,554 31,669 62,775 Total 5,366 320 202 0.21 0.43 0.97 2.01 55,154 34,806 35.64 50,985 114,769 237,798 Case 5. 165 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff

Promontorio 2,744 297 152 0.33 0.41 1.25 2.60 26,238 13,420 28.89 24,949 75,663 157,356 Europa 2,035 397 304 0.06 0.51 0.69 1.36 25,959 19,910 3.71 23,024 31,128 61,127 Total 4,779 340 217 0.21 0.46 1.01 2.07 52,197 33,330 32.60 47,973 106,791 218,483 Case 6. 175 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff

Promontorio 2,518 309 158 0.34 0.43 1.30 2.71 24,993 12,791 27.48 23,643 72,378 150,307 Europa 1,982 403 309 0.06 0.52 0.70 1.38 25,662 19,693 3.68 22,731 30,661 60,331 Total 4,500 350 225 0.22 0.47 1.04 2.12 50,656 32,484 31.16 46,375 103,039 210,638

The Resource Estimate lies in portions of the 3 veins of the 26 identified veins in the Alamos district, roughly 2 kilometres of approximately 30 known kilometres of cumulative vein strike length (Figures 1-3).





Figure 1. Alamos Silver Project Vein Zones - 55.2 Moz AgEq grading 320 g/t AgEq lies on Promontorio, Travesia, and Europa vein zones located within the black boxed outlines.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3455/281507_image1.jpg

Drill hole spacing within the modeled vein domains averages approximately 80 metres, with locally tighter spacing in higher-grade portions of the Promontorio vein zone. Most of the resource occurs in unmined zones, with partially mined-out areas in the Promontorio vein zone. Interpreted void volumes associated with historical mining have been deducted from the Resource Estimate based on interpretations of historical longitudinal sections, mine maps, and drill hole data. The resource remains open in along strike and down dip on both the Promontorio and Europa vein zones. Multiple other veins in the district have high-grade intercepts that await potential resource definition.





Figure 2. Travesia-Promontorio vein zone longitudinal section. Dotted line indicates the outline of the geological model used in calculating resources. This vein zone comprises 28.7 Moz AgEq grading 276 g/t AgEq. Click to enlarge.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3455/281507_image2.jpg







Figure 3. Europa vein zone longitudinal section. Dotted line indicates the outline of the geological model used in calculating resources. This vein zone comprises 26.5 Moz AgEq grading 386 g/t AgEq. Click to enlarge.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3455/281507_image3.jpg

The Alamos Project Resource Estimate is based on the following key assumptions and parameters: specific gravity values of 2.72 for the Promontorio and Travesia veins and 2.63 for the Europa vein, derived from Minaurum's test work based on 151 wax-coated density measurements; vein domains were modelled to reflect the interpreted vein geology, including vein continuity, thickness, and structural controls; all assays were composited to 1 metre, and grade capping was applied on a vein-by-vein basis, with silver grades capped at up to 3,000 g/t; a 5 m along strike  1 m across strike  2.5 m high block size was selected based on geological constraints and potential future mining methods; and block grades for gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc were estimated using inverse distance squared interpolation; mineral resources were classified as Inferred in accordance with CIM Definition Standards, based on geological confidence, drill hole spacing, sample support, and search criteria. Additional details of the estimation methodology and classification criteria will be provided in the supporting technical report to be filed on the Company's profile on SEDAR+.

A technical report prepared by IMC in accordance with NI 43-101 will be filed on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca within 45 days of the date of this press release.

Phase II - Resource Expansion Drill Program

Minaurum is currently conducting a 50,000-metre core drilling program aimed at expanding the resource at Europa and Promontorio-Travesia, while also completing step-out and in-fill drilling to further evaluate high-grade intercepts in additional vein zones across the Alamos district, including at San Jose, Quintera, Promontorio Sur, Pulpito-Cotera, and Minas Nuevas.

Minaurum intends to provide an updated resource estimate in the second half of 2026. There is no certainty that the Inferred Mineral Resources will be converted to the Measured and Indicated categories through further drilling.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

Qualified Assurance Program and Quality Control Measures ("QA/QC")

Minaurum has implemented QA/QC protocols including insertion of duplicate, blank and standard samples in all drill holes and underground sampling. Ninety-two percent of drill samples were submitted directly to the ALS Chemex in Hermosillo, Mexico, for preparation and sent to ALS Chemex in North Vancouver, BC, Canada, for analysis. During 2024, the Company sent drill samples to ActLabs' facility in Zacatecas, Mexico, for preparation and analysis there, amounting to 8% of the total drill samples. Additional duplicate test work has been conducted on mineralized samples to assess variability of coarse reject and pulp samples. An IMC independent qualified person visited the Alamos project on 2 occasions, the 3-5th of September 2024, and the 18th of November 2025. IMC has reviewed the QA/QC work completed by Minaurum and believes the database is reliable for estimating Mineral Resources.

Qualified Person

The Mineral Resources for the Alamos Project disclosed in this news release have been estimated by Michael G. Hester, FAusIMMVice President of Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. and independent of Minaurum. Mr. Hester is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by CIM council, as amended. Mr. Hester has read and approved the contents of this press release as it pertains to the disclosed mineral resource estimate.

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Data review and verification: Stephen R. Maynard, Vice President of Exploration of Minaurum and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101, reviewed and verified the assay data, and has approved the disclosure in this news release. Verification was done by visual inspection of core samples and comparison to assay results. Assay results have not been checked by re-analysis. No factors were identified that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data presented in this news release.

Analytical Procedures and Quality Assurance/Quality Control: Preparation and assaying of drilling samples from Minaurum's Alamos project are done with strict adherence to a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) protocol. Core samples are sawed in half and then bagged in a secure facility near the site and then shipped either by a licensed courior by Company personnel to ALS Minerals' preparation facility in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. ALS prepares the samples, crushing them to 70% less than 2mm, splitting off 250g, and pulverizing the split to more than 85% passing 75 microns. The resulting sample pulps are prepared in Hermosillo and then shipped to Vancouver for chemical analysis by ALS Minerals. In Vancouver, the pulps are analyzed for gold by fire assay and ICP/AES on a 30-gram charge. In addition, analyses are done for silver, copper, lead, and zinc using 4-acid digestion and ICP analysis. Samples with silver values greater than 100 g/t; and copper, lead, or zinc values greater than 10,000 ppm (1%) are re-analyzed using 4-acid digestion and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS).

Quality-control (QC) samples are inserted in the sample stream every 20 samples on average, and thus represent 5% of the total samples. QC samples include standards, blanks, and duplicate samples. Standards are pulps that have been prepared by a third-party laboratory; they have gold, silver, and base-metal values that are established by an extensive analytical process in which several commercial labs (including ALS Minerals) participate. Standards test the calibration of the analytical equipment. Blanks are rock material known from prior sampling to contain less than 0.005 ppm gold; they test the sample preparation procedure for cross-sample contamination. In the case of duplicates, the sample interval is cut in half and then quartered. The first quarter is the original sample, the second becomes the duplicate. Duplicate samples provide a test of the reproducibility of assays in the same drilled interval. When final assays are received, QC sample results are inspected for deviation from accepted values. To date, QC sample analytical results have fallen in acceptable ranges on the Alamos project.

When final assays are received, QC sample results are inspected for deviation from accepted values by the QP. To date, QC sample analytical results have fallen in acceptable ranges on the Alamos project.

ALS Minerals is independent of Minaurum Silver and is independent of the Qualified Person.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information: 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 Resource Estimate; the ongoing Phase II 50,000 m resource expansion drill program; and the completion of an updated resource estimate in the second half of 2026. 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.

In making the forward-looking information in this release, Minaurum has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on Minaurum's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Minaurum, including that Minaurum will be able to obtain all necessary permits and approvals for planned exploration and drilling activities; that Minaurum's planned drilling and exploration activities will be completed on the expected timeline, or at all; that the results of the drilling and exploration activities will be as expected; that Minaurum will be able to complete the updated mineral resource estimate on the timelines expected, or at all; and that Minaurum will have the financial resources to complete its ongoing drill program and anticipated updated mineral resource estimate. Although Minaurum considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information.

In making the forward-looking information in this release, Minaurum has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on Minaurum's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Minaurum. Although Minaurum considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information, including risks relating to the actual results of drilling or exploration activities, fluctuating silver prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, drilling or exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes and timeliness of government or regulatory approvals.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Minaurum does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281507

Source: Minaurum Silver Inc.
Regulatory News:

Under the liquidity agreement between Legrand (Paris:LR) and BNP Paribas, the following assets were held in the liquidity account at December 31st, 2025:

63,850 shares

- 23,315,122

In the second half of 2025, it has been negotiated a total of:

Number of executions on buy side on semester: 8,760

- Number of executions on sell side on semester: 8,372

- Traded volume on buy side on semester: 976,114 shares for 129,183,273

- Traded volume on sell side on semester: 956,437 shares for 127,119,898

Recap:

At the previous statement date (June 30th, 2025), the following assets were held in the liquidity account:

44,173 shares

- 25,378,497

In the first half of 2025, it has been negotiated a total of:

Number of executions on buy side on semester: 9,746

- Number of executions on sell side on semester: 10,256

- Traded volume on buy side on semester: 1,207,778 shares for 120,513,650

- Traded volume on sell side on semester: 1,221,471 shares for 122,440,503

When the agreement was first put in place, the following assets were held in the liquidity account:

90,346 shares

- 19,880,644

Date Buy Sell Quantity Number of

executions Traded volume Quantity Number of

executions Traded volume 01/07/2025 11 250 51 1 261 687,50 603 8 68 470,65 02/07/2025 4 000 47 449 462,40 8 250 62 928 324,65 03/07/2025 5 000 44 561 625,00 6 500 56 733 562,70 04/07/2025 5 000 55 558 062,50 5 000 44 559 100,00 07/07/2025 3 000 26 337 350,00 3 750 40 422 550,00 08/07/2025 3 600 36 405 384,84 3 600 40 406 194,84 09/07/2025 5 500 71 623 246,80 6 650 78 754 369,35 10/07/2025 13 014 127 1 482 104,60 9 264 88 1 058 545,40 11/07/2025 2 750 31 311 675,10 2 750 28 312 612,58 14/07/2025 5 000 38 563 625,00 15/07/2025 5 250 53 594 674,85 16/07/2025 11 750 43 1 321 562,45 4 750 55 534 362,65 17/07/2025 10 750 57 1 268 524,73 17 500 67 2 089 186,75 18/07/2025 8 250 63 1 014 432,38 21/07/2025 3 750 42 470 487,38 2 500 16 315 212,50 22/07/2025 12 000 143 1 476 712,80 7 800 92 961 352,34 23/07/2025 5 250 64 646 270,80 5 250 63 649 188,23 24/07/2025 7 250 70 910 800,10 8 250 76 1 037 537,33 25/07/2025 6 250 61 777 000,00 6 000 46 747 000,00 28/07/2025 9 500 111 1 205 312,50 9 500 51 1 207 575,40 29/07/2025 4 750 55 603 637,60 4 730 43 601 768,10 30/07/2025 4 500 66 573 335,10 8 250 82 1 053 987,83 31/07/2025 7 000 98 921 615,10 12 000 26 1 593 650,40 01/08/2025 7 000 57 900 186,70 6 000 35 772 921,80 04/08/2025 7 310 71 944 876,71 8 465 69 1 097 223,14 05/08/2025 16 000 195 2 073 836,80 13 500 149 1 752 675,30 06/08/2025 8 000 90 1 031 400,00 8 000 71 1 032 300,00 07/08/2025 5 250 54 682 012,28 6 000 50 780 662,40 08/08/2025 7 250 61 941 387,85 7 250 59 942 724,75 11/08/2025 4 200 38 543 870,18 2 540 40 329 248,01 12/08/2025 6 500 56 845 525,20 13/08/2025 2 076 27 271 890,19 1 550 24 203 417,35 14/08/2025 4 405 29 576 516,27 9 405 99 1 235 079,65 15/08/2025 3 000 26 398 212,50 19/08/2025 5 000 64 666 812,50 5 000 39 667 975,00 20/08/2025 23 750 213 3 119 776,25 17 000 198 2 236 402,70 21/08/2025 1 250 7 163 125,00 3 300 27 431 438,70 22/08/2025 4 500 63 588 424,95 7 750 50 1 014 762,53 25/08/2025 10 000 89 1 305 000,00 7 500 83 981 500,25 26/08/2025 3 750 26 481 125,00 3 750 35 482 742,75 27/08/2025 4 000 39 519 500,00 4 000 14 520 425,20 28/08/2025 6 250 62 812 375,00 6 250 56 813 812,50 29/08/2025 5 750 53 749 249,73 2 344 22 308 043,56 01/09/2025 4 000 37 519 450,00 4 098 30 533 664,10 02/09/2025 19 000 167 2 443 785,70 7 569 78 976 729,49 03/09/2025 4 500 29 573 700,05 11 000 116 1 412 800,40 04/09/2025 3 118 42 400 879,39 11 500 104 1 486 824,65 05/09/2025 3 250 20 426 537,48 3 250 20 428 125,10 08/09/2025 4 728 47 629 314,29 09/09/2025 3 250 30 434 812,63 2 250 20 302 074,43 10/09/2025 4 500 35 613 875,15 4 500 9 616 725,00 11/09/2025 2 500 21 342 875,00 1 000 5 137 800,00 12/09/2025 4 750 52 656 787,73 4 750 44 658 387,53 15/09/2025 3 500 35 488 062,40 3 500 31 489 525,05 16/09/2025 17 500 156 2 419 999,75 2 250 29 313 650,00 17/09/2025 1 730 4 236 702,06 3 480 42 480 718,50 18/09/2025 3 500 32 487 900,00 11 500 59 1 604 237,35 19/09/2025 5 000 32 699 062,50 5 000 33 700 220,00 22/09/2025 5 250 50 740 062,58 23/09/2025 7 000 62 1 000 099,80 7 000 55 1 002 175,30 24/09/2025 9 000 87 1 288 864,80 9 000 64 1 289 549,70 25/09/2025 6 250 58 887 835,63 4 000 11 569 184,40 26/09/2025 7 000 52 1 000 549,90 7 000 68 1 001 762,30 29/09/2025 6 000 66 860 275,20 4 500 67 646 699,95 30/09/2025 13 000 82 1 838 037,50 4 250 35 601 262,38 01/10/2025 3 000 35 418 350,00 3 000 19 418 500,00 02/10/2025 6 250 37 883 125,00 11 750 90 1 661 687,35 03/10/2025 9 500 116 1 370 037,75 9 500 85 1 373 937,50 06/10/2025 13 295 140 1 883 137,04 13 795 115 1 955 991,67 07/10/2025 6 250 52 891 937,50 3 500 34 501 200,00 08/10/2025 4 000 53 572 310,00 10 500 65 1 510 210,80 09/10/2025 8 806 104 1 282 869,53 4 250 58 621 925,03 10/10/2025 14 750 104 2 124 424,80 12 750 132 1 840 662,68 13/10/2025 10 750 118 1 552 850,40 10 750 59 1 563 062,90 14/10/2025 13 250 84 1 882 813,08 13 250 134 1 888 688,13 15/10/2025 2 250 53 327 375,00 2 250 11 328 799,93 16/10/2025 7 500 43 1 095 078,75 12 000 97 1 758 448,80 17/10/2025 29 250 141 4 253 736,83 20 250 248 2 952 626,18 20/10/2025 4 000 45 584 150,00 13 000 89 1 902 200,30 21/10/2025 4 250 72 623 086,98 4 250 44 624 112,50 22/10/2025 12 000 138 1 759 488,00 12 000 96 1 774 087,20 23/10/2025 9 750 85 1 421 174,63 11 000 64 1 605 987,90 24/10/2025 8 250 106 1 212 884,48 9 500 101 1 400 107,15 27/10/2025 6 500 105 970 704,80 6 500 71 971 112,35 28/10/2025 13 763 115 2 034 368,21 13 217 119 1 957 020,04 29/10/2025 4 281 42 636 215,68 4 281 38 637 731,15 30/10/2025 5 000 58 737 625,00 5 000 49 744 787,50 31/10/2025 6 750 49 1 003 274,78 6 750 61 1 005 087,83 03/11/2025 6 750 77 1 007 187,75 6 750 66 1 009 544,18 04/11/2025 22 500 213 3 319 812,00 21 250 237 3 140 393,00 05/11/2025 341 10 50 041,75 341 1 50 195,20 06/11/2025 18 750 31 2 449 875,00 12 500 166 1 640 125,00 07/11/2025 6 500 55 841 874,80 6 500 86 844 131,60 10/11/2025 3 000 20 393 525,00 8 250 82 1 087 887,90 11/11/2025 5 250 53 686 812,35 5 250 86 688 462,43 12/11/2025 9 852 64 1 308 718,99 13/11/2025 19 750 207 2 609 624,78 4 000 34 530 600,00 14/11/2025 26 000 266 3 355 879,80 26 000 188 3 366 841,40 17/11/2025 4 800 50 623 910,24 4 800 47 624 875,04 18/11/2025 21 000 161 2 657 161,50 21 000 213 2 662 833,60 19/11/2025 5 000 41 638 212,50 9 500 77 1 218 337,00 20/11/2025 9 000 77 1 188 112,50 9 000 59 1 189 812,60 21/11/2025 4 000 32 506 375,20 4 000 36 506 975,20 24/11/2025 6 500 125 833 625,00 6 500 60 834 612,35 25/11/2025 7 500 59 957 012,75 7 500 67 961 149,75 26/11/2025 5 500 55 709 600,10 5 500 54 711 012,50 27/11/2025 5 500 46 711 637,30 9 250 80 1 203 739,50 28/11/2025 2 500 8 325 625,00 01/12/2025 5 000 31 647 562,50 02/12/2025 9 500 72 1 231 687,35 9 500 62 1 233 237,75 03/12/2025 30 000 188 3 818 772,00 30 000 209 3 826 530,00 04/12/2025 5 000 62 642 250,00 9 500 35 1 223 999,95 05/12/2025 7 500 31 976 025,25 3 500 33 456 400,00 08/12/2025 3 600 36 464 514,84 7 000 61 906 237,50 09/12/2025 7 500 63 974 625,00 10/12/2025 10 250 109 1 329 275,35 6 500 44 846 562,60 11/12/2025 20 750 157 2 627 775,85 6 250 50 794 750,00 12/12/2025 21 750 104 2 725 488,15 8 500 78 1 081 125,20 15/12/2025 12 250 109 1 532 325,55 16/12/2025 12 000 65 1 496 437,20 12 500 140 1 565 516,25 17/12/2025 12 500 99 1 558 187,50 11 500 128 1 436 412,10 18/12/2025 10 750 155 1 336 849,58 10 750 100 1 337 962,20 19/12/2025 9 000 115 1 125 424,80 9 000 95 1 126 087,20 22/12/2025 3 000 37 377 412,60 5 250 43 662 962,65 23/12/2025 6 500 63 824 075,20 4 250 6 539 500,10 24/12/2025 4 025 55 510 803,90 4 025 32 512 194,94 29/12/2025 6 250 46 791 094,38 7 000 66 887 237,40 30/12/2025 7 750 90 982 273,75 7 750 88 983 229,33 31/12/2025 5 000 28 634 875,00 3 750 15 477 160,50

KEY FINANCIAL DATES

2025 annual results: February 12, 2026

"Quiet period1" starts: January 13, 2026

2026 first-quarter results:: May 7, 2026

"Quiet period 1 " starts: April 7, 2026

"Quiet period " starts: April 7, 2026 General Meeting of Shareholders: May 27, 2026

ABOUT LEGRAND

Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for residential, commercial, and datacenter markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide.

The Group harnesses technological and societal trends with lasting impacts on buildings with the purpose of improving life by transforming the spaces where people live, work and meet with electrical, digital infrastructures and connected solutions that are simple, innovative and sustainable.

Drawing on an approach that involves all teams and stakeholders, Legrand is pursuing a strategy of profitable and responsible growth driven by acquisitions and innovation, with a steady flow of new offerings that include products with enhanced value in use (energy and digital transition solutions: datacenters, digital lifestyles and energy transition offerings).

Legrand reported sales of 8.6 billion in 2024. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and is a component stock of the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG and CAC Transition Climat indexes (code ISIN FR0010307819).

https://www.legrand.com

The reader is invited to verify authenticity of press releases by Legrand with the CertiDox app. More information on www.certidox.com

1 Period of time when all communication is suspended in the run-up to publication of results

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128357714/en/

Contacts:

INVESTOR RELATIONS FINANCIAL COMMUNICATION

Ronan MARC (Legrand), +33 1 49 72 53 53, ronan.marc@legrand.com

PRESS RELATIONS

Lucie DAUDIGNY (TBWA), +33 6 77 20 71 11, lucie.daudigny@tbwa-corporate.com
DAVIE, FL / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / BHG Financial , the leader in small business and unsecured personal loans, today announced a $100,000 donation to Mount Sinai Medical Center's Labor and Delivery Unit, designated to benefit the hospital's Abess Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The donation will help support the NICU in providing specialized, around-the-clock care for premature and medically fragile newborns. Funding will help strengthen resources within the unit, including critical equipment, clinical programs, and services that support infants and their families during the earliest and most vulnerable stages of life.

"Our family experienced the love and dedication from the NICU team at Mount Sinai Medical Center firsthand," Tyler Crawford, President of BHG Financial, said. "When your child is in the NICU, every moment matters. The compassion, skill, and commitment of the caregivers make an immeasurable difference. This gift is deeply personal for us and it's our way of giving back to the team that supports families when they need it most."

"We're deeply grateful to BHG Financial for this generous gift," Gino R. Santorio, President and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center, said. "Their support helps us expand the resources behind the exceptional care our NICU team provides and strengthens the support we offer families during an incredibly stressful and uncertain time."

As a Level III NICU, The Abess NICU at Mount Sinai Medical Center cares for babies born as early as 23 weeks and can address nearly any condition or complication that may arise. The 16-bed unit's extensive team includes respiratory therapists, neonatal rehabilitation specialists, social workers, lactation consultants, and more. The NICU provides advanced medical care for infants requiring specialized monitoring and treatment, along with continued support through the child's first year.

The donation is not only personal to BHG Financial's leadership team, but it also reflects the company's ongoing commitment to investing in the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

About BHG Financial

BHG Financial is a national leader in providing financial solutions to American consumers and financial institutions. Since 2001, BHG has originated over $18.5 billion in loans, helping customers achieve greater financial flexibility in their business and personal lives. With customizable financing, a simplified process, longer loan terms, and personalized service, the BHG Financial approach to lending helps set the company apart in the market. BHG Financial also provides high-quality assets to more than 1,600 national banks that are members of its Institutional Network, one of the largest in the country. Members have access to the BHG Financial state-of-the-art loan delivery platform and premium regulatory services. BHG Financial is partially owned by Pinnacle Bank (PNFP) and has headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Syracuse, NY. For more information, visit bhgfinancial.com/ .

About Mount Sinai Medical Center

Founded in 1949, Mount Sinai Medical Center is the largest independent, private, not-for-profit teaching hospital in South Florida. Mount Sinai's mission is to provide quality health care to a diverse community enhanced through teaching, research, charity care, and financial responsibility. Mount Sinai's Centers of Excellence combine technology, research, and academics to provide innovative and comprehensive care in cardiology, neuroscience, oncology, urology, and orthopedics. One of the original statutory teaching hospitals in the state of Florida, Mount Sinai is the hospital of choice for those who seek the level of expertise and care that only a teaching hospital can offer. Mount Sinai currently offers ten convenient locations in Miami-Dade County, including three emergency centers, and four specialty care offices in Monroe County.

For More Information

BHG Financial

Brooke Niemeyer

Director of Communications

bniemeyer@bhg-inc.com

Mount Sinai Medical Center

Amanda Paz

Director of Content and Communications

amanda.paz@msmc.com

SOURCE: BHG Financial

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/banking-and-financial-services/bhg-financial-donates-100-000-to-support-nicu-care-at-mount-sinai-me-1131221
Skiber Law Welcomes Attorney Megan Skiber Back to Connecticut to Expand Injury Law Practice

NORWALK, CONNECTICUT / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Attorney Megan Skiber has joined Skiber Law, bringing more than ten years of litigation experience across multiple states and practice areas. Her work has focused on helping people move through difficult legal situations with speed, clarity, and purpose.

Attorney Skiber began her legal career in New York in 2011 as Lead Attorney in the Complaints and Title Claims Department at a mortgage banking firm. In that role, she represented lenders, trustees, and investors in high-volume civil matters.

After gaining significant experience working with institutional clients, she shifted her focus to individual advocacy. That decision led her into criminal defense, pardon work, and personal injury law in Connecticut.

While practicing in Connecticut , she represented clients before the Board of Pardons and Paroles, helping them clear their records and move forward. Later, in Washington, she took on a wide range of civil cases, including bankruptcy, family disputes, property issues, and estate planning, often managing several moving parts at once in high-stakes situations.

Attorney Skiber is licensed in Connecticut, New York, Washington, and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. She earned her Juris Doctor from Touro Law School in Central Islip, New York, where she served as Associate Editor and then Research Editor for the Touro Law Review. She received the CALI Award for Academic Excellence in Advanced Legal Research and contributed to published legal work on sentencing law and constitutional protections.

Now returning to Connecticut, she will focus her practice on personal injury law at Skiber Law. Her cross-disciplinary background strengthens the firm's ability to deliver strategic, efficient, and highly personalized support to clients who are facing serious injuries and life-altering disruptions.

She is returning to Connecticut at a time when the firm continues to grow. Her background fits the way Skiber Law handles cases: clear communication, direct access to attorneys, and a focus on moving quickly when clients need help. The team works closely with every client, making sure nothing gets lost in the shuffle.

About Skiber Law

Founded in 2008, Skiber Law has recovered over $100 million for clients and brings more than 50 years of combined experience to serious injury claims across Connecticut. Known for its efficient case handling, honest communication, and real-time attorney access, the firm maintains a strong reputation with judges, insurers, and other attorneys.

Media Contact

Michael Skiber

Michael@skiberlaw.com

203 615 0090

SOURCE: Skiber Law

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/megan-skiber-joins-the-skiber-law-team-1131203
LONDON, ONTARIO / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Treasure Oakes Resources Inc. (the "Company") is pleased to announce it has filed the independent technical report entitled "NI 43-101 TECHNICAL REPORT on the Ferris Lake Project - J. Burns Ni-Prospect Mond and Raymond Townships, Larder Lake Mining District, Ontario, NTS: 41P14A" (the "Technical Report") for its 100% owned flagship Ferris Lake Property located in Northern Ontario, Canada. The report has been filed on SEDAR+ and will also be available on the Company's website. The technical report confirms the project as a "Property of Merit" and recommends a two phase exploration program. A drill permit has been granted by the Ministry of Energy and Mines for a first phase 5,000 meter drill program. Discussions with First Nation communities is ongoing.

"We are excited by the results of the NI 43-101 report and the granting of our drilling permit at Ferris Lake," said Jim Renaud, Chief Executive Officer of Treasure Oakes Resources Inc. "The combination of scale, geologic setting, and early mineralogical indicators underscores the potential of this property to host significant nickel-cobalt-chromium mineralization. With drilling now approved, we look forward to advancing exploration and unlocking potential value for our shareholders."

The NI 43-101 report was prepared by an independent Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo) with international experience across multiple geological models. The study incorporated historic drill core (TM-99-001) housed at the Kirkland Lake Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) core library. The 1999 drill core was re-sampled, with the final 52.2 meters of ultramafic rock cut and analyzed. Thin section analysis was conducted by the Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU) at the University of British Columbia, and preliminary ore characterization was completed by Renaud Geological Consulting Ltd.

Assay results confirm an ultramafic chemistry representing a large homogeneous dunite beneath 342 meters of Gowganda Formation metasediments. Sampling across 52.2 meters of dunite indicates elevated background levels of nickel (average 0.244% Ni), cobalt (average 0.011% Co), and chromium (average 0.105% Cr). The size, chemistry, and geologic setting of the Ferris Lake ultramafic body highlight its strong potential for magmatic nickel sulfide mineralization, representing a compelling exploration target. Historic drill hole TM-99-001 ended in Ni-Co-Cr-bearing dunite at a depth of 395 meters.

Government regional airborne magnetic surveys had identified a prominent bullseye anomaly measuring roughly 4.2 km by 3.8 km, with a mineralized core of approximately 2,400 square meters within a broader 4,000-square-meter target area.

Mineralogical findings from MDRU identified Ni-Co-Cr-bearing phases, while Renaud Geological Consulting Ltd. reported low-sulphur Ni-Co-Cr mineralization including heazlewoodite, cobaltpentlandite, Ni-bearing magnetite, and Ni-bearing chromite.

The Company's consulting geologist generated the grades noted above. The potential quantity and grade of the exploration target are conceptual in nature at this stage, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.

About Ferris Lake Property

The Ferris Lake Property comprises 225 mining claims covering approximately 4,640 hectares and hosts the Ferris Lake Prospect (J. Burns Nickel Occurrence), an 80-claim package located within Mond and Raymond Townships. The Property lies approximately 75 km south-southeast of Timmins, 30 km northwest of Gowganda, and north-northeast of Shining Tree, Ontario.

About Treasure Oakes Resources Inc.

Treasure Oakes Resources Inc. is a Canadian junior exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties with strong potential for critical minerals and precious metals. The Company is committed to responsible exploration practices and creating long-term value for shareholders through the discovery and advancement of high-quality mineral assets in Ontario and beyond.

Forward-Looking Statements and Cautionary Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, exploration results, geological interpretations, permitting, financing, commodity prices, and general economic conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by law. Any reference to potential quantity and grade contained in this press release is conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and that it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Robert Dillman, P.Geo, Director of Treasure Oakes Resources Inc. and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Jim Renaud, Chief Executive Officer and Director

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jim Renaud, PhD, P.Geo.

Chief Executive Officer

E: jim@treasureoakes.com

T: 519-808-3618

SOURCE: Treasure Oakes Resources

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/treasure-oakes-resources-inc.-announces-completion-of-ni-43-101-report-and-drilli-1131252
Torrance, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - David Gammill, the founder of Gammill Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, has officially been recognized as a top-rated personal attorney in California by the 2026 Super Lawyers Awards. This accolade serves to highlight his professional achievements, peer recognition, and dedication to advocating for injured individuals throughout Torrance, Los Angeles County, and across the state of California.











2026 Super Lawyers Awards Celebrate David Gammill, Founder of Gammill Law Accident & Injury Lawyers



Cannot view this image? Visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/281641_image1.jpg

Having built a respected practice as a trusted personal injury lawyer in Torrance, David Gammill focuses exclusively on representing accident victims and their families. He has helped clients handle complex cases, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck collisions, pedestrian injuries, wrongful death, and more. With a client-centered approach built around clear communication and enthusiastic advocacy, he helps individuals affected by injuries achieve the best compensation through personalized strategies.

The Super Lawyers Awards are a prestigious distinction that is awarded through a patented, multiphase selection process designed to find the best in their field and their region. It includes peer nominations, independent research, and evaluations by peers within the practitioner's area of practice. As such, it's given to attorneys who demonstrate high levels of professional achievement and respect from others in their field. Each year, no more than 5% of attorneys in California receive the honor, highlighting its significance.

As such, Gammill's selection is a reflection not just of his legal abilities but also of his reputation for integrity and responsiveness. The team at Gammill Law is proud to be there for clients during some of the most difficult times of their lives, providing compassionate guidance alongside strong representation in both negotiations and at court.

Gammill Law has earned a reputation for standing up to insurance companies and large corporations on behalf of injured victims. Having founded the firm on the principles of compassion and accountability, David Gamill's leadership ensures that clients get the counsel they need and the consistent advocacy they deserve from beginning to end.

With the reception of the 2026 Super Lawyers Award, Gammill's standing as one of the state's most respected personal injury attorneys has been even further cemented. Individuals looking for experienced and trusted representation after an accident can get in touch with the team to find out more.

For more information about Gammill Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, use the contact details below:

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281641

Source: Plentisoft
Herrera succeeds Michael Ensser, who will remain an active member of the Firm after his term in a planned transition.

Egon Zehnder, the world's premier leadership advisory firm, today announced that, in accordance with its established governance and three-year election cycle, German Herrera has been elected as the Firm's next Chair by its worldwide partnership. Herrera will assume the role effective March 1, 2026. He will succeed Michael Ensser, who has held the position since 2022, in a planned succession at the conclusion of his regular term.

Herrera joined the Firm in 1998 in Bogota and has helped shape the Firm's global presence, taking on a broad range of leadership roles, from co-leading the Global Family Business Advisory Practice to serving on the Executive Committee and the Market Council. Most recently, Herrera has guided Egon Zehnder's U.S. market through a period of impressive growth and transformation, which today includes 15 offices and more than 150 consultants. As the first Latinx person in this role in the industry, he actively forges strategic partnerships and joint ventures. With extensive experience advising boards and CEOs on succession, leadership development, and senior talent strategy, Herrera brings a transparent, values-driven, and inclusive leadership style. He is committed to helping organizations unlock leadership potential, build high-performing teams, and tap into diverse talent pools to thrive in today's competitive landscape.

"I am deeply honored by the trust placed in me by my colleagues," said Herrera. "Egon Zehnder is the place for diverse, high-performing global talent, united by a shared commitment and equal partnership with a single global profit center, aligning us around what's best for clients, always. As we look ahead, we are raising our ambition: bringing clients truly distinctive, tailored solutions that unite Executive Search and Leadership Development into a single, powerful offering designed to meet the demands of a new era of leadership."

This leadership transition follows Michael Ensser's tenure, which has been marked by significant growth and transformation, with revenues reaching $966 million USD. Under his guidance, the partnership has expanded its global presence with new office openings in the U.S., Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and a number of European markets. During this period, the Firm also acquired the Prince Houston Group in New York, launched new transformational programs for C-Suite and board-level executives, and most recently, announced a strategic partnership with Harvard Business Review for its innovative HBR Executive offering.

"It has been a privilege to serve as Chair and to work alongside such a remarkable team," said Ensser. "I am proud of what we have accomplished together and look forward to supporting German and the Firm during this transition. Our purpose-leadership for a better world-guides everything we do, and I look forward to the work with our new Chair, German, who will further shape a global Firm that is here to help our clients flourish in an ever-changing landscape."

About Egon Zehnder

Egon Zehnder is the world's premier leadership advisory Firm, inspiring leaders to navigate complex questions with human answers. We help organizations get to the heart of their leadership challenges and offer honest feedback and insights to help leaders realize their true being and purpose. We are built on a foundation that supports partnership in the truest sense of the word and aligns our interests with the interests of our clients. Our 600 consultants across 70 offices and 36 countries are former industry and functional leaders who collaborate seamlessly to deliver the full power of the Firm to every client, every time. We believe that together we can transform people, organizations and the world through leadership.

For more information, visit egonzehnder.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128350871/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts

Martin Klusmann, Berlin

martin.klusmann@egonzehnder.com

Cheryl Martel, Washington, D.C

cheryl.martel@egonzehnder.com

Luisa Bond, Sao Paulo

luisa.bond@egonzehnder.com

Catharina Roltsch, Germany, Austria, Switzerland

catharina.roltsch@egonzehnder.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Metavista3D Inc. (TSXV: DDD) (FSE: E3T) ("Metavista3D" or the "Company") is pleased to report that the Company was featured in Netzwelt's editorial coverage of innovations showcased during CES 2026. Netzwelt, one of Germany's leading technology outlets, included Metavista3D among its CES 2026 Innovation Award highlights coverage, further elevating the Company's profile with European audiences.

Netzwelt's highlights article surveys notable technologies and emerging trends presented at CES 2026. Metavista3D's inclusion in this coverage reflects the broader industry appetite for the Company's advanced 3D display solutions.

"Earning a mention in Netzwelt's CES highlights is a strong validation of the technology solutions we are developing and their applications across industry sectors," said Jeff Carlson, Chief Executive Officer of Metavista3D. "We're grateful for the recognition and excited to continue pushing the boundaries of 3D spatial display innovations."

The Netzwelt CES article can be found here: https://www.netzwelt.de/news/249903-netzwelt-innovation-award-2026-spannendsten-highlights-ces.html. The article is only available in the German language.

About Metavista3D

Metavista3D Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary psHolix AG, is developing AI-driven, pseudo-holographic display technologies aimed at enabling glasses-free 3D visualization of spatial content. The Company holds a portfolio of over 20 patents related to this technology. For more information, visit www.metavista3D.com.

Metavista3D's shares are publicly traded and listed in Canada on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol DDD, and on the German Stock Exchange in Frankfurt and others under the ticker symbol E3T.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. When used in this news release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information with respect to, among other things, the development and expansion of the Company's technology and the Company's business objectives. This information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Such information reflects the Company's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and is subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in the Company's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including, without limitation, those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release and such forward-looking information included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities.

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/281960

Source: Metavista3D, Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Hertz Energy Inc. (CSE: HZ) (OTCQB: HZLIF) (FSE: A340) ("Hertz Energy" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that is has entered into an Option Agreement with Strategic Metals Ltd. to acquire a 100% interest in the Crag and Rod properties, together with and including the Craig silver-lead-zinc deposit (collectively, the "Project"), located in east-central Yukon.

The Crag and Rod projects are situated within the Craig Belt, a prospective sub-belt of the ~175-kilometre-long Rackla Belt, a region recognized for hosting some of Yukon's highest-grade silver-lead-zinc and gold mineralization (Figure 1). The Project represents one of the most compelling high-grade polymetallic exploration opportunities in the district, situated within a regionally significant structural corridor associated with the Dawson Thrust Fault, a major crustal-scale structure interpreted to control mineralizing fluid flow.

The Craig Deposit is a drill-defined silver-lead-zinc asset that remains open along strike and at depth, offering significant potential for resource expansion. Historical drilling has returned numerous high-grade intercepts, including intervals exceeding 200 g/t silver with substantial lead and zinc values.

Historical diamond drilling at the Craig Deposit intersected high-grade base-metal mineralization, including (source: Strategic Metals Ltd.):

4.26 metres grading 24.1% Zn, 4.3% Pb and 48 g/t Ag

8.31 metres grading approximately 102 g/t Ag, 4.8% Pb and 4.4% Zn

In addition to base-metal mineralization, historical geochemical and mineralogical studies identified gold-bearing arsenic sulphide assemblages, with rock samples returning elevated gold values locally up to approximately 9.5 g/t Au, suggesting Carlin-style gold affinity.

In addition to the Craig Deposit, the Project includes a 14-kilometre mineralized corridor hosting multiple under-explored zones such as Discovery, Trent, Azure, Nadaleen, and Scott. These zones exhibit Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) and vein-hosted base-metal mineralization, as well as Carlin-style pathfinder geochemistry, highlighting strong potential for new discoveries across the broader land package.

The surrounding claims that include Crag and Rod cover approximately 31,200 hectares of highly prospective ground, providing Hertz with a large, consolidated land position in a proven and mining-friendly jurisdiction. The consolidation of the Craig Deposit with the Crag and Rod project areas significantly strengthens Hertz's strategic footprint within the Rackla Belt and positions the Company for district-scale exploration success. The Rod Project is positioned adjacent to the Crag Project and expands the prospective structural corridor. Historical exploration documents multiple styles of mineralization including silver-dominant veins, stratiform base-metal occurrences, and structurally controlled polymetallic systems. Historical soil geochemical surveys outlined very strong multi-element anomalies, including values of (source: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2009):

Silver values of 20 to 293 ppm

Antimony values of 20 to 918 ppm

Lead values of 1,000 to 20,700 ppm

Zinc values up to 60,400 ppm

Rock sampling and trenching at several Rod showings returned significant historical assays including up to 193 g/t Ag with multi-percent Zn over ~1.0 metre. Together, the Crag and Rod properties form a contiguous, district-scale land position prospective for both base-metal and precious-metal discoveries. The combination of historical high-grade drill intercepts, multiple mineralization styles, kilometre-scale structural and geochemical trends, and extensive areas lacking modern drill testing supports the exploration potential of the Crag-Rod project areas.

Hertz Energy views the Craig Deposit, along with the broader Crag and Rod projects, as a cornerstone acquisition and a critical step in advancing the Company's portfolio of high-quality, critical mineral exploration assets. High-grade silver deposits are increasingly rare, and demand for silver, zinc, and lead continues to grow due to their critical roles in clean energy, electrification, and industrial applications. Located in a politically stable, Tier-1 jurisdiction, the Craig Deposit and broader Crag and Rod properties offers an attractive value proposition, combining high grades, established mineralization, and substantial exploration upside.





Figure 1: Craig Deposit, including Rod and Crag properties, on Rackla Belt, Yukon. Credit: Strategic Metals Ltd.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9656/281957_hertzfig1.jpg

Figure 2: Rod and Crag property soil geochemistry. Credit: Strategic Metals Ltd.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9656/281957_d6229cbec413db6e_002full.jpg

Figure 3: Crag property mineralization. Credit: Strategic Metals Ltd.



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9656/281957_d6229cbec413db6e_003full.jpg

Option Agreement Terms

Under the Option Agreement executed January 27, 2026, Hertz Energy Inc. will earn a 100% interest in the Crag and Rod Properties (which include the Criag Deposit) from Strategic Metals Ltd. for a total consideration of $2.35 million (the "Transaction"), comprised of $100,000 in cash upon execution, 2,500,000 common shares of Hertz issued within 10 business days of execution at a deemed value of $0.30 per share, and an additional $1.5 million payable in cash or Hertz common shares (at the Company's election) on or before the earlier of (i) ten days following receipt of a Yukon quartz mining land use permit to conduct drilling or (ii) the first anniversary of the agreement. Upon exercise of the Option, Strategic Metals Ltd. shall retain a 2.0% Net Smelter Returns (NSR) royalty on all mineral production from the properties, whereby Hertz has the right to buy down 50% of the royalty (reducing it to a 1.0% NSR) at any time prior to a production decision by delivering 500 ounces of gold or the cash equivalent to Strategic Metals Ltd.

The parties to the Option Agreement are at arm's length and there are no finder's fees payable associated with the Transaction.

Cautionary Statements

All scientific and technical information contained in this news release are historical in nature unless otherwise stated. Historical results referenced herein have not been verified by the Company's Qualified Person and should not be relied upon.

Qualified Person Statement

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul Teniere, P.Geo., a Geological Consultant to the Company and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101.

About Hertz Energy Inc.

The Company is a British Columbia based junior exploration company primarily engaged in the acquisition and exploration of energy metals mineral properties. The Company's lithium exploration projects include the Agastya Lithium Project in James Bay, Quebec. Hertz Energy's 100% owned Harriman Antimony Project in the Gaspe Region of Quebec and the Lake George Antimony-Gold-Tungsten Project in New Brunswick are part of the Company's growing property portfolio.

For further information, please contact Mr. Kal Malhi or view the Company's filings at www.sedarplus.ca.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements in this news release include but are not limited to, statements about the Offering and the Company's expectations with respect to the foregoing. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements in this news release include the tax treatment of the FT Shares. All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "Deposits", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration, risks related to environmental regulation and liability. the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies, 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, results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those Deposited in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281957

Source: Hertz Energy Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Cartier Silver Corporation (CSE: CFE) ("Cartier Silver" or the "Company") reports that, further to its press release dated July 31, 2025, the proposed sale of a 15% equity interest in its Bolivian subsidiary, Minera Cartier Bolivia S.R.L. ("Cartier Bolivia") will not proceed. The funds that were advanced to Cartier Silver in respect of the proposed sale have been returned by Cartier Silver to the potential buyer. Accordingly, the Company continues to hold its 98% equity interest in Cartier Bolivia.

Although an agreement in principle was reached on July 21, 2025, with a Bolivian-based arm's length party to acquire a 15% equity interest in Cartier Bolivia for proceeds of US$500,000, a definitive agreement formalizing the transaction was not concluded. The parties have agreed to terminate their efforts to settle the terms of such an agreement and accordingly, the US$500,000 advance payment has been returned by Cartier Silver.

About Cartier Silver Corporation

Cartier Silver is an exploration and development Company focused on discovering and developing its recently acquired silver property assets, including the Chorrillos Project and claims staked by the Company's subsidiary, all of which are located in the Potosi Department of southern Bolivia. The Company also holds significant iron ore resources at its Gagnon Holdings in the southern Labrador Trough region of east-central Quebec, and the Big Easy gold property in the Burin Peninsula epithermal gold belt in the Avalon Zone of eastern Newfoundland & Labrador.

For further information please visit Cartier Silver's website at www.cartiersilvercorp.com

The CSE has not reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Statements in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" & readers are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance, & that actual developments or results, may vary materially from those in these "forward-looking statements".

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281975

Source: Cartier Silver Corporation
Fifth Largest Conveyor Car Wash Company Expands South Carolina Footprint

THOMASTON, GEORGIA / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Tidal Wave Auto Spa, one of the nation's fastest-growing car wash companies, is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its brand-new Myrtle Beach location at 111 Sapwood Road .

To celebrate the grand opening, the new Myrtle Beach location is offering twelve days of free premium car washes from January 28 to February 8. This limited-time promotion lets customers experience the company's premium wash option, Graph-X4, at no cost.

"We're thrilled to open our third location in Myrtle Beach," said Tidal Wave Auto Spa CEO and Founder Scott Blackstock. "We opened our first wash in this community in 2024, and we're proud to continue investing in this market to expand access and convenience for our customers. We look forward to serving Myrtle Beach residents for years to come."

New Myrtle Beach, SC Location : 111 Sapwood Road, Myrtle Beach, SC 29579

Nearby Locations: Myrtle Beach - Kings Rd , Myrtle Beach - Dick Pond Rd , Conway

Tidal Wave Auto Spa is committed to providing every customer with an exceptional car wash experience through industry-leading car care technology, clean and welcoming locations, and friendly customer service. With single wash options starting at $15, unlimited car wash memberships and family plans, and fleet plans for businesses, Tidal Wave delivers wash options to fit every need.

Tidal Wave proudly serves customers at 306 express wash locations across the United States, including twenty-five South Carolina locations . The company will continue its growth this year with openings planned in North Carolina , Oklahoma , Florida , Alabama , Tennessee , South Carolina and more.

For additional information about Tidal Wave Auto Spa, please visit: https://www.tidalwaveautospa.com/ .

About Tidal Wave Auto Spa

Tidal Wave Auto Spa was founded over 20 years ago in Thomaston, GA, by husband and wife, Scott and Hope Blackstock. What started as a small-town self-service car wash business evolved into the first conveyor car wash open in Georgia and is now the fifth-largest conveyor car wash company in the nation, with 306 locations spanning 30 states. Tidal Wave is dedicated to delivering an exceptional car wash experience for every customer through industry-leading car care technology, clean and inviting locations, and outstanding customer service. The company is equally committed to making a positive difference in the communities it serves, raising over $7 million for local programs, service organizations, and non-profit organizations through its fundraising program and annual Charity Day event.

Contact Information:

media@tidalwaveautospa.com

SOURCE: Tidal Wave Auto Spa

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/transportation/tidal-wave-auto-spa-opens-third-express-wash-in-myrtle-beach-south-carolina-1131421
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Syntheia Corp. (CSE: SYAI) ("Syntheia" or the "Company") (syntheia.ai) is pleased to announce that, further to its press release on January 15, 2026, it has settled an aggregate of $100,000.00 of indebtedness to an arm's length creditor of the Company through the issuance of 833,334 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a price of $0.12 per Common Share (the "Debt Settlement"). The Common Shares issued pursuant to the Debt Settlement are subject to a four-month hold period.

Furthermore, the Company would like to announce that the proposed private placement equity financing, being offered pursuant to a listed issuer financing exemption offering document filed on January 19, 2026, will not be proceeding due to the Company deciding to seek alternative strategic financing options. The Company will make an announcement in this regard if and when arranged.

About Syntheia

Syntheia is an artificial intelligence technology company which is developing and commercializing proprietary algorithms to deliver human-like conversations and deploying our technology to enhance customer satisfaction while dramatically reducing turnover and traditional staffing issues.

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. Forward-looking statements in this news release includes, but are not limited to, the synergies derived from the acquisition of the assets in the Transaction. 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/281974

Source: Syntheia Corp.
Parliaments Budget Session begins with President Droupadi Murmus address, setting the stage for the Economic Survey on January 29 and the Union Budget on February 1, as debates centre on growth, fiscal priorities and policy direction

Parliaments Budget Session began today with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, formally opening the session that will see the presentation of the Economic Survey on Thursday and the Union Budget on Sunday.

The session comes against the backdrop of heightened expectations around growth, fiscal consolidation and welfare spending, with the Economic Survey of India scheduled to be tabled on January 29, followed by the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1.

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Prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance under the supervision of the Chief Economic Adviser, the Economic Survey will provide a comprehensive assessment of macroeconomic trends and key indicators for 2025-26 (AprilMarch), along with an outlook for the coming financial year. Traditionally seen as a curtain-raiser to the Budget, the Survey is expected to frame the policy narrative ahead of the Finance Ministers budget speech.

Session schedule and focus on financial business

The Budget Session is scheduled to run for 30 sittings spread over 65 days and is scheduled to conclude on April 2. Parliament is slated to adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9, allowing the Standing Committees to scrutinise the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.

The first part of the session is scheduled to be largely devoted to financial business, including the Union Budget for 2026-27 and the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents Address. Essential legislative and other business is expected to be taken up mainly during the second part of the session.

Political pitch ahead of Budget

An all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday outlined the agenda for the session. Leaders across party lines flagged issues they intend to raise while assuring cooperation for the smooth functioning of Parliament.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore said the party would focus on people-centric issues, including allegations of vote theft, concerns over SIR, paddy procurement and the future of MGNREGA. Biju Janata Dal MP Sasmit Patra said his party had highlighted farmer distress in Odisha, delays in paddy procurement and pending issues such as coal royalty revision, connectivity gaps and rising unemployment.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said opposition members raised concerns over pollution, unemployment and SIR, while Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh accused the government of failing on foreign policy and flagged issues related to voter deletions.

Leaders from several parties, including Union ministers and MPs, arrived in the national capital ahead of the session. Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal said the state was expecting its rightful share in the 2026 Union Budget and called for rectifying what he described as the adverse impact of past Finance Commission decisions on Keralas finances.

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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju urged all parties to cooperate to ensure productive proceedings. He said discussions during the session should primarily revolve around the Budget, noting that the government was prepared to discuss all important issues on the floor of the House in accordance with parliamentary rules.

With the Economic Survey and Union Budget at the heart of the session, the coming weeks are expected to see intense debate on Indias economic trajectory, fiscal priorities and the policy roadmap for 2026-27, even as the government pushes ahead with its legislative agenda and opposition parties sharpen their scrutiny.

With inputs from agencies.
Chevron is negotiating improved contractual terms with Iraq as it weighs acquiring the West Qurna 2 oilfield from Russias Lukoil, after Iraq nationalised the asset following US sanctions linked to the Ukraine war

Chevron seeks better terms to buy Iraqs West Qurna 2 oilfield from Lukoil after nationalisation. File image

US oil major Chevron is pressing Iraq to improve the commercial terms of the giant West Qurna 2 oilfield as a condition for buying the project from Russias Lukoil, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The talks come weeks after Iraq moved to nationalise the field following US sanctions on Lukoil, part of Washingtons effort to pressure Moscow over its war in Ukraine. The sanctions have made it increasingly difficult for Lukoil to operate its overseas assets, including West Qurna 2, one of the worlds largest oilfields.

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West Qurna 2 accounts for around 0.5 per cent of global oil supply and nearly 10 per cent of Iraqs crude output.

Chevron, oil ministry in talks on terms

Days after the nationalisation, Iraqs oil minister confirmed that discussions were under way with Chevron regarding the field. According to the report, Chevron and the Iraqi oil ministry are negotiating improved contractual terms to ensure better returns on the project.

Any agreement on revised terms would require approval from Iraqs cabinet, the report said.

Iraqs oil ministry said negotiations with Chevron were continuing. The negotiations are still ongoing, with many details remaining under discussion, the ministry told Reuters.

Under the US sanctions regime, Lukoil has until February 28 to divest its stake in West Qurna 2.

Strategic push into Iraq

A deal for West Qurna 2 would mark a deeper push into Iraq for Chevron, following its broader international expansion after completing the $53 billion acquisition of US oil producer Hess in 2025.

Iraq, the worlds seventh-largest oil producer, has in recent years sought to lure back global oil majors by improving the terms of its upstream contracts. Over the past two years, Baghdad has shifted away from rigid service contracts towards profit-sharing agreements, reversing an earlier exodus of foreign producers frustrated by low returns.

Major companies such as TotalEnergies and BP have signed deals with combined investment pledges exceeding $50 billion, signalling renewed confidence in Iraqs oil sector.

Lukoils West Qurna 2 project, however, falls under the older service contract model. Signed in the aftermath of the 2003 US-led invasion, it is considered one of the least lucrative contracts in Iraqs portfolio, according to the report.

Output growth, targets missed

Iraqs crude output has risen to more than 4 million barrels per day in 2025, up from around 2.5 million bpd before 2003. Still, the country has fallen well short of the ambitious post-war targets it once set of boosting capacity to between 9 million and 12 million bpd.

In the interim, state-run Basra Oil Company has taken over operations at West Qurna 2 for an initial 12-month period while ownership issues are resolved, two company officials told Reuters.

For Iraq, securing a new operator on improved terms could help stabilise production at one of its most critical assets. For Chevron, the outcome of the talks will determine whether West Qurna 2 fits into its strategy of pursuing higher-return projects amid heightened geopolitical and sanctions-related risks.

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After nearly two decades of stop-start negotiations, India and the European Union have concluded their largest-ever free trade agreement, unlocking sweeping tariff cuts, deeper services access and a strategic economic partnership spanning nearly two billion consumers

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shakes hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as European Council President Antonio Costa watches during joint press statements after their meeting in New Delhi. India and the European Union announced the "mother of all deals", a huge trade pact to create a market of two billion people, reached after two decades of negotiations. AFP

India and the European Union have concluded a landmark free trade agreement, ending nearly two decades of negotiations marked by repeated breakdowns, shifting political priorities and tough trade-offs on tariffs, market access and regulation. Once implemented, the pact will be the largest trade deal ever signed by both sides, covering a market of nearly 2 billion consumers and close to a quarter of global GDP.

The agreement is expected to reshape trade flows between the worlds fourth-largest economy and its ninth-largest trading partner, while serving as a strategic hedge for both amid rising geopolitical tensions and global supply-chain disruptions.

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Nearly 20 years in the making

Negotiations for an IndiaEU FTA were first launched in 2007, at a time when India was rapidly opening its economy and the EU was aggressively expanding its network of trade pacts across Asia. Early ambitions were high: the deal was billed as a comprehensive agreement covering goods, services, investment, government procurement and intellectual property.

However, progress soon ran into structural disagreements.

By 2010-11, fault lines had emerged over automobile tariffs, wines and spirits, pharmaceutical patents, data protection rules and market access for services. The EU pushed for steep cuts in Indias import duties on cars and alcohol, while India resisted, citing the need to protect domestic manufacturing and farmers.

The talks formally collapsed in 2013, after 16 rounds of negotiations, as both sides hardened their positions. India objected to EU demands on intellectual property protections that it feared could raise medicine prices, while Brussels was unhappy with Indias reluctance to open up public procurement and lower industrial tariffs.

For nearly a decade thereafter, the FTA remained frozen.

Why talks stayed stalled for years

Between 2014 and 2021, India adopted a more cautious trade posture. New Delhi walked away from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2019 and became increasingly sceptical of large, multi-sector trade deals, arguing that earlier agreements had led to import surges without commensurate export gains.

At the same time, the EU was preoccupied with Brexit, internal economic strains and negotiating trade deals with partners such as Japan, Canada and Vietnam. India slipped down Brussels list of immediate priorities.

The political climate also shifted. India grew wary of what it saw as the EUs growing emphasis on environmental standards, labour rules and sustainability clauses, viewing them as potential non-tariff barriers.

A reset after 2022

The stalemate broke in 2022, when India and the EU formally agreed to relaunch negotiations amid a changing global landscape. The Covid-19 pandemic, supply-chain disruptions and the Russia-Ukraine war pushed both sides to diversify trade partners and reduce strategic dependencies.

Crucially, the scope of talks was restructured. Instead of a single mega-agreement, negotiations were split into three parallel tracks: a Free Trade Agreement, an Investment Protection Agreement, and a Geographical Indications (GI) pact.

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This modular approach helped negotiators make progress without letting disagreements in one area derail the entire process.

Between 2022 and 2025, negotiators held 14 formal rounds, supported by frequent technical and political-level discussions. Progress remained uneven, particularly on automobiles, services and sustainability commitments, but momentum steadily built as both sides showed greater flexibility.

The final push

The last formal negotiating round took place in October 2025, after which talks entered a political phase. Compromises were struck on some of the most sensitive issues, notably through quota-based tariff reductions on cars, long transition periods for industrial goods and calibrated market access in services.

By January 2026, both sides declared negotiations concluded, closing one of the longest-running and most complex trade talks India has ever undertaken.

What the agreement delivers

Under the FTA, India will cut or eliminate tariffs on 96.6 per cent of EU goods exports, saving European companies up to 4 billion (around $4.8 billion) a year in import duties, according to the European Commission. EU goods exports to India are expected to double by 2032 once the agreement is fully implemented.

One of the most closely watched concessions is in automobiles. India will gradually reduce car import tariffs from 110 per cent to 10 per cent, subject to an annual quota of 250,000 vehicles, while duties on auto components will be scrapped over five to ten years. Beyond the quota, India has made clear it expects European carmakers to invest and manufacture locally.

Tariffs on machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, aircraft and medical equipment will also be phased out over transition periods of up to 10 years. In agri-food, India has agreed to cut steep duties on products such as wines and olive oil, while continuing to protect sensitive sectors like dairy, rice and sugar.

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Beyond goods, the pact grants EU firms Indias deepest-ever commitments in services, including financial services and maritime transport, and strengthens intellectual property protections, addressing long-standing concerns of European businesses.

Why it matters strategically

The EU and India currently trade over 180 billion (around $216 billion) worth of goods and services annually, with EU exports to India alone standing at 75 billion (around $90 billion) in 2024. Trade with India supports around 800,000 jobs in the EU, while European investment stocks in India total over 140 billion (around $168 billion).

For India, the deal signals a calibrated shift towards deeper trade integration without abandoning its Make in India strategy. For the EU, it offers a foothold in one of the worlds fastest-growing major economies at a time when Europe is seeking to reduce dependence on a narrow set of global suppliers.

Political and economic hurdles ahead

Despite its conclusion, the agreement still faces important hurdles. On the EU side, the legal text must undergo scrutiny, translation into all official languages and approval by the European Council and the European Parliament. In India, the pact will require cabinet approval and ratification.

Domestically, India must manage concerns from sectors wary of increased competition, particularly in automobiles and agri-food. European policymakers, meanwhile, will face scrutiny over labour standards, environmental commitments and safeguards for sensitive farming sectors.

Once ratified, the agreement is expected to enter into force in phases starting next year, with tariff cuts rolled out gradually over several years. The pace and effectiveness of implementation will determine whether the FTA delivers its promised gains, cheaper imports for consumers, expanded export opportunities for businesses and deeper strategic ties between New Delhi and Brussels.

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For years, trade negotiations between India and the European Union were viewed largely through the lens of tariffs, market access, and export numbers. But the most consequential outcome of the newly signed IndiaEU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) may lie elsewhere. Co-creationnot trade volumes alonemay be the most underestimated outcome of this agreement, Sonia Prashar, Secretary General of the Federation of European Business in India (FEBI), told Firstpost.

This agreement enables joint manufacturing, shared R&D, global capability centers, green hydrogen projects, and digital innovation hubs serving global markets, Prashar said. If leveraged fully, the FTA positions India and Europe not just as trading partners but as co-architects of future technologies and sustainable value chains. That is the real long-term dividend.

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Signed after nearly two decades of intermittent negotiations, the IndiaEU FTA marks a decisive shift in the economic relationship between the two sides, moving it beyond tariff reductions towards deeper industrial integration, technology collaboration, and supply-chain resilience.

European firms have long flagged Indias tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and compliance complexity as major constraints. According to Prashar, the FTA delivers its biggest breakthroughs in manufacturing-heavy sectors where these frictions were most acute.

These include machinery and capital goods, automotive and mobility, electronics and electricals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, she said. Equally important are non-tariff gainssimplified compliance, customs facilitation, and regulatory predictabilitywhich matter deeply for advanced manufacturing, clean technologies, and digital industries.

For many European companies, the agreement is less about headline tariff cuts and more about making India a reliable, scalable base for global operations. Addressing scepticism built after years of stalled talks, Prashar pointed to three tangible outcomes expected within the first year of implementation.

First, immediate improvement in market access and sourcing flexibility68 percent of EU companies expect better market access, and 60 per cent anticipate smoother supply chain integration, she said. Second, investment acceleration, with 75 per cent of respondents saying the FTA will directly increase their investments. Third, operational ease: 52 per cent expect measurable gains from easier compliance, particularly around customs, certifications, and regulatory clarity.

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These are measurable outcomes companies can track within the first 12 months, she added. In the near term, the biggest gains are expected in manufacturing and supply chains, followed by energy and renewables, automotive and mobility, electronics and industrial services.

These are sectors where European companies are already deeply invested and where nearly 69 per cent are planning further manufacturing expansion in India, Prashar said. Digital services, global capability centers, and sustainability-linked investments are expected to follow quickly, especially where talent and skills are the key drivers.

The FTAs conclusion after nearly 20 years of negotiations was made possible by two decisive shifts, Prashar said.

First, geopolitical reality: Europe and India now see each other as essential partners for economic security and supply-chain resilience, she said. Second, Indias economic maturity. India is no longer negotiating from potential alone, but from scale, stability, and execution capability.

The agreement is already unlocking planned investments rather than speculative interest. Around 75 per cent of EU firms say the FTA will directly increase their investments in India, with more than a quarter preparing investments exceeding 100 million.

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Capital will flow selectively, Prashar cautioned. States and sectors that deliver fast approvals, stable regulation, and strong infrastructure will attract investment first. The FTA removes structural barriers; execution will determine speed.

Three years from now, success will be visible across trade volumes, investment flows, and employment outcomes, she said. EU exports to India are expected to double, bilateral trade should move decisively higher, and EU foreign direct investment should accelerate further.

But the most important shift, Prashar said, will be Indias transformation from a consumption market into a manufacturing, R&D, and services hub for Europe. The metric to watch is not just jobs created, but value-added jobs in technology, manufacturing, and clean energy.
India seeks US clearance and Caracas cooperation as ONGC Videsh looks to recover years of blocked earnings from sanctioned Venezuelan oil assets

India in talks with US, Venezuela to unlock $600 million in ONGC Videsh dividends stuck due to sanctions. File Image/Reuters

India is holding government-level discussions with both the United States and Venezuela to resolve the long-pending issue of nearly $600 million in dividends stuck for ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) in the South American nation, Moneycontrol reported on Tuesday, citing officials sources.

The stranded investments relate to OVLs investments in Venezuelan oil projects that have remained largely unremunerative due to years of US sanctions on Caracas and its state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PdVSA).

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OVL, the overseas arm of state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), holds a 40 per cent stake in the San Cristobal field and an 11 per cent stake in the Carabobo-1 project in Venezuela. Both assets are operated by PdVSA. However, sanctions imposed by Washington severely restricted financial transactions, preventing the Indian firm from repatriating earnings for several years.

Ministerial-level talks are underway for the stuck dividend payments from Venezuela, and we hope things will move faster now, a source familiar with the discussions told Moneycontrol.

Sanctions choke cash flows

The two Venezuelan assets have remained underutilised amid sanctions, chronic underinvestment and payment constraints, leaving dividends and receivables effectively stranded. PdVSA had earlier agreed to compensate OVL through crude oil shipments instead of cash, but logistical and compliance hurdles limited the effectiveness of that arrangement.

In 2024, ONGC Videsh sought a specific licence from the US Department of the Treasury to continue operations and unlock payments in Venezuela.

Venezuelas fading role in Indias oil basket

US sanctions also sharply curtailed Indias crude oil imports from Venezuela. According to data from Rubix Data Sciences, Venezuelas share in Indias crude imports fell to 1.1 per cent in FY21, before dropping to zero in FY22 and FY23 as Indian refiners halted purchases due to elevated compliance risks and transaction costs.

A limited revival was seen in FY24, when Venezuelas share recovered marginally to 0.6 per cent, valued at about $802 million, following partial easing of US sanctions in late 2023.

This marked a steep decline from Venezuelas earlier prominence. Between FY18 and FY20, the country was among Indias top six crude suppliers, accounting for 5.96.7 per cent of total imports. In value terms, imports peaked at $7.2 billion in FY19.
Move follows Maduros capture, as Washington shifts from company-by-company waivers to a broader sanctions relief aimed at reviving oil exports and investment in Venezuela

US officials are preparing to issue a general license that would ease sanctions on Venezuelas energy sector, a move aimed at jumpstarting oil exports and accelerating investment after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The planned license would mark a shift from Washingtons earlier approach of granting individual exemptions to companies seeking to do business with Venezuela. A broader authorization would unclog approvals, revive stalled projects and help implement a proposed $2 billion oil supply deal between Caracas and Washington, alongside an ambitious $100 billion reconstruction plan for Venezuelas oil industry.

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The change comes as the US seeks to stabilise oil flows from the OPEC member, whose output and exports have been battered by years of sanctions, underinvestment and infrastructure decay.

Why Washington is changing tack

Following Maduros capture, US officials signalled that sanctions imposed on Venezuelas energy industry would be eased to facilitate a reset in bilateral energy ties. However, the initial plan to rely on company-by-company licenses has proven cumbersome.

Major partners and customers of state oil firm PDVSA, including Chevron, Repsol, ENI and several US oil service providers, have filed a flurry of individual applications in recent weeks to expand production or exports. The sheer volume of requests has slowed decision-making and delayed efforts to quickly ramp up exports and investment, the report said.

A general license, officials now believe, would remove bottlenecks and provide clarity to companies waiting on approvals.

Sanctions history and shifting US policy

Venezuelas entire energy sector was designated under US sanctions by the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control in 2019, after Maduros first re-election, a vote Washington did not recognise.

Since then, sanctions have waxed and waned depending on the US administration, shaped by executive orders and licenses that selectively exempted certain producers and buyers.

Under former president Joe Biden, a broad license allowed many companies to export Venezuelan oil, helping lift crude production and shipments until early last year. That policy was reversed after Donald Trump began his second term, revoking the authorisation to increase pressure on Maduro and ordering companies to wind down operations.

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In December, Trump also imposed a blockade on all sanctioned vessels entering or leaving Venezuela, sharply cutting oil exports to about 500,000 barrels per day that month from 952,000 bpd in November.

Exports struggle, inventories pile up

Despite last years average exports of around 850,000 bpd PDVSA has struggled in recent weeks. The blockade triggered a rapid buildup of crude inventories, forcing output cuts in early January.

Some relief has come from US licenses granted this month to trading houses Vitol and Trafigura, allowing them to supply up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to the US and other destinations. Those approvals have already helped drain about 11.3 million barrels from storage, according to PDVSA documents and shipping data. Even so, millions of barrels remain stranded in tanks and vessels.

Oil executives say additional licenses are urgently needed to accelerate exports, raise output at fields with available equipment, boost domestic refining and repair crumbling infrastructure and an unstable power grid.

What the new license could include

The report said the general license under preparation could give preferential treatment to US firms, reflecting the Trump administrations America First approach.

Meanwhile, Venezuela is moving on the legislative front. A sweeping reform of the countrys main oil law, designed to make investment, production and exports more attractive, passed an initial vote last week. Final approval by the National Assembly is expected as early as next week, the report said.

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If combined with broad US sanctions relief, the reforms could mark the most significant opening of Venezuelas oil sector in years, reshaping energy flows at a time of heightened global supply uncertainty.
South Korean actor Seo Ji-hoon, known for All of Us Are Dead 2, will enlist for his mandatory military service as an active-duty soldier on 3 February 2026 after completing filming.

South Korean actor Seo Ji-hoon is set to begin his mandatory military service on 3 February 2026, marking the next chapter in his career after completing work on the Netflix series All of Us Are Dead 2. The actor wrapped up his professional commitment right before his enlistment begin.

Seo Ji-hoons to enlist for mandatory military service

According to his agency Management KOO, Seo Ji-hoon will enter the Republic of Korea Armys 35th Infantry Division as an active-duty soldier on 3 February. He is expected to join quietly without a separate official event on the day, before starting basic military training at a designated centre.

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Seo Ji-hoon wraps All of Us Are Dead 2 shoot before enlistment

Seo wrapped filming for All of Us Are Dead 2 before the decision to enlist, allowing him to complete that project before beginning his national service. The second season of the Netflix zombie drama is slated for release in about two years, meaning audiences may see the actor again after he fulfils his service obligations.

In a statement shared by Management KOO, Seo expressed that he felt more at ease going into the military after finishing filming for All of Us Are Dead 2. He affirmed his intention to faithfully fulfil his duty as a citizen of Korea and return stronger and more mature.

Seo Ji-hoons career highlights

Seo Ji-hoon first made a strong impression with his debut in the Korean drama Signal. Since then, he has taken on lead roles in series including School 2017, the BTS-themed drama Begins = Youth, and My Youth, enhancing his profile as a versatile actor.

His work across genres and roles has helped him build a solid fanbase at home and abroad, and his enlistment announcement reflects a common rite of passage for South Korean male actors.

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Seo Ji-hoon is expected to serve as an active-duty soldier and complete basic training before continuing with his military duties. The period of his service will temporarily pause his acting activities, but plans are in place for him to return to the screen once his service is completed.

Fans have also been encouraged to send him warm support and well-wishes as he begins this phase of his life, and anticipation remains strong for his future projects post-enlistment.

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In an interview, the influencer revealed how his friendship with Sara is damaged beyond repair. The actress has taken her licks from a former friend whos now apparently a foe

Orhan Awatramani, popularly known as Orry, started gaining popularity when his pictures with star-kids surfaced on social media. Hes a part of all the Bollywood cliques and coteries and poses with all the top stars of the industry. He has made friends in many of them. But as per recent reports that have surfaced, he seems to have had a fallout with Sara Ali Khan.

Orry recently took a dig at the actress career that didnt go down well with her fans and people in general. In an interview with Hindustan Times, the influencer revealed how his friendship with Sara is damaged beyond repair. The actress has taken her licks from a former friend whos now apparently a foe.

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Orry said: I unfollowed Sara a while ago.. and I havent followed Ibrahim in years. Pretending to be friends with Sara means pretending to be ok with the trauma her mother put me through and I just dont think I can do that anymore.

Taking a dig at her career

I dont really think I said anything wrong about her.. I just made a small joke taking a dig at her career .. I highly doubt she even felt bad about it .. the whole internet makes fun of Saras movies all the time.. her biggest body of work is a series of memes that shes delivered via movies.. people make fun of me being jobless all the time.. its not that deep. If Amrita Singh were to apologize I could maybe see myself letting it go in the future.

On Ibrahim Ali Khan

Orry appeared on YouTuber Elvish Yadavs podcast, a promo of which has been circulating on social media. When he was asked about the most shameless actor in Bollywood, the influencer took Ibrahims name for reasons best known to him.

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The plane carrying Maharashtras Ajit Pawar crash-landed at Baramati, turning into a fireball and killing all five on board. Now, the spotlight has turned to the aircraft, a Learjet 45 that is manufactured by Canadas Bombardier Aerospace, and its safety record

Rescue work underway after an aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed during landing, at Baramati in Pune district, Maharashtra. Pawar, along with four others on board, was killed in the crash. PTI

Maharashtras Dada is no more. The states Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, has passed away after a chartered plane ferrying him from Mumbai to Baramati in Pune  also known as the Pawar bastion  crash-landed.

Along with the 66-year-old Maharashtra political veteran, his two staff members as well as two crew died as the plane in question plunged towards the runway, before breaking apart and bursting into flames.

The plane crash linked to Ajit Pawar has now raised questions  what we know of the aircraft, its safety record, its operator, and more  as initial investigations suggest that the plane may have suffered a technical glitch.

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Final moments of plane carrying Ajit Pawar

On Wednesday, at 8.10 am, the plane  identified as a Learjet 45  carrying Ajit Pawar and four others, took off from Mumbais airport, flew around the Arabian Sea towards Baramati, and made its first approach at landing around 8.30 am.

However, it was unsuccessful, probably due to poor visibility, following which the planes crew attempted a second landing at 8.42 am. It soon disappeared from radar and shortly later, the sad news flashed on news channels. The jet crashed at the threshold of runway 11 in a ball of fire at the Baramati airport, causing the deaths of Ajit Pawar and the others on board.

Indian media reporting the crash of a business jet this morning has claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and 4 others. The aircraft was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it crashed. https://t.co/0RKiD9sZVU pic.twitter.com/1kcoWgc3I1  Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 28, 2026

Eyewitnesses at Baramati recount the moment they saw the plane turning into a fireball. One of them said to News18, I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion.

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After that, we rushed here and saw that the aircraft was on fire. There were four-five explosions in the aircraft again. More people came here, and they tried to pull the people out (of the aircraft). But since this was a huge fire, people could not help, the witness added, Ajit Pawar was on board and this is really painful for us. I cant describe it in words.

Another eyewitness told news agency ANI, The plane was flying towards the runway and just fell 100 feet before approaching it.

Footage from the aftermath, which is circulating widely online, reveals charred aircraft sections, loose papers and mangled parts strewn across the runway, as firefighters continued their rescue operations at the site.

Speaking of the crash in which Pawar died, Indias aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), noted that it is a  table top runway and that the aircraft crashed on the tip of the runway while attempting to land.

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While it hasnt provided the exact cause of the crash yet, officials have said that they are investigating all angles, including poor weather conditions.

Remains of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawars plane that crashed during landing, near Baramati in Pune district, Maharashtra. PTI

Focus shifts to plane, Learjet 45

Following the demise of Ajit Pawar, attention has moved to the model of the aircraft and the aircraft operator in India.

The plane that crashed, a Learjet 45 bearing registration VT-SSK, belonged to Delhi-based VSR Aviation.

The Learjet 45 is a mid-size business jet aircraft manufactured by Canadas Bombardier Aerospace, with around 640 such planes built during its manufacturing run between 1995 and 2012. It typically seats eight people, with the cabin arranged in a club seating configuration, with two rows of facing seats and a small aisle in between. Some versions also have a side facing seat or a small sofa. There is a small refreshment area and an enclosed toilet at the rear of the cabin.

The aircraft is flown by two pilots and may also carry a cabin attendant on longer flights. The Learjet 45 is built for speed and comfort. It can fly at around 800 to 850 kilometres per hour and has a range of nearly 3,000 kilometres, allowing nonstop travel between many major Indian cities.

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One of the reasons the aircraft is widely used by operators is because it has short runway capabilities.

In 2021, Bombardier discontinued production of the Learjet 45; however, the aircraft continues to be used across the world.

VSR Aviation, the operator involved

The Learjet 45 that crashed on Wednesday belonged to Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd. According to records, this company, offering aircraft charters to business professionals, also has operations in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bhopal. The company is primarily operated by Vijay Kumar Singh and Rohit Singh.

Having a fleet of 18 aircraft, VSRs official website stated that it had a portfolio of over 60 pilots and a track record of 15 years. Moreover, the company has listed Havells India, Welspun and APL Apollo as key customers, although the website does not offer more details on any of these clients.

Speaking on the crash in Baramati, officials from VSR Aviation said the aircraft had no known safety issues. Vijay Kumar Singh told India Today that the aircraft was 100 per cent safe and that the crew was fairly experienced. He added that poor visibility could have been a factor, although the final determination would come from the DGCA investigation.

Locals gather near the spot after an aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed during landing, near Baramati in Pune district, Maharashtra. PTI

Learjets safety record states otherwise

While VSR Aviation notes that the plane that crashed and caused Ajit Pawars death was 100 per cent safe, data suggest otherwise.

On September 14, 2023, Learjet 45 aircraft VT-DBL, operating a flight from Vizag to Mumbai with six passengers and two crew members on board, veered off the runway at Mumbai International Airport. Fortunately, the passengers and the pilots survived the crash even though impact caused the fuselage to break into two sections.

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Prior to the 2023 crash, the Learjet was also involved in another incident in Mexico in 2008. The aircraft was carrying Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mourino with nine other people on board when it crashed in Central Mexico city. The plane also killed seven people on the ground in its desperate attempt for an emergency landing. In its approach to Mexico City International Airport, the Learjet 45 experienced strong turbulence. Leading to which, the plane nose dived and claimed the lives of everyone on board. Though the pilots were able to reduce the angle of descent, but they failed to regain control due to excessive speed and insufficient altitude.

Similarly, in the year 2003, the business jet crashed after a scheduled takeoff from Milane Linate Airport. The plane hit a flock of birds moments after it left ground, and officials claimed to have found the dead remains of the birds on the runway. The incident led both the pilots succumb to the deadly crash.

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According to News18, beyond fatal crashes, the Learjet 45 has been involved in more than 40 non-fatal accidents and serious incidents worldwide.

Now, the planes safety record will once be under a cloud with Ajit Pawars demise and with officials calling for a proper investigation.

With inputs from agencies
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati along with four others, including the crew. The pilots are identified as Captain Sumit Kapur and Captain Shambhavi Pathak. Here is what we know about them

Five people on board - Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, two members of his personal staff, and the two pilots lost their lives in Baramati plane crash. Image courtesy: X

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was among five people killed in a plane crash today (January 28).

The Learjet 45 aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Baramati airport in Pune district this morning. All five people on board including Ajit, his personal assistant, the flight attendant and two pilots died.

According to eyewitnesses, the aircraft with registration VT-SSK, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, went up in flames after going down. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the matter.

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The aircraft operator, VSR Aviation, confirmed that the pilots on board were Captain Sumit Kapur and Captain Shambhavi Pathak, both experienced aviation professionals.

But what do we know about pilots killed in the Baramati plane crash?

Captain Sumit Kapur: Pilot-in-Command

Captain Sumit Kapur was the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) of the flight. As the most senior crew member, Kapur was responsible for all key flight decisions, including approach, landing, and emergency response, according to aviation officials.

VSR Aviations top official, VK Singh, told India Today that Kapur had logged over 16,000 hours of flying experience. He was very seasoned and had worked with Sahara, Jetline, and Jet Airways. He was very experienced with this type of aircraft, Singh said as quoted by the outlet.

Baramati: Five people were on board the aircraft that crashed before landing after taking off from Mumbai at 8:10 am and scheduled to land at 8:50 am.



Those on board included Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his PSO Vidip Jadhav, pilots Sumit Kapur and Sambhavi pic.twitter.com/tPFJiBT6iR  IANS (@ians_india) January 28, 2026

Captain Shambhavi Pathak: Co-Pilot

Shambhavi Pathak was the daughter of an Indian Army officer, according to India Today. She was serving as the First Officer with VSR Ventures, a Delhi-based non-scheduled air transport operator. With a strong academic background in aviation, she was a trained commercial pilot.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Pathak completed her secondary education between 2016 and 2018 at Air Force Bal Bharati School. Pathak pursued commercial pilot and flight crew training at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy from 2018 to 2019.

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She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics, Aviation and Aerospace Science and Technology from the University of Mumbai in 2022. Pathak served as an assistant flight instructor at the Madhya Pradesh Flying Club.

Captain Pathak holds multiple aviation licenses and certifications, including a Commercial Pilot License issued by the DGCA in May 2020, reported News18. Singh told India Today that Pathak about 1,500 hours of flying experience.

Good human beings, good pilots

Singh also recalled his personal relationship with Captain Kapur and Captain Pathak. He said that both were close to him.

Captain Sumit Kapoor was a very dear friend of mine. His son is also a pilot with us. Captain Shambhavi was like my child to me. Both of them were extremely good human beings and extremely good pilots. They were from Delhi, he was quoted as saying.

Another social media post remembering Captain Pathak has surfaced online.

A social media user named Sudhir, revealing that she was his daughters childhood friend, remembered Pathak fondly.

Sudhir shared the picture of the young pilot on X with the caption, Along with the Deputy CM of Maharashtra, a young pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak, the Pilot of the plane, also lost her life in the Plane crash. She was a brilliant student, a great daughter, a very loving sibling and a very good friend. This is a personal loss as she was my daughters friend from KG class. Prayers."

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Along with the Deputy CM of Maharashtra, a young pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak the Pilot of the plane also lost her life in the Plane crash. She was a brilliant student, a great daughter, a very loving sibling and a very good friend. This is a personal loss as she was my pic.twitter.com/pbNJ3LfGif  SUDHIR (@seriousfunnyguy) January 28, 2026

Tomorrow will never come

Shivakumar, the father of flight attendant Pinky Mali who was killed in the plane crash, recalled his final phone conversation with his daughter while speaking to NDTV.

Pinky, a resident of Worli in Mumbai, told him she was flying with the Maharashtra Deputy CM to Baramati and would head to Nanded next.

I told her that we will talk tomorrow after your work. But that tomorrow will never arrive, Shivkumar was quoted as saying. Shivkumar said that Pinky had been working on VIP chartered flights, including with Ajit Pawar on previous occasions.

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I have lost my daughter. I do not know what exactly happened, as I have no technical knowledge about such incidents. I am completely shattered. I just want my daughters body so that I can perform her last rites with dignity. That is all I wish for."

The flight details revealed that the aircraft left Mumbai at 8:10 am, disappeared from radar around 8:45 am, and crashed at 8:50 am. The NCP chief was en route to address rallies in Baramati ahead of the local body polls.

Press note on Learjet 45 Aircraft VT-SSK crash at Baramati Airport of M/s VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd pic.twitter.com/Exah9xCTBl  DGCA (@DGCAIndia) January 28, 2026

Singh told India Today that preliminary information suggested that poor visibility contributed to the crash, and that the aircraft was absolutely fit to the best of our knowledge."

A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) left Delhi for Pune to probe the incident, according to the aviation watchdog DGCA.

With inputs from agencies
With Ajit Pawars death, one of the posts of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister has fallen vacant. It raises questions about both the potential future of the Mahayuti alliance and the NCP factions in the state

Ajit Pawars death has shaken Maharashtra politics.

The demise of the leader of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) in a tragic plane crash today (January 28) in Punes Baramati, alongside four others, has left many political observers shocked. The government of Maharashtra has announced three days of mourning over the death of the Deputy Chief Minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled Ajits death.

Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots-level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra, Modi wrote on social media. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy.

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But what does this mean for politics in Maharashtra? Lets take a closer look.

A brief look at the political situation

The Mahayuti alliance has been in power in Maharashtra since 2024. The alliance comprises the BJP, as well as the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

While the BJPs Devendra Fadnavis has been running the Maharashtra government as Chief Minister, Shinde and Ajit have been Deputy Chief Ministers. Shinde previously led a split from the Shiv Sena in 2022, while Ajits faction broke off from the Sharad Pawar NCP in July 2023.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2024 had recognised Ajits faction as the real NCP, giving it both the name and the symbol. The ECI similarly did so for the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena in 2023  which was backed up by the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker. The Uddhav Thackeray version of the Shiv Sena, known as the Shiv Sena (UBT), has appealed the ECIs decision in the Supreme Court.

Interestingly, the Ajit faction of the NCP and the Pawar faction of the NCP joined hands for the recent 2026 Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal polls.

What happens in Maharashtra now?

With Ajits death, one of the posts of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister has fallen vacant. It raises questions about the potential future of the Mahayuti coalition and both NCP factions in Maharashtra. The NCP currently has 41 MLAs within the government, the Shinde Sena has 57 seats, and the BJP has 132 seats.

According to India Today, Ajit was one of the power centres in Maharashtra. The piece noted how Ajit was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister in the state and how he previously served under both the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi governments. Ajit served as Deputy Chief Minister under as diverse a group as Prithviraj Chavan, Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde, and Devendra Fadnavis.

Ajit, as one recalls, previously split from the NCP in 2019 in a dramatic event. Ajit was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister in the BJP government. However, he dramatically returned to the NCP, causing the short-lived government in Maharashtra to fall after just three days.

Ajit Pawar was a close ally and friend of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

According to the Indian Express, the development deals both a personal and political blow to Fadnavis, a close friend and ally of Ajit.

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Ajit Pawar joining the NDA was entirely a Fadnavis move. The BJPs central leadership was not so pleased about it. In fact, he joined the NDA a few days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him out. The BJP leadership was always keen to have Sharad Pawar in their camp, a BJP source told the newspaper.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister is said to have leaned on Ajit to keep Shinde, who is known to be a hard bargainer, on side. According to the piece, Ajits death undercuts Fadnavis and the BJPs leverage against Shinde. Some close to Shinde believed he would have been the Chief Minister if not for the AjitFadnavis combine.

What happens to NCP?

As per India Today, some have argued that the recent tie-up between the two NCP factions for the local body polls was a sign that a possible rapprochement was on the cards. Ajit in December was quoted as saying by NDTV, The workers of both parties want to unite. The two NCPs are together now. All tensions in our family have ended.

However, others argue this was largely a marriage of convenience aimed at trying to limit the expansion of the BJP and not, by any means, a melding back of the two political factions.

Ajits death raises fresh questions for the Mahayuti. Does someone else from the Ajit faction step up and become Deputy Chief Minister alongside Shinde? The outlet noted how Ajits nephew Rohit Pawar, an MLA from the KarjatJamkhed constituency, is still not a heavyweight leader. Rohits wife, Sunetra Pawar, is a Rajya Sabha MP.

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Ajits sons Parth and Jay Pawar are not mass leaders either. Parth lost while fighting Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtras Maval constituency, while Jay has kept a distance from politics.

Ajit Pawars death raises questions about the future of the NCP factions and what Sharad Pawar will do next. PTI

Will the Ajit NCP be sidelined within the Mahayuti alliance? Or is a reunion with the Pawar NCP on the cards? Sharad himself is set to retire after the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure. Supriya Sule has been projected more as the NCPs Delhi face rather than a major political leader in Maharashtra. Will Sharad, at 83 years old, reverse his decision? Will he try to bring the two factions back together? Sources told The Indian Express such a development could hurt the BJP in Maharashtra.

On the other hand, if Sharad joins the NDA fold, it could also be a potential blow to Fadnavis himself.

There has always been a Pawar in Maharashtra politics. Now there are two possibilities  the entire clan can come together. They were almost there before Ajits plane crash. The two NCPs were almost wiped out in the local body polls. But now, if the merger happens, Sharad Pawar will be calling the shots entirely. If he joins the NDA, Fadnavis will lose his pre-eminent position. And if senior Pawar decides to remain in the Opposition INDIA bloc and gain traction, it may also not be good for Fadnavis because he cannot ignore Shinde then, said the source.

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Only time will tell how the political scene in Maharashtra shakes out as a result of this tragedy.

With inputs from agencies
Bangladeshs decision to manufacture drones with Chinese support marks a strategic shift in South Asias defence. With technology transfer, MALE UAV production, and Chinese involvement near Indias borders, the deal raises critical questions about Beijings expanding military footprint inside a neighbour of New Delhi

China has been Bangladeshs primary supplier of defence hardware for decades. Image/X-DefenseDtb

Bangladeshs move to establish a domestic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturing capability through a defence partnership with China has introduced a new strategic variable into South Asias security landscape.

The agreement, formally cleared by Bangladeshs interim administration and backed by state funding, marks a shift from arms procurement to defence-industrial collaboration  placing Chinese technology, and long-term operational presence within close proximity of Indias eastern and northeastern frontiers.

While Dhaka has positioned the initiative as a step toward self-reliance, humanitarian support, and force modernisation, the scale, location, and Chinese involvement in the project have prompted careful scrutiny in New Delhi.

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Indian strategists increasingly interpret the development as part of a broader regional pattern in which Beijing embeds itself within neighbouring countries military ecosystems through infrastructure, technology transfer, and production facilities rather than one-off equipment sales.

Inside the Bangladesh-China UAV manufacturing agreement

The defence agreement was signed on January 27, between the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation International (CETC), a state-owned Chinese defence electronics firm.

The signing took place at the Bangladesh Air Force headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment, underscoring the institutional nature of the collaboration.

In an official statement, Bangladeshs defence ministry confirmed the scope of the partnership, stating, Under the agreement, BAF and CETC will jointly set up a facility to produce and assemble state-of-the-art UAVs.

The ministry added that the arrangement includes technology transfer from the Chinese side as well as structured capacity-building measures aimed at enabling Bangladesh to independently manufacture UAVs over the long term.

The agreement outlines a phased approach. In the initial stage, the Bangladesh Air Force will acquire the capability to manufacture and assemble multiple UAV categories, including Medium Altitude Low Endurance (MALE) drones and Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) platforms.

These systems are expected to be deployed for both civilian and military purposes. According to the official release, the UAVs produced under the partnership will support humanitarian assistance and disaster management operations, in addition to their use in military missions.

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The inclusion of civilian applications has been emphasised by Bangladeshi authorities as a key justification for the project, particularly in a country prone to natural disasters.

The signing ceremony was attended by several senior figures from both countries.

Present on the occasion were Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, Principal Staff Officer of Bangladeshs Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hasan, and senior representatives from the Chief Advisers office, including Secretary Mohammad Saifullah Panna.

The UAV manufacturing facility is reportedly planned at the proposed Bogra airbase, a site that Bangladeshi officials have described as strategically located.

The project involves not only the establishment of a production and assembly line but also the development of infrastructure associated with the airbase itself.

Formally titled Establishment of Manufacturing Plant and Transfer of Technology (ToT) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), the project has been approved by Bangladeshs finance ministry following clearance from Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who currently oversees the defence portfolio.

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The Bangladesh Air Force has been designated as the implementing authority.

How much the deal will cost

The total approved cost of the project stands at Tk 608.07 crore, equivalent to roughly $55 million, following negotiations with the Chinese partner that reduced the original proposal.

The financial structure of the project has been laid out across four fiscal years, reflecting a phased implementation model rather than a single large expenditure.

Of the total amount, Tk570.60 crore has been earmarked specifically for the importation and installation of manufacturing infrastructure and associated technology.

The remaining funds cover domestic expenditures such as value-added tax, letter-of-credit charges, and other local costs.

Annual spending begins with an allocation of Tk106 crore in the current fiscal year.

Notably, the project will be funded entirely from the Bangladesh Air Forces existing budget, with no additional allocations planned from the national exchequer.

This funding structure has been presented by Dhaka as evidence that the initiative aligns with existing defence planning rather than representing an extraordinary or reactive expenditure.

CETC International, Bangladeshs Chinese partner, is a subsidiary of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, a state-owned conglomerate with a wide portfolio spanning radars, UAVs, telecommunications equipment, electronic warfare systems, secure networks, and military software.

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The companys systems are reportedly in service across more than 110 countries, covering Asia and Africa. CETC also operates as an investment and asset management firm alongside its defence electronics role.

Despite its global footprint, CETC is a sanctioned entity in the United States, a detail that has not gone unnoticed by regional observers tracking the implications of its growing presence in South Asia.

What drones could be produced and their operational role

While Bangladeshi authorities have not officially disclosed the exact UAV model to be manufactured, multiple reports suggest that the platform could be the XY-I, a medium-sized MALE drone developed by CETC and unveiled at Airshow China 2022.

A scale model of the aircraft was displayed at the event, drawing attention for its design similarities to Turkeys Bayraktar TB2.

According to CETC, the XY-I is designed for both civilian and military missions and offers full autonomous flight capabilities along with all-day endurance.

The drone is intended to support a wide spectrum of tasks, including reconnaissance, surveillance, border patrol, electronic warfare, communications support, and attack roles.

The aircraft features a blended wing body configuration and an inverted V-tail, characteristics that mirror those seen on the Bayraktar TB2. However, it differs in engine layout, employing a two-blade pusher propeller rather than the configuration used on the Turkish platform.

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CETC has stated that the XY-I supports a broad range of rapidly interchangeable payloads. These include electro-optical sensors, reconnaissance modules, communications systems, and weapons such as bombs and air-to-surface missiles.

Detailed technical specifications, including range, endurance, and payload capacity, have not been publicly disclosed by the company.

Beyond the airframe itself, analysts note that CETCs expertise lies in advanced defence electronics rather than basic manufacturing alone. The companys strengths in sensor fusion, secure data links, and electronic warfare architectures could enable Bangladesh to integrate UAVs into a wider network-centric operational environment.

This would allow drones to function as part of an interconnected battlespace rather than as isolated reconnaissance platforms.

China has been Bangladeshs principal supplier of defence equipment for decades, and the UAV manufacturing agreement builds upon an already extensive military relationship.

Bangladeshs armed forces currently operate a range of Chinese-origin platforms, including submarines, surface combatants, radar systems, and combat aircraft.

According to several reports, the Bangladesh Air Force is also in the final stages of negotiating a $2.2 billion deal to acquire 20 Chengdu J-10C Vigorous Dragon multi-role fighter jets.

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The proposed acquisition is intended to replace ageing F-7 and MiG-29 aircraft and significantly enhance the BAFs air combat capabilities.

Between 2019 and 2023, Bangladesh accounted for approximately 11 per cent of global Chinese arms exports.

The UAV manufacturing project represents a qualitative shift in this relationship by embedding production and technology transfer within Bangladesh rather than relying solely on imports.

From Beijings perspective, situating a drone manufacturing facility in Bangladesh offers multiple advantages. The location provides logistical depth and the potential to service South Asian, Southeast Asian, and even West Asian markets from a geographically central hub.

The project also complements Chinas broader Belt and Road-linked investments in Bangladeshi ports, transport corridors, and infrastructure, reinforcing dual-use synergies that blur the distinction between civilian development and latent military utility.

By transitioning from arms sales to defence-industrial integration, China increases the long-term interdependence between its systems and Bangladeshs military planning.

Why India is concerned

New Delhi views the development through the prism of its broader security environment, particularly given Bangladeshs proximity to Indias northeastern corridor and the two countries shared 4,096-kilometre land border.

Indian officials and analysts have expressed concern that long-endurance MALE UAVs operating from Bangladeshi territory could enhance surveillance, reconnaissance, and electronic intelligence-gathering capabilities in regions close to Indian airspace.

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The potential for armed UAVs to operate near sensitive border areas has added to these apprehensions.

Several observers have also warned that the establishment of a Chinese-backed drone facility could deepen Beijings access and influence within the Bangladeshi armed forces.

Concerns have been raised that the technology involved could allow monitoring of regions along the Indian border, with intelligence potentially serving broader Chinese military objectives.

Following the change of power in Dhaka in 2024, interim leader Muhammad Yunus has accelerated defence and economic engagement with China. This recalibration culminated in multi-billion-dollar agreements signed during his March 2025 visit to Beijing.

Indian policymakers increasingly frame such developments within the context of Beijings incremental encirclement strategy, often referred to as the String of Pearls, which describes Chinas expanding influence across South Asia and the Indian Ocean region.

In this framework, the Bay of Bengal is no longer seen as a peripheral theatre but as a core node in Chinas evolving Indo-Pacific defence diplomacy.

With inputs from agencies
Washington has sent the USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, as well as three accompanying warships under Carrier Strike Group 3 (CSG-3) to West Asia. Can Iran take down the vessel?

Can Iran strike USS Abraham Lincoln?

As tensions between the United States and Iran continue, Washington has sent some of its most powerful naval ships to West Asia.

This includes the USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, as well as three accompanying warships under Carrier Strike Group 3 (CSG-3).

The carrier, along with three destroyers, is currently deployed to the Middle East to promote regional security and stability, US Central Command said on Monday on social media.

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The development comes in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump having threatened to launch airstrikes on Iran over its crackdown on protesters. Trump last week said he had an armada heading towards Iran.

But can Iran strike the USS Abraham Lincoln?

Lets take a closer look.

USS Abraham Lincoln

First, lets take a brief look at the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3 (CSG-3). It was named in honour of the 16th President of the United States. Its home port is Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California.

The crafts keel was laid on November 3, 1984, in Newport News, Virginia. The hull was launched on February 13, 1988. It was christened by Jo Ann K. Webb, wife of former Secretary of the Navy James H. Webb.

The ship was acquired by the US Navy on October 30, 1989, and formally commissioned on November 11, 1989. At the time, the cost of the ship was $2.24 billion (approximately Rs 206.06 billion). It has a 50-year operational lifespan.

An E-2D Hawkeye prepares to perform a touch and go on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in the Pacific Ocean. Reuters

The ship is 1,092 feet (333 metres) long, has a beam of 252 feet and a displacement of around 100,000 tons. Powered by two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors and 260,000 shaft horsepower, it can hit a top speed of over 30 knots (56 kilometres per hour).

The ship can carry around 5,700 personnel, including 3,200 crew. It can carry between 60 to 75 planes and helicopters, including F/A-18 Hornet and F-35 Lightning II aircraft. It has a virtually unlimited range, limited only by crew fatigue and food supplies.

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The ship is armed with two Mk 57 Mod 3 Sea Sparrow missile launchers, two RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile systems, and two Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS) for defence against missiles and aircraft. It is equipped with advanced sensors such as AN/SPS-48E 3-D air search radar, AN/SPQ-9B target acquisition, and electronic warfare suites such as SLQ-32A(V)4 for situational awareness and countermeasures.

Crucially, the carriers air wing also includes E-2D Hawkeye airborne early-warning aircraft, which provide long-range radar surveillance and early detection of incoming aircraft or missiles.

The ship served during the Gulf War era and has been deployed to West Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

Irans weapons

While Iran is one of the top 20 global military powers, its air force is generally not considered much of an offensive threat. The small, ageing fleet is primarily made up of American-made aircraft acquired before 1979, such as the F-4 Phantom II and F-14 Tomcat, and Soviet-made MiG-29 Fulcrums and Su-24 Fencers. Over the years, international sanctions have made it difficult for Iran to upgrade its air force. Iran is estimated to operate roughly 250 combat-capable fighters and around 140 helicopters.

However, where Iran truly shines is its missile programme. Iran has one of the largest arsenals of ballistic missiles and drones in West Asia, including long-range projectiles, drones, cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles.

Iran claims its ballistic missiles have a range of up to 2,000 kilometres. This includes the Sejil, which has a range of approximately 2,0002,500 kilometres, as well as the Kheibar, boasting a range of around 1,400 kilometres, and the Fattah-2. This means that Tehran can theoretically strike targets across West Asia, including Israel.

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Iran has one of the largest arsenals of ballistic missiles and drones in West Asia. That includes cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles, as well as ballistic missiles with ranges up to 2,000 kilometre. File image/Reuters

Incidentally, Iran last year test-fired an anti-warship cruise missile with a reported range of 1,000 kilometres, capable of reaching US Navy ships operating in regional waters.

This is a Ghadr-380 missile type L. It has over 1,000 kilometres range. It has anti-jamming capability, said General Ali Reza Tangsiri, the head of the navy of the Revolutionary Guard.

The report elaborated neither on the warhead that the missile carried nor the time of the test. Tangsiri said the facility is only one part of the missile systems of the Guard, adding that the missiles can create a hell for the enemys warships.

Can it take out the USS Abraham Lincoln?

Maybe in theory. While no aircraft carrier has been sunk since World War II, no such vessel is invulnerable.

However, realistically, this would be a tough task for Iran, given the fact that the USS Abraham Lincoln is protected by advanced defensive measures. Also, aircraft carriers are not known for staying in one position too long out of an abundance of caution.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is also unlikely to remain within missile range inside the Persian Gulf. Instead, it would most likely operate in the more open waters of the Gulf of Oman or the Arabian Sea, where it has greater room to manoeuvre and more time to react to incoming threats.

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Even if it ventures too close to Iran, the USS Abraham Lincoln isnt alone. It is being accompanied by Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121), USS Spruance (DDG-111), and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112)  all of which provide defence and strike support.

These ships are equipped with the Aegis Combat System, which can track hundreds of air and missile targets simultaneously and destroy the most dangerous ones mid-air through their vertical launch cells. They also carry long-range interceptor missiles (SM-6 class) that can destroy targets hundreds of kilometres away.

Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. File Photo/Reuters

Any projectiles that survive the outer shield will have to contend with the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM). The ships can also deploy Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS)  cannons that can fire thousands of rounds per minute to take down incoming missiles.

Irans strategy could be to try to overwhelm the carrier group with a volley of missiles  much like it did with Israel during the conflict last year.

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However, according to India Today, Iran would need technology it does not yet possess  a rapid, resilient kill chain, real-time satellite surveillance, data fusion, command-and-control systems, and the capacity to launch such missiles in minutes  in order to successfully strike an aircraft carrier.

The outlet warned that without such a system and its accompanying data, the likely result is that even advanced missiles could fail to find or accurately hit a moving target at sea. While Iran could potentially attempt to strike the USS Abraham Lincoln, the chances of a successful hit remain low.

With input from agencies
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is warning that former prime minister Imran Khan is suffering from a serious eye ailment and that he could permanently lose his vision. Heres what we know

Former Prime Minister Imran Khans health is said to be deteriorating in prison.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is warning that Imran is suffering from a serious issue with his eyes and that he could permanently lose his vision. Imran has been behind bars since August 2023. He is currently imprisoned at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.

But what happened? What do we know?

Lets take a closer look.

Physical condition deteriorated sharply

_News18_ quoted top sources in Adiala Jail as saying that Imrans physical health has deteriorated sharply over the past few months. Imran has not had any contact with his family or his lawyers since December.

The source claimed that Imran is suffering from a severe eye infection and allergic reactions. These have been exacerbated by Rawalpindis harsh, dry winter. Imran was examined by medical teams from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) inside the jail. The teams have said Imran may be suffering from Central Retinal Vein Occlusion, a disorder that requires specialised treatment and could potentially result in the loss of his vision.

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While the doctors have begun treating Imran, they have said that the prison does not have the facilities needed to conduct a full ophthalmological evaluation. While a follow-up medical exam is slated for January 31, sources say any delay could result in Imrans eyesight being damaged in the long term.

According to The Independent, Imran has gone over 100 days without meeting his legal team. This is despite him facing more than 100 cases across multiple courts. Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari, a senior aide and spokesperson for the PTI, told the newspaper that the situation was heartbreaking and deliberate.

It is absurd that he is denied access to his lawyers while the authorities continue to pursue case after case against him, Bukhari said. They do not want any communication with Imran Khan because whenever he speaks, it creates enormous public attention.

There is no rule of law. Nothing is being done according to any meaningful justice system, Bukhari added.

Supporters hold a cutout of former Prime Minister of Pakistan and leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party Imran Khan, during a protest over concerns about their leaders health, on a road leading to Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, December 2, 2025. File Image/Reuters

Meanwhile, his sisters joined PTI supporters outside Adiala Jail. Noreen Khanum said they had not been informed about the issue with the eye. If this is true, we should have been informed so that we could have taken him to hospital for treatment, she said, as per news agency ANI.

Aleema Khanum said jail authorities had not kept either Imrans family or team in the loop. So who has leaked this news? she queried.

Imran Khan is a patriotic leader with firm faith in Allah. He has been in prison for two-and-a-half years; he promised the nation that he would not leave through any deal, and he is keeping that promise, Aleema said, as per News18.

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It is essential for the Pakistani nation to stand up for themselves because Imran Khan is sitting in jail for them A student, Najam, was picked up merely for mentioning the name of the PTI founder Women were pushed and shoved; if this is what is happening to us, what must be the plight of the common people? asked Aleema.

PTI claimed that Aleema was halted by police while returning from the jail, a charge backed up by the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan.

PTI raises alarm

The PTI is sounding the alarm over Imrans health.

The party, citing media reports by credible journalistic sources, said that Imran has been diagnosed with central retinal vein occlusion in his right eye, demanded that he be shifted to a hospital of his choice for treatment, and allowed to meet his friends and family.

According to medical experts who reportedly checked him in jail, this is an extremely sensitive and serious medical condition which, if not treated promptly and properly, carries a high risk of permanent damage to his eyesight, the party said.

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According to doctors, the condition is highly sensitive and serious, and there is a strong risk of permanent damage to eyesight if timely and appropriate treatment is not provided, the party claimed.

It also alleged that jail authorities were insisting on carrying out treatment inside the prison, despite doctors having clearly stated that such treatment was not possible within jail premises and required an operation and specialised medical facilities.

Pakistan Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir. AFP

The party claimed orders from the Islamabad High Court directing that Imran be medically examined were being ignored. The PTI claimed Imran has not met his personal doctor since October 2024. It noted that a petition seeking regular medical check-ups had been pending since August 2025.

This is a blatant violation of court orders and a gross breach of fundamental human rights, the statement read. The governments conduct clearly demonstrates that, in its obsession with political vendetta, it is willing to gamble with the life and health of a prisoner.

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Imran was last granted access to his personal physician in October 2024, and since then, despite clear orders from the Islamabad High Court, his personal doctor has not been allowed to examine him, the PTI statement read.

PTI accused the government of political victimisation, endangering the life and health of a prisoner in pursuit of political revenge, and demanded that Khan be allowed an immediate meeting with his family members and associates.

The government is urged to facilitate an immediate meeting between Khan and his family members and associates, without any delay, to reassure the public, and to allow him to receive treatment either at Shaukat Khanum Hospital or any other reputable hospital of his choice, where specialised doctors can provide care with full medical facilities, the statement read.

The party also urged the judiciary to take notice of the matter, stressing that it concerned health rather than politics and that any negligence would be unacceptable.

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If, God forbid, Imran Khan were to suffer any permanent damage to his eyesight, full responsibility would rest directly with the government and jail authorities for obstructing treatment despite court orders, it added.

Separately, PTI chairman Gohar Khan filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), urging the court for permission to meet Khan in jail.

Gohar told the media that Tuesdays were designated for meetings with Khan, but no such meetings were being allowed.

We are coming to this High Court for the 16th time. We have filed an application signed by all PTI MNAs (Members of the National Assembly), requesting the court to kindly arrange our meeting with Khan sahib, he said.

He said that efforts were also made to meet the IHC Chief Justice, but without any success. He added that a message had been conveyed to the IHC Chief Justice, requesting that hearings related to Bushra Bibi and Khan be fixed.

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He also expressed concerns about the health of Khan and Bushra Bibi. We are concerned about Khan sahibs health, his conditions in detention, and the situation of Bushra Bibi, Gohar said.

With inputs from agencies
The Doomsday Clock has been moved to 85 seconds before midnight, the closest to global catastrophe. Nuclear escalation, collapsing arms control, climate breakdown, artificial intelligence risks, and rising geopolitical conflicts pushed atomic scientists to issue their starkest warning yet

Jon Wolfsthal, director of global risk at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Asha George, executive director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, and Steve Fetter, professor of public policy and former dean at the University of Maryland, reveal the location of the minute hand on its Doomsday Clock, indicating what world developments mean for the perceived likelihood of nuclear catastrophe, during a town-hall in Washington, DC, US, January 27, 2026. File Image/Reuters

The world is now closer to self-destruction than at any point in modern history.

On January 27, 2026, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists reset its iconic Doomsday Clock to just 85 seconds before midnight, marking the nearest it has ever been to the symbolic point of global annihilation.

The decision reflects what scientists describe as a dangerous convergence of nuclear brinkmanship, geopolitical conflict, climate breakdown, technological misuse, and a failure of global leadership.

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It is the third time in four years that the clock has been moved forward, highlighting how quickly global risks are compounding rather than receding.

Created in the aftermath of World War II to warn humanity about the dangers of man-made threats, the clock is now flashing its starkest warning yet.

What is the Doomsday Clock and why does it matter?

The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a Chicago-based nonprofit founded two years earlier by scientists involved in the Manhattan Project, including Albert Einstein and J Robert Oppenheimer.

The clock uses the metaphor of a countdown to midnight to signal how close humanity is to a catastrophic collapse caused by its own technologies.

The clock is set annually by the Bulletins Science and Security Board, in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, which includes eight Nobel laureates.

Over decades, it has become one of the worlds most widely recognised symbols of existential risk, tracking threats ranging from nuclear war and climate change to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

This years adjustment places the clock four seconds closer to midnight than last year, reflecting what the scientists say is a steady erosion of safeguards meant to prevent global catastrophe.

Why has the Doomsday Clock moved closer to midnight?

Nuclear flashpoints & collapsing arms control

At the core of the clocks movement is a worsening nuclear landscape. According to the Bulletin, 2025 offered no meaningful improvement in nuclear risk.

Instead, long-standing arms control frameworks have weakened or collapsed, while nuclear-armed states have increasingly relied on threats, modernisation, and military escalation.

In terms of nuclear risks, nothing in 2025 trended in the right direction, said Alexandra Bell, the Bulletins president and CEO.

Longstanding diplomatic frameworks are under duress or collapsing, the threat of explosive nuclear testing has returned, proliferation concerns are growing, and there were three military operations taking place under the shadow of nuclear weapons and the associated escalatory threat. The risk of nuclear use is unsustainably and unacceptably high.

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Several conflicts contributed directly to this assessment. Russias war in Ukraine, now entering its fifth year, has featured repeated nuclear signalling.

Moscow has deployed nuclear-capable weapons, including the hypersonic Oreshnik missile, and in December released footage claiming its deployment in Belarus, a move seen as expanding Russias strike reach across Europe.

Elsewhere, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated in May, with cross-border drone and missile strikes taking place amid nuclear brinkmanship.

In June, Israel and the United States carried out aerial attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities suspected of supporting Tehrans weapons ambitions, raising concerns about further proliferation rather than deterrence.

Compounding these risks is the impending expiration of New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia.

The agreement, which caps deployed strategic nuclear warheads at 1,550 per side, is set to expire on February 5.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a one-year extension of the treatys limits, but US President Donald Trump and Western analysts remain divided over the proposals merits.

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Trump has also ordered the US military to restart preparations for explosive nuclear testing, ending a pause that has lasted more than three decades. With the exception of North Koreas 2017 test, no nuclear power has conducted such tests in over 25 years.

According to Bell, a return to testing would particularly benefit China, which is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal while modernising its delivery systems.

A new arms race on Earth  and in space

Scientists also warn that major powers are now locked in an accelerating arms race that extends beyond traditional battlefields.

China is increasing both the number and sophistication of its nuclear warheads, while the United States and Russia are modernising their nuclear delivery platforms.

The United States is also planning to deploy a multilayered missile defence system known as Golden Dome, which would include space-based interceptors.

The Bulletin warned that such a system could destabilise existing deterrence frameworks, increase the likelihood of conflict in space, and trigger a new space-based arms race.

At the same time, dialogue on strategic stability has largely stalled.

Countries with nuclear weapons have failed to meaningfully engage on arms control or disarmament, while uncertainty over US security guarantees has led some non-nuclear states to consider acquiring nuclear weapons of their own.

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Russia, China, the United States and other major countries have become increasingly aggressive and nationalistic, Bell said.

Their pursuit of what she described as winner-takes-all great power competition has undermined the international cooperation needed to reduce not only nuclear risks, but also other global threats.

Climate change

Climate change featured prominently in this years assessment, with scientists pointing to record-breaking indicators across multiple fronts.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reached 150 per cent of preindustrial levels, while 2024 marked the warmest year in the 175-year temperature record. Global temperatures in 2025 remained near those historic highs.

Sea levels also reached record levels, driven by melting glaciers and thermal expansion.

The globe witnessed extreme weather events. Droughts affected regions including Peru, the Amazon, southern Africa, and northwest Africa.

Europe recorded more than 60,000 heat-related deaths for the third time in four years.

Flooding displaced 350,000 people in the Congo River Basin, while record rainfall in southeast Brazil forced more than half a million people from their homes.

Scientists were particularly critical of global and national responses to the climate emergency.

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Recent UN climate summits failed to prioritise phasing out fossil fuels or monitoring carbon emissions, while the Trump administration in the United States has rolled back renewable energy initiatives and climate regulations.

According to the Bulletin, these policy choices have shifted climate responses from insufficient to actively destructive.

Artificial intelligence, biology, and the erosion of truth

Emerging technologies were another major factor behind the clocks movement.

Scientists warned about the unregulated integration of artificial intelligence into military systems, particularly nuclear command and control, as well as its potential misuse in designing biological threats.

The past year also saw renewed concern over the laboratory synthesis of so-called mirror life.

In December 2024, scientists from nine countries warned that creating mirror-image biological organisms could pose an existential threat if such life forms evade natural biological controls and spread uncontrollably across ecosystems.

Despite the severity of the warning, the international community has yet to agree on safeguards to prevent such developments.

AI has also intensified what experts describe as an information crisis. Large language models, while increasingly powerful, remain prone to errors and hallucinations.

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Their rapid adoption, combined with weak regulation, has increased misinformation and disinformation at a time when fact-based public debate is essential.

Maria Ressa, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist, highlighted this concern during the Doomsday Clock announcement.

We are living through an information Armageddon thats brought about by the technology that rules our lives, from social media to generative AI. None of that tech is anchored in facts. Your chatbot is nothing but a probabilistic machine, Ressa told an online press briefing.

Leadership failures and rising authoritarianism

Underlying all these threats, the Bulletin argues, is a profound failure of leadership.

Scientists pointed to the rise of nationalistic autocracy in several nuclear-armed states and a growing preference for confrontation over cooperation.

Of course, the Doomsday Clock is about global risks, and what we have seen is a global failure in leadership, Bell said.

No matter the government, a shift towards neo-imperialism and an Orwellian approach to governance will only serve to push the clock toward midnight.

Bell also criticised Trumps domestic policies, citing actions targeting science, academia, the civil service, and independent media as weakening the institutions needed to confront global risks.

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According to the Bulletin, autocratic trends reduce accountability, erode trust, and act as threat accelerants, making already dangerous nuclear, climatic, and technological challenges even harder to reverse.

Can the Doomsday Clock be turned back?

Despite its stark warning, the Bulletin that the current trajectory is not inevitable.

Scientists outlined several steps that could reduce global risks, including renewed arms control talks between the United States and Russia, continued adherence to the moratorium on nuclear testing, international cooperation to prevent dangerous biological experiments, and global guidelines governing the military use of AI.

They also called for renewed investment in renewable energy, stronger climate policies, and greater public pressure on leaders to prioritise cooperation over competition.

Our current trajectory is unsustainable, the Bulletin said, urging national leaders  particularly in Washington, Moscow, and Beijing  to take responsibility for pulling humanity back from the brink.

For now, the clock stands at 85 seconds to midnight, its closest position ever  and a stark reminder that the margin for error is rapidly shrinking.

Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
US President Donald Trumps tariffs, diplomatic threats and unilateral actions have unsettled allies, forcing countries across Europe and beyond to recalibrate ties. From the India-EU trade deal to fresh Western engagement with China, global powers are diversifying partnerships

US President Donald Trump walks upon arrival on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, US, January 27, 2026. File Image/Reuters

A visible global realignment is being witnessed as countries reassess their economic and diplomatic dependencies in response to US President Donald Trumps aggressive trade policies, territorial rhetoric and unilateral use of force.

From Europe and Britain to Canada, Brazil and parts of Asia, governments are increasingly recalibrating foreign policy priorities, often by strengthening engagement with India and China.

This shift has manifested through major trade agreements, diplomatic outreach to Beijing, and coordinated efforts by middle powers to insulate themselves from economic shocks caused by tariffs.

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While no country has publicly announced a break from the United States, recent developments suggest that Trumps actions are accelerating diversification away from Washington  reshaping alliances across continents.

India-EU trade agreement

The announcement of a landmark trade agreement between India and the European Union on Tuesday was the culmination of negotiations stretching back nearly two decades. Yet the timing of the deal highlighted more than just bilateral ambition.

It reflected a broader strategic response to growing global instability, particularly the disruption caused by US trade measures.

Although neither New Delhi nor Brussels explicitly referred to the United States during the announcement, both sides acknowledged the uncertainty shaping the international environment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted this context while outlining the significance of closer India-EU cooperation. Today, the global order is undergoing profound turbulence. In this context, the partnership between India and the European Union will strengthen stability within the international system, Modi said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the agreement as a turning point in bilateral relations. Europe and India are making history today, she said. This is only the beginning.

The agreement aims to significantly liberalise trade flows by eliminating or reducing tariffs on 96.6 per cent of traded goods by value.

According to the European Union, the deal is expected to double EU exports to India by 2032 and save European companies approximately 4 billion euros ($4.75 billion) in duties.

On Indias side, the EU will progressively remove tariffs on 99.5 per cent of goods imported from India over a seven-year period. Tariffs on Indian exports including marine products, leather and textile goods, chemicals, rubber, base metals, and gems and jewellery will be reduced to zero.

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Agriculture-linked items such as soya, beef, sugar, rice and dairy products remain excluded from the agreement.

Yesterday, a big agreement was signed between the European Union and India, Modi said.

People around the world are calling this the mother of all deals. This agreement will bring major opportunities for the 1.4 billion people of India and the millions of people in Europe.

Trade figures underline why both sides see strategic value in the pact. India-EU trade stood at $136.5 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2025, exceeding Indias trade with the United States ($132 billion) and China ($128 billion).

Officials expect the agreement to be formally signed after a legal vetting process lasting five to six months, with implementation anticipated within a year.

However, the process may face hurdles in Europe. EU lawmakers have already voted to challenge the EU-Mercosur agreement in the blocs top court, raising the possibility that similar scrutiny could slow progress on the India deal.

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How Trumps tariffs are driving strategic hedging

The renewed urgency behind the India-EU trade agreement can be traced to recent US policy moves that have unsettled allies. Washington imposed a 50 per cent tariff on some Indian goods, while European countries faced threats of new trade barriers and political pressure linked to Trumps ambitions in Greenland and the Arctic.

Trumps statements about taking control of Greenland triggered diplomatic backlash across Europe, compounding concerns about the direction of US foreign policy.

While the US president later withdrew threats of using military force in Greenland and stepped back from imposing tariffs on countries opposing his Arctic plans, the episode reinforced perceptions that Washington had become unpredictable.

Recent US military actions have also strained confidence. Strikes on Venezuela and the abduction of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife were widely viewed as assaults on international norms.

At the World Economic Forums annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, political and business leaders repeatedly warned of a fractured global order.

Although criticism of the United States remained indirect, several speakers delivered pointed remarks about unilateralism and instability, while largely avoiding explicit condemnation of China.

Experts interpreted this restraint as a signal that US allies were recalibrating their engagement with Beijing as Trumps political unpredictability continued to unsettle long-standing partnerships.

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Chinas outreach to Europe

As Washingtons credibility falters, China has moved to expand diplomatic engagement across Europe and beyond, presenting itself as a defender of the existing international system.

Beijing has sought to emphasise continuity, multilateralism and economic openness  messages that resonate with governments seeking stability.

Irelands Prime Minister Micheal Martin met Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, marking another high-profile European engagement.

Around the same time, Chinas state-run Global Times published an editorial aimed squarely at European audiences.

Headlined Europe should seriously consider building a China-EU community with a shared future, the article warned that the world risked returning to the law of the jungle and argued that China and Europe should work together to build a shared future for mankind.

Beijing has also openly criticised US actions abroad. Chinese officials condemned the US operation in Venezuela, describing it as a violation of international law and global norms.

In a phone conversation with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Xi called for coordinated action to protect international institutions.

Xi urged Brazil to jointly uphold the central role of the United Nations and international justice amid rising instability, reinforcing Chinas message that it remains committed to multilateral governance structures.

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Canada pivots toward China and India

Canada has emerged as a prominent example of a middle power seeking to reduce exposure to US economic coercion. Prime Minister Mark Carney, elected on promises to stand up to what he described as US bullying, travelled to Beijing last week to strengthen ties with China.

Canada is forging a new strategic partnership with China, Carney said, adding that the global order was facing rupture  not a transition.

Carneys visit followed a standing ovation speech at Davos, where he urged middle powers to cooperate in order to avoid becoming victims of geopolitical pressure. Canada subsequently struck a deal with China that will slash tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and Canadian canola oil.

The move provoked a sharp response from Washington. Trump threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs  effectively an embargo  on all Canadian goods entering the United States if Ottawa followed through on its China trade commitments.

Despite the backlash, Canada has continued broadening its international partnerships.

Carney is planning a visit to India to sign agreements related to uranium, energy and minerals, reinforcing Ottawas strategy of diversifying economic ties beyond the United States.

Britains engagement with Beijing

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to China on Tuesday, marking the first visit by a British leader in eight years.

Starmers three-day visit includes meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, followed by travel to Shanghai and a brief stop in Japan. He is accompanied by two ministers and dozens of business executives, including HSBC chairman Brendan Nelson and AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot.

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The visit comes against a backdrop of tension between London and Washington, particularly over Trumps threats regarding Greenland and his volatile trade posture.

Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese studies at Kings College London, said US behaviour would loom large during discussions.

At the forefront of the visit will be what both sides make of the current behaviour and posture of the US and Trump, Brown told Reuters.

One of the great anomalies of the current situation is that London is probably closer to Beijing than Washington on global issues such as artificial intelligence, public health and environmental policy.

Since his election in 2024, Starmer has prioritised rebuilding ties with China after years of deterioration caused by disputes over Hong Kong, allegations of espionage and cyberattacks. Chinese officials have framed the visit as an opportunity to reset relations.

Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing viewed the trip as a chance to open a new chapter in the healthy and stable development of China-UK relations, while the commerce ministry confirmed that trade and investment agreements were expected to be signed.

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Britains outreach has not been without controversy. Starmers government recently approved plans for a Chinese mega embassy in central London, despite objections from politicians who warned the facility could facilitate espionage.

Starmer has acknowledged security concerns while arguing that economic engagement remains necessary. He previously stated that China poses national security threats to Britain but that stronger business ties are in the national interest.

Trade data illustrates the economic rationale behind the engagement. In the 12 months to mid-2025, China was Britains fourth-largest trading partner, with total trade valued at approximately 100 billion ($137 billion).

Still, critics remain sceptical. Sam Goodman, policy director at the China Strategic Risks Institute, questioned whether closer engagement would deliver tangible gains.

We have had a lot of concentrated engagement with this government on China, and the real question from this trip is what was it for? Goodman told Reuters. Are there tangible outcomes that really point to meaningful growth in the British economy?

He noted that China accounts for just 0.2 per cent of foreign direct investment in Britain, compared with roughly one-third from the United States, and that Britains market share in goods and services trade with China declined over the past year.

China deepens engagement with Europes smaller economies

Chinas diplomatic push has extended beyond major European powers. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo visited Beijing on Tuesday as part of a four-day trip aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.

During talks with Orpo, Xi expressed willingness to enhance trust and deepen economic ties, inviting Finnish companies to swim freely in Chinas vast market, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Xi also reiterated Chinas commitment to multilateralism, telling Orpo that Beijing was ready to work with Finland to firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations and promote an equitable and orderly multipolar world.

The two leaders discussed collaboration in areas including energy transition, agriculture and forestry. On Monday, Orpo met Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, who urged Finland to encourage the European Union to exercise restraint in deploying restrictive trade tools.

Wang also called on Helsinki to oppose protectionism and help create a fair, open and predictable policy environment for Chinese companies, according to Chinas state-owned Global Times.

India emerges as parallel beneficiary

Alongside China, India has become a key destination for countries seeking to diversify partnerships amid geopolitical volatility. Brazil is set to send a high-level delegation to India from February 19 to 21, led by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The scale of the visit underscores its importance. Brazil has rented a 500-seat auditorium for two days to host meetings between Lula and Indian business leaders, signalling strong commercial interest.

India has also concluded multiple trade agreements in recent years, including pacts with Britain, New Zealand and Oman.

The EU deal follows the blocs agreements with Mercosur, Indonesia, Mexico and Switzerland, highlighting a broader trend toward diversified trade networks.

Together, these developments point to a growing consensus among middle powers that reliance on a single economic or security partner carries increasing risk in a world shaped by tariff wars, territorial disputes and unilateral interventions.

Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
India and the European Union have finalised a landmark free trade agreement that slashes tariffs on most goods, opens up guarded sectors, and aims to double EU exports to India by 2032. India-EU relations have evolved from a 1960s trade-and-aid framework into a sophisticated Strategic Partnership formalised in 2004

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas and India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar sign an EU-India Security and Defence Partnership agreement, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Council President Antonio Costa applaud next to them, at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, January 27, 2026. File Image/Reuters

India and the European Union finalised a much-awaited trade agreement on Tuesday, setting the stage for a sharp reduction in tariffs on the majority of goods traded between the two sides.

The pact is aimed at expanding bilateral commerce while lowering dependence on the United States.

According to the EU, the agreement could see European exports to India double by 2032, as duties are either removed or reduced on 96.6 per cent of traded goods by value. European companies are projected to save around 4 billion euros ($4.75 billion) in tariff costs as a result.

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India, for its part, said the EU will phase out tariffs on 99.5 per cent of Indian goods over a seven-year period.

Duties on Indian exports such as marine products, leather and textiles, chemicals, rubber, base metals, and gems and jewellery will eventually be brought down to zero, Indias trade ministry said in a statement.

Both sides clarified that sensitive agriculture-linked products  including soya, beef, sugar, rice and dairy  have been excluded from the scope of the agreement.

Yesterday, a big agreement was signed between the European Union and India,

People around the world are calling this the mother of all deals. This agreement will bring major opportunities for the 1.4 billion people of India and the millions of people in Europe, he said.

Europe and India are making history today, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. This is only the beginning.

Trade between India and the EU reached $136.5 billion in the fiscal year ending March 2025. This compared with $132 billion in trade between India and the United States, and $128 billion between India and China.

How previously guarded sectors have opened up

According to an EU statement, tariffs on automobiles will be reduced to 10 per cent over five years from levels as high as 110 per cent, benefiting European carmakers such as Volkswagen, Renault, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Both sides said the lower auto tariffs would apply to up to 250,000 cars annually, each valued above 15,000 euros. Once the agreement comes into force, these duties will immediately fall to between 30 per cent and 35 per cent.

India will also sharply reduce tariffs on alcoholic beverages. Duties on wines will be cut to 75 per cent immediately from 150 per cent, before being gradually lowered to 20 per cent. Tariffs on spirits will be brought down to 40 per cent, the EU said.

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In addition, the agreement will lower tariffs on a wide range of EU exports to India, including machinery, electrical equipment, chemicals, and iron and steel products.

Despite these concessions, Indian exporters did not receive immediate relief from the EUs carbon tax under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which came into effect on January 1.

Beyond steel, the levy also applies to cement, electricity, fertilisers and other products.

India said it has secured an assurance from the EU that it would be granted flexibility under the carbon tax regime if similar concessions are extended to third countries.

Separately, the EU committed to providing financial assistance of 500 million euros over the next two years to support Indias efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

How India-EU ties have evolved

India-EU relations have evolved from a 1960s trade-and-aid framework into a sophisticated Strategic Partnership formalised in 2004.

After the foundational 1994 Cooperation Agreement, the relationship focused on institutionalizing annual summits, though economic ties hit a plateau in 2013 when initial free trade negotiations stalled due to disagreements over market access and regulatory standards.

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So the framework itself builds on more than 30 years of cooperation and nearly six decades of formal diplomatic relations.

Over time, the partnership has expanded to include regular summits, ministerial dialogues, and cooperation across economic, political, and people-to-people domains.

Indias growing importance to the EU is closely linked to its economic and demographic profile. With more than one billion people of working age and a median age of 31, India is projected to become the worlds third-largest economy by 2030.

The country has also emerged as a major manufacturing and technology hub, hosting 45 per cent of global capability centres and investing heavily in advanced and frontier technologies.

Despite these convergences, the relationship has not been without friction. Differences over geopolitical issues  most notably the Russia-Ukraine war  have created discomfort among some European countries.

India has consistently conveyed to its European partners that its ties with Russia are rooted in a historical relationship dating back to the Soviet era, a position that has at times contributed to mistrust.

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How India-EU trade ties are faring

The European Union is currently one of Indias largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods valued at 120 billion in 2024. This accounts for approximately 11.5 per cent of Indias total trade.

From the European perspective, India ranks as the blocs ninth-largest trading partner, representing 2.4 per cent of the EUs total goods trade. This places India behind partners such as the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, but still highlights its growing relevance to the European economy.

Over the past decade, trade in goods between India and the EU has increased by almost 90 per cent, reflecting deeper integration and expanding commercial ties. The composition of this trade highlights the industrial nature of the relationship.

European imports from India are largely made up of machinery and appliances, chemicals, base metals, mineral products, and textiles. Meanwhile, EU exports to India are dominated by machinery and appliances, transport equipment, and chemicals.

Services trade has also emerged as a significant component of the relationship. In 2023, trade in services between India and the EU reached 59.7 billion, including 26 billion in EU exports. This reflects strong linkages in sectors such as information technology, professional services, research, and engineering.

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Investment ties further reinforce the economic partnership. The EUs share of foreign direct investment stock in India stood at 140.1 billion in 2023, a sharp rise from 82.3 billion in 2019.

This makes the EU one of Indias leading sources of foreign investment. By contrast, Indias FDI stock in the EU amounted to 10.3 billion, indicating scope for future expansion.

The scale of European business presence in India is also notable, with around 6,000 European companies operating across the country. These firms are active in sectors ranging from manufacturing and infrastructure to energy, pharmaceuticals, and digital services.

Why the India-EU deal also reflects strategic urgency

The evolving India-EU relationship must be understood within a broader global context marked by economic nationalism, supply-chain disruptions, and geopolitical competition.

Both New Delhi and Brussels are seeking to diversify partnerships and reduce vulnerabilities as the Trump administration in the United States adopts an increasingly tariff-driven trade policy.

India has already been subjected to 50 per cent tariffs by the US, with additional measures threatened over its continued purchase of Russian crude oil. Europe, too, has faced tariff threats from Washington, including most recently over Greenland.

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Against this backdrop, the EU-India summit is seen as part of a wider effort by both sides to strengthen ties with like-minded partners.

While the European Union continues to emphasise values and multilateralism in its foreign policy, India is increasingly viewed as a credible partner given its democratic credentials and growing economic weight.

The EU has identified India as a critical partner in its efforts to reduce strategic dependencies, particularly in key and emerging technologies. This thinking underpins initiatives such as the EU-India Trade and Technology Council, which held its first meeting in 2023.

The Council focuses on cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure.

In October, the European Council endorsed a New Strategic EU-India Agenda aimed at deepening cooperation across a wide range of sectors. This agenda is expected to form the basis of discussions at the upcoming summit.

Beyond multilateral frameworks, regular high-level interactions have continued to shape the relationship. Earlier this month, Jaishankar participated in the Weimar Triangle format meeting with Germany, France, and Poland. Modi is also scheduled to travel to Europe later this year for the India-Nordic Summit.

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Much of the momentum in Indias engagement with Europe has traditionally come through bilateral relationships.

Germany, France, and other key European states maintain strong ties with India. German Chancellor Friedrich Merzs recent visit to India resulted in agreements covering defence industrial cooperation, semiconductors, and critical minerals.

France, in particular, has been a long-standing strategic partner for India. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to visit India in February, and France has served as the chief guest at Indias Republic Day parade more times than any other country.

The clearest signal of the EUs intent to reset ties with India came from Kaja Kallas, the blocs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Addressing the European Parliament earlier this month, Kallas described India as becoming indispensable to Europes economic resilience and framed the upcoming summit as a moment of renewed political momentum.

Two major democracies cannot afford to hesitate, she said.

According to Kallas, leaders intend to move beyond declarations and endorse concrete deliverables that would take the partnership from words to actions.

This momentum has now culminated in the historic 16th India-EU Summit, where both sides finalised the comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and also established a new Security and Defence Partnership.

With inputs from agencies
South Koreas Kim Keon Hee has been sentenced to 20 months in prison on corruption charges. This marks the ultimate downfall from grace for the former first lady, who has weathered many controversies, including the Dior handbag scandal

South Korea's former first lady Kim Keon Hee, wife of impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol, at court in Seoul. Arrested last August, she has been found guilty and sentenced to 20 months in prison. File image/Reuters

It started with a designer handbag and has ended up with a jail term. We are talking about South Koreas former First Lady, Kim Keon Hee, who has been sentenced to 20 months in prison on corruption charges.

On Wednesday, Judge Woo In-sung of the Seoul Central District Court found Kim guilty of corruption and sentenced her to 20 months in prison. She was found to have accepted lavish bribes from the cult-like Unification Church  including a Chanel bag and a Graff necklace. However, she was, found not guilty of stock manipulation and violations of South Koreas campaign financing laws.

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Staying close to a president, a first lady can exert significant influence on him and is a symbolic figure who represents the country together with a president, the court said in a live broadcast of the verdict. But the defendant exploited her position to seek personal gains.

Incidentally, her husband who was South Koreas former President, Yoon Suk Yeol, is also serving prison time for his disastrous declaration of martial law in December 2024 and its chaotic aftermath.

With the sentencing, Keon Hees fall from grace is complete. Lets take a look.

Kim Keon Hees rise to power

Born Kim Myeong-sin, the former South Korean first lady graduated with an art education degree from Sookmyung Womens University in 1999. In 2009, Kim founded art exhibition company Covana Contents, for which she was CEO and president until 2023.

In 2012, she married Yoon Suk Yeol, who at the time was a prosecutor and 12 years her senior. In an earlier interview, the former South Korean president has described his wedding to Kim as one of his happiest memories.

When Yoon campaigned for president in 2012, Kim was seen by her husbands side in the most stylish of outfits. In fact, many believe that the South Korean former first lady styled herself on the lines of Americas Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

But style wasnt her only contribution to Yoons campaign. She actively helped shape his political career, a fact that even the former South Korean leader acknowledges. He once revealed that during the presidential campaign, he woke up at five or six one morning to see her answering text messages on his phone. I said Are you crazy? What are you doing up this late? he later revealed in late 2024. She said she was replying to our supporters, thanking them and promising them to do a good job.

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People watch a television screen showing a live broadcast of the trial verdict on corruption charges of South Koreas former first lady Kim Keon Hee, at a train station in Seoul. A South Korean judge handed the countrys former first lady Kim Keon Hee 20 months in jail for corruption. AFP

Controversies that have dogged Kim Keon Hee

Unlike other first ladies of South Korea, who were viewed as humble, behind-the-scenes figures, Kim took centre stage in her husbands politics, owing to which she also found herself ridden in many scandals and controversies.

On social media, critics claimed she had changed her appearance with plastic surgery and interviewed men who claimed they met her when they said she worked as a hostess in a Seoul nightclub. She flat out denied these rumours, with many womens groups also siding with her on the matter, calling out South Koreas patriarchal mindset.

Former Kim Keon Hee with then South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Unlike her predecessors, who were viewed as quiet and shy, Kim played a central role in her husbands presidential term. File image/Reuters

Kim also faced persistent allegations of academic plagiarism. This led to Sookmyung Womens University revoking her masters degree last year. Moreover, Kookmin University, where she earned a PhD revoked her doctoral degree, despite having cleared her of misconduct during an earlier probe.

The former South Korean first lady also faced allegations manipulating stocks between 2010 and 2012 related to Korean BMW dealership Deutsch Motors, earning unfair profits.

Throughout her husbands term as president, Kim also faced claims of being entitled. This was amplified when she attended a government event with her pet dog and handed its leash over to Yoons chief of presidential staff. Also, the time when she visited the Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul and sat on the royal throne.

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Kim has also been accused of wielding improper power  aides selected by her popped up in Yoons office, bypassing more senior secretaries. As Oh Jeong-hee, a special prosecutor, was quoted by New York Times as saying, She played a leading role from the moment Yoon Suk Yeol entered politics and went on to form a political partnership with him. She held no official position, but enjoyed a status rivaling the presidents.

When Yoon Suk Yeol imposed martial law in December 2024, only to reverse the decision a few hours later, there were allegations that the decision was taken to divert attention from calls for a special counsel investigation into corruption allegations against the first lady.

South Koreas Kim Keon Hee has been dogged by many controversies and often been accused of being entitled while her husband Yoon Suk Yeol was in power. File image/Reuters

Kims undoing

Despite these allegations and controversies, its the Dior handbag scandal that marks the downfall for Kim.

A video secretly filmed by a pastor in September 2022 showed the then first lady accepting a Christian Dior handbag worth $2,200 (Rs 1.83 lakh). The left-leaning YouTube-based channel _Voice of Seou_l video showed the pastor walking into an office for an exhibition agency run by Kim at the time. He hands a Dior shopping bag to her as soon as they meet, saying it is a way to show his appreciation. Dont bring expensive gifts like this, the first lady can be heard saying, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

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The pastor, who shot the video identified as Choi Jae-young, an activist devoted to Korean reunification who has travelled to North Korea several times. He said that Kim and he came from the same hometown and their families knew each other.

However, the Dior handbag scandal is different from the scandal in which she has been found guilty and sentenced to 20 months in jail. The former first lady was found to have accepted luxury gifts including a gold turtle figurine, a luxury clutch bag, a $27,700 wristwatch, a $43,000 diamond necklace and a $97,000 painting, from the Unification Church in return for government favours.

As per the courts verdict quoted by news agency Yonhap, The defendant misused her position as a means to seek profit. She failed to reject high-end luxury goods shared in connection with the Unification Churchs requests and focused on her own adornment.

Following the verdict, Kims defence team thanked the court but noted that the 20-month prison term for her bribery charges was relatively high. Lawyer Choi Ji-woo said the investigation was politically driven and his team will discuss whether to appeal.

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With inputs from agencies
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died after his plane crashed at the Baramati airport on Wednesday (January 28) morning. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief was one of the most powerful politicians in the state. Known as dada (big brother) among his supporters, he emerged from his uncle Sharad Pawars shadow to shape the political landscape of the western state

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is no more. The 66-year-old Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief was on board a private plane, along with four others, when it crash landed at the Baramati airport on Wednesday (January 28) morning.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), as per initial information, no person on board has survived the crash. Besides Pawar, his PSO, an attendant and two crew members  pilot in-command and the first officer  were flying in the Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by VSR Aviation, from Mumbai to Baramati when the accident took place.

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Tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembering Ajit Pawar as a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. The NCP chief is survived by his wife Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha MP, and two sons, Parth and Jay.

Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and pic.twitter.com/mdgwwGzw4R  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026

We take a closer look.

Ajit Pawar: Made for politics

Ajit Pawar reshaped Maharashtras politics over the decades.

He was born on July 22, 1959, in Deolali Pravara, a village in Maharashtras Ahmednagar district, to Anantrao Pawar, Sharad Pawars elder brother.

His upbringing helped him better understand the issues of farmers and the agricultural community in the state, strengthening his rural connection.

Politics was in Ajit Pawars blood. His uncle and NCP patriarch, Sharad Pawar, was a popular Congress leader by the time Ajit took the political plunge.

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Ajit Pawars political career

Like other family members, Ajits political innings began with the cooperative sector. At 23, he was elected to the board of a cooperative sugar factory.

Ajit entered electoral politics in 1991 by winning the family seat of Baramati in the Lok Sabha polls. However, he resigned and made way for his uncle, Sharad Pawar, who was inducted into the Union Cabinet under Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao.

Ajit moved back to state politics. He was made the Minister of State (MoS) for Agriculture and Power in Maharashtra and was later allotted the Water Supply and Planning portfolios.

In 1995, Ajit was elected to the Maharashtra Assembly from Baramati and went on to retain the seat in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024 elections.

Ajit Pawar was mentored by his uncle, Sharad, who had broken away from the Congress to float the Nationalist Congress Party in 1999.

The Congress-NCP alliance formed the government in Maharashtra in 1999. Ajit took charge of the heavyweight irrigation ministry. Over the years, he also held important portfolios of Rural Development, Water Resources, Power, and Finance.

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Ajit emerged as one of Maharashtras most powerful politicians, with the leader building a strong organisational network across the state, especially in western Maharashtra, as per Indian Express.

Ajit was first appointed as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 2010 in the government of Prithviraj Chavan. The NCP leader held the post since then, regardless of which side was in power.

Stepping away from uncles shadow

In recent years, Ajit Pawar rose out of his uncles mighty shadow to make his mark in Maharashtras political landscape.

With his strong command over party organisation and room for little dissent, Ajit developed a loyal group of leaders within the NCP. However, his rise brought tensions within the Pawar family.

Nationalist Congress President (NCP) patriarch Sharad Pawar with party leader Ajit Pawar (L) during a meeting at NCP office, in Mumbai, November 3, 2019. File Photo/PTI

The junior Pawar believed he was the natural political heir of his uncle, as per Indian Express.

Speculations about Sharad Pawars successor gained momentum after his daughter Supriya Sule entered electoral politics in 2009. The entry of Ajits nephew, Rohit Pawar, into electoral politics further fuelled the succession rumours.

When Supriya Sule was appointed as the NCPs working president, Ajit Pawar had said: What is my fault? That I was born to someone else?

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In 2004, Ajit publicly disagreed with the party leaderships decision to concede chief ministership to the Congress even after emerging as the single-largest party.

Known as Dada (elder brother in Marathi) among his supporters, he resigned as Deputy Chief Minister after allegations regarding irrigation projects. The move threatened the stability of the Congress-NCP government, leading to the intervention of Sharad Pawar, who staved off its collapse.

In 2019, after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) called him in connection with the Maharashtra state cooperative bank scam, Ajit offered to resign as an MLA.

As per The Hindu, Ajit Pawar constantly felt he was suppressed and denied his ultimate destiny to occupy the coveted Maharashtra Chief Minister post, as he believed he was unjustly and repeatedly denied opportunities by Sharad Pawar since 2004.

Ajit Pawars deep-seated bitterness triggered his revolt against his uncle. In November 2019, when the Bharatiya Janata Partys Devendra Fadnavis became the Maharashtra CM in an early-morning oath ceremony, Ajit supported his government.

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The BJP-NCP government, however, lasted just three days before Ajit returned to the NCP fold.

After Uddhav Thackeray came to power in Maharashtra in an alliance with the Congress and then the undivided NCP, Ajit returned as the Deputy CM.

Ajits final rebellion came in 2023 when he split the NCP, taking away 40 MLAs as he joined the Mahayuti government. Fadnavis, who enjoys cordial relations with Ajit, was seen to be behind the NCP leaders rebellion.

At the time, Ajit said he was being unjustly portrayed as a villain and recommended that senior Pawar retire from politics.

The Election Commission later recognised the Ajit Pawar faction as the official NCP and granted it the party name and symbol.

Ajits real test came during the 2024 elections. Of the five seats allotted to the NCP in the Lok Sabha polls, the party managed to win only one.

With critics blaming the NCP for the Mahayutis poor performance in the general elections in the state, Ajit Pawar had a tough task at hand  to prove his party was thereal NCP.

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And he not only proved but outdid himself. The NCP bagged 41 of the 59 seats, with Ajit returning as Maharashtras Deputy CM for a record sixth time.

The NCP chiefs ambition for the chief ministerial post remained unfulfilled. The Baramati strongman, however, had not given up. In July 2023, while attacking his uncle, Ajit Pawar said: I became Deputy CM five times, which itself is a record. I want to become Chief Minister one day and implement my own plans for the peoples welfare.

With inputs from agencies
Ajit Pawar, Maharashtras deputy chief minister, has died after a plane carrying him from Mumbai crash-landed at Baramati. What caused the tragedy? Preliminary investigations suggest that the aircraft may have suffered technical errors

Firefighters at the site after an aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed during landing, at Baramati in Pune district, Maharashtra. Pawar, along with others on board, was killed in the crash. PTI

Its a sad day for Maharashtra politics, as the states Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has passed away after a plane carrying him from Mumbai to Baramati crash-landed on Wednesday (January 28). Visuals that have gone viral on social media show the aircrafts wreckage engulfed in flames.

According to reports, the NCP chief and nephew of Maharashtras political veteran Sharad Pawar was to travel to Baramati to address rallies ahead of local body polls.

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But what do we know so far about the circumstances leading to Ajit Pawars demise?

Plane crash and Ajit Pawars demise

On Wednesday morning, Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar boarded a chartered plane from Mumbai to Baramati where the 66-year-old was expected to address four public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections.

However, as the plane attempted to land in Baramati, it crashed, resulting in the deaths of all passengers on board  Ajit Pawar was accompanied by his two staff members as well as two crew. An onlooker in Baramati told the Indian Express, The aircraft was making a lot of noise while landing so my attention went to it. It tried landing but slid off the runway and there was a big explosion just like they show in movies. They have pulled out 4-5 bodies from the aircraft till now.

Another eyewitness recounted the moment he saw the plane going up in flames to News18. I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion. After that, we rushed here and saw that the aircraft was on fire. There were four-five explosions in the aircraft again. More people came here, and they tried to pull the people out (of the aircraft). But since this was a huge fire, people could not help. Ajit Pawar was onboard and this is really painful for us. I cant describe it in words.

Kiran Gujar, a close aide of Ajit Pawar in Baramati, was quoted as saying, All six people including Ajit Pawar were brought dead to the hospital.

Editors Picks 1 10 world leaders who died in air crashes

Visuals from the spot show fire and smoke, mangled remains of the plane, and ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said all passengers on board died in the crash.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawars plane in flames after it crashed during landing, at Baramati. PTI

Ajit Pawars plane in focus

Following the crash and the resulting death of Ajit Pawar, focus has turned to the plane. Many are questioning if the crash was the result of a technical glitch in the aircraft.

Many details of the crash remain unclear as of now, but it has been revealed that the plane chartered by Ajit Pawar was a Learjet 45, a mid-size business jet made by Bombardier Aerospace. This plane typically seats eight passengers and is known for its short runway capabilities and baggage space, making it the top choice for people chartering private planes.

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The plane was owned by VSR Ventures Private Limited, which is founded and owned by VK Singh. Incidentally, the same plane that crashed on Wednesday had experienced a similar fate in 2023. On September 14, the Learjet 45 crashed while landing at Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport amid heavy rain and poor visibility.

Whats even more notable is that the US National Transportation Safety Board had called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to mandate immediate inspections of the main landing gear on several Learjet models.

Baramati airport manager Shivaji Taware told Hindustan Times, The aircraft VT SSK was attempting landing and the aircraft went on the side of the runway and exploded on crashing.

Preliminary investigation into the crash suggests the aircraft faced a technical issue while landing. The pilot tried to land but it appeared that their was loss of control, sources were quoted as telling News18.

Sources from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Indias aviation regulator, have been quoted as saying that wreckage distribution will be studied and photographed in detail to find out the direction and speed and impact on the aircraft. Moreover, they will retrieve the black box of the aircraft to ascertain the events that led to the crash.

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They are also looking at external factors such as the weather, runway positioning to understand the reasons behind the tragedy. Some have noted that the aircraft encountered extremely dense fog in the Pune district and the Baramati region, which caused it to lose its course while flying through a hilly area before crashing.

Authorities have begun their investigations to determine what caused Ajit Pawars plane to crash in Baramati. PTI

Reactions to Pawars demise

As news broke of Ajit Pawars death, the political world was left reeling from the shock. It has been reported that the 66-year-olds family is now en route to Baramati, the bastion of the Pawar clan. His cousin, Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, who is in Delhi for Parliaments budget session, is leaving for Pune, whereas his uncle, Sharad Pawar was at his Mumbai residence, Silver Oak, at the time of the crash.

The crash has also led to an outpouring of grief across political lines. PM Narendra Modi posted on X, Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed his grief and hailed Ajit Pawars contributions to Maharashtra and its people.

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Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar.



Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 28, 2026

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT)s Priyanka Chaturvedi also expressed her sorrow at the news. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work, she was quoted as saying.

VIDEO | On demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an aircraft crash, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "This very sad news came early in the morning. Ajit Pawar ji himself was among the young leadership of Maharashtra, committed and dedicated to the pic.twitter.com/eARXg6pTjg  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed her grief over the passing of Ajit Pawar. She wrote on X, Deeply shocked and stunned by the suddden demise of Ajit Pawar! The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati today morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss. My condolences to his family including his uncle Sharad Pawar ji, and late Ajitjis all friends and followers. The incident needs proper investigation.

Pawars party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), also broke down as they received news of their Dadas death.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died after an aircraft carrying him crashed at Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday. The 66-year-old had the honour of being the longest-serving deputy chief minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. File image/PTI

A look back at Pawars life

Before his death, Ajit Pawar held the mantle of being the longest-serving deputy chief minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments.

He was married to Sunetra Pawar, with whom he has two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. Pawar began his political journey in 1982, winning a seat on the board of a cooperative sugar factory. In 1991, he became chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank.

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He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 from the Baramati constituency but later vacated the seat for his uncle, Sharad Pawar. Pawar was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly seven times from Baramati, winning a 1991 by-election and then in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014.

In November 2019, he engineered a split in the NCP and joined a government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and became the deputy chief minister. In February 2024, the Election Commission awarded the party name and symbol to the faction headed by Ajit Pawar.

With inputs from agencies
Thailand and Nepal have ramped up travel screening while Taiwan has tightened health surveillance following cases of the Nipah virus in India. So far, two confirmed cases have been detected in West Bengal

In this photograph provided by the public relations department of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, quarantine doctors watch thermal scanning of travelers from West Bengal at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn, Thailand. AP

The Covid pandemic has made the world wary. Now, cases of the deadly Nipah virus in West Bengal have sparked concern in parts of Asia. Several countries, including Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan, are on alert.

So far, only two cases of the virus have been confirmed in West Bengal. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has rejected claims of five Nipah virus cases, stating that only two confirmed cases have been reported from West Bengal since December last year to date. Stringent measures have been taken against a possible spread in Odisha and Kerala.

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Here is a look at the Nipah virus and how it spreads.

What is the Nipah virus?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the Nipah virus, or NiV, as a zoonotic infection; it spreads from animals to humans. However, it can also spread from person to person through contaminated food.

WHO has placed Nipah in the top ten priority diseases along with others like Covid-19 and Zika virus, due to its potential to trigger an endemic. The virus carries a high mortality risk, with between 40 and 75 per cent of cases proving fatal, depending on the strain.

The infection spreads through fruit bats, especially flying foxes from the Pteropus family. It can spread either by direct contact with bats or by eating contaminated food. Symptoms usually appear within four to 14 days of exposure. Some of the initial symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat. This can be followed by drowsiness, altered consciousness, and even pneumonia. In severe cases, encephalitis or inflammation of the brain also occurs.

Is India facing a Nipah virus outbreak?

No, there is no outbreak. Two confirmed cases of the deadly Nipah virus have been found in West Bengal. The cases have been detected among healthcare workers.

A total of 196 contacts linked to the confirmed cases have been identified, traced, monitored, and tested. All traced contacts have been found asymptomatic and have tested negative for Nipah Virus Disease, the Union health ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

West Bengal and Kerala are endemic for the Nipah virus, according to medical experts. File image/Reuters

Speculative and incorrect figures regarding Nipah Virus Disease (NiVD) cases are being circulated in certain sections of the media, the ministry said, advising the public to only rely on verified information from official sources and to refrain from spreading unverified reports.

However, the virus can spread quickly. AIIMS Bilaspur Professor Dr Narendra Kumar Arora warned that the Nipah virus poses significant public health risks, describing it as a zoonotic disease that has caused sporadic outbreaks in Kerala and West Bengal and remains endemic in Bangladesh, ANI reported.

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Suggesting that there is currently no vaccine available to treat the virus, he said, Nipah virus is highly infectious and fatal. Patients either develop symptoms of encephalitis or severe respiratory disease. The mortality rate ranges between 40 and 75 per cent, which is very high. He said Kerala and West Bengal are endemic for this virus.

If any Nipah virus case is diagnosed, the patient must be given monoclonal antibodies as soon as possible, Dr Arora said. However, there is a very limited supply of these monoclonal antibodies globally.

Which countries have introduced screening?

While no cases have been reported outside of India, several countries have stepped up precautions. Thailand began screening passengers arriving from West Bengal at three international airports in Bangkok and Phuket from Sunday (January 25). Passengers at the Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket airports are being monitored for fever and symptoms associated with the virus.

Meanwhile, Nepal has also begun screening people arriving through the airport in Kathmandu and other land border points with India. To strengthen surveillance, health desks have been set up to screen travellers for symptoms, and hospitals and border health facilities have been told to report and manage any suspicious cases.

Taiwan, on the other hand, has proposed to list the Nipah virus as a Category 5 disease. In the islands disease classification system, Category 5 includes emerging or rare infections that present significant public health risks and call for immediate reporting and special controls.

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When did the past Nipah outbreaks occur?

The virus was first detected in 1998 in a major outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and later spread to Singapore. More than 100 people were killed and a million pigs culled in an effort to contain the virus.

More than 100 people died in Bangladesh due to the Nipah virus since 2001. The outbreak has previously occurred in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007. In 2018, Kerala reported 19 Nipah cases, 17 of which were fatal. In 2023, two of the six confirmed cases in the state later died.

With inputs from agencies
Indian-American billionaire and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla on Tuesday (January 27) accused Tesla CEO Elon Musk of promoting a racist ideology. Khosla reposted an old Musk tweet, accusing him of backing white America great again and urged Tesla, SpaceX and X staff to quit

Indian-American billionaire and Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla attacks Tesla CEO Elon Musk on X, calls him racist and urges Tesla and SpaceX employees to quit. Image courtesy: X

Two billionaires are in loggerheads again on battleground X. This time, an Indian-American billionaire and Khosla Ventures founder, Vinod Khosla, has taken a sharp dig at Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Khosla reposted an old Musk tweet and accused him of promoting racism and divisive views. He even made an open call to Musks employees to quit and join firms backed by him.

The X owner, who is never one to back down, made a stinging reply to Khosla, hurling a few insults at him. Here is what happened between the two.

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Who is Vinod Khosla?

Born in Pune on January 28, 1955, Khosla grew up in a Punjabi family. His father was an Indian Army officer, and he often encouraged Khosla to enlist in the military. However, from an early age, Khosla nurtured a different ambition: to start a Silicon Valley company by the age of 15, according to a report in The Times of India (TOI).

Khosla graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in 1976 with a Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering. According to reports, he first tried to establish his business in India. One of his early attempts was a soy milk startup; however, regulatory and structural barriers forced him to explore opportunities abroad.

In 1970, he immigrated to the United States. Khosla pursued his masters in biomedical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He also holds an MBA degree from Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Billionaire and Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla counts among the wealthiest Indian-American entrepreneurs in tech and venture capital. Image courtesy: Vinod Khosla/LinkedIn

According to his LinkedIn profile, in 1986, he co-founded Daisy Systems, a Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) company. However, the breakthrough came in 1982, when he co-founded Sun Microsystems along with Scott McNealy, Andy Bechtolsheim and Bill Joy.

The company went on to emerge as one of the defining tech firms of the internet era. Khosla climbed Suns leadership ladder, first becoming chairman and then CEO. At its peak in 2000, Sun Microsystems boasted a market capitalisation of $150 billion (roughly Rs 13.75 lakh crore), making it the largest Indian-founded corporation at the time.

In 1986, Khosla left Sun and transitioned fully into venture capital. In 2004, he started Khosla Ventures, which invested in more science-based experimental technologies, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Khosla Ventures has become known for embracing high-risk and unconventional ideas. The firm was among the first to invest in OpenAI. It also focuses on long-term bets in areas like climate tech and healthcare innovation.

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Khosla is married to Neeru Khosla, co-founder and chair of the CK-12 Foundation, which is an education-focused nonprofit, according to TOI. They are parents to four children: Nina Khosla, Vani Khosla, Neal Khosla, and Anu Khosla.

According to Forbes, Khoslas net worth is estimated at $13.3 billion (around Rs 1.21 lakh crore). He counts among the wealthiest Indian-American entrepreneurs in tech and venture capital.

Why did Khosla go after Musk?

On Tuesday (January 27), Khosla dug up an old post by Musk from September 2025, in which X owner wrote, White people are a rapidly diminishing minority of the global population.

Khosla criticised Musk over what he called an inflammatory and racist remark. He even accused the Tesla CEO of promoting an ideology based on race rather than merit.

He also urged workers and staff at Tesla, SpaceX and other big companies led by Musk to quit their jobs and join Khosla Ventures portfolio. The call-out focuses particularly on non-white and decent white workers.

.@elonmusk doesn't want MAGA, he wants WAGA or "white America great again" as a racism is great and desirable" paradigm. All non-whites in @tesla, @SpaceX @X etc and all decent whites should quit and join our portfolio. Email us your linkedin! https://t.co/NmbM19AnnC  Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) January 27, 2026

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Elon Musk doesnt want MAGA, he wants WAGA or white America great again as a racism is great and desirable paradigm. All non-whites in Tesla, SpaceX, X, etc., and all decent whites should quit and join our portfolio. Email us your LinkedIn! Khosla wrote on X.

While Khosla cited an older Musk post, the SpaceX founders remarks on immigration have continued to draw attention.

Earlier this month, Musk faced backlash for seemingly endorsing a post suggesting white men could be at existential risk if they became a minority. Musk responded with a 100 emoji, which many saw as a signal of agreement, Moneycontrol reported.

How Musk hit back at Khosla

Dismissing Khoslas criticism, Musk called the Indian-American billionaire a pompous a******. The SpaceX founder argued that his partner, Shivon Alice Zilis, is half-Indian and one of his children has been named in honour of the renowned Indian-American physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.

Vinod, youre not just such a pompous a****** that you tried to stop the public from using a public beach near your house, youve also gone full retard. My partner, Shivon, is half Indian, and my eldest son with her is named in honour of the great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar, he wrote on X.

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Vinod, youre not just such a pompous asshole that you tried to stop the public from using a public beach near your house, youve also gone full retard.



My partner, Shivon, is half Indian and my eldest son with her is named in honor of the great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2026

Musk, in his post, was referring to Khoslas years-long attempt to block public access to a beach near the Indian-Americans home on the Peninsula coast in San Mateo County, California.

For years, Khosla has fought against public access to Martins Beach, which runs through his $37 million estate (roughly Rs 310 crore). He has also filed multiple lawsuits over the issue, reported Business Insider.

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This was not the first clash between two billionaires. Earlier, in 2024, Khosla declined to endorse President Donald Trump after Musk urged the venture capitalist to vote for the Trump-Vance government during the presidential election, the media outlet reported.

Thats not all, according to several media reports, Khosla also called Musks lawsuit against OpenAI a bit of sour grapes.

With inputs from agencies
As the Nipah cases in India raise worries across Asia, a new study by Chinese researchers has claimed that an existing oral antiviral medication can help prevent the spread of the deadly virus. VV116, a nucleoside drug, was originally developed to treat Covid-19. How does it work against the Nipah virus?

Health officials clear waste from isolation ward of Ernakulam Medical College, in Kerala's Kochi, following detection of the Nipah virus, June 5, 2019. File Photo/PTI

The emergence of the Nipah virus infections in India has raised concerns across Asia. While there were reports that five cases have been reported in West Bengal recently, the Union health ministry on Tuesday (January 27) clarified that only two infections have been confirmed since last month in the state.

Nipah virus (NiV) can be fatal, with a high mortality rate of 40 per cent to 75 per cent. A new study has found that an oral antiviral medication could help manage outbreaks of the deadly virus that has no vaccine or cure.

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We take a look.

Can Chinese drug tackle Nipah?

A joint research by Chinese scientists has found that an existing oral antiviral drug can help battle the Nipah virus.

The study titled The oral nucleoside drug VV116 is a promising candidate for treating Nipah virus infection was published in the international journal Emerging Microbes & Infections recently. The paper revealed that VV116, the nucleoside drug originally developed to treat Covid-19, can be used to prevent the spread of Nipah, according to a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report.

The oral antiviral drug demonstrated significant antiviral activity against the Nipah virus, researchers say. VV116 is approved for the treatment of Covid-19 in China and Uzbekistan.

How Covid drug worked against Nipah

An oral dose of VV116 prevented Nipah virus strains in laboratory settings, improving survival rates in animal trials, as per researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The drug enhanced the survival rate of golden hamsters to 66.7 per cent. It also reduced the amount of the virus present in key target organs, such as the lungs, spleen and brain.

The Nipah virus is transmitted from animals to humans when they come in contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats and pigs. The virus could lead to respiratory problems and even encephalitis in some cases.

The Chinese drug and its active byproducts significantly inhibited the Nipah virus, including both the Malaysia strain (NiV-M) and the Bangladesh strain (NiV-B) in lab settings.

As per SCMP, the Bangladeshi strains of the Nipah virus are behind the outbreaks in India.

A bat is caught in a net set up by lab assistants at a field laboratory as they research the Nipah virus in the Shuvarampur area of Faridpur, Bangladesh, September 14, 2021. File Photo/Reuters

Why the study matters

Currently, there is no cure or vaccine for the Nipah virus. Due to its high fatality rate, a treatment or cure is the hour of the need.

Studies have found several compounds that inhibit Nipah virus infection. However, no drugs have been licensed for clinical use so far.

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The latest findings affirmed VV116s therapeutic potential against Nipah virus infection, showing that it can be used as a preventive treatment for high-risk groups.

This finding is the first to demonstrate the therapeutic potential of VV116 against Nipah virus, the Wuhan Institute of Virology said on Monday.

It can be used not only as a preventive drug for high-risk groups such as healthcare workers and laboratory workers, but also as a readily available drug option for dealing with current and future Nipah virus outbreaks, the institute said.

Vigonvita Life Science Co, a China-based biopharma company, said on Tuesday that the preclinical data signal that VV116 has the potential to be developed as a treatment for the Nipah virus. The firm said that it will closely monitor related outbreak trends and initiate clinical trials for treatment and post-exposure prevention when needed, thepaper.cn reported on Tuesday.

The Chinese scientists have said more research is needed to detect how VV116 inhibited the Nipah virus. However, they suggested the drug could follow a similar mechanism to its anti-coronavirus activity.

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The researchers also stated that, as the oral medications safety for human use is established, it should be considered as a therapeutic option for the Nipah virus.

Nipah fears in Asia

Two confirmed cases of the Nipah virus have been reported at a private hospital in Barasat in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district recently.

A total of 196 contacts linked to the confirmed cases have been identified, traced, monitored, and tested. All traced contacts have been found asymptomatic and have tested negative for Nipah Virus Disease, the Union Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

No additional Nipah Virus Disease cases have been detected so far, the ministry said, urging the public to rely only on verified information from official sources. It emphasised that the situation was being constantly monitored and all necessary public health measures are in place.

The resurgence of the Nipah virus cases in West Bengal has raised worries in China ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, when millions travel.

Thailand has also started screening passengers at three international airports in Bangkok and Phuket that receive flights from the Indian state.

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Airport health authorities wearing protective masks monitor passengers from international flights arriving at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, January 25, 2026, following the implementation of health screening measures for passengers arriving from West Bengal amid the Nipah virus outbreak. Suvarnabhumi Airport Office /Handout via Reuters

Nepal is screening arrivals at Kathmandu airport and other land border points with India.

Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong have also implemented preventive measures or started monitoring the incurable virus.

With inputs from agencies
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and devastation after the aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crash-landed near Baramati airport on Wednesday, sending flames and thick smoke billowing into the sky. Pawar was travelling on a chartered flight from Mumbai to Baramati, where the 66-year-old was slated to address four public meetings in the run-up to the Zilla Parishad elections.

One witness said he saw the plane descend before erupting into violent explosions that made any rescue attempt impossible. I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion, he said. After that, we rushed here and saw that the aircraft was on fire. There were 45 explosions in the aircraft again. More people came here, and they tried to pull the people out (of the aircraft). But since this was a huge fire, people could not help, the witness added.

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According to News18, the aircraft encountered technical trouble while landing at the Baramati airstrip. Reports suggest that Pawar was scheduled to attend several events in Baramati on Wednesday.

Along with Pawar, two security personnel, two crew members and an NCP worker were killed in the crash. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that there were no survivors.

VIDEO | Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district. Visuals from spot.



(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/6UnMLKwqtp  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026

PM expresses grief over Ajit Pawars demise

Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra, PM Modi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding, His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti.

President Droupadi Murmu said, The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely tragic. The untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji is an irreparable loss. He will always be remembered for his special contribution to the development of Maharashtra, especially in the cooperative sector.

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on X, Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, initiating formal steps to determine what led to the crash as the situation continues to draw attention.
Others who died in the plane crash include two personnel, two crew members and an NCP worker. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has said that none of the people on board survived the crash

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawars plane crashed on Wednesday morning, resulting in his death along with a couple of others on board.

According to News18, the aircraft encountered technical trouble while landing at the Baramati airstrip. Reports suggest that Pawar was scheduled to attend several events in Baramati on Wednesday.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Videos from the accident show smoke bellowing from the crashed aircraft. Rescue operations are currently underway.

Others who died in the plane crash include two personnel, two crew members and an NCP worker. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has said that none of the people on board survived the crash.

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What happened?

As per the initial occurrence report, a Learjet 45 aircraft (registration VT-SSK), operated by VSR, reportedly crash-landed at Baramati airport on Tuesday. Five people, including crew members, were on board the aircraft.

VIDEO | Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district. Visuals from spot. pic.twitter.com/XZbDHMhAPa  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026

According to preliminary information, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was travelling on the aircraft along with two other personnel, a personal security officer and an attendant, besides the pilot-in-command and first officer.

The other four people who died in the crash have been identified as:

Vidit Jadhav, PSO to Deputy CM

Sumit Kapoor, Pilot

Sambhavi Pathak, Pilot

Pinki Mali, Flight Assistant

Although the accident is subject to a detailed enquiry, prima facie it seems that the jet encountered an issue with the landing gear. Learjet has previously reported landing gear issues.

USs National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had recently issued an urgent safety recommendation, calling on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to mandate immediate inspections of the main landing gear on several Learjet models.

PM Modi enquires about accident

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have called Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ask about the senior NCP leaders death in the plane crash.

Paying his respects to Pawar on X, PM Modi said, Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy.

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Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and pic.twitter.com/mdgwwGzw4R  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026

According to News18, MPs Sunetra Pawar, Supriya Sule and others have rushed to Baramati. Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and other leaders have gone to the Pawar residence in New Delhi.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on X, Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra.

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President Droupadi Murmu said, The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely tragic. The untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji is an irreparable loss. He will always be remembered for his special contribution to the development of Maharashtra, especially in the cooperative sector.
The India-EU trade deal is less about romance than realism. Like the sangam, it brings together two currents that need each other more than they admit

After nearly two decades of negotiation, India and the European Union have forged a trade pact that blends luxury with livelihood, aligning Europes capital and technology with Indias scale and growth.

Indian holy texts describe a sangam as the confluence of two rivers  sometimes visible, sometimes subterranean  whose mingling is believed to multiply their force. The newly concluded India-European Union free-trade agreement has something of that quality. After 18 years of on-again, off-again talks, two very different economic streams have finally found a channel wide enough to flow together and deep enough to be bountiful. What emerges is a grand bargain shaped by geopolitics, stagnation in Europe and momentum in India.

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At its core, the deal is disarmingly simple. Europe gets a big slice of Indias fast-growing top-end luxury market. Think BMW and Bordeaux  this is a market that has long been sheltered by punitive tariffs. In return, Indias employment-heavy sectors  textiles, leather, chemicals, jewellery and seafood  secure deeper entry into the worlds largest single market. Luxury for jobs; brands for livelihoods. Trade economists dream of such symmetry. Politicians rarely deliver it.

That symmetry explains the unusually grand language surrounding the pact. It is Indias largest free-trade agreement yet, both in economic size and regulatory scope, granting preferential access to all 27 EU countries under a single framework. Agriculture and dairy, politically radioactive on both sides, have been prudently excluded.

The timing is no accident. Global trade is fragmenting under the pressure of Trumps tariffs, Chinese overcapacity and weaponised supply chains. The EU, bruised by energy shocks and anaemic growth, is searching for diversification beyond China. India, wary of dependence on any one bloc and facing a hostile neighbourhood, wants scale, weapons, technology and markets. The pact promises all four.

Consider the numbers. Goods and services trade between India and the EU already hovers around $200 billion a year. The agreement is explicitly designed to push that higher. India is set to regain market access and tariff relief for labour-intensive exports, while opening fresh opportunities in services  especially digital, where New Delhi has been pressing for recognition as a data-secure country under Europes GDPR regime. Autos, wine and spirits  long the sticking points  will be handled through phased tariff cuts or quota-based compromises. The result is neither capitulation nor stalemate, but managed liberalisation aimed at incremental, assured growth.

The sectoral effects will be uneven, but substantial. Indias top exports to the EU already include mineral fuels and oils (about $15 billion), textiles and apparel ($7.6 billion), telecom instruments ($7.5 billion), iron and steel articles ($4.8 billion) and pharmaceuticals. Lower tariffs and clearer rules should accelerate shipments of garments, leather goods, chemicals and jewellerysectors that employ millions and matter politically. On the import side, Europe will ship more industrial machinery, medical and scientific instruments, aircraft and aircraft parts, and high-end electrical equipment. Pearls, stones and jewellery flow both ways; so, increasingly, will capital.

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Europes motives go beyond trade balances. The continents big economies are stagnating, trapped between ageing populations, fiscal constraints and a loss of industrial dynamism. Germany, once the locomotive of Europe, is flirting with recession. France is muddling through. Italy barely grows. China and America remain far larger economies than India, but size is not the secret sauce heregrowth is. Indias GDP is expanding at roughly 7 per cent a year. If sustained, that pace alone could turn India into a powerful growth engine for European firms starved of demand at home. For exporters in Milan, Munich or Marseille, India offers something increasingly rare: volume growth without geopolitical hostility.

India, for its part, brings confidence to the table. Its macroeconomic story is sturdier than in previous negotiating rounds. Public investment in infrastructure has been relentless; domestic demand is resilient. The rupee has weakened, though not collapsed. That will not make Indian exports instantly cheap  supply chains, compliance costs and logistics still matter  but over time a softer currency will help competitiveness, especially in price-sensitive sectors such as textiles and footwear. Europes consumers may not notice the shift immediately; Europes importers will.

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Differences remain, but progress is assured

Non-tariff barriers remain the thorniest issues. Europes green measures  carbon border adjustment mechanisms and deforestation regulations  sit uneasily with Indias development priorities. Brussels frets about Indias quality-control orders; Delhi bristles at Europes traceability rules for textiles, standards for chemicals under REACH and norms for electric-vehicle batteries. None of these disputes has vanished. The difference now is institutionalised dialogue rather than megaphone diplomacy.

There is also an unspoken political bargain. Europe has long enjoyed lecturing India on human rights while, in Delhis view, indulging Pakistan diplomatically and strategically. That posture is becoming harder to sustain as defence cooperation deepens. The trade deal opens a golden opportunity to build a defence-industrial ecosystem that goes well beyond buyer-seller transactions. The Airbus-Tata aircraft manufacturing partnership offers a template: European technology, Indian scale and shared production.

India is in the market for more advanced Rafale fighters from France and air-independent-propulsion submarines from Germany. It is also rapidly building capacity in drones, sensors and electronic warfare. Europe, eager to reduce its own dependence on US defence suppliers, has every incentive to partner India as a co-producer rather than a customer. Doing so would anchor the trade pact in hard power as well as commerce  and require Europe to treat India less as a moral classroom and more as a strategic equal.

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The geopolitical dividend may prove larger than the commercial one. The pact helps India partly absorb the shock of US tariffs and hedge against Chinese coercion, while buying precious negotiating time with Trump. For Europe, it offers supply-chain diversification beyond China at a moment when Russias invasion of Ukraine has exposed the risks of economic naivete. India is not China: its bureaucracy is messier, its economy smaller, its politics noisier. But it is open, young and growing  three attributes Europe lacks.

There will be domestic losers. Indian carmakers will complain about German competition; European farmers will worry about future concessions. Regulators on both sides will argue over standards and safeguards. Such friction is the price of integration. The alternative  drifting apart in a world of blocs  is costlier.

In the end, the India-EU trade deal is less about romance than realism. Like the sangam, it brings together two currents that need each other more than they admit. Europe supplies capital, technology and brands; India supplies growth, labour and scale. If managed well, their confluence could deepen into something sturdier than a treaty: a habit of cooperation. In an age of fractured globalisation, that alone makes the bargain worth striking.

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(The writer is a senior journalist with expertise in defence. Views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of Firstpost.)
In the shadowed corridors of Beijings Zhongnanhai compound, a drama of Shakespearean proportions is unfolding. Chinese President Xi Jinping, now in his 14th year at the helm of the worlds second-most populous nation, has orchestrated a series of purges that have decimated the upper echelons of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

What began as an anti-corruption drive in 2012 has morphed into a tool for absolute control, concentrating authority in the hands of one man to a degree unseen since Mao Tse-tungs era. This consolidation, while ostensibly aimed at rooting out graft and ensuring loyalty, poses profound dangers not only to Chinas internal stability but to the global order. As the West grapples with economic interdependence and geopolitical tensions, from the South China Sea to trade wars, the alarm bells should be ringing louder than ever.

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Xis ascent to unchallenged power has been methodical and ruthless. By abolishing term limits in 2018, he positioned himself as leader for life, dismantling the collective leadership model that had characterised post-Mao China. This shift has accelerated in recent years, with purges targeting even his closest allies, revealing a paranoia that could unravel the very system he seeks to dominate. The latest wave, erupting in late 2025 and spilling into 2026, underscores the fragility of this personalised rule. If unchecked, it could precipitate a crisis that echoes the tumultuous transitions of authoritarian regimes past, with ramifications felt from London to Taipei.

Purge wave of eliminating rivals

The recent purges have struck at the heart of Chinas military and political elite, leaving no doubt about Xis intent to forge an unassailable position. In October 2025, the CCP expelled nine of its most senior military leaders, including members of the Central Committee, in a move that rocked the PLAs command structure. This was followed by the dramatic ousting of General Zhang Youxia, Xis longtime ally and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC)  the body that oversees the PLA  in January 2026. Zhang, a 72-year-old princeling whose father fought alongside Xis own in the revolutionary wars, was placed under investigation for serious violations of discipline and law, a euphemism often masking political disloyalty. Alongside him fell General Liu Zhenli, Chief of the Joint Staff Department, reducing the CMC to a skeletal form: essentially Xi and one remaining loyalist.

These actions are part of a broader pattern. Since Xis anti-corruption campaign began, over 4,000 high-ranking officials have been ensnared, including dozens of generals. The PLA, with its two million troops, has been particularly hard-hit, as Xi seeks to transform it from a potentially fractious force into a personal instrument. Reforms since 2015 have centralised command under the CMC, which Xi chairs, ensuring that the military serves the party  and by extension, him  above all else. The purges address not just corruption in procurement and readiness but perceived threats to Xis authority. These measures eliminate rivals while instilling fear, as even red princelings like Zhang are not immune.

The wave crested during the CCPs Fourth Plenum in November 2025, where military purges dominated discussions, signalling personnel turmoil amid warnings of growing uncertainty. Xis rationale is clear: in a system where the PLA is indoctrinated to serve the CCP Chairman, any hint of divided loyalty must be crushed. Yet, this approach risks hollowing out expertise. The PLAs professional core  comprising officers and non-commissioned officers who guide conscripts  has been repeatedly disrupted, compromising operational effectiveness. Xis devilish finesse in political manoeuvres contrasts sharply with the economic stagnation his policies have wrought, but it is this very perspicacity that now endangers the regimes foundations.

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The purges extend beyond the military into the CCPs civilian apparatus, where Xi has sidelined factions associated with predecessors like Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao. By controlling internal security forces, including the Peoples Armed Police, Xi has built a sword arm for domestic repression, further entrenching his dominance. This concentration echoes historical precedents, from Stalins Great Purge to Saddam Husseins eliminations, where short-term gains in loyalty masked long-term institutional decay.

Dangers of one-man rule

Xis consolidation of power, while impressive in scope, carries inherent perils that could destabilise China from within. The shift from collective leadership to personalist rule has created decision-making bottlenecks, as key choices are elevated to Xis inner circle  or to Xi himself. This centralisation risks paralysis, particularly in a nation facing economic slowdown, demographic decline, and external pressures. Xis economic vision, wedded to state-heavy models reminiscent of Maoist self-reliance, has prioritised military modernisation over innovation, exacerbating issues like youth unemployment and property crises.

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Moreover, the purges breed paranoia and sycophancy rather than genuine allegiance. When even trusted allies like Zhang Youxia are purged  amid rumours of family corruption or foreign ties  the message is clear: no one is safe. This fosters a culture of fear, where officials prioritise survival over effective governance. The PLA, tasked with ambitions like reunifying Taiwan by 2027, now grapples with disrupted chains of command and morale in freefall. US intelligence assessments warn that these internal upheavals could impair military readiness, turning Xis strength into a vulnerability.

Paradoxically, Xis power grab undermines the CCPs resilience. Post-Mao reforms emphasised institutional norms to prevent the chaos of one-man rule, but Xi has reversed this, making the system brittle. As power concentrates, so do risks: a single misjudgement could cascade into crisis. Economic policies under Xi have reoriented resources towards unproductive sectors, holding back growth and alienating the middle class. In foreign affairs, his nationalist ideology amplifies tensions, from border disputes with India to assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. The world watches as Chinas Chinese Dream teeters on the edge of nightmare, driven by a leader whose grip may prove too tight.

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Global repercussions and the succession void

The implications of Xis autocracy extend far beyond Chinas borders, demanding urgent attention from policymakers in Westminster and beyond. A destabilised China, with its economy intertwined with global supply chains, could trigger worldwide economic shocks. The European Unions trade with China, valued at billions annually, hangs in the balance amid these uncertainties. More alarmingly, a weakened PLA might embolden aggressive posturing to deflect internal woes, heightening risks in flashpoints like Taiwan or the South China Sea.

Yet, the greatest peril lies in the succession vacuum Xi has created. With no designated heir and the 21st National Congress looming in 2027, his refusal to groom a successor invites anarchy upon his eventual departure  whether through natural causes or otherwise. Analysts foresee a scramble for power that could fracture the CCP, echoing the post-Mao turmoil but on a grander scale. Xis personalisation of rule has made the regime opaque, amplifying global risks: an unstable transition could lead to erratic foreign policy or even conflict as factions vie for control.

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For India, Xis unrelenting power consolidation spells heightened peril along their shared 3,500 km border, where tensions have simmered since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020. His purges, driven by insecurity, may prompt more aggressive territorial assertions to bolster nationalist fervour at home, as seen in incursions into Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh.

With the PLAs command disrupted, miscalculations risk escalating into full-scale conflict, straining Indias resources and alliances. Xis centralised decision-making, devoid of dissenting voices, could exacerbate this, turning diplomatic stalemates into flashpoints that undermine regional stability and Indias economic aspirations.

Neighbouring states like Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and ASEAN countries face a double-edged sword from Xis iron-fisted rule. Pakistans deep entanglement through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor risks deeper debt dependency, with Xis unchallenged authority enabling unchecked influence over Islamabads policies, potentially fuelling proxy tensions with India.

In Nepal and Bangladesh, Chinas Belt and Road Initiative has expanded under Xi, fostering political leverage that could sway elections or border disputes, eroding sovereignty amid economic allure.

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For ASEAN nations, Xis personal grip intensifies assertiveness in the South China Sea, where militarised islands challenge maritime rights, heightening naval confrontations and fracturing regional unity as economic coercion silences dissent.

Russia, Chinas strategic partner in countering Western dominance, may find Xis purges a mixed blessing. While his consolidated power strengthens the Sino-Russian axis  evident in joint military drills and energy deals  it exposes underlying mistrust, with Moscow wary of becoming the junior partner in a relationship tilted by Chinas economic might.

Internal instability from Xis one-man rule could lead to erratic support for Russias Ukraine campaign or rivalries in Central Asia, risking fractures in their no-limits partnership and emboldening global challengers.

Xi Jinpings iron grip represents a perilous gamble. By concentrating authority in one person, he has engineered a system vulnerable to caprice and collapse. The purges may buy time, but they erode the foundations of stability. For the sake of global peace and prosperity, the international community must prepare for the storm that could follow. China under Xi is not an unstoppable juggernaut but a colossus with feet of clay  and the cracks are widening by the day.

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The author is a senior journalist and writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
The White House, bypassing the UN, has invited more than 60 countries to join the Donald Trump-headed Board of Peace in Davos

At the World Economic Forum, President Trumps new Board of Peace blurs the line between diplomacy and commerce, turning global crises into platforms for profit and power.

Karl Marx famously said that history repeats itself, first as tragedy and second as farce. The way US President Donald Trump and his cronies have cobbled together what they advertised as the Board of Peace (BoP) at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 shows their real intent: economic opportunities in political tragedies.

Gaza, with a death toll of over 60,000 and the displacement of more than two million others, is a huge tragedy. But it has morphed into a political farce  and a massive business opportunity.

Manufacturing conflicts, marketing weapons, and rebuilding war-ravaged countries are all big global businesses. Period.

President Trump unveiled the BoP at the WEFs Annual Summit in Davos, Switzerland  hardly a political platform. Had he any political solutions to offer on Gaza or other crises, he would have probably launched the board at United Nations platforms in New York or Genevaor in Washington.

He did not.

Instead, he formally unveiled, signed, and got others to sign the Charter of the US-friendly international organisation in Europe. Assembled, ostensibly, for resolving not just the stalemated Gaza war but also other conflicts, it carries an entry fee of $1 billion for permanent membership; other guests will have three-year terms. And, of course, Trump will lead this League of Nations 2.0 as its lifetime Chairman.

In September 2025, the BoP was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of war-torn Gaza and rehabilitate its more than two million displaced people. However, there is no Palestinian representative on the BoP.

But then its larger master plan evolved to embrace the entire planet; the Gazans/Palestinians have simply ceased to existalmost.

Why?

Gaza, or for that matter Ukraine, is a lever to be leveraged  by a US President who admits he is a businessman and deal-maker.

If we piece together diverse strands, a bigger picture emerges.

Come November 2026

Democratic-Socialist Zohran Mamdanis November 2025 election as the next Mayor of New York City likely made the Republicans rethink the very fate of the capitalist worlds financial and geopolitical capital: is New York now an asset or a liability for America as a unipolar superpower?

And has California, especially San Francisco, grown too big for its high-tech boots?

Spot these straws in the wind:

A day after the first Muslim was sworn in as the 111th Mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, Trumps crypto adviser and venture capitalist David Sacks predicted that Miami would dethrone New York City as the USAs financial capital. He also argued that progressive policies in San Francisco would push talent and investment to Austin, Texas, making it the new technology capital.

In other words, just as some nations relocate their capitals for different reasons, the Republicans may also shift the USAs financial and technology capitals to get even with the Democrats.

Ahead of the crucial mid-term elections to the US Congress in November 2026, the Republicans are likely cleansing New York and San Francisco as the Democrats nurseries; the two bastions have traditionally funded and fertilised liberal, democratic, and secular ecosystems not only in America but overseas as well. With Trumps return to the White House for a second term in January 2025, many Republicans have fiercely and openly targeted Democrat-infested academia and media, and pushed through aggressive anti-immigration policies. More than a dozen leading US universities and millions of immigrants have been targeted like never before.

If the Republicans win, New York may lose its sheen as a global city, and even the United Nations may be phased out. In January 2026, Trump set this objective in motion when the US withdrew from 66 UN-linked global bodies; and just a day after he signed the BoP in Davos, Washington formally pulled out of the WHO as well.

Overall, the US foots nearly 20 per cent of the UNs bills; starved of funds, the UN has already reduced its staff.

Of course, age-related health issues  complacency and dependence on others also afflict this first truly global organisation.

Trump and UNO@80

Then US President Franklin D. Roosevelt coined the term United Nations in 1942 to describe the Allied nations fighting the Axis powers during the ongoing Second World War (1939-45). As a key founder of the United Nations Organisation (UNO), he initiated the planning for the international body. Shortly after his untimely death, the UN Charter was signed on June 26, 1945, in San Francisco; his administration had laid the groundwork.

His successor, Harry S. Truman, oversaw the finalisation of the UN Charter; the US Senate approved it on July 28, 1945, making the United States the first nation to complete the ratification process. In 1946, Truman welcomed the first sessions of the UN General Assembly in New York, which became the organisations permanent headquarters.

But that was the age of West-led geopolitics. Now is the era of geo-economics.

The Republicans have since had a problem with Roosevelt and Truman: both were Democrats who fought real wars against Japan and European fascists.

The UN is now 80 years old; Trump, the oldest person in American history to become President (for a second term), will also turn 80 in July 2026. And his ambition is, if not to make history, at least to leave a mark on it.

What better way to achieve this than to undermine  or maybe even kick out  the UN itself?

Even during Trump 1.0, the US had temporarily withdrawn from seven UN organisations.

America after UN?

Post-Mamdani, this likely Republican strategy  call it the Deep States global vision  is no longer America-centric but expands to the entire planet, even space (thats why the US must acquire Greenland, the emerging spot for the best space forays). In this 21st-century quest for untrammelled US ascendance, not only the UN but even NATO are redundant. For example, because of four non-American vetoes in the UN Security Council, the US cannot always have its way. Within NATO also, the US controls the UKs nuclear warheads but not Frances.

Clearly, America has its limits in both the UN and NATO.

Trump, who has already warned Europe against illegal immigrants, elaborated on what he plans for NATO. In a January 23 social media post, he wrote: Maybe we should have put NATO to the test: invoked Article 5 and forced NATO to come here and protect our Southern Border from further invasions of illegal immigrants, thus freeing up large numbers of Border Patrol Agents for other tasks.

National sovereignty? Its the post-nation and post-UN era.

The Third BoP!

Until recently, the world was familiar with two BoPs: balance of payments and balance of power. Trump is leveraging both with his own BoP  the Board of Peace  for geodynamic objectives.

It is in this context that the White House, bypassing the UN, invited more than 60 countries to join the Trump-headed BoP in Davos. Nearly 25 agreed to join, nine European nations declined, and Trump disinvited Canada. Americas key NATO allies  the UK, Germany, Canada and France  are notable absentees. Others, such as Russia, China, India and Japan, are yet to decide.

Ironically, while Trumps BoP was initially conceived as a mechanism to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, its 11-page Charter does not directly mention the war-torn Palestinian territory  not even once. Instead, the Charter describes a broad international organisation with an open-ended mandate to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.

Observers noted that the Charter allows for a much wider global scope, feeding speculation that it is intended as a rival to the United Nations. Moreover, it designates Trump as Chairman with wide-ranging powers, including the ability to veto decisions and control the agenda. Like an exclusive Trump Club, its membership is invitation-only.

While the UNSC previously endorsed the board for Gaza-specific work (under Resolution 2803), the Charter itself appears to have evolved into a more imperial or wide-ranging agenda.

Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do, Trump claimed before signing the documents. He was joined on stage by cheering leaders, foreign ministers and top officials representing 19 other countries, such as Argentina, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Hungary, Morocco, Bahrain, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Even Islamic countries signing the Charter did not object to the omission of Gaza.

To be politically correct, for now, Trump said his BoP would work with many others, including the United Nations. Ive always said the United Nations has tremendous potential; it has not used it.

He praised the work of US officials involved in the project for their efforts in establishing a ceasefire in Gaza. We have peace in the Middle East. Nobody thought that was possible.

He added that the board was going to be very successful in Gaza and that we can spread out to other things as we succeed with Gaza.

But many suspect Trumps real intentions.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has accused his US counterpart of wanting to create a new UN. Instead of fixing the UN, he said, Trump is proposing to create a new UN where only he is the owner.

Board of Action

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: This is not just a Board of Peace. This is a board of action, just like President Trump is a president of action.

Trumps Jewish son-in-law Jared Kushner, a senior White House adviser and real-estate developer, outlined details of the BoPs development plans in Gaza without mentioning any pathway towards a Palestinian state. The board wants to use free market principles to shift Gaza away from dependence on foreign aid, he said, showing a map of the Gaza Strip divided into residential and coastal tourism mixed zones.

The plan includes building 100,000 housing units in Rafah as well as New Gaza, Kushner said, showing a rendering of high-rise coastal towers.

On February 4, 2025, Trump stated in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would take over and own the Gaza Strip, levelling and reconstructing the territory, which would provide unlimited amounts of jobs and housing for the people of the area.

Trust Trump!

(The author is a senior journalist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.)
India has long prided itself as a voice for international law. While its founding Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, saw international law as a largely European construct designed to benefit Europeans, he nevertheless viewed the construct as necessary to protect newly sovereign states. He inserted the necessity to respect international law in Article 51 of the Indian Constitution. Every Indian Minister Narendra Modi has spoken about creating a new world order rooted in international law that advances respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful dispute resolution.

Perhaps this is why, when United States Special Forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, 2026, Indias Ministry of External Affairs expressed deep concern. Opposition parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor was vocal in his condemnation. He condemned the law of the jungle and argued the US action contravened the UN Charter, impinged on Venezuelan sovereignty, and lamented the idea that any state should capture another head of state.

While there can be much to debate about US action, and the capture of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega exactly 36 years before, Indian officials should both be less naive about international law and less reticent to condemn the US actions given the problems New Delhi now faces in Dhaka.

The basis of this naivete is that international law, like the norms of diplomacy, only works when all sides equally embrace them. If any US President walked on water, Tharoor would condemn them for never learning to swim, so his usually anti-American invective can be put aside. Rather, the issue is whether Indias real adversaries  countries like Pakistan, China, or the Muhammad Yunus regime in Bangladesh  view international law as an encapsulation of common principles, or whether they approach its citation as an asymmetric warfare strategy with which to selectively stymie Indias own actions.

In the Venezuela case, the heart of the issue is whether Maduro was a legitimate president. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs may be unsure and Tharoor may believe he was, but in this case it is Tharoor who subscribes to the law of the jungle, since Maduros claim to the presidency had less to do with the ballot box and more with the barrel of a gun. Russia, China, Cuba and Iran recognised Maduro, but the United States, many European states, and many countries across Latin America did not.

On both issues, Bangladesh provides an important test for India. Yunus may act as chief adviser and interim head of state, but he came to power in what, in hindsight, appears more a carefully constructed coup than an organic protest movement. His efforts after Sheikh Hasinas ouster to ban the Awami League, and his subsequent release of hardened Islamists and terrorists from prison, suggest a predetermined plan. His status as an unelected leader in Bangladesh makes him akin to Maduro, as the former Venezuelan leader also sought to impose his ideological will on society despite a failure to win any credible elections.

If Yunus is more the manifestation of a plot by Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency to oust an enemy and redeem Jamaat-e-Islami, a group responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths, then should India restrain itself with an expansive definition of international law if the ISI does not abide by the same constraints?

PM Modi is correct that international law is important, but its adherents must apply it equally. Indeed, international law itself acknowledges this. The protections of the Geneva Conventions, for example, only apply in full to prisoners of war who act according to the laws of war. Terrorists, those who hide among civilians, and those who do not wear uniforms do not receive the same rights as soldiers in uniform. To suggest otherwise simply incentivises and encourages more abuse of international law by suggesting advantages can be gained without suffering penalties for failure to adhere to the laws requirements. Put another way, until Pakistan or Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh adheres to international law, India should feel no obligation to do so in its interactions with either.

Indeed, rather than blanketly condemning Maduros capture as Tharoor did, or expressing unease as Indian diplomats have, Indian strategists should consider a different approach.

Reversing an illegal coup against an elected government conforms with international law. So too would bringing the perpetrators of that coup to justice. In such a situation, Indians should perhaps view Maduros perp walk at a New York court less as an outrage and affront to international law than as a model and precedent for India to follow. India defined its red lines by pulverising terror bases in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Now it is time to set a red line on Bangladesh.

(Michael Rubin is director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.)
The approval covers several hundred thousand H200 chips and was granted during Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huangs visit to China this week, the sources said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

China approves its first batch of Nvidia H200 chips for import (Photo: Reuters)

China has approved its first batch of Nvidias H200 artificial intelligence chips for import, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters, marking a shift in position as China seeks to balance its AI needs against spurring domestic development.

The approval covers several hundred thousand H200 chips and was granted during Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huangs visit to China this week, the sources said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

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The first batch of approvals has been allocated primarily to three major Chinese internet companies, with other enterprises now joining a queue for subsequent approvals, one of the sources said.

They declined to name the companies that received the initial clearances.

Chinas industry and commerce ministries as well as Nvidia had not yet responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

The H200, Nvidias second most powerful AI chip, has emerged as a major flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. Despite strong demand from Chinese firms and U.S. approval for exports, Beijings hesitation to allow imports has been the main barrier to shipments.

The U.S. earlier this month formally cleared the way for Nvidia to sell the H200 to China, where the company is seeing strong appetite. However, Chinese authorities have the final say on whether they would allow it to be shipped in.

It was unclear in recent weeks whether Beijing would grant approval as the government wants to balance meeting surging domestic demand for advanced AI chips and nurturing its domestic semiconductor industry.

Chinese customs authorities told agents that the H200 chips were not permitted to enter China, Reuters reported earlier this month.

But Chinese technology firms have placed orders for more than two million H200 chips, far exceeding Nvidias available inventory, Reuters reported last month.

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It remains uncertain how many additional companies will receive approval in subsequent batches or what criteria Beijing is using to determine eligibility.

Huang arrived in Shanghai last Friday for routine annual celebrations with Nvidias China employees and has since travelled to Beijing and other cities, Reuters reported last week.

Balancing Act

The approvals of H200 suggest Beijing is prioritising the needs of major Chinese internet companies, which are spending billions of dollars to build data centres needed to develop AI services and compete with U.S. rivals, including OpenAI.

While Chinese companies such as Huawei now have products that rival the performance of Nvidias H20 chip, previously the most advanced AI chip it was allowed to sell to China, they still lag far behind the H200.

The H200 delivers roughly six times the performance of Nvidias H20 chip.

Still Beijing has discussed requiring companies to buy a certain quota of domestic chips as a condition for receiving approval to import foreign semiconductors, Reuters previously reported.
The European Union said on Tuesday its stepping in to make sure Google gives rival AI companies and search engines access to Gemini AI services and data as required by the blocs flagship digital rulebook.

The European Union said on Tuesday its stepping in to make sure Google gives rival AI companies and search engines access to Gemini AI services and data as required by the blocs flagship digital rulebook.

The executive arm of the 27-nation bloc said it was opening up so-called  specification proceedings  to ensure that Google complies with the sweeping Digital Markets Act, which requires Big Tech companies to give smaller players equal access to hardware and software features.

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Brussels said part of the proceedings will specify how Google should give third-party AI companies equally effective access to the same features available through its own services.

The EU will also look at whether Google is giving competing search engines fair and reasonable access to Google Search data. This will include whether AI chatbot providers are eligible to access the data.

The proceedings fall short of an investigation and must wrap up in six months with draft measures that Brussels will impose on Google.

Clare Kelly, Googles senior competition counsel, said she was concerned about the reasons behind the procedure.

Android is open by design, and were already licensing Search data to competitors under the DMA, Kelly said in a statement.

However, we are concerned that further rules, which are often driven by competitor grievances rather than the interest of consumers, will compromise user privacy, security, and innovation. Teresa Ribera, who oversees competition affairs as executive vice president of the European Commission, says it seeks to maximise the potential and the benefits of this profound technological shift by making sure the playing field is open and fair, not tilted in favour of the largest few.

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The move adds EU pressure on Google, which is facing antitrust scrutiny after the blocs regulators last year started investigating whether the company gave itself an unfair advantage through the use of online content for its AI models and services.
Users can now ask Google Photos to perform a range of edits, such as blurring backgrounds, fixing glare, sharpening images, adjusting colours, or even removing reflections from windows, all through text or voice commands.

Editing photos is about to get a whole lot smarter. Google has started rolling out its AI-powered photo editing tools in India, allowing users to tweak and transform their pictures with just a few words or even a quick voice command.

Instead of fiddling with brightness sliders or colour filters, users can now simply describe what they want, and Google Photos will do the rest.

Google Photos: Edit your photos with voice commands

The new AI editing features, powered by Googles Gemini model, are available for Android devices running version 8.0 or newer with at least 4GB of RAM.

Initially launched in select global markets last year, the tools are now expanding to India, making advanced image editing accessible to millions of users who may not have professional photo-editing skills.

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According to a blog post by the tech giant, users in India can now ask Google Photos to perform a range of edits, such as blurring backgrounds, fixing glare, sharpening images, adjusting colours, or even removing reflections from windows, all through text or voice commands.

Users can now also combine multiple edits in a single request, like straightening a photo, enhancing colours, and brightening shadows simultaneously.

But the magic doesnt stop there. Google Photos is also getting personalised editing features for people in photos, making it easier to fix group shots or portraits.

You can now ask the app to remove sunglasses, open closed eyes, or even make someone smile. These fine-tuned edits are powered by the apps private face groups, which allow AI to make more accurate adjustments without compromising personal data privacy.

Whether youre improving lighting, fixing reflections, or changing someones expression, these tools make creative control as simple as saying what you want, Google said in its blog post announcing the rollout.

Beyond traditional photo fixes, Google is also introducing a new creative feature dubbed Nano Banana, which takes AI editing to a whole new level. With it, users can reimagine scenes entirely, add furniture to a room, restore old or damaged photos, expand image compositions, or even place people and pets in new settings.

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Its a glimpse of how AI is reshaping photography, turning everyday snapshots into polished, imaginative works of art.

To make these advanced edits more accessible, Google Photos now supports several Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, and Gujarati, alongside English. This multilingual support ensures that more users can interact with the AI naturally, regardless of their preferred language.

In a move towards responsible AI use, Google is also adding C2PA content credentials within Google Photos. This feature labels AI-edited images and includes an edit history log, helping users identify when and how a photo has been modified. Its part of Googles broader push for AI transparency and authenticity, especially as AI-generated content continues to blur the line between real and artificial imagery.

With Gemini at the core of these tools, Google is positioning Photos as more than just a storage app, its becoming a creative companion, a digital artist, and even a photo editor on demand. For Indian users, that means photo editing just got easier, smarter, and a lot more fun.

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On International Data Privacy Day, its worth asking how much privacy we truly have left in the digital world. Here, we explore how everyday social media platforms and AI technologies quietly chip away at our personal boundaries, often far beyond what we realise.

As the world marks International Data Privacy Day 2026 on Wednesday (January 28), the question of how secure our personal data truly is has triggered data safety debates across the globe. From the apps we use every day to the AI tools we increasingly rely on, our digital footprints are constantly being tracked, analysed, and monetised, often without our full awareness.

With data breaches, targeted advertising, and algorithmic surveillance becoming part of daily life, experts say its time for users to pause and reconsider what privacy even means in a world where almost everything is connected.

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Data privacy on social media

The conversation around privacy isnt new, but recent controversies have made it impossible to ignore. Popular apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) have all faced criticism over how they handle user data.

Meta-owned WhatsApp has come under repeated scrutiny for sharing user metadata with its parent company, raising concerns about how much information is used for targeted advertising and behavioural profiling. Last week, a lawsuit filed in the US district court of San Francisco, claims that your WhatsApp chats can be read by Meta.

Despite end-to-end encryption in chats, privacy the case argue that Meta and WhatsApp actually store, analyse, and can access virtually all user communications, despite publicly stating otherwise.

On Instagram, concerns have deepened following revelations about how the platform collects location data and tracks user activity even when the app is closed. Last year, Instagram launched a new feature called location sharing. The feature was shocking accurate when it came to addresses.

Several users flagged the issue, saying it could be putting people in danger by revealing their whereabouts without their knowledge.

Meanwhile, YouTube, the most popular video-streaming app, has also been accused of collecting vast amounts of data on viewing habits, feeding into its powerful recommendation system that keeps users watching for hours. Regulators in the European Union have questioned whether such systems exploit behavioural data to the point of manipulation.

X, under Elon Musks ownership, has also sparked debate by relaxing privacy standards and allowing more data integration with third-party services.

Musks plan to turn X into an everything app has raised concerns about potential cross-linking of financial, social, and behavioural data, a prospect that could further blur the boundaries between convenience and surveillance.

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Whats particularly alarming, as technology experts point out, is how normalised this trade-off has become. In exchange for free access and connectivity, billions of users unknowingly offer their personal data as currency.

Every click, scroll, and interaction feeds algorithms designed not just to personalise experiences but to predict and influence behaviour. The result is a digital ecosystem where privacy is less a right and more a privilege, one few users truly understand theyve surrendered.

How AI models are feeding on our data

Adding to these concerns is the rise of artificial intelligence, which has introduced a new layer of complexity to data privacy. AI models thrive on vast datasets, the very content users create, post, and share online every day. Whether its text, photos, or voice recordings, nearly all forms of digital activity can become raw material for machine learning.

In the past year, several tech giants have faced legal action for how their AI systems collect and use data. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is currently facing lawsuits in the United States over allegations of using copyrighted or personal data without consent.

Google has been accused of scraping web content, including private or sensitive material, to train its AI models, while Meta faces multiple investigations in Europe over the use of personal data to build and refine its AI algorithms.

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Privacy advocates warn that AI is now seeping into everyday life, embedded in search engines, social media feeds, voice assistants, and even email clients. While these systems promise convenience, they also rely on constant data collection to improve accuracy and relevance, often in ways that remain opaque to users.

As nations worldwide debate stronger data protection laws and the ethical use of AI, International Data Privacy Day stands as the voice calling for the protection of personal data of those using the internet in general and social media apps in particular. The logic is simple: data is new oil. Our data is the currency of the digital world, and its time we learned its true cost.
A London volunteer has launched a legal challenge after being wrongly identified by the Metropolitan Polices live facial recognition system, as the High Court reviews whether mass deployment of the technology in public spaces breaches privacy laws and lacks limits.

A man falsely identified as a suspect by London Polices live facial recognition has filed a legal action against the Police sweeping away the use of technology.

The High Court in London began a review procedure examining the British capitals Metropolitan police and whether they are acting under the law in its use of live facial recognition (LFR) cameras in public places.

Shaun Thompson, a volunteer who helps young people affected by street crime, was questioned by police in 2023 after being wrongly identified by the technology as on a watchlist.

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The Met uses the technology to scan the faces of passers-by and compare their biometrics with thousands on a watchlist. The UK is the only European country to deploy the technology on a large scale.

Thompson launched a legal action against Silkie Carlo, director of civil liberties campaigning organisation Big Brother Watch.

Their lawyer, Dan Squires, told the court police can use the technology in more than half of public areas of London without clear enough reasons for the selected locations.

The polices lawyer, Anya Proops, argued the case was entirely lacking in merit and could have very dramatic implications if it limited use of the technology to locations connected with people being sought.

The judicial review meeting is due to finish on Wednesday, with a judgement on a later date.

Two judges are tasked with assessing whether the Mets policy on using facial recognition technology provides adequate constraints or is arbitrary.

The police force said in its written argument that last year 801 arrests were made as a result of LFR.

The primary value of live facial recognition for the police is it is an immensely effective and powerful tool enabling us to locate people when we dont know where they are, Proops said.

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The issue is the mass scale of the innocent people whose biometric data is taken, Squires added.

The Metropolitan Police said the technology only minimally intrudes into the privacy of the public because it is required to be clearly signposted.
Samsung has recently teased a new feature, a smart privacy display, to debut with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The upcoming privacy screen will allow users to control visibility across specific areas of the display.

Ahead of its much-anticipated Galaxy S26 Ultra launch, Samsung has teased an exciting new feature that could make privacy screen protectors a thing of the past.

According to the latest teaser, the upcoming flagship will introduce built-in privacy control, so you can finally read your private messages in public without worrying about nosy commuters or curious colleagues peering at your screen.

Coming soon: A new layer of privacy. Stay tuned for a new front line for privacy to keep your moments truly yours. #GalaxyAI #GalaxyUnpackedhttps://t.co/k33AtLxrQ8  Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) January 27, 2026

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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Smart privacy display

Renowned tipster Ice Universe took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal fascinating details about this upcoming feature, which goes far beyond the traditional privacy screen mode found on laptops and monitors.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultras privacy screen will allow users to control visibility across specific areas of the display, what Ice Universe calls partial, localised privacy control.

Heres how it works.

Imagine receiving a private message notification. From your own viewing angle, youll see the full content clearly. But anyone glancing from the side will only see a completely blacked-out section where the message appears, while the rest of the screen stays perfectly normal.

This means no more dimmed or greyed-out displays across the entire phone. Only the content you choose stays hidden, giving users a much smarter and more precise privacy experience.

As Ice Universe noted, this makes perfect sense in the real world, whether youre in an elevator, on public transport, waiting in queues, or in any crowded space where screen-peeking is all too common. The feature aims to keep your digital life private without compromising usability or brightness.

Samsung is gearing up to unveil its Galaxy S26 lineup, which includes the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and the high-end Galaxy S26 Ultra, at its next Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25, 2026.

Industry insider Ice Universe has already narrowed down the expected launch window, and several reports now back his claim. Samsung is reportedly timing the release to stay ahead of the competition, especially Apples iPhone 17 series, which has been leading the premium smartphone segment since late 2025.

When it comes to pricing, leaks from a Finnish retailer suggest that the Galaxy S26 could start at $799 (around Rs 66,500), while the Galaxy S26+ may cost $999 (around Rs 83,000). The top-of-the-line Galaxy S26 Ultra could carry a price tag of around $1,199 (approximately Rs 99,600).

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However, if past trends are any indication, Indian buyers should expect slightly higher prices. For context, the Galaxy S25 series launched in India at Rs 80,999, compared to its US base price of $799.

Samsungs upcoming privacy screen feature might just redefine smartphone discretion, no stickers, no tinted protectors, just smart AI-driven visibility control built right into your display. And if this is what the teaser promises, the Galaxy S26 Ultra could be one of Samsungs most practical and futuristic flagships yet.
The new option, rolling out on Tuesday and called Strict Account Settings, is a one-click button in WhatsApps settings that activates a series of defenses. These include blocking media and attachments from unknown senders, disabling link previews, and silencing calls from unknown contacts.

A teenager poses for a photo while holding a smartphone in front of a Whatsapp logo in this illustration taken September 11, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Metas WhatsApp messaging service is offering users an advanced security mode, joining a growing number of US tech firms that are letting users opt into stronger protections against hackers in exchange for a more restrictive experience.

The new option, rolling out on Tuesday and called Strict Account Settings, is a one-click button in WhatsApps settings that activates a series of defenses.

These include blocking media and attachments from unknown senders, disabling link previews - the thumbnails that appear when a URL is entered into a chat - and silencing calls from unknown contacts. All three have been identified as potential vectors for surveillance and advanced hackers.

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In a blog post, WhatsApp said that while all its users conversations were protected by end-to-end encryption, we also know that a few of our users  like journalists or public-facing figures  may need extreme safeguards against rare and highly sophisticated cyberattacks.

More from Tech Totally false: WhatsApp Chief rejects claims Meta can read private messages

Meta Platforms is the third major tech firm to offer a security boost for high-risk users.

In 2022, Apple launched Lockdown Mode, which it describes as an optional, extreme protection designed for the very few individuals who might be targeted by advanced digital threats. Available on iPhone and macOS, the feature disables most message attachment types and link previews and includes restrictions on FaceTime calls and web browsing.

Last year, Alphabets Android began offering Advanced Protection Mode, for users with heightened security awareness.

Like Lockdown Mode, Alphabets more secure option trades some functionality for enhanced security, including restricting users from downloading potentially risky apps from outside its in-house Play Store.

A researcher who helps defend civil society figures from hacking said WhatsApps announcement was a very welcome development.

The feature will help protect dissidents and activists while encouraging other tech firms to up their game, said John Scott-Railton, who works at The Citizen Lab, a research group based out of the University of Toronto.

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My hope is that others follow suit, he said.
The host did not hold back his disdain for the tactics being used, labelling the enforcement officers as a gang of poorly trained, shamefully led, mask-wearing goons"

ABC pulled late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off air indefinitely over comments he made about the shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. AFP file

During Monday nights broadcast of Jimmy Kimmel Live, an emotional Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears twice while addressing the recent killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis. The tragedy occurred on Saturday, marking the second fatal shooting by ICE agents in the city in just three weeks, following the death of Renee Good, a mother of three.

Kimmel opened his monologue by reflecting on the heavy atmosphere of the weekend, stating, I spent the weekend like probably a lot of you did, looking at my phone and just feeling shocked and sick at whats happening in Minneapolis.

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He described the harrowing footage circulating online, noting, One video after another: screaming people being torn from their families, Americans, people who were born in the United States being pulled out of their cars for the crime of having an accent or whatever. Children, small children, babies being tear-gassed, taken into custody, separated from their parents.

The host did not hold back his disdain for the tactics being used, labelling the enforcement officers as a gang of poorly trained, shamefully led, mask-wearing goons. He further characterised the situation by saying, And that is what they are: Theyre goons committing vile, heartless, and even criminal acts. Its sickening to watch, and its frustrating to watch.

Kimmel suggested that the sight of fellow Americans executed by ICE should serve as a pivotal moment for Donald Trumps supporters. He challenged the audience, asking, Is that the law and order that you voted for? Where are the reasonable voices on the right? We need some decent people on the right to show some courage and some common sense. Visibly shaken, he concluded that section by remarking, Every day is a nightmare now.

The situation hit close to home for Kimmel, who mentioned that he and his wife have family living in Minneapolis. He shared the climate of fear currently gripping the community, explaining, Theyre afraid to take their kids to school. Theyre afraid to go to work.
The American diplomat said China and the US have settled many of their differences, and that their broader relationship had improved multidimensionally since Chinese President Xi Jinping met Trump last year

China said it opposed foreign interference in the affairs of other countries, responding to US threats.

As major US allies cosy up to China amid President Donald Trumps decisive policies, the US Ambassador to Beijing, David Perdue, held a closed-door meeting in Hong Kong in a bid to improve relations between the two countries.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, Perdues message to Chinese officials was comforting and reassuring as he furthered the two countries mission to advance business across the world.

What was discussed?

Speaking behind closed doors to hundreds of finance heads, Perdue made his first trip to Hong Kong since becoming US ambassador last May.

The American diplomat said China and the US have settled many of their differences, and that their broader relationship had improved multidimensionally since Chinese President Xi Jinping met Trump last year.

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Ambassador Perdue called it a remarkable achievement in the diplomacy between the two heads of state," a source told SCMP.

Overall, he seems to be optimistic about US-China relations this year as he also mentioned that Trump and Xi will meet multiple times this year," another source said.

Perdue noted significant progress toward several trade agreements, including a Boeing deal, ahead of Trumps expected visit to China in April. He expressed optimism regarding the ongoing truce, confirming that both sides have largely fulfilled their Busan commitments and are making headway on fentanyl precursors and soybean purchases.

Starmer in China

The latest world leader to visit China is UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is expected to meet Xi on Thursday.

Among the goods Britain hopes to sell to China are financial services products such as pensions, insurance and wealth management services, luxury cars and clothing, and whisky.

While China has been prevented from investing in certain parts of the British economy, such as nuclear plants and core mobile networks, it has invested in renewable energy systems, infrastructure and real estate.

China was Britains fourth-largest trading partner with trade totalling around 100 billion pounds in the 12 months to the end of the second quarter in 2025, according to government data.
US Treasury Secretary Bessent criticised the European Union for finalising a trade agreement with India, saying he was disappointed by the move and arguing that it showed Europe had prioritised trade over the interests of the Ukrainian people

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks during a press conference to unveil the official Trump Accounts website, at the Treasury Department in Washington, D.C., US, on December 17, 2025. Reuters File

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday criticised the European Union for finalising a trade agreement with India, saying he was disappointed by the move and arguing that it showed Europe had prioritised trade over the interests of the Ukrainian people.

Speaking to CNBC, Bessent said European countries had been purchasing refined products made in India using sanctioned Russian oil supplies, while at the same time declining to match higher US tariffs on Indian goods because they were negotiating their own trade deal with New Delhi.

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The European Union on Tuesday concluded a long-delayed trade agreement with India aimed at boosting two-way commerce and reducing the blocs dependence on the United States amid rising global trade tensions.

The EU said the deal would double its exports to India by 2032 by eliminating or reducing tariffs on 96.6% of traded goods by value, generating savings of about 4 billion euros ($4.8 billion) in duties for European companies, reported Reuters.

Asked whether the agreement and similar deals excluding the United States could pose a threat to Washington, Bessent said, They should do whats best for themselves, but I will tell you, I found, I find the Europeans very disappointing.

He said the deal explained why Brussels had resisted joining Washingtons decision last year to impose 25% tariffs on Indian goods as part of efforts to curb purchases of Russian oil.

The Europeans were unwilling to join us, and it turns out, because they wanted to do this trade deal, Reuters quoted him as saying. So every time you hear a European talk about the importance of the Ukrainian people, remember that they put trade ahead of the Ukrainian people.

Bessent had indicated last week that the United States could consider lifting the additional 25% tariffs on India following a sharp drop in Indian imports of Russian oil.

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His comments came amid heightened transatlantic tensions after President Donald Trump recently threatened to raise tariffs on imports from some European countries over their opposition to his pursuit of Greenland.

Although the threat was later withdrawn, it unsettled European officials and added to concerns over the future of US-EU trade relations.

US officials have also expressed frustration that the EU has yet to implement tariff reductions it pledged under a framework trade deal reached with Washington in July.

Those concerns intensified this week after Trump raised tariffs on South Korean imports to 25% from 15%, citing delays by Seouls parliament in ratifying a framework trade agreement reached last year.

Bessent defended the move, calling it helpful to get things moved along, and said South Koreas parliament needed to approve the deal.

Trump said on Tuesday that he expected the United States and South Korea to work out a solution, without offering further details. South Korean officials were due to arrive in Washington on Wednesday for talks with U.S. trade officials.

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With inputs from agencies
D66, CDA and VVD agree in principle to govern with 66 seats as Rob Jetten set to become Netherlands youngest prime minister, according to a report

Democrats 66 (D66) party leader Rob Jetten speaks next to the media members at the Dutch Parliament, after the Dutch parliamentary elections, in The Hague, Netherlands, on October 30, 2025. Reuters File

The leaders of three Dutch political parties said on Tuesday they had reached a provisional agreement to form a minority coalition government, ending months of negotiations following last Octobers election.

According to a Politico report, the centrist Democrats 66 (D66), which emerged as the largest party, will govern alongside the centre-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the liberal Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Together, the three parties would control 66 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament, leaving them 10 seats short of a majority  an uncommon arrangement in Dutch politics.

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D66 leader Rob Jetten, 38, is set to become the youngest prime minister in the Netherlands history.

Appearing with the leaders of the CDA and VVD on Tuesday night, Jetten said the parties still had a few final details to resolve before formally presenting their coalition agreement on Friday, but expressed confidence that a deal was within reach.

Were really looking forward to getting started, Politico quoted Jetten as saying.

He added the new governments priorities would be affordable housing, controlling migration and investing in defense.

The Cabinet could be sworn in by the Dutch king by the end of February, reported Politico.

VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz, a former justice minister, said she has yet to decide whether she will take a role in the new government.

The October election delivered a breakthrough for D66, which narrowly finished ahead of Geert Wilders far-right Party for Freedom (PVV).

The PVV had previously been the largest party in a coalition government that was plagued by internal divisions and ultimately collapsed after Wilders withdrew his partys support during a dispute over asylum policy.

With inputs from agencies
Organisers announce a fourth No Kings protest for March 28, 2026, aiming for 9 million participants to oppose the Trump administrations immigration policies and executive power expansion nationwide.

Organisers of the anti-Trump No Kings movement have announced plans for a fourth nationwide day of protest on March 28. Organisers and activists are now setting their sights on an unprecedented goal: a 9-million-person turnout following a year of escalating tensions between the second Trump administration and a burgeoning resistance.

This projected figure would not only dwarf previous rallies but would establish the event as the largest single-day demonstration in the history of the United States.

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A movement born of defiance and tragedy

The No Kings protests first captured national attention on June 14, 2025, when organisers reported turnout in the millions, with rallies and marches in more than 2,000 cities and towns nationwide.

The No Kings moniker, coined by the 50501 Movement and championed by groups like Indivisible and MoveOn has become a rallying cry against what critics describe as an accelerating slide into authoritarianism. While previous demonstrations in June and October 2025 drew between 5 and 7 million people, the upcoming March 28 mobilisation is fuelled by a new, visceral wave of public outrage.

The focal point of the next round of protests has shifted significantly toward Minneapolis. Recent weeks have seen the city transformed into a national symbol of resistance following a federal immigration crackdown that resulted in the deaths of two US citizens during clashes with federal agents. Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible, said that the March date was chosen to allow for unprecedented preparation regarding safety and security.

We cannot respond to lawlessness and violence by being unwilling to go out into the streets, Levin stated, framing the event as a necessary exercise of constitutional rights in the face of what he termed a secret police force.

The science of resistance: Chasing the 3.5% rule

Beyond the immediate outrage over immigration raids and executive overreach, the No Kings movement is increasingly leaning into a strategic framework known as the 3.5% rule. Political scientists including Harvards Erica Chenoweth, have historically noted that no nonviolent movement has failed to achieve significant political change once it consistently mobilises 3.5% of a population.

With an aimed turnout of 9 million, the movement is effectively attempting to reach that critical mass. Analysts suggest that the No Kings rallies are no longer just sporadic outbursts of frustration but are evolving into a structured, sustained campaign. This evolution is seen in the Day of Defiance branding and the expanding list of 2,700 protest locations, ranging from major metropolitan hubs like New York and Los Angeles to small suburban enclaves. T

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he movement is also gaining international traction with solidarity events planned across European capitals including London, Paris, and Berlin, indicating that the No Kings sentiment has transcended domestic borders.

March 28: A new inflection point

Organisers now say that March 28 will be the most ambitious day of action yet, building on the momentum of previous No Kings protests and responding to recent developments that have intensified public scrutiny of federal policies. In particular, a controversial crackdown in Minneapolis including federal enforcement actions that left two people dead has added urgency to their mobilisation efforts, according to statements from movement leaders.

We expect this to be the largest protest in American history, said Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the non-profit Indivisible, one of the principal coalition partners. Levin suggested turnout could reach 9 million people across the United States, an unprecedented scale if realised.

This figure represents a significant escalation from earlier estimates and mirrors the broader ambitions of the No Kings organisers, who have spent months building local organising networks, security trainings and community mobilisation infrastructure in anticipation of the spring demonstration.

A key theme of the movement continues to be opposition to what participants describe as undemocratic or overreaching governance, including federal immigration enforcement actions, expanded use of military and law enforcement powers domestically, and other controversial executive measures.

Political and social backdrop

The No Kings protests have attracted mixed responses. Many supporters portray the movement as a defence of constitutional rights and grassroots democracy. Critics including some Republican officials have dismissed the rallies as partisan or exaggerated, contending that they do not represent a broad cross-section of American opinion.

President Trump has previously attempted to undercut the narrative of No Kings demonstrations, insisting he is not a king and questioning the representativeness of protest turnout.

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While analysts caution that exact turnout figures are difficult to verify independently, there is broad agreement that the protests have drawn substantial participation and reflected deep national divisions over governance, civil liberties and public policy.

Looking ahead, March 28s planned action will serve both as a test of the movements organisational reach and a flashpoint in the broader political contest over the direction of American democracy with results likely to shape public discourse in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar warns that Hamas leaders engagements in Pakistan and Bangladesh pose a serious security concern, calling for collective action as India and Israel hold talks on countering future threats.

The Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, said that India has right to self-defence. Image courtesy: @ReuvenAzar/X

Israels Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, on Wednesday expressed serious concern over Hamas leaders interactions in Pakistan and Bangladesh, saying such engagements should worry all nations.

We think this is something we must fight against. The fact that Hamas has been interacting in the region  in Pakistan, in Bangladesh  should make us all worry, Azar said in an exclusive interaction with PTI Videos.

The ambassador also said that India and Israel have been engaging in dialogues on these issues.

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We are engaging in dialogues on these issues, and I hope we will find the ways to protect ourselves from any future attempts (of attacks), Azar said.

He noted that the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack in Israel emboldened various terrorist organisations worldwide to carry out similar acts.

Azar also drew parallels to incidents such as the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where people were targeted based on their religion.

Unfortunately, we see that the terrorist attack of October 7 inspired different terrorist organisations around the world to commit similar crimes. Weve seen occurrences like that, in Pahalgam for example, where people were murdered based on their religion, Azar said.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modis potential visit to Israel, Azar confirmed that its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has extended an invitation.

Netanyahu has invited Prime Minister Modi and we hope to see him in Israel soon, he said.

On the Gaza situation, Azar said Israel welcomes efforts for peace and diplomacy to end the over two-year war in the region.

I think we have a chance for diplomacy and peace to succeed, to replace two years of war. Thats very important, Azar said.

He also stressed that such efforts should lead to the dismantlement of Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

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On the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Azar said consultations are underway between India and Israel.

I think its very important, both for India and Israel, to explore all the ways to enhance trade and make sure that logistically, we can reduce the costs of trade and increase the speed of delivery, Azar said.

This depends on other countries too, he said, but added that much can be done bilaterally.

Israel has a task force led by its minister of transport, which is investing time and resources in infrastructure to facilitate increased trade, linked to Indias growing economy, the ambassador emphasised.

On Tuesday, Indias Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the IMEC figured prominently with the European Union (EU) leaders during negotiations on the landmark India-EU free trade agreement (FTA).

There was a discussion on it, and there was consensus that the IMEC initiative should be taken forward, Misri said, adding that India and the EU agreed to move beyond working-level meetings to higher-level consultations, eventually leading to a summit of IMEC member countries.

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This article analyses whether Western politics is sliding towards racial division, tracing the issue from Reform UKs Matthew Goodwin and his remarks during a Manchester by-election to comparable identity-fuelled campaign strategies across Europe and the United States.

While global headlines often focus on the grand theatre of presidential or general elections, the true temperature of a nations social fabric is often measured in its local by-elections and municipal races. In these smaller polls, away from the highly polished center-ground rhetoric of national leadership, a more visceral and sometimes exclusionary form of identity politics is surfacing.

In the early year of 2026, a series of local contests in the UK, Europe and the US have raised a troubling question: is the Wests political campaign becoming more defined by racial and ethnic gatekeeping?

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The piece of paper doctrine: Defining Britishness

The recent by-election campaign in Gorton and Denton, Manchester has become a lightning rod for this debate. Reform UK candidate Matthew Goodwin, a prominent right-wing activist has sparked controversy by questioning whether people born in the UK from minority ethnic backgrounds are truly British.

Goodwins assertionthat it takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody Britishdirectly targets the 44% of Gorton and Dentons population who identify as coming from minority ethnic backgrounds. According to the latest census data while nearly half the constituency is ethnically diverse, 79 per cent identify specifically as British. By casting doubt on the identity of UK-born citizens of Black, Asian or immigrant heritage, Goodwins rhetoric creates a tiered system of citizenship based on cultural or racial integration rather than legal right.

Some of the critics call the remarks racist and divisive while others including Green Party leader Zack Polanski have labelled this a straight contest between hope and hate, arguing that such rhetoric seeks to delegitimise the identity of millions of taxpayers who have known no other home.

Beyond the UK: A western trend of exclusion

This trend is not isolated to Manchester. Across the West, smaller elections are being used as laboratories for hard-right identity politics:

Portugal: In January 2026, the far-right Chega party successfully forced a presidential election to a second round for the first time in 40 years. Their campaign heavily leveraged a tripling of the immigrant population since 2018 to fuel a narrative of lost control.

Germany: Following the 2025 federal elections, the AfD (Alternative for Germany) secured 20.8% of the vote (152 seats), signalling a growing acceptance of ethnic nationalism that challenges the post-war multicultural consensus.

United States: As the 2026 midterms approach, local legislative battles have intensified over show your papers requirements. Research indicates that over 21 million US citizens do not have immediate access to birth certificates or naturalization papers, making these administrative hurdles a powerful tool for racialised voter suppression.

The numbers behind the rhetoric

The shift in rhetoric is backed by changing voter demographics. In the 2024 UK General Election, Labours share of the Asian vote fell by 13 points to 43%, as many minority voters felt alienated by mainstream parties. Conversely, Reform UKs surgegaining 21% of the vote among certain social gradeshas been built on the 3.5% rule of mobilization, where a vocal, motivated minority can shift the national discourse. When candidates in local races like Gorton and Denton suggest that legal citizenship is merely a piece of paper, they are not just campaigning for a seat; they are testing how far the boundaries of racial exclusion can be pushed in a modern democracy.

The thin line between identity politics and exclusion

Political scientists argue that liberal democracies must balance free speech and robust debate with protection of minority rights and civic inclusion. National identity is a legitimate subject of political discourse, but when candidates suggest that citizenship or Britishness is tied to race or cultural background rather than legal status, it raises questions about how inclusive these societies truly are.

As these local contests continue, they offer a window into how Western electorates are processing questions of belonging, identity and shared values and how campaign rhetoric can either bridge or deepen divides.

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Carney made global headlines at Davos, indirectly rebuking the US president for a rupture in the postwar world order. The prime minister on Tuesday denied Bessents claim and said that he got a call from Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said that he will not backtrack from his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he called out the US over its decisive policies. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has claimed that Carney aggressively walked back from his statement during a recent phone call with US President Donald Trump.

To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the president, I meant what I said in Davos, Carney said as he confirmed his phone call with Trump after the global event in Davos last week.

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Carney made global headlines at Davos, indirectly rebuking the US president for a rupture in the postwar world order. The prime minister on Tuesday denied Bessents claim and said that he got a call from Trump and that the two had a very good conversation on a wide range of subjects.

What did Carney say?

Carney sharply rebutted Trumps controversial claim at the WEF that Canada lives because of the United States. In a national address, Carney said, Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership, adding, Canada doesnt live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.

The prime ministers recent trip to China also drew Trumps attention, who said that Beijing will eat them up.

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.
PM Modi hails India-EU FTA as a game-changer, promising new opportunities for youth, startups, and industries across 27 European countries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described Indias recently agreed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union as a global game-changer and praised it as the Mother of All Deals, highlighting its potential to transform trade, industry, and opportunities for Indian youth.

Addressing a gathering at the annual National Cadet Corps PM Rally at Delhi Cantonment, he said, India and the European Union (EU) agreed upon a historic free trade agreement. Before this, India has done FTAs with Oman, New Zealand, Britain, the UAE, Australia, and countries like Mauritius. All these agreements are going to open countless opportunities for lakhs of our youths.

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Speaking on the significance of the agreement with the 27 EU member states, PM Modi said that the FTA represents one-fourth of the worlds GDP and one-third of global trade.

He called it a Freedom to Aspire for Indias young population, emphasising that the deal will expand access to funding, innovation ecosystems, and global markets for Indian startups.

The Prime Minister underlined the FTAs benefits for Indias creative economy, including film, gaming, fashion, digital content, music, and design.

The agreement would create new avenues for youth in research, education, IT, and professional services, he added.

PM Modi highlighted that tariffs on over 99% of Indias exports will either be zero or minimal, benefiting industries such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, footwear, engineering goods, and MSMEs.

Weavers, artisans, and small entrepreneurs will gain direct access to the vast markets of 27 European countries, he said, adding that the FTA will accelerate the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign and strengthen Make in India, Make for the World.

The Prime Minister also pointed to the deals potential to attract foreign investment, leading to new manufacturing plants in engineering, electronics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

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The agreement is expected to secure markets for agriculture, food processing, and fisheries, creating opportunities for farmers, fishermen, and rural youth.

PM Modi emphasised that the FTA will connect Indian youth directly to Europes job market, offering roles in engineering, green technology, design, logistics, and advanced manufacturing.

This is a major opportunity for Indias youth across 27 countries, he said, framing the FTA as a transformative step for Indias economy and global engagement.

India and the EU on Tuesday sealed a landmark free trade agreement, billed as the mother of all deals, to create a market of two billion people with PM Modi and the top EU leadership unveiling a transformative five-year agenda to largely leverage trade and defence in protecting the rules-based world order.

The two sides also inked two crucial pacts, one on security and defence collaboration and another on mobility of Indian talents to Europe, after Modi hosted EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa for summit talks amid frosty ties with the US.

This is not just a trade agreement. This is a new blueprint for shared prosperity, PM Modi said on Tuesday.

With inputs from agencies
Indonesias parliament has approved a cut to the national rescue agencys budget to fund other government priorities, even as the disaster-prone nation faces repeated floods, earthquakes and landslides.

The budget of Indonesias main disaster rescue agency has been reduced, following a parliamentary decision to redirect funds to government flagship programmes. The move comes despite growing concern over the countrys frequent natural calamities and the increasing demand placed on emergency services.

Budget shift and government priorities

A parliamentary commission has approved a reduction of 69.38 billion rupiah (about 4.15 million dollars) in the annual budget of the National Search and Rescue Agency, known as Basarnas. This represents a 4.5 per cent cut, bringing the agencys funds down from the original 1.55 trillion rupiah to 1.48 trillion rupiah. The reallocation forms part of a broader financial plan guided by President Prabowo Subianto, focusing on expanding free meals schemes and bolstering defence expenditure. Ministries and government bodies across Indonesia have been instructed to make similar adjustments in line with these priorities.

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Nation prone to natural disasters

The decision has sparked debate as Indonesia lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world. The countrys location atop several tectonic plates keeps it susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and frequent landslides. In January alone, floods and landslides swept across several provinces. In West Java, at least thirty-four people were killed over the weekend, while more than thirty remain missing. Only a few weeks earlier, floods brought by cyclones battered Sumatra Island, leaving over a thousand dead and displacing more than one million residents.

Agency response and operational challenges

Basarnas chief Mohammad Syafii, who attended the parliamentary session, accepted the decision but noted the pressing need to strengthen the agencys response capabilities. He highlighted that, given Indonesias geography and recurring disasters, each region should ideally have its own local office to speed up rescue operations. At present, Basarnas operates thirty-eight offices, one in each province, compared with the countrys five hundred and fourteen regions. This disparity, Syafii said, limits rapid response during emergencies.

Concerns over disaster preparedness

Although members of the parliamentary committee acknowledged the scale of recent disasters, they endorsed the reduction nonetheless. Committee deputy head Ridwan Bae praised the agencys dedication but cautioned that its operational capacity might suffer under financial constraints. Critics fear the funding cut could undermine Indonesias disaster readiness at a time when the demand for swift, large-scale emergency responses continues to rise.
European ports face a seafood backlog after the EUs new digital catch system, launched on Jan 10 to curb illegal fishing, triggered operational snarls at major hubs like Rotterdam.

The European Unions push toward a fully digitised trade environment hit a catastrophic wall this week as a systemic failure in the Catch digital certification system left hundreds of tonnes of seafood rotting at major port terminals. From the bustling docks of Rotterdam to the processing hubs of Vigo, the flow of fish has come to a grinding halt, exposing the extreme vulnerability of the continents supply chain to technological malfunctions.

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A digital wall for fresh perishables

The Catch system was designed by the European Commission to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by requiring digital certificates for every shipment entering the bloc. However, what was meant to be a streamlined security measure has turned into a logistical nightmare. The Financial Times reported that the breakdown originated from a database synchronisation error which officials have characterised as an inexplicable error given the redundancies supposed to be in place.

Because the system is now the sole legal gateway for imports, port authorities are legally forbidden from clearing cargo without digital validation. For the seafood industry, where freshness is measured in hours, the delay is fatal for profit margins. In many cases, high-value shipments of salmon and cod are being diverted or discarded as the electronic handshake required between exporting nations and EU customs remains unresponsive.

Economic fallout and the logistical black hole

The scale of the disruption is staggering. Industry analysts estimate that the logjam is affecting roughly 15% of the daily whitefish intake into Northern Europe. The Financial Times reported that trade bodies are calling for an immediate return to paper-based contingency plans, yet many customs offices have already phased out the infrastructure needed to process physical documents at scale.

One importer told the FT they had dozens of shipping containers of frozen and tinned fish stranded in Rotterdam because the system only cleared around half of shipments, the report noted. Frequent inexplicable error messages, server errors and omissions in the design such as absent ZIP codes and missing species codes have made it difficult to log legally required data, an employee told FT.

Under the original system, the data upload limit was just 2 megabytes, far too small for many lengthy catch certificates; this was later increased to 5MB to ease constraints. But even with tweaks, industry representatives argue that Catch is time-consuming and inflexible, especially for trade partners that have yet to digitise their records.

Seven EU member states including Italy, Spain and Estonia have warned that the system is currently unworkable with Italys representative telling a meeting of fishing ministers that Catch risks paralysing our imports and the logistics of our companies, the report said.

Industry frustration and political tension

The backlog at ports comes at a delicate time for Europes fisheries sector where officials have been pushing for better traceability to combat illegal fishing and protect marine stocks. The Catch system is a key element of revised EU fisheries control rules, part of a broader push to modernise and digitalise the blocs monitoring and enforcement regime.

Environmental and industry groups support the systems aims but have called for a six-month transition period during which traditional paper certificates remain valid and enforcement is more flexible. Seafood Europe, an industry group, warned that delays will certainly cause deterioration of the quality of fresh fish, according to report.

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The FT also reported that EU fishing crews could face fines for minor administrative errors due to the systems impractical demands for example, counting fish in mixed catches while at sea under difficult conditions.

European Commission officials defend Catch, claiming that thousands of declarations have been validated and that temporary flexibilities have been introduced. But they have stopped short of altering the underlying law instead promising workable technical solutions to address system failures.
Israel is set to bury Ran Gvili, the last captive returned from Gaza, in a funeral seen as a moment of national healing after the October 7 attack and the devastating war that followed

Ran Gvili, an off-duty police officer, was killed fighting militants during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel

The remains of the last Israeli captive recovered from the Gaza Strip were set to be buried on Wednesday in a funeral that will help Israel turn the page after one of the most tramautising periods in its history.

Ran Gvili, an off-duty police officer, was killed fighting militants during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel. He was then seized and taken back into Gaza by the Islamic Jihad militant group, Israeli officials say.

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Gvili was among about 250 people abducted during the attack, which killed around 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and set off the war in Gaza in which Palestinians health authorities say Israel kill more than 71,000 Palestinians.

Many of the hostages were released during two short ceasefires, but dozens died in captivity. Under the terms of an October deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, Hamas and other groups agreed to return the remaining hostages, alive or dead, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Gvili, who was the last to be released, will be buried in his hometown of Meitar in southern Israel. His casket will be driven there in a procession beginning in Camp Shura, a facility where Israel has identified victims of the October 2023 attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog were expected to deliver eulogies at the funeral, expected to began at 10:30 a.m. (0830 GMT)

The return of the last hostage and his burial will mark a moment of national healing for Israelis. The Hamas attack, the bloodiest killing of Jews since the Holocaust, was widely seen as the most traumatic event in the countrys history.

It also completes a core aspect of the initial phase of Trumps plan to end the war. The second stage, which Washington announced had started earlier this month, includes the reopening of Gazas Rafah border with Egypt.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)
The report lays down the findings from Customs and Border Protections initial investigation and says that one officer yelled hes got a gun multiple times before two others fired at Pretti

A photograph of 37-year-old Alex Pretti can be seen at a makeshift memorial in the area where he was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 24, 2026. Federal immigration agents shot dead a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, in the second fatal shooting of a civilian during the Trump administration's unprecedented operation in the city, sparking fresh protests and outrage from state officials. The death came less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP)

Two officers fired their guns at Alex Pretti, the nurse who was killed in Minnesota over the weekend during anti-ICE protests, a report from the Department of Homeland Security said.

The report lays down the findings from Customs and Border Protections initial investigation and says that one officer yelled hes got a gun multiple times before two others fired at Pretti.

CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnels efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a (Border Patrol agent) yelled, Hes got a gun! multiple times, the report said.

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Approximately five seconds later, a (Border Patrol agent) discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a (Customs and Border Protection officer) also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti, the report adds.

Pretti was pronounced dead after he was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center following the scuffle, where he was shot dead by officials.

Addressing the media outside the White House, US President Donald Trump confirmed that Department of Homeland Security Chief Krisit Noem will not be stepping down from her position.

Trump also addressed remarks made by his deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, who called Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old nurse killed by federal immigration agents on Saturday, an assassin.

No, Trump said when asked if he agreed with Millers description. That being said, you cant have guns, you cant walk in with guns, you cant do that. Its a very unfortunate incident.

Trump said he is overseeing the investigation personally and expects it to be very honorable and honest. He called the situation very sad and expressed sympathy for Prettis family.

De-escalate

Trump has said that he will de-escalate the situation in Minnesota after widespread outrage over the deployment of ICE agents and the subsequent killings of two people.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump hailed the efforts by ICE in the state, saying that we took thousands of hardened criminals out of Minnesota. He later went on to praise his border czar, Tom Homan, whom he sent to oversee on-the-ground operations.

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We have Tom Homan there now. We put him in there, hes great. And they met with the governor, the mayor, everybody else.  Were going to de-escalate a little bit, he said.
Kim oversaw the launch of ballistic missiles, which were fired toward the Sea of Japan, with two missiles landing outside the countrys Exclusive Economic Zone

FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the 12th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on June 24, 2025. KCNA via REUTERS/File Photo

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has announced that his countrys next steps in developing its nuclear arsenal will be revealed at the upcoming ruling party congress, KCNA reported Wednesday.

The congress meeting will clarify the next-stage plans for further bolstering up the countrys nuclear war deterrent, Kim was quoted as saying as he oversaw a ballistic missile test on Tuesday.North Korea is set to hold a landmark congress of its ruling party in the coming weeks, its first in five years.KCNA said Kim, accompanied by senior North Korean officials, attended the test-firing of a large-caliber multiple rocket launcher that fired four missiles.

While acknowledging that development of the rocket launcher system had not been plain sailing, Kim said Tuesdays test was of great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent.

The rockets hit a target in waters 358.5 kilometers (222.7 miles) away, according to the North Korean leader.

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The ballistic missiles were fired toward the Sea of Japan, with two missiles landing outside the countrys Exclusive Economic Zone, Japanese state news agency Jiji Press had reported, citing defence ministry sources.

The result and significance of this test will be a source of excruciating mental agony and serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us, Kim said.

Tokyo condemned Pyongyang for Tuesdays missile test, saying it violated UN Security Council resolutions and was a threat to the peace and safety of the region as well as Japan, the Kyodo News Service reported.

Second test in January

The test was Pyongyangs second of the month, following a salvo of missiles fired hours before South Koreas leader headed to China for a summit.

It came a day after a high-level visit to Seoul by the Pentagons number three official, Elbridge Colby, who hailed South Korea as a model ally.

Ties between the United States and South Korea, longstanding treaty allies, were forged in the bloodshed of the Korean War (1950-53).

Washington still stations 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against the nuclear-armed North.

Pyongyang routinely denounces Washington and Seouls joint military drills as rehearsals for invasion.

Last month, Kim bashed Seouls push to develop its own nuclear-powered submarines with the United States, calling it a threat that must be countered.

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During his first term, US President Donald Trump met with Kim three times, in an effort to reach a denuclearisation deal.

But since a summit in Hanoi fell through over differences about what Pyongyang would get in return for giving up its nuclear weapons, no progress has been made between the two countries.

Trump had expressed hopes for a meeting with Kim ahead of a regional summit in South Korea in October 2025, but these went unanswered by the North Korean leader.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Apple CEO Tim Cook are among prominent business leaders urging restraint and accountability after ICE agents fatally shot a protester in Minneapolis, intensifying concerns over the agencys escalating enforcement

More than 60 CEOs have signed a statement calling for de-escalation after weeks of silence.

Business and technology leaders in the United States have voiced mounting concern over federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot and killed a protester, Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old nurse.

The incident has led to calls for restraint, internal staff messages from major companies, and statements from corporate figures, as enforcement efforts under Operation Metro Surge continue in the city.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees in an internal message that ICE is going too far with its immigration crackdown, becoming the latest corporate executive to voice concerns about heavy enforcement actions in Minnesota. More than 60 CEOs have signed a statement calling for de-escalation after weeks of silence.

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Altman message to staff

Whats happening with ICE is going too far, Altman wrote in a Slack message to employees of the ChatGPT maker, a source familiar with the matter said. There is a big difference between deporting violent criminals and whats happening now, and we need to get the distinction right.

I love the U.S. and its values of democracy and freedom and will be supportive of the country however I can; OpenAI will too, Altman said in his message, which was first reported by the New York Times DealBook. But part of loving the country is the American duty to push back against overreach.

Altman added, President Trump is a very strong leader, and I hope he will rise to this moment and unite the country. I am encouraged by the last few hours of response and hope to see trust rebuilt with transparent investigations.

Apple CEO Tim Cook also weighed in on the incident and said that he was heartbroken by the events in Minneapolis and called for de-escalation, Bloomberg reported later on Tuesday, citing an internal memo to employees.

Cook also said he had discussed the matter with US President Donald Trump, according to the report.

Investor rift emerges

Altmans comments come as a rift has emerged at Khosla Ventures, an early OpenAI backer. Founder Vinod Khosla and partner Ethan Choi disavowed comments from partner Keith Rabois over the weekend that law enforcement had not shot an innocent person and that illegal immigrants commit crimes on a daily basis.

A number of businesses have been hesitant to criticise Trump during his second term. Since the beginning of Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis in December, major Minnesota corporations had been largely silent about the effects of the immigration enforcement efforts on the city, a liberal Midwestern stronghold as well as a major corporate hub.

Leaders of companies such as 3M, UnitedHealth Group and General Mills have called for de-escalation since the second shooting over the weekend.

More than 450 employees from firms like Google, Meta Platforms, Salesforce and OpenAI signed a letter on Saturday urging their top executives to pressure the White House to withdraw ICE from US cities, cancel all contracts with ICE and speak out publicly against ICEs violence.

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Pakistans planning minister Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday said that mineral exports from the country could reach between USD 6-8 billion annually within this decade by value addition rather than focusing on raw extraction.

Pakistans planning minister Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday said that mineral exports from the country could reach between USD 6-8 billion annually within this decade by value addition rather than focusing on raw extraction.

Iqbal was addressing the Pak-China Mineral Cooperation Forum in Islamabad, reported state-run Radio Pakistan.

Our objective is to move decisively beyond extraction, he said, while emphasising that Pakistan seeks to develop mineral processing plants, smelters and refining facilities and mineral-based industrial clusters linked with Special Economic Zones.

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The Planning Minister said the transformation of Pakistans mineral economy cannot happen without strategic partners, and Chinas role is central in this regard.

He said the future of Pakistan-China mineral cooperation lies in co-creating value through technology, innovation, human capital development and long-term partnerships. With China as a trusted partner, we can convert mineral wealth into industrial strength, export competitiveness and shared prosperity, he said.

Iqbal said Pakistan wants joint ventures that serve not only domestic demands but also regional and global markets. He reaffirmed that the security and safety of Chinese nationals and investments remain a top national priority.

He also mentioned that the second phase of ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is about translating connectivity into productivity and productivity into exports, jobs and sustainable growth.

He hoped the second phase of CPEC would help Pakistan upgrade and modernise its agriculture, industries, technological capacity and human resource potential so that it can become a model of export-led growth.
A Russian drone attack on Odesa killed three people and injured more than 20, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged faster US action to help end the war.

This handout photograph taken and released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on January 8, 2026, shows rescuers working to extinguish a fire in a heavily damaged residential building following a Russian missile attack in Kryvyi Rig, Dnipropetrovsk region.- AFP

A large-scale Russian drone attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa on Tuesday killed at least three people and injured 23, including two children and a pregnant woman, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged quicker US efforts to end the nearly four-year war.

Ukrainian authorities said the assault involved more than 50 drones, including models recently upgraded by Russia to extend their range and strike capability.

The attack targeted the power grid, which Russia has repeatedly struck during one of the coldest winters in years, and also damaged five apartment blocks. Emergency services recovered the bodies of two men aged 90 and 52 and a woman from the rubble, officials said.

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The rescue operation will continue until the fate of all people who may be under the rubble is clarified, Zelenskyy said on Telegram, noting that an informal Protestant place of worship was also damaged.

Each such Russian strike undermines diplomacy, which is still ongoing, and hits, in particular, the efforts of partners who are helping to end this war, he said.

Train strike reported in Kharkiv region

Later on Tuesday, three drones struck a passenger train carrying over 200 people in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region, according to regional head Oleh Syniehubov, who described the incident as terrorism. Four people were killed, and another four were reported missing.

Officials said a diplomatic push by the Trump administration to end the war has seen progress but no breakthrough on the key question of Russian-occupied Ukrainian land and other territory claimed by Moscow.

Analysts say President Vladimir Putin is not rushing towards a settlement despite challenges faced by his forces along the roughly 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) front line. They believe he considers time to be in his favour, expecting Western support for Kyiv to weaken and Ukraines resistance to come under increasing strain.

To sustain its campaign, Moscow is offering cash bonuses, releasing convicts from prison and recruiting foreigners.

An Associated Press investigation reported that Bangladeshi workers were misled into travelling to Russia with promises of civilian employment before being sent into combat in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said late Monday that the next round of talks with the US and Russia is pencilled in for Feb. 1, adding that it would be good if this meeting could be accelerated.

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He also called for further sanctions on Russia to push the Kremlin towards compromise.

Wider impact of drone campaign

Ukraines air force said Russia launched 165 drones overnight, with 24 penetrating air defences and striking targets across seven regions.

UNESCO said Tuesday that recent attacks have damaged protected world heritage sites in Odesa, the western city of Lviv and the capital, Kyiv.

The strikes have also disrupted power supplies for hundreds of thousands of civilians. Zelenskyy said more than 900 apartment blocks remained without heating on Tuesday in several districts of Kyiv, a city of about 3 million residents dominated by tower blocks, many dating from the Soviet era.

Russia has been advancing its drone technology and tactics, achieving increasing effectiveness.

Earlier this month, Ukraines Defence Ministry intelligence directorate said Russia had deployed the new jet-powered Geran-5 strike drone for the first time. The Geran is a Russian version of the Iranian-designed Shahed drone.

The directorate said the drone can carry a 90-kilogram (200-pound) warhead and has a range of nearly 1,000 kilometres (600 miles).

Ukraine has expanded production of interceptor drones and continues developing its own long-range drone capabilities.

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The Russian Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down 19 Ukrainian drones overnight across several Russian regions.
Russia has lost twice as many soldiers as Ukraine, with total casualties in the ongoing war expected to reach 2 million this spring, according to a study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Ukrainian servicemen of the 24th Mechanized brigade fire a BM-21 Grad multiple-launch rocket system toward Russian troops on a front line near the town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on February 15, 2025. (Photo: Oleg Petrasiuk/Press Service of the 24th Mechanized Brigade /Handout via Reuters)

Russia has lost twice as many soldiers as Ukraine, with total casualties in the ongoing war expected to reach 2 million this spring, according to a study by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

When Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin had expected to overrun the country within weeks. But Russia has been bogged down in a grinding war of attrition for nearly four years now.

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The CSIS has assessed that Russia has so far suffered around 1.2 million casualties whereas Ukraine has suffered around 600,000.

These casualties include those who have been killed and injured, as well as personnel who have gone missing in action.

As for the death toll, the CSIS has assessed that Russia has lost 325,000 personnel and Ukraine has lost 100,000 to 140,000 soldiers.

As Russia is believed to frequently undercount its losses, and Ukraine does not report its losses, it is difficult to accurately assess the true extent of casualties. The CSIS has based its estimate on data from American and British governments, among other sources.

Russia gains too little for too many losses  and still stands stronger

Throughout the war, Russia has resorted to frontal, meat-grinder assaults that have resulted in severe losses.

Since January 2024, Russia has captured just 1.5 per cent of Ukrainian territory, and its casualties averaged 35,000 per month last year, according to the CSIS.

Over the past two years, Russia has advanced at an average rate of 15 to 70 metres per day in its most prominent offensives, which is slower than almost any major offensive campaign in any war in nearly a century, as per the CSIS.

Overall, Russia has captured around 20 per cent of Ukrainian land, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

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The Ukrainian land under Russian occupation includes around 8 per cent of the territory it had seized before 2022, with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the occupation of Donbas where it had pursued a low-intensity conflict between 2014 and 2022.

Despite such losses, Russia has been able to maintain its troop levels throughout the war through unprecedented conscription, the mobilisation of prisoners and debtors, the recruitment of foreign mercenaries, and the deployment of several thousand North Korean soldiers.

When Russia launched the full-scale invasion, its population was over three times Ukraines and its military nearly five times larger.

Despite suffering far fewer casualties than Russia, Ukraine has faced a nearconstant shortage of soldiers as it has a smaller population and fewer people it can forcibly mobilise. Moreover, it does not have an ally like North Korea that would send thousands of soldiers to the battlefield.
Prosecutors announced on Tuesday that the body parts of five people have been found at the scene of the train that was struck on the same night near a village in the Kharkiv region

In this handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on January 27, 2026, Ukrainian medics stand next to a burning train carriage following an air attack at an undisclosed location in the Kharkiv region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP

A Russian drone struck a passenger train in eastern Ukraine, killing five people, with four others going missing. The attack invited criticism from President Volodomyr Zelenskyy, who condemned the incident as terrorism.

Prosecutors announced on Tuesday that the body parts of five people had been found at the scene of the train that was struck on the same night near a village in the Kharkiv region.

In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be considered in exactly the same way  purely as terrorism. There is not and cannot be any military purpose in this, Zelenskyy said.

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The passenger train carrying 200 people was reportedly operating from Chop, near Ukraines western borders with Hungary and Slovakia, to the town of Barvinkove.

There is not and cannot be any military justification for killing civilians in a train carriage, the president added.

Where were the other attacks reported?

A barrage of more than 50 Russian drones killed three people and wounded more than 30 people in the southern city of Odesa, regional officials said.

The Black Sea city key for Ukrainian exports has been routinely pummelled by Russian forces since they invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago. Regional governor Oleg Kiper said a woman, 39 weeks pregnant, and two girls were among the wounded.

Ukrainian private energy firm DTEK said Russian forces had inflicted enormous damage on one of its facilities in the Odesa region.

Kiper said dozens of residential buildings, a church, a kindergarten and schools had been damaged in the attacks.

A married couple aged 45 and 48 were killed in Sloviansk in the eastern Donetsk region, a key prize for the Kremlin. Their 20-year-old son survived the attack in the region.

Russian military chief in eastern Ukraine

Meanwhile, the Russian military chief, Valery Gerasimov, visited fighting troops in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday to inspect the progress of combat missions conducted by formations and units of the Zapad (West) force group.

In a video of Gerasimovs visit aired by the defence ministry, he said that Russian troops continue their offensive along all lines.

He said that since the start of the year, the Russian army had taken control of 17 localities and more than 500 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory and was making its way towards the city of Zaporizhzhia.

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With inputs from agencies
Spain plans to grant legal residency and work authorisation to around 500,000 undocumented migrants, bucking restrictive immigration trends in Europe while aiming to integrate workers and address demographic and labour challenges.

FILE - Migrants sit together with their belongings after being evicted by police from an abandoned school where they had been living in Badalona, near Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)

In a period where much of the Western world is doubling down on border security and mass deportations, Spain has emerged as a startling outlier. While neighbouring European nations and the United States move toward more restrictive immigration policies, the Spanish government has announced a landmark plan to grant legal status to approximately 500,000 undocumented migrants over the next three years.

A pragmatic response to demographic decline

The decision is not merely a humanitarian gesture; it is an economic calculated necessity. Spain, like many of its European counterparts is grappling with an aging population and a shrinking workforce. The new regulations, approved by the cabinet this week aim to bolster the labour market by streamlining work permits and residency requirements.

Under the new framework, the government will simplify the process for migrants to obtain legal papers through various roots (arraigo), including labour, social, and educational ties. By bringing half a million people out of the shadow economy, Spain expects to significantly increase tax revenue and social security contributions.

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Elma Saiz, Spains Minister of Migration emphasised that the country needs roughly 250,000 to 300,000 foreign workers annually to maintain its welfare state. By integrating those already living within its borders, Spain is betting that legalisation is a more efficient path to prosperity than mass expulsion.

The Spanish exception in a hardening Europe

What makes Spains move particularly striking is the broader geopolitical context. From the No Kings protests against immigration crackdowns in the US to the rise of far-right parties in Germany, France, and Italy, the prevailing wind in the West is blowing toward fortress mentalities. Even traditionally liberal nations like the Netherlands and Sweden have recently introduced measures to curb irregular migration.

Spains approach serves as a counter-narrative to the security-first model. While Spain still faces significant pressure at its borders, particularly in the Canary Islands, which saw a record influx of nearly 40,000 migrants in 2024, the government is distinguishing between border control and the management of people already integrated into the fabric of Spanish society. By reducing the legal limbo period for migrants from three years to two, Madrid is attempting to prevent the creation of a permanent underclass, which often serves as a flashpoint for social unrest in other nations.

Benefits for immigrants and the economy

Its not the first time Spain has granted amnesty to immigrants who are in the country illegally: It has done so six times between 1986 and 2005.

There was a strong impact on the workforce, not only legalizing the status of workers but creating formal jobs, said Anna Terron Cusi, a senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute think tank who previously worked on immigration policy for multiple Spanish governments, including Sanchezs.

The measure will allow Spain to reset the counter ahead of the implementation in June of the new European migration and asylum pact which relies heavily on deportations as a solution to irregular migration, she said. Terron added that by granting legal status to migrants in the country irregularly, Sanchez is giving rights and protections to undocumented workers while also benefiting the Spanish economy.

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In the end, telling people that immigration is bad may appeal to them, but deporting the woman who cleans their house is a different story, she said.

Opposition slams the move

Center-right and far-right parties criticised the governments announcement.

Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the conservative Popular Party, accused Sanchez of trying to distract from a deadly train crash earlier this month that left 46 dead. Meanwhile, Santiago Abascal, leader of the anti-immigration, far-right party Vox, wrote on social media that Sanchez hated Spaniards and was accelerating an invasion, echoing a racist conspiracy theory often used by right-wing extremists.

The Iberian nation which saw millions of its citizens leave during and after its civil war has taken in millions of people from South America and Africa in recent years. The vast majority entered the country legally.

Saiz said Spain will remain a beacon in the fight against the global wave of anti-immigration politics led by the far right.

We will do everything in our power to stop it, she said. I believe that today is a great day for our country.

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With inputs from agencies
Keir Starmers arrival in Beijing, the first by a UK leader in eight years, signals a bid to reset ties with China as Britain seeks economic opportunities while managing volatile relations with the United States

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will arrive just days after Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if Mark Carney signed a trade deal with China. (Reuters)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening for an official visit aimed at strengthening political and business ties with China. The trip comes at a time of heightened global diplomacy and increasingly volatile Western relations with the United States.

Speaking on the plane to China during the first visit by a British leader since 2018, Starmer said Britain could not ignore the economic opportunities offered by China, the worlds second-largest economy, but stressed the need to remain alert to potential security risks.

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It doesnt make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China, its in our interests to engage, he said. Its going to be a really important trip for us and well make some real progress.

Meetings planned with Chinese leadership and executives

Travelling with a delegation of more than 50 business leaders, Starmer is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday before heading to Shanghai on Friday for discussions with local executives.

The visit could signal a significant change in relations between Britain and China after years of tension over Beijings crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong, Chinas backing of Russia in the Ukraine war, and allegations by British security services that China regularly spies on politicians and officials.

For China, the visit provides an opportunity to present itself as a stable and dependable partner during a period of global uncertainty.

Tensions with Trump cast shadow over the trip

The visit comes amid increased diplomatic activity between Western nations and China as countries seek to manage the unpredictability of the US.

Starmers trip follows weeks of tension with Trump over threats to seize Greenland, criticism of Britains agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago  including an island hosting a key USUK air base  to Mauritius, and remarks suggesting NATO allies avoided frontline combat during the war in Afghanistan.

He is arriving days after Trump threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian goods if that countrys Prime Minister, Mark Carney, signed a trade deal with China.

Starmer said Britain could expand economic ties with China without damaging relations with Trump, citing the depth of the UKUS partnership.

The relationship we have with the U.S. is one of the closest relationships we hold, on defence, security, intelligence and also on trade and lots of areas, he said.

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Starmer declined to detail his agenda with Chinese leaders, including whether he would raise the case of Jimmy Lai, the former Hong Kong media tycoon convicted in December of national security crimes, or ask China to pressure Russia to end the Ukraine war.

Asked about the possibility of expanding visa-free travel between Britain and China, he said he hoped to make some progress.

Starmer responds to criticism

Starmer repeatedly defended the decision to visit China, saying the trip would support his plan to drive economic growth and improve living standards in Britain.

However, the approach has drawn strong criticism from some British and US politicians who argue that he is underestimating security risks linked to China.

He also distanced himself from comments made by Carney at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Carney said the rules-based global order was over and urged middle powers to cooperate to avoid being dominated by American hegemony.

Im a pragmatist, a British pragmatist applying common sense, Starmer said, rejecting suggestions that his government must choose between the US and Europe.
Starmer on Wednesday arrived in China with 50+ UK business leaders, which he described as evidence that there are opportunities that could translate into benefits back at home

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday began his landmark visit to China, saying he hopes engagement with President Xi Jinping will bring benefits back to Britain, as strains with US President Donald Trump add to volatility in Western relations and push London to seek new economic opportunities.

According to a BBC report, speaking to reporters on the flight to Beijing, Starmer said the trip  his first to China and the first by a British prime minister since 2018  was focused on delivering tangible gains for the UK, particularly through trade and investment.

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He is travelling with a delegation of more than 50 British business leaders, which he described as evidence that there are opportunities that could translate into benefits back at home.

Starmer, whose approach to Beijing has been criticised by some British and US politicians, said Britain must remain alert to security risks but could not afford to ignore the worlds second-largest economy.

It doesnt make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China, its in our interests to engage, he told reporters. Its going to be a really important trip for us and well make some real progress.

The prime minister is due to meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday, before travelling to Shanghai on Friday for talks with local executives.

The visit could mark a shift after years of strained ties over Chinas crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong, its support for Russia in the war in Ukraine, and allegations by British security services that Beijing spies on politicians and officials.

China has been accused of crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic groups in the Xinjiang region. Britain has also criticised the treatment of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon and UK citizen who is facing a possible life sentence.

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Starmer said he would raise difficult issues but avoided giving details.

In the past, on all the trips Ive done, Ive always raised issues that need to be raised, but I dont want to get ahead of myself on the specifics until Ive had the opportunity Part of the reason for engaging with China is so that issues where we disagree can be discussed, and the issues where we agree can be progressed, and so thats the approach, Reuters quoted him as saying.

The trip comes as European and other Western countries intensify diplomacy with Beijing, partly to hedge against unpredictability from the United States under Trump.

Starmers visit follows tensions with Washington over Trumps comments on Greenland, criticism of Britains deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, and remarks about Nato allies roles in Afghanistan.

Despite this, Starmer insisted that closer economic ties with China would not undermine Britains alliance with the United States.

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The relationship we have with the US is one of the closest relationships we hold, on defence, security, intelligence and also on trade and lots of areas, he was quoted as saying.

He declined to say whether he would press Chinese leaders on Jimmy Lais case or ask Beijing to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine, but said he hoped to make some progress on expanding visa-free travel.

Starmer also rejected suggestions that Britain must choose sides between major powers. Im a pragmatist, a British pragmatist applying common sense, he said.

For China, the visit offers a chance to present itself as a stable and reliable partner at a time of global uncertainty.

With inputs from agencies
Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for his second visit in less than four months, in meetings expected to focus on the future of Russias military presence in the country

Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for his second visit in less than four months, in meetings expected to focus on the future of Russias military presence in the country, according to Associated Press.

Sharaa first visited Russia in October, shortly after leading a rapid rebel offensive in December 2024 that ousted former President Bashar Assad, a long-time Moscow ally during Syrias devastating 14-year civil war.

Following Assads departure, Russia granted asylum to him and his family, while keeping only a small military contingent in Syria as its focus shifted to the fighting in Ukraine.

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Despite their past opposition during the civil war, Sharaas interim government has signalled readiness to engage with Moscow, aiming to attract support for rebuilding war-shattered Syria and to diversify its foreign relations.

For Russia, maintaining its naval base in Tartus and the Hmeimim air base on Syrias Mediterranean coast is a strategic priority, as these are the countrys only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union.

I have no doubt that all issues related to the presence of our soldiers in Syria will also be discussed during todays talks, AFP quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying ahead of Wednesdays talks even as he declined to comment on Assad.

Sharaa is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, following a conciliatory tone set during their October meeting, the first since Sharaas forces toppled Assad.

Sharaa has repeatedly pressed Russia for the extradition of Assad and his wife, a sensitive point for Moscow, which continues to shelter them.

In recent days, Russian forces withdrew from positions in northeastern Syria held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, leaving only the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval facility under its control. The pullback came after Kurdish forces lost most of their territory to Sharaas government offensive.

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Sharaa has also courted the United States, with President Donald Trump on Tuesday calling him highly respected and saying that things were working out very well.

Russias loss of influence following Assads ouster has highlighted the limits of Moscows military reach amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, even as Sharaa balances ties with both Russia and the West.

The talks in Moscow are widely seen as a test of whether Russia can secure continued access to its Mediterranean bases while navigating the new political landscape in Syria.

With inputs from agencies
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed threats to attack Iran, saying time is running out to make a deal on nuclear weapons, after Tehran rejected talks.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a fresh warning to Iran, urging the country to enter negotiations on its nuclear programme or face the prospect of far more severe US military action.

In a social media post, Trump pressed Tehran to resume talks and agree to a deal that would permanently prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! Trump wrote.

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Trump, who scrapped the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran during his first term in office, also pointed to past US military action as a warning. He said an earlier ultimatum to Tehran had gone unheeded and was followed by a major strike.

As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didnt, and there was Operation Midnight Hammer, a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse!

The renewed threat followed comments from Irans top diplomat, who rejected negotiations conducted under military pressure. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said diplomacy could not progress when accompanied by threats of force.

Conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful, Araghchi said in televised remarks. If they want negotiations to take shape, they must certainly set aside threats, excessive demands and raising illogical issues.

Iranian state media earlier reported that Araghchi had not been in contact with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days and had not initiated any request for negotiations with Washington.

Trump has repeatedly said that military options remain open, particularly after the United States backed and participated in Israels 12-day military campaign in June that targeted Irans nuclear infrastructure and ballistic missile programme.

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Earlier this month, he threatened to strike Iran over its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests. But the prospect of immediate American action seemed to recede in recent days, with both sides insisting on giving diplomacy a chance.

With a US naval strike group led by an aircraft carrier lurking in the region, top Iranian officials also reached out to key Arab states in behind-the-scenes diplomacy to rally support.

A strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln has now arrived in Middle Eastern waters, US Central Command said, without revealing its precise location.

With inputs from agencies
Trump hailed the efforts by ICE in the state, saying that we took thousands of hardened criminals out of Minnesota. He later went on to praise his border czar, Tom Homan, whom he sent to oversee on-the-ground operations

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, on Wednesday (January 14) in St. Paul, Minneapolis. AP

US President Donald Trump has said that he will de-escalate the situation in Minnesota after widespread outrage over the deployment of ICE agents and the subsequent killings of two people.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump hailed the efforts by ICE in the state, saying that we took thousands of hardened criminals out of Minnesota. He later went on to praise his border czar, Tom Homan, whom he sent to oversee on-the-ground operations.

We have Tom Homan there now. We put him in there, hes great. And they met with the governor, the mayor, everybody else.  Were going to de-escalate a little bit, he said.

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Cant walk with guns

Addressing the media outside the White House, Trump confirmed that Department of Homeland Security Chief Krisit Noem will not be stepping down from her position.

Trump also addressed remarks made by his deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, who called Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old nurse killed by federal immigration agents on Saturday, an assassin.

No, Trump said when asked if he agreed with Millers description. That being said, you cant have guns, you cant walk in with guns, you cant do that. Its a very unfortunate incident.

Trump said he is overseeing the investigation personally and expects it to be very honorable and honest. He called the situation very sad and expressed sympathy for Prettis family.

Calls for reduced ICE action

Concern over the violence and the attempt to blame Pretti for his death quickly spread to Washington.

Republican Senator Rand Paul said Tuesday that agents involved in the shooting should be put on administrative leave, later adding that the heads of ICE, Border Patrol and Citizenship and Immigration Services would testify before the Congress next month.

Centrist Democratic Senator John Fetterman said grossly incompetent Noem should be fired.

With inputs from agencies
An armed agent of US President Donald Trumps ICE has tried to storm Ecuadors consulate in Minnesotas Minneapolis during the ongoing crackdown on the Democratic-run city. US federal agents have killed at least two civilians in the city in the ongoing crackdown.

Federal agents of commander Greg Bovino's team make a stop at a gas station as immigration enforcement continues after a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good on January 7 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on January 21, 2026. (Photo: Seth Herald/Reuters)

An armed agent of US President Donald Trumps Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday tried to storm Ecuadors consulate in Minnesotas Minneapolis during the ongoing crackdown on the Democratic-run city. A consulate staffer blocked the agent for forcing his way inside.

In the video of the incident, the staffer is seen telling the agent that he could not enter the consulate as it belonged to a foreign government. In response, the agent threatened to grab the staffer. Eventually, the agent retreated.

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Under the Vienna Conventions, the host country is not allowed to enter an embassy or a consulate without mission heads permission. The conventions the United States is party to Vienna Conventions state that the grounds shall be treated as that countrys sovereign land and not that of the host country. In a statement, the Ecuadorian government said that an ICE agent tried to enter consulate at around 11 am.

Immediately, officials of the consulate prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular facility, thereby ensuring the protection of Ecuadorian citizens who were at the Consulate at that time and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, the statement said.

The Ecuadorian government formally presented a note of protest to the US Embassy in Ecuador so that acts of this nature are not repeated at any of Ecuadors consular offices in the United States, the statement said in Spanish.

Trump has unleashed thousands of armed federal agents on Democratic-run cities like Minneapolis in the name of cracking down on illegal immigration. But critics have said that these are tactics to intimidate ethnic minorities and political opponents as several instances have been reported on a near-daily basis when masked armed agents have been reported to have harassed ethnic minorities with racial profiling-driven questioning and threats of arrests without warrants.

These federal agents have killed at least two civilians in Minneapolis. But Trump and his Republican allies have continued to stand by ICE and their crackdown on Democratic-run cities that have been criticised as being unnecessarily violent.

This is the moment an ICE agent attempted to enter Ecuadors consulate in Minneapolis but was prevented by consulate staff. The incident prompted Ecuadors foreign ministry to send a note to the US embassy, demanding that such incidents not be repeated. pic.twitter.com/emdP5TXp4M  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 28, 2026

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In Tuesdays case, witnesses working in retail shops near the consulate told Reuters that they saw federal agents try to enter the building.

I saw the officers going after two people in the street and then those people went into the consulate and the officers tried to go in after them, said a woman.

The agents werent able to enter the consulate, from what I could see, the woman added.

Trump has unleashed around 3,000 ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents on Minneapolis. In his second term, Trump has explicitly stated that he would use unleash armed personnel, including the US military, to straighten out Democratic-run cities. He has said that he would use the Democratic-run cities as training grounds for the US military. And, indeed, he has deployed federal armed agents, National Guard, and military to over a dozen cities, such as Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, Pheonix, etc.

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White House aide Stephen Miller acknowledged that immigration agents may have breached protocol in Minneapolis before the fatal shooting of nurse Alex Pretti

Federal agents stand guard near the site where a man identified as Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents trying to detain him, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US. File image/Reuters

US immigration agents may have breached protocol in Minneapolis before shooting dead a nurse during protests, President Donald Trumps senior aide Stephen Miller said Tuesday, days after he falsely branded the victim an assassin.

The remarks relate to the killing of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti during a protest against an immigration crackdown on Saturday, as Trump said he wanted to de-escalate the situation in Minneapolis.

Guidance on deployment of personnel

Deputy Chief of Staff Miller, who leads Trumps hardline immigration policy, said in a statement to AFP that the White House was examining the possible breach. He said the White House had provided clear guidance that extra personnel were sent to Minnesota to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors.

We are evaluating why the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) team may not have been following that protocol, Miller said.

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Earlier claims

Miller also appeared to blame both the border agency and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for his comments on Saturday, which have since attracted criticism. Shortly after the killing, Miller called Pretti a would-be assassin and accused him of wanting to murder federal agents.

But Miller said his comments were based on an initial statement by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who falsely said Pretti was brandishing a weapon when he approached federal agents.

Video evidence later showed that the victim was not holding a gun at the time. Pretti had a sidearm on him, but agents had already removed it before he was shot multiple times at point-blank range.

The initial statement from DHS was based on reports from CBP on the ground, Miller said in his statement.
Secretary of State tells Senate talks with Venezuelas new leadership are respectful and productive, signaling possible reopening of US embassy

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during an end-of-year press conference in the State Department Press Briefing Room in Washington, DC on December 19, 2025. AFP File

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate on Wednesday that Venezuelas new leadership was moving toward closer relations with Washington, reducing the immediate need for further US military action, as he faced lawmakers questions for the first time since this months operation to seize President Nicolas Maduro.

President Donald Trump has instructed his administration to work with Delcy Rodriguez, a close Maduro ally who was sworn in as interim president following his arrest, though he has previously warned that further military action remains an option if her government fails to meet US demands.

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According to a Reuters report, addressing a packed Senate hearing, Rubio said that while the administration would not rule out any course of action, we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to, have to take any military action in Venezuela, a remark that signalled Washingtons current confidence in Rodriguezs interim government.

The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy. That is our goal. That is our expectation, Reuters quoted Rubio as saying.

Rubio said communications with Venezuelas leadership had been very respectful and productive, adding that Washington expected to soon reopen a diplomatic presence in the country.

The US embassy in Caracas has been closed since 2019, though the State Department has in recent weeks dispatched officials to begin preparations for its reopening.

For the first time in 20 years, we are having serious conversations about eroding and eliminating the Iranian presence, the Chinese influence, the Russian presence as well. In fact, I will tell you that there are many elements there in Venezuela that welcome a return to establishing relations with the United States on multiple fronts, he said.

Rubio was scheduled to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the State Department later on Wednesday, as questions persist over whether President Donald Trump could back her to lead Venezuela following the removal of Maduro.

Two weeks earlier, Republicans narrowly blocked a resolution that would have prevented Trump from taking further military action in Venezuela without congressional approval, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.

Addressing the committee, Rubio said Maduros removal was necessary because Venezuela had become a hub for US adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran, and because his alleged links to drug traffickers were harming both the region and the United States.

It was an untenable situation and it had to be addressed, Rubio said.

The US had set up a mechanism to sell Venezuelan oil in the short term but aimed to facilitate a transition to a friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela that ultimately chooses its leaders through free and fair elections, Rubio said.

Without precedent

Several members of Congress, some Republicans as well as Democrats, have expressed frustration with what they say is a lack of communication from Trump officials about major operations, including the capture of Maduro and the elimination of many foreign aid programs supported by Congress.

Committee Chairman Jim Risch, a Republican senator from Idaho, praised Rubio for explaining to him the administrations plans for Venezuela, despite confusion over how it will be done.

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The war powers resolution appeared to be on track to pass the Senate after five Republicans joined Democrats in voting to advance it, in rare Republican opposition to Trump.

But Trump railed at the five, saying they should never again be elected to public office. He and Rubio made repeated calls encouraging senators to change their votes by insisting there were no U.S. troops in Venezuela, and with promises including Rubios agreement to come before the Senate committee. Two of them, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Todd Young of Indiana, flipped their positions.

The close vote reflected concern in Congress about Trumps foreign policy and growing support for the argument that Congress should take back the power to send U.S. troops to war from the president, as spelled out in the Constitution.

Members of Congress, including some of Trumps fellow Republicans, said Rubio had insisted the administration did not plan a leadership change in Venezuela just days before U.S. troops removed Maduro, and that oil company executives were told about the operation before lawmakers.

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Some Democrats also raised concerns that the U.S. could be pulled into another long war without consulting Congress.

The scope of the project that you are undertaking in Venezuela is without precedent, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said. You are taking their oil at gunpoint. You are holding and selling that oil, putting for now the receipts in an offshore Middle Eastern account. Youre deciding how and for what purposes that money is going to be used in a country of 30 million people. I think a lot of us believe that that is destined for failure.
A Nasa aircraft made an emergency landing at Ellington Airport after a landing-gear failure, sliding along the runway amid flames and smoke. The WB-57 research jet stopped safely, with both crew members unharmed, the space agency said.

A Nasa aircraft made an emergency belly landing at a Texas airport after a mechanical malfunction prevented its landing gear from deploying on Tuesday. Videos are being shared across social media, showing the plane skidding through smoke and flames as it attempted to land safely.

The aircraft landed at Ellington Airport southeast of Houston, sliding along the runway without its wheels and the US space agency confirmed that both crew members on board were safe.

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The US Space Agency posted on X, that the incident involved a mechanical issue and will be thoroughly investigated. No injuries were reported during the incident.

More from World At least 7 killed, one critically injured as private jet crashes in Maine snowstorm

Today, a mechanical issue with one of NASAs WB-57s resulted in a gear-up landing at Ellington Field. Response to the incident is ongoing, and all crew are safe at this time. As with any incident, a thorough investigation will be conducted by NASA into the cause. NASA will  Bethany Stevens (@NASASpox) January 27, 2026

The aircraft involved was a Nasa WB-57, a high-altitude research plane known for its distinctive long, thin fuselage. The twin-seat jet is capable of flying for around six and a half hours at altitudes exceeding 63,000 feet (19,200 metres) and has long been used for scientific and atmospheric research missions, news agency AP reported.

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The video footage showed that the plane made a slow landing hitting the runway with a jolt. Its wings appeared to bounce as it slid through the runway with bursts of yellow flame and white smoke. The aircraft gradually lost speed as the flames flared and then disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

Watch: Dramatic footage shows a NASA WB-57 research aircraft making a forced belly landing at Ellington Airport in Houston, Texas, after its landing gear reportedly failed to deploy. Flames and sparks are visible as the jet slides along the runway. Emergency crews rushed in pic.twitter.com/E8rRKRs4sG  World Think (@WorldThinkX) January 28, 2026

Local television station KHOU 11 reported and aired footage of the aircraft showing a complete stop at the runway, with the cockpit hatch open and emergency vehicles positioned around it. Fire and rescue workers were seen near the aircraft.
Google DeepMind has introduced Agentic Vision in Gemini 3 Flash, a new capability that changes how the model understands images. Instead of analyzing visuals in a single, static pass, the model can now actively investigate images through step-by-step reasoning supported by code execution.

Google states that enabling code execution with Gemini 3 Flash results in a 510% quality improvement across most vision benchmarks.

What Is Agentic Vision

Conventional vision models process images in one glance. When fine detailssuch as small text, distant objects, or tiny componentsare overlooked, the model must infer missing information.

Agentic Vision addresses this limitation by combining visual reasoning with executable code. The model treats image understanding as an investigative process, allowing it to zoom into specific areas, manipulate visuals, and verify details before producing a response.

How Agentic Vision Works

Agentic Vision operates through an iterative ThinkActObserve loop:

Think: The model analyzes the user query along with the initial image and creates a multi-step plan to extract relevant visual information.

Act: Gemini 3 Flash generates and executes Python code to manipulate or analyze the image. Supported actions include cropping, rotating, annotating visuals, counting objects, and running calculations.

Observe: The modified image is added back into the models context window, allowing it to re-examine the updated visual data before continuing the reasoning process or producing a final answer.

Agentic Vision in Practical Use

Zooming and Fine-Detail Inspection: Gemini 3 Flash is trained to implicitly zoom when fine-grained visual details are required.

PlanCheckSolver.com, an AI-based building plan validation platform, reported a 5% accuracy improvement after enabling code execution with Gemini 3 Flash. The system uses the model to iteratively crop and analyze high-resolution sections of building planssuch as roof edges and structural componentsby appending each cropped image back into the models context to verify compliance with building codes.

Image Annotation: Agentic Vision enables direct interaction with images through annotation.

In one example within the Gemini app, the model is asked to count the fingers on a hand. To reduce counting errors, Gemini 3 Flash generates Python code to draw bounding boxes and numeric labels over each detected finger. This annotated image serves as a visual reference, ensuring the final count is grounded in pixel-level inspection.

Visual Math and Data Plotting: Agentic Vision allows the model to extract dense visual data and execute deterministic computations.

In a demonstration from Google AI Studio, Gemini 3 Flash identifies data from a visual table, generates Python code to normalize values relative to prior state-of-the-art results, and produces a bar chart using Matplotlib. This approach avoids probabilistic estimation and replaces it with verifiable code execution.

Whats Next for Agentic Vision

Google outlined several planned expansions for the capability:

More implicit code-driven behaviors: While Gemini 3 Flash already performs implicit zooming, other actionssuch as rotation and visual mathcurrently require explicit prompts. These behaviors are expected to become automatic in future updates.

Additional tools: Google is exploring the integration of tools such as web search and reverse image search to further ground visual understanding.

Broader model support: Agentic Vision is planned to expand beyond Gemini 3 Flash to other Gemini model sizes.

Availability

Agentic Vision is available through the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI.
Yiwu home to more than 10,000 foreign-funded business entities

15:59, January 28, 2026 By Liu Junguo ( People's Daily

Pakistani merchant Ali Kamran poses for a photo with the business license of his newly established company in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang province, July 31, 2025. (Photo/Qian Xusheng)

Nestled in Zhejiang Province, East China, Yiwu is a dynamic county-level city often celebrated as the "world's supermarket," boasting over 80,000 shops. Beyond its commercial prowess, Yiwu has evolved into a vibrant stage attracting entrepreneurs from across the globe.

Here, a Pakistani doctoral student in medicine has crossed into business to launch a consulting firm; a Turkish investor has founded three companies over the past decade and continues to grow his foreign trade; and a Syrian trader has opened two specialty restaurants. These are just a few of the vivid investment stories unfolding in this dynamic international hub. These are just a few examples of the thriving investment stories unfolding in Yiwu.

Yiwu's journey as an international marketplace began in the late 1980s with the arrival of its first foreign-funded business. Since then, the city has consistently deepened reforms and expanded its openness. By fostering a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment, Yiwu has attracted global resources and talent. Today, more than 10,000 foreign-funded business entities from over 160 countries and regions are operating in Yiwu, spanning 14 sectors, including trade services and modern logistics.

Ali Kamran, born in Pakistan, came to China in 2007 to pursue his studies, and has lived in China ever since. In July 2023, he began doctoral studies in medicine at the International School of Medicine at Zhejiang University in Yiwu.

"Once people knew I was in Yiwu, my phone practically became a consultation hotline," he recalled. Friends kept reaching out with the same questionwhich markets offered the broadest range of suppliers, how to get started in cross-border e-commerce, and where to find reliable logistics partners. It didn't take long for him to realize that behind the constant inquiries lay a genuine business opportunity.

Foreigners negotiate with a Chinese merchant over a ski equipment purchase at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo/Shi Bufa)

In July last year, he established a consulting firm, which became the 10,000th foreign-funded business entity in Yiwu. "I didn't expect to get my business license so quickly. It's incredibly convenient to do business in Yiwu," said Kamran.

Positioned as a trade service platform rooted in Yiwu and connecting China and Pakistan, the company provides "one-stop Yiwu sourcing solutions" for buyers from the Middle East and Africa, while also helping Yiwu merchants expand into overseas markets.

In Kamran's view, Yiwu is not only an ideal place to do business but also a livable city. With a "foreign citizen card," foreign merchants can enjoy multiple services in the city freely. Yiwu also issues vocational competency certificates for foreign professionals, so as to broaden employment channels. Government service centers in the city offer multilingual services, which makes it more convenient for foreigners. Together, these measures enable foreign entrepreneurs to settle down and thrive in Yiwu.

As part of its latest comprehensive reform efforts, Yiwu has implemented a series of innovative service measures to further empower and support foreign-funded businesses, ensuring their sustained growth and success.

In 2023, Anas from Turkiye, partnering with local entrepreneur Xu Hangfei, established Yiwu Jintai Trading Co., Ltd. in Fotang township, which focuses on cross-border apparel trade. It was the third business founded by Anas in Yiwu.

Over more than a decade of entrepreneurship in the city, Anas has built a stable client base in Middle Eastern markets. As his business continues to grow, he has also felt firsthand the convenience brought by institutional innovation.

"Previously, due to the diverse range of small-volume exports we handled, a single container might contain over 10 different types of products," said Anas.

Thanks to the implementation of the market procurement trade method in Yiwu, companies can now opt for a simplified declaration when exporting more than five categories of goods. This allows multiple types of products to be consolidated into a single container, meeting the foreign trade needs of small and medium-sized enterprises for small batches, frequent shipments, and diverse goods.

"This reform has significantly improved the efficiency of export procedures and made business operations much smoother," he added.

Xiao An from Syria, who has been living in Yiwu for 17 years, runs a restaurant in the city's Binwang commercial district. The Syrian has witnessed an increasing number of foreigners coming to the city for business opportunities.

Foreign merchants negotiate over purchase deals at the Yiwu International Expo Center, Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang province. (Photo/Chen Ye)

As global traders gather and settle in Yiwu, the number of foreign-funded catering businesses in the city has grown by an average of 20 percent annually over the past three years. Recognizing this upward trend, Xiao An shifted his focus from cosmetics trade to the restaurant industry.

In 2024, Xiao An opened the restaurant, allowing more foreign entrepreneurs working in the city to enjoy Syrian flavors.

"Yiwu offers growing opportunities, and doing business here is becoming easier and more accessible," the restaurant owner said. When registering the restaurant, Xiao An submitted an application in the morning and received the business license the same afternoonefficient services that significantly lowered barriers to starting a business.

Since its opening, Xiao An's restaurant has been a great success, attracting large crowds and serving over 2,000 customers daily during peak holiday periods. "In February 2025, I opened my second outlet in Yiwu," Xiao An said. Inspired by its strong reception, Xiao An now aims to expand beyond Yiwu and establish more restaurants in other Chinese cities. "Growing my roots here in Yiwu gives me even greater confidence for what lies ahead," he told People's Daily.

From being known primarily for small commodities to becoming the "world's supermarket" hosting more than 10,000 foreign-funded business entities, Yiwu continues to embrace the global market with an open and inclusive posture, attracting investors from around the world.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
Harrisburg, Pa.  Yesterday, Governor Josh Shapiro filed an amicus brief in support of the City of Philadelphias lawsuit challenging the Trump Administrations decision to remove a historical exhibit on slavery from the Presidents House Site at Independence National Historical Park.
A 911 call shows that a Nicaraguan man who died at a Texas detention camp days after he was detained by immigration authorities in Minneapolis is suspected of dying by suicide
CIA establishing foothold in Venezuela after US abduction of Maduro: Report

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 5:04 PM

The United States is establishing a permanent Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) presence in Venezuela following the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro, in a move signaling a direct effort by Washington to influence the country's future.

While the US State Department is expected to serve as the primary longterm diplomatic presence, the administration of US President Donald Trump will likely rely heavily on the CIA to lead the initial reentry into Venezuela due to the country's unstable political and security situation, CNN reported.

"State plants the flag but CIA is really the influence," one source familiar with the planning said.

According to the report, the spy agency is quietly building influence on the ground, meeting local officials, monitoring opponents, and shaping the policies of the new leadership installed after Maduro's kidnapping.

Sources described the CIA's role as setting the stage for diplomatic efforts and providing security in ways traditional diplomats cannot.

Months before the US raid on January 3, CIA officers were operating inside Venezuela, tracking Maduro's movements through internal sources.

Their intelligence, sources say, helped plan his abduction, underscoring the agency's direct involvement in overthrowing a sovereign government.

Officials familiar with planning discussions told CNN that the CIA is now effectively running US operations inside Venezuela, providing guidance to the interim government and managing relations that diplomats alone cannot handle, especially on issues involving geopolitical rivals such as China, Russia, and Iran.

Despite these developments, the Trump administration has yet to clearly define its broader longterm goals in Venezuela, leaving the CIA as the main driver of Washington's control.

Plans to reopen the US embassy in Caracas also remain uncertain, with much of the influence expected to remain in the hands of intelligence officers.

Shortly after Maduro's abduction, the State Department dispatched a team from the Venezuela Affairs Unit to Caracas to "conduct an initial assessment for a potential phased resumption of operations."

A senior US official said that "a limited number of US diplomatic and technical personnel" are in Caracas conducting initial assessments.

The visits underscore Washington's desire to reestablish a presence in a country where Trump has publicly suggested the United States would "run" the government.

Many observers warn that this approach undermines Venezuela's sovereignty and democracy, effectively turning the nation into a de facto US protectorate under covert intelligence control.

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Contracts

Contracts for Jan. 27, 2026

AIR FORCE

Skookum Educational Programs, doing business as Tessera, Bremerton, Washington, has been awarded a $386,676,777 firm-fixed-price contract for U.S. Air Force Academy Civil Engineering Base maintenance support. This contract provides for engineering services, installation management services, facilities and infrastructure maintenance and repair services, emergency management services, and housing management services. Work will be performed at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2034. This award is the result of a direct award under the AbilityOne Program; one solicitation was issued, and one offer was received. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $854,680 are being obligated at the time of award. The10th Contracting Squadron, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA700026C0001). (Awarded on Jan. 26, 2026)



Lockheed Martin Rotary and Missions Systems, Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a $129,986,060 firm-fixed-price contract for the Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Maintenance and Aircrew Training Systems program. This contract provides a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) effort for the Royal Australian Air Force for the procurement of two weapon system trainers, one database generation system, one enhanced-integrated cockpit system trainer, one loadmaster part task trainer; and the upgrade of one virtual simulator and one virtual maintenance trainer. Work will be performed at Marietta, Georgia; and Richmond, Australia, and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2030. This contract was a sole source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $129,986,060 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8621-26-C-B001). (Awarded on Jan. 22, 2026)

Filius Corp., San Jose, California, has been awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract with an estimated ceiling of $64,300,484 for Control and Reporting Center TYQ 23-A/TSC 250 contractor logistic support. This contract provides for the contractor furnishing all labor, tools, equipment, technical data and manuals, materials, supplies, parts, original equipment manufacturer service bulletins, and services necessary to perform contractor logistics support on the TYQ 23-A/TSC-250. Work will be performed in El Paso, Texas; and Charleston, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 26, 2031. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition, and one offer was received. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $13,232,666 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8217-26-D-B001).

Lockheed Martin Space Mission Systems, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $10,188,893 contract modification (P00011) to a previously awarded contract (FA8820-25-C-B001) for the Mark IV-B weather program. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $21,904,640 from $11,715,747. Work will be performed at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; Andersen AFB, Guam; Kadena Air Base, Japan; Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait; Kapaun Air Base, Germany; Soto Cano, Honduras; Offutt AFB, Nebraska; and Elemendorf AFB, Alaska, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2027. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,917,383 are being obligated at the time of award. The Space Systems Command Directorate of Contracting, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA8820-25-C-B001).

ARMY

Raytheon, Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $193,705,262 modification (P00019) to contract W31P4Q-23-C-0026 for procurement of tube-launched optically tracked wireless guided missiles. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $193,705,262. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2028. Fiscal 2024 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $46,762,368; and fiscal 2025 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $2,679,094, were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Manson Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, was awarded a $13,183,900 modification (P00010) to contract W911KB-24-C-0005 for award of options for year three of the 2024-2026 maintenance dredging. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $38,965,163. Work will be performed in Anchorage, Alaska, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2027. Fiscal 2026 Operation and Maintenance, Corps of Engineers, Civil funds in the amount of $13,183,900 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District, is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., San Jose, California, was awarded an $11,555,761 modification (P00135) to contract W56HZV-22-C-0072 for three services work directives for the Bradley tanks. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $420,453,368. Work will be performed in San Jose, California, with an estimated completion date of July 23, 2027. Fiscal 2025 Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army funds in the amount of $11,555,761 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

NAVY

TriPoint Solutions LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, is being awarded an estimated $36,328,451 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide digital integration services including the integration, configuration, customization, and maintenance of the eLearning ecosystem supporting up to 25,000 students yearly, combing software and systems in support of the U.S. Naval Community College. Additionally, the contractor must develop and optimize complex scripts, queries, manage security, workflows, and system configurations to ensure seamless automation, optimal performance, and robust data integration across multiple systems and multi-cloud environments. The contract will include a 60-month base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8. If the option period is exercised, the total estimated value of the contract will have a value of $39,838,083. The base period is expected to begin immediately when awarded in January 2026 and be completed by January 2031; if the option is exercised, ordering will be completed by July 2031. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia (95%); and Quantico, Virginia (5%). Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,000 will be obligated at time of award to fund the contract's minimum amount, and funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Subsequent task orders will be funded with appropriate fiscal year operations and maintenance funds. The contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted on the System for Award Management website with five offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk Contracting Dept, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-26-D-Z004).

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Kongsberg, Norway, is awarded a $22,412,881 firm-fixed-price modification to the previously awarded contract action (M67854-25-C-2023) for Amphibious Combat Vehicle medium caliber cannon protector remote turret 20, hereafter referred to as the "Turret." The total value of the contract, if all options are exercised, is $282,820,227. This contract modification provides for the exercise of the option for the procurement of 16 Turrets for the Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle program. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pennsylvania (62%); and Kirkegaardsveien, Norway (38%), with an expected completion date of June 2, 2028. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $8,900,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-25-C-0023).

Vectrus Systems LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado, is awarded an $11,255,401 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification to a previously awarded contract (N62470-24-D-0018). This award brings the total cumulative value to $22,852,729. This modification provides for the exercise of Option One for base operating support services at Naval Support Facility Redzikowo. Work will be performed in Redzikowo, Poland, and is expected to be completed by January 2027. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds will be obligated on individual task orders, subject to the availability of funds. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Europe, Africa, Central, is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY

HRL Laboratories LLC, Malibu, California, has been awarded a $14,689,602 modification (P00008) to cost-plus-fixed-fee contract HR001124C0399 to exercise Phase Two Option for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project. The modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract from $11,261,436 to $25,951,038. Work will be performed in Malibu, California (5%); Calabasas, California (85%); and Camarillo, California (10%), with an expected completion date of May 2028. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $4,730,341 are being obligated at time of award. DARPA, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 26, 2026)



*Small business

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4391076/

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Czech Defence Minister's first visit to Slovakia: Towards the two Nations' strong alliance, cooperation and defence self-sufficiency

Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

21.01.2026

Today (Wednesday 21 January 2026), we welcomed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic Jaromir Zuna to Bratislava, in what was his first official visit abroad in his new role. The focus of his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kalinak was on deepening the two Nations' defence links, enhancing their defence self-sufficiency, and jointly strengthening security in the region.

The leaders discussed continued avenues of cooperation between the Czech and Slovak defence industries and joint projects, including getting CZE and SVK manufacturers closely involved in the drive to grow the national economies and to deliver the security of both countries.

Mr Robert Kalinak offered his utmost appreciation for the Czech Republic's long-standing assistance by making Czech Air Force jets available for Air Policing scrambles across Slovak airspace, as well as for our neighbour's role in the Lest-based NATO Multinational Brigade Task Force Slovakia.

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Poland and Latvia continue strategic cooperation for security in the region

Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Poland

21.01.2026

- Poland is present in Latvia. We have our troops there. We want our presence to be even more visible. I would like for Poland and Latvia to keep increasing their capabilities through shared exercises, joint actions and presence on the eastern flank of NATO. We both benefit from the SAFE programme and I am thankful for the declaration of willingness to conduct joint purchases and for choosing Polish equipment, like the Piorun system - deputy prime minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz noted after meeting the minister of defence of Latvia.

On Wednesday, 21 January, deputy prime minister - minister of national defence, Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, has met Andris Spruds, the minister of defence of Latvia, in Warsaw.

Matters of regional security were discussed, including the situation on the eastern flank of NATO and on the Baltic Sea. Possibilities for further strengthening regional security and ways to develop bilateral military cooperation were also on the agenda.

The deputy prime minister has noted that a new document, regulating military cooperation, is being worked on.

- We have decided to work on a new memorandum - an agreement between our countries, a Memorandum of Understanding regarding security policy. I think we will be ready to sign it within a few weeks, and I would like to sign this agreement together with the minister and announce an even closer cooperation - said the Polish minister of national defence.

The ministers have also summated the activities of battalion groups present in Poland and Latvia, and the creation of which has been decided on the NATO summit in Poland.

- The presence of NATO troops on our soil is a great strategic success. It shows that we act together and can strengthen security on the eastern flank of NATO together. It is a practical cooperation. Fourteen countries are present in Latvia. Poland is a respected and valued ally. (...). It is a success, but we cannot stop there - said minister Spruds.

- Poland is one of the five most important countries in this group of fourteen. We want to increase our capabilities and our presence in Latvia. The presence of the Polish Military Contingent has been extended, and I hope it will be continued with increased capabilities. (...). Poland hosts a group of allies as well. It was a very important decision. It shows that the Alliance is strong and united - concluded the deputy prime minister W. Kosiniak - Kamysz.

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Meeting between top diplomats of Poland and Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Republic of Poland

26.01.2026

Deputy Prime Minister Radosaw Sikorski met in Warsaw with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The talks covered Polish-Saudi cooperation, Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and other international issues, with a particular focus on the Middle East. The ministers also signed a document waiving visa requirements and a memorandum allowing for the establishment of the Saudi-Polish Coordination Council.

Saudi Arabia is Poland's strategically important partner in the Gulf and Middle East region. Since renewing Polish-Saudi diplomatic relations in 1995, the two countries have maintained friendly relations, enabling their fruitful and multidimensional cooperation. The chief of Polish diplomacy expressed his hope for good cooperation within the G20:

Saudi Arabia's economy ranks 19th in the world, and we have just become the world's 20th largest economy, which gives us reason to believe that we will be good partners within the G20.

Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski highlighted that he Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is Poland's most important economic partner among the Arab states. It accounts for 60 per cent of Poland's crude oil supplies and is our largest trading partner in the Middle East.

Warsaw and Riyadh see the opportunities for enhanced cooperation in many areas, such as trade, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, technology transfer, and green energy. Poland has potential in several areas, which Saudi Arabia can exploit, for instance to achieve the ambitious goals of its Vision 2030.

The talks concluded with the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Poland on the Establishment of the Saudi-Polish Coordination Council. The document provides for the possibility of the establishment of working groups, which will be responsible for developing projects within different ministries. The heads of diplomacy also signed an agreement today to waive visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, service, and special passports, which provides an opportunity to strengthen direct contacts between the representatives of the two countries.

We have very good relations, but in some areas our cooperation is still rather limited. I believe that the council will be a permanent consultative body which will work towards enhancing trade and economic cooperation (...) We are going to strengthen our cooperation so that is reflects the ambitions of our friendly nations. Saudi Arabia welcomes its good cooperation with Poland at many regional and international fora - noted Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

To name but few examples, Saudi Arabia and Poland share their respect for the paramount role of international law in relations between countries, readiness to cooperate towards stabilising hotspots across the globe, and endeavours for peaceful conflict resolution.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister last visited Warsaw in September 2020.

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Tsahkna at a meeting with the Danish Foreign Minister: Estonia and Denmark are committed to a strong NATO

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

27.01.2026 | 16:44

Today, 27 January, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna met with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen, who is visiting Estonia as part of the State Visit of the King of Denmark. The meeting focused on security challenges related to the Baltic Sea region, Europe and the Arctic. Denmark also officially handed over the chairmanship of the Nordic-Baltic (NB8) cooperation format to Estonia today.

"As NATO Allies, Estonia and Denmark are committed to jointly and in a coordinated manner addressing all security challenges facing the Alliance - whether related to the Baltic Sea region, Greenland and the Arctic more broadly, or NATO's southern neighbourhood. We support NATO's 360-degree approach and are working to ensure the Alliance's core objective: the defence of the entire Allied territory," Tsahkna said, adding that Estonia supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Speaking about Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the foreign minister noted that Europe must remain on course in pressuring Russia and supporting Ukraine.

"Through its brutal attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, Russia has pushed the country to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe during a record-cold winter. On the one hand, this means Ukraine urgently needs assistance to restore its energy systems and strengthen its air defence capabilities. On the other hand, Russia's actions clearly show that instead of peace, Russia is attempting to bomb its way into a stronger negotiating position - which means Europe must increase pressure on Russia," Tsahkna said. "We will continue working towards the adoption of the European Union's 20th sanctions package and towards deterring the activities of the shadow fleet that feeds Russia's state budget."

Tsahkna also raised the need for EU-wide action to restrict the entry into the Schengen area of fighters who have fought for Russia against Ukraine.

"Estonia recently added the first 261 Russian fighters who have fought in Ukraine to the Schengen entry ban list, and we are now working to ensure that the Schengen ban is extended to all those who have fought for Russia in Ukraine. Stronger cooperation between countries is essential in this regard," Tsahkna said. "Combat-experienced fighters - including those sent to the front from prisons and individuals holding hostile views towards Europe - have no place in a free Europe."

The bilateral meeting was followed by a public discussion between the ministers on the future of NB8 cooperation and regional security, during which Denmark officially handed over the NB8 chairmanship to Estonia.

"Nordic-Baltic cooperation has strengthened significantly in recent years. As this year's NB8 chair, Estonia intends to build on the work carried out by Denmark last year and ensure that NB8 continues to play a leading role in supporting Ukraine and strengthening Europe's deterrence and defence posture," Tsahkna said. "With a combined population of 33 million, the Nordic and Baltic countries are capable of driving major initiatives by speaking with one voice on key foreign and security policy issues and by leveraging their economic strength."

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Baiba Braze and Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon: We highly value our relations with Slovenia, our strong cooperation within the EU, NATO, and the UN, and the involvement of Slovenian troops in the NATO brigade in Latvia

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Published: 27.01.2026.

On 27 January 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze, welcomed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon, during her working visit to Latvia. Ministers discussed transatlantic relations and the security situation in Europe, further support for Ukraine's self-defence and strengthening sanctions to contain Russia, the situation in the Middle East, and current matters on the EU agenda - EU enlargement and priorities for the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework, including strengthening the EU's eastern border.

The ministers discussed Latvia's priorities on the UN Security Council. Ms Tanja Fajon shared Slovenia's experience in the UN Security Council during the term from 2024 to 2025.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon, laid flowers at the Freedom Monument and visited Slovenian soldiers at the Camp Adazi military base.

Ms Tanja Fajon addressed the heads of Latvia's diplomatic missions who are gathering in Riga this week for their annual meeting.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze:

"Latvia and Slovenia share excellent bilateral relations, and we are also close allies in the EU and NATO. I am delighted to welcome my good friend and colleague Tanja Fajon during the week when Latvia celebrates 150 years since its international (de jure) recognition. We are grateful to Slovenia for its military presence in the NATO Multinational Brigade located in Adazi, with around 70 Slovenian soldiers currently deployed there. This remains an important contribution to the security of the eastern flank. We share a common view that NATO allies' deterrence and defence capabilities must continue to be strengthened, and this year in Ankara, allies should demonstrate progress towards allocating 5% of GDP to defence. We appreciate the active work of Slovenia on the UN Security Council, ensuring that Russia's aggression against Ukraine remains a top issue on the agenda. We agree that all allies must continue to provide maximum support for Ukraine's self-defence and do everything possible to weaken Russia's capabilities, including through the twentieth sanctions package and measures against the shadow fleet and its ecosystem.

Latvia and Slovenia share successful cooperation in science, biomedicine, and pharmacy, and both countries underlined their common interest in deepening economic cooperation. Both ministers praised the launch of direct airBaltic flights between Riga and Ljubljana, as it boosts tourism, strengthens personal connections, and broadens the cooperation potential of both countries.

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A. Ursulskis: Latvia supports the European Democracy Shield initiative to strengthen democracy resilience against disinformation and to protect free and fair elections

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Published: 27.01.2026.

On 26 January 2026, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Artjoms Ursulskis, attended the meeting of the European Union (EU) General Affairs Council which took place in Brussels. The meeting provided an opportunity for the first exchange of views about the European Democracy Shield initiative published by the European Commission on 12 November 2025. The Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU presented its proposed priority areas and the European Commission shared information on the rule of law situation in four EU Member States: Estonia, Denmark, Greece, and Spain.

During the exchange of views on the European Democracy Shield, the Parliamentary Secretary highlighted the importance of a united and coordinated EU approach to bolstering democracy, countering disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference, and protecting the integrity of elections. Latvia welcomes the proposal to establish the European Centre for Democratic Resilience and stresses the need for clearly defined, transparent, and predictable funding to ensure the effective implementation of all activities foreseen under the European Democracy Shield.

During the meeting, Cyprus presented its priorities while holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Cyprus Presidency has put forward five priority areas: security and defence; EU competitiveness; the EU's global role; the rule of law; social and healthcare policy; and the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework. At the meeting, the Parliamentary Secretary voiced support for the Cyprus Presidency's goal to strengthen EU cohesion and autonomy, and highlighted the Presidency's priorities important to Latvia: further comprehensive support for Ukraine, reinforcement of EU security and defence, and the continuation of negotiations on the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework.

The General Affairs Council also engaged in a discussion on the rule of law situation in Estonia, Denmark, Greece, and Spain. Latvia considers that the exchange of views and best practices through discussions as part of the rule of law dialogue constitutes a valuable approach to strengthening the rule of law across the EU. Alongside this, all Member States and EU institutions share the task of strengthening EU values.

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The OIC Media Observatory on Israeli Crimes Against Palestinians presents its 113th report, titled: Israel Kills and Injures 112 Palestinians in One Week

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

27-01-2026

Israeli occupation forces killed 22 Palestinians, bringing the total number of martyrs to 112, including one body and 88 confirmed deaths, between January 20 and 26, 2026. During this period, they also bombed various areas in the Gaza Strip, killing four children. The number of wounded Palestinians in various areas reached 90.

The occupation forces raided the West Bank 330 times, demolishing buildings belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem). They also demolished 13 homes and nine livestock shelters, occupied two homes, bulldozed agricultural land, uprooted dozens of trees, and arrested 237 Palestinians, including 11 children. Two children were also injured in various cities and villages throughout the West Bank. Regarding attacks on mosques, Israeli extremists, at the instigation of the extremist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, brought papers bearing Talmudic prayers into the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Occupation forces also closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, and settlers attacked the Sheikh Mosque in Nablus.

Furthermore, settler attacks on Bedouin communities and Palestinian villages reached 83 in seven days, forcibly displacing 15 families in Jericho. Seven settlement activities were also recorded during this period, bringing the total number of occupation crimes to 1,125 across various categories.

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ASEAN, China 'on board' to accelerate COC

Philippine News Agency

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

January 27, 2026, 9:17 pm

MANDAUE CITY -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China are all "on board" to accelerate and conclude a code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea this year, an official said Tuesday.

"[W]hat is important to underscore here is that the parties the ASEAN member states and China they are all on board in terms of reaching a conclusion of the negotiations," Foreign Affairs spokesperson for ASEAN Dax Imperial said in an evening presser at BAI Hotel in this city.

Imperial made the statement ahead of the next round of COC negotiations that will formally take place on the sidelines of the series of ASEAN meetings in Cebu City on Jan. 30.

"I think everyone, all the parties, are really bent on being able to endeavor concluding, hopefully, the negotiations within the 2026 timeline," he said.

The Philippines, he added, is supporting the early conclusion by pushing to convene more COC-related meetings between Beijing and the bloc.

Imperial, however, did not provide details when asked how many of the so-called milestone issues or the most contentious subjects related to the COC have so far been resolved.

"All of those are being addressed really every time there are meetings or negotiations of the COC... What I can say is that there is always that progress every time there's a meeting that is involved," he said.

The four milestone issues include the connection between the COC and the non-binding Declaration of Conduct (DOC) on the South China Sea; whether the final document is legally binding or not; the COC's geographical scope; and the definition of terms, such as self-restraint.

The COC, which had been under works for years, is expected to provide a set of rules to manage tension in the disputed South China Sea.

The last round of negotiations between senior officials from Beijing and the bloc was convened during the 50th ASEAN-China Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the DOC in Kunming, China, on Nov. 24-26, 2025. (PNA)

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AFP keeps watch on Malampaya via space sensors

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

January 27, 2026, 3:38 pm

MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is using all means, including space-based sensors, to secure the Malampaya oil and gas field in Palawan against intruders, a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official said on Tuesday.

At a press briefing, PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the military is using all types of sensors to secure the energy field.

"Without going into details, the posture of the Armed Forces in securing Malampaya and Malampaya East-1 (MAE-1) is based, first and foremost, on the detection capability for maritime domain awareness. We utilized land-based, sea-based, air-based, and even spaced-based sensors," he said when asked on what military assets are being used to keep watch on the gas field.

Asked whether spaced-based sensors were satellite surveillance systems, Trinidad declined to give specifics but said the AFP deemed its appropriate to use all forms of capabilities for this mission.

"The posture of the Armed Forces is to use all sources of information, this would include land, sea, air and space-based systems. So without (going) into details that is part as I can go," he added.

Aside from the detection capability, Trinidad said the AFP is also capable of responding against threats or intruders in Malampaya. "Apart from the detection capability, we also have the response capability, by sea and air," he added.

"Monitoring is not about numbers; it is about capability. The PN - the AFP as a whole has the capability to monitor Malampaya East-1 (MAE-1), it being five kilometers adjacent to the Malampaya Project," he added,

Trinidad also said that the unit tasked to secure MAE-1 is Western Command, particularly Joint Task Force (JTF) Malampaya.

"The AFP has the monitoring and response capability through JTF Malampaya," Trinidad said.

MAE-1 is estimated to hold around 98 billion cubic feet of gas in place and marks the first milestone under the Malampaya Phase 4 drilling campaign, which also includes the Camago-2, Camago-3, and Bagong Pag-asa wells, aimed at securing additional gas resources.

The project is being undertaken by the SC3A consortium led by Prime Energy, in partnership with UC38, PNOC Exploration Corporation and Prime Oil & Gas Inc. (PNA)

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Israeli attacks kill four civilians in Gaza amid ceasefire violations

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 7:23 PM

A series of new Israeli attacks have killed at least four civilians and injured several others across the besieged Gaza Strip amid ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Local Palestinian media, citing sources, reported that a 17-year-old boy was killed when an Israeli strike hit near the al-Sanafour intersection in eastern Gaza City.

Two more people died in a missile strike in the Tuffah neighborhood in the city's northern part, while another civilian was killed in an Israeli quadcopter attack elsewhere in the territory.

Three people, including a child, were injured by shrapnel from Israeli missiles that struck the al-Sanafour area in the early morning.

Witnesses said more bodies were being brought to Gaza's overstretched hospitals as Israeli attacks continue despite the recent return of the last Israeli captive soldier.

The Israeli military has continued airstrikes and artillery shelling across the Gaza Strip, including in Tuffah, which has seen a noticeable escalation in recent days.

Israeli forces are also carrying out the demolition of Palestinian buildings behind the so-called yellow line.

Palestinians are calling on the guarantors of the ceasefire to pressure Israel to fully implement both the first and second phases of the agreement.

Since the ceasefire began, Israel has carried out near-daily violations, killing nearly 490 Palestinians and injuring more than 1,340.

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Yemen's Ansarullah warns US, Israel of Red Sea escalation if Iran is attacked

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 9:54 AM

Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement has warned the United States and Israel that they will resume their drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea against Israeli-affiliated vessels and ships bound for the Israeli-occupied territories in reprisal for any adventurism in the region.

A short video released by the media bureau of Ansarullah on Monday included previously published images of a ship on fire, with the caption, "Soon," signaling a possible resumption of the attacks on US and Israeli maritime interests.

This comes as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and guided missile destroyers with it have crossed into the region.

US President Donald Trump has said the ships are being moved "just in case" he decides to take action against Iran.

The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a stern warning on Monday, saying that Tehran will respond vigorously and firmly to any acts of aggression, asserting that Iran is now more equipped than ever to handle threats.

Esmaeil Baghaei made the remarks during a weekly press conference, where he addressed recent military activities by the US in the region.

Baghaei said that the countries in the region are fully cognizant that any instability does not exclusively target Iran, emphasizing that this awareness has fostered a collective concern among the regional nations.

Building on these experiences and strengths, Iran is now more resilient than ever and will respond to any attacks in a way that will provoke regret, Baghaei said.

In light of the worsening genocidal war in Gaza that started in October 2023, Yemeni forces executed a strategic maritime blockade intended to obstruct the delivery of military resources to Israel while urging the global community to address the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Concurrently, they conducted multiple missile and drone attacks on key targets located in the Israeli-occupied regions, demonstrating their support for the Palestinians in Gaza.

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Romania and France reaffirm their shared vision in the field of security and defence

Romania - Ministry of National Defence

Press release No. 17

27.01.2026

On Tuesday, January 27th, Minister of National Defence, Radu Miruta, received, at the Ministry of National Defence headquarters, the visit of the Ambassador of the French Republic to Romania, H.E. Nicolas Warnery.

The talks focused on recent developments in the security environment, with a focus on the regional implications of the war in Ukraine and the strategic role of the Black Sea region in the Euro-Atlantic security architecture.

The dialogue addressed the Romanian-French defence cooperation, both from an allied perspective and from the two states' contribution to European Union initiatives. France's role in supporting the security of Romania and of the region was highlighted, the Cincu Battle Group being a concrete example of the French commitment.

A distinct point of the meeting was cooperation in the field of defence industry. Thus, the officials analyzed the opportunities for developing joint projects and enhancing military-technical cooperation, in accordance with the European Union's objectives to consolidate the defence industrial and technological base.

At the same time, the two officials held discussions on the coordination of Romania's and France's positions within NATO and the European Union and the priorities for NATO Summit in Ankara in 2026, including the importance of implementing the decisions adopted at last year's NATO Summit in The Hague regarding increasing defence investments and the strategic relevance of the Black Sea region for Euro-Atlantic security.

"Romania attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation with France, a strategic partner and first-rate ally, in support of regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security, as well as of strengthening the deterrence and defence posture on the allied Eastern Flank. In this context, enhancing bilateral defence cooperation, including through the development of concrete partnerships in the defence industry, represents a strategic priority for Romania, aimed at increasing interoperability, consolidating military capabilities and resilience," the Minister of National Defence declared.

The meeting confirmed the positive dynamics of the Romanian-French Strategic Partnership and the prospects for enhancing defence cooperation in the current security context.



The Press Office

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Meeting between Defence Minister and Vice President for International Strategic Operations of the American company Lockheed Martin

Romania - Ministry of National Defence

Press release No. 16

27.01.2026

On Monday, January 26th, Minister of National Defence, Radu Miruta, had a meeting, at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, with Raymond Piselli, Vice President for International Strategic Operations of the American company Lockheed Martin, one of Romania's main partners in the field of industrial cooperation and military procurement.

The talks focused on the assessment of the implementation status of the procurement programs -currently being run by the Romanian Armed Force- with high-tech systems manufactured by Lockheed Martin, and identifying ways to accelerate the modernization processes of the equipment already in service, as essential aspects for strengthening national defence capabilities.

"Among the successful joint projects run with the American company Lockheed Martin is the hosting, at the Fetesti Air Base, of the European F-16 Training Center (the second center of its kind, alongside the one in the USA), translated in terms of our country's commitment to offering the Romanian pilots and those from NATO partner states, including Ukraine, a training environment at the highest standards, with access to state-of-the-art technical resources and expertise," the Minister of Defence stated.

Another topic on the agenda of the discussions was the transfer of technology and the development of our country's defence industry.





The Press Office

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Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's answer to a media question about Moldovan Parliament Speaker's provocative remarks

27 January 2026 18:27

86-27-01-2026

Question: On January 22, Moldovan Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu said Russia's Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Ozerov would not be able to present the credentials for "as long as Russia maintains a defiant attitude" and that he "may go down in history as the only ambassador without accreditation." How do things stand in reality?

Maria Zakharova: The way we see it, the distinguished Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament was referring to the fact that the President of Moldova has so far avoided receiving the original copy of the credentials rather than the accreditation of our ambassador, since he has it. Notably, the request for and the receipt of an agrement, the presentation of copies of credentials to the foreign ministry of the host country, and the receipt of the accreditation are the basis for ambassadors to be able to perform their functions. All of this has been done.

As for the original copies of the credentials, the history of diplomacy knows many instances where they were not presented until the very end of ambassadors' terms, and this did not prevent them from carrying out their professional duties. The reason why credentials were not presented has always been due to the situation in the host country, such as incapacity or illness of the head of state, and by no means the actions of the other side.

Mr Grosu's allegation about Russia's "defiant attitude" towards Moldova is baseless. Our country respects the Republic of Moldova's sovereignty and does not interfere in its domestic affairs. Our diplomats work professionally, uphold the interests of our country and its citizens, and comply with the laws and customs of the host country.

Hopefully, Chisinau will not add yet another chapter to the history of diplomacy in which the government of a country party to the 1961 Vienna Convention is incapable of receiving the credentials of an ambassador of a foreign state with which it maintains diplomatic relations.

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ICYMI: Ranking Member Shaheen, Senator Murkowski Pen New York Times Op-Ed Urging Congress to Stand Up for NATO

Senate Foreign Relations Committee

January 27, 2026

WASHINGTON -- Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) published an op-ed in the New York Times on the importance of Congress moving decisively to reject threats against NATO and codify guardrails against future action by the Trump Administration.



In the piece, the Senators argue that President Trump's fixation on "taking Greenland" undermines U.S. interests during a time where NATO unity is a strategic necessity. The Senators urge their colleagues in Congress to pass their bipartisan legislation, the NATO Unity Protection Act, which would restrict the use of taxpayer dollars to seize or coerce control over Allied territory, including Greenland, in order to safeguard the U.S. and our Allies' intertwined economic and security interests.



CLICK HERE to read Ranking Member Shaheen's op-ed in the New York Times. The text of her op-ed has also been provided below.



We Are Democratic and Republican Senators. Congress Must Stand Up for NATO.

We just returned from a bipartisan visit to Denmark, and what we saw should concern every American.



As large public protests took place outside the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, our conversations inside with Danish and Greenlandic leaders made clear that President Trump's threats to take Greenland have shaken public confidence in the United States and undermined the foundation of the trans-Atlantic alliance. Mr. Trump's recent comments that downplayed NATO allies' contributions in Afghanistan have deepened the crisis of confidence within the alliance and caused understandable public outrage across Europe.



This is now a moment of risk for our shared security, and it is entirely unnecessary. The United States has a standing defense agreement with Greenland dating back to 1951. Under that framework, the United States built and operated more than a dozen military installations on the island. It was Washington, not Copenhagen or Nuuk, that later concluded all but one of them were no longer needed.



For their part, Danish and Greenlandic leaders have repeatedly made clear they are willing to form a partnership with the United States on issues ranging from Arctic security to critical minerals. The people who actually live in Greenland, who are too often an afterthought in this conversation, would largely welcome a stronger U.S. military presence and renewed investment. There is no strategic objective here that cannot be achieved through cooperation.



Mr. Trump's fixation on taking Greenland is unfolding at a time when the United States needs a strong, united front against adversaries that are working to expand their influence and undermine democratic alliances.



Russia is waging the largest land war in Europe since World War II, expanding its military presence in the Arctic, escalating cyber and hybrid attacks against NATO members and walking away from key nuclear arms control agreements. China has deepened its strategic alignment with Russia while escalating threats toward Taiwan, putting global supply chains and economic stability at risk.



In this environment, allied unity is not optional; it is a strategic necessity. Yet leaders of Arctic countries now speak openly of a "rupture" in our longstanding security and economic relationship.



Instead of strengthening our alliances, threats against Greenland and NATO are undermining America's own interests.



Suggestions that the United States would seize or coerce allies to sell territory do not project strength. They signal unpredictability, weaken deterrence and hand our adversaries exactly what they want: proof that democratic alliances are fragile and unreliable.



Similarly, the on-again, off-again specter of tariffs and a trans-Atlantic trade war does not provide meaningful negotiating leverage. It spooks markets, wipes out wealth, distracts from higher priorities and erodes the trust we have built over decades.



In the midst of this, one crucial actor is hiding in plain sight. The U.S. Congress bears responsibility for reinforcing constitutional guardrails on the Trump administration's policy toward NATO, with respect to both Greenland and to safeguarding our intertwined economic and security interests.



Congress cannot be a bystander when the stakes involve the sovereignty of an ally or the future of NATO. We have tools at our disposal to assert our authority and make clear to our allies that we will not tolerate further threats against them.



One immediate step is to legally block any potential attempt to seize or coerce control over allied territory.



That is exactly what our bipartisan NATO Unity Protection Act does. It prohibits taxpayer dollars from being used to blockade, occupy, annex or otherwise assert control over the sovereign territory of any NATO ally without that ally's consent and approval by the North Atlantic Council. This is a necessary safeguard against an administration that has repeatedly shown it is willing to act first and explain later.



Pre-emptive legislation is unfortunately necessary. Our fellow lawmakers have a choice: assert their constitutional authority or wake up to decisions that have already been made without them.



During our recent visit, a Danish American approached one of us after a public event. She told us she worries that her son, who holds both Danish and American citizenship and is nearing Denmark's conscription age, might one day be forced to choose between the two countries he loves. We heard from Greenlanders who can't sleep, and who told us that their children are crying amid fear of invasion  not from China or Russia, but from the United States.



That fear would have been unthinkable just months ago. Today it is becoming part of how people in allied nations talk about the United States, and it is profoundly undermining America's national interests.



This is not the future Americans want, and it is not the future we should accept. The United States has spent generations building alliances based on shared values, mutual respect and the rule of law. Those alliances remain our greatest strategic asset. The question now is whether Congress will defend them.

###

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US Air Force to Launch Readiness Drills in CENTCOM Area of Responsibility

Sputnik News

20260127

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Air Force Central (AFCENT) said on Tuesday that Washington will be conducting extended readiness drills in CENTCOM's area of responsibility amid tensions around Iran.

On Monday, Fox News reported, citing a US official, that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group had entered CENTCOM's area of responsibility in the Indian Ocean.

"Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) will be conducting a multi-day readiness exercise to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility," the statement said.

The exercise will focus on rapid movement of personnel and aircraft; dispersed operations at contingency locations; logistics support with a minimal footprint; as well as integrated, multinational command and control over a large area.

AFCENT teams will deploy to multiple contingency locations to practice setting up, launching and recovering procedures using small and efficient support packages. All activities will be conducted with host-nation approval and in close coordination with civil and military aviation authorities, the statement added.

The exercises are intended to demonstrate a credible and combat-ready US presence aimed at deterring aggression, reducing the risk of miscalculation and reassuring regional partners, the agency said.

On January 22, US President Donald Trump said that US Navy ships were moving toward Iran "just in case." Prior to that, he refused to give a definitive answer to the question about whether the option of military intervention in Iran had been removed, saying only that he could not say what would happen in the future.

 Sputnik

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Joint Statement on the Eleventh U.S.-UAE Economic Policy Dialogue

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

January 27, 2026

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates on the occasion of the Economic Policy Dialogue.

Begin Text:

The United States and the United Arab Emirates held their eleventh Economic Policy Dialogue in Abu Dhabi on January 15, 2026. His Excellency Saeed Mubarak Al Hajeri, Minister of State, in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Jacob Helberg, co-chaired the dialogue.

Trade and Investment

The 11th session of the Economic Policy Dialogue, underscored the strategic importance of bilateral trade and investment between the two countries, highlighting that the UAE is the largest U.S. trade partner in the Gulf region, a distinction the UAE has held for nearly two decades.  and that the United States maintains a significant trade surplus with the UAE.

The senior government officials emphasized that bilateral trade and investment, supported by clear regulatory pathways and market openness, makes both countries more prosperous. They praised growing cooperation in priority sectors including critical minerals, with a view to expanding value-chain cooperation, advanced technology, energy, manufacturing, and life sciences. They reiterated the UAE's commitment to invest $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next decade, strengthening the UAE's position as America's largest regional economic partner.

Economic Impact

Direct trade relations have expanded significantly and support many jobs in both countries. Minister Al Hajeri highlighted that by 2024, total non-oil trade between the UAE and the U.S. surpassed $38 billion, and continues to make impressive strides as preliminary data for 2025 show that in the first half bilateral non-oil trade reached $19.3 billion, reflecting year-on-year growth of 3.4% - supporting key American industries such as energy, aviation, and technology.

Economic Security

The Under Secretary emphasized the importance of enhancing economic security and securing trusted supply chains. He highlighted the ways shared interests in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, energy abundance, and digital infrastructure can strengthen our economic and national security alignment and maintain secure supply chains. Both sides also explored further collaboration on critical minerals, with the Under Secretary highlighting the UAE's leadership on resilient supply chains and commitment to the Pax Silica framework. The delegations discussed coordinating investment in third-country projects to support diversified and resilient critical minerals supply chains.

Pax Silica and Connectivity

In line with shared efforts to strengthen economic stability and regional connectivity, the Under Secretary and the Minister of State also discussed how to operationalize the U.S.-led Pax Silica Declaration, which aims to build secure, resilient, and innovation-driven supply chains for technologies foundational to the AI era. The UAE officially joined the Pax Silica on January 14, 2026, underscoring the UAE's leadership and early engagement in advancing resilient supply chains through investment, infrastructure development, and international partnerships. The United States and UAE further reiterated their support for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) particularly emphasizing the importance of increasing port and rail capacity.

Institutional and Multilateral Cooperation

The delegations held critical discussions on investment, trade, finance, business cooperation, intellectual property, tourism, digital economy, emerging technologies, energy and critical minerals, water, transportation, logistics, and infrastructure, as well as joint efforts to promote global energy abundance. The dialogue also covered cooperation between the two countries in advancing regional integration and in multilateral fora including the upcoming U.S.-led G20. His Excellency Al Hajeri and Under Secretary Helberg agreed to explore potential areas of cooperation among I2U2 countries including in energy security, critical minerals, and water security, in line with shared strategic priorities.

Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technologies

Both sides reiterated their support for the U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, which was signed during President Trump's visit to the UAE in May 2025. The partnership created a pathway for U.S. companies to export advanced AI semiconductors to American entities in the UAE and trusted UAE entities while taking into account enhanced security requirements and the implementation of robust security measures, which unlocked significant Emirati investment into U.S. AI infrastructure, R&D centers, cloud architecture, and AI-enabled industrial applications.

The Minister and Under Secretary acknowledged the significant progress on the proposed five-gigawatt AI campus under construction in the UAE, which will be the world's largest AI campus outside the United States. Technology companies, public and academic entities, and research centers in both nations are actively benefitting from this landmark initiative through expanding access to cutting-edge infrastructure and deeper innovation partnerships.

Financial Cooperation

The delegations discussed ongoing cooperation in AI and advanced technologies, the proposed Science and Technology Agreement, as well as joint research in quantum computing, genomics, and space exploration. Officials from both countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to fostering a dynamic, efficient investment environment that supports mutual growth and innovation. They also discussed ongoing efforts to address remaining trade barriers. In addition, officials reviewed ongoing bilateral collaboration to counter illicit finance, enhance sanctions coordination, and strengthen frameworks to safeguard the integrity of the global financial system, noting that they look forward to the formal inauguration of the UAE-U.S. Treasury Engagement Framework on illicit financing expected in 2026. UAE officials welcomed the announcement of the U.S. Treasury Department's Known Investor pilot program for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Water Security and Sustainability

Reflecting ongoing efforts to elevate the global water agenda and address water-related challenges, Minister Al Hajeri noted that the UAE looks forward to co-hosting the 2026 United Nations Water Conference at the end of 2026 with Senegal, further underscoring the UAE's leadership on the global stage.

The two delegations reaffirmed the vital role of the Economic Policy Dialogue in maintaining strong cooperation and in advancing economic relations and partnerships between the United States and the UAE.

End Text.

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We welcome the continued commitment of this Council to the Hodeidah and Stockholm Agreements: UK Explanation of Vote at the UN Security Council

Speech

Explanation of Vote by Ambassador Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on UNMHA.

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Archie Young CMG

Published 27 January 2026

Location: United Nations, New York

Delivered on: 27 January 2026 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

We welcome the Council's extension of UNMHA's mandate for a final two-month period until 31 March 2026.

We look forward to the UN's orderly and sustainable transition of UNMHA's responsibilities and residual functions to the Office of the Special Envoy and we welcome the continued commitment of this Council to the Hodeidah and Stockholm Agreements.

I want to thank those UNMHA officials who have worked tirelessly as since 2019, especially in the face of continued Houthi restrictions which inhibited the Mission's ability to fulfil its mandate.

The safety of UN personnel across Yemen remains of the upmost importance.

Once again, the UK condemns arbitrary detentions by the Houthis, and we reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained.

The UK remains steadfast in our support for the Special Envoy in fostering an intra-Yemeni peace process under UN auspices.

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Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York

27 January 2026

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

All right, good afternoon.

** Secretary-General  Press Conference

As a reminder, a programming note. On Thursday, at noon, in this very room, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, will be joining you for his last annual start-of-the-year press conference. And I expect him to be on time. That is on Thursday.

** Holocaust

In fact, just now, the Secretary-General is still attending the annual Holocaust memorial event in remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust. In remarks delivered, he said that he grieved for the Jews, the Roma and Sinti, the people with disabilities, [LGBTQI+] people and so many more who were enslaved, persecuted, tortured and killed.

He said that the Holocaust is not only history. It is a warning: a warning that hatred, once unleashed, can consume everything.

Today, Mr. Guterres said, that warning feels much more urgent than ever. Antisemitism around the world is raging. Jewish communities live in fear. Synagogues attacked. Families shattered. Vile antisemitic hatred racing across cyberspace.

He recalled that the Holocaust did not begin with killing. It began with words. Its architects telegraphed their evil intentions.

The Secretary-General said that they deliberately spread a hateful, supremacist ideology that preyed on fear and economic despair.

He urged all to act against such hatred, saying that when those with power fail to act, evil goes unpunished. When the past is distorted, denied and weaponized, hatred and prejudice fester.

The Secretary-General said that it is also our duty to keep alive the spirit of acting in common purpose, through multilateralism, to ensure that the forces of humanity always triumph over the forces of inhumanity.

** Antisemitism

On a related note, I want to flag a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) study that was published today, which collected data from more than 2,000 educators across the European Union, seeking to examine their knowledge and understanding of what antisemitism refers to and explore their preparedness to address antisemitism when they encounter it.

Worryingly, just over three quarters of the teachers, that is more than 77 per cent, had encountered at least one incident of antisemitism between students at least once or twice. [Over] a quarter of teachers had witnessed nine or more of these incidents. Overall, on average, teachers had encountered five or six antisemitic incidents between students at their school.

The report adds that the most prevalent challenges that teachers encountered were students demonstrating antisemitic attitudes, tropes and conspiracy theories read on the Internet or in the media, and being exposed to this sort of content in the family environment. The full report is online.

** Syria

Turning to the situation in Syria: We and our humanitarian partners are continuing to support the response in the north-east of the country following recent clashes.

Today, an inter-agency humanitarian convoy from Damascus reached the city of Qamishli in Hasakeh governorate. It delivered food, warm clothes and blankets, among other supplies. More convoys are planned in the coming days. We also continue to distribute food, distribute bread and cash across collective centres and various displacement sites.

According to our partners, more than 170,000 people have now been displaced since 6 January across the governorates of Aleppo, Hasakeh and Raqqa. Several displacement sites continue to be overcrowded. In Hasakeh governorate, the situation remains volatile.

Our health partners are also providing mobile health services, including vaccinations and mental [healthcare].

Our partners working in nutrition have also reached more than 1,500 children and hundreds of pregnant and lactating women in Hasakeh governorate with malnutrition screening and nutrition support.

Meanwhile, OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) reports that a major winter storm struck several governorates across the country last week, including areas still reeling from a snowstorm on 31 December. More than 1,700 tents in displacement sites have been damaged across Aleppo and Idleb governorates.

The challenges remain unrelenting. Along the coast, major mountain routes remain closed, cutting off communities in the cities of Lattakia and Tartous. In Hama and Homs, flooding and road closures continue to restrict access to affected areas.

Since October last year, our partners have provided winter assistance, including blankets, warm clothes and heating supplies, to nearly 450,000 people.

And some of you... I think it was Namo who asked about the Internet connection in Kobani. Our humanitarian colleagues in Syria tell us that, according to their partners on the ground, power and Internet have not been restored.

** Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to the situation in Gaza, where our colleagues from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warn that the situation remains dire for hundreds of thousands of families who remain in dire need. I think you all heard very vivid examples from our WFP (World Food Programme) and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) colleagues yesterday.

You will recall that we announced last week the launch of the catch-up vaccination campaign to protect children under 3 from vaccine-preventable diseases. As of today, our health partners have vaccinated more than 6,000 children across the Gaza Strip.

On the food security front, we and our partners are providing bread to at least 43 per cent of the population. That, we do across the Strip every day. The bread is free or sold at a significantly subsidized price of less than $1 per two-kilogram bundle.

This is on top of the monthly household-level distributions of wheat flour. This month, we have reached 1.2 million people with flour as part of the standard monthly food assistance package.

In terms of shelter support, over the past week, we and our humanitarian partners reached over 7,500 families with tents, tarpaulins, sealing-off kits, mattresses and blankets. In addition, child protection partners delivered winter clothes to some 1,400 children across the Strip.

As we have said repeatedly, over 1 million people still require urgent shelter support, and sustainable solutions are needed to meet these needs, including tool kits to repair people's homes, materials to create communal heating spaces and equipment to remove debris and rubble to clear land.

Since Wednesday, our partners have reached over 2,300 families with cash vouchers and in-kind winterization support.

They have also provided mental-health and psychosocial support and case-management assistance to hundreds of people.

** Iraq

I want to flag that our Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, Atul Khare, just concluded a visit to Iraq following the end of the mandate of the UNAMI (United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq) political mission and the start of liquidation activities of UNAMI that started on 1 January.

Accompanied by our Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and Head of the Liquidation Entity, Ghulam Isaczai, Mr. Khare met with Iraqi officials, including President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani. All this to discuss the continuing partnership between the United Nations and Iraq. Mr. Khare noted that the liquidation is proceeding smoothly, ensuring an orderly and timely completion.

The visit also reflected on UNAMI's positive legacy and its support for Iraq's progress over more than 20 years of existence in Iraq.

** Niger

Regarding Niger, Tom Fletcher, our Emergency Relief Coordinator, just released $5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help people prepare ahead of flooding that is expected to hit parts of the country in the coming weeks.

The new funds, released as part of anticipatory action efforts, will allow the humanitarian community to support the Government of Niger to improve early warning systems and get shelter and mobile medical centres in place in areas most likely to be hit.

** South Sudan

Another crisis is unfolding in Jonglei State in South Sudan. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that escalating conflict is forcing people to flee their homes and restricting humanitarian access.

Since the end of December, renewed clashes in Jonglei have displaced more than 230,000 men, women and children.

Families forced to flee their homes are reportedly sheltering in the open, under trees and in makeshift structures without the food, without health services or any protection that they need. Most of these families are relying on already overstretched host communities.

Many health facilities have been looted or have been vandalized, resulting in some 115,000 people without access to the most basic healthcare needs.

According to health authorities, cholera cases are rapidly rising in Duk County, with 938 cases and 29 deaths reported as of January 25th. This is partly due to overcrowding in areas where displaced families are seeking shelter and shortages of safe water, sanitation and basic health services.

As you know, on 25 January, the government forces ordered all civilians, UN personnel and other humanitarian organizations to evacuate the counties of Nyirol, Uror and Akobo within 48 hours, ahead of a planned military operation. Flight restrictions have cut off humanitarian air access, halting any medical evacuations, and delaying the delivery of critical assistance. Some humanitarians have already relocated their staff.

We and our partners will scale up assistance in safer areas, while authorities have reiterated their commitment to address bureaucratic impediments.

We call on all parties to facilitate unhindered access to all those who need help.

** Democratic Republic of the Congo

From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our peacekeeping colleagues in that country tell us that the Mission, MONUSCO, is implementing the final phase of Operation Secure Harvest. They are doing that in the Ituri province to help communities safely access their fields during the harvest season. Peacekeepers do this through enhanced presence and patrols, through their engagement with local communities and authorities. They also support early warning and rapid response mechanisms, to deter armed group activity and to support the freedom of movement along key routes.

Since the operation was launched at the end of October [last year], the peacekeeping mission has deployed 204 patrols. They have protected close to 18,000 people and secured the harvest and transport of over 17,000 metric tons of food such as cassava, corn, potatoes, bananas, pineapple and more.

In addition, the Mission launched Operation Safe Schooling, creating a protective environment for 11,500 students in targeted locations across the Ituri province. They have deployed patrols around schools to support safe movement for pupils and staff and to help keep learning spaces open and secure.

** Chile

A quick update from Chile, where, as you know, there have been raging wildfires going on for some time.

Our team there is supporting the Government-led [response] to ongoing wildfires impacting several regions.

Our UN Resident Coordinator, Maria Jose Torres Macho, has met with authorities to offer support and coordinate the response. The UN Children's Fund is providing child-protection assistance, while UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency) is supporting temporary emergency shelters in coordination with partners.

On the health front, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is assisting authorities, including on risk communication. For its part, UNESCO is addressing impacts on education, culture and heritage, and UN-Women and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) are conducting rapid assessments related to gender-based violence and preparedness for dignity [kits] and recovery support. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) is monitoring the situation and will assess restoration measures for fire-damaged forests and ecosystems.

The UN team joins all Chileans in expressing condolences for the lives lost and acknowledges international solidarity, including firefighters that have come from Mexico and Uruguay, equipment support from the United States and contributions from regional development banks.

** Multidimensional Vulnerability Index

Today, the Secretary-General has appointed 15 leading experts to serve on the Independent Expert Advisory Panel for the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, otherwise known as MVI, and that is for the 20262030 term.

The MVI is a UN tool that measures the vulnerability of developing countries to external shocks, including climate disasters, economic downturns and health emergencies, and their capacity to absorb and recover from those risks. Unlike income-based indicators, it considers a broad range of economic, social and environmental factors.

The Panel will help strengthen the MVI as an evidence-based tool to guide policy and resource allocation. It will begin its work this year.

A full list has been emailed to you.

** Honour Roll

Two countries have paid their money in full today on the Honour Roll.

The first one is a land of poets and writers. [response: "Ireland!"]

The author, Bram Stoker, was the author of Dracula in 1897. The novel has since become one of the most influential and well-known works of both vampire fiction and English literature. He was from which country? [...] Ireland. So, we thank our friends in Dublin.

This one is just for you, Edie. Where was Jimmy Choo born? [...] Jimmy Choo is from Malaysia.

We thank our friends in Kuala Lumpur. [...]

** Questions and Answers

Spokesman : Yes, Edie.

Question : Thank you, Steph. With the return of the remains of the last Israeli hostage, does the United Nations have any information about the reopening of the Rafah Crossing? And go ahead.

Spokesman : No. Short answer is no. We continue to be in touch with the Israeli authorities. We've seen some reporting, but we've not been given any hard information. And to reiterate that we very much want to see the crossing reopened for cargo, commercial, humanitarian, and for Palestinians to be able to go in or out of Gaza.

Question : And at how high a level is the UN pushing for this, since that's supposed to be one of the first things that happens in phase two?

Spokesman : I mean, all of those discussions are going on, focused in Jerusalem. Yes, Miriam?

Question : Thank you, Steph. I have two questions, one on Iran and one on Afghanistan. Given the new videos and reports suggesting that death toll in Iran protests exceed 30,000 people and thousands detained and even wounded protesters are being taken out of a hospital and taken to unknown places, what is the Secretary-General's reaction to the new evidence? Is he going to have a press briefing or address this publicly himself? Because he just had one statement at the very beginning of the protest. And the second one on Taliban criminal court that was out while Rosemary DiCarlo was in Afghanistan, which is talking about slavery and saying that recognizes slavery, basically, and how the criminal court is going to address this. What is your reaction? [cross talk]

Spokesman : Okay. So, first on Iran, I think the Secretary-General has been very clear in his messaging. We've seen various numbers being branded, being reported, right? We don't have any hard numbers on exactly how many people were killed by the security forces while protesting, while exercising their right to protest peacefully. Whatever the final number will be, it is a horrendous number, and it is important that people responsible for that violence being held to account. I can tell you that while she was in Afghanistan, Ms. DiCarlo met with the charge d'affaires... excuse me, the Iranian Ambassador in Afghanistan. Obviously, they discussed the situation in Afghanistan, but she also took the opportunity in that meeting to reiterate the Secretary-General's deep concern over what we saw as the excessive use of force against protesters in Iran. She recalled the Secretary-General's clear call that all Iranians must be able to express their grievances peacefully and without fear. The rights of freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly enshrined in international law must be fully respected. As part of the... on your second question on Afghanistan, I think, you know, whether it's the political mission, whether it's our human rights colleagues, we have been very clear in seeing the plethora of edicts and laws that have been put in place by the Taliban that violate the human rights of people in Afghanistan, especially its women and girls. And I think that was the message of Ms. DiCarlo is to encourage and push the Taliban authorities to revoke these laws and these treaties and to ensure that all Afghans, obviously including the women and girls, have the same rights and basic dignity that all of us are entitled to and that they need to take urgent measures to comply with international human rights law by rescinding all discriminatory laws and edicts, and so on. Gabriel?

Question : Thanks, Steph. There are roughly about 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza that are in need of urgently being evacuated to seek medical attention elsewhere. Is the UN prepared to assist with that when Israel allows it? And what role would you foresee the... [cross talk]

Spokesman : Yes, I mean, you know, WHO has already played a critical role; whenever there's an opportunity for them to evacuate people that they know about, that they can facilitate, they will do that. We've seen a number of bilateral agreements where certain countries in the region notably have taken in people who need medical care. I think, we've shown that every time we were given more space in which to operate, we do so.

Question : On a separate note, Rafael Grossi is the only candidate that's formally been nominated to run for the next SG. Does the Secretary-General have a position on if he should step down as the Director General of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), or does he not have...?

Spokesman : No. The current Secretary-General will not be commenting on the race to succeed him. Minlu?

Question : Thank you, Stephane. So, the United States today officially is pulled out from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change which was adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Does the SG have any comment on its decision and its implications?

Spokesman : Well, I mean, I think it is in fact today. You're right. I think the Secretary-General commented at the time. For us, the fight against climate change continues. The fight for a just transition continues. The fight to get more resources for climate mitigation and adaptation, especially for those most vulnerable countries continues and our efforts will not waver in that part. Ephrem? Oh, sorry. Yes, go ahead. Yeah. Volodymyr, please.

Question : Oh, yeah. Thank you. Of course, have a couple of questions, if you don't mind. Today Russia attacked Odessa, with numerous casualties, and a passenger train in the Kharkiv region with drones. Is there any reaction from the Secretary-General?

Spokesman : I think, as we have, we will continue to speak out and condemn all and any attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Question : A general question. We see that help is on the battlefield. [Vladimir] Putin is trying to destroy Ukraine's population through sadistic methods. Russia is deliberately targeting energy infrastructure in order to freeze people. In your view, after all this, is a just peace possible without holding Putin and other war criminals accountable?

Spokesman : Look. I think in any conflict, all of us who believe in dialogue, all of us who believe in diplomacy will continue to work to that front. And I think for the Secretary-General, for him, it's to see an end to the war in Ukraine, in line with the full respect for Ukraine's territorial integrity, its sovereignty for a sustainable peace in line with international law and all relevant UN resolutions. Yes, Ahmed?

Question : Thank you, Steph. Also, another question on Iran, if you don't mind. What are the Secretary-General's reactions to the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Middle East near Iran's border? And more specifically, does he view the latest development as a form of intimidation or even warmongering?

Spokesman : Look, I think the Secretary-General is very concerned indeed about the reported military buildup in the Persian Gulf region. Again, the Secretary-General calls for maximum restraint and encourages all actors to refrain from any actions that will further increase tension or ignite conflict escalation in the wider region. He remains convinced that all concerns regarding Iran are best addressed through dialogue, through diplomacy and negotiations. And in this regard, he welcomes all efforts aimed at regional de-escalation and calls on all actors to take concrete steps to defuse tensions and strengthen regional confidence building. Namo, and then...

Question : Thank you, Stephane. In his address to the General Assembly, the Secretary-General said it was a duty for the international community to protect the vulnerable. My question is, does he believe the world is doing enough to protect the Kurds? A stateless group who has been subjected to at least two genocides since the Holocaust, Saddam Hussein's Anfal campaign in the 1980s and the Islamic State's massacre of the Yazidis just over a decade ago? Thank you.

Spokesman : Look. The international community can always do more to protect the most vulnerable. We can always do more, but I can tell you from his point of view, from the Secretariat's point of view, we are doing as much as we can, and we see it in Syria, where we're trying to reach all those who need help with desperately needed help. Benno?

Question : Thank you. A follow-up to Iran. Does that mean that the SG does not think that any military action, however it would look like, by the United States would be helpful?

Spokesman : The Secretary-General, I think can be safely said, is not a believer in using military force when diplomacy and dialogue are still very much possible. Yes, sorry. Sinan?

Question : Hi, Stephane. [cross talk]

Spokesman : Oh, sorry. Let's to Sinan first, I'll go to you.

Question : Thank you, Stephane. The World Medical Association has sent the official letter to UN office at Geneva, specifically to the Syrian Permanent Representative, expressing deep concern regarding the targeting of medical personnel and facilities in Syria. What's the Secretary-General's reaction on that?

Spokesman : I haven't seen that letter, but it is clear for us that all medical facilities need to be protected. And whether it's in this conflict or any other, hospitals and medical facilities can never ever be a target. Yes, go ahead.

Question : [inaudible] ...taxpayers' money. Is the Secretary-General concerned about comments like that from the New Zealand Foreign Minister or worried that other countries may pull out the WHO?

Spokesman : Whether its World Health Organization, a specialized agency with its own governing assembly, whether it's the UN and the General Assembly  these organizations created by Member States, right? Member States need to support the organizations they created, push for reform, push for change. But if there is one, I mean there are many agencies that deal with problems that will never respect borders, the World Health Organization is one clear example of that, right? And we see the amazing work that WHO does, you know, often in conjunction with UNICEF, vaccinating children in the middle of war zones, right? If the WHO is not there to do it, who is going to do it? Alex, and then we'll go to Sherwin.

Question : Thanks, Steph. Doomsday clock is 85 seconds now. Do you have any comments?

Spokesman : I think... listen, I think in all seriousness, it is incumbent on all Member States, especially those nuclear Powers, to move to return to a path of nuclear disarmament, of lowering tensions so we can bring that doomsday clock back to at least 86. Sherwin?

Question : Steph, good afternoon. A return to a question about the next Secretary-General. Given your close proximity to a number of Secretaries-General over the years, Kofi Annan, Ban Ki-moon, and now Antonio Guterres, I wonder what... [cross talk]

Spokesman : You forgot to mention Trygve Lie.

Question : I mean, if you want to go all the way back there. What advice would you give those that are considering, given the rush we're seeing, right? In terms of applications, what advice would you give to those considering to put their hat into the ring for the next Secretary-General, given the moment we find ourselves in today? Maybe it kind of speaks to why you're seeing people think very carefully about putting their hat in the ring.

Spokesman : I think my longevity is tied to speaking only about the current Secretary-General that I serve. Yes, ma'am?

Question : It's related to the same topic.

Spokesman : Perfect. You could try again.

Question : Okay. For Rafael Grossi, he's the only candidate, right? What achievement did he achieve during his career to submit his candidacy?

Spokesman : Another reason for my longevity is I only speak for the [current] Secretary-General. Any questions regarding Mr. Grossi should be addressed to his office. No. I'm not debating you, but I do not speak for Rafael Grossi. I especially do not speak for people who may be, who are candidates for being the next Secretary-General. So, for that, you should address to that question to his office. Thank you. Edie, and then we'll go back to Vladimir. Okay. You changed your mind?

Question : Just a quick follow-up on Afghanistan. Who's the highest-level member of the Taliban that Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo met with?

Spokesman : You know, I said it in my briefing yesterday, so both you and I have forgotten, but we can check. All right. Any questions online?

Question : Yes, Stephane.

Spokesman : Yes. Go ahead.

Question : This is Abu Sufian from channel 71, Ekato TV. Last time, UN Secretary-General visited the most largest Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar. Now another Ramadan is coming, and he said during his visit that the United Nation will do every possible thing to return Rohingya people to their home. But we didn't see any improvement on that regard. Do you have any comment on that?

Spokesman : Well, the Secretary-General, as you know, the current Secretary-General served 10 years as High Commissioner for Refugees. The issue of refugees is one that is very close to his heart and to his head. No Secretary-General has the power to return refugees to their homes. We will continue to work to help create the conditions in Myanmar for safe and voluntary return. And I think, the Secretary-General's special envoy, Julie Bishop, is working very closely with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and others, trying to create a political environment in Myanmar that will lead to that. We are clearly not there, but it is not from lack of trying from the United Nations. All right.

Correspondent : Another question I have.

Spokesman : Yes, please.

Question : Bangladesh election is very close. On 12 February, Bangladesh National Parliament election will be held. Does UN Secretary-General have any message for this election?

Spokesman : I mean, the message the Secretary-General has for any election is that they should be free and fair and people should be able to campaign freely, and that results should be transparent and respected. On that note, enjoy the day.

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Rebuilding hope: UNICEF expands 'Back to Learning' for hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza

UNICEF

Remarks

This is a summary of what was said by UNICEF Spokesperson, James Elder, to whom quoted text may be attributed - at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

27 January 2026

GENEVA, 27 Jan 2026 - "Today UNICEF is scaling up learning in Gaza in one of the largest emergency learning efforts anywhere in the world. Our Back to Learning programme will expand to include 336,000 children.

"This is not a 'nice to have'. It is an emergency.

"Almost two and a half years of attacks on Gaza's schooling have left an entire generation at risk. Sixty per cent of school-aged children in Gaza currently have no access to in-person learning. More than 90 per cent of schools have been damaged or destroyed. And more than 335,000 children under five are now at risk of severe developmental delays because early childhood services have collapsed.

"Before this war, Palestinians in Gaza had some of the highest literacy rates in the world. Education was a source of pride, resilience and progress for generations. Today that legacy is under attack: schools, universities, and libraries have been destroyed, and years of progress erased.

"This is not just physical destruction - it's an assault on the future itself, because every child denied learning is a future engineer, doctor, teacher, or thinker taken from us before they've had a chance to shape their world. In the aftermath of this brutal war, rebuilding Gaza's schools, educational facilities and universities must sit at the top of Gaza's recovery agenda. Restoring education restores possibility.

"Today, UNICEF, together with education partners in Gaza and the Palestinian Ministry of Education, is launching Back to Learning to restore access to education for hundreds of thousands of children. Our approach is simple:

"We expand a network of multi-service, non-formal learning centres.

"We deliver education alongside mental health and psychosocial support.

"And we embed strong governance and due diligence in one of the most complex environments on earth.

"We are working with the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Education, UNRWA and all partners to ensure that all children return to a safe learning environment as soon as possible. UNICEF currently supports more than 100 learning spaces across Gaza. They give children a place to read, write and build basic maths skills - but just as importantly, a place to play, breathe, and feel human again, with activities and mental health support woven in.

"Some ask: why focus on education when families still struggle for food, water and shelter? Firstly, this is not either/or. UNICEF has, for instance, delivered one million thermal blankets, hundreds of thousands of winter clothing kits, opened more than 70 nutrition facilities across Gaza, whilst our work to get water and waste-water treatment plants back up and running remains a flagship intervention.

"And secondly because in Gaza, learning is lifesaving. These centres provide safe spaces in a territory that is often inaccessible and dangerous. They deliver vital information. They restore routine. They connect children to health, nutrition and protection services. These UNICEF learning spaces also have proper toilets and places to wash hands - something too many children in shelters simply don't have.

"And make no mistake: the demand is overwhelming. Every existing learning centre has long waiting lists. Communities are creating their own makeshift classrooms in tents and damaged buildings. Parents are pleading for places. Children are showing up anyway.

"As the world talks about how Gaza will recover and rebuild, UNICEF is clear: children have to be at the heart of every plan. Nearly half of Gaza's population is under 18. Getting one child into a UNICEF Learning Centre costs about US $280 for a year, including mental health support. To reach 336,000 school-age children for the rest of this year, UNICEF urgently needs US$86million. (US$86 million is roughly what the world spends on coffee in an hour or two).

"Gaza has one of the strongest literacy traditions in the world. The engineers who will rebuild water systems, the doctors who will save lives, the teachers who will steady the next generation - they all come from a proud culture of learning. Back to Learning isn't then just about survival. It's about protecting the engine of Gaza's future. And it is a bridge - not a substitute - to the full restoration of Gaza's schools, so every child can return to formal education and a real classroom future. Right now, Back to Learning is about keeping that flame alive - giving children routine, dignity and direction again. It's how hope becomes practical. It's how a future gets rebuilt."

#####

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Yemen: Security Council votes on final extension of Hudaydah Mission

27 January 2026 - The Security Council adopted a resolution on Tuesday that renews the mandate of the UN Mission in the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah for a final two-month period through 31 March of this year.

Resolution 2813 (2026), submitted by the United Kingdom, received 13 votes in favour and none against. Two countries - China and Russia - abstained.

It calls for the effective, efficient and safe drawdown of the UN Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA), as well as planning and preparation for transitioning any residual functions to the Office of the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Yemen.

Liquidation will commence on 1 April.

Tireless efforts

UNMHA was established by the Council in 2019 to support implementation of an agreement signed by the Yemeni Government and Houthi rebels in Stockholm, Sweden, the previous year.

The UN brokered the accord at a time when a battle over Hudaydah - critical for the entry of food and medicine into war-ravaged Yemen - appeared imminent.

UK Deputy Permanent Representative Archie Young welcomed the mandate extension.

He also thanked "those UNMHA officials who have worked tirelessly since 2019, especially in the face of continued Houthi restrictions which inhibited the Mission's ability to fulfill its mandate."

Concern for UN personnel

He stressed that the safety of UN personnel in Yemen "remains of the utmost importance" and reiterated the UK's condemnation of arbitrary detentions by the Houthis.

The rebel movement which controls much of the country, including the capital, is holding 69 UN staff, alongside personnel from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society and diplomatic missions.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, his Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and other senior officials have repeatedly called for their immediate and unconditional release.

Important stabilising role

Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva explained why Moscow abstained from voting.

"We did not block the adoption of this resolution purely due to the request of representatives of Yemen, as the host state, as well as from some of our regional partners," she said.

"In principle, we do not agree with the idea set out by the authors of this document: the idea that UNMHA is ineffective and incapable of duly fulfilling the mandate entrusted to it by the Council, hence the need to sunset the Mission."

She said the Mission "has played and continues to play an important stabilising role on the ground, notwithstanding the operational difficulties linked to implementation of its mandate, which arise from time to time."

Among its "still relevant functions" are monitoring implementation of the Stockholm Agreement; facilitating maintenance of the civilian nature of the ports of Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Isa, and oversight of mine clearance operations.







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Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory, Niger, South Sudan, Syria

UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Occupied Palestinian Territory

UN expands assistance as hundreds of thousands of people need support

OCHA warns that despite ongoing efforts to deliver aid and expand services, the situation remains dire for hundreds of thousands of families in need.

Over the weekend, another child death from hypothermia was reported, bringing the total number of deaths related to the cold weather to 10, as reported by the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Following the launch of the catch-up vaccination campaign last week to protect children under three from vaccine-preventable diseases, health partners have vaccinated more than 6,000 children across the Strip as of today.

On the food security front, the UN and its partners are providing bread to at least 43 per cent of the population across the Gaza Strip every day. The bread is free or sold at a significantly subsidized price of less than US$1 per two-kilogramme bundle. This is on top of the monthly household-level distributions of wheat flour. So far this month, partners have reached 1.2 million people with flour as part of the standard monthly food assistance package.

In terms of shelter support, over the past week, the UN and its humanitarian partners reached over 7,500 families with tents, tarpaulins, sealing-off kits, mattresses and blankets. In addition, child protection partners delivered winter clothes to some 1,400 children across the Strip.

Over one million people still require urgent shelter support, and sustainable solutions are needed to meet these needs, including tool kits to repair people's homes, materials to create communal heating spaces, as well as equipment to remove debris and rubble to clear land for housing.

Since Wednesday, humanitarian partners leading on protection have reached over 2,300 families with cash vouchers and in-kind winterization support. They have also provided mental health and psychosocial support and case management assistance to hundreds of people.

In the West Bank, in a report issued on Friday, global protection partners warned that excessive use of force by Israeli forces has led to exceptionally high rates of death and injury among Palestinian men and boys. The report highlighted the urgent need for a strong, protection-focused response, and called for the release of arbitrarily detained Palestinians.

*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Gaza with urgent support.

Niger

UN releases $5 million to prepare for floods

The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has allocated $5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to help people prepare ahead of severe flooding that is expected to hit parts of the country.

The new funds, released as part of anticipatory action efforts, will allow the humanitarian community to support the Nigerien Government improve early warning systems, and get shelter and mobile medical centres in place in areas most likely to be hit.

South Sudan

Uptick in violence in Jonglei hampers civilians' access to aid

OCHA reports that the humanitarian situation in Jonglei State is rapidly deteriorating due to escalating conflict, which is forcing people to flee their homes and is shrinking access for aid workers.

Since the end of December, renewed clashes in Jonglei have displaced more than 230,000 people.

Families forced to flee their home are reportedly sheltering in the open, under trees and in makeshift structures without the food, health services or protection they need. Most of these families are relying on already overstretched host communities.

Many health facilities have been looted or vandalized, resulting in some 115,000 people having lost access to basic health care.

According to health authorities, cholera cases are rapidly on the rise in Duk County, with 938 cases and 29 deaths reported as of 25 January. This is partly due to overcrowding in areas where displaced families are seeking shelter and shortages of safe water, sanitation and health services.

On 25 January, Government forces ordered all civilians and personnel from the UN and all other humanitarian organizations to evacuate the counties Nyirol, Uror and Akobo within 48 hours ahead of a military operation.

Flight restrictions have cut off humanitarian air access, halting medical evacuations and delaying the delivery of life-saving assistance. Some humanitarian partners have relocated their staff.

The UN and its partners will scale up assistance in safer areas. The authorities have reiterated their commitment to address bureaucratic impediments.

The UN calls on all parties to facilitate unhindered access to all people in need at all times.

Syria

UN delivers aid in northeast in wake of fighting

OCHA reports thatthe UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support the response in the northeast of the country following recent clashes.

According to humanitarian partners, more than 170,000 people have now been displaced since 6 January across the governorates of Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa governorates.

Several displacement sites continue to be overcrowded. In Al-Hasakeh governorate, the situation remains volatile, with reports of families moving from southern Al-Hasakeh city toward the town of Shaddadi.

Despite these challenges, the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to support the response.

OCHA indicates that today, another inter-agency humanitarian from the city of Damascus reached the city of Qamishli in Al-Hasakeh governorate. It delivered food, warm clothes and blankets, among other supplies. More convoys are planned in the coming days.

The UN and its partners also continue to distribute food, bread, and cash across collective centres and displacement sites.

Health partners are providing mobile health services, including vaccinations and mental healthcare.

Partners working in nutrition have also reached more than 1,500 children and hundreds of pregnant and lactating women in Al-Hasakeh governorate with malnutrition screening and nutrition support.

Meanwhile, OCHA reports that another major winter storm struck several governorates across the country last week, including areas still reeling from a snowstorm on 31 December. More than 1,700 tents in displacement sites have been damaged across Aleppo and Idleb governorates.

Across the coast, major mountain routes remain closed, cutting off communities in the cities of Lattakia and Tartous. In Hama and Homs, flooding and road closures continue to restrict access to affected areas.

Since October last year, humanitarian partners have provided winter assistance - including blankets, warm clothes and heating supplies - to nearly 450,000 people.

*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Syria with urgent support.

Posted on 27 January 2026

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Security Council Extends Mandate of UN Mission to Support Hudaydah Agreement for Final Two Months, Adopting Resolution 2813 (2026) with 13 Votes in Favour, 2 Abstentions

Meetings Coverage

Security Council

10097th Meeting (AM)

SC/16283

27 January 2026

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) for a final two-month period  until 31 March 2026  during which the Mission will draw down and end the permanent United Nations presence in Hudaydah.

Adopting resolution 2813 (2026) (to be issued as document S/RES/2813 (2026)) by a vote of 13 in favour to none against, with 2 abstentions (China, Russian Federation), the Council decided that such drawdown will include the cessation of UNMHA's operations; the required preparation for the transition of any residual functions to the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen; and the withdrawal of UNMHA personnel and assets. Further, the organ decided that UNMHA will commence a liquidation process as of 1 April 2026.

UNMHA to Close after Seven Years

Seven years ago, resolution 2452 (2019) established UNMHA to support the implementation of the Agreement on the City of Hudaydah and Ports of Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Issa. That Agreement was set out in the "Stockholm Agreement", reached in Sweden on 13 December 2018 following intra-Yemeni peace consultations that involved both the Government and the Houthis (See document S/2018/1134).

When the Council last renewed UNMHA's mandate on 14 July 2025 by adopting resolution 2786 (2025), it did so for only six months. During that meeting, the representative of the United States said that "it is time to sunset" the Mission, while China's representative, meanwhile, stressed that UNMHA's continued presence is vital to maintain stability in and around Hudaydah. (See Press Release SC/16118.)

"We look forward to the UN's orderly and sustainable transition of UNMHA's responsibilities and residual functions to the Office of the Special Envoy and welcome the continued commitment of this Council to the Hudaydah and the Stockholm Agreements," said the representative of the United Kingdom after the vote. He also condemned the Houthis' arbitrary detentions, reiterating a call for the immediate, unconditional release of all those detained. Additionally, he expressed support for the Special Envoy in fostering an "intra-Yemeni peace process under UN auspices".

Delegates Clash over Need for Mission Drawdown

Welcoming the Council's recognition "that it is time to sunset UNMHA", the representative of the United States stressed that "Houthi obstructionism has left the Mission without a purpose, and it has to close". She added that the Council has a responsibility to look at all special political missions with "the same critical eye with which it has examined UNMHA", stating: "The Council must adapt or end missions if conditions on the ground are not tolerable."

The representative of Denmark also supported the drawdown, emphasizing that  while UNMHA has served as a "critical stabilizing presence" in Hudaydah  its ability to fully implement its mandate has "become untenable" and its operating environment has significantly narrowed as the Houthis arbitrarily detain UN personnel. She encouraged all parties to refrain from any escalatory moves at this crucial time and to facilitate an orderly drawdown of the Mission.

However, the representative of the Russian Federation  whose delegation abstained from the vote  disagreed with the idea that UNMHA is ineffective and needs to be shuttered. It has played an important stabilizing role since its inception, also serving as a component for trust-building among the conflicting parties. At a time when the Council should prioritize creating conditions for launching an inclusive intra-Yemeni dialogue, "liquidation of one of the few UN presences" still in the country is hardly likely to facilitate that, she said.

The representative of China, whose delegation also abstained, also spotlighted UNMHA's important contributions. Over the past seven years, it has maintained communication with both parties to the conflict, actively monitored the ceasefire and carried out humanitarian activities. Noting that today's resolution envisions two months for the Mission's withdrawal, he urged the Council to consider the situation in Hudaydah and manage the pace properly. It is crucial, he stressed, to "avoid a hasty withdrawal that could destabilize the fragile situation and even trigger new conflict".

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Admiral Paparo visits USS Cincinnati with Cambodian Defense Officials

US Navy

27 January 2026

REAM NAVAL BASE, Cambodia -- Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command visited ship USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), Jan. 26, 2026.

Admiral Paparo hosted the Cambodian Minister of National Defence, General Tea Seiha, and Royal Cambodia Armed Forces Chief of Defense, General Vong Pisen, aboard Cincinnati for discussions on the U.S.-Cambodian defense relationship and other matters in the bilateral relationship. This visit demonstrates the deepening cooperation and expanding friendship between the U.S. and Royal Cambodian navies. Cambodia and the United States work shoulder-to-shoulder to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific.

As we mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, we reflect not only on our ideals, but also on the enduring role of diplomacy in shaping our nation's journey and global impact. This visit is a testament to our long-standing partnership with Cambodia and our shared vision for the future. Cincinnati's visit also follows Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Savannah's (LCS 28) port visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia in December 2024.

USINDOPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, prevailing in conflict.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 27 January 2026 - Day 1434

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 the Defense Forces are directing efforts to disrupt the execution of Russian invaders' offensive plans and exhaust their combat potential.

93 combat encounters have taken place since the beginning of the day.

Russian forces made 67 aviation strikes, dropping 184 controlled air bombs. In addition, used 5261 kamikaze drones and carried out 2,993 shells of settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops.

In the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, the Russian enemy carried out 67 shellings of the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the South Slobozhansky direction, the Russian enemy attacked the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of the settlements of Prylipka and Vovchansky Farms. Ukrainian units repelled three Russian attacks.

Also three attacks were stopped by Ukrainian defenders in the Kupyansky direction, the Russian enemy tried to move towards Kupyansk and Petropavlivka.

In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers repelled four attacks in the areas of the settlements of Drobisheve, Torske and towards Novosergiyivka. Two confrontations are ongoing at this time.

In the Slavic direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled three Russian attempts to advance in the area of Platonivka and Fedorivka.

In the Kramators komu direction, at the moment, boezitknen  has not been fixed.

In the Konstantinivsky direction, the Russian occupiers today attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders nine times near the settlements of Pleschievka, Kleban-Bik, Scherbinivka, Sofiyivka and towards Stepanivka, Novopavlivka.

The Russian enemy committed 27 attacks in the Pokrovsky direction. The Russian occupiers tried to advance near the settlements of Pokrovsk, Rodins ke, Kotline, Udacne, Molodec .ke and towards Filija, Bilitsky, Grishiny.

According to preliminary calculations, today in this direction, Ukrainian soldiers have eliminated 47 Russian invaders and wounded 38; destroyed 38 unmanned aircraft, two car transport units, an ATV and a ground robotic complex, also damaged an artillery system, four units of vehicle equipment and five shells of Russian personnel.

In the Oleksandrivsky direction, Ukrainian units stopped six Russian attacks in the areas of settlements Verbove, Zlagoda and towards the New Zaporizhia . The Russian enemy launched air strikes on settlements of Velikomikhailivka, Eagles.

In the Gulyaipil direction, there were 20 Russian attacks - in the areas of the settlements of Solodke, Gulyaipole, Dorozhnyanka and towards Dobropil and Zelenoy. Fights are still going on in some locations. In addition, the Russian enemy aviation struck the settlements of Zaliznycne, Upper Tersa, Zirnytsya, Nizhenka, Charming, Vozdvizivka, Rozivka.

In the Orihivs komu direction, the Russian enemy attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the area of plavniv. The settlements of Odarivka, Yellow Krucha and Tavrijs ke suffered air strikes.

In the Pridniprovsky direction, the attack ended for the Russian occupiers without success.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

The Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on units of a mechanised brigade, an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and two territorial defence brigades close to Rzhanoye, Sadki, Sosnovka, and Khoten (Sumy region).

In Kharkov direction, units of a mechanised brigade, a motorised infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade have been hit close to Volchanskiye Khutora, Zybino, Proletarskoye, and Chugunovka (Kharkov region).

The enemy lost more than 170 troops, 14 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. A U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-fire radar station, four ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised.

As a result of resolute offensive actions, the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Kupyansk-Uzlovoy (Kharkov region).

Four mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, two assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a territorial defence brigade, and two national guard brigades have been hit near Kovsharovka, Nechvolodovka, Novoosinovo, Senkovo (Kharkov region), and Krasny Liman (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses amounted to more than 210 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, 27 motor vehicles, and two Western-made artillery guns. A U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-fire radar and an ammunition depot were destroyed.

The Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line. Three mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, an assault brigade, and a mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit close to Druzhkovka, Konstantinovka, Kramatorsk, Novodmitrovka, Reznikovka, and Slavyansk (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 120 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, and six field artillery guns including two Western-made guns. Two materiel depots were destroyed.

The Tsentr Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian troops engaged seven mechanised brigades, a jaeger brigade, an airmobile brigade, an assault brigade, two air assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a territorial defence brigade, and two national guard brigades near Belitskoye, Grishino, Zavido-Kudashevo, Sukhetskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and Novopodgorodnoye (Dnepropetrovsk region).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 415 troops, a tank, eight armoured fighting vehicles, 16 motor vehicles, three field artillery guns, and a U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-fire radar.

The Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Two mechanised brigades, two assault brigades, and three assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit near Aleksandrovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Verkhnyaya Tersa, Vozdvizhevka, Gorkoye, Zaliznichnoye, and Rizdvyanka (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy lost more than 390 troops, eight armoured fighting vehicles, and 21 motor vehicles.

As a result of decisive actions, the Dnepr Group of Forces liberated Novoyakovlevka (Zaporozhye region).

Manpower and hardware of a mechanised brigade, a mountain assault brigade, and a coastal defence brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hit close to Magdalinovka (Zaporozhye region) and Sadovoye (Kherson region).

Up to 40 troops, nine motor vehicles, an artillery gun, four electronic warfare stations, and a fuel depot were neutralised.

Operational-tactical aviation, attack drones, missile troops and artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have inflicted damage on energy infrastructure facilities used for the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, storage and preparation for the launch of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 154 areas.

Air defence systems shot down 11 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, an S-200 anti-aircraft guided missile, and 105 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 670 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 111,231 unmanned aerial vehicles, 646 anti-aircraft missile systems, 27,349 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,651 MLRS combat vehicles, 32,877 field artillery guns and mortars, and 52,965 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised.

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January 27, 2026

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Christy Sherman, National Guard Bureau

National Guardsmen Activated in Response to Winter Storm Fern

More than 5,400 National Guard members are on duty in 15 states in the aftermath of winter storms that dropped snow and ice from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic and the South over the weekend.

"[I'm] proud of our incredible National Guardsmen who are stepping up once again," said Air Force Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, in a post shared on his official social media account before the storm. "To everyone in the storm's path: take all precautionary measures to stay safe. The National Guard is always ready, always there."

Arkansas National Guard soldiers have been driving along icy roadways alongside state police officers, assisting motorists who slid off the road and using military vehicles to recover disabled vehicles.

North Carolina Army National Guard soldiers performed similar missions.

"We used our high-mobility vehicles to pull those individuals back onto the road and get them on their way," said Army Lt. Col. Ellis Parks, North Carolina National Guard Public Affairs director.

Guard members have also assisted with traffic management, conducted health and welfare checks, and transported local first responders and emergency personnel as they responded to calls for assistance.

In Delaware, that meant more than 100 Guard members on duty with vehicles positioned throughout the state. In Kentucky more than 2,000 Guard members were activated to respond to icy and snowy conditions.

In Maryland and other affected areas, Guard members began staging vehicles, equipment and other resources in the days leading up to the storm.

"The safety and well-being of Maryland residents is our top priority," said Army Brig. Gen. Craig Hunter, Maryland National Guard Joint Staff director. "By preparing our personnel and equipment before the winter storm, we can respond immediately to requests for assistance from local jurisdictions and help ensure our communities remain safe during this weather."

Guard officials said soldiers and airmen will remain on duty helping communities recover from severe winter weather as long as they are needed.

In total, National Guard units from 15 states were activated in response to Winter Storm Fern, including Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Guard members in six additional states are on alert to support state and local officials if needed.

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'Militia that kills': Milan mayor says US ICE agents not welcome at Winter Olympics

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 2:09 PM

Milan's mayor has denounced plans for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to have a security role at the upcoming Winter Olympics, describing the federal officers as a "militia that kills."

ICE said its Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) team will assist the US Department of State and Italian authorities in vetting and mitigating risks from transnational criminal organizations, with all operations remaining under Italian control.

Confirmation of the deployment to the Milano-Cortina Games, which begin next week, sparked immediate anger. Milan's Mayor Giuseppe Sala said on Tuesday that the ICE agents are "not welcome" at the Winter Olympics.

"This is a militia that kills," Sala said. "It is a militia that enters people's homes by signing permits for themselves. It is clear they are not welcome in Milan, without a doubt."

The mayor also questioned Italy's ability to resist US pressure. "Can we say no to Trump, just for once?" he asked.

"ICE officers shouldn't come to Italy because they are not aligned with our democratic way of managing security. We can take care of our security ourselves."

ICE emphasized that its operations in Italy are separate from the immigration crackdown in the US. "Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries," the agency said.

Alessandro Zan, a member of the European Parliament for Italy's center-left Democratic Party, called ICE "Trump's private police force" and condemned its deployment as "unacceptable."

He wrote on X that in Italy, "we don't want those who trample on human rights and act outside of any democratic control."

US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to attend the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6.

In recent weeks, Minnesota has become a flashpoint in US President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown, known as Operation Metro Surge, which has led to the deployment of thousands of federal agents from ICE and other agencies across the MinneapolisSaint Paul area and beyond.

The crackdown has drawn widespread outrage after federal immigration agents shot and killed two US citizens in separate incidents in Minneapolis.

The deadly shooting in Minneapolis has ignited mass protests in sub-zero temperatures, driven urgent demands from state officials for the withdrawal of federal immigration agents, and intensified legal and public-safety debates over the conduct and accountability of ICE and Border Patrol officers deployed under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

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Obama, Clinton urge Americans to 'stand up' as protests intensify across US

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 9:55 AM

Former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have urged Americans to stand up and defend "core US values" following the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

According to reports, the 37-year-old was shot and killed on Saturday while federal agents were attempting to detain him. The incident marked the second fatal shooting of a US citizen by immigration officers in Minneapolis this month, after Renee Good, a mother, who was likewise 37 years of age, was killed in her car earlier in January.

In a statement on Monday, Barack and Michelle Obama described Pretti's death as a "heartbreaking tragedy" and said it should be "a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault."

They criticized the Department of Homeland Security's "unprecedented tactics," saying that "people across the country have been rightly outraged by the spectacle of masked ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) recruits and other federal agents acting with impunity and engaging in tactics that seem designed to intimidate, harass, provoke, and endanger the residents of a major American city."

The Obamas added that "rather than trying to impose some semblance of discipline and accountability over the agents they've deployed, the President and current administration officials seem eager to escalate the situation, while offering public explanations for the shootings of Mr. Pretti and Renee Good that aren't informed by any serious investigation  and that appear to be directly contradicted by video evidence."

They called on Americans to "draw inspiration from the wave of peaceful protests in Minneapolis and other parts of the country" and said they hoped administration officials would change their approach and work with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey "to avert more chaos and achieve legitimate law enforcement goals."

Hours later, Bill Clinton also weighed in, calling the scenes in Minneapolis "horrible" and saying, "Over the course of a lifetime, we face only a few moments where the decisions we make and the actions we take will shape our history for years to come. This is one of them."

Clinton said that "the people in charge" were lying to the public and telling them "not to believe what we've seen with our own eyes," adding, "It is up to all of us who believe in the promise of American democracy to stand up, speak out, and show that our nation still belongs to We the People."

He also said, "All of this is unacceptable," as he urged Americans to "stand up, speak out."

"If we give our freedoms away..., we might never get them back."

Videos contradict official accounts

Trump administration officials said Pretti had intended to harm federal agents and pointed to a pistol they said was discovered on him, similar to claims made after Renee Good's death.

However, video widely shared on social media and verified by US media and Reuters showed that Pretti never drew a weapon. Footage showed agents spraying him in the face with chemical irritant, throwing him to the ground, and removing a firearm from near his waistband after he was subdued, moments before they fatally shot him. Pretti was a licensed gun owner.

Also on Monday, the White House claimed that President Donald Trump did not want to see people get hurt or killed on US streets, but would not back down from efforts to deport "violent criminal illegal aliens" from Minnesota.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt alleged, "This tragedy occurred as a result of a deliberate and hostile resistance by Democrat leaders in Minnesota for weeks."

She added that Trump sought to "make America safe again, and he welcomes all cooperation in that effort."

Trump blames Democrats, calls for 'cooperation'

Trump blamed Minnesota's Democratic elected officials, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, writing on his Truth Social platform, "Democrat run Sanctuary Cities and States are REFUSING to cooperate with ICE."

"Tragically, two American Citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos," he added.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson accused Obama of exploiting the moment to "sow more division," saying, "Obama should join President Trump in urging local Democrat leaders  like Walz and Frey  to work with the Trump Administration to remove dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities."

In a separate statement, Jackson said Clinton "should use his platform to urge Democrat leaders in Minnesota to cooperate with the federal government to remove criminal illegal rapists, murderers, and pedophiles instead of providing them sanctuary."

Protests spread beyond Minnesota

With tensions high, protesters gathered on Sunday in Minneapolis, denouncing ICE. One person held up a cardboard sign that read, "Be Pretti, be Good."

Thousands of Montanans around the state also held protests over Sunday and Monday in the wake of Pretti's killing and in response to the Trump administration's immigration policies. Hundreds gathered outside the Gallatin County Courthouse in Bozeman, while in Missoula, more than 1,000 people rallied, according to some reports. There were also two events in Billings and another set for Helena.

Bozeman residents carried signs reading "abolish ICE," "ICE murders" and "Democracy doesn't fear protest, dictators do." One protester carried an upside-down flag marked with the words "failed state." Bozeman Police Department Deputy Chief Joseph Swanson described the protest as a "very peaceful and orderly event."

Members of Montana's all-Republican federal delegation indicated support for an investigation into Pretti's killing.

For the third straight day, hundreds of protesters also gathered at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver on Monday evening, marching down Lincoln Street and blocking traffic as they urged federal agents to end immigration enforcement nationwide.

Several nurses attended the Denver protest, saying Pretti's death had hit them especially hard.

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White House seeks to ease tensions after fatal shooting in Minnesota

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:39, January 28, 2026

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The White House has attempted to ease tensions over the latest fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, even as investigations continue and questions grow among state officials, lawmakers and other groups.

According to local media, U.S. Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino and some agents deployed to Minneapolis are expected to leave the city as early as Tuesday. The announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was dispatching White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

CHANGING NARRATIVE

Bovino is viewed as the face of Trump's immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. His departure comes amid rising criticism after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, following the January killing of Renee Good, also 37, a mother of three who was shot and killed during an encounter with ICE officers.

Trump spoke by phone with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Monday. In a post on his social media platform after the call, he said Walz had sought to "work together" and that the two "seemed to be on a similar wavelength," a noticeably softer tone than his sharp criticism of the Democratic governor over the weekend.

Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday that the federal government was reviewing the shooting incident. According to the Washington Post, a Trump administration lawyer assured a federal judge Monday that investigators have preserved body-camera footage and other evidence from the shooting, but stopped short of promising to share that evidence with state investigators.

According to local media, bystander footage showed that Pretti was pushed by an officer and then a half-dozen agents descended on him. During the scuffle, he was holding a phone but was not seen brandishing the 9mm semiautomatic handgun police say he was licensed to carry.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office on Saturday filed a lawsuit accusing federal authorities of irregularities in the evidence-gathering process, seeking to bar the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and related agencies from destroying or altering material connected to the shooting.

Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General and a Democrat, said the state had not been provided with information about key evidence and called for a full, transparent investigation.

MOUNTING DIVISIONS WITHIN

The death of Pretti has also brought rising internal divisions within the Republican Party over immigration policy and federal intervention.

According to Time magazine, some Republican lawmakers and governors have begun calling for investigations or for a pause in the surge of agents into Minnesota. Vermont Governor Phil Scott called the killing in Minneapolis unacceptable and asked to "pause these operations and de-escalate the situation," while Senator Dave McCormick expressed support for immigration enforcement but called for a thorough review of what happened in Minneapolis.

Chris Madel, a Republican candidate for governor of Minnesota who previously provided legal counsel in a separate fatal shooting case involving a law enforcement officer, withdrew from the race Monday in protest at the Trump administration's immigration operation. He criticized the current federal operation for creating fear among U.S. citizens and eroding civil liberties.

Gun rights advocates were surprised and disappointed by the Trump administration's initial statements following the Pretti shooting. William Sack, legal director of the Second Amendment Foundation, said the administration's shifting public posture was "very likely to cost them dearly with the core of a constituency they count on."

FUNDING AT RISK

The fallout from the shooting has spilled into Congress as well. Lawmakers are locked in negotiations over a six-bill government funding package, including the DHS bill, that accounts for more than 70 percent of federal operations and has raised the risk of a partial government shutdown.

The package was sent to the Senate last week following a House vote, in which almost all Democrats voted against the DHS bill. Pretti's death has hardened Democratic senators' resolve to withhold funding for immigration enforcement operations unless new restraints are imposed.

"I failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis," Tom Suozzi, one of seven Democrats who had voted to approve the DHS funds, said Monday, reversing his earlier position in a Facebook post.

Some Republicans suggested breaking apart the six-bill package, removing the homeland security funding while allowing the others to go forward. But many GOP lawmakers still strongly reject stripping the DHS of its funding.

According to local media, the White House is reaching out to Congressional leaders behind the scenes in search of a way out of another government shutdown.

"We absolutely do not want to see that funding lapse," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

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Press conference - Darwin

Transcript

Tuesday 27 January 2026

Darwin

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP

Prime Minister of Australia

Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy

Minister for Indigenous Australians

Senator for the Northern Territory

Luke Gosling OAM MP

Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia

Member for Solomon

LUKE GOSLING, MEMBER FOR SOLOMON: Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the Better Health Futures building at CDU. Our government was very proud to put in about $15 million into this building and also to support the Commonwealth funded places that just next week is going to see the first medical program here at CDU start off and see Territorians through the years becoming doctors, and we know that more of them will stay here in the Territory, and that's exactly what we want, and it's all been made possible due to good friend of the Territories, the Prime Minister. And welcome to Darwin once again, PM. The Prime Minister's been here so many times. We love it every time that he's here, and we know that not just Darwin, but he has the whole Territory close to his heart, but also knows that it's with Commonwealth support that Territorians and the Territory will go forward. Malarndirri McCarthy, my friend and colleague, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, also we've been working on this together to make sure that we've got a health workforce for the future, and that's been made possible through the support of the PM, of Mark Butler, the Health Minister, but so many others in our federal Labor team that always makes sure that the Territory does well and goes forward. So thanks, PM.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks so much, Luke. And a particular shout out to the students who I've been able to meet today who will start the journey to becoming doctors just next week as a direct result of the investment that my government has made into ensuring that Charles Darwin University here can have a medical school. The first intake will be 40, but it will grow to up to 200 over the coming years. And as well we've met students who will participate in the Pathways Program as well. People who will go on to enrol as doctors or become nurses or paramedics or health professionals in some way to make a difference to their fellow Territorians in particular. This is worthwhile investment. This is an investment in people's health, it's an investment in education, it's also importantly an investment in the future of the Northern Territory. This is something that has been spoken about for a long time but delivered by my government, first proposed just a few years ago and we see here it up and running. A first class facility that is as good as or better than any of these facilities right around the whole of Australia. And I think that Luke Gosling and Malarndirri McCarthy can be very proud of the work that they've done representing this community in the Northern Territory, making such an enormous difference. It's just one part of what we are doing here in the Territory. Today I can also announce a preferred aged care provider has been selected for the new aged care facility in Palmerston. Not for profit, Ozcare, has been selected to build and operate this residential aged care home. This will see up to 150 beds available. This is a very experienced provider that has done a lot of work, particularly in Queensland, and it will make an enormous difference. In addition to that we've just hit the 100,000 patients mark when it comes to Northern Territorians accessing Urgent Care Clinics in the Northern Territory. That has made an enormous difference across health in the Northern Territory, we have $560 million being provided in the current financial year. That is a 30 per cent increase in what was there just before. So, 8 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, one more on the way. Increased bulk billing since our investment on November 1. There are now 89 fully bulk billing practices here in the Northern Territory. And in addition to that, we've contributed $20 million for a new CareFlight airplane and helicopter. This is about healthcare here in the Northern Territory, and good health is the key to being able to access good education. It's a key to growth in an economy. And it's a key as well to a healthy society, because if you don't have healthy people, you can't have a healthy society. So I'm very proud to be back here once again in the Northern Territory. I'm a regular visitor here and this is my, indeed I asked on the way up, it's my 17th visit as Prime Minister in just three and a half years. It's something that I'm absolutely committed to, to make sure that we lift up the Northern Territory. My government is doing that and will continue to do that in the future. We'll hear from Malarndirri, and then happy to take some questions.

MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Thank you, Prime Minister. And I'm enormously proud to stand here on Larrakia country and acknowledge the work that has been done by medical specialists right across the Northern Territory, in particular, if I can point out, Di. Your incredible passion and your experience having served the Northern Territory on many occasions. We've seen the Northern Territory assist our neighbours in East Timor with the Bali Bombings. We know that this medical centre was absolutely needed. I am enormously proud of my colleague Luke Gosling, who fiercely pushed for this in such a short time, and so wonderful to work with Luke to make sure we have this facility. But for me, it is about seeing the lives of Territorians improve. And we can do that two ways - One, by building incredible centres like this, but two, by providing jobs. Jobs, jobs, jobs is my mantra. We've been able to, just in the last 12 months, see over 700 jobs across the Northern Territory with First Nations people in the Remote Jobs Program. I'm incredibly excited to see this medical centre available to Territory residents, but in particular for First Nations people to be doctors, to be able to go out to our communities and assist in what we're trying to do in battling the many scourges that we deal with as First Nations people in our communities. But even here in Darwin and Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. So well done, CDU. It's wonderful to be here with you all.

PRIME MINISTER: Fantastic. Happy to take some questions.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, will you make burning the Australian flag an offence?

PRIME MINISTER: I think that I respect the Australian flag and will continue to do so.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on your Timor-Leste trip tomorrow. President Ramos-Horta has previously likened your government to a neglectful godparent who never visits. Is that fair or is that unfair?

PRIME MINISTER: And sorry to a -?

JOURNALIST: To a neglectful godparent who never visits. And is that fair? Is that assessment fair or unfair? And how are you using this trip to prove that China is not their best diplomatic partner?

PRIME MINISTER: Look, we have a great relationship with Timor-Leste and tomorrow I'll be given the great honour of addressing the Parliament of Timor-Leste as well as being received by the President, by the Prime Minister, by the Speaker of the Parliament, and indeed tomorrow as well I'll be given the great honour of being given Timor-Leste's highest civilian honour. That says a lot, the fact that I'll be given the equivalent of the AC here in Australia and that says something about the support that Australia has from Timor-Leste. We want to work very closely on its economic development, which is critical. This is Asia's newest country, ASEAN's newest member. They became a full member at the last ASEAN Conference - that was something that we supported very strongly. And I'm looking forward to a really constructive visit. Tomorrow I'll be accompanied by Luke Gosling who of course served in Timor-Leste for three years I think it was from memory and is a great friend of Timor-Leste as well.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what's your reaction to WA police arresting a man after he allegedly threw an item into an Invasion Day rally crowd in Perth? And are you aware if any federal authorities are involved in investigating that incident?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, this person who's been charged has been charged as a result of the allegation that he threw an item. And my view is that as a result of that they should throw the book at him. This was an incident that is quite shocking and he's been charged with two serious offences and I look forward to him being prosecuted to the full force of the law. As always, the Australian Federal Police remain available for supporting their state based colleagues. As the matter is now before the courts, I can't comment any further.

JOURNALIST: The incoming NT Administrator David Connolly has made social media posts labelled reprehensible and offensive by three of your federal colleagues, including Malarndirri and Luke. Those posts include personal criticisms of you. Are you concerned by Mr Connolly's appointment and have you considered blocking it?

PRIME MINISTER: I'm not worried about any comments about myself, I am worried about whether this person is able to properly represent the Northern Territory in a way which is appropriate. And my colleagues have made statements as Northern Territory representatives. This is a decision of the Northern Territory government. And the Northern Territory government have to explain and defend why it is that they think this person is appropriate.

JOURNALIST: So, in your view, is that the wrong appointment?

PRIME MINISTER: It is an appointment by the Northern Territory government and it's up to them and up to the Chief Minister to explain why they think it's an appropriate appointment.

JOURNALIST: Signed off by federal Cabinet though. Should it be revoked?

PRIME MINISTER: The Federal Cabinet is just a process of agreeing to the recommendation of the Northern Territory government. There is no precedent whatsoever for the Commonwealth Government intervening in such a way. And as someone who supports the sovereignty of governments, including the Northern Territory government, to make decisions about its future, it's up to them to defend this decision. It's not a decision that I would have made.

JOURNALIST: Why did it take five months for the Federal government to approve the decision?

PRIME MINISTER: Look, we have our processes.

JOURNALIST: What's happening with the Port of Darwin? That's a Northern Territory government decision that you're overruling. When is the Port of Darwin coming back to Australian hands?

PRIME MINISTER: That's a decision that was not in the interests of our national interests. And it's also a decision, bear in mind I might remind you as I have before, that this is a decision that had an incentive from the Commonwealth Government, actually paying the NT government an incentive to flog off the Port of Darwin. I believe it should be back in Australian hands. That's what we're doing. There are commercial negotiations and those commercial negotiations are continuing. We will ensure it comes back into Australian hands.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on China's investments in Timor-Leste presidential palace and various public works like that, are you comfortable with that? Does that show perhaps that Australia is not close enough with Timor-Leste?

PRIME MINISTER: No, Timor-Leste is a sovereign government. There's a bit of investment from countries including China and Australia as well, you might have noticed. And so what we will do is always stand up for the national interests, but we'll also respect the sovereignty of Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste has no greater friend and partner than the Australian government.

JOURNALIST: There's a story around this afternoon that Kevin Rudd is chasing the role of the UN Secretary General. Would you support him in pursuing that position?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, Kevin Rudd is about to become head of the Asia Society. That's the job that he has applied for and indeed was courted for to return to that job. That is what he will commence in April. He's done a fantastic job as the Australian Ambassador to the United States of America. That is our most important security relationship. And I'm sure that Greg Moriarty will continue the good work. Thanks very much.

JOURNALIST: Are you not ruling that out then?

PRIME MINISTER: It's not my decision, you might have noticed. He has a job that he will start in April, and that is as head of the Asia Society. Thanks very much. I look forward to the Australian media backing Australians for any position that they run for now and in the future.

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Minister McGuinty signs an Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement with Japan

National Defence

News release

January 27, 2026 - Ottawa, Ontario - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Today, the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, met with His Excellency Kanji Yamanouchi, the Japanese Ambassador to Canada, to sign a new agreement on defence and security, deepening the partnership between the two countries.

The Minister and Ambassador signed an Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement (ETTA) between Canada and Japan. This agreement will help Canadian and Japanese companies co-develop projects that require the transfer of equipment, technology, or Intellectual Property to Canada. Canadian and Japanese companies will now be able to work more closely together, build together and strengthen both countries defence industries and will also permit Japan to export defence equipment and technology to Canada, providing the Canadian Armed Forces with an additional source of supply.

During this meeting, the Minister and the Ambassador discussed defence materiel and defence industrial cooperation as an area of growth and one that supports shared strategic interests. They spoke about the desire to increase military collaboration between the Canadian Armed Forces and the Japanese Self Defense Forces. The Minister reiterated Canada's support for greater collaboration between North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its Indo-Pacific partners - Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.

As a Pacific nation, enhancing security and defence partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region is key to Canada's interests. The signing of the ETTA is a significant step in the bilateral Canada-Japan defence relationship.

Quotes

"Strengthening our security and defence cooperation in the IndoPacific region is essential, and it remains vital that we work together to address the challenges of the future. The signing of the ETTA marks an important advancement in the Canada-Japan defence partnership, reinforcing our shared commitment to stability and collaboration, and growing industries and jobs in both countries. As Canada makes generational, longterm investments in the Canadian Armed Forces, agreements with trusted partners like Japan are more important than ever." The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence

Quick facts

In July 2025, Canada and Japan signed a Security of Information Agreement. This agreement opens doors for greater industrial collaboration and creates opportunities in sectors like intelligence, space and cyber.

Japan's Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreements (ETTA) are legally-binding frameworks negotiated bilaterally with foreign countries to permit Japanese-origin defence equipment and technology to be exported abroad. The ETTAs are a requirement under Japan's Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology.

Japan has Equipment Technology Transfers Agreements in place with over a dozen countries, including all other G7 members.

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China stands ready to add positive energy to global security and stability with Russia, Chinese defense minister says in phone call

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Jan 27, 2026 07:06 PM

China stands ready to work with Russia to enrich the substance of cooperation, improve exchange mechanisms, enhance the capacity to address various risks and challenges and add positive energy to global security and stability, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said in a video call with his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov on Tuesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, Dong said.

China is prepared to work alongside Russia in implementing the common understandings reached between the two presidents and to enhance strategic coordination, Dong added.

For his part, Belousov said that Russia is ready to strengthen strategic consultations between the two militaries, deepen practical cooperation in fields such as joint operations and personnel training, and move the bilateral strategic coordination to a higher level, Xinhua reported.

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Xi says China ready to uphold UN-centered int'l system with Finland

Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China

Source Xinhuanet

EditorLin Congyi

Time2026-01-27 15:24:54

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday expressed the readiness to work with Finland to firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, to jointly respond to global challenges.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who is on an official visit to China.

Xi also said China is willing to work with Finland to promote an equitable and orderly multipolar world as well as a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

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Chinese defense minister holds video talk with Russian counterpart

Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China

Source Xinhuanet

EditorLin Congyi

Time2026-01-27 20:03:52

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun held a video talk with Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov on Tuesday.

Dong said China stands ready to work with Russia to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen strategic coordination, enrich the content of cooperation, improve communication mechanisms, and jointly enhance the ability to address various risks and challenges, so as to inject positive energy into global security and stability.

Belousov said Russia is willing to strengthen strategic consultations between militaries with China, deepen practical cooperation in areas such as joint operations and personnel training, and promote the bilateral strategic coordination to a higher level.

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President Xi Jinping Meets with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: January 27, 2026 20:32

On the morning of January 27, 2026, President Xi Jinping met with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during the Finnish leader's official visit to China.

President Xi noted that Finland was among the first countries to have established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and China-Finland relations have been growing steadily for the past 76 years despite global changes, upholding mutual respect, equality, a future-oriented approach, and mutually beneficial cooperation. He said that both the Chinese and Finnish people demonstrate perseverance and tenacity, and the two countries need to enhance mutual trust, increase exchanges and deepen cooperation to support their respective national development and bring more benefits to both peoples.

President Xi underlined the historical foundation of China-Finland friendship and trust. He said that, as China embarks on its 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development this year and continues to promote high-quality development and expand high-standard opening up, China and Finland should deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and nurture more fruits in areas such as energy transition, the circular economy, agriculture and forestry, and scientific and technological innovation. He encouraged Finnish businesses to dive into the vast ocean of China's market to gain global competitiveness. Turning to winter sports, President Xi said Finland is a global leader and China has a huge number of participants, and the two countries should work more closely with each other to bolster ties in winter sports. He also welcomed more Finnish citizens to visit and experience China, a land of ancient heritage and modern vibes.

Pointing to a world facing various risks and challenges, President Xi stated that a collective response from the international community is essential, and major countries, in particular, should take the lead in upholding equality, the rule of law, cooperation and integrity. He expressed China's readiness to work with Finland to firmly uphold the U.N.-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, respond to global challenges together, and promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. President Xi shared his view that China and the EU are partners, not rivals, and their cooperation and common ground far outweigh their competition and differences. He expressed the hope for Finland to play its constructive role in promoting the healthy and steady development of China-Europe relations.

Prime Minister Orpo said that Finland and China have a profound traditional friendship, and their relations have enjoyed long-term and stable development on the basis of mutual respect and trust, with joint celebrations of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025. He noted that Finnish companies have a keen interest in doing business in China, and Finland will work with China to implement the important common understandings reached between the two leaders, enhance high-level exchanges, and deepen practical cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, the digital economy, clean energy and agriculture to deliver better lives for the two peoples. He stated that Finland is committed to the one-China policy, commends China for its remarkable achievements in development, and appreciates China's important and constructive role in international affairs. He said Finland is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China to jointly uphold world peace and stability. He noted the importance of constructive EU-China relations and said that Finland advocates European strategic autonomy, supports free trade, and stands ready to play an active role in facilitating the proper settlement of trade frictions between the EU and China and the sound development of EU-China relations.

Wang Yi was present at the meeting.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun's Regular Press Conference on January 27, 2026

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: January 27, 2026 18:35

At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will pay an official visit to China from January 28 to 31.

At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov will pay an official visit to China on January 28 and 29.

CCTV: You just announced that UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer will visit China. Can you brief us on the schedule of the visit? What does China expect to achieve through this visit?

Guo Jiakun: In August, 2024, President Xi Jinping held a phone call with Prime Minister Starmer at the latter's request and they met during the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro that same November, steering China-UK relations on a track toward improvement and development.

The international landscape is witnessing turbulence and transformation. It serves the common interest of both peoples and contributes to global peace, stability, and development for China and the UK, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council, to maintain communication and enhance cooperation. Prime Minister Starmer's visit marks the first visit to China by a UK prime minister in eight years. During the visit, President Xi Jinping will meet with him. Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji will hold talks and meet with him respectively for in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. Apart from Beijing, Prime Minister Starmer will also visit Shanghai.

After taking office, the Labour government has expressed clear willingness to develop relations with China in a consistent, long-term and strategic way and has actively promoted dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.

China stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust with the UK, deepen practical cooperation, open a new chapter of sound and steady development of China-UK relationship and together make due efforts and contributions to world peace, security, and stability.

Telesur: Almost a month has passed since the U.S. military bombardment against Venezuelan forces, civilians, and infrastructureresulting in 100 deathsand the subsequent invasion that led to the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Given the gravity of the situation and Washington disregarding all international law, what measures is China currently applying to ensure the immediate release of the presidential couple and safeguard Venezuela's sovereignty?

Guo Jiakun: The U.S.'s bullying act of using force against a sovereign state and forcibly seizing its president seriously violates international law and infringes upon Venezuela's sovereignty. China supports Venezuela in safeguarding its sovereignty, dignity and lawful rights. We stand ready to work with the international community to firmly defend the UN Charter, the fundamental principles of international justice, and international fairness.

NHK: Two giant pandas living in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo will return to China today, which means there will be no giant pandas in Japan. What is the Foreign Ministry's response to this? What is your comment on the role giant pandas have played for strengthening Japan-China ties? Going forward, what is China's consideration on promoting the development of Japan-China relations and Japan-China cooperation on giant panda conservation and research?

Guo Jiakun: We've given our response to this question more than once. According to relevant agreement between China and Japan, giant pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei living in Japan have embarked on their journey back to China today. We, as always, welcome Japanese friends to come visit giant pandas in China. For anything specific, I'd refer you to competent authorities.

Phoenix TV: It's learned that vessels and personnel appeared near China's aquacultural facilities in the Yellow Sea and the Weihai Maritime Safety Administration yesterday issued a navigation warning of towage operations in relevant waters. Is China moving the facilities? The ROK said earlier that the two sides talked about the structures at the working level and they were told by China that the installations will be moved away. Is China moving the facilities at the request of the ROK?

Guo Jiakun: We've learned that a Chinese company is moving the platform, which is an adjustment made by the company itself to meet the need of its operation and development. China's stance on issues related to aquacultural facilities in southern Yellow Sea remains unchanged. China and the ROK are neighbors across the sea and the two sides are in close communication on maritime issues to properly manage differences and promote mutually beneficial cooperation.

Rudaw Media Network: China always emphasizes avoiding confrontation and seeking dialogue. Have you held any talks with Damascus to stop the attacks on Kurdish regions and to abide by the ceasefire?

Guo Jiakun: China hopes that Syria will realize peace and stability at an early date, and that all factions in Syria will advance the process for political reconciliation and find a national reconstruction plan that is in the interest of the Syrian people.

Telesur: Recently the Cuban government denounced the intensification of the illegal U.S. blockade, particularly regarding the supply of oil, which has severely impacted the Cuban economy and the daily lives of its people, constituting a form of collective punishment according to international law aimed at changing the government of Cuba. Given the historical relationship between China and Cuba, are there any concrete initiatives of cooperation between the two countries to mitigate the effects of this blockade in the energy sector?

Guo Jiakun: We noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba has made a response by pointing out that it's a brutal assault against a nation that is not hostile to any nation and a proof that Cuban economic hardships are mainly caused by the U.S.

China is deeply concerned by and strongly condemns the U.S.'s moves and urges the U.S. to stop depriving the Cuban people of their rights to subsistence and development, stop disrupting regional peace and stability, stop its violations of international law and immediately lift its blockade and sanctions on Cuba.

China will continue to do what it can to provide support and assistance to Cuba. We are confident that under the strong leadership of the party and government of Cuba, the Cuban people will tide over the current difficulty.

Bloomberg: UK officials are making plans to tighten scrutiny of Chinese activity in the country, according to a Financial Times report. This move would apparently avoid placing Beijing in the same bracket of concern as Moscow and Tehran. Would the Ministry like to comment on this?

Guo Jiakun: China and the UK are permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies in the world. To strengthen exchanges and mutual trust, develop bilateral relations, and advance mutually beneficial cooperation is in the interest of both countries and the rest of the world.

Bloomberg: Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that any crisis in Taiwan could spur Tokyo and Washington to take joint action to rescue their own citizens. She added that in such a situation, there was no way Japan could abandon its long-time ally, the U.S. Would the Ministry like to comment?

Guo Jiakun: The Japanese side should be reminded that the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement states that "The Government of Japan recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. The Government of the People's Republic of China reiterates that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China. The Government of Japan fully understands and respects this stand of the Government of the People's Republic of China, and it firmly maintains its stand under Article 8 of the Potsdam Proclamation." The 1978 Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan, ratified by the two countries' legislatures, affirmed that the principles set out in the 1972 Joint Statement should be strictly observed.

A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, require that all the territories Japan had stolen from China, such as Taiwan, must be restored to China, and Japan should be "completely disarmed" and not maintain such industries as "would enable her to re-arm for war." Japan's Constitution also made strict restrictions on the country's military forces, the right of belligerency and the right to war.

These are political commitments that Japan must strictly honor and legal obligations that they cannot deny. The Japanese side claims to act within the scope of law but has kept their gross interference in China's domestic affairs and even threatened the use of force against China. This is self-contradictory. Japan committed innumerable crimes during its colonial rule over Taiwan of half a century, and bears serious historical responsibilities to the Chinese people. Either from the perspective of history or law, the Japanese side is in no position to interfere in the affairs of China's Taiwan region. The remarks by the Japanese side once again reveal the Japanese right-wing forces' ambitions to provoke antagonism, make trouble, and take the opportunity to keep remilitarizing Japan and to challenge the post-war international order. This has severely threatened regional peace and stability and the political foundation of China-Japan relations. The international community must stay on high alert and firmly reject that. We once again urge the Japanese side to abide by the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan and Japan's own political commitments made to China, do soul-searching, correct its wrongdoings, and stop their manipulation and reckless moves on the Taiwan question.

AFP: Canada's federal government has given a financially troubled theme park an approval to sell 30 beluga whales to parks in the United States, after rejecting an export request to China on the grounds that it might perpetuate their exploitation. Does China have any comment on this matter?

Guo Jiakun: I'm not familiar with what you mentioned. We will not comment on the relations between Canada and the U.S. But let me stress that the sound and steady development of China-Canada relations serves the common interest of the two countries and is conducive to world peace, stability, development and prosperity. China's position on developing its relations with Canada is consistent and clear.

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FM urges US to cease depriving Cuban people of right to survival and development amid US illegal blockade of Cuba's oil supply

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Jan 27, 2026 04:40 PM

In response to a media inquiry regarding the Cuban government recently condemning the illegal US blockade on Cuba's oil supply, which has severely impacted the Cuban economy and the daily lives of its people, constituting what international law describes as a form of "collective punishment," and considering the historical relationship between China and Cuba, when asked if there are any specific cooperative measures between the two countries to mitigate the impact of the blockade on Cuba in the energy sector, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated on Tuesday that China has taken note of the response from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which pointed out that this move is a brutal suppression of a peaceful country that harbors no hostility toward any nation, and also demonstrates that Cuba's economic difficulties are primarily caused by the US.

China expresses deep concern and opposition to the actions of the US, urges the US to cease depriving the Cuban people of their right to survival and development, stop undermining regional peace and stability, halt its actions that violate international law, and immediately lift the blockade and sanctions against Cuba, Guo said.

China will continue to provide Cuba with support and assistance within its capacity. China believes that under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba and the Cuban government, the Cuban people will surely overcome these temporary difficulties, noted Guo.

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Government response

The FCDO has released a statement following a ballistic missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 27 January.

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Published 27 January 2026

We are concerned by reports that North Korea conducted a further ballistic missile launch on 27 January.

Ballistic missile launches violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) and destabilise peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

The UK continues to urge North Korea to stop provocations, to engage in meaningful diplomacy and return to dialogue.
DPRK Missile Administration Test-fires Large-caliber MRLS

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, January 28 (KCNA) -- The Missile Administration of the DPRK conducted a test-fire on Jan. 27 to verify the effectiveness of a renewed large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system which employed new technology.

Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, oversaw the test-fire.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un was accompanied by Kim Jong Sik, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the WPK, and Jang Chang Ha, general director of the Missile Administration of the DPRK.

Expressing satisfaction over the result of the test, he said:

"Today's test is of great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent.

That is because we have achieved technical upgrading of this weapon system to employ its most powerful characteristics in a most appropriate and effective way, and thus made it possible to apply it in specific attacks.

All the indexes have been improved to maximize its strike capability, and the mobility, intelligence and hitting accuracy of the rockets, in particular, have remarkably been upgraded.

The mobility of the newly-modernized launcher vehicle is also perfect.

The self-steered precisely guided flight system, which can neglect any outside intervention, is a major feature that demonstrates the superiority of this weapon system.

The course of achieving this success was not all plain sailing, but the task has wonderfully been carried out by our scientists and technicians.

I am sure that no other country would acquire such technology or possess such capability in a few years at least.

If they had seen this test, our enemies would obviously have recognized the modernity and development potential of our defence technology.

This is clear proof of the steady improvement and uninterrupted evolution of our defence technology.

As I have always emphasized, the relevant activities we conduct are clearly aimed at none other than further raising the level of our deterrent against a nuclear war.

Demonstrating such a will and capability is itself a responsible exercise of the deterrent.

This cannot be but indispensable for self-defence today.

I extend thanks to the defence science research group that has made devoted and painstaking efforts to perfect this weapon system.

The result and significance of this test will be a source of excruciating mental agony and serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us.

Our artillerymen, possessed with the most precise, destructive and massive strike capability, will perform the responsible mission of deterring war."

The fired four rockets hit a target in the waters 358.5 km away from the point of launch.

Kim Jong Un stressed that to build up the most reliable offensive capability and enforce the deterrence strategy based on it is the invariable line of our Party's national defence policy. And he said that the Ninth Congress of the WPK will clarify the next-stage plans for further bolstering up the country's nuclear war deterrent. -0-

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The European Union and India agree on a security and trade partnership

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

27.01.2026 | 15:13

At the European Union-India summit held in New Delhi today, 27 January, agreement was reached on a trade partnership as well as a security and defence partnership.

According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, the summit resulted in a political agreement on the principles of an EU-India free trade agreement, which will ensure better access for the European Union to the Indian market. "We are talking about a rapidly growing market with a GDP of approximately 3.4 trillion. This will help reduce dependence on the Chinese market and counterbalance protectionist tendencies in the United States," Tsahkna said.

He noted that the agreement will give European companies a clear competitive advantage compared with third countries that do not have a free trade agreement with India and therefore face higher tariffs and technical barriers.

Agreement was reached on extensive tariff reductions in market access for goods. This deal is eliminating or reducing tariffs in value of 96.6% of EU goods exports to India, which will save nearly 4 trillion a year in tariffs. The European Union will eliminate a large share of tariffs immediately, while India will do so gradually over a period of 7-10 years.

Once the free trade agreement enters into force, a common market will be created covering nearly 2 billion people and approximately 25% of the global economy. Trade relations between the European Union and India have grown by around 90% over the past decade, reflecting both India's economic growth and the EU's desire to diversify its supply chains.

The final signing of the agreement is expected to take at least a year, and following signature the agreement must be approved by the European Parliament and ratified by the parliaments of the member states. "As we saw with the Mercosur agreement, the process may still give rise to political debate. In India's case, this is primarily because the agreement is clearly asymmetrical in terms of the balance of rights and obligations, tilting in favour of India as a developing country," Tsahkna said. The first tangible economic effects are therefore expected no earlier than 2027.

The summit also resulted in agreement on a security and defence partnership, creating a framework for more strategic cooperation in the areas of maritime security, cyber defence and counter-terrorism. "The signing of the security and defence partnership is a clear sign of the growing strategic partnership between Europe and India," Tsahkna noted. According to him, the agreements will support security and economic prosperity in both regions.

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16th EU-India Summit: advancing our Strategic Partnership across trade and defence

European Commission

Press release

Jan 27, 2026

New Delhi

Today, the European Union and India are holding their 16th EU-India Summit in New Delhi, opening a whole new chapter in the EU-India Strategic Partnership. The successful conclusion of an EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the launch of an EU-India Security and Defence Partnership underline the potential and determination of both partners to shape one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.

As guests of honour, Presidents von der Leyen and Costa attended India's 77th Republic Day Parade celebrations on 26 January. This marks the first time leaders of the European Union participate in the event, underscoring the deepening of EU-India relations.

President von der Leyen said: "In this increasingly volatile world, Europe chooses cooperation and strategic partnerships. Today, we have signed the EU-India Free Trade Agreement - the mother of all trade deals. We are opening an incredible market for seamless trade, investments and drastic reduction in tariffs for two billion people. And our Security and Defence Partnership will increase our resilience against all forms of threats. Today, we move forward together, committed to our truly transformative partnership."

Presidents von der Leyen and Costa mark the conclusion of the EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), one of the largest agreements of its kind globally. The FTA substantially reduces tariff and non-tariff barriers, cutting 4 billion in tariffs for exporters of all sizes and unlocking significant trade and investment opportunities. Currently, 6,000 European companies operate in India - a figure that is set to increase under the new agreement. By combining improved market access with clear, simple, predictable and enforceable rules, including robust sustainable development provisions, the agreement supports more integrated supply chains, trade diversification and new export opportunities for Indian and European businesses. Together, the EU and India leverage their strengths and reinforce their joint economic security. A dedicated press release on the EU-India FTA is available here.

On the margins of the Summit, President von der Leyen and Prime Minister Modi participate in the first ever EU-India Business Forum, engaging with business leaders to deepen private-sector engagement and advance shared economic priorities.

The Summit sees the signature of the EU-India Security and Defence Partnership. The partnership enables closer cooperation and joint initiatives on shared priorities such as maritime security, non-proliferation and disarmament, space, countering cyber and hybrid threats, and counterterrorism. Under this partnership, the EU and India strengthen defence industrial cooperation and advance alignment on defence initiatives.

Leaders launch the negotiations on a Security of Information Agreement to enable the exchange of classified information, in line with the security interests of the EU and its Member States, paving the way for India's participation in EU security and defence initiatives in line with EU Treaty-based frameworks.

The EU and India further strengthen collaboration on emerging and critical technologies, innovation, and research, including by creating EU-India Innovation Hubs and launching an EU-India Startup Partnership. In addition, leaders renew the EU-India Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation until 2030 and launch exploratory talks on the association of India to Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research and innovation programme.

In addition, an EU-India Comprehensive Framework of Cooperation on Mobility, adopted as a memorandum of understanding in parallel with the finalisation of the FTA, offers an excellent opportunity for us to cooperate on facilitating labour mobility, supporting skills development and capacity building, and working on skills and qualification frameworks. This cooperation framework will facilitate the mobility of skilled workers, young professionals and seasonal works in shortage sectors, while promoting research and innovation. It will also be supported by a European Legal Gateway Office in India, which is the first of its kind. The Office will help Indian workers, students, and researchers find out about opportunities in Europe, starting with the ICT sector with the aim of expanding it further in the future. The endorsement of a high-level EU-India Education and Skills Dialogue further supports these objectives by strengthening cooperation on skills, qualifications and recognition, and to facilitate the flow of talent.

At the Summit, leaders endorse the 'Towards 2030: EU-India Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda', which guides cooperation on prosperity and sustainability, technology and innovation, security and defence, connectivity, global issues, and people-to-people cooperation. It is also set to deliver a number of key outcomes.

The Summit allows the EU and India to reaffirm the intention to join forces to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and to enhance cooperation on environmental issues, the clean transition, energy resilience and circular economy, including the launch of a Green Hydrogen Task Force, in the framework of the EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.

The leaders also advance quality connectivity from Europe to the Indo-Pacific, including a Global Gateway Green Shipping Corridors and hubs (GGGSCH), with a regional workshop to take place in India in 2026. The EU and India also foster their trilateral cooperation in third countries across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific to advance clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, digital connectivity and resilience.

Looking ahead, the Summit is followed on 6-7 February by the India-EU Forum, a premier Track 1.5 platform convening senior policymakers, industry leaders, experts and think tanks from all 27 EU Member States and India, to build trust and foster concrete initiatives for strategic cooperation.

Background

The European Union and India are natural strategic partners. Converging interests in prosperity, security and defence, resilience and multilateral values call for a more ambitious partnership. A partnership that delivers tangible benefits for citizens and shapes outcomes for both parties and their wider regions, including the Indo-Pacific. India is a crucial partner for the EU, and together both share the capacity and the responsibility to safeguard the rules-based international order.

On 17 September 2025, the European Commission unveiled a Joint Communication on a New Strategic EU-India Agenda, setting out a comprehensive strategic agenda that deepens, broadens and better coordinates EU-India cooperation. In October 2025, the Council endorsed the new strategic and its objective of further strengthening EU-India ties.

Quote(s)

In this increasingly volatile world, Europe chooses cooperation and strategic partnerships. Today, we have signed the EU-India Free Trade Agreement - the mother of all trade deals. We are opening an incredible market for seamless trade, investments and drastic reduction in tariffs for two billion people. And our Security and Defence Partnership will increase our resilience against all forms of threats. Today, we move forward together, committed to our truly transformative partnership. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

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EU-India Joint Statement on the State Visit of H.E. Mr. Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and H.E. Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, to India, and the 16th EU-India Summit (25-27 January 2026)

European Commission

Statement

Jan 27, 2026

New Delhi

1. At the invitation of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, President of the European Council, H.E. Mr. Antonio Costa, and President of the European Commission, H.E. Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, paid a State Visit to India on 25-27 January 2026 as the Chief Guests for the 77th Republic Day of India. President Costa and President von der Leyen were accompanied by a high-level delegation including High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Ms. Kaja Kallas and Trade Commissioner Mr. Maros Sefcovic.

2. This is the first visit by the leaders of the European Union as Guests of Honour for the Republic Day. It symbolises the growing closeness, depth and dynamism in EU-India relations, and their joint commitment and shared interest in shaping a resilient multipolar global order that underpins peace and stability, economic growth and sustainable development. The visit follows the historic visit of the European Union College of Commissioners led by President von der Leyen to India on 27-28 February 2025.

3. The two Leaders were warmly welcomed by Hon'ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. They then travelled together in a ceremonial procession to attend the Republic Day celebrations and witness the parade. For the first time ever, a contingent consisting of representatives from both the European Union Military Staff and the European Union Naval Operations ATALANTA and ASPIDES participated in the Republic Day Parade. President Costa and President von der Leyen joined President Murmu, for an 'At-Home' reception in Rashtrapati Bhavan. In honour of the visiting dignitaries, President Murmu, hosted a Banquet on 27 January 2026. Earlier that afternoon, Prime Minister Modi also hosted a luncheon in their honour.

4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with President Antonio Costa and President Ursula von der Leyen co-chaired the 16th EU-India Summit in New Delhi on 27 January 2026 and underlined their commitment to raise the EU-India Strategic Partnership to a higher level based on shared values and principles including democracy, human rights, pluralism, rule of law, and the rules-based international order with the UN at its core. They committed to tackling security threats, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, strengthening economic resilience and security, advancing climate and biodiversity action, and accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

5. The leaders also addressed the EU-India Business Forum, attended by CEOs and industry leaders from both sides, where they called for ambitious private sector investments to harness synergies in critical sectors and for new business initiatives to drive closer trade and investment ties.

6. The leaders commended progress on the 'EU-India Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025'. The two sides reiterated their determination to further reinforce their strategic partnership, delivering tangible benefits for both sides. The Summit took place against the backdrop of the positive momentum in EU-India relations in recent years, and sustained high-level engagement across all domains.

Delivering on the strategic partnership

7. The leaders hailed the successful conclusion of negotiations of the landmark EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This historic deal is a milestone in the EU-India Strategic Partnership that will significantly enhance bilateral trade and investment ties, drive shared prosperity, strengthen resilient and diversified supply chains, and support sustainable and inclusive growth.

8. The leaders welcomed the signing of the EU-India Security and Defence Partnership, the first such overarching defence and security framework between the two sides that will deepen ties in the domains of maritime security, defence industry and technology, cyber and hybrid threats, space, and counter-terrorism among others. They also welcomed the launch of negotiations on a Security of Information Agreement that will facilitate the exchange of classified information and pave the way for a stronger cooperation in areas related to security and defence.

Regional and Multilateral co-operation

9. The leaders emphasized the importance of an effective multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core. They underlined the necessity of comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic, accountable and reflective of contemporary geopolitical realities. They emphasized the World Trade Organization's central role in the multilateral trading system and global trade governance and underlined that meaningful, necessary and comprehensive reform of the WTO is essential to improve its functions so that it is better suited to advance all Members' objectives.

10. The leaders underscored the importance of close cooperation on regional and global security matters, acknowledging that the security and prosperity of Europe and the Indo-Pacific are interconnected.

11. The two sides reiterated their shared commitment to promoting a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS, recognising their respective roles and engagement in the region. The leaders welcomed closer engagement in the region, including the inaugural edition of the forthcoming EU-India Consultations on the Indo-Pacific, in New Delhi. They also looked forward to joint activities in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), and to strengthen cooperation in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) under India's Chairship.

12. On Ukraine, the two sides expressed concern over the ongoing war, which continues to cause immense human suffering and carries global consequences. Both sides will continue to support efforts towards the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy, based on the principles of the UN Charter and of international law, including independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

13. The leaders noted the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 2803 of 17 November 2025 which welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace and authorizes an International Stabilisation Force, as outlined in the Comprehensive Plan, as a step forward to end the Gaza conflict. They encouraged all parties to implement the resolution in its entirety, in line with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Both sides restated their readiness to support efforts towards just and durable peace and stressed the need for unhindered humanitarian access. They also called for a just and lasting solution, based on the implementation of the two-State solution, through dialogue and diplomacy.

14. The two sides discussed the recent developments of concern in Iran and the region. They underscored the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving issues in a peaceful manner.

15. The leaders unequivocally and strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism, in all its forms and manifestations including cross-border terrorism. They called for decisive and concerted international efforts to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner and in accordance with international law. They agreed to enhance cooperation to counter radicalisation and violent extremism, combat financing of terrorism, promote internationally agreed anti-money laundering standards, prevent exploitation of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, and tackle terrorist recruitment. They condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025 and the terror incident near Red Fort, New Delhi on 10 November 2025.

Towards 2030: India-EU Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda

16. The leaders adopted "Towards 2030: EU-India Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda" to elevate the strategic cooperation between two sides. The Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda is aimed at accelerating progress across five key pillars: prosperity and sustainability, technology and innovation, security and defence, connectivity and global challenges, as well as enabling factors such as skills, mobility, business and people-to-people ties.

17. In the context of global uncertainty and disruptions, closer economic ties between India and the EU are more important than ever to drive growth, job creation, green transition, industrial development, and more resilient, sustainable and trustworthy supply chains. The leaders of India and the EU are committed to ensure the full implementation of the FTA. Additionally, they tasked their respective teams to complete negotiations, at the earliest opportunity, on an Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) and on an Agreement on Geographical Indications (GIs). They committed to work on scaling up bilateral investments and engage in discussion on Blue Valleys to accelerate private sector engagement in strengthening select value chains. They also undertook to work on scaling up investments together in third countries including through trilateral co-operation, drawing upon India and the EU's experience in development assistance, including the EU's Global Gateway Strategy.

18. India and the EU have complementary strengths in the technology domain. Both sides will increase collaboration across the entire value chain, linking enhanced research and innovation to business engagement and market operationalisation. In the current geopolitical environment and amidst global disruptions, they reaffirmed the EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC), a high-level coordination platform to address key trade, technology and economic security issues, as the cornerstone of their technology partnership and aim to further enhance its work. The two sides will continue to advance together on promoting Digital Public Infrastructure including interoperable standards and exchange of best practices on regulatory frameworks, collaboration in new technologies (including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, digital public infrastructure and 6G) to build cyber-secure, trusted digital ecosystems as well as to advance cooperation in clean tech. They will broaden discussions on economic security, in particular on the resilience of supply chains and research security, underlining the importance of protecting sensitive technologies. Both sides agreed to hold the next TTC ministerial meeting in Brussels in 2026 and to deepen business consultations.

19. The two sides will further strengthen collaboration on emerging technologies, innovation, and research, including by creating EU-India Innovation Hubs and launching an EU-India Startup Partnership. The leaders welcomed the renewal of the EU-India Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation until 2030 and agreed to launch exploratory talks on the association of India to Horizon Europe, the EU's research and innovation programme. They welcomed the productive discussions at the inaugural EU-India Space Dialogue in Brussels in November 2025.

20. The leaders recognised the increasing incidents of extreme climate events and reaffirmed the importance of the Paris Agreement, the successive Conference of the Parties' (COP) outcomes, and respective Nationally Determined Contributions. They agreed to cooperate closely for their effective implementation and to join forces to raise global action, including by holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. They reaffirmed the importance of the principles of equity, and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances. They commended the International Solar Alliance's (ISA) efforts to provide energy access and install large-scale solar energy capacities in developing countries.

21. The leaders committed to accelerated cooperation in clean transition and energy resilience in the framework of the EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. In this context, they welcomed the creation of the EU-India Task Force on Green Hydrogen, and the announcement of an EU-India Wind Business Summit to be convened in 2026. The signing of the EU-India Administrative Arrangement on Disaster Risk Management will pave the way for enhanced coordination in disaster preparedness and response capacities. Closer engagement of the EU with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) complements this cooperation.

22. The leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation on environmental issues, deepening collaboration on circular economy, biodiversity, water resilience and security, and launching Ocean and Fisheries Dialogue. They reaffirmed their commitment to the full and effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

23. Geopolitical realities and growing cross-regional security threats call for closer EU-India cooperation. As the two sides strengthen their security and defence capabilities, they will enhance preparedness across domains - from maritime security to hybrid threats, counterterrorism, space security, and transnational crime - while deepening crisis-management engagement and mutually beneficial defence-industry collaboration. India and EU will also engage on the growing challenge of maritime pollution, safety and security of sea farers, and vessels which circumvent compliance to relevant and applicable international maritime regulations, to which they are party.

24. The two sides will work together to improve regional connectivity, upholding high standards while unlocking new commercial opportunities for EU and Indian businesses. The leaders underlined the launch of joint projects under the EU-India Connectivity Partnership supported by Global Gateway and India's MAHASAGAR, the setting up of a regular Aviation Dialogue, and cooperation in the maritime transport sector. They welcomed advances in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), launched during the 2023 G20 New Delhi Summit, and looked forward to the first Ministerial meeting. The two sides will implement trilateral cooperation projects under the EU-India Administrative Arrangement on Trilateral Cooperation, in areas such as energy, climate resilience, green mobility, and digitalisation.

25. The leaders highlighted that education and people-to-people ties have emerged as vital enablers of the EU-India Strategic Partnership. They welcomed the conclusion of the EU-India Comprehensive Framework of Cooperation on Mobility, in line with the national competences of EU Member States and India and domestic legislation of both Parties. They commended the launch of the first pilot European Legal Gateway Office, as a one-stop hub to provide information and support the movement of workers, starting with the ICT sector. They reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing collaboration on safe, regular and orderly migration, including through circular pathways, for highly skilled workers, students, researchers, and seasonal workers in shortage occupations, whilst also strengthening cooperation on countering irregular migration, in accordance with national competences and the law of both Parties.

26. Aspiring to deepen educational and academic collaboration, the two sides agreed to launch Education and Skills Dialogue in 2026 to promote skills development, facilitate recognition of qualifications and learning periods abroad, and support systemic collaboration in higher and vocational education.

27. President Costa and President von der Leyen welcomed the holding of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on 19-20 February 2026, and the leaders looked forward to a successful event, re-emphasizing their commitment to outcome-oriented cooperation.

28. The leaders underlined the importance of regular EU-India Summits to take forward the strategic partnership and implement the EU-India Joint Comprehensive Strategic Agenda. President Costa and President von der Leyen thanked Prime Minister Modi for the warm hospitality and invited him for the 17th EU-India Summit in Brussels at a mutually convenient time next year.

New Delhi

27 January 2026

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Statement by President von der Leyen with President Costa and Indian Prime Minister Modi

European Commission

Statement

Jan 27, 2026

New Delhi

Dear Prime Minister Modi, distinguished friend,

Antonio, my friend,

Ministers, especially Jaishankar and Goyal,

Vice-President Kallas,

Commissioner Sefcovic,

Excellencies,

Friends,

Thank you very much for the exceptional hospitality. It was such an honour for us to be your chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations yesterday. This is a memory I will carry for a lifetime. Because the sense of communion was so powerful. People filled the streets, united in the pride and joy of belonging to the Indian nation. And rightfully so. India has risen. And Europe is truly glad about it. Because when India succeeds, the world is more stable, more prosperous, and more secure. And we all benefit.

Prime Minister Modi, dear friend,

One year ago, the full College of EU Commissioners came to India. This is also a very special memory for me. It showed the seriousness of our intent. And the strength of our commitment. Today, we reap the fruits of that commitment, with our historic Summit. Let me start with trade.

Prime Minister, distinguished friend,

We did it. We have delivered the mother of all deals. We are creating a market of 2 billion people. This is a tale of two giants - the world's second- and fourth-largest economies. Two giants who choose partnership, in a true win-win fashion. A strong message that cooperation is the best answer to global challenges. This trade deal will integrate further our supply chains and strengthen our joint manufacturing power. It will cut up to EUR 4 billion in annual tariffs for exporters of all sizes. And it will create good jobs for millions of workers - here in India and in Europe. At the same time, this agreement will build on the natural complementarity of our economies.

It brings together India's skills, services and scale, with Europe's technology, capital and innovation. It will create levels of growth that neither side can achieve alone. And by combining these strengths, we reduce strategic dependencies, at a time when trade is increasingly weaponised. We will discuss this and more at our first EU-India Business Forum later today. I want to offer a special word of thanks to the people who worked so hard to make this day a reality. Starting with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and his counterpart, India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. You have done outstanding work. This is historic, and it would not have been possible without you. I also want to pay tribute to their colleagues Sabine Weyand and Secretary Rajesh Agrawal. Many others made vital contributions. I congratulate you all - the hard work was worth it.

Prime Minister Modi, distinguished friend,

We are not only making our economies stronger. We are also delivering security for our people in an increasingly insecure world. Today, the world's two largest economies and democracies launch their first ever security and defence partnership. This is a landmark departure. And a trust-based platform for cooperation on the strategic issues that matter most. In so doing, we will help to build each other's resilience. Europe and India have a long history of cooperation in the defence industry. Now, we will enhance this teamwork even further. We will deepen our cooperation on maritime security. For example, joint naval exercises to tackle piracy. And we will step up our work on countering cyber and hybrid threats, which are getting more sophisticated by the day. Our partnership includes a dedicated dialogue on space security, from situational awareness to secure connectivity and stronger cooperation on counterterrorism. Finally, we are launching negotiations on a Security of Information Agreement. Europe and India have chosen to be reliable partners for one another. And this is how we demonstrate the trust we share.

Prime Minister Modi, distinguished friend,

I want to turn now to innovation. Because here too we share core values. The freedom of research and science is paramount for us. Europe and India will always choose science. We will always choose progress, the way forward. We will choose technology at the service of our people. It is part of who we are. And our cooperation on human-centric, trustworthy AI is one of the best examples. So today, I am glad to announce that we are working on India's association with Horizon Europe. Backed by funding firepower of EUR 100 billion, Horizon is the world's largest public research programme. I cannot wait for our best talents to get to work to advance health, clean energy, and frontier technologies, just to name some. We will set up EU-India Innovation Hubs. This will help researchers and start-ups to collaborate on next-gen technology. We are also launching an EU-India Startup Partnership to boost co-creation, and high-potential ventures.

Finally, Prime Minister Modi, dear Narendra,

We both know: Our greatest wealth is our people. That is why I am glad that we are signing an agreement on mobility. We will facilitate the movement of students, researchers, seasonal and highly skilled workers. This is also why we are launching the first EU Legal Gateway Office in India. It will be a one-stop hub to support Indian talent moving to Europe, in full alignment with EU Member States' needs and policies. This is good for our economies. This is good for the friendship between our people. This openness benefits us all.

As we conclude this 16th Summit, let me reflect on another event of deep meaning. Two weeks ago, India marked Makar Sankranti. It is the beginning of Uttarayan, the sun's northward journey. From darkness to light. From stillness to growth. From what was to what can be. That is what makes our Summit so unique and timely. The time is ripe for renewal. For fresh momentum. And for opening a new chapter in EU-India friendship. And this is exactly what we have achieved today, together.

Thank you very much.

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Raksha Mantri meets High Representative/Vice President of EU Commission in New Delhi

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Indian & EU defence industries must synergise their efforts for larger global good: Shri Rajnath Singh

Both sides must work together in Indian Ocean Region & learn from each other's best practices through joint exercises: Ms Kaja Kallas

Posted On: 27 JAN 2026 1:33PM by PIB Delhi

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a meeting with the High Representative/Vice President of European Union (EU) Commission Ms Kaja Kallas in New Delhi on January 27, 2026. The two leaders discussed a range of bilateral security and defence issues during the meeting. Raksha Mantri stated that India and EU share the principles of democracy, pluralism & the rule of law which underpin the steadily deepening partnership. He added that it is these values which India seeks to translate into practical cooperation for global stability, sustainable growth & inclusive prosperity.

Shri Rajnath Singh emphasised that Indian and EU defence industries must synergise their efforts for larger global good. It complements India's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat while aligning with the EU's pursuit of strategic autonomy. The partnership will become a force multiplier by integrating supply chains for building trusted defence ecosystems and future-ready capabilities. He said that India's defence industry can play a meaningful role in the EU's 'ReArm initiative', especially when EU is seeking to rapidly diversify suppliers and de-risk dependencies. He termed Ms Kallas' visit to India is special as it comes on the occasion of 77th Republic Day.

Ms Kaja Kallas expressed gratitude to be a part of India's 77th Republic Day celebrations, especially the EU presence in the parade at Kartavya Path. She stated that India and EU must work together in the Indian Ocean Region and learn from each other's best practices through joint exercises. The Raksha Mantri welcomed EU proposal of positioning a Liaison Officer (LO) at the Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram. The EU LO at IFC-IOR would enhance operational coordination with the Indian Navy in counter-piracy and assessment of the threats in the Indian Ocean Region.

***

VK/Savvy

(Release ID: 2219030)

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Operation Sindoor demonstrated that indigenous systems are strengthening India's operational readiness: Raksha Mantri

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

"Self-reliance has become a national mindset, DRDO is playing a key role in rapid transformation of defence sector"

"In today's times, we must move forward with the theory of 'survival of the fastest' & not just 'survival of the fittest'"

"Need to reduce time between research to prototype, prototype to testing & testing to deployment, timely induction should be the biggest parameter"

"DRDO must collaborate with public & private sectors, MSMEs, start-ups and academia to realise Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision"

Posted On: 27 JAN 2026 1:29PM by PIB Delhi

"Operation Sindoor demonstrated that indigenous systems are strengthening India's operational readiness," said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh as he commended the crucial role of DRDO in achieving self-reliance that has become a national mindset under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Addressing DRDO's Best Performing Scientists and Technical Persons, who witnessed the 77th Republic Day Parade as Special Guests, he stated that DRDO's technology was effectively used on the battlefield during Operation Sindoor, and the R&D Organisation is playing a key role in the rapid transformation of the defence sector based on the indigenisation pursuit.

To stay ahead of the curve in the present technology-driven world, Raksha Mantri stressed on the need to focus on R&D, exhorting the DRDO scientists to think innovatively & quickly, while not being afraid of taking risks. "Technology is changing rapidly. Any tech that is new today may become irrelevant in 4-5 years. Therefore, in today's times, especially on the battlefield, we must move forward keeping in mind the theory of 'survival of the fastest' and not just 'survival of the fittest'. The country that thinks, decides & deploys technology quickly stays ahead," he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh urged the DRDO to move beyond the sectors where the private sector has already developed its capabilities, suggesting the creation of a separate wing within the organisation that takes risks in sectors where the chances of success may seem low. However, if success is achieved, it will be historic, he added.

Underscoring the importance of reducing the time between research and prototype, prototype to testing, and testing to deployment, Raksha Mantri asserted that "timely induction in the Armed Forces should be the biggest parameter of our performance". He pointed out that the DRDO usually focuses on design and prototyping, and production is the role of industries, emphasising that it is necessary to bridge this gap. He stated that, similar to international models, a co-development approach can be adopted, where the industry is involved from the early stages, from design to production.

Calling upon the DRDO to collaborate extensively with public sector undertakings and the private sector, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the time has come to move beyond conventional areas. "For example, Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, which has emerged as a major achievement for us, is a testament to the knowledge sharing between DRDO and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Many more such achievements await us, but for that, it is essential that DRDO collaborates with academia and share knowledge with the public and private sectors. Government's support will only be meaningful when DRDO moves away from a monopolistic R&D model to a collaborative ecosystem, and cooperates with the public sector, private industries, MSMEs, start-ups, and academia. Only then will we be able to make big strides towards an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," he said.

Raksha Mantri added that the due to the Government's self-reliance efforts, the defence exports, which were less than Rs 1,000 crore in 2014, have today increased to a record approx. Rs 24,000 crore, and stressed that there is a need to increase it further. "We have set a defence exports target of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029-30. DRDO should consider export markets right from the design stage of its systems, especially focusing on drones, radars, electronic warfare systems, and ammunition. Focusing on exports leads to cost recovery, builds global credibility, and strengthens strategic partnerships," he said. He exuded confidence that DRDO will play a significant role in building Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Describing the scientists, engineers and technicians as the real strength of DRDO, Shri Rajnath Singh underlined the need to provide them with the opportunities to learn, while also giving them leadership responsibilities and assurances that their ideas will be heard. "There are failures in research; we must learn from them," he said.

The event was organised by the DRDO to honour dedicated scientists, technical experts, and innovators whose commitment, perseverance & excellence form the strong foundation of India's defence capabilities. On the occasion, Raksha Mantri distributed awards to the recipients of DRDO Award Scheme 2024. The awards include:

Dr Bhagavantam Technology Leadership Award 2024 to Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory, Hyderabad Shri BV Paparao for successfully leading the scientific teams of the lab in the design, development, and demonstration of world-class technologies related to Agni missiles and India's first-of-its-kind Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle technology for a Long-Range Hypersonic Cruise Missile.

Dr Nagchaudhuri Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 to Dr Balaguru V, Former Scientist CVRDE, Chennai for his exceptional efforts in realising prestigious defence platforms such as MBT Arjun MK-1 and the Indian Light Tank 'Zorawar'.

Three Best Scientific Excellence Awards and two Best Technical Excellence Awards were also given. A book titled 'The Unprecedented Success Story of the First Indigenous Supersonic Multi-Target Surface-to-Air Missile System - AKASH' co-authored by Dr G Chandramouli, Padma Shri, former Project Director of Akash and Dr Prahlada Ram Rao, Padma Shri and first Project Director of Akash, were also released which reflects the organisation's research excellence, developmental strength, and strategic vision. The book chronicles the inspirational journey of the missile system - from conceptualisation to operational success. AKASH stands as a powerful symbol of DRDO's scientific excellence and the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, and DRDO's Best Performing Scientists & Technical Persons, with their families, were present during the function.

***

VK/Savvy

(Release ID: 2219026)

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DHS Deports 3 Former Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a Terrorist Organization, to Iran

Release Date: January 27, 2026

The three Iranian KSTs illegally entered the U.S. during the Biden administration

WASHINGTON - On Monday, January 26, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deported three known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) who entered the U.S. during the Biden administration, all of whom are former members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a terrorist organization.

Ehsan Khaledi

Mohammad Mehrani

Morteza Nasirikakolaki

"Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, the Department of Homeland Security is getting the worst of the worst out of our country and keeping them out - including violent gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and, in this instance, known or suspected terrorists," said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "The American people deserve a safe and secure homeland, free from the threat of foreign terrorism and that is exactly what Secretary Noem has been fighting to give them every single day for over a year now. The Trump administration will not allow criminal illegal aliens who wish to inflict harm upon innocent Americans to walk the streets of our communities. They will be arrested, and they will be deported."

The three Iranian KSTs are Ehsan Khaledi, Mohammad Mehrani, and Morteza Nasirikakolaki. All three individuals are former members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps - which President Trump designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 2019.

Both Mehrani and Khaledi entered the U.S. illegally in Southern California in 2024 - Mehrani in September and Khaledi in October. Nasirikakolaki entered illegally in November 2024, when he was encountered by Border Patrol near San Luis, Arizona.

70 percent of those arrested by ICE are convicted criminals or have criminal charges. During President Trump's first year, ICE arrested 43,305 potential national security risks. Under President Trump ICE has arrested and removed over 1,400 KSTs and arrested more than 7,400 gang members.

# # #

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US psychological warfare aimed at disrupting region's security: President Pezeshkian

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 6:42 PM

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that American military movements and rhetoric in West Asia are part of a calculated effort to destabilize the region.

He made the remarks in a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday.

"The threats and psychological operations of the Americans are aimed at disrupting the security of the region and will achieve nothing other than instability," Pezeshkian told the crown prince.

The remarks follow the arrival of a US aircraft carrier in the region and a series of escalatory threats from Washington, where some officials have accused Iran of a violent crackdown on peaceful protests.

During the call, President Pezeshkian pointed to a surge in hostility from the United States and the Israeli regime since the start of his administration.

He specifically cited economic pressure, the 12-day war against Iran, and the direct involvement in inciting recent terrorist riots within Iran, which resulted in the martyrdom of civilians and security forces and significant damage to public property, including markets and mosques.

"They imagined they could turn Iran into another Syria or Libya," the president remarked.

"They failed to recognize the truth, nature, and greatness of the Iranian nation. The conscious and widespread presence of our people on the scene defeated their conspiracies," he said, referring to massive anti-riot protests across Iran over the past weeks.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump threatened Iran with attacks if Iran killed what he termed as "peaceful protesters."

Only a few days later, on January 8 and 9, terrorist groups launched a wave of armed attacks against police stations, military bases, and other sensitive locations, along with civilian infrastructure, in several cities.

Iranian officials say the violent attacks were intended to create mass casualties and destabilize urban centers in various cities across the country.

They have repeatedly criticized Western media outlets for circulating mass-scale false reports regarding casualties and blaming the Iranian government for them.

Some Western media reports have claimed up to 80,000 deaths occurred after what they label as "peaceful protests" were suppressed by security forces.

But official Iranian records show 3,117 people lost their lives in the riots, of which 2,427 were innocent civilians and security personnel killed by terrorists.

Rejection of one-sided negotiations

Addressing calls from Western nations for Iran to return to the negotiating table to lower tensions, Pezeshkian expressed skepticism regarding the West's sincerity.

"We were in talks with the Americans when they launched a military attack against us in plain view of the world," he noted, referring to the 12-day US-Israeli aggression, which was carried out on the eve of the sixth round of Tehran-Washington talks on the nuclear issue.

"We reached an agreement with European countries, but it was the Americans who disrupted it. For them, 'negotiation' means we must simply execute what they dictate. That is not a dialogue," he said.

Despite the conversation, the president emphasized that Iran remains open to any process, within the framework of international law, that leads to peace and the prevention of conflict, provided the rights of the Iranian nation are fully respected.

Strengthening Islamic unity

Pezeshkian expressed deep gratitude for the support shown by Islamic nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, during the recent attacks.

He said the "unity and cohesion of Islamic countries" is the only true guarantee for lasting stability and peace in the region, and said Muslim governments have a very important role in this regard.

Touching on bilateral relations, Pezeshkian said his administration's efforts are focused on expanding friendly relations with Islamic countries through a framework rooted in Islamic brotherhood.

"I heartedly believe that the Islamic Ummah is brothers," Pezeshkian said. "Together, we can build a secure, developed, and advanced region for our nations."

Bin Salman: Threats against Iran unacceptable

Bin Salman echoed the sentiment regarding regional cooperation, stating that Saudi efforts are focused on driving the region toward prosperity and growth.

"All our efforts to establish stability and security in the region and to guide regional countries toward prosperity and development are in line with the interests of the nations," he said. "Without a doubt, the solidarity and cohesion of Islamic countries is also of great importance to us."

The Crown Prince said Saudi Arabia considers any aggression, threat, or creation of tension against Iran to be "unacceptable."

He reaffirmed Riyadh's readiness to collaborate with Iran and other regional partners to establish sustainable peace and security.

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Iraqi groups ready for war in support of Iran despite US threats

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 6:10 PM

Political groups in Iraq have declared their readiness to support Iran in a potential war with the United States, despite Washington's threats to block Iraq's oil revenues if pro-Iran factions join its new government.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Kataib Hezbollah group said it would be ready for "a comprehensive war in support of and solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran." Its secretary-general, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, called on fighters worldwide to prepare for such a scenario.

Iraq's Badr Organization, a powerful political party with broad support among the country's Shia community, also declared its readiness to confront what it called "American-Israeli arrogance" should Iran be attacked.

The Harakat al-Nujaba movement said it would join any response to an attack on Iran, with Firas al-Yasser, a member of the group's political bureau, warning that an assault on Iran would draw the entire region, including Arab countries in the Persian Gulf and Iraq, into war.

Al-Yasser further suggested that Iran could broaden its retaliatory strikes to include US-linked targets across the region, unlike previous responses which were confined to only two countries hosting American bases.

"Weakening Iran represents a preparatory phase for targeting Iraq in the future," he said, adding that "the role of the resistance in Iraq will be pivotal in defending the security and stability of the region."

These firm declarations of support come days after the US warned it could restrict Iraq's access to oil revenues held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York if pro-Iran parties are included in Iraq's next government.

Washington has repeatedly sought to undermine Iraq's close ties with Iran, including by freezing Iranian gas export revenues in Iraqi banks and blocking Iraq's efforts to increase energy imports from its eastern neighbor.

Iraqi factions that sympathize with Iran have reiterated their commitment to supporting Tehran and its campaign against foreign military presence in the region.

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Senator Lindsey Graham Praises Trump, Warns On Iran

By RFE/RL January 27, 2026

Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator for South Carolina, has warned against abandoning the Iranian people.

In a January 27 post on X, Graham wrote: "History tells us the right decision is to stand by those who stand with America and sacrifice for our common cause."

He mentioned the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack on the US diplomatic compound in Libya that killed four Americans, saying "I remember how sick to my stomach I felt when we abandoned our people in Benghazi."

The Benghazi attack became a significant point of partisan dispute in US politics, with allegations of inadequate security and confusion over the Obama administration's early public statements.

"To abandon the Iranian people and the brave Kurds would be, in my view, Benghazi times a million," Graham wrote.

Graham is frequently characterized as a hawkish internationalist who supports US military involvement abroad to confront challenges posed by nations such as Russia, China, and Iran.

He has consistently advocated a hardline stance on Iran, including the option of military strikes, considering the regime a significant threat to US interests, Israel, and regional stability.

Graham, an ally of Trump, praised the US president, saying he was "confident that President Trump, who has done a marvelous job protecting America, will make the right call" on Iran.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/senator-lindsey-graham- trump-iran/33661089.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.

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Implementation of Iran-Related United Nations Security Council Resolutions

US Department of State

Press Statement

Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson

January 27, 2026

The United States of America, along with 40 countries, gathered last week in Prague, the Czech Republic for a symposium designed to further advance the implementation of the reimposed United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) on the Iranian regime. Participants discussed the full range of issues affecting UN Member State implementation of the renewed obligations. The symposium served as an opportunity to secure commitments from several attending countries that intend to receive country- and sector-specific technical security assistance from the United States to maximize the impact of sanctions on the Iranian regime.

The symposium featured discussions on the threats posed by the Iranian regime's nuclear, ballistic missile, and conventional arms activities. Participants discussed the importance of using all relevant national measures and capabilities to implement the provisions enumerated in the restored resolutions more robustly. In view of the Iranian regime's continued proliferation threat and the brutal crackdown on Iranian protestors, the United States and partners recognize the urgent need to promote universal implementation of the UNSCRs and associated restrictive measures on Iran's proliferation activities.

The six UNSCRs - 1696, 1737, 1747, 1803, 1835, and 1929 - were reimposed on September 27, 2025, following the Iranian regime's continuing "significant non-performance" of its nuclear commitments. The UNSCRs include provisions that require the Iranian regime to suspend uranium enrichment-, heavy water-, and reprocessing-related activities; prohibit Iran from using ballistic missile technology; prohibit Iranian arms imports and exports; reimpose travel bans and global asset freezes on listed persons; and authorize the seizure of prohibited cargo being transferred to and from Iran.

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Iraq presidential vote delayed amid Kurdish dispute over candidate

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 6:14 PM

Iraq's parliament has postponed a scheduled vote to elect the next president, as the two main Kurdish parties failed to agree on a nominee, highlighting broader political tensions ahead of the formation of a new government.

The Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported that the parliamentary session planned for Tuesday was delayed at the request of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), who said they needed more time for consultations.

Under Iraq's sectarian power-sharing system, the post of prime minister is reserved for a Shia Arab, the speaker of parliament for a Sunni Arab, and the largely ceremonial presidency for a Kurd. Traditionally, the presidency has gone to a PUK nominee, while the KDP has held the presidency of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government.

This convention has been challenged in the current political cycle, after the KDP announced its own candidate for the presidency, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, breaking with past arrangements and complicating negotiations between the Kurdish blocs.

Even after the Kurdish parties settle on a nominee, the candidate must still secure backing from the dominant Shia and Sunni blocs in parliament to win the presidency.

Once elected, the new president will have 15 days to appoint a prime minister. Former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is widely expected to be chosen for the post. Maliki, 75, served two terms as prime minister between 2006 and 2014. He currently heads the Islamic Dawa Party political movement and is widely regarded as being close to Iran.

On January 24, Iraq's Coordination Framework, the Arab country's largest parliamentary bloc, announced that it had nominated Maliki for the post of prime minister.

The United States has reportedly threatened Iraqi officials that it could impose financial sanctions targeting the Iraqi state, including potentially restricting its access to vital oil revenues, if certain political factions linked to Iran were included in the next government.

An Iraqi source close to the Coordination Framework told AFP that Washington had conveyed its "negative view of previous governments led by former Prime Minister Maliki."

According to the source, US representatives stressed in a letter that while the choice of prime minister is a sovereign Iraqi decision, the United States would make its own policy decisions regarding the next government based on American interests.

Another Iraqi source confirmed the letter, adding that the Shia alliance had proceeded with its endorsement, confident that Maliki could address US concerns.

Washington has previously restricted the flow of US dollars to Iraqi banks, contributing to higher import prices for Iraqi consumers and complicating Baghdad's ability to pay for Iranian natural gas imports.

However, the latest warning marks the first time the US has explicitly threatened to cut off the Central Bank of Iraq's access to oil revenues held at the New York Fed. Iraq has been required to deposit all proceeds from oil sales into an account at the Federal Reserve since the US-led invasion in 2003.

Oil revenues account for approximately 90 percent of Iraq's national budget, giving Washington significant leverage over Baghdad.

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Trump threatens Iraq over ex-PM Maliki's return

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 28 January 2026 1:11 AM

US President Donald Trump has said Washington would end its "support" for Iraq if former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki was reinstated, issuing his strongest warning yet over the composition of Iraq's next government.

Trump made the remarks on Tuesday, days after Iraq's Coordination Framework, the country's largest parliamentary bloc, nominated al-Maliki as its candidate for prime minister. Writing on his Truth Social platform, the US president said Baghdad would be making a "very bad choice" by returning al-Maliki to office.

"Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again," Trump alleged.

"Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq," he claimed, adding, "If we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!"

The Coordination Framework announced on Saturday that it had nominated al-Maliki following an expanded leadership meeting to discuss political developments and the next phase of government formation.

In a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency, the bloc said the decision was made by majority vote after extensive discussion, citing al-Maliki's political and administrative experience and his role in managing state affairs.

The bloc reaffirmed its commitment to the constitutional process and said it was ready to work with all national political forces to form a strong and effective government.

Al-Maliki served as Iraq's prime minister from 2006 to 2014 and as vice president between 2014 and 2015 and again from 2016 to 2018. He currently heads the Islamic Dawa Party political movement.

US pressure, warnings of sanctions

Trump's comments came as part of a broader US pressure campaign. In a letter, US representatives have said that, while choosing a prime minister was an Iraqi decision, "the United States will make its own sovereign decisions regarding the next government in line with American interests."

According to Reuters, Washington has warned Iraqi officials that sanctions could be imposed on the Iraqi state if certain factions were included in the next government. The warning has reportedly been delivered repeatedly over the past two months by US Charge d'Affaires in Baghdad Joshua Harris to senior Iraqi figures, including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, senior cleric Ammar al-Hakim, Fatah Alliance head Hadi al-Amiri, and Kurdish official Masrour Barzani.

Three Iraqi officials and another source said the US warned that the inclusion of 58 MPs targeted by Washington would lead to a suspension of diplomatic engagement and a halt to dollar transfers.

Iraq's oil revenues, which account for about 90 percent of the national budget, are held in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York under an arrangement dating back to the 2003 US-led invasion.

While previous US administrations have sanctioned individual Iraqi banks, officials and observers say restricting access to oil revenues would represent a significant escalation. One Iraqi official quoted by Reuters said the US position was that engagement with a new government would be suspended if any of the targeted MPs were represented in the cabinet.

Washington has previously restricted the flow of US dollars to Iraqi banks, contributing to higher import prices and complicating payments for Iranian natural gas.

Al-Maliki, 75, is a senior figure in Iraq's political scene and maintains close ties with various factions, including parties linked to the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) that has opposed foreign interference in the Arab country's affairs. The PMU was formed in 2014 to fight the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and was later incorporated into Iraq's armed forces.

Al-Sudani has opted not to seek a second term, a decision that stands to reshape Iraq's political landscape.

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Israel MOD Expands Defense Industrial Base with Approximately $183 Million Air Munitions Procurement from Elbit Systems

Israel Ministry of Defense

27/1/2026

The Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD) has issued a multi-year order for air munitions manufactured by Elbit Systems, valued at approximately $183 million (NIS 570 million).

The agreement, signed by IMOD Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram will expand Israel's defense industrial base and strengthen the IDF's capabilities for the immediate future and the challenging security decade ahead. This initiative is part of the strategic approach led by Defense Minister Israel Katz and the Ministry's Director General.

Defense Minister Israel Katz: "Expanding Israel's defense industrial base is a top-tier security and national priority. Throughout two years of war across seven different fronts, Israeli defense industries have demonstrated their vital role in delivering operational superiority and enabling the IDF's success - in the air, at sea, on land, and across every theater. The policy I'm driving forward prioritizes growing our domestic defense sector, boosting Israeli manufacturing, and deepening partnerships with local industry. A robust industrial base and strong ties with Israeli companies guarantee independence, reliable supply chains, and long-term force development. It strengthens our economy, reinforces national resilience, and equips the IDF to meet security challenges both now and in the future."

IMOD Director General, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram: "This air munitions deal joins a series of multi-year force-building agreements currently being advanced across air, land, and additional domains. These agreements will enable inventory replenishment and procurement for years ahead, while investing in the expansion of our defense industrial base. This will enhance the IDF's readiness for a challenging security decade, support increased defense exports, and strengthen the economic resilience of Israel's defense industries and the broader Israeli economy."

President and CEO of Elbit Systems, Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis: "Elbit Systems has developed and supplied the Defense Ministry with a range of precision munitions that have proven themselves in the field and contributed significantly to Israel's air superiority across multiple theaters. We remain committed to strengthening Israel's domestic production infrastructure, as part of our partnership and commitment to the IMOD and the IDF, and out of responsibility for the nation's needs and the preservation of its security."

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Signing of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Canada concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

January 28, 2026

On January 28 (January 27, local time), in Ottawa, Canada, H.E. Mr. YAMANOUCHI Kanji, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Canada, and the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defense of Canada, signed the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Canada concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology. The Agreement will enter into force after the completion of the necessary procedures between the governments of the two countries.

This Agreement establishes a legal framework for the Governments of Japan and Canada regarding the handling of defense equipment and technology to be transferred between the two governments in order to implement projects to be jointly determined including those contributing to international peace and security. Specifically, it stipulates procedures to determine and confirm each specific transfer as well as basic rules on the proper use of the transferred defense equipment and technology. The Agreement will ensure appropriate control over the defense equipment and technology transferred between Japan and Canada, especially regarding any subsequent transfer to a third party or any extra-purpose use. It is expected that this Agreement will contribute to closer cooperation between Japan and Canada for defense equipment and technology, and maintaining and improving the production and technological bases for Japan's defense industry, thereby contributing to the security of Japan.

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US official calls Korea 'model ally,' holds talks with 2 ministers

KOREA.net

Jan 27, 2026

By Yoon Sojung

U.S. Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby on Jan. 26 called Korea "a model ally," emphasizing shared responsibility in defending the Korean Peninsula.

Right after the Trump administration's announcement of the National Defense Strategy, he headed to Seoul for talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun and Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-Back. They discussed issues related to the bilateral alliance and the situation on the peninsula including the construction of nuclear-powered submarines by Seoul and the transfer of wartime operational control of their joint forces to Korea.

First, Under Secretary Colby in his talks with Minister Cho hailed Seoul's willingness to play a leading role in the defense of the peninsula by strengthening its own national defense capacity. He added that the U.S. Department of War will play an active role so that agreements reached by the leaders of both sides can be implemented with a sense of urgency.

Later in a meeting with Minister Ahn, the American official pledged continued efforts to bolster bilateral defense cooperation with Korea, "a model ally," praising Seoul's commitment to playing a leading role by raising its independent defense capability to protect the peninsula.

At a conference hosted the same day by the Sejong Institute in Seoul, Under Secretary Colby in a speech praised Seoul as a "model ally" and urged "shared responsibility."

He said, "And in this time, President Lee's decision to increase defense spending to 3.5% to this new global standard and to assume greater responsibility for South Korea's conventional defense reflects a clear-eyed and sage understanding of how to address the security environment that we all face, and how to put our storied and historic alliance on sound footing for the long haul."

"President Trump has consistently argued that alliances are strongest when they are based on shared responsibility rather than permanent dependency," he added. "Now this is intimately and fully understood and reflected in action here in this great country of South Korea."

"And that is why my first international trip as Under Secretary of War for Policy is to the Republic of Korea."

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Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna: the EU decision to end imports of Russian gas by 2027 deprives the aggressor of one of its key sources of revenue

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

27.01.2026 | 10:24

Yesterday, 26 January, the European Union officially approved a decision to impose a complete ban on imports of Russian gas. According to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, this is a decisive step and an important achievement for Estonia, strengthening Europe's security, reducing dependencies in the energy sector, and having a direct impact on Russia's economic capacity.

"Energy supplies play a significant role in financing aggression," Tsahkna stressed. "Exports of fossil fuels account for nearly one third of Russia's state budget, and these revenues are used to continue the war in Ukraine and to prepare for confrontation with the West. With today's decision, the European Union takes a clear step away from Russia's energy sphere, as a country that actively disregards the norms of international law has no place in our energy market."

According to the foreign minister, Russia's increasingly intense attacks in Ukraine - which deliberately target the country's energy infrastructure and have left millions of Ukrainians without heating and electricity - require even stronger pressure on Moscow. "Russia has clearly demonstrated that it has no interest in peace. We must adopt a strong 20th sanctions package that includes additional measures against Russia's fossil fuel sector and the shadow fleet that supports the Russian economy," the foreign minister emphasised.

Since the start of the full-scale war, Estonia has consistently called on the European Union and its member states to end imports of Russian energy and to impose additional sanctions on the energy sector. The EU regulation approved today establishes a legally binding, phased ban on imports of both liquefied natural gas and pipeline gas from Russia. The ban will enter into force six weeks after the regulation is published, with a transition period applying to existing contracts. A full ban on liquefied natural gas imports will take effect at the beginning of 2027, and a ban on pipeline gas imports in the autumn of 2027.

The regulation is a central element of the EU's long-term REPowerEU action plan, which aims to permanently end imports of Russian energy, strengthen Europe's energy security, and diversify the energy market in light of Russia's unreliability as a supplier. The European Commission also plans to submit a proposal to phase out imports of Russian oil by the end of 2027 at the latest.

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Russian and Chinese defence ministers hold talks by videoconference

27 January 2026 06:45

Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov held talks with Defence Minister of the People's Republic of China Admiral Dong Jun via videoconference.

Andrei Belousov stressed that the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and China is progressively growing and the cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the People's Liberation Army of China is organised at a high level.

'The interaction between the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the People's Liberation Army of China is organised at a high level in the areas of defence and security,' the Russian Defence Minister stated.

'There have been many events since our last meeting in June last year. They had significant impact on the international situation. The situations in Iran and Venezuela require our ministries to organise a continuous analysis of the security situation and the corresponding actions,' the Russian Defence Minister noted.

Andrei Belousov added that a regular exchange of views on military cooperation is required in a dynamic changing global military and political situation.

'I am confident that today's talks will serve to further strengthen of bilateral strategic partnership and allow to discuss current security issues,' the Russian Defence Minister concluded.

In turn, Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun noted that videoconferences held at the beginning of the year demonstrates the deep relationship between the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China as well as mutual attention to the development of strategic interaction.

'It's our good tradition to connect at important moments by different assets and channels. I think our contacts and communications are timely and important in the face of a changing international situation,' the Chinese Defence Minister said.

Admiral Dong Jun drew attention to the fact that 'the armed forces of our countries are implementing the important agreements of our heads of the states and have made further progress in the areas of receiving of high delegations, joint exercises, patrolling, and exchange of experience in military occupational specialities.'

Department of Information and Media Affairs of Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation

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Russia Ready to Strengthen Practical Cooperation With Chinese Military - Defense Minister

Sputnik News

20260127

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Russia is ready to strengthen practical cooperation with the Chinese military, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Belousov and Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun held talks via videoconference.

"Russia is ready, together with China, to strengthen strategic consultations between the armed forces of the two countries, to deepen practical cooperation in such areas as joint actions and personnel training," Belousov said, as quoted by the CCTV broadcaster.

Moscow is ready to take strategic cooperation between the parties to an even higher level, Belousov added.

The comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and China is steadily developing, and cooperation between the Russian and Chinese armed forces is organized at a high level, Belousov said.

"Cooperation between the Russian armed forces and the People's Liberation Army of China is organized at a high level in the fields of defense and security," Belousov said.

The examples of Venezuela and Iran require the Russian and Chinese defense ministries to constantly analyze the security situation and take appropriate actions, the minister added.

The Chinese counterpart, in turn, said that mutual contacts are very important in a changing world situation.

China is ready to jointly enhance with Russia its capabilities to counter various risks and challenges, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said on Tuesday.

"[Beijing is also ready to work with Moscow to] improve exchange mechanisms, jointly enhance the ability to withstand various risks and challenges, and jointly bring positive energy to global security and stability," the minister said, as quoted by the CCTV broadcaster.

 Sputnik

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HRH the Crown Prince Chairs Cabinet Session in Riyadh

Saudi Press Agency

Tuesday 08/08/1447

Riyadh, January 27, 2026, SPA -- His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, chaired the Cabinet session held in Riyadh today.

At the outset of the session, HRH the Crown Prince briefed the Cabinet on the message he received from King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain, which addressed relations between the two brotherly countries.

The Cabinet reviewed current regional and international developments, reaffirming the Kingdom's commitment to supporting the mission of the Board of Peace in Gaza as a transitional authority to end the conflict, facilitate reconstruction, and pave the way for security and stability for the countries and peoples of the region.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency following the session, Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the Cabinet commended the participation of the Kingdom's delegation in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, highlighting the progress made in achieving Saudi Vision 2030 goals. The Cabinet also welcomed the Kingdom's hosting of the WEF Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting, scheduled for April 22-23, reinforcing Saudi Arabia's role in promoting global economic stability and strengthening communication between developed and developing economies to address shared global challenges.

The Cabinet expressed appreciation for the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the third edition of the Global Labor Market Conference in Riyadh, praising the resulting agreements aimed at empowering the workforce, utilizing artificial intelligence, and building sustainable ecosystems. Furthermore, the Cabinet commended the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) for launching its 2026 plan, which comprises 422 humanitarian projects globally, reflecting the Kingdom's steadfast approach to providing aid and assistance to those in need.

The Cabinet reviewed several reports on completed and ongoing projects and programs within the comprehensive development process. It praised the rapid progress of the Housing Program, which successfully raised the citizen homeownership rate to 66.2% by the end of 2025, with the number of beneficiaries exceeding one million.

The Cabinet also emphasized that more than 700 international companies have chosen Saudi Arabia as their regional headquarters, reflecting the Kingdom's achievements in infrastructure and its attractive business environment.

The Cabinet deemed the opening of the new expansion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and the inauguration of Al-Jouf International Airport as two important pillars for expanding air connectivity, improving the passenger experience, and keeping pace with economic and developmental progress in line with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030.

The Cabinet addressed other items on its agenda and issued several decisions, including the following:

First:

Authorizing the minister of energy, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Turkish side a draft intergovernmental agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Turkiye regarding renewable energy plant projects.

Second:

Authorizing the minister of interior, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Turkish side a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of civil defense and civil protection between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Turkiye.

Third:

Authorizing the minister of foreign affairs, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Trinidadian and Tobagonian side a draft general agreement for cooperation between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Fourth:

Authorizing the minister of environment, water and agriculture, or a deputy, to discuss and sign with the Bangladeshi side a draft memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the Bangladeshi Ministry of Agriculture for cooperation in fields related to the date palm and date sector.

Fifth:

Approving a draft memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Turkiye for cooperation in the field of social services.

Sixth:

Approving a draft agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Morocco on the mutual encouragement and protection of investments.

Seventh:

Approving a draft general cooperation agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the Republic of Estonia.

Eighth:

The Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors shall discuss and sign with the Institute of Internal Auditors of the United Kingdom and the New York Institute of Internal Auditors of the United States of America draft memoranda of understanding between the authority and the two institutes for cooperation in the field of internal auditing, governance, risk, and compliance.

Ninth:

Approving draft agreements between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the governments of Mongolia, Saint Lucia, Algeria, Latvia, Sao Tome and Principe, and South Africa in the field of air transport services.

-- SPA

18:07 Local Time 15:07 GMT

0068

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Swiss Government

Press release

Published on 27 January 2026

Bern, 27.01.2026 -- Switzerland takes note of the fifth report of the Investigation and Identification Team of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which was mandated to identify the perpetrators of chemical weapons use in Kafr Zita in the Hama Governorate of Syria on 1 October 2016. Switzerland condemns the use of chemical weapons in the strongest terms and calls for those responsible to be held accountable.

The fifth report of the OPCW's Investigation and Identification Team (IIT), which was published on 21 January 2026, sets out the findings from the investigation into the use of chemical weapons in Kafr Zeita, 30 kilometers north of Hama. The IIT has stated that there are justifiable reasons to conclude that the perpetrators were members of the Syrian Army's 'Tiger Forces' at the time of the attack. The IIT states that a Syrian Air Force helicopter dropped at least one yellow cylinder on the evening of 1 October 2016 as part of a military offensive aimed at stopping the opposition's advance towards the city of Hama. The cylinder hit two ventilation shafts near the Al Maghara hospital in Wadi al-Aanz in Kafr Zeita. On impact, the cylinder released chlorine gas, which spread and caused serious harm to at least 35 people.

Switzerland, which is represented at the OPCW by Ambassador Corinne Ciceron Buhler, condemns this deployment of chemical weapons in the strongest terms. The ban on the use of chemical weapons is binding on all parties to conflicts at all times and in all circumstances. The fifth IIT report is further evidence of the systematic use of toxic chemicals as weapons by the former Syrian authorities against their own people.

Those responsible for crimes under international law, including those responsible for the use of chemical weapons, must be brought to justice in independent, impartial and fair trials in accordance with international law. Switzerland supports organisations and measures aimed at documenting crimes under international law committed by all parties and bringing the perpetrators to justice. Such efforts are undertaken by the IIT as well as other bodies including UN mechanisms such as the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria and by Syrian NGOs. Switzerland welcomes the Syrian transitional government's cooperation with the OPCW and the IIT.

Switzerland will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the conflict in Syria as well as to neighbouring countries which have taken in the majority of those displaced. In addition, it will continue to make its good offices available to facilitate a lasting peace in Syria.
News story

Joint statement by France, Germany, the UK and the USA, following a meeting with the French Foreign Minister, German Minister of State, UK Foreign Secretary and US Special Envoy.

From: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP

Published 27 January 2026

Joint statement by France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States following a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, German Minister of State Serap Guler, and US Special Envoy Tom Barrack:

We welcome the 15-day extension of the ceasefire between the Syrian Government Forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces announced on 24 January. We call upon all parties to strictly adhere to the ceasefire and to exercise their utmost restraint. We urge all external parties to join us in pursuit of peace and de-escalation of violence.

We reiterate the obligation of all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We welcome the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance. We emphasise that these corridors must be maintained, and basic services resumed in the city of Kobane.

We also welcome the vital role played by partners, including Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, in addressing the challenges posed by ISIS.

We urge all parties to swiftly agree to a permanent ceasefire, and to resume as soon as possible negotiations aiming at the peaceful and sustainable integration of North-East Syria into a unitary and sovereign state that effectively respects and protects the rights of all its citizens, based on the 18 January 2026 agreement, as the most effective path to stability in Syria.

We reiterate the need to maintain and focus collective efforts on the fight against ISIS. We call upon all parties to avoid any security vacuum in and around ISIS detention centres. To address these concerns, we agreed to promptly convene a meeting of the International Coalition against ISIS.

We reaffirm our support for an inclusive political transition in Syria, which protects the rights of all Syrians, and emphasise that the stabilisation of North-East Syria through peaceful means constitutes a central priority for preventing a resurgence of terrorism and for regional security. We underline readiness to support and monitor, together with regional and international partners, the implementation of agreements between the parties which aim at a peaceful and sustainable integration of North-East Syria into a unitary, inclusive and sovereign state, effectively protecting the rights of all its citizens.


Army holds combat-readiness drills ahead of Lunar New Year holiday

ROC Central News Agency

01/27/2026 06:47 PM

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense held combat-readiness drills on Tuesday ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, with Army units in Taichung conducting integrated land-and-air exercises featuring a range of weaponry.

The drills at the Xinshe base involved personnel from the 586th Combined Arms Brigade, the 58th Artillery Command, and the Army Aviation 602nd Brigade.

Highlights included the Army's Land Sword II missile launcher and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), which simulated long-range precision support for the Penghu Islands and showcased Taiwan's deep-strike and joint operations capabilities.

The military also simulated a scenario in which a Chinese 075-class amphibious assault ship launched two Z-8 transport helicopters and four Z-10 attack helicopters from the Taiwan Strait toward central Taiwan. In response, Taiwan's air defense operations center ordered units to engage the incoming aircraft, while ground-based air-defense units, including land-based Hsiung Feng II missile launchers, command vehicles, and radar units, carried out simulated intercepts.

Army special forces, playing the role of enemy troops, fast-roped from UH-60M helicopters into the base to engage defending units and seize key points around the control tower, simulating attacks on hangars and other facilities.

Army Command Headquarters said the drills, which featured HIMARS, demonstrated the military's capabilities in long-range precision strikes and integrated joint operations.

(By Wu Shu-wei and Ko Lin)

Enditem/kb

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TPP's special budget bill would hamper arms procurement: MND official

ROC Central News Agency

01/27/2026 05:36 PM

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) A defense official warned Tuesday that if the Legislature insists on passing a budget plan proposed by the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) to buy American weapons systems, it would hamstring Taiwan's arms acquisition plans and have adverse consequences.

The TPP caucus, which has objected to the government's NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.72 billion) special defense budget proposal, proposed a special provision on Monday that would limit spending at NT$400 billion and included most of the major weapons systems already approved for sale to Taiwan by the United States.

The TPP's version of the bill also listed the maximum amount that could be spent on each item Taiwan wanted to acquire, unlike a list put out by the government, which did not show the cost of each weapons system covered by the special budget.

It lists 60 M109A7 self-propelled howitzers along with 4,080 rounds of precision munitions, with a spending cap of NT$126.7 billion, and 82 HIMARS multiple rocket missile systems, capped at NT$127.6 billion.

Also included are anti-armor loitering munition systems, capped at NT$34.7 billion, 70 Javelin anti-armor missile launchers and 1,050 missiles, capped at NT$11.8 billion, and 24 TOW 2B anti-armor missile launchers and 1,545 missiles, capped at NT$11.1 billion.

The U.S. items approved for sale to Taiwan but not included in the TPP bill were tactical mission network software, priced at US$1.01 billion, AH-1W helicopter parts, priced at US$96 million, and harpoon missile support, priced at US$91.4 million.

The government's special budget also covered the purchase of 200,000 drones and the development of a T-Dome system aimed at protecting Taiwan from enemy missiles.

Lt. Gen. Huang Wen-chi (), head of the Ministry of National Defense's (MND) Department of Strategic Planning, warned that the TPP bill would be hard to implement, citing the lack of matching funds for local companies to build maintenance and logistics facilities for the weapons, such as bunkers and vehicle shelters for the HIMARS system.

"If weapons are purchased without proper facilities to store and maintain them, they could be damaged," Huang said.

Asked about the potential impact of an opposition-backed special budget provision, Huang said he was not in a position to comment, but stressed that the MND's proposals are based on threat assessments and force adjustments.

Huang also expressed concern that the current stalemate in the Legislature regarding the arms procurement plans could cause Taiwan to miss the window to purchase the weapons.

The U.S. has elevated Taiwan's foreign military sales status to "quasi-NATO member," which means its window to respond to a letter of acceptance (LOA) has been shortened from 45 days to 30 days after the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress on Dec. 17, he said.

If the Cabinet's special defense budget proposal keeps languishing in the Legislature and the MND cannot sign the LOA, the arms sales package could be derailed, Huang said.

Opposition lawmakers have blocked the review of the Cabinet's special defense budget since President Lai Ching-te () announced it on Nov. 26.

They have demanded that Lai first brief the Legislature on the spending plan and take lawmakers' questions before reviewing the measure, a request that Lai has rejected.

(By Wu Su-wei and Sean Lin)

Enditem/ls

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Taiwan-U.S. trade deal requires legislative approval: Cabinet

ROC Central News Agency

01/27/2026 10:09 PM

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) The Executive Yuan on Tuesday noted that any Taiwan-U.S. reciprocal trade agreement is subject to approval by the Legislative Yuan, reaffirming Taiwan's position that legislative review is required for the deal to come into force.

The Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) under the Cabinet told reporters that Taiwan's negotiating team made clear from the first round of in-person talks with the United States that the agreement would include a "reservation" clause under Taiwan's legal framework.

The remarks came amid media attention to developments in South Korea, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would raise tariffs on certain Korean products, citing the failure of that country's national assembly to approve a trade deal reached last year.

Responding to media queries, the OTN stressed that Taiwan clearly communicated the requirement for legislative approval early in negotiations with Washington.

Taiwan and the U.S. reached multiple agreements at a wrap-up meeting on Jan. 15, including cutting tariffs on Taiwanese goods from 20 percent to 15 percent, without stacking them on top of existing most-favored-nation rates.

On the same day, Taiwan and the U.S. Department of Commerce signed an investment memorandum of understanding (MOU), the OTN said.

The Executive Yuan has said that after the Taiwan-U.S. reciprocal trade agreement is signed, it will submit the agreement along with the investment MOU to the Legislative Yuan, expressing hope that lawmakers will support the deals.

(By Lai Yu-chen and Lee Hsin-Yin)

Enditem/AW

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Mainland spokesperson slams Hsieh Chang-ting's pro-Japan remarks, says they once again expose the servile, traitorous nature of DPP politicians

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Jan 28, 2026 11:13 AM

Japan bears historical responsibility to the Chinese people on the Taiwan question, having committed innumerable heinous crimes during its 50 years of colonial rule over the Taiwan region. The recent remarks of Hsieh Chang-ting, head of the "Taiwan-Japan Relations Association," disregard history and betray their roots, once again exposing the servile and traitorous nature of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politicians who grovel to external forces in exchange for their support, Zhang Han, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday.

Zhang made the remarks in response to a media inquiry on claims by Hsieh, who recently took office as head of the "Taiwan-Japan Relations Association," that he would continue seeking to elevate "Taiwan-Japan friendship" into a community-like relationship in the future, remarks that have drawn widespread criticism from netizens on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.





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Japan in no position to interfere in affairs of China's Taiwan: FM spokesperson

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 08:21, January 28, 2026

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that the Japanese side is in no position to interfere in the affairs of China's Taiwan region, either from the perspective of history or law.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the comments as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reportedly said on Monday that any crisis in Taiwan could spur Japan and the United States to take joint action to rescue their own citizens. She added that in such a situation, there was no way Japan could abandon its long-time ally, the United States.

"The remarks by the Japanese side once again reveal the Japanese right-wing forces' ambitions to provoke antagonism, make trouble, and take the opportunity to keep remilitarizing Japan and to challenge the post-war international order," Guo said, urging the international community to stay on high alert and firmly reject that.

Japan should be reminded that the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement states that "the Government of Japan recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. The Government of the People's Republic of China reiterates that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China. The Government of Japan fully understands and respects this stand of the Government of the People's Republic of China, and it firmly maintains its stand under Article 8 of the Potsdam Proclamation," Guo said.

The 1978 Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between China and Japan, ratified by the two countries' legislatures, affirmed that the principles set out in the 1972 Joint Statement should be strictly observed, he added.

A series of instruments with legal effect under international law, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, require that all the territories Japan had stolen from China, such as Taiwan, must be restored to China, and Japan should be "completely disarmed" and not maintain such industries as "would enable her to re-arm for war," he said, adding that Japan's Constitution also made strict restrictions on the country's military forces, the right of belligerency and the right to war.

"These are political commitments that Japan must strictly honor and legal obligations that they cannot deny," Guo said.

"Japan claims to act within the scope of law but has kept their gross interference in China's domestic affairs and even threatened the use of force against China. This is self-contradictory," he noted.

Japan committed innumerable crimes during its colonial rule over Taiwan of more than 50 years, and bears serious historical responsibilities to the Chinese people.

"Either from the perspective of history or law, the Japanese side is in no position to interfere in the affairs of China's Taiwan region," Guo said.

"We once again urge the Japanese side to abide by the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan and Japan's own political commitments made to China, do soul-searching, correct its wrongdoings, and stop their manipulation and reckless moves on the Taiwan question," he said.

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2026.01.28

Issuing AuthorityPolitical Warfare Bureau

1.Date:

6 a.m. Jan. 27 (Tue.) to 6 a.m. Jan. 28 (Wed.) (UTC+8)

2.PLA activities:

4 sorties of PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.

3.PRC balloon activities

1 PRC balloon was detected during this timeframe.

1150128_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan_1

1150128_PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan_2

1150128_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan

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PM call with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson of Sweden: 27 January 2026

Press release

The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson this afternoon.

From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP

Published 27 January 2026

The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson this afternoon.

The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Kristersson for Sweden's strong and consistent support for Ukraine and highlighted the need to collectively go further to support their resilience, energy security, and air defence.

They underlined the importance of ensuring Ukraine has the longterm security assurances and continued international support it needs to secure a just and lasting peace.

The leaders then reflected on the strength of the wider UK-Sweden defence relationship. They agreed on the need to step up security in the High North and across Europe to deter threats posed by adversaries such as Russia.

They agreed to speak again soon.

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Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces inspects Zapad Group of Forces

26 January 2026 23:59

At the command post of one of the formations, the Chief of General Staff was informed by the Group Commander, Colonel General Sergei Kuzovlev on the situation in the area of responsibility as well as by the commanders of the formations on the results of combat missions.

Summing up the results, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov noted the success of the Zapad Group of Forces in carrying out the assigned tasks and gave instructions for further actions.

At the end of the inspection, the Chief of General Staff presented state awards to the most distinguished servicemen and thanked them for the bravery and courage shown during the combat operations.

Department of Information and Media Affairs of Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation

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"Army of Drones Bonus" program delivers results: nearly 820,000 russian targets hit in 2025, says Mykhailo Fedorov

Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

26 January, 2026, 9:07 PM EET

In 2025, approximately 820,000 russian targets were hit. This figure includes 240,000 instances of enemy personnel killed or critically wounded. These results were announced by Ukraine's Minister of Defence, Mykhailo Fedorov, during the "Army of Drones  2025" event, which was attended by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In particular, 819,737 video-confirmed strikes were recorded in 2025, with the highest number targeting enemy personnelnearly 240,000. The data also show 62,000 hits against light vehicles, 29,000 against heavy vehicles, and 32,000 against strike and reconnaissance UAVs.

"Currently, over 80% of enemy targets are destroyed by drones. The vast majority are drones manufactured in Ukraine. We must secure Ukraine's enduring technological leadership. This translates into increased effectiveness of drone developers and manufacturers, greater effectiveness of our "Drone Line" project, and greater effectiveness of every unit operating drones and employing technologies and all new elements of warfare," President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated.

As noted by Mykhailo Fedorov, the "Army of Drones" system has already proven to be a breakthrough in the war.

"For the first time, we have received real, verified battlefield data that can be used to support data-driven management decisions. We will continue to develop the program, and later this year we will expand the system to include new areas, including awarding points for the performance of air defense and army aviation against enemy drones, as well as rewarding snipers for their performance," he emphasized.

During the event, the Minister of Defence highlighted units with the highest e-Point totals for enemy engagements in the "Army of Drones Bonus" system.

The following units were ranked in the top 10:

414th Separate Brigade "Birds of Madyar" of the Unmanned Systems Forces;

Special Operations Center "A" of the Security Service of Ukraine;

Lasar's Group of the National Guard of Ukraine;

"Phoenix" Main Unmanned Aerial Systems Department;

3rd Separate Assault Brigade;

429th Separate Regiment "Achilles" of the Unmanned Systems Forces;

427th Separate Brigade "Rarog" of the Unmanned Systems Forces;

59th Separate Assault Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces;

412th Separate Brigade "NEMESIS" of the Unmanned Systems Forces;

Unmanned Systems Battalion of the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade.

The Minister of Defence noted that each award reflects a tangible result on the battlefield, which the Ministry is scaling across the entire frontline. This approach strengthens the Defence Forces and builds a technological advantage over the enemy.

Mykhailo Fedorov noted that one of the objectives is to increase the depth of engagement to disrupt enemy logistics and neutralize enemy UAV crews. For this purpose, point-allocation coefficients will be introduced, based on the range of engagement.

Lieutenant General Andrii Hnatov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; Major General Yevhenii Khmara, Acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine; and Major Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, also recognized units and individual crews in specific categories.

In particular, awards were presented to units that achieved the highest performance on the battlefield in the following categories:

destruction of tanks;

destruction of artillery systems;

destruction of enemy targets by artillery;

destruction of enemy targets using fiber-optic-controlled drones;

ground robotic systems operators;

reconnaissance missions;

destruction of light vehicles;

destruction of air defense systems and radar systems;

destruction of targets at ranges exceeding 20 km;

interception of 'Shahed' drones;

destruction of enemy personnel;

destruction of armored vehicles;

interception of reconnaissance fixed-wing UAVs.

In addition, awards were presented to manufacturers of the most effective systems that have delivered the best battlefield results. The most effective systems in specific categories and the most popular items on the Brave1 Market were also recognized.

Mykhailo Fedorov thanked crews, operators, and all service members who risk their lives, test new solutions, undergo training, and share their experience with others.

"You are the ones who turn technology into real power and prove that modern warfare is won not by sheer quantitative superiority, but by intelligence, speed, and precision. I thank each of you for the results achieved. I thank the President for his leadership and systematic support of the "Army of Drones Bonus" program," he concluded.

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Prime Minister Orpo in Beijing: "China's support for peace in Ukraine is important"

Finnish Government

Government Communications Department

Publication date 27.1.2026

Type:Press release

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is in China for an official visit from 24 to 29 January. On Tuesday 27 January, Prime Minister Orpo met for separate discussions with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Li Qiang and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji. In all three discussions, Prime Minister Orpo highlighted Finland's and Europe's support for Ukraine, EU-China relations and a variety of bilateral issues, including increasing Finland's exports to China.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo had lengthy discussions about Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, especially in his meeting with President Xi Jinping.

"Russia is also attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, which is prohibited under international law. No one should support Russia in these actions. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine poses a threat to the security of Finland and Europe as a whole. I call on China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to work towards a lasting peace in Ukraine," said Prime Minister Orpo.

Prime Minister Orpo noted that China's support for Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine is the most significant issue undermining the EU-China relationship. Prime Minister Orpo also stressed the importance of EU-China relations at the global level.

"The relationship between the EU and China is critical in the current global situation. The EU and China are economic giants whose relationship plays a major role in global economic development. It is important to promote trade between the EU and China that is based on reciprocity and a level playing field," Prime Minister Orpo said.

In his discussions with the Chinese leaders, Prime Minister Orpo also highlighted the long-standing political and economic relationship between Finland and China. The Prime Minister called attention to human rights and climate issues, as well as the trade imbalance between China and Finland, which is in China's favour.

In the meeting between Prime Minister Orpo and Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, the two premiers signed Memoranda of Understanding outlining future cooperation between their countries. The Memoranda of Understanding concern sustainable construction, energy cooperation, animal disease management and the activities of the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation. The prime ministers also signed a Letter of Intent on promoting tourism and a protocol to scientific and technological consultations held in autumn 2025.

Prime Minister Orpo's visit boosts Finnish exports

During his visit to China, Prime Minister Orpo also met with China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao. Their discussions on Monday 26 January focused mainly on promoting Finnish companies' access to the Chinese market. Representatives from Finnish companies were also present at the meeting.

The sixth in-person meeting of the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation was also held during Prime Minister Orpo's visit. Established in 2017, the business-driven committee aims to promote trade and investments between Finland and China. The committee's cooperation is coordinated on the Finnish side by the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), and its work is supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Representatives from 20 Finnish companies took part in the meeting of the Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation in Beijing, most of whom had travelled to Beijing in connection with Prime Minister Orpo's visit. Finnish and Chinese companies signed 11 commercial agreements with one another during the visit.

"Official visits like this open doors for our companies in China. I am very pleased to be able to support Finland's exports and boost employment in this way, too," said Prime Minister Orpo.

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Communities in 10 regions to obtain 447 generators from the EU: the first 300 generators have already arrived in Ukraine

Ukraine Government

Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, posted 27 January 2026 21:53

300 generators have arrived in Ukraine as part of a planned delivery of 447 generators, with support of the European Union. Of these, 445 are low-power (13.75 kW and 15 kW) and two are high-power (over 600 kW).

The delivery is being carried out through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism from the EU's strategic reserves rescEU and is being implemented in cooperation with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. The total cost of the generators is EUR 3.7 million.

In particular, 148 low-power generators were delivered to Kyiv. Two trucks also arrived in Kropyvnytskyi, delivering another 152 generators. The rest are on their way and shall arrive and be distributed among communities in the near future.

"We are currently facing the most difficult energy challenge. The enemy is deliberately trying to deprive us of basic necessities: light and heat in our homes, water in our taps. But every delivery like today's is our joint response to this terror. The priority is social and medical facilities, shelters, and warming centers.

The equipment will help in the operation of boiler rooms, water supply facilities, treatment plants, and artesian wells. Your logistical support and role in distributing aid is an example of how the public sector and European partners can work as a single, well-coordinated mechanism," said Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine  Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, Oleksii Kuleba.

This concerns frontline regions and regions affected by russian shelling of critical infrastructure: Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Chernihiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Some of the equipment is also intended for heat supply companies in the capital and Kyiv region.

The hardware is intended to support the work of social protection institutions, hospitals, shelters, resilience centers, and critical infrastructure facilities. The equipment is planned to use to ensure the operation of boiler rooms and water supply facilities.

The event brought together Katarina Mathernova, Ambassador of the European Union to Ukraine, Maryna Denysiuk, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, representatives of the European Commission, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, and partners involved in the delivery.

In the near future, all equipment will be supplied to the regions and put into operation, ensuring the stable operation of critical infrastructure and social protection of citizens in frontline and affected areas.

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New Round Of Russian Strikes Kills 9, Knocks Out Power In Several Areas Of Ukraine

By RFE/RL January 27, 2026

Russian air strikes hit several regions across Ukraine, killing several people and damaging an energy facility in the southern port city of Odesa and knocking out power in Kharkiv as the country struggles through blackouts and heating outages amid a deep winter freeze.

Odesa regional military administration head Oleh Kiper said the city was hit by a large-scale drone attack leaving one man dead and at least 23 people, including children and a pregnant woman, injured. He added that several apartment buildings were damaged, triggering major fires, while a church in the city center and a kindergarten were also hit.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned a multiple drone strike on a passenger train in Kharkiv region in the afternoon on January 27 that killed five of the 200 passengers onboard. Zelenskyy called the attack an act of terrorism, adding that "there is and cannot be any military purpose in targeting civilians on a train."

'Brutal' Attack On Odesa

A married couple in their 40s were reportedly killed in Slovyansk in the eastern Donetsk region, while in another drone attack in the southern region of Zaporizhzhya a 58-year-old was killed at home.

"A brutal drone attack on Odesa," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.

"Every such Russian strike erodes the diplomacy that is still ongoing and undermines the efforts of partners who are helping to end this war," he added.

Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are set to resume negotiations in Abu Dhabi later this week after what officials said were "constructive" peace talks last weekend, even as the war shows no signs of easing as it nears its four-year anniversary.

The Kremlin has shown no signs of backing down from its long-held maximalist demands.

Russia has been attempting to push westward through eastern Ukraine to gain as much ground as possible amid peace negotiations. Much of its gains have been in the Donetsk region, although it has kept the pressure on the Kharkiv region, as well.

The number of Russian and Ukrainian troops killed, wounded, or missing during nearly four years of war is on track to reach 2 million by this spring, according to the latest study by Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The report, titled Massive Losses and Tiny Gains for a Declining Power, said that "Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains and is in decline as a major power." It goes on to conclude that since February 2022, Russian forces have suffered nearly 1.2 million casualties, which amounts to "more losses than any major power in any war since World War II."

Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said on January 27 that Ukraine's withdrawal from the Donbas region -- Ukraine's industrial heartland -- was "the path to peace."



But for the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians, giving up the Donbas -- which Russia currently controls around 90 percent of -- or any other territory formally or permanently is out of the question.

Unprecedented Energy Blackouts

This winter has been miserable for millions of Ukrainians suffering at the hands of unprecedented energy blackouts caused by relentless, and targeted, Russian drone and missile strikes that have severely damaged heating and electricity infrastructure across the country.

Since at least January 9, which saw the worst Russian barrage of the new year, emergency crews have raced to keep pace with the destruction wrought by Russian attacks: substations damaged, power-line pylons toppled, heating and hot water pipes ruptured, plants shut down.

Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said Russian strikes overnight on January 27 cut electricity supplies to roughly 80 percent of the city of Kharkiv and surrounding areas.

NetBlocks, a digital rights watchdog and connectivity monitoring organization, reported an Internet disruption in Kharkiv following the Russian attack.

In western Ukraine, an infrastructure facility in the Lviv region was damaged in a Russian attack, according to regional Governor Maksym Kozytskiy.

He did not specify the type of facility targeted but said emergency services were working at the scene.

Russia denies intentionally targeting civilians in Ukraine despite widespread evidence to the contrary since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022.

With reporting from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/strikes-odesa- russia-attacks-ukraine-energy-outages/33661127.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.

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EU, US Sketch Out $800 Billion 'Prosperity Framework' For Post-War Ukraine

By Rikard Jozwiak January 27, 2026

The European Union and the United States have sketched out a "prosperity framework" for Ukraine designed to provide Kyiv with financial assurances along with security guarantees to stabilize Ukraine after the war with Russia ends.

The 18-page document, seen by RFE/RL, says that while $800 billion could be mobilized for Ukraine through 2040, the immediate aim is to meet the country's need for some $500 billion in reconstruction over the next decade.

The EU, the United States and international financial institutions -- including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank -- would participate in the initial phase, providing $317 billion for reconstruction, $57 billion for private housing, and some $126 billion for the construction of both public and private buildings.

Compensation to victims would be dealt with separately through a mechanism targeting Russia's frozen assets in the West.

Speaking last week as the framework was being discussed at an informal meeting of members of the European Council, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that it "looks at how we can boost the prosperity of Ukraine at the moment we achieve a peaceful cease-fire."

"We are talking about a single document representing the collective vision of the Ukrainians, Americans, and Europe for Ukraine's post-war future," she said.

The $800 billion figure comes from the war-torn country's "ambition to identify further investment opportunities that will enable its economy to grow and thrive, double its GDP, raise its productivity, and significantly improve Ukrainians' quality of life," according to the document.

Terms And Conditions For Ukraine

Much of the plan depends on the war ending soon. But there are other conditions.

Rapid progress toward EU accession is highlighted as a must. It is noted that the GDPs of Central and Eastern European economies that joined the club in 2004 and 2007 nearly tripled since then and that this trick can be repeated with Kyiv.

While Ukraine hopes to join the club before the end of the decade, Hungary has blocked the start of accession talks for nearly two years over what Budapest sees as Ukrainian discrimination of the Hungarian-speaking minority in the country -- a spat that has now prompted leader Viktor Orban to recently state that no Hungarian parliament "in 100 years" will be ready to green-light Ukrainian EU membership.

But this is not the only condition set out in the paper. "Restoring Ukraine's access to sovereign debt markets is a critical unlock," it says, adding that this would involve "enabling banks to refocus on lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and thereby stimulating job creation and the overall economy."

It also mentions the need for the country to "re-establish its standing with the global investor community," which includes expanded digital infrastructure and strengthening the independence of the judiciary and property rights in the country.

But where this $800 billion come from?

There are some concrete pledges of cash. The European Commission has proposed earmarking $116 billion for Ukraine in the next multiannual EU budget, which should start in 2028 and run through 2034. But all EU member states need to agree on this in long-winded negotiations over the next 18 months, and it's not clear if this number will remain given many EU capitals are keen to reduce EU budget expenditures in general.

There is no figure yet for Washington's expected contribution. The paper notes simply that "the United States will endeavor to raise significant additional capital (public and private, grants, equity and debt) to be invested transparently and effectively in Ukraine."

The authors also say that the return of 2.1 million migrants within the first two years of the end of the war would lead to a productivity leap of 5 percent and a potential rise in GDP per capita growth.

The document also notes that additional public capital is expected to come from "concessional loans from international financial institutions, other grants, and philanthropies" and that Ukraine "may consider the sale of mineral rights as another means to introduce private capital into Ukraine, as envisioned by the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund."

Investing In Ukraine's Future

However, the framework as it stands now gives no specific numbers. The appendix states while Ukraine's "minerals sector offers substantial investment opportunities," it cautions that "challenges persist, including longer lead times for lithium projects, the need to align with global standards, and the requirement for updated technological and geological data to support new greenfield initiatives."

Apart from the country's mineral sectors, Brussels and Washington are eyeing a number of additional fields of investment. One is the over 3,000 state-owned enterprises that could be privatized -- the paper notes such a move is "necessary to open up key sectors of the economy to private investment, remove inefficiencies, and allow for innovation and investments."

The reconstruction of over 25,000 kilometers of roads is also mentioned, as is an upgrade of the Chornomorsk port southwest of Odesa.

In the energy sector, six new nuclear reactors in Khmelnitsky and Rivne could be constructed. The text also mentions that "the United States, and potentially US companies, will aim to partner with Ukraine through co-investment to restore, grow, modernize, and operate Ukraine's gas infrastructure, which includes its pipeline and storage facilities."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-us-prosperity-framework- post-war-ukraine/33661326.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.

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Wider Europe Briefing: How The West Sees Ukraine's Growth Prospects After Peace

By Rikard Jozwiak January 27, 2026

Briefing #1: All You Need To Know About The EU-US Prosperity Framework For Ukraine

What You Need To Know: The European Union and the United States have sketched out a "prosperity framework" for Ukraine designed to provide Kyiv with financial assurances along with security guarantees to stabilize Ukraine after the war with Russia ends. The 18-page document, seen by RFE/RL, says that while $800 billion could be mobilized for Ukraine through 2040, the immediate aim is to meet the country's need for some $500 billion in reconstruction over the next decade.

The EU, the United States and international financial institutions -- including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank -- would participate in the initial phase, providing $317 billion for reconstruction, $57 billion for private housing, and some $126 billion for the construction of both public and private buildings. Compensation to victims would be dealt with separately through a mechanism targeting Russia's frozen assets in the West.

Speaking last week as the framework was being discussed at an informal meeting of members of the European Council, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that it "looks at how we can boost the prosperity of Ukraine at the moment we achieve a peaceful cease-fire." "We are talking about a single document representing the collective vision of the Ukrainians, Americans, and Europe for Ukraine's post-war future," she said. The $800 billion figure comes from the war-torn country's "ambition to identify further investment opportunities that will enable its economy to grow and thrive, double its GDP, raise its productivity, and significantly improve Ukrainians' quality of life," according to the document.

Deep Background: Much of the plan depends on the war ending soon. But there are other conditions. Rapid progress toward EU accession is highlighted as a must. It is noted that the GDPs of Central and Eastern European economies that joined the club in 2004 and 2007 nearly tripled since then and that this trick can be repeated with Kyiv. While Ukraine hopes to join the club before the end of the decade, Hungary has blocked the start of accession talks for nearly two years over what Budapest sees as Ukrainian discrimination of the Hungarian-speaking minority in the country -- a spat that has now prompted leader Viktor Orban to recently state that no Hungarian parliament "in 100 years" will be ready to green-light Ukrainian EU membership.

But this is not the only condition set out in the paper. "Restoring Ukraine's access to sovereign debt markets is a critical unlock," it says, adding that this would involve "enabling banks to refocus on lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and thereby stimulating job creation and the overall economy." It also mentions the need for the country to "re-establish its standing with the global investor community," which includes expanded digital infrastructure and strengthening the independence of the judiciary and property rights in the country. But where this $800 billion come from?

Drilling Down:

There are some concrete pledges of cash. The European Commission has proposed earmarking $116 billion for Ukraine in the next multi-annual EU budget, which should start in 2028 and run through 2034.

But all EU member states need to agree on this in long-winded negotiations over the next 18 months, and it's not clear if this number will remain given many EU capitals are keen to reduce EU budget expenditures in general.

There is no figure yet for Washington's expected contribution. The paper notes simply that "the United States will endeavor to raise significant additional capital (public and private, grants, equity and debt) to be invested transparently and effectively in Ukraine."

The authors also say that the return of 2.1 million migrants within the first two years of the end of the war would lead to a productivity leap of 5 percent and a potential rise in GDP per capita growth.

The document also notes that additional public capital is expected to come from "concessional loans from international financial institutions, other grants, and philanthropies" and that Ukraine "may consider the sale of mineral rights as another means to introduce private capital into Ukraine, as envisioned by the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund."

However, the framework as it stands now gives no specific numbers. The appendix states while Ukraine's "minerals sector offers substantial investment opportunities," it cautions that "challenges persist, including longer lead times for lithium projects, the need to align with global standards, and the requirement for updated technological and geological data to support new greenfield initiatives."

Apart from the country's mineral sectors, Brussels and Washington are eyeing a number of additional fields of investment. One is the over 3,000 state-owned enterprises that could be privatized -- the paper notes such a move is "necessary to open up key sectors of the economy to private investment, remove inefficiencies, and allow for innovation and investments."

The reconstruction of over 25,000 kilometers of roads is also mentioned, as is an upgrade of the Chornomorsk port southwest of Odesa.

In the energy sector, six new nuclear reactors in Khmelnitsky and Rivne could be constructed. The text also mentions that "the United States, and potentially US companies, will aim to partner with Ukraine through co-investment to restore, grow, modernize, and operate Ukraine's gas infrastructure, which includes its pipeline and storage facilities."





Briefing #2: What's In The 'Davos Deal' Made To Ease Transatlantic Tensions Over Greenland?

What You Need To Know: There may be a solution to the recent tension over Greenland. US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, in a much-touted meeting held in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21, reached a framework agreement. Earlier that day, Trump had reiterated his wish to bring the Danish island under American sovereignty but ruled out force to accomplish this. But after his meeting with Rutte, he posted on social media that "we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region." "This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato Nations," he added.

The agreement, which multiple RFE/RL sources insist has yet to be officially drawn up, will apparently be worked out in the coming weeks. While NATO facilitated the initial meeting, the talks will now mainly be held between the foreign ministers of the United States, Denmark, and Greenland with the potential involvement of the US Vice President JD Vance, as well. Several NATO officials and European diplomats speaking under condition of anonymity told RFE/RL that while concrete details will be ironed out later, there are some "contours" that have been sketched out.

Deep Background: One of the sticking points will continue to be the issue of sovereignty -- perhaps not of the entire island, but part of it. There have been media reports that the United States would control parts of Greenland by potentially designating them as "sovereign base areas." This would be something like Britain's currently setup in Cyprus, with some bases remaining under London's control to date despite the island gaining independence in 1960. NATO officials whom RFE/RL has spoken to insist that "the Cyprus model was not mentioned in the meeting," with one saying that media reporting on this was likely based on speculation by officials on the direction the talks could take. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also issued a statement after the Trump-Rutte meeting, noting that "NATO is fully aware of the Kingdom of Denmark's position. We can negotiate on everything political; security, investments, economy. But we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty."

Some other contours of the framework might, however, be easier to agree on. One includes a "brush up" of the 1951 treaty between the United States and Denmark that allowed Washington to keep its bases on Greenland and establish new ones if the United States and NATO deemed it necessary. That deal was reworked in 2004 so that consent by both Denmark and Greenland is needed for any US troop increases or new military installments. At the moment, the United States has one base there, which hosts some 200 officers working on ballistic-missile early warnings and space surveillance. During the Cold War, there were up to 10,000 US soldiers on the island. The reworking is likely to include the incorporation of the proposed American Golden Dome anti-missile system that would cover the North Atlantic, including Greenland -- a move that both Copenhagen and Nuuk are reportedly fine with.

Drilling Down:

Another aspect of the framework includes investment screening. The United States wants a say in who is allowed to invest in Greenland, with the clear intention of staving off China and Russia from gaining a foothold there. A rare-earth deal, meaning special rights for mining, would also be included and is expected to be agreed on relatively expediently.

A third aspect is greater NATO involvement in and around Greenland. This could involve the military alliance as a whole or just the so-called Arctic-7 members of the club: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States.

Whether this entails an expanded number of exercises or something more permanent remains to be seen. Along these lines, there has been much talk in Brussels of a NATO-led Arctic Sentry mission.

mission. Speaking in Brussels on January 22 after a regular meeting of all the NATO countries' chiefs of defense, the alliance's Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grynkewich said there was no "political guidance yet" for an Arctic Sentry-type of mission just yet.

"We are doing some thinking but no planning yet but we are ready and we have a ton of expertise," he said. He also said there was "never a military dimension in those (Davos) talks that came down to us."

He also confirmed that no NATO exercises are expected on Greenland in the coming months but that a regular joint US-Canadian exercise with Denmark's blessing called Norad -- involving military aircrafts from both nations -- is under way.





Looking Ahead

EU foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on January 29 and are expected to green light some sanctions on foreign powers. Firstly, they could agree on targeting a handful of Russians that the bloc considers has supported the Kremlin's "destabilizing activities" around the world. The ministers could also wave through a raft of sanctions on prominent members of the Iranian regime responsible for the deadly crackdown on protesters in the country in recent weeks.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/wider-europe-briefing- ukraine-peace-prosperity/33661150.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.

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Ukraine Troop Pullout From Donbass Prerequisite for Peace, Says Russian Envoy Dmitriev

Sputnik News

20260127

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with foreign countries, said on Tuesday that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbass could lead to peace in Ukraine.

"Donbass withdrawal is the path to peace for Ukraine," Dmitriev said on X, commenting on reports that the administration of US President Donald Trump made it clear to Ukraine that US security guarantees depend on Ukraine agreeing to withdraw its troops from Donbass.

The Financial Times has reported that the US considers Ukraine's withdrawal from Donbass a prerequisite for resolving the conflict, but Ukraine is only willing to discuss territorial issues in exchange for security guarantees from Washington.

Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out withdrawing Ukrainian armed forces from the Donbass region following a meeting with Trump in December.

On January 23, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbass was an important condition. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov described the pullout of Ukrainian troops from the region as an essential component of any comprehensive peace plan.

 Sputnik

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Russia Continues to Advance in All Directions of Military Operation - General Staff Chief

Sputnik News

20260127

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's armed forces continue to advance in all directions in the special military operation zone, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces Valery Gerasimov said on Tuesday.

Gerasimov inspected the Zapad battlegroup in the special operation zone, was briefed on the situation, noted the successes and gave instructions, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

"The troops of the battlegroup continue to advance in all directions," Gerasimov said.

Russia's Yug battlegroup is actively moving westward in the direction of Slovyansk in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) as part of the special military operation, as well as is conducting operations to destroy enemy formations in Konstantinovka in the DPR, the general staff head said.

"The Sever battlegroup is fighting to expand the security zone in the border areas of Sumy and Kharkov regions. Over the month, four settlements were liberated, including Siminovka and Staritsa over the last week," Gerasimov said.

Fighting continues in the area of responsibility of the Tsentr battlegroup, which is developing an offensive in the Dobropolye direction, the general staff head said.

"In total, the Dnepr battlegroup liberated four settlements in January," Gerasimov said.

Russia's Vostok battlegroup liberated four settlements in Dnepropetrovsk and eastern Zaporozhye regions in January, while the Zapad battlegroup liberated the Kupyansk-Uzlovaya settlement and continues active offensive operations on a wide front in its area of responsibility, Gerasimov said.

Since the beginning of January 2026, the Russian Armed Forces have liberated 17 settlements and taken control of over 500 square kilometers of territory in the special military operation zone, Chief of the General Staff and First Deputy Defense Minister Gen. of the Army Valery Gerasimov said.

"Since the beginning of January, 17 settlements have been liberated, and over 500 square kilometers of territory have come under our control," Gerasimov said.



 Sputnik

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Trump says DHS secretary will not step down amid Democrats' impeachment threats

Xinhua) 09:46, January 28, 2026

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem will not step down, even as Democrats threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against her.

When asked if Noem will leave the post, Trump told reporters at the White House: "No."

Noem has been facing mounting pressure in recent days following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. The backlash has focused on her comments describing the victims as having committed "an act of domestic terrorism," a claim not supported by video evidence.

On Jan. 7, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis during an operation. On Saturday, Border Patrol officers fatally shot 37-year-old U.S. citizen Alex Pretti in the city.

The shootings have drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, with Democrats calling for Noem to be fired or impeached and some Republican lawmakers urging congressional hearings into federal immigration enforcement practices.

Republican Senator Rand Paul said Tuesday on X that he is calling on the leadership at ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which he chairs.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Andrii Sybiha held phone talks with German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

27 January 2026 20:01

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha: "I had a productive call with Germany's Federal Foreign Minister and my friend Johann Wadephul.

I updated him on the consequences of the recent intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which have left many communities without electricity, heating, and water in the middle of winter.

We highly appreciate Germany's leadership in providing comprehensive support to Ukraine  from defense to energy and humanitarian assistance. The recently announced new energy assistance package is another timely and life-saving help for the Ukrainian people.

We discussed recent developments in the peace process, urgent steps to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities, air defense, and energy resilience.

I emphasized the need for the strong EU 20th sanctions package. Grateful for Germany's principled stance on increasing the cost of war for the aggressor and enhancing effectiveness of sanctions measures against Russia's shadow fleet.

We coordinated our positions ahead of the upcoming FAC meeting and agreed on next bilateral contacts."

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer Discussed Energy Support and Continued Diplomatic Efforts

President of Ukraine

27 January 2026 - 19:04

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Keir Starmer for his words of condolence regarding Russian strikes on civilians and energy facilities. The President emphasized: it is crucial that the UK is providing support not only with words but also through concrete energy aid packages.

"We value the decisions already made and hope that our discussions on strengthening air defense will also yield results," the Head of State noted.

The leaders also discussed diplomatic efforts. Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted that the meetings in the United Arab Emirates were constructive and that the dialogue will continue later this week. According to the President, Ukraine wants to end this war as quickly as possible and is ready to work 24/7 to achieve a dignified peace, and Russia must show the same readiness on its part.

"Not attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure or attempts to cut people off from power and heat, but real steps toward stopping the bloodshed," the Head of State stressed.

The leaders share a common position: it is crucial to increase pressure on Russia and to coordinate all international efforts to end the war, with China potentially playing a significant role in this process.

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It Is Impossible to Speak About Security in Europe Without Ensuring Security in Ukraine - Ihor Zhovkva

President of Ukraine

27 January 2026 - 15:30

Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva held a meeting with a Norwegian delegation comprising Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Torgeir Larsen and Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense Frede Hermansen.

"Despite the difficult winter we are experiencing this year, it is extremely important to feel the support of our friends. Norway remains firmly committed to assisting Ukraine. Thank you for the Nansen Program, both its military and humanitarian components. Thank you for providing the second-largest amount of assistance to Ukraine - $8.3 billion over last year and this year," Ihor Zhovkva emphasized.

The key topic of the meeting was energy support. The Deputy Head of the Office of the President highlighted Norway's contribution to Ukraine's energy resilience, including a grant of nearly $400 million for gas imports in 2025 and the continuation of grant assistance already this month. In January, Norway allocated $100 million for the repair of energy equipment and another $100 million for gas imports.

The parties also discussed security guarantees for Ukraine. Ihor Zhovkva noted Norway's participation in this process and the personal involvement of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre.

"Norway is one of our key partners. We are grateful to your country for its role in the Coalition of the Willing and for joining the Paris Declaration. Due to geographical realities, you understand us like no one else: it is impossible to speak about security in Europe without ensuring security in Ukraine," the Deputy Head of the Office of the President stressed.

Special attention was given to the further development of the PURL initiative, which ensures the procurement of missiles for Patriot air defense systems and saves lives. Norway has made the largest contribution - $840 million. Ukraine counts on maintaining the same level of funding this year as well.

Ukraine and Norway also agreed to step up cooperation on joint defense projects, including drone production, to strengthen the defense capabilities of Ukraine and all of Europe.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Jonas Gahr Stre Discussed the Negotiation Process to Achieve Peace and the Preparation of Steps for Ukraine's Recovery and Post-War Economic Development

President of Ukraine

27 January 2026 - 15:14

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Stre.

The Head of State thanked the Prime Minister for the unwavering support and informed him about the trilateral format of the meetings in the United Arab Emirates that took place recently, as well as the preparations for the next meetings.

"Our team is working in the most constructive and substantive manner possible. Unfortunately, Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy sector and infrastructure continue, which, of course, undermines diplomatic efforts," the President noted.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the recent energy support packages from Norway are truly tangible. The Head of State also noted that Norway is ready to join the preparation of steps for Ukraine's recovery and post-war economic development. The leaders agreed to continue developing joint opportunities in building modern defense capabilities.

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President of Ukraine and Federal Chancellor of Austria Discussed Support for Ukraine's Energy Sector

President of Ukraine

27 January 2026 - 13:57

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with Federal Chancellor of Austria Christian Stocker.

They discussed the energy situation in Ukraine. Russia strikes energy infrastructure every day to leave Ukrainians without electricity and heat, and it is very important that partners respond to this. The President thanked Austria for the funds allocated last week to support Ukraine's energy sector. The leaders also discussed other ways to support Ukraine's energy system.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed Christian Stocker about the trilateral meetings involving the Ukrainian, American, and Russian delegations that took place in the United Arab Emirates last week. The Head of State noted that, among other issues, security guarantees were discussed.

"Ukraine's accession to the European Union is one of the key security guarantees not only for us, but also for all of Europe. After all, Europe's collective strength is possible, in particular, thanks to Ukraine's security, technological, and economic contributions. That is why we are speaking about a concrete date - 2027 - and we count on partners' support for our position," the President emphasized.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Christian Stocker to visit Ukraine to continue the dialogue during an in-person meeting.

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If We Do Not Remember the Victims of the Holocaust, Fascism Has a Chance to Be Reborn and Wage War Against Humanity - President

President of Ukraine

27 January 2026 - 13:23

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored the memory of the victims of the Holocaust at the National Historical and Memorial Reserve "Babyn Yar."

"This is a clear lesson of history: when hatred against a people is not stopped, others must not remain indifferent or stand aside. Aggression and contempt for the lives of people and entire nations must never prevail, and the protection of life must be the responsibility not only of the brave, but also of all humanity," Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.

The Head of State emphasized that honoring the memory of those who were murdered is an important signal to future generations so that the tragedy is not repeated.

"If we do not gather, if we do not remember the victims - first and foremost the victims of the Jewish people during the Holocaust, during Babyn Yar, where more than 100,000 people were killed and tortured - and millions of people around the world - if we do not do this, then fascism has a chance to be born, to be reborn in one country or another, and to wage war against humanity. Against the most important thing - against life," the President said.

More than 50 representatives of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations, as well as Ukrainian rabbis, took part in the event.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the diplomats present and their countries for supporting Ukraine.

"Ukraine is walking a very difficult path, but a path that is certainly toward justice. Thank you. And let us honor the memory of all - absolutely all - victims: adults, the elderly, children - everyone who was tortured by the fascist regime," the Head of State said.

It was on January 27, 1945, that the last prisoners of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau were liberated. More than one million people were killed there, the majority of them Jews. In 2005, the UN General Assembly designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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VANCOUVER, Jan. 27, 2026 - Trident Resources Corp. (TSXV: ROCK) (OTCQB: TRDTF) ( "Trident" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Haywood Securities Inc., on its behalf and on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters including Research Capital Corporation (collectively, the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a bought-deal basis, 4,000,000 common shares of the Company that will qualify as "flow-through shares" within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act") (each, a "FT Share") at a price of $3.76 per FT Share for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $15,040,000 (the "Offering"). The FT Shares will be issued on a prospectus-exempt basis pursuant to the 'listed issuer financing exemption' ("LIFE") under applicable Canadian securities laws.

The Company has granted the Underwriters an option (the "Underwriters' Option") to increase the size of the Offering by up to an additional 600,000 FT Shares for additional gross proceeds of up to $2,256,000, to cover over-allotments, exercisable at any time up to 2 business days prior to closing of the Offering.

The gross proceeds from the sale of FT Shares will be used for further exploration, mineral resource expansion and drilling at Trident's gold projects located in the La Ronge Gold Belt of Saskatchewan, as Canadian Exploration Expenses as defined in paragraph (f) of the definition of "Canadian exploration expense" in subsection 66.1(6) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and "flow through mining expenditures" as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) that will qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures", which will be renounced with an effective date no later than December 31, 2026 to the initial purchasers of FT Shares.

The Offering is expected to close on or about February 18, 2026, or such other date as may be agreed to by the Company and the Underwriters (the "Closing"). Closing is subject to customary conditions, including, but not limited to, the negotiation of an underwriting agreement among the parties with respect to the Offering, the Company receiving all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Offering will be made in accordance with the 'listed issuer financing exemption' in 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 ("Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"), to purchasers in any province of Canada, except Quebec. The FT Shares issued and sold under the Offering will not be subject to a 'hold period' pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an offering document related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company's issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at tridentresourcescorp.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

In connection with the Offering, the Underwriters will receive an aggregate cash fee equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering.

This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements and applicable U.S. state securities laws.

About Trident Resources Corp.

Trident Resources Corp. is a Canadian public mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange focused on the development, exploration and acquisition of advanced-stage gold and copper exploration projects in Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company is aggressively advancing its 100% owned Contact Lake and Greywacke Lake projects which host significant current and historical gold resources located within the prospective and underexplored La Ronge Gold Belt, as well as the 100% owned Knife Lake copper project which contains a historical copper resource.

For further information, please contact:

Jonathan Wiesblatt, Chief Executive Officer

Email: [email protected]

For further information contact myself or:

Andrew J. Ramcharan, PhD, P.Eng., SVP Corporate Communications

Trident Resources Corp.

Telephone: 647-309-5130

Toll Free: 800-567-8181

Facsimile: 604-687-3119

www.tridentresourcescorp.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. These forward?looking statements or information relate to, among other things: receipt of all approvals related to the Offering; the intended use of proceeds from the Offering; and the expected terms and Closing of the Offering.

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. Such factors and risks include, among others: the conditions to closing of the Offering may not be satisfied, management's broad discretion regarding the use of proceeds of the Offering, the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; compliance with extensive government regulation; general economic, market or business conditions; adverse weather and climate conditions; equipment failures, failure to obtain or maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations; decrease in the price of gold, copper and other metals, the impact of viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate; failure to obtain or maintain community acceptance (including First Nations); increase in costs, litigation; failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; and the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company 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. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.




International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. (the "Company") - (TSX: ITH) (NYSE American: THM) today announced that it has closed its previously announced upsized public offering (the "Offering") of 33,672,000 common shares, no par value, of the Company (the "Common Shares"), which includes 4,392,000 Common Shares issued pursuant to the full exercise by the Underwriters (as defined below) of their option to purchase additional Common Shares. The Offering was priced at a price to the public of US$2.22 per Common Share, resulting in gross proceeds of US$74.8 million to the Company, before deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses. Concurrent with the closing of the Offering, the Company closed its US$40 million private placement (the "Concurrent Private Placement") of 18,018,018 Common Shares to Paulson & Co. Inc. at the public offering price of the Offering, resulting in total gross proceeds from the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement to the Company of US$114.8 million.

The Company expects to use the net proceeds of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement to fund the exploration and development of the Livengood Gold Project, including drilling, metallurgical studies, feasibility studies, technical studies, baseline environmental studies, detailed engineering in support of permitting, permitting, legal support, community engagement, mineral lease and land payments, acquisitions and general corporate purposes.

BMO Capital Markets acted as lead book-running manager and National Bank of Canada Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets, Cantor and Scotiabank acted as book-running managers (collectively, the "Underwriters") for the Offering.

The Offering to the public in the United States was made pursuant to the Company's effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3, including a base prospectus, previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Offering in the United States was made only by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplement meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the prospectus supplement and the base prospectus may be obtained from BMO Capital Markets Corp., Attn: Equity Syndicate Department, 151 W 42nd Street, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10036. The Offering was also conducted in Canada and in offshore jurisdictions on a private placement basis in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company relied on the exemption in section 602.1 of the TSX Company Manual in respect of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement, which provides that the TSX will not apply its standards to certain transactions involving eligible interlisted issuers listed on a recognized exchange, including NYSE American.

On January 27, 2026, after the closing of the Offering, Paulson subscribed to purchase an additional 1,501,982 Common Shares ("Additional Paulson Shares") at a price per Common Share of US$2.22, for additional proceeds of $3.3 million to the Company, representing a proportional increase to Paulson's investment to account for the upsize in the Offering and exercise of the corresponding Underwriters' option (the "Subsequent Private Placement," and together with the Concurrent Private Placement, the "Private Placement""). The consummation of the Subsequent Private Placement is subject to customary closing conditions, including applicable stock exchange approvals. The sale of the Additional Paulson Shares will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The proceeds of the Subsequent Private Placement will be used for the same purpose as the proceeds of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement. The Company intends to rely on the exemption in section 602.1 of the TSX Company Manual in respect of the Subsequent Private Placement, which provides that the TSX will not apply its standards to certain transactions involving eligible interlisted issuers listed on a recognized exchange, including NYSE American.

As Paulson and certain of the institutional shareholders who participated in the Offering are related parties of the Company within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the issuance of Common Shares to such investors were "related party transactions" within the meaning of MI 61-101. The Company has relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 on the basis that the fair market value of the Common Shares issued to such persons does not exceed 25% of the Company's current market capitalization. The Company has not filed a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Private Placement and Offering as the details of the Private Placement and Offering were only finalized shortly before the closing of the Private Placement and the Offering.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy Common Shares, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements which explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements containing the terms "intends," "estimates," "may," "might", "will," or other similar expressions to be uncertain and forward-looking. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding: the closing of the Subsequent Private Placement; the anticipated use of proceeds; and the occurrence of the expected benefits from the anticipated use of proceeds. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation: (i) that the current exploration, development, environmental and other objectives concerning the Livengood Gold Project can be achieved and that the Company's other corporate activities will proceed as expected and (ii) that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; and (iii) that permitting and operations costs will not materially increase. The foregoing list of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors detailed in the "Forward-Looking Statements," "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2025, the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2025 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2025 and other documents that have been and will be filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC and Canadian securities regulators. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by applicable securities laws.

About International Tower Hill Mines Ltd.

International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. has a 100% interest in its Livengood Gold Project located along the paved Elliott Highway, 70 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska.

On behalf of

International Tower Hill Mines Ltd.

(signed) Karl L. Hanneman

Chief Executive Officer

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/international-tower-hill-mines-closes-upsized-us115-million-equity-financing-including-full-exercise-of-underwriters-option-302671837.html

SOURCE International Tower Hill Mines Ltd.
Vancouver, January 28, 2026 - Adelayde Exploration Inc. (CSE: ADDY) (OTCID: SPMTF) (WKN: A41AGV) (the "Company" or "Adelayde") announces it has entered into a joint venture agreement ("JV") with Sienna Resources Inc. ("Sienna") and Cruz Battery Metals Corp. ("Cruz") to explore the deep basin lithium brine potential in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The 115 mineral claims comprising the 2,300-acre JV land package are all located within, and completely surrounded by, SLB's (formerly Schlumberger) and Pure Energy Minerals' Lithium Deposit (see map below). Clayton Valley, Nevada is the only long-established producing lithium brine basin in the U.S., home to Albemarle's Silver Peak lithium brine mine, which extracts lithium from subsurface brines. It has been the sole U.S. producing lithium brine operation since the 1960's.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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James Nelson, President of Adelayde stated, "Lithium prices are currently at 2-year highs and are now up well over 150% since June 2025, according to tradingeconomics.com(1). With the recent resurgence of investor attention back into the lithium sector, management feels this is an opportune time to explore the deep basin lithium brine potential within Clayton Valley, Nevada. The main reason the JV was formed was to create one large block in the center of the Clayton Valley lithium brine basin to formulate a drill program to test the deepest part with a shared cost and benefit to the JV participants. The Company is well financed to execute its planned exploration and work programs, and we look forward to a very active start to 2026."

On June 17, 2022, Adelayde announced a mineral resource estimate on the 1,136-acre McGee lithium clay deposit of 320 Mt @ 803 ppm Li for 1,369,000 indicated tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 157 Mt @ 865 ppm Li for 723,000 inferred tonnes of LCE, directly bordering SLB (formerly Schlumberger) and Century Lithium Corp.

Adelayde recently announced (January 22, 2026) that it has joined the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) in support of the advancement of its critical and strategic mineral portfolio. The NDIA is a U.S.-based organization promoting national security by connecting industry and government.

Key terms of the Joint Venture Agreement:

This binding letter agreement (this "Agreement") sets out the principal terms of a contractual joint venture (the "Joint Venture") among Adelayde Exploration Inc. ("Adelayde"), Sienna Resources Inc. ("Sienna") and Cruz Battery Metals Corp. ("Cruz" and collectively with Adelayde and Sienna, the "Parties"), whereby each Party has agreed to share in the costs, expenses, liabilities and benefits of the joint exploration and development of the mineral claims that are prospective for lithium.

Initial Contributions and Profit Sharing: Each Party, through their respective affiliates, will continue to hold legal title to their respective mineral claims that comprise the Project as set out in Schedule A but agrees to hold such legal title for the benefit of the Joint Venture, with each Party holding a one third beneficial interest in each mineral claim until termination of or exit from the Joint Venture in accordance with the terms hereof.

Each Party agrees to work and collaborate together to advance the exploration and development of the Project. If the Parties unanimously agree on any exploration and development programs, each Party will contribute one third of such costs and will be entitled to one third of any benefits. Similarly, each Party will be responsible for one third of any liabilities of the Project.

Each Party will have the right to exit or terminate its participation in the Joint Venture with 30 days' written notice to the other Parties, following which such exiting Party will no longer be entitled to any benefit, cost, expense, or liability of the Joint Venture from that date going forward. Following the end of the notice period, the mineral claims of such exiting Party as set out in Schedule A will be deemed to be removed from the Joint Venture.

Definitive Agreement. Following the creation of the Joint Venture by signing this Agreement, the Parties may elect to further develop and memorialize the terms of the Joint Venture by entering into a definitive agreement and structuring the Joint Venture through a special purpose vehicle (the "JV Entity") and transferring ownership of the mineral claims to the JV Entity (whether in the form of a unanimous shareholders agreement, limited partnership agreement, joint venture agreement, co-ownership agreement of some other form of agreement) (the "Governing Agreement"; and, together with the contribution agreements, the "Definitive Agreements"). The Definitive Agreements shall include the terms summarized in this Agreement and such other representations, warranties, conditions, covenants, indemnities, and other terms as are customary for transactions of this nature and not inconsistent with this Agreement.

Please click here to view the completed Joint Venture Agreement.

Qualified person for mining disclosure:

The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Frank Bain, PGeo, a director of the company and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

The Technical Report and mineral resource estimate for the McGee Lithium Clay Deposit have been prepared by Derek Loveday, PGeo, and Mariea Kartick, PGeo, of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd. in conformity with CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum) Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices guidelines and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101, announced on June 17, 2022.

About Adelayde Exploration Inc.

Adelayde's projects include three lithium projects in Clayton Valley, Nevada: the 1,136-acre McGee lithium clay deposit, which has a mineral resource estimate of 320 Mt @ 803 ppm Li for 1,369,000 indicated tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and 157 Mt @ 865 ppm Li for 723,000 inferred tonnes of LCE, directly bordering SLB (formerly Schlumberger) and Century Lithium Corp.; the 280-acre Elon lithium brine project, which has access to some of the deepest parts of the only lithium brine basin in production in North America; and the 124-acre Green Clay lithium project. The Company also holds the 248-acre Clayton Ridge gold project in Esmeralda County, Nevada; the 4,722-acre George Lake South antimony project and the 9,780-acre Sisson North tungsten project, both located in New Brunswick.

If you would like to be added to Adelayde's news distribution list, please send your email address to [email protected]

Adelayde Exploration Inc.

"James Nelson"

James Nelson

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

For more information regarding this news release, please contact:

Adelayde Exploration Inc.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties such as the proposed use of proceeds from the Financing. 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. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Adelayde. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Adelayde disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law.

https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/lithium (1)

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/281859
Vancouver - Vanguard Mining Corp. ("Vanguard" or the "Company") (CSE: UUU | OTC: UUUFF | FSE: SL51) is pleased to announce that the Company has planned a follow-up Phase 2 Drill and Exploration program (the "Drill Program") at its 100%-owned Redonda Copper-Molybdenum Project (the "Project"), located in the Vancouver Mining Division, approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Campbell River, British Columbia.

The Drill Program is fully permitted and is being advanced to build upon the encouraging results from the Company's recently completed drill program at the Project. The Drill Program is currently anticipated to include:

Reconnaissance-scale Induced Polarization ("IP") surveying to better define and vector toward zones of higher-grade copper-molybdenum mineralization;

Drilling of up to seven (7) diamond drill holes totaling up to approximately 2,800 metres, targeting the southeast portion of the Project between and beyond historical TECK drill holes;

Detailed geological mapping and prospecting will be conducted to the north and west within the Project's megabreccia zone to identify additional priority drill targets. Results from the Phase 1 drill program, geophysical surveys, historical drilling, and new geological mapping will be integrated to refine targeting and guide ongoing exploration activities.

The Drill Program is designed to test extensions of known copper-molybdenum mineralization and evaluate new target areas within the broader mineralized system. Exploration activities will be carried out in accordance with applicable permits, environmental best practices, and regulatory requirements.

Field logistics are expected to include either an expanded exploration camp or accommodation through an existing floating logging camp in the area. Vanguard will continue to work closely with the Klahoose First Nation throughout the program, prioritizing ongoing engagement, economic participation opportunities, and collaboration with Klahoose-owned service providers, including a Klahoose-owned logging company where practicable.

The Drill Program is being planned on an accelerated timeline to rapidly follow up on the recently announced drilling results, which confirmed a significantly expanded copper-molybdenum mineralized system at Redonda.

In addition to copper and molybdenum, the Company will continue to evaluate the potential presence and significance of rhenium as a possible by-product associated with molybdenite mineralization, where appropriate, as exploration advances.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1: Molybdenite (MoS?) observed in drill core as fracture-controlled mineralization with tourmaline

David Greenway, CEO of Vanguard Mining Corp., commented: "The planned Phase 2 drill program is a key next step in advancing the Redonda Project following the strong results from our 2025 campaign. Drilling significantly expanded the copper-molybdenum mineralized system beyond the 2023 footprint, reinforcing our confidence in its continuity and scale. With permits secured and multiple priority targets defined, we are well positioned to continue advancing Redonda through further drilling in 2026 and unlocking its longer-term potential."

2025 Phase 1 Drill Results Highlight System Growth

Hole 25-01, drilled at a dip of -65, intersected extensive copper-molybdenum mineralization over much of its length:

From 3.05 m to 29.12 m (27.07 m), a weighted average of 0.3252% copper and 78 ppm molybdenum

From 37.65 m to 387.70 m (350.05 m), a weighted average of 0.244% copper and 112 ppm molybdenum

These intercepts extend the higher-grade mineralized zone by an additional 199.05 metres, more than doubling the length of higher-grade mineralization intersected in the 2023 drilling in cross-section.

Hole 25-01 reached a total depth of 510.74 metres and returned a weighted average grade of 0.1801% copper and 86 ppm molybdenum over its entire length. Lower-grade mineralization continues beyond the end of the hole, indicating the system remains open at depth.

Hole 25-02, drilled vertically and located approximately 30 metres east of the 2023 drilling, intersected:

From 3.05 m to 132.00 m (129.26 m), a weighted average of 0.1344% copper and 128 ppm molybdenum

Together, these results demonstrate that copper-molybdenum mineralization at Redonda is laterally and vertically extensive in cross-section. A valid drill permit is currently in place, allowing for continued drilling at the Project during the 2026 exploration season.

Table 1: Summary of 2025 Redonda Drill Results

Hole ID Dip From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Cu (%) Mo (ppm) 25-01 -65 3.05 29.12 27.07 0.3252 78 25-01 -65 37.65 387.70 350.05 0.2440 112 25-01 -65 0.00 510.74 510.74 0.1801 86 25-02 Vertical 3.05 132.00 129.26 0.1344 128

Reported intervals are downhole lengths; true widths have not yet been determined.

Samples were submitted to ALS Canada Ltd. ("ALS Laboratories") for geochemical analysis. Industry-standard quality assurance and quality control protocols were employed, including the insertion of certified reference materials and blanks at regular intervals within the sample stream.

The 2025 drill program was guided by targets and structural corridors interpreted from a previously announced airborne geophysical survey conducted by Precision GeoSurveys, Inc. ("Precision"), integrated with historical drilling and surface sampling data. As reported by the previous operator, Stamper Oil & Gas Corp. ("Stamper"), in a January 25, 2024 news release, historical drilling at Redonda intersected intervals of up to 142.6 metres grading 0.279% Cu and 0.0281% Mo, while surface sampling returned near-surface intervals ranging from 3.1 metres to 48 metres grading up to 0.529% copper equivalent ("CuEq")

CuEq values are historical in nature and are based on metal prices and recovery assumptions disclosed by Stamper in its news release. Vanguard has not independently verified these assumptions and does not rely on these CuEq values as current disclosure.

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Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2: 2024 Airborne Magnetics (RTP) with lineaments - See release

Collaboration with Klahoose First Nation

Vanguard further announces the Company has made it a priority to work in close collaboration with the Klahoose First Nation ("Klahoose") throughout the campaign, prioritizing local labour, training opportunities, and the use of Klahoose-affiliated service providers for logistics where practicable. The Company will maintain ongoing engagement throughout the program, including regular updates on work plans and timelines, incorporation of feedback into field operations, and adherence to cultural heritage protocols and environmental best practices within Klahoose Traditional Territory. Vanguard will coordinate site access, safety, and environmental monitoring with Klahoose representatives and will continue to explore additional opportunities for capacity-building and economic participation.

About Redonda

The Redonda Project comprises nine mineral claims totaling 2,746.46 hectares, located approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Campbell River, British Columbia. The property is accessible year-round via scheduled barge service from Campbell River, with on-site access provided by approximately 5 kilometres of recently upgraded logging road from Redonda Bay. Active forestry operations maintain an extensive network of forest service roads across the claims.

Redonda lies within the Coast Suture Zone between the Wrangellia Terrane and the Coast Plutonic Complex. Early Cretaceous dioritic intrusions of the Coast Plutonic Complex are cut by at least three later intrusive phases: (i) a quartz plug; (ii) a wide, hornblende-rich dike locally brecciated over approximately 600 metres of exposed strike length; and (iii) several smaller feldspar dikes near the southwestern margin of the hornblende body. Copper-molybdenum mineralization is most strongly developed along the hornblende-rich dike, particularly within brecciated zones.

Drilling completed in fall 2025, including Hole 25-01, confirms that copper-molybdenum mineralization associated with the hornblende dike extends to significant depths and thicknesses in cross-section. Hole 25-01 intersected continuous mineralization over much of its 510.74-metre length, substantially extending the vertical and downhole extent of mineralization previously defined by 2023 drilling and demonstrating that the system remains open at depth.

The geological setting at Redonda shares several characteristics with other porphyry-style copper-molybdenum systems in southwestern British Columbia, including the OKover and Gambier Copper deposits.

Field work has been conducted under a Letter of Support from the Klahoose First Nation within their Traditional Territory, together with a Free Use Permit, Drill Permit, and IP Exemption issued by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. Consultation with the Homalko First Nation has concluded, and a permit for additional drill sites has been issued.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures included the insertion of certified reference materials, blanks, and preparation duplicates into the sample stream. QA/QC samples were submitted to ALS Laboratories as blind samples. Analytical results demonstrate acceptable accuracy and precision, with no evidence of significant contamination or analytical bias.

Analytical Procedures

Sample preparation and analysis were conducted by ALS Laboratories at its sample preparation facility in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Analytical work was completed at ALS laboratories in Vancouver, British Columbia. ALS Laboratories is independent of the Company and is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards for the analytical methods employed.

Core samples were prepared using ALS method PREP-31A, which includes crushing and pulverizing to produce a representative pulp. Multi-element analyses, including copper and molybdenum, were performed using four-acid digestion with ICP-MS (ME-MS61). Samples returning over-limit copper values were re-analyzed using ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES (Cu-OG62), and over-limit multi-element values were determined using ME-OG62.

The analytical detection limits for copper and molybdenum using the ME-MS61 method are 0.001% Cu and 0.1 ppm Mo, respectively. Sample sizes and preparation protocols were consistent with ALS Laboratories standard procedures.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by J. T. Shearer, M.Sc., D.I.C., P.Geo. (BC & Ontario), a consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"). Mr. Shearer is not at arm's length with Vanguard Mining, as he has provided consulting geological services to the Company.

About Vanguard Mining Corp.

Vanguard Mining Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and development of high-value strategic minerals. The Company is currently advancing exploration projects in Argentina, Canada and Paraguay, with a focus on identifying and developing assets critical to the global energy transition. Vanguard is committed to responsible exploration and value creation through the acquisition and advancement of highly prospective uranium properties.

All Stakeholders are encouraged to follow the Company on its social media profiles on LinkedIn, X.com, Facebook and Instagram and sign up for updates at Vanguardminingcorp.com

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"David Greenway"

David Greenway, CEO

For further information, please contact:

Vanguard Mining Corp.

Brent Rusin

Phone: +1 672-533-0348

E-Mail: [email protected]

Website: vanguardminingcorp.com

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 release.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, intentions, objectives, strategies, future performance, and anticipated events or results. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, estimates, and assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect, and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied. There can be no assurance that the events anticipated in forward-looking statements will occur, or, if they do, what benefits Vanguard will obtain from them. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, exploration results, availability of financing, commodity prices, permitting and regulatory risks, operating risks, and other risks described in the Company's public disclosure. Forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof, and Vanguard 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 applicable securities laws. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

###

Copyright (c) 2026 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, Jan. 28, 2026 - Apollo Silver Corp. ("Apollo Silver" or the "Company") (TSX.V:APGO, OTCQB:APGOF, Frankfurt:6ZF0) is pleased to announce that it has closed the second and final tranche of its previously announced upsized non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"), previously announced on January 21, 2026. Pursuant to the closing of the second and final tranche of the Offering, the Company issued an aggregate of 2,500,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $5.00 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $12,500,000. With the completion of this tranche, the Offering is now fully subscribed for total gross proceeds of $27,500,000.

A fund managed by Jupiter Asset Management (the "Jupiter Fund") subscribed for all of the Units under the second and final tranche of the Offering.

As a result of closing the second and final tranche of the Offering, the Jupiter Fund now beneficially owns and controls 7,452,456 common shares and 3,807,200 common share purchase warrants of the Company, representing approximately 11.9% of the Company's outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 16.9% on a partially diluted basis, assuming exercise of such warrants.

"We welcome and appreciate the continued participation of Jupiter Fund, as a key shareholder of Apollo Silver," said Ross McElroy, President and CEO of Apollo Silver. "Jupiter Fund's commitment is a strong statement of support as we continue to advance our large scale, high quality silver assets in stable jurisdictions."

Each Unit issued pursuant to the Offering consists of one common share (a "Share") in the capital of the Company and one common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Share at an exercise price of $7.00 for a period of 24 months from the closing date of the Offering.

Closing of the Offering remains subject to final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.

In connection with subscriptions received in the second and final tranche of the Offering, the Company paid aggregate finder's fees totaling $312,500 to BMO Capital Markets.

The securities issued under the second and final tranche of the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period from the date of closing. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to continue advancing the Calico Silver Project in San Bernardino, California; support community relations initiatives at the Cinco de Mayo Silver Project in Chihuahua, Mexico; cover ongoing property maintenance costs at both projects; and for general corporate purposes.

The Shares 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 without registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with the requirements of an applicable exemption therefrom. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Apollo Silver Corp.

Apollo Silver is advancing one of the largest undeveloped primary silver projects in the US. The Calico project hosts a large, bulk minable silver deposit with significant barite and zinc credits - recognized as critical minerals essential to the US energy and medical sectors. The Company also holds an option on the Cinco de Mayo Project in Chihuahua, Mexico, which is host to a major carbonate replacement (CRD) deposit that is both high-grade and large tonnage. Led by an experienced and award-winning management team, Apollo Silver is well positioned to advance the assets and deliver value through exploration and development.

Please visit www.apollosilver.com for further information.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ross McElroy

President and CEO

For further information, please contact:

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +1 (604) 428-6128

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the final acceptance of the Offering by the TSXV, and the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis, and opinions of the management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by the Company as at the date of such information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may have caused actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: risks associated with mineral exploration and development; metal and mineral prices; availability of capital; accuracy of the Company's projections and estimates; realization of mineral resource estimates, interest and exchange rates; competition; stock price fluctuations; availability of drilling equipment and access; actual results of current exploration activities; government regulation; political or economic developments; environmental risks; insurance risks; capital expenditures; operating or technical difficulties in connection with development activities; personnel relations; and changes in Project parameters as plans continue to be refined. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the price of silver, gold and barite; the demand for silver, gold and barite; the ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the timely receipt of any required approvals; the ability to obtain qualified personnel, equipment and services in a timely and cost-efficient manner; the ability to operate in a safe, efficient and effective matter; and the regulatory framework regarding environmental matters, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in 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 statements will prove to be accurate and 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 contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's expected financial and operational performance and the Company's plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Rua Gold Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) ("RUA GOLD" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced upsized private placement (the "LIFE Offering") of 22,727,200 common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") for gross proceeds of $24,999,920 and concurrent upsized private placement (the "Concurrent Offering" and together with the LIFE Offering, the "Offering") of 7,273,454 Common Shares for gross proceeds of approximately $8,000,800. Pursuant to the Offering, the Company issued an aggregate of 30,000,654 Common Shares at $1.10 per Common Share (the "Offering Price") for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $33,000,720.

Raymond James Ltd. and Cormark Securities Inc. acted as co-lead agents and joint bookrunners in connection with the LIFE Offering, together with Beacon Securities Limited (collectively, the "Agents").

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used for exploration and development activities on the Company's Reefton Project and Glamorgan Project, both located in New Zealand, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Robert Eckford, CEO of RUA GOLD commented: "We are excited to close our upsized financing with lead participation from two very well regarded new institutional investors taking our institutional ownership to over 40% of our share count. The endorsement by this group of sophisticated investors supports the strong conviction in both uncovering the potential of our undrilled epithermal opportunity in Glamorgan on the North Island of New Zealand, as well as supporting the execution of our fast tracked plan to production in the Reefton Goldfield on New Zealand's South Island.

The proceeds from this financing will enable us to accelerate exploration efforts and unlock the project's high-grade potential. We sincerely appreciate the confidence placed in our team and strategy by these valued partners, and we look forward to delivering meaningful progress and long-term value for all stakeholders in the months and years ahead."

Pursuant to an agency agreement among the Company and the Agents dated January 28, 2026, the Company: (i) paid a cash fee of approximately $1,359,800 to the Agents; and (ii) issued 1,236,182 compensation warrants (the "Compensation Warrants") to the Agents. Each Compensation Warrant is exercisable into one Common Share at the Offering Price for a term of two years expiring on January 28, 2028. In addition, the Company (i) paid a cash fee of approximately $133,925 to eligible finders relating to subscribers under the president's list and (ii) issued 121,840 non-transferable finder's warrants ("Finder Warrants") to the Finders. Each Finder Warrant is exercisable into one Common Share at the Offering Price for a term of two years expiring on January 28, 2028.

The Common Shares sold under the LIFE Offering were issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption available under National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, in each of the provinces and territories of Canada other than Quebec. The Common Shares were also offered for sale in the United States pursuant to available exemptions from the registration requirements under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"). The Common Shares issued under the LIFE Offering will not be subject to a statutory hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Concurrent Offering was completed pursuant to applicable exemptions from prospectus requirements under applicable securities laws. The Common Shares issued pursuant to the Concurrent Offering are subject to a statutory hold period in Canada expiring four months and one day expiring on May 29, 2026. The Offering remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV").

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein 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 unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

Option and DSU Grant

The Company granted 1,375,000 options (each, an "Option") to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company in accordance the Company's stock option plan dated July 24, 2024. Each Option is exercisable into one Common Share at an exercise price of $1.43 per Common Share for five years following the date of grant. The Options are subject to a 3-year vesting period with 458,328 Options vesting on January 28, 2027, 458,333 Options vesting on January 28, 2028, and 458,339 Options vesting on January 28, 2029.

The Company also announces the grant of 100,000 deferred share units ("DSUs") to non-executive directors of the Company at a deemed price of $1.43 per DSU, in accordance with the Company's DSU Plan dated July 24, 2024. The DSUs are subject to a one-year vesting. Each DSU entitles the holder to receive one Common Share at the time the holder ceases to be a director of the Company.

About RUA GOLD

RUA GOLD is an exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, their team has successfully taken major discoveries into producing world-class mines across multiple continents. The team is focused on maximizing the asset potential of RUA GOLD's two highly prospective high-grade gold projects.

The Company controls the Reefton Gold District as the dominant landholder in the Reefton Goldfield on New Zealand's South Island with over 120,000 hectares of tenements, in a district that historically produced over 2Moz of gold grading between 9 and 50g/t.

The Company's Glamorgan Project solidifies RUA GOLD's position as a leading high-grade gold explorer on New Zealand's North Island. This highly prospective project is located within the North Islands' Hauraki district, a region that has produced an impressive 15Moz of gold and 60Moz of silver. Glamorgan is adjacent to OceanaGold Corp.'s biggest gold mining project, Wharekirauponga.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". 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 statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur and specifically include statements regarding: the Company's strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions including but not limited to exploration programs at its New Zealand properties; the intended use of the net proceeds of the Offering; and the final acceptance of the TSXV with respect to the Offering. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.

Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; risks related to the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war; risks related to climate change; operational risks in exploration, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration projects or capital expenditures; the actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; changes in labour costs and other costs and expenses or equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, including but not limited to environmental hazards, flooding or unfavorable operating conditions and losses, insurrection or war, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing, and commodity prices. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's documents filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca for a description of additional risk factors.

Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

This news release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.


Featured

No amendment clause, no signature Lawyer tells artistes

Gifty Owusu-Amoah Showbiz News Jan - 29 - 2026 , 13:00 3 minutes read

INTELLECTUAL Property Lawyer Kwame Koduah Atuahene has a blunt warning for Ghanas rising stars: stop signing contracts that dont leave room for growth.

He argues that without an amendment clause in a contract, artistes are essentially locking themselves into a professional cage.

An amendment clause acts as a vital safety valve, allowing terms to be renegotiated as an artiste's market value climbs.

Speaking with Graphic Showbiz on Monday, January 26, Mr Atuahene noted that many young talents are effectively "duped" out of their intellectual propertythe very talent theyve spent a lifetime building.

The primary cause is a lack of due diligence and the frantic rush to sign on the dotted line.

Investors and artistes have different priorities, Atuahene explained.

An investor sees your potential and wants to secure their return. But artistes often forget that as they grow, the original deal might become a burden. Without a clause that allows for future adjustments, you lose your leverage.

It is crucial to include an amendment clause, allowing for future adjustments to the agreement. Without such a clause, artistes may face significant challenges in renegotiating terms, potentially leading to unfavourable outcomes, he said.

He also advised them to avoid rushing into contracts, emphasising that there's no deadline to sign.

I want to also caution emerging artistes not to rush to sign contracts. Theres no stipulated time to sign contracts, so they shouldnt feel pressured at all to ensure there is an amendment clause for renegotiation in future, he said.

Mr Atuahene further encouraged budding artistes to insist on clear, well-structured agreements when partnering with investors.

When you're a budding artiste, you might have the talent and creativity, but lack the resources to showcase it.

That's where investors come in. They have the resources, but not the talent. When you partner with an investor, it's crucial to have a clear contract that outlines the terms and expectations.

This agreement should spell out what both parties want: the investor wants a return on their investment and you want to share your art with the world. A well-structured contract prevents conflicts and ensures both sides know what's expected of them, he said.

Lawyer Kwame Koduah Atuahene's warning about contracts without amendment clauses is timely, given the rising number of legal disputes between Ghanaian musicians and record labels/investors.

Recent cases include Kwesi Arthur's ongoing battle with Ground Up Chale, where he accused his former management of demanding $150,000 from him to use his own images.

The legal practitioner also noted that creative talent holds significant value and should be protected, discouraging artistes from taking on verbal agreements.

Verbal agreements can be tricky in the creative industry. While they're legally binding if validated by third parties, they're often hard to prove, raising red flags.

Thats why we always advise putting contracts in writing. It protects both parties and avoids disputes down the line, he added.

Creative talents embody not only an expression of artistry but also substantial labour, investment and economic potential. As such, it is essential to recognise and safeguard this value.

For up-and-coming artistes, understanding the worth of their talent is crucial. Whether in music, film, art, writing or digital content, creativity is an asset that requires protection and strategic management.

By acknowledging their value, artistes can better navigate opportunities, partnerships and contracts, ensuring their work is respected and fairly compensated, he stressed further.
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Featured

Repatriate the gold: German economists advise withdrawal from US vaults

The Guardian International News Jan - 28 - 2026 , 04:03 4 minutes read

Shift in relations and unpredictability of Donald Trump make it risky to store so much gold in the US, say experts

Germany is facing calls to withdraw its billions of euros worth of gold from US vaults, spurred on by the shift in transatlantic relations and the unpredictability of Donald Trump.

Germany holds the worlds second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately 164bn (142bn) worth  1,236 tonnes  is stored in New York.

Emanuel Monch, a leading economist and former head of research at Germanys federal bank, the Bundesbank, called for the gold to be brought home, saying it was too risky for it to be kept in the US under the current administration.

Given the current geopolitical situation, it seems risky to store so much gold in the US, he told the financial newspaper Handelsblatt. In the interest of greater strategic independence from the US, the Bundesbank would therefore be well advised to consider repatriating the gold.

Stefan Kornelius, the spokesperson for Friedrich Merzs coalition government, said recently that withdrawal of the gold reserves was not currently under consideration.

But Monch is only the latest in a string of economists and financial experts to argue that such a move would be in keeping with the greater strategic independence that Europes largest economy has been seeking from the US in recent months.

Michael Jager, the head of the European Taxpayers Association (TAE) as well as the Association of German Taxpayers, has also said Berlin should make its move, arguing that the USs stated desire to seize Greenland should concentrate minds.

Trump is unpredictable and he does everything to generate revenue. Thats why our gold is no longer safe in the Feds vaults, Jager told the Rheinische Post. What happens if the Greenland provocation continues?  The risk is increasing that the German Bundesbank will no longer be able to access its gold. Therefore, it should repatriate its reserves.

Jager said he had written last year to the Bundesbank and the finance ministry, urging them to bring our gold home.

Until recently the gold issue has been the preserve mainly of the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), which has repeatedly urged the return of the gold for patriotic reasons. But it has increasingly crept into the mainstream discourse.

Katharina Beck, the finance spokesperson for the opposition Greens in the Bundestag, has also spoken out in favour of relocating the gold bars, calling them an important anchor of stability and trust, which must not become pawns in geopolitical disputes.

However, Clemens Fuest, the president of the Institute for Economic Research (Ifo) and one of the countrys most prominent economists, warned against such a move, saying it could lead to unintended consequences and would only pour oil on the fire of the current situation, he told the Rheinische Post.

Germanys total gold reserves are worth almost 450bn.

Just over half are held at the Bundesbank in Frankfurt am Main, 37% in the vaults of the US Federal Reserve in New York and 12% at the Bank of England in London, the global centre of gold trading. The Bundesbank says it regularly undertakes an audit of the supplies of gold it holds in storage.

Speaking last October at the International Monetary Funds (IMF) autumn meetings in Washington DC, the Bundesbank president, Joachim Nagel, assured attenders there was no cause for concern over the German gold held at the US Federal Reserve.

Frauke Heiligenstadt, the parliamentary group spokesperson on financial policy for the Social Democrats, junior partners in the government, said that while she understood concerns about the gold reserves, there was no need for panic.

Germanys gold reserves are well diversified, she said. Because half of them are located in Frankfurt, our ability to act is guaranteed. Having gold in New York made sense, she added, because Germany, Europe and the US are closely linked in terms of financial policy.

But, amid Trumps hardening rhetoric towards his western partners, an increasing number of Merzs Christian Democrats have been speaking out in favour of relocation.

Due to the Trump administration, the US is no longer a reliable partner, Ulrike Neyer, a professor of economics at the University of Dusseldorf, told the Rheinische Post.

credit: The Guardian
Featured

South Korea's former first lady jailed 20 months for bribery

bbc.com International News Jan - 28 - 2026 , 07:44 3 minutes read

The wife of South Korea's ousted former president has been sentenced to 20 months in jail for accepting bribes from the controversial Unification Church.

However, the court cleared 52-year-old Kim Keon Hee on charges of stock price manipulation and receiving free opinion polls from a political broker before the 2022 presidential election, which her husband Yoon Suk Yeol won.

Yoon has already been sentenced to five years' in jail for abusing power and obstructing justice in relation to his failed martial law bid in 2024.

This marks the first time in South Korea's history that a former presidential couple are convicted at the same time.

On Wednesday, Judge Woo In-sung at the Seoul Central District Court ruled that Kim had "misused her position as a means of pursuing personal gain".

"The higher [one's] position, the more consciously one must guard against such conduct... The defendant failed to reject solicitations and was preoccupied with self-adornment," the judge said.

A special counsel team appointed to the case said Kim received 80m won of gifts, which include a Graff diamond necklace and several Chanel handbags, from the Unification Chruch between April and July 2022, in exchange for business and political favours.

The team had sought a 15-year jail term and a fine of 2 billion won for all three charges heard today  for which Kim was convicted of one  but the judge noted that Kim was not the one who demanded or solicited the bribes, and that she had "no significant criminal record".

She was however ordered to pay back 12.85 million won ($9,000; 6,500) in cash and the court also ordered the confiscation of the diamond necklace.

Kim has also been charged over her alleged involvement in a scheme to recruit Unification Church followers to the conservative People Power Party that her husband was part of, and accepting gifts in exchange for government job appointments. The court has yet to hear those cases.

The former first lady had denied all charges saying they were "deeply unjust", although she did admit to receiving Chanel bags, which she said she later returned without using.

She made a public apology when she appeared for questioning last August. "I am truly sorry that a nobody like me has caused concern to the people," she said.

Investigations into Kim's dealings with the Unification Church had also led to the arrest of church leader Han Hak-ja.

Apart from the criminal allegations, Kim has also been the subject of other controversies. Last year, Sookmyung Women's University annulled an art education degree she graduated with in 1999, after an ethics panel found she plagiarised her master's thesis.

Additional reporting by Leehyun Choi in Seoul
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Worlds biggest TikToker from Senegal sells company in $900m deal

Business Insider Africa Life Jan - 28 - 2026 , 12:21 2 minutes read

Khaby Lame, the Senegalese-born TikTok star with the largest following on the platform, has struck a landmark commercial deal valued at approximately $900 million, marking one of the most significant monetisation moves ever by a global digital creator.

The transaction involves the partial sale of his company, Step Distinctive Limited, to Rich Sparkle Holdings, a United States-listed firm that disclosed the acquisition alongside a broader strategic partnership focused on scaling Lames commercial operations worldwide.

Under the agreement, Rich Sparkle, through its operating partners, will hold exclusive rights to Khaby Lames global commercial activities for an initial period of 36 months.

These rights cover brand partnerships, endorsements, licensing, and e-commerce ventures, signalling a shift from traditional influencer marketing to a platform-driven business model.

Rich Sparkle estimates that the integrated structure combining traffic, fulfilment, operations, and proprietary technology could eventually generate more than $4 billion in annual sales once fully implemented.

As part of the deal, Khaby Lame will become a controlling shareholder in Rich Sparkle Holdings, positioning him not just as a creative partner but as an equity stakeholder in the commercial infrastructure built around his brand.

This is not just an equity acquisition, but a revolution in the global content e-commerce model, the company said, adding that the combination of a US-listed platform, globally recognised content IP, and supply chain expertise could unlock unprecedented shareholder value.

The rollout of the commercial strategy will initially focus on the United States, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, with execution planned over the next three years.

Rich Sparkle will work with Anhui Xiaoheiyang Network Technology Co., Ltd., a China-based content commerce operator with experience in large-scale creator-led e-commerce.

Rise to prominence

Khaby Lame rose to global prominence through silent, minimalist videos that humorously dismantle overly complicated life hacks.

His wordless format has allowed him to transcend language barriers and build a vast, culturally diverse audience at remarkable speed.

He currently commands an estimated 360 million followers across social media platforms, making him one of the most influential digital figures in the world and a rare example of truly global creator reach.

Beyond conventional commerce, the agreement also authorises the development of an AI-powered digital twin of Lame, enabling regulated use of his facial features, voice patterns, and behavioural cues.

Rich Sparkle says this could support multilingual content, virtual livestreams, and round-the-clock engagement.

The broader strategy also includes premium brand collaborations and co-branded intellectual property in sectors such as beauty, fragrance, and apparel, highlighting how creator influence is increasingly being transformed into long-term industrial-scale businesses.
Featured

Fire destroys dormitory block at NOBISCO, about 900 students displaced

Abukari Alhassan Baba Jan - 28 - 2026 , 17:36 1 minute read

A Wednesday afternoon fire at a dormitory block at the Northern School of Business Senior High School (NOBISCO) has displaced many students, estimated at about 900.

The fire, which around 2pm has caused extensive damage to the building and destroyed students mattresses, trunks, uniforms, books, and other essential learning materials.

Some students reportedly collapsed from shock during the incident and were rushed to nearby health facilities for care.

A Senior House Mistress of the school, Anderatu Iddrisu, described the incident as devastating.

We were in our office handling some issues with students when another student rushed in shouting fire and demanding the keys to the dormitories, she recounted.

She indicated that the affected students have lost all their personal belongings.

The Public Relations Officer of the Northern Regional Ghana National Fire Service, Assistant Divisional Officer Grade I Hudu Baba, said when personnel from the fire service arrived, the fire had already engulfed the entire building, but they managed to bring it under control.

The Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, has since directed that the affected students should go home for one week while authorities put measures in place to provide temporary accommodation for them.

He said final-year students would be relocated to other dormitories, while further arrangements were being made to ensure the continuation of academic activities for the rest.
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DBG staff give back to communities

Daily Graphic Jan - 28 - 2026 , 02:57 2 minutes read

Staff of Development Bank Ghana (DBG) have extended support to various institutions through a series of impactful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

The activities formed part of the banks long-standing culture of giving back to communities, especially during the festive season, while reaffirming its commitment to social impact and sustainable development across the country.

Over the last three years, the staff of the bank have consistently come together to pool resources for various activities, including supporting underprivileged families and individuals and driving environmental sustainability initiatives, among others.

These initiatives have addressed critical needs in areas such as education, health and social welfare, bringing relief to beneficiaries while fostering a strong spirit of unity among staff.

Teams

In a coordinated effort to maximise impact, staff were organised into three groups of Teams D, B and G, comprising 25 personnel each.

The first group, Team D, which focused on promoting education and inclusion, donated to the Awoshie Islamic Community School, Odorgonnor Basic School, Akropong School for the Blind, and the Demonstration School for the Deaf in Mampong-Akuapem, to support them in catering to diverse learning needs.

The support provided included 50 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning kits, 200 sanitary pads for girls and over 300 educational materials, including pencils, pens and exercise books.

In addition, the team spent time with the pupils, sharing a festive meal and engaging them in fun activities.

Team B, on the other hand, supported new mothers at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital whose joy of childbirth had been overshadowed by financial challenges.

In a show of compassion, the team settled the medical bills for 20 mothers and their babies and presented 60 hampers to other mothers, helping to ease their burden and restore hope during the festive season.

Team G also extended their outreach to the Princess Marie Louise Childrens Hospital in Accra, where medical bills for over 20 mothers and babies were fully cleared.

In addition to settling the bills, the Team presented essential food items, including food and medicinal supplies, to support over 100 families receiving care at the facility.

Inclusive development

Commenting on the initiatives, the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at DBG, Barbara Anawonu Wricketts, commended the staff of the bank for their voluntary contributions and hands-on involvement, describing the initiatives as a true demonstration of the banks values and its commitment to sustainable and inclusive development across Ghana.
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Featured

Govt takes over illegally acquired state lands

Timothy Ngnenbe Jan - 28 - 2026 , 02:44 3 minutes read

Cabinet has given approval to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to review, on a case-by-case basis, all public lands acquired in the country.

"Processes for the acquisition of state lands that were not completed before I took office have been cancelled outright; we want to protect our public lands," the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has said.

Again, he said efforts were being made to digitise land records for effective administration while also decentralising service delivery to all parts of the country.

Mr Buah also said that the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands and the Lands Commission were ramping up efforts to register all customary lands.

He further said that the ministry was making efforts to secure the country's land boundaries through the Ghana Boundary Commission.

The minister was briefing the Vice-President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, when she paid a working visit to the ministry in Accra yesterday.

Present at the meeting were the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, and technocrats at the ministry; the Forestry Commission Chief Executive Officer, Dr Hugh C.A. Brown, and heads of other agencies under the ministry.

Mr Buah described the visit as very significant and would motivate the ministry and its agencies to work better.

Mining sector

In the mining sector, the minister said efforts were being made to "turn all brown water into blue" by cracking down on galamsey activities in water bodies.

Mr Buah said the setting up of NAIMOS had been a major measure and had yielded considerable results in the galamsey fight.

He also said that regulatory reforms, including review of the licensing regime in the small-scale mining sector, had sent positive signals that the government was committed to sanitising the mining sector.

The minister added that the revocation of L I 2462 was also a clear signal that no room would be left for mining activities in forest reserves.

He said 1800 earth-moving equipment had been registered, with many of them being tracked.

The minister said some 1,600 river guards had been recruited to monitor galamsey activities at riverine areas.

Collaboration

The Vice-President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, urged agencies under the ministry to deepen collaboration to ensure effective management of the country's natural resources.

She said the natural resource sector was crucial to the country's sustainable development trajectory and, therefore, needed to be efficiently managed, adding that the government's transformational agenda required all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to gird their loins and align their activities for accelerated development of the nation.

Environmental protection

The Vice-President said that issues of sound management of the environment were at the heart of sustainable national development and must be pursued with utmost passion.

She said it was unacceptable that the country's land, forest, and water resources were getting destroyed through unhealthy mining practices, adding, "protecting our environment is protecting ourselves, and all of us must be committed to working hard to protect those resources".

Prof. Opoku-Agyeman further urged the minister to take steps to ensure that land was made available to women to actively engage in agriculture.
Featured

Komfo Anokye Hospital Cathlab to be ready in May  CEO

Gilbert Mawuli Agbey Jan - 28 - 2026 , 02:57 3 minutes read

The government, through the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), has begun the construction of a new Catheterisation laboratory (Cathlab) at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to help expand access to comprehensive cardiac care for patients.

The facility, located between the Accident and Emergency Centre and the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) facility, is expected to be completed and handed over for use within four months.

It is one of the three cathlabs being funded by the GMTF, also known as Mahama Cares. The Korle Bu and Tamale Teaching Hospitals will be the beneficiaries of the other two.

A cath lab is a hospital room with imaging equipment where cardiologists perform minimally invasive tests and procedures to diagnose and treat heart conditions.

Expansion

Although the initial idea was to construct only the Cathlab, the government has gone further to make it a cardiology and interventional centre to provide a wide range of services to patients who need such services.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KATH, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, disclosed this while speaking during the KATH-Consultants/Specialists consultative forum in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

It was on the theme: 70 years of impacting lives: The role of quality in the pursuit of excellence.

Physicians tragic death

The swift move to construct the Cathlab followed the tragic death of Dr Kwame Adu Ofori, a 47-year-old emergency physician at KATH, in July 2025.

He suffered a myocardial infarction, a heart attack, and urgently required percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) because one of the blood vessels that supplied his heart was blocked.

To save his life, doctors needed to quickly do a special procedure to open the blocked vessel and restore blood flow.

This is usually done by passing a small tube through a blood vessel in the hand or leg to reach the heart, then using a balloon or placing a tiny metal tube (called a stent) to keep the blood vessel open.

Sadly, there was no catheterisation laboratory at KATH, and painfully, he died before gaining access to intervention in Accra.

Change things

He stated that when operational, the facility would change the way the hospital would respond to such cases, adding, Most of the cases that are usually flown to India, Europe and the United States of America will be dealt with at KATH.

He stated that the Ministry of Health, through the GMTF, would train health professionals to man the centre, stressing that doctors, biomedical engineers, nurses and other essential personnel would be trained ahead of its completion.

Hope

A consultant cardiologist at KATH, Dr Lambert Tetteh Appiah, said over the decades, the hospital could not do the needed interventions to save patients who suffered heart attacks, leading to their demise.

We are hoping that the facility will come on stream as soon as possible and that if someone suffers a heart attack and he or she is able to get to the facility in real time, the person can be saved from death, he said

Visit

The Administrator of the GMTF, Obuobia Darko-Opoku, has also led a team to inspect the commencement of works on the centre.

Speaking during the visit, Ms Darko-Opoku said the fund was determined to bridge the gap in communicable diseases across the country and further noted that the construction of the centre was a direct response to the needs identified.

We are fast-tracking its construction because every day without the facility costs a lot of lives.

Together with our partners, we are ensuring equitable access to specialised treatment for all Ghanaians, she stated.
Featured

Maintain status quo on mission schools

Emmanuel Bonney Jan - 28 - 2026 , 05:58 5 minutes read

The Christian Council of Ghana (CRC) has urged that the status quo regarding the operation and running of mission schools in the country should remain and not be tampered with.

The council said the proposal contained in the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee to alter the current system was problematic.

It consequently cautioned that any attempt to liberalise the operation of mission schools and make them operate as circular institutions could breed indiscipline, mar the cordial relationship among the different faiths, and defeat the mission of evangelism, considered one of the key reasons for their establishment.

"There is nothing wrong with what we are doing; if it is not broken, you don't fix it.

The different faiths have co-existed nicely in Ghana," it said.

The General Secretary of the CCG, Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose, told the Daily Graphic that the mission schools need the freedom to manage their schools.

So we want the status quo to remain. In other words, we want the freedom to control our mission schools the way we like it  to maintain the ethos and the discipline. The morals and the values of our schools must be protected.

There should be no legislation to say that we cannot do that, he said in response to the recommendation of the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) on education.

CRC recommendation

Captured under the subject of Right to Education: Religious Coercion and Discrimination in Public Schools, the CRC said, among other things, that Article 25 (Right to Education) of the Constitution should be amended to provide that educational institutions were required to comply fully with the rights in Chapter Five, while retaining the freedom to maintain denominational identity and ethos that did not infringe the rights of students; to explicitly guarantee that no student shall be compelled to participate in religious worship, instruction or observance in any educational establishment; and state that admission, boarding access, discipline, student leadership and participation in school activities shall not be subject to direct or indirect religious discrimination in any educational institution.

Again, it said, Article 21 shall be amended to clarify that no person shall be disadvantaged or privileged by reason of religion, belief or non-belief, and the State shall not adopt any practice that coerces, presumes or promotes adherence to any religious or belief system.

Similarly, the State shall maintain equal regard for all faiths, beliefs and non-belief, and shall not, in the exercise of any public power, function or resource, adopt, privilege or advance the institutional interests of any religious or belief community.

Statute

The CRC said Parliament should be required to enact a statute pursuant to Articles 21 and 25: Expressly confirming that all educational institutions offering education to the general public, whether publicly funded, mission-assisted, or privately operated, are bound to respect the constitutional rights of learners under Chapter Five.

This should include guarantees that participation in religious observance is voluntary, that students may opt out without penalty, and that admissions, discipline, academic opportunity and compulsory school activities are conducted on neutral and non-discriminatory terms.

It clarified that the parental choice of a school with a religious ethos did not diminish the constitutional protections owed to learners.

Private providers, it said, might maintain their religious identity, symbols, chaplaincies and moral environment, but these might not take the form of coercive religious exercises or discriminatory practices.

Development

Responding to the development, Rev. Dr Fayose said the recommendations of the CRC were geared towards liberalising the space for education in the country.

He said that meant that whether it was a mission or a private school, they must give some basic rights to students that ensured that they could not be forced to adhere to their values and religious tenets.

That, he said, would mean that the mission schools would not be able to enforce some of their values.

He said the mission schools were the best because they believed in certain principles and values, and that they were able to do all of that because of their faith.

Even though we can be very accommodating of people of other faiths, as was developed between the Ministry of Education, the National Peace Council and the missions, if they want us to go legalistic, I dont think what they are proposing will work.

If they do that, then it basically means that they are turning the mission schools into circular schools, and we have a problem with that, he emphasised.

Ethics, values

Rev. Fayose Dr said it was because of the ethics, values and morals of the mission schools that they had become the choice of many people.

He said yielding to the recommendations of the CRC would mean that if, for instance, a traditional religious person said he or she would not go to the regular school assembly because the Lords Prayer would be said there, the person would need a different place for their worship.

So this would bring indiscipline into the schools, he said, and indicated that the status quo should remain.

The CCG General Secretary said opting to attend a particular school was a choice, and that a person could not choose to attend a school and decide to do as they pleased.

That, he said, would breed indiscipline in the schools.
Featured

My job creation record puts me ahead - Ken Agyapong touts as he woos delegates

Samuel Duodu Jan - 28 - 2026 , 05:48 3 minutes read

A flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ken Ohene Agyapong, says his vision and proven record of sustainable job creation give him an edge over the four other candidates as the party heads into the presidential primary on Saturday.

He has consequently expressed optimism that the delegates will vote massively for him in Saturdays polls.

He said his credentials placed him ahead of his competitors in the race for the party's presidential ticket for the 2028 general election.

"I am very confident that with the help of God, I will win convincingly," the former Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) told the Daily Graphic.

Mr Agyapong, who placed second in the partys 2023 presidential primary, said delegates had overwhelmingly accepted his campaign message, and that would translate into votes in the election.

I am the most formidable person to beat the (governing party) NDC in 2028. I am the most experienced and prepared to do so, he stated.

Vision

Mr Agyapong said he would make Ghana a sustainable industrialised country, leveraging agriculture and tourism, saying his mindset revolution, dealing with corruption and indiscipline, gives him an edge over others.

He said his vision of moving specific ministries to strategic regional locations was a testimony to his commitment to national socio-economic redistribution.

Mr Agyapong said under his presidency, he would assemble the best brains and skills in financial economics to redefine the countrys socio-economic framework, adding that all the financial economic fundamental anomalies, such as the high cost of doing business, a dependent economy and poor trade balance (import-driven economy), would be addressed.

High public sector wages but less productivity, raw material economy, negative effective tax rate economy, fragile and weak fiscal framework, meritocracy, expenditure-controlled economy, less private sector involvement, short-term socio-economic policies, etc., will be addressed, he said.

I have solid policies out of well researched, collected data and developed value chains to build a new economic framework for Ghana, the businessman cum astute politician said.

Centred policies

Mr Agyapong said he had the most attractive and feasible but specific policy for the party's delegates and all citizens.

He said he would leverage his massive goodwill among Ghanaians, namely the youth, women, men, and all segments along the social stratification, adding that his long-standing experience in politics, popularity, his benevolent nature, and unifying ability would win the day for him.

I have the qualities to unify the NPP and make it the formidable political party to recapture power from the NDC, he said.

All the hurt stakeholders in NPP will be urged to come back, Mr Agyapong said.

He touted his credentials as a true party man who had remained loyal and served the NPP faithfully since 1992.

Expanded electoral college

The primary would take place against the backdrop of broader internal reforms.

In July 2025, the NPP scheduled a National Delegates Conference to consider about 50 proposed constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening the party.

Among the key proposals was a move to abolish the Special Electoral College used in presidential primaries and significantly expand the electoral base to include a wider range of party officials and structures.

The proposed expanded electoral college would include members of the National Council, National Executive Committee, Regional and Constituency Executive committees, electoral area coordinators, polling station executives, the National Council of Elders, National Patrons, past National Directors who are party members, MPs, past National Officers, external branch delegates, founder members, TESCON representatives, ministers and deputy ministers, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, and representatives of the partys special organs.

A total of 211,849 delegates are expected to cast their ballots at 333 polling centres in 276 constituencies nationwide, as well as at the party headquarters, with polls opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 2 p.m.
Next article: Future of Finance Dialogues discusses how Ghana can build faster without building fragile

Featured

GJA gives Fire Service 14-day ultimatum, declares Bawku a press danger zone

Mohammed Ali Jan - 28 - 2026 , 14:40 4 minutes read

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has given the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) a 14-day ultimatum to release the findings of its investigation into the assault on Class FM reporter Samuel Addo, warning that failure to do so could result in sanctions, including blacklisting.

The association also declared the Bawku conflict area an early warning zone for press safety, citing reports of death threats and sustained intimidation against journalists covering the conflict in the Upper East Region.

The GJA President, Mr Albert Dwumfour, announced the decisions at a press conference held at the Ghana International Press Centre in Accra on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, where he also briefed the public on a series of recent attacks on journalists across the country.

We are giving the Fire Service a 14-day ultimatum to act on this request. If they fail to do so, we will take steps against them, including blacklisting, Mr Dwumfour said.

He said the association was deeply dissatisfied with what it described as the persistent silence from the leadership of the Fire Service, despite the interdiction of officers implicated in the assault at Kasoa, which was ordered by President John Dramani Mahama.

According to Mr Dwumfour, the failure of the service to update the public on the status of its internal investigations raised serious concerns, adding that continued silence would be interpreted as an attempt to shield wrongdoing.

The association also reiterated its call for the removal of the Fire Services Public Relations Officer, saying its engagements with him had demonstrated that he was not fit to manage communication for the service on the matter.

Turning to the Bawku situation, Mr Dwumfour said journalists covering the conflict had been openly labelled as enemies and subjected to coordinated online harassment.

He said threats had been issued through social media posts, voice notes and other digital platforms, creating an increasingly hostile environment for media practitioners.

He disclosed that the GJA Chairman for the Upper East Region, Mr Albert Sore, was among journalists who had received death threats linked directly to their professional work in the conflict area.

The Association formally designates the Bawku conflict area as an early warning zone for press safety. This calls for increased vigilance, security presence and constant engagement with journalists on the ground, Mr Dwumfour said.

He warned that any attack on a journalist in the Upper East Region, particularly in cases where threats had already been reported, would be regarded as a failure of protection and would trigger sustained national and international action until accountability was achieved.

The association said it had formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to intervene and called for police protection for affected journalists, expedited investigations and the arrest and prosecution of individuals issuing threats.

The press conference also addressed recent assaults on journalists, including an attack on UTV and Peace FM Eastern Regional Correspondent, Mr Michael Akrofi, by a police officer at Kukurantumi on January 8.

According to the GJA, the officer strangled Mr Akrofi on three occasions while he was covering a protest by farmers over the destruction of crops by Fulani herdsmen. The journalist later complained of pain in his neck, back and waist and sought medical attention.

Mr Dwumfour further reported an assault on Media Generals North East Regional Correspondent, Mr Solomon Kwame Kanaluwe, by military personnel in Walewale on January 26.

He said Mr Kanaluwe was beaten with sticks and canes after parking his motorcycle near a roadside shop. His mobile phone was seized, and pictures and messages were deleted, even after he identified himself as a journalist.

Even after Mr Kanaluwe identified himself as a journalist, the assault reportedly continued, with the soldiers stating they did not care about his profession, Mr Dwumfour said.

The association stressed that there were clear red lines that must not be crossed, stating that journalists must not be assaulted while performing lawful duties, security agencies must not seize equipment or delete content, and internal disciplinary measures alone were insufficient where criminal conduct was alleged.

Mr Dwumfour warned that silence by institutions following attacks on journalists would be regarded as tolerance for wrongdoing.

He also appealed to President Mahama to convene a meeting between security chiefs and the leadership of the GJA, which he said had earlier been promised, noting that recent incidents involving security agencies made such engagement urgent.

Mr President, this is the right time for that meeting, Mr Dwumfour said, adding that the President, as a member of the association, had consistently shown interest in matters affecting journalists.

The GJA said it would pursue both local and international action against institutions that fail to respond adequately to attacks on media practitioners.
Featured

What is Nipah virus and why WHO list it as a global epidemic threat

GraphicOnline with files from UKHSA Health Jan - 28 - 2026 , 12:47 4 minutes read

Health authorities have renewed attention on the Nipah virus, a rare but deadly infectious disease that causes periodic outbreaks in parts of Asia, amid concerns about its high fatality rate and the absence of approved treatments or vaccines.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. It can also spread through contaminated food and, in some cases, from person to person. The virus was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore, which resulted in severe illness and significant loss of life.

Fruit bats, particularly those belonging to the Pteropus genus, are recognised as the natural hosts of the virus. These bats, commonly known as flying foxes, can shed the virus through their saliva, urine and droppings. Research has shown that Nipah virus can also infect other animals, including pigs, dogs, cats, goats, horses and sheep, sometimes acting as intermediate hosts that increase the risk of human exposure.

Following infection, symptoms typically appear within four to 21 days, although longer incubation periods have been recorded in rare cases. The illness often begins suddenly with fever and flu-like symptoms, which may progress to pneumonia or other serious respiratory conditions. The most dangerous complication is encephalitis or meningitis, which usually develops several days after the initial symptoms and is associated with a very high risk of death.

Health experts estimate that between 40 and 75 per cent of people infected with Nipah virus do not survive. Survivors may experience long-term neurological problems, including seizures and changes in personality. In rare instances, the virus can reactivate months or even years after the initial infection.

Human outbreaks of Nipah virus have been reported only in South and South-East Asia, largely in rural or semi-rural settings. Countries that have recorded outbreaks include Bangladesh, where cases have occurred almost every year since 2001, India, including repeated outbreaks in Kerala since 2018 and a current outbreak in West Bengal, as well as Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. While antibodies to the virus have been detected in bats across parts of Asia, Ghana and Madagascar, no human outbreaks have been recorded outside South and South-East Asia.

Transmission to humans often occurs through direct contact with infected animals or by consuming food contaminated by bats. In several outbreaks, infections were linked to the consumption of raw or partially fermented date palm sap, which can be contaminated by bat saliva or excreta. The sap is commonly known as Khejur juice when raw and as Tari or Khajuri Tadi when fermented. Person-to-person transmission has also been documented, particularly among family members and caregivers in close contact with infected patients, especially those with respiratory symptoms.

There is currently no proven treatment for Nipah virus infection and no licensed vaccine to prevent it. Medical care is limited to intensive supportive treatment for severe cases. However, several experimental therapies, including monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs, are under development or in early clinical trials.

The World Health Organization has classified Nipah virus as a priority pathogen requiring urgent research and development, citing its high fatality rate and pandemic potential. In March 2025, the UK Health Security Agency designated Nipah virus as a high-priority pathogen, highlighting the urgent need for investment in diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.

UKHSA is also involved in international response efforts through its Public Health Rapid Support Team. In Bangladesh, where outbreaks occur regularly, the team is working with local partners to support education programmes in schools, aimed at teaching children how the virus spreads and how infection can be prevented, with the goal of protecting entire communities.

Health officials say the risk to most travellers remains very low, provided basic precautions are followed. People visiting affected regions are advised to avoid contact with bats and sick animals, refrain from consuming raw date palm sap, practise good hand hygiene and seek medical advice promptly if symptoms develop during or after travel.
Featured

Supreme Court's ruling on Kpandai victory for rule of law in Ghana - Minority in Parliament

Nana Konadu Agyeman Politics Jan - 28 - 2026 , 20:05 5 minutes read

The Minority in Parliament has described the ruling by the Supreme Court to quash the High Court in Tamale's judgment that ordered a re-run of the Kpandai constituency parliamentary election as a victory for the rule of law in Ghana.

Describing the Tamale High Court's decision as a deeply flawed judgment, the Minority in Parliament indicated that the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court restores the unequivocal mandate freely conferred by the people of Kpandai on their Member of Parliament, Matthew Nyindam, and reaffirms the primacy of the Constitution, due process and electoral finality in democracy.

They, however, called for an immediate and formal withdrawal of any residual notifications or administrative acts suggesting that the Kpandai seat was vacant, so that the records of Parliament and Electoral Commission (EC) accurately reflected the apex courts decision and the continuing mandate of Mr Nyindam.

For the avoidance of doubt, todays ruling means that the people of Kpandai have an MP who was duly elected on December 7, 2024, duly declared and gazetted and now duly affirmed by the apex court of the land. Their right to representation has been restored and protected and their will as expressed at the ballot box has, at last, been allowed to speak louder than procedural missteps and overreach, they stated.

Read also: Kpandai: Supreme Court quashes Tamale High Court judgment that annulled election results

Lack of jurisdiction

In a statement issued on behalf of his caucus in Accra on Wednesday [Jan 28, 2026], the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin stated that by the clear 41 majority, the Supreme Court had held that the Tamale High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the Kpandai election petition because it was filed outside the strict statutory time limits that governed all parliamentary election challenges.

In doing so, he said the Supreme Court had underscored a basic but vital principle that no court, no party, and no institution of state might, under any pretext, rewrite the rules after an election had been held and a winner duly declared and gazetted.

Where the law says a petition must be filed within a fixed window from the date of gazette, any action outside that window is a nullity, and any judgment founded on such a petition cannot stand.

The effect of this ruling is that there will be no rerun in Kpandai and that Matthew Nyindam remains, in law and in fact, the duly elected MP for the Kpandai constituency, he said.

Systemic correction for Ghanas democracy

Afenyo-Markin, who is also the Member of Parliament for Effutu in the Central Region, said the Supreme Court ruling was not only a personal vindication for the sitting MP and the people of Kpandai, but it was a systemic correction that would resonate far beyond a single constituency.

He said it sent a powerful signal to all trial courts that in election matters, strict compliance with jurisdictional thresholds, timelines, and the limited range of remedies set by statute was not optional.

He said it also reassured the Ghanaian voter that their sovereign will, once lawfully expressed and declared, could not be lightly overturned through adventurous litigation mounted out of time or by remedies that the law did not permit.

Parliaments premature action

He, however, stated that the Supreme Courts decision also exposed as reckless and constitutionally unsafe the indecent haste with which Parliament, acting through the Clerk, rushed to declare the Kpandai seat vacant and to notify the Electoral Commission (EC) of a socalled vacancy while live court processes and applications for stay were still pending.

That letter to the EC, sent on the back of a single firstinstance judgment and in the teeth of pending challenges, triggered plans for a December 30, 2025, rerun in Kpandai that the Supreme Court was ultimately compelled to halt.

He explained the apex court had, as far back as December 2025, ordered the EC to suspend all proceedings related to the Kpandai re-run pending the final determination of the case - an order that should never have been necessary had Parliament observed its own longstanding practice of waiting for finality before activating the vacancy machinery.

Giving historical antecedents, Mr Afenyo-Markin recalled the true history of Parliaments treatment of members who had faced serious legal challenges in the past.

In the case of Dan Abodakpi, then MP for Keta, he said Parliament did not move to treat his conviction and imprisonment as an automatic and irreversible midterm vacancy.

He said after Mr Abodakpi received a presidential pardon in 2008, he returned from jail to the Chamber and continued to perform his functions as MP until that Parliament was dissolved in January 2009.

Similarly, figures such as Adamu Dramani Sakande, Kwame Nyimakan and James Gyakye Quayson ceased to sit or were removed only when either the full appellate process had run its course or final, explicit orders from superior courts made the constitutional consequences of their cases clear, he said.

The throughline in these precedents is restraint: historically, the House has been far more inclined to preserve representation while legal processes unfold than to manufacture vacancies on the basis of a single, nonfinal development.

In sharp contrast, Kpandai was treated as a seat that could be stripped away almost automatically on the basis of a contested High Court decision, without waiting for the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court and despite a pending motion for stay of execution - a posture that the Minority consistently described as unlawful, premature and dangerous for the rule of law, he said.
Featured

Why not Bryan? - Barima Sarpong Kumankuma writes

Barima Sarpong Kumankuma Politics Jan - 28 - 2026 , 03:46 5 minutes read

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), without any attempt to sweep our internal challenges under the carpet, has been and still is a pillar of Ghanas democracy and a restorer of Development in Freedom.

Our political tradition in the history of our dear nation, Ghana, has seen struggles, shown courage, and shed blood towards achieving a society where leaders are elected rather than imposed, and where development comes with freedom and not at the expense of the peoples freedom.

In the 4th Republic, the New Patriotic Party has successfully elected four (4) presidential candidates through about seven (7) highly competitive presidential primaries. In a space of about 34 years, we have witnessed the election of Prof. Albert Adu Boahen, President John Agyekum Kufour, President Nana Akufo-Addo, and H.E Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia.

Come the 31st day of January, in the year 2026, as the largest political party in the history of Ghana, once more, a constitutional duty hangs on our neck. NPP, a decision is upon us. A decision that in no uncertain terms must necessarily revive hope in party people and restore trust with the Ghanaian people.

The enormity of our responsibility as NPP delegates in the 31st Decision cannot be precisely photographed by any number of

words.

Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Hon. Dr. Bryan Acheampong, H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Hon. Dr. Yaw Adutwum, and Engr. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong are the noble 5 who have presented themselves to be elected as the NPPs flag bearer for the 2028 general elections.

These are party heroes who indeed qualify to lead the NPP as presidential candidate.

These presidential aspirants are gentlemen who come to the table with various and varying content in terms of knowledge, experience, and

exposure. It is also true that the noble 5 have their own peculiar strengths as well as weaknesses which will matter if any of them is

presented as the partys presidential candidate for the 2028 elections.

In all fairness, each one of the five can serve our dear country as president, however, history gives a clear verdict that in a group of people who qualify as president, circumstances can offer one of them the best chance to win an election. This is where NPP finds itself today. All five can govern as president, but we must win political power first. The big question: who then can best unite the NPP and win the trust of the Ghanaian people?

And so while I am deeply convinced that the five gentlemen are all fit for the position of a president, I have no doubt in my mind that one of them is the most fit for the purposes of uniting the rank and file of the NPP and winning the 2028 GENERAL ELECTION. And that one person is Dr. Bryan Acheampong.

In view of the current state of the New Patriotic Party, I will put emphasis on party unity as the first and best criterion to choose who leads us come January 31, 2026. In the year 2000, unity offered us victory in the general election with the candidature of J.A Kufour. In the 2008 general election, glaring lack of unity was responsible for that unforgettable defeat, however, when we came together in unity, the 2016 election became a different story with same presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo.

The failure to unite the NPP towards the 2024 general election gave us our worst ever electoral performance in the partys recent history.

What is most frightening is the fact that the very forces which failed to foster unity are still present and most active this time around. Going into the 2028 election, the biggest threat to the NPP is not NDC, but the NPP itself.

The biggest hindrance to our electoral success is the unchecked bitterness out the political rivalry between the camp of Hon. Kennedy Agyapong and that of H.E Dr. Bawumia.

The immeasurable levels of antagonism and verbal abuse of which both sides are guilty, has poisoned the morale of our grassroots and weakened our party structures contributing hugely to the indiscipline dwelling in our party today.

I am therefore in deepest agreement with most of our party people across the country as well as the well-meaning Ghanaians who recently on day-to day basis advise the NPP delegates to vote for a presidential candidate outside the two fighting camps who can truly unite all the factions.

Now is the time to look beyond both Hon Ken and H.E Dr Bawumia, and I humbly ask, why not Bryan?

The constitution of the New Patriotic Party states clearly that the party exists to win political power to develop Ghana in freedom. I therefore ask again, and humbly so, if the 31st Decision is about winning the 2028 election, then why not Bryan?

There is absolutely no doubt about the need for the NPP to restore discipline, rebrand itself, and rewin the trust of the Ghanaian electorate.

This is non-negotiable, and I ask once more, why not Bryan?

Why not Bryan, if he is the hope of the aged and the embodiment of the aspirations of the young voter? Why not Bryan?

Why not Bryan, if he is the NPPs surest and strongest bridge between Ken and Bawumia, and just within 4 months he has been able to energize the NPP base barely a year after a painful electoral defeat? Why not Bryan?

Why not Bryan, at this crucial time that the business community, the academia, the middle class and floating voters are expressing their

confidence in him as a young impactful political and business leader? Why not Bryan?

Dear Delegates, I humbly plead with you to be ears to the Ghanaian people and be faithful to the constitution of the NPP which sums up our common objective of winning election 2028 for the betterment of Ghana. As you step into the booth on 31st January 2026, remember that you are standing in for the ordinary people in your polling stations, electoral areas, and constituencies. Let us respond positively to the most important question of our time. WHY NOT BRYAN?

The name remains; Barima Sarpong Kumankuma, Proud Product of Dawu L/A Asante Jamasi.
The AI industrys unsatiated hunger for memory chips has led to skyrocketing DRAM prices, and thats shaping up to make new tech in 2026 a lot more expensive. This also means consumers will have to shell out even more money for new devices and even the worlds largest smartphone manufacturer  Apple will have to pay up.

According to a report from South Korea, Samsung has hiked up its LPDDR DRAM chip pricing by a cool 80% compared to what it was charging Apple in Q4,2025. The report, which comes from industry sources, claims that SK Hynix, the other major DRAM manufacturer, has hiked up its DRAM pricing by a whopping 100%.

Historically, Apple has been able to absorb component price hikes through long-term agreements with key suppliers, but it seems that will not be the case this time around. According to the new report, Apple has signed a deal with Samsung that will only cover DRAM unit prices for the first half of the year.

This almost surely means that the upcoming iPhone 18 series and other new Apple devices will arrive with higher price tags. There is some hope, though, as analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is confident that Apple will still absorb the rising component costs and keep its iPhone pricing at bay as it aims to increase its market share.

Source (in Korean)
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Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and related crimes will no longer have to be re-victimized by being brought to a safe place in a police squad car, according to the Bureau of Womens Affairs, BWA.

The Guam Police Departments Domestic Assault Response Team can now transport victims to safety in an unmarked eight-passenger van, purchased through a grant awarded to BWA by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women.

Through our 2024 OVW Rural grant we purchased a Kia Carnival 8-passenger van and several infant and child car seats for GPD. Their advocates will now be able to transport victims of domestic violence and related crimes, along with their children, to safety in a much more trauma-informed approach, BWA Director Jayne Flores said in a statement.

The presentation of the van took place on Monday behind the governors office at Adelup.

Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio said GPD is thankful for the partnership with BWA, and for the grant funding they obtain for the department.

"This new victim services van is the first of its kind for GPD," Ignacio added.

Flores said besides the purchase of the GPD victim assistance van for $42,424, BWAs $700,000 three-year rural grant also pays for a GPD advocate, the partial salary of an advocate for Victim Advocates Reaching Out, VARO, and emergency housing for victims/survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking.

Our administration has always been very supportive of helping victims to become stronger, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said in a statement. The purchase of this van is part of our commitment to creating an environment that is respectful and dignified, even as these people face a very traumatic situation.

Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio said part of the reason the administration revived the BWA was to help Guam's most vulnerable persons, many of them women and children, "to pick up the pieces of their lives after a traumatic experience and help them move forward."

"The purchase of this van is proof that we are making a difference for these people, Tenorio added.
Guam Power Authority General Manager John Benavente will get a $7,537.55 pay raise, while Guam Waterworks Authority General Manager Miguel Bordallo will see a $6,475 bump in pay following a review of their 2025 job performance.

On Tuesday night, members of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities voted on the pay raises for both general managers, along with raises for other top management positions at GPA and GWA.

The CCU evaluates the performance of six top positions at the power and waterworks authority each year. If performance is good, pay raises follow.

Commissioner Simon Sanchez, speaking Tuesday night, said that pay is meant to be competitive, and attract and retain talent for the utility agencies.

If your concern is that these pay increases are going to raise the rates, it wont, he said, speaking to his colleagues. They never have. None of these pay to these six people, as none of the pay raises to these six people have ever raised the base rate.

Rates went up for major capital projects, like the Ukudu power plant and water and sewer system upgrades, not for the thousands of dollars that went into annual raises, he said.

GPA pay raisesGPAs Benavente scored a 4.0 rating for his 2025 work performance, equating to an exceeds expectations score on a scale from 1 to 5.

Commissioners voted without opposition to increase his pay from $243,360 annually to $250,897.55.

Commissioner Michael Limtiaco excused himself from the vote. His wife Beatrice Tricee Limtiaco is a member of GPA management working under Benavente.

The power authority is trying to move employee pay up to the 50th market percentile, meaning they will get paid more than about half the people doing the same jobs nationwide, GPA Personnel Services Administrator John Ray Aguigui noted during discussion.

That move is in line with a 2024 pay study adopted by the CCU, Aguigui said. GPA salaries are at the 35th market percentile, but are set to go up to the 40th market percentile this year.

The GPA general manager earns more than any of the other utility heads each year. He also scored the highest on his work evaluations.

Under Benaventes leadership this past year, GPA fully commissioned the long-awaited Ukudu power plant.

Here are other GPA raises approved Tuesday:

GPA chief financial officer John Kim, 3.7 rating, $8,524.49 raise, from $167,126.51 to $175,651 annually

GPA legal counsel Marianne Woloschuk, 3.9 rating, $4,476.49 raise, from $147,734.04 to $152,210.53 annually

Woloschuks raise was approved unanimously. Commissioner Melvin Duenas voted against Kims pay raise.

GWA increases

Meanwhile, GWAs Bordallo scored a 3.7 for his performance in 2025.

Thats above a rating of 3, which equates to meets expectations, but below the score of 4, or exceeds expectations.

Commissioners voted without opposition to increase Bordallos salary from $233,265 per year to $239,740.

Commissioner Limtiaco and CCU Chairman Francis Santos excused themselves from the vote, due to a familial relationship with Bordallo.

Hes got a tough job, Commissioner Sanchez said of Bordallo.

Commenting on the dieldrin contamination that led to an emergency in Yigo last year, Sanchez said GWA and the CCU could have communicated better.

But Bordallo had figured out a solution to get water wells safe to drink prior to the issue, and found an interim solution where, in 30 days, the water became safe to drink. Theres nobody else in Guam that could have figured that out that fast.

Commissioner Duenas did raise concern about legal action being taken against GWA.

Three Yigo families, including the family of former Attorney General Leevin Camacho, filed claims for $500,000 each against GWA this week for damages allegedly caused by dieldrin contamination.

Camacho told the Pacific Daily News that his law firm anticipates to file about a dozen more by Friday.

Speaking Tuesday night to Duenas, Sanchez said, the lawsuits are the lawsuitsI mean, we dont know what the results will be.

Every year, when we do this, someone could be threatening to sue us. Do we penalize our employees because someone is threatening to sue us? What if the lawsuit is wrong? Sanchez said.

GWA personnel services administrator Zina Pangelinan-Charfauros said that the waterworks authority, which is shooting to raise employee pay to the 50th market percentile, is only at the 25th percentile as of the start of this year.

That means about 75% of people working similar jobs are paid more in the nation.

Here are the other GWA salary increases, approved unanimously by the CCU:




Haiti - Education : Declaration on the Refounding of the Haitian Education System





Following three days of intense debates and in-depth discussions (January 21-23, 2026), Augustin Antoine, the Minister of National Education, officially closed the National Conference on the Refounding of the Haitian Education System on the afternoon of Friday, January 23.



A Declaration comprising 28 articles, proposing solutions to the various problems identified in the sector, was adopted at the conclusion of this conference. Delegates from diverse sectors of national life, as well as representatives of international cooperation, teachers, school principals, inspectors, academics, parents, students, unions, representatives of local authorities, the diaspora, and technical and financial partners, among others, came together to take a courageous and necessary step : to examine the Haitian education system without complacency, but with clarity and hope.



According to Minister Antoine, one cannot discuss education in Haiti today without acknowledging the gravity of the context in which it operates. He mentioned, among other things, the profound socio-economic crisis, the massive population displacements, the prolonged closure of schools, the precarious situation of teachers, and the deprivation of children's fundamental right to education.



He stated that he recognized that in some areas, attending school has become an act of bravery, while in others, teaching is an act of resistance. He added, "Despite the fear and uncertainty, the Haitian school system still stands thanks to the quiet courage of thousands of teachers, the determination of parents, and the pursuit of a better future by young people."



"Rebuilding the Haitian school system will not be easy or quick. The process unfolds on a timeline that is both fluid and dynamic. It requires time, consistency, resources, but above all, political will and collective responsibility." I particularly commend the sovereign act you have taken by signing the Declaration for the Refounding of the Haitian Education System," the Minister concluded, while expressing his hope that these proceedings would serve as a historic landmark for the Nation.



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Security : The Government visits the Gang Supression Force





On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, Laurent Saint-Cyr, pro Trmpore President of the Transitional Council and Coordinator of the Transition Council, accompanied by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and Vladimir Paraison, Director General of the Haitian National Police (PNH), paid a high-level visit to the Gang Supression Force (GSF).



This visit demonstrates the determination of the highest state authorities to regain effective control of the national territory and put an end to the activities of armed gangs that threaten public safety.



Upon their arrival, they were welcomed by Godfrey Otunge, the Force Commander, as well as by the FRG's leadership team and members.



In his address, Laurent Saint-Cyr expressed the Haitian government's gratitude to its partner countries, which continue to support Haiti in its fight to restore security by contributing troops and resources in a spirit of solidarity and shared responsibility. He also paid a heartfelt tribute to the agents and personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice in this mission, honoring their memory and their commitment to peace and stability in Haiti.



Addressing the troops, he expressed his confidence in the outcome of this fight, declaring with conviction: "I am certain that together, we will win this battle against insecurity."



Reaffirming the authorities' determination to sustainably restore security, Laurent Saint-Cyr and the Prime Minister assured the FRG of the Haitian government's unwavering support. They emphasized the complete unity of the highest state authorities in the fight against insecurity, reiterating that restoring security remains essential for holding credible elections and for a return to stability and the well-being of the Haitian people.



The Prime Minister commended the professionalism, discipline, and exemplary commitment of the GSF members. He also expressed the profound gratitude of the Haitian government and people to Kenya for its leadership, solidarity, and the crucial contribution of its police officers to strengthening the national security apparatus.



He reaffirmed the sustained diplomatic, political, and operational efforts deployed by the Haitian state, in close coordination with its international partners, for the upcoming arrival of the first contingents of the GRF, which will eventually reach more than 5,550 military and police personnel, according to the preliminary schedule established https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-46702-haiti-security-overview-of-the-gsf-deployment-schedule-in-haiti.html



Prime Minister Fils-Aime's message is clear : the State will not back down. Armed gangs will be neutralized, and the security of citizens remains an absolute national priority.



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre


















Press release

Through the night of February 2, 1943, the S.S. Dorchester was traveling from New York to Great Britain. Once a luxury coastal liner, the 5,649-ton vessel had been converted into an Army transport ship, and was crowded to capacity, carrying 902 servicemen, merchant seamen, and civilian workers.

That evening, the captain ordered the men to sleep in their clothing and keep life jackets on. Many soldiers, deep in the ship's hold, disregarded the order because of the engine's heat. Others ignored it because the life jackets were uncomfortable.

On Feb. 3, at 12:55 a.m., a German submarine U-223 spotted the ship and its convoy. They fired a torpedo that would sink the boat in under 30 minutes.

Aboard the Dorchester, panic and chaos had set in. The blast had killed scores of men, and many more were seriously wounded. Loss of power from the blast prevented the crew from sending a radio distress signal, and no rockets or flares were launched to alert the escorts. Many passengers were disoriented in the darkness.

Passengers quickly began to overcrowd lifeboats to the point of capsizing, according to eyewitnesses. Other rafts, tossed into the Atlantic, drifted away before soldiers could get in them.

In the midst of this pandemonium, four Army chaplains joined together to bring faith, and hope to a desperate situation. Those chaplains were Methodist Minister Lt. George L. Fox, Rabbi Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Catholic Priest Lt. John P. Washington, and Dutch Reformed Church Minister Lt. Clark V. Poling.

Quickly and quietly, the four men spread out among the soldiers, working to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety.

"Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live," remembered Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox. When the ship's supply of life preservers ran out, the four chaplains removed their own and gave them to four young servicemen.

Remembering the Four Chaplains Interfaith Memorial Service will be held on February 8 at 2pm at the 1st Presbyterian Church in Havre at 701 4th Ave. All are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served after the service. This service of remembrance is sponsored by Blaine Post 48, Havre Post 11, and District 2 of The American Legion of Montana. For more information call 406-945-4209.
The move affects office-based staff, not warehouse or logistics workers. Amazon employs 1.5 million people globally, of whom about 350,000 hold corporate positions. This round follows a cut of 14,000 roles announced in October, bringing the total to 30,000 jobs eliminated since late 2025.

Amazon will cut 16,000 corporate roles worldwide, marking its second wave of layoffs in three months.

The company described the decision as a structural adjustment driven by internal reorganisation and shifts in the technology sector, particularly the growth of artificial intelligence.

Beth Galetti, Amazons head of human resources, confirmed the cuts in a company blog post published Wednesday. She said the decision followed an evaluation of the company's internal operations.

Weve been working to strengthen our organisation by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy, Galetti wrote.

Affected employees in the United States will receive 90 days to find a new role within the company. Those unable to secure a new position will be offered severance packages and additional support.

Amazon is the second-largest private employer in the United States after Walmart. The current round of layoffs impacts around 4.5% of its corporate workforce.

Between 2022 and 2023, Amazon cut around 27,000 jobs globally. Combined with the latest round of cuts, total reductions now exceed 57,000.

Galetti said Amazon would continue hiring in areas aligned with its future priorities.

HT
Orpo met Chinese President Xi Jinping , Premier Li Qiang , and National Peoples Congress Chairman Zhao Leji on 27 January. One day earlier, he held discussions with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao . The agenda included bilateral relations, Ukraine, market access, and EU-China trade balance.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo concluded a six-day visit to China on 29 January 2026. The trip included high-level meetings in Beijing and commercial talks involving 20 Finnish companies.

The visit came amid growing uncertainty over the United States international posture. European governments have responded with independent diplomatic overtures. UK Labour leader Keir Starmer is on his way to China while Former Bank of Canada governor and prime minister of Canada Mark Carney led a business delegation to China earlier last week.

EU states previously labelled China a systemic rival and security threat. Officials in Brussels now privately acknowledge this designation followed US pressure. Orpos trip forms part of a broader effort to correct that stance.

Orpos schedule included the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business Cooperation on 26 January. Finnish firms signed 11 new trade agreements during the visit. Companies involved included KONE, Wartsila, UPM, and Finnair.

He described the meetings as direct and constructive. Discussions with Xi Jinping focused on mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, according to the Finnish governments summary. Xi encouraged cooperation in clean energy, digital economy, and agriculture. Orpo raised concerns over Ukraine and trade reciprocity.

The Finnish leader called on Beijing to support peace efforts through the UN Security Council. He characterised Russias war against Ukraine as a direct threat to Europe. Xi did not respond publicly.

The EU-China trade imbalance remains significant. In 2024, Finland exported 3.5 billion in goods and 1.82 billion in services to China, while imports from China stood at 7.5 billion. Finnish companies reported 14 billion in turnover through 239 subsidiaries operating in the Chinese market.

Four memoranda of understanding were signed with Premier Li Qiang. They covered sustainable construction, energy cooperation, animal disease management, and the relaunch of the bilateral business committee. A letter of intent on tourism and a scientific cooperation protocol for 2025 were also signed.

Orpos trip marked the first visit by a Finnish prime minister to China since 2017. It followed a 2024 state visit by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who met Xi in Beijing. Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho visited in 2025.

The Finnish delegation included representatives from technology, aviation, paper, energy, and urban development sectors. Business meetings took place across several venues, including the Finnish embassy and Chinese government offices.

Finnish-language sources reported Orpos emphasis on export markets and the need to engage with China in a stable, realistic way. Finland must understand Beijings view of the world, he was quoted as saying in Suomenmaa.

YLE reported that human rights, Taiwan, and climate issues were also raised. Orpo stressed the importance of dialogue, even on topics where disagreements remain.

MTV Uutiset noted that the meetings were described as friendly and that the atmosphere in the talks was focused on shared interests. Orpo made clear that while the EU has concerns, Finland would not isolate China.

The visit also reinforced the 20252029 Joint Action Plan signed during Stubbs visit. Areas of cooperation include education, innovation, the circular economy, forestry, digital transition, and winter sports. Monitoring mechanisms for bilateral projects are now in place.

The 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, marked in October 2025, was referenced during the meetings. Xi Jinping and Stubb exchanged formal congratulations, calling for continued political and economic engagement.

European diplomacy towards China is undergoing realignment. NATO enlargement and US-China rivalry have increased pressure on smaller EU states. Finnish officials say the previous EU line on China as a security threat reflected short-term coordination with Washington, not long-term strategy.

Now, as US positions fluctuate, Finland and others are pursuing national strategies. Analysts note that Germany, France, and the Netherlands have also increased ministerial visits to Beijing. A joint business forum hosted in Guangzhou earlier this month drew delegations from eight EU countries.

The Finnish government has said the visit advanced national interests in a complex global environment. Commercial benefits were immediately visible. KONE signed elevator installation contracts in three Chinese cities. Wartsila confirmed an engine supply deal for Chinese shipbuilders. Finnair announced expanded routes to three secondary Chinese airports.

The visit ended with a reception hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, attended by Vice Minister Ling Ji, where both sides committed to pragmatic and open cooperation.

No joint press statement was issued at the end of the trip. Orpo left China without announcing any new political framework, but Finnish officials described the visit as a step toward rebalanced engagement.

Business Finland, which coordinated parts of the trip, confirmed follow-up visits are planned for the second half of 2026, focused on smart city development and green technologies.

The Chinese side reiterated support for Finnish participation in the Belt and Road-related sub-projects, though Finland has not formally joined the initiative.

Finnish exports to China have recovered since the 20222023 COVID-related slowdown. Officials say energy transition and digital infrastructure offer long-term growth areas. Orpo warned against economic overdependence but said disengagement is not a solution.

HT
Thailands Department of Disease Control began temperature checks and symptom screening on 25 January at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket international airports.

Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan have moved quickly to introduce preventive measures amid growing concern over the viruss high fatality rate and epidemic potential.

Health authorities across Asia have begun screening air travellers arriving from India after five confirmed cases of the Nipah virus in the countrys eastern state of West Bengal.

All three receive direct flights from Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Passengers are being issued health cards advising them to report any symptoms of illness.

Travellers displaying signs of infection, such as high fever or respiratory symptoms, are being referred to quarantine centres. Public health teams at airports have also stepped up cleaning procedures and disease monitoring.

Thai officials said the screening measures are similar to those used during the Covid-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated no domestic cases had been found so far, but surveillance would remain in place.

The outbreak in West Bengal includes two initial cases in healthcare workers and three further infections traced to a hospital. At least 100 people exposed to the virus have been quarantined, including a doctor and nursing staff. All close contacts have so far tested negative.

Nepal has introduced health checkpoints at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and along land border crossings shared with India.

Taiwan is preparing to list Nipah as a Category 5 disease, the highest classification under its public health legislation. The move would make reporting of suspected cases mandatory and allow for special containment measures. The islands Centre for Disease Control has maintained a Level 2 alert for travel to Kerala, another Indian state previously affected by the virus.

The World Health Organization classifies Nipah as one of its top ten priority pathogens. The virus is zoonotic, meaning it spreads from animals to humans. Fruit bats and pigs are known carriers, though human-to-human transmission is also possible, particularly in healthcare settings.

The virus has an incubation period of up to two weeks. Symptoms vary but can include fever, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, cough, or sore throat. Severe cases may involve altered consciousness, pneumonia or fatal encephalitis.

No vaccines or approved treatments for Nipah exist. The mortality rate ranges from 40 to 75 percent depending on the outbreak and viral strain, according to the WHO.

Outbreaks have occurred in Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, and India. In 1998, over 100 people died in Malaysia and nearly one million pigs were culled. Bangladesh has recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 241 deaths from 341 confirmed cases since 2001.

In India, previous Nipah outbreaks have been reported in Kerala and West Bengal. In 2023, two people died during an outbreak in Kerala.

The source of the current outbreak in West Bengal remains under investigation.

HT
Edney Inn, Hog Rock and Pot Shoals roads, Lake Lure Marina get FEMA grants

A new round of disaster aid from FEMA will provide $4.5 million to fix Pot Shoals Road, $1.8 million for marine docks at Lake Lure and $1.61 million to repair Edney Inn Road and Hog Rock Road, roads in Edneyville and the Hickory Nut Gorge that were badly damaged by Hurricane Helene.

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U.S. Chuck Edwards and U.S. Sen. Ted Budd announced on Wednesday the release more than $230 million in additional Public Assistance funding for continued Helene recovery efforts.

Edney Inn and Hog Rock roads experienced "severe washout, material loss, and erosion of the roads sub-base, embankments, shoulder/slope areas, asphalt surfaces, pavement marking lines, and corrugated metal pipe culverts," Budd's office said in a news release. In making repairs, the NCDOT will incorporate mitigation by adding rip rap and other erosion control methods to stabilize the roadways and prevent future damage.

As a result of Helene, Lake Lure Marina's "floating and fixed docks, gangways and all associated components were displaced and severely damaged," Budd's office said in a news release. The town will let contracts to repair and restore the docks "back to their pre-disaster design, capacity and function within the existing footprint."

The funding also includes:

$8.8 million to Blue Ridge Electric Membership for permanent electric and broadband infrastructure repairs.

$2.7 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for road repairs in Avery County.

More than $11 million to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for roadway repairs across multiple routes in Buncombe County.

$200 million to North Carolina Emergency Management for emergency protective measures, including temporary water restoration, shelters, generators, and disaster response operations across Western North Carolina.

These resources represent another big step forward in helping Western North Carolina recover from Hurricane Helene, Edwards said. From restoring critical infrastructure to supporting emergency response efforts, these funds will help our communities rebuild stronger. I will continue working closely with FEMA and our state and local partners to ensure recovery efforts remain a top priority.

Budd added: Communities across Western North Carolina have fronted millions of dollars to clear and repair damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Ive continued to engage with the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to expedite the release of federal aid for recovery and repairs that had been stalled, and I am proud to announce that another $233 million is on the way. I am grateful to President Trump for his consistent support for Western North Carolina and to his administration for helping get these funds out the door."
A PLANNED new Aldi store in Henley will be the smallest that they do.

The Henley Standard reported in May that the German-supermarket chain was looking to open in the town.

This was confirmed earlier this month when Aldi announced it was launching an online public consultation for a store located in Reading Road.

It is being proposed for a store on the current Jewsons site, with the builders merchant set to move up the road to the former Gibbs and Dandy site.

The consultation, which closes tomorrow, was a chance for residents to give their views on the initial designs for the scheme before the start of any formal planning process.

On Thursday last week, residents had the opportunity to meet with the project team behind the scheme during a presentation at the town hall.

They included planning consultants Avison Young, architects Kendall Kingscott and members of Aldis real estate team.

Sam Kightley, who works for Aldis real estate team, said that the store that was planned for the site would be on the smaller end.

He said: In terms of the shop floor its our relatively standard design. Its our smallest design in terms of scale and massing.

In terms of height, its the smallest that we generally would go to try and sort of minimise any effect on the neighbours.

He said that the exhibition had been a good opportunity to meet with the local community. Mr Kightley said: Its nice to meet the local residents and get their feedback on the scheme.

Weve got some neighbours to the site there that are having a good conversation with us.

We ultimately want to provide more choice for residents to get discount, excellent prices and really good quality food.

Planning consultant Emily Hill, of Avison Young, said the response so far to the online consultation was mostly positive. She said: We have already had 600 responses and about 82 per cent in support. We are just keen to hear the residents views before we finalise the planning application so we can make sure [their concerns] are dealt with before we go forward.

Architect Matt Wilkins, of Kendall Kingscott, said that some of the topics that had been raised were about planting around the site and the access.

He said: I know there are concerns about the highways and weve got transport consultants here to hopefully address some of those.

We were keen to get any feedback on the design of the building, but also the boundary treatments, because I know there are nearby residents that will be concerned about how we maintain green landscaping where we can and the treatment of the watercourse.

He added: We are just here to get everyones views first before we finalise.

Sue Nadin, who lives in Park Road near to the site, said she had come along to raise the issue of planting with the project team.

She said: Im particularly interested in the borders adjacent to Park Road because at the moment the conifers are out of control. And Im also interested in noise and light pollution.

Ms Nadin added that she thought the store was great news for Henley. She said: I think its a very good store and I think they will be very ethical and sustainable in respect of the building.

I think its great that theyve got this today to just have the opportunity to listen to the local residents and what their concerns are.

Julia Herbke, of Simmons Road, said that she thought it was a fantastic idea that Henley was getting another supermarket.

She said: Tesco I find could do with some competition because they have a bit of a monopoly.

And with all these houses being built in Shiplake, you think, where will the people shop? I think there will be a market there for the new Aldi and itd be healthy for us to get more choice.

She added: The site is already there, so its not like they have to take down a lot of trees or anything.

l What do you think? Write to: Letters, Henley Standard, Caxton House, 1 Station Road, Henley or email letters@henleystandard.co.uk
An outbreak of the lethal Nipah virus has sent shockwaves through the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. Health officials are racing to contain the spread as five casesincluding frontline doctors and nurseshave been confirmed in a cluster near Kolkata.

In West Bengal, 100 people have been identified as close contacts and are currently in quarantine. Officials say the situation is under close review, with ongoing testing to monitor for delayed symptoms, and no international spread has been reported.

While the world still bears the scars of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists warn that this fruit bat-borne pathogen presents a far more terrifying 'grim scenario.' With a mortality rate that can exceed 75% and no known cure, the focus has shifted from 'if' another pandemic will strike to 'how deadly' this brain-swelling disease truly is.

What is the Nipah virus?

The Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly lethal, zoonotic pathogenmeaning it jumps from animals to humans. Its primary natural host is the Pteropus fruit bat, also known as the 'flying fox'.

While humans typically contract the virus by consuming food contaminated by bat saliva or urine, such as raw date palm sap or fallen fruit, the 2026 outbreak in West Bengal has highlighted a more dangerous route: human-to-human transmission.

The virus is notorious for its 'dual-attack' on the body. It typically begins with flu-like symptomsfever, headache, and sore throatbut quickly escalates into acute respiratory distress or severe lung infection and fatal encephalitis or the inflammation and swelling of the brain.

Because it is so dangerous and there is no cure, it is handled only in the world's most secure Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) laboratories.

How is the Nipah virus Transmitted?

According to medical experts, the Nipah virus is particularly dangerous because it can move through multiple environmentsfrom wildlife to food, and ultimately to humans.

The virus naturally resides in fruit bats, which are 'asymptomatic carriers,' meaning they carry the virus without becoming ill. Humans can contract Nipah through direct contact with a bat's bodily fluids, including saliva, urine, or excrement.

Bats can also infect intermediate hosts, as documented in Malaysia, where infected bats transmitted the virus to pigs. The pigs then acted as 'amplifiers,' making it much easier for humans to contract the virus.

Contaminated food is another common source of transmission, particularly in India and Bangladesh. Bats often drink from pots used to collect sap from trees, contaminating it with saliva or urine. Similarly, 'bat-bitten' fruitpartially eaten or licked by infected batscan introduce the virus directly into the human system.

Human-to-human transmission is considered a 'grim scenario,' as it spreads similarly to COVID-19. The virus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, as well as through contact with a patient's blood or urine.

As observed in the 2026 West Bengal cluster, healthcare workers face the highest risk. Early symptoms often resemble a common cold or flu, leading medical staff to treat patients without the high-level PPE required for a BSL-4 pathogen.

Because Nipah is so lethal, patients carry a high 'viral load,' making them extremely infectious to family members providing bedside care.

How Deadly is the Nipah virus?

Nipah virus is considered by many medical experts to be deadly, estimated to be 75 times more lethal than COVID-19. To understand its severity, we can look at the Case Fatality Rate (CFR).

COVID-19's death rate is roughly 1% to 3%. In comparison, the Nipah virus has claimed the lives of 40% to 75% of those infected. In some localised outbreaks, the death rate has approached 100%.

Unlike many respiratory viruses, Nipah also attacks the brain, crossing the blood-brain barrier. Patients can fall into a coma within 24 to 48 hours after the onset of neurological symptoms.

Adding to the danger is Nipah's so-called 'relapse factor'. Even survivors may face a delayed threat, as the virus can remain dormant in the body and 'wake up' months or even years later, causing sudden, fatal brain swelling.

Perhaps most alarming is that, as of early 2026, there are no approved vaccines or specific antiviral treatments for Nipah. Doctors can only provide supportive care, essentially relying on the patient's own immune system to combat a highly formidable virus.

The 'Grim Scenario' of Nipah Virus Worse Than COVID-19

Nipah virus possesses the three ingredients for a global catastrophe that could far exceed the impact of COVID-19, giving rise to the so-called 'grim scenario.'

First, the virus combines high fatality with a high potential for mutation. Unlike COVID-19, which was mild enough for millions of infected people to spread it unknowingly, Nipahkilling approximately 1 in 2 peoplecould trigger a healthcare and social collapse within weeks if it ever became as easily transmissible through the air.

Second, Nipah has a 'silent window,' with an incubation period of up to 45 days. This means an infected person could travel around the world multiple times before showing any symptoms, unknowingly seeding the virus in every city they visit.

Given that the Nipah virus has infected healthcare frontliners in West Bengal, it has been demonstratedbased on previous outbreaksthat the virus spreads easily in hospital settings.

When the 'healers' become the 'spreaders' and die at such high rates, the entire medical infrastructure of a country can collapse, leaving the population with virtually no defence.

While the 'grim scenario' of the Nipah virus is terrifying, the swift response in West Bengal shows that the world has learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. For now, the world watches closely, hoping that vigilance will prevent this deadly virus from becoming the next global crisis.

Originally published on IBTimes UK
President Donald Trump issued his most explicit military threat against Iran yet on Wednesday, announcing that a "massive armada" led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is heading toward the Islamic Republic and warning that the next attack will be "far worse" than the June strikes that destroyed three major Iranian nuclear facilities.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump demanded Iran immediately negotiate an agreement to end its nuclear program or face devastating military consequences. The threat marks a dramatic escalation in tensions following Iran's brutal crackdown on mass protests that may have killed thousands of civilians.

"A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose," Trump wrote Wednesday morning. "It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary."

Ultimatum: Deal or Destruction

Trump's message combined diplomatic overture with explicit military menace, giving Iran a stark choice between negotiation and confrontation. "Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties," the president posted. "Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!"

The warning referenced Operation Midnight Hammer, the controversial June 2025 military operation in which U.S. warplanes joined Israel in attacking three Iranian nuclear facilities during a 12-day conflict. Trump claimed the strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capacity, though the true extent of damage and the current status of Iran's nuclear program remain subjects of intense debate.

"They didn't, and there was 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' a major destruction of Iran," Trump continued. "The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again."

According to various reports, the June attacks killed approximately 430 people at the nuclear sites. Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed a "comprehensive and regret-inducing response" if attacked again, while the whereabouts of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpiles have remained unknown since the strikes.

Military Deployment and Capabilities

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group entered Middle Eastern waters on Tuesday, confirmed by U.S. Central Command. The deployment includes the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier along with several guided missile destroyers, giving the administration significant strike capabilities against targets throughout Iranian territory.

Beyond the carrier group, the Pentagon has deployed additional F-15 and F-35 fighter jets, aerial refueling tankers, and advanced air defense systems to the region. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper visited Israel over the weekend to discuss joint military planning, signaling coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv on potential operations.

Trump repeatedly emphasized the size and power of the naval force during public appearances. Speaking in Iowa on Tuesday evening, he described "another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now," comparing it favorably to the naval buildup that preceded the recent capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The military positioning gives Trump multiple options for potential strikes, from limited attacks on specific targets to broader campaigns against Iran's military infrastructure, nuclear facilities, or leadership. However, administration officials remain divided on whether and how to use force, according to multiple reports.

Context: Protests, Crackdown, and Casualties

The immediate trigger for Trump's escalated threats was Iran's violent suppression of nationwide protests that erupted on December 28, 2025, over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency and rapidly rising costs of living. What began as economic grievances quickly expanded into broader demonstrations against Iran's theocratic government.

Iranian security forces responded with overwhelming force, deploying live ammunition against protesters and conducting mass arrests. The confirmed death toll has reached at least 5,848 people according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), with an additional 17,091 deaths still under investigation. Some reports suggest the total casualties could exceed 30,000, making this the deadliest period of civil unrest in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Nearly 42,000 people have been detained, with authorities threatening mass executions. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly taken shelter in a fortified underground facility amid the chaos, according to Iranian exile media outlets.

Trump initially threatened military action earlier in January if Iran "violently kills" protesters or conducts mass executions of detainees. He subsequently claimed his warnings had led to a temporary de-escalation, though the violence continued. Last week, the president announced that an "armada" was heading toward Iran but expressed hope he wouldn't need to use it.

"We have a lot of ships going that direction just in case," Trump told reporters Thursday. "We have an armada heading that direction and maybe we won't have to use it."

Wednesday's statement represented the first time Trump explicitly linked the major naval deployment to stalled nuclear negotiations rather than solely to the protest crackdown.

Iranian Response: Defiance and Warnings

Iran's mission to the United Nations responded defiantly to Trump's threats on Wednesday, posting on social media that Tehran "stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interestsBUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!"

The mission added pointed commentary about past American military interventions: "Last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that he had not been in contact with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days and had not requested negotiations, according to Reuters citing Iranian state media. This contradicted Trump's claims that Iran has been calling "on numerous occasions" seeking talks.

However, Araghchi also stated he was in "continuous contact" with counterparts in other regional countries, suggesting diplomatic efforts to build support or deter American military action. Iran's army commander, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, reiterated that Iranian forces stand ready to confront any threat.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran Army is always ready to confront any threat, and if anything happens, the enemy will certainly suffer severe damage," Sayyari said Wednesday. "We stand against any threat on land, in the air, and at sea."

General Mohammad Pakpour of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued stern warnings over the weekend that neighboring countries would be "considered hostile" if their territory is used by the United States during any attack. Both Tehran and the U.S. Air Force have announced military drills near the critical Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil supplies pass.

Regional Diplomatic Implications

The confrontation has sparked intense diplomatic activity across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both of which host U.S. military forces, have reportedly signaled they will not allow their airspace to be used for any attack on Iran. This echoes the complex regional dynamics that limited American military options during previous confrontations.

In June 2025, Iran responded to the bombing of its nuclear facilities with an attack on U.S. forces stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, demonstrating its willingness and capability to strike American assets throughout the region. The memory of that escalation weighs heavily on current calculations about potential conflict.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan suggested to Al Jazeera on Wednesday that "Iran is ready to negotiate a nuclear file again," contradicting Iranian officials' public statements but potentially indicating behind-the-scenes diplomatic feelers.

The regional powers face difficult choices: supporting the United States risks retaliation from Iran and its proxies across the Middle East, while opposing Washington could damage critical security partnerships and access to American military protection.

Nuclear Negotiations: History and Demands

The current crisis represents the latest chapter in a decades-long international effort to limit Iran's nuclear program. The United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)the 2015 multinational nuclear agreementduring Trump's first term, reimposing harsh sanctions and pursuing a "maximum pressure" campaign.

Trump has said he wants to negotiate a new deal that goes far beyond the JCPOA's restrictions. Washington's current demands reportedly include requiring Iran to eliminate all enriched uranium stockpiles, cap its ballistic missile arsenal, cease support for regional proxy forces like Hezbollah and Hamas, and abandon independent uranium enrichment capabilities.

Iranian officials have consistently rejected these terms as violations of their sovereignty and national security interests. Tehran insists its nuclear program serves purely civilian purposespower generation and medical isotope productionand that it has the right under international law to enrich uranium.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi led five rounds of mostly indirect nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran earlier in 2025. Those talks broke down in June as Israel launched its 12-day war against Iran, which included the American airstrikes on nuclear facilities.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran was "about a month away from having a nuclear weapon" before the June attacks, though international nuclear inspectors and Western intelligence agencies have offered varying assessments of how close Iran actually came to weapons capability.

Administration Internal Divisions

Multiple reports indicate significant disagreement within the Trump administration about how to proceed. Some officials have advocated for enforcing the president's stated "red lines" regarding protester deaths and mass executions, arguing that credibility requires following through on threats. Others question what strategic objectives military strikes would accomplish beyond the immediate tactical damage.

The June attacks clearly did not end Iran's nuclear program, as evidenced by ongoing American demands for negotiations. Critics argue that another round of strikes might similarly fail to achieve lasting strategic gains while risking broader regional war and creating unpredictable consequences.

Trump himself has sent mixed signals, alternating between bellicose threats and expressions of hope for diplomatic resolution. On Monday, he told Axios that he believes Iran's leaders want to negotiate: "They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk."

The president also described the situation as "in flux," suggesting decisions about military action remain under active deliberation. White House officials confirmed to Axios that an attack remains "on the table" as Trump holds further consultations this week.

Economic and Security Considerations

Beyond the immediate military and diplomatic dimensions, the Iran crisis carries significant economic implications. Iran has previously threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to military attacks, which would disrupt global oil markets and spike energy prices worldwide.

The potential for broader regional conflict affecting critical infrastructure, shipping lanes, and allied nations creates economic risks extending far beyond the Middle East. American businesses with regional interests and global corporations dependent on energy security face uncertainty about potential disruptions.

For American universities and research institutions, escalating Middle East tensions affect international student recruitment, faculty exchanges, and collaborative research projects. Iranian students and scholars face particular challenges, while institutions across the region navigate security concerns and diplomatic pressures.

The specter of military conflict also influences markets and investor confidence, as uncertainty about major geopolitical developments affects risk assessments and capital allocation decisions.

Looking Ahead: Escalation or Negotiation?

As the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group settles into position within striking distance of Iran, the world watches to see whether Trump's threats lead to diplomatic breakthrough or military confrontation. The president has set a pattern of public ultimatums followed by either strikes (as in June) or claims of success in deterring bad behavior (as with the protest crackdown).

Iran faces its own difficult calculations. Its economy already suffers under comprehensive American sanctions, domestic stability has been shaken by massive protests, and military confrontation with the United States offers no clear path to victory. Yet backing down under explicit threats could undermine the regime's legitimacy and embolden future challenges.

The coming days and weeks will reveal whether this crisis follows the path toward military escalation or whether diplomatic channelspublic or privatecan find a resolution that allows both sides to step back from the brink.

For now, a massive American armada sits in Middle Eastern waters, Iranian forces prepare for potential attack, regional powers scramble to avoid being caught in the crossfire, and the world confronts the possibility of another major military conflict in one of its most volatile and strategically critical regions.
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Treehouse Hotelsthe free-spirited, nostalgia-fueled hospitality brand created by Barry Sternlicht, Chairman of Starwood Hotelsis bringing its signature playful vibes to South Florida. Developed by owner Keyah Real Estate Group, Treehouse Hotel Miami Beach is scheduled to open in early 2029 and will introduce the brand's easygoing, design-forward approach to one of the city's most iconic neighborhoods.

The Treehouse story began in London's stylish Marylebone neighborhood in 2019, where the brand quickly earned acclaim for its quirky and not-so-serious approach to hospitality. Since then, the brand has continued to grow, with the award-winning Treehouse Hotel Manchester in the UK and the first U.S. location, Treehouse Hotel Silicon Valley. Now, Treehouse Hotel Miami Beachthe first resort offering in the portfoliois set to bring that same playful and great energy to one of Florida's most magnetic coastal destinations, home to both Starwood Hotels and Keyah Real Estate Group.

Treehouse Hotel Miami Beach is a reimagining of two historically significant 1940s-era buildingsthe Art Deco Haddon Hall and Campton Apartmentswhich will be combined with a signature new-build tower topped with an ocean-view rooftop. Designed by award-winning design firm Rottet Studio, the transformation draws inspiration from the Art Deco roots of the original buildings while incorporating elements of Streamline Moderne, Spanish Mediterranean Regionalism, and Miami Modern design.

Located right in the heart of Miami Beach's historic district and just across the street from a beautiful beachfront stretch, the property's setting is stunning. The interiors lean into Treehouse's signature design language: warm, tactile, and a little bit unexpected. Natural materials, handcrafted details, and layered textures are cozy and quirky without being precious. Many of the hotel's large suites will feature ocean views, reinforcing the connection between city, sea, and sky.

At the center of it all is a lush courtyard, anchored by a pool and surrounded by tropical greeneryan oasis where days stretch out naturally, from morning coffee to lazy afternoons and evenings that turn into impromptu hangouts. Nothing is too polished, nothing feels formal, and that's exactly the point.

The property will feature several dining and lounge experiences, complemented by a rooftop pool that offers an elevated escape above Miami Beach. Reinforcing the idea that feeling good should feel effortless, wellness is also woven into the experience. Alongside fitness offerings, the property will include a dedicated spa and wellness club, serving guests and the local Miami community. And with access to a serviced beach club nearby, Treehouse Hotel Miami Beach blends the ease of a resort with the buzz of an urban escape.

Above all, Treehouse Hotel Miami Beach is designed to feel welcoming, unpretentious, and magical. It's a place for travelers who love great design but don't need it to be too serious, who appreciate Miami's energy but also crave moments of calm. A place to play, unwind, and rediscover a sense of freedom you didn't realize you were missing.

For more information, visit treehousehotels.com .

Hotel website
ONYX Hospitality Group officially announced the signing of a management agreement for Shama Hub Ladprao at a ceremony held at Amari Bangkok on 22nd January 2026. The agreement was signed by Mr. Yuthachai Charanachitta, Chief Executive Officer of ONYX Hospitality Group, and Mr. Somchai Ngamdamrongkiat, owner of Shama Yen Akat and Shama Hub Ladprao, in the presence of executives and team members from both organisations.

Shama Hub Ladprao is the second serviced apartment project entrusted to ONYX Hospitality Group by Mr. Somchai Ngamdamrongkiat. Following the strong performance of Shama Yen Akat over the past five years, the decision to invest in and appoint ONYX Hospitality Group to manage a second project underscores the owner's continued confidence in the Shama and Shama Hub brands, as well as in ONYX Hospitality Group's capability to deliver high-quality services supported by efficient and sustainable long-term management.

Shama Hub Ladprao is the first Shama Hub in Thailand and the third in the region. Developed under the "Shama Hub" concept, the project is designed to support flexible urban living, offering compact yet highly functional residences with efficient space allocation to meet the needs of modern residents. Strategically located in a well-connected urban area, the property provides convenient access to transportation, workplaces, lifestyle amenities, and the surrounding city community. It also features shared spaces that support work, relaxation, and social interaction, including co-working and social spaces. Guests benefit from the trusted international service standards of the Shama Hub brand.

Shama is ideally suited for both short-term and long-term stays, offering prime locations in residential areas with convenient connectivity to key business and tourist districts. Additionally, the brand emphasises hotel-standard services to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable living experience. Shama comprises three distinct sub-brands in the "Shama Ecosystem" Shama Luxe, Shama, and Shama Hubeach differentiated by room size, location, and design style to serve a wide range of customer segments, from upper upscale to upper middle scale. Currently, Shama serviced apartments operate 23 properties and pipeline projects located in seven prime locations across Thailand, Greater China (People's Republic of China and Hong Kong) and Malaysia.

Hotel website
In May, 2026, the new resort KG Hotel is set to open in the city of Klaksvik on the Faroe Islands. Joining the portfolio of Nordic Hotels & Resortsthe largest collection of independent hotels in the Nordicsthe hotel is positioned as a new outpost for exploring one of the North Atlantic's most striking destinations.

When it comes to travel, few places have gained popularity as fast as the Faroe Islands. As interest in nature-driven travel and cooler destinations continues to grow globally, this nation of 18 islands sitting between Norway, Iceland, and Scotland is increasingly attracting travelers seeking powerful experiences over polished escapism. It is here, in the second biggest city of Klaksvik, that a new resort for the adventurous explorer is opening: KG Hotel.

A New Basecamp in the North

Set at the innermost part of the fjord in Klaksvik, KG Hotel is surrounded by steep mountains, shifting weather, and the open ocean. The interiors of the modern building will be defined by natural materials like wood and concrete. At its heart lies a large, open lobby, designed to be alive throughout the day. This is where locals and travelers can meet before heading out to sea, up on the mountains, or back home again.

Beyond 83 sleek rooms, the hotel will house all the facilities of a contemporary resort. Alda Spa, which takes its name from the Faroese word for "wave", is the hotel's wellness area, complete with a relaxing outdoor pool, a large waterfront sauna, an indoor sauna and steam bath, and spaces for massages. In the restaurant Sand, guests will be able to dine with the fjord as their backdrop, and a large Meetings & Events venue overlooking the sea will take meetings to new heights. Together, these spaces will make KG Hotel a year-round destinationand a strong addition to Nordic Hotels & Resorts' diverse portfolio.

The location of the new hotel is the perfect starting point when exploring the sharply distinct landscapes of the Faroe Islands' northern reaches. As the second-largest town in the archipelagowith a population of around just over 5,000Klaksvik serves as both a service centre for local communities and a practical launch point for visitors and residents alike. From here, future KG Hotel guests will be able to reach dramatic fjords, rugged mountain ridges, and coastal trails that characterize the Boroy island and neighbouring islands.

The Maritime Spirit of Klaksvik

Klaksvik's roots stretch back to the Viking Age. Originally, four farms were located where Klaksvik is now, which in time grew into four villages: Vagur, Myrkjanoyri, Gerar and Uppsalir. These four villages finally merged to form the town of Klaksvik in 1938. The town soon became a driving force of economic and social progress in the Faroes. Seizing new opportunities in fishing, gifted entrepreneurs drew new inhabitants to the area. A vibrant and diverse industry and business sector remain the backbone of the municipality.

Fishing is a defining pillar of Klaksvik's identity. Through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, its naturally sheltered harbour and expanding fleet positioned Klaksvik at the heart of the Faroese fishing economy. Today, Klaksvik is known not only as one of the Faroe Islands' principal fisheries hubswith a well-developed maritime infrastructurebut also as the Northern islands' administrative and economic hub.

KG Hotel opens in May, 2026. It will operate as part of Nordic Hotels & Resorts' resort portfolio.

Hotel website
The Atlas Hotel has officially arrived as a first-of-its-kind boutique lifestyle destination in Boston, and the city's newest hotel in recent years.

Now open, The Atlas promises to be more than just a hotel; it is a new chapter in Boston's hospitality landscape. Bringing a resonant new presence to Allston, one of Boston's most forward-looking neighborhoods, The Atlas' debut ushers in a new standard of lifestyle hospitality for travelers and locals that seek an experience-driven destination with thoughtfully innovative design, exceptional dining, intellectually spirited programming and proximity to Boston's most prestigious academic and cultural institutions.

Situated at the gateway of the Harvard University's Enterprise Research Campus (ERC), developed by global real estate leader Tishman Speyer in collaboration with Harvard University and operated by hospitality management company Highgate, The Atlas invites the world's thought leaders to a modern social and cultural hub, embracing the neighborhood's love for art, design, and global dining. The Atlas features 246 thoughtfully designed guest rooms, including 12 suites, a curated living room lobby, a new concept retail space from the living heritage brand The COOP, and two new dining concepts from the acclaimed team behind Dorchester's Comfort Kitchen, including a panoramic rooftop bar. Additional hotel highlights include versatile meeting and event spaces, a fitness center, and an outdoor terrace overlooking the ERC's dynamic green space.

DESIGN VISION

Rooted in the area's academic legacy and energized by local creative culture, the hotel's architecture and interior design blends disciplined, structured forms with softer, organic elements to foster exchange, creative expression, and a sense of belonging. Designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects with interiors by INC Architecture & Design, the hotel's namesake embodies the design mission to merge local and global character, creating a setting where ideas can be shared and communities strengthened. Blackwell shaped the building's architectural expression and designed the restaurant and rooftop bar, while INC designed the lobby, public corridors, and guest room interiors. Upon arrival, pedestrian-focused architectural design reinforces a generous streetscape, inviting the public into a vibrant ground floor lobby, restaurant and upcoming retail shop, with views that peer into the hotel's lobby living room and jewel-box entry, warmly drawing guests inside.

Sustainability is central to The Atlas' design, achieving LEED Gold and Fitwel certifications, operating primarily on all-electric energy, and exceeding proposed carbon-reduction standards in support of a path toward carbon neutrality. The hotel and wider campus incorporate rainwater-harvesting bioswales, climate-resilient green infrastructure, and feather-friendly dotted window treatments that reduce bird collisions, reflecting a holistic commitment to environmental stewardship and long-term community impact.

ROOMS & SUITES

The hotel features 246 guestrooms, including 12 suites, each blending elevated comfort with refined, modern design, with many showcasing supreme views. A careful balance of the hotel's urban energy with a sense of calm rooted in proportion, craft and comfort; the room designs feature layered lighting and tailored millwork. Thoughtful furnishings support moments of rest, focus, and restoration. Bullnose marble accent tables and mossy green textiles bridge connectivity to the Allston greenway just outside, while layers of calming grey and earthy tans, catching the sunrise warmth, midday clarity, and evening glow just beyond the expanse of floor-to-ceiling windows.

Designed as personal sanctuaries, the hotel's 12 well-appointed suites offer a distinctly private, residential feel that remains connected to the property's overall ethos. The design aesthetic seamlessly blends disciplined, structured forms with organic shapes, such as serpentine leather seating and green marble coffee tables, to foster creative expression and complement a warm, saturated color palette.

Among these accommodations is the 982-square-foot Atlas Suite, which features a butler pantry, a dining room for six, and a soaking tub overlooking unprecedented views of the Charles River and Boston skyline. The 794-square-foot Compass Suite offers a living and dining area oriented toward panoramic neighborhood views, while the exclusive Terrace and Tower Suites provide over 500 square feet of living space, with select rooms featuring private terraces.

A series of works from Boston photographer Edward Boches are featured throughout the guest rooms as both framed pieces and stationery. Large scale monotypes in watercolor from Massachusetts-based artist Jeff Perrott in the guestroom corridors.

PUBLIC SPACES

Catalyzing exchange between locals and global travelers, The Atlas' public spaces draw inspiration from sociologist Ray Oldenburg's concept of 'third places,' or social hubs that exist between one's home and work. More experiential than functional, the hotel's public spaces are rich with innovative culinary concepts, new-concept retail, and comfortable places to socialize.

The central pulse of the hotel's public space is the living room lobby, an all-day lounge space. The design compliments elements of work and play, with proportionately ordered architecture that thoughtfully frames softer, curvaceous and inviting lounge furnishings. An eclectic array of natural materials like wood, stone, textile, and metal infuse warmth and global inspiration. Whimsical mini mushroom lights project a warm red glow, contributing to a subtle sense of bohemian spirit within intentionally curated gathering areas.

Offering an array of welcoming perks day into night like complimentary beverages, snacks and Wi-Fi, the space serves as a social connector and incubator for both hotel guests and visitors. Coming to the hotel in spring 2026 is a new partnership, a bold retail concept by The COOP. Founded in Harvard Square in 1882, The COOP reimagines its established heritage with a modern, immersive brand experience. Throughout the hotel lobby and striking front desk entry are carefully curated works from a variety of acclaimed, Boston-affiliated contemporary artists such as Damien Hoar de Galvan, Lily Stockman, Crystalle Lacouture, Cicely Carew, Katrina Sanchez, and Laurel Sparks.

DINING

Leading the culinary program at The Atlas are Biplaw Rai and Nyacko Pearl Perry of Pearl & Law Hospitality, the James Beard Award-nominated team behind Dorchester's acclaimed Comfort Kitchen. Now open is Ama at the Atlas, the hotel's ground-floor, 180-seat restaurant.

Inspired by the Nepali word for "mother," Ama reflects Pearl & Law's commitment to intentional, story-driven dining that connects people through food, culture, and creative exchange, celebrating caregivers and nurturers of all kinds while honoring the intergenerational roots of global comfort cuisine. The interior design palette and curtains of brass beads, drawn from the rich hues of herbs and seasonings fundamental to Ama's bold, comforting flavors, creates an environment that is warm, saturated and animated. Ama will be open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A curated in-room dining menu will also be available for hotel guests.

In addition to the ground floor restaurant, Biplaw and Nyacko will debut Foxglove Terrace, the hotel's 7,000 square foot rooftop bar, set to open in spring 2026, offering elevated cocktails and casual fare nightly with panoramic views of Boston. Both Ama and Foxglove Terrace will offer private and semi-private dining spaces for groups looking to elevate their gatherings.

MEETINGS & EVENTS

On the sixth floor, flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Harvard Business School and Harvard Stadium, The Atlas Hotel offers purpose-built meeting environments that unlock new ways of thinking. With over 1,500 square feet of private meeting spaces for up to 100 guests, the hotel boasts breakout rooms and pre-function areas with flexible layouts that foster the ideal energy for collaboration and thought leadership. For those seeking an open-air experience, Outlook Terrace adds over 3,350 square feet of outdoor lounge space for private bookings for up to 130 guests. For more intimate gatherings, The Atlas offers a selection of premier suites to host board meetings, podcast space, or private dining. Semi-private event space is also available within both Ama and Foxglove Terrace.

DESTINATION

The Atlas is poised to be a living extension of the neighborhood, offering guests a destination to engage, explore, and belong. Tishman Speyer, the placemaking visionaries behind landmark locations like Rockefeller Center, Mission Rock and the Spiral, intentionally sought local partners within the ERC to create Allston's all-new urban destination for year-round programming, events, seasonal markets and dining.

Adjacent to The Atlas is Allstonway, a vibrant greenspace for community events, as well as Harvard's newly opened David Rubenstein Treehouse Convention Center, a carbon-neutral, hyper-social building set to innovate the future of meetings. The remarkable connectivity continues with the hotel just steps from Harvard Business School, the John A. Paulson School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, and the interconnected greenspaces along the Charles River.

The hotel's programming will provide experiences tailored to locally connected exploration and unique partnerships across Boston's tastemakers in culinary, academics, sporting life, and arts & culture. From personalized touchpoints to featured exhibitions, neighborhood tours, guest speaker discussions and events, guests can expect a robust calendar of happenings throughout the opening year tied to The Atlas, as well as the ERC unveilings in spring 2026.

Hotel website
Concord Hospitality, the award-winning hotel management and development company managing over 150 hotels and 35 independent bar and restaurant outlets across North America, welcomes Robert Hannigan as the general manager of The Beckworth, a new luxury lifestyle hotel in Charlotte slated to open in 2026.

Hannigan has successfully opened several notable hotels, including The Shane Hotel in Atlantarecognized by USA Today as one of the best new hotels of 2022and The Goodland, an iconic Santa Barbara property honored as one of Conde Nast Traveler's 100 Best New Hotels worldwide. His extensive expertise and commitment to exceptional service will be instrumental in the launch of The Beckworth, which is poised to become a destination for both locals and visitors.

The Beckworth is an adaptive-reuse project located in Uptown Charlotte's historic Johnston Building, a neoclassical office tower designed by architect William Lee Stoddart. The Johnston Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the hotel's interior design will honor its legacy as a center of commerce, blending modern and classical elements for a refined yet inviting guest experience.

In his new role, Hannigan is working closely with project partners to ensure every aspect of the hotel aligns with his vision of making The Beckworth the place to be. He is collaborating with Executive Chef Chris Coleman of Built On Hospitality to refine the concepts for the hotel's two restaurants, lobby bar, rooftop bar, and in-room dining program. He will also oversee the hotel's operational preperations and ensure that every detail aligns with the brand's highest standards. Additionally, Hannigan will recruit and build a team of associates who will undergo extensive training in preparation for the hotel's 2026 opening.

Hannigan is an award-winning industry leader who has received numerous accolades throughout his career. Prior to joining Concord Hospitality, he served as Regional Director of Operations for IHG Hotels & Resorts. During his tenure with IHG, he was General Manager of Charlotte's Tryon Park Hotel, where his work in elevating the hotel's reputation earned him the Charlotte Regional Visitor Authority's Ambassador of the Year award. Hannigan also spent more than a decade with Kimpton Hotels, overseeing properties in cities including Los Angeles, Portland, and Alexandria.

Hannigan holds a B.A. in English and History from the University of Rhode Island and an A.S. in Business Administration from County College of Morris. Though his career has taken him to cities across the country, he is excited to return to Charlottea city he believes blends Southern charm with a vibrant, modern energy.
Organised by Weyou Group, HOTEL & RESTAURANT Meetings is a One-to-One business event dedicated to hotel, restaurant and wider hospitality professionals, focused on solutions, products, furniture and services for the sector. The show is designed to facilitate high quality, direct "face to face" encounters between top decision makers and carefully selected suppliers through pre-organised, highly qualified business meetings. Set in a relaxed and efficient environment, HOTEL & RESTAURANT Meetings enables buyers and exhibitors to save time, discover new partners and solutions, and generate concrete business opportunities over the course of the event.

This event is organized by Weyou Group
European hotels continue to record revenue growth, but profit outcomes remain uneven across regions. While overall GOP margins are holding steady at the continental level, performance varies materially by sub-region. A closer look at Spain shows continued growth in revenue and profit, alongside stabilising margins and rising pressure across labour and undistributed cost lines.

Source: HotStats Limited

A Fragmented European Picture

As the year progresses, Europes hotel performance is moving in different directions depending on geography.

Eastern Europe continues to lead, with TRevPAR up 6.4% year-to-date and GOPPAR increasing by 9.8%. Southern Europe also maintains positive momentum, recording 4.6% TRevPAR growth and 5.5% GOPPAR growth.

Further west and north, the picture changes. Western Europe reports 1.9% growth in TRevPAR and 1.7% growth in GOPPAR, while Northern Europe shows 1.3% TRevPAR growth but only 0.1% growth in GOPPAR. Revenue remains positive across all regions, but the pace of profit growth is far more constrained in these markets.

Source: HotStats Limited

Margins Hold at the Aggregate Level, but Diverge by Region

Despite the variation in revenue and profit growth, Europes overall GOP margin stands at 37.0% year-to-date, broadly in line with last year. This reflects revenue growth supported by cost controls, particularly during the summer period.

Beneath the headline number, however, regional margins diverge clearly. Southern Europe continues to lead with a GOP margin of 41.8%, remaining stable year-on-year. Eastern Europe has improved to 39.0%, an increase of 1.3 percentage points. Northern Europe reports a GOP margin of 37.0%, down 0.4 percentage points, while Western Europe records the lowest margin at 33.5%, down 0.3 percentage points and still below pre-pandemic levels.

Source: HotStats Limited

Spain: Growth Continues, Margins Level Off

Against this European backdrop, Spain continues to deliver revenue and profit growth, though margin expansion has slowed.

Through November year-to-date, TRevPAR in Spain is up 3.0%, while GOPPAR has increased by 4.0%. GOP margin stands at 41.0%, unchanged from last year, following several years of steady improvement that peaked in 2024.

Margins in Spain remain above the European average, supported by departmental performance, with Rooms margins at 72.0%, F&B margins at 21.0%, and GOP margin at 37.0%.

Source: HotStats Limited

Spend Beyond the Room

Looking beyond room revenue, ancillary spend in Spain shows a more nuanced picture.

Within Wellness, Spa treatments remain the most significant revenue item, though performance has softened slightly, with POR declining from 8.4 to 8.0. Membership fees and Health Club revenue show strong percentage growth, but from a relatively small base, increasing from 1.1 to 1.7 POR and 0.9 to 1.1 POR, respectively.

In Food & Beverage, Conference & Banqueting continues to grow faster than outlets, reinforcing its role in supporting ancillary revenue performance.

Source: HotStats Limited

Labour Pressures Remain Evident

As revenue grows, labour costs continue to exert pressure across Europe and Spain.

Total labour costs are up almost 5.0% across Europe, while in Spain they have increased by 4.0%, directly affecting GOP performance.

In Rooms, labour increases are led by Front Office (+5.0%), Housekeeping (+7.0%), and Complimentary F&B (+16.0%). Within F&B, management salaries declined by 25.0%, while non-management labour costs increased by 7.0%, driven primarily by Kitchen costs (+12.0%). In A&G, Accounting labour costs rose by 11.0%, while Contracted, Leased and Outsourced labour costs declined by 5.0%.

Source: HotStats Limited

Cost pressures extend well beyond departmental payroll.

Credit card commissions now stand at 2.7 PAR, up from 1.5 PAR pre-pandemic. Sales & Marketing expenses have risen to 3.6 PAR, more than double pre-pandemic levels of 1.6 PAR, reflecting continued investment to support revenue generation.

Utilities costs have eased from their peak of 7.0 PAR in early 2023 to 5.0 PAR, though they remain above pre-pandemic levels of 4.0 PAR. At the same time, water costs continue to rise (+6.0% year-on-year), waste removal costs have nearly doubled compared to pre-pandemic, and loyalty programme costs continue to increase. Labour costs within Sales & Marketing are also 2.7% higher than last year.

A Closer Look at the Numbers

November year-to-date data across Europe and Spain shows continued revenue growth alongside stable margins at the aggregate level, with significant variation by region and cost category. From topline performance to departmental margins and undistributed expenses, the figures highlight the importance of examining the full P&L to understand how profitability is evolving across different markets.

What were seeing across Europe  and very clearly in Spain  is that revenue performance alone is no longer enough to explain success, said Juan Gallardo, Director for Hospitality Intelligence, EMEA at HotStats. As markets stabilize, profitability is increasingly shaped by margin discipline, labour management, and cost control further down the P&L. Small movements in these areas can have a big impact on overall performance. Juan Gallardo, Director of Research at HotStats

To explore these trends in more detail, visit https://www.hotstats.com/ or get in touch with the HotStats team at [email protected]

About HotStats

HotStats, a Duetto company, is a global data benchmarking company offering specialized performance analysis and a benchmarking tool that helps analyze financial and operational data from a diverse range of hotels globally. This provides hotel owners, operators, and investors with valuable insights into the financial performance of their properties against their competition  an invaluable resource for weighing options and evaluating investment opportunities. For a quick demo, email us at [email protected] or visit www.hotstats.com.
We launched a targeted Google Display Network (GDN) campaign for a 5-star luxury hotel in Chicago. The goal was to increase bookings for their breakfast offer and boost overall visibility to the hotels target audience. The campaign successfully leveraged precise audience targeting to reach travelers and business professionals likely to visit Chicago. The campaign not only met but drastically exceeded all key performance indicators (KPIs), resulting in nearly 4x the projected traffic and 3x the targeted revenue.

1) Campaign Goals

The primary objective was to drive direct bookings for the hotels signature breakfast offer and, in doing so, increase overall F&B revenue.

To measure the success of the campaign, we established the following KPIs:

Website Traffic: Achieve an increase of at least 13,000 visitors .

Achieve an increase of at least . Click-Through Rate (CTR): Maintain a CTR greater than 0.5% .

Maintain a CTR greater than . Offer Revenue: Generate a minimum of $50,000 in revenue from the breakfast offer.

Generate a minimum of in revenue from the breakfast offer. Targeting: Elevate the hotels visibility among a key demographic of high-propensity travelers and business professionals within specific age groups and interests.

2) Strategy & Execution

For the campaign, we utilized the Google Display Network to place visually compelling ads across a network of relevant websites. The strategy centered on precise segmentation, targeting high-intent audiences with:

A high likelihood of visiting Chicago. Interests consistent with luxury travel and high-quality dining experiences. Alignment with the hotels key age and professional demographics.

This focus on quality traffic ensured the ads were shown to the most relevant prospects, maximizing the potential for conversion.

3) Quantifiable Results: Exceeding Expectations

The GDN campaign was a success, achieving all original goals and significantly surpassing the targets. The effectiveness was measured directly via Google Analytics and internal booking systems:

 Source: Cogwheel Marketing & Analytics

4) Return on Investment (ROI)

The strategic use of the Google Display Network led to exceptional financial performance.

The campaign generated over $150,000 in revenue from direct bookings of the hotels breakfast offer. This achievement tripled the initial revenue goal of $50,000, highlighting the campaigns powerful contribution to the hotels visibility and package revenue production. The resulting Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) was 12.5:1, demonstrating an efficient and profitable campaign deployment.

The campaigns success underscores the effectiveness of a data-driven approach to display advertising. By driving high-quality, targeted traffic to the offer page, the GDN campaign not only elevated the hotels visibility within its target market but also delivered immediate and significant measurable returns.

About Cogwheel Marketing

Cogwheel Marketing is a full service digital marketing agency specializing in branded hotels, first leveraging brand systems then coupling that with supplemental strategies to maximize total online presence. Their reporting and business intelligence tool, Cogwheel Analytics, aggregates data from multiple sources to allow companies to identify trends and opportunities in their online presence. Our defined processes ensure the best positioning for your hotel against the competitive set and against other hotels of the same brand. Let us work with your sales and revenue management teams to identify and close the gaps and target your ideal guests.

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The 2026 Guest Experience Benchmark reveals a hotel industry that continues to mature under pressure. Despite record tourist arrivals in several regions, guest satisfaction continued to rise. This matters because volume growth often strains service delivery. Yet the data shows that hotels are coping better than ever.

In 2025, the global Guest Review Index reached 86.7%. This represents a 0.5 percentage point increase year over year. It is also 1.3 points above the pre-pandemic record. At the same time, review volume grew by 2.1%. This combination challenges long-held assumptions. Growth does not always erode guest experience.

The 2026 Guest Experience Benchmark confirms a trend that began in 2022. Hotels are learning how to scale quality. Technology, process maturity, and experience management are now central to performance. Throughout this article, we examine what changed, where performance diverged, and what leaders should focus on next.

Takeaways

Global GRI reached 86.7%, exceeding pre-pandemic records.

Review volume growth no longer undermines guest satisfaction.

Luxury hotels face stagnation in mature markets.

Google has become the leading review platform globally.

Regional execution matters more than demand growth.

A global view: Growth without compromise

The past year delivered one of the most encouraging global signals since the pandemic. Guest satisfaction rose even as tourism demand surged. Peak season performance in the Northern Hemisphere exceeded 2024 levels. This outcome reflects stronger operational discipline. It also reflects more realistic guest expectations.

Three- and four-star hotels again carried most of the momentum. Their GRI increased by 0.6 and 0.5 points, respectively. Five-star hotels grew more slowly, at 0.3 points. Still, luxury achieved a global GRI of 90.4%. That remains an exceptional result given rising costs and staffing pressure.

Regionally, growth was uneven. The Middle East led with a 0.8-point increase. North America followed at 0.6 points. Asia delivered a solid 0.6-point improvement. Europe, by contrast, showed slower momentum despite strong tourism numbers.

These results underline a critical lesson. Guest satisfaction growth is no longer guaranteed by demand alone. It depends on execution.

Global GRI trend from 2019 to 2025, illustrating how guest satisfaction continued to rise even as travel demand returned to and exceeded, pre-pandemic levels.  Photo by Shiji

Review volume: More voices, new platforms

Review volume rose by 2.1% globally in 2025. This growth accelerated in the second half of the year. It was driven mainly by South America and the Middle East. Europe, however, recorded a slight decline.

The most striking shift occurred at the platform level. For the first time since the pre-pandemic period, Google generated more mentions than TripAdvisor. In 2023, TripAdvisor produced 11.6 million reviews globally. Google generated 9.1 million. By 2025, Google had climbed to 12.4 million mentions, while TripAdvisor had fallen to 10.3 million.

This change has strategic implications. Hotels must adapt to platforms that prioritize speed, visibility, and local search behavior. Response strategies also need to evolve accordingly.

The narrowing gap between Google and Booking.com reinforces this shift. In 2023, Booking.com outpaced Google by 1.6 million reviews in Shijis sample. By 2025, that gap dropped to just 627,000.

The Five-Star paradox

Luxury hotels faced a complex year. Review volume for five-star properties grew by a record 4.4%. However, GRI growth slowed significantly. This pattern is especially visible in Europe and North America.

In North America, luxury GRI did not grow at all in 2025. Over three years, it increased by only 0.3 points. Europe showed a similar pattern, with just 0.5 points of growth over the same period.

Asia and the Middle East tell a different story. Luxury GRI in Asia rose by 1.0 point over three years. The Middle East achieved a remarkable 1.4-point increase. These regions demonstrate that luxury growth is still possible. However, it requires disciplined experience design.

The data suggests that luxury expectations are changing. Guests are less forgiving. They expect personalization, speed, and consistency. When these elements slip, ratings suffer quickly.

Departmental performance: Where guests are noticing change

Departmental scores provide critical context. In 2025, Value and Food & Beverage showed strong recovery. Value rose by 0.6 points. Food & Beverage increased by 1.6 points in the second half of the year.

Cleanliness, however, lagged. Its growth reached only 0.1 points globally. Mid-year performance was particularly weak. This aligns with operational stress during peak seasons.

Service and Room scores varied by region. Markets with strong staffing stability performed better. Those facing labor shortages struggled to maintain consistency.

These insights reinforce the need for granular monitoring. Aggregate scores alone do not reveal where experience breaks down.

Central America: A new lens on the Americas

This years report introduces Central America as a distinct geopolitical region. This includes Mexico, whose patterns differ from the rest of North America.

Central America shows a familiar structure. Four-star hotels perform exceptionally well. Five-star hotels lag behind. The GRI gap between these categories is under two points.

GRI growth outpaced the global average. However, review volume grew by only 0.3%. This suggests improving satisfaction among a stable guest base.

Google dominates the market with over 45% share. TripAdvisor and Expedia each hold 19%. Booking.com trails at 13%. Seasonality plays a major role here. Both GRI (Global Review Index) and NPS (Net Promoter Score) fluctuate sharply between December and January.

North America and Central America GRI follow the same pattern: the 2023-2025 trend shows strong four-star performance, slower five-star momentum, and limited review volume growth; the latter trend is more marked in the Central American region.  Photo by Shiji

Europe: Strong demand, slower satisfaction

Europe recorded record international arrivals in 2025. According to UN Tourism, arrivals rose by 4%. Yet review volume declined slightly by 0.1%.

GRI growth was modest. Three-star hotels grew at twice the rate of five-star properties. However, three-star response rates remain low. At 49.6%, they trail four-star hotels by nearly 20 points.

The review market remains dominated by Booking.com with a 60% share. Google and Expedia are growing fast, at 14% and 77% respectively.

Departmental scores slowed across Service, Cleanliness, Room, and Value. Food & Beverage stood out as the exception, improving across all star categories.

Middle East: Consistency at scale

The Middle East continues to stand apart. Its five-star segment shows exceptional consistency. Seasonal effects are minimal.

The gap between five-star GRI at 91.1% and four-star at 83.1% is among the widest globally. Yet three- and four-star hotels grew at twice the rate of luxury.

Review volume rose by 3.9%. Tourist arrivals grew by 3%, reaching 100 million visitors. Google now holds 48% of the review market. Expedia grew by 24% year over year.

Response performance remains a regional strength. Both three- and five-star hotels respond in under three days. Response rates exceed 80%. This operational maturity supports long-term satisfaction.

Africa: Volume up, satisfaction flat

Africa set a new tourism record in 2025. Arrivals rose by 8%. Review volume followed closely, increasing by 6.8%.

However, GRI growth was modest. Four-star hotels grew by 0.3 points. Five-star hotels increased by just 0.2 points. This is among the weakest performances globally.

Google leads with 43% market share. Booking.com follows at 30%. TripAdvisor holds 14%. HolidayCheck reached 7% and grew by 26.1%, its best regional performance.

Cleanliness underperformed relative to other departments globally, with this weakness also evident in the African market. Response times remain excellent. Five-star hotels respond in 2.6 days, improving further over 2024.

North America: Resilient but uneven

North America experienced 1% growth in tourist arrivals. Review volume grew by 2.1%. Performance varied widely by segment.

Three- and four-star hotels showed strong GRI growth. Luxury stagnated again. Five-star response times averaged nearly four days. This is slower than most regions.

Expedia gained 8.1 points of market share. Hotels.com lost 6.0 points. Expedia now represents over 37% of all reviews. Only Google matched its growth pace.

Luxury service, room, value, and cleanliness scores declined. NPS dropped by 2.0 points. This contrasts sharply with global NPS growth of 1.8 points.

North America NPS by star category (2025), highlighting declining advocacy in the luxury segment and diverging performance across star categories despite overall market resilience.  Photo by Shiji

South America: Volume leader, satisfaction under pressure

South America drove global review growth in 2025. Volume rose by 9.3%, the highest of any region.

GRI growth remained weak, between 0.2 and 0.3 points. Negative mentions increased by 1%.

Department scores suggest a healthier picture. However, luxury hotels struggled with Cleanliness and Value. Response times exceeded six days. This is almost double the global average.

Asia: The global benchmark

Asia remains the best-performing region for the third year running. GRI across all star categories leads globally.

Review volume declined slightly by 0.05%. This was driven by a sharp drop in Agoda reviews, down 22.8%.

Google now leads market share at 25%. Department scores improved across the board except Value for Money. Room performance had a limited negative impact compared to other regions.

Asia shows what is possible when consistency meets scale.

Oceania: Resilient but slow to adapt

Oceania delivered mixed results. Five-star GRI grew by 0.3 points but remains the lowest globally at 88.0%.

Booking.com leads with 60% share. Google follows at 13%. Expedia holds 11%.

Department scores declined across the board. Negative mentions increased slightly. Five-star NPS dropped by 6.9 points.

The region remains stable but slower to adopt emerging best practices.

Final words

The 2026 Guest Experience Benchmark tells a nuanced story. Global guest satisfaction continues to rise. However, growth is increasingly polarized. Some regions and segments adapt faster than others.

Luxury hotels face the greatest pressure. Expectations are rising faster than performance. Meanwhile, four-star hotels quietly set new standards.

The message is clear. Experience management is no longer optional. It is a core operational discipline.

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In 2025, hospitality experienced its first true channel shift in consumer behavior since the introduction of smartphones. AI-driven booking channels and large language models (LLMs) moved from experimentation to influence, reshaping how travelers discover, evaluate, and choose hotels. This was not simply a new distribution channel, it was a fundamental evolution in how brand information is read, trusted, and acted upon.

For decades, hotel marketing followed a relatively stable model: build a compelling website telling a visually rich brand story, optimized for search engines, run paid media, and persuade travelers to book direct. That model still matters, but it now serves only part of the audience. The modern hotel brand is no longer consumed exclusively by humans. It is parsed, interpreted, and summarized by machines acting on the travelers behalf.

Historically, hoteliers learned to balance two narratives: one designed for guests and another engineered for search engines. We learned how to reconcile these two narratives because they did not fundamentally compete with one another. In 2025, that balance tipped. LLMs do not evaluate a hotel the way a human traveler does. Aspirational copy, evocative imagery, and claims like best-in-class service may still inspire emotion, but machines require authority. They seek corroboration across a broader and deeper set of signals, like how the hotel operates, how service is delivered, and how claims are supported by evidence rather than marketing language alone.

The nuance is that a brand story for an LLM is not a single page of copy or a hero image. It is an aggregate system of truth. Increasingly, that system appears to be composed of structured and unstructured attributes that must honor consistency and credibility: rates, inventory, property details, imagery, video, digital content, and the operational realities behind the promise. This information must then be parsed so that it can be optimized for dual consumption across different landscapes.

At the same time, consumer behavior has evolved just as dramatically. A traditional Google search might consist of three words: hotels New York. An LLM-driven query is often seventy words or more, shaped by context, intent, constraints, and personal preferences. Travelers now have a tool that enables deeper exploration and more expressive questions. That shift alone exposes how incomplete the old optimization model was.

This moment also echoes a pivotal fork in digital history. In the early days of search, Yahoo positioned itself as a destination, a directory designed to keep users engaged. Google made a different philosophical decision: move the user to the best external authority as quickly as possible. Among several factors, that philosophical difference is why Google is the authoritative search tool today. It was also that choice that reshaped consumer expectations, normalized short queries, and gave digital marketers a kind of hall pass to optimize for a small set of keywords and partial intent, trusting Google to do the rest. LLMs remove that abstraction. At seventy words, there is nowhere to hide. Brands must now supply significantly more context, clarity, and proof.

Complicating matters further is a question that surfaced forcefully in mid-2025: who has the authority to tell a hotels brand story? Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), leveraging scale and entrenched data relationships, have positioned themselves as default narrators within AI ecosystems. While expedient in the short term, this dynamic threatens long-term brand ownership, accuracy, and the direct relationship with the guest. There is also a moment-in-time opportunity to reset the relationship with OTAs as their data model and integration cannot tell as authoritative a story across all of the signals that the LLMs are demanding.

The good news for hoteliers is that while the technical complexity of this transition is real, a significant portion of the solution itself remains firmly within their control and immediately actionable. This is, at its core, a brand challenge. It is an opportunity to tell a richer, more authoritative brand story, one that reflects not just how a hotel wants to be perceived, but how it truly operates and delivers value. As the industry looks toward 2026, those who invest equally in technology and a deep understanding of their brand and who build for both humans and machines will be best positioned to protect direct bookings, reclaim narrative authority, and succeed in an AI-mediated hospitality landscape.

About Cendyn

Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests, drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions.

Cendyn has over 35,000 customers worldwide in more than 150 countries generating more than $20 billion in annual hotel revenue. The company supports its growing customer base from locations across the globe, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India. To find out more, visit cendyn.com

Laura Cerfus

Marketing Coordinator

Cendyn

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HVS Hodges Ward Elliott successfully completes the sale of the W Hotel London - Image Credit Marriott International



A summary of European hotel transactions provided by HVS

HVS Hodges Ward Elliott successfully completes the sale of the W Hotel London

As exclusive agent, HVS Hodges Ward Elliott is pleased to have successfully completed the sale of the W London Leicester Square in the UK on behalf of a private Middle Eastern investor. The price, as well as the identity of the purchaser, are confidential. The freehold property occupies a prime island site on Leicester Square in Londons West End. Completed in 2011, the scheme comprises the 192 room W Hotel, 11 duplex residences and a 3,228 sqm retail unit occupied by M&Ms. The hotel also features a restaurant and bar, two meeting rooms, a screening room and a spa, as well as an additional restaurant let to Burger & Lobster.

Hotusa acquires Grand Hotel Vienna in Austria out of Administration

Spanish tourism conglomerate Grupo Hotusa has acquired the five-star, 205-room Grand Hotel Vienna in Austria out of Administration, for a reported sum of just under 100 million (488,000 per room). The property is situated in Viennas central first district by the Vienna State Opera. The hotel first opened in 1870 and today includes four restaurants, two bars and twelve meeting rooms. It was previously owned by Austrian-Saudi investor Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber, who acquired the property in 2002.

Dubai Holding acquires Jumeirah Mallorca from Deka Immobilien

Dubai Holding, a state-owned investment company from the UAE, has acquired the five-star, 121-room Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa in Mallorca, Spain, from German REIT Deka Immobilien which owned the property through its open-ended real estate fund WestInvest InterSelect. The property is situated above Port de Soller on Mallorca's northwest coast, with views of the Mediterranean and the UNESCO Heritage listed Serra de Tramuntana mountain range. The hotel includes three restaurants, two bars and four meeting rooms, and has been leased to Jumeirah since it first opened in 2012. Deka acquired the property in 2007 as a development project and further expanded it in 2015 through the acquisition of an adjoining undeveloped plot. Dubai Holding will continue operating the hotel under its Jumeirah brand.

Orion acquires majority stake in Corinthia Lisbon, Portugal, from IHI

London-based private equity firm Orion Capital Managers, through its Orion European Real Estate Fund VI, has acquired a 72% stake in the five-star, 518-room Corinthia Lisbon in Portugal, from Maltese hotel and real estate developer International Hotel Investments (IHI), the owner of the Corinthia Hotels Group. IHI will retain the remaining 28% and Corinthia will continue operating the hotel. The property is situated between Lisbons Zoo and the Monsanto Forest Park. The largest five-star hotel in the city, the property includes a 3,000 sqm spa, three restaurants & bars, two lounges and 16 meeting rooms. It recently underwent a full renovation of its guest rooms, spa, and F&B outlets. This acquisition marks the first capital deployment from Orions Fund VI.

Castello Sgr acquires Calampiso Resort in Sicily, Italy

Italian asset manager Castello Sgr, through one of the funds managed by the Hospitality Italian Infrastructure Platform (HIIP), has acquired the Calampiso Resort in Sicily, Italy. Covering an area of over 150,000 sqm and located on the north-western tip of Sicily, the resort comprises some 250 rooms and apartments and is set to undergo a major transformation into an ultra-luxury destination. The 100 million investment is planned to include new restaurants, meeting and event spaces, a 2,000 sqm spa, and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The resort will be branded and operated by a leading international hotel operator, with reopening scheduled for 2029.

Fattal acquires Cora Resort and Spa in northern Greece, from Bain Capital

Israeli owner-operator Fattal Hotel Group has acquired the five-star, 181-room Cora Resort and Spa in Afytos, Halkidiki, Greece, from American private equity firm Bain Capital. The resort is situated on the Kassandra peninsula in the Halkidiki region of northern Greece, overlooking the Aegean Sea, about an hours drive south of Thessaloniki. It includes four restaurants, three bars, a private beach and two outdoor pools. Bain reopened the property in July 2023 after a 24 million (132,600 per room) refurbishment and repositioning into a five-star resort. Fattal will rebrand the property as Meravia Hotel by Leonardo Limited Edition.

Covivio acquires future Meininger Hotel Porto from Eiffage

French real estate investor Covivio, through its subsidiary Covivio Hotels, has entered an agreement to acquire the future three-star, 228-room Meininger Hotel in Porto, Portugal, from Eiffage Immobilier Portugal, a subsidiary of French real estate developer Eiffage, for 31.6 million (138,600 per room). Construction is scheduled to begin in Q1 2026, with the opening planned for the second half of 2028, at which point the sale will be completed. The hotel will be situated in Portos Bonfim district and Meininger will operate the property under a 20-year fixed lease.

CDP Real Asset acquires Ibis Styles Roma Eur from Gruppo Amapa

Italian asset management company CDP Real Asset SGR, through its National Tourism Fund (FT2), has acquired the four-star, 191-room Ibis Styles Roma Eur in Rome, Italy, from Italian owner-operator Gruppo Amapa, for 28 million (146,600 per room). The property first opened in 2012 and is situated in Romes southern Eur district by the Palasport metro station. The hotel includes a restaurant, bar and two meeting rooms. This acquisition brings the FT2 Funds portfolio to 22 hotels.

Osae Partners acquires Hotel Sevres Saint Germain in Paris

French asset management company Osae Partners has acquired the three-star, 30-room Hotel Sevres Saint Germain in Paris, France, for around 20 million (666,700 per room). The hotel includes a breakfast restaurant and bar and is situated in central Saint-Germain, Pariss 6th district. Osae plans to renovate the whole hotel, create a wellness area and turn it into a four-star hotel. In December 2025, Osae sold the four-star, 43-room Hotel Filigrane & Spa in Paris, as reported in this newsletter.

Amundi acquires B&B Hotel Prague City from Praemia REIM

Amundi Czech Republic, a subsidiary of European asset manager Amundi and through its Amundi Realitni fond KB3 fund, has acquired the three-star, 160-room B&B Hotel Prague City in the Czech Republic from French real estate investment manager Praemia REIM, for around 11 million (68,800 per room). The property is situated some 15 minutes walk east of Pragues historic city centre and includes a breakfast restaurant. Praemia originally acquired the hotel in 2021 as part of a sale and leaseback transaction with B&B Hotels.

Cimex acquires Vienna House by Wyndham in Prague from Wiener Stadtische

Czech real estate investment company Cimex Group has acquired the four-star, 290-room Vienna House by Wyndham Andel's Prague in the Czech Republic from Wiener Stadtische, a subsidiary of Austrian insurance company Vienna Insurance Group. The property is situated in Pragues Andel district, a 15-minute drive south of Prague Castle. The hotel includes a restaurant, bar and 16 meeting rooms. Following the acquisition the hotel operates as Orea Hotel Andels Prague, part of Cimexs hotel brand Orea Hotels & Resorts.

Oppo Invest acquires Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel & Spa in Salamanca, Spain

Spanish private real estate firm Oppo Invest has acquired the five-star, 40-room Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel & Spa in Salamanca, Spain. The property is situated on a 3.3-hectare vineyard estate outside Salamanca and overlooking the River Tormes. The hotel includes a restaurant, bar and a wine & olive spa. It is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection and Spanish hotel operator Acerca Hospitality is set to manage the hotel.

HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com.
European hotels continue to record revenue growth, but profit outcomes remain uneven across regions. While overall GOP margins are holding steady at the continental level, performance varies materially by sub-region. A closer look at Spain shows continued growth in revenue and profit, alongside stabilising margins and rising pressure across labour and undistributed cost lines.



Figure 1

A Fragmented European Picture

As the year progresses, Europes hotel performance is moving in different directions depending on geography.

Eastern Europe continues to lead, with TRevPAR up 6.4% year-to-date and GOPPAR increasing by 9.8%. Southern Europe also maintains positive momentum, recording 4.6% TRevPAR growth and 5.5% GOPPAR growth.

Further west and north, the picture changes. Western Europe reports 1.9% growth in TRevPAR and 1.7% growth in GOPPAR, while Northern Europe shows 1.3% TRevPAR growth but only 0.1% growth in GOPPAR. Revenue remains positive across all regions, but the pace of profit growth is far more constrained in these markets.



Figure 2

Margins Hold at the Aggregate Level, but Diverge by Region

Despite the variation in revenue and profit growth, Europes overall GOP margin stands at 37.0% year-to-date, broadly in line with last year. This reflects revenue growth supported by cost controls, particularly during the summer period.

Beneath the headline number, however, regional margins diverge clearly. Southern Europe continues to lead with a GOP margin of 41.8%, remaining stable year-on-year. Eastern Europe has improved to 39.0%, an increase of 1.3 percentage points. Northern Europe reports a GOP margin of 37.0%, down 0.4 percentage points, while Western Europe records the lowest margin at 33.5%, down 0.3 percentage points and still below pre-pandemic levels.



Figure 3

Spain: Growth Continues, Margins Level Off

Against this European backdrop, Spain continues to deliver revenue and profit growth, though margin expansion has slowed.

Through November year-to-date, TRevPAR in Spain is up 3.0%, while GOPPAR has increased by 4.0%. GOP margin stands at 41.0%, unchanged from last year, following several years of steady improvement that peaked in 2024.

Margins in Spain remain above the European average, supported by departmental performance, with Rooms margins at 72.0%, F&B margins at 21.0%, and GOP margin at 37.0%.

Figure 4

Spend Beyond the Room

Looking beyond room revenue, ancillary spend in Spain shows a more nuanced picture.

Within Wellness, Spa treatments remain the most significant revenue item, though performance has softened slightly, with POR declining from 8.4 to 8.0. Membership fees and Health Club revenue show strong percentage growth, but from a relatively small base, increasing from 1.1 to 1.7 POR and 0.9 to 1.1 POR, respectively.

In Food & Beverage, Conference & Banqueting continues to grow faster than outlets, reinforcing its role in supporting ancillary revenue performance.

Figure 5

Labour Pressures Remain Evident

As revenue grows, labour costs continue to exert pressure across Europe and Spain.

Total labour costs are up almost 5.0% across Europe, while in Spain they have increased by 4.0%, directly affecting GOP performance.

In Rooms, labour increases are led by Front Office (+5.0%), Housekeeping (+7.0%), and Complimentary F&B (+16.0%). Within F&B, management salaries declined by 25.0%, while non-management labour costs increased by 7.0%, driven primarily by Kitchen costs (+12.0%). In A&G, Accounting labour costs rose by 11.0%, while Contracted, Leased and Outsourced labour costs declined by 5.0%.

Figure 6

Further Down the P&L

Cost pressures extend well beyond departmental payroll.

Credit card commissions now stand at 2.7 PAR, up from 1.5 PAR pre-pandemic. Sales & Marketing expenses have risen to 3.6 PAR, more than double pre-pandemic levels of 1.6 PAR, reflecting continued investment to support revenue generation.

Utilities costs have eased from their peak of 7.0 PAR in early 2023 to 5.0 PAR, though they remain above pre-pandemic levels of 4.0 PAR. At the same time, water costs continue to rise (+6.0% year-on-year), waste removal costs have nearly doubled compared to pre-pandemic, and loyalty programme costs continue to increase. Labour costs within Sales & Marketing are also 2.7% higher than last year.

A Closer Look at the Numbers

November year-to-date data across Europe and Spain shows continued revenue growth alongside stable margins at the aggregate level, with significant variation by region and cost category. From topline performance to departmental margins and undistributed expenses, the figures highlight the importance of examining the full P&L to understand how profitability is evolving across different markets.

Juan Gallardo, Director of Research at HotStats, commented:

What were seeing across Europe  and very clearly in Spain  is that revenue performance alone is no longer enough to explain success, said Juan Gallardo, Director for Hospitality Intelligence, EMEA at HotStats. As markets stabilize, profitability is increasingly shaped by margin discipline, labour management, and cost control further down the P&L. Small movements in these areas can have a big impact on overall performance.

To explore these trends in more detail, visit https://www.hotstats.com/ or get in touch with the HotStats team at AskUS@hotstats.com

About HotStats

HotStats, a Duetto company, is a global hotel profitability intelligence provider delivering detailed P&L benchmarking and performance analysis. By comparing over 12,000 properties worldwide, HotStats empowers hotel owners, operators, and investors to measure financial success beyond the top line.

hotstats.com
Image Credit HospitalityLawyer.com/iStock

As we anticipated, the Trump administration rescinded Biden-era guidance yesterday on transgender rights in the workplace. In a 2-1 vote, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) scrapped enforcement guidance requiring employers to provide bathroom, dress, and pronoun accommodations to applicants and workers. While Democratic Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal cautioned that the rule could only be lawfully rescinded through a formal notice-and-comment process, Republican Chair Andrea Lucas said the rule went beyond the EEOCs authority to enforce the civil rights law at issue. Notably, a federal judge already struck down relevant parts of the guidance in May 2025, and the Trump administration has long pledged to remove gender ideology from agency materials. Although not much has changed from a practical perspective for employers, you should be aware of changing priorities at the federal level  and ensure youre still complying with federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws. Heres what you need to know about evolving guidance and best practices for creating a compliant and inclusive workplace.

Quick Take

The EEOCs move yesterday to formally rescind the guidance doesnt change much for employers day-to-day activities. Title VII continues to prohibit employment discrimination based on sex  including sexual orientation and gender identity  and courts remain free to interpret Title VII independently of the EEOCs current enforcement position.

Furthermore, many states and localities have their own laws prohibiting workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A best practice is to make objective employment decisions based on clear, job-related criteria, and ensure equal opportunity for all employees. Read on to learn more about what happened and what employers should do now.

Background on Biden-Era Guidance

The Biden EEOC issued enforcement guidance in 2021 concerning sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination following the Supreme Courts landmark 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County. In Bostock, SCOTUS had ruled that sexual-orientation discrimination and gender identity/transgender discrimination are forms of sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The EEOCs subsequent guidance said employers could not deny employees equal access to bathrooms, locker rooms, or showers that correspond to their gender identity. However, a federal court in Texas blocked this guidance.

Then, in 2024, the EEOC updated its enforcement guidance on harassment in the workplace, stating that harassment of LGBTQ+ workers  particularly transgender employees  can be considered a Title VII violation. The EEOC concluded that this was a natural extension of the Supreme Courts Bostock decision.

Shifting Priorities in the Trump Administration

In January 2025, President Trump began his second term by issuing a flurry of executive orders, including one announcing that the federal government will recognize only two sexes while also rolling back Biden-era EEO workplace guidance on LGBTQ+ harassment.

Shortly after taking office, the President appointed Commissioner Andrea Lucas to lead the EEOC, where she vowed to defend the biological and binary reality of sex and related rights, including womens rights to single-sex spaces at work.

In May 2025, the same Texas federal judge who axed the EEOCs 2021 guidance document also struck down the portions of the EEOCs 2024 guidance requiring bathroom, dress, and pronoun accommodations. The judge said it was inconsistent with not only Supreme Court precedent but the text and history of Title VII.

In response, the EEOC updated the enforcement guidance to reflect the courts ruling by adding labels to the document and shading portions of the guidance that it says conflict with the court ruling. At the time, the EEOC didnt have enough Commissioners to form a quorum, so the agency could not formally rescind the guidance. Now that the EEOC has a quorum, it was able to do just that, effective immediately  and the guidance has been altogether removed from the agencys website.

As we mentioned above, however, its important to remember that Title VII continues to prohibit employment discrimination based on sex  including sexual orientation and gender identity  and courts remain free to interpret Title VII independently of the EEOCs current enforcement position.

What Employers Should Do Now

Consider taking these steps in light of the latest developments:

Maintain Robust Anti-Discrimination Policies and Practices: The Trump administration has reminded employers that Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on protected characteristics, including race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. The EEOC has explained that the law protects against such discrimination no matter which employees are harmed, and noted that Title VIIs protections apply equally to all racial, ethnic, and national origin groups, as well as both sexes.

The Trump administration has reminded employers that Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on protected characteristics, including race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. The EEOC has explained that the law protects against such discrimination no matter which employees are harmed, and noted that Title VIIs protections apply equally to all racial, ethnic, and national origin groups, as well as both sexes. Review State and Local Rules: Stay up to date on applicable laws at the state, city, and municipal level to ensure compliance with any restrictions or obligations regarding LGBTQ+ individuals that may apply to your business.

Stay up to date on applicable laws at the state, city, and municipal level to ensure compliance with any restrictions or obligations regarding LGBTQ+ individuals that may apply to your business. Foster a Positive Work Environment: You can take this opportunity to reexamine your organizational culture and ensure you are providing a safe and professional working environment for everyone in your workplace. Reach out to your Fisher Phillips attorney to help prepare your compliance plan.

Conclusion

If you have any questions about these developments or how they may affect your business, please contact your Fisher Phillips attorney or the authors of this Insight. Visit our Trump Administration Resource Center for Employers to review all our thought leadership and practical resources, and make sure you are subscribed to Fisher Phillips Insight System to get the most up-to-date information.

About the authors:

Sheila Abron is a partner at Fisher Phillips, LLP. Certified as a Specialist in Employment and Labor Law by the South Carolina Supreme Court, Sheila represents companies and educational institutionslarge and smallas they navigate employment issues related to hiring, discipline, investigations, employment discrimination, unemployment, and other related issues. As Chair of the Firms Government Contracting, Compliance, and Reporting practice group, she has extensive experience providing compliance advice to federal contractors on affirmative action and OFCCP regulations and audits. Sheila also has a wealth of experience working on collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and class actions under wage and hour state laws. She is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA). Sheila also provides training for supervisors and managers on harassment, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) compliance, the Family Medical Leave Act, diversity and inclusion, and many other areas.

Jennifer Sandberg is a Regional Managing Partner of the firms Fort Lauderdale office. Employers, In-House Counsel, and Human Resource professionals view her as a trusted advisor providing solid business advice. She works to understand her clients business and desired business outcomes in order to provide creative and cost-effective advice and counsel. She assists clients in accomplishing business objectives in the most efficient manner possible. Her advice is custom-tailored for employers with tens of thousands of employees or those with a mere handful of employees.

A significant portion of her practice is devoted to providing clients with day-to-day preventive advice as employers design, manage, and carry out business initiatives. Clients appreciate her no nonsense approach to both daily concerns and developing major issues.

This article originally appeared on HospitalityLawyer.com.
Four Seasons Announces Expansion Plans in Italy, Greece, and Saudi Arabia for 2026 - Image Credit Four Seasons Hotels



Four Seasons has announced plans for new hotel, resort, and residential openings in Italy, Greece, Saudi Arabia, and other markets in 2026, along with the inaugural sailing of Four Seasons Yachts.

Four Seasons has outlined a series of new developments and openings across multiple regions, scheduled for 2026. The company currently operates 135 hotels and resorts and 61 residences in 47 countries, with approximately 60 additional projects at various stages of development.

In the Americas, Four Seasons plans to open Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena in 2026. The company also announced the reopening of Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara in 2026.

In Europe, Four Seasons will open Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel, Venice, and Four Seasons Hotel Mykonos, which will be the companys second property in Greece. The Park Gstaad, A Four Seasons Hotel, is also scheduled to open in the region.

In the Middle East, Four Seasons will open Four Seasons Resort and Residences Red Sea at Shura Island and Four Seasons Resort and Residences AMAALA at Triple Bay in Saudi Arabia. Four Seasons Hotel Madinah is also planned for opening near the Prophets Mosque.

In the Asia Pacific region, Four Seasons will open Four Seasons Hotel Hanoi at Hoan Kiem Lake, marking its debut in Vietnams capital.

The company has also announced its return to Berlin, Germany, with the reimagination of a hotel into a new property. Additional projects are planned in Brazil with a hotel in Rio de Janeiro at Leblon Beach, and in the United States with new developments in Charleston, Telluride, and Deer Valley.

Four Seasons Yachts is scheduled to begin its inaugural sailing in 2026, with voyages planned across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Adriatic. The Four Seasons Private Jet Experience will continue to add new itineraries and destinations.

Four Seasons manages 61 residential properties in 20 countries, with 65% of its development pipeline including a residential component. Recent and upcoming residential openings include properties in Istanbul, Bahrain Bay, Puerto Rico, Mumbai, Orlando, Naples Beach Club, Shura Island, AMAALA, Cartagena, and penthouses in Gstaad. Standalone Private Residences are planned for Washington, DC, Dubai International Financial Centre, Abu Dhabi at Saadiyat Beach, Las Vegas, and Coconut Grove in Miami.

The company is privately held by Cascade Investment, L.L.C., Kingdom Holding Company, and Isadore Sharp through Triples Holdings Limited.
CIO Summit EMEA Announces April Event in Amsterdam for Hospitality Technology Leaders - Image Credit HFTP



HFTP and Hospitality Upgrade have opened registration for the CIO Summit EMEA, scheduled for April 1617 at W Amsterdam.

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Hospitality Upgrade have announced the opening of registration for the CIO Summit EMEA, an invitation-only event set to take place April 1617 at W Amsterdam. The event is designed for senior hospitality technology leaders from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The CIO Summit EMEA will feature programming on strategic technology topics relevant to the hospitality sector in EMEA. According to the organizers, the event will include sessions for attendees to exchange ideas and discuss developments in hospitality technology in a vendor-neutral environment.

The event is a branch of The CIO Summit from Hospitality Upgrade, which has previously hosted CIO-level networking events in North America.

A keynote presentation will be delivered by journalist and broadcaster Matthew Syed. His session, titled Creating a High-Performance Culture in a Complex and Rapidly-Changing World, will address the concept of growth mindset, its importance, and the relationship between resilience and growth mindset traits. This session is coordinated by 14IP, the Summits Platinum Sponsor.

The Summits agenda will also include sessions on topics such as adapting organizations to artificial intelligence, advances in technology for sustainability and profitability, and the role of hotel CIOs in shaping the technology landscape in the EMEA region.

In addition to the main programming, the event will offer networking opportunities. On the day before the official start of the Summit, attendees are invited to participate in an afternoon event at Circuit Zandvoort, sponsored by IRECKONU. The activity will give participants the opportunity to race on the circuit.

The following evening, attendees are invited to a canal cruise in Amsterdam, which will include dinner as the group travels through the citys waterways.

Registration is currently open for eligible executives. Organizers state that space is limited to maintain the quality of interaction.
Image Credit Resonance



New research shows that the top 10% of U.S. households now account for more than half of all consumer spending, with their influence most pronounced in the travel sector, where their annual leisure expenditure is projected to reach $544 billion by 2026, fundamentally altering travel trends, hospitality investment, and destination growth.

Affluent Households Dominate U.S. Consumer and Travel Spending

A recent report from Resonance Consultancy, titled "2026 Future of Luxury Travel," highlights a significant shift in the U.S. consumer landscape. The top 10% and top 1% of American households now account for more than half of all consumer spending in the country. This concentration is especially evident in travel and tourism, where their collective leisure spending is expected to reach $544 billion in 2026.

The findings are based on surveys of 1,050 households in the top 10% (annual income $240,000$600,000 and/or net worth $1.5 million$13 million) and 451 households in the top 1% (income above $600,000 and/or net worth over $13 million). The report, conducted in partnership with the research firm Leger, has tracked affluent American travelers since 2007 and documents how their behaviors are shaping the travel economy.

Increased Trip Frequency and Spending Among the Wealthy

The report reveals that affluent Americans travel more frequently and spend more per trip than the average U.S. traveler. The top 10% now take an average of 4.3 leisure trips per year, while the top 1% take six trips annually. This is more than double the national average of 2.8 trips per year.

The percentage of top-10% travelers taking 611 trips annually increased from 11% in 2022 to 18% in 2025. For the top 1%, this figure rose from 15% to 27%. Per-trip spending has also risen sharply: the top 10% now spend an average of $7,900 per trip (up from $5,100 in 2022), and the top 1% spend $12,400 (up from $8,400). In comparison, the average U.S. traveler spends $3,700 per trip.

Shifting Preferences: Wellness, Cruising, and Luxury Hospitality

The research identifies three main trends driving changes in luxury travel:

- Wellness and Longevity: Interest in health and wellness travel is increasing. Among top-1% travelers, 34% plan a wellness-focused trip in the next year, up from 23% in 2019. For the top 10%, the figure is 21%, compared to 15% in 2019. This reflects a growing focus on longevity science and wellness programs at high-end resorts.

- Cruising: Interest in cruising among the top 1% has grown from 37% in 2019 to 53% in 2025. New ultra-luxury cruise lines, such as Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Four Seasons, are targeting this market with smaller vessels and higher service levels.

- Luxury Hospitality: Hotel development is shifting toward smaller, high-end resorts, often with branded residences and private clubs. Luxury hotels with fewer than 150 rooms continue to attract investment, whereas mid-scale projects face financing challenges. Luxury hotel rates grew by 5.7% in 2025, while mid-scale and economy segments saw little growth.

Changing Destination Preferences

The report notes several geographic shifts in travel preferences among affluent Americans:

- Canada has become the top international destination for wealthy U.S. travelers, surpassing Mexico. Among households in the top 10%, 26% plan to visit Canada in the next 1218 months; for the top 1%, the figure is 34%. Factors include proximity, safety, and diverse experiences.

- Costa Rica is gaining popularity over the Caribbean, with 18% of top-1% travelers planning to visit in the next 1224 months. The countrys rise is attributed to new luxury developments and expanded air service.

- The Middle East is attracting younger affluent travelers, with interest among top-1% travelers rising from 6% in 2019 to 13% in 2025. Dubai is a key destination, especially for travelers aged 1834.

Implications for the Hospitality and Real Estate Sectors

The report outlines five strategic recommendations for destinations, developers, and operators:

1. Focus on affluent demand and understand key markets.

2. Prioritize experiences such as nature, culture, and wellness over traditional amenities.

3. Design offerings for authenticity and resilience.

4. Integrate hotels, residences, and clubs into cohesive platforms. 5. Ensure visibility across digital and AI-driven channels.

According to Resonance Consultancy, understanding the preferences and behaviors of affluent travelers is now essential for growth and resilience in the travel and hospitality industries. The report is based on surveys conducted in August and September 2025 and provides longitudinal insights into the evolving travel habits of wealthy Americans.
Taconic High School offers more than a dozen vocational career pathways.

Part II: Matching Vocational Programs to Workforce Needs

Deep Dive is a monthly series that takes an in-depth look at economics, business, art, recreation, and education in the Berkshires. John Townes gets into the details on topics and issues of interest to the community. Have a subject you think should be explored? Contact us at info@iberkshires.com

Our first topic is vocational education in the Berkshires. Read Part I here.

In Massachusetts, Career Technical Education Chapter 74 programs are based on a framework of employment preparation.

In addition to the core academic curricula required of all high school graduates, Chapter 74 programs include specific skills and career training in a variety of industries and specific jobs, ranging from agriculture to manufacturing to computer graphics to health care, among others.

The guidelines for Chapter 74 programs include immersive learning time, co-operative education in partnership with local employers, and opportunities to earn high-value industry credentials, such as professional certifications and adjacent qualifications. The individual programs are also tailored to the specific needs of their industries. Advisory boards comprised of educators and industry representatives are incorporated into programs on the state and local levels. The basic framework for Chapter 74 programs is structured as "strands" that include Safety and Health, Technical Training, Embedded Academics, Employability and Career Readiness, Management and Entrepreneurship, and Technology.

In addition to academic and occupational classes, students also receive other preparation, including coursework in computer technology. The career strand includes activities such as resume preparation and job-interview skills. Students learn how to manage their money in personal finance education. During their senior year, students are exposed to basics of business management. Students alternate between core academic classes and CTE activities within their career field on a weekly basis.

The professional instruction takes place in facilities on campus and/or work experience in positions at employers within their field through cooperative partnerships.

Students are eligible for co-op work in their junior and senior years. Those who aren't placed in jobs through that continue to receive training on campus.

The options for direct job experience depends on the availability of positions at employers, explained Thomas Tinney, cooperative education placement coordinator at McCann Technical School in North Adams. Currently, of 126 seniors in CTE at McCann, 54 are working in co-op positions.

"I maintain relationships with employers," he said. "When they have an available opening for a specific position they contact me. Then we match and place a student in that."

Massachusetts recognizes more than 40 Chapter 74 CTE programs of study oriented to specific career training. Individual programs are categorized under the umbrellas of 11 broad career clusters.

For example, programs offered under the Agriculture and Natural Resources cluster include Veterinary Science, Agricultural Mechanics, Animal Science, Environmental Science and Technology, and Horticulture. The Arts and Communication Services includes Graphic Design and Visual Communications, and Multimedia and Broadcast Production.

Other clusters can include:

Business and Consumer Services: Cosmetology, Business Technology and Marketing.

Construction: Carpentry, Electricity and Facilities Management, among others.

Health Care: Dental Assisting, Health Assisting, and Medical Assisting.

Hospitality and Tourism: Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management.

Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology: Advanced Manufacturing, Metal Fabrication and Joining Technologies, Biotechnology, Drafting, Electronics Engineering Technology, Engineering Technology, Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology, Telecommunications and Fiber Optics.

Transportation: Automotive Collision, Automotive Technology, Diesel Technology, and Marine Service Technology.

Individual schools and districts determine what is most needed within their region to determine what to apply to the state for approval and funding. At McCann, programs include Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Automotive,

Business Technology, Carpentry, Computer Assisted Design (CAD), Culinary Arts, Electricity, HVAC/R, Information Technology, Metal Fabrication.

It also offers postsecondary programs for those who have already graduated, which include Cosmetology, Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, and Practical Nursing.

CTE programs at Taconic High in Pittsfield include Advanced Manufacturing, Auto Collision Repair and Refinishing, Automotive Technology, Business and Entrepreneurship, Carpentry, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Early Education and Care, Electricity, Environmental Science, Health Technology, Horticulture, Information Technology and Cybersecurity, Metal

Fabrication and Joining Technologies and Multimedia Production and Broadcasting.

Schools and CTE programs have advisory boards comprised of educators, members of industry and other stakeholders.

Marcie Simonds, supervisor of career technical training at Taconic, said schools work with regional industry representatives, economic-development organizations, and others to keep track of regional employment needs and changes that occur over time.

"We look to various partners and resources to determine factors like which industries have critical shortages of qualified workers," she said.

For example, manufacturing technicians design and create precision parts and tools that are essential to an enormous number of industries ranging from aeronautics, plastics, shipbuilding, and engineering, among others. These parts and tools are manufactured through the use of lathes, milling machines, grinders, and robots, all of which are Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines. The advanced manufacturing program provides students the opportunity to learn all the skills demanded of the 21st century manufacturing technician. Students follow a course sequence that starts with the basics of machining and progresses to advanced multi-axis CNC programming, setup and operation, and robotics and automation. Qualified and skilled technicians are presently in high demand and students completing our program are ready to immediately enter the workforce or continue their education in college.

Simonds said references include the state's MassHire employment program. They also use as a basis for programs the Berkshire Blueprint, a collaborative comprehensive regional analysis and outline of goals and strategies for the region's economy and overall community development and quality of life. CTE is also tied in with larger goals, including strategies to help students determine their educational and career goals. These are also referred to as pathways.

This provides middle school students and families with exposure to differing educational and career options to help them determine choices for their secondary education. CTE programs also includes partnerships and coordination with colleges, such as Berkshire Community College (BCC).

Career Technical Education Linkage at BCC works with local high schools to provide their CTE students with a smooth transition into the higher-ed programs of their choice. The goal is to "link" high school CTE with related programs at BCC.

Students in aligned programs may be able to receive college credit for some of their high school coursework upon entering BCC under the terms of a state or independent articulation agreement.

The popularity of CTE has created a dilemma. At many schools, the number of students applying for CTE programs is far greater than the number of openings.

This has led to controversies over what form schools should take in admissions policies to ensure a manner it is fair and equitable. Traditional admissions have been based on factors such as grades, attendance and interviews. However, opinions differ on this.

Critics claim this discriminates against certain types students, such as those in low-income families. Last year the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to replace that with a lottery system. However, there were objections to this, and it remains controversial.

Bishop said applications for programs at Taconic have been closely aligned with the number of available openings. He noted in January that the application process for the coming year was still open.

"Fortunately we have not had to make those decisions," he said. "Right now, the jury is still out. If we receive more applications than openings we'll have to go to a lottery."

McCann accepted 126 freshmen in the class of 2029 and was able to place 88 percent in their first program choice, which was credited to the addition of the HVAC program.
Mount Greylock School Committee Looks at Policy for AI

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee is grappling with the question of how artificial intelligence can and cannot be used by the district's faculty and students.

At a Jan. 21 in-person meeting at the middle-high school, five members of the seven-person committee heard a report from the superintendent about the issues confronting educators nationwide as online AI tools become more pervasive in society.

Superintendent Joseph Bergeron gave examples ranging from using AI prompts to help a student get started on an essay assignment to how a parent or guardian might use the same tool to help an elementary school pupil work through a multiplication assignment using the various techniques  some of which that parent may never heard of.

"I thought it would be helpful to give you a sense of what is already happening for plenty of students, plenty of families," Bergeron said.

The School Committee is developing a new districtwide policy for the use of AI.

It is new ground for the district. Bergeron told the committee at its Jan. 8 meeting that neither the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education nor the Massachusetts Association of School Committees has a model policy to deal with the emerging technology.

The Mount Greylock committee's Policy and Governance Subcommittee is working to develop a policy to bring to the full body for a vote.

"The four bullet points you see are all action items," Jose Constantine, the subcommittee's chair, told his colleagues in early January. "They speak to, effectively, a requirement by the district to ensure we do have a system of procedures for vetting and approving AI tools, that we have a means for evaluating AI tools in instructional practices, that we are actively working to develop educational opportunities and actively working to develop professional development opportunities for staff."

The subcommittee's draft does not go far enough, because it does not recognize the need to teach students about how to use artificial intelligence, Mount Greylock senior Jack Uhas told the committee on Jan. 8.

"The proposed AI policy has the potential to do immense good for students and their future, but a strong policy must begin with a guarantee that students will receive instruction on the use of artificial intelligence, and provide guidelines for faculty and staff use of AI in instruction and lesson planning," Uhas wrote in a letter to the committee.

"The truth is, the only way to ensure students are prepared for a future in an increasingly AI-centric world is to provide clear guidelines on how AI will be taught to students."

Uhas directed the district officials to one potential model for its policy, a 19-page document created by the Northport-East Northport district on Long Island, N.Y.

Bergeron told the committee he met with Uhas to talk about his concerns.

"We talked about the separation between policy and procedure guidance and the ways that this [proposal from the Mount Greylock subcommittee] is a policy and the Northport School District's guidance, that is also included in the packet, is down at the level of guidance.

"The main thrust of his interest is: Let's make sure to not just say what you can do, let's figure out ways to say what people can do. It's incredibly important that students and staff develop a solid understanding and an ability to utilize AI within good boundaries."

There will be a monetary cost for the district in order to implement new policy and guidelines effectively. Bergeron and Joelle Brookner, the district's director of curriculum and instruction, told the School Committee at its Jan. 21 meeting that new professional development opportunities for teachers and outside expertise will be required to help them teach about artificial intelligence and direct its use in the classroom.

Bergeron said that while AI could be misused to generate students' essays or other assignments, concerns about academic integrity are not unique to AI. He noted that college students, for generations, have been buying academic papers to submit as their own.

"It's still a question of ethics and choices," Bergeron said. "It's not about finding the right tool to catch people. It's more about creating the right learning environment that tests people in the right ways and has high standards."

A memo he prepared for the School Committee in advance of the Jan. 21 meeting, provided several examples of how AI could be utilized by students under the guidance of a teacher. One showed how an assignment could be structured allowing the use of AI by a student to, "expand, critique or brainstorm," after the student, "submit(s) an initial outline, a hypothesis, or a 'thesis proposal' written in class or via voice memo."

No decisions were made at the Jan. 21 meeting, but the committee members engaged in a dialogue about the issue and provided feedback to Constantine and the policy subcommittee.

One member of the subcommittee, Curtis Elfenbein is one of several educators on the School Committee summed up the question facing schools nationwide.

"[Artificial intelligence] can literally give a student the ability to pass a course without learning anything," Elfenbein said. "At the same time, it's an incredible, powerful tool students will have to learn to use.

"It's a matter of differentiating what we want students to be able to do and what we want them to avoid doing and differentiating what we want teachers to be able to do and what we want them to avoid doing."

Elfenbein noted that AI also raises ethical questions beyond academic integrity.

"[Students] need to enter into [artificial intelligence] understanding the actual cost of having this technology  the economic and ecological cost is horrific and staggering," he said. "And every student needs to know that."
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Sir Keir Starmer has landed in China for the first trip to the country by a UK leader in eight years, telling reporters that he will raise the issues that need to be raised with president Xi Jinping.

The prime minister has come under pressure from human rights groups to press for the release of British national Jimmy Lai, a former media tycoon and pro-democracy activist.

Mr Lai is facing a life sentence in prison after a Hong Kong court found him guilty of national security offences last December. He has already spent five years behind bars for his role in Hong Kongs 2019 pro-democracy protests.

Sir Keir told reporters on his flight: In the past on all the trips Ive done, Ive always raised issues that need to be raised. But part of the reason for engaging with China is so that issues where we disagree can be discussed.

open image in gallery Lai was arrested just two months after this photo was taken in June 2020 ( AFP/Getty )

Mr Lai, 77, who founded the Apple Daily newspaper, which was forced to close after a police raid and asset freeze in June 2021, pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material.

But after a two year trial, three judges handed down a guilty verdict, with Judge Esther Toh saying Mr Lais actions left no doubt that he had harboured resentment for the Chinese government.

She said that the court was satisfied that Lai was the mastermind of conspiracies against the Chinese government and that his evidence was at times contradictory, inconsistent and unreliable.

Who is Jimmy Lai?

Born in mainland China, Mr Lai fled to Hong Kong aged 12 by stowing away on a fishing boat, where he began work as a child labourer in a garment factory.

He built his fortune through fashion empire Giordano, before becoming an outspoken democracy advocate following the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, when hundreds, if not thousands, of protesters fighting for political reforms in Beijing were killed.

In 1994, Mr Lai become a full British citizen. Despite having never held a Chinese or Hong Kong passport, he is regarded as a Chinese citizen by Hong Kong authorities.

Mr Lai began the producing Chinese-language and pro-democratic newspaper Apple Daily before the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from the UK to China, as he aimed to maintain freedom of speech in the territory. The paper was openly critical about the Chinese government.

open image in gallery Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, 72, poses during an interview with AFP at the Next Digital offices in Hong Kong ( AFP/Getty )

Why was he imprisoned?

A known pro-democracy campaigner, Mr Lai was known to Chinese authorities ahead of the 2019 protests in Hong Kong, prompted by Beijings growing crackdown on wide-ranging freedoms through the national security law.

Mr Lai described the legislation as "a death knell for Hong Kong", and his Apple Daily newspaper was critical of the reforms while being supportive of the protestors.

On 10 August 2020, Mr Lai was arrested alongside his sons on the accusation of collusion with foreign forces and fraud. Later that year he became the first high-profile figure to be charged for allegedly conspiring and colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, under the new legislation.

He has since been charged and banned on separate cases of unlawful assembly and other crimes relating to pro-democratic protests in Hong Kong.

Lais declining health

Mr Lai has spent much of his imprisonment in solitary confinement  and his son has been outspoken about fears over his health.

The millionaires son, Sebastien Lai, claimed last year that his father, who suffers from diabetes, had lost a significant amount of weight and that he had been denied independent medical care.

open image in gallery Jimmy Lais son, Sebastien has hit out at his fathers treatment ( AFP via Getty Images )

Mr Lai's lawyer, Robert Pang, told the court that he had experienced some episodes where he felt that he was collapsing and had heart "palpitations", prompting the court to adjourn proceedings and order that he be provided with a heart monitor and medication.

The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, a US-based, non-profit advocacy organisation, said Mr Lai was an iconic figure in the battle between those who uphold democratic values and Hong Kongs authoritarian government.

Responding to his conviction in December, its UK and Europe director Mark Sabah said: The trial against Jimmy Lai has been a grotesque exercise in legal subversion and chicanery  a show trial masquerading as justice. But whats actually been on display is the complete and total destruction of Hong Kongs reputation as a global legal centre.

Jimmy Lai is a British citizen. His release should be a condition of prime minister Keir Starmers planned trip to Beijing in January.

My father has been treated inhumanely, his son, Sebastien Lai, previously told The Independent. But he is defiant and strong. It is ridiculous that in his display of bravery, the prime minister [Sir Keir] will not meet with me, he added.
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A South Korean court has sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to 20 months in prison after finding her guilty of accepting bribes in return for political favours.

The case marks a historic moment in the country as both members of a former presidential couple are now in jail.

The Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday found Kim, 52, guilty of accepting bribes linked to the controversial Unification Church, and ordered her to serve a jail term, return a diamond necklace, and repay 12.85 million won (6,500) in cash.

She was, however, acquitted of separate allegations involving stock price manipulation and receiving illicit opinion polls ahead of the 2022 presidential election. Prosecutors will appeal against the two not-guilty verdicts, media reports said.

open image in gallery People walk past a TV broadcasting a news report on the sentencing trial of South Korean former first lady Kim Keon Hee in Seoul, South Korea, 28 January 2026 ( REUTERS )

The high-profile former first lady was taken into custody in August over multiple allegations, including bribery, market manipulation and political meddling, which she has denied.

Presiding judge Woo In Sung said Kim had abused the influence that came with her status, ruling that she had misused her position as a means of pursuing personal gain.

The higher [ones] position, the more consciously one must guard against such conduct... The defendant failed to reject solicitations and was preoccupied with self-adornment, the judge said.

Prosecutors had accused her of receiving luxury gifts worth about 80 million won, including a diamond necklace and Chanel handbags, between April and July 2022 in exchange for business and political favours. While the special counsel had sought a 15-year sentence and a heavy fine, the court imposed a lighter punishment, noting that Kim had not actively solicited the bribes and had no significant criminal record.

Kim, the wife of former president Yoon Suk Yeol, has consistently denied wrongdoing, describing the accusations as deeply unjust.

open image in gallery A banner showing the picture of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee is seen outside Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, 28 January 2026. The sign reads: God brings back president Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife ( AP )

She has acknowledged receiving Chanel handbags but said they were returned unused. During questioning last year, she issued a public apology, saying: I am truly sorry that a nobody like me has caused concern to the people.

She rejected all charges in her final testimony last month, describing the accusations as deeply unjust.

In South Korea, government officials and their spouses cannot accept gifts that are worth more than $750. The law mandates this even if there is no seeming conflict of interest.

The ruling comes weeks after Yoon himself was sentenced to five years in prison for abusing power and obstructing justice over his failed attempt to impose martial law in 2024.

open image in gallery File. South Koreas former first lady Kim Keon Hee (C), wife of former president Yoon Suk Yeol, arrives at the special prosecutors office in Seoul on 6 August 2025. - A South Korean court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee on 28 January 2026, to one year and eight months in prison for corruption ( AFP via Getty Images )

Meanwhile, legal troubles for Kim are far from over. She still faces additional cases related to allegations of political interference, improper job appointments and efforts to recruit Unification Church followers into the conservative People Power Party, which Yoon was a member of. Those cases have yet to be heard.

Beyond the courtroom, Kim  who was born Kim Myeong Sin  has long been a polarising figure. Once an art entrepreneur, she became embroiled in repeated controversies over her academic credentials, business dealings and acceptance of luxury gifts.

In 2025, Sookmyung Womens University annulled her masters degree after an ethics panel found her thesis had been plagiarised.

open image in gallery A TV screen shows file footage of Kim Keon Hee, the wife of South Koreas former president Yoon Suk Yeol, during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, 28 January 2026 ( AP )

Investigations into her ties with the Unification Church have also widened, leading to the arrest of church leader Han Hak Ja.

Last month, prosecutors said Kim had stood above the law and colluded with the religious sect to undermine the constitutionally mandated separation of religion and state.

Prosecutor Min Joong Ki said Kims actions had left South Koreas institutions severely undermined by abuses of power.

Kim was not a stranger to controversy even before she became the high-profile first lady of the country. Even before Yoon became president, Kim issued a public apology in 2021 during his campaign for inflating her resume.

There were instances where I inflated my qualifications and falsely listed things in order to make myself look better. All of this was my own fault and carelessness, she said, according to Hankyoreh Shimbun.

Im constantly fearful that I will become a stain on my husbands wishes for the South Korean public, she said at the time. There were mistakes on my part in the process of combining work with my studies.
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Airports across parts of Asia have begun tightening health surveillance and travel screening after an outbreak of the Nipah virus in an Indian state.

Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan are among the countries and territories that have stepped up precautionary measures after two Nipah virus cases were confirmed in Indias West Bengal.

Nipah is a zoonotic disease that mainly spreads to humans from infected pigs and bats, but can also be passed on through close person-to-person contact.

In West Bengal, a total of 196 people were identified as contacts of the infected patients and were traced, monitored and tested, according to the Indian health ministry. All were found to be asymptomatic and tested negative for the virus, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

In Thailand, the ministry of public health has stepped up health screening at major airports for passengers arriving from West Bengal, using techniques that became established during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Passengers at the Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports are being monitored for fever and symptoms associated with the virus, and health beware cards are being issued to guide travellers on what to do if they fall ill.

open image in gallery A health worker wearing protective gear disposes of biohazard waste from a Nipah virus isolation centre at a government hospital in Kozhikode, in India's southern state of Kerala ( AFP/Getty )

Officials have also increased cleaning and disease-control preparedness at Phuket International Airport as part of the preventive measures. The Indian airline Indigo operates a daily direct flight between Kolkatas international airport in West Bengal and Phuket.

Addressing public concern on Monday, Thai prime minster Anutin Charnvirakul said no Nipah cases had been recorded domestically but surveillance levels would remain high.

Thailand's Department of Disease Control screens travellers from West Bengal, India at Suvarnabhumi & Don Mueang airports starting 25 January amid Nipah virus outbreak. Health officials implement strict measures as passengers show excellent cooperation at checkpoints, the Thai government said.

Travellers who arrive with high fever or symptoms that may indicate Nipah infection will be transferred to quarantine facilities, according to local media reports.

The department for public parks and wildlife has also ordered stricter screenings for in cave areas and natural tourist attractions in Thailand amid concern about the outbreak in India.

open image in gallery Thailand's Department of Disease Control screens travellers from West Bengal, India, at Suvarnabhumi & Don Mueang airports ( Thai government )

It urged tourists to follow the strict rule: Dont hunt, dont forage, dont eat.

In Nepal, the government has raised alert levels and intensified health checks at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, and at key land border crossings with India, in a bid to prevent the virus from entering the country.

Health desks have been set up to screen travellers for symptoms, and hospitals and border health points have been instructed to report and manage suspicious cases. Officials highlighted the challenge posed by open borders and the daily movement of people from neighbouring West Bengal.

A spokesperson for the ministry of health, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, said adequate measures to prevent the spread of the virus have been put in place.

He said that the government has begun individual screening of passengers arriving in Nepal through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and border points with India.

open image in gallery Travellers who arrive in Thailand with high fever or symptoms that may indicate Nipah infection will be transferred to quarantine facilities ( Thai government )

"We have specifically intensified surveillance at border points in Koshi Province. Health checks have also been ordered for people entering Nepal through other border crossings," he stated.

Meanwhile, health authorities in Taiwan are planning to list Nipah virus infection as a Category 5 notifiable disease, the highest classification for serious emerging infections under local law.

This move  subject to a 60-day public comment period before taking effect  would require immediate reporting and special control measures if cases occur, reflecting concerns over the viruss high fatality rate and epidemic potential.

Taiwans Centres for Disease Control (CDC) said Taiwan is maintaining its Level 2 "yellow" travel alert  that alerts travellers to exercise caution  for Kerala state in southwestern India.

The CDCs deputy director-general Lin Ming-cheng said travel advisories will be updated as the outbreak evolves.

The World Health Organisation has described the Nipah virus as a priority pathogen because of its potential to trigger an epidemic.

open image in gallery Thailand's Department of Disease Control screens travellers from West Bengal ( Thai government )

The initial symptoms of an infection can include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat and its more serious symptoms are dizziness or drowsiness, altered consciousness, severe atypical pneumonia and respiratory problems.

People infected with the virus may show no symptoms at all, while others develop acute respiratory distress. In severe cases, Nipah can lead to fatal encephalitis  an inflammation of the brain.

Nipah virus outbreaks have been associated with a high death rate in the past, with fatality levels reported between 40 and 75 per cent depending on the outbreak and the viral strain involved.

The virus has been documented in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, with Bangladesh recording the highest number of 341 cases and 241 deaths, according to the International Society for Infectious Disease.
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A prominent politician is among five dead after a private plane crashed during an emergency landing in western India on Wednesday, aviation authorities said.

Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, was killed along with four others after his plane crashed around 9am local time in Baramati town in the state.

The incident happened roughly an hour after the aircraft took off from the state capital of Mumbai. Indias aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, said the five victims included Pawar, two pilots, and two other passengers, one of whom was his personal security officer.

open image in gallery Smoke seen rising from the crash site in Baramati ( via REUTERS )

It was a chartered aircraft with a seating capacity of six, including the pilot, according to Indian media reports. The police ruled out any possibility of survivors on the aircraft.

Footage showed the aircrafts wreckage scattered across the crash site, with parts of the plane engulfed in flames as emergency services and police cordoned off the area. Smoke could be seen rising from the debris as local residents gathered nearby.

open image in gallery ( via REUTERS )

The aircraft, identified as a Learjet 45, is reported to have lost control while attempting an emergency landing. The cause of the crash is not yet known, and an investigation has been launched.

An eyewitness who owns a shop near the Baramati airport told The Indian Express: The aircraft was making a lot of noise while landing so my attention went to it. It tried landing but slid off the runway and there was a big explosion just like they show in movies. They have pulled out 4-5 bodies from the aircraft till now.

Pawar, a prominent figure in Indian politics who led a faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, was travelling to Baramati to attend a public meeting amid ongoing local elections in the state. Baramati has long been his political stronghold.

A veteran politician, Pawar was one of Maharashtras longest-serving deputy chief ministers, holding the post under multiple administrations across party lines. He was first elected to Indias lower house of parliament in 1991 before going on to win seven terms as a member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly.

open image in gallery Supporters of Ajit Pawar (right sign) at a victory rally in Mumbai in 2019 ( AFP/Getty )

In 2019, he triggered a major political realignment by splitting his party and briefly forming a government with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Last year, Indias election authorities formally recognised his faction as the official Nationalist Congress Party.

Pawar is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and their two sons.

Indias prime minister Narendra Modi remembered Pawar as leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect.

open image in gallery Pawar with the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi ( AP )

He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra, Mr Modi wrote. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti.

Indias defence minister Rajnath Singh said he is deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Pawar.

Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers, and admirers, he wrote on X.

DK Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister of the southern state of Karnataka, condoled his colleagues demise and said: Shocked and deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Maharashtra Deputy CM Shri Ajit Pawar in a tragic plane crash. His sudden demise is a great loss to public life and to Maharashtra politics, where he served with experience and resolve.

The Pawar family, one of the most powerful in Indian politics with several members serving as lawmakers, was in Delhi for the budget session of parliament. The family was set to leave for Baramati following the news.
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India is moving quickly to contain a Nipah virus outbreak in the eastern state of West Bengal after two cases were confirmed by the federal health ministry.

Nearly 200 people have been quarantined after they were identified as contacts of the infected patients, according to officials. All were found to be asymptomatic and tested negative for the virus, the ministry said.

But the West Bengal cases have sparked concern across Asia, with several countries introducing new Covid-style health checks at airports receiving flights from the region.

Nipah is a deadly virus with no vaccine or cure and is considered a high-risk pathogen by the World Health Organization. Experts say human infections are rare and usually occur when the virus spills over from bats, often through contaminated fruit.

Here is everything you need to know about this virus:

Nipah virus (NiV) infection: What are the symptoms?

Nipah virus (NiV) infection most often begins with non-specific symptoms, making early detection difficult.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the incubation period is generally believed to range from four to 21 days, though longer delays between exposure and illness have been reported in rare cases during previous outbreaks.

Patients typically develop a sudden flu-like illness marked by fever, headache, muscle pain and fatigue. In some cases, respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath or pneumonia also occur, although the timing and severity of these symptoms can vary widely.

The most serious and defining complication of Nipah infection is inflammation of the brain, known as encephalitis. Neurological symptoms, including confusion, altered consciousness, seizures or coma, usually appear several days to weeks after the initial onset of illness.

Some patients may also develop meningitis.

open image in gallery File. An official directs traffic while another fogs the area of Seelong in the southern state of Johor, 10 May 1999. - Malaysia extended its pig culling operation to Johor and the eastern state of Kelantan after tests showed positive results of the deadly Nipah virus in 40 pigs ( AFP via Getty Images )

How deadly is the Nipah virus?

Nipah virus is associated with a high death rate, with fatality levels reported between 40 and 75 per cent depending on the outbreak and the viral strain involved.

Survivors may experience long-term neurological effects, such as persistent seizures or changes in personality, according to the UK Health Security Agencys update.

In rare cases, encephalitis has been reported to recur months or even years after the initial infection, either due to relapse or reactivation of the virus.

How does the Nipah virus spread?

Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen that can be transmitted from animals to humans and from person to person, according to the World Health Organization.

The primary natural carriers are fruit bats (Pteropus species); humans can become infected through direct contact with infected bats or other animals, or by consuming food contaminated with bat saliva, urine or faeces.

Humantohuman transmission has also been reported, particularly through close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.

Where was the Nipah virus first found?

Nipah virus (NiV) was first identified in 1999 after an outbreak of encephalitis and respiratory illness among pig farmers and others who had close contact with infected pigs in Malaysia and Singapore. The episode led to the recognition of NiV as a serious zoonotic pathogen capable of crossing from animals to humans.

Since then, repeated outbreaks have been recorded in South Asia. Parts of northeast India and several districts in Bangladesh have reported cases, with Bangladesh experiencing outbreaks almost every year since 2001.

In southern India, the state of Kerala reported its first Nipah outbreak in 2018, followed by sporadic cases in subsequent years.

Beyond South Asia, infections have also been reported in the Philippines, with investigations suggesting they were caused by the Nipah virus or a closely related Nipah-like strain.

open image in gallery File. Health workers wearing protective gear shift a man with symptoms of Nipah virus to an isolation ward at a government hospital in Kozhikode in the south Indian state of Kerala on 16 September 2023 ( AFP via Getty Images )

Scientific studies have identified fruit bats as the natural reservoir of the virus. Nipah virus has been isolated from bat urine in Malaysia, and antibodies have been detected in at least 23 bat species across Asia as well as in parts of Africa, including Ghana and Madagascar.

Despite this wide animal reservoir, confirmed human outbreaks have so far been limited to South and Southeast Asia, typically occurring in rural or semi-rural settings where contact between humans, bats and domestic animals is more likely, WHO says.

Human-to-human transmission of Nipah virus has also been reported among family and caregivers of infected patients, according to WHO.

Is there any treatment?

There is currently no proven, targeted treatment for Nipah virus (NiV) infection and no approved vaccine to prevent it.

Care for patients remains largely supportive, focusing on managing symptoms and complications as they arise.

The virus is listed by the WHO as a priority pathogen under its Research and Development Blueprint, which identifies epidemic threats that require urgent research.

Reducing the risk of Nipahinfection

With no vaccine available, preventing Nipah virus infection relies on awareness and simple protective measures, global health agencies recommend. Public health advice focuses on reducing contact with the virus, whether from bats, animals, or infected people.

Bats are the main carriers of Nipah. People should avoid consuming raw date palm sap or fruits that might have been contaminated by bats, WHO guidelines advise.

Boiling fresh date palm juice and thoroughly washing or peeling fruits can reduce risk. Any fruit showing signs of bat bites should be discarded, the health agency advises.

People handling sick animals, their tissues, or during slaughter should wear gloves and protective clothing. Contact with infected pigs should be minimised, and pig farms in areas with fruit bats should take steps to protect feed and enclosures from bats.

Avoid close, unprotected contact with people infected with Nipah. Regular hand washing after caring for or visiting sick individuals is essential to stop the virus from spreading.

Nipah virus in popular culture

The 2011 film Contagion, which depicts a fast-spreading global virus, was partly inspired by real-life pathogens like the Nipah virus, a bat-borne virus first identified in Malaysia in 1999, according to global health non-profit Paths website.

Nipah causes severe respiratory illness and brain inflammation (encephalitis) and can spread from animals to humans, contaminated food, or infected people.

Its high fatality rate, potential for outbreaks, and lack of a vaccine made it a model for how a zoonotic virus could trigger a pandemic, which filmmakers used to shape the realistic global crisis in Contagion, Path noted.
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Hotels in Japan are increasingly using specially trained dogs to detect bedbugs as infestations rise along with a surge in international travel, the local media reported on Wednesday.

Complaints about bedbugs have reportedly climbed sharply in recent years, prompting growing demand for these canine services.

Bedbug-sniffing dogs can reportedly detect up to 95 per cent of infestations and are being deployed to inspect hotel rooms and other accommodations across Japan, according to The Asahi Shimbun.

The Japan Pest Control Association, which represents exterminators and firms handling pests ranging from cockroaches and rats to mosquitoes and bedbugs, reported 1,176 bedbug-related complaints in 2023  about 500 more than the year before. That number reportedly edged up further to 1,185 in 2024. The numbers for 2025 have not yet been released.

Industry watchers attribute the upward trend largely to the sharp rebound in overseas travel following the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, Japan welcomed a record number of foreign tourists last year, with arrivals surpassing the 40 million threshold for the first time.

The jump marks the second consecutive year of record-breaking tourist numbers. The country received 36.87 million foreign visitors in 2024 and the momentum carried into 2025 as travellers from overseas injected 9.5 trillion yen into the economy, up from 8.1 trillion the previous year.

Pest control experts say increased global travel has made it easier for bedbugs to hitchhike across borders in luggage and clothing, raising the risk of outbreaks in densely used accommodation spaces such as hotels, hostels and dormitories.

To address this, companies like Tokyo-based Asante Inc are expanding their canine detection programmes, training more dogs and handlers to meet rising demand. In the past year alone, Asantes dogs have reportedly checked thousands of hotel rooms in Japan, The Asahi Shimbun reported.

Elle, a two-year-old beagle trained from the age of six months, is among a growing number of dogs being deployed to detect bedbugs in Japans accommodation sector. Working with handler Ataru Shimoyama, Elle can inspect a room in just a few minutes.

In 2023, South Korea was struggling to tackle a rising number of bedbug infestations as complaints were pouring in from different parts of the country.

The first reports of instances of bedbugs came in September that year when students at Keimyung University in Daegu, around 240km away from capital Seoul, were bitten by parasitic insects in their dormitory.

Media reports emerged later that larvae from the insects were found under the floor mats at a public sauna in Seouls neighbouring city Incheon, around 27km away, according to The Korea Times report at the time.

Bedbugs were quite a significant concern in major cities, including London and Paris, that year.
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Thailand has stepped up health surveillance at major airports following a Nipah virus outbreak in India, screening some 1,700 incoming travellers with no infections found so far.

The Ministry of Public Health said the screening measures were focused on passengers arriving from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, the epicentre of the outbreak. These travellers entered Thailand chiefly through Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, and Phuket airports.

India last week reported a new cluster of infections in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, with the health ministry confirming two cases in the state since December, both healthcare workers. As many as 196 identified contacts tested negative for the virus, the ministry added.

Thailands public health minister Phatthana Phromphat said the enhanced measures were introduced following instructions from prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul and airport screening teams were deployed late last week.

Health officials say they are fairly confident the measures are sufficient to prevent an outbreak.

open image in gallery Quarantine doctors watch thermal scanning of travelers from West Bengal, India at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn, Thailand ( AP )

Nearly 700 travellers arrive at the three airports on flights from Kolkata every day, The Bangkok Post reported.

Mr Phatthana said he had worked with deputy prime minister and transport minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn as well as airport operators to ensure checks were carried out thoroughly.

If theres a suspected case at an airport, the person will be quarantined and the results of a relevant test will be known in eight hours, he said.

The minister noted the likelihood of transmission to fellow passengers on the same flight was very low.

The transmission of Nipah virus is not like that of Covid. Even though they may be asymptomatic, Covid-infected people can transmit the virus, he added. For Nipah, infected people will not transmit it as long as they do not have any symptoms.

Mr Phatthana said his country had never reported a Nipah infection.

Nipah was first detected in Southeast Asia after outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and 1999. The infections were largely linked to pig farm workers and those in close contact with livestock. Since then, multiple human outbreaks have been reported in India and Bangladesh, strongly associated with consumption of raw date palm sap contaminated by fruit bats, the viruss natural reservoir.

open image in gallery File. A health worker wearing protective gear disposes of biohazard waste from a Nipah virus isolation centre at a government hospital in Kozhikode, in India's southern state of Kerala, on 16 September 2023 ( AFP/Getty )

Thai authorities also addressed public concern over sightings of flying foxes  one of the animals known to host the virus  in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, saying there was no evidence linking them to any infections in Thailand, Asia News Network reported.

Meanwhile, health experts in Hong Kong are advising people to avoid travel to West Bengal.

The South China Morning Post reported that leaders of the citys Bengali community expected some disruption to travel plans but stressed the situation did not warrant a panic.

There is a large and thriving Bengali community in Hong Kong. Those who are planning trips might postpone them until they see what the situation is, Vishal Melwani, vice-president of the India Association Hong Kong, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Nipah is classified as one of 53 notifiable infectious diseases under Hong Kong law, prompting authorities to monitor developments closely while urging caution rather than alarm.

Another neighbour of India, Nepal, also introduced screening measures for arrivals at the Kathmandu airport, along with checks at the land border crossings.

Taiwanese health officials have proposed classifying Nipah as a Category 5 disease, a designation for rare or emerging infections that pose major public health risks and require immediate reporting and special control measures.
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Amazon plans to cut about 16,000 jobs globally as part of efforts to streamline its operations.

The latest round of lay-offs at the retail technology giant, confirmed in a blog post to staff, comes only months after it axed about 14,000 jobs.

It is understood that the majority of jobs impacted by the latest cuts will be in the US, but the UK operation will see some positions removed as well.

The company did not disclose how many UK workers will be affected.

Beth Galetti, senior vice-president of people experience and technology at Amazon, wrote: As I shared in October, weve been working to strengthen our organisation by reducing layers, increasing ownership and removing bureaucracy.

Some of you might ask if this is the beginning of a new rhythm  where we announce broad reductions every few months. Thats not our plan.

open image in gallery Amazon laid off about 14,000 people in October ( Getty/iStock )

Galetti said U.S.-based staff would be given 90 days to look for a new role internally. Those who are unsuccessful or dont want a new job will be offered severance pay, outplacement services and health insurance benefits.

The layoffs are Amazons biggest since 2023, when the company cut 27,000 jobs.

The announcement came after the company appeared to have prematurely alerted Amazon Web Services cloud computing employees about lay-offs planned for Wednesday morning by sending a commiseration email and team-wide meeting invitation hours early.

The email, sent on Tuesday and signed by Colleen Aubrey, senior vice-president of applied AI solutions at AWS, wrongly said that impacted employees in the US, Canada and Costa Rica had already been informed they lost their jobs.

Changes like this are hard on everyone, Ms Aubrey wrote in the email. These decisions are difficult and are made thoughtfully as we position our organisation and AWS for future success.

Last year, the companys president Andy Jassy suggested Amazon was likely to reduce its staff count over the coming years as it increases its use of AI for many tasks.

open image in gallery Amazon Fresh launched its first UK store in Ealing in 2021 ( PA )

The company employed around 1.57 million at the end of September last year, with about 350,000 of these across its corporate workforce, while the majority of employees work in its warehouses. It employs around 75,000 people across its operations in the UK.

Earlier this week, Amazon confirmed it would close its remaining Amazon Fresh and Go retail stores across the US, focusing instead on its Whole Foods store business.

Last September, Amazon announced the closure of its 19 Amazon Fresh stores across the UK, impacting around 250 jobs.

Rachel Fagan, organiser for the GMB union, said: Amazon is showing itself for what it is  a company that cannot be trusted to do the right thing by working people in the UK.

Now is the time for decision makers to see Amazon for what it is, a company fixated on eye-watering profits at the expense of workers and local people.
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Two emerging viruses could become the United States next big public health threats, scientists warned Wednesday.

The animal-borne influenza D virus and canine coronavirus have been flying under the radar.

Now, conditions are ripe for the viruses to spread more widely among humans, researchers around the country caution in a new article.

Our review of the literature indicates these two viruses pose respiratory disease threats to humans, yet little has been done to respond to or prevent infection from these viruses, Dr. John Lednicky, a research professor at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, said in a statement.

If these viruses evolve the capacity to easily transmit person to person, they may be able to cause epidemics or pandemics since most people wont have immunity to them.

open image in gallery Whats the next big public health threat in the U.S.? Scientists say two animal-borne viruses could be ones to watch ( Getty Images )

Influenza D virus

First discovered in 2011, the influenza D virus is largely tied to infections in pigs, cows and livestock.

However, there have also been infections found in deer, giraffes and kangaroos.

It is believed to contribute to bovine respiratory disease, which is the most common and expensive disease affecting the North American beef cattle industry, costing an estimated $1 billion each year.

Symptoms in cows include trouble breathing, nasal discharge, fever and coughing, according to Canadas Beef Cattle Research Council.

Previous studies of cattle workers in Colorado and Florida showed as many as 97 percent carried protective influenza D virus antibodies, suggesting they had been exposed.

The exposures have not led to symptoms of illness so far, but there is cause for concern about the virus evolving. A strain of the virus in China has developed the ability to spread between people.

Tests are not routinely performed for the virus, so its unknown how much of an effect it already has in the U.S.

Canine coronavirus

Canine coronavirus, also known as CCoV, has been associated with serious infections in humans.

The virus has been linked to pneumonia hospitalizations in Southeast Asia and fever and discomfort in a person who had traveled from Florida to Haiti in 2017, as well as gastrointestinal illness in dogs.

The same strain in a child hospitalized in Malaysia  nearly identical to the HuCCoV_Z19Haiti found in the traveler  was found in people with respiratory illness living in Thailand, Vietnam and in Arkansas in 2010, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, demonstrating that it is already circulating across continents.

Notably, this virus is not the same as the virus that led to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The uncertain takeaway

open image in gallery Continued and widespread outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu have resulted in milk testing across the country ( Getty Images )

The viruses have real potential to trigger outbreaks, the scientists assert.

They say there needs to be better virus monitoring, more reliable testing and investment in treatments and vaccines.

Our knowledge about the viruses epidemiology and clinical manifestations are limited to a modest number of research studies, the authors wrote.

Even so, the limited data regarding these novel, newly detected viruses indicate that they are a major threat to public health.

The researchers plea comes as bird flu continues to rip through commercial flocks and other birds around the country, with new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing more birds affected this month than in December.

The spread of H5N1 influenza resulted in sky-high egg prices and milk testing across the country last year.

Experts had previously warned that it would only be a matter of time before bird flu mutated and the virus was able to spread person to person  although that has yet to occur.

If it continues to be widely circulating in poultry, mammals and humans, it may certainly one day evolve into something very serious, Kelvin To, a clinical microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong, told The New York Times earlier this month.
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Consumers blaming weight-loss jabs for eye strokes, ruptured colons and vomiting spells have launched a series of lawsuits against some of the worlds biggest drug manufacturers.

Increasing numbers of Americans turn to GLP-1 drugs in a bid to shed excess weight, with as much as 12 percent of the U.S. now using a weight-loss jab, according to KFF estimates.

However, as the number of Americans using the jabs climbs, so too have the number of people suing the manufacturers.

According to USA Today, 4,400 patients have filed lawsuits against drug producers since 2023. The ages of the plaintiffs range from 18 to 87.

Around 75 percent of those plaintiffs allege that they have been left with gastroparesis, a condition that slows the emptying of the stomach. Another 8 percent have reported extreme gastrointestinal complications, including extreme vomiting.

The drugs companies have said they will defend against the claims in court, with test trials not expected until 2027.

open image in gallery Weight-loss jab users have complained that the drugs have caused them to experience extreme vomiting and even ruptured colons (stock image) ( myskin - stock.adobe.com )

JoHelen McClain, a 72-year-old real estate agent from Oklahoma City, told USA Today that her symptoms were particularly severe.

In March 2024, while driving her 14-year-old granddaughter home from a softball game, McClain says she heard a bang - similar to the popping of a balloon.

What was that? her granddaughter cried. After racing to the hospital, McClain was diagnosed with a ruptured colon. The grandmother says she was diagnosed with sepsis and spent a gruelling five days in the hospital.

In January this year, she became one of the thousands of people suing Danish healthcare company Novo Nordisk, which produces both Wegovy and Ozempic.

In another case Todd Engel, a heavy machinery operator from Maryland, told USA Today he was one of the many people who started taking Ozempic for diabetes.

However, the 63-year-olds life changed in October 2023 when he was left without sight in one of his eyes. Medics soon realised that he had suffered an eye-stroke - also known as NAION - which restricts blood to the optic nerve, the outlet reported.

European Ozempic labels state that semaglutide can cause NAION in up to 1 in 10,000 people, according to Reuters.

In a joint court filing in 2024 detailing their intentions to fight the claims, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly said that their products went through rigorous testing.

open image in gallery However, both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have said that their products are rigorously tested ( PA )

GLP-1RAs are medicines that have revolutionized the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, the statement said. Numerous clinical studies have show that GLP-1RAs reduce the risk of death and asdverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes.

The safety profile of GLP-1 RAs has been well-established in hundreds of clinical trials, large-scale observational studies, and nearly two decades of real-world use.

The known risks associated with these medicines are reflected in their FDA-approved product labeling which, collectively FDA has reviewed more than 40 times and are discussed in textbooks, treatment guidelines and journals.

Meanwhile, demand for the drugs continues to increase. Prescriptions for the GLP-1s rocketed from 1 million at the start of 2018 to 9 million in 2022, according to Trilliant Health. Meanwhile, the use of Ozempic and Wegovy doubled between 2024 and 2025, according to Gallup.

The Independent has contacted Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly for comment.

Novo Nordisk remains confident in the benefit-risk profile of our GLP-1 medicines, when used consistent with their indications and product labeling, a spokesperson told USA Today.

Patient safety is Lillys top priority, and we actively monitor, evaluate, and report safety information for all our medicines, a spokesperson for Eli Lilly added.
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Complex prehistoric tools unearthed at an archaeological site in central China are upending long-standing assumptions about human evolution, scientists claim in a new study.

Excavations at the Xigou site in the Danjiangkou Reservoir Region in central China have revealed evidence of advanced stone tool use by early human ancestors dating back 160,00072,000 years ago.

This was during a time when multiple large-brained hominins were present in China, such as Homo longi and Homo juluensis, and possibly our species, Homo sapiens.

The research reveals that human ancestors in this region were far more inventive, challenging the long-held view that early humans in China remained conservative and less-sophisticated for a long time.

"Researchers have argued for decades that while hominins in Africa and western Europe demonstrated significant technological advances, those in East Asia relied on simpler and more conservative stone-tool traditions," said expedition leader Shixia Yang, an author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications.

Reconstruction of Xigou tool-making ( Hulk Yuan )

One of the most striking findings at the site was a hafted stone tool, marking the earliest evidence yet of composite tool use in East Asia.

Such tools combined stone components with handles or shafts, and demonstrated complex planning, skilled craftsmanship, and an understanding of how to enhance tool performance.

"Their presence indicates the Xigou hominins possessed a high degree of behavioural flexibility and ingenuity, said Jian-Ping Yue, another author of the study from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP).

The find also points to an increasing diversity of ancient human ancestor species in China over a 90,000-year period.

Some of these ancestor species identified at Xujiayao and Lingjing were large-brained, scientists say, providing a biological context for the behavioural complexity reflected in the latest discovery.

"Detailed analyses from the site show hominin inhabitants employed sophisticated stone toolmaking methods to produce small flakes and tools that were then used in a diverse array of activities, said Michael Petraglia, director of Griffith University's Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution.

The technological strategies evident in the stone tools likely played a crucial role in helping hominin populations adapt to the fluctuating environments that characterised the 90,000-year-period in Eastern Asia, Dr Petraglia said.

These early human populations possessed cognitive and technical abilities comparable to their counterparts in Africa and Europe, the study suggests.

"Emerging evidence from Xigou and other sites shows early technologies in China included prepared-core methods, innovative retouched tools, and even large cutting tools, pointing to a richer and more complex technological landscape than previously recognised, Dr Yang added.
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A Russian man has been found guilty of assaulting a woman after Donald Trumps youngest son told UK police he witnessed the attack during a video call.

Barron Trump, 19, saw his friend being attacked by Matvei Rumiantsev in London on 18 January last year, a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court was told.

The US presidents son told a City of London Police operator: I just got a call from a girl shes getting beat up, the court heard.

Prosecutors said that Rumiantsev was jealous of her friendship with Mr Trump.

The 22-year-old, who lived in Canary Wharf, east London, was convicted on Wednesday of assault occasioning actual bodily harm between 17 and 18 January and perverting the course of justice.

He was found not guilty of one count of rape and intentional strangulation relating to the same date when Mr Trump made his report to police, and another count of rape and assault, alleged to have occurred in November 2024.

open image in gallery US President Donald Trump with his son Barron in 2019 ( Alamy/PA )

In a transcript of the call he made to the emergency services, Mr Trump said: Oh, Im calling from the US, uh, I just got a call from a girl, you know, shes getting beat up, the court heard.

Mr Trump replied to investigating police in May in an email which said, what I saw was very brief indeed but indeed prevalent, jurors were told.

It continued: I didnt expect her to pick up due to the difference in the time zone to the fact I am in the USA, the phone was answered but not by her, to my dismay.

The individual who picked up the phone was a shirtless man with darkish hair, although I didnt get a good look, this view lasted maybe one second and I was racing with adrenaline.

The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian. The guy had hung up. This whole interaction had lasted 5 to 7 seconds.

Mr Trump grew up in the public eye as the only child of Donald and Melania Trump and was rumoured to be helping his father with his election strategy in 2024.

His older brother, Eric Trump, told the Press Association in November 2024 that Barron persuaded his father to go on a podcast tour as part of efforts to court Gen Z and millennial voters.

open image in gallery Barron Trump, left, in January 2025 ( Chris Kleponis/Pool via CNP/MediaPunch/Alamy Live News )

The US president appeared on several podcasts popular among young people, including The Joe Rogan Experience  the biggest podcast in the world  as well as podcasts with internet personalities, Theo Von, Logan Paul and Adin Ross.

Prosecutor Serena Gates said that Rumiantsev was jealous of the womans friendship with Mr Trump, perhaps because of his public profile.

She told jurors to note Mr Trumps urgent and worried tone in the call to police.

The court had heard that Rumiantsev and the woman had been drinking together on the evening of 17 January 2025 and into the early hours of the next day.

The prosecution said that Rumiantsev assaulted the woman that day, including hitting her in the face, and he later beat her.

Rumiantsev, who the court heard has experience in martial arts, denied this.

The defendant answered her phone during the beating to a FaceTime call from Mr Trump and turned the screen to the woman who was crying and screaming on the floor, the court heard.

He became aware of the womans friendship with Mr Trump in October 2024, jurors were told.

open image in gallery The trial was heard at Snaresbrook Crown Court ( PA )

On Friday, under cross-examination, Rumiantsev was asked if he was jealous of males that the woman might speak to.

He said: What I was really unhappy about was that she was frankly leading him (Barron Trump) on.

Mr Justice Bennathan, KC, told Rumiantsev the trial is about whether you attacked her or not.

Rumiantsev responded, telling the court: I am being portrayed as a jealous person who can lose his temper due to jealousy.

I want to just make clear that her actions towards him was wrong and it was not fair. He added: I was jealous to some extent.

The perverting the course of justice charge relates to a letter written to the woman by Rumiantsev from prison after the 18 January attack, asking her to withdraw her allegations.

Rumiantsev will be sentenced at the same court on 27 March.
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A teenage boy has been charged with manslaughter following a house fire in London that killed a schoolgirl.

Tiffany Regis, 15, died from smoke inhalation after flames engulfed a second-floor flat in Tollgate Road, Beckton, on 6 April 2023.

A 16-year-old boy was charged on Tuesday with manslaughter, arson and arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.

The teenager, who legally cannot be named, has been bailed and is due to appear at Stratford Magistrates Court on 24 February.

open image in gallery The fire wrecked one corner of the building ( PA )

The Labour mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz, said at the time that it was a tragic moment for the community.

She said: "Tiffany's parents are going through unimaginable pain at the loss of their much-loved 15-year-old daughter who brought so much joy.

"I am deeply upset by this tragic loss of a young life, as is everyone in Newham.

"Our priority is to support Tiffany's parents grieving the loss of their child; and all those young people who have lost a dear friend."

The London Fire Brigade was called to the scene on 6 April 2023 at 5.24pm and the fire was under control by 6.33pm.

Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from East Ham, Plaistow, Barking and surrounding fire stations attended the incident.

Firefighters found the girl in a second-floor flat, where she was pronounced dead. Five others were injured and taken to the hospital by London Ambulance Service crews, but were later discharged.

Soon after the incident the brigades borough commander for Newham, Richard Arnold, said: We would like to offer our condolences to the family and friends of the teenage girl who died at the scene of the fire yesterday evening.

He added: This was a very tragic incident and our crews who attended the scene are receiving support from our counselling and trauma service.
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Naked but for handcuffs, a waist restraint belt, and a towel to cover his modesty, a man waiting to be deported from the UK is carried by officers to his bed inside his new home  the countrys most notorious immigration detention centre.

Days later, a resident with a history of mental health issues is restrained after smashing up the television in his room and boiling kettles of water in a bid to flood his sleeping area.

On another day, specialist riot-squad officers are scrambled to the site after a mentally unwell resident jumps onto the safety netting between the floors in an apparent attempt to take his own life.

These are typical scenes at Brook House, near Gatwick airport, where violence, assaults, drug use and incidents of self-harm are an almost daily occurrence.

The controversial site, where conditions are modelled on a category B prison, houses foreign nationals who have served time in jail, alongside small-boat migrants and those who have overstayed their visa. It was the subject of an independent inquiry after G4S guards were filmed abusing detainees in 2017. The inquiry found 19 instances of credible breaches of human rights law relating to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, with officers found to have choked and abused migrants and forced them naked from their cells between April and August 2017.

The Independent has now obtained stark written accounts from officers working at the site that lay bare the crises they have witnessed inside, and reveal how restraint and force are being used against vulnerable detainees  some of whom will spend months or years living at the site.

open image in gallery A protester communicates with those inside the perimeter fence of Brook House immigration removal centre, next to Gatwick airport ( AFP/Getty )

The reports of incidents, obtained through freedom of information (FOI) requests, reveal that force was used against migrants 31 times in July 2025, giving a snapshot of a typical month inside Brook House, where 2,424 people were housed in the year to September.

Separate data obtained by The Independent through FOI shows that the prison riot squad  the National Tactical Response Group  was called out to Brook House 18 times in 2024 and eight times in 2025. This is significantly more than at any other immigration removal centre, with the squad being called to those sites no more than once a year.

Charities and campaigners have now warned of continued widespread failures at the detention centre, with excessive force used on torture survivors and people who have lost mental capacity. Serco, which now runs the site, says that restraints are only used as a last resort, and the Home Office says it reviews each incident.

The incidents include:

A mentally unwell resident flooding his room repeatedly, and others attempting suicide in front of officers

Residents running at doors and headbutting windows, and one person attempting to bite staff

Some residents testing positive for the psychoactive drug spice

A resident shouting Just kill me, crying and fighting against restraints after being told that he would be removed from the country the next day

One resident, who was awaiting a bed in a secure hospital, being so unwell that he apparently began to hallucinate  babbling, shouting and pointing at parts of his room  while naked

open image in gallery A general view of D Wing at Brook House ( PA )

The reports also document the regular use of handcuffs and other restraints to manage residents, as well as the common implementation of isolation techniques  known as Rule 40  where people are kept away from other migrants for their own and others safety.

In one revealing account from Serco officers in July 2025, a new resident was delivered to the centre handcuffed and naked apart from a waist restraint belt and a towel, while being restrained by two members of staff.

In a report of the incident, officers asked him if he could walk into the centre, and he apparently replied, I need a translator. It is not clear if any effort was made to find a translator, but a decision was made to move him into the centre using force, as he was not complying with instructions.

Later in the month, a resident who had been waiting for a bed in a secure hospital was escorted out of Brook House for the hospital transfer. According to the staff reports, he was being kept in isolation and monitored under the Mental Health Act because he was suffering with severe mental health issues and had at times refused to take antipsychotic medication.

open image in gallery Detainees at Brook House shout and chant in unison with protesters outside the centre against the UK deportation flights to Rwanda in 2022 ( Getty )

While at the centre, he had flooded his room, made a dirty protest, and assaulted staff. When it was time to be transferred to hospital, he was in his room, throwing his mattress around, flooding the room, naked and covering himself in water while shouting incoherently, the report said. Staff managed to reason with him  getting him to put on some underwear and start cleaning his room  and used minimal force to stop him from running away, the reports said.

In another account, one resident, who had been at Brook House for five months, was placed into isolation because he had tested positive for the drug spice. As a result, he had been unable to receive his routine medication, methadone, for fear of an overdose.

According to one official account of that day, he became combative because he couldnt get his medication, covering up the viewing panels in his room with food, tissue and toilet paper and using his mattress as a barricade. The water in his room had also been turned off because he was throwing toilet water at officers.

He began shouting and banging, punching and headbutting his door, according to the officers accounts, and then started self-harming using parts of his phone before attempting to start a fire by tampering with the battery. A detainee custody officer later spotted him lying on his back, apparently unconscious, with blood apparently coming from his mouth.

When the team tried to enter his room, the resident jumped up and tried to force his hand and foot into the space created by the open door. Believing he was trying to escape, the guards restrained him and applied handcuffs. They removed the restraints once he had calmed down, and he then tried to eat one of the officers earpieces.

open image in gallery Brook House detains migrants for removal from the UK ( Getty )

According to the latest figures, use of force by officers at the site is higher than at any of the UKs other detention centres. Between January and June last year, data from the charity Medical Justice, which supports people in immigration removal centres, shows that there were 165 per cent more incidents where force was used at Brook House than at the centre with the second-highest number  Harmondsworth detention centre near Heathrow.

There were 76 incidents of force used against a detainee in March last year, 60 in April, and 43 in May, the data shows.

Previous inspections of the site have noted the high number of detainees reporting mental health problems, and HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor warned in his last full inspection in 2024 of a serious deterioration in healthcare provision at the site.

He was concerned about disproportionate routine handcuffing of detainees on external escorts, the availability of drugs, and cases where the Home Office had not identified an individuals significant vulnerabilities before deciding to detain them.

In an updated inspection from July last year, Mr Taylor found that progress had been made, with frontline managers more visible on the wings. But he found there was limited improvement in support for the most vulnerable detainees, with too many still being held for long periods.

open image in gallery People held at Brook House immigration removal centre respond to demonstrators from migrant rights groups in 2022 ( PA )

Some 42 per cent of the 192 detainees were assessed as high risk, yet staff were not making necessary notifications to the Home Office when residents health was at serious risk, the report found.

At that time, three detainees had been held at Brook House for longer than a year, with one held there for 550 days.

Emma Ginn, the director of Medical Justice, said the charity continues to see widespread failures at these sites, including the failure of clinical safeguards, inappropriate and indiscriminate use of segregation, inadequate healthcare provision, lack of medication and access to hospital, and unnecessary and excessive use of force on torture survivors and people who have lost mental capacity through deterioration during long periods of detention.

She warned that staff were continually failing to report a persons likelihood of carrying out suicide to the Home Office in order that their detention could be reconsidered.

Hannah Carbery, from the charity Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group, said that people routinely disclose not feeling safe in detention due to witnessing or directly experiencing use of force that they feel has not been adequately risk-assessed or is excessive.

She added: As inspectorate reports attest, and as conversations with detained people inform us, there is still routine use of force in incidents where de-escalation or more appropriate measures could be explored first.

open image in gallery Demonstrators at Brook House protest against plans to send migrants to Rwanda under a now-abandoned Tory government plan, in 2022 ( PA )

Since the inquiry, the site has been taken over by Serco, and Labour has accepted or partially accepted 30 out of 33 recommendations from the inquiry, including robust monitoring of contract performance and providing regular training on the protocol used to put detainees in temporary confinement.

The Home Office said all use-of-force reports were reviewed to identify trends and ensure that techniques are justified.

A spokesperson said: We have acted decisively on the Brook House Inquiry recommendations, and regard the welfare of people detained in our care as being of utmost importance.

A Serco spokesperson said: We have a great team at Brook House IRC who carry out a challenging role with dedication and professionalism. Our officers only use appropriate and proportionate force as a last resort, and robust governance and assurance is in place to closely monitor it. Under our contract with the Home Office, any use-of-force incidents are reported and investigated.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
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The first female Archbishop of Canterbury has vowed to speak out on misogyny, as she was confirmed in her new role as the Church of Englands top bishop.

Dame Sarah Mullally took part in a service at St Pauls Cathedral, which legally confirmed her as the 106th person to take up the post, after being named in October as the first woman in the role.

Prior to the service, she expressed her hopes to lead with calmness, consistency and compassion in what she described as times of division and uncertainty for our fractured world.

open image in gallery Sarah Mullally during the confirmation of election ceremony legally confirming her as the new Archbishop of Canterbury ( PA )

Proceedings were briefly interrupted by a heckler, reportedly in religious attire, who was escorted from the cathedral, though their words were not immediately clear.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said full opportunity had been given for lawful objections, but none had been received and the process would therefore continue.

While technically the King is head of the Church of England, the person holding the role of Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop and is the spiritual leader of the Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Dame Sarah, in an interview as she took up her new role, shared her gratitude for the support of a whole range of people, including men, in my ministry.

open image in gallery The proceedings were briefly interrupted by a heckler, reportedly in religious attire, who was escorted from the cathedral ( Jeff Moore/PA )

But the former chief nursing officer for England added: It is fair to say that I have, both in my secular role as well as in the Church, experienced misogyny at times.

She said over the years she has learned it must be spoken about so that you bring it out into the open.

Last year, while addressing the Churchs General Synod  known as its parliament  her voice cracked with emotion as she told of the institutional barriers and micro-aggressions women continue to face in the Church.

Asked this week about misogyny in the Church, she said: Im conscious that being in this role, its important for me to speak of it, because there are some that dont necessarily have the status or the power of this role, and feel more hesitant to do it.

But certainly as a Church of England we have seen many changes over the years and I commit myself to making an environment where all people can flourish and which is safer for all.

open image in gallery Mullally was Bishop of London for almost a decade ( Jeff Moore/Pool via AP )

Dame Sarah, who was Bishop of London for almost a decade, said she had always understood that people may find my appointment as a woman difficult in the Church, and what I hope to do is to be able to provide a space where I can offer hospitality to people, where I can listen to what their concerns are and, in a sense, find some way in which we can at least have partnership together in that way.

She has previously been open about her support for the approval of same-sex blessings in the Church, but appeared reticent in her new role to give her personal view on standalone services of blessing for same-sex couples  something the Church is divided on.

She said: As the Archbishop of Canterbury, I see my role at the moment is to listen to what Synod has to say about that and to continue to hold that space within the Church of England where there are a range of different views on this issue.

Those gathered at the St Pauls service  including bishops and clergy, local schoolchildren and those from across the Church and the Anglican Communion  heard that Dame Sarah steps into history as the first woman to take the top ministry role.

Between the St Pauls service and her installation at Canterbury Cathedral, Dame Sarah will meet with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of other Christian denominations and other faiths in the UK.

open image in gallery The new Archbishop of Canterbury promised to tackle safeguarding failures in the Church, saying the dynamics of power must be confronted ( Jeff Moore/Pool via AP )

She will also meet with Charles at some point in the intervening period to pay the traditional homage to the King.

On Sunday, she was pictured speaking with Charles after she delivered a sermon at a service on his Sandringham Estate.

She did not preach at Wednesdays service and is not expected to before her installation in March, although she will appear at General Synod  the Churchs parliament  in February in London, where she will give the presidential address.

On being named last year, Dame Sarah promised to tackle safeguarding failures in the Church, saying the dynamics of power must be confronted.

She replaces Justin Welby in the Churchs top ministry role after he resigned more than a year ago over safeguarding failures in the handling of the notorious case of prolific abuser and Christian camp leader John Smyth.

Earlier this month, a complaint against Dame Sarah over her handling of an abuse allegation by a man known as survivor N against a priest in the Diocese of London was dismissed, although it is understood the complainant might appeal against the decision.

open image in gallery The former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby before he stepped down over his handling of a church sex abuse scandal ( AP )

Dame Sarah has been described by the Churchs lead bishop for safeguarding, Joanne Grenfell, as having full commitment to safeguarding  strengthening systems and processes, and improving the culture across a large, complex organisation.

Ms Grenfell said while scrutiny is right, Dame Sarah must also be given room to lead as we work to grow a safer Church that serves communities across England.

Mr Cottrell, who has been leading the Church in the interim between Mr Welbys resignation and Dame Sarahs official start in the new role, paid tribute to her as having a clarity of thinking, wisdom, grace and holiness, which he said is what the Church needs right now.
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Storm Chandra has brought weather chaos this week with strong winds, heavy rain and snow battering much of the UK, with the Met Office issuing further yellow warnings till Saturday.

The Met Office have issued a yellow weather warning for rain in south west England from 9am on Friday, which is set to expire at 6am on Saturday morning. Another weather warning was issued in regions of Northern Ireland from 12am on Friday till 6pm on Friday evening.

Dozens of flood warnings remain in place across the UK, with a major incident also declared in Somerset as a result of the disruption caused by the downfalls earlier in the week.

open image in gallery Axminster in Somerset was badly hit with cars stranded on flooded roads ( Getty Images )

Storm Chandra has already broken several new January daily rainfall records. Earlier this week a lorry driver died in the New Forest after crashing into a river on Tuesday in the aftermath of Storm Chandra.

Longer journey times and cancellations are expected to impact road, rail, air and ferry services, as well causing some roads and bridges to close during the weather warnings.

The Met Office stated: Spells of heavy rain will move over Northern Ireland during Thursday night and Friday. While the wettest conditions are likely over Antrim and Down, there is potential for many areas to see 10-25 mm build up, with 40-60 mm over some hills. Rain will be accompanied by strong southeasterly winds, especially Thursday night and early Friday.

open image in gallery Two yellow warnings have been issued for Friday 30 January, with Northern Ireland once again covered entirely ( Met Office )

The forecasting service added: Outbreaks of rain, heavy at times, are expected to arrive across Cornwall on Friday morning and move northeastwards across other parts of southwest England by afternoon, followed by showers during Friday evening and overnight into Saturday morning. 10 to 20 mm rainfall is likely widely, with up to 30 mm possible over the moors and perhaps west Cornwall. Falling on saturated ground, this may lead to some flooding and disruption. Strong winds are also likely in places.

There is a small chance that homes and businesses in Northern Ireland could be flooded and that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads. The Met Office has also warned that there is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is warning people to be vigilant near the coast in Devon and Cornwall due to because of the potential of 15ft waves surging up exposed beaches and topping over sea fronts and harbour walls.

The weather warning on Saturday will cover the following regions in South West England: Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay.

open image in gallery The weather warning on Saturday will cover the following regions in South West England: Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay ( Met Office )

Heres the Met Offices four-day forecast for the UK:

This evening and Tonight:

Rather cloudy with some rain and hill snow in the north. Initially cloudy and mostly dry elsewhere, but further wet and breezy weather towards the southwest moves northeastwards overnight. Turning clearer and showery in the southwest later. Mostly frost free.

Friday:

Friday looks rather cloudy and breezy with rain moving northwards, giving snow over some northern hills. Briefly brighter in the south, though heavier rain and strong winds developing here.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday:

Remaining unsettled over the weekend and to start next week. Showers or longer spells of rain affecting most areas, coupled with brisk winds at times. Further snow on northern hills.
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Dedicated volunteers have safely guided more than two million toads across British roads during their annual spring migration over the last 50 years, a wildlife charity has revealed.

As "toad patrollers" prepare to assist common toads navigating routes to their breeding ponds, Froglife underscored the vital importance of their work for a species in widespread decline.

Data collected by Froglife volunteers and published last year indicated a significant 41 per cent decline in common toad populations over 40 years, although some regional recoveries have been noted since 2013.

The charity reported a record year in 2025, with 280 volunteer groups moving 156,227 toads and submitting their data.

In total, over two million toads have been helped across British roads since Froglife began collecting records in 1974.

The charity said that volunteers who patrolled roads that lay between the toads overwintering grounds such as woodlands and their breeding ponds not only saved individual animals, but could also help stop some local populations going extinct, and collect valuable data on how the species was faring.

In the patrols, volunteers go out on wet nights early in the year armed with torches and buckets, walking slowly up and down roads, and carrying toads, frogs and newts to safety to allow them to continue their journey.

At a handful of sites, there are even road closures for the toad migration season.

Froglife said volunteers gained well-being benefits from being outside, making friends and meeting like-minded people, and felt a sense of pride at making a difference for wildlife.

Meanwhile, the charity said the citizen science data gained from the patrols was vitally important for helping conserve common toads in the UK.

The common toad population has continued to suffer from habitat loss and pollution ( Steph Horn/PA )

It was used for a range of purposes, from protecting breeding ponds in the planning system to informing research on climate impacts and making it available to anyone interested in their local wildlife.

An analysis of the data also highlighted counties with no active toad patrols despite having registered toad crossings.

The highest number of counties with no active patrols were found in Scotland, the Midlands and the north-east of England, Froglife said.

Ashlea Mawby, Froglifes toads on roads co-ordinator, said: We encourage anyone living in these areas of the country to please consider establishing a patrol at an inactive site.

And she said: Wherever you live, there are opportunities to get involved with the project whether its by joining your local toad patrol, registering a toad crossing that you know about, or starting a patrol at an inactive site.

Just one evening of toad patrolling can save hundreds of toads, as well as other amphibians, during migration.

Its one of the most direct ways to help your local wildlife.

But Froglife also warned that the common toad population continued to suffer from habitat loss and pollution.

The charity said the Planning and Infrastructure Act, which was passed last year, weakened protections for wildlife.

And it is calling for the planned Water Reform Bill to tackle freshwater pollution from agriculture and sewage, which harms amphibians.

Froglife, along with other conservation charities, is calling for the Bill to deliver a number of measures including a strong environmental regulator, strengthening water quality regulations, enforcing polluter-pays rules and making space for water including wide corridors of habitat along rivers.
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Donald Trumps representative in the UK has criticised a clean energy deal championed by Ed Miliband, claiming it "will not resolve the UKs energy needs".

US ambassador Warren Stephens urged Sir Keir Starmers Government to exploit North Sea oil and gas, rather than the pact struck between the UK and European nations. His remarks echo Mr Trumps own criticism of the UKs intention to shift away from fossil fuels.

The Hamburg Declaration signed by Mr Miliband on Monday, along with counterparts from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway, was described as historic by the Department for Energy Security ad Net Zero.

The agreement means North Sea nations will deliver 100 gigawatts of joint offshore wind projects, including schemes connected to more than one country.

Energy Secretary Mr Miliband said the deal would help get the UK off the fossil fuel rollercoaster and give us energy sovereignty and abundance.

open image in gallery US Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens urged the Government to take advantage of North Sea oil and gas (James Manning/PA) ( PA Archive )

But on Tuesday, Mr Stephens said: The Hamburg Declaration that was signed yesterday will not resolve the UKs energy needs.

The fact is that wind power is an unreliable method to meet the needs of the people of this country.

The United States wants the strongest partner in the UK. That begins with taking an all of the above approach to energy policy, including taking advantage of North Sea oil and gas reserves and bold action to expand nuclear energy.

American firms have been involved in the North Sea oil and gas industry and the US is also the UKs largest supplier of liquified natural gas (LNG).

Mr Trump used his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this month to criticise the UKs North Sea policy.

He said: The United Kingdom produces just one-third of the total energy from all sources that it did in 1999  think of that, one-third  and theyre sitting on top of the North Sea, one of the greatest reserves anywhere in the world, but they dont use it, and thats one reason why their energy has reached catastrophically low levels, with equally high prices.

The UK Government has committed not to issue new licences for oil and gas exploration and has a goal of a clean electricity system by 2030.
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Every adult across the UK now has access to complimentary artificial intelligence training, as the government rolls out courses designed to equip individuals with crucial AI tools for the modern workplace.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced that the modules are intended to boost productivity and cultivate higher-skilled employment by liberating workers from repetitive tasks.

The courses are available via the governments AI Skills Hub website, where users are invited to complete 14 free modules, which will start them on their journey to build foundational AI skills. Amazon, Google and Microsoft have helped to build the courses, which include mastering prompts and how to use AI for business innovation.

The courses range from 20 minutes to 9 hours and once completed, users will receive an AI skills boost badge, signifying their new skills. A wider range of courses, some of which require payment, are also available via the AI Skills Hub website.

The likes of Amazon, Google and Microsoft have helped build the new courses ( PA Archive )

This initiative, which has garnered cross-sector support from a panel of experts spanning business and trade unions, aims to position Britain as the fastest AI-adopting nation within the G7 group of leading industrialised countries.

The NHS, the British Chambers of Commerce and the Local Government Association are reportedly among those that have welcomed the scheme and will encourage employees to sign up for the free courses.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall underscored the government's dual strategy, stating: "We want AI to work for Britain, and that means ensuring Britons can work with AI. Change is inevitable, but the consequences of change are not.

We will protect people from the risks of AI while ensuring everyone can share in its benefits. That starts with giving people the skills and confidence they need to seize the opportunities AI brings, putting the power and control into their hands."
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Millions of vulnerable people are missing out on life-saving benefits often worth thousands of pounds due to a postcode lottery for support in claiming, a new report has found.

Services to help people access unclaimed income  which they are entitled to but do not receive  are overstretched and inconsistently provided across the country, according to the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), a charity founded by Martin Lewis.

Around 24 billion is going unclaimed every year, according to the latest figures from research group Policy in Practice.

A survey by MMHPI shows that only a third of people with mental health problems and financial difficulty had accessed income maximisation support like welfare advisers and benefit calculators, despite over half (52 per cent) reporting that they regularly run out of money to cover the basics.

Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of respondents (72 per cent) said they had no idea that these services existed.

A charity founded by Martin Lewis has found that around 24 billion in benefits is going unclaimed every year ( ITV )

Researchers add that, while online benefit calculators are the most easily accessible form of support, they are insufficient for people with mental health issues in 86 per cent of cases, where a dedicated welfare adviser would be better.

Around 3.4m people in the UK with mental health and debt problems could benefit from income maximisation support if it were better provided.

Helen Undy OBE, chief executive of MMHPI, said: Its alarming that in the midst of a cost of living crisis, so many people with serious financial and mental health problems are missing out on this vital support to boost their income. The prime minister says that easing the cost of living is his main focus for this year, and ensuring that everyone who needs quality income maximisation support can access it should be a top priority in those efforts.

People tell us that this support has been life saving when they have been dealing with really severe financial and mental health problems. It is unacceptable that the way these services are funded means that many people miss out because the support they need isnt available in their areas.

The charity chief urges the government to reform the broken system to ensure people are able to get the support they need. MMHPI has called on ministers to commission a review into nationwide income maximisation support to produce a coordinated strategy for its provision.

The Independent recently heard from advice services across the UK, which say they are struggling with insecure funding and high-levels of staff burnout. Earlier this month, the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA) launched its campaign to make social welfare advice a statutory duty, meaning local authorities would have to ensure its continued provision.
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As Sir Keir Starmer wearily boarded his flight to Beijing on Tuesday evening, he may have taken some solace in the fact that the leadership ambitions of one of his key challengers had been thwarted  at least for the time being.

While the full consequences of the decision to block Andy Burnham from standing in the Denton and Gorton by-election are yet to properly play out, Sir Keir has, for now, personally ensured that the Greater Manchester mayor doesnt represent such an immediate threat to his leadership.

However, a bit like a game of whack-a-mole, as one leadership rival departs, another has popped up again.

Moments before Sir Keir was due to take off, news emerged that his former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner had declared she is not dead yet, effectively planting her flag as the leadership candidate of the left this week.

For some, this may come as a surprise from a politician who just a few short months ago was forced to resign from cabinet for failing to pay a 30,000 tax bill for the stamp duty on her flat in Brighton. Usually, these sorts of scandals are terminal for political careers or require a long period of reflection in the wilderness.

But, for the former deputy prime minister, that does not appear to be the case.

This was a point made to The Independent by friends and allies of Ms Rayner at the Trades Union Congress gathering in Brighton last September, less than 48 hours after her departure.

She will be back sooner rather than later. For some politicians, the normal rules do not apply, they said.

open image in gallery Angela Rayner remains a very popular figure on the left of the Labour Party ( PA Wire )

The reason for her return, though, is less to do with Ms Rayners virtues and more to do with the shortcomings of others, in particular the prime minister.

After almost 20 months of dire headlines, worse poll ratings, 13 U-turns, unpopular policies and what seems to be a chaotic and directionless government, a growing number of Labour MPs want a change at the top.

There is a growing desire for what one Labour MP described as ABS (anybody but Starmer).

And in typical fashion, on these occasions, they are looking for something different to what they have got.

The Tory psychodramas are a good example of this. When Theresa May was ousted, the party opted for charisma with Boris Johnson. After the excitement of the Johnson and Liz Truss premierships, they went for boring managerialism with Rishi Sunak.

Now Sir Keirs own brand of boring managerialism is what Labour MPs and many members want to change. So essentially, they are looking for politicians with personality and charisma as a replacement.

Labour MPs look at Reform with Nigel Farage and the Greens with Zack Polanski and see two leaders with big charismatic personalities who are riding high in the polls.

open image in gallery Starmer arrives in China but has left behind plotting MPs at home ( Getty )

It is then no surprise that Ms Rayner  who certainly has a big personality  is one of the frontrunners along with other more charismatic figures like Wes Streeting, Shabana Mahmood and Mr Burnham.

The hope is that personality may cut through in the polls, but with Burnham out of the running for now, MPs need alternatives. Mr Streeting and Ms Mahmood are seen as too right wing for many tastes in Labour, which brings them back to the resurgent Ms Rayner.

While some think she was tarnished with her involvement in trying to block an end to the two-child benefit cap and cut welfare as a minister, she would argue that she fought against these things behind the scenes but was bound by collective responsibility.

It may well be that her only serious rival on the left is energy secretary and former leader Ed Miliband.

But if there is to be a coup, Labour MPs need a good idea of who and what they are replacing Starmer with. If they turn to Rayner, it will be because of personality in the first instance and a hope that she can deliver the soft left agenda the party hankers after.
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Donald Trumps administration has met with campaigners opposed to Sir Keir Starmers Chagos deal amid growing fears that the US president will veto plans to hand the islands over to Mauritius.

The prime minister has insisted that the president signed off on the plan to transfer the islands sovereignty, which houses the crucial US-UK Diego Garcia airbase, after the agreement had been cleared by American intelligence agencies.

But campaigners representing the Chagossian government in exile and other opponents of the treaty on Wednesday held meetings with senior Republican senators as well as officials from the state department and White House, as the Trump administration continues to rethink the proposals. More are due on Thursday.

The deal for the UK to hand over the archipelago was struck after an International Court of Justice ruling that the islands belong to Mauritius despite it not having jurisdiction over Commonwealth territories.

open image in gallery Trump has recently changed his mind on the Chagos deal, calling it an act of great stupidity ( CPA Media Pte Ltd/Alamy/PA )

Sir Keir has insisted that the only way to protect the airbase on Diego Garcia was to transfer the islands to Mauritius and lease back the airbase.

But having originally had the backing of Mr Trump a year ago, the US president turned on the prime minister last week, describing the deal as an act of great stupidity.

Administration sources involved in the apparent U-turn told The Independent that the president had asked a senior figure in the state department to look again at the deal when Sir Keir opposed his plans to take over Greenland.

When presented with a report, he is understood to have said: I was lied to.

The president was said to be so furious about the issue that it has destroyed his relationship with Starmer, a well placed source told The Independent.

The deal also faces a hold-up in the House of Lords, having been rejected once by peers, with the government cancelling a vote earlier this week. Question marks have also arisen over whether the deal can go ahead without Mr Trumps support because of a 1966 treaty between the UK and the US, which asserts the UKs sovereignty over the archipelago.

The Chagossian government in exile, backed by campaigners in the UK who oppose the deal, are now offering to name the main island after President Trump if he vetoes Sir Keirs deal and allows them to return to the islands as a British protectorate, sources told The Independent.

On the flight to China, Sir Keir insisted Mr Trump initially backed the handover deal in very clear terms following sign-off by US intelligence agencies, despite the presidents recent change of tune.

The prime minister stressed the Trump administration concluded that it was a deal they wanted to support after it was reviewed in detail at an agency level in the months after entering the White House.

He pointed to public expressions of support from the US president and his top team, who praised the deal as a monumental achievement, securing the long-term future of the joint military base on Diego Garcia.

Mr Trumps criticism of the deal last week came as transatlantic tensions flared over his ambitions to take control of Greenland, with Sir Keir accusing him then of making the comments with the express purpose of putting pressure on the UK to lift its objections to his demands over the Arctic island.

open image in gallery Donald Trump reportedly said he was lied to when re-reading the deal he and Keir Starmer previously agreed upon for the Chagos islands ( PA )

Asked whether the pair had spoken about the deal in their call on Saturday, the prime minister told reporters travelling with him to China on Wednesday: Ive obviously discussed Chagos with Donald Trump a number of times.

It has been raised with the White House at the tail end of last week, over the weekend and into the early part of this week. The position, as you know, is that when the Trump administration came in, we paused for three months to give them time to consider the Chagos deal, which they did at agency level.

Once theyd done that, they were very clear in the pronouncements about the fact that they supported the deal.

Sir Keir pointed to statements from US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth, who said in May 2025 that the deal secures key US national security interests in the region, and secretary of state Marco Rubio, who said in the same month that Mr Trump had expressed his support for this monumental achievement during his meeting with prime minister Starmer at the White House.

The Labour leader would not be drawn on whether Mr Trump understood the deal, reiterating it was an agency review that was conducted in the US before they then concluded that it was a deal they wanted to support, did support and did so in very clear terms.

The US state department, National Security Agency and CIA were all invited to examine the draft deal in the most rigorous inter-agency approval process imaginable, The Times reported, citing a source, adding they had no objections as long as the US could continue to use Diego Garcia.

The delay in the bill to approve the deal passing through the House of Lords comes after the Conservatives tabled an amendment calling for a pause to ensure the agreement does not breach a 1966 treaty signed with the US.

Labour blamed the postponement on Tory peers wrecking amendment and said Mr Trump's remarks had no bearing on the decision. It is not yet clear what date the bill will next be debated in the Lords.
Keir Starmer deployed a prepared soundbite against the Green Party in Prime Ministers Questions last week, accusing them of being high on drugs, soft on Putin.

The phrase is an echo of a slogan originally used by Labour against the Liberal Democrats. In the Littleborough and Saddleworth by-election in 1995, the Labour campaign run by Peter Mandelson accused Chris Davies, the Lib Dem candidate, of being soft on drugs, high on taxes.

It didnt work, and Davies won the by-election, although Labours Phil Woolas won the seat on more favourable boundaries at the 1997 general election.

Now the Greens are vying to win another northwestern by-election, and Labour is resorting to similar hard-hitting tactics to try to stop them. But how fair is Starmers attack on Green policies?

High on drugs?

This is what the Green manifesto said at the 2024 election: Elected Greens will ... push to decriminalise personal possession of drugs, diverting people from the criminal justice system towards support with addiction, housing and employment, from health workers focused on drug harm reduction. This would free up hundreds of thousands of hours of police time, which could instead be invested in tackling other priorities which benefit wider society.

Zack Polanski, who was elected leader in September last year, has said he supports this policy, and confirmed that it applies to class-A drugs including heroin. It is a policy that is supported by many public health experts, and public opinion now tends by a narrow margin to support the decriminalisation of cannabis, but an overwhelming majority of voters remain opposed to changing the law on heroin. A YouGov poll a year ago found that 83 per cent said that the sale and possession of heroin and crack cocaine should remain a criminal offence as it is now.

Soft on Putin?

The Green manifesto was actually cautiously pro-Nato, with the wording reflecting a long internal battle: The Green Party recognises that Nato has an important role in ensuring the ability of its member states to respond to threats to their security ... However, that doesnt mean we think Nato is perfect  far from it. We will work within Nato for a greater focus on outreach and dialogue to support global peacebuilding, based on democratic and inclusive values.

The manifesto also said: Most of the worlds countries do not possess weapons of mass destruction and are safer as a result. It did not explicitly pledge to give up Britains nuclear weapons  partly because it was not drafted with a majority Green government in mind. The manifesto is more of a basis for coalition negotiations.

Polanski himself has been clearer, saying that Britain should leave Nato. He says that Britain should disarm and should try to persuade other nuclear-armed countries  including Russia  to do likewise.

Unrealistic on economics?

The other main line of attack against the Green Party is that its economic policy is unrealistic. Its last manifesto promised huge increases in public spending, on green investment, health, education, benefits and policing. This would be paid for by taxing multimillionaires and billionaires.

The manifesto said: Elected Greens will push for a wealth tax. This will tax the wealth of individual taxpayers with assets above 10m at 1 per cent and assets above 1bn at 2 per cent annually.

In addition, it proposed an extra 6 per cent on national insurance contributions for people earning more than 50,000 a year.

In interviews, Polanski has suggested that a Green government would also borrow more, because the nations budget is not like that of a household, and so the national debt is not borrowing or a debt in any real sense.

What else do the Greens stand for?

Net zero, obviously, although this is mentioned only in the foreword to the manifesto, in the context of having to go much further.

No nuclear power; a maximum 10:1 pay ratio for all private and public-sector organisations; revaluation of council tax bands; bringing academies and free schools into local authority control; replacing the first-past-the-post system for parliamentary and council elections with a fair and proportional voting system; replacing the House of Lords with an elected second chamber; providing safe routes to sanctuary for those fleeing danger, persecution and war; permitting those seeking asylum and protection to work while their application is being decided; an end to all UK arms exports to, and military cooperation with, Israel.

Most of these policies were espoused by the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn; now they have found a new home in a new party whose ambition, in Polanskis words, is to replace the Labour Party.
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Detainees at a Florida immigration facility, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," were allegedly punished for seeking legal advice and forced to scrawl lawyers phone numbers on walls and beds using soap due to a lack of writing materials, two former detainees testified this week.

The men, who have since deported to Colombia and to Haiti, gave video testimony in a federal court in Fort Myers, Florida. They claimed that monitored calls to individuals outside the detention centre were routinely disconnected whenever they attempted to discuss legal advice or secure representation.

The testimony came during a two-day hearing where civil rights lawyers are seeking a temporary injunction from US District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell. The injunction aims to ensure detainees at the state-run Everglades facility receive the same access to legal counsel as those in federally-operated centers. The remote facility was constructed last summer by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantiss administration.

The detainees lawsuit alleges violations of their First Amendment rights. They claim their lawyers must schedule visits three days in advance, unlike other immigration detention facilities, where attorneys can arrive during visiting hours. Furthermore, detainees are reportedly often transferred to other facilities after their lawyers have made appointments, and scheduling delays have been so extensive that some detainees missed crucial legal deadlines.

During Wednesday mornings hearing, the former detainees testified remotely from their home countries, using translators and only their initials to protect their identities. The former detainee from Haiti recounted being asked to sign documents he did not understand while at the facility. These papers, he later discovered, were for his self-deportation to Haiti, a country he feared returning to after seeking asylum in the United States.

He was subsequently presented with a second set of documents, which someone explained would lead to his self-deportation to Mexico. He signed these out of fear of returning to Haiti, but ultimately, he was sent back to Haiti.

State officials, who are defendants in the lawsuit, denied restricting detainees access to their lawyers, stating that any protocols were implemented for security reasons and to ensure adequate staffing. Federal officials, also defendants, asserted that no First Amendment rights were being violated.

"Moreover, any Alligator Alcatraz policy regarding attorney-detainee communications is valid so long as it reasonably relates to legitimate penological interest," they wrote.

The third witness to testify on Wednesday was Juan Lopez Vega, deputy field office director of ICEs enforcement and removal operations in Miami. Vega, who unsuccessfully attempted to quash a subpoena compelling his court appearance, testified that despite his job including oversight of detainees at the state-run facility, he had only visited the center once.

This case is one of three federal lawsuits challenging practices at the controversial immigration detention center. Another lawsuit, brought by detainees in federal court in Fort Myers, argued that immigration is a federal issue, and Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state lacked the authority to operate the facility under federal law. That lawsuit concluded earlier this month after the immigrant detainee who filed the case agreed to be removed from the United States.

This case is one of three federal lawsuits challenging practices at the controversial immigration detention center ( AFP via Getty Images )

In the third lawsuit, a federal judge in Miami last summer ordered the facility to wind down operations over two months because officials had failed to conduct a review of the detention centers environmental impact. However, an appellate court panel has since put that decision on hold, allowing the facility to remain open.

Florida has been at the forefront among states in constructing facilities to support President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown. Beyond the Everglades facility, which began receiving detainees in July, Florida has opened another immigration detention center in northeast Florida and is considering a third facility in the Florida Panhandle.

The Everglades facility is not alone in attracting unwanted attention. Other detention centres, including ICE facilities at the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas; one in Miami; and others in California City and Adelanto, both in California, face common complaints such as poor and insufficient food and a lack of access to legal counsel.

The ICE detainee population, which excludes Alligator Alcatraz and other state-run facilities, has roughly doubled to about 70,000 since President Trump took office, fuelled by a one-time injection of \$45bn for immigration detention.
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Another snowstorm is set to hit the East Coast this weekend  potentially strengthening into a bomb cyclone before dumping at least three inches of snow in some areas.

Areas still digging out from last weekends monster snowstorm, like New York City, will likely see some accumulation late Saturday into early Sunday morning, AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys told The Independent.

The storm is going to develop Saturday off the Carolina coast, and then as it moves to the northeast, it is going to rapidly strengthen,  Roys said. Thats where the term bomb cyclone is from.

Storms that are considered bomb cyclones rapidly intensify as their central pressure quickly drops, creating a stronger storm with more powerful winds.

Given the intensity of the storm, there is a threat for strong winds capable of power outages and tree damage along the East Coast, as the storm tracks from the Carolinas up to New York City and New England.

open image in gallery Parts of the East Coast may see even more snow this weekend, as a potential bomb cyclone develops off the coast of the Carolinas, and is set to travel northeast to New York City by Saturday ( AFP/Getty )

What were looking at is unlike the previous storm that we just experienced last weekend, where most high-accumulating snow happened to be north and east of the city, Roys said.

Higher amounts of snow are expected east of New York City, namely on parts of Long Island, and in New England, including Boston.

Areas along the East Coast like Wilmington and Virginia Beach may also see some snow, according to The Weather Channel.

The more east you go, youre going to see three plus inches of snow, Roys said.

However, areas west of the New York City metropolitan area will likely be spared from significant snow, giving cities like Philadelphia a much-needed respite following last weekends monster snowstorm.

New York City metro areas are looking at one to three, and if you head west of New York City, the chances of seeing anything closer to three at this moment looks to be on the lower side, he added.

open image in gallery Temperatures will likely stay low even after the second storm moves out of the East Coast, forecasters say ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The current forecast shows snow arriving in New York City either Saturday night or early Sunday morning, and it will likely last into the night, Roys said.

However, the forecast may change if the storms path moves either closer or further from the coast.

Any slight shift in the tracks can mean more or less snow than what were forecasting, Roys said.

The potential bomb cyclone would come a week after over a foot of snow was dropped across 20 states, leaving more than a million energy customers without power last weekend.

Bitter cold temperatures will likely follow the storm, meaning no respite for regions experiencing sub-freezing temperatures. It will also mean the snow from last weekend may not melt away before this upcoming snowstorm.

Last weekends megastorm killed at least 62 people across the U.S., according to a Tuesday report from USA Today.

At least five people died in the cold in New York City as temperatures plunged. Meanwhile, in Texas, three young brothers died after falling through an icy pond on Monday.
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Federal investigators executed a search warrant at an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, in connection with the 2020 vote.

FBI agents were executing a court-authorized law enforcement action at the countys main election office in Union City, just south of Atlanta, an FBI spokesperson said Wednesday.

An FBI source confirmed to The Independent that the bureau was undertaking law enforcement activity in the area, but declined to provide further details.

The search appeared to be linked to President Donald Trumps unfounded claims that he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden because of fraud.

Meanwhile, Fulton County Court Clerk Che Alexander told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that a large number of federal agents were taking boxes of ballots from the warehouse where they had been stored.

open image in gallery FBI agents were executing a search warrant at the Fulton County elections office near Atlanta Wednesday, according to reports ( AP )

open image in gallery FBI agents removed 2020 ballots from storage at the facility, Fulton County Court Clerk Che Alexander said ( AP )

The FBI agents are here to get the 2020 ballots, Alexander said. Theyre all here trucks, everything, Alexander said.

FBI Director Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist who has also spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, had not made any public statement about the search by mid-afternoon Wednesday.

Trump lost Georgia in the 2020 election and ever since, has falsely claimed his narrow defeat to Biden was due to a rigged vote.

Despite his repeated claims that Biden did not actually win the race, federal judges and his own former attorney general have said there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Still, Trump and his allies have continued to spread conspiracy theories about widespread voter fraud in 2020. Trump even went as far as pressuring Georgias then-secretary of state Brad Raffensperger to find him enough votes to overturn the result. A January 2, 2021, phone call in which the president tried to cajole Raffensperger into finding him more than 11,000 extra votes was leaked to the press.

open image in gallery Donald Trump is seen in a police photo, taken on August 24, 2023, following his indictment on charges including racketeering, false statements and influencing witnesses. The case was later dismissed ( via REUTERS )

Trump was heard saying: "What I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have, because we won the state. He also falsely suggested that Raffensperger would be committing a criminal offense if he refused to do so. Raffensperger pushed back on the demand.

The call was used as evidence in Trumps second impeachment later that month, and led to criminal charges against him, including racketeering, false statements and influencing witnesses, in a case that later collapsed.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis accused Trump and more than a dozen co-defendents of leading a criminal enterprise with a so-called fake elector scheme to falsely claim his victory in the election.

Willis charged Trump and over a dozen co-defendants, including allies Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Jeffrey Clark and John Eastman.

Several defendants had already pleaded guilty before the case came crashing down late last year.

A mugshot of Trump, following his indictment on August 24, 2023, was later used as a fundraising tool by the Republicans, featuring on merchandise including T-shirts and mugs.

However, the case was dismissed in November following a lengthy court battle over allegations involving Nathan Wade, who she hired as a special prosecutor in the case but was later revealed to have had a romantic relationship with.

Peter Skandalakis, the director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia, assigned the case to himself. He then recommended last month that it be dismissed, which a judge agreed to.

open image in gallery Trump and his allies have maintained their false claims that there was widespread voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election, and that former President Joe Biden did not actually win the race ( AFP via Getty Images )

The president and his allies have kept up their claims that something went amiss during the election. In December, the U.S. Justice Department sued Fulton County, Georgia, as well as over a dozen states, looking to receive unredacted voter registration information related to the 2020 election.

The lawsuit said the department sent a letter to Che Alexander, the court clerk, but that she failed to produce the requested documents. Alexander has filed a motion to dismiss the suit.

Wednesdays search comes a week after Trump, while speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said that people will soon be prosecuted for what they did.

Following Wednesdays raid, Georgia Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff slammed Trump for going on a sore losers crusade.

After losing Georgia in 2020, Donald Trump demanded state officials find votes to change the outcome, tried to use DOJ to overturn it, and spread conspiracy theories that led to the Jan. 6 sacking of the U.S. Capitol, Ossoff wrote in a statement.

He continued: I suspect todays raid is a continuation of this sore losers crusade, despite repeated audits and independent reviews confirming that Donald Trump was indeed defeated.
Remember when American politics prized decency and restraint? Me neither. But I do remember when street executions were just a little bit more taboo.

Call me a domestic terrorist, but I just cant get behind the whole killing people at protests thing.

Unfortunately for The Donald, it looks like most of America cant get behind it, either. Approval of President Trumps on immigration has fallen to a record low.

Yes, it all sounded nice to his base  and even to some fence sitters  when the get-tough rhetoric was being shouted semi-coherently from a podium at a rally before the election. It was still passable when we were kidnapping autocrats from Venezuela, because who likes those guys anyway? But now, the vast majority of Americans say Trump and ICE  not to mention their ground chiefs, Kristi Noem and Greg Bovino  have gone too far.

Of course, the presidents main response was to call the polling fake and to post on his socials about how he was going to make it a criminal offense. But around Congress, Republicans whose seats are coming up in the November midterms are not that happy. White House operators are also, reportedly, more than a little panicked. It seems that, after all the stickers on the Subarus and the pick-up trucks with the shiny merch, it is the Trump administration that has actually f*** around and found out.

open image in gallery Gregory Bovino was reassigned from his role as Border Patrol commander at large in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by CBP agents in Minneapolis ( AP )

Its a lesson that autocrats have learned the hard way again and again throughout history: surround yourself with sycophants and eventually the wheels come off. Those sycophants might look different in different timelines  not all of them come with the augmented jawlines and the puffy cheeks of Mar-a-Lago face  but they bring the same issues.

So now what? Two civilians are dead, federal law enforcement is in damage-control mode, and Donald Trumps movement is doing that rare thing it hates most: arguing with itself. All because a political project built on vibes, bravado and permanent escalation has finally collided with reality. Bovino is leaving Minneapolis, but nobody cares about Bovino. People want Kristi. They want Donald. They want to hear from War Daddy Pete.

At the center of all of this mess is a fantasy that Trump did not invent but absolutely mainstreamed: the idea that American policing should operate on a warrior ethos. akin to the military.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth  former Fox News host, current Trump whisperer, moral black hole  has been one of its most enthusiastic evangelists. Hegseths America is a place where cops are soldiers, cities (especially blue cities) are hostile territory, and anyone who doesnt instantly comply is basically volunteering to be treated as an enemy combatant.

It sounds thrilling on cable news. It works less well when applied to actual human beings, especially the ones who hold American passports.

In Minnesota, federal agents were primed to interpret noncompliance as threat, threat (or even fear) as justification and justification as immunity. Two civilians dead, one for brandishing an iPhone and the other for driving a car at about 2 mph, and all of a sudden there are a lot of shocked faces from people who have spent years insisting this is exactly how things should be done.

open image in gallery Calls are swirling among both Republicans and Democrats for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to step down over immigration enforcement in Minneapolis ( Getty Images )

The warrior ethos is very big on admiration. It loves the aesthetics of courage: the patches, the language, the constant implication that everyone involved is one bad day away from Normandy. What it is less keen on is the boring, unglamorous work of civilian policing: deescalation, uncertainty, proportionality, the radical notion that not every situation needs to end with someone on the ground.

Hegseth and his fellow travelers have spent years mocking that stuff as softness and pretending to people in the country that cities are out-of-control dystopian hellscapes where people just want to give free hugs to murderous villains.

And it was fun for many to communicate mainly through the medium of bumper stickers for the past seven years: Lets Go Brandon! Back the Blue! I Stand For The Flag! I Kneel For The Cross! I Make Up Excuses For Fascists! FAITH! FAMILY! FREEDOM!!!!

So now, we have an enforcement culture that behaves exactly as advertised.

When you train people to expect violence, they tend to produce it. When you tell them they are under siege, they start acting like it. When you promise them political cover for tough decisions (how quickly we forgot about that double-tap boat strike, just another recent flirtation with international law) and they stop worrying too much about the aftermath.

open image in gallery Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has emphasized a hard-line warrior ethos for the military that may have seeped into US law enforcement ranks ( Getty Images )

F*** around and find out  or FAFO as War Daddy likes to say  was always meant to be a threat, not a prophecy. It assumes a neat moral universe in which the right people do the finding out and everyone else gets to feel smug.

Minnesota has complicated that story.

The finding out, it turns out, is messy. It involves internal discipline, public scrutiny, lawsuits, and the deeply inconvenient question of whether maybe  just maybe  treating domestic law enforcement like a culture war militia was a bad idea. Perhaps most of your base actually just wanted people to stop putting pronouns in their Twitter bios, yknow?

Trump, naturally, will accept none of this. Expect deflection, grievance, and the suggestion that things would have gone fine if only everyone involved had been tougher, freer, louder, or less constrained by whatever enemy is currently trending. Accountability has never been part of the warrior ethos; it clashes with the brand.

Nevertheless, the president is now making noises about deescalation, even as he launches new attacks (verbal ones, because now we have to clarify) on Mayor Jacob Frey. Its a retreat but not a retreat.

And itll all end nicely now that Trump says everything went a bit too far, surely, wont it? Well, therein lies the rub, because institutions dont forget as easily as voters.

A federal law enforcement apparatus trained to valorize force does not suddenly rediscover restraint because the optics have gone sour. A political movement that has spent a decade cheering escalation cannot convincingly pretend it wanted calm all along. When you ask for a $45 million military parade for your birthday, you cant really say you never had any interest in turning your country into a battleground.

Some wheels have been set in motion. Others have fallen off. Now the whole damn clown car is starting to look like it might collide with the midterms and explode into debris that hits every single Republican in the House and the Senate this year.

The GOP warrior fantasy promised order over the f***-arounders, and it played so well in the studio. But finding out, as it turns out, is a lot less fun than the bumper sticker made it sound.

Oh, War Daddy Hegseth, whatever will we do?!
Close Thousands protest against ICE in Minneapolis

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President Donald Trump said he ordered the Department of Homeland Security not to intervene in protests and/or riots in Democratic-led cities unless local leaders ask for help.

In a Truth Social post shared Saturday, Trump noted federal officers will still be very forceful in their protection of federal property amid protests against his mass deportation campaign, with anti-ICE rallies taking place in cities across the country.

State and local governments must use the word, PLEASE before asking for the federal governments help, he wrote.

Protesters stage a march calling for an end to taxpayer spending on ICE on Saturday in Minneapolis ( Getty )

Organizers said more than 300 ICE Out of Everywhere protests were scheduled Saturday as outrage grows over a surge of agents into Democratic cities and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.Saturdays actions follow Fridays national shutdown event, in which organizers encouraged people to skip work, school and shopping in protest.

Saturdays demonstrations kicked off as a federal judge denied Minnesotas request to block officers from surging into the state while a closely watched legal challenge continues.

Meanwhile, Trump has labeled Pretti an agitator and perhaps, insurrectionist after the release of a video that shows a confrontation in the days before Prettis death between federal agents and the ICU nurse, who was shot dead by border patrol agents one week later.

Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alexs killing, Steve Schleicher, an attorney for Prettis family, told The Independent.
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The man accused of attacking Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Tuesday evening town hall meeting in Minnesota is a piece of s**t with lifelong anger issues who has been fixated on the Somali-born lawmaker  and the Somali diaspora in general  for years, his younger brother told The Independent.

Im not surprised this happened, Anthony James Kazmierczaks brother said Wednesday morning in a phone interview from his home in North Carolina. Not at all. Unfortunately, he and my mother are both right-wing extremists.

Kazmierczak, a 55-year-old Minneapolis resident, is just a different person than I am, according to the brother, who said he has been estranged from his sibling for the past four years. The Independent agreed not to name the brother, who said he has begun receiving death threats.

I believe in helping people, Kazmierczaks brother, 52, went on. He believes in blaming people.

When asked if Kazmierczak had mentioned Omar before, the brother responded, Oh, yeah, and said he is thankful the Somali-born Democratic legislator, who fled her war-torn nation as a child and became a U.S. citizen in 2000, wasnt badly hurt. Kazmierczaks antipathy toward Somali-Americans, whose presence in Minneapolis makes up the largest Somali population in the U.S., dates back to well before Omar was elected in 2019, according to the brother.

He has had a hatred of the Somali community for probably 20 years, Kazmierczaks brother continued. Theres a reason I dont talk to him Hes got a lot of anger, I have no idea where it comes from. Hes always been that way. In and out of treatment since he was a kid.

open image in gallery Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was booked on one count of third-degree assault after rushing Rep. Ilhan Omar at a Tuesday evening town hall meeting in Minneapolis ( Hennepin County Sheriff's Office )

During Omars address to a group of constituents last night at the Urban League Twin Cities, Kazmierczak suddenly stood up and rushed the progressive congresswoman as she called for abolishing ICE, the countrys deportation agency. Video of the bizarre incident shows Kazmierczak spraying an unidentified substance at Omar from a syringe in his right hand, which initial reports described as foul-smelling.

A security guard tackled Kazmierczak, who was subsequently arrested by police and booked on one count of third-degree assault. Omar, the first Somali-American to serve in Congress, asked for a napkin to wipe herself off but declined further medical attention and continued speaking to the crowd of roughly 100 attendees.

We're gonna keep talking, she said. Just give me 10 minutes. Please don't let them have the show.

ICE has been under fire for violent tactics that left two American citizens dead amid an ongoing deportation push in Minneapolis that has roiled locals and prompted nationwide protests.

The frightening episode spurred outrage by politicians on both sides of the aisle, including GOP Rep. Nancy Mace, who said in a post on X that she was deeply disturbed to learn about the attack on Omar.

Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric  and I do  no elected official should face physical attacks, Mace wrote. This is not who we are.

open image in gallery Omar declined medical attention and continued to speak after being attacked at a Tuesday night town hall meeting, telling attendees, 'Please don't let them have the show.' Kazmierczak, seen here being tackled by security, is now facing assault charges ( AFP/Getty )

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, called for an immediate end to the cruel, inflammatory, dehumanizing rhetoric by politicians on the right.

Nevertheless, when asked if he had seen video of Omars assault, President Trump told ABC News, No. I dont think about her. I think shes a fraud. I really dont think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.

Omar was assaulted the day after federal charges were unsealed against a legally blind outlaw biker in Kansas who allegedly posted death threats to her on social media.

According to data released this week by the U.S. Capitol Police, which is responsible for protecting members of Congress, threats to elected officials rose for the third year in a row, with the departments Threat Assessment Section investigating 14,938 threats in 2025, compared to 9,474 in 2024 and 8,008 in 2023.

Omar is regularly denigrated publicly by Trump, who claims to object to her left-leaning ideas, tarring the 43-year-old pol as a socialist, calling her disgusting and a complainer, and demanding variously, that she be impeached, imprisoned, or deported.

Trump has also made wild claims recently about Omar being worth tens of millions of dollars, suggesting, without evidence, that she came about the funds unethically.

Yet, during the Biden administration, the Department of Justice launched an investigation into Omars finances but dropped the case due to a lack of evidence, according to The New York Times.

open image in gallery Omar is regularly denigrated publicly by Trump, who claims to object to her left-leaning ideas, tarring the 43-year-old pol as a socialist ( Getty )

Kazmierczak was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989, has numerous arrests for DUI, and has twice filed for bankruptcy, according to public records.

Kazmierczak is a staunch Trump supporter, his online activity shows. In one social media post cited by the Associated Press, Kazmierczak wrote, Trump wants the US is stronger [sic] and more prosperous. Stop other countries from stealing from us. Bring back the fear that enemies back away from and gain respect that If anyone threatens ourselves or friends we will [expletive] them up. He has also deemed Democrats angry and liars, according to the AP. In a March 2022 Facebook post reviewed by The Independent, Kazmierczak called President Biden spineless.

A neighbor told the New York Post that Kazmierczak has been heavily medicated since a car wreck damaged his spine, and has since been diagnosed with Parkinsons, calling him a pretty conservative guy.

The health issues have left Kazmierczak not very physically able to do much, the neighbor said.

Still, Kazmierczak regularly complains about socialism, according to his brother, who said his sibling has nevertheless himself cheated the system to receive his own entitlements.

Hes crazy, Kazmierczaks brother told The Independent. He needs help, period... In my mind, hes a piece of s**t.
Guys, I know there is a lot happening in Minneapolis right now. But have you seen the new Melania film?!

If not, Fox & Friends would very much like to fix that for you.

Tuesday morning opened with a bang in Far-Right Messaging Land  not the bang of a masked federal agent executing a medical worker in the street, but the bang of party poppers! Because, what with all the shooting Renee Good in the face and then calling her a bitch and the Alex Pretti stuff and the locking up American citizens for a while just for looking a bit brown thing, everyones sort of forgotten about Melanias big moment. She had just 20 days before Inauguration Day to get the East Wing ready, for Gods sake!

So, on Tuesday, America was treated to an interview. It opened with a trailer for the movie, all swelling orchestral music over close-up shots of a black stiletto emerging from a limo and imagery of the First Lady sitting comfortably on Air Force One. The aesthetic is somewhere between Sex and the City and a prestige fascism biopic: lingering shots of Melania nodding solemnly, repeating what her husband has just said, lips glossy, posture perfect; men in the background enacting Project 2025. Just before the clip cuts off, the First Lady is shown with her stylist sketching out the design for her inaugural ball gown. Who cares if people are dying outside? Would you look at that dress!

The opening question on Fox & Friends as soon as the trailer cut off was, naturally ... about Minneapolis! Over a chyron at the bottom of the screen reading, MELANIA THE MOVIE OUT ON FRIDAY, the First Lady was asked: What is your message to America about unifying both sides?

open image in gallery Melania Trump called for peaceful protests in Minneapolis  where two US citizens have died at the hands of federal agents  as she hawked her new documentary on Fox & Friends Tuesday. ( Fox News )

This, presumably, is because the polling and reviews on the Trump administrations actions in Minnesota do not look great for her husband.

Obviously rounding up people of color (including 2-year-old citizens and 5-year-olds in Spiderman backpacks and bunny hats on their way home from preschool) was going to be OK. Tearing breastfeeding babies off their screaming mothers and then sending Mommy to Cuba? Sure. Renee Good  well, she was a liberal, queer woman, and she was also a woman driving a car, so maybe that f***ing bitch got what she deserved.

But Alex Pretti changed the optics. He was a white man, yes, and that helps, but also an ICU nurse for veterans? A legal gun owner who, according to video footage, only had his phone out  not a handgun  and was busy asking a woman if she was OK? Whats the messaging here? It was law and order a couple weeks ago; now its just emptying a cartridge into a Boy Scout.

Trump tried the whole dont carry a loaded gun around with you at a protest thing but I mean, come on. Kyle Rittenhouse took an assault weapon to a protest, killed two people, walked free  and got a standing ovation at AmericaFest. The Second Amendment crowd is not going to buy this pivot.

So out comes the big red UNITY button. And unity, in American politics, still requires a womans face.

Not that woman, obviously (the one known for cheerfully recounting how she killed a puppy.) No, not Kristi Noem  we need a woman who sounds soothing on television. A woman who wasnt recently photographed in a bulletproof vest and combat gear, brandishing a weapon. And yes, preferably  conveniently  a woman who also has a movie to promote.

Enter Melania Trump.

There she was on Fox & Friends: immaculate blowout, full makeup, tone grave and disconcertingly maternal. Please, if you protest, protest in peace, she said (obvious subtext about Good and Pretti: they had it coming.) The body count involving ICE was now two-to-zero, but never mind that.

open image in gallery This screengrab of video footage shot by @dangjessie, shows ICU nurse Alex Pretti (L) and a federal immigration agent (C) before he was shot dead in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 24, 2026. ( @dangjessie/UGC )

open image in gallery Stills from a video taken by ICE agent Jonathan Ross of Renee Nicole Good shortly before he fatally shot her ( Alpha News/Jonathan Ross )

We need to unify. Im calling for unity. Her husband, she explained, was speaking with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey; together they were working to make it peaceful without riots. Because the riots really are the issue. Did you hear that, Republican voters? The riots! My God, the midterms are coming. RIOTS!

She then expressed deep compassion for those affected by the winter storms. I hope the weather will get better soon. (I, too, was reminded of Eleanor Roosevelts Pearl Harbor address.)

The documentary, in case you missed it, is called Melania.

It may be the strangest PR campaign in modern American politics. The audience, Melania Trump explained to a Fox News host, will see how I manage my business, philanthropy, and inside her East Wing office, as well as that renovation of her husbands that rendered it demolished.

Theyll get to see what she thought about the Christmas decorations and the annual Easter egg roll. Invading Greenland and deconstructing NATO? No, shell be sharing scintillating details like the fact that the Bidens were very nice and cordial in the car on the way to Trumps second inauguration. Sometimes she gives her husband advice, by the way. Shes very action-oriented.

Behind her, the black-and-white backdrop simply read (youll never guess): MELANIA. Viewers were encouraged to visit her website to learn more about her work with kids (not those kids. Stop asking about those kids!)

Outside the Fox News Rockefeller Center studios, the country continued to burn and freeze and burn. Alex Prettis parents released a statement asking that people remember their son was a good man and that theyve been sickened by the reprehensible and disgusting lies told about him by this administration.

Inside the studio, however, unity was being sold: tastefully lit, carefully framed and beautifully packaged  and out in all good movie theaters Friday.
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A Minnesota womans family is speaking out after she died while asleep on her mothers shoulder during an international flight from the U.S. to the U.K.

Rachel Green, a 44-year-old attorney and writer, died on a Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis to London on April 30, 2025, according to a GoFundMe started by her family.

Now, investigators in the U.K. have revealed what likely caused her death.

The West London Coroners Court recently heard that Greens death was likely the result of an undiagnosed heart condition in combination with prescription medications, according to The Irish Sun.

Dr. Alan Bates, a pathologist, said he found multiple substances in her blood, including melatonin, antidepressants and a small amount of alcohol, the outlet reports.

Rachel Green, a 44-year-old from Minnesota, died while flying from Minneapolis to London earlier this year ( GoFundMe )

Bates also said he found evidence of myocardial tunneling, a condition in which an artery travels through the heart muscle, rather than on its surface, according to The Irish Sun.

Senior Coroner Lydia Brown reportedly said Green had taken a range of complex medications, but there was no evidence she was taking any in excess.

She also had a congenital heart condition. This contributed to her death, along with the medications, Brown said.

Greens sister, Roxanne Carney, said she had an abnormal heart test that wasnt investigated further, according to The Irish Sun. Now, shes questioning why her sister was never referred to a cardiologist before being prescribed this combination.

Why was she on this regimen? Why are they prescribing this combination of medications? Carney reportedly said.

She added: If you can see all the records, ethically, how can you do this?

Senior Coroner Lydia Brown said in court that it is typically reviewed in the U.K., but that the entirety of your population doesnt seem to have that.

[It is] unusual to find so many different [drugs]. Matters are done very differently in the U.S., Brown reportedly said.

Green was traveling to London to complete research for an upcoming historical fiction work on Eleanor of Aquitaine, an influential medieval queen, her family said on the GoFundMe page. She was described as a brilliant writer who had a keen love of theatre.

Rachel was beyond selfless, always taking care of everyone around her and trying to guide people to the goodness in life, be it traveling, enjoying a play, or a gathering, her family wrote.

Green had also just recovered from an unexpected illness that forced her to relocate to her hometown in Minnesota and relearn how to walk.

She exuded unyielding strength and courage at even the most difficult times, the GoFundMe page reads.

The Independent has contacted Carney and Delta Air Lines for comment.
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Two federal agents fired at protester Alex Pretti during Saturdays fatal shooting in Minneapolis, according to a preliminary review by a Department of Homeland Security internal watchdog, which made no mention that the intensive care nurse brandished a weapon before he was killed.

The preliminary review, conducted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protections Office of Professional Responsibility, was sent to Congress Tuesday and appeared to contradict claims made by the Trump administration in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was quick to claim that Pretti had been brandishing a weapon before the two Border Patrol agents fired, while her department also issued a statement that claimed without evidence that the 37-year-old had wanted to massacre law enforcement.

The review, based on body camera footage and documents, provides the first official timeline of how events unfolded that day, according to copies obtained by The New York Times and ABC News.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said the review was standard protocol and does not convey any definitive conclusion or investigative findings.

open image in gallery Two federal agents fired at protester Alex Pretti during Saturdays fatal shooting in Minneapolis, according to a preliminary review by a Department of Homeland Security internal watchdog ( via REUTERS )

The ordeal began at approximately 9 a.m. Saturday when a federal officer was confronted by two female protesters who were blowing whistles, according to the review.

The CBPO ordered the female civilians to move out of the roadway, and the female civilians did not move. The CBPO pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen, the report said.

The officer attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the road, but when they did not move, the agent deployed pepper spray toward both of them, the report said.

A struggle ensued between the federal agent and Pretti, who resisted the officers attempts to take him into custody.

During the struggle, a [Border Protection agent] yelled, He's got a gun! multiple times, the report continued. Approximately five seconds later, the agent discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a CBPO also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti.

According to analysis from The Times, the officers fired 10 shots at Pretti, including six after he was lying motionless.

open image in gallery The report made no mention that the intensive care nurse brandished a weapon before he was killed, as claimed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ( @dangjessie/UGC )

After the shooting, the Border Patrol agent advised he had possession of Prettis firearm.

The report does not specify exactly when the agents disarmed Pretti, which he was lawfully carrying according to local authorities. But footage of the incident appeared to show that Prettis firearm had been taken away before he was shot multiple times.

At 9:02 a.m. approximately, Pretti was provided medical aid by Customs and Border Protection personnel, who placed chest seals on his wounds, according to the report.

He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center in an ambulance and pronounced dead at approximately 9:32 a.m., the report said.

President Donald Trump has attempted to turn down the temperature in Minneapolis by pulling out Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, who insisted Sunday that the two Border Patrol agents were the victims of the shooting.

The president said he wanted an honest investigation into Prettis killing, a significant shift in tone following the fatal shooting of mother-of-three Renee Good.

Trumps border czar Tom Homan has been sent to Minneapolis to calm tensions, where he has met with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to discuss how to move forward.

Noem, meanwhile, has faced calls to resign from Democrats and two Republican senators.

Trump met with Noem for two hours in the Oval Office Monday evening, though the president did not suggest her job was at risk. The president is standing by her and wont be calling for her resignation, he told reporters Tuesday.
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CBS News staffers are pretty salty with Gayle King over her rousing defense of the networkd embattled editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, suggesting that the CBS Mornings star is just trying to stay relevant and save her job, according to multiple sources who spoke to The Independent.

After King closed out Tuesdays all-hands network meeting by raging against the leakers in the CBS newsroom while doubling down on Weiss call for unhappy staff members to head for the exits, one network staffer said that the morning anchors remarks were an utter disappointment.

Gayle instead made it about her not liking the fact that people are talking to the press about her future at CBS News, the employee stated. Forget the substance of peoples grievances and fears.

At the same time, though, other network employees told The Independent that they did not get that sentiment from Kings remarks, noting that she received warm applause from the gathered staff throughout the speech.

It was nothing but positive feelings at the end of the the town hall yesterday, one staffer said.

open image in gallery Gayle King has come under fire from some staffers at CBS news for her rousing defense of embattled CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. ( Getty Images for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America )

Meanwhile, a day after Weiss  the founder of anti-woke site The Free Press who was tapped as CBS News editorial chief in October  urged those in the newsroom who dont feel she is the right leader at the right time to leave the network, CBS News President Tom Cibrowski began offering buyouts to staff members.

According to a source with knowledge of the matter, staffers on CBS Evening News were presented with the buyout offers from Cibrowski during the programs Wednesday morning editorial meeting.

In fact, according to the source, the entire CBS Evening News staff in the United States has been offered buyouts, with no details given. Instead, they have to click on a link in an email they were sent, and must respond before Monday. In the CBS Mornings afternoon meeting on Wednesday, executive producer Shawna Thomas told staff that they wouldnt be receiving the offers just yet.

"At yesterdays All-Hands, Bari charted a course for CBS News thats very different from the one were now on. The Evening News has a new host and a new direction, and there will be more change coming," the email reads, adding all CBS Evening News non-union staff employees are eligible. "We hope you are excited about this vision, but we understand that some of you may not be, and we want to provide support. As such, we are offering an extraordinary chance to leave CBS News with an enhanced separation payment."

The buyout offers come months after Paramount chief David Ellison implemented sweeping cuts at the company, which saw roughly 100 employees laid off from CBS News, resulting in the loss of multiple streaming shows, the gutting of the networks Saturday morning program and the dismantling of CBS News race and culture team.

Variety reported on Wednesday that new CBS Evening News anchor Dokoupil and executive producer Kim Harvey have tried to dissuade management from making any cuts from the program.

The Independent has reached out to representatives of CBS News and King for comment.

During Tuesdays all-hands meeting, in which Weiss laid out her broader strategy and editorial vision for the network's future, the chief editor was asked about the fear and concerns staff currently feel at CBS Evening News.

Certain decisions and editorial choices have scared us, a staffer wrote in a question that was read aloud on Tuesday. At Evening News, people are afraid for their jobs and afraid to even speak for fear of retaliation. There has been a chilling effect within our newsroom. It feels right now like if we offer feedback, alternatives, or constructive criticism, that we are asking for targets on our backs  or the answer is simply no.

open image in gallery CBS Evening News was hit with buyout offers just a day after Bari Weiss urged disgruntled network staffers to leave if they didnt buy into her vision for the companys future. ( CBS News )

The networks nightly flagship news program has come under fire in recent weeks throughout the rocky rollout of Weiss reboot under Dokoupil. Besides accusations of the shows MAGA-coded stance, Dokoupils first few weeks in the anchors chair have been beset by poor ratings, cringeworthy pro-Trump segments, technical mishaps, plummeting staff morale and management changes .

Meanwhile, Weiss also hinted during Tuesdays meeting that another program that has been mired in third place in the ratings could soon see an overhaul  CBS Mornings. Breakers Lachlan Cartwright later reported that Cibrowski is working to completely revamp the light morning show, which is expected to take a more aggressive approach to breaking stories.

At one point in the all-hands meeting, Weiss declared that we are going to be talking a lot about scoops going forward, adding that CBS News will be focused on scoops of investigations, scoops of ideas and scoops of explanation.

On top of that, while simultaneously announcing the hiring of 18 new network contributors  a mix of Free Press writers, journalists and controversy-seeking podcasters  Weiss also called CBS News the best-capitalized media startup in the world before offering an off-ramp to staffers disgruntled with her editorial approach.

But startups arent for everybody, Weiss said. If thats not your bag, thats OK. Its a free country, and I completely respect if you decide Im not the right leader for you, or this isnt the right place at the right time.

King, who has been the subject of swirling rumors that she could soon be ousted at CBS Mornings due to her hefty salary and age, spoke up towards the end of the question-and-answer session of the meeting to both praise Weiss vision and rage about the leakers at the network.

I think we've all been walking around with gasoline on our pants. You know, we've had a lot of incoming. People come and pet me like a puppy and say, I'm so sorry that you're leaving CBS, she said. I won't watch you guys again. It's not the same place. And when I come here, what I see every day are people who really love what they do. We work really hard. We're very proud of what we do here, and I don't want anybody to lose sight of that.

After drawing applause for saying she doesnt want anybody to lose sight of what we do in this building and how good we are at our jobs, King lauded Weiss for laying out a very good case for what you want this company to be, and so I'm so appreciative of that.

While the first half of her remarks appeared to be an effort to rally the troops, King then segued to blasting those at CBS News who have leaked to the media  seemingly seeking to empathize with Weiss, who has been pilloried in the press over her tumultuous first few months on the job. The morning host and best friend of Oprah Winfrey also appeared to enforce Weiss love it or leave it message to staff.

I would like to think that we can have conversations, and then we could talk candidly with each other, and it's not going to be friggin be in the paper. I am so sick of that. I'm so sick of it! I'll be curious to see how long it takes for this to get out, she exclaimed.

open image in gallery Bari Weiss described CBS News as the best-capitalized media startup in the world during an all-hands meeting on Tuesday. (  DANIEL PAIK )

Im tired of it. If you don't want to be here, if this is not the place for you, it's OK, King concluded. But for the rest of us who would like to be here, like to do a good job and figure things out along the way, this is very bumpy times for all of us, and we don't know how it's going to turn out, but I do know that we want to work hard and do a good job.

According to one CBS News insider, King has never been a leader and the network is in dire need of someone the staff can rally around. Additionally, the insider felt that King just wants to stay relevant and remain a CBS Mornings anchor.

Shes not going to say anything against the person who will determine her job status. This was her only play, the insider further noted.

On top of that, a network staffer stated that much of the newsroom was pretty salty over Kings performance, an assessment that two other network sources agreed with.

Stating that King started off almost protective of the CBS News staff with her speech, the staffer said it devolved into such an utter disappointment because she made it about her not liking the fact that people are talking to the press about her future at CBS News and forgot about the substance of peoples grievances and fears at the moment.

Reacting to King's statement that staffers unhappy with Weiss's editorial vision could just leave, the network employee said many staff members dont have that luxury.

Have a little consideration for CBS staffers, Gayle. Youve earned at least 200 million dollars since joining CBS News and earn millions more from what Oprah pays you to run Oprah Daily. Zero percent of us can just walk away and go back to our Manhattan penthouse to do something else, they stated.

It just seemed like what started as a rousing speech then became all about her and the press and telling people to leave if they dont like things like Weiss muzzling stories like CECOT and her pro-MAGA agenda at Evening News, the staffer added. I know Gayle knows being on CBS Mornings is what keeps her relevant, but were talking about the integrity of our news here.

Still, other staffers who spoke with The Independent said they did not get that tone at all from King and added that the 70-year-old host is beloved among the CBS Mornings crew.

It was overwhelmingly positive, one CBS News employee who was in the room for the all-hands meeting asserted.
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President Donald Trumps mass deportation campaign in Minneapolis triggered an international incident Tuesday after federal immigration officers tried to enter the Ecuadorian consulate before staff blocked the attempted incursion, according to the countrys foreign ministry.

The ministry issued a formal note of protest to the U.S. embassy in Ecuador, demanding such incidents not be repeated.

In a widely shared video, a consulate employee is seen rushing to the door as masked immigration officers try to open it. Its unclear whether the officers are working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection, the two main enforcement arms of the Department of Homeland Security on the streets of Minneapolis.

If you touch me, I will grab you, an officer can be heard saying.

You cannot enter here, the employee replies. This is a consulate. This is a foreign government property.

open image in gallery Federal immigration officers tried to enter Ecuador's consulate in Minneapolis, according to widely shared video ( Social media )

After the agents leave, the consular employee, speaking in Spanish, says he is making a call, and another employee says officers appeared to be trying to follow people into the building.

In a statement, Ecuadors foreign ministry said consulate staff prevented the entry of the ICE officer to the consular headquarters, thus ensuring the protection of the Ecuadorians who were in that moment at the consular headquarters. Staff also implemented emergency protocols, it noted.

open image in gallery Ecuadoran officials lodged a formal complaint against the US after staff prevented ICE officers from entering its consulate in Minneapolis January 27 ( Google Maps )

Ecuador issued a formal complaint the the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador so that acts of this nature do not be repeated in any of the consular offices of Ecuador in the United States, according to the statement.

Under the Vienna Conventions, a countrys embassies and other diplomatic offices are considered sovereign territory of that nation and protected under diplomatic immunity that prohibits the host nations officers from unauthorized entry. The U.S. is a party to the international treaties.

Neither the State Department nor Homeland Security responded to The Independents requests for comment about the consulate incident.

open image in gallery Roughly 3,000 federal officers have surged into the Minneapolis area to support Trumps mass deportation campaign ( AP )

The latest clash follows weeks of growing tensions and violence from immigration officers patrolling Minneapolis, where roughly 3,000 masked and heavily armed agents have been deployed. The city is reeling in the wake of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, two U.S. citizens and demonstrators who were shot and killed by immigration officers this month.

Several high-profile immigration arrests have also targeted Ecuadoran nationals, including five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who was arrested in the driveway of their home in suburban Minneapolis last week. The image of the pre-schooler standing in his frozen driveway wearing a Spider-Man backpack and blue, woolly Pokemon hat during fathers arrest went viral online and has fueled further outrage.

open image in gallery Preschooler Liam Conejo Ramos is among several Ecuadoran immigrants detained by federal officers in Minneapolis in recent weeks ( Columbia Heights Public Schools )

On Monday, a federal judge temporarily blocked their immediate removal from the country after the boys father sued the Trump administration over his arrest and detention.

The arrest of another Ecuadoran man, identified in court filings as Juan T.R., also triggered the wrath of Minnesotas chief federal judge, who threatened to hold ICE chief Todd Lyons in contempt after repeated violations of court orders.

In a blistering ruling Monday, Judge Patrick Schiltz said the courts patience is at an end and ordered Lyons to testify.

Earlier this month, the judge had ordered ICE to prove Juan T.R. with a bond hearing within seven days or release him. He was released Tuesday, and the judge called off Lyons from appearing in court.

Minneapolis City Council member Elliot Payne said he spoke with Ecuadoran Ambassador Helena Del Carmen Yanez Loza after Tuesdays incident.

Its really important that our Ecuadoran community knows that their consulate is a safe place to come and do the business they need to do, Payne said in a video from outside the building Tuesday night.

Its been really helpful having folks out here," he said. It makes people feel safer when theyre coming to do business at the consulate.

Ana Pottratz Acosta, University of Minnesota Law School professor and an affiliate of the James H. Binger Center for New Americans, told the Associated Press that federal officers trying to force their way into a consulate is beyond unusual and unprecedented and potentially dangerous.

This is indicative of a broader issue with Trumps mass deportation push, according to Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow with the American Immigration Council think tank. Officers arent doing even basic investigations (to figure out things like is this address a consulate) as pressure to keep up arrests is so high.
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The U.S. Holocaust Museum has slammed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for comparing the crisis in Minneapolis to the tragic life of Anne Frank.

Walz alluded to Frank during a press conference Sunday, warning children were hiding in their houses from ICE agents, just as the Jewish teenager hid from the Nazis during World War 2.

We have got children hiding in their houses, afraid to go outside, Walz told reporters. Many of us grew up reading that story of Anne Frank. Somebodys gonna write that childrens story about Minnesota.

The governor made the comparison just two days before International Holocaust Memorial Day,which marks the anniversary of the liberation of prisoners at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

open image in gallery Tim Walz has been slammed for comparing the activities of ICE agents to the murder of Anne Frank ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Anne Frank was targeted and murdered solely because she was Jewish, a spokesperson for the museum wrote on X. Leaders making false equivalencies to her experience for political purposes is never acceptable.

Despite tensions in Minneapolis, exploiting the Holocaust is deeply offensive, especially as antisemitism surges.

The museums staff were not the only people who shared their fury at Walzs comparison.

Trumps antisemitism envoy, Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun posted on X: Ignorance like this cheapens the horror of the Holocaust.

Anne Frank was in Amsterdam legally and abided by Dutch law.

open image in gallery Anne Frank was held at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp ( Anne Frank House, Amsterdam/Public domain )

She was hauled off to a death camp because of her race and religion, he continued. Her story has nothing to do with the illegal immigration, fraud, and lawlessness plaguing Minnesota today.

Our brave law enforcement should be commended, not tarred with this historically illiterate and antisemitic comparison.

And Shabbos Kestenbaum, a Jewish-American activist, branded Walz evil for his remarks.

One million Jewish children were killed during the Holocaust. Illegal immigrants are offered thousands of dollars to take a free flight home, he wrote on X, before using an offensive slur to describe Walz.

open image in gallery Walz compared her kidnapping by the Nazis to the ICE crackdown in Minneapolis ( Getty )

Walzs speech came a day after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. The 37-year-old nurse was killed while attending a protest against the surge of ICE agents into Minnesota.

Trump administration officials claimed that he brandished a firearm, although this account has been widely disputed. His killing has sparked a fresh wave of demonstrations against the immigration crackdown, with tensions in the city already having been at an all-time high following the shooting of mom-of-three Renee Good by an ICE agent.

The Minnesota governor has previously compared ICE agents to a modern-day Gestapo.

Theyre in unmarked vans, wearing masks, being shipped off to foreign torture dungeons, no chance to mount a defense, not even a chance to kiss a loved one goodbye, just grabbed up by masked agents, shoved into those vans, and disappeared, Walz said last year.
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Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she refuses to bow to intimidation after she was attacked while delivering an anti-ICE speech in Minneapolis, the focal point of President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown.

Ive survived war, the Somali-born Minnesota Democrat told CNN after an assailant rushed at her with a syringe containing unknown liquid during a town hall Tuesday, interrupting her speech but leaving her unharmed.

Im definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me because Im built that way, she added.

open image in gallery The man being detained after spraying a substance on Ilhan Omar ( AFP/Getty )

How the attack unfolded

Omar, who is frequently singled out for derision by Trump  including just hours before the attack  was addressing a crowded room when the assault occurred.

After calling on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment, a man seated near the front ran towards the podium. He shouted at the congresswoman and doused her with an unknown substance.

Soon after, the man  who has not been identified  was tackled to the ground and detained, video footage shows.

Oh my god, he sprayed something on her! a woman can be heard saying afterwards. Another urged her to seek immediate medical attention.

Omar, however, resisted efforts to move her offstage to safety. She returned to the microphone and said, Were going to keep talking, adding, Please dont let them have a show.

Heres the reality that people like this ugly man dont understand, she continued. We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.

She then reiterated her call for Noem to resign  as dozens of other Democratic and Republican lawmakers have done in recent days in response to her management of Trumps immigration enforcement methods.

open image in gallery Omar says she was unharmed by the assailant, who has not been identified ( Getty )

What has the response been?

About an hour later, Omars office issued a statement condemning the man and confirming she was not injured.

During her town hall, an agitator tried to attack the Congresswoman by spraying an unknown substance with a syringe, the statement said. Security and the Minneapolis Police Department quickly apprehended the individual. He is now in custody. The Congresswoman is okay. She continued with her town hall because she doesnt let bullies win.

The U.S. Capitol Police also released a statement, saying that the assailant, who is in custody, will be met with swift justice.

We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society, the force said.

It added that lawmakers faced an uptick in threats in 2025.

The attack followed Trump's repeated denouncements of Somali immigrants, who make up a significant minority of Minneapoliss population. He has labeled them garbage and demanded that Omar be deported or face imprisonment.

Just hours before the assailant rushed the stage, he again singled out the Minnesota congresswoman.

open image in gallery Omar has been a frequent target of Trumps ire, who has called for her to be deported or face imprisonment ( AFP/Getty )

We need people to come in legally, but they have to show that they can love our country, not hate our country, the Republican president said during an event in Iowa on Tuesday. They have to show that they can love our country. They have to be proud. Not like Ilhan Omar... she comes from a country thats a disaster. Its not even a country.

The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment on the attack and Trumps remarks.

When asked by ABC reporter Rachel Scott late Tuesday if he had seen the video, the president is reported to have said: No. I dont think about her. I think shes a fraud. I really dont think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.

When asked again if he had seen the video, Scott said his response was: I havent seen it. No, no. I hope I don't have to bother.

Still, the incident in Minnesota elicited condemnation from politicians across the political spectrum.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, called it unacceptable.

Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis, he said in a statement. We can disagree without putting people at riskThis kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.

Meanwhile, GOP Rep. Nancy Mace  who previously called for Omar to be deported  said she is deeply disturbed by Tuesdays incident.

Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric  and I do  no elected official should face physical attacks, the South Carolina congresswoman said in a statement. This is not who we are.

open image in gallery Protests against ICE crackdowns in Minneapolis continue ( AFP/Getty )

Latest flashpoint in Minneapolis

The incident is just the latest flashpoint in Minnesota, where the Trump administration has deployed numerous federal immigration agents, resulting in hundreds of detentions and two deadly shootings.

On January 7, Renee Good, a mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in her vehicle. Three weeks later, on January 24, immigration officials killed Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, during a confrontation on a city street.

The shootings sparked disparate responses from elected officials, with Democrats condemning ICE and Republicans accusing the deceased individuals of acting inappropriately or violently. The incidents also triggered widespread protests in the state, and around the nation, leading to tense stand-offs between demonstrators and officers.

State and local officials have demanded that federal agents withdraw from Minnesota, accusing them of reckless behavior and of mounting an unconstitutional "invasion, while the White House has vowed to ramp up its immigration enforcement operations while blaming Democrats for inciting anti-law-enforcement sentiment.

But, in recent days, the administration has signaled a desire to ease tensions in the state.

On Monday, Trump said he spoke with Democratic Governor Tim Walz about the unfolding situation in Minnesota. He described it as a very good call, and said, we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. He added that he is sending border czar Tom Homan to the state.

The next day, the president told Fox News, Were going to de-escalate a little bit in Minnesota, though he hedged his comments, insisting: I dont think this is a pullback.

This shift in rhetoric comes as Trumps immigration enforcement tactics are facing strong pushback in the court of public opinion. While about half of American voters support the presidents deportations, a sizable majority, 61 percent, believe that the strategies employed by ICE have gone too far, according to a recent Siena University poll.
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Far-right influencers and MAGA provocateurs are currently flooding social media with baseless allegations that the attack on Ilhan Omar during a town hall event on Tuesday night was staged by the Minnesota lawmaker, calling it a Somali False Flag Scam and Jussie Smollett 2.0.

Nobody cares about your staged victim propaganda, self-appointed Trump loyalty enforcer and proud Islamophobe Laura Loomer exclaimed at Omar. Please go back to Somalia. We are getting really tired of people like you taking up space in our country.

Conservative YouTuber Anthony B. Logan, meanwhile, tweeted that the whole thing was staged because Omar looked directly at the guy and nodded before he sprayed that stuff on her.

Of course, those conspiracy theories that the incident  which saw a 55-year-old man rush the stage and spray an unknown substance on Omar  was fake and orchestrated only grew after Donald Trump threw more fuel on the fire by saying she probably had herself sprayed.

In the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal officers amid the brutal immigration crackdown by the Trump administration in Minnesota, Omar used the town hall meeting to call for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the resignation of Department of Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem.

open image in gallery Ilhan Omar is being accused by MAGA personalities of staging the attack at her town hall event on Tuesday night. ( AFP via Getty Images )

Just as Omar declared that Noem should face impeachment if she didnt step down, a man  later identified as Anthony Kazmierczak  walked up to her from the crowd and used a syringe to spray a brown-colored liquid at the congresswoman.

Kazmierczak was quickly tackled, arrested and charged with third-degree assault by the Minneapolis Police Department. Those in attendance said that the brown liquid had a strong, foul odor.

Oh my God, he sprayed something on her, a woman can be heard saying afterwards in a live stream of the event, while another urged Omar to seek medical attention. The congresswoman, however, insisted she was unharmed and continued the event.

We are Minnesota strong. We will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us, she said after returning to the lectern.

In a social media post after the attack, Omar stated that she was OK and thanked her supporters for standing beside her. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work, the progressive lawmaker, who has faced numerous death threats,tweeted.

Ive survived war. And Im definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me because Im built that way, she said in an interview with CNN Tuesday night.

Democrats such as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the attack unacceptable while criticizing Trump for relentlessly vilifying Omar, accusing the president and conservatives of fueling the incident with their inflammatory rhetoric.

In recent months, the president has described Omar  a naturalized U.S. citizen who immigrated from war-torn Somalia as a child  as garbage and called for her to be thrown out of our country. His personal attacks on her have only grown amid the welfare fraud scandal that has implicated Somalis in Minnesota, which the administration has used as the impetus for its immigration crackdown in the state.

open image in gallery Donald Trump said on Tuesday evening that Omar probably had herself sprayed at the town hall, just hours after he attacked her during an event in Iowa. ( Getty )

She comes from a country thats a disaster. Probably its considered, I think, the worst  its not even a country, OK? It barely has a government, Trump said at an event in Iowa mere hours before the spray attack.

When asked about the assault by ABC News on Tuesday evening, the president fumed that he thinks shes a fraud, likely referencing his repeated claims about her financial disclosures that show a possible increase in net worth due to her husbands business holdings. I really don't think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her, Trump further groused.

While the president acknowledged that he hadnt seen the video of the attack, other pro-Trump social media figures and pundits shared clips of the incident on X and immediately accused the congresswoman of faking it in an effort to gain sympathy amid a Congressional probe of her finances.

The calls also included many of the personalities comparing her to Jussie Smollett, the actor who was convicted of lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack in 2019 that he was accused of staging himself.

Six days ago new disclosures show Ilhan Omar went from $42 in her bank account to $25 million in 1 year, Wall Street Apes, a prominent right-wing investment social media account, posted. 1 day ago Ilhan Omars wine business is exposed as fake making $5 million. Today Ilhan Omar gets attacked on camera. They think were idiots. Jussie Smollett 2.0.

open image in gallery It's all fake. Even if it wasn't staged (though it may have been), it's still fake, Matt Walsh tweeted about the attack on Ilhan Omar. ( Matt Walsh/YouTube )

Ian Miles Cheong, an Elon Musk superfan and professional poster, declared that nothing about the attack on Ilhan Omar is real while claiming that Omar and Kazmierczak were in cahoots. Look at how Ilhan Omar looks at the guy who sprayed her and gives him a little nod right before he springs into action, Cheong tweeted.

Tim Walz already blaming Trump without a single shred of evidence of who the guy who squirted Ilhan Omar is. Thats how you know this is probably staged. Somali False Flag Scam, far-right journalist Drew Hernandez wrote on X, while also sharing photos of Smolletts face superimposed on an image of Omar.

With other MAGA influencers and media figures calling it a FAKE ATTACK and the most staged thing I have ever seen in my life, Daily Wire host Matt Walsh chimed in Wednesday morning to insist that even if the attack was legitimate, Omar didnt deserve any sympathy.

At the same time, he still leaned heavily towards the assault being a supposed false flag.

I don't know if the Ilhan Omar thing was staged or not. There's certainly plenty of reason to be suspicious. We know that leftists do these kinds of hoaxes all the time, and Somalis are notorious scam artists. We'll see, the ultra-conservative commentator tweeted.

What I do know is that leftist agitators are out in the streets every day accosting law enforcement officers and nobody on the left condemns it. Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck and they celebrated, Walsh continued.  Now Ilhan Omar gets sprayed with a liquid and we're supposed to treat it like a national tragedy. Ilhan is going around calling herself a "survivor." Democrats are issuing dramatic denunciations. It's all fake. Even if it wasn't staged (though it may have been), it's still fake.
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Prosecutors have accused a senior aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams of accepting diamond earrings from two real estate developers, subsequently pressuring city regulators to expedite their construction projects despite significant safety concerns.

New details regarding one of several alleged bribery schemes involving Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a close confidant of Mayor Adams and once the second-most powerful figure in city government, emerged in court papers filed by Manhattan prosecutors on Tuesday.

Lewis-Martin resigned in late 2024, shortly before she and her son were charged with receiving over $100,000 in bribes from developers Raizada Vaid and Mayank Dwivedi.

All four have entered not guilty pleas.

Lewis-Martin faced a separate set of bribery charges in August, alleging she exchanged political favors  including canceling a planned bike lane and directing shelter contracts towards a preferred developer  for cash, home renovations, and even a speaking role on the television series "Godfather of Harlem." She has also pleaded not guilty to these allegations.

An attorney representing Lewis-Martin has consistently maintained that her actions were merely aimed at assisting constituents in navigating bureaucratic hurdles.

The latest filing expands upon the initial charges brought against Lewis-Martin and her son, Glenn D. Martin II, who performs under the stage name DJ Suave Luciano.

According to the new court documents, Lewis-Martin received a pair of 2-carat diamond earrings, valued at approximately $3,000, from Vaid and Dwivedi in 2022, shortly after meeting with them.

Prosecutors allege that Lewis-Martin put pressure on city regulators to accelerate approvals for the developers projects after receiving the earrings ( Steven Hirsch )

Prosecutors allege that Lewis-Martin then exerted pressure on city regulators to accelerate approvals for the developers projects.

In one instance, she reportedly urged the acting commissioner of the Department of Buildings to approve the proposed renovation of a Manhattan hotel owned by Vaid, despite "legitimate safety concerns" raised by building inspectors.

Following the city regulators' agreement to expedite the application, Lewis-Martin allegedly texted her son, indicating that Vaid would have him "completely covered. You(r) fashion line is 100 percent." The court filing also states that Vaid promised to assist Martin II in opening a Chick-fil-A franchise.

In an email, Lewis-Martins attorney, Arthur Aidala, criticized the length of the filing without addressing its substance. He stated: "We look forward to submitting our robust reply to the prosecutors desperate 170 page answer to our motion to dismiss. It is the longest answer to a motion we have ever seen and that speaks volumes about their insecurity in their case."

Inquiries made to the attorneys for Martin II, Vaid, and Dwivedi received no response.

The case against Lewis-Martin, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, first surfaced amidst a period of overlapping scandals for the Adams administration. It is distinct from Mayor Adams own federal corruption charges, which were dismissed last year by the Justice Department. Mayor Adams is not accused of any wrongdoing in Lewis-Martin's case.

A spokesperson for Mayor Adams did not respond to an inquiry regarding the latest allegations against Ms Lewis-Martin.
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Melania Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday morning to start the days trading.

The first lady appeared at the stock exchange ahead of the premiere of her new documentary, Melania, on Jan. 30.

With a large image promoting her documentary behind her, Melania was gifted a medallion and a glass plaque to commemorate the occasion.

Minutes after his wifes appearance, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, The S&P 500 just hit 7000 for the FIRST TIME EVER. AMERICA IS BACK!!!

The film, meanwhile, was scheduled to premiere at the Kennedy Center this week before being rolled out at select US movie theaters.

open image in gallery Melania Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange ahead of the premiere of her documentary film ( Getty Images )

It was initially announced that Amazon was paying $40m for the rights to Melania, a documentary about the first lady. The price was said to constitute the highest-ever fee for a documentary film and a further $35m has reportedly been spent promoting the movie.

A screening at the White House Saturday was attended by the president and first lady, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Mike Tyson, and the Queen of Jordan, among others.

Melania was shot in the three weeks leading up to the second Trump inauguration and boasted rare insider access to the often inscrutable first lady while she makes arrangements for the presidents transition to power.

Melania described the film to Fox News as a private, unfiltered look as I navigate family, business, and philanthropy on my remarkable journey to becoming first lady.

Marc Beckman, Melanias outside adviser and agent, has claimed that the film is not political at all  but its already being dismissed as propaganda by some online critics.

open image in gallery She gave remarks before ringing the bell to start the days trading ( AFP via Getty Images )

Melania Trumps documentary premiere comes as tensions are high around the U.S. after two American citizens were killed by federal immigration agents within weeks in Minnesota.

The first lady issued a rare political statement Tuesday, calling for protests to remain peaceful and urging unity.
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A rideshare driver in Minneapolis has described his encounter with Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino after being questioned by federal agents over his accent.

It was very obvious to me by the way Border Patrol was acting with me unprofessionally, that they really didn't care about my identity, Ahmed Bin Hassan told CNN on Thursday.

[An agent] said, You know what? I know you're not an American citizen, and I demand that you show me proof of that  What's making me ask you this stuff is, you do not sound like me You don't have the same accent as me.

So I was shocked. I was startled. And I said, Are we using accents now to verify citizenship? It was just absurd to hear that.

Moments after the first encounter with agents, Bin Hassan said Bovino approached him and talked to him in what he described as an unserious and almost joking manner.

open image in gallery A rideshare driver in Minneapolis has recounted his encounter with Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino after being questioned by federal agents over his accent ( Getty )

They're just harassing people based on skin color... What do you guys want to do today? You guys gonna take me away? Hassan asks in the video he captured of it.

Well, that depends. Are you an illegal alien? Bovino responded, to which Hassan replied, Yes, Im an illegal alien from another planet.

If that's the case, if you're from another planet  that counts too, Bovino says.

The interactions took place the same day as the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good on January 7 by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Less than three weeks later, Border Patrol agents would be involved in a second fatal shooting, this time of ICU nurse Alex Pretti.

In the video, Hassan is heard questioning Bovino over Goods death.

open image in gallery The interactions, captured by Hassan on video, took place the same day as the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good (pictured) on January 7 by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Less than three weeks later Border Patrol agents would be involved in a second fatal shooting, this time of ICU nurse Alex Pretti ( AP )

What the hell happened? Why are you guys shooting at people? he says. Why did you guys shoot that lady? Answer me that there's an officer today that shot a lady in the head, dude, for what? You could have just got her, man, she's not gonna fly out of the country like an alien.

On a spaceship? Bovino responds after appearing to shrug off Hassans comments.

The Independent has contacted Border Patrol and the DHS for comment on the interaction between the two men.

open image in gallery The encounter between the two men comes after Bovinos departure from Minneapolis in the wake of outrage following Prettis death on Saturday ( AFP/Getty )

Bovino has now been removed from Minneapolis in the wake of outrage following Prettis death on Saturday. The Trump administration denied reports that Bovino had been removed from his position as commander at large of Border Patrol.

However, the White Houses initially aggressive response to Prettis death appears to have been somewhat tempered following outrage from both sides of the political aisle, including Second Amendment Republicans and even the National Rifle Association.

Criticism has been leveled at Donald Trumps assertion that Pretti shouldn't have been carrying a gun while attending the protest.
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Trump administration officials are directing national parks to remove or revise signs addressing climate change and Native American history, among other subjects, according to a new report.

In recent weeks, park staff at more than a dozen locations across Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Utah have received orders to alter or eliminate such displays, according to The Washington Post, citing government documents.

These changes align with President Donald Trump's March 2025 executive order, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, which aimed to purge "partisan ideology" from federal sites  including mentions of racism, sexism, LGBTQ topics and climate change.

The Interior Department, run by Secretary Doug Burgum, said its actions were in line with the presidents executive order.

All federal agencies are to review interpretive materials to ensure accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values, the department said in a statement. Following completion of the required review, the National Park Service is now taking appropriate action in accordance with the Order.

open image in gallery Officials in Donald Trump's administration have instructed national parks to remove signage related to climate change and Native American mistreatment, according to a new report ( Getty Images )

But critics slammed the move as an attempt to whitewash U.S. history.

Kristen Brengel, a senior vice president for the National Parks Conservation Association, told the Post that the administrations measures should offend every American.

She added that park staffers are being forced to select stories because they think the administration will threaten their jobs if they dont.

Some of the countrys most popular parks, frequented by millions of tourists, have been targeted by the administration, including Grand Canyon National Park, Glacier National Park and Big Bend National Park.

open image in gallery The attempt to scrub language related to Native Americans and climate change should offend every American said a National Parks Conservation Association official ( Getty Images )

At the Grand Canyon, staff recently took down a section of an exhibit that included language about settlers exploiting land for mining and pushing tribes off their land in order to create the park.

Employees at the park, located in Arizona, also cut references to ranchers carelessly overgrazing and tourists foolishly tossing trash in the park, according to the Post. Roadside signs addressing climate change and pollution have been marked for possible elimination.

Language about climate change was also flagged at Glacier National Park in Montana, including on signs that detailed the possible loss of the park's well-known glaciers.

Additionally, a sign at the gift shop was targeted for review. It stated: Climate Change Affects National Parks and the Treasures They Protect.

Were whitewashing or were taking out all those sort of not-so-nice stories that have occurred in our nations history, Jeff Mow, the parks former superintendent, told the newspaper.

open image in gallery At Big Bend National Park, located near the Texas-Mexico border, over a dozen displays have been targeted for removal ( Getty Images )

And, at Big Bend National Park in Texas, over a dozen displays have been slated for elimination, many of which are seemingly noncontroversial, pertaining to prehistoric history, geology and fossils.

The administrations removal orders did not explain what was wrong with the signs, according to the Post.

This is not something that the National Park Service should be blamed for, Bob Krumenaker, the parks former superintendent, said. They are being told they have to do these things. And my hope is theyre saving these exhibits for when things change so they can put them back up.

Its not the first time the Trump administration has enacted controversial changes within the countrys national parks.

Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency moved to weaken a decades-old rule designed to improve visibility at national parks. The administration also previously proposed slashing the parks budget by $1 billion, which would mark the largest cut in the systems 109-year history.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi has appealed for more time to release the Justice Department's cache of files relating to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, more than a month after the December deadline passed.

In a court filing made on Tuesday, Bondi, along with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, told federal judges the department could not provide a specific date for when a review of the materials would be complete.

Instead, they said they expect to release the files in the near term.

The trove of files relating to Epstein's activities include documents, audio recordings, videos and photographs. In July last year, the FBI said it all amounted to more than 300 gigabytes of data and physical evidence following a review of the materials.

open image in gallery Pam Bondi, pictured with Donald Trump, has said the Epstein files will now be released in the near term, sparking fears of further delays ( Getty Images )

A law passed almost unanimously in November had ordered the department to make the documents public by December 19, 2025, with the names of any of Epsteins victims removed before release to protect their identities.

But earlier this month, the Justice Department said it had so far released 12,285 documents  less than 1 percent  of the files, and had more than 2 million documents still in review. Tuesday's filing stresses the scale of the task the department still has to manually go through the files.

The Department has reviewed and redacted, as appropriate, several millions of pages of materials identified in [the] files, it says, but also cautions that its ongoing processes, including its quality control checks and document management system preparations, may require additional efforts to ensure the protection of victim-identifying information.

It is unclear what these additional efforts may require, but the task of manually reviewing what is in the files is already engaging hundreds of Department attorneys, agents and others, the filing says.

Along with the sluggishness of the speed of releases so far, this raises questions over whether Bondi's expectation to release of all the materials in the near term is realistic.

open image in gallery There are millions more documents still to be released on Jeffrey Epstein, pictured here with Ghislaine Maxwell ( PA )

Almost all of the 200 lawyers in the U.S. attorneys office for the Southern District of New York have been pulled into reviewing the Epstein files, according to a recent New York Times report.

It added that even prosecutors working on the highprofile case against Nicolas Maduro, the ousted Venezuelan president brought to Manhattan for prosecution, were instructed to shift their focus to the document review.

Meanwhile, public frustration is building. A CNN poll conducted between January 912 found that few Americans are satisfied with the amount of evidence released from the Epstein files.

Most respondents believe the government is intentionally holding back information, and only 16 percent said the Justice Department under Bondi was working to release all possible information.

The two representatives who successfully led the lengthy congressional effort to pass the legislation forcing the release of the files, Ro Khanna  a democrat from California  and Thomas Massie  a Kentucky Republican  have accused the Department of Justice of committing a flagrant violation of the law by failing to meet the December deadline to release the files.
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The Smithsonian Institutions vision for Americas 250th anniversary is still unclear as the institution faces pressure from President Donald Trumps administration, a new report claims.

The revered museum, education, and research complexs plans for the countrys milestone this summer remain up in the air amid an ideological battle with the Trump administration. The Hill reports

This comes after Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III said he sent some documents about planned exhibits to the White House earlier this month, in response to the administrations demand for the details of what its museums and programs are doing for the countrys 250th anniversary, the Associated Press reports.

Janet Marstine, a retired associate professor of museum studies at the University of Leicester, told The Hill that Bunch is doing his best to walk a tightrope.

Given President Trumps denial of the complexities of history and his penchant for retribution, Bunch has been forced to compromise the autonomy of Smithsonian museums, she said.

The Smithsonian Institution's plans for America's 250th anniversary are still unclear, a new report claims ( Getty Images )

Bunch is doing his best to walk a tightrope, repeatedly asserting that the Smithsonian is maintaining its independence and its professional values, but at the same time, it has to hand over on a rolling basis materials that the White House is demanding, she added.

In a letter to Bunch last month, White House budget director Russell Vought and domestic policy director Vince Haley said the Trump administration wants the Smithsonian to be well positioned to play an important role during the historic yearlong celebration of our Nations 250th birthday that is fast approaching.

We wish to be assured that none of the leadership of the Smithsonian museums is confused about the fact that the United States has been among the greatest forces for good in the history of the world, the letter reads.

The American people will have no patience for any museum that is diffident about Americas founding or otherwise uncomfortable conveying a positive view of American history, one which is justifiably proud of our countrys accomplishments and record, the letter continues.

When asked for comment, the White House provided The Independent with a statement from Mark Paoletta, general counsel for the Office of Management and Budget.

The Smithsonian provided additional documents to the White House per the White Houses letter requesting additional materials on exhibits. The documents are currently being reviewed, and we will continue to engage with the Smithsonian upon our review, Paoletta said.

The Independent has contacted the Smithsonian Institution for comment.

In March, Trump issued an executive order claiming the Smithsonian had come under the influence of divisive, race-centered ideology. He then ordered officials to work with Congress to prohibit expenditure on exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.

The White House then released a list of Smithsonian exhibits about gender, immigration, race and sexuality that it found objectionable in August.

Over the summer, the Smithsonian also removed, then reinstated, an exhibit about Trumps two impeachments. Museum officials said at the time they were "not asked by any administration or other government official to remove content from the exhibit and described the change as part of a routine replacement.

Then, earlier this month, the National Portrait Gallery swapped out Trumpsportrait and removed accompanying text that referenced his impeachment and the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. The change came after a Trump administration official previously complained about the accompanying text several months ago, according to The Washington Post.

When asked about the change, a Smithsonian spokesperson told The Independent the museum is exploring quotes or tombstone labels, which provide only general information, such as the artist's name."
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Texas Senator Ted Cruz has been mocked online after suggesting that the U.S. should be arming protesters in Iran amid the ongoing ICE chaos in Minnesota that has seen two demonstrators shot dead by federal agents.

We should be arming the protesters in Iran. NOW. For the Iranian people to overthrow the Ayatollah  a tyrant who routinely chants death to America  would make America much, much safer, Cruz wrote on X Tuesday.

It comes after Donald Trump warned that a massive Armada was heading to Iran in response to the regimes brutal crackdown on anti-government demonstrators. The president has suggested that further U.S. military action may be taken in the region if the countrys leadership does not make a deal.

Social media users were quick to point out the real-time hypocrisy of Cruzs comments, following the recent protests in Minneapolis, which resulted in the deaths of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was reportedly armed, and Renee Good.

open image in gallery Texas Senator Ted Cruz has been mocked online after suggesting that the U.S. should be arming protesters in Iran, with many pointing out the irony of his remarks amid the ongoing tensions in Minnesota ( Getty )

Oh the hypocrisy. Welcome to Clown World. You cant make this s**t up folks, wrote one user, while another added: The jokes write themselves.

We should be ARMING protesters in Iran. But if youre an armed protester in [the] USA. Youll get shot ten times. Do I have that right? added another user.

Prettis death has sparked outrage from both sides of the political aisle, and in recent days, the Trump administration has seemingly backtracked from its initial claims that he was a domestic terrorist who intended to assassinate the agents.

Even Cruz himself warned the administration that escalating the rhetoric doesn't help and it actually loses credibility.

So I would encourage the administration to be more measured, to recognize the tragedy and to say, we don't want anyone, anyone's lives, to be lost. And the politicians who are pouring gasoline onto this fire, they need to stop, he said in a recent interview.

Meanwhile, Border Patrol commander at large Gregory Bovino has been removed from Minneapolis and replaced with border czar Tom Homman. Two of the agents involved in Prettis killing have been placed on administrative leave as the internal DHS investigation into the incident continues.

open image in gallery Prettis death has sparked outrage from both sides of the political aisle, and in recent days the Trump administration appears to have climbed down somewhat from its aggressive assertions that he was a domestic terrorist who intended to assassinate the agents. Border Patrol commander at large Gregory Bovino has been removed from Minneapolis ( Getty )

Republicans and Second Amendment advocates, including the National Rifle Association, have also pushed back on Donald Trumps assertion that Pretti shouldn't have been carrying a gun while attending the protest despite having a lawful permit to carry the weapon.

The National Rifle Association, Americas biggest gun lobby, responded to remarks made by the president himself as well as a Trump-appointed official, who wrote on X: If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Dont do it!

The NRA replied directly to his post, calling his sentiment dangerous and wrong.

Other social media users responding to Cruzs post urged him and others to focus on domestic affairs, in line with Donald Trumps campaign to stay out of foreign wars and put America first.

Can you imagine if a foreign nation had their Secret Agencies arming the protesters in Minnesota right now to start a war? Can you imagine if their politicians went on a global public media outlet and asked for that? one user wrote.

How about we try staying out of other people's problems?
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The National Rifle Association, the countrys biggest gun lobby, appears to have pushed back on President Donald Trumps recent assertion that Alex Pretti shouldn't have been carrying a gun.

Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, was shot and killed Saturday by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Federal officials initially accused Pretti of brandishing his gun at agents. However, a new preliminary review by a Department of Homeland Security internal watchdog made no mention of Pretti brandishing a weapon.

In the days after the shooting, some Republicans have ripped the nurse for carrying a gun, despite him having a permit for it. That has caused the gun lobby to speak out against those claims.

When asked Tuesday if he agreed with some officials who described Pretti as a domestic terrorist, Trump replied: "I haven't heard that, but certainly shouldn't have been carrying a gun."

The NRA now appears to have responded to Trumps statement, but did not mention him by name.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump told reporters that Alex Pretti shouldnt have been carrying a gun. That comments has drawn ire from the NRA ( AP )

The NRA unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be, the gun lobby wrote on X following Trumps remarks.

This comes after the NRA slammed a Justice Department official appointed by the Trump administration who weighed in on the shooting just hours after it happened.

Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, wrote on X: If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Dont do it!

The NRA replied directly to his post, calling his sentiment dangerous and wrong.

Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens, the NRA wrote.

open image in gallery Federal immigration agents shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis over the weekend, he had a gun but it was not brandished ( AFP via Getty Images )

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed Pretti was brandishing a gun before he was killed. Stephen Miller, one of Trumps top advisers, called Pretti a would-be assassin.

Footage of the shooting shows Pretti was only holding a cell phone in his hand, not a weapon, before federal agents pulled him to the ground and shot him. An analysis by The Washington Post also indicates agents secured a handgun Pretti was carrying before he was shot.

A preliminary review by the U.S. Customs and Border Protections Office of Professional Responsibility released Tuesday also makes no mention of Pretti brandishing a gun at agents.

Investigators believe Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry a weapon, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara has said.

The Trump administration is still reviewing the incident, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this week.

As President Trump said yesterday, the administration is reviewing everything with respect to the shooting, and we will let that investigation play out, she told reporters Monday.
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The head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency uploaded "sensitive" contracting materials to a public version of ChatGPT, triggering an internal review, according to a new report.

Madhu Gottumukkala, CISA's acting director under President Donald Trump, shared the files with the AI platform last summer, multiple unnamed Department of Homeland Security officials told Politico.

Though not classified, the documents were marked for official use only  indicating they were sensitive and not for public release. Their upload set off automated alerts designed to prevent disclosure of government materials, the outlet said.

In August, top DHS officials conducted an internal review to determine whether any government infrastructure had been harmed by the upload, sources said. The review's outcome remains unknown.

Gottumukkala  who previously served as chief information officer for South Dakotas Bureau of Information and Technology  had obtained special permission to use ChatGPT, which most DHS employees were prohibited from accessing.

He forced CISAs hand into making them give him ChatGPT, one officials told Politico. And then he abused it.

open image in gallery The head of Trump's cyber defense agency, Madhu Gottumukkala, uploaded sensitive material to a public ChatGPT, according to a new report ( Getty Images )

Data entered into ChatGPT's public version  built by OpenAI  can be incorporated into prompts, potentially exposing it to the apps nearly one billion users.

Marci McCarthy, CISAs director of public affairs, appeared to dismiss the incident in an emailed statement to Politico. She noted that Gottumukkala was granted permission to use ChatGPT with DHS controls in place, and described the use as short-term and limited.

Acting Director Dr. Madhu Gottumukkala last used ChatGPT in mid-July 2025 under an authorized temporary exception granted to some employees, she added. CISAs security posture remains to block access to ChatGPT by default unless granted an exception.

She also noted that the agency  charged with bolstering the defenses of government networks against countries like China and Russia  is committed to enhancing Americas dominance in AI, as outlined by a January 2025 executive order from Trump.

Representatives for the CISA and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Independent.

open image in gallery The uploaded material included documents that were labeled 'for official use only,' according to Politico ( Getty Images )

Gottumukkala has led CISA since May, when DHS Secretary Kristi Noem tapped him to serve as deputy director. During his brief tenure, he has been involved in several controversies.

At least half a dozen CISA staffers were placed on leave last year after Gottumukkala failed a polygraph test he had requested, Politico reported. He has since denied failing it, telling a congressman last week that he didnt accept the premise of that characterization.

The disclosure of ChatGPT use at CISA coincides with the widespread embrace of AI by U.S. workers. Twelve percent of adults report using AI daily at their job, according to a new Gallup poll.
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Donald Trump has hung a picture of himself with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the White House, a move that will likely raise eyebrows among U.S. allies.

The photo of the two world leaders was taken during their summit in Alaska last August, and has been placed above a picture of Trump with one of his grandchildren.

The framed image has been placed in a vestibule area connecting the West Wing to the residence, according to Elizabeth Landers, White House correspondent for PBS News, who shared a photo of it on X.

open image in gallery The photo shows Donald Trump with Vladimir Putin when they met in Alaska ( EPA )

The photo was praised by Kirill Dmitriev, one of Russias key negotiators who has met several times with Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Good, Dmitriev said. A picture is worth a thousand words.

But others were less impressed with the latest addition to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

U.S. senator for Virginia Mark Warner posted about the placement of the two photos: Putting Putin above the American people and his own family. Almost a little too on the nose.

open image in gallery The photo was placed above another showing the US president with his granddaughter ( EPA )

Estonian politician Marko Mihkelson expressed fears about what the apparent celebration of Trumps relationship with Putin meant for the ongoing war in Ukraine.

If it is true that the U.S. president considers it appropriate to hang on the White House wall a photo of the greatest war criminal of the 21st century, then a just and sustainable peace will have to wait. Unfortunately, he wrote.

The White House renovated the Palm Room last month, the latest in a series of major changes Trump has made since he returned to office last year.

Trump and Putin met in Anchorage on August 15 last year, the first encounter between U.S. and Russian leaders since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

The red carpet was rolled out for Putin, while his forces continued fighting their war of attrition in eastern Ukraine.

open image in gallery Trump met Putin at an air base in Anchorage, Alaska last summer ( AFP/Getty )

The meeting was hailed as a victory in Moscow, with the two leaders enthusiastically sharing two handshakes, and Putin was greeted as if he were a close ally.

In what appeared to be an unscripted moment, Putin decided to travel in Trumps armoured limousine known as The Beast, rather than taking his own presidential car. In footage of them leaving the airbase, Putin could be seen sitting in the backseat and laughing.

The Kremlin said earlier this week that the meeting would be included in updated versions of history textbooks in school, beginning in the next academic year, The Times reported.
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The two Republican senators whom President Donald Trump deemed losers for saying that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem needed to step aside sniped back at the president.

Im kind of excited about being called a loser, Sen. Thom Tillis told The Independent. Apparently that qualifies me to be DHS secretary and senior adviser to the president.

Tillis of North Carolina and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska had both called on Noem to resign after the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, by Customs and Border Protection officials. Noem and others officials immediately labeled Pretti a domestic terrorist. Noem claimed that he had brandished a handgun before being shot, but video showed that did not happen.

In response, calls for her job have increased on both sides of the political aisle and in public.

On Wednesday, the president blasted both senators in an interview with ABC News.

Well, they're both losers, he said. You know, what can I tell you? They're terrible senators. One is gone and the other should be gone.

open image in gallery Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) talks with reporters about the shooting death of Alex Pretti by federal agents. He said he took Trump labeling him a loser as a badge of honor ( Getty Images )

Tillis announced last year that he would not seek re-election after opposing Trumps One Big, Beautiful Bill. Tillis has repeatedly criticized White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller for his talk about taking Greenland by military force.

Trump told ABC News that Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.

But Tillis said he did not care.

I never really wanted a voice here, I try to stay out of the way of folks who try to rush to the cameras, he told The Independent. Tillis also laughed at the idea of being called a loser.

Murkowski responded in a similar way.

open image in gallery Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined Tillis in saying that Kristi Noem needed to resign as Homeland Security secretary. ( Getty Images )

You know, he obviously disagrees with my assessment of the job that Secretary Noem is doing, and ultimately its his call as to who he keeps in this position, she told The Independent.

Murkowski told The Independent that last year she had voted to confirm Noem but would likely not do so today.

It's his call as to who he keeps in this position, whether it's Secretary Noem or someone else, I understand that, and he'll decide, she said. I think he deserves better.

Trump and Murkowski have had a contentious relationship. Murkowski voted against his attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and voted to convict him for his actions on Jan. 6.

In Trumps second term, she voted against the confirmation of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel. Murkowski also voted for the One Big, Beautiful Bill that gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement $75 billion.

After the killing of Pretti, Murkowski called for a full investigation, along with a handful of other Republicans.

But even Senate Majority Leader John Thune criticized calling Pretti a domestic terrorist.

You had a citizen in this country killed, but, you know, based on the evidence that I've seen so far, that wouldn't be a characterization I would use, he told The Independent.
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The Trump administration has concluded that San Jose State University discriminated against women by permitting a transgender athlete to compete on its womens volleyball team, the US Education Department announced on Wednesday.

The department has presented San Jose State with a resolution deal. Under its terms, the California-based university would be required to adopt the administrations definitions of "male" and "female," reinstate titles and records that officials claim were "misappropriated by male athletes," and issue an apology to female athletes.

University officials have yet to comment on the matter.

This action is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration against states, schools, and colleges that allow transgender athletes, a policy President Donald Trump has pledged to end.

Should San Jose State reject the proposed agreement, it could face a lawsuit from the Justice Department and risk losing crucial federal funding.

Several opposing teams reportedly refused to play against San Jose State, resulting in forfeitures ( AP2011 )

The investigation into San Jose State commenced in February, running concurrently with a similar inquiry at the University of Pennsylvania. Penn subsequently agreed to a comparable deal, which involved modifying school records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and apologising to other members of the swim team.

Department officials assert that San Jose State violated Title IX, a 1972 gender equity law, by allowing a transgender athlete on the team and for allegedly retaliating against players who voiced opposition to the decision.

Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary for civil rights at the Education Department, stated: "We will not relent until SJSU is held to account for these abuses and commits to upholding Title IX to protect future athletes from the same indignities."

San Jose States volleyball team garnered national attention after nine players filed a lawsuit challenging the leagues policies on transgender athlete participation, arguing it was unfair and posed a safety risk. Several opposing teams reportedly refused to play against San Jose State, resulting in forfeitures.

San Jose State has not publicly confirmed the presence of a transgender player on its volleyball team.

As part of the administrations proposed deal, the university would be compelled to send a personalised apology to every woman who played on the womens indoor volleyball team from 2022 through 2024, on the 2023 beach volleyball team, and to any woman who forfeited a match rather than compete against San Jose State.
Coca-Cola. Netflix. Google. Apple. Amazon. McDonalds. Starbucks. These are just a handful of the US mega-brands that many of us use or spend money on every single day. But for some Brits, thats no longer the case. They might not be able to let President Trump know exactly what they think of his policies, but what they can do is put their money where their mouth is and boycott American companies.

Activist and content creator Caroline has been actively trying not to support the USA for around a decade now, after learning about imperialism, capitalism, corporate giants and the fact that [the US] has largely monopolised the world. She has been boycotting big US brands  McDonalds, Amazon, Starbucks  for as long as she can remember, but after the recent events in America, and comments by the US president, she has noticed a real sea change in attitudes.

When she has previously expressed her opinions about it online, shes been met with ridicule or criticism. But when she posted a now-viral TikTok video earlier this month about how to boycott America, the vast majority of people agreed, particularly people within the USA.

Even Americans themselves are saying the best way to help them is to boycott, Caroline adds. We should listen to that. Because America is driven by cash, she argues, we need to speak its language. People think boycotts dont work, but they do if we take collective action.

For support worker Sally*, the catalyst was the heartbreaking image of five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, seen around the world last week. The youngster, pictured wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack, was taken from outside his home in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers last week, along with his father, Adrian.

The family had an active asylum case after arriving in the US from Ecuador, and had no deportation order against them, according to their attorney. The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, described Liams father as an illegal alien. I cannot get his face out of my mind, and felt I had to do something, says Sally.

open image in gallery ICEs raids have sparked protests ( AFP/Getty )

So, she and her family are concentrating on quitting a few hi-vis American brands, like Coca-Cola. I wont buy it, serve it to friends or order it ever again, she says. American alcohol is now off-limits, too, plus theyve decided not to travel to the USA for holidays until this horror has passed.

We used to visit roughly every two years, spending around 5,000 a time. We have many lovely American friends and adore their beautiful national parks, but have decided to go elsewhere, she tells me, hopeful that these actions will, collectively, give the US public cause for thought to demand policy changes from their president.

Fifty-five-year-old author and speaker Vie Portland has taken a similar approach. When Trump came into power again, we didnt want to do anything that would line his and his allies pockets, so we started exploring more companies [to boycott], she says.

She has since stopped buying from the likes of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, instead going for soft drinks from Salaam Cola, Karma Drinks or UK-based companies. Dominos, Papa Johns, Starbucks and Costa (owned by the Coca-Cola Company) are also on her no-buy list. We havent found a good alternative to takeaway pizza, but thats probably a good thing. And its always better to support local cafes.

Even Americans themselves are saying the best way to help them is to boycott Caroline, TikTok creator

Since Trumps second inauguration last January, a series of cumulative events has prompted some Brits to reassess where their money is going, says Dr Matthew Mokhefi-Ashton, lecturer in politics and the media at Nottingham Trent University. Last year saw the president impose tariffs on British imports (which he has since threatened to crank up), and, more recently, Trumps fixation with annexing Greenland from Denmark, along with the ICE raids, has raised yet more concerns.

Trumps recent comments about Nato troops marked another absolute turning point for many consumers, too, Mokhefi-Ashton says. Last week, the president claimed that non-US soldiers had stayed a little back, a little off the front lines in conflict  a statement that inevitably sparked anger. In a trademark U-turn, he later walked back his words, singling out the GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom as being among the greatest of all warriors in a post on Truth Social.

But the harm had already been done: his remarks, Mokhefi-Ashton adds, were hugely damaging, and will have prompted people who up until that point hadnt really thought about boycotting the US, and might even have been quite supportive of America, to seriously start thinking about it, and think, What differences could I make?

open image in gallery The UdenUSA app has proved popular in Denmark ( UdenUSA )

Other countries have something of a head start when it comes to boycotting Trumps America. Canadians, Mokhefi-Ashton notes, have understandably been less than impressed by his implications that hed like them to be the 51st state, and his disparaging references to their prime minister as a governor. Tariffs, too, have caused bad feeling.

Its a proud, independent country, Mokhefi-Ashton says. To be belittled in this way by their closest neighbour  its hard to see any country not taking that incredibly badly, and saying, This is going to translate into genuine action. In the first nine months of 2025, Canadian visitor numbers to the US dropped by 22 per cent year-on-year, while sales of US wine have dropped by a staggering 91 per cent since 2024.

And in Denmark, an app called UdenUSA (NonUSA in English) has leapt to the top of Apples App Store charts (yes, there is a certain irony to the Apple of it all, but no boycott is perfect). It allows users to scan groceries and other products to check whether they are American-made; the logic is that shoppers can then put that brand back on the shelf and spend their kroner on a Danish or European alternative. Every time you buy an American product, you indirectly support a system that works against many of the values we cherish in Europe, its website reads.

It can be difficult to measure the impact of customer-level boycotts, Mokhefi-Ashton explains. And, he adds, the US economy is so massive compared to ours [in the UK] that, purely on an individual level, the average persons boycotting doesnt actually make that much of an economic impact. Instead, he says, it plays more into the symbolism of saying This is something concrete that I can do, so Im doing my part. Portland agrees. I know the small amount we were spending on these things wont make any difference to the companies, but I believe strongly in the power of us as a whole community, she says.

Indeed, none of the boycotters I speak to have any illusions about being able to entirely detach their lives from the US economy. Portland is self-employed and relies on (US-owned) social media to promote her business. Caroline, meanwhile, is aware that, working in social media and content creation, the majority of companies that hire me, or platforms that I use, are American-owned. But, she says, unless you live off grid, Id argue that a total boycott of America and its products is impossible. That is late-stage capitalism for you.

open image in gallery Travel may be one area where boycotting could make a difference ( Getty/iStock )

However, tourism might be one area where potentially boycotting could make a difference, Mokhefi-Ashton says. Reports of travellers being detained at the border and proposed policies about social-media screening have made the US seem like a far less desirable destination. A recent poll posted by The Independents travel expert Simon Calder on Twitter/X found that four out of five of the 12,000 self-selecting respondents wouldnt currently travel to the US.

Foreigners refusing to travel to the US equates directly with less money being spent there. Last year, a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council estimated that the US would lose $12.5bn (9bn) in international visitor spending in 2025. Its also, frankly, a very easy boycott: you can simply decide to go elsewhere, or to postpone your trip until someone else is in office.

And for those who are sceptical about whether seemingly small actions can ever really make a difference? Consider the 3.5 per cent rule, a concept developed by Harvard political scientists Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan. After analysing non-violent resistance movements throughout history, they concluded that peaceful protests mobilising just 3.5 per cent of a countrys population (thats about one in every 35 people) tend to achieve their goals and bring about change. As Chenoweth has put it, a surprisingly small proportion of the population guarantees a successful campaign.

The US population is approximately 333 million, so 3.5 per cent would be roughly 11 to 12 million people  the population of Greater Los Angeles. In the UK, 3.5 per cent would equate to around 2.45 million people. Thats just a bit less than the entire population of Manchester. So its not an insignificant figure, by any means. But its probably far smaller than the number you might initially have thought would make a real difference  and perhaps compelling proof that doing your bit isnt futile.

Just one person performing one immaculate boycott wont make a dent, Caroline reckons. But all of us collectively boycotting even a fraction of what we [used] before will. And she has a message for those who think these changes wont make a difference at all. I hope you stop admitting defeat and join the movement for a better world eventually. We will be waiting for you when youre ready.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio walked back U.S. military threats in Venezuela in his testimony to senators about the Trump administrations next steps in the country after the capture of its longtime leader Nicolas Maduro.

In prepared remarks to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday, Rubio said the U.S. is prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail, adding that the administration will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere.

But he later testified that the U.S. is not postured for taking any military action in Venezuela at any time.

Rubios testimony is the first from any Trump official after strikes on alleged drug-running boats that have killed dozens of people in international waters. It was also the first hearing after a lethal U.S. military operation to capture Maduro, the culmination of President Donald Trumps months-long pressure campaign to topple the autocrats government and run Venezuela with oil companies in tow.

I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time, Rubio said Wednesday. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy.

open image in gallery Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking Wednesday, denied that the Trump administration will take imminent military action in Venezuela after ousting leader Nicolas Maduro ( Getty )

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy pressed Rubio on whether the administration would seek congressional authorization to compel cooperation over oil sales at the center of the U.S. occupation in Venezuela.

Rubio admitted that the administration is required to notify Congress if we're going to be involved in something that's going to put us in there, involved, in a sustained way, but he said he doesnt anticipate that happening.

Everything is moving in a very different trajectory right now, he said. We dont anticipate it, but it could happen, but we hope not. We dont want it to happen. On the contrary, if we had to take military action, it would set us back on all these other things  were talking about.

Military intervention is not good for, you know, recovery and transition, he said.

Thats not what we hope to see, he added. Its certainly not our goal here. A lot of that will depend on them, but I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time.

After their capture, Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to four charges related to U.S. allegations that the ousted president and top officials in his administration steered a massive cocaine trafficking operation.

open image in gallery Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to four charges related to US allegations that the ousted Venezuelan leader and top officials in his administration steered a massive cocaine trafficking operation ( REUTERS )

The U.S. has also seized Venezuelan oil tankers and directed at least 30 attacks on alleged drug-running boats off the countrys coast and in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing more than 120 people since September.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine blasted what he called the complete weakness of the legal rationale behind the boat strikes, which lawmakers only received in classified briefings.

I cant tell you why the rationale for attacking Venezuela is hollow because, again, it was shared in a closed setting, including the murder of shipwrecked survivors, Kaine said.

Even in this first public hearing, five months in, theres a lot we cant talk about, he said. If it was such a righteous operation, why is the administration and the [Republican] majority in the Senate so jealously protecting the details about it?

open image in gallery More than 120 people have been killed in US military strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Pacific Ocean and off Venezuelas coast ( US Southern Command )

In a press conference after Maduros capture earlier this month, Trump said an interim group with top administration officials will run Venezuela for a period of time until the United States determines a peaceful and just transition can take place.

Trump did not rule out the possibility of American boots on the ground, though he suggested U.S. military assets would protect the countrys vast oil infrastructure in a nation with the largest proven oil reserves in the world.

Were going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country, Trump said.

The United States will then sell large amounts of oil to other countries, according to Trump.

Were in the oil business, he said. Were going to sell it to them.

open image in gallery Trump, flanked by Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, held a meeting with oil executives January 9 on US plans for Venezuelas oil reserves after Maduros capture ( AFP via Getty Images )

Senator Murphy accused the Trump administration of taking their oil at gunpoint.

You are holding and selling that oil, he said.

Rubio, who also serves as Trumps national security adviser, acknowledged that the Trump administration gave no-bid licenses to two U.S. oil trading companies to get Venezuelan oil to market, which he called a short-term fix while a long-term plan involves direct sales to refineries and an expanded presence from companies like Chevron.

He said the Trump administration has also offered up a short-term mechanism to support basic Venezuelan government services, but Rubio refused to commit to a timeline for a democratic transition.

Three or four or five months from now cannot look like what today looks like, he said.
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Australian authorities euthanised a group of dingoes following the death of a Canadian backpacker on Kgari, angering traditional owners and triggering warnings from wildlife experts that the move could harm the islands fragile canine population.

Queensland officials said six dingoes had been put down in Kgari, formerly known as Fraser Island, after rangers identified a pack of 10 dogs they believed surrounded the body of Piper James, 19, when it was found on a beach on the World Heritage-listed island on 19 January.

The state government said the culling followed observations of aggressive behaviour by the animals.

A spokesperson for the Coroners Court of Queensland said a preliminary autopsy of James found evidence consistent with drowning, along with injuries consistent with dingo bites.

The court added that pre-mortem bite marks likely did not cause immediate death. A full investigation was underway.

Queenslands environment minister, Andrew Powell, said killing the dingo pack was appropriate for public safety and that the operation would continue.

The Butchulla people, the traditional owners of Kgari, said they were not consulted before the dingoes were euthanised. The Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation said in a statement to Australian media that the decision was unexpected and disappointing.

Once again, it feels as though economic priorities are being placed above the voices of the people and traditional owners, which is frustrating and difficult to accept, it said.

A zookeeper interacts with Daku the Dingo at Perth Zoo ( Getty )

Wildlife experts said the culling risked undermining an already vulnerable population. Mathew Crowther, a professor of quantitative conservation biology at the University of Sydney, told AFP that Kgaris dingo population, estimated at between 70 and 200, was genetically isolated.

Removing a whole pack could damage genetic diversity, he said, adding that dingoes often lost their fear of people because of repeated interactions with tourists, some of whom ignored strict bans on feeding the animals.

Dr Kylie Cairns, a dingo geneticist at the University of New South Wales, told The Guardian the population already showed high levels of inbreeding and that further reductions could push it towards an extinction vortex, increasing the risk of disease and reproductive problems.

Jamess death is the first fatal dingo attack on the island in about a quarter century. A nine-year-old boy was killed in 2001 and dozens of dingoes were subsequently culled.

The latest incident has reignited debate over whether tourism pressures on Kgari are making coexistence between humans and dingoes increasingly difficult.

Jamess father, Todd James, said on social media that news of the euthanisation of dingoes was heart-wrenching, but acknowledged that authorities might have felt compelled to act over safety concerns.

Dingo is a wild dog native to Australia and is considered an apex predator. They are descended from ancient Asian domestic dogs that arrived in the area thousands of years ago.
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A former French senator has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of drugging a female MP with the intent to sexually assault her.

Joel Guerriau must serve 18 months of the term behind bars and has been ordered to pay Sandrine Josso 5,000 (4,350) in damages for causing emotional distress.

The 68-year-old is said to have invited Ms Josso, a member of the French National Assembly, to his flat in Paris in November 2023, where he admitted to spiking her drink with MDMA.

Guerriau  who served as senator for Loire-Atlantique from 2011 to 2025  claimed it was an accident and that he had no intention of assaulting her. His lawyers are appealing the verdict.

Court documents quoted by French media say Ms Josso visited Guerriaus home to celebrate his re-election when she began feeling unwell after drinking from a champagne glass.

open image in gallery Joel Guerriau served as senator between 2011 and 2025 and voted for legislation making drugging with the intent to commit rape or sexual assault a crime ( AP )

The drink tasted unusual and Ms Josso thought maybe it was a bad champagne but when Guerriau insisted they toast again, the 50-year-old became alarmed.

Ms Josso noticed her heart was racing and left the flat to visit a hospital with the help of a friend. A toxicology report revealed that she had three times the recreational dose of MDMA in her body.

"I had gone to visit a friend and I discovered an aggressor," she said while giving evidence on Monday.

He looked at me insistently, I'd never seen him that way. I didn't want to show him my weakness, because I was worried that if I told him I wasn't feeling well, he would've forced me to lie down.

Guerriau said that he had been going through a difficult mental health period and had been suffering from depression when the incident occurred. He had been meaning to take the drug himself the night before and had accidentally administered it to Ms Josso instead, he claimed.

In short, I am an idiot, he said.

open image in gallery Sandrine Josso said she feels she has been frozen in time ( Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

I feel sorry for Sandrine, he told the court. I am disgusted with myself, with my recklessness and my stupidity.

He said: We don't talk about the effects of these drugs enough. All I want is to speak out on the dangers of these products.

The former senator said that he had no recollection about making several internet searches around ecstasy and said: I was on the train, thoughts and ideas just come to you, adding that government members need to show interest in all current events.

Ms Josso was forced to take six months off from work due to the ordeal and had to have four teeth removed due to grinding her teeth from the stress.

Prosecutor Benjamin Coulon noted that Guerriau had voted for the law that made it illegal to administer a harmful substance with intent to commit rape or sexual assault.

What I went through is still very painful, Ms Josso said. Psychological trauma feels like being frozen in time... I jump at the slightest thing. I've become very vulnerable.
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A man was killed and a woman was left seriously injured after a 20-tonne boulder fell through their house in Menorca and crushed them during a landslide.

The huge rock crashed through the terrace of the building in Cala Sant Esteve, tearing through two floors and into the couples bedroom in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The man, 66, was found dead under the rubble, while his partner, 62, was taken to hospital with injuries, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.

The woman, who was identified locally as an employee of the Es Castell Town Council, was still conscious when she was rescued more than three hours after the accident, with rescue efforts hampered by the landslide.

Initial tests uncovered multiple injuries, including crushing to her lower limbs.

All seven people who lived in the house were at home at the time of the accident ( EPA )

A dozen homes in the Fort Marlborough area were evacuated because of the landslide, while a crane was brought in to move the rock.

All seven people who lived in the house were at home at the time of the accident, according to 20minutos.

Mayor of Es Castell, Lluis Camps, said: The aim is to rescue the victim as soon as possible because the weather conditions are not very favourable.

The town council said in a statement: From the Es Castell Town Council we express our deepest condolences for the tragedy that today has cost the life of one of our neighbours, in Cala Sant Esteve.

We want to convey all our support, affection and respect to the family, friends and close people, in these difficult times.

We also send all our support to the person who has been injured, our neighbour and companion, and we remain at the disposal of the families and all the affected people to offer any help that is necessary.

A team from the University of the Balearic Islands will head out on Wednesday to assess parts of the cliff that could be compromised.

Heavy rains caused flooding across the islands as Storm Ingrid brought chaos to mainland Spain. Ibiza, south of Mallorca, saw rain, strong winds and lightning, felling trees and bringing travel disruption to the island.

State meteorological agency AEMET issued rare red warnings in the northwest last week as the storm brought heavy snow, strong winds and dangerous sea conditions.
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A Russian drone strike has killed five people aboard a passenger train in northeastern Ukraine, prosecutors confirmed on Tuesday, an attack President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned as an act of terrorism.

The assault, which set the train on fire, occurred just hours after a separate barrage of Russian drones targeted the southern city of Odesa overnight, killing three and injuring 25. These incidents underscore Moscow's escalating campaign of strikes, seemingly aimed at compelling Kyiv to cease hostilities.

Meanwhile, the capital Kyiv continues to grapple with the aftermath of last week's attacks, with Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal reporting that 710,000 residents remain without power. This ongoing targeting of energy infrastructure forms part of Russia's winter offensive, even as Ukraine faces international pressure to agree to a US-backed peace deal to end the nearly four-year conflict.

In northeastern Kharkiv Region, prosecutors said fragments of five bodies had been found at the scene of the strike on the train by a village. Photographs posted online showed at least two carriages in flames next to a snow-covered railbed.

"In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be considered in exactly the same way  purely as terrorism," Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

"Our cause  and this is what should unite all normal people in the world  is to ensure the progress of protecting life. This is possible through pressure on Russia."

open image in gallery Smoke rises from an apartment building after it was hit during overnight Russian drone strikes, amid Russia's attack in Odesa, ( REUTERS )

Zelenskiy had earlier decried a "brutal" attack by more than 50 drones on Odesa as Ukrainian and Russian negotiators prepare for new talks on Sunday.

"Every such Russian strike erodes the diplomacy that is still ongoing and undermines the efforts of partners who are helping to end this war," Zelenskiy wrote on X.

Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said two children and a pregnant woman were among the wounded in the strikes on the city. Dozens of residential buildings, a church, a kindergarten and a high school were damaged, he said.

By midday on Tuesday, rescue workers were still digging through a mountain of rubble outside a building where emergency officials said two residents had been killed. It was ripped open across several floors.

Resident Denys Tsybulskiy stood outside the building trying to reach his neighbour, who he said was trapped under the debris but had showed signs of using his phone.

"He can't pick up the phone, he can't talk, but there's hope that he's laying there," he said.

An elderly man looked on as rescuers carried away the body of his 52-year-old daughter.

The overnight attack also led to the "colossal destruction" of an energy facility in the city, leading private power provider DTEK said in a statement.

Odesa, on Ukraine's strategically critical Black Sea coast, has come under increasing attack in recent months.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said 40% of households had no electricity a day after a combined drone and missile attack.

Ukraine's air force said Russian troops had launched 165 drones overnight - 135 of them neutralised by air defences.

Russian and Ukrainian officials are expected to hold another round of U.S.-brokered talks on Sunday after meeting last weekend in Abu Dhabi.

Writing on X, Zelenskiy urged Kyiv's allies to boost pressure on Moscow, which has demanded Ukraine cede land that Russian forces have been unable to capture before it stops fighting.

"We expect the United States, Europe, and other partners not to remain silent about this and to remember that achieving real peace requires pressure precisely on Moscow."

Ukraine is asking partners, particularly the U.S., for strong security guarantees in the event of a peace deal that would prevent Russia from attacking again.

A source familiar with internal discussions told Reuters on Tuesday that the U.S. has told Ukraine it must sign on to a peace deal with Russia in order to get U.S. security guarantees.
Close 'Evil must stop: Zelenskyy mourns latest Russian attack on miners as he confirms next diplomatic talks in UAE

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Russian forces have been accused of carrying out a double tap drone strike on a bus on Sunday, in an attack which killed 12 miners.

The bus, operated by Ukrainian energy company DTEK, was struck in the Dnipropetrovsk region in what the firm described as a large-scale terrorist attack, injuring a further 16 people.

Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraines defence minister, has since claimed that Russian forces were became aware the bus was containing civilians when it attacked for a second time.

He said on Telegram that a Shahed pilot saw a bus below and decided to attack it, adding that the driver lost control under the influence of the blast wave and drove into the fence before injured people began to flee.

At this time, the operator of the second Shahed saw people and directed the Shahed directly at civilians, Beskrestnov said.

The operators from the territory of Russia 100% saw and recognized the target as a civilian, saw that it was not a military person and made a conscious decision to attack, he added.

Meanwhile, both the Kremlin and Volodymyr Zelensky have confirmed the second round of Ukraine-Russia-US talks is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
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The US has signalled that security guarantees will only be provided to Ukraine if it agrees to surrender territory in the Donbas to Russia, according to a report.

White House officials are said to have told Volodymyr Zelensky that the guarantees will only be given if a deal is agreed to give Moscow control of the entire Donbas region in eastern Ukraine  a red line for Kyiv.

Sources close to the discussions told the Financial Times that the Trump administration would provide additional weapons to strengthen Ukraines military in the event of a peace deal if Kyiv withdraws its forces from the region. Mr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will not give up any occupied land without first holding a referendum.

European and Ukrainian officials see Washingtons position as an attempt to place pressure on Kyiv to agree to a deal, with doubts raised over whether the White House is ready to make binding commitments on security.

open image in gallery US president Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to accept a peace deal ( AP )

Anna Kelly, the White House deputy press secretary, told The Independent that the FT report was totally false.

The United States only role in the peacemaking process is to bring both sides together to make a deal, she said. Its a shame that the Financial Times is letting malicious actors lie anonymously in order to muck up the peace process, which is in a great place after this weekends historic trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi.

The talks were held behind closed doors, and marked the first time that officials from the US, Russia and Ukraine had sat in the same room for discussions on peace since Russias invasion began in February 2022.

Officials involved in the talks told the Kyiv Post that both sides had held discussions on key issues, such as territory and the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia power plant, that went beyond maximalist public statements by both sides.

open image in gallery President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan receives the heads of delegations participating in the UAE-hosted trilateral talks ( via Reuters )

A US official told the newspaper that both sides were testing how flexible each others red lines really are. Talks will resume on Sunday.

Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines foreign minister, said in an interview with European Pravda published on Tuesday that there had been a qualitative change in the peace talks, specifically in the participants from the Russian delegation.

These are different people, and there were no more pseudohistorical lectures. The conversations were very focused, he said.

Moscows delegation was previously headed by Vladimir Medinski, an aide to Vladimir Putin notorious for holding long historical discussions during the talks. It is now being led by General Igor Kostyukov, the director of Russias military intelligence agency, the GRU.
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This article first appeared on our partner site, Independent Persian

As the number of citizens raising their voice against the regime continues to grow in the ongoing Iranian national revolution, numerous reports reaching Independent Persian from cities across Iran point to an unprecedented deterioration in the treatment and condition of detainees.

These accounts detail widespread torture, deaths in custody and the covert transfer of bodies to morgues  events that recall the darkest chapters of repression in the history of the Islamic republic since 1979.

In Isfahan, several political and human rights activists told Independent Persian that a number of detainees from the current uprising are being held in a warehouse near Dastgerd Prison that lacks basic facilities. The location reportedly lacks even basic sanitation and has no access to medical care.

According to these sources, several bodies are removed from the warehouse almost daily and transferred to Isfahans morgue. The citys forensic medicine department is reported to be falsifying causes of death as car accidents or being shot in the street, while witnesses claim many of the victims were healthy when they were first transferred to the warehouse.

In Tehran, a source told Independent Persian: Some of the bodies brought to the Kahrizak morgue [in Tehran] showed no signs of gunshot wounds, but there were clear marks of bruising and hand pressure around their necks. According to the source, these transfers took place on 19 January, and the warmth of the bodies indicated that they had been strangled to death inside the detention centre.

The scale of the atrocity is so vast that my hands tremble as I speak or write about it, he added.

open image in gallery Iranians residing in Armenia hold a demonstration in solidarity with protestors in Iran, outside the countrys embassy in Yerevan, in mid-January ( AFP/Getty )

In Mashhad, reports describe the nighttime transfer of detainees to undisclosed locations, severe beatings in detention centres, and security forces storming hospitals to arrest the wounded.

According to these reports, plainclothes security agents and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), armed with military weapons, entered medical facilities and took injured protesters away, including those in critical condition. Medical sources say the injured have not returned to treatment wards.

A video sent to Independent Persian from Mashhad shows that on the evening of Friday 9 January, protesters stormed a detention facility inside a Basij centre on Vakilabad Boulevard, freed detainees and set the building on fire. The Basij are a paramilitary group within the IRGC.

In Shiraz, former detainees said that, during the initial days of their detention, they were subjected to severe beatings, psychological abuse and threats of execution. According to them, mock executions were repeatedly used as a tool to terrorise them. Some also reported the secret transfer of bodies to morgues and pressure on families to remain silent.

In Karaj, particularly in Fardis, Independent Persian received information about the killing of five law enforcement personnel who were shot by IRGC and Basij forces on the nights of 8 and 9 January for refusing to carry out orders. This revelation exposes another dimension of the crisis, showing that repression has reached a point where even regime forces face immediate physical elimination for disobedience.

open image in gallery Protests across Iran have been met with a fierce reaction from the countrys government, the scale of which is still unknown due to an internet blackout ( Getty )

A released detainee from Karaj, using the alias Mehrdad for security reasons, said: I personally saw them fire a final shot at a wounded civilian in the street. He had been shot and was lying there; then they went over and finished him off.

In Hamedan, families have reported severe beatings of detainees, days-long uncertainty about their fate, and the handover of bodies on the condition that they be buried immediately and without any ceremony. Some families said they were insulted and beaten by security forces while searching for their childrens bodies.

Several released detainees also told Independent Persian that among the arresting forces were people with Arabic accents who spoke Persian with difficulty. These accounts align with earlier reports of the entry of at least 5,000 fighters affiliated with the Iranian-backed Iraqi paramilitary group, the Popular Mobilisation Forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) into Iran to participate in the repression, arrests and killings of citizens.

In Rasht, one source told Independent Persian: When families went to look for their childrens lifeless bodies, they were beaten over the head with batons and told: Move it, go find your bastard.

open image in gallery An anti-Iranian regime protester in Turkey holds the pre-1979 revolution Iran flag, with the lion and sun emblems, during a demonstration in Yalova, on 16 January ( AFP/Getty )

These patterns are recurring against the backdrop of the Islamic republics longstanding record of killing detainees since it seized power in February 1979.

This trajectory began in the prisons and detention centres of the early revolutionary years, continued through the 1980s and 1990s, and became emblematic during the 2009 protests with the deaths of young protesters such as Amir Javadifar, Mohsen Rouholamini, Mohammad Kamrani, Ramin Ghahramani and Ahmad Nejatikar in the Kahrizak detention centre.

The same pattern persisted during the nationwide uprising of 2022, with dozens dying in custody or shortly after release due to the severity of torture, including Javad Rouhi, Arshia Emamgholizadeh, Yalda Aghafazli, Alireza Feli and Pouya Gheysvandi.

Human rights activists warn that, under current conditions  marked by the expansion of extrajudicial arrests, systematic torture and the secret transfer of bodies  the number of detainees who die in custody could be significantly higher than in the past.

In this context, Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, warned on 21 January that the death toll of Irans national revolution might exceed 20,000. Ms Sato said initial estimates pointed to around 5,000 deaths or more, but new reports received from doctors inside the country indicate that the figure could be at least 20,000.

Reviewed by Tooba Khokhar and Celine Assaf
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Iran has its fingers on the trigger to respond to aggression from the United States, the countrys foreign minister warned, after Donald Trump threatened fresh military action over its nuclear programme.

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump told Iran that time is running out to make a deal, and that the next attack by US forces will be far worse than previous strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year. He added that a massive armada was on its way to the country in preparation for possible military action.

Like with Venezuela, it [the armarda] is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary, he wrote, adding it was moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump said the armada is bigger than the one which went to Venezuela and is ready to fulfill its mission with speed and violence, if necessary ( AP/Mark Schiefelbein )

The US president said he hoped Iran will come to the table for a fair and equitable deal to ensure it had NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

In response, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi warned on X that Iran's armed forces "are prepared - with their fingers on the trigger - to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression."

"At the same time," Mr Araqchi added, "Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL - on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation - which ensures Iran's rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS."

Irans mission to the UN said Tehran was ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests, but added: BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!"

The exchanges mark an escalation of the standoff between the two countries.

Trumps threats of a renewed attack on Iran began after widespread protests erupted in late December across the country, with hundreds of thousands believed to have taken to the street to voice their discontent with the Iranian regime.

Sources told Axios on Tuesday that Trump has yet to make a final decision on whether to strike Iran. He is expected to decide after holding more consultations this week, and being presented with more military options.

The source told the outlet that a diplomatic resolution was still possible, adding: They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.

open image in gallery People attend a pro-government rally on January 12, 2026 in Tehran ( Getty Images )

Earlier this month, Trump initially warned the U.S. would carry out strikes on Iran if it did not stop killing protesters on the streets, and if it executed any of the thousands that were arrested during the unrest.

But the US president held off from ordering an attack after the protests largely abated following a regime crackdown which some estimates say killed tens of thousands of people.

On Monday, a US aircraft carrier and several warships arrived in the Middle East, intensifying concerns that Trump may order a strike.

The president had already warned that an armada was on its way, saying his administration was watching Iran following weeks of deadly protests across the country.

The USS Abraham Lincoln and a number of guided-missile destroyers are in the Middle East region, which comes under the US militarys Central Command, U.S. officials said on Monday.

We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case ... Id rather not see anything happen, but were watching them very closely, Trump told reporters on board Air Force One last Thursday.

We have an armada ... heading in that direction, and maybe we wont have to use it.
Close Trump says Iran is seriously talking with US

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President Donald Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Irans foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday for talks on a new nuclear deal, according to a report.

Sources told Axios that the pair would meet in Istanbul to discuss the future of Tehrans nuclear programme, following repeated threats by Washington of military intervention.

It would represent the first meeting with US and Iranian officials since Tehrans 12-day war with Israel and the US last June, which saw Washington bomb Irans nuclear facilities.

Tensions are running high amid a military buildup by the US Navy near Iran following a violent crackdown against anti-government demonstrations last month. Last month, Trump threatened to launch strikes against the regime over the killing of protesters but later appeared to back down.

Witkoff will also visit Israel this week for discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iranian sources told Reuters last week that Trump had demanded three preconditions for resumption of talks: zero enrichment of uranium in Iran, limits on Tehran's ballistic missile program and ending its support for regional proxies.
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Tens of thousands of passengers booked on transatlantic flights from Manchester airport have had their travel plans torn up after Aer Lingus confirmed the closure of its base. Around 200 staff will be affected, the majority of them cabin crew.

The final flights will return to the northwest England hub on the morning of 31 March  but the New York link will close before that.

The Irish airlines statement reads: A decision has been taken to cease Aer Lingus Manchester transatlantic operations as of and from 31 March 2026. Manchester-New York operations will cease from 23 February 2026.

Aer Lingus plans to operate a service from Dublin to Barbados (subject to receipt of necessary approvals) during the months of April and May to reaccommodate affected customers.

We understand that this is disappointing news and apologise for the disruption to our customers.

All impacted customers are being informed of the cancellation of flights directly and provided with reaccommodation and refund options.

Earlier in January Aer Lingus revealed it was consulting with staff on the possible closure of the Manchester operation, and said it was taking flights off sale to prevent more passengers booking.

Travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to be flown to their destination via the same route, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The obvious alternative for routes to New York JFK and Orlando is Virgin Atlantic, which flies nonstop from Manchester to both US cities.

But the Dublin-based airline insists the only options for passengers are to accept re-routing with a change of plane at its hub at the Irish capital, or take a refund.

The indirect option to Orlando takes over three hours longer. Aer Lingus is currently selling such connecting flights for over 100 less than the nonstop trip from Manchester.

Aer Lingus told one passenger who sought a replacement nonstop flight: "Comparable transport conditions under UK Regulation 261 2004 relate to the overall provision of transport to the final destination and do not require an airline to replicate every aspect of the original journey structure or to provide an identical nonstop service on another carrier."

The CAA said it could not comment on whether Aer Lingus is meeting its obligations.

Aer Lingus flights between Manchester and Ireland are unaffected.

Read more: Aer Lingus refuses to rebook disrupted passengers onto Virgin flights
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Wizz Air has formally applied to operate flights between the UK and the US as soon as possible.

The budget Hungarian carriers UK subsidiary submitted an application to the US Department of Transportation (DoT) for a foreign air carrier permit on Friday.

A foreign air carrier permit would allow Wizz Air UK to operate transatlantic flights between the two countries.

The low-cost carrier currently operates over 800 routes across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of North Africa.

Wizz Airs Hungary branch previously applied for a foreign air carrier permit to operate all-cargo flights to the US in 2022, an application dismissed due to safety oversight concerns.

A 2020 Air Transport Agreement between the UK and the US, known as an Open Skies Agreement, could give the carrier permission to launch passenger services.

The airline said it plans to only conduct charter operations, subject to regulatory approval.

Wizz Airs application does not name specific routes, launch dates or aircraft types; however, after a recent U-turn on flights to the Middle East, Wizz Airs new fleet of long-range Airbus A321XLRs could deliver the transatlantic journeys.

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: Wizz Air UK confirms it has submitted an application to the US Department of Transportation seeking the necessary approvals to operate services between the UK and the United States.

As stated in the application, Wizz Air UK plans only charter operations. The matter is subject to regulatory approval.

In November, Wizz Air announced it was set to slash the number of its flights departing from Gatwick in an attempt to cut operating costs.

The budget Hungarian airline said redirecting inferior departure slots from the UKs second busiest airport to Luton would improve its financial performance.

That shift would give the Luton fleet 13 aircraft, with just seven operating at Gatwick.

Wizz Air will start by permanently moving one plane to the Bedfordshire aviation hub in hopes of achieving the most profitability.

Read more: Wizz Air to trial new premium seat ticket
Its hard not to wonder about the fate of the lively, astute, good-humoured young female students I interviewed as they left the Tehran University campus for the day all those years ago.

This was another era, of course. Roughly midway between Irans 1979 revolution and now, it was also during the so-called Khatami spring, when the most reformist of all of Irans presidents, Mohammad Khatami, had won a decisive election victory on a liberalising agenda, which these students had unequivocally backed.

Though happy  and fearless  in talking to two Western journalists about their hopes for the country, several also  accurately as it turned out  expressed their frustration that for all his benign intentions, Khatami was already proving unable to stand up to the ayatollahs.

Those brave women will be in their forties now, several no doubt wives and mothers. Assuming, that is, that they are still alive.

A month after the recent protests began, an internet blackout  itself a highly effective form of dictatorial suppression  has helped to make it impossible to establish reliably how many thousands of deaths were inflicted during their hideously brutal suppression by regime forces. Revolutionary Guards, supported by snipers and motorcycle-borne militiamen, ploughed into large crowds of peaceful demonstrators, shooting at their faces and genitals.

Credible medics have reported that patients attached to catheters and drips have been snatched from their hospital beds and shot in cold blood. Independent Persians chilling dispatch reports on widespread torture, and cover-ups in which bodies of those who have died in detention are being officially recorded as having been killed in a car accident or on the street. The dead are piled up outside morgues too full to accept more bodies, as families hunt desperately for their relatives. One person was beaten over the head with batons as they looked for their children, and told: Move it. Go find your b*****d.

Its certain that many more have been killed than the 3,000 officially acknowledged by the government in Tehran. Medics both inside and outside the country fear that the number could substantially exceed 30,000. But while no one knows for certain how many have died, it matters, and not just to historians documenting this colossal mass atrocity.

As one woman told the BBCs Today programme: We need to know the numbers of those who have been killed. I believe, in these dark days, we need to know what has truly happened to our country and our people, and when the bodies will be returned to their families. Nothing else matters to me right now.

But if silence prevails within the country  thanks to the internet blackout, only sporadically broken  there is a different kind of silence outside it.

Not for the first time, it looks as though the worlds leaders lack the bandwidth for more than one global crisis at a time. Amid the understandable preoccupation with the prospect of Donald Trumps annexation of Greenland, there was  at least in public forums, including Davos  little or no debate on what to do about the gruesome events simultaneously unfolding in Iran, beyond the contradictory and enigmatic threats issued by Trump himself.

Trumps statement today that there is another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now ... I hope they make a deal, could have more than one interpretation. Would such a deal be aimed at halting Irans draconian internal repression, or at what is, at least in many Western minds, the inextricably linked issue of Irans nuclear ambitions?

Trump has still not ruled out taking military action to pursue the first goal. But his decision not to go ahead, after what he described as Irans promise to stop the killings, seems to have created confusion.

The woman interviewed by the BBC yesterday claimed that Trumps failure to follow through had infuriated many of her fellow protesters because they had been encouraged to take to the streets by his earlier public exhortations to keep doing so. She may not reflect the majority dissident opinion in Iran, of course, but the charge is reminiscent of that made by Iraqs marsh Arabs, who were rhetorically encouraged by George HW Bush to revolt during the 1990-91 Iraq war, but then denied US military support.

There are no easy answers. One of the many possible military targets envisaged in Washington, especially after the capture of Nicolas Maduro, may well be Ayatollah Khamenei himself. But it is far from clear that the rest of his regime would suddenly become as pliable as the one in Venezuela so far has.

An alternative is a more general war designed to dislodge the whole governing apparatus. But the idea that Middle East regimes can easily be displaced by military intervention without this resulting in more bloodshed and chaos has a hollow ring for those who lived through the aftermath of Saddam Husseins fall in 2003, or that of Muammar Gaddafi eight years later.

Another hope is that somehow, forces inside the country will topple the regime and usher in a government with the popular legitimacy for which so many Iranians yearn. The bleak lesson of the Arab spring is that this isnt easy, either. Bashar al-Assad was brought down not by mass revolt, but by an organised and armed internal militia (with some Turkish help).

I can also remember well the enormous euphoria on Cairos streets on the night when Hosni Mubarak fell in 2011  but the Egyptian deep state, and the military, helped to ensure that in the end he was replaced by the profoundly authoritarian Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Perhaps the best hope, forlorn as it seems at present given the massive US military assets assembled in the region, is that the US uses the diplomatic leverage it undoubtedly has to offer a deal whereby sanctions against Iran  whose economic hardship has driven so many of its citizens onto the streets  would be lifted in return for both a halt to uranium enrichment, and progress to be made internally, perhaps towards internationally monitored elections for a new constituent assembly.

If that seems too utopian, then its worth remembering that despite its still formidable military power, the regime is probably weaker than any time since 1979  which is why it has hit out so brutally against its people. Sooner or later, it will fall. The question is not just when  but how.
There couldnt have been a more catastrophic week in which to release Prime Videos feature-length documentary on Americas first lady, which opens this Friday. With two killings in Minneapolis by Donald Trumps highly controversial ICE agents, including the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents last Saturday, animosity towards the US president has never felt higher.

And Donald Trump has never been lower in the American polls. In an extraordinary last-minute intervention, Melania reacted yesterday to the mounting crisis by going on Fox News to call for unity in Minneapolis. Im against the violence, she opined calmly to the camera, so please, if you protest, protest in peace. And we need to unify this time.

Of all the times she has made her presence felt on her husbands stage, this felt like the most direct and unplanned. There must be real panic in the White House  and in her own office  that her documentary, which the president insisted would be a sellout, might instead turn out to be a flop.

Hostility towards the film also rose after it became widely publicised that the White House had hosted a celebrity screening of the documentary on Saturday, after Prettis killing, attended by Apples Tim Cook and other billionaire titans of American industry, as the furore intensified.

Every second of Prettis violent death has been agonisingly played out in videos captured by bystanders and nearby protesters, forming its own natural documentary  in stark contrast to the highly stylised, image-driven film Melania.

If Melania does tank, the personal humiliation will be real; its failure will be a Trump failure. Shot in the three weeks leading up to the presidents second inauguration, Melania will be followed up with a three-part docuseries released on the Amazon streamer later this year. Her publicist and agent have let it be known how closely involved she has been in the filming, script, editing and marketing.

Melania has always lived in the shadow of Michelle Obama, a still much-loved public figure in America, who was mobbed during the global tour that followed the release of her autobiography.

Anyone was going to struggle against the former first ladys natural charisma and warmth. But the data doesnt lie. Michelle received a rock-star welcome at Londons O2 Arena when her tour to promote Becoming: An Intimate Conversation sold out the 20,000-capacity venue. By all accounts, Melania has struggled to sell out one of the smaller screens at the O2 Cineworld.

If expectations of Melanias biopic arent high, it has at least given the world a chuckle at a time of increasing darkness caused in no small part by her mercurial husband. The gag-meisters are out in force on social media. As one person joked about the documentary on Twitter: Even if they showed this on a plane, people would walk out.

Curiosity will inevitably drive many to see if they can gain a deeper insight into the enigmatic flotus (although any such glimpses are going to be slim, given that the whole project will have been as highly orchestrated as her first-lady outfits).

Were led to believe that the film, which hasnt been screened to reviewers, will challenge Melanias image thus far. During her husbands first term as president, she cut a lonely, distant figure, a presidential wife who shunned Washington and was widely regarded as a reluctant first lady.

Ivanka, Donald Trumps daughter, even suggested at one point changing the name of the first ladys office to the first family office. Admittedly, the rumours that abounded during Melanias initial stint seem ridiculous now. Free Melania even became a social media hashtag. This was despite close associates of the Trumps describing their relationship as very much the opposite of oppressive.

But for Donalds second term, there has been a distinct ramping up of Brand Melania. Now we see a woman who is far more confident in her role, and firmly in charge of her image. Her wardrobe has become more stateswomanly, though no less glamorous  no more slouchy jackets with I really dont care, do you? in white paint on the back. And she has been much more actively engaged in advocacy, charity work, and cultural diplomacy.

There was her staged public intervention to secure the return of Ukrainian children, 20,000 of whom have been abducted into Russian territory during the ongoing war. During the Alaska summit last year, Donald handed Vladimir Putin a handwritten letter from Melania, in which she pleaded with him to allow their safe return, to release their melodic laughter. Her call did not go unheeded, and she was later able to announce the return of eight children in one day alone.

Remember her tiptoeing around Windsor Castle in a fruit-salad-yellow dress with a Spam-coloured belt, having a ball with Camilla and Kate, three pros at the top of their game (and with great hair)? That was a world-stopping moment.

In September, she launched a first spouses club with Queen Rania of Jordan and Olena Zelenska, Ukraines first lady, focused on using technology to help children. Behind the scenes, it was Melanias intervention that helped soften her husbands stance towards Ukraine following his disastrous monstering of Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

For all we know, the documentary might yet be filled with the dry apercus at which Melania excels, and reveal a warmer character behind the Slovenian cool. Last year, Donald Trump recalled an exchange he had had with his wife: I tell the first lady, You know, I spoke to Vladimir today  we had a wonderful conversation. She said: Oh, really? Another city was just hit...

Right now, though, theres a real possibility that the film will become another opportunity for Americans to vent their fury and frustration at their president. Indeed, polling by YouGov has seen Melanias popularity fall alongside her husbands, to just 36 per cent.

What is certain is that they wont be showing Melania in Minnesota any time soon.
Airline will cease transatlantic services from the city

Aer Lingus has confirmed that it will close its Manchester base on March 31, with flights from there to New York stopping from February 23.

The airline said it will operate a service from Dublin to Barbados during April and May to re-accommodate affected passengers who had been booked to fly to the Caribbean island from Manchester.

The closure of the base will affect about 200 staff members at the operation, which Aer Lingus opened in 2021.

The airline, headed by chief executive Lynne Embleton, has previously insisted that the operating margin on its long-haul operations from the city continue to significantly lag those of the airlines long-haul operation out of Ireland. It had initially entered talks with staff and unions back in November.

Aer Lingus has been operating services to Barbados, Orlando and New York from Manchester using Airbus A330 jets.

The decision will not affect Aer Lingus or Aer Lingus Regional flights between Manchester and Ireland.

Earlier this month, the airline said it had stopped selling tickets for flights on the transatlantic services from Manchester pending a final decision about the future of the base.

The airline told staff in a circular earlier this month: During the consultation processes, the airline has explored various options for increasing the margin at the Manchester base, but unfortunately to date these options do not appear to be viable.

Today, it confirmed the closure of the base will proceed.

It told staff in a circular seen by the Irish Independent: Today, members of the Aer Lingus executive team had a further consultation meeting with the groups representing colleagues in the Manchester base. This follows a series of detailed and constructive consultation meetings held throughout the months of November, December and January to date.

It added: The airline has emphasised throughout the consultation process that whilst the Manchester base has been profitable, the margins at the base are significantly below those in other comparable parts of Aer Lingus business. This is despite all of the committed work and best efforts of the Manchester team.

It said that while various options had been explored for the future of the base, none of those options were deemed viable.

In a statement, the airline said that customers are being informed directly of the cancellation of flights and provided with re-accommodation and refund options.

Aer Lingus will continue to engage with staff representative groups to discuss the phased reduction in operations, redeployment opportunities and the terms of a severance package at the Manchester base, it added.

Aer Lingus acknowledges that this is a very difficult time for colleagues based in Manchester and will seek to ensure that colleagues are kept informed and supported as discussions evolve during the next phase of the consultation.

About 40 pilots are employed by Aer Lingus at Manchester. About 30 will be free to return to operations out of Ireland. The remainder were hired out of the UK.

Aer Lingus is part of the IAG group that also owns British Airways, Iberia and Vueling.
Boost for Carlow Shopping Centre as discount retail giant set to open its biggest Irish store

Irish discount retailer Mr Price has announced it will be opening a second store in Carlow town employing 35 people

The opening will see the relocation of the Hanover Square store to the larger Carlow Shopping Centre unit

Aisling Bolton-Dowling Tue 27 Jan 2026 at 12:40

Carlow town has been hit by a number business closures in recent months, however there is one brand in particular that seems to be bucking the trend.
The number of Irish job postings that include salary information has dipped to 34pc, its lowest level since late 2022, according to new research from Indeed.

In its latest 2026 labour market trends report, Indeed said growth in salary transparency has stalled.

The platform noted that incoming EU legislation will increase transparency requirements for employers in recruitment.

The EU Pay Transparency Directive will require companies to provide salary information in job postings and introduce obligations around pay reporting and gender-pay equality.

The directive must be introduced into law by June.

Around one in 10 Irish job postings now reference AI

Alongside pay transparency, remote and hybrid working continues to feature strongly in Irish job advertisements.

Indeed said remote working was mentioned in 19.4pc of job postings by the end of December last year, more than four times higher than pre-pandemic levels.

The highest share of remote or hybrid mentions was seen in software development roles, where 47pc of postings referenced flexible work.

This was followed by media and communications roles at 44pc and data and analytics roles at 43pc, it said.

The research also noted the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in job advertisements.

Around one in 10 Irish job postings now reference AI, placing Ireland ahead of economies including the US, UK, France and Germany.

While overall job postings remain below the peaks recorded in early 2022, Indeed said the Irish jobs market has remained relatively stable.

As of January 2026, job postings were still 7pc above their pre-pandemic baseline and have shown little change since May last year.

Pay pressures havent gone away

The report also found continued international interest in the Irish labour market as 13pc of searches for Irish jobs on Indeed in 2025 originated from outside the country.

Posted wage growth also remains elevated.

The Indeed Wage Tracker shows wages rising by 4.1pc in December on a three-month average basis, compared with a euro-area average of 2.5pc.

Jack Kennedy, senior economist at Indeed, said: Jobs are still being created, unemployment remains low, but pay pressures havent gone away. For workers and employers alike, this years labour market story is one of ongoing change and adaptability.

From an employer perspective, hybrid and flexible working have moved from a perk to an expectation in 2026. The organisations that will stand out will be those offering not just competitive salaries, but transparency, flexibility and support for employees navigating a rapidly changing work environment.
The lower house in the Dutch parliament approved a plan to scrap bonus restrictions for most financial sector staff, a major step in softening a rule that has long been excoriated by the industry.

A majority in the house of representatives yesterday voted in favour of easing the current ceiling on variable pay for the bulk of bank and fintech staff. The change, which still needs another vote in the chamber and then senate approval, would leave in place the cap for top staff known as material risk takers.
The fast-paced BBC series is more interesting than Succession, but viewers should switch over if they are easily offended

It is time to drop in on Industry, a much-hyped show. Its creators are Mickey Down, who hopefully  for his own sake  does not know any Irish people with a name like that, and Konrad Kay. Theyve been interviewed by the New Yorker and also the Observer. Down is on Instagram, reportedly posting pictures from luxurious foreign parts. They have just signed a three-year contract with HBO to produce Industry until 2027.
Michael Flatley on Lord of the Dance 30 years on: Im blessed. Im in the joy business. How many people can say that in their life?

The dancer will mark the anniversary with a one-night Dublin show

Michael Flatley launched 'Lord of the Dance' in 1996. Photo: Getty

Barry Egan Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 06:30

Long of leg and twinkle of toe, Michael Flatley became the worlds most famous Irish dancer with his performance in Riverdance at the 1994 Eurovision in Dublin.
Former Liveline presenter Joe Duffy has said he was surprised by RTEs decision to scrap the shows iconic theme tune.

The veteran RTE broadcaster said it was an evocative vital cue for listeners, especially given the shows challenging midafternoon slot, and helped to draw listeners.

The signature tune, Over the Moor by Irish band Stocktons Wing, had been the theme for the flagship programme on RTE Radio 1 for four decades until Kieran Cuddihy took over the slot last November.

"Its so evocative. I'm surprised they got rid of it, Duffy said. It's written by Stocktons Wing, Mike Hanrahan and the boys. I used to meet Mike in the old radio centre when he was in, doing bits of work.

And he'd always say to me, at least once a year: Thanks, we got the Lanzarote this year off it. I just think it's evocative. And the programme is in a very hard time, a quarter to two. So you need something, a call to listen, he told The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk.

Duffy (70), who hung up his mic in June, also said he listens to Cuddihy, who joined RTE from Newstalk, adding that he monitors the radio stations.

Liveline's Joe Duffy hung up his mic in June. Photo: Mark Condren

News in 90 seconds - Wednesday 28th January.

"I listen to everybody. As you know, Pat, I don't listen to the radio. I monitor the radio.

"I'm like the member of the French Resistance up in the loft, monitoring radio stations, I listen to everything, he said

He also wished good luck to Pat Kenny (77), who will present a new weekend show on Saturdays and Sundays in March, as part of a big shake-up of Newstalks daytime schedule.

Duffy and Pat Kenny worked together at the national broadcaster: "I remember producing you, that was my first job in RTE, Duffy told him.

You'd be brilliant at the weekends. And I worked with you; you were my first presenter when I started at RTE. You were great, great fun, and youre a great, great gossip. And your knowledge is breathtaking.

"Youre not going away, which is great for your station."

He also wished fellow former RTE broadcaster Claire Byrne the best of luck as she takes over from Pat Kenny on the mid-morning slot from next week.

Anton Savage meanwhile is set to move to Newstalk Breakfast, with Ciara Kelly and Shane Coleman moving to The Hard Shoulder.

"The morning slot is a challenging one, even time-wise, and he's a singular presenter, Duffy said of Anton Savage.

Duffy, who is also the author of Children of the Rising and Children of the Troubles, said he might be working on another book.

He also spoke of his passion for painting, and said he finds it extraordinarily relaxing.

As I keep saying to everyone, anyone can paint, just try it. Buy a set of watercolours and buy a decent pad of paper, that's the key, a decent, strong pad of paper and no more than two brushes, and just doodle.

When Kenny described Liveline as a campaigning programme, Duffy said one of the most memorable campaigns was getting rid of the head shops: "I really went crazy on that.

On the programme, he also spoke of the hearing checks offered by Specsavers: It's free, and they're everywhere."

"Just go in and book a hearing check. It's very scientific. You don't have to fill out a form. Don't have to tick any boxes.

"You just go into this booth, and you're asked to press a button when you hear particular sounds, as simple as that, he said.
IFA tells Minister Bord Bia cannot operate without farmers as protest enters day three

IFA says it will continue its protest until the matter is resolved

Members of the IFA protesting outside Bord Bia's Global Hub on Pembroke Street, Dublin, on Tuesday

Margaret Donnelly Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 13:36

IFA has called on the Minister for Agriculture to explain to the chairman of Bord Bia that it cannot operate without farmers.
Dublin woman who acted as a money mule fell under influence of aggressive fraudster

Nationwide garda probe caught law student Adeleke Adelani, who is serving time for serious financial crimes and burglary

Fraudster Adeleke Adelani at an earlier court appearance. Photo: North West Newspix

Ken Foy Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 06:30

A law student operated as a herder for an organised crime gang that recruited money mules to launder huge amounts of cash from scams.
Student who alleged assault loses case against university over resitting of exams

Judge also awards costs against the young woman

Alleged assault victim student loses exam row case against university

Shane Phelan Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 06:30

The High Court has dismissed a lawsuit in which a young woman sued the university she is attending, claiming it failed to make allowances for her to resit exams she missed after being seriously assaulted by a male student.
Emergency services at scene on the R147 Dublin Road in Navan.

Emergency services are at the scene of a second collision in Navan, Co Meath this evening.

The second collision took place on the R147 Dublin Road in Navan around 7pm between two vehicles. Emergency services, including the fire brigade and gardai attended the scene, and traffic diversions are in place.

It follows a major search and rescue operation in the centre of Navan town earlier which has been stood down after several hours.

Emergency services were scrambled after receiving reports of that a child was in the river at Newbridge, also known as Loreto Bridge, following a crash this afternoon. However, these reports turned out to be a false alarm.

A Coast Guard helicopter, Meath River Rescue boats, gardai, fire brigade and other emergency services were deployed in response to the incident, with surrounding roads also closed as a result.

There had been a minor crash involving four cars on the bridge this afternoon, with no injuries reported. One of the cars was later seen being towed away.

However, the Irish Independent now understands that a call to rescue services after the crash claiming that there was a child in the river, were incorrect.

Gardai confirmed that a report was made that someone had possibly entered the water, but following enquiries they said the search was stood down.

In a statement, Meath River Rescue said it had received a call from a member of the gardai at 2:48pm of a person may have entered water after a short search was stood down as a false alarm.

Emergency services at scene on the R147 Dublin Road in Navan.

News in 90 seconds - Wednesday 28th January.
Pressure grows on Bord Bia chair as Fianna Fail backbenchers demand resignation

Tensions grow after revelation that boss of semi-state was head of a company that was importing beef from Brazil

IFA president Francie Gorman attends protest outside Bord Bia's office in Dublin

Mary Regan and Margaret Donnelly Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 06:30

Tensions are building in the Coalition over the position of Bord Bia chairman Larry Murrin, with a number of Fianna Fail TDs calling for his resignation after revelations that his company was importing Brazilian beef.
Fianna Fail TD Malcolm Byrne has said there needs to be clarity on what criteria was used when selecting school projects that would receive funding to progress.
As hundreds of chefs, restaurateurs and food media descend on Dublin for the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland Awards next month, the citys hospitality scene is planning a run of pop-ups, collaborations and late-night events across the city centre.

Running across the weekend surrounding the awards, which take place at the Convention Centre on Monday, February 9, The Chef Sessions is a loose, walkable series of one-off collaborations, pop-ups and late-night gatherings taking place across the city centre.

The programme brings together chefs including Mark Moriarty, Cuan Greene and Rob Krawczyk with venues such as Hang Dai, Row Wines, Franks Wine Bar, Bar 1661, Rei Momo and Sister 7, creating what organisers describe as a loose, walkable trail of food events over the weekend.

From chicken in a basket and breakfast muffins to toasties and discoed Chinese, the programme trades formality for fun, offering a festival-style trail of events from Saturday night through to Monday.

The sessions kick off on Saturday evening at Rei Momo on Drury Street, where Marcus OLaoire teams up with Thom Lawson for a modern take on the once-mandatory substantial meal.

The Chef Sessions

A nod to the late-night licensing rules that shaped generations of Irish nights out, the event centres on a Brazilian-inspired chicken in a basket served, crucially, without the lights coming up or the music going down.

Sunday sees chef Barry Sun of Volpe Nera bring his cooking into the city for a collaboration with Hang Dai on Camden Street, with a casual, family-style supper drawing on his Northern Chinese roots.

Elsewhere, Cuan Greene of forthcoming restaurant Omos partners with Franks Wine Bar for hot dogs, a quiet homage to the Copenhagen street food that sustains many young chefs cutting their teeth in the citys famed kitchens.

Cuan Greene

Monday morning offers a softer landing for those who made it through the weekend, with Mark Moriarty joining forces with Egans and Bar 1661 for whats billed as The Mother of All Breakfasts in the Hand, a high-end riff on the breakfast muffin, served with cocktails and coffee.

On the afternoon of the awards ceremony, Michelin-starred chef Rob Krawczyk of Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob will join Row Wines for a toastie pop-up in the city centre, offering sandwiches and wine for a limited time.

The weekend will close in Smithfield, where Sister 7 and Fidelity will host a late-night event featuring upscale spice bags and DJs on the night of the ceremony.

Each venue will manage its own bookings, with tickets and walk-ins available through individual restaurant and bar websites and social media channels.
The 22 countries on Irelands Do Not Travel list  ignoring the advice will void your insurance

The Department of Foreign Affairs has four security ratings  this one is the highest

Pol O Conghaile: Five things to think about before you buy travel insurance

Pol O Conghaile Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 06:30

Travel plans can be thrown by all kinds of things  weather, health scares, industrial action, security events.
Conal Thomas: Washington visit will test Micheal Martins resolve like never before, but dont expect any Enda Kenny-type chutzpah

Taoiseach unlikely to raise issue of undocumented Irish immigrants, given the administrations stance on immigration

Taoiseach Micheal Martin will travel to the US for St Patrick's Day. Photo: PA

Conal Thomas Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 06:30

Scarcely believable would it be for Micheal Martin to visit the White House in March and publicly urge US president Donald Trump, as Enda Kenny famously did in 2017, to help the plight of the undocumented Irish living in the United States.
Lorraine Courtney: Housing failure is not a personal problem for individuals to solve, its a systemic failure for the State to fix

Weve spent 100 years centralising everything in one corner of Ireland, and now people are being scolded for wanting to actually live there

Young people who can't get homes in the capital aren't moving to other counties, they're moving out of the country. Stock image/Getty

Lorraine Courtney Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 06:30

When Councillor Deirdre Heney recently floated the idea that Dublin City Council look at policies to encourage people away from the city, she likely thought she was being pragmatic. But she was also engaging in the kind of casual, top-down social engineering that treats the Irish citizenry like a nuisance to be managed rather than a population to be housed.
Max Boot: Unless theyre a dictator, why would anyone want to join Donald Trumps so-called Board of Peace?

The agreement is just another mechanism for US president to do what he wants, when he wants

Donald Trump will meet Micheal Martin. Photo: AP

Max Boot Washington Post Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 06:30

US president Donald Trump is often accused of being a warmonger and a rogue leader who acts in defiance of international law and global opinion. His menacing plan (abandoned for now) to seize Greenland from Denmark, the easy way or the hard way, shows why that characterisation has become so widely accepted outside his MAGA base.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin presents US president Donald Trump with a bowl of shamrock at the White House last year. Photo: Getty

We ask a lot of the dear little shamrock, but its capacity to deliver has never disappointed. Saint Patrick deftly demonstrated that in the fifth century when he used it to win over pagan Ireland.

As Taoiseach Micheal Martin prepares to meet US president Donald Trump in the White House, he will be hoping our three-leafed talisman can once again weave its spell.

Weve come out of a whirlwind couple of weeks. Trumps threats to take Greenland by force, on top of his weaponising of trade and constant belittling of Europe, have prompted calls for Mr Martin to boycott the Oval Office visit. In the Dail last week, People Before Profit appealed for the trip to be cancelled. Labour also urged the Taoiseach to shun this years ceremony, with party leader Ivana Bacik attacking the creeping fascism of the US administration.

Yes, there are justifiable grounds for feeling deeply queasy about the global turmoil Trump has unleashed, and about so much of what people find disturbing in an unrecognisable America, which some feel is inimical to its values.

But the annual visit by Irish leaders to Washington is not about one president or one administration. It is a unique occasion in which the deep intergenerational ties between Ireland and America are celebrated and honoured. To turn ones back on such historical connections would be disrespectful to millions who value these precious roots.

Never miss a good chance to shut up

To taint one of the most precious relationships this nation has with another would be wrong.

Yet, as the representative of the Irish people, Mr Martin has a responsibility to speak plainly to Trump. He also has a duty to stand up for Europe as the leader of a member of the bloc that has been ceaselessly targeted by the US administration.

There are those who might argue it is wiser to go along with the Will Rogers dictum: Never miss a good chance to shut up. But Mr Martin has been around the block long enough to be adept at making a point firmly without delivering a diplomatic snub.

All of the 15 cabinet ministers and 23 junior ministers who will be taking part in St Patricks Day trips abroad this year enjoy privileged access to world leaders that is the envy of other countries.

The great French statesman Talleyrand famously said: There are no principles, only events. Perhaps having survived the French Revolution and the reign of Napoleon, he can be forgiven his cynicism. But others may also claim that speaking truth to power, when faced with a deaf ear, is futile in any event. Yet Irelands expertise in deploying soft power is second to none.

When caught in diplomatic flashpoints, finding a way to effectively communicate what is implicit is invaluable. It is easy to make a bold statement or gesture, but getting through is what matters.

For as George Bernard Shaw said: The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.
Cork Senator Nicole Ryan has published a new Bill which seeks to allow maternity leave to be paused in the event of the death of a child.

Senator Ryan, alongside Sinn Fein spokesperson on Employment Rose Conway-Walsh and Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Children, Disability and Equality, Claire Kerrane, has called on the Government to support the Maternity Protection (Child Bereavement Amendment) Bill 2026 when it comes before the Seanad in the coming weeks.

Senator Ryan said the Bill will provide meaningful and compassionate support to women and families facing the unimaginable  the loss of a child. It amends the Maternity Protection Act 1994 to allow a mother who experiences the death of a child while on maternity leave to pause that leave, giving her flexibility over how and when she takes it following such a traumatic event.

Senator Ryan said the proposal builds directly on recent changes to maternity protection law, which already recognise that maternity leave can and should be postponed in exceptional circumstances. As of November 2024, maternity leave can be postponed in cases of serious physical or mental illness. This legislation recognises that rigid leave arrangements do not reflect the realities of trauma, illness or recovery.

This Bill simply extends that same principle to child bereavement. Grief following the loss of a child is profound and life-altering, and our laws must reflect that reality, she added.

Senator Ryan highlighted the successful Leave Our Leave campaign, led by the Irish Cancer Society and supported by the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), as clear evidence that compassionate reform of maternity leave law is both necessary and achievable. The Leave Our Leave campaign showed what happens when the law fails women at their most vulnerable  when maternity leave is spent in hospitals rather than at home with a baby. That campaign succeeded because it was grounded in real human experience and basic decency. This Bill is rooted in the very same principles.

The INTO has been central to this work, said the Cork Senator. Their engagement reflects the lived reality of members who are expected to return to work while navigating unimaginable grief, often in front-facing and emotionally demanding roles. While the number of families affected may be small, one family in this situation is one too many. The State has a duty to ensure that no parent is forced to grieve on a timetable that ignores their humanity.

Senator Ryan said reproductive health, pregnancy loss and maternal supports are issues she has prioritised in the Seanad. This Bill is another necessary piece of the jigsaw in ensuring our laws meet people where they are, not where bureaucracy says they should be.

I urge the Government to support this Bill and to stand on the side of compassion, dignity and common sense, she added.
Cork County Council has granted permission for a twenty-year-old wind farm near Millstreet to continue operating for another 15 years subject to 24 conditions, including the carrying out of a hen harrier survey and the creation of a precautionary management and protection plan for the white-tailed eagle.

The applicant, Gneeves Wind Farm Ltd, a subsidiary of Orsted Onshore Ireland, had sought permission for the wind farm to continue operating until November 2040. Consisting of 11 turbines on a 10-hectare site around 6 km south-west of Millstreet, the wind farm has been operating since 2005. There are a number of other wind farms operating in the same area of mountain moorland and forest plantation on the Cork-Kerry border.

The applicant argued that the wind farm is contributing renewable energy to the national grid and helping Ireland reach its climate action objectives and could continue to do so without significant negative environmental or wildlife impacts.

It said that other than some drainage improvement works, no physical development works would be required for the wind farm to continue operating. Gneeves Wind Farm Ltd also said that an extension would mean that the local population would continue to receive funding from a Community Benefit Fund.

Orsted, a multinational renewable energy company, owns and operates 21 wind farms across Ireland and is also developing solar farm projects. In December 2025 it applied for planning permission to build a 323-ha solar farm with a 40-year lifespan near Killeagh in East Cork. A decision is due from the local authority in February.

In September 2025, Cork County Council refused an application for a 10-year life extension for a wind farm in north-west Cork on the grounds that an extension would limit the available habitat of the hen harrier, a highly endangered bird of prey.

The 11-turbine Taurbeg wind farm, which is about 10 km from Newmarket and around 25 km north of the Gneeves wind farm, had been operating since 2006. Owner Statkraft had applied for permission to extend the farms lifespan for a further ten years until 2036. Statkraft has appealed the refusal to An Coimisiun Pleanala with a decision due in February.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
The endangered cubs are the latest arrivals at the East Cork wildlife sanctuary

Fota Wildlife Park is once again looking for the publics help in naming two of the cutest (but deadliest!) arrivals at the East Cork wildlife sanctuary.

This morning, the park announced the birth of two endangered Northern cheetah cubs (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii), a male and a female, born on November 24, 2025, to mother Florence and father Nawab.

Florence, the cubs mother, is five years old and was born at Fota Wildlife Park. The father, Nawab, is six years old and was transferred to Fota from Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Centre in Dubai as part of a European Endangered Breeding Programme (EEP).

The Northern cheetah is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with wild populations continuing to decline due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and illegal wildlife trade. It is estimated that approximately 600 individuals remain in the wild.

The birth marks another important milestone as Fota continues its work as part of the EEP. While East Cork is a far cry from the savannahs and grasslands of North and East Africa, the cubs are set to receive the highest standard of care from the parks expert staff.

These endangered cubs are an important example of the international collaboration between zoological institutions, as well as the vital conservation work and high standards of animal care at Fota Wildlife Park in helping to protect endangered species, said senior ranger John Leahy.

Florence is a first-time mother, and the park says she appears to be adapting extremely well to her new role. In the wild, mothers are solely responsible for raising their cubs, something the park is keen to replicate.

While we continue to monitor the animals very closely, we do so remotely to avoid causing any stress to the mother or her newborns. Their den is fitted with cameras, allowing us to discreetly observe and assess mum and cubs continuously, John said in a statement released this morning.

Visitors to the park can already see the cubs running around their habitat daily, playfully interacting with one another and their mother, exploring their environment and growing bigger and stronger by the day.

The cubs currently sport a distinctive ruffed grey coat with a black stripe running down the length of their backs. This unique colouring is believed to be an example of Batesian mimicry  a survival strategy where harmless species evolve to imitate the warning signals of more dangerous ones.

The park says the cubs appearance may mimic that of the aggressive honey badger, potentially deterring predators in the wild. As they mature, they will gradually grow out of this distinctive coat.

The cheetah is synonymous with Fota Wildlife Park, which is an internationally renowned breeding centre for the species, with more than 240 cheetah births since 1984. The park, which features a cheetah on its logo, plays a crucial role in the conservation of the endangered Northern cheetah.

Now, the park is inviting the public to help name the cubs through an online competition at fotawildlife.ie/blogs/news.

Participants can vote via an online form, with entrants in with a chance to win one of two Conservation Annual Passes, as the park continues to thrive following its reopening just before Christmas.
A Polish woman, known as being among a District Court Judges top three offenders regarding traffic violations, has been deported from the country due to her criminal activity.

Justina Joswiak, 45, formerly with an address at Convent Road in Doneraile, was due to face Mallow District Court for penalty, having been convicted of another charge of driving without insurance or a licence, after Judge Colm Roberts said her testimony was totally not credible, having been spotted while driving by Garda Ian Kennefick on 18 November last year.
The works will be done in phases to reduce disruption for residents.

Construction of the Lehenaghmore Road Improvement project in Cork city is progressing in line with the contract programme and is on course for substantial completion by February 2027.

When the works are completed, the long-awaited road improvement works will bring safer roads, new footpaths, better lighting, and upgraded cycle and public transport links to the area.

The information was provided by a senior official at a recent Cork City Council meeting after Cllr Joe Lynch submitted a motion which requested an updated report on the progress of the Lehenaghmore Road Improvement Scheme.

Cork City Councils director of infrastructure development, Gerry OBeirne informed the councillors that construction of the Lehenaghmore Road Improvement project is progressing in line with the contract programme.

He also confirmed that the project is currently on budget and the scheme is currently on course for substantial completion by February 2027.

Mr OBeirne outlined that the site setup and service connections, ground radar surveys and mapping of underground utility services are complete.

CCTV surveys of the existing drainage lines and topographical surveys and installation of control stations are also completed.

The director of infrastructure development also revealed that noise, dust and vibration surveys in the vicinity of work zones are ongoing, property condition pre-construction surveys have been completed, road works, including road widening, along the southern side of the Togher Road is ongoing, a large portion of the site clearance works along Pouladuff Road and Togher Road is complete and public lighting ducting installation has commenced on the northern end of the Togher Road.

Temporary traffic and pedestrian management arrangements are also in place said Mr OBeirne who confirmed there is ongoing engagement between the residents, the Stakeholder Liaison Officer and Cork City Councils site team.

Sinn Fein councillor for the South-West ward Joe Lynch welcomed the substantial progress being made in respect of the Lehenaghmore Road Improvement Scheme. "The community in Lehenaghmore have been waiting for years for these works to happen, which will finally deliver the critical footpath and road infrastructure needed in the area.

The response to a recent Council motion of mine on the topic also sets out that the project is currently on budget and is in course to be completed on time, he added.

Cllr Lynch continued: "My party colleague, Donnchadh O Laoghaire TD, and I have met with the contractors, Glas Engineering, and continue to raise matters related to the project with Cork City Council on a regular basis. We look forward to continued progress being made in the time ahead."
Scoil na Trionoide in Newmarket and Millstreet Boys NS in Cork North West will have an additional class for children with special educational needs for 2026/27.

Overall schools in Cork will have 14 new special classes in the 2026/2027 academic year to support children with special educational needs.

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West John Paul OShea said the additional classes will be key to continue supporting children with special educational needs and their families in Cork. This is very welcome news for students, teachers and parents right across Cork. This is an important step in ensuring that children with additional needs can continue to learn and thrive in an inclusive setting in their school.

The Cork TD said the provision of these additional special education classes will have a hugely positive impact on children with special educational needs and their families here in Cork.

Deputy OShea continued: Im delighted to see that Scoil na Trionoide in Newmarket and Millstreet Boys NS in Cork North West will now have an additional class for 2026/27. This announcement will provide clarity for parents and schools alike and ensure planning can begin for the setting up of these classes.

The Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton and Fine Gael are committed to inclusive education and ensuring every child with special educational needs receives the support they deserve, he added.

Budget 2026 provided over 3 billion in funding for special education.

This increased funding will allow schools recruit additional teaching and SNA staff to provide another 3,000 new special class and special school places.

This is the largest annual funding provision for new special education placements and builds on the accelerated delivery of new special class and special school places over recent years.
Its highly disrespectful  Calls for action as anti-social behaviour escalates at Galway cemetery

Loud music, alcohol, littering and even fireworks have been reported at Rinville Cemetery as residents described these more and more frequent gatherings as big parties

Rinville Cemetery. Photo: Google Maps

Erika Sassone Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 12:00

Galway residents have raised concerns over what they described as big parties at Rinville Cemetery involving loud music, alcohol, littering and also fireworks.
Gardai and emergency services were alerted to an incident involving two dogs at a residential property in Callan, Co Kilkenny. Stock photo

An infant boy has been seriously injured following a dog attack involving two dogs in Co Kilkenny.

Gardai and emergency services were alerted to an incident involving two dogs that occurred at a residential property in Callan in Co Kilkenny at approximately 3pm this afternoon, Wednesday, January 28.

An infant boy sustained serious injuries following this incident and is currently receiving treatment at Children's Health Ireland, Crumlin. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening at this time.

The scene of the incident is currently preserved pending a technical examination.

The dogs have been removed by the dog warden and arrangements are being made with the local veterinary services for the animals to be euthanised. It is not known at this stage what breed the dogs are.

A garda spokesperson said their investigations into the incident are currently ongoing and added that no further information is available at this time.

Wednesdays attack in Kilkenny is the latest in a number of incidents involving dogs in recent weeks across the country.

In Carlow earlier this month, a woman thought her family dog was going to die after her pet was brutally attacked by another dog while out for a walk.

"We were walking towards the Athy Road roundabout when we noticed two dogs off leads and their owners were nowhere to be seen, Kotrina Cioladis told the Irish Independent. So we decided to turn around and go back the way we came, but as we turned to walk away, we noticed that the two dogs had started to run towards us."

Her pet dog suffered serious injuries in the attack.

Gardai and emergency services were alerted to an incident involving two dogs at a residential property in Callan, Co Kilkenny. Stock photo

News in 90 seconds - Wednesday 28th January.

The same week, there were renewed calls for CCTV and stricter by-laws to control dogs at Bray Harbour, County Wicklow, after a second suspected fatal dog attack in less than three months on one of the swans in the towns sanctuary.

In late December, a woman aged in her 50s was attacked by her pet dog after it turned on her in the Ashfield estate in Carlow town. The dog was a restricted breed.

She was airlifted to the Mater Hospital in Dublin in critical condition, and gardai requested the services of a local vet to destroy the animal while they preserved the scene.

The womans condition has now stabilised and her injuries are no longer life-threatening, said Carlow Superintendent Anthony Farrell. However, her injuries are life-changing.

"She is still in hospital going through rehabilitation, but the life-threatening dimension has receded."

In Wexford, a young boy who suffered life-changing injuries in an attack by an XL Bully dog issued High Court proceedings this month against the owners and Tuath Housing.

Alejandro Mizsan was aged nine when he was mauled by a dog while he was playing with friends in the Forgelands estate in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, in November 2022.

A personal injury case is now being brought against the owners, Karen Miller and Niall Byrne, who were both jailed for two years in March 2024 after the incident. It is understood that both Miller and Byrne were released from custody last year.
Opinion

Justine OMahony: This weather has me longing for fresh air, blue skies and a nice walk

There only are 31 days in January. No seriously, thats all. It may seem like there are 87 days in the first month of the year but no, it just feels like that.
A call for justice has been made in support of a Meath councillor who was spat at and racially abused in Navan last week.

Fine Gael councillor Yemi Adenuga said she was returning to her car in Navan on Friday evening after meetings with colleagues and constituents when a man passed her in the street before turning to address her.

I was returning to my car and this man walked past me initially and suddenly turned and said excuse me and I stopped and turned and realised it was me he was referring to. He said: 'You're Yemi, right? and I said Yes, she explained on a social media post.

But this person, when I turned, said shame on you, shame on you for trying to teach us Irish people how to live our lives in our own country.

According to Cllr Adenugas recounting of the incident, the man had said she was not welcome here and she can go to f**k back to where you come from if she was not happy with how things are.

And that wasnt the hardest part. He spat on me, she said when it happened.

When the full council meeting of Meath County Council started, councillors stood in support of the local representative, who reported the incident to the Gardai.

Speaking at the meeting this week, Fine Gael councillor Sarah Reilly said: I am so appalled and disgusted. Being spat on I think is the most degrading thing that can happen to anyone.

Independent councillor David Gilroy said such incidents should not be tolerated, calling it an attack on democracy.

Aontu councillor Emer Toibin, who also represents Navan, said: As a Navan councillor and as a woman myself, this is a despicable thing to do to anyone. What this person did reflects on them and not on Yemi..there is no place for this in Navan.

Sinn Fein councillor Maria White spoke about the role people in society play in being allies.

Unfortunately there is an increase in racial attack and everyone has a part to play as allies, she said.

Regardless of the colour of our skin, our country of origin, we are all humans. Im sad that this has been her experience.

Mayor of Navan, Padraig Fitzsimons (FF), described Cllr Adenuga as an "excellent" councillor and said she has been for the last six years.

Regardless of colour and sex, she has also treated everyone fairly. I am disappointed as a Navan person that someone from Navan did this. This level of behaviour has gone past disgusting. I hope you dont feel like Navan has let you down, he added.

Cllr Sharon Tolan (FG) said the incident was a crime.

We need to demand justice. Hope the Gardai finds the person and they should be charged for a hate crime, she said.

Cllr John Duffy (FG) said: Shes so respected and always there for everyone. I know this is not the first time something like this has happened to her....knowing her, she would come back stronger.

Meath County Councils chief executive, Kieran Kehoe, strongly condemned the behaviour, saying every councillor must be able to carry out their duties free of abuse.

Speaking after her fellow councillors, Cllr Adenuga thanked members for their support.

This is a regular occurrence for me, she said. But this one hit different for some reason.

Everyone who lives in this county deserves respect and that for me is a key thing.

Meanwhile, the Immigrant Council of Ireland said it was appalled by the racist attack on Cllr Adenuga.

In a statement, the organisation said racism has "no place in Ireland. They also pointed to its 2024 research into the experiences of migrant political candidates, which found that women of a migrant background are particularly vulnerable to racism.

According to the research, 74pc of female candidates reported being victimised by political violence such as racism and harassment, compared to 69pc of male candidates.

Cllr Adenuga became Irelands first-ever elected black female public representative and Meath County Councils first migrant councillor. She ran in the local elections of May 2019 and was elected as a Fine Gael councillor, representing Navan Municipal District.

She first lived in Dublin when she came to Ireland in 2000, and relocated to Navan in 2004, where she lives with her husband and children.

On a separate post on social media, she said: What was meant to break me has instead left me standing because of your priceless support, and I and my family are proud to still call Ireland home.

This experience has only strengthened my resolve to keep working hard towards building a better country where everyone can live here with dignity, safety, and a sense of belonging.

We need to intentionally start to get to know one another better, because people fear what they dont know, and too often, have been misinformed about what they think they know.

Love will always be louder than hate, she added.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Nothing less than a total ban will suffice

A Sinn Fein councillor has called on Meath County Council to support a complete ban on the use of counselling notes in criminal trials involving sexual offences, describing the current practice as retraumatising survivors.

Speaking at the February full council meeting, Cllr Helen Meyer said many people may not realise that deeply personal counselling notes, meant to help survivors heal, are routinely used against them in court.

When I discovered this last year, I was horrified. I hope you share that sense of injustice today, she said.

The councillor said the Minister for Justice intends to bring proposed amendments before the Dail for a vote later today, Wednesday, January 28.

She explained: The Justice Department is recommending that a judge be given access to decipher counselling notes and decide whether some or all of them can be admitted in cases of sexual violence. However, a judge reviewing these notes as evidence cannot fully account for the complexity of trauma. Treating these notes as evidence fundamentally misunderstands their purpose.

Cllr Meyer said the proposed amendment to Section 19A would bypass a victims right to consent to the disclosure of their counselling records.

Stripping away this consent removes one of the few elements of autonomy survivors retain within an already disempowering process, she added.

She said front-line therapists and survivors had warned of the harm caused by using therapy notes in court.

The use of these notes in court forces survivors into an impossible choice: seek therapy or seek justice. You cant have both, she said.

Imagine the distress a victim feels when seeking counsellinga space meant to be private, safe, and restorativewhile knowing their most intimate thoughts and trauma could be accessed and weaponised against them in court. This cannot be allowed to continue.

This approach once again sends a clear message to victims: from the outset, the Irish legal system is not on their side.

Statistics tell us that every person in this room knows someone who has experienced sexual or gender-based violence, even if that person has never spoken about it, Cllr Meyer said.

If the unimaginable happened to someone you love, how would you want the people in positions of power to respond? How would you feel knowing your daughter or sons private thoughts shared in therapy at their most vulnerable could be aired, dissected and used against them in open court? That is what is happening now and will continue to happen unless the use of therapy notes in court cases is banned.

Calling on Meath County Council to contact the Justice Department for a total ban on the use of counselling records in trials, she said: Anything less risks retraumatising survivors and undermining confidence in the justice system. Nothing less than a total ban will suffice.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
A 29-year-old driver failed to remain at the scene after damaging three cars on the same day, Sligo District Court heard.

Megan Norbury of Carrownagh, Ballintogher was charged with causing damage to a Volvo and a Toyota, failing to remain at the scene after both collisions and notifying Gardai and relevant parties at Sligo University Hospital car park on August 11, 2023.

The defendant is also charged with causing damage to a Skoda Kodiaq, failing to remain at the scene, notifying Gardai and relevant parties and failing to provide a test certificate, and careless driving at Ray MacSharry road on August 11, 2023.

Norbury is also charged with stealing 16 buzz balls liquor and 10 Loco liquor valued at 90 and 45 respectively from Centra, Collooney on October 11, 2024. She is also charged with failing to comply with directions given to her by Garda Seamus McGowan and engaging in threatening abusive behaviour at The Square, Collooney on October 12, 2024.

She is also charged with stealing clothing valued at 95 from Penneys OConnell Street, Sligo on December 18, 2025.

Sergeant Derek Butler told the court that on August 11, 2023, at 12:15pm, Gardai received three separate reports of road traffic collisions where the driver failed to remain at the scene. Two of the vehicles were significantly damaged whilst they were parked at the main car park at Sligo University Hospital.

The third car was damaged by Norbury crashing into it whilst driving on the Ray MacSharry Road. The defendant failed to remain at the scene.

Gardai made enquiries and found that the damage was caused by a red Toyota driven by Norbury.

Judge Eiteain Cunningham was informed that the damage caused to two of the cars amounted to a combined total of 1,380. The third person did not receive a quote.

On October 11, 2024, Gardai received a report from Centra, Collooney of two thefts that occurred the previous day at 8:30pm and 9:20pm. Gardai spoke to the stores manager and reviewed the CCTV footage.

They observed Norbury with a bandage on her forehead enter the shop and take 10 Loca Liquor from a fridge and put it in her jacket. The defendant then returned later and put 16 buzz balls liquor from a fridge into her jacket.

Norbury was arrested the next day. No property was recovered.

On October 12, 2024, at 6:45pm, Garda Seamus McGowan was on mobile patrol in Collooney when he noticed a male trying to gain access to a vehicle. Garda McGowan spoke to the male when Norbury appeared. The defendant became abusive to Garda McGowan and told him to f..k off. Norbury was directed to leave the area but failed to do so.

After getting assistance by another Garda, Norbury continued to be abusive, and had to be pepper sprayed.

On December 18, 2025, Gardai received a report from Penneys, OConnell Street, Sligo on a theft of clothing. Upon arrival, Norbury was present at the store with security and had the clothes in her bag. The property was recovered. When she was arrested, Norbury told Gardai that she handed the stuff back.

The court heard that the defendant had no previous convictions.

Ms Abigail Livingstone, solicitor (defending), reiterated that her client had no previous convictions, and told Judge Eiteain Cunningham that Norbury had no memory of the incidents as she was going through significant addiction issues at the time. She continued that the recent incident in December, was a relapse as the month can be a difficult time for a lot of people.

Ms Livingstone said that Norbury wanted to address her underlying issues.

Judge Cunningham directed a probation and welfare report and adjourned the matter to June 4.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.
Councillor Michael Clarke has accused the three Sligo/Leitrim Government TDs Frank Feighan, Eamon Scanlon and Marian Harkin of dragging their heels on progressing the rail link between Collooney and Claremorris.

He has said theres not enough of a focus on reopening of the rail line from the Claremorris to Collooney and has questioned the silence from the three Sligo/Leitrim TDs on the issue, two of which, Feighan and Harkin are Ministers of State.

Cllr Clarke claimed they were just following orders from Taoiseach Micheal Martins dictatorship.

The door is open for us now to push hard for it and I think that all the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councillors in the county are not doing what they should be doing to deliver the train on the track from Collooney to Claremorris.

The government TDs and Fianna Fail and Fine are doing absolutely nothing to advance the line between Collooney and Claremorris."

He added that the local Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councillors were whipped up by a lobby group who were trying to get a Greenway on the line and they have been at it for for over 30 years and they dont know how progress can be made and they are not acting in accordance with whats required for infrastructure for the North West.

The attitude of the councillors and the TDs seems to be:

We want the Greenway as we know the train wont come instead of saying we want the train and we want a forever Greenway along with the train.

Cllr Clarke said the railway link between Collooney and Claremorris was being actively discussed.

I am a member of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly and we are tasked by the government to deliver the rail link from Tuam to Claremorris.

But there are already talks between Iarnrod Eireann, the Department of Transport and the Northern and Western Assembly in relation to the option of developing the rail link between Claremorris and Collooney.

If you asked me that question six months ago, I would have said it was not happening.

Well it is happening under the stewardship of Sean Canney, Minister of State at the Department of Transport and it is pre-planning and that is already happening.

Cllr Clarke said this was great news but the government TDs were in thrall to the government lobby group and they had such a hold over the three local TDs that they were afraid to go against them.

They are afraid to tell them the facts.

And he accused the local Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councillors of being instructed by their political masters.

They have no freedom and look what they did about the nominations for the Presidency.

They were so afraid that if they spoke out, the dictatorship of Micheal Martin would take them out.

Cllr Clarke said he expected that the real work will start in 15-18 months time on the Tuam/Claremorris line.

Within three to four years you will see trains running on the Tuam to Claremorris line.

And indications are that there will be another rail review taking place in 18 months time that will state that the Collooney to Claremorris line was now a priority.

He added: Demand for places on trains has never been higher.

There is no train line that is not over capacity, so there is huge demand so it is a no brainer that this Collooney to Claremorris line is put on the track as soon as possible.

Cllr Clarke said he was not against a Greenway.

My attitude towards the Greenway is that it should travel from Collooney, come over by the seaside face of the Ox Mountains up to the Mountain Bike Centre, over to Cloonacool where there is a horse riding business, on to Aclare, Tourlestrane and Curry and up to Charlestown and over to Knock.

And all those small industries that are along that route would benefit.

I want a Greenway and I am working hard to deliver it from Collooney to Enniskillen and am actively speaking with farmers in Northern Ireland.

And I want to see a Greenway from Belfast Airport to Knock Airport.
Sligo Field Club is set to begin its 2026 programme with a public lecture exploring one of the countys most remarkable archaeological landscapes.

The club is also encouraging new and returning members to sign up for the year ahead.

The first event of 2026 will take place on Thursday, 29 January at 8pm in the Education Centre, marking a change to Thursday evenings for all indoor lectures this year.

The opening talk, Sligo Court Tombs, will be delivered by archaeologist Dr David McGuinness, who will examine the significance of County Sligos Neolithic court tombs, among the best preserved and most numerous in Ireland.

Dating from approximately 40002500 BC, these sites offer valuable insight into prehistoric ritual and burial practices, as well as the artefacts uncovered during excavations.

The move to Thursday nights is being introduced on a trial basis in response to feedback from members and will apply to the full 2026 lecture programme.

Membership for 2026 is now open, with fees unchanged from last year. Membership can be taken out online via the clubs website or paid on the night of lectures. Non-members are welcome to attend events for a 5 admission fee.

The club has also confirmed that its Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, 19 February at 8pm in the Yeats Society Building, Hyde Bridge. Members are encouraged to attend, particularly as there will be vacant committee positions.

Speaking ahead of her final weeks as president, Sally Siggins noted the continued growth of the club, with membership increasing year on year, and thanked members for their support.

She expressed confidence that 2026 would be another strong year for the organisation, whose lectures, outings, annual conference and publications continue to promote the history, archaeology and heritage of County Sligo.

Further details on membership and the full 2026 programme are available at www.sligofieldclub.ie.
Betty Duggan at the Whist Drive in Bunclody Day Care Centre in aid of the Medjugorje Trip fund for FCJ student Sarah Murphy, who is on of five students making the trip. Photo: Pat O'Connor

Whist Fundraiser  Thank You A very successful whist drive fundraiser was held on Sunday, January 18, in St Marys Day Care, Bunclody for FCJ student, Sarah Murphys trip to Medjugorje in April 2026 in association with the Ferns Diocesan youth pilgrimage. A sincere thank you to everyone who helped and supported the fundraiser. To everyone who bought raffle tickets, gave donations and prizes towards the raffle, and to the whist players who came on the day. Also to St Marys Day Care Centre for the use of their facilities. Everyones generosity, and help was greatly appreciated. Drama Group annual table quiz

Bunclody Kilmyshall Drama Group will host their annual fundraising table quiz, with quizmaster Tommy Murphy, on Friday, January 30, in Redmonds Loft, Bunclody at 8.30 p.m. Tommys quizzes are infamous in the area for variety and ingenuity, with picture, audio and cryptic rounds as well as the usual sport and general knowledge. And theres certainly a wealth of sporting action, current affairs and world events from the last year to make for a great night. The cost is 40 per Table. Finger food will be served on the night and therell be plenty of raffle prizes to be won. All supporters and local quiz buffs are encouraged to join them on Friday, January 30, for the annual quiz. Ecumenical St Brigids Day Celebration

An ecumenical pilgrimage, to which everyone is invited, takes place on Sunday, February 1, beginning 2 p.m. at Tobar Mhuire, a blessed well in Kiltilly (Y21 2 H4) with a short lay-led liturgy. From there all are invited to walk the 5.7km via St Brigids Church of Ireland (e.t.a. 3.30 p.m.) on the way to St Brigids Roman Catholic Church for a short St Brigids Day ecumenical service at 4 p.m., after which refreshments will be served. Contact Brigid at 087 2699411 for information.

Bible Hour

Relaxing Bible Hour takes place on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Join May Chambers and Madeleine Mills and friends, in the Sunday School, Bunclody (Y21 N120) to know Jesus more through the Gospel of Matthew. One Book, One Community

Bunclody Community College English Department is once again hosting One Book One Community is starting this week. The book is Rosa by Starlight by Hilary McKay. The following groups are taking part. - First years and their families from Bunclody Community College. - Sixth class students and their families from Our Lady of Lourdes and Carrigduff NS. - Residents from Signa Care. - Bunclody Day Care Centre. - Bunclody Tidy Towns Committee. - Bunclody/Kilmyshall Drama Group Committee. - Wexford Mental Health. - Local residents from Bunclody Town. - The Bunclody Community Librarians. - Local County councillors Bunclody library has multiple copies of the novel available to the public. They can also guide any member of the library through Borrow Box which has a dyslexia user friendly version of the novel. Bunclody Community College will host the One Book, One Community event here in the school, on Tuesday, March 24, at 10 a.m. Introduction to Forging and Metalwork

Nolans Forge Bunclody are running an Introduction to Forging and Metalwork course on Saturday mornings from 10 to one for four weeks. The classes will commence at the end of January. The course is kindly supported by Wexford and Waterford Education and Training Board, Adult Community Education. Please book early as places are limited. For further information or to book a place contact Darren Sweeney at 087 6186648. Alcoholics Anonymous

Bunclody Alcoholics Anonymous meet on Tuesday and Saturday nights in St Marys Daycare Centre, Ryland Road, Y21 C656. Winter Wellness

Balance and Resistance Training sessions, designed to build strength, improve balance and increase confidence for the over-60s in St Aidans Hall, Bunclody. A friendly, supportive programme  no experience needed. Contact 085 8014138 for information. St Aidans Community Hall

St Aidans Community Hall, Bunclody will be a hive of activity in the coming months. Classes starting week commencing January 192026 as follows. Tuesdays: Chair Yoga, 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Contact Benda at 087 9246712. Thursdays: Yoga 10.30 a.m. to midday and 7.30 p, to 9 p.m. Contact Aoise at 083 1790710. Fridays: Balance and Resilience training, 11.30 a.m. to12.30 p.m. Contact Connor at 085 8014138. St Aidans Community Hall has an office to rent in St Aidans Community Hall. The room is suitable for interviewing, therapists and one to one meetings. For further details, contact Jonathan at 089 4792664. Kilmyshall Community Hall

On Tuesdays, Scoil Rince Davitt Irish Dance Classes from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. with Kim Davitt. Bingo continues every Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. Doors open 7 p.m. to offer an opportunity to chat and socialise over a cuppa beforehand. Bunclody Library

Bunclody Library Knitting Group. The knitting group meets every Thursday, 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. All welcome, no booking required. Saturday Storytime every Saturday at 11 a.m. Rhymetime for ages 0 to five years  every Wednesday at 11.15 a.m. Join us for Rhymetime every Wednesday when will have lots of fun nursery rhymes and stories suitable for babies and toddlers followed by a Duplo play session. No booking required. Skills for Life: Digital Ambassador Clinic, Thursday, January 29, from 7.00 p.m. to 8 p.m. Drop in and learn how to familiarise yourself with your digital device (phone, tablet, laptop etc). Learn about the range of online resources accessible through Bunclody Library and become more confident using your device. No need to book, just come along between 7.00 and 8 p.m. This event is for adults only and it is also an Age Friendly event. Classic Film Club  Friday, January 30, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join us for a classic film (some golden oldies as well as more modern classics) for adults. This movie is for adults only. No booking required. Every Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sensory Friendly Hour will be observed in Bunclody Library. We encourage you to come along and relax in the calm environment of the library. A sensory basket containing various sensory toys/books is available for children to use while visiting the library. Just ask at the desk. Home Energy Saving Kits are now available to borrow from Bunclody Library. The kits contain a range of tools/exercises to help householders make sense of the energy they consume on a daily basis and to identify possible problem areas. Please contact the library at 053 9375466 or email bunclodylib@wexfordcoco.ie for further details. Library membership is free and open to all. Do pop in and join the library and enjoy all the resources it offers. To book events, please telephone 053 9375466 or book online. February Bank Holiday Weekend Bunclody Library will be closed on Saturday, January 31, to Monday, February 2, inclusive. Library reopens Tuesday, February 3, at 10.30 a.m. Volunteer Drivers

Bunclody/Halfway House Meals on Wheels delivery is looking for volunteer drivers to deliver hot meals to people who need them. We deliver hot meals between 12.15 and 1.15 p.m. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week (excluding Public Holidays). Our client list is growing, and we need extra drivers to volunteer to be in a position to cater for the growing demand. We deliver mainly to older people who benefit from a hot meal and a few minutes chat with the volunteer that delivers their meal. If you feel you can help, please contact Brigid at 087 2699411 or Barbara-Anne at 087 6736966 to discuss. New Year, New You

Four weeks of stimulating talks will take place in Askamore Community Centre at 7.30 p.m. nightly, during January 2026. Night three, had to be postponed and will now take place on Tuesday, February 3, Addictions with Ciaran Carey, Addiction Counsellor and former Limerick All Star Hurler and Linda Daly and George Henderson. Talks commence at 7.30 p.m. Tea served. Admission 10 per night..For information, contact 085 2156848. Friends of Bunclody Heritage

Friends of Bunclody Heritage held its inaugural committee meeting on Wednesday, January 14, in the Holy Grail following the launch of of the recently published Bunclody Heritage Audit. The aim of the committee is to support the implementation of the reports recommendations through the participation and support of the wider community. A total of 12 recommendations have been put forward as part of this report. Details of each are 1: Development of a Heritage Trail for Bunclody 2: Installation of Heritage Signage 3: Development of a Bunclody Place Names Project 4: Take measures to maintain Bunclodys unique Built Heritage 5: Development of a Bunclody Then and Now photo exhibition 6: Conservation of Victorian Toilets in Bunclody 7: Survey of Old Catholic and St Marys Church Graveyard 8: Development of a Bunclody River Walk 9: Undertake a biodiversity survey of Bunclody 10: Traditional crafts training 11: Revisiting Bunclodys Fair Days 12: Bunclody Heritage Video. The committee at this stage have agreed to meet every four weeks to review progress on the 12 points. They are anxious to attract individuals who might have an interest in getting involved, supporting, contributing, volunteering their experience or expertise in any of the above 12 projects. For further information contact Tom Sheridan, chairperson, at 085 1685509 or drop into Mick Kehoe in the Holy Grail to inquire about the various projects. ArtBank

ArtBank Imbolc Celtic winter Festival Of Light 2026 takes place on Sunday, February 1, opening at 7 p.m. with the launch of three new exhibitions. Resilience, a thought-provoking solo exhibition by Ann Fogarty, our invited artist for Imbolc 2026. ArtBank Group Exhibition, bringing together familiar art Bankers alongside new artists, celebrating the return of spring. Home is Where the Heart Is, artworks and written pieces celebrating diversity within our community. A project courtesy of Bunclody Library, Adult LIteracy for Life, Fighting Words Ireland, WWETB, Wexford Local Development and Wexford County Council: Facilitators Fernanda Ferrari and Caroline Busher. Following the exhibition launches on the night, the Imbolc celebration will kick off with a special Open Mic fundraiser, featuring Niall Toner, Kerb Kickers, Dakota, Rachel Meadows, John Mullins, Kate McMeekin, Canon Trevor Sargeant, Jimmy Revets, Lucy Gahan, Alan Robinson, John Martin and John Renwick. With more acts to be added. All are welcoming, community-focused evening of live voices, storytelling, music and more. This is ArtBanks first fundraising event of 2026. This community and cultural art space thrives because of you, so please do come along, take part and celebrate with us. Entry by donation at the door. Suggested donation: 10 waged, 5 unwaged, students and OAPs. Bunclody News

If you have a news item you would like to have included in the Bunclody News page, email bunclod.ynotes@gmail.com.
A newl farm training facility at Hillbrook Hub in Hillbrook Lower, just outside the village of Coolboy in County Wicklow.

A new farm training facility at Hillbrook Hub in Hillbrook Lower, just outside the village of Coolboy in County Wicklow.

A new regional farm training facility has opened in south Wicklow with the aim of upskilling the local agricultural workforce, while a separate recruitment drive is under way ahead of the 2026 calving season.

FRS Training recently launched a new training location at Hillbrook Hub in Hillbrook Lower, just outside the village of Coolboy. The facility will serve farmers and agricultural workers in Wicklow and surrounding areas, providing access to essential agricultural and health and safety courses.

Three training courses have been scheduled for February and March, covering ATV/quad driving and the safe use of pesticides, including both boom and handheld spraying.

Under regulations introduced in November 2023, all ATV and quad owners are required to complete a training course in order to operate a quad on their land. The FRS Training quad driving course will take place on February 5.

Handheld spraying courses are scheduled for February 11 and 18, while boom spraying courses will take place on March 2 and 9. Farmers who complete the pesticide spraying courses will receive a pesticide usage (PU) number.

The Hillbrook Hub venue also offers scope for additional courses in the future, with FRS Training saying the new facility will allow local farm owners and workers to build confidence in the use of agricultural equipment.

FRS Training is a division of FRS Co-Op, a farmer-owned co-operative founded in 1980, which has trained more than 180,000 learners across Ireland over the past four decades.

Ben Fearn, head of sales and operations at FRS Training, said the opening of the Wicklow venue broadened the organisations reach to more than 50 locations nationwide.

Since 2014, 38pc of Irish workplace fatalities were on farms, despite the industry accounting for only 11pc of the workforce, he said.

Confidence in using equipment is vital to safety on farms, and we make sure that our courses provide the most up-to-date advice on all makes of equipment.

Meanwhile, FRS Farm Services is seeking to recruit four farm operators in Wicklow as farmers face into a busy 2026 calving season.

The roles offer full-time, part-time and flexible working options, with regular workers eligible to earn more than 10,000 over a three-month period. Duties may include milking, calf rearing, night calving, animal husbandry, machinery work and general farm work.

Workers will be entitled to PRSI, holiday pay and sick pay, with agricultural experience described as beneficial but not essential.
Calls have been made to improve rail services for commuters along the Wexford to Dublin rail line.

A local TD has shared his frustration at commuter services on Wexford to Dublin rail service which he said has deprioritised commuters in towns along the line including Gorey and Arklow.

This comes after plans published in July 2025 from the All-Ireland Strategic Rail plan outlined a new Wexford to Waterford rail line and improvements on the Rosslare to Dublin line, which have both been excluded from the prioritisation strategy.

With concerns made to Wicklow-Wexford TD Brian Brennan from commuters in both Wexford and Wicklow, he has called for urgent action on the matter. On a daily basis, my offices in Gorey and Arklow are contacted by commuters who are deeply frustrated and inconvenienced by the current service, he said.

Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Brennan called for improvements to the services on the line which have been subject to overcrowding with passengers forced to stand without additional services provided.

The Wexford to Dublin train now only offers 185 seated tickets. By the time the train picks up commuters in Arklow or Rathdrum it is filled to capacity, with people standing for the entire journey and reports of overcrowding, Deputy Brennan added.

With just two trains leaving Gorey to arrive in Dublin before 9 a.m. each morning for commuters, Deputy Brennan said the service is being left behind. That compares to five coming from Dundalk and seven coming from Portlaoise, he said.

It is not a fair situation for the people of Wicklow and Wexford.

Wicklow-Wexford TD Brian Brennan.

He further acknowledged that there are challenges along the Rosslare to Dublin line as it is largely single tracked, costal and merges with the DART line, but added that the line should not be ignored. None of these things should be a reason to just ignore it and do nothing.

Deputy Brennan added that given recent investments at Rosslare Europort and demographic growth, it would be short-sighted to not prioritise the line. It is simply unimaginative and short-sighted to put improvements on this line on the back burner.

Over 300,000 people live on this line, and this issue is not going away and needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency, he added.
Wexford County Council (WCC) has admitted that it is wasting money on filling potholes during the winter as the works generally dont last more than three weeks. Speaking at the January meeting of WCC, director of roads Eamonn Hore said the council was spending 5m-6m on pothole repairs annually on roads which had structurally failed.

We are wasting money on filling potholes, were spending 5m-6m on pothole repairs but if youre spending that much money on potholes it basically means the road has structurally failed, he said. We have made our case to the department (of roads) umpteen times, have asked for additional money, and we continue to ask for money.

Mr Hore was responding to comments made by Councillor Aoife Rose OBrien who said road repairs carried out in her locality had barely made it through Christmas.

"In December there were three very large potholes right outside my door, I contacted the district engineer and his team were out very quickly and they put proper tarmacadam in, said the councillor. Those repairs lasted three weeks. If this is the level of reconstruction works were carrying out then were just wasting our money. Do we need to assess the materials were using? I failed my NCT again this year because of the roads in our district.

Cllr OBrien was supported by her Rosslare colleague Jim Codd who said the only ones benefitting from the condition of the roads in south Wexford were the local tyre companies.

At the moment Maloney Tyres are making a fortune out of places like Ardinagh Lane, they are the happiest people you could imagine and I wish them the very best, he said. But we cant leave that road get worse, its not fit to walk on, never mind drive on.

There was at least a hint positivity regarding the condition of the countys roads however, as Mr Hore revealed that the number of roads classified as really bad was decreasing across the board.

The percentage of our primary roads classified as really bad has gone from 28 pc to 17 pc, secondary roads have gone from 48 pc to 26 pc, and theres been a 5 pc reduction on our tertiary roads, he said. So it shows that, given the funding, we can improve the roads. You can look at pothole repairs as a waste of money, but if we dont do those works itll be a lot worse.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Christ Church COI

Services of Worship for this Sunday The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany: 8.30am Holy Communion; 11am Holy Communion 2.

Parish Office: The Parish Office is open Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 1.30pm. Email: info@christchurchbray.ie; tel. 01 286 2968; Parish website: christchurchbray.ie; or see facebook.com/christchurchbray.

Recycled Teenagers: The January meeting takes place today (Wednesday) at 10.30am in the PLC.

Organ Plus Series: In February we continue our interactive series of Organ Plus concerts, this time with violinist Zhamilia Pak. Come along to this 5pm concert on Sunday February 15th with your family and explore! Would you like to understand music better? Curious about the secrets behind great performances? There will be great classical music, engaging performances, and fun commentary that makes listening easy and enjoyable for all ages. Tickets available on our SumUp store: https://christ-church-bray.sumupstore.com.

Bray Methodist Church

Worship for this Sunday: 10amSunday Worship with Creche and Sunday School.

Bray Presbyterian Church

Worship for this Sunday: 11.30am Sunday Worship.

Christian Assembly Church

Worship for this Sunday: 10.45am Morning Worship.

Wednesdays: 8pm Prayer Meeting & Bible study.

Monthly Ladies Meeting: For details see: www.christianassemblybray.com.

Cornerstone Church

Weekly activities at Cornerstone Church at the Well Church Building, Church Terrace, Main Street, Bray: Mens Bible Study Mondays from 7.30pm to 9pm; Womens Bible Study Tuesdays from 10.45am to 12.30pm; Prayer Meeting Wednesdays from 10.30am to 12pm; Mens Indoor Bowls Wednesdays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm; Ukrainian Christian Film Night Thursdays from 7pm to 9pm; Ukrainian Bible Study Fridays from 6.30pm to 8.30pm; Games Evening Fridays from 7pm to 9.30pm; Friday Coffee & Chat at The Well Church Building, Church Terrace, Main Street, Bray. Drop in any Friday for a friendly cuppa and conversation  no need to book! For more information contact Kyle Holland, Pastor, on 086 405139. Sunday Services are 9am and 11am, followed by tea, coffee, and fellowshipstay, chat, and connect!

Holy Redeemer Parish

Mass Times: 10amMonday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday No Mass on Tuesday. Sunday Masses: 6pm Vigil Mass on Saturday and on Sunday at 10.30am and 12Noon. To book a Mass, please call into the Sacristy before or after our Masses.Music at Mass on Sundays: 10.30amFolk Group; 12pmGaudium Choir (Mainly Latin Church Music) on the 1st Sunday of the Month; 12pm on other Sundays of the Month: Parish Choir (Mainly English Church Music).

Baptism: Registration for Baptism can be made online via the parish website www.holyredeemerbray.ie.

St. Peters Parish

St. Peters Church Mass Times: Sunday: 9am (Irish Mass), 11.30am. Holy Days: 11am. 1st Friday: 11am.

Gluten Free Hosts available: If you would like to receive the Eucharist, but have gluten intolerance, we have gluten free hosts available. Come to the sacristy before Mass and we will be happy to accommodate you.

First Sunday Tea/Coffee morning: A tea/coffee morning is held in the parish hall on the first Sunday of every month after both masses. Come along for a cup of tea or coffee and a chat. Its a great way to catch up and get to know other parishioners. Everyone is very welcome to join us.

Car Park Hours: These are from 9am to 12.30pm, Monday to Friday, for parish business, and at weekends during church ceremonies. The Cemetery is accessible via the laneway for pedestrians.

St. Peters Cemetery: There is a strict policy of No Dumping Allowed in any area of the cemetery. Visitors to the cemetery are requested to take home all forms of rubbish with them in order to keep the cemetery tidy. Your co-operation is appreciated.

St. Annes Church, Shankill: A Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5pm on Saturdays. All are welcome.

St Fergals Parish

Mass Times: Mass times are 9.30am Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. No morning Mass on Thursdays and Saturdays. Saturday: 7pm Vigil Mass; Sunday: 8am and 10.30am.

Confessions: These are heard on Saturdays after the 7pm Vigil Mass.

Baptism: Baptisms take place on the first and third Saturday of each Month at 12Noon. Bookings can be made through the Parish Office Only. The Preparation meeting takes place on the Monday before the 1st Saturday of the month. Please call into the Parish Office three weeks in advance of the Baptism to complete the Baptism Form and to confirm the date.

Join the Fergals Gospel Choir and let your voice shine: If you would like to join the choir please come to St. Fergals Church on Mondays from 8pm. The choir usually sings at two masses per month and we welcome everyone who loves to sing.

Our Lady Queen of Peace

Mass: Weekday Masses are celebrated at 10.30am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Weekend Masses are at 6.30pm on Saturdays and 10.30am and 12 Noon on Sundays.

Eucharistic Adoration: Eucharistic Adoration takes place from 11am to 10pm on Mondays only in this Church.

QOP youth club

Deirdre Murphy Community Police Officer had a great informative session with members of the Queen of Peace Adventure Youth Club. The club has their programme for 2026 ready up to the end of September. All kinds of interesting and challenging events are included. Yearly membership is available. New leaders are always welcome Call Paul or Mike on 0863516630 or 086 0855151 for details.

Diving club

Bray Divers Is probably the only scuba dive club on the east coast that dives during the winter months. When the sea is not divable they revert to the lakes and quarries. Training courses are ongoing, and are time-tabled to suit the individual. Certificates gained have international recognition. Trainers are volunteers who enjoy introducing people to the appreciation of our fantastic marine environment. To join call Albert on 087 6756439.

Bray Library

The Library will be closed this Saturday and next Monday due to the February Bank Holiday weekend, re-opening at 10am next Tuesday. Opening hours are 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday with late opening on Tuesday and Thursday until 8.30pm. Bray Library can be emailed at braylib@wicklococo.ie to book a place for library events or make inquiries about them.

English Conversation Classes take place in the library every Monday (except Bank Holiday Mondays) from 11am to 12pm. Ciorcal Comhra Irish Language Conversation Group, meets every second Tuesday from 7pm to 8pm in the library, and the Bray Library Literary Book Club at 7pm tomorrow (Thursday). The next meeting of the Bray Library Crime Book Club will take place at 7pm on Tuesday February 10th and the next meeting of the Bray Library Junior Film Club will be at 6.30pm on Thursday February 19th.

Ballywaltrim Library

The Library will be closed this Saturday and next Monday due to the February Bank Holiday weekend, re-opening at 10am next Tuesday. Opening hours are 10am to 5 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and 10am to 8pm on Wednesday. The library can be contacted at 01-2723205 or by email at: ballywatrimlibrary@wicklowcoco.ie.

Scrabble takes place every Monday from 3pm to 4.30pm no booking is required. Tummy-Time for Babies takes place every Monday from 10 am to 12pm no booking required. STEM Free Play for 18 months to 3 years takes place every Saturday from 10am to 11.30pm.

Bray Cualann Historical Society

Guest speaker for the February meeting of the Bray Cualann Historical Society, the local history society for Bray and North Wicklow, will be Bill Nelson who will recall The French Girl Guide Plane Crash of 1946 at 8pm on Thursday February 19th in the Royal Hotel, Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow. All are welcome members are free while admission for visitors/non-members is 8.

Those wishing to join the Bray Cualann Historical Society can do so at this lecture. The annual membership rate for 2026 is 35 for an individual and 45 for a couple.

In the meantime events taking place which may be of interest to members and supporters of the Society in the week ahead includetomorrow (Thursday) Peadar Curran will present A brief history of Icehouses with some Wicklow examples at 7pm in Wicklow Town Library, The Mall, Main Street, Wicklow Town. Admission is free but booking is required as the venue has a limited capacity email: wicklowlocalstudies@wicklowcoco.ie, or call 0404-67025 to reserve a place; Cormac Lowth will present Maritime Art in Dublin Bay at 8pm in Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, West Pier, Dun Laoghaire. All are welcome; Proinsias De Rossa will present The Glasnevin Parish and its Lower Sort in the 18th Century at 8pm to the Rathmines, Ranelagh & Rathgar Historical Society in Rathmines Town Hall, Rathmines Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Members are free / visitors 5. The Swan Car Park Rate is 3.50 for the first 2 hours; 3.50 per hour thereafter. Next Wednesday the AGM of the Rathmichael Historical Society will take place at 8pm in Rathmichael National School, Stonebridge Road, Shankill, Co. Dublin, and will be followed by two short talks by John Roden and Richard Ryan There will be a demonstration of the updated website and Lafcadio Hearn. Members are freenon-members/visitors 5. Next Thursday (February 5th) Niall Watts will present William Magrath: Escape from a POW camp at 8pm to the Mount Merrion Historical Society in the Fitzwilliam Rooms, Mount Merrion Community Centre, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin. Admission is 5/Students 2.

Irish Girl Guides (IGG)

There is a very large IGG presence in Bray and Enniskerry, with waiting lists for all groups. Leaders are urgently needed, so if you are interested in working with young children and have some spare time on a Monday, Thursday, or Friday evening, do get in touch. If you are interested in your daughter joining Ladybirds or Brownies do get in touch as spaces sometimes become available for September. (Ladybirds ages 5-7; Brownies ages 7-10; Guides and Senior Branch 10+) email:belmontbrowniesbray@gmail.com.

Shankill Classical Music Club

The February meeting of the Shankill Classical Music Club takes place from 7.45pm to 10pm, including a tea/coffee break, on Wednesday February 11th in the Shankill Seniors Centre, Lower Road, Shankill, located 100m from Shankill Main Street with car parking available.

The music will be as always: a varied programme of classical music on CDs, covering many genresorchestral, instrumental, vocal, opera, etc.in a friendly setting. Visitors and new and returning members are always welcome. You dont need to be an expert. Charge 2 on the night (waived for first visit). For further information please phone or text Malcolm at 085-8528216.
St James COI Crinken

Services of Worship for this Sunday The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany: 10.30am Morning Praise.

Church Events/Activities: Please check the Churchs web-site for regular updates.

Rathmichael Church of Ireland Parish

Worship Services for this Sunday, The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany: 8.30amHoly Communion; 11am Family Service followed afterwards with coffee in the Erck Hall; 7pm Holy Communion.

Sunday Evening Service: Every Sunday an Evening Service is held at 7pm in Rathmichael Church. We invite you to enjoy the silence and contemplation that this service allows a space for in your heart and mind, as you prepare to go into the new week. Wed love to see you at 7pm on Sunday evenings for this quiet and reflective service that includes music and hymns the perfect way to prepare for the busyness of a new week.

Prayer IgnitesFuelling faith, hope and change through prayer: Join us each month at Rathmichael Church for a warm and welcoming Prayer Gathering, where we come together to lift up the needs of our community and the wider world. In a quiet, reflective space, we seek Gods guidance, strength, and peacetrusting that our prayers make a difference. Whether you come with personal concerns, hopes for others, or simply a heart open to God, youll find encouragement and fellowship as we pray side by side. The next meeting will take place at 8pm Wednesday February 18th in Rathmichael Church. All are welcome.

Confirmation Preparation at Rathmichael Church: Were delighted to let you know that Confirmation preparation classes will be starting soon for all young people in 2nd Year and upwards. These sessions are a great opportunity for your child to explore their faith, ask questions, and prepare meaningfully for this important step in their spiritual journey. If you would like your child to take part, or if you have any questions about the programme, please get in touch with the Rector for all the details.

Shankill Bible Church

Shankill Bible Church, Glenmaris, Eaton Wood Grove - Sunday Worship: 10.30am Sunday Service.

Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Friday nights at 7pm. See www.shankillbiblechurch.org for further information.

St Annes Parish

St Annes Parish Office: The Parish Office located in St. Annes Resource Centre is open between 9am and 12.30pm Monday to Friday email: info@stannesparishshankill.com or call 01-282 2277/ 01-282 2704.

Times of Masses and Blessed Sacrament Adoration: Weekday Masses are celebrated at 10am from Tuesday to Friday, and at 5pm (Vigil) on Saturday. There is no celebration of 10am morning Mass on Mondays and Saturdays. On Mondays Evening Mass is celebrated at 7pm with Adoration of Blessed Sacrament from 6pm to 7pm. Sunday Masses are celebrated at 10am, 12pm, and 6pm. All Masses are available online through the link Watch Us Live. A Holy Hour takes place from 6pm to 7pm on Mondays, from 8pm to 9pm on Thursdays and from 10.30am to 11.30am on Fridays 9.45am. On the First Saturday of the Month only there will be 10am MaasConfessions will be heard from 9.15am to 9.45am beforehand.

Irish Mass: A Mass in Irish is celebrated at 9am on Sunday mornings in St. Peters Church, Little, Bray.

The Rosary: This is prayed Monday to Saturday mornings from 9.30am. All are welcome.

Parish Services on Webcam: All are welcome to view our services on the parish webcam www.stannesparishshankill.com.

Bookings for Baptisms: Please call the Parish Office on 01-2822704 or 01-2822277 for more information, or email: info@stannesparishshankill.com.

Come Join Us: The Family Mass in St. Annes Shankill takes place every Sunday at 10am with a Special Childrens Monthly Mass at 10am on the first Sunday of every month. The Childrens Liturgy Team would like to invite any children and their parents /guardians/grandparents who would like to be involved in the liturgy (readings, offertory and processions) to contact Rob on 089-4123158 or contact the parish office on 01-2822704 / 01-2822277 or email info@stannesparishshankill.com.

St. Brigid: This Sunday is the Feast of St. Brigid so come and celebrate her feast day at the Childrens Monthly Mass at 10am this Sunday and hear a story about St. Brigid, her heart for God, and her love for humanity. A St. Brigids Cross Workshop will take place in the Childrens Area of the church immediately after the 10am Mass after which participants can bring home a St. Brigids Cross and a goodie bag.

St. Annes Resource Centre Upgrade: St. Annes Resource Centre is currently closed due to renovation works. A temporary office is open at the side of St. Annes Resource Centre from 9.30am to 2pm Monday to Friday. As access will be restricted, all inquiries should be directed by email or telephone wherever possible.

Ballybrack-Killiney Parish: Mass Times: Sts. Alphonsus & Columba Church, Church Avenue, Ballybrack Mondays, Fridays at 10am & Sundays at 10.30am; Church of the Apostles, Willow Vale, Ballybrack: Tuesdays & Thursdays at 10am, and Sundays at 12pm; Church of St. Stephen, Killiney Hill Road, Killiney: Saturdays at 6pm. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Thursday morning after 10am Mass until 12 noon, in the Church of the Apostles. All are welcome. Confessions: These are heard in Sts Alphonsus & Columba church from 4pm to 4.30pm each Saturday.

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Dalkey: Mass Times: Sundays at 9am and 11am. Vigil Mass on Saturday at 6pm (Taize/Gospel Choir); Daily Mass: 10am. Confessions: These are heard every Saturday morning after 10am Mass unless there is a funeral. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Takes place on Mondays after 10am Mass until 4pm (Except on public holidays when exposition takes place on Tuesday). Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Thursday from 7pm to 8pm. Compline: Takes place every Wednesday at 6.30pm in the Church, with the parishes of St. Patricks and the Assumption joining together for this short and simple service. All are most welcome.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Johnstown: General Mass Schedule: 10amMonday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; no Mass on a Tuesday; Saturday6pm Vigil Mass and on Sunday at 11am.

St. Brigids Parish, Cabinteely: Weekday Masses are celebrated in St. Brigids Church, Cabinteely on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 10am, and no Mass on Wednesday. On Bank Holidays Mass is celebrated at 11am. At weekends the Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5.30pm (Saturday). Sunday Mass times are 10am and 12.30pm.

St. Michaels Church, Dun Laoghaire: Mass Times: Monday to Friday: 10am; Saturday: 10am and 6pm Vigil Mass; Sunday: 9am, 10.30am (Irish), 11.30am, and 1pm. The Church will now remain open until 4pm Monday to Friday. The Church will remain open on Saturdays and close after the 6pm Mass.

Shankill Library

To facilitate essential conservation and improvement works, Shankill Library on Library Road is closed and has been relocated to a temporary library in Stonebridge Community Centre, 7 Stonebridge, Grove, Shankill, until this work is completed, and is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 10am to 4pm.

Space will be available to continue to facilitate regular library group meetings, access to book stock, a seating area for adults and children, newspapers, plus paid printing/copying facilities. Contact details remain the same telephone 01-204 7224 or email shankilllib@dlrcoco.ie. The Library will not be open next Monday due to the February Bank Holiday weekend.

Rathmichael Historical Society

The Societys AGM takes place at 8pm next Wednesday (February 4th) in Rathmichael National School, and will be followed by two short talks from John Roden and Richard Ryan. There will be a demonstration of the updated website and Lafcadio Hearn. Members are freenon-members/visitors 5.

Members and supporters of the Rathmichael Historical Society are asked to note that the following events will take place in the coming weektomorrow (Thursday) Peadar Curran will present A brief history of Icehouses with some Wicklow examples at 7pm in Wicklow Town Library, The Mall, Main Street, Wicklow Town. Admission is free but booking is required as the venue has a limited capacity email: wicklowlocalstudies@wicklowcoco.ie, or call 0404-67025 to reserve a place; Cormac Lowth will present Maritime Art in Dublin Bay at 8pm in Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, West Pier, Dun Laoghaire. All are welcome; Proinsias De Rossa will present The Glasnevin Parish and its Lower Sort in the 18th Century at 8pm to the Rathmines, Ranelagh & Rathgar Historical Society in Rathmines Town Hall, Rathmines Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Members are free / visitors 5. The Swan Car Park Rate is 3.50 for the first 2 hours; 3.50 per hour thereafter. Next Thursday (February 5th) Niall Watts will present William Magrath: Escape from a POW camp at 8pm to the Mount Merrion Historical Society in the Fitzwilliam Rooms, Mount Merrion Community Centre, Mount Merrion, Co. Dublin. Admission is 5/Students 2.

First Saturday Book Sale

The February 2026 First Saturday Book Sale, which supports the Shankill Seniors Day Care Centre, takes place from 10am to 1pm next Saturday (February 7th) in the Shankill Seniors Day Care Centre, Lower Road, Shankill.

Donations of books, which must be in a clean and good condition, are limited to one small bag per donor due to storage issues, and can only be left in to the Book Sale that Saturday morning.

Classical Music Club

The February meeting of the Shankill Classical Music Club will take place from 7.45pm to 10pm, including a break for tea/coffee k, on Wednesday February 11th in the Shankill Seniors Centre, Lower Road, Shankill, located 100m from Main Street with car parking available.

The music will be as always: a varied programme of classical music on CDs, covering many genres i.e. orchestral, instrumental, vocal, opera, etc. in a friendly setting. Visitors and new and returning members are always welcome. You dont need to be an expert! Charge 2 on the night (waived for first visit). For further information please phone or text Malcolm at 085-8528216.

Return of Killiney Sounds

Killiney Sounds is an initiative to highlight local musical talent. The first of four concerts takes place this Sunday in the Church of Saint Stephen, Killiney, starting at 2.30pm and lasting for about 50 minutes, followed by light refreshments.

The programme is The Rite of Spring and a Song Cycle honouring Saint Brigid and is an excellent way to spend an hour on a Sunday afternoon. Tickets are 15 and available on the day from 2.15pm at the Church door or from Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/killiney-sounds-music-series-tickets.
Wicklow County Council has received a planning application from Core Credit Union Limited to develop a mixed-use development at Church Road in Greystones.

The application seeks permission to keep an active Credit Union in use at the ground floor level, with the change of use of the upper floors to provide three residential apartments, together with associated internal alterations, minor demolition works, elevational modifications, and all ancillary site development works.

The proposed development at Church Road is in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework, the Eastern and Midland Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy and the Wicklow County Development Plan 20222028, particularly in respect of compact growth, town centre consolidation, sustainable transport and the promotion of living-over-the-shop development.

The subject site is in a highly accessible, sustainable area, well served by public transport and close to a wide range of amenities, making it particularly suitable for compact mixed-use development and residential intensification in accordance with national and local planning policy.

Proposed works include keeping the ground-floor Credit Union (146.5 m) with a new shopfront, ATM, signage, and security shutter with the provision of a separate residential access to the rear.

The application also asks for the change of use at the lower first-floor level to one two-bedroom apartment (64m) and a second one-bedroom apartment (56m). There would also be a change of use at the second-floor level to a one-bedroom apartment (56m).

Demolition of the existing rear lift shaft would also take place alongside the provision of private balcony space, bin storage, bicycle parking and plant areas. Roof lights, minor elevational alterations and all associated site works are also included.

According to the planning report the proposal will enhance the vitality of Greystones town centre, contribute to housing supply in a highly accessible location, and support an important community-based financial institution.

The report also contends the proposed Credit Union use at the ground floor level, together with homes above, fully accords with the zoning objective of the site. No recent planning permissions restrict the proposed internal reconfiguration or the change of use of the upper floors to residential accommodation.

Greystones and District Credit Union is a local, community based not-for-profit financial institution which has been serving the community since 1969.

The local authority are due to issue their ruling on February 23.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
The father of a 10-year-old girl from Bray, County Wicklow, who was diagnosed with cancer in July last year, has said he never thought we would be at the receiving end of the generosity shown by the community, as people have rallied to renovate the family home for her.
Flood relief schemes will be fast tracked, pledges Tanaiste



THE new Critical Infrastructure Bill will specifically address the fast tracking of flood relief schemes, the Tanaiste has pledged to the Dail.

Simon Harris said: Homes have to be at the top of the pecking order when it comes to our planning system.

He added: Sometimes that doesn't always seem to be the way. We hear about the freshwater mussel delay in the flood relief scheme in Enniscorthy.

But its the people of Enniscorthy that I'm concerned about. Or critical infrastructure bill will specifically address the fast tracking of flood relief schemes.

The weather event that many communities are experiencing is still ongoing, he said, with particular warnings for Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford.

There is more rain forecast over the coming days, and flooding will continue to be a risk due to saturated ground conditions and very elevated river levels, the Tanaiste said.

So Id continue to urge everyone to exercise caution. Conditions can change quickly, so monitor the Met Eireann forecasts, but also follow the advice of local authorities.

Government financial schemes of assistance are now both open, he said, with that in relation to homeowners under the Department of Social Protection and that for businesses under the Department of Enterprise.

To Opposition criticism if preparedness failures, he said: I dont accept the assertion that nothings been done in relation to flood relief.

In fact, I would point to the significant progress and money thats been spent right across the country delivering flood relief schemes that are really helping protect homes, communities, and businesses.

But he said he accepted it was taking far too long to deliver far too many.

Mr Harris said 51 million was committed to the Enniscorthy flood defence project under the National Development Plan.

We now need to see how we can accelerate flood relief schemes. We published the accelerating infrastructure task force report just before Christmas.

We will be bringing into this as a Critical Infrastructure Bill, where we have to recognise that while environmental issues and individual views matter, theres also something else that matters.

It's called the public good.

But Aontu leader Peadar Toibin said Government ministers were allergic to measurables, in case they can be held to account.

There are 46 flood schemes at design stage while communities suffer, he said. Midleton 2023: Storm Babette -- 600 homes and 300 businesses flooded. Damage estimated at 200 million. People came within a hairs breadth of losing their lives in Midleton.

Storm Frank devastated the exact same area in 2015, when flood defences were promised with a completion date of 2020. Today, the planning application has still not even been submitted.

He added: Enniscorthy has been waiting for 25 years for protection. In 2014, 55 million was allocated to flood relief schemes. But this week Enniscorthy is a lake.

Practically every single piece of infrastructure development in this country is grinding to a halt.

It was all because the Government has the slowest planning, licensing, permitting, tendering and judicial reviews in the whole of the European Union, Mr Toibin said.

A national flood forecast and warning service was announced in 2016. Ten years later, none of these flood forecasts are being made available to the public.



Senan Molony




Letter warns of a party stitch-up, but minister plays down MPs fears

UK prime minister Keir Starmer has been accused of running scared after the decision not to select Andy Burnham as a by-election candidate. Photo: PA

The decision to block Andy Burnham from standing in a parliamentary by-election is done and dusted, a UK cabinet minister insisted after around 50 Labour MPs signed a letter objecting to the move.

Housing secretary Steve Reed rejected suggestions that denying the Greater Manchester mayor a run in the upcoming Gorton and Denton contest stemmed from fears of a challenge to Keir Starmers leadership.

The prime minister is facing a Labour backlash over the decision, with dozens of MPs and several peers understood to have signed a letter saying there is no legitimate reason for preventing Mr Burnhams bid.

The letter also warns that denying local members a choice reinforces the idea that politics is a remote stitch-up by a small group of people at the very top in London.

Speaking to broadcasters yesterday, Mr Reed said MPs who had signed the letter are entitled to their view, but that it is reasonable for people in Manchester to have the mayor continue in his existing role until the end of his term.

Asked whether the move was linked to anxieties about the prospect of a leadership challenge, he told Times Radio: No, its got absolutely nothing to do with that at all. Andy Burnham made a commitment to serve that four-year term, and its reasonable that the people of Manchester should have him continuing doing, frankly, the outstanding job that hes doing until his term comes to an end. Its a decision thats done and its dusted.

A 10-strong group from Labours National Executive Committee (NEC), including Mr Starmer, voted on Sunday to deny Mr Burnham permission to run in the by-election.

Mr Starmer defended the decision on Monday morning, arguing that allowing Mr Burnham to run for a Westminster seat would divert Labours resources away from campaigns for the local elections in May.

He insisted the battle of our times was between Labour and Reform UK rather than within his own party and appealed to members to unite ahead of a fight that matters hugely to the future of our country.

But critics accused Mr Starmer and his allies of blocking Mr Burnhams candidacy for factional reasons, fearing a leadership challenge from the mayor as both Labours poll ratings and his personal approval flounder.

UK prime minister Keir Starmer has been accused of running scared after the decision not to select Andy Burnham as a by-election candidate. Photo: PA

In their letter, addressed to Mr Starmer, home secretary Shabana Mahmood in her role as NEC chairwoman, and Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley, MPs called on the partys ruling body to re-evaluate the decision.

The decision by the NEC sub-committee to block Andy Burnham in Gorton and Denton has caused a huge amount of anxiety and anger amongst colleagues in the Parliamentary Labour Party, and amongst our local members around the country, they said.

At this moment of serious public cynicism about politics, denying our local members real choice and a chance to exercise their democratic voice only reinforces the idea that politics is a remote stitch-up from a small group of people at the very top in London.

The letter also warned that blocking Mr Burnham from making his case to local members risks playing into the division and disunity that Nigel Farage and Reform thrive on.

The names of the signatories are not expected to be made public.

Meanwhile, Mr Starmer said the public had given him a personal mandate to lead the UK and vowed to complete his full term in office, signalling to potential rivals that he would seek to resist pressure on his leadership.

Ive got a five-year mandate, he said when asked in an interview with Bloomberg if he would stand in any leadership contest. Its a considerable mandate. I intend to deliver on that.

At a closed-doors meeting of the PLP on Monday, attorney general Lord Hermer sought to rally MPs ahead of the forthcoming contest in Manchester, insisting the party would change this country for the better.

Mr Burnham has said he was disappointed by the decision and concerned about its potential impact on the important elections ahead of us.

In a statement on social media, he insisted he would return with full focus to his mayoral job and he urged unity in the face of the divisive politics of Reform.

Elsewhere, GB News presenter and former university academic Matt Goodwin was named as Reform UKs candidate in the race.

Nigel Farage earlier said the partys chances were considerably better than before Mr Burnham was blocked from standing while Mr Goodwin described the contest as a referendum on Keir Starmer.

Labour launched an early attack on the rival partys campaign yesterday, accusing Reform chief whip Lee Anderson of appearing in the wrong constituency in a series of social media posts.

In pictures posted on Facebook on Saturday, Mr Anderson joined activists near a building believed to be the Stanley House Function Rooms, a Greater Manchester venue outside the boundaries of Gorton and Denton.

Labour chairwoman Anna Turley said the party was proving from day one they wont stand up for local residents in Gorton and Denton  they cant even find the constituency on a map.
A couple walk their dog with a flashlight, during power outage at Zehlendorf district in Berlin, Germany. Photo: Getty Images

Germany is offering a huge reward for help catching the group behind an attack that left swathes of Berlin in total darkness earlier this month.

Some 50,000 people in Berlins wealthy south-west were left without power for several days in early January, following an act of suspected sabotage claimed by the far-left extremist Vulkan Group.

Berlins mayor Kai Wegner was quick to condemn the attack on high voltage power lines as terrorism as the group claimed responsibility in a lengthy, politically-charged letter titled cutting off power to those in power.

Iris Spranger, the senator for interior affairs in the capital, confirmed that federal prosecutors are now offering a 1m reward for information that leads to arrests.

This is a one-off case, she told politicians during a session of the Berlin State Parliaments Interior Committee. I cannot recall the federal government ever offering a reward of this magnitude under similar circumstances.

She said the government considered it an exceptional measure, but an appropriate amount for the crime. The outage, which started on January 3 and only ended four days later, was the longest in the German capital since the World War II.

It was caused by a fire that destroyed a cable duct running over a canal, cutting off power to around 45,000 households and across 2,000 businesses in south-western districts of the city as bitter winter temperatures set in.

The aim of the action is to cause significant damage to the gas industry

Germany was forced to bring in the army to support residents as the blackout cut off heating, trains and mobile phone connections.

The Vulkan Group, which is listed by Berlins intelligence services as a left-wing extremist organisation, said in their letter, published online: The aim of the action is to cause significant damage to the gas industry and the greed for energy.

They have taken responsibility for similar actions in the past but no arrests have been made over the blackout as yet.

Germanys interior minister insisted yesterday that the government would step up efforts to tackle left-wing militants.

Our security agencies will be significantly reinforced in the fight against left-wing extremism, the minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said.
As I feared for my life, it was a reminder that this is a daily occurrence for so many ordinary people in the country

Tents of a government-run humanitarian aid point, where residents can warm up, charge their devices, get hot drinks and psychological support, next to apartment buildings during a blackout in Kyiv. Photo: Reuters

Firefighters put out a fire after Russian drones hit a passenger train in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine last night

Broken window glass is seen in an apartment following a Russian air attack in the city centre in Odesa. Photo: AP/Michael Shtekel

In the early hours of yesterday I was on the receiving end of one of the deadly Russian mass drone attacks that regularly terrorise Ukrainian cities.

Much of my hotel near the centre of the Black Sea port city of Odesa was wrecked when Shahed drones hit close by, setting buildings opposite ablaze and blowing out walls, shattering windows and collapsing ceilings where I was staying.

I had slept through the sirens warning of an approaching attack and was wrenched out of my slumber by the first enormous explosion, which blew out windows in my room in the Hotel Alarus at around 2.20am.

As I hurriedly pulled on clothes and boots, drones came diving in on their final approach, emitting a shrill other-worldly scream like that of German Stuka dive bombers in WWII movies.

Twice I hit the floor in the space between my bed and the bathroom wall  the furthest point in my room from the outside.

During these seconds that seem like an age I felt utterly helpless and mouthed F***, f***, f***. Just get it over with.

As more drones kept coming, I got to the basement shelter and joined 11 staff and guests there in the dark.

People, some in nighties, some barefoot, mostly sat silently with a few faces dimly lit by screen light as they scanned smartphones for any news.

Locals had an app that showed the approach of missiles or drones around Odesa. Some cried while others covered their ears or pulled friends close as tension mounted, waiting for an explosion.

Some of the explosions blew out the hotels glass front doors and seemed to search us out, sending showers of broken glass down the basement stairs.

Nobody at the hotel was hurt, but three people were killed in the raid and 25, including some children and a pregnant woman, were injured.

This is the reality in Ukraine, as peace talks grind on interminably, with little sense of progress.

Firefighters put out a fire after Russian drones hit a passenger train in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine last night

In everyday life in Odesa, dilapidated generators thrum outside shops, restaurants, residential and office buildings fight a losing battle against power cuts and freezing temperatures on the snow and ice-covered streets.

Some sounds have disappeared completely from Odesas urban soundtrack  the building-shaking trundle of trams along the tracks that lace the citys boulevards and the trolleybuses whose power-transmitting poles can cause magnificent showers of sparks where they connect to icy electric cables high above the streets, providing delight for kids.

Intensified Russian aerial strikes over recent months have knocked out much of the regions energy-generating infrastructure forcing these electricity-sucking trams and trolleybuses to a halt.

Many Odesa residents have moved away from the city as it has become a priority target for Moscow. The population, at around a million, remains at pre-war levels because those moving out have been replaced by refugees fleeing fighting further east.

Vera (23), a student, lives in an apartment block in the north-eastern suburb of the city and these high-rise buildings suffer some of the harshest misery because of aerial attacks and power cuts.

She said these cuts, sometimes lasting five days, mean many people, especially the elderly, disabled and people with young children face catastrophic conditions.

Imagine having to descend or ascend to the 14th floor of an apartment block  28 flights of stairs  if youre frail or disabled. Imagine a mother carrying her child and a baby buggy. What if she has two children? If youre in a wheelchair youre trapped.

On this New Years Eve six people, including three children, were injured when drones hit apartment blocks close to us. On New Years Eve 2024 drones killed a friend of mine who was on a balcony in our building having a cigarette. Perhaps the Russians are starting a tradition.

The huge power outages caused by the savage uptick in Russian aerial attacks have coincided with Ukraines coldest winter in years with sub-zero temperatures a regular experience for its citizens.

Many of Ukraines Soviet-era residential high-rises rely on an archaic and inefficient form of central heating where hot water is piped in from a hot water plant miles away. When one of the water plants is destroyed thousands of homes quickly freeze. With electricity knocked out for days at a time, electric heaters become useless.

The Russians have been targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure since the start of the full-blown war and options for replacement equipment have been severely limited. Many electrical engineers preparing damaged plant have been killed in targeted drone attacks.

The frontlines start about 100km to the east of Odesa, but military spokesman Major Dmytro Pletenchuk explains that the Russians can launch missiles and drones from submarines in the Black Sea off Odesa or Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula they occupy about 160km from the city. They use ballistic missiles which travel so fast they arrive before people can react to the sirens and find shelter, he said.

He said the one principle aim was to cripple the three ports  in the city centre and two, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, nearby along the coast  which collectively form Ukraines most important remaining opening for sea trade.

These ports are the main outlet for Ukraines agricultural exports, including grains and sunflower oil which are critical foodstuffs for many Third World countries. The drones target storage containers and convoys of trucks bringing cargo to the ports from producers all over Ukraine, said Pletenchuk.

Recently they hit a container with tens of thousands of litres of sunflower oil which drained into the sea and can cause as much ecological damage as if it was fuel oil.

The ports are one of the citys main employers. It is also an important industrial, business, IT and academic centre including scientific research, chemicals manufacture, and machine-building.

Pletenchuk said another aim is to demoralise and sow terror among the population by striking energy infrastructure to leave people in the dark and frozen and by targeting residential buildings.

A doctor whose first name is Svyatoslav but preferred not to have his surname published, is a senior member of the World Health Organisation team in southern Ukraine. He called the Russian attacks that keep millions of Ukrainians freezing pure terrorism.

They are not hitting the military but are striking at targets to make normal life impossible for ordinary people.

Tents of a government-run humanitarian aid point, where residents can warm up, charge their devices, get hot drinks and psychological support, next to apartment buildings during a blackout in Kyiv. Photo: Reuters

This terror is meant to bring people to their knees. They think Ukrainians will plead with their government to end the war at any price; for us to surrender. Before 2022 I knew a lot of people in Odesa who didnt think of Russia as their enemy. Now I think very few like that remain. We have no choice but too fight on. Ukrainians willingness to help each other is an essential component of the countrys spirit to keep going.

Odesa, as other large cities, has a network of dozens of Punkt Nezlamonist  Points of Unbroken Resilience providing a place to warm up, have a warm drink and a meal, recharge cellphones, computers and gadgets, and find a place to speak.

Some facilities provide help for just some needs  many supermarkets have gadget charging points, places to warm up or air raid shelters.

A year ago many people interviewed in the eastern Ukrainian frontline town of Kupyansk believed that the newly inaugurated US president Donald Tump might be able to deliver on his promise to quickly end the war.

But nobody The Independent spoke to had any faith the Trump-brokered peace talks, which last week brought Ukrainian, US and Russian delegations to the UAE, will yield a fair peace or any peace at all.

After the first day of talks last Friday, Russia launched a massive aerial attack against cities across Ukraine.

Volunteer Roman asked: What kind of a peace agreement can you expect from Russia when on the night of the first days talks they send 400 drones and missiles to kill us?

Vera, the student, said: Trump doesnt feel human emotions, he doesnt care about Ukrainians  its all about greed and business to him.

The carnage continued last night when a Russian drone strike killed three people and wounded two more aboard a passenger train in the Kharkiv region.

The train was struck near a village while operating from Chop, near Ukraine's western borders with Hungary and Slovakia, to the town of Barvinkove. The train was carrying 155 passengers.
Group assured civil servants and security personnel it was working to incorporate them into new administration

Last week's signing ceremony for the Board of Peace. Photo: Getty

Hamas is seeking to incorporate its 10,000 police officers into a new US-backed Palestinian administration for Gaza, sources say, a demand likely to be opposed by Israel.

Islamist group Hamas retains control of just under half of Gaza, after the October ceasefire deal brokered by US president Donald Trump. The agreement ties further Israeli troop withdrawals to Hamas giving up its weapons.

The 20-point plan to end the war, now in its second phase, calls for the governance of Gaza to be handed to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a Palestinian technocratic body with US oversight that is meant to exclude Hamas.

Its unclear whether Israel will agree to the civil and security workers inclusion

In a letter to staff on Sunday, Gazas Hamas-run government urged its more than 40,000 civil servants and security personnel to co-operate with the NCAG, but assured them it was working to incorporate them into the new government.

That would include the roughly 10,000-strong Hamas-run police force, four sources familiar with the matter said. Many of them have been patrolling Gaza as Hamas reasserts its grip in areas under its control.

It was not immediately clear whether Israel, which has adamantly rejected any Hamas involvement in Gazas future, would agree to the civil and security workers inclusion in the NCAG.

Hamas plans for its police force and workers point to a wide disparity between Hamas and Israel.

Last week, Mr Trump hosted a signing ceremony to establish his Board of Peace, which will serve as a transitional administration to set the framework and co-ordinate funding for the redevelopment of Gaza.

Last week's signing ceremony for the Board of Peace. Photo: Getty

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the group was prepared to hand over governance to the 15-member NCAG and its chair, Ali Shaath, with immediate effect.

We [have] full confidence that it will operate on the basis of benefiting from qualified personnel and not wasting the rights of anyone who worked during the previous period, Mr Qassem said, referring to the inclusion of the 40,000 personnel.

The sources said Hamas is open to the NCAG restructuring ministries and sending some workers into retirement. Mass dismissals risked chaos, they added.

Mr Trumps administration wants to see heavy weapons decommissioned immediately

Another issue was whether Sami Nasman, the former Palestinian Authority general assigned to oversee security under the NCAG, would be able to operate effectively, a Palestinian official said.

Mr Nasman, originally from Gaza, moved to the occupied West Bank after Hamas routed Palestinian Authority forces from the enclave in 2007 following a brief civil war. A Hamas court in Gaza later sentenced him in absentia, accusing him of instigating chaos. Mr Nasman denies this.

Mr Trumps administration wants to see heavy weapons decommissioned immediately, with personal arms registered and decommissioned by sector as NCAG police become capable of guaranteeing personal security, according to a document shared by the White House last week. A US official said yesterday that Hamas fighters would be granted some sort of amnesty.

The militant group is still believed to possess rockets, which several diplomats said could number hundreds. It is also thought to possess thousands of light weapons, including rifles.
Donald Trump in damage control mode as White House seeks to ease Minneapolis unrest over shooting of two US citizens

Trump reassesses administration response after Pretti's deathFederal judge orders ICE head to court over bond hearingsVideo evidence contradicts DHS claim of Pretti's threat

It's a very sad situation says Donald Tump on Alex Pretti and defends decisions around border control

Nandita Bose and Brad Brooks Reuters Wed 28 Jan 2026 at 08:28

US President Donald Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, met with the Minneapolis mayor and the Minnesota governor on Tuesday in a show of detente, as the White House sought to ease unrest gripping the city after two U.S. citizens were shot dead by federal agents.
Presidents border tsar meets with Minnesota governor Tim Walz in bid to calm tensions after two gun deaths caused by immigration troop

Donald Trumps border tsar Tom Homan met with Minnesotas governor and the mayor of Minneapolis yesterday, as the White House seeks to defuse the unrest that has gripped the city after the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal agents.

The move to install Mr Homan in charge of the operation in place of border patrol official Gregory Bovino, who sources said was leaving after having led most of Mr Trumps crackdowns in Democratic-led cities, is part of a broader reset by the president to soften his administrations aggressive posture in Minneapolis.

Some advisers are concerned Saturdays killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal officers, which sparked national outrage, could derail Mr Trumps immigration agenda.

Police preparing to disperse a "Goodbye Bovino Noise Demo" demonstration at the Spring Hill Suites in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Photo: Getty

News in 90 seconds - Wednesday 28th January

Mr Homans job in Minneapolis is to recalibrate tactics and improve co-operation with state and local officials, a source with ties to the White House said.

The goal is to scale back, eventually pull out, the source added.

A senior Trump administration official said Mr Homan would move away from the broad, public neighbourhood sweeps that Mr Bovino had conducted in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis and other cities and adopt a more traditional targeted approach.

In a statement, Minnesota governor Tim Walz said he had outlined the states priorities to Mr Homan, including impartial investigations into the two shootings and reducing the 3,000-strong force of federal agents that has been deployed to the city. Mr Homan and Mr Walz agreed to continue working toward those goals, the governor said.

Donald Trump. Photo: AP

Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey said he told Mr Homan that the city does not and will not enforce federal immigration law and urged an end to Operation Metro Surge as quickly as possible.

Mr Frey said he was joined by police chief Brian OHara for a productive meeting with Mr Homan. He said: I shared with Mr Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers.

The president spent the weekend huddling with senior advisers to reassess the administrations response to Mr Prettis death on Saturday, according to the same source and a White House official. As in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good earlier this month, some Trump administration officials initially responded by accusing Mr Pretti of domestic terrorism, a claim belied by witness video that showed he posed no threat.

The discussions included reducing the number of agents in Minnesota, recalibrating the mission to focus more narrowly on deportations and exploring greater co-ordination with state authorities. Mr Trump also weighed up whether immigration officers should be required to have body-worn cameras, as many police officers do, according to the White House official.

The killing of Mr Pretti, an ICU nurse shot multiple times by Border Patrol agents during daytime protests, has become a full-blown political crisis for Mr Trump, with even some Republicans in Congress calling for investigations.

The courts patience is at an end

Coupled with the fatal shooting of Ms Good, a mother of three, earlier this month by an ICE officer, Mr Prettis shooting sparked renewed anger over the aggressive tactics of the federal agents who have been roving the streets of Minneapolis for weeks.

Late on Monday, Minnesotas chief federal judge threatened to hold the acting head of US ICE, Todd Lyons, in contempt for his agencys failures to comply with court orders that some detainees receive bond hearings.

The courts patience is at an end, US district Judge Patrick Schiltz wrote in ordering Mr Lyons to appear before him on Friday.

Public support for Mr Trumps immigration enforcement tactics appeared to be waning both before and after the shooting of Mr Pretti, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.

The issue has put Republicans on the defensive ahead of Novembers mid-term elections, when the partys narrow congressional majorities are at stake.

The president held a two-hour meeting with Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem in the Oval Office on Monday evening after Ms Noem asked to meet, a source confirmed.

House Democratic leaders yesterday threatened to launch impeachment proceedings if Ms Noem isnt fired immediately.

The statement, co-signed by House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic whip Katherine Clark and the Democratic Caucus chair Pete Aguilar, accused the Trump administration of using taxpayer dollars to kill American citizens, brutalise communities and violently target law-abiding immigrant families.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Photo: Getty

Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives, they said.

We can do this the easy way or the hard way.

At the White House yesterday, Mr Trump expressed sympathy for Mr Prettis family and said he would be watching over the investigation into his killing. But he also defended Ms Noem and said she would not be stepping down.

Privately, Mr Trump has made clear to advisers he did not want to defend the agents actions or attack Mr Pretti, after deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller labelled Mr Pretti an assassin and Mr Bovino suggested he intended to massacre officers, despite widely shared videos contradicting those claims.

Senior aides were asked not to target Mr Pretti publicly and the president discussed distancing himself from public comments made by Mr Miller and Ms Noem, the White House official said.

Mr Bovino, who said the officers who killed Mr Pretti were the true victims in Saturdays shooting, was expected to depart Minneapolis yesterday along with some border patrol agents deployed with him, a senior administration official told Reuters on Monday.

Another source said Mr Bovino had been stripped of his title of commander at large and would return to his former job as a chief patrol agent along Californias El Centro sector of the US-Mexico border, before retiring soon after.

Department of Homeland Security officials said agents fired in self-defence after Mr Pretti approached them with a handgun, even though video showed him holding a phone, not a gun, as agents wrestled him to the ground.

Gun rights groups have pushed back on Trump administration officials suggestion that Mr Pretti should not have been armed, a rare election-year rift between Republicans and one of their most loyal voting blocs.
US President Donald Trump is scaling back the federal presence in the city in the wake of a second fatal shooting by ICE officers

Alex Prettis shooting death was the second by Ice officers in January (AP/Adam Gray)

The Trump administration is reshuffling the leadership of its immigration enforcement operation and scaling back the federal presence after a second fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers.

President Donald Trump said he was placing his border tsar, Tom Homan, in charge of the mission, with Mr Homan reporting directly to the White House, after Mr Bovino drew condemnation for claiming the man who was killed, Alex Pretti, had been planning to massacre law enforcement officers, a characterisation that authorities had not substantiated.

Alex Prettis shooting death was the second by Ice officers in January (AP/Adam Gray)

It came as President Trump held late-night crisis talks with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday evening amid conflicting reports about whether her job is at risk over the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

According to The New York Times, the meeting took place in the Oval Office, was initiated by Noem, and lasted almost 2 hours.

Also present was the secretarys top aide, Corey Lewandowski, as well as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Communications Director Steven Cheung. The Trump administrations Homeland Security adviser, Stephen Miller, was conspicuous by his absence.

A source subsequently told the Times that the president did not suggest during the meeting that either Noems or Lewandowskis jobs were at risk.

But a separate report in The Atlantic had earlier suggested the opposite.

The talks come amid renewed uproar over the surge of federal immigration forces into Minnesota after Customs and Border Protection officers shot dead Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, making him the second U.S. citizen to be killed protesting the presence of masked government agents in their streets after the fatal shooting of Renee Good on January 7.

As was the case with Good, Noem was quick to excuse the men responsible, insisting the victim was engaged in an act of domestic terrorism whose actions left them no choice but to defend themselves with lethal force, despite widely-seen video evidence filmed by bystanders contradicting that narrative.

Noems claims included that Pretti had attacked officers and was brandishing a gun; Pretti was licensed to carry a concealed weapon in Minnesota, and it was taken from his waistband area by a federal agent moments before he was shot at least 10 times.

I dont have any evidence that Ive seen that suggests that the weapon was brandished, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara said in a Sunday interview on CBS.

In the immediate aftermath of Prettis killing, Miller labelled him an assassin who tried to murder federal agents, a claim that was reposted by Vice President JD Vance, while Border Patrols commander at large Gregory Bovino said it looks like Pretti had wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement. Bovinos claims were shared in a social media post by the Department of Homeland Security, which is overseen by Secretary Noem.

The baseless claims about Prettis action and motives sparked widespread outrage, with bipartisan calls for independent investigations. Some Democrats have vowed to withhold DHS funding amid calls for additional oversight measures, which could force a partial federal government shutdown.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday said that Noem had forfeited her right to lead.

Im calling on her to resign as Secretary of Homeland Security or Donald Trump to do the right thing and just fire her. And, if not, she must be removed or impeached, Hochul said at a press conference.

Growing public anger over Prettis killing has forced the president to recalibrate his unquestioning support for the harsh tactics employed by immigration agents.

Trump had endorsed Noems version of events when Renee Good was fatally shot, and appeared to initially take a similar approach in the aftermath of Prettis death, sharing a picture on Truth Social of the weapon removed from his waistband and describing it as the gunmans gun. But over the next few days, he became more reticent.

At a press conference on Monday, Leavitt refused to endorse claims by Noem and Miller that Pretti had been a domestic terrorist, and attempted to distance her boss from those remarks.

Look, as Ive said, I have not heard the president characterize Mr. Pretti in that way, Leavitt said. However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself.

Trump said earlier Monday he had asked border czar Tom Homan to go to Minneapolis and oversee the administrations immigration enforcement campaign from now on. Pointedly, Homan will report directly to Trump, rather than to Secretary Noem.

The commander in chief also spoke with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to dial down tensions, and both later made positive remarks about their exchange.

It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength, Trump wrote.

It was later reported that Bovino, a deeply polarizing figure, has been removed from his role in Minneapolis and will return to his old job in California.

Saturdays fatal shooting of Mr Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse, by Border Patrol agents ignited political backlash and raised fresh questions about how the operation was being run.

Mr Bovinos leadership of highly visible federal crackdowns, including operations that sparked mass demonstrations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte and Minneapolis, has drawn fierce criticism from local officials, civil rights advocates and congressional Democrats.

A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Mr Bovino is among the federal agents leaving Minneapolis.

The departure accompanies a softer tone from Mr Trump on the Minnesota crackdown, including the presidents touting of productive conversations with the governor and Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey.

The mayor said he asked Mr Trump in a phone call to end the immigration enforcement surge, and Mr Trump agreed the present situation cannot continue. Mr Frey said he would keep pushing for others involved in Operation Metro Surge to go.

Mr Homan will take charge of Ice operations in Minnesota. Mr Frey said he planned to meet Mr Homan on Tuesday.

Mr Trump and Democratic governor Tim Walz spoke in a phone call and later offered comments that were a marked change from the critical statements they have exchanged in the past. Their conversation happened on the same day a federal judge heard arguments in a lawsuit aimed at halting the federal immigration enforcement surge in the state.

We, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength, the president wrote in a social media post.

Mr Walz, in a statement, said the call was productive and that impartial investigations into the shootings were needed. Mr Trump said his administration was looking for any and all criminals the state has in their custody. Mr Walz said the state Department of Corrections honours federal requests for people in its custody.
TikTok users in the US have reported being unable to write the word Epstein in messages amid accusations that the social media platform is suppressing content critical of US president Donald Trump.

The issues come less than a week after TikToks Chinese owner, ByteDance, was forced to divest a majority stake in its US operations to a group of investors loyal to Mr Trump, who was a close associate with the late convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Since the takeover, TikTok users have also claimed that videos about US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and protests in Minneapolis have also been censored.

California governor Gavin Newsom said that he will probe whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring content.

Its time to investigate, he wrote in a post to X on Monday night. I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content.

His post came in response to a screenshot shared by an X user showing that a message with the word Epstein was blocked by TikTok for being in violation of our Community Guidelines.

You may notice multiple bugs, slower load times, or timed-out requests

Another Californian Democrat, senator Scott Wiener, said that one of his videos about how to sue ICE had been suppressed by TikTok.

TikTok is now state-controlled media, Mr Wiener wrote on X. This morning I posted a TikTok about my legislation allowing people to sue ICE agents. Its sitting at zero views, and Im not the only person this is happening to.

TikTok has attributed the recent issues with its platform to a major infrastructure problem brought about by a power outage at one of its US data centres.

While the network has been recovered, the outage caused a cascading systems failure that weve been working to resolve together with our data centre partner, a statement said.

You may notice multiple bugs, slower load times, or timed-out requests, including when posting new content. Creators may temporarily see 0 views or likes on videos, and your earnings may look like theyre missing. This is a display error caused by server timeouts.

The Independent has reached out to TikTok for further information about specific mentions of Epstein or ICE, and what influence the new ownership will have on content moderation decisions.
As many as 30,000 protesters may have been killed in brutal crackdown

People take part in a protest on O'Connell Street in Dublin, calling for a regime change in Iran. Photo: PA

US president Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is willing to make a deal with the US after his big armada arrived in the Middle East, amid growing fears that Washington could order an attack.

Mr Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out an attack on Iran in response to a brutal crackdown by the Tehran regime on widespread protests over the countrys economic crisis.

Local health officials have suggested that as many as 30,000 people may have been killed in the protests.

Mr Trump recently moved military assets to the region, with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and supporting warships arriving in the Middle East on Monday.

We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela, Mr Trump told Axios, referencing the recent build up of military vessels in the Caribbean prior to the capture of Nicolas Maduro in a dramatic overnight raid.

But he added that a diplomatic resolution was still possible, adding: They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.

Id rather not see anything happen, but were watching them very closely

Mr Trump did not specify what such a deal would involve.

Sources with knowledge of the situation told the US outlet that Mr Trump is yet to make a final decision on whether to strike Iran. He is expected to decide after holding more consultations this week and being presented with more military options.

A US official said on Monday that the White House is open for business with Iran, adding: If they want to contact us and they know what the terms are, then were going to have the conversation.

The USS Abraham Lincoln and a number of guided-missile destroyers arrived in the Middle East region on Monday, the latest indication of an increasingly aggressive foreign policy stance adopted by the Trump administration in the presidents second term.

It followed remarks by Mr Trump last Thursday: We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case ... Id rather not see anything happen, but were watching them very closely. We have an armada... heading in that direction, and maybe we wont have to use it.

Meanwhile, human rights groups reported yesterday that Iranian security forces shot dead a teenage motorcycle influencer who posted videos of herself online without a headscarf.

Diana Bahador, a 19-year-old from northern Gonbad-e-Kavus known online as Baby Rider, was killed on January 8 in Gorgan during protests against the Islamic Republic.

Officials would only release the body if the family... denied she was killed by government forces

She was reportedly shot twice with live ammunition around midnight, and her body was returned to her family two days later, Hyrcani Human Rights group reported.

Iranian state media disputed the account, saying Ms Bahadors real name was Shahrzad Mokhami, who died on January 22 in a crash in Golestan province when she lost control and hit a highway guardrail.

A source close to Ms Bahadors family said officials would only release the body if the family conducted a secret burial and publicly denied she was killed by government forces.

Ms Bahadors Instagram account posted a story claiming the death resulted from an accident and asking followers not to spread rumours, though rights groups say the family made the statement under duress from intelligence services.

The influencer had 150,000 followers on Instagram, where she posted videos about her love of motorbikes and performing stunts and tricks while riding without a headscarf, both legally prohibited for women in Iran.
Image credit : X | @IndianTechGuide | Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla

Bengaluru based entrepreneur meets astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla

It was such a pleasure to meet and interact with Group Capt @gagan_shux - Indias most recent astronaut (and only its second ever) who went up to the ISS last year. Was very glad to listen to his excitement about the private space sector and how it should grow leaps and bounds pic.twitter.com/E3LW9fT6XN































 Awais Ahmed (@awaisahmedna) January 28, 2026







Image credit : X | @awaisahmedna | Pixxel Founder Awais Ahmed Meets ISS Astronaut

Who is Awais Ahmed?

Image credit : X | @awaisahmedna | Pixxel CEO Awais Ahmed Interacts with Indias Second Astronaut

In a recent social media post, a Bengaluru-based CEO, Awais Ahmed, recounted his inspiring meeting with astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian to journey into space. The astronaut shared his excitement about the emerging private space sector in India, emphasising the transformative potential of innovation and entrepreneurship in shaping the nation's space future. According to the CEO, their conversation offered a glimpse into how India's chapter in space exploration is being fueled not just by government missions, but by visionary private initiatives as well. Let's find out who is Awais Ahmed?On Wednesday, entrepreneur Awais Ahmed, the founder and CEO of Pixxel took to his X (formerly called Twitter) and shared his excitement after meeting Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. He shared a picture of the duo and wrote, "It was an absolute pleasure to interact with him."He highlighted Shukla as Indias most recent astronaut and only the second ever to travel to the ISS, noting his enthusiasm for the private space industry and his dedication to promoting STEM education across the country.Ahmed added that looking forward to seeing him and other Indian astronauts take off on Gaganyaan missions and eventually, on rockets developed by Indian private companies. He concluded his host by sharing a picture of the astronaut. Netizens say the post is it's "inspiring."Awais Ahmed, is the founder and CEO of Pixxel, a company launched the space tech startup in 2019 while still an undergraduate in India. Pixxel is building a constellation of the world's highest-resolution hyperspectral Earth imaging satellite, aiming to bring the power of space down to Earth and act as a 'health monitor' for the planet.Awais Ahmed is 26 years old as of late 2024 or early 2025. Born in Karnataka in either 1997 or 1998, he is the founder of the space technology startup Pixxel. He also received several prestigious accolades, including MITs 35 Innovators Under 35, Forbes 30 Under 30, and Fortune 40 Under 40, and is recognized globally as one of the youngest and most successful entrepreneurs in the commercial space imaging industry.
Dog stays with his owner's body for 3 days in snow

Image credit : X | Himachal pitbull stays three days in freezing cold after owner's death.

In Chamba, #Himachal, two cousins died during a #trek in heavy snow Piyushs pitbull stayed beside his body for 4 days in freezing #temperatures, without #food, guarding him  #Rescue teams later found the bodies & #airlifted the #dog. They too got #emotional pic.twitter.com/MRLEyRXlgQ







 Son.of_Nation (@Sonof_Nation) January 28, 2026





Honestly, if this doesn't break you a little, nothing will.

In a world where people ghost each other over unread texts, a dog in Himachal Pradesh just redefined loyalty in the most heartbreaking way possible. High up in the snow-covered hills of Bharmour, where temperatures dropped to dangerous lows and visibility was almost zero, a silent story of love played out, far from social media, far from noise, but close to the heart.Piyush Kumar, 13, and his cousin Viksit Rana , 19, went hiking towards the Bharmani Mata Temple to shoot videos. What was supposed to be a casual adventure turned tragic when the two went missing amid heavy snowfall. Rescue teams were deployed. Drones scanned the white landscapes. Army helicopters searched from the skies. But on the ground, one soul never stopped searching and never left.When rescue teams finally reached the spot days later, they found Piyush's lifeless body covered in snow. Sitting right beside him was his dog, Jonu. Shivering. Weak. Exhausted. But still there. For three days straight, in freezing winds and blizzards, the dog stayed by his owner's side. No food. No water. No shelter. Just loyalty.Rescuers said Jonu didn't bark, panic, or run away. It simply sat there quietly, guarding the boy like it was his final mission. Even when humans finally arrived, the dog refused to move far, as if scared that leaving meant abandoning him forever.While the world searched with technology, the dog showed up with love. Understanding the bond, rescue officials airlifted both Piyush's body and his dog together to Bharmour. Later, local MLA Dr Janak Raj confirmed that the dog was safely handed over to the family. In the middle of a tragedy defined by snowstorms, silence and loss, this one loyal companion became the most powerful part of the story. We talk a lot about "do or die" friendships. About unconditional love. About showing up. Jonu actually did it. No words. No promises. Just presence.Stories like this remind us that animals don't love for convenience. They don't leave when things get hard. They don't disappear when life gets uncomfortable. They stay. Even when it's freezing. They stay. In a harsh world, this Himachal dog showed the purest form of love,the kind we humans talk about but rarely live up to. And honestly, we don't deserve dogs, but we are lucky they choose us anyway.
me liking every tweet about nicki minaj being a dumbass bitch/sellout on my timeline: pic.twitter.com/EhESQaxZ7h









 . (@navywithbardi) January 28, 2026

A long shift in her public political tone

It's super fucking embarrassing watching Nicki Minaj kiss Donald Trump's ass to get a pardon for her husband and her brother. pic.twitter.com/8lHTnNfHdP









 Mike Nellis (@MikeNellis) January 28, 2026









Observers note that this is not a sudden change. Over the past few years, Minaj has slowly shifted from critic to supporter. She has praised Trump at multiple events since late 2025 and has spoken about traditional values and resisting what she calls smear campaigns.

A fanbase now split down the middle

Image credit : Screenshot taken from X | The Barbz, once united in fierce loyalty, are now arguing with each other across timelines

The Barbz, once united in fierce loyalty, are now arguing with each other across timelines. Some say politics should not define how people consume music. Others say they cannot separate the artist from her words.
Image credit : Freepik| Founder admits constant ads pushed customer to buy

X

Customer called me randomly and said she just ordered a pant from us cos whenever she opens Instagram and Facebook, our ads are running all time and I felt bad and said sorry to her. 





 Akshay G Jain (@Ajain112) January 27, 2026





The emotional reality of being a founder

Image credit : Freepik| Viral post: Ads drove customer purchase, founder apologises

Marketing success can come with surprises

Image credit : Freepik| Relentless social media ads prompt customer to order

In an era where digital marketing is omnipresent, one Ludhiana-based entrepreneur has found himself on the receiving end of an unexpected twist of fate. Akshay G Jain, founder of a fashion wear brand, shared a remarkable incident that highlights both the power and the pitfalls of modern advertising. A customer called him recently to say she had just placed an order for a pair of pants. Her reason was unusual: it was not a recommendation from friends, a glowing review, or a discount code that persuaded her, but the repeated exposure to the brands Instagram and Facebook advertisements.Jain admitted that the constant visibility of his ads prompted the purchase, leaving him feeling uneasy. Our ads are running all the time, and I felt bad and said sorry to her, he wrote in a post shared on. Rather than celebrating a successful sale, he expressed discomfort at the perceived pressure his marketing had placed on the customer. The post quickly resonated with social media users, earning over 11,000 likes and sparking widespread discussion about the fine line between effective marketing and intrusive advertising.Beyond the humorous side of the story, Jain also reflected on the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship. In another post, he admitted that running a business takes an unexpected toll on founders emotional wellbeing. It is tough to be a founder; it is tougher to be an emotional founder. Over time, I think all founders become heartless, he observed, acknowledging the gradual desensitisation that can accompany business growth. Many users praised his honesty, recognising that success in the digital space involves not only reaching customers but also managing the human impact of relentless marketing.The founders candid posts also sparked conversations about repeat business. One social media user noted that while securing a first sale is relatively easy on digital platforms, the true measure of business resilience lies in converting occasional buyers into loyal customers. Others praised Jains humility in acknowledging the unintended pressure his ads may have exerted.This incident highlights a key lesson for entrepreneurs navigating the digital landscape. Aggressive advertising can deliver results, but it also carries the risk of overexposure and discomfort. Jains approach to addressing the situationopenly apologising to the customerillustrates a rare blend of accountability and emotional intelligence in business leadership. For those building brands online, the story serves as a reminder that customer relationships extend beyond sales metrics and click-through rates.As digital advertising continues to saturate social media, experiences like Jains demonstrate that even a single purchase can carry a story of persuasion, introspection, and human connection. While the brand gained a sale, it also sparked a broader conversation about the ethics and emotional impact of modern marketing strategies.
Image credit : X @zdayadreams | Zendaya and Tom Holland remain private amid rumours.

Zendaya and Tom Holland s relationship rumours

Image credit : X @zdayadreams | Zendayas Euphoria co-star, Sydney Sweeney

Are Zendaya and Tom Holland really facing a rough patch?

Image credit : X @zdayadreams | Zendaya addresses privacy in interviews.

Zendaya and Tom Holland will reunite for Spider-Man

The final months of 2025 were full of gossip: Zendaya and Tom Holland reportedly expecting, but the duo remains tight-lipped about their private world. Amid the ongoing speculation, a new report stated that Zendaya and Holland might be facing issues in their relationship.According to IBT's report, the alleged tension stems from Hollands friendship with Zendayas Euphoria co-star, Sydney Sweeney. The insider claimed, Zendaya wasn't thrilled when Tom and Sydney would strike up conversations during filming last year. It feels unnecessary at best and disrespectful at worst, given that Sydney and Zendaya don't get along and actively avoid each other.The report added that Holland is naturally very chatty and tends to talk to everyone on set. Zendaya reportedly has trust issues stemming from Sweeney and allegedly issued a firm warning to her co-star to maintain distance from Holland.According to the report, with the upcoming Euphoria season promotion, Holland could join Zendaya on her tours, which might lead to interactions with Sweeney, though theres no evidence of any conflict.It is important to note that these claims have not been verified. Zendaya and Holland have not addressed or reacted to the rumours. Despite the speculation, Zendaya recently offered insight into her relationship, hinting that she and Holland remain very happy together.Speaking to the Daily Mirror, she said, Honestly, I know people might think it's awkward. On set, he was this huge calming presence that not only put me at ease but also everybody he worked with. I might be a little biased, but he is not only my favourite person, he is also my favourite person to work with.Zendaya also highlighted their desire to protect private aspects of their life. You have to accept that to a degree some aspects of your privacy are going to be out of your control. But the parts that are in our control, we fiercely protect, she explained.Beyond personal life, the couple continues to collaborate professionally. Fans can expect to see Zendaya and Holland reunite on screen for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Representative Ilhan Omar was charged by a man and sprayed with an unknown substance while speaking at a town hall event in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/PBWS5moUyU



 Pop Base (@PopBase) January 28, 2026

Political tensions flare amid heated remarks

Image credit : X| Law enforcement intervenes during the town hall attack on Congresswoman Omar.

Online chatter and public concern

Image credit : X| Authorities detain the suspect following the reported attack on Omar.

A nation on edge over political violence

Image credit : X| Security personnel ensuring the safety of attendees at the town hall.

A routine town hall in Minneapolis descended into chaos on Tuesday evening when Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar became the target of an alarming assault. Video footage and eyewitness accounts reveal that a man, identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, leapt from his seat in the front row and sprayed Omars clothing with a syringe containing an unknown amber liquid. Security personnel quickly intervened, restraining the suspect and ensuring Omar was unharmed. Authorities confirmed she did not require hospital treatment.Kazmierczak, a Minneapolis resident, was arrested the same evening and charged with third-degree assault under Minnesota law. Court records show he was booked into Hennepin County Jail shortly after the incident. Details regarding bail or a forthcoming court appearance remain undisclosed, while investigators continue to probe the nature of the substance used and Kazmierczaks motive.The attack came just after Omar criticised the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and called for the resignation or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Minneapolis has recently seen heightened scrutiny over federal immigration enforcement following fatal shootings of US citizens, adding context to the already tense atmosphere at the town hall.Online speculation has quickly tied Kazmierczak to far-right politics. Several social media posts, referencing photographs allegedly from his Facebook account, label him a MAGA supporter, citing images with former President Donald Trump and conservative figures. Comparisons to the Jussie Smollett case, in which a staged hate crime captured headlines, have also circulated online, though authorities have not suggested any such connection at this stage.Social media reactions were immediate, ranging from outrage to incredulity, as observers debated the suspects potential motives and the implications for public safety. The incident has reignited concerns about the safety of elected officials at public events, particularly as political discourse grows increasingly polarised. Town halls, historically spaces for dialogue and civic engagement, have in recent years become flashpoints for confrontations and threats.The ongoing investigation into Kazmierczaks actions underscores the broader challenge of protecting public figures while maintaining access for constituents. As authorities continue to examine the substance involved and seek to clarify the suspects intent, the event serves as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between democratic engagement and personal security.For Omar and her supporters, the assault emphasises the risks lawmakers face when engaging directly with the public. For the wider community, it highlights the growing need to address threats against public officials in a divided political climate. Minneapolis officials have urged caution and patience as the investigation unfolds, and further updates are expected as the case develops.
Yes, you latte now comes with a rent!

saw this notice posted at an eatery in BLR pic.twitter.com/nnEpjPjRjg



 Shobhit Bakliwal (@shobhitic) January 25, 2026





Now here's the real context people often forget.

Image credit : Freepik | Coffee breaks are not free anymore

Online reactions were predictably chaotic!

Image credit : Freepik | Work from cafe just got expensive

If you have ever walked into a cafe to grab a quick coffee and found every table occupied by laptops, chargers and people deep in 'quick syncs', this story will feel painfully familiar.A small notice at a Bengaluru eatery just said what many cafe owners have probably been thinking for years that meetings aren't allowed, and if you do stay longer than an hour discussing decks and deadlines, you'll be charged Rs 1,000 per hour.The sign went viral after a Bengaluru resident Shobhit Bakliwal posted a photo of it on X. No long rant. Just the picture. And that was enough to spark a full-blown internet debate about how cafes in the city have unofficially turned into coworking spaces. Because let's be honest, Bengaluru runs on three things: startups, WiFi and coffee.Over the years, cafes have quietly become free offices for freelancers, founders, remote workers and people who just don't want to pay for actual coworking spaces. One person orders a cappuccino and camps for three hours. Another plugs in a laptop, takes Zoom calls, and treats the table like a conference room. This is great for productivity, but not so great for the cafe owner trying to run a business.There are cafes like Cafe Coffee Day and Starbucks that actually encourage business and casual meetings. Their entire business model is built around being a 'third place', not home, not office, but a comfy in-between zone where conversations happen, ideas flow, and people feel welcome to stay longer with their laptops. But this small Bengaluru cafe? It isn't playing the third-place game.It's not priced or designed to be a coworking hub. It's a neighbourhood eatery trying to serve customers - not host three-hour brainstorming sessions over one coffee/meal. And that difference matters. During peak hours, tables remain blocked for hours. New customers walk in, see no seats, and leave. Orders slow down. Revenue dips. Meanwhile someone is still on slide 47 of their pitch deck. So when this cafe decided to put a price tag on meetings, it wasn't about being anti-work, it was about survival.Some people clapped for the owner, saying cafes are not free office spaces and hustle culture has gone too far. Others felt Rs 1,000 an hour was extreme and blamed rising rents, startup burnout and the fact that coworking spaces are expensive AF."Have seen this in so many eateries and cafes - people will sit, chat for hours and not buy any drinks or food. Feel sorry for cafe owners," one of the users said. "Eat fast and vacate the table," said another one. "These are places with low cost food. People order a plate of food, sit there for hours to do their business meeting. Overall, they would have spent 200-400," a third user opined.And while coworking spaces charge thousands every month, cafes have unknowingly been subsidising our grind for the price of one coffee. This Bengaluru cafe didn't just put up a sign. It called out an entire generation's work habits. We want aesthetic work spots. Free WiFi. Affordable coffee. No bosses hovering. And zero guilt about occupying a table for hours. So next time you open your laptop at a cafe and settle in for a long work session, just remember: that table might now come with a timer because in Bengaluru, even coffee breaks are getting monetised.
Nollywood actress Angela Okorie has reportedly been arrested for cybercrime involving her colleague, Mercy Johnson.

Filmmaker, Seun Oloketuyi, made the news known on his Instagram page minutes ago, revealing that the actress was arrested at her residence in Lagos by the Nigeria Police Force Cybercrime Centre, Abuja

Seun said Angela spent the night at Yaba Panti because there was no available flight to Abuja at the time of her arrest. According to him, she was put on a 6am flight to Abuja and is being taken to face court proceedings.

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Angela Okorie was arrested yesterday at her residence in Lagos by the Nigeria Police Force Cybercrime Centre, Abuja.

She spent the night at Yaba Panti because there was no available flight to Abuja at the time of her arrest.

She was put on a 6am flight to Abuja this morning and is being taken there to face court proceedings connected to the cybercrime matter involving Mercy Johnson.

Last year, Okorie had sincerely apologised to Johnson, saying that, after reflecting on certain events that had transpired, she could only thank God she was alive. Angela noted that she is human; hence, her emotions take over her. She said she has realised that her utterances, which come from a place of pain, were hurtful.

For years, Angela has launched attacks on Mercy Johnson over undisclosed reasons.

Resuming her beef with her last year, Okorie, in an Instagram live, said she had forgiven the mother of four because she learnt she was seriously sick.

Angela, however, advised Johnson to seek forgiveness from people she had wronged and should stop using church words that dont represent her.

Debunking her claims via her Instagram story, Regina Daniels stated that Angela was mad as she admonished Mercy not to forgive.

In 2024, Angela had dragged Mercy Johnson, accusing her and her mother of being witches. She later went on an Instagram Live session with Mercy Johnsons former best friend, who called her out for witchcraft and alleged that her late mother was the mastermind. The lady claimed Mercy was aware of the deaths happening in Nollywood and locked the destinies of the famous music group Style Plus and her colleagues.

Following her beef with Johnson, Angela revealed that she had unfollowed Mercy Johnsons goddaughter, Regina Daniels and others as frustration wanted to kill them. She claimed that they sent her several arrows, but it didnt work as she promised they would soon cry blood. She boldly told Mercy that physically and spiritually, she cant be silenced.
ABUJA, FCT

JANUARY 27, 2026

PRESS STATEMENT

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DISREGARD FAKE APC MEMBERSHIP SLIP FEATURING MOHAMMED BELLO TURJI

The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a fake APC membership slip in circulation on social media falsely suggesting that a despicable and notorious terrorist, Mohammed Bello Turji, was registered as a member of our Party in the ongoing APC Electronic Registration and Validation Exercise.

The membership slip is a fabrication, fake and without any association or link, whatsoever, with our membership register and database.

All digital parameters represented on the fake slip bear no connection to our Partys membership register. For example, the slip purports to be registered in a nonexistent Ward 13 of Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State which only has 10 Wards. All other information paraded on the fake slip are nonexistent and certainly not contained in our membership database.

This vile fabrication is the handiwork of mischief makers out to hoodwink and confuse members of the public for their own sinister objectives.

We urge all Party faithful and the general public to disregard the highly offensive document in its entirety.

Signed:

Felix Morka, CON

National Publicity Secretary

All Progressives Congress (APC)

https://x.com/i/status/2016184526490190300
Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, says President Bola Tinubu lost balance in Turkey because he stepped on a metal object.

Onanuga said this while addressing enquiries on Tuesday regarding the Presidents well-being in Ankara.

Video showed Tinubu miss his step briefly and fell in Ankara, capital of Turkey, on Tuesday.

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The Nigerian leader was walking alongside his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Erdogan, when the incident happened.

Earlier, Tinubu had inspected a parade as part of the massive reception he received.

A review of the video of the incident showed that the president went down after a camera man moved his tripod stand close to him.

But Onanuga said the President merely stepped on an object, resulting in a minor loss of balance.

The President stepped on a metal on the floor, which made him lose his balance, Onanuga said.

This is not a big deal, except for those who want to make mischief out of a fleeting incident. It was a mere stumble, thank God, not a fall, he added.
Popular TikTok content creator, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, has hinted that he may no longer return to school, barely days after celebrating his admission to study law at a private university in Lagos State.

Peller made the disclosure in a voice note shared on his channel on Tuesday, where he complained that attending school was affecting his ability to make money.

Guys, I swear to God, I remember I said I am going to school I am not going again. I am not going again, he said.

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The content creator explained that spending hours in class without earning income made the experience unacceptable to him.

I just remember, I was inside class for four hours. I didnt make any money. I will write, I will look, I will play, not making anything. God forbid. I am not doing that one again, he said.

Peller also claimed he felt out of place among other students, describing himself as the youngest person in the class.

When I enter the school, I notice that everyone is old, I am the only young blood there, he added.

He further stated that he would consider returning to school later in life.

So I need to go old. Maybe when I clock like 30, 40 years, I will now go to school. Please cancel everything. I am tired, he said.

The development marks a sharp reversal from Pellers recent public celebration of his admission into a law programme.

Recall that the TikTok sensation had, in a video that went viral on Saturday, announced that he had secured admission to study law at a private university in Lagos State, although he declined to disclose the name of the institution.

In the video, Peller expressed excitement over the admission and appeared to respond to critics who had mocked his educational background.

Everyone has been criticising me for not being educated, as if Im the first person who didnt attend university. Now, all of you should leave social media, because Im in school, he said.

Im now studying law. You can see it, right? You cant mess with me anymore. I know the law, he added.
Concerning the Statements Made Against Me by Mr Omoyele Sowore, Through His Lawyer in Court

With regard to the claims made by Mr Omoyele Sowore and his counsel, Mr Abubakar Marshal, in court on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, I do freely admit that I did make uncomplimentary remarks about the then Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, while believing those comments to be true at the time I uttered them.

Subsequent to making those statements, I discovered that they were not, in fact, true, and I publicly withdrew them in writing and on video at various times and through multiple platforms.

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On the day that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which was Monday, May 29, 2023, I released a statement affirming him as President of Nigeria and urging members of the public to put the past behind them and give him their full support.

I repeated this stance and public call on Thursday, October 26, 2023, the day the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled in favour of the President, after dismissing the petitions against him brought by Alhaji Waziri Atiku Abubakar, and Mr Peter Obi, amongst others.

In that judgment, the honourable court declared that there were no criminal charges or convictions against the President. It clarified what had happened in the past, which had been misrepresented by some media.

On the same day the judgement was rendered, I accepted it, applauded it, and stated that, based on that verdict, my stance on the statements I had made against the President had changed: not only was it wrong, but I fully believed it was fallacious.

Two days thereafter, on Saturday, October 28, 2023, I gave an interview to TVC, in which I affirmed the Supreme Courts judgement and declared it a righteous verdict and that their Lord Justices did a good job and followed the letter and spirit of the law.

When members of the Peoples Democratic Party, to which I was then aligned, continued to dwell on those unfounded allegations, I arranged to be interviewed on Newscentral Television on Thursday, March 27, 2025, where I said that the President had been exonerated, a word that I used intentionally, as I have a Masters in Law from the United Kingdom, and understood and wanted to project and confirm to the Nigerian public that a constitutionally recognised official body had absolved the President of any wrongdoing, which is the legal meaning of that word.

Following this, I went on the most watched talk show in Nigeria, Politics Today, on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, where I admitted to the Nigerian public and the world at large during a live broadcast that I was wrong about those statements I made about the then candidate, and that I relied on false publications in the media in making them, and that having gotten accurate judicial pronouncements that exonerated the President and established beyond any reasonable doubt that the information I had erroneously believed, chiefly from Mr Omoyele Sowores platform, Saharareporters, and from the mouth of Mr Sowore himself, was false, I withdrew those statements and apologised for them.

Prior to that, I had sought a private audience with the President himself on October 1, 2024, where I flew into Nigeria from my home in California, and apologised to him in person, prostrating flat on the ground, before stating that I was misled by publications in the media into making those statements, and that my actions were not malicious, but that I was then labouring under a mistaken belief that what I had read in the media was true, when in fact it was wrong.

Finally, in law, it is ultra vires, and well established by the rule against hearsay, to use previous statements made at a time when it was believed to be true to establish the veracity of a claim you yourself caused to be published, or to justify yourself or offer a defence, when the maker of that statement has admitted that the statements were made in good faith, but subsequently found to be untrue, and then publicly withdrawn, with various attempts at restitution made by the author of those statements you seek to rely on.

Quoting from Phipson on Evidence, relied on by the Privy Council in the defining case of Teper v. R and followed by common law jurisdictions, including Nigeria, Former oral or written statements by any person, whether or not he is a witness in the proceedings, may not be given in evidence if the purpose is to tender them as evidence of the truth of the matters asserted.

Therefore, Mr Sowore cannot rely on statements I made between 2022 and 2023, and then publicly withdrew in 2023, as a defence for statements he made in August 2025, more than two years after I made those remarks, especially as both he himself and his platform, Saharareporters, had originated those statements over a decade ago.

I again affirm today, as I have proclaimed multiple times since Thursday, October 26, 2023, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not, has never been, and will never be a drug lord. He is a person of good character, high moral standing, and a professed Muslim, with the largeness of heart to forgive his enemies and opponents when they realise the error of their ways and recant, which is, amongst other reasons, why he is uniquely and particularly suited to lead a multiethnic, multicultural, multi-religious, and multiracial country like Nigeria.

I make these statements voluntarily, freely and of my own volition, knowing them to be true, and I am fully prepared to testify to the above under oath in court, along with the tendering of documentary and dated, timestamped evidence establishing the veracity of the affirmations here made.

Thank you.

Bemigho Reno Omokri
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration as the most Christian-friendly government since the creation of Nigeria.

Akpabio stated this yesterday in his goodwill message at the reception rally to formally receive Governor Caleb Mutfwang into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Jos Polo ground.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Akpabio said,  Let me place on record that the President Bola Tinubu- led administration is the most Christian-friendly administration since the creation of Nigeria. He has shown this through his actions. He treats both Christians and Muslims equally.

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The President of the Senate, who congratulated Governor Mutfwang for taking the people of the Plateau to the centre of Nigerias political gravity, said,  Mr Governor, I congratulate you on this action of taking the people of Plateau to the centre of national politics. Let me assure you that insecurity will soon come to an end in the Plateau.

We will support your government across all sectors to improve the lives of your people. We will not leave you alone. Todays action has finally brought all the states in the North Central geo- political zone into the party. This is significant.

Government will do everything within its powers to protect Nigerians, no matter their religious inclination and belief. We will support President Tinubu through the approval of funds in order to shut down all IDP camps in the country.

According to the statement, Governor Mutfwang, in his remarks, thanked those who ensured todays event came to be, particularly the efforts of Senator Akpabio.

Todays movement is a landmark. It is a statement made by the people of the Plateau, who are here in their thousands to publicly declare their support for the APC and to return President Tinubu to office in 2027. We are beginning a journey that our forefathers had long expected that we would be united for peace and development.
AgustaWestland (AW) 139 helicopter assembled at Leonardo's growing Northeast Philadelphia factory was one of the first purchased by the federal government for use in nuclear plant security. The military has since purchased dozens, rebuilt as MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters with help from Boeing's Ridley Park-based helicopter division. Read more

Helicopter manufacturer Leonardo has nearly doubled employment at its Northeast Philadelphia factory since the Rome-based multinational aerospace company began winning U.S. military orders for that factory in the late 2010s.

But the company, whose owners include the Italian government and U.S. investment funds such as BlackRock and Vanguard, has learned what dominant U.S. defense contractors like Boeing have long known: Military planners, policy, and political shifts can stop, delay, or revive long-term contracts, leaving managers scrambling to keep workers and factories busy.

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Given the complexity of parts supply, skilled labor, and other aspects of helicopter production, it is destabilizing and difficult if you dont know if you are going to build two or 16 aircraft for a given program year after year, said Andrew Gappy, vice president of Leonardo Helicopters USA Inc., a retired Marine whose duties included flying Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush on Marine One helicopters.

In 2018, Leonardo and Boeing celebrated a signal victory. The Air Force ordered 84 MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, worth an expected $2.4 billion.

Grey Wolf is based on Leonardos civilian, two-engine AW139, part of a movement by military planners to speed production and streamline costs by basing more big-ticket military machines on large-production civilian products and private-sector construction managers. Its a model that Korea-based Hanwha hopes to use in winning Navy contracts for its shipyard in Philadelphia.

More than half the Grey Wolfs would defend nuclear weapons bases in several western U.S. states. Most of the rest would be used to ferry political leaders around Washington in case of an attack on the nations capital, replacing aging UH-1N Huey helicopters on duty since the 1970s.

So far, 19 of those helicopters have been paid for and delivered. Another 12 are funded and nearing completion. But funding for future construction hit unexpected snags.

After Air Force design changes and a challenge by Lockheed Martins Sikorsky unit, which had proposed rival helicopters of its own, Leonardo and Boeing said they started production on the first Grey Wolfs in 2023.

They planned to keep building a dozen a year for seven years  about a quarter of the Leonardo plants annual output. They hoped to win more contracts along the way.

Last year, the partners had expected to fund future production with $173 million in appropriations as laid out in President Donald Trumps 2025 budget, plus $210 million in his Big Beautiful Bill, backed by the two Republican senators from North Dakota, home to Minot Air Force Base.

But those payments didnt materialize on schedule. The Big Beautiful Bill payments were held up, frustrating the Grey Wolf partners.

And then in November, Congress new National Defense Authorization Act listed more than $100 million retrofitting older Lockheed-built helicopters to transport VIPs but just $10 million for the Grey Wolf program  not enough to build a single helicopter.

The Air Force had justified upgrades of unused aircraft in a budget proposal earlier last year as a cheaper way to acquire helicopters. Grey Wolf defenders objected that the Air Force studies had already verified the new helicopter would be much less expensive to operate.

The cuts would starve the Grey Wolf program, Mike Cooper, Leonardos government relations chief, said in December. Its hard for businesses to plan, when competitively bid procurements can be abruptly and unilaterally changed.

Last fall, a bipartisan group of five Congress members, headed by Rep. Donald Norcross (D., N.J.), whose South Jersey constituents include workers at Boeing and Leonardo, sent Air Force Secretary Troy Meink a letter that they were troubled to hear reports that the Air Force was now planning to update old helicopters for VIP transport and evacuation missions, instead of funding the new ones.

They noted that the Air Force already had selected the Boeing-Leonardo aircraft over two proposals from Lockheed Martin.

They called the switch an unprecedented change in procurement, which undermines the integrity of the acquisition process, calls into question the criteria for the original selection, and raises concern about why an otherwise performing program would be truncated without clear explanation to Congress or the companies that agreed to the contract.

They asked the Air Force for any studies it had made to justify the more expensive Jolly Green program, which they said would cost far more to buy and operate. They also noted the impact on workers, suppliers, and finances at Boeing in Ridley Park, Leonardo in Northeast Philly, Leonardos Florida testing site, and contractors who had already invested in the program the Air Force has now failed to fund.

Congress members who represented districts that include additional Boeing or Leonardo facilities support Norcross effort. They are Reps. Carlos Gimenez (R., Fla.), Salud Carbajal (D., Calif.), Robert J. Pittman (R., Va.), and John J. McGuire III (R., Va.).

Lockheed Martin officials said they hadnt taken business from Leonardo. The military planned to convert older helicopters to VIP carriers by adding new seating at Air Force bases, not at the companys Sikorsky military helicopter factories in Connecticut or New York.

Sikorskys civilian helicopter plant in Coatesville, Pa., closed in 2022. It was taken over in 2024 by Piasecki Aviation, a Delaware County-based company that has had its own federal contracting and hiring hopes deferred by government and private-sector contracting delays, according to industry sources. Piasecki didnt respond to inquiries.

The MH-139 Grey Wolf is vital to our national defense and supports American jobs, Norcross said in a statement Jan. 15. Congress funded the MH-139 because it offers major improvements in speed, range, and survivability.

He said the Air Force had not directly responded, but I will continue pressing the administration.

The same week, a key Air Force commander confirmed in an Air Force publication that the first Grey Wolfs had completed their first Minuteman III convoy operation between two Western air bases, noting they are significantly faster, fly farther, and lift more than the helicopters they replace.

Two sources familiar with the program said the first payments from Congress $210 million have been received since that test.

And on Jan. 20, a new federal appropriations proposal added $60 million to the Grey Wolf program  not the whole $173 million, but more than the $10 million in the earlier law.
Larry Krasner speaks during a news conference Tuesday at City Hall to announce a package of bills aimed at pushing back against ICE enforcement in Philadelphia. Read more

District Attorney Larry Krasner on Wednesday announced the formation of a new coalition of progressive prosecutors committed to charging federal agents who violate state laws.

Krasner joined eight other prosecutors from U.S. cities to create the Project for the Fight Against Federal Overreach, a legal fund that local prosecutors can tap if they pursue charges against federal agents.

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The abbreviation for the group, FAFO, is a nod to what has become one of Krasners frequent slogans: F around and find out."

The move places Krasner at the center of a growing national clash between Democrats and the Trump administration over federal immigration enforcement and whether local law enforcement can  or should  charge federal agents for actions they take while carrying out official duties.

It is also the latest instance in which Krasner, one of the nations most prominent progressive prosecutors, has positioned himself as Philadelphias most vocal critic of President Donald Trump. He has made opposing the president core to his political identity for a decade, and he said often as he was running for reelection last year that he sees himself as much as a democracy advocate as a prosecutor.

Krasner has used provocative rhetoric to describe the president and his allies, often comparing their agenda to World War II-era fascism. During a news conference Tuesday, he said federal immigration-enforcement agencies are made up of a small bunch of wannabe Nazis.

The coalition announced Wednesday includes prosecutors from Minneapolis; Tucson, Ariz.; and several cities in Texas and Virginia. It was formed to amass resources after two shootings of U.S. citizens by federal law enforcement officials in Minnesota this month.

Renee Good, 37, was shot and killed in her car by an ICE officer on Jan. 7 as she appeared to attempt to drive away during a confrontation with agents. The FBI said it would not investigate her killing.

Then, on Saturday, Alex Pretti, 37, was killed after similarly confronting agents on a Minneapolis street. Video of the shooting, which contradicted federal officials accounts, appeared to show Border Patrol agents disarming Pretti, who was carrying a legally owned handgun in a holster. They then shot him multiple times. Federal authorities have attempted to block local law enforcement from investigating the shooting.

Krasner said that, despite Vice President JD Vances recent statement that ICE officers had absolute immunity  an assertion the Philadelphia DA called complete nonsense  prosecutors in FAFO are prepared to bring charges including murder, obstructing the administration of justice, tampering with evidence, assault, and perjury against agents who commit similar acts in their cities.

There is a sliver of immunity that is not going to save people who disarm a suspect and then repeatedly shoot him in the back from facing criminal charges, Krasner said during a virtual news conference Wednesday. There is a sliver of immunity that is not going to save people who are shooting young mothers with no criminal record and no weapon in the side or back of the head when its very clear the circumstances didnt require any of that, that it was not reasonable.

How will FAFO work?

The coalition has created a website, federaloverreach.org, and is soliciting donations.

Prosecutors who spoke during the news conference said those donations would be toward a legal fund that would allow prosecutors to hire outside litigators, experts, and forensic investigators as they pursue high-profile cases against federal agents.

This will function as a common fund, said Ramin Fatehi, the top prosecutor in Norfolk, Va., where those of us who find ourselves in the tragic but necessary position of having to indict a federal law enforcement officer will be able to bring on the firepower necessary to make sure that the federal government doesnt roll us simply through greater resources.

The money raised through the organization will not go to the individual prosecutors or their political campaigns, they said Wednesday.

Scott Goodstein, a spokesperson for the coalition, said the money will be held by a nonpartisan, nonprofit entity that is to be stood up in the coming days. He said the prosecutors are still working through how the fund will be structured.

Krasner said it would operate similarly to how district attorneys offices receive grant funding for certain initiatives.

Most legal defense funds are nonprofit organizations that can receive tax-deductible donations. Those groups are barred from engaging in certain political activities, such as explicitly endorsing or opposing candidates for office.

Goodstein said the group is also being assisted in its fundraising efforts by Defiance.org, a national clearinghouse for anti-Trump activism. One of that groups founders is Miles Taylor, a former national security official who, during the first Trump administration, wrote under a pseudonym about being part of the resistance.

Who benefits?

In forming the coalition, Krasner inserted himself into a national controversy that other city leaders have tried to avoid.

His approach is starkly different from that of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, a centrist Democrat who has largely avoided criticizing Trump. She says she is focused on her own agenda, and has not weighed in on the presidents deportation campaign.

Members of the mayors administration say they believe her restraint has kept the city safe. While Philadelphia has policies in place that prohibit local officials from some forms of cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, the Trump administration has not targeted the city with surges of ICE agents as it has in other jurisdictions  such as Chicago and Los Angeles  where Democratic leaders have been more outspoken.

Parker and Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel have at times been frustrated with Krasners rhetoric, according to a source familiar with their thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal communications.

That was especially true this month when Krasner hosted a news conference alongside Sheriff Rochelle Bilal. The pair made national headlines after Krasner threatened to prosecute federal agents  something he has vowed to do several times  and Bilal called ICE a fake law enforcement agency.

Bethel later released a statement to distance the Police Department from the Sheriffs Office, saying Bilals deputies do not conduct criminal investigations or direct municipal policing.

The police commissioner recently alluded to Parkers strategy of avoiding confrontation with the federal government, saying in an interview on the podcast City Cast Philly that the mayor has given the Police Department instruction to stay focused on the work.

It is not trying to, at times, potentially draw folks to the city, Bethel said. Who benefits from that? Who benefits when youre putting out things and trying to poke the bear?

As for Krasners latest strategy, the DA said he has received zero indication or communication from the mayor or the police commissioner that theyre in a different place.

I feel pretty confident that our mayor and our police commissioner, who are doing a heck of a lot of things right, he said, will step up as needed to make sure that this country is not invaded by a bunch of people behaving like the Gestapo.
A single car is in the parking lot at the Westmont PATCO station in Haddon Township Sunday morning during the weekend snowstorm. Read more

After the major snow storm that shut down many New Jersey public schools for at least two days, the big question for students and teachers is how districts will make up missed time.

Most South Jersey districts reopened Wednesday, many with two-hour delays because of frigid temperatures and icy neighborhood streets and side roads.

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Winslow schools in Camden County remained closed for a third consecutive day, citing ongoing hazardous road and sidewalk conditions. The sprawling 58-square-mile municipality is one of the largest in New Jersey. Parents have complained in social media posts about icy streets and bus stop routes.

Meanwhile, Eastside High School in Camden was also closed due to icy conditions near the school, while the rest of the district reopened. Camden has many students who walk to school. The district said the day would be made up.

Late Wednesday, Davida Coe-Brockington, Camdens acting state district superintendent announced that all city schools would be closed Friday.because of road conditions. She said the district plans to reopen Friday with a two-hour delay.

School officials consider factors such as road conditions, snow and ice accumulation, and readiness of the campus, sidewalks, and parking lots, said Haddon Heights Superintendent Carla Bittner. Her district used its only built-in emergency closing day.

The safety of our students and staff is our absolute priority, Bittner said.

With 50 days left of winter and the possibility of another storm looming this weekend, additional snow days may be on the horizon, further disrupting school calendars, parental work days, and vacation plans. And districts must still meet the state requirement of 180 school days.

How do districts make up snow days?

Some districts have days built into the calendar for the school year for inclement weather, or tack on additional days as needed at the end of the school year. The state leaves it to local districts decide how many days to set aside.

In Cherry Hill, where schools were closed for two days this week, the district will use days already designated as holidays. That means students will go to school Feb. 16, Presidents Day and March 30, which was supposed to be the first day of spring break.

If needed, Cherry Hill would use March 31 to make up another snow day, according to Nina Baratti, a district spokesperson. Even with inclement weather days, the last day of school (June 18) has not changed, she said.

Haddon Heights will convert a March 13 in-service day for teachers into a full instruction day for students, according to its calendar. Additional days would be pulled from spring break in April if needed.

Woodbury Superintendent Andrew Bell said his district would use two days set aside for professional development for teachers to make up snow days this week.

How many school days are required?

The New Jersey Department of Education requires schools to be open for a minimum of 180 days in order to qualify for state funding.

The school year must align with the states fiscal year and end on June 30 or earlier. Most union contracts with local districts require schools to close by June 30. Districts typically try to avoid keeping schools open late into June, when unairconditioned buildings can become unbearable.

According to Timothy Purnell, executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, the number of snow days also can be determined during negotiations between the district and union leaders.

What about virtual learning?

Like most states, New Jersey allowed virtual and hybrid instruction when the pandemic shut down schools. However, state law now strictly limits remote learning.

While Philadelphia and New York City shifted to remote classes because of snow closings, New Jersey only allows virtual instruction under limited circumstances, according to the state Department of Education.

School districts may seek approval for virtual learning for school closures lasting more than three consecutive days because of a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive by a health agency or officer ordering a public health-related closure.
An unplowed section of E. Oxford Street near Cabot Street in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia is shown on Wednesday. Read more

After three days out of school buildings, Philadelphia public students and staff will be back to in-person learning Thursday.

Officials announced the call Wednesday afternoon.

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Archdiocesan high schools and city parochial schools will also be back to traditional classes Thursday, officials said.

In the aftermath of a significant winter storm and sub-freezing temperatures, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. gave students and staff a full snow day Monday, with no learning or teaching obligations.

 READ MORE: Cabin fever sets in for Philly parents snowed in: Are we just supposed to pull another parent out of our butts?

He pivoted the districts 125,000 students to virtual instruction Tuesday and Wednesday as conditions remained tricky to navigate.

Temperatures are expected to dip even lower Thursday, and many side streets and sidewalks arent clear, but officials have said they prioritize in-person learning when conditions are safe for students and staff.

School District and City of Philadelphia officials have been working around the clock to clear snow and ice from roads and walkways to support a safe return to in-person learning, Watlington wrote in a message to families and staff Thursday.

Any students arriving late because of weather-related challenges will not have their lateness counted against them, the superintendent said. The same goes for staff not able to make it into work on time because of weather-related commuting challenges.

Yellow bus service will operate as usual, though delays might occur, Watlington said.

After school activities are on, the central office will be open, and the school-selection deadline has been extended from Wednesday to Friday so families can confer with school counselors they may have had difficulty reaching because of the snow closures.

Philadelphias school board meeting, also scheduled for Thursday, will also happen in person. Board members and members of the public have the chance to participate virtually, as well.
Carolyn Piro of Cherry Hill poses for a portrait with her son Sean Curran, who has autism, in their home last week. Piro took her family on a cruise and they were asked to leave after an incident involving Curran, which she says showed a lack of awareness about people with autism. Read more

While preparing her four sons to take a dream family vacation in the Caribbean last month, Carolyn Piro carefully reviewed every detail to get them ready.

She also contacted the Royal Caribbean cruise line about accommodations for her children, because her oldest, Sean Curran, has autism, and two other sons also have developmental disabilities.

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The trip ended abruptly when Curran, 31, was kicked off the Celebrity Cruise ship in Cozumel on Christmas Eve after an incident that his family says was mishandled by cruise officials who lacked understanding of his disability.

Worst Christmas ever. Horrible, Curran said. Im never going on a cruise again.

Piro, a trauma therapist, is now on a mission to increase awareness and acceptance for people with autism. About 1 in 31 children in the United States are diagnosed with autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and that number is 1 in 29 in New Jersey, according to the group Autism New Jersey.

They have a place in our society. They have a place in our community, Piro said.

Royal Caribbean, which advertises an autism friendly environment, said it had reviewed the incident and concluded we could have been more sensitive to their needs during the debarkation process. The company, which owns Celebrity Cruises, will provide additional training for employees, a spokesperson said.

Just trying to be nice

Curran lives as independently as possible at home, Piro said. He participates in job training at Ability Solutions in Westville, has a girlfriend, sings with the Pine Barons Chorus, volunteers at an animal hospital, and enjoys dancing.

The Cherry Hill family was having a great time on a seven-day Caribbean cruise in December to celebrate Piros 60th birthday. It was Currans fourth cruise, and he knew the ropes and was allowed to roam unaccompanied.

Four days into the cruise, Curran was in a pool lounge when, he said, a teenage girl asked him to purchase her a Long Island iced tea. He said he bought the drink, unaware that it contained alcohol. His mother and brothers were not with him at the time.

According to Curran, the girl touched his chest and stomach, used profanity, and followed him to a hot tub, where he lifted her like Shrek did when he rescued Princess Fiona from a dragon in one of his favorite movies. (Piro said Curran enjoys swimming and playing in the water.)

The girls parents arrived and her mother began screaming, Curran said. Ship personnel escorted Curran to a security office, where he was asked to give a statement, he said.

I have autism and I was just trying to be nice, he wrote in the statement, given to ship personnel and provided to The Inquirer. The statement was only a few sentences of explanation Curran wrote about what happened.

Piro arrived during the questioning and said Curran offered an apology to the girls parents. Curran said he asked for patience and repeated what his mother taught him to say about having autism when he encountered difficulty explaining.

Curran was given 90 minutes to pack and leave the ship, his mother said. She accompanied him, along with another son. Other passengers gawked and pointed as security escorted them off the ship, she recalled, saying, Look at them: Theyre getting kicked off the ship.

It was just so shameful, Piro said.

Piro said she believes ship officials had other options, such as restricting Curran to his room, rescinding his room card that allowed him to buy drinks, or allowing him to disembark at their next port of call, she said.

With all of the information about autism, there was no compassion. They treated him as a fully functioning adult, the mother said.

Piro said the family was given only a security incident report and told that the FBI and Homeland Security would be notified. She was not allowed to speak with the girls family, whose full name she does not know. She said no charges were filed.

Piro, Curran, and another of her sons who left the cruise were reunited with two other family members several days later when the ship docked in Florida.

Piro said she accepted an apology from Royal Caribbean after returning home, complaining about the incident, and sharing her story publicly. She also said she had asked to be reimbursed for the $20,000 she spent on the cruise and expenses. Royal Caribbean declined to comment on the request.

A spokesperson said Royal Caribbeans additional training for its staff will ensure this experience doesnt happen again. She declined to comment further.

 READ MORE: CHOP launches Philly-area autism therapy network in partnership with Soar Autism Centers

Stacie Sherman, a spokesperson for Autism New Jersey, declined to comment about the specific incident but agreed there is a need for more awareness. She has had similar experiences as the mother of two on the autism spectrum.

Education and awareness is key, Sherman said.

Sherman said acceptance is slowly growing. Her daughter used to get nasty looks and comments for making loud noises or having a tantrum in public places, she recalled.

I get way more smiles and nods, even praise and offers of help. It gives me hope, Sherman said.

Seeking change to the system

When the family arrived home, Piro said, she reprimanded Curran and limited his activities for a month. Piro said she acknowledges that he did something wrong but said his intent was not malicious.

Piro said she had selected Royal Caribbean for her first family vacation in a decade because it offered initiatives for families with children who have special needs.

She said she contacted the cruise line a month before their vacation about her childrens special needs. In addition to Curran, two younger sons have mosaic Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome.

Piro said she requested special seating, for example, to isolate the family in the dining area from noise and large groups. During an excursion, she rented a cabana away from other guests, she said.

We dont go anywhere where people dont stare, giggle, or make a comment, Piro said.

Piro said she plans to monitor whether Royal Caribbean implements the additional training that it has promised. She wants changes in the system so that this doesnt happen again.

Curran said telling his story was making me feel better. He wants to better advocate for himself and others with autism.

I want people to treat other people with dignity and respect, compassion, and kindness, he said.
Bruce Springsteen performs Oct. 28, 2024, during a rally for Kamala Harris at the Liacouras Center at Temple University. Springsteen has released a new anti-ICE protest song called "Streets of Minneapolis" in response to the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Read more

Bruce Springsteen has released an anti-ICE protest song called Streets of Minneapolis.

Singing out on behalf of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both of whom were shot to death by federal immigration enforcement agents this month, Springsteens song is harshly critical of the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Securitys occupying force in Minnesota this year.

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King Trumps private army from the DHS, guns belted to their coats, Springsteen sings in the slowly building, folk-gospel songs opening verse. Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law, or so their story goes.

I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis, Springsteen said on social media on Wednesday. Its dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors, and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Stay free.

The second verse continues:

Against smoke and rubber bullets, in the dawns early light / Citizens stood for justice, their voices ringing through the night / And there were bloody footprints, where mercy should have stood / And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets, Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Springsteen campaigned against Trump in 2024, singing at a rally for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at the Liacouras Center on the Temple University campus in North Philly in the lead-up to the election.

Last year, while on tour in Europe, Springsteen began his concerts by calling the Trump administration corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous before performing his patriotic song, Land of Hope and Dreams.

President Trump responded by calling Springsteen Highly Overrated, not a talented guy, and a dried prune of a rocker.

 READ MORE: Donald Trump hits back at dried prune of a rocker Bruce Springsteen

Streets of Minneapolis, which is Springsteens third Streets song after Streets of Fire and Streets of Philadelphia, speaks truth to power not only about Trump, but also Department of Homeland Security head Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Referring to claims that ICE agents responded with gunfire because their own lives were at risk, Springsteen sings, as the music swells: Their claim was self-defense sir, just dont believe your eyes / Its our blood and bones and these whistles and phones / Against Miller and Noems dirty lies.

Street of Minneapolis is not the first Springsteen song to protest a death at the hands of law enforcement. His 2001 song American Skin (41 Shots) was written in response to the 1999 shooting of Amadou Diallo by four plainclothes police officers of the New York Police Department who were subsequently acquitted on all charges.

The weekend before Prettis death, Springsteen made a surprise appearance at the Light of Day benefit concert in Red Bank, N.J., where he dedicated Promised Land to Good and said, If you believe you dont deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president, as the mayor of the city said: ICE should get the f out of Minneapolis. 

Streets of Minneapolis leans into its rage as it progresses, and promises to continue to honor Good and Pretti, as it closes with Springsteen singing:

Well take our stand for this land, and the stranger in our midst / Well remember the names of those who died on the streets of Minneapolis.
Peco responded to the smell of gas at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center more than two hours before an explosion that killed three people and injured at least 20 others just days before Christmas. Yet in initial findings released Wednesday, federal investigators said the public utility company did not fully stop the gas flow to the facility until an hour and a half after the catastrophic blast.

According to an investigative summary released by the National Transportation Safety Board, a maintenance director at the nursing home reported the odor coming from the basement boiler room around 11 a.m. A technician with Peco responded by 11:50 a.m. and identified the source  a leak in the gas meter valve.

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The technician called for backup to assist with the repair, and a meter services technician arrived about 1:20 p.m. The explosion occurred less than an hour later, at 2:15 p.m. A Peco emergency crew fully isolated the gas at 3:50 p.m., as first responders were pulling victims from the rubble.

The NTSBs initial findings provide the most concrete timeline yet of what happened in the lead-up to the Dec. 23 tragedy that rattled Lower Bucks County and raised questions about the actions of both the public utility company and the nursing homes operator.

Peco spokesperson Candice Womer said in a statement Wednesday that the company has begun reevaluating response protocols and prioritizing the movement of indoor gas meters to the outdoors, in an effort to meet the highest standards of safety and reliability.

The initial findings do not fault or exonerate any parties in the blast, and NTSB officials said the investigation remains ongoing.

Carin ODonnell, an attorney with Stark & Stark who is representing victims in a lawsuit, said the initial findings demonstrated that Peco gambled with everyones safety by not shutting off the flow of gas to the facility sooner.

Clearly, Peco knew there was a leak, and rather than terminate the gas, they sent their repairmen in while the gas line was still pressurized, ODonnell said. Its like sending them in with a lit cigarette and a match.

At least two separate lawsuits alleging negligence have been filed against Peco and Saber Healthcare Group, the Ohio-based nursing home operator that runs the facility.

Residents and staff told The Inquirer they had detected a heavy gas odor inside the 174-bed facility early that morning, yet no building-wide evacuation order was given to residents.

During interviews, NTSB officials heard from people in the facility that the smell could be detected from the basement up to the second floor of the building.

The safety board did not address whether an evacuation should have been done. Investigators noted the Peco foreman and the meter services technician had had less than 1 year of experience in their current roles.

Zachary Shamberg, chief of government affairs at Saber, cast the NTSBs initial findings as exculpatory. He said in a statement that facility staff acted promptly while Peco technicians unsuccessfully attempted to repair their gas line.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Peco initially reported arriving at the facility around 2 p.m. and later changed the timeline to hours before the blast that occurred just after 2:15 p.m.

First responders encountered chaos. People ran from the partially collapsed nursing home, many bleeding and injured. Police and firefighters helped others escape from the wreckage while contending with a second blast and fire that ignited after the initial explosion.

Two people were pronounced dead in the aftermath of the blast: Muthoni Nduthu, 52, of Bristol, who worked at the facility as a nurse for over a decade, and a resident at the facility whom police identified as Ann Ready. Another resident, 66-year-old Patricia Merro, died two weeks later from her injuries.

The nursing home, previously known as Silver Lake, had been acquired by Saber Healthcare Group and renamed Bristol Health & Rehab Center three weeks before the explosion.

Under the facilitys previous operator, the Cincinnati-based CommuniCare Health Services, the nursing home had been cited repeatedly for substandard care and facility management.

Federal regulators gave the facility a one-star rating, and CommuniCare was fined more than $418,000 in 2024, records show, due to ongoing violations. Two months before the explosion, state inspectors cited the facility for lacking a fire safety plan, failing to maintain extinguishers, and having hallways and doors that could not contain smoke.

A representative for Saber said last month the company had begun addressing those problems after taking over the facility in early December.

After the blast, Peco tested the ground outside the nursing home and detected gas in the ground. The safety board said it continues to analyze physical evidence gathered from the scene and did not provide a timeline on delivering a final report.
Julia Hess (left), her partner, and baby Jasmine. The family is bracing for early intervention services from the Bucks County IU to be disrupted. Read more

Julia Hess was on the precipice of discovering the extent of the hearing loss in her 9-month-old daughter Jasmines right ear, when she learned that crucial support services for her baby and other visually or hearing impaired children in Bucks County would be cut off next week.

Jasmine, affectionately known as Jazzy, is a smiley infant who has maintained a sweet and sassy personality even as shes been diagnosed with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, a developmental disorder, and undergone three surgeries.

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We can see it in her face in the way that she continues to try even when her body is exhausted and her muscles wont move anymore, said Hess, 29, a mental health therapist.

Jazzy has been receiving early intervention services since she was 2 months old from the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, a county-level education agency, including hearing and communication services due to hearing loss in both ears and other developmental delays. Once a week, an instructor travels to Hess home and teaches Jazzy how to communicate with the world around her.

The 9-month-old has made significant progress, but could face setbacks starting this Saturday when the Bucks County IU will cease services for hearing and visually impaired babies and toddlers ages 0-2, citing funding and staffing challenges. And its unclear where parents will find services next.

Its really scary to feel like we are kind of just wandering in the dark, Hess said.

In Pennsylvania, children with developmental delays and disabilities are eligible to receive services through a state-backed early intervention system  a right grounded in federal special education law.

But officials with the Bucks IU say theyve been losing money on the program for hearing and visually impaired infants and toddlers, which currently serves 49 kids. While the state reimburses the county for early intervention services, it doesnt cover indirect service time, officials said. That means the IU cant bill for the time incurred by therapists driving between appointments, documenting services, and preparing a childs program.

Last year, the gap between what the state reimbursed and what the IU paid to deliver the services was $200,000, officials said.

At the same time, the demand for services for older children also served by the intermediate unit  both preschool and school-age  has been growing, officials said. And with shortages of special education teachers plaguing school districts statewide, ending services for babies and infants allows the unit to redirect its limited supply of teachers for the deaf and visually impaired to serving older children  a group the IU has primary responsibility for serving.

I think what were experiencing is what happens when you have a severe shortage, a growing number of kids that need the support, and antiquated models of funding that havent kept up, the intermediate units executive director, Mark Hoffman, said Jan. 20 at a meeting of the units board, which is made up of school board members from districts across Bucks County.

A Pennsylvania Department of Human Services spokesperson said Monday that provider rates would soon be increased as the result of a $10 million boost in this years state budget.

Revised rates are still being finalized based on this increase and are expected in the coming weeks, and will be retroactive to July, said the spokesperson, Brandon Cwalina, who said the change would also allow the state to access more federal money.

It was unclear whether the increase would change the situation in Bucks County. Officials with the IU said Tuesday they hadnt been informed of any funding increases.

Families dependent on services from the intermediate unit are unsure what will happen once the contract expires Saturday.

Theyve been a lifeline to us  We havent had anybody in our family with this, said Ali Tirendi, 32, of Warrington, noting that service providers not only help kids, but also educate parents, too.

Grappling with staffing and funding shortages

Just 24 days before these crucial services were set to be disrupted, families received correspondence from the Bucks County Department of Behavioral Health/Developmental Programs notifying them that your current hearing/vision support provider may no longer be available, according to a Jan. 7 letter from Patricia Erario, county early intervention director, reviewed by The Inquirer.

One of those providers is BARC Developmental Services, a nonprofit agency that provides services to individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism, and uses teachers from the Bucks intermediate unit to carry out its services.

Mary Sautter, executive director of BARC, said the Bucks IU informed BARC on Dec. 8 that they would be terminating their contract with the developmental services agency, ending a partnership thats existed for decades. She said stakeholders are planning to have a meeting this week to discuss next steps.

Our hope is that we can find a resolution that minimizes disruption to these vital services so that children can continue to thrive, said Sautter, adding that BARC is also dealing with staff shortages making it difficult to use their own personnel as providers.

They have one contractor that services 14 kids, but Sautter said theyre looking to expand the contractors caseload.

Its a very unfortunate situation, Sautter said.

Erario said that the department would work with agencies to find solutions for families, including virtual options, changing the date or time, or finding an alternative provider if necessary.

Bucks County spokesperson Jim OMalley said the county will be working with our partners in the community to restore access to those affected.

Given staffing shortages, Jill Waldbieser, a Neshaminy school board member who serves on the intermediate units board, said she was extremely skeptical the county would find replacement teachers.

Theres absolutely no way theyre going to find providers, said Waldbieser, whose 11-year-old son is deaf.

Waldbiesers son went without an interpreter for a year in violation of his individualized education plan.

Even if its a day or week that children go without services, you can never get that time back, said Waldbieser, who has been pressing officials for a solution.

Early intervention is valuable for families, and a gap in services could be detrimental, said Casey James, 35, of Warminster, whose 19-month-old has a hearing impairment.

What families like mine are concerned about are service gaps, delays, being forced into a fragmented system with multiple providers, James said.

Ashley Dats said it took us as a shock to learn services for her 21-month-old daughter, who has severe hearing loss, would soon be interrupted.

Were worried, said Dats, who lives in Doylestown. Her daughter gets a weekly hourlong session with a teacher of the deaf, who works to help her understand spoken language  narrating actions during play, and encouraging her to mimic words  and catch up to her normal-hearing peers.

Even if a new provider is identified, Dats doesnt know when that will be, or how her daughter will fare with the change. It took two months for her daughter to reengage after a previous switch in teachers, she said.

There are milestones were looking to hit, to show us her brain is processing and understanding words, said Dats, who worried about losing momentum as a result of the service interruption.

We dont want them to get left behind because of funding issues.
Democrats have accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of blackmailing and bullying them into ceding more power to the Trump administration. Read more

For months, President Donald Trumps administration has been trying to force Minnesotas Democratic leaders to turn over detailed information about the states voters, including drivers license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

State officials have said no. Now, Attorney General Pam Bondi is repeating those demands in a letter that also references the federal governments aggressive deployment of immigration agents to the streets of Minneapolis.

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Her letter, dated Saturday, presses the state on sharing the voter information, turning over public assistance data and assisting the federal government with immigration enforcement. It was sent the same day border agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, in Minneapolis.

Bondis approach has led Democrats in Minnesota and other states to accuse the administration of blackmailing and bullying them into ceding more power to the administration. It comes as she tries to extract similar data from dozens of other states.

The states have power, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) said. And Trump is saying, No you dont, not while Im president. Well run you over. Well kill your people. Well shoot pepper balls at you. Well invade your city. Well terrorize everyone. Well kill citizens.

The Department of Homeland Security launched Operation Metro Surge last month and has sent thousands of agents to Minnesota since then. Prettis death came 2 weeks after another agent killed Renee Good in her vehicle. Both victims were 37.

The federal government has sweeping authority to enforce immigration laws, as a federal judge made clear Monday as she repeatedly expressed skepticism in response to Minnesotas arguments in a lawsuit seeking to halt the surge of immigration agents to the state. The administration has far less power when it comes to elections because the Constitution gives states the primary responsibility for voting policies.

Bondis letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) appeared to try to leverage immigration enforcement to get the states voter list. Minnesota officials rejected the demand and said Bondi was trying to force them to give up sensitive voter data that the Justice Department is not entitled to have.

This was never about immigration, Ellison said. It was never about fraud. Its about coercion and bullying.

The Justice Department recently launched an investigation into whether Walz and others were impeding immigration enforcement. Trump on Monday struck a new tone, writing on social media that he had talked to Walz and believed they were on a similar wavelength. He said he expected them to talk again soon.

But in court, the two sides clashed at a hearing over the surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez asked a Justice Department attorney whether Bondi with her letter to Walz was trying to achieve a goal through force, which it cant achieve through the courts. Justice Department attorney Brantley Mayers waved off the possibility the enforcement activities were linked to what Bondi sought in her letter.

I have all of these quotes in the record, Menendez said. Youre telling me that Im reading them wrong?

Throughout the hearing, the judge expressed skepticism that she has the power to curtail the administrations immigration enforcement and said she would rule soon.

In a statement, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Trump wants to work with local leaders to remove the worst of the worst from American streets. The Justice Department declined to comment on the record.

Georgetown University law professor Stephen I. Vladeck said Minnesota officials, in their lawsuit trying to stop the federal immigration surge, were testing a legal theory about the limits of the federal governments power that is designed for novel times.

Our existing legal doctrines were not designed for rampant lawlessness on the part of the executive, he said.

Ahead of the hearing, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) said she was watching the case closely, particularly now that immigration agents have flooded into her state. Mills, a former state attorney general, said Republicans were acting hypocritically, given the partys historical support of states rights, which are granted in the 10th Amendment of the Constitution.

Republicans have always loved the 10th Amendment, she said. Suddenly, theyre against it.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach (R) said he has a long-standing pro-states rights, pro-10th Amendment point of view. But the federal government has clear authority over immigration, he said.

He said Bondi was making a policy recommendation to Minnesota when she urged the state to change how it cooperates with immigration authorities. He said he didnt think she was linking the request to the surge of agents in the state.

Shes not threatening to do something, he said. I dont think its coercive.

The federal government has a right to data on public assistance programs because it funds them, he argued. The request for the voter rolls may be tangential to what is happening in Minnesota, Kobach said, but he believes the federal government has a right to that data, which he supports using in an effort to find illegal voters.

The dispute over the connection between voter rolls and immigration enforcement has played out over social media in recent days. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) said online that Bondis letter showed the surge of immigration agents was always about rigging elections.

Vice President JD Vance responded to her on Monday by stating that Democrats are effectively saying, We really want illegal aliens to vote in elections and will riot to ensure that it is so.

Democratic-led states have brought dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration over the past year. California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said litigation has been an essential check on a federal government intent on pushing the limits of its power.

The check of the Congress is completely absent, he said. A Republican-led Congress is completely supine, ready to jump when asked to jump by the Trump administration, and they ask how high it is.

The Justice Departments demand for Minnesotas voter rolls comes after the agency spent months suing states to get personal information on voters, including their dates of birth, drivers license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

In all, the Justice Department has sued two dozen states for their voter lists, but judges have not ruled in most of the cases. A federal judge this month threw out the lawsuit against California, saying the Justice Department is not entitled to the information. That case could sway how other courts look at the issue.

Justice Department officials have said they want the lists so they can check whether states are properly maintaining them. It has been sharing data it has received from some states with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement.

Under the Constitution, states, rather than the federal government, are responsible for running elections. Congress has not given the administration the authority to centralize the private information of all Americans within the Executive Branch, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter for the Central District of California wrote in his recent decision rejecting the Justice Departments attempts to get that states voter rolls.

Allowing the Justice Department to get the list would inevitably lead to decreasing voter turnout as voters fear that their information is being used for some inappropriate or unlawful purpose, the judge wrote.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon (D), who oversees the states voter rolls, rejected Bondis latest demand and noted that most states have taken a similar stance.

This isnt a defiant Minnesota on its own, he said. A large majority of states that have been asked for this information have said no on a similar basis to ours.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) has fought the Justice Departments demand for the voter list in her state.

I think what Bondis letter makes clear is that ICE invading Minnesota and Maine was never about immigration, but rather about inflicting violence and creating chaos to try to control our states and our elections, she said.

If the administration gathers state voter rolls, it can use them to challenge the ability of people to vote, said Uzoma Nkwonta, an attorney who represents Democratic voters who have intervened in the litigation over voter lists.

This is how you steal elections, he said. This is the path  taking these lists and then submitting them either to prevent people from voting or after the fact in order to reject the results of an election.
Brian Russell holds a picture that hangs on a wall at his home that memorializes the astronauts killed in the Challenger explosion. Read more

As high school teacher Christa McAuliffe prepared to be strapped into the space shuttle Challenger, Brian Russell, an official at the company that built the crafts solid rocket boosters, had just participated in a fateful teleconference from his Utah headquarters.

Like every other engineer in the conference room at Morton Thiokol on that day four decades ago, the 31-year-old Russell opposed launching because the bitterly cold temperature at Floridas Kennedy Space Center threatened the O-rings that sealed the rocket boosters. Their managers initially supported this view, but Russell listened in dismay as they reversed themselves under pressure from NASA officials and senior company officials and signed off on the launch.

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The mission ended in catastrophe for the reason that Russell feared  a story I know well as a reporter who covered McAuliffe and witnessed the Challengers explosion. But for those involved in this tragedy, the families of the astronauts and those who approved the launch, much about this story is perhaps even more relevant today than it was on Jan. 28, 1986.

The belief that there are still lessons to learn from the disaster is what led Russell last year to take an extraordinary step that, until now, has received no public notice. He visited NASA centers across the country, telling the Challenger story in hopes that similar mistakes will not occur as the space agency prepares to launch four astronauts on Artemis II, which is scheduled to fly by the moon as soon as February.

The lesson of Challenger is not just about the O-rings that failed. For Russell and colleagues who accompanied him on the NASA tour, understanding the human causes behind the Challenger disaster provides still-crucial lessons about managers who fail to heed the warnings of their own experts. Russell made his tour to make sure NASA officials heard it from us, and heard the emotional impact that we felt.

Americas finest

On that day four decades ago, I was standing alongside McAuliffes parents and friends. I was a reporter in the Boston Globes bureau in Concord, New Hampshire, and I was assigned to follow McAuliffes journey from Concord to Cape Canaveral. I visited McAuliffe in her home, flew with her sons class to Florida and witnessed the disaster.

As the 40th anniversary neared, I revisited McAuliffes journey, documented in my clippings as well as thousands of pages of books, reports, and previously unpublished material. I tracked down the handful of surviving former officials involved in the launch decision, including the rocket company manager, who reversed himself and signed off on the launch.

What I found are intertwined stories: one of McAuliffe and her fellow crewmates, determined to revive interest in the space program, and another of behind-the-scenes turmoil as rocket engineers all but begged that the launch be scrubbed.

President Ronald Reagan had announced in 1984 that he wanted the first private citizen in space to be one of Americas finest  a teacher. McAuliffe was chosen by a government-appointed panel in July 1985 from 11,000 applicants to be the space teacher. Invariably portrayed in media as a small-town teacher with a nervous laugh, she was in fact a teacher like few others, a bit of a rebel who was bursting to speak about inequality, woeful pay, and the power of politics  if only she was asked.

McAuliffe, 37, taught a history course called The American Women, which included study of astronaut Sally Ride, who in 1983 became the first American woman in space, assigned to the Challenger. Two years later, when McAuliffe learned that Reagan had sought a teacher to be the first civilian in space, she filled out an application seeking to follow in Rides path  which, as it happened, would be aboard the same space shuttle.

As a woman, I have been envious of those men who could participate in the space program and who were encouraged to excel in the areas of math and science, McAuliffe wrote in her application. I felt that women had indeed been left outside of one of the most exciting careers available. When Sally Ride and other women began to train as astronauts, I could look among my students and see ahead of them an ever increasing list of opportunities.

McAuliffe became one of 10 finalists, training with the group and traveling to Cape Canaveral on July 12, 1985, to witness a launch of the Challenger. But the flight was aborted three seconds before liftoff because of a faulty valve. Days later, McAuliffe was unanimously chosen by the government-appointed panel of experts to be the teacher in space, a decision announced at the White House on July 19, 1985, by Vice President George H.W. Bush.

Ten days later, after NASA fixed the valve, the spacecraft launched but was almost immediately in trouble. One of the three engines shut down, leading to concern that the shuttle would have to make an emergency landing. NASA controller Jenny Howard probably saved the mission when she made a split-second decision that faulty sensors caused the shutdown and overrode them, enabling the flight to continue. Twice in two weeks, Challenger had been in danger, but the teacher-in-space show went on.

Only two days later, NASA publicists whisked McAuliffe onto the set of The Tonight Show, where she gave host Johnny Carson a kiss and won him over, along with a national audience of millions. The recent problems with Challenger, however, were on her mind, as she said the timing of her flight was being bumped up a little bit with the problems theyve had.

Are you in any way frightened of something like that? Carson said, noting that they had a frightening [incident] and one of the engines went out.

I really havent thought of it in those terms because I see the shuttle program as a very safe program, McAuliffe responded. But I think the disappointment 

Carson interrupted to recall a joke by another astronaut: Its a strange feeling when you realize that every part on this capsule was made by the lowest bidder.

I think its important to be involved

A few days later, McAuliffe was back in Concord and agreed to see me at her gracious three-story house in a neighborhood known as The Hill. Her husband, Steven, who was then in private law practice, listened attentively.

At the time, New Hampshire was a solidly conservative Republican state. McAuliffe was an outspoken activist with political ambition; she had been the head of a local teachers union and, true to her Massachusetts roots, a self-described feminist and Kennedy Democrat.

Although rarely mentioned in national stories, her fight for teacher salaries had made her a local legend when she made the case before a town meeting to raise pay, and she succeeded.

By the time McAuliffe applied to be a teacher in space, New Hampshire teacher salaries averaged only $18,577, better than only Maine and Mississippi, according to NEA statistics, and she made only $24,000 annually after 15 years. When I asked her about the salary fight and the continuing low pay for teachers, McAuliffe looked up from packing a bag labeled Teacher in Space and said that, after dozens of interviews, this was the first time she had been asked such a question about education. She hoped that her space mission would give her a platform to fight for teachers.

My sympathies have always been for working-class people. I grew up in that era  we are real big Kennedy supporters  and I think its important to be involved.

As we discussed McAuliffes recent round of rousing public appearances, including on The Tonight Show, Steven McAuliffe couldnt resist hinting about a future in politics: The Democratic Party could use a good candidate, he said. I think shed be pretty good, dont you?

Warning signs

The space shuttle was one of the greatest triumphs in aeronautical design that the world had seen. The airplane-like orbiter carried astronauts and payload such as satellites and could return to Earth for a runway landing. It was launched into space by an external tank with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, propelled by two solid rocket boosters that were jettisoned about two minutes into flight and could be reused.

But the solid rocket boosters had a potential weakness. They were constructed in sections at the Morton Thiokol plant in Utah, shipped across the country by rail and reassembled at the Florida launch site. This meant the rocket was fit together at a series of field joints, as they were called, which would have to be sealed with an O-ring, a supersize version of a rubber seal on a kitchen faucet.

The O-rings were only a quarter-inch thick, wrapped around the rocket sections at a circumference of 37 feet. It was well known that the slightest leak in an O-ring could be catastrophic, so a second seal was added for redundancy.

NASA insisted the rockets were so secure that the probability of failure was too small to calculate  they could fly every week for 100 years without incident, the government asserted at one point.

Indeed, when a NASA official briefed McAuliffe and others, he said if a crucial part should fail, a backup assured success, citing the need for such redundancy to prevent a burn-through in the solid rocket boosters  because were very concerned about the first two minutes youre on the solid rockets. If one of those rockets goes, why, its pretty bad, according to I Touch the Future, a 1986 biography of McAuliffe by Robert T. Hohler.

But the warning signs had been piling up.

Seven months before McAuliffes selection was announced, Morton Thiokol engineer Roger Boisjoly was alarmed at what he saw during an examination of rockets retrieved after the launch of space shuttle Discovery. That spacecraft had launched after days of what was called a once-in-a-century freeze in which temperatures at the launchpad dropped to 18 degrees. Boisjolys postlaunch inspection found damage to O-rings that he determined had been caused by the cold.

Yet when tests confirmed Boisjolys thesis, management insisted that this position be softened, Boisjoly later said at a Massachusetts Institute of Technology speech.

Boisjoly was so concerned that his warnings were being ignored that on July 31, 1985  the same day McAuliffe appeared on The Tonight Show  he wrote a memo to his superiors ominously titled SRM O-ring Erosion/Potential Failure Criticality.

This letter is written to insure that management is fully aware of the seriousness of the current O-ring erosion problem  Boisjoly wrote. If there was a repeat of an O-ring problem that occurred on an earlier mission, he feared, The result would be a catastrophe of the highest order  loss of human life.

I think its safe enough

On the day that the field of teacher-in-space candidates had been narrowed to 10, the shuttles commander, Richard Scobee, told his wife, June, that he was concerned about the impression given by NASA about how safe the shuttle program had become.

They have 10 finalists, and theyre really counting [on] how safe it is to fly the shuttle now, Scobee said, as June recounted in an interview this month with the Washington Post. And we know its still a test vehicle. Its not a commercial flight. Should I go to Washington to talk to the 10 finalists?

June told her husband that he should go, and if any of them wanted to back out, thats a good time.

Scobee delivered his warning to the finalists. None backed out.

After McAuliffe was chosen and traveled to Houston for training, she visited June at her home.

Do you think its really safe? McAuliffe asked.

Christa, no one really knows for certain, but if its safe enough that Im encouraging my husband to fly, then I think its safe enough, June responded.

Thinking back on the moment almost 40 years later, June recalled, She appreciated that. And thats all I could say. What did I know?

McAuliffe turned from her round of interviews to an intense training schedule  much compressed compared with that of astronauts  and earned the admiration of skeptical colleagues who at one time saw her as taking away a seat from others who had been waiting years for their turn. Eventually the view was that she had become so popular that she might be the savior of the shuttle program.

As launch day approached, McAuliffe had allowed me to accompany her sons flight to Florida on Jan. 22, 1986. Scott, 9 years old and accompanied by his third-grade classmates, sat in a window seat as he drew a Martian on a pad. He was looking forward to the launch  and visiting Sea World to see a killer whale.

As the United flight descended through the clouds, Scott looked out the window and saw Kennedy Space Center and the launchpad from which his mother was scheduled to lift off.

Someone called to him to play a game, I wrote, but Scott stayed by the window, transfixed.

Determined to fly

For several days, launches were planned and scrubbed. McAuliffes father, Ed Corrigan, a plainspoken and proud dad, wandered into a Cocoa Beach store that had advertised Teacher in Space Souvenirs. The store offered him a 10 percent discount on large buttons with an image of his daughter and, as he told it, he bought dozens and Im giving them out like cigars. He said Christa was very anxious and couldnt wait until liftoff.

The cancellations had made NASA the butt of jokes on national newscasts, particularly the hapless circumstances of Jan. 27, which CBS anchor Dan Rather called a red faces all around  high-tech low comedy. That days flight was postponed after technicians noticed a screw protruding from a door latch and could not locate a drill to remove it; then, when a drill was found, its battery could not be located. Finally, after hacksawing the screw, high winds canceled the launch. I wrote in my story that day that a NASA official said while there had been only a minuscule chance of a problem, we are dealing with human life here and we dont take chances.

The attitude was, ignore the critics, safety first. Or so it seemed.

The plan was to launch the following morning, but the forecast was for an overnight low of 18 degrees and freezing temperatures into the morning. It was broadly assumed there would be another cancellation. A year earlier, similar temperatures had been called a once-in-a-century freeze and  unknown to the public  had caused almost catastrophic damage to the O-ring.

But NASA was determined to fly. Questions would later be raised in a congressional investigation and elsewhere about whether the push to launch was due partly to Reagans intention to highlight McAuliffe in his State of the Union speech that evening, but White House officials denied exerting pressure.

Boisjoly, meanwhile, was making one last effort to convince his superiors at Morton Thiokol as well as NASA that they were risking catastrophe. He was joined in a meeting at the companys Utah facility by Brian Russell, the engineer who had recently been promoted to project manager.

Russell came prepared with data that underscored his concern about whether the O-rings would fail in cold weather. We were unified as an engineering team going into that meeting on recommending a delay, Russell said.

That was going to be their message in a teleconference with NASA officials who had gathered at Cape Canaveral and the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. Around 9 p.m. Eastern time  about 12 hours before the scheduled launch, Boisjoly said that no launch should take place if the temperature was below 53 degrees, which seemed to rule out a launch given the forecast. The final word seemed to come from Morton Thiokols vice president, Joseph Kilminster.

I stated, based on the engineering recommendation, I could not recommend launch, Kilminster, now 91, said in an interview this month.

That could have been the end of the discussion. But NASA officials  who had come up with the teacher-in-space program partly to offset criticism of their costly inability to launch as many shuttle flights as promised  were aghast. While stressing they wouldnt go against the rocket makers recommendation, they made clear they wanted the liftoff to proceed.

My God, Thiokol, when do you want me to launch, April?! said Lawrence Mulloy, the NASA solid rocket booster project manager, according to congressional testimony.

The data, NASA officials told Morton Thiokol, was not conclusive. They pressured the company officials to further explain its reasoning. Company officials said they wanted to discuss the matter privately and muted the teleconference.

As Russell recalled it, the company faced great pressure, including the likelihood that NASA was about to solicit competition to build future rockets. We as a company had a very, very strong desire to please our customer, Russell said.

As Thiokol paused the teleconference, Kilminster said in the interview, he talked with another company official and became comfortable that liftoff would be safe at the predicted launch-time temperature. The call was resumed, with Mulloy continuing to push for permission to launch.

With urging from a more senior company official as well as space agency officials, Kilminster then reversed himself and supported launching. He said in the interview that while there was pressure from NASA, I dont want to say it was the insistence of the NASA people that made me do that. He also thought that O-rings could perform at a lower temperature than the ambient rate predicted for the following morning.

Looking back, Russell said he wished he had spoken up so that NASA officials on the call would have realized there was strong internal dissent.

Why didnt I speak up? Russell said in the interview. There had to be on me an intimidation factor that once the decision was made that I would not dare to refute it. Thats my biggest regret. I wish so much that after we had gone back [on the teleconference], I wish Id have said that theres a dissenting view here so they would know were not unanimous.

Russell concluded that NASA had turned decision-making on its head. Im convinced what happened is that the burden of proof toward safety had been flipped, that we, in our recommendation, could not say, heres the temperature when it would fail. We couldnt prove it was going to fail, Russell said.

Morton Thiokols representative at Cape Canaveral, Allan McDonald, could not believe what he was hearing. Like Boisjoly and Russell, he had deep concerns about the effect of the cold on the O-rings. So McDonald took a rare step: He refused to go along.

I told Mulloy that I would not sign that recommendation, which he considered perverse, McDonald wrote in his memoir, Truth, Lies and O-rings. If NASA wanted signed approval, it would have to come from a company official in Utah. The whole exercise, he wrote, was a Cover Your Ass effort by NASA.

McDonald made one more effort to cancel liftoff, telling NASA officials: If anything happens to this launch, I wouldnt want to be the person that has to stand in front of a Board of Inquiry to explain why we launched outside of the qualification of the solid rocket motor.

Kilminster signed the document saying that Morton Thiokol supported a liftoff. It wound up being Russells task to send the fax that recommended the opposite of what he had wanted. NASA got what it wanted. The launch was a go.

After the meeting, Boisjoly wrote in his log that he and his team had done everything they could to stop a liftoff, writing, I sincerely hope that launch does not result in a catastrophe. Later that night, believing that the chance of having a successful flight was as close to Zero that any calculations could produce, he vented to his wife, Roberta, according to the account in his unpublished memoir. (Boisjoly, who died in 2012, gave the memoir to Professor Mark Maier, the founder of a leadership program at Chapman University, who provided a copy to the Post.)

Whats wrong? Roberta asked her husband.

Responded Boisjoly: Oh nothing, the idiots have just made a decision to launch Challenger to its destruction and kill the astronauts.

Go Christa!

That same evening, McAuliffe talked on the phone with her close friend and fellow Concord teacher, Jo Ann Jordan, who was at Cape Canaveral to witness the launch and recalled the conversation in an interview.

Ill call you when I get back, McAuliffe said, and then added with a laugh, Oh, it sounds like Im going to New Jersey!

Early the following morning, McAuliffe put on her blue flight suit, took an elevator up the launchpad, past rows of icicles on the superstructure, and buckled into her seat in the Challenger. She was joined by six crewmates: Scobee; pilot Michael J. Smith; mission specialists Ronald E. McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka, and Judith Resnik; and payload specialist Gregory B. Jarvis.

McAuliffe had told a friend what it had been like waiting for liftoff before a flight was canceled: lying on her back, unable to read or watch anything, head in a helmet and her body strapped down really tightly, with oxygen lines and wires coming out of your suit. She had packed several mementos, including a T-shirt emblazoned with what became her motto: I touch the future  I teach.

Steven McAuliffe, Scott and daughter Caroline, 6, were escorted to a rooftop building to watch the liftoff. Christas parents, Ed and Grace Corrigan, arrived with Scotts third-grade class and other friends to watch from a grandstand. Given my assignment to tell the familys story, I was escorted to sit near the parents.

The day seemed postcard-perfect crystalline, at least in terms of unlimited visibility and no forecast of precipitation. But the predawn temperature was 22 degrees. As Grace Corrigan later wrote, it was cold, cold, cold.  We could see icicles hanging from the shuttle. How could they lift off like this?

Television footage of the icicles on launchpad 39B prompted Rocco Petrone, the president of Rockwell Space Transportation System, a division of the company that built the shuttle, to advise against the launch. As Petrone later testified, he feared the icicles could damage the shuttle, and he told NASA, Rockwell cannot assure that it is safe to fly. NASA decided that it had sufficiently dealt with the ice problem, and the warning was dismissed.

For two hours, the launch was delayed. Now it was 11:38 a.m. The temperature had climbed, but the ambient reading was still only 36 degrees, and it was colder at the right field joint of the rocket booster, because of high winds sending super-cold gases down the tank. At company headquarters, engineers were in disbelief that the launch was going ahead.

Indeed, the astronauts had figured such cold would cause a delay, even though they were not apprised of the danger from the O-rings. But NASA had made its decision. McAuliffes parents and friends and the students from Scotts class gathered in front of a large homemade banner that said, Go Christa!

The vehicle has exploded

3, 2, 1! the children shouted.

A voice from a loudspeaker exulted: Liftoff! Liftoff of the 25th space shuttle mission, and it has cleared the tower!

Look at it, all the colors, a child said.

Then: Where is it?

Seventy-three seconds into flight, massive white plumes billowed from the rockets, painting curlicue contrails. To the untrained naked eye, it was hard to discern whether this was anything other than a routine separation of the shuttle from its rockets.

Its beautiful, said one of McAuliffes friends, not realizing.

Aboard Challenger, the last words were spoken by pilot Smith: Uh-oh.

Forty-three seconds passed as the confused crowd looked skyward. Finally, a voice came over the loudspeaker: Flight controllers here are looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction.

Almost another minute passed.

Mission control: We have a report from the flight dynamics officer that the vehicle has exploded.

I looked at Ed and Grace Corrigan, Scotts classmates, McAuliffes friends.

Contingency procedures are in effect, said the monotone voice from the speakers.

Again, the loudspeaker voice: We have a report relayed through the flight dynamics officer that the vehicle has exploded.

Oh my God, said one of the chaperones for Scotts classmates. Everyone, get together.

Jo Ann Jordan, the friend who had talked hours earlier with McAuliffe, exclaimed, It didnt explode, it didnt explode.

The Corrigans looked shell-shocked, squinting at the white streaks expanding across the sky, obscuring the craft that had carried their daughter. Finally, they inched down the steps of the grandstand, whisked away by a NASA official.

Only later, it was determined the vehicle had not entirely exploded. At least some of the crew members were probably briefly alive, perhaps for as long as two minutes. Evidence later showed that Smiths personal emergency air pack had been activated for him by another astronaut, and that Smith had turned a switch to regain power. But they were in an uncontrollable piece of the shuttle. Escape was impossible because NASA had decided there was no need to plan for such an emergency. The cabin slammed into the ocean. The remains of the bodies would be recovered from the bottom of the sea.

Reagan canceled his State of the Union speech. He instead delivered a brief address, paraphrasing a famous poem by American aviator John Magee called High Flight: They slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God.

Reagan had no way of knowing it, but McAuliffe had slipped a full copy of the poem into her flight suit before boarding the Challenger.

Back at Morton Thiokol headquarters, Boisjoly and Russell watched the Challenger liftoff from the same conference room where they had opposed the launch only hours earlier. Retreating to Boisjolys office, the two embraced and cried. We just knew inside of us it was us  that it was the booster, it was the joint, it was just what we talked about the night before, we both felt we were profoundly sorrowful, Russell said in the interview.

She died because of NASA

In those days before the internet and cellphones, and with network television stations broadcasting regular programing, the launch had been carried live by CNN and satellite feeds to classrooms, where millions of schoolchildren saw the events unfold. Within an hour, most Americans had heard the news and seen replays. I wrote an initial story for a rare extra edition, headlined Globe reporter with family at scene, accompanied by a massive picture of the explosion. The Post assembled a team of reporters to write a book, Challengers, which profiled the astronauts. The disaster became one of the biggest stories in years.

The disaster, after all, had led to the first in-flight deaths of American astronauts. (Three astronauts had died in a launchpad accident in 1967.) Tens of millions of viewers tuned in to watch the televised hearings of an investigative commission. Soon came confirmation of all that the Morton Thiokol engineers had warned about: the years of disregarded red flags that the O-rings were susceptible to the cold, as evidenced by the meeting before the launch at which company engineers were overruled by managers.

Ed Corrigan absorbed it all with growing anger. Like many members of the family, McAuliffes father had initially declined to speak against NASA. But after he died in 1990, his widow, Grace, discovered a notebook in which he laid out his feelings. NASAs ineptitude, Ed Corrigan titled one paper, in which he listed the names of those who had opposed the launch, Grace Corrigan later revealed in her memoir, A Journal for Christa.

I have been angry since January 28, 1986, the day Christa was killed, Ed Corrigan wrote. My daughter Christa McAuliffe was not an astronaut  she did not die for NASA and the space program  she died because of NASA and its egos, marginal decision, ignorance and irresponsibility. NASA betrayed seven people who deserved to live."

NASA officials said in congressional hearings that they made the decision based on information supplied to them at the time, including the faxed recommendation for launch from the Morton Thiokol official who had reversed himself.

While much became known in the weeks following the explosion, more information has emerged in the ensuing four decades. McDonald published his memoir in 2009 and died in 2021. Boisjoly, who often spoke about his anger about his unheeded warnings and documented his actions in his unpublished memoir, which was cited in a 2024 book, Challenge, by Adam Higginbotham. Some of those involved in the launch decision gave interviews for a 2020 Netflix documentary, Challenger: The Final Flight. Among them was Mulloy, the project manager at Marshall Space Flight Center who pushed Morton Thiokol to reverse his recommendation.

I feel I was to blame, said Mulloy, who died at 86 years old in 2020. But I felt no guilt.

Kilminster, the Thiokol vice president who reversed himself to recommend a launch, spent the following 40 years seeing himself cast as a villain. He said in his interview with the Post that he is haunted by the fact that I was involved in a solid rocket and motor launch decision resulting in the deaths of seven extremely capable, dedicated and admirable individuals.

But Kilminster also said he has been wrongly singled out. Kilminster said that he had been unaware at the time that the shuttles tanks had been venting liquid oxygen longer than he considered usual, which he said meant super-cold oxygen flowed downward and caused the O-rings to be much colder than the ambient temperatures.

The temperature on the O-rings was a lot colder than anyone wanted to admit, Kilminster said. Had he known that temperature at the field joint was colder than he considered acceptable, he said there is no question he would have reversed himself again and opposed the launch.

A number of engineers who worked under Kilminster have said, however, that even the ambient temperature of 36 degrees at liftoff was more than cold enough to have followed their recommendation against a launch. While Russell said he did not doubt that it was much colder at the O-ring, the ambient temperature was cold enough to make me concerned and wanting a delay.

A presidential commission determined that cold temperatures caused the O-ring failure, as well as flawed decisions and internal conflicts leading up to the launch. It was not within the commissions mandate to judge whether NASA was at fault for putting McAuliffe on the flight. However, Alton Keel, who was the executive director of the commission, said in an interview that the lesson was clear to him then and now.

They let the PR get in the way of good judgment, Keel said. A tragic example of that was Christa McAuliffe. She should not have been put on that flight. Im sorry. But those flights were experiments. Theres too much risk involved.

The rocket booster was redesigned by Morton Thiokol and never again failed. But in 2003, the space shuttle Columbia broke up during its return to Earth because its wing had been hit by a loose piece of insulating foam. An investigation found that, as in the Challenger disaster, NASA mismanagement was partly to blame. The last shuttle flew in 2011.

Wayne Hale, a former NASA flight director who worked on many shuttle launches, said in an interview that the culture changed after Challenger in which safety was much more important than schedule, encouraging dissent with the establishment of an anonymous reporting system and other measures. Still, he warned that no matter how well things are prepared, theres still a huge element of risk involved.

This is still difficult for me

The disaster profoundly influenced my outlook as a journalist, a career that soon took me to Washington, where I have spent much of the past 40 years covering the White House and those who seek to occupy it. In the wake of the Challenger explosion, I vowed that I would remember how NASA officials assured the public about the shuttles safety, and I sought to probe beyond official statements. And I would apply what I called the O-ring lesson: Make every story as airtight as possible. The O-ring failure proved the aphorism that nothing is stronger than its weakest link.

Steven McAuliffe has sought to keep the focus on his wifes work for education. A little more than five months after the explosion, he delivered a speech to the National Education Association, in which he urged members to remember her legacy by working until we have a system that honors teachers and rewards teachers as they deserve.

Forty years later, that mission is still a work in progress. New Hampshire today ranks 38th in starting teacher salaries, at an average of $42,588, according to the National Education Association.

In 1992, seven years after George H.W. Bush had announced Christa McAuliffes selection at the White House, Bush was president and nominated Steven McAuliffe to be a judge on the U.S. District Court in New Hampshire  a seat that McAuliffe still holds under part-time senior status. The pick transcended the fact that McAuliffe was an outspoken Democrat and Bush was a Republican seeking reelection.

Steven McAuliffe, who remarried and still lives in New Hampshires capital city, spoke in September 2024 at the unveiling of a statue of Christa on the State House lawn. He focused on Christas support for teachers, which he has said is democracys lifeline and was far more important to her than spaceflight.

This is still difficult for me, McAuliffe, who did not respond to an interview request, told the crowd of schoolchildren, friends, and politicians. Which I guess Im kind of proud of.

June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of the Challenger commander, said that soon after the disaster, she talked to the other family members about a way to ensure that the missions message is not forgotten.

I know NASA will continue spaceflight  they have to, she said. But who will continue Christas lessons? I talked to the other families and I said, these lessons arent just a textbook, they are a real-world application of adventures in space. That led her to spearhead the development of Challenger Center, which has 33 locations. Students who visit the centers take part in a simulated space mission that faces a crisis, either in a mock spacecraft or mission control, as a way to stimulate interest in math, science, and aerospace.

I hope and pray to this day thats what Christa would want, Scobee Rodgers said.

Although Scobee Rodgers knew much about the disaster, she said it wasnt until recent years that she fully realized how aggressively the rocket companys engineers had tried to cancel the launch, understood how NASA was motivated by its drive for boosting its support, and saw enhanced video showing an early leak at the O-ring, among other factors.

I finally understood, she said.

Last week, Scobee Rodgers stood silently with a bouquet at Arlington National Cemetery, where she and other family members of fallen astronauts attended NASAs Day of Remembrance.

For Russell, the Challenger mission has never really ended. Last year, he visited NASA centers across the country to deliver a presentation about the lessons that are as relevant as ever: Leaders need to listen to warnings from those who work directly on the spacecraft.

The whole goal of it was to make the team better and learn from our experience, he said. I would tell them flat out: I really wish and hope with all my being that you will do better than we did.
Russian recruits take a train at a railway station in Prudboi in the Volgograd region of Russia on Sept. 29, 2022. Read more

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Men from South Asian countries, including India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, complain of being duped into signing up to fight by recruiters promising jobs. Officials in Kenya, South Africa, and Iraq say the same has happened to citizens from their countries.

Russian numbers in Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin told his annual news conference in December that 700,000 Russian troops are fighting in Ukraine. He gave the same number in 2024, and a slightly lower figure  617,000  in December 2023. Its unclear if those numbers are accurate.

Still hidden are the numbers of military casualties, with Moscow having released limited official figures. The British Defense Ministry said last summer that more than 1 million Russian troops may have been killed or wounded.

Independent Russian news site Mediazona, together with the BBC and a team of volunteers, scoured news reports, social media and government websites, and collected the names of over 160,000 troops killed. More than 550 of those were foreigners from over two dozen countries.

How Russia gets new soldiers

Unlike Ukraine, where martial law and nationwide mobilization has been in place since the start of Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022, Putin has resisted ordering a broad call-up.

When a limited mobilization of 300,000 men was tried later that year, tens of thousands of people fled abroad. The effort stopped after a few weeks when the target was met, but a Putin decree left the door open for another call-up. It also made all military contracts effectively open-ended and barred soldiers from quitting service or being discharged, unless they reached certain age limits or were incapacitated by injuries.

Since then, Moscow has largely relied on what it describes as voluntary enlistment.

The flow of voluntary enlistees signing military contracts has remained strong, topping 400,000 last year, Putin said in December. It was not possible to independently verify the claim. Similar numbers were announced in 2024 and 2023.

Activists say these contracts often stipulate a fixed term of service, such as one year, leading some potential enlistees to believe the commitment is temporary. But contracts are automatically extended indefinitely, they say.

The incentives

The government offers high pay and extensive benefits to enlistees. Regional authorities offer various enlistment bonuses, sometimes amounting to tens of thousands of dollars.

In the Khanty-Mansi region of central Russia, for example, an enlistee would get about $50,000 in various bonuses, according to the local government. Thats more than twice the average annual income in the region, where monthly salaries in the first 10 months of 2025 were reported to be just over $1,600.

There also are tax breaks, debt relief, and other perks.

Despite Kremlin claims of relying on voluntary enlistment, media reports and rights groups say conscripts  men aged 18-30 performing fixed-term mandatory military service and exempted from being sent to Ukraine  are often coerced by superiors into signing contracts that send them into battle.

Recruitment also extends to prisoners and those in pretrial detention centers, a practice led early in the war by the late mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and adopted by the Defense Ministry. Laws now allow recruitment of both convicts and suspects in criminal cases.

Targeting foreigners

Foreigners also are recruiting targets, both inside Russia and abroad.

Laws were adopted offering accelerated Russian citizenship for enlistees. Russian media and activists also report that raids in areas where migrants typically live or work lead to them being pressuring into military service, with new citizens sent to enlistment offices to determine if theyre eligible for mandatory service.

In November, Putin decreed that military service was mandatory for certain foreigners seeking permanent residency.

Some reportedly are lured to Russia by trafficking rings promising jobs, then duping them into signing military contracts. Cuban authorities in 2023 identified and sought to dismantle one such ring operating from Russia.

Nepals Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud told the Associated Press in 2024 that his country asked Russia to return hundreds of Nepali nationals who were recruited to fight in Ukraine, as well as to repatriate the remains of those killed in the war. Nepal has since barred citizens from traveling to Russia or Ukraine for work, citing recruitment efforts.

Also in 2024, Indias federal investigation agency said it broke up a network that lured at least 35 of its citizens to Russia under the pretext of employment. The men were trained for combat and deployed to Ukraine against their will, with some grievously injured, the agency said.

When Putin hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks in 2024, New Delhi said its nationals who were misled into joining the Russian army would be discharged.

Iraqi officials say about 5,000 of its citizens have joined the Russian military along with an unspecified number who are fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. Officials in Baghdad cracked down on such recruiting networks, with one man convicted last year of human trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

An unknown number of Iraqis have been killed or gone missing while fighting in Ukraine. Some families have reported that relatives were lured to Russia under false pretenses and forced to enlist; in other cases, Iraqis have joined voluntarily for the salary and Russian citizenship.

Foreigners duped into fighting are especially vulnerable because they dont speak Russian, have no military experience and are deemed dispensable, to put it bluntly, by military commanders, said Anton Gorbatsevich of the activist group Idite Lesom, or Get Lost, which helps men desert from the army.

A drain on a slowing economy

This month, a Ukrainian agency for the treatment of prisoners of war said over 18,000 foreign nationals had fought or are fighting on the Russian side. Almost 3,400 have been killed, and hundreds of citizens of 40 countries are held in Ukraine as POWs.

If true, that represents a fraction of the 700,000 troops that Putin said are fighting for Russia in Ukraine.

Using foreigners is only one way to meet the constant demand, said Artyom Klyga, head of the legal department at the Movement of Conscientious Objectors, noting Russian recruitment efforts appear to be stable. Most of those seeking help from the group, which assists men in avoiding military service, are Russian citizens, he said.

Kateryna Stepanenko, a Russia researcher at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, said the Kremlin has gotten more creative in the last two years with attracting enlistees, including foreigners.

But recruitment efforts are becoming extremely expensive for Russia, which faces a slowing economy, she added.
Trisha Swed walks with her dog Alberta Einstein at North 30th Street and Girard Avenue in Brewerytown on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, 9.3 inches of snow fell, the most in a decade. Read more

It is a sentiment long held by residents across Philadelphia, especially those living on side streets, dating back to when snowfall was a more frequent occurrence than it has been in recent years: Dont expect the city to do a thorough plowing job.

That belief is one that Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has said she is trying to shake with action.

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Two days before a storm that whacked the city with 9.3 inches of snow and sleet, Parker, surrounded by the leaders of various agencies, including the Philadelphia Streets Department, vowed to buck precedent on the plowing issue.

We will make every effort to get to every primary, secondary, and tertiary street in the city of Philadelphia, and that is our standard, she said, adding it would take as long as it takes, citing worker safety.

But know that we wont leave any neighborhood, any block, or any community behind.

Still, residents across the city Tuesday said they were losing patience as side streets and even some secondary streets remained packed with several inches of snow and ice, locking cars in and making navigating intersections impossible.

Fishtown resident Rohan Khadka, 22, was hoping plowing might happen overnight. Instead he woke up Tuesday to streets that were hard for him to cross even with the proper footwear.

A lot of our roads down here look exactly the same, he said. Most of the cleanup that has happened, to my knowledge, has either been by other residents or just cars happening to clean it because theyre using those roads.

Analysis of the City of Philadelphias PlowPHL data, which tracks the movement of plows via GPS data, showed that about a quarter of streets citywide had received no snow treatment at all  including salting or plowing  after the conclusion of the storm Sunday night.

Some areas were worse off than others.

In places like Overbrook and Wynnefield, the city had salted or plowed about 70% of streets by the end of Sunday morning, when the storm began. But the majority of streets in these neighborhoods received no additional plowing or salting since Sunday, according to city data.

The same was true for about a third of streets in South Philadelphia.

The streets department said Tuesday it was deploying over 200 vehicles and excavators as part of a so-called lifting operation. Fourteen teams were fanning across the city to scoop up snow from the narrow roads and load it into dump trucks on nearby primary streets.

The snow hauls were then being taken to storage sites across the city.

Director of Clean and Green Initiatives Carlton Williams drove through parts of South Philadelphia on Tuesday afternoon, as dozens of the side-street-size excavators made their way through the citys narrowest byways.

It is the smaller tertiary streets that are challenging, he said. Theres more of them. Its difficult to navigate through those streets.

As Williams passed a side street with several inches of snow packed, he noted a car illegally parked on the corner, which would make it difficult for machines to get through.

Williams said this storm came with additional challenges. Not only did the snow fall in a condensed period of time, but it was followed by sleet and frozen rain.

We wouldnt have many of the challenges that were facing today, slowdowns, if those other weather conditions beyond our control did not exist, he said. But again, I want to reassure the public that were aware. You see us out here today. Well be out here tomorrow, and well continue to fight this storm.

But for Philadelphians waiting for a plow, time is of the essence.

311 ringing off the hook

For Moya Ferenchak, 30, the effectiveness of the operation carries serious health implications. They started pet sitting on the 1500 block of South Capitol, a South Philly side street, for a friend last Tuesday, bringing exactly one weeks worth of food and lifesaving medication  more than they expected to need.

Ferenchak, who lives with a disability that causes limited mobility, cannot shovel. Calling a car not only is expensive but also would require Ferenchak to travel with all their belongings to an intersection that is not blocked by snow.

Adding to frustrations across the city were reports of inundated 311 phone lines.

I called first thing this morning, and there was a 50-plus-person queue, Ferenchak said. Then I called again, and there was like a 70-plus-person queue. I waited for like an hour or so, and then it hung up on me.

The processing of online 311 tickets has also been a source of confusion for residents who wonder if they are being paid attention to. Williams said the complaints are populating a map used to direct plows to avoid redundancies.

Well take that data and get it within the operation, he said.

Some homes feel the impact more than others

On the 4800 block of Regent Street in West Philadelphia, Justin Rothrauff described the road as treacherous for the mix of families and older residents who live there.

One of the big problems, besides the street not being plowed, is that the plowing that they have done on some of those primary roads has blocked the secondary and tertiary roads, the 43-year-old teacher said, adding even if he could somehow get his car out of his block, he is not sure he would make it back in.

While Rothrauff had heard of people paying to have their roads shoveled, he feels no one should have to.

I refuse to pay anyone money, I pay enough taxes in the city, he said.

For some Philadelphians, some information could go a long way. A much-touted live map of plow operations has been reported for mistakenly listing some streets as plowed, according to the residents who live there.

Krista Dedrick-Lai, 45, a South Philly resident, hopes the city will do more to tell people about plowing statuses, and explain why their streets are still covered in snow days after the storm, even if the answers are not what they are hoping to hear.

Sometimes context can make everyone feel better, she said, noting her block on Federal Street got a plow Monday and Tuesday, but the snow banks had blocked cars in.

Fortunately, she said, she and her husband have not needed to leave their house to work or to help their child learn through third-grade virtual learning modules.

Others, however, do not have that flexibility. Making matters worse, more snow may be on the horizon this weekend.
Demonstrators gathered outside of the Target store at Broad and Washington Streets on Tuesday. Read more

Activists with No ICE Philly demonstrated at Target stores in the city on Tuesday evening, attempting to slow business operations at a company that they say wrongly cooperates with federal immigration enforcement.

Stores in South Philadelphia, Rittenhouse, Fairmount, Port Richmond and on Washington Avenue and City Avenue were among those targeted, the group said.

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Advocates say the retailer has failed to speak out against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to safeguard employees and customers, and has allowed the agency to set up operations in its parking lots.

More than 40 people rallied on a frozen, 19-degree night outside the Target at Broad Street and Washington Avenue, holding signs that showed solidarity with Minneapolis residents who have resisted ICE in their community.

From MPLS to PHL, keep ICE out, read one sign.

Inside, some masked customers bought ice trays and single bottles of table salt. As soon as they paid for the items at the checkout counters, they headed to the Returns area to seek refunds.

Items were quickly restocked on store shelves by staff, only to be purchased and returned again.

Demonstrators visited at least seven stores, according to the Rev. Jay Bergen, a leader of No ICE Philly and pastor at the Germantown Mennonite Church.

Our actions are in solidarity with people across the country responding to the call from Minneapolis communities to pressure Target, Bergen said Wednesday.

Company spokespeople did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the protests in Philadelphia. Target, founded in 1962, operates 1,989 stores across the United States and has a net revenue of more than $100 billion a year.

At Broad and Washington on Tuesday, members of No ICE Philly handed out pocket-sized fliers that described their goals as they urged shoppers to go elsewhere. Some people turned away after talking to demonstrators. Others who went inside were met with boos.

Find another store! the protesters shouted, as a police officer looked on.

Elijah Wald, 66, said the Washington Avenue location was his neighborhood Target.

Our main hope is that businesses will understand that they need to protect their employees, that they need to not collaborate with a government that right now is targeting everybody, he said.

Wald, whose mother was a Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Austria, said he has always felt positive about immigration, that the United States was built of people who are used to moving to find work, moving to find cheaper housing.

But the discourse over ICE operations in major cities has gone beyond undocumented people, said Wald.

Theyre shooting U.S. citizens now, he said.

At the Target at Snyder Plaza, about 20 demonstrators encouraged people to do their shopping elsewhere.

Protest with your wallet; Acme is right there, a protester said through a sound system.

Celine Bossart, 34, said boycotts are an effective way to denounce ICE actions.

As citizens, our power is limited, but a big part of the power that we do have is where we choose to spend our money, she said, and at the end of the day, corporations arent necessarily going to listen until it hits their bottom line.

A man in a Flyers jersey stopped to heckle the demonstrators, who responded with words of their own. Bossart said the protest did not aim to make anyones day difficult.

Our neighbors are people who work at Target, people who work at Acme; these are the neighbors who were trying to protect, she said. So were just trying to send a message to upper, upper management.

Last week, demonstrators held a sit-in at a store in Minneapolis, where the company is headquartered, chanting, Something bout this isnt right  why does Target work for ICE?

At other Minnesota stores, demonstrators formed long lines to buy bags of winter ice melt, then immediately got back in line to return them, slowing the checkout process.

No ICE Philly, which has led demonstrations against the agency, and against the arrests of immigrants outside the city Criminal Justice Center, said Target must:

Publicly call for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to leave Minnesota. Post signs in its stores that deny entrance to immigration agents, absent a signed judicial warrant. Train store staff on how to respond if agents arrive. Publicly call for Congress to end ICE funding.

Chief executives of Target and more than 60 large Minnesota companies issued a public letter on Sunday calling for an immediate de-escalation of tensions. It marked the first time, The New York Times reported, that the most recognizable businesses in the state weighed in on the turmoil in Minneapolis.

Critics said the letter offered too little, too late, coming after two local U.S. citizens were shot to death by federal agents.
Despite constitutional protections for gun ownership, Alex Pretti, the man who was shot by federal officers in Minneapolis on Saturday, was less safe carrying one, not more so, writes Jonathan Zimmerman. Read more

When Kyle Rittenhouse shot three people, two of them fatally, at a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020  in self-defense, he said  Republicans made him into a hero. But when Alex Pretti showed up at an anti-ICE demonstration with a loaded handgun, Trump administration officials condemned him as a would-be assassin and a domestic terrorist.

Its outrageous. And hypocritical.

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Yet, when it comes to guns, everyones a hypocrite right now. All of us are allowing the fatal shooting of Pretti in Minneapolis last week to alter our principles.

On the right, the same people who celebrate the Second Amendment  and its supposedly sacred guarantee of gun rights  are condemning Pretti for exercising that right. And on the left, which has long called for limits on gun ownership, we are suddenly invoking Prettis constitutional entitlement to arm himself.

We cant bring ourselves to state the obvious: His gun made him less safe, not more so.

Thats been our mantra for more than a half century, and we have the data to prove it. Americans purchase guns because they believe firearms will protect them from crime and injury. But they are wrong about that, as a wide swath of research shows.

If someone breaks into your house, a 2015 study reported, youre more likely to be injured after threatening your attacker with a gun than if you call the police or run away. Gun ownership also makes domestic violence more common. In 2019, scholars found that states with higher levels of household gun ownership also record more domestic gun homicides.

The following year, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a big spike in American gun sales: People were afraid, so they armed themselves. And guess what happened? There was also a sharp rise in firearm-related homicides.

Finally, states that make it easier to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon experience more homicides than states that make it harder to obtain one.

Youd think my fellow liberals would be trumpeting all of these facts following the death of Pretti. But youd be wrong. We have simply pointed out that Pretti had a permit for his gun and that he had a right to carry it under the Constitution.

The Trump administration does not believe in the 2nd Amendment, California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on X, gleefully mocking GOP attacks on Pretti. Good to know.

Come again? I thought Democrats believe the Second Amendment does not  or should not  allow individual citizens to carry firearms anywhere they want.

For most of our history, it didnt. Ten states passed laws in the 1800s barring possession of concealed weapons. One of them was Texas, where the governor declared in 1893 that the mission of the concealed weapon is murder.

In 1939, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a federal limit on gun ownership. According to Solicitor General Robert Jackson, who would join the court two years later, the Second Amendment did not protect the right of individuals to possess guns for private purposes. Instead, it was restricted to the keeping and bearing of arms by the people collectively for their common defense and security, Jackson added.

Only in the 1970s would the National Rifle Association  which had formerly supported broad restrictions on guns  start to argue that the Second Amendment protected individual gun ownership. Now thats the law of land, thanks to several recent rulings by Republican-appointed federal judges.

Democrats have loudly questioned these decisions, looking forward to the day when they might be overturned. But that wont happen if we dont consistently denounce the idea that anyone should be able to carry a gun.

And that includes Pretti. There was no good reason  none  for federal agents to kill Pretti last week in Minneapolis. He didnt deserve to die because he had a gun. But  especially in the current political climate  its hard to come to any other conclusion except that carrying a gun certainly made it more likely that he would.

Video of the shooting appears to show that Prettis gun had already been removed from him before he was shot. In the confusion of the moment, some of his assailants might not have known that.

But heres what we do know: Guns are a scourge on America. We think they safeguard us from violence, but they too often escalate it. We shouldnt let the horror and injustice of Prettis death blind us to that.

Jonathan Zimmerman teaches history and education at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of Whose America?: Culture Wars in the Public Schools.
A British soldier and their American counterpart stand side by side after a news conference on a military exercise in Brueck, Germany, in February 2020. Read more

Words matter.

With his nonstop litany of lies and insults, President Donald Trump appears to believe no one will remember what he said yesterday or last week (perhaps he cant recall, either).

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Yet, just as Americans wont forget how Kristi Noem smeared Minneapolis nurse Alex Petti as a domestic terrorist, European allies wont forget the most outrageous slur Trump hurled at them at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

It was a falsehood so painful that it drew criticism from European political parties of the left and right, and even provoked a private caution from Britains King Charles III.

It was an insult so outrageous that it has probably alienated the British and other European publics more than any previous Trump attack.

Donald Trump, a man who avoided Vietnam service by claiming he had bone spurs, spat on the sacrifice of European soldiers who died fighting alongside American troops in Afghanistan.

In his Davos speech, Trump mocked NATO and questioned whether the alliance would be there for us if the United States needed help  even though European members of NATO rushed to support the U.S. in the wake of 9/11.

Adding insult to injury, the president falsely claimed on Fox News that the NATO allies stayed  off the front lines in Afghanistan.

Tell that to the families of the 1,160 allied troops who died in the hottest Afghan combat zones, alongside 2,461 fallen Americans. Thats not counting the many thousands of wounded.

Although the U.S. military took the highest losses, many smaller NATO members came close to or even exceeded the proportion of dead to their population.

Imagine how Trumps words affected the mother of Danish machine-gunner Sophia Bruun, killed in action in 2010 at the age of 22, who fought alongside British army troops in the battlefront province of Helmand.

Denmark, with 44 dead, some from Greenland, and a population of only five million, suffered the highest per capita casualties in the allied coalition. (Yet, even as he denigrated Danish dead, Trump was demanding that Copenhagen, long one of Americas closest allies, turn over Greenland to the United States.)

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns nailed it when he tweeted: Shameful comments, I visited NATO troops in Afghanistan. Denmark and Canada fought on the front lines with us and suffered major casualties. We need our allies but are driving them away.

After Trumps denigration of fallen allies, social media was inundated with photos of the fallen and their grieving families, along with pictures of Brits, Canadians, Norwegians, Danish, and other allies bearing the caskets of their war dead back to their home countries.

Danish platoon commander Martin Tamm Andersen, who fought with U.S. Marines in Helmand and was nearly killed when his tank was destroyed, told the Associated Press: When America needed us after 9/11, we were there. As a veteran and as a Dane, you feel sad and very surprised that the U.S. wants to take over part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Its a betrayal of the loyalty of our nation to the U.S. and to our common alliance, NATO, he said.

The Brits, who lost 457 troops and sent 150,000 personnel to Afghanistan over the course of the U.S.-led war, were even more viscerally upset by Trumps scorn for the sacrifices of their service members.

British media was full of angry comments by families of the dead and wounded, like those of Diane Dernie, whose son sustained horrific injuries in Afghanistan in 2006, and who spoke to the Guardian. She urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to call Trump out and said his comments were beyond belief.

Starmer did call Trump out, stating bluntly, I consider President Trumps remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling, and Im not surprised they caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured. The British leader called for a Trump apology. None has been offered.

Prince Harry, who served two frontline tours in Afghanistan, also weighed in, stating that the sacrifices of British soldiers deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect.

But it was only when Charles III privately conveyed his concerns to the monarch-loving Trump that the president did an about-face and publicly complimented the GREAT and VERY BRAVE British forces.

But an apology? Nope, nada. Not even to the king.

Nor has POTUS apologized to the American fighters who battled alongside Brits, Canadians, Danes, and other allied forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and feel insulted, as well.

I asked best-selling author Elliot Ackerman, a former Marine and CIA special activities officer who served five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for Valor, how Trumps words affected him.

Its beneath the dignity of his office to question the contributions of military allies who came to our aid and spilt their blood, particularly for a commander in chief who has never served, Ackerman responded. If I were the mother of a British Marine who died in Helmand ... He hesitated, then continued: Its reprehensible. Its gross.

Its beneath the dignity of his office to question the contributions of military allies who came to our aid and spilt their blood.

Of course, its even more grotesque given that, during his first term, Trump sneered at Americans who died in war as losers and suckers, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades. As Ackerman noted, If given the opportunity, he will disdain the U.S. military when it serves his purpose. The former Marine recalled how Trump insulted Sen. John McCain for having been captured in Vietnam, and now disparages former combat aviator and astronaut Sen. Mark Kelly.

Indeed, Trumps shameful insults to allied troops are a reflection of how he has misused U.S. armed forces, sending National Guard members into cities to chase peaceful immigrants, and letting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serve as a rogue militia for the White Houses political ends. He is slightly backing off from the ICE scandal in Minneapolis only because the militias sins are costing him polling points.

With his sneers at foreign troops who sacrificed for America, Trump has done more than alienate Americas closest allies. His words send a message to all Americans: POTUS admires soldiers, both U.S. and foreign, not for what they can do for our country, but only for what they can do for him.
John Fetterman says he will not support a government shutdown. Read more

Sen. John Fetterman hates government shutdowns.

The Pennsylvania Democrat has never backed a lapse in government funding since he took office in 2023.

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And this aversion does not appear to be changing anytime soon as the country is staring down the possibility of a second shutdown in roughly four months starting at the end of this week. Fetterman is facing public pressure from constituents and fellow Pennsylvania Democrats to join the partys effort to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security from a government appropriations package in the wake of federal immigration agents shooting and killing two 37-year-olds in Minneapolis this month.

Blocking the package would set off a partial government shutdown.

I will never vote to shut our government down, especially our Defense Department, Fetterman said in a statement on Monday, which is one of the agencies that is relying on the pending appropriations package.

Even so, Fetterman thinks that changes are needed to President Donald Trumps immigration strategy. He urged Trump to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and he said immigration agents presence in Minneapolis needs to immediately end, after federal agents shot and killed two Americans this month.

Fetterman has suggested removing DHS funding from the package under consideration as a compromise, but Senate Republican leaders are unlikely to do that.

In October, ahead of the longest shutdown in history, he voted for both Democratic and Republican plans to keep the government open.

If a partial government shutdown kicks off Friday, impacted agencies include the Departments of State, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development.

With a partial government shutdown potentially just days away, heres what to know about Fettermans stance.

Why wont Fetterman join Democrats in blocking funding for DHS?

Senate Democrats have said they wont support funding for DHS in the wake of the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti this month by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. DHS oversees U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol, the two agencies involved in the fatal shootings.

Democrats have also signaled that they want major reforms to federal agents conduct as they carry out Trumps immigration enforcement agenda.

Fetterman said this week that he spent significant time hearing many different positions on the funding bills, but will still never vote to shut the government down.

Further, he thinks shutting down the government over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wont have much of an impact at all.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and border enforcement operations are still likely to be operational even during a shutdown, CBS News reported. Agents have typically been considered essential employees.

A vote to shut our government down will not defund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Fetterman wrote in a statement this week, noting that DHS received $178 billion in funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Fetterman opposed.

Why did Fetterman call for Kristi Noem to be fired?

On Tuesday, Fetterman made a direct plea to Trump: Fire Noem.

Americans have died, Fetterman wrote in a post on X. She is betraying DHSs core mission and trashing your border security legacy.

The Pennsylvania Democrat also tried to appeal to Trump by criticizing former President Joe Bidens DHS secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, saying: DO NOT make the mistake President Biden made for not firing a grossly incompetent DHS Secretary.

An increasing number of lawmakers and advocacy groups have called for Noems ouster, including Republican U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska.

Fetterman had previously joined six other Democrats in voting to confirm Noems nomination for DHS secretary last year, including Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey. (Kim has also called for Noem to be fired).

What constituents and elected officials are saying

The pressure on Fetterman from colleagues and constituents appears to be growing.

Every Democratic member of Pennsylvanias U.S. House delegation cosigned a letter on Tuesday calling for Fetterman and Sen. Dave McCormick (R, Pa.) to vote against DHS funding, The Inquirer reported.

We urge you to stand with us in opposing any DHS funding bill that does not include critical reforms, the lawmakers said in the letter, delivered Tuesday. We look forward to working together to advance legislation that both keeps our nation secure and upholds our fundamental values.

Meanwhile, around 150 protesters gathered in front of Fettermans Philadelphia office in freezing temperatures on Tuesday to urge him to vote against the funding.

What do we want? U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement out, the crowd chanted.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is backing the City of Philadelphias federal lawsuit against President Donald Trumps administration after exhibits about slavery were taken down from the Presidents House last week.

Shapiro said in a news release Tuesday that Trump picked the wrong city and the wrong Commonwealth when dismantling exhibits at the Presidents House.

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Those displays arent just signs  they represent our shared history, and if we want to move forward as a nation, we have to be willing to tell the full story of where we came from," Shapiro said after his office filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit from the city seeking to restore the exhibits to the Presidents House.

The city filed a suit against the Department of Interior, the National Park Service, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron last week while the exhibits were being dismantled by the Park Service.

There is no virtue in refusing to acknowledge certain aspects of our history because it is painful to do so, according to an amicus brief filed by the governors counsel Tuesday evening. The removal of the slavery exhibit from the Presidents House undermines this commitment and denies Pennsylvanians and others the opportunity to learn more about a part of our history that cannot be ignored.

Shapiros support comes as stakeholders across the country are voicing their outrage against the Trump administrations efforts to sanitize United States history.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has emphasized the importance of a 2006 cooperative agreement between the city and the federal government.

Parker issued some of her most forceful comments yet against the Trump administration Tuesday night in a video posted to social media, saying that the federal government breached this cooperative agreement.

Parker said her administration will continue fighting for the panels to be restored.

This history is a critical part of our nations origins, and it deserves to be seen and heard, not just by the people of Philadelphia, but by every person who comes to Philadelphia from around our nation and the world to see and learn from, especially as we celebrate our Semiquincentennial 250th birthday, I want the world to know you cannot erase our history, Parker said.

Yes, it is flawed, yes it is imperfect, and yes includes the real life, lived experiences and stories of people who endured a great deal of pain so that America could realize its promise, she added.

The removal of content from national parks comes after Trump and Burgum issued orders that call for the review and potential removal of content at national parks that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.

In addition to the actions in Philadelphia, signs about the mistreatment of Native Americans and climate change were removed from other parks including the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park, according to the Washington Post.

In Shapiros filing Tuesday, his counsel states that the governor wanted to step in to ensure that important parts of U.S. history are continuing to be told and that he has a compelling interest in protecting the role of state and local governments within Pennsylvania from the abuses of federal executive power, such as the Trump administration carrying out the removal without notifying the city.

A hearing on the suit is expected to be held Friday morning.

In her video Tuesday, Parker thanked the governor and other elected officials for their support.

Philadelphia, we are on the right side of history, she said.

Staff Writer Abraham Gutman contributed reporting.
A censored protest sign is taped up at the Presidents House site in Independence National Historical Park Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. Read more

When the National Park Service dismantled educational exhibits about slavery at the Presidents House Site last week, it required wrenches, crowbars, and the drudgery of four men.

In the span of a roughly an hour and a half, years of hard work from a group of artists, architects, historians, attorneys, and writers who helped create the Presidents House in the early 2000s were ripped off the walls and hauled into the back of a pickup truck to be dropped off who-knows-where.

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This brazen demise of the exhibits, which memorialized the nine people George Washington enslaved at the site, was never supposed to happen, said Troy C. Leonard, partner and principal at the Philadelphia-based Kelly Maiello Architects, who helped design the Presidents House almost two decades ago.

During the project, the firm, which describes itself as minority-owned, was led by the esteemed Emanuel Kelly, who died in 2024.

Because the panels were not meant to be removed, they were very violently taken down, you know, ripped from their backgrounds, Leonard said in an interview Monday.

I would suspect that they did a lot of damage, physical damage, to the site in taking those panels down, he added.

Leonard is one of many stakeholders who helped create the Presidents House and are now grappling with its sudden removal last week after a monthslong review by President Donald Trumps administration.

In the early 2000s, the site was developed at Independence National Historical Park as a memorial intended to highlight the horrors of slavery that took place during the founding of a nation based on liberty. It featured numerous educational exhibits. Everything at the site was historically accurate.

Just sort of slithering onto the site was a very cowardly way of doing it without any mention that it was going to happen, notifying anyone, just coming in and starting to take the panels down, Leonard said.

The Trump administration also ordered the takedown of exhibits from other national parks. Signs about the mistreatment of Native Americans and climate change were removed from parks including the Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park, according to the Washington Post.

Its all in connection with orders from Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who called for the review and potential removal of content at national parks that could inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.

Independence Park employees were also given talking points that evade visitors questions about the site.

At Independence Park, Leonard said he is concerned about the future of the site. After last weeks takedown, the open-air exhibit is now a bunch of blank, faded brick walls. All that is left of the memorial is the sites original archaeological dig from the 2000s and a wall with the engravings of the names of the nine people Washington enslaved.

The City of Philadelphia has sued Burgum, acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron, and their respective agencies to restore the panels. Gov. Josh Shapiros office filed an amicus brief in support of the citys suit Tuesday.

To leave it the way that it is, I mean, to me, its sort of now a memorial to the death of democracy and truth, Leonard said. Thats what it is now. Its sort of just these blank walls that are just sitting there. Its sort of a ruin, but its a pathetic ruin because part of its heart has been ripped out.

History is lost and found

Around two decades ago, more than 1,000 miles away from the Sixth and Market home of the Presidents House, a Kansas City-based exhibit design firm crafted the illustrations and graphics seen throughout the site.

All of which were torn down last week.

Gerard Eisterhold, president of the firm, Eisterhold Associates Inc., said in an interview that he got a slew of texts and emails when the exhibits were taken down. He said this incident proves a thesis that designers were trying to portray to the public through the Presidents House  that history goes through cycles of being lost and then found.

His firm has worked on historical exhibits throughout the country, including at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in North Carolina at the site of the Greensboro sit-ins, and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

There were the history of the enslaved that was sort of forgotten for a long, long, long, long time, and thats a conscious thing that people do.  Theres a heck of a lot more people that are aware of the history of Presidents House this week than there was last week, Eisterhold said.

In fact, there was a sign at the Presidents House called History Lost + Found, which outlined the juxtaposition of liberty and slavery during the early days of the United States.

Washington would rotate out people he enslaved at his Philadelphia residence to evade Pennsylvanias 1780 emancipation law, according to the website for Mount Vernon, Washingtons estate in Virginia.

History is not neat, the History Lost + Found panel at Independence Park read. It is complicated and messy.

This panel was one of dozens that were taken down last Thursday. Others were titled Life Under Slavery and The Dirty Business of Slavery. And there were illustrations of important figures, like Oney Judge, who was enslaved as Martha Washingtons personal maid before she escaped. Hercules Posey, who was enslaved as a cook, also later self-emancipated.

But here we are. Because how dare we write their names, the nine enslaved Africans at the first American presidential residence.  How dare we encode instructions to the future by writing about the two who escaped? author Lorene Cary, who helped with storytelling at the Presidents House along with documentary filmmaker Louis Massiah, wrote on her Substack last week. The names are still there, carved into stone.

The creation and display of these panels were the product of collaboration across disciplines, Cary wrote.

So many people  scholars and passionate non-scholars  worked, argued, met, studied, wrote, agitated, and created art for this unique and necessary American project."

Leonard said his firm has been working with Michael Coard, attorney and leader of the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, which has been helping lead efforts to defend the Presidents House from the Trump administration. The coalition, through its advocacy, helped shape the Presidents House roughly 20 years ago.

If the city wins its lawsuit and the panels are restored, the site will likely need a refurbishment and stakeholders will need to ensure that the panels are still in good condition.

Some Philadelphians have floated the idea of moving the displaced panels to another location if the site faced the ire of the Trump administration. But for Leonard, Sixth and Market is the rightful, historically important home for the exhibits.

The place is equally important, Leonard said. It is not complete without being located at that site. So its important to the fight to make sure that that memorial is restored at that location. It cannot be relocated.
State Treasurer and Republican candidate for governor Stacy Garrity holds a rally in Bucks County Sept. 25, 2025 at the Newtown Sports & Events Center. Read more

President Donald Trump endorsed Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity for governor Tuesday evening, awarding her the coveted nod from the leader of the Republican Party as she tries to unseat the popular Democratic incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro in November.

The Trump endorsement comes as Shapiro is on a national media blitz to advertise his memoir, released this week  and as he seeks to broaden his national reach amid his rumored 2028 presidential aspirations.

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The nod also comes as Trump faces declining approval ratings and increased scrutiny over his administrations use of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis following a second killing of an American citizen by federal immigration agents. Shapiro, during his media appearances, has been an outspoken critic of Trump over ICEs presence in Minneapolis, saying the agencys mission is broken and must be terminated.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared Garrity WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN and stated that as governor, she would work to grow the economy, strengthen the military, keep borders secure, and safeguard elections, among other priorities.

Stacy is a true America First Patriot, who has been with me from the beginning, Trump wrote.

 READ MORE: The race between Josh Shapiro and Stacy Garrity for Pa. governor has officially begun. Heres what you need to know.

Garrity, the states second-term treasurer, has led the low-profile office without controversy and boasts that her staff has blocked nearly $2 billion in improper payments. The retired U.S. Army colonel in 2024 broke the record for highest number of votes received in a state-level race in Pennsylvania, and she quickly earned the support of the state party establishment last year.

In a statement Tuesday, Garrity said she was honored to receive Trumps endorsement, adding that the president has been a voice for hardworking Americans who have been left behind.

Josh Shapiro is President Trumps number one adversary, and I am looking forward to working with President Trump and his team to defeat Josh Shapiro this November, Garrity said.

 READ MORE: Josh Shapiros reelection campaign in Pennsylvania starts now  but 2028 looms large

Garrity is a longtime Trump supporter from rural Bradford County, who in 2022 at a Trump rally repeated his false claim that he won the 2020 presidential election  a position she has since walked back, telling reporters earlier this month that she had gotten carried away in the moment when she said that.

Last summer, Trump said he would support another potential candidate  U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R., Pa.)  if he ran. Weeks later, the Northeast Pennsylvania Republican declined to run and announced he would seek a fourth term in Congress instead. Meuser quickly endorsed Garrity once she formally joined the race, and she continues to capture more GOP officials endorsements as Pennsylvanias May 19 primary election inches closer.

Garrity is currently running unopposed as the Republican candidate for governor, after State Sen. Doug Mastriano announced he would not run again this year after losing by nearly 15 percentage points to Shapiro in 2022. However, Garrity has yet to announce who she wants as her running mate for lieutenant governor, with largely far-right conservatives  including Mastriano  interested in the job.

Still, Trumps endorsement of Garrity could draw needed eyes and checkbooks to her campaign, as her fundraising in the early months of the race has lagged far behind the $30 million war chest Shapiro has amassed over the last few years. Earlier this month, Garrity announced that her campaign had raised nearly $1.5 million from August through December.

 READ MORE: Facing an uphill battle against Gov. Josh Shapiros $30 million war chest, Stacy Garrity still has to convince top Republicans shes worth investing in

Republicans are hopeful that Garrity can drive enough enthusiasm at the top of the state ticket to motivate GOP voters to come out to vote throughout Pennsylvania, boosting candidates up and down the ballot in a year where control of Pennsylvanias General Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives is on the line.

Meanwhile Democrats, hopeful to build on anti-Trump sentiment that drove their wins last year, quickly seized on Trumps endorsement as an opportunity to tie Garrity to the president.

Pennsylvanians deserve better than a Governor who is nothing more than a rubber stamp for Trumps chaos and higher costs, and thats why she will be soundly rejected this November, Pennsylvania Democratic Party chair Eugene DePasquale said in a statement.
Anti-ICE activists demonstrate outside U.S. Sen. John Fettermans Philadelphia office, Jan. 27, 2026, calling for the senator to block funding for ICE and the Border Patrol. Read more

All seven Democratic members of the U.S. House representing Pennsylvania cosigned a letter to Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick on Tuesday calling on them to vote against funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees both ICE and the Border Patrol.

The letter, which was first obtained by The Inquirer, comes a day after Fetterman, their Democratic colleague, said he would not vote against funding the agency, which could trigger a partial government shutdown.

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We urge you to stand with us in opposing any DHS funding bill that does not include critical reforms, the lawmakers said in the letter, delivered Tuesday. We look forward to working together to advance legislation that both keeps our nation secure and upholds our fundamental values.

The effort was led by U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, whose Western Pennsylvania district includes parts of Allegheny County. Deluzio has been floated in Democratic circles as a potential primary challenger to Fetterman in 2028.

Deluzio was joined by Democratic U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle and Dwight Evans, who represent Philadelphia, as well as U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean, Mary Gay Scanlon, and Chrissy Houlahan, whose districts include the Philadelphia suburbs. U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, a progressive Democrat whose district includes Pittsburgh, also signed the letter.

Boyle, another potential contender for Fettermans seat and the dean of the delegation, said in a statement that ICE is currently operating like a lawless, out-of-control agency.

We cannot send it another blank check, he added.

The House Democrats urged the senators to vote against any bill that funds the department without first securing meaningful, enforceable reforms to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and related DHS agency activity.

Fetterman spoke out against ICEs operation in Minneapolis and called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noems firing on Tuesday but said he will never vote to shut our government down, especially our Defense Department. He said that allowing a partial shutdown would not defund ICE, since the agency was granted $178 billion in funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which he did not support.

I reject the calls to defund or abolish ICE, Fetterman said Monday. I strongly disagree with many strategies and practices ICE deployed in Minneapolis, and believe that must change.

He said he wants a conversation about the DHS appropriations bill and supports taking it out of the spending package, but said it is unlikely that will happen.

McCormick, a Republican, affirmed his support for Border Patrol and ICE on Sunday while also calling for a full investigation into the tragedy in Minneapolis.

Only a handful of House Democrats  none of whom represent Pennsylvania  joined Republicans last week in passing a bill to fund DHS. It was sent to the Senate as a package with other appropriations bills.

We voted against this bill last week and ask that you do the same, the lawmakers say in the letter. Funding without adequate reform risks endorsing current approaches that undermine public safety and due process, erode American liberties, and weaken public trust.

After a second U.S. citizen was fatally shot by ICE in Minneapolis over the weekend, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Democrats would not vote for the forthcoming appropriations legislation if funding for DHS is part of it.

Democrats have pushed for provisions in the spending bill to increase training for ICE agents, to require warrants for immigration arrests, to require agents to identify themselves, and for Border Patrol to stay on the border instead of helping ICE elsewhere.

Upward of 150 protesters gathered in front of Fettermans Philadelphia office in the cold on Tuesday to urge him to vote against the funding. One protester held a sign saying listen to your wife, referencing Gisele Fetterman, who was undocumented as a child before becoming a citizen and posted on X for the first time in nearly a year on Sunday to speak against ICE.

Sen. Fetterman, were here to remind you: You work for us in Philadelphia. We dont want ICE in Pennsylvania, Tiffany Chang, an Asian and Pacific Islander Political Alliance activist, said into a microphone.

We want ICE out of the government spending bill, Chang added. So today, we need everyone listening to tell Sen. Fetterman: Vote no on funding an agency that kills with impunity.

After the protest, participants said they did not feel that Fetterman was listening to his constituents.

I thought a show of people in front of his building might actually get some attention, said Stefanie Nicolosi, 39, a Phoenixville resident and member of Indivisible Chester County.
Heavy machinery and dump trucks collecting piles of snow from Germantown and Thompson Street on Wednesday. Read more

As Mayor Cherelle L. Parker put it earlier this week, were not out of the woods yet.

The storm that hit Philadelphia Sunday brought with it 9.3 inches of snow for the city proper  the most weve seen at one time in a decade. And while that really sells the wintery vibe  especially when combined with the bitter cold were experiencing  cleanup efforts are ongoing.

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Highways and public transportation in the region are largely restored, but some city streets remain packed with snow and ice. City school buildings Wednesday were in their third day of snow-related closures. And we might even be looking at more snow to come.

Here is what you need to know:

Roads (mostly) cleared

PennDots vehicle and speed restrictions have been lifted on all interstates and major highways across the Philadelphia region, as were those on state roads in New Jersey. But street plowing in the city remains a work in progress.

Residents from around the city told The Inquirer many side streets and some secondary streets remained coated in several inches of snow and ice, making traveling on them difficult or impossible. Data from PlowPHL, a service that tracks plow movement, indicated Tuesday that roughly a quarter of city streets had not received any snow treatment since the storm.

Parking enforcement resumes

The Philadelphia Parking Authority reopened its offices Wednesday, and began on-street parking enforcement for safety violations including parking in bus zones and in front of fire hydrants. The 24-hour $5 emergency garage parking rate was also rescinded, with PPA garages returning to their usual rates, the authority said.

Public transit resuming

SEPTA on Monday restored all of its subway, trolley, and suburban trolley services, and as of Wednesday was running Regional Rail lines on their normal weekday schedules. Bus service, SEPTA notes online, is largely operational, though several routes remain suspended due to road conditions.

Among the suspended buses Wednesday were routes 3, 5, 40, 41, and 115, according to the agencys alerts page. The suspended routes, SEPTA indicated, would be restored once it is safe to do so.

PATCO, meanwhile, returned to its normal weekday schedule Tuesday.

Airport operational

Philadelphia International Airport experienced hundreds of flight cancellations and delays due to the storm, but remained open despite the inclement weather, Parker said at a news conference this week.

As of early Wednesday afternoon, the airport had experienced about 87 delays and 57 cancellations, according to flight data tracking website FlightAware. On Monday, the day after the storm, there were 326 delays and 290 cancelations, followed by 255 delays and 156 cancelations Tuesday, FlightAware indicated.

Schools go virtual

Philadelphia school buildings are slated to reopen Thursday after three straight days of being closed in the wake of the storm. A full snow day was declared Monday, followed by two days of virtual learning Tuesday and Wednesday.

Archdiocesan high schools and city parochial schools will also go back to in-person classes Thursday.

Students and staff who arrive late to class due to weather-related issued would not have their lateness counted against them, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. said.

This weeks disruption to the usual school schedule had begun taking its toll on some parents. Outside the city, many suburban districts had already reopened by Wednesday.

More snow possible

Post-storm, the Philadelphia region faces frigid temperatures that are expected to remain well below freezing until at least Feb. 4. Highs were expected to top out around the teens, and lows consistently in the single digits  along with wind chills reaching down into the negatives.

And then, of course, there is the potential for more snow this weekend.

Forecasters said Wednesday that it remained unclear exactly what we should expect, but a major coastal storm is likely to appear during the weekend. Early computer models indicated that the system would remain far offshore enough to spare the Philadelphia area from major snowfall, but accumulation predictions remain in flux.
Snow is piled up on the northeast corner of Market and Seventh Streets on Tuesday. Read more

Out of the snow globe, and into the freezer.

After having experienced its heaviest snowfall in about a decade, the Philadelphia region now faces frigid temperatures that are expected to barely squeak out of the teens until next week. And all while dealing with cleanup from the 9.3 inches of snow that blanketed the city, a task made more complicated by minimal natural melting due to the cold  plus monitoring another potential winter storm for this coming weekend.

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But dont panic just yet. Forecasters at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly say its too early to tell whether mean old Jack Frost will set his sights on us once again in the coming days, and what level of snowfall we could see if he does.

There will likely be a system somewhere off the Eastern Seaboard over the weekend, said weather service meteorologist Joe DeSilva. But its very uncertain at this point.

Besides, weve got enough to worry about already.

It wont just be cold in the Philadelphia area this week  it will be dangerously so. On Tuesday, temperatures generally stretched only into the low or mid 20s, a good five to 10 degrees lower than what we saw Monday, the weather service said. Lows, meanwhile, stuck stubbornly in the single digits, with wind chills making it feel like zero or below.

That cold, it seems, will refuse to budge until next week. As we move through the final week of January, temps are expected to continue to nosedive, the weather service said.

Daytime highs throughout the week are expected to top out in the mid- or upper teens in the Philadelphia region, with some spots seeing the off chance of making it into the 20s. Lows are likely to stick in the single digits through Friday. As the weather service put it in a Tuesday afternoon update, this is bone-chilling cold that has the potential not only to stress the energy grid  as New Jersey and Philadelphia officials alluded to Monday  but also to cause frostbite and hypothermia.

Philadelphia, in fact, has the grim potential of hitting zero degrees for the first time in 32 years sometime in the coming days. We havent seen zero at the Philadelphia International Airport since Jan. 19, 1994, but that mercifully long streak could be broken Thursday or Friday, when temperatures are expected to go as low as 2 or 3 degrees, DeSilva said.

We still have three nights before we get there, so lots could change between now and then, he added.

These lows arrive as Philadelphia continues to dig out from last weekends winter storm, which resulted in a days-long snow emergency in the city that was only lifted Tuesday amid closures for city offices, courts, and schools. Despite a full-court press by the Philadelphia Streets Department, many smaller streets remained unplowed, and the cold weather threatened to institute a deep freeze that could complicate the cleanup, officials have said.

 READ MORE: Many Philly side streets remain full of snow and ice days after Sundays storm

Unfortunately, no break is imminent. Temperatures are not expected to get above freezing until the early or middle part of next week, and even then perhaps barely so. In its Tuesday afternoon forecast, the weather service called the length and magnitude of the arctic air mass descending upon the area exceedingly rare and urged caution. Normal low temperatures for Mondays date, for example, stand at about 25 degrees.

We are running 15 to 20 degrees below average, DeSilva said.

And then there is the possibility of even more snow amid our extended bout of cold  though as of Tuesday afternoon, it remained just that. The weather service noted that it remained unclear where precipitation could fall, and in what amounts, though early models indicated that the storm could spare much of the area away from the coast. Still, DeSilva said, it remained too early Tuesday to tell what to expect.

If lows track further off the coast, we could see less impact here, but if theyre closer, we may have some moderate impacts, DeSilva said.
The US Federal Aviation Administrations failure to monitor and act on safety risks in the airspace near Washington was among a number of systemic failures safety officials blamed for last years midair collision.

The National Transportation Safety Board has been investigating what caused a US Army helicopter to slam into an American Airlines Group Inc. regional jet attempting to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 29, 2025.

The accident, which was the worst US civil aviation disaster in more than two decades, resulted in the deaths of three military personnel on the Sikorsky UH-60L helicopter and 64 passengers and crew on the commercial airliner, a CRJ-700.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy and board members Todd Inman and Michael Graham said Tuesday at a meeting to determine the collisions probable cause that there wasnt one single factor but many errors and systemic failures that led to the tragedy.

Among those failures was the placement of a helicopter route dangerously close to a runway approach path for Reagan airport, the NTSB concluded.

The agency also cast blame on air traffic control procedures, including an overreliance on so-called visual separation  where pilots are granted authority to maintain a safe distance from other aircraft using their sight. The crew of the military helicopter was approved for this technique on the night of the tragedy.

The NTSB said having a single air traffic controller oversee both planes and helicopters in the airspace above Reagan airport that evening degraded performance by creating too heavy a workload. The US Army also failed to ensure pilots were aware of circumstances that might result in their instruments showing inaccurate altitude readings, the agency said.

The NTSB voted Tuesday on the probable cause and safety recommendations, but the final report could still take a few weeks to publish.

The FAA in a statement following the meeting said that it took immediate action after last years crash, including restricting helicopter traffic near the airport. The agency also said it will carefully consider the additional recommendations the NTSB made today.

The midair collision sparked renewed concerns about aviation safety. It also helped galvanize support for major upgrades to the nations aging air traffic control system.

During its probe, the NTSB uncovered thousands of prior instances where commercial aircraft and helicopters came within an unsafe distance near Reagan airport.

US Admits Liability in Chopper-Jet Crash Over Potomac River

A working group formed after a 2013 near-miss in the same location as the 2025 midair collision previously recommended that the FAA remove or relocate the helicopter route the US Army Black Hawk was using last January, NTSB investigator Brian Soper said at Tuesdays meeting. The agency chose not to adopt the recommendation at the time, he said.

Following the 2025 accident, the FAA evaluated other places in the US considered to be at risk for midair collisions but Homendy told reporters during a break in Tuesdays meeting that she wasnt satisfied with that work.

Commercial airlines have raised concerns about Burbank, California, she said, with carriers telling her that nobody at FAA is paying attention to us.

The FAA earlier this month permanently lowered the altitude of aircraft operating around Van Nuys Airport to maintain greater separation with planes arriving at nearby Hollywood Burbank Airport, the agency said in a statement responding to Homendys comments.

Emergency response units assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport following the Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision.

Prior to Tuesdays meeting, investigators had disclosed several of their findings, including that the helicopter involved in the crash was flying too high, was dealing with faulty altitude data and wasnt broadcasting its position using a technology known as ADS-B Out.

The NTSB said Tuesday the lack of ADS-B Out didnt contribute to this particular accident but determined, in general, risks could arise from military aircraft flying without it on training missions or other non-sensitive operations.

The Republican chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, Ted Cruz, and the panels top Democrat, Maria Cantwell, have teamed up on legislation to tighten the rules that allow military aircraft to fly without having ADS-B Out turned on. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent in December but it has since stalled in the House.

Since the accident, the Transportation Departments Office of Inspector General has opened an audit to assess the FAAs management of the airspace around Reagan airport, as well as policies and procedures for overseeing ADS-B Out exemptions.

At the end of Tuesdays meeting, Homendy told families of the crash victims that this was only the beginning, and the next step will be working to ensure the NTSBs safety recommendations are implemented and no other family goes through this again.

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

Topics Aviation Aerospace
The darkness that swept over the Venezuelan capital in the predawn hours of Jan. 3, 2026, signaled a profound shift in the nature of modern conflict: the convergence of physical and cyber warfare. While U.S. special operations forces carried out the dramatic seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro , a far quieter but equally devastating offensive was taking place in the unseen digital networks that help operate Caracas.

The blackout was not the result of bombed transmission towers or severed power lines but rather a precise and invisible manipulation of the industrial control systems that manage the flow of electricity. This synchronization of traditional military action with advanced cyber warfare represents a new chapter in international conflict, one where lines of computer code that manipulate critical infrastructure are among the most potent weapons.

To understand how a nation can turn an adversarys lights out without firing a shot, you have to look inside the controllers that regulate modern infrastructure. They are the digital brains responsible for opening valves, spinning turbines and routing power. (See video from Wired, covering infrastructure cyber attacks).

For decades, controller devices were considered simple and isolated. Grid modernization, however, has transformed them into sophisticated internet-connected computers. As a cybersecurity researcher, I track how advanced cyber forces exploit this modernization by using digital techniques to control the machinerys physical behavior.

Hijacked Machines

My colleagues and I have demonstrated how malware can compromise a controller to create a split reality. The malware intercepts legitimate commands sent by grid operators and replaces them with malicious instructions designed to destabilize the system.

For example, malware could send commands to rapidly open and close circuit breakers, a technique known as flapping. This action can physically damage massive transformers or generators by causing them to overheat or go out of sync with the grid. These actions can cause fires or explosions that take months to repair.

Simultaneously, the malware calculates what the sensor readings should look like if the grid were operating normally and feeds these fabricated values back to the control room. The operators likely see green lights and stable voltage readings on their screens even as transformers are overloading and breakers are tripping in the physical world. This decoupling of the digital image from physical reality leaves defenders blind, unable to diagnose or respond to the failure until it is too late.

Historical examples of this kind of attack include the Stuxnet malware that targeted Iranian nuclear enrichment plants. The malware destroyed centrifuges in 2009 by causing them to spin at dangerous speeds while feeding false normal data to operators.

Another example is the Industroyer attack by Russia against Ukraines energy sector in 2016. Industroyer malware targeted Ukraines power grid, using the grids own industrial communication protocols to directly open circuit breakers and cut power to Kyiv.

More recently, the Volt Typhoon attack by China against the United States critical infrastructure, exposed in 2023, was a campaign focused on pre-positioning. Unlike traditional sabotage, these hackers infiltrated networks to remain dormant and undetected, gaining the ability to disrupt the United States communications and power systems during a future crisis.

To defend against these types of attacks, the U.S. militarys Cyber Command has adopted a defend forward strategy, actively hunting for threats in foreign networks before they reach U.S. soil.

Domestically, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency promotes secure by design principles, urging manufacturers to eliminate default passwords and utilities to implement zero trust architectures that assume networks are already compromised.

Supply Chain Vulnerability

Nowadays, there is a vulnerability lurking within the supply chain of the controllers themselves. A dissection of firmware from major international vendors reveals a significant reliance on third-party software components to support modern features such as encryption and cloud connectivity.

This modernization comes at a cost. Many of these critical devices run on outdated software libraries, some of which are years past their end-of-life support, meaning theyre no longer supported by the manufacturer. This creates a shared fragility across the industry. A vulnerability in a single, ubiquitous library like OpenSSL  an open-source software toolkit used worldwide by nearly every web server and connected device to encrypt communications  can expose controllers from multiple manufacturers to the same method of attack.

Modern controllers have become web-enabled devices that often host their own administrative websites. These embedded web servers present an often overlooked point of entry for adversaries.

Attackers can infect the web application of a controller, allowing the malware to execute within the web browser of any engineer or operator who logs in to manage the plant. This execution enables malicious code to piggyback on legitimate user sessions, bypassing firewalls and issuing commands to the physical machinery without requiring the devices password to be cracked.

The scale of this vulnerability is vast, and the potential for damage extends far beyond the power grid, including transportation, manufacturing and water treatment systems.

Using automated scanning tools, my colleagues and I have discovered that the number of industrial controllers exposed to the public internet is significantly higher than industry estimates suggest. Thousands of critical devices, from hospital equipment to substation relays, are visible to anyone with the right search criteria. This exposure provides a rich hunting ground for adversaries to conduct reconnaissance and identify vulnerable targets that serve as entry points into deeper, more protected networks.

The success of recent U.S. cyber operations forces a difficult conversation about the vulnerability of the United States. The uncomfortable truth is that the American power grid relies on the same technologies, protocols and supply chains as the systems compromised abroad.

Regulatory Misalignment

The domestic risk, however, is compounded by regulatory frameworks that struggle to address the realities of the grid. A comprehensive investigation into the U.S. electric power sector my colleagues and I conducted revealed significant misalignment between compliance with regulations and actual security. Our study found that while regulations establish a baseline, they often foster a checklist mentality. Utilities are burdened with excessive documentation requirements that divert resources away from effective security measures.

This regulatory lag is particularly concerning given the rapid evolution of the technologies that connect customers to the power grid. The widespread adoption of distributed energy resources, such as residential solar inverters, has created a large, decentralized vulnerability that current regulations barely touch.

Analysis supported by the Department of Energy has shown that these devices are often insecure. By compromising a relatively small percentage of these inverters, my colleagues and I found that an attacker could manipulate their power output to cause severe instabilities across the distribution network. Unlike centralized power plants protected by guards and security systems, these devices sit in private homes and businesses.

Accounting for the Physical

Defending American infrastructure requires moving beyond the compliance checklists that currently dominate the industry. Defense strategies now require a level of sophistication that matches the attacks. This implies a fundamental shift toward security measures that take into account how attackers could manipulate physical machinery.

The integration of internet-connected computers into power grids, factories and transportation networks is creating a world where the line between code and physical destruction is irrevocably blurred.

Ensuring the resilience of critical infrastructure requires accepting this new reality and building defenses that verify every component, rather than unquestioningly trusting the software and hardware  or the green lights on a control panel.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The original article can be accessed here.

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The first lawsuits were filed on Wednesday by victims of a German bank heist in December, when burglars used the quiet Christmas period to drill their way into its vault and make off with millions, a lawyer said.

The lawyer, Daniel Kuhlmann, said three cases were lodged with a court in Essen, Germany, holding the bank liable for damages for what he called lax security.

Masked thieves last month accessed a branch of a savings bank in the western city of Gelsenkirchen through a parking garage, allowing them to bore into a vault with thousands of safety deposit boxes, police have said.

The episode shocked Germany and made headlines internationally.

The court in Essen said it was unable to comment at this point.

The bank, Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has said it was itself a victim of the crime and that its premises were secured in accordance with recognized state-of-the-art technology.

One of the lawsuits filed on Wednesday related to a retired person who had almost 400,000 euros ($480,000) in cash in the vault from the sale of an apartment, Kuhlmann said.

Another victim, the CEO of a medium-sized company, had stored cash, jewelry and a Rolex watch worth around 120,000 euros in total, while a third had around 50,000 euros worth of gold in the vault, the lawyer said.

The bank has said the contents of security boxes are generally insured for 10,300 euros each.

Mark Branson, president of Germanys BaFin banking regulator, said on Wednesday the theft was spectacular and attracted a lot of attention, including the question of what is insured and what customers need to know about insurance coverage.

($1 = 0.8348 euros)

(Reporting by Tom Sims. Editing by Thomas Seythal and Mark Potter)
Among the top 10 cyber incidents in 2025 was the first documented case of an AI-orchestrated espionage campaign, which illustrated how artificial intelligence (AI) is being leveraged by sophisticated threat actors, according to Tokio Marine HCC International (TMHCCI), in its sixth consecutive annual cyber incidents report.

The report examines 10 of the most significant cyber incidents of 2025, selected for their operational disruption, financial impact and broader implications for the global digital ecosystem.

Compiled by TMHCCIs Cyber Security team, the report highlights how ransomware, technology supply-chain compromise and cloud infrastructure concentration continue to drive systemic cyber risk for organisations worldwide. The incidents listed  not ranked  span retail, automotive, cloud infrastructure, telecommunications and luxury goods sectors, including Marks & Spencer, Jaguar Land Rover and Amazon Web Services.

This past year marked a turning point as AI evolved from a theoretical risk to an active threat. Understanding these emerging exposures and how they change remains essential for effective cyber underwriting, commented Xavier Marguinaud, head of Cyber at Tokio Marine HCC International, in a statement.

From financial losses to widespread cloud outages, its striking over the past 12 months to see the pace of change and how these threats have evolved. Tracking these incidents year-on-year helps the market stay ahead of emerging cyber threats and provide the best protection for the insured, said Isaac Guasch, cyber security leader and author of the report.

The 10 most significant cyber incidents featured TMHCCIs report include:

Marks & Spencer ransomware incident: Operations were disrupted at one of the UKs largest retailers causing an estimated 300 million impact to operating profit and triggering broader sector-wide effects as other major UK retailers, such as Co-op and Harrods, also experienced cyber incidents. Jaguar Land Rover ransomware attack: The breach on British automotive manufacturer has been marked as the most economically damaging cyber incident to hit the UK. The shutdown of vehicle production resulted in a 1.9 billion financial loss. Amazon Web Services, Azure and Cloudflare outages: A series of major outages caused widespread global disruption, highlighting the systemic risk of cloud concentration affecting online services and customer-facing platforms which triggered cascading service failures across SaaS organisations. Salesforce / Drift OAuth large-scale data breach: The breach exploited compromised OAuth tokens to access hundreds of Salesforce customer environments, exposing the records, contact details and account information of millions of customers. Npm Ecosystem supply-chain attack: The IT software provider compromised widely used JavaScript packages exposing developers and organisations environments to credential theft. Oracle Corporation Cloud Platform alleged supply-chain breach: The breach reportedly affected over 140,000 tenants with the threat actors claiming exfiltration of around 6 million records as a result of a data breach achieved via the login endpoint. APT group used Claude AI to carry out AI-orchestrated cyberattacks: Marking one of the first known AI-orchestrated cyberattacks at scale, a state-sponsored cyber-espionage company used Claude AI to lead a large-scale autonomous attack targeting around 30 global organizations with 80-90% of the campaign being automated. SK Telecom: The cybersecurity breach was detected in April exposed the data of nearly 27 million users creating widespread risk of SIM-cloning, and identity theft. Attackers had maintained undetected access since June 2022. Kering Group: After an unauthorized third party had temporarily accessed Kerings internal systems, fashion brands including Gucci, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen were affected by a cyberattack which exposed personal information of millions of customers globally. Asahi Group Holdings: A detected cyberattack forced the company to suspend key operational systems in Japan, causing widespread disruption to order processes and shipments.

Tokio Marine HCC is a member of the Tokio Marine Group, a global company founded in 1879 with a market capitalization of $81 billion as of September 30, 2025. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Tokio Marine HCC is a specialty insurance group with offices in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe.

Source: Tokio Marine HCC International (TMHCCI),

Topics Cyber
AUB Group Ltd., the Sydney, Australia-based brokerage and underwriting agency group, announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire 95.9% of Prestige Insurance Holdings Ltd. for $432 million (US$300.1 million).

Founded in 1973, Prestige is a diversified insurance broking and underwriting platform in the UK with more than A$300 million (US$208.4 million) in gross written premiums, employing approximately 650 people.

Prestige comprises a retail broking business placing 170 million (US$233.5 million) of premium across 18 branches and a portfolio of specialist managing general agents writing approximately 140 million (US$192.2 million) of premium supporting more than 550 broking partners in the UK. Prestiges broking businesses include AbbeyAutoline, Open and Direct, Bond Lovis and Find Insurance NI, while its MGA businesses are Prestige Underwriting and Octane London Market.

In addition, Prestige operates Covernet, an insurtech unit that supports major global insurers and MGAs, servicing over 330 million (US$453.2 million) in premium via its platform.

The acquisition of Prestige provides AUB with entry into the UK MGA segment, currently a largely untapped opportunity, the company said.

Our acquisition of Prestige Insurance represents a major step forward in the execution of our UK strategy. Prestige Insurance brings a powerful combination of retail broking strength, specialist underwriting capability and leading insurance technologyexactly the platform required to scale meaningful growth and build on our existing capability in one of the worlds most significant insurance markets, according to Mike Emmett, CEO of AUB Group, in a statement on LinkedIn.

By combining AUBs proven broking and MGA operating model with Prestige Insurances established brands, leadership and distribution footprint, we are creating a strong, future focused retail platform for the UK, Emmett continued.

The planned integration of our Tysers Retail portfolios into Prestige Insurance will further reinforce this foundation, extend the breadth of solutions we can offer brokers and clients and deliver value to our shareholders, he said.

AUB acquired the UK broker Tysers in 2022.

This is a landmark moment for Prestige Insurance. With six decades in the industry, we have built a leading insurance group across broking, underwriting, and insurtech, firmly rooted across the UK and Ireland, commented Trevor Shaw, CEO of Prestige Insurance Holdings Ltd., in a statement.

Partnering with AUB Group gives us an exceptional platform to accelerate our growth, invest further in our people and services, and expand our presence across our current markets, while retaining the independence and culture that have been central to our success. Our commitment to our customers, partners and stakeholders remains unchanged.

With this partnership, Emmett said, AUB is well positioned to support Prestige Insurance in delivering on its long-term strategic ambitions across the UK and Ireland.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and expected to complete before June 30, 2026.

Prestige Insurance Holdings Ltd. was advised by Continuum Advisory Partners, Carson McDowell and EY; AUB Group was advised by Deloitte and Pinsent Masons.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Agencies Australia
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt this week testified in favor of a bill that would create an Insurance Savings Account (ISA). The Kansas Department of Insurance introduced the bill to give Kansans a state tax free way to save for property and casualty insurance expenses.

If passed, the bill will allow Kansas tax filers to open up an ISA at a financial institution and make contributions up to a set amount, depending on their tax filing status. Account holders can then use the money contributed to pay for any property and casualty insurance expense including home and auto insurance premiums and their associated deductibles. A married couple contributing the maximum to an ISA can save up to $670 on their taxes every year.

The bill was heard Monday in the House Committee on Taxation. This is the second year that the Department has proposed an ISA bill to the Legislature. Commissioner Vicki Schmidt recently announced the Department has recovered over $202 million for Kansas policy holders since taking office in 2019.

Insurance Savings Accounts are a sustainable way for Kansans to save state-tax free for their insurance costs, said Schmidt. As the legislature works to address affordability, they should include this tool for Kansas families.
Autonomous trucking startup Gatik AI Inc. signed a deal with a major consumer-goods company that will double its contracted revenue to $600 million over five years, helping the self-driving technology developer build out its business shipping goods in the US and Canada.

This isnt a demo, isnt a pilot, it is a sustained commercial deployment at scale, Gatik co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Gautam Narang said in an interview, without identifying the new partner company. By the end of this year, we expect to have hundreds of trucks that would be revenue generating that would be driver-out as well.

The latest deal serves as a milestone in the autonomous trucking business, which has so far mostly driven with test drivers in the vehicles or without human assistance in limited routes to prove the technology is safe on public roads. While autonomous trucking has been improving, few companies are bringing in meaningful revenue after more than a decade of developing AI behind the wheel.

As Gatik builds revenue  and assuming it can avoid issues with its driverless technology  the company can start to look more realistically at an initial public offering when it needs capital and the time is right, Narang said. The company has enough cash for the next few years, he said.

We are well capitalized and well funded for the foreseeable future, Narang said.

The company added $400 million in take-or-pay contracts in the second half of last year, including its latest deal with one shipper.

Today, Gatik has 10 trucks that are running on public roads without a safety driver, and they generate revenue. Soon, Narang said, the company will increase its driving fleet to 60 and expand further by year-end.

Gatik is transporting freight in Ontario for Loblaw Cos. Ltd. with a safety driver. The company is also running trucks in the US for Walmart Inc., Kroger Co. and Tyson Foods Inc. in the DallasFort Worth region, Phoenix and Northwest Arkansas. Its trucks run nearly 24 hours a day, moving ambient, refrigerated, and frozen goods between distribution centers and stores.

Other AV companies like Aurora Innovation Inc. and Kodiak AI Inc. are also running freight routes for customers, but both have reported small levels of revenue.

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

Topics Trucking
From family-run cafes to retail giants, businesses are increasingly coming into the crosshairs of President Donald Trumps mass deportation campaign, whether its public pressure for them to speak out against aggressive immigration enforcement or becoming the sites for such arrests themselves.

In Minneapolis, where the Department of Homeland Security says its carrying out its largest operation ever, hotels, restaurants and other businesses have temporarily closed their doors or stopped accepting reservations amid widespread protests.

On Sunday, after the U.S. Border Patrol shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, more than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies including Target, Best Buy and UnitedHealth signed an open letter calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.

Still, that letter didnt name immigration enforcement directly, or point to recent arrests at businesses. Earlier this month, widely-circulated videos showed federal agents detaining two Target employees in Minnesota. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has rounded up day laborers in Home Depot parking lots and delivery workers on the street nationwide. And last year, federal agents detained 475 people during a raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia.

Heres what we know about immigration enforcement in businesses.

What ICE is allowed to do

Anyone  including ICE  can enter public areas of a business as they wish. This can include restaurant dining sections, open parking lots, office lobbies and shopping aisles.

The general public can go into a store for purposes of shopping, right? And so can law enforcement agents  without a warrant, said Jessie Hahn, senior counsel for labor and employment policy at the National Immigration Law Center, an advocacy nonprofit. As a result, immigration officials may try to question people, seize information and even make arrests in public-facing parts of a business.

But to enter areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy  like a back office or a closed-off kitchen  ICE is supposed to have a judicial warrant, which must be signed by a judge from a specified court, and can be limited to certain days or parts of the business.

Judicial warrants should not be confused with administrative warrants, which are signed by immigration officers.

But in an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press, ICE leadership stated administrative warrants were sufficient for federal officers to forcibly enter peoples homes if theres a final order of removal. Hahn and other immigration rights lawyers say this upends years of precedent for federal agents authority in private spaces  and violates bedrock principles of the U.S. Constitution.

Still, the easiest way for ICE to enter private spaces in businesses without a warrant is through consent from an employer, which could be as simple as letting an agent into certain parts of the property. The agency may also cite other exigent circumstances, Hahn notes, such as if theyre in hot pursuit of a certain individual.

Other actions ICE can take against employers

Beyond more sweeping workplace raids, enforcement against employers can also take the form of I-9 audits, which focus on verifying employees authorization to work in the U.S.

Since the start of Trumps second term, attorneys have pointed to an uptick in instances of ICE physically showing up to a place of business to initiate an I-9 audit. ICE has the authority to do this  but it marks a shift from prior enforcement, when audits more often began through writing like mailed notices.

David Jones, a regional managing partner at labor and employment law firm Fisher Phillips in Memphis, said hes also seen immigration agents approach these audits with the same approach as recent raids.

ICE is still showing up in their full tactical gear without identifying themselves necessarily, just to do things like serve a notice of inspection, Jones said. Employers have three days to respond to an I-9 audit, but agents behaving aggressively might make some businesses think they need to act more immediately.

The rights of businesses

If ICE shows up without a warrant, businesses can ask agents to leave  or potentially refuse service based on their own company policy, perhaps citing safety concerns or other disruptions caused by agents presence. But theres no guarantee immigration officials will comply, especially in public spaces.

Thats not what were seeing here in Minnesota. What were seeing is they still conduct the activity, said John Medeiros, who leads corporate immigration practice at Minneapolis-based law firm Nilan Johnson Lewis.

Because of this, Medeiros said, the question for many businesses becomes less about getting ICE to leave their property and more about what to do if ICE violates consent and other legal requirements.

In Minneapolis  and other cities that have seen immigration enforcement surges, including Chicago and Los Angeles  some businesses have put up signs to label private spaces and set wider protocols for what to do when ICE arrives.

Vanessa Matsis-McCready, associate general counsel and vice president of HR at Engage PEO, says shes also seen a nationwide uptick in interest for I-9 self-audits across sectors and additional emergency preparation.

How the public is responding

ICEs increased presence and forceful arrests at businesses has sparked public outcry, some of it directed at the companies themselves for not taking a strong enough stand.

Some employers, particularly smaller business owners, are speaking out about ICEs impacts on their workers and customers. But a handful of bigger corporations have stayed largely silent, at least publicly, about enforcement making its way to their storefronts.

Minneapolis-based Target has not commented on videos of federal agents detaining two of its employees earlier this month  although its incoming chief executive, Michael Fiddelke, sent a video message to the companys over 400,000 workers Monday calling recent violence incredibly painful, without directly mentioning immigration enforcement. He said Target was doing everything we can to manage whats in our control. Fiddelke also signed the Minnesota Chamber of Commerces letter calling for broader de-escalation, which got support from the Business Roundtable, a lobbying group of CEOs from more than 200 companies.

Target is among companies that organizers with ICE Out of Minnesota have asked to take stronger public stances over ICEs presence in the state. Others include Home Depot, whose parking lots have become a known site of ICE raids over the last year, and Hilton, which protestors said was among brands of Twin City-area hotels that have housed federal agents.

Hilton and Home Depot didnt respond to comment requests over the activists calls. Home Depot previously denied being involved in immigration operations.

Several worker groups have been more outspoken. Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for a chapter of the Culinary Union in Las Vegas, said members were shocked by a widening pattern of unlawful ICE behavior and recognize that anti-immigrant policies hurt tourism, business, and their families. United Auto Workers also expressed solidarity with Minneapolis residents fighting back against the federal governments abuses and attacks on the working class.

Hahn of the National Immigration Law Center noted some businesses are communicating through industry associations to avoid direct exposure to possible retaliation. Still, she stressed the importance of speaking publicly about the impacts of immigration enforcement overall.

We know that the raids are contributing to things like labor shortages and reduced foot traffic, Hahn said, adding that fears to push back on this abuse of power from Trump could ultimately land us in a very different looking economy.

Photo: A sign is taped to the outside of the 24 Somali Mall in Minneapolis, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Google will pay $135 million to settle a proposed class action by smartphone users who accused Google of programming its Android operating system to collect their cellular data without permission.

A preliminary settlement with the Alphabet unit was filed late Tuesday night in the San Jose, California federal court, and requires a judges approval.

Google denied wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement, which covers users of Android-powered mobile devices since November 12, 2017.

Users said Google needlessly collected cellular data, which they purchased from mobile carriers, even when they closed Googles apps, disabled location-sharing or locked their screens.

They said the data supported Googles product development and targeted advertising campaigns and amounted to conversion, when a party wrongfully takes another partys property with the intent to assert control.

As part of the settlement, Google will not transfer data without obtaining consent from Android users when they set up their phones.

The Mountain View, California-based company will also make it easier for users to stop the transfers by toggling, and will disclose the transfers in its Google Play terms of service.

Glen Summers, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a court filing he believed the $135 million payout is the largest ever in a conversion case. Payments are capped at $100 per class member. A damages expert for the plaintiffs estimated that potential damages could have reached $1.05 billion.

The lawsuit began in November 2020. A trial had been scheduled for August 5.

We are pleased to resolve this case, which mischaracterized standard industry practices that keep Android safe, Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said in an email. Were providing additional disclosures to give people more information about how our services work.

The plaintiffs lawyers may seek up to $39.8 million, or 29.5% of the settlement fund, for legal fees.

Topics Lawsuits Google
In March of 2025 a well-known dentists office exploded in the town of Evergreen, Alabama, near the Florida line.

Today, the owner of that office, a dentist described as very successful and a very nice guy, is in jail, charged with arson and insurance fraud in connection with the explosion and fire.

Dr. Douglas P. OConnor, who turns 56 in February, did knowingly and unlawfully commit the crime of insurance fraud by knowingly and with intent to defraud, conceal material information presented to his property insurance company, reads the arrest warrant, filed in District Court in Conecuh County.

OConnor intentionally damaged the building on Hillcrest Drive in Evergreen by starting a fire, reads a second warrant against the dentist, signed by a special agent with the Alabama Attorney Generals office.

The state Fire Marshals Office posted on social media that the investigation took 10 months. OConnor turned himself in on Friday and was being held in the Conecuh County Jail.

Fire officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday, and further details on the alleged arson and fraud, including the insurance carrier that insured the property and business, were not immediately available.

The building literally exploded, and fire investigators quickly determined that the fire was suspicious, said Robert Bozeman III, publisher and editor of the Evergreen Courant newspaper in town. OConnor, who is listed with a home address in Troy, Alabama, about 75 miles away, was apparently near his office when the explosion occurred. He was burned and drove himself to the hospital in his Tesla, Bozeman explained.

Bozeman said he has known OConnor since the dentist bought the dental practice from another practice many years ago. Most people in town were surprised that OConnor could be involved in the alleged crime, given that his practice was popular in the area, and he appeared to live a healthy lifestyle.

It was a very successful practice. Thats what blew my mind when news of the arrest spread last week, Bozeman said.

Court documents did not describe a possible motive for the alleged fraud. Maybe he just got overloaded, Bozeman said. Something like that usually involves money.

The dental office was situated next to an Alabama State Troopers office on one side and a liquor store on the other, not far from Interstate 65. A worker at the liquor store said Tuesday that the fire happened about 9:30 p.m. and did not damage the liquor store. Video of the blast is probably available from the nearby offices, Bozeman said.

The Fire Marshals office recorded 14 arson-related arrests in Alabama in 2023 and 14 in 2024, according to the offices recent annual reports.

Top photo: The office as it looked before the explosion (Google Maps)

Topics Fraud Alabama
CRC Group Names DeJesus and Woita to Underwriting Leadership

CRC Group hired Joe DeJesus and Austin Woita to its CRC Specialty Underwriting leadership team.

DeJesus joined CRC Specialty as an underwriting team leader, based in Sacramento, California. DeJesus has a background in brokerage leadership and underwriting support, with experience guiding complex placements and mentoring teams.

Woita has also joined CRC Specialty as an underwriting team leader, and he is a member of the Denver, Colorado team. He has experience in wholesale distribution, excess and surplus lines and national agency engagement, with a strong focus on aligning underwriting strategy with partner needs.

CRC Group is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Buckner Insurance Names Taylor President of Idaho

Buckner Partners, an insurance brokerage with offices in Idaho Falls and Rexburg, Idaho, appointed Greg Taylor as president of Buckner of Idaho.

Taylor will lead strategic growth initiatives across the Idaho market, with a focus on expanding brand presence, driving profitable new production, and strengthening client and carrier partnerships.

Taylor previously held leadership roles with State Farm Insurance, John Deere Financial and Farmers Mutual Hail.

Topics Underwriting Leadership
The Government is willing to ban the "scourge" of scrambler bikes in public places following the death of Dublin teenager Grace Lynch, but road safety campaigners have blasted it for dragging its heels over such action.

Transport minister Darragh OBrien said he is willing to bring in legislation banning their use.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin echoed these commitments, saying that we have it within our power to make that happen, and it will happen.

However, PARC Road Safety Group, said it should not have taken the death of Ms Lynch for the Government to look at implementing regulations legislated for three years ago.

Keith Lee, aged 18, appeared in Blanchardstown District Court on Tuesday, charged with causing the death of the teenage girl in a crash involving a scrambler motorbike in Dublin on Sunday.

Ms Lynch, aged 16, was walking along Ratoath Rd in Finglas when the crash happened at around 2.20pm.

Mr Lee, with an address on Park View Drive, Poppintree Park, Dublin 11, was accused of driving causing Ms Lynchs death, under Section 53 and 53(A) of the Road Traffic Act 2011.

He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Grace Lynch was 16.

Mr OBrien told the Irish Examiner that he would be willing to bring forward legislation to crack down on scramblers but stated that gardai do have adequate powers to confiscate them.

Scramblers are a scourge, he said.

Measures were brought forward by the last government in 2023  very effective measures, I believe, that give the powers to gardai to detain and to take these scrambler bikes that should not be on our roads from people.

I did speak to [justice] minister [Jim] O'Callaghan, and, indeed, the Taoiseach. The regulations to underpin the changes, two of the three have been fully completed.

Basically, it's an offence to drive a scrambler in any dangerous way anywhere. What I'd like to see, to be frank, is them being banned in public spaces, full stop. It shouldn't take a tragedy like this to further the measures that we need to take, but we have to respond to this too.

The law was changed. Enforcement is needed. Unquestionably, more needs to be done.

When asked if he would be willing to progress legislation to ban scramblers on public roads, Mr O'Brien said, "I would, and I think we need to".

The remaining regulation that has yet to be signed allows regulations to be created within the Road Traffic Act to prohibit or restrict the use of certain vehicle classes in specific areas.

At the Oireachtas justice committee, Mr O'Callaghan said that section 35(A) of the Road Traffic Act allows junior transport minister Sean Canney to outlaw certain vehicles on roads.

Transport minister Darragh OBrien said he is willing to bring in legislation banning the use of scrambler bikes. File picture

This, he said, would not see scramblers outlawed, but see their use on public roads and public parks banned.

But he warned: "We still have the same issue in terms of enforceability".

Mr Martin told the Dail that legislation had already been changed, resulting in 300 scramblers and quad bikes being seized by gardai across 2024 and 2025.

I understand fully the anger of the people in working-class areas, but particularly in Finglas, the Taoiseach continued.

There is no room, no need. There should be no scramblers on public roads. We have it within our power to make that happen, and it will happen.

Susan Gray, founder of PARC Road Safety Group, told the Irish Examiner that it should not have taken the death of Ms Lynch for the Government to look at implementing regulations legislated for in 2023.

It is far too late for this young girl, but hopefully she didn't die in vain, she said.

But how many other parts of that 2023 Act that was passed in the Dail two and a half years ago are yet [to be looked at]? Are they going to look at other issues now?

Ms Gray also expressed concerns about how promptly other road safety legislation that is due to be signed by the Government before the summer recess will be implemented.
Dublin City Council received dozens of angry emails after it halted a proposal to rename Herzog Park, with correspondence accusing it of everything from antisemitism to capitulating to pressure over the war in Gaza.

Records show the council received messages from Ireland, the US, and further afield after plans to change the name of the park, named after former Israeli president and Dublin-born Chaim Herzog, were withdrawn last November.

Some writers welcomed the decision not to go ahead, saying renaming the park would amount to erasing Irish Jewish history.

Please do the right thing and maintain the name of this Dublin park, one email said.

There are other ways to help the victims of this war in Gaza other than erasing Irelands Jewish history. We should stand by our Jewish citizens.

Another warned the move would be a disgraceful antisemitic action and would shame the Irish people".

Others expressed opposing views, accusing the council of bowing to pressure from Israel and its allies.

You cowards bottled it when it came time to doing whats right, one message said. Every single one of you is now Israels bi**h. Pathetic and weak.

Several emails focused on the ongoing war in Gaza and Chaim Herzogs role in Israeli history, with one labelling him a genocidal war criminal.

It is terrifying that a public park should be named after such an individual, one person claimed, calling for the park to be renamed Hind Rajab Park".

Another writer said:

Israel is a genocidal apartheid state led by a wanted war criminal  those tainted by its inception and by its expansionist, genocidal nature, have no place in Irelands public spaces.

The correspondence also included hostile and abusive messages, with some contributors invoking Nazi Germany and claiming Ireland was becoming the most antisemitic country in Europe.

Others framed the controversy as a moment to celebrate Herzogs Irish roots.

Chaim Herzog was born in Belfast, raised in Dublin, educated at Wesley College, one person said, arguing the park honoured an Irish man from Irelands own Jewish community who rose to global prominence".

One Irish American said they would never visit this country again while one said their memories of coming to Ireland have been severely tarnished. Another message said: This is self-evidently a very bad idea and smacks of antisemitism. I hope common sense and common decency prevail.

The proposal to rename the park in Rathgar had been publicly criticised by senior politicians in Ireland, including Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris.

It also generated controversy worldwide with the office of current Israeli president Isaac Herzog (Chaim Herzogs son) issuing a statement calling the proposal shameful and disgraceful".
Flood relief schemes will now be treated as critical infrastructure under emergency new laws.

It follows devastating flooding in parts of the country during Storm Chandra that left homes and businesses destroyed.

At the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday evening, Tanaiste Simon Harris told his party that flood relief schemes will be treated as critical infrastructure under new emergency laws that will be introduced.

He also confirmed that a new relief scheme to support impacted businesses will have an initial budget of 625,000.

The emergency response payment has also been activated and is available to households affected by flooding in Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Louth and Monaghan, Mr Harris said.

It comes as the housing minister has accused Met Eireann of "guarding" information around flooding.

Met Eireann has now issued a fresh status yellow rain warning for Wicklow, Carlow, Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford, with the forecaster warning that further rainfall could quickly lead to renewed flooding.

The warning comes into effect from midnight tonight and will remain in place until midnight tomorrow. The forecaster has warned of localised flooding, river flooding and difficult travel conditions as possible impacts.

With the additional warning in place for the southeast, Met Eireann said that even modest additional showers could result in rapid surface flooding and rising river levels due to already saturated ground.

Rainfall Yellow Warning

Wicklow Carlow Kilkenny Waterford Wexford

00:00 Thu to 00:00 Fri



With catchments already heavily saturated from recent rainfall, even modest additional showers could lead to rapid surface flooding & rising river levels



https://t.co/FhFWKx6AbX pic.twitter.com/djPKwht3Bm  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 28, 2026

The alert follows severe flooding in parts of the east and southeast as Storm Chandra hit this week, with Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, among the worst affected.

Homes were evacuated in the town after what local residents described as the worst flooding in a generation.

Housing minister James Browne vowed to "bring in" Met Eireann, as he accused the forecaster of "guarding" information around flooding.

Mr Browne said he would be seeking a meeting with Met Eireann to ascertain if people in Enniscorthy could have been warned earlier that their premises were under threat.

"I'm really frustrated that some State agencies seem to think that it's their duty to somehow withhold information," Mr Browne told Alan Corcoran on South East Radio's Morning Mix.

"I don't know whether there was a possibility of an earlier warning in this particular situation, and I'll let Met Eireann defend themselves in that respect, if they can. But what I will say is, in general, I think Met Eireann do have to step up their communication.

"We will be bringing Met Eireann in and saying there needs to be an understanding here that information is not to be guarded. Information is to be put out there, and we need to do a much better job of communications."

Minister to 'crack heads'

Mr Browne said that the current colour-based warning system had not worked and that he had had to "crack heads" on the issue of flood warnings when he took office a year ago.

"It's based on a mathematical formula, whereas in other countries, they use the mathematical formula, but then they also make a judgment call and I think there needs to be a greater use of that judgment call as well in terms of being able to warn people what is coming down the line."

Speaking in the Dail on Wednesday, Social Democrats' TD Jennifer Whitmore called the comments "extraordinary".

"The reality is these storms will come more often and become more severe and we need to be better prepared. The minister for housing made an extraordinary accusation on South East Radio this morning with Alan Corcoran, where he accused Met Eireann of guarding information and essentially withholding flood warning information about this storm event."

Met Eireann issued the following response to Mr Browne's comments: As a line division of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Met Eireann is focused on our role of monitoring, analysing and predicting Irelands weather, climate and flooding, and supporting emergency planning responses to weather events, such as Storm Chandra. As such, our services, operations and engagement with all stakeholders are always evolving to meet current and future needs

Mr Browne's cabinet colleague, Darragh O'Brien, also took aim at the weather service, saying that he did not believe that it would take a decade to put into place a flood warning system.

The claim was made by Keith Lamkin, who is head of the climate services division with Met Eireann.

"Typically, in other jurisdictions, that can take up to 20 years, Mr Lamkin told RTE's Morning Ireland.

"At the moment, Ireland is in that first kind of half of that cycle, so it's still something that's in development, but it's not something that's available overnight.

There are many complicated components embedded in that, that the Government are actively working on."

Speaking later, Mr O'Brien, who served as housing minister for four and a half years, said he did not agree with this.

"I dont accept itll take another 10 years to do that, he later told RTE.

I know that data exists in that space. It is not fully scientific and maybe not something people can stand over 100pc, but I think well get good indications of the potential for river flooding in particular areas, and the sooner thats deployed, the better.

Irish Rail workers clear debri from the line in Enniscorthy Co Wexford after Storm Chandra hit the island of Ireland. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Met Eireann meteorologist Mark Bowe said people must remain vigilant despite a temporary easing in rainfall.

We are in a bit of a dry slot at the moment, but looking ahead for the next couple of days, especially today and into tomorrow, we are going to see some light patchy rain at times, more significant rain moving into parts of the Southwest, he told Newstalk Breakfast.

But because the river levels are so high and the land is so saturated, the river levels, the next coming few days, also people should still be quite vigilant even though it has stopped raining. Mr Bowe said another weather front is expected later in the week.

We've got a front moving over on Thursday that will bring some more rain.

So bear in mind that, like I was saying, the ground is already quite saturated, so there's not a significantly longer dry spell, at least over the coming few days for that to happen.

Director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management Keith Leonard said conditions were improving in many areas but warned against complacency.

Hopefully most routes now will have improved and bus services should be back in operation in most areas, but there are still some smaller roads that are closed due to flooding and impacts right across the region, he told Morning Ireland.

From a public safety perspective we had a number of people who were rescued from cars yesterday so we would ask people where roads are marked off as closed not to use those roads under any circumstances.

He said assistance remains available to those affected by Storm Chandra through Community Welfare Offices under the Department of Social Protection, which can be contacted on 0818 607 080.
Michael Flatley has been living the lifestyle of a Monaco millionaire by borrowing money, and has an insatiable appetite for lifestyle cash, a court in Belfast has heard.

Lawyers representing Mr Flatley in the fight to clear an interim injunction said he had secured half a million euros overnight to end his agreement with the company blocking him from engaging with stage show The Lord Of The Dance.

The Irish traditional dancer and choreographer rose to international prominence performing Riverdance at Eurovision in 1994, before going on to create the stage show The Lord Of The Dance.

The productions 30th anniversary tour is due to play in Dublins 3 Arena on February 5, continuing in 2026 in a number of countries including the UK, Germany, Croatia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Switzer Consulting is taking legal action in a civil case against the choreographer and dancer for alleged breach of contract, relating to an agreement the firm says was reached to allow it to run the dance shows.

Michael Flatley outside Belfast High Court where Switzer Consulting is taking legal action in a civil case against the choreographer (Liam McBurney/PA)

Switzer has already secured a temporary injunction to stop Mr Flatley from interfering with the shows, with the dancers lawyers having argued previously the performance was in danger of falling apart without his involvement.

At The Chancery Court in the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast on Wednesday, Gary McHugh KC, for Switzer, argued the injunction was necessary to protect Switzers interests because Mr Flatleys financial situation would have left him unable to pay damages.

The legal dispute hinges on a terms of service agreement under which Mr Flatley transferred intellectual property rights for Lord Of The Dance to Switzer and they in turn were then required to provide business management services to Mr Flatley such as accounts and payroll.

For this, Mr Flatley agreed to pay the company 35,000 (40,421) per month for the first 24 months, rising to 40,000 (46,193) a month thereafter.

Mr McHugh read a statement by Mr Flatleys former financial advisor Des Walsh who said the dancer knows why he finds himself in this position.

He said that Mr Flatley has lived the lifestyle of a Monaco millionaire by borrowing money as he did not even have the minimum cash required to open a residency package.

At the time Michael was advised that he should not move into that wealth circle as he simply did not have the resources, the statement read.

Michael ignored this advice and has essentially maintained this facade of wealth using other peoples monies ever since.

The court heard this was exacerbated by Mr Flatleys horrendous business mistakes, which cost him millions of additional borrowings, at a time when he had no income and was running out of room financially.

Michael Flatley in 1997 (PA)

Mr Walshs statement added: Instead of reining in his spending, adjusting his lifetime costs and cutting his cloth to suit his measure, Michael simply borrowed more money from more people.

It was all about image.

All of this borrowing was used to maintain a pretence of wealth.

Michael would borrow money from anyone he could, and constantly put pressure on everyone looking for cash.

His affidavit also claimed Mr Flatleys appetite for lifestyle cash was insatiable, and he borrowed 75,000 for a birthday party and 50,000 to join Monaco Yacht Club.

David Dunlop KC, representing Mr Flatley, pushed back on the claims that Mr Flatley was a poor manager of his own affairs and was a man with substantial debts, saying ad hominem attacks had been made on his character.

Mr Dunlop argued that Switzers entitlement is limited to a fee of 420,000 (484,963) for the 60 remaining months of its terms of service agreement with Mr Flatley.

He said that overnight Flatley had cleared 500,000 that was being held by a solicitor in Dublin that would pay for damages to end the contract with Switzer.

While many averments were made about Mr Flatleys financial affairs the proof is in the pudding, he said.

He is the one whos managed to generate and has made available half a million pounds.

Its not Mr Flatley who has the financial difficulties in this case, it is the plaintiff.

Michael Flatley rose to international prominence performing Riverdance at Eurovision in 1994 (Liam McBurney/PA)

Asserting that Switzers arguments had not addressed the legal core of the case, Mr Dunlop added: To use a football metaphor, they attacked the player not the ball.

Mr Dunlop further pushed back on claims made by Switzers legal team that the financial arrangements in the contract were essentially to protect The Lord Of The Dance from Flatleys financial reputation.

He told the court: Ultimately if theres damage caused to the operation of the Lord Of The Dance when Mr Flatley is undertaking it, well its his property.

If it suffers loss thats really his problem.

However if hes right, and Switzer is a completely untrustworthy agent in whom he has lost all trust whatsoever for the next 12 months or thereabouts it will control the intellectual property.

It could do untold damage to Mr Flatleys intellectual property.

It has no incentive to retain the value of the intellectual property because its only entitled to be paid a service fee.

So Switzer has no skin in the game really order to protect the Lord Of The Dance.

The judgment in the case will be heard on Thursday.
A woman was taken to hospital with severe injuries after an assault in Co Limerick in the early hours of Sunday.

The incident occurred at around 5.20am in the Lord Edward Street area of Kilmallock.
A positive bid for more than 100 apartments in Cork City has been appealed by local residents to the planning commission.

Developer Whitestone Corner Properties Ltd got the green light in July last year from the city council for a large-scale residential development on Ballyhooly Road, Laherdane in Whites Cross.

The scheme was to comprise three apartment blocks up to five storeys in height, consisting of 114 units.

The units were a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with associated site works including footpaths, cycle paths, car parking, open space, lighting and a bus stop along Ballyhooly Road.

The developers said the scheme would result in a "sustainable residential community" and would provide for "much-needed range of housing options in Cork."

The proposed development will address the gaps in the current supply of dwellings, it said, adding there was currently a severe shortage of one- and two-bed units in the area.

The plans received several objections from local residents, who raised concerns about excessive density and height, undesirable pedestrian access, loss of privacy, low amenity lighting, and the impact of the development on nearby housing estates.

One objector living in the neighbouring Longview Estate said the development would rely heavily on their facilities, including doctors, childcare services, schools and commercial spaces, which would affect resource availability for Longview residents.

They added that the plans, which involve pedestrian access to Longview from the proposed development, would pose "safety, privacy and security concerns" to nearby homes, and "may even promote anti-social behaviour in the vicinity."

Despite the more than 30 submissions to the city council, local planners approved the plans with 45 conditions.

The plans are now with An Coimisiun Pleanala following a third-party appeal, with the planning commission due to issue a decision by May 11, 2026.
01/27/2026

By Brett Buckner



Photo by Haley Bouffard

Its been less than a month since T.C. McLemore became director of the Little River Canyon Center (LRCC), and the reality is still sinking in.

I just wrote my first note that came from the office of the director, McLemore said. It was a surreal moment. If youd told me when I moved away for college that this place existed, let alone that Id one day lead it, Id never have believed you.

McLemore replaced founding director Pete Conroy, who recently retired.

Being named director of the LRCC brings McLemore back home.

Being from Fort Payne, Ive always known that the Little River Canyon National Preserve is one of the prettiest places in our state, McLemore said. Now its my job to make sure that everyone else knows it.

McLemore intends to continue the commitment to environmental education and conservation initiatives that Conroy championed.

I appreciate the power of the outdoors in facilitating economic growth and strengthening communities, McLemore said. Being able to balance conservation with attracting more people to either visit or relocate here is a major opportunity to explore. Little River Canyons preservation makes our community a place people want to visit and to live.

One of McLemores priorities is to ensure that the preserve is at the forefront of conversations involving the local economy. I think its viewed as a bit more static than it could be, he said. When it comes to recruiting and retaining businesses and talent in DeKalb County, I want local leaders to consider the Canyon Center as a place to show prospective employers what we have to offer. I want employers to understand that we offer a quality of life that's going to keep people in place. That's held in tandem with other assets of the community, like the school systems, and strong civic engagement.

Strengthening connections with schools in DeKalb and Cherokee counties is another focal point, with the center serving as a hub for educational outreach.

We want kids to learn early and often about the resources they have literally in their backyards, both at the center and, more broadly, at the preserve itself, he said. Were just making sure it's more front-of-mind and present in how people think of this region.

Owned and operated by Jax State, the LRCClocated in Fort Payneserves as the educational hub for the preserve while working in partnership with the National Park Service.

We collaboratively offer events and programs to the public and to students throughout the region, McLemore said. Well present topics like water quality, environmental stewardship, and conservation. We're sort of the jumping off point where visitors can either talk to a Jax State volunteer or a National Park Service volunteer, learn more about the canyon, and identify points of interest.

Dr. Tim Lindblom, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences, said he is excited to have McLemore as part of the Jax State faculty. He has a wealth of experience in all the things involving outdoor recreation, conservation, and economic development, Dean Lindblom said. Being able to hire one of Fort Paynes own is an added bonus. Were looking forward to his fresh ideas on programming for the Little River Canyon Center. Hes got a great team to work with, and with his leadership, theyll accomplish great things.

First steps

McLemore grew up hunting and fishing in the woods and on the waters of Northeast Alabama with his father. After graduating from Fort Payne High School in 2007, he attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Though he loved the outdoors growing up, it wasnt until he got to UAB that hiking  or, as hed called it, walking in the woods  grew from hobby to obsession.

Until I went to college, McLemore said, I didn't know you could be in the woods without a tree stand and a rifle.

During his freshman year, McLemore participated in UABs outdoor pursuits programming. His first overnight backpacking trip lasted 10 days and took him through the Grand Canyon. That experience changed my life, he said. That's what really set me on this path.

McLemore graduated from UAB with a political science degree in 2010, followed by a masters degree in history in 2013. Between his years in graduate school, he hiked more than 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from the U.S.-Canada border through Washington, Oregon, and California to the U.S.-Mexico border. I cant express the impact that had on my life, he said. It was an amazing experience.

McLemores career in outreach and economic development started with the nonprofit corporation Alabama Possible, where he spent more than two years before becoming the program director with the Alabama Humanities Alliance, which serves as a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Because of his love of backpacking, McLemore considered moving out West, likely to Colorado or California, to pursue his passion. Fortunately, in 2012, while he was hiking the PCT, Red Mountain Park opened in Birmingham. That provided him with 15 miles of trails and allowed him to start his career closer to home. He joined the Red Mountain Park Junior Board in 2015 and became executive in 2018, where he served until 2023 after helping found the Jefferson County Greenways Commission.

Thats when I sort of professionalized my passion for the outdoors, he said. Its been a key part of my life and my civic engagement for a long time, but that was the first time I really went to work in an outdoor setting.

For the past two years, McLemore has served as the executive director of outdoor recreation for Innovate Alabama launching the SEEK AL outdoor recreation marketing campaign to recruit and retain talent, hosting a statewide outdoor recreation summit and working with communities throughout the state to take advantage of their outdoor recreation potential.

McLemore believes his past experiences will help guide the LRCC into an even brighter future.

There are some great programs and initiatives happening all over the state right now, he said. And I want us to be a part of that. I want to tap into a network of communities leveraging their outdoor assets around the state, to connect with one another and learn. Thats what I'm carrying into this role.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Minaurum Silver Inc. (TSXV: MGG) (OTCQX: MMRGF) ("Minaurum" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of an Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate ("Resource Estimate") at its 100%-owned Alamos Silver Project ("Alamos") located in Sonora, Mexico.

Highlights:

High Grade Inferred Mineral Resource: Resource Estimate of 5.37 million tonnes (Mt) grading 202 g/t silver, 0.21 g/t gold, 0.43% copper, 0.97% lead, and 2.01% zinc, or 320 g/t silver equivalent ("AgEq") and containing 34.8 million ounces ("Moz") of silver; 35,640 ounces of gold; 51.0 million pounds of copper; 115 million pounds of lead; and 238 million pounds of zinc; or 55.2 Moz AgEq (Table 1).

Conservative Assumptions Showcase Robust Mineralization: Calculations include smelter and processing deductions typically associated with more advanced resource estimates. Sensitivity analysis further indicates that the resource remains resilient at higher cut-off grades than 150 g/t AgEq, emphasizing the high-grade nature of the mineralization. (Table 2).

Growth Potential: The Resource Estimate encompasses portions of the Promontorio, Travesia, and Europa vein zones-three of the twenty-six vein zones identified at Alamos. The resource is open along strike and at depth, offering significant potential for expansion through the ongoing Phase II 50,000 m resource expansion drill program.

The Resource Estimate, completed by Independent Mining Consultants, Inc., is based on a total database of 104 drill holes, totaling 35,888.15 metres and 10,194 samples. The Resource Estimate is classified as an Inferred Mineral Resource in accordance with CIM Definition Standards, with an effective date of January 8, 2026.

"Our inferred resource estimate of 55 million ounces of AgEq, defined across portions of just three of the 26 identified vein zones at Alamos, represents a major milestone for Minaurum," stated Darrell Rader, President and CEO of Minaurum Silver. "The estimate establishes Alamos as a high-grade silver district with a rare combination of grade and width, with each of the vein zones included remaining open for expansion. Our next step is to aggressively grow the resource through the ongoing Phase II 50,000-metre resource expansion drilling program. I would like to thank the entire Minaurum team, along with our contractors and local communities, for their contributions to this achievement."

Table 1. Alamos Silver Project - Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate Summary (150 g/t AgEq cut-off)

Inferred Mineral

Resource: Average Grade Metal Content Mass AgEq Ag Au Cu Pb Zn AgEq Ag Au Cu Pb Zn Ktonnes (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (koz) (koz) (koz) (klbs) (klbs) (klbs) Vein Promontorio/ Veta Grande 1,835 281 138 0.31 0.40 1.11 2.80 16,602 8,142 17.99 16,060 44,904 113,272 Veta Guijas 124 202 92 0.17 0.45 0.89 1.82 806 365 0.67 1,230 2,433 4,975 Vela El Cien 561 299 136 0.49 0.42 1.69 2.34 5,388 2,448 8.77 5,182 20,902 28,941 Vela El Cien HW 152 283 159 0.07 0.32 1.36 2.98 1,381 777 0.33 1,059 4,557 9,986 Veta Oeste 186 379 218 0.45 0.23 1.47 3.37 2,266 1,302 2.70 955 6,028 13,819 Travesia 373 187 125 0.12 0.36 0.52 0.49 2,247 1,499 1.39 2,944 4,276 4,029 Total 3,231 276 140 0.31 0.39 1.17 2.46 28,691 14,532 31.86 27,431 83,100 175,023 Europa/ Europa 1,426 402 306 0.06 0.54 0.75 1.41 18,435 14,006 2.57 16,882 23,578 44,327 Europa HW 409 351 274 0.07 0.48 0.38 1.03 4,621 3,604 0.87 4,355 3,426 9,287 Europa HW2 51 242 167 0.02 0.41 0.72 1.10 396 274 0.03 462 810 1,237 Europa HW3 45 308 244 0.01 0.37 0.64 0.88 446 353 0.01 370 635 873 Europa HW4 32 667 502 0.02 0.26 2.05 4.69 686 517 0.02 184 1,446 3,309 Nuevas Europa 53 428 358 0.03 0.39 0.62 0.98 729 611 0.05 456 724 1,145 Nuevas Europa HW 119 300 238 0.06 0.32 0.40 0.99 1,149 909 0.24 845 1,049 2,597 Total 2,135 386 295 0.06 0.50 0.67 1.33 26,463 20,274 3.78 23,554 31,669 62,775 Grand Total 5,366 320 202 0.21 0.43 0.97 2.01 55,154 34,806 35.64 50,985 114,769 237,798

Notes:

The Resource Estimate conforms with the requirements of NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (2014). The Resource Estimate is entirely classified as Inferred Mineral Resources. Inferred Mineral Resources have been estimated from geological evidence and limited sampling and have a lower level of confidence than Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources and must not be converted to Mineral Reserves. There is no certainty that Inferred Mineral Resources will be converted to Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources. Weight-averaged silver-equivalent ("AgEq") grades are based on the October 1, 2025 long-term CIBC Global Mining Group Analyst Consensus Commodity Price Forecast, using metal prices of US$29.73/oz Ag, US$2,646/oz Au, US$4.34/lb Cu, US$0.92/lb Pb, and US$1.21/lb Zn. Metal recovery assumptions, based on comparable projects, are 88.3% Ag, 75.0% Au, 75.5% Cu, 83.1% Pb, and 75.5% Zn. Assumed refinery payables are 95% Ag, 95% Au, 96.5% Cu, 95% Pb, and 85% Zn. The Resource Estimate is reported at a cut-off grade of 150 g/t AgEq. Unit cost assumptions are $50/t mining, $30.22/t for processing and G&A, and $19.50/t for smelting and refining. Bulk density values applied are 2.72 t/m for the Promontorio and Travesia zone veins and 2.63 t/m for the Europa zone veins. The Resource Estimate is reported on a 100% project basis and reflects reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. The effective date of the Resource Estimate is January 8, 2026. There are no known legal, political, environmental, or other risks that, to the knowledge of the Qualified Persons, could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resources. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the Resource Estimate. Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.

Table 2. Alamos Silver Project - Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate Sensitivity Table

Average Grade Metal Content Mass AgEq Ag Au Cu Pb Zn AgEq Ag Au Cu Pb Zn Resource Case Ktonnes (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (koz) (koz) (koz) (klbs) (klbs) (klbs) Case 1. 115 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff Promontorio 4,608 233 118 0.26 0.33 0.94 2.07 34,450 17,487 38.39 33,352 95,877 210,519 Europa 2,459 353 269 0.05 0.47 0.62 1.24 27,889 21,295 3.92 25,295 33,375 67,030 Total 7,067 274 171 0.19 0.38 0.83 1.78 62,339 38,782 42.31 58,647 129,252 277,549 Case 2. 125 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff Promontorio 4,031 249 126 0.28 0.35 1.02 2.20 32,204 16,290 36.27 31,414 90,843 195,348 Europa 2,418 357 273 0.05 0.47 0.62 1.25 27,721 21,182 3.88 25,099 33,091 66,607 Total 6,449 289 181 0.19 0.40 0.87 1.84 59,925 37,472 40.16 56,513 123,933 261,955 Case 3. 140 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff Promontorio 3,520 266 134 0.30 0.37 1.11 2.36 30,043 15,191 33.57 29,007 86,480 183,041 Europa 2,248 373 286 0.05 0.49 0.65 1.29 26,988 20,688 3.80 24,079 32,164 63,718 Total 5,768 308 194 0.20 0.42 0.93 1.94 57,031 35,879 37.38 53,087 118,644 246,759 Case 4. 150 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff Promontorio 3,231 276 140 0.31 0.39 1.17 2.46 28,691 14,532 31.86 27,431 83,100 175,023 Europa 2,135 386 295 0.06 0.50 0.67 1.33 26,463 20,274 3.78 23,554 31,669 62,775 Total 5,366 320 202 0.21 0.43 0.97 2.01 55,154 34,806 35.64 50,985 114,769 237,798 Case 5. 165 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff Promontorio 2,744 297 152 0.33 0.41 1.25 2.60 26,238 13,420 28.89 24,949 75,663 157,356 Europa 2,035 397 304 0.06 0.51 0.69 1.36 25,959 19,910 3.71 23,024 31,128 61,127 Total 4,779 340 217 0.21 0.46 1.01 2.07 52,197 33,330 32.60 47,973 106,791 218,483 Case 6. 175 g/t Equivalent Silver Cutoff Promontorio 2,518 309 158 0.34 0.43 1.30 2.71 24,993 12,791 27.48 23,643 72,378 150,307 Europa 1,982 403 309 0.06 0.52 0.70 1.38 25,662 19,693 3.68 22,731 30,661 60,331 Total 4,500 350 225 0.22 0.47 1.04 2.12 50,656 32,484 31.16 46,375 103,039 210,638

The Resource Estimate lies in portions of the 3 veins of the 26 identified veins in the Alamos district, roughly 2 kilometres of approximately 30 known kilometres of cumulative vein strike length (Figures 1-3).

Figure 1. Alamos Silver Project Vein Zones - 55.2 Moz AgEq grading 320 g/t AgEq lies on Promontorio, Travesia, and Europa vein zones located within the black boxed outlines.

Drill hole spacing within the modeled vein domains averages approximately 80 metres, with locally tighter spacing in higher-grade portions of the Promontorio vein zone. Most of the resource occurs in unmined zones, with partially mined-out areas in the Promontorio vein zone. Interpreted void volumes associated with historical mining have been deducted from the Resource Estimate based on interpretations of historical longitudinal sections, mine maps, and drill hole data. The resource remains open in along strike and down dip on both the Promontorio and Europa vein zones. Multiple other veins in the district have high-grade intercepts that await potential resource definition.

Figure 2. Travesia-Promontorio vein zone longitudinal section. Dotted line indicates the outline of the geological model used in calculating resources. This vein zone comprises 28.7 Moz AgEq grading 276 g/t AgEq. Click to enlarge.

Figure 3. Europa vein zone longitudinal section. Dotted line indicates the outline of the geological model used in calculating resources. This vein zone comprises 26.5 Moz AgEq grading 386 g/t AgEq. Click to enlarge.

The Alamos Project Resource Estimate is based on the following key assumptions and parameters: specific gravity values of 2.72 for the Promontorio and Travesia veins and 2.63 for the Europa vein, derived from Minaurum's test work based on 151 wax-coated density measurements; vein domains were modelled to reflect the interpreted vein geology, including vein continuity, thickness, and structural controls; all assays were composited to 1 metre, and grade capping was applied on a vein-by-vein basis, with silver grades capped at up to 3,000 g/t; a 5 m along strike  1 m across strike  2.5 m high block size was selected based on geological constraints and potential future mining methods; and block grades for gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc were estimated using inverse distance squared interpolation; mineral resources were classified as Inferred in accordance with CIM Definition Standards, based on geological confidence, drill hole spacing, sample support, and search criteria. Additional details of the estimation methodology and classification criteria will be provided in the supporting technical report to be filed on the Company's profile on SEDAR+.

A technical report prepared by IMC in accordance with NI 43-101 will be filed on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca within 45 days of the date of this press release.

Phase II - Resource Expansion Drill Program

Minaurum is currently conducting a 50,000-metre core drilling program aimed at expanding the resource at Europa and Promontorio-Travesia, while also completing step-out and in-fill drilling to further evaluate high-grade intercepts in additional vein zones across the Alamos district, including at San Jose, Quintera, Promontorio Sur, Pulpito-Cotera, and Minas Nuevas.

Minaurum intends to provide an updated resource estimate in the second half of 2026. There is no certainty that the Inferred Mineral Resources will be converted to the Measured and Indicated categories through further drilling.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

Qualified Assurance Program and Quality Control Measures ("QA/QC")

Minaurum has implemented QA/QC protocols including insertion of duplicate, blank and standard samples in all drill holes and underground sampling. Ninety-two percent of drill samples were submitted directly to the ALS Chemex in Hermosillo, Mexico, for preparation and sent to ALS Chemex in North Vancouver, BC, Canada, for analysis. During 2024, the Company sent drill samples to ActLabs' facility in Zacatecas, Mexico, for preparation and analysis there, amounting to 8% of the total drill samples. Additional duplicate test work has been conducted on mineralized samples to assess variability of coarse reject and pulp samples. An IMC independent qualified person visited the Alamos project on 2 occasions, the 3-5th of September 2024, and the 18th of November 2025. IMC has reviewed the QA/QC work completed by Minaurum and believes the database is reliable for estimating Mineral Resources.

Qualified Person

The Mineral Resources for the Alamos Project disclosed in this news release have been estimated by Michael G. Hester, FAusIMMVice President of Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. and independent of Minaurum. Mr. Hester is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by CIM council, as amended. Mr. Hester has read and approved the contents of this press release as it pertains to the disclosed mineral resource estimate.

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Data review and verification: Stephen R. Maynard, Vice President of Exploration of Minaurum and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101, reviewed and verified the assay data, and has approved the disclosure in this news release. Verification was done by visual inspection of core samples and comparison to assay results. Assay results have not been checked by re-analysis. No factors were identified that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data presented in this news release.

Analytical Procedures and Quality Assurance/Quality Control: Preparation and assaying of drilling samples from Minaurum's Alamos project are done with strict adherence to a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) protocol. Core samples are sawed in half and then bagged in a secure facility near the site and then shipped either by a licensed courior by Company personnel to ALS Minerals' preparation facility in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. ALS prepares the samples, crushing them to 70% less than 2mm, splitting off 250g, and pulverizing the split to more than 85% passing 75 microns. The resulting sample pulps are prepared in Hermosillo and then shipped to Vancouver for chemical analysis by ALS Minerals. In Vancouver, the pulps are analyzed for gold by fire assay and ICP/AES on a 30-gram charge. In addition, analyses are done for silver, copper, lead, and zinc using 4-acid digestion and ICP analysis. Samples with silver values greater than 100 g/t; and copper, lead, or zinc values greater than 10,000 ppm (1%) are re-analyzed using 4-acid digestion and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS).

Quality-control (QC) samples are inserted in the sample stream every 20 samples on average, and thus represent 5% of the total samples. QC samples include standards, blanks, and duplicate samples. Standards are pulps that have been prepared by a third-party laboratory; they have gold, silver, and base-metal values that are established by an extensive analytical process in which several commercial labs (including ALS Minerals) participate. Standards test the calibration of the analytical equipment. Blanks are rock material known from prior sampling to contain less than 0.005 ppm gold; they test the sample preparation procedure for cross-sample contamination. In the case of duplicates, the sample interval is cut in half and then quartered. The first quarter is the original sample, the second becomes the duplicate. Duplicate samples provide a test of the reproducibility of assays in the same drilled interval. When final assays are received, QC sample results are inspected for deviation from accepted values. To date, QC sample analytical results have fallen in acceptable ranges on the Alamos project.

When final assays are received, QC sample results are inspected for deviation from accepted values by the QP. To date, QC sample analytical results have fallen in acceptable ranges on the Alamos project.

ALS Minerals is independent of Minaurum Silver and is independent of the Qualified Person.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information: 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 Resource Estimate; the ongoing Phase II 50,000 m resource expansion drill program; and the completion of an updated resource estimate in the second half of 2026. 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.

In making the forward-looking information in this release, Minaurum has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on Minaurum's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Minaurum, including that Minaurum will be able to obtain all necessary permits and approvals for planned exploration and drilling activities; that Minaurum's planned drilling and exploration activities will be completed on the expected timeline, or at all; that the results of the drilling and exploration activities will be as expected; that Minaurum will be able to complete the updated mineral resource estimate on the timelines expected, or at all; and that Minaurum will have the financial resources to complete its ongoing drill program and anticipated updated mineral resource estimate. Although Minaurum considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information.

In making the forward-looking information in this release, Minaurum has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on Minaurum's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Minaurum. Although Minaurum considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information, including risks relating to the actual results of drilling or exploration activities, fluctuating silver prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, drilling or exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes and timeliness of government or regulatory approvals.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Minaurum does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 /Galway Metals Inc. (TSXV:GWM)(OTCQB:GAYMF) (the "Company" or "Galway") is pleased to report drill results for 7 diamond drill holes at the Southwest Deposit in the Company's 100%-owned flagship Clarence Stream high-grade gold project in New Brunswick, Canada. The Clarence Stream Gold Project hosts district-scale potential, with an approximately 65-kilometre strike length of highly prospective gold showings and anomalies; and a 2022 MRE of 12.4 Mt @ 2.3 g/t Au Indicated for 922,000 oz., and 16.0 Mt @ 2.6 g/t Au Inferred for 1.334 M oz. gold from the NI 43-101 technical report titled "Technical Report on the Clarence Stream Mineral Resource Project, New Brunswick, Canada" dated March 31, 2022, by SLR Consulting Ltd.

"High grade and fairly wide gold intercepts like these, excite the Management team at Galway Metals, as we continue to build our flagship open pit resource," said Rob Hinchcliffe, President and CEO of Galway. "That continuity is important as we step beyond the edges of our current resource and assess how much additional mineralization can be captured with further drilling. With gold prices hitting record highs, the opportunity to grow high-quality ounces in a shallow setting has never been more compelling. Our drilling is designed not just to confirm continuity, but to build confidence in new resource potential, and these results reinforce the rationale for advancing Clarence Stream on multiple fronts."

Highlights (Plan Map)

CL-234 intersected 7.1 g/t gold over 10.0m including 13.2g/t gold over 5.0m ( Section 1 )

CL-237 intersected 2.7 g/t gold over 12.0m including 11.4 g/t gold over 2.0m ; 2.4 g/t over 11.0m including 10.4 g/t over 1.0m; and 2.3 g/t over 5.0m ( Section 2 )

CL-232 intersected 7.9 g/t gold over 3.0m including 22.0 g/t gold over 1.0m ( Section 3 ) This hole had a previously released intersect of 1.1 g/t gold over 88.0m

CL-233 intersected 1.5 g/t gold over 9.0m; and 1.0 g/t gold over 9.0m

Drilling Links High-Grade Gold Zones from Depth to Surface

The seven drill holes reported in this release located in the northeastern area of the Southwest Deposit (George Murphy Zone). The primary objective of the program was to connect deeper gold mineralization from the margins of the 2022 resource pit shells to near surface and expand mineralization beyond the current resource footprint.

Drill holes CL-236 and CL-237 intersected multiple gold zones both within and outside the existing pit shells, successfully bringing mineralization to surface and extending mineralized zones to the west, outside the 2022 resource. Drill holes CL-234 and CL-235 further confirmed continuity by linking deeper zones to shallow mineralization on approximately 50-metre spacing.

Additional results from drill hole CL-232, which previously returned 88.0 metres of 1.1 g/t Au, included a high-grade interval of 3.0 metres of 7.9 g/t Au, including 1.0 metre of 22.0 g/t Au. Follow-up drill hole CL-233, completed on 25-metre spacing, intersected 9.0 metres of 1.0 g/t Au and 7.0 metres of 1.5 g/t Au, further supporting continuity in this area.

There are currently 48 drill holes from the Southwest Deposit with pending assays, including 11 holes located near the drill results reported in this release. These results are expected to be released in the coming weeks and months. For a complete list of Southwest Deposit assays, please refer to the Assay and Coordinate Table.

Geology and Mineralization

The Clarence Stream deposits can be characterized as intrusion-related, structurally controlled, quartz-vein hosted gold deposits. These deposits consist of quartz veins and quartz stockwork within brittle-ductile fault zones that include adjacent crushed, altered wall rocks and veinlet material. The mineralized systems are hosted in intrusive and metasedimentary rocks within high strain zones controlled by regional fault systems. Pyrite, base metal sulphides, and stibnite occur in these deposits along with anomalous concentrations of bismuth, arsenic, antimony and tungsten. Alteration in the host rocks is confined within a few metres of quartz veins and occurs mainly in the form of sericitization and chloritization. A more complete description of Clarence Stream's geology and mineralization can be found at www.galwaymetalsinc.com.

New Brunswick Junior Mining Assistance Program

Galway would like to acknowledge financial support from the New Brunswick Junior Mining Assistance Program, which will contribute up to $50,000 towards exploration drilling in 2025.

Review by Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Jesse Fisher, P.Geo., Project Manager for Clarence Stream and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Fisher certifies that this news release fairly and accurately reflects the technical information and data presented. Galway Metals conducts its exploration activities in accordance with CIM Best Practices Guidelines.

Quality Control and Reports

All core, chip/boulder samples, and soil samples are assayed by Activation Laboratories, located at 41 Bittern Street, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, Agat Laboratories, located at 5623 McAdam Road, Mississauga Ontario, Canada L4Z 1N9 and 35 General Aviation Road, Timmins, ON P4P 7C3, and/or Swastika Laboratories situated in Swastika, ON. All four labs have ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. All core is under watch from the drill site to the core processing facility. Drill core is NQ size and sample intervals range from 0.5 meters to 1.5 meters in length. All samples are assayed for gold by Fire Assay, with gravimetric finish, and other elements assayed using ICP. The Company's QA/QC program includes the regular insertion of blanks and standards into the sample shipments, as well as instructions for duplication. Standards, blanks and duplicates are inserted at one per 20 samples. Approximately five percent (5%) of the pulps and rejects are sent for check assaying at a second lab with the results averaged and intersections updated when received. Core recovery in the mineralized zones has averaged 99%.

About Galway Metals Inc.

Galway Metals is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing its 100%-owned, high-grade, open-pitable flagship Clarence Stream gold project in southwest New Brunswick. Clarence Stream is an emerging gold district with an exploration strike length of approximately 65 kilometres and widths of up to 28 kilometres in certain areas. Galway Metals also has 100%-ownership in the Estrades project, a former producing high-grade, gold-rich polymetallic VMS mine in the northern Abitibi of western Quebec. Led by a management team with a proven track-record of creating shareholder value having sold Galway Resources for US$340 million, Galway Metals is focused on creating value for all its stakeholders.

For additional Information on Galway Metals Inc., Please contact:

Robert Hinchcliffe President & Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: 1-800-771-0680

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.galwaymetalsinc.com

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Cautionary Statement

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, information with respect to the OTCQB listing, DTC eligibility, and broadening U.S. institutional and retail investors. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to changes in economic conditions or financial markets, political and competitive developments, operation or exploration difficulties, changes in equity markets, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices capital, operating and reclamation costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restrictions on labour and international travel and supply chains, and those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. 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.
PMB Partners LP Files Early Warning Report in Relation to Disposition of Common Shares of Andean Precious Metals Corp. Pursuant to Secondary Offering

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Andean Precious Metals Corp. (TSX: APM) (OTCQX: ANPMF) ("Andean" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of the previously announced bought deal secondary offering (the "Secondary Offering") of 9,102,250 common shares (the "Common Shares") of Andean by PMB Partners LP (the "Selling Shareholder") at a price of C$10.50 per Common Share for total gross proceeds of C$95,573,625, including the full exercise of the Underwriters' option. This disposition is part of an initiative by Andean to increase the free float of the Company and to enhance liquidity of its Common Shares.

The Common Shares were offered publicly in all provinces and territories of Canada, except Quebec and Nunavut by way of a prospectus supplement (the "Prospectus Supplement") to the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated November 10, 2025 (the "Base Shelf Prospectus") and in accordance with Regulation S and: (i) on a private placement basis to "qualified institutional buyers" in the United States in accordance with Rule 144A, and (ii) to non-U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S) in any such other jurisdictions outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S, as mutually agreed between the Company and the Underwriters, and except for offers in Canada, on a private placement basis pursuant to prospectus and registration exemptions in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The net proceeds of the Secondary Offering have been paid to the Selling Shareholder. The Company did not receive any proceeds from the Secondary Offering.

The Secondary Offering was led by National Bank Financial Inc., as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, together with a syndicate of underwriters (the "Underwriters").

The Common Shares are listed and posted for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "APM" and on the OTCQX Market under the symbol "ANPMF".

Copies of the documents relating to the Secondary Offering, such as the Base Shelf Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement and the underwriting agreement, are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Early Warning Report

This press release is being issued in connection with the filing of an early warning report (the "Early Warning Report") pursuant to the requirements of National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues regarding the disposition of Common Shares by the Selling Shareholder. Andean's head office is located at 15 Toronto Street, Unit 401, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 2E3, Canada.

The Selling Shareholder is an Ontario limited partnership with its head office located at 22 Adelaide Street West, Suite 3400, Toronto, ON, M5H 4E3.

The Selling Shareholder disposed of ownership and control of 9,102,250 Common Shares upon the closing of the Secondary Offering today. In connection with the Secondary Offering, the Selling Shareholder received a price of C$10.50 per Common Share, for total consideration of C$95,573,625 before deducting commissions.

Immediately prior to the completion of the Secondary Offering, the Selling Shareholder beneficially owned 79,718,750 Common Shares, representing approximately 53.22% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis. Immediately following the closing of the Secondary Offering, the Selling Shareholder beneficially owned 70,616,500 Common Shares, representing approximately 47.15% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis.

The Selling Shareholder may, depending on market and other conditions, increase or decrease its beneficial ownership in Andean's securities, whether in transactions over the open market, by privately negotiated arrangements or otherwise, subject to a number of factors, including general market conditions and other available investment and business opportunities.

An affiliate of the Selling Shareholder (the "Selling Shareholder Affiliate") has, in connection with the Secondary Offering, entered into privately negotiated capped call option transactions with a financial institution counterparty (the "Capped Call Counterparty") which will be net settled in cash, Common Shares or a combination thereof, at the election of the Selling Shareholder Affiliate. The capped call transactions are expected to compensate the Selling Shareholder Affiliate (through the payment of cash, delivery of Common Shares, or a combination thereof, at the election of the Selling Shareholder Affiliate) for appreciation of the price of the Common Shares above the lower strike price of the capped calls, subject to the cap price (the upper strike price of the capped calls).

The average lower strike price of the capped calls is C$10.50. The weighted average cap price of the capped calls is C$14.5006. The number of Common Shares underlying the capped call transactions is 7,915,000, the same number of Common Shares sold in the Secondary Offering (excluding the Common Shares sold pursuant to the Underwriters full exercise of the Underwriters' option).

The capped call option transactions will expire on July 11, 2028, unless earlier unwound or terminated in accordance with the capped call transaction documents.

In connection with establishing its initial hedges of the capped call transactions, the Capped Call Counterparty or an affiliate thereof purchased shares in the Secondary Offering.

In addition, the Capped Call Counterparty or an affiliate thereof may, during the term of the capped call transactions, modify its hedge position by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to the Common Shares and/or purchasing or selling the Common Shares in secondary market transactions. This activity could affect the market price and liquidity of the Common Shares.

The Early Warning Report will be filed by the Selling Shareholder on SEDAR+ in accordance with applicable securities laws. To obtain a copy of the Early Warning Report, please contact Andean's Director, Investor Relations, Amanda Mallough by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 647-463-7808.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States. The Common Shares have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and accordingly may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly within the United States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act, and applicable state securities laws.

About Andean Precious Metals Corp.

Andean is a growing precious metals producer focused on expanding into top-tier jurisdictions in the Americas. The Company owns and operates the San Bartolome processing facility in Potosi, Bolivia and the Golden Queen mine in Kern County, California, and is well-funded to act on future growth opportunities. Andean's leadership team is committed to creating value; fostering safe, sustainable and responsible operations; and achieving our ambition to be a multi-asset, mid-tier precious metals producer.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which we refer to collectively as "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "seek", "expect", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "estimate", "continue", "forecast", "intend", "believe", "predict", "potential", "target", "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected benefits, settlement mechanics, duration and economic impact of the capped call transactions, the expected compensation to the Selling Shareholder Affiliate for future share price appreciation, the anticipated expiry of the capped call option transactions, and the potential impact of hedging activities by the Capped Call Counterparty or its affiliates on the market price and liquidity of the Common Shares. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including, but not limited to: the Company's ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the Company's ability to secure and to meet obligations under property and option agreements and other material agreements; the timely receipt of required approvals and permits; that there is no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that contracted parties provide goods or services in a timely manner; that no unusual geological or technical problems occur; that plant and equipment function as anticipated and that there is no material adverse change in the price of silver, price of gold, costs associated with production or recovery. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained herein. Some of the risks and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this release include, but are not limited to: risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits and conclusions of economic evaluations; results of initial feasibility, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks relating to possible variations in reserves, resources, grade, planned mining dilution and ore loss, or recovery rates and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; mining and development risks, including risks related to accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes (including work stoppages and strikes) or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in exploration and development; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; risks related to commodity price and foreign exchange rate fluctuations; the uncertainty of profitability based upon the cyclical nature of the industry in which the Company operates; risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms or delays in obtaining governmental or local community approvals or in the completion of development or construction activities; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the uncertain global economic environment; and other factors contained in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, you are cautioned that this list is not exhaustive and there may be other factors that the Company has not identified. Furthermore, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday stressed the importance of improving the conduct of officials, building integrity and combating corruption in government work, which will provide a strong guarantee to achieve the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

Li, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a State Council meeting on clean governance.

Addressing the meeting, Li called for higher standards and more practical measures in exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance, with the aim of ensuring relevant efforts are implemented across all aspects and processes of government work.

He also called for a more resolute, vigorous approach to implementing the CPC Central Committee's decisions and arrangements, as well as efforts to ensure officials have the correct understanding of what it means to perform well.

Moreover, Li called for further work to combat pointless formality and reduce the burden on primary-level officials, and to strengthen audit-based and accounting oversight to ensure the secure, efficient use of public funds and assets.

He also emphasized the need to deal with corruption issues in key areas seriously, as well as those that occur at people's doorsteps.

Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese vice premier, presided over the meeting.

Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, attended the meeting.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Cosa Resources Corp. (TSXV: COSA) (OTCQB: COSAF) (FSE: SSKU) ("Cosa" or the "Company") is pleased to announce drilling has commenced at the Company's Darby ("Darby") project, with drilling at Murphy Lake North ("MLN") to follow (Figure 1). Darby and MLN are joint ventures (the "Joint Venture") between Cosa and Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison") (TSX: DML) (NYSE American: DNN) and are located 10 kilometres west of Cameco's Cigar Lake Mine and three kilometres east of IsoEnergy's Hurricane Deposit, respectively, in the eastern Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. Cosa is the operator of both projects and holds a 70% interest with Denison holding a 30% interest in each.

Winter Drilling

Approximately 2,500 metres are planned at Darby in winter 2026 to test initial priority targets identified by Cosa's 2025 core relogging and reinterpretation program. Priority targets are the immediate vicinities of drill holes which intersected zones of coincident sandstone alteration and anomalous1 uranium content proximal to significant graphitic basement faults. Up to four initial target areas will be evaluated during winter 2026.

Drilling plans at MLN comprise approximately 1,200 metres and will follow up summer 2025 results at the Cyclone trend where broad zones of structure and alteration were intersected over a two-kilometre strike length. Drilling will target a 1,200-metre gap in existing drilling where a lake prevents summer access. Drilling will also test a potential trend parallel to and approximately 100 metres south of Cyclone interpreted from intensely graphitic rocks and faulting intersected in the basement of MLN25-007.

For further details on winter 2026 drill targets, refer to Cosa's news release dated January 21, 2026.

About Darby

Located 10 kilometres west of the Cigar Lake Mine, Darby contains multiple prospective conductive trends and several historical intersections of weak uranium mineralization (Figure 1). Historical drilling demonstrates that many of these trends are highly prospective for uranium deposits characteristic of the eastern Athabasca Basin, yet most of the strike length has not been effectively evaluated. Work by Cosa in 2025 prioritized these trends and identified several historical drill holes with results that suggest proximity to uranium mineralization (See Cosa's news releases dated October 24, 2025, and January 21, 2026). Darby was last drilled in 2009.

About Murphy Lake North

MLN covers a portion of the Larocque Lake trend and is located 2.7 kilometres east of the Hurricane deposit (Figure 1). Hurricane is the world's highest-grade indicated uranium resource and was discovered and delineated for IsoEnergy Ltd. by current members of Cosa's team. The Larocque Lake trend also hosts the high-grade Larocque Lake Zone, Yelka Prospect, and Alligator Lake Zone. MLN contains the along-strike extension of basement geology underlying the Hurricane deposit (the Hurricane trend), as well as a parallel conductive trend to the south (the Cyclone trend). Drilling by Cosa in 2025 intersected zones of sandstone alteration and structure associated with graphitic basement structures along both trends. Following up these positive results is the primary 2026 objective at MLN.

1 - When analyzed using SRC's partial digestion and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) method, Cosa considers uranium concentrations in the Athabasca sandstone greater than 0.5 ppm to be elevated, greater than 1.0 ppm to be anomalous, and greater than 4 ppm to be strongly anomalous.

Figure 1 - Cosa's Eastern Athabasca Uranium Projects with Joint Venture Projects

About Cosa Resources Corp.

Cosa Resources is a Canadian uranium exploration company operating in northern Saskatchewan. The portfolio comprises roughly 237,000 ha across multiple underexplored 100% owned and Cosa-operated joint venture projects in the Athabasca Basin region, the majority of which reside within or adjacent to established uranium corridors.

In January of 2025, the Company entered a transformative strategic collaboration with Denison Mines (TSX: DML) (NYSE American: DNN) that has secured access to several additional highly prospective eastern Athabasca uranium exploration projects. As Cosa's largest shareholder, Denison gains exposure to Cosa's potential for exploration success and its pipeline of uranium projects.

Cosa's award-winning management team has a track record of success in Saskatchewan. In 2022, members of the Cosa team were awarded the AME Colin Spence Award for the discovery of the Hurricane uranium deposit. Cosa personnel led teams or had integral roles in the discovery of Denison's Gryphon deposit and held key roles in the founding of both NexGen and IsoEnergy.

The Company's focus throughout 2026 is drilling at the Darby and MLN projects in the eastern Athabasca Basin. Both projects are operated by Cosa and are 70/30 joint ventures between Cosa and Denison respectively. Drilling at Darby will evaluate target areas with anomalous uranium, clay alteration, and historical mineralization intersected nearby. Drilling at MLN will follow up 2025 drilling which intersected broad zones of structurally controlled alteration over roughly 2 kilometres of strike length.

Technical Disclosure

Historical drilling and geophysical results for Darby and MLN were sourced from the Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Database (SMAD). SMAD sources for Darby include file numbers 74H14-0021, 74H14-0023, 74H15-0041, 74H15-0053, 74H15-0055, 74H15-0056, 74H15-0066, 74H15-0067, 74I02-0031, 74I02-0042, 74I02-0053, 74I02-0080, 74I02-0095, and MAW00516. Some confidential data and reports not presently available via SMAD were supplied to Cosa by Denison. SMAD sources for MLN and adjacent projects include file numbers 64L05-0161, 64L05-0180, 74I-0060, 74I-0066, 74I-0067, 74I01-0114, 74I08-0056, 74I09-0053, 74I09-0057, 74I09-0061, 74I09-0064, 74I09-0066, 74I09-0071, 74I09-0077, 74I09-0079, 74I09-0087, 74I09-0088, 74I09-0090, 74I09-0091, 74I09-0092, 74I09-0098, MAW00510, MAW01939, MAW02327, MAW02599, and MAW02395. Data and reports related to the 2020 ground EM survey completed by Denison are not presently available via SMAD and were supplied to Cosa by Denison.

Verification of historical drilling results included confirming historical drill hole collar locations from air photos and ground checking selected collars with a handheld GPS unit. Basement and lower sandstone sections from most historical drill holes were relogged in 2024 and 2025 by Cosa. For Darby, verification of geochemical results for drill holes completed between 2008 and 2010 was facilitated by the reissuance of analytical certificates to Cosa by the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC). Cosa thanks the SRC for its valued assistance in increasing confidence in the historical dataset.

Verification of historical geophysical results included confirming the locations of geophysical survey grids from air photos, compiling survey data and interpretations, and evaluating whether interpreted geophysical results could be reasonably explained by historical and current drilling results. For MLN, Cosa engaged a consultant to re-interpret historical geophysical surveys to validate selected previous interpretations.

Qualified Person

The Company's disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Andy Carmichael, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration for Cosa. Mr. Carmichael is a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101. This news release refers to neighbouring properties in which the Company has no interest. Mineralization on those neighbouring properties does not necessarily indicate mineralization on the Company's properties.

Contact

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 Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, plans, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to anticipated exploration, development and/or expansion activities, including exploration of the Company's current Projects; the collaboration with Denison, including the Joint Venture, and the anticipated benefits thereof; and the outlook regarding Cosa's business plans and objectives.

Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the cost of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material 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 Cosa's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by Cosa 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.

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. Such factors and risks include, among others: Cosa may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; Cosa may not be able to maintain compliance with its contractual obligations with third parties; Cosa may not be able to maintain compliance with extensive government regulation applicable to its operations; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect Cosa's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of Cosa's securities, regardless of its operating performance; the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, and other risk factors set out in Cosa's public disclosure documents.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Cosa 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. Cosa does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Zodiac Gold Inc. (TSXV: ZAU) ("Zodiac Gold" or the "Company"), a West African gold exploration company, is pleased to announce that it has successfully closed its previously announced listed issuer financing exemption offering (the "Offering") for aggregate gross proceeds of $6.1 million, issuing 30,500,000 units ("Units") at a price of $0.20 per unit following strong and continued investor demand. Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one non-transferable common share purchase warrant at an exercise price of $0.30 for 36 months from the date of closing of the Offering.

The net proceeds from the Offering will be used to advance the Company's exploration programs across its portfolio of gold assets in Liberia, including continued drilling and technical work, as well as for general working capital purposes.

"This financing is a major validation of Zodiac Gold's strategy, assets, and team," said David Kol, Chief Executive Officer of Zodiac Gold. "The level and quality of demand we saw speaks to the scale of our opportunity in Liberia and the growing recognition that Zodiac Gold controls one of the most compelling emerging gold districts in West Africa. With this capital secured, we are funded to aggressively advance drilling and unlock value across our portfolio."

The Units distributed in connection with the Offering were issued and sold pursuant to the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption" available under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions (the "LIFE Exemption"), as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption. Units issued under the Offering are not subject to resale restrictions in Canada in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

In connection with the Offering, the Corporation intends to pay cash fees and issue compensation warrants ("Compensation Warrants") to finders as follows: $56,940 and 284,700 Compensation Warrants to Canaccord Genuity Corp.; $6,000 and 30,000 Compensation Warrants to Ventum Financial Corp.; $30,000 and 150,000 Compensation Warrants to Research Capital Corp.; $1,000 and 5,000 Compensation Warrants to Red Cloud Securities Inc.; and $112,000 and 560,000 Compensation Warrants to Haywood Securities Inc. Each Compensation Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.20 from the date of closing of the Offering. The Compensation Warrants and the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Compensation Warrants are subject to a statutory holder period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance of the Compensation Warrants.

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction..

About Zodiac Gold

Zodiac Gold Inc. (TSXV: ZAU) is a West-African gold exploration company focused on its flagship Todi Gold Project situated in Liberia-an underexplored, politically stable, mining friendly jurisdiction hosting several large-scale gold and iron ore deposits. Strategically positioned along the fertile Todi Shear Zone, Zodiac Gold is developing a district-scale gold opportunity with additional iron ore potential, covering a vast 2,316 km2 land package. The Todi Gold Project has undergone de-risking, showcasing proven gold occurrences at both surface and depth, with five drill-ready targets, of which two have been drilled and high-grade gold intercepts.

For further information, please visit the Zodiac Gold website at www.zodiac-gold.com or contact:

David Kol

President & CEO

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation.

Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections, and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's planned exploration programs and drill programs and potential significance of results are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Company's expectations include actual exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital, and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials, and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or 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 actions, events, or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events, or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Includes: 7 th highest intercept on project - 1.3 m @ 670 g/t Gold

Best antimony intercept - 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (plus 78.5 g/t Gold)

Vancouver, Canada and Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 28, 2026) - Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3) ("SXGC", "SX2" or the "Company") announces results from four drillholes from the Rising Sun prospect at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Victoria (Figures 1 to 6).

SDDSC196 intersected sixteen vein sets in Rising Sun across a +500 m mineralised corridor from 376 m to 936 m downhole which averaged 559 m @ 2.5 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb) uncut. The hole returned six intervals greater than 20 g/t AuEq, including three individual assays exceeding 100 g/t Au. Highlights include 1.3 m @ 670.4 g/t AuEq (670.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m - the 7th highest intercept on the project - and the highest individual antimony assay to date at 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (plus 78.5 g/t Au) from 445.9 m.

The true thickness of the mineralized intervals are interpreted to be approximately 50% to 65% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes.

Five Key Takeaways:

559 m Mineralised Corridor Confirmed: SDDSC196 intersected 16 vein sets across a 559 m corridor from 376 m to 936 m downhole, averaging 559 m @ 2.5 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 0.2% Sb) uncut, with six intervals greater than 20 g/t AuEq including three individual assays exceeding 100 g/t Au. Ultra High-Grade Intersection: SDDSC196 delivers 1.3 m @ 670 g/t AuEq (nearly 20 oz/t gold) from 869 m depth (Photos 1 and 2) - the 7th highest intercept on the project and further confirmation that ultra-high grade gold persists at depth. Record Antimony Grades: The highest individual antimony assay on the project to date - 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (plus 78.5 g/t Au) - reinforces Sunday Creek's strategic importance as a Western antimony supply source. Infill Success Across Additional Reported Holes: SDDSC176 returned 4.2 m @ 25.7 g/t AuEq (incl. 1.4 m @ 77 g/t AuEq) confirming RS4 high-grade core; SDDSC187 intersected seven vein sets including three not previously defined, with 5.2 m @ 7.8 g/t AuEq (incl. 0.1 m @ 127 g/t Au); SDDSC190 defined the outer margins of the Rising Sun system. Momentum Building: Ten rigs operational with 39 holes pending results. Sunday Creek now contains 95 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq from 239 drill holes, underscoring the high-grade potential of this deposit.

Photos 1 and 2: Visible gold in SDDSC196 in quartz + carbonate +/- stibnite veining from 869.19 m (978 g/t Au, 0.06% Sb). Field of view 2 cm in both images.

Michael Hudson, President & CEO states: "This hole is a statement of deposit quality. A 559 m mineralized corridor averaging 2.5 g/t AuEq (uncut) - punctuated by ultra-high grades including nearly 20 ounces per tonne gold - is exactly what we hoped to see as we infill the Rising Sun system. What this means: we're confirming not just grade, but the scale and continuity required to underpin a meaningful resource.

"What makes these results particularly compelling is predictability. We infilled at 15-30 m spacing, hit where we expected to hit, and discovered four new vein sets in the process. What this means: the system is behaving consistently, and it remains open. We're not chasing isolated high-grade shoots; we're defining a coherent, stacked vein system - one of five mineralized areas hosting 95 vein sets collectively.

"The highest individual antimony assay on the project to date - 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (plus 78.5 g/t Au) - arrives as antimony prices have tripled since China's export restrictions, with no Western supply response yet in sight. What this means: Sunday Creek's strategic value is sharpening at exactly the right time.

"With ten rigs operating and 39 holes awaiting assays, we are systematically converting exploration potential into the drill density required for resource definition."

For Those Who Like the Details - Highlights:

SDDSC196 the standout hole traversed 559 m of mineralization (376 m to 936 m) grading 2.5 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 0.18% Sb) - exceptional by global standards. Highlights included: 559.2 m @ 2.5 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au and 0.2% Sb) from 376.4 m (uncut) including: 3.8 m @ 30.3 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 8.7% Sb) from 376.4 m - strong width with grade (Figure 6) 0.4 m @ 113.7 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 46.7% Sb) from 384.4 m - antimony-dominant high-grade 1.3 m @ 54.5 g/t AuEq (26.6 g/t Au, 11.6% Sb) from 445.7 m - includes record 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb 0.3 m @ 219.1 g/t AuEq (84.1 g/t Au, 56.5% Sb) from 528.7 m - exceptional antimony grade 1.3 m @ 670.4 g/t AuEq (670.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m - 7th highest intercept on project; includes 0.9 m @ 978 g/t Au 1.0 m @ 24.7 g/t AuEq (24.7 g/t Au) from 930.5 m - mineralization continues to depth

SDDSC176 - High-Grade Confirmation: 4.2 m @ 25.7 g/t AuEq (15.6 g/t Au, 4.2% Sb) from 521.2 m including: 1.4 m @ 77.0 g/t AuEq; confirms RS4 high-grade core

SDDSC187 - Footprint Expansion: 5.2 m @ 7.8 g/t AuEq (5.8 g/t Au, 0.8% Sb) from 292.7 m - incl. 0.1 m @ 126.7 g/t AuEq; three new vein sets identified 0.4 m @ 57.5 g/t AuEq (24.0 g/t Au, 14.0% Sb) from 433.6 m - high-grade Au-Sb shoot



Drill Hole Discussion

Four drill holes are reported here that targeted the Rising Sun prospect from both east to west and west to east orientations.

SDDSC196

SDDSC196, drilled west to east, intersected sixteen vein sets in Rising Sun, including seven high-grade mineralized zones, four of which had not been defined before this drillhole. The hole delivered exceptional individual assays, with 3 individual results >100 g/t Au including a standout 0.9 m @ 978 g/t Au (0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m, 0.21 m @ 144 g/t Au from 459.0 m, and 0.19 m @ 127 g/t Au (46.3% Sb) from 379.74 m, alongside high-grade antimony individual assays >40% Sb with a project record of the highest individual antimony result on the project to date 0.16 m @ 65.9% Sb (78.5 g/t Au) from 445.9 m, 0.28 m @ 56.5% Sb (84.1 g/t Au) from 528.7 m, 0.23 m @ 54.7% Sb (20.3 g/t Au) from 379.5 m, and 0.42 m @ 46.7% Sb (2.1 g/t Au) from 384.4 m.

The drillhole successfully infilled between 15 m to 30 m up and downdip spacing (Figure 6) and delivered a standout intersection of 1.3 m @ 670.4 g/t AuEq (670.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m, the 7th best intersection on the project to date and a 36 m downdip extension of RS90. Four previously unrecognized vein sets were identified, and the hole also achieved a 39 m downdip extension of RS100, demonstrating continued mineralization at depth.

Selected highlights include:

3.8 m @ 30.3 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 8.7% Sb) from 376.4 m, including; 1.2 m @ 90.0 g/t AuEq (27.1 g/t Au, 26.3% Sb) from 378.7 m

0.4 m @ 113.7 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 46.7% Sb) from 384.4 m

1.3 m @ 54.5 g/t AuEq (26.6 g/t Au, 11.6% Sb) from 445.7 m

0.6 m @ 51.2 g/t AuEq (51.1 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 459.0 m, including; 0.2 m @ 144.0 g/t AuEq (144.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 459.0 m

4.8 m @ 3.2 g/t AuEq (2.9 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 479.5 m

0.3 m @ 219.1 g/t AuEq (84.1 g/t Au, 56.5% Sb) from 528.7 m

5.7 m @ 2.3 g/t AuEq (2.1 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 659.7 m

1.9 m @ 8.4 g/t AuEq (8.4 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 847.4 m, including; 0.9 m @ 16.7 g/t AuEq (16.7 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 847.4 m

1.3 m @ 670.4 g/t AuEq (670.2 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 869.2 m

2.5 m @ 7.4 g/t AuEq (7.3 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 885.1 m, including; 0.4 m @ 42.1 g/t AuEq (41.9 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 885.1 m

1.0 m @ 24.7 g/t AuEq (24.7 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 930.5 m, including; 0.3 m @ 85.8 g/t AuEq (85.8 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 930.5 m



SDDSC176

SDDSC176, drilled east to west, intersected three vein sets in Rising Sun, including the confirmation of a high-grade core (30 m up-dip and downdip infill on RS 4). The hole delivered exceptional individual assays, with 1 individual result >100 g/t Au with 0.24 m @ 114 g/t Au (6.4% Sb) from 524.66 m, alongside a high-grade antimony individual assay >30% Sb of 0.36 m @ 31.6% Sb (54 g/t Au) from 523.97 m.

Selected highlights include:

2.4 m @ 9.8 g/t AuEq (7.3 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 516.7 m, including; 0.6 m @ 36.0 g/t AuEq (27.5 g/t Au, 3.6% Sb) from 516.7 m

4.2 m @ 25.7 g/t AuEq (15.6 g/t Au, 4.2% Sb) from 521.2 m, including; 1.4 m @ 77.0 g/t AuEq (46.4 g/t Au, 12.8% Sb) from 524.0 m



SDDSC176 demonstrated the presence of exceptional antimony-gold mineralization within Rising Sun, with individual assays confirming the high-grade nature of the system.

SDDSC187

SDDSC187, drilled west to east, intersected seven vein sets in Rising Sun, including three vein sets not previously defined, expanding the known extent of the mineralized system. The hole identified a high-grade core and delivered outstanding individual assays, including a result >100 g/t Au with 0.11 m @ 122 g/t Au (1.98% Sb) from 297.71 m and a high-grade antimony intercept >30% Sb with 0.15 m @ 40.3% Sb (57.8 g/t Au) from 433.56 m.

Selected highlights include:

5.2 m @ 7.8 g/t AuEq (5.8 g/t Au, 0.8% Sb) from 292.7 m, including; 1.5 m @ 14.8 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 2.2% Sb) from 292.7 m 0.1 m @ 126.7 g/t AuEq (122.0 g/t Au, 2.0% Sb) from 297.7 m

2.3 m @ 9.1 g/t AuEq (7.0 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 307.0 m, including; 0.3 m @ 58.1 g/t AuEq (44.5 g/t Au, 5.7% Sb) from 309.0 m

2.2 m @ 13.1 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 1.5% Sb) from 315.3 m, including; 0.6 m @ 40.8 g/t AuEq (30.0 g/t Au, 4.5% Sb) from 316.4 m

6.6 m @ 4.8 g/t AuEq (1.4 g/t Au, 1.4% Sb) from 322.8 m, including; 0.6 m @ 25.5 g/t AuEq (3.0 g/t Au, 9.4% Sb) from 328.5 m

0.4 m @ 57.5 g/t AuEq (24.0 g/t Au, 14.0% Sb) from 433.6 m, including;

8.6 m @ 2.7 g/t AuEq (2.5 g/t Au, 0.1% Sb) from 476.4 m, including; 1.2 m @ 9.7 g/t AuEq (9.6 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 476.4 m



SDDSC187 successfully extended the Rising Sun mineralized footprint by intersecting three previously undefined vein sets, while confirming continuation of high-grade gold-antimony mineralization.

SDDSC190

SDDSC190, drilled west to east, intersected three vein sets on the peripheries of the Rising Sun structure, including one vein set not previously defined. This hole contributed to defining the outer margins of the mineralized system and provided important geological information regarding the peripheral extent of the Rising Sun system, contributing to the overall understanding of the mineralized envelope.

Selected highlights include:

8.0 m @ 1.3 g/t AuEq (1.3 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 227.0 m

Pending Results and Update

Nine drill rigs are currently operational on the Sunday Creek project with one additional drill rig dedicated to regional exploration. Results are pending from 39 holes currently being processed and analyzed including ten holes that are actively being drilled and two abandoned holes (Figure 2). The Company continues its ongoing 200,000 m drill program through to Q1 2027.

AME Roundup 2026 - Vancouver

Southern Cross Gold will be presenting and exhibiting at AME Roundup 2026 in Vancouver this week. Head of Exploration Kenneth Bush will present in the Precious Metals Session on Wednesday, January 28 at 10:05am, covering the latest thoughts and results from the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project

Also visit us at Coreshack Booth 926 on Wednesday and Thursday (January 28-29) at AME Roundup 2026 to meet Kenneth and Exploration Manager Tyler Lamb - and see some of Sunday Creek's high-grade gold core for yourself. Full schedule at roundup.amebc.ca/schedule.

About Sunday Creek

The Sunday Creek epizonal-style gold project is located 60 km north of Melbourne within 16,900 hectares ("Ha") of granted exploration tenements. SXGC is also the freehold landholder of 1,392 Ha that forms the key portion in and around the main drilled area at the Sunday Creek Project.

Gold and antimony form in a relay of vein sets that cut across a steeply dipping zone of intensely altered rocks (the "host"). These vein sets are like a "Golden Ladder" structure where the main host extends between the side rails deep into the earth, with multiple cross-cutting vein sets that host the gold forming the rungs. At Apollo and Rising Sun these individual 'rungs' have been defined over 600 m depth extent from surface to over 1,100 m below surface, are 2.5 m to 3.5 m wide (median widths) (and up to 10 m), and 20 m to 100 m in strike.

Cumulatively, 239 drill holes for 110,332.94 m have been reported from Sunday Creek since late 2020. This amount includes five holes for 929 m that have been drilled for geotechnical purposes and 22 holes for 2,973.77 m that were abandoned due to deviation or hole conditions. Fourteen drillholes for 2,383 m have been reported regionally outside of the main Sunday Creek drill area with three additional regional holes currently being processed. A total of 64 historic drill holes for 5,599 m were completed from the late 1960s to 2008. The project now contains a total of 95 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq and 107 composite intersections between 50-100 g/t AuEq by applying a 1 m (down hole length) @ 5 g/t AuEq lower cut.

Southern Cross Gold's systematic drill program is strategically targeting these significant vein formations, which are currently defined over 1,350 m strike of the host dyke/sediment ("rails of the ladder") from Christina to Apollo prospects, of which approximately 620 m has been more intensively drill tested (Rising Sun to Apollo). At least 95 'rungs' have been defined to date, defined by high-grade intercepts (20 g/t Au to >7,330 g/t Au) along with lower grade edges. Ongoing step-out drilling is aiming to uncover the potential extent of this mineralized system (Figure 5).

Geologically, the project is located within the Melbourne Structural Zone in the Lachlan Fold Belt. The regional host to the Sunday Creek mineralization is an interbedded turbidite sequence of siltstones and minor sandstones metamorphosed to sub-greenschist facies and folded into a set of open north-west trending folds.

Further Information

Further discussion and analysis of the Sunday Creek project is available through the interactive Vrify 3D animations, presentations and videos all available on the SXGC website. These data, along with an interview on these results with President & CEO/Managing Director Michael Hudson can be viewed at www.southerncrossgold.com.

No upper gold grade cut is applied in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. However, during future Mineral Resource studies, the requirement for assay top cutting will be assessed. The Company notes that due to rounding of assay results to one significant figure, minor variations in calculated composite grades may occur.

Figures 1 to 6 show project location, plan and longitudinal views of drill results reported here and Tables 1 to 3 provide collar and assay data. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals are reported individually as estimated true widths ("ETW"), otherwise they are interpreted to be approximately 50% to 65% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes. Lower grades were cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum width of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 1 m width.

Critical Metal Epizonal Gold-Antimony Deposits

Sunday Creek (Figure 5) is an epizonal gold-antimony deposit formed in the late Devonian (like Fosterville, Costerfield and Redcastle), 60 million years later than mesozonal gold systems formed in Victoria (for example Ballarat and Bendigo). Epizonal deposits are a form of orogenic gold deposit classified according to their depth of formation: epizonal (<6 km), mesozonal (6 km to 12 km) and hypozonal (>12 km).

Epizonal deposits in Victoria often have associated high levels of the critical metal, antimony, and Sunday Creek is no exception. China claims a 56 per cent share of global mined supplies of antimony, according to a 2023 European Union study. Antimony features highly on the critical minerals lists of many countries including Australia, the United States of America, Canada, Japan and the European Union. Australia ranks seventh for antimony production despite all production coming from a single mine at Costerfield in Victoria, located nearby to all SXGC projects. Antimony alloys with lead and tin which results in improved properties for solders, munitions, bearings and batteries. Antimony is a prominent additive for halogen-containing flame retardants. Adequate supplies of antimony are critical to the world's energy transition, and to the high-tech industry, especially the semi-conductor and defence sectors where it is a critical additive to primers in munitions.

In August 2024, the Chinese government announced it will place export limits from September 15, 2024 on antimony and antimony products. This puts pressure on Western defence supply chains and negatively affect the supply of the metal and push up pricing given China's dominance of the supply of the metal in the global markets. This is positive for SXGC as we are likely to have one of the very few large and high-quality projects of antimony in the western world that can feed western demand into the future.

Antimony represents approximately 21% to 24% in situ recoverable value of Sunday Creek at an AuEq of 2.39 ratio.

About Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Limited (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3)

Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3), is building Australia's most significant gold-antimony project at the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project, located 60 km north of Melbourne. Sunday Creek has emerged as one of the Western world's most significant gold and antimony discoveries, with exceptional drilling results including 95 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq from 115.9 km of drilling (including historic drilling). The mineralization follows a "Golden Ladder" structure over 12 km of strike length, with confirmed continuity from surface to 1,100 m depth.

Sunday Creek's strategic value is enhanced by its dual-metal profile. The Company is building a significant project - and in doing so, securing a critical mineral the Western world needs. With antimony contributing approximately 20% of in-situ value alongside gold, Sunday Creek can be developed primarily based on gold economics, which reduces antimony-related risks while maintaining strategic supply optionality. This has gained increased significance following China's export restrictions on antimony, a critical metal for defence and semiconductor applications. Southern Cross' inclusion in the US Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) and Australia's AUKUS-related legislative changes position it as a potential key Western antimony supplier.

Technical fundamentals further strengthen the investment case, with preliminary metallurgical work showing non-refractory mineralization suitable for conventional processing and gold recoveries of 93% to 98% through gravity and flotation.

With a strong cash position, 1,392 Ha of strategic freehold land ownership, and a large 200 km drill program planned through Q1 2027, SXGC is well-positioned to advance this globally significant gold-antimony discovery in a tier-one jurisdiction, delivering milestone by milestone.

This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.

NI 43-101 Technical Background and Qualified Person

Michael Hudson, President, CEO and Managing Director of SXGC, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and Mr Kenneth Bush, Head of Exploration of SXGC and a RPGeo (10315) of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, are the Qualified Persons as defined by the NI 43-101. They have prepared, reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release.

Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process.

SXGC considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered and sold at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Alkane Resources (previously Mandalay Resources) contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Resources Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony.

SXGC considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its 2024 End of Year Mineral Reserves and Resources Press Release, dated February 20, 2025. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using Costerfield's 2024 production costs, using a gold price of US$2,500 per ounce, an antimony price of US$19,000 per tonne and 2024 total year metal recoveries of 91% for gold and 92% for antimony, and is as follows:

AuEq = Au (g/t) + 2.39 x Sb (%)

Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXGC considers that a AuEq = Au (g/t) + 2.39 x Sb (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek.

JORC Competent Person Statement

Information in this announcement that relates to new exploration results contained in this report is based on information compiled by Mr Kenneth Bush and Mr Michael Hudson. Mr Bush is a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a Registered Professional Geologist in the field of Mining (#10315) and Mr Hudson is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Bush and Mr Hudson each have sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit 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 Bush is Head of Exploration and Mr Hudson is President, CEO and Managing Director of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Limited and both consent to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

Certain information in this announcement that relates to prior exploration results is extracted from the Independent Geologist's Report dated 11 December 2024 which was issued with the consent of the Competent Person, Mr Steven Tambanis. The report is included the Company's prospectus dated 11 December 2024 and is available at www.asx.com.au under code "SX2". The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information related to exploration results included in the original market announcement. The Company confirms that the form and context of the Competent Persons' findings in relation to the report have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.

Certain information in this announcement also relates to prior drill hole exploration results, are extracted from the following announcements, which are available to view on www.southerncrossgold.com:

The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original document/announcement and the Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person's findings are presented have not materially modified from the original market announcement.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political, social uncertainties; the state of capital markets, unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in the Company's documents filed with Canadian or Australian (under code SX2) securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made by the Company with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada or Australia (under code SX2), as applicable, and available for the Company in Canada at www.sedarplus.ca or in Australia at www.asx.com.au (under code SX2). Documents are also available at www.southerncrossgold.com The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.



Figure 1: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected results from holes SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 reported here (dark blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected prior reported drill holes.

Figure 2: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected drillhole traces from holes SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 reported here (black trace), with prior reported drill holes (grey trace) and currently drilling and assays pending hole traces (dark blue).

Figure 3: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across A-B in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the NW (striking 56 degrees) indicating mineralized vein sets. Showing holes SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 reported here (dark blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. The vertical extents of the vein sets are limited by proximity to drill hole pierce points.

Figure 4: Sunday Creek regional plan view showing soil sampling, structural framework, regional historic epizonal gold mining areas and broad regional areas tested by 12 holes for 2,383 m drill program. The regional drill areas are at Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan located 4,000-7,500 m along strike from the main drill area at Golden Dyke- Apollo. Map in GDA94/ MGA Zone 55.

Figure 5: Location of the Sunday Creek project, along with the 100% owned Redcastle Gold-Antimony Project

Figure 6: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across C-D in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the East (striking 346 degrees) indicating mineralized vein set RS01.

Table 1: Drill collar summary table for recent drill holes in progress.

This Release Hole ID Depth (m) Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC176 865.8 Golden Dyke 330950.2 5868006.1 313.7 -53.2 257.3 SDDSC187 518.3 Rising Sun 330510.7 5867852.7 295.4 -50.5 75.4 SDDSC190 451.8 Rising Sun 330511.4 5867852.5 295.5 -40.8 80.1 SDDSC196 1082.53 Rising Sun 330484.2 5867893.4 289.5 -64.4 74.8 Currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Depth (m) Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC180 1159.77 Christina 330753.2 5867732.9 306.8 -45 273.1 SDDSC191W1 1132.9 Christina 330753.5 5867733 306.8 -46.3 275.2 SDDSC193 668.1 Golden Dyke 330775.4 5867891 295.5 -58.6 262.2 SDDSC194 929 Golden Dyke 330811.4 5867596.4 295.1 -64.4 310 SDDSC194W1 1438.86 Golden Dyke 330811.4 5867596.4 295.1 -64.4 311.2 SDDSC195 152.15 Apollo 330989.7 5867715.6 318 -53.3 60.5 SDDSC197 791.5 Golden Dyke 330217.8 5867664.2 268.9 -58.7 50.8 SDDSC198 273.6 Apollo 331180.4 5867849.1 306.1 -31.5 248.6 SDDSC199 503.43 Apollo 330887.5 5867704.5 312.7 -42.8 52.2 SDDSC200 320.54 Apollo 330887.2 5867704.3 312.7 -47.8 53 SDDSC201 321.4 Rising Sun 330948.3 5868003.4 313.3 -28.9 231.3 SDDSC202 In Progress plan 1100 m Apollo 331596.2 5867936.6 345.6 -43.4 266.9 SDDSC203 547 Golden Dyke 330775.3 5867888.9 295.5 -47.5 253.4 SDDSC204 1208.3 Apollo 331615.6 5867952.4 346.5 -58.2 270.4 SDDSC205 In Progress plan 1320 m Rising Sun 330339.8 5867858.5 276.8 -64.6 75.8 SDDSC206 286.2 Golden Dyke 330752.7 5867734.4 306.9 -33 301 SDDSC207 584.25 Christina 330094.8 5867459.3 278.3 -48.8 20.7 SDDSC208 929.3 Christina 330753.5 5867733 306.7 -47.1 281 SDDSC209 271.58 Apollo East 331463.3 5867746.4 341.2 -30.5 34 SDDSC210 512 Golden Dyke 330813.6 5867847.5 301.1 -43.6 264.3 SDDSC211 380.02 Golden Dyke 330700.3 5867880.2 299.4 -40.1 250.4 SDDSC212 438.7 Apollo East 331464.9 5867866.4 333.2 -33.2 261.3 SDDSC213 941.4 Golden Dyke 330094.2 5867458.6 278.3 -62.6 14.6 SDDSC214 431.6 Apollo 331615.5 5867952.7 346.8 -55.2 269 SDDSC214W1 In Progress plan 1150 m Apollo 331615.5 5867951.7 346.8 0 0 SDDSC215 476.39 Regional 331603.6 5867183.7 304.9 -38.2 15.4 SDDSC216A 572.36 Golden Dyke 330701.2 5867880.5 299.6 -46.1 250.6 SDDSC217 490.7 Apollo East 331481.2 5867839.5 335.4 -25 261.9 SDDSC218 In Progress plan 700 m Golden Dyke 330813.6 5867847.5 301.1 -47.6 265.5 SDDSC219 392.2 Golden Dyke 330701.5 5867880.3 299.6 -49.2 247.8 SDDSC220 In Progress plan 830 m Christina 329780.9 5867551.9 286.5 -26 70.8 SDDSC221 926.6 Golden Dyke 330754.1 5867733 307 -50.6 284.1 SDDSC223 In Progress plan 370 m Apollo East 331481 5867842 336.2 -34 262 SDDSC224 496.9 Golden Dyke 330700.3 5867880.2 299.4 -37 245.8 SDDSC225 In Progress plan 1270 m Golden Dyke 330753.5 5867733 306.8 -52.8 283.8 SDDSC226 In Progress plan 1900 m Rising Sun 331273 5867124 290 56 336.5 SDDSC228 In Progress plan 440 m Golden Dyke 330701.5 5867880.3 299.6 -47 245 Regional holes currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Press Release Depth Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDRE016 410.5 Redcastle 302732 5927292 194.61 -50 68 SDDRE017 In Progress plan 359.8 m Redcastle 305388.6 5926618 206.62 -50 70 SDDTS009 In Progress plan 425 m Tonstall 336992 5870553 524.6 -28.3 285 Abandoned Drillholes currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Press Release Depth Prospect East

GDA94 Z55 North

GDA94 Z55 Elevation

(m) Dip Azimuth

GDA94 Z55 SDDSC191 864.4 Christina 330753.5 5867733 306.8 -46.1 275.2 SDDSC216 131.2 Golden Dyke 330700.3 5867880.2 299.4 -46.5 252.3

Table 2: Table of mineralized drill hole intersections reported from SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 with two cutoff criteria. Lower grades cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq cutoff over a maximum of 1 m. Significant intersections and interval depths are rounded to one decimal place.

Hole number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC176 516.67 519.07 2.40 7.3 1.0 9.8 Including 516.67 517.27 0.60 27.5 3.6 36.0 SDDSC176 521.15 525.35 4.20 15.6 4.2 25.7 Including 523.97 525.37 1.40 46.4 12.8 77.0 SDDSC176 550.45 551.65 1.20 4.4 0.2 4.9 SDDSC187 238.06 239.66 1.60 2.3 1.3 5.4 Including 238.27 239.57 1.30 2.4 1.5 5.9 SDDSC187 241.29 245.19 3.90 1.1 0.1 1.4 SDDSC187 266.00 269.80 3.80 0.7 0.2 1.1 SDDSC187 278.87 278.97 0.10 1.8 12.5 31.7 SDDSC187 281.07 284.17 3.10 0.3 0.6 1.8 SDDSC187 292.67 297.87 5.20 5.8 0.8 7.8 Including 292.67 294.17 1.50 9.6 2.2 14.8 Including 297.71 297.81 0.10 122.0 2.0 126.7 SDDSC187 302.27 305.17 2.90 0.8 0.2 1.3 SDDSC187 307.02 309.32 2.30 7.0 0.9 9.1 Including 309.00 309.30 0.30 44.5 5.7 58.1 SDDSC187 315.33 317.53 2.20 9.6 1.5 13.1 Including 316.44 317.04 0.60 30.0 4.5 40.8 SDDSC187 319.34 319.84 0.50 6.7 0.8 8.8 SDDSC187 322.80 329.40 6.60 1.4 1.4 4.8 Including 322.80 324.40 1.60 2.2 1.2 5.1 Including 328.49 329.09 0.60 3.0 9.4 25.5 SDDSC187 433.56 433.96 0.40 24.0 14.0 57.5 SDDSC187 472.12 472.62 0.50 3.3 1.3 6.5 SDDSC187 476.44 485.04 8.60 2.5 0.1 2.7 Including 476.44 477.64 1.20 9.6 0.0 9.7 SDDSC190 222.00 222.90 0.90 3.4 0.0 3.5 SDDSC190 227.00 235.00 8.00 1.3 0.0 1.3 SDDSC190 428.06 428.96 0.90 6.6 0.1 6.8 SDDSC196 376.43 380.23 3.80 9.6 8.7 30.3 Including 378.69 379.89 1.20 27.1 26.3 90.0 SDDSC196 384.35 384.75 0.40 2.1 46.7 113.7 SDDSC196 389.59 391.49 1.90 3.8 0.0 3.9 SDDSC196 430.15 431.35 1.20 0.5 0.5 1.7 SDDSC196 438.27 440.57 2.30 1.6 0.7 3.2 Including 440.38 440.58 0.20 16.6 7.0 33.4 SDDSC196 445.71 447.01 1.30 26.6 11.6 54.5 SDDSC196 458.97 459.57 0.60 51.1 0.0 51.2 Including 458.97 459.17 0.20 144.0 0.0 144.0 SDDSC196 465.85 466.45 0.60 3.2 0.7 5.0 SDDSC196 473.29 474.19 0.90 1.2 0.5 2.5 SDDSC196 479.45 484.25 4.80 2.9 0.1 3.2 SDDSC196 514.00 514.50 0.50 10.0 0.0 10.0 SDDSC196 528.72 529.02 0.30 84.1 56.5 219.1 SDDSC196 656.44 657.14 0.70 2.3 0.8 4.1 SDDSC196 659.72 665.42 5.70 2.1 0.1 2.3 Including 665.10 665.40 0.30 23.5 0.1 23.8 SDDSC196 673.17 673.77 0.60 4.2 0.4 5.2 SDDSC196 705.03 709.43 4.40 0.2 0.8 2.0 SDDSC196 716.30 716.40 0.10 37.1 11.1 63.6 SDDSC196 722.03 724.03 2.00 1.2 0.0 1.3 SDDSC196 847.38 849.28 1.90 8.4 0.0 8.4 SDDSC196 860.08 860.48 0.40 7.5 0.0 7.5 SDDSC196 869.19 870.49 1.30 670.2 0.1 670.4 SDDSC196 885.10 887.60 2.50 7.3 0.0 7.4 Including 885.10 885.50 0.40 41.9 0.1 42.1 SDDSC196 930.50 931.50 1.00 24.7 0.0 24.7 Including 930.50 930.80 0.30 85.8 0.0 85.8

Table 3: All individual assays reported from SDDSC176, SDDSC187, SDDSC190 and SDDSC196 reported here >0.1g/t AuEq. Individual assay and sample intervals are reported to two decimal places.

Hole number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Sb % AuEq g/t SDDSC176 499.73 500.76 1.03 0.17 0.00 0.18 SDDSC176 516.67 517.03 0.36 45.30 0.30 46.02 SDDSC176 517.03 517.27 0.24 0.71 8.44 20.88 SDDSC176 517.27 517.49 0.22 0.68 0.56 2.02 SDDSC176 517.49 517.93 0.44 0.29 0.30 1.01 SDDSC176 518.47 519.05 0.58 0.82 0.14 1.15 SDDSC176 519.59 520.03 0.44 0.29 0.17 0.70 SDDSC176 521.15 521.55 0.40 2.05 0.19 2.50 SDDSC176 521.91 522.08 0.17 0.76 0.19 1.21 SDDSC176 522.53 523.03 0.50 0.23 0.08 0.43 SDDSC176 523.24 523.8 0.56 1.00 0.00 1.01 SDDSC176 523.97 524.33 0.36 54.00 31.60 129.52 SDDSC176 524.33 524.44 0.11 1.01 0.06 1.16 SDDSC176 524.44 524.66 0.22 25.30 0.08 25.50 SDDSC176 524.66 524.9 0.24 114.00 6.38 129.25 SDDSC176 524.9 525.17 0.27 20.80 3.78 29.83 SDDSC176 525.17 525.34 0.17 32.50 20.90 82.45 SDDSC176 535.16 535.87 0.71 0.78 0.01 0.80 SDDSC176 547.87 549.17 1.30 0.04 0.03 0.10 SDDSC176 549.88 550.45 0.57 0.76 0.08 0.95 SDDSC176 550.45 550.65 0.20 2.43 1.17 5.23 SDDSC176 550.65 551.38 0.73 0.27 0.06 0.41 SDDSC176 551.38 551.63 0.25 17.80 0.04 17.90 SDDSC176 556.06 556.17 0.11 1.95 2.04 6.83 SDDSC176 556.17 556.62 0.45 1.44 0.23 1.99 SDDSC176 556.62 557.92 1.30 0.16 0.03 0.22 SDDSC176 558.72 559.27 0.55 0.37 0.02 0.41 SDDSC176 567.54 567.99 0.45 2.31 0.02 2.36 SDDSC176 569.02 570.21 1.19 0.35 0.06 0.49 SDDSC176 570.21 570.66 0.45 0.69 0.05 0.81 SDDSC176 570.66 571.88 1.22 0.10 0.02 0.14 SDDSC176 587.87 588.52 0.65 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC176 588.52 588.64 0.12 1.84 0.01 1.86 SDDSC176 602.47 603.26 0.79 0.22 0.01 0.23 SDDSC176 658.95 659.6 0.65 0.25 0.01 0.26 SDDSC187 236.5 237.37 0.87 0.14 0.01 0.15 SDDSC187 238.06 238.27 0.21 1.69 0.02 1.73 SDDSC187 238.27 238.57 0.30 3.38 6.39 18.65 SDDSC187 239.18 239.5 0.32 0.30 0.03 0.37 SDDSC187 239.5 239.61 0.11 18.70 0.50 19.90 SDDSC187 241.29 241.75 0.46 1.01 0.99 3.38 SDDSC187 241.75 242.05 0.30 0.42 0.06 0.56 SDDSC187 242.56 242.71 0.15 1.06 0.01 1.09 SDDSC187 243.44 243.84 0.40 5.96 0.01 5.99 SDDSC187 244.16 244.52 0.36 0.52 0.01 0.53 SDDSC187 244.52 245.17 0.65 1.00 0.01 1.03 SDDSC187 245.17 245.42 0.25 0.38 0.02 0.42 SDDSC187 245.78 246.46 0.68 0.23 0.00 0.24 SDDSC187 246.46 246.9 0.44 0.35 0.00 0.36 SDDSC187 246.9 247.14 0.24 5.36 0.02 5.40 SDDSC187 247.14 247.86 0.72 0.67 0.00 0.68 SDDSC187 247.86 248.46 0.60 0.28 0.00 0.29 SDDSC187 249.25 249.88 0.63 0.59 0.00 0.60 SDDSC187 249.98 250.3 0.32 0.38 0.00 0.39 SDDSC187 252.28 252.46 0.18 0.05 0.42 1.05 SDDSC187 258.64 258.76 0.12 2.39 3.09 9.78 SDDSC187 259.02 259.24 0.22 0.21 1.12 2.89 SDDSC187 259.24 260.1 0.86 0.50 0.03 0.57 SDDSC187 265.47 265.72 0.25 0.68 0.02 0.72 SDDSC187 266 266.38 0.38 1.18 0.01 1.19 SDDSC187 266.66 266.97 0.31 1.32 0.45 2.40 SDDSC187 266.97 267.74 0.77 0.39 0.28 1.06 SDDSC187 267.74 268.52 0.78 0.35 0.02 0.39 SDDSC187 268.52 269.21 0.69 0.68 0.43 1.71 SDDSC187 269.21 269.8 0.59 0.96 0.10 1.20 SDDSC187 270.5 271.42 0.92 0.46 0.10 0.69 SDDSC187 271.42 271.8 0.38 0.36 0.19 0.81 SDDSC187 272.3 273.24 0.94 0.80 0.01 0.83 SDDSC187 277.62 277.98 0.36 0.26 0.01 0.28 SDDSC187 277.98 278.87 0.89 0.18 0.01 0.21 SDDSC187 278.87 278.98 0.11 1.83 12.50 31.71 SDDSC187 279.15 280 0.85 0.31 0.28 0.98 SDDSC187 280 281.07 1.07 0.12 0.02 0.16 SDDSC187 281.07 281.19 0.12 0.20 0.83 2.18 SDDSC187 281.19 282.17 0.98 0.11 0.02 0.16 SDDSC187 282.17 282.61 0.44 0.62 0.47 1.74 SDDSC187 282.61 283.18 0.57 0.16 0.02 0.20 SDDSC187 283.18 283.68 0.50 0.20 3.01 7.39 SDDSC187 283.88 284.14 0.26 1.68 0.05 1.79 SDDSC187 284.14 285.05 0.91 0.40 0.01 0.42 SDDSC187 285.05 286.07 1.02 0.30 0.02 0.34 SDDSC187 288.37 288.5 0.13 1.18 1.20 4.05 SDDSC187 289.68 290.42 0.74 0.08 0.09 0.29 SDDSC187 290.76 291.32 0.56 0.15 0.22 0.68 SDDSC187 292.21 292.67 0.46 0.34 0.02 0.39 SDDSC187 292.67 293.1 0.43 23.00 3.53 31.44 SDDSC187 293.1 293.38 0.28 0.68 0.08 0.87 SDDSC187 293.38 293.49 0.11 7.78 6.12 22.41 SDDSC187 293.49 293.83 0.34 1.57 1.58 5.35 SDDSC187 293.83 294.17 0.34 8.50 1.62 12.37 SDDSC187 294.17 294.87 0.70 0.25 0.05 0.36 SDDSC187 294.87 295.44 0.57 0.97 0.62 2.45 SDDSC187 295.79 296.03 0.24 1.77 0.12 2.06 SDDSC187 296.03 296.52 0.49 1.38 0.04 1.47 SDDSC187 296.52 296.88 0.36 0.29 0.01 0.32 SDDSC187 296.88 297.21 0.33 0.60 0.47 1.72 SDDSC187 297.21 297.71 0.50 0.30 0.02 0.34 SDDSC187 297.71 297.82 0.11 122.00 1.98 126.73 SDDSC187 300.78 301.22 0.44 0.25 0.03 0.32 SDDSC187 301.95 302.27 0.32 0.18 0.25 0.78 SDDSC187 302.27 302.9 0.63 2.45 0.44 3.50 SDDSC187 303.32 303.45 0.13 0.64 1.23 3.58 SDDSC187 303.45 303.85 0.40 0.50 0.16 0.88 SDDSC187 303.85 304.79 0.94 0.30 0.03 0.37 SDDSC187 304.79 305.2 0.41 0.79 0.10 1.03 SDDSC187 305.2 305.95 0.75 0.43 0.03 0.50 SDDSC187 307.02 307.44 0.42 6.76 0.84 8.77 SDDSC187 307.44 308.24 0.80 0.56 0.04 0.66 SDDSC187 308.4 309 0.60 0.58 0.02 0.63 SDDSC187 309 309.27 0.27 44.50 5.71 58.15 SDDSC187 309.27 309.57 0.30 0.92 0.02 0.96 SDDSC187 309.57 309.78 0.21 0.70 0.01 0.73 SDDSC187 309.78 310.25 0.47 0.27 0.02 0.32 SDDSC187 310.25 310.97 0.72 0.45 0.05 0.56 SDDSC187 310.97 311.34 0.37 0.93 0.04 1.03 SDDSC187 311.34 311.57 0.23 4.62 0.13 4.93 SDDSC187 311.57 311.93 0.36 0.61 0.04 0.71 SDDSC187 313.95 314.64 0.69 0.20 0.03 0.27 SDDSC187 314.64 315.33 0.69 0.49 0.02 0.54 SDDSC187 315.33 315.98 0.65 4.02 0.13 4.33 SDDSC187 315.98 316.44 0.46 1.41 0.57 2.77 SDDSC187 316.44 316.68 0.24 71.00 9.03 92.58 SDDSC187 316.68 316.87 0.19 1.03 0.25 1.63 SDDSC187 316.87 317.02 0.15 1.25 2.60 7.46 SDDSC187 317.33 317.5 0.17 0.56 1.08 3.14 SDDSC187 317.88 318.74 0.86 0.23 0.01 0.26 SDDSC187 319.34 319.64 0.30 0.21 0.43 1.24 SDDSC187 319.64 319.79 0.15 19.80 1.69 23.84 SDDSC187 319.79 320.36 0.57 0.17 0.10 0.41 SDDSC187 321.26 321.37 0.11 1.67 0.66 3.25 SDDSC187 321.86 321.97 0.11 0.22 0.31 0.96 SDDSC187 321.97 322.18 0.21 0.10 0.19 0.55 SDDSC187 322.45 322.8 0.35 0.24 0.12 0.53 SDDSC187 322.8 323.16 0.36 0.93 1.72 5.04 SDDSC187 323.16 323.59 0.43 4.82 2.38 10.51 SDDSC187 323.59 324.25 0.66 0.23 0.12 0.52 SDDSC187 324.25 324.36 0.11 7.77 1.41 11.14 SDDSC187 324.36 324.87 0.51 0.17 0.02 0.22 SDDSC187 324.87 324.98 0.11 0.34 0.50 1.54 SDDSC187 324.98 325.59 0.61 0.40 0.03 0.48 SDDSC187 325.59 325.9 0.31 0.30 0.03 0.36 SDDSC187 325.9 326.07 0.17 6.34 7.22 23.60 SDDSC187 326.07 326.17 0.10 2.24 0.37 3.12 SDDSC187 326.17 326.8 0.63 1.08 0.10 1.32 SDDSC187 327.12 327.26 0.14 4.88 3.70 13.72 SDDSC187 327.26 327.52 0.26 0.99 0.21 1.49 SDDSC187 328.08 328.49 0.41 0.71 0.04 0.80 SDDSC187 328.49 328.75 0.26 3.75 14.20 37.69 SDDSC187 328.75 329.06 0.31 2.38 5.37 15.21 SDDSC187 329.06 329.36 0.30 0.96 0.05 1.07 SDDSC187 329.36 329.77 0.41 0.23 0.16 0.61 SDDSC187 329.77 330.4 0.63 0.12 0.03 0.20 SDDSC187 333 334 1.00 0.29 0.01 0.31 SDDSC187 337 338 1.00 0.10 0.01 0.12 SDDSC187 345.42 345.74 0.32 0.32 0.02 0.36 SDDSC187 359.28 360.5 1.22 0.09 0.01 0.10 SDDSC187 406.9 407.45 0.55 0.19 0.00 0.20 SDDSC187 407.45 407.66 0.21 2.36 0.01 2.38 SDDSC187 427.4 428.7 1.30 0.16 0.02 0.22 SDDSC187 430.5 431.8 1.30 0.76 0.07 0.93 SDDSC187 431.8 432.28 0.48 0.29 0.24 0.86 SDDSC187 432.59 433.56 0.97 0.34 0.18 0.77 SDDSC187 433.56 433.71 0.15 57.80 40.30 154.12 SDDSC187 433.71 434 0.29 6.57 0.40 7.53 SDDSC187 434.57 434.77 0.20 0.64 0.01 0.67 SDDSC187 440.86 441.27 0.41 0.26 0.00 0.27 SDDSC187 442.47 443.77 1.30 0.10 0.01 0.12 SDDSC187 445.2 446.26 1.06 0.09 0.00 0.10 SDDSC187 467.05 468.03 0.98 0.19 0.05 0.30 SDDSC187 468.3 468.64 0.34 0.32 0.59 1.73 SDDSC187 468.64 469.19 0.55 0.57 0.31 1.31 SDDSC187 469.92 470.36 0.44 0.63 0.10 0.86 SDDSC187 472.12 472.42 0.30 0.35 0.50 1.55 SDDSC187 472.42 472.62 0.20 7.81 2.53 13.86 SDDSC187 474 475.13 1.13 0.22 0.02 0.26 SDDSC187 475.13 475.34 0.21 0.56 0.03 0.63 SDDSC187 476.44 477.63 1.19 9.61 0.05 9.73 SDDSC187 477.63 478.24 0.61 0.60 0.07 0.77 SDDSC187 478.24 478.81 0.57 0.21 0.08 0.39 SDDSC187 479.4 479.6 0.20 1.05 0.18 1.48 SDDSC187 479.95 480.5 0.55 0.22 0.04 0.31 SDDSC187 480.5 480.9 0.40 10.90 0.00 10.90 SDDSC187 480.9 481.9 1.00 0.53 0.04 0.62 SDDSC187 481.9 482.05 0.15 1.17 0.18 1.60 SDDSC187 482.05 482.75 0.70 0.83 0.52 2.07 SDDSC187 482.75 483 0.25 1.60 0.01 1.61 SDDSC187 483 484 1.00 1.10 0.17 1.51 SDDSC187 484 485 1.00 1.94 0.04 2.03 SDDSC187 489.85 490.65 0.80 0.17 0.01 0.19 SDDSC187 491.8 493 1.20 0.11 0.01 0.12 SDDSC190 207 207.9 0.90 0.18 0.01 0.19 SDDSC190 209.25 209.7 0.45 0.02 0.55 1.33 SDDSC190 210.65 211.33 0.68 0.20 0.00 0.21 SDDSC190 214.45 215.4 0.95 0.16 0.01 0.17 SDDSC190 215.4 216.6 1.20 1.21 0.02 1.26 SDDSC190 220 221 1.00 0.32 0.01 0.34 SDDSC190 222 222.9 0.90 3.43 0.01 3.45 SDDSC190 222.9 224 1.10 0.24 0.02 0.28 SDDSC190 225 226 1.00 0.13 0.02 0.19 SDDSC190 227 228 1.00 1.16 0.01 1.19 SDDSC190 228 229 1.00 3.15 0.02 3.19 SDDSC190 229 230 1.00 0.77 0.01 0.80 SDDSC190 230 230.45 0.45 0.73 0.01 0.76 SDDSC190 230.45 231 0.55 0.29 0.01 0.30 SDDSC190 231 232 1.00 1.24 0.01 1.25 SDDSC190 232 233 1.00 1.24 0.01 1.25 SDDSC190 233 234 1.00 0.43 0.01 0.45 SDDSC190 234 235 1.00 2.05 0.00 2.06 SDDSC190 235 235.65 0.65 0.28 0.00 0.29 SDDSC190 238 239 1.00 0.30 0.00 0.31 SDDSC190 423.03 424.16 1.13 0.79 0.03 0.86 SDDSC190 424.16 425.46 1.30 0.17 0.01 0.20 SDDSC190 425.46 426.76 1.30 0.17 0.02 0.21 SDDSC190 426.76 428.06 1.30 0.16 0.01 0.19 SDDSC190 428.06 428.57 0.51 6.40 0.05 6.51 SDDSC190 428.57 428.95 0.38 6.94 0.06 7.08 SDDSC190 428.95 430.25 1.30 0.19 0.01 0.21 SDDSC190 433.27 434.3 1.03 0.16 0.01 0.18 SDDSC190 434.67 435.88 1.21 0.10 0.01 0.12 SDDSC196 369.14 370.06 0.92 0.42 0.41 1.40 SDDSC196 370.06 371.36 1.30 0.04 0.03 0.11 SDDSC196 373.83 375.13 1.30 0.04 0.02 0.09 SDDSC196 376.43 377.73 1.30 1.60 0.03 1.68 SDDSC196 377.73 378.69 0.96 0.27 0.01 0.30 SDDSC196 378.69 379.31 0.62 1.44 2.62 7.70 SDDSC196 379.31 379.51 0.20 19.30 48.30 134.74 SDDSC196 379.51 379.74 0.23 20.30 54.70 151.03 SDDSC196 379.74 379.93 0.19 127.00 46.30 237.66 SDDSC196 379.93 380.2 0.27 1.07 0.05 1.18 SDDSC196 380.2 380.91 0.71 0.16 0.01 0.18 SDDSC196 380.91 381.07 0.16 0.81 0.01 0.84 SDDSC196 381.07 382.02 0.95 0.12 0.05 0.23 SDDSC196 382.02 382.88 0.86 0.09 0.02 0.13 SDDSC196 382.88 383.52 0.64 0.18 0.02 0.22 SDDSC196 384.35 384.77 0.42 2.11 46.70 113.72 SDDSC196 384.77 386.07 1.30 0.12 0.01 0.15 SDDSC196 389.59 389.99 0.40 1.10 0.01 1.12 SDDSC196 389.99 390.9 0.91 4.80 0.03 4.86 SDDSC196 390.9 391.51 0.61 4.16 0.00 4.16 SDDSC196 391.51 392.8 1.29 0.08 0.00 0.08 SDDSC196 419 420 1.00 0.64 0.01 0.66 SDDSC196 420 421 1.00 0.41 0.00 0.42 SDDSC196 426.5 427.15 0.65 0.37 0.21 0.87 SDDSC196 427.15 428.15 1.00 0.19 0.04 0.28 SDDSC196 428.15 429.15 1.00 0.15 0.01 0.17 SDDSC196 430.15 430.9 0.75 0.73 0.57 2.09 SDDSC196 430.9 431.3 0.40 0.15 0.39 1.08 SDDSC196 434.82 435.62 0.80 0.58 0.02 0.63 SDDSC196 436.22 436.53 0.31 0.37 0.11 0.63 SDDSC196 438.27 438.7 0.43 1.25 0.40 2.21 SDDSC196 439.48 439.7 0.22 1.11 0.80 3.02 SDDSC196 439.7 440.38 0.68 0.12 0.05 0.24 SDDSC196 440.38 440.54 0.16 16.60 7.03 33.40 SDDSC196 445.71 445.93 0.22 11.30 19.90 58.86 SDDSC196 445.93 446.09 0.16 78.50 65.90 236.00 SDDSC196 446.09 447 0.91 21.20 0.11 21.46 SDDSC196 447 448 1.00 0.12 0.02 0.16 SDDSC196 448 449 1.00 0.49 0.02 0.53 SDDSC196 449 450 1.00 0.44 0.01 0.47 SDDSC196 450 451 1.00 0.18 0.01 0.20 SDDSC196 451 452 1.00 0.15 0.04 0.25 SDDSC196 453.83 455.03 1.20 0.10 0.01 0.12 SDDSC196 458.97 459.18 0.21 144.00 0.02 144.04 SDDSC196 459.18 459.58 0.40 2.37 0.06 2.52 SDDSC196 461.81 462.15 0.34 0.18 0.14 0.51 SDDSC196 464.99 465.33 0.34 0.39 0.07 0.55 SDDSC196 465.33 465.85 0.52 0.34 0.20 0.82 SDDSC196 465.85 466.4 0.55 3.23 0.74 5.00 SDDSC196 466.4 467 0.60 0.22 0.06 0.36 SDDSC196 469.2 470.08 0.88 0.03 0.06 0.17 SDDSC196 470.67 470.97 0.30 0.60 0.01 0.62 SDDSC196 473.29 474.15 0.86 1.21 0.54 2.50 SDDSC196 476.73 477.19 0.46 0.61 0.07 0.77 SDDSC196 478.06 478.46 0.40 0.29 0.03 0.36 SDDSC196 479.45 479.69 0.24 17.40 0.22 17.93 SDDSC196 479.69 479.82 0.13 0.59 0.35 1.43 SDDSC196 479.82 480.66 0.84 0.23 0.07 0.39 SDDSC196 480.66 480.81 0.15 3.05 0.56 4.39 SDDSC196 480.81 481.01 0.20 17.30 0.51 18.52 SDDSC196 482.18 482.39 0.21 14.20 0.94 16.45 SDDSC196 483.6 484.27 0.67 3.77 0.07 3.93 SDDSC196 485.74 486.78 1.04 0.25 0.01 0.28 SDDSC196 488.8 489.37 0.57 0.35 0.01 0.37 SDDSC196 514 514.5 0.50 10.00 0.00 10.01 SDDSC196 516.5 517.5 1.00 0.32 0.01 0.35 SDDSC196 519 519.82 0.82 0.31 0.02 0.36 SDDSC196 519.82 520.6 0.78 0.32 0.01 0.34 SDDSC196 528 528.72 0.72 0.14 0.05 0.27 SDDSC196 528.72 529 0.28 84.10 56.50 219.14 SDDSC196 529 530 1.00 0.65 0.08 0.84 SDDSC196 532 533 1.00 0.10 0.01 0.11 SDDSC196 540 541 1.00 0.25 0.00 0.26 SDDSC196 542.6 543.5 0.90 -0.01 0.07 0.16 SDDSC196 543.5 544.1 0.60 1.31 0.01 1.32 SDDSC196 544.1 545 0.90 0.20 0.01 0.23 SDDSC196 547 548 1.00 0.61 0.03 0.69 SDDSC196 548 549 1.00 0.12 0.01 0.15 SDDSC196 550 551 1.00 0.16 0.01 0.17 SDDSC196 551 552 1.00 0.10 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 566 566.2 0.20 0.49 0.07 0.65 SDDSC196 580.2 580.6 0.40 2.00 0.01 2.02 SDDSC196 588 588.6 0.60 0.47 0.01 0.49 SDDSC196 590.2 591.03 0.83 0.31 0.01 0.34 SDDSC196 596 597 1.00 0.13 0.01 0.15 SDDSC196 607.04 607.57 0.53 0.66 0.19 1.11 SDDSC196 607.57 607.91 0.34 0.46 0.09 0.67 SDDSC196 607.91 608.26 0.35 0.87 0.26 1.49 SDDSC196 608.26 608.58 0.32 0.17 0.19 0.62 SDDSC196 608.9 609.81 0.91 0.21 0.08 0.41 SDDSC196 609.81 610.55 0.74 0.13 0.03 0.19 SDDSC196 610.55 610.97 0.42 0.31 0.23 0.86 SDDSC196 610.97 611.5 0.53 0.23 0.03 0.31 SDDSC196 617.66 618.86 1.20 0.08 0.02 0.13 SDDSC196 618.86 619.12 0.26 0.83 0.04 0.93 SDDSC196 622.9 624 1.10 0.19 0.00 0.20 SDDSC196 633.42 634.65 1.23 0.29 0.01 0.32 SDDSC196 636.72 637.66 0.94 0.12 0.01 0.15 SDDSC196 638.38 638.67 0.29 0.58 0.03 0.64 SDDSC196 638.67 639.5 0.83 0.14 0.01 0.17 SDDSC196 640.75 641.08 0.33 0.27 0.02 0.31 SDDSC196 644.53 644.87 0.34 0.42 0.06 0.56 SDDSC196 652.06 652.6 0.54 0.23 0.08 0.43 SDDSC196 654.5 655.35 0.85 0.08 0.03 0.14 SDDSC196 655.8 656.44 0.64 0.55 0.05 0.66 SDDSC196 656.44 657.14 0.70 2.26 0.75 4.05 SDDSC196 657.14 657.59 0.45 0.42 0.02 0.47 SDDSC196 657.59 658.3 0.71 0.75 0.02 0.81 SDDSC196 658.3 658.89 0.59 0.71 0.05 0.82 SDDSC196 658.89 659.72 0.83 0.42 0.02 0.46 SDDSC196 659.72 660.92 1.20 1.01 0.02 1.05 SDDSC196 660.92 661.15 0.23 1.62 0.02 1.68 SDDSC196 661.15 661.35 0.20 1.08 0.60 2.51 SDDSC196 661.35 661.62 0.27 0.80 0.33 1.59 SDDSC196 663.12 663.44 0.32 3.86 0.19 4.31 SDDSC196 664.07 664.17 0.10 2.10 0.08 2.29 SDDSC196 664.17 664.8 0.63 0.47 0.04 0.57 SDDSC196 664.8 664.96 0.16 0.71 0.02 0.76 SDDSC196 664.96 665.1 0.14 1.96 0.48 3.11 SDDSC196 665.1 665.42 0.32 23.50 0.11 23.76 SDDSC196 665.42 665.58 0.16 0.67 0.02 0.73 SDDSC196 672.35 673.17 0.82 0.18 0.08 0.38 SDDSC196 673.17 673.77 0.60 4.20 0.42 5.20 SDDSC196 704.77 705.03 0.26 0.15 0.35 0.99 SDDSC196 705.03 705.37 0.34 0.37 0.80 2.28 SDDSC196 705.37 705.98 0.61 0.11 0.04 0.21 SDDSC196 705.98 706.55 0.57 0.16 0.33 0.95 SDDSC196 706.55 706.85 0.30 0.09 0.11 0.35 SDDSC196 706.85 707.42 0.57 0.24 0.99 2.61 SDDSC196 707.42 708.25 0.83 0.15 1.27 3.19 SDDSC196 708.25 709.38 1.13 0.09 1.03 2.55 SDDSC196 709.38 710.54 1.16 0.07 0.34 0.88 SDDSC196 710.54 711.7 1.16 0.04 0.03 0.12 SDDSC196 713.66 714.15 0.49 0.08 0.05 0.20 SDDSC196 716.3 716.4 0.10 37.10 11.10 63.63 SDDSC196 720.82 721.83 1.01 0.72 0.01 0.74 SDDSC196 721.83 722.03 0.20 0.69 0.01 0.71 SDDSC196 722.03 722.86 0.83 1.03 0.04 1.13 SDDSC196 722.86 723.1 0.24 1.70 0.06 1.83 SDDSC196 723.1 724.02 0.92 1.28 0.01 1.31 SDDSC196 724.02 724.46 0.44 0.44 0.01 0.47 SDDSC196 724.46 725.66 1.20 0.91 0.02 0.95 SDDSC196 726.9 728.2 1.30 0.04 0.03 0.11 SDDSC196 731.95 732.75 0.80 0.56 0.00 0.57 SDDSC196 735 736 1.00 0.14 0.40 1.10 SDDSC196 736 737 1.00 0.10 0.15 0.46 SDDSC196 743.8 744.9 1.10 0.30 0.01 0.31 SDDSC196 752.05 752.3 0.25 0.75 0.62 2.23 SDDSC196 758 759 1.00 0.09 0.05 0.22 SDDSC196 766 767 1.00 0.06 0.03 0.14 SDDSC196 773 774 1.00 0.02 0.05 0.13 SDDSC196 777 778 1.00 0.07 0.04 0.16 SDDSC196 780.3 780.5 0.20 0.04 0.59 1.45 SDDSC196 781.7 782.05 0.35 0.13 0.28 0.80 SDDSC196 791.43 792.13 0.70 0.17 0.00 0.18 SDDSC196 793.52 794.12 0.60 0.67 0.01 0.70 SDDSC196 794.12 794.95 0.83 1.00 0.01 1.03 SDDSC196 794.95 795.6 0.65 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC196 796 796.56 0.56 0.20 0.00 0.21 SDDSC196 802.12 802.46 0.34 0.42 0.00 0.43 SDDSC196 804.72 805.16 0.44 0.27 0.00 0.28 SDDSC196 810.67 811.33 0.66 0.27 0.03 0.34 SDDSC196 819.51 820.17 0.66 0.20 0.00 0.21 SDDSC196 822.14 822.51 0.37 0.28 0.07 0.45 SDDSC196 822.51 823 0.49 0.20 0.08 0.39 SDDSC196 823 823.19 0.19 0.14 0.18 0.57 SDDSC196 823.19 823.67 0.48 0.32 0.06 0.47 SDDSC196 823.67 824.06 0.39 0.41 0.19 0.86 SDDSC196 824.17 824.63 0.46 0.43 0.07 0.59 SDDSC196 824.63 825.22 0.59 0.60 0.01 0.63 SDDSC196 825.22 825.82 0.60 0.35 0.01 0.37 SDDSC196 825.82 827 1.18 0.13 0.00 0.14 SDDSC196 828 828.4 0.40 2.74 0.00 2.75 SDDSC196 836.15 836.88 0.73 0.30 0.00 0.31 SDDSC196 836.88 837.18 0.30 0.51 0.01 0.53 SDDSC196 837.18 838.14 0.96 0.28 0.01 0.30 SDDSC196 841.04 841.2 0.16 2.34 0.02 2.38 SDDSC196 841.2 841.84 0.64 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC196 841.98 842.95 0.97 0.13 0.00 0.14 SDDSC196 847.38 847.94 0.56 5.31 0.01 5.33 SDDSC196 847.94 848.27 0.33 35.90 0.01 35.92 SDDSC196 848.27 849.3 1.03 1.22 0.02 1.26 SDDSC196 854.76 855.44 0.68 0.18 0.01 0.20 SDDSC196 856.27 856.79 0.52 0.89 0.01 0.91 SDDSC196 857 857.45 0.45 0.32 0.01 0.34 SDDSC196 860.08 860.47 0.39 7.53 0.00 7.54 SDDSC196 865.65 866.22 0.57 0.15 0.02 0.19 SDDSC196 868.05 868.64 0.59 0.27 0.03 0.34 SDDSC196 868.64 869.19 0.55 0.56 0.01 0.57 SDDSC196 869.19 870.09 0.90 978.00 0.06 978.15 SDDSC196 870.09 870.52 0.43 26.10 0.04 26.19 SDDSC196 870.52 871.82 1.30 0.11 0.00 0.12 SDDSC196 876.61 877.28 0.67 0.25 0.01 0.26 SDDSC196 877.28 877.76 0.48 0.46 0.01 0.48 SDDSC196 877.76 878.4 0.64 0.28 0.01 0.29 SDDSC196 879.3 879.63 0.33 0.95 0.00 0.96 SDDSC196 880.33 880.9 0.57 0.18 0.01 0.20 SDDSC196 881.53 881.89 0.36 0.61 0.00 0.62 SDDSC196 884.83 885.1 0.27 0.36 0.01 0.39 SDDSC196 885.1 885.51 0.41 41.90 0.09 42.11 SDDSC196 887.26 887.56 0.30 2.44 0.01 2.46 SDDSC196 891.3 892.03 0.73 0.40 0.00 0.41 SDDSC196 897.55 898.05 0.50 0.36 0.01 0.38 SDDSC196 900.2 900.48 0.28 1.30 0.01 1.32 SDDSC196 900.48 901 0.52 1.81 0.03 1.87 SDDSC196 903.45 903.8 0.35 1.60 0.01 1.62 SDDSC196 903.8 904 0.20 1.49 0.01 1.52 SDDSC196 904.6 905.9 1.30 0.12 0.00 0.13 SDDSC196 905.9 907.2 1.30 0.11 0.01 0.13 SDDSC196 914.21 914.7 0.49 0.29 0.01 0.31 SDDSC196 914.7 916 1.30 0.66 0.00 0.67 SDDSC196 917.7 918.28 0.58 0.40 0.01 0.42 SDDSC196 918.28 918.65 0.37 1.08 0.00 1.08 SDDSC196 924.2 925.5 1.30 0.09 0.01 0.11 SDDSC196 930.5 930.75 0.25 85.80 0.01 85.81 SDDSC196 930.75 931 0.25 0.92 0.01 0.94 SDDSC196 931 931.47 0.47 4.87 0.01 4.89 SDDSC196 931.47 932.1 0.63 0.21 0.01 0.23 SDDSC196 932.1 932.95 0.85 0.34 0.01 0.36 SDDSC196 932.95 933.7 0.75 0.26 0.01 0.28 SDDSC196 933.7 935 1.30 0.35 0.01 0.38 SDDSC196 935 935.66 0.66 0.21 0.01 0.24 SDDSC196 956.89 958.1 1.21 0.18 0.00 0.19 SDDSC196 958.1 959.02 0.92 0.16 0.00 0.17 SDDSC196 959.02 959.64 0.62 0.37 0.00 0.37 SDDSC196 959.64 960.94 1.30 0.18 0.00 0.19 SDDSC196 964.4 964.83 0.43 0.37 0.00 0.38 SDDSC196 969.13 970.36 1.23 0.37 0.01 0.39 SDDSC196 975.45 976.35 0.90 0.11 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 977.04 978 0.96 0.11 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 978 978.68 0.68 0.52 0.00 0.53 SDDSC196 978.68 979.27 0.59 0.20 0.01 0.22 SDDSC196 979.27 980.39 1.12 0.51 0.00 0.52 SDDSC196 980.39 981.31 0.92 0.37 0.00 0.38 SDDSC196 981.31 982.61 1.30 0.10 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 986.51 987.78 1.27 0.31 0.00 0.32 SDDSC196 987.78 989.08 1.30 0.08 0.00 0.09 SDDSC196 990.01 991.2 1.19 0.51 0.01 0.53 SDDSC196 991.2 992.5 1.30 0.21 0.00 0.22 SDDSC196 992.5 993.8 1.30 0.10 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 995.65 996.64 0.99 0.11 0.00 0.12 SDDSC196 996.64 997.87 1.23 0.55 0.00 0.56 SDDSC196 1014.82 1016 1.18 1.00 0.00 1.01 SDDSC196 1020 1020.6 0.64 0.95 0.01 0.96 SDDSC196 1021.07 1021.4 0.28 0.90 0.01 0.91 SDDSC196 1021.35 1021.6 0.28 0.47 0.00 0.48 SDDSC196 1021.63 1022.5 0.91 0.64 0.04 0.72 SDDSC196 1022.54 1023.5 0.98 0.10 0.00 0.11 SDDSC196 1023.52 1024.4 0.83 0.45 0.00 0.46 SDDSC196 1025.3 1025.8 0.45 0.33 0.00 0.33 SDDSC196 1031.16 1032.5 1.30 0.27 0.00 0.27

JORC Table 1

Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. 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 representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.

Aspects of the determination of mineralization that are Material to the Public Report.

In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. '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 mineralization types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Sampling has been conducted on drill core (half core for >90% and quarter core for check samples), grab samples (field samples of in-situ bedrock and boulders; including duplicate samples), trench samples (rock chips, including duplicates) and soil samples (including duplicate samples).

Locations of field samples were obtained by using a GPS, generally to an accuracy of within 5 metres. Drill hole and trench locations have been confirmed to <1 metre using a differential GPS.

Samples locations have also been verified by plotting locations on the high-resolution Lidar maps

Locations of field samples were obtained by using a GPS, generally to an accuracy of within 5 metres. Drill hole and trench locations have been confirmed to <1 metre using a differential GPS. Samples locations have also been verified by plotting locations on the high-resolution Lidar maps Drill core is marked for cutting and cut using an automated diamond saw used by Company staff in Kilmore.

Samples are bagged at the core saw and transported to the Bendigo On Site Laboratory for assay.

At On Site samples are crushed using a jaw crusher combined with a rotary splitter and a 1 kg split is separated for pulverizing (LM5) and assay.

Samples are bagged at the core saw and transported to the Bendigo On Site Laboratory for assay. At On Site samples are crushed using a jaw crusher combined with a rotary splitter and a 1 kg split is separated for pulverizing (LM5) and assay. Standard fire assay techniques are used for gold assay on a 30 g charge by experienced staff (used to dealing with high sulfide and stibnite-rich charges). On Site gold method by fire assay code PE01S.

Screen fire assay is used to understand gold grain-size distribution where coarse gold is evident.

ICP-OES is used to analyse the aqua regia digested pulp for an additional 12 elements (method BM011) and over-range antimony is measured using flame AAS (method known as B050).

Soil samples were sieved in the field and an 80-mesh sample bagged and transported to ALS Global laboratories in Brisbane for super-low level gold analysis on a 50 g samples by method ST44 (using aqua regia and ICP-MS).

Grab and rock chip samples are generally submitted to On Site Laboratories for standard fire assay and 12 element ICP-OES as described above. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. 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.). HQ or NQ diameter diamond drill core, oriented using Axis Champ orientation tool with the orientation line marked on the base of the drill core by the driller/offsider.

A standard 3 metre core barrel has been found to be most effective in both the hard and soft rocks in the project. 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. Core recoveries were maximised using HQ or NQ diamond drill core with careful control over water pressure to maintain soft-rock integrity and prevent loss of fines from soft drill core. Recoveries are determined on a metre-by-metre basis in the core shed using a tape measure against marked up drill core checking against driller's core blocks.

Plots of grade versus recovery and RQD (described below) show no trends relating to loss of drill core, or fines. 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 logging of the drill core takes place on racks in the company core shed.

Core orientations marked at the drill rig are checked for consistency, and base of core orientation lines are marked on core where two or more orientations match within 10 degrees.

Core recoveries are measured for each metre

RQD measurements (cumulative quantity of core sticks > 10 cm in a metre) are made on a metre-by-metre basis.

Core orientations marked at the drill rig are checked for consistency, and base of core orientation lines are marked on core where two or more orientations match within 10 degrees. Core recoveries are measured for each metre RQD measurements (cumulative quantity of core sticks > 10 cm in a metre) are made on a metre-by-metre basis. Each tray of drill core is photographed (wet and dry) after it is fully marked up for sampling and cutting.

The  core cutting line is placed approximately 10 degrees above the orientation line so the orientation line is retained in the core tray for future work.

Geological logging of drill core includes the following parameters:

Rock types, lithology

Alteration

Structural information (orientations of veins, bedding, fractures using standard alpha-beta measurements from orientation line; or, in the case of un-oriented parts of the core, the alpha angles are measured)

Veining (quartz, carbonate, stibnite)

Key minerals (visible under hand lens, e.g. gold, stibnite)

Rock types, lithology Alteration Structural information (orientations of veins, bedding, fractures using standard alpha-beta measurements from orientation line; or, in the case of un-oriented parts of the core, the alpha angles are measured) Veining (quartz, carbonate, stibnite) Key minerals (visible under hand lens, e.g. gold, stibnite) 100% of drill core is logged for all components described above into the company MX logging database.

Logging is fully quantitative, although the description of lithology and alteration relies on visible observations by trained geologists.

Each tray of drill core is photographed (wet and dry) after it is fully marked up for sampling and cutting.

Logging is considered to be at an appropriate quantitative standard to use in future studies. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.

If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry.

For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.

Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples.

Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.

Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Drill core is typically half-core sampled using an Almonte core saw. The drill core orientation line is retained.

Quarter core is used when taking sampling duplicates (termed FDUP in the database).

Sampling representivity is maximised by always taking the same side of the drill core (whenever oriented), and consistently drawing a cut line on the core where orientation is not possible. The field technician draws these lines.

Sample sizes are maximised for coarse gold by using half core, and using quarter core and half core splits (laboratory duplicates) allows an estimation of nugget effect.

In mineralized rock the company uses approximately 10% of  core duplicates, certified reference materials (suitable OREAS materials), laboratory sample duplicates and instrument repeats.

In the soil sampling program duplicates were obtained every 20th sample and the laboratory inserted low-level gold standards regularly into the sample flow. 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 (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established. The fire assay technique for gold used by On Site is a globally recognised method, and over-range follow-ups including gravimetric finish and screen fire assay are standard. Of significance at the On Site laboratory is the presence of fire assay personnel who are experienced in dealing with high sulfide charges (especially those with high stibnite contents) - this substantially reduces the risk of in accurate reporting in complex sulfide-gold charges.

Where screen fire assay is used, this assay will be reported instead of the original fire assay.

The ICP-OES technique is a standard analytical technique for assessing elemental concentrations. The digest used (aqua regia) is excellent for the dissolution of sulfides (in this case generally stibnite, pyrite and trace arsenopyrite), but other silicate-hosted elements, in particular vanadium (V), may only be partially dissolved. These silicate-hosted elements are not important in the determination of the quantity of gold, antimony, arsenic or sulphur.

A portable XRF has been used in a qualitative manner on drill core to ensure appropriate core samples have been taken (no pXRF data are reported or included in the MX database).

Acceptable levels of accuracy and precision have been established using the following methods

 duplicates - half core is split into quarters and given separate sample numbers (commonly in mineralized core) - low to medium gold grades indicate strong correlation, dropping as the gold grade increases over 40 g/t Au.

Blanks - blanks are inserted after visible gold and in strongly mineralized rocks to confirm that the crushing and pulping are not affected by gold smearing onto the crusher and LM5 swing mill surfaces. Results are excellent, generally below detection limit and a single sample at 0.03 g/t Au.

Certified Reference Materials - OREAS CRMs have been used throughout the project including blanks, low (<1 g/t Au), medium (up to 5 g/t Au) and high-grade gold samples (> 5 g/t Au). Results are automatically checked on data import into the MX database to fall within 2 standard deviations of the expected value.

Laboratory splits - On Site conducts splits of both coarse crush and pulp duplicates as quality control and reports all data. In particular, high Au samples have the most repeats.

Laboratory CRMs - On Site regularly inserts their own CRM materials into the process flow and reports all data

Laboratory precision - duplicate measurements of solutions (both Au from fire assay and other elements from the aqua regia digests) are made regularly by the laboratory and reported.

- half core is split into quarters and given separate sample numbers (commonly in mineralized core) - low to medium gold grades indicate strong correlation, dropping as the gold grade increases over 40 g/t Au. - blanks are inserted after visible gold and in strongly mineralized rocks to confirm that the crushing and pulping are not affected by gold smearing onto the crusher and LM5 swing mill surfaces. Results are excellent, generally below detection limit and a single sample at 0.03 g/t Au. - OREAS CRMs have been used throughout the project including blanks, low (<1 g/t Au), medium (up to 5 g/t Au) and high-grade gold samples (> 5 g/t Au). Results are automatically checked on data import into the MX database to fall within 2 standard deviations of the expected value. - On Site conducts splits of both coarse crush and pulp duplicates as quality control and reports all data. In particular, high Au samples have the most repeats. - On Site regularly inserts their own CRM materials into the process flow and reports all data - duplicate measurements of solutions (both Au from fire assay and other elements from the aqua regia digests) are made regularly by the laboratory and reported. Accuracy and precision have been determined carefully by using the sampling and measurement techniques described above during the sampling (accuracy) and laboratory (accuracy and precision) stages of the analysis.

have been determined carefully by using the sampling and measurement techniques described above during the sampling (accuracy) and laboratory (accuracy and precision) stages of the analysis. Soil sample company duplicates and laboratory certified reference materials all fall within expected ranges. 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 Independent Geologist has visited Sunday Creek drill sites and inspected drill core held at the Kilmore core shed.

Visual inspection of drill intersections matches both the geological descriptions in the database and the expected assay data (for example, gold and stibnite visible in drill core is matched by high Au and Sb results in assays).

In addition, on receipt of results Company geologists assess the gold, antimony and arsenic results to verify that the intersections returned expected data.

The electronic data storage in the MX database is of a high standard. Primary logging data are entered directly by the geologists and field technicians and the assay data are electronically matched against sample number on return from the laboratory.

Certified reference materials,  core field duplicates (FDUP), laboratory splits and duplicates and instrument repeats are all recorded in the database.

Exports of data include all primary data, from hole SDDSC077B onwards after discussion with SRK Consulting. Prior to this gold was averaged across primary, field and lab duplicates.

Adjustments to assay data are recorded by MX, and none are present (or required).

Twinned drill holes are not available at this stage of the project. 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. Differential GPS used to locate drill collars, trenches and some workings

Standard GPS for some field locations (grab and soils samples), verified against Lidar data.

The grid system used throughout is Geocentric datum of Australia 1994; Map Grid Zone 55 (GDA94_Z55), also referred to as ELSG 28355. Reported azimuths also relate to MGA55 (GDA94_Z55).

Topographic control is excellent owing to sub 10 cm accuracy from Lidar data. 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. The data spacing is suitable for reporting of exploration results - evidence for this is based on the improving predictability of high-grade gold-antimony intersections.

At this time, the data spacing and distribution are not sufficient for the reporting of Mineral Resource Estimates. This however may change as knowledge of grade controls increase with future drill programs.

Samples have been composited to a 1 g/t AuEq over 2.0 m width for lower grades and 5 g/t AuEq over 1.0 m width for higher grades in table 3. All individual assays above 0.1 g/t AuEq have been reported to two decimal places with no compositing in table 4. 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 mineralized structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported are interpreted to be approximately 50-65% of the sampled thickness.

Drilling is oriented in an optimum direction when considering the combination of host rock orientation and apparent vein control on gold and antimony grade.

The steep nature of some of the veins may give increases in apparent thickness of some intersections, but more drilling is required to quantify.

The steep nature of some of the veins may give increases in apparent thickness of some intersections, but more drilling is required to quantify. A sampling bias is not evident from the data collected to date (drill holes cut across mineralized structures at a moderate angle). Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Drill core is delivered to the Kilmore core logging shed by either the drill contractor or company field staff. Samples are marked up and cut by company staff at the Kilmore core shed, in an automated diamond saw and bagged before loaded onto strapped secured pallets and trucked by company staff to Bendigo for submission to the laboratory. There is no evidence in any stage of the process, or in the data for any sample security issues. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. Continuous monitoring of CRM results, blanks and duplicates is undertaken by geologists and the company data geologist. Mr Michael Hudson for SXG has the orientation, logging and assay data.

Southern Cross Gold (SXG) ASX Announcement

Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results
All monetary amounts are expressed in Canadian Dollars, unless otherwise indicated.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AXO Copper Corp. (TSXV: AXO) (the "Company" or "AXO Copper") is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement with Desjardins Capital Markets and BMO Capital Markets, to act as co-lead underwriters and joint bookrunners (together with a syndicate of underwriters, the Underwriters) pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a bought deal basis, 35,715,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.70 per Unit (the "Offering Price") for gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $25,000,000 (the "Offering").

Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company and one-half of one warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall be exercisable into one common share of the Company (a Warrant Share) at a price of $1.00 per Warrant Share and for an exercise period of 18 months from the closing of the Offering. If, at any time prior to the expiry date of the Warrants, AXO Coppers ten trading day volume weighted average closing price on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") (or other applicable exchange) equals or exceeds $1.25, AXO Copper may, within 10 days of the occurrence of such event, accelerate the expiry of the Warrants by delivering a notice to the holders of Warrants, in which case the Warrants will expire 30 days following the date of such notice (the "Accelerated Exercise Period"). Any unexercised Warrants remaining after the Accelerated Exercise Period will expire and be of no force and effect.

The Company will grant the Underwriters an option, exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time until and including 30 days following the closing of the Offering, to purchase up to an additional 15% of the Offering. If this option is exercised in full, an additional $3,750,075 in gross proceeds will be raised pursuant to the Offering and the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering will be approximately $28,750,000.

The Company plans to use the net proceeds from the Offering for exploration and advancement of its La Huerta Project and San Antonio Gold Project, and for general working capital purposes. The Units will be offered by way of a short form prospectus to be filed in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec. The Units will also be sold to U.S. buyers on a private placement basis pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements in Rule 144A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and other jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States provided that no prospectus filing or comparable obligation arises.

The Offering is scheduled to close on or about February 19, 2026 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSXV and the securities regulatory authorities.

The short form prospectus will be filed with the securities commissions in each of the provinces of Canada except Quebec and will be available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Additionally, the short form prospectus may be obtained, without charge, upon request by contacting Desjardins Capital Markets at 25 York Street, Suite 1000, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 2V5, attention: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, as amended, and application state securities laws.

About AXO Copper

AXO Copper Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company engaged in the exploration and development of the La Huerta property, a new copper discovery in Jalisco, Mexico, and the San Antonio gold property, a past-producing oxide copper mine located in Sonora, Mexico.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds of the offering, approval of the TSX Venture exchange, and future plans and objectives of AXO Copper, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "will", "propose", "may", "is expected to", "subject to", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "objective", "focus" and "outlook" and other similar words. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including, but not limited to, general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; the potential of high grade copper mineralization at the Company's properties; the results (if any) of further exploration work to define and expand mineral resources; the ability of exploration work (including drilling) to accurately predict mineralization; and the ability to generate additional drill targets. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include environmental risks, limitations on insurance coverage, risks and uncertainties related to exploration, development, operations, commodity prices and global financial volatility including as a result of tariffs, risk and uncertainties of operating in a foreign jurisdiction as well as additional risks described from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

For further information, please contact:

Jonathan Egilo

President and CEO

613 882 5126

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
VAL-DOR, Quebec, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cartier Resources Inc. ( Cartier  or the  Company ) (TSXV: ECR; FSE: 6CA) is pleased to announce that it has filed the National Instrument 43-101-compliant (" NI 43-101 "), Updated Mineral Resource Estimate (" MRE ") Technical Report on its 100% owned flagship Cadillac Project, located in Val-dOr (Abitibi, Quebec). Report results were previously announced in Cartier's news release dated December 18, 2025. The updated estimate includes approximately 110,000 metres of drilling completed by Cartier from 2016 to 2024 as well as 420,000 metres drilling completed by previous mining compagnies.

The MRE was independently prepared by PLR Resources Inc. and Evomine, specialists in mineral resource estimates and project evaluations, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (" NI 43-101 "), with an effective date of November 11, 2025.

The full report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate on the Cadillac Project, Val-dOr, Abitibi, Quebec, Canada," can be found on the Company's website (https://ressourcescartier.com/) and on SEDAR+ (https://www.sedarplus.ca/home/).

Strategic & Investment Significance Highlights of the Updated Mineral Resource Estimate

Growing gold resource: Compared to the 2023 Preliminary Economic Assessment ( PEA ), total gold resources now contains 9,953,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.40 g/t Au for 767,800 ounces Measured & Indicated (" M&I ") (a 7% increase ) and 35,185,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.14 g/t Au for 2,416,900 ounces Inferred (a 48% increase ), following the first-ever consolidation (2022) of all gold sectors across the entire Cadillac project.

Compared to the 2023 Preliminary Economic Assessment ( PEA ), total gold resources now contains 9,953,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.40 g/t Au for (" ") (a ) and 35,185,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.14 g/t Au for (a ), following the first-ever consolidation (2022) of all gold sectors across the entire Cadillac project. Increasing confidence & de-risking: M&I resources represent 25% of total resources, including 5,988,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.61 g/t Au for 502,600 ounces Measured , strengthening the projects development profile.

M&I resources represent 25% of total resources, including 5,988,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.61 g/t Au for , strengthening the projects development profile. Flexible development pathways: 12% of total gold resources are pit-constrained, offering near-term optionality with 3,500,000 tonnes at a grade of 1.84 g/t Au for 207,800 ounces M&I and 4,740,000 tonnes at a grade of 1.13 g/t Au for 172,600 ounces Inferred .

12% of total gold resources are pit-constrained, offering near-term optionality with 3,500,000 tonnes at a grade of 1.84 g/t Au for and 4,740,000 tonnes at a grade of 1.13 g/t Au for . Large underground resource & existing infrastructure advantages: Over 88% of total gold resources are underground-constrained with 6,450,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.70 g/t Au for 559,900 ounces M&I and 30,450,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.29 g/t Au for 2,244,200 ounces Inferred . This large resource is supported by valuable historical infrastructure including a 920 m shaft, 500 m ramp and 7 km of drifts, these could significantly reduce future capital requirements and allow management to adapt development strategies.

Over 88% of total gold resources are underground-constrained with 6,450,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.70 g/t Au for and 30,450,000 tonnes at a grade of 2.29 g/t Au for . This large resource is supported by valuable historical infrastructure including a 920 m shaft, 500 m ramp and 7 km of drifts, these could significantly reduce future capital requirements and allow management to adapt development strategies. Camp-scale upside potential: Gold sectors extend over 9 km along the Cadillac and Heva Fault Zones, covering 66% of a 15 km highly prospective gold corridor, leaving 6 km of strike with strong upside potential to be fully explored for resource expansion.

Gold sectors extend over 9 km along the Cadillac and Heva Fault Zones, covering 66% of a 15 km highly prospective gold corridor, leaving 6 km of strike with strong upside potential to be fully explored for resource expansion. High-quality core sector: The Main Sector (Chimo, East Chimo and West Nordeau deposits) hosts 87% of total resources within a 3 km mineralized trend and remains open at depth and along strike, providing strong leverage to further drilling success.

The Main Sector (Chimo, East Chimo and West Nordeau deposits) hosts 87% of total resources within a 3 km mineralized trend and remains open at depth and along strike, providing strong leverage to further drilling success. Significant exploration target: A conceptual exploration target of 8 to 12 Mt of mineralization grading between 2.2 to 2.8 g/t Au, representing 600,000 to 1,100,000 ounces of gold, highlights the projects potential to materially grow beyond the current resource base.

Table 1: Results of the Updated Mineral Resource Estimate

All sectors / Category







Open Pit Resources Underground Resources Total Cut-off Grade = 0.30 g/t Au Cut-off Grade = 1.00 g/t Au Tonnes (t) Grade (Au g/t) Gold (oz) Tonnes (t) Grade (Au g/t) Gold (oz) Tonnes (t) Grade (Au g/t) Gold (oz) Measured 1,770,000 2.16 123,300 4,210,000 2.80 379,300 5,988,000 2.61 502,600 Indicated 1,730,000 1.52 84,500 2,240,000 2.51 180,600 3,965,000 2.08 265,200 Measured & Indicated 3,500,000 1.84 207,800 6,450,000 2.70 559,900 9,953,000 2.40 767,800 Inferred 4,740,000 1.13 172,600 30,450,000 2.29 2,244,200 35,185,000 2.14 2,416,900

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical content of this press release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by Mr. Ronan Deroff, P.Geo., M.Sc., Vice President Exploration, who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101).

The independent qualified persons for the MRE, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 guidelines (NI 43-101), is Pierre-Luc Richard, P.Geo., of PLR Resources Inc., with contributions from Stephen Coates, P.Eng., of Evomine Consulting for cut-off grade estimation and open pit and underground stope optimization solids.

About Cadillac Project

The Cadillac Project, covering 14,000 hectares along a 15-kilometre stretch of the Cadillac Fault, is one of the largest consolidated land packages in the Val-dOr mining camp. Cartiers flagship asset integrates the historic Chimo Mine and East Cadillac projects, creating a dominant position in a world class gold mining district. With excellent road access, year-round infrastructure and nearby milling capacity, the project is ideally positioned for rapid advancement and value creation.

About Cartier Resources Inc.

Cartier Resources Inc., founded in 2006 and headquartered in Val-dOr (Quebec) is a gold exploration company focused on building shareholder value through discovery and development in one of Canadas most prolific mining camps. The Company combines strong technical expertise and a track record of successful exploration to advance its flagship Cadillac Project. Cartiers strategy is clear: unlock the full potential of one of the largest undeveloped gold landholdings in Quebec.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Mineral Resources

The mineral resources disclosed in this press release conform to NI 43-101 standards and guidelines and were prepared by independent qualified persons. The above-mentioned mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of the reported Inferred Mineral Resources are conceptual in nature and are estimated based on limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological grade and/or quality of continuity. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence relative to a Measured or Indicated Mineral Resource and constitutes an insufficient level of confidence to allow conversion to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected, but not guaranteed, that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources with additional drilling.

For further information, contact:

Philippe Cloutier, P. Geo.

President and CEO

Telephone: 819-856-0512

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.ressourcescartier.com

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.






Wednesday, January 28, 2026 - A hilarious phone exchange between a man and a con woman has left netizens in stitches after she tried - and failed - to defraud him via Mpesa.

The woman called claiming she had accidentally sent money to his account and politely requested him to reverse the transaction.

But beneath the act, her real intention was to trick him into sending cash.

Unbeknownst to her, the would-be victim was fully aware of the scam.

Instead of hanging up, he decided to play along, carefully following her instructions as though he was about to send the money back.

Just when she thought her plan was working, the man flipped the script - revealing he knew she was trying to con him.

Busted and embarrassed, the scammer resorted to insults before abruptly disconnecting the call.

While the incident has entertained many online, it also serves as a reminder of how such cons often target the elderly and unsuspecting Kenyans.

This time, however, the fraudster met her match in an informed citizen who refused to be duped.

A conversation between a man and a con woman, with an ending no one could have anticipated, watch till the end. pic.twitter.com/EoOmNuMltK  Prime Media News (@primemediakenya) January 27, 2026

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, January 28, 2026 - Nairobi Woman Representative, Esther Passaris, has commended East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament, Winnie Odinga, for her recent media interview.

In a statement shared on her X account on Wednesday, January 28th, 2026, Passaris said Winnie displayed political maturity, clarity and conviction during the interview aired a day earlier.

Political maturity. Clarity. Conviction. Winnie Odinga nailed her interview yesterday.

A proud continuation of her fathers values, and a clear step forward in her own right. The King is dead, but long live the crown, Passaris wrote.

Winnie, whose public profile rose before and after her fathers passing, addressed several issues touching on the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the current political environment.

Her remarks on claims of division within the Odinga family drew particular attention.

She dismissed reports of a feud ahead of a planned family meeting convened by ODM leader, Oburu Odinga, insisting that differences of opinion should not be misinterpreted as division.

There is no family feud. Mambo ya nyumbani tunaongea kinyumbani, but mambo ya chama is not to be discussed at home, Winnie said.

She emphasized that the Odinga family remains united and close, adding that her relationship with Oburu Odinga is intact.

I love Dr Oburu, he is my only dad. Our family is tight. We have no problems at all, she stated.

Winnie also defended her criticism of ODMs operations, saying her concerns were not personal attacks but calls for the party to respect its constitution and values.

Her remarks, coupled with Passaris praise, have fueled fresh debate about Winnies growing role in shaping ODMs future and carrying forward Raila Odingas political legacy.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, January 28, 2026 - A 40-year-old woman has gone viral after sharing an emotional video on social media lamenting that she is yet to get married.

In the video, the woman expresses regret over not settling down in her 20s, admitting that she now feels overlooked and unwanted by potential partners after turning 40.

She further acknowledges that some decisions she made in her younger years may be contributing to her current situation.

Netizens dug up her old social media posts after the video went viral, sparking a heated debate online.

The resurfaced posts show the woman living a carefree life in younger years, including an incident in which she claimed to have lost her phone and money after meeting a man in a hotel room.

The contrast between her past posts and her current emotional plea has sparked reactions, with some netizens criticising her past lifestyle.

Trending video>>> of the 40-year-old lady crying out after failing to get a husband.

40 years old Nigeria lady narrates how she is still unmarried at her age because of the mistake she made when she was 21 years old. pic.twitter.com/qHgWtqCfps  Chief Ozo (@Ozorbig1) January 26, 2026

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, January 28, 2026 - A Mzungu living in Kenya has gone viral after sharing a TikTok video listing the things he finds puzzling, and sometimes downright annoying, about life in the country.

In the clip, he boldly lays out the five things.

Rich Kenyans Dont Dance

He wonders if sitting at clubs instead of dancing is a sign of success - or just a way for clubs to push bottle service.

The Send Money Culture

From constant requests for 500 bob to girlfriend allowance and the slay queen lifestyle, he calls the culture toxic.

With a cheeky twist, he adds: I want to be a slay king too - I need a sponsor!

Kenyan Culture Debate

He says hes been told Kenyan culture doesnt exist, but questions this claim since he enjoys gengeton.

Stoic Faces vs. Melodic Sounds

He admits misinterpreting interactions because of stoic or shy expressions, but says he loves the unique high-pitched sounds Kenyans make in conversation.

Lack of Vulnerability

According to him, Kenyans seem less open to sensitivity, touch, or even massages - something he finds unusual.

His remarks have stirred mixed reactions online.

His criticism of the begging culture particularly stood out, especially after a viral story of a woman claiming her boyfriend sent her a cool $7,000 just because she complained that her account balance had run low.

Watch the video>>>

Here is a white guy complaining about being asked to sent 500 shillings and you niggas are willingly sending $7,000 pic.twitter.com/gcr2KF5spG  99THSENSE (@99thsense) January 27, 2026

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, January 28, 2026 - Tanzanian film stars, Irene Uwoya and Jackline Wolper, have stirred reactions on social media after revealing that they once had a crush on Kenyas former President, Uhuru Kenyatta.

The confession came during an episode of The List Reality Show, where the two actresses were asked to share their past celebrity crushes.

Irene Uwoya was the first to speak, admitting that her admiration for Uhuru dated back to his early years in politics, long before he became President.

I really liked Uhuru Kenyatta. He was charming, confident and carried himself with a lot of class, Irene said.

She explained that her crush was based on how he presented himself publicly, noting his calm nature and polished leadership image.

Jackline Wolper later joined in, saying she too admired Uhuru during that period.

I think many women admired him. He had presence, and he was very handsome, Wolper said, drawing laughter from the panel.

She clarified that the crush was light-hearted and rooted in admiration rather than any personal connection.

The candid moment quickly went viral, with clips spreading across East Africa and sparking lively debate online.

Uhuru Kenyatta served as Kenyas President from 2013 to 2022 and was widely known for his easy-going and down to earth nature.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
MAYNOOTH University academic Prof Sinead McGilloway is heading the first all-island mental health collaborative research network, CO-PRIME, which has been set up to help combat mental ill health in a more co-ordinated way right across Ireland.

By combining mental health research expertise and resources north and south, this initiative  which is the first of its kind in Ireland  will bring real benefits to people who are affected by mental health difficulties and their families said Professor Sinead McGilloway, who is working in collaboration with CO-LEADS, Dr Eve Griffin from the National Suicide Research Foundation and Professor Brian McGuire from the University of Galway.

Prof McGilloway is founder director of the centre for mental health and community research in Maynooth Universitys Department of Psychology and Social Sciences Institute. She has special interests in child and adult mental health and wellbeing in the community, including prevention and early intervention, service evaluation and vulnerable/marginalised groups. She is widely published and has won national and international awards for her research. She is a co-author of Irelands first ever National Mental Health Research Strategy (2024).

The five-year CO-PRIME (COproducing and Promoting Research and Innovation in Mental HEalth) initiative funded by the Health Research Board and launched on Thursday 8 January, and aims to reshape some of the ways in which mental health research is conducted and, in particular, how the knowledge and evidence arising from research is used across the island to help inform services and shape government policy.

The launch of CO-PRIME is a very important moment for mental health research across the island of Ireland, said Prof McGilloway, speaking about the exciting initiative.

For the first time we are bringing together diverse voices, including those with lived experience, to build a truly collaborative, inclusive and evidence-informed approach to understanding and addressing mental health needs.

As well as helping people with mental health difficulties, this network will benefit other stakeholders working in the area including health and social care services, researchers, policy makers, community organisations and the general public.

CO-PRIME has many specific goals it aims to achieve. It will support meaningful and sustained collaboration across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Crucially, it will embed the involvement of people with lived experience of mental health difficulties across all of its activities.

We will also foster a culture of wide stakeholder involvement in the design, conduct and application of research, including perspectives from marginalised and underrepresented communities, said co-lead, Dr Eve Griffin. And we will promote evidence-informed, rights-based approaches in mental health policy and practice.

We will aim to build capacity across the mental health ecosystem through training, education and researcher development, said Professor Brian McGuire.

We know that mental health difficulties affect directly or indirectly every community, family and part of society, and through CO-PRIME we are working to address that in a more co-ordinated, all-island fashion he added.
Two Kilkenny businesses are celebrating awards on the double after receiving national accolades.

The Newpark Hotel has once again been recognised as one of Irelands top destinations for family breaks, celebrating a standout achievement at the Gold Medal Hotel Awards by being named 'Best Family Friendly Hotel' for the third consecutive year.

The prestigious Gold Medal Hotel Awards are recognised as Irelands leading independent awards programme for the hospitality industry.

READ NEXT: Former Loreto Kilkenny students receive coveted DCU Scholars award

Securing the Best Family Friendly Hotel title for a third year in a row marks a significant milestone for the family-owned Kilkenny hotel and reflects its ongoing commitment to memorable, experience-led stays for people of all ages.

"To be recognised as Best Family Friendly Hotel for the third year in a row is an incredible honour and a real testament to the dedication of our entire team," General Managers Niall Dunne and Mark Flynn said.

"Everything we do at Newpark Hotel is driven by a desire to create meaningful, memorable experiences for our guests. Were immensely proud of our colleagues and sincerely grateful to the families who continue to choose Newpark Hotel year after year."

Meanwhile, at the same ceremony, Cafe La Coco took home two national awards.

The Patrick Street coffee shop secured the title of 'All-Ireland Cafe of the Year' and 'Leinster Sweet Treat of the Year'.

"These awards recognise excellence in quality, service, and community spirit, marking a proud moment for our entire team and for Kilkenny," a spokesperson for the business commented.

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A woman who drove without valid insurance was sentenced to four months in prison, banned for driving for six years and fined 250 at Kilkenny District Court.

Elysia Drew, Adelphi House, Gardiner Street Lower, Dublin 1 was convicted of having no insurance, to driving without a licence and to failing to give information to gardai at the Bennettsbridge Road, Kilkenny on August 29.

On the date in question gardai were on patrol when they observed a vehicle been driven by the defendant. Following enquiries gardai established that there was no active insurance on the vehicle.

The defendant, who was driving the vehicle gave false details to gardai. The defendant was disqualified from driving at the time and there was a warrant in place for her arrest. The defendant was arrested and the vehicle was seized.

Gardai also seized a plastic, foil-lined bag in the back seat of the vehicle which they believed was going to be used in the commission of the theft offences. The defendant has 27 previous convictions.

Solicitor, Joe Farrell said that his client, a mother of two young children, panicked and should have provided her correct name to gardai.

Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.
IFA President Francie Gorman said the position of the Bord Bia Chair Larry Murrin is untenable and, he said, regrettably farmer confidence will continue to ebb away every day he remains in office.

Mr Gorman has called for the resignation of the Bord Bia chairman, saying: It is clear that Bord Bia cannot do its business with farmers. The current Chair of Bord Bia, who imports Brazilian beef, has put himself ahead of the Association and its doing untold damage, he said.

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Speaking at an IFA protest outside Bord Bia in Dublin earlier this week, Mr Gorman said farmers are the cornerstone of what Bord Bia does.

What a lot of those outside our sector might not be aware of is that Bord Bia is responsible for the Quality Assurance standards on Irish farms. It is Bord Bia which inspect farms to ensure these standards. They constantly tell us that the customers want high standards. Yet now farmers find out that the Chair of Bord Bia is using Brazilian beef, apparently at the behest of these same customers, he said.

IFA, along with other farm representatives, were scheduled to be in discussions today with Bord Bia about Quality Assurance standards on farms.

As farmer representatives, we cannot expect farmers to engage in meetings on standards while the chair uses Brazilian beef. That is why Bord Bia had to call off these meetings, he said.

Mr Gorman appealed to both the Minister for Agriculture and the Chair of Bord Bia to realise that prolonging this issue is not in anybodys interest.

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I put forward a proposal last Thursday that the Chair should stand down, in the interests of Bord Bia and in the interests of Irish farming. Regrettably, that is still my view. I dont like having this focus on one individual, but the Minister has to see the damage it is doing, he said.

We will remain here until this matter is resolved. Ireland has built up a reputation for top quality food on the back of the QA scheme and Origin Green. This requires the participation and confidence of farmers. This is vital if we are to continue to be successful on the global stage, he said.
A wide range of issues related to Uisce Eireann in County Kilkenny have been raised in the Dail.

Carlow-Kilkenny Fianna Fail TD John McGuinness spoke on the subject during a debate on water services.

Deputy McGuinness slammed the general bureaucracy that he believes is holding up developments nationwide.

He described a public meeting he attended in the county, which highlighted this problem.

Deputy McGuinness said: I attended a public meeting in Inistioge about the development of the village and a neighbouring area called The Rower.

READ NEXT: Judge hands down 14-month sentence for Kilkenny thefts

At one stage, this area was second on the list to have facilities provided by the council or Irish Water.

Now, it is fifth on the list and no one can explain why. We cannot have a system that randomly picks one place over another.

Huge investment must be made through Irish Water and directed towards villages and towns that want to develop, that have areas to develop and where people want to live.

He also outlined water issues that are affecting the residents of a housing estate in Kilkenny city.

The Greenfields housing estate in Kilkenny is serviced by an antiquated system that is just completely broken down.

Irish Water will not provide the turn-off valves that are necessary to control the water should there be a burst pipe.

Very recently, there was a burst pipe. A house gets flooded and who do the people turn to? Their local public representative or TD.

What we get from Irish Water is just static. There is no sense of urgency about delivering the corrective measures that are necessary to make sure those households do not flood any more.

Deputy McGuinness added that the nationalisation of water services has meant there has been a loss of local knowledge.

There is not an understanding from Irish Water about local issues, either.

In Inistioge, they were not aware of the fact that very close to the outflow pipe from a treatment system was an area where people got into the water and swam. They did not see it.

We have lost a lot of local knowledge as we move towards the bigger entity of Irish Water. That could be said about the HSE as well.

We need to debate it much more here in the Chamber so we get to the point where we are creating the policy and driving it to deliver for the people we represent.

He concluded by calling on Uisce Eireann to do much more when it comes to engaging with local communities.

Later in the debate, fellow Fianna Fail TD Peter Chap Cleere welcomed a new initiative which will allow private sector involvement in developing wastewater systems for smaller housing developments of up to 40 homes.

He described the initiative as a crucial step towards addressing the housing crisis in Carlow and Kilkenny.

He added that it was particularly crucial because of the number of issues faced by residents in his constituency.

Deputy Cleere said: There are so many issues in my constituency that need to be resolved.

We have 14 wastewater treatment plants that need to be upgraded at the moment, in Kilmanagh, Glenmore, Freshford, Dungarvan, Ballyhale, Kells, Fiddown, Piltown, Paulstown, Graiguenamanagh, Bennettsbridge and Windgap, to name but a few.

We have a situation in Bennettsbridge right now where they have been waiting years for an upgrade.

They have been approved but the works will not be completed until 2030. It is not good enough and it is not acceptable.

He also mentioned the situation in Inistioge, as well as the issues with the wastewater treatment plant in Mullinavat, which is at full capacity.

There was even stronger criticism of Uisce Eireann from Sinn Fein TD Natasha Newsome Drennan, who said that the utility is operating in a cartel-like fashion.

Deputy Newsome Drennan said: How much longer will they bury their heads in the sand and hide from this scandal?

The harsh reality is that the ordinary people of Carlow and Kilkenny are paying the price for this corruption.

Instead of getting their water supply fixed on time, people are getting boil water notices slapped on.

Instead of leaks being fixed, valves are being installed to reduce water pressure and output, giving the impression that leaks have been reduced when, in fact, all that has been done is that the water supply has been turned down.

She went on to also raise issues with water services being experienced locally, particularly in Castlecomer and Inistioge.

Just look at Castlecomer, in Kilkenny. It has rolling water restrictions all year round. It is something they have become immune to.

This is a community of over 2,000 taxpaying citizens, and what do they get in return? Substandard water and second-class treatment.

Then there is the community of Inistioge, where the Government's failure to invest in water facilities has brought a complete halt to new builds and is destroying local waterways due to raw sewage being discharged into the rivers.

Deputy Newsome Drennan concluded by asking how much longer the Government will tolerate what she described as a failing system.

She added that the issues facing residents in Kilkenny should be investigated and featured on the RTE current affairs programme Prime Time.

Minister of State Christopher OSullivan was present in the chamber on behalf of the Minister for Housing, James Browne.

While Minister OSullivan did not give a direct response to any of the Kilkenny-related issues raised, he did provide a general response to all deputies.

He highlighted the work the Government has done to address water issues across the country, but acknowledged that there is much more to do.

He complimented Uisce Eireann on the significant progress it has made in that regard, but accepted that the utility is not perfect.

Minister OSullivan said: We realise that Uisce Eireann certainly has not got everything right. We realise there is a necessity to focus on wastewater projects and water supply.

The Minister and Ministers of State in the Department know there are towns, villages, cities and urban areas where improvements are needed or where basic infrastructure is needed.

We know that some of these timelines are very hard to stomach and very frustrating but when we think about the various licences and permits that are needed, we can understand.

He continued by saying that the Department will focus on reducing the amount of red tape involved in the delivery of water services.

He added that the need for better communication will be passed on to Uisce Eireann.

Minister OSullivan concluded by saying that the Government will continue to support Uisce Eireann and the work it is doing nationwide.
The Emergency Response Payment, formerly known as the The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, provides emergency financial help if your home has been affected by a severe weather event such as flooding in Ireland.

The payment helps you meet the cost of essential needs and repairs rather than full compensation for losses or damage. It is only open for applications when activated in response to a severe weather event.

READ NEXT: Major clean up underway as damage from Storm Chandra will take "months" to repair

This week, the Emergency Response Payment was opened to provide support to people living in properties directly affected by Storm Chandra in Dublin, Wexford and Wicklow. Stage 1 is not means-tested and closes for applications on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

The scheme is administered by the Community Welfare Service.

There are 3 parts to the Emergency Response Payment

Stage 1 (Immediate need): Emergency payment to help pay for food, clothing, personal items and alternative accommodation if you need it. Stage 1 is not means-tested.

The closing date for Stage 1 applications related to Storm Chandra is Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

Stage 2 (Damage to essential items and contents): Replacing white goods (fridge, freezer), flooring, basic furniture and other essential household items.

Stage 3 (Longer-term financial support for structural damage to your home): including plastering, dry lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.

Stage 2 and Stage 3 are means-tested.

READ NEXT: Woman in her 60s dies after being hit by a truck in Dublin

What does the scheme not cover?

The Emergency Response Payment does not cover:

Losses covered by an insurance policy

Loss of items considered not essential, or luxury items

Commercial and business losses

Loss or damage to your private rented accommodation or local authority accommodation

Do I qualify for help?

Stage 1 emergency payments are not means-tested.

Stage 2 and Stage 3 financial support is means-tested.

To qualify for Stage 2 and Stage 3 financial support, your households income is assessed to decide whether your household can meet the cost, or some of the cost, of restoring your home to a habitable condition.

All household income is considered in the income test. You do not need to be getting a social welfare payment to qualify.

How does the income test work?

When you apply, you will be asked to provide personal and financial details for each person who lives in your home and explain their relationship to you.

If you are single

If you have a gross household income of 50,000 or less, you get 100% of the amount allowable.

For each whole 1,000 of household income above 50,000, you are required to make a 1% contribution to the amount allowable. For example, if you are:

Single, and

Have a gross household income of 55,000

You get 95% of the amount allowable (5,000 over the income limit of 50,000 = 5% personal contribution towards the loss).

READ NEXT: LIVE: Gardai seize e-bikes, cash, drugs and more during massive search operation in Dublin

If you are in a couple

If you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting and have a combined gross household income of 90,000 or less, you get 100% of the amount allowable.

For each whole 1,000 of household income above 90,000, you are required to make a 1% contribution to the amount allowable. For example, if you are:

Married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, and

Have a combined gross household income of 105,000

You get 85% of the amount allowable (15,000 over the income limit of 90,000 = 15% personal contribution to the loss).

Increases for qualified children

The income limits are increased by 15,000 for each qualified child.

One-parent household

The income limit for one-parent households is 90,000 plus 15,000 for each qualified child.

Non-dependent adult household members

For each non-dependent adult member of the household, 20% of their gross income is added to the household income.

For example, a household with a couple with a gross income of 85,000, and non-dependent adult with an income of 20,000 get 100% of the amount allowable as the total household income is less than 90,000 (85,000 + 4,000 [20,000 x 20%] = 89,000).

If you have no insurance

If you had no insurance and you do not have a good reason for not having insurance:

You will be expected to contribute the first 2,000 toward the amount allowable, and

Your personal contribution will be 2% for each whole 1,000 above the appropriate income level for your household

If your income is above the income limits

If your household income is above the limits you may get reduced or tapered levels of support.

How much financial support is available?

How much is paid depends on how severe the damage is and your ability to pay for the cost of repairs.

If the cost of structural repairs is estimated to be more than 5,000, the Department of Social Protection will appoint and get advice from a loss adjudicator.

In assessing cases for assistance, Additional Needs Payments already paid out will be taken into account.

READ NEXT: PICTURES: Inside Irish Rugby star Peter Stringer's stunning home as it hits the market

How do I apply?

To apply for the Stage 1 Emergency Response Payment, complete the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme application form. The closing date for Stage 1 applications related to Storm Chandra is Wednesday, 4 February 2026.

To apply for the Stage 2 and Stage 3 Emergency Response Payment, complete the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme application form. Applications for help with structural repair must be made by the registered property owner.

You can also get the form from your local Community Welfare Service or from your local Intreo centre or branch office.

You must include the following with your application, where available:

Evidence of household income (pay slips, etc)

Estimates for repairs or replacement

Two itemised quotations for cost of structural repairs (from a registered building contractor or tradesperson)

A copy of your insurance policy

Paid invoices or receipts

Any other information which may support your claim

Send your completed application form to the Community Welfare Officer at your local Community Welfare Service.
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Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional snow showers overnight. Very cold. Low 9F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional snow showers overnight. Very cold. Low 9F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- China plans to sign trade and investment cooperation agreements with Britain during Prime Minister Keir Starmer's upcoming visit to the country, the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday. These outcome documents will help create new growth drivers for bilateral economic and trade cooperation, the ministry noted in a statement. "China attaches great importance to economic and trade cooperation with Britain and is actively working with Britain to prepare for the economic and trade cooperation outcomes resulting from the visit, as well as a meeting of Chinese and British entrepreneurs," the statement said. Chinese and British companies have shown keen interests in the meeting, and more than 100 of them have registered to attend, the ministry added. At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the British prime minister will pay an official visit to China from Jan. 28 to 31, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced earlier Tuesday. It is understood that during the visit, Starmer will lead a delegation comprising senior executives from over 50 major British firms and representatives of British institutions. They represent Britain's leading sectors that span finance, medicine, manufacturing, culture and creativity, which has fully showcased the UK's earnest expectations for deepening economic and trade relations with China, according to the ministry. China-UK economic and trade relations have for long maintained healthy and stable development under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries. In 2025, bilateral trade value of goods reached 103.7 billion U.S. dollars, with bilateral trade in services expected to exceed 30 billion U.S. dollars. Meanwhile, two-way investment stock is close to 68 billion U.S. dollars, data from the ministry revealed. The ministry's statement also said that as global trade protectionism intensifies, both China and Britain adhere to free trade and safeguard the multilateral trading system, and the two sides will commit to economic and trade cooperation featured by complementary advantages and mutual benefits, promote the coordinated development of trade in goods and services, carry out two-way investment cooperation, and broaden cooperation in sectors such as green energy, medical and healthcare, creative industries and intelligent manufacturing. "The Ministry of Commerce is willing to work with our UK counterpart to jointly implement the important consensuses reached by the leaders of our two countries, strengthen communication on economic and trade policies, create a fair, transparent and law-based business environment for cooperation between enterprises of both sides, and promote the continuous advancement of China-UK economic and trade relations to new heights," the statement read.
TWO major school building projects have been approved for Laois, under a funding package announced today.

A long-awaited new school for Colaiste Iosagain in Portarlington and a much-needed new extension for St Francis Special School in Portlaoise have received a green light, under the National Education Sectoral Plan.

Both schools can now progress to tender and/or construction in 2026-2027.

The replacement secondary school for Colaiste Iosagain will cater for 1,300 pupils, with provisions made for special educational needs.

Welcoming the announcement, Laois TD Sean Fleming commented: "Laois is growing in population and regional importance, it is essential that we have the infrastructure that reflects that.

According to the Department of Education, 144.77 million in capital funding has been invested in schools across Laois between 2020 and 2025.

Deputy Fleming said: This significant investment has delivered upgrades to 29 schools through the construction of new buildings, large scale extensions and the provision of modular accommodation, helping to modernise facilities and meet growing demand.

Since 2020, a total of 63 special classes have been established in Laois, with six additional classes already sanctioned to open in September 2026
Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise is pleased to announce its Christmas Community Donation Initiative in support of the Childrens Health Foundation (CHF). Throughout December, 1 from every meal purchased at Charter Bar & Eatery and Kellys Steakhouse will be donated to CHF. The foundation helps equip frontline teams in Children's Health Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres at Temple Street, Crumlin, Tallaght and Connolly to provide world-class, transformative care.

This years initiative is especially meaningful to the Midlands Park Hotel team, and is spearheaded by Stacey Corbally from the hotels Meetings & Events department. Staceys four-year-old son, Matthew, is one of only three children in Ireland living with MPS VI (MaroteauxLamy syndrome), a very rare genetic disorder that causes the membrane protecting the brain and spinal cord to thicken. The condition can lead to challenges with hearing and vision, as well as enlargement of the liver or spleen, heart complications and respiratory issues. Inspired by the exceptional care Matthew receives at Temple Street Childrens Hospital, Stacey and her colleagues chose CHF as the beneficiary of this years fundraising efforts. George Leahy, General Manager of Midlands Park Hotel is proud to support CHF, saying, Last year we raised over 40,000 for Friends of Suicide Loss and were hopeful we can do even better this year. At Midlands Park Hotel, we are committed to listening to our team, understanding what matters to them and supporting the charities they care deeply about. We look forward to welcoming guests to dine with us throughout December, knowing that every meal they enjoy contributes to a truly worthwhile cause.

Charter Bar & Eatery

For more information on Midlands Park Hotel, see www.midlandsparkhotel.com. Keep up to date with the latest news by following Midlands Park Hotel on social media @midlands_park_hotel.

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  3rd Global Invitation Revelation Seminar concludes successfully - largest scale ever

 Religious leaders speak with one voice: Revelation is a power that brings peace

 Praise, prayer and discussion over 4 days fostered real understanding and harmony Chairman Lee Man Hee: Let us uphold the values of truth and peace as religious leaders This was my first time experiencing such free and warm interaction. I felt true peace in the truth. This is the testimony of a religious leader who attended the 3rd Global Invitation Revelation Seminar. The seminar has grown into a hub where religious leaders come together in unity.

Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Chairman Lee Man hee; hereafter Shincheonji Church), announced on the 5th that it successfully concluded the 3rd Global Invitation Revelation Seminar, which was held for four days and three nights beginning 30 October.

The Global Invitation Revelation Seminar is an international exchange programme that explores interreligious dialogue and peace by focusing on the prophecies and fulfilment recorded in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. Since the first class launched on 1 February 2024, the number of participating countries and faith groups has expanded each term, establishing the seminar as a platform for dialogue among world religious leaders.

The 3rd seminar was held under the theme, The Path of Understanding Led by Scripture, the Path of Peace Walked by Religions Together, and brought together over 1000 attendees, including 440 religious leaders from 59 countries - the largest scale to date.

Affirming the potential for interreligious harmony through the Book of Revelation, the seminar concluded on 1 November at the Goseong Peace Training Centre, with more than 440 religious leaders declaring unity.

Religions United through the Book of Revelation Religious leaders who participated said in unison that the truth taught by Shincheonji Church has power.

Venerable Yullyeoseongwon of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, attending the seminar for the first time, said, I believe the reason Shincheonji continues to grow and flourish is the power of its teachings. This was a time that confirmed that these teachings are a path beyond religious boundaries towards the unity of humanity. Leaders of various traditions - Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Confucianism and others - studied the prophecies and fulfilment of Revelation together, discovering similarities among scriptures and common messages of peace.

Praise for the seminar continued among pastors and leaders of other religions. Mohammed Usman, an Islamic leader from Eswatini, said, Shincheonji Church has a perfect curriculum that delivers peace and truth. The high level of satisfaction also appeared in the enthusiasm for scripture study. In the World Religious Leaders Revelation Quiz Competition held at the end of the seminar, 317 participants from 60 countries competed, and 154 achieved perfect scores. A total of 125 participants, 42 domestic and 83 overseas, who completed seven weeks of education and assessments, including the Global Seminar, were appointed as Honorary Bible Teachers.

Crying, Laughing, Praising, Discussing - Harmony Once Again In addition to the Revelation lectures, this seminar also featured:

 A united prayer meeting for global peace

 The Way to Heaven (Bible OX Quiz)

 Time Travel into the Bible, a theatrical programme experiencing the heart of the biblical shepherd

 A Round Table promoting peace culture Religious leaders said they cried, laughed and shared deep empathy and harmony through these exchanges.

One Buddhist head monk said, They are doing things unimaginable in Buddhism. Seeing a monk in robes teaching the Bible and Shincheonji members discussing Buddhism was eye opening. I learned so much. A Presbyterian pastor commented, Through cultural exchange, we shared understanding and values of faith across religions, and I see hope that we can become one. From Inspiration to Action - Peace Put into Practice At the closing ceremony of the seminar held on 1 November at the Goseong Peace Training Centre, participants also shared peace initiatives that emerged in their home countries after attending the 2nd seminar.

Venerable Sok Bunthuen, Director of the Department of Higher Buddhist Education under Cambodias Ministry of Cult and Religion, explained that he continued interreligious exchange by holding an invited Revelation lecture at a Buddhist temple in Cambodia. Last year, 110 religious leaders participated; this year, the event grew into a large gathering with 850 attendees, including religious and community leaders.

Venerable Sok Bunthuen added, At this event, 215 people signed the Religious Peace Pledge and committed to continued participation in future exchange programmes. It was a historic moment where religious and social leaders chose practical peace. Based on these achievements, he plans to host a Religious Peace Education Camp in January next year to further expand peace cooperation.

All religious leaders participating in the 3rd seminar read a resolution pledging, We will fulfil the mission of delivering peace and truth and guide humanity on the path of salvation, reaffirming their commitment to peace in action.

A Shincheonji Church official stated, This seminar confirmed that the Bible is not the scripture of a single religion but contains universal truth for humanity. It served as an opportunity to understand each others faiths through the Word and restore the religious mission of peace and harmony. Chairman Lee Man hee emphasised, We must reflect on the past, when criticism distanced us from Gods will, and be reborn as spiritual leaders who uphold the original values of spreading truth and achieving peace. Through dialogue and communication, let us achieve peace - the hope of God and our own hope. Meanwhile, the first seminar held in February 2024 drew more than 80 religious leaders from 10 faith groups across 28 countries, including Korea. The second seminar last year was completed by over 270 religious leaders from 57 countries.
By Grainne Ni Aodha, Press Association

A State apology is to be given by the Taoiseach to people who suffered abuse in industrial and reformatory schools.

The Government has agreed a package of additional supports for survivors of abuse at institutional schools, including health, education, housing and funeral cost supports.

In November, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and then-education minister Helen McEntee met with survivors who were on hunger strike outside Leinster House over a lack of support from the Government.

A commitment was given to the group, and a mediator has been working through their concerns.

On Tuesday, the Taoiseach indicated he would give a formal apology to survivors in the Dail on behalf of the Government and in consultation with the Attorney General, Rossa Fanning.

A scoping inquiry published in 2024 found that almost 2,400 allegations of historical sexual abuse were recorded by 308 schools run by religious orders across Ireland.

The allegations were made against 884 alleged abusers in day and boarding schools run by 42 religious orders.

The report said 17 were special schools, which recorded 590 allegations involving 190 alleged abusers.

The inquiry came after an RTE documentary prompted the Spiritan Congregation to apologise to victims of abuse and said an independent group would engage with survivors at its schools and institutions, including Blackrock College in Dublin.

The abuse allegations dated back as far as the 1970s.
A new family-owned coffee shop is opening its doors in Hackettstown this week, filling a spot on Main Street.

Patagonia Coffee House, 269 Main St., offers more than coffee, according to the company. The menu includes honey lavender matcha and iced taro milk; acai and salad bowls; and specialty baked goods produced in-house and made daily.

The Monjes family, led by owner Maria Monjes, celebrated the cafes grand opening Wednesday with a ribbon cutting at the shop surrounded by representatives of the Hackettstown Business Improvement District.

The shops home on Main Street is the former location of Indian Essence Fine Indian Cuisine. The restaurant closed in the fall of 2025.

The Monjes family are already well-respected business owners in town and are familiar with Main Street. The opening of the latest business venture signifies a comeback for a Lehigh Valley family that was almost devastated by a profound loss two years ago.

The Monjes are responsible for delivering some of the areas best Argentine-style barbeque, based on Marias fathers recipes and memories of flavors from her own childhood, at Sizzling BBQ Argentinian Restaurant and Bakery.

Sizzling BBQ Argentinian Restaurant and Bakery in Hackettstown first opened in 2017. It closed in 2023 for almost a year, following the death of a family member and steward of the familys restaurants.

The familys flagship restaurant located in Newton, Sussex County, continued operating and the Hackettstown eatery reopened in 2024.
A former Forks Township police officer accused of tampering with a fellow officers portable radio 17 times has agreed to resign, according to information obtained by lehighvalleylive.com through a right-to-know request.

Former officer James Parsons allegedly tampered with officer Daniel Sciabicas radio 17 times between June and August 2025. When Sciabica plugged in his radio to charge it after his shift, Parsons allegedly unplugged it from the charger or removed the battery.

Parsons actions were captured on surveillance cameras inside the police station and shown as evidence during a hearing Jan. 8.

Parsons was fired in September after an internal investigation.

He appealed the termination at the Jan. 8 hearing. The township presented its evidence at that hearing, and Parsons was going to present his defense at a follow-up hearing. However, he agreed to resign from the force with an effective date of Sept. 22. In turn, the township agreed to rescind his termination and allow him to resign.

Parsons settlement agreement was approved by the township board of supervisors on Jan. 15. Parsons signed it Jan. 14.

Lehighvalleylive.com obtained a copy of the settlement on Tuesday through a request for information under Pennsylvanias right-to-know law.

Sciabica testified Jan. 8 that his relationship with Parsons had been contentious and that they did not get along very well.

Parsons attorney, Gary Ateak of Easton, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement.

The Forks Township Police Department is searching for a new chief.

The township approved a $72,000 separation agreement with former Chief Michael Friel on Dec. 4, 2025. Friel left the department a few months after misplacing his loaded handgun in a police station bathroom stall.
A new Pennsylvania law requiring parental notification of weapons found in schools went into effect this month.

The law, known as Act 44, requires public and private schools to notify parents within 24 hours of when a weapon is found in a school.

There is broad agreement from Republicans and Democrats that schools must be forthcoming when dangerous incidents take place, said bill sponsor Jarrett Coleman, a Republican who represents parts of Lehigh and Bucks counties in the state Senate.

Easton Area School District Superintendent Tracy Piazza said she agrees that school districts should be transparent when students are put in danger by a found weapon.

But Piazza doesnt want to alarm parents if its not necessary.

Shes been advised that school administrators can make a local decision on whether the object found in the school should be reported as a weapon.

For instance, if a student is using a butter knife to cut the crust off a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and another student reports the knife to a lunchroom monitor, shed advise not reporting it to parents.

However, if that same knife is being jabbed around  then I probably would report that as a weapon, she said at the school board meeting Jan. 13.

Since the law went into effect this month, the school district reported an instance to parents when a student brought in an X-Acto knife for an art class. Another student saw the knife and reported it. Although no one was threatened by the knife, the district decided to report it rather than risk breaking the new law.

The Easton Area School District posted answers to questions about the new law on the districts website.
Officials released the cause of death for a man who died following a shootout with Pennsylvania State Police troopers last weekend in North Whitehall Township.

The Lehigh County Coroners Office conducted an autopsy Tuesday and the results showed the 27-year-old township man died from a gunshot wound to the head.

The manner of death remains under investigation by the Lehigh County District Attorneys Office.

The man has been identified by authorities and next of kin has been notified, however, the coroners office is withholding his identity until the investigation concludes.

The shooting followed an hours-long standoff outside a home Saturday morning in North Whitehall.

Troopers were called just after 11 a.m. Saturday to the residence in the 2800 block of Rockdale Road for a reported armed man causing a disturbance. Pennsylvania State Police said the man was found sitting in a car parked in the driveway, armed with a handgun.

He ignored police commands to surrender and began firing the handgun more than once and aimed it at the troopers several times, state police said.

The standoff came to an end around 2 p.m. when a trooper with Pennsylvania State Polices Special Emergency Response Team shot the man. He was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday.

The shooting continues to be investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police Troop M Major Case Team, the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and the Lehigh County District Attorneys Office.
A Monroe County man was sentenced to serve up to 80 years in prison for his role in a straw purchasing operation, which included his girlfriend buying illegal guns for him.

On Wednesday, Monroe County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jennifer Harlacher Sibum sentenced 41-year-old Ramon Roldan, Jr., of Saylorsburg, to serve 40 to 80 years imprisonment on 29 felony counts of a person not to possess firearms.

Roldan was convicted in November following a three-day jury trial. He originally faced more than 100 felony offenses but some counts were dismissed and he was acquitted of charges related to making false written statements, according to court records.

Roldans co-defendant, 41-year-old Melissa Saldana of East Stroudsburg, pleaded guilty in October to two felony counts of making false written statements on a firearm application. She is scheduled to be sentenced later this year in Monroe County court.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Roldans sentence Wednesday afternoon.

Sunday said in a news release the sentence was appropriate in sending a message that illegally possessing firearms threatens the sanctity and safety of our neighborhoods.

This sentence is the fruit of our offices continued commitment to pursuing individuals who snub their noses at firearms laws, Sunday added.

Frederick Mark Cutaio, the public defender assigned to Roldan, declined comment to lehighvalleylive.com about the case.

A straw purchase, as defined by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, involves someone who purchases a gun for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing one or for someone who does not want their name associated with the transaction.

Prosecutors said Roldan, who was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple past felony convictions, had Saldana buy the weapons. He then stored, possessed or transferred the stockpile.

Charges were filed after an investigation by the Office of Attorney Generals Gun Violence Task Force; Pennsylvania State Police; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Authorities in summer 2023 obtained a search warrant and seized a total of 28 firearms inconspicuously stashed in an East Stroudsburg storage unit rented by Roldan, as well as other locations.

Investigators seized multiple handguns; four ghost guns; multiple assault-style rifles with suppressors, and thousands of rounds of ammunition and additional firearm accessories, authorities said.

The cases were investigated by the Office of Attorney Generals Gun Violence Task Force, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Polices Crime Detectives and Patrol. Both cases are being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Christy Schlottman.
By Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.

A new law sponsored by a state representative from the Lehigh Valley may not be very effective at removing unregulated vapes from the market due to loopholes, insufficient funding for enforcement, and limited public health backing.

The statute is the commonwealths first major effort to tackle vaping. By this spring, manufacturers will need to have registered with the state Office of Attorney General and self-certified that they have been authorized by the FDA or have applied for authorization.

Act 57, which mirrors proposals passed in at least 11 other states, passed the General Assembly with broad bipartisan support and the backing of a powerful coalition of interests, including law enforcement, convenience store chains, and the states medical society.

We cant stop the youth from smoking, but at least if theyre going to do it  the ones they are smoking are safer for them, said said state Rep. Jeanne McNeill, who sponsored the underlying bill. The Democrat represents Bethlehem, Catasauqua, Coplay, Fountain Hill; and Hanover and Whitehall townships. All her territory is in Lehigh County.

Registry laws designed to restrict these products are so new, however, that their impact on fighting youth access to vapes is still unclear, public health experts told Spotlight PA.

To be honest, Im still trying to grasp why [registry laws] became popular, Jeffrey Drope, a research professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Spotlight PA.

He and other researchers say banning all flavored products would be more effective, although other researchers disagree due to data that suggest such policies may harm adults trying to stop smoking cigarettes.

In particular, supporters of the law hope to target Chinese-made disposable vapes, which often deliver fanciful flavors and sometimes even include video games. Studies have also found these vapes can contain high levels of heavy metals.

Rates have gone up and down, but as of 2023, one in four Pennsylvania high school seniors said they had tried vaping at least once, according to a state survey. (Just over one in 10 in the same year said they had tried cigarettes, a 60% decrease from 2017.)

The law may face legal challenges from the vaping industry, Tony Abboud, executive director of the Vapor Technology Association, a trade group, told Spotlight PA.

He argued the law wont stop the flow of vapes into Pennsylvania, and will instead shutter businesses and push consumers into an unregulated, untaxed black market.

Nobody believes that the demand for vapes that are on the market now will go down, Abboud said. They will look for, and find, the products that they like, theyve used, that they know that work for them.

Potential registry issues

The law directs the state attorney generals office to maintain a registry of manufacturers who can sell electronic cigarettes that contain nicotine. Products that have been authorized by the FDA are allowed to register. That encompasses just 39 e-cigarettes from a handful of brands, including those owned by big tobacco companies. They are largely refillable vapes, rather than single-use, and the list excludes all flavored products beyond menthol.

But the law includes an additional provision for products that are under review by the FDA or have received a denial thats pending due to a court or FDA order.

Theres a significant backlog of applications, exacerbated by the firings by the Trump administration of the people who review them, The Examination reported last year. And because of that pileup, tens of thousands of products can still qualify for most registries, according to the Public Health Law Center.

I can tell you that many  applications were really inadequate, and I dont think that those types of products should be treated equally for purposes of these registry laws, Mitch Zeller, a former chief federal tobacco regulator who retired in 2022, told Spotlight PA.

To get on the registry, manufacturers have to certify they are eligible under the laws provisions. Exactly what that form will look like, and how it will be reviewed for accuracy, is unclear  the attorney generals office declined to comment on the laws implementation.

Attorney general spokesperson Brett Hambright said the office was evaluating various enforcement options, but wouldnt want to venture into disclosing techniques.

If a vape is not registered, retailers and distributors are barred from buying or selling them. Enforcement against those companies will begin in October. Retailers who violate the law could be punished by fines of up to $1,500 per day per vape.

According to the Office of Attorney General, implementing the legislation will have an initial one-time cost of $98,280, with annual ongoing personnel and operating costs equaling approximately $1.3 million.

The Office of Attorney General staff will establish and maintain the vaping directory and provide targeted enforcement based on documentation and intelligence regarding non-compliant actors, a state House analysis of the bill says.

The law, Hambright added in an email, ensures only regulated products are on the market, keeping them out of the hands of children, and not marketed towards children.

The offices projected costs are far less than those of other states with robust tobacco enforcement spending. Neighboring New York allocates approximately $40 million for tobacco enforcement each year. Pennsylvanias most recent budget allocated $1.7 million.

If the state is not prepared to put the time, the money, and the effort behind enforcement, Zeller said, I dont know how effective the law can be.

The need for resources is part of why some anti-smoking advocates opposed the proposal as passed. According to the Pennsylvania Alliance for Tobacco Control, funding for a registry could be better used to support evidence-based prevention and cessation programs.

Instead of investing in a system that simply monitors the problem, we need bold, enforceable action that prevents it entirely, the group argued. That includes a flavor ban as well as efforts to ban sales near schools, they added.

Public health questions

Smoking tobacco is among the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. That hasnt stopped anyone from doing it, however.

Tobacco is a $70 billion-plus industry in the U.S., with millions of users in Pennsylvania. The states farmers also produce millions of pounds of tobacco every year.

Vape technology, meanwhile, became popular in the 2010s as a way to let people consume nicotine, the addictive chemical in tobacco, without smoking cigarettes.

But what vaping means for public health is still unclear and subject to ongoing research, Jungmi Jun, an associate professor who studies tobacco control campaigns at the University of South Carolina, said in an email.

The scientific consensus is fairly clear that combustible cigarettes pose substantially greater health risks than e-cigarettes, primarily due to combustion-related toxins. However, that does not mean e-cigarettes and other vape products are harmless, particularly for youth and non-smokers, Jun said. Much depends on who is using these products, how they are regulated, and how they are marketed and communicated to the public.

The law, Drope of Johns Hopkins said, amounts to an attempt at controlling the vape supply chain, which he argued is a worthwhile effort, because you want to know whats on your marketplace.

But Drope argued that the state would be more effective at preventing people under 21 from vaping if the legislature also hiked taxes on tobacco products and banned flavored products, which often mimic popular desserts and other sweets, and frequently get marketed to teens.

In a statement, Lynn Silver, program director of the Prevention Policy Group of the Public Health Institute, agreed with Drope that a flavor ban should have been higher on the legislatures to-do list.

Bans on flavored vapes should be comprehensive and span all nicotine products, cannabis where legal, and hemp, all of which are hooking kids across the nation, she said. Pennsylvanias new bill falls short on protecting our youth.

For her part, McNeill has offered a flavor ban before. But the proposal never left committee.

I hit a wall with that. I was basically told, Its never going to be run, its never going to be passed, McNeill said of her earlier efforts. She did not clarify who told her the proposal would never pass. It would likely have faced industry-wide opposition  both traditional, combustible tobacco firms and vape firms sell flavored tobacco products.

EXCLUSIVE INSIGHTS  If you liked this reporting from Stephen Caruso, subscribe to Access Harrisburg, a premium newsletter with his unique insider view on how state government works.
There'll be a rare opportunity to enjoy landmark jazz tunes composed by legendary American trumpeter Miles Davis played by real musicians in Laois at the Portlaoise Jazz Festival over the St Brigid's Day bank holiday weekend.

The Laois Music Centre is set to host a highlight of this years Portlaoise Jazz Festival with a performance and workshop by the Conor Guilfoyle Octet on Saturday, January 31.

First up, from 11.30 am to 1pm, there will be a free-to-attend workshop for students aged 10 upwards, beginners to advanced. Participants will be given a chance to see what its like to improvise with a professional jazz band.

Shortly afterwards, at 3pm, the Octet will perform the music of legendary jazz trumpet player Miles Daviss Birth of the Cool.

Rosa Flannery is the Music Development Officer with Music Generation Laois / Laois School of Music. She believes it is a not-to-be-missed show.

"This is a rare opportunity for music students and music appreciators alike to experience an elite-level jazz concert on their doorstep," she said.

Admission to the concert is free and no advanced booking is required. Spaces on the workshop are also free but must be booked in advance. Tap here to book.

On January 21st, 1949, the great jazz trumpeter Miles Davis assembled a nonet of four brass, two saxophones and rhythm section to record four tracks with eight more to come in April 1949 and March 1950. These recordings would make jazz history creating what we now call the Birth of the Cool sessions.

READ ALSO: Swing to bebop and more at the Portlaoise Jazz Festival

The Conor Guilfoyle Octet is led by one of Irelands leading drummers and educators, the members of the octet are handpicked by Conor and represent the finest players on the scene today.

The octet music has looked back to the 1950s, to a style associated with the west coast called Cool Jazz, the origins which really began on the east coast with the seminal Birth of the Cool recordings, though they also play hard bop classics by Horace Silver, Benny Golson and Tadd Dameron.

The members of The Conor Guilfoyle Octet:

Conor Guilfoyle  Drums

Bill Blackmore  Trumpet

Paul Dunlea  Trombone

Yuzaha O Halloran  Alto Saxophone

Patrice Brun  Tenor Saxophone

Kelan Walsh  Baritone Saxophone

Luke Howard - Piano

Barry Rycraft  Bass

The workshop and performance is funded by LOETB Local Creative Youth Partnership. Laois Music Centre is located on Church Avenue, Portlaoise (R32 Y074), parking available on-street or in nearby car parks only.

MORE BELOW POST.

The festival takes place across over 20 venues around the town with 40 acts taking to the stage, entertaining locals and visitors over three days packed with all sorts of jazz. There will also be performances on the opening night in the Dunamaise Arts Centre.

The three-day event opens on Friday evening, January 30, with a headline performance by jazz guitarist Lee Meehan and his quartet at the Dunamaise.

Laois Music Centre houses Music Generation Laois and Laois School of Music. Laois Music Centre was established in 2018, and is a partnership between Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board and Laois County Council. Over 800 people access music programmes, ensembles, bands and orchestra opportunities in Laois Music Centre each week.

See www.musicgenerationlaois.ie for more details. Music Generation Laois is part of Music Generation, Irelands National music education programme, co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds and The Department of Education and Youth. Locally Music Generation Laois and Laois School of Music are part of Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board and supported by Laois County Council.
Prison Officers joined with Gardai, members of the Defence Forces, and firefighters have demanded that the Government resolve what they say is a pension "injustice" which it's claimed will result in many lacking adequate financial support during retirement.

More than 100 uniformed members of each group gathered at a rally in Dublin on Tuesday, January 26 to call for immediate action.

A joint statement issued by SIPTU to the Leinster Express / Laois Live said that the rally heard of the financial hardship faced by personnel who retire after years of dedicated service from members of the unions involved in the Secure Our Future campaign, which includes SIPTU, the Garda Representative Association, Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, the Association of Garda Superintendents, Forsa, the Prison Officers Association and the Defence Forces representative bodies PDFORRA and the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO).

Karl Dalton, of the POA, spoke on behalf of prison officers in Portlaoise and other jails.

We have united with our colleagues across the Uniformed Services in the Secure Our Future campaign. These workers give everything they have during their working lives in highly stressful roles assisting the community, which studies have shown leads to an increased likelihood of disability or illness. That we are now asking young people to join these services without any security for their retirement, he said.

Garda Representative Association (GRA) General Secretary, Ronan Slevin, said young recruits are the worst impacted.

Younger members of the Uniformed Services, including Firefighters, An Garda Siochana, the Defence Forces and the Prison Service, who were recruited after 2013, feel betrayed by the Government due to its failure to honour commitments on pension reform. READ MORE BELOW.

The current structure of the pension scheme means that those who joined since 2013 are expected to subsist on a vastly reduced income for the first years of their retirement, before they become eligible for their full pensions at 66 years of age, he said.

Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) General Secretary, Conor King, also commented.

The reason that the supplementary pension was brought in for the Uniformed Services is because of the onerous nature of their roles, which include night work, robust operations, overseas service, work at sea and in the air. This work naturally reduces the years you can be in the service and that is why you must retire early.

READ ALSO: Laois man caught with 400,000 worth of drugs jailed after state appeals sentence

The Governments one-size-fits-all approach to pension provision means they are not serious about operational capacity across all four Uniformed Services. That impacts on these critical services and on State security, he said.

SIPTU Organiser, Geoff McEvoy, said Fianna Fail made commitments to Firefighters in the last election that this issue would receive their attention and be resolved.

"Our members feel betrayed but are hopeful that the new Minister can provide clarity and reassurance on the new Governments position, he said.
It was only a matter of time before someone was killed by a scrambler motorbike, the Dail has been told.

Opposition politicians raised the case of Grace Lynch, a 16-year-old Dubliner who died after being hit by a scrambler at the weekend, as the Dail returned on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people took part in a walk in Finglas on Monday night in memory of Grace, where her mother Siobhan called for scramblers and e-scooters to be taken off the streets.

In a heartfelt plea, she said that watching her daughter take her last breath was the worst pain imaginable and said it was something no parent should have to deal with.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was predictable that a life would be lost as a result of scramblers, which she described as a scourge of working class communities that created a constant sense of menace.

Ms McDonald said she hoped the Taoiseach would hear that anger from Finglas as she accused governments of having dragged their heels on introducing tighter restrictions on scramblers.

She said the Government had brought forward legislation that didnt go far enough, and which had still not been fully enacted.

Ms McDonald said she had spoken to Graces mother Siobhan on Monday night and said that she believed action on this issue would be some consolation to her.

So it was in reality only a matter of time before somebody was killed, and now that somebody has a name, her name is Grace Lynch, she said during Leaders Questions.

Only today, when a child is dead, Government talks about moving quickly, tightening things up and taking action, Ms McDonald said.

The absence of any Government urgency in tackling the menace of scramblers is frightening and Taoiseach, this has to change and change fast.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin expressed his condolences to Graces family and said he understood their anger.

He said: Nothing that I can say can in any way ease the devastation, the pain, the hurt, the anger that Graces family feels right now.

I understand that anger, and I understand the devastation that theyre going through.

They have lost a beautiful daughter who should be going to school, who should be with her friends today.

Mr Martin said legislative changes had been proposed previously in the Dail to tackle the anti-social use of scramblers and quad bikes.

He said that they would ban scramblers from public roads, and said it should have happened sooner, but said nothing would ever ease the devastation that the Lynch family experienced.

Mr Martin added: In my view, it will happen, it should have happened in terms of the signing or the formulation and dealing of these regulations.

I understand fully the anger of the people in working class areas, but particularly in Finglas.

There should be no scramblers on public roads. We have it within our power to make that happen, and it will happen.

He said Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan had spoken to Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, who was attending to this immediately and treating this with the utmost priority.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik paid tribute to Graces mother Siobhan for showing such courage in the face of such outright grief.

The entire country is shaken by Graces death, she told the Dail.

Ms Bacik welcomed comments from Mr Martin but said this was not a new issue, citing severe injuries suffered by a Lithuanian national after a scrambler landed on him while he was in a Dublin park in 2018.

She also said that its not just scramblers and said e-scooter-related brain injuries accounted for a quarter of admissions of children to Temple Street Childrens Hospital.

Scramblers are not toys, theyre powerful machines, theyre being used to intimidate on our streets. They are lethal weapons, Ms Bacik told the Dail.

She asked Mr Martin if he would consider an immediate freeze on the usage of all scrambler bikes until robust enforcement mechanisms are put in place.

Mr Martin said the Government also had to move on e-scooters and said the reports of emergency medicine consultants on brain injuries from e-scooters were far too high.

He said: The scramblers for me is very straightforward, they have no place on our roads, and theres a lot of other activity related to them, in terms of illegal activity.

Related to that, we have to move with speed on e-scooters, because the level of injury thats been reported from consultants in emergency medicine, particularly in terms of brain injury, as well as physical injuries, (is) far too high.

Speaking to an Oireachtas justice committee, Jim OCallaghan said the number of seizures of bike by An Garda Siochana had improved.

The justice minister said in 2024 they had seized 124 scramblers and 32 quad bikes, and by the end of October 2025 they had seized 113 scramblers and 22 quad bikes.

He said there needs to be a much more aggressive and robust response to scramblers.

Mr OCallaghan said he had spoken in particular about Ms Lynch in his discussions with the Garda commissioner.

He said there would now be an even more aggressive approach in respect of Gardai involvement and that the motorbikes are often used for drug dealing, adding they are masking other crimes.

A code of conduct is being drawn up by An Garda Siochana so drones can be used to identify illegal scrambler use, Mr OCallaghan told the committee.

On Tuesday evening, Gardai said they had seized 18 e-scooters, a motorbike, five mini scramblers, five motorised bicycles drugs worth around 55,000 euro and cash worth 10,740 euro at 21 locations across Dublin.

They said the vehicles were suspected of being used to facilitate on-street drug dealing.
A motion put forth by a Laois councillor on preparing for a United Ireland was welcomed with plenty of support by fellow local councillors at a meeting of Laois County Council.

Cllr Aidan Mullins has urged Laois County Council to write to the Office of An Taoiseach requesting that the Government plan and prepare for Irish unity.

Key to this plan of action is to establish an All-Ireland representative Citizens Assembly(s) to allow for informed debate as well as a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Irish Unity to enable careful planning, to produce and publish a comprehensive plan on Irish Unity in conjunction with civic society and key stakeholders North and South, and to engage with Northern Unionist opinion about the future of Ireland.

Cllr Mullins also included that work must be done to secure a date for referendums on Irish unity as set out in the Good Friday Agreement.

The Independent councillor's motion received cross-party support at the January meeting of Laois County Council, with the council agreeing to send a letter to the Office of An Taoiseach.

Addressing the council, Cllr Mullins said: "The conversation around a United Ireland is growing. Across this island and beyond, people are engaging seriously in what our shared future would look like."

He pointed out that many forums and bodies are advancing the conversation, such as Sinn Fein's Commission on the Future of Ireland, the SDLP's New Ireland Commission, the All-Ireland Oireachtas Committee on the Good Friday Agreement, and also the Shared Island Initiative.

Cllr Mullins emphasised: "By working together, this collaboration has ensured that the discussion on Irish unity is informed, inclusive and ongoing. Reunification creates the single greatest opportunity to unlock the full potential of Ireland and to deliver a better future for all our people."

He also added that the Irish Government is "following and not leading on this", and that they should be "more proactive."

Speaking on why it matters to County Laois, Cllr Mullins said: "A similar motion has already been passed in the Dail and the Seanad and I believe 12 other local authorities, it's important that this council reflects that decision."

READ NEXT: Government allocates 35k to improve water supply in Laois village

Supporting the motion, Cllr Tommy Mulligan said that a referendum on Irish unity is "inevitable at this stage." He backed the motion as he argued that a conversation needs to be had around major issues such as citizenship, taxation, health, education and policing. "There is a fear that we might not be adequately prepared for it", Cllr Mulligan said.

Likewise, Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley supported the motion, saying this is something she has worked on for many years. Cllr Dwane Stanley reiterated that more planning is needed as "we can't just have a border poll in the morning."

Cllr Padraig Fleming of Fianna Fail and Cllr Conor Bergin of Fine Gael also showed their support for the motion.

Cllr Bergin told the council that Irish unity "should be the highest objective in the state."

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
A Laois Government TD says his own Government made a bad mistake and should reconsider the replacement of Joint Policing Committees with new Local Community Safety Partnerships.

Laois TD and former Minister Sean Fleming was speaking following the first meeting of the new Laois Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) which was held in private in Portlaoise on Thursday, January 22.

The new forum replaces the Laois Joint Policing Committee (JPC) which was composed of local TDs along with a number of Councillors, members of the community and Garda representatives. It met every three months and issues of crime and security in the county were discussed and could be reported on. The new iteration excludes TDs, has far fewer Councillors and meets in private except for one meeting a year.

Deputy Fleming said the JPCs had worked very well in the past. He was highly critical of the new LCSP structure and said it was a wrong decision and a bad mistake to reduce the number of public representatives. There should be national representatives from the Oireachtas, said Dep Fleming.

I am criticising my own Government when I say that. They dont get everything right, said Dep Fleming.

He said the Government gets many things right but not everything and in this case, I am asking that it be revisited.

Independent TD Brian Stanley blasted the new forum and said the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael Government need to sort this out. The Government has failed with what they have allowed to happen here.

It is weakening democratic accountability. It is weakening public services. It is bad for policing, it is bad for democracy and it needs to be changed, said Dep Stanley.

It is a ludicrous situation and the fact that it has to be in private almost the whole time, they can have one meeting in public apparentlypolicing is a public service, he said.

One of the main means of communication and interface between the community and the Gardai was the Joint Policing Committee. Now the fact that that is going to meet in private, thats not a healthy situation. It is not a healthy situation at all in an open democratic country, he said.

It is important for the public to hear the Garda reports. The Gardai gave a very good report every month, the local media reported on it, the local representatives, whether they were community, Councillors or TDs could ask questions and raise concerns. There was a very good interaction there and I just think it is very regrettable what has happened here, said Dep Stanley.

He said the JPCs had worked well. They were fairly effective. There was good attendance at them. The Councillors used them, the Gardai used them well and engaged well in them and as a TD I found them useful, he remarked.

Dep Stanley said he had a number of concerns about the new CSPs and he had raised the issues with Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan.

Dep Stanley said TDs who are elected to represent the constituency cant attend the new forums and the County Manager, the Chief Executive of the Council, cant sit on them apparently and the meetings are held in private. He explained that old JPCs could go privately in-committee when they needed to discuss Garda operational or particularly sensitive issues. He said the system worked well.

The problem now is the structure has been upended. There is very poor representation from the County Councillors because they cut down the numbers of people on it to represent the whole county. A lot of the geographical areas will not be covered, he explained.

Fine Gael TD Willie Aird said he was totally opposed to the exclusion of the press from the meetings and he felt TDs should also be permitted to attend some of the meetings.

I disagree with it. The press should be in there, absolutely, said Dep Aird.

I am disappointed because with something like that the more public representatives the better, he remarked.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley, who was elected vice Chair of Laois CSP at the recent meeting, believes the media and local TDs should be allowed to attend the meeting.

Policing is such an important issuethe community has to be part of it and I want it opened, she said. She was shocked to discover that neither the County Manager or Garda Chief Superintendent could not be part of the committee.

She was however impressed with the committee members, which included representatives from groups like the Midland Drug and Alcohol Task Force, Probation Service and Foroige.

There is a great calibre of people and great experience at the table, said Cllr Dwane Stanley.

She explained that they were each invited to discuss their priorities and in her case it was the scourge of drugs on communities leading to drug related deaths, intimidation, families paying off drug debts for children and drug driving. She said in the past it was largely an issue in disadvantaged areas but now it was everywhere.

I looked for the media to be in attendance at the next meeting, she said.

Cllr Dwane Stanley said she made it clear that I am not going to be part of a talking shop. It has to be action based.

Fianna Fail Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said she too was impressed with membership of the committee in terms of their experience but she wasnt happy that the media was excluded.

I wasnt and I am not and we will have to see how it goes, she said.

Another member, Fianna Fails Cllr Paddy Bracken said the forum was only set up. Let it take off and see how it goes. We have a very good Chairman under Liam ONeill, he said.

Fine Gael Cllr Conor Bergin said I dont think that the media should be excluded. He said the inclusion of the local media was important to provide fair and balanced coverage. He noted that the media was present at all of the Council and Municipal District meetings.

This whole committee is new. We will have to see how it works out, he remarked.

In a press release, Laois County Council said the establishment of the Local Community Safety Partnership in each county represents a move away from the previous Joint Policing Committee model towards a more collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach to community safety.

The Local Community Safety Partnership (LSCP) will meet at least six times per year and in line with national guidance, media attendance will be facilitated at the public meeting.

As the Partnerships work evolves, the approach to media and public access will be kept under review by the committee.

In the meantime, transparency will be supported through the publication of agreed reports and updates on the LCSPs work. The committee will also consider appropriate communication and engagement measures, including sharing information directly with local media as part of its wider communications strategy.

We remain committed to openness, accountability and keeping the public informed about the work being undertaken to improve community safety locally, the Council stated.

They provided a list of the Laois CSPs members. They are as follows:Mr. Liam O'Neill-Chair, Cllr. Caroline Dwane Stanley-Vice Chair, Cllr. Paddy Bracken, Cllr. Catherine Fitzgerald, Cllr. Ben Brennan, Cllr. Conor Bergin, Cllr. John King, Cllr. Ollie Clooney, Garda Superintendent Brian A Farrell, Mr Robert O'Connor, Tusla, Mr. Pat Delaney, Director of Services -Integration, Community & Environment, Laois County Council. Mr. Gus Carr, Resident. Mr. Kieran Brosnan,Resident. Mr. Bobby Delaney, Resident. Ms. Caroline Whitelegg,Resident. Ms. Jacqui Carroll, Laois Chamber Ms. Catherine Doolan, Laois Education centre, Mr. Naeem Iqbal,Dignity Partnership. Ms. Bernie Meally,Foroige. Ms. Christina Fitzharris, Midlands LGBTQ+. Ms. Antoinette Kinsella, Midland Regional Drug and Alcohol Taskforce. Mr. Pat Duggan, Muintir Na Tire. Ms. Marina Ryan, Laois Domestic Abuse Service. Mr. Brendan Birney, IFA. Mr. Derek McGourty-LOETB and Ms Sarah Kavanagh-Probation Services.
Two vital and popular Laois schools have been approved to get new school buildings and an extension, within the next two years.

Colaiste Iosagain secondary school in Portarlington and St Francis School in Portlaoise, for Laois children with learning disabilities, have made it to the Department of Education's school building list for 2026 and 2027.

However Dunamase College's long awaited first school building in Portlaoise is not on the list, as had been expected.

Colaiste Iosagain is the biggest school in Laois and Offaly, with nearly 1,200 pupils. It has been left waiting for a new building for over a decade, relying greatly on prefab classrooms.

Principal Justin Brown gave the Leinster Express / Laois Live his reaction.

"This is a long time coming. A design team was appointed in 2014 to build an extension. It was then decided we would get a new school. That meant more of a delay but at least we are moving now.

"We were granted planning in 2024 so are ready to go. We currently have 1184 pupils and are the largest secondary school in Laois and Offaly and in terms of size we are nineteenth nationally," he said.

Colaiste Iosagain principal Justin Brown with students Sarah Slevin, Dean Horan, Daire Moore and Maeve Garry.

He describes how much they rely on prefab classrooms.

"Our students, staff and the local community have been waiting patiently for this news and so deserve a new school.

"We are very fortunate that the Department have looked after us in recent years with prefabs - we have eight blocks of prefabs with as much rooms out in the prefabs now as we do in the school building. They house state of the art Computer Rooms, Home Economics Rooms, Construction Rooms and Science Labs. At least with our new school we will all be under the one roof and the students and staff won't get wet going and coming from classes," Mr Brown said.

The current building for Colaiste Iosagain secondary school in Portarlington.

St Francis School in Portlaoise was only built in 2022 - see photos from official opening here - but was immediately not big enough. It currently has some 40 children with learning disabilities on a waiting list to get in.

John Moran, Principal stresses that there must be no delay in work starting.

"We welcome the approval of our extension by the Department of Education. St. Francis School is in urgent need of additional accommodation due to the exponential growth in our pupil population.

"We continue to advocate for building work to commence this summer. That remains our bottom line, and there should be no deviation from this timeline. The project must be given priority status in circumstances where Laois is currently facing a crisis in special education provision in the county and the surrounds," Mr Moran told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

Last week Laois County Council confirmed it is allowing the school to permanently use its field next door for recreation, as they have to extend on top of their playground. St Francis School parents had fought a long battle to even get a new school, replacing a prefab that was much too small and poorly insulated.

Read next: Water turned off unexpectedly affecting thousands in Laois town

Dunamase College / Colaiste Dhun Masc was founded in 2017 as the first bilingual Irish English secondary school in Laois.

Its students rely on multiple older school buildings in the town centre. A site is bought and ready and a planning application was due to be submitted in mid 2025 for the new 1,000 place school south of Portlaoise off the Timahoe Road and southern ring road. See images of the new Dunamase College.
The campaign for the provision of detoxification beds at Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise has been presented to the Seanad by Laois Senator Maria McCormack.

The Addiction, Recovery and Community (ARC) Project, a voluntary and community led initiative based in Laois which supports people impacted by addiction, has led the campaign for the provision of three dedicated detox beds in Portlaoise in recent months.

An online petition for the detox beds has gathered almost 600 signatures since it was launched by the ARC Project which was founded by David Delaney and Michelle Roberston in 2024.

Laois County Council has called on the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to establish three medically supervised detox beds with seven-day access and clear pathways into addiction and recovery services following Councillor Marie Tuohy's request to the council back in November 2025 on behalf of the ARC Project.

Laois Senator Maria McCormack brought the issue to the Seanad on Tuesday, January 27.

Addressing the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, Senator McCormack emphasised: "This is a really, really urgent, important issue for Laois and Portlaoise. It's an issue that goes to the heart of patient safety, dignity and access to care."

As there are currently no designated detox beds at the hospital in Portlaoise, she said: "That means that when someone in the Midlands presents seeking help for serious alcohol or drug dependence, they are often left waiting in overcrowded emergency departments, or even worse, discharged into unsafe environments where withdrawal can be medically dangerous, and in some cases life threatening.

"This is not a policy gap on paper. It's something families have to live with in Laois everyday and all over Ireland. Loved ones finally reach a point where they can ask for help, often at a great personal cost, only to find out that the system cannot safely respond at a critical moment."

Senator McCormack added: "The ask here is modest, it's just three beds. Practical and achievable, but three detox bed would provide safe medical supervision during withdrawal, reduce the pressure on already overstretched emergency departments, support families at a moment of acute crisis, and crucially create a real safe pathway into recovery rather than another dead end, and sometimes in cases suicide."

The Laois Senator asked Jennifer Murnane O'Connor TD what the plans are to address this issue. She also thanked her for accepting the invitation to visit the ARC Project in Portlaoise who are seeing the impacts of this problem first-hand.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health told Senator McCormack that there are currently no proposals on addressing the issue but that she will speak to officials "to look at this and keep it under consideration."

She went on to explain that the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise is a 'model three hospital' with 71 beds. Of the 22,000 cases of people being treated for drug and alcohol dependence in 2024, 20% were treated at model four services or residential settings which have specialised inpatient detoxification services.

The Minister added that 174 residential treatment detoxification beds are available nationally with a variety of service providers and access is based on needs. She said that someone from the Midlands region can access these residential services in any suitable location.

READ NEXT: Laois motorists 'in fear' following close calls with e-scooters and pedestrians

She said: "The provision of the detoxification program occurs after a comprehensive medical assessment. So in some cases it may be appropriate to provide detoxification in the community setting, either through a doctor or HSE addiction clinic. But people who wish to access a detoxification service should make contact with their GP or local drug services to make a referral."

Senator McCormack pointed out, however, there are no residential services in Laois.

In response to the point about the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise being a model three hospital, Senator McCormack said she didn't realise that was part of the decision process on such facilities.

Although she argued: "We have so much there, but yet we can't provide for our most vulnerable people in our community dealing with addiction."

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
A 2-year-old child with a rare genetic condition in Laois is being refused a nurse's aid if she attends her local pre-school for children with additional needs.

Cllr Tommy Mulligan has requested that Laois County Council write to the HSE and the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to find a resolution to the situation.

The Portlaoise councillor told the council that a young girl from Ballybrittas, who he said he would not name for privacy reasons, suffers from CHARGE Syndrome which is a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple parts of the body and leads to a wide range of developmental and mental challenges.

He added that the girl is also deaf and communicates primarily through sign language. She is also peg fed and has a tracheostomy tube to help her breathe.

Cllr Mulligan explained that the HSE currently provides a nurse's aid for the girl for 18 hours a day from Monday to Friday and then 20 hours over the weekend.

The girl recently received a place in Kolbe Pre-school in Portlaoise which is managed by the Muiriosa Foundation and funded by the HSE. The preschool offers specialised support for children with a global developmental delay which may include additional neurodivergent, physical and/or complex needs.

However, the HSE have told the parents that they will only provide a nurse's aide if she attends a special school under the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme.

Cllr Mulligan said: "The issue is that the HSE are refusing to provide a nurse's aid for this young girl if she attends Kolbe Pre-school. What the HSE are saying is that they will provide help for this young girl if she attends a special school under the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme.

"The closest two schools under this scheme are Roscrea and Kilkenny which would be roughly an hour or hour and a half from where this girl is living with her parents."

He told the council that the parents of the child, who spent almost her entire first year in hospital, want her to attend Kolbe Pre-school in Portlaoise and to not have to travel over an hour outside of the county.

"You can just imagine the anger and the frustration that the parents are feeling with this whole situation because the HSE are already paying for a nurse's aide. If this girl is at home, the HSE pays for the nurse's aide for all those hours as I said. They're paying for the care at home and if the girl goes to Roscrea or Kilkenny. If this girl goes to mainstream, which she will when she's 4 or 5, they will pay for a nurse's aid then too."

READ NEXT: Laois motorists 'in fear' following close calls with e-scooters and pedestrians

However, they will not pay for a nurse's aide at Kolbe Pre-school as Cllr Mulligan said it's run by the Muiriosa Foundation.

Cllr Mulligan told the council: "In my view, and in the view of the parents, all they're doing is taking a nurse's aide from one premises and putting them in the same working role in another premises."

He appealed to Laois County Council to write to the HSE and to the Minister for Health requesting that any child attending Kolbe Pre-school in Portlaoise who has been assessed as needing the support of a nurses aide on a daily basis be granted that support without delay.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
As commuters from across Ireland and Laois faced heavy delays on Tuesday, January 27 due to Storm Chandra, a Real Time Information App has been called for to tackle the ongoing problems with commuting.

With parts of the M50 completely blocked by flooding from the storm on Tuesday, the knock-on effect was felt by many of the 13,000 commuters from Laois who travel to work along the M7 everyday.

Not only this, but the Status Yellow storm caused major disruptions across bus and rail services on Tuesday which exacerbated the problem for commuters dependent on them. Iarnrod Eireann has said that almost all services are operating on Wednesday.

Following the chaotic scenes on Irish roads on Tuesday, Labour TD for Kildare South, Mark Wall, has called for the development of a Real Time Information app by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

Deputy Wall said: "The fact that there is no centralised information repository when it comes to data and information on our roads is crazy. With a yellow weather warning commuters were left utterly reliant on radio updates regarding road conditions and public transport. While we are lucky at the level of detailed provided to us across broadcast, it is beyond time for TII to invest in a real time information app that can provide centralised information for all commuters."

The Kildare South TD added: "Persistent and consistent issues with congestion have become the norm now. One of the biggest issues people report is the lack of information available about delays, route changes or cancellation of public transport services.

"If people had full and objective information about what options are available to them in terms of public transport, and what level of delays are being experienced on motorways, they could adjust their schedule or their route."

He went on to say that the lack of such resources for commuters in times of weather warnings especially is "beyond belief." Deputy Wall added that online map applications were routing people through flooded areas, "making people's journeys unnecessarily difficult."

He concluded: "We need to address the root causes of congestion, but we also need to see a greater level of ambition from TII about the service they are providing the public with."

The Leinster Express / Laois Live spoke to commuters in December about their experiences. There was widespread consensus among commuters that something needs to be done to tackle delays on motorways and the general culture of commuting in Ireland right now.

READ MORE: Demands to end 'motorway misery' intensify as Laois commuters face daily nightmare

With commuters in Laois spending hours everyday in traffic, they all agreed that it is having a detrimental impact on their mental and physical health.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
A Rathangan, Co Kildare resident who passed this week has been remembered as a true gentleman and a lovely neighbour.

Kieran Allen - Preston Brook, Rathangan, Co Kildare, formerly Clane, Co Kildare, and Ballyfermot, Dublin 10  passed peacefully at home on January 26 2026, surrounded by loving family.

Kieran is predeceased by his parents Ellen and Tony, and also his siblings Adrian, Ruth and Anthony.

Kieran will be sadly missed by his loving wife Bernie, son Gary, daughter in law Aoife, brother Joseph, sisters Jackie, Liz and Leslie, brothers and sisters in law, aunts, uncle, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and friends.

May Kieran Rest In Peace.

READ NEXT: Naas Roads Policing Unit conducts multi-agency checkpoint at Monasterevin, Kildare

Kieran will be reposing at McWeys Funeral Home, Abbeyview, Kildare Town from 5pm on Wednesday (January 28) concluding with prayers at 7pm.

The removal will take place by Glennon's Funeral Directors on Thursday morning to arrive at The Church of the Assumption and St. Patrick, Rathangan for requiem mass at 11am.

The cremation will be held afterwards in Newlands Cross Crematorium at 1:30pm.

Kieran's funeral mass and cremation service will be live streamed through the webstream links below.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired through the link below to "The Irish Cancer Society".

Webstream

Funeral service: https://www.youtube.com/c/icatholicplayer

Cremation/burial: https://www.dctrust.ie/location/newlands-cross/chapel-webstream.html

Donations in lieu of flowers to Irish Cancer Society in Memory of Kieran Allen: https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/pages/KA36579829/donate.html

Tributes paid to Kieran on RIP.ie this week include: Sincere condolences to Kierans extended family rest in Kieran a true gentleman.

And: To Bernie, Gary, Aoife and all of Kieran's extended family and friends, we are deeply sorry for the passing of Kieran. He was a gentleman and a lovely neighbour. Rest in peace now Kieran.

While another mourner wrote: Our condolences to the Allen family and children at this sad time R.I.P. Kieran may God bless you.

And another added: As a work colleague of Kierans I was saddened to hear of his passing. Kieran was always courteous and helpful and made life easier for all those around him. May he rest in peace.
Cill Dara produced a powerful all-round display to book their place in the second round of the Bank of Ireland Provincial Towns Cup with a deserved 4112 victory over Balbriggan at Silken Thomas Park.

Despite Balbriggan enjoying early territorial advantage through a tactical kicking game, it was the Kildare men who struck first and took control of the contest.

The opening ten minutes were cagey, with little separating the sides, but the breakthrough arrived on 11 minutes when Conor Smyth burst through the visitors defensive line before slick handling down the blindside sent Adam Meehan over in the corner. Bryn Moore was narrowly wide with the difficult conversion attempt.

That score injected confidence into the home side and four minutes later Meehan crossed again in the same corner. This time it was Stephen Walsh who made the initial incision, surging off the back of a lineout before off-loading to the winger. Once again the conversion drifted wide into a stiff breeze.

Cill Dara continued to press and moments later struck for a third try when Moore finished off a fine interchange with Senan Brannock following a clean restart, touching down in the opposite corner.

However, some indiscipline and loose play allowed Balbriggan back into the contest. The visitors capitalised from a five-metre lineout to score a deserved try before a quick tap penalty on 33 minutes saw their second row power through the defence for a second score.

Ryan Hogg was shown a yellow card for an off-the-ball tackle in the build-up, and the conversion reduced the deficit to just three points at the interval.

Half-time: Cill Dara 15 Balbriggan 12

Cill Dara emerged with renewed intensity after the break and were rewarded almost immediately. Three minutes into the half Balbriggan were reduced to 14 men when a deliberate knock-on denied what looked a certain try. From the resulting pressure, Conor Smyth crashed over following an excellent backs move, with Moore converting to restore a ten-point cushion.

The decisive moment arrived shortly afterwards. Balbriggan opted to tap and go from a scrum penalty but were driven back by outstanding defence. Their out-half attempted a speculative cross-field kick which was calmly gathered by Meehan, who raced the length of the pitch, exchanging passes with Colin Maloney to beat the final defender and complete a superb hat-trick. Moore added the extras before leaving the field injured, making way for debutant Mark Talbot.

Cill Dara were forced into further changes as injuries mounted, including a reshuffle in the half-backs, but their defensive resolve never wavered. A spell of sustained Balbriggan pressure inside the five-metre line was repelled with determined tackling, relieved only by a timely hack clear from Brannock.

With the visitors tiring, Cill Dara struck again when man-of-the-match Meehan turned creator, breaking two tackles after a strong run down the wing before off-loading for Chris Cousins to score under the posts.

The scoring was completed five minutes from time when Meehan once more provided the final pass for Smyth to claim his second try.

Cill Dara will now travel to Dundalk in early March for a second-round clash, while attention turns to a mouth-watering home league fixture against leaders Coolmine in a fortnights time.

Cill Dara: Bryan Moore, Senan Brannock, Jimmy O'Loughlin, Ryan Hogg, Adam Meehan, William Doran, Sean Behan, Aaron Kane, Oisin Carroll, DJ Brannock, Chris Walsh, Stephen Walsh, Ross Dooley, Conor Smyth, Chris Cousins. Replacements: Louis Venter, James Dempsey. Billy O'Shea, Colin Maloney, Tadhg Doyle, Mark Talbot, Robin Dempsey.

READ NEXT: Kildare held by last-minute equaliser in thrilling league opener with Cork
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Kildare County Council is being urged to open up its Aras Chill Dara car park in Naas at weekends.

Cllr Evie Sammon said there is a need for parking at weekends in Naas. She said that she's raised the issue before and noted that KCC opted not to buy a town centre site (the former Leinster Leader premises), which went up for sale in the town.

READ NEXT Kildare residents have to go to Dublin to recycle their waste

Cllr Sammon said this site could have provided car parking spaces at the rear that could potentially have been accessed from the Newbridge Road - and this in turn would take traffic off the main street. She also said it would be easily accessible by pedestrians.

Cllr Evie Sammon

Its been years since I first raised this at a council meeting and I really wouldve hoped that progress would have been made.

Cllr Sammon suggested it be opened on a trial basis perhaps for events at Christmas and festivals.

She said the Aras Chill Dara car park is in an ideal location close to the main street and the library for families to walk the rest of the way into the town.

She was supported by Naas mayor Seamie Moore who said it could be put to good use at weekends.

KCC official Eoghan Ryan said the car park could be opened on a trial basis.

He also said a number of issues need to be considered before a final decision is made, such as insurance requirements, the management of the car park and the knock on effects relating to security at Aras Chill Dara and the adjacent MERITS innovation hub.
Kildare County Council has announced the successful launch of 'Did I Ever Tell You', a deeply moving new publication capturing the stories, memories, and lived experiences of people in residential healthcare and palliative care settings across Kildare, Offaly, and Westmeath.

The launch took place on Wednesday, January 21 in the Lusine Centre, McAuley Place, Naas, and was officially opened by the Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Cllr Carmel Kelly.

This tri-County initiative has been led by the Kildare County Council, supported by Creative Ireland as principal funder, in partnership with the HSE and Healthy Ireland. It has been further strengthened through collaboration with Local Authority teams across County Kildare, County Offaly, and County Westmeath.

Central to the project were the creative engagements facilitated within residential care home settings in Offaly (Anam Beo Collective) and Westmeath (Fighting Words Team), as well as with the artist in residence, John Conway, situated in Naas General Hospital working specifically with the palliative and end of life care teams.

READ NEXT: Naas Roads Policing Unit conducts multi-agency checkpoint at Monasterevin, Kildare

These sessions created safe, reflective, and compassionate spaces where participants could share powerful personal stories and reflections.

The project was brought to life by the work of the artist facilitators, whose practice centres on arts and health methodologies. Their sensitive, person focused approach ensured that participants voices were heard, respected, and celebrated. Their creative expertise shaped the authenticity, depth, and dignity captured within the publication.

Speaking at the launch, the Cathaoirleach of the County of Kildare, Cllr Carmel Kelly, said:

This publication honours the voices of individuals whose stories remind us of the importance of connection, memory, and community. Did I Ever Tell You shows what can be achieved when local authorities, health partners, and artists work together to support creativity, wellbeing, and the human spirit.

The project reflects the shared commitment of Creative Ireland, the HSE, Healthy Ireland, and the participating Local Authorities to champion creativity as a tool for wellbeing, connection, and cultural expression, particularly for individuals whose circumstances place them in healthcare settings.

About the Project

'Did I Ever Tell You' forms part of the Creative Ireland Programmes commitment to supporting arts, health, and community-based creativity. Through the work of dedicated artist facilitators and strong cross county collaboration, the publication elevates unique stories that speak to resilience, compassion, and the value of lived experience.
A Sinn Fein TD for Kildare North has warned that mental health services are now at crisis point.

Deputy Reada Cronin was speaking in the Dail this week, when 'Emergency Mental Health Services: Motion [Private Members]' came before the House.

Deputy Cronin told the Dail that more than 50,000 people with a mental health crisis present annually at emergency departments, yet many hospital emergency departments remain ill-equipped to deal with such incidents.

According to Deputy Cronin, people experiencing chronic depression, schizophrenia, anxiety and other conditions are presenting at A&E departments.

In Naas General Hospital, in north Kildare, 1,200 people with mental health difficulties were referred to the emergency room in 2023 alone, Deputy Cronin pointed out.

She said this staggering figure points to the increased pressure on hospital services due to increasing numbers presenting for emergency care for mental health issues.

READ NEXT: Kildare secondary school applies for 1.2m all weather pitch

Mental health conditions do not exist in isolation. It is big-picture stuff, Deputy Cronin said.

The housing crisis has contributed massively to the rise in the figures. We cannot talk about mental health without mentioning our housing crisis. People without a home do not feel safe ever. They are constantly on edge and worry they might not make it through the night if sleeping outside.

If in an unsafe homeless shelter, they fear for their safety as they try to sleep. Many such people end up in jail instead of being properly treated for a mental health crisis.

The Sinn Fein TD told the Dail that one of her own constituents in North Kildare was struggling with homelessness and addiction, and has been constantly in and out of jail.

This was not the solution for this individual, Deputy Cronin argued, saying what he needs is mental health services and a home, like so many other people in prison.

We hear a lot about the need for more jail space. We need more mental health services as well,

Deputy Cronin said.

My constituent should be availing of services in an adequately resourced Lakeview unit beside Naas General Hospital, not behind bars.

We desperately need to help these people instead of casting them aside. The Government needs to invest properly in our emergency departments to properly accommodate those who report with unstable mental health. We are letting people down.
Ireland needs to prohibit the use of social media by those aged under 16, the Tanaiste has said.

Simon Harris said there had to be a baring of teeth and enforcement of the age of digital consent.

The Data Protection Act 2018 set the age of digital consent at 16.

This means online service providers like social media platforms, which rely on consent as the legal basis for processing personal data, must obtain the consent of the childs parents.

Speaking on Virgin Media Ones Ireland AM, Mr Harris said: The era of self-regulation is now over. There are now laws. There are now fines that can be levied.

@SimonHarrisTD was on Ireland AM discussing plans to restrict social media access for under 16s. pic.twitter.com/qLut16e0RB  Fine Gael (@FineGael) January 28, 2026

The European Commission this week has now opened an investigation into (AI tool) Grok.

We need to actually see kind of a bit of baring of teeth here  there are actually laws, and they [social media companies] cant be above the law.

This cant be the wild west anymore.

He added: I think were going to have to go further in this country though. We have a digital age of consent, thats 16.

We have to start actually enforcing that, and theres good work being done on that.

Were going to start by March asking social media companies  and some of them are up for this, by the way  to take part in the rollout of age verification.

But quite frankly, I believe we need to get to a point where if youre under the age of 16, you cant be on social media.
Sligo/Leitrim Gardai seized over 100,000 worth of Cocaine and Cannabis in an operation that led to the arrests of three people in Sligo over the weekend.

As part of an ongoing Operation Tara, Gardai carried out a search under warrant at two residences in Sligo on Sunday.

Members of Sligo/Leitrim Divisional Drugs Unit, accompanied by the Armed Support Unit, searched a property in the town and seized a substantial amount of contraband, including suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of 70,000, cannabis with a value of 12,900, and just under 20,000 in cash.

READ MORE: Young Leitrim man crowned North-West Macra king

A woman (30s) and a man (40s) were arrested at the scene before being detained at a station in the Garda North Western Region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

In a follow-up search at a residential property in Gurteen county Sligo, cannabis with an estimated street value of 20,000 and cash totalling 7,350 was seized.

This search led to the arrest of a man (50s) who was later detained at a station in the Garda North Western Region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

All three have since been charged and are due to appear before Tubbercurry District Court today on Wednesday 28th of January.

READ MORE: Number of people on emergency housing waiting list in Leitrim revealed

Investigations are ongoing with the seized drugs being sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.

Operation Tara is an enhanced national anti-drugs strategy that aims to disrupt, dismantle, and prosecute drug trafficking networks at all levels - international, national, and local - involved in the importation, distribution, cultivation, production, and local sale and supply of controlled drugs.
Ongoing subsidence and sewage issues at a Keshcarrigan estate may be beyond the financial capabilities of Leitrim Co Council to resolve, a council meeting has heard.

The ongoing issues of subsidence at the An Gairdin estate in Keshcarrigan were discussed at this week's meeting of Ballinamore Municipal District.

Built in 2004 during the Celtic Tiger boom, the 16-home development was constructed on land residents previously described as bog. The land had been rejected for development on three previous occasions.

Cllr Enda McGloin (FG) brought the attention of the meeting to a piece that had featured on Morning Ireland on Monday morning of this week in relation to the issues that residents are still having.

Perhaps there can be some discussion about the estate at our next MD meeting with feedback from the relevant sections of the council, he stated.

READ MORE: Number of people on emergency housing waiting list in Leitrim revealed

Cllr Brendan Barry (SF) told the meeting that, It was up to the council to decide if they want to take the estate in charge.

He went on to say that residents had been told, it was up to them to get the pipe fixed which was a source of problems at present.

The pipe is currently blocked, resulting in a build up of sewage which is being emptied on a weekly basis by a contractor employed by the council.

How is it expected that residents would pay for the repairs to the pipe? he asked the meeting.

Cllr Barry has himself helped to empty sewage from the estate.

The residents were previously told that they would have to pay costs in relation to the sewage issue, because the estate has not been taken in charge by the council, he told the Leitrim Observer.

For environmental reasons, the council are now emptying the sewage on a weekly basis, Cllr Barry added.

At the meeting, Cllr Barry made the suggestion that the council would give money to the residents to help fix the pipe.

It is already costing the taxpayer to get the sewage emptied every week, he told the Observer.

At the meeting, Cllr McGloin said that if Leitrim County Council start doing the necessary repairs, then Government departments might not get involved in the repairs and would expect the council to finish the work.

This estate is beyond being unfinished and it may be beyond the financial capabilities of Leitrim County Council to deal with it, he added.

David Minton, Director of Services, told the meeting that it was intended that the council would receive updates from some of the agencies involved, so that members can understand the complexities involved.

* Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme
Just a day after Storm Chandra wreaked havoc across Ireland, leaving homes and business without power and destroyed from flooding, Met Eireann has issued a further weather warning as more heavy rain and localised flooding is expected.

Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow have all been issued a status yellow rain warning that is due to come in from midnight on Thursday until midnight on Friday.

READ NEXT: Thousands of households across Ireland entitled to Storm Chandra Relief payment

Further heavy rain and showers falling on saturated ground, combined with high river levels, may cause the following:

Localised flooding

River flooding

Difficult travel conditions

According to Carlow Weatherman Alan O'Reilly, heavier rain might fall on Friday in the southeast of the country adding to flood risks.

New yellow rainfall warnings have been issued for Thursday with more heavy rain but there is also a risk of even heavier rain on Friday in parts of Southeast and East. Given river levels and saturated ground there is a risk of flooding once again. Keep up to date with warnings. pic.twitter.com/dWIogFMFvo  Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) January 28, 2026

Rain in the southwest is expected early tonight, with clear spells and isolated showers elsewhere. The rain will move northeast overnight and will become patchy, but Ulster will remain largely dry. Rain will be falling on saturated ground and may cause further localised flooding. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees with moderate to fresh east to southeast winds, becoming strong at times.

READ NEXT: 'Tragic beyond words' - Funeral details announced for girl killed in fatal scrambler incident

Thursday

Scattered outbreaks of rain tomorrow morning, along with occasional sunny intervals. More persistent rain will move into the southwest later in the morning and will move northeast across the country through the rest of the day, turning heavy at times. Clear spells and scattered showers will follow in the southwest. With saturated ground conditions and high river levels, localised flooding is possible. It'll be breezy with a moderate to fresh and gusty east to southeast wind, increasing strong at times. Highest temperatures of 5 to 10 degrees.

Rain in Connacht, Ulster and Leinster early on Thursday night. The rain will gradually clear northeastwards overnight and will be followed from the southwest by clear spells and scattered showers, some of which will be heavy. With saturated ground conditions and high river levels, further localised flooding is possible. Blustery at first with moderate to fresh and gusty southeasterly winds, but winds will ease overnight. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees.

Friday

Low pressure is forecast to form near Ireland on Friday. There is some uncertainty in the details, but it's likely that a spell of rain will affect parts of the south and east. With saturated ground conditions and high river levels, further localised flooding is possible. Highest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees with light to moderate east to southeast or variable winds.

READ NEXT: Major clean up underway as damage from Storm Chandra will take "months" to repair

Saturday

Cloudy and damp with some patchy rain and drizzle over the northern half of the country. Dry elsewhere but remaining cloudy. A band of rain will move over from the southwest later in the day with fresh southwesterly winds following. Highest temperatures of 5 to 9 degrees.

Sunday

Current indications would suggest another cloudy and unsettled day with more persistent rain moving in from the south later in the day. Staying mild however.
THE FOUR gardai cleared by a jury of their peers on Monday have had their suspensions lifted this Tuesday, Limerick Live has learned.

Sergeant Michelle Leahy, Garda Tom McGlinchey, Garda Anne-Marie Hassett and Garda Colm Geary - along with former Superintendent Eamon ONeill - were found not guilty of 39 charges in relation to attempting to pervert the course of justice. It followed a nine-week trial in Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.

There were emotional scenes in court 3 after the jury delivered their verdicts on Mr ONeill and the four gardai who had been suspended from the force for the last six years. Mr ONeill retired in 2020.

Following a query from Limerick Live, a garda spokesperson confirmed this Tuesday evening: A number of gardai serving in the Munster region, who were suspended, are no longer suspended as of today.

READ NEXT: Fundamental answers demanded over how case against Limerick gardai was 'ever allowed to proceed'

Senior garda management moved quickly to reinstate Sgt Leahy based in Limerick city; Garda McGlinchey, of Murroe garda station; Garda Hassett, who formerly served in Limerick city and Garda Geary, Clare Garda Division.

Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Niall Collins said the court considered all the evidence, and the gardai have been found not guilty, on all counts, by a jury of their peers.

I am glad that those involved can now put this extremely stressful and traumatic period behind them. I know how exceptionally difficult it must have been for them and their families.

What is now important is that the serving gardai can go back to do what they do best and keep their communities safe, as they have always done, said Mr Collins.

During the trial, retired Assistant Garda Commissioner Fintan Fanning told how it is a terrifying ordeal for a serving garda to be put on suspension, accused of wrongdoing.

Its terrifying, youre told you can no longer go near your garda station, and the stigma attached is horrendous.

The reality is (the suspended garda) is on their own, their confidence is on the ground, all the steam goes out of you, said Mr Fanning.

Sgt Leahy, Garda McGlinchey, Garda Hassett and Garda Geary can now return to uniform if they so wish.
A JURY has been sworn in for the trial of a Limerick businessman accused of corruption by giving a detective garda 20,000 in exchange for information relating to an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Stephen O' Sullivan, aged 43, of Farrehy, Broadford, County Limerick, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of corruption at Bruree, County Limerick on December 22, 2018.

Opening the case this Wednesday, Eoin Lawlor SC, prosecuting, told the court it would be alleged Mr OSullivan was given information by Detective Garda David Bourke, who he said was not before them.

David Bourke joined An Garda Siochana in 1995 and was transferred from Kerry to Limerick in 1998 where he became a detective working in the area of serious crime.

READ NEXT: Woman, 30s, attacked by man with hurley in Limerick town is rushed to hospital

Mr Lawlor said in 2018 Mr OSullivan had a car dealership on Ballysimon Road in Limerick, and a CAB investigation called 'Operation Glacier' was underway into whether or not people have the proceeds of crime.

He told the court that on December 12, 2018, Det Garda Bourke and Mr O Sullivan met in Bruree and had a conversation in a Berlingo van.

Mr Lawlor said in his opening address to the jury, that this conversation was recorded by an audio recording device concerning a payment of 20,000. Counsel said the jury would hear Det Garda Bourke accepting the money.

You will hear him talk of the progress of the investigation and how to respond. Mr Lawlor said it would be alleged Det Garda Bourke also told Mr OSullivan how to put off the Revenue Commissioners.

Mr Lawlor said during the CAB investigation, information was carefully controlled, that neither Det Garda Bourke ought not have had and Mr OSullivan certainly ought not have had.

The jury was told Mr OSullivan met with gardai in 2022 and told them how he came to be in the Berlingo van and pay Det Garda Bourke the 20,000. It was also told Mr OSullivan maintains he was intimidated or extorted to pay over that money.

The trial will resume on Thursday in front of a jury of seven women and five men with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain presiding and is expected to last two to three weeks.

The judge warned the jury not to talk about the case or to research it outside of court.
A WOMAN was rushed to hospital after she was assaulted in the early hours of the morning in a county town, Limerick Live has learned.

It is believed she suffered serious injuries after being beaten by a man wielding a hurley in Kilmallock.

Following a media query from Limerick Live, a garda spokesperson confirmed they received a report of an incident of assault that occurred in the Lord Edward Street area of Kilmallock, on Sunday, January 25 at approximately 5.20am.

A woman, aged in her 30s, was conveyed to University Hospital Limerick for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Investigations are ongoing, said a garda spokesperson.

READ NEXT: An Garda Siochana issue update on the four members found not guilty at Limerick trial

It is understood that the assault occurred after a house party in a nearby estate in the town.

One local source said: "This is beyond the pale stuff - she was badly beaten with a hurley. Everybody is horrified by it."

Anybody with any information that can assist gardai with their enquiries is asked to contact investigating officers in Bruff garda station on 061 382940.
UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK and Mary Immaculate College play home Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. Earlier, this week it was confirmed that the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup finals will take place in Croke Park.

The Sigerson Cup final will take place on Wednesday February 11 at 7:35pm, while the Fitzgibbon Cup final takes place on Friday February 13 at 7:35pm. Both finals will broadcast live on TG4.

Mary Immaculate host UCD on Wednesday afternoon (January 28) at 2pm, while UL take on UCC in Maguires Field at 6.30pm on Wednesday evening.

Mary Immaculate College produced a dramatic second-half turnaround to edge past ATU Galway by 1-24 to 5-9 in round three of the Fitzgibbon Cup on Wednesday evening last.

READ NEXT: Where to watch Limerick's National Hurling League clash with Waterford

Limerick senior hurling star Shane O'Brien was in outstanding scoring form finishing up with an impressive 1-15, while Jimmy Quilty and Oisin O'Farrell produced solid displays.

UL had too much for DCU winning out 4-24 to 1-20 in Dublin in their final group fixture last week. Limerick hurler Adam English was in impressive form, finishing with a tally of 2-1, while Aidan OConnor contributed 0-6 for Brian Ryan's UL side.

Despite playing out a battling draw, 2-15 to 0-21, against a fancied University of Galway outfit, TUS Midwest bowed out of the Fitzgibbon Cup on home soil on Wednesday evening last. On Tuesday evening, TUS Midwest secured their Fitzgibbon status for 2027 with an 0-18 to 2-8 victory over ATU Galway in the Fitzgibbon Cup relegation semi-final.

Meanwhile, University of Limerick face Maynooth University on Wednesday evening (January 28) at 8pm in Maguires Field in the Sigerson Cup quarter final.

David Power's charges remain unbeaten in the Sigerson Cup having recorded victories over MTU Cork and DCU. Limerick's Aaron Neville and Andrew Meade are part of the UL Sigerson Cup squad
AT THE January meeting of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District, Councillor Carey raised a question regarding the future of the former Bank of Ireland building in Bruff, seeking clarity on any potential development plans for the long-vacant property.

In response, Karen Burke, the Town Regeneration Officer, confirmed that the Councils Rural Development section has been actively working on a proposal to secure planning consent for the building.

This process is nearing completion, with discussions and engagement ongoing with landowners immediately adjoining the site.

Councillor Carey and other elected members will receive a full briefing on the proposed plans in the coming weeks before the Council lodges a formal Part VIII proposal, which is the statutory process required for certain public development projects.

Read More: Decision made on controversial plans for padel courts in Limerick

Once planning approval is secured, the Council intends to pursue all available funding opportunities to redevelop the property.

The aim is to ensure that the building, which has remained unused for several years, can be repurposed in a way that benefits the local community and contributes positively to Bruffs town centre.

The redevelopment of the former Bank of Ireland building is part of a broader strategy by Limerick County Council to revitalise town centres across the county.

Projects like this are designed to support local enterprise, improve the visual appeal of town streetscapes, and strengthen community engagement in town regeneration initiatives.

Residents and local stakeholders can expect further updates as the Council finalises planning proposals and explores funding options for the redevelopment project.

It is hoped the scheme will act as a catalyst for further investment and activity in the heart of the town.



Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
THERE is shock and sadness in Limerick's auctioneering circles following the sad and untimely passing of John de Courcy.

The Parteen man ran his business at Glentworth Street in the city centre, and was very much respected in the local business community.

He passed away this Monday, January 26, at Cork University Hospital and will be reposing this Thursday night at St Nicholas Church in Westbury from 5.30pm to 7pm.

READ MORE: Plans progressing for redevelopment of former Limerick Bank of Ireland building

His funeral Mass will take place the following day, Friday, January 30 at noon.

Tom Crosse, of GVM Auctioneers, a colleague and neighbour of John's for many years, described him as "a leader in the business and a legend in the business".

"He led by example, and was a man of great honesty, integrity and ethics," said Mr Crosse.

"The auctioneering profession and the name of de Courcy will always be synonymous. They had a mart back in the day in Mulgrave Street and would have had a big connection with the farming community over the years," he continued.

On a personal level, Mr Crosse remembered Mr de Courcy as: "very affable, very friendly and very chatty", with "a great passion for the business".

"He will be sadly missed by all."

Gordon Kearney, the managing director of Rooney Auctioneers described John as: "approachable and fair".

"John earned respect across the industry and beyond, not just for his knowledge, but for the way he treated people.

Johns absence will be felt by colleagues and clients," he added.

Patrick Seymour, of Power Property in O'Connell Street, added: "John was a great character, and always had time for a chat. A friendly, and well respected colleague."

John de Courcy was the beloved husband of Dolores (Sheehy), stepson Alan and his wife Laura.

He is also the dearly loved son of the late Cyril and Jo, and brother to Richard, Mary, Jean Anne and Maurice.

He is also sadly missed by his aunt Phyl, cousin and close friend Peter, mother-in-law Lizann, goddaughter Emily and her sister Hazel, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins, extended family, a wide circle of friends, work colleagues, past and present and his companion Coco.

May he rest in peace.
As the Parliament's budget session kicks off today, all eyes will be on the Finance Bill 2026 that will outline tax rates for the coming financial year. However, the government has also lined up for passage a series of reform bills spanning education, bankruptcy regime, motor vehicles and agriculture for passage during the session, three people aware of the matter said.

The president's address to both Houses flags off the Parliament's budget session. The government may move to pass the Bankruptcy Code (Amendments) Bill to reform the debt resolution framework, said one of the three persons quoted above. The bill has already been reviewed by a select committee of the Lok Sabha.

The government is also expected to introduce the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill 2026, proposing more than 60 amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 aimed at ensuring stricter safety norms, digital reforms, decriminalization of minor offences, simplified definitions, emission regulations, and harmonization with global standards.

Also Read | Why Budget Day no longer moves Indias stock market

Plans are also afoot for the Seed Bill, 2026, a second person said. The bill seeks to replace the Seeds Act, 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983, aligning them with current agricultural practices, technological developments and the growing complexity of seed markets.

Information available from Lok Sabha Secretariat showed that a joint parliamentary committee is expected to table in the House its report on the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 meant to overhaul higher education. Another select committee of the Parliament will give its report on the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 meant to decriminalize a range of offences across sectors. The government is expected to consider these reports for possible modifications to the Bills in the second part of the session after the recess.

PRS Legislative Research, a think tank that researches on Parliaments work, said in a note that during the winter session between 1 December and 19 December, seven bills were passed and twothe Securities Markets Code and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill were introduced. In Lok Sabha, seven Bills introduced earlier are pending, while as many as 19 are pending in Rajya Sabha.

Also Read | The give and take of Budget 2025, explained

The most important bill, of course, is the Finance Bill, 2026, that will set the income tax rates for the year. It is also expected to reform the customs duty structure and legislate the GST Councils decisions on quicker tax refunds. Experts said businesses are looking forward to tax reforms as well as tax incentives.

A major expectation is the overhaul of the dispute resolution mechanism under direct tax laws, including the introduction of mandatory timelines for the disposal of appeals," said Sunil Badala, partner and national head of tax, KPMG in India. Also, revisions to the Safe Harbour Rules for multinational corporations under the Income tax framework and enhancements to the GST invoice management system are among the key items that stakeholders expect from Budget 2026, said Badala.

The new seed bill aims to curb the sale of poor-quality, fake, and unauthorized seeds. It also aims to ensure high-quality, certified seeds for farmers, strengthening enforcement against substandard inputs and promoting climate-resilient varieties. The new law will also ensure full traceability, so farmers can know where the seeds came from and who supplied them. The move comes amid rising concerns over economic losses due to sub-standard seeds.

The amended motor vehicles law will introduce stricter safety norms and digital reforms, decriminalize minor offences, simplify definitions, clarify emission regulations, and harmonize Indian legislation with global standards.

Also Read | Budget to unveil quality and cost blueprint to gain export muscle

According to the road ministry, the amendments are necessary to create a safer and more efficient transport system, address the rising number of road fatalities, update outdated regulations, improve the insurance framework, promote digitalization for easier compliance, curb alleged corruption through streamlined processes, and regulate new-age players such as cab aggregators.

Some of the changes to be proposed in the bill include introduction of vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems, mandatory installation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (Adas), enhanced crash testing, seatbelt reminders and child safety measures. Moreover, minor offences such as failure to carry documents will attract only civil penalties rather than be treated as criminal offences; however, serious violations will attract heavier fines and possible licence suspension.

Queries emailed on Tuesday to the ministries of finance, agriculture and road transport, as well as the Prime Ministers Office and the Lok Sabha Secretary General remained unanswered.
Hyderabad: Faced with fleet constraints, budget carrier Air India Express expects to expand connectivity from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) to 15 other cities by the end of 2026, a target it had aimed to achieve in the early phase of the new airport's operations.

According to data compiled by Curium, the Tata Group-owned Air India Express currently connects Bengaluru and Delhi to Navi Mumbai International Airport, which began commercial operations on 25 December last year.

IndiGo operates flights from India's newest airport to 13 cities, while Akasa Air flies to four, according to data from Curium.

Daily departures

While IndiGo and Akasa have rolled out most of the routes they announced last year, Air India Express hasn't been able to achieve its stated goal. In September, it had said it would operate 20 daily departures or 40 air traffic movements from and to NMIA, connecting 15 Indian cities in the initial phase of the new airports operations. The airline had also said it intended to scale up to 55 daily departures by mid-2026, including up to 5 daily international flights from NMIA.

Navi Mumbai is a really important part of the network. The expansion will be progressive and we will fly to all 15 destinations in about a year, as our fleet grows," chief executive officer Aloke Singh told Mint on the sidelines of aviation exhibition Wings India 2026 in Hyderabad on Wednesday. `

Singh cited fleet constraints that have limited the carriers planned connectivity expansion.

Fleet constraints continue to be an issue for the airline because of which it is reworking its overall network

Air India Expresss fleet size is about 110. In November, Singh said that the airline would add 20-24 planes in 2026, which would translate to about 2 planes per month.

Also Read | Four years with Tata: Where Air India stands against IndiGo

Singh, however, clarified that Air India Expresss fleet size at the end of 2026 would remain almost unchanged.

However, fleet size will remain the same. Because there will be returns," Singh said.

Air India Express is refreshing its fleet with new aircraft, increasing the share of modern planes that deliver superior, more consistent customer experience. As part of this transition, aircraft at the end of their lease terms will be phased out, keeping the overall fleet size unchanged, a company spokesperson told Mint.

Air India Express received its first line-fit aircraftcustomised for the companyfrom Boeing in December 2025. New planes arriving in 2026 are also expected to be line-fit.

The previous induction of 51 aircraft was mostly white tails, which are fully constructed airplanes produced by manufacturers (like Boeing or Airbus) that do not have an immediate, contracted customer. These planes are frequently created when orders are cancelled, during production overruns

On 1 October 2024, Air India Express completed its merger with AIX Connect, previously known as AirAsia India. The Tata Group now operates two airline brands: Air India and the low-cost carrier Air India Express.

Also Read | Boeing eyes higher output as Air India, Akasa await bulk jet deliveries
HYDERABAD: Gautam Adani-owned Navi Mumbai International Airport expects to start international operations in April-June, after obtaining clearance for night flying operations in the next month, the companys top executive said.

We are in the process of getting the night flight permit, after which the next step will be to start 24-hour domestic operations and in the first quarter of FY27 we will start international operations," Arun Bansal, chief executive officer of Adani Airport Holdings Ltd, told Mint at the Wings India 2026 event in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Bansal also reiterated the need to ease bilateral agreements to allow foreign airlines to operate more flights to India  at least until Indian airlines build up sufficient capacity.

Also Read | A penalty and a warning later, haze persists over IndiGo pilot hirings

Bansal told reporters in October that international airlines are expected to join after the airport receives permits for night operations. Foreign carriers will get a one-year waiver on parking fees, which domestic carriers will not receive, Bansal said at the time.

Navi Mumbai airport started operations a little over a month ago, with its first flight on 25 December. The airport is open from 8 am to 8 pm daily and can handle up to 10 flights per hour. Indias top three airlines  IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air  and regional carrier Star Air have started domestic operations from Navi Mumbai airport.

Since 25 December 2025, there have been 23 daily departures from the airport. This is expected to increase to 34 daily departures starting in February, the operator said in a press statement in November.

Also Read | How bad will the Dec flight disruptions hurt IndiGo Q3 earnings?

Teething issues

The airport crossed 100,000 passengers within the first 19 days of commercial operations, according to the latest update. Navi Mumbai airport faces teething issues with regard to network connectivity. Lack of mobile network signals and patchy coverage have been reported at the newly inaugurated airport.

NMIAL is the eighth airport owned by Adani Airports Holding, a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, which is the flagship company of the Ahmedabad based conglomerate.

Adani Airports operates and manages airports in India primarily through public-private partnerships. They include Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports.

The airport business contributed 10% to the total consolidated income of Adani Enterprises and 21% to the total Ebitda. Income from the airport business jumped 27% to 8,062 crore in FY25.

Adani Airports is the second-largest airport operator in India in terms of revenue, behind GMR, which operates the Delhi, Hyderabad and Goa airports. GMR is modernizing Nagpur airport and developing Bhogapuram (Visakhapatnam). It also manages Bidar airport in Karnataka.
Amazon Layoffs: Tech giant Amazon on Tuesday mistakenly sent a notice to some employees, confirming a wave of upcoming layoffs at the company.

Employees in the company's cloud division received an internal email acknowledging organizational changes at Amazon, according to a report by CNBC.

The notice appeared to have been sent prematurely to Amazon Web Services (AWS) employees, a day before the next round of Amazon layoffs, part of the e-commerce giant's plan to cut 30,000 jobs, was scheduled to begin on Wednesday morning, as per Reuters.

Changes like this are hard on everyone, Colleen Aubrey, senior vice president of applied AI solutions at AWS, wrote in the email, seen by CNBC.

Also Read | Amazon closes Go and Fresh chains to focus on Whole Foods and grocery delivery

These decisions are difficult and are made thoughtfully as we position our organization and AWS for future success," it added.

The email also mentions a post from Amazons HR boss Beth Galetti, saying that the company had already notified impacted colleagues in our organization, in the US, Canada and Costa Rica that they had lost their jobs.

According to Reuters, AWS employees who received the email said in their Slack messages that the meeting called for Wednesday was almost immediately cancelled.

These decisions are difficult and are made thoughtfully as we position our organization and AWS for future success, the email further read, as per Reuters.

Also Read | Amazon layoffs to begin tomorrow? Key sectors that could be impacted

Amazon layoffs this week Reuters earlier reported that Amazon intended to lay off thousands of corporate employees starting this week.

However, the Andy Jassy-led company has not yet informed impacted workers, nor has it confirmed the news.

Jobs in the company's units covering AWS, retail, Prime Video and human resources were slated to be affected, Reuters reported, quoting people familiar with the matter.

The full scope of Amazon's layoffs this week remained unclear.

Amazon laid off about 14,000 people in October as part of a broader plan to reduce corporate staff by around 30,000, people familiar with the matter said at the time.

On Tuesday, Amazon cut jobs in its Fresh grocery and Go market divisions as it plans to close existing brick-and-mortar stores and convert some of them to Whole Foods stores. It did not disclose the number of affected employees.

The size of the cuts to be announced on Wednesday remained unclear. The full 30,000 jobs flagged in October would represent a small portion of Amazons 1.58 million employees, but nearly 10% of the company's corporate workforce.
E-commerce giant Amazon has confirmed 16,000 job cuts worldwide over the next three months amid its restructuring and expansion plans in artificial intelligence (AI).

Amazon will provide US-based employees 90 days to find a new role internally, along with severance and additional support during their transition, Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology at Amazon, announced in a blog post on Wednesday.

Weve been working to strengthen our organisation by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy, Galetti said.

The job cuts came a few months after the company announced that it was eliminating 14,000 positions. Together, these layoffs reflect the ongoing layoffs Amazon carried out in late 2022 and early 2023, which affected approximately 27,000 employees.

The company was planning a second round of layoffs as part of its broader strategy of cutting nearly 30,000 corporate roles within the organisation, according to a report by Reuters.

Which divisions will be impacted? Employees in Amazon Web Services, retail, Prime Video, and the People Experience and Technology HR units are likely to be impacted, the report said.

Amazon has announced that, despite these changes, it will keep hiring and investing in key strategic areas crucial for our future growth.

We've been working to strengthen our organisation by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy. While many teams finalised their organisational changes in October, other teams did not complete that work until now, the blogpost read.

Also Read | Amazon layoffs: Tech giant mistakenly confirms sacking of cloud unit employees

Amazon cited the initial round of layoffs in October to the increasing use of artificial intelligence software, according to an internal memo, which said, this generation of AI is the most transformative technology weve seen since the Internet, and its enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before," the report noted.

CEO Andy Jassy later informed analysts during the companys third-quarter earnings call that the reduction wasnot really financially driven and its not even really AI-driven, rather, he said, its culture."
Airline operators in India and other South Asian countries are expected to require nearly 3,300 new aircraft by the year 2044, amid the rising demand for air travel, reported the news agency PTI, citing US-based aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing on Wednesday, 28 January 2026.

India and South Asia's passenger air traffic will rise an average of 7 per cent annually over the next 20 years, spurred by a growing middle class, economic growth and airport and connectivity investments, said Boeing, cited in the agency report.

In its recent Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) for South Asia report, Boeing said that the airline companies in the region will also need nearly 45,000 pilots, 45,000 technicians, and 51,000 cabin crew over the next 20 years.

According to the agency report citing the aircraft manufacturer, narrow-body aircraft will account for nearly 90% of the projected deliveries at 2,875, while wide-body aircraft will be at 395.

Also Read | Boeing expects more Dreamliner orders from India amid tariff concerns

India's rising air-travel market Boeing's Managing Director of Commercial Marketing, Eurasia and Indian Subcontinent, Ashwin Naidu, said that India is a growth market and the country will add more planes.

According to the agency report, India is the fastest-growing region, with the airline fleet expected to quadruple over the next two decades. Naidu presented the Commercial Market Outlook report on the sidelines of the four-day aviation summit Wings India 2026.

The report also mentioned that the demand for air travel means airlines will need nearly 3,300 new aeroplanes by 2044.

Accounting for growth and replacement, the Indian and South Asian region's fleet will grow from 795 to 2,925 airplanes in two decades, a nearly fourfold increase over that time, the report mentioned.

As per the CMO, Indian and South Asian airlines are also expected to expand and diversify their long-haul networks as India grows as a key hub for international passenger and cargo traffic.

Also Read | Boeing eyes higher output as Air India, Akasa await bulk jet deliveries

The South Asia region's widebody fleet will more than triple by 2044 as carriers enable millions of Indian and South Asian passengers to travel to international markets including the Middle East, Europe and North America, said Boeing in its report cited by the news agency.

Investment in South Asia Investments in the South Asian region will require more than $195 billion in aviation services, including maintenance, repair and modifications, digital services and training, according to the agency report citing the American aircraft manufacturing giant.

The report also mentioned that the air cargo market will be boosted by high-tech manufacturing growth in India and the increasing role of e-commerce, as they increase the need for more freighter aeroplanes.
Panaji: State-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is in talks with several global shipping lines including Danish shipping major Maersk, Italian major Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A (MSC), and Germany's HAPAG-Lloyd to source crude oil from the planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering facility at Kerala's Vizhinjam port.

In an interview to Mint on the sidelines of India Energy Week 2026, Rahul Tandon, head of BPCL's gas business, said the global trading major Vitol was holding discussions with prospective buyers of clean fuels. Refueling at such facilities are largely carried out through term contracts.

"We are all geared up. It's just that now we are interacting with customers and making customers... global liners Maersk, Hapag and MSC, among others. Vitol is talking to the customers and arranging the customers," he said.

Queries mailed to Maersk, MSC, HAPAG and Adani Ports on Wednesday evening remained unanswered at the time of publishing.

India's first LNG bunkering facility BPCL is also looking at chartering a vessel to set up the facility, which would be India's first LNG bunkering facility, Tandon said. He added that the facility was in line with the government's vision to develop India as a maritime hub as it would provide a clean refueling option to ships across the Indian Ocean region. He noted that currently, the nearest LNG bunkering facility is in Singapore. Other facilities are in Europe, with Rotterdam providing the largest capacity.

Tandon was optimistic on demand, given that the shipping sector is moving towards cleaner fuels such as LNG and green methanol. "These large ship containers have the capacity to take 5,000 to 10,000 cubic meters (of LNG). We are currently exploring for chartering either a 12, 000 or 18, 000 cubic meter vessel, he said.

Situated strategically near to the east-west international shipping corridor, the upcoming facility is expected to establish Vizhinjam as a major hub for low-carbon shipping across the Indian Ocean region.

The initiative was formalised in October 2025 through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) during India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai. The state-run refiner and oil marketing company have also signed an MoU for LNG bunkering and dual-fuel vessels at Cochin Port in Kerala.

"We been working on it for past one-and-a-half years, working closely with the DG shipping and department of explosives to make sure that the guidelines, SoPs, everything is in place. We' got the bunkering license about 2-3 months ago," Tandon said.

LNG in the limelight LNG has recently gained more attention as ship fuel not only in Europe but also in Asia and the US. Using LNG for ship reduces sulphur oxide emissions by 90% to 95%. It can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions up to 23% with modern engine technology, according to DNV, a global independent assurance and risk management provider.

In October, prime minister Narendra Modi said with a coastline exceeding 7,500 km and an expanding network of globally competitive ports, India was poised to become a major maritime hub, offering not only connectivity but value-added services, green shipping initiatives, and industry-friendly policy frameworks. He called on domestic and international investors to invest in India's maritime space.

(Rituraj Baruah is in Panaji on the invitation of the union ministry of petroleum and natural gas.)

Also Read | A new accounting rule that could boost Indias green energy push
US-based Dell Technologies on Tuesday announced that it will provide key infrastructure support to India's NxtGen AI Pvt Ltd for building the country's first and largest dedicated AI factory.

As part of the deal, Dell AI Factory with Nvidia solutions will significantly expand Indias national AI capability, enabling large-scale generative AI, agentic AI, physical AI, and high-performance computing across enterprises, start-ups and government programmes.

The company did not provide details on where this factory will be located or when it will be built. The cost details of the project were also not disclosed.

Also Read | Dell banks on AI factory, GenAI growth in India

What does the deal have in store? Dell is set to provide the core infrastructure, including Vertiv liquid-cooled Dell PowerEdge XE9685L servers, for NxtGen AI's new AI cluster to meet the growing demand of artificial intelligence as a service and large-scale GPU capacity.

The infrastructure will be delivered through Dell Integrated Rack Scalable Systems, deemed vital for India's increasing AI demand to expand its mission.

What are the features of Dell AI factory? The Dell AI Factory with Nvidia offers a full stack of AI solutions from data center to edge, enabling organisations to rapidly adopt and scale AI deployments in their firms.

The integration of Dells AI capabilities with Nvidia's accelerated computing, networking, and software technologies will provide customers with an extensive AI portfolio and an open ecosystem of technology partners.

How Dell, Nvidia and NxtGen AI will power India's ambitions NxtGen AI will be able to deliver advanced AI capabilities at speed and scale, with the technology support from the comprehensive Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA portfolio, which provides a simplified and reliable foundation for the artificial intelligence company.

By empowering NxtGen with this advanced foundation, Dell is accelerating India's next wave of AI development and innovation, ensuring critical access to high-performance AI capabilities across the region, Dell Technologies said in a press release.

Also Read | India warms up to AI virtual pets as companionship goes digital

Indias rapid AI growth demands strong, reliable, and future-ready infrastructure, said Manish Gupta, president and managing director, India, Dell Technologies. Dell Technologies is addressing this need through the Dell AI Factory with Nvidia, designed to simplify and scale AI deployments across industries. As the top AI infrastructure provider, we are enabling this shift by combining storage, compute, networking and software to accelerate AI adoption. Our collaboration with NxtGen brings these capabilities closer to Indian enterprises, helping them deploy AI efficiently and cost-effectively. This marks another step in our commitment to empowering Indias digital future through secure, scalable, and sovereign AI infrastructure.

Key Takeaways Dell and NVIDIA's partnership aims to enhance India's AI capabilities with advanced infrastructure.

The AI factory will support large-scale deployments of generative and agentic AI.

This initiative underscores India's commitment to building a secure and sovereign AI ecosystem.
Elon Musk is now sparring with venture capitalist Vinod Khosla after the billionaire accused the Tesla CEO of racism and allegedly tried to poach some of his top talent. Musk responded to the controversy by name-calling Khosla while pointing out that his partner is half Indian and that one of his sons is named after an Indian physicist.

Why are Vinod Khosla and Elon Musk sparring? The controversy began after Khosla responded to a September 2025 post by Musk in which the billionaire claimed that White people are a rapidly diminishing minority of the global population.

Khosla responded to the post, alleging racism on the part of the X owner and claimed that Musk was not propagating Make America Great Again but instead white America great again.

@elonmusk doesnt want MAGA, he wants WAGA or white America great again as a racism is great and desirable paradigm. All non-whites in @tesla, @SpaceX, @X etc and all decent whites should quit and join our portfolio. Email us your LinkedIn! Khosla wrote.

Meanwhile, Musk once again claimed that Khosla had tried to stop the public from using a public beach near his house, an allegation he has also made in the past. The billionaire appears to be referring to Khoslas multiple lawsuits over restricting public access to Martins Beach near his estate.

Vinod, youre not just such a pompous asshole that you tried to stop the public from using a public beach near your house, youve also gone full retard. My partner, Shivon, is half Indian and my eldest son with her is named in honor of the great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar, Musk wrote.

The two billionaires have a history of clashing on social media over various issues. During the 2024 US elections, Musk had urged Khosla to support Donald Trump. In response, Khosla said it was hard for him to support someone with no values, lies, cheats, rapes, demeans women, hates immigrants like me.
SoftBank Group Corp. is in talks to invest as much as another $30 billion in Sam Altman's OpenAI, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the knowledge of the matter.

The move by SoftBank reflects CEO Masayoshi Son's ambitions to play a key role in developing artificial intelligence, which has taken over the world over the last few years.

The Japanese conglomerate, which is already one of the largest backers of the ChatGPT-maker, is adding to its stake in the company, people familiar with the matter told WSJ.

According to a separate report by Reuters quoting people with knowledge of the development, SoftBank is in deliberations to commit more capital toward the fast-growing startup.

The maximum amount SoftBank is considering is $30 billion, Reuters and WSJ reported quoting people familiar with the matter.

As per Reuters, the people cautioned that the discussions are fluid and the amount of funding could change. SoftBanks shares rose 5.8% in Tokyo Wednesday.

OpenAI, known widely for creating AI chatbot ChatGPT, is seeking up to $100 billion in new capital from investors, the WSJ previously reported.

According to that report, the investment round could value the company to as much as $830 billion if OpenAI succeeds in raising the funds.

SoftBank's share in OpenAI Masayoshi Son has been unwinding positions to increase its stake in OpenAI and ready capital for sweeping investments aimed at injecting AI in all devices.

SoftBank sold its stake in Nvidia Corp. and recently hit pause on talks to buy out US data centre operator Switch Inc.

The Tokyo-based company had amassed an 11% stake in OpenAI, injecting $22.5 billion just last month.

SoftBank has sharply increased its bets in AI in recent months. Over the past year, the Tokyo-based company has bought US chip designer Ampere Computing LLC for $6.5 billion and announced a $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB Ltd.s robotics unit. To finance some of that cost, SoftBank has sold down its T-Mobile US Inc. shares, unloaded its entire Nvidia stake and expanded a margin loan using its Arm shares.

SoftBanks investments in AI, along with the sharp drop in the value of Arm shares at the end of last year, are heaping pressure on its creditworthiness, S&P Global Ratings warned earlier this month.

Despite being early to invest in AI technologies, SoftBank has largely missed out on a global rush to build the semiconductors, server racks and other hardware to support machine learning.
Panaji: State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) is eyeing collaboration with ExxonMobil to jointly bid for Indias hydrocarbon blocks in the tenth round of auctions under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy, according to a top executive.

We are in talks with ExxonMobil also. We are looking at possibilities of joint bidding in upcoming OALP rounds," O.P. Sinha, director exploration at ONGC, said on Wednesday on the sidelines of the India Energy Week 2026. The company is yet to get a response from the US-headquartered energy major, he said.

Queries mailed to ExxonMobil on late Wednesday evening remained unanswered until press time.

ONGC has earlier bagged a block under the 9th round of auctions in partnership with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and UK-headquartered bp plc.

Sinha told reporters that the upstream major will focus on exploration activities along the east coast, including the Mahanadi, Krishna-Godavari (KG) and Cauvery basins, and off the coast of the Andamans.

Resource sharing

ONGC also signed an agreement with RIL on Wednesday to enable deepwater resource-sharing on Indias east coast, particularly across the KG basin and Andaman offshore, with an aim to achieve cost optimization, faster execution, and improved asset utilization in complex deepwater projects.

ONGC and RIL will pursue sharing of key resources required for offshore operations, which may include onshore and offshore processing facilities, drilling rigs, marine vessels, power, pipelines, logging and well services.

The agreement is expected to deliver cost optimization through shared use of high-value rigs, vessels, logistics and specialized subsea equipment. The company also said that it will enable faster mobilization and execution by improving access to the limited deepwater services available.

On Tuesday, Pankaj Kumar, director (production) of the state-run energy major, said the company has reached out to as many as 10 global energy players to participate in its tender for the role of technical services provider (TSP) to enhance production in its western offshore fields.

(Rituraj Baruah is in Panaji at the invitation of the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas)
New Delhi: Vodafone Idea on Wednesday said it is targeting double-digit revenue growth, a three-fold increase in operating profit, and sustained subscriber additions over the next three years, as it unveiled a 45,000-crore capital expenditure plan under its Vi 2.0 strategy.

To support the capex plan, the telecom operator is looking to raise 25,000 crore in bank funding and 10,000 crore in non-funded facilities. The company, however, is not seeking equity funding at this time.

The telecom operators current funding structure (bank funding and non-funded facilities) is adequate to manage the investment plan, and it may re-evaluate the situation two years down the line for fundraising via equity, Abhijit Kishore, chief executive officer of Vodafone Idea, said at an analyst meet in Mumbai.

The proposed investment of 45,000 crore, combined with the 18,000 crore spent over the past six quarters, would take the companys total network investment to over 60,000 crore over a four-and-a-half-year period, the company said at the analyst meet.

To be sure, in May 2024, Vodafone Idea had said it planned to incur capital expenditure of 50,000-55,000 crore over the next three years. The company, however, has not been able to raise funding through bank debt to expedite the capex plan. Last month, the company announced that it raised 3,300 crore through secured non-convertible debentures (NCDs).

Also Read | DoT to complete reassessment of Vodafone Idea AGR dues by February-End

AGR overhang is behind usI think to my mind it (relief from the government) is a definitive conclusive long-term solution with a very clear visibility on our cash flow, Kishore said.

He said the capex will be used for network expansion. The telecom operator plans to achieve 4G parity with competitors across its 17 priority circles, which contribute over 99% of revenue, within 12 to 24 months. Simultaneously, it will expand 5G coverage across urban markets with populations of 20,000 or more over the next 1230 months. The company will allocate about 70% of capex to radio access, with the remainder to transport and core network infrastructure.

Through FWA (fixed wireless access), which is on the 5G, we would definitely want to get into the SOHO (small office home office) and the home space, (in) which we are not present right now. We are looking at some options and opportunities as far as getting an entry into a small office or home office is concerned, Kishore said.

The 45,000 crore capex looks fantastic, but relative to the competition, the number looks underwhelming, Sanjesh Jain, telecom analyst at ICICI Securities, told the management during the question-and-answer session.

In comparison, Bharti Airtel has been spending about 30,000 crore in capex every year, Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, said in a recent interaction with CNBC-TV18. Capex has not come down. We are spending 30,000 crore in capex every year. It will continue to be spent. Mittal explained that investment requirements shift across technologies. If spending slows in 4G, it shifts to 5G, and as 5G deployment tapers, capital is redirected toward fibre, fixed wireless access (FWA), and data centres. I would say a little more than ( 30,000 crore) than less than ( 30,000 crore) will be the order of magnitude (for capex), Mittal said.

Also Read | Airtel seeks AGR reassessment as Centre begins Vodafone Idea recalculation

Comments from Vodafone Ideas management have come at a time when the telecom operator has got a breather from the government on payment of its adjusted gross revenue dues. The Cabinet on 31 December decided to freeze the company's 87,695 in AGR dues as of December-end.

The AGR overhang meant funding was not available. Without funding, investments and deployments suffered. That hurt network experience, impacted brand perception and led to subscriber losses, Kishore said, adding that the company will soon get past negative customer additions.

After the AGR dues freeze, the telecom companys total outgo towards AGR payments over the next six years, from March 2026 to March 2031, would be 744 crore, a maximum of 124 crore per year. It will also have to pay 100 crore annually over four years, from March 2032 to March 2035.

The government had approved a payment plan for the company to clear its frozen AGR dues over FY32-41. As per the Supreme Court orders in October and November, the government has also begun the exercise to reassess the company's AGR dues.

While the AGR dues are frozen, Vodafone Idea faces spectrum payment obligations of about 49,000 crore over the next three years. The instalment would be approximately 7,000 crore in the first year, 15,000 crore in the second and around 27,000 crore in the third. The companys total deferred payment obligation (including interest accrued but not due) towards spectrum was at 1.25 trillion as of 31 December.

Besides, Vodafone Ideas outstanding bank debt (including accrued but unpaid interest) was 4,424 crore as of December end. The company said the scheduled instalments, payable by December 2026, amount to 1,126 crore, including interest.

When asked whether promoters will infuse more funds, Sushil Agarwal, chief financial officer of Aditya Birla Group, said, As a promoter, we have stood by this company all throughoutTomorrow, if there is need, promoters will not run away. He added that the promoters have invested 27,000 crore in Vodafone Idea in the last few years.

Analysts said Vodafone Idea would need tariff hikes to reach its 3x Ebitda target of about 30,000 crore over the next three years. Any pricing intervention is a call of a leader, not a call of a challenger. We have always maintained that the industry needs a price repair. We will wait for the leaders to take a call on that, and then we will evaluate, Kishore said.

In comparison, market leader Reliance Jio has a different stance on tariff hike, which has ruled out any immediate increase, signalling confidence in organic growth in its average revenue per user (Arpu), driven by rising 5G usage.

Vodafone Idea has been losing subscribers. Data shared by the company suggests that over the last 6 years, it has been losing subscribers at a rate of 15 to 16 million customers per year. However, the pace of loss has declined over the last two years, the company said, adding that it is now 5.3 million.

During the quarter, the company lost 3.8 million subscribers, taking its subscriber base to 192.9 million as of the end of December. In the previous quarter, the companys subscriber base was at 196.7 million. In the year-ago period, the subscriber base was at 199.8 million.

The company said the challenge is less about acquiring new customers (which is decent at around 30% in networked areas) and more about retention. It is hoped that deploying the committed 45,000 crore in capex to fill coverage gaps will naturally address retention issues.

During the December quarter, the telecom operator reported a net loss of 5,286 crore, compared to 6,609 crore in the same period last year. In the previous quarter, the company reported a net loss of 5,524 crore.

The narrower loss during the quarter was largely driven by exceptional items, including provision write-backs on remeasurement of settlement assets with its promoter Vodafone Group, amounting to 1,228 crore. In the absence of the same, Vodafone Idea's losses would have expanded sequentially and narrowed marginally year-on-year.

The companys revenue from operations increased 2% year-on-year and 1.15% quarter-on-quarter to 11,323 crore, also surpassing Bloombergs estimate of 11,297 crore. A marginal improvement in revenue can be attributed to the companys network expansion and increased data consumption on the network.
After two decades of negotiations, India and the European Union (EU) have struck what is called 'the mother of all trade deals. Where does the deal go from here? Mint looks at the possible time line and challenges it can face going forward before it is operationalized.

When will the India-EU deal be operationalized?

Though the negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA) were completed on 21 January 2026, the agreement is not yet legally binding. At the EUs end, the deal will first undergo a legal vetting. It will then be translated into 24 EU official languages and sent to all 27 EU member states. This should take months. The formal signing of the FTA will happen by 2026-end. This will be followed by ratification by the European Parliament. Simultaneously, the Indian governments cabinet will approve the deal. If all goes well, the deal will come into force by early 2027.

How have recent EU trade deals fared?

On 17 January 2026, the EU signed an interim trade agreement with Mercosur, a trade bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. The deal, which was agreed after 25 years of negotiations, eliminates tariffs on 90% of the bilateral trade between the two regions and creates a large market involving 750 million people representing 20% of global gross domestic market (GDP). But to the surprise of many, the European Parliament, within days, referred the agreement to the Court of Justice of the EU for legal opinion to ascertain if the deal is compatible with EUs policies.

What happens now?

Experts are divided about the fate of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. Some say that the legal process would take at least a couple of years, which means the implementation of the deal may get delayed by three years or more. Media reports suggest the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, may go for a provisional implementation of the agreement, bypassing Parliament. This may not be easy, as the deal faced stiff opposition. France, Poland, Austria, Ireland and Hungary voted against the deal in the European Council. Some even argue that the deal has been derailed for good.

How does India-EU FTA compare to the Mercosur deal?

Like the Mercosur deal, India-EU FTA took two decades to fructify. It also creates a large free trade area. But the India-EU deal is much bigger. It involves two billion people and creates a $27-trillion market accounting for 25% of global GDP. India has offered tariff concessions on 97.5% of imports from the EU while the EU has dropped tariffs on 99.5% of Indias exports.

India has offered to cut tariffs on 97.5% of EU imports, while the EU will eliminate duties on 99.5% of Indian exports.

How is India-EU FTA is different from the Mercosur deal?

The biggest challenge that the Mercosur trade deal faced in the EU was fear of low-cost agricultural products from South America flooding Europe. The India-EU FTA has avoided most of the subjects that are sensitive to each other. This includes agriculture and dairy sectors. That should reduce opposition to the deal. But experts have warned that while there is absolute clarity on tariff cuts, ambiguity exists when it comes to intellectual property, sustainability, environment and labour law conventions. If not handled well, they could hinder the operationalizing of the deal.

Also Read | Potential carbon tax relief may open EU market for Indian steel
Future industries represent the most dynamic and pioneering force within the new quality productive forces. Proactively planning and developing future industries is an essential requirement for accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system. In 2025, Anhui, guided by technological innovation, focused on key directions in future industries such as biomanufacturing and deep-space exploration. By continuously innovating application scenarios, strengthening upstream and downstream industrial chain support, and promoting the clustering and momentum of future industries, the province has made significant strides. As startups competing in the field of future industries, challenges such as funding shortages and limited market access are common. To accelerate industrial development, Anhui issued an action plan for future industries in 2025, which includes measures to expand application scenarios and build a financial services ecosystem, thereby enhancing support for the introduction and cultivation of future industries. Currently, Anhui is addressing the development needs of future industries such as artificial intelligence by adopting a "establishment first, followed by official recognition" model. The province is rolling out the first batch of ten provincial-level future industry pilot zones across the region, prioritizing the creation of provincial or national-level industrial innovation centers and manufacturing innovation centers to achieve technological breakthroughs as quickly as possible.

Source: ANHUI NEWS


The long-awaited free trade agreement between India and the European Union was announced on Tuesday. While the EU has already released a chapter-by-chapter summary, Indias official text is still awaited. Often billed as the mother of all trade deals", the pact spans 20 chapters and is being pitched as a major win for both sides.

From Indias perspective, the agreement promises substantial gains in goods and services exports and deeper integration with a large developed market. At the same time, it locks in some of the EUs toughest regulatory standards, while leaving sensitive areasespecially agriculture and carbon-related costslargely unresolved. Mint explains the agreement, chapter by chapter.

Trade in goods: Clear export upside

Indias biggest gain is improved market access for goods. The EU will eliminate tariffs on over 90% of tariff lines, covering 91% of trade value, rising to 99.3% with partial liberalisation.

This sharply improves competitiveness for labour-intensive exports such as textiles, apparel, footwear, marine products, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, which earlier faced EU duties of 612% or more. Tariff cuts level the playing field for Indian manufacturers in a key developed market.

EU is one of Indias largest trading partners. In 202425, Indias bilateral trade in goods with the EU stood at 11.5 trillion, or $136.54 billion, with exports worth 6.4 trillion ($75.85 billion) and imports amounting to 5.1 trillion ($60.68 billion), resulting in a surplus. India-EU trade in services reached 7.2 trillion ($83.10 billion) in 2024.

Rules of origin: Modern but tight

The agreement adopts EU-style rules of origin aligned with recent EU FTAs, based on self-certification and digital verification. While this reduces paperwork and helps MSMEs, the value-addition thresholds are relatively strict, which could challenge Indian exporters with complex global supply chains.

Tight rules of origin will protect domestic spirits manufacturers. Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) director general Anant S. Iyer said, Robust and enforceable rules of origin would help stop third-country products from entering India through indirect routes, which often leads to unfair competition and loss of revenue for the country."

"In the case of alcoholic beverages, especially geographical indication (GI)-tagged products such as Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, Cognac, Champagne or Tequila, the GI-linked country should be recognised as the true country of origin for tariff purposes, regardless of where the shipment originates, which is vital to preserve the authenticity of such products and uphold the integrity of trade commitments," he added.

Customs and trade facilitation

Commitments on advance rulings, simplified procedures and expedited release of goods mean that exporters will get clarity on tariff classification, valuation and origin requirements in advance, reducing uncertainty at the border and the risk of disputes.

Faster clearance mechanisms and simpler documentation will cut waiting time at ports, lower logistics costs and ease the compliance burden, which is especially important for small and mid-sized exporters.

Deeper customs cooperation, including coordination on supply-chain security and data exchange, will allow trusted and compliant Indian exporters to benefit from risk-based inspections and faster green-channel clearances, helping their consignments move more predictably and quickly into the EU market.

Sanitary and phytosanitary measures: A sticking point

This is where India gains the least. The EU has made it clear that all Indian agri-food exports will continue to face its strict food safety, animal and plant health rules, with no dilution. The EU also retains the right to impose provisional SPS measures where scientific evidence is deemed insufficient.

Unlike the IndiaUK FTA, there is no joint SPS committee with a softer, consultative approach, raising concerns that SPS norms will continue to act as non-tariff barriers for Indian agriculture.

In practice, this means Indian exporters of rice, spices and tea will still have to comply with pesticide residue limits that are often far stricter than international benchmarks, increasing costs and the risk of shipment rejections.

Marine exports such as shrimp and fish will remain vulnerable to enhanced inspections or bans over traces of antibiotics not tolerated by the EU, while fresh fruits could face sudden restrictions on plant health grounds.

Dairy exports, already limited, will continue to struggle as the EU does not recognise milk from animals treated with certain hormones or antibiotics. Without an institutional mechanism to address such issues through dialogue, these SPS requirements are likely to remain one of the most restrictive elements of the agreement for Indias farm and food exporters.

Other chapters

Technical Barriers to Trade: This chapter reinforces WTO principles and introduces mandatory consultation timelines for new regulations. A dedicated working group on conformity assessment, including Indias quality control orders, provides a formal platform to address regulatory frictions, though it stops short of mutual recognition.

Trade Remedies: Both sides preserve the right to use anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard measures. A bilateral safeguard mechanism allows temporary action if import surges cause serious injury, offering comfort to the domestic industry.

Services: India has secured commitments that go beyond its WTO obligations, including clearer rules on domestic regulation, senior management and local presence. Provisions on mobility of professionals are among the more ambitious that India has negotiated, though they remain calibrated rather than liberal.

Digital Trade: The Digital Trade chapter incorporates most WTO e-commerce joint initiative rules, including consumer protection, anti-spam provisions and safeguards against forced disclosure of source code. At the same time, it preserves regulatory space for privacy and public policy, aligning with Indias digital priorities.

Intellectual Property Rights: The IP chapter provides robust protection and enforcement across copyrights, trademarks, designs, trade secrets and plant varieties, largely in line with Indias existing legal framework. Crucially, India has avoided commitments that could weaken access to affordable medicines.

Competition and Subsidies: The EU gains the ability to seek information on subsidies and deepen cooperation between competition authorities. This reflects the EUs concern over state support, though it does not create automatic penalties.

SMEs, Transparency, and Regulatory Practices: Dedicated SME provisions, single digital information portals and stronger transparency rules should help smaller Indian firms navigate the EU market. Good regulatory practices, including impact assessments and early consultations, increase predictability but also add procedural discipline.

Sustainable Development, Labour, Environment: The FTA includes legally binding commitments on labour rights, climate action and environmental protection, backed by consultation and dispute mechanisms. While this supports Indias green transition goals, it also raises compliance expectations for exporters.

CBAM: Notably, the agreement does not mitigate the immediate impact of the EUs Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Indian exports in steel and aluminium will continue to face Europes carbon tax, with the risk of expansion to other industrial products, potentially eroding tariff gains over time.

There is no transition relief or special consideration for developing countries under the agreement, and Indian exporters will have to comply with detailed emissions reporting and verification requirements, adding to costs.

As the EU phases out free carbon allowances for its own producers, the effective tax burden on Indian steel and aluminium exports is expected to rise further, increasing the risk that CBAM offsets a significant part of the tariff benefits under the FTA.

The bottom line

From Indias standpoint, the IndiaEU FTA delivers strong gains in labour-intensive exports, services and deeper supply-chain integration, while also improving access to a large developed market. Once the FTA comes into force, European products such as wines and spirits, premium cars and auto components, machinery, electrical equipment, medical devices, chemicals and specialty chemicals are expected to become cheaper for Indian consumers and businesses as duties are reduced, lowering input costs for manufacturing and making high-end goods more affordable.

The textiles sector is among the biggest winners, with sharp tariff cuts expected to significantly expand Indias footprint in Europe. Exports could rise rapidly from about $7 billion to $3040 billion, as highlighted by commerce minister Piyush Goyal, potentially generating 67 million jobs. At the same time, cheaper textile machinery imports from Germany should aid technology upgrades and reduce dependence on China.

Also Read | Potential carbon tax relief may open EU market for Indian steel
India and the United States have made very significant progress in their negotiations for a trade deal, as the nations maintain steady momentum in the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) talks for a potential trade deal amid the final stages of a free trade deal with the European Union, reported the news agency PTI, citing an official aware of the development.

The official also told the news agency that the mega trade deal with the European Union should not be seen as a response to offset trade relations with the United States, as the Western nation is crucial for the Indian exporters.

The official source also told the agency that very significant progress has been made in the negotiations for the proposed India-US trade deal, and both sides are very close to seeing the outcome of the talks.

They also said that both sides remain in touch and even during the final stages of negotiating the EU trade pact, Indian trade negotiators were in contact with their US counterparts, according to the agency report.

So that work is continuing. We are hopeful of a positive outcome, said a source, cited in the agency report.

Meeting for critical minerals According to the agency report, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to travel to the United States next week to attend a meeting on critical minerals. During his trip, Jaishankar will meet senior Trump administration officials, including the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The officials also ruled out India reviewing its decision not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) that is largely dominated by China.

Since 2025, India and the United States have held multiple rounds of trade negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement. However, the trade talks witnessed a hurdle after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods imported to the Western nation.

Tariffs aside, the trade relations between India and the United States came under strain on issues like Trump's claim of ending the India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025, and America's new immigration policy.

Importance of US market for Indian exporters The US market is a very important market for all Indian exporters, and therefore, the traders keep eyeing the long-awaited trade deal, the official told the news agency.

Our export to the EU is worth USD 76 billion as compared to USD 86 billion to the US. So it's an equally important market for us, one of the sources told the news agency. India and the EU have finalised the trade deal because it is in the mutual interest and mutual benefit of both sides, they said.

The sources, citing the current global trade environment, said the MFN-based WTO (World Trade Organisation) oriented system is under stress and trading partners are trying to navigate the challenging environment.

The Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) principle is a non-discriminatory pillar of the WTO trading system that requires that any trade advantage granted to one country must be extended to member nations of the WTO.

India would like to see exports grow both in the US and Europe as we don't see one over the other, the source said.

"We see it should grow in both places because at the end of the day, that will create jobs, that will create more manufacturing," the source added.

The India-EU free trade agreement that will account for almost a quarter of the global GDP will reduce tariffs on 99 per cent of Indian exports to the EU and cut duties on over 97 per cent of the EU's exports to India.

The EU estimated that the deal will cut up to four billion euros in annual tariffs for European exporters.

Indian sectors such as textiles, apparel, leather goods, handicrafts, footwear and marine products are set to gain from the FTA, while Europe is set to benefit in areas of wine, automobiles, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, among others.

Under the provisions of the pact, the EU's wine exports will benefit significantly as the current duties of 150 per cent will see a sharp cut and the new levies will be in the range of 20 per cent to 30 per cent.
As India and the European Union (EU) concluded a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday, the United States reacted, saying that New Delhi stands to gain more than the EU from the deal.

According to US President Donald Trump's representative Jamieson Greer, India is going to have a heyday with the India-EU FTA once it gets implemented.

I've looked at some of the details of the deal so far. I think India comes out on top on this, frankly. They get more market access into Europe, he said in an interview with Fox Business on Tuesday.

Talking about the terms of the India-EU FTA, dubbed as the Mother of All Deals, the Trump aide said that the deal will allow more Indians to have immigration rights.

It sounds like they (India) have some additional immigration rights. I don't know for sure, but President (Ursula) von der Leyen of the EU has talked about mobility for Indian workers into Europe. So I think on net, India is going to have a heyday with this. They have low-cost labour, Greer told the news channel.

EU turning to India The Trump aide also appeared to take a dig at the EU, saying that the nations are doubling down on globalisation, when we're trying to fix some of the problems with globalisation here in the US.

So the EU is turning to India to try to find a place. The EU is so trade dependent, they need other outlets if they can't keep sending all their stuff to the United States, he said.

India-EU FTA On Tuesday, India and the EU signed a "milestone" deal, dubbed the "Mother of All Deals", by concluding their negotiations for an FTA.

The deal is one of India's most strategic economic partnerships, designed as a modern, rules-based trade partnership, which responds to contemporary global challenges while enabling deeper market integration between the world's fourth- and second-largest economies.

Also Read | Potential carbon tax relief may open EU market for Indian steel

Both sides also signed a landmark Security and Defence Partnership, marking the first overarching defence and security framework between the two sides, as leaders from both blocs agreed to significantly deepen cooperation across strategic, regional and global security domains.

India-US trade deal India and the United States are still in talks to sign a trade deal as the US continues to impose a 50% tariff on Indian exports.

Talking about the India-US trade deal, Greer said that New Delhi has more work to do to satisfy US concerns about its purchase of Russian oil.

New Delhi has made a lot of progress on Russian oil purchase, but it is hard for them to completely cut out the supplies because they like the discount that you get from Russian oil, Greer said in the interview.
Aakasamlo Oka Tara is an upcoming Telugu-language adventure drama featuring Dulquer Salmaan in the lead. Marking Shruti Haasans 40th birthday, the makers have unveiled her first look from the film, officially confirming her involvement in the project.

Sharing the announcement on social media, the films team wrote, A trailblazer in every sense. Team Aakasamlo Oka Tara wishes Shruti Haasan a very Happy Birthday. And Meet a character that stands her ground and owns her space.

Film nearing completion While detailed information about the storyline remains under wraps, the makers have revealed that nearly 80 per cent of the films shooting has already been completed. The movie is described as an adventure drama and is planned for release in multiple languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi.

Earlier glimpses from the film Previously, the team released a glimpse featuring Dulquer Salmaan, showing him as a young man travelling on a train, hinting at themes of hope and personal discovery. A first-look glimpse of debutant Satvika Veeravalli, who plays the female lead, was also unveiled. Her introduction showed a remote village with minimal facilities, highlighting dreams and aspirations through her characters desire to reach the stars.

Also Read | Dulquer Salmaan returns with another intense period drama with Kaantha trailer

Music and release plans Shruti Haasan will play a pivotal role in the film, while GV Prakash Kumar has been brought on board to compose both the songs and background score. This marks his reunion with Dulquer Salmaan after their successful collaboration on Lucky Baskhar. Although the film was initially announced for a Summer 2026 release, an official release date is yet to be confirmed.

Shruti Haasans recent and upcoming projects Shruti Haasan was last seen in Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, where she played Preethi in the Rajinikanth-led action film. The cast also included Nagarjuna Akkineni, Upendra Rao and Soubin Shahir, with Aamir Khan appearing in a cameo role.

The actress will next be seen in Vijay Sethupathis long-delayed film Train, directed by Mysskin.
The risk of Tim Cook strategy for navigating Washington came into clear focus Saturday night.As the worlds attention turned to Minneapolis following the death of Alex Pretti, a nurse, at the hands of federal immigration agents, the Apple chief executive was at the White House feting President Trump and the first lady.

The juxtaposition couldnt be starker: videos showing protests in the streets versus a photo of a smiling Cook in a tuxedo with Brett Ratner, the director of a coming documentary about Melania.

That was, perhaps, the best example yet of the fraught game Cook, and the wider tech industry, is playing: embracing the president while also trying to appear apolitical. Other prominent tech CEOs were there, too, including Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.

But even as some traditionally unwavering allies of the administration have voiced concerns about the response to what happened in Minnesota, Cook has remained quiet. (Apple didnt comment.)

Public reaction against Cook, head of one of the biggest and most recognizable tech giants, was swift. Social media erupted with calls to boycott Apple and users declaring it was time to go with rival Googles mobile operating system. This is so embarrassing for Tim Cook," Dan Pfeiffer, a popular liberal podcaster and former Obama administration official, posted on X.

So much for Cooks yearslong attempts to fashion himself as an advocate for social justice.

The weekends contrast also helped fuel further populist outrage at how the tech industry has benefited from its close relationship with the Trump administrationfurther proof that the relationship could boomerang if midterm elections return Democrats to power in Congress.

It wasnt lost on Cooks critics that Apple has greatly benefited from Trumps grace. The tech giant was exempted from some tariffs on iPhones made overseas while other companies and their customers were left to deal with the bruising effects and uncertainty.

For many business leaders worried about our era of divisive politics, Cook had served as a template of sorts. He showed how CEOs could navigate the Trump administration for their companies advantage while seemingly staying on the political sidelines.

Mostly behind the scenes, Cook has stood out as Apples best lobbyist. He developed a rapport with the president and offered up PR wins for the administration. In many ways, Cook has operated in Washington like he has in Beijing and elsewhere, working with the local governments in power to ensure he has the best playing field possible for Apple.

Glimpses of their rapport occasionally surface, such as earlier this month when Trump praised Cook in Davos, saying, Hes great."

Through it all, Cook has largely been able to avoid the political blowback that Elon Musk has incurred. Unlike Tesla, Apple stores arent being protested. Investors have cheered on Cookshares rose Mondayand customers have continued to buy iPhones.

Blowback this weekend, however, suggests there are limits.

To be fair, Cook isnt alone. Many have embraced his playbook, especially in tech. After all, Cook was at a VIP event to see an early screening of the Melania" movie that Amazon paid handsomely for, just ahead of Trumps taking office.

Since Trumps re-election, the industrys titans have donated money and, perhaps more important, kept largely quiet compared with the early days of his first term when Big Tech was among the loudest voices unhappy with his immigration policies.

In early 2017, Cook tried his hand at publicly jawboning the White House, telling the Journal that Apple was considering legal action against the Trump administration over how it was handling immigration.

View Full Image Women record on their phones in the aftermath of the Renee Good shooting.

The start of the second term began much differently. A year ago, Cook and other Big Tech leaders stood on stage with Trump as he took the oath of office for his second term. Cook and many other tech leaders have remained quiet on whats occurring in Minnesota.

The irony of the latest tempest is that Cook is probably most responsible for ushering in the technology that has made the current political moment possible: the camera phone.

Saturdays death of Prettithe second this monthoccurred amid efforts by the Trump administration to deport immigrants who entered the country illegally. The approach has stirred dramatic community pushback in Minnesota, including clashes between federal agents and local protesters. Numerous videos of federal officials actions in the killings have stood in apparent contrast to the official accounts being given by some administration officials.

Those videos have fueled a common rallying cry: Believe your eyes, not the lies."

It isnt the first time weve seen the power that comes when almost everyone has a video camera in his or her pocketthanks to the success of the iPhone. It is a role that Cook, himself, has celebrated, talking about the role the iPhone has played in the same breath as what occurred earlier during the civil-rights movement.

We are humbled by it," Cook said on CBSs 60 Minutes" in 2020. If you look back in time, some of the most dramatic societal changes have occurred because someone captured video."

He made those comments in the wake of George Floyds being killed in Minneapolis. Cellphone video that captured police killing an unarmed Black man helped spark nationwide protests during the final year of Trumps first term.

It was a moment of national uncertaintynot unlike now.

Back then, Cook evoked the words of Martin Luther King Jr. and urged action. Today, his balancing act has him sidelined, producing a new sort of risk for Apple, the tech industry and Cooks legacy.

Write to Tim Higgins at tim.higgins@wsj.com
For eons, most investors treated hot stocks the same way. They sold stocks with gains of 100% or more, and they invested the profits in underperforming stocks with a good chance of advancing.

But financial markets have a new attitude, exemplified by innovations like prediction markets and zero-dated options: Many people view the markets as a casino. The old ways of thinking are increasingly ignored because they conflict with this gambling mind-set.

Now many stock gamblers believe hot stocks get hotter. This has been reinforced by their experience. Retail investors have emerged in the past five years as a powerful force that, en masse, has disproved investment disciplines like Buy low and sell high."

The new mantra is What is hot can get much hotterif enough people will it to be thus on social media." For proof, check out the parabolic growth of meme stocks, which have often benefited from the power of the retail trader.

All these market phenomena are challenging the legitimacy of long-term investing. Why wait to get rich when you might be able to do it overnight?

The Buy higher and higher" rule applies to many stocks, but silver might be the mascot of the movement. The iShares Silver Trust exchange-traded fund (ticker: SLV) is up 254% over the past year, dwarfing the returns of just about everything else.

In early January, we suggested investors prepare for the iShares ETF to advance to record highs because precious metals were exhibiting a rare trading phenomenon: price insensitivity. Investors were buying silver regardless of the price, often to offset geopolitical uncertainty.

Our trade returned almost 1,000% in less than four weeks. The position expires on Feb. 20, but taking profits now would be prudent.

Rather than rotating away from silver toward market laggards, we will illustrate how to use options to handle the Hot stocks get hotter" mind-set, but we will do so in a way that maximizes gains and limits losses. The strategy is a template for trading sizzling hot stocks.

With the iShares Silver Trust at $100.59, investors could buy the March $105 call option and sell the March $120 call for about $4. If the ETF is at $120 at expiration, the call spread is worth a maximum profit of $11. Should it expire below $105, the trade fails.

A call spreadbuying one call and selling another with a higher strike price but the same expirationlimits risk and benefits from an advance. (Calls give buyers the right to purchase an asset at a set time and price.)

Unlike buying an asset outright, the options strategy limits losses to the cost of the spread. By selling one call and buying another, the implied volatility expense of a hot asset is also offset. Spreads limit your profit, but the return with this strategy is often 100% or more, minimizing that downside.

During the past 52 weeks, the iShares Silver Trust has traded from $26.57 to $106.70. The ETF is up 52% this year.

A charged debate exists. Some investors are reportedly shorting silver, and others believe the metal is in the grip of a short squeeze that will send it even higher.

The disagreement creates charged market conditions. Every rally is likely to be sold by skeptics and bought by true believers, and every dip is likely to be bought and sold.

This conflict should keep silver edging higher, as short investors will quickly cover their losses and true believers will become more convicted until something wipes them out.

You can sit back and watch the pyrotechnics, or you can exploit the chaos, ideally with a position that limits losses and tilts toward outsize gains.

Email: editors@barrons.com
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday ruled out the use of its airspace and territory for a potential U.S. attack on Iran, complicating the Trump administrations options in response to Tehrans violent crackdown against Iranian protesters.

The Saudi move follows a similar statement Monday by the United Arab Emirates foreign ministry.

The statements from the two Gulf states represent a foreign policy setback for the Trump administration as it seeks to ratchet up pressure on Tehran, which has defied Washingtons demand that it end uranium enrichment and end the suppression of protesters.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdoms de facto leader, outlined his countrys position while talking by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

A Saudi readout of the Tuesday call said that the crown prince had stressed that the kingdom will not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military actions against Iran."

Saudi Arabia is worried about being drawn into a conflict with Iran, which attacked the kingdoms oil facilities in 2019 during President Trumps first term in office.

Both Saudi and the UAE have been targets of attacks by Iran and their proxies. A degraded and less threatening Iranian regime is in their interests, but they worry about regional unrest and Iranian retribution and dont want to be the tip of the American spear," said Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Asked for comment, a White House spokesperson said Trump is watching the situation in Iran very seriously and all options are on the table if the regime executes protestors."

Former high-ranking American military officers said that the Saudi and U.A.E. moves would hamper the Trump administrations planning for military action, but wouldnt prevent it if Washington was determined to act.

From a military perspective, it increases operational complexity and costs for any U.S. action against Iran but wont stop it," said David Deptula, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who played a key role in the 1991 Desert Storm air campaign against Iraq, which the U.S. led from a command post in Saudi Arabia.

Deptula added that the Saudi and U.A.E. statements would also lower the political cost for Tehran of resisting external pressures."

The Trump administration has dispatched the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying warships to the Middle East, including vessels equipped with cruise missiles. It also has several squadrons of F-15E fighters in Jordan.

The U.S. still could deliver a military blow by using those assets and by drawing on B-2 stealth bombers and other long-range bombers that could fly from the U.S. or be positioned at the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean.

I think this could force us to rely more heavily on carrier-based aviation or long-range assets coming from CONUS or bases like Diego Garcia," said Joseph Votel, a retired Army general, using the acronym for the continental U.S.

This action puts pressure on other regional states who may be considering support for a U.S. operation," added Votel, who led U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019. Finally, it means that an operation will have more of a U.S. flavor rather than a robust regional coalition against Iran."

Trump has nurtured close ties with the Saudi crown prince, who visited the White House in November. At the time, Trump promised to sell advanced F-35 fighters to Saudi Arabia and defended the crown prince against allegations that he orchestrated the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia confirmed in a defense cooperation agreement that the U.S. was its primary strategic partner," and an agreement was announced that provided Riyadh with more access to U.S. artificial intelligence technologies.

Write to Michael R. Gordon at michael.gordon@wsj.com, Shelby Holliday at shelby.holliday@wsj.com and Alexander Ward at alex.ward@wsj.com
Mayor Zohran Mamdani says New York City is facing an unexpected $10 billion projected budget deficit in the coming year and plans to push state lawmakers to increase taxes on high-income New Yorkers and corporations to close the hole.

We must raise taxes on the wealthiest few in New York City so that we can invest in the many," the newly elected Democratic socialist mayor of the countrys largest city said in an interview Tuesday.

During the campaign, Mamdani pledged to raise taxes on millionaires and corporations to help fund his ambitious affordability agenda. But the plan drew swift rebuke from the citys elite, who said a tax hike would drive the wealthiest out of New York. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who would have to sign off on the increases, has said she opposes income-tax hikes but has previously been more open to a potential corporate-tax increase.

Mamdani said in the interview that the tax increases were now urgently needed to meet the moment. New York City has not seen a gap of this scale since the Great Recession," he said, referring to the 2008-09 financial crisis. He added that his administration has already begun conversations with state officials.

Hochuls office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Mamdani also wants Albany lawmakers to increase the amount of state funding the city receives.

The mayor, who took office Jan. 1, must present his first preliminary budget for the next fiscal year in February, kicking off months of wrangling with city council members over spending before the deadline for a final budget in June.

Despite the yawning hole, Mamdani said he plans to present a balanced preliminary budget by pursuing savings and looking for inefficiencies without cutting any programs that benefit the working class. He didnt directly address whether his proposed budget would still allow him to pursue signature proposals, such as free bus service and government-subsidized grocery stores.

That budget is going to ensure that the working-class New Yorkers who did not create this crisis are not then made the victims of it," he said. The governor and the mayor announced earlier this month that the state would fund a rollout of free child care for 2-year-olds in the cityanother major policy proposal of Mamdanis campaign.

Earlier this month, City Comptroller Mark Levine warned of deficits, including a $2.2 billion shortfall in the $115.9 billion budget for the citys current fiscal year ending June 30. His office projected a $10.4 billion gap for the next fiscal year.

Mamdani and Levine both blamed the previous mayor, Eric Adams, for the fiscal crisis, accusing his administration of chronic underbudgeting for large expenses, including rental assistance and overtime for city workers. New Yorkers were not told the truth and now we are paying the price," Mamdani said.

A spokesman for Adams didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The spokesman previously said it was wrong to blame the former mayor for longstanding budget gaps and fiscal pressures that he inherited when he took office. The Adams administration helped revitalize the citys economy after the Covid-19 pandemic, the spokesman said.

Nathan Gusdorf, executive director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, a think tank that analyzes the citys finances, said that his group was critical of the Adams administrations budgeting practices, including inaccurate forecasts that at times led to confusing and adversarial negotiations with the city council. Some of the citys projected deficits were because of policy commitments passed by the council that werent adequately funded, Gusdorf said.

Gusdorf was skeptical that Mamdani can present a balanced budget solely by finding efficiencies. He said there may be political will in Albany to increase income taxes or corporate taxes given the deficit and broad support for Mamdanis affordability agenda. He added that city residents would be more opposed to spending cuts.

The reality is there is probably no way around a city tax increase to balance the citys budget," he said.

Write to James Fanelli at james.fanelli@wsj.com
A Ph.D. student at Stanford University with a highly prized artificial-intelligence background, Spector had no near-term plans to make money and no traditional pitch deck. He didnt even have an idea for a hit AI product.

What he did have was a lab, called Flapping Airplanes, a novel idea for training AI models and a zeal to hire talented young researchers eager to tackle AIs biggest problems.

Venture-capital firms jumped at the chance to back him.

Small teams of brilliant young people that are able to look at the problem in a new waythose are the kinds of organizations that actually win," said Spector, 25.

Flapping Airplanesa reference to the biological cues future AI should take from natureis part of a new wave of startups some have dubbed neolabs," which give priority to long-term research and developing new AI models over immediate profits.

The interest in neolabs has skyrocketed as investors hunt for the next OpenAI, which began as a research lab and later became one of the worlds most valuable startups. A large subset of top AI researchers believe that models like ChatGPT and Claude have effectively hit a dead end and will never reach a level of intelligence that matches or exceeds that of humans (top AI companies dispute that view).

While there are more than a thousand startups with valuations of $1 billion or higher, the number of neolabs is generally believed to be in the dozens, according to researchers and investors.

Some of the neolabs have seen their valuations soar into the tens of billions of dollars, prompting critics to suggest that most of them will have slim odds of turning a profit or launching a winning product. The labs have created a recruiting frenzy among academics in ways that are drawing promising students away from academia.

This month, Flapping Airplanes raised $180 million at a valuation of $1.5 billion from investors including GV, Sequoia Capital, Index Ventures and Menlo Ventures. Spector took leave from his Ph.D. program in September.

Humans& in January raised $480 million at a $4.48 billion valuation to build AI systems that help people collaborate. Reflection AI raised $2 billion in October at an $8 billion valuation to build an open-source model. And Periodic Labs, which aims to develop AI to automate scientific research, launched with $300 million in funding in September.

There is also Safe Superintelligence, the AI lab founded by Ilya Sutskever, a co-founder and former chief scientist at OpenAI largely credited with inventing ChatGPT.

In June 2024, Sutskever said he was starting a new company with one goal: building safe superintelligence. He has raised $3 billion so far, most recently at a $32 billion valuation, and has been unusually direct with investors about his intentions.

The way I would describe it is that there are some ideas that I think are promising and I want to investigate them," Sutskever said on a November episode of the Dwarkesh Podcast, making no promise that such ideas would lead to a breakthrough, a product or revenue. He also said AI is returning to an age of research" after scaling up from 2020 to 2025.

In the past, the most ambitious AI research happened inside academic institutions or corporate research arms like Googles DeepMind. Startups focused on finding applications of that research that could make money. The AI boom has pushed investors toward funding research itself.

A venture-backed labthis is a new thing," said Pete Sonsini, co-founder of Laude Ventures. Its not traditional venture capital."

U.S. AI startups raised a record $222 billion last year, according to research firm PitchBook. Investors say they are seeing a rising number of researchers pitching neolabs.

Not everyone is convinced these researchers can generate financial returns.

The technical chasm to cross for each of these neolabs is very substantial and I think that risk is very real," said Ashu Garg, a general partner at Foundation Capital. The vast majority of them will not cross that at all. They will end up with something that is just incrementally better. And if youre incrementally better than alternatives, you dont matter."

One of the biggest challenges neolabs face is talent retention. In an era when CEOs of the largest tech companies are offering more than $300 million to hire AI experts, it is difficult for startups to hold on to their prized researchers. It is a reality Thinking Machines Lab recently highlighted in dramatic fashion.

Co-founded by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati, Thinking Machines lost two of its founders, Barret Zoph and Luke Metz, to OpenAI in January. In October, another one of its founders, Andrew Tulloch, departed for Meta. Thinking Machines has sought additional capital in recent months that could value the company at $50 billion.

These losses have rattled investors, who have sought to be more probing with AI founders about their incentives.

Is it a financial motivation or is it a motivation to really drive an impact?" said Dave Munichiello, a managing partner at GV and an investor in Flapping Airplanes. Are they in it for 10 years? Or do they have four houses that they need to pay?"

Flapping Airplanes strategy to compete in the brutal talent war is to not try to hire the most famous researchers. Instead, they are recruiting newcomers who would have ordinarily pursued a Ph.D. or a role at a quant firm. They have tapped AI legends Andrej Karpathy, an OpenAI founding member, and Jeff Dean, chief scientist at Google DeepMind, as an adviser and an angel investor, respectively. One early area of interest for Spector and others is to train AI models with less data.

They have 11 employees so far, including Spectors brother and co-founder Asher Spector, who recently completed his Ph.D. in statistics at Stanford, and co-founder Aidan Smith, a 21-year-old Thiel Fellow, a program that pays college students to drop out and pursue their own projects, as well as an 18-year-old high-school student.

Investors love the young hires.

I am very interested in todays 22-year-old whos going to spend the next 10 years trying to find AGI," said Sequoia Capital partner David Cahn, a Flapping Airplanes investor. The best science has historically been done by people in their mid-20s," he added, referencing Albert Einsteins miracle year," when he published a series of influential papers at the age of 26.

The rush of younger AI startup talent means fewer purely academic researchers. Stefano Ermon, a computer-science professor at Stanford University, said this is the most turnover he has seen in academia in the decade he has been teaching.

There will be fewer people going into academic positions and maybe it will be harder to train the next generation," Ermon said.

At the same time, researchers are realizing that the opportunity to raise big VC dollars quickly and easily may not last long. In November, Ermon announced he raised $50 million for a neolab called Inception focused on developing diffusion models to generate text and code.

This is the first time I felt like, yeah, the upside is so big and we are so uniquely positioned to go after this," said Ermon. Its now or never."

Write to Kate Clark at kate.clark@wsj.com
MUMBAI : The Supreme Court (SC) judgment on Tiger Global, upholding capital gains tax on its Flipkart share sale, has opened the door for a review of similar past investments by other entities. This is prompting companies to consider insurance and legal measures to guard against potential tax reassessments and penalties, experts said.

What has emerged from the SC judgement in the Tiger Global case is that a tax residency certificate (TRC) is by itself no longer conclusive evidence for claiming tax exemption under a Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). The SC has said that merely relying on an entity in a jurisdiction with which India has a DTAA is not sufficient. In such cases, Indian tax authorities have the right to lift the veil of the entity and check whether the entity exists for the purpose of routing investments to take advantage of the DTAA, or whether it carries out business in substance from that jurisdiction, leaving entities more vulnerable to tax risks.

Sushant Sarin, managing director, Aon India, and head of strategy & commercial risk solutions, said there is an increase in demand for tax indemnity insurance covers from entities that have made investments and are concerned about potential tax liability due to insufficient proof of substance for DTAA exemption. DTAA allows companies and investors to avoid being taxed twice on the same income across two countries, facilitating cross-border investments.

Tax indemnity policies are typically for six-seven years, but can be taken for a longer period. Typically insurance is taken before the conclusion of the deal and the policy period can be extended on mutually agreeable terms, wherein the insurance policy pays for the covered tax, contest cost, advance tax payment, covered interest and covered penalties, among others.

Also Read | Tiger Global ruling may complicate tax insurance for M&As, caution advisers

Funds that never bought insurance at the time of investing have been jolted by the SC ruling, and insurance will be available for them in many cases," Sarin said, adding that in cases where entities dont satisfy the test of substance, insurance capacity may be difficult to muster as insurers may become more conservative. There will be some shrinkage in capacity to that extent."

Tax authorities will now start evaluating other aspects such as whether the entity in question has offices in the jurisdiction, requisite skilled talent including those involved in the investment decisions. Further, they will try to assess whether the investment decisions are being made by the board or management stationed in the DTAA jurisdiction or are just being rubber-stamped through that country, and how the proceeds from such investments are getting further managed.

This means that similar investments from Mauritius and other DTAA countries, which have come into India are up for evaluation," Sarin said, adding that if scrutiny by the Indian tax authorities reveals that there are investments which got routed via a DTAA entity with just a TRC, then gains from such investments can be taxed. There is a risk for all such similarly placed investments of having to pay tax plus interest and penalty."

While tax liability insurance is available in India, typically underwriting does not happen in India because of its complexity. Currently, only a handful of insurance companies such as Tata AIG General, HDFC ERGO, Liberty Insurance offer such tax indemnity plans, but even the largest player, Tata AIG, usually underwrites policies through its London office in the Lloyds marketplace.

In 2018, the Mauritian entities of Tiger Global sold shares of Flipkart Singapore (which owned Flipkart India) to Walmart for $1.6 billion. Tiger Global's request for a tax exemption citing the Mauritius tax treaty was rejected by the tax department, but upheld by the Delhi High Court. However, the SC overturned the HC verdict, making Tiger liable to pay tax in India.

In its 15 January ruling, the apex court bench of justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan said the real control of Tiger Globals Mauritian entities lay with its US parent, backing the tax department's position. Once the mechanism of using Mauritian entities is found to be illegal or sham, it ceases to be a permissible avoidance" and becomes an impermissible avoidance" or evasion", the SC ruled.

Companies that have made use of the India-Mauritius DTAA for their investments may be concerned that the tax authorities could review their tax liabilities.

There are more enquiries coming in because entities who werent aware that such policies exist are also looking into them now. These are typically bespoke policies and are drafted based on the deal agreement and tax consultants opinion, so whatever exposure is mentioned by the tax consultant, is generally included in the policy cover," said Vibhaw Kumar, practice head - liability and miscellaneous insurance, Anand Rathi Insurance Brokers.

If an entity is already facing tax disputes, it is considered a building on fire in insurance parlance, because the probability of a tax or other expense is significantly higher, Kumar said, adding that in such a scenario, the cost of underwriting for the insurer could go up, resulting in higher premiums.

Demand to protect overseas investments

The rise in demand for investment-related insurance comes just when there is a broader surge in interest to protect overseas investments, amid geopolitical volatility and risks from tariffs or sanctions. Rising war-related risks and global supply chain disruptions due to sanctions and US-imposed tariffs have driven more companies to seek integrated insurance and legal advice against geopolitical risks to protect overseas assets.

Insurance advisory and law firms that Mint spoke to said that client queries have risen 2540% over the past year, as companies seek guidance on structuring policies, aligning mergers and acquisition (M&A) and joint venture (JV) contracts with policy triggers, and negotiating coverage for infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, shipping, aviation, and data-center assets.

Clients are seeking integrated legal advice on structuring global operations, investments and contracts in a way that anticipates jurisdictional, regulatory and policy variables," said Paridhi Adani, partner (head  Ahmedabad office), Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, adding that this is especially becoming a standard practice for Indian companies with international footprints that are looking to safeguard their global operations against geopolitical volatility.

Most enquiries pertain to protecting international investments, supply chains and crossborder transactions from the risk of sanctions exposure, trade restrictions and conflictdriven disruptions, according to industry experts.

Political risk insurance (PRI) is becoming a condition precedent in deal structuring, much like warranty & indemnity (W&I) insurance. In cross-border M&A, buyers are using PRI to mitigate 'closing risk'the fear that a regulator might block the deal or alter terms post-signing," said Rohit Jain, managing partner, Singhania & Co. He said industry data for 2024-25 showed the global PRI market is growing at over 7% annually.

Other covers such as contract frustration insurance to protect against non-payment by state-owned clients have also started gaining traction, Jain added, citing the example of GMR Groups exit from the Maldives airport project.

Companies with high-value physical assets, capital deployment and regulation intersect, or those deeply integrated into international trade flows such as infrastructure developers investing in emerging markets, manufacturing companies with global supply chains dependent on specific geographies, shipping companies, aviation, and commodities trading companies are showing the greatest interest in buying such protections.

There is higher interest, more enquiries, followed by more in-depth discussions for customizing credit insurance to suit client requirements," Aon's Sarin said. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular are exploring new risk mitigation solutions, including new risk transfer solutions or advisory support related to credit protection, trade disruption and geopolitical volatility, he added.

Insurance consultants are helping clients diversify and grow their business by providing credit risk solutions. This includes securing against risks arising from the need to quickly modify or customise solutions to the demands of new geographies and new clients, protecting directors and senior officials from regulatory and managerial risks from new jurisdictions where operations are being expanded into, and safeguarding overseas manufacturing or other physical assets till the time they become operational.

Law firms are making sure that the contractual terms for the insurance are unambiguous and water tight" through minimising exclusions, clearly defining any events that may have financial and business impacts, ensuring payouts are in line with local jurisdictions, and making sure that deal terms align strictly with the triggers defined in the insurers policy wording.

Clients are not only concerned about physical assets abroad, but also about contractual rights, receivables, and cross-border investments that could be impaired by sudden geopolitical shocks. Increasingly, cross-border M&A and JV agreements are being negotiated in parallel with insurance policies, so that deal terms are aligned with what insurers are willing to cover," said Ashima Obhan, senior partner, Obhan & Associates.

This also includes advising on policy wording, bridging coverage gaps, and preparing clients for potential disputes with insurers, she added.
Indias Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) market capitalisation is projected to rise from $18 billion in 2025 to $25 billion by 2030, supported by a sharp expansion in investable assets. REIT-able office stock alone is expected to double from 8.2 trillion in 2025 to 16 trillion by 2030, while retail and alternative asset classes are also set to scale up.

Together, these trends position India to emerge as one of the most dynamic REIT markets globally, according to a Vestian report.

With the foundational framework firmly in place, the next phase of growth will be driven by greater diversification, increased scale, and improved policy coherence, key catalysts that are expected to transform Indias REIT platform into a broad, multi-sector investment universe, it said.

According to the report, India currently has five listed REITs, of which four focus on office assets and one on the retail segment. The dominance of office REITs reflects the early stage of the ecosystem, as most other real estate asset classes are yet to achieve the scale, maturity, and institutional structure required for public REIT listings, the report said.

Also Read | Mint Primer: Why rents will spiral again this year

How does Indias REIT market compare globally? The REIT market remains at a nascent stage, with REITs accounting for only 19% of the countrys listed real estate value, compared to a global average of 57%. While this gap highlights Indias relative under-penetration, it also signals substantial headroom for long-term growth as the market matures and diversifies, according to the report.

The report said that globally, REIT ecosystems are far more diversified. Markets such as the United States (US), Australia, Singapore, Japan, and the UK host multiple REIT categories spanning residential, healthcare, logistics, self-storage, data centres and mortgage-backed platforms.

In countries like the US and Australia, over 95% of listed real estate value is held within REITs, underscoring the maturity and depth of these markets. In comparison, Indias REIT market cap represents just 0.4% of the total stock market, reinforcing its early-stage position but also highlighting the scale of untapped opportunity, the report said.

Also Read | Why REITs are gaining popularity among Indian investors

Indias REIT ecosystem: early but expanding According to the report, although REIT regulations were notified in 2014, Indias first REIT listing came only in 2019. Over the past six years, the sector has experienced rapid growth, expanding from 264 billion in FY20 to 1.6 trillion by Q2 FY26. However, the availability of stabilised, income-generating assets remains limited, as a large portion of commercial stock is either under construction or held in fragmented ownership structures.

The report stated that office assets continue to anchor Indias REIT market, with listed portfolios spanning over 135 million sq ft. These assets benefit from predictable leasing demand from Global Capability Centres (GCCs), technology firms, and BFSI occupiers, supporting stable yields of 57%.

According to the report, retail REITs have been slower to emerge due to the sectors dependence on footfall dynamics, consumption trends, and long-term tenant management. Currently, Nexus Select Trust is Indias only retail REIT, despite the country having over 89 million sq ft of Grade A retail stock.

Also Read | From DLF to Lodha and Godrej, builders are testing new cities

Residential REITs in India face near-term constraints; long-term potential hinges on rental housing scale According to the report, residential real estate remains on the threshold of REIT inclusion but faces structural challenges. Low rental yields of 23%, fragmented ownership, high tenant churn, and the absence of large institutional rental portfolios continue to limit viability. Additionally, India lacks a unified rental housing policy, a critical enabler in mature REIT markets such as the US, Japan, and Singapore. While emerging formats like co-living, student housing, and senior living offer promise, residential REITs remain a longer-term prospect, the report said.
Silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rallied sharply on Wednesday, tracking a strong surge in silver prices that jumped over 7% to fresh lifetime highs on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), driven by robust buying momentum.

MCX silver price for March futures surged as much as 7.52% to hit a record high of 3,83,100 per kg. Silver May futures climbed to a peak of 3,95,753 per kg, while July futures scaled a new high of 4,14,446 per kg.

Silver ETFs Rally Silver ETFs mirrored the rally in the underlying metal. Mirae Asset Silver ETF, Axis Silver ETF, Motilal Oswal Silver ETF, Zerodha Silver ETF, Aditya Birla Silver ETF and Nippon India Silver ETF gained over 6% each during the session.

Meanwhile, 360 ONE Silver ETF, Groww Silver ETF, SBI Silver ETF, HDFC Silver ETF, DSP Silver ETF and several others advanced more than 5%.

Commenting on the outlook, Jigar Trivedi, Senior Research Analyst at IndusInd Securities, said silver ETF prices could remain volatile in the near term, potentially moving more sharply than spot silver if leveraged or sentiment-driven flows intensify.

Structural supply constraints, as silver is largely a by-product of other metals and cannot be easily ramped up, continue to support prices. Strong industrial demand from sectors such as solar energy, electric vehicles, electronics and emerging technology applications, along with safe-haven buying amid macroeconomic uncertainty and low or negative real yields, are further positives, Trivedi said.

According to Trivedi, the overall outlook for silver remains bullish, and silver ETFs are likely to continue witnessing healthy investor inflows.

Gold and silver ETFs are investment vehicles that trade on stock exchanges like equities and are backed by physical gold and silver bars stored in secure vaults.

Silver prices have significantly outpaced gold prices. While demand for silver was earlier driven largely by rising industrial consumption, investment demand has emerged as a key driver in recent months

Reflecting this trend, silver ETFs recorded inflows of 234.7 billion in 2025, sharply higher than 85.69 billion in the previous year. The growing popularity of silver ETFs indicates that imports for investment purposes could increase further if the ongoing price rally sustains.
Robert Kiyosaki, the bestselling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, is back in the spotlight after issuing a detailed clarification on social media platform X, pushing back against rumours that he had sold all his silver holdings to buy more Bitcoin. Speaking from the Vancouver Resource Investor Conference (VRIC), Kiyosaki said the speculation was inaccurate and stressed that silver remains the cornerstone of his long-term strategy.

In his latest post on social media platform X, Kiyosaki explained that while he had sold some Bitcoin and some gold, the proceeds were used to buy a new homenot to rotate entirely into crypto.

Selling some gold and some Bitcoin was my mistake a big mistake. Thank God I did not sell my silver, he wrote, underlining his conviction that silver continues to offer structural and monetary value in a world he believes is heading toward deeper financial stress.

He further noted that he prefers using debt to buy income-producing real estate, which then funds further purchases of gold, silver, Bitcoin and Ethereum. Why sell silver, when I use debt to buy investment real estate for positive cash flow, he said in his latest post, reiterating that leverage, when used carefully, allows him to keep accumulating what he calls real money.

Clearing the Bitcoin and gold confusion Kiyosakis clarification comes against the backdrop of an earlier disclosure made in November, when he revealed that he had sold $2.25 million worth of Bitcoin for roughly $90,000 in cash. The headline figure raised eyebrows, but Kiyosaki maintained that the move was not bearish on Bitcoin. He said he had originally bought Bitcoin at around $6,000 per coin years ago and was simply reallocating gains into cash-flow-generating assets.

With the cash from Bitcoin, I am purchasing two surgery centres and investing in a billboard business, Kiyosaki wrote at the time, adding that these investments were expected to generate positive cash flow of about $27,500 a month by February, largely tax-free.

Crash warnings and a bold silver call Around the same time, Kiyosaki once again warned that the biggest crash in history was already unfolding across the US, Europe and Asia. He argued that excessive debt, weak monetary discipline and policy missteps by central banks were eroding confidence in fiat currencies. Against this backdrop, he urged investors to move quickly into what he considers safer alternativesgold, silver, Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Silver, however, stands out in his worldview. Kiyosaki has repeatedly described it as the most undervalued and safest asset in the current cycle. Silver is $50 today. I predict silver will hit $70 soon and possibly $200 in 2026, he said in an earlier post, making one of the most aggressive bullish calls on the white metal.

His argument rests on silvers dual role. While gold is primarily a store of value, silver is increasingly an industrial necessity. Kiyosaki likens its role in the modern economy to iron during the Industrial Revolution, citing its extensive use in solar panels, electronics, electric vehicles, medical equipment and defence technologies. This structural demand, he believes, gives silver an edge as both money and material.

Markets echo the narrative Recent price action has added fuel to Kiyosakis thesis. Silver rose nearly 3% to close near record highs above $117 an ounce, while spot silver hovered around $113.63 after touching $117.69 earlier in the week. The metal is already up close to 60% this year, supported by strong investment demand, tight supply and a weaker US dollar.

Gold, too, has surged to fresh records, breaking past $5,200 an ounce and rising more than 20% since the start of the year. Kiyosaki has welcomed the rally, reiterating his belief that fiat currencies are steadily losing purchasing power. He has even floated a long-term gold target of $27,000, calling the current move validation of his decades-long warnings.

For Kiyosaki, short-term volatility is noise.

I just keep buying more gold, silver, Bitcoin, and Ethereum and get richer, Kiyosaki had said in another post, summing up his investment philosophy. "Why worry about the price of gold, silver, Bitcoin, and Ethereum, when the world has incompetent, highly educated PhDslike my poor dad. Controlling the Fed, the Treasury, and US Government?," his X post said.

Kiyosaki argued that short-term price movements are irrelevant when the long-term trend of currency debasement is clear. He framed his argument around the steady rise in US national debt and the erosion of the US dollars purchasing power, linking the problem to policy decisions taken by highly educated policymakers running institutions such as the US Federal Reserve and the Treasury.
Multibagger SME stock: Multibagger SME stock Hazoor Multi Projects share price rose over 3% in intra-day deals on Wednesday, January 28 following broader gains in the Dalal Street. Both benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty were trading over half a percent higher in trade today.

Along with the recovery in Indian stock markets, sentiments were also aided by Hazoor Multi Projects informing exchanges that it converted its existing investment in Optionally Convertible Debentures (OCDs) of its wholly owned subsidiary, Square Port Shipyard Private Limited (SPSPL), into equity shares.

The cost of acquisition for the OCD conversion was fixed at 10 per equity share, aggregating to 25 crore.

The conversion resulted in the allotment of 2.5 crore equity shares of SPSPL to Hazoor Multi Projects. The company clarified that the transaction did not involve any cash outflow and was executed through settlement of the existing debenture obligation. Following the conversion, Hazoor Multi Projects continued to hold 100% equity shareholding in SPSPL, with no change in ownership, control or management of the subsidiary.

Hazoor Multi Projects Share Performance The SME stock rose as much as 3.2% to its day's high of 31.36.

The scrip has been under pressure in recent times, crashing 40% in last 1 year. It also fell 21% in last 6 months, 12% in 3 months and 17% in past 1 month. However, in the long term, the stock has given multibagger returns, soaring over 11000% in past 5 years.

The stock is till 45% away from its 52-week high of 56.50, hit in January 2025 while it touched its 52-week low of 26.90 in November 2025.

Key details of Square Port Shipyard Square Port Shipyard Private Limited was incorporated on November 29, 2022, and operates in the manufacturing and repairing of vessels. The subsidiary has an authorised capital of 50 crore and a paid-up share capital of 0.15 crore.

For FY25, SPSPL reported a turnover of 68.95 crore and a net profit of 17.98 crore. In comparison, its turnover stood at 75.66 crore in FY24, with a profit of 4.39 crore, while FY23 recorded nil turnover and a marginal loss of 17,990.

Hazoor Multi Projects stated that the conversion was part of its ongoing investment strategy in SPSPL, ensuring the shipyard business continued as a wholly owned subsidiary while strengthening the groups operational structure in the marine and vessel manufacturing segment.
A sense of FOMO has gripped investors following the sharp rally in precious metals over the past year. Silver prices have surged over 200% in the last 12 months, while gold has rallied nearly 95%. This rapid appreciation has pushed prices to elevated levels, making direct exposure increasingly unaffordable for certain retail and small investors.

Investors are increasingly questioning the sustainability of the rally in gold and silver amid the linear surge in rates, and are increasingly looking for alternative metals to bet on. As per analysts, copper can emerge as a worthy candidate.

For investors who missed the sharp rally in gold and silver, copper is increasingly emerging as the next macro-linked opportunity rather than a catch-up trade, said analysts.

Copper, which is being referred to as the next gold, is likely to continue its bull regime in 2026, said Heena Naik, Research Analyst - Commodities, Angel One.

What's behind the copper rise? In the last year, copper prices have surged 50% in the domestic spot market, largely driven by tariffs unleashed by the US and major mine outages.

In July of 2025, the US President announced universal 50% tariffs on imports of 51 types of semi-finished copper products, excluding raw copper materials. Goldman Sachs Researchs base case is that a 15% tariff will be announced in mid-2026 on refined copper, which has already led to many buyers stockpiling copper in the US in advance of the expected import tax, creating expectations of temporary scarcity outside of the US, opined Naik.

The diversion of LME stocks to the US market has led to low inventories in China, Russia and European LME warehouses. This temporary scarcity outside of the US is leaving everyone else short of metal, causing a huge arbitrage gap, she added.

Apart from this, there were three major mine outages in 2025, which fuelled the bull run in copper prices. Years of underinvestment, declining ore grades in Chile and Peru, and project delays have further tightened the market, keeping inventories near multi-year lows across major exchanges.

Also Read | Why copper will heat up air conditioner prices this summer

The Grassberg Block Cave portion of the mine, which accounts for 70% of previously forecasted production, is expected to remain closed until the second quarter of 2026. In addition, production in Chile and Peru has also been affected due to labour problems and protests, compounding the supply shortage.

"Adding to supply woes, declining ore grades and years of underinvestment have limited miners' ability to meet growing demand quickly. Another sign of stress in copper right now is the concentrate market, where smelters are increasingly competing for raw copper material that becomes refined copper. Nonetheless, the copper tariff risk remains, which is likely to influence the prices of copper in 2026," Angel One analyst opined.

Copper demand, meanwhile, continues to boom as it is a direct play on global electrification, energy transition, and infrastructure spending. Naik said that the supply disruption issues are going to continue at least till mid-2026 which shall continue to influence copper prices.

Is copper a good bet? With EV penetration rising, grid expansion accelerating, and renewable capacity additions scaling up, copper demand growth is now structurally higher than it was in the last cycle, said Harshal Dasani, Business Head at INVasset PMS.

He believes that while copper prices have already moved meaningfully, the cycle does not appear stretched yet.

Ross Maxwell, Global Strategy Operations Lead, VT Markets, said that for investors who missed the precious metals rally, copper is increasingly viewed as a strategic opportunity rather than a speculative chase. He observed that in an environment characterised by strong demand and limited supply, any incremental demand can trigger a disproportionate acceleration in prices.

Analysts said that copper should be seen not as a short-term trade, but as a strategic allocation aligned with the next phase of global industrial and energy transformation.

"It is important to note that copper is less driven by macro uncertainty and more about industrial demand, making it complementary to gold and silver rather than a direct replacement," said Maxwell.

Also Read | Copper is the prize in mining megadeals

Over the medium term, a sustained global electrification cycle could support copper moving higher by 2540% above historical averages, Maxwell projected.

Sharing a price target for copper, Naik said the speculative peak in copper prices is likely to continue in the coming days due to US economic growth, AI spending, and US stockpiling. "MCX Copper Feb Futures is likely to surge towards 1365 per kg in the near-term. Break of same could push the metal towards 1410 per kg," she opined. MCX copper futures traded 1% higher at 1328.95 per kg on January 28.

However, she said that the recent Critical Minerals Section 232 decision suggests that the Trump Administration is no longer solely relying on tariffs to enhance the US security of supply in metals. This means that if tariff threats fade and trade routes normalise, excess inventories could quickly hit the market, causing speculative trades to unwind. In such an instance, copper prices could fall just as fast as they have risen, she warned.
SBI Life Insurance, on Wednesday, announced its financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2025, wherein the company posted a 5% year-on-year (YoY) growth in its net profit to 577 crore. The profit figure stood at 551 crore in the same period last year.

SBI Life also reported a 22% YoY jump in net premium income to 30,245 crore. One-time premium receipts grew 24%, while renewal premiums from existing policies increased by nearly 21%, underscoring strong customer retention.

At the same time, operating costs rose significantly during the quarter. Management expenses surged more than 45% to 3,519 crore, largely due to a 28% increase in commissions and a 36.6% rise in employee-related expenses.

Assets under management (AUM) rose 16%, increasing from 4,416.8 billion as of December 31, 2024, to 5,117.1 billion as of December 31, 2025, with a debtequity allocation of 59:41. Nearly 95% of the debt portfolio is invested in AAA-rated and sovereign instruments, the company said.

Total New Business Sum Assured reached 10,833.6 billion, reflecting a strong 69% growth.

"The life insurance industry witnessed improved momentum during the third quarter, supported by recent regulatory measures and a gradual shift in customer preference towards higher sum assured products. The exemption of GST on individual policies contributed to improved affordability and aided demand during the quarter. During Q3, SBI Life reported an acceleration in growth compared to the first half of the financial year, resulting in improved performance for the nine-month period. The growth was primarily volume-driven, supported by an increase in the number of individual policies sold during the quarter," said Amit Jhingran, MD & CEO of SBI Life.

Business growth and market share The company continued to reinforce its leadership in the individual insurance segment, recording an Individual Rated Premium of 166.8 billion and capturing a 25.6% share of the private market during 9M FY26.

Individual New Business Premium grew by a healthy 13.5% year-on-year to 225.5 billion in 9M FY26, reflecting steady demand across key product lines.

Overall growth remained robust, with Gross Written Premium (GWP) rising 20% year-on-year to 733.5 billion in 9M FY26. This expansion was largely driven by a 24% increase in single premium and a 21% growth in renewal premium, demonstrating a balanced mix of new sales momentum and strong persistency in the existing book.

SBI Life remains focused on maintaining a balanced approach to growth and profitability. The company continues to strengthen its product portfolio, distribution capabilities and operational efficiencies, while adhering to prudent risk management practices. As one of the leading life insurance company in India, SBI Life remains committed to increasing insurance penetration, while delivering long-term value to all stakeholders, Jhingran said.
SBI Mutual Fund has crossed the 5% ownership threshold in smallap-stock Restaurant Brands Asia after acquiring additional shares through market purchases.

In an exchange filing dated January 27, 2026, SBI Funds Management informed Restaurant Brands Asia that SBI Mutual Fund, through its various schemes, had acquired 50,85,000 equity shares of the company on January 23, 2026.

This acquisition resulted in the fund houses holding crossing the 5% mark of the companys paid-up share capital, triggering mandatory disclosure under SEBI takeover norms.

Confirming the transaction, the filing stated, The final holding of SBI Mutual Fund, under its various schemes, as at close of business hours on January 27, 2026, was 3,16,26,657 shares, which is 5.4272% of paid-up share capital of your Company.

Prior to the latest transaction, SBI Mutual Fund held 2,65,41,657 equity shares of Restaurant Brands Asia, which represented a 4.5546% stake in the company. Following the acquisition of the additional 50,85,000 shares, the total holding increased to 3,16,26,657 equity shares. Post-acquisition, this translates into a 5.4272% stake in the companys paid-up share capital, as per the disclosure filed with the stock exchanges.

Restaurant Brands Asia Share Performance The stock was trading flat in intra-day deals today. However, it has been under pressure in recent times. It lost 10% in last 1 year, 21% in past 6 months and 10% last 3 months.

However, it has given positive returns, gaining 4.5% in last 1 month.

The small-cap stock hit its 52-week high of 89.53 in May 2025 and 52-week low of 59.50 in March 2025.

Restaurant Brands Asia Limited, earlier known as Burger King India Limited, is a leading quick-service restaurant operator with a presence across India and Indonesia. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Mumbai, the company holds exclusive national master franchise rights for the Burger King brand in both markets. It also operates the Popeyes brand in Indonesia and runs the BK Cafe format in India.
Volatile trends remained persistent and created a scenario where one could not get enough confidence in the way ahead. As the overall outlook remains grim, we need to maintain a steady approach as the trends have been largely unforgiving.

Three stocks to trade as recommended by Raja Venkatraman of NeoTrader:

Best stocks to buy today (all buy trades are rates of equity and sell rates are based on F&O)

Grasim Industries Ltd: Buy above 2,870 | Stop 2,790 | Target 3,100 (Multiday)

Eicher Motors Ltd: Buy above 7,170 | Stop 7,020 | Target 7,420 (Multiday)

Blue Star Ltd: Sell below 1,660 | Stop 1,680 | Target 1,625 (Intraday)

Stock market today

On 27 January 2026, Indian equity markets staged a recovery, with benchmark indices closing higher after a volatile session. The rebound was largely driven by gains in metal, financial, IT, and oil and gas stocks, while investor sentiment found support from progress in the IndiaEuropean Union trade agreement. The trading day began on a cautious note, with indices moving in a narrow range for most of the session. However, strong late buying helped the Nifty end near its intraday high, reflecting renewed confidence among market participants.

Also Read | Why a handful of expensive stocks are holding up in the correction

At the close, the Sensex advanced 319.78 points, or 0.39%, to settle at 81,857.48, while the Nifty gained 126.75 points, or 0.51%, to finish at 25,175.40. Broader markets mirrored the benchmarks, with both the Nifty Midcap and Smallcap indices rising 0.5% each, underscoring a balanced recovery across segments. The session highlighted resilience in equities despite global uncertainties.

Outlook for trading

Strong undercurrent on Wednesday helped the Nifty survive the volatility of the market and ensured that the rise sustained above critical support zones as the market was whipped around quite a bit. At the moment, the global trends remain the key drivers of the sentiment. There really isnt much by way of local news flow to contain the volatility induced.

The long body candle moves seen were also reasonably large, bringing in people to stage a steady buying participation through the day! Trading, therefore, was quite difficult through the week, and it would have been a wonder if one came out largely unscathed in the week. As one can see, the Daily charts the prices have trended into strong supports, and with the encouraging newsflow, would look to seek help at the current close and will need more tailwinds that can fuel more upside.

A gradual test of the descending channel resistance after a strong decline is seen at the start of the week. The supplies at higher levels continue to test confidence, but the recovery emerging swiftly from lower levels signals that the highs will once again be challenged. The attempts continue to emerge as the market tries to carve out a bullish possibility.

The Nifty has managed to hold itself above the 25,000 zone and has graduated above 25,150, which has now opened towards 25,400, which acts as the next big hurdle as the immediate resistance for some bullish moves. With the open interest data clearly indicating a revival, one should keep tracking a 30-minute range breakout on trading continues to be an important metric for creating some longs. One should keep looking at every dip as a buying opportunity.

View Full Image Source: Trading View

As we head into the resistance zones, we could experience some inconsistency profit booking could emerge yet again. As the trends are still circumspect and are witnessing show limited market participation. Nifty now seeks to contest the next resistance around the 25500 mark while Bank Nifty aims to clear 57000 as the Options data are clearly favouring strong bullishness that can persist through the week.

Three stocks to trade, recommended by NeoTraders Raja Venkatraman:

GRASIM (Cmp  2,856.20)

Why its recommended: Grasim Industries Ltd, the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, is a diversified Indian conglomerate, known for its innovation, scale, and commitment to sustainability. After some volatile scenario, we can now see some revival in this sentiment that is leading to an improvement in momentum. With trends holding firm, we can look into a potential upward possibility in the next few weeks. Can look to go long.

Also Read | When will the stock market stop falling?

Key metrics:

P/E ratio: 846.29

52-week high: 2,978.85

Volume: 1.52M

Technical analysis: Support at 2,700 | Resistance at 3,275.

Risk factors: Cyclicality in commodity businesses, intense competition, execution and scalability of its new paints business.

Buy: Above 2,870.

Stop loss: 2,790.

Target price: 3,100 (2 months)

EICHERMOT (Cmp  7,164.50)

Why its recommended: Eicher Motors Ltd (EML) is a leading Indian multinational automotive company primarily known for its dominance in the middleweight motorcycle segment and its significant presence in the commercial vehicle market. A strong long body candle around the Senkou bands augurs well for some upside if the market revives from here on. A rise in the DI on the intraday timeframe suggests we can initiate a long opportunity here, targeting higher levels. Go long now.

Key metrics:

P/E: 41.83

52-week high: 7,610

Volume: 498.37K.

Technical analysis: Support at 6,900 | Resistance at 7,600.

Risk factors: Intense competition, raw material price fluctuations, and a premium valuation that requires sustained high growth to justify.

Buy: Above 7,170

Stop loss: 7,020

Target price: 7420 (2 months)

BLUESTARCO (Cmp  1,675.10)

Why its recommended: Blue Star Ltd (BLUESTARCO) is a prominent Indian multinational home appliances company specializing in air conditioning and commercial refrigeration solutions, as well as electro-mechanical projects. Post this recent decline, we need to see the prices take resistance of the TS line and eventually ended lower. The charts suggest that we are witnessing the prices once again with a strong selling interest leading the move out of the consolidation.

Key metrics:

P/E ratio: 78.75

52-week low: 1,521.20

Volume: 828.10K

Technical analysis: Support at 1,600 | Resistance at 1,750.

Risk factors: Financial disclosures, high working capital, regulatory scrutiny, and sector-specific dependencies.

Sell: Below 1,660.

Stop loss: 1,680.

Target price: 1,625.

Also Read | The next market leaders? Six growth stocks to watch in 2026

Raja Venkatraman is co-founder, NeoTrader. His Sebi-registered research analyst registration no. is INH000016223.

Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. Registration granted by Sebi and certification from NISM in no way guarantees performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors.

Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
A friends daughter was due to have a baby in a couple of months. Her husband went online to research baby productscribs, diapers, clothes, the works. Within hours, every website he visited began bombarding him with diaper ads. His phone knew he was about to become a father before some of his relatives did!

A few days ago, I ordered two books. Amazon's recommended for you section seduced me with three more titles that seemed irresistible. I bought them all, then realized, I wouldn't finish reading them for at least the next four months. I could've easily purchased them later, but the moment had me.

We're not shopping anymore. We're being gamed and engineered. Every swipe, notification, and red badge is engineered by behavioural economists, data scientists, and reinforcement-learning engines whose single mandate is: Increase time spent, increase clicks, increase spend.

Here are the deadliest weapons that such apps deploy 247 to separate us from our money.

1. The scarcity mirage

Only 2 left at this price!", Sale ends in 11 minutes". The timer often resets when you refresh.

These arent harmless features. They are proven behavioural triggers. A Princeton University and the University of Chicago audit of over 11,000 shopping websites in 2019 documented widespread use of false scarcity and urgency cues, designed to push users into decisions before they can reflect.

Loss aversion, a cornerstone of behavioural economics, tells us the pain of missing out feels worse than the pain of paying. Apps exploit exactly that. Whether the timer resets tomorrow is irrelevant. Your brain reacts now.

2. The reward lottery

Payment and money apps turn payments into slot machines. Scratch cards. Random cashback. Coins. Mystery drops. These features borrow directly from casino psychology.

In a variable-ratio reward schedule, rewards come unpredictablythe same mechanism that keeps gamblers glued to slot machines. Behavioural research shows that intermittent, unpredictable rewards trigger dopamine spikes far stronger than guaranteed ones.

That 3 cashback isnt generous. Its a finely tuned neurological lure.

3. Social proof bombardment

"Rajesh from your society just bought this sofa". 18,472 people viewing this hotel now".

Humans are tribals. When we see others doing something, we assume it must be safe or smart. This is social proof, one of the most powerful persuasion levers documented by behavioural scientists.

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) 2022 report on dark patterns notes that many platforms overuse and sometimes exaggerate social proof messages to steer users towards quick decisions. Whether the number is accurate or not, your tribal brain whispers: If everyone's grabbing it, you'd better too.

4. Defaults and forced opt-ins: The power of already selected

Save card details?" Subscribe and save?" Allow all notifications?", with the allow" button brightly highlighted to look like the only real option.

Defaults are one of the strongest nudges in behavioural economics. People tend to accept pre-selected options because unselecting requires effort and attention. Apps exploit this by setting the most profitable choice as the default whether thats storing your payment data, enabling auto-renewal, or activating promotional alerts.

A choice that feels voluntary was, in fact, pre-engineered.

5. Buy now, pay later and the psychology of delayed pain

Pay in three months." Zero-cost EMI."

BNPL is not a financial product. It is a behavioural product.

Reserve Bank of Indias deputy governor has publicly warned that easy credit and BNPL models are reducing savings among young Indians, encouraging impulsive spending, and distorting money-management habits. When payment is delayed, the pain of payinga well-studied behavioural triggerweakens.

You dont feel like youre going into debt. You feel like youre being smart. These illusions are expensive.

6. Cart abandonment emails: The endowment effect weaponized

You add something to your online shopping cart, close the app, and breathe triumphantly. Then you get the email: Your cart misses you."

Industry benchmarks show abandoned-cart emails get 40-50% open rates, 20% click-through and remarkably high conversion once a user re-enters the funnel.

Why?

Because of the endowment effectonce you imagine an item as yours, giving it up feels like a loss. Youre not buying a product; youre avoiding the feeling of losing something (which you incidentally never owned!).

7. Drip pricing and hidden fees: Death by a thousand cuts

You begin checkout at 899. You end at 1,147. These extra chargesconvenience fees, platform fees, handling feesare called drip pricing.

The OECD and US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigations show that drip pricing systematically leads to overspending and weaker consumer decision-making, because people anchor to the initial low price and underestimate the final cost.

This is engineered misdirection.

Crackdown on dark patterns and why it matters

In 2023 and 2024, Indias Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) officially identified 13 dark patterns, declaring them unfair, deceptive, and punishable. These include: false scarcity, countdown deception, drip pricing, interface interference, subscription traps, confirm-shaming, disguised advertising.

In 2025, the CCPA went further, directing platforms to self-audit and eliminate these manipulative designs, with notices issued to major companies for non-compliance.

So, youre not imagining it; the government agrees youre being manipulated.

India as a live behavioural laboratory

India is the perfect test bed for behavioural design: Massive smartphone penetration, UPIs frictionless payment architecture, a young population, rising aspirations, thin financial buffers, and low formal financial literacy.

On one side, digital India is a triumph. On the other, it is a goldmine for behavioural manipulation.

The RBI is tightening digital lending norms. The CCPA is cracking down on dark patterns. But design moves faster than regulationand faster than human instinct.

So, what should be your defence protocol?

These apps won't stop. But you can:

Turn off non-essential notifications. Your attention is their fuel. Remove payment cards from apps. Friction protects you. Disable auto-renew everywhere except essentials. Subscription traps thrive on forgetfulness. Use a 48-hour rule for all discretionary purchases. Most needs" die in 48 hours. Treat BNPL like debt. If you wouldnt take a loan for it, dont BNPL it. Shop on a laptop or a desktop when possible. Mobile interfaces are engineered for speed, not thought.

The final truth

Apps are not evil. They are extraordinarily efficient machines optimized for one thing: Extracting value from human psychology.

Also Read | Quick commerce ad spend surges as brands chase higher conversions

You are not weak. You are human. And youre up against algorithms trained on millions of behavioural datapoints. But awareness is a weapon. Turn off what you can. Slow down where you cannot.

And remember: The rarest item in the digital marketplace isnt what youre buying. Its your attention and your money.

Guard them like your future depends on it. Because it does.

Col Sanjeev Govila (Retd), certified financial planner, chief executive, financial advisory firm Hum Fauji Initiatives.
On 9 January, the Bengaluru bench of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) ruled against Binny Bansal, co-founder of Flipkart, denying him non-resident status for fiscal year 2019-20 (FY20), a move that would have allowed him to avoid capital gains tax on the sale of his shares in India by claiming benefits under the India-Singapore tax treaty.

A week later, the Supreme Court delivered a similar message in a separate case involving Tiger Global. It ruled that the investor must pay tax on its 2018 sale of shares in an Indian portfolio company, rejecting its attempt to claim treaty benefits through Mauritius. The court held that a tax residency certificate alone is not sufficient and that foreign investors must demonstrate real commercial substance in the overseas jurisdiction, rather than operate through shell entities set up primarily to avoid tax in India.

Together, the two rulings signal closer scrutiny by the tax department of cases where taxpayers rely on technical non-resident rules or treaty provisions without having real economic or personal presence outside India.

View Full Image Gopakumar Warrier/Mint

For individuals working or investing overseas, tax residency has long been viewed as a day-count exercise. But Binny Bansal's judgment changes that by applying the principle of substance over form," said Bhawna Kakkar, chartered accountant and founder of Kakkar & Company.

Why is the Bansal case important

The dispute in Bansals case centred on whether he could be treated as a non-resident for FY20, the year in which he sold shares in India and earned substantial capital gains. If he qualified as a non-resident Indian (NRI), he could claim benefits under the India-Singapore tax treaty and avoid paying capital gains tax in India.

Under Indian tax law, an individual is treated as a resident if either of two conditions is met in a financial year: if the person stays in India for 182 days or more; or if the person stays in India for at least 60 days in that year and has spent a total of 365 days or more in India during the preceding four years.

The law provides limited relaxations. If an Indian citizen leaves India for employment, the 60-day trigger is extended to 182 days in the year of departure. Similarly, Indian citizens or persons of Indian origin who are genuinely living abroad and only visiting India can also benefit from the relaxed 182-day threshold. These exceptions are meant to protect genuine overseas workers and long-term non-residents.

In Bansals case, he moved to Singapore in February 2019, just weeks before the start of FY20, and took up employment there. During FY20, he made several short trips back to India but kept his total stay below 182 days. On this basis, Bansal claimed that he qualified as a non-resident under the Income Tax Act and argued that once he had taken up employment abroad, his visits to India should be treated as visits by a person outside India, allowing the relaxed 182-day threshold to apply.

The tax department disagreed. It argued that someone who has lived in India for many years and moved overseas only recently could not automatically be treated as a person genuinely outside India". In such cases, the stricter rule applies: if a person stays in India for more than 60 days in the year and has spent more than 365 days in India over the preceding four years, the person continues to be treated as a resident.

The tribunal accepted the departments view and denied Bansal non-resident status for FY20.

Tax experts say the timing of the move played a crucial role.

The person left India only a couple of months before the sale, so the department could see the move was largely driven by tax planning rather than a genuine relocation. Because the amount involved was large, the tribunal examined the facts very closely," said Prakash Hegde, a Bengaluru-based chartered accountant.

Hegde explained that the law effectively works in phases. In the year a person leaves India for employment, staying under 182 days in India can qualify him as non-resident. In the middle years, once the person is genuinely settled abroad, the 182-day rule can again apply for short visits to India. But in Bansals case, the tribunal held that he had only recently moved overseas and was not yet truly settled abroad, so the stricter 60-day rule applied. In the year of permanent return to India, the 60-day rule applies again."

Hitesh Kumar, a chartered accountant and direct tax specialist, agreed and said recent movers cannot ignore their past ties to India. Long-term residential pattern, employment base, investments and frequency of visits can all be examined by the tax department."

The ruling therefore goes beyond one individual case and has wider implications for anyone who relocates abroad for short periods primarily to claim non-resident status.

Not a tax loophole to be exploited

Ashish Karundia, founder of CA firm Ashish Karundia & Co., said the judgment is particularly relevant for founders, business owners and high-net-worth individuals who temporarily relocate to tax-friendly jurisdictions such as Dubai or Singapore with the primary objective of becoming NRIs.

Tax advisers say many young entrepreneurs now register companies in Dubai or other West Asian jurisdictions, spend six or seven months abroad, and declare themselves non-residents while continuing to operate largely from India. On paper, such structures may appear compliant. But the key question is where management, decision-making, and commercial activity actually take place.

If the business is effectively run from India, the companys place of effective management can still be treated as India, regardless of where it is incorporated," Karundia said. Simply holding board meetings abroad or maintaining a registered address is not sufficient.

Another common reason for relocating overseas is the intention to sell large holdings of shares or mutual funds.

Indias tax treaties with countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Malaysia provide that capital gains (other than on immovable or business-linked assets) are taxable only in the sellers country of residence. Since many of these countries do not levy capital gains tax, non-residents can potentially avoid paying any tax at all on their capital gains booked in India.



However, experts caution that residency planning may now require clear evidence of a genuine shift in personal and economic life.

Going forward, the precedent allows the tax department to scrutinize such cases more closely and serves as a reality check for taxpayers attempting short-term residency planning around major asset sales.

Karundia added that the department increasingly relies on automated systems and data analytics to flag unusual patterns, such as sudden changes in residential status or large transactions timed with overseas moves. There is no formal government registration for becoming an NRI; it is self-declared in tax returns. Smaller cases may escape attention initially, but large or repeated patterns are more likely to be picked up over time," he said.

For founders and professionals exploring overseas setups, recent rulings reinforce that residency claims must reflect commercial reality. As Kumar put it, Foreign relocation must be real in terms of family life, business control, investments and day-to-day presence. Otherwise, the tax outcome may not match expectations."
American taxpayers are at the moment heading into one of the most attractive tax refund seasons in more than a decade  thanks to President Donald Trumps signature second-term legislation.

The White House projects that new federal tax provisions, along with unchanged paycheck withholding, will result in 2026 tax refunds to be pushed significantly higher. In many cases, this could rise by hundreds of dollars, or even thousands.

The Internal Revenue Service officially started accepting 2025 tax returns on 26 January, launching a taxpaying season that the White House projects could deliver an additional $100 billion returns to taxpayers.

Around $429 billion in refunds is expected to be delivered during the 2026 tax season. This is up from $329 billion last year, according to Treasury Department projections.

Millions of Americans are poised to receive significantly larger tax refunds thanks to President Donald J. Trumps landmark Working Families Tax Cuts Act  which every Democrat in Congress opposed, the White House said in a statement referring to the legislation also known as One Big Beautiful Act.

How much will Americans save in 2026 tax season? According to the White House, the average American taxpayer is expected to receive an additional $1,000 or more in the 2026 tax season. The typical payout is projected to exceed $4,000.

The historic legislation is delivering the biggest tax refund season ever, the White House said.

Also Read | IRS opens 2026 filing season amid new tax law changes

According to experts cited by Business Insider, one can even get more back depending on income and circumstances.

In 2025, more than three-fifths of US households received an average refund of $3,167 according to data cited by The Wall Street Journal.

It is to be noted that all filers do not receive refunds  only 60% do and they are receiving sharply higher payouts.

Why will Americans receive more tax refund? The jump is linked directly to President Donald Trumps sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was passed in July.

Key Takeaways The One Big Beautiful Act is expected to result in average tax refunds of over $4,000 for Americans in 2026.

The legislation provides various tax relief measures, including no tax on tips, overtime, and Social Security.

Tax refunds are projected to increase by $100 billion this tax season compared to the previous year.

President Trumps Working Families Tax Cuts Act provides broad-based tax relief for hardworking Americans, with the average taxpayer expected to see nearly $4,000 in total tax savings in 2026, the White House said.

According to the Tax Foundation, the changes in the Act brought down individual income taxes by roughly $144 billion in 2025 alone.
PANAJI : India has initiated government-to-government (G2G) level talks with the United States and Venezuela to resolve the issue of $600 million in dividends stuck in Venezuela for state-run ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), said two people aware of the development.

OVL, the overseas arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), has held a 40% stake in the San Cristobal Project in Venezuela since 2008, with the countrys state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) owning the remaining 60%. A PDVSA team is currently in India to discuss the long-pending issue.

The outcome of these talks will determine whether India can recover $600 million of stranded overseas earnings, revive access to one of the worlds largest oil reserves, and potentially lower its crude import bill.

G2G talks are underway between the three countries. So far, no conclusion has been reached, but it is expected that things will move fast," said one of the two people cited above, requesting anonymity.

Also Read | Sanctioned oil trade booms in the shadows, aiding India and China

The dividends have been due since the tenure of late President Hugo Chavez, when earnings from PDVSA were appropriated to fund social spending. Subsequent US sanctions sharply curtailed production at San Cristobal and blocked the repatriation of dividends. New Delhis earlier efforts to secure a sanctions waiver or receive oil instead of dollar payments have not yielded results.

Separately, OVL has partnered with Indian Oil Corp. Ltd and Oil India Ltd in the Carabobo-1 project, where output has also been affected by US sanctions. Mint had earlier reported that a possible easing of sanctions following US intervention could, over time, restore Indias access to Venezuelas vast oil reserves. Indian state-run firms had invested around $2.5 billion in Venezuela before sanctions were imposed in 2020.

PDVSA representatives will likely discuss this issue of stuck dividends during the ongoing India Energy Week with their counterparts," said the second person cited above, who also did not want to be named.

In a post-midnight operation on 3 January, the US bombed multiple facilities in Caracas, captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and flew them to the US. US President Donald Trump later signed an executive order declaring a national emergency to safeguard Venezuelan oil revenues held in US Treasury accounts from attachment or judicial process, ensuring the funds are preserved to advance US foreign policy objectives.

Also Read | ONGC reaches out to firms for production enhancement in western offshore fields

Expert caution

Strategic experts, however, remain skeptical about a swift resolution.

Given some of the recent commentary of US top officials and the US president, I don't see very fair treatment with India with regard to Venezuela," said C. Uday Bhaskar, director, Society for Policy Studies.

Queries emailed to the ministries of external affairs and petroleum and natural gas, OVL, PDVSA, and the embassies of the US and Venezuela in New Delhi remained unanswered till press time.

Oil math

While concerns persist over the productivity of Venezuelas oil wells, any potential easing of sanctions and reopening of the countrys crude sector has raised hopes of additional supply entering global markets. However, Venezuelan crude is highly viscous, making it difficult to refine and potentially forcing sellers to offer lower prices to large buyers such as India.

This is significant for India, the worlds third-largest oil consumer, which imports 8890% of its crude, accounting for about a quarter of the import bill. A $1 per barrel fall in crude prices can lower Indias import bill by 13,000 crore.

Also Read | Russian oil discount for Indian refiners jumps to $8 a barrel

While traders may be offering barrels to Indian refiners, the market response remains hesitant due to quality complexity and the commercial challenge of making Venezuelan crude work at current price levels," said Sumit Ritolia, lead research analyst, refining and modelling at ship-tracking firm Kpler.

Indias already small trade with Venezuela continues to shrink. In FY25, Indias total imports from Venezuela stood at $364.5 million, with crude oil accounting for $255.3 million, an 81.3% drop from $1.4 billion in crude imports in FY24. Exports to Venezuela were limited to $95.3 million, led mainly by pharmaceutical shipments worth $41.4 million.

The author is in Panaji on the invitation of the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday after the aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land in Baramati. The Nationalist Congress Party leader was scheduled to address four political rallies ahead of the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections.

Confirming the fatalities, the civil aviation ministry said in an official release: There were a total of 05 persons on board, including 02 crew members. The passengers included Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Ajit Pawar. All the occupants of the aircraft received fatal injuries.

Baramati airfield details explained The ministry noted that Baramati is classified as an uncontrolled airfield, where air traffic information is shared by instructors or pilots from flying training organisations operating at the location, rather than a full-fledged air traffic control unit.

Based on the account of the official responsible for air traffic communications at the time, the ministry outlined the sequence of events leading to the fatal crash.

How the crash unfolded On 28 January, the aircraft VI-SSK first established contact with Baramati at 08.18 IST. Shortly afterwards, the crew made another call while 30 nautical miles inbound and were released by Pune approach. They were advised to descend under Visual Meteorological Conditions at the pilots discretion.

The crew then sought information regarding wind conditions and visibility. They were informed that the winds were calm and the visibility was approximately 3,000 metres.

During the first landing attempt on Runway 11, the crew reported that the runway was not visible and initiated a go-around. Following this, they again reported being on final approach for Runway 11.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash  Who was on board the Learjet 45

When asked to confirm whether the runway was in sight, the crew responded, Runway is currently not in sight, will call when runway is in sight. Moments later, they reported that the runway was visible.

The aircraft was cleared to land on Runway 11 at 08.43 IST, though no readback of the clearance was received. At 08.44 IST, flames were observed near the threshold of the runway, prompting emergency services to rush to the scene.

The wreckage was later found on the left side of the runway, abeam the threshold of Runway 11.

Aircraft details The aircraft involved was registered as VT-SSK and was manufactured in 2010. Its Certificate of Registration (CoR) was issued on 27 December 2022, and its Certificate of Airworthiness (CoA) was issued on 16 December 2021. The Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) was issued on 10 September 2025 and is valid until 14 September 2026.

The aircraft had logged a total Time Since New (TSN) of 4,915 hours and 48 minutes, with 5,867 cycles. Since the last Airworthiness Review, it had flown for 85 hours and 49 minutes, according to the official release.

Engine details: The aircraft was powered by TFE731-20BR engines. The left-hand-side engine had logged 4,915 hours and 48 minutes with 5,965 cycles, while the right-hand-side engine had completed 4,526 hours and 44 minutes with 5,426 cycles.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati in Pune district on the morning of 28 January. The accident occurred while the chartered aircraft was attempting to land at Baramati airport. The aircraft crash-landed off the runway.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the 66-year-old was on board the Learjet 45. Pawar was travelling with Vidip Jadhav, attendant Pinky Mali and Personal Security Officer (PSO) Sumit Kapoor.

Captain Sahil Madan was the Pilot-in-Command (PIC). Captain Yash and Shambhavi Pathak, the First Officer (FO), were also on board. None of them survived.

Footage from the scene showed wreckage and smoke at the crash site, and emergency teams were rushed in to respond.

Leaders from across India have expressed sorrow and offered condolences. They have described the accident as a deep shock and a major loss to the states political landscape.

Ajit Pawars family Ajit Pawars family, including his wife Sunetra Pawar, sons Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar, and sister Supriya Sule, rushed to Baramati on hearing the news.

Ajit Pawar was a key leader in Maharashtra politics. He was a central member of the powerful Pawar family based in Baramati.

Ajit Pawar had been married to Sunetra Pawar, now a Rajya Sabha MP, since 1985. The couple has two sons.

Their elder son, Parth Pawar, entered politics and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Maval. The younger son, Jay Pawar, largely manages family business interests and married Rutuja Patil in late 2025.

Ajit Pawar was the son of Anantrao and Ashatai Pawar. He took family responsibility after his fathers early death. His elder brother, Shriniwas Pawar, runs automobile and farm ventures.

Prior to her death in 2017, his sister, Vijaya Patil, worked in the media.

His uncle Pratap Pawar leads Sakal Media Group. The family remains highly influential statewide.

Cousin Supriya Sule represents Baramati. Grand nephew Rohit Pawar is also an MLA.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Supriya Sule won the Baramati seat after defeating her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar in a rare family contest. It was the first time two members of the Pawar family faced each other directly in an election.

Supriya Sule, representing the NCP Sharadchandra Pawar faction, secured more than 7 lakh votes. Sunetra Pawar, from the NCP Ajit Pawar faction, received 5.7 lakh votes.

Ajit Pawar later admitted that fielding his wife against his cousin was a political mistake. Despite the defeat, Sunetra Pawar returned to Parliament after being elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha in June 2024.

Sharad Pawar The most significant political figure in his family is his uncle Sharad Pawar, the founder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Ajit Pawar shared a complicated political relationship with his uncle.

In November 2019, Ajit Pawar defied his uncle and took an oath as Deputy Chief Minister alongside BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis in a surprise early-morning move.

However, the government lasted only about 80 hours as Ajit failed to gain sufficient support. He returned to Sharad Pawars camp within three days.

The final split came in July 2023. Ajit Pawar led a major division in the NCP, breaking away with most of the partys MLAs to join the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government. He became the Deputy CM.
Ajit Pawar Plane Crash News Highlights: MMaharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar's last rites will be held today, 29 January, at Baramati. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five other persons died after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district on Wednesday morning, confirmed by DCGA.

Read | Ajit Pawar's last rites today at aramati, PM Modi, Amit Shah likely to attend

Lok Sabha on Wednesday paid tributes to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and expressed condolences over his demise after the 66-year-old passed away in a plane crash this morning.

Initial information suggested that the aircraft was being used by Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief as the Maharashtra Deputy CM was scheduled to travel to Baramati to attend a series of public engagements.

According to Flight Radar, the flight took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and it disappeared from radar around 8.45 am.

Read | Caught on CCTV: Harrowing moments when Ajit Pawar's plane crashed and burst into flames; AAIB to probe accident

According to preliminary reports, the aircraft carrying Ajit Pawar encountered difficulties while attempting an emergency landing, resulting in a crash in Maharashtra's Baramati.

How did Maharashtra deputy CM die in Baramati plane crash?

Baramati airport manager Shivaji Taware told Hindustan Times that the aircraft, VT SSK, was attempting to land and the aircraft went off the side of the runway and exploded on crashing.

The aircraft was a Learjet 45, chartered from Mumbai, officials told HT.

Baramati Airport, previously operated privately, was recently handed over to the Maharashtra Airport Development Company, HT reported.

Read | Supriya Sule, Sunetra Pawar break down as they meet family members after Ajit Pawar's death in plane crash  Video

Meanwhile, visuals from the scene showed the severely damaged wreckage of the aircraft, with emergency personnel and ambulances deployed at the site. Authorities have cordoned off the area as rescue and recovery efforts continue.

The cause of the emergency landing has not yet been established, and officials said further details would be released once technical assessments and eyewitness accounts are examined.

Get all the Ajit Pawar Death News LIVE on Mint.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five others were killed on Wednesday morning after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district, officials confirmed.

The incident occurred while the aircraft was attempting to land in the Baramati area of Pune. Pawar, 66, who was also a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was travelling on the chartered flight at the time of the crash, according to official sources. The circumstances leading to the accident are under investigation.

Following the news of Pawars death, NCPSP leader Supriya Sule, along with Sunetra Pawar and Parth Pawar, departed for Maharashtra. Political leaders across party lines expressed shock and grief as condolences poured in from across the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah both contacted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to receive updates on the crash, the state government said in a statement.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh saids," Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers, and admirers."

An emotional Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on Wednesday expressed grief at the news of the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who was killed in a charter plane crash in Bramati eary today.

"It is very sad news," Sawant said adding that the entire Pawar family is shattered by the news.

"I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi described the incident as very shocking, painful and heart-rending, noting that despite political differences, Pawar was a committed public servant.

This is very shocking, painful and heart-rending. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji, Sunetra ji, Parth and Jay. I also express sympathies to lakhs and crores of people in Baramati... Going away like this is very painful..., she said.

Congress MP Imran Masood said the sudden loss of the leader was deeply saddening.

The passing away of such an energetic leader suddenly is very saddening. Our sympathies lie with this family, he said.

The Kerala Legislative Assembly observed a tribute in Pawars memory, paying respects to the late deputy chief minister.

Telangana Congress spokesperson Sama Ram Mohan Reddy termed Pawars death a significant loss to both Maharashtra and the nation.

We are really saddened by the untimely demise of a prominent political personality, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. His passing away is a huge loss for Maharashtra and the entire nation. Our deepest condolences to his family and dear ones, he said.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal also expressed grief, saying he was shocked and saddened by the tragic news of the passing away of Maharashtra Deputy CM & NCP chief Sh. Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti likewise conveyed her condolences, joining leaders nationwide in mourning the death of one of Maharashtras most prominent political figures.

Revolutionary Socialist Party MP NK Premachandran said, "It is very unfortunate to hear that such an accident has taken place. We are not aware of the details, so let us wait for the report and see what has actually happened. It is really shocking and very unfortunate. Deputy CM and his team were travelling in the plane and this has happened. That has to be investigated, let us wait for the report."

DMK MP T Siva said," It is very sad. I have no words to express the grief. He was such a dynamic politician."

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy condoled the demise and said," It is very shocking and sad news. I express my condolences to his family."
A devastating plane crash near Baramati airport on Wednesday morning claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, with eyewitnesses describing scenes of repeated explosions, raging flames and helpless locals unable to rescue those on board.

The small charter aircraft, which had departed Mumbai around 8 am, went down during a landing attempt roughly 45 minutes later. Visuals from the site showed thick plumes of smoke and intense fire engulfing the wreckage, underscoring the scale of the tragedy.

Eyewitness recalls explosions and uncontrollable blaze An eyewitness to the crash said the aircraft appeared unstable as it descended before slamming into the ground and erupting into flames. According to the witness, a series of explosions followed, leaving no chance for immediate rescue.

This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion. After that, we rushed here and saw that the aircraft was on fire. There were four to five explosions in the aircraft again. More people came here, and they tried to pull the people out (of the aircraft). But since this was a huge fire, people could not help. Ajit Pawar was onboard and this is really painful for us. I can't describe it in words, the eyewitness told news agency ANI.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation later confirmed that all five passengers on board the aircraft died in the crash.

Final journey to Baramati cut short Pawar was travelling to Baramati to address a public rally linked to the Zilla Parishad elections when the accident occurred. A day earlier, on January 27, he had been in Mumbai attending a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and senior officials were also present at that meeting.

Most Members of Parliament were in New Delhi on Wednesday to attend the opening of the Budget Session of Parliament, when news of the crash broke.

Political leaders express grief and shock Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum as news of Pawars death spread. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant described the loss as deeply painful.

It is very sad news, Sawant said, adding that the entire Pawar family was shattered.

I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family, he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also spoke emotionally about Pawars passing.

This is very shocking, painful and heart-rending. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji, Sunetra ji, Parth and Jay. I also express sympathies to lakhs and crores of people in Baramati. Going away like this is very painful.

A towering political figure in Maharashtra Ajit Pawar, 66, was the nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. He was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in non-consecutive terms, having held the office six times under various governments.

Over his career, he served as deputy chief minister in cabinets led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, reflecting his enduring influence in the states politics.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and their two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.
Budget 2026: The Parliament is likely to witness an uproar during the Budget session beginning today, as the Congress-led Opposition is set to corner the government over the National Rural Employment Bill, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), and various environmental issues.

The budget session of Parliament begins today, 28 January. The session starts with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both the Houses  the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group met on Tuesday at the residence of Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to discuss a list of key issues, including the VB G RAM G Act (known earlier as MGNREGA) and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), as the party is looking to discuss these issues in the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament.

"CPP President Sonia Gandhi chaired the meeting. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, LoP Rahul Gandhi and all senior leadership were present. We discussed the budget session and the issues that we plan on raising during the session. The biggest issue is MGNREGA...Environmental issues, the issue of Ladakh and J&K, and the foreign policy issues will also be raised," Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain said after the meeting.

Kharge calls a meeting Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has called for a meeting of the INDIA bloc parties on Wednesday morning to finalise a joint strategy for the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament.

An all-party meeting was held on 27 January to discuss the smooth functioning of the two Houses of Parliament. At the meeting, the government has rejected the Opposition's demands for discussions on the VB-G RAM G Act and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the Budget session of Parliament.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the two issues had already been debated by both the Houses and "we cannot reverse the gear". Rijiju made these remarks after an all-party meeting convened by the government on the eve of the Budget Session of Parliament.

During the meeting, opposition members, including Congress's Jairam Ramesh and John Brittas of the CPI(M), also objected to the non-circulation of government business for the session, which the minister said would be done in due course.

Opposition members wanted a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, VB-G RAM G law on employment guarantee that replaced the MGNREGA scheme, the tariffs imposed by the US on India, foreign policy matters, the issue of air pollution, state of the economy, ban on social media for early teens, among other issues, news agency ANI said quoting people familiar with the developments.

The Budget Session will commence on 28 January and continue till 2 April, with an intersession break. The first phase runs from 28 January to 13 February, while the second phase runs from 9 March to 2 April.

The biggest issue is MGNREGA... Environmental issues and foreign policy will also be raised.

The Budget Session will have 30 sittings, and the Union Budget 2026-27 will be presented on 1 February.

(With ANI inputs)
Ajit Pawar Dies: A CCTV footage has revealed the exact details of the crash of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's chartered aircraft at Baramati Airport.

It was 8.46:02 on Wednesday morning when a fireball accompanied by a cloud of smoke was caught on a CCTV feed from a highway near the airport in Maharashtra's Baramati.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar dies amid reunion buzz with uncle Sharad Pawar

The video is of the plane carrying Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others that just crashed.

Ajit Pawar, 66, died in that crash. The highway camera caught the moment his Learjet 45 exploded.

The private charter plane operated by VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd, had left Mumbai at 8.10 am and crashed while trying to land at the airport.

On 28.01.2026, M/s VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd, Learjet 45 aircraft, with registration VT-SSK was involved in an air accident at Baramati while operating a flight for sector Mumbai-Baramati. There were a total of 05 persons on board including 02 crew members. The passengers included Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Ajit Pawar. All the occupants of the aircrafts received fatal injuries, said a government statement on the incident.

Data from Flightradar24 said the plane blipped off radar at 8.45 am and that it was attempting a second landing when it crashed; an eyewitness said it crashed 100 feet before the runway.

The Learjet 45, which can carry as many as nine passengers, stopped broadcasting at 8.34 am, resumed minutes later, and then, at 8.43 am, went silent again, according to a report in NDTV. The place where the jet stopped signalling for the second time is around 20 km from the airport at which it was to land, the report said.

Born in 1959, Ajit Anantrao Pawar was a senior politician and a prominent leader in Maharashtra. Pawar served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, a position he has held multiple times. A senior leader originally from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), he aligned with the BJP-Shiv Sena government in 2023 after defecting from the NCP faction led by his uncle, the veteran NCP leader Sharad Pawar.

AAIB takes over probe An Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team has left for Maharashtra's Baramati to investigate the plane crash, which claimed the lives of five individuals, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and crew members, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Wednesday.

The aircraft was involved in an air accident at Baramati while operating a flight for sector 'Mumbai-Baramati'.

AAIB has taken over the investigation, DG, AAIB is reaching the accident site for investigation. Further details of the same as and when available will be shared, the government statement said.
A woman, reportedly an HR manager at a private company in Agra of Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly killed by one Vinay, an accountant in the same company. The man, 30-year-old, killed the woman, Minki Sharma, cut her body into pieces, put her head in a packet and threw it into a canal, a police officer said.

The accused has been arrested, the police said, adding that efforts are on to trace the head.

DCP (City) Syed Ali Abbas said Minki was in a relationship with Vinay who wanted to marry her. She had refused the marriage proposal which reportedly led to a dispute between the two, the police said.

After an argument, he repeatedly attacked her with a knife used to cut coconuts, inflicting a fatal blow on her neck. He then dismembered the body, packed it in a plastic bag and sealed it with parcel tape. The head was kept in a separate sack, a police official said. Also Read | UP couple gets blue drum as wedding gift, internet curses friends worse than enemies'

The police said that on January 24 night, Vinay pit the body into a sack and was going to throw it into the Yamuna river but left it on the bridge. He then fled the scene.

The dismembered head was kept in a black packet and thrown in a canal, the police said, adding that divers have been pressed into service to locate it.

Based on several CCTV footage and the evidence found at the office, the police arrested Vinay on January 25. The body of the deceased was sent for post-mortem examination. Also Read | Decomposed body tied with rope found in blue drum in chilling echo of Meerut murder case

A case was registered against the accused under Section 103 (1) (murder) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of the BNS, the police said.

The knife and the scooter allegedly used in the crime and clothes have also been recovered.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to visit the United States next week for critical minerals meeting, reported ANI on Wednesday citing sources.

The development comes after a phone call between Jaishankar and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on January 13, in which they talked about bilateral trade negotiations and potential opportunities to expand cooperation in the civil nuclear sector. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor later noted that the two leaders had also discussed the possibility of an in-person meeting in February.

Earlier this month, the US Department of State announced that the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, scheduled for February 4 and to be held by Rubio, will gather international partners to bolster cooperation on critical mineral supply chains.

In a post on X, the State Department said the ministerial aims to strengthen global collaboration to ensure reliable and resilient critical mineral supply chains, which are vital for the US's economic and national security, technological leadership, and energy transition.

The State Department said, 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.

Bessent convenes Finance Ministerial Earlier this month, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a high-level Finance Ministerial in Washington to explore ways to secure and diversify global supply chains for critical minerals, with an emphasis on rare-earth elements, amid rising concerns over supply vulnerabilities.

According to the US Department of the Treasury, the meeting included finance ministers and senior officials from major economies such as Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

India was represented by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who oversees Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology.

Meanwhile, a US Congressional delegation, led by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, met with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh to discuss ways to enhance defence cooperation under the recently signed 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the January 27 meeting included extensive discussions on strengthening defence industry collaboration and advancing bilateral military ties.

The Ministry of Defence said on X, US Congressional Delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Mike Rogers met Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh today. They had wide ranging discussions including the recently concluded 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement with emphasis on strengthening cooperation in the field of defence industry.
Another Learjet 45 aircraft, similar to the one carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar that crashed today, 28 January, was involved in an accident at Mumbai airport during heavy rain a few years back. The incident happened in September 2023 while the plane, Learjet 45XR (VT-DBL), was attempting to land at the airport.

During the incident, the aircraft, carrying six people, veered off Runway 27 and broke apart on impact. All six occupants survived with serious injuries, while the pilots sustained grievous injuries.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement that the incident is under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). On 14.09.2023, one of the company aircraft, Learjet 45 aircraft with registration VT-DBL was involved in an accident during landing at Mumbai Airport. The accident is under investigation by AAIB, it said.

The AAIB probe into the Mumbai crash had then mentioned deteriorating weather, reduced visibility, and runway drift, autopilot disengagement, stick shaker activation and stall warnings.

Meanwhile, the ministry, detailing the sequence of events, mentioned that the Learjet 45 was cleared for landing at Baramati on Wednesday morning after a go-around forced by poor visibility, but having finally received the clearance, it did not give any 'read-back' or confirmation to ATC.

Moments later, the plane burst into flames on the edge of the runway.

Baramati has an 'uncontrolled airfield' (which generally means it lacks a proper instrument landing system to guide aircraft during low-visibility operations) and traffic information is provided by the instructors/pilots from the Flying Training Organisations at Baramati.

How it happened: Civil aviation ministry details the crash The aircraft VI-SSK first made contact with Baramati Air Traffic Control (ATC) at 8:18 AM. Its next communication came when it was 30 nautical miles inbound to Baramati, at which point the crew was advised to descend under visual meteorological conditions at their discretion.

The pilots inquired about the winds and visibility, and were informed that the winds were calm and visibility was approximately 3,000 metres.

"Next the aircraft reported on the final approach of runway 11 and the runway was not in sight to them. They initiated a go-around in the first approach. After go-around, the aircraft was asked about its position and crew reported on final approach of runway 11. They were asked to report runway in sight. They replied runway is currently not in sight, will call when runway is in sight". After a few seconds they reported that the runway is in sight," the civil ministry said.
A charter plane flying from Mumbai to Baramati crash-landed at 8:45 a.m. in Baramati, Maharashtra, with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on board, ANI reported. DGCA has confirmed that the NCP leader has tragically passed away in the fatal incident.

The incident occurred when the plane carrying NCP leader Pawar (66) and others was landing in Pune's Baramati area, officials said.

Footage from the scene shows the planes mangled wreckage, with ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. Details on what caused the emergency landing attempt are still awaited.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to address a public rally linked to the Zilla Parishad elections when the aircraft carrying him crashed, officials said.

Pawar had been in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and senior officials were also present at the meeting.

According to official information, there were five people on board the Learjet 45 aircraft at the time of the accident. These included Pawar, two accompanying personnel  a personal security officer and an attendant  and two crew members comprising the pilot-in-command and the first officer.

Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in non-consecutive terms, having held the office six times under different administrations. He served as deputy chief minister in governments led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, reflecting his enduring influence across shifting political alignments in the state.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and their two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

Pawar began his political career in 1982 after being elected to the board of a cooperative sugar factory. In 1991, he rose to prominence at the district level when he was elected chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank.

The same year, he entered national politics after being elected to the Lok Sabha from the Baramati parliamentary constituency, a seat he later vacated in favour of his uncle Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar subsequently established himself as a dominant figure in state politics, winning election to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly seven times from the Baramati Assembly constituency  first in a 1991 by-election and later in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and several others died in a plane crash on Wednesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

Pawar was travelling with two other personnel (one PSO and one attendant) and two crew members (PIC and FO), as per the DGCA.

The aviation watchdog said that there were no survivors, adding that the aircraft was a Learjet 45 operated by VSR. The aircraft registration was VT-SSK.

The plane, which was flying from Mumbai to Baramati, crash-landed at its destination at around 8.45 am.

Footage from the scene showed the planes mangled wreckage, with ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals.

Kiran Gujar, a close aide of Ajit Pawar, confirmed to Hindustan Times that the Maharashtra deputy chief minister had perished in the crash. Gujar is currently at the local hospital where the victims' bodies were taken.

The aircraft VT SSK was attempting a landing, and the aircraft went off the side of the runway and crashed, Baramati airport manager Shivaji Taware told HT.

Details on what caused the emergency landing attempt and subsequent crash are still awaited.

Pawar was travelling to Baramati to address four public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections when the crash took place.

The NCP leader was 66 years old and is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar and their two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

Tributes pour in As news of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader's death broke, leaders from across the country mourned his passing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah contacted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, ANI reported.

Shortly afterwards, the Prime Minister posted a tribute on X, writing, Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed anguish at Pawar's passing, writing, Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers, and admirers.

This is a really unfortunate incident...Reports are coming in that Ajit Pawar was also onboard. If it is true, then this is a highly unfortunate day...This is a heart-rending incident. May God give strength to the affected families...He was not just the Deputy CM of Maharashtra but also a well-known politician in the country. This is an irreparable loss, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said.

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy also expressed his condolences, saying, It is very shocking and sad news. I express my condolences to his family.

We are getting really sad news about Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. I pray that God gives strength to his family members and party members at this time. We stand with his family during this hour, said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.

Billionaire and industrialist Gautam Adani also paid tribute to the departed Dy CM, writing, Just a month ago, we stood together in Baramati for the inauguration of the Sharad Pawar Centre of Excellence in AI - a moment that reflected Ajit ji's vision, his belief in progress and his commitment to Bharats youth and her future."
Kangana Ranaut was shocked to hear about Ajit Pawars death. Upon reaching Parliament, she learned of the plane crash from journalists.

Oh my God, thats horrible. It is such terrible news, and I am deeply sorry. At the moment, everything happened very suddenly. These are early-morning developments, and we were all in a great rush, Kangana Ranaut said.

There are really no words to fully express this. I would like to first align my emotions properly and then give a detailed statement, the BJP MP from Mandi added.

On 28 January, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar passed away in a tragic plane crash near Baramati in Pune district. The chartered aircraft went off the runway while attempting to land at Baramati airport.

Political leaders' death in plane crash Ajit Pawar joins the list of senior Indian politicians who have lost their lives in tragic air crashes.

One of the earliest cases was Sanjay Gandhi, who died on June 23, 1980. He was flying a light aircraft himself when it crashed near Safdarjung Airport in New Delhi.

Investigators later blamed pilot error and loss of spatial awareness. His sudden death changed the political direction of the Congress party during a sensitive period.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash  Who were on board the Learjet 45

In 2001, senior Congress leader and Union Minister Madhavrao Scindia died in a Beechcraft C90 plane crash. He was travelling from Delhi to Kanpur.

Officials said engine failure, along with bad weather, caused the accident. His death created a leadership vacuum in Madhya Pradesh and affected national politics.

Another major loss was YS Rajasekhara Reddy, then Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh. He died in a helicopter crash in 2009 after flying into bad weather over the Nallamala forest. His death led to massive public grief and political instability in the state.
Sharad Pawar, the veteran Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) chief, has reacted to the tragic death of his nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the Baramati plane crash, describing it as an accident, as he sought to quell any speculation around the incident.

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee floated a political conspiracy theory behind Ajit Pawar's death. Mamata Banerjee said that just two days ago, there were reports that Ajit was willing to leave the BJP.

I don't know what is the fate of the opposition political parties but he was very much with the ruling party. But two days ago, I came to know that someone from another party had given a statement that Pawar was willing to leave the BJP. Now this has happened, she said, demanding a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.

A visibly emotional Sharad Pawar, in a video statement, also appealed that the plane crash, which killed his nephew and four others, should not be politicised. Ajit Pawar's untimely death is a massive shock to Maharashtra. The state has today lost a capable and decisive leader, he said.

In an apparent snub to Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar said, A stance was floated from Kolkata that there is some politics involved in this incident. But there is nothing like this. There is no politics involved; it is purely an accident. It has caused immense grief to me and to the entire state of Maharashtra. I appeal to everyone not to politicise this tragedy.

He said, Not all things are in our hands.

Ajit Pawar died today, 28 January, after his chartered plane crashed at Baramati airport during landing. Ajit Pawar had left for Baramati from Mumbai to attend civic election rallies. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

What Centre said on Baramati plane crash According to the Civil Aviation Ministry, the pilot had informed the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) about the poor visibility around the runway. The ATC told the investigators that after reporting no sight of runway, the pilot later informed the person manning ATC that the runway was in sight.

The aircraft was cleared for landing on runway 11, but the plane, a Learjet 45, did not give a readback of the landing clearance.
Budget 2026: The budget session of Parliament begins today, 28 January. The session starts with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both the Houses  the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The Economic Survey of India will be presented on January 29. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present Union Budget on 1 February, which is a Sunday.

Also Read | Budget session to witness key reform Bills

This will be Sitharaman's record ninth consecutive Budget, which is expected to contain reform measures aimed at shoring up economic growth amid a volatile geopolitical situation.

The session will be held in two parts. Two Houses are scheduled to be adjourned for a recess on February 13 and will reassemble on March 9. During this period, the Standing Committees will examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. The session will comprise a total of 30 sittings spread over 65 days and is set to conclude on April 2.

View full Image The first part of the session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2026-27 and discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address.

The first part of the session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2026-27 and discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address.

Essential legislative and other business is expected to be taken up mainly during the second part of the Session.

On Tuesday, the government convened an all-party meeting ahead of the budget session of Parliament, during which it sought cooperation from opposition parties for the smooth functioning of the two Houses. The opposition parties talked about the issues they intend to raise during the meeting.

Also Read | Govt turns down Oppn demands for discussion on G RAM G during Budget Session

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has rejected the Opposition's demands for discussions on the VB-G RAM G Act and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the Session.

Key Bills to be taken up The government has so far not listed any new Bills to be taken up in this session.

The Lok Sabha secretariat has listed nine pending Bills, including the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill and the Securities Markets Code, which is currently with the parliamentary panel on finance for further scrutiny

Among the pending bills, the Bankruptcy Code (Amendments) Bill that aims to reform the debt resolution framework. The Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill 2026, proposing more than 60 amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, Seed Bill, 2026, which seeks to replace the Seeds Act, 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983, are also in the governments agenda.

A joint parliamentary committee is expected to table its report on the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 meant to overhaul higher education in this session. Another panel will give its report on the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 meant to decriminalise a range of offences across sectors.

Also Read | Union Budget should boost public capex, contain borrowing costs

Seven bills were passed and twothe Securities Markets Code and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill were introduced in Lok Sabha during the winter session between 1 December and 19 December, 2026, according to PRS Legislative Research.

The most important bill, in this session, will be the Finance Bill, 2026, that will set the income tax rates for the year.

The Government is prepared and ready to discuss any other important issue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the two issues had already been debated by both the Houses and "we cannot reverse the gear". Rijiju made these remarks after an all-party meeting convened by the government on the eve of the Budget Session of Parliament.

During the meeting, Rijiju sought cooperation from leaders for the smooth functioning of Parliament and stated that the Government is prepared and ready to discuss any other important issue on the floors of the Houses as per the rules of both the Houses of Parliament. The meeting was chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Key Dates of Budget Session January 28, 2026: Commencement of budget session with the address by the President to the joint sitting of Parliament.

Jaunary 29, 2026: Presentation of Economic Survey.

February 1, 2026: Union Budget 2026 presentation by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

February 13, 2026: Conclusion of the first half of the budget session.

March 9, 2026: Commencement of the second half of the budget session.

April 2, 2026: Conclusion of the second half of the budget session.
Indias Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a probe into the crash of a Learjet 45 at Baramati on Wednesday morning that killed all five people on board, including Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, the civil aviation ministry said. The aircraft, operated by non-scheduled carrier VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, went down during landing at the uncontrolled airfield.

The director general of the bureau is reaching the accident site, the ministry said, adding that further details would be shared as the probe progresses. Investigators are expected to examine operational, weather, human factors and technical aspects as part of the probe to determine the cause of the accident.

The ministry put out the available details on the aircraft and the crew. It said the Learjet 45, registered VT-SSK, was operating a Mumbai-Baramati flight on 28 January when it met with the accident during landing at the uncontrolled airfield.

Also Read | Navi Mumbai airport plans to start international operations by June, CEO says

Flight sequence According to preliminary information released by the ministry, the aircraft had first established contact with Baramati at 8.18 am. The crew was advised to descend under "visual meteorological conditions at the pilots discretion"; which means the pilot had to take a call depending on runway visibility. On enquiring about the weather, the crew was informed that winds were calm and visibility was around 3,000 metres. During the first approach to runway 11, the crew reported that the runway was not in sight and initiated a go-around.

After the go-around, the aircraft again reported being on final approach for runway 11. Asked to report the runway in sight, the crew initially said it was not visible and would call back. Moments later, they reported that the runway was in sight. The aircraft was cleared to land at 8.43 am, but there was no response from the airline. At 8.44 am, personnel at the airfield saw flames near the threshold of the runway. Emergency services were immediately dispatched. The wreckage was found on the left side of the runway.

Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield, where traffic information is provided by instructors or pilots from local flying training organizations.

Also Read | Fleet constraints slow Air India Expresss Navi Mumbai expansion

Aircraft profile According to ministry said, VSR Ventures is a non-scheduled operator and its air operator permit was initially issued in April 2014 and last renewed in April 2023. The permit is valid until April 2028. The company operates a fleet of 17 aircraft, including seven Learjet 45s, five Embraer 135BJ aircraft, four King Air B200s and one Pilatus PC-12. The aircraft involved in the accident, a Learjet was manufactured in 2010. Its air-worthiness review certificate was issued on 10 September 2025 and was valid until 14 September 2026. The aircraft had logged about 4,916 flight hours, the initial probe showed.

The engines of the aircraft were Honeywell TFE731-20BR turbofans. The left engine had accrued about 4,916 hours, while the right engine had logged about 4,527 hours.

Also Read | How bad will the Dec flight disruptions hurt IndiGo Q3 earnings?

The commander was an airline transport pilot licence holder with over 15,000 hours of flying experience. His last medical examination was conducted in November 2025 and was valid until May 2026. The co-pilot held a commercial pilot licence with approximately 1,500 hours of flying experience, the ministry probe has revealed.

According to the statement, the civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had last conducted a regulatory audit of the operator in February 2025, with "no level-I findings issued". For context, a level-I finding represents critical, immediate safety risks requiring instant corrective action, to prevent potential accidents. These indicate serious non-compliance, such as unapproved procedures, inadequate training, or major maintenance lapses, and can lead to immediate grounding of aircraft or heavy penalties.

In September 2023, another Learjet 45 operated by the company was involved in a landing accident at a Mumbai airport. The incident, in which there were no fatalities, remains under investigation by the probe bureau.

Probe to give cues As per the protocol, an investigation is on into the Baramati incident, civil aviation minister K. Rammohan Naidu told reporters on the sidelines of Wings 2026 in Hyderabad.

On the need for carrying out special audits of business jet operators, the minister said: Let us get some more information on this and definitely, whatever is required, we will go ahead with it. Safety and security are of the topmost priority to us.

The minister said there were no immediate safety concerns with operator or the aircraft. I don't think there is any problem on that. The DGCA has thoroughly checked and all approvals were given. And the organisation (VSR Ventures) also seems to have been gone through an assessment last year. So on that side, we don't see any (concern), he said. The pilot (in command) had over 15,000 hours (of flying experience) a very experienced person, he said, adding that there were also no safety issues with the aircraft type.

On the issue of uncontrolled airports, where regular air traffic control facilities are not there, the minister said the Baramati airport was in use and there are flying training organizations (FTOs) that operate from there.
To integrate health-related benefits with the National Pension System (NPS), the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has launched the NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme (NSPS) on a pilot basis to test its viability and technological backbone.

Under the scheme, all Indian citizens can make voluntary contributions and use the corpus to meet both outpatient (OPD) and inpatient (hospitalization) expenses. The minimum investment is 1,000, in line with rules for non-government NPS subscribers, and there is no maximum limit.

NSPS allows subscribers to invest across multiple asset classes under the NPS Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF). When the funds are not being used for medical needs, the corpus continues to generate returns based on the chosen asset allocation. In effect, it functions as a dedicated investment pool for health expenses that can be drawn down when required.

Except for government subscribers, all others above the age of 40, can others can currently transfer up to 30% of their NPS Common Account Scheme contributions (self plus employer share) into NSPS.

While building your own funds for health expenses is a good way, the corpus will take time to build. Hence, one cannot replace health insurance. This is because under insurance you are sharing the risk with a pool of healthy and risky individuals. When there is a substantial claim amount, your own funds wouldnt suffice. You cant transfer the health expenses risk using self accumulated funds, says Shashank Joshi, partner at Akshay Finserve Management LLP.

The scheme would be good for someone who isnt able to seek a health cover through insurance channel due to age or health issues. Also, those who are very young, can segregate and invest for the longer-term to build a corpus, Joshi adds.

Those who cross the age of 66 years and do not have any insurance policy in continuation, such pensioners would be able to cover themselves, says Dr. Krishna Jaiswal, managing director, Ericson Insurance TPA.

How it works Experts also point out that insurers typically negotiate with hospitals and build preferential rate cards for certain procedures. It remains to be seen whether similar negotiated pricing will be available under the limited NSPS option.

One area where NSPS could score over a do-it-yourself emergency health corpus is in payments infrastructure. PFRDA is working on a framework that would allow medical costs to move directly from a subscribers account to the hospital through intermediaries such as third party administrators (TPAs).

The same pension funds that manage NPS-linked corpus, such as SBI Pension Funds, HDFC Pension Fund and Axis Pension Fund, will operate NSPS. These funds will need to engage with TPAs, Health Benefit Administrators (HBAs), Central Recordkeeping Agencies and fintech firms for enrolment, record-keeping and settlement of medical bills. Entry and exit norms, fee structures, claims processes, value-added features and grievance redressal mechanisms will be disclosed by individual pension funds.

We are in initial talks with the Pension Funds and as an industry intermediary, TPAs have been successfully handling 79% of the overall hospitalisation claims. Hospitals too trust the TPAs, due to the long engagement and smooth process. The technological network would be such that TPA will not handle the funds. However, we would offer the health cards, handle the admission linked intimation and settle the bill through the pension scheme, which would be a self funded scheme where payment is directly made to the hospital in a cashless manner and smooth discharge can be worked, says Jaiswal.

For the pilot phase, exit and withdrawal rules under NPS regulations have been relaxed. Subscribers can partially withdraw up to 25% of their own contributions in NSPS at any time once the corpus reaches a minimum of Rs50,000. However, the 25% cap could prove restrictive, as medical expenses are often unpredictable and may exceed that threshold.

If a hospitalisation bill exceeds 70% of the total corpus under the scheme, subscribers will be allowed to withdraw 100% of the corpus as a lump-sum premature exit to meet the expense.

Also Read | Why Indias financial regulators should emulate the new NPS model

There is no limit on the number of such withdrawals in a year, and no waiting period, unlike in regular health insurance policies for certain diseases. To prevent fake billing or withdrawals, funds will be transferred only to TPAs or HBAs. While TPAs act as the bridge between individuals and hospitals, HBAs typically manage employee health benefits and wellness programmes for corporates.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday (local time) ordered a freeze on H-1B visas for highly skilled workers in state agencies and universities, calling for jobs to go to qualified Texans instead of immigrants. He also announced a ban on China-linked firms from state systems.

"Texans come first," wrote Abbott on X, making the announcement.

"Im directing state agencies and universities to freeze new H-1B visa petitions. Texas taxpayers invest billions to train our workforce. Those jobs should go to Texans," he said.

Also Read | Amazon layoffs: Tech giant mistakenly confirms sacking of cloud unit employees

In a letter to the heads of state agencies, Abbott said that his decision had been taken in light of "recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program, and amid the federal governments ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers."

"Evidence suggests that bad actors have exploited this program by failing to make good-faith efforts to recruit qualified U.S. workers before seeking to use foreign labor," Abbott wrote.

"Rather than serving its intended purpose of attracting the best and brightest individuals from around the world to our nation to fill truly specialized and unmet labor needs, the program has too often been used to fill jobs that otherwise could  and should  have been filled by Texans," he added.

What does the order on H-1B visas say? The Texas Governor's letter says no state agency or public institution of higher education can petition for new H-1B workers without the written permission of the Texas Workforce Commission.

In addition, agencies and universities have to report by March how many new H-1B petitions, as well as renewal requests, they submitted last year. They are also required to report how many H-1B visa holders they currently sponsor, including details of the workers' home nations, their present occupation in Texas, and documentation showing efforts to provide qualified Texans with a "reasonable opportunity" to apply for the same positions.

Who hires H-1B visa workers in Texas? According to data by the US Federal government, most H-1B visa holders work in the private sector, with IT giants Cognizant Technology Solutions US Corp (3,172), Infosys Limited (2,856), and Oracle America Inc (2,690) being the top three firms with most beneficiaries.

Cognizant Technology Solutions US, meanwhile, employs another 1,172 H-1b visa beneficiaries, while Elon Musk-owned Tesla, employs 1,094.

Charles Schwab and Company (574), AT&T (487), KPMG (294), HP (290), and Caterpillar (285) make up the rest of the top 10, with regard to H-1B visa employees.

While private firms are exempt from the current direction, Abbott's order on freezing H-1B applications are expected to hit public universities and hospitals the hardest, with many universities and medical centres employing H-1B workers in the hundreds.

Texas bans China-linked tech companies from state systems In addition to ordering a freeze on H-1B visas for state agencies and public universities, Governor Abbott also announced a ban on China-linked tech companies from state systems, a move he said was aimed to prevent these firms from harvesting data on Texans and exploiting state systems.

We are targeting bad actors who aim to harm Texans by infiltrating our state networks and devices, Abbott said, announcing the ban.

Today, I am expanding the prohibited technologies list to mitigate that risk and protect the privacy of Texans from the Peoples Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and any other hostile foreign actors who may attempt to undermine the safety and security of Texas, he added.

The fresh restrictions will apply to 26 Chinese or China-linked companies, including Alibaba, Shein, Hisense and the e-commerce platform PDD, which operates Temu.
Federal immigration agents involved in the killing of 37yearold US citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday have been placed on administrative leave amid public outrage, MS NOW reported

The shooting has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum in the United States and led to demonstrations in Minneapolis, adding to weeks of rising tension over aggressive actions by masked and heavily armed officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the US Border Patrol.

On Tuesday, Democratic ex-president Joe Biden said the incident goes against our fundamental American values". Former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama also commented on the situation.

Centrist Democratic Senator John Fetterman called Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem grossly incompetent and said she should be removed from her position. The entire community is just horrified by all of this. It feels like the governments goal is to intimidate citizensits truly frightening," said 68-year-old Minneapolis retiree Stephen McLaughlin.

View full Image Demonstrators protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota on January 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. (Getty Images via AFP) ( Getty Images via AFP )

View full Image Demonstrators protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota on January 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. (Getty Images via AFP) ( Getty Images via AFP )

The controversy could even lead to delays in US government funding, as Democrats have threatened to block routine spending bills scheduled for Senate votes later this week.

Also Read | Jimmy Kimmel burst into tears while talking about death of Alex Pretti

Video footage from the incident shows agents wrestling him to the ground and firing at him while he was down. Although Pretti did have a permit to carry a firearm, video captured during the encounter does not show him holding the weapon at any moment before he was shot, according to AFP.

His death came less than three weeks after Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was also killed on January 7 by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.

Trump after Pretti's shooting in Minneapolis The intense backlash over Prettis killing and early remarks from administration that appeared to blame him led President Donald Trump to say on Tuesday that his administration would de-escalate its actions in the city in hopes of calming tensions.

Also Read | Can ICE agents be prosecuted for Minneapolis shootings?

Trump defended his embattled Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem, who had labeled Pretti a domestic terrorist", saying she was doing a very good job and would not resign.
United States President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with violence by a massive armada that he says is heading towards Tehran, if it does not negotiate a fair and equitable deal. Donald Trump also sought to recall the Operation Midnight Hammer, warning that the next attack will be far worse.

Donald Trump posted: A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.

The Republican US president, who pulled out of a 2015 multination nuclear deal with Tehran during his first White House term, noted that his last warning to Iran was followed by a military strike. Also Read | Donald Trump dances onstage after hailing another beautiful Armada sailing toward Iran - Tehran should've made deal

Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didnt, and there was Operation Midnight Hammer, a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter! he continued.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he had not been in contact with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days or requesting negotiations, state media reported earlier on Wednesday. Also Read | US President's remarks on Trump Accounts shortly: What to know about the children savings program

Two US officials have told Reuters that the Lincoln and supporting warships had arrived in the Middle East. The warships started moving from the Asia-Pacific region last week as US-Iranian tensions soared following a bloody crackdown on protests across Iran by its clerical authorities in recent weeks.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iran continued killing protesters, though the nationwide demonstrations over economic hardship and political repression have since subsided.

He has also said the United States would take action if Tehran resumes its nuclear programme following the June airstrikes by Israeli and US forces on key nuclear facilities.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday (January 28) accused Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of staging an attack at a town hall event in Minneapolis, saying he had not watched footage of the incident in which she was sprayed with an unknown liquid by an audience member.

When asked about the attack during an interview with ABC News, Trump dismissed the incident and questioned its authenticity.

I dont think about her. I think shes a fraud, Trump said. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.

Suspect arrested Police said a man used a syringe to squirt an unknown liquid on Omar during Tuesdays town hall, prompting officers to immediately tackle and arrest him.

The suspect, identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was jailed on a preliminary third-degree assault charge, Minneapolis police spokesperson Trevor Folke said.

Photos from the scene showed a syringe containing what appeared to be a light-brown liquid. Authorities have not yet publicly identified the substance.

Omar: I dont let bullies win Despite the incident, Omar continued speaking for about 25 minutes after the suspect was removed, telling the audience she would not be intimidated.

While leaving the venue, she said she felt shaken but was not hurt and would be screened by a medical team.

Im ok. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work, Omar later posted on X. I dont let bullies win.

Police detail suspects background Court records show Kazmierczak has a criminal history, including a 1989 felony conviction for auto theft, multiple arrests for driving under the influence, and numerous traffic violations. Records also indicate financial difficulties, including two bankruptcy filings.

Immigration debate backdrop The attack occurred after Omar called for abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers.

Omar, who joined Congress in 2019, has long been a target of Trumps criticism. She is the only member of the group of progressive lawmakers known as the squad who was born outside the United States, having immigrated as a child after her family fled violence in Somalia.
Population growth in the United States slowed markedly in 2025, with the country adding just 1.8 million people, or 0.5%, between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, according to Vintage 2025 population estimates released by the US Census Bureau on Tuesday (January 27).

This marks the slowest growth rate since the early COVID-19 pandemic, when the population expanded by a record-low 0.2% in 2021. The slowdown follows a strong rebound in 2024, when the US population grew by 3.2 million, or 1.0%  its fastest pace since 2006.

Sharp fall in international migration drives slowdown Census officials said the deceleration was primarily driven by a historic decline in net international migration, which fell by more than half year-on-year.

Net international migration dropped to 1.3 million between July 2024 and June 2025, down from 2.7 million in the previous year  a decline of nearly 54%, according to the Census Bureau.

With births and deaths remaining relatively stable, the sharp decline in net international migration is the main reason for the slower growth rate we see today, said Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for Estimates and Projections at the Census Bureau.

If current trends persist, net international migration could fall further to about 321,000 by July 2026, the bureau said.

Midwest posts broad-based population gains Despite the national slowdown, the Midwest emerged as a rare bright spot, becoming the only US region where all states recorded population growth between July 2024 and July 2025.

After population declines in 2021 and modest growth in 2022, the Midwest added 244,385 people in 2025, following gains in 2023 and 2024. Census officials said positive domestic migration and slight improvements in natural change helped support growth.

For the first time this decade, the Midwest saw positive net domestic migration, said Marc Perry, senior demographer at the Census Bureau.

Ohio and Michigan were key contributors, reversing large domestic migration losses seen earlier in the decade.

South Carolina fastest-growing state South Carolina was the fastest-growing state in the nation, with its population rising 1.5%, driven largely by strong net domestic migration. Idaho and North Carolina followed closely, while Texas posted solid growth from a mix of natural change and international migration, despite slower inflows.

Regional and state trends All four US census regions recorded population growth, but at a slower pace than in recent years. The Souths growth rate fell below 1% for the first time since 2021, while the Northeast saw the steepest slowdown.
Democratic representative Ilhan Omar was attacked while addressing a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, where a man sprayed her with an unknown substance, AP reported. Moments after this attack, authorities nabbed the assailant and pinned him to the ground. This incident happened just before Omar raised calls for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.

ICE cannot be reformed, AP quoted Ilhan Omar as saying.

Tensions over federal immigration enforcement flared after 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was shot dead by ICE in Minneapolis on 24 January. This marked second fatal shooting this month of a person at the hands of immigration law enforcement.

In the viral videos doing the rounds, Ilhan Omar's attacker can be seen wearing a black jacket and holding a syringe. Oh my god, he sprayed something on her," someone in the audience can be heard saying.

The accused was arrested and ushered out of the room by Ilhan Omar's security. He was charged with third-degree assault, Minneapolis police spokesperson Trevor Folke said in an email to AP. Undeterred, Omar continued the town hall and said there was a strong, vinegar-like smell when the man pushed on the syringe. Omar affirmed her resilience, stating she won't be intimidated.

Watch video here:

Taking to social platform X, Ilhan Omar later wrote, Im ok. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work. I dont let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.

While walking out of the venue, the congresswoman stressed that she felt a little flustered but was not hurt as she said that she was going to be screened by a medical team.

Donald Trump criticizes Ilhan Omar US President Donald Trump has at several times slammed the congresswoman. He launched verbal attacks at Ilhan Omar in December during a Cabinet meeting and called her and her friends garbage. During Tuesday's address, the Donald Trump criticized Omar as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa. They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar, AP quoted the US President as saying.

She comes from a country thats a disaster. So probably, its considered, I think  its not even a country," the 79-year-old Republican leader added.
The University of California, Davis has received a $120 million donation from former Citigroup CEO Sandy Weill and his wife, Joan, marking one of the largest gifts ever made to a veterinary school.

It reportedly honours an institution that previously treated their ill dog and will help fund a major campus expansion, advance comparative medicine research that examines health and disease across species, and strengthen studies into illnesses such as cancer, neurological disorders, and heart disease.

In recognition of the donation, the university announced Wednesday that the school will be renamed the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, according to Bloomberg.

About $80 million of the Weills donation will go toward building a small animal teaching hospital as part of UC Daviss $750 million Veterinary Medical Complex expansion. The gift, which ranks among the largest in the universitys history, will also help tackle the shortage of veterinarians by expanding facilities needed to attract, educate, and educate more students, the school said.

In a statement, Joan Weill mentioned, Angels care at UC Davis left a lasting impression on our family. As Sandy and I became more involved with the school over the years, we have been continually inspired by its leadership, dedication to team science, pursuit of solving complex health challenges and its unwavering commitment to animals and the families who love them.

Also Read | Mass murder of strays linked to poll promise? Telangana police probe case

Who is Sandy Weill? Sandy Weill, 92, has been a member of the UC Davis Chancellors Board of Advisors since 2014, following a long and distinguished career in finance. He also serves as chair of the Weill Family Foundation, president of the Carnegie Hall Board of Trustees, and chair emeritus of Weill Cornell Medicine.

Weill was named CEO of the Year by FinancialWorld magazine in 1998 and received the same distinction from Chief Executive magazine in 2002.

He was born in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, to Polish Jewish immigrants Etta (Kalika) and Max Weill. He attended PS 200 in Bensonhurst for elementary school and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Cornell University in 1955. That same year, he married Joan H. Mosher. The couple reportedly resides on a 362-acre estate they purchased in 2010 in Sonoma, California.
A Satena plane carrying 13 passengers, two crew members went missing near Colombia's border with Venezuela on Wednesday. The aircraft is said to be a smaller model, a Beechcraft 1900, registered as HK-4709.

The plane departed from the border city of Cucuta and lost contact with the control tower shortly before it was scheduled to land. The airline mentioned it was due to arrive nearly at 12:05 pm in the nearby town of Ocana. Security and search protocols have been activated, the air authority said.

SATENA, the airline of Colombians, informs the public that flight NSE 8849, which covered the Cucuta-Ocana route, took off at approximately 11:42 am, and was scheduled to land around 12:05 pm, reported its last contact with air traffic control at 11:54 am today, January 28. The aircraft, a Beechcraft 1900 registration HK4709, operated by the company SEARCA, was carrying 13 passengers and 2 crew members, the airline said on X.

Satena said it has deployed all available resources, working in coordination with the Colombian Aerospace Force Command and Control Center and the Civil Aeronautics Technical and Accident Investigation Directorate, to conduct the search for the missing aircraft.

The airline added that a dedicated phone line, (601) 9193333, has been set up to provide families of those on board with official updates.

Minister of Transport reacts Mafe Rojas, Minister of Transport of Colombia took to X and stated, The Directorate of Accident Investigation of @AerocivilCol reports that it is currently gathering information regarding the loss of communication with aircraft HK4709, which was operating the Cucuta - Ocana route with 13 passengers and 2 crew members."

She said that the relevant protocols have been activated and that PMU operations have already begun. The minister added that they are supporting the aeronautical authorities in carrying out the required procedures for such situations.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar plane crash: Mortal remains shifted back to hospital

Previous related incident Indonesian rescuers recovered a body on Sunday while searching for 11 people aboard a plane that crashed near a mountainous area on Sulawesi island, as per AP.

Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of Makassars Search and Rescue Office, said the body of a man was found in a ravine about 200 meters (656 feet) deep on the slope of Mount Bulusaraung, close to scattered aircraft debris.

Search teams also located additional wreckage, including parts of the fuselage, passenger seats, and what is believed to be the engine of the ATR 42-500 turboprop that went down on Saturday afternoon, Anwar added.

The aircraft, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, had been travelling from Yogyakarta on Java, Indonesias main island, to Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, when it disappeared from radar shortly after air traffic control instructed it to adjust its approach alignment.
The German Federal Foreign Office updated its travel guidance for citizens planning to visit the United States, citing safety and public-order concerns linked to protests and federal immigration enforcement operations. The advisory also reiterated warnings related to severe winter storm disruptions across many parts of the US this season.

Warning highlights violent clashes and protests Germanys updated advisory states that in Minneapolis, demonstrations against immigration policies have sometimes led to violent clashes with immigration and security authorities. The foreign office urged travellers to stay informed through local media, be vigilant, and avoid crowds where violence may occur.

It instructs visitors to remain calm and follow the instructions of authorities and local security forces if they encounter demonstrations or unrest.
Iran warned it would respond to any US attack like never before after President Donald Trump said time was running out for Tehran to negotiate over its nuclear programme and avoid possible American military action.

Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests  BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE! Irans mission to the United Nations said in a post on X, sharing a screenshot of Trumps warning.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Irans forces were ready to respond decisively to any US military action, while leaving the door open to a possible new agreement on Tehrans nuclear programme.

"Our brave Armed Forces are prepared -- with their fingers on the trigger -- to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea," Araghchi wrote in a post on X.

Trump says Time is running out Trump issued the warning in a post on Truth Social, urging Iran to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme.

Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties, Trump wrote.

Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!

He also warned Tehran against further confrontation, referencing earlier US strikes.

The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again, Trump said.

Rubio, Merz signal regime vulnerability As Trump sharpened his rhetoric, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Irans leadership was at its weakest point ever, citing economic collapse as a key driver of unrest.

They are threatened by their inability to address the fact that their economy is in collapse, Rubio said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz went further, suggesting the Iranian leadership may not survive much longer.

A regime that can only hold onto power through sheer violence and terror against its own population: its days are numbered, Merz said, predicting it could be only a matter of weeks before the government falls.

Iran rejects diplomacy by threat Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed Washingtons approach, saying military pressure would not work.

Conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful, Araghchi said, adding that Tehran had not sought negotiations and had no recent contact with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Irans armed forces chief of staff Habibollah Sayyari also warned Washington against any miscalculation, saying the US would also suffer damage in the event of conflict.

Regional push for de-escalation Amid rising tensions, Iran has reached out to US allies in the region. Following a call between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Iranian officials also spoke with leaders in Qatar and Egypt.

Qatar said it supports all efforts aimed at reducing escalation and achieving peaceful solutions, while Egypt stressed the need to work towards de-escalation. Turkeys Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned against renewed conflict, saying:

Its wrong to attack Iran. Its wrong to start the war again.

Deadly crackdown on protests The latest escalation comes against the backdrop of a brutal crackdown on protests that erupted in late December and peaked on January 89. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said at least 6,221 people have been killed so far, including thousands of protesters and more than 100 minors.

HRANA said more than 42,000 people have been arrested and warned that security forces are now searching hospitals for wounded protesters, highlighting what it called new dimensions of the continued security crackdown.
As President Trump ponders a second military strike on Iran, the relationship between the U.S. and Israel is evolving. The Trump administration cooperated with Israel to attack Irans nuclear facilities last summer, a goal that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had long sought. But Mr. Netanyahu is discovering, as others have before him, that Mr. Trumps relationship with longtime allies is utterly unsentimental.

After pressuring Israel to end the war in Gaza earlier than Mr. Netanyahu wanted, Mr. Trump overrode Israels objections and invited Turkey and Qatar to join the new U.S.-sponsored Board of Peace tasked with overseeing Gaza. Mr. Netanyahu, who had effectively ended Israels longstanding quest for bipartisan American support in favor of an alliance with the Republican Party, had no choice but to acquiesce.

To assess what might come next, on Jan. 24 I interviewed Yossi Klein Halevi, an American-born Israeli and senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a Jewish research and education center in Jerusalem. Mr. Klein Halevi is one of the shrewdest and most thoughtful analysts of Israeli politics and society. The war in Gaza, he said, was traumatic for Israeli Jewsan effect that may not wear off quicklyand should have ended sooner than it did.

Mr. Klein Halevi framed the war as part of a multistage effort to end the Iranian threat to Israels existence. Stage oneattacks on Irans proxy terrorist networkseroded the Iran-backed encirclement of Israel in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Stage twolast summers strikesweakened Irans nuclear program, the core of the threat. Stage three will end the threat by bringing down Irans clerical regime, which has lost the support of its people and clings to power through brute force.

But how can this final stage succeed after massive antigovernment demonstrations by Iranians in recent weeks failed to do so? Mr. Klein Halevi offered a crisp answer: If the U.S. and Israel can deal a heavy blow to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which maintains the regimes grip on power, then perhaps Irans professional army will refuse to use force against the next wave of protests, and the regime will fall. We shall see.

The war in Gaza has domestic as well as geopolitical implications. Public-opinion surveys suggest that Mr. Netanyahus effort to evade responsibility for the national-security failings that made possible the massacre of Oct. 7, 2023, has shored up support in his base but not persuaded the voters who will determine the next majority. Most Israelis dont trust him. If elections were held tomorrow, his coalition would lose.

But with months to go until ballots are cast, Mr. Netanyahu could use dirty campaign tactics to win the race. It wouldnt be the first time. According to Mr. Klein Halevi, pro-Netanyahu forces have already alleged that the Israel Defense Forces and intelligence officials deliberately withheld information about the impending Hamas attack to discredit the prime minister and that an opposition victory would allow an Arab party linked to the Muslim Brotherhood to enter the coalition government.

Mr. Klein Halevi is skeptical that Mr. Netanyahu can pull off another victory. He says the prime minister has lost credibility among those on the soft right," whose support he needs. His leading opponent, Naftali Bennett, is waging an effective campaign to replace him. Mr. Bennett, who served as prime minister in 2021-22, is contrasting his record as a uniter with Mr. Netanyahus record of sharpening Israels divisions. Mr. Bennett has also accused the prime ministers office of treason over allegations that Mr. Netanyahus aides accepted payments from the government of Qatar. Finally, Mr. Bennett is promising to rein in large subsidies going to Israels ultra-Orthodox communities and instead to bolster Israels underfunded reserve forces.

Mr. Netanyahus vulnerabilities dont end there. The controversy over the participation of ultra-Orthodox men in military service divides his coalition. Ultra-Orthodox political leaders warn that unless the government exempts them from the draft, theyll vote against Mr. Netanyahus proposed budget, bringing down the government and triggering new elections. Meanwhile, religious Zionists in the coalition whose young supporters took on the most dangerous assignments in Gaza and sustained disproportionate losses strongly oppose codifying draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox.

While this issue has long been controversial, the Gaza war heightened the passions around it. More Israelis have come to view the ultra-Orthodox community as failing to contribute to the countrys economy and security and will no longer accept this situation.

Mr. Klein Halevi says that Mr. Netanyahu has run out of Houdini-like escapes from political peril and will soon be forced out of office. I hope hes right. Mr. Netanyahus re-election this year would convince many Americansincluding American Jewsthat the Israel theyve long cherished has given way to a new Israeli majority that they can neither understand nor support.
For anyone interested in fiscal federalism, the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) annual study of state finances is a treasure trove of information. This years study, analysing state budgets of 2025-26, is no exception.

First, the good news. The fiscal health of state governments is improving. True, their consolidated gross fiscal deficit rose to 3.3% of Indias GDP in 2024-25, after staying below 3% during the previous three years. But this increase is mainly due to 50-year interest-free loans from the Centre under its special assistance scheme for capital investment.

At the same time, the total outstanding liabilities of states declined from a peak of 31% of GDP at the end of 2020-21 to 28.1% at the end of 2023-24.

Also Read | How Indias lagging states could escape their development trap

The theme of this years study, Demographic Transition in IndiaImplications for State Finances, points out that Indian states are at different stages of a demographic transition. Inevitably, this has consequences for their finances and policies.

Their old-age dependency ratio, or the elderly count as a proportion of their working-age population, varies from 14% in Bihar to 30% in Kerala. Fiscal deficits as a proportion of gross state domestic product (GSDP) also vary widelyfrom Arunachals little over 8% to Gujarats little less than 3%. This variation necessitates differential fiscal policy approaches, as suited to their respective age structures. It also poses entirely different fiscal challenges.

Also Read | Watch those disparities: We must track the state of Indian states

Youthful states have a wider window of opportunity, thanks to an expanding working-age population and stronger revenue mobilizationbut only if they adopt a favourable policy environment, one that emphasizes quality education, skill training, healthcare facilities and job opportunities.

In contrast, ageing states face a narrowing windowwith fiscal pressures arising from shrinking tax bases and rising committed expenditure; this calls for greater revenue-raising capacity and reforms in healthcare, pension and workforce policies.

What the study does not talk about is the fallout of this divergence in demographic profiles on internal migration and the resultant social tensions between locals and migrants from populous states in search of jobs. Understandably, it is also silent on another aspect of differing demographic paths: its implications for political representation after the 2027 Census is done.

The studys focus on the demography of Indian states in the context of their finances is important for another reason. It provides the context for a clear-headed analysis of recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission (FC) once they are made public.

Under the Constitutions Seventh Schedule, the sharing of expenditure responsibilities between the Union and state governments is clearly laid out in its Union and State lists. On the revenue side, however, it is the awards of FCsmade every half decadethat determine how revenues are split between the Union and states.

So far, population has been used by all FCs as one of the criteria for the sharing pattern among states. This will probably find place in the 16th FCs report as well; its rationale is that a states population has a direct bearing on the money it must spend on economic, social and general services. But this has often been a source of tension between states that are further down in their demographic transition and those that are not.

Hopefully, our need for differential policies to deal with varying trajectories, as the RBI study finds, will result in a better-informed debate on what the 16th FC recommends.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government deserve applause for concluding a landmark trade deal with the European Union (EU). The agreement negotiated over the last six months reflects maturity and avoids red lines for both sides while focusing on their complementarities.

The deal has rightly been characterized as the mother of all deals. The EU is the worlds second-largest economic bloc, with a GDP of $19.5 trillion; it imports goods from outside the bloc worth $3 trillion, accounts for 12.3% of global trade and has a population of 450 million. Together, India and the EU form a market of about $24 trillion with nearly two billion people.

Indian businesses gain access to a market five times Indias GDP, while European businesses can tap the fastest-growing large economy in the world. In addition to trade, the deal will help boost investments, create an innovation ecosystem and facilitate mobility of professionals.

Also Read | The EUs CBAM has lent urgency to fair carbon prices

When combined with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and UK trade deals, Indian businesses will now have preferential access to all of Europe. With the addition of the latest agreement, the combined GDP of Indias trade-agreement partner countries would reach $36.3 trillionover 33% of global GDP, a significant jump from the current 15%.

Once the deal comes into effect, 99% of Indias exports to the EU will face lower or nil tariffs, aiding $33 billion worth of outward shipments from day one. Today, the EU is Indias second-largest export destination, with exports of about $79 billion and imports of $57 billion.

Meanwhile, Indias share in EU imports is only 2.6%, as against Chinas 22%. For instance, the EU imports apparel and textiles worth nearly $141 billion annually. Of this, Indias share is just over 3%, as against Bangladeshs 16.3% and Turkeys 8%. The elimination of a 12% customs duty provides significant potential for export growth.

Similar potential exists in other sectors such as leather and footwear ($40 billion of imports with an import duty of about 17%), gems and jewellery ($51 billion in imports and an import levy of about 4%), marine products ($29.5 billion, 26%), organic chemicals ($112 billion, 12.8%). Indias share in these EU imports is low.

Beyond tariff liberalization, the deal includes measures that would enable Indian export businesses to comply with non-tariff requirements through streamlined customs and regulatory cooperation, which are especially relevant for sanitary, phytosanitary and technical trade barriers. This has been an area of concern for Indian exporters.

Both sides have also worked towards making the deal mutually beneficial. India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on 96.6% of EU merchandise exports by value.

Tariffs on automobiles are proposed to be reduced over multiple years subject to quantitative quotas and value thresholds. Electric vehicles have been excluded, though. The quantitative limitof 250,000 cars per annumrepresents less than 6% of Indias market, reflecting the governments pragmatic approach designed to protect the Indian auto industry while giving Indian consumers access to high technology automobiles.

Similarly, the duty on wines would be cut from 150% to 20-30%. With respect to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), an area of concern, the EU will provide India most favoured nation status and set up a mechanism to recognize its carbon credits.

India-EU services trade stands at $67 billion, comprising Indian exports of $38 billion and imports of $29 billion. The FTA secures expanded, commercially significant and predictable access across key EU sectors, including information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services, professional services, education, financial services and tourism, among others. This market access is supplemented by an agreement on mobility that covers short-term, temporary and business travel in both directions for intra-corporate transferees and business visitors.

While the EU has made no explicit investment commitment, investment flows into India are expected to rise. Indian manufacturing could become more competitive with access to low-cost inputs and technology from the EU. As mutual trust and familiarity grow, there will be opportunities for European businesses to service the Indian market and also increase their outsourcing to India as they diversify their supply chains. This would not just help promote Make in India across the world, but also lead to quality improvements in Indian manufacturing.

Both India and the EU are keen on sovereignty in digital technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging areas like biotechnology and clean energy. India will associate with Europes research and innovation programme Horizon Europe, which would benefit Indian students, scientists and researchers. India-EU startup hubs are also proposed, which should give innovation a fillip and help close technology gaps.

Also Read | Indian winemakers will remain largely unaffected by IndiaEU free trade deal

Lastly, the deal establishes a framework for bilateral and social security agreements with EU member states over five years, thus relieving Indian professionals of dual social security payments. It will be ratified by the European Parliament after legal vetting by both sides and the European Commissions approval, and is expected to take effect in about a year.

By concluding the deal, both sides have signalled openness in trade in an era marked by protectionism and laid the groundwork for a strategic relationship that creates economic opportunities.

The author is chairman and CEO, EY India, and president, Confederation of Indian Industry.
Nearly a decade ago, long before ChatGPT wowed the world with its humanlike conversational abilities, Google DeepMinds artificial intelligence (AI) system stunned South Korea when it beat legendary Go player Lee Sedol during a televised tournament in Seoul.

The Go master and 18-time world champion of the centuries-old strategy game later retired, calling AI an entity that cannot be defeated." The spectacle was a warning, with then-president Park Geun-hye declaring Korean society was ironically lucky" to have learned about the nascent technologys importance before it is too late."

That early shock has since morphed into one of the fastest surges in AI use anywhere in the post-ChatGPT era. And Seoul wants to turn that momentum into something rarer: durable public trust. It has become the first country to enact a comprehensive national law with its so-called AI Basic Act taking effect last week.

As the US and China compete to build the best models, South Korea is stress-testing a more immediate question: how an advanced, hyper-connected economy can roll out AI rapidly without letting scams, deepfakes and slop wallop public trust. Seoul is betting that rules dont have to kill adoption, but legitimize it.

Also Read | AI is not UPI: Applying the same model could doom progress on AI

The rest of the world will be watching closely. The nation has also become a live demo of how quickly the technology can spread throughout the real economy when conditions are right. Microsofts AI Economy Institute called South Korea the clearest end-of-year success story" in its Diffusion Report this month, citing the sharpest spike in adoption in the second half of last year.

Since October 2024, Generative AI usage grew by 25% in the US and 35% globally. In South Korea, it jumped more than 80%. Microsoft attributed this surge to improvements in the Korean-language capabilities of large language models. It also pointed to the viral Studio Ghibli moment in April 2025, when global users were mesmerized by ChatGPTs image generator. The one-time trend exploded rapidly in South Korea but resulted in lasting adoption of the technology.

And Microsoft argued that government policyincluding the passage of the AI Basic Acthelped speed integration across schools, workplaces and public services.

The result is a society leaning into the revolution with unusual enthusiasm. The nation has the second-highest number of paying ChatGPT subscribers, behind the US. And at just 16%, South Korea had the lowest percentage of respondents who said they were more concerned than excited" about the rise of AI in daily lifeless than half the global average of 34% and far below the USs 50%, according to Pew Research Center data.

Also Read | Indias AI summit offers us a chance to define and drive AI accessibility

But these superlatives come with outsize exposure to the downsides. By some measures, the country also consumes the most amount of AI slop. And well before Elon Musks Grok triggered global backlash over non-consensual AI nudes, South Korea was already grappling with a deepfake porn crisis.

Many governments, spooked by a hype super-cycle and fears of falling behind geopolitical competition, are hesitating to regulate. The stated aim of Seouls law is to lay a foundation of trustworthiness" for AIs role in society, not after the damage is done, but before it scales.

Inspired by a similar law enacted by the EU, but taking effect earlier, South Koreas rules require stronger human oversight and disclosures when AI is used in sensitive domains, from loan screening to nuclear facility management. They also require labelling tools such as watermarks for machine-generated material that can be hard to distinguish from reality.

Critics argue that the laws are vague, risk chilling innovation and could hit startups harder than Big Tech, which can absorb compliance costs. Some of that concern is fair, and so far, the government has appeared sympathetic to local industry feedback. But Seoul deserves credit for acting before a backlash becomes irreversible. With 98% of the population online and the worlds highest density of industrial robots, the country is unusually well positioned to turn widespread adoption into tangible economic gains.

That also makes it a useful test case for policymakers elsewhere, who are stuck between falling behind and confronting a mounting list of societal concerns.

The point of AI guardrails is not to slow deployment, it is to make it sustainable. When it comes to such a transformative technology, the bigger constraint may not be regulation but trust. If Seoul can scale AI while holding the line on deception and abuse, it will show other jurisdictions how to do both. Bloomberg

The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia tech.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed the opposition parties for creating a ruckus during the President's address at the start of the Budget session of Parliament on Wednesday. Rijiju said that the opposition has made the country feel ashamed for the behaviour they displayed in parliament.

What the Opposition did when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament makes the country ashamed. The country will never forgive Congress and its allies, Rijiju said.

The Budget Session of Parliament commenced on Wednesday with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting, following which both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day.

Can a responsible MP behave like this? When the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram was being mentioned, and tribute was being paid to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the entire Opposition started creating a ruckus. When the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was mentioned, the opposition created a ruckus, the minister said.

The session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on 2 April. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on 13 February and reconvene on 9 March to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.

Insult to prominent personalities Rijiju said the country would not tolerate the insult to prominent personalities.

I can tolerate my insult, but Guru Tegh Bahadur, Bhupen Hazarika, Sardar Patel, 125th anniversary of Birsa Munda, insulting these altogether, and all over that insulting, while mentioning the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. I believe the country will not forgive. Politics can be done in anything, but politics in these matters, I think, the country will not forgive them, he said.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu addressed the joint session of parliament on Wednesday, on the first day of the Budget session 2026-2027. She highlighted the union government's vision for social justice, inclusive growth and a developed India. The president delivered her address to the members of both houses. Both houses adjourned on Wednesday afternoon and will meet on Thursday at 11 AM.

Opposition protests MGNREGA scrapping The Opposition parties staged a protest in what they called a "dignified" manner against the scrapping of the MGNREGA during President Droupadi Murmu's address to both Houses of the Parliament ahead of the Budget Session.

Today, during the Hon'ble President's Address to both Houses of Parliament, all Opposition parties most respectfully and in a dignified manner protested the bulldozed repeal of MGNREGA. The Opposition will use all democratic means to demand the restoration of MGNREGA, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X.

When President Murmu, during her address, highlighted the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, the opposition MPs stood and protested.

What the Opposition did when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament makes the country ashamed. The country will never forgive Congress and its allies.

President Murmu said, For employment and development in rural areas, Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law has been formed. With this new reform, there will be 125 days of employment guarantees in villages...
The tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on Wednesday has certainly left a vacuum in the BJP-led state coalition government.

One cannot imagine Maharashtra's political landscape without Ajit Pawar, who died after serving as the state's longest-serving deputy chief minister. Throughout his political career, Pawar remained one of its key power centres in Maharashtra  irrespective of the government in power.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar plane crash: Drone view shows crowds paying last respects in Barmati

Clearly, his untimely death has cast a shadow on the future of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - the party founded by his uncle many decades ago.

The NCP, the Ajit Pawar-led faction to be precise, stares at a leadership crisis, for there are no leaders to fill Pawar's shoes. There is no clear second-in-command, political observers say.

Senior journalist Prakash Akolkar told news agency PTI that both NCP factions are contesting the 5 February Zilla Parishad elections together on the clock symbol, effectively signalling an unofficial merger.

The question is no longer about who merges with whom. With only two Opposition parties leftCongress and Shiv Sena (UBT)it remains to be seen whether the Congress can revive itself, he said.

As the clock symbol lost its undisputed leader, questions loomed over the partys survival and its future equation with founder Sharad Pawar, whose Rajya Sabha tenure ends in April this year.

Ajit Pawars death came amid speculation in Maharashtra's political circles about a possible reunion with his uncle, Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar was reportedly considering merging the NCP factions and returning to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

The NCP suffered a split in 2023 when Ajit Pawar, along with many senior leaders, broke away from the party led by his uncle, veteran politician Sharad Pawar, and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition in Maharashtra.

Sanjay Rauts hint' Last week, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had expressed hope that Ajit Pawar would merge his faction with the NCP (Sharad Pawar), led by Sharad Pawar.

Also Read | Probe underway into Learjet crash that killed Maharashtra dy CM Ajit Pawar

Though Ajit Pawar is part of the Mahayuti alliance, he remains connected with the MVA. Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar will reunite as part of the MVA. Ajit Pawar cannot sit on two stools, Raut had said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will need to ensure that the 41 MLAs aligned with Ajit Pawar do not drift back toward Sharad Pawar.

Apart from state NCP president Sunil Tatkare and national working president Praful Patel, the party lacks a senior leader capable of succeeding Ajit Pawar. The only other mass-based leader, Chhagan Bhujbalrecently acquitted in a money laundering caseis currently unwell.

While Patel and Tatkare have been key organisational figures, they lack the statewide grassroots connect that Ajit Pawar commanded.

Focus on Sunetra Pawar The focus, at least for now, has turned to Ajit Pawar's wife, Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar. Sunetra has been politically active, though she lacks administrative experience.

The NCP has one Lok Sabha member, Sunil Tatkare, and two Rajya Sabha MPs - Praful Patel and Sunetra Pawar.

Married to Ajit Pawar since 1985, Sunetra has long been known as the Pawar family bahu. She maintained a relatively low public profile for most of her life, until 2024, when she contested the Baramati Lok Sabha seat against Sharad Pawar's daughter and her sister-in-law, Supriya Sule. Sunetra lost to Sule by over 1.5 lakh votes.

With NCP founder Sharad Pawar staying away from the public glare during the recently held local bodies and civic elections, his daughter and NCP (SP) working president, Supriya Sule, campaigned for the party candidates, but was no match for her cousin Ajit Pawar, who campaigned statewide.

In the ruling Mahayuti, which won a massive mandate in the 2024 assembly polls, the BJP has 132 MLAs, followed by Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena with 57 and Pawar's NCP 41.

Recent Performance in Civic Polls

The question is no longer about who merges with whom.

In the recently concluded civic polls in Maharashtra, the NCP, which contested separately from Mahayuti allies, bagged 167 seats across 29 municipal corporations and was defeated by the BJP on its home ground of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, where it had aligned with Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP), which won only 36 seats across the state.

Last month, in the polls to 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats, the NCP won 966 and NCP (SP) 256 out of the total 6,851 seats.
The UK government is seeking to determine whether Donald Trump has the power to derail its plans to hand over sovereignty of a strategically vital island to Mauritius, after the US president called into question a deal he previously backed.

Ministers are also trying to establish if the US administration intends to veto the deal over the Chagos Islands, according to a person familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity speaking about a diplomatically sensitive topic. They said that if the US does change its long-held position, it would likely be enough to unravel the agreement.

Under the deal brokered by Keir Starmers government, Britain will lease back a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia from Mauritius for 99 years. After supporting the agreement last year, Trump last week called it an act of total weakness and great stupidity. Thats despite his own previous support and Secretary of State Marco Rubios description of the deal as a monumental achievement.

The fallout over the Chagos islands highlights the tricky balancing act Starmer faces as he seeks to honor an agreement reached with Mauritius after two years of negotiations without angering Britains most important ally. Starmers administration has said the deal is key to enable the continued legal use by the UK and US of what is a vitally strategic air base.

Trump Flips Position to Attack UKs Starmer Over Chagos Deal

Conversations between UK and US officials have taken place in recent days in an attempt to ease the White Houses concerns. Even so, Starmers spokesman, Geraint Ellis, on Wednesday couldnt say whether the US has the power to unravel the deal.

The UK and US have worked closely together in developing the treaty, which will secure the joint base on Diego Garcia thats vital to our national security, he said. We continue to work closely with the US to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place for the future operations of the base.

The State Department declined to comment, pointing to Trumps Truth Social post.

The Times on Wednesday reported that ministers are increasingly concerned that Trump could pull the deal and that Starmer did not raise the issue during a call with the President on Saturday.

Starmer, however, said hes discussed Chagos with Trump a number of times, and the issue has been raised with the White House as recently as this week.

When the Trump administration came in, we paused for three months to give them time to consider the Chagos deal, which they did at agency level, he told reporters on his way to China. Once theyd done that, they were very clear in the pronouncements about the fact that they supported the deal.

Starmer last week told the House of Commons that Trumps volte-face over Chagos expressly intended to put pressure on me to yield on my principles over Greenland after the British premier had criticized Trumps attempts to take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

Britain is now seeking to ease US concerns over Diego Garcia without drawing the issue back onto Trumps radar while hes distracted by Iran and domestic controversies.

UK opposition parties with links to the White House are seeking to do the reverse. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch discussed her opposition to the Chagos deal with House Speaker Mike Johnson the evening before Trumps social media post. Shes also discussed it with US ambassador Warren Stephens, her office said. Trump ally Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK Party, meanwhile, discussed Diego Garcia with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over dinner at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this month.

While the UK has already signed the treaty with Mauritius, a bill to implement it is yet to complete its passage through Parliament, with ministers disputing several amendments passed in the Lords.

Last week, the government postponed a Lords debate after the Tories tabled an amendment to ensure the deal doesnt breach a 1966 UK-US treaty, which confirms British sovereignty of the islands. The government accused the Tories irresponsible and reckless behavior and said they would reschedule the debate soon.

However, Marc Weller, Director of Chatham Houses international law program, said in a blog post this week that the 1966 agreement was no oath of eternal UK sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, or Diego Garcia and that international law recognizes that circumstances can change.

The government confirmed on Monday that updating that UK-US agreement was a pre-requisite to enable it to ratify the Chagos Treaty.

The UK has made excellent progress toward finalizing an updated UK-US agreement, foreign office minister Stephen Doughty told the House of Commons on Monday. He said it wasnt unusual as it has been updated five times previously, the latest in 1999.

We remain engaged with the US on a daily basis on matters relating to our national security and we will continue to engage with them on this important matter, he said, adding that Britain aims to allay any concerns, as we have done throughout this process.

The Chagos Islands and the Diego Garcia base are almost 2,000 miles from the coast of East Africa. The US and UK military facility there allows those nations to more easily carry out missions from the Middle East to Asia.

Britains concerns arent isolated. We will see what happens, Mauritius attorney general, Gavin Glover, told private radio on Saturday. We are close to the goal. Let us dare to hope that we will be able to complete the treaty in the forthcoming weeks.

With assistance from Alex Wickham, Kamlesh Bhuckory, Lucy White, Will Standring and Eric Martin.

2026 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- Google is launching an artificial intelligence assistant on its Chrome browser that can open websites and click around on a users behalf.

The feature, called auto browse, will allow users to ask an assistant powered by Gemini to complete tasks such as shopping for them without leaving Chrome, said Charmaine DSilva, a director of product. Chrome users will be able to plan a family trip by asking Gemini to open different airline and hotel websites to compare prices, for instance, DSilva explained.

Our testers have used it for all sorts of things: scheduling appointments, filling out tedious online forms, collecting their tax documents, getting quotes for plumbers and electricians, checking if their bills are paid, filing expense reports, managing their subscriptions, and speeding up renewing their driving licenses  a ton of time saved, said Parisa Tabriz, vice president of Chrome, in a blog post.

The rollout is the latest push by parent company Alphabet Inc. to weave AI advancements throughout its products. Earlier this month, the company said Gemini can tap into users data across Gmail, Search, Photos and YouTube to personalize its responses. With that feature, called Personal Intelligence, activated on Chrome, the Gemini assistant can help with logistics around a trip like checking school schedules and already-scheduled appointments to find the best option for the family, DSilva said on a call with media.

Chromes auto browse will be available to US AI pro and AI Ultra subscribers and will use Google Password Manager to sign into websites on a users behalf. As part of the launch, Google is also bringing its image generation tool, Nano Banana, directly into Chrome.

The company said that safeguards have been placed to ensure the agentic AI will not be able to make final calls, such as placing an order, without the users permission.

Were using AI as well as on-device models to protect people from whats really an ever-evolving landscape, whether its AI-generated scams or just increasingly sophisticated attackers, Tabiz said during the call.

--With assistance from Carmen Arroyo.

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Alexis Ortega, a well-known Mexican voice actor best recognised for dubbing Tom Hollands Spider-Man in the Latin American Spanish versions of Marvel films, has died at the age of 38. The news of his death was confirmed by members of the dubbing community and later reported by several media outlets, including New York Post.

Dubbing community in shock Ortegas sudden passing has sent shockwaves through the Spanish-language dubbing industry. Apart from Spider-Man, he was also widely admired for lending his voice to Tadashi Hamada in Big Hero 6, among other popular characters.

Fans and fellow voice actors have taken to social media to express their disbelief and grief over his untimely death.

Cause of death not disclosed As of now, no official details regarding the cause of Ortegas death have been made public. Reports confirming his passing have largely come from Mexico and members of the dubbing community online.

Neither Ortegas family nor authorities in Mexico City, where he lived, have issued a formal statement explaining the circumstances surrounding his death.

What we know so far According to early reports, the news was first shared by The Beaver, the student newspaper of the London School of Economics (LSE). A local Mexican outlet reported that Ortega died on January 24, although official confirmation of the date is still awaited.

At present, the circumstances of his death remain unclear. However, there have been no indications of police involvement, suggesting that foul play is not suspected. More details are expected once family members or close associates speak publicly.

Also Read | 'Spiderman' booked over dangerous riding for Instagram Reels

Tributes pour in The Anime Latin Dub Awards (ALDA) shared a condolence message on social media following the actors passing.

It read: We regret to inform you of the sensitive passing of actor Alexis Ortega. We send our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in the industry. Rest in peace, and we will always remember him in his incredible performances.
The family of Longford woman Bryonny Sainsbury, who died on August 30, 2021, following what were described as 'egregious errors', have received a formal apology from the HSE after significant issues were found with her medical care at Mullingar Hospital.

Bryonny (25), from Briskil, Newtownforbes, was seriously injured following an equestrian accident on August 26, 2021, and she was initially taken to Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin days later.

A 2024 inquest into Bryonny's death heard some of the advice provided by staff at Beaumont to Mullingar was not followed and that she could have been saved if she had been transferred to Beaumont sooner.

Also read: Review into death of Longford woman Bryonny Sainsbury should be released to family

The apology was made at the High Court on Tuesday, January 20 as the family settled a case against the hospital over the failures in care given.

In the apology, hospital management offered a "sincere and unreserved apology" for the failures in care provided to Ms Sainsbury.

It acknowledged the "deep grief and enduring impact" her passing had on her family who cherished her.

Also read: 'One of a kind': Community in mourning following tragic death of popular Newtownforbes hairdresser

The statement added: "Please accept our 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 continue to inform and strengthen the care we provide."

Bryonny's mum Alison says the apology was meaningless. We had the trauma of watching our daughter die. We begged for help and they didn't listen.

Following a torturous four and a half year battle, Bryonnys parents Chris and Alison Sainsbury, and her brothers Arron and Gregory, entered the High Court where they settled five actions against the HSE and received a public apology for what the organisation admitted was a series of egregious errors in their daughters care.

Will not stop speaking out

Chris and Alison spoke about the traumatic loss of their beloved daughter, what happened during her time in Mullingar Regional Hospital, and why they will not stop speaking out against those responsible.

Looking back on the evening of August 26, when Bryonnys accident occurred, Chris recalled, We had a phone call from Jeffrey, the owner of the livery (in Kenagh) where Bryonny had her horses. Jeffrey said, can you come up here because Bryonny needs you for something? So we were none the wiser until we got there and saw the ambulance.

By that time, Bryonny was on a stretcher, but you could see they had put a bandage around her head and she'd been bleeding profusely. She didn't really know who we were, she just kept saying, sorry, I'm sorry.

It turns out Bryonny had been pushed by a horse. The horse became spooked during a procedure and flung Bryonny across the wash bay area and pushed against it. That caused the head trauma.

We ended up in Mullingar Hospital and that was on the 26th. So Bryonny went up to a ward after midnight and we spent three hours in the car outside as it was just coming out of COVID. They weren't giving us any information so every hour I was going in and asking what's going on? but I wasnt told anything.

Alison adds, We were getting anxious and annoyed. I know she was 25, but when you see your daughter in that state, she wasn't compos mentis enough to take in what they were trying to say to her.

Bryonny had undergone a CT scan by this time. One of the nurses said to us, she's not too bad; she's not singing and dancing, but she's not too bad. So we thought she must be okay. Another person said to us she'd be out by Monday. They weren't treating it as serious at all and because they werent, we thought it wasn't (serious). This was on the Thursday. The following day, Chris, myself and Bryonnys boyfriend went to see her but they wouldn't let me in. They just let her dad and her boyfriend in.

Chris continues, There was no improvement in Bryonny. At that stage, she was vomiting. Her hair was still matted from the old blood. She was complaining about the neck brace hurting her but she was coming in and out of consciousness all the time. You couldnt have a conversation with her because she was coming and going, holding her head.

Advice from Beaumont Hospital

Upon Bryonnys admission to Mullingar hospital, staff sought advice from Beaumont Hospitals consultant neurosurgeon, Professor Donncha OBrien, and his team. After viewing the case details, Prof OBrien returned a specific treatment plan for Bryonny.

When addressing the inquest, Dr Muhammad Majeed - under whose care Bryonny had been admitted on the Thursday - maintained that because he went off duty for the weekend, her care became the responsibility of the consultant surgeon on call for the weekend, Dr Shahbaz Mansoor. Dr Mansoor, however, insisted that as Bryonny had been admitted under Dr Majeed, she was his responsibility. With no consultant handling Bryonnys care from August 27 to 29, it was argued by the familys legal team that no escalation in Bryonnys care had occurred when her condition began to deteriorate.

Alison adds, He (Dr Majeed) said he went off duty without doing a changeover with his staff, so they didn't know about the care plan, hadn't done her bloods, or anything like that. They only did her bloods on the Thursday, and then when she was critically ill on Sunday morning, going into seizures, they did another blood test. Beaumont had instructed for them to be done regularly. By Saturday morning, people were telling us Bryonny should be in Beaumont. We begged quite a few times for her to be transferred, but all Mulllingar would say was, she's not bad enough.

Alison recalls noticing a visible deterioration in Bryonnys condition on the Saturday evening. By Sunday morning, the severity had escalated further.

An anesthesiologist was there mid-morning on Sunday when Bryonny was critical. I wanted her moved. If we knew then what we knew now, we would have taken her out of that bed, put her in the car and driven her up to Beaumont because she'd still be alive today.

Adds Chris, We thought we'd do more damage if we lifted her and carried her out, but we found out in the inquest that her injuries, they didn't need any surgery and would've healed on their own. She'd have been back to work in six to eight weeks.

There were 10 faults found in the review. We had a meeting with the management of Mulllingar Hospital and I started going through the 10 faults. There were stupid things like not doing her bloods. I said, why weren't her bloods done? They just said, We dont know. I asked, Why didn't they contact Beaumont and let them know that she was deteriorating? Again, they said, we dont know. So I asked, why was she given the wrong medication? Same answer. Dont know.

Heartbreaking revelation

Arguably the most heartbreaking revelation to come from the inquest was that Bryonny could potentially have been saved had the CT scans taken on August 28 been sent to Prof OBrien. The consultant neurosurgeon told the court that if he had seen those scans, he would have requested she be transferred to Beaumont Hospital. Instead, she remained in Mullingar, only being transferred to the ICU three days after being admitted, and then later that day transferred again, this time to Beaumont, by which point it was already too late as the swelling around the brain had intensified.

Professor O'Brien said that if he or his team had got to Bryonny by four o'clock that Sunday, it would have been reversible, said Chris. He was the only one who talked straight sense.

On Sunday, I heard the nurses and the anaesthetist having a discussion about Bryonny. The nurses wanted her moved down to ICU because she needed one-to-one care but they had 16 or so other patients and were saying, we can't do it, she needs to go down.

Bryonny was rolling around in the bed holding her head, screaming, jumping up, grabbing me, and then falling back down on the bed. Her body was starting to shut down because when we got her bloods back, her sodium level was critical. That's organ failure!

Added Alison, roll on another hour and they still said she wasn't bad enough to go into ICU. We're begging them to move her to Beaumont but they said no, she's not bad enough. That's all we got.

When Bryonny was eventually sent to Mullingar ICU on August 29, Chris explains it was the last time he and Alison would see her alive.

By the time they took her down to ICU in the afternoon, Bryonny was screaming with head pain. They were holding her on the trolley because she was in so much pain, and that's the last time we saw her. That's the last vision we have of our daughter alive.

Alison added, We were allowed after about an hour to go into the ICU to see her. When we walked in, the doctors and nurses stood at the end of the bed and I just remember they couldnt look at us. I dont why but I opened Bryonnys eyelid, and her eyes were just fixed and dilated. I said to Chris, this isn't good. They wanted her out. They wanted her gone to Beaumont.

When Professor OBrien was told on the Sunday, he was in Cork visiting his parents but he left and drove back to Beaumont to see what was going on. He stopped for diesel in Portlaoise where he rang his team and when they told him about her eyes being dilated, he knew it was too late.

Powerless to Act

Bryonny was transferred to Beaumont that day where she sadly passed away two days later.

Prof OBrien would later tell the inquest that Bryonnys condition was treatable but that he had been powerless to act as Mullingar Hospital had not maintained communication with him regarding her case.

The apology from the HSE last week, Alison says, was meaningless.

There needs to be accountability. She added, We had the trauma of watching our daughter die. We begged for help and they didn't listen. Then we had the trauma of four and half years fighting for an apology. The whole system around accountability and how they treat families needs to change.
Dublin City councillor Hazel Chu has been elected as the deputy leader of the Green Party.

Ms Chu was successful over Louth County Councillor Marianne Butler, having secured 63% of the vote.

She takes over the position vacated by Roisin Garvey, who resigned in October.

Ms Chu said: Members were clear: they want a Green Party that speaks plainly, organises relentlessly, and delivers real change.

My job now is to turn that mandate into momentum.

The future of the Green Party is about rebuilding and reinvigorating, rooted in our values, serious about power, and focused on outcomes for people and the planet.

We will be a party that sets the agenda, not one that reacts to it.

Im looking forward to working closely with Roderic OGorman our leader, Malcolm Noonan our senator, Janet Horner our chair and with our councillors, representatives, our members and activists across the island of Ireland.

All paid-up members with six months standing were entitled to vote in this election.

Mr OGorman said: I am really looking forward to working with Hazel in her role as new deputy leader.

She has huge experience through her many years service on Dublin City Council and through the leadership roles she has previously held in the Green Party.

He also paid tribute to Ms Butler, who said: Although the result is not what I hoped for, I congratulate Hazel on her election as deputy leader of our party.

Ms Chu was born and raised in Dublin, where she lives in Ranelagh with her partner and former party TD Patrick Costello and their daughter Alex.

She served as lord mayor of Dublin from 2020 to 2021.
A small number of Garda trainees in the next graduating class are not ready to enter the field for a range of issues including vetting.

An Garda Siochana said several trainee candidates remain in enhanced security vetting.

A spokesman said this was for a variety of reasons such as the candidate requiring checks with international police services because of having lived abroad.

An Garda Siochana said it was endeavouring to advance these to the decision phase as quickly as possible.

It is understood that delays for trainees entering the field can also arise for other reasons, such as examinations.

On Wednesday, a row broke out in the Dail over the matter as Sinn Fein was accused of misrepresenting comments by Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan.

The opposition party had contended that up to 20 trainees were awaiting vetting before they could fully graduate.

During Leaders Questions, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: Up to 20 in a given class of gardai will be prevented from starting their duties because of an internal Garda process  the minister at committee yesterday confirmed that that was the case. 

However, Mr OCallaghan rejected the claim that he had confirmed that figure.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Ms McDonald had heard the figure from her justice spokesman Matt Carthy, whom he accused of exaggeration and spin.

It is understood that the number awaiting vetting is not approaching 20.

Ms McDonald had said: Its frankly unbelievable to me that gardai, who will be graduating next week, will be prevented from starting their work. Why? Because their Garda vetting hasnt been completed.

Ms McDonald said you literally couldnt make this up and said the minister had confirmed the issue at committee.

However Mr OCallaghan, who was in the Dail chamber, said he had not said that and Mr Martin told the Sinn Fein leader he would not respond to assertions that are not soundly based.

He added: The more fundamental point is, we are recruiting gardai at record numbers.

At the Justice Committee on Tuesday, Mr Carthy and Mr OCallaghan had an exchange about the approximately 170 trainees graduating from Templemore Garda College next week.

The Sinn Fein justice spokesman asked the minister if he was aware there would be recruits passing out who have still not received their Garda vetting, and therefore would not be able to enter the field, and requested a figure for how many may be affected.

Mr OCallaghan replied: I cant give you the number in terms of how many.

He said no gardai would attest until the full probation and vetting process had been completed, adding that vetting now runs while trainees are at Templemore.

Mr Carthy said he had been informed that as many as 20 of the recruits would have their deployment postponed because of vetting delays.

Mr OCallaghan said he did not have that figure.

After Leaders Questions on Wednesday, Sinn Fein acknowledged its representatives had raised the figure of 20 trainees but contended that the minister had accepted there was an issue with vetting.
Marguerite Donlon, the internationally acclaimed choreographer and former ballet dancer from Longford town, has announced an upcoming August dance and live music workshop. Alongside musician Giacomo for an inspiring experience for all ages, the event will take place in Longford Slashers between August 14-18.



Junior participants between the ages of 7-12 will have their workshop from 10am to 1:30pm over five days, and will cost 110 (additional siblings are 95). Seniors, from ages 13-99 are from 2:30pm to 6:30pm, and will cost 120 over the five days.

PICTURES | Longford audiences enjoy an evening with The High Kings in Rustic Inn



This is to be a unique workshop, exploring creative potential through dance, improvisation and music. In the end, Marguerite and her team will have guided participants to create exciting dance pieces with an original live electronic song created for them by the composer, Giacomo. Participants will use their imagination to create fantastic costume designs which will be exhibited at the end of the workshop.



Marguerite came to chat about how this workshop came about, and how the desire to do it has been over a few years.

I used to do summer workshops quite often many years ago when I was a dancer at the English National Ballet and the Deutsche Oper Berlin. We had long summer vacations so it was perfect.



I also did many workshops at Shawbrook and Backstage, and it was always very inspiring to see the emerging dance talent. Many of those students have gone on to have very exciting careers in dance.



However, with my job as Artistic Director and other family commitments in recent years, it made it a bit more difficult to find time. Now that I am freelancing, and can organise my schedule better, I decided to make time to do a workshop in my hometown, Longford.



She added how proud she is of Longford, as it has made itself a dance hub, mentioning Anica Dawson of Shawbrook and Mona Considein and her team in Backstage. The rise of dance schools in the county has been described as fantastic by Marguerite.

I am a huge believer that dance is a very powerful art form. Not only in hope to create the next budding ballerina, but to open up and understand how it is to work as a team, to build confidence and to understand yourself deeply.



There will be some surprise guest teachers coming to take part alongside Marguerite and Giacomo, which will be announced at a later date.

Read more: Longford's Cian McPhillips powers to impressive win in Boston



As to why all ages should get involved, Marguerite said:



What I am offering is more about creativity and making dance. From the first thing in the morning, till last thing at night, almost everything we do, and see is in a way a form of dance. Movement has been our first language, so its a language that we deeply understand. Our participants will be given a vocabulary of movement, which they can then dissect, and play with. They will learn tools of how to create original dance movements and they will create unique solos, duets or and group pieces.

"I would like to invite people out of their heads and into their bodies with confidence, to ignite their creativity and to feel proud of their ideas.

"I would like to share the knowledge that has been given to me by some of the most amazing people in the dance world."

The workshop ends with an informal showing on the final day



Everyone can sign up regardless of experience to enjoy the process and creativity.



Register via: Marguerite@donlon.de
Hajj Abu Husayn al Hamidawi, the secretary-general of the pro-Iranian Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, fills out a martyr volunteer form. (Sabereen, an Iraqi militia-affiliated X account)

Tehran and its regional proxies are escalating threats against the United States and Israel as Washington moves additional naval forces into the Middle East. The US military buildup follows US President Donald Trumps warnings over the Iranian regimes lethal crackdown on protesters. Regime-affiliated outlets and militia leaders have outlined retaliation scenarios ranging from missile and drone strikes on US facilities and maritime disruptions in the Persian Gulf to direct proxy-led ground attacks.

The Pentagon is moving the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group from the South China Sea through the Indian Ocean toward the Middle East, adding a carrier, three destroyers, and roughly 5,700 personnel to the theater. Once in the region, the group will link up with three littoral combat ships based in Bahrain and two US destroyers already operating in the Persian Gulf, reinforcing existing US forces and command elements centered at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The buildup follows a series of threats from Trump directed at the Islamic Republic over its killing of unarmed protesters. Trump wrote on January 2 that should the regime kill Iranian protestors, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. He later escalated his remarks on January 13, calling on protestors to take over regime institutions and adding that HELP IS ON ITS WAY.

Regime forces, supplemented by terrorists deployed from Tehrans network of regional militias, have killed over 36,000 unarmed protestors with heavy military equipment. An Iraqi security source reported to CNN that nearly 5,000 Iraqi militia fighters from Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid al Shuhada, and the Badr Organization entered Iran from two border crossings in southern Iraq to suppress protests. All of these groups, except the Badr Organization, are US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations that have killed American servicemembers.

Tehran is on high alert

On January 25, regime authorities unveiled a new mural in central Tehran warning the United States. Displayed on a massive billboard, it depicts an aircraft carrier from above with burning and wrecked fighter jets on the deck, bodies scattered across the surface, and blood streaming into the sea in a pattern resembling the stripes of the US flag. A caption reads, If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.

Defa Press, an outlet controlled by the regimes General Staff of the Armed Forces, published an article on January 20 outlining Tehrans four options for retaliation against a potential US attack:

1. A missile and drone barrage against US facilities in the Middle East

The publication argued that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force and the Islamic Republic of Iran Armys (Artesh) drone units can strike US military installations in the region, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, Sheikh Isa Air Base, and Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.

Similarly, regime-affiliated social media channels circulated a video on January 22 titled U.S. bases that are within Irans firing range. The video shows pins being placed on American military sites in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.

2. Attacking Israel with missiles and drones

The Defa Press article also pointed to the 12-Day War between Iran and Israel as a model for how a response could unfold. It listed missile and drone strikes against Israel as another potential retaliatory option, suggesting that the regime either expects Israel to join US operations or intends to draw it into a broader conflict.

3. Attacking US naval assets and closing the Strait of Hormuz

Another retaliatory option for Iran centers on closing the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, according to Defa Press. If Irans trade routes are disrupted, the regime will retaliate by impeding global trade and warns that it could target the US naval fleet using thousands of coastal anti-ship missiles alongside a three-part approach involving anti-ship missiles, naval mines, and patrol craft.

The regime-affiliated Javan Online wrote on January 26 that the IRGC is concentrating on Irans Persian Gulf coastline and has deployed military equipment and fortifications on Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, conducted mine-laying operations in the Strait of Hormuz, and installed the Belarusian Vostok-1 radar to increase visibility of aerial threats.

An analysis posted on Fox News on January 25 said that Irans use of low-cost drones poses a credible asymmetric threat to high-value US naval assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group. The analysis noted that mass drone launches could overwhelm ship defenses through saturation attacks and make US surface vessels operating near Iran prime targets.

4. Escalation through regional proxies

A final retaliation scenario involves Tehran leveraging its terror proxies, which it refers to as resistance forces, to strike US targets and form a coalition against Israel that could include ground combat. Tehrans militias within the Axis of Resistance are already issuing threats across the region.

On January 16, Kataib Hezbollah threatened to strike US bases in the region if the United States attacks the Islamic Republic. Kataib Hezbollah is also part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an official Iraqi security institution comprised largely of Iran-backed militias. On January 26, the Badr Organization, another Iran-backed militia in the PMF, echoed Kataib Hezbollahs support for the regime in Tehran.

American forces are present in Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, but on January 18, the Iraqi government announced that US personnel had withdrawn from military facilities within the federal territory it controls in Iraq. US Central Command (CENTCOM) described the Iraqi statement on the handover of bases as factual but did not elaborate on current troop dispositions.

Hajj Abu Husayn al Hamidawi, the secretary-general of Kataib Hezbollah, reiterated the groups threat against the US on January 25. In his statement, he urged fighters to prepare for a comprehensive war in support and backing of the Islamic Republic in Iran and included the possibility of suicide operations. On January 26, Sabereen News, a militia-aligned X account, shared photos of Hamidawi filling out a form to volunteer for suicide attacks. The account has also published photos and footage of crowds gathering to register in what they describe as an influx of volunteer martyrs. Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba has publicized recruitment efforts for suicide operations in defense of the Islamic Republic.

Alwiya Waad al Haq, a front group for Kataib Hezbollah, also issued a threat to American embassies and interests in the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding waters.

The Islamic Republic reportedly transferred long-range ballistic missiles to its proxies in Iraq in April 2025, according to The Times. Israeli media reported in November 2025 that the regime in Tehran was increasing arms supplies to Iraqi militias in anticipation of future conflict.

Trump may choose to strike Iran-backed militias in Iraq as part of any military activity against the Islamic Republic and its adversaries. Both Trump in his first term and former President Joe Biden in his term have struck Tehrans proxies in Iraq.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem delivered a speech on January 26 in support of the Islamic Republic and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Qassem said that while Hezbollah will determine the manner of its response to any conflict between the Islamic Republic and Israel/America, the group is not neutral.

On January 26, Yemens Houthis shared new footage of their attack on the Marlin Luada fuel tanker, which they struck in the Gulf of Aden at the end of January 2024. On January 25, the group shared a short excerpt from the video with the caption soon, as a teaser for the full video. The Houthis and the United States have had a ceasefire in place since May 6, which followed a roughly seven-week air campaign conducted by American forces against the Iran-backed terror group. However, the Houthis continued to attack commercial ships and Israel until a ceasefire went into effect in Gaza in October 2025.

Janatan Sayeh is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian domestic affairs and the Islamic Republics regional malign influence. Bridget Toomey is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focusing on Iranian proxies, specifically Iraqi militias and the Houthis.
A screenshot from a Russian military recruitment ad posted in January 2026, featuring the emblems of Russias Defense Ministry and Unmanned Systems Forces. (Russian Defense Ministry)

The Russian military has launched a recruitment drive to fill its Unmanned Systems Forces (USF), placing greater-than-usual emphasis on candidate quality. This campaign reflects the key role drones have come to play in the Ukraine war and in Russias plans for its future force structure.

In mid-January, the Russian Defense Ministrys Telegram channel began posting a steady stream of recruitment ads for the USF, a new branch of arms (rod voysk) comprising personnel dealing with aerial, ground, and maritime drones across the Russian military. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov first announced plans to establish the USF in December 2024, following a similar move by Ukraine.

The campaign has its own informational website, chatbot, and call-in number. In addition to lucrative pay and other socioeconomic benefits, the Defense Ministry insists that recruits will receive adequate training and will serve only in drone unitsan attempt to counter horror stories of drone pilots being shoved into assault roles.

Applicants are also promised a one-year contract with a guaranteed right to discharge upon its expiration, whereas other troops must serve indefinitely. Whether Moscow will honor that commitment, given its previous usage of personnel, is an open question.

Unlike assault units, where quantity is paramount, the emphasis [in the USF] will be on quality rather than sheer numbers, explained Oleh Luhovskyi, first deputy head of Ukraines Foreign Intelligence Service, in an interview published on January 24.

The Russian Defense Ministry says it will prioritize applicants who have experience in aviation, spetsnaz (elite light infantry), or reconnaissance units, or with flying drones, aircraft modeling, IT, electronics, or radio engineering. Candidates must meet education and health requirements and be 18 to 45 years old, while future first-person view (FPV) drone pilots cannot be older than 35.

According to the Russian daily Kommersant, recruiters are actively targeting university and college students. One ad shows a young man swapping out a computer game for a set of FPV goggles.

In the war in Ukraine, both sides employ unmanned aerial systems (UAS) of various types to conduct reconnaissance, correct fire, deliver supplies, emplace and clear mines, and conduct strikes at distances ranging from 0 to 1,000 kilometers. UAS now account for most combat casualties suffered by Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) are also playing an increasingly important role, particularly in logistics and casualty evacuation. Ukraine has also famously used uncrewed surface vessels to repel Russias Black Sea Fleet, while both belligerents employ USVs for various tasks on the Dnipro River.

In December, Belousov said that the USFs formation would be completed in 2026. These forces will be tasked with transitioning from the execution of individual tasks by groups and crews to comprehensive joint operations within units and military formations, the defense minister added.

The Russians currently have some 80,000 troops serving in drone units, according to General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Ukrainian commander-in-chief. In the second phase, in 2026, they plan to double this numberto 165,500. And by 2030almost 210,000, he stated.

To put those ambitious targets in perspective, Ukrainian intelligence believes Moscow currently plans to recruit 409,000 troops in 2026. Devoting so many recruits to drone units could leave assault units short-staffed, assuming casualty rates remain high. Another likely constraint is training capacity. In December, Belousov said that Russia must significantly expand the drone-related training pipeline to accommodate several tens of thousands of people.

Like Ukraine, Russia has adapted its force structure throughout the war to accommodate the increased role of unmanned systems. This has included the establishment of larger drone units.

Notably, Russia has formed or begun forming unmanned systems regiments within each of its military districts. The first appears to have been the Central Military Districts 7th Regiment, established in 2024. These units are equipped with various fixed- and rotary-wing reconnaissance, one-way attack, and interceptor UAS, as well as UGVs.

A recent state media report on a new drone regiment claimed that the instructors training recruits all fought in Ukraine and themselves receive periodic refresher training from Russias elite Rubicon Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies. Formed in 2024, Rubicon has earned the respect of Ukrainian troops both for its direct battlefield impact and its dissemination of tactics, techniques, and procedures to other units.

In addition to filling out units and replacing losses, Russia will likely use new recruits to continue creating drone formations and expand some existing ones. USF Deputy Commander Colonel Sergey V. Ishtuganov, 39, a decorated officer who came up through the Airborne Forces, foreshadowed as much last November. According to Syrskyi, the USF is supposed to comprise 277 military units and sub-units by 2030.

In concert, Russia has been codifying new drone-related military occupational specialties and adding or adjusting training programs at military academies, institutionalizing adaptations driven by the war in Ukraine. In 2027, Russia plans to open a dedicated military school in the Moscow region to train officers for unmanned systems units.

These adaptations make it clear that the Russian military believes unmanned systems will continue to play a critical role in warfare long after the guns in Ukraine fall silent.

John Hardie is the deputy director of FDDs Russia Program and a contributor to FDD's Long War Journal.
Syrian interim President Ahmad al Sharaa shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin on his second visit to Moscow in four months on January 28, 2026. (Office of the President of Russia)

Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa made his second visit to Moscow in four months on January 28, even as Russia is withdrawing its forces from the city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria. Moscow may hope that its withdrawal will help ensure Damascus grants Russia continued access to key bases in western Syria.

The Russian pullback from Qamishli comes as Syrian government forces seized vast swaths of territory earlier this month from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Forces loyal to Sharaa have been fighting the SDF as part of an effort to bring all Syrian territory under the control of the government in Damascus.

A January 20 ceasefire between pro-government forces and the SDF gave Damascus control of Syrias Deir-ez-Zor and Raqqa Governorates. The status of Al Hasakah Governorate, which includes Qamishli, was left for later negotiations. However, a government takeover there seems inevitable.

The Russian withdrawal from Qamishli appears to have begun last week. A video shared by the Kurdish Rudaw Media Network on January 22 showed a Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft landing at the airport. Subsequent footage aired on January 26 showed Russian military equipment being loaded onto an Il-76. The same day, Al-Monitor posted footage from inside a makeshift Russian barracks that had reportedly been abandoned two days earlier.

Some of the Russian forces withdrawn from Qamishli are expected to redeploy to the Russian-controlled Hmeimim air base in western Syria, while others will return to Russia, a Syrian source told Reuters on January 26. Another source said that Russia had transported military vehicles and heavy weaponry to Hmeimim over the previous two days.

The pullback came after the Russian daily Kommersant, citing an unnamed Syrian source familiar with the situation, reported on January 21 that the Syrian government may ask Russian troops to vacate Qamishli as part of the negotiations for Hasakah.

I think the Russians will be asked to leave Qamishli completely, the source told Kommersant. They have no business there now. The American military also appears to be headed for a full withdrawal from northeastern Syria, where US forces had partnered with the SDF to fight the Islamic State.

Russia, which backed deposed Syrian President Bashar al Assad in the 13-year Syrian Civil War, had used the Qamishli airport to support joint patrols with Turkey as part of a 2019 agreement to ensure the removal of Kurdish forces from the Turkey-Syria border and monitor a ceasefire between Kurdish and Turkish forces. Still, the Russian military presence in Qamishli had been relatively small.

Russias most important assets are Hmeimim Air Base and the Tartus naval logistics center in western Syria. These facilities not only helped Moscow support Assads regime but also gave the Russian military a gateway to pursue its interests in the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Africa. When rebel forces led by Sharaas Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) ousted Assad in December 2024, it threw Russias continued presence in Syria into question.

There is no love lost between Moscow and Syrias new rulers after being on opposite sides of the Syrian Civil War. Russia helped slaughter many thousands of civilians, including in airstrikes on hospitals, markets, schools, and refugee camps, while supporting Assad. Many of these atrocities were committed in Idlib province, the stronghold of HTS, a former affiliate of Al Qaeda. The Russians, for their part, remain wary of extremist elements in the new regime.

Nevertheless, both sides have opted for pragmatism. Although the Kremlin granted asylum to Assad, it quickly recognized Syrias new government and engaged diplomatically to ensure continued access to its military facilities.

Sharaa has called on Russia to extradite Assad back to Syria so that he can stand trial, a move which Moscow has refused. Damascus also terminated a contract under which a Russian company managed and operated the commercial side of the Tartus port. At the same time, Sharaa has calculated that Syria is better off preserving cordial ties with Russia, including with defense cooperation.

On October 15, Sharaa met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The Syrian leader promised to respect all agreements made between Russia and Syria, apparently referring to the military facilities, while working on redefining the nature of relations with Russia.

A Syrian foreign ministry official told Reuters that Damascus, which resented Russias presence in Qamishli and ties to the Kurds, interprets the Russian withdrawal as a gesture intended to build goodwill and reassure Sharaa that Moscow will not interfere in his struggle with the SDF. When they met on January 28, Putin congratulated Sharaa on the growing momentum in his efforts to restore Syrias territorial integrity.

Sharaa and Putin reportedly discussed the future of the Hmeimim and Tartus facilities during the meeting, along with regional and economic issues, according to Syrian and Russian officials. Sharaa was also seeking greater Russian engagement in future security arrangements in southern Syria, including a military police presence in Quneitra, in the Golan Heights, to serve as a buffer against Israeli incursions, Reuters reported, citing the Syrian foreign ministry source.

A number of Russian officials attended the meeting, including Dmitry Shugaev, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. Shugaevs presence suggests a potential discussion of arms sales to Syria, as Sharaa looks to rebuild his countrys military capabilities.

So far, Syria and Russia appear willing to let bygones be bygones and move forward in their bilateral economic and security relationships. However, time will tell how long the Syrian government will be willing to allow Russia to use its territory as a base for its global ambitions.

Dmitriy Shapiro is a research analyst and editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where Keti Korkiya is a research analyst. Follow Dmitriy on X @dmitriyshapiro.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani (Center) meets on January 28 with the countrys Supreme Armament Committee, including members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, which is largely comprised of Iranian-backed militias. (Iraq Prime Ministers Office photo)

On January 28, former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki wrote on X that he rejected blatant American interference in Iraqs internal affairs after US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Maliki should not be chosen as Iraqs next prime minister. Malikis comments came a day after Trump warned that if Maliki were appointed to the position, the US would cease to help Iraq.

The controversy over Malikis possible return to office has arisen two and a half months after Iraq held elections in November 2025. The country was expected to move toward appointing a new president and prime minister in the last days of January or early February 2026. Maliki served as the prime minister of Iraq from 2006 to 2014, when he stepped down in the wake of the Iraqi Armys numerous defeats against the Islamic State. He has led the Dawa Party and the State of Law Coalition in elections in Iraq and is a leading contender to become prime minister again in 2026.

Maliki has been portrayed as close to Iran in past reports by the London-based The New Arab and The Guardian. The State of Law Coalition received 29 seats in Iraqs 329-seat parliament after last Novembers vote.

Iraqs search for a new prime minister comes as Iraq has reinforced its security forces on the border with Syria amid concerns that fighting between the Syrian Transitional Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces could affect Iraq. Members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iraqi paramilitary group mainly comprised of militias with close ties to Iran, have also deployed to the Iraqi border with Syria. In addition, the militias are preparing for a possible conflict between the US, Iran, and Israel. Kataib Hezbollah, one pro-Iranian militia that is part of the PMF, issued a statement on January 25 calling on supporters to prepare for a comprehensive war in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The dispute over Malikis possible appointment comes as the US has called for reducing the role of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. In a post on X on January 27, US Envoy Mark Savaya said the US was working on the ground in Iraq to support the formation of a new government and to prevent Iranian backed militias from rising to positions of power. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Iraqs current prime minister, Mohammed Shia al Sudani, on January 25.

The Secretary and Prime Minister also discussed Iraqs ongoing deliberations to form a government, emphasizing their shared commitment to ensuring that Iraq can fully realize its potential as a force for stability, prosperity, and security in the Middle East, a readout of the call posted by the US State Department noted, adding, The Secretary emphasized that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraqs own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts, or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq.

On January 27, US Congressman Joe Wilson also commented on the importance of checking Irans role in Iraq. Under President Donald J Trump, the position of the United States is clear and unequivocal. Iranian influence in Iraq will no longer be tolerated. The era in which outside actors imposed prime ministers on Iraq is over, Wilson wrote on X.

After Trumps condemnation of Maliki, it remains to be seen if Iraqi political parties will still back him for prime minister. Prior to Trumps comments, The Arab Weekly had noted that Maliki would have to balance Iranian-backed militias and the US. While Maliki has rejected Trumps comments, he will have to keep the support of Shiite parties in Iraq.

Meanwhile, more Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have joined Kataib Hezbollahs call to support Iran in any conflict with the US. The Badr Organization said it would support Iran, according to a January 26 article at 964Media. Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency also reported in its Arabic section on the Badr statement, as well as a statement by Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba that stressed Nujabas readiness to respond to any possible attack on Iran. Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba are both designated terrorist groups by the US. Badr has not been designated.

Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).
Last Friday, the National Police in Palma arrested a 22-year-old Mallorcan man who is wanted by Belgian authorities. He is accused of having committed more than twenty burglaries in Belgium, some of them armed, between September and October 2024, along with three other people, one of whom is also Mallorcan.

He was previously arrested in February 2025 and released by a Madrid court while his extradition was being processed. After this was approved, it was impossible to locate him.

On Friday, he had gone for a drink at a bar in the Es Rafal district of Palma and was spotted by National Police officers. They arrested him and a judge ordered him to be detained. On Tuesday, the Audiencia Nacional national court in Madrid ratified his imprisonment pending extradition in the coming days.

He was part of a four-person criminal organisation along with two Chileans, a man and a woman, and another Mallorcan. The latter was arrested in Switzerland and is in prison in Basel. The gang is believed to have committed a total of 26 burglaries in homes in various parts of Belgium between September and October 2024. On occasions they used weapons.
A man Massachusetts courts deemed as sexually dangerous after attacking multiple women at Boston malls has been denied parole after continued inappropriate sex acts while incarcerated, according to the Massachusetts Parole Board.

On Nov. 6, 1984, Phillip Pizzo, a wealthy industrial engineer, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including seven counts of aggravated rape, three counts of armed robbery while masked and five counts of kidnapping in Middlesex Superior Court. He also pleaded guilty in Essex Superior Court to three counts of aggravated rape, armed robbery while masked and three counts of kidnapping.

He was sentenced to eight concurrent life sentences. He became eligible for parole after 15 years.

Between Aug. 12, 1983, and Jan. 19, 1984, Pizzo, 33, kidnapped between eight to 20 women in their late teens or early twenties from at least three Boston area malls. Officials said he would open the car door and, while holding a knife to the womans throat, push the woman over to the passengers seat. He would put the ski mask over the womans face and tie her hands behind her back.

Pizzo told each woman that he was not going to harm her, and that he just wanted their money.

Hed then take their money but also would drive the womans car to his vehicle, which was parked some distance away. He would then drive his car to his Westford home with the women inside. During the ride to his home, Pizzo would talk to the women, asking about their personal life, including questions about employment and relationship status.

After entering the house from the attached garage, Pizzo would force the women to drink alcohol and then take them upstairs to the bedroom. Pizzo would then remove the ski mask from the womans face and rape them, according to the parole board.

After raping the women, he would have them take a shower and return them to the shopping malls from where he had abducted them.

One woman escaped after being stabbed in the mouth, The Daily Item reported in 1984.

Officials reported finding several items from the women at his home, according to The Daily Item in 1984.

In 1985, Pizzo was declared a Sexually Dangerous Person and was sentenced to one day to life at the Massachusetts Treatment Center. In 2009, Pizzo was discharged from his civil commitment and was deemed by the court to no longer be a Sexually Dangerous Person.

He first went in front of the parole board in 2010 but was denied. He was also denied in 2015 and 2020.

Pizzo, now 75, went in front of the parole board again on Aug. 12, 2025.

The parole board noted that he has received multiple disciplinary reports, including one in September 2025, and has continued to engage in inappropriate sex acts while incarcerated.

The Middlesex County and Essex County District Attorneys Offices spoke against Pizzo getting parole.

He was denied parole for the fourth time through a unanimous decision by the parole board members. He can go in front of the parole board again in three years.
The beer industry contributes $9.7 billion to the Massachusetts economy and supports 51,469 jobs across the state, according to a new report from Beer Serves America.

The industry provides $3.5 billion in total wages and benefits to workers in Massachusetts. The report shows beer-related businesses pay $1.3 billion in taxes.

Retail accounts for the largest employment share with 22,950 positions. Distribution supports 2,067 jobs, while brewing operations employ 1,980 workers. Manufacturing adds 1,242 jobs, and agriculture contributes 240 positions.

The National Beer Wholesalers Association partnered on the nationwide study, which found the beer industry supports 2.4 million jobs and generates $471 billion in total economic output across the United States.
Breeze Airways will launch a new seasonal route connecting Hartford to Louisville, Kentucky, with twice-weekly flights beginning May 29, the airline announced Tuesday.

The nonstop service will operate on Mondays and Fridays through Sept. 15, with promotional fares starting at $49. The offer is available for bookings made through Feb. 3.

As one of our original bases, Hartford has played an important role in shaping how weve built our network, said David Neeleman, founder and CEO of Breeze Airways. This new summer seasonal route will give our Guests in Connecticut an easy way to visit a beautiful region in northern Kentucky with easy access to great attractions like the Louisville Slugger and Kentucky Derby Museums.

The route adds to Breezes network of more than 300 year-round and seasonal routes serving 84 cities across the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. The airline focuses on connecting underserved markets with direct flights.

Breeze operates a fleet of Airbus A220-300 aircraft and offers amenities including free family seating, onboard WiFi, preferred seat options, and no change or cancellation fees.

The airline, which began operations in May 2021, has received industry recognition including being named Best Major Airline in North America by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and ranking No. 3 Best Domestic Airline by Travel + Leisure in 2025. Fast Company named Breeze one of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies of 2025.

Travelers can book flights at flybreeze.com or through the Breeze Airways app.
The team behind several popular hand roll spots in Boston has opened its newest concept near a college campus.

NoriNori Test Kitchen, opened at 399 Chestnut Hill Ave., Brookline on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Located just steps away from Cleveland Circle and Boston College, the Japanese bar and restaurant is the third venture from NoToro Hospitality Group. The group oversees other popular sushi spots including Matsunori Handroll Bar in Fenway and Mai, which opened in Seaport in September 2025.

Norinori is a salute to the humble bento, bringing their affordability, simplicity, and versatility to Brookline and modernizing their traditional flavors with a boldness that reflects our industrial cyberpunk-inspired space, the restaurants website states. Bentos fuel Japan. From Tokyo to Hokkaido. Come join us as we welcome them to Brookline.

Several hand rolls from NoriNori Test Kitchen in Brookline, Massachusetts. David Cifarelli

Keeping NoToros focus on affordability, NoriNoris menu consists of moderately priced hand rolls and bento boxes.

Boxes range from $19-$27 and come with diners choice of protein, rice, soup and salad. Standouts include the $24 Gyukatsu, a fried beef sirloin cutlet with homemade tonkatsu sauce, and the Miso Butter Cod (also $24), which features Atlantic white cod marinated for 48 hours in a homemade miso butter mix.

Meanwhile most of NoriNoris hand rolls are between $5-$6. Diners familiar with NoToros other concepts will recognize these rolls, which feature several staple fish including salmon, tuna, yellowtail and eel.

NoriNori is open Tuesday through Sunday from 5:30-9:30 p.m.
On Jan. 25, 1776, 250 years ago, Colonel Henry Knox and his men arrived in Boston, bringing with them 120,000 pounds of artillery from the captured British fortification, Fort Ticonderoga.

For 70 days, the 25-year-old colonel for the Continental Army traversed through heavy snow and icy rivers to bring the 59 pieces of equipment to the army camps located outside of Boston.

Now, 250 years later, two Central Massachusetts communities are commemorating Knox and his legendary expedition by holding re-enactments of the artillery trains journey this weekend.

Old Sturbridge Village and the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester will host special events celebrating Knoxs artillery train, which passed through Central Massachusetts communities during its 300 mile trip from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston.

On Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at Old Sturbridge Village, visitors can hear stories from performers acting as patriots who marched on the trail with Knox, see how the cannons were pulled by oxen, watch a demonstration of cannons being fired and even get the chance to use an artillery engine, according to Old Sturbridge Villages website.

On both days, visitors will get the chance to see the artillery train in action as cannons, sleds and oxen will be seen moving throughout the countryside, the website reads.

Additionally, a former staff member of the Old Sturbridge Village who walked on the trail from Pittsfield to Cambridge in 1976 will share his story at this weekends event.

The village will hold events on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The American Antiquarian Societys event will take place in Worcester on Jan. 31 and will feature a procession with horses, fife and drum players, and militia men, according to Jonathan Lane of Revolution 250, a nonprofit organization helping the society put on the event.

The procession will travel from Elm Park to the Worcester Common and give a militia salute over the grave of Timothy Bigelow, an American soldier from Worcester who fought in the war, according to Lane.

The event will begin at the AC Marriott 125 Front St., on Jan. 31. and will run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

I think he is one of the lesser known reasons of why were a thriving independent nation, Lane said about Knox. Imagine taking a 25-year-old today, giving them a thousand dollars and telling them to go off into the wilderness and find a newly captured fort and retrieve 60 tons of artillery and find a way to bring them back to Boston.

Who was Henry Knox?

Henry Knox was born in Boston in 1750. At the age of 9, Knox left school to help his single mother and his brother by working in the bookbinding business, according to mountvernon.org.

While working, he had access to a large variety of books about weaponry and military strategy, the website reads.

Hes essentially self educated, said Lane. He was well read in the military arts.

Following his work, Knox opened his own bookstore, known as the London Book-Store. Lane said the bookstore was a popular social meetup where people picked up books, newspapers, ink, pens and papers.

One of the bookstores patrons was John Adams, who recommended Knox for a position in the Continental Army in 1775, according to mountvernon.org.

During the Siege of Boston, Knox, aged 25, was responsible for designing fortifications, Lane said.

General George Washington became impressed with Knoxs command of artillery and tasked Knox with an important mission  bringing artillery from Fort Ticonderoga in northern New York back to Boston.

The journey took place during a winter featuring heavy snow and icy lakes and rivers. Despite the cold conditions, the snow and ice was beneficial for Knoxs expedition, according to Lane.

Heavyweights move best in winter, he said. Particularly if you have to cross bodies of water.

While the ice and snow made it easier to move the equipment on sleds, the journey was no less difficult, Lane said.

Knox had to bring the cannons down from Lake George, which was supposed to be one of the easier parts of trip but it ended up taking them almost nine days to get all the cannons down the lake, Lane said. Part of that was due to the adverse weather.

Sometimes, the boats that carried the equipment capsized due to weight. Men had to raise the boats and cannons to continue the journey, Lane said.

In one letter to Washington, Knox called the obstacles severe but surmountable, according to Lane.

Central Mass.s role in Knoxs journey

Along his journey, Knox recruited people from different communities to help bring the artillery from town to town. Worcester and other Central Massachusetts communities were no exception, as Knox hired residents from those towns and cities, too, according to Lane.

While Knox was able to encourage men from New York to travel with him to Massachusetts, they only got as far as Springfield, Lane said. As people left the train, new ones were added.

Hes hiring and encouraging people to keep going, but hes hiring people along the way, Lane said. These people are providing him fodder for his animals. There would be a steady stream of business for the inns and taverns of Central Massachusetts along the way.

After delivering the equipment to Boston, Washington awarded Knox by assigning him as a colonel for artillery, Lane said. Knox was present during several key battles of the war, including the fortification of Dorchester Heights, the Battle of Trenton and the Siege at Yorktown.

Following the wars end and the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1789, Knox became the nations first Secretary of War under President George Washington.

I think that really speaks to their relationship, Lane said of Knox and Washington. Knox becomes one of a very small handful of leaders Washington can depend on.

As Secretary of War, Knox promoted the idea of a peacetime army and negotiated with Native American nations, according to the National Museum of the United States Army. In 1795, Knox resigned from his position and moved to Maine. He died in 1806 at the age of 56.

In addition to having his route between New York and Massachusetts named after him, Fort Knox in Kentucky is also named after Knox.

If he had lived longer, I would really be interested to see if his legacy was stronger than it is, Lane said.
Noah Kahan is ushering in a era.

The New England native announced Wednesday that his fourth album The Great Divide will be released on April 24. The first single off the album, which Kahan did not name, drops Friday.

From a long silence forms a divide, a great expanse demanding attention. I stare across it. I see old friends, my father, my mother, my siblings, my younger self, the great state of Vermont, the 29-year-old wrote in an Instagram post alongside a picture of the albums cover.

I want to scream these feelings, to gesticulate wildly at the figures on the other side, but my voice has grown hoarse and muted after years of climbing a ladder towards the wild, spiraling dreams that have materialized in front of me, Kahan continued. Instead, I wrote them down next to a piano in Nashville, next to a pond in Guilford Vermont, in a legendary studio in upstate New York, on a farm with a firetower in Only, Tennessee. The songs are the words I would say if I could. They are the fears I dance with in the moments before I drift off to sleep. The music here is my best attempt to delve deeper into the people, places, and feelings that have made me who I am. I am grateful for all of it, for all of you, for listening to them, if you choose to do so.

Fans can pre-order or pre-save The Great Divide via Kahans website.

Born in Strafford, Vermont, Kahans first breakthrough came with the release of his gold-certified single Hurt Somebody in 2017. The track preceded his debut album Busyhead in 2019 as well as "I Was / I Am" in 2021 and Stick Season in 2022. Stick Season went on to be Kahans mainstream commercial breakthrough and led to his Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist in 2023.

Kahans most successful singles include Stick Season, Northern Attitude and Dial Drunk, among others.

The musician is also an advocate for mental health awareness and founded The Busyhead Project in 2023, which has raised more than $5.5 million to expand access to mental health care and fight the stigma around mental health.
After ICE admitted in open court to a mistake in the deportation case of a 19-year-old Babson College student in November, 80 members of Congress called on federal agencies to allow her return in a letter on Wednesday.

ICEs mistake has already caused irreparable harm to Ms. Lopez Belloza, including interrupting her studies and forcing her to miss the start of the Spring 2026 semester, read the letter, addressed to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.

As a result of your administrations mistake, Ms. Lopez Belloza, who has no criminal history, was handcuffed and forced to sleep on the floor in a detention center before being deported to Honduras in shackles, the lawmakers wrote.

They demanded the agencies remedy the harm you have caused this young woman and her family. The letter, dated Jan. 28, was signed by 80 members of Congress, including Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey.

Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, 19, is a resident of Texas and a Babson College student in Wellesley, who came to the U.S. at 8 years old. She was deported to Honduras after she was taken into custody at Boston Logan International Airport on Nov. 20, 2025 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers.

Since then, Lopez Belloza has been living with her grandparents, whom she hasnt seen in 12 years and barely knows, said her lawyer, Todd Pomerleau. When she was detained, the 19-year-old had been planning to surprise her parents in Texas during Thanksgiving break.

Its been difficult for her, Pomerleau said on Jan. 14, the day after court proceedings in her case. He described how the teenager had to sleep on concrete and was cut off from communication, including to her parents. Now, shes missed the start of her school semester at Babson, where she studies on nearly a full-ride scholarship, he said.

I guess the only silver lining is that shes got to see some family she hadnt seen in years  but it was hardly a family reunion," Pomerleau said. She literally got off the tarmac in Honduras and had to find a place to live.

During Jan. 13 proceedings in her case at the Boston federal courthouse, before District Judge Richard G. Stearns, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter acknowledged the courts order was violated, which he blamed on a mistake by an ICE officer who thought the order no longer applied and failed to properly flag it.

On behalf of the government, we want to sincerely apologize, Sauter said in the courtroom, Reuters reported. Sauter was representative of several agencies, including ICE and Homeland Security.

In Wednesdays letter, lawmakers said they appreciate the agencies acknowledgement of error. However, despite admitting its error, DHS has thus far resisted returning Ms. Lopez Belloza to the United States, lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers addressed the timeline of Lopez Bellozas detainment and deportation and said they are concerned that this incident is the latest in a pattern of DHS deporting people based on what it admits are mistakes and in violation of court orders  and then failing to promptly rectify those mistakes, despite the life-threatening or life-altering stakes of such deportations.

On Nov. 21, 2025, the day after Lopez Belloza was taken into custody, she was flown to Texas and, that evening, an order was issued through the Federal District Court in Massachusetts that ICE will not remove the petitioner from the jurisdiction of the United States or outside of Massachusetts for at least 72 hours. But on Nov. 22, 2025, Lopez Belloza was put on a flight that left the U.S. from Harlingen, Texas at 10:35 a.m. and landed in Honduras at 1:09 p.m., according to electronic court documents.

Pomerleau previously explained to MassLive that when the court order was filed, he did not know if his client was still in Massachusetts, given she had been deleted from the ICE locator system within an hour of Pomerleau contacting the ICE, he said.

Though District Judge Richard G. Stearns made no immediate ruling on Jan. 13, he floated the alternatives such as a student visa or allowing her parole back into the U.S., as the courts consider how to solve her case.
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A Massachusetts Dunkin factory is closing its doors for good and laying off 63 employees in the process.

Medford CPL, Inc. filed a Workers Retraining Adjustment Notification  a federally mandated guideline for employers to announce mass layoffs  on Friday, Jan. 16.

The WARN notice states layoffs will occur between January and March 17, 2026.

Medford CPL was a Medford-based food processing and distribution facility that supplied products to more than 60 Couto Management Group Dunkin locations, according to Patch.

Located at 93 Mystic Ave., Medford, the 14,000 square-foot facility will shutter in just a couple of months.

It is unclear where the 60 Dunkin franchisees that depend on products from this facility will now get supplies.

Couto Management Group did not immediately respond for comment.

The WARN reports 13 employees impacted by the closure are truck drivers while the other 50 work in the actual facility, Patch confirmed.

The closure follows the opening of a large doughnut plant in Haverhill last year by a different operator.

That plant ultimately replaced a smaller production site in North Reading, prompting 74 layoffs in September 2025.

Earlier this month, a similar situation unfolded in Maine when a long-time Dunkin doughnut supplier shut its doors after two decades.

Mid Maine CPL, a delivery and bakery hub for Dunkin franchisees, abruptly closed its manufacturing facility at 20 Forrestal St. in Lewiston in early January 2026.
Kyle Rittenhouse, who was acquitted of murder charges in 2021 after fatally shooting two people and wounding a third during a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is rejecting comparisons to 37-year-old Alex Pretti who was fatally shot by federal immigration officers on Saturday.

The Department of Homeland Security states that Pretti was shot after he approached Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, according to the Associated Press  a characterization that contradicts video footage of the event.

Officials did not specify if Pretti brandished the gun. In bystander footage that was released after the shooting, Pretti is shown with a phone in his hand, but none appear to show a visible weapon.

Pretti, a nurse with no criminal record, held a permit to carry a concealed handgun in Minnesota, the Associated Press reported.

Rittenhouse has become a flashpoint in the conversation surrounding the ICE shooting.

Critics have pointed to the two cases to argue there is a hypocrisy around the Second Amendment for who is permitted to exercise self-defense.

Rittenhouse addressed the comparison on X with a series of combative posts containing anti-LGBTQ slurs, claiming that Bidens failed borders policies created this ENTIRE mess.

He also took aim at House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries who gave a critique of the differing public reactions to Rittenhouse and Pretti in a Facebook post.

Armed vigilante kills two civilians in Wisconsin and is called a hero by Trump and Far-Right extremists. Law-abiding VA nurse is killed by masked thugs in Minnesota and they label him a domestic terrorist, Jeffries said. These are sick people.

Rittenhouse responded by accusing Jeffires on X of using his name for rage bait and to stoke the flames.

This is not the first time this month Rittenhouse has weighed in on fatal shootings involving federal agents.

In early January, Rittenhouse also spoke out about the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, during an interview for The Caitlin Sinclair Show, saying that he relates to what the agent has gone through in terms of being doxed.

Agent [Jonathan] Ross, his identity has already been put out there publicly. Hes been doxed. His family has been forced to go into hiding. Very similar to what happened to me  immediately being doxed, he said according to Newsweek. My home address being put out there, calls for death threats, bounties put out on him. Similar to me, Ive had bounties put out against me.

Rittenhouse added that Ross defended himself against Good, stating that Good was there to block and impede with ICE agents from completing duties.

Agent Ross did what he had to do to stay alive, and hes being villainized by the left for defending himself because the left is trying to push a narrative that we are the side of violence, he said.

When Rittenhouse was asked what he would have done if he had been in Ross shoes, he said he would have shot Good if it meant saving his life, Newsweek reported.

If somebody is coming at me with a moving vehicle, Im going to do what I need to do to stay alive, Rittenhouse said. That is a two tone weapon coming at you. That is something that can cause great bodily injury or death, just as anybody with half a brain cell would do.
A Massachusetts police officer worked to help victims recover more than $100,000 that was lost in a cryptocurrency scam.

In April 2025, Lunenburg police received a report from a Worcester County resident who was defrauded in a Bitcoin scam. The victim lost $13,000 in a scheme that involved a cryptocurrency ATM, according to a Tuesday statement from Lunenburg police.

Lunenburg School Resource Officer Bradley McNamara investigated and was able to trace the money to a Tether digital wallet, which held more than $109,000 in assets.

McNamara worked with the New England State Police Information Network, the FBI and the Worcester County District Attorneys Office, and authorities seized the funds.

The investigation identified at least 13 victims of the scam. The Worcester County DAs Office is working to return the money to the victims.

A school resource officer generally polices schools and investigates incidents such as theft and bullying, but McNamara went out of his way to bust the crypto scam, Lunenburg Police Chief Jeffrey Thibodeau said in a statement.

McNamara was also praised by a NESPIN analyst for his diligence.

The first Tether seizure by a local law enforcement agency in the state of Massachusetts was completed by a school resource officer in Lunenburg, the analyst told McNamara.
An invasive insect species is infesting Bridgewater, and it may already be too late to stop it.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources issued a report to the town earlier this week indicating the presence of spotted lanternfly egg masses in Bridgewater.

Adult lanternflies are about an inch in length, with gray wings covered in black spots and red underwings visible during flight. The non-native species is known to attack plants such as grapevines and maple trees.

The insect originated in Asia and was first spotted in the United States about a decade ago, according to the MDAR. They leave egg masses in the fall and winter, then become a nuisance in the summer.

Though lanternflies do not bite or sting, they gather in large numbers and leave a sticky residue on plants and trees.

The MDAR investigated lanternfly sightings in a nearby town, leading the organization to determine the presence of eggs in Bridgewater.

Bridgewater officials are urging residents to report any lanternfly sightings, and it is recommended that people destroy the eggs, either by crushing them or placing them in a container with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.

While the spread of lanternflies can be slowed, the MDAR said evidence from other infestations shows they cannot be eradicated completely.
A pedestrian died Tuesday after they were hit by a car in Bridgewater, officials said.

Police went to the area of 792 Pleasant St. around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a report of a pedestrian hit by a car, said Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher D. Delmonte and Fire Chief John Schaltz in a joint statement.

The pedestrian was taken to Boston Medical Center  South in Brockton, where they were pronounced dead, according to the statement. Their identity was not immediately released.

Police believe the pedestrian was in the road on Pleasant Street near the intersection with Scotland Boulevard at the time of the crash, according to the statement.

The driver of the car involved remained at the scene after hitting the pedestrian, police said.

The crash remains under investigation.
With Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents descending on Maine this month, advocates in Massachusetts say they see the operation as a preview of what awaits the Bay State.

In less than a week, ICE detained more than 200 people statewide in Maine in what the agency dubbed Operation Catch of the Day.

Sarang Sekhavat, chief of staff for the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said his organization is particularly on edge given the mobilization it has seen throughout Massachusetts in recent weeks.

That mobilization included the delivery of more than a dozen Dodge SUVs to the ICE Boston Field Office in Burlington earlier this month.

We are expecting it ... it just feels like a matter of time before we see a surge here, Sekhavat said. (New England) is a very regional community ... People are crossing state borders so much more often around here than they do in a lot of other places.

New ICE vehicles prompt concerns for a 3rd surge

Protesters with "Bearing Witness" at the DHS ICE Boston Field Office on Jan. 21, 2026. (Irene Rotondo/MassLive)

Similar vehicle deliveries in other communities have been reported to MIRA in recent weeks  and because Bostons field office serves all six New England states, MIRA believes the vehicles delivered in the state this month were likely used in the recent operation in Maine.

The recent mobilization by ICE in Massachusetts is driven in part by funding from the Big Beautiful Bill. Passed in July 2025, the bill allocated $170 billion to U.S. federal immigration enforcement agencies, including ICE and Border Patrol. About $30 billion alone was allocated to detain and deport more immigrants, more quickly, according to the National Immigration Law Center.

In response to a MassLive inquiry about whether the vehicle delivery was indicative of a planned surge in Massachusetts, an agency spokesperson said ICE was actively working to expand resources.

Every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe. It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S., the spokesperson said, crediting the Big Beautiful Bill for enabling the agency to hire 10,000 new officers and provide much-needed vehicles and other supporting equipment.

Already, Massachusetts saw two distinct enforcement surges from ICE in 2025, which the agency branded Operation: Patriot and Operation: Patriot 2.0. Combined, ICE said, those sweeps resulted in around 3,000 arrests statewide. The first surge took place in May last year, and the second surge took in September, officials said.

A third major push from ICE would be a sharper escalation from what Massachusetts is seeing now, Sekhavat said. At the moment, ICE appears to be making its actions more visible  and violent, other advocates report  without putting more officers on the street.

If the agency were to place a greater focus on enforcement in Massachusetts, Sekhavat would expect bringing in a whole bunch more ICE officers ... to be patrolling the streets.

Activity at Mass. ICE facility

At the Burlington ICE facility, MassLive reporters observed roughly two dozen Dodge SUVs parked in the back of the sprawling parking lot that encircles the building. None had license plates and were still covered in snow. The rest of the lot was full of cars that seemed to be in regular use and were not parked by vehicle make or model.

Each Wednesday, the protest group Bearing Witness  which captured the vehicle delivery on video at the start of January  holds a vigil and march outside the facility.

On Jan. 21, about 100 protesters gathered in frigid conditions. The group has held similar demonstrations every week since April 2025.

Protesters at the facility said they typically see black vans unloading detainees, along with sheriff vans and white vans  which they believe transport detainees to the Plymouth County Correctional Facility and Hanscom Air Force Base, respectively, said group member Carter Chamberlain, 38.

Peak activity at the facility is usually Tuesday and Friday mornings, Chamberlain said  but given the recent huge shipment of other white vehicles, the group expects their tactics might be changing soon, he said.

(ICE) started having people come earlier beyond cars, theyre also trying to adjust their tactics because they dont want so many people witnessing the comings and goings," said member Linda Duchin. She and her husband, Jay Duchin, have been standing outside the facility weekly for about six months.

During those months, the delivery of vehicles captured on video in January is the only time Bearing Witness has documented anything of the sort, further driving fears of a forthcoming surge in Massachusetts.

Still, the current shows of force are designed as much for public consumption as for enforcement, Sekhavat said, echoing state leaders.

What we have seen from ICE and from the administration really isnt about public safety, its about political theater, Mass. Gov Maura Healey said in September, following reports of a surge in the Bay State. Its about a political power grab and an attempt to intimidate.

And while no one knows when  or if  another large-scale operation will hit Massachusetts, organizers are acting as if its inevitable, Sekhavat said.

You dont wait for the surge to get ready, he said.
A data analyst has identified a key issue that is eating Donald Trumps presidency alive.

CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten said in a presentation on Tuesday that economic issues are dragging the president down.

In one year, Trumps standing on the economy has plunged 26%, matching former President Joe Bidens standing at a similar time in the Democrats White House term.

You go back to this point [in] the Joe Biden presidency  he was 19 points underwater, Enten said. You go into Donald Trumps presidency  hey, he started off in the positive territory at plus-6 points, but down he goes. Down the slide into the ocean he goes. Negative 20 points.

He continues, Donald Trump is actually in slightly worse position right now on the economy than Joe Biden was in his presidency. And of course, Joe Biden, as I said at the top, the economy ate his presidency alive; and right now, it is eating Donald Trumps presidency alive.

The data analyst then went on to explain how these numbers could have a negative impact on the Republican Party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

If the presidents net approval rating on the economy is positive, which Donald Trump isnt, you keep your House seats loss to a minimal, right? You lose about nine seats on average, Enten said. If it is negative  the president is not liked on the economy  if his net approval rating in the economy is negative, as it is right now for Donald Trump, look at the average House seat loss. Its a 28-seat loss on average, which would wave Adios, amigos, Goodbye, See you later, [to] that House majority; and it probably would put the Senate majority in danger, as well."
Republican President Donald Trump faced stiff blowback on Wednesday  even from within his own party  after his blithe dismissal of an attack on a Minnesota lawmaker he frequently slams on the stump.

She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her, Trump told ABC News when he was asked about U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., being sprayed with an unknown substance during a town hall appearance in Minneapolis on Tuesday night.

No, I dont think about her, Trump said when a reporter asked him if hed seen the widely circulated video footage of the incident. I think shes a fraud. I really dont think about that.

Omar, whose Somali descent and progressive politics has made her a frequent target of Trumps ire, was unharmed in the incident. Police arrested the man who apparently carried out the attack, The Associated Press reported.

The audience cheered as the man was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back. In the video of the incident, someone in the crowd can be heard saying, Oh my god, he sprayed something on her, The Associated Press reported.

Omar took to social media after the attack, issuing a defiant post.

Im ok. Im a survivor. So this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work. I dont let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong, she said.

Just before that Omar had called for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment, the wire service reported.

Calls are mounting on Capitol Hill for Noem to step down after the shooting deaths in Minneapolis of two people who protested deportations. Few Republicans have risen to her defense.

Earlier this week, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, issued a similar call for Noems removal, arguing that Trumps hardball tactics during his mass deportation campaign had not made the nation safer.

This just isnt right, you know, this is so wrong whats happened. It was so unnecessary, Healey said of last weeks shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti at the hands of federal immigration agents. There was no need for all of that to go down in the way that it did. It is just an example of how out of control ICE is. Its why I call on Kristi Noem to resign. Its why I call on ICE to get out of these cities in these states. Donald Trump needs to rein this in and take this back.

Trumps response to the incident differed sharply from his fellow Republicans, who appealed for calm in the wake of the attack.

What happened at Rep. Ilhan Omars town hall  where she was sprayed with a substance during the event  is completely unacceptable. Regardless of political views, we should all agree this behavior crosses a line and cannot be tolerated," U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said.

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who has publicly acknowledged her differences with Omar, made a similar comment with a post to X.

I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today. Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric - and I do - no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are, Mace said.

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., interrupted an interview to comment on the incident.

Hes putting lives at risk  Donald Trumps constant vilification of Ilhan is dangerous  He must stop, Raskin said.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a close colleague of Omar, was also sharply critical.

It is not a coincidence that after days of President Trump and VP Vance putting Rep. Omar in their crosshairs with slanderous public attacks, she gets assaulted at her town hall. Thank God she is okay. If they want leaders to take down the temp, they need to look in the mirror, she said.

The attack on Omar also comes as U.S. Capitol Police have logged a sharp increase in threats against members of Congress.

Those threats, described as concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex, skyrocketed by 57% between 2024 and 2025, rising from 9,474 to 14,938 in 2025, according to the political news site Punchbowl News.
For Geoff Foster, the Trump administrations unusual demand for Minnesotas unredacted voter rolls, laden with sensitive personal information, in exchange for federal agents leaving the state, has a familiar ring to it.

Which makes it no less disturbing.

Foster is the executive director of Common Cause of Massachusetts. And the good government group has joined a federal court fight to block the U.S. Justice Department from accessing similar information in the Bay State.

Its about more than one states voter file, Foster told MassLive. Its about whether the federal government can trample state law, seize our personal data and use it to take control of election administration from the states.

The Trump administration made its initial ask for the Massachusetts voter data last July. Its part of a broader effort to build what observers have described as a national voter database, on its own, bypassing the usual congressional authority needed to take such an action.

And when Secretary of State Bill Galvin, the states chief elections officer, refused last December, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston, asking a judge to force the state to cough up the information.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has faced sharp criticism for her headline-grabbing action in Minnesota, with Gov. Maura Healey, among others, rebuking her for a demand that they say has nothing to do with immigration enforcement.

Weve seen the attorney general, Pam Bondi, with whom I served, making outrageous, illegal, unlawful threats to state officials, essentially extortion, saying, produce your voter rolls in exchange for ICE leaving town, Healey, a Democrat and a former two-term state attorney general, said Monday.

Since it returned to power in 2025, the Trump administration has asked nearly every state and Washington, D.C., to turn over their unredacted voter rolls. Some have cooperated outright, while others have asked for more information.

Right now, the Bay State is one of 24 states, joined by the District of Columbia, thats duking it out in court with the Justice Department over access to their unredacted voter records, according to a tracker maintained by the Brennan Center for Justice.

Heres a look at why the White Houses demand is so unusual and whats at stake.

What are voter rolls?

Most states have a public version of their voter rolls that includes basic information such as a voters first and last name and address information, The New York Times reported.

Its not unusual, for instance, for political campaigns to pay a fee to access this information to target voters as they work to build support for candidates and issues.

Unredacted voter files, such as those sought by the Justice Department, contain such sensitive information as drivers license numbers and Social Security numbers, which can be used for voter verification.

And usually, that information is off limits in public records requests  even to the U.S. Justice Department, which Bondi helms, the newspaper reported.

In court filings, the Justice Department has argued that it has sweeping powers to access the voter information that states are required to maintain under the law.

And if states refuse, the courts have a limited, albeit vital, role in helping the government gain access to those records, the government argued in its Massachusetts filing.

But legal experts say theres no compelling reason for them to want that information, since the authority over elections is granted to states under the U.S. Constitution.

For months, Trumps DOJ has been aggressively trying to gain access to all the sensitive voter information in state voter rolls, Wendy Weiser, the director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center, wrote in a social media post. States have shared redacted copies of their rolls, but most have refused to turn over the private stuff because they are required to protect voter privacy.

The federal government actually has no business collecting voter rolls from around the country (and) keeping those records, Weiser continued in the lengthy thread on Bluesky. In our system, it is the states who are responsible for maintaining (and) protecting voter rolls. And there are federal laws that limit what personal data the feds can keep and how.

Whats happened before?

Since his emergence on the political scene a decade ago, President Donald Trump has regularly tried to leverage the courts for political advantage.

A charitable assessment of the federal governments involvement is that their heart is in the right place, and they dont have the legal authority (to do it), Stephen Richer, a Republican who was the elected recorder of Maricopa County, Arizona, where he oversaw elections, told MassLive.

A less charitable assessment would be to say they are seeking to interfere with the administration of elections, Richer, a senior fellow at Harvards Kennedy School, said.

Richer lost a primary challenge in 2024, after defending the integrity of local elections in the heavily Republican county.

Richer told MassLive he could not recall an instance where two agencies, in this case, the Justice Department and Homeland Security, had worked together to seek voter rolls.

A lot of election officials are wondering what the federal governments goal is in obtaining all the information, he said. The federal government doesnt have a role in election administration or voter registration.

Why does it matter?

First off, its not immediately clear why the Justice Department asked for Minnesotas records.

But there is a likely through line: The fallout from the 2020 election and its implications for this falls midterm elections.

Theres been speculation that Bondi wants to share Minnesotas voter information with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to try to ferret out noncitizens, according to published reports.

Heres why thats a big deal.

Trump has continued to cling to and advance the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him, arguing in part that noncitizens voted that year.

All analyses of state voter rolls have found a very small number of noncitizens who are registered and an even smaller number of noncitizens who have voted, Richer said. He pointed to a recent analysis by Utah state officials showing that, of the states 2 million registered voters, two noncitizens had registered and one who had potentially participated in a previous election.

Does it happen? Yes. Richer said. Is it material? No.

With control of Congress on the line and impeachment likely to follow if Democrats regain control of one or both sides of Capitol Hill, the stakes are higher for elections that usually end badly for whoevers in the White House.

What they would say is that theyre policing voter fraud. But the states are already policing voter fraud, Jeremy Paul, a constitutional law professor at Northeastern University Law School, told MassLive.

Voter fraud really is a nonexistent problem, Paul continued. So what theyre really after is a way of getting information so they can try to purge people from the voter rolls and scare people out of voting.

The states are supposed to be in charge of voting, so this is a very simple issue. If Congress were to pass a statute that authorized voter rolls, then there would be some very hard issues. But right now, there is no statute. Theres just pure executive action, he said.

Whats next?

An inspection of the federal court file for the Massachusetts case showed the usual volley of paperwork. Galvin, who declined a request for comment citing the litigation, has until Feb. 6 to file a response to the governments initial complaint.

Meanwhile, court watchers and voting rights advocates are keeping an eye on the progress of the litigation, the rhetoric from Washington and what it means as the midterms close in.

Richer, the Arizona official, said the federal government already has been dealt some early legal defeats and expects that to continue.

I think the federal government, especially the administration, has shown more enthusiasm for election administration than the law gives it permission for, he said.

In March 2025, the president issued an executive order that attempted to make broad changes to election administration. So far, every court has ruled against the president because its not a power of the executive, Richer said.

Foster, who said hes confident the law is on our side, is intent on making sure that Massachusetts voters and our 29,000 members are represented as a party in this lawsuit. We are there with the specific goal to protect voters privacy and to protect the integrity of our election administration in Massachusetts.

Were very confident the court will decide in favor of voters, he said.
The Adams Police Department has placed an officer on paid leave following an incident Tuesday night in which the officer shot at a man in the midst of a mental health crisis who approached him in a threatening manner, according to the Berkshire County District Attorneys Office.

No one was struck by gunfire during the incident, and the man  25-year-old Adams resident Phillip White  was taken to a hospital in police custody, the district attorneys office said in a press release.

The incident began shortly before 8:40 p.m. when a 911 caller reported that his friend had been stabbed at 31 Commercial St., the district attorneys office said. The caller stated that there was blood everywhere.

An Adams police officer arrived at the home in less than five minutes, the district attorneys office said. He found White, who lives at the home, with sharp-force injuries.

White soon approached the officer in a threatening manner while holding an object, the district attorneys office said. Authorities have not specified what the object was.

The officer responded by firing his gun, but the gunfire did not strike White or anyone else nearby, the district attorneys office said. White was then taken into custody.

State police detectives from the district attorneys office were notified of the incident and responded to the home around 9:15 p.m., the district attorneys office said. They found blood on the sidewalk, in the entryway and inside the home.

Investigators soon determined that no friend of Whites had been involved, that White had called 911 himself and that his wounds were self-inflicted, the district attorneys office said. After the incident, White was in a stable physical condition, and police took him to Berkshire Medical Center for a mental health evaluation.

Investigators soon discovered that White had three outstanding warrants against him, the district attorneys office said. Authorities did not specify what the charges against him are or whether he was charged in connection with the Tuesday night incident.

White is expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Northern Berkshire District Court, the district attorneys office said. The officer who fired his gun has been put on paid administrative leave.

The district attorneys office is investigating the incident, which was recorded on the officers body-worn camera, the district attorneys office said. Investigators are in the process of interviewing witnesses and officers and will review a State Police ballistics report once it is shared with them.

No further information has been released, but the district attorneys office said it would share more details about the incident with the public once its investigation is complete.
An Amtrak train carrying over 100 passengers derailed in Northfield Tuesday afternoon, according to Amtrak and Western Mass News.

The engine and one passenger cars wheels derailed shortly after 2 p.m. near Brattleboro, Vermont, while traveling at a low speed, Amtrak said in a statement. None of the 113 passengers or any Amtrak employees were injured.

All rail equipment stayed upright despite the derailment, and the train retained power and heat throughout the incident, Amtrak said. The passengers were transferred to buses to continue south to Springfield.

Northfield Fire Chief Floyd Dunnell told Western Mass News that the train derailed near West Northfield Road. Fire officials believe the engine car slipped off the tracks while traveling over the switch that connects the Central Vermont Railway to the New England Railway, which was iced over.
After months of remodeling, a Price Chopper supermarket at Park Avenue in Worcester will reopen Friday as a Market 32 supermarket, according to Wednesday a press release from the company.

Market 32 and Price Chopper are both owned by the New York-based company Northeast Grocery Inc.

A grand opening will be held at the supermarket at 221-223 Park Ave on Jan. 30 at 6 a.m., according to the press release.

The grand opening will feature a ribbon cutting, a presentation of colors by the South High School Air Force ROTC, a performance of the National Anthem by the Doherty Memorial High School select chorus and free samplings of products, the press release reads.

In addition to the festivities, customers shopping on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31 at the supermarket will save 5% off their grocery order, according to the press release.

The new Market 32 will also donate 5% of its sales from Friday and Saturday to Friendly House and Flourish at Thrive Food Pantry  two Worcester nonprofits, the press release reads.

Worcester has two additional Price Choppers located at 29 Sunderland Rd. and 564 Southwest Cutoff as well as another Market 32 at 72 Pullman St., according to the Price Chopper website.

In January 2025, a Price Chopper at 50 Cambridge St. closed its doors for good, four months after the Stop & Shop at Lincoln Plaza permanently closed, despite the citys involvement to ask the company to reconsider.

The 76 employees working at the Cambridge Street location were offered positions at other Price Choppers in the area, including five locations in Worcester and Shrewsbury, the company previously announced.
Merck Foundation CEO, Dr. Rasha Kelej met H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother , during the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative  MFFLI Summit 2025 recently.

It was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.), CEO of Merck Foundation & President of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative and H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother along with First Ladies of Angola, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sao Tome & Principe and Senegal.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.) expressed,

It gives me great joy to have the presence of my dear sister, H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother at the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit. It has been an incredible journey since we began our partnership with my dear sister in 2019. I am proud that together we have provided 130 scholarships to young Zimbabwean doctors across 44 critical and underserved specialties to transform healthcare access in the country. Through our partnership, we are building a strong and self-reliant healthcare workforce in Zimbabwe that will be capable of delivering specialized and equitable care to communities in need.

H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother shared,

Through our long-term partnership, we have made unprecedented progress in building healthcare capacity and driving community awareness. I am happy that 166 scholarships have been provided for our local doctors in vital specialties such as Diabetes, Fertility, Oncology, Psychiatry, Neurology, and more. I am also proud of Educating Linda initiative, through which we are supporting 40 underprivileged Zimbabwean schoolgirls, ensuring they complete their education and have the opportunity to realize their dreams. Through our partnership with Merck Foundation, we are not only shaping a healthier but more empowered Zimbabwe.

Watch the Speech of The First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe & Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother during the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit 2025 here: https://apo-opa.co/4rk9Dd2

Watch the video of Merck Foundation CEO, Dr. Rasha Kelej receiving H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother: https://apo-opa.co/4bkF7uT

On day 2 of the Summit, Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative- MFFLI committee meeting was conducted between The First Ladies of Africa and Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO, where the African and Asian First Ladies shared the impact report of Merck Foundation programs in their respective countries, and future strategy was discussed.

Together with Zimbabwe First Lady, Merck Foundation has provided 166 scholarships for local doctors in Zimbabwe in many critical and underserved specialties. Out of 166 scholarships:

-60 scholarships have been provided to doctors in Diabetes, Endocrinology, Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, and Obesity & Weight Management. These specialists will thus gain the expertise to establish dedicated clinics in hospitals and health centres, significantly enhancing the prevention and management of diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases for the benefit of people in the country.

-47 scholarships have been awarded in Fertility, Embryology, and the one-year diploma and two-year masters degree programs in Sexual & Reproductive Care. This will not only help in breaking the stigma surrounding infertility but also in advancing womens health.

-59 scholarships have been awarded in critical yet underserved specialties, including Oncology and Cancer Care, Respiratory Care, Acute Medicine, Pain Management, Infectious Diseases, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Neuroimaging for Research, Pediatrics, Critical Care, Care for Older Person and Rheumatology. These fields are essential for strengthening the countrys healthcare system and improving patient care nationwide.

We have been working persistently since 2012 to build healthcare capacity in Africa and beyond. We have provided total of 2500 scholarships to young doctors in Africa and Asia across 52 countries till date. We are honored to have Zimbabwe First Lady and their Health Ministry as a committed partner with us, added Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Merck Foundation has also announced the Call for applications for their 8 important awards in partnership with The First Lady of Zimbabwe for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields. The objective of these awards is to inspire young talents in the country to create work that can help spread messages on social and health issues like Break Infertility Stigma, Support Girl Education, Stop Gender Based Violence, End Child Marriage, End FGM, and Women Empowerment at all levels and raise awareness about early detection & prevention of Diabetes & Hypertension.

Moreover, to address these critical issues, Merck Foundation together with the office of The First Lady of Zimbabwe, has also conducted 5 editions of their Online Health Media Training to encourage media to be the voice of the voiceless and raise awareness.

Moreover, in partnership with The First Lady of Zimbabwe, Merck Foundation has also launched seven childrens storybooks, More Than a Mother, Educating Linda, Jacklines Rescue, Not Who You Are, Ride into the Future and Sugar free Jude, and Marks Pressure. The storybooks address various social and health issues like breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, stopping GBV, diabetes and hypertension awareness.
For a long time, all she had was her name.

LAST week her name was spoken on every news bulletin, at Leaders Questions in the Dail and on Prime Time on RTE One television, with her courage being universally praised.

The Pollavaddy native tells The Mayo News she feels she has been gaslighted not only by the judicial system but also An Garda Siochana, the institution she had been so proud to join.

Suspended sentence

Earlier this month, her ex-husband Trevor Bolger (48) was given a three-month suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to the Section 2 assault that occurred in her childhood bedroom, just outside Balla in 2012.

The decision by the Director of Prosecutions to make a plea deal and drop the more serious charges of threats to kill and coercion along with what the Taoiseach has described as extraordinary length of time have cut through to the national consciousness.

READ MORE: Garda who assaulted Mayo wife gets suspended sentence

In the ten days since the sentence, her story has been the focus of Leaders Questions in the Dail, with each of the political party leaders raising her case, and a high-profile RTE Prime Time interview.

The biggest shock for me is that I wake up after Prime Time and suddenly the whole country understands the situation overnight,  Margaret says, But it has taken me 14 years to get that primetime interview.

The surreal quality persists. Thats why, when I sit with you and tell you this, its so weird for me for people to now believe this. Ive been living this and it is horrendous.

I still have my battle gear on

Following the 14-year ordeal that Margaret describes as being worse than the abuse itself. The current system, particularly for sexual assaults and domestic violenceits the victim whos on trial. Thats the way the system is built. Every part of their lives is brought up to see if theres anything they could use to somehow discredit the story.

The irony isnt lost on her that were meeting on a day when protests about similar issues are happening in Dublin. There was a time going through all this process that the only thing that I had was my name. And I had every angle coming to discredit me, to intimidate me, to harass me, to do everything they possibly could to break me as a person. And all I had was my name.

Even now, after the guilty plea and public outcry, she struggles to process the response. A friend of mine texted me last night. She says, Oh my God, you must be so proud of yourself this evening. But Ive been in fight-battle mode, and I havent let that guard down yet. I came out of court the last day ready to go into another 13-year battle, and I still have my battle gear on.

Then Im like, Oh God, I dont need to. I can probably relax a little bit. But that hasnt hit me yet. So being proud has not at all landed with me. I feel quite numb.

Pride at joining the force

MARGARETS journey to An Garda Siochana began with idealism. Growing up, she was inspired by a book about the Shaw and Evans murders investigative workthe story of how gardai solved a murder case that gripped the nation. I was just so intrigued at investigating, about being curious and getting to the truth, and also the roles the gardai played in that. It just really landed with me.

At her passing out ceremony, she received a special award for outstanding achievementone person selected from 274 in her class. Both my parents [Michael and Martina] and sisters were at that graduation, and I got awarded by the then Justice Minister, Brian Lenihan. It was a huge day, and I felt so proud of myself.

Margaret Loftus Rouse receiving the Templemore Town Council Medal at the Garda graduations ceremony at Templemore Garda College in 2008 (Pic: Sean Curtin Press 22)

I enjoyed every minute of my job, and I did my job to the very best of my abilities, she says. Any person that ever worked with me would say something very similar. To have this whole organisation be weaponised and used against me in my own quest for justice was really hard to process.

READ The Mayo News article from 2008 about Margaret receiving the award here - Balla garda honour

She pauses, choosing her words carefully. If you look up gaslighting in domestic violence and read it, it resonates with the experience that I was havingbut in an institutional setting.

The Impact on Family

I cant express enough how thankful I am to my father, Michael Loftus, because he gave me the strength that I needed.

Her father and siblings have stood firmly behind her throughout and the weight of what her family endured is something Margaret still carries. It had as much impact on my family as it had on me, which is really hard, because I feel really responsible for bringing him into their lives. They had no control over that. They didnt choose to have him in their circle but they bore the brunt of that, and thats hard.

Margaret Loftus Rouse with her father Michael on her wedding day to Hugh Rouse in 2018

She knows from experience that sometimes watching is harder than living it. I know its easier to be the person than the person looking in. If my sisters were in this situation, I would find it harder to watch them go through it than to go through it myself.

The frustration to see that the organisation and the system that I had worked so hard for and that I really believed in was being completely used against usthey all lost complete and utter trust in the Garda organisation.

Finding Freedom

TODAY, Margaret has rebuilt her life. Shes remarried to Hugh, who she credits with showing her what a healthy relationship looks like. I had learned through my previous relationship to predict and go through every consequence of what Id say before I said it. The smallest things would trigger my ex. Every time I spoke, I would already have gone through every response in my mind and the consequences before I said it.

Learning to unlearn that survival mechanism took time. It took me a long time to be able to just speak freely. I can say anything I want verbally to him and not have to worry. Its so free in our relationship. We have very meaningful disagreements verbally. And its so refreshing to live completely true to yourself.

I live a very happy life. Im very fulfilled. I have a beautiful family. I flourish, I thrive. I have very meaningful relationships in my life that I never knew I could have.

Men must stand up

MARGARET is adamant that the burden of solving domestic violence shouldnt fall on women alone. Its important for men and dads and brothers and uncles to stand up also and call out male violence. Male violence is not a womens problemits actually a mens problem. But society has painted that its the women who need to fix it, because its their problem. Its not. Its the mens problem, and theyre the ones who should be addressing their violent behavior.

Shes quick to clarify: Most men are non-violent. Theyre a reflection of the majority of men. But its the minority, unfortunately, thats killing women.

The plea deal

PERHAPS nothing illustrates the brokenness of the system from a victims perspective more than the plea deal itself. As it was a criminal trial, it is the State, through the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who decides which charges to pursue or not pursue.

The victims in criminal trials are witnesses to the case and have no say in which charges are brought in the case.

In June, the Garda investigation team came to her house from Dublin and asked her thoughts on a proposed deal where her abuser Trevor Bolger would plead guilty to a section two assault.

I got really upset. And I told them it was insulting. But then came the revelation: At the end of that meeting, they told me that actually the plea deal had already been met, and that I actually had no say in it whatsoever. So I did ask them, Why do you want my thoughts on a decision thats not my decision to make?

The technical absurdity is stark. The irony of this is he couldnt get charged with section two assaults because theyre all statute-barred. So he was allowed to plead to a charge that he could never have been charged with because it was statute-barred at the time the investigation took place. The plea deal itself creates a lot of questions about the legality.

The charges of threats to kill and coercive controlwhich carry significantly longer sentenceswere struck out. It took 55 court appearances before he entered a guilty plea.

Real concerns over dropped charges

The Taoiseach expressed his real concerns at the lesser charge granted by the plea deal and the length of time that it has taken for the case to progress.

He also commended Margarets courage and said, that we applaud her strength, resilience and showing that no matter who the perpetrator is, those engaged in domestic violence will be investigated and will be prosecuted.

It remains to be seen if Trevor Bolger will be allowed to remain as a member of An Garda Siochana, with an internal Garda review due to rule on the matter.

When the Taoiseach referenced the Charleton inquiry, Margaret felt fear rather than hope.

She is clear that she would not be in favour of an inquiry into how her case was dealt with: An inquiry means that they are buying themselves time. He didnt say this will go to an inquiry, but an inquiry comes to mind in a situation like this. The last thing that I need in my life right now is a man in power standing in front of me trying to tell me the truth. I know my truth. I know my experience.

Her suggestion is pointed: An inquiry can cost the state between one and ten million. I would much prefer if he signed that amount in a check and handed it over to the Mayo Womens Support Services. Because I know my truth. I know what has happened here. I know its wrong. I do not need them to spend millions for someone else to also say, Yeah, this is wrong.

Censored Victim

EVEN her victim impact statement wasnt truly hers. Up until minutes before I read that out, he was censoring that victim impact statement. I didnt know that the perpetrator gets to censor the victim impact statement before its read out.

One paragraph he demanded to be removed was particularly tellingwhere she thanked her family and apologised for bringing him into their lives. The charge before the court stemmed from an incident where I spoke to my family in a pub. And here we are, over a decade later, and hes still controlling how I speak about my family.

She was given a choice ten minutes before reading the statement: remove the paragraph or let a judge decide. The way this had played out for me already, I wasnt willing to take the risk. If the judge had sided with him, I would never be able to publicly thank my family ever again. The way it is now, I can publicly thank them on any type of platform that I want to.

Margaret Loftus Rouse with three of her sisters at the Garda graduations ceremony at Templemore Garda College in 2008

The plea deal also meant that allegations that Bolger made threats to kill previously and that he exerted coercive control were never tested in court. This has meant that Margaret Loftus is legally constrained to only being able to speak about the assault that Bolger was convicted of.

Highlighting the importance of the coercive control legislation, Labour Party Leader Ivana Bacik told the Dail that she was proud to work with other women senators and TDs with Womens Aid , Safe Ireland and others to introduce the offence of coercive control into our law, because violence in intimate settings is rarely one single blow. It tends to constitute patterns of domination, of fear and of control.

Speaking based on her professional experience as a Garda, Ms Loftus explains that I have never, ever, ever gone to a domestic violence incident where it was the first and one and only incident. I have never experienced, and I wouldnt say any guard in the country has an experience of, a woman coming to them after just one isolated assault by an intimate partner.

Her experience as a Garda informs this perspective.

Silence will only ever protect the abusers

I urge anyone who is a victim of domestic violence, particularly perpetrated by a member of An Garda Siochana or otherwise, to please come forward. Silence will only ever protect the abusers.

When Margaret says silence will only ever protect abusers, it comes from lived experience. But shes also nuanced in her understanding. I also do want to honour the women right now whose silence is the only thing thats keeping them alive. I do want them to know that I do see them, and I do hear them, and I dont perceive their silence as protecting their abuser. I absolutely had to be silent for a long time to protect myself.

But shes realistic about the challenges. The gag order that was initially placed on the case was only lifted after media outlets hired a law firm to fight it. The plea deal that diminished the charges. The censored victim impact statement. All of it points to a system that, in her words, is as damaging as the abuse itself.

Yet Margaret Loftus stands here todaynot broken, but unbowed. She walked out of court expecting another 13-year battle to fix the system, only to find that the country had finally caught up to what shed been saying all along.

Everyones holding up their hands, she says of the political response. That was the shock factor for me.

Whether that shock translates into meaningful change remains to be seen. But Margaret has already done what she set out to do all those years ago when she joined An Garda Siochana: she sought the truth, and she helped people see it.

All she had was her name. And in the end, that was enough.
A VERDICT of accidental death was recorded into the death of a Mayo woman who was killed after the car in which she was a passenger was rear-ended on the N17.

Kathleen Forkan (84) late of Treenkeel, Kiltimagh died in Mayo University Hospital on October 4, 2022 as a result of injuries sustained in a road traffic collision ten days previously on the N17 at Cloonturk, Kilkelly.

The inquest into the death of Mrs Forkin which took place in Ballina Courthouse heard that she was a front seat passenger in a car driven by her daughter which was rear ended as they prepared to turn right onto the Kiltimagh road.

Dr Eleanor Fitzgerald, Coroner for Mayo was informed that Mrs Forkan was brought to Mayo University Hospital where she was treated for a head injury with a slight bleed to the brain. She was confined to the bed while in hospital and died on October 4 after sustaining a clot brought on due to her immobility.

Dympna Murphy, a daughter of Mrs Forkan explained to the inquest that on September 24, 2022, she and her mother had been returning to her home in Kiltimagh after visiting a relative in Ave Maria Nursing Home in Tooreen.

She said it was a sunny day and at approximately 4.30pm she indicated to turn right on the N17 and waited to take the R322 road to Kiltimagh.

She recalled two vehicles passing her on her inside as she was just about to turn right when she was hit from behind and her Honda Jazz car spun around a couple of times.

Collision

The inquest heard that she was struck by a Daihatsu Terios car driven by Mohammed Sa Alqarra who was travelling from Letterkenny towards Galway. This car had five occupants including a young baby and the vehicle ended up on its side.

Ms Murphy said her mother was shaking but able to talk and recalled people coming to the car to give assistance. She said she waited in the car until they were taken by ambulance to hospital.

When questioned by Dr Fitzgerald, Ms Murphy said the N17 was very busy that day and there was no filter lane at the location for drivers to enter to turn right onto the R322.

The junction for the R322 Kiltimagh Road along the N17 near Kilkelly where the collision occurred

Joe Stenson explained he was travelling from Tubbercurry towards Corfin when he passed Ms Murphys car on the inside. He said he looked in his mirror and noticed a grey car going into the back of it.

Mr Stenson said he pulled on and went to the grey car which was on its side and was able to get everyone out of the car.

He then went to Ms Murphys car and recalled speaking to an elderly passenger and held her hand. Mr Stenson said that Ms Murphys car was indicating when he noticed it stationary from about 200 yards.

The inquest heard that Mr Stenson had dashcam footage from the front and rear of his car which showed the collision.

A Garda investigation into the fatal collision which took place after Mrs Forkan died showed that Ms Murphys vehicle was clearly visible from 150 metres but Mr Alqarras vision would have been restricted as there was a vehicle between his car and Ms Murphys.

Sergeant Gabriel McLoughlin, PSV inspector who inspected both cars said they were both in roadworthy condition at the time of the accident. He said the speed limit at the location was 100km per hour and while he was not able to determine the speed of Mr Alqarras car, the dash cam footage showed that the traffic was travelling at 92 to 96km per hour prior to the collision.

Conviction

Garda Nicola Dolan said she arrested Mr Alqarra and when questioned he said he tried to brake to avoid the collision but was unable to do so. He said he was shocked by what happened and denied driving in a careless or dangerous way.

Mr Alqarra, a Palestinian national living in Drogheda, Co Louth, later pleaded guilty to careless driving and received a ten-month suspended prison sentence and a two year driving ban.

Dr Fadel Bennani, Consultant Pathologist who performed the post mortem said that there were no fractures but there was a haemorrhage in the brain as a result of the collision. He added that Mrs Forkin had a clot in her lung and the cause of death was due to a massive pulmonary thromboembolism due to deep vein thrombosis with the subdural haematoma sustained in the road traffic accident a major contributing factor.

Dr Bennani explained to Dr Fitzgerald that deep vein thrombosis is due to immobility and Mrs Forkan was confined to bed at all times while in hospital.

Dr Fitzgerald recorded a verdict of accidental death and commented that the death of Mrs Forkan was one of a number to take place in recent years along the N17.

She noted that there was no filter lane for the turn off for the R322 and recommended that a filter lane should be incorporated at this location to save lives and prevent collisions from happening again.

Dr Fitzgerald and court presenter, Sergeant Sean McHale also commended all the emergency services and people who gave assistance at the scene to the people involved in the collision.
Pregnancy-related ischemic stroke may have lasting effects on womens heart health, mental well-being, and working life.

Highlights: Higher heart disease risk was seen years after pregnancy-related ischemic stroke

was seen years after pregnancy-related ischemic stroke Depression rates increased despite most women showing good physical recovery

despite most women showing good physical recovery Employment levels declined long after the stroke compared to women without stroke

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Stroke during pregnancy, postpartum associated with more illness, job status later



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Study on Pregnancy-Related Stroke

Among women with pregnancy-related stroke, 6 percent went on to have a second stroke and 7 percent experienced a major cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, while none of the women without stroke had these outcomes.

went on to have a second stroke and experienced a major cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, while of the women without stroke had these outcomes. Cardiac disease risk increased sharply , with 9 percent of women who had a pregnancy-related ischemic stroke developing conditions such as atrial fibrillation or heart failure, compared to 1 percent among women without stroke, amounting to nearly nine times higher odds after age adjustment

, with 9 percent of women who had a pregnancy-related ischemic stroke developing conditions such as atrial fibrillation or heart failure, compared to 1 percent among women without stroke, amounting to nearly nine times higher odds after age adjustment Depression was significantly more common , affecting 19 percent of women with pregnancy-related stroke versus 6 percent of those without , translating to almost four times higher odds

, , translating to almost four times higher odds Employment outcomes declined over time, as 71 percent of women with stroke were employed two years before the event compared to 76 percent without stroke, but by the end of follow-up only 66 percent of stroke survivors were working versus 78 percent of women who never had a stroke, with nearly five times greater odds of retirement

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Ischemic Stroke During Pregnancy

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What Is Stroke?



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Long-Term Cardiovascular Health Risks After Pregnancy Stroke

Mental Health Impact of Stroke During Pregnancy

Employment and Social Consequences After Pregnancy Stroke

Frequently Asked Questions Q: What Is Ischemic Stroke During Pregnancy? A: Ischemic stroke during pregnancy occurs when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain, leading to oxygen deprivation and brain injury. Q: Does Pregnancy-Related Stroke Increase Heart Disease Risk? A: Yes, women with pregnancy-related ischemic stroke showed significantly higher odds of developing heart disease years later. Q: Can Depression Occur Long After Pregnancy Stroke? A: The study found higher rates of long-term depression among women who experienced ischemic stroke during pregnancy or postpartum. Q: Do Women Fully Recover After Pregnancy-Related Stroke? A: Most women regain good physical function, but many still face emotional and social challenges over time. Q: Why Is Long-Term Monitoring Important After Pregnancy Stroke? A: Ongoing monitoring helps detect heart disease, mental health concerns, and other complications early, improving long-term outcomes.

Stroke during pregnancy, postpartum associated with more illness, job status later - (https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/5308) What Is Stroke? - (https://www.brainandlife.org/disorders/stroke)

A rare stroke during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth may leave lasting effects that extend far beyond the delivery room. New research published in, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests thatduring pregnancy or within three months after are more likely to face heart disease, depression, and work-related challenges years later ().The study followedwho experienced an ischemic stroke during pregnancy or within three months after delivery and compared them withwho did not have a stroke , using Finnish health care registries and medical records over an average ofIschemic stroke happens when a blood clot or blockage reduces blood flow to the brain, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients.While uncommon during pregnancy or the postpartum period, experts note that cases are rising. Researchers followed women using Finnish health care registries to understand what life looks like after such a stroke ().The study found thator heart failure later in life. These findings suggest that pregnancy-related stroke may be an early signal of future cardiovascular vulnerability rather than an isolated event.Beyond the heart, the brain also carries a lasting emotional toll. Women who had a stroke were almostto develop depression years later. Importantly, most participants recovered physically.Aboutachieved good functional outcomes, meaning they could manage daily activities independently. Yet emotional recovery did not always follow the same path.Work life also shifted for many women. Despite similar employment rates before stroke, long-term outcomes diverged. Women with stroke hadby the end of the study. Researchers say this gap highlights hidden challenges that may persist even when physical recovery appears complete.This research underscores that a stroke during pregnancy can echo across decades, influencing heart health, mental well-being, and economic independence. It reframes pregnancy-related stroke as not only a short-term medical emergency but also athat deserves ongoing attention.Source-Medindia
In a sudden accident, it was reported that politician and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, died in a plane crash. He was on his way to Baramati to address meetings as the Zilla Parishad elections were approaching, and that is when the crash took place. Pawar wasnt the only one who passed away; there were four others. Celebrities and public figures have taken to social media to express their condolences for the politicians sudden passing. PM Modi and Others are Disheartened by Ajit Pawars Death

 X/Narendramodi The private chartered plane that was carrying Ajit Pawar, his two security personnel and two pilots attempted to make an emergency landing at the Baramati Airport when the plane crashed into a building. Thick smoke and fire could be seen from far away, and the aforementioned all passed away. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his X account to express his condolences for the politicians passing. He stated, Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief.

He continued, Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti. Others also expressed their dismay upon hearing the news. M. A. Baby also posted, Deeply shocked by the tragic news of the passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and party workers during this difficult time. Amongst others were also Sachin Tendulkar, Kangana Ranaut, Riteish Deshmukh, Anupam Kher and Ajay Devgn.
By Mata Press Service

Canada is recording a historic decline in the number of international students and temporary workers arriving in the country, reversing a decade of rapid growth in temporary residents that once fuelled population expansion, university budgets and labour supply.

According to the latest official statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the number of new study and work permit arrivals between January and November 2025 plunged by 52 per cent compared with the same period in 2024  a drop of 334,845 fewer new arrivals. Study permit counts alone fell by 60 per cent, and work permit arrivals sank roughly 47 per cent over the same period.

The monthly data paint a picture of a sustained slide. In November 2025, just 2,485 new students received study permits and 13,365 new workers were granted work permits  levels unseen in recent years.

Officials attribute the downturn to deliberate policy shifts under the Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to reduce pressure on housing, infrastructure and public services by scaling back the temporary resident population to below 5 per cent of Canadas total population. New measures include annual caps on international student permits, tighter rules on work permit eligibility and reforms to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

The result is a stark pivot from the post-pandemic surge that saw Canada issue study and work permits at record pace. Between 2021 and 2024, international student and temporary worker numbers swelled rapidly, contributing to population growth and a booming international education sector. But the latest statistics suggest that era has paused.

The effects are already visible beyond the immigration tables. Earlier reporting showed a nearly 60 per cent drop in international student arrivals in 2025 compared with 2024, a shift with potential implications for Canadas universities and colleges, which have become heavily reliant on tuition revenue from overseas students.

The decline also aligns with broader reductions in overall immigration targets. Projections indicate fewer temporary worker admissions and a realignment of permanent residency plans as Ottawa tries to balance labour market needs with domestic employment priorities.

For Asian students and workers  many of whom view Canada as a pathway to education and employment  the changing landscape signals uncertainty. India, historically one of the largest sources of international students, has seen dramatic drops in study permit approvals following tightened fraud-prevention measures that raised rejection rates sharply.

As Canada recalibrates its immigration system, the ripple effects will extend into labour markets, post-secondary institutions and communities that have grown around temporary residents.

At the same time, global study-abroad demand has not disappeared. Students are increasingly turning to destinations with more welcoming policies, lower costs and clearer pathways to work and residency. This global shift is reshaping the traditional migration map.

Emerging Study Destinations Gaining Traction

Germany

Germany hosts about 420,000 international students, drawn by near-tuition-free public universities and strong demand for skilled labour.

Living costs: C$1,600 per month

Tuition: Public universities largely tuition-free; private institutions C$8,100C$32,400 per year

France

France welcomed nearly 445,000 international students in 202425 and is actively courting students affected by tighter North American policies.

Living costs: C$970C$1,300 per month

Tuition: Public universities C$4,700C$6,300 per year; private institutions C$9,700C$29,200

Ireland

Ireland hit a record 40,000+ international students, though housing and visa delays remain constraints.

Living costs: C$16,200C$32,400 per year

Tuition: Undergraduate C$29,200C$48,300; masters programs C$13,700C$48,300

Spain

Spain hosts more than 100,000 international students, with generous work-while-studying rules and post-graduation options.

Living costs: C$1,130C$1,940 per month

Tuition: C$2,430C$7,300 per year

South Korea

South Korea has surpassed 300,000 international students, driven by interest across Asia.

Living costs: C$1,040C$1,380 per month

Tuition: C$5,900C$10,600 per year

Japan

Japan hosted nearly 340,000 international students as of mid-2024 and plans to expand quotas in 2026.

Living costs: C$360 per month nationwide, C$500 in Tokyo

Tuition: C$5,300C$9,700 per year

Malaysia

Malaysia is positioning itself as a regional education hub, targeting 250,000 international students by 2030.

Living costs: C$800 per month

Tuition: C$3,500C$13,100 per year

China

China remains one of the worlds largest study destinations, with international student numbers projected to return to about 490,000 by 2026.

Living costs: C$300C$590 per month outside major cities; C$890C$990 in Beijing or Shanghai

Tuition: C$3,900C$11,800 per year

New Zealand

New Zealand plans to grow international student numbers from 85,000 to 119,000 by 2034.

Living costs: C$14,800C$22,100 per year

Tuition: C$28,700C$45,100 per year

United Arab Emirates

The UAE has surged as a study destination, accounting for 59 percent of study-abroad searches across the Middle East and North Africa.

Living costs: C$2,540 per month

Tuition: C$11,200C$44,800 per year

Nearly seven million students are currently studying abroad worldwide, a number projected to rise to 8.5 million by 2030.
A disabled veteran who received a Department of Veterans Affairs automobile grant decades ago can now apply for another one. The change, signed into law in January 2023, removes the lifetime restriction that previously limited eligible veterans to a single vehicle purchase grant.

The Advancing Uniform Transportation Opportunities for Veterans Act, known as the AUTO Act, allows veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities to receive an automobile grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs every 10 years instead of just once in their lifetime.

What the Law Changed

Before the AUTO Act, VA provided eligible veterans with a one-time grant to purchase a specially equipped vehicle. That grant, currently $27,074.99 as of October 2025, was only available once across a veteran's entire lifetime. Veterans could receive multiple grants for adaptive equipment such as power steering or wheelchair lifts, but a grant for the purchase of the vehicle itself was limited to one use.

For veterans who need modified vehicles to maintain mobility and independence, this creates a significant financial burden. Modified vehicles cost between $20,000 and $80,000 for new vehicles and $21,000 to $35,000 for used ones. The average lifespan of a modified vehicle is roughly 11.5 years. Veterans who received grants ended up either driving vehicles well past their usable lives or paying tens of thousands out of pocket for replacements.

Under the new law, veterans who haven't received a vehicle grant in 30 years are immediately eligible to apply for another one; and they can then apply for a new grant every 10 years.

Read More: Heres When VA Benefits Do and Dont Count as Income, for Taxes and Otherwise

Who Qualifies

Eligibility requirements haven't changed. Veterans and active-duty service members qualify for the automobile grant if they have a service-connected disability that includes at least one of these conditions:

Loss, or permanent loss of use, of one or both feet

Loss, or permanent loss of use, of one or both hands

Permanent decreased vision in both eyes, meaning 20/200 vision or less in the better eye with glasses; or greater than 20/200 vision but with a visual field defect that reduces peripheral vision to 20 degrees or less in the better eye

Severe burn injuries

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Ankylosis in one or both knees or hips (this qualifies for adaptive equipment grants only, not the automobile purchase grant)

The disability must be service-connected or treated as service-connected under 38 U.S.C. 1151, which covers disabilities resulting from VA medical care.

How the Timing Works

The law includes a phase-in period:

Veterans who have never used a VA vehicle grant can apply immediately and will be eligible every 10 years thereafter.

Veterans who last received a grant 30 or more years ago can apply immediately. After receiving that grant, they'll be eligible again every 10 years.

Veterans who received a grant less than 30 years ago must wait until 30 years have passed since their last grant. After that, the 10-year cycle applies.

Veterans may also qualify for a second grant if a natural disaster destroyed a vehicle purchased with VA assistance, as long as the destruction wasn't the veteran's fault and property insurance didn't compensate for the loss.

Read More: Military Troops and Retirees: Here's the First Financial Step to Take in 2026

Additional Changes in the Law

The AUTO Act also updated how VA classifies certain vehicle modifications. The law allows VA to pay for specific modifications as medical services rather than only through the adaptive equipment program. These modifications include van lifts, raised doors, raised roofs, air conditioning and wheelchair tie-downs for passenger use.

This change matters because it provides another pathway for veterans to obtain necessary vehicle modifications through VA health care rather than solely through the benefits system.

How to Apply

Veterans must file their claim and receive VA approval before purchasing a vehicle or adaptive equipment. The application process requires VA Form 21-4502, Application for Automobile or Other Conveyance and Adaptive Equipment.

Once VA approves the application, the agency completes the authorization section of the form and returns it to the veteran. The veteran then purchases the vehicle, presents the original signed form to the seller, and the seller submits the form and an itemized invoice to VA. VA pays the seller directly by law. The money cannot be paid to the veteran.

Veterans applying for an additional automobile grant who previously received one should contact their local VA prosthetic and sensory aids service before purchasing any new or used adaptive equipment.

Why This Matters

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the total cost of the AUTO Act at $43 million from 2022 to 2032. That relatively modest appropriation addresses a significant quality-of-life issue for severely disabled veterans.

For rural veterans, the change is particularly important. Veterans living far from VA medical centers accumulate substantial mileage traveling to appointments and treatment. When a modified vehicle reaches the end of its usable life, replacing it out of pocket can be financially devastating.

The law was inspired by Neal Williams, a paralyzed Vietnam veteran from Maine who drove his first VA-funded vehicle more than 250,000 miles until it fell apart. Williams paid $50,000 out of pocket for his most recent van because the old law limited him to that single grant decades earlier.

The legislation was sponsored in the House by Representatives Dan Meuser, a Pennsylvania Republican, and David Trone, a Maryland Democrat. In the Senate, Senators Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, and Joe Manchin, then a West Virginia Democrat, co-authored the provisions. President Joe Biden signed the Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022, which included the AUTO Act provisions, into law Jan. 5, 2023, as Public Law 117-333.

For veterans who used their one-time grant years ago and have been shouldering replacement vehicle costs alone, the change means they can now apply for assistance again. That represents a meaningful shift from treating vehicle mobility as a one-time benefit to recognizing it as an ongoing need across a veteran's lifetime.

Stay on Top of Your Veteran Benefits

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BAGHDAD (AP)  Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed defiance Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw Washingtons support for Iraq if he returns to power.

We reject the blatant American interference in Iraqs internal affairs and consider it a violation of its sovereignty, al-Maliki, who is nominated by the countrys dominant political bloc to return to the premiership, said in a statement.

Trump in a social media post Tuesday wrote, Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos, adding, Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom.

Washington has been pushing Iraq to distance itself from Iran and sees al-Maliki as too close to Tehran. His last term, which ended in 2014, also saw the rise of the Islamic State group, which seized large swaths of the country.

Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudanis list of candidates won the largest share of seats in Novembers parliamentary elections. But he stepped aside earlier this month, clearing the field for al-Maliki after the two competed for the backing of the Coordination Framework, a collection of Shiite parties that is the largest parliamentary bloc.

The framework named al-Maliki as its nominee last week. A parliament session was set to take place Tuesday to elect a president, who in turn would appoint the prime minister, but the session was canceled due to a lack of quorum, with no alternate date set.

Al-Maliki said he would continue to stand for the premiership out of respect for the national will and the Coordination Frameworks decision.

Trumps intervention into Iraqi politics came as he weighs carrying out new strikes on Iraqs neighbor Iran. It also comes as the U.S. has started transferring Islamic State group militants from detention sites in Syria to ones in Iraq.

Al-Sudani came to power with the backing of the Coordination Framework in 2022 but during his first term managed to balance relations with Iran and the U.S. and restrained pro-Iran militias from intervening in support of Iran during last years 12-day Israel-Iran war.

Some of those militias have voiced their support for al-Maliki.

Abu Alaa al-Walae, commander of the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada militia, called Trumps statement blatant interference in Iraqi affairs,"adding that the criminal Trump, who physically assassinated the leaders of victory now wants to repeat the act by politically assassinating al-Maliki.

During his first term, Trump ordered a drone strike that killed powerful Iranian military leader Gen. Qassim Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy leader of Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group composed of an array of militias, including Iran-backed groups, formed to fight the Islamic State group.
A judge is ruling whether a case involving ex-Navy SEAL Robert ONeill, the man who claims to have shot and killed Osama bin Laden in 2011, will remain in federal court or be remanded to state court. Lawyers for both sides, as well as O'Neill, spoke to Military.com about the current state of the litigation.

In November, ONeill filed a $25 million defamation lawsuit against Tyler Hoover and Brent Tuckerhosts of The Antihero Podcastclaiming that the pair engaged in a years-long effort to disparage the veterans name and efforts associated with bin Ladens demise during Operation Neptune Spear.

Hes claimed that the repeated barbs by Hoover and Tucker, both veterans, goes beyond accusations of stolen valor but is inciting veteran-on-veteran hate meant to monetize on the tarnishing of his reputation.

Hoover was an Army airborne infantry veteran and former sheriffs deputy. Tucker began his military career within the 75th Ranger Regiment, then 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), before spending the remainder of his career in Delta Force.

Retired Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill, 38, who says he shot and killed Osama bin Laden, poses for a portrait in Washington, Friday, Nov. 14, 2014. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Last week, ONeills legal counsel filed a motion to remand the case to Westchester County Supreme Court, according to court documents shared with Military.com.

That follows a motion made in late December by attorney Timothy Parlatorea military veteran who has represented his share of high-profile clients, including U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethwho filed to move the case to federal court, which he claims is the plaintiffs fear should it remain there.

[ONeill] should have filed it in federal court, but he chose to file it in state court, Parlatore told Military.com. We moved it to federal court. He is clearly afraid of being in federal court, so he's trying to get it out.

Podcasters Accused of 'Rampant Conspiracy Theories'

New York-based attorney David Schwartz, in the lawsuit filed Nov. 10 accused the Antihero hosts of the malicious and deliberate publication of false information regarding his client, ONeill.

The hosts were lying about his role in dispatching Osama Bin Laden and effectively accusing Rob ONeill of the most awful of offenses for a decorated military man who served with distinction and honor and been lauded for having courageously brought the worst of terrorists to justice who was responsible for thousands of American deaths.

Theyve accused him of a species of stolen valor and engaged in rampant conspiracy theories riddled with falsehoods and completely unfounded recriminations. -- Schwartz in court filings

Schwartz initially filed with the intention of the case going to trial in front of a jury.

'I Look Forward to Court'

The newest legal filing was described by Schwartz as a clear, if temporary, victory for ONeill.

Rob O'Neill has served this country with honor, distinction and bravery, Schwartz told Military.com. He conducted over 400 combat missions and he is the man who walked into that compound and killed the most wanted terrorist in the world.

He has been defamed and damaged by these podcasters and we look forward to our day in court.

In this 1998 file photo made available on March 19, 2004, Osama bin Laden is seen at a news conference in Khost, Afghanistan. The United States carried out the most noteworthy assassination of this century when Navy SEALs under President Barack Obamas direction tracked down Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and killed him in 2011. (AP Photo/Mazhar Ali Khan, File)

The sentiment is shared by ONeill.

I can only watch the truth be trampled for so long before I fight back. I look forward to court. - ONeill to Military.com

Parlatore, however, views the case in a much different light.

Filing any type of defamation claim on this is a losing battle because [ONeills] a public figure, Parlatore, who has represented the podcast duo since the start, told Military.com.

In order to win this case, he has to show that the Antihero guys acted with actual malice, meaning that they knew what they were saying was false or acted with reckless disregard of the truthwhich is absolutely impossible here because setting everything else aside, you have two books that tell two different stories," he added.

Different Accounts 15 Years Later

Parlatore referenced the two different perspectives of the now infamous bin Laden raid ordered by then-President Barack Obama that are integral to this case, in the form of New York Times best sellers.

Mark Owen (a pseudonym for Matt Bissonnette) of the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group, known as SEAL Team Six, wrote No Easy Day. It is described as a firsthand account of the planning and execution of the successful May 2, 2011, raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan. It was published in 2012.

ONeill wrote his own memoir, The Operator, that was published in 2017. His book detailed his 400-plus mission military career and his own competing perspective of the bin Laden raid.

In this May 5, 2011 photo, Pakistani army troops guard the perimeter of the walled compound of a house where al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was caught and killed by U.S. forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

The Antihero hosts based an August 2023 podcast titled, Rob ONeillThe Web of Lies, in part on Bissonnettes recounting of events. ONeill, who has garnered large speaking fees due to his background, has in his own appearances on other podcasts called Bissonnettes side of things not the truth.

If you read both books and you say, You know what, I think this book is more believable, there's nothing wrong with that, Parlatore said. Everybody's entitled to their opinion that one book is more believable than the other. So, you can't possibly make out actual malice when there's another book like that."

"Add on top of that, there is not a single person that corroborates Rob O'Neill's claims. Yeah, there's other people on the team that have said, No, he didn't [kill bin Laden]. But there's not a single person who said, Yes, he did, other than Rob O'Neill."

William McRaven's Role in Suit

ONeills lawsuit also highly touts statements made by retired four-star Adm. William McRaven, who as head of Joint Special Operations Command oversaw the 2011 operation.

McRaven, according to ONeills attorneys, was introduced to the SEAL after the mission and introduced to him as the man who killed Osama bin Laden.

Legal filings also reference an October 2020 interview between CNNs Jake Tapper and McRaven, in which McRaven described ONeill as the SEAL that, in fact, shot bin Laden.

Navy Vice Admiral William McRaven, who as commander of Joint Special Operations Command had operational control of the SEAL Team Six mission to get Osama bin Laden, is pictured at a ceremony where President Barack Obama presented Army Sgt. First Class Leroy Arthur Petry of Santa Fe, N.M., the Medal of Honor for his valor in Afghanistan in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Schwartz said that the defense has no sworn witness to rebut McRavens testimony. Parlatore disagreed.

That's stupidity, Parlatore said. First of all, McRaven is not even allowed to be a lawyer, not even allowed to be a witness in the case, because McRaven wasn't in the building. He wasn't on the mission. If you read McRaven's statement, which there are major problems with anywayis that he was told by somebody else who also wasn't in the building that Rob was the shooter. So basically, somebody told him that somebody else told him that Rob was the shooter. That's three levels of hearsay.

It's completely inadmissible. In order to prove Rob's case, the only way he can do it is he needs to bring in the other guys who were in the building. So yeah, McRaven's irrelevant.

Whats Next

Parlatore said that ONeill and his legal counsel are essentially jumping the gun on their claims of having the upper hand in the suit.

My clients, before they did those episodes, they talked to multiple people who were on that mission who were in the building, Parlatore said. So, they are on the facts and on the law. They're totally confident here because they know what they did, they did their due diligence.

"There's not a possible way under the law that you can hold them liable for defamation. Now, they're extremely confident. "

The case will be dismissed and ONeill will end up paying both his legal fees as well as the Antihero guys, he added.

Honestly, it's just a matter of how long is it going to take? How much money is Rob going to owe them at the end of this? And how bad of a hit is this going to be to Rob O'Neill's reputation, or is this going to go all the way to where these guys have to testify?

Worst-case scenario for Rob, if this thing went to trial, a jury would find that Rob O'Neill did not shoot bin Laden.  He has to prove that he did. I don't have to prove that he didn't, Parlatore added.

There is currently no specific timeline for when the judge in the case will respond to Schwartzs request to move the case back to state court.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Iranian officials reached out to the wider Middle East on Wednesday over the threat of a possible U.S. military strike on the country, a month since the start of protests in Iran that soon spread nationwide and sparked a bloody crackdown.

Two nations, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have signaled they won't allow their airspace to be used for any attack. But America has moved the USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided missile destroyers into the region, which can be used to launch attacks from the sea.

It remains unclear what U.S. President Donald Trump will decide about using force, though he laid down two red lines  the killing of peaceful demonstrators and the possible mass execution of detainees. The protests saw at least 6,221 people killed as Iran launched a bloody crackdown on the demonstrations, with many others feared dead, activists said Wednesday.

Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!

Mentioning the June strikes on Iran, Trump wrote: The next attack will be far worse!

Iran's state-run media, which now only refers to protesters as terrorists, remains the sole source of news for many as Tehran cut off access to the global internet some three weeks ago. But Iranians have become angry and anxious in the weeks since, seeing footage of protesters shot and killed while worrying about what may happen next as the country's economy sinks further.

I feel that my generation failed to give a better lesson to younger ones," said Mohammad Heidari, a 59-year-old high school teacher in Tehran. The result of decades of teaching by my colleagues and me led to death of thousands, and maybe more injured and prisoners.

Rapid diplomacy between Iran, Arab nations

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said its top diplomat, Badr Abdelatty, separately spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff to work toward achieving calm, in order to avoid the region slipping into new cycles of instability.

The statement offered no details, though Iranian state media quoted Araghchi as saying third-party mediators had been in touch. Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and Trump's friend, had earlier negotiated over Iran's nuclear program. There was no immediate acknowledgment from the White House of the call.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying the kingdom would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military actions against Iran or for any attacks from any party, regardless of their origin. That follows a similar pledge by the UAE.

Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE host American air assets and troops. Both also have faced attacks in the last decade. A 2019 assault believed by the West to have been carried out by Iran briefly halved Saudi oil production. The UAE faced several attacks claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels in 2022.

However, America's biggest base in the region is Qatar's vast Al Udeid Air Base, which serves as the forward operating headquarters of the U.S. military's Central Command. Both Araghchi and Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official, held calls with Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Qatar acknowledged the calls, but offered few specifics on what was discussed.

Iran attacked Al Udeid in June in response to Trump sending American warplanes to bomb Iranian nuclear enrichment sites after Israel launched a 12-day war on the Islamic Republic.

Our position is exactly this: Applying diplomacy through military threats cannot be effective or constructive, Araghchi told journalists Wednesday outside of a Cabinet meeting. If they want negotiations to take shape, they must abandon threats, excessive demands, and the raising of illogical issues. Negotiations have their own principles: they must be conducted on an equal footing, based on mutual respect, and for mutual benefit.

Activists offer new death toll

While the protests have been halted for weeks after the crackdown, information slowly trickling out of Iran via Starlink satellite dishes is reaching activists, who have been trying to tally the carnage.

On Wednesday, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran, said at least 6,221 dead it counted included at least 5,858 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 100 children and 49 civilians who werent demonstrating. More than 42,300 have been arrested, it added.

The group verifies each death and arrest with a network of activists on the ground in Iran. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll given that authorities cut off the internet and disrupted calls into the Islamic Republic.

Irans government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest terrorists. In the past, Irans theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.

That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The protests began on Dec. 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country. They were met by a violent crackdown, the scale of which is only starting to become clear as the country has faced more than two weeks of internet blackout  the most comprehensive in its history.

Iran on Wednesday also announced the execution of Hamidreza Sabet, a man it convicted of spying for Israel. Sabet's execution marks the 13th carried out by Iran against alleged spies for Israel since the June war.

___

Associated Press writer Fay Abuelgasim in Cairo contributed to this report.
By Isaac Phan Nay

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The worlds largest pilots union wants you to rethink Canadas pilot shortage.

Industry experts say the demand for business and passenger flights is outpacing the number of new pilots entering the field worldwide.

Here in Canada, airlines report struggling to hire pilots already in the country. Dozens of employers are looking abroad to meet a rising demand for flights.

But the Air Line Pilots Association says thats not because Canada doesnt have enough pilots ready to fly.

ALPA Canada president Capt. Tim Perry said some employers are not creating competitive jobs to attract and retain pilots.

To characterize whatever is going on in Canada as a pilot shortage would be, at best, a gross oversimplification of a fairly complicated issue, Perry said. Whats going on is either an unwillingness or a failure to recognize an evolving market for pilots.

Steven Tufts, a labour geographer at York University in Toronto, said that while Canadian airlines are facing legitimate staffing challenges, its fair to characterize the problem as a recruitment and retention issue.

He called the disagreement a classic example of how unions and employers contest the narrative on labour issues.

When any sector cries about labour shortages, its labour shortages at the price of what they think should be the price of labour in their sector, Tufts said.

In 2025, industry spokespeople sounded the alarm over a pilot shortage.

CAE, a Montreal-based company that builds flight simulators, predicted in the 2025 edition of its biennial airline talent forecast report that the number of commercial aircraft in service is expected to grow by 35 per cent to 44,000 from 33,000 in the next decade.

It estimates there are about 382,000 active pilots today, 253,000 of whom will still be working in 2034. The technology company estimates that airlines worldwide will need 267,000 more pilots to meet the next decades demand.

WorkBC estimates there are more than 2,700 pilots working here in British Columbia, with 1,410 job openings forecasted by 2035.

But airlines report having trouble finding people to fill that gap here in Canada.

In November, Kamloops city Coun. Bill Sarai said hed heard Canadian airlines were reporting a countrywide shortage of aviation staff. Sarai, who is also president of the Kamloops Airport Authority Society, called on the B.C. government to fund financial aid for students in flight programs.

Meanwhile, publicly available data from Employment and Social Development Canada suggests some airlines are looking outside the country to find pilots.

To hire a temporary foreign worker, airlines need a government document that shows an employer tried to hire locally but could not find a qualified Canadian worker for the job. Its called a labour market impact assessment, or LMIA.

The latest data available from last year shows that between January 2025 and September 2025, 42 airlines got LMIAs approved for 136 pilot positions in Canada.

Over the same time period in 2024, 40 Canadian airlines got LMIAs approved for 114 pilot positions.

Last year, WestJet told CBC News it applied for foreign workers in an effort to address a shortage of pilots  but later decided not to hire pilots through the program.

WestJet did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Gerry Egan, associate dean of the British Columbia Institute of Technologys aerospace technology school, agreed the industry was seeing a shortage of all aviation staff.

He said COVID-19 cratered demand for flights, causing some aviation staff like air traffic controllers, maintenance engineers and pilots to leave the industry.

But while demand for flights and work for pilots has recovered, he said, hes still hearing from airlines and charter operators that recruiting new pilots has been a challenge.

He said he believes the shortage in aviation staff is partly because young people have shown less interest in trades, such as being a pilot, in recent decades  but thats starting to change.

The interest is there now, but in the past couple decades, the interest has not been terribly strong, he said.

He said a bigger reason for the shortage is because early-career pilots have hit cost barriers. According to Egan, getting the required 250 hours of flight time for a commercial pilots licence can cost up to $120,000.

The upfront cost can be a barrier for many students, Egan said. Theyre not going to get a return on their investment for quite some time into their career.

WorkBC data shows pilots make anywhere from $29 to $100 per hour, with the average annual income for pilots in B.C. around $120,000.

But Egan estimates it often takes pilots about five years after getting a commercial pilot licence before they have enough experience to get a well-paying job.

The privilege to sit in that right seat takes many years, and when they get into that seat, theyve not been earning great money, Egan said. But once theyre on that trajectory, then the pay and salary and benefits and all that definitely come.

According to Perry, ALPA represents more than 13,500 pilots in Canada across 21 airlines. Thats 95 per cent of the pilots in this country.

Perry said the supply and demand of pilots naturally fluctuate over time  but its inaccurate to call the mismatch between flight demand and pilots a labour shortage.

Instead, he said some airline operators are failing to create jobs that pay enough to attract or retain pilots. He said he would not name specific airlines experiencing a shortage.

We dont find a pilot shortage with airlines who do pay evolving market rates and negotiate fair terms in collective agreements, Perry said. Whats happening is theyre moving from certain jobs to preferable jobs.

Its not like we dont have people, said Tufts of York University. Its that we dont have people willing to work for what employers want to pay.

Tufts added that smaller, regional airlines often have trouble offering salary increases and bonuses that match what bigger airlines, such as Air Transat, are paying.

Earlier this month, pilots at that airline bargained for raises of more than 50 per cent over five years.

How industry players talk about the labour shortage affects how, if at all, the government responds, Tufts said  whether thats by boosting immigration streams for pilots or offering funding for aviation schools.

It really is a discursive battle, because it has real political implications.
KYIV, Ukraine  A new report warned that the number of soldiers killed, injured or missing on both sides of Russia's war on Ukraine could hit 2 million by the spring, with Russia suffering the largest number of troop deaths recorded for any major power in any war since World War II.

The report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies came less than a month before the fourth anniversary of Moscow's onslaught on Ukraine. Officials said Wednesday that two people were killed on the outskirts of Kyiv after Russian strikes hit an apartment block, and at least nine people were injured in separate attacks in the Ukrainian cities of Odesa and Kryvyi Rih and the front-line Zaporizhzhia region.

The CSIS report released Tuesday said Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 troop deaths, between the start of Moscows full-scale invasion in February 2022 and December 2025.

Despite claims of battlefield momentum in Ukraine, the data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains and is in decline as a major power, the report said.

No major power has suffered anywhere near these numbers of casualties or fatalities in any war since World War II, it added.

It estimated that Ukraine, with its smaller army and population, had suffered between 500,000 to 600,000 casualties, including up to 140,000 deaths.

Neither Moscow nor Kyiv gives timely data on military losses, and each is at pains to amplify the other sides casualties. Russia has publicly acknowledged the deaths of just over 6,000 soldiers. Reports about military losses have been repressed in Russian media, activists and independent journalists say.

The report estimated that at current rates, combined Russian and Ukrainian casualties may be as high as 1.8 million and could reach 2 million by the spring.

The figures from the CSIS were compiled using the Washington, D.C.-based think tanks own analysis, data published by independent Russian news site Mediazona with the BBC, estimates by the British government and interviews with state officials.

A war of attrition

Mediazona, together with the BBC and a team of volunteers, has so far collected the names of over 160,000 troops killed by scouring news reports, social media and government websites.

In an interview with NBC in February 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since the war began.

The report also said that Russian forces were advancing at a sluggish pace since it seized the initiative on the battlefield in 2024, despite its much larger size.

Russias advance in Ukraine has largely settled into a grinding war of attrition, and analysts say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is in no rush to find a settlement, despite his armys difficulties on the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.

The report said Russian forces have advanced at an average rate of between 15 and 70 meters (49 to 230 feet) per day in their most prominent offensives.

That is slower than almost any major offensive campaign in any war in the last century, the report said.

Putin told his annual news conference last month that 700,000 Russian troops are fighting in Ukraine. He gave the same number in 2024, and a slightly lower figure  617,000  in December 2023. It was not possible to verify those figures.

2 killed in attack in Kyiv region

A man and a woman died in an overnight attack in the Bilohorodka area on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, Mykola Kalashnyk, head of the regional military administration, said Wednesday.

Officials in the Ukrainian cities of Odesa and Kryvyi Rih, as well as the front-line Zaporizhzhia region, also reported Russian strikes overnight, wounding at least nine people and damaging local infrastructure.

Ukraine's Air Force said that Russia attacked overnight with one ballistic missile and 146 strike drones, 103 of which were shot down or destroyed using electronic warfare.

Meanwhile, Russia's Ministry of Defense said its air defenses destroyed 75 Ukrainian drones overnight. Twenty-four were shot down over Russias southwestern Krasnodar region, with 23 more shot down over the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.

Two drones were reportedly shot down over Russia's Voronezh region, where Ukraine's General Staff said Wednesday that it had struck the Khokholskaya oil depot. Regional Gov. Alexander Gusev wrote on Telegram that falling drone debris sparked a fire involving oil products, but did not give further details.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Technical talks between the U.S., Denmark and Greenland over hatching an Arctic security deal are now underway, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday.

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland agreed to create a working group aimed at addressing differences with the U.S. during a Washington meeting earlier this month with Vice President JD Vance and Rubio.

The group was created after President Donald Trumps repeated calls for the U.S. to take over Greenland, a Danish territory, in the name of countering threats from Russia and China  calls that Greenland, Denmark and European allies forcefully rejected.

It begins today and it will be a regular process, Rubio said of the working group, as he testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Were going to try to do it in a way that isnt like a media circus every time these conversations happen, because we think that creates more flexibility on both sides to arrive at a positive outcome.

A spokesperson for the Danish Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the start of the talks.

Trump's renewed threats in recent weeks to annex Greenland, which is a semiautonomous territory of a NATO ally, has roiled U.S.-European relations.

Trump this month announced he would slap new tariffs on Denmark and seven other European countries that opposed his takeover calls, only to abruptly drop his threats after a framework for a deal over access to the mineral-rich island was reached, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Ruttes help. Few details of the agreement have emerged.

After stiff pushback from European allies to his Greenland rhetoric, Trump also announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week that he would take off the table the possibility of using American military force to acquire Greenland.

The president backed off his tariff threats and softened his language after Wall Street suffered its biggest losses in months over concerns that Trump's Greenland ambitions could spur a trade war and fundamentally rupture NATO, a 32-member transatlantic military alliance thats been a linchpin of post-World War II security.

Rubio on Wednesday appeared eager to downplay Trump's rift with Europe over Greenland.

Weve got a little bit of work to do, but I think were going to wind up in a good place, and I think youll hear the same from our colleagues in Europe very shortly, Rubio said.

Rubio during Wednesday's hearing also had a pointed exchange with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., about Trump repeatedly referring to Greenland as Iceland while at Davos.

Yeah, he meant to say Greenland, but I think were all familiar with presidents that have verbal stumbles, Rubio said in responding to Kaine's questions about Trump's flub  taking a veiled dig at former President Joe Biden. We've had presidents like that before. Some made a lot more than this one.
President Donald Trump warned Iran to make a nuclear deal with the U.S. or face military strikes far worse than the attack he ordered last June, ratcheting up pressure on the regime even as regional leaders sought to spur fresh diplomacy between the adversaries.

In a social-media post, Trump said the fleet of U.S. ships hed ordered to the region, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, was ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.

Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties, Trump wrote.

In response, Iran said it stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests but warned that IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE, the countrys mission to the United Nations said in a post on X.

Trump has repeatedly warned Iran that the U.S. might launch another attack on the country, but those threats were linked to a deadly crackdown on protests that began in late December. Trump has previously said Irans nuclear program was obliterated in the strikes last June that targeted three facilities across the country.

Iran has long said it does not want to develop nuclear weapons. Notably, in his latest post, Trump did not demand that Iran end nuclear enrichment, its ballistic missile program or its funding of anti- U.S. proxy militias, all conditions Iran has balked at previously.

At the same time, Trump said earlier this month that Iranian officials had reached out to resume negotiations with the U.S. that were suspended after the June attacks. And signs have emerged in recent months that Iran could restart the program if it wanted. The director of the UNs nuclear watchdog, Rafael Mariano Grossi, said in an interview last week that the country retains its stockpile of highly-enriched uranium.

Trump has gone back and forth in recent days over whether the U.S. would strike Iran again. He had previously suggested he was less likely to attack after claiming that Iran had agreed not to execute some of the people arrested during the demonstrations.

We think strikes on Iran are likely, unless the Iranians accept Trumps extensive demands to decommission their nuclear program  which doesnt look likely, Bloomberg Economics analysts Becca Wasser and Dina Esfandiary wrote.

Trumps latest remarks sent oil to a fresh four-month high. Brent futures reached $68.19 a barrel after Trumps post, the highest level since the end of September, extending a 3% jump in the previous session.

Iran has stepped up diplomacy with key powers in the Middle East as it looks to head off more conflict with the U.S. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held calls on Wednesday with Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as well as Egypts top diplomat, Badr Abdelatty.

Abdelatty separately spoke to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff about Iran and creating conditions for the resumption of dialogue between Washington and Tehran, the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency reported, citing an official statement.

The Qatari prime minister also spoke with Ali Larijani, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council. Wednesdays calls came a day after Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said he wont allow any of the kingdoms territories or airspace to be used to carry out military strikes against Iran.

Witkoff and Araghchi led the negotiations over Irans nuclear program until the talks were suspended in the wake of the strikes by Israel and the U.S.

Irans latest wave of protests erupted on Dec. 28, initially because of a sudden drop in the value of the currency, before evolving nationwide into the strongest rebuke of the Islamic Republic in its history. A subsequent crackdown has killed almost 6,000 civilians, according to the latest data collected by U.S.-based Human Rights Activists Network.

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2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
After years of lingering questions, ailing veterans suffering from Gulf War Syndrome finally received some answers from the Department of War in their fight to better comprehend the disease and find ways to treat it.

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) noted a recent letter it received from the War Department stating it will change the guidance about how veterans were potentially exposed to chemical warfare in the Gulf War, from 1990 91. The DoW also plans to restore and attempt to locate classified documents from the conflict.

The news comes after a VVA campaign warning veterans they were likely in harms way of toxins in the war, and the push to declassify reports, hoping it would lead to evidence that may help doctors treat veterans battling Gulf War-related illnesses.

President George H.W. Bush and the troops just finished playing horseshoes, as he promised when he visited them in Saudi Arabia on November 22, 1990. (National Archives)

Breaking Down Gulf War Syndrome

Also known as Gulf War Illness, the disease has impacted one in three Gulf War veterans in the past three decades.

During the conflict, troops faced exposure to chemical and biological weapons, leading to unexplainable reactions, such as diarrhea, muscle cramps, rashes, cognitive disorders, limited coordination and fatigue. Through the years, researchers have completed dozens of studies to understand the syndrome better. A report released in 2024 from Australias Griffith University pinpointed a faulty cell function, which might be tied to the illness, but also led to more questions.

In March 1991, an ammunition storage facility in Khamisiyah, Iraq, was destroyed, releasing dangerous chemicals into the air. The DoD claimed that around 100,000 Gulf War soldiers were likely exposed to low levels of nerve gas from that explosion.

Veterans who took part in the demolition of the facility were sent letters in 2005 that said they may have been exposed to sarin and cycle nerve chemicals, which slightly contradicts a DoD report in 2002 stating troops were likely exposed.

Officials from the Defense Department met with VVA representatives on Dec. 18, 2025, and a letter covering what happened in the meeting was sent from the department to the VVA late last week.

Newsweek obtained a copy of the letter stating veterans were likely exposed to toxins. The DoD also went on to acknowledge that the 2002 case narrative said, likely exposed and said its trying to address this mistake by placing specific language and links to the Military Health System website and an environmental exposure site. The letter stated this would allow veterans to access and download (information) directly.

DoW Promises Better Commitment

We have developed a draft website update on Khamisiyah Chemical Exposures and are currently working with our strategic communications and Health.mil website team to post it online and then share that link with VVA, once it is online and accessible, the letter said.

According to the letter, the DoW would bring back declassified papers about the Gulf War and maintain the website with accessible information. The department also stated it was trying to restore specific documents for digital use and was trying to find any additional classified Khamisiyah-related documents and determine which, if any, can be declassified.

We are committed to continuing to facilitate the search for relevant potential documents for declassification, the letter said. We ourselves cannot commit to any specific outcomes of that process.

The department said it would seek help from other organizations, both internally and externally, to help with the document retrieval process.

Two decades ago, Congress started redirecting funds used for Gulf War Syndrome research into Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, which continued into 2022, when it was converted to the Toxic Exposure Research Program.

However, in the letter to the VVA, the Defense Department said it was committed to looking at Gulf War Illness research.

Gen. Colin Powell and Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf in Saudi Arabia (U.S. Army)

Responsibility to Learn More

The DoWs willingness to open new research is an important step to better understand Gulf War Syndrome, said James McCormick, a retired Army officer who was deployed to the Middle East in the early 1990s.

I witnessed firsthand the destruction of massive bunker complexesmunitions and debris blown into the air so severely that our units were forced into MOPP 4 (protective gear), buttoned up with hatches closed, as fallout rained down on us, McCormick said. Our sister unit, 1/18th Infantry, lost two soldiers in an explosion caused by a fire in camp. The chemical exposure and direct consequences of the destruction that occurred in the days following the ceasefire cannot be overstated.

McCormick, who serves as VVAs executive director of government affairs, said, Those experiences are permanently etched in my memory.

A comprehensive accounting of what has happened, what we have learned, and what must be done moving forward represents not only an opportunity, but a responsibility, McCormick said.

Pete Kasperowicz, press secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, told Newsweek that VA will continue to work to treat Gulf War Illness.

VA has years of experience diagnosing, treating and researching Gulf War Illness, and this important work continues under President Trump, he said. If a patient presents with claims or symptoms of GWI, VA always takes the possibility of chemical weapons exposure into account.
Senator Jesse Helms stood in the Anchorage airport on August 31, 1983, playing games with two little girls. They were 3 and 5 years old. Their family was waiting for Korean Air Lines Flight 007 to refuel before continuing to Seoul.

Helms had considered switching to their flight since it departed earlier than his did. Senator Steve Symms talked him out of it at the last minute. The North Carolina Republican stayed on KAL 015.

The two girls boarded KAL 007 with their parents. So did 265 other passengers and crew. Among them sat Georgia Congressman Larry McDonald.

The 48-year-old Democrat was arguably the most anti-communist voice in Congress. He had introduced legislation to ban all trade with the Soviet Union. He founded the Western Goals Foundation to combat what he saw as communist infiltration of American institutions. Just months earlier, he had been appointed chairman of the John Birch Society. No member of Congress targeted Moscow more relentlessly.

Now he was flying toward Soviet airspace. None of them would survive the flight.

Congressman Larry McDonald. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Flight

Larry McDonald had missed his original flight by two or three minutes. Bad weather diverted his connection through Baltimore. When he finally reached JFK, his plane to Seoul had just departed. He chose to wait and take KAL 007 rather than pay higher fares on Pan Am. His new flight had a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska.

Representative Carroll Hubbard of Kentucky was also supposed to join the congressional delegation. At the last minute, he cancelled his reservations and accepted a speaking engagement back home instead.

The Boeing 747 lifted off from Anchorage at 4 a.m. local time. Captain Chun Byung-in commanded the aircraft. He had logged more than 10,600 flight hours. His crew included First Officer Son Dong-hui and Flight Engineer Kim Eui-dong. All three were experienced aviators finishing a grueling five-day international rotation.

Their assigned path followed Route R20, nicknamed "Red Route 20" by American pilots. The corridor skirted dangerously close to Soviet airspace near the Kamchatka Peninsula and Sakhalin Island. Navigating it required precise use of the plane's inertial navigation system.

Something went wrong almost immediately after departure. Investigators later concluded the crew likely set the autopilot to "heading" mode instead of engaging the inertial navigation system. The plane held a constant magnetic heading rather than following its programmed waypoints. The aircraft began drifting north. By the time it reached its first waypoint, KAL 007 had strayed 60 nautical miles off course. At the second checkpoint, the deviation had grown to 100 miles. The crew never noticed.

Cold War tensions in September 1983 had reached their highest point since the Cuban Missile Crisis. President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative had Moscow on edge. A massive U.S. Navy exercise called FleetEx '83 had recently sent American aircraft buzzing over Soviet military installations in the Kuril Islands. Soviet commanders who failed to intercept those planes were severely disciplined.

The Kremlin was also running Operation RYaN, an intelligence effort to detect signs of an American nuclear first strike. Paranoia gripped the hierarchy of the Soviet military.

On that same night, American reconnaissance aircraft monitored a scheduled Soviet missile test near Kamchatka. Soviet radar operators tracked both the spy plane and an unidentified intruder heading toward restricted airspace. They assigned separate tracking numbers to each. But as KAL 007 continued its steady southwestern heading, Soviet commanders grew suspicious.

A simplified CIA map showing divergence of planned and actual flight paths. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Order to Destroy

General Valeri Kamenski commanded air defenses in the Far Eastern Military District. He had received an official reprimand months earlier for failing to intercept American aircraft during FleetEx. He would not make that mistake again.

Soviet fighters scrambled from several bases on Kamchatka. They failed to locate the intruder before it crossed back into international airspace over the Sea of Okhotsk. But the aircraft's straight-line course carried it directly toward Sakhalin Island. More fighters launched to intercept.

Major Gennadi Osipovich piloted an Su-15 interceptor from Dolinsk-Sokol Air Base. He trailed the massive aircraft before pulling alongside it.

"I was just next to him, on the same altitude, 150 meters to 200 meters away," Osipovich recalled in a 1996 interview. "I saw two rows of windows and knew that this was a Boeing. I knew this was a civilian plane. But for me this meant nothing. It is easy to turn a civilian type of plane into one for military use."

He reported the flashing navigation lights to ground controllers, but did not tell them he had identified the aircraft as a civilian Boeing. They did not ask either.

A Soviet Sukhoi Su-15 interceptor. (Wikimedia Commons)

General Anatoly Kornukov, commander of Sokol Air Base, ordered the shootdown. The intruder was about to exit Soviet airspace for the second time. At 3:26 a.m. Tokyo time on September 1, Osipovich fired two air-to-air missiles.

"Target destroyed," he radioed.

The missiles did not immediately destroy KAL 007. Shrapnel severed critical hydraulic lines and control cables. The aircraft lurched upward in an uncontrolled climb, throwing passengers against their seats. Cabin pressure failed.

The pilots fought to control the crippled systems. The crew managed to radio Tokyo that the plane was experiencing "rapid decompression" and requested clearance to descend. For five minutes, the wounded jumbo jet remained level. Then it began a spiraling descent over Moneron Island before it plunged into the Sea of Japan. All 269 people aboard perished, including 22 children under age 12.

Among the dead were citizens from 16 nations. Sixty-three Americans. Twenty-eight Japanese. Twenty-three Taiwanese. And one sitting member of Congress.

The urologist turned politician who spent his career warning Americans about Soviet aggression became its victim. The Soviets had killed their loudest critic in Congress.

K-8 missile (the type fired at KAL 007) mounted on the wing of a Sukhoi Su-15. (Wikimedia Commons)

America Responds

Moscow initially denied any involvement. Soviet officials claimed only that an unidentified aircraft had been shot down over their territory. Five days passed before they admitted destroying a civilian airliner.

Even then, they lied about the details. Moscow insisted the plane flew with its lights off. Osipovich had reported seeing them on. Soviet officials claimed their fighters fired warning shots with tracer rounds. The Su-15 did not carry tracer ammunition. They said the crew attempted to contact the airliner by radio. No such attempt was made.

President Reagan addressed the nation on September 5. He called the attack "a crime against humanity" that "must never be forgotten."

"Our hearts go out to them," Reagan said of the victims' families, "to brave people like Kathryn McDonald, the wife of a Congressman whose composure and eloquence on the day of her husband's death moved us all."

Korean Americans in New York reading the news about the shootdown (1 September 1983). (Wikimedia Commons)

Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill condemned the shootdown as "unbelievably barbaric." Idaho Representative George Hansen was more direct.

"It's murder, plain murder," Hansen declared.

UN Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick appeared before the Security Council on September 6. What followed became one of the most dramatic moments in Cold War diplomacy. She played audio recordings of Soviet pilots coordinating the attack, captured by Japanese intelligence stations. The hushed chamber heard Osipovich's voice in Russian, with translations scrolling on monitors. The tape captured his final transmission confirming the kill.

"Straying off course is not recognized as a capital crime by civilized nations," Kirkpatrick told the assembled diplomats.

The Soviet representative vetoed a resolution condemning the attack. Moscow continued insisting that KAL 007 had been conducting espionage for the United States. No evidence ever supported that claim.

Demonstrators near the White House protest the Soviet shoot-down of KAL 007 (September 2, 1983). (Wikimedia Commons)

The Search

The U.S. Navy launched one of its largest search operations since the hunt for a lost hydrogen bomb off Spain in 1966. Task Force 71, commanded initially by Rear Admiral William Cockell and later by Rear Admiral Walter Piotti, deployed American warships alongside Japanese and South Korean vessels to scour the waters near Moneron Island.

They searched in the wrong place.

The Soviets refused to allow foreign ships into their territorial waters, which extended 12 nautical miles from shore. Moscow claimed the wreckage lay in international waters and provided coordinates for the search area. American forces spent weeks combing 225 square miles of open ocean. They found nothing.

Soviet ships constantly harassed and followed any vessels conducting searches in the area.

Piotti later concluded in his after-action report that the task force had established "with a 95% or above confidence level, that the wreckage, or any significant portion of the aircraft, does not lie within the probability area outside the 12 nautical mile area claimed by the Soviets as their territorial limit."

The Soviet Kashin class destroyer Odarennyy shadows ships of Task Force 71, 7th Fleet as they conduct search operations for Korean Airlines Flight 007. (Wikimedia Commons)

The wreckage was in Soviet waters all along. Moscow knew it.

Soviet divers reached the crash site in October 1983 and recovered the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. They told no one. The black boxes remained hidden for nearly a decade until Boris Yeltsin's government finally turned them over in 1992.

On September 26, 1983, a joint American-Japanese delegation met Soviet officials at the port of Nevelsk on Sakhalin Island. KGB Major General A.I. Romanenko handed over what he claimed was everything the Soviets had recovered including 213 shoes, fragments of clothing, and scattered personal documents.

Eight days after the shootdown, body parts began washing ashore on Japanese beaches in Hokkaido. Japanese authorities recovered 13 fragments, including two partial torsos. One belonged to a Caucasian woman. One belonged to a child with glass embedded in the body. All 13 were unidentifiable.

Soviet divers who reached the wreckage two weeks after the attack reported finding almost nothing inside the aircraft. Diver Vadim Kondrabayev told Russian magazine Itogi in 2000 that his team "worked beneath the water almost a month for five hours a day and didn't find one suitcase, not even a handle from them."

The Russians claimed they never recovered any bodies. They still make that claim today. Families held memorial services and buried empty caskets.

U.S. Task Force 71 After action-report map of the search area in international waters. (Wikimedia Commons)

A Lasting Legacy

Reagan declared September 11, 1983, a National Day of Mourning. Five days later, on September 16, White House Press Secretary Larry Speakes announced a decision that would reshape modern life. The U.S. military's Global Positioning System, then still under development, would be made freely available for civilian use once completed.

The navigation technology that might have prevented KAL 007's fatal deviation would eventually find its way into smartphones, automobiles, and aircraft worldwide. Every GPS-enabled device traces part of its lineage to that September night over Sakhalin.

Soviet leaders fired or demoted several military officials responsible for Far East air defense. Osipovich received a bonus of 200 rubles. He later complained that the amount was smaller than expected.

Kathryn McDonald ran for her husband's congressional seat in the special election that October. She won the primary but lost the runoff to George Darden.

Jesse Helms arrived safely in Seoul aboard KAL 015. He spent the rest of his Senate career pursuing answers about what happened to his colleague. In 1991, he wrote directly to Boris Yeltsin requesting information about any surviving passengers. Yeltsin responded the following year, releasing the hidden black boxes and stating there had been no survivors.

The recordings confirmed what investigators suspected. The autopilot had never been properly engaged with the navigation system.

Human error, institutional paranoia and Cold War hostilities killed 269 innocent people over the Sea of Japan in 1983.
The Space Force offers guardians multiple education pathways, from automatic enrollment in the Community College of the Air Force to partnerships with elite research universities. The programs mirror Air Force education benefits with some space-specific additions.

Tuition Assistance

The Military Tuition Assistance program covers up to $250 per semester hour or $166 per quarter hour, with a fiscal year cap of $4,500. Both enlisted guardians and officers can use the benefit for voluntary off-duty education at accredited institutions.

Guardians apply through the Air Force Virtual Education Center, submitting requests between 45 days and seven days before class starts. Supervisor approval is required. The program covers tuition onlynot books, fees, or supplies.

Read More:

Community College of the Air Force

Every enlisted guardian automatically enrolls in Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) during basic training. The largest community college in the United States and the only degree-granting institution dedicated entirely to Air Force and Space Force enlisted ranks, CCAF awards associate degrees in applied science through on-duty training and voluntary off-duty courses.

Career areas include Intelligence Studies and Technology, Cybersecurity, and Air and Space Operations Technology. Credits earned transfer to four-year institutions: Many partner schools accept CCAF degrees for up to half the credits needed for a bachelor's degree.

Commissioning Programs

The Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program allows enlisted guardians to earn a commission while completing bachelor's degrees in technical fields. Selected guardians temporarily separate from active duty to join ROTC as full-time students. The program provides tuition and fee scholarships up to $15,000 per year plus a $600 annual textbook allowance.

The Leaders Encouraging Airmen Development program offers pathways to the Air Force Academy Preparatory School and Air Force Academy for enlisted members seeking commission.

University Partnership Program

The Space Force established partnerships with 14 universities to recruit, educate and develop guardians while advancing space research. Partner institutions include MIT, Georgia Tech, Howard University, Purdue, USC, University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado Springs, University of Texas at Austin and El Paso, Arizona State, Clemson, North Carolina A&T, University of North Dakota and University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez.

These partnerships create opportunities for advanced academic degrees, research collaboration, scholarships, internships and mentorship for officers, enlisted members and civilians. The Advanced Academic Degree and Special Experience Exchange Duties program allows guardians to pursue master's degrees or PhDs through the Air Force Institute of Technology or University Partnership Program schools.

Credentialing and Professional Development

The Air Force Credentialing Opportunities On-line program provides up to $4,500 lifetime funding for professional certifications within career fields, leadership and special interests. The program builds force readiness while preparing members for post-military civilian careers.

GI Bill Benefits

Eligible guardians receive up to 36 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for undergraduate and graduate degrees, vocational training, tutorial assistance, books, supplies and monthly housing allowances. Benefits remain valid for 15 years following release from active duty and can transfer to spouses or dependent children.

The Montgomery GI Bill provides an alternative option with up to 36 months of benefits but without transfer eligibility or housing stipends

Entry Pathways

The Air Force Academy offers cost-free education and develops Space Force officers through specialized programs including the Azimuth Guardianship Program and Ops Space Force summer initiatives. Air Force ROTC operates at more than 1,100 colleges nationwide, providing scholarships while preparing future Space Force officers.

For those interested in Space Force civilian positions, the Defense Civilian Training Corps operates through partnerships with North Carolina A&T, Purdue, University of Arizona and Virginia Tech, offering ROTC-style programs for future civilian guardians.

The education programs reflect the Space Force's emphasis on technical expertise and STEM capabilities. Whether pursuing associate degrees through CCAF, leveraging tuition assistance for off-duty coursework, or accessing elite university partnerships, Guardians have structured pathways to advance their education throughout their careers.

Stay on Top of Your Veteran Benefits

Military benefits are always changing. Keep up with everything from pay to health care by subscribing to Military.com, and get access to up-to-date pay charts and more with all latest benefits delivered straight to your inbox.
Commentary

By Michael Zwaagstra

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently made a bold prediction. He said artificial intelligence (AI) will replace teachers within 10 years.

Obviously, Gates doesnt really believe that schools and teachers will literally disappear. But he does think AI will take over some of the tasks currently performed by teachers. This could change teaching jobs in a significant way. In fact, AI is already having a profound impact on schools. Using programs such as ChatGPT, students can get entire essays written for them in a few seconds. To avoid getting caught, students just tell ChatGPT to make the essay look like it was written by a high school student. AI programs can also create poetry, analyze scientific data and solve complex mathematical equations. Anytime a student hands in an assignment, theres a real possibility it was done with the help of AI. And as AI becomes more sophisticated, its increasingly harder for teachers to detect it.

Fortunately, one form of assessment remains immune to AIs influencewritten tests. Because tests are written in class under teacher supervision, students cannot use AI to answer questions, so tests remain the best way for teachers to find out whether students know the material or not. This is true regardless of the subject.

Of course, progressive educators have long criticized tests. They argue that tests cause undue stress to students and capture only a snapshot of their understanding. As a result, over the years many teachers have generally reduced their reliance on tests, while some have got rid of them altogether.

However, the growing influence of AI means that teachers no longer have the luxury of using alternative evaluation systems. Having students do projects and/or group work might look like a good way to engage students in the learning process, but its nearly impossible to stop students from using AI to do the work for them. Clearly, requiring students to write regular tests is the best way to ensure students are being fairly assessed on their own work, rather than on work done by AI.

This doesnt mean tests should be the only form of assessment. Its still important that students learn how to answer questions orally and complete assignments, particularly since time management is an important skill in any job. But teachers should make their assignments as AI-proof as possible. For example, instead of having students write a report summarizing the career of a Canadian prime minister (something ChatGPT can easily do), get students to write a short essay where they give their opinion about a key decision that prime minister made while in office. While this assignment isnt completely AI-proof, it at least forces students to personalize their answers. A teacher could also have the student present the report in class and answer questions from other students.

Teachers could also have students complete assignments during class time rather than at home. And any assignment requiring the use of a computer should be done on a school-provided device. That way school boards can install tracking software that blocks students from accessing AI programs.

Finally, while students must know that they cant cheat their way through school, theres nothing wrong with students using AI on some of their work. Just as we allow students to use calculators when solving algebraic equations, it makes sense to let students use AI when drafting cover letters and resumes. Whether we like it or not, AI is here to stay so wed better show students how to use these programs appropriately and make sure theyre not graded on things they did not do.

The best way to deal with AI is to be honest with students about its advantages and disadvantages. Contrary to what Bill Gates said, well need teachers for many years to come. But its on the school system to adapt to this latest technological challenge.

Michael Zwaagstra is a public high school teacher and senior fellow of the Fraser Institute.
LANSING, Mich.  Michiganders have fewer than two weeks to submit their comments about the states proposal to enact restrictions against six invasive plant species known to harm natural ecosystems.

Experts argue its better for Michigans environment to use less harmful landscaping options than the targeted species. Currently, the state has proposed callery pear, Japanese barberry, common buckthorn and glossy buckthorn for restricted status, while proposing water hyacinth and water lettuce for complete prohibition.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is asking for public feedback on the proposal to regulate those invasive species starting in January 2028. Public comments can be submitted through an online survey through Feb. 9.

The goal is to prevent or reduce the spread of these invasive species known to harm Michigan ecosystems, officials said.

If the measure is approved by the Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development during its March meeting, landscapers and plant nurseries would be warned for a first offense in the initial year of regulation. Businesses would be allowed a period to come into compliance, but subsequent violations could bring fines.

People who unknowingly have these invasive species on their property or in their waterways wont face penalties.

From among the six invasive plant species under consideration for new restrictions, Japanese barberry has spread the most across the Michigan landscape. Maps of the outbreaks of each species can be viewed online with the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network.

This MLive file photo shows invasive Japanese barberry bushes for sale. The plant is not regulated in Michigan, though they are in multiple neighboring states. (Sheri McWhirter | MLive.com)

One conservation expert said hes been battling heavy Japanese barberry infestations in natural areas in Manistee County. Its spreading extremely aggressively, said Josh Shields, forester and wildlife biologist with Manistee and Mason-Lake Conservation Districts.

Typically, you can find in nearby areas where it has been purposely planted in neighborhoods, because Japanese barberry is available in a lot of stores for purchase. Its a popular ornamental plant, he said.

A lot of times there are areas near where these really heavy invasions are where you can pretty confidently trace the invasion back to these plantings.

Shields said he works with landowners who have infestations so thick they cant walk through the area. They work to pull out what they can by hand, then use machinery and herbicide to knock down the overgrowth.

The way that it displaces native plants in areas where it invades, it reduces the biological diversity down to the point that this is not a very resilient habitat, he said. Having a monoculture of barberry underneath a forest canopy is not set up to be a functioning, resilient ecosystem.

Related: Invasive jumping worms pose growing threat to Michigans ecosystems

And Shields isnt alone. There is a widespread network of government and conservation officials working to remove Japanese barberry and the other five targeted invasive species from both natural and landscaped areas.

In Traverse City, city officials are already working to remove invasive callery pear trees which for years have been growing alongside downtown streets.

City Manager Ben Marentette said each year the citys forester chooses between 10 and 20 callery pear trees to be removed from their streetside spots, based on tree age, condition, vandalism and accidents. He said each invasive tree is then replaced with either native serviceberry, native hackberry, or ivory silk trees which are native to Japan.

It is our foresters professional opinion, which I support, that a mass removal of these downtown trees would decimate a mature tree canopy and would take many years to recover from, hence the staggered approach, Marentette said.

Meanwhile, members of the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association havent discussed the states proposal and therefore havent reached a formal position, according to a group spokesperson.
DRUMMOND ISLAND, MI -- Not all international trips require planes and boats. If the weathers just right, why not snowmobile?

The international ice bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada is officially open.

When the conditions are right, an approximately 12-mile stretch of Lake Huron creates a frozen path between Drummond Island, Michigan and St. Joseph Island, Ontario.

On Jan. 27, Drummond Island tourism announced access is open for snowmobiles, fat-tire bicycles, dog sled teams, snowshoers, and cross-country skiers.

The ice bridge is currently 16 inches thick, according to the tourism bureau. Snowmobiles can cross safely at 5-7 inches of new, clear ice.

Regardless of icy political relationships, theres no freezing out the friendship between Michigan and Canada. The ice bridge has been a longstanding tradition since 1969. Its opened ever year, except 2020 during the pandemic.

From Michigan, the route begins at the Drummond Island Yacht Haven and ends at Milford Haven on St. Joseph Island.

Drummond Island has 80 miles of snowmobile trails and the connection across Lake Huron opens hundreds of miles of trails in both countries.

Drummond Island is a large island about one mile from DeTour in the Upper Peninsula. A ferry runs on the hour from DeTour to Drummond Island. Snowmobilers can drive their sleds onto the ferry.

Across the lake, sledders can check out the village of Hilton Beach on the northeastern shore of St. Joseph Island. The Voyageur Trail Society updates its trail map annually.

The ice bridge is open only when ice and weather conditions allow and is monitored regularly, according to the tourism bureau.

The route is traditionally marked with evergreen trees to help guide travelers, though conditions can change rapidly, and caution is always advised. Cars and trucks are not advised to travel on the ice bridge.

The bridge will stay open until the ice degrades in the spring and travel becomes hazardous. Check live webcams here.

Drummond Island is about a large island about one mile from DeTour, Mich. It's accessible by water or air. Plans are in the works to add another ferry boat. Google

This unique form of international travel is permitted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Heres what to expect:

Anyone entering the U.S. via the ice bridge is required to report their arrival to CBP. This can be done using the CBP Reporting Offsite Arrival  Mobile (ROAM) app on smart devices. At this time, the app is only available in the eastern U.P. for snowmobilers.

The Drummond Island Tourism Association recommends snowmobilers download the app before traveling, as it works better with Wi-Fi.

When entering Canada, sledders will need an enhanced drivers license and/or a passport.

The app satisfies the operators legal requirement to report for face-to-face inspection, except in cases of:

Travelers who require an I-94 entry document,

Travelers who must pay duties on imported goods; and

Other circumstances as applicable.

In the app, travelers will be asked to input biographic information, along with conveyance and trip details. The information will be submitted to CBP for review; a CBP officer may initiate a video chat if more information is needed.

Once the trip is reviewed, travelers will receive a push notification and an email with their admissibility decision. If it is determined that an in-person inspection is necessary, snowmobilers may be directed to an alternative site, where the inspection will be completed by CBP officers from Sault Ste. Marie.

If you have travel questions, the Drummond Island tourism office is open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday located at 34974 S. Townline Road. The lobby is open for self-serve services 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on weekends.
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Pivotal punk band Bikini Kill has announced a 2026 North American tour headed to the Royal Oak Music Theatre on Tuesday, September 15.

Pioneers of the Riot Grrrl punk movement, Bikini Kill is known for early 1990s feminist favorites like Rebel Girl. The band, having reunited in 2019, is set to head back out on tour this summer. Following an appearance at Mosswood Meltdown in July, the newly announced 12-stop U.S. trek is scheduled to open Sunday, September 6 at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom in Portland. Also included on the schedule are shows at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee, The Salt Shed in Chicago, Royal Oak Music Theatre, and more, with the finale date currently slated for Friday, September 25 at Brooklyn Steel in New York.

Tickets officially go on sale this Friday, January 30 at 12 p.m. local time on Ticketmaster, AXS, and bikinikill.com/tour. Following the general on-sale and leading up to each concert date, fans can also check availability on sites like SeatGeek, Vivid Seats, and StubHub.

Bikini Kill 2026 tour:

Sun, Jul 19  Mosswood Meltdown; Oakland, CA

Sun, Sep 6  McMenamins Crystal Ballroom; Portland, OR

Wed, Sep 9  The Wiltern; Los Angeles, CA

Sun, Sep 13  Turner Hall Ballroom; Milwaukee, WI

Mon, Sep 14  The Salt Shed; Chicago, IL

Tue, Sep 15  Royal Oak Music Theatre; Royal Oak, MI

Thu, Sep 17  Agora Theatre; Cleveland, OH

Fri, Sep 18  Union Transfer; Philadelphia, PA

Sat, Sep 19  The Fillmore Silver Spring; Silver Spring, MD

Mon, Sep 21  College Street Music Hall; New Haven, CT

Tue, Sep 22  Roadrunner; Boston, MA

Thu, Sep 24  Music Hall of Williamsburg; Brooklyn, NY

Fri, Sep 25  Brooklyn Steel; Brooklyn, NY
DETROIT, MI  A GoFundMe fundraiser has been started for a Detroit father fighting deportation to stay with his family.

Help Our Family Have A Future Without Fear, Synthea Pena wrote in the header of the page she created Tuesday, Jan. 27, after she and her husband went public with their story as a mixed-status family caught in the federal governments broad immigration crackdown.

Erick Pena, a 29-year-old painter and carpenter, said he came to the United States from Honduras as a child and met his wife Synthea in school. Theyve been together over 12 years.

Shes a U.S. citizen, stay-at-home mom and full-time college student, and they have a 1-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son who are U.S. citizens.

But Erick Pena is still trying to gain legal status. He already had a petition approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to go through the process of becoming a permanent resident by marriage when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took him into custody in October on his way to work.

I work every day to do the best I can. I dont do anything illegal. You can check my record, Erick Pena said he told an ICE agent during his arrest. He was like, Man, I know, but we have to do what we have to do. 

He spent three months away from his family in ICE lockup before successfully fighting in court to get out on bond while his deportation case is pending.

Hes now in a backlog of tens of thousands of cases in Detroit Immigration Court. Hes working with Ann Arbor immigration attorney Brad Thomson to pursue a waiver, making the case his wife and children, as U.S. citizens, would suffer extreme hardship if he was deported.

ICE did not respond to requests for comment.

Ann Arbor-based immigration attorney Brad Thomson meets with Detroit resident Erick Pena and wife Synthea Pena to discuss their legal case on Jan. 22, 2026. Erick Pena, a 29-year-old Honduras native who came to the U.S. as a child, is fighting deportation while seeking permanent resident status to stay with his wife and two children who are U.S. citizens. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

On top of costs the family already endured over the past four months, they face another $10,000 in legal fees and several thousand dollars in other government fees and costs on the potentially years-long road ahead to getting him a green card.

Synthea Pena said the three months her husband spent in an ICE jail in northern Michigan was the first time in 12 years they missed a Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas together and her husband also spent his 29th birthday locked up.

Along with our attorney, we fought endlessly and were graciously able to bring him home recently, but our fight is not over, she wrote on the GoFundMe page. Erick still faces possible deportation while we try to continue our legal process to obtain his residency. During all of this, we have accumulated debt trying to keep up with life and legal costs, and still have quite a long and costly journey ahead of us.

Erick Pena is continuing to work to support the family despite fears of being picked up by ICE again, but the family definitely can use any and all help, Synthea Pena said.

Immigration attorneys in Michigan said its common for immigrants facing deportation to face $10,000 to $15,000 in legal costs if they want to pursue relief for which theyre eligible, but many cant afford it, and while there are pro bono legal services like the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, there arent enough attorneys to represent everyone in need of legal aid.

Under new Trump-era policies as of this past year, many immigrants also are having to spend thousands of dollars fighting to be released on bond just so they can be out of ICE jail and with their families while their cases are pending. Many more are giving up and choosing not to fight, attorneys say.
ALPENA TWP., MI  A 23-year-old Northern Michigan man is facing multiple felonies, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, after his vehicle reportedly collided with an oncoming car, killing two people, nearly two years ago in Alpena County.

Michigan State Police troopers first responded to the fatal crash on March 11, 2024, on U.S. 23 near Partridge Point Road in Alpena Township. The initial investigation, police said, alleged a Dodge Ram pick-up truck  driven by Devin Matthews, then-aged 21, with two passengers  crossed the center line and struck a northbound Chevrolet Avalanche SUV.

A 19-year-old passenger of the pickup was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, while the driver of the SUV, a then-28-year-old Ossineke man, later died at the hospital. Matthews and the other passenger were also hospitalized for serious injuries.

At the time, police said a witness reported seeing the Ram speeding and weaving through traffic prior to the crash.

According to a release on Tuesday, Jan. 27, MSPs investigation into the cause continued after the crash before findings were submitted to the Alpena County prosecutors office for review.

According to Alpena County District Court records, charges were filed Sunday, Jan. 25, and Matthews was arraigned on 10 charges on Monday, Jan. 26.

Those included two counts of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death and reckless driving causing death, as well as individual counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury and reckless driving causing serious impairment of a body function.

Bond was set at $100,000 cash or surety.

Matthews is next scheduled to appear in court for a probable cause hearing on Feb. 3 and an examination Feb. 11.
After weeks of hurling insults toward Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), President Donald Trump continued his verbal attacks Tuesday night, just hours after Omar was assaulted at a town hall in Minneapolis.

Omar was speaking to an audience Tuesday night about ongoing tensions in her home state of Minnesota. An outspoken critic of both Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Omar called for ICE to be abolished and for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, just before she was attacked, according to the Associated Press.

Shortly after the incident, ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott interviewed Trump about the ordeal. Scott asked Trump if hed seen the video, prompting Trump to make a claim with no supporting proof.

I dont think about her. I think shes a fraud, Trump said. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.

Videos from the assault show a man, later identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, charge at Omar with a syringe full of an unidentified liquid. Kazmierczak sprays the liquid on Omar and says something that cannot be heard clearly on video. Security eventually subdues Kazmierczak and takes him to ground before he is placed under arrest.

Kazmierczak was booked on a charge of third-degree assault.

After the incident, Omar continued her speech and later took to social media to address the incident briefly.

Im ok. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work. I dont let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong," Omar wrote.

Trumps claim about Omar staging the attack came just hours after hed verbally attacked her at a rally in Iowa. Trump said that Omar -- who was born in Somalia, but is a U.S. citizen -- is from a country thats a disaster.

Trump has also called Omar a fake sleazebag and has routinely called for her to be jailed or deported.

Despite Trumps claims, one Republican came to Omars defense following the assault.

I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today said Sen. Nancy Mace (R- S.C.). Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric  and I do  no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.
ANN ARBOR, MI  Fundraising efforts after University of Michigan student Lucas Mattsons death this past weekend are underway.

A GoFundMe page has been created to support Mattsons family. The page has received over 500 donations amounting to over $50,000, as of Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Jennie Schoeppe, Mattsons aunt, as described by the GoFundMe page, launched the donation page.

Our family is devastated by the loss of Lucas, Schoeppe wrote. Lucas was a special young man with a bright future, and he will be so deeply missed.

Schoeppe added that donations will help cover memorial and funeral expenses, out-of-state travel accommodations, lodging and additional family support.

Mattsons body was found in the 1900 Block of Cambridge Road on Saturday, Jan. 24. Mattson was last seen around 1 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, walking by himself without a coat in the 1700 block of Hill Street.

He was first reported missing at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Prior to his disappearance, Mattson was attending a party at a fraternity house as a guest, UM interim President Domenico Grasso said in a Jan. 26 universitywide message, clarifying that Mattson was not a member or pledge of the fraternity whose party he attended.

The level of grief, sympathy, and concern people are experiencing reflects the empathy of our community, Grasso wrote. Please join me in extending our deepest condolences to Lucass family, friends, and all who loved him.

Officers from the Ann Arbor Police Department and the UM Division of Public Safety and Security conducted a 20-hour search for Mattson amid cold weather conditions.

A cause of death will be identified through an autopsy conducted by the Washtenaw County Medical Examiners Office, officials previously said.

Read more: Missing University of Michigan student found dead after 20-hour search in extreme cold

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SCIO TWP., MI  Scio Township officials have dropped an effort to ban township Supervisor Jillian Kerry from having an office at the township hall and greatly restrict her use of the building.

Instead, the township board voted Tuesday, Jan. 27, to adopt a code of conduct that applies to all township officials and staff.

The effort to restrict Kerrys use of the township hall caused a fiery meeting Monday, Jan. 13. During that meeting, some board members accused Kerry of hostile behavior, and she leveled accusations back at them.

According to the original resolution, township Treasurer Ryan Yaple claimed that Kerry has shouted and screamed at staff, including in front of other staff and officials.

Supervisor Kerrys offensive behavior towards staff members is unacceptable and can potentially contribute to a hostile work environment, Yaple said.

Kerry and her supporters, in turn, refuted those claims. They have also been leveling accusations that she is being unfairly targeted and that other officials are trying to usurp her power  often leveled at township Clerk Jessica Flintoft.

While the board discussed restricting Kerrys use of the township hall during the Jan. 13 meeting, they did not take a vote.

Two weeks later, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, that resolution was not brought back for a vote and did not appear on the agenda.

The township is also expected to look into working with a legal firm or some outside workplace culture facilitator to get a handle on the environment for staff and officials there.

But divisions remain and a plethora of accusations continue to fly. While the Jan. 27 board meeting was calmer, a tense moment between Kerry and Flintoft at the board table did lead to the board needing to take a brief recess.

Kerry told The Ann Arbor News/MLive Wednesday morning that she believes the resolution to restrict her use of the township hall went away after she submitted a rebuttal letter she penned with her attorney. In her rebuttal she called the resolution an unlawful move that would impact her ability to carry out her statutory duties as an elected official.

She said Flintoft has taken digs at her and blamed her for things that arent true.

Its really about keeping me out of township hall, and the staff love me, she said.

She also said some township staff have approached her with concerns about the work environment at township hall.

There are a couple of really good staff members who are looking for another job and are tired of being targeted, she said.

Flintoft told The Ann Arbor News/MLive there are false claims and misinformation circulating at township hall and in the community.

Any claims that other officials are trying to usurp the supervisors powers are false, she said.

All board members share a responsibility to maintain a safe, functional work environment for township employees, period. I would say its a shared responsibility, she said.

She also said unvalidated rumors, some coming from members of the public, circulate in township hall and impact employees.

The lack of validation of some of the claims is part of the problem, Flintoft said. I would say over the last year, there have been more misstatements spread within township hall than Ive ever seen since 2019.

She also said, while the township is trying to understand why some employees have left, some employees retired and some had temporary positions and other innocuous reasons.

Jonathan Greenberg, a resident who has served on the townships compensation committee, told the board he was contacted by some township staff members after the Jan. 13 meeting.

They were encouraged that theyd be able to speak anonymously with the third party, because they really do want to tell their stories, Greenberg said.

They did confirm that Scio Township Hall has an extremely toxic environment, and I think if thats the case, we owe it to them to get to the bottom of it, he said.

Some residents who spoke during public comments Tuesday expressed a desire for the township to get back on track.

I was just disappointed and discouraged with the way the whole thing went, at the Jan. 13 meeting, township resident Carol Fletcher said.

It strikes me that a lot of these proposed actions and resolutions are simply putting a clean bandage over the festering wound, Fletcher said.

Every single member on this board is intelligent, educated and experienced, she said. You are able to do better, but when you dont do the hard work of getting down the roots, it just doesnt work and you lose the confidence of your constituents and then they come in here angry. Whats the point, folks?

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page.
Coles has revealed it is "continuing to deepen and expand" its AI capabilities, as artificial intelligence quietly embeds itself deeper into everyday grocery shopping. It comes after rival Woolworths recently announced it is on the cusp of a major upgrade to its AI agent for online shoppers, Olive.

The planned overhaul of Olive is expected to allow the chatbot to plan meals, interpret handwritten recipes and automatically fill online shopping baskets with suggested items  a shift that could significantly change how Australians shop for groceries.

Consumer specialists expect shoppers to embrace the convenience, particularly as cost-of-living pressures push households to look for faster, more efficient ways to plan meals and shop online.

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However, experts have also claimed AI-driven tools could subtly steer customers toward certain brands or higher-margin products under the guise of "helpful" recommendations.

Coles said it's using the technology to support tasks like rostering, order replenishment, and help to tailor product ranges to specific stores.

"Coles has been using AI for more than a decade to support how we run the business, and were continuing to deepen and expand those capabilities," a spokesperson told Yahoo News this week.

"We were an early adopter in areas like computer vision, machine learning, optimisation and now generative AI.

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"We deliberately blend traditional and generative AI to deliver practical outcomes for our customers and team members."

Do you have a story about supermarkets? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com

Coles is also exploring how AI could reshape the entire shopping experience. Source: Yahoo News Australia

How is Coles using artificial intelligence?

They said AI also underpins Coles' new automated distribution centres and customer fulfilment centres, which are changing the way stock flows into stores and supporting the online home delivery experience.

In October, the supermarket announced it had become the first major Australian retailer to deploy ChatGPT Enterprise at scale, rolling the technology out across parts of its corporate workforce.

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At the time, the company said the system would be used internally to speed up research, reduce administrative tasks, and provide data insights, with a broader rollout planned for 2026.

Coles also said it was exploring how AI could play a bigger role in the customer experience, including personalised shopping, meal planning and checkout tools, an area where global retailers are investing heavily.

The push reflects a wider trend across Australia, with companies in retail, banking, logistics and professional services rapidly expanding their use of artificial intelligence.

Businesses are increasingly turning to generative AI to automate routine tasks, analyse large volumes of data and personalise services, often moving faster than regulators or consumers can fully assess the implications.

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While many companies frame AI adoption as a productivity boost, critics argue the technology can blur the line between assistance and influence, particularly in consumer-facing settings like online shopping, where algorithms can shape spending habits and purchasing decisions.

Coles has previously said its use of AI is guided by a "commitment to responsible use", focusing on "ethical and secure use that enhances the work of its teams."

Woolworths' AI agent, Olive, is about to get a major upgrade. Source: Yahoo News Australia/Woolworths

Is AI going to keep creeping into our lives?

But as AI tools become more visible to shoppers, scrutiny is expected to intensify over how these systems operate, what they prioritise, and who ultimately benefits.

In an interview with Yahoo News, Professor Gal from Sydney Uni said once an AI begins inferring priorities, ranking options, or nudging choices rather than simply executing instructions, "decision-making becomes shared", and influence "shifts from the user to the system".

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"In principle, users give AI agents basic parameters, for example, 'I want to eat clean food', or 'we are a family of four with two young kids'," he said this week.

"What matters is how much discretion the system has in translating those preferences into action."

Professor Gal said an AI shopping agent needs data like past purchases, browsing habits, household details, and lifestyle preferences to work effectively.

It interacts continuously, collecting more personal information than traditional systems, raising concerns about profiling, data retention, and how information may be combined with other sources.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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DETROIT, MI  Detroit Immigration Court is where many immigrants facing deportation in Michigan have their fates decided, whether they can stay and pursue the lives they want or go back to countries where theyve often fled hardships.

In removal proceedings, the way that it works is its an adversarial system, said Venu Yagalla, a Lansing-area immigration attorney.

Attorneys representing immigrants go up against federal government attorneys trying show people are deportable based on certain criteria in the law, and that criteria is being applied more stringently, Yagalla said.

Deportation, the most common outcome, in many cases means separation from family.

Tens of thousands of immigrants from all over the world  some who came here legally and have green cards and some illegally  have deportation cases pending in Michigans heavily backlogged court with hearings scheduled out to 2029.

A federal immigration court information website, as displayed on Ann Arbor immigration attorney Brad Thomson's computer screen, shows a client's case is pending with no certain hearing date yet on Jan. 22, 2026. Michigan immigration attorneys say they're having hearings scheduled out to 2028 and 2029 due to the large backlog of deportation cases in Detroit Immigration Court. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

Amid President Donald Trumps sweeping deportation agenda, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is going after both criminals and non-criminals. The Detroit court had a backlog of over 31,000 pending cases at the end of the 2025 fiscal year in September, according to data tracked by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, TRAC, at Syracuse University.

The data includes immigrants countries of origin, showing theyve come from just about every nation, most commonly Venezuela (8,182), Mexico (5,916), Colombia (2,364), Cuba (1,807), Guatemala (1,792), Honduras (1,710), Mauritania (1,287), Senegal (989) and Haiti (953).

Many others are from Vietnam (753), Nicaragua (742), El Salvador (479), Bangladesh (444), Ecuador (396), India (361), Peru (196), Jordan (190), Dominican Republic (189), Egypt (172), Lebanon (165), Iraq (148), Brazil (130), Guinea (124), Chile (94), Russia (82) and Uzbekistan (81).

Others are from Nigeria (77), Yemen (74), Turkey (59), Ukraine (54), China (50), Cameroon (50), Albania (44), Costa Rica (43), Afghanistan (41), Ghana (39), Jamaica (38), Syria (32), Democratic Republic of Congo (32), Angola (29), Benin (29), Panama (26) and Morocco (26).

To a lesser extent, others are from Canada, Romania, Libya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Kenya, Israel, South Korea, Ethiopia and elsewhere.

While the Trump administration maintains its restoring integrity to the system with a mission to protect national security and public safety, Michigan immigration attorneys argue the court is getting jammed up with cases of people who shouldnt be there, including people with no criminal records who have spouses and children who are U.S. citizens and are already working through other legal channels to seek green cards or citizenship.

ICE does have the right to detain anyone who is deportable, even if they are legally present, said Ruby Robinson, a Detroit-based attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.

Green card holders can suddenly face deportation for misdemeanor crimes in their past, even if it was a minor shoplifting or marijuana charge from many years ago and they already went to court for it when it happened.

Even if you have work authorization, you have a pending application for relief, technically ICE has the right to detain those individuals, and they are doing so, Robinson said.

"Abolish ICE! End all deportations," reads a sign at the "No Kings" protest against Donald Trump outside the Federal Building in downtown Ann Arbor on June 14, 2025. Ann Arbor joined cities across the U.S. in a nationwide day of defiance. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

Erick Pena, a Detroit father arrested by ICE in October, is among those with pending deportation cases while he pursues legal status to stay with his wife and children who are U.S. citizens. The family has started a GoFundMe for their legal costs.

Pena, a Honduras native who spent three months in ICE jail in northern Michigan before getting out on bond, said most of the nearly 1,200 detainees in lockup with him were Latino. He believes his ICE arrest resulted from racial profiling.

The Supreme Court has even blessed this and said ICE may rely on ethnicity or language as basis to kind of stop someone and find out about their status, Robinson said.

ICE did not respond to requests for comment on its arrest of Pena or its enforcement activity.

Detroit father taken by ICE among tens of thousands facing deportation in Michigan
HOWELL TWP., MI  A community north of Ann Arbor has begun working on establishing local regulations for data centers after grappling with a controversial proposal for a massive data center campus.

Howell Township officials decided to pursue drafting a local ordinance on data centers following a controversial proposal for a hyperscale data center campus  reportedly backed by Facebook and Instagram owner Meta. In November, the township board put a moratorium in place to pause for six months any consideration or approval of data centers.

Following the moratorium, packed township meetings and resident opposition, the data center development team withdrew a request for the township to rezone more than 1,000 acres of mostly agricultural land on both sides of Grand River Avenue for a $1 billion data center campus to power artificial intelligence and other computing technologies.

Many data center opponents filled the auditorium at Howell High School on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, for a Howell Township meeting on a previously proposed data center campus reported backed by Meta. Abra Richardson

Township planners are now collecting information and suggestions from the townships Residents Research Committee on what could be put into a local ordinance.

While nothing is final, some of the township planners priorities are beginning to emerge.

Township planning consultant Brady Heath explained at a Tuesday, Jan. 27 meeting that he will take the residents committee and planning commissions suggestions and eventually draft a potential ordinance. It would be reviewed by a subcommittee. There would be a public hearing, and the township board would have the final vote.

The township could opt to create a data center overlay zoning district, which would specify an area deemed appropriate for data centers.

The residents committee suggested locating the overlay district along an approximately 1.4-mile stretch north of Interstate 96, south of Grand River Avenue and east of M-59 near the I-96 interchange.

Thats really where the majority of the townships industrial flex and industrial zoning is located, and that area feels appropriate, Kristen Dennison, a member of the residents committee, said.

Its near the interstate, the train tracks, M-59 and up to Grand River, she said.

Our intention wasnt to make it impossible to fit these things, just to ensure that they are confined to an appropriate location, she said.

If data centers are too densely packed in an area, she said, impacts such as noise starts to compound, and the effects will spill beyond the borders that they were intended to be confined to.

Wayne Williams, the planning commissions chair, said an industrial property is a proper place.

Because, it ideally has some of that infrastructure already in place, like access to electricity and water, Williams said.

Resident committee member Jodi Fulton identified keeping data centers away from as much residential as possible as a goal.

We looked at residential concentration around our existing industrial zone, and thats what we feel the most comfortable about proposing, Fulton said. We do have a pretty low residential concentration.

Small data centers that are ancillary to a business, such as a health care institution with its own data center, could be exempt from a requirement they be in an overlay district or on industrial land.

Township planners will likely recommend setting rules for data centers of different sizes.

The residents committee also suggested limiting how close data centers of different sizes could be from homes and other data centers.

Most of the concern in the township is the potential for the largest of data center projects, some of which are more than a million square feet.

Limiting large data center campuses to 750,000 square feet could help limit how many large projects could fit in the township.

Planners and the residents committee also discussed whether to put a cap on the total square footage and amount of energy use for data centers.

The townships financial risk is another concern. While large data center projects promise to generate millions in local tax revenue, collecting so much from a single company can be a risk if that company folds or leaves town.

At approximately 750,000 square feet, that would comprise approximately, I think it was 17% of the townships revenue, based on estimates, Dennison said. Thats already in that high financial risk threshold, which is ideally less than 10%.

She said the numbers reflect a balance between what a large company would need and the townships financial risk.

Township planners and the resident committee will continue discussing different aspects of a potential ordinance at future meetings. They are planning to discuss setbacks and building heights next. Other topics for future discussion are expected to include water and power usage, noise and application requirements.

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DETROIT, MI - The Detroit Fire Investigation Division is seeking the identity of a man who allegedly set a Wayne County home on fire this summer.

The suspect was seen on surveillance footage dousing the houses front porch with gasoline before setting it on fire and fleeing the area, according to the agency, which is a joint task force between the Detroit police and fire departments.

The fire occurred on Aug. 25, at the 9100 block of Isham Avenue on the citys east side, officials said. Nobody was injured in the alleged arson.

Investigators say footage shows the male suspect dressed in a black short-sleeved jacket over a white shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers, officials said.

A reward of $1,000 will be offered if information leads to an arrest for the incident. The public can call 313-596-2940 with any information, or email arsontips@detroitmi.gov. Tips can be anonymous.
MOUNT CLEMENS, MI  A 24-year-old mother from Warren is facing a potential felony charge under Michigans safe gun storage law after her 3-year-old son allegedly shot himself in the hand with a firearm that wasnt properly stored.

According to Macomb Prosecutor Peter Lucidos office, Daniellys Villegas-Moreno was arraigned on a violation Tuesday, Jan. 27, for failing to secure a firearm on the premises where a minor child is likely present.

The violation is a felony thats punishable for up to five years in prison if a child gains access to the firearm and inflicts an injury on themselves or another individual.

Villegas-Morenos 3-year-old reportedly accessed a handgun that was unsecured and not equipped with a gunlock on Jan. 20. According to a news release, the child remains in stable condition.

Bond for the 24-year-old was set at $10,000 cash or surety. Other conditions of bond mandated that she not possess, use or be in the presence of firearms, that she wear a GPS tether upon release, and that she not leave the state of Michigan.

Lucidos office reported the violation Villegas-Moreno is facing as the maximum charge available under state statute.

Michigans firearm safe storage statute is designed to reduce preventable deaths and injuries, including incidents of youth self-harm and gun-related violence, the county prosecutor said.  If a firearm is in a household where children could gain access, it must be stored in a locked container or fitted with a device that makes it unusable.

Villegas-Moreno was set to return to court for a probable cause hearing on Feb. 10 and a preliminary exam on Feb. 17 in Macomb County District Court in Warren.

A representative could not be reached for Villegas-Moreno as of late Tuesday.
FLINT, MI  A Flint man was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for drug trafficking, possessing an illegal short-barrel rifle and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Vincent Vito Galicia, 37, pleaded guilty to possessing and intending to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possessing a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a short-barreled rifle.

U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon announced the sentencing on Jan. 27.

Flint police executed a search warrant at Galicias home in January 2019, where they seized two pistols, one of which had a 50-round drum magazine, nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine, 85 grams of cocaine and more suspected drugs.

They also seized more than $8,000 in cash, according to a news release from the federal prosecutors office.

Galicia was originally charged in Genesee County District Court, but while out on bond in March 2021, the man allegedly broke into a womans home and shot her in the neck.

The gunshot wound paralyzed the woman who had a romantic relationship with Galicia, according to the release.

Special agents from the ATF joined the investigation after the shooting and charged Galicia in federal court on both the 2019 and 2021 incidents.

This armed drug dealer broke into a womans home where he shot and paralyzed her. And perhaps most disturbing, he was somehow on bond at the timeeven though he had been caught with guns, almost a kilo of meth, and cocaine. This case is an exemplar of the federal/state partnership that prosecutes the most dangerous armed criminals in our community, Gorgon said in a statement.

The investigation was conducted by ATF, the Flint Police Department and the Michigan State Police.

Galicia shot his girlfriend in the neck and permanently paralyzed her. Galicias consistent disregard for the well-being of our community members is repulsive ATF Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge James Deir said in a statement. Let this be a cautionary tale to all the would-be illegally armed domestic abusers/drug dealers in our community; when you arm yourself with illegal firearms, abuse women, and/or traffic drugs in our communities, you should pack your bags for prison.
IONIA COUNTY, MI  Two week after teasing an Ionia County homecoming, bluegrass phenom Billy Strings made it official.

Strings, born William Apostol, announced Tuesday, Jan. 27, that he would be performing Friday, Aug. 28 and Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Ionia County Fairgrounds.

Whether the shows will be individual concerts or a festival of sorts is yet to be announced. Two weeks ago, Strings teased the dates on Facebook and Instagram.

In the social media posts, the 33-year-old flatpicker outlined his plans for the year in notebook fashion, suggesting a possible gathering in Ionia in August.

The words Gathering? and Ionia? were both underlined and followed by question marks, with adjacent notes that said Plan something to get freaky and Invite some friends?. He also wrote 2 day? in parentheses and Aug. 28 and 29?.

Billy Strings teased a return to his Ionia County roots in a social media post on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. The post, which shows a notebook entry filled with tour dates and plans for a new record, highlighted a possible gathering in Ionia on Aug. 28 and 29. Provided by Billy Strings Mgmt.

Strings, who won Grammys for bluegrass album of the year in 2021 and 2024, last appeared in Ionia in February 2020. That performance was part of the Family Strings tour, in which he appeared with his dad, Terry Barber, at the Ionia Theatre.

He most recently played Michigan in June 2025 when he made a surprise return to the tiny Charlotte Bluegrass Festival, a festival he hadnt played in 10 years.

The festival was the first one he had ever attended, doing so at the age of 4.

MORE: Billy Strings returns home for special one mic performance at first fest he ever attended

Just prior to his Charlotte appearance, Strings also played sold-out shows at Grand Rapids Van Andel Arena on May 30 and 31, 2025.

A look at the crowd from the Billy Strings concert on May 30, 2025, at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. (Jesse Faatz | Billy Strings Mgt.) Jesse Fatz | Billy Strings Mgmt.

Tickets for Strings Ionia performances will go on sale on Friday, Feb. 13. Fans can sign up for presale access now at billystrings.com/Summer2026.

An artist presale for all other summer dates will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, with public sales commencing at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 30.

The six-week summer tour, which concludes in Ionia County, will begin July 14 in Roanoke, Virginia. It will see Strings and his band play one-night stands in Roanoke, Boston and Hartford, Connecticut. The five-piece band will also play two-night runs in Portsmouth, Virginia; Portland, Maine; and Bethel, New York, as part of the tour.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Michelle Kremer-Tidwell vividly remembers the horrors that unfolded the morning her 12-year-old was nearly abducted while waiting for the Grand Rapids Public Schools bus.

She could hear her daughter scream as 26-year-old Marquis Chino Martinez tried to kidnap the child.

Inside a courtroom, Kremer-Tidwell described the pain and agony Martinez caused moments before he was sentenced to prison.

I dont want him to see the light of day, Kremer-Tidwell said in her victim impact statement. I just dont want this to happen to any other kid.

The case began on the morning of Nov. 19, 2024, on Grand Rapids southeast side.

Marquis Chino Martinez, 26, stands between his defense attorneys during sentencing at the Kent County Courthouse on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. Martinez was sentenced to prison for trying to abduct a 12-year-old girl as she waited for the school bus. Bradley Massman | MLive.com

Martinez approached the 12-year-old girl just before 7 a.m. while she was waiting for her school bus near Bradford Street NE and Ball Avenue NE.

He grabbed onto the girl, put his hand over her mouth and walked her a short distance down the road to a secluded area where he tried to sexually assault her.

The girl ran after separating from Martinez when he dropped something on the ground.

Thats when Kremer-Tidwell started to hear the screams, she said.

Thank God my baby kept a level head, Kremer-Tidwell told the judge on Wednesday, Jan. 28. I heard my baby screaming, telling me, Somebody was trying to rape me.

Grand Rapids police found Martinez in a wooded area near Plymouth Avenue NE and Mason Street NE.

Martinez accepted a plea agreement from Kent County prosecutors and pleaded no contest to kidnapping and assault with intent to commit second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

When given a chance to speak, Martinez leaned into a courtroom microphone and said, I just wanted to say Im sorry.

Judge Scott Noto called Martinez a threat to the community. Noto said the girls ability to escape was an incredible display of courage and bravery.

Martinez was sentenced to 11 to 40 years on the kidnapping charge, and two to five years for the sexual assault charge.

While Martinez was incarcerated, investigators discovered at least 64 videos of child pornography on his iPhone. That led to additional charges that Martinez ultimately pleaded no contest to.

In that case, Martinez was sentenced to six years and three months to 25 years for two counts of aggravated child sexually abusive activity.

He received an identical sentence for two counts of using a computer to commit a crime.

As part of the sentences, Martinez was ordered to register as a sex offender.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A West Michigan prosecutor has authorized charges of embezzlement against an attorney entangled in an ethics violation allegation against state Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker confirmed Tuesday, Jan. 28 that three felony charges have been authorized against Belmont attorney Traci Michele Kornak.

Kornaks case, previously investigated by the AGs office in 2022 but with no charges issued, is at the heart of state GOP allegations that Nessel breached ethical barriers.

Kornak is a former Michigan Democratic Party treasurer who was part of Nessels transition team after Nessel was elected in 2018.

Michigan House Republicans allege Nessel violated ethical firewalls to prevent conflicts of interest in her office.

House Oversight Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, in December accused Nessel of stepping around firewalls to benefit individuals that (she has) a close personal relationship with.

He made the comments after a nearly three-hour House Oversight Committee hearing into the allegations.

Kornak, formerly a conservator for an elderly woman who died last year, is charged with embezzlement of a vulnerable adult involving more than $50,000 but less than $100,000, as well as false pretenses.

Information previously released showed that a whistleblower at a Grand Rapids nursing home spurred an investigation, alleging that Kornak had fraudulently billed an insurance company covering the elderly woman.

Nessels office began an investigation.

Subpoenaed emails showed that Nessel wanted her staff to update her on the case. They did at least once before a firewall was put in place in September 2022.

But in December, emails show Nessel contacted her staff to say that Kornak had contacted her, concerned the investigation was holding up a potential judicial appointment for her.

Kornak believed the case was already closed and Nessel then asked her staff how Kornak could get the file.

At that point, the case had not actually been closed.

But two weeks later, AG attorneys closed the case. They cited that the parent company of the nursing home did not wish to pursue charges.

But DeBoyer in December alleged that AG attorneys never interviewed several key parties, including the whistleblower, the insurance company or the elderly woman.

Michigans Adult Protective Services staff in January 2023 asked Kent County prosecutors to look at the case.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker on Tuesday said that charges had been authorized.

Becker said he did not know what information the AGs office reviewed in investigating Kornak.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Bird flu has been detected in an Ottawa County backyard flock, marking the first bird flu case in Michigan this year.

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development staff noted the finding in a Wednesday, Jan. 28 release.

State officials did not disclose the flocks exact location.

They say its a reminder that highly pathogenic avian influenza virus can survive cold weather.

Even with the cold temperatures, the virus is still present in the environment and traveling through infected wild birds. MDARD continues to strongly recommend owners remain vigilant and actively protect their animals from HPAI, according to the release.

The last detection of bird flu in a Michigan flock came in November.

MDARD staff recommend taking the following steps to prevent bird flu in local flocks.

Prevent contact between domestic and wild birds by bringing them indoors or ensuring their outdoor area is fully enclosed.

Wash your hands before and after handling birds as well as when moving between different coops.

Disinfect boots and other gear when moving between coops.

Do not share equipment or other supplies between coops or other farms.

Clean and disinfect equipment and other supplies between uses. If it cannot be disinfected, discard it.

Use well or municipal water as drinking water for birds.

Keep poultry feed secure to ensure there is no contact between the feed/feed ingredients and wild birds or rodents.

For more information about bird flu in Michigan, go to the states web site on the subject.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids police say they are talking with a person-of-interest in a shooting that killed a woman and two teens.

The shooting was reported about 7:40 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27 and police at 5:30 p.m. said they were speaking to the person.

It wasnt clear if that person was in custody.

Officers responded early Tuesday to a report of shots fired at a house in the 900 block of Worden Street SE.

When they arrived, they found three people dead inside.

Police described the deceased as a woman and two teen boys.

Officers and detectives blocked off the area near the home during a period of heavy snow.

Grand Rapids police Chief Eric Winstrom earlier Tuesday said detectives were working quickly on the case.

Were trying to put it all together as fast as possible, Winstrom said. Obviously, its a devastating situation for that neighborhood, the individuals, and the family members of the individuals that were murdered.

The first officers to arrive at the scene noticed footprints in the snow. Winstrom thought it might help police put the story together on what happened.
Something new is on the horizon. Thats all Toyota has to say in the latest teaser its dropped today. But Autoblog has been able to scratch out some details and, indeed, theres something big coming in barely two weeks.

The Japanese automaker has been one of the big skeptics when it comes to battery-electric vehicles. Ironically, even as key rivals like Ford, Stellantis and Volkswagen pull back on their EV plans, Toyota is accelerating its own product campaign.

On top of new models like the Toyota bZ Woodland and C-HR that its getting ready to roll out, this teaser image previews the all-electric 3-row SUV set to debut on the evening of February 10.

The 3-row EV debuting next week is believed to be based on the bZ SUV concept of a few years back.

Hedging its Bets

When it comes to low-emission technology, Toyota has long hedged its bets, former CEO  now Chairman  Akio Toyoda developing a multi-energy strategy using a mix of powertrain technologies: internal combustion engines, conventional and plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, as well as pure battery-electric vehicles.

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Currently, all but two of Toyota U.S. product lines are offered in hybrid form. Some, like the Tundra, provide buyers with gas-electric options. Others, like the latest-generation Camry, are hybrid only. By comparison, the automaker offers just two all-electric models in the U.S., the bZ  originally called the bZ4X  and the Lexus RZ. It last year announced plans to more than double that line-up with the launch of the Toyota-branded bZ Woodland and C-HR, as well as a second Lexus model, the next-generation ES.

Related: Toyota Just Shook Up Its U.S. EV PlansBig Moves in Kentucky

2026 Toyota C-HR+Toyota (Toyota)

What one source described as the new D-SUV set to debut early next month will further expand the options for family buyers who need a third row. Significantly, that model will also be the first Toyota EV to be produced in the U.S., rolling out of the same Georgetown, Kentucky assembly plant currently producing the Camry hybrid, according to Sam Fiorani, lead auto analyst with AutoForecast Solutions.

Second Variant to Follow

So far, Toyota has kept the lid on details, though the 3-row model is expected to deliver notably more range than Toyotas earliest offering, the bZ4X, addressing initial concerns about its relatively small battery pack, as well as its less-than-enthusiastic performance, several sources indicated.

The updated Toyota bZ is the kissing cousin of the Subaru Solterra that's also getting a mid-cycle refresh.

And since it will go up against well-reviewed Korean competitors, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9, we can expect it to be more lavishly equipped than either the bZ or Lexus RZ. Expect plenty of family-friendly technology onboard, including an upgraded version of Toyotas cloud-based, voice-controlled Intelligent Assistant system, as well as lots of smart safety features.

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Suppliers have hinted that there actually are two versions of the three-row EV in the works, noted Fiorani. The question is whether the additional package will be marketed as an upgraded Lexus or if it instead will be sold through the Subaru brand. The smaller Japanese automakers first U.S. EV is the Solterra, a variant of the Toyota bZ.

More to Come

Even with all the new models in the works, Toyota continues to take a cautious approach to EVs, putting its primary emphasis on various hybrid technologies for the U.S., Europe and Japan. The Chinese market is the exception, reflecting the Beijing governments New Energy Vehicle mandate. It worked with domestic Chinese partner Guangzhou Automobile Group to develop the bZ3X launched last March, and it is following up with the bZ7X, both specifically targeting China.

Toyota's Chinese bZ3X.

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Not all that long ago, Toyota was taking hits from U.S. environmentalists for seemingly lagging behind some key rivals when it comes to EVs. The strategy now seems prescient in light of the steps the Trump administration has taken to reverse Biden-era policies. Among other things, it convinced Congress to phase out federal EV tax credits last September 30. Sales of all-electric models have since gone into a slump.

Related: EV Sales in America Dip for the First Time in Years

But Toyota officials have stressed they remain ready to flex with the market and could put more emphasis on EVs should U.S. consumers demand them. A key element in that strategy was the opening of new battery plant in North Carolina last November, a move Toyota Motor North America President Tetsuo Ogawa called a pivotal moment in our companys history.

This story was originally published by Autoblog on Jan 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KALAMAZOO, MI  A woman who has practiced as a nurse without a license was sentenced to federal prison on Monday, Jan. 26, for using anothers identity to get a job as a licensed registered nurse.

Leticia Gallarzo, 51, of Wayland, was sentenced Monday, Jan. 26, to four years, three months in prison for creating false medical records that showed she was licensed as a registered nurse and a consecutive two-year term for aggravated identity theft after taking the identity of an actual nurse licensed in Michigan.

U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney in Kalamazoo also sentenced Gallarzo to three years on supervised release once her prison term ends. She was ordered to pay $81,769 in restitution.

She worked as a registered nurse in a nursing home from August 2022 to May 2023 by assuming the identity of a nurse. She later was promoted to unit manager supervising other health professionals.

She did patient assessments, administered medication, started intravenous lines and other duties before her work faltered and she was demoted, federal prosecutors say.

A prospective employer discovered her true identity and reported her to authorities.

She pleaded guilty in 2023 to fraud and aggravated identity theft but then left the area while awaiting sentencing. She was hired as a physician assistant and registered nurse in Illinois and California before she was arrested near Los Angeles and returned to Michigan for sentencing.

She had previous convictions for impersonating a licensed nurse in Kent County as well as Texas.

This is far more than a fraud case. Nurses make life and death decisions for the people under their care, and everyone has the right to expect that their health is being attended to by a person with extensive medical training, U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said in a statement.

It is shocking that Gallarzo would repeatedly put herself in such a position, without any of the necessary training, just because she wanted money, he said.

Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said, Leticia Gallarzo abused the trust placed in medical professionals and put patients at risk.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Stella said in a sentencing memorandum that Gallarzo doubled-down while awaiting sentencing.

While on bond awaiting sentencing before this Court  a bond explicitly precluding her from employment in the medical field in any capacity  she absconded to Illinois and amazingly stole the identity of a licensed Physician Assistant to obtain employment at a medical facility where she administered Botox and other shots to patients.

Her sister, Marcela Gallarzo, said in a letter to the judge that her sister was remorseful.

She is a great mother to her five boys that need her very much. She has two young ones, one that is 17 and another 12 that miss her dearly. She is also a grandmother to seven kids that they also miss her very much. She is the rock in her family holding them all together.
LENAWEE COUNTY, MI  Jury selection is underway for the high-profile murder trial of Dale Warner, a Michigan man accused of killing his wife, Dee Warner, in 2021 and hiding her body.

The case involves a multi-year investigation, a private investigators key findings, and a significant financial dispute playing out in civil court. These are the 5 takeaways as the trial commences.

1. Dale Warner is on trial for murder after his wifes body was found on their property

Dale Warner, 57, is charged with open murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his wife.

Dee Warner as last seen in April 2021 and was presumed dead after a lengthy disappearance.

The case against Dale Warner solidified significantly in August 2024 when Dee Warners remains were discovered inside a welded-shut storage tank on the Warner property in Franklin Township.

Dale Warner was arrested in November 2023, prior to the discovery, and his trial is expected to last several weeks, ending in March.

2. A private investigator presented key evidence against the husband

Early in the investigation, Dee Warners family hired investigative attorney Billy Little, who publicly accused Dale Warner of murder in May 2022.

Little presented police with what he called highly circumstantial, but still solid evidence.

This included an inconsistent timeline of events from Dale Warner, the fact that home security cameras never showed Dee leaving the property and a piece of heavy farm equipment that appeared to have been suspiciously cleaned after her disappearance.

This effort was crucial in driving the case forward.

3. The investigation involved a multi-agency task force

The search for Dee Warner and the subsequent homicide investigation was a complex, multi-year effort.

After the Lenawee County Sheriffs Office began the initial investigation, the Michigan State Police took over.

A joint task force was later formed, including the sheriffs office, MSP and the FBI to pool resources and investigate tips.

For over two years, authorities treated the case as a no-body homicide, which presented unique challenges and required extensive searches of the Warner property using K9 units and ground-penetrating radar.

4. A $100 million wrongful death lawsuit alleges a financial motive

Alongside the criminal trial, Dale Warner faces a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit filed by his wifes estate.

The lawsuit, brought by Dee Warners daughter, alleges that Dale Warner began liquidating his wifes assets shortly after she vanished and should not be allowed to financially benefit from her death.

The couple jointly owned multiple businesses and approximately 4,000 acres of farmland. The suit notes that Dale Warner was previously found in contempt of court in 2023 for the unauthorized disposition of their joint marital assets.

The civil case is currently stayed, or paused, while the criminal case resolves.

5. Suspicious circumstances and domestic abuse allegations were present before Dees disappearance

According to the familys private investigator, Dee Warner was planning to leave her husband and had been a victim of physical abuse.

Several suspicious events occurred around the time she went missing. All of her electronic devices, including the smartwatch she was wearing, reportedly went dead simultaneously at 2:30 a.m. while she was supposedly asleep, Little said.

This, combined with allegations of domestic violence, painted a grim picture for investigators long before her body was found.

Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page.

Generative AI was used to summarize takeaways based on originally reported stories by MLive. It was reviewed and edited by MLive.
LEONI TWP., MI  A man accused of fatally shooting his mother then his neighbor has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Roger Albert Schweda was committed to state-run Center for Forensic Psychiatry Jan. 20 following a ruling by Jackson County Circuit Judge John McBain after it was determined Schweda was insane at the time of the double homicide, court records show.

Court appointed Psychologist and Forensic Examiner Dr. Glenn Toplyn found that though Roger Schweda had no recorded history of mental illness, it was clear his mind was detached from reality and the things he said during interviews were not based in reality, court records show.

A finding of not guilty by reason of insanity means the defendant cannot be held criminally responsible for the crime but will still be involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for treatment.

Roger Schwedas mother, Shari Schweda, 70, and his neighbor, Thomas Farnsworth, 57, were found fatally shot Dec. 7, 2024, at Schwedas Leoni Township home on Welch Lake Road, according to the Blackman-Leoni Public Safety Department.

They were found by officers who were called to the home for a personal welfare check, police said.

At about 1:56 p.m. Dec. 7, Farnsworth called 911 requesting a welfare check on the Schweda property after his neighbor Roger Schweda left him a message saying his mother was dead and was unable to enter the home, police said.

While on the phone with dispatchers, Farnsworth walked over to the property to verify the address and Roger Schweda shot him in the driveway and fled the scene, police said.

Officers arrived and found Farnsworth in the driveway and, while conducting a search of the home, found Shari Schweda inside the home, police said.

Suspecting Shari Schwedas car was missing from the scene, authorities entered its information into the Flock license plate reading camera system as possibly stolen, police said.

Police tracked the license plate to a vehicle that was found traveling in the village of Brooklyn. Columbia Township police spotted the vehicle and tried to stop it, but the driver fled a short distance before coming to a stop, police said.

Police arrested the driver, Roger Schweda, without further incident.

Roger Schweda made unusual statements during interviews with police and psychologists, court records show.

During interviews, he claimed China was attacking the U.S. the morning of the double homicide, his mother was not his mother and his neighbor was upset with him and went over to the home to kill him, court records show.

Roger Schweda will remain in the Center for Forensic Psychiatry until he is deemed fit to be released.

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JACKSON, MI  Isaiah Ramos-Bostwick, 16, was fatally shot with a handgun he brought to his friends house for a sleep over, teen witnesses said Monday.

Three teens testified at a preliminary hearing Jan. 26, in the case filed against a 13-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting the 16-year-old. Each said Ramos-Bostwick brought the gun to the home and they had seen it with him before.

Ramos-Bostwick died early Jan. 15. The 13-year-old allegedly shot him about 1 a.m. while Ramos-Bostwick was spending the night at his best friends house on Harris Street in Jackson.

Too young to be charged as an adult, the 13-year-old is charged with first-degree murder, firearm theft and other crimes as a juvenile.

MLive does not typically name defendants charged as juveniles or minor witnesses testifying in court.

The accused teens attorney, Ivan Brown, said the shooting was tragic, but argued it was accidental and a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm causing death, a 2-year misdemeanor, would be more appropriate in this case.

Only the three teens testified before the case was adjourned for the day. A next hearing with additional testimony is scheduled for Feb. 9 before Jackson County Probate and Family Court Judge Jennifer Kelly.

Ramos-Bostwick was at his friends house when Ramos-Bostwicks friend invited over a girl and her teen brothers to join them, the friend testified.

It is unclear if the girl and the two brothers are all actually related, or if the word brother was used loosely to describe their friendship.

The friend who lives on Harris Street said he called another teen friend to come over as well, saying he was wary of the two boys the girl was bringing and wanted him there in case they did anything, he said.

The friend on Harris Street, the teen the friend called over and the girl each testified that Ramos-Bostwick had a handgun with him and was passing it around to his friends. They all wanted to take cellphone videos of themselves with it, each teen said.

The group was in the friends room one of the girls brothers asked to see the gun. Ramos-Bostwick handed it to the teen who took a short video before handing it to the 13-year-old, the teens testified.

The 13-year-old said gimme that s--- before racking the handgun and loading a round in the chamber, the teens said.

Ramos-Bostwick stood up and appeared to reach for the gun when the 13-year-old pointed it at him and shot Ramos-Bostwick in the head, just above the eye from about 4-feet away, the teens said.

After the shot went off, Ramos-Bostwicks friend and the teen his friend had called over that night wrestled the two brothers and pulled the gun away from 13-year-old, the teens said.

The 13-year-old and his brother fled the home as one of the teens called 911, the teens testified.

Each teen said there were no beefs between anyone in the group or gang involvement.

The teens did not know where the gun came from, only that Ramos-Bostwick had shown it to them before.

Clearly upset, Ramos-Bostwicks mother, when contacted after the hearing, declined to comment.

In an earlier interview, she said her son had not been in trouble. Never been in anything with any police, nothing, Alicia Ramos said last week and vowed to fight for justice for her son.

Police said a Jackson County Sheriffs dog tracked the 13-year-old and another fleeing teen, 15, to the 1300 block of Leroy Street, about a mile by city streets from the shooting site.

The 13-year-old was arrested and the 15-year-old was released to a parent, Jackson police reported.

Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- When you drive through Kalamazoo, a camera might be logging a photo of your license plate.

Local organizers want Kalamazoos Department of Public Safety to stop using the cameras from Flock Safety, claiming they are a violation of residents Fourth Amendment rights.

Theres also fear that outside agencies like ICE could access the cameras.

David Boysen, the citys public safety chief, said the technology is Kalamazoos No. 1 tool for solving shootings and reducing violent crime.

Its been working, its been effective, and were going to keep doing it, Boysen said.

Backlash to the Trump administrations immigration activities are heightening concerns over the technologys presence in Kalamazoo.

Hundreds of protestors gathered on the steps of City Hall on Monday, Jan. 26, to protest the ICE killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

RELATED: Hundreds rally in Kalamazoo to protest ICE actions in Minnesota

Hundreds gathered in front of Kalamazoos City Hall Building to protest ICEs actions nationally and demand change locally on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)

Among the demands from Southwest Michigans Democratic Socialists of America (the organization behind the protest) was that the city end use of the Flock cameras.

In the long run, were going to create a very distrusting society, which is just going to keep cycles of violence, said Euan Simpson, co-chair of the Southwest Michigan DSA chapter. These cameras just encourage paranoia.

Immigration enforcement

KDPS purchased 35 Flock License Plate readers in 2021. The black cameras are attached to poles across the city on roadways like South Drake Road and Gull Road.

In addition to license plate numbers, the cameras collect information about vehicles make, visual identifiers, body type, plate state and whether its a resident or non-resident vehicle, according to the Flock Safety website.

A Flock ALPR license plate reader camera fixed to a pole along Gull Street in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Monday, October 18, 2021. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Kalamazoos Flock cameras have been used by outside agencies for immigration-related activities in the past, Boysen said.

Kalamazoo-area resident, Zach Lassiter, posted spreadsheet audits of alleged police searches to the Flock database to Facebook in June 2025.

At the time, Boysen said Lassiters information helped the department discover outside agencies were accessing data from Kalamazoo cameras for reasons of immigration-related violations.

However, outside agencies havent been permitted to access Kalamazoos camera data since then, Boysen said.

Department policies also prevent any of the data from being used for immigration enforcement.

We only share our information with the local law enforcement agencies, no federal agencies, Boysen told MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette during a Monday, Jan. 26 City Commission meeting.

Use of the camera data is tightly controlled, Boysen said. If officers use the system, they have to log a reason. The department keeps the access information in a reviewable audit log, Boysen said.

You cant just use it for willy nilly, Boysen said.

The departments contract also stipulates Flock Safety cant share the data either, Boysen said. Flock Safety retains data captured by their cameras for 30 days. Customers own the data and Flock Safety doesnt maintain records of customer data after the retention period is over, according to its website.

Euan Simpson said KDPS limiting access to the system is good, but he isnt confident the department can guarantee outside actors cant access it.

Trusting Flock Safety to keep Kalamazoos data safe is not enough, Simpson said.

A representative from Flock Safety said their customers control who has access to camera data and there are no back doors through the company for federal agencies to access the data.

In response to how useful the cameras are in solving crimes, Simpson said he takes it with a grain of salt, and is more concerned about residents trust in KDPS and vice versa.

Safe communities come from trusting communities, communities in which neighbors trust each other, Simpson said.

Boysen said he understands the concerns, but wouldnt support eliminating the cameras from the city.

Our job is to make sure that we keep everyone safe, and thats what were doing, Boysen said.
PORTAGE, MI  Known for its six-egg omelets, breakfast burritos and casserole, Antique Kitchen had been serving up hearty breakfasts and lunches since 1971.

On Sunday, Jan. 25, employees were notified that the restaurant at 6215 S. Westnedge Ave. would close permanently at days end, according to multiple sources.

At 8 a.m. Monday, when the restaurant would normally be open, the parking lot sat empty. The lights were off. And as one regular pulled up, surprised to see it closed, he was quick to note the hours were no longer listed on the door.

There had been no closure announcement and people were confused. At least a half-dozen cars pulled up between 8 and 8:30 a.m. to find the diner closed.

But late Monday night, a sign appeared on the door, where the hours had been.

It read Opening under new management soon.

By Tuesday, Jan. 27, work was again happening inside as three employees  Sheli Walker, Tami Haines and Monica Best  were cleaning up, placing food orders through distributors and preparing for the restaurants next chapter.

From left, longtime Antique Kitchen employee Sheli Walker, server Tami Haines, and returning server Monica Best, pose for a portrait on Jan. 27, 2026 at the restaurant in Portage, Michigan. The restaurant, closed by former owner Gary Miles on Sunday, Jan. 25, will reopen in the coming weeks, Walker said. Walker's mother, Jackie Dutton, a previous owner will again run the restaurant. Ryan Boldrey | MLive.com

Walkers mother, Jackie Dutton  who co-owned Antique Kitchen from 1986 to 2016 with her ex-husband Gary Dutton  will help write that chapter for the restaurant, Walker confirmed. A reopening could happen as early as next week.

In total, Jackie Dutton has worked at Antique Kitchen 40 years, while Walker has spent 25 years serving tables and helping manage the front of house.

Every person in my family has worked here, Walker said. My brother and my sister have both worked here. Its all about family here. ... I have literally watched people raise their kids here and now their kids bring their kids in.

Walkers father, Gary Dutton, owned the restaurant until 2023, the last seven of those as sole proprietor. He also worked in the back of the house as a teen in the 1970s. In 2023, he sold the business to Gary Miles.

Attempts to reach Miles for comment were unsuccessful.

Former Antique Kitchen owner Gary Dutton poses for portrait inside the restaurant in Portage, Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Dutton sold the restaurant a few months later to Gary Miles, who closed it down on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. The restaurant will be reopened soon by Dutton's ex-wife Jackie Dutton, who helped run it for 30 years and worked there an additional 10. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com

When Miles purchased the restaurant in 2023, Walker said she and her mother considered taking over, but werent in position to at the time.

She said the two had been concerned the familys legacy at Antique Kitchen would otherwise be destroyed.

Over the last couple years, shes watched as changes were made to the menu and motif  and business slowed.

We used to have a wait out that door every weekend for 20 minutes, and I would know 90% of our clients names by heart, she said. This place ran successfully all the way until (Miles) took over. He came in and started changing things. We told him to stop, because we knew our customers, but he didnt listen.

With no advance notice, Miles informed staff on Sunday that it would be the restaurants last day, she said.

According to Haines, Miles had put up a sign to inform staff of a meeting at the end of business Sunday. Employees were strongly encouraged to attend.

A sign hung on the wall of Antique Kitchen on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, encouraging employees to come to a staff meeting after the close of business that day. The meeting was intended to inform staff that the restaurant was closing, however staff learned earlier that day from outgoing owner Gary Miles that Sunday it would be the final day of business. Previous owner Jackie Dutton is now buying the restaurant and has plans to reopen it in the coming weeks. Courtesy photo | Tami Haines

Word started to get out regarding what it was about, Walker said. After she confronted Miles, he informed staff Sunday the restaurant was closing, she said.

It felt like a punch in the gut, Walker said.

According to Walker, Miles informed them hed known for a few months he was going to close, but had been advised not to tell staff.

I think I speak for everybody when I say, Shame on Gary for doing it the way he did. That was awful, said Luke Rathburn, a longtime regular at Antique Kitchen.

Rathburn said he doesnt understand why Miles didnt give staff more notice.

An icon in Portage

Rathburn, 39, has shared weekly meals with family at the restaurant since he was a small child. He came in Sunday with his mother and his wife, and immediately could tell something was off.

Some servers were in tears, he said. Others were just ticked off.

This place is an icon in Portage, Rathburn said. My mom has been going there for 50 years. The people there are amazing. The waitresses were amazing.

Rathburn, who spoke to MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette before news of its planned reopening, said his hope was that someone would open it back up.

Its too much of a brand not to, he said. The omelets were literally the best omelets Ive ever had. I cant even have an omelet somewhere else.

Related: Michigans Best Local Eats: We dont mess around with our omelets, Portage restaurant owner says

The Antique Kitchen omelet supreme with ham, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, onion, tomatoes and cheese at Antique Kitchen in Portage, Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. The restaurant which opened in 1971 is located at 6215 S Westnedge Ave. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com

Rathburn and fellow longtime patron, Amy Gray, can enjoy their omelets again at Antique Kitchen soon enough.

Gray, like Rathburn, has been coming to Antique Kitchen since she was a child. Her first trips to the diner happened in 1972 when she was just 7.

My parents were divorced, and when my dad would pick us up for the weekend, we would go to Antique Kitchen for breakfast, she said. Back then, they had like 10 different kinds of syrup on the sides of the table. It was a kids fantasy.

As a college student at Western Michigan University, Gray introduced her roommates to Antique Kitchen and it quickly became their place, she said.

She later started bringing her kids, who are now 30 and 34, when they were each just weeks old. They would go nearly every week, she said.

My oldest son has moved away to Colorado, and when he comes to town, its the first place we go, Gray said. My youngest son lives right in town, still in Portage, and he and I would still have breakfast there every Sunday.

Every week, the order was always the same  a shared six-egg cheese omelet with extra cheese, hash browns and toast.

She never has to place that order, though, as the staff just knows the second they walk in.

Its just been part of our family routine forever, she said.

Antique Kitchen in Portage, Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. The restaurant which opened in 1971, closed after 55 years of business, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. Former owner Jackie Dutton has plans to reopen it soon with her daughter, Sheli Walker. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com

When Gray arrived Sunday, she was devastated when Walker and another server informed her the restaurant was closing. The three all started crying, she said.

After finishing breakfast, Gray left to get cards and gifts for the staff as a way to let them know what an important part of our familys history they were part of.

When she returned to the restaurant to deliver the cards and gifts just prior to its 2 p.m. closing, she saw a U-Haul parked out back. She watched as Miles took photographs and other items off the walls while people finished their meals.

The people who were working there yesterday were deeply hurt, Gray said. They woke up today without jobs.

Many of those people will be back on staff within days, Walker said.

We havent talked to everybody yet, she said. Were still reaching out, talking to people. But the majority of the crew will be back.

The scene inside Antique Kitchen, at 6215 S Westnedge Ave in Portage, Michigan, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com

The last couple days have been a whirlwind for Walker and others who worked there and those who patronized there.

Walker was in tears as she bussed her last table Sunday afternoon.

Later that night, her mother came home ecstatic and exclaimed that she got the restaurant, Walker said.

Its a complete God thing, said Best, who stopped working for Miles about six months ago after 10 years at the restaurant. It was her darkest hour and God literally showed up and all the dominoes fell together. She was on Cloud 9.

Best, and some other former staff, will return to the restaurant when it reopens.

We feel like the community is our family and we want to be here for our family, Walker said. Were so excited to be able to see everybody again. It might not be everything we envision it to be right now, but its going to get there.

Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page.
MUSKEGON, MI - Muskegon officials spoke out Tuesday about their concerns around the activity of federal immigration agents in Minnesota, reaffirming the citys stance on not arresting individuals based on immigration status.

The city of Minneapolis is again at the forefront of the national immigration debate for the second time this month, with the fatal shooting of another Minnesota resident and American citizen during a protest of the Trump administrations immigration crackdown.

Commissioner Jay Kilgo brought up the issue near the end of the Jan. 27 meeting.

Alex Pretti, 37, an intensive care nurse, was shot and killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents on Jan. 24. Renee Good, 37, a mother of three, was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Jan. 7.

I want to say his name, and I want to say her name, Kilgo said, of Good and Pretti. Because this may not be Minneapolis, Minnesota, its Muskegon, Michigan, but we are still a border state. ICE does operate in our state, and they could be here in our city next.

Good and Prettis shootings have not been fully investigated yet. To help de-escalate things, President Donald Trump sent Tom Homan, a senior ICE official, who he calls the Border Czar, to Minnesota to lead the immigration efforts. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and some federal immigration agents were scheduled to leave.

Kilgo said he received criticism for using a curse word while speaking at a local vigil for Renee Good. At the Jan. 8 event, Kilgo said f**k ICE. He was there with other commissioners and local officials who were denouncing ICE and its recent actions.

I will continue to speak out, and maybe I can do it with more tact so that I dont hurt peoples feelings, but Id rather hurt peoples feelings and use the language and use the words that I need to use to get the point across, Kilgo said. Our local officers here in Muskegon and our state officers of the Michigan State Police follow the constitution and they follow the law. Our federal officers should do the same thing.

One year ago, as ICE efforts were increasing across the U.S. and including West Michigan, the Muskegon Police Department responded to local concerns and said its officers are not arresting or detaining anyone based on immigration status.

The mayor and some other commissioners also spoke out on Tuesday about federal activity in Minnesota.

Weve had no contact with federal agencies regarding immigration enforcement in the city of Muskegon, said Mayor Ken Johnson. Muskegon Police Department will not arrest or detain anyone based on their immigration status. We do not ask that as part of stops. We do not enforce that independently.

Muskegon Police Department does not check immigration status during any interaction with the public. If immigration-related documents are shared with the Muskegon Police Department, they will not be shared with other agencies or entities.

Commissioner Willie German quoted two Bible verses that talked about immigrants and mentioned civil rights leaders.

I heard Dr. Martin Luther King say, It comes a time when silence becomes betrayal, German said. Ive always tried to advocate and speak up for the less fortunate.

These are the things that Dr. Martin Luther King talked about  Malcolm X, he talked about things that would happen in our communities and Gestapo tactics and (they) dont care whether youre rich, poor, Black, white. We could be faced with these same types of situations. So we really have to come together and unify as a city, as people and support one another.

Johnson described Muskegon as a diverse and welcoming community.

We wish to continue to be a welcoming community and safe for all, he said.

Commissioners Katrina Kochin, Kiley Jackson and Rebecca St. Clair also expressed support.

I want to wholeheartedly support everyones thoughts about ICE in our community and in our world and the need for people to use all of the words available to them, even if you are sometimes uncomfortable, St. Clair said. I will be offensive if I keep my mouth closed and I will be offensive if I open my mouth. So again, I will use all the words available to me to speak out.
SAGINAW TWP., MI  UNO Pizzeria & Grill is inviting customers to join it this week in celebrating its recent return to Saginaw Township.

The owners of the restaurant, located at 4960 Towne Centre Road, will host a grand reopening party beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29. A ribbon cutting will be held at 5 p.m.

The restaurant reopened under new ownership on Nov. 18 in the same space attached to Four Points by Sheraton after being closed for approximately one year.

Attendees will be able to see the newly updated space and check out the restaurants new menu.

They can also enter a raffle for a chance to win free pizza for a year and other prizes. The raffle drawing will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Additionally, the restaurant will serve a free regular pizza to the first 50 tables.

The Saginaw Township UNO Pizzeria & Grill offers the restaurant chains original Chicago style deep dish pizza and a wide range of other dishes, from steak to salad, as well as a full bar.

The restaurant underwent several improvements ahead of its reopening, which included retiling and the installation of a new sound system.

The Saginaw Township location is now owned by Stephen Novak, Stefan Stefanakis and Caitlin Werner.

A Saginaw native, Novak is a classically trained chef and spent multiple years honing his culinary skills in high-level kitchens in Manhattan, New York, according to a news release from the restaurant.

After moving back to Michigan, Novak began working as the executive sous chef at The Ledger, which is where he initially connected with Stefanakis.

His roots, combined with his culinary background and leadership, made the opportunity a natural fit, restaurant officials said of Novak in a news release.
A man died after he was crushed by a John Deere tractor in California.

According to KTXL-TV in Sacramento, the incident occurred near Oak Avenue in Orangevale around 8:11 p.m. on Monday.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident. The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District told the TV station the man overturned his tractor and was pinned underneath it. He later died from his injuries.

According to California Highway Patrol, the man was ejected from the tractor before it fell on him. It is unclear if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the incident.

The man has not been identified by name. The California Highway Patrol is investigating.
Youll soon be able to visit Trump Mountain if one lawmaker gets his way.

Georgia Rep. David Clark, R-Buford, confirmed this week that he has introduced a resolution to rename Sawnee Mountain in Forsyth County in honor the sitting U.S. president.

President Trump is one of the most transformative presidents in our nations history, Clark wrote on Facebook. Thats why today I introduced a resolution to rename Sawnee Mountain in Forsyth County to Trump Mountain to honor his historic legacy of Making America Great Again.

Sawnee Mountain is located a little under 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. Its small but well-known as part of the Sawnee Mountain Preserve, a popular spot for hiking, nature walks, and local history.

According to FOX 5 in Atlanta, the mountains current name stems from a celebrated Native American chief.

It is unclear if the resolution has enough support. Reaction to the idea was mixed on social media with multiple people asking, This is satire right?

Clark, who has been in office since 2015, is also running to be Georgias lieutenant governor.
Having delivered in excess of 900,000 passenger vehicles in the USA, plus almost 600,000 in South Korea and more than half a million in Europe (EU+EFTA+UK: 535,205), it was a great 2025 for the Hyundai brand.

Worldwide, sales totaled 4.14 million units, down 0.1 percent from the previous year and the goal for 2026 has been set at 4.16 million. Only China continues to disappoint though both Hyundai Motor Group and Hyundai Motor Company are far from being alone in their struggles there.

New strategies with long-time partner Beijing Auto have been tried and with a 21 per cent year-on-year gain in December to 13,007 wholesale deliveries, things are tentatively looking up for HMC in the PRC. Full year deliveries of locally made Hyundais numbered 125,726 units, an 18.5 per cent drop. A certain new sedan should mean January was as strong as December.

China

Is the brand finally on the rebound in China? It might be. The Elantra, specially modified for the local market, is performing relatively well. And yet with just 63,446 sales in 2025 it is also the sole Hyundai inside Chinas top 100. Position 94 is hardly noteworthy either. Still, an improvement is an improvement, and the most recent month was a strong one. Lets see how this car does in Q1 and beyond.

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The Custo, an older model, had a good year too but again, this was relative, its sales surgingto not quite 17,000 units. The joint venture also axed certain China-specific older vehicles such as the Mistra and SQ series Lafesta.

Newer models, such as the EO, might fare better. During its initial month of sale (December), the E-GMP platform 4.6 m long SUV found 558 buyers, a good start. And, exports have just commenced, Australia being the first destination. There, it will be called Elexio with pricing way higher than it is in the PRC.

Deciphering Hyundai EV codenames

The EO/Elexio EV does not exist in South Korea, being exclusive to Beijing-Hyundai. The same JV will add a second electric model in September. All we know is that it will be a sedan.

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A further four EVs are said to be in development. As for clues to codenames, the Elexio serves as a guide. It is OE1c, with O being the size segment, E meaning electric (Ioniq models also have this second character), 1 for first generation and a lower case c denoting China.

JV with General Motors

In two years time well see the first of four models co-developed by HMC and GM. Each will be mainly for South America and Central America, in a not dissimilar way to how Renault and Geely are collaborating in the same region. The Hyundai and Chevy vehicles will be a Ford Ranger-sized pick-up plus three closely-related smaller models: another pick-up, a car and an SUV. There will be ICE and hybrid powertrains.

Global small & medium-sized Hyundai cars

Starting with a brief look at the tiniest IC-powered passenger vehicles (see EVs below for the Casper/Inster and others), the AC3 series i10 is now more than six years old. As such, a successor is due to be launched in the second half of 2026.

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Moving up a size to the i20, a new generation model should debut in 2027 and there will likely be a 1.6-litre hybrid powertrain for the N. The main production plant will be at Izmit in Turkey/Turkiye.

The case of the C segment i30 is an intriguing one. Hyundai is said to be keeping the current shape car in production for an extended period, having realised that IC hatchbacks are far from fading away. The PD series shape is now more than ten years old yet it will have a third facelift later this year. The axe finally falls on it in 2029. Europe remains the main regional market.

Medium-to-large sedans and hatchbacks

Beijing-Hyundais best performer wont be replaced there for a while yet but the Elantra, or rather Avante, to use the South Korean market name, goes to a new generation later in 2026. Sources believe it will have retro looks and be launched in October. The USA should also be a major market and it would be new there during CY2027. Korea will be the other main country for this car.

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The Sonata is overdue for replacement: generation eight (DN8) will be seven years old in March. There is however certain speculation that Hyundai will facelift DN8 for a second time, delaying the DN9 successor until 2029.

Bigger still is the Grandeur. In its present form, GN7, there are hybrid as well as four- and six-cylinder petrol engines. And while the looks have been acclaimed, sales have not exactly been brisk. There is therefore a chance that the current generation might be the last. If that is so, production would end in 2028 or 2029.

ICE SUVs

QU2i, the second generation Venue, debuted at the end of October 2025 and will be in production until 2032. Built at the former GM India Talegaon plant, this small SUV is taller and wider than its predecessor.

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Available in many regions, the Venue is however not for Europe. There, a new Bayon will replace the existing model in 2027, this being the brands entrant in the regions B-SUV class. Hyundai Motor Turkiye will manufacture the new Bayon at its Izmit factory.

Expected to be positioned above the Alcazar and below the Tucson, a special SUV for India (code: Ni1i) is now in the final stages of development. Due out within the next 12 months, this additional vehicle will not only be for the local market but exported too. HMIL will manufacture it at Talagaon, just outside Pune. We can expect a hybrid powertrain to be either standard or optional.

From teeny, to top-end

At the other end of Hyundais big range of SUVs sits the Palisade. The profit margin on the LX3 series model must be very nice, this big, front- and all-wheel drive vehicle being a suitably large success in the USA.

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This was the first vehicle for HMG's 2.5-litre turbo hybrid powertrain while a 1.6 T hybrid is coming for other Group models. Launched one year ago, there should be a facelift for the Palisade in 2028 and a successor towards the end of 2031. A high-roof variant is due later this year for the home market.

EVs

The Inster is doing fairly well in Europe but its Casper Electric equivalent has not met with much success in South Korea, something it has in common with other EVs. Nonetheless, the tiny tall hatchback will have a second generation, this being pencilled in for 2028. That would be the same year as a new Casper. This, the petrol-powered equivalent, dates to 2021 whereas the EV didnt arrive until 2024.

One year before the Korean market is first to see the next electric Casper, Hyundai Motor India will launch a small, locally made EV. There are only a few details at the moment but more information concerning the HE1i project will likely leak out later in 2026.

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An E-GMP architecture B segment electric hatchback is said to be due for release in Europe, the main target region, this August. Project BJ1 will likely be called Ioniq 2 and twinned with the future Kia EV2.

Another Ioniq model soon to debut

Yet another small EV is coming soon, this being the Ioniq 3, as heralded by the THREE concept (see image). A production model, which will be toned down compared to the design study, is due to be revealed later in 2026. It will be around the same size as the Volkswagen ID.3 and aimed primarily at the German and British markets as well as countries in Scandinavia.

Outside Europe, Hyundais EVs havent really lit up the sales charts of any market. This is hardly the fault of what have all been highly acclaimed vehicles; more that few in Korea or America have much interest in electric hatchbacks or sedans. Still, the Ioniq 5 is now only two and a bit years away from being replaced.

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If looks were the only reason why people bought cars, the Ioniq 6 would be a major success. Alas it is far from that, a mere 5,081 units of the swoopy electric sedan being sold in South Korea last year. Which means even the Nexo (5,678) outsold it. That is a good achievement for Hyundais latest fuel cell model (codename: NH2) though, the hydrogen-powered crossover likely to keep doing modestly well at home until it is replaced in 2032.

Hydrogen fuel cell SUV, and Ioniq 6

The previous Nexo (code: FE) did rather better than many people realise, Hyundai claiming a production total of 37,020 examples between 2018 and 2025. And as regards the Ioniq 6, it is unlikely to be replaced. Build, which was originally planned to last until 2028, may end ahead of schedule.

Big expansion of HMGMA

What had been expected to be badged Ioniq 7 instead became the Ioniq 9. This large electric SUV premiered at the LA auto show in November 2024. Its life cycle should be seven years so we can expect a facelift in 2029 and a replacement in 2032.

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Production of the Ioniq 9 takes place in Georgia at the Bryan County Metaplant plant near Savannah. This commenced in March 2025, just days before president Donald Trumps tariffs were enforced (1 April 2025). The factorys official name is Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America. Work to expand HMGMA from an initial 200,000 units per annum to 500,000 commenced almost immediately. This, so as to be able to eventually manufacture Genesis and other HMG electric and electrified models.

Hyundai Motor Group future models 2026-2036: Genesis

"Hyundai Motor Group future models 2026-2036: Hyundai" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




DETROIT  Patrick Kane picked up an assist Tuesday to tie Mike Modano as the NHLs all-time leading scorer. but the Detroit Red Wings lost 3-1 to the Los Angeles Kings at Little Caesars Arena.

Kane assisted on Alex DeBrincats 27th goal with 2:15 remaining in regulation to cut the Kings lead to 2-1.

Corey Perry, however, scored into an empty net with 1:13 to play to seal the victory.

Kane and Modano, who finished his career with the Red Wings in 2010-11, each have 1,374 points.

The Red Wings returned home from a successful road trip and were stifled offensively by Los Angeles. Anton Forsberg made 26 saves.

The Red Wings (32-17-5) suffered just their second regulation loss in the past 11 games (8-2-1), getting shut out for the fourth time this season.

Red Wings moneyline is listed at -120 on DraftKings for Thursday nights game against the Capitals. Our DraftKings Sportsbook review provides a complete guide on how to navigate through their platform.

John Gibson made 19 saves to give his team a chance to win but had his eight-game winning streak snapped, losing for just the third time since the start of December (17-3-0).

Andrei Kuzmenkos power-play goal put L.A. up 2-0 at 6:46 of the third. He one-timed a pass from Adrian Kempe.

Samuel Helenius scored the lone goal through two periods. He took a backhand pass from Jeff Malott in the corner and one-timed a shot past Gibson at 10:00.

The Red Wings host the Washington Capitals Thursday (7:30 p.m., ESPN=Plus/Hulu) in the second game of this three-game homestand.
As hard as it is to believe, our current deep freeze is taking another plunge as we head into Thursday and Friday, and the air will feel even colder than it does today.

By Friday morning, wind chills could reach 25 below zero. This puts us into the fast frostbite zone, so if you have to be outside, limit your time and keep all your skin covered.

Once we get through this latest cold stretch, we will feel like were on an upswing with a bit of a break for the weekend, with temperatures climbing into the 20s and staying there for days.

Lake effect snow continues through early Wednesday along the Lakeshore in West Michigan and in Northern Michigan. The Upper Peninsula is getting a heavier load of snow - some places up to 12 inches.

Here are the forecast highlights from the National Weather Service offices across the state:

Bitter Arctic air continues to grip Michigan through Friday, with wind chills plunging to 15 to 20 degrees below zero in many areas and lake effect snow showers creating hazardous travel conditions, particularly in the Upper Peninsula and along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Winter Weather Advisories remain in effect across much of Northern Michigan through Wednesday evening as lake effect snow bands produce periodic whiteouts and reduced visibility.

The Upper Peninsula is experiencing the most significant impacts, with snow accumulations of three to six inches expected northwest of M-26 in the Keweenaw Peninsula through Wednesday. Eastern Upper Peninsula counties near Grand Marais could see up to 12 inches of snow by Wednesday evening, though the exact location of heaviest snowfall remains uncertain. The National Weather Service warns that moderate to heavy snowfall rates of one-half to one inch per hour, combined with wind gusts up to 30 mph, will create hazardous travel conditions for Wednesdays commute.

The Lower Peninsula is seeing lighter accumulations but still faces travel challenges. Lake effect snow showers will continue across northwest Lower Michigan through Wednesday, with one to three inches possible, and locally higher amounts in traditional snow belts of Antrim, Kalkaska and western Otsego counties. Areas along the Lake Michigan shoreline from Grand Rapids northward can expect periodic snow showers through Wednesday evening, with an additional dusting to one-half inch accumulation possible.

The extreme cold poses an equally serious threat. Wednesday night through Friday morning represents the coldest period, with air temperatures dropping to five to 10 degrees below zero across much of Northern Michigan and single digits above zero near Grand Traverse Bay.

Wind chills Thursday night into Friday morning are forecast to reach 20 to 25 degrees below zero, with the highest probability of reaching Extreme Cold Warning criteria occurring Thursday night through early Friday morning. The National Weather Service emphasizes that even light winds in such cold conditions can lead to frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.

Looking ahead through the weekend, lake effect snow showers will shift to north wind snow belts Thursday and potentially northeast wind patterns Thursday night into Friday, though exact placement remains uncertain due to moving ice on Lake Superior affecting low level winds. High temperatures through Friday will struggle to reach the single digits to teens, with overnight lows mainly in the single digits below zero.

A brief respite arrives this weekend as high pressure builds into the region. Temperatures will moderate slightly with highs returning to the 20s Saturday through Monday and overnight lows climbing to the single digits above zero to teens. This break from lake effect snow will be short-lived, however, as additional disturbances are expected to arrive from the northwest early next week, bringing renewed chances for snow.
Since we are deep into Arctic air, the snow will be slowing down, for at least one week. As the somewhat warmer air shifts back into Michigan though, the storm track will become active again. Here are the main points of my morning weather update. Also, heres the video.

Extreme Arctic Outbreak Arriving Friday Through Sunday

Another significant blast of Arctic air is set to arrive in Michigan, with the Arctic front expected to push through Friday. This outbreak will be comparable in intensity to the previous weeks cold snap, bringing dangerously cold temperatures Friday through Sunday before gradually easing. High temperatures on Friday will struggle to reach 10 degrees in many locations, with some areas like Flint seeing highs of only 2 degrees and Lansing reaching just 3 degrees. Morning low temperatures are forecast to drop between 5 to 15 degrees below zero Friday morning, with Saturday and Sunday mornings potentially seeing temperatures 5 to 20 degrees below zero across the state.

Low temperature forecast for Friday morning, January 30 NOAA

Lake Effect Snow Continues for Western Michigan

Lake effect snow will persist through today and tomorrow, particularly impacting areas southwest of Grand Rapids down through the Kalamazoo region, where a winter weather advisory remains in effect for an additional 3 to 6 inches of accumulation. The Traverse City area could see 2 to 4 inches, while the western third of the state (US-131 westward) is expected to receive 3 to 6 inches through Friday morning. The Upper Peninsula will continue to see significant lake effect snow off Lake Superior, with up to a foot of accumulation possible. However, as the Arctic high pressure builds in, the extremely dry air aloft may limit lake effect snow production despite the cold temperatures over the lakes.

Brief Warm-Up Expected Early February

A modest temperature recovery is forecast for the second half of next week, with the polar vortex temporarily lifting to the northeast. Between February 4th and 8th, Michigan can expect two to three days with afternoon temperatures climbing above freezing, potentially reaching the low to mid-30s. This brief warm-up will be driven by milder Pacific air from southwestern Canada replacing the Arctic flow. Morning low temperatures during this period should moderate to the low to mid-20s, which will feel considerably more comfortable compared to the extreme cold of this weekend. This thaw should help melt ice off main roads that have been packed down during the extended cold period.

Stormy Pattern Developing for Late February and March

As the atmospheric flow pattern shifts from straight northerly to more westerly in mid-February, I anticipate a significant change to a stormy pattern across the middle part of the country, including Michigan. The forecast models consistently show the polar vortex backing down toward Michigan again after the brief warm-up, with storm systems tracking farther north into the Great Lakes region. This pattern change is expected to bring frequent weather systems, potentially including heavy snow, freezing rain, and other winter precipitation events. The stormy pattern could persist through the last half of February and continue well into March, making this period potentially very exciting for snow lovers.

Extended Winter Outlook and Travel Considerations

Despite the brief warm-up in early February, winter is far from over for Michigan. The extended forecast shows a persistent trough remaining over the eastern United States with a ridge on the west coast, maintaining a northwesterly flow that will guide cold fronts through the region. This pattern will keep temperatures generally below normal through mid-February and potentially beyond. For those seeking warmer weather, I suggest vacation destinations in the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California) rather than the Southeast, as even Florida and Gulf Coast locations will experience colder than normal temperatures due to the eastern trough pattern. The combination of Arctic air masses and active storm systems means Michigan residents should prepare for several more weeks of challenging winter weather conditions.

Generative AI was used to bring my live video to text for this story, based on my live broadcast video this morning. I used the text as a foundation of the article.
German performance SUVs are often praised for their powerful engines and composed handling, but they also come with correspondingly high price tags. Thats why one Japanese-built SUV is turning heads in 2026 by delivering performance that feels every bit as sharp and capable, yet at pricing that stays closer to mainstream expectations. Its a rare blend of driving excitement and value that few rivals can match in the current market.

What sets this SUV apart is how well it balances its turbocharged powertrain with chassis tuning that rewards enthusiastic driving. It delivers quick acceleration and confident cornering that feel more at home in a performance-focused German crossover, yet its everyday usability, interior comfort, and fuel economy remain firmly rooted in Japanese practicality. That combination makes it appealing to drivers who want both spirited performance and sensible ownership.

For buyers seeking dynamic driving without the usual premium price tag, this SUV proves you can have German-like performance with Japanese pricing, and that engaging handling doesnt have to cost a luxury badge. Its one of the rare performance-oriented crossovers that delivers thrills and value in equal measure.

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In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including the EPA.

The 2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo offers tons of performance at a bargain

It keeps up with much more expensive crossovers

One of the biggest reasons that people opt for German cars is their fine balance between performance and refinement. They may cost a little more than their rivals, but people feel the final product is worth it. What if you could get similar levels of refinement and performance without the massive markup? That's where Mazda's fantastic CX-50 Turbo comes in. It is easily one of the most engaging cars to drive in its class, and it's thousands more affordable than a luxury German SUV.

2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo trims and pricing

The CX-50 comes with either a turbocharged or a non-turbocharged engine under the hood. While the non-turbo models are fantastic, we obviously focus on the latter in this article. These are the highest trim levels in the CX-50 lineup, meaning they are quite a bit more expensive than the average mainstream compact SUV. However, we think that these models are capable of competing with luxury compact SUVs, many of which start at around $50,000.

While the top Turbo trims do offer some desirable equipment, we think that the base CX-50 Turbo offers the best bang-for-your-buck. It delivers the more powerful engine setup and comes loaded with high-end features. Go with this model, and you get fine leather upholstery, a premium Bose sound system, and heated and ventilated seats, among other things.

Plenty of power on tap and driving dynamics that will please enthusiasts

More fun to drive than most crossovers

Mazda

Mazda has built up a reputation for delivering cars that are much more fun to drive than you'd expect. They have become masters of chassis tuning, and even when their cars aren't the quickest off the line, they deliver endless joy. The CX-50 is the perfect example of this mastery. Despite its mainstream price tag, it handles fantastically and connects you with the road in a way few modern cars still can.

2026 Mazda CX-50 Turbo performance

While the naturally aspirated CX-50 models make a humble 187 horsepower, the turbocharged models boost output up to 256 horses, a difference of 69 horsepower. It combines this four-pot with a six-speed automatic that is designed to rev high when you put your foot down. Every model comes with standard all-wheel drive, which also makes it a force over snowy or muddy terrain.

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While the CX-50 might be a few tenths short of some German compact SUVs when it comes to zero to 60 times, it gets off the line with a decent amount of urgency. Far more impressive is the way this crossover handles. Mazda has found what we think is the perfect balance. Steering feels well weighted, and the crossover is incredibly agile and responds well to inputs.

None of this performance comes at the cost of comfort, though, with the ride quality being pretty great as well. The CX-50 Turbo perfoms its duties as a compact SUV well, with things like a 3,500 pound tow rating making it exceptionally versatile.

Fuel economy

While the CX-50 Turbo falls very short of the average efficiency ratings of the average mainstream compact SUV, it comes pretty close to rivals in the luxury department. Still, it is worth noting that the Japanese crossover isn't particularly light on fuel. While it comes close to models like the Mercedes-Benz GLC, SUVs like the BMW X3 are even more efficient.

It's not so glum though. Compared to the average new vehicle, the EPA estimates that you'll only spend $750 more on fuel over five years. That is a price we'd personally be willing to pay.

Mazda's compact crossover offers class-above interior environs

Classy styling and plenty of tech

Mazda

Another thing that we feel like Mazda is doing very well at, is designing interiors. Across their lineup, every model feels like it was designed to compete with luxury rivals, not mainstream ones. The CX-50 showcases this perfectly, with a cabin that feels upscale and serene. Turbo models in particular are packed with plush materials and some tech features that you'd expect from a luxury brand.

2026 Mazda CX-50 interior comfort

In terms of dimensions, the CX-50 is about on par with what you'd expect from this segment. Headroom in both the front and back might be on the low side for some, courtesy of the swooping roofline, but legroom is more than enough for even the tallest of passengers. The cargo area is, again, on par with its rivals in this class.

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While smaller Mazdas, like the CX-30 and the 3, feature a slightly sleeker dashboard setup, the CX-50 still retains that upscale vibe. Every surface is thoughtfully covered in soft-touch materials, with leather trim throughout the cabin. Turbo models come standard with some really nice features, including dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a power-sliding sunroof, and a driver's seat that is eight-way power-adjustable, with lumbar support.

Infotainment and technology

While the new 2026 CX-5 indicates that Mazda might change things, we really like the way that their current stable handles technology. The way that screens are designed to be accents and tools rather than the focal point of the whole cabin is a big reason we love their cars so much.

The CX-50 Turbo features a 10.3-inch infotainment screen that rises above the dashboard, cushioned by soft-touch materials. The system is primarily controlled by a rotary dial on the center console. The gauge cluster features two analog dials and a circular digital display in between them for any other core information.

Other core standard features on Turbo models include things like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.
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New Hampshire has used "Live Free or Die" as its slogan since the conclusion of the Second World War. With such a dramatic phrase tied to the state, it may not surprise you to learn that New Hampshire is also the only place where car insurance isn't mandated. While the issue has been debated, those who felt that the state requiring residents to purchase a product was an infringement of personal freedom won out, at least so far.

For some, this news may conjure up thoughts of relocating to New Hampshire. However, before you start contemplating a move, there's a huge caveat. You still need to be able to cover any damages you cause in the event of an accident. So, if you don't elect to buy car insurance coverage, the state's Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility metric still needs to be met, and it isn't cheap. Essentially, you need $100,000 for every vehicle you register in New Hampshire, which covers liability for single and multi-person accidents, as well as damage to property.

You also need to prove to state authorities that you have the money by depositing it with the state treasurer. Either cash or securities are accepted and placed into an account. The Department of Safety will also need a record of this via a receipt. Only then can you legally drive in New Hampshire without standard car insurance. However, there are still some exceptions.

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Read more: These Are The Worst Traffic Tickets You've Ever Gotten

Even if you can meet the financial responsibility in New Hampshire, you may still be forced to get insurance

The aftermath of a minor accident involving a collision between a blue and black vehicle. - Sahrul1108/Shutterstock

Let's say you can afford to set aside $100,000 to cover your car in New Hampshire  it doesn't automatically mean you can avoid a car insurance policy. Unless you purchase your vehicle outright, a lender will often call for full insurance coverage to protect their investment. This is true regardless of the state you reside in. Leasing a vehicle also typically requires a more comprehensive level of insurance.

Your driving history can also play a role in whether or not New Hampshire will require you to purchase an auto policy. For instance, a conviction of driving under the influence or a record of repeatedly breaking traffic laws are a couple of examples of the circumstances that can generate a file (SR-22) with the state, which requires you to provide proof that you have coverage.

Those with an SR-22 must maintain an auto insurance policy, regardless of financial holdings, to legally drive in the state. Habitual speeders may also be required to file an SR-22 with the Division of Motor Vehicles. So, those who exceed the posted speed limit in New Hampshire may not only be forced to get car insurance, but they may also need to fork over extra money if they continue to get caught, as insurance goes up dramatically when you get a speeding ticket.

Not all states require the same level of auto insurance

An auto insurance document on a desk next to a car key fob. - Phiwath Jittamas/Getty Images

There are various levels of coverage in terms of car insurance, and local laws can vary, depending on the state. Liability coverage is universally mandated across all states (excluding New Hampshire if you meet the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility requirement). However, even liability is split into different types, with one concerning property damage and the other medical bills. While many states call for drivers to maintain a liability policy that covers both, Florida bucks that trend. Instead, the Sunshine State wants its motorists to have liability coverage for property damages only, but it does require personal injury protection (PIP), which takes care of medical costs and isn't dependent on which individual causes the accident.

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In many places across America, if you cause an accident, the financial burden falls to you. But there are a handful of states that don't operate this way, such as Florida, Kentucky, New York, and Utah, to name a few. Instead of basing the claims on who is to blame, each motorist contacts their own insurance company and use a PIP policy. However, even though some states offer similar coverage requirements, don't expect the rates to be the same across the country, as New York and Idaho are among the most and least expensive states to insure a car.

Editor's note: Due to a glitch caused by a CMS update, this article was uploaded with substantial errors. We have fixed these issues, and we are in the process of working out any remaining kinks caused by the update.

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.
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If youve been shopping for a new Toyota, Honda or Nissan, you may notice higher prices at the dealership.

In April, the Trump administration said it was going to impose a 25% tariff on Japanese-made vehicles, per Reuters. After months of negotiations, the White House announced a September trade deal that lowered the rate to 15%, but import costs are still climbing.

While individual price changes havent been released, Kelley Blue Book (KBB) and Edmunds report that tariffs are making imported cars more expensive and less affordable for buyers.

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Here are four cars most exposed to the new tariffs  and four that are safer buys.

How the New Tariffs Are Affecting Buyers

KBB estimated that tariffs could raise prices by as much as $6,000 on vehicles priced under $40,000. Thats before higher taxes, financing and insurance costs are factored in.

According to GearJunkie, for some automakers, even the lower 15% tariff represents more than their entire profit margin, meaning the extra cost will likely reach consumers.

Cars assembled in Japan face the steepest hikes, while models built in the U.S. or Mexico may see smaller increases.

See Next: 3 Car Models Expected To Plummet in Value in 2026  and 3 To Buy Instead

For You: 6 Safe Accounts Proven To Grow Your Money Up To 13x Faster

Why Some Cars Are Hit Harder Than Others

While vehicles assembled in the United States are less exposed to import tariffs, KBB pointed out that no car is built entirely from domestic parts, even Tesla sources materials from abroad.

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That means tariffs could still raise overall car costs, though the timing and size of those increases remain unclear. For now, models built mostly in North America are expected to feel the smallest impact.

Most-Impacted Models

Toyota 4Runner

Starting price: $40,770

Built in Tahara, Japan, the 2025 4Runner is among Toyotas most imported SUVs and faces the full 15% tariff, according to GearJunkie. Buyers could see higher MSRPs later in 2026 as import costs ripple through new inventory. Starts around $40,770, per Toyota.



Toyota Land Cruiser

Starting price: $57,200

Built in Tahara, Japan, the 2025 Land Cruiser is fully subject to the new tariff, according to Edmunds. GearJunkie reported that automakers may have to absorb more than their profit margins, meaning prices could climb once shipments reach U.S. lots. Toyota lists this car as starting at $57,200.



Subaru Forester

Starting price: $29,995

Starting near $30,000, per Subaru, the 2025 Forester is one of Subarus core imports, being built in Japan. With the 15% tariff, price increases are likely on incoming 2026 models, especially for trims shipped directly from Japan, according to GearJunkie.



Mazda CX-5

Starting price: $29,050

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Mazda builds the CX-5 in Hiroshima, Japan, making it vulnerable to the new import tax, according to Edmunds. Dealers may see constrained supply or slightly higher prices on future deliveries. Per Mazda, the 2025 CX-5 starts around $29,050.

Least-Affected Models

Toyota Camry

Starting price: $28,700

Primarily manufactured in Georgetown, Kentucky, the 2025 Camry avoids most tariff exposure, according to Tracy Toyota. U.S.-assembled trims should hold steady in price, though hybrid models using imported parts could edge slightly higher. Starts at $28,700, per Toyota.



Honda CR-V

Starting price: $30,100

The 2025 CR-V starts around $30,100 (per Honda) and is assembled in Indiana and Ontario, keeping most versions safe from new import costs. Shoppers should see only minimal changes unless demand surges or supply tightens.

Toyota Corolla

Starting price: $23,825

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The 2025 Corolla is assembled in Mississippi, meaning most models sold in the U.S. are built in North America rather than imported. Because of this, Corolla trims are less exposed to the 15% import tariff on Japanese-built vehicles, making them a relatively stable choice for buyers watching price increases. Toyota shows the Corolla starting at $23,825.

Toyota Corolla Cross

Starting price: $24,035

Like the Corolla sedan, the 2025 Corolla Cross is assembled in the U.S. (in Alabama), which shelters it from most of the 15% tariff applied to fully imported Japanese vehicles. This assembly footprint helps keep pricing more predictable compared with models imported from Japan. Starts near $24,035, per Toyota.

Editors note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on GOBankingRates.com.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Trumps Tariffs: How Much 8 Popular Japanese Cars Have Increased or Decreased in Price Since April
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While the agreement also requires India to open up its own market, Jefferies downplays fears of disruption to listed Indian companies.
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In recent months, car thieves in Australia have been steadily targeting the popular Toyota Land Cruiser. One auto theft ring was recently arrested for allegedly stealing 60 of them in just six weeks. Well, it seems Toyota has had enough, and the automaker's Australian division is stepping in with a new device to deter thieves. This new device was actually invented 40 years ago, but Toyota believes it still works.

The device is a steering wheel lock.

A little history: back in 1986, James E. Winner Jr. invented The Club. The device was simple: it consisted of a locking metal bar that attached to your steering wheel, making it impossible for a would-be thief to steer the vehicle. The devices became extremely popular through the 1990s, but as electronic immobilizers made cars harder to steal, owners didnt want to bother with the bulky club anymore, and their popularity faded.

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A report by CarExpert has alerted us to the fact that Toyota now has their own version to deter Land Cruiser theft Down Under, however. The Toyota steering wheel lock is available from Toyota Australia as a genuine Land Cruiser accessory. No price is listed on the website, but Adelaide Hills Toyota reportedly is offering it for $200 AUD, or about $140 USD.

Toyota describes the product as constructed from automotive-grade steel for strength and durability. An internal spring system ensures the arm extends smoothly with minimal effort, while the four-point contact technology delivers a secure and consistent grip on the steering wheel. The locking system is designed with anti-tampering features to enhance security and reliability," adding that "the surface is coated with a soft resin finish that helps prevent scratches or damage during use. The bright red body improves visibility and serves as a clear deterrent.

Just make sure you dont lose the keys. Toyota will not sell you replacements, so if you lose the original set, you're going to need to pay for a locksmith to remove the device.

The Toyota steering wheel lock looks impressive, and will likely deter amateur thieves, but professionals with the right tools could still likely defeat it. That was the other issue that doomed the original steering wheel club from the 1990s: criminals would simply cut the steering wheels and remove the lock.

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But Toyota isn't just relying on this new device to curb Land Cruiser theft. According to CarExpert, Toyota issued a press release earlier this month that said, In 2025, Toyota took further steps to enhance security on several models, including the new Hilux, Land Cruiser 300 and Land Cruiser Prado providing owners with even greater peace of mind. Hopefully this works, and owners of these vehicles can rest a bit easier.

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A Waymo vehicle crashed into several parked cars on a narrow residential street in Los Angeles.

Waymo said the car was manually driven by an employee at the time of the crash.

The incident comes as Waymo faces increased scrutiny over the safety of its autonomous vehicles.

A Waymo vehicle, with a human employee at the wheel, crashed into several parked cars in Los Angeles.

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The crash comes as Waymo faces increased scrutiny over the safety of its autonomous vehicles.

Last month, several Waymo robotaxis stalled in intersections and along busy streets in San Francisco during a power outage. A clip on X showed at least five driverless vehicles clustered at a junction, backing up traffic.

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Mark Carney, 2026 Davos Forum, Interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flsgJe8mN-A

2026121

A special address by Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada.

Speakers: Mark Carney, Laurence D. Fink, Gideon Rachman

The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum will provide a crucial space to focus on the fundamental principles driving trust, including transparency, consistency and accountability. T

This Annual Meeting will welcome over 100 governments, all major international organizations, 1000 Forums Partners, as well as civil society leaders, experts, youth representatives, social entrepreneurs, and news outlets.

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

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Gideon Rachman

Well, thank you, Prime Minister. Um, I don't think I've seen many standing ovations at Davos, so uh that was that was interesting. Um, you said there was

a phrase in your speech where you said sovereignty now is the ability to withstand pressure. Hisn't Canada almost uniquely vulnerable to pressure because of the extent of your trade dependence on the United States?

Mark Carney

Well, the the proof is that we have been able to withstand the pressure and there has been considerable pressure. Uh I'll give you a couple of facts. We've

actually created more jobs in uh since the tariffs were put on than the United States in absolute number. Uh economy is growing at the second fastest rate within the G7. Uh that's not there. There are pockets of extreme pressure

without question in Canada. Uh but headline we're reacting. The second

thing and it's a fundamental point is the recognition that we can give ourselves far more than any foreign country can take away. Uh there's lots of efficiencies in having one Canadian market. the trillion dollars of domestic investment and building these partnerships abroad. Uh all of which are bigger returns than what's been lost. That's not to say we would rather not lose it, but we can withstand the pressure and we are.

Gideon Rachman

I was interested that you said basically the old world's not coming back. So you're not seeing this as a period where you just have to get through a normal seable return.

Mark Carney

I think the that is what that is our view. Um, and we we regret it, but we're not going to sit around and and and mourn it. We're we're we're acting um and we're acting in a way both that's in our interests, but we believe in a way with others that's building imperfectly in steps a new system. I'll give you one example and handback which is um we're members of we are members of trade agreements that comprise already 1.4 billion people around the world. So we have the most extensive network. We are trying with others to bring some of those networks together. The most prominent example is the trans-pacific partnership in the EU acting of a bridge. It's it's not a direct benefit for Canada, but it is a benefit for Canada that these groups come together uh and go is here

consistent with the WTO rules, both of which are and in that way we're building

back out amongst willing partners.

Gideon Rachman

You talked about uh the need not to put the sign in the window anymore to to pretend that things are still the same. Do you think to put it directly that the NATO alliance is still doing that, still pretending it's the old transatlantic partnership when it's really kind of going?

Mark Carney

Well, uh, I think clearly NATO is experiencing a test right now. Uh, and the first response to that test has to be to respond in a way that ensures the the security of the Arctic in a robust way for uh for all possibilities. This is actually a point that we have been making in recent years. It's a point that I made at the NATO summit uh back in June which seemed like a pledging summit but also was a uh uh was to get NATO policies in the right direction. So I think in the immediate term one of the imperatives is to reinforce things that Canada is doing, Nordic Baltic 8 are

doing, uh the UK are doing, other NATO partners, France included, in a comprehensive way that pro provides much

greater security uh in the Arctic. That's this is the test. And so I wouldn't say the sign the NATO sign stays in the window, but we've got to meet the uh meet the moment of that.

Gideon Rachman

You also a big theme of your speech was the need for middle powers to work together, but you've just been to the other great power to China. And I think people very intrigued by seeing that meeting and some people say kind of that's a mistake really because you know you're going to make yourself more dependent on China. They're not that benign either. Um the US will be very annoyed. What's what's the defense of what you're doing and what do you hope to get out of it?

Mark Carney

Well the the first thing is to say it's not a defense. It's it's an I know the way you framed the question but it's offense. Um it's building out. It's it's something positive as opposed to um against. We're for something as opposed to being against. The second is there are very clear guard rails in that relationship. I spoke of calibration of relationships in my remarks. That's what I mean by it. Um but within those clear guard rails are huge opportunities in energy both clean and conventional. uh obviously in motor vehicles, in agriculture, in financial services, all of which is mutually beneficial. So it's it's additive and I look it's the second largest economy and it's our second largest trading partner. We should have a strategic partnership with them uh in that uh in within those guardrails and that's what we've achieved.

Gideon Rachman

And it is an interesting reversal though because I think certainly during the Biden administration there was this sense that

the western world was trying to decouple from China or derisk at least. Yeah. And is now in this new world that really

going to go into reverse and d-risking from China because there are other risks is is less of a a thing.

Mark Carney



You need again many in this room this is their livelihood. You need a web of connections. Um and to miss out in that web some of the largest ones, United States, we already have that. Uh China, India, Merkasaur, European Union, that's

a mistake. That's not managing your relationships properly. That makes you stronger, makes you more resilient. And

then on top of that, I'll give you again I'll appeal since it's in the headlines to the Nordics. Uh Nordics plus Canada,

it's 20% of global GDP. It's not the first thing people would realize, but that relationship which is deepening for

security reasons because we're like-minded, those are the types of partnerships that I think we'll see more

of. And you got a round of applause when you said something strong about standing on

principle on Greenland. Do you think uh we can find an offramp

on that? I mean, I'm sure you you'll speak of it, but put it this way, if there isn't an offramp, where does this

go? Uh I I strongly believe that uh there is a better there's a better outcome that come from the discussions

that have been catalyzed in a unusual way admittedly but uh uh and we

absolutely stand by uh the principles that I that I referenced. Um that

solution starts with security and a security yes of Greenland but more broadly of the Arctic. Uh Canada is for

square uh contributing to that. uh we're at the start of a major ramp up above

and beyond. So we'll be a major uh contributor to that. NATO has to deliver on that. We're working intensively in

order to do it as well. Uh prosperity for the people of Greenland uh this in

the end it comes back uh to the people there and there are opportunities to do that in ways that would strengthen uh

all of the alliance. And when President Trump says oh you know Greenland's under threat from Russia, even from China, is that for

real? Uh I would say that there are there are

threat Russia is without question a threat in the Arctic without question.

Russia does lots of horrible things. Uh and I'll take the opportunity to uh to

condemn their unjustified and uh horrific uh assault on Ukraine uh almost

at its fourth year. Uh they are a real threat uh in the Arctic. uh one against

we need to protect which is why we have 364

5day air sea and land presence. It's why we're uh adding to our submarine fleet,

adding to our uh air fighter uh fleet. Uh why we're building out over the horizon radar to protect from Russian uh

missile threats and others uh and why we will work with our NATO NATO partners.

the threat is more perspective than actual at this stage in terms of actual

activity uh in the Arctic and we intend to uh to keep it that way. Another big issue that's going to come

up this week uh is this board of peace uh that President Trump is keen on. Uh

I'm not sure whether it's for Gaza or for the entire world, but apparently Canada's been invited. Are you going to

join? Uh we have been invited. Um and uh let me start by uh I I think we should

recognize the progress that has been made um in at least uh getting to the

towards the end of the first phase of this of this process and the activation if I can put it that way of the process

to set up the border of peace is the start of phase two. U our view is and

and that's to be welcomed and this is a this is a a positive vehicle. Our view is we need to work on the actual

structure of the vehicle. You just referenced is it for Gaza? Well, the UN

uh resolution, security council resolution 2803 references a border of peace for Gaza. That's where we see it

becoming immediately operative and it needs to be in our view it's better to be designed in that way for the

immediate uh needs there. There are many other needs around the world. First point, second point. uh it needs to

coincide with the immediate full flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. We are still

not where we need to be. Conditions still are horrific. Uh so that needs to come alongside. We think there's aspects

of the governance and the decision-making process that could be improved. Uh but we will work uh with

others uh obviously work with the United States um because we will do anything

that we can to improve the situation terrific situation there and to move uh

onto a path to a two a true two-state solution. There's a suggestion you can get permanent membership of the board of

peace uh by pwning up a billion dollars. Uh you you going to write a check for that? uh we would write checks uh and

deliver in kind to uh improve uh the welfare of the people of Palestine, but

we want to see it uh delivered direct uh to those outcomes, those outcomes promoting peace. Uh and so the mechanics

and how it how it works that way. Okay, final question. Um President Trump and a lot of people who

agree with him condemn globalism a lot. Um, and I I suspect, you know, you you

would be the kind of epitome of a globalist. You know, you worked for Goldman Sachs, I believe you were a central banker. Um, you know, you're

comfortable in lived in several countries. Is globalism first of all, is it a thing? And is it over?

Um I think well look understanding how the

world works having an appreciation for other cultures understanding the connections and and being able to or at

least appreciating uh ways that how we connect whether it's through technology,

trade, investment, culture, uh can enrich our lives and that's a good thing and also help solve problems. being

detached from where you live and the broader needs of society. Uh

there is an epithet for that. I I I don't know that the G-word is the one. uh there certainly what we're finding to

go back to uh the points I was making is that there are a number of like-minded

countries that want to work through uh through

partnership uh to achieve those goals for their citizens and for the world uh more more broadly. The call is for more

to recognize what's really going on right now and to

uh and to pull their resources to the benefit of citizens. So it won't be global. It won't cover the globe. Uh but

it will um be more powerful. Okay. Prime Minister, thank you very much indeed.

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Work pressure can make you gay? Malaysian minister links job stress to LGBT lifestyle, sparks online backlash
What the "Doomsday Clock" really means? Here's why scientists are so alarmed about this
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
News / National

by Staff reporter

FORBES & Thompson Private Limited has approached the High Court seeking the eviction of Zanu-PF Youth League chairperson for Matabeleland South, Moses Langa, and six other individuals from its mining location in Gwanda District, which incorporates Vubachikwe Mine.The mining company, through its lawyers Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners, has filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court in Bulawayo seeking a spoliation order against Langa, Aldonia Gondo, Madodana Sibanda, Taison Mutengeni, Takeson Moyo and Alot Ndlovu.Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Polite Kambamura has also been cited as a respondent in the matter.In its application, Forbes & Thompson argues that it has owned and operated the disputed mining area since 1983 under Mining Lease 16, which covers Vubachikwe Mine.In a founding affidavit, Forbes & Thompson director Mr Musa Amido alleges that the first to sixth respondents forcibly entered and occupied the mining site without the consent of the mine authorities."This is an urgent chamber application for a spoliation order made in terms of Rule 60 of the High Court Rules, 2021," said Mr Amido."The applicant seeks an order directing the first to sixth respondents, and all those acting through or under them, to restore the applicant's possession of its mining location, namely Mining Lease 16, which incorporates Vubachikwe Mine."Mr Amido said the respondents' actions unlawfully deprived the company of peaceful possession of its mining operations.He further requested that, should the court grant the order, the Sheriff of the High Court be authorised to evict the respondents with the assistance of the Zimbabwe Republic Police."The respondents should also be barred from disturbing the applicant's possession of its mining location and be ordered to pay costs on a legal practitioner and client scale," he said.According to court papers, Forbes & Thompson was issued the mining lease by the Mining Affairs Board of Zimbabwe on July 26, 1983. The lease, registered under the Mines and Minerals Act of 1964, covers approximately 1 036 hectares in the Bulawayo Mining District, with gold listed as the principal mineral.The matter is yet to be heard.
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1. Musandam Peninsula  The Fjords of Arabia

Often called the Norway of the Middle East, the Musandam Peninsula is famous for its dramatic fjord-like inlets, locally known as khors. Sheer limestone cliffs plunge into deep blue waters, creating one of Omans most striking coastal landscapes. A traditional dhow cruise through Khor Ash Sham is the best way to experience the region. Dolphins frequently swim alongside boats, while remote fishing villages cling to rocky edges, accessible only by sea.
Spains new digital nomad visa allows high-earning Indian professionals to live and work legally in the country for up to five years.

Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences.
News / National

by Staff reporter

British-listed miner Kavango Resources Plc has reported encouraging gold estimates at Bill's Luck Prospect within its Hillside Gold Project in Zimbabwe, after drilling confirmed high-grade mineralisation and strong continuity at depth.The results reinforce Zimbabwe's growing reputation as a high-potential gold destination and highlight the country's largely untapped mineral wealth. Bill's Luck, characterised by structurally complex reefs and a history of gold production, is emerging as a key asset that could significantly expand Kavango's gold footprint in the region.Kavango said the drilling programme has paved the way for a maiden mineral resource estimate, expected to formally quantify what the company increasingly believes is a significant gold resource.Bill's Luck is one of four prospects at the Hillside Gold Project, alongside Britain, Nightshift and Steenbok. Kavango operates three projects in Zimbabwe but is currently prioritising Hillside, which comprises 44 gold claims covering 503 hectares. The company's other local assets are the Nara Gold Project and the Leopard Project."The resource drilling programme at Bill's Luck was designed to establish a maiden mineral resource estimate to support and inform future mine planning and scheduling, while also unlocking the full value of what is increasingly believed to be a significant mineralised system," Kavango said in a statement.The programme involved an initial wide-spaced diamond drilling phase, followed by infill diamond drilling and a separate reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign along strike to the northwest and southeast. In total, 7 714 metres were drilled, comprising 3 556 metres of RC drilling and 4 158 metres of diamond drilling. Results from the RC programme are expected in the coming weeks.Kavango said drilling intersected the currently mined Main Reef, as anticipated, but also confirmed the presence of an additional mineralised reef running parallel to it. Further reefs were also intersected in both the hanging wall and footwall."The diamond drilling results, together with the RC drill programme, will now be used to inform a maiden mineral resource estimate at Bill's Luck," the company said.Originally mined between 1916 and 1950, Bill's Luck produced about 17 000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 7.7 grammes per tonne. Since then, activity at the site has been limited to informal mining and small-scale retreatment.Kavango is now focusing on advancing Bill's Luck towards development, including plans to commission a 50-tonne-per-day pilot carbon-in-pulp (CIP) plant. Gold mineralisation at the prospect is structurally and hydrothermally controlled, occurring along shear zones with quartz-sericite-chlorite alteration, disseminated sulphides and vein-controlled syntectonic quartz-sulphide veins.Zones of higher vein density coincide with intense deformation, including quartz boudinage, pressure shadows and mylonitic veins, which act as key mineral traps. Late-stage mineralised veins that crosscut earlier structures point to a prolonged, multi-phase mineralisation history.Kavango interim chief executive officer Peter Wynter Bee said the drilling results had exceeded expectations."The resource drilling programme at Bill's Luck has demonstrated that the mineralised system extends to depths greater than 220 metres and exhibits continuity both along strike and at depth," he said."With the incoming RC results, we hope to define a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate in the near future, which will inform mine planning and scheduling at Bill's Luck and underpin our assessment of the project's longer-term production potential."Kavango said it would provide further updates in due course as it moves to increase gold production at the project.
Zurich beats New York and London to emerge as the worlds most expensive city for everyday living, according to Numbeos Cost of Living Index 2026.

Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences.
India is acquiring Shield AIs V-BAT drones and Hivemind autonomy software to boost border security, enable runway-free operations, and enhance resilience against electronic warfare, while also supporting domestic manufacturing and technological independence.

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India confirmed two Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, prompting regional precautions. A Chinese study found the Covid-19 drug VV116 may treat Nipah, showing strong results in lab and animal trials, but further research and clinical testing are needed.

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Bangladesh is building a drone factory with Chinese defence involvement, deepening Chinas military presence near India. The project includes technology transfer and long-term cooperation, raising Indian concerns over regional security and strategic encroachment.

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Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan's eyesight could be permanently damaged if not treated promptly, warns PTI
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Forecast models point to a bomb cyclone off the US East Coast. Heres what could happen
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Frances lower house backs ban on social media for children under 15
South Koreas former first lady Kim Keon Hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison for accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church in exchange for political favors, marking a dramatic fall alongside her husband, ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, who is also jailed.

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Greenland dispute with US is strategic wake-up call for Europe, says Macron
How the US media covered the India-EU mother of all deals
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has appointed Dr George Munyaradzi Manyaya as its new chief executive officer, bringing to the helm a seasoned corporate communications and stakeholder relations expert with experience spanning both the private and public sectors.Dr Manyaya's appointment comes at a critical time for Zimbabwe's tourism industry, which is seeking to strengthen its competitiveness and accelerate recovery in an increasingly crowded global tourism market.With an extensive background in strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement and corporate communications, Dr Manyaya is widely regarded as well positioned to steer the ZTA through the next phase of growth and reposition Zimbabwe as a preferred destination.He first rose to prominence as public relations manager at Mbada Diamonds, where he built a reputation for managing public perception, protecting corporate brand value and engaging diverse audiences under intense public scrutiny. These skills are considered particularly relevant to tourism promotion, where effective storytelling is key to showcasing Zimbabwe's iconic attractions, including Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park and the Great Zimbabwe Monument.Following his tenure at Mbada Diamonds, Dr Manyaya assumed senior stakeholder relations roles at NetOne and later ZESA Holdings, two of the country's most strategic state-linked enterprises. In these roles, he was responsible for managing relationships with government ministries, regulators, private sector players and communities, experience that is expected to translate well into the highly collaborative tourism ecosystem.His governance credentials are further reinforced by his service as a board member at both NetOne and the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), providing him with exposure to policy, infrastructure development and institutional oversight  key pillars for sustainable tourism development.Zimbabwe's tourism sector continues to face challenges, including strong regional competition, infrastructure gaps, marketing constraints and the need to consolidate gains made since the easing of global travel restrictions. Industry observers say Dr Manyaya's blend of strategic management expertise and stakeholder engagement experience could be instrumental in addressing these issues.Academically, Dr Manyaya holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Binary University (Malaysia) in collaboration with Chinhoyi University of Technology. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe and a Master of Commerce Degree in Strategic Management and Corporate Governance from Midlands State University, among other professional qualifications.His appointment is expected to inject renewed momentum into the ZTA's efforts to enhance destination marketing, strengthen partnerships and drive long-term growth in one of Zimbabwe's most important economic sectors.
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How the White House pulled back after a deadly turn in Trumps immigration crackdown
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Ilhan Omar sprayed with foul liquid while criticising ICE at Town Hall, suspect arrested
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Maliki denounces US blatant interference as Trump warns Iraq over premiership bid
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press upon returning to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on January 13, 2026.
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'My partner is half Indian, son's middle name is...': Elon Musk claps back at Vinod Khosla over 'White people' row
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Nearly two million troops killed or wounded in Russia-Ukraine war, new study says
UK PM Keir Starmer visits China, aiming to reset strained ties amid ongoing disagreements. Meeting President Xi, he balances trade revival with security concerns. The trip signals cautious re-engagement, not a return to past optimism, with modest outcomes expected.

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Countries are diversifying trade partnerships amid global volatility, with India emerging as a key beneficiary. The India-EU free trade deal highlights India's rising role, while China and others expand outreach. Middle powers seek stability through broader networks.

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China's top legislator meets with Finnish PM

Xinhua) 10:03, January 28, 2026

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, China's top legislator, met with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Tuesday in Beijing.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said Finland was among the first Western countries to recognize and establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, and that the two countries have always gotten along well with each other in the spirit of mutual respect and trust.

The heads of state of the two countries reached important consensus on deepening their future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership in 2024, he said.

China is ready to work with Finland to enhance political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and expand cultural and people-to-people exchange to promote the stable and enduring development of bilateral ties, Zhao said.

The NPC is willing to deepen exchange and cooperation with the Finnish parliament to facilitate mutual learning of experience in legislation, supervision and state governance and provide legal guarantee for pragmatic cooperation in various fields, he added.

Noting that Finland-China relations have enjoyed longstanding, stable development, Orpo said Finland upholds the one-China policy and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in such fields as the economy, trade and innovation, and to strengthen exchange between their legislative bodies.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
News / National

by Staff reporter

Fatalities from train accidents in Zimbabwe rose sharply in 2025, even as the overall number of people hit by trains slightly declined compared to 2024.According to National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) Public Affairs and Stakeholder Relations Manager, Mr Andrew Kunambura, last year 25 people were struck by trains, resulting in 11 deaths and 14 injuries. By comparison, 2024 recorded 27 people hit, with only six fatalities."This represents an 83.3 percent increase in deaths year-on-year, despite a 7.4 percent decrease in total accidents from 27 in 2024 to 25 in 2025," Mr Kunambura said in an interview with Zimpapers.The data indicates a worrying trend: while fewer people were involved in train incidents overall, the severity of accidents has increased, resulting in a higher death toll.Mr Kunambura urged the public to exercise caution around railway lines and highlighted the importance of safety measures to prevent further loss of life.The NRZ continues to implement safety awareness campaigns and infrastructure improvements to mitigate train-related accidents across the country.
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Trump says Cuba 'will be failing pretty soon' as Venezuelan oil support dries up
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Trump warns Iran of armada heading in that direction as US warships move east
(FILES) Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers stand guard at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 3, 2025, ahead of the country's annual legislative meetings known as the "Two Sessions". (Photo by Pedro Pardo / AFP)
Tensions rise as the US deploys the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group near Iran. While Irans missiles and drones pose asymmetric threats, experts say sinking a US carrier is highly unlikely due to Americas superior defenses and military capabilities.

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The move gives hundreds of thousands of people a path out of limbo, even as many countries tighten immigration rules.
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Will respond with a force Iran has never seen: Netanyahu warns Tehran, says Trump will decide
With health under scrutiny, US President Trump focuses on legacy and how history will judge him
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Cold Storage Commission (CSC) has rolled out an ambitious turnaround programme aimed at reclaiming its position in Zimbabwe's beef industry after years of underperformance. The strategy signals a clear break from previous reform attempts, adopting a hard-edged, results-driven approach anchored on diagnostic reform, export recovery and sustainable growth.Central to the plan is the recruitment of a seasoned turnaround specialist who will report directly to the CSC Board, a move designed to tighten oversight, strengthen accountability and accelerate decision-making. The programme is structured around clearly defined 100-, 180- and 365-day milestones, each tied to measurable performance indicators and subject to close scrutiny by Treasury and relevant line ministries.In the short term, CSC will prioritise the restoration of export certification, enhanced regulatory compliance and the stabilisation of cash flows, measures intended to rebuild confidence among cattle producers, financiers and regional export markets.Beyond immediate recovery, the turnaround programme places renewed focus on farmer engagement, modernised procurement systems and product diversification to strengthen competitiveness across the value chain.Aligned with Zimbabwe's Vision 2030, officials say the initiative represents the most credible opportunity in years to reposition CSC as a cornerstone of the national beef industry, while supporting rural livelihoods and broader economic development.
January 28, 2026

Trump Wants To Win  But Iran Is No Easy Target

Mr. Crazy just issued another of his by now typical threats:

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump  Jan 28, 2026, 12:12 UTC A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didnt, and there was Operation Midnight Hammer, a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

It is well know Iran does not want to have nuclear weapons. There is even a religious edict that says so. Iran had negotiated a nuclear deal with the U.S. that made sure that Iran would not have the means to build nuclear weapons. It was Trump who killed that deal during his first administration.

We therefore know that anything nuclear is not the real issue that this is about. The issue is Irans general anti-colonial position and especially its steady resistance to the Zionist occupation of Palestine.

Any attempt to change that long held ideological position of Iran by force is likely to fail.

Over the last months the U.S. military has increased its forces in the Middle East. An aircraft carrier fleet is in position (archived), several squadrons of U.S. and British fighters have been deployed to Jordan and Qatar, THAAD and Patriot air defenses have been deployed to provide additional layers of air defenses. U.S. destroyers are in the Mediterranean to support Israels air defenses. An attack on Iran will mostly be by cruise missiles fired from outside Irans air space. It would also involve long range bombers flown from the U.S.

U.S. war exercises are ongoing.

Iran however is also ready. It has increased its missile forces. It has promised to use it against U.S. positions in the Middle East and against Israel in retaliation to any attack. It has also promised to close the Strait of Hormuz. A large part of the global oil supply is flowing through it. A selective closure, which would for example allow tankers destined for China to pass, is also a possibility. But even a partial prolonged closure would suddenly increase oil and gas prices all over the world. Republican chances to win in the mid-term elections would decrease.

Major Arab U.S. allies in the Middle East have rejected to take part in any adventure against Iran. Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and Qatar have explicitly stated that they will not allow U.S. operations against Iran from or through their territory.

The last U.S. attack on Iran came as a surprise while negotiations were still ongoing. It was accompanied by an assassination campaign and local teams on the ground who sabotaged Iranian air defense equipment.

It is unlikely that such a surprise can be again achieved.

Iran retaliated for the attack by launching drones and missiles towards Israel. The first few salvos did little damage but during the last of the 12 days of war Iranian missile were steadily hitting sensitive targets within Israel. The U.S. and Israel were low on air defenses and needed to cease the conflict.

The Iranian response to another attack will be immediately, precise and effective. During the first few days U.S. air defense will help to avoid the biggest damage. But after a week or two concerns about ammunition availability will likely lead to a decrease of missile interceptions. Israels vulnerabilities  harbor installations, chemical industry etc  are well know and easy to hit. U.S. ships within range of Iran are likewise endangered.

The arising conflict is unlikely to be as short as the recent 12 day campaign. It could easily escalate into attritional warfare. Unlike Iran Israel has nukes and may be willing to use them. But given Irans size and large population it is likely to end up severely damaged, but as a winner.

What Trump wants is another symbolic victory. He has started, like usual, with a gigantic threat in the hope to receive a minor concession that will allow him to chicken out. I doubt that Iran is in the mood to give him whatever he is asking for.

That leaves him the choice to chicken out without winning or to bet the house and his presidency on escalation.

May he chose wisely.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Stakeholders in Ntabazinduna have expressed growing frustration over the government's prolonged delay in appointing a substantive chief, warning that the leadership vacuum is hampering local development and weakening governance structures.The traditional authority seat has remained unfilled for over three years, leaving the community without a formal leader to oversee dispute resolution, coordinate development initiatives, and maintain social order. Local sources say the absence of a chief has contributed to an increase in criminal activity, including illegal gold panning and other vices.The impasse traces back to November 30, 2019, when President Emmerson Mnangagwa, through the Local Government and Public Works secretary Zvinechimwe Churu, announced the removal of Chief Felix Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni. The move followed recommendations from provincial chiefs aligned with Zanu-PF, who argued that Ndiweni was not next in line for the chieftaincy. Government directed officials to recover a state-issued truck and the chief's regalia and to liaise with the Ndiweni clan for the selection of a successor.Mbuso Fuzwayo, secretary of Ibhetshu LikaZulu, said the delay was regrettable. "Chiefs are central in the daily lives of their subjects; they are leaders of development and settling disputes in their communities," he said.Ntabazinduna headman Mathilika Khumalo noted that the Ndiweni family supports Felix Ndiweni as the rightful chief, but emphasized that the ultimate decision rests with government authorities. "The family sat down and came to a decision to appoint him as the chief after some due diligence. It is not up to us to decide who to select, but it remains a family issue," Khumalo said.Khumalo added that, in the absence of a chief, procedural matters normally escalated from village heads to the headman and then to the chief have created uncertainty. "Now I have to make sure that the decision I make should not backfire," he said.Reports from the area indicate a rise in crime, including illegal mining and other social vices, as residents and local officials navigate the leadership vacuum. Efforts to obtain comment from the Umguza Rural District Council were unsuccessful at the time of going to press.The Ntabazinduna situation highlights the critical role traditional leadership plays in governance and development in rural Zimbabwe, and underscores the risks posed by prolonged administrative delays.
Guam Visitors Bureau President and CEO Regine Biscoe Lee hosts a roundtable discussion with local media on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Tumon. Photo by Jonah Benavente/The Guam Daily Post

By Jojo Santo Tomas

For Variety

HAGATNA (The Guam Daily Post)  Guams tourism industry closed 2025 with its strongest momentum since the pandemic, posting double-digit visitor growth in the second half of the year and recording about 90,000 arrivals in December 2025, Guam Visitors Bureau President and CEO Regine Biscoe Lee said.

Decembers total marked a roughly 40% increase over the same month in 2024 and exceeded the bureaus most optimistic projections, Biscoe Lee told members of the media on Monday during an informal Tourism Talks.

Thats a tremendous amount of momentum and growth, she said. But we want to make sure that we grow sustainably.

Tourism supports more than 14,400 jobs on Guam and remains a key driver of the local economy, Biscoe Lee said, emphasizing the need for coordination among government, airlines, and industry partners.

Visitor arrivals lagged early in 2025, down 19% year over year, but began rebounding in June 2025. From July through December 2025, Guam posted consistent double-digit growth, including gains of 30% and 40% in November and December 2025.

The rebound was driven largely by expanded air service, particularly from Korea and Japan. Korean airlines upgraded to larger aircraft in response to incentives approved by lawmakers, increasing seat capacity and stabilizing service after years of volatility.

Our goal out of Korea is to have a more stable capacity, Biscoe Lee said. We dont want that roller coaster ride.

In fiscal year 2025, Guam had about 495,400 available airline seats from Korea. Additional agreements followed the Legislatures approval of $10 million in airline incentives and marketing support, leading to new and restored routes, including direct flights from Taipei and Cebu.

GVB has also benefited from events and community-driven tourism to support growth. The Guam International Dance Festival, which featured 21 groups from Guam and across Asia, will return Dec. 46 with more international participation planned.

The bureau is also launching a month-long wellness initiative in April, highlighting fitness, culture, nature, and culinary experiences. April also brings the ever-popular Koko Road Race.

Were really leaning into what already exists here, Biscoe Lee said, pointing to strong community participation in wellness and cultural activities.

To address visitor concerns about rising travel costs, GVB has expanded its GoGo! Guam value campaign, offering added perks through participating hotels and businesses.

Looking ahead, Biscoe Lee said the bureau is continuing to work toward its long-standing goal of welcoming 1 million visitors in 2026.

Were very optimistic, she said. With steady air service, market diversification, and community support, we believe Guam can continue this momentum.
WHILE the intent of your bill that was passed by both houses of the Legislature is indeed a good one, the governor has vetoed it. The bill aims to have both local languages taught in high school. While I support this intent, I believe such instruction should begin at the lower grade levels rather than being introduced later.

I began learning the language in elementary school, and it helped carry me through my junior year. However, it was not offered in high school, which limited its continued impact.

I will continue to lobby the Board of Education to jump-start such a program, as the attorney generals opinion makes clear that it is the BOEs duty to formulate and promulgate rules, regulations, and policies governing the Public School System. That said, I am honored that you, Senator Castro, are doing what is best for the students of the CNMI.

Guam, for the most part, is losing its local language, and we do not want the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to face the same situation. We all share the responsibility of protecting the language and culture of the CNMI. I will continue to write letters to our leaders in support of bills that benefit the CNMI  whether in economic development, education, public health, or other matters affecting our people.

Although I may be away from my home island of Rota, I continue to feel deeply connected to the challenges our people face. The United States has resources available, but accessing them requires effort and persistence. We must work for what we need.

Thank you, and I look forward to seeing more leaders introduce legislation that protects our culture while strengthening healthcare and economic development for our community.

Sincerely,

DEXTER PETER APATANG

Fort Lee, Virginia
Movie posters for the documentary "Melania" featuring lady Melania Trump are displayed in a New York City subway station, Jan. 14, 2026. REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  First lady Melania Trump hosted a private White House screening on Saturday of a new film documenting her life in the 20 days leading up to President Donald Trumps second inauguration, the White House said.

The movie, Melania, is set for a global release on January 30. Saturdays showing was the first time the president, her family and close friends saw the film in full, said Marc Beckman, the first ladys outside adviser and agent.

The film offers rare behind-the-scenes access to the first lady, who has kept a low public profile during her husbands second term. The trailer opens on Inauguration Day in January 2025, showing her donning a navy wide-brimmed hat for the ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. It also depicts her role as an adviser to the president, including a moment in which she encourages him to emphasize peacemaker and unifier in his inaugural address.

Saturdays East Room screening followed the presidents tariff threat to Canada, defense of federal agents after a fatal shooting in Minnesota, and preparation for a winter storm barreling through the southern U.S.

About 70 people across the cultural spectrum attended, including former professional boxer Mike Tyson and Jordans Queen Rania, who is featured in the films trailer, a person familiar with the event said.

Other attendees included Amazons CEO Andy Jassy, Amazon MGM Studios head Mike Hopkins, and film director Brett Ratner, as well as Larry Culp, the CEO of General Electric.

Beckman, who produced the film, oversaw the $40 million movie deal with Amazon MGM Studios, plus a follow-up documentary series set for release later this year focusing on some of Melania Trumps priorities, including children in foster care.

This is not a political film at all, Beckman said in an interview this week, adding that the first lady spearheaded the films creative direction.

The movie highlights her fashion choices, diplomatic engagements and the operations surrounding her Secret Service protection. Beckman said viewers also will see moments that capture the presidents sense of humor.

Ahead of the public theatrical release of the film next week, the president and first lady will attend a premiere on Thursday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, renamed the Trump-Kennedy Center by the Trump-appointed board of directors.

The first lady is also scheduled to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday to promote the film.
The Marianas Visitors Authority board conducts a meeting on Jan. 28, 2026. Photo by Bryan Manabat

By Bryan Manabat

[email protected]

Variety News Staff

THE Marianas Visitors Authority board of directors on Wednesday unanimously approved funding of up to $500,000 to issue a request for proposals for Philippines market development, positioning the CNMI to capitalize on the return of direct flights from Manila to Saipan.

MVA Managing Director Jamika Taijeron told board members the agency is seeking a one-year RFP in response to Philippine Airlines announcement that it will launch twice-weekly ManilaSaipan service beginning March 29, 2026.

Theres significant opportunity to cultivate the Philippines as a new strategic source market for the CNMI, Taijeron said. We are also continuing to advocate for a visa waiver from the Philippines that would further support that.

She said MVA wants to engage an experienced market-representation team to build trade and media relationships, support airline route stability, and generate consistent demand from the emerging market.

The team would provide on-the-ground support for sales, marketing, public relations, and partner development, ensuring that CNMI tourism interests are effectively represented and promoted, she said.

Taijeron proposed funding the initiative through an RFP of up to $500,000, noting that the Philippines is basically a new market for MVA. We havent engaged with the Philippines since the last PAL flight in 2016, she said.

She added that the proposed amount aligns with what MVA spends to support other international flight arrangements. We have other similar flights that run around that amount, so this is the ballpark of what were looking at for a twice-weekly service.

Board member Ivan Quichocho recommended shifting the focus from establishing a physical MVA office to securing a marketing plan with clear deliverables.

We want a marketing plan with a solid strategy  never mind the office  so that were not paying for overhead, he said. If we put out an RFP, we should ask for a plan with deliverable execution and not necessarily a representation office.

Board member Joe Guerrero moved to approve the funding, saying it should be allocated for this new service development and aligned with Quichochos recommendation for marketing services rather than a field office.

After discussion, the board approved issuing an RFP specifically for marketing services. Members also agreed the contract would be discontinued if PAL halts its planned flights to the CNMI.

Board Chairman Warren Villagomez emphasized that the $500,000 is a budget allocation and not to be exhausted entirely during the RFP term.

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.
News / National

by Staff reporter

School heads in Bulilima District have expressed strong opposition to a directive from the Bulilima Rural District Council (RDC) demanding payment of a US$1 per pupil levy for 2026, citing widespread nonpayment of school fees and financial strain on institutions.The council issued the notice on January 19, reminding the district's 88 primary and secondary schools, both public and private, that the annual levy was due. The communication warned that noncompliance could result in legal action, sparking criticism from educators."Taking legal action against who? Why use threatening language? Parents are not paying. Last time we requested that you come to communities to make them aware of this development," one school head said, describing the tone as "intimidating" while schools struggle to fund basic operations.Another official called for a more diplomatic approach, urging the council to engage schools and parents rather than immediately resorting to legal threats. "Let us create a conducive working environment where we work without fear or intimidation. No reason to threaten the very cow you intend to milk," they said.The council maintains that its request is lawful under the Rural District Councils Act (Chapter 29:13), which empowers RDCs to levy and collect fees to support educational institutions.Bulilima RDC Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Billiat Mlauzi, defended the directive, insisting that the council is entitled to its share of any funds collected by schools. "We understand schools are saying parents are not paying fees, but it can't be true that schools are not receiving anything. From those who pay, they are supposed to remit to council our share, that is what the law says," he said.Mr. Mlauzi highlighted several compliant schools, including Malalume Secondary, Hingwe Primary, Mazwaligwe Secondary, Nswazi Primary, and Thekwane Secondary and Primary, urging other schools to follow suit. He reiterated that legal action remains a possibility for institutions that refuse to remit the levy.The standoff underscores the challenges faced by schools in rural Zimbabwe, where fee collection is inconsistent and institutions often struggle to meet operational costs.
Federal agents stand behind police tape as people gather near the site where Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents trying to detain him, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 24, 2026. REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  President Donald Trumps top immigration officials have repeatedly made statements after violent encounters involving federal agents  including two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens in Minneapolis this month  that were later contradicted by evidence, a Reuters review found.

Trump officials quickly painted the two recently shot dead  Renee Good and Alex Pretti  as aggressors and said the shootings were justified. But video and other evidence soon emerged that contrasted sharply with these accounts, fueling questions about the credibility of federal officials and doubts about their willingness to fully investigate these and other incidents.

The Reuters review included these two incidents and four others in recent months that, collectively, show a pattern in which officials rushed to defend immigration officers without waiting for key facts to emerge  in what former immigration officials called a clear break with past practice for federal agencies in such situations.

These initial representations have been challenged by video footage or other evidence, sometimes in court. In one non-lethal shooting in Minnesota, court documents emerged showing the incident began with a case of mistaken identity. A death in a detention center that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security described as an attempted suicide was later ruled a homicide by a county medical examiner.

They are trying to control a narrative from the very start, and they dont seem to care when theyre proven wrong, said David Lapan, who was the DHS press secretary in 2017, during Trumps first administration.

In response to a Reuters request for comment, DHS pointed to previous statements about the incidents involving their officers, stressing the need for officer safety as they carry out Trumps crackdown.

We have seen a highly coordinated campaign of violence against our law enforcement, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, adding that the department aims to give swift, accurate information to the American people.

Here is a look at six incidents in Minneapolis, Chicago and Texas:

After Pretti, 37, was shot and killed during an encounter with U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement noting that Pretti was carrying a firearm but did not say that it remained holstered. The statement said the encounter looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.

DHS said Pretti approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in a post on the social network X, sharing a photo of the alleged weapon.

The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted, DHS said.

White House aide Stephen Miller, the architect of Trumps immigration agenda, said on X that Pretti was a domestic terrorist and would-be assassin.

Video of the encounter verified by Reuters showed Pretti holding a cell phone and not a gun as he was wrestled to the ground by the agents. Video evidence also showed that an officer removed Prettis gun from his body shortly before the first shots were fired. He had a legal permit to carry the weapon.

In response to a Reuters request for comment on Monday, DHS said in a statement that Pretti committed a federal crime while armed as he obstructed an active law enforcement operation and that the situation was evolving.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a briefing on Monday that Trump wants to let the investigation continue and let the facts lead.

Homeland Security described Good, the 37-year-old woman shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on January 7, as a violent rioter who had weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them  an act of domestic terrorism. It said the officer who killed her saved his own life and that of his fellow officers.

Trump said Good ran over the ICE officer, who he said shot her in self-defense.

Videos of the shooting taken from several vantage points  including cell phone video recorded by the officer who shot Good  conflicted with those claims.

The videos show Good in her car as agents rushed up toward her as her vehicle partly blocked the street. One of the agents, Jonathan Ross, positioned himself near the front of her car; another was standing by the driver-side window. The videos show the car moving forward, its wheels turned away from Ross, who drew his weapon and fired three shots at Good as her car went past, killing her.

Video reviewed by Reuters appeared to show Ross and the vehicle making contact, but Reuters could not determine whether Ross touched the vehicle or if it struck him.

On January 15, DHS said officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop in Minneapolis for Venezuelan immigrant Julio Sosa-Celis when he sped away, crashed his car and fled on foot to an apartment building.

DHS said at the time that Sosa-Celis and two other men hit an ICE officer who pursued him with a snow shovel and broom handle, prompting the shooting.

Court documents unsealed last week, opens new tab told a different story.

An FBI affidavit said the ICE officers had scanned a license plate registered with a different person suspected of an immigration violation, leading them to chase the wrong person before the alleged assault and shooting.

The affidavit said another man was driving the car and was the sole occupant  not Sosa-Celis. The cars actual driver  another Venezuelan immigrant  crashed and fled to an apartment building where Sosa-Celis was present, it said.

At the apartment building, an ICE officer trying to detain the cars driver was struck by him and Sosa-Celis with a broom  and a third man with a shovel before the officer fired his weapon, the FBI affidavit said.

While DHS said initially that the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life during the ambush, the FBI affidavit said the alleged attackers dropped the broom and shovel when they saw the officer draw his gun and were fleeing toward the apartment as he fired.

Robin Wolpert, an attorney representing Sosa-Celis, said he would plead not guilty if indicted.

Wolpert said the affidavit established that the ICE officer shot Sosa-Celis from 10 feet away as he was fleeing, which showed the officer was not in immediate danger.

DHS did not address the FBI affidavit with the different account of the incident when asked for comment.

When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the death of Cuban immigrant Geraldo Lunas Campos in a Texas detention center on January 3, it said he experienced medical distress and that the incident was being investigated.

A January 15 report in the Washington Post said the El Paso County medical examiners office was likely to rule it a homicide, with the preliminary cause of death asphyxia due to neck and chest compression. The Post cited a witness who said guards were choking Lunas, who said he could not breathe, details that were absent from ICEs statement.

DHS issued a new statement after the article was published that said Lunas tried to commit suicide and then resisted security officers and died.

The medical examiner released a report last week that found the death was a homicide due to asphyxia from neck and torso compression, according to the Post.

The death was one of six deaths in ICE detention in January, an unusually high number.

A federal judge wrote in a November opinion restricting immigration agents use of force in Chicago that the governments widespread misrepresentations call into question everything that defendants say they are doing in their characterization of the crackdown.

In one instance, Homeland Security posted on X that rioters surrounded law enforcement and attacked a van carrying detainees, an encounter that escalated until someone threw a rock at Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino, hitting him in the head. Five days later, Bovino said in court that the rock had not hit him when he first deployed tear gas.

It did almost hit me, he said.

U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis said Bovino lied multiple times about why he needed to throw a tear gas canister at protesters.

Neither DHS nor Bovino responded to requests for comment about the incident and the comments by Ellis.

In the same case, Ellis also questioned authorities claims that they needed to use tear gas so that they could leave the scene of another operation in October, saying the agents themselves had prolonged the encounter through their actions.

Every minor inconsistency adds up, and at some point, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to believe almost anything the government said, Ellis wrote.

Homeland Security said in a statement after the ruling that officers were facing rioters, gangbangers and terrorists and that they had shown incredible restraint in exhausting all options before force is escalated.

On October 4, Homeland Security said that several drivers rammed law enforcement officers in Broadview, a Chicago suburb where an immigration detention center has been the site of clashes between protesters and immigration agents.

DHS said one of the drivers, a woman, was armed with a semi-automatic weapon and that law enforcement was forced to deploy their weapons and fired defensive shots at an armed U.S. citizen.

The woman, U.S. citizen Marimar Martinez, was shot by an agent five times. She survived and was indicted on charges of impeding a federal officer with a deadly weapon.

The officer later boasted of his marksmanship in text messages shared in court.

Martinezs lawyer, Christopher Parente, told the court that footage from one of the agents bodycams contradicted the DHS account. Martinez, 30, said that one of the agents actually rammed her vehicle with his.

Parente told Reuters Martinez left her gun in her purse on the passenger seat and never brandished it. DHS was wrong about the location of the incident  it occurred in the Chicago neighborhood of Brighton Park, not Broadview.

On November 20, government prosecutors asked the court to dismiss the case against Martinez, saying it was reviewing new facts and information from the months-long operation.

DHS referred any questions about federal charges to the Justice Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yves here. Some claim that the US contacted the Iran government and basically asked them to stand down in the face of a performative/face-saving attack (which is what happened with the obliteration of the nuclear sites) and Iran said no.

The head of the Iranian Journalists Union, Mashaallah Shamsolvaezin, revealed during an evening program on Al-Mayadeen TV that Washington informed Tehran, through a third party, that it would carry out strikes on Iranian facilities, and that Tehran should absorb them.

Tehrans pic.twitter.com/FWs1tAOOT9  IntelSky (@Intel_Sky) January 24, 2026

If LOrient has this right in its Strike or deal? What Washington and Tehran are negotiating, the US is making over-the-top unreasonable demands.

The latest regime-change attempt in Iran seems to have considerably stiffened some spines. Iran has said it will treat any new attack as war and will retaliate. Alastair Crooke has said that Iran has communicated that that includes closing the Strait of Hormuz for at least three months. Dramatically higher oil prices going into the midterms would be fatal to the Republicans, charitably assuming they happen. So Trump needs another face-saving retreat. And Greenland shows hell take very little compared to his original demands and tout it as a great success. So what Korybko describes below could allow Trump to beat a retreat.

By Andrew Korybko, a Moscow-based American political analyst who specializes in the global systemic transition to multipolarity in the New Cold War. He has a PhD from MGIMO, which is under the umbrella of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Originally published at his website.

Redirecting Irans oil exports from China to India in exchange for partial US sanctions relief could avert another American attack by satisfying its goal of depriving China of some of the resources that it requires for maintaining its rapid superpower rise without risking a potentially disastrous regional war.

The US deployment of an aircraft carrier to West Asia and its newly announced aerial drills ominously hint that another American attack on Iran is forthcoming, one which could embolden neighboring Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and/or Turkiye (which are allies with one another) to try to militarily Balkanize it. In connection with that scenario, the Middle East Eye recently reported that the Turkish Foreign Ministry briefed lawmakers about a plan to carve out a buffer zone in Iran ostensibly for sheltering refugees.

Since they consider themselves to be one nation, two states, and the border is largely populated by ethnic Azeris, Turkiye would certainly coordinate its buffer with Azerbaijan, which could then lead to a joint operation for forcibly annexing Northwestern Iran into Azerbaijan to create a Turkic superstate. Even if that particular scenario doesnt unfold, the prerequisite of which is US strikes leading to large-scale instability in Iran, then Turkiye could still intervene on the pretext of fighting Kurdish separatists.

Be that as it may, its still possible that Trump doesnt strike Iran seeing as how he claimed that They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk. His Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said in mid-January that any deal would have to address Irans nuclear enrichment capabilities, existing stockpile of enriched material, ballistic missiles, and regional partnerships with non-state allies (proxies as he described them). Such a deal might be difficult to reach in the near future.

Nevertheless, Iran might be able to buy time and possibly get the US to drop some of the aforementioned demands through creative energy diplomacy, namely that which aligns with the Trump Doctrine as understood by the new National Security Strategyand National Defense Strategy. As explained here, a significant part of it is placing the US in a position where it can deny China access to the energy and markets that it requires to maintain its growth and thus its rapid rise as a superpower.

It was recently assessed that The US Wants To Replicate The Venezuelan Model In Iran, which is to say that the US wants to exert influence over the Iranian energy industry at the very least, specifically its exports. Iran has some of the worlds largest oil and gas reserves, but production and exports have been handicapped by US sanctions, thus resulting in minimal sales abroad. Pretty much all that it sells nowadays goes to China and at a steep discount too. The US has an obvious interest in changing that.

Accordingly, Iran could propose redirecting its energy exports to India, which the US has pressured to dump Russian oil. The US would have to lift some of its sanctions on Iran, however, but Trump might do so for denying China access to Iranian oil without having to risk the regional war that could follow another American attack to that end. Russia might also accept India importing less of its oil if it averts Irans possible Balkanization and the consequent creation of a Turkic superstate on its southern border.

Russia could always obtain new oil clients since any deal over Ukraine would likely involve sanctions relief for facilitating that, but it couldnt put Iran back together again if it Balkanizes. Moreover, Russias North-South Transport Corridor with India via Iran would then become unviable, which is another reason for Russia to support any Iranian-US deal. Apart from Irans strategic capitulation to the US, the creative energy diplomacy proposed in this analysis is the best bet for averting another American attack on Iran.
According to the news article in Damage Assessment (paywall that may be surmounted by registration) in Science by Jeffrey Mervis, the stated goals of Trump v2.0 have been consistent and were implicit during Trump v1.0. These have been: (1) shrink the size and scope of the federal government, (2) expand the power of the presidency, (3) restrict immigration, and (4) crack down on top U.S. universities for allegedly promoting a far-left ideology that hates the United States. Here we will concentrate on the consequences for American science:

But Trump has come much closer to achieving those goals since returning to the White House one year ago, and the toll on the U.S. research establishment has been heavy. To date it includes billions of dollars of academic research grants killed or frozen; long delays in grant reviews; hundreds of canceled programs, notably those said to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and combat climate change; the departure of thousands of government employees; and a restructuring of several science agencies.

Basic scientists, who in the United States depend upon public support of their research, have been fairly shocked by it all. They should not have been, but more on that at the end. Mervis asked several former leaders of the US scientific establishment for their views, including Neal Lane, Director of the National Science Foundation during the Clinton Administration, and Elias Zerhouni, a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine radiologist who was Director of the National Institutes of Health under George W. Bush.

According to Lane, a physicist now at Rice University, this list includes reduction in overhead payments that support research and the disappearance or withholding of data that is the product of publicly supported research, and basically Its an attack on anything that doesnt conform to Trumps political agenda. Zerhouni agrees the situation is perilous but is willing to give this White House the benefit of the doubt. When I talk to people in this administration, they tell me: No, we dont want America to lose its supremacy in science and technologyBut the reality is that were facing a perfect storm threatening a research ecosystem that has existed since 1945.

Robert Atkinson of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation presents a definitive description of the current situation: Theres Muskism, theres Voughtism, and theres Trumpism.

Muskism was the foundation of the faux-but-active Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with its slash-and-burn tactics to lay off government workers, terminate grants and contracts, and eliminate the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other units of government. DOGE was not really a department of the federal government, but the damage done was significant. Elon Musk has not been a special government employee for some time and Muskism has mostly fallen off the radar:

Although USAID [1] is unlikely to be resurrected anytime soon [but those depending on USAID support for their health and welfare will remain damaged], many of Musks professed goals are still unrealized. Musk relished issuing daily postings of how much waste DOGE had eliminated, for example, but its now believed that most of those numbers were exaggerated (and at times fictitious). And although DOGE staffers terminated or froze many grants and contracts and orchestrated a mass firing of newly hired or promoted federal employees at several research agencies, many of the most extreme moves were ultimately rescinded after federal judges ruled they were illegal. And some laid-off scientists were rehired. Eliminating waste is maybe a good idea, if you do it right, (Atkinson) says. But DOGE was never intended to be done right. It was done recklessly. And now its over. Musk admitted in a recent interview that DOGE was only somewhat successful and that he wouldnt do it again.

That DOGE never crossed the Potomac to delve into the muti-trillion-dollar behemoth that has not passed an audit in living memory (see the Monday link to Stephen Semler) is proof positive that DOGE was thoroughly performative. [2] Nevertheless, severe damage was done to those who were doing the scientific research and saw their careers evaporate as uncertainty forced universities and other research institutions to retrench. Once a project is stopped for any reason, it is often impossible to restart. I have experienced this, and more often than not, the activation energy to restart is simply not available. Are American scientists and international scientists who were working in the United States looking to Europe, China, Australia, and other places where they might be able to continue? Yes. Will this mean that American science loses its allure? That has already happened for those with alternatives. Can the damage be reversed? Possibly, but I doubt I will live to see it. One of the Rights favorite little books is Ideas Have Consequences. Yes, they and the actions they prescribe do.

Elon Musk has always been successful by conventional measures, but he has also also been performative throughout (at 1:30), while failing to acknowledge that he has not succeeded all by his lone self. Voughtism refers to Russell Vought, head of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Russell Vought is the exact opposite of performative. Grover Norquist mused about his desire to shrink the government to a size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub. Russell Vought is in a position to do just that, and he aims to succeed:

Voughtism has the potential to leave a more lasting mark on the U.S. research enterprise. It draws inspiration from Project 2025, a 900-page policy road map for Trumps second term released in 2023 by the conservative Heritage Foundation. [3] Vought contributed to the plan, which calls for a government that is as small as possible in scope, budgets, and staffing. In Russ Voughts world, spending money is the worst thing the government can do, Atkinson says. That worldview envisions the president controlling all levers of government, including the legislative and judicial branches. I think Vought and OMB are pushing the boundaries to see how far they can take that, says Tony Mills, a science policy analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right think tank.

The Congress has not yet gone along with the presidents wishes to permanently slash the budgets of NIH and NSF by ~40%, but that is not reassuring to American scientists and their collaborators across the world. It seems that the presidents power of impoundment of appropriated budgets has not been completely settled since the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which was passed in response to Richard Nixons actions as he asserted his authority to act on his own to withhold funds or curtail programs he opposed. These came before Watergate but undoubtedly facilitated that idiocy. The modern imperial presidency has a long history:

In September 2025, the Supreme Court allowed Trump to impound $4 billion in foreign aid, and hes promised to do it again, including perhaps at research agencies. If he does, the move will almost certainly trigger lawsuits that would give the Supreme Court another chance to weigh in. Zerhouni believes a second Trump win before the high court could be catastrophic. When I was at NIH, it never occurred to me that I could say were not paying for something that Congress had appropriated money for because it was not in line with my policies, he recalls. But if that power is given to the executive branch to use whenever it wants, then all bets are off.

And this is where Trumpism enters the picture as policies implemented unilaterally by (the presidents) administration, including mass deportations, removing environmental regulations, and unraveling DEI programs. One could add the dissolution of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency. All will be right with the ecosphere if you stop measuring things such as temperature, carbon dioxide and methane levels, particulate matter in the air, and heavy metals and forever chemicals in the ground and water.

DEI is a fraught subject for another time. Suffice it to say in the meantime that a gatekeeping exam such as the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is not reliably predictive of academic achievement in medical school and has no relationship to professional performance as a resident physician-in-training or independent physician who has been licensed to practice medicine. Nor does undergraduate grade point average (GPA) predict very much. Still, the antipathy to DEI naturally led in other directions:

Trumps attack on DEI also spawned a potentially precedent-setting August 2025 executive order that gives political appointees a larger say in federal grantmaking  another change that may endure. They were still awarding a lot of DEI-related grants, and some grants in areas that were not priorities, like climate science, the former White House official explains about the perception among her colleagues last summer. So, the White House said, Well, we have to put an administration official in there [at every agency] to enforce what we thought wed already made clear. The order begins by citing a list of problematic grants that, in Trumps view, propagate absurd ideologies  attack free speech  and work against American interests. Research needs strong oversight, it states, to prevent agencies from continuing to fund those types of grants. Some science advocates worry future presidents, regardless of party or ideology, may want to retain such control, accelerating a decades-old trend of expanding presidential authority.

But one thing to keep in mind about the harmful/irrelevant/unnecessary/un-American influence of DEI in publicly supported research is that until 2025 a research proposal to the National Science Foundation would not even be considered without the final page (of 15) devoted to Broader Impacts. I just reviewed one of my Broader Impacts sections entitled Broader Impacts  Integration of Research and Education. Among other things, these impacts included outreach to high school students. The goal was to include these students in research to show them that biology is something other than words and pictures they find in the textbook. Many of these students whose parents did not attend college would otherwise have been none the wiser, for reasons obvious to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to feel. The research would have advanced our knowledge while reaching out to the public. Alas, the grant was not funded. But the intention was public-spirited and scientifically sound (overall Excellent in grantspeak but unfortunately Excellent is terrible; only Outstanding works, and the fine distinction depends solely on the reviewer and the Program Director).

This antipathy to DEI lead to an absurd obsession with something members of the Trump administration have repeatedly called gold standard science. This is described in another executive order, Restoring Gold Standard Science. [4] Trumpian gold standard science will be:

Reproducible

Transparent

Communicative of error and uncertainty

Collaborative and interdisciplinary

Skeptical of its findings and assumptions

Structured for falsifiability of hypotheses

Subject to unbiased peer review

Accepting of negative results as positive outcomes

Without conflicts of interest

This, of course, is a perfect description of science without the superfluous Trumpian modifier. We should also remember that the gold standard is an economic fetish not unlike the stone money of Yap Island. Its not just me. Stone money has been likened to the gold standard by none other than Milton Friedman (direct link to pdf). Not one scientist would dispute any of these nine descriptors, as we have discussed here several times. [5] There is absolutely nothing new here. From the article:

Many researchers saw the order as a thinly disguised effort to further undermine public confidence in the scientific community by criticizing current practices. What I found offensive is that the standards were presented as if they were something new, says University of WisconsinMadison microbiologist Jo Handelsman, who served in the White House under former President Barack Obama. Weve always lived by those principles. Not so, says Mark Lewis, an aerospace engineer who was a senior Pentagon research official during Trumps first term and now leads an applied research center at Purdue University. Lewis thinks academics have been too focused on science for its own sake rather than on the broader goals  to strengthen national defense, accelerate economic growth, and improve public health  outlined in a 1945 report to then-President Harry Truman as the rationale for sustained federal funding of university research. The prevailing research culture is at the root of a lot of whats wrong with U.S. science, asserts Lewis, who sees Trumps executive order as a good-faith attempt to update that 80-year-old relationship.

No. This executive order is a bad faith attempt to destroy an 80-year-old relationship that made American science the envy of the world. The 1945 report to President Truman was written by Vannevar Bush of MIT. This has also been discussed here previously several times. Here, for example (please excuse the self-citation):

During the final summer of World War II Vannevar Bush, who was leader of the Office of Scientific Research and Development in the White House, wrote a report for President Truman that he called Science, the Endless Frontier. The report was recently republished with an introductory chapter by Rush Holt, Jr, a physicist and was an 8-term congressman from New Jersey from 1999 to 2015. Although Vannevar Bush was primarily an engineer, he appreciated that science, engineering, and technology are not one and the same, but that each is dependent upon the other. Science, the Endless Frontier was a thoroughgoing brief for basic scientific research, explaining why government support of science was an essential component contributing to the wellbeing of all. A major result of the Bush report was the establishment of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 1950, followed by the transformation of what began as the Hygienic Laboratory in 1887 into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) we know today, with its 27 separate centers and institutes and a budget of $42B in 2020. Although the Cold War tended to subvert certain priorities, a topic for another time, the Golden Age of American Science from the 1950s through the 1990s was real. Although there were ups and downs associated with budgetary constraints and politics, and there has always been some logrolling among the chosen, both agencies funded what Karl Popper would have called good science that was directed at answering interesting questions of what was once called natural history. I am a biologist by temperament and vocationI will briefly tell a story of biological research that would be characterized today by reviewers and program officers at funding agencies using the killer epithet descriptive, but nevertheless resulted in knowledge that revolutionized cell biology in remarkable and entirely unforeseeable ways.

With all due respect, Dr. Lewis of Purdue University misses the point of Science: The Endless Frontier, as it has been understood for eighty years. Basic scientific research for its own sake is the foundation upon which his broader goals  to strengthen national defense, accelerate economic growth, and improve public health are based. There are no reliable shortcuts. Does this mean that basic science fails sometimes? Of course it does, because one cannot know the outcomes before the experiments. And sometimes the outcomes are not appreciated for a long time. Peyton Rous was awarded a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1966 for cancer research he first published in 1910.

But this does not mean that how science is funded and carried out cannot be improved. And this is where the current scientific community has made serious errors. While the so-called replication crisis has been overblown, scientists have not taken it upon themselves to explain why. It is also true that private funding agencies generally limit the overhead rate on their grants to 15%. But it is also true that these agencies require a laboratory to have funding from NIH or other sources so that the research can be done if the grant is awarded. I have served on and chaired these review panels for over twenty years. I cannot remember one that was funded in the absence or strong support already in place. These usually small grants are the icing on the cake that is a research program  sweet and useful but not the cake. This also leads back to Vannevar Bushs vision of spreading the scientific wealth instead of keeping it in one place, Bethesda, Maryland, for example. The overall overhead rate for individual NIH grants averages ~50% but the total for all NIH funding is about 30%. And the universities and medical schools have built the infrastructure required, not the government.

As we have also discussed in Greshams Law Comes for Science, too many working scientists have come to lead publication factories rather than research laboratories, and the scientific literature has been debased in an open-access, pay-to-publish-anything environment. Peer review has deteriorated. The handling of COVID-19 by scientists and politicians was bungled. But, the way to improve science is not to tear it down with no plan for what comes after, other than satisfaction. Thus, one hopes that Robert Atkinson is correct:

The Trump administrations assault on science might have an upside if it prompts some introspection by the academic research community. The ideas animating the Make America Great Again movement will be around for a long, long timeSo universities (and by extension all scientists) need to ask themselves how they got into this situation and what they need to do to get out of it. Right now, most of them are in denial.

Denial is the correct term. If the United States is to retain a leading role, not necessarily the leading role, in scientific research in all disciplines from particle physics to microbiology to anthropology to cosmology, introspection on our part as scientists is essential. Those in charge at the moment are not serious scientists, but they are doing serious damage, here as an example. My colleagues and I, who are not part of some radical far left that hates America, opened the door for them and stepped aside. Hubris, especially when covered in overweening PMC self-regard, never leads to good outcomes.

Notes

[1] USAID was an appurtenance of the Deep State, but much of the work it did around the world was also a projection of so-called American soft power that fed the hungry and healed the sick.

[2] But one must suppose it would have been more difficult for a DOGE man like the 19-year-old Big Balls to get past armed and well-trained soldiers at the entrance to the Pentagon than an unarmed security guard at the readily accessible front door of the National Science Foundation (jpg), also across the Potomac in Arlington, Virginia.

[3] Heritage Foundation is just one of many gifts of the Powell Memo that keeps on giving. Justice Powells other gifts are described in Merchants of Doubt.

[4] I suppose it might be tacky to note the president is enamored with the color gold? But here is the evidence.

[5] Beginning with my first formal contribution to Naked Capitalism the practice of science has been a continuing theme here. I was present before the modern creation began with the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980. Bayh-Dole was first mentioned in Why Trust Science in the 21st Century? An Object Lesson. That post covers something the current administration does not want to talk about, and they are taking direct action to prevent it with the planned dissolution of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. NCAR is a disquieting source of climate alarmism according to none other than Russell Vought.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Four Zimbabwean teachers and several Zimbabwean children were recently removed from schools in northern KwaZulu-Natal for lacking proper documentation, officials confirmed during a radio discussion on Ukhozi FM.The discussion featured Zinhle Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of the anti-immigrant vigilante group March on March, and Cyril Mncwabe, a provincial Home Affairs official. The focus was on Ngobese-Zuma's campaign to prioritise South African children in school enrolments over foreign nationals, particularly at Addington Primary School in Durban, which has recently been the site of protests and violent confrontations over the issue.Ngobese-Zuma argued that foreign nationals are enrolling their children and using immigration rights as a shield against deportation. Mncwabe explained how the immigration system works, citing the removal of Zimbabwean teachers and students who did not have the required documentation as part of enforcement efforts.Millions of Zimbabweans currently live and work in South Africa after leaving Zimbabwe due to governance failures and economic decline during decades of Zanu-PF rule. Many rely on access to education for their children and stable employment opportunities in their host communities.The incident underscores ongoing tensions between local authorities and migrant communities over documentation and access to public services in South Africa.
American Academy of Pediatrics defy federal vaccine reforms, push aggressive vaccine schedule despite parental concerns

In a historic break from federal guidance, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has publicly severed ties with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions childhood vaccine schedule, choosing instead to double down on a rigorous regimen of over 77 doses of vaccines before a child reaches age 18. This arrogant move comes just months after a reformed CDC advisory panel, purged of pharmaceutical industry ties, dramatically reduced the recommended childhood vaccine schedule from 77 doses to an average of 32. The new recommendations expand informed decision-making between healthcare providers and parents, introducing new categories for shared clinical decision-making and vaccines recommended for high risk kids. The AAPs 2026 schedule, released this week, ignores these evidence-based reforms, insisting on a crowded calendar of combination shots and annual boosters for diseases like RSV, flu, and COVID-19, treating infants as pin cushions in a profit-driven medical experiment that many informed parents and sane doctors now reject.

Key points:

The AAP has officially rejected the CDC's downsized 2025 childhood vaccine schedule.

The AAP's 2026 schedule continues to recommend over 77 vaccine doses from birth to age 18.

This stance contradicts a major federal reform that reduced routine recommendations and emphasized shared decision-making.

More parents now argue against the aggressive schedule because it is not thoroughly tested for safety when multiple vaccines are administered simultaneously.

The move highlights a growing chasm between institutional pediatric leadership and a movement of parents and practitioners demanding vaccine choice and individualized care.

A new era of medical choice confronts old guard dogma

The AAPs prideful stance is a direct slap in the face to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s mission to restore scientific integrity and parental autonomy. While Kennedys reformed CDC acknowledges that vaccination decisions belong to patients and parents guided by more well rounded medical advice, the AAP digs in its heels for maximum vaccine injections into kids. Their schedule mandates that babies be held down for multiple injections in a single visit, month after month, following a protocol that has never been comprehensively studied for the synergistic effects of its toxic adjuvants and preservatives. As noted by critics for decades, fewer than forty studies have ever investigated the entire CDC schedules safety, a fact the AAP conveniently ignores. Pediatricians are trained as foot soldiers for this agenda, with the AAP dedicating entire resources to teaching doctors how to persuade or coerce hesitant parents, rather than engaging in honest informed consent.

The schedule is confusing, crowded full of injections that a baby cannot withstand. COVID jabs continue to be pumped into kids, completely destroying the integrity of their cells and cardiovascular system. Many of the shots don't even work as advertised, with diseases like whooping cough making a comeback in vaccinated and unvaccinated populations alike. Even polio vaccines are now considered faulty, as vaccine derived polio strains are now spreading in the wild and infecting individuals.

This institutional rigidity has fueled a massive grassroots health freedom movement. Well-educated, higher-income parents have been leading a quiet exodus from the rigid CDC schedule for years, with many doctors and even public health officials privately following alternative schedules for their own children. They recognize what the AAP refuses to admit: vaccines are not a monolithic one size fits all product. As explained by physicians like Dr. Suzanne Humphries, vaccines differ radicallycontaining live viruses, killed bacteria, or viral particles, and often requiring neurotoxic adjuvants like aluminum to provoke an immune response. To question the necessity of the Hepatitis B vaccine for a newborn of healthy, monogamous parents is not anti-science fanaticism; it is a rational inquiry that the medical establishment punishes with ostracism, driving families away from mainstream care.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Publications.aap.org

AAP.org
BPA makes males more feminine and females more masculine in latest study

New research from an international team, published in Communications Medicine, provides damning evidence that fetal exposure to BPAat levels once deemed safe by regulatorspermanently rewires genetic expression,This systematic reprogramming lays a direct path to severe metabolic disease and cancer, exposing a legacy of corporate negligence and regulatory failure that has contaminated generations.

Key points:

A landmark study on rats demonstrates that developmental exposure to very low doses of BPA causes permanent, sex-reversed changes in gene activity in bone marrow.

Exposed females showed genetic patterns typical of males, while males showed patterns typical of females, a phenomenon the researchers term "extensive transcriptome female masculinization and male feminization."

These shifts are linked to females moving toward a cancer-like biological state and males toward metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes and heart disease.

The effects were observed at a dose approximately eight times lower than a recent temporary European safety threshold, proving that no exposure level is benign.

The study's authors conclude this provides "biologically plausible and convincing evidence for significant effects from low-dose BPA exposure," directly supporting drastic reductions in permitted human exposure.

Gender-bending BPA rewires humanity

For decades, the plastics industry and complacent regulators have assured the public that trace amounts of BPA leaching from food containers, water pipes, and receipts were harmless. This new science shatters that myth, revealing a deliberate ignorance of the chemical's role as an endocrine disruptor. These compounds mimic or block natural hormones, the body's delicate messaging system. When this interference occurs during fetal developmenta period of exquisite sensitivitythe consequences are lifelong and devastating.

The research team exposed pregnant rats to BPA at doses mirroring human exposure. The results in their adult offspring were unambiguous and alarming. The very programming that distinguishes male from female at a cellular level had been corrupted. In males, genes associated with immune function and metabolism were hyper-activated, pushing them toward a state of inflammatory overdrive akin to autoimmunity. In females, critical genetic activity was suppressed, pushing their biology toward a weakened, hypometabolic state ripe for cancer development. This is not a subtle shift; it is a fundamental subversion of biological design.

BPA-altered humans could be where transgenderism comes from

This work builds upon a mountain of suppressed evidence. Past studies have shown BPA exposure alters prostate development, predisposing to cancer, and strips male deer mice of typical masculine behaviors, making them undesirable to mates. Could BPA also change the way kids, teens, and adults feel about their bodies, their sexuality, and their gender expression?

The Breast Cancer Fund has long warned of the dangers of prenatal BPA exposure on fetal development. The findings from the massive CLARITY-BPA project, a collaboration between U.S. federal agencies, already indicated that lower doses of BPA often caused more significant biological effects than higher doses, a hallmark of endocrine disruption that outdated toxicology models fail to capture.

The implications for human health are catastrophic. We are witnessing epidemic rises in metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, and hormone-sensitive cancers, as well as individuals presenting with gender dysphoria. This research draws a clear line from the chemical contamination of our food, water, and environment to these modern plagues. The study explicitly notes that the blood metabolic profile of BPA-exposed rats significantly overlaps with that of humans diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Our bodies are being silently guided toward disease and gender dysphoria by a chemical that saturates modern life.

Source include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Nature.com

Enoch, Brighteon.ai
Russia, Ukraine and U.S. hold first trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi amid stalemate over Donbas

Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. held rare diplomatic talks in Abu Dhabi, marking the first high-level negotiations since Russia's full-scale invasion nearly four years ago. Discussions were described as "productive but preliminary," with deep divisions remaining over territorial concessions.

The Kremlin insists Ukraine must cede control of the Donbas region (Donetsk and Luhansk), which Russia illegally annexed in 2022. Moscow views this as critical for its security, energy dominance and anti-NATO strategy. Ukraine rejects surrendering sovereign territory.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains firm against territorial concessions but has floated a demilitarized economic zone in Donbas, contingent on Russian troop withdrawals. He criticized European allies for lacking unity against Russia.

The Trump administration is driving negotiations, claiming "concessions" from both sides. However, Kremlin officials warn that no lasting peace is possible without resolving territorial disputes per prior U.S.-Russia agreements (referencing Anchorage talks).

Talks unfold amid relentless Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, leaving millions without power. While diplomacy offers a glimmer of hope, Ukraine's sovereignty and Russia's expansionist demands remain irreconcilable obstacles to a lasting deal.

In a significant diplomatic development, representatives from Russia, Ukraine and the United States convened in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Jan. 23, for their first trilateral talks since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.

The meeting, described by officials as "productive" but preliminary, comes amid intensified efforts by the Trump administration to broker a ceasefirethough deep divisions persist over territorial concessions, particularly regarding Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.

The talks follow a flurry of high-level discussions, including a four-hour meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow late Thursday. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov characterized those discussions as "substantive, constructive and extremely candid," though he reiterated Moscow's hardline stance: any lasting peace hinges on Ukraine ceding control of Donbasa demand Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, Russia's insistence on Ukraine ceding control of the Donbas region in peace negotiations is rooted in a complex interplay of historical claims, geopolitical strategy, energy dominance and military consolidation. This demand reflects Moscow's long-term objectives to weaken Ukraine's sovereignty, secure critical infrastructure and prevent NATO expansiona red line repeatedly emphasized by Putin. The Donbas, comprising Donetsk and Luhansk, is not merely a territorial dispute but a linchpin in Russia's broader confrontation with the West, where control translates into leverage over Europe's energy security and regional influence. Russia's demand for Donbas is non-negotiable because it serves as the cornerstone of its security architecture, energy hegemony and anti-NATO agenda. Ukraine faces a grim choice: cede territory under duress or risk total collapse as Western support wanes. The longer Kyiv resists, the more leverage Moscow gainsa reality underscored by Putin's 2024 ultimatum.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Davos earlier this week, struck a cautious tone in his nightly address Friday.

"It is still too early to draw conclusions," he said, acknowledging the complexity of negotiations while emphasizing Ukraine's refusal to surrender sovereign territory.

The Abu Dhabi discussions involve technical delegations rather than heads of state, reflecting the sensitive nature of the dialogue. The U.S. delegation includes Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the top U.S. commander overseeing forces in Europe. Ukraine's team is led by Rustem Umerov, head of the National Security and Defense Council, while Russia's contingent is headed by Adm. Igor Kostyukov, chief of military intelligence.

Territorial control remains the central obstacle. Moscow insists Ukraine withdraw from the Donetsk and Luhansk regionsillegally annexed by Russia in 2022while Kyiv demands security guarantees from the West to prevent future aggression. Zelensky has floated a compromise: mutual troop withdrawals to create a demilitarized economic zone in Donbas, contingent on Russia reciprocating.

Mixed signals from Moscow and Washington

Despite Trump's optimismtelling reporters aboard Air Force One that both sides were "making concessions"Kremlin officials doubled down on their demands.

"Without resolving the territorial issue according to the formula agreed in Anchorage, one should not expect a long-term settlement," Ushakov warned, referencing prior U.S.-Russia discussions.

Meanwhile, Zelensky issued a sharp critique of European allies, accusing them of disunity in confronting Russia.

"Instead of becoming a truly global power, Europe remains a beautiful but fragmented kaleidoscope of small and middle powers," he said, urging stronger collective action.

The Abu Dhabi talks unfold against a backdrop of relentless Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, leaving millions without power amid freezing temperatures. While battlefield dynamics remain deadlocked, the diplomatic push signals a potential shiftalbeit incrementaltoward de-escalation.

Yet skepticism abounds. "Russians will not win this war," Zelensky declared in Davos, underscoring Kyiv's resolve. For now, the path to peace remains fraught, with trust in short supply and territorial integrity non-negotiable for Ukraine.

As negotiations resume Saturday, the world watches to see whether this rare three-way dialogue can yield tangible progressor merely underscore the intractable divide between warring nations.

Watch the video below about President Trump giving a "tremendous effort" in Russia-Ukraine talks according to the U.S. ambassador to NATO.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

ABCnews.go.com

APnews.com

BBC.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
The Last Semite: Exposing the myths of Zionism and reclaiming biblical truth

Ashkenazi Jews (descendants of Turkic Khazars) lack Middle Eastern ancestry, while Palestinians show genetic ties to ancient Canaanites/Israelites. Zionism relies on fabricated lineage claims to justify colonial land seizures.

God's promises to Israel (e.g., Deuteronomy 28) required obedience  broken by rebellion, leading to Jerusalem's destruction in 70 AD. Jesus fulfilled the Abrahamic covenant spiritually; Zionist land claims are a theological distortion.

The term silences critics despite Palestinians being true Semites. Groups like the ADL/AIPAC use accusations to suppress free speech and shield Israel from accountability.

Nineteenth-century dispensationalism (e.g., Scofield Bible) falsely ties Christ's return to Jewish control of Palestine. This theology fuels U.S. support for Israeli apartheid and violence.

Zionists manipulate Holocaust memory to justify modern atrocities and smear critics. Solutions: Dismantle Zionist power structures, support BDS and reclaim biblical truth centered on justice  not land grabs.

In an era when powerful institutions and ideological agendas often shape geopolitical narratives, TJ Smith's "The Last Semite" emerges as a bold, meticulously researched expose that challenges the foundational claims of modern Zionism. This book is not just a historical critique  it is a theological, genetic and political dismantling of the myths that have justified land grabs, ethnic cleansing and global deception in the name of a "divine right" to Palestine.

Smith's work is a clarion call to re-examine what it truly means to be a Semite, tracing lineage back to Noah's son Shem and contrasting it with the modern Zionist claim to Abrahamic ancestry. The book systematically debunks the notion that Ashkenazi Jews, descendants of the Khazars, a Turkic people who converted to Judaism in the 8th century, have any legitimate genetic or biblical claim to the land of Israel. Instead, Smith argues that Palestinians, many of whom are descendants of ancient Canaanites and Israelites, are the true Semites, while Zionism is a colonial project masquerading as a religious mandate.

The genetic fraud of Zionism

Modern DNA studies reveal that Ashkenazi Jews share closer genetic ties to Eastern Europe and Central Asia than to the Middle East.

Palestinians, on the other hand, exhibit genetic continuity with the ancient inhabitants of the region, including Canaanites and Israelites.

The Khazar conversion to Judaism is a historical fact, yet Zionist narratives erase this inconvenient truth to maintain the illusion of an unbroken lineage from Abraham.

Biblical covenants were conditional, not unconditional

Smith dismantles the Zionist misuse of Scripture, showing that God's promises to Israel were always contingent on obedience (Deuteronomy 28).

The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD was not an accident but a divine judgment for Israel's rebellion  a fact ignored by Zionist theology.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the Abrahamic covenant spiritually, rendering the Zionist obsession with physical land a theological error.

The weaponization of "anti-Semitism"

The term "anti-Semite" was hijacked to silence critics of Israel, despite Palestinians being Semites themselves.

Zionist organizations like the ADL and AIPAC have weaponized accusations of anti-Semitism to suppress free speech, persecuting academics, journalists and activists who expose Israeli crimes.

Christian Zionism: A theological scam

The Scofield Reference Bible popularized dispensationalism, a 19th-century heresy that twists Scripture to justify unconditional support for Israel.

Christian Zionists (like John Hagee) preach that Jews must control Palestine for Christ to return, ignoring that Jesus rejected earthly kingdoms (John 18:36).

This theology has fueled U.S. military aid to Israel, enabling apartheid and genocide against Palestinians.

The Holocaust as a propaganda tool

While the Holocaust was a horrific genocide, Zionists exploit its memory to justify modern atrocities.

Critics of Israel are smeared as "Holocaust deniers," stifling legitimate debate about Israeli war crimes.

The path forward: Decentralization and truth

Smith calls for dismantling Zionist influence in media, finance and politics.

Supporting the BDS movement, promoting independent journalism and reclaiming biblical Christianity are essential steps toward justice.

Why this book matters

"The Last Semite" is more than a historical critique  it's a moral indictment of an ideology that has caused untold suffering. Smith's work empowers readers to see through the lies, reject Zionist propaganda and stand for truth. Whether you're a Christian questioning the Rapture myth, a historian examining genetic evidence or an activist fighting for Palestinian rights, this book is a must-read.

As Smith powerfully concludes, "The true heirs of Abraham are not those who seize land by force, but those who walk in faith, justice and love." It's time to reclaim that legacy.

Grab a copy of "The Last Semite: Unmasking the Deception of Zionism and the True Heirs of Abraham" via this link. Read, share and download thousands of books for free at Books.BrightLearn.AI. You can also create your own books for free at BrightLearn.AI.

Watch the video below where Health Ranger Mike Adams interviews TJ Smith, author of "The Last Semite," about Biblical history, Noah, Israel and true Semite ancestry.

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
U.S. President Donald Trump says secret discombobulator disabled Venezuelan defenses during Maduro raid

Trump claims a classified weapon called "The Discombobulator" was used by U.S. forces to disable Venezuelan defensive systems during the Jan. 3 operation that captured Nicolas Maduro.

He said it made equipment "not work," including radar and rockets, but refused to provide technical details.

The weapon was portrayed as central to the stealth raid's success, enabling U.S. troops to enter Caracas and arrest Maduro and his wife without American casualties.

Eyewitnesses, including a self-identified member of Maduro's guard, reported sudden equipment failures before U.S. forces arrived, describing radars and defenses shutting down unexpectedly.

Some Venezuelan personnel described severe physical effects, saying they experienced intense sensations like a sound wave, nosebleeds, vomiting blood and collapse, which they attributed to an unidentified weapon deployed during the assault.

President Donald Trump has revealed that a secret weapon called "The Discombobulator" played a key role in the U.S. operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3.

A discombobulator in war, as BrightU.AI's Enoch noted, is a device that disrupts the mental and physical coherence of the enemy, causing confusion, disorientation and a loss of will to fight. It operates by emitting electromagnetic pulses that interfere with the brain's electrical activity, leading to cognitive impairment and a breakdown in communication and coordination among the enemy forces. This technology is part of a broader arsenal of non-lethal weapons designed to neutralize threats without causing physical harm.

In an interview with The New York Post, Trump said the classified device "made equipment not work," claiming it disabled Venezuelan defensive systems, including Russian and Chinese-made rockets, during the raid in Caracas. He declined to provide details, saying, "I'm not allowed to talk about it."

Trump described the weapon as essential to the stealth operation, which saw U.S. forces reportedly swoop into the Venezuelan capital and arrest Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, without suffering American casualties. Venezuelan defense systems, he said, failed to respond effectively.

"They never got their rockets off. They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off. We came in, they pressed buttons and nothing worked. They were all set for us."

Eyewitness accounts describe alleged "discombobulator," chaos among Maduro's forces during U.S. operation

Trump's disclosure came after eyewitness accounts described Maduros armed guards collapsing, bleeding from their noses and vomiting blood as they were incapacitated.

According to an individual who identified himself as part of Maduro's security detail, Venezuelan defenses were thrown into sudden disarray as U.S. forces executed their raid. The guard described how radar systems and other equipment abruptly shut down "without any explanation," leaving defenders blind and unable to react.

Shortly thereafter, the witness said, waves of drones appeared overhead and were followed by the arrival of U.S. helicopters carrying a small contingent of American troops. "We didn't know how to react," he said. "They were technologically very advanced. They didn't look like anything we've fought against before. We were hundreds, but we had no chance. They were shooting with such precision and speed; it felt like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute."

The most striking part of the guards account involves an unidentified weapon the Venezuelan personnel struggled to describe. "At one point, they launched something; I don't know how to describe it. It was like a very intense sound wave," he told reporters. "Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside."

He said many among the defending forces began bleeding from the nose and vomiting blood, before collapsing to the ground and becoming incapacitated. "We couldn't even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was," the guard said.

Watch this Fox News report about President Trump announcing possible talks with Venezuelan President Maduro.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

NYPost.com 1

NYPost.com 2

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
A nation in deep freeze: 23 States under hypothermia warnings after historic Winter Storm Fern

Following a massive winter storm, over 20 states from Texas to New York are under extreme cold warnings. Dangerously low temperatures and wind chill can cause frostbite or hypothermia in under 30 minutes outdoors.

The crisis is also affecting typically warm regions and has turned homes into danger zones. Southern states along the Gulf Coast and even parts of Florida are experiencing unprecedented cold. With over 550,000 power outages, unheated homes in states like Louisiana and Tennessee are as life-threatening as the outdoors.

The storm has already caused numerous deaths. At least 38 people from across 14 states have died from storm-related causes, including hypothermia, cardiac events and tragic accidents like falling through ice. Major cities like New York have reported multiple fatalities.

Infrastructure is crippled, creating a cascading emergency. The storm has caused massive power outages, grounded flights and made roads impassable. This disrupts heat, travel and emergency services, while also raising risks of burst pipes and carbon monoxide poisoning from unsafe heating methods.

Authorities are urging extreme caution and community care. Officials advise dressing in layers for any necessary outdoor exposure, checking on vulnerable neighbors and bringing pets inside. The situation is a dire national emergency, with millions enduring a relentless and life-threatening freeze.

A brutal and expansive deep freeze is gripping the United States in the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern, with more than twenty states now under urgent hypothermia warnings. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued extreme cold alerts from Texas to New York, warning that temperatures and wind chills are so dangerously low that simply being outside can turn deadly within minutes.

This crisis follows a historic winter event that, over the weekend, spanned over 2,000 miles and brought more than a foot of snow, ice storms and sub-zero temperatures to over 150 million people. Now, as the snow tapers off, the true danger sets in: a prolonged, bone-chilling cold snap that threatens lives, cripples infrastructure and has already claimed dozens of victims.

The map of affected areas is vast and alarming. States throughout the Gulf Coast, including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, are facing wind chills as low as 10 degrees below zero, which is cold enough to cause frostbite on exposed skin in just half an hour.

The Midwest is facing even more severe conditions, with parts of Ohio, Nebraska and Minnesota expecting wind chills between 30 and 45 degrees below zero. At these extremes, the risk of hypothermia becomes immediate, with the potential for fatal consequences in less than 20 minutes of exposure.

The list of states under the gun includes Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Meteorologists warn that unheated homes could become as deadly as the outdoors in certain areas

Even typically warmer southern regions are not spared; the Florida panhandle and southern Georgia are seeing wind chills in the single digits and teens. Meteorologists have underscored the particular peril for those who lose power, warning that in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, an unheated home could become as deadly as the outdoors.

The human cost of Winter Storm Fern is already tragically clear. Reports from local officials and news media indicate at least 38 people across 14 states have died from storm-related causes.

The fatalities span a grim spectrum, from hypothermia and exposure to cardiac events while shoveling snow.

In a heartbreaking incident in Bonham, Texas, three young boys died after falling into an ice pond. In Austin, another individual succumbed to apparent hypothermia while seeking shelter in an abandoned gas station.

Hypothermia deaths have been reported from Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Michigan.

New York City, experiencing its coldest temperatures in eight years, reported ten of these fatalities, all found outdoors. The city was forced to postpone its annual count of the homeless population, a stark indicator of the crisis facing its most vulnerable residents.

Nationwide, the storms aftermath has left over 550,000 homes and businesses without power, raising the terrifying prospect of hundreds of thousands of Americans without heat for days as the mercury continues to plummet.

Authorities are pleading with the public to treat the conditions with the utmost seriousness.

The NWS advises dressing in multiple layers, including hats, face masks and gloves, for any necessary time outside. They urge frequent checks on elderly or vulnerable neighbors and emphasize that pets must be brought indoors.

As explained by the Enoch AI engine at BrightU.AI, the dangers extend beyond direct exposure; frozen pipes can burst, causing extensive property damage, and the desperate use of portable heaters and generators indoors raises the risk of deadly fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The situation presents a dire national emergency. The combination of historic snowfall, widespread power outages and a lingering arctic blast capable of causing frostbite and hypothermia in minutes has created a perfect storm of suffering.

As cities mobilize emergency resources and shelters, millions of Americans are left to endure a cold that shows no sign of relenting, a stark reminder of natures devastating power and the fragile line between safety and catastrophe.

Watch this clip with useful tips on how to prepare for winter storms.

This video is from the Offgrid Today channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

MSN.com

StraitsTimes.com

BrightU.AI

Brighteon.com
Trump threatens 100% tariff on Canadian goods over China trade moves

President Donald Trump warned he would impose a 100% tariff on all Canadian imports if Canada pursues a new trade deal with China.

The warning follows Canada's decision to cut tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for lower Chinese duties on Canadian agricultural exports.

Trump accused Canada of potentially acting as a conduit for Chinese goods into the U.S. market and questioned Prime Minister Mark Carney's judgment.

Analysts argue Carney's outreach to Beijing clashes with Canadian democratic values and undermines his stated commitment to international norms.

U.S. officials and experts warn Canada cannot replace U.S. trade with China and predict economic pressure and political backlash could force Ottawa to reverse course.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports if Ottawa pursues a new trade agreement with Beijing, escalating tensions between Washington and one of its closest trading partners.

According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, a trade agreement between two countries removes barriers to trade, such as tariffs and quotas, to facilitate the exchange of goods and services between the nations involved. This agreement is designed to benefit both countries by increasing economic activity and reducing costs for consumers and businesses.

In line with this, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that the U.S. would levy a 100% tariff on all Canadian goods entering the country should Canada strike a deal with China. The warning followed Canada's recent decision to sharply reduce duties on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for lower Chinese tariffs on Canadian agricultural exports.

"If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the USA," Trump wrote on Jan. 24. He also aimed at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, referring to him as "Governor Carney," a term Trump has previously used while floating the idea of Canada becoming a U.S. state.

Trump accused Ottawa of potentially allowing Canada to serve as a gateway for Chinese products into the U.S. market. "If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a 'drop off port' for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken," he said. The president added that China would "eat Canada alive," warning of damage to Canadian businesses, society and its broader way of life.

Carney's China gamble betrays Canadian values and risks costly rift with the U.S.

Conservative analysts echo Trump's claims regarding Canada's new trade agreement with Beijing. They argue that Carney's outreach to Beijing clashes with both Canadian values and his own rhetoric about defending international norms.

"Prime Minister Carney's trip to Beijing makes no sense," said Brent Sadler, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. "It might feel good at the moment to try to stick his finger in what he thinks is President Trump's eye, but the reality is he went to a country of an authoritarian communist regime that doesn't acknowledge or respect religious freedom or freedom of speech." Sadler called China's political system "antithetical" to the values embraced by Canadians in a liberal democracy, adding, "It's everything that the Canadian people seem to think and embrace in a liberal society. Makes no sense."

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also dismissed the idea that Canada could meaningfully replace U.S. trade with expanded commerce with China. "This is the silliest thing I've ever seen," Lutnick said, referring to claims that China could significantly increase imports from Canada.

Lutnick also warned that Carney's rapprochement with Beijing could weaken Canada's position as Ottawa prepares for renewed negotiations with Washington over the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade agreement. "They are playing with a set of rules that they haven't really thought through," he said.

In turn, Sadler predicted that economic pressure and domestic political backlash would push Canada back toward closer alignment with the United States. "I think very quickly, a lot of the ideologically aligned people will start to see this hypocrisy, and I think the whole effort will fall apart fairly quickly. And I would put my money on that. I think the Canadian government under Prime Minister Carney is going to reverse course, because he is pragmatic and will try to cut a deal with President Trump in the future," he said.

Watch the full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Maxime Bernier as they discuss the Canada-U.S. trade war, immigration policies, and calls for a populist revolution in Canada amid post-Trudeau political shifts.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

NewsAntiwar.com

TruthSocial.com

JusttheNews.com

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com
Echoes of the Unseen: Independent journalism as the last bastion of truth

The book "Echoes of the Unseen: Truth, Transience, and the Truman Show Matrix" points out that mainstream outlets (CNN, Fox, NYT) serve globalist elites, pharmaceutical advertisers and intelligence agencies. In contrast, independent journalists expose suppressed truths: mRNA vaccine dangers, FDA corruption, digital enslavement and natural medicine suppression.

Gary Webb exposed CIA drug trafficking but was destroyed by media smears  later proven right by declassified documents. Modern truth-tellers (Alex Jones, Julian Assange) face deplatforming, legal persecution and imprisonment for exposing COVID fraud, election fraud and war crimes.

Globalists are advancing digital IDs, social credit scores and AI-driven surveillance are under false pretenses ("public health," "climate action"). The goal is to create a compliant population where dissent is algorithmically silenced, bank accounts frozen for resistance and children indoctrinated.

Crowdfunding (Substack, Patreon) and decentralized platforms (Brighteon, Rumble) bypass corporate censorship. Unlike corporate media, independent outlets scrutinize rigged drug trials, WHO power grabs and economic sabotage.

Globalists want fear, passivity and compliance  independent journalism arms people with truth. Supporting independent journalists is essential for survival in an era of controlled narratives.

In a world drowning in corporate spin, government deception and media manipulation, independent journalism stands as one of the last lines of defense against totalitarian control  and the book "Echoes of the Unseen: Truth, Transience, and the Truman Show Matrix" explains why.

Unlike mainstream outlets  CNN, Fox News and the New York Times  which dance to the tune of pharmaceutical advertisers, intelligence agencies and globalist financiers, independent journalists dig where others won't. They expose what the elites want buried: the dangers of mRNA vaccines, corruption at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the suppression of natural medicine and the globalist push for digital enslavement.

Gary Webb's fate is a chilling reminder of what happens when journalists challenge the official narrative. His 1990s book "Dark Alliance" revealed the Central Intelligence Agency's role in flooding Black neighborhoods with crack cocaine to fund illegal wars in Central America. The mainstream media didn't just ignore him  they destroyed him.

Decades later, declassified documents proved Webb right. But by then, he was dead, driven to suicide by a smear campaign. Today's truth-tellers face the same playbook  deplatforming, demonetization and imprisonment  just for exposing crimes like Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine injuries, election fraud or the Department of War's bioweapons programs.

Two modern examples abound: Alex Jones of InfoWars warned about 5G dangers, digital IDs and the Deep State's manipulation of mass shootings long before they became public concerns. His reward? A near-total ban from social media and relentless legal persecution.

Julian Assange exposed U.S. war crimes through WikiLeaks. But instead of being lauded for his revelations, he rots in a British prison  a living testament to what happens when you publish truths the empire wants buried. The message is clear: Challenge the narrative, and you will be erased.

Independent media is the last defense against globalist control

But independent journalists survive by bypassing the system entirely. Crowdfunding platforms like Substack and Patreon let them operate without corporate advertisers. Decentralized platforms like Brighteon and Rumble ensure their work can't be memory-holed by Silicon Valley censors.

Corporate media often parrots government talking points on climate change, vaccines and foreign wars. In contrast, independent outlets scrutinize the lies  whether it's the FDA's rigged drug trials, the World Health Organization's pandemic power grabs or the engineered collapse of Western economies.

The stakes couldn't be higher. Globalists are pushing for total control  digital IDs, social credit scores and artificial intelligence-driven surveillance  under the guise of "public health" and "climate action." They want a world where dissent is algorithmically silenced, where your bank account freezes if you resist and where your children are indoctrinated into self-loathing and dependency.

Independent journalism proves their plans aren't inevitable. It shows that people are waking up, that resistance is growing and that the fight for freedom isnt over.

The next time you see a headline that makes you question everything, ask: Where did this come from? If it's from CNN or the Washington Post, it's been sanitized.

If its from an independent journalist risking everything to tell the truth  pay attention, share their work and support them. Because in a world where the powerful control the narrative, independent journalism isn't just important  it's essential for survival.

The battle isnt just for information  it's for the future of humanity itself. The globalists want you passive, scared and compliant. Independent journalism arms you with the truth, and the truth is the one weapon they can't defeat.

Grab a copy of "Echoes of the Unseen: Truth, Transience, and the Truman Show Matrix" via this link. Discover this book and other good reads at Books.BrightLearn.AI, with thousands of books and counting  all available to freely download, read and share. The decentralized BrightLearn.AI engine also lets readers create their own books, empowering them to share insights and truths with the world.

Watch Greg Reese sharing his experience in Russia, alongside his views on global politics and propaganda, in this edition of the "Health Ranger Report" with the Health Ranger Mike Adams.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

BrightLearn.ai

Books.BrightLearn.ai

Brighteon.com
The afternoon reset: How a short nap reboots your brain for learning

A new study reveals that a 45-minute afternoon nap actively "resets" the brain's learning capacity by reorganizing neural connections.

Researchers found naps reduce synaptic saturationthe brain's "clogged whiteboard" effectmaking room for new information.

This synaptic recalibration enhances the brain's ability to form new memories and learn for at least two hours post-nap.

The findings challenge modern work culture, suggesting strategic napping is a biological necessity for cognitive performance.

A separate 2023 study found a causal link between habitual napping and larger total brain volume, a marker of long-term brain health.

In a culture that often prizes caffeine-fueled endurance over rest, new neuroscience research delivers a compelling counterargument: the humble afternoon nap is not a sign of laziness but a powerful cognitive reset button. A groundbreaking study published in NeuroImage reveals that a brief daytime sleep fundamentally reorganizes the brain's wiring, clearing mental clutter and enhancing the capacity to learn and store new information. This discovery, from researchers at the University of Freiburg and the University of Geneva, provides a mechanistic explanation for why cultures with siesta traditions may have been honoring a deep neurological need all along.

The clogged whiteboard of the awake mind

Throughout waking hours, our brains constantly process and store new information by strengthening connections between neurons at synapses. However, this continuous strengthening leads to synaptic saturationa state where the neural network becomes so loaded it struggles to encode anything new. "Think of it like a whiteboard that gets increasingly cluttered with notes throughout the morning," the study suggests. "By afternoon, theres barely any space left to write new information clearly." The brain requires a period of recalibration to erase some of this clutter and restore learning capacity, a process previously thought to require full, nighttime sleep cycles.

The study involved twenty healthy adults who either took a 45-minute afternoon nap or remained awake during the same period. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and EEG measurements as proxies for synaptic activity, the team assessed brain plasticity. The results were clear: after the nap, the brain's ability to form new synaptic connections improved dramatically. Participants' brains were substantially better prepared to learn new content than after an equivalent period of wakefulness, with the enhanced capacity lasting for at least two hours.

A neurological nod to historical wisdom

The implications extend far beyond simply feeling less groggy. This represents a fundamental, beneficial reorganization of the brain's information processing architecture. Professions demanding sustained attention, complex learning, or high-level cognitive performancefrom pilots and surgeons to musicians and studentscould see significant benefits from strategic napping. This research reframes the afternoon slump not as a personal failing but as a biological signal to restore cognitive function.

Historically, many cultures integrated afternoon rest periods, aligning daily rhythms with natural circadian dips. Modern industrial and post-industrial work culture, however, often stigmatizes daytime sleep, promoting instead a constant state of alertness. This study suggests that in doing so, we may be ignoring a key tool for maintaining cognitive health and performance, potentially contributing to widespread issues like burnout and cognitive fatigue.

Building on a foundation of brain health

This new evidence dovetails with earlier research underscoring the long-term benefits of napping. A 2023 study in Sleep Health, using genetic data from nearly 380,000 people in the UK Biobank, found a causal link between habitual napping and larger total brain volumea robust marker of brain health associated with a lower risk of dementia. The researchers estimated that the brain volume difference between those genetically predisposed to nap and those who were not was equivalent to 2.6 to 6.5 years of aging. While the new NeuroImage study shows the immediate, functional "reset," the 2023 study points to a potential structural, protective effect over time.

For optimal benefit, the research points to specific practices:

Timing is key: Nap in the early afternoon, between 1:00 and 3:00 PM, to align with natural circadian rhythms and avoid disrupting nighttime sleep.

Nap in the early afternoon, between 1:00 and 3:00 PM, to align with natural circadian rhythms and avoid disrupting nighttime sleep. Keep it short: Aim for 20-45 minutes. This duration typically allows for restorative NREM sleep without entering deeper sleep stages that cause grogginess upon waking.

Aim for 20-45 minutes. This duration typically allows for restorative NREM sleep without entering deeper sleep stages that cause grogginess upon waking. Optimize the environment: A dark, quiet and cool space signals to the brain that it is time for genuine sleep, not just quiet rest.

Reclaiming rest for cognitive vitality

The collective findings present a powerful case for re-evaluating our relationship with daytime rest. The afternoon nap emerges not as an indulgence but as a scientifically-supported strategy for synaptic maintenance and cognitive longevity. In an age of accelerating information overload and rising neurodegenerative disease rates, this research suggests that one of the simplest, most natural interventions for brain health may have been within reach all alongif only we give ourselves permission to close our eyes. By aligning our habits with this innate neurological need, we can foster a brain environment better equipped for learning, resilience and long-term health.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalHealth365.com

ScienceDirect.com

UCL.ac.uk
News / National

by Staff reporter

Ngoni Mwazha, the son of the late African Apostolic Church leader Archbishop Paul Mwazha, has appeared in court facing a charge of contempt of court after allegedly defying a High Court order barring him and 16 others from convening at church shrines in Eastview, Harare.The accused are alleged to have held unauthorised church services at shrines in Eastview's Phases 2, 3 and 12, in direct violation of a 2022 High Court injunction that prohibited them from accessing or holding meetings at the specified locations.Appearing before Magistrate Kudzanai Kapurura, the accused pleaded not guilty, with their defence challenging the very existence of the Eastview shrines cited by the prosecution. They also questioned the complainant's legal standing, arguing that Jacob Mazo is not authorised to act on behalf of the African Apostolic Church.In their submissions, the accused maintained that they are members in good standing who were never formally expelled from the church. They further argued that their conduct is consistent with the religious doctrines established by the late Archbishop Mwazha."The accused persons, in the exercise of their faith, do not act through the individuals mentioned in High Court order HC 537/22 but instead worship in accordance with their belief in Jesus Christ, as taught by Archbishop Paul Mwazha of Africa, the servant of God and leader of the church," the defence submitted.The defence also contended that the High Court order does not amount to an outright prohibition on the use of the shrines, but rather regulates gatherings by setting out procedures to be followed. According to the accused, the order requires church members to obtain authorisation from the church's governing authority before holding services."The order confirms the procedure that church members must follow whenever they intend to hold gatherings by obtaining consent from the Archbishop Paul Mwazha of Africa. It is unimaginable that non-members of the church would be required to seek such consent," the defence argued.The matter is set to resume on January 29, as the court continues to hear evidence and arguments from both sides.
Trumps Second Amendment Betrayal: The Crossing of a Conservative Red Line

The Stunning Admission: 'You Can't Have Guns'

The core of the conservative movements support for Donald Trump has long been rooted in a perceived mutual allegiance to the Constitution, particularly the Second Amendment. That bedrock trust was shattered in the wake of the Alex Pretti incident in Minneapolis. Following the fatal shooting of the legally armed citizen by federal agents, President Trump appeared to dismiss the fundamental right to bear arms. His reported remarks, as covered by news outlets, signaled a stark departure from his professed pro-Second Amendment stance. In defending the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, Trump was perceived as endorsing a scenario where the mere act of legally carrying a firearm at a protest could justify lethal state violence.

The immediate reaction from his base was one of visceral betrayal. Gun rights groups, typically staunch Trump allies, publicly condemned the administrations position. A gun rights lobbyist was quoted asking administration officials, 'WTF?' expressing the profound confusion and anger felt by many [1]. This incident laid bare a fundamental breach: the President seemed to side with federal enforcement power over the constitutional rights of a citizen, a citizen who, according to reports, was executed for exercising those very rights. The narrative from sources like TIME magazine underscored the rupture, noting that 'Trump allies are linking Alex Prettis death by immigration officers to his packing a gun' and that 'Prominent 2nd Amendment figures are furious' [2]. This single moment crystallized a growing fear: that the 'America First' champion was morphing into an 'Authoritarianism First' leader.

A Pattern, Not an Accident: Trump's Historical Disregard for Gun Rights

For those paying attention, the Pretti incident was not an isolated misstep but the culmination of a pattern. During his first term, President Trump unilaterally moved to ban bump stocks via executive action, a move criticized by purists as a clear infringement on gun rights that established a dangerous precedent for regulating firearm accessories by executive fiat [3]. This action revealed a willingness to compromise a fundamental liberty for the appearance of 'doing something' on gun violence, a tactic straight from the statist playbook.

Furthermore, Trump's own Department of Justice under Attorney General Pam Bondi has actively defended archaic, restrictive gun laws, directly contradicting his professed pro-Second Amendment agenda. The DOJ is currently defending the nearly century-old National Firearms Act of 1934 in a court case concerning suppressor ownership [4]. This legal stance, favoring burdensome federal registration schemes, aligns more with the ambitions of a regulatory state than with the philosophy of a constitutional originalist. It exposes the hollowness of campaign trail promises to be the 'best friend gun owners have ever had in the White House' [5].

The evidence suggests Trump's support has always been transactional and politically convenient. As one Mises Institute analysis starkly put it in the context of the Minneapolis shooting, 'Its increasingly difficult to imagine anything the Trump administration can do that conservatives and Republicans will not make excuses for' [6]. The administration's actions demonstrate that when forced to choose between the power of the state and the liberty of the individual, the choice is clearand it is not the choice of a true defender of the Second Amendment.

ICE as American Execution Squads: The Escalation of Government Terror

The Pretti killing must be understood within a broader and more terrifying context: the transformation of federal agencies into instruments of domestic terror. Reports from the scene and subsequent analysis paint a picture of ICE operations that bear the chilling hallmarks of paramilitary death squads. Agents operating in masks, armed with military-grade equipment, and reportedly issuing threats like, 'You raise your voice, I erase your voice,' signal a shift from law enforcement to state-sanctioned intimidation and violence [7]. This is not the action of a government servant upholding the law; it is the action of an enforcer silencing dissent.

The parallels to historical regimes are unmistakable. When government agents, shielded by anonymity, are authorized to use lethal force against citizens legally exercising their rights, the line between a republic and a police state vanishes. The state justifies these actions under the banner of 'law and order' and border security, but the logical endpoint is the dismantling of the Bill of Rights for all Americans. The 'removing criminal illegals' narrative quickly morphs into a license for extrajudicial action against any citizen deemed a threat by the state.

This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy of violence. As noted in analysis of the Minnesota unrest, escalating left-wing riots have sparked speculation that the Trump administration may invoke the Insurrection Act to restore order [8]. The very terror tactics employed by masked ICE agents fuel the civil unrest they are ostensibly deployed to quell, creating a pretext for the further suspension of civil liberties and the deployment of active-duty military on American streets. It is a classic strategy of tyrants: create a crisis, then offer themselves as the only solution, demanding ever-greater powers in the process.

Historical Precedents: From Khmer Rouge to IDF  The Path We Are On

History offers a grim playbook for the trajectory the United States now risks following. Authoritarian regimes never begin with mass graves; they begin with the incremental erosion of rights, the dehumanization of 'the other,' and the normalization of state violence. The rhetoric used to justify the Pretti shootingframing a legally armed nurse as a threat simply for exercising a rightis the same logic used by the Khmer Rouge to identify 'enemies of the people' or by Stalin's NKVD to purge 'saboteurs.' It starts with a marginalized group'illegals,' 'antifa,' 'domestic extremists'but the definition always expands to encompass anyone who dissents.

We are witnessing the 'Israelification' of American domestic policy, a process warned about by analysts for years. This involves adopting the tactics of a surveillance-and-strike security state, where citizens are pre-emptively labeled potential 'terrorists' based on ideology or association, thus justifying pre-emptive action [9]. The FBI's own security clearance investigations, asking employees if they supported President Trump or attended pro-Second Amendment rallies, exemplify this ideological profiling [10]. When the state equates political belief with disloyalty, the next step is to equate dissent with terrorism.

The foundational American principle that rights are inherent and inalienable is being replaced by the perverse notion that rights are privileges granted by the state, revocable at its whim. As one analysis of the global slide into tyranny noted, 'It's happening again. Europe is once more going full totalitarian, and there's a distinctly familiar communist stench in the air' [11]. The United States is not immune. The logic is terrifyingly simple: first, you suspend rights for 'them.' Then, 'them' becomes anyone who objects. Finally, you are left with a nation where the only right is the right of the state to rule.

The Inevitable Blowback: Civil War, Retribution, and Collapse

State-sponsored violence begets retaliatory violence, creating a vicious cycle that tears a nation apart. The Trump administration's aggressive tactics have already provoked a severe response. Democratic officials like Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes have threatened to prosecute ICE agents and suggested citizens could use lethal force against masked federal officers under 'Stand Your Ground' laws [12]. In Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner has reportedly promised to 'hunt down' ICE agents should Trump leave office. This is not peacekeeping; it is the declaration of open season on government actors, a recipe for anarchy and retaliatory bloodshed.

This environment of mutual threat is perilously close to fulfilling the conditions for a low-intensity civil conflict. As warned in analyses of civil war risks, 'Democrats are now all-in on the effort to spark a civil war in America' [13]. The administration may be calculating that such unrest provides the perfect pretext for a dramatic power grab. By engineering or allowing chaos to spiral, Trump could justify invoking the Insurrection Act, deploying the military domestically, and suspending constitutional governance entirely under the guise of restoring order.

This scenario would unfold against a backdrop of profound economic and social fragility. The U.S. dollar, built on a mountain of debt and endless fiat printing, is headed for catastrophic collapse [14]. Food insecurity is rising as supply chains falter. In this tinderbox, the spark of widespread civil conflict could ignite a firestorm consuming the nation. The confluence of currency collapse, resource scarcity, and street warfare would lead not to a reset, but to a collapse, with mass American casualties the inevitable result. The Second Amendment exists precisely to prevent government from reaching this point of tyranny; its betrayal makes the violent climax all but unavoidable.

Conclusion: A Nation at the Precipice

The fundamental error at the heart of the current crisis is the age-old tyrannical bargain: the belief that securing a desired endin this case, border security or public orderjustifies any means, including the abolition of the very rights that define a free society. This is the logic of every despot in history. As one analysis of constitutional sheriffs warned, the difference between freedom and tyranny often rests with local officials who refuse to enforce unconstitutional edicts [15]. When the federal government itself becomes the source of the unconstitutional act, that last line of defense is breached.

This is a warning to all Americans, regardless of political affiliation. The Second Amendment was not written for hunting or sport. It was written as the final safeguard against a government that oversteps its bounds and becomes a threat to its own people. It exists precisely for moments like this, when masked agents execute citizens for exercising their rights, when the DOJ defends laws that shred those rights, and when a president dismisses those rights as conditional. The right to bear arms is the right to say 'no' to a terror regime.

The path forward requires a immediate de-escalation. It demands a return to the rule of law, where due process is sacred and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, not the whims of federal enforcers. It requires the conservative movement to hold its standard-bearer accountable for this profound betrayal. The alternative is a descent into a violence from which the nation may not recover. America stands at the precipice. It must choose whether to step back towards its founding principles or leap into the abyss of self-destruction. The time for prayer, for vigilance, and for courageous defense of liberty is now.

References
The Great Digital Exodus: Why UpScrolled is Becoming the Last Refuge for Uncensored Truth

Introduction: The Censorship Crackdown Forcing a Mass Migration

A profound realignment of the digital landscape is underway. Users are fleeing established social media platforms in droves, not for better features, but for their most fundamental right: the freedom to speak. This mass migration, termed 'The Great Digital Exodus,' is a direct rebellion against a coordinated censorship regime that has transformed platforms like TikTok and X into tools for suppressing specific political narratives.

The catalyst is the deliberate and systemic silencing of content related to Israeli military actions in Gaza, including discussions of war crimes and genocide. This suppression has ignited a user rebellion, forcing truth-seekers to search for alternatives that honor discourse over compliance. In this void, a new platform named UpScrolled has rapidly emerged as the primary destination for those fleeing this digital tyranny, positioning itself as a last bastion for uncensored truth.

The Fall of the Giants: How TikTok and X Betrayed Free Speech

The promise of an open internet has been shattered by the very platforms that once championed it. TikTok, following its forced sale to a consortium including Larry Ellison, instituted immediate and draconian content bans. This shift, perceived as aligning with specific geopolitical interests, led to what users described as the 'outright censorship of the American people' regarding Middle East coverage [1]. Concurrently, over 700,000 American users began migrating to other apps as the platform faced a U.S. ban, a movement described as a 'TikTok refugee crisis' [2][3].

Meanwhile, X, under the ownership of Elon Musk, has exposed its 'free speech' branding as blatant false advertising. Despite initial pledges [4], the platform actively shadow-bans Gaza war footage and critics of Israel, algorithmically boosting pro-Zionist narratives while penalizing dissent. This creates a curated false reality, betraying users who sought an alternative to previous censorship regimes. The result is a digital environment where, as one analysis notes, powerful technocrats impose 'scientism' to justify oppressive policies, including the control of information [5]. Both platforms now function less as public squares and more as instruments for a specific political agenda, actively crafting a narrative rather than hosting a debate.

The Brighteon Ecosystem: A Decentralized Foundation

The path for genuine alternatives was pioneered by decentralized, principle-first platforms. Brighteon.social and its associated video platform, Brighteon.com, were built explicitly as unsensorable alternatives to mainstream giants. Founded on a commitment to avoid political viewpoint discrimination, these platforms host robust debate on topics from natural health to geopolitics without shadow-banning, serving as a critical proof-of-concept for a post-censorship internet.

However, their growth faces a formidable barrier: the stranglehold of Apple and Google via their monopoly app stores. These corporate gatekeepers routinely block the distribution of apps that defy establishment narratives, demonstrating the need for platforms that exist entirely outside the control of globalist tech monopolies. This ecosystem, which includes tools like the Bastyon desktop application for resisting censorship by bypassing centralized internet infrastructure [6], highlights that true digital liberty requires architecture that is resilient to coercion from both governments and corporations.

UpScrolled: Anatomy of a Rising Alternative

Into this climate of betrayal and demand steps UpScrolled. Its explosive growth is a direct symptom of the censorship failures of TikTok and X. Founded by Palestinian-Australian creator Issam Hijazi outside the traditional U.S. tech power structure, it has advertised itself with a clear 'no censorship' and 'no shadowbans' policy [7]. This stance resonated instantly with users feeling suppressed on other platforms.

Reports indicate a massive surge in adoption, with users 'fleeing TikTok in droves' to the Palestinian-owned app due to censorship and user issues [8]. It broke into the top 15 most downloaded apps as TikTok users flocked to it after Larry Ellison's purchase of the platform [9]. Early adopters report dramatically higher engagement for content that was previously suppressed, providing tangible proof of the depth of prior algorithmic manipulation on legacy platforms. While its current mobile-only format is a drawback for some, its foundational commitment to uncensored discourse remains a powerful and necessary draw in an increasingly controlled digital world.

The Looming Test: Can UpScrolled Withstand Globalist Pressure?

UpScrolled's rise, however, invites its greatest challenge. Its stated principles will inevitably collide with the forces of globalist pressure. The platform's physical and legal presence in Australia represents a significant vulnerability, as the nation, like many Western countries, has demonstrated hostility to free speech through extreme laws censoring speech, as criticized by figures like U.S. Vice President JD Vance [10].

The coming threatsfines, takedown orders, and even potential legal actions against founderswill be the ultimate test of the platform's commitment. As history shows, entities like the Center for Countering Digital Hate, with directors linked to groups funded by figures like George Soros, actively campaign to have opposing voices banned from digital life [11][12]. The only viable long-term strategy for survival is a physical and legal exodus: moving servers and domicile to a jurisdiction beyond state coercion. The platform's future depends on its willingness to fully decentralize and escape state control, a critical lesson from the operational resilience of the Brighteon model.

Conclusion: Building the Post-Censorship Internet

The migration to UpScrolled is more than a trend; it is a stark referendum on the failed promise of 'free speech' on centralized, captured platforms. The exodus from TikTok and X proves that users will abandon even the most entrenched networks when they become instruments of narrative control. This movement underscores a fundamental truth: real digital liberty cannot be found in corporate boardrooms seeking compliance, but must be built on principle.

To safeguard against future blackouts and censorship waves, users must actively diversify their presence across resilient, decentralized ecosystems. Supporting platforms like UpScrolled, Brighteon.social, and using uncensored AI engines like BrightAnswers.ai is essential. This exodus is not merely about changing appsit is about actively constructing an independent internet where truth and historical memory cannot be erased by a click. It is about recognizing that the fight for free speech, as one commentator argues, is a fight against those who seek to 'implement their fascistic designs' for total control [13]. The future of honest discourse depends on our collective choice to build and inhabit these new digital frontiers.

References
U.S. withdraws from World Health Organization, citing COVID-19 response and reform failures

The United States has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), fulfilling a pledge President Donald Trump made upon returning to office in 2025.

Administration officials said the decision was driven by the WHO's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, alleged politicization and failure to implement meaningful reforms.

Trump issued a Jan. 20 executive order halting all U.S. funding to the WHO and recalling all American representatives from the United Nations (UN) health agency.

The U.S., historically the WHO's largest financial contributor, paid about 22% of its budget but now refuses to pay an estimated $278 million in outstanding dues.

The administration stated it has provided the required one-year notice of withdrawal, marking a major shift in U.S. involvement in global public health efforts.

The United States has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), following through on a pledge President Donald Trump made upon returning to office.

"Today, the United States withdrew from the World Health Organization, freeing itself from its constraints, as President Trump promised on his first day in office," Department of State Secretary Marco Rubio and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a joint statement on Jan. 22.

The officials said the move was in response to the WHO's "failures during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic" and the harm they said those failures caused to the American people.

"Like many international organizations, the WHO abandoned its core mission and acted repeatedly against the interests of the United States. Although the United States was a founding member and the WHO's largest financial contributor, the organization pursued a politicized, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests. In doing so, the WHO obstructed the timely and accurate sharing of critical information that could have saved American lives and then concealed those failures under the pretext of acting 'in the interest of public health,'" the joint statement continued.

In a separate statement, the White House said Trump's decision was driven by the organization's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that originated in Wuhan, China, as well as its response to other global health crises. The administration also cited the WHO's failure to implement "urgently needed reforms" and the group's inability to operate independently from political influence by member states.

Trump formalized the decision in an executive order dated Jan. 20, directing that all U.S. funding to the WHO be halted and that all official U.S. representatives be recalled from the United Nations (UN) health agency.

U.S. refuses to pay any outstanding financial obligations to the WHO

The WHO, originally established in 1948, had 194 member countries before the U.S. exited the body. The U.S. became a member that same year after Congress approved a joint resolution signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. As BrightU.AI's Enoch noted, the WHO is a specialized agency of the UN that directs and coordinates international health within the WHO Constitution.

As part of its membership obligations, the U.S. was responsible for funding roughly 22% of the WHO's budget and contributed an average of $237 million annually between 2012 and 2024. However, Trump directed the U.S. to withdraw from ongoing negotiations tied to WHO agreements, stating that such agreements "will have no binding force on the United States."

Under the original agreement governing U.S. membership in the WHO, withdrawing members are required to pay any outstanding financial obligations. The U.S. currently owes the WHO an estimated $278 million in unpaid dues for 2024 and 2025. The administration, however, has indicated it will not make those payments. "The American people have paid more than enough," a State Department spokesperson said.

The agreement also requires a member nation to provide one year's notice before withdrawing. The Trump administration said it delivered that notice to the organization upon the president's inauguration in 2025.

Watch this video discussing the views of Dr. Brock Chisholm, the WHO's first director-general, including how he believed in the necessity of creating a world government.

This video is from the ThriveTime Show channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

HHS.gov

BrightU.ai

Bighteon.com
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News / National

by Staff reporter

Medicinal cannabis producers in Zimbabwe have been warned to urgently renew their operating licences as permits issued in 2021 approach the end of their five-year validity period.The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has confirmed that all licences granted under the first round of approvals following the legalisation of medicinal and scientific cannabis production will expire this year, stressing that late renewal applications will not be accepted.In a formal notice to licence holders, MCAZ said producers involved in the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and scientific purposes must submit renewal applications before their licences lapse to avoid disruptions to their operations.MCAZ Director General Mr Richard Rukwata said the authority was issuing early notice to allow licence holders adequate time to comply with renewal requirements."Licences issued in 2021 were valid for five years and are now reaching expiry. Renewal is mandatory for continued lawful operations," Rukwata said.He warned that failure to act within the prescribed timeframe would result in the automatic loss of licensing status, as the authority is not legally permitted to process renewal applications once a licence has expired.The renewal process is governed by the Dangerous Drugs Regulations contained in Statutory Instrument 62 of 2018. Under the regulations, licence holders must lodge renewal applications before expiry and demonstrate continued compliance with all conditions attached to the original licence.Applicants are required to submit the prescribed renewal fee, a copy of the existing licence, and a declaration signed by an authorised person confirming that all licensing information remains accurate and complete. The declaration must also confirm ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements relating to production standards, security, record keeping and operational oversight.MCAZ said any changes that have occurred since the original licence was issued  including ownership or directorship changes  must be fully disclosed. In such cases, applicants are required to submit updated company records, certified identification documents for new directors, and security clearance documentation, including fingerprints processed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Proof of compliance with conditions imposed by the Minister of Health at the time of licensing is also mandatory.The authority clarified that once a renewal application has been properly lodged before the expiry date, the licence remains valid until a decision is communicated by the Minister of Health. This provision is intended to protect compliant producers from operational interruptions caused by administrative delays.As part of the renewal process, MCAZ has issued a proforma invoice setting the cannabis licence renewal fee at US$20 000. The authority said its cash office is operational and able to accept payments, while bank deposits can also be made through a designated Nedbank account in Harare.However, licence holders have been cautioned that bank transfers may attract charges that could result in underpayment, and they are advised to ensure any shortfalls are covered to allow full settlement of fees. Proof of payment must be submitted promptly, clearly referencing the invoice number or purpose of payment, to avoid delays in processing.Zimbabwe legalised the production of cannabis for medicinal and scientific use as part of efforts to diversify agricultural exports and attract investment into pharmaceutical research and manufacturing. Several companies have since entered the sector, positioning the country as a potential regional supplier of medicinal cannabis products.With the first cohort of licences now expiring, authorities say the renewal process will be a key test of regulatory compliance and sector maturity, reiterating that strict adherence to timelines and conditions remains central to maintaining the integrity of Zimbabwe's medicinal cannabis industry.
ACC Limited announced its highest-ever quarterly sales volume of 11.3 million tonnes for the quarter ending December 2025, marking a 15% year-on-year increase. This performance is attributed to a strategic focus on premium cement and ready-mix concrete, alongside the transformative step of amalgamating with Ambuja Cements to create a unified platform. The company reported a 22% rise in normalized revenue to 6,483 crore and expanded its concrete business to 117 plants. Leadership expressed confidence in sustaining growth through cost leadership and innovation in green cement solutions.

ACC Limited achieves record 11.3 MT sales volume in Dec 2025 quarter, driven by premium products and the Ambuja-ACC amalgamation.

Ahmedabad, January 28 ACC Limited, part of the diversified Adani Portfolio and delivered a standout performance for the quarter that ended in December 2025, achieving its highest-ever quarterly sales volume.

It reported highest ever quarterly volume at 11.3 million tonne, up 15 per cent year-on-year.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said its momentum during the quarter reflects transformative steps, chief amongst which is the announcement of the amalgamation of ACC Limited into Ambuja Cements Limited, establishing a unified 'One Cement Platform' that will accelerate its growth trajectory, drive operational excellence, improve capital efficiency, reinforce its industry leadership and support long-term value creation.

The performance highlights an emphasis on premium cement and solutions rich ready-mix concrete (RMX).

Capacity additions and debottlenecking initiatives, powered by group-wide expertise, positioned ACC to sustain growth and play a cost leadership role.

Vinod Bahety, Whole-Time Director & CEO, ACC Limited, said: "We have sustained our growth momentum with another strong quarter, delivering our highest-ever quarterly volumes. Higher trade and premium cement sales, alongside continued expansion in RMX, have supported better realizations than industry peers and strengthened our market position in core regions. We remain focused on resolving specific cost levers as part of our blueprint, particularly power costs, increasing the share of green power, fuel efficiency, improved WHRS and AFR utilization, and tighter logistics costs."

During the quarter, it has reported highest ever quarterly revenue (normalised basis) at Rs 6,483 crore, up by 22 per cent year-on-year.

ACC's concrete business footprint increased through addition of 14 plants year-on-year, now 117 plants spread over in 45 cities.

ACC said the cement industry is expected to sustain its growth momentum.

The demand revival seen in Q3 has continued into Q4, placing the industry on track for growth of around 8 per cent in 2025-26, it said in the statement.

"Over the longer term, deeper ESG integration and wider adoption of technology-enabled construction practices will shape how companies compete. Our R&D-driven, customised cement solutions will continue to support higher Trade and Premium sales, leading to improved realisations. Our institutional customers will benefit from our focus on high-quality, high-strength and Green Cement, which has already been approved for use in highways, metro systems and other major structural projects. Adani Cement has grown at twice the industry average and will continue to maintain this leadership position. As we build on improvements in market share, premium mix and realisations, our cost-leadership blueprint will provide further tailwinds to profitability," it said.

With a legacy of nearly nine decades, ACC operates 20 cement manufacturing sites, 117 ready-mix concrete plants, and a nationwide network of channel partners, serving its customers.

- ANI
This marks another aviation scare for Pawar's circle, following a 2024 helicopter crash in Pune

The incident occurred around 9 a.m., an hour after the flight took off from Mumbai

The plane crashed during its landing phase near Baramati, with visuals showing a fiery wreckage

A tragic plane crash has claimed the life of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, along with five others. The aircraft went down while attempting to land near Baramati, with emergency services rushing to the fiery scene. Pawar was en route to a political event when the disaster struck, prompting his family to rush to the site. Officials from the DGCA have arrived to investigate the cause of the crash.

Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar and five others killed in a plane crash near Baramati. The aircraft crashed while landing, officials confirm.

Baramati, Jan 28 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar and five others died in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that all six passengers on board are dead.

The plane crashed while landing near Baramati. Visuals from the spot show fire and smoke, mangled remains of the plane, and ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. There were people at the wreckage site trying to extend help in every possible way.

This incident occurred around 9 a.m., an hour after the plane took off from Mumbai.

Deputy CM Pawar's family rushed to the accident site. Incidentally, his wife and party MP Sunetra, and son, Parth, were set to leave for Baramati from Delhi, along with the leader's cousin, and NCP-SP working president Supriya Sule.

Amid ongoing elections to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis, Dy CM Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting.

Emergency services and senior security officials have reached the site in Baramati. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after the aircraft lost control during the landing phase.

Three bodies were rushed to the Baramati Medical College. The identification of the bodies is underway, as per the Pune Superintendent of Police (SP).

A team of DGCA officials has arrived at the plane crash site.

More details were awaited about the plane crash. Reports said that locals had rushed to the spot on seeing the plane crashing.

This incident comes after several aviation-related scares for the leader. In October 2024, a helicopter intended to pick up his party colleague Sunil Tatkare crashed in Pune, and there have been previous instances of emergency landings in the region due to bad weather.

- IANS
Last rites to be held with full state honours

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressed profound grief in the House over the untimely demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. The chartered aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport, killing all five people on board. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning, with the national flag at half-mast. Ajit Pawar, the state's longest-serving deputy chief minister, was traveling from Mumbai to campaign for local elections.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla leads tributes to Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who died in a Baramati plane crash. CM Fadnavis declares state mourning.

New Delhi, January 28 Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday paid tribute to Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar, who lost his life in a plane crash in Baramati this morning.

In his condolence message in the Lok Sabha, Om Birla expressed grief over Ajit Pawar's untimely demise and highlighted his contributions to Maharashtra's development.

"The untimely demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar and others in a plane crash is extremely tragic. Ajit Pawar had also served as a Member of the 10th Lok Sabha from the Baramati parliamentary constituency in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar will always be remembered for his work in the cooperative sector, public welfare, and the development of the state," he said.

Ajit Pawar was killed crash while travelling from Mumbai to Baramati earlier today.

Earlier in the day, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule visited Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati to pay her respects to her late cousin, Ajit Pawar.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were also present there to pay their respects to the late NCP leader.

Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, broke down while meeting members of the Pawar family after the untimely demise of her husband in a charter plane crash that claimed four more lives.

Ajit Pawar, 66, died this morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

The crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate. Pawar was on his way to Baramati from Mumbai to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.

Ajit Pawar's last rites will be performed with full state honours, the Maharashtra General Administration Department (Protocol) said.

Kiran, Trustee of Vidya Pratishthan, said that Pawar's last rites will be conducted tomorrow at 11 am.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minsiter Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. During the three-day mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings across Maharashtra where it is regularly hoisted.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

- ANI
President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet for European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, marking the EU's first participation as chief guest for India's Republic Day. The leaders highlighted the growth of the strategic partnership, based on shared democratic values and economic interests. Key outcomes included the conclusion of a historic Free Trade Agreement and a new Security and Defence Partnership. Business leader Akash Ambani was among the prominent Indian dignitaries in attendance at the Rashtrapati Bhavan event.

President Murmu hosts EU leaders; Akash Ambani among dignitaries. Talks focus on India-EU trade, defense, and shared democratic values.

New Delhi, January 28 President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday received Antonio Costa, President of the European Council and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in their honour.

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval were among the leaders present.

Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, was among the invitees, along with leaders from various fields.

Welcoming the European Union leaders, the President said that their presence as Chief Guests on Republic Day, marking the first participation of the European Union in India's Republic Day celebrations, holds special significance, reflecting the depth of "mutual engagement and the trust we place in one another".

The President said that India and Europe are connected not only by contemporary interests, but also by shared values such as democracy, pluralism, and an open market economy. These principles guide us in a rapidly changing global environment. She was happy to note that over the past two decades, the India-European Union Strategic Partnership has grown remarkably stronger. She said that this reflects our collective aspiration to shape a stable, balanced, and rules-based international order.

The President said that in these times of uncertainty and conflict, India and the European Union share the responsibility of maintaining global stability. Our cooperation sends a clear message in support of diplomacy, multilateralism, and peaceful coexistence.

The President said that economic cooperation is a key pillar of India-European Union relations. We view trade and investment as instruments of shared prosperity and social progress. She expressed happiness over the successful conclusion of the historic negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, adding that it will bring significant positive changes to the lives of our people.

The President said that impact of technology on society is as profound as its impact on the economy. India and the EU can work together to advance "responsible innovation". She added that the Security and Defence Partnership concluded during this visit will open new opportunities for our defence industries.

The President said that India is keen to further strengthen cooperation with the EU in the fields of clean energy, climate finance, and sustainable technologies.

The three leaders expressed confidence that the important agreements concluded during this visit will further deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership. They agreed that India and the EU are emerging as a force for balance, stability, and optimism and together, we can shape a future that is sustainable, inclusive and humane.

- ANI
Novak Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open semifinals after his quarterfinal opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, retired due to a right leg injury while leading by two sets. Musetti had delivered a superb performance, winning the first two sets 6-4, 6-3 and controlling the match against the ten-time champion. Djokovic expressed sympathy for his opponent, stating Musetti deserved to win and wishing him a speedy recovery. The Serb now awaits the winner of the match between Jannik Sinner and Ben Shelton.

Novak Djokovic reaches his 13th Australian Open semifinal after opponent Lorenzo Musetti retired while leading two sets to love due to a leg injury.

Melbourne, Jan 28 Novak Djokovic, a ten-time Australian Open champion, reached his 13th semifinal at Melbourne Park on Wednesday afternoon in a dramatic way when the fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti retired with a two-set lead.

The Italian led 6-4 6-3 before injuring his right leg en route to being broken in the third game of the third set. Meanwhile, Djokovic added another milestone to his illustrious career simply by stepping on court Wednesday for his quarterfinal as the former No. 1 became just the third man to play 1,400 tour-level matches.

Musetti stepped onto Rod Laver Arena, having lost all three previous major matches against Djokovic. He delivered an excellent all-around quarter-final performance, taking a two-set lead. However, he seemed to injure his upper right leg in the third game of the third set. Despite attempting to continue after physio treatment at 1-2, Musetti was eventually forced to retire after two hours and eight minutes of play.

Having become the second-oldest man in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open semi-finals, Djokovic, who advanced to the quarterfinals after Jakub Mensik withdrew with injury before their fourth-round clash, moves on to a semi-final on Friday between the winner of the quarterfinal between second seed Jannik Sinner and eighth seed Ben Shelton.

"I don't know what to say except I feel really sorry for him, and he was a far better player. I was on my way home tonight. These kinds of things happen in sport. It happened to me a few times, but being in the quarters of a Grand Slam, two sets to love up, and being in full control, it's so unfortunate. I don't know what else I can say and I really wish him a speedy recovery. He should have been a winner today, no doubt," said Djokovic in his on-court interview.

Musetti moved to the brink of a major upset with a polished straight-sets performance, taking control of his quarterfinal by winning the opening two sets against Novak Djokovic. The fifth seed set the tone early, serving with authority to close out the first set 6-4.

After a nervy opening point, the Italian quickly settled, repeatedly finding pace and precision on serve to keep Djokovic on the back foot. He sealed the set with confident baseline play, finishing a key rally with a sharply angled forehand winner to claim a deserved one-set advantage.

Momentum continued to swing Musetti's way in the second set, where he broke serve to secure a 6-3 victory. Djokovic resisted through a tightly contested game featuring several deuces and flashes of his trademark creativity at the net, but key mistakes at critical moments proved costly. Musetti capitalised, producing clean returns and decisive groundstrokes to convert his chances and close the set with another emphatic forehand.

With his serving holding firm and his shot-making under pressure, Musetti surged to a 2-0 lead, leaving the Italian just one set away from a memorable quarterfinal triumph over the defending champion.

- IANS
Novak Djokovic progressed to the Australian Open semi-finals after his quarter-final opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, retired due to an upper-right leg injury. The Italian was leading the match two sets to love and 3-1 in the third set when the injury struck. Djokovic expressed sympathy for Musetti, stating the Italian was the far better player on the day and deserved to win. The victory also marked Djokovic's 103rd Australian Open singles win, setting a new tournament record.

Novak Djokovic reaches the Australian Open semi-finals after opponent Lorenzo Musetti retires with a leg injury while leading two sets to love.

Melbourne, January 28 Serbian legend and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic moved into the semi-finals of the Australian Open as his opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, was forced to retire while leading 6-4, 6-3, 1-3 in the pair's quarter-final clash on Wednesday.

Musetti's hopes of ending his Grand Slam drought against Djokovic were dashed in cruel fashion in Melbourne. Stepping onto Rod Laver Arena, having lost all three previous meetings with Djokovic at the majors, according to the ATP Tour website.

Musetti's quarterfinal magic was cut short by an upper-right leg injury, which struck in the third game's third set, after he'd built a two-set lead. The Italian battled on for a bit, even after a physio visit at 1-2, but couldn't keep going after two hours and eight minutes of intense play.

"I don't know what to say except I feel really sorry for him, and he was a far better player. I was on my way home tonight. These kinds of things happen in sport. It happened to me a few times, but being in the quarters of a Grand Slam, two sets to love up, and being in full control, it's so unfortunate. I don't know what else I can sa,y and I really wish him a speedy recovery. He should have been a winner today, no doubt," Djokovic said after the match.

"The strategy worked very well for the first couple of games, and then it changed completely. Four winners in the first two games, and no unforced errors. Then in the rest of the match, I had another four winners and probably 40 errors. But that's what Lorenzo does to you," said Djokovic, who now holds a 10-1 Head2Head lead over Musetti.

"He makes you play. When you think the point is finished, it's not. Obviously, a bit more wind today, swirly conditions, and when you attack him you don't know what to expect... What can I say. I tried my best. Yes, I have a blister here and there, but nothing really majorly bothered me. I just wasn't feeling the ball today in the first couple of sets, but that's also due to his quality and his variety of game. I'm just extremely lucky to get through this one today," he concluded.

By stepping on court Wednesday, Djokovic became just the third man (after Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer) to compete in 1,400 tour-level matches. Djokovic also surpassed Federer to claim sole ownership of the record for the most Australian Open singles match wins (103).

- ANI
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated the Wings India 2026 summit at Hyderabad's Begumpet Airport, marking the start of a major biennial aviation event. He emphasized the summit's role in showcasing India's growing strength in civil aviation manufacturing and rising domestic demand. The minister expressed confidence that India could become a global exporter in the sector within the next decade, highlighting new aircraft deliveries as a key growth driver. The event follows ministerial discussions with Airbus executives to further integrate Indian MSMEs into global aviation supply chains.

Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurates Asia's premier aviation summit, Wings India 2026, highlighting India's manufacturing and export potential.

Hyderabad, January 28 Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Wednesday inaugurated 'Wings India 2026' at Begumpet Airport, marking the start of one of Asia's largest aviation summits.

The biennial event begins today and will continue till January 31, bringing together key stakeholders from across the global aviation ecosystem.

Speaking at the inauguration, Naidu described Wings India as the most important aviation summit hosted by the country every two years. "It is one of the biggest summits in Asia. We are proud to host this event on behalf of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and we also thank the Telangana government for its support," he said.

Highlighting the focus of this edition, the minister said 'Wings India 2026' would showcase India's growing strength in civil aviation manufacturing and rising domestic demand. He noted that the government's priority over the next decade is to strengthen the country's manufacturing ecosystem to meet future requirements. "We are confident that India can also emerge as a global exporter in civil aviation in the next 10-12 years," Naidu said.

The minister also inaugurated the aircraft display at the venue, which includes a Boeing 787-9 aircraft specially fitted for Air India. He described it as the first delivery of this aircraft type, calling aircraft delivery one of the major bottlenecks in the aviation sector.

Expressing optimism, Naidu said the arrival of new aircraft would provide a significant boost to Indian aviation. "I feel this year will be great for aviation," he added, underlining strong growth prospects for the sector.

On Tuesday, Naidu held a meeting with senior executives of Airbus to discuss ways to deepen the integration of Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) into global aviation supply chains, reflecting the growing role of India in the global aerospace ecosystem. The minister met Wouter van Wersch, Executive Vice President International at Airbus, and Jurgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia.

The discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between Airbus and Indian industry, particularly MSMEs, as India continues to emerge as a key manufacturing and innovation hub for the global aviation sector. Sharing details of the interaction through a social media post, the Civil Aviation Minister said that India has today emerged as a convergence hub for the interests, innovation and investment of global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

- ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed when a charter plane he was traveling in crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt. The aircraft, which took off from Mumbai, was engulfed in flames upon impact. Chief Ministers from across India, including MK Stalin, Siddaramaiah, and Himanta Biswa Sarma, expressed profound shock and described his death as an irreparable loss to public life. They extended their heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in a charter plane crash near Baramati airport. Chief Ministers across India express shock and condolences.

New Delhi, January 28 Chief Ministers across the nation on Wednesday expressed shock and grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a charter plane crash, describing his passing as an irreparable loss to public life and governance.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar and his co-passengers died when the chartered aircraft they were travelling in crashed near the landing runway of the Baramati airport this Morning. Visuals from the site showed the plane engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing.

The small charter aircraft, with Pawar on board, took off from Mumbai around 8 am and crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt 45 minutes later this morning.

Leaders cutting across party lines expressed shock at the heart-rending news, recalled their big role in the development of Baramati.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said he was "deeply pained" by the tragedy. In a post on X, Stalin wrote, "Deeply pained to learn of the death of Hon'ble Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Thiru. Ajit Pawar and others in a tragic plane crash. The scale of the tragedy is difficult to absorb. I extend my sincere condolences to Thiru. @PawarSpeaks, Tmt. @Supriya_Sule and the families of all those who lost their lives in this terrible accident."

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Pawar's demise was a profound loss to public life. "Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Ajit Pawar in the aircraft crash. His passing is a profound loss to public life. My heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and supporters. May his soul rest in peace, and may his loved ones find the strength to endure this irreparable loss," he wrote on X.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, sharing an X post said that news of the untimely demise of the Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is extremely heartbreaking and shocking.

"The news of the untimely demise of the Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, in a most unfortunate plane crash is extremely heartbreaking and shocking. His passing is an irreplaceable loss for Indian politics, particularly for Maharashtra. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members and his supporters. May God grant a place at His divine feet to the departed soul and bestow strength and solace upon the grieving family to bear this immense sorrow," she wrote in X post.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he was deeply pained by the loss. "Deeply pained by the passing away of Ajit Pawar ji, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in an unfortunate plane crash this morning. A seasoned leader who devoted his life to public service and towards the welfare of people, his contributions to state's development and governance have left a lasting imprint. My thoughts and prayers with his family, supporters and the people of Maharashtra in this hour of grief. May he attain sadgati. Om Shanti," Sarma said in his X post.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed deep shock and profound grief over the tragic demise of Pawar in the plane crash.

The Chief Minister said Pawar's sudden passing was an irreparable loss to public life and extended heartfelt condolences to his family, the Government of Maharashtra and the people of the state, praying for strength to the bereaved family in this moment of immense sorrow.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that sudden passing of Ajit Pawar is an irreparable loss to the politics of Maharashtra.

"We received the extremely heart-wrenching news of the sudden demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, the honorable Shri Ajit Pawar ji, along with other individuals, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. The sudden passing of Late Ajit ji is an irreparable loss to the politics of Maharashtra. May Marang Buru grant peace to the souls of the departed Ajit ji and the other individuals, and bestow strength upon the grieving family members, party workers, and well-wishers to endure this difficult hour of sorrow," Soren said in X post.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu termed the incident "heartbreaking, painful, and shocking." "In his public life, he accorded the highest priority to social welfare, public service, and development. His efforts for the welfare of the common people, farmers, youth, and deprived sections will always remain memorable. His experience, foresight, and leadership in politics and administration guided many important decisions related to public interest. His untimely departure is a great loss to the country's public life," Sukhu said, extending condolences to Pawar's family, colleagues and supporters.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, "The news of the untimely demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar ji in an airplane accident is extremely heartbreaking and soul-stirring. Shri Pawar ji was a dynamic politician and a dedicated public servant. In this hour of profound grief, I express my condolences to the bereaved family, colleagues, and the people of Maharashtra. I pray to Lord Shri Jagannath ji that He grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet and bestow strength upon the grieving family to bear this sorrow. Om Shanti."

Sharing an X post, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote, "The tragic plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, resulting in the untimely demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji and other members, is extremely heartbreaking and soul-wrenching. My humble tribute to them. My condolences are with the bereaved family members. I pray to Lord Shri Ram that the departed virtuous souls attain eternal peace and the grieving families are granted the strength to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti."

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he was shocked and deeply saddened by Pawar's sudden passing.

"Shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar ji in a plane crash this morning. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and followers. Om Shanthi," he said.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the loss would be deeply felt. "Shocked to hear about the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar Sb. I've known Ajit da since my days in college in Bombay when I stayed with Sharad Pawar Sb & his family at Varsha. Ajit da was an able administrator and a consummate political organiser whose loss will be greatly felt. I join my father in sending our condolences to Sharad Pawar Sb, Supriya & the entire family," he said.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also expressed grief at the demise of co-Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died after the charter plane carrying him crashed in Baramati.

He further said that an investigation into the crash will be conducted. "We will conduct a probe into this so that such incidents don't happen again in the future. "Referring to the deceased NCP leader as "Ajit da", Shinde recalled that it is a matter of deep sadness and a "deep loss for Maharashtra."

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

- ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati airport. Political leaders from across the spectrum, including Union Ministers and state leaders, expressed profound grief and condolences. A special team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will probe the crash that killed five people. The leaders highlighted Pawar's contributions to Maharashtra's development and his personal connections with many.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati plane crash. National leaders express grief and call for investigation into the tragedy.

New Delhi, January 28 Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum on Wednesday following the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash near Baramati airport earlier in the day.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu expressed grief in a post on X, saying, " Deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Shri Ajit Pawar in the plane crash in Baramati earlier today. My sincere condolences to his family, loved ones and all those affected by this loss. May his contributions to public life be remembered, and may the bereaved find strength in this difficult time."

From Kerala, State Minister AK Saseendran described Pawar as a close personal associate. "He was a brother to me. Every time we met, he showed me brotherly affection. It is deeply regretted," he said, adding that he prayed for Pawar's family and followers to recover from the loss.

Former Karnataka minister and Congress leader TB Jayachandra termed the incident unfortunate and shocking. Calling Pawar a well-known personality and a personal friend, he said the crash must be thoroughly investigated.

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said the news was heartbreaking and paid tribute to Pawar on behalf of the people of Telangana. He described Pawar as a leader known for making firm decisions in favour of Maharashtra's development. BJP leader V Muraleedharan also condoled the death, highlighting Pawar's role in the development of Baramati and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi called Pawar a senior and popular leader who undertook several pro-people initiatives, particularly in Baramati.

Meanwhile, a special team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will probe the crash. The team will analyse flight recorders, aircraft systems, crew records, and ATC data. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, five people, including Pawar, two staff members, and two crew, died when the Mumbai-Baramati chartered aircraft crash-landed at 8.45 am.

- ANI
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit India in early March, with trade and energy at the top of the agenda. The visit is expected to yield agreements on uranium supply, critical minerals, and cooperation in artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Formal negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two nations could also commence. The trip follows a series of high-level engagements, including discussions between the countries' foreign ministers.

Canadian PM Mark Carney's India visit in March to focus on trade, a $2.8B uranium deal, energy, AI, and critical minerals partnership.

New Delhi, January 28 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit India in the first week of March.

The Canadian Prime Minister's visit is likely to see the signing of deals on uranium, energy, minerals, and Artificial Intelligence.

Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said there would be a key focus on trade during PM Carney's visit to India.

Meanwhile, Canada has pitched itself as a reliable partner for supplying energy to India. Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson, who was in India for the India Energy Week, said Canada is committed to supplying energy to India and asserted that his country will never use energy for "coercion."

"It is a changing world we live in, and energy is at the centre of that. I'm here because, like you, the way to resist that change is to build multilateral relationships and to double down on diversification of supply," the Canadian minister said, speaking at the India Energy Week 2026.

The Canadian minister also said his country is committed to supplying critical minerals to India.

"Canada is a great supplier of those critical minerals, and we'll be talking about that, and a number of our companies are here at this conference to both help you develop your own critical minerals, but where we have ones to share to help you with energy transition, we will be doing that," he assured.

According to reports, formal negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Canada could also start in March.

PM Carney is expected to sign smaller agreements with India on nuclear energy, oil and gas, environment, AI and quantum computing as well as deals on education and culture during his visit and a 10-year USD 2.8-billion uranium supply deal is likely to be included.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are also likely to visit Canada soon, while National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will visit Ottawa next month as part of regular engagements between the two countries.

On Monday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a productive conversation with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, focusing on strengthening India-Canada bilateral ties. They discussed deepening cooperation in various sectors, including economic partnership, artificial intelligence, and high-level exchanges.

- ANI
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by Chinese mining entrepreneur Cai Yulong, upholding his conviction and sentence for murder, attempted murder and assault arising from a deadly shooting at a mine in 2024.Cai (56) was convicted by the High Court after he shot and killed Mr Goni Goni, a worker at neighbouring Blackhand 10 Mine, during an underground confrontation on May 24, 2024. He also shot and seriously injured Mr John Muchawaya Bera and assaulted Mr Lovemore Mapfanya during the same incident.The High Court sentenced Cai to 30 years' imprisonment for murder, 10 years for attempted murder  with five years suspended  and imposed a fine for assault. He appealed both his conviction and sentence, arguing that he had acted in self-defence and in defence of his property.In a judgment dismissing the appeal, Justice Joseph Musakwa, writing for the Supreme Court, found Cai's actions unjustifiable and ruled that the use of lethal force against unarmed and fleeing workers was excessive and disproportionate."The use of a firearm against fleeing individuals cannot be described as necessary or reasonable," Justice Musakwa said. "The appellant's actions demonstrated malice and a blatant disregard for the sanctity of human life."The court heard that the incident arose from an underground boundary dispute between Cai's Blue Mine and Blackhand 10 Mine, owned by Mr Cornelius Shariwa. On the day of the shooting, workers from Blackhand 10 Mine were erecting a barricade to demarcate the two mining operations.Cai claimed the men were illegal artisanal miners stealing ore from his mine and alleged that he fired in self-defence after they advanced towards him with weapons. The court rejected this version, finding that the victims were legitimate employees acting under instructions from their employer.Evidence showed that Cai armed himself with a firearm and descended underground, where he confronted the workers. After firing warning shots, he pursued them as they attempted to flee, opening fire and fatally wounding Goni while seriously injuring Bera.A post-mortem examination revealed that Goni died from excessive bleeding caused by a gunshot wound to the thigh. Bera sustained severe injuries after being shot in the knee and thigh.Justice Musakwa noted that Cai's conduct contradicted his claims of imminent danger. "The appellant descended into the mine prepared to confront those he believed to be intruders," he said. "Even if he believed his property was under threat, firing at fleeing individuals was grossly disproportionate and unnecessary."The court also dismissed Cai's assertion that the victims were illegal miners, noting that he failed to produce evidence that the sacks they were carrying contained stolen gold ore. Testimony from Shariwa and other State witnesses established that the men were engaged in legitimate mining work."The appellant's account was riddled with inconsistencies and contradicted by credible evidence from the State witnesses," Justice Musakwa said.In dismissing the appeal in its entirety, the court stressed the primacy of human life over property disputes."No claim to property can justify the excessive use of force or the loss of life," Justice Musakwa ruled. "The appellant's actions were reckless and devoid of any regard for legal or moral boundaries."Justices Mavangira and Bhunu concurred with the judgment, leaving Cai to serve his 30-year sentence for murder, alongside the additional penalties for attempted murder and assault.
BJP National President Nitin Nabin praised West Bengal's profound cultural and spiritual heritage, naming iconic figures like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Satyajit Ray. He made these remarks at the 'Kamal Mela' gathering in Durgapur. Concurrently, Nabin chaired a high-level strategy meeting with senior state BJP leaders to prepare for the upcoming assembly elections. The discussions centered on strengthening the party organization and planning strategic initiatives across West Bengal.

BJP National President Nitin Nabin pays tribute to Bengal's legendary figures from Raja Ram Mohan Roy to Satyajit Ray during a key party strategy meeting in Durgapur.

Durgapur, January 28 Bharatiya Janata Party National President Nitin Nabin has lauded West Bengal's rich cultural, spiritual and artistic heritage, recalling the contributions of iconic figures who shaped India's identity.

Addressing the first gathering, the 'Kamal Mela', as the BJP National President on Tuesday, Nabin recalled that from social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy and spiritual saint Ramakrishna Paramahamsa to legendary artist Uttam Kumar, revolutionary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and globally acclaimed filmmaker Satyajit Ray, Bengal's soil has produced leaders, warriors, saints and artists who left an indelible mark on the nation and the world.

"This land has been the birthplace of leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who gave an entirely new identity to the whole country and the entire Indian culture... This soil has given us many warriors and many saints, and the name of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is also written in priceless letters... I also want to remember Uttam Kumar, who forged his identity through art and established Bengal on the world stage. We also remember Kazi Nazrul Islam, whose efforts gave a special place to the culture and art of Bengal... We also remember Satyajit Ray," Nabin said.

Nitin Nabin held a high-level strategy meeting with senior leaders of the West Bengal BJP in Durgapur, as part of the party's preparations for the upcoming state assembly elections yesterday.

The discussions focused on the current political climate in West Bengal, organisational strengthening, and forthcoming strategic initiatives aimed at consolidating the party's presence across the state.

Prominent BJP leaders present at the session included Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, former State President Dilip Ghosh, Dr Sukanta Majumdar and Rahul Sinha.

The meeting was part of Nitin Nabin's schedule for his two-day visit to the state, which started on Tuesday, his first since taking over as National President. During his visit, he is scheduled to review the BJP's preparations ahead of the Assembly elections, participate in several organisational meetings, and attend public programs.

- ANI
BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy hailed the newly signed India-EU Free Trade Agreement as another success story of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The landmark pact, unveiled by PM Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa, will see the EU eliminate tariffs on nearly all Indian exports. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and European Commissioner Maros Sefcovic signed the joint announcement, which aims to unlock a combined market worth an estimated $24 trillion. The agreement was finalized amid rising global trade pressures, including from the Donald Trump-led US administration.

BJP calls India-EU FTA a success story for PM Modi. Deal removes tariffs on 99.5% of Indian exports to EU, signed by Piyush Goyal.

Hyderabad, January 28 BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy on Wednesday termed the India-EU Free Trade Agreement as "one more success story of PM Modi", asserting that if properly implemented, Indian trade will greatly benefit.

"It is the mother of all agreements, like PM Modi said. If the agreement is properly implemented, Indian trade will greatly benefit. Such FTAs will help the Indian economy. This is one more success story of PM Modi," Reddy said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa unveiled the pact during a joint press briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday, where PM Modi said India-EU cooperation would help stabilise a turbulent global order.

Under the agreement, the EU will remove tariffs on 99.5 per cent of Indian exports, with most duties dropping to zero once the pact comes into force, while India will provide tariff concessions on 97.5 per cent of traded value. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic signed the joint announcement in the presence of the leaders.

As part of the agreement, India will revoke tariffs on all EU chemical products, while duties will be abolished on 90 per cent of optical, medical and surgical equipment.

The agreement comes amid fresh tariff pressures on both India and Europe from the Donald Trump-led US administration.

With a combined market estimated at over Rs 2091.6 Lakh Crore (USD 24 trillion), bringing unparalleled opportunities for the 2 billion people of India and the EU, the FTA unlocks significant potential for trade and innovation.

India and the EU exchanged several agreements and MoUs, reflecting the wide-ranging, multifaceted cooperation under the India-EU Strategic Cooperation.

Among the agreements exchanged was the political declaration on the conclusion of negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, signed by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and European Union Trade Commissioner Marcos Sefcovic.

The India-EU Security and Defence Partnership document was signed by EU Vice President Kaja Kallas and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while the comprehensive framework on mobility was signed by Vice President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic, and EAM Jaishankar, highlighting the wide-ranging and multifaceted nature of India-EU strategic cooperation.

- ANI
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut declared a "black day" for Maharashtra following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. The aircraft crashed during a landing attempt near Baramati airport while Pawar was traveling to a political rally. Political leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray and Arvind Sawant, expressed profound grief and praised Pawar's administrative prowess and dedication. Ajit Pawar, the nephew of Sharad Pawar, was the state's longest-serving deputy chief minister, having served in multiple governments.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in a plane crash near Baramati. Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant express grief and hail his administrative legacy.

Mumbai, January 28 Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday mourned the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, calling it "a black day" for the state.

The small charter aircraft, with Ajit Pawar on board, took off from Mumbai around 8 am and crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt 45 minutes later.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Sanjay Raut recalled Ajit Pawar's works, lauding his stronghold over administration. He said that Pawar was known as a minister who came fully prepared to the cabinet meetings.

Raut said, "Today is a black day for Maharashtra. When I heard the news that the plane with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on board had crashed, I was hoping that he would come out alright. But then I received the painful news. His demise has brought a mountain of sorrow to Maharashtra. His way of speaking and working and holding over administration..."

"He had a relationship with Baramati. He was also a minister in Uddhav Thackeray's cabinet. He was known as a minister who came to the cabinet fully prepared. He had a deep study of important issues of the state, like irrigation and water. On behalf of Shiv Sena (UBT), Uddhav Thackeray expresses condolences and pays tribute," the Sena (UBT) leader added.

Pawar passed away in the crash while he was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on January 27, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

An emotional Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Arvind Sawant, expressed grief over the tragic incident.

"It is very sad news," Sawant said, adding that the entire Pawar family is shattered by the news.

"I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said.

Ajit Pawar,66, was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

Most of the MPs were in the national capital to attend the Budget Session of Parliament, which begins today.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "This is very shocking, painful and heart-rending. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji, Sunetra ji, Parth and Jay. I also express sympathies to lakhs and crores of people in Baramati. Going away like this is very painful."

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

- ANI
The Budget Session of Parliament for 2026-27 commences today with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to a joint sitting. The session's financial business includes the presentation of the Economic Survey on January 29th and the Union Budget on February 1st. Opposition parties plan to raise various people-centric issues, including farmer distress, unemployment, and alleged electoral irregularities. The session will span 65 days with a recess, allowing parliamentary committees to examine budgetary demands.

Parliament's Budget Session begins today. Follow the schedule for the Economic Survey, Union Budget, and key political issues to be raised.

New Delhi, January 28 The Budget Session of Parliament will commence today with President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of the two Houses.

The Economic Survey of India is scheduled to be presented on January 29th, followed by the Union Budget 2026-27, to be presented on February 1st.

The Economic Survey document, prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance and formulated under the supervision of the chief economic adviser, provides insights into the state of the economy and various indicators for 2025-26 (April-March), as well as an outlook for the next fiscal.

The session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.

The first part of the session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2026-27 and discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address.

Essential legislative and other business is expected to be taken up mainly during the second part of the Session.

After an all-party meeting on Tuesday that outlined the agenda of the Budget Session, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, leaders of various political parties expressed their views on issues likely to be raised during the Budget Session of Parliament and assured the government of their full co-operation.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore later said that the party will raise people-centric issues during the session. He said "vote theft, SIR, procurement of paddy and bringing back MGNREGA" are among the issues the party intends to raise during the session.

Meanwhile, several political leaders and ministers arrived in the national capital ahead of the budget session of Parliament, which is scheduled to commence today.

At the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, George Kurian, was seen entering the city early on Wednesday. In addition, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule, and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi also reached Delhi to participate in the budget session.

Furthermore, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said that they raised issues relating to Odisha during the all-party meeting. "First is the distress of farmers of Odisha, paddy procurement is not happening, Mandis are closed, promised MSP worth Rs 3000 have not been given to them... Second is the issue of deterioration of law and order in the state - over the last two years, since the BJP government came to power, the crimes against women, girls and minors have increased, with those against Dalits and minorities. There is a general breakdown of law and order... Revision of coal royalty has not been done in 10 years, and connectivity issues remain. Unemployment is at an all-time high," he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, on the other hand, said members raised various issues, including pollution, SIR and increasing unemployment.

Furthermore, Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal expressed hope for fair allocations in the 2026 Union Budget, saying he is "expecting the rightful share from the Union Budget", and urged a rectification of past Finance Commission cuts that had severely affected the state.

Balagopal criticised arbitrary central decisions and called for honest support to all states amid the ongoing budget session.

On the other hand, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh accused the government of failing in foreign policy.

"I also raised the issue of Shankracharya, how he was insulted in the Prayagraj... I raised the issue of SIR also, and how many votes were deleted in the name of SIR," he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has sought cooperation from leaders for the smooth functioning of Parliament and stated that the Government is prepared and ready to discuss any other important issue on the floors of the Houses as per the rules.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Rijiju said, "As per the rules, the discussions should revolve around the Budget only. The President will address the joint session of the Parliament at the beginning of the Budget session. After that motion on vote of thanks on the President's speech will be held, where all parties will participate. The government will always be happy to hear any suggestions."

The government will push its legislative agenda during the session, including bills pending in the two Houses.

- ANI
The Budget Session of Parliament begins with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of both Houses. The session, spanning 65 days, will initially focus on the Union Budget 2026-27 and the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address. Opposition parties in the INDIA bloc are set to meet to strategize and plan to raise issues including the proposed replacement of MGNREGA and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The government has expressed readiness for discussions while emphasizing the session's primary financial focus.

Parliament's Budget Session commences with President's address. Session to focus on Union Budget 2026-27, Economic Survey, and legislative agenda. Opposition plans strategy.

New Delhi, January 28 The Budget Session of Parliament will commence on Wednesday with President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of the two Houses.

The session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.

The first part of the session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2026-27 and discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address.

Essential legislative and other business is expected to be taken up mainly during the second part of the Session.

Meanwhile, the Economic Survey of India will be presented on January 29, followed by the Union Budget 2026-27, to be presented on February 1.

The Economic Survey document, prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance and formulated under the supervision of the chief economic adviser, provides insights into the state of the economy and various indicators for 2025-26 (April-March), as well as an outlook for the next fiscal.

After an all-party meeting on Tuesday that outlined the agenda of the Budget Session, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, leaders of various political parties expressed their views on issues likely to be raised during the Budget Session of Parliament and assured the government of their full co-operation.

The INDIA bloc MPs are also scheduled to meet to chalk out a strategy for the Budget Session.

Congress and Opposition leaders will meet the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The INDIA bloc is set to demand discussions on replacing MGNREGA with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, "vote theft, SIR, procurement of paddy and bringing back MGNREGA" are among the issues the party intends to raise during the session.

Meanwhile, several political leaders and ministers arrived in the national capital ahead of the budget session of Parliament, which is scheduled to commence today.

At the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, George Kurian, was seen entering the city early on Wednesday. In addition, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule, and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi also reached Delhi to participate in the budget session.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has sought cooperation from leaders for the smooth functioning of Parliament and stated that the Government is prepared and ready to discuss any other important issue on the floors of the Houses as per the rules.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Rijiju said, "As per the rules, the discussions should revolve around the Budget only. The President will address the joint session of the Parliament at the beginning of the Budget session. After that motion on vote of thanks on the President's speech will be held, where all parties will participate. The government will always be happy to hear any suggestions."

The government will push its legislative agenda during the session, including bills pending in the two Houses.

- ANI
INDIA bloc MPs are meeting with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to formulate their parliamentary strategy for the Budget Session. The opposition alliance plans to demand discussions on replacing MGNREGA with a new employment guarantee act and on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The session begins with President Droupadi Murmu's address and includes the presentation of the Economic Survey and the Union Budget. The extended session will run for 65 days with a recess to allow parliamentary committees to examine budget demands.

INDIA bloc MPs meet Mallikarjun Kharge to plan floor strategy, focusing on MGNREGA, electoral roll revision, and key demands for the Budget Session.

New Delhi, January 28 INDIA bloc MPs are scheduled to meet on Wednesday at 10 am to chalk out a strategy for the Budget Session 2026-27, which begins today.

Congress and Opposition leaders will meet the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The INDIA bloc is set to demand discussions on replacing MGNREGA with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.

Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Congress MP K Suresh said, "Tomorrow at 10 AM, a meeting of the INDIA bloc has been called by Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge. We will discuss the current situation of MGNREGA and SIR. After that, we will decide when to demand time for discussion on MGNREGA and SIR in the House."

Earlier, Congress MP Manickam Tagore also stated that "vote theft, SIR, procurement of paddy and bringing back MGNREGA" are among the issues the party intends to raise during the session.

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired an all-party meeting that outlined the agenda of the Budget Session.

The Budget Session of Parliament will commence today with President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of the two Houses.

The Economic Survey of India is scheduled to be presented on January 29, followed by the Union Budget 2026-27, to be presented on February 1. The Economic Survey document, prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance and formulated under the supervision of the chief economic adviser, provides insights into the state of the economy and various indicators for 2025-26 (April-March), as well as an outlook for the next fiscal.

The session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.

- ANI
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has firmly rejected claims by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that he walked back his critical Davos remarks following a phone call with President Donald Trump. Carney insisted he meant his Davos speech urging middle powers to counter US influence, a statement that drew a standing ovation. The leaders discussed trade, with Carney explaining Canada's limited electric vehicle arrangement with China, which later prompted a tariff warning from Trump. Carney is now set to visit India for trade talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month.

Canadian PM Mark Carney rejects claims he softened his Davos speech after speaking with Donald Trump, defends Canada's trade moves with China and India.

Ottawa, January 28 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected claims that he had walked back his remarks on global power dynamics following a recent conversation with US President Donald Trump, pushing back against comments made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday, Carney responded to Bessent's assertion on Fox News that he had softened earlier statements delivered at the World Economic Forum in Davos during a phone call with Trump.

Asked whether he had rescinded any of his comments, Carney replied, "No." "To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the president, I meant what I said in Davos," Carney said.

He added that the discussion covered broader issues, including shifts in US trade policy. He said Canada was the first country to recognise those changes and was responding accordingly, noting that Trump had "understood" Canada's position.

At Davos, Carney had urged middle powers to avoid accommodating the United States and instead work together to counter its growing political and economic influence.

"Middle powers must act together because if we're not at the table, we're on the menu," he said.

His remarks drew a standing ovation at the forum and received international attention, standing in contrast to Trump's address at the same gathering.

Following the speech, Trump withdrew Canada's invitation to participate in his proposed Gaza "Board of Peace".

Around the same time, Carney travelled to Switzerland after finalising a limited trade arrangement with China, allowing a small number of Chinese electric vehicles to enter Canada at reduced tariffs, despite Canada previously joining the US in imposing 100 per cent duties on such imports.

Trump initially welcomed the move, saying, "That's OK, that's what he should be doing," but later warned on social media that he would impose steep tariffs on Canadian exports "If Canada makes a deal with China."

Carney said Canada had no intention of pursuing a broader free trade agreement with China.

"I explained to him our arrangement with China," Carney said, referring to his conversation with Trump.

"I explained to him what we're doing: 12 new deals on four continents in six months -- he was impressed."

On Tuesday, Canada and India issued a joint statement on expanding trade in Canadian oil and natural gas. Carney is scheduled to visit India next month for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Carney also suggested that Trump's latest tariff warning should be viewed as part of broader negotiations ahead of a review of the Canada-US-Mexico trade pact.

"The president is a strong negotiator and I think some of these comments and positioning should be viewed in the broader context of that," he said at a news conference.

- ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday morning. The charter flight from Mumbai crashed on landing, resulting in five fatalities. Political leaders from Congress, TDP, and DMK expressed profound shock and grief, recalling his work and legacy. Pawar was traveling to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar killed in a plane crash in Baramati. Congress, TDP, DMK leaders express shock and condolences.

New Delhi, January 28 Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad on Wednesday mourned the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying the entire state would be in grief following the tragic incident.

Describing his death as "unfortunate," Gaikwad said she was shocked by the news and recalled working with him during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.

"I heard the news about Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. This is really unfortunate. When we had the Maha Vikas Aghadi govt (in Maharashtra), I received the opportunity to work with him. Entire Maharashtra knows his work style...I think entire Maharashtra would be sad today...I express my condolences to him and also on behalf of my party. I am shocked," Varsha Gaikwad told reporters.

TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu also expressed sorrow over Pawar's demise, recalling his interactions with him during visits to Baramati.

"What happened is very sad. I had a few interactions with him. I had a chance to visit Baramati constituency to understand how the Pawar family- Ajit Pawar ji, Sharad Pawar kji, Supriya Sule ji worked for the farmers there. He was there to handhold us in Baramati," Devarayalu told ANI.

DMK leader TKS. Elangovan termed Pawar's death as a loss to the nation. "Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, died in a plane crash... Maybe the civil aviation experts will issue a report. But it is a loss to the country... I convey all my sympathies to his family," he told ANI.

Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

- ANI
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has welcomed the long-pending India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, calling it a positive development for both economies. She emphasized that the deal underscores a shared commitment to democracy and a stable international trade system. The agreement was formally signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top EU officials, marking a key milestone after nearly 20 years of negotiation. The pact is part of a broader strategic agenda aimed at deepening multifaceted cooperation between India and the European Union.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi welcomes the landmark India-EU FTA, highlighting shared democratic values and a boost for global trade.

New Delhi, January 28 Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has welcomed the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, calling it a positive development for both India and the European Commission after nearly two decades of discussions.

Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Chaturvedi said the agreement underlined the importance of shared values such as democracy, a rules-based international order, and a stable global trade system. She noted that convergence on these principles enabled meaningful cooperation.

"I welcome the free trade agreement and this was long pending for 20 years, for two decades India and European Union had been discussing for a trade deal like this and that finally it has found closure is good for our nations, for European Union nations as well as for us. At the same time, it also establishes that when we have convergences over democracy, global trade order, as well as international rules-based order, then there's a lot that can be achieved. So this trade agreement would be an indicator of that," Priyanka Chaturvedi told ANI.

Expressing hope that the agreement would benefit both sides and promote economic growth, Chaturvedi also congratulated External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for his role in steering the negotiations to a successful conclusion.

She further observed that the European Union is currently facing significant challenges in its transatlantic relations and amid rising tariffs imposed by the United States, making the agreement with India even more significant.

"I would just hope that this would benefit both nations, and their populations would continue to thrive under trade and we will continue to have a global trade order. We welcome what comes along with it. At the same time, I would like to congratulate the foreign minister, because he has been trying to reach a negotiation point that has led to this deal. The European Union right now faces its toughest challenge with its transatlantic ally, and even with the USA charging us immense tariffs. So this would be something which we should look forward to," Chaturvedi added.

India and the European Union on Tuesday inked several key agreements and Memorandums of Understanding in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa.

Notably, both sides also agreed on a strategy document titled 'Towards 2030 - A Joint India-European Union Comprehensive Strategic Agenda,' reflecting the expanding scope of India-EU strategic cooperation.

India and the EU exchanged several agreements and MoUs, reflecting the wide-ranging, multifaceted cooperation as part of the India-EU Strategic Cooperation.

Among the agreements exchanged was the political declaration on the conclusion of negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, signed by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and European Union Trade Commissioner Marcos Sefcovic.

The India-EU Security and Defence Partnership document was signed by EU Vice President Kaja Kallas and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while the comprehensive framework on mobility was signed by Vice President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic, and EAM Jaishankar, highlighting the wide-ranging and multifaceted nature of India-EU strategic cooperation.

- ANI
A CSIS expert describes the concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement as a "celebration," marking a significant shift in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trade policy. The analysis notes a move away from the "pure-play protectionism" of Modi's first term toward a strategy focused on high-value FTAs and global integration. The landmark deal with the EU, a combined $24 trillion market, is designed as a modern, rules-based partnership to deepen economic ties. Experts highlight India's intentional approach of partnering with developed economies while balancing liberalisation with protections for sensitive sectors like agriculture.

CSIS expert highlights PM Modi's pivot from protectionism to high-value FTAs, with the landmark India-EU deal unlocking a $24 trillion market.

Washington DC, January 28 Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Richard Rossow, on Wednesday described the recently concluded India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as "a celebration", highlighting a significant shift in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trade policy from what he termed "pure play protectionism" during the Prime Minister's first term.

Speaking to ANI, Rossow said that PM Modi's initial term, beginning in 2014, was marked by a protectionist approach, characterised by higher customs duties and strict domestic manufacturing rules, to an openness (2021-2026), which focuses on high-value Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) alongside the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) initiative.

However, he noted that a clear change emerged midway through the second term, with policymakers increasingly recognising the importance of integrating India into global supply and value chains.

He said discussions consistently underscored the need for lower customs duties and reduced trade barriers on input goods and raw materials to strengthen India's manufacturing sector.

"PM Modi's first term in 2014 was pure-play protectionism. You saw higher customs duties, domestic manufacturing rules... But during the second term, about midway through, you began to see a very different perspective on trade," Rossow said.

"I remember travelling to India and meeting many people in the government. One thing they pointed to was the good work being done, even at the state level in India, to help governments attract major investments to enter global supply and value chains. One thing that came up consistently was the need for low customs duties and low barriers to trade on input goods and raw materials to boost your manufacturing industry. That was probably one of the most significant factors, something we had been counselling India on for quite some time... We don't even listen to that quite as much ourselves in the United States anymore," he added.

The defining moment of this shift is the 2026 conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, described as a "mother of all deals," marking a move away from inward-looking policies toward deep integration with key Western economies.

The deal is with one of India's most strategic economic partnerships, designed as a modern, rules-based trade partnership, which responds to contemporary global challenges while enabling deeper market integration between the world's fourth- and second-largest economies.

With a combined market estimated at over Rs 2091.6 Lakh Crore (USD 24 trillion), bringing unparalleled opportunities for the 2 billion people of India and the EU, the FTA unlocks significant potential for trade and innovation.

Rossow also pointed to India's growing focus on partnerships with developed economies and its recognition of labour-intensive industries as a key strength.

According to him, India has sought to balance liberalisation with protections for sensitive sectors, particularly the agricultural sector.

"If you look at the agreements India is signing now, you see this visible and intentional approach where they're looking mostly towards developed countries. India realises that when it comes to trade, labour-intensive industries are a real area of strength, but when partnering in areas where India is less competitive, India is not going to lose out, but you need to make sure you have protections for the one area that still can't be touched, which is basic agriculture," the senior advisor said.

"India is kind of walking back from some of its review mechanisms of standards and what they could import. That's great to see. You also see intentionality in the budget over the last couple of years... So not just in trade agreements, but in some other avenues too, you see where India is trying to unpack some of the work they'd done early on in trade protectionism and being a lot more open, which is good to see," he added.

Commenting on the standout elements of the India-EU FTA, Rossow noted that negotiations had been underway for nearly two decades, noting that India was reluctant to enter trade agreements with advanced commitments on market access and liberalisation.

He added that India's recent deals have featured "firmer and deeper commitments", noting the positive optics surrounding the agreement that reflect the strength of its substance.

"When they first started negotiations, India was willing to sign trade agreements, but not normally those that had cutting-edge commitments in terms of market access and liberalisation. We saw during PM Modi's second term a big shift in India toward trade agreements with groundbreaking provisions. You saw this steady stream of India's recent deals having firmer and deeper commitments. So it wasn't surprising this thing started to move," Rossow said.

"But what a celebration. A quarter of the world's population and a massive share of global trade are coming together under a significant trade agreement. So not surprising at all that the optics were quite good because the substance is quite good," he added.

In recent years, India has signed many significant trade deals, diversifying its trade partners amid volatile global economic conditions.

In March 2024, India signed the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), which entered into force on October 1, 2025, involving Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

The landmark India-UK Free Trade Agreement was also signed in July 2025, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer, providing greater access to goods and services between the two countries.

India also signed the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) with Australia back in December 2022.

Over 85 per cent of Australian goods exports to India by value are now tariff-free, rising to 90 per cent by 1 January 2026, and high tariffs have been reduced on some additional agricultural products. In addition, 96 per cent of imports from India are now tariff-free, rising to 100 per cent by 1 January 2026.

- ANI
News / National

by Staff reporter

Government has unveiled a new national initiative aimed at promoting and rewarding academic excellence, with the best-performing schools in every province set to be recognised based on their 2025 public examination results.Announcing the programme on his X account, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo said his ministry will award the top 10 performing schools in each province at Grade Seven, Ordinary Level and Advanced Level, using 2025 examination pass rates as the benchmark."I am pleased to announce the launch of a new national initiative aimed at promoting and rewarding academic excellence across Zimbabwe's education system," Moyo said.He said the initiative is designed not only to celebrate academic success but also to recognise schools that demonstrate a broader commitment to the holistic development of learners."This recognition is a celebration of high-performing schools that have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to academic achievement and the holistic development of learners in the provision of equitable, inclusive and quality education in line with (United Nations) Sustainable Development Goal 4," Moyo said.In addition to the provincial awards, the ministry will also identify and reward the top five best-performing schools nationally based on results from the 2025 Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) and Cambridge examinations.The awards ceremony has been scheduled for March 20, 2026.According to the minister, schools that perform exceptionally well will serve as benchmarks for others across the country."Such schools will serve as beacons of excellence and inspiration for others across the entire country, setting a benchmark for quality education and academic performance," he said.Moyo also appealed to the private sector, development partners and individuals to support the initiative through sponsorships and other forms of assistance aimed at motivating educators and school administrators."I extend a heartfelt invitation to all individuals, well-wishers, corporates and development partners who wish to support this noble initiative," he said. "We welcome sponsorships, awards, grants and any other forms of assistance to motivate our hardworking teachers and headmasters."He said interested partners can engage the ministry through its official communication channels at Head Office.The initiative comes as part of renewed Government efforts to raise education standards, improve learning outcomes and strengthen accountability across the education sector, while positioning Zimbabwe's schools to compete more effectively at regional and global levels.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep shock over the untimely demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. The charter aircraft crashed near the Baramati airport runway, killing all five people on board, including Pawar and his staff. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also expressed grief and called for a proper investigation into the incident. Pawar was traveling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in a charter plane crash near Baramati. Rajnath Singh, Mamata Banerjee, and others offer condolences.

New Delhi, January 28 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday expressed shock over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a charter plane crash near Baramati earlier today.

Sharing a post on X, Singh wrote, "Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers, and admirers."

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar and his co-passengers died when the chartered aircraft they were travelling in crashed near the landing runway of the Baramati airport. Visuals from the site showed the plane engulfed in flames and smoke spewing out.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed grief over the tragic incident and called for a thorough investigation.

In a post on X, Banerjee said, "Deeply shocked and stunned by the suddden demise of Ajit Pawar! The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati today morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss. My condolences to his family including his uncle Sharad Pawar ji, and late Ajitji's all friends and followers.The incident needs proper investigation."

Leaders across party lines expressed shock at "heart rending" news, recalled big role in the development of Baramati.

An emotional Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant expressed grief at the news of the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar. "It is very sad news," Sawant said adding that the entire Pawar family is shattered by the news.

"I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said.

Most of the MPs were in the national capital to attend the Budget Session of Parliament which begins today. NCP MP Praful Patel, Sharad Pawar's NCP MP Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar and his wife Sunetra were leaving for Baramati.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with two more personnel (one Personal Security Officer(PSO) and one attendant) and two crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

- ANI
The Delhi High Court has sought the DGCA's stance on its decision to keep revised Flight Duty Time Limitation regulations in abeyance until 2026. The court emphasized that safety regulations must be enforced unless legally flawed, noting their direct link to passenger safety. The petition, filed by a former aircraft engineer and others, argues that delaying the rules compromises safety and undermines international standards. The DGCA had paused the norms following operational difficulties and widespread flight cancellations at airlines like IndiGo.

Delhi High Court questions DGCA's move to keep revised Flight Duty Time Limitation rules on hold, emphasizing passenger safety concerns.

New Delhi, January 28 The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the stand of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on a plea challenging its decision to keep the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation regulations in abeyance, despite their direct link to passenger safety.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that once safety regulations are framed, they must be enforced unless they suffer from legal infirmities or are successfully challenged.

"Unless the regulations are challenged or have an inherent flaw, they have to be enforced. These regulations have a direct nexus with safety measures. The concern raised in this petition cannot be brushed aside," the Bench orally remarked.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by Sabari Roy, a former aircraft engineer, along with Aman Monga and Kiran Singh. Roy has strong technical expertise and extensive hands-on experience in aircraft maintenance and operations. Monga is an experienced Crew Resource Management (CRM) trainer, while Singh is a social worker. The petitioners have questioned the DGCA's decision to pause the implementation of the revised FDTL norms till February 10, 2026.

The FDTL regulations prescribe minimum rest periods for pilots and flight crew members and aim to strengthen fatigue management to ensure passenger safety.

The DGCA had put the norms on hold following widespread flight disruptions, particularly after operational difficulties at IndiGo, which led to large-scale flight cancellations in late 2025.

During the hearing, the respondent raised objections to Roy's locus standi, pointing out that a separate petition concerning the same FDTL norms, filed by pilots' associations, is already pending before a Single Judge of the High Court.

However, the Division Bench was not inclined to reject the petition at the threshold. It noted that Roy's professional background as an aircraft engineer directly connects her role with aviation and passenger safety.

"She has worked as an aircraft engineer. Her functions are directly connected with passenger safety. Her locus cannot be ruled out outrightly," the Court observed, adding that the pendency of a similar plea before a Single Judge would not bar others from raising public interest concerns.

"It is a matter of public interest. A plea before a Single Judge will not debar others from approaching the Court," the judges said.

The Court thereafter directed Advocate Anjana Gosain, appearing virtually for the DGCA, to seek instructions and place the aviation regulator's stand before the Court on January 29.

The petition highlights that the revised FDTL regulations were notified to align Indian aviation safety standards with international norms prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and to reduce pilot fatigue. It contends that keeping the norms in abeyance compromises passenger safety and undermines the very objective for which the regulations were framed.

- ANI
Delhi's air quality showed a marginal improvement, with the overall AQI recorded at 273, yet it remains firmly in the 'poor' category. Several key monitoring stations, including Anand Vihar and Chandni Chowk, reported AQI levels in the 'very poor' range. The India Meteorological Department has forecast rain and thunderstorms with gusty winds throughout the day. Meanwhile, the Commission for Air Quality Management has revoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan while urging continued adherence to earlier stages.

Delhi's AQI improved slightly to 273 but remains 'poor'. Key areas like Anand Vihar reported 'very poor' levels. IMD forecasts rain, CAQM revokes GRAP Stage III.

New Delhi, January 28 The national capital witnessed a slight improvement in air quality on Wednesday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index recorded at 273 at around 7 am, keeping it in the 'poor' category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board.

The air quality improved slightly from Tuesday, with the AQI at 294. However, large parts of the city remained enveloped in smog, and the overall air quality continues to be in the 'poor' category.

According to data shared by the CPCB, the AQI near Anand Vihar was recorded at 280, placing it in the "poor" category. In the Patpadganj area, the AQI was 304, placing it in the "very poor" category.

Several key monitoring stations across the city reported AQI levels in the 'very poor' range. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 362, while Ashok Vihar stood at 323. Bawana reported 332, and Chandni Chowk 340. Dwarka Sector 8 recorded 317, while Mundka reported 323.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rain or thundershowers with strong gusty winds across the day. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and winds at speeds of 30 to 40 kmph are expected during the morning, forenoon, afternoon, evening, and night. The temperature is likely to range from 19 to 9 degrees Celsius.

Furthermore, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has revoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR in view of improvement in air quality and forecast trends.

While GRAP Stage III is being revoked, keeping in view the winter season, when weather conditions may not always be favourable, and to ensure that AQI levels do not slip further, citizens are requested to strictly adhere to the citizen charter under Stages II and I of the extant schedule of GRAP.

As per AQI classification, a reading between 0 and 50 is 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor' and 401 to 500 'severe'.

- ANI
Union Minister CR Paatil stated that the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash will significantly change the state's political dynamics. Pawar died along with four others when a chartered plane crash-landed in Baramati while he was traveling to attend a public rally. Political leaders, including Congress MP Imran Masood and former minister Anil Deshmukh, expressed profound grief over the sudden loss of the veteran leader. Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, having served in the role across six terms under multiple chief ministers.

Union Minister CR Paatil says Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash will alter Maharashtra's political dynamics. Condolences pour in from leaders.

New Delhi, January 28 Union Minister CR Paatil on Wednesday expressed grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, stating that his passing would significantly change the political dynamics of the state.

Paatil also called Pawar's death a huge loss for his family and Maharashtra.

"Ajit Pawar ji had made a place for himself in Maharashtra politics. This is a huge loss for his family and the state. The dynamics of politics in Maharashtra will change with his passing away," he told ANI.

Congress MP Imran Masood also described Pawar's death as deeply saddening and extended his condolences to the bereaved family.

"The passing away of such an energetic leader suddenly is very saddening. Our sympathies lie with this family," Masood told ANI.

Meanwhile, former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh broke down while addressing a press conference after learning about Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash in Baramati, struggling to find words to express his grief.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zila Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

- ANI
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a phone conversation with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov. Both ministers reviewed the various dimensions of bilateral cooperation and expressed confidence in the positive momentum of the relationship. They held a comprehensive exchange on the agenda for Uzbekistan-India cooperation leading up to 2026. The Indian Embassy in Uzbekistan noted that both leaders were confident the positive trend between the nations would continue.

EAM S Jaishankar holds talks with Uzbekistan's FM Bakhtiyor Saidov, reviewing cooperation and affirming positive momentum in bilateral ties.

New Delhi, January 29 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a discussion with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, reviewing multiple dimensions of bilateral cooperation and affirming the positive momentum in ties between the two nations.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Jaishankar said, "Good conversation with Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov of Uzbekistan this afternoon. Reviewed the various dimensions of our bilateral cooperation. Confident that the positive momentum in our ties will continue moving forward."

Saidov noted the strong positive and dynamic trend of partnership in all areas.

In a post on X, he said, "Glad to have a phone conversation with H.E. Dr. S. Jaishankar, India's External Affairs Minister. There is a strong, positive and dynamic trend of our partnership in all areas. We held a comprehensive exchange on the 2026 agenda of Uzbekistan-India cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally. We are confident that many promising outcomes expected during the year will serve the best interests of our people."

The Indian Embassy in Uzbekistan said that both leaders expressed that the positive trend between the two nations would continue.

In a post on X, the Embassy said, "Today, external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar, FM Bakhtiyor Saidov communicated by telephone. We came up with various strategies together. The Minister expressed confidence that the positive trend between our countries will continue in the future."

Earlier on January 27, the Embassy hosted a National Day Reception to commemorate India's 77th Republic Day in Tashkent.

The Embassy said in a post on X while sharing glimpses, "Embassy hosted National Day Reception to commemorate the 77th Republic Day of India in Tashkent. H. E. Mr. Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technology, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Performances by artists from ICCR Tashkent, Shodlik Guruhi and the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan captivated the gathering. An exhibition on '150 Years of Vande Mataram' was also displayed."

- ANI
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit the United States next week. His visit coincides with the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on securing global supply chains. This follows recent high-level meetings on finance and defence, including talks between a US Congressional delegation and India's Defence Secretary. The discussions underscore deepening bilateral cooperation in strategic sectors like minerals and defence under a new 10-year framework.

EAM S Jaishankar visits US for Critical Minerals Ministerial as defence talks advance bilateral partnership under new 10-year framework.

New Delhi, January 28 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit the United States next week, sources said on Wednesday.

The US Department of State had said earlier this month 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.

The State Department said in a post on X that 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.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a high-level Finance Ministerial in Washington earlier this month 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.

Meanwhile, a United States Congressional delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Mike Rogers, along with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, held discussions with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, centred on strengthening defence cooperation under the recently concluded 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement.

The meeting, held on January 27, featured wide-ranging discussions on deepening defence industry collaboration and advancing bilateral military ties, according to the Ministry of Defence.

"US Congressional Delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Mike Rogers met Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh today. They had wide ranging discussions including the recently concluded 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement with emphasis on strengthening cooperation in the field of defence industry," the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X.

- ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a charter plane crash near Baramati. BJP National President Nitin Nabin expressed condolences, stating the political world is saddened by the loss. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning. A special AAIB team is investigating the crash, which claimed five lives, and will examine flight recorders and gather operational documents.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in a charter plane crash. CM Fadnavis announces state mourning as AAIB investigates the accident.

Durgapur, January 28 Bharatiya Janata Party National President Nitin Nabin on Wednesday condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati.

Speaking to the media, Nabin said that the entire political world is saddened by Pawar's demise.

"Ajit Pawar was the son of Maharashtra. Today, the entire political world is saddened by his demise. We express our sympathies with his family," he said.

The NCP chief died in a charter plane crash while travelling from Mumbai to Bramati this morning. He was in Mumbai on January 27, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Ajit Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash this morning.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, CM Fadanvis said that the decision on Pawar's last rites will be made after consulting his family.

Further, a special team of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will investigate the aircraft crash in Baramati, which took away the lives of five individuals, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and crew members.

During the course of the investigation, the probe team will retrieve the flight recorder, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and Digital Engine Electronic System (DEES).

Airframe and engine logbooks, work orders, on-board documents, and major inspection records related to aircraft will be gathered from the operator for scrutiny.

The probe team has also sought the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) documents related to the crew and the aircraft. Recordings of radar data, CCTV footage, ATC tape recordings, and hotline communications will be obtained for further analysis.

The investigation team will record the statements of witnesses and concerned personnel.

- ANI
The European Union has committed 10 million euros to the second phase of its Women's Economic Empowerment through Local Enterprise Development (WE-LEAD) program in Afghanistan. Implemented with UNDP and local partners, the initiative will provide culturally appropriate financial mechanisms, business training, and market linkages for women entrepreneurs. Afghan businesswomen highlight the critical need for investment and government support to sustain livelihoods, especially for female-headed households. Separately, the EU announced an additional 126 million euros in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran to address regional stability and urgent needs.

EU and UNDP launch 10M euro program to support Afghan women entrepreneurs with funding, training, and market access amid economic challenges.

Kabul, January 28 As Afghan women continue to face barriers to employment amid social and economic restrictions, the European Union has announced 10 million euros in funding for the second phase of its Women's Economic Empowerment through Local Enterprise Development programme in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported.

The EU said the initiative will be implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and local Afghan institutions, with a focus on strengthening livelihoods, generating income opportunities and enhancing women's participation in the economy.

According to Tolo News, the EU noted in a statement that "The project promotes culturally appropriate and Sharia-compliant financial mechanisms combined with business development support, mentorship, and market linkages."

Fariba Noori, head of the Women's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, highlighted the importance of donor-backed assistance for women entering business, saying: "Donor institutions supporting women's capacity-building, especially for those newly entering business, are extremely helpful. A woman who is the sole breadwinner of her family could benefit from at least 30-40% in cash or equipment support to contribute to her household."

Several women entrepreneurs in Kabul operating small-scale businesses told Tolo News that the programme could help thousands of Afghan women struggling with financial hardship, while also stressing the need for greater involvement from authorities in creating sustainable opportunities.

Asma Sharifi, a female entrepreneur, said: "In today's circumstances, women play a critical role in our country's economy. Many have unique talents and need support. If backed by the government or donors, they can significantly contribute to the economy."

Zainab, another entrepreneur, added: "Our primary need is investment, to be able to start something with even a small amount of capital. Once we begin, government support becomes crucial, especially through cooperation in various business areas."

Tolo News further reported that the EU has formalised an agreement with UNDP to roll out this phase of the WE-LEAD programme across several underprivileged provinces in Afghanistan.

Separately, the EU also announced 126 million euros in humanitarian assistance for Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, aimed at bolstering regional stability and addressing urgent humanitarian needs.

- ANI
The concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement will grant zero or reduced tariffs for key Indian labour-intensive exports like textiles and apparel to the EU market. The deal also includes provisions for services trade and easier mobility for Indian professionals in Europe. While implementation is expected around 2027/28, it is seen as a strategic hedge against US tariff policy uncertainties. The agreement excludes sensitive agriculture and dairy sectors to protect Indian farmers.

India-EU Free Trade Agreement cuts tariffs to zero for textiles, apparel, leather & more, boosting exports and offering a hedge against US policy.

New Delhi, January 28 The conclusion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement marked a significant boost for India's labour-intensive export sectors, with tariffs on most Indian goods entering the EU reduced or cut to zero.

Finalised on Tuesday, the trade agreement is expected to come into force sometime next year and is designed to deliver gains to both economies, according to Kotak Institutional Equities Research.

Indian exporters stand out as the key beneficiaries.

Almost all labour-intensive exports, such as textiles, apparel, leather, seafood, plastics, gems and jewellery, will now enjoy zero- or reduced-tariff access to the EU market.

These sectors previously faced higher duties than other Indian exports.

Nearly 28 per cent of India's exports to the EU in 2024-45 were of labour-intensive sectors, according to the Kotak report.

"Indian exporters will benefit from 0 per cent tariff on almost all exports to the EU, especially in labour-intensive sectors, while the EU's access to India's consumer market will entail greater competition in some of the domestic sectors. This deal also potentially places a medium to long-term hedge against US tariff policy and geopolitical uncertainties," the report read.

Beyond immediate tariff relief, the agreement provides a medium-term opportunity for India to diversify export destinations.

With the EU representing a large and stable import market, the FTA may gradually offset potential headwinds from other major trading partners.

Sectors such as textiles and apparel, which previously faced EU tariffs of around 10-12 per cent, are expected to see meaningful gains once the deal becomes effective.

Lower tariffs on EU machinery, automobiles, metals, plastics, spirits and beverages are likely to intensify domestic competition in India while reducing input costs for certain import-dependent industries.

Notably, India has excluded sensitive agriculture and dairy sectors from the scope of the FTA, safeguarding farmers.

Services trade is another important pillar of the India-EU deal. Provisions include easier mobility for Indian professionals, EU commitments across 144 services sub-sectors, ranging from IT to professional and education services, and a framework for a future social security agreement for Indian workers in Europe.

While the near-term impact will be limited until implementation, Kotak Institutional Equities views the FTA as a strategically important hedge and a structurally positive step for India's external sector over the medium to long term.

"We see this FTA as a potential hedge against US tariff uncertainties over the medium term. The deal is likely to encourage diversification of labour-intensive Indian exports to the EU from the US. However, the immediate impact will be limited with the deal being effective from sometime in CY2027/FY2028," the Kotak report read.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, yesterday, jointly announced the conclusion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (India-EU FTA) at the 16th India-EU Summit, held during the visit of the European leaders to India. This announcement marks a historic milestone in India-EU economic relations and trade engagement with key global partners.

The FTA comes after intense negotiations since the re-launch of negotiations in 2022. The announcement of the FTA today marks the culmination of years of sustained dialogue and cooperation between India and the EU, demonstrating the political will and shared vision to deliver a balanced, modern, and rules-based economic and trade partnership.

The European Union is one of India's largest trading partners, with bilateral trade in goods and services growing steadily over the years. In 2024-25, India's bilateral trade in goods with the EU stood at Rs 11.5 Lakh Crore (USD 136.54 billion) with exports worth Rs 6.4 Lakh Crore (USD 75.85 billion) and imports amounting to Rs 5.1 Lakh Crore (USD 60.68 billion).

India-EU trade in services reached Rs 7.2 Lakh Crore (USD 83.10 billion) in 2024.

India and the EU are the 4th and 2nd largest economies, comprising 25 per cent of Global GDP and account for one third of global trade. Integration of the two large diverse and complementary economies will create unprecedented trade and investment opportunities.

- ANI
Actor Karan Wahi has indirectly addressed swirling rumors of his marriage to fellow actor and longtime friend Jennifer Winget. In an Instagram story, he sarcastically thanked people for the "free PR," while in another post he suggested their bond is "greater than love" by referencing a film friendship. Winget, who was previously married to actor Karan Singh Grover, has not publicly commented on the speculation. The two have shared popular on-screen chemistry in shows like 'Dill Mill Gayye' and are known for their close off-screen friendship.

Karan Wahi breaks silence on wedding rumors with Jennifer Winget, thanking for "free PR" and calling their bond "greater than love."

Mumbai, January 28 Actors Jennifer Winget and Karan Wahi have been friends for a long time. And surprisingly, since Tuesday evening, social media has been abuzz with their wedding rumours.

As wedding rumours went haywire on social media, Karan broke his silence and indirectly reacted to the reports, writing on Instagram, "Free ki PR ke liye bahut shukriya. (Thank you very much for the free publicity)."

In another Instagram Story, Karan shared a still of Ranbir and Kalki from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, comparing their friendship in the film to his equation with Jennifer. "Some bonds are greater than love," the post read.

Jennifer has not reacted to the rumours yet. Karan and Jennifer have worked together in several shows such as 'Dill Mill Gayye', and 'Raisinghani vs Raisinghani'. heir on-screen chemistry has always been loved by fans. Off-screen too, they are often spotted together, and they never miss a chance to wish each other on birthdays or special occasions. They consistently support and root for one another.

Jennifer was previously married to actor Karan Singh Grover.

- ANI
News / National

by Staff reporter

Tensions within Zimbabwe's opposition ranks have intensified as former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa comes head-to-head with Defend the Constitution Platform (DCP) organisers, led by Jameson Timba, over the urgency and approach to counter President Emmerson Mnangagwa's proposed extension of his rule to 2030.The confrontation pits Chamisa, who returned to active politics on January 23 after a two-year hiatus under what he calls "Agenda 2026," against DCP leaders including Timba, Tendai Biti, Job Sikhala, Munyaradzi Gwisayi, Jacob Ngarivhume, and Obert Masaraure. The rift centres on differing strategies for addressing what DCP describes as "profound constitutional danger" posed by Zanu PF's attempt to amend the constitution to prolong the presidential term.Chamisa has publicly dismissed the 2030 political manoeuvre as a "Zanu PF sideshow" and argues that the current constitution is effectively nullified due to repeated violations by the ruling party. "The constitution has already been shredded and no longer exists in a functional sense," Chamisa told supporters, questioning whether defending it is even meaningful.DCP, however, has rejected Chamisa's stance as dangerously reckless. "A constitution does not cease to exist because it is violated," said Ngarivhume. "To declare the constitution a nullity because it has been breached is to reward its violators and to concede that illegality succeeds by repetition."Jameson Timba reinforced this view, stating that the 2013 Constitution remains Zimbabwe's supreme law and continues to provide the framework for democratic governance, electoral integrity, and civil liberties. "Abandoning the constitution at a moment of crisis is to surrender the reform agenda when it is most threatened," he said.Gwisayi added that Chamisa's approach overlooks the existential stakes. "We are no longer dealing with a mere Zanu PF resolution. ED2030 represents a frontal attack on the very foundations of the 2013 Constitution and the principle of popular sovereignty," he said.Analyst Dr Phillan Zamchiya noted that the internal opposition conflict could distract from the larger threat posed by Mnangagwa's proposed amendments. "To defend the country is to defend the constitution. And to defend the constitution is to defend the country. Anything else is political distraction," he said.Sources within opposition circles suggest the confrontation has grown personal, with DCP accusing Chamisa of seeking to disrupt or co-opt their constitutional defence campaign. The platform launched its initiative on January 17, six days before Chamisa's return, which critics interpret as a symbolic rebuttal.Chamisa's return aims to establish a broad citizens' movement without formal party structures, a move analysts describe as contradictory and impractical for attaining political power through elections. Some opposition insiders have raised suspicions that his re-emergence may inadvertently benefit Zanu PF by fracturing opposition unity, a claim Chamisa vehemently denies.As the opposition debate rages, the question of who will effectively lead efforts to safeguard Zimbabwe's constitutional order remains unresolved. While Chamisa champions a symbolic, leader-centric approach, DCP leaders continue to insist on structured, lawful, and institutional methods of defending the 2013 Constitution.The standoff signals growing fractures within opposition ranks at a critical political juncture, with the 2030 debate serving as both a test of strategy and a reflection of broader challenges facing Zimbabwe's democratic forces.
Living sectors and retail also see strong global interest

Global institutional investors plan to deploy $144 billion into commercial real estate in 2026, signaling a major rebound in activity. India is gaining prominence as a key destination due to its strong occupier demand and long-term growth drivers. Offices have re-emerged as the most targeted asset class globally, with investors being highly selective for quality, ESG-compliant properties. Beyond offices, living sectors and retail are also attracting significant planned allocations from international capital.

Knight Frank report reveals 87% of investors plan to boost commercial real estate investment in 2026, with India emerging as a prime defensive growth market.

Mumbai, Jan 28 Global institutional investors are set to deploy $144 billion into commercial real estate in 2026, marking a clear rebound in investment activity, and India is emerging as an increasingly relevant destination for global capital seeking scale, income visibility and long-term growth, a report showed on Wednesday.

Knight Frank's latest 'Active Capital Survey' revealed that 87 per cent of investors (by AUM) intend to increase direct commercial real estate investment in 2026, while 62 per cent expect to be net buyers, highlighting strong acquisition appetite globally.

The resurgence of investor interest is being led globally by a renewed focus on Core and Core-plus strategies, with $37 billion of planned global investment targeting Core assets.

"Global capital is returning, but it is far more disciplined than in previous cycles, India is increasingly being viewed as a defensive growth market, supported by strong occupier demand, improving asset quality and long-term structural drivers," said Shishir Baijal, International Partners, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India.

This shift closely aligns with India's evolving commercial real estate market, particularly in Grade A office assets across major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai.

Globally, offices have re-emerged as the most targeted asset class, with 69 per cent of investors planning allocations in 2026.

However, investors are highly selective, favouring well-located, ESG-compliant assets that meet modern workplace requirements, while avoiding assets facing long-term obsolescence.

This trend mirrors India's experience, where leasing momentum continues to be driven by Global Capability Centres (GCCs), technology firms and domestic corporates, collectively accounting for approximately 75 per cent, thereby reinforcing confidence in high-quality office stock, said the report.

Beyond offices, living sectors are the second most targeted globally, with 65 per cent of investors planning allocations, attracted by demographic tailwinds and defensive income characteristics.

"While institutional living segments such as rental housing and student accommodation remain nascent in India, they represent a significant medium- to long-term opportunity given rapid urbanisation and a young population profile," the report mentioned.

Retail has also returned to investor focus globally, with 56 per cent of investors planning allocations, reflecting stabilisation and opportunities in dominant, experience-led shopping centres.

Operational real estate sectors, including data centres, infrastructure and healthcare, are gaining traction globally as investors seek exposure to long-term structural tailwinds.

In India, rising digital adoption, expanding healthcare needs and sustained public infrastructure investment are translating into growing interest across these segments.

- IANS
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami celebrated Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code Day, marking the implementation of a common law for all citizens. He stated the UCC establishes social justice, equality, and constitutional values, aligning with Sanatan culture's principles of harmony. The code eliminates practices like polygamy and triple talaq, ushering in women's empowerment and equal rights in marriage, divorce, and inheritance. The implementation follows the bill's passage in February 2024 and presidential assent in March 2024.

CM Pushkar Singh Dhami celebrates Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code Day, marking implementation aimed at social justice, equality, and women's empowerment.

Dehradun, January 28 Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday celebrated the state's Uniform Civil Code Day, marking the implementation of the UCC, which aims to establish social justice, equality, and constitutional values.

Dhami honoured committee members, administrative officers, and Village Level Consultants who contributed to the UCC's drafting and implementation at the Himalayan Cultural Centre, Garhi Cantt.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Dhami said, "This day would be recorded as a golden chapter in the history of Uttarakhand, as the Uniform Civil Code was implemented in the state on this very day, ensuring the establishment of social justice, equality, and constitutional values in society."

He said that Sanatan culture and traditions have always promoted harmony and equality. Quoting Lord Krishna's message from the Gita -- "Samo'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo'sti na priyah" (God is impartial, viewing all living beings equally without innate hatred or partiality).

He explained that it reflected equality towards all beings, without bias or discrimination. He said this greatness of Sanatan culture has guided the world towards equality, justice, and humanity for centuries.

During the programme, the Chief Minister also visited a photo exhibition based on the Uniform Civil Code. He emphasised that the UCC promotes harmony and equality, aligning with Sanatan culture and traditions. The code ensures equal rights for all citizens, empowering women and eliminating discriminatory practices like halala, iddat, polygamy, and triple talaq.

The Chief Minister said that Dr BR Ambedkar and other framers of the Constitution included the Uniform Civil Code under Article 44 in the Directive Principles of State Policy, believing that there should be one common law for all citizens of the country. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he had committed to implementing the UCC in Uttarakhand in the BJP's 2022 Assembly election manifesto.

He said the people of Devbhoomi wholeheartedly supported this "divine mission." After assuming office again, work on implementing the UCC began immediately. On February 7, 2024, the UCC Bill was passed by the State Assembly and sent to the President, who granted her assent on March 11, 2024. After completing all necessary rules and procedures, the state government formally implemented the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand on January 27, 2025.

Chief Minister Dhami said that due to separate personal laws for different communities, discrimination and injustice had long existed in society. With the implementation of the UCC, not only have all citizens received equal rights, but a new era of women's empowerment has also begun in the state.

"Muslim women in Uttarakhand have been freed from practices such as halala, iddat, polygamy, child marriage, and triple talaq. Since the implementation of the UCC, not a single case of halala or polygamy has been reported in the state," said Dhami.

He said this is why Muslim women have welcomed the law. He added that, due to vote-bank politics after Independence, successive governments lacked the courage to implement the UCC, even though it is already in force in developed countries and major Muslim nations worldwide.

The Chief Minister clarified that the Uniform Civil Code is not against any religion or sect, but is a legal effort to eliminate social evils and establish harmony through equality. He said no religion's core beliefs have been altered; only regressive practices have been removed. Under the UCC, rules on marriage, divorce, and inheritance have been made uniform across all religions.

"Clear laws have also been framed regarding property distribution and child rights. No discrimination has been made among children in matters of inheritance, and upon a person's death, equal rights to property are granted to the spouse, children, and parents to prevent family disputes," said Dhami.

Considering present-day challenges, the Chief Minister said that registration of live-in relationships has been made mandatory to ensure the safety of young couples. Information regarding such registration is shared with parents or guardians by the registrar, while maintaining complete confidentiality. "Children born to live-in relationships are granted the same legal rights as biological children," he added.

Calling it a matter of personal pride, Chief Minister Dhami said that the state government successfully implemented the Uniform Civil Code from announcement to ground-level execution.

"Over the past year, UCC has made government services simpler, accessible, and more transparent. Earlier, the state recorded an average of only 67 marriage registrations per day, which has now increased to over 1,400 registrations daily. More than 30 per cent of gram panchayats have achieved 100 per cent registration of married couples. In the past year, nearly 5 lakh applications were received under the UCC, with over 95 per cent disposed of. Through an online portal and more than 7,500 active Common Service Centres, government services have truly reached the people's doorsteps," he added.

The Chief Minister said that the state government recently passed a bill introducing necessary amendments to the UCC, which received the Governor's assent a day earlier. "The amendments include provisions to annul marriages conducted in violation of identity concealment or false information. Strict punitive measures have also been put in place for cases involving force, pressure, fraud, or unlawful acts in marriages and live-in relationships," he said.

Referring to Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, the Chief Minister said that since the formation of the Jana Sangh, the abrogation of Article 370 and the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code have been long-standing resolutions that have now been fulfilled.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, it has been proven that strong decisions unite the nation rather than divide it. He said some people are deliberately spreading misinformation about the UCC for political reasons, including false claims related to domicile status and live-in registration. He clarified that the UCC does not grant domicile status to anyone, and live-in registration is solely meant to protect the safety, dignity, and rights of women.

Drawing an analogy, the Chief Minister said that just as the River Ganga flows from Devbhoomi Uttarakhand to nourish the entire country, the stream of the Uniform Civil Code originating from Uttarakhand will inspire other states to move forward in this direction.

He added that some cases related to polygamy and divorce have recently come to light, and strict action will be taken with separate provisions. Referring to allegations by a US-based NGO accusing him of hate speech, the Chief Minister said that if speaking against religious conversion and encroachment on government land is termed hate speech, then he accepts it without hesitation.

Key UCC provisions include uniform marriage, divorce, and inheritance laws for all religions; mandatory live-in relationship registration for young couples' safety; equal property rights for spouses, children, and parents and strict action against polygamy and false marriage claims.

- ANI
Google has launched a new AI-powered photo editing feature for its Photos app in India. Users can now edit images by simply describing the changes they want using voice or text commands. The feature supports multiple Indian languages and introduces new capabilities like personalized edits using private face groups and conversational editing. Google is also adding digital credentials to maintain transparency about AI-generated content.

Google launches AI-powered editing in Google Photos for India. Edit images using voice or text commands in multiple Indian languages.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Tech giant Google on Wednesday launched a new Artificial Intelligence-powered photo editing feature in India.

With the new feature, users can edit images in Google Photos by simply describing the changes using voice or text.

"Now in India! Edit your images in Google Photos by simply asking. We're rolling out the ability to edit your images by simply describing the edits you want using your voice or text. And, with a little help from advanced Gemini capabilities, Photos brings your vision to life," Google shared in a blog post.

Individuals can use the feature by opening a photo and tapping "Help me edit."

"You can now also ask Photos to remove a friend's sunglasses, open their eyes, or make them smile. The feature uses images from your private face groups to generate accurate, personalised edits of the people in your library," Google said.

This feature in Google Photos is available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Bengali, and Gujarati on any Android device with at least 4GB of RAM and Android 8.0 or higher.

Google has also introduced three new features, such as conversational editing, personalised edits, and Nano Banana.

With conversational editing, users can easily switch between tools and sliders. One can simply describe the edits such as to 'make the background blurry,' 'remove the glare,' or 'make the colours pop.'

By asking Gemini to "remove [name's] sunglasses" or "make [name] smile," users can personalise edits. Gemini will use images from private face groups to generate an accurate image.

With the Nano Banana in Google Photos, users can now ask for all kinds of new transformations to the images. Describing just a new style can help users bring their vision to life in seconds.

To continue ensuring transparency on AI-generated content, Google is also adding support for C2PA Content Credentials in Google Photos, which attaches a permanent digital label showing a modified image's origin and edit history.

- IANS
President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint session of Parliament on the first day of the Budget Session, outlining the government's commitment to true social justice and inclusive growth. She highlighted that nearly 25 crore people have emerged from poverty in the last decade, with social security coverage expanding dramatically to about 95 crore citizens. The President announced the new Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law, which guarantees 125 days of employment in rural areas, a move met with both support and protest in the House. She framed 2026 as a crucial foundational year for India's journey towards becoming a developed nation, citing the celebration of national heritage and historical icons as a source of inspiration.

President Droupadi Murmu addresses Parliament, highlighting poverty reduction, social security expansion, and the new Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law for rural employment.

New Delhi, January 28 President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday addressed a joint session of Parliament on the first day of the Budget Session 2026-27, outlining the Union government's vision for social justice, inclusive growth, and a developed India. The President delivered her address to members of both Houses assembled together in the Lok Sabha Chamber on the opening day of the Seventh Session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 270th Session of the Rajya Sabha.

In her address, President Murmu said she was "delighted to address Parliament, recalling that the previous year was memorable for celebrating India's rapid progress and rich heritage. She noted that 150 years of Vande Mataram were celebrated across the country, with citizens paying tribute to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

"The country celebrated the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bhadur Ji. During the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the entire country paid him tribute and remembered his tribute to the tribal community. The events related to the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel further strengthened the sense of Ek Bharat Shresht Bharat. The entire country became witness to how Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika's birth anniversary celebrations of filled the country with music and a sense of unity. When the country remembers the contribution of its ancestors, the new generation gets inspiration which further speeds up our journey towards Viksit Bharat," she said.

Focusing on social justice, the President underlined that Babasaheb Ambedkar consistently emphasised equality and social justice, values enshrined in the Constitution. "Every citizen of the country should get their full rights without any discrimination. My Government is committed to true social justice," she said. As a result, she noted, nearly 25 crore people have come out of poverty in the last decade, with efforts to empower the poor being accelerated further in the government's third term.

"My Government is working for Dalits, the backwards, tribal community and everyone with complete sensitivenss. The vision of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is becoming a positive impact on the lives of every citizen. At the beginning of 2014, social security schemes reached just 25 crore citizens. With the efforts of the Govt about 95 crore Indians have access to social security schemes now," she added.

The President also highlighted the new act VB-G RAM G that thas replace the MNREGA. As she praised the provisions of the act the Treasury benches thumped the tables in appreciation while opposition MPs stood and protested and demanded that the law be withdrawn.

"For employment and development in rural areas, Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law has been formed. With this new reform, there will be 125 days of employment guarantees in villages," the President.

President Murmu also said that with 2026, India has entered the second stage of the 21st century, and the achievements of the last 25 years have laid a strong foundation across sectors, calling this year a crucial base of the journey towards Viksit Bharat.

Earlier, the President received a Guard of Honour on her arrival at Parliament of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were present during the address.

The Budget Session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2, with a recess from February 13 to March 9 for scrutiny of Demands for Grants by Standing Committees.

- ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a charter plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday morning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep shock and condoled his demise, praising his decades of public service. Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, having held the position for six non-consecutive terms. He was traveling to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections at the time of the accident.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati plane crash. PM Modi and Amit Shah pay tribute, calling him a grassroots leader dedicated to public service.

New Delhi, January 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday mourned the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, remembering him as a mass leader with deep grassroots.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said Pawar was widely respected for his hard work and dedication to public service in Maharashtra. He highlighted Pawar's strong grasp of administrative affairs and his commitment to empowering the poor and underprivileged.

"Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti," the 'X' post from PM Modi said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday condoled the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying he was deeply distressed by the tragic news and hailed Pawar's decades-long dedication to public service.

In a post on X, Shah said Pawar's contribution to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra over the past three and a half decades was beyond words. He recalled their interactions, noting that Pawar always held detailed discussions on issues affecting the state's people.

"Today, the news of the loss of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague Ajit Pawar ji in a tragic accident has left my heart deeply distressed. The way Ajit Pawar ji dedicated himself to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra over the past three and a half decades cannot be expressed in words. Whenever we met, he would engage in long discussions on numerous issues related to the welfare of the people of Maharashtra. His passing is a personal loss not only for the NDA family but also for me," Amit Shah wrote on 'X'.

"I express my deepest condolences to the Pawar family. In this hour of grief, the entire NDA stands firmly with the bereaved Pawar family. May God grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," he added.

Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on Wednesday expressed grief at the news of the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a charter plane crash in Bramanti early today.

"It is very sad news," Sawant said, adding that the entire Pawar family is shattered by the news.

"I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant expressed grief at the news of the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who was killed in a charter plane crash in Baramati early today.

"It is very sad news," Sawant said, adding that the entire Pawar family is shattered by the news.

"I always did what he said. He was a bold man. He had a big role in the development of the Baramati region. I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

- ANI
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash near Baramati. Siddaramaiah remembered Pawar as a popular senior legislator and called his death a great national loss. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar also expressed shock, remembering Pawar as a leader with progressive ideas who earned cross-party confidence. The crash killed all five people on board, prompting a DGCA investigation and three days of state mourning in Maharashtra.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar express shock and call Ajit Pawar's death in the Baramati plane crash a great loss for the country.

Bengaluru, January 28 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in the Baramati Plane Crash along with four others. He said that his death has been an irreparable loss to the country.

Speaking to the reporters, the Chief Minister expressed solidarity with Pawar's family members.

"It's very sad news. Ajit Pawar was a senior legislator who served as a minister and Deputy Chief Minister. I had visited Baramati once, when Supriya Sule was the Lok Sabha Member of Parliament. During that time, Ajit Pawar was very popular in the constituency and had won from Baramati multiple times. His death is a great loss for the country. He was with Sharad Pawar in NCP. And later, they had some differences, and he joined the BJP. Then later they become good. I pray that his family get the strength and may his soul rest in peace," CM Siddaramaiah stated.

Earlier today, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed shock over the death of Ajit Pawar and called it a "huge loss", urging politicians to exercise greater caution while travelling, especially abroad.

Remembering Ajit Pawar as a progressive leader, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister said that Pawar had earned the confidence of many leaders across party lines in Maharashtra.

"Ajit Pawar is a leader with very progressive ideas. The Maharashtra Chief Minister had said just the other day that he is cooperating in all works. May his soul rest in peace. May the Lord give his family and supporters the strength to bear the grief," Shivakumar said.

Ajit Pawardied this morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

The crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate.

Pawar was on his way to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.

The Maharashtra government has announced three days of state mourning.

- ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash near Baramati early Wednesday morning. The charter flight from Mumbai crash-landed, resulting in five fatalities including the crew. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed condolences, calling it a loss for the entire nation. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati plane crash. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann calls it a national loss. State announces mourning.

Ahmedabad, January 28 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday expressed condolences over the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in an aircraft accident this morning.

The Punjab Chief Minister said that it was a loss to the entire country. He also extended his sympathies to other crash victims who lost their lives.

"We received very sad news this morning. Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, passed away in a tragic accident. I pray to God to grant peace to his soul and to give strength to his family, friends, and relatives. This is a great loss not only for Maharashtra but for the entire country. We offer our condolences to all those who lost their lives in the accident, including the pilot, co-pilot, and his colleagues," he said while speaking to reporters here.

Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash this morning in Maharashtra's Baramati.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati.

Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis has announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash this morning.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

- ANI
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah expressed profound sorrow over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, calling him a "great son of Maharashtra." J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condoled the loss, recalling Pawar's dedication to public service and his capabilities as an administrator. The charter plane crash occurred during a flight from Mumbai to Baramati, claiming five lives and prompting an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. In response, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of official mourning.

J&K leaders Farooq and Omar Abdullah express condolences for Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who died in a Baramati plane crash.

Jammu, January 28 Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, terming the incident as "painful".

Speaking to the media, Abdullah emphasised that Pawar's contribution can never be forgotten.

"I think this is really painful news. When I heard it this morning, I felt that a great son of Maharashtra had tried to change the destiny of Maharashtra died in a plane crash today. His contribution can never be forgotten. But nobody can do anything before God. I express my condolences to the family and pray for the departed soul," he said.

J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asserted that Ajit Pawar always tried to serve the people of Maharashtra.

"It is very unfortunate. Before leaving from Delhi, I had received this news...I have known Ajit Pawar since I was a college student in Mumbai and stayed with Pawar sahab...He always tried to serve the people of Maharashtra. Those who knew him and have seen his work style knew him to be a very capable administrator and a good political worker. This is an untimely demise. On behalf of my father, I express my condolences to Pawar sahab, Supriya Sule and their entire family," CM Omar said.

"Right now nobody should comment on what happened in this plane crash. Let there be an investigation and inquiry and only then it can be known whether there was a defect in the aircraft, if it was due to inclement weather or whether there was any other reason...," the J-K CM said.

The NCP chief died in a charter plane crash while travelling from Mumbai to Bramati this morning. He was in Mumbai on January 27, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Ajit Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash this morning.

A special team of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will investigate the aircraft crash in Baramati, which took away the lives of five individuals, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and crew members.

During the course of the investigation, the probe team will retrieve the flight recorder, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and Digital Engine Electronic System (DEES).

- ANI
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that escalating tensions with the US over Greenland serve as a strategic wake-up call for Europe, emphasizing sovereignty, Arctic security, and climate change. He reiterated France's commitment to these principles alongside EU partners. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen advocated for a stronger NATO role in the region, while Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen firmly defended his government's sovereignty as an absolute red line. The situation stems from renewed US interest in Greenland under President Donald Trump, which has been consistently rejected by European nations.

French President Macron says Greenland tensions are a strategic wake-up call for Europe on sovereignty, Arctic security, and climate change.

Paris, Jan 28 French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that the escalating tensions with the United States over Greenland constitute a strategic wake-up call for Europe as a whole, while reiterating France's solidarity with Denmark and Greenland.

"Recent events confirm that the situation in Greenland is a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe: on asserting our European sovereignty, on our contribution to Arctic security, on combating foreign interference and disinformation, on the fight against climate change, and on a privileged partnership for sustainable development and reducing strategic dependencies," Macron said at a joint press conference with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland in Paris.

Macron said France is deeply committed to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity with all its partners in the European Union, adding that France will continue to defend these principles in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called for NATO to play a much more significant role in the region and in the High North, including in and around Greenland.

Earlier on January 22, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reiterated that sovereignty remains a red line for his government, even amid intense pressure from the United States.

"Our territorial integrity and borders are absolutely red lines that must not be crossed," Nielsen, on Thursday told a press conference in Nuuk, capital of Greenland. "Greenland chooses the Greenland we know today, as part of the Kingdom of Denmark."

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. Since returning to office in 2025, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to "obtain" Greenland, a move that has been repeatedly rejected by Europe.

- IANS
Hanwha Aerospace is set to sign an official contract worth an estimated $1.9 billion to supply its K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher systems to Norway. The signing ceremony in Oslo is expected to be attended by South Korea's presidential chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, who is visiting to support defense exports. The deal includes a standard Norwegian offset requirement mandating industrial cooperation equal to the contract's full value through technology transfer and local partnerships. This agreement builds on Hanwha's previous success in supplying K9 howitzers to Norway and underscores its growing presence in the European defense market.

South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace secures a $1.9 billion deal to supply Chunmoo rocket systems to Norway, marking a major defense export success in Europe.

Seoul, Jan 28 Hanwha Aerospace has secured an estimated $1.9 billion project to supply its K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher systems to Norway, with the official contract expected to be signed this week, informed industry sources said on Wednesday.

The contract is widely expected to be signed Friday in Oslo by Hanwha Aerospace and the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA), the sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Yonhap News Agency while speaking on condition of anonymity.

Kang Hoon-sik, South Korea's presidential chief of staff, is expected to attend the signing ceremony, according to the sources.

Kang is currently visiting Canada as part of a trip widely believed to be aimed at supporting the country's defence exports.

Just before his departure from Seoul on Monday, Kang said he would also travel to Norway to discuss ways to expand defence cooperation between the two countries.

The deal comes as Norway seeks to bolster its long-range precision strike capability amid heightened security concerns in Europe.

According to the sources, the deal includes an offset requirement, a standard requirement under Norway's defence procurement rules, the sources said.

For all defence projects exceeding 50 million Norwegian kroner (US$5.2 million), foreign suppliers are required to provide industrial cooperation equal to 100 percent of the contract value, typically through a technology transfer and partnerships with local companies.

The agreement marks Hanwha Aerospace's latest major success in the Nordic defence market, following its previous contracts to supply K9 Vidar self-propelled howitzers to Norway in September.

Industry observers say the deal further underscores Hanwha's growing footprint in Europe and its ability to meet stringent operational and industrial requirements set by European defence customers.

- IANS
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Engineering Council of Zimbabwe (ECZ) has issued a stern public warning after discovering that some individuals are unlawfully using the professional designation of "Engineer," a title reserved for registered and qualified practitioners in the country.In a notice released this week, ECZ emphasised that the use of the title "Engineer" is strictly regulated under the Engineering Council Act [Chapter 27:22]. According to Part VI, Section 33(1) of the Act, no person other than a registered engineer may hold themselves out as an engineer, use the designation or initials of a registered engineer, or use any title, description, or letters that imply such registration, whether in advertisements, documents, or other communications.Section 33(3) of the Act stipulates that anyone found in breach of these provisions, or who knowingly employs someone in breach of the law, may be liable to a fine not exceeding Level Eight, imprisonment for up to one year, or both.The Council cited a recent incident in which Laston Machengo of Roy Eno Solar Tech appeared in a viral video presenting himself as an "Engineer," a move described by ECZ as a "flagrant violation of the law." The Council confirmed that it is now proceeding to lay charges against Machengo in accordance with statutory provisions governing engineering practice in Zimbabwe."Let this serve as a warning to those who attempt to circumvent the law. Misrepresenting one's professional status is a serious offence, and violators will be brought to book," the notice stated.ECZ urged the public to remain vigilant and verify the credentials of anyone offering engineering services, reinforcing that registration and compliance with the law are mandatory for all practitioners in the profession.The Council's move underscores its commitment to protecting the integrity of the engineering profession in Zimbabwe and ensuring that only qualified individuals provide engineering services to the public.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash near Baramati along with five others. The aircraft crashed during a landing attempt after taking off from Mumbai. Political leaders from across the spectrum, including Union Ministers and state leaders, expressed profound shock and offered condolences. The Deputy CM was traveling to attend a public meeting ahead of local body elections.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five others killed in a plane crash near Baramati. Political leaders across parties express shock and grief.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, along with five others, died in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday morning. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that all six passengers onboard perished in deadly crashlanding.

Political leaders across parties expressed shock and grief at the untimely demise of the senior leader.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan posted on X, "The news of the untimely demise of four individuals, including Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, in the plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely heart-wrenching. My humble tribute to the departed souls and my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Om Shanti."

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary wrote, "The news of the demise of several people, including the Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and National President of NCP, Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, in the horrific airplane crash that occurred in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely heartbreaking and soul-wrenching. May God grant peace to the departed souls and provide strength to the grieving families to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti!"

BJP leader Parvesh Verma also expressed grief . "The news of the demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji is extremely heartbreaking. This is an irreparable loss. May God grant peace to the departed soul and provide strength to the bereaved family, colleagues, and supporters to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti," he said.

The plane crashed while attempting to land near Baramati around 9 a.m., roughly an hour after taking off from Mumbai. Visuals from the crash site showed fire and smoke, the mangled remains of the aircraft, and ambulances rushing to assist.

Locals reportedly rushed to the site in a bid to help. Emergency services and senior security officials reached the scene immediately, and a team of DGCA officials has arrived for investigation.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief and former Dy CM Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal posted, "Shocked and saddened by the tragic news of the passing away of Maharashtra Deputy CM & NCP chief Sh. Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati. My heartfelt condolences to the Pawar family, his supporters, and the people of Maharashtra. May the Almighty grant eternal peace to his soul."

J&K PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti also expressed grief. She wrote in a post on X, "Deeply shocked & saddened by reports of a tragic private plane crash claiming the life of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar along with others. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May the departed souls rest in peace."

AAP leader Manish Sisodia posted, "This news is heart-shattering. The information about the tragic death of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar ji and other passengers in a plane crash is extremely painful. The families are enduring this unbearable grief... May God grant them strength. Humble condolences."

BJP MP Naveen Jindal said, "Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, in the unfortunate aircraft accident near Baramati. My heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and supporters. Prayers for the departed souls and strength to their loved ones in this hour of grief."

Three bodies were transported to Baramati Medical College, and identification is underway, as confirmed by Pune Superintendent of Police (SP).

Deputy CM Pawar's family rushed to the accident site. His wife and party MP Sunetra Pawar, son Parth Pawar, his cousin. The Deputy CM was en route to attend a public meeting ahead of Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala expressed grief nd remarked, "A loss beyond words! Om Shanti"

Congress leader Kamal Nath also prayed for peace and strength.

"We have received the news of the tragic demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar in an airplane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra.

The demise of Shri Ajit Pawar has caused an irreparable loss to India's politics. He dedicated his entire life to the service of the people of Maharashtra. May God grant peace to his soul and give strength to the family members to bear this sorrow. Om Shanti," he wrote on X.

Ajit Pawar, a seasoned leader of Maharashtra, leaves behind a big legacy of public service. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with officials examining both technical and procedural aspects of the accident.

- IANS
Top Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, have expressed profound distress over the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other opposition leaders like Akhilesh Yadav also conveyed their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The leaders described his passing as an untimely loss for public life and remembered him as a dedicated and astute politician. The incident has sent shockwaves through political circles across the country.

Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and other national leaders express profound grief over Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Congress top brass, from Rahul Gandhi to Mallikarjun Kharge and others expressed profound grief over the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on Wednesday. The incident, which also claimed the lives of other passengers onboard, has sent shockwaves across political circles and left his family, relatives and party workers in mourning.

LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi posted on X, "The news of the demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji and his fellow travelers in an airplane accident today is extremely heartbreaking. In this moment of grief, I stand with the people of Maharashtra. I extend my condolences to the entire Pawar family and their loved ones during this hour of sorrow."

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X, "The news of the tragic demise of Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash, is deeply shocking and profoundly distressing. It is an untimely loss of a leader who had a long and promising political career ahead. No words can adequately express the immense grief that the bereaved family must be enduring during this difficult hour."

"I extend my deepest condolences to the entire Pawar family, his supporters and well-wishers. Having served the people of Maharashtra in various constitutional capacities, Shri Ajit Pawar shall be remembered as a seasoned politician who discharged his responsibilities towards his people with sincerity and astuteness. May his soul rest in peace," he added.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote, "The news of the demise of Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji and others in the horrific plane crash in Maharashtra is extremely heartbreaking. May God grant peace to the departed souls. Deepest condolences to revered Sharad Pawar Ji, Supriya Sule Ji and their entire family, and to the supporters of revered Ajit Pawar Ji."

Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, also expressed his condolences, writing on X, "Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Ajit Pawar in the aircraft crash. His passing is a profound loss to public life. My heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and supporters. May his soul rest in peace, and may his loved ones find the strength to endure this irreparable loss."

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also expressed grief, "Maharashtra Deputy CM Shri Ajit Pawar ji passed away in a plane crash, extremely tragic! May God grant his soul peace. Deep condolences to the bereaved family. Heartfelt tribute!"

RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav added on X, "Deeply pained and stunned by the news of sudden demise of Deputy CM of Maharashtra Sh. Ajit Pawar! My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and followers."

Leaders from across the country have conveyed condolences, remembering him as a dedicated public servant whose work impacted the lives of millions in Maharashtra.

- IANS
Himachal Pradesh Police has secured the top position in India for the fastest average response time under the national Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112). Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hailed the achievement, highlighting the force's efficiency despite the state's challenging mountainous geography. He credited disciplined procedures, effective technology use, and strong field supervision for the success. The state government has reiterated its commitment to further modernize police infrastructure and enhance citizen-centric emergency services.

HP Police achieves fastest average emergency response time in India. CM Sukhu credits challenging terrain, tech use, and officer dedication for the top ranking.

Shimla, January 29 Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hailed the Himachal Pradesh Police for securing the first position in the country for average response time under the Emergency Response Support System during the past 24 hours, highlighting the force's efficiency, dedication and professionalism in providing timely assistance to citizens in distress.

"Despite Himachal Pradesh's challenging mountainous terrain, long travel distances, and limited resources, the State has emerged as the best performer in emergency response, which is a matter of pride for all Himachalis," the Chief Minister said on Wednesday.

He added that the state government remains committed to police modernisation, technology-driven policing and citizen-centric governance to further enhance public safety services.

The Chief Minister appreciated the consistent efforts of the ERSS-112 teams, police stations, and field officers across the State for their disciplined working procedures, effective use of technology, and strong field-level supervision, which have played a key role in improving response times. He said the State Government will continue to provide all necessary support to improve emergency response systems and strengthen policing infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh.

The Chief Minister said, "Himachal Pradesh has secured the first position in the country for average response time under ERSS-112 during the last 24 hours. He said that this achievement has been made possible due to the consistent efforts of ERSS-112 teams, police stations, and field officers across the State, who ensured quick mobilisation and timely assistance to citizens in distress."

Sukhu further said, "Disciplined working procedures, effective use of technology, and strong field-level supervision have played a key role in improving response times. He said that despite the State's challenging terrain and long travel distances, Himachal Pradesh Police has been able to provide the fastest emergency response compared to all other States and Union Territories."

DGP Ashok Tiwari expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for his continuous support, especially in strengthening police modernisation and technology-driven policing. He said that Speed, Sensitivity, and Service will remain the guiding motto of the Himachal Pradesh Police, and this achievement is not merely a ranking, but a reaffirmation of the commitment that whenever any citizen in Himachal Pradesh calls for help, the police will reach them at the earliest.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the State Government will continue to provide all necessary support to enhance emergency response systems and strengthen policing infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh.

- ANI
Senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde expressed deep sorrow over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, describing him as a gentle and dedicated colleague. Shinde highlighted Pawar's sincere work, especially for farmers, the poor, and the cooperative sector, which he stated cannot be forgotten. Congress MP Praniti Shinde also termed the news a major blow to the state, recalling Pawar's helpful nature and hectic lifestyle. The charter plane crash in Baramati claimed five lives, cutting short the journey of a politician who served as deputy CM under multiple chief ministers across six terms.

Sushil Kumar Shinde & Praniti Shinde express grief over Ajit Pawar's death, remembering his work for farmers, poor, and cooperative sector in Maharashtra.

Mumbai, January 28 Senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, describing him as a gentle, affable and dedicated worker who carved a distinct place for himself in state politics.

Speaking to ANI, Shinde said Pawar carried out every responsibility entrusted to him with sincerity and depth.

"I learned of this tragic incident this morning... A colleague who worked with us and stayed with us for nearly 20 years. When I was the Chief Minister, he also worked in my Council of Ministers. He was known as a very gentle, affable, and helpful worker who assisted everyone... In Maharashtra's political life, he made a name for himself... Whatever work he was given, he did it wholeheartedly, thoughtfully, and with complete depth. Especially, the work he did for the poor, farmers, and cooperatives cannot be forgotten... I express my condolences," Sushil Kumar Shinde told ANI.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Praniti Shinde said that the news was difficult to accept and termed Pawar's death a major blow to the State.

"The news is just not sinking in. He was a stickler for time. His hectic lifestyle has cost him his life today. He always went out of his way to help his party workers and others. It is just a very sad day for Maharashtra," Pranati Shinde told ANI.

Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with two more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and two crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

- ANI
TVK coordinator KA Sengottaiyan expressed strong confidence that the party, led by Vijay, will come to power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections. He cited the massive, voluntarily gathered crowd at a Chennai event as evidence of a public mood for change, similar to pre-election shifts in the past. Sengottaiyan emphasized that the people's trust stems from Vijay's promise of corruption-free governance and the party's commitment to women's representation. He asserted that Vijay would personally lead the electoral strategy across all constituencies, making TVK an "unbeatable force."

TVK leader KA Sengottaiyan says public enthusiasm signals a historic win for Vijay's party in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Chennai, January 28 Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam Administrative Committee Coordinator KA Sengottaiyan exuded confidence that the party's founder-leader Vijay, fondly referred to as "Thalapathy," would lead the party to power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Addressing a gathering in Chennai, Sengottaiyan praised the efforts of party General Secretary Bussy Anand and other senior leaders for organising the event, which he described as historic. He said the scale of public participation, without any expenditure, reflected the growing strength of the TVK movement.

Recalling his own experience as an MLA in 1996, Sengottaiyan said the enthusiasm witnessed at the meeting was similar to the public mood that precedes a change of government. "The crowd here today shows that a historic victory is in the making for TVK in 2026," he said.

He highlighted that, unlike other political movements, which spend crores of rupees to mobilise crowds, thousands of people had gathered voluntarily for the TVK event. This, he said, demonstrated the people's trust in Vijay's promise of providing corruption-free governance in Tamil Nadu.

Sengottaiyan asserted that Vijay would play a decisive role across all 234 Assembly constituencies by identifying candidates and leading the party's electoral strategy. "Only those identified by him will reach the Fort. No other force can do so," he said, indicating Fort St George, the seat of power in the State.

He also emphasised that TVK stands apart from other political parties by ensuring equal representation and rights for women, which, he claimed, has created both admiration and anxiety among rival parties.

Predicting a change in the political climate soon, Sengottaiyan said that within the next few months, even officials would recognise the growing influence of TVK. Calling upon party cadres to continue their service-oriented work, he expressed confidence that unity within the party would make TVK an unbeatable force in Tamil Nadu politics.

- ANI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled for a two-day visit to West Bengal at the end of January, ahead of the crucial state assembly elections. His itinerary includes a key meeting with the BJP's state core committee on January 30 to discuss poll preparedness. The following day, Shah will address a public rally in Barrackpore, an area with a significant Hindi-speaking voter base. This visit is part of a series of high-profile BJP campaigns in the state, following recent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Nitin Nabin.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits West Bengal for two days, holding key meetings and a public rally in Barrackpore ahead of crucial state polls.

Kolkata, Jan 28 Amid the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal scheduled later this year, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set for a two-day visit to the poll-bound state by end of this month, Bharatiya Janata Party sources said.

An insider from the state BJP committee said that Union Home Minister Shah is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on the evening of January 30.

On January 30 evening, the Union Minister would also hold a crucial meeting with the core committee members of the BJP in West Bengal and discuss the poll preparedness issues.

As per the schedule, on January 31, Union Home Minister Shah will address a public rally at the once-industrial belt of Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district, a belt where the Hindi-speaking voters are significantly high.

"He (Union Home Minister Amit Shah) will be going back to New Delhi on the evening of January 31, as per the schedule fixed so far," the state BJP committee member said.

Political observers feel that the successive visits to West Bengal, first by Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by the BJP's newly-elected President Nitin Nabin, and now by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the same month, and that, too, much before the election dates are announced proves how seriously the BJP view the State Assembly elections this time.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Modi addressed two political rallies, first on January 17 in Malda district followed by another public rally on January 18 at Singur in the Hooghly district.

BJP President Nitin Nabin is currently on a two-day visit to West Bengal, and on Wednesday, he addressed a rally at the industrial township of Durgapur in West Burdwan district.

Union Minister Shah visited West Bengal last month, and during that visit, he avoided public rallies or roadshows and concentrated more on party's internal organisational meetings.

His only public programme during the visit was a press conference.

However, his month-end visit will be a combination of administrative activities and a public meeting.

- IANS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tributes to legendary freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary, calling him an "immortal son of the motherland." Modi highlighted Rai's contributions beyond the freedom struggle, including his foresight in economic strengthening and institution-building. Senior BJP leaders including Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, and Yogi Adityanath also paid homage, praising his sacrifice and unifying role in the independence movement. Lala Lajpat Rai, known as Punjab Kesari, is remembered as a towering figure whose legacy continues to inspire.

PM Narendra Modi led tributes to Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary, honoring his sacrifice and role in India's freedom struggle and nation-building.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday led the nation in paying rich tributes to legendary freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary, hailing him as an "immortal son of the motherland" whose life continues to inspire generations.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister wrote, "To the immortal son of the motherland, Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai, heartfelt and respectful tributes on his birth anniversary. He offered everything he had to liberate Mother Bharati from the chains of slavery. His life of sacrifice will continue to remain a source of inspiration for every generation of the country."

In a video message, Prime Minister Modi stated that Lala Lajpat Rai was a towering figure in the Independence movement, dedicating his entire life to freeing the nation from foreign rule.

"Lalaji's personality went far beyond his role in the freedom struggle," said PM Modi, describing him as a visionary with deep foresight.

The Prime Minister highlighted Lala Lajpat Rai's significant contribution to institution-building, including his role in the establishment of Punjab National Bank and several other organisations. He added that Lalaji's mission was not limited to driving out foreign powers, but also centred on strengthening India economically, which was a core part of his ideology.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid homage, posting on X, "Lala Lajpat Rai Ji sacrificed his life for India's independence. His sacrifice wove the fragmented freedom movement into a single thread of unity, transforming it into a blazing inferno. He became the inspiration for armed revolution for countless revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh. To him, millions upon millions of salutations." (loosely translated from Hindi)

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari shared his tribute in Hindi on X, which translates to: "On the birth anniversary of the great freedom fighter 'Punjab Kesari' Lala Lajpat Rai ji, I offer my humble salutations to him."

Union Minister and BJP President J.P. Nadda also took to X, writing, "To the immortal son of Mother Bharat, the great freedom fighter, the Lion of Punjab, Lala Lajpat Rai ji, on his birth anniversary, I offer my countless salutations. With his outstanding nationalist thoughts, Lala ji ignited the flame of freedom in the hearts of the youth and gave a new direction to the independence movement. His sacrifice for the freedom of the motherland remains a living inspiration for every Indian."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid tribute, posting on X, "Great freedom fighter, dedicated social worker, and staunch advocate of Swadeshi, 'Punjab Kesari' Lala Lajpat Rai's birth anniversary is observed today. Humble tributes to him."

"His indomitable courage, unwavering dedication, unbreakable patriotism, and life of sacrifice are an invaluable heritage of the Indian freedom struggle, which always inspires us to work with the spirit of Nation First," he added.

Lala Lajpat Rai, popularly known as Punjab Kesari, remains one of the most influential leaders of India's freedom movement, remembered for his fearless resistance to colonial rule and his enduring legacy of nationalism and sacrifice.

- IANS
India's defence technology ecosystem achieved a record annual funding inflow of $247 million in 2025, according to a Tracxn report. The surge was significantly driven by a single $100 million mega-round, even as the total number of deals decreased. Funding is heavily skewed towards non-combat systems and infrastructure-oriented segments, with Bengaluru emerging as the top-funded city. The sector is transitioning from fragmented innovation towards integrated, execution-driven capabilities spanning AI, autonomy, and secure communications.

India's defence tech sector sees record $247M funding in 2025, driven by a $100M mega round and growth in non-combat systems, per Tracxn report.

Mumbai, Jan 28 India's defence tech ecosystem recorded $247 million in funding in 2025, its highest annual inflow till date despite a lower number of deals, a report said on Wednesday.

The report from data intelligence platform Tracxn said total alltime equity funding for the sector stood at $711 million across 232 rounds, and that annual funding rose from $5 million in 2016 to a peak of $247 million in 2025, the report said.

The report further said that the surge was driven largely by a $100 million mega round and featured dominance of non-combat systems and capital concentration among a small set of companies.

Despite a lower number of rounds in 2025 of 30 rounds, total funding nearly doubled year-over-year, due to a $100 million mega round.

"While seed-stage activity remains broad, late-stage funding continues to be limited, reinforcing the ecosystem's progression toward execution-focused and platform-led defence capabilities," it said.

Funding remains heavily frontloaded by stage as seedstage companies raised about $118 million across 174 rounds, earlystage firms absorbed $527 million across 56 rounds, and latestage funding totalled $66 million across five rounds.

Capital distribution across the defence tech value chain shows a strong skew toward infrastructure-oriented segments, it said. NonCombat Systems attracted $551 million, Combat Weapon Systems drew $106 million, Defence Support and Enablement Systems received $27 million and Training and Simulation Solutions attracted $27 million, the report said.

Bengaluru emerged as the most funded city receiving $216 million across 61 rounds, followed by Noida with $168 million across 19 rounds and Chennai with $88 million across 26 rounds, the report said.

India's defence technology ecosystem transited from fragmented innovation toward an execution-driven capability infrastructure. Defence technology in India moved beyond individual platforms and is defined by integrated systems spanning AI, autonomy, ISR, secure communications, and manufacturing depth, the data intelligence platform said.

Policy reforms, rising defence budgets, and geopolitical imperatives are positioning defence technology as national infrastructure, linking military readiness, industrial capacity, and long-term economic value, it noted.

- IANS
Industry leaders have hailed the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as a major achievement that will significantly strengthen the competitiveness of Indian exporters in European markets. The pact is expected to boost manufacturing activity and attract higher investment into India while providing easier access to advanced European technologies. The agreement is seen as particularly transformative for the pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors, with calls to address non-tariff barriers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the FTA as a new blueprint for shared prosperity that will create fresh opportunities for farmers, small industries, and the services sector.

Industry leaders hail the India-EU Free Trade Agreement as transformative, boosting exports, manufacturing, and investment while improving market access.

New Delhi, Jan 28 The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement is expected to significantly strengthen the competitiveness of Indian exporters in European markets, helping them take on rivals such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, industry leaders said on Wednesday.

Speaking to IANS, Polymedicure Managing Director and CEO Himanshu Baid said the India-EU FTA is a major achievement for the country, as it opens up the combined market of 27 European nations for Indian exporters.

"The agreement will give Indian companies a stronger footing in Europe, enabling them to compete more effectively with other export-oriented Asian economies," he stated.

Baid added that the trade pact will improve market access for Indian firms and support higher export volumes.

"The agreement will ensure easier access to advanced European technologies, while European companies will benefit from entry into India's fast-growing domestic market," he told IANS.

"The FTA is expected to boost manufacturing activity in India and attract higher levels of investment into the country," he added.

Echoing similar views, Medical Devices Export Promotion Council (EPCMD) Chairman R.S. Kanwar told IANS that the India-EU trade agreement is highly beneficial and could prove transformative for the pharmaceutical and medical devices sector.

Kanwar said the FTA is a positive step for India's medical devices industry, noting that improved access to life-saving medical products will be mutually beneficial for both India and the European Union.

He welcomed the move towards zero-duty access for medical devices but stressed that non-tariff barriers must also be addressed to allow Indian manufacturers to fully tap the European market.

Announcing the India-EU FTA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the agreement is not just a trade deal but a new blueprint for shared prosperity.

"The historic pact will make it easier for Indian farmers and small industries to access European markets, create fresh opportunities in manufacturing, and further strengthen cooperation in the services sector between India and the European Union," he told IANS.

- IANS
The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement is generating strong optimism across India's textile sector, seen as a catalyst for modernization and export-led growth. Industry leaders in hubs like Surat highlight that access to advanced European machinery will lower production costs and improve quality for global markets. The deal directly addresses long-standing challenges of high tariffs and limited technology that restricted competitiveness. With access to over 450 million European consumers, the FTA is viewed as a structural reset to position India as a high-quality textile supplier.

India-EU Free Trade Agreement sparks optimism in textile manufacturing, promising modern machinery, cost efficiency, and access to a 450-million consumer market.

New Delhi, January 28 The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement has sparked strong optimism across India's textile sector, particularly in major manufacturing hubs such as Surat, where industry leaders view the pact as a long-awaited catalyst for modernisation, cost efficiency, and export-led growth.

For decades, Indian textile manufacturers have grappled with high machinery costs and limited access to advanced technology, factors that restricted their ability to compete in premium global markets. The new FTA is now seen as a strategic opening that connects Indian producers directly with European machinery manufacturers, enabling a shift toward higher production standards.

Ravi Sahani, a prominent textile businessman from Surat, welcomed the agreement and highlighted its significance for competitiveness and exports. "I welcome the move as it will benefit the business. The machinery from Europe that will come will help us manufacture clothes to export to other countries. And our clothes will go to 27 EU countries. Earlier, we used to purchase machinery from China; now we have Europe to purchase the machinery, and we can take advantage of that," said Sahani.

The positive sentiment extends to the saree and weaving segments, which have long struggled with tariff-related pressures that limited overseas demand. Krishan Aroda, who operates in the saree business, noted that the deal has already changed business outlooks across the sector.

"The India-EU deal that has happened has made Indian businessmen very happy, and going forward, a growth in business activities is expected. The tariff impacted our business, but with this deal, business will increase. That is what is expected," Aroda stated.

Beyond trade access, industry stakeholders believe the agreement will help improve overall fabric quality and production processes. Santosh Sharma, another textile businessman, underlined how lower-cost European machinery could help bridge long-standing gaps in export readiness.

"Under Modi's regime, the country is growing. If I talk about weaving, the process improved, but the process standard was not very good, and the fabric was not up to the mark for exports because of high product costs due to high machinery costs. But with this deal, we can expect to raise our standards. We can expect good quality manufacturing due to less costly machines, and this will ultimately help us grow in the export sector," Sharma explained.

With access to a European consumer base of more than 450 million people, the textile industry now sees the FTA as more than a trade agreement; it is being viewed as a structural reset that could reposition India as a reliable supplier of high-quality textiles in global value chains.

- ANI
News / National

by Staff reporter

Victims of torture and political violence during Zimbabwe's 2008 runoff election have suffered a double blow after the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) declined to investigate the incidents, and the High Court struck the matter off the roll.The case, brought by human rights organisation Heal Zimbabwe and local resident Hilton Chironga, sought to compel ZHRC to investigate widespread violence in the Chaona area of Mashonaland Central province between May and June 2008, which left hundreds dead or injured.Represented by former Finance Minister Tendai Biti, the applicants also cited the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Parliament, and the Attorney-General as respondents. They argued that the violence constituted gross violations of human rights, including the right to life, the prohibition against torture, and the right to human dignity.Heal Zimbabwe contended that Section 9(4)(a) of the ZHRC Act, which prevents the Commission from investigating complaints arising before February 13, 2009, was unconstitutional. The organisation argued that the provision violated the Constitution's doctrine of legality, the right to truth and access to information, and the right to equal protection under the law.ZHRC maintained that it had no authority to investigate events that occurred before February 2009, citing the statutory time limit. Parliament also opposed the application, arguing that the matter was improperly framed and that the applicants lacked the legal standing to bring it before the court.High Court Judge Justice Maxwell Takuva agreed with Parliament and ZHRC, ruling that the case had been improperly instituted. He noted that Heal Zimbabwe should have filed the application as a class action under Section 85 of the Constitution, which allows citizens to seek enforcement of fundamental rights. Instead, the applicants relied on Section 2 of the Constitution, which provides substantive law but contains no procedural route for enforcing rights."The application is improperly before the court in that it should have been brought in terms of section 85(1) of the Constitution instead of section 2 of the Constitution," Justice Takuva said.As a result, the High Court struck the case off the roll with no order as to costs, effectively closing the door on judicial intervention in this matter for now.Heal Zimbabwe and other civil society groups have expressed disappointment at the ruling, warning that it underscores the difficulties victims of past political violence face in accessing justice.The 2008 runoff election in Chaona was marked by intense political violence, with numerous reports of killings, torture, and assaults, leaving scars on the local communities that persist to this day.
A senior CSIS advisor states the recent India-EU trade and defence deal shows both sides can separate their differing security priorities from commercial cooperation. He notes India's primary security focus is on China and Pakistan, while Europe's is on Russia, yet they have pragmatically advanced economic ties. The agreement has also sparked discussion in Washington about its potential impact on the ongoing US-India trade negotiations. However, the expert assesses that the security partnership aspect of the deal holds limited significance for deep strategic integration between the EU and India.

CSIS advisor says India-EU FTA shows ability to differentiate security concerns from commercial cooperation, sending a global signal.

Washington DC, January 28 Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Richard Rossow, on Wednesday said that the recent India-European Union trade and defence engagements demonstrate the ability of New Delhi and Brussels to separate security concerns from commercial cooperation, sending an important global signal, including to policymakers in Washington.

Speaking to ANI about the broader message conveyed by the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Rossow said that, despite differing geopolitical priorities, both sides have shown pragmatism in advancing economic ties, even though Europe and India often do not feature prominently in each other's core security calculations.

He explained that India's primary security concerns revolve around China and Pakistan, while Europe tends to focus on Russia's invasion of Ukraine--areas where the two sides have traditionally been reluctant to intervene in each other's crises.

"To some extent, for both Brussels and Delhi, it shows the ability to differentiate security and commercial because when India thinks about its major security concerns, whether it's China or Pakistan, Europe tends not to weigh in very heavily when there's crises and similarly, to Europeans, they think of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and India certainly doesn't want to play in that game," Rossow stated.

"And that's been a sticky point in relationships in recent years. But this shows the ability to divorce those things," he added.

Rossow said the agreement has also prompted discussions in Washington about whether it could affect the India-US trade deal, which has been under negotiation for nearly a year.

"We're all wondering whether this will affect the US-India deal that's been under negotiation for almost a year now. Is that going to help it get across the finish line? ... But to me, the bigger signal, apart from what it means for the White House, is the fact that as India is thinking about shoring up new partnerships, when they don't look at the United States quite as stable as it was before, at least they continue to lean towards US friends and allies," he said.

Highlighting India's recent trade trajectory, Rossow pointed out that New Delhi's substantive commitments have largely been with countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the European Union.

."I don't think it'll unstuck our (India-US) deal, but it is also good to see India shoring up with countries and blocs that are on our side of what would be a separated ecosystem at some point, perhaps in areas like tech," he added.

The remarks come a day after India and the EU signed a "milestone" deal, dubbed the "Mother of All Deals", by concluding their negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday.

The deal is one of India's most strategic economic partnerships, designed as a modern, rules-based trade partnership, which responds to contemporary global challenges while enabling deeper market integration between the world's fourth- and second-largest economies.

Commenting separately on the security dimension of the India-EU partnership following the signing of the Security and Defence Partnership, Rossow said the agreement carries limited significance for deep strategic or military integration.

"I don't see a dramatic upside to the security partnership between the European Union as a whole and even most individual European countries and India," he said, explaining that the primary threats faced by both sides remain largely divergent.

Rossow noted that while India prioritises challenges from its immediate neighbourhood, particularly Pakistan and China, many European countries still view China as an economic partner and remain cautious about confronting Beijing. He added that Europe is unlikely to play a decisive role during potential India-China border crises.

Rossow said, adding that India similarly has little appetite to take a more aggressive stance against Russia, despite Europe facing sustained pressure from Moscow.

"I think it has limited significance. I don't see a dramatic upside to the security partnership between the European Union as a whole and even most individual European countries, and India. Because when you ask both about their security interests, for India, they think first and foremost about their next-door neighbours... Half of Europe still thinks of China as an economic partner, and they want to take what they can get," he said.

"They don't want to do that and stoke China because there's still a lot of interest in economic engagement entanglements with China. With Pakistan, it's kind of a non-issue for most of Europe. Similarly, they (Europe) think of Russia and are going to trigger India to take a more aggressive posture against Russia's expansionism? ... Every single day, they're (Russia) putting pressure on a range of European countries, and India has no interest in playing that game," Rossow added.

On Tuesday, India and the EU signed a landmark Security and Defence Partnership, marking the first overarching defence and security framework between the two sides, as leaders from both blocs agreed to significantly deepen cooperation across strategic, regional and global security domains.

With the signing of the deal, India becomes the third Asian country to have such a deal with the EU after Japan and South Korea.

Summing up, Rossow said that while economic and trade cooperation between India and the EU is strengthening, deep security integration remains constrained.

"The primary threats that drive both camps are so diffused that I don't see quite as much overlap," he added.

- ANI
Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu announced India's strategic focus on developing a robust aviation manufacturing ecosystem to cater to domestic growth and become a global exporter. He highlighted a key MoU between Embraer and Adani Aerospace and noted that Airbus and Boeing already source $2 billion in components from India. The minister cited India's projected 7% annual economic growth as a major confidence booster for international investors and OEMs. The announcements were made at the Wings India 2026 summit in Hyderabad, which saw participation from 20 countries.

Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu announces India's push to become a global aviation manufacturing hub, highlighting partnerships and growth.

Hyderabad, Jan 28 India is ready to take the next step in civil aviation by getting the manufacturing ecosystem ready, Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu said on Wednesday.

He said the manufacturing ecosystem will not only cater to domestic demand that is going to grow in the next 10-20 years but India can become a place for global exporters.

The Minister was talking to the media persons after inaugurating Wings India 2026, the civil aviation summit, at Begumpet Airport here.

He said the biennial event this time will showcase India's strength in the field of civil aviation, especially in the manufacturing sector.

Referring to the demand and growth in civil aviation, he noted that the country has doubled the airports, passenger growth and aircraft fleet during the last 10 years, "thanks to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the kind of reforms he brought in civil aviation, especially the UDAN scheme".

The Civil Aviation Minister stated that a groundbreaking MoU was signed on Tuesday between Brazilian aerospace major Embraer and Adani Aerospace.

"They want to have a manufacturing ecosystem in the country. This is the new India you are seeing, where India has become a global trusted partner in aviation, also because aviation engineering requires a specific skill, a specific precision in engineering. This is a great advancement we are making. We have become a trusted and loyal partner in manufacturing," he said.

He said the timeline for the Embraer-Adani Aerospace collaboration will be decided next month when Brazilian President visits India and meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Minister Naidu expects good progress in the manufacturing field in the next two years.

Ram Mohan Naidu, who inaugurated the static display of aircraft, inspected the Boeing 787-9 aircraft. "This aircraft has been specifically fitted for Air India. This is the first delivery that has been done," he said.

He pointed out that one of the major bottlenecks in the aviation industry is the availability of aircraft. "We have a lot of orders being given to Boeing and Airbus. Deliveries are just starting this year. We are confident that in the coming year the delivery of these aircraft, which are specifically designed for Indian passengers, is going to give a lot of confidence to the aviation sector," he said.

The minister mentioned that Airbus and Boeing are already sourcing up to two billion-dollar components from India. A lot of manufacturing hubs are growing in the country. There is one big hub in Telangana, another in Karnataka. Andhra Pradesh, other states are also coming in, and Gujarat is also coming strong in this ecosystem, he said.

He said during Wings India, they will concentrate on global partnerships, be it with organisations or countries.

The minister stated that the civil aviation ministry stands committed to providing necessary help to all those who want to partner with India in manufacturing in the aviation sector.

Delegates from 20 countries and 3,000 business participants from India and abroad are attending the event.

There is a static display of aircraft and an exhibition of not only aircraft components and related products but also avionics and technology.

The minister said that his message to all OEMs and international participants is that India is the brightest spot in the world. "IMF has already said that India is going to grow at 7 per cent annually for the next 10-15 years. It gives the kind of confidence and straightforward message to everyone that if you are looking at a place to invest, if you are looking for a strong relationship in manufacturing or any other sector, India becomes the best place," he said.

"Globally, with the geopolitical conflicts and other challenges that are emerging, a lot of uncertainties are coming across the world. In these uncertainties with the kind of growth India is seeing, this is one of the most favourable nations today. That's why India and the EU also cracked up the most complicated FTA ever done. It's a great victory for us as a country," he added.

- IANS
Canada is positioning itself as a reliable energy partner for India, with ministers and analysts highlighting the strategic sense in diversifying exports to the world's fastest-growing energy market. Canadian Energy Minister Tim Hodgson emphasized a commitment to never using energy as a tool for coercion and stressed the importance of multilateral relationships. Analysts note India's large refining sector and plans to grow its petrochemical industry present opportunities for Canadian crude oil, naphtha, ethane, and liquefied natural gas. With India's oil demand set to accelerate and its heavy reliance on imports, it emerges as a critical strategic market for Canadian energy exports.

Canadian ministers and analysts pitch India as a strategic energy market to diversify exports, citing its massive demand and refining capacity.

New Delhi, January 28 Canada's plan to increase energy exports to India makes sense, The Globe and Mail reported, citing analysts. India's massive population and rapid economic growth have boosted its demand for fossil fuels.

Canada has pitched itself as a reliable partner for supplying energy to India. Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson who was in India for the India Energy Week said Canada is committed to supplying energy to India, asserting that his country will never use energy for "coercion."

"We will never use our energy for coercion. We believe middle powers should work together to resist hegemony, and that's why I'm here," the Canadian minister said.

Canada is one of the world's largest energy producers.

Exporting 98 per cent of Canadian energy to one country is a "strategic blunder," Hodgson said yesterday. The fastest-growing demand for energy in the world will be in India, he added.

Susan Bell, senior vice-president of commodity markets at Rystad Energy, told The Globe and Mail that exporting Canadian fossil fuels to India is "definitely worth pursuing."

"The country already has a fairly large refining sector that processes roughly six million barrels a day of crude, and it has plans to grow its petrochemical sector," Bell said.

"So it's not just an opportunity for crude oil, it could also be an opportunity for naphtha and potentially even ethane," she aded.

Canada sells only a limited ammount of crude to India.

The bulk of India's heavy crude imports come from Iraq, and could reasonably be substituted with Canadian oil, Bell was quoted as saying. Bell said there is also opportunity for other products such as liquefied natural gas, for which India imports about 5 per cent of the world's supply.

With oil demand from China set to plateau over the next couple of decades, "India always comes up as the next big engine for global oil demand," Rory Johnston, an oil analyst with Commodity Context told The Globe and Mail.

As per the report, Johnston said oil demand in India is expected to accelerate in 2026. The country is "absolutely" a strategic market to target, he said, given its growing energy demands and massive population.

Daily oil demand in India grew at a much slower rate than expected in 2025, rising by roughly 100,000 barrels, rather than the 300,000 forecast by various agencies.

The Canadian Energy minister, speaking at the India Energy Week 2026, said, "It is a changing world we live in, and energy is at the centre of that. I'm here because, like you, the way to resist that change is to build multilateral relationships and to double down on diversification of supply."

Referring to the US, which has imposed tariffs on countries that import oil from Russia, the Canadian minister said his country is opposed to the view that "might makes right."

"We're not going to live in a world where might makes right. We're not going to live in a world where the strongest put tariffs on everyone else," he said during a discussion at IEW 2026.

Instead, he said Canada believes in free trade and trusted relationships. He said that diversifying energy needs was key.

"We relied on one supplier for natural gas, and that was a very strategic blunder. We can never let that happen again. We need to diversify our supply." Canada used to provide 98% of its energy to one customer. We are committed to diversifying our supply," he said.

India imports worth billions of energy annually. India depends on imports for about 80 per cent of its crude oil requirement. Various steps have been taken by the government to increase the production of domestic crude oil and bring down imports, including domestic avenues.

- ANI
Indian American attorney and entrepreneur Rakhi Israni is running for California's 14th Congressional District, aiming to re-engage communities feeling locked out of policymaking. Her campaign raised over $1 million within the first 24 hours of its announcement. Israni criticizes current politics for catering to "the noisier few" and prioritizes restoring focus on quality of life, affordability, and healthcare. She describes herself as a "dharmic" candidate, using a framework of duty and service to guide her decisions.

Indian American candidate Rakhi Israni launches Congressional campaign, raising $1M in 24 hours. She aims to re-engage communities on affordability and healthcare.

Washington, Jan 28 Calling for a return to "duty and decency" in policymaking, Indian American candidate Rakhi Israni said she is running for Congress to re-engage communities that feel locked out of decisions shaping their daily lives, from affordability to healthcare.

Israni, who announced her Congressional run last week, said she decided to enter the race after years of working on service and policy issues, at a time when she believes public discourse has drifted away from solving real problems.

"Problems are not getting solved," Israni told IANS in an exclusive interview, adding that quality of life has deteriorated even as political rhetoric grows louder and less reflective of people's concerns. Her campaign raised more than USD1 million in the first 24 hours of her announcement.

Israni said the decision to run came together quickly after the seat in California's 14th Congressional District became open. The district is currently represented by Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell, who is running for governor. "This opportunity came up, and I was asked to run for it," she said, describing the move as sudden but necessary to "wake up the community" and encourage greater participation in policy making.

Israni said she is "a mother of four, an attorney, an entrepreneur, and an educator," and stressed that family and service have guided her choices. She said her involvement in handling issues such as food insecurity, homelessness, housing, and affordability convinced her that she could have a larger impact by seeking federal office.

Describing the 14th District, Israni said it covers parts of the Bay Area, including Fremont, Hayward, Pleasanton, Livermore, and Dublin. Indian Americans are present in sizeable numbers in these areas.

She noted that the district is about "40 per cent Asian" and has one of the largest populations of Indian registered voters in the country. She described it as an educated district with above-average income and home ownership, where families are focused on stability and opportunity for their children.

On her campaign priorities, Israni said the central focus is restoring attention to the quality of life. "The main priority is bringing back a focus to the quality of life for people," she said, pointing to the rising cost of living, affordability, and access to basic needs such as healthcare.

She said her approach has been shaped by listening to the people affected by policies and understanding where changes can benefit the largest number of families.

Responding to a series of questions, Israni was critical of how Congress has functioned in recent years, saying policymaking has increasingly become about "social media retweets or likes," rather than solutions. She said politics has catered to "the noisier few," leaving many people feeling unheard. "Most people just want to be heard," she said, adding that restoring a sense of duty and decency is essential to rebuilding trust.

Asked about competition in the race, Israni said her biggest challenge would come from those who prefer the status quo and want to dictate how people should think or live. She said she hopes voters become more engaged with policies and their long-term impact, especially on children and future generations.

On foreign policy, Israni said that while her primary responsibility as a member of Congress would be improving life in her district, she sees strong US-India ties as important, particularly given the district's proximity to Silicon Valley. She said strengthening relations between "the two largest democracies in the world" is relevant to the technology sector and to the broader well-being of people in the region.

Israni said her campaign raised $1 million within the first 24 hours, with support coming from across the country. She emphasised that enthusiasm has gone beyond fundraising, with many supporters eager to feel included in the political process and to have a voice. She also said local officials have begun reaching out, and confirmed that Jeff Rosen was the first public endorser of her campaign.

Explaining her values, Israni said she describes herself as a "dharmic" candidate, using the concept of dharma as a decision-making framework centered on duty, service, and tackling challenges. She said the idea is not tied to religion but to principles that promote harmony and improve society for everyone, regardless of belief or background.

Israni's parents immigrated to the United States in 1967 for education and raised their family in Houston. They instilled in her a strong sense of community service. She said her family is Sindhi, with roots in Uttar Pradesh and Bombay, and that her upbringing continues to shape her commitment to public service.

Currently, there are six Indian Americans in the House of Representatives. If elected, Israni would become the seventh Indian American member of Congress and only the second Indian American woman to serve in the House, reflecting the community's increasing participation in national public life.

- IANS
India has halted diesel shipments to the European Union this month following the bloc's ban on fuel refined from Russian crude. Instead, it is sending record volumes to West Africa, with December exports hitting an all-time high. The EU policy has also sharply slowed diesel exports from Turkey to Europe, forcing a global reordering of oil flows. EU countries are compensating by increasing fuel imports from the US and Middle East.

EU ban on Russian-origin fuel reshapes global diesel flows, with India hitting record exports to West Africa as Turkey's EU shipments slow.

Mumbai, Jan 28 India stopped diesel shipments to the European Union this month due to the EU's ban on fuel refined from Russian crude, and instead sent record volumes to West Africa, shipping data has showed.

The shipping data from Kpler and Vortexa showed that the ban also led to Turkey's previously strong diesel exports to the EU slowing in recent months, as per reports.

Analysts said the EU policy -- aimed at penalising Russia over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine -- has forced refiners to find new markets and led to a wider reordering of global oil flows.

Analysts said that 're-shuffle' would most likely lead to more Indian diesel shipped to Africa, which would free up more Middle Eastern supply for Europe.

India had averaged about 137,000 barrels per day (bpd) of diesel exports to the EU in 2025 and ranked as the bloc's thirdlargest supplier, according to Kpler and Vortexa data.

Russian crude made up 30 per cent of India's seaborne crude imports in 2025, while it represented 48 per cent for Turkey's seaborne crude imports last year, according to Kpler.

Turkey's diesel exports to the EU sharply slowed with January flows to the European nations dipping to roughly 45,000 bpd, down from about 87,000 bpd monthly in 2025, the data showed.

The EU will accept fuel from refineries that can segregate Russian crude; otherwise, a refinery must show it has not imported Russian crude in the 60 days before a cargo's bill of lading.

India's diesel exports to West Africa were poised to reach an all-time high in December at around 155,000 bpd, and January exports were nearing 84,000 bpd.

Meanwhile EU countries' fuel imports from the US and Middle Eastern countries reached a three-month high in January as the bloc diversified supply ahead of the ban, the reports said.

Nifty oil and gas was the top gainer among the Nifty indices on Wednesday up 3.40 per cent as global oil prices surged. Brent crude futures are trading around $66.50 - $67.50 per barrel, levels last seen in October.

- IANS
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, expressed Iran's readiness to engage in any peace process that adheres to international law while protecting Iran's rights. Both leaders emphasized the necessity of ensuring peace and security in West Asia, with Pezeshkian accusing the United States of compromising regional security and disrupting past diplomacy. The Saudi crown prince affirmed his country's rejection of any aggression or threat against Iran and expressed readiness for regional cooperation. The diplomatic exchange occurs alongside Iranian military warnings to neighbors and the arrival of a US carrier strike group in the region.

Iran's president tells Saudi crown prince Iran is ready for peace within international law, as both stress regional security and criticize US actions.

Tehran, Jan 28 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian voiced Iran's readiness to welcome any process leading to peace and conflict prevention "within the international law framework while fully safeguarding the rights of the country and its people."

He made the remarks in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, on Tuesday, during which both sides underscored the necessity of ensuring peace and security in West Asia, Xinhua news agency reported quoting a statement from the Iranian president's office.

Pezeshkian said US threats and actions against Iran are aimed at compromising regional security. He accused Washington of disrupting Iran's past diplomatic engagements with Europe, and characterized the US approach to dialogue as "we say and you do."

He urged collective cooperation among Muslim countries to secure security, stability and development in the region.

For his part, the crown prince affirmed that Saudi Arabia rejects as "unacceptable" any aggression, threat, or escalation of tension against Iran, read the statement.

He expressed his country's readiness for cooperation with Iran and other regional states to ensure lasting peace and security.

Separately, Deputy Commander of the Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Mohammad Akbarzadeh said Tuesday that warnings have been issued to Iran's neighbors against letting their airspace, territories or territorial waters be used for any attack on Iran.

According to a report by the semi-official Fars news agency, Akbarzadeh said that Iran is constantly receiving data from the Strait of Hormoz through sky and the sea's surface and subsurface, and that Iran decides "which vessel and warship under which flag is allowed to pass."

The developments came as the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has reportedly arrived in the Middle East amid tensions in the region, and as Iran has warned of a "comprehensive and regret-inducing" response to any aggression.

- IANS
Prayers for family and peace for his soul

Leaders from Madhya Pradesh, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and former CM Kamal Nath, expressed profound sorrow over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. They described his passing as an irreparable loss to Indian politics and praised his lifelong dedication to public service. State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal and Congress chief Jitu Patwari also offered their heartfelt condolences and prayers. Ajit Pawar, a dominant figure in Maharashtra politics, was killed in the crash in Baramati district.

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, Kamal Nath, and other leaders express grief over Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's death in a Baramati plane crash.

Bhopal, Jan 28 Leaders across party lines in Madhya Pradesh, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and former chief minister Kamal Nath, expressed grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Yadav said Pawar's life was devoted to serving the poor, the underprivileged and the backward classes. He also acknowledged Pawar's contribution to Maharashtra's development.

"He was a leader deeply connected to the people. I offer my heartfelt condolences on his untimely demise. I pray to Lord Mahakal to grant him a place at his divine feet and give strength to his grieving family to bear this immense loss," Yadav wrote on X.

State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal said the death of Ajit Pawar in the Baramati plane crash was deeply sad and painful.

"Ajit ji dedicated his entire life to public service. His passing is an irreparable loss to the political world. May God grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense sorrow," Khandelwal said in a statement.

Veteran Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath described Pawar's death as an irreparable loss to Indian politics.

"The death of Ajit Pawar is an irreparable loss to Indian politics. He dedicated his entire life to serving the people of Maharashtra. May God grant peace to his soul and give strength to his family to bear this grief," Nath said.

State Congress chief Jitu Patwari, who was in New Delhi for a meeting with the party's central leadership on Wednesday, called the news of Pawar's death extremely painful.

"I pray to God to grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family and supporters to bear this immense loss. Om Shanti," Patwari wrote on X.

Ajit Pawar, 66, was killed in a plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati district. Known affectionately as "Dada", he was a dominant figure in Maharashtra politics, noted for his administrative skills and direct speaking style.

- IANS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged global investors to partner in India's booming aviation sector at the Wings India 2026 summit. He highlighted the nation's transformation into the world's third-largest domestic aviation market, with passenger traffic and airline fleets expanding rapidly. The government is focusing on self-reliance in aircraft manufacturing and MRO, while continuing to expand airport infrastructure and the affordable UDAN scheme. Modi projected massive future growth, estimating over 400 airports by 2047, creating unprecedented investment opportunities.

PM Modi invites global investment in India's aviation sector, highlighting expansion, self-reliance, and the UDAN scheme at Wings India 2026.

New Delhi/Hyderabad, Jan 28 Asserting that India is becoming a major global aviation hub, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged investors from around the world to "join us as co-pilots on India's flight to success".

The Prime Minister declared that the government is working on the next phase of the UDAN scheme to further strengthen regional and affordable air connectivity.

In his video message at the inaugural of Wings India 2026, the civil aviation summit that began at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, the Prime Minister said that in the coming times, there will be an unprecedented expansion in the demand for air travel, which means more opportunities for investment.

He stated that aircraft manufacturing, pilot training, advanced air mobility, and aircraft leasing are the sectors where India presents itself with immense possibilities.

The Prime Minister emphasised the need for self-reliance. "Today, as India is becoming a major global aviation hub, it is also important that we do not remain dependent on others for aviation-related needs. We must strengthen the path of self-reliance. This will also be helpful for companies that are coming to invest in India," he said.

PM Modi revealed that India is placing great emphasis on aircraft design, aircraft manufacturing and the aircraft MRO ecosystem. "Even today, India is a major manufacturer and supplier of aircraft parts. We are starting to manufacture military and transport aircraft in the country," he said.

Urging "every country, every industry leader and every innovator" to take full advantage of this golden opportunity, he called on them to become a long-term partner in "our development journey and contribute to the growth of the world's aviation sector".

He claimed that in the last decade, a historic transformation has taken place in India's entire aviation sector. "There was a time when air travel in India was limited to an exclusive club, but today the situation has completely changed. Today, India is the world's third-largest domestic aviation market. Our passenger traffic has grown very rapidly, and the fleet of Indian airlines is also expanding rapidly. In the past few years, Indian airlines have placed orders for more than 1500 aeroplanes."

PM Modi said the government was working with the mission to ensure that every Indian citizen can easily travel by air, and that is why Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities have been connected with airports.

He noted that in 2014, there were 70 airports in India, but today the number of airports in India has increased to more than 160. "We have activated more than 100 aerodromes in the country and, along with this, we have launched the UDAN scheme for affordable air travel for our citizens. Thanks to the UDAN scheme, 15 million passengers, or approximately 1.5 crore passengers, have travelled on routes that didn't even exist before."

He asserted that as India moves forward with the goal of becoming a developed nation, its air activity is bound to expand manifold. It is estimated that by 2047, India will have more than 400 airports.

"Not only that, but our government is also working on the next phase of the UDAN Scheme. This policy will further strengthen regional and affordable air connectivity, and along with all this, seaplane operations are also being expanded. Our endeavour is to improve air connectivity in every corner of India."

The PM mentioned that the government is also focusing heavily on the development of the tourism sector. "Tourist places are being developed across the country, and air travel is the first choice for a large number of people to visit these places. In the coming times, there will be an unprecedented expansion in the demand for air travel. This means that more opportunities will be created for all of you for investment," he added.

- IANS
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has stated that Karnataka's concerns over the new Malayalam Language Bill are unfounded. He clarified that the law does not impose Malayalam in Kannada-medium schools and protects the rights of linguistic minorities. Vijayan emphasized that students from other states are not required to take Malayalam exams and that government correspondence can be in Tamil or Kannada. This response comes after Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah warned of opposing the bill to protect linguistic minority rights in border districts.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan says Karnataka's fears over the Malayalam Language Bill are unfounded, clarifying protections for linguistic minorities.

Thiruvananthapuram, January 28 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the concerns raised by the Karnataka government over Kerala's decision to make Malayalam a compulsory first language in schools are baseless.

In a reply letter sent to Karnataka CM Siddaramiah, he pointed out that the legislation contains no provision that violates the constitutional rights of linguistic minorities.

The Kerala CM also dismissed allegations that the Malayalam language is being imposed in Kannada-medium schools, calling them unfounded. He clarified that while the law designates Malayalam as the official language, students whose mother tongue is not Malayalam are simply being given the opportunity to study it alongside their primary language.

The Chief Minister also clarified that, in line with the national curriculum, students are free to choose their preferred language. Those coming from other states or from abroad are not required to take Malayalam examinations at the Class 10 or higher secondary levels.

He further noted that linguistic minorities are permitted to use Tamil and Kannada for correspondence with government offices, and the law mandates that replies be issued in the same language. Love for one's mother tongue, he said, does not stand in the way of promoting other languages.

The legislation, Vijayan added, was framed while upholding the cultural ties between Kerala and Karnataka and the spirit of cooperative federalism. Protecting the constitutional rights of citizens is the responsibility of the legislature, which the Kerala government is fulfilling through this law, the Chief Minister said.

Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, expressing grave concerns about the Malayalam Language Bill.

The Karnataka CM highlighted that the compulsion of making Malayalam the first language even in Kannada-medium schools, particularly in border districts such as Kasaragod, could undermine linguistic minority rights. He also stated that if passed, the bill will be opposed by Karnataka.

"I wish to convey my serious concern regarding the proposed Malayalam Language Bill, which mandates Malayalam as the compulsory first language even in Kannada-medium schools, particularly in the border districts such as Kasaragod," CM Siddaramaiah wrote in his letter on January 10.

In its appeal to the Kerala government, the Karnataka CM asked for reconsideration of the proposal, stating that Karnataka will oppose the bill if it is passed to protect linguistic minorities.

The letter stated, "I urge the Government of Kerala to reconsider the proposed approach and engage in a broader, inclusive dialogue with linguistic minority communities, educators and neighbouring States. Such engagement will reinforce India's unity while preserving the dignity of every language and every citizen. If this Bill is passed, Karnataka will oppose it by exercising every constitutional right available to us, in defence of linguistic minorities and the plural spirit of our Republic. This position flows not from confrontation, but from our duty to the Constitution and to the people whose voices must never be marginalised."

- ANI
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge paid tribute to Field Marshal K M Cariappa on his birth anniversary, honoring him as a towering national figure. Cariappa was the first Indian to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949 and led Indian forces during the 1947 Indo-Pakistan War. His distinguished career included overseeing the partition of military assets in 1947 and establishing key army units like the Brigade of the Guards. He was awarded the US Legion of Merit in 1949 for his leadership.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge pays tribute to Field Marshal K M Cariappa, India's first Indian Commander-in-Chief, on his birth anniversary.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday extended respectful salutations to the Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa, on the occasion of his birth anniversary, describing him as a towering national figure whose life reflected courage, determination, and valour.

Mallikarjun Kharge took to social media platform X to honour the former Army chief.

"On the birth anniversary of Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa, our respectful salutations to a towering national figure whose life reflected courage, determination and valour. Over a distinguished military career of three decades, he led Indian forces during the 1947 Indo-Pakistan War and became the first Indian to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949," Kharge posted, recalling his contributions.

"May his exemplary service continue to inspire us all, and may we forever remember and honour his legacy," he added.

Congress party also remembered the Field Marshal and his legendary tales of valour.

"We pay tribute to Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, whose bravery and leadership continue to be remembered. He remains a symbol of courage, integrity, and national pride. Jai Hind," the party said in a post.

Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was born on January 28, 1899, in Shanivarsanthe in the Coorg district of the erstwhile Mysore state, now known as Kodagu district in Karnataka. Cariappa, an eminent Indian military officer, went on to become the first Chief of Staff of the Indian Army after India gained independence from British rule.

Cariappa received military training during World War I between 1914 and 1918, though he did not see active service during the conflict. Following the war, Indian leaders increasingly demanded the inclusion of Indian officers in the British Indian Army. In 1919, Cariappa was among the first group of Indian candidates selected for officer training. He was sent to Indore for training and was subsequently commissioned into the Carnatic Infantry at Bombay, now Mumbai.

His military career saw steady progress. Cariappa was promoted to lieutenant in 1923, captain in 1927, major in 1938, lieutenant colonel in 1942, and brigadier in 1946. During British rule, he served in several important postings, including in the Middle East from 1941 to 1942 and in Burma, now Myanmar, between 1943 and 1944. In 1942, he became the first Indian officer to be entrusted with the command of a unit. Toward the end of World War II, he was inducted into the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his service.

During the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, just prior to independence, Cariappa played a crucial role in overseeing the challenging task of dividing the Indian military assets between the newly formed nations of India and Pakistan. Following independence, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff with the rank of major general. Upon promotion to lieutenant general, he took charge as Commander of the Eastern Army in November 1947. In January 1948, he became the Army Commander of the Delhi and East Punjab Command, now known as the Western Command.

In January 1949, Cariappa was appointed as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, replacing British General Sir Roy Bucher. As Army chief, he was entrusted with transforming the colonial-era force into a truly national army.

During this period, he established two significant units-the Guards Brigade in 1949, later known as the Brigade of the Guards, and the Parachute Regiment in 1952. These units were notable for being among the first to recruit soldiers from all castes and classes. In recognition of his leadership, he was awarded the US military decoration, the Legion of Merit, by then President Harry S. Truman in 1949.

- IANS
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Government has announced plans to introduce drain-flushing technology to clear blocked drainage systems in Harare and other urban centres, as part of long-term measures to tackle flash flooding. The move forms part of broader initiatives, including the rollout of smart water meters and a new waste management system in Bulawayo, aimed at addressing chronic service delivery challenges in opposition-led councils.Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe revealed the interventions during a press conference on Monday, noting that the projects will be implemented through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).The announcement follows the successful introduction of prepaid water meters in Harare under a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model, executed in partnership with the City of Harare, Hangzhou Liaison Technology Company, and Helcraw Electrical. In the first phase, 600,000 prepaid meters will be installed, with 320,000 allocated to Harare and the remainder distributed to Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, and Victoria Falls.Minister Garwe explained that flash flooding in urban areas is often exacerbated by blocked drains, with vendors storing goods that obstruct water flow. To address this, the Government is sourcing specialized equipment capable of clearing deep-seated blockages that manual labour has been unable to remove."We are now bringing technology that can blow off all that blockage so that our drains start functioning again. But we need to go through the PPP arrangements," Minister Garwe said.He criticised the City of Harare for not utilising available technical support to improve service delivery, despite the establishment of the Local Authorities Technical Support Unit last year. The unit houses machinery such as yellow machines and tube trucks, which local authorities can hire to maintain infrastructure. "The only local authority that doesn't come to hire from us is Harare. That deviant behaviour by the Mayor of Harare is very unfortunate," he said.Minister Garwe also announced plans to convene a high-level meeting with mayors and local authority officials across the country to discuss issues related to road rehabilitation, drainage, and sewer management, aligning these efforts with the National Development Strategy 2.Regarding water services, he said the rollout of smart water meters and a new waste management system in Bulawayo is at an advanced stage. The prepaid meters, operating via smart cards similar to electricity tokens, will allow residents to pay for water in advance, monitor consumption, and budget more effectively. The system is expected to improve revenue collection, reduce illegal connections, and plug long-standing losses in municipal billing."These initiatives are part of a broader effort to modernize service delivery, curb wastage, and ensure that urban residents receive reliable water and waste management services," Minister Garwe said.The Government's interventions are being closely watched as cities contend with recurring flooding, aging infrastructure, and the challenge of balancing technical solutions with administrative efficiency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in mourning the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati. Modi described Pawar as a people's leader with a strong grassroots connection and notable administrative acumen. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other political figures expressed deep shock, highlighting his dedication to Maharashtra's development. The incident has sent shockwaves through the state's political landscape, with condolences pouring in from across party lines.

PM Narendra Modi, Rajnath Singh, and other leaders express shock over Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's tragic demise in a Baramati air crash.

Mumbai, Jan 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the untimely demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati, saying that he was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect.

PM Modi, in his condolence message, said, "Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief. Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti."

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers, and admirers."

While expressing his grief, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, "The news of the sudden demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar ji is extremely shocking, unfortunate, and heartbreaking. My heartfelt tribute to him. Over the past many years, while working together in the state legislature, I shared an extremely close bond with Ajit dada. His administrative acumen, developmental vision, and innate ability to connect with people have ensured that Ajit dada always holds an unassailable position in Maharashtra's politics. The untimely passing of this people's leader, who harbored aspirations for Maharashtra's development, is not just a loss for Maharashtra but an irreplaceable one for the entire nation. On this sorrowful occasion, my condolences are with the entire Pawar family. May God grant peace to the departed soul. Om Shanti."

Union Minister C.R. Paatil, in his condolence message, said that Ajit Pawar had made a place for himself in Maharashtra politics. "This is a huge loss for his family and the state. The dynamics of politics in Maharashtra will change with his passing away," he said

The West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president, Mamata Banerjee, said she was deeply shocked and stunned by the sudden demise of Ajit Pawar. "The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati today morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss. My condolences to his family including his uncle Sharad Pawar ji, and late Ajitji's all friends and followers. The incident needs proper investigation," she said.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal, said, "Shocked and saddened by the tragic news of the passing away of Maharashtra Deputy CM & NCP chief Sh. Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati. My heartfelt condolences to the Pawar family, his supporters, and the people of Maharashtra. May the Almighty grant eternal peace to his soul."

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said that the sad and tragic news of the demise of Maharashtra finance minister, Ajit Pawar, has left all deeply pained. "I came into closer contact with him. We would meet and talk often, and one of his most distinctive qualities was that he always kept his word," he said.

NCP-SP member of Parliament from Ahilyanagar Nilesh Lanke said, "Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash. This is a huge loss for the entire Maharashtra."

Former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP-SP leader Anil Deshmukh failed to find words and broke down on the news of Ajit Pawar's passing away in a plane crash in Baramati.

Meanwhile, NCP working president Praful Patel, NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule, and Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's family -- wife Sunetra Pawar and sons Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar -- left for Baramati from Delhi.

- IANS
The Lok Sabha made an obituary reference for Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a charter plane crash in Baramati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep condolences, praising Pawar as a grassroots leader. Parliament also paid respects to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and several former MPs. The Budget Session began with President Droupadi Murmu's address, outlining the government's vision.

Lok Sabha makes obituary reference for Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash. PM Modi, Amit Shah offer condolences.

New Delhi, January 28 The Lower House of the Parliament on Wednesday made an obituary reference to the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died during a plane crash in Baramati this morning.

The NCP chief was a Lok Sabha MP during the 10th Lok Sabha in 1991.

The 66-year-old leader died in a charter plane crash while travelling from Mumbai to Bramati this morning. He was in Mumbai on January 27, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Fadanvis has announced a state holiday and three days of mourning. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, CM Fadanvis said that the decision on Pawar's last rites will be made after consulting his family.

Ajit Pawar, 66, was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

Several MPs have expressed condolences to the Pawar family. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered him as a mass leader with deep grassroots. He highlighted Pawar's strong grasp of administrative affairs and his commitment to empowering the poor and underprivileged.

"Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti," the X post from PM Modi said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled the demise of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Meanwhile, both Houses of Parliament also made obituary reference for former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who passed away in December last year, while she was undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at the age of 80.

Lok Sabha mourned the demise of former MPs Shalini Patil, Bhanu Prakash Mirdha, Satyendra Nath Brohmo Chaudhury, Suresh Kalmadi and Kabindra Purkayastha.

While the Rajya Sabha made obituary references for former MPs L Ganesan and Suresh Kalmadi.

The Budget Session 2026-27 began with President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint session of Parliament, outlining the Union government's vision for social justice, inclusive growth, and a developed India.

Both houses were adjourned on Wednesday afternoon and will meet on Thursday at 11 am.

The Union Budget will be presented on February 1.

- ANI
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar expressed deep sadness, calling the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar a "big loss" for the state. Actor Riteish Deshmukh also shared his shock, praising Pawar as a dynamic leader. Ajit Pawar died along with four others when their chartered plane crashed in Baramati on Wednesday morning. He was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, having served in the role under multiple chief ministers.

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar and actor Riteish Deshmukh express shock over Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's death in a Baramati plane crash.

New Delhi, January 28 Film Director Madhur Bhandarkar expressed his deep shock and sadness over the sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, terming it a "big loss" for the state.

Speaking to ANI, Bhandarkar shared how the news of the plane crash has left him "extremely saddened."

"When I received the news of the plane crash, I felt extremely saddened. This is a very big loss for Maharashtra... He made a very significant contribution to Maharashtra. I have personally met him many times as well... I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family...," he told ANI.

Earlier, actor Riteish Deshmukh also took to his X account to mourn the loss of one of the state's most influential political figures. "Deeply shocked and terribly heartbroken to learn that we have lost Ajit Dada in a tragic accident. One of Maharashtra's most dynamic leaders, he had zero tolerance for non-performance and constantly pushed and inspired those around him to excel," Deshmukh wrote on X.

Ajit Pawar died after the plane he was travelling in crashed on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with two more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and two crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

- ANI
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a cabinet committee meeting that approved several major infrastructure projects. The approvals include a 35-km Metro Line-8 connecting Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports, a 66-km Nashik City Ring Road, and a revised highway alignment in Gadchiroli. Fadnavis directed officials to ensure all land acquisition and permissions are secured before work begins, mandating a strict three-year completion timeline for projects. He also proposed an "auto-mode" system with incentives and penalties for contractors to ensure timely execution.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis approves Metro Line-8, Nashik Ring Road, and Gadchiroli highway to enhance state connectivity and mobility.

Mumbai, January 28 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved several major infrastructure projects, including Metro Line-8 connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports, during a meeting of the Cabinet Infrastructure Committee held at Mantralaya.

According to an official release on Tuesday, the committee approved the 35-kilometre Metro Line-8 connecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. The project aims to significantly improve urban mobility and airport connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

The meeting also approved the implementation of the 66-kilometre Nashik City Ring Road through the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), as well as a revised alignment for a four-lane cement concrete highway from Navegaon Mor to Surjagad in Gadchiroli district to facilitate mineral transportation.

Chairing the meeting, Chief Minister Fadnavis directed that land acquisition and all statutory permissions required for infrastructure projects must be completed before work commences. He further instructed that every infrastructure project should be completed within three years after land acquisition.

Emphasising the need for timely execution, the Chief Minister said infrastructure projects must not be delayed under any circumstances, as delays escalate costs. He directed that the extended works of the Samruddhi Expressway connecting Nagpur-Gondia and Bhandara-Gadchiroli be expedited. He also instructed that work orders must clearly stipulate completion within three years, according to the release.

He further proposed the development of an "auto-mode" system incorporating incentive payments for contractors who complete projects within the stipulated timeline and penalties for delays. While executing the Gadchiroli highway project, space should be ensured along the roadside for future gas pipelines, as a gas pipeline up to Surjagad is planned. Provision for this must be made in advance, the Chief Minister said.

The details on the key infrastructure projects approved are as follows:

The Metro Line-8 (CSMIA to Navi Mumbai International Airport) project will have a total length of 35 kilometres, comprising a 9.25-kilometre underground section and a 24.636-kilometre elevated stretch. The corridor will include 20 stations, of which six will be underground and 14 elevated. The underground section will run from CSMIA Terminal-2 to Ghatkopar (East), while the elevated portion will extend from Govandi (West) to Navi Mumbai International Airport Terminal-2. The average inter-station distance will be 1.9 kilometres. The project will require land acquisition of 30.7 hectares, with an estimated acquisition cost of Rs 388 crore and the total project cost is pegged at Rs 22,862 crore.

The Nashik City Ring Road project, planned in view of the upcoming Kumbh Mela, will span 66.15 kilometres and has an approved cost of Rs 3,954 crore. As a special provision, work orders will be issued after the acquisition of 50 per cent of the required land.

For the Gadchiroli Mineral Transport Highway, approval was granted for a revised alignment covering 85.76 kilometres along the Navegaon Mor-Konsari-Mulchera-Hedri-Surjagad route. The four-lane cement concrete highway is intended to support mineral transportation in the region.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) O.P. Gupta, MSRDC Managing Director Dr. Anil Gaikwad, Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation Managing Director Brijesh Dixit and other senior officials were present at the meeting.

Additional Chief Secretary (Public Works Department), Manisha Mhaisakar, and CIDCO Managing Director, Vijay Singhal, made detailed presentations during the meeting, the release stated.

- ANI
The Indian Air Force has urgently deployed an Air Traffic Control team to Baramati Airport following a fatal plane crash. The crash claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on board the charter flight. Investigation teams are now gathering critical documents from the aircraft operator and aviation authorities. The crash occurred as Pawar was traveling to campaign for local elections.

Indian Air Force deploys emergency air traffic control to Baramati airport following a fatal charter plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others.

Baramati, January 28 On an urgent request from the Maharashtra government, the Indian Air Force has swiftly deployed a team of Air Traffic Control personnel along with essential technical equipment from Air Force Station Lohegaon to Baramati Airport, the Defence officials said on Wednesday.

The team promptly established emergency Air Traffic Control services, including communication and other emergency facilities, in coordination with the local administration to support safe and efficient air traffic management, they added.

In an X post, the Indian Air Force stated that a dedicated team of Air Warriors has been deployed on the urgent request of the civic authorities after the Baramati plane crash. The team is providing basic Air Traffic Control and Meteorological services.

"In response to the civic authorities' urgent request after the tragic aircraft crash at Baramati Airport, the Indian Air Force has swiftly deployed a dedicated team of Air Warriors. They are providing essential basic Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Meteorological services to support safe air operations from the site. This rapid assistance underscores IAF's commitment to national service in times of need," the IAF wrote.

This development comes after Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was killed in a crash landing of a charter plane in Baramati this morning.

As part of the investigation into the crash, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) officials were present at the office of VSR Ventures Private Limited, which operates the ill-fated charter plane. The AAIB team was seen placing boxes of documents into vehicles.

Airframe and engine logbooks, work orders, on-board documents, and major inspection records related to aircraft will be gathered from the operator for scrutiny.

The probe team has also sought documents from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) related to the crew and the aircraft. Radar data recordings, CCTV footage, ATC recordings, and hotline communications will be obtained for further analysis.

Meanwhile, Pawar, 66, was killed after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district.

The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

The crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate.

Pawar was on his way to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.

- ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has tragically died in a charter plane crash while traveling from Mumbai to Bramati. State Minister Sanjay Shirsat expressed profound shock, noting Pawar had just attended a cabinet meeting the previous day. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning, calling the loss irreparable. Other political figures have echoed the grief and called for a serious investigation into aviation safety.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar passes away in a charter plane crash. Leaders express shock and grief over the loss of the fearless 'Dada'.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, January 28 Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat expressed deep shock and grief over the sudden demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying the loss is hard to believe as Pawar had attended a cabinet meeting just a day earlier.

Remembering him as a fearless and outspoken leader fondly known as 'Dada' in state politics, Shirsat said party workers and the people of Maharashtra are in immense pain over his untimely death.

"We still cannot believe that Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is no longer with us. We met him yesterday at the cabinet meeting... He was known as 'Dada' in Maharashtra politics because of his great personality. He was a fearless leader who would clearly express his thoughts in public. Party workers and the people of Maharashtra are in immense grief and pain at his sudden demise," Shirsat said.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Amra Ram said, "It is very saddening. A plane crash incident happened in Gujarat recently. Aviation security must be taken seriously. Five people have lost their lives. This needs to be investigated..."

Karnataka BJP MLA Araga Jnanedra recalled that Ajit Pawar was doing a good job, earning people's trust and working towards the development of Maharashtra.

"It is disheartening to know that Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar is no more. He was doing a good job, earning people's trust and working towards the state's development. This tragedy has brought us pain. If an investigation into the plane crash takes place, it would be good," he said.

The NCP chief died in a charter plane crash while travelling from Mumbai to Bramati this morning. He was in Mumbai on January 27, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Ajit Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash this morning.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, CM Fadanvis said that the decision on Pawar's last rites will be made after consulting his family.

The Chief Minister said, "Today we have declared a state holiday, and three days of state mourning have also been announced. This is a completely irreparable loss for the whole state of Maharashtra."

- ANI
Top Karnataka political figures have expressed profound grief over the untimely death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda described his passing as a significant loss to public life. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar praised Pawar's influence and service in Maharashtra. Other leaders, including B.Y. Vijayendra and R. Ashoka, extended heartfelt condolences to his family and supporters.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, HD Deve Gowda, DK Shivakumar, and others express grief over Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's demise in a Baramati plane crash.

Bengaluru, Jan 28 Karnataka leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha member H.D. Deve Gowda, and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday expressed their condolences following the untimely death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he was deeply saddened by Pawar's death and described it as a significant loss to public life. "Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Ajit Pawar, in the aircraft crash. His passing is a profound loss to public life. My heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues and supporters. May his soul rest in peace, and may his loved ones find the strength to endure this irreparable loss," Siddaramaiah said.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda also expressed grief over Pawar's death. "Deeply saddened by the passing of Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who lost his life after the aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land in Baramati. His decades of public service and commitment to the people will be remembered. My deepest condolences to his family and supporters. May his soul rest in peace," Gowda said.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy said he was shocked by the news of Pawar's death and praised his influence and popularity. "I was deeply shocked to learn the news of the untimely demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar in an aircraft accident. A highly influential leader in Maharashtra, he had earned immense popularity. I pray that his soul attains eternal peace," Kumaraswamy said.

"On this occasion, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife, Smt. Sunetra Pawar, his son Shri Parth Pawar, the entire family and all his admirers. May God grant them the strength to bear this grief in this difficult time. Om Shanti," he added.

Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress president D.K. Shivakumar said he was shocked and deeply saddened by the loss. "Shocked and deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Maharashtra Deputy CM Shri Ajit Pawar in a tragic plane crash. His sudden demise is a great loss to public life and to Maharashtra politics, where he served with experience and resolve. My heartfelt condolences to his family and supporters, and prayers for strength in this hour of grief. Om Shanti," Shivakumar said.

BJP state president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra also expressed his condolences. "Deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar in the unfortunate plane crash near Baramati. My heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers and supporters. I extend my condolences to the families of all others who lost their lives in this tragic incident. May the departed souls rest in peace. Om Shanti," Vijayendra said.

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said he was deeply saddened by Pawar's death. "Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Ajit Pawar, in the unfortunate aircraft accident near Baramati. My heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, supporters and people of Maharashtra. Prayers for the departed soul and strength to his loved ones in this hour of profound grief. Om Shanti," Ashoka said.

Former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai also expressed deep condolences, calling the news of Pawar's death extremely painful. In a post on X, Bommai said that Ajit Pawar had carved a distinct identity in Maharashtra politics. He noted that by supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development-oriented governance, Pawar had allied with the BJP in Maharashtra and played a key role in the state's development.

"His demise is a big loss to Maharashtra politics as well as to the NDA," Bommai wrote.

- IANS
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep shock and sorrow over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. She called for a proper investigation into the circumstances of the crash that occurred near Baramati airport. The small aircraft crashed while attempting to land, killing Pawar and four others, including pilots and security personnel. Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, also conveyed his condolences, praising Pawar as a towering leader in Maharashtra politics.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee expresses shock over Ajit Pawar's death in a Baramati plane crash and calls for a thorough investigation.

Kolkata, Jan 28 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed sorrow over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, saying she was deeply shaken by the sudden loss of the senior leader.

Banerjee said on X that she was feeling a deep sense of loss following Ajit Pawar's death in the plane crash

"Deeply shocked and stunned by the sudden demise of Ajit Pawar. The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati this morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss," Banerjee said.

The West Bengal Chief Minister also called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the crash.

"My condolences to his family, including his uncle Sharad Pawar ji, and to all late Ajitji's friends and followers. The incident needs proper investigation," she added.

Banerjee's remarks came after Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash on Wednesday morning while travelling from Mumbai to Baramati. Four others, including pilots and Pawar's security personnel, were also killed in the accident.

The small aircraft, which departed from Mumbai around 8 a.m., crashed near Baramati airport as it was attempting to land about 45 minutes later. Reports said Pawar was to attend four public meetings ahead of the local body elections.

Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, also conveyed his condolences over Pawar's sudden death.

"I am profoundly shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the tragic and untimely demise of Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, in a plane crash near Baramati today," Adhikari wrote in a social media post.

"Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a towering leader in Maharashtra politics; resolute, hardworking, and deeply committed to the welfare of the people. His contributions to the state's development, especially in rural and agricultural sectors, and his role in strengthening the MahaYuti Alliance will always be remembered. This is an irreparable loss not just for the Nationalist Congress Party and Maharashtra, but for the National Democratic Alliance and Indian politics as a whole," the BJP leader said.

"My heartfelt condolences to his family, especially the Pawar Parivar, friends, associates and followers. My thoughts and prayers are also with the families of the other victims of the air crash who lost their lives in this heartbreaking incident. May their souls rest in eternal peace," he said.

- IANS
Domestic equity markets opened firmly, with the Sensex and Nifty gaining over half a percent in early trade. The automotive sector is in focus following the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, which experts say will boost exports and supply chain integration for Indian component makers. The deal also incentivizes European carmakers to use India as a global manufacturing base for exports. Market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic with the Nifty showing resilience above key support levels.

Markets open firm as India-EU Free Trade Agreement reshapes auto sector, boosting export potential for components and manufacturing. Expert analysis inside.

New Delhi, January 28 Domestic equity markets opened on a firm note on Wednesday, with the automotive sector emerging as a primary focus following significant trade developments. At 9:17 am, the benchmark BSE Sensex stood at 82,308.96, gaining 451.48 points or 0.55 per cent, while the Nifty 50 reached 25,321.00, up 145.60 points or 0.58 per cent in early trade.

Within the auto segment, morning trades reflected a mixed performance among major manufacturers. At the time of filing, Maruti Suzuki saw its share price at 14,907.80, a decline of 2.19 per cent, while Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) remained nearly flat at 3,393.20, down 0.03 per cent. In contrast, Hyundai traded slightly higher at 2,176.00, gaining 0.12 per cent, and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) showed resilience at 344.00, up 1.01 per cent.

The automotive landscape is undergoing a significant shift due to the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Experts highlight that the deal reshapes the landscape for the Indian automotive sector. While initial attention often centers on luxury car imports, the core economic impact involves deeper integration into global supply chains.

Banking and Market Expert Ajay Bagga stated, "The India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), is a landmark deal that reshapes the landscape for the Indian automotive sector. While the headlines often focus on cheaper luxury cars, the 'real' economic benefits for Indian companies lie in exports, technology transfers, and global supply chain integration."

Export potential remains a central theme for auto ancillary companies as the EU prepares to eliminate tariffs on Indian components over the next five to ten years. These duties currently range from 3 per cent to 15 per cent. Bagga noted, "Removing them makes Indian parts significantly more price-competitive against rivals from China and ASEAN countries." This shift allows Indian suppliers to deepen their presence in Europe, which is already the top export destination for Indian components, "exceeding $3.7 billion in the first half of fiscal year 2026."

The agreement also positions India as a manufacturing hub for European brands. Global chief executives from firms like Renault and Volkswagen indicated that the FTA signals a move toward manufacturing more models in India for export back to Europe and other global markets.

Bagga added, "The deal incentivizes European carmakers to use India as a global manufacturing base rather than just a sales market." He noted that to protect domestic players like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, the government implemented price thresholds where tariff cuts only apply to vehicles with a landed value above USD 15,000.

Broad market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic despite headwinds such as rupee pressure and foreign portfolio investor selling. Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, observed that Indian equity markets were expected to open on a firm note, extending a late-session recovery.

He noted that the Nifty 50 has staged a measured rebound, holding near 25,175 and showing resilience above key support levels. Momentum indicators show early improvement, with the Relative Strength Index recovering from oversold levels.

- ANI
Leaders from Madhya Pradesh, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, expressed profound grief over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati, which claimed five lives including crew members. The leaders highlighted his dedication to serving the poor and backward sections and his invaluable contribution to Maharashtra's development. The incident has been described as an unfortunate and irreparable loss to the political and social spheres.

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, leaders pay tributes to Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar after his tragic death in a Baramati plane crash.

Bhopal, January 28 Leaders from Madhya Pradesh, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and paid their tributes to him.

CM Yadav shared a condolence message on social media and prayed to Baba Mahakal to grant him a palace at His lotus feet and provide strength to the grieving family to bear this loss.

"Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was always dedicated to the service of the poor, the deprived and the backward sections of society. He made an invaluable contribution to the development of Maharashtra and was a grassroots leader. I pay my tributes to him on his untimely demise. I pray to Baba Mahakal to grant him a place at His lotus feet and give strength to the grieving family to bear this loss. Om Shanti," CM Yadav said in a post on X.

Madhya Pradesh assembly speaker Narendra Singh Tomar called it an unfortunate incident and paid his tributes to the departed soul.

"The incident is extremely unfortunate and heart-breaking. I pay my tribute to the departed soul and pay to the almighty to grant strength to the bereaved family to bear this loss. The demise of Ajit Pawar is an irreparable loss in the political and social spheres, which cannot be compensated," Tomar told ANI.

Meanwhile, former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan described the incident as tragic and paid her condolence to the departed soul. She also remembered her past interaction with Pawar, calling him a good person and essential for politics.

Mahajan told ANI, "...I don't know how it all happened but it is unfortunate. I don't think he ever spoke ill of anyone. He made a lot of effort. He tried to maintain harmony even within his party. It is a kind of shock to hear about the incident... He had wisdom. Such a person is essential for politics. I didn't know him very closely, but I have seen his personality and his way of working, and he was a good person. He knew how to keep everyone together. The passing of such a person is very tragic..."

Additionally, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari also mourned over the demise of Pawar and prayed that the departed soul rest in peace.

"The news of the passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is extremely painful and heartbreaking. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family and supporters to endure this immense sorrow. Om Shanti," Pawatri posted on X.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) of Madhya Pradesh assembly, Umang Singhar also termed the incident unfortunate and expressed deep grief over the demise of Maharashtra Dy CM.

"The tragic news of the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash is unfortunate. May God grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet and give the bereaved family the strength to bear this deep sorrow. Om Shanti," Singhar posted on X.

Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

- ANI
News / National

by Staff reporter

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a message to veterans of Zimbabwe's national liberation struggle, praising their sacrifices and reaffirming the long-standing friendship between China and Zimbabwe.In his letter, Xi acknowledged that in their youth, the veterans dedicated themselves to national liberation, leaving their homes to fight for freedom while forging a profound bond with China. "To this day, they remain deeply committed to China-Zimbabwe and China-Africa friendship, which is deeply moving," Xi said.The Chinese President highlighted that 2026 marks both the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and African nations and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. He noted that over the past seven decades, China has consistently supported Africa's struggles for national liberation, development, and rejuvenation. "China and its African friends have respected and supported each other, weathered arduous times together, and jointly embarked on a new journey toward modernization," Xi stated.Xi reaffirmed China's readiness to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation as a means to strengthen traditional friendship and jointly build a brighter future for China-Africa relations. He expressed hope that the Zimbabwean veterans will inspire a new generation of African youth to dedicate themselves to fostering China-Zimbabwe and China-Africa ties.With the Chinese New Year of the Horse approaching, Xi invoked the symbolism of the dragon and the horse, urging both sides to carry forward a spirit of tireless collaboration. "We will work together to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, and write a new chapter in China-Africa friendship," he said.The letter comes in response to correspondence from the veterans, who thanked Xi for China's support during Zimbabwe's liberation struggle, expressed admiration for his leadership, and pledged to continue strengthening the Zimbabwe-China relationship.Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country has maintained support for Africa's liberation movements, a legacy that Xi said continues to underpin the "all-weather" partnership between China and Zimbabwe.
A new Indian Consular Application Centre has opened in Seattle, co-located with the Indian Consulate to create a one-stop facility for the diaspora. The centre provides a full suite of services including visa, passport, and OCI applications. It introduces customer-friendly features like Saturday operations and inclusive service fees for photos and courier. The launch is part of a broader network of 17 such centres across the United States aimed at improving accessibility.

New Indian Consular Application Centre in Seattle offers visas, passports, OCI, and more, co-located with the Consulate for a one-stop service hub.

Washington, Jan 28 , Indian authorities have announced the opening of a new Indian Consular Application Centre in Seattle to improve access to consular services for the Indian diaspora in the Pacific Northwest.

The centre at 1015 2nd Avenue, Suite 804, Seattle, WA 98104 is now co-located with the Indian Consulate in Seattle, an official release said Tuesday (local time).

Officials stated the move is aimed at making services easier to access for Indian nationals and other applicants in the region.

The visa application centre was inaugurated in the presence of government and non-government dignitaries. More than 300 members of the Indian American community from Seattle and nearby states attended the event.

The Seattle centre will operate as a single location for a wide range of services. These include applications for Indian visas, passports, Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI), renunciation of Indian citizenship, Police Clearance Certificates, the Global Entry Programme (GEP), and Miscellaneous and Attestation services.

The Indian Consulate in Seattle said the newly co-located offices of the Indian Consular Application Centre with the Consulate in the Federal Reserve Building are "expected to enhance operational efficiency and provide consular applicants with a one-stop facility for submitting applications and resolving queries."

VFS Global, which provides outsourced consular services for India in the United States, said the new centre is part of a broader effort to streamline the application process and improve service delivery.

Several applicant-focused changes have been introduced under the expanded network. The centres will now remain open on Saturdays. Return courier services are included in standard service fees. Services such as photographs, photocopies, and form-filling are available at no extra cost within the centre.

The Seattle facility is equipped with modern infrastructure designed to deliver a secure, efficient application experience, with a focus on customer convenience, the company said.

Speaking at the launch, Amit Kumar Sharma, Head - North America and Caribbean at VFS Global, said: "Seattle and the wider Pacific Northwest region are home to a vibrant and growing Indian diaspora. The launch of this Indian Consular Application Centre reflects the Government of India's vision to make consular services more accessible and citizen-centric."

Across the United States, 17 Indian Consular Application Centres are currently operating. By November 2025, more than 363,000 visa applications had been processed nationwide, with close to 10,000 miscellaneous consular applications processed since August 2025.

- IANS
The National Investigation Agency conducted coordinated early-morning raids across multiple Kerala districts targeting former members of the banned Popular Front of India and its political wing, the SDPI. The operation, based on intelligence about clandestine fund mobilization, aimed to uncover networks sustaining the outlawed organization's activities. Officials seized digital devices and financial documents to trace funding trails and potential covert operations. The raids, supported by Central Armed Police Forces, are part of an ongoing probe into PFI's alleged revival attempts since its 2022 ban.

NIA conducts statewide raids in Kerala targeting former PFI, SDPI members to probe banned group's revival and alleged extremist funding networks.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 28 The National Investigation Agency carried out coordinated early-morning raids across multiple districts in Kerala on Wednesday as part of an ongoing probe into suspected efforts to revive the banned Popular Front of India and alleged financial support for extremist activities.

The searches began in the pre-dawn hours and targeted the residences and offices of former office-bearers of the PFI and its political wing, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

The action followed intelligence inputs suggesting that funds were being mobilised clandestinely to sustain banned organisational activities and to facilitate extremist operations.

In Thrissur district, NIA officials conducted a search at the residence of a top SDPI leader in Chavakkad.

This leader had earlier served as a district-level leader of the PFI and was reportedly subjected to a detailed inspection of his digital devices and banking records.

Officials reached his house at around 4 a.m., and the operation was led by a special NIA team from Kochi.

Similar searches were reported from Ernakulam, Malappuram and Thiruvananthapuram districts, indicating a statewide sweep.

The Central Armed Police Forces were deployed at the raid locations to provide security and prevent any untoward incidents during the operation.

Sources said the investigation is primarily focused on determining whether the PFI, which was banned by the Union government in 2022 for its alleged involvement in unlawful and terrorist activities, continues to function through covert networks and proxy platforms.

Investigators are also examining whether financial channels are being used to support these activities in violation of the ban.

The latest round of searches is reportedly based on information obtained from individuals arrested during earlier NIA operations related to the outfit.

Officials are analysing seized materials, including electronic data and financial documents, to establish possible links and funding trails.

The NIA has not yet issued an official statement detailing the scope of the raids or the findings so far.

Further action is expected based on the outcome of the ongoing searches and analysis.

- IANS
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has died in a plane crash in Baramati. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed profound shock, describing Pawar as a close friend and colleague whose loss is irreplaceable. The accident also claimed the lives of four other individuals. Political leaders, including Karnataka's D.K. Shivakumar, have expressed condolences and highlighted the need for caution in travel.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in a plane crash in Baramati. CM Devendra Fadnavis expresses profound grief, calling it a personal and state loss.

Mumbai, Jan 28 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he has lost a strong and generous friend with the sad and untimely demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati.

In his condolence, CM Fadnavis said, "Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has lost his life in a plane accident. There is an atmosphere of sadness in the state. Losing a leader like him is an unprecedented loss. In personal life, he was a good friend. We faced many challenges together. At a time when he was contributing to Maharashtra's development, his untimely demise is a loss. We stand with his family. I, along with Eknath Shinde ji, will go to Baramati today. I have informed the PM and HM about the incident, and they have expressed sadness over it."

He further stated, "Dada has left us! The news of the death of Ajitdada Pawar, the people's leader with a deep connection to the land, my friend and colleague, the Deputy Chief Minister, in a plane crash, is extremely heartbreaking. It is a shock to the soul. The mind is numb. I have no words to express my emotions. I have lost my strong and generous friend. This is a personal loss for me. This is a loss that can never be compensated. Today is an extremely difficult day for Maharashtra. I pay my heartfelt tribute to Dada."

He added, "We share the grief of his entire family and the NCP family. Four other people also died in this accident. We share the grief of their families as well. I have cancelled all my programmes. I am leaving for Baramati shortly."

Karnataka Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar said that Ajit Pawar's death is shocking. "I was also shocked to hear the news of his death. We, as politicians, should be very careful. We should be careful while travelling abroad. We have lost many leaders like this. Ajit Pawar is a leader with very progressive ideas. The Maharashtra Chief Minister had said just the other day that he is cooperating in all works. May his soul rest in peace. May the Lord give his family and supporters the strength to bear the grief. His family has also established ties in Bengaluru. He met his relatives on Tuesday. Ajit Pawar is a senior leader. He left the party for a political future and came back. I will not talk about this. He was currently serving as the Maharashtra DCM."

On the increase in plane crashes and the claim that it was a technical fault, he stated, "I will talk about this after a detailed report comes. What do I know about the technical fault? Many people, including friends from Mumbai, have informed me about it."

- IANS
Weapon could be used for "specific attacks"

North Korea has test-fired an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system, overseen by leader Kim Jong-un, who stated it holds great significance for improving the country's strategic deterrent. The test, which involved rockets hitting a target over 350 km away, comes as North Korea prepares to convene its first ruling party congress in five years early next month. Kim highlighted the weapon's improved mobility, intelligence, and a self-steered guided flight system, suggesting advancements meant to counter GPS jamming. Analysts suggest the system could potentially carry tactical nuclear weapons and may involve technology provided by Russia.

North Korea test-fires a new multiple rocket launcher system, with Kim Jong-un claiming it boosts nuclear deterrent ahead of a major party congress.

Seoul, Jan 28 North Korea has test-fired an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system to assess its effectiveness, overseen by leader Kim Jong-un, state media said on Wednesday.

Kim called Tuesday's test of "great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent," saying the weapon system could be used for "specific attacks," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The weapons test came as North Korea is widely expected to convene its first ruling party congress in five years early next month.

The upcoming ninth congress "will clarify the next-stage plans for further bolstering up the country's nuclear deterrent," Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA.

The previous day, South Korea's military said it detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched from north of Pyongyang toward the East Sea, Yonhap news agency reported.

The KCNA quoted Kim as saying, "All the indexes have been improved to maximise its strike capability, and the mobility, intelligence and hitting accuracy of the rockets, in particular, have remarkably been upgraded."

He also described the weapon's "self-steered precisely guided flight system" as a major feature, touting "the steady improvement and uninterrupted evolution of our defence technology."

He said the relevant activities were aimed solely at raising the level of the country's "deterrent against a nuclear war."

"To build up the most reliable offensive capability and enforce the deterrence strategy based on it is the invariable line of our party's national defence policy," the KCNA also quoted him as saying.

Released photos showed Kim's daughter Ju-ae accompanying him to the test, along with Kim Jong-sik, first vice department director of the party's Central Committee, and Jang Chang-ha, chief of the Missile Administration.

The missile launch appears to be a show of muscle flexing as the North is expected to unveil five-year development plans for defense, the economy and other fields at the upcoming ninth congress, the first since the eighth in 2021.

The test also came as US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby visited South Korea to discuss security issues, including Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines. Following the three-day trip to Seoul, he left for Japan the previous day.

Tuesday's test of four MRLS rockets employing new technology hit a target in waters 358.5 kilometres away from the point of launch, the KCNA said.

Experts suggested that the self-steered precisely guided flight system mentioned by Kim may indicate a new navigation system employed to help the weapon defy GPS jamming.

Shin Jong-woo, a researcher at the Korea Defence and Security Forum, said, "There's a possibility a military-grade GPS system provided by Russia may have been attached," adding that such systems are immune to jamming operations.

Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, also suggested that Kim's description of the MRLS as applicable to "specific attacks" may indicate it could carry tactical nuclear weapons.

North Korea's multiple rocket launchers with 600-millimetre caliber have a maximum range of 400 km, putting all key military bases in the South within range.

- IANS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid heartfelt tributes to freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary, highlighting his complete sacrifice for India's independence. Lajpat Rai was a founding member of the Hisar Congress and a key figure in the Arya Samaj reform movement. He led a historic non-violent protest against the Simon Commission in 1928, during which he was brutally lathi-charged by police. He never fully recovered from his injuries and died shortly after, becoming a martyr for the freedom cause.

PM Narendra Modi honors freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai, recalling his ultimate sacrifice to liberate India from colonial slavery.

New Delhi, January 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to "Punjab Kesari" Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary.

In a post on X, PM Modi emphasised that Lala Lajpat Rai offered everything he had to liberate India from the chains of slavery, and his life of sacrifice will continue to remain a source of inspiration for every generation.

"To the immortal son of the motherland, Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai, heartfelt and respectful tributes on his birth anniversary. He offered everything he had to liberate Mother Bharati from the chains of slavery. His life of sacrifice will continue to remain a source of inspiration for every generation of the country," PM Modi posted.

Lajpat Rai was born on 28 January 1865, in a Punjabi Hindu family, as a son of Urdu and Persian Government School teacher Munshi Radha Krishan and his wife Gulab Devi, in Dhudike. Since childhood, he had a desire to serve his country.

In 1886, he moved to Hisar, began practising law, and became a founding member of the Bar Council of Hisar along with Babu Churamani. He also founded the Hisar district branch of the Indian National Congress and the reformist Arya Samaj. To shape the political policy of India to gain independence, he also practised journalism and was a regular contributor to several newspapers, including The Tribune.

In 1886, he helped Mahatma Hansraj establish the nationalistic Dayananda Anglo-Vedic School, Lahore. In 1914, he quit law practice to dedicate himself to the freedom of India.

He was elected President of the Indian National Congress in the Calcutta Special Session of 1920. In 1921, he founded the Servants of the People Society, a non-profit welfare organisation. He was of the view that Hindu society needed to fight its own battle with the caste system, the position of women, and untouchability. Lala Lajpat Rai believed that everyone should be allowed to read and learn from the Vedas, irrespective of one's caste or gender.

When the Simon Commission visited Lahore on 30 October 1928, Lajpat Rai led a non-violent march in protest against it. The superintendent of police, James A. Scott, ordered the police to lathi (baton) charge the protesters and personally assaulted Rai. He did not fully recover from his injuries and died on 17 November 1928.

- ANI
The Odisha Human Rights Commission has recommended the state government include a "Third Gender/Transgender" option in all government job application forms. It has also advocated for a minimum 1% horizontal reservation for transgender applicants in state employment. The order was issued while hearing a plea from a transgender individual who faced discrimination due to the category's omission in an OPSC exam form. The Commission directed relevant departments to implement these measures and submit a compliance report within 60 days.

Odisha Human Rights Commission recommends adding "Third Gender/Transgender" to govt job forms and a 1% horizontal reservation for inclusive hiring.

Bhubaneswar, Jan 28 In a significant order, the Odisha Human Rights Commission has recommended that the state government consider the inclusion of "Third Gender/Transgender" as a gender option in government job applications.

It has also recommended making at least 1 per cent horizontal reservation for them and directing all recruiting boards and authorities, including the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), to implement the same.

The Commission issued the recommendations while hearing a plea filed by one Sony Sil, a transgender from Cuttack, on January 22.

Sil, in the complaint, alleged discrimination and violation of their fundamental rights due to the non-inclusion of the "Third Gender/Transgender" category in the application form for the ensuing Odisha Combined Civil Services examination conducted by the OPSC.

"The case of the complainant is that omission of the 'Third Gender/Transgender' in the online application form prevents the 'Third Gender/Transgender', like the complainant, from applying and participating in the examination on an equal footing, thereby constituting discriminatory treatment infringing upon their rights to equality and non-discrimination," reads the OHRC order.

The complainant also argued that the omission of the third gender in the application is contrary to the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. It also violates the various sections of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020.

"Therefore, a prayer has been made to recommend the Government for inclusion of 'Third Gender/Transgender' option in all OPSC recruitment forms and portals, direct framing and implementation of clear inclusive recruitment policy for 'Third Gender/Transgender' persons affirmative measures including reservation policy in public employment, to ensure equal, dignified and non-discriminatory access to government jobs for 'Third Gender/Transgender' persons," the order further reads.

Considering the urgency of the case in view of the ongoing recruitment process, the Commission delivered its order recommending that the state General Administration (GA) Department and the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department include "Third Gender/Transgender" as a gender option in government job applications.

It has also recommended that the government make at least 1 per cent horizontal reservation for transgender applicants, directing all recruiting boards and authorities, including the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), to implement the same.

As the present complaint relates to the ensuing State Civil Services examinations, for which applications have already been invited, the OHRC recommended that the GA Department consider the matter at the earliest by requesting the OPSC to include 'Third Gender/Transgender' as a gender option and to extend the application deadline by at least 15 days for them.

"The Government of Odisha, in the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department, to ensure that the recommendation as above is carried out by all the Government Departments in all employments of the State Government and its Corporations," directs the Commission.

The OHRC has also directed the authorities to submit the compliance report to the Commission within 60 days.

- IANS
Karnataka Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar has emphasized the duty of institutions to protect marginalized communities in light of new UGC regulations. He reiterated Rahul Gandhi's call for stronger legislation to prevent discrimination in higher education, noting a state-drafted bill had previously faced concerns. Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan assured the new UGC rules would not be misused and that no discrimination would occur in their implementation. The updated regulations require colleges to set up committees and helplines to address complaints from SC, ST, and OBC students.

Minister MC Sudhakar supports Rahul Gandhi's push for anti-discrimination laws in higher education, as UGC's new regulations face scrutiny.

Bengaluru, January 28 Karnataka Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar emphasised that higher education institutes must safeguard the interests of marginalised communities in light of the new University Grants Commission regulations.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Sudhakar reiterated Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's call for stricter enforcement of laws against discrimination in educational institutions, adding that a bill drafted by the state government had faced criticism.

"Rahul Gandhi is repeatedly saying that we should bring in some legislation to see that discrimination should not happen in the places of higher education institutions. Our government had prepared a Bill regarding this, but some concerns were raised...," he said.

He further urged action from the higher education institutes in this regard, adding that the state government has discussed this discrimination.

"We must address this issue, but at the same time, it is our duty to protect the interests of marginalised communities such as ST, SC and backward classes. Higher education institutes should be above this... I have not talked to the CM, but he is aware of it. Discussions took place on this discrimination...," the Minister added.

Sudhakar also asserted that the state government is aiming to draft a bill to address the concerns on this matter.

"We are looking at bringing in equality and our Bill would address all these concerns...," he noted.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday sought to allay concerns over the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, assuring that the law would not be misused and that there would be no discrimination in its implementation.

Speaking to the reporters, Pradhan said," I assure everyone there will be no discrimination and no one can misuse the law."

The remarks come after new rules notified by the UGC on January 13, updating its 2012 regulations, sparked criticism from general category students, who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them.

The new regulations, introduced to curb caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, require institutions to establish special committees and helplines to address complaints, especially from SC, ST, and OBC students.

- ANI
The landmark India-EU Free Trade Agreement has triggered panic among Khalistani groups based in Europe, who fear the enhanced security and defence partnership will curb their activities. These groups, like Sikhs for Justice, have issued inflammatory statements and threats against Indians abroad in an attempt to internationalize their fringe cause. The deal formalizes deep cooperation on counter-terrorism, maritime security, and cyber threats, building on existing pressure from nations like the UK and Canada. Meanwhile, intelligence reports indicate Pakistan's ISI is attempting to revive the movement in Punjab through drone-dropped arms and drug trafficking.

Khalistani groups panic as India-EU trade pact strengthens security ties, targeting terror financing and operations in Europe. SFJ issues threats.

New Delhi, Jan 28 The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement has been called the mother of all trade deals. While both sides have plenty to benefit, the Khalistanis are clearly unhappy with this deal. They feel that close ties between the European Union and India mean that the latter gains more leverage to target Khalistani elements.

The Khalistan groups, which have made countries such as Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom their base, believe that this proximity between India and the EU would harm their movement. The Khalistani groups, such as the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), have had a field day as successive governments in Europe have been soft on such groups.

These countries have also cited free speech to allow such elements to operate freely and spread hate against India. India, on the other hand, has repeatedly told these nations that these elements are dangerous and have been proscribed as terror groups under Indian law.

The fear among these elements is evident in the statement issued by SFJ head Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. He goes on to say, "What the EU celebrates today as a Free Trade Deal will lead to a Free Transnational Terrorism Agreement."

An Intelligence Bureau official explains that, while on one hand, there is panic that has set in due to this deal, the other aspect of issuing such statements is to incite violence and hatred towards the Indians living in the European countries. They want elements sympathetic to the cause to hurt Indians living in these countries.

The experts say that countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada have been acting against these elements after India provided them with ample proof regarding the terrorist nature of these groups. The deal with the EU makes matters worse for them as both sides have also decided to cooperate and work closely on terrorism related matters, officials say.

Another official said that Pannun and his cronies have attempted multiple times to ensure traction for the movement. What was meant to be a mass movement against India is in reality just a fringe activity. By targeting India and the EU, the Khalistanis are trying to internationalise the issue. It is just a cheap shot at publicity by Pannun, the official added.

After signing the deal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the security and defence partnership between India and the EU will deepen cooperation in counter terrorism, maritime, and cyber security. A joint statement by the two sides said the leaders welcomed the signing of the EU-India Security and Defence Partnership, the first such overarching defence and security framework between the two sides that will deepen ties in the domains of maritime security, defence industry and technology, cyber and hybrid threats, space, and counter-terrorism, among others.

They also welcomed the launch of negotiations on a Security of Information Agreement that will facilitate the exchange of classified information and pave the way for a stronger cooperation in areas related to security and defence."

Counter terrorism experts say that with so much emphasis on security cooperation, the Khalistan forces are bound to be worried. After being apprehensive and showing fear in his statement, Pannun got back to issuing threats against India. He warned that the Beating Retreat Ceremony on January 29 would be targeted. He has also warned of more attacks in India, while adding that the EU should be mindful of the so-called oppression of the Sikh community.

The Khalistanis have been falsely spreading information that the Sikhs are under threat in India. Had this been the case, the movement would have taken off in no time in Punjab. There is no traction because there is no oppression, as claimed by these terror groups.

Meanwhile, the ISI has been attempting to revive the movement in Punjab. It has been attempting to drop off a large cache of arms and ammunition using drones. Further, the drug routes too are bustling as the ISI seeks to raise funds both for the Khalistan movement as well as for the terror groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

- IANS
The Budget Session of Parliament commences today with President Droupadi Murmu's address to a joint sitting. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present the Union Budget for 2026-27 on February 1, a Sunday requiring special arrangements. The session is split into two phases, running from January 28 to April 2, allowing for detailed committee scrutiny of financial bills. The government emphasizes transparent legislative processes as lawmakers prepare to debate economic growth, taxation, and public expenditure.

Parliament's Budget Session starts Jan 28, 2026, with President's address. Finance Minister to present Union Budget on Feb 1. Session runs till April 2.

New Delhi, Jan 28 The Budget Session of Parliament will begin on Wednesday with the address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both Houses.

According to reports, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to table the Budget on February 1, which falls on a Sunday -- a rare occurrence that would require special arrangements.

The Economic Survey, providing a comprehensive review of the economy, is anticipated to be laid before Parliament on January 29.

Earlier this month, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on X: "On the recommendation of the Govt of India, Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji has approved the summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session 2026. The Session will commence on 28 January 2026 and continue till 2 April 2026. The first phase concludes on 13 February 2026, with Parliament reassembling on 9 March 2026, a vital step towards meaningful debate and people-centric governance."

The announcement sets the stage for one of the most important parliamentary events of the year, during which the Union Budget for the financial year 2026-27 is expected to be presented.

Rijiju's post stressed the government's commitment to transparent and effective legislative processes.

The two-phase format allows for initial discussions on the Budget and other key matters, followed by detailed scrutiny in standing committees during the recess, before final deliberations and passage of financial bills.

This session comes at a crucial time as the government focuses on economic growth, fiscal consolidation, and addressing emerging challenges in sectors like infrastructure, employment, and sustainability.

Parliamentarians from across political parties are expected to engage in intensive deliberations on taxation, public expenditure, and policy reforms. The entire session will consist of 30 sittings of Parliament.

- IANS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the annual NCC PM Rally in Delhi, focusing on the theme 'Rashtra Pratham' and character development. The rally culminates a month-long camp involving over 2,400 cadets, including foreign participants. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who visited the camp earlier, described NCC cadets as the nation's second line of defence and emphasized the need for youth to be strong. He also recalled the precision and restraint of the Indian Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor.

PM Modi addresses NCC rally on 'Rashtra Pratham'. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlights youth's role, discipline, and recalls Operation Sindoor.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the annual National Cadet Corps PM Rally on Wednesday at the Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi, sharing his thoughts on nation first and character development.

The NCC PM Rally will mark the grand culmination of the month-long NCC Republic Day Camp 2026, which witnessed the participation of 2,406 cadets from across the country, including 898 girl cadets.

The rally will also see the participation of 207 youth and officers from 21 foreign countries, said the official.

The theme of this year's rally is 'Rashtra Pratham - Kartavya Nishtha Yuva', reflecting the spirit of duty, discipline and national commitment among India's youth, an official statement said on Tuesday.

On the occasion, a vibrant cultural programme will be presented by NCC cadets, members of Rashtriya Rangshala and National Service Scheme, showcasing their role in nation building, social service and character development.

Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the camp and described NCC cadets as the nation's second line of defence.

He called upon youth to draw inspiration from their vital role in raising public awareness when mock drills were conducted across the country during Operation Sindoor.

Addressing the cadets at the NCC Republic Day Camp in Delhi Cantonment, the Defence Minister said, "As the world is going through a period of uncertainty, our youth must remain physically, mentally and emotionally strong and be prepared to take on every challenge."

Recalling Operation Sindoor, Rajnath Singh said, "Indian Armed Forces destroyed terrorists based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which was a befitting reply to the unfortunate and cowardly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Our soldiers acted with courage and restraint. We targeted and destroyed only those who hurt us, not anyone else. This was possible as they are strong physically, mentally, and emotionally."

The Defence Minister termed NCC as an excellent medium to upgrade the youth who, in turn, make their invaluable contribution to nation-building.

He added that the NCC instils discipline and patriotism in cadets, while helping them to overcome the problem of 'lack of focus'.

He said that the NCC teaches patience, continuity and focus, which are requisites for life's big battles, the nation's great responsibilities, and character building.

This focus, Rajnath Singh added, is reflected in every aspect of their lives, whether they join the Armed Forces or become doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists, administrators and politicians.

- IANS
Opinion / Columnist

Zimbabwe's leadership crisis is not just political; it is profoundly technical. For decades, the country's executive suites, boardrooms and policy spaces have been dominated by chartered accountants, lawyers and political scientists. These professions bring valuable skills, but their dominance has also shaped a national leadership culture that is risk-averse, compliance-heavy and overly comfortable with managing decline rather than engineering growth.It may be time for Zimbabwe to be led by engineers.This is not an argument against accountants or lawyers as professionals. It is an argument against monoculture in leadership. When the same professional instincts dominate decision-making for too long, they quietly hard-wire the economy to behave in a particular way. In Zimbabwe's case, that behaviour has favoured preservation over creation, caution over courage, and short-term financial safety over long-term productive capacity.Engineers think differently.Where a chartered accountant asks, "What is the risk to the balance sheet?" an engineer asks, "What problem are we solving, and how do we build a system that works?" Where a lawyer asks, "What could go wrong?" an engineer asks, "What must go right?" That difference matters enormously in a country trying to re-industrialise.Two of Zimbabwe's most globally respected corporate leaders illustrate this point clearly: Ralph Mupita and Strive Masiyiwa. Both are engineers by training. Both have built, scaled and transformed complex systems in hostile, uncertain environments. Both understand infrastructure, networks, feedback loops and long-term investment cycles  precisely the capabilities Zimbabwe lacks in its public leadership.Masiyiwa did not build Econet by picking low-hanging fruit. He built it by staring down political risk, technological uncertainty and capital scarcity, then engineering a solution where none seemed possible. Mupita's tenure at MTN Nigeria has shown how disciplined systems thinking, execution and long-range planning can unlock exponential value. These are not coincidences; they are products of engineering mindsets.By contrast, Zimbabwe's economy has increasingly channelled capital into low-risk property development  shopping malls, office parks, gated suburbs. These are classic "accountant-friendly" investments: predictable returns, asset-backed security, minimal technological uncertainty. But they do not build productive capacity. They do not create export competitiveness. They do not re-industrialise a nation.This is what happens when leadership is obsessed with protecting value rather than creating it.Engineers are trained to deal with uncertainty, complexity and failure. They understand that progress requires iteration, experimentation and, yes, the possibility of things breaking. Re-industrialisation is not a spreadsheet exercise; it is a messy, capital-intensive, technically demanding process. You cannot rebuild manufacturing, energy systems, transport networks or value chains with compliance checklists and audit reports alone.Leadership, at its core, is about scanning the environment, sense-making, and taking daring, informed risks. It is about reaching for the ripe fruit still hanging on the tree  not merely collecting what has already fallen to the ground. Too often, Zimbabwe's leadership class behaves like careful fruit gatherers, congratulating themselves for harvesting what gravity has already delivered, while the real value remains untouched above them.This professional bias has also crept into government. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, which should be the engine room of national production strategy, has been a major letdown. Industrial policy has been reduced to conferences, policy documents and slogans, with little systems-level execution. There is scant evidence of engineers, technologists or industrial practitioners shaping decisions at the highest level. As a result, policy floats above reality, disconnected from factories, supply chains and production floors.Countries that have successfully industrialised  South Korea, China, Germany  did not do so under lawyer-led or accountant-led economic cultures. They were driven by engineers, technocrats and production-minded leaders who understood that growth comes from building things, not merely regulating or accounting for them.This does not mean engineers should rule alone. Balanced leadership still matters. But Zimbabwe urgently needs to rebalance its leadership ecosystem. Engineers, scientists, technologists and applied innovators must move from the margins to the centre of power  in Cabinet, in parastatals, in boards, and in strategic ministries.Until that happens, Zimbabwe will continue to manage scarcity instead of engineering abundance.The country does not suffer from a lack of laws, audits or financial controls. It suffers from a lack of builders.And nations are not rebuilt by those who fear risk  but by those who know how to design, test, and make things work.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with NCP leader Sharad Pawar to offer condolences following the death of his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. The aircraft crashed near the Baramati airfield runway, killing Pawar and four others on board. Preliminary reports indicate the crew lost visual contact with the runway during their final approach, initiating a go-around before the fatal crash on the second attempt. Senior national leaders, including PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, are expected to attend the cremation in Baramati.

PM Modi spoke to Sharad Pawar after Ajit Pawar's fatal plane crash in Baramati. Details of the aircraft's final moments emerge as leaders prepare for last rites.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to senior Maharashtra leader Sharad Pawar following the death of his nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a tragic plane crash near Baramati and expressed his condolences to the family. Ajit Pawar's funeral will be held in Baramati on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the last rites.

"I am deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash that occurred in Baramati, Maharashtra. I share in the grief of all those who have lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray that the bereaved families find strength and courage in this moment of sorrow," the Prime Minister said in a post earlier in the day.

The news of Ajit Pawar's death sent shockwaves across Maharashtra's political landscape, with several senior leaders describing it as a "black day" for the state.

Meanwhile, chilling details of the final moments before the crash have emerged. The crew of the Learjet 45 reportedly told air traffic personnel that the "runway is currently not in sight" seconds before the aircraft was cleared to land and subsequently burst into flames near the runway threshold.

Ajit Pawar and four others onboard, including two pilots, were killed in the fatal crash while attempting to land at the Baramati airfield. Pawar was scheduled to attend public programmes in Baramati later on Wednesday.

According to a release issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd-operated aircraft first contacted Baramati airfield at 8.18 am.

Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield where traffic information is provided by instructors and pilots from local flying training organisations, the ministry said.

"At about 30 nautical miles from Baramati, the aircraft was released by Pune approach control and advised to descend under visual meteorological conditions at the crew's discretion," the release stated.

The pilots later sought wind and visibility details and were informed that the winds were calm and the visibility was approximately 3,000 metres.

Moments later, the aircraft reported being on final approach to Runway 11 but indicated that the runway was not visible. The crew initiated a go-around and repositioned for another approach.

During the second attempt, the crew again reported being on final approach. When asked to confirm visual contact, they responded, "Runway is currently not in sight, will call when runway is in sight." A few seconds later, they reported that the runway was visible.

At 8.43 am, the aircraft was cleared to land on Runway 11. However, no readback of the landing clearance was received, the release said.

At 8.44 am, personnel at the airfield noticed flames near the threshold of the runway. Emergency services rushed to the spot, where the wreckage was found on the left side of Runway 11, close to the threshold.

- IANS
Political leaders from the BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena, and other parties have expressed profound sorrow over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. They described him as an energetic, experienced, and dedicated leader with a clear vision for Maharashtra's development. Many recalled their long associations with him, praising his straightforward and decisive nature despite political controversies. His demise is widely seen as a major loss for the state and a significant setback for the national political landscape.

Political leaders across parties express shock and grief over the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Political leaders cutting across party lines, from the BJP to the Congress, expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar, describing his sudden demise as "devastating and highly distressing".

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy expressed shock and grief over the incident said, "The news of Ajit Pawar's air crash is extremely shocking for all of us. It is very sad and unfortunate. In such weather conditions, pilots have to be extremely careful. I offer my condolences and pray that God gives strength to the bereaved family members to overcome this shock."

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut recalled his long association with Ajit Pawar and Pawar family.

"We have known Ajit Pawar for many years. He was an excellent leader-generous, sincere, and straightforward. There was no deceit in him; whatever he felt, he spoke openly and then moved on. He was always cheerful and a true leader of workers," Raut said.

"Uddhav Thackeray often said that among all ministers, Ajit Pawar was the most experienced and dedicated. He always had a clear vision for the development of Maharashtra. We have lost a leader of great calibre. Those in power today should learn from his approach. Politics should not be rushed, and excessive competition harms governance. Grassroots elections should be left to party workers. The current chaos in Maharashtra politics and relentless political manoeuvring has led to unfortunate outcomes," Raut remarked.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar termed the incident tragic and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family.

"This is a tragic incident. We pray to God to give strength to the family to bear this irreparable loss. In this time of grief, the Bharatiya Samaj Party and I stand with the family," he said.

Congress MP Imran Masood expressed grief, stating, "When the news of the plane crash first came in this morning, there was hope that perhaps he had survived. However, later, when videos emerged, it caused immense distress. He was a very energetic and dynamic leader, and this loss is extremely painful," Masood said.

Odisha's Deputy Leader of Opposition, Prasanna Acharya, said the news was unexpected and heartbreaking. "Ajit Pawar was not just a leader of Maharashtra but a nationally recognised political figure. He played a crucial role in shaping Maharashtra's political development and had a strong presence in the country's political landscape. His demise is a major loss for Maharashtra and a significant setback for Indian politics as a whole," Acharya stated.

Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP N. K. Premachandran described the incident as shocking and unfortunate.

"It is really distressing to hear about such a plane crash in which the Deputy Chief Minister and his team of officers were reportedly travelling. Let the official report come first, and then all issues can be addressed accordingly," he said.

Senior advocate and former MP Majeed Memon also expressed deep anguish over the incident.

"The news of the plane crash and the death of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, along with others, is devastating. Ajit Pawar was a proactive and dynamic leader. Despite facing criticism for parting ways with the main party, he remained decisive and served Maharashtra effectively as Deputy Chief Minister," Memon said.

Recalling his long association with Ajit Pawar, Memon added, "I worked with Ajit Pawar for nearly 25 to 30 years, including closely for about two decades since 2002. He was a unique politician-aggressive, dynamic, and steadfast in his beliefs. While he faced allegations related to breaking away from the NCP and disagreements within the party, he always stood firmly by his convictions."

- IANS
Hitachi Vantara is actively considering India as a potential location for future manufacturing lines as part of a global strategy to localize production closer to customers. The company's senior executive highlighted India's rapid digital transformation and growing economy as key factors in this evaluation. While focused on serving financial services and government clients in India, the company sees AI as a major driver for accelerating data analysis and improving efficiency. The executive expressed confidence in the Indian government's economic policies, seeking primarily a reduction in business friction rather than specific incentives.

Hitachi Vantara's Jay Subramanian says India is a "possible" destination for new production lines as the company seeks to localize operations.

By Animesh Deb, New Delhi, January 28 Hitachi Vantara is keeping the door open to expanding its manufacturing footprint to India from other countries, as the company looks to move production closer to customers amid a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.

Responding to a question from ANI on whether some of the company's future production lines could be in India, Jay Subramanian, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Core Storage Platform at Hitachi Vantara, said the company is "always looking for opportunities" to localise operations and tap into regional resources, making India a "possible" destination as its economy continues to grow.

"We are always looking for opportunities to figure out how can we get closer to the customer. From that perspective, there is no reason why we will not be looking at those kinds of options. I mean, just especially with the current geopolitical world, we are always looking for opportunities to figure out what can be done closer to where the customers are and how do you make sure that we can tap into those kinds of resources," Jay Subramanian told ANI during his ongoing India visit.

"Possibly, absolutely," he supplemented.

Explaining the company's core business, Jay Subramanian said the US-headquartered company provides data management infrastructure to some of the world's largest enterprises across industries, including healthcare, financial services, education, and transportation. The companies include the Fortune 100

Hitachi Vantara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, is a provider of critical data storage and hybrid cloud management solutions and platforms.

In India, it has a combination of sales and marketing operations catering to large enterprises, banks, and public sector organisations. Subramanian said that the company has also made significant investments in research and development across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune.

AI has emerged as a key driver of change for the company's business globally. Subramanian said the adoption of artificial intelligence has significantly accelerated data analysis and decision-making processes that earlier took days and involved heavy manual effort.

"This is not meant to be like this is going to replace people or replace jobs. This is essentially going to change the paradigm," he said. "What used to take many days and a lot of manual transactions can now happen. The analysis can happen in a short period of time."

He noted that the growing use of AI has also translated into cost efficiencies, largely by reducing the time and effort required for manual processes.

However, Subramanian believes that cost reduction is not driven by AI alone.

With the Union Budget for India around the corner, Subramanian was asked if he had any expectations from the Indian government. He said the company has no specific expectations and is seeking a friction-free business environment.

"The Indian government has been doing a very good job in terms of opening up the economy for the broader good. And I think as long as we reduce friction, we are always looking for those kinds of things. And anything that the Indian government does in terms of enabling us to do more business in India, and also ensuring that we remove friction for us, that essentially speeds things up, and that's all we can look for. I'm not going to go and ask for, give us the incentives, but that's kind of what I would say, enabling us to be able to do more business in terms of how do we reduce friction is relevant," he said.

Reflecting on India's transformation over the years, Subramanian, who is Indian-born, highlighted the country's rapid digital adoption, particularly in payments and public digital infrastructure.

"One of the big things that I see in India since the time I left, a while back, was around how cash transactions have now become digital transactions, everybody accepts UPI and so forth, and those are things that are absolutely phenomenal."

Looking ahead, he said Hitachi Vantara's growth strategy in India will continue to focus on financial services and government clients, while gradually expanding into more mainstream enterprise use cases subsequently.

"Currently, we have a lot of our focus on financial services, as well as on some of the governmental types of organisations. As we go through a lot of these things, we will continue to look for opportunities in this thing. And right now, we're focusing on the higher end of the spectrum, because that's where our credibility and our pedigree have come from in the past. But at the same time, the technology starts pushing further into more commonly used use cases and workloads, we'll definitely see a lot more expansion in that context," he said.

He stressed that India may not be the company's biggest market today, but its growth rate is very significant.

"It might not be the biggest market today compared to some of the other Western economies and European economies in terms of where we are from an infrastructure perspective, but the rate of growth is definitely very significant. And that's one of the areas that we constantly look for to see what is the rate of growth is and how we can also help the economy here as well as also grow our footprints," he concluded.

Jay Subramanian brings more than 25 years of experience in engineering and product management roles.

- ANI
President Droupadi Murmu met with tribal guests, tableaux artists, NCC cadets, and other participants of the 77th Republic Day Parade at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The interaction acknowledged their role in showcasing India's cultural richness and national spirit during the grand parade along Kartavya Path. The celebrations featured 30 tableaux and included participation from a European Union contingent. Republic Day marks the anniversary of the Indian Constitution coming into force on January 26, 1950.

President Droupadi Murmu met tribal guests, artists, NCC cadets, and other Republic Day participants at Rashtrapati Bhavan to acknowledge their contributions.

New Delhi, January 28 President Droupadi Murmu met tribal guests, tableaux artists, National Cadet Corps cadets, National Service Scheme volunteers and other participants of the 77th Republic Day Parade at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

The interaction was organised on Tuesday to acknowledge the contributions of various groups and individuals who participated in the Republic Day celebrations and showcased India's cultural richness, unity and national spirit during the grand parade along Kartavya Path.

Participants presented cultural performances and interacted with the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan in a celebratory atmosphere.

This year, Kartavya Path, stretching from Rashtrapati Bhawan to the National War Memorial, was elaborately decorated to showcase India's remarkable journey. The celebrations featured an extraordinary blend of the 150-year legacy of the national song Vande Mataram, the country's unprecedented developmental progress, robust military strength, vibrant cultural diversity, and active participation from citizens across all walks of life.

The main event at the national capital saw participation from a European Union Contingent. It comprised four Flag Bearers on three gypsies. They carried four flags - the flag of the EU, the most recognisable symbol of the European Union; the flag of the European Union Military Staff; the flag of EU Naval Force Atalanta; and the flag of EU Naval Force Aspides.

President of the European Council Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen were Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations.

President Droupadi Murmu led the celebrations and took the salute of the parade on Kartavya Path, stretching from Rashtrapati Bhawan to the National War Memorial, which was decked up for the ceremony.

India's enormous cultural diversity, growing capabilities across domains, and military prowess were on display on Kartavya Path as people in Delhi celebrated the 77th Republic Day with enthusiasm.

A hundred cultural artists heralded the parade, on the theme 'Vividata Mein Ekta - Unity in Diversity', demonstrating the nation's unity and rich cultural diversity.

A total of 30 tableaux - 17 of states and union territories and 13 of ministries, departments and services rolled down with a broad theme of 'Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram' and 'Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.

People cheered as the three services showcased their capabilities, marching contingents displayed their skill and dexterity, and tableaux reflected India's vibrant spirit and the fragrance of its soil.

Republic Day marks a defining milestone in India's national journey. It marks the day the Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950.

While independence on August 15, 1947, ended colonial rule, it was the adoption of the Constitution that completed India's transition to self-governance based on law, institutional accountability, and the will of the Indians.

- ANI
President Droupadi Murmu addressed Parliament, declaring that the Maoist threat has been drastically reduced from 126 districts to just eight. She praised Operation Sindoor as a decisive military response to terrorism that showcased India's self-reliance in defense. The President highlighted a dual strategy of security operations and reconciliation, noting 2,000 Maoist-linked surrenders in the past year. She also framed India's suspension of the Indus Water Treaty as part of a comprehensive, uncompromising approach to national security.

President Droupadi Murmu addresses Parliament, highlighting the success of Operation Sindoor against terrorism and the near-elimination of Maoist insurgency.

Bhopal, Jan 28 President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint session of Parliament on Wednesday was marked by strong assertions of India's security achievements and the government's success in tackling internal and external threats.

Setting the tone for the Budget session, she lauded the elimination of Maoist influence across much of the country and praised the Indian Armed Forces for their decisive response to terrorism through Operation Sindoor, launched in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025.

President Murmu invoked the words of Guru Tegh Bahadur-- "bhay kahun ko deit nehn nehn bhay manat aan (we should neither scare anyone nor be scared of anyone)" -- reminding the nation that India's strength lies in its fearless spirit, one that neither intimidates others nor succumbs to fear.

With this guiding principle, she said, India has ensured its security and demonstrated to the world its resolve in defending sovereignty.

Operation Sindoor, she declared, was a turning point that showcased the valour of the Armed Forces. "With its own resources, our country destroyed terror hotbeds," she told Parliament, underscoring that India did not rely on external support but acted independently to safeguard its people.

The President also highlighted the government's strategic decision to keep the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance as part of its fight against terrorism. This move, she suggested, was emblematic of India's willingness to recalibrate long-standing agreements when national security is at stake.

By linking water diplomacy to counter-terrorism, President Murmu conveyed that India's approach is both comprehensive and uncompromising.

Turning to internal security, President Murmu spoke of the government's achievements in curbing Maoist insurgency, which for decades had cast a shadow over large parts of the country.

"For years, there was fear and distrust in 126 districts of the country. Maoist ideology pushed the future of several generations into darkness," she said, recalling the scale of the challenge. Today, however, she noted that the problem has been reduced to just eight districts, a remarkable contraction that reflects the success of sustained counter-insurgency measures, development initiatives, and rehabilitation programmes.

The President revealed that about 2,000 individuals with links to Maoist groups have surrendered in the past year alone, a development she described as a testament to the government's dual strategy of firmness and reconciliation.

By combining security operations with efforts to bring former insurgents back into the mainstream, India has not only weakened Maoist networks but also offered a path of dignity and opportunity to those who once lived on the margins.

President Murmu's speech carried a tone of triumph but also of caution, reminding lawmakers that the fight against extremism requires vigilance and unity.

She emphasised that India's progress in eliminating Maoism and confronting terrorism is not merely about military victories but about restoring trust, ensuring justice, and securing the future of communities that had long been trapped in cycles of violence.

Her remarks on Operation Sindoor were particularly striking, as she framed the military campaign not just as a tactical success but as a moral statement.

By acting decisively after the Pahalgam attack, India demonstrated that it would not tolerate aggression and that its Armed Forces are capable of dismantling terror infrastructure with precision and courage. The operation, she said, has become a symbol of India's self-reliance in defence and its determination to protect citizens from cross-border threats.

President Murmu's invocation of Guru Tegh Bahadur's words added a philosophical dimension to her speech, linking contemporary security challenges to India's historical ethos of courage and righteousness. In doing so, she sought to remind Parliament and the nation that India's strength lies not only in its military might but also in its moral clarity.

The President's address, while focused on security, also carried broader implications for India's development narrative. By highlighting the reduction of Maoist influence and the surrender of thousands of insurgents, she suggested that peace and stability are prerequisites for growth.

The government's success in these areas, she argued, has opened the door for economic development, social justice, and the empowerment of communities that were once isolated by conflict.

As the Budget Session commenced, President Murmu's words set a backdrop of resilience and confidence. Her emphasis on eliminating Maoism, confronting terrorism, and asserting India's sovereignty through measures like Operation Sindoor and the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty underscored the government's claim of having secured the nation against both internal and external threats.

In a speech that blended history, philosophy, and contemporary policy, President Murmu presented India as a nation that has faced its challenges head-on and emerged stronger.

- IANS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised President Droupadi Murmu's address to Parliament, stating it effectively captured the vision for building a developed India (Viksit Bharat). The President's speech highlighted India's recent development progress and provided a clear future roadmap, covering themes from farmer welfare to innovation. The address also reflected on commemorations of historical figures like Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to inspire national unity. The Budget Session commenced with this address, setting the stage for the upcoming Economic Survey and Union Budget presentation.

PM Modi praises President Murmu's Budget Session address for capturing the vision of a developed, self-reliant India and outlining the nation's developmental roadmap.

New Delhi, Jan 28 As the Budget Session of Parliament commenced on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the President's Address was comprehensive and insightful, adding that it effectively captured the vision of building a Viksit Bharat and reflected the nation's shared aspiration for a strong and self-reliant India.

Taking to social media platform X, the Prime Minister said, "The Budget Session of Parliament commenced today with Rashtrapati Ji's inspiring address to both Houses. In our parliamentary traditions, this address has a special importance, as it spells out the policy direction and collective resolve that will guide our nation's developmental journey in the coming months."

PM Modi further said that the address highlighted India's significant development progress in recent years while providing a clear road map for the future.

"Today's address was comprehensive and insightful. It reflected India's remarkable development journey in recent times while showing a clear direction for the future. The emphasis on building a Viksit Bharat was perfectly captured, reflecting our shared aspiration of building a strong and self-reliant nation. The address also covered a wide range of themes, highlighting sustained efforts for farmers, youth, the poor and the downtrodden. It reaffirmed our collective commitment to further speed up the Reform Express and the emphasis on innovation and good governance," he added.

Meanwhile, the Budget Session of Parliament opened with President Murmu delivering her address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in New Delhi.

This ceremonial address marks the beginning of a crucial period in the Parliamentary calendar, during which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Economic Survey on Thursday (January 29) followed by the Union Budget on Sunday (February 1).

As political figures converged in the national Capital, President Murmu commenced her speech with warmth and reflection.

She expressed her delight at addressing the joint session, describing the previous year as a memorable chapter in India's story of swift advancement and rich cultural heritage.

Looking ahead, the President portrayed 2026 as a pivotal foundation year in the nation's ambitious path towards becoming a developed India.

She observed that the closing of the first quarter-century of the new millennium had brought numerous triumphs, moments of national pride, and profound experiences.

Over the past decade or so, she noted, India has fortified its base across every major sector, laying a robust groundwork for future growth.

The address also turned to the power of historical remembrance in shaping the present and future.

President Murmu spoke movingly of the country's observance of the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, whose sacrifice continues to resonate deeply.

She recalled the widespread tributes paid during the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, honouring his enduring legacy for tribal communities and the broader fight for justice. Similarly, commemorations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary had reinforced the vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, while the celebrations surrounding Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika's birth anniversary had filled the nation with music and a renewed sense of unity.

Through these reflections, the President emphasised that when a country honours the contributions of its forebears, it ignites inspiration in the younger generation, accelerating the collective march toward a developed and inclusive India.

Her words set an optimistic and unifying tone for the session ahead, blending pride in past milestones with resolve for the journey still unfolding.

In the lead-up to the session, an all-party meeting held on Tuesday, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, set the tone for the proceedings.

Leaders from across the political spectrum shared their anticipated priorities and pledged cooperation to ensure smooth functioning. Among them, the Congress indicated that the party would focus on people-centric matters, including concerns over alleged vote theft, the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, paddy procurement, and the revival of aspects of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

- IANS
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash near Baramati Airport on Wednesday morning. The charter flight from Mumbai crash-landed at the runway threshold, resulting in five fatalities including the crew. Political leaders from across India, including Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, expressed profound grief and offered condolences. The DGCA confirmed the incident, with further details about the crash still awaited.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati air crash. Top leaders including Pushkar Singh Dhami, DK Shivakumar express condolences.

New Delhi, January 28 Top political leaders across India including, Uttarkhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Dhivakumar, Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekara and Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Brar, expressed heartfelt condolences following the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near the runway of Baramati Airport on Wednesday morning.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences via a post on X. In his post, Dhami wrote, "The news of the untimely demise of Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, the popular people's leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who was lifelong dedicated to public service, in an air accident is extremely heartbreaking. He always worked with compassion and commitment for the welfare of the person standing in the last row of society. I pray to God that all the departed noble souls in this accident attain a place at His divine feet, and that the bereaved family members and supporters are granted the strength to bear this immense sorrow. / / AUM shaaNti / / "

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took to X to convey his grief, describing the news as "shocking and deeply saddening." He paid tribute to Pawar's long service in public life and his contributions to Maharashtra politics. "His sudden demise is a great loss to public life and to Maharashtra politics, where he served with experience and resolve. My heartfelt condolences to his family and supporters, and prayers for strength in this hour of grief. Om Shanti," Shivakumar wrote.

Echoing this sentiment, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Kerala, offered his sincere sympathies, expressing hope that Pawar's soul may attain peace. His message extended to Pawar's family, colleagues, and the people of Maharashtra, as the state grappled with the sudden loss of its longest serving Deputy Chief Minister.

Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring also took to X to mourn the untimely death of Pawar, sharing his "deepest condolences" with the bereaved family and friends. "Saddened to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar ji in a plane crash. Share my deepest condolences with the bereaved family and friends," he wrote on X.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

- ANI
An influential US lawmaker warns that momentum in key India-US security frameworks, including the Quad and two-plus-two dialogue, is slowing due to bilateral strains. Senator Mark Warner expressed concern that these confidence-building mechanisms are receiving less attention, creating a trust deficit. He warned that inconsistent US engagement risks leading allies to question American reliability, with some even viewing China as more dependable. Despite the friction, Warner noted that military cooperation among Quad nations is strengthening and highlighted Congress's role in sustaining long-term strategic engagement.

Senator Mark Warner warns momentum in key India-US security frameworks like the Quad is slowing due to bilateral strains, risking trust and regional stability.

Washington, Jan 28 Momentum in key India-US security frameworks, including the Quad and the two-plus-two dialogue, is slowing as bilateral strains weigh on confidence-building efforts in the Indo-Pacific, an influential American lawmaker warned.

Mark Warner, chairman of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, said traditional diplomatic and security mechanisms require sustained political focus but have received less attention under the current Trump Administration.

"These traditional efforts that take the two plus two and the Quad... are confidence building mechanisms," Warner told IANS in an exclusive interview, referring to ministerial-level engagements between India and the United States and the four-nation Quad grouping.

He said such processes are demanding but necessary. "They take a lot of time, take a lot of energy," Warner said. He added that even limited outcomes matter. "Even if they're just small deals that come out, it's important," he said.

Warner expressed concern that these mechanisms were being sidelined. "The fact that they've not gotten the same attention is a long-term challenge," he said.

He linked the slowdown to broader strains in India-US relations, including trade disputes and growing mistrust. Warner warned that weakening confidence-building platforms could have consequences beyond the bilateral relationship.

Despite those concerns, he said cooperation among Quad partners remained strategically important. "I do think that the activities of the Quad, India, Japan, Australia, United States, that military relationship seems to be strengthening," Warner said. "I think that's important," he added.

Warner said inconsistent engagement by Washington risked affecting how allies view US reliability. "I worry when American allies... say China may be a more dependable partner than the United States," he said.

He said such perceptions were deeply troubling. "That hugely concerns me," Warner said, warning that allies could begin hedging their strategic bets.

He said this concern applied to India as well. "If there are parts of the Indian government that say... maybe we can't depend upon America, that is a huge concern to me," Warner said.

Warner tied the issue directly to trust. He said strained relations were not limited to India alone. "When the United States disrespects its allies and friends... it creates that trust deficit," he said.

He argued that Congress has a role in sustaining long-term engagement when executive-level ties are under pressure. Warner said the Senate India Caucus continues to work on a bipartisan basis to keep channels open.

"We are proud that the Senate India Caucus is the largest bilateral caucus in the Congress," he said, adding that collective action by lawmakers can help reinforce long-term strategic priorities.

Warner said maintaining regular dialogue through established frameworks remains critical for regional stability, even during periods of political friction.

The Quad has emerged as a central platform for coordination on security, supply chains, and stability in the Indo-Pacific amid China's growing regional influence.

For India, sustained momentum in the Quad and the two-plus-two dialogue is seen as essential to balancing regional power dynamics while preserving strategic autonomy and deepening defence cooperation with key partners.

- IANS
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has travelled to New Delhi for crucial meetings with senior Union Ministers. His agenda includes discussions with Health Minister J.P. Nadda on strengthening the state's healthcare system under the National Health Mission. He will also meet Union Minister Manohar Lal to deliberate on urban infrastructure, housing schemes, and energy sector projects. The visit aims to align state priorities with central policies to accelerate development across Rajasthan.

Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma meets Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Manohar Lal to discuss health mission, urban projects, and power sector development.

Jaipur, Jan 28 Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma departed for New Delhi on Wednesday at around 2:30 p.m. to hold a series of important meetings with senior Union Ministers aimed at accelerating development initiatives and strengthening the state's infrastructure and public welfare systems.

During his visit, the Chief Minister is scheduled to meet the Union Health Minister and former BJP President J.P. Nadda.

The discussions will primarily focus on issues related to Rajasthan under the National Health Mission along with a comprehensive review of ongoing and proposed initiatives in the health sector.

Key areas likely to be discussed include expansion of healthcare infrastructure, strengthening primary and secondary healthcare services, availability of medical personnel, and improved implementation of central health schemes in the state.

The meeting is expected to play a crucial role in securing enhanced central support for Rajasthan's healthcare programmes and ensuring better health services for people across urban and rural areas.

Chief Minister Sharma will also meet Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Manohar Lal, to deliberate on a wide range of issues related to urban development and the energy sector.

The agenda includes discussions on urban infrastructure projects, housing schemes, smart city initiatives, and the progress of metro rail projects in the state.

Energy-related matters, including power generation, transmission, renewable energy expansion, and strengthening of the power distribution network, will also be taken up.

Officials said that Rajasthan has been receiving significant benefits from the Chief Minister's regular engagements with the Union government, resulting in faster approvals and better coordination for development projects.

These visits have helped align state priorities with central policies, ensuring effective implementation of schemes at the grassroots level.

Chief Minister Sharma has consistently emphasised that no region of Rajasthan should remain untouched by development.

His vision focuses on balanced growth, improved civic amenities, robust healthcare facilities, and sustainable urban and rural development.

According to sources, new dimensions of development are being established across the state as a result of Chief Minister Sharma's proactive approach and sustained efforts.

The Delhi visit is expected to further strengthen Rajasthan's development roadmap and pave the way for accelerated progress in key sectors.

- IANS
Families of 24 Indian youths allegedly tricked into joining the Russian armed forces met MP Hanuman Beniwal, expressing anguish over their safety. The Nagaur MP has written urgent letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, calling for intervention. Official figures reveal 211 Indians were involved, with 121 repatriated, 63 still in service, and 27 having died. Beniwal emphasized the crisis's gravity and demanded transparent communication and the safe return of the remaining citizens.

Families plead for help as 24 Indians are stranded in Russia after alleged fraudulent recruitment. MP writes to PM Modi and EAM Jaishankar for urgent action.

Jaipur, Jan 28 Indian citizens from Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu were allegedly fraudulently recruited into the Russian armed forces after being lured by travel agents with false promises of civilian employment.

On Wednesday, families of 24 such Indian youths currently stranded in Russia met Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) President and Nagaur Lok Sabha MP Hanuman Beniwal at his Delhi residence.

The families of the 24 stranded youths expressed deep anguish and grave concern for the safety and lives of their loved ones.

Lok Sabha MP Beniwal said that the families are undergoing extreme mental distress due to the lack of information about the whereabouts and well-being of the youths trapped in the conflict zone.

The Nagaur MP has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, and Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.

Referring to the Ministry of External Affairs' response provided during the Winter session of the Parliament, Beniwal highlighted that a total of 211 Indian citizens were found to be involved in this matter.

Of these, 121 have been repatriated, 63 remain in service -- some of whom are reportedly missing -- and 27 Indian citizens have tragically lost their lives.

Beniwal emphasised that these figures underscore the gravity of the crisis.

He urged the Indian government to intervene urgently, prioritise the safety and repatriation of the remaining Indian citizens, provide relief to their families, and ensure transparent communication regarding the current status of the missing youths.

RLP Chief Beniwal in December last year had urged the Centre to initiate diplomatic efforts to secure the safe return of Indian students from Russia.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, Beniwal drew External Affairs Minister Jaishankar's attention to what he described as a serious humanitarian matter.

He said that these youths, including several from Rajasthan, had travelled to Russia on study and work visas but were allegedly deceived by travel agents and pushed into military roles in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

According to Lok Sabha MP Beniwal, the families of these citizens were not in contact with the missing youths for the last three to four months.

- IANS
Officials and airports in India have reinstated COVID-era restrictions amid an outbreak of a deadly virus that has no cure, the U.K.s Daily Mail reported.

Airports across Asia have ramped up precautions after Indias West Bengal region confirmed five cases of Nipah virus, a deadly bat-borne virus that infects humans and pigs, has no known cure and is spreading in that country with epidemic potential.

Nipah virus is zoonotic, which means animals can spread the disease to humans, who can then carry and infect others. Nipah has a fatality rate of 40% to 75%, per the World Health Organization. The deadly illness can kill through complications due to respiratory failure and swelling of the brain.

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The WHO says Nipah is thought to spread when people are exposed to animal secretions and sick animals. Some cases have been traced back to fruits or fruit juices that were contaminated by bat urine or saliva. About 750 cases have been confirmed globally, with more than 400 deaths.

Indian region under COVID-style restrictions

Nearly 100 people in West Bengal are now under quarantine after the virus was discovered in a hospital, say officials. Medical staff at the hospital tested positive after cases were detected in two nurses in the same region. One of those nurses is now in critical condition after they both developed high fevers and respiratory problems between Jan. 1-2. That nurse, now in a coma, may have contracted the virus from a patient who died before tests on the patient to confirm the virus had been carried out.

Asia taking action

Though no cases have been detected in Thailand, that country is taking major precautions at its airports, implementing screening for passengers coming from West Bengal and evaluating them for symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, sore throats and muscle aches.

Health authorities in Taiwan said theyre planning to list Nipah as a Category 5 disease, the highest classification for a serious emerging infection under that countrys laws. Nepal has raised its alert levels, tightening measures at Kathmandus airport and land crossing bordering India.

What about Canada?

Nipah virus has not been reported in Canada. Health Canada hasnt issued any health notices about it (though there are notices to find out if theres a risk in the country youre going to.) and the risk of it coming here is considered low.

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Health Canada says Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Singapore are the countries and regions considered most at-risk, along with Australia, Madagascar, and West Africa, where the species of fruit bat that can carry the virus is found. Canadians are advised to avoid contact with animals, when travelling to such regions, particularly bats and pigs. Dont consume any food that may have come into contact with animals, and avoid contact with the sick.

On X: @btowie21

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has tragically died in a plane crash near Baramati. The crash occurred during landing, claiming the lives of all six passengers on board. Actor Riteish Deshmukh, son of former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh, expressed profound shock and heartbreak, praising Pawar as a dynamic leader with unmatched wit. The political leader was traveling from Mumbai to attend a public meeting amid local body elections.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati plane crash. Actor Riteish Deshmukh shares a shocked, heartfelt tribute to the dynamic leader.

Mumbai, Jan 28 Actor Riteish Deshmukh has been left heartbroken following the sudden and tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Riteish, who is the son of the 14th Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh, penned a heartfelt tribute to Ajit Pawar, whom he considers "One of Maharashtra's most dynamic leaders".

He further lauded the late politician for his commitment towards work, his wit, and the ability to speak his mind.

Taking to his X (Earlier known as Twitter), Riteish shared, "Deeply shocked and terribly heartbroken to learn that we have lost Ajit Dada in a tragic accident. One of Maharashtra's most dynamic leaders, he had zero tolerance for non-performance and constantly pushed and inspired those around him to excel. He never minced his words, his wit was unmatched, and he was deeply loved across the state (sic)."

Offering his condolences to the Pawar family, he went on to write, "His untimely demise leaves behind a huge loss and an irreplaceable void. I have had the pleasure of interacting with him numerous times, will always remember for the kindness he showered upon me. My deepest condolences to the Pawar family, his loved ones, and millions of supporters."

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar passed away in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that all six passengers on board the craft, along with Ajit Pawar, could not survive the crash.

The plane crashed while landing near Baramati, around an hour after it took off from Mumbai.

The family of the Deputy Chief Minister has rushed to the site of the accident.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting amidst the ongoing elections to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis.

Several prominent names from the film and political world expressed their grief at the sudden passing away of the politician.

- IANS
A new educational project titled "In the Language of Good" has been launched in Moscow by a collaboration of Russian media platforms. It focuses on the intellectual traditions and thinkers that shaped Eurasianist theory and Russia's historical self-understanding. The inaugural article examines how 1920s emigre circles developed ideas of civilisational independence in response to Europeanisation. Future publications will explore the geopolitical, cultural, and philosophical dimensions of Eurasianism and its modern relevance.

Russian media groups launch "In the Language of Good," an educational series analyzing Eurasianist thought and Russia's civilizational identity.

Moscow, January 28 A new educational initiative titled "In the Language of Good" has been launched in Moscow, focusing on the personalities, ideas and intellectual traditions that shaped the emergence of a common Eurasian socio-cultural space and contributed to the understanding of Russia's historical path.

The project is a collaborative effort of the Modern Russian portal, the TV BRICS International Media Network, and the Eurasia Today information and analytical platform. Its launch coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Eurasian Media Group, which will be marked on July 11.

As cited by TV BRICS, the project envisions a series of analytical and educational publications devoted to the theory of Eurasianism and to addressing fundamental questions concerning Russia's identity and its role in global history.

Drawing on the rich heritage of Russian historical and philosophical thought, the authors engage with the works of prominent thinkers such as Nikolay Karamzin, Vasily Klyuchevsky, Nikolay Trubetskoy, Pyotr Savitsky, Pyotr Suvchinsky, and Georges Florovsky.

The materials examine how, over more than a century, Russian intellectuals have sought to interpret Russia as a distinct civilisation that cannot be fully categorised as either European or Asian.

The opening publication of the series, titled "The Theory of Eurasianism: From 'Self-Betrayal' to 'Independence'," is already available on the Modern Russian portal. The article traces the origins of Eurasianist thought, which developed among Russian emigre intellectual and political circles in the 1920s.

It highlights how ideas of self-determination, civilisational independence and cultural uniqueness emerged as a response to the pressures of Europeanisation and the resulting spiritual and ideological fragmentation within society.

Future publications under the project will explore a wide range of dimensions of Eurasianism, including its geopolitical, cultural, religious and philosophical aspects. The series will also seek to explain why Eurasianist ideas continue to attract attention today, viewing them as one of the enduring attempts to articulate a "Russian idea" and to define Russia's place in the contemporary world.

Founded in 2001, the Eurasian Media Group brings together several media and analytical platforms, including Eurasia Today, Za rubezhom, the Caspian Information Agency, and the Eurasia Today international multimedia centre. Its coverage spans economic, scientific, cultural and sporting developments across Eurasia, as well as regional integration processes within organisations such as the EAEU, ASEAN and the SCO.

Launched in 2007, the international educational project Modern Russian aims to promote the Russian language, enhance literacy and provide professional linguistic support. Implemented by the TV BRICS International Media Network, the project's resources and consulting services are used in more than 150 countries worldwide.

- ANI
Shield AI has been selected to provide its V-BAT unmanned aircraft systems and Hivemind autonomy software to the Indian Army. The deal includes licensing the Hivemind software development kit to enable sovereign development of autonomous defence solutions within India. This partnership builds on a strategic manufacturing alliance with JSW Defence, involving a $90 million facility in Hyderabad for domestic V-BAT production. The V-BAT's vertical take-off and landing capability and long endurance make it suited for intelligence and reconnaissance across India's diverse environments.

Shield AI to supply V-BAT unmanned aircraft and Hivemind autonomy software to the Indian Army for AI-powered ISR missions.

New Delhi, January 28 Shield AI, the deep-tech company building state-of-the-art autonomy software products and defence aircraft, today announced that India has selected Shield AI to supply V-BATs to the Indian Army. Under the program, the Indian Army will receive V-BATs and licenses for Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software, which will be integrated into the V-BAT platform.

In addition to the procurement of V-BAT aircraft, the deal includes the licensing of Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software development kit (SDK). Hivemind enables defence systems to sense, decide, and act, allowing autonomous platforms to adapt to dynamic environments, avoid threats, and complete missions without human intervention.

The SDK enables the sovereign development, deployment, and evaluation of mission autonomy across platforms and will also be available to select Shield AI partners in India to develop autonomous solutions tailored for India, in India.

"Shield AI has been an early mover in investing deeply in India, forging strategic partnerships to bring sovereign defence capabilities to the nation," said Sarjan Shah, Shield AI's managing director for India.

"India's selection of V-BAT and Hivemind for the Indian Army reflects a clear understanding of the resilient, expeditionary autonomy required by modern militaries operating across India's diverse environments. V-BAT's ability to operate without runways, deliver long-endurance intelligence at the tactical edge, and perform in contested environments makes it uniquely suited to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) from the Himalayas to India's oceanic borders," added Shah.

This deal builds on Shield AI's ongoing commitment to India's security and war-fighting needs. In December 2025, JSW Defence Pvt. Ltd commenced construction of its facility for next-generation unmanned aerial systems (UAS) at EMC Maheshwaram, Hyderabad, as part of its strategic partnership with Shield AI to manufacture V-BAT domestically. This USD 90 million investment will enable large-scale production of V-BATs in India to serve the needs of the Indian Armed Forces and also function as a global production hub.

V-BAT is a Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS with a ducted-fan design, more than 12 hours of endurance, and a heavy-fuel engine. Designed, tested, and deployed for the electronic warfare battlefield, V-BAT delivers ISR and targeting at significantly lower cost and logistical burden than larger Group 4 and 5 drones.

Its single-engine, enclosed-rotor design enables safe, unassisted launch and recovery from ship decks, urban rooftops, and austere environments. Under this partnership, Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software will also integrate onto V-BAT as an autonomous pilot, enabling AI-powered perception, cognition, and beyond-visual-range operations.

- ANI
South Korea, the United States, and Japan held three-way phone talks to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch. The launch involved multiple short-range ballistic missiles fired toward the East Sea. North Korean state media reported the test was of an upgraded rocket system, overseen by Kim Jong-un. The allies condemned the launches as violations of UN Security Council resolutions and pledged a firm, coordinated response.

South Korea, US, and Japan held trilateral talks after North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch, condemning the violation of UN resolutions.

Seoul, Jan 28 South Korea, the United States and Japan discussed North Korea's latest missile launch and coordination efforts in three-way phone talks the previous day, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

Baek Yong-jin, director general for the Korean Peninsula policy, spoke by phone with Dan Cintron, acting US deputy assistant secretary of state, and Otsuka Kengo, deputy director general of the Japanese foreign ministry's Asia and Oceania bureau, the ministry said, Yonhap News Agency reported.

On Tuesday, South Korea's military said the North fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, in yet another military muscle-flexing by Pyongyang ahead of its upcoming key party congress.

North Korean state media said Wednesday it has test-fired an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system, with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance.

Seoul confirmed the phone talks with Washington and Tokyo only after it was first made public in Japan earlier Wednesday, a move seen as rare considering that such trilateral consultations on North Korea's provocations had mostly been released to the media promptly.

"South Korea, the US and Japan operate channels to swiftly share relevant information and assessments when North Korea launches ballistic missiles, and there was communication among the three sides regarding the latest launch," the ministry said.

The ministry said it did not disclose details about the phone discussion as the government's position on the latest missile launch was already made clear through the National Security Office and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"North Korea's ballistic missile launches violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions, and there has been no change in our position that we respond firmly in coordination with the international community," the ministry added.

- IANS
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has strongly criticized suggestions of a conspiracy behind the plane crash that killed NCP chief Ajit Pawar, calling such politicization "extremely unfortunate" and hurtful to the grieving family and state. He noted that Sharad Pawar has also clarified the incident was an accident. The appeal follows Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee expressing shock and demanding a Supreme Court-led investigation, with party leader Kunal Ghosh questioning the crash's timing amid political rumors. Ajit Pawar, 66, died along with four others when their chartered plane crashed near Baramati airport.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde urges against politicizing Ajit Pawar's death, as TMC's Mamata Banerjee calls for a Supreme Court probe into the crash.

Mumbai, January 28 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said that to suggest a conspiracy behind Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar's death in the Baramati plane crash is "extremely unfortunate."

Addressing reporters, Eknath Shinde urged people not to politicise Ajit Pawar's death as it is "hurtful" to the family and people of Maharashtra.

"When such incidents happen, it is not appropriate to do politics in such a situation. This is unfortunate... To do politics and suggest that there is some conspiracy involved is extremely unfortunate," he said.

Shinde also noted that Ajit Pawar's uncle and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has also urged not to politicise the Maharashtra Deputy CM's death.

"Sharad Pawar Saheb has himself clarified that this was merely an accident, and there is no conspiracy. Maharashtra is completely in sorrow, in a sea of grief. We saw today that thousands and lakhs of people were there, calling out 'Ajit Dada, Ajit Dada'... To raise suspicions and make accusations when such an accident happens is hurtful to the family and the people of Maharashtra. There is plenty of time and many opportunities to do politics," Shind said.

"At such a time, if someone from outside says something and makes accusations, it is not appropriate; it is wrong... No one should do politics on this, no one should try to take advantage of this for political gain," he added.

This comes after Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee hinted at foul play behind the plane crash and demanded the Supreme Court's probe into the incident.

In a post on X, Mamata Banerjee said, "Deeply shocked and stunned by the sudden demise of Ajit Pawar! The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati this morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss. My condolences to his family, including his uncle Sharad Pawar, and late Ajit's all friends and followers. The incident needs a proper investigation."

Supporting Mamata Banerjee, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, questioned the timing of the accident, claiming that Ajit Pawar had planned to leave the BJP a few days ago.

"The death of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is a very sad matter. Our supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has spoken about this. There should be a full investigation into this; it is our party's demand. A few days ago, there was news that Ajit Pawar was planning to leave the BJP and form an alliance with the opposition. At such a time, news of this accident has come. There should be an investigation into this," he said.

Eknath Shinde further expressed grief over the death of Ajit Pawar.

"Today, a very unfortunate and tragic incident has occurred. We went to Baramati and met the family members of Ajit Pawar. I still can't believe that Ajit Dada is not with us anymore. Devendra Fadanavis, Ajit Dada and I were working as a team. We were working together for the development of Maharashtra. It would not be wrong to say that a mountain of grief has fallen upon us... This is not just a loss to the Pawar family but to the entire state of Maharashtra," he said.

Ajit Pawar, 66, died this morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

The crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate.

Pawar was on his way to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.

Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

The Maharashtra government has announced three days of state mourning.

- ANI
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported detecting four PLA aircraft sorties, five naval vessels, and one balloon operating around its territory. This follows similar incursions the previous day, including a Chinese surveillance drone that entered airspace near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands. The drone withdrew after repeated warnings, with Taiwan condemning the action as reckless and provocative. China maintains that Taiwan is an inseparable part of its territory and pursues a policy of peaceful reunification.

Taiwan's defense ministry reports PLA aircraft, naval vessels, and a balloon near its territory, highlighting ongoing regional tensions.

Taipei, January 28 Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday said that it detected four sorties by China's People's Liberation Army aircraft and five People's Liberation Army Navy vessels operating around its territory up to 6 am.

It added that one balloon was also detected during the timeframe.

In a post on X, the MND said, "4 sorties of PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 1 balloon was detected during this timeframe. We have monitored the situation and responded."

Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan's MND said that it detected two PLA aircraft sorties and five PLAN vessels operating around its territory.

"2 PLA aircraft, 5 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. We have monitored the situation and responded," MND said in its post.

Meanwhile, an incursion by a Chinese military drone near Taiwan-controlled islands has raised renewed concerns over China's expanding pressure campaign in the South China Sea, with Taiwan warning that such actions threaten regional peace and stability.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence, a Chinese surveillance drone entered the southwestern section of Taiwan's air defence identification zone in the early hours of the morning and moved toward the Pratas Islands, also known as Dongsha, as reported by The Taipei Times.

According to The Taipei Times, the ministry said the aircraft approached the islands shortly before dawn and briefly entered territorial airspace at an altitude beyond the effective reach of local air-defence systems.

The garrison stationed on the islands was immediately instructed to raise alert levels and intensify aerial monitoring.

After repeated warnings broadcast through international radio frequencies, the drone withdrew several minutes later. The ministry condemned the manoeuvre as reckless and provocative, stating that it violated international norms and further destabilised the region.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Taiwan is an integral and indivisible part of China, which has been separated from the mainland since 1949.

Under its "one country, two systems", achieving China's complete reunification is a shared aspiration of all Chinese people, both within the country and abroad. The Communist Party of China and the Chinese government regard the fulfilment of this goal of peaceful reunification as a historic mission and have been working persistently toward it.

- ANI
Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have expressed profound shock and grief over the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. A. Revanth Reddy called it an irreparable loss to public life, while N. Chandrababu Naidu extended heartfelt condolences to Pawar's family and followers. Other leaders including Pawan Kalyan, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, and K.T. Rama Rao also mourned the loss of the seasoned politician. They praised Pawar's dedicated service and grassroots connect, marking his passing as a significant loss for Maharashtra.

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu lead condolences for Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, killed in a tragic plane crash.

Hyderabad, Jan 28 Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday expressed deep shock over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash.

Revanth Reddy, who is currently on a visit to the United States, expressed deep shock and profound grief over the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office, he said Ajit Pawar's sudden passing is an irreparable loss to public life and extended heartfelt condolences to his family, the Government of Maharashtra, and the people of the state.

CM Revanth Reddy prayed for strength to the bereaved family in this moment of immense sorrow.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, too, mourned the death of Ajit Pawar in the plane crash.

"Shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash this morning. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and followers. Om Shanti," posted CM Naidu.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said he was deeply shocked by the tragic news of the passing of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, President of Maharashtra NCP and an NDA alliance leader Ajit Dada Pawar in a devastating plane crash.

"His dedicated public service and immense contributions towards the welfare and development of the people of Maharashtra will always be remembered, and his enduring commitment to the people will continue to be held with respect. I express my profound condolences on his passing and extend my deepest sympathies to his family members, admirers, and party cadre during this moment of immense grief," said the Jana Sena leader.

Former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy posted on 'X' that he was deeply shocked to learn of the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the families of the six individuals who lost their lives in this tragic accident. Om Shanti!," said Jagan.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K.T. Rama Rao was also deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic plane crash in Baramati that claimed the life of Ajit Pawar.

"A seasoned leader with strong grassroots connect, he dedicated decades to serving the people of Maharashtra. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, his colleagues, and supporters. This is an irreparable loss for Maharashtra politics," he said.

- IANS
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered an immediate freeze on all new H-1B visa petitions by state agencies and public universities, pending a comprehensive review. The directive mandates institutions to halt new petitions and submit detailed reports on their current H-1B workers by March 2026. Abbott argues the move is necessary to prevent the replacement of Texas workers and ensure taxpayer-funded jobs go to residents first. This state-level action aligns with broader federal scrutiny of the H-1B program under the Trump administration.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott halts new H-1B visa petitions by state agencies and universities, ordering a review to ensure jobs go to Texas workers first.

Washington, Jan 28 Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday ordered an immediate freeze on new H-1B visa petitions by all Texas state agencies and public universities, directing a statewide review of what his office described as possible abuse of the federal visa program.

In a letter to educational institutions and organizations, Abbott said the move was necessary to ensure that jobs funded by Texas taxpayers are filled by Texans first. "The economy of Texas should work for the benefit of Texas workers and Texas employers," the governor wrote, announcing that all new H-1B petitions must be halted pending further review.

"In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program, and amid the federal government's ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter," Abbott said.

The directive applies to all state agencies led by gubernatorial appointees and to public institutions of higher education, according to a media release. Under the order, no new H-1B petitions may be initiated without written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission until the end of the Texas Legislature's 90th Regular Session on May 31, 2027.

In his letter dated January 27, Abbott also ordered agencies and universities to submit detailed reports by March 27, 2026, identifying the number of H-1B workers they sponsor, the job classifications involved, the countries of origin of visa holders, and documentation showing efforts to recruit qualified Texas candidates before seeking foreign labor.

The governor said the review would give lawmakers time to establish "statutory guardrails" for future employment practices involving federal visa holders, while allowing the Trump administration to pursue broader reforms.

Abbott's directive follows remarks he made a day earlier on a Dallas-based radio program, where he said his administration was examining "the extent to which Texas taxpayer dollars are being used to pay for any of these people," referring to H-1B visa holders employed in public schools, colleges, and universities.

"For example, what job is it in our public schools in the State of Texas that these H-1B visa personnel are fulfilling that we can't fulfill here in our own public schools?" Abbott said during the interview. "I don't see any reason why we need any H-1B visa employees in our public schools in the State of Texas."

The governor emphasized that the H-1B program is administered by the federal government, but said Texas was exploring its authority when state funds are involved. "This is a federal program, only a federal program. It's not a state program," he said.

In his letter, Abbott cited President Donald Trump's proclamation on restricting entry of certain nonimmigrant workers, saying the H-1B program was intended "to supplement the United States' workforce-not to replace it." He alleged that in some cases employers had "failed to make good-faith efforts to recruit qualified US workers" before turning to foreign labor.

Rather than attracting "the best and brightest individuals from around the world," Abbott wrote, the program had "too often been used to fill jobs that otherwise could-and should-have been filled by Texans."

The H-1B visa program allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations that typically require advanced education or technical skills. The program has long been used by technology firms, hospitals, and universities, and has been a recurring focus of immigration debates in Washington.

The freeze ordered by Texas is among the most sweeping state-level actions targeting H-1B usage in public institutions. It comes amid renewed federal scrutiny of employment-based visas under the Trump administration.

- IANS
The Indian textile and apparel sector has presented policy recommendations to the government to counter economic pressures from high US tariffs. Key demands include expediting the India-UK trade agreement and creating a new export incentive scheme. The industry also seeks extended financial relief, including a moratorium on loan installments and increased credit support, until March 2026. These measures aim to overcome barriers like high logistics costs and stabilize export performance.

CITI survey reveals industry demands for trade pacts, financial relief, and export incentives to mitigate the impact of steep US tariffs and stabilize exports.

New Delhi, January 28 The Indian textile and apparel industry has approached the government with a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to counter the severe economic headwinds caused by steep US tariffs, post the second round of a survey conducted by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry in December 2025.

Although the Free Trade Agreement with the European Union has brought much-needed relief to exporters, the demand emerging from the CITI survey is for the government to fast-track the implementation of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CETA).

To further enhance market reach, the CITI survey highlights an industry request for a dedicated handholding scheme, similar to the Focus Market Incentive Scheme, which would provide duty support to exporters to offset the duty disadvantages they face in new international markets.

The survey also outlines critical financial interventions requested by industry stakeholders to sustain operations during this transition.

The industry is seeking an extension of current relief measures, including the moratorium on installments, recalculation of drawing power, and credit support, until at least March 31, 2026, with the benefits covering the entire textile value chain, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 exporters. Furthermore, the CITI survey notes a call to increase the interest subvention rate from the current 2.75 per cent to 5 per cent under the recently announced Interest Subvention Scheme.

To address liquidity concerns, the industry has also requested a 30 per cent extension of collateral-free loans under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS), similar to the support provided during the pandemic for both MSMEs and larger corporations.

The CITI survey identifies high logistics costs, limited market knowledge, and payment-related risks as the primary barriers currently slowing this transition. By addressing these constraints through the proposed policy measures, the industry aims to move beyond the current period of uncertainty and stabilise its export performance heading into 2026.

- ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the finalised India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as a historic and game-changing deal that will create countless opportunities for the country's youth. He emphasised the pact's benefits for startups, the creative economy, research, education, and professional services, calling it a "freedom to aspire." Addressing the NCC rally, the Prime Minister also highlighted India's growing defence capabilities and technological modernisation. He concluded by paying tribute to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash.

PM Modi calls India-EU FTA historic, says it will create countless opportunities for youth in startups, creative economy, and tech.

New Delhi, January 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attended the Annual National Cadet Corps PM Rally at the Cariappa Parade Ground in the national capital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the recently finalised India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as a "historic" and "game-changer" deal, saying it will create countless opportunities for the country's youth. Modi also underlined the pact's potential to benefit startups, the creative economy, research, education, and professional services, calling FTA a "freedom to aspire."

"A historic free trade agreement has been reached between India and the European Union. Before this, India had also signed free trade agreements with countries such as Oman, New Zealand, the UK, the UAE, Australia, and Mauritius. All these agreements are going to create countless opportunities for millions of our young people. Today, the whole world is looking at the youth of India with great confidence, and the reason for this global confidence is their skills and values," he said.

"The agreement that has been reached with the European Union is being hailed by the world as the mother of all deals. It is being described as a game-changer deal for the world. This FTA is your freedom to aspire. This agreement has been made between India and the European Union, which comprises twenty-seven countries. This will benefit Indian startups. Access to funding and the innovation ecosystem for Indian startups will become easier. This agreement will also greatly benefit our creative economy, including film, gaming, fashion, digital content, music, and design, and will create countless new opportunities for India's youth, from research and education to IT and other professional services...Under this agreement, tariffs on more than 99 per cent of India's exports will be either zero or very low," he added.

Addressing a gathering of more than 2,400 cadets from across the country, the Prime Minister emphasised the role of the younger generation in shaping the nation's future. The Prime Minister shared his personal connection with the NCC, saying, "When I was in the NCC, my sense of 'Nation First' was also strengthened in the same way. And today, seeing you all learning the same in the NCC, I feel immense pride."

The Prime Minister further hailed Operation Sindoor's success as a testament to the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces and the rising power of the defence sector.

Recalling the country's recent military achievements, the Prime Minister said, "Operation Sindoor has once again established India's capabilities and the valour of our armed forces."

Operation Sindoor has also shown how advanced and high-tech our indigenous weapons are.

Highlighting the shift from conventional to digital battlefields, the Prime Minister said, "Today, battles are fought on many fronts. Today's battles are fought in code and in the cloud. Countries that lag behind in technology are weak not only in their economy but also in their security."

He further said, "Today, work is being done on Made in India drones. Al and defence innovation are now modernising our forces. This means that the possibilities for you, young people, are expanding greatly, and today I want not only those sitting here, but crores of young people across the country to take advantage of this."

The Prime Minister also paid tributes to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash.

"A tragic plane crash has taken place in Maharashtra this morning. This accident has snatched away Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ji and some friends from us. Ajit Dada has made a huge contribution to the development of Maharashtra and the country. He always worked proactively. I express my condolences to the family of Ajit Pawar ji and the families of others who lost their lives today," he said.

The rally marks the grand culmination, with participation of 2,406 NCC cadets from across the country, including 898 girl cadets. 207 youth and officers from 21 foreign countries participated. The theme of this year's rally is 'Rashtra Pratham - Kartavya Nishtha Yuva', reflecting the spirit of duty, discipline and national commitment among India's youth.

The event, held in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, showcased the spirit of "Rashtra Pratham - Kartavya Nishtha Yuva" (Nation First - Duty-Bound Youth) through a series of disciplined displays and cultural performances.

Prime Minister also virtually addressed the Wings India 2026 aviation summit, where he announced that India is on track to establish a massive network of over 400 airports by the year 2047, and air travel will become an affordable service for every citizen.

PM Modi, while addressing at the Wings, said, "In India, air travel is no longer exclusive; it's becoming inclusive. Our mission is to make air travel easily accessible to every Indian citizen. That's why we have connected Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with airports. In 2014, India had 70 airports. Today, the number of airports in India has increased to more than 160. We have activated more than 100 aerodromes in the country and, along with this, launched affordable flight schemes for our citizens... It is estimated that by 2047, India will have more than 400 airports. This will be a very large network. Not only that, our government is also working on the next phase of the UDAN scheme. This policy will further strengthen regional and affordable air connectivity."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced that India is transforming into a primary aviation hub connecting the Global South with the rest of the world. He noted that India is also preparing to lead the world in environmental safety by becoming a producer of sustainable aviation fuel.

- ANI
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated the Wings India 2026 summit at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, describing it as one of Asia's most significant aviation events. He emphasized the government's decade-long focus on bolstering India's aviation manufacturing ecosystem to meet future demand and achieve global export status. The event featured the display of a newly delivered Boeing 787-9 aircraft specially fitted for Air India, highlighting ongoing industry developments. The four-day summit aims to bring together global stakeholders and showcase India's growing role in international civil aviation through exhibitions, conferences, and networking forums.

Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurates Wings India 2026 in Hyderabad, highlighting India's push to become a global aviation manufacturing and export hub.

Hyderabad, January 28 Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Wednesday inaugurated Wings India 2026 at Begumpet Airport, describing it as one of Asia's most significant aviation summits held once every two years.

Hosted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation with the support of the Telangana government, the event aims to highlight India's growing strength in civil aviation manufacturing and rising demand in the sector.

Minister Naidu said the government's focus over the next decade will be on strengthening the country's manufacturing ecosystem to meet future aviation requirements. He expressed confidence that India could emerge as a global exporter in civil aviation within the next 10 to 12 years.

"We inaugurated Wings India 2026 at Begumpet Airport. It is the most important aviation summit that we hold every two years. It is one of the biggest summits in Asia. We are proud to host this event on behalf of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. We also thank Telangana. In this edition of Wings India 2026, we are confident we can showcase the strength of our manufacturing sector in civil aviation and the demand for it. What we are trying to do right now and over the next decade is improve the country's manufacturing ecosystem," he said.

Highlighting a major development, the Civil Aviation Minister said the aircraft display inaugurated at the summit includes the Boeing 787-9, specially fitted for Air India, marking the aircraft's first delivery.

"We feel that the manufacturing ecosystem is to cater to the growing demand in the coming decade. India can also become a global exporter in the coming 10-12 years. Today, we have also inaugurated the aircraft display. Here you see 787-9 aircraft specially fitted for Air India. This is the first delivery of this aircraft. The major bottleneck in aviation is the delivery of aircraft. I am confident that the arrival of aircraft will give the aviation sector a great boost. I feel this year will be great for aviation...," Ram Mohan Naidu said.

Wings India 2026, Asia's largest civil aviation event, is scheduled to be held from January 28 to 31, 2026, at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad.

It is expected to bring together key stakeholders from across the global aviation ecosystem and reflect India's growing role in international civil aviation.

Wings India 2026 will feature an international exhibition, static aircraft displays, aerobatic flying shows, a global aviation conference, ministerial plenary sessions and a Global CEOs Forum. The programme also includes CEO roundtables, B2B and B2G meetings, an aviation job fair, a student innovation competition and an awards ceremony.

Over the past decade, India's civil aviation sector has seen significant growth. Passenger traffic has increased multi-fold, placing India among the world's leading aviation markets. Indian carriers have inducted hundreds of new aircraft, with record aircraft orders positioning the country as one of the largest future aircraft markets globally.

India is also emerging as a hub for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), pilot training, aerospace manufacturing, cargo logistics and advanced air mobility.

- ANI
The Tamil Nadu government has amended the Minor Mineral Concession Rules to introduce a refundable security deposit system for those removing sand and other minerals from government lands and tanks. Applicants must now pay a deposit equivalent to twice the seigniorage fee, alongside a significantly increased application fee. The revised rules empower District Collectors to cancel permits after a hearing and establish detailed recovery mechanisms for violations and restoration costs. A new post-operation inspection clause ensures accountability before security deposits are refunded.

Tamil Nadu introduces refundable security deposits and higher fees for sand and minor mineral removal to strengthen oversight and protect waterbodies.

Chennai, Jan 28 The Tamil Nadu government has amended key provisions of the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, introducing a refundable security deposit system for permission-holders seeking to remove sand and other minor minerals from lands and tanks under the control of various government departments.

The move is aimed at strengthening regulatory oversight, preventing excess quarrying, and ensuring the protection and restoration of waterbodies.

Under the revised rules, applicants seeking permission to remove sand or other minor minerals must now pay a refundable security deposit in addition to the application fee. The security deposit will be equivalent to two times the seigniorage fee payable for the quantity of mineral applied for.

At the same time, the government has significantly increased the application fee from Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000. The amended provisions also redefine the procedure to be followed in cases where a permission-holder exceeds the permitted quantity of mineral removal or violates the conditions attached to the permission.

As per the new rule, the District Collector is empowered to cancel the permission after providing the permission-holder an opportunity to be heard. In such cases, the difference in the seigniorage fee and the cost of the mineral for the quantity quarried and removed will be recovered from the permission-holder.

Additionally, any expenditure incurred by the government for restoring tanks or other affected areas will be adjusted against the security deposit. If the total amount recoverable exceeds the deposited security amount, the balance will be recovered from the permission-holder under the provisions of the Revenue Recovery Act, 1890.

Earlier, the rules provided for automatic cancellation of permission if excess quarrying or violation of conditions was detected, with damages recovered based on the excess quantity removed and the extent of damage caused to the tanks.

The revised framework introduces a more structured process, including hearings and detailed recovery mechanisms, while placing greater financial responsibility on permission-holders.

The government has also inserted a new clause to ensure post-operation accountability. On the expiry of the permission period or upon exhaustion of the permitted quantity -- whichever occurs earlier -- authorities must inspect to verify compliance with the stipulated conditions.

A report of this inspection will be submitted to the concerned District Collector. Based on this report, the District Collector is required to pass a written order refunding the security deposit to the permission-holder, provided all conditions have been complied with.

The amendments are expected to act as a deterrent against illegal mining while ensuring better conservation of tanks and public lands.

- IANS
Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni led a delegation on a special visit to the Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi. The tour, hosted by NGMA Director General Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, emphasized the deep artistic and philosophical connections between the two ancient civilizations. Minister Kefalogianni highlighted culture as a bridge for exploration and extended an invitation for Indians to experience Greece. The visit is seen as a diplomatic step to foster future collaborations in art, culture, and tourism between India and Greece.

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni visited the NGMA's Ghika exhibition, highlighting cultural diplomacy and artistic ties between India and Greece.

New Delhi, January 29 The National Gallery of Modern Art hosted a distinguished Greek delegation led by Olga Kefalogianni, Minister of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic, for a special walkthrough of the ongoing Ghika exhibition, an official statement said.

The visit, curated by NGMA Director General Sanjeev Kishor Goutam and conducted in the presence of NGMA Director Pooja Halli, highlighted the growing cultural dialogue between India and Greece.

The exhibition, dedicated to Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, one of Greece's most celebrated modern artists, showcases the artistic and intellectual connections he shared with India during the mid-20th century.

The Greek delegation included Minister Kefalogianni, Vasiliki Koutsoukou, Secretary General for Tourism Policy and Development; Angeliki Varela, President of the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO); Vasileios Menioudakis, Associate, Press Office of the Ministry of Tourism; Spyridon Metaxitinos, Minister's Police Officer; Aliki Koutsomitopoulou, Ambassador of Greece to India; Chrysoula Prokopaki, Head of Economic and Commercial Affairs; along with Sanjeet Yadav, Scientific Associate, and Pratishtha Sharma, Cultural Affairs.

During the visit, Minister Kefalogianni expressed her appreciation for the exhibition and the cultural resonance it represents.

"It is a great honour to visit the Ghika exhibition in the prestigious venue of NGMA. We truly believe that culture is the best way to explore and experience different countries and people. We warmly invite people to come to Greece to have their own cultural experience, exploring the similarities and differences between India and Greece, just as Ghika did back in the 1950s. We look forward to more fruitful collaborations that enhance cultural ties between Greece and India," she said.

Director General Sanjeev Kishor Goutam emphasised the diplomatic value of the visit.

"It is a privilege for NGMA to host such an eminent delegation from Greece. The Ghika exhibition stands as a testament to the deep artistic and philosophical connections between our two ancient civilisations. Visits like these reinforce the role of art as a diplomatic bridge, fostering mutual understanding and opening new avenues for cultural collaboration between India and Greece," he said.

The guided tour offered the delegation deeper insights into Ghika's artistic journey, his engagement with global modernism, and his historic connections with India's cultural landscape. The interaction also opened avenues for future collaborations in the fields of art, culture, and tourism between the two countries, the statement said.

NGMA continues to serve as a vital platform for international cultural exchange, fostering dialogue through art and heritage.

- ANI
Fresh snowfall in Shimla's higher reaches has created picturesque views and thrilled visiting tourists. The tourism industry, which had suffered from a prolonged dry spell, terms the snow 'white gold' as it revives business. Local travel agents report increased hotel bookings and tourist inflow, benefiting a wide range of stakeholders. With more snowfall expected, the industry is optimistic about a profitable extended winter season.

Fresh snowfall blankets Shimla and nearby areas, thrilling tourists and reviving the local travel industry after a prolonged dry spell.

Shimla, January 28 Following fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh, tourist activity has picked up across several popular destinations, bringing cheer to visitors and renewed hope to the local travel industry. Areas such as Jakhoo, Kufri, Narkanda and upper Shimla witnessed fresh snow, delighting tourists arriving in the state capital.

Tourists visiting Shimla were seen enjoying the picturesque views created by the fresh snowfall, describing the experience as memorable despite minor travel difficulties.

Pulkit, a tourist from Delhi, speaking to ANI, said that he and his friends were enjoying the snowy weather.

"We have come here from Delhi for a holiday. Yesterday also we enjoyed snowfall and last night it snowed again. Movement is a little difficult, but everything else is good. Yesterday we went to Kufri and the weather and snowfall there were excellent. We really enjoyed it," he said.

Another tourist from Delhi, Monika, also shared her excitement over the snowfall while speaking to ANI.

"We were staying in a hotel in Shimla and it snowed at night. We really enjoyed it. We also went to Kufri, where there was heavy snowfall and we had a great time. There are some minor issues, but nothing major. We are really enjoying ourselves here," she said.

Meanwhile, people in the tourism sector have termed the snowfall as 'white gold', stating that it had arrived after a prolonged dry spell that had adversely affected business. With fresh snow, hotel bookings and tourist inflow have begun to increase.

Naren Shahi, a local travel agent from Shimla, told ANI that the snowfall has provided a much-needed boost to the tourism industry.

"There was a long dry spell, and because of that our tourism business was going through a slowdown. This fresh snowfall has given a boost. It has worked like a lifeline for the tourism industry. As western disturbances are expected to remain active and there is hope for more snowfall in the coming days, it will greatly benefit tourism," he said.

He further added that multiple stakeholders are benefiting from the renewed tourist activity.

"Hotels, travel agents, porters, horse operators, photographers and taxi drivers are all getting work. After this fresh snowfall, we are hoping for another spell as well. We appeal to tourists to visit in large numbers so that the tourism season lasts longer," Shahi said.

With weather conditions turning favourable and expectations of more snowfall ahead, the tourism industry in Shimla is optimistic about an extended and profitable winter season.

- ANI
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge paid tribute to Field Marshal K M Cariappa on his birth anniversary, calling him a "towering national figure." Cariappa was the first Indian to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949, leading forces during the 1947 Indo-Pak War. His distinguished career was marked by transforming the British Indian Army into a national force. He was later elevated to the rank of Field Marshal, an honor held by only two officers in Indian history.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge honors Field Marshal KM Cariappa, India's first Indian Commander-in-Chief, on his birth anniversary.

New Delhi, January 28 Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday paid tribute to Field Marshal K M Cariappa on the occasion of his birth anniversary, calling him a "towering national figure" whose life reflected "courage, determination and valour."

In an 'X' post, Kharge lauded his efforts in leading the Indian forces during the 1947 Indo-Pak war and later becoming the first Indian to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949.

"On the birth anniversary of Field Marshal K M Cariappa, our respectful salutations to a towering national figure whose life reflected courage, determination and valour. Over a distinguished military career of three decades, he led Indian forces during the 1947 Indo-Pakistan War and became the first Indian to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949. May his exemplary service continue to inspire us all, and may we forever remember and honour his legacy," Kharge wrote on 'X'.

Every year on January 15, Army Day is celebrated to remember the occasion of Field Marshal KM Cariappa taking over the command of the Indian Army from British Commander-in-Chief, General Sir FRR Bucher, in 1949 and becoming the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of Independent India.

Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, serving from 1949 to 1953. He played a crucial role in transforming the former British Indian Army into a truly national force after independence. Renowned for his integrity, discipline, and exemplary leadership, Cariappa guided the Army through critical phases, including the 1947-48 Indo-Pak War.

In recognition of his distinguished service, he was later elevated to the five-star rank of Field Marshal, an honour conferred on only two officers in Indian military history, symbolising the complete transfer of military command into Indian hands.

- ANI
Indian officials report that trade negotiations with the United States are progressing in a cordial and positive environment. Simultaneously, India is engaged in trade discussions with multiple partners including Canada, Chile, Israel, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The government emphasizes a careful, unhurried approach to agreements, prioritizing national interests and fair partnerships. These developments occur against a backdrop of past trade tensions with the US and ongoing reviews of other agreements like the ASEAN-India pact.

India confirms positive trade talks with the US and ongoing negotiations with Canada, Chile, Israel, and GCC. Officials emphasize careful, unhurried approach.

By Vishu Adhana, New Delhi, January 28 Negotiations with the United States on a proposed trade agreement are progressing in a cordial and positive atmosphere, officials at the Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday.

Officials also confirmed that India is holding trade discussions with Canada, Chile, Israel and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

They commented that New Delhi remains open to expanding its trade engagements but is not in a rush to conclude agreements.

"Discussions are ongoing with several countries. India is happy and willing to expand its trade engagements as we believe there is significant interconnected trade globally," an official said.

"However, we engage only with fair trading partners and carefully examine each free trade agreement on its own merits. We are never in a hurry and move at our own pace, without compromising our interests."

Responding to a question specifically on talks with Washington, the official said, "Discussions with the United States are also ongoing and continue in a very cordial and positive atmosphere."

The comments come amid prolonged trade negotiations between India and the US. Tensions had escalated after the Trump administration imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi's oil trade with Russia, taking total duties to 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, a media report citing leaked audio recordings has claimed that US Republican Senator Ted Cruz said Vice President JD Vance and White House economic adviser Peter Navarro played a key role in blocking a proposed trade deal between the two countries.

On other negotiations, officials said Canada has expressed interest in expediting talks if timelines permit, while negotiations with Chile are close to completion. "Once we are free from the Budget process, we will speed up negotiations with Chile, as there is a clear route involving all stakeholders, and we hope to conclude that quickly," the official said.

The review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) is already underway and is beginning to take shape, while scoping studies are also in progress with some other interested partners, officials added.

- ANI
President Donald Trump, pointing to a significant US military deployment he called an "armada," reiterated a dual strategy of military pressure and openness to diplomacy with Iran. He claimed Iranian officials have repeatedly signaled a desire to talk, though the US has set stringent preconditions for any negotiations that Tehran has rejected. Trump referenced previous US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and highlighted his role in a past incident involving Israel. The president has not yet decided on further military action and is scheduled for consultations with his national security team.

President Trump highlights US military pressure on Iran while suggesting Tehran wants a deal. Conditions for talks and past strikes are outlined.

Iowa, January 28 US President Donald Trump reiterated his hard-line stance on Iran during a campaign-style event in Clive, Iowa, emphasising both military pressure and the possibility of negotiations with Tehran as tensions persist over the crackdown on protesters and regional security.

Pointing to a significant US military buildup in the Middle East, Trump said, "By the way, there's another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now. So we'll see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time. They'd have a country." His comments highlighted Washington's show of force while also leaving the door open for diplomacy.

That dual message was echoed in a separate interview with Axios, where Trump said the situation with Iran is "in flux," noting that he has moved major American military assets into the Middle East and suggesting that Tehran may be open to a diplomatic solution, according to The Times of Israel.

Amplifying the contrast between force and negotiation, Trump told Axios, "We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela," and added that officials in Tehran have repeatedly signalled a willingness to engage. "They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," he said.

Following the interview, a senior US official briefed reporters that the United States remains prepared to enter talks if Iran reaches out under clear conditions. "With regard to Iran, we are open for business. If they want to contact us, and they know what the terms are, then we're going to have the conversation," the official said, as reported by The Times of Israel.

Earlier this month, US special envoy Steve Witkoff outlined conditions the administration says would be necessary for any deal, including a ban on uranium enrichment, the removal of already-enriched uranium, capping Iran's long-range missile stockpile, and reversing support for regional proxy forces. While Tehran has expressed willingness to negotiate, it has rejected those terms outright.

Trump also referenced previous military action against Iran's nuclear infrastructure. He asserted that US strikes in June had "obliterated" the country's nuclear capacity by hitting three facilities, though the extent of disruption to Iran's enrichment programme remains unclear. "People have been waiting for 22 years to do that," he said while referring to the June bombing campaign.

The president's tough stance follows his first-term decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement and pursue a "maximum pressure" campaign aimed at weakening Tehran through sanctions.

Despite his warnings, Trump has not yet decided whether to authorise further military action against Iran, Axios reported, even after previously pledging to act if the regime killed protesters -- a crackdown that resulted in thousands of deaths. He is scheduled to hold further consultations with his national security team this week, with military options likely to expand following the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in Middle Eastern waters, according to The Times of Israel.

Trump also told Axios that during a 12-day war last June, he prevented an Iranian missile attack on Israel by authorising Jerusalem to strike first, underscoring his administration's emphasis on combining military pressure with diplomatic overtones.

- ANI
Former President Donald Trump used an Iowa rally to repeat his unfounded claim that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. He outlined plans to campaign aggressively for Republican candidates in the crucial 2026 midterms, despite acknowledging the historical difficulty for sitting presidents in such elections. Trump hinted at the possibility of seeking the presidency again, asking supporters "Should we do it a fourth time?". The rally is part of a broader campaign push in key swing states ahead of elections that will determine control of Congress.

At an Iowa rally, Donald Trump reiterated his claim of a rigged 2020 election and hinted at a potential future presidential run while campaigning for Republicans.

Iowa, January 28 US President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated his long-standing claim that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent, using the assertion to energise supporters as the country moves closer to the 2026 midterm elections.

"We had a rigged election," Trump said while addressing the crowd, again referring to the 2020 vote.

The comments came as Trump took the stage in Clive, Iowa, where he defended his record on affordability while outlining plans to campaign aggressively for Republican candidates ahead of the November midterms. His remarks also came at a politically sensitive moment, with concerns growing that misinformation could shape the electoral narrative.

During his address, Trump also hinted at the possibility of seeking another term in office, despite constitutional limits on presidential tenure.

"Should we do it a fourth time?" he asked supporters.

As he prepares for an active campaign season, the White House has said Trump will spend the coming months on the campaign trail, backing party nominees across key battleground states.

"I'm going to do a lot of campaign travelling," Trump said last week aboard Air Force One.

Even as he embraces an active campaign strategy, Trump acknowledged that history has often worked against sitting presidents during midterm elections. "Sitting presidents don't seem to do well in the midterms," he said.

Despite this, Trump has already held campaign-style rallies in North Carolina and Pennsylvania in December and visited Michigan earlier this month, all considered crucial swing states.

The United States will head to the polls on November 3 this year for its midterm elections, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate up for grabs.

The outcome of the vote is expected to be pivotal, as it will decide control of Congress and carry major implications for governance in the country, while also shaping how much political power President Donald Trump will be able to exercise for the remainder of his term.

- ANI
UNICEF warns that Afghanistan is confronting one of the world's most severe child malnutrition crises, with approximately 3.7 million children suffering from acute malnutrition each year. The crisis has dramatically deteriorated since 2021, driven by economic collapse, prolonged drought, and critical shortages in humanitarian funding. Concurrently, the education system is at a breaking point, with over 90% of 10-year-olds unable to read a simple text. The agency has launched updated treatment guidelines, emphasizing life-saving interventions and care for infants under six months old.

UNICEF reports 3.7 million Afghan children suffer acute malnutrition annually due to economic collapse, drought, and funding shortages.

Kabul, Jan 28 United Nations Children's Fund has said that Afghanistan is facing one of the worst child malnutrition crises, with around 3.7 million children facing acute malnutrition annually, local media reported on Wednesday.

UNICEF representative in Afghanistan, Tajudeen Oyewale, stressed the need to address the crisis during the launch of malnutrition prevention and treatment guidelines on Tuesday, Afghanistan's leading news agency Khaama Press reported.

The malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan has deteriorated since 2021 amid economic collapse, drought and humanitarian funding shortages.

According to the World Food Programme, more than 90 per cent of Afghan households cannot buy sufficient food, resulting in children facing permanent developmental damage from hunger and insufficient nutrition.

The updated guidelines include significant changes in treatment and prevention approaches, with more focus on life-saving interventions for the most severe cases of malnutrition. The guidelines have provided care instructions for babies under six months old, showcasing a critical step in reducing child malnutrition. UNICEF expressed hope that these revised guidelines will improve treatment outcomes and save the lives of children in Afghanistan amid the malnutrition crisis.

Various factors, including poverty, food insecurity, limited access to healthcare, and poor maternal nutrition, cause malnutrition among children in Afghanistan. Rural regions are particularly affected due to the crisis, as families face food scarcity and do not have access to medical facilities, while ongoing restrictions on women's healthcare workers have further affected treatment access.

Meanwhile, the UNICEF stated that over 90 per cent of 10-year-old children in Afghanistan cannot read a simple text. It warned that the education system in Afghanistan is at a critical point, with children not even receiving basic learning, the local media reported.

UNICEF reported that more than 90 per cent of 10-year-olds cannot read a simple text, reflecting a crisis of schooling without learning. It mentioned that the education system in Afghanistan has been severely impacted by school closures, lack of qualified teachers and curriculum limitations since the Taliban seized power on August 15, 2021, Khaama Press reported.

According to the UNICEF and UNESCO report, approximately 2.2 million adolescent girls do not have access to school. UNICEF stressed that continuous investment in early education, literacy and numeracy is needed to ensure that all children are successful and escape generational illiteracy. The organisation warned that the crisis will continue in Afghanistan if reforms are not made, Khaama Press reported.

- IANS
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash near Baramati airport. The chartered aircraft crash-landed and caught fire, claiming the lives of all five people on board. President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed profound shock, calling his death an irreparable loss for the nation. The leader was traveling to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections when the tragedy occurred.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati plane crash. President Murmu, PM Modi, and Amit Shah express grief over the tragic loss.

New Delhi, January 28 President Draupadi Murmu on Wednesday condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and said that the untimely demise of NCP chief is an "irreparable loss."

Sharing an X post, Murmu said that the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar is an "irreparable loss" for the nation.

wrote, "The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely tragic. The untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji is an irreparable loss. He will always be remembered for his special contribution to the development of Maharashtra, especially in the cooperative sector. I express my deep condolences to his family, supporters, and admirers. May God grant strength to the families of all others who lost their lives in this accident to bear this blow."

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar and his co-passengers died when the chartered aircraft they were travelling in crashed near the landing runway of the Baramati airport this Morning. Visuals from the site showed the plane engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing.

Further, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned the demise of Pawar, remembering him as a mass leader with deep grassroots.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, "Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled the demise of Pawar, saying he was deeply distressed by the tragic news and hailed Pawar's decades-long dedication to public service.

In a post on X, Shah said, "Today, the news of the loss of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague Ajit Pawar ji in a tragic accident has left my heart deeply distressed. The way Ajit Pawar ji dedicated himself to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra over the past three and a half decades cannot be expressed in words. Whenever we met, he would engage in long discussions on numerous issues related to the welfare of the people of Maharashtra. His passing is a personal loss not only for the NDA family but also for me."

"I express my deepest condolences to the Pawar family. In this hour of grief, the entire NDA stands firmly with the bereaved Pawar family. May God grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," he added.

According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited.

Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

- ANI
If youve ever sat in an electric vehicle and felt unexpectedly queasy, even when youre not normally prone to motion sickness, youre not the only one. People all around the world are feeling nausea and disorientation during rides that feel perfectly smooth and quiet to others. EVs are celebrated for their silence and instant acceleration, but those same traits can confuse the brains sense of motion in ways that contribute to motion sickness. Let's break down the reasons this happens and review the research on the experience.

The story

Electric cars are supposed to feel smooth and effortless. But for some, they can be a recipe for motion sickness. Sadhbh O'sullivan, a consumer health writer, has firsthand experience of how a simple ride home in an electric taxi turned into a disorienting ordeal. "45 minutes later, I collapsed onto my bed, feeling shaken, nauseous, and genuinely confused about what just happened," she recalls as she describes the intense queasiness that followed what should have been a normal ride.

She quickly realized she wasnt alone. Talking with friends, she heard similar stories from retching on the side of the road to glamorous TikTok users trying to hold back vomiting in the back of a Tesla. Her takeaway? The combination of smooth, instant torque, regenerative braking, and the quiet, vibration-free nature of EVs can create a sensory mismatch that confuses the brain and makes you feel queasy.

Image credit: Courtesy of Tesla, Inc

People were quick to thank her for sharing this information. One user wrote, "Thank you!! I feel SO nauseous in EVs that I decided not to get one for myself. Glad to hear I'm not the only one experiencing this!" Many people feel frustrated by this weird "side effect," and it can definitely affect consumer decisions about whether to buy one.

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Another user added, "This is definitely a thing I've noticed more and more lately. Tesla's are definitely the worst for this. The constant braking makes you feel nauseous," tying her experience to the mechanics of EV operation, especially regenerative braking.

There was also someone who pointed out a common behavioral factor. "Being a passenger in any car while staring at your phone will make you feel nauseous. It's nothing to do with the car," implying that maybe it's just typical passenger habits, like screen use, that can amplify the effects. Clearly, EV motion sickness isnt a rare quirk, it's a real phenomenon affecting a range of people.

How does science explain it?

When the brain doesnt have reliable sensory input, it struggles to align what the inner ear feels with what the eyes see, and that "neural mismatch" triggers nausea or dizziness, the classic signs of motion sickness. Researchers have begun to quantify what many riders have reported only anecdotally. A study from the University of Wisconsin showed that passengers exposed to noise and vibration cues experienced significantly less motion sickness than those in quieter conditions.

Higher levels of regenerative braking also correlated with an intense onset of nausea. It creates a smooth, drawnout deceleration rather than the quick, predictable slowdown were used to in gas cars. That prolonged deceleration can feel unfamiliar and unsettling, especially if youre not driving and cant see whats coming. More common in passengers, it confuses the brain.

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Lastly, instant torque, a hallmark of electric motors, means acceleration often comes with little warning or buildup. Rapid, silent changes in speed without the audiovisual cues weve learned to rely on can intensify that nauseous feeling.

Research on EV sickness

Automakers are aware of the problem and are actively working to make the ride more comfortable for everyone. A good example is Honda, which is actively addressing motion sickness in EVs with technology that smooths acceleration and makes vehicle motion more predictable. By monitoring pedal angle, pedal speed, acceleration rate, and vehicle speed, the system adjusts torque delivery to reduce sudden jolts that can trigger sensory mismatch.

Image credit: Shutterstock

They're smoothing acceleration and throttle control to make EVs feel less abrupt without affecting performance. Honda technical consultant Kotaro Yamamoto acknowledges that motion sickness can occur in EVs because the car moves in a way your brain isn't expecting. Their approach focuses on linear acceleration and refined throttle modulation to reduce motion without compromising performance.

Takeaway

If electric vehicles make you feel sick, its not imagined, and its not a personal weakness. EVs move in ways our brains havent fully adapted to yet, especially when acceleration and slowing happen quietly and without familiar cues. For people who arent driving and cant anticipate those changes, that difference alone can be enough to trigger discomfort. As electric cars become more common, experiences like this are pushing a broader conversation about passenger comfort, not just performance. How a car feels matters just as much as how efficient.
US Senator Mark Warner has stated that claims the Trump Administration single-handedly defused recent India-Pakistan hostilities are overstated and distort reality. He emphasized that available information indicates the crisis was settled directly between the two nations, with the US playing only a supportive role. Warner warned that such exaggerated narratives, driven by what he called "an ego reaction," risk damaging trust with allies like India and complicate regional diplomacy. He also expressed concern that short-term political disputes could undermine long-term strategic cooperation between Washington and New Delhi.

US Senator Mark Warner says claims Trump defused India-Pakistan tensions are exaggerated, warns it damages diplomacy and trust with allies like India.

Washington, Jan 28 Claims that the Trump Administration single-handedly defused recent India-Pakistan hostilities have been overstated and risk distorting the reality of how the crisis was resolved, a powerful American Senator has said, and warning that such exaggerated narratives are feeding tensions at a sensitive moment in regional diplomacy.

Mark Warner, Chairman of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, said available information did not support assertions that Washington independently settled the standoff. "Everything that I heard and read from members of the Indian government, from the intelligence community, the American Intelligence Committee... was that this was settled between Pakistan and India," Warner told IANS in an exclusive interview.

Warner acknowledged that the United States may have attempted to play a supportive role but rejected claims of direct intervention by President Donald Trump. "While America may have tried to help, it was not like Mr. Trump did this personally," he said, describing such portrayals as driven by "an ego reaction."

Asked whether the escalation had brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours close to catastrophe, Warner said the situation was serious but not unprecedented. "It was a very serious escalation by both sides," he said, noting that India and Pakistan had experienced multiple such crises in the past.

He said the episode followed a familiar pattern. "This was again... due to something to do with a terrorist incident," Warner said, pointing to longstanding concerns about cross-border militancy. He added that established communication channels between New Delhi and Islamabad were in place for such moments. "There are communications... between Indian Pakistan for these kinds of occasions," he said.

Warner expressed concern that overstating Washington's role could damage trust with allies. He said the current tariff dispute with India appeared to be linked to resentment over a perceived lack of recognition. "That is the only logical explanation," he said, referring to Trump's belief that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not give him sufficient credit for easing hostilities.

Drawing a parallel with other foreign policy claims, Warner said Trump had a pattern of overstating outcomes. Referring to US strikes on Iran, he said, "The American bombers did a wonderful job, but they didn't totally obliterate Iran's nuclear capabilities," adding that Tehran retained the ability to rebuild within months.

He warned that such rhetoric had real diplomatic costs. "When everyone doesn't salute that language, he then becomes resentful," Warner said, linking that dynamic towards the broader deterioration in trust between Washington and New Delhi.

The senator cautioned that short-term political disputes could undermine long-term strategic cooperation, particularly in defence. "You can't switch overnight unless you're sure that that next partner's gonna be dependable," he said, referring to India's gradual effort to reduce dependence on Russian military equipment.

On Pakistan, Warner said the country remained excessively focused on India. "It feels to me too often that Pakistan is so obsessed with India... and it uses India as the reason why Pakistan itself has not succeeded as a nation economically," he said.

By contrast, he said India had moved beyond that rivalry. "India's since it's graduated into a... first world power, it's moved beyond that competition," Warner said, adding that generational shifts in India favoured closer alignment with the United States.

Warner said exaggerating US involvement risked complicating an already delicate regional balance and diverting attention from the need to stabilise long-term India-US relations.

- IANS
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, defending the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as a strategic necessity rather than an act of war. He outlined Washington's three objectives for Venezuela, aiming for a transition to a stable, democratic, and friendly government. Rubio detailed a temporary agreement on Venezuela's sanctioned oil, allowing sales with US oversight of the funds. He faced scrutiny from senators over the operation's cost and its legal definition, while downplaying expectations of further military action.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells Senate panel the capture of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro was a strategic necessity, not an act of war.

Washington, DC, January 29 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro before a Senate committee, arguing that the operation did not amount to an act of war and portraying it as a strategic necessity for the Trump administration.

Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, Rubio laid out Washington's rationale behind the January 3 capture of Maduro, who remains detained in New York while facing drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracy charges.

At the outset of the hearing, Rubio characterised the operation as a "strategic" move and dismissed concerns raised by United Nations experts over international law. He described Venezuela under Maduro as a "base of operation for virtually every competitor, adversary and enemy in the world", citing alleged links to Iran, Russia and Cuba. "[Having Maduro in power] was an enormous strategic risk for the United States, not halfway around the world, not on another continent, but in the hemisphere in which we all live, and it was having dramatic impacts on us, but also on Colombia and on the Caribbean Basin and all sorts of other places," Rubio told lawmakers.

"It was an untenable situation, and it had to be addressed, and now the question becomes what happens moving forward," he said.

Rubio said Washington had three objectives in Venezuela, culminating in "a phase of transition where we are left with a friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela - and democratic".

He also defended US President Donald Trump's decision to continue engaging with officials surrounding Maduro, including interim President Delcy Rodriguez, rather than immediately backing an opposition takeover.

According to Rubio, the first priority was preventing civil war while seeking to "establish direct, honest, respectful, but very direct and honest conversations with the people who today control the elements of that nation".

He added that the second objective focused on a "period of recovery ... and that is the phase in which you want to see a normalised oil industry".

During the hearing, Senator Jeanne Shaheen raised concerns about the cost of the operation, citing outside estimates that put the military action and ongoing naval blockade at 1 billion.

"So it's no wonder that so many of my constituents are asking why the president is spending so much time focused on Venezuela instead of the cost of living and their kitchen table economic concerns?"

Republican Senator Rand Paul directly questioned whether the operation amounted to war. Rubio responded, "We just don't believe that this operation comes anywhere close to the constitutional definition of war," pointing to Maduro's contested 2024 election and US indictments tied to drug trafficking.

Paul dismissed Rubio's reasoning as "empty".

Despite an ongoing blockade on sanctioned oil tankers and a continued US military presence in the region, Rubio sought to downplay the prospect of further action.

"We are not postured and do not expect to take military action," Rubio said, while stopping short of ruling out future strikes to protect US interests.

Rubio also detailed plans related to Venezuela's oil sector, saying Washington and Caracas reached an agreement under which "on the oil that is sanctioned and quarantined, we will allow you to move it to market... In return, the funds from that will be deposited into an account that we will have oversight over, and you will spend that money for the benefit of the Venezuelan people."

He described the arrangement as a "short-term mechanism".

"And so we have created that, we hope to do is transition to a mechanism that allows that to be sold in a normal way, a normal oil industry, not one dominated by cronies, not one dominated by graft and corruption," Rubio added.

He also welcomed a law passed by Venezuela's legislature opening the oil sector to greater international access, as Trump continues to push for expanded opportunities for US companies following Maduro's capture.

- ANI
US President Donald Trump has indicated his administration will find a resolution with South Korea following his threat to raise tariffs. His comments come as South Korea's Industry Minister is set to visit the US for crucial trade negotiations. The tension stems from Trump's announcement to increase "reciprocal" tariffs, citing delays in Seoul's implementation of a bilateral trade deal. The deal requires significant South Korean investment in the US, but concerns over a data investigation and currency weakness complicate the situation.

President Trump says US will "work something out" with South Korea on tariffs, easing trade tensions as ministers prepare for talks.

Washington, Jan 28 US President Donald Trump has said that his administration will work "something" out with South Korea after he threatened earlier this week to raise "reciprocal" tariffs and other levies on the Asian ally.

His remarks raised hopes for negotiations between Seoul and Washington to address their renewed trade tension as South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan is expected to visit the United States for talks with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, reports Yonhap news agency.

"We will work something out with South Korea," he said during a press availability at the White House, responding to a question about whether he would increase tariffs on Korea.

On Monday, Trump made the surprise announcement of a plan to increase "reciprocal" tariffs and auto, lumber and pharmaceutical duties on South Korea to 25 percent from 15 percent, taking issue with a delay in Seoul's legislative procedures supporting the implementation of the trade deal.

Earlier on Tuesday, a White House official told Yonhap News Agency that South Korea has made "no progress" on fulfilling its end of a bilateral trade deal, although Trump lowered tariffs in line with the deal.

Under the deal struck in late July and finalised months later, Seoul has committed to investing US$350 billion in the United States, among other pledges, in return for Washington's lowering of "reciprocal" tariffs to 15 percent from 25 percent.

Trump's revived threat to raise tariffs came amid concerns in Washington over Korea's ongoing investigation into Coupang Inc., a U.S.-listed firm, over a massive customer data leak and the Asian country's moves to regulate online platform companies.

It also came amid concerns that the Korean won's weakness against the U.S. dollar could get in the way of Seoul delivering on its investment commitment under the trade deal with Washington.

- IANS
The Uttarakhand Cabinet has approved a series of decisions aimed at streamlining governance and boosting development. Key approvals include a new mutual consent procedure for land acquisition to reduce litigation and project costs. The cabinet also cleared a one-time district transfer option for health workers and established "GRD Uttarakhand University" in Dehradun. Further decisions involve transferring two airstrips to the Defence Ministry and introducing a Green Hydrogen Policy for 2026.

Uttarakhand cabinet approves land acquisition reforms, health worker transfers, tribal welfare rules, a new private university, and a green hydrogen policy.

Dehradun, January 28 The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Wednesday approved several key decisions focused on health, land reforms, tribal welfare, industrial growth, education, energy and defence infrastructure, the Chief Minister's Office said in a press release.

The state approved a proposal allowing Health Workers/Health Supervisors of the Medical Health and Family Welfare Department, Uttarakhand, who have completed a minimum of five years of satisfactory service in their original cadre, to be permitted a one-time district transfer during their entire service period on the basis of mutual understanding.

The Uttarakhand Cabinet approved several other important decisions.

The Cabinet approved procedures for acquiring land from landowners through mutual agreement for small, medium, and large projects in Uttarakhand.

To reduce the excessive time required for land acquisition under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, and to promote direct land purchase, a procedure has been proposed for acquiring land through mutual consent. This process is expected to reduce litigation and lower the overall cost of public interest projects.

The Cabinet approved an amendment to Government Order No. 670 dated March 25, 2025, concerning the transfer of 1,354.14 acres of land at Prag Farm in Udham Singh Nagar district to SIDCUL (Department of Industrial Development) for the development of an industrial estate.

As per the amended conditions, while the lessee will not be allowed to sell, lease, or transfer the land to any individual, institution, or organisation, sub-leasing of the allotted land for the same purpose will be permitted with the consent of the Revenue Department through the Industrial Development Department. The land must be utilised within three years from the date of allotment, failing which the allotment will stand automatically cancelled.

To ensure effective implementation of Tribal Welfare Department schemes in Scheduled Tribe-dominated districts, namely Dehradun, Chamoli, Udham Singh Nagar, and Pithoragarh, the Cabinet approved the promulgation of the Uttarakhand Tribal Welfare Gazetted Officer Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025. This follows the creation of four posts of District Tribal Welfare Officers through Government Order No. 120 dated February 28, 2025.

The Cabinet approved the implementation of water charges for groundwater extraction for non-agricultural purposes (excluding agriculture-related activities and government drinking water arrangements), with immediate effect.

To promote industrial growth, regulate groundwater management, and control over-extraction, water charges have been approved for industrial units and commercial uses such as residential apartments/group housing societies, hotels, water amusement parks, vehicle washing centres, swimming pools, etc., across safe, semi-critical, critical, and over-exploited zones.

A registration fee of Rs 5,000 will be applicable for commercial, industrial, infrastructure, and residential apartment/group housing projects.

With the objective of developing the state as an education hub and encouraging private sector participation in higher education, the Cabinet approved the establishment of a private university named "GRD Uttarakhand University" in Dehradun district.

The university aims to promote innovation in education, modern teaching and learning methodologies, holistic personality development, education for socially and economically disadvantaged sections, encouragement of state-focused research, and creation of employment opportunities.

The Cabinet approved the transfer of Chinyalisaur airstrip in Uttarkashi district and Gauchar airstrip in Chamoli district to the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, on a lease basis as Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs). This decision, taken with mutual consent during high-level meetings between the Indian Air Force, Ministry of Defence, and the Uttarakhand Government, is aimed at enabling joint civilian and military operations of these strategically important airstrips.

To promote green hydrogen production in the state, the Cabinet approved the promulgation of the "Uttarakhand Green Hydrogen Policy, 2026."

In alignment with the Government of India's National Green Hydrogen Policy, 2022 and National Green Hydrogen Mission, 2023, the Uttarakhand Government is committed to promoting clean and green energy sources to address global warming and climate change.

Given the state's abundant natural resources, such as hydropower, green hydrogen production will boost development and employment, reduce carbon emissions, support climate goals, and help in market creation and demand aggregation. The Cabinet approved the implementation of the Uttarakhand Green Hydrogen Policy, 2026, to advance these objectives.

- ANI
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash near Baramati Airport. Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed profound shock and extended condolences to the Pawar family. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and LoP Rahul Gandhi also mourned the loss, calling it an untimely tragedy for a seasoned politician. The crash claimed five lives, including Pawar's personal security officer, an attendant, and two crew members.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati plane crash. Shashi Tharoor, Priyanka Gandhi, Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi offer condolences.

New Delhi, Jan 28 Congress MPs Shashi Tharoor and Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday condoled the passing away of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died earlier in the day in a plane crash near Baramati Airport in Maharashtra.

Arriving at the Parliament for the Budget Session, the leaders said that it is a "sad" and "tragic".

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, speaking to the reporters, said, "I know, it's a very sad thing. I don't know what to say. It's a very tragic thing."

Priyanka Gandhi said that she has spoken to Deputy CM Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, and his cousin, NCP(SP) MP Supriya Sule.

"This is very sad news. We extend our condolences to the entire Pawar family and all their supporters. This morning, I spoke with Supriya Sule and also with Ajit Pawar's wife," she told the reporters.

Earlier in the day, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge also offered his condolences to the Pawar family for their loss.

"The news of the tragic demise of Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash, is deeply shocking and profoundly distressing. It is an untimely loss of a leader who had a long and promising political career ahead. No words can adequately express the immense grief that the bereaved family must be enduring during this difficult hour," he posted on X.

"Having served the people of Maharashtra in various constitutional capacities, Shri Ajit Pawar shall be remembered as a seasoned politician who discharged his responsibilities towards his people with sincerity and astuteness. May his soul rest in peace," Kharge added.

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi also took to social media and expressed his grief over the incident.

"The news of the demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji and his fellow travellers in an aeroplane accident today is extremely heartbreaking," he said.

"In this moment of grief, I stand with the people of Maharashtra. I extend my condolences to the entire Pawar family and their loved ones during this hour of sorrow," Gandhi posted on X.

Five people, including Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, died in the Baramati plane crash on Wednesday morning.

Apart from Deputy CM Pawar, the people onboard the plane, Learjet 45 aircraft (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR, included a personal security officer (PSO), an attendant, and two crew members -- a Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and a Second-in-Command (SIC).

The deceased have been identified as Vidip Jadhav (male), Pinky Mali (female). Additionally, the crew members were PIC Sumit Kapur and SIC Shambhavi Pathak, according to the passenger list.

A team of DGCA officials has arrived at the plane crash site.

More details were awaited about the plane crash.

- IANS
The Washington State Senate passed a bipartisan resolution honoring India's 77th Republic Day, recognizing the country's democratic traditions and the contributions of the Indian-American community. The resolution highlighted shared priorities in agriculture, trade, and technology between India and Washington state. Celebrations included a reception at the state capitol and events in Seattle, featuring flag hoisting and cultural performances. Several other US states and leaders, including Bill Gates and multiple governors, also issued messages celebrating the occasion and the strengthening bilateral relationship.

Washington State Senate passes bipartisan resolution honoring India's 77th Republic Day, celebrating democratic traditions and Indian-American contributions.

Washington, Jan 28 The Washington State Senate has passed a resolution honouring India's 77th Republic Day, citing India's democratic traditions and the contributions of the Indian-American community.

The resolution, Senate Resolution No. 8674, was adopted in Olympia with bipartisan support. It recognised India's strong democratic legacy and noted the growing ties between India and Washington state. It also highlighted agriculture, trade, technology, and critical and emerging technologies as shared priorities.

The measure was proposed by Indian American State Senator Manka Dhingra of the 45th Legislative District. It was supported by State Senator Vandana Slatter of the 48th Legislative District. All senators present voted in favour.

To mark the adoption of the resolution, the Consulate General of India (CGI) hosted a reception at the Washington State Capitol. Several state senators, members of the House of Representatives, and other dignitaries attended. Cultural performances were also held at the Capitol.

Several states in the US Northwest also issued proclamations honoring India's Republic Day. These included Alaska, Nebraska, Washington, Oregon, and South Dakota.

Governors and other regional leaders sent messages to mark the occasion. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte acknowledged the "contributions of the Indian and Indian American community" to Montana's cultural, educational, and economic life. He said their commitment to innovation and learning enriches the state's society.

South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden said, "Congratulations on the 77 years of the Republic of India. I am confident that the United States and India will continue to build an even stronger relationship."

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen spoke of the "shared values" between India and Nebraska. He pointed to collaboration in trade, technology, agriculture, and culture.

Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, highlighted India's global impact. "Indian innovation is serving people at scale, not just in India, but across the global south. That's true in health, in agriculture, in digital public infrastructure, and in new technologies like AI," he said.

US Representative Kim Schrier of Washington's 8th Congressional District also sent greetings. "On behalf of the people of Washington, I wish all of you a happy Republic Day as bright as your tricolour flag and as meaningful as the values and freedoms that your democracy represents," she said. "May the friendship between our peoples continue to grow ever stronger in the years ahead."

The Consulate hosted two events in Seattle on January 26 as part of the celebrations. In the morning, the Consul General unfurled the Indian tricolor atop the Federal Reserve building in downtown Seattle. He read excerpts from the President of India's address.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson attended the ceremony. A 30-member delegation from Montana also joined as guests of honour. The programme included patriotic poems and a traditional Kuchipudi dance performance.

Later in the evening, a reception was held at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle. Washington state leaders, technology executives, and Indian American community leaders attended.

During the reception, six recently elected Indian American city council members from Washington state were recognised. They were honoured for their public service and for strengthening Indian American representation in local government.

Guests also viewed cultural displays under the One District One Product initiative. Items from all 28 Indian states were exhibited during the event.

Earlier in the day, the Consulate also inaugurated the newly co-located offices of the Indian Consular Application Centre. The offices are housed in the Federal Reserve building. The co-location is expected to improve efficiency and provide a single location for consular services.

- IANS
President Donald Trump expressed hope the Supreme Court would rule in his favor on the legality of his tariff regime during an Iowa stop. He warned that even an adverse ruling would not stop his administration from implementing tariffs through alternative means. Trump claimed the policies are generating hundreds of billions in revenue, though lower courts have already declared them illegal. The Supreme Court recently deferred a ruling on the case, leaving significant uncertainty over the future of the trade measures.

President Trump insists his tariff regime will continue regardless of the Supreme Court's pending ruling, warning of "China-oriented" opposition.

Iowa, January 28 US President Donald Trump addressed ongoing legal challenges to his tariff policies during a campaign-style stop in Clive, Iowa, expressing hope that the Supreme Court would ultimately rule in favour of his administration even as lower courts have declared his sweeping tariff regime illegal.

Referring to the pending legal challenge, Trump criticised judicial decisions blocking his tariffs and portrayed them as being favourable to China.

" I hope we win the Supreme Court case," Trump said. "You know, we have people that are China-oriented, people literally that [are] very China-oriented and foreign-country-oriented trying to stop that."

Trump warned that even an adverse ruling from the Supreme Court would not deter him from pursuing wide-ranging tariffs, insisting his administration would find alternative ways to implement them.

"We'll get it done. One way or the other, we're going to do it. If we have to do it a different way, we'll do it," he said.

Defending his trade approach, Trump claimed his policies were generating massive revenue for the United States.

"But we're taking in hundreds of billions of dollars. We're doing amazing. Nobody can even believe it. Foreign countries cannot believe what's happened. They're studying us, but it won't work."

His remarks followed developments at the US Supreme Court, which on January 20 issued three rulings but stopped short of deciding the closely watched case challenging the legality of Trump's global tariff policy.

The court did not provide any indication on when it might take up the dispute next, maintaining its practice of not announcing in advance which decisions will be delivered on any given day.

Reacting to the developments, Trump said he was uncertain about how the Supreme Court would rule, warning that the government could be forced to return hundreds of billions of dollars in tariff revenue if it loses the case.

"I don't know what the Supreme Court is going to do ... To me, it reads so plainly. It couldn't be plainer," Trump said, reiterating his belief that the tariffs were imposed legally.

He also cautioned that reimbursing duties already collected would be difficult "without hurting a lot of people."

The court's decision to defer a ruling has left uncertainty hanging over Trump's trade agenda, even as lower courts have already questioned the legality of the sweeping measures.

- ANI
The crash also claimed the lives of four other individuals

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash while traveling from Mumbai to Baramati for a political rally. Senior political leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, expressed deep shock and extended condolences to the Pawar family. Ajit Pawar, the nephew of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, served as deputy CM for six non-consecutive terms under various chief ministers. The tragic incident has sent waves of grief through Maharashtra's political landscape.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in a plane crash. Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and others pay tribute to the seasoned politician.

New Delhi, January 28 Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed condolences over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who passed away in a plane crash this morning.

Mourning Pawar's untimely demise, Congress President Kharge said that he will be remembered as a seasoned politician who worked with sincerity and astuteness.

Kharge wrote on X, "The news of the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash, is deeply shocking and profoundly distressing. It is an untimely loss of a leader who had a long and promising political career ahead. No words can adequately express the immense grief that the bereaved family must be enduring during this difficult hour."

"I extend my deepest condolences to the entire Pawar family, his supporters and well-wishers. Having served the people of Maharashtra in various constitutional capacities, Ajit Pawar shall be remembered as a seasoned politician who discharged his responsibilities towards his people with sincerity and astuteness. May his soul rest in peace," the Congress chief wrote.

Rahul Gandhi grieved the demise of Ajit Pawar and four other individuals on board the chartered plane from Mumbai to Baramati, which crashed this morning.

"The news of the demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Ji and his fellow travellers in an airplane accident today is extremely heartbreaking. In this moment of grief, I stand with the people of Maharashtra. I extend my condolences to the entire Pawar family and their loved ones during this hour of sorrow," Lok Sabha LoP wrote on X.

Earlier today, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "I extend my condolences to the entire Pawar family and his supporters. I have spoken to Ajit Pawar's wife and Supriya ji (Supriya Sule)."

Maharashtra Congress MP Praniti Shinde expressed shock over the news. She said, "The news is just not sinking in. He was a stickler for time. His hectic lifestyle has cost him his life today. He always went out of his way to help his party workers and others. It is just a very sad day for Maharashtra."

"Shocked and stunned at the news of the Maharashtra Dy. CM Sh. Ajit Pawar ji's untimely demise in a tragic plane crash. It is a massive loss for Maharashtra and the country, and I convey my sincere condolences to @PawarSpeaks ji, @supriya_sule ji, his entire family and followers in this difficult time. He left an indelible mark with his contributions to public life and administration," KC Venugopal wrote on X.

Pawar passed away in the crash while he was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on January 27, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.

Ajit Pawar,66, was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

- ANI
Finland's President Alexander Stubb commended the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, stating it will strengthen economic and political relations. The visit by EU leaders to India for Republic Day resulted in agreements to enhance collaboration on emerging technologies, innovation, and startups. Both sides renewed their scientific cooperation agreement and reaffirmed their commitment to the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change. They also agreed to cooperate on implementing climate actions and commended the work of the International Solar Alliance.

Finland's President Alexander Stubb says the India-EU FTA will strengthen economic and political ties. Leaders also discussed climate action and tech collaboration.

Helsinki, January 28 President of Finland, Alexander Stubb on Wednesday said that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement will strengthen India's ties with the EU.

In a post on X, he said, "Thank you very much, Prime Minister. This agreement will further strengthen our economic and political ties with India."

At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, paid a State Visit to India on 25-27 January as the Chief Guests for the 77th Republic Day of India.

In the joint statement, it was said that the two sides will further strengthen collaboration on emerging technologies, innovation, and research, including by creating EU-India Innovation Hubs and launching an EU-India Startup Partnership.

The leaders welcomed the renewal of the India-EU Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation until 2030 and agreed to launch exploratory talks on the association of India to Horizon Europe, the EU's research and innovation programme. They welcomed the productive discussions at the inaugural India-EU Space Dialogue in Brussels in November 2025.

The leaders recognised the increasing incidents of extreme climate events and reaffirmed the importance of the Paris Agreement, the successive Conference of the Parties' (COP) outcomes, and respective Nationally Determined Contributions.

They agreed to cooperate closely for their effective implementation and to join forces to raise global action, including by holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

They reaffirmed the importance of the principles of equity, and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances. They commended the International Solar Alliance's (ISA) efforts to provide energy access and install large-scale solar energy capacities in developing countries.

- ANI
In 2020, Khaby Lame was a factory worker in Chivasso, Italy, facing the harsh reality of being laid off and living in government housing. Six years later, he secured a business deal valued at more than $900 million. His rise to success is quite unusual, to say the least. Khaby built a global empire without speaking a single word. This deal marks a turning point for the creator economy, demonstrating that digital attention can now translate into wealth that rivals that of large corporations.

Khaby Lames rise to fame

Before the fame, Khaby worked as a machine operator. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck Northern Italy, he lost his job and found himself stuck at home with his parents. Instead of seeking other manual labor, Khaby decided to try something different on a digital platform.

He noticed that TikTok is full of life hack videos that overcomplicate simple tasks. He started creating his own videos, showing simple ways to do these tasks, without saying a word, and ending each one with his signature hand gesture, as if to say, Why make it so complicated? His silent approach broke down language barriers, allowing people around the world to relate to him.

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Khaby gained immense popularity on social media, gaining millions of followers. He appeared in advertisements, television shows, and even signed a multi-year contract with Hugo Boss in 2022. That same year, he was also recognized on both Fortunes 40 Under 40 and Forbes 30 Under 30 lists for his influence and success.

By 2026, Khabys dedication and efforts appeared to pay off when Rich Sparkle Holdings disclosed in a Form 6-K filing that it had agreed to acquire his holding company for approximately $975 million.

Khaby remains a shareholder and keeps creative control. The agreement even includes an AI-powered digital twin of Khaby, allowing the use of his data for commercial content worldwide. This innovation enables him to effectively reach audiences across multiple channels simultaneously. He transformed a simple, funny reaction video into a billion-dollar business.

Public reactions

When news of the deal broke, the internet had a lot to say. People were genuinely happy and inspired by his journey, how he had a struggling start, and now he is loved by millions around the world. One fan wrote, I love that he was recognized just for doing his thing. Khaby found success by simply being himself rather than chasing trends, which is why people admire his authenticity.

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For a lot of us, Khaby represents the idea that you dont need to start with money to end up with it. As one comment put it: No human is more deserving than a human who started from the bottom. When someone like Khaby, who was working in a factory just a few years ago, suddenly becomes wealthy, it feels like a victory for everyone, as people can closely relate to it.

His success journey connects with a lot of people who are striving to work hard in silence, as one person wrote: Khaby Lame is a testament to how you can stay quiet and still have such a powerful influence. Connection through humanity, not noise. In an economy that rewards the loudest voices, Khaby chose to take a different path. He proved he didnt need to speak up to reach peoples hearts.

People also remember his humble nature and thoughtful approach to working with brands. One fan commented, Worth mentioning that hes still humble enough to reject offers from alcohol or gambling companies, saying hes got kids following him and he cant be a bad example for them promoting harmful things. By protecting his reputation and refusing to exploit his young audience, he built a brand that companies like Rich Sparkle Holdings were willing to pay nearly a billion dollars to acquire.

Why it matters

Khabys rise to fame shows just how impactful the creator economy has become, now competing equally with traditional industries. For decades, billion-dollar valuations belonged exclusively to big multinational companies. Khaby Lame has changed traditional business models and proved that a single person with just a smartphone and a good sense of humor can create a business worth as much as a well-established corporation.

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This agreement also alters the prevailing perception of digital talent. Khaby sold the company but remains in control. It implies that individual creators can be valuable assets, generating consistent returns comparable to traditional investments such as real estate or stocks.

Additionally, the use of an AI digital twin sets a new standard for what ownership can look like. By licensing his digital image, Khaby can be in two places at once, overcoming the constraints of what one person can do. This creates a blueprint for the future, where creators dont just rely on platforms like TikTok but can build their own independent businesses that operate around the clock. He started with a silent gesture, but his business model speaks to the future of the economy.

His story inspires us not to let obstacles stand in the way of pursuing our dreams. Trying is the first step to success, and every failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. Keep moving forward, believe in yourself, and surround yourself with positive influences. Your breakthrough may be just around the corner!
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Arteries become clogged. Blood flow is restricted and oxygen is cut off. The result is a heart attack, the world's leading cause of death.

The conventional approach to studying and treating these episodes is to focus on the heart as an isolated organ. University of California San Diego research, led by the School of Biological Sciences, is upending the way heart attacks are viewed under a transformative new understanding of how cardiac events are interconnected with other systems.

In a study published in the journal Cell, Postdoctoral Scholar Saurabh Yadav, Assistant Professor Vineet Augustine and their colleagues describe a comprehensive new picture of heart attacks and their resulting damage by connecting the heart, the brain and the nervous and immune systems.

Much like our eyes and ears convert light and sound from our environment into information the brain can understand and process, the new research reveals that a heart attack relays cardiovascular information to the brain via sensory neurons. The new research set out to unveil these connections. The new heart attack "maps" resulting from the study offer novel treatment opportunities under new perspectives of heart attacks as cross-connected systematic events, rather than isolated episodes.

We believe this is the first comprehensive characterization of a "triple node" approach featuring a heart, brain and neuroimmune loop. Heart attacks are obviously centered in the heart, but we're flipping the switch on heart attack research to show that it's not just the heart itself that is involved." Vineet Augustine, faculty member in the Department of Neurobiology, University of California San Diego

When an injury or illness is detected, the brain responds by activating the immune system. A heart attack triggers a similar immune response. But while the brain considers a heart attack an injury, there are no pathogens or bacteria to defend against. This overactivation of the immune system likely worsens the damage.

Working in mice, the researchers found that sensory neurons in the vagus nerve first detect injury and transfer signals to dedicated brain structures, which in turn lead to activation of the immune system. Blocking the sensory and immune signals transmitting back and forth between the heart and the brain helped significantly reduce damage after a heart attack. While the researchers are still hoping to unravel the specific mechanisms involved, they believe new treatments for heart attacks could minimize the inadvertent damaging effects of the immune system following a heart attack episode.

"Blocking this heart-brain-neuroimmune system was shown to stop the spread of the disease," said Yadav. "If you think of a heart attack as the epicenter, the blockage of the signals stopped the spread of the injury."

According to Augustine, many of their findings have remained hidden because science is traditionally established in silos, with neuroscientists, cardiologists and immunologists concentrating in their own areas. Across four and a half years, the triple node discovery project brought neurobiologists together with scientists from the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics (School of Medicine) and Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering (Jacobs School of Engineering). In order to tease out the intricate connections involved, Yadav and his colleagues employed a variety of scientific techniques, including echocardiography, molecular staining, light sheet microscopy and ultrasound imaging to tease out the various linked pathways.

The resulting system maps underlying the three-node loop could help spur new treatments that address the interconnectedness of heart attacks.

"Current treatments for heart attacks focus on repairing the heart, including bypass surgery, angioplasty and blood thinners, which are all invasive," said Augustine. "This research is showing that perhaps by manipulating the immune system we can drive a therapeutic response."

Ongoing research in Augustine's lab is investigating the mechanisms underlying the three-node connections and their functions.

Coauthors of the study were Saurabh Yadav, Van K. Ninh, Jonathan W. Lovelace, Jingrui Ma, Alexander Pham, Rebecca J. Salamon, Enyu Ji, Youngseo Na, Zhenxing Fu, Stephanie I. Ugochukwu, Wanning Cui, Ruchi Sehgal, Kevin R. King and Vineet Augustine.
Long before multimillion-dollar businesses and real estate portfolios, siblings Travis Johnson and Latavia Bennette knew instability as a way of life. They grew up without a permanent home, moving from house to houseand sometimes car to carwhile both parents were incarcerated. Survival came early. Certainty came rarely.

It's an experience that more than 771,000 Americans faced on a single night in January 2024the highest number since data collection began. But what they did have was each other, and a shared belief that their story wouldn't end where it began.

More than 771,000 Americans experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2024the highest number since data collection began. (Kudryavtsev Pavel via Getty Images)

Today, Johnson and Bennette are self-made multimillionaires and founders of Homebridge Health Care Co., a Virginia-based home care company built on compassion, dignity, and community-centered service. Their journey from homelessness to wealth prioritizes intention over financial success. Theyre living proof that trauma can be transformed into purpose, and that achievement is truly measured by how many lives are lifted along the way.

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They're creating impact at the perfect time. The U.S. home healthcare market was valued at $455 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a 6.15% rate through 2029, driven by an aging population and a growing preference for aging in place over institutional care.

The U.S. home healthcare market was valued at $455 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at 6.15% through 2029, driven by an aging population and preference for aging in place. (mathisworks via Getty Images)

"We got to where we are now because of God," Travis says. "That's the only way."

Their lived experiences shaped the mission behind Homebridgea company designed to provide stability and care for seniors and individuals who wish to remain safely independent in their homes. But more than that, it's a business model that centers people first: caregivers who live and work in the communities they serve, delivering culturally attuned, trust-based care built on genuine human connection.

"People think home care is just about filling shifts, but it's really about relationships," Travis explained. "You're stepping into someone's home and their life, and that requires trust. The same goes for caregiversif you don't build real relationships with them and support them, the care will suffer. The business only works when clients feel seen and caregivers feel valued."

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It's a philosophy that extends beyond the business itself. Bennette, a proud military veteran and devoted mother, brings discipline and accountability to every facet of the company. Her commitment is deeply personal, driven by a desire to create stability for families who, like her own once did, need it most.

Homebridge Health Care Co.'s business model centers people first, with caregivers who live and work in the communities they serve. (S-S-S via Getty Images)

The siblings entrepreneurial reach extends beyond home care. Together, theyve built a thriving rental portfolio across Virginia and lead a substance abuse treatment center. Johnson also holds a strategic ownership stake in a private suite at Houston's Toyota Centerpurchased not for leisure, but as a calculated investment generating year-round revenue.

Together, the siblings have built a diversified, intentional portfolio rooted in long-term wealth and impact.

The Housing Hero

Beyond business, Travis has earned the nickname "Housing Hero" through direct community actionwaiving rent, preventing evictions, providing holiday gifts and school supplies, and delivering emergency support to families in crisis. Until recently, he funded all of it himself.

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His commitment made national headlines in December 2024 when he waived rent for his Portsmouth, Virginia tenants during the holiday season, easing financial pressure during a time when many families struggle most. It's a gesture that resonates in an economy where rent prices have increased 54% over the past decade, consistently outpacing wage growth and pushing housing affordability to crisis levels.

Rent prices have increased 54% over the past decade, consistently outpacing wage growth and pushing housing affordability to crisis levels. (mammuth via Getty Images)

"I know what it's like to have a housing crisis and instability when it comes to rent, because I myself have struggled in the past," Travis told CBS affiliate WTKR. "That's what inspired me to give my tenants free rent for the holidays."

One tenant, Missy Waller, recalled the moment: "He was like, 'Come outside.' And when I came outside, he said, 'Y'all ain't gotta bring rent for November and December.' I just jumped for joy."

The gesture resonated beyond Virginia. Travis launched the Homebridge Community Care Foundation to assist single-parent households and families experiencing difficulties with rent and mortgage payments. Now, he's looking to scale the initiative nationallybut he's thinking strategically about how to do it right.

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"You need solid systems, but you also need the right people leading them," Travis said. "Strong leadership, caregivers who feel supported, and partners who understand the mission, not just the numbers. You can scale a business, but you can't lose the heart behind it. Relationships are what keep the quality and impact intact."

The U.S. home healthcare market was valued at $455 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at 6.15% through 2029. (wenich-mit via Getty Images)

It's a delicate balance: growth without dilution, expansion without exploitation. And for Travis, the path forward requires mission-aligned partnerships with brands and organizations willing to invest in sustainable relief efforts, not one-off gestures.

Learning to Lead Without a Blueprint

Building Homebridge wasn't without challenges. For Johnson and Bennette, one of the hardest lessons came in learning how to build a strong team while the business was growing at the same time.

"There's no manual for leadership," Travis said. "You don't realize how important communication, accountability, and trust are until things start to break. I had to learn that systems matter, but people matter more. If your team isn't strong, nothing runs the way it should."

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It's a lesson that now informs every part of the businessfrom caregiver training and professional development to long-term support structures designed to retain talent and maintain quality of care.

"Whether you're a client of ours, an employee of ours, or even if you're notwe're always going to pay it forward," Travis told People Magazine. "That's our motto."

Johnson and Bennette's story is a testament to what's possible when success is built with intention. Through Homebridge Health Care Co. and their expanding community initiatives, they continue to redefine wealthnot as accumulation, but as impact.

Their journey proves that the most powerful empires aren't just profitable. They're purposeful.
Doctors may soon be able to tell just how sick a heart failure patient really is by using a routine MRI scan, thanks to new research from the University of East Anglia.



People with heart failure often need a test called right heart catheterisation, where a tube is inserted into the heart to measure oxygen levels in the blood. This helps doctors understand how severe the condition is.



But the invasive procedure is far from pleasant and carries risks, especially for older, frail or unwell patients.



In collaboration with researchers at the University of Leeds and Newcastle University, the team developed a way to estimate this crucial measurement of blood oxygen using a standard cardiac MRI.



Now, they hope their findings could potentially spare thousands from undergoing the risky tube procedure in future.

A potential game changer

Heart failure affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK and significantly weakens the heart's ability to pump blood. Doctors often need detailed information about a patient's circulation to decide on the best treatment.



We wanted to develop a safe, non-invasive alternative which could allow far more patients to be properly assessed - and allow repeat monitoring without the risks of a catheter test.



Our breakthrough could be a game changer for assessing advanced heart failure. It could allow us to measure risk more safely and more often, especially for patients who are too frail or high-risk for an invasive catheter procedure." Prof. Pankaj Garg, lead researcher from UEA's Norwich Medical School and consultant cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

How the research happened

The team developed a method that uses a routine type of MRI measurement called T2 mapping to estimate how much oxygen is left in the blood as it returns to the heart - a key marker of how well the heart is coping.



Prof Garg said: "Blood with different oxygen levels behaves slightly differently in a magnetic field. By measuring how that blood reacts, we were able to develop a formula that predicts the oxygen reading without ever inserting a tube or taking a blood sample."



The researchers first tested the technique in 30 patients and found the MRI results closely matched the invasive catheter readings.



They then analysed 628 people with newly diagnosed heart failure, following them for around three years. Those with healthier oxygen readings on MRI were significantly less likely to die or end up in hospital due to their condition.



Crucially, this MRI-based measure stayed accurate even after accounting for age, other illnesses and overall heart function.

Faster, safer heart checks

Prof Garg said: "One of the most important markers in advanced heart failure is how much oxygen is left in blood returning to the right side of the heart. Until now, getting that number has usually meant a tube test. Our study shows it can be estimated non-invasively from a standard heart MRI."



Senior author Dr Peter Swoboda, from the University of Leeds, added: "This means we may be able to read off a crucial haemodynamic number from an everyday scan - effectively turning a routine MRI into a much more powerful test, without putting a tube into the heart."



Co-author Dr Gareth Matthews, from the University of East Anglia, said: "Because this can be done as part of a standard cardiac MRI, it needs no extra hardware and no contrast dye, and adds only seconds to the scan.



"It has real potential to widen access to safer heart failure assessment across the NHS," he added.



The researchers say further studies are needed to confirm the findings in different hospitals and patient groups, and to understand how best to use the measure in day-to-day decision-making.



'Development and validation of a non-invasive model of mixed venous oxygen saturation in heart failure' is published in the journal JACC Advances.
A large electronic health record study suggests that difficulty recognizing painless blood in urine may delay diagnosis and worsen long-term survival for bladder cancer patients with color vision deficiency, highlighting overlooked risks in symptom recognition and screening.

Study: Impact of colour vision deficiency on bladder and colorectal cancer survival. Image credit: SaiArLawKa2/Shutterstock.com

Bladder cancer patients who are unable to detect blood in the urine due to color vision deficiency may have poorer survival outcomes, specifically in bladder cancer, than those without the deficiency, according to a large retrospective analysis that the authors describe as hypothesis-generating, reported by a new study published in Nature Health .

Missed visual warning signs can delay cancer diagnosis

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among men and women, and urinary bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men in the United States. These two malignancies are associated with high mortality rates.

Presence of blood in urine and stool is often the first sign of bladder and colorectal cancers, respectively. Early detection of this sign by the patient is a vital indicator for seeking medical attention on time.

However, patients with color vision deficiency are at higher risk of delayed disease diagnosis because they are unable to detect red in urine or stool. This is particularly relevant in the case of painless hematuria, where blood appears in the urine without causing pain. In such cases, patients have to rely on identifying blood in their urine as an indication to seek medical attention.

Existing evidence indicates that patients with color vision deficiency and bladder or colorectal cancer may delay care-seeking due to a lack of recognition of the blood, which may subsequently increase the risk of being diagnosed with more advanced or invasive disease, as cancer cells may have additional time to progress before detection because of the delayed care-seeking.

Given the potential impact of color vision deficiency on cancer diagnosis, researchers from Columbia University, Stanford University School of Medicine, and Beaumont Health, USA, conducted a study to explore whether color vision deficiency is associated with worse cancer outcomes.

Matched analysis of cancer patients with visual deficiency

The researchers analyzed electronic health records data from health organizations in the United States and international sites to evaluate the differences in survival rates between bladder cancer and colorectal cancer patients with and without color vision deficiency.

A total of 135 bladder cancer patients and 187 colorectal cancer patients with color vision deficiency were compared with matched patients without the deficiency.

Bladder cancer survival worse among patients with CVD

The study analysis revealed that patients with both bladder cancer and color vision deficiency have shorter overall survival than the matched patients without color vision deficiency.

The mortality analysis indicated that the patient group with color vision deficiency exhibits a 52% higher risk of death over 20 years compared to the group without color vision deficiency, with a risk ratio of 1.52.

In colorectal cancer, however, no significant difference in survival probability was observed between patients with and without color vision deficiency.

Symptom reliance and screening gaps shape survival differences

The study identifies color vision deficiency as a potentially important but under-recognized risk factor for reduced survival probability and higher mortality risk in patients with bladder cancer. However, no such risk has been identified in patients with colorectal cancer. The authors emphasize that the findings are associative rather than causal and should be interpreted cautiously, particularly given limitations in available clinical detail.

Worse survival outcomes observed in bladder cancer patients with color vision deficiency may be attributed to delayed recognition of painless hematuria, which often leads to cancer diagnosis at more advanced stages. Although these risk factors should be equally applicable to colorectal cancer patients with color vision deficiency, the study did not detect similar outcomes in this group of patients, which the authors note may reflect limited statistical power rather than a true absence of effect.

Various factors can explain this discrepancy. In approximately 8090% of bladder cancer cases, the only initial symptom is painless hematuria, meaning that the patients ability to identify blood in the urine is the sole indicator to seek medical attention.

Colorectal cancer at an early stage, on the other hand, may present with a variety of other symptoms, including abdominal pain, change in stool habit, rectal bleeding, and weight loss. These symptoms may indicate disease even in patients who cannot see blood in the stool.

Screening is another vital factor that may explain the observed differences between bladder and colorectal cancer patients. In the United States, public health authorities recommend screening for colorectal cancer in adults aged 45 years and above. However, no such recommendation exists for asymptomatic bladder cancer screening, further increasing the possibility of underdiagnosis, especially in vulnerable populations like patients with color vision deficiency.

In the United States, color vision screening is not routinely performed. Only a limited number of states require screening during childhood, and most adults with color vision deficiency remain unaware of their condition, particularly when symptoms are mild and do not interfere with daily activities.

These factors may increase the likelihood of including patients with undiagnosed color vision deficiency in the study groups, potentially biasing the observed associations toward underestimating the true effect. In addition, the authors note that cancer staging data were sparse in the underlying records, limiting direct assessment of disease stage at diagnosis.

Overall, these findings provide a foundation for future research into whether screening for bladder cancer should be introduced for high-risk individuals with color vision deficiency to improve survival, as well as for increased clinical awareness of visual limitations that may affect symptom recognition.
Alzheimer Europe has today launched the "The Prevalence of Dementia in Europe 2025" report, which provides updated prevalence figures for the number of people living with dementia both for Europe as a whole, as well as the countries within. The report builds upon Alzheimer Europe's previous work in the "Dementia in Europe Yearbook 2019". Alzheimer Europe adopted the same methodology, seeking out community-based studies published since the Dementia in Europe Yearbook 2019, from which new prevalence rates across 5-year age bands were derived. These updated prevalence rates were then applied to population projections for 2025 and 2050 taken from the UN World Population Prospects (UN WPP) data 2024.

For 2025, the number of people living with dementia is 9,065,706 for EU27 countries and 12,122,979 for EU and non-EU countries. The report also estimates that by 2050 there will be 14,335,788 people with dementia in EU27 countries and 19,905,856 people with dementia in EU and non-EU countries combined. This means that, by 2050, the estimated number of people living with dementia will increase by 58% in the EU27 countries, and by 64% in EU and non-EU countries combined.

To understand whether there had been any significant change in the estimated number of people with dementia, between 2019 and 2025, Alzheimer Europe used its estimates for EU27 countries, as a point of comparison. The overall numbers of people estimated to be living with dementia in the EU27 for the years 2025 and 2050, are broadly consistent across the two reports. However, among men, consistently higher prevalence rates were observed in each of the 70+ age bands, but in particular for the 70-74 band. The picture for women was generally more mixed.

The projected increase in overall numbers reinforces the call that Alzheimer Europe and its member associations have been making for many years: EU and national decision-makers must take action to ensure that society supports people with the condition, their families and carers to live well as well as possible.

From a policy perspective, health and social care systems must have the necessary capacity and infrastructure to provide high-quality care and support to individuals living with dementia, from diagnosis through to end-of-life care.

Furthermore, research agendas must, as a matter of priority, give dementia the status it deserves, prioritising basic research to better understand the condition, clinical studies to develop diagnostics and treatments, and demographic research looking at the populations affected, allowing for improved system responses.

This report comes at a time when the future budget of the EU is being discussed and we can see that the proposals are moving away from the previous strong commitment to health, social affairs and research, and putting greater focus on defence and economic activities, under the scope of competitiveness.

Alzheimer Europe's message for decision-makers at an EU and national level is clear: The number of people living with dementia will continue to grow over the coming decades. A failure to act now, to invest sufficiently in health, care and social protection systems, provide adequate support for research and implement strong preventative interventions, will exacerbate the challenges ahead.

Commenting on the publication of the report, Alzheimer Europe's Executive Director, Jean Georges, stated:

"The scale of the challenge posed by dementia across Europe is substantial and it is our sincere hope that our updated figures provide the impetus for decision-makers, both at the European and national levels, to prioritise dementia and ensure it is addressed across the domains of health, research, disability policy and support for informal carers.

In particular, policy-makers must work to improve care services, make investments in health infrastructure for diagnosis and treatment, as well as help for family, carers and supporters of people with dementia. As part of this, they must take into consideration the changing demographics of the population and the prevalence of conditions such as dementia.

Our Helsinki Manifesto sets out a blueprint of actions, at the EU and national level, to improve the lives of people with dementia, their carers and families.

We reiterate the key calls from our Helsinki Manifesto: There is a clear need for a coordinated European Action Plan on Dementia and a dedicated research mission, each with ringfenced funding to ensure their proper implementation."
Adani-Embraer deal to see 'good growth' in 2 yrs: Civil Aviation Minister

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 12:15 IST

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Hyderabad, Jan 28 (PTI) Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu on Wednesday said the collaboration between the Adani Group and Brazilian major Embraer is expected to see good growth in the next two years.

Speaking to media persons after inaugurating the stand having a static display of aircraft at the four-day aviation summit Wings India 2026, he also said the India-EU trade deal is the most complicated FTA (free trade agreement) that India has cracked and the whole agreement revolves around the manufacturing ecosystem in India.

India and Brazil, carry strong relationships, both at the bilateral level and international level. Next month, the honourable president of Brazil is going to come and hes going to meet our honourable prime minister also. In their presence, they are going to decide on timelines for how and when it is going to unfold," the minister said.

But we are expecting that within two years, we should be able to see very good progress in that area," he further said.

Adani and Embraer on Tuesday announced a strategic collaboration that aims to have a final Assembly for regional transport aircraft in India.

Naidu further, quoting IMF figures, said India is going to grow at 7 per cent annually for the next 10 to 15 years which gives a kind of confidence and message that India becomes the best place to partner in manufacturing. PTI GDK RAM ADB

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Bessent warns Carney against picking fight before US-Canada-Mexico trade talks

Last Updated: January 29, 2026, 02:30 IST

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Washington, Jan 29 (AP) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that his recent public comments against US trade policy could backfire going into the formal review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade deal that protects Canada from the heaviest impacts of President Donald Trumps tariffs.

Carney used a high-profile speech last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to condemn economic coercion by great powers on smaller countries and since then he has as since sparred with Trump and Bessent about related trade issues.

Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada over a trade deal Carney is pursuing with Beijing.

I would not pick a fight going into USMCA to score some cheap political points  either youre working for your own political career or youre working for the Canadian people," Bessent said during a CNBC interview.

Ive seen what happens when a technocrat tries to pivot and become a politician." Bessent added, in a reference to Carneys background as a central banker. It never really works out well." Trump and Carney spoke on Monday, after which Bessent told Fox News that the prime minister was very aggressively walking back some of the unfortunate remarks he made at Davos." Carney had a different characterisation the next day.

To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the president, I meant what I said in Davos," Carney told reporters.

The North American trade agreement signed in 2020 during Trumps first term, but lately the Republican president has expressed indifference to it. Earlier this month, he said, I dont really care about it." Bessent, in his CNBC appearance, did say that in the end, I think we will end up in a good place  may not be a straight line." (AP) GRS GRS

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Bihar CM, Dy CM mourn Ajit Pawar's death in plane crash

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 12:15 IST

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Patna, Jan 28 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday expressed deep sorrow over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Pune, and said his demise is an irreparable loss for the country.

Pawar and four others were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed near Baramati on Wednesday morning.

Nitish Kumar has expressed deep sorrow over the untimely demise of Maharashtra Dy CM, Ajit Pawar, in an air accident that occurred in Baramati of Maharashtra. This incident is extremely painful and heartbreaking," an official release stated.

Ajit Pawar was a strong and hard-working politician. He was an important figure in Maharashtras politics. He was kind-hearted, extremely approachable, and quite popular among the people. His death is an irreparable loss not only for Maharashtra, but for the entire country. The CM prayed for peace to the departed soul and offered condolences to his family and followers," it said.

Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary also expressed grief over Pawars demise.

In a post on X, Chaudhary said, Ajit Pawar jis untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. The incident is extremely heartbreaking and soul-wrenching. May God grant peace to the departed soul and provide strength to the family members to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti". PTI PKD RBT

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Delhi: Animal activists hold prayer meet over Telangana dog killings

Last Updated: January 29, 2026, 00:45 IST

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New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) A terhvi (13th day prayer ceremony) was held by animal welfare activists and environmentalists here to mourn the killing of community dogs in a recent mass killing incident in Telangana and to demand accountability and justice.

The ceremony was held at the India International Centre on January 27, according to an official statement.

The prayer meet was attended by animal welfare activists, environmentalists, caregivers, legal experts and concerned citizens.

Several incidents of mass killings of stray dog were reported from districts in Telangana in January and December last year taking the toll to 1,200. The killings are suspected to have been carried out allegedly to fulfill promises made to villagers ahead of gram panchayat elections held in December 2025, to address the stray dog menace.

The Telangana incident has sent shockwaves across the country, highlighting the rising instances of organised violence against community animals and the failure to effectively implement existing animal protection laws, the statement said.

The terhvi was described as both a space for remembrance and a civic call to recognise community animals as an essential part of society whose lives matter, it added.

Participants at the event observed silence, lit candles and offered prayers, while reaffirming the need for strict enforcement of animal protection laws, humane dog population management and accountability of authorities involved.

What happened in Telangana is not an isolated act of cruelty, it is the result of institutional apathy and a dangerous normalisation of violence against animals. This terhvi is a powerful reminder that these dogs were living beings, protected by law, and their deaths demand justice," animal and environmental rights activist Ajay Joe said.

Environmental activist Tannuja Chauhan noted that such incidents have wider ethical and ecological implications.

Community animals are part of our ecological and social fabric. When we allow mass killings to happen with impunity, we are not just failing animals, we are eroding our ethical and environmental foundations as a society," she said. PTI SGV MPL MPL

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Delhi: IP University announces 24 new courses; online application from Feb 2

Last Updated: January 29, 2026, 00:45 IST

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New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University on Wednesday said it has opened admissions for the 2026-27 academic session and announced 24 new courses.

The announcement was made at an event, which was also attended by Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, along with vice chancellor Mahesh Verma.

The online application process will begin on February 2.

A statement by the university said it offers more than 43,000 seats across over 130 affiliated colleges and university schools, spanning engineering, law, medicine, management, design and emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and data science.

Addressing the gathering, Sood said the launch reflected the governments commitment to strengthening public education in Delhi. Recalling his student days, he said, Many students earlier had to leave the city for higher education, often burdened by high fees, but institutions like IP University had helped change that reality." This years new offerings include programmes such as Bachelor of Management Studies, MTech in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, BTech in Computer Science with specialisations in AI, Data Science and Business Systems, BSc Clinical Psychology, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, and MA in Mass Communication (weekend). New teacher education and inclusive education courses have also been introduced, covering multiple disability specialisations, the statement said.

The university has affiliated nine new institutions this year, while some programmes are already running from its Narela campus, with more planned, it said.

According to the statement, admissions will be through a mix of common entrance tests and national-level exams such as JEE Main, NEET, CAT, CMAT, CLAT and CUET.

A one-time application fee of Rs 2,500 will apply, it said. Candidates have been advised to check the official brochure on the university website for details. PTI VBH PRK PRK

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Kerala Assembly observes silence on death of Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 11:00 IST

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Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 28 (PTI) The Kerala Assembly on Wednesday observed a brief silence to pay tribute to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who died in an aircrash in Pune in the morning.

Besides Pawar, five others in the aircraft also died in the crash.

After the question hour ended, Speaker A N Shamseer informed the House about Pawars death and asked everyone to observe a brief silence.

The crash occurred when the plane carrying NCP leader Pawar (66) and others was landing in Punes Baramati area, according to officials. PTI HMP ADB

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Odisha CM launches 20 industrial projects worth Rs 8,884 cr in Rourkela

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 19:00 IST

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Rourkela (Odisha), Jan 28 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday launched 20 industrial projects worth Rs 8,884 crore in Rourkela.

These include the inauguration of 11 projects at an investment of Rs 5,708 crore and foundation stones for nine projects worth Rs 3,176 crore.

Attending the silver jubilee celebration of Enterprise Odisha 2026 here, Majhi said, The event represents a new way of thinking for us; a mindset where we aspire to be the best in every sector. We will be the best, and we will compete with the best. With this confidence, we are moving forward." Industrial development must create employment opportunities, enhance living standards, and ensure that ease of doing business is matched with ease of living. Industrial growth should bring better opportunities into the lives of every citizen," he said.

Highlighting the state governments industrial strategy, the CM said, Our strategy is clear establish a few anchor industries in every region and develop hundreds of MSMEs around them as suppliers, vendors, logistics partners, fabricators, maintenance providers, packaging units, and technology partners. This will ensure that our youth no longer need to migrate for jobs; opportunities will come to their doorstep." The CM also participated in three roundtable discussions with the Rourkela Chamber of Commerce, Orissa Sponge Iron Manufacturing Association (OSIMA), and delegations from Ranchi and Raipur.

These discussions highlighted the growing RRR Corridor  Raipur-Ranchi-Rourkela  reflecting enhanced regional collaboration and shared growth prospects.

Officials said 22 MoUs worth Rs 43,349 crore were signed during the event, which are expected to generate 18,985 jobs. The state also received five investment proposals worth Rs 8,677 crore, they added.

On the occasion, the chief minister has also handed over the letter offering 1,447.927 acres at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district to Vedanta Aluminium Ltd for its proposed 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) aluminium smelter and 4,900 MW Captive Power Plant (CPP) project.

Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said, Enterprise Odisha 2026 is focused on delivery. Investor interest has already translated into MoUs and project intents, and our priority is to move swiftly from land allocation to grounding and production, particularly in downstream manufacturing and metal ancillaries across Western Odisha." PTI BBM BBM MNB

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If your family's weekend plans include a trip to the Orlando theme parks, you may want to modify your plans. Like much of the country, even sunny Florida is experiencing unexpected seasonal chills, and they're reacting in an unusual way because of it.

Due to extreme cold temperatures expected in the coming days, Universal Orlando's Volcano Bay made the decision to close on Wednesday, January 28, and Thursday, January 29.

 Weather Update 

Universal Volcano Bay will be closed Wednesday, January 28, and Thursday, January 29, due to inclement weather. For updates, call 407-817-8317 or stay tuned to our social channels.  Universal Orlando Resort (@UniversalORL) January 27, 2026

The unfortunate news was revealed via a social media post that read in part: Weather Update: Universal Volcano Bay will be closed Wednesday, January 28, and Thursday, January 29, due to inclement weather. For updates, call 407-817-8317 or stay tuned to our social channels.

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As National Weather Service has both a Freeze Warning and a Freeze Watch scheduled for this time period, this sad news is not all that surprising, but still disappointing. As for if the closure will extend beyond that time period, that will all come down to the updated weather report at that time.

This move is not without precedent: Just recently, Disney World closed Typhoon Lagoon for a few days because of the cold temperatures as well. Still, for those who planned a visit over the next few days, it'll require some plan modification.
Opposition to protest against MGNREGA, SIR issues in Budget session

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:30 IST

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New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) Opposition parties on Wednesday decided to raise the issues of MGNREGA repeal and SIR in the Budget session of Parliament, and protest democratically on them while participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents address and the Union Budget.

Leaders of several opposition parties of the INDIA Bloc met here in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and discussed the oppositions strategy for the Budget session, sources said.

The leaders also decided to protest during the debate on the Motion of Thanks as well as during the Union Budget presentation and debate.

The Opposition will use all democratic means to demand the restoration of MGNREGA," AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.

After the leaders protested during the President address to the joint sitting of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the opposition and said it was matter of shame.

The manner in which the opposition acted today is a matter of shame for the country. The Congress and its allies will never be forgiven. While tributes were being paid to Vande Mataram on its 150th anniversary and to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the opposition created a ruckus, disrupting the House when the nation should have been remembering their sacrifices," he said.

TMC and AAP leaders were not present during the meeting, which was attended among others by former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries Ramesh and K C Venugopal, DMKs TR Baalu, Shiv Sena (UBT)s Arvind Sawant, Samajwadi Partys Javed Ali Khan, RJDs Prem Chand Gupta, CPI(M)s John Brittas, CPIs P Sandosh and RSPs N K Premchandran.

The opposition meeting comes a day after top Congress leaders decided to raise in Parliaments Budget session issues concerning MGNREGA and SIR despite the governments refusal to debate them again.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the partys parliamentary strategy group held on Tuesday at the residence of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi where the Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Kharge, were also present. PTI ASK SKC SKC DV DV

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 14:30 IST

News agency-feeds Opposition to protest against MGNREGA, SIR issues in Budget session

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Special emphasis given for development of east, northeast: Prez Murmu

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:30 IST

Representational image (Image: News18)

New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said the countrys progress got momentum from a few cities and regions after Independence, but special emphasis is now being given to the rapid development of eastern and northeastern India.

Addressing a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, Murmu also referred to the arrival of a Rajdhani Express train for the first time in the Mizoram capital, Aizawl, and the enthusiasm shown by the local people that brought joy to the entire nation".

After Independence, the progress of India got momentum from a few cities and regions. A large part of India and a significant portion of the population did not have access to adequate opportunities. Today, my government is transforming the potential of underdeveloped regions and marginalised populations into the driving force for Viksit Bharat," she said.

The President said special emphasis is now being given to the Purvodaya, a vision for the rapid development of Eastern India. Now, new avenues of progress are emerging in the maritime regions of West Bengal and Odisha, she underlined.

Now, the North Eastern region is also integrating with the mainstream of development, Murmu said.

Assam, in the northeastern region, is the land of great icons like Srimanta Sankardev. Soon, a semiconductor chip manufactured in Assam will become a lifeline for electronic products worldwide. Unprecedented attention is also being given to improving connectivity in this region," she said.

Murmu said that in the past 11 years, more than 7,200 kilometres of national highways have been built in the northeastern region, making connectivity to remote, hilly, tribal, and border areas easier.

She said that under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, approximately 50,000 kilometres of rural roads have been built and it has improved access to markets, hospitals, and schools.

More than Rs 80,000 crore have been invested for the development of railways in the northeastern region during the last 11 years. The capitals of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Mizoram have now been connected through broad- gauge rail lines," she said.

This has opened new opportunities for economic progress, employment, and the tourism industry in these areas, the President said.

This decade has also been a decade of initiatives for ensuring health facilities in the northeast. The establishment of the State Cancer Institute in Itanagar and the medical college at Sivasagar in Assam will help provide treatment to crores of families," she said.

Similarly, the establishment of a medical college in Sikkims Sichey and a hospital for women and children in Agartala will greatly enhance healthcare facilities, Murmu said, adding that such efforts are creating a robust health infrastructure in the northeastern region. PTI ACB ACB NSD NSD

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 14:30 IST

News agency-feeds Special emphasis given for development of east, northeast: Prez Murmu

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TN CM condoles death of Ajit Pawar; ''tragedy is diffcult to absorb''

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 12:15 IST

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Chennai, Jan 28 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday condoled the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others in a flight crash saying, the scale of the tragedy is difficult to absorb".

Deeply pained to learn about the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others in a tragic plane crash, Stalin said.

The scale of the tragedy is difficult to absorb. I extend my sincere condolences to Thiru Sharad Pawar (President of Nationalist Congress Party), Supriya Sule, (the Working President and MP Baramati Lok Sabha constituency) and the families of all those who lost their lives in this terrible accident." the chief minister said in a social media post.

Pawar and four others were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district on Wednesday. PTI VIJ VIJ ADB

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 12:15 IST

News agency-feeds TN CM condoles death of Ajit Pawar; ''tragedy is diffcult to absorb''

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German Investigators Raid Deutsche Bank Offices In Money Laundering Probe

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 22:32 IST

German investigators searched Deutsche Bank offices in Frankfurt and Berlin over suspected money laundering involving foreign entities.

Deutsche Bank headquarters in Frankfurt am Main. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

German investigators on Wednesday carried out searches at the offices of Deutsche Bank as part of an investigation into suspected money laundering, officials said.

Prosecutors in Frankfurt said the probe is targeting unknown employees" and is examining the banks past business relationships with foreign entities that are suspected of having been used to launder money. Searches were conducted at Deutsche Banks offices in Frankfurt, where it is headquartered, and in Berlin. The Frankfurt prosecutors office declined to provide further details on the scale or nature of the transactions under scrutiny.

In a brief statement, Deutsche Bank confirmed the presence of investigators at its premises, saying it is fully cooperating with the authorities. We cannot comment further," the bank added.

The searches come just a day ahead of Deutsche Banks scheduled release of its 2025 earnings report.

The lender has faced repeated regulatory scrutiny in the past. In 2018, it was fined $205 million by New York regulators for manipulating the foreign exchange market. A year earlier, the US Federal Reserve imposed a $41 million fine over failures to maintain adequate antimoney laundering controls. In 2017, the bank also paid $629 million in penalties to New York and British regulators for control lapses that allowed wealthy Russian clients to launder about $10 billion in illicit funds through the institution.

Money laundering generally refers to financial transactions designed to disguise the origins of illegally obtained funds, making them appear to come from legitimate sources.

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Location : Frankfurt, Germany

First Published: January 28, 2026, 22:32 IST

News business German Investigators Raid Deutsche Bank Offices In Money Laundering Probe

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Gig Workers Go Offline Across India On Monday, Protests To Intensify On Feb 3

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 10:33 IST

Gig and Platform Service Workers Union led a nationwide app switch-off strike in India, highlighting job insecurity, income issues, and safety concerns, with women workers.

While consumers enjoy these services, many are concerned about road safety and driver safety as well. (PTI file for representation)

Gig and platform workers across India staged a nationwide online strike on Monday, January 26, by logging out of their work apps, flagging growing concerns over job security, income uncertainty, and workplace safety in the platform economy. The action marks the first phase of a broader protest plan announced by the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU).

The union said the digital protest will be followed by on-ground demonstrations at multiple locations across the country on February 3.

Workers across platforms join app switch-off

According to GIPSWU, the strike saw participation from workers engaged in ride-hailing services, food and grocery delivery, domestic work, beauty and wellness services, logistics, e-commerce, and other app-based platforms. By switching off their apps simultaneously, workers aimed to draw attention to what they describe as increasing exploitation and lack of basic protections.

Women workers lead protests, flag safety concerns

The ongoing protests are being led largely by women gig and platform workers. The union highlighted that women face distinct challenges in app-based work, including safety risks, lack of dignity at the workplace, and weak legal protection.

GIPSWU alleged that workers often face arbitrary blocking of their IDs, opaque rating systems, unstable incomes, and frequent unilateral changes in work policies. Women workers who raise concerns over fair pay or working conditions are allegedly harassed, sometimes subjected to violence, and later penalised through ID deactivation, cutting off their livelihoods.

Key demands remain unresolved: union

Seema Singh, national president of GIPSWU, said the union has repeatedly approached the central government, but its core demands remain pending. We are asking for formal recognition of gig and platform workers under a separate central law, a ban on arbitrary ID blocking, transparent rating and work allocation systems, fair income rates, and strong grievance redressal mechanisms, including Internal Complaints Committees," she said.

Lack of clarity on government policy

The union also questioned recent government announcements related to platform work, pointing out that no formal written orders or clear policy frameworks have been issued so far.

Through the app switch-off and the planned nationwide protests, GIPSWU said workers aim to push both public discourse and government action on long-standing issues in the platform economy.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 10:33 IST

News business Gig Workers Go Offline Across India On Monday, Protests To Intensify On Feb 3

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IndiaEU Free Trade Deal: Experts Recommend These Stocks For Long-Term Investment

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 07:51 IST

Market experts believe export-oriented firms in textiles, gems and jewellery, auto components, pharmaceuticals, IT and defence stand to gain

PM Narendra Modi (C) embraces European Council President Antonio Costa (R) as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen looks on during the joint press statements after their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on January 27, 2026. (Image: AFP)

Stocks To Buy: India has concluded a landmark free trade agreement with the European Union  a pact Prime Minister Narendra Modi described as the mother of all deals"  setting off a rush among investors to pinpoint companies poised to benefit as tariffs fall and regulatory hurdles ease across the 27-nation bloc.

Textiles, pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals have emerged as early favourites, with several export-focused counters rallying up to 12% on Tuesday on hopes that lower duties and smoother approvals could unlock billions of dollars in incremental trade. Beyond these, opportunities are widening across shrimp exporters, auto component makers and jewellery players, as analysts assess what could be Indias most significant trade reset in years.

Emkay Global said the agreement signals a structural shift in Indias export landscape rather than a short-term trading trigger. While the IndiaEU deal is positive for sentiment, it added that progress on a USIndia trade pact, currency stability and a calmer global backdrop remain important. Sectorally, the brokerage sees textiles along with select pharma and chemical names as the key gainers.

The FTA is expected to provide a strong push to labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, marine products, gems and jewellery, handicrafts, engineering goods and automobiles, with tariffs of up to 10% on nearly $33 billion of exports likely to fall to zero.

Which stocks could benefit?

Market experts believe export-oriented firms in textiles, gems and jewellery, auto components, pharmaceuticals, IT and defence stand to gain the most from improved EU market access.

Ross Maxwell, Global Strategy Operations Lead at VT Markets, said the agreement could strengthen Indias trade competitiveness and improve investor confidence over the medium term. Lower tariffs and simplified regulations should help sectors such as pharma, textiles, auto components and IT services tap one of the worlds largest consumer markets more effectively, he noted.

Sugandha Sachdeva, Founder of SS WealthStreet, named Samvardhana Motherson International, Apex Frozen Foods, Infosys, TCS, Cipla, Privi Speciality Chemicals and PCBL among preferred plays. She said these companies are well placed to benefit from stronger export demand, improved pricing power and diversification beyond traditional markets like the US and Asia, with tariff rationalisation potentially supporting volumes and margins.

However, she cautioned that the deal could create near-term pressure for some domestic auto manufacturers as European vehicles become more competitive in India. Certain liquor companies could also face headwinds from increased competition from European wines after duty adjustments.

Mahesh M. Ojha, AVP  Research at KC Securities, said export-focused companies with meaningful EU exposure are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries of what he termed the mother of all deals," though he stressed that gains will play out over the long term.

He highlighted the following stocks as long-term beneficiaries of the IndiaEU trade pact:

Apex Frozen Foods (30%), Avanti Feeds (17.2%), Aequs (49.45%), Aeroflex Industries (23%), Rishabh Instruments (68.1%), AXISCADES Technologies (37%), Dynamatic Technologies (55.83%), RACL Geartech (58.09%), Bharat Forge (35%), Tata Motors (3540%), Precision Camshafts (23.14%), Sona BLW Precision Forgings (22%), Samvardhana Motherson International (31%), Endurance Technologies (23%), Anthem Biosciences (55%), Acutaas Chemicals (38.7%), Supriya Lifescience (41%), Rain Industries (40%), Hikal (28.5%), Marksans Pharma (39%), Indoco Remedies (49%), Divis Laboratories (33%), Gland Pharma (20%), Emcure Pharmaceuticals (20%), Aurobindo Pharma (29.7%), Solara Active Pharma Sciences (20.24%), Aimtron Electronics (23.61%), Blue Jet Healthcare (79%), M M Forgings (21.4%), PTC Industries (54.06%), KPR Mill (24.32%), PDS (71%), Trident (1820%), Gokaldas Exports (3035%), Welspun Living (2022%), Vardhman Textiles (2225%), TCS, HCL Technologies, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Cipla and Privi Speciality Chemicals.

Analysts broadly agree that while the agreement improves the structural outlook for exporters, the full benefits are likely to materialise gradually as tariff cuts, regulatory alignment and trade flows evolve over time.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 07:51 IST

News business markets IndiaEU Free Trade Deal: Experts Recommend These Stocks For Long-Term Investment

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Metro May Reach Doddaballapur Soon: Karnataka Govt Signals Expansion Plans

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 16:04 IST

The Karnataka government has informed the state Assembly that a proposal to extend the Bengaluru Metro network up to Doddaballapur is currently under consideration.

The plan prepared in 2020 does not include this extension, but the citys transport needs have evolved since then. Image: AI generated

Public transport planning for Bengaluru continues to evolve as the state government reviews proposals aimed at improving connectivity to the citys expanding outskirts. One such proposal, concerning an extension of the Metro network towards Doddaballapur, was discussed in the state Assembly as part of broader conversations on future mobility needs.

The Karnataka government has informed the state Assembly that a proposal to extend the Bengaluru Metro network up to Doddaballapur is currently under consideration. While no final decision has been taken yet, the government said the demand would be examined as part of a broader review of the citys long-term mobility plans.

The issue was raised during Question Hour, highlighting growing calls for improved public transport connectivity in the rapidly developing northern parts of the Bengaluru metropolitan region.

Proposal Linked to Mobility Plan Revision

Responding in the Assembly on behalf of Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar, Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda said the proposal could be evaluated during the revision of Bengalurus Comprehensive Mobility Plan.

The proposal to extend Metro services up to Doddaballapur can be considered while revising the Comprehensive Mobility Plan. The plan prepared in 2020 does not include this extension, but the citys transport needs have evolved since then," Krishna Byregowda said.

He added that the government has already initiated the process of revising the mobility plan and that all new proposals would be examined by an expert committee once the revised document is ready.

After the revision, the proposal will be placed before the Comprehensive Mobility Plan expert committee for detailed examination," the minister said.

Earlier Proposal Did Not Make Final Cut

The demand for Metro connectivity to Doddaballapur is not new. Legislators from the region have been pressing for the extension for several years, citing increasing population and industrial activity.

In fact, an earlier draft of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan had proposed a Metro corridor from Yelahanka to Doddaballapur via Rajanukunte, covering a distance of around 26 km. However, that proposal was dropped and did not figure in the final approved plan.

During the Assembly discussion, Doddaballapur MLA Dheeraj Muniraju reiterated the need for reviving the proposal, pointing out the scale of development taking place in and around the town.

According to the MLA, Doddaballapur has seen significant industrial and residential growth in recent years. The announcement of the KWIN City project, spread over about 5,400 acres, along with the presence of large companies such as Foxconn, has led to a sharp rise in employment and population in the region.

It is estimated that nearly 45,000 workers are currently employed in and around the area. This has triggered a surge in housing demand, with builders developing new residential layouts, further increasing the need for reliable mass transit connectivity.

Metro Expansion Elsewhere Continues

In his reply, Krishna Byregowda also outlined the status of ongoing and upcoming Metro projects. Metro Lines 2A and 2B, which will connect the city to Kempegowda International Airport, are currently under construction and are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

He noted that Metro Phase 3 and Phase 3A have already received approval and include several new corridors and extensions. However, the proposed Doddaballapur extension does not currently form part of these phases.

The governments response makes it clear that any decision on extending the Metro to Doddaballapur will depend on the outcome of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan revision and the recommendations of the expert committee.

For residents and commuters in north Bengaluru and surrounding towns, the revision process will be closely watched, as it will determine whether Doddaballapur finally finds a place on Bengalurus expanding Metro map.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 16:04 IST

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Techie Husband Installs Malware, Tracks Estranged Wife For 6 Months In Bengaluru

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:39 IST

Investigation suggests that the husband had been monitoring the womans phone for 6 months. He allegedly tracked her movements in real time and kept tabs on her communications.

Police believe the malware was installed without the womans knowledge and remained active on her phone for an extended period. Image: Canva

Cybercrime cases in Bengaluru often begin with a feeling rather than proof. A message arrives too quickly. A location is known too precisely. A private conversation is referenced without ever being shared.

In one such case now under investigation, that uneasy pattern led a woman to uncover months of digital surveillance carried out by someone she once trusted the most.

The case was registered at the Central Bengaluru CEN Crime Police Station following a complaint by a woman who is currently living separately from her husband due to marital disputes. The couple is also involved in an ongoing divorce petition.

Over time, the woman began noticing that her estranged husband appeared to know details about her daily movements, phone calls, and even private conversations that she had never disclosed to him.

According to the complaint, the repeated coincidences became difficult to ignore. The husband allegedly showed up at places she visited and referred to conversations she had only held on her phone. This raised serious concerns about how he was accessing such information.

Malware Found on the Phone

Suspicious that her mobile phone had been compromised, the woman got her device examined by technical experts. The inspection revealed that spyware or malware had been installed on the phone.

Investigators said the software allowed remote access to the device, enabling the accused to monitor calls, messages, location data, photo galleries, and even activate the phones camera and microphone.

Police believe the malware was installed without the womans knowledge and remained active on her phone for an extended period.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the husband had been monitoring the womans phone for nearly six months. During this period, he allegedly tracked her movements in real time and kept tabs on her communications.

Police said the information gathered through the spyware was allegedly used to harass the woman and exert psychological pressure. In some instances, the husband reportedly confronted her with details that could only have come from direct access to her phone.

Police Action and Charges

Based on the complaint and technical findings, the Central Bengaluru CEN Crime Police registered a case against the husband. He has been booked under provisions of the Information Technology Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to stalking, unauthorised access to electronic devices, and violation of privacy.

Investigators are now examining how the accused gained access to the phone to install the malware. Police are also probing whether any third-party technical assistance was involved and if similar software has been used in other cases linked to domestic disputes.

A Growing Concern in Domestic Cases

Police officials said the case reflects a rising trend of stalker ware being misused in personal relationships, particularly during marital conflicts. Such software, often disguised as harmless apps, can run silently in the background, making detection difficult for regular users.

Authorities noted that many victims remain unaware of surveillance until patterns become too obvious to ignore.

Following the case, police issued an advisory urging citizens to take digital privacy seriously. They advised people not to leave phones unattended with individuals they do not fully trust, to regularly review installed applications, and to avoid clicking on suspicious links. Using strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication were also recommended.

As the investigation continues, the case serves as a reminder that privacy violations today are not always visible, and digital abuse can be as intrusive as physical stalking.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 15:39 IST

News cities bengaluru-news Techie Husband Installs Malware, Tracks Estranged Wife For 6 Months In Bengaluru

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From Reviving Sanskrit Arts To Building Free Libraries, These 8 Padma Awardees From Karnataka Prove Nation-Building Happens Beyond Fame

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 18:59 IST

In 2026, eight recipients from Karnataka stand out not for celebrity or visibility, but for lifetimes spent shaping society from the margins, classrooms, hospitals, cultural spaces

Announced each year on the eve of Republic Day and presented in March or April, the Padma awards mark the countrys highest civilian honours.

On Republic Day, while the spotlight usually falls on headline-makers, the Padma Awards have always had a quieter, more enduring purpose, to honour those who build change patiently, often without recognition. Announced each year on the eve of Republic Day and presented in March or April, the awards mark the countrys highest civilian honours.

This year, eight recipients from Karnataka stand out not for celebrity or visibility, but for lifetimes spent shaping society from the margins, classrooms, laboratories, hospitals and cultural spaces. Their stories unfold slowly, rooted in service rather than spectacle, and together they offer a reminder of what national achievement can look like when it is measured in lives touched rather than applause earned.

What sets this list apart is that all eight honourees are known for their work behind the scenes, dedicated to public service rather than celebrity. One recipient has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, while seven others have received the Padma Shri.

Here is a closer look at each of the awardees and their contributions.

Shatavadhani R Ganesh, Padma Bhushan (Art)

Shatavadhani R Ganesh has been conferred the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to the arts, particularly for reviving the ancient Sanskrit art forms of Ashtavadhana and Shatavadhana. A renowned polyglot, Ganesh has played a key role in bringing these nearly lost performance traditions back to life. He has performed more than a thousand Shatavadhana and Ashtavadhana programmes across India, making complex classical forms accessible to modern audiences.

Ankegowda M, Padma Shri (Social Work)

Ankegowda M has been honoured for his extraordinary efforts to promote reading and literature among marginalised communities. A former bus conductor and sugar factory worker, Ankegowda founded Pustaka Mane, a free public library, in Harahalli village of Pandavapura taluk in Mandya district. Born into a poor farming family, he developed a love for books early in life and began collecting them at the age of 20. Over the years, he sold his house and invested his earnings to build a collection of over two million books in 22 languages. Known as the Ankegowda Knowledge Foundation, the library is open to all and has earned a place in the Limca Book of Records.

Dr S G Susheelamma, Padma Shri (Social Work)

Dr S G Susheelamma, founder-president of Sumangali Sevashram in Bengaluru, has been recognised for decades of service to vulnerable sections of society. Often referred to as the Mother Teresa of Karnataka, she started Sumangali Sevashram in 1975 with just Rs 15 and three orphaned children. Born on May 24, 1939, she built the organisation into a comprehensive support system for orphans, women in distress, the elderly and economically weaker sections. Premananda Childrens Cottage, part of the initiative, provides free food, shelter, education and recreation to around 100 children.

Dr Suresh Hanagavadi, Padma Shri (Medicine)

Dr Suresh Hanagavadi has been honoured for his contribution to medicine and social work, particularly for founding the Karnataka Hemophilia Society. A professor of pathology at JJM Medical College, Davanagere, Dr Hanagavadi himself lives with severe haemophilia, a condition he has had since childhood. Despite the challenges, he pursued higher education and became a leading advocate for haemophilia patients. He established Karnatakas first haemophilia treatment centre, enabling thousands of patients to access free or low-cost care. His life and work have made him a role model for persons with disabilities.

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Padma Shri (Literature and Education)

Author, columnist and co-founder of AI4India.org, Shashi Shekhar Vempati has received the Padma Shri for his role in modernising Indias public broadcasting ecosystem. He played a significant role in bringing Doordarshan and Akashvani into the digital space, expanding their reach and relevance in the digital age. His work bridges technology, governance and public communication.

Prabhakar Basavaprabhu Kore, Padma Shri (Literature and Education)

Prabhakar Basavaprabhu Kore has been recognised for his contribution to education as the chairman of the Karnataka Lingayat Education Society in Belagavi. Under his leadership, the KLE Society has grown into a vast network of over 300 educational institutions, shaping generations of students across Karnataka and beyond.

Shubha Venkatesha Iyengar, Padma Shri (Science and Engineering)

Shubha Venkatesha Iyengar of the National Aerospace Laboratories has been awarded for her work in science and engineering. She led the development of the indigenous Drishti aviation weather system and advanced infrared detectors. These systems are currently installed at more than 100 locations across India, significantly strengthening the countrys aviation safety and weather monitoring capabilities.

T T Jagannathan, Padma Shri (Posthumous, Trade and Industry)

The late T T Jagannathan, former head of the TTK Prestige Group, has been honoured posthumously for his contribution to trade and industry. He pioneered the GRS safety mechanism for pressure cookers, a crucial innovation that prevents excessive pressure build-up. Under his leadership, TTK Prestige also emerged as a major exporter of pressure cookers, strengthening Indias presence in global markets.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 18:59 IST

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Six-Year-Old Gang-Raped By Three Boys, Aged 10-14, In Delhi's Bhajanpura

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 07:46 IST

A six-year-old girl was gang-raped by three boys in Bhajanpura, northeast Delhi. Two accused are arrested, one is missing.

Representative image (PTI photo)

A six-year-old girl was brutally gang-raped by three boys, aged 10, 13, and 14, in northeast Delhis Bhajanpura area on January 18, police said on Tuesday, as reported by Hindustan Times.

According to the officials, two of the accused have been arrested while the third and his family are missing. Meanwhile, the victim, who lives with her parents and three siblings, is now stable.

The incident took place at around 7 P.M. on January 18. When the child returned home, she was bleeding heavily. She was bleeding heavily. She fell unconscious. I poured water on her face and woke her up. When I asked her what happened, she said that she fell. Meanwhile, our next-door neighbour  a 13-year-old boy  came running behind her and echoed her story," said the mother, as quoted by the outlet.

After persistent questioning, the girl revealed that the 13-year-old neighbour and two other boys had assaulted her after luring her with an offer of food. All the accused were known to the family.

The girl had stepped out with her father shortly before the incident. He had dropped her at the entrance of their lane after buying her candy. The three accused caught her there and offered her chowmein.

The boys caught her there and lured her by offering to feed her chowmein. They then took her to a nearby empty two-story building where the assault occurred. The girl told us that her hands were tied and her mouth gagged", as quoted by HT.

After the assault, the accused threatened her to remain silent. The incident only came to light when the girl narrated the entire incident to her mother, following which, she approached the police.

Meanwhile, the victim was rushed to a hospital for treatment. A medical report accessed by the outlet revealed that the girl was unable to walk".

Investigators visited the site of the incident and collected forensic evidence. They reported having spotted blood at the site.

On January 19, the 10-year-old and 13-year-old were apprehended following the complaint. Meanwhile, the 14-year-old and his family are still on the run.

A further probe into the incident is underway.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 07:46 IST

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For the European Union to finally succeed in joining the big game of global geopolitical reconfiguration, it is essential that we, ordinary Europeans (lets not talk about leaders and the fragmented establishment for now), understand this game.

Its not easy, because of the ultra-ideologization of communication about specific events (social Europe vs. evil capitalism), the manipulation of the relevance of these events, and the brutal personalization of geopolitical decisions (pro/anti-Trump, even though the US is also at a turning point) prevent us from seeing, as if on an X-ray, the great certainties that are shaping the new world order.

Below we present seven certainties whose relativization/blurring prevents us, ordinary Europeans (i.e., those of us who vote), from understanding not only what is happening to us, but also what awaits us on the horizon of a decadethings that our leaders avoid telling us bluntly.

Seven things that will define our place in the world and the type of society we live inthat is, our personal livesin the coming decades:

1. World War III has begun, and its stake is the reconfiguration of the world after a 25-year hiatus following the end of the Cold War.

We are in the midst of a world war, with specific economic and military effects (including military threats, which are a form of military warfare).

This time, the war is somewhat hotter than the previous one, and our hope may be that the war will cool down once the spheres of influence become clearer.

Several events show us the outbreak of this war, in a situation that was preparedjust as it was prepared for WWI and WWII:

 Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014

 Chinas formation of artificial islands to gain military control in South China Sea

 Russias relocation of a floating nuclear power plant to the Arctic

 Chinas economic colonization of Europe and the US, as well as its economic conquest of half of Africa.

 The careful construction of the Wests economic dependence on rare earths processed by China.

 The completion of the Russia-China-Iran strategic alliance  the so-called revisionist triangle  whose stated goal is to dismantle the Western social system.

2. WW III begins with the US returning towards itself, given that it will be the Western power, in a strategic equation fundamentally different from that of the Cold War.

Given that the Cold War is over, and that in the 25 years since then the major powers have had the necessary time to reorganize internally and establish a strategy for future warfare, the US is returning to the situation that existed before WW II.

Lets face it, the US only took care of Europe during the Cold War, it had a lot to invest in security here so as not to wake up with the USSR at the Atlantic  and now, when China is taking over economically, technologically and militarily, the US is returning to its old position towards Europe.

In WWI the US only entered the war towards the end, scared that European countries would not be able to pay their war debts if they lost the war, and in WWII, they only entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor and only after Germany declared war on them.

We, ordinary Europeans, must understand that, after 80 years, the defense of Europe is returning to the status of European affairs.

3. The world will not be multipolar, but still bi-polar: only the US and China are sufficiently advanced in the equation of economic power  military power  technological power  civilizational vocation so that it will be anything other than a one-on-one confrontation, possibly  as in medieval tournaments, each with their squires.

The US will have its allies/partners (please note that we are not saying dependents, but partners  and the EU is such an ally. Some Middle Eastern states are also allies/partners (see Saudi Arabia most recently).

 China will have its allies and partners (with North Korea joining Russia and Iran).

 The other major economic powers that emerged after the Cold War (India, Brazil, etc.) will remain neutral.

 This is precisely why the US is dismantling the regime in Iran.

 This is precisely why the high stakes in the US-Russia-Ukraine negotiations are, in fact, not Ukraine, but the shift of the fault line between the West and Russian-Chinese Asia further to the east: from Poland-Ukraine-Romania-Turkey-Greece to the new fault line Ukraine-Black Sea-Turkey-Caspian Sea area-Central Asia.

4. The US-EU relationship has slipped, in this WW III, into an area of chronic mutual distrustlegitimate on both sides

The US cannot count on the EU because there is no unified decision-making within the EU, and Russia and China are waging a veritable war of division between the 27 states (all having right to veto!) through specific agreements and investments.

We can give (just) a few examples to set the context:

 China and Russia having been declared systemic adversaries, the EU continues to make China a strategic trading partner, and with Russia  after breaking its energy dependence since the invasion of Ukraine  it is expected to resume ties in energy and resource trade.

 Germany has always had a special relationship with Russia  Angela Merkel built the Nord Stream II pipeline with Putins Russia in the midst of negotiations in the Minsk format for the territorial integrity of Ukraine; France, through the voice of Emmanuel Macron, saw a Europe from Vladivostok to Lisbon.

 True leaders, especially those of the major powers, look at things not in terms of an electoral cycle, but in terms of decades: the US talked yesterday with Merkel, today with Macron and Merz  but they will also have to talk with a Germany that could, at some point, be led by the AfD and Le Pens party: to what extent will the US be able to rely on the conglomerate of 27 states, where any Victor Orban could block or support crucial decisions?

On the other hand:

 To what extent will the EU be able to rely on the US, as long as the American policy in this WW III is barricaded in the Western hemisphere to ensure that it does not depend on the political unpredictability of Europe?

To what extent will the EU be able to rely economically on the US, given that it lags far behind the Americans in terms of technology, who can turn us into commercial vassals without us being able to respond with similar force?

 In their assault on the resources essential to new technologiescritical raw materialsto compensate for the advantage that China has carved out for itself in Africa in recent decades, the US will consider the EU a competitor, and Europe will always be kept as far away as possible from the negotiating table for such resources.

5. After 80 years, the US is returning to its own problems. The world has changed so much in the last 25 years, and looks so different from the European paradigm of understanding it, that the US has other priorities for entering the new world order.

From a security perspective, new hot spots have emerged on the world map, all targeting the position and status of the US in the coming decades. These sensitive points are:

 The Indo-Pacific (where China, Russia, and North Korea have their nuclear warheads pointed at it, and where China has created artificial islands to reconfigure the landmass in the South China Sea).

 Then South and Central America  with the Panama Canal full of Chinese investments. This is the area where both Russia and China have infiltrated the economies, becoming active (geo)political players.

 The Arctic  an area that also concerns Europe  strategically revalued by both Russia and China and already prepared as a battlefield to exert power across the Atlantic.

As for the economic aspect, the US is preparing to reduce its dependence on anyone:

 are taking measures to bring production back home.

 have to restore macroeconomic balances  from the current account deficit to the trade deficit.

 have to ensure measures to increase technological momentum where they have to maintain the lead, in the face of a China that is pursuing statist policies at home and dumping policies abroad.

Very importantly, things that matter a lot to us, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe:

 the US will NOT leave Europe: it is very important for them to be able to militarily control the vertical fault line between the West and the Asian axis of Russia-China-Iran.

What we need to understand is that the protection of this fault line will be reserved for us, Europeans  with two major military powers, Poland (up north  in the making) and Turkey, down south, towards the Middle East and the gateway to Central Asia.

The negotiations in recent months have not necessarily focused on the situation in Ukraine, but rather on shifting the geopolitical fault line from its current alignmentPoland, Ukraine, Romania, Turkey, Greeceto one that is more advanced toward Asia: Ukrainethe Black Seathe Caspian regionTurkeyCentral Asia.

6. Global institutions are outdated and no longer function except formally.

From the UN to sectoral institutions, global institutions are anachronistic because they were conceived and created based on fundamentally different realities, and a few examples help us understand to what extent we can still rely on them as we did 30-50 years ago.

 The UN  created at a time when China simply did not exist economically and militarily  in fact, tens of millions of people were to die of starvation during Maos reforms. In addition, the geopolitical blocs were clear, the sides were known, and decisions were of global importance. Today, one UN state invades another UN state, a resolution is voted and no one pays attention to it, and then everyone rushes to the buffet and to the airport.

 The World Trade Organization (WTO): those who follow the rules are at a devastating disadvantage in the face of Chinese dumping.

In his report at the end of 2024, Draghi writes that when China first violated WTO rules 20 years ago, no one said anything: back then, it was very comfortable to do business with China. Today, all the major economies are looking for loopholes to break the rulesand the WTO has become a strictly formal institution.

Or the World Health Organization (WHO): when, three years ago, President Biden asked the WHO to go to China and check where the Covid virus came from, the Chinese simply did not give them access  so the WHO returned with the answer given publicly by China: The Wuhan virus has nothing to do with the mega-virology lab in Wuhan, but with a bat that came from 2,000 km away.

And when the WHO fails to investigate a real pandemic cataclysm, the institution is outdated and needs to be reformed, not funded and taken seriously. Or another one needs to be created.

 and many other global institutions, infiltrated either by ideological currents, social system approaches, or powers subservient to one global player or another: what is certain is that the technocracy of these institutions has fallen to last place in their functioningthey have crossed the red lines of geopolitical interference to the point of becoming useless, costly, and inefficient.

7. The European nations we live in and what we need to do

The tangible certainties and concrete events and decisions presented above create a certainty for us, ordinary Europeans (those who vote):

 If we do not find, in the next decade, solutions for a more profound integration of EU states, if we do not become a federation and speak and act with one voice, it will only be a matter of another decade before we are annexed economically and, ultimately, socially, by one of these great powers.

 And if we do not find, in the coming years, the virus that is holding us back and clouding our lucidity, trapping us in a lukewarm attitude and dependent on a great power (the US was for 80 years, but Russia also indulged in our dependence on its resources, China is already here and is teaching us from the middle of Europe how to interpret our own anti-dumping laws, and in 20 years India will be here too)  we will consolidate our status as a second-rate power.

The twilight of the European welfare state

We, ordinary Europeans, still live in the midst of the illusion  heavily promoted in the 1990s by the global left  that we have witnessed the end of history and that the world will settle on liberal market capitalism, a place where we will meet as if at a market, exchange products and then withdraw, then, over a beer, we would drink to mark the settlement.

False: we are in the midst of an illusion that is quite well maintained by our European leaders  but this theory is a diversion, an ideological gargle. Where have we ended up if, in the midst of WW III, we are governed by (literally!) anti-governmental principles? A huge NGO  a continent ruled by Greta Thumbergs green visions, at a time when the biggest polluter, China, is destroying our industries and jobs by delivering tens and hundreds of millions of cars green ones (because thats what we wanted, right?).

Our big problem, however, is the day to day life, where we have moved away from the principles of liberal market capitalism (the autonomous, responsible individual who expects nothing for free and for whom the state/system is a competitor, not a provider) and have slipped towards the welfare state.

It remains to be seen how long we will be able to sustain itagainst the backdrop of the need to increase defense budgets, with an aging population and a grossly inadequate pension system, and with economies where overregulation levels the playing field for companies with the potential to be major global players and keeps them captive in the European small and medium vision.

Of course, the European welfare state is perhaps the most beautiful model of state in the world (as the Vice-President of the European Commission, a socialist, Mr. Sejourne, told me last year in an interview for CDG). Perhaps, indeed, in a paradise of social systems, the European welfare state would be the most beautiful, radiant, cool etc.

But this is not paradise, and until the Last Judgment, we may still have some suffering to deal withespecially since we, the satiated and capricious, are not happy with our good fortune once every few decades.

PS:

In the above equation, alongside the US, EU, China, Russia, India, etc., one character is missing: Artificial Intelligence. Despite appearances, even the two mega-players, the US and China, do not know how Artificial Intelligence will play. And that makes them even more belligerent.

***


Son Of Government Official, 16, Rams BMW Into Scooter Over Past Fallout, Arrested

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News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 08:11 IST

A 16-year-old boy in Nashik drove a BMW into his teen friends' scooter on Gangapur Road, causing serious injuries.

Representative image (File/PTI)

A 16-year-old boy driving a BMW car hit a scooter from the rear, leaving its two occupants seriously injured in Maharashtras Nashik, said the police on Tuesday, as reported by PTI.

The incident occurred in the Gangapur Road area of the city on Saturday, January 24, as a result of the past fallout between the trio. The underage car driver fled the scene after the incident, but was tracked down on the basis of CCTV footage, said the police.

He has been arrested and booked for attempted murder and reckless driving under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act. Citing preliminary reports, the police said that the accused is the son of a government official.

The injured scooter riders are his friends, both of them in their teens. According to a complaint lodged by one of them, he and his friend were passing through the Gangapur Road area when the 16-year-old accused chased them in his BMW, later crashing into their two-wheeler with the motive to kill them, PTI reported.

The duo sustained serious injuries in the incident and were rushed to a nearby hospital by locals. Based on CCTV footage gathered from the area, the police initiated a search and apprehended the accused teen.

On January 26, he was produced before a juvenile court and sent to a remand home, as per the report by the outlet.

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Location : Nashik, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 08:11 IST

News cities Son Of Government Official, 16, Rams BMW Into Scooter Over Past Fallout, Arrested

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Allahabad HC Dismisses PIL Against NEET PG 2025 Cut-Off Reduction For Reserved Categories

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 11:38 IST

The Allahabad High Court dismissed a PIL challenging NBEMS decision to allow NEET-PG 2025 counselling for SC, ST and OBC candidates with minus 40 marks.

Allahabad High Court dismissed a PIL against the reduced NEET-PG 2025 cut-off for SC, ST and OBC candidates.

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the decision of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to allow counselling for SC, ST and OBC candidates who scored minus 40 marks out of 800 in the NEET-PG 2025 examination.

A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra rejected the petition filed by advocate Abhinav Gaur. While dismissing the plea, the court noted that the Delhi High Court had earlier rejected a similar PIL, observing that the issue fell within the domain of policy and was not open to judicial interference. The bench also took note of the fact that another petition on the same issue is pending before the Supreme Court.

The petitioner had argued that the NBEMS decision was unconstitutional and violated Article 16 of the Constitution, which guarantees equal opportunity in matters of public employment. The plea challenged the decision to substantially reduce the cut-off marks for NEET-PG 2025, contending that such a move would dilute the merit-based selection process.

It was further argued that permitting candidates who failed to meet the minimum qualifying standards to participate in counselling would infringe upon the right to health and life under Article 21 of the Constitution, as it could affect the quality of medical professionals entering the system.

ALSO READ: RRB NTPC Graduate Level Exam 2025 Rescheduled; December 30 Exam To Be Held On Feb 11

Meanwhile, NEET PG 2025 counselling for Round 3 is currently underway. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is scheduled to announce the Round 3 seat allotment result on January 29, 2026. The results will be released online in PDF format and will be available for download on the official MCC website.

The registration process for Round 3 counselling closed earlier on January 29, while the revised seat matrix was published on January 23, 2026. Candidates have been advised to keep checking the official website for further updates related to the counselling process.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 11:38 IST

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CBSE Class 10 Maths Exam: What To Revise Before The Exam And Common Mistakes To Avoid

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 12:52 IST

As the Class 10 Maths board exam nears, the focus should shift to smart revision, NCERT-based practice and avoiding common mistakes that often cost students crucial marks.

Smart revision and careful execution can help Class 10 students avoid common mistakes in the Maths board exam.

By Shweta Choudhary, Gautam Thakral & Sahil Rawal

Every year, when the Class 10 Mathematics paper ends, students walk out with the same mixed feeling: relief, followed closely by doubt. The paper wasnt hard," many say. But it was tricky." That word, tricky, is revealing. In Mathematics, marks are rarely lost because students do not know the syllabus. They are lost because students misjudge how CBSE frames familiar ideas and how carefully they execute what they already know.

As the 2026 board examination approaches, the focus must therefore shift from the quantity of revision to the quality of recall and the precision of method.

Which Chapters Actually Decide Scores

Although the syllabus is uniform, all chapters do not contribute equally to the final score. Over the years, certain units have consistently formed the backbone of the paper: Polynomials, Quadratic Equations, Arithmetic Progressions, Triangles, Circles, Trigonometry, Coordinate Geometry and Statistics. These chapters test not only conceptual understanding but also the ability to sustain logical steps without losing accuracy.

For instance, in Polynomials, students know the relationship between zeroes and coefficients, yet marks are lost through hurried substitution. In Arithmetic Progressions, confusion between the nth term and the sum of n terms leads to incorrect formula selection. In Trigonometry, identities are memorised, but proofs fail because students begin from both sides instead of logically transforming expressions. This small misconception repeatedly costs method marks.

The Only Books That Truly Matter

Despite the wide range of reference material available, CBSE continues to anchor its questions firmly in the NCERT textbooks, the NCERT Exemplar, and the official CBSE Competency-Based Question Bank and Sample Papers. NCERT examples define the language and presentation of solutions, while Exemplar problems set the depth of reasoning and application.

The CBSE question bank and sample papers reflect how concepts are now tested through case-study, assertionreason and multi-step competency-based questions. Many board questions are structured adaptations of these resources, not in wording but in thinking pattern.

In the final phase of preparation, solving full-length sample papers becomes essential. Attempting at least 8 to 10 timed papers helps students build speed, accuracy and exam stamina, while also training them to manage time and maintain clarity of method under pressure.

Formulas Students Know But Misuse Under Pressure

In the examination hall, students seldom forget formulas. The real difficulty lies in selecting and applying the correct one under stress. In Quadratic Equations, the discriminant is often ignored when students are asked about the nature of roots. In Coordinate Geometry, the distance or section formula is written correctly, but sign errors occur during substitution. In Statistics, many students assume the mean formula applies in all situations, overlooking cases that clearly demand the median or mode, especially when missing frequencies are involved.

What strengthens recall here is not rote learning, but pattern recognition, the ability to quickly identify which type of question calls for which method.

What CBSE Repeats Subtly

CBSE rarely repeats questions verbatim. It repeats structures: word problems in Algebra, proof-based reasoning in Triangles, tangent properties in Circles, mixed-concept tables in Statistics, and application-based problems in Heights and Distances. Students who recognise these familiar frameworks approach the paper with greater composure and better time control.

What To Revise In The Last 24 Hours

The final day should be used for consolidation, not exploration. This is the time to revise key formulas and identities, standard theorems and proofs, construction steps, and one solved example of each major question type. Personal error patterns from previous tests should be revisited, along with diagrams, sign conventions, units and the expected presentation style.

New shortcuts and fresh question banks should be avoided, as they increase anxiety and disrupt recall.

During The Examination

One of the costliest habits is abandoning a question too early. CBSEs marking scheme rewards method. Even partial progress, such as writing the given data, drawing a labelled figure or stating a relevant formula, can earn credit. A calm, step-wise approach often secures more marks than hurried completion.

Where Marks Are Commonly Lost

Across evaluated answer scripts, marks are most often lost due to skipped reasoning steps, incorrect substitution of values and failure to state results clearly. In Geometry, missing reasons in proofs or inaccurately drawn figures weaken otherwise correct solutions. In Algebra, confusion between similar formulas, such as a and S in Arithmetic Progressions, or neglecting the discriminant in Quadratic Equations, leads to loss of method marks. These are not conceptual gaps, but lapses in sequence, clarity and verification.

The Human Side Of Preparation

No amount of practice can compensate for a tired or anxious mind. Adequate sleep of seven to eight hours is essential for concentration and memory. Preparation should follow a realistic timetable, with NCERT as the core text, supported by regular revision, short notes and formula sheets. Solving previous years papers, including compartment papers, sharpens familiarity with question patterns and common traps. Writing full solutions within time limits improves both speed and presentation.

Most importantly, students must remain calm, avoid unhealthy comparison and trust their preparation. Mathematics in the board examination is not a test of speed; it is a test of steadiness.

A Final Thought

The Class 10 Mathematics paper does not reward clever shortcuts. It rewards clarity of thought, consistency of method and control under pressure. Students who slow down, organise their work carefully and present their reasoning step by step often score higher than those who rush. In the final stretch, confidence built on sound preparation and composed execution becomes the true differentiator.

(The authors are Math Educators at Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad. The views expressed above are personal and solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of News18.)

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 12:52 IST

News education-career CBSE Class 10 Maths Exam: What To Revise Before The Exam And Common Mistakes To Avoid

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IPU Admission Brochure 2026-27 Out: 24 New Courses Introduced, Applications Open Feb 2

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 20:27 IST

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood has stated that IP University will launch approximately 24 new academic programmes and affiliate nine institutions this academic year.

Candidates can visit the IP University admission portal at ipu.ac.in to check the information brochure. (AI Generated Image)

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) has released three admission brochures for UG, PG, and PhD courses for the 2026-27 academic session. Interested candidates can apply for admission to undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programmes at over 130 affiliated colleges and university schools. Lets explore the details, including fees, courses, seats, and application deadlines.

The online application process for GGSIPU will begin on February 2. At the release of the admission booklet, Delhis Education Minister Ashish Sood and the universitys Vice Chancellor Professor Mahesh Verma announced that the university offers over 43,000 seats in more than 130 affiliated institutions. Over 230 academic programmes are available in fields such as AI, robotics, data science, law, medicine, and design.

Dr Verma mentioned that this year, the university is introducing several new courses, including Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS), Lateral Entry in B.Sc. (Packaging Technology), M.Tech. (Robotics and Artificial Intelligence), M.A. Mass Communication (Weekend Programme), additional weekend programmes in selected subjects, Bachelor of Physiotherapy (University School of Studies), B.Tech. Industrial Chemistry, B.Sc. Clinical Psychology, B.Tech. Computer Science Engineering (Artificial Intelligence and Data Science), B.Tech. (Computer Science and Business Systems), Teacher Education and Inclusive Education, and B.A. B.Ed. (Special and Inclusive Education  ISITEP) with several specialisations:

 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

 Hearing Impairment (HI)

 Intellectual Disability (ID)

 Learning Disability (LD)

 Multiple Disability (MD)

 Visual Impairment (VI)

Nine new institutes have been affiliated with the university this year. Three programmes are already offered from the Narela campus, with several new programmes planned for the new campus.

Admissions Process And Fees

The application fee, as last year, is a one-time fee of Rs 2500, covering both registration and counselling.

Admissions will be conducted through the CET and national-level exams such as JEE Main, NEET, CAT, CMAT, NIMSET, CLAT, and more. Vacant seats for some undergraduate and postgraduate programs will be filled through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET). The university has also decided to use CUET scores to fill remaining seats in the B.Tech programme.

Candidates are advised to carefully review the official admission brochure for detailed information. For more details and to apply, candidates can visit the IP University admission portal at ipu.ac.in.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 20:26 IST

News education-career IPU Admission Brochure 2026-27 Out: 24 New Courses Introduced, Applications Open Feb 2

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JEE Main 2026: What Is The Rank Required For Computer Science Branch In IITs, NITs And IIITs?

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:16 IST

JEE Main 2026: Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) is currently the most sought-after branch among B.Tech graduates, resulting in high ranks and cutoffs.

In 2025, the CSE cutoff (open category) at IIT Bombay was 66, while the closing rank at IIT Delhi was 126. (Representative/File Photo)

JEE Main 2026: The JEE Main and JEE Advanced exams grant admission to Indias top engineering colleges, including IITs, NITs, and IIITs. Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) is currently the most sought-after branch among B.Tech graduates, resulting in high ranks and cutoffs.

CSE represents technological thinking, ambition, innovation, and the future. This is why many engineering students in India view it as a top career choice. Each year, around 1.2 to 1.3 million students take the JEE Main exam. Of these, approximately 2.5 million qualify for JEE Advanced, and only about 40,000 secure spots in IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other central government-funded engineering colleges. Lets explore the required JEE ranks for admission to CSE courses at IITs, NITs, and IIITs.

Rank for CSE in IITs:

Admission to B.Tech programmes at IITs requires clearing the JEE Main exam followed by the JEE Advanced exam. At top IITs like Bombay, Delhi, Madras, and Kanpur, the All India Rank (AIR) for CSE ranges between 300-500 and AIR-1. Admission to newer and less established IITs is possible with AIR 1000-2000. In 2025, the CSE cutoff (open category) at IIT Bombay was 66, while the closing rank at IIT Delhi was 126. At IIT Patna, the closing rank was 3377.

Cutoff Rank for CSE in NITs:

After the IITs, the NITs are among the best engineering colleges in the country, with top institutions including Trichy, Surathkal, and Warangal. The CSE cutoff at top NITs ranges from AIR 500 to 2000, while the cutoff at mid- and lower-level NITs ranges from 5000 to 15000.

Rank for CSE in IIITs:

Admission to the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) is also based on JEE Main rank. Many IIITs do not offer B.Tech in CSE, but IIIT Guwahati is an exception. Last year, its JEE Main cutoff was 22,739, while the IIIT Kota cutoff was 27,400.

The JEE Advanced 2026 will be held on May 17, 2026. The application process will remain open from April 23 to May 2, 2026. IIT Roorkee is responsible for conducting JEE Advanced 2026. Candidates set to appear for the exam can check the notice on the official website, jeeadv.ac.in. While the JEE Main session 1 exam concludes today, January 28.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 15:12 IST

News education-career JEE Main 2026: What Is The Rank Required For Computer Science Branch In IITs, NITs And IIITs?

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What Is The Ratio Of OBC, SC, ST Students In Indian Colleges? | Explained

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 18:09 IST

UGCs new rules spark anger nationwide, highlighting shifts in caste representation and a rise in discrimination complaints, with stricter responses required

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Under the new UGC guidelines, institutions are now required to convene an Equity Committee meeting within 24 hours of receiving a complaint.

Anger is mounting across the country over the University Grants Commissions (UGC) newly issued guidelines, with critics describing them as one-sided and alleging that they disproportionately target students and faculty from the General category. The debate has also revived questions around the actual social composition of universities and colleges, particularly the representation of different caste groups in higher education.

Official data on caste-wise enrolment in higher education comes from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the governments most comprehensive and authoritative dataset on the sector.

According to AISHE 202021, students from the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) account for 35.8% of total enrolment in higher education institutions, followed by Scheduled Castes (SCs) at 14.2% and Scheduled Tribes (STs) at 5.8%. Students categorised as General and Others constitute 44.2%. The General and Others category broadly includes upper castes, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and some residual groups.

A recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) indicates that the combined share of SC, ST and OBC students has now risen to 60.8% of total enrollments, while the share of the General category, including EWS, has declined to around 39%. This marks a significant shift, with reservation categories now forming the majority in Indias higher education system.

Such data, however, was unavailable in the 1970s and 1980s, when there was no nationwide survey tracking caste-wise participation in higher education. During that period, OBC reservations had not yet been implemented, and access to universities and colleges was dominated by upper-caste students. The Mandal Commission recommendations, implemented in the early 1990s under the VP Singh government, introduced 27% reservation for OBCs in education and employment. The impact of these policies began to reflect in enrolment figures by the mid and late 1990s.

Estimates from that period suggest that General category students constituted between 50-65% of higher education enrolments, while OBC representation ranged from 15-30%, SC students from 10-18% and ST students from 5-10%. A sharper rise in SC, ST and OBC enrolments was observed after 2000, accelerating further after 2010.

At present, reservation norms in central government-funded institutions provide 27% seats for OBCs, 15% for SCs, 7.5% for STs and 10% for EWS candidates, though the actual composition varies across institutions. Elite institutions such as IITs and IIMs continue to have a relatively higher share of General category students. Nevertheless, officials point out that as SC, ST and OBC communities form a larger proportion of the population, their representation in higher education has expanded over time.

Parallel to this shift, reports of caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions have also risen. A UGC report released in January 2026 recorded a 118.4% increase in complaints related to caste discrimination under the SC/ST Act over the past five years. Between 2019 and 2024, the UGC received 1,160 such complaints from universities and colleges across the country. While around 90.68% of the cases were resolved, the number of pending complaints rose sharply from 18 in 2019 to 108 in 2024.

These figures were submitted by Equal Opportunity Cells and SC/ST Cells operating in 704 universities and 1,553 colleges nationwide. The Supreme Court has also expressed concern over student suicides in recent years, identifying caste-based discrimination as a major stress factor contributing to mental distress on campuses.

Institutions such as Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University have dedicated SC/ST/OBC grievance cells and appointed liaison officers to handle complaints. In cases where faculty members or staff are found guilty, disciplinary action may include suspension or denial of promotion. In recent years, principals of several Delhi University colleges have been investigated under the SC/ST Act, with police registering FIRs following court directions.

States such as Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have reported a higher number of FIRs linked to educational institutions, while Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have set up dedicated Discrimination Monitoring Cells within their higher education departments, reporting directly to the Chief Ministers Office.

Under the new UGC guidelines, institutions are now required to convene an Equity Committee meeting within 24 hours of receiving a complaint. The committee must conduct a preliminary inquiry and submit its report to the Vice-Chancellor or Principal within 15 working days. Based on the findings, the head of the institution is mandated to initiate action against the guilty party within the following seven days.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 18:09 IST

News education-career What Is The Ratio Of OBC, SC, ST Students In Indian Colleges? | Explained

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'Alliance Culture Unacceptable': DMK Rejects Congress's Power-Sharing Pitch Amid Alliance Tensions

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:33 IST

The DMK has been upset with the Congress, first over Rahul Gandhis outreach to TVK's Vijay and then over the power-sharing pitch

Rapid Read

The verbal duel came as Kanimozhi was deputed to speak to Rahul Gandhi to iron out issues. (PTI)

Amidst a tussle within the DMK-Congress alliance, DMK sources indicate that the power-sharing demand being made by the Grand Old Party is unlikely to be accepted by the former.

The people of Tamil Nadu will not accept such an arrangement. It is not a question of what DMK leaders or cadre thinks. Alliance culture is unacceptable to Tamil Nadu," a DMK functionary said. He added that Congresss concerns can be taken care of at the grassroots organisational level. They can be accommodated in the corporations. There are around 40 corporations where seat sharing can be done," the DMK functionary said.

The new formula came days after Madurai MLA G Thalapathi lashed out at Congress MP Manickam Tagore and Jothimani. Speaking at a public rally, Thalapathi said DMK should ensure that tickets are denied to Virudhnagar MP Manickam Tagore and his Karur MP Jothimani in the next Lok Sabha polls. While they both have become MPs with the support of INDIA bloc, they were not bothered about anyone from the Congress becoming MLAs, and raking up the issue of share in power. The very existence of the INDIA bloc depended on leaders like MK Stalin, Mamata Banerjee, and Akhilesh Yadav," he said.

Tagore hit back, saying the Congress leadership in Tamil Nadu must take note of the kind of language being used by alliance partners. We dont use such language. They should be mindful," he told CNN-News18 on the sidelines of the all-party meeting.

The verbal duel came as Kanimozhi was deputed to speak to Rahul Gandhi to iron out issues. I am travelling to Delhi to attend Parliament and will meet Rahul Gandhi there," Kanimozhi told reporters in Chennai.

The DMK has been upset with the Congress, first over Rahul Gandhis outreach to TVKs Vijay and then over the power-sharing pitch. Senior party MPs, however, played down the rift. The alliance has been going strong for 22 years. It will remain so," a senior DMK MP, who did not wish to be named, told CNN-News18.

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Location : Chennai [Madras], India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 15:33 IST

News elections 'Alliance Culture Unacceptable': DMK Rejects Congress's Power-Sharing Pitch Amid Alliance Tensions

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The Vijay Gambit: Why Congress Is Eyeing A Tamil Superstar To Win Kerala

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 13:29 IST

Congress wants to come across as a party fighting for Vijay and hopes that the huge fan-based organisations in Kerala, which have a good ground presence, will lend it support too

Rapid Read

Vijay is one of the most watched and popular actors in the state, almost neck-and-neck with Mohanlal and Mammootty.

What does actor and TVK chief Vijay have to do with Kerala polls? Well, he is one of the most watched and popular actors in the state, almost neck-and-neck with Mohanlal and Mammootty. Vijay possesses a massive organised fan base. His movies usually achieve openings of over Rs 2 crore. Not just this, his fan base associations like Kerala Vijay Fan Club, All Kerala Thalapathy Vijay Fans and Welfare Association are super active, very aggressive, and deeply popular with young voters and women as well.

This is exactly what the Congress is eyeing in an effort to win the elections in Kerala.

It has been deeply embarrassing for the Grand Old Party that despite some of their top leaders coming from the state, Rahul Gandhi having been an MP from there, and the powerful general secretary KC Venugopal hailing from Kerala, the party has not been able to wrest power in the last 10 years. Its now a do-or-die battle for the Congress, which has replaced Rahul Gandhi by Priyanka Vadra as the MP from Wayanad. To add to it, Venugopal still calls the shots in the party and Shashi Tharoordespite his blow hot, blow cold relationship with the Congressremains a high-profile leader.

So, given this contest and the desperation to win, the Congress is pulling out all stops to ensure a win. Through Vijay, it hopes to cash in on his popularity in Kerala. Hence, Rahul Gandhis phone call to Vijay post the Karur stampede and a strong pitch for the release of his movie, Jana Nayagan. Sources in the Congress told News18: Kerala is do or die for us. We are aware that DMK may be unhappy with us pitching for Vijay, but for us as a party, Kerala is more important as this is where we will be the main player unlike in Tamil Nadu."

Its this feedback which was given to Rahul Gandhi when the party decided to bell the cat and back Vijay. It wants to come across as a party fighting for Vijay and hopes that the huge fan-based organisations in Kerala, which have a good ground presence, will lend it support too.

News18 has also learnt that the Kerala Congress cadre has been advised to work closelywherever possiblewith the fan base. A win with the Vijay factor at the cost of a miffed DMK is a price the Congress is willing to pay.

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Location : Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 13:29 IST

News elections The Vijay Gambit: Why Congress Is Eyeing A Tamil Superstar To Win Kerala

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Keir Starmer In China: What To Expect From The First Visit By A UK PM In Eight Years

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 09:57 IST

With relations strained since 2020, Starmers trip to China seeks to reset dialogue, address security concerns and reopen stalled economic and diplomatic channels.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer with President Xi Jinping of China. (Pool via REUTERS)

The United Kingdoms relationship with China has been defined by extreme swings over the past decade, shifting from the high-profile golden era" of warmth and investment promises to a period of intense suspicion driven by security fears, political divergences and economic disappointment.

Against this turbulent backdrop, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmers visit to China  the first by a British leader in eight years  marks a significant recalibration at a moment when both countries are trying to stabilise a complicated, mistrust-laden relationship. Starmer is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. Accompanying him is a delegation of around 60 British business and cultural leaders, including representatives from HSBC, GSK, Jaguar Land Rover and the National Theatre.

Beijing has described the visit as an opportunity to open a new chapter of health and stable development in UK-China relations," signalling its readiness to re-engage after years of stalled diplomacy.

Starmer arrives in China balancing competing imperatives. He wants to boost economic ties and revive communication channels weakened by years of political strain, yet he must not lose sight of the security concerns that have dominated Britains approach to China since 2020. His trip also comes amid a shifting global environment, where uncertainty in the United States under President Donald Trump has led several Western leaders to reassess their strategic calculations.

For the UK, the dilemma is whether it can pursue pragmatic ties with China without compromising national security or core political values.

Where Do Relations Stand Ahead Of The Visit?

Just a decade ago, London and Beijing celebrated what they openly called a golden era" of cooperation. The high point came in 2015 when thenprime minister David Cameron hosted Xi Jinping for a visit filled with symbolism, including a much-publicised drink together in a British pub. Britain hoped to position itself as Chinas preferred economic gateway to Europe, while Beijing saw the UK as a stable and lucrative partner inside the Western economic order.

The optimism did not last. Relations deteriorated sharply after Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 and launched a sweeping crackdown on pro-democracy activists in the former British colony. Human rights concerns, allegations of spying and cyber intrusion, and Chinas perceived support for Russias war in Ukraine further strained ties.

The decline in political trust coincided with weakening economic ties. UK exports to China fell 52.6 per cent year-on-year in 2025, according to British government statistics.

Security concerns were amplified by the Huawei controversy. For many years, the UK operated an unusual oversight arrangement known as The Cell," a Huawei-funded facility staffed by British cybersecurity experts with the highest levels of security clearance. Their task was to scrutinise Huaweis hardware and software for vulnerabilities. Despite this close monitoring, a parliamentary inquiry concluded in 2020 that there was clear evidence of collusion" between Huawei and the Chinese Communist Party apparatus." This finding accelerated the UKs decision to ban Huawei from its 5G networks and order the removal of installed equipment by next year.

Warnings from the British intelligence community added to the unease. Ken McCallum, the head of the domestic spy service MI5, said in October last year that Chinese state actors present a UK national security threat every day." A 2023 government review described China as an epoch-defining challenge," underlining how entrenched the security lens had become in British policy.

Against this backdrop, the challenge for Starmer is not simply to restart dialogue but to reposition a deeply frayed relationship without appearing to overlook its risks.

Why Is Starmer Visiting Now?

Keir Starmer has signalled since taking office that he wants to put relations with China on a firmer and more consistent footing. His government commissioned an audit of what it called Britains most complex bilateral relationship," but when the findings were finally presented, thenforeign secretary David Lammy told Parliament in June that much of the audit was conducted at a high classification and most of the detail is not disclosable without damaging our national interests." The lack of clarity left lawmakers unsure about the specific direction of the governments approach.

A tentative thaw began after Starmer held a private meeting with Xi Jinping in Brazil, where he said Britain would look to cooperate with China on issues such as climate change. However, his visit to Beijing was held up for months by a domestic dispute over Chinas plans to build a vast new embassy in London. The site drew opposition over fears it could be used for espionage or to pressure rights activists.

The plan was repeatedly stalled before being approved on Tuesday, with the UK government saying intelligence agencies had arrangements to manage any risks." The approval removed the final procedural obstacle and allowed Beijing to extend a formal invitation for Starmers visit.

Starmers engagement with China is also shaped by Britains uneasy relationship with the US under Trump. A series of disruptive moves, including Trumps attempt to seize Greenland and his brief threat of tariffs on the UK and other NATO allies, has unsettled Londons traditional assumptions about Washingtons reliability.

In an interview with Bloomberg News, Starmer said he would not be forced to choose" between relations with the United States or China and added that sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China wouldnt be sensible."

With Trump increasingly tearing apart the global order, China might not be an ally, but it is also not an enemy", Kerry Brown, director of the Lau China Institute at Kings College London, told AFP.

Beijing, too, has expressed optimism. Foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the visit is an opportunity to deepen practical cooperation with the UK," projecting confidence that ties can be stabilised.

What Does Beijing Want From The Visit?

China is eager to demonstrate that it can rebuild constructive ties with major Western economies. The visit follows a wave of diplomatic outreach to Beijing by other leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron in December and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier this month. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to visit in February.

Beijings messaging around Starmers visit suggests a desire to revive economic corridors, restart suspended dialogues and recast the UK as a partner willing to engage without ideological posturing.

British public sentiment is also shifting. A YouGov poll found that the share of Britons who view China as either a friend and ally" or a friendly rival" rose from 19 per cent in October to 27 per cent, indicating a tentative softening in attitudes.

Beijing now sees an opening to rebuild trust, not a return to the extravagance of the golden era," but a more grounded partnership based on selective cooperation.

Whats On The Table?

Starmer is accompanied by leading British industry executives aiming to revitalise the UKChina CEO Council. Created in 2018, the council brought together major business figures from both countries but had effectively gone dormant as relations deteriorated. Its revival is one of the clearest signals that London hopes to restore commercial channels even while acknowledging significant geopolitical risks.

Human rights will inevitably feature in the discussions. Starmer is expected to raise the case of Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media figure and British citizen convicted of collusion charges in December under the national security law.

Both sides are also likely to address broader global issues. Discussions on Ukraine will be significant, given that Beijings close economic relationship with Moscow has led to accusations that China is indirectly enabling Russias campaign. Areas such as climate cooperation and people-to-people exchanges may present opportunities for progress, though expectations remain limited.

Jinghan Zeng, an international relations scholar at City University of Hong Kong, described the visit as a move toward managed re-engagement rather than renewed strategic trust." He said that while advances could be made in climate change, trade and cultural exchanges, concrete outcomes will probably be modest."

What Can Britain Realistically Expect?

Starmers visit represents a symbolic but careful attempt to stabilise a relationship defined by mistrust, mixed expectations and conflicting pressures. The aim is not to revive the exuberant promises of the golden era" but to establish a structured, sustainable mode of engagement that acknowledges both opportunities and risks.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 09:46 IST

News explainers Keir Starmer In China: What To Expect From The First Visit By A UK PM In Eight Years

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Ajit Pawar And The Pawar Clan: Whos Who In Maharashtras Powerful Political Family

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 11:48 IST

Tracing the Pawar familys journey from its cooperative roots to its current political branches, and understanding where Ajit Pawar fit within the sprawling dynasty.

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in an air crash on Wednesday. (PTI)

Ajit Pawar Death: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Anantrao Pawar died on Wednesday after the chartered aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting an emergency landing near Baramati in Pune district.

Pawar, 66, was one of the most influential figures in state politics, having served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister and held key portfolios including Finance, Planning and Water Resources. His sudden death has sent shockwaves across the state and the nation.

Understanding the significance of this loss requires looking at the family he came from  one of Maharashtras most powerful political lineages, with deep roots in cooperatives, agriculture and local leadership.

The Roots: Govindrao And Shardabai Pawar

Ajit Pawar belonged to the extended Pawar clan of Baramati, whose public life began long before electoral politics. His grandparents, Govindrao and Shardabai Pawar, formed the first generation of the familys political and cooperative base.

Govindrao was active in the cooperative sector, while Shardabai worked extensively in rural community initiatives. In 1938, she was elected unopposed to the Pune local board, becoming one of the few women political figures in the district at the time. Their activism shaped the political instincts of their children.

Govindrao and Shardabai had eleven children  seven sons and four daughters  whose careers spanned law, agriculture, industry, real estate, media and politics. Together, they created the foundation on which later generations built their influence.

The Second Generation: Sharad Pawar And His Siblings

The Pawar siblings pursued varied careers but remained connected through cooperatives and public service. The eldest brother, Vasantrao, was a respected lawyer who was later killed in a land dispute. Dinkarrao, an agriculturist; Anantrao, Ajit Pawars father; and Madhavrao, an industrialist, are all deceased. Another brother, Suryakant, worked as an architect with real-estate interests.

Among the sisters, Sarla Jagtap and Saroj Patil married into families linked to Left-leaning movements and rural activism. Saroj was married to Narayan Dyandeo Patil, a prominent Peasants and Workers Party leader who shared a long, occasionally contentious political relationship with Sharad Pawar. Sharad is followed by his sister Meena Jagdhane, then by Pratap Pawar, who heads the Sakal media group, and finally the youngest sibling, Neela Sasane.

Despite their differences in professions, this generation remained largely cohesive. Their grounding in cooperatives shaped the emergence of the familys next generation of leaders.

Sharad Pawars Line

Sharad Pawar went on to become the most prominent figure in the family: four-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Union Minister and founder of the Nationalist Congress Party. His daughter, Supriya Sule, entered politics in 2009 and has been elected repeatedly to the Lok Sabha from Baramati. Her entry marked the beginning of generational shifts within the family.

Another important member of this branch is Rohit Pawar, Sharad Pawars grandnephew. Rohit is the grandson of Dinkarrao (Sharads elder brother) and the son of Rajendra Pawar, who is involved in agribusiness and wineries in Pune along with his brother Ranjit. Rohit won the 2019 Assembly election from KarjatJamkhed and is considered one of the most visible third-generation leaders of the clan.

His rise added another political centre within the extended family and intensified internal competition that had been building for years.

Ajit Pawars Line: From Protege To Independent Power Centre

Ajit Anantrao Pawar, born on 22 July 1959 in Deolali Pravara, was the son of Anantrao and Ashatai Pawar. His father was the elder brother of Sharad Pawar, making Ajit a direct nephew of the NCP founder. Ajit grew up watching his uncle rise in state and national politics, and his entry into public life was deeply shaped by this proximity.

His fathers work with filmmaker V. Shantaram at Rajkamal Studios exposed the family to urban professional circles even as they maintained their rural roots.

Ajit had two siblings: his brother Shrinivas, who worked in business and later differed politically with him, and his sister Vijaya Patil, who worked in media and passed away in 2017.

Ajits political journey began in 1982 when he entered grassroots politics through the cooperative sugar sector  the traditional gateway for many leaders in Maharashtra. In 1991, he became chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank and soon after won the Baramati Assembly seat, which remained his stronghold for decades.

As he rose through the ranks, Ajit held significant portfolios in multiple governments and became Deputy Chief Minister several times. Over the years, he built an independent base of his own, particularly across western Maharashtra. However, his ascent also coincided with increasing friction within the family as newer leaders like Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar gained prominence.

Ajit Pawars Wife And Children

Ajit Pawar was married to Sunetra Pawar, daughter of former Maharashtra minister Padamsinh Bajirao Patil. Sunetra has long been active in social and constituency-level work. After losing her Lok Sabha contest from Baramati, she entered the Rajya Sabha, becoming the fifth member of the extended Pawar family to hold elected or parliamentary office.

Ajit and Sunetra have two sons. Parth Pawar contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Maval but lost; the episode contributed to tensions within the wider family. Their younger son, Jay Pawar, remains largely outside politics and is associated with business interests.

The Third Generation And The Emerging Successors

The familys third generation includes Sule, Rohit and Ajits sons, though the latter have taken different paths. Rohits rise in the Assembly, Sules national presence and Parths short-lived electoral debut have created a complex landscape for succession within the wider clan.

The 2023 Split And The Divided Clan

The sharpest rupture came in July 2023 when Ajit Pawar split from his uncles NCP and joined the BJPShiv Sena alliance to form a government in Maharashtra. The move divided the party and created personal tension within the family. While Ajit became Deputy Chief Minister again, most of the siblings supported Sharad Pawar.

Despite the political divide, both leaders continued to acknowledge their personal bond in public.

A Legacy That Will Endure Beyond Ajit Pawar

The coming years will determine how the next generation navigates the alliances, rivalries and legacies that have shaped the family for more than half a century.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 11:28 IST

News india Ajit Pawar And The Pawar Clan: Whos Who In Maharashtras Powerful Political Family

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Ajit Pawar Death: Fourth Deadly Crash Raises Alarm Over Aircraft Type With 40+ Accidents Worldwide

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Abhro Banerjee



Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:00 IST

Ajit Pawar died in a Learjet 45XR crash near Baramati. Now, questions are being raised over safety concerns as another Learjet 45 crashed in 2023. VSR Aviation manages such jets.

Five people, including Ajit Pawar died in the crash. (X @DrSudhakar_)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on Tuesday when their Learjet 45XR crashed while attempting to land. The accident marks the fourth confirmed fatal incident involving the Learjet 45/45XR aircraft type since it entered service in the late 1990s.

With this latest crash, the global fatality count linked to the Learjet 45/45XR fleet is estimated at around 2930 deaths, including aircraft occupants and, in one incident, people on the ground.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has taken charge of the probe into the crash, with an official investigation now underway. The AAIB will lead the inquiry and determine the next steps. Follow LIVE Updates Here

A Learjet Aircraft run by VSR had previously been involved in a similar incident on September 14, 2023, when another Learjet 45XR owned by the company, registered as VT-DBL, crash-landed at Mumbai airport. The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight from Visakhapatnam and encountered heavy rainfall and poor visibility while attempting to land. Officials said the jet veered off Runway 27 during touchdown, and soon after the autopilot was disengaged, the cockpit recorded stall warnings and terrain alerts. The aircraft subsequently crash-landed near the intersection of taxiways, with the fuselage breaking into two sections and a fire breaking out. All occupants were safely evacuated with injuries, and no fatalities were reported. About The Aircraft The Learjet 45 is a mid-size business jet that entered service in the late 1990s, with the upgraded Learjet 45XR variant later introduced to enhance performance and operating capability. The aircraft was developed and manufactured by Bombardier as part of its Learjet business aviation portfolio. In 2021, Bombardier discontinued production of all Learjet models as part of a strategic shift away from light and mid-size jets. Despite this, Learjet 45 and 45XR aircraft remain in active service worldwide with corporate operators, charter firms, air ambulance services and government agencies.

Also Read: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Dies In Plane Crash In Baramati

Fatal Accidents Over Service History

Over nearly three decades of operation, the Learjet 45/45XR has been involved in four fatal accidents globally. The first occurred in Italy in 2003, followed by a major crash in Mexico City in 2008 that resulted in fatalities both on board and on the ground. A third fatal accident took place in Mexico in 2021 and involved a military-operated Learjet 45XR. The crash in India marks the fourth fatal incident associated with the aircraft type.

Non-Fatal Accidents & Serious Incidents

Beyond fatal crashes, the Learjet 45/45XR has been involved in more than 40 non-fatal accidents and serious incidents worldwide. These typically resulted in aircraft damage or hull loss without fatalities. Several aircraft were written off or sustained substantial damage, including incidents in Telluride, Colorado (2009), Houston, Texas (2018), Mumbai, India (2023), and Cairo, Egypt (2025).

Also Read: Dense Fog, Hilly Terrain: What May Have Caused Ajit Pawars Plane Crash In Baramati

Common Accident Characteristics

An analysis of the aircrafts accident history points to recurring contributing factors across multiple incidents. Runway excursions, including overruns and veer-offs, are among the most common event types. Other contributing factors include landing gear-related failures, adverse weather during approach or landing, ground handling incidents and hard landings.

Geographic Spread Of Incidents

Accidents and serious incidents involving the Learjet 45/45XR have been reported across multiple continents, reflecting the aircrafts widespread global use. North America accounts for a significant share of incidents, with additional cases documented in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Also Read: I Saw It With My Eyes: Eyewitness Says Massive Explosions Followed Ajit Pawars Plane Crash

Aircraft Background

Introduced in the late 1990s, the Learjet 45 is a mid-size business jet designed for long-range corporate and charter operations. The later Learjet 45XR variant offered improved range and performance. Although production ended in 2021, both variants continue to operate globally with corporate, charter, air ambulance, and government operators.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 11:48 IST

News india Ajit Pawar Death: Fourth Deadly Crash Raises Alarm Over Aircraft Type With 40+ Accidents Worldwide

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Ajit Pawars Plane Crashed At Edge Of Baramati Tabletop Runway During Second Approach

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 12:19 IST

A FlightRadar24 post said the jet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was attempting a second landing at Baramati when it crashed, killing all five on board.

A file photo of Ajit Pawar/ Visuals from his jet crash in Baramati (Social Media)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning after his chartered business jet crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport.

Flight-tracking platform FlightRadar24 acknowledged the plane crash that killed Pawar and four others on board.

The post added that the jet crashed during the renewed landing attempt, triggering a major emergency response at the airstrip.

Indian media reporting the crash of a business jet this morning has claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and 4 others. The aircraft was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it crashed. https://t.co/0RKiD9sZVU pic.twitter.com/1kcoWgc3I1 Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 28, 2026

AJIT PAWAR KILLED IN PLANE CRASH: WHAT DGCA SAID

News agency ANI quoted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as saying that the Mumbai-Baramati chartered plane crash-landed at around 8.45 am at the runway threshold in Baramati.

It also said that it is a table top runway" and that the aircraft crashed on the tip of the runway while attempting to land.

All five people on board, including Pawar, died in the accident.

According to the details, Pawar was travelling with two accompanying personnel, a personal security officer and an attendant, while the aircraft was being operated by two crew members, a pilot-in-command and a second-in-command.

Authorities said further details about the circumstances leading to the crash were awaited.

Pawar had been heading to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections.

A day earlier, he had been in Mumbai for a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which was also attended by state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials.

AJIT PAWARS AIRCRAFT, VICTIMS, AND RESCUE OPERATIONS

The aircraft was a Learjet 45 bearing registration VT-SSK, operated by VSR.

Besides Pawar, those on board included a personal security officer, an attendant and two pilots, the pilot-in-command and the second-in-command.

The accompanying personnel were identified as Vidip Jadhav and Pinky Mali, while the crew members were identified as PIC Sumit Kapur and SIC Shambhavi Pathak, based on the passenger list.

Emergency services and senior security officials rushed to the crash site soon after the aircraft went down.

Rescue teams were deployed during the landing phase after the jet reportedly lost control.

Three bodies were taken to Baramati Medical College, while the Pune Superintendent of Police told ANI that identification procedures were underway.

A team of DGCA officials arrived at the site to begin an on-ground assessment.

Locals also rushed to the area after witnessing the aircraft crash.

Authorities stressed that more information would be released after the initial investigation.

AJIT PAWARS POLITICAL JOURNEY

Ajit Pawar was a six-time Deputy Chief Minister. Known as a workaholic and for his punctuality, Pawar had held the post across governments led by the Congress, Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party.

His political career saw sharp turns, including a dramatic split in the NCP in November 2019 and another break from his uncle Sharad Pawars faction in July 2023.

Born on July 22, 1959, Ajit Pawar entered politics in 1982 through the cooperative sector, later serving multiple terms as Baramati MLA and once as a Lok Sabha MP before vacating the seat for his uncle.

At the time of his death, he was Maharashtras finance and planning minister and was scheduled to present the state budget for 2026-27 in the upcoming legislative session.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 11:51 IST

News india Ajit Pawars Plane Crashed At Edge Of Baramati Tabletop Runway During Second Approach

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In Quiet Mourning, Fadnavis, Shinde, Governor Console Sunetra Pawar After Ajit Pawars Death

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 20:40 IST

Ajit Pawar, 66, and four others on board a chartered aircraft were killed when it crash-landed near Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday morning.

A photograph of the condolence meeting has been widely shared on social media, showing all three leaders seated with Sunetra Pawar inside an office.

Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Sunetra Pawar, wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in Baramati on Wednesday following the tragic death of the NCP leader in a plane crash.

A photograph of the condolence meeting has been widely shared on social media, showing all three leaders seated with Sunetra Pawar inside an office.

Watch: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Governor of Maharashtra, and Maharashtra DCM Eknath Shinde met Sunetra Pawar in Baramati following Ajit Pawars death(Source: BJP) pic.twitter.com/KDHRhNtC5m  IANS (@ians_india) January 28, 2026

After meeting Sunetra Pawar, Shinde spoke about the tragic incident and Pawars passing, saying, I couldnt believe the entire incident. I met the family, and they are very sad. I still cant believe that he is no longer in this world. He was a very kind-hearted man. He made significant contribution to Maharashtra politics."

Shinde also criticised those politicising the incident, calling it extremely inappropriate. This is a very sensitive matter; there should be no politics involved," he said.

Ajit Pawar, 66, and four others on board a chartered aircraft were killed when it crash-landed near Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday morning.

Pawar had departed from Mumbai at 8.10 am to attend four rallies across Pune district for the February 5 zilla parishad elections. The aircraft disappeared from radar around 8.45 am and crashed a minute later.

ALSO READ: Ajit Pawars Death: Sunetra Pawar, Supriya Sule Break Down; Sharad Pawar Reaches Baramati

The other victims included Captain Sumit Kapoor, an experienced pilot with 15,000 flying hours; co-pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak, who had 1,500 hours; Personal Security Officer Vidip Jadhav; and flight attendant Pinky Mali. The Learjet was cleared to land at Baramati after a go-around due to poor visibility but reportedly did not provide a read-back to Air Traffic Control before bursting into flames on the edge of the runway.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has taken over the probe.

Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha member, and two sons, Parth and Jay. The Nationalist Congress Party, which he led in alliance with his uncle Sharad Pawars NCP (SP), expressed grief, along with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several other leaders.

The Maharashtra government has declared a three-day state mourning till January 30, with the national flag at half-mast.

Pawars last rites will be held with full state honours on Thursday at Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati at 11 am, with PM Modi and Shah expected to attend. Sharad Pawar also visited the crash site and the medical college where Ajit Pawars body was taken.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Location : Baramati, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 17:15 IST

News india In Quiet Mourning, Fadnavis, Shinde, Governor Console Sunetra Pawar After Ajit Pawars Death

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Ajit Pawars Plane Crew Couldnt See Runway On First Attempt, Fell Silent After Landing Clearance

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:08 IST

The Ministry of Civil Aviation detailed how Ajit Pawar's aircraft made multiple approaches before crashing near the threshold of Runway 11 minutes after being cleared to land.

A file photo of Ajit Pawar / Remains of his plane that crashed during landing in Baramati (Photos: PTI)

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday released a detailed, minute-by-minute account of the sequence of events that led to the fatal crash of a chartered aircraft at Baramati airport, in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar and four others lost their lives.

The ministry outlined that before the fatal crash, the crew had informed the Air Traffic Control that the runway was not visible due to fog over the region.

In a statement outlining the preliminary operational chronology, the ministry said Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield, where traffic information is provided by instructors or pilots from the flying training organisations operating there, rather than by a full-fledged Air Traffic Control unit.

The sequence of events was compiled on the basis of the statement given by the person manning the ATC facility at the airfield.

According to the ministry, on January 28, 2026, the aircraft, identified as VI-SSK, first established contact with Baramati at 0818 hours IST.

Its next radio call came when it was 30 nautical miles inbound to Baramati, after being released by Pune Approach.

At that stage, the crew was advised to descend under Visual Meteorological Conditions at the pilots discretion.

Soon after, the crew enquired about prevailing winds and visibility.

They were informed that the winds were calm and the visibility was approximately 3,000 metres.

The aircraft then reported being on final approach for Runway 11, but indicated that the runway was not in sight.

Following this, the crew initiated a go-around on the first approach.

After the go-around manoeuvre, the aircraft was asked to report its position.

The crew responded that they were again on final approach for Runway 11.

They were instructed to report when the runway was in sight. The pilots replied, Runway is currently not in sight, will call when runway is in sight."

A few seconds later, they reported that they had visual contact with the runway.

At 0843 hours IST, the aircraft was cleared to land on Runway 11.

However, the ministry noted that the crew did not provide a readback of the landing clearance.

One minute later, at 0844 hours IST, personnel at the airfield observed flames near the threshold of Runway 11.

Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the crash site.

The wreckage was subsequently found on the left side of the runway, abeam the threshold of Runway 11.

Later, talking to reporters, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, confirmed that the aircraft crew could see the runway on the second attempt.

We will conduct an investigation in a transparent and accountable manner. Preliminary information indicates that visibility was poor at the site at the time of landing around 8.48 am," Naidu said.

Before landing, ATC asked the pilot whether the runway was in sight, and he confirmed it was not. After a go-around, the aircraft returned to land, and the pilot was again asked if the runway was visible for landing," he said.

Then, the pilot confirmed visibility of the runway. After ATC cleared landing, it was seen that the accident had occurred," he added.

AJIT PAWAR DIES IN PLANE CRASH

Soon after the accident, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) took over the probe, and the Director General of AAIB was travelling to the site to conduct the investigation.

The ministry said further details would be shared as and when they become available.

The accident claimed the lives of all five people on board the Mumbai-to-Baramati charter flight.

Apart from Pawar, the passengers included two of his staff members, a personal security officer and an attendant, along with two crew members.

The crash-landing occurred around 8.45 am at the runway threshold at Baramati airport.

Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections when the aircraft went down.

His death has brought an abrupt end to a long and eventful political career spanning more than three decades.

Born on July 22, 1959, in Deolali Pravara in Rahuri taluka of Ahmednagar district, Ajit Pawar was popularly known as Ajit Dada" for his grassroots connect and straightforward style of politics.

Over the years, he played a key role in cooperative institutions such as milk unions, sugar factories and federations before entering Parliament in 1991 from Baramati.

He later vacated the Lok Sabha seat for his uncle Sharad Pawar and went on to serve multiple terms as an MLA and minister.

Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in non-consecutive terms, having held the post six times across different governments.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and sons Jay and Parth Pawar.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 14:22 IST

News india Ajit Pawars Plane Crew Couldnt See Runway On First Attempt, Fell Silent After Landing Clearance

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Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: Who All Were Present In The Ill-Fated Aircraft?

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 17:41 IST

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed near the Baramati airport on Wednesday.

Baramati Airport, where Ajit Pawar was set to land, has a flat 1,770m runway at an elevation of 604m.

Shocking news came from Maharashtra this morning after a private Learjet operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures crashed near Baramati, killing Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar and four others on board.

The five people, including Pawar and his security staff, left early morning from Mumbai and were headed to the deputy CMs hometown Baramati, where he was expected to address four public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad polls in the state.

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The aircraft, Learjet 45, on which Pawar was travelling, was scheduled to take off at 7 AM instead, it took off at 8:10 AM, and the Air Traffic Control (ATC) received information about the crash at 9:12 AM.

It was cleared for landing in Baramati on Wednesday morning after a go-around due to poor visibility, but having finally received a clearance it did not give any read-back to the ATC, and moments later burst into flames on the edge of the runway.

Who All Were Present In The Ill-Fated Aircraft?

According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), there were five passengers, including Pawar, his Personal Security Officer and an attendant, along with two crew members (pilot in-command and the first officer) on board.

All five people were killed in the tragic incident. The others killed in the tragedy were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had a flying experience of 15,000 hours, co-pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak with 1,500 hours of flying, Personal Security Officer (PSO) Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali.

The final phone conversation between Mali and her father, Shivkumar Mali, has emerged following the Baramati plane crash.

Also Read: Who Were The Two Pilots Who Died In The Baramati-Bound Learjet?

Pinky, a resident of Worli in Mumbai, told her father, Pappa, I am flying to Baramati with Ajit Pawar. After dropping him off, I will head to Nanded. Well talk tomorrow."

Her father responded that they would speak the next day after her work, but the call never came.

Ajit Pawar Last Rites

The Maharashtra government has announced three days of state mourning and declared a public holiday in Ajit Pawars honour.

The last rites will be held on Thursday at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati, an educational institution started by the Pawar family. Preparations for the cremation have already begun at the site. The funeral will take place at 11 am.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will also be present. The Prime Minister spoke to Sharad Pawar to convey his condolences on the demise of Ajit Pawar. He expressed his grief and sympathy to the family.

The mortal remains of Ajit Pawar are being kept at Vidya Pratishthan School in Baramati today for people to pay their last respects.

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Location : Baramati, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 17:41 IST

News india Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: Who All Were Present In The Ill-Fated Aircraft?

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 23:54 IST

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar died after the aircraft he was travelling on crash-landed in Baramati on Wednesday.

Pawar was en route to Baramati to address a public rally ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections. The aircraft, Learjet 45, on which Pawar was travelling, was scheduled to take off at 7:00 A.M. Instead, it took off at 8:10 A.M., and the Air Traffic Control (ATC) received information about the crash at 9:12 A.M.

News agency PTI quoted a senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as saying that the aircraft was carrying five persons in total, including Pawar, two accompanying staff members and two crew members.

Meanwhile, leaders from across party lines have expressed grief over Ajit Pawars sudden demise.
Amit Shah Says Ajit Pawars Death Is A Personal Loss, Entire NDA Stands With Family

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:40 IST

In a post on X, Shah said Pawar had dedicated himself to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra for over three and a half decades.

File photo of home Minister Amit Shah. (Image: Sansad TV/PTI)

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Tuesday expressed profound grief over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying his death was a personal loss and that the entire NDA stood with the bereaved family.

In a post on X, Shah said Pawar had dedicated himself to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra for over three and a half decades.

Today, the news of the loss of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague Ajit Pawar ji in a tragic accident has left my heart deeply distressed His demise is a personal loss not only for the NDA family but also for me," Shah said, extending his deepest condolences to the Pawar family and adding, In this hour of grief, the entire NDA stands firmly with the bereaved Pawar family. May God grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti."

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on Wednesday morning.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), all five people on board the chartered aircraft flying from Mumbai to Baramati were killed after it crash-landed at around 8.45 am. The crash occurred near the runway threshold at Baramati. Pawar was travelling with two personnel  a personal security officer and an attendant  along with two crew members. Further details on the circumstances of the crash are awaited.

Pawar was on his way to Baramati to attend a public rally ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections. Earlier on Tuesday, he was in Mumbai, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. State minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other senior officials were also present at the meeting.

Ajit Pawar was Maharashtras longest-serving deputy chief minister, holding the post non-consecutively for six terms across different governments. He served as deputy chief minister under the administrations of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and their two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

Pawar began his political career in 1982 after being elected to the board of a cooperative sugar factory. In 1991, he was elected chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 14:40 IST

News india Amit Shah Says Ajit Pawars Death Is A Personal Loss, Entire NDA Stands With Family

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As Ajit Pawar Killed In VSR Learjet Crash, Questions Over AAIBs Unfinished 2023 Probe | Exclusive

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 16:21 IST

In September 2023, another VSR-owned Learjet 45XR (VT-DBL) crash-landed at Mumbai airport during heavy rain

The fatal plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar marks the second serious landing accident involving a VSR Learjet in under three years. File image

More than two years after a VSR Ventures Learjet crash-landed at Mumbai airport, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) had still not submitted a final investigation report, even though in its preliminary report in September 2023, the agency stated that the flight recorder data has been downloaded at DGCA Flight Recorders Lab". The preliminary report also added that the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and Digital Engine Electronic System (DEES) were extracted from the aircraft, while the units were sent to an approved facility for downloading the data. On Wednesday, another aircraft operated by the same company crashed, killing Maharashtras deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and 4 others. News18 has spoken with Jasbir Singh Larhga, Director, AAIB, about the status of the final report about the crash. The report, whatever completed, is available on the website of AAIB. Rest is in progress," Singh said. News18 also tried to reach out to GVG Yugandhar, DG, AAIB, who is currently on tour. An email with detailed queries has been sent to him in this regard.

The fatal plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar marks the second serious landing accident involving a VSR Learjet in under three years, escalating a warning ignored once before by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), from serious injuries" in 2023 to a political tragedy in 2026.

In September 2023, another VSR-owned Learjet 45XR (VT-DBL) crash-landed at Mumbai airport during heavy rain. The aircraft veered off Runway 27, triggered stall and terrain warnings, broke apart on impact, and was completely destroyed. All six occupants survived with injuries classified as serious", while the pilots suffered grievous injuries. It was a crash landing too.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) preliminary report submitted to the Ministry of Civil Aviation after the 2023 crash, accessed by News18, documented rapidly deteriorating weather, reduced visibility, and runway drift, autopilot disengagement, stick shaker activation and stall warnings" just seconds before the aircraft exited the paved surface and fractured into two sections. In aviation terms, it was a textbook near-miss, said a senior official, who was then in the Bureau of Civil Aviation and in the know of things.

Despite the loss of the aircraft and the seriousness of the incident, there was not much public record of enhanced regulatory action, grounding, or intensified oversight of the operator.

Similar crash: What AAIB report said

The preliminary report by the AAIB stated, On 14 September 2023, M/s VSR Ventures owned Learjet 45XR aircraft VT-DBL was involved in an accident while landing at Mumbai Airport at approximately 11:32 UTC. The aircraft was operating a non-scheduled passenger flight from Visakhapatnam to Mumbai, under the command of a PIC (Pilot in Command, an ATPL holder) and a Co-pilot (a CPL holder). There were six passengers on board. The aircraft took off normally from Visakhapatnam and the flight en route was uneventful. The aircraft established contact with Mumbai tower and was instructed to prepare for landing. The aircraft was cleared to land on Runway 27 and was given landing clearance at 113109 UTC. At the time of landing, Mumbai Airport was experiencing heavy rains and reduced visibility."

The crew had a runway in sight and they decided to land on Runway 27. The aircraft continuously drifted right of Runway 27 and moved towards Apron C. About 40 seconds after the autopilot was disconnected, Stick Shaker alert sounded in the cockpit accompanied by a Stall warning," it added. Thereafter, EGPWS warnings were generated and the aircraft crash-landed at the shoulder of the intersection of Taxiway W and Taxiway N. As a result, the aircrafts fuselage broke into two pieces and skidded, finally coming to a stop near the intersection of Taxiway U and Taxiway N on an unpaved area (near stand C80)."

Following the crash, a fire broke out and fire tenders rushed to the site and extinguished the fire. All occupants of the aircraft were evacuated, but they sustained various injuries due to the impact and were immediately admitted to the nearest hospital. Passengers and PIC were discharged after precautionary treatment. The co-pilot received serious injuries and was admitted for a longer time. The sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau shall be the prevention of accidents," the report further added.

Last regulatory audit in 2025

According to a note issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) crashed while operating a Mumbai-Baramati sector on January 28. Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield, with traffic information provided by local instructors and pilots rather than full ATC control.

The aircraft attempted an approach to Runway 11, initiated a go-around after the runway was not in sight, and then attempted a second approach. The crew again reported that the runway was not in sight". Moments later, the aircraft crashed. All five occupants, including Ajit Pawar, received fatal injuries.

The note also confirms that VSR Ventures operates as a Non-Scheduled Operator (NSOP) with a valid Air Operator Permit renewed till 2028 and that the companys fleet includes seven Learjet 45 aircraft, one of which was involved in the Baramati crash. It has stated that DGCA conducted a regulatory audit of VSR in February 2025 and issued no Level-I findings.

Corporate filings

Corporate filings tell a different story. Records show two years of AGM and balance sheet non-compliance, which also raises questions about governance standards in a company entrusted with VIP movements and high-risk aviation operations.

The company was incorporated in 2011 with an authorised capital of Rs 20 crore and a paid-up capital of Rs 17 crore. It was registered with RoC Delhi, as per the firms filing details.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 16:18 IST

News india As Ajit Pawar Killed In VSR Learjet Crash, Questions Over AAIBs Unfinished 2023 Probe | Exclusive

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Caught In The Deep Sea: How Indian Sailors Become Collateral In Global Conflicts

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 18:47 IST

Indian Merchant Navy sailors face rising detentions and dangers abroad, often caught in global conflicts and legal traps despite having little control over ships or cargo

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In 2022, 16 Indian sailors aboard the oil tanker MT Heroic Idun were arrested in Equatorial Guinea. (AI-Generated Image)

Crisp white uniforms, salaries paid in dollars and the promise of seeing the world have long made the Merchant Navy a golden career" for lakhs of young Indians. Yet beneath this polished image lies a harsh and often frightening reality, one that rarely makes headlines until sailors find themselves behind bars in foreign lands or held hostage at sea.

In recent months, that hidden cost has surfaced repeatedly. When Iran seized a vessel linked to Israel, at least 16 Indian sailors were on board. When French authorities detained a Russian cargo ship in the English Channel over sanctions linked to the Ukraine war, the entire crew was Indian. Over the past few years, Indian officers have spent months in detention in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, accused of crimes they insist they had no role in committing.

The pattern is becoming difficult to ignore. Ships owned by billionaires sitting in air-conditioned offices in London, Moscow or Tel Aviv continue to sail global waters. But when those vessels are intercepted for sanctions violations, alleged oil theft, drug smuggling or for entering conflict zones, it is often the captain or crew member who is handcuffed and jailed, despite having little control over ownership, cargo or geopolitics.

The most worrying recent example has unfolded in the Strait of Hormuz, the artery of the worlds oil trade and one of the most dangerous routes for seafarers. When Iran seized the MSC Aries, a ship linked to an Israeli billionaire, 17 of its 25 crew members were Indian, ranging from the captain to junior deck cadets. Their crime" was not political alignment or smuggling, but simply working on a vessel connected to Israel. Irans conflict is with Israel, but the consequences were borne by sailors from Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Such detentions have become alarmingly common for Indian seafarers in the region, sometimes on allegations of oil smuggling, sometimes for alleged border violations. For Merchant Navy officers, these routes are widely regarded as among the most dangerous in the world. Yet the pressure of employment and career progression continues to push young Indians into what many now privately describe as a well of death".

Several incidents over the past decade illustrate the scale of the problem. In 2022, 16 Indian sailors aboard the oil tanker MT Heroic Idun were arrested in Equatorial Guinea, accused of stealing crude oil and illegally crossing maritime borders. They were confined for months in cramped conditions and threatened with transfer to Nigeria. The ship was owned by a Norwegian company and sailed under the Marshall Islands flag, but it was the Indian crew that went to jail. Their release came only after sustained diplomatic intervention by India.

Earlier, in 2019, UKs Royal Marines seized the Iranian oil tanker Grace-1 in Gibraltar, alleging it was transporting oil to Syria in violation of sanctions. The vessels captain was Indian, as were most of the crew. As tensions flared between Iran and the UK, the Indian captain became the public face of the crisis, arrested and splashed across international headlines despite having no say in the cargo or its destination.

More recently, the Red Sea witnessed the hijacking of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader by Houthi rebels protesting the IsraelHamas war. There were no Israelis on board, but the crew included Indians and other Asian nationals, many of whom remain in captivity.

In West Africas Gulf of Guinea, another danger looms  piracy. Between 2019 and 2021, several Indian sailors were kidnapped for ransom and taken deep into jungles in Nigeria. Industry insiders say Indians are often viewed as soft targets" because of the governments active efforts to secure their release.

At the heart of the issue lies Indias dominance in global maritime labour. An estimated 10-12% of the worlds seafarers are Indian. Of the roughly 17 lakh sailors worldwide, more than 2,50,000 come from India. The sheer scale of this presence means that when a ship is detained anywhere in the world, there is a strong likelihood that Indians will be on board.

Shipowners, particularly in Europe and Russia, increasingly rely on Indian officers and crew. Indians are English-speaking, technically skilled and, despite earning dollar salaries, remain significantly cheaper than Western seafarers. As a result, vessels owned by Russian, Israeli or Greek companies are often operated almost entirely by Indian crews, even though they have little influence over where those ships sail or what they carry.

Compounding the risk is the widespread use of flags of convenience", a practice that many in the industry describe as the Merchant Navys darkest secret. To reduce taxes and bypass strict regulations, shipowners often register vessels in countries such as Panama, Liberia or the Marshall Islands. The result is a legal maze; a Russian-owned ship flying a Panamanian flag, carrying Iranian cargo and manned by an Indian crew. When authorities intervene, the owner vanishes, the flag state distances itself, and international law places responsibility squarely on the captain, who is usually Indian.

Indias complex web of international relationships further complicates matters. India maintains ties with Russia, the United States, Iran and Israel. But when the US imposes sanctions on Iran or Europe cracks down on Russia, Indian sailors become unintended casualties. Under foreign laws, they can be treated as offenders even if they have no knowledge of what lies inside a container or the political implications of a voyage.

For thousands of Indian families, the Merchant Navy still represents hope and upward mobility. But as global conflicts increasingly spill into international waters, that dream is coming with an unspoken risk.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 18:47 IST

News india Caught In The Deep Sea: How Indian Sailors Become Collateral In Global Conflicts

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Dense Fog, Hilly Terrain: What May Have Caused Ajit Pawars Plane Crash In Baramati

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:09 IST

The aircraft encountered extremely dense fog in Pune district and the Baramati region, which caused it to lose its course

The site where Ajit Pawar's aircraft crashed. (PTI)

NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in an aircraft crash near Baramati, with preliminary inputs pointing to poor weather conditions as a key factor.

According to sources, the aircraft encountered extremely dense fog in the Pune district and the Baramati region, which caused it to lose its course while flying through a hilly area before crashing into a rocky outcrop. Follow LIVE Updates Here

As part of the ongoing investigation, senior DGCA officials said the probe will examine the distribution of the wreckage, which will be closely studied and photographed to assess the aircrafts direction, speed and impact at the time of the crash.

The black box will be retrieved to evaluate the aircrafts condition and determine whether it was fit to fly, while pre-flight maintenance records will also come under scrutiny.

Also Read: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Dies In Plane Crash In Baramati

Investigators will analyse the cockpit voice recorder to understand the pilots final moments and review official air traffic control communications to establish what went wrong. External factors, including weather conditions, runway positioning and wind patterns, will also be examined as part of the inquiry.

Pawar was en route to Baramati to address a public rally ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections. Earlier on the day of the crash, he had attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure in Mumbai, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which was also attended by state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and senior officials.

Ajit Pawar was one of Maharashtras longest-serving deputy chief ministers, having held the post non-consecutively for six terms under different governments.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 10:45 IST

News india Dense Fog, Hilly Terrain: What May Have Caused Ajit Pawars Plane Crash In Baramati

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EAM S Jaishankar To Visit US Next Week, To Attend Critical Minerals Ministerial Meet

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News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 18:19 IST

Jaishankar would participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 4 at the State Department.

File photo of S Jaishankar | File Image

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar would travel to the United States next week to attend a key meeting on critical minerals.

Jaishankar would participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 4 at the State Department.

Last week, Jaishankar discussed with a three-member American Congressional delegation various aspects of India-US relations, including trade and security, against the backdrop of continuing strain in ties between the two countries.

US Ambassador Sergio Gor, who was also present at the meeting, said the talks were productive" and that the focus was on strengthening the bilateral partnership in the domains of security, trade and critical technologies.

The visit of the US Congressional delegation to India, comprising Jimmy Patronis, Mike Rogers and Adam Smith, came as both sides are looking to move forward in the negotiations for a bilateral trade deal.

Both sides have held multiple rounds of negotiations last year to firm up the proposed bilateral trade deal. However, it could not be sealed yet largely in view of Washingtons demands to open up Indias farm and dairy sectors.

Earlier this month, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw participated in the Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting hosted by United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Bessent convened a meeting of Finance Ministers at the United States Treasury to discuss solutions to secure and diversify supply chains for critical minerals, especially rare earth elements.

(With inputs from agencies)

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 17:19 IST

News india EAM S Jaishankar To Visit US Next Week, To Attend Critical Minerals Ministerial Meet

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India-EU Free Trade Deal: What's In Store For The Healthcare, Pharma Sectors? Explained

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News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 08:00 IST

Stakeholders said regulatory alignment, safeguards against unfair competition, and how patient safety is protected will ultimately determine if the FTA delivers balanced gains

Indian companies are major suppliers of quality-assured generic medicines to Europe, and lower tariffs are expected to strengthen this role. (Image for representation: IMAGEN 4 ENGINE)

India and the European Union have concluded negotiations on a long-pending free trade agreement  a move expected to significantly reshape trade flows across sectors, including automobiles, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.

Endorsed as the mother of all deals", the free trade agreement (FTA) comes as India seeks to deepen its manufacturing footprint while integrating more closely with global value chains.

According to the press release issued by the European Commission, India has agreed to tariff concessions that go beyond what it has offered any other trading partner so far  a shift that could materially alter market access for European exporters and Indian manufacturers alike.

India will grant the EU tariff reductions that none of its other trading partners have received. For example, tariffs on cars are gradually going down from 110% to as low as 10%, while they will be fully abolished for car parts after five to ten years. Tariffs ranging up to 44% on machinery, 22% on chemicals and 11% on pharmaceuticals will also be mostly eliminated."

For healthcare industries, however, stakeholders said the headline tariff cuts are only part of the story. Regulatory alignment, safeguards against unfair competition, and how patient safety is protected will ultimately determine if the FTA delivers balanced gains.

OPPORTUNITY, BUT WITH GUARDRAILS: EXPERTS

In the pharmaceutical sector, industry leaders see the FTA as a reinforcement of an already strong India-EU relationship.

Indian companies are major suppliers of quality-assured generic medicines to Europe, and lower tariffs are expected to strengthen this role. The agreement also reassures the industry on intellectual property, an area that has historically been sensitive in trade negotiations.

As Sudarshan Jain, secretary general of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance  the lobby representing domestic drug makers  pointed out, Indian manufacturers are already deeply embedded in Europes medicine supply chains.

He noted that the expected removal of EU tariffs of up to 11% on pharmaceuticals will enhance trade" while also supporting greater access to innovative medicines for Indian patients". He added that the deal reinforces the intellectual property framework under the TRIPS Agreement and the Doha Declaration", giving companies regulatory certainty as trade expands.

For the medical devices industry, the focus is sharper on ensuring fair competition and avoiding unintended consequences. Domestic manufacturers are wary that tariff reductions, if not carefully sequenced, could expose them to predatory imports routed through third countries.

Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator of the AiMeD  umbrella association of Indian manufacturers of medical devices  stressed that the agreement must not tilt the playing field. He said the FTA should ensure fair regulatory alignment and safeguards against predatory imports (especially from 3rd countries)" so that it can unlock high-value collaboration, boost domestic manufacturing, and support Indias ambition to become a top-five global MedTech hub".

Nath underscored that patient safety and quality standards should anchor the agreement, calling for a mutual recognition agreement based on common ISO standards", while flagging that industry is keen to study the fine print and subsequent cooperation mechanisms.

European device makers operating in India, meanwhile, are also looking at the agreement as a chance to deepen their footprint  provided regulatory clarity improves. According to Pavan Choudary, chairman of the Medical Technology Association of India, the FTA could open a new chapter in healthcare cooperation" with success measured not just in economic terms but in lives improved and saved". He noted that if the detailed provisions match current announcements, India could expand exports in segments it already specialises in, such as medical textiles, surgical instruments and disposables.

At the same time, European companies could gain from lower duties, stronger participation in public procurement, and greater incentives for local manufacturing and R&D", Choudary said. From a patient perspective, he said, any reduction in device tariffs should translate into improved affordability and access to advanced therapies", agreeing a test case for how trade policy can reinforce health systems.

As negotiators move from announcement to implementation, the industry across pharmaceuticals and MedTech agreed on one thing: the India-EU FTAs real impact will depend less on broad tariff headlines and more on how its detailed rules balance openness with domestic capability, competition with collaboration, and trade growth with patient safety.

WHAT DOES INDIA GAIN?

European pharmaceutical majors are positioning Indias expanding healthcare market as a growth destination for premium biologics and patented therapies.

Indian drugmakers, meanwhile, are targeting opportunities in the EU, particularly in biosimilars and complex generics  a segment estimated to be worth about $2 billion.

The EU is already one of Indias most important pharmaceutical export destinations. According to government data, in the financial year 2024-2025, Indias drug exports to Europe were valued at around $5.8 billion.

A substantial majority of this trade is driven by generic formulations and biosimilars. Active pharmaceutical ingredients and vaccines form the next major categories.

European exports to India, by contrast, are skewed towards patented medicines, biologics and specialised medical and laboratory equipment. At the same time, Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing remains closely tied to Europe for critical upstream supplies, including production and quality-testing equipment, reagents, key APIs and specialised solvents.

The EU has made it clear that the trade agreement does not dilute regulatory oversight. All pharmaceutical imports from India will continue to fully comply with the EUs rigorous health, safety and product quality standards without carve-outs or relaxations.

Sensitive European agricultural sectors will be fully protected, as products such as beef, chicken, meat, rice and sugar are excluded from liberalisation in the agreement. All Indian imports will continue to have to respect the EUs strict health and food safety rules," the press release stated.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 08:00 IST

News india India-EU Free Trade Deal: What's In Store For The Healthcare, Pharma Sectors? Explained

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Intel Flags Khalistani Provocation Playbook After Jan 26 Golden Temple Flag Incident | Exclusive

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 16:24 IST

Such incidents are designed to trigger outrage without requiring large networks or high operational risk, especially when Khalistani groups inside India are under severe pressure

The survival of Khalistani groups abroad has itself become a challenge, officials say, as Western countries face increasing diplomatic and security pressure.

Indian intelligence agencies have assessed the January 26 Khalistani flag incident at Golden Temple as part of a repeatable, low-risk provocation playbook, warning that similar symbolic acts could be staged again at emotionally sensitive sites and dates to generate disproportionate political and diplomatic attention.

According to intelligence inputs accessed by CNN-News18, such incidentswhere Khalistani flags were unfurled at the holy siteare designed to trigger outrage without requiring large networks or high operational risk, especially at a time when Khalistani groups inside India are under severe pressure following sustained crackdowns by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other security agencies under the direction of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Officials say the crackdown has hollowed out the Khalistani ecosystem in Punjab, with most mid-level facilitators either arrested, placed under surveillance, or neutralised operationally, making it increasingly difficult for separatist groups to sustain organised activity within India.

Shift in Strategy: Disposable Actors

Faced with this constraint, Khalistani groups, working in conjunction with gang networks and handlers linked to Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), have shifted tactics. Instead of running structured modules, they are now recruiting first-time, expendable actors to carry out isolated symbolic actions.

Intelligence agencies believe ISIs role has also evolved. The engagement has shifted from long-term strategic investment to one-time utilisation," a senior official said. These recruits are allegedly used once and discarded, with handlers unwilling to cover legal expenses if they are arrested or convicted.

Fundraising Fatigue in the Diaspora

The assessment also points to shrinking financial support for Khalistani activities abroad, particularly in traditional diaspora hubs such as Brampton in Canada. While footfall at Sunday kirtans and community events remains high, funds raised are reportedly modest.

Collections that once ran much higher are now limited to around CAD 5,00010,000 per event, which is considered low by diaspora standards," an official said. These funds are often raised under the guise of human rights advocacy or legal aid.

A portion of the money is then allegedly moved through informal transfer networks, routed via contacts in Lahore, before being pushed into Punjab in small, fragmented amounts to avoid detection.

Narrative Warfare Abroad

Officials say Khalistani groups now rely heavily on narrative amplification rather than ground impact. Minor incidents abroad are projected as evidence of systemic unrest against minorities in India, with diaspora activists tagging foreign lawmakers, rights bodies and international media outlets.

This strategy, intelligence officials note, often succeeds in generating diplomatic noise and media traction overseas, despite having negligible impact on the ground in India.

Pressure on Host Countries

The survival of Khalistani groups abroad has itself become a challenge, officials say, as Western countries face increasing diplomatic and security pressure. Indian agencies have repeatedly flagged to Canada and the UK concerns over the misuse of charities, NGO funding, memorial events and long-term fundraising drives for extremist activities.

Indian authorities have consistently urged foreign counterparts to closely monitor such funding channels, warning that terror-linked activities are beginning to create internal security complications for host countries themselves.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 16:09 IST

News india Intel Flags Khalistani Provocation Playbook After Jan 26 Golden Temple Flag Incident | Exclusive

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Kerala Gives In-Principle Approval To 583-km RRTS Corridor From Thiruvananthapuram To Kasaragod

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 22:24 IST

The new proposal comes after the earlier K-Rail (SilverLine) project was dropped due to technical objections raised by Indian Railways.

A train arrives at a platform as part of the 82-km long Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, in Ghaziabad. (PTI file photo)

The Kerala government on Thursday announced a 583-km Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod. The state cabinet has given in-principle approval to the plan.

The new proposal comes after the earlier K-Rail (SilverLine) project was dropped due to technical objections raised by Indian Railways and public opposition in some areas.

A formal letter will be sent to the Central Government expressing the states interest in the project. The Cabinet has also tasked the Transport Department to initiate necessary consultations for the same.

After discussions with the Central Government, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed as soon as the in-principle approval of the Centre is received, and the Transport Department will submit the final approval regarding the technical and financial aspects of the project and sources of credit for the consideration of the Cabinet.

Rapid transport system is an important element in the development vision of the government. Considering the geographical structure and population density of Kerala, a timely and environment-friendly high-speed rail system is essential for the economic and social growth of the state. The central point of this vision is to reduce travel time significantly, connect the regions, and expand employment and education opportunities.

The K-Rall (Silverline) project, which aims to provide high-speed rail connectivity from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod, has not been able to go ahead due to technical objections from the Indian Railways. In addition, there were public objections in some areas.

Till date, the DPR submitted by the state has not been approved by the Railways. The proposals put forward by the Railways for DPR approval are not in line with the rapid development goals of the state. The project cannot be implemented without the approval of the Railways.

RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System) is a practical and socially acceptable high-speed rail system. The Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor has been successfully implemented. Through this, the feasibility of this technology has been proven in India.

The speed of 160-180 kmph, short station intervals and high passenger capacity make RRTS suitable for Kerala as well. In addition, the Meerut Metro is operated in conjunction with RRTS. This system can be implemented completely grade-separated (with pillars).

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has taken a positive stand that the RRTS project being implemented in the Delhi-NCR region through the NCRTC (National Capital Region Transport Corporation) can be considered outside the Delhi-NCR limits. The Union Minister has informed during his visit to Kerala that if the DPR is submitted, the RRTS project in Kerala can also be seriously considered.

It is in this context that the RRTS, a high-speed railway system, is planned to be implemented for Kerala.

Considering the population density of the state and the geography that requires environmental protection, the elevated viaduct model is being adopted instead of the embankment model. This will significantly reduce land acquisition, avoid obstruction of natural water flow, and reduce the differences of opinion that have arisen in some areas. Most of the project will be on pillars, with embankments and tunnels only where necessary.

The RRTS is intended to be integrated with urban metro projects. It will be possible to integrate the existing Kochi Metro and the future metro systems of Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode with RRTS stations. Last mile connectivity will improve and reliance on private vehicles will decrease. This will create a unified multi-modal transport network in the state.

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Location : Kerala, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 22:04 IST

News india Kerala Gives In-Principle Approval To 583-km RRTS Corridor From Thiruvananthapuram To Kasaragod

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Visuals Show Ajit Pawars Aircraft Reduced To Debris After Emergency Crash Landing

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 11:03 IST

Ajit Pawar died along with four others after a Mumbai-Baramati charter aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing near the runway on Wednesday morning.

Five people, including Ajit Pawar died in the crash. (X @DrSudhakar_)

Fire and heavy wreckage were reported in Maharashtras Baramati after an aircraft linked to NCP chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed while attempting an emergency landing on Wednesday morning.

Pawar was among the five people killed in the crash, including two pilots and two passengers.

Visuals from the scene showed the aircraft reduced to twisted metal, with smoke rising from the debris as police, emergency personnel, and other officials carried out rescue and recovery operations.

Locals were also seen gathering near the crash site as authorities secured the area.

Meanwhile, visuals from outside the Baramati Medical College, where the mortal remains of Ajit Pawar have been kept, showed a large crowd and multiple ambulances.

Also Read: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Dies In Plane Crash In Baramati

Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a public rally ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections.

Earlier in the day, he was in Mumbai, where he participated in a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and senior officials were also present at the meeting.

The Mumbai-Baramati chartered aircraft crash-landed near the runway threshold at Baramati.

Authorities said further details on the cause of the crash were awaited.

Ajit Pawar was among Maharashtras longest-serving deputy chief ministers, holding the post non-consecutively for six terms across different governments.

He served as the Deputy Chief Minister in the administrations led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 09:24 IST

News india Visuals Show Ajit Pawars Aircraft Reduced To Debris After Emergency Crash Landing

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New CCTV Footage Shows Ajit Pawars Plane Tilting Moments Before Crash

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 21:30 IST

A 37-second footage, recorded by a CCTV camera, showed the plane descending sharply, followed by a sudden flash as it hit the ground.

Ajit Pawar (66) and four others were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed near Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning.

Baramati Plane Crash: A new CCTV footage has surfaced showing the moment the Learjet 45 aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, plunged and burst into a fireball near the Baramati airport on Wednesday morning.

A 37-second footage, recorded by a CCTV camera installed at a home in Gojubavi Grampanchayat in Baramati, showed the aircraft tilting to its left moments before the crash. The video showed the aircraft then descended and bursted into a huge fireball.

Follow Baramati Plane Crash LIVE Updates

NEW FOOTAGE CAPTURES AJIT PAWARS PLANE CRASHING.Visuals show the plane wasnt on fire but just falling to the side under great speed. pic.twitter.com/Q47QchbiVc  Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) January 28, 2026

Earlier today, another video surfaced showed the plane descending sharply, followed by a sudden flash as it hit the ground. Soon, a fireball can be seen rising from the crash site, along with thick plumes of dark smoke that quickly envelop the surrounding area.

VIDEO | CCTV footage shows the crash of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's chartered aircraft at Baramati Airport.(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/3yNoX6PGOI  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026

Baramati Plane Crash

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed near the Baramati airport on Wednesday.

According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), there were five passengers, including Pawar, his Personal Security Officer and an attendant, along with two crew members (pilot in-command and the first officer) on board.

The aircraft, Learjet 45, on which Pawar was travelling, was scheduled to take off at 7 AM instead, it took off at 8:10 AM. Near Baramati, the pilots were informed about weather conditions. It was cleared for landing after a go-around due to poor visibility, but having finally received a clearance it did not give any read-back to the ATC, and moments later burst into flames on the edge of the runway.

Also Read: Maharashtra Mourns The Loss Of Dada, High-Level Probe Launched

Maharashtra will observe three days of state mourning following the death of the deputy chief minister.

A high-level probe has been launched with a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) analysing flight recorders, aircraft systems, crew records, and ATC data to determine the exact cause of the mishap.

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Location : Baramati, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 20:34 IST

News india New CCTV Footage Shows Ajit Pawars Plane Tilting Moments Before Crash

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New Type Of Fraud: SC Questions Conversion-Based Minority Claims By Upper-Caste Candidates

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 22:57 IST

While dismissing the plea for admission, the Supreme Court said the matter required deeper scrutiny and kept the broader issue for further consideration.

The Supreme Court of India. (File)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed serious concern over what it described as a new type of fraud" involving two upper-caste candidates in Haryana allegedly converting to Buddhism to claim minority reservation benefits.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition filed by Hisar resident Nikhil Kumar Punia, who sought admission to a postgraduate medical course as a minority candidate on the basis of his claimed Buddhist faith, news agency PTI reported.

During the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned Punias social background, asking, You are a Punia? What minority are you? Let me ask this bluntly now. Which Punia are you?"

When the petitioners counsel replied that Punia belonged to the Jat Punia community, the bench asked how he could claim minority status.

The counsel responded that the petitioner had converted to Buddhism and that conversion was his constitutional right. Reacting sharply, the CJI remarked, Wow! This is a new type of fraud," and cautioned against attempts to snatch the rights of genuine minorities".

The top court further noted that the petitioners had earlier appeared for NEET-PG as general category candidates and had declared that they did not belong to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). It questioned how minority certificates could be issued in such circumstances.

The bench also asked the Haryana chief secretary to place on record the guidelines governing the issuance of minority certificates and to clarify whether candidates from the upper-caste general category can claim minority status by citing religious conversion.

Let the chief secretary of Haryana inform: What are the guidelines for issuing a minority certificate? Is it permissible for an upper-class general category candidate, who is not covered under the Economically Weaker Sections and who had declared themselves as general in a previous application, to subsequently declare themselves as belonging to the Buddhist minority?" the bench ordered.

While dismissing the plea for admission, the Supreme Court said the matter required deeper scrutiny and kept the broader issue of procedures for granting minority certificates open for further consideration after the state government submits its response.

(With inputs from agencies)

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 22:57 IST

News india New Type Of Fraud: SC Questions Conversion-Based Minority Claims By Upper-Caste Candidates

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'No Woman Is Safe': Karnataka HC Denies Relief To Man Accused Of Photographing Woman Changing Clothes

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 22:04 IST

The court refused to grant relief to a man, who had been accused of attempting to take photographs of a woman while she was changing clothes inside the trial room of a retail store

The Karnataka HC maintained that protecting female safety outweighs a defendant's request for an early discharge before the facts are fully examined. (Image for representation)

Observing that no woman is safe" and such people will not be spared, the Karnataka High Court has dismissed a mans plea to quash a voyeurism case against him.

The court refused to grant relief to a man, who had been accused of attempting to take photographs of a woman while she was changing clothes inside the trial room of a retail store.

It said privacy violations in dressing rooms inside retail stores compromise the safety of all women in public spaces. During the proceedings, Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that if such incidents are treated lightly, the safety of women in public settings will be fundamentally undermined.

The woman gets into a trial room and you shoot! How can any clothes store be safe for a woman if you go on shooting through the curtains?" Justice Nagaprasanna was quoted in a report published by the Bar and Bench.

The high court maintained that protecting female safety outweighs a defendants request for an early discharge before the facts are fully examined. Addressing the defences dispute of the evidence, the judge noted that mobile devices allow for quick deletion of digital proof.

By the time she [the complainant] came out to take the phone, you [may have] deleted Everything depends on trial," the judge was quoted.

Justice Nagaprasanna stressed on the need for deterrence, observing that individuals accused of using mobile devices to record victims in private settings must be held accountable.

Such people should be taught a lesson. You may get acquitted, but I will not entertain [the plea to quash]," the judge was quoted.

According to the report, the incident took place in 2024 at a shop in Bengaluru, where a 28-year-old woman had gone to purchase clothes. While changing in the trial room, she noticed a small gap in the door. A subsequent investigation found that the accused, who was in charge of the shop, was allegedly attempting to take photographs of the woman through the opening.

The accused was booked under Section 77 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to the offence of voyeurism. Although a chargesheet had been filed and the case was pending before a trial court, the petitioner approached the HC to quash the FIR.

During the hearing, the defence counsel denied the allegations and urged the court to scrutinise the investigation material, specifically the extract panchnama. The defence argued that the defendant was young, only 19 years old at the time of the incident. But the court remained firm, insisting that the legal process must continue through a formal trial. It, however, eventually permitted the petitioners counsel to withdraw and seek other appropriate legal remedies.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 21:42 IST

News india 'No Woman Is Safe': Karnataka HC Denies Relief To Man Accused Of Photographing Woman Changing Clothes

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:34 IST

Budget Session Of Parliament 2026 Highlights: The Budget Session of Parliament began on Wednesday, with President Draupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of both houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In her address, President Murmu outlined the Centres vision for social justice, inclusive growth, and a developed India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were also present during the address.

Both Houses also held obituary references to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who passed away on December 30, 2025 at the age of 80 while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Thereafter, both the House were adjourned for the day. They will meet again on Thursday at 11am.

The two Houses will be adjourned for recess on February 13 and reassemble on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. The Session will have 30 sittings over 65 days and will conclude on April 2. The Economic Survey will be tabled on Thursday and Union Budget will be presented on February 1.
Parliament Pays Tribute To Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia On First Day Of Budget Session

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:06 IST

Both Houses of the Parliament paid tribute to Khaleda Zia on the first day of the Budget Session.

Rapid Read

Khaleda Zia was Bangladeshs first woman prime minister. (AP file photo)

Both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday held obituary references to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on the first day of the Budget Session 202627. Khaleda Zia passed away on December 30, 2025, at the age of 80 while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

Following President Droupadi Murmus address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, obituary references were taken up as part of the days proceedings. As per the List of Business in the Rajya Sabha, the House was also scheduled to pay tributes to former MPs L Ganesan and Suresh Kalmadi also.

In the Lok Sabha, members paid their respects to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in an air crash earlier on Wednesday, as well as five former MPs who passed away recently. After the Presidents address, the Secretary-General laid copies of the address on the table of the House.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla read out obituary references for Ajit Pawar, Khaleda Zia, Shalini Patil, Bhanu Prakash Mirdha, Satyendra Nath Brohmo Chaudhury, Suresh Kalmadi and Kabindra Purkayastha. Members observed silence as a mark of respect.

Speaking on Khaleda Zia, Birla said her contribution to strengthening IndiaBangladesh relations would always be remembered. He also recalled the public service and parliamentary contributions of the former MPs.

Shalini Patil was a member of the seventh Lok Sabha, while Bhanu Prakash Mirdha served in the eleventh Lok Sabha. Satyendra Nath Brohmo Chaudhury was a member of the tenth Lok Sabha. Suresh Kalmadi served as an MP in the eleventh, fourteenth and fifteenth Lok Sabhas, while Kabindra Purkayastha was a member of the tenth, twelfth and fifteenth Lok Sabhas. The Lower House was then adjourned for the day after the obituary references.

(With inputs from agencies)

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 14:06 IST

News india Parliament Pays Tribute To Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia On First Day Of Budget Session

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Electric Vehicle Councils Aman Gaur says ANCAPs 2025 rankings prove Australians dont have to choose between sustainability and safety, with six EVs claiming top spots.

Whats happening: Electric vehicles have taken six of the top seven positions in ANCAPs 2025 passenger vehicle safety ratings. The rankings demonstrate that EVs are setting new benchmarks for safety across multiple vehicle segments in Australia and New Zealand, with only one traditional powertrain vehicle appearing in the top seven.

Why this matters: With EVs now dominating safety performance, Australian families and businesses have access to vehicles that deliver both superior protection and zero tailpipe emissions, potentially accelerating the transition to cleaner transport.

Electric vehicles have claimed six of the top seven spots in ANCAPs 2025 passenger vehicle safety rankings, confirming that the safest cars on Australian and New Zealand roads are increasingly electric.

Six electric models secured top positions in ANCAPs latest safety assessment, including the Volvo EX90, MG IM 5, MG S5 EV and Mini Cooper E. Only the Toyota Hilux represented traditional powertrains among the top performers.

The dominance of electric vehicles across ANCAPs testing pillars demonstrates how EV design is translating into measurable safety advantages. The top performers scored consistently well across adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and safety assist technologies.

Aman Gaur, Acting CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council, said the ANCAP results send a clear signal to Australian car buyers.

The case for electric vehicles just keeps getting stronger, Mr Gaur said. These results prove that Australians dont have to choose between going green and staying safe on our roads.

The rankings arrive as Australias electric vehicle market continues its rapid expansion, with more affordable models entering the market and government incentives helping to drive adoption.

Design drives safety

Mr Gaur said electric vehicles are already delivering outstanding protection for drivers, passengers and other road users. He pointed to several design features that leading car makers, including Volvo, Polestar and BYD, agree are making driving safer for everyone.

Floor-mounted batteries provide a lower centre of gravity and better stability. Rigid battery platforms are built as a safety cell. The absence of an engine or fuel tank means nothing can intrude into the passenger compartment during a crash.

As more advanced safety technologies become standard and more EV models enter the market, Australians can expect EV safety performance to continue improving year after year, he said.

System over checklist

ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg emphasised that the results highlight a broader industry shift toward integrated safety design.

ANCAPs testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist, Ms Hoorweg said.

The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.

She noted that improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection on Australian and New Zealand roads.

Multiple segments covered

Mr Gaur said the range of high-performing vehicles assessed by ANCAP in 2025 demonstrates that top-tier safety is now achievable across multiple segments. This gives families, fleets and businesses greater confidence when choosing an electric vehicle.

The dominance of electric vehicles in these rankings reflects their advanced design and technology. With six of the seven top performers being EVs, the results underscore how electric vehicle adoption in Australia is being driven not just by environmental concerns but by measurable safety advantages.

ANCAPs assessment is based on four pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist. Top performer results are calculated by taking a weighted sum of a vehicles scores across these four areas, with Adult Occupant Protection accounting for 40 per cent of the overall weighting.

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PM Modi, Amit Shah Call Maharashtra CM Fadnavis After Ajit Pawar Dies In Plane Crash

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 10:33 IST

Ajit Pawar, 66, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, died along with four others, including the aircraft's pilots and his security personnel.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. (PTI/File)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah called Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to inquire about the tragic plane crash that killed state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday morning. Ajit Pawar, 66, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, died along with four others, including the aircrafts pilots and his security personnel, when their small plane crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt.

Read more: Ajit Pawar: The Man Who Was Never Out Of Power In Maharashtras Politics

The aircraft took off from Mumbai around 8 am and crashed approximately 45 minutes later. The veteran leader was scheduled to attend four important public meetings ahead of local body polls in the region. Visuals from the crash site showed fire and smoke, with mangled remains of the aircraft scattered across the area. Ambulances rushed to transport victims to nearby hospitals, though the Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that all five passengers on board died in the crash.

Ajit Pawar plane crash news live updates

Ajit Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Both Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, who were in Delhi attending the Parliaments budget session, are expected to leave for Pune shortly.

Details about the cause of the crash are awaited as aviation authorities begin their investigation into the accident.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 10:16 IST

News india PM Modi, Amit Shah Call Maharashtra CM Fadnavis After Ajit Pawar Dies In Plane Crash

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Ajit Pawar Passes Away: Political Leaders Across Party Lines Pay Tribute To Maharashtra Deputy CM

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 11:12 IST

Ajit Pawar Passes Away: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar described the 66-year-old leader's death as "a great loss to public life and to Maharashtra politics."

Ajit Pawar died along with four others, including pilots and security personnel, when their small aircraft crashed,

Ajit Pawar Passes Away: Political leaders from across India expressed shock and grief over the sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash Wednesday morning, with tributes pouring in from both allies and rivals alike.

Home Minister Amit Shah said, Today, I am deeply saddened by the news of losing Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague Ajit Pawar ji in a tragic accident. The dedication Ajit Pawar ji has devoted to the welfare of every section of Maharashtra over the past three and a half decades cannot be expressed in words. Whenever we met, he would have lengthy discussions on various issues related to the welfare of the people of Maharashtra. His passing is a personal loss for me as well as the NDA family."

Read more: I Saw It With My Eyes: Eyewitness Says Massive Explosions Followed Ajit Pawars Plane Crash

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply shocked and pained" to learn about Ajit Pawars untimely demise. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers, and admirers."

Ajit Pawar plane crash news live updates

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, The news of the demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji and his fellow travelers in an airplane accident today is extremely heartbreaking. In this moment of grief, I stand with the people of Maharashtra. I extend my condolences to the entire Pawar family and their loved ones during this hour of sorrow."

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar described the 66-year-old leaders death as a great loss to public life and to Maharashtra politics."

Shocked and deeply saddened by the untimely passing of Maharashtra Deputy CM Shri Ajit Pawar in a tragic plane crash. His sudden demise is a great loss to public life and to Maharashtra politics, where he served with experience and resolve," Shivakumar wrote, adding, My heartfelt condolences to his family and supporters, and prayers for strength in this hour of grief. Om Shanti."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed being deeply shocked and stunned" by the news, noting that she felt a deep sense of loss."

The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati today morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss," Mamata Banerjee wrote, adding, My condolences to his family including his uncle Sharad Pawar ji, and late Ajitjis all friends and followers. The incident needs proper investigation."

Ajit Pawar died along with four others, including pilots and security personnel, when their small aircraft crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt around 8:45 am. The plane had taken off from Mumbai approximately 45 minutes earlier. He was traveling to attend public meetings ahead of local body polls.

The veteran politician, who had served as Deputy Chief Minister multiple times, was the nephew of NCP founder Sharad Pawar and cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 10:41 IST

News india Ajit Pawar Passes Away: Political Leaders Across Party Lines Pay Tribute To Maharashtra Deputy CM

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'Remembering Ancestors Inspires New Generation': President Murmu Addresses Parliament

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 11:36 IST

President Murmu highlighted several recent commemorations that she said strengthened national unity and purpose.

President Draupadi Murmu addresses the joint sitting of both houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday told Parliament that remembering the contribution of the nations ancestors provides inspiration to the new generation and accelerates Indias journey toward becoming a developed nation.

When the country remembers the contribution of its ancestors, the new generation gets inspiration which further speeds up our journey towards Viksit Bharat," the President said while addressing the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha at the commencement of the Budget Session.

President Murmu highlighted several recent commemorations that she said strengthened national unity and purpose.

The country celebrated the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. During the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the entire country paid him tribute and remembered his contribution to the tribal community," she said.

The events related to the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel further strengthened the sense of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat. The entire country became witness to how Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarikas birth anniversary celebrations filled the country with music and a sense of unity," the President added.

Babasaheb Ambedkar always laid emphasis on equality and social justice. Our Constitution too inspires us for the same. Every citizen of the country should get their full rights without any discrimination. My Government is committed to true social justice. As a result, in last one decade, 25 crore citizens have come out of poverty," she said.

Her address marks the formal beginning of the Budget Session, during which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Economic Survey on Thursday, January 29, and present the Union Budget on Sunday, February 1. This will be Nirmala Sitharamans ninth consecutive budget presentation, making her the first finance minister in Indias history to present nine budgets in a row.

The Budget Session comes after an all-party meeting on Tuesday chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, which outlined the sessions agenda. Leaders of various political parties expressed their views on issues likely to be raised during the session and assured the government of their full cooperation.

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Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 11:28 IST

News india 'Remembering Ancestors Inspires New Generation': President Murmu Addresses Parliament

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Stooping Very Low: Fadnavis Slams Mamatas Petty Politics On Ajit Pawar's Death

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 20:46 IST

CM Mamata Banerjee raised doubts over the plane crash and demanded a high-level investigation under the monitoring of the Supreme Court.

Fadnavis Slams Mamata for Dirty Politics Over Ajit Pawar Plane Crash. (File)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday strongly criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for raising questions over the death of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. He called her remarks dirty and petty politics" and said it was deeply regrettable to politicise a tragic death.

What Fadnavis said?

Responding to Mamata Banerjees statement, Fadnavis said it was sad that politics was being played over someones death. He pointed out that Sharad Pawar had already said the incident was an accident and appealed to leaders not to indulge in politics. Fadnavis said Mamata Banerjee was stooping to a very low level and should not have made such statements or defamed Ajit Pawar.

Read More: Purely An Accident: Sharad Pawar Rules Out Foul Play In Ajit Pawar Plane Crash

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde too echoed the same. He said, I still cannot believe he is no longer with us. I met the family and they are deeply saddened. He was kind-hearted, made a significant contribution to Maharashtras politics, and this tragedy should not be politicised."

Mamata seeks SC-monitored probe

Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee claimed that Ajit Pawar was planning to quit the NDA and join the INDIA bloc. She raised doubts over the plane crash and demanded a high-level investigation under the monitoring of the Supreme Court. She said Pawar was expected to change sides and questioned how the crash took place.

Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash

Ajit Pawar, 66, and four others were killed when the aircraft they were travelling in crashed in Maharashtras Pune district on Wednesday morning. The incident happened when the plane landed near Baramati. The NCP leaders last rites will be held on Thursday at Baramati.

Read More: Ajit Pawars Plane Crew Couldnt See Runway On First Attempt, Fell Silent After Landing Clearance

Ajit Pawar was part of the NDA government in Maharashtra after breaking away from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. Recently, the two NCP factions had come together for civic body elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, though they achieved limited success.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 20:46 IST

News india Stooping Very Low: Fadnavis Slams Mamatas Petty Politics On Ajit Pawar's Death

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PM Modi And EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen Rock Traditional Northeastern Silk Scarfs

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 18:12 IST

The Eri Silk scarf finds its origins in Meghalaya and is a traditional silk, which is also known as Ryndia and Ahimsa Silk, and recieved the Geographical Indication tag in 2025.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Union Chief Ursula von der Leyen in India

The European Union chief, Ursula von der Leyen, was in India this week to attend and celebrate Indias 77th Republic Day, along with European Council President Antonio Costa. The duo also engaged in summit-level talks with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and have finalised a long-awaited Free Trade Agreement after 18 years of negotiations.

She took to Instagram to celebrate the aggreement and wrote in the caption, Europe and India are making history today. We have concluded the mother of all deals. We have created a free trade zone of two billion people, with both sides set to benefit. This is only the beginning. We will grow our strategic relationship to be even stronger."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ursula von der Leyen (@ursulavonderleyen)

Ursula even visited President Droupadi Murmus home in Delhi before the Republic Day celebrations, where she was the guest of honour. During this public appearance, Indians all over were overjoyed to see Ursula and PM Modi twinning in traditional Eri silk scarves during her visit to India.

The Eri Silk scarf finds its origins in Meghalaya and is a traditional silk, which is also known as Ryndia and Ahimsa Silk. It officially received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag in June 2025. It is called peace silk because of the way it is produced  without killing the silkworms. This GI tag recognises the sustainable, handwoven heritage preserved for generations by communities like the Khasis

In fact, a lot of Northeast Indias rich handloom, handicraft and agro-horticultural traditions were showcased at the At Home" banquet hosted by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, January 27.

According to a post on Instagram, the entire event was curated by the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Cooperation (NEHHDC), and it showcased items from all eight Northeastern states.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by GPlus (@guwahatiplus)

The stole was part of Indias Republic Day 2026 invitation to the European Commission President and European Council President Antonio Costa, reported NDTV. It was a celebration of the living traditions of Indias North Eastern Region" and the invites design paid homage to the skilled artisans and craftspersons of the Ashtalakshmi states  the eight states of Northeast India.

Not just the Republic Day guests, but according to viral videos on social media, severeal of the ministers and dignitaries wore the same stole during the 77th Republic Day celebrations.

Assamese symbols such as the Brass Xorai and Gamusa, Naga kitchen elements like the Signtha plate and dry corn husks, and cane sculptures of the One-Horned Rhinoceros and Elephant were installed throughout the venue. Traditional fishing tools like Manipurs Longpi Black Pottery and Kauna grass baskets showcased the regions rich indigenous craftsmanship and sustainable practices.

Placed in the boat fruit basket were GI-tagged produce, including Kaji Nemu, Khasi Mandarin, Queen Pineapple and Naga King Chilli. A cane installation creatively depicted the Indian Tricolour using organic materials, blending patriotism with sustainability.

The dining arrangements featured octagonal tablemats that symbolised unity among the eight Northeastern states. Each of the dinner mat had distinct motifs that were woven to represent the regions textile heritage. There were also several traditional and cultural performances that showcased the vibrancy of the Northeastern parts of Indian and gaved the guests a glimpse into their living traditions.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 18:12 IST

News lifestyle fashion PM Modi And EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen Rock Traditional Northeastern Silk Scarfs
Nepal's Hidden Sacred Spots That Most Indians Dont Know About Need Planning And Divine Intervention

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Last Updated: January 29, 2026, 10:55 IST

Due to better infrastructure and air connectivity, Nepal's sacred sites that needed sustained effort were less frequented, while destinations that had easy access attracted crowds.

The Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu in Nepal

For most Indian travellers, Nepal appears on the spiritual map through a narrow lens. Pashupatinath, Janakpur, and occasionally, Muktinath are recognised names, while the rest of the country is seen primarily as a scenic extension of the Himalayas. This overlooks the fact that Nepal has historically functioned as a critical travel corridor within Hindu pilgrimage traditions, shaped as much by routes and terrain as by temples and mythological associations.

Juggnu, an Astrologer, Spiritual Traveller, and chief pilgrim at Mahadevaa Travels, shares how pilgrims used to travel through and within Nepal during their spiritual journey. She says, Long before the idea of destination-based travel took hold, spiritual journeys across the subcontinent were route-driven. Pilgrims moved gradually from the Gangetic plains into the Himalayan foothills, following rivers, forest paths and mountain passes that dictated both pace and purpose. Nepal was never an endpoint alone; it was part of a longer continuum of movement connecting northern India, the central Himalayas and Tibet."

Travel through Nepal demanded adaptation  to altitude, weather, and limited access  and that physical demand was understood as integral to the spiritual journey itself. Many of Nepals sacred locations evolved precisely because of where they were situated along these routes.

Pashupatinath, located along the Bagmati River, became a natural resting and ritual point for travellers moving through the Kathmandu Valley. Janakpur developed as both a devotional centre and a waypoint in Mithila, linking pilgrimage with regional movement. Muktinath, in contrast, sits at a high altitude in Mustang, reachable only after prolonged travel through difficult terrain. Historically, such a journey could not be rushed. The physical challenge of reaching the site was part of its meaning, reinforcing ideas of preparation, endurance and restraint.

Timing is everything

What distinguishes Nepals spiritual geography from many contemporary pilgrimage circuits is the continued presence of routes that resist compression. Even today, several sacred sites require long road journeys followed by walking, seasonal planning and local guidance. Lakes such as Gosaikunda, for example, are accessible only during specific months, not because of ritual prescription alone, but because weather and terrain make travel unsafe at other times. This natural regulation ensured that pilgrimage remained limited, purposeful and attuned to environmental conditions.

As travel infrastructure expanded across South Asia, pilgrimage began to change. Roads replaced footpaths, and air connectivity reduced multi-week journeys into days. While this increased access, it also altered the nature of spiritual travel. Sites that required sustained effort became less frequented, while easily accessible destinations attracted growing crowds. Nepals quieter sacred routes, which still require patience and planning, gradually moved to the margins of mainstream pilgrimage.

No tourism promotion

Another reason many of these routes remain unfamiliar is the absence of formal promotion. Unlike large temple towns supported by state or institutional bodies, numerous sacred paths in Nepal are maintained by local communities. Knowledge about when to travel, where to stop, and which routes to avoid is passed down orally. These journeys do not always align with fixed calendars or commercial travel seasons. As a result, they remain outside the framework of mass tourism and standard pilgrimage planning.

Mental over physical endurance

Travel through these lesser-known routes offers a distinctly different experience from packaged spiritual tourism. Without large crowds or structured rituals, travellers are forced to engage directly with the journey. Long stretches of road, unpredictable weather and limited facilities slow movement and reduce distraction. The emphasis shifts from arrival to endurance, from documentation to observation. Many travellers report that the absence of spectacle heightens awareness, creating space for reflection that is difficult to achieve in more crowded pilgrimage settings.

Timing has traditionally played a practical role in these journeys. Travel seasons were chosen based on monsoon patterns, snowfall and daylight, ensuring that routes were navigable and communities along the way could support travellers. Over time, this practical timing acquired symbolic meaning, reinforcing the idea that journeys undertaken with respect for natural cycles were more likely to be transformative. While modern travellers may not consciously frame this as astrology, the underlying principle remains one of alignment between movement and conditions.

In recent years, interest in experiential and slow travel has brought renewed attention to some of Nepals quieter spiritual corridors. However, there remains a risk that these routes could be absorbed into the same high-volume travel models that have reshaped other pilgrimage destinations. The challenge lies in recognising that not all sacred travel benefits from increased accessibility. Some journeys derive their value from difficulty, remoteness and limited visibility.

Nepals lesser-known sacred spots and routes remind us that spiritual travel was once designed to change the traveller gradually, through distance, effort and time. In revisiting these paths, the opportunity is not merely to discover new destinations, but to reconsider how travel itself shapes the meaning of pilgrimage.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 13:40 IST

News lifestyle travel Nepal's Hidden Sacred Spots That Most Indians Dont Know About Need Planning And Divine Intervention
Sara Ali Khan Looks Unbothered, Makes First Public Appearance Amid Controversy With Orry

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 17:41 IST

For quite some time now, Orry has been making shocking claims against Sara, her brother Ibrahim and their mother, Amrita.

Rapid Read

Orry claims trauma from Sara's family; demands apology from Amrita Singh. (Photos: Viral Bhayani and Instagram)

Sara Ali Khan made her first public appearance on Wednesday amid her controversy with Orry aka Orhan Awatramani. In a video that was shared on social media, Sara was seen arriving at the Mumbai airport, flaunting her sporty look. The actress was seen dressed in a casual athleisure outfit, which she paired with a zip-up hoodie, track pants and sneakers. She also opted for dark sunglasses.

Even though Sara did not say anything, she looked unbothered by the ongoing controversy. She was seen greeting paparazzi with a wave and a smile. Watch the video here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)

What Is The Controversy?

For quite some time now, Orry has been making shocking claims against Sara, her brother Ibrahim and their mother, Amrita. It all started after Orry posted an Instagram Reel taking a jab at Sara, Amrita, and Paalak. Many believed that he was taking a dig at Sara Ali Khan, Amrita Singh and Palak Tiwari. Interestingly, the initial Reel in which Orry mentioned the three womens names has been removed from his account after it went viral.

Later, he posted another Instagram Reel flaunting his t-shirt with a bra printed on it. After someone in the comment section asked, Genuine Question: what exactly is that bra holding together? " Orry not only pinned the comment but also replied, Sara Ali Khans hits." Someone added, Orry, I hope shes laughing too." He responded, At her career? She must be."

Meanwhile, in a recent chat with Hindustan Times, Orry spoke about distancing himself from Sara and Ibrahim. Explaining his decision, he said, I unfollowed Sara a while ago, and I havent followed Ibrahim in years." He added, Pretending to be friends with Sara means pretending to be ok with the trauma her mother put me through, and I just dont think I can do that anymore."

While Orry chose not to elaborate on what he described as trauma," he made it clear that the issue runs deeper than online spats or unfollows. According to him, there is only one way the situation could potentially be resolved. If Amrita Singh were to apologise, I could maybe see myself letting it go in the future," he said.

Neither Sara nor any other member of her family has reacted to Orrys comments as of now.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 17:41 IST

News movies bollywood Sara Ali Khan Looks Unbothered, Makes First Public Appearance Amid Controversy With Orry
Priyanka Chopras Daughter Maltis Mermaid-Themed Birthday Party Photos Are Here

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 16:55 IST

Priyanka Chopra Jonas delighted fans by sharing glimpses from her January so far.

She will next appear in the Hollywood film The Bluff. (Photo Credit: Instagram )

Priyanka Chopra Jonas gave fans a heartfelt and unfiltered look into her personal world by sharing a January photo dump that perfectly closed the first month of 2026.

Posted on Instagram, the carousel blended family memories, everyday happiness and high-profile appearances, presenting a well-rounded snapshot of her life.

Priyankas Candid Family Moments With Nick Jonas And Daughter Malti

The photo series featured several relaxed and candid moments with husband Nick Jonas and daughter Malti Marie. From cosy time at home to playful, everyday interactions, the images highlighted a softer, more personal side of the global icon.

Captioned, Random January.. youve been good so far," the post captured the reflective and grateful mood of the album, resonating strongly with fans.

Mermaid-Themed Birthday Celebration Adds A Splash Of Colour

One of the standout moments from the photo dump was a mermaid-themed birthday celebration. The album also showed Malti enjoying small adventures  feeding a rabbit, running through corridors, relaxing by the water and having fun during bath time.

A particularly touching frame showed Priyanka smiling proudly as her daughter practised writing her name.

Priyankas Red Carpet And Professional Highlights

Beyond family life, the photo dump also showcased glimpses from Priyankas global commitments. She shared moments from her Golden Globes appearance alongside Nick Jonas, where she dazzled on the red carpet.

The post also highlighted her professional role at the ceremony, where she presented the Best Actor (Male) in a TV Series  Drama award alongside BLACKPINKs Lalisa.

Priyanka Chopra Jonass Upcoming Hollywood Film, The Bluff

On the work front, Priyanka has several exciting projects lined up. In Hollywood, her upcoming film The Bluff is set to release on February 25 on Prime Video. The film also stars Karl Urban.

Priyanka plays Ercell Bodden, a former pirate infamously known as Bloody Mary," whose peaceful life is violently disrupted following a series of dramatic events.

SS Rajamoulis Next: Priyanka Chopra Jonas To Lead

In Indian cinema, Priyanka will be seen as the leading lady in SS Rajamoulis highly anticipated directorial, Varanasi. The project stars Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran and is expected to hit theatres during Sankranti 2027.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 16:55 IST

News movies hollywood Priyanka Chopras Daughter Maltis Mermaid-Themed Birthday Party Photos Are Here
Mammootty Felicitated On Film Padayaatra Sets, Team Celebrates Padma Bhushan Win

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 17:21 IST

The Padma Awards 2026 were announced, on the eve of Republic Day, by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Mammootty Felicitated On Film Padayaatra Sets, Team Celebrates Padma Bhushan Win

Malayalam cinema icon Mammootty was recently honoured with the prestigious Padma Bhushan recognition. Several celebrities congratulated him, and recently, on the sets of his upcoming film Padayaatra, he was felicitated. Photos from the special moment have surfaced online and quickly gone viral.

Taking to their X handle, Mammootty Kampany shared the photos in which Mammootty is seen celebrating the honour with team. Cherishing happy moments from the sets of #Padayaatra on Our Dearest @mammukka achieving the prestigious Padma Bhushan. #Mammootty #PadmaAwards2026 #MammoottyKampany," read the caption. Recently, the actor announced his next film. However, the other details of the film are not shared.

Take a look here:

Celebs reaction on Mammoottys Padma Award Win

Nayanthara shared the poster featuring iconic roles played by Mammootty and wrote, Rare, real and remarkable." Taking to his Instagram stories, Allu Arjun shared the note, Heartiest congratulations to all the Padma Award winners for this prestigious national honour. A special salute to #Dharmendra ji on receiving the Padma Vibhushan. Congratulations to #Mammootty garu on the Padma Bhushan, for his unparalleled contribution to Indian cinema. A Congratulations to #Madhavan garu, #Rohitsharma garu and #HarmanpreetKaur garu on being conferred the Padma Shri, recognising excellence, leadership and lasting impact in their respective fields. A proud moment for Telugu cinema as #Rajendra Prasad garu & #Murali Mohan garu receive the Padma Shri, honouring decades of remarkable contribution to Tollywood. Respect."

Earlier, Jr NTR also took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a note that read, Heartiest congratulations to all the #PadmaAwards 2026 winners. What an incredible honour A moment of pride as legend Dharmendra ji is conferred with the Padma Vibhushan." He further added, Very proud to see our Telugu cinema stalwarts Murali Mohan garu and Rajendra Prasad garu being conferred with the Padma Shri. Your contributions stand tall and timeless. Congratulations to @mammukka sir on receiving the Padma Bhushan for inspiring generations through decades of remarkable work. @ActorMadhavan sir, a well-deserved recognition for your versatility and contribution to Indian cinema."

About the award announcement

The Padma Awards 2026 were announced on the eve of Republic Day by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). While veteran actor Dharmendra was awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously, Malayalam superstar Mammootty received the Padma Bhushan award for his contribution to the film industry. Meanwhile, R Madhavan, Murali Mohan and Rajendra Prasad were conferred with Padma Shri Awards.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 17:21 IST

News movies malayalam-cinema Mammootty Felicitated On Film Padayaatra Sets, Team Celebrates Padma Bhushan Win
Hina Khan Is Doing All The Touristy Things In Instanbul And We Are Making Notes

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:11 IST

Hina Khan is currently enjoying her trip to Turkey with her mother and husband, Rocky Jaiswal, and shares special moments with her followers.

Hina Khan dines at Seven Hills Terrace restaurant in the heart of Istanbul. (Photo Credit: Instagram))

Bollywood actress and TV personality Hina Khan recently gave fans a taste of her vacation in Istanbul, Turkey, where she was seen dining at the famous Seven Hills terrace restaurant, located in the Sultanahmet neighbourhood.

The actress, now on holiday with her mother and husband Rocky Jaiswal, posted pictures from the trip on social media, appreciating the local food and hospitality and describing it as a wonderful experience.

Hina shared glimpses of her dining experience at the iconic restaurant on her Instagram Stories, where she can be seen candidly posing with a falcon. Other stories show Hina sitting with a vast range of breakfast platters in front of her.

Hina Khan Highlights Turkish Breakfast and Local Delights

Beyond tourist attractions and breathtaking views, Hina made sure to savour Turkeys famous breakfast culture, which she called unmissable" for any traveller visiting the city. Her images, which included ornate platters full of cheeses, olives, fresh breads, jams and tea, enhanced the destinations allure for her millions of followers.

In her Instagram posts, she highlighted the view, food, hospitality, and warmth" of the neighbourhood restaurants and urged her followers to make the most of these encounters. The lavish breakfast tables included simit (sesame-crusted bread rings), a variety of cheeses, olives, fresh salads, honey with clotted cream, and robust tulip-shaped cups of tea (significant Turkish mainstays).

A waffle with sliced bananas, chocolate chips, crushed pistachios, and different coloured candies on top was also visible. The tastes were further enhanced by adding a chocolate sauce drizzle and a dusting of powdered sugar. A chocolate-topped cake slice was another delicious item on a different plate in the backdrop.

When in Istanbul, never miss exploring the amazing Turkish breakfast joints. Their view, food, hospitality and warmth is so special and heart-touching. Its simply unmissable and once you experience it. Its unforgettable! Loved it," Hina captioned her post.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ???????????????? ???????????????? (@realhinakhan)

Seven Hills Restaurant: A Rooftop Gem in Sultanahmet

Located in the heart of the ancient Sultanahmet neighbourhood, Seven Hills Restaurant is one of Istanbuls finest dining venues. From its terrace, guests can enjoy expansive views of the Bosphorus Strait, the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), and the Hagia Sophia. The restaurant is praised for producing a sensory experience that mixes flavour and landscape by fusing traditional Turkish and Mediterranean food with its unparalleled views.

Besides its location, Seven Hills is known for its well-prepared seafood, snacks, and real Ottoman-inspired meals. Many tourists refer to it as a must-visit restaurant in Sultanahmet" because of its unique blend of flavours, history, and breathtaking scenery.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 15:11 IST

News movies television Hina Khan Is Doing All The Touristy Things In Instanbul And We Are Making Notes
New research from Risepoint shows 26% of online learners gained salary increases after short courses, as two-thirds study in high-need sectors like healthcare and education.

Whats happening: New research reveals two-thirds of online learners in Australia are studying fields facing acute talent shortages, including healthcare, education and technology.

Why this matters: As Australia grapples with persistent workforce shortages across critical sectors, short-form courses and micro-credentials are emerging as a practical solution.

Australias skills shortage has found an unlikely solution in the form of bite-sized learning.

According to Jobs and Skills Australias March 2025 Occupation Shortage Report, the national fill rate sits at 69.7 per cent, meaning employers can only fill roughly two-thirds of available positions. Healthcare professionals, technology workers and skilled trades dominate current shortages, with Skill Level 3 occupations, such as technical and trades roles, proving particularly difficult to fill at just 55.5 per cent.

The 2025 Voice of the Online Learner: Australia Edition study found that 26 per cent of learners received a salary increase after completing a short course, a significant jump from 17 per cent the previous year. Meanwhile, 22 per cent gained a promotion, highlighting strong career returns from targeted upskilling.

Terry Burkitt, Vice President of Education Services for APAC at Risepoint, said the findings reflect changing demands placed on both workers and education providers.

Australias skills shortages are complex and evolving, particularly as industries respond to rapid technological change, said Mr Burkitt. What were seeing is a workforce that needs to build relevant skills faster. Learners are prioritising shorter, more focused courses that align closely with real work. These preferences reflect a growing emphasis on practical learning that delivers immediate value for both individuals and employers.

Pay rises in months

The research highlights a clear shift in learner priorities towards education that delivers practical, workplace-relevant outcomes. Six in ten respondents said they value assessments based on real-world job tasks, while more than half prioritise industry-recognised certifications, signalling demand for learning that closely aligns with employer needs.

The results suggest that short-form courses and micro-credentials can play a complementary role in addressing Australias skills shortages by enabling faster, more targeted capability growth alongside traditional qualifications, without the time and cost barriers of a full degree.

Small and medium enterprises have been particularly vocal about the need for flexible training options. According to the Small Business Skills and Training Needs Survey 2024, 56 per cent of SMEs say they have a moderate skills gap, while 13 per cent consider it an acute crisis. The same survey found that 52 per cent of SMEs say available training is either outdated or irrelevant to their needs.

Real-world assessments

The shift towards practical, short-form learning comes as traditional pathways struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving industry needs. Research has shown that 59 per cent of employees receive no formal workplace training and instead rely on self-directed learning.

Organisations and universities are navigating a complex environment, Mr Burkitt added. Short-form programs give learners more flexible ways to grow, while preserving the rigour of traditional qualifications. Together, these pathways help future-proof the workforce.

Regional areas continue to face more acute workforce challenges than metropolitan areas. According to the March 2025 Occupation Shortage Report, regional areas show a fill rate of 64.3 per cent compared to metropolitan areas at 71.6 per cent, indicating regional shortages are often more severe.

Practical over prestige

The rise of micro-credentials comes as the Australian Government continues to standardise these qualifications through the National Microcredentials Framework, developed in 2021. Under this framework, course providers must ensure that Australian micro-credentials include industry-specific learning outcomes and formal assessments.

Healthcare dominates the shortage list, with registered nurses, general practitioners and aged care workers experiencing critical shortages. Technology roles, including software engineers and cybersecurity specialists, also feature prominently among high-demand occupations.

The research indicates that learners are increasingly selective about their education choices, favouring programs that promise immediate workplace application over longer-term theoretical study. This trend aligns with broader shifts in how Australian businesses approach workforce development, with many organisations prioritising practical, targeted training over expensive formal qualifications.

The studys findings suggest that as technological change continues to reshape Australian industries, the demand for flexible, skills-focused learning will only intensify, positioning short-form courses as a critical tool in addressing the nations ongoing talent challenges.

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Opinion | Another Beautiful Armada: Trump, Iran & The Dangerous Theatre Of Power

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:16 IST

Are we watching deterrence at work---or the opening act of yet another conflict that could spiral beyond anyones control?

Rapid Read

Trumps armada comment may sound like showmanship, but naval armadas are not metaphors. They are instruments of war.

When Donald Trump told a cheering crowd that another beautiful armada" was floating toward Iran, the remark landed with the kind of bravado that has become familiarpart spectacle, part warning, part negotiation tactic wrapped in flourish.

But behind the theatrics of that phrase lies something far more serious: a mounting military build-up in the Middle East, an increasingly volatile confrontation with Tehran, and the return of a dangerous question the world has faced before.

Are we watching deterrence at workor the opening act of yet another conflict that could spiral beyond anyones control?

TRUMPS THEATRE OF PRESSURE

The United States has, in recent days, deployed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, guided-missile destroyers, fighter aircraft, and missile-defence systems closer to Iranian waters. Washington frames the move as defensive, an effort to protect US forces and signal resolve amid Irans brutal internal crackdown and fears of nuclear escalation.

Trump, however, has cast it in a different register: as leverage.

Trump says I hope they make a deal", suggesting that Tehran has reached out repeatedly. That dual messageforce paired with diplomacy, escalation paired with invitationcaptures the essence of this moment: power projection as persuasion, brinkmanship as policy.

IRANS RED LINES AND RISING FURY

Iran, unsurprisingly, has responded in kind.

Senior Iranian officials have warned that even a limited" strike would be treated as an all-out war." Tehran has placed its forces on high alert, issued threats to Gulf neighbours, and reminded the world that the Strait of Hormuza narrow maritime choke point through which a fifth of global oil passesis never far from the battlefield in any US-Iran confrontation.

THE GULFS QUIET PANIC

The rhetoric is sharp. The deployments are real. And the stakes are enormous.

This is not merely a bilateral dispute between Washington and Tehran. It is a regional pressure cooker, with every major actor watching for sparks.

Israel, which views Iran as an existential adversary, is preparing for possible retaliation and proxy escalation. Gulf states, despite longstanding partnerships with Washington, have signaled deep uneasereportedly refusing to allow their airspace or territory to be used for strikes, fearing Iranian reprisals and domestic instability. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, once more openly aligned with US pressure campaigns, now appear caught between alliance and survival instinct.

The shift is telling.

The Middle East has lived through the aftermath of miscalculation too many times: wars launched with limited aims that expanded into decades of fallout, regimes weakened only to unleash chaos, military victories purchased at immense civilian and geopolitical cost.

Trumps armada" comment may sound like showmanship, but naval armadas are not metaphors. They are instruments of war.

Globally, the response has been wary. China has urged restraint. Russia has condemned threats of force. European leaders are tightening sanctions over Irans protest crackdown but remain reluctant to endorse military action that could detonate the region.

THE STRAIT WHERE THE WORLD HOLDS ITS BREATH

Markets, too, are listening. Oil prices have already jumped, reflecting investor anxiety that even minor clashes could disrupt shipping lanes or ignite strikes on energy infrastructure. In a fragile global economy, the Persian Gulf remains the place where geopolitics meets gasoline priceswhere distant tensions arrive quickly at local pumps.

The deeper issue, however, is not simply what Trump is saying, but what the build-up represents.

The United States is once again relying on military concentration as diplomacy. Iran is once again relying on defiance and asymmetric threat as deterrence. The region is once again forced into a familiar posture: brace, mediate, survive.

And history offers an uncomfortable lesson. Crises like these rarely unfold according to script. Carrier strike groups do not sail into contested waters without consequence. Leaders do not trade ultimatums without raising the risk of misinterpretation. And once forces are positioned, the margin for error shrinks dangerously.

Trump insists he wants a deal, not war. Iran insists it will not bend under threats. Both statements may be true. But between them lies a narrow corridor where accidents, misjudgments, or domestic political pressures can push confrontation into catastrophe.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE ARMADA DOESNT TURN BACK

For now, the armada" is still moving. The rhetoric is still rising. The diplomacy is still uncertain.

What matters most is that this moment is not just about Iran, or Trump, or a single deployment.

It is about whether the worlds most combustible region is drifting once more toward a familiar precipicecarried forward not only by strategy, but by pride, politics, and the perilous temptation to test resolve at sea.

Because armadas, however beautiful" they may sound in a rally line, have never been beautiful once the shooting starts.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 14:16 IST

News opinion Opinion | Another Beautiful Armada: Trump, Iran & The Dangerous Theatre Of Power

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Opinion | Beyond Tariffs: The Strategic Significance Of The India-EU Free Trade Agreement

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 23:29 IST

While the FTA covers market access, lower tariffs, and streamlined regulations, its true significance lies in fostering trust amid a volatile global economy

PM Narendra Modi (C) embraces European Council President Antonio Costa (R) as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen looks on during the joint press statements after their meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on January 27, 2026. (Image: AFP)

After two decades of negotiation, India and the European Union have concluded a comprehensive free trade agreement. While it covers market access, lower tariffs, and streamlined regulations, its true significance lies in fostering trust amid a volatile global economy.

This agreement comes at a time when the global trading system is under pressure. Geopolitical tensions are affecting supply chains, industrial policy is gaining traction, and the United States  the systems cornerstone  is adopting a more unpredictable and protectionist stance.

In this context, the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) is not just routine diplomacy; its a strategic move that highlights the value of reliable partnerships.

Trade agreements between large, complex economies are inherently slow. They require detailed negotiations on standards, services, intellectual property, digital rules, sustainability, and labour provisions. The prolonged engagement between India and the EU signals their commitment to long-term alignment, making this agreement a binding decision rather than a mere symbolic gesture.

For India, this agreement represents a shift in trade strategy. After withdrawing from major regional pacts like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, India has selectively re-engaged in trade. Deals with the United Arab Emirates and Australia, ongoing talks with the United Kingdom, and now this landmark EU agreement reflect a focus on quality and diversified partnerships over broad liberalisation.

The EU deal is particularly significant due to the nature of the European market. Beyond its size, Europe is regulatory-intensive, setting global standards in areas such as data protection, environmental compliance, product safety, and competition policy. Closer integration with Europe will challenge Indian firms to meet these high benchmarks, enabling them to compete more effectively in advanced global markets.

For the EU, India offers scale, growth, and strategic balance. With a population of over 1.4 billion and robust growth rates, India is becoming a key player in global supply chains.

European companies, looking to reduce reliance on China, see India as an alternative hub for production and innovation, especially in clean energy equipment, advanced manufacturing, and digital services. Enhanced regulatory cooperation will facilitate investment, technology transfer, and joint ventures, making this transition smoother.

As the US considers a more protectionist trade stance, the deepening India-EU alignment is notable. Tariffs are being viewed in Washington as tools of economic policy, yet they function as taxes on supply chains, raising costs and injecting uncertainty into long-term investments. The mere threat of sudden trade barriers can prompt firms and governments to seek diversified economic relationships.

Countries are not abandoning the US, but they are preparing for unpredictability in its trade policy by building alternative partnerships. New trade corridors emerge, investment flows adjust, and rule-making forums progress without American leadership, eventually solidifying into structures that shape the global economy.

Thus, the India-EU trade deal is as much about setting rules as it is about reducing tariffs. Modern trade pacts increasingly establish norms in data governance, green technology standards, supply chain transparency, and industrial subsidies. By defining these rules together, India and the EU gain influence over the global economic operating system", compelling others to adapt to standards they did not help create.

For India, this agreement offers more than just export growth. Greater access to European markets can boost high-value manufacturing and services.

European investment and technology can accelerate Indias transition to renewable energy, sustainable urban infrastructure, and advanced industries. Simultaneously, India enhances its geopolitical profile, proving it is a serious partner in shaping global economic norms rather than merely a large market.

The broader lesson is that credibility is increasingly a source of power in the 21st-century economy. Countries and firms seek partners whose commitments are stable, whose policies are institutionally guided, and whose disputes are resolved through rules, not threats. Reliability, therefore, has become a significant form of influence.

After years of slow, complex, and often frustrating negotiations, both sides have chosen stability over spectacle and long-term alignment over short-term gains.

(Mousumi Roy writes on politics, material culture, and economic history. Views expressed are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views)

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 23:29 IST

News opinion Opinion | Beyond Tariffs: The Strategic Significance Of The India-EU Free Trade Agreement

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Opinion | Why Private Conservation Funding For Monuments Is A Public Need

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:53 IST

Because ASI, running on shoestring government allocations simply cannot do the needful

Currently ASI is in charge of 3,685 to 3,698 sites of national importance, protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958. (PTI)

Who maintains Stonehenge, one of Britains oldest and most visited monuments? Clue: it is not the UK government. Stonehenge and many other historic structures are maintained by English Heritage Trust, which is neither a quango nor a government entity; it is a charity which is led mostly by people who have reached positions of eminence in the private sector. And no one can quibble that monuments are ineptly or inadequately conserved and preserved there.

Monuments in India are now set to be preserved and maintained by private entities who are major contributors to the National Culture Fund, via the expertise of government empanelled conservation architects in accordance with plans approved by the Archaeological Survey of India. The only aspect left to the discretion of private companies is the choice of agencies to execute the projects. As the ASI is under-staffed and cash strapped, this is a practical solution.

As it is, there have been periodic complaints, both from the general public and VIPs (including the PMO), about the poor state of maintenance of monuments and heritage sites under ASI protection". The glacial pace of government departments is known but the quality of ASIs work has been under the scanner too as well as its internal capacity to physically man and maintain thousands of monuments. Partnership for funding and maintenance is a no-brainer.

Yet there is an outcry from predictable quarters that the government is simply hellbent on handing over priceless national heritage to private companies. This is a specious argument. Barring the Taj Mahal and a few other monuments, most ASI-protected" historic places are sadly neglected, partly because there are far too many for individual attention and partly due to endemic sloth and corruption. Public funds rarely get monitoredby the public or by anyone else.

On the other hand, private entities and even individuals maintain a very close watch on the expenditure of their committed funds, whether on a personal project or a public one. Nor are they likely to allow the wilful depletion or deterioration of whatever those funds were spent on. So if they pour lakhs or crores into the conservation and preservation of a monument, they are likely to ensure the money is properly utilised and accounted for and the result is appreciated too!

One of the best examples of private entities preserving monuments is the tomb of Mah Begum, the wife of Akbars favourite poet-general Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khanan, in New Delhis Nizamuddin East. InterGlobe Foundation (whose parent company owns IndiGo airlines) provided the financial support while the Aga Khan Trust for Culture executed the conservation in association with ASI. No one can say the building was hijacked by either of the two private entities.

Moreover, the magnificent restoration of Humayuns Tomb in the same area of New Delhinow a UNESCO World Heritage Sitewas primarily funded and executed by AKTC (in partnership with ASI) but also had significant financial contribution from the Tata Trusts. This public-private partnership to restore a major Mughal monument was green-flagged by the then Congress-led UPA government, which no one has ever accused of selling off" heritage.

Also in Nizamuddin, the 16th-century Sabz Burj near Humayuns Tomb was restored with funding from the lighting company Havells India as a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, also executed by AKTC with ASI. The Tata Trusts also gave a 12 crore grant to AKTC for conservation of the Qutb Shahi Tombs complex in Hyderabad and the American Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation gave 60 lakh for archaeological investigations there.

These four projects highlight the positive potential of public-private partnerships to conserve monuments. Their generosity ensured that the best expertise and technology could be used for conservation and preservation, and the supervising agency remained the ASI. There is never any question of handing over ownership of national monuments. Why then are naysayers deriding a cement company for only lighting and maintaining Red Fort, already conserved by the ASI?

Critics of the Centres proposal for private participation in conservation and maintenance of Indian monuments are presumably aware that English Heritage Trust manages over 400 more historic sites besides Stonehenge and is the custodian of the National Heritage Collection. Historic England, the government-funded statutory body, handles protection. But no one has ever accused the British government of selling off national monuments to private entities!

Currently ASI is in charge of 3,685 to 3,698 sites of national importance, protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958. This includes prehistoric and other excavation sites, tombs, temples, mosques, churches, stupas, forts, palaces, caves, stepwells, cemeteries, bridges and more. It also protects 24 of the 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. Another 4,134 sites are managed by archaeological departments of states.

In the 2025-26 Union Budget, ASI was given an allocation of 1278.49 crore, barely more than the 2024-25 amount of 1,273.91 crore. And it must be remembered that over 50% of its budgetary allocation is spent annually on salaries, wages, and administrative expenses of ASIs 6,000 employees. So, how much is left for ASI to spend on proper conservation and protection of the monuments themselves, using the best expertise, materials and technology? Clearly very little.

However, there is a need to have a strict legal and legislated framework to ensure that there is never any mismanagement or mishandling of conservation by private entities, especially in the absence of official monitoring for any reason. While the prominent national monuments remain safe from any serious excesses as they are always in the media glare and public attention, many less-known sites (currently perhaps neglected) could be endangered by over-conservation".

A lot depends on the quality of oversight and conservation assessments by the ASI of the monuments chosen to be maintained by private entities, of course. There also has to be a certain degree of transparency about the extent of proposed conservation and maintenance measures. Local antiquities and heritage enthusiasts obviously need to remain vigilant too. Nothing should be done in an opaque manner as it then risks local opposition if not legal hurdles.

But there is no doubt that it is a timely proposal and Indias monuments, now languishing because of a shoe-string ASI budget, need more generous conservation and preservation efforts. As long as there is continuous public scrutiny and a responsive complaint redressal system to discourage deviation from the stated norms both by the private sector and the ASI, Indias priceless architectural and archaeological heritage will certainly benefit.

(The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of News18.)

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 15:53 IST

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 12:10 IST

1 / 14 Ajit Pawar, Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), tragically lost his life in a plane crash early this morning, January 28. He was flying from Mumbai to Baramati when the small aircraft went down near Baramati airport while attempting to land. Along with Pawar, four others on board, including the pilots and his security personnel, also died in the crash. The plane had taken off from Mumbai around 8 AM and the crash occurred roughly an hour later.

2 / 14 The plane had taken off from Mumbai around 8 AM, and the crash occurred roughly an hour later. Preliminary reports suggest technical issues with the plane. The pilot attempted an emergency landing, but the aircraft appears to have gone out of control, resulting in the fatal crash, sources said. According to a report in NDTV, Pawar was scheduled to attend several important public meetings connected to the upcoming local body elections.

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3 / 14 Emergency responders arrived at the site. Visuals from the scene show fire, twisted metal and scattered debris. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed the fatalities and has begun an investigation into the cause. Pawar, aged 66, was a prominent political figure, nephew of NCP founder Sharad Pawar and cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, who were in Delhi for the Parliaments budget session. They are expected to travel to Pune in the wake of the tragedy.

4 / 14 India has witnessed several political leaders losing their lives while travelling by air often during official duties. One of the earliest such incidents was the death of Sanjay Gandhi in 1980 when the 33-year-old Congress leader died in an aerobatic plane crash near Delhis Safdarjung Airport. His sudden death shocked the political establishment and raised serious questions about safety during private flying.

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5 / 14 In 2001, senior Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia lost his life when a chartered aircraft crashed in Uttar Pradesh. He was travelling to attend a political rally at the time of the accident. Scindia had earlier served as Indias civil aviation minister. Eight years later, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy died in a helicopter crash over the Nallamala Hills. The helicopter was on a survey mission when it went down in dense forest terrain.

6 / 14 Dorjee Khandu, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, was killed in 2011 when a Pawan Hans helicopter crashed near the India-China border. The crash occurred in a difficult mountainous region and took days for search teams to locate the wreckage.

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7 / 14 In another incident, G.M.C. Balayogi, then Speaker of the Lok Sabha, died in 2002 after a Bell 206 helicopter made an emergency landing in Andhra Pradesh.

8 / 14 In 2021, Indias first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and his wife Madhulika Rawat lost their lives when the Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. The loss was seen as a major blow to Indias defence establishment. Investigations later pointed to technical and environmental factors.

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9 / 14 Gurnam Singh, who once led Punjab, died in a plane crash in Delhi in 1973, a loss that came at a time when air travel safety was far less regulated. Two years earlier, during the 1965 war, Gujarat Chief Minister Balwantrai Mehta was killed when his aircraft was shot down by a Pakistani fighter jet near the border.

10 / 14 Decades later, in 2005, Haryana ministers Om Prakash Jindal and Surender Singh lost their lives after a King Cobra helicopter crashed near Saharanpur while they were on official duty.

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11 / 14 Recently, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the 241 people killed in the 2025 Air India Flight 171 crash from Ahmedabad to London, one of the deadliest aviation disasters involving an Indian political figure.

12 / 14 The Indian film industry has also been affected by such tragedies. In 2004, Telugu actress Soundaryas small Cessna aircraft crashed near Bengaluru. She was widely known for her roles in films like Sooryavansham and Ammoru. She was only 32 and was reportedly seven months pregnant at the time. The accident occurred while she was travelling for a political campaign.

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13 / 14 Another loss was that of Taruni Sachdev, a child actor who was popularly known as the Rasna Girl. She died in a plane crash in Nepal in 2012 while travelling with her mother. She was just 14 years old at the time of the tragedy. Actor Inder Thakur, known for his role in Nadiya Ke Paar, was also among the victims of the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing over the Atlantic Ocean. That tragedy remains one of the deadliest acts of aviation-related terrorism.
Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 12:00 IST

1 / 9 Ajit Pawar, Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and one of the most influential leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party, tragically died today in a plane crash in Baramati. His sudden passing has left the state in shock, cutting short a career that spanned decades and shaped the politics of Maharashtra. Pawars journey from his hometown of Baramati to becoming a power centre in state politics is marked by resilience, ambition, and a deep connection to his constituency. Heres a direct look at how he built his political clout. (Image: Instagram)

2 / 9 Early Beginnings in Baramati: Born in 1959 in Baramati, Ajit Pawar was introduced to politics early as the nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar. His grassroots involvement began with local bodies, where he learned the intricacies of governance and built his first base of support. (Image: Instagram)

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3 / 9 Rise Through the NCP Ranks: Ajit Pawar quickly rose within the Nationalist Congress Party, becoming a trusted lieutenant of Sharad Pawar. His organizational skills and ability to mobilize support in rural Maharashtra made him indispensable to the partys growth. (Image: Instagram)

4 / 9 Baramati Stronghold: Elected multiple times as MLA from Baramati, Ajit Pawar turned the constituency into his political fortress. His consistent victories cemented his reputation as a leader who could deliver results and maintain loyalty among voters. (Image: Instagram)

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5 / 9 Key Ministerial Roles: Over the years, Pawar held several important portfolios, including finance, irrigation, and power. As Finance Minister, he was known for his pragmatic approach to budgets and development, often prioritizing infrastructure and rural welfare. (Image: Instagram)

6 / 9 Controversies and Resilience: His career was not without controversy, particularly surrounding irrigation projects. Yet, Ajit Pawars ability to bounce back and retain influence showcased his resilience in the face of political challenges. (Image: Instagram)

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7 / 9 The 2019 Political Twist: In a dramatic turn, Pawar briefly allied with the BJP in 2019, taking oath as Deputy Chief Minister in a short-lived government. Though the move shocked many, he quickly returned to the NCP fold, demonstrating his tactical maneuvering in Maharashtras complex coalition politics. (Image: Instagram)

8 / 9 Deputy Chief Minister and Power Broker: In his final years, Ajit Pawar continued to serve as Deputy Chief Minister, playing a crucial role in coalition negotiations and governance. His influence extended beyond his constituency, making him a central figure in state politics. (Image: Instagram)

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 08:39 IST

1 / 9 The Nipah virus outbreak in India has recently resurfaced, with confirmed cases in West Bengal and Kerala. Although the number of infections remains limited, the virus is causing concern because of its high fatality rate and the absence of a specific cure. Authorities have quarantined more than 100 people and tightened surveillance across Asia to prevent further spread.

2 / 9 Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic disease, meaning it spreads from animals to humans. It was first identified in Malaysia in 1998, linked to pig farms. Fruit bats, particularly those of the Pteropus species, are the natural reservoirs of the virus. Transmission can occur directly from bats to humans or indirectly through contaminated food. (Image: AI-Generated)

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3 / 9 In recent years, Kerala has reported multiple outbreaks, with four confirmed cases and two deaths in 2025. West Bengal followed in 2026 with infections among healthcare workers, leading to widespread quarantines. Neighboring countries such as Thailand, Nepal, and Taiwan have introduced airport screenings, echoing measures seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Image: AI-Generated)

4 / 9 The danger of Nipah lies in its high fatality rate, which historically ranges from 40 to 75 percent. Unlike COVID-19, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment available. Care is limited to supportive measures such as hydration, oxygen therapy, and seizure management. This makes early detection and isolation critical to controlling outbreaks. (Image: AI-Generated)

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5 / 9 Symptoms of Nipah infection usually appear within 4 to 14 days of exposure. Early signs include fever, headache, muscle pain, and sore throat. As the disease progresses, patients may experience drowsiness, confusion, and altered consciousness. Severe cases can lead to encephalitis, seizures, and coma, often resulting in death. (Image: AI-Generated)

6 / 9 The virus spreads through several routes. People can contract it by coming into contact with infected bats or pigs, consuming fruit contaminated by bat saliva or urine, or through close contact with infected individuals. Healthcare workers and caregivers are particularly vulnerable, which explains why outbreaks often affect hospitals. (Image: AI-Generated)

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7 / 9 Preventive measures focus on reducing exposure. People are advised to avoid consuming raw palm sap or fruits that may have been contaminated by bats. Strict hygiene practices are essential when caring for patients, and healthcare facilities rely on protective equipment and isolation wards to contain the virus. Public awareness campaigns encourage early reporting of symptoms and caution around sick animals. (Image: AI-Generated)

8 / 9 Globally, the response has been swift. Countries across Asia have tightened border checks, and Taiwan is considering classifying Nipah as a Category 5 infectious disease, underscoring its seriousness. The World Health Organization continues to monitor outbreaks closely, given the viruss potential to cause regional health crises. (Image: AI-Generated)

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:04 IST

1 / 5 Ajit Pawar (Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister): Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on Tuesday when their Learjet 45XR crashed while attempting to land. The accident marks the fourth confirmed fatal incident involving the Learjet 45/45XR aircraft type since it entered service in late 1990s. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

2 / 5 Gopinath Munde (Senior BJP Leader & Union Minister): In June 2014, the then Union Rural Development minister Gopinath Munde, 64, died following a road accident in Delhi. He was on his way to IGI airport when the accident took place at 6:30 am near Moti Bagh. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

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3 / 5 Geeta Hinge (State Vice President NCP  Womens Wing Ajit Pawar faction): Geeta Hinge (54) died in a fatal road accident on the Nagpur-Umred Highway near Pachgaon late on December 10, 2025. She, along with her husband was returning to Gadchiroli after attending a programme in Nagpur. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

4 / 5 Vinayak Mete (Shiv Sangram Chief & Former Member of Legislative Council): Vinayak Mete died in an road accident on the Mumbai-Pune expressway in Raigad district of Maharashtra in August, 2022. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:41 IST

1 / 11 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawars tragic death in a plane crash has left the nation in shock. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was travelling to Baramati from Mumbai by a private plane on Wednesday when it suffered a mishap while landing at the Baramati airstrip. Five people, including the crew, died in the crash.

2 / 11 Ajit Pawars death has led to speculation on social media about whether the state of Maharashtra suffers from a curse of sorts that has led to the demise of several major political leaders over the years. Apart from Pawar, BJP leaders Pramod Mahajan and Gopinath Munde, as well as Congress leader and ex-Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, all passed away due to tragic circumstances.

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3 / 11 Purnia Member of Parliament Pappu Yadav also highlighted the grim nature of the tragedies when he spoke to the media. "We dont understand, at times it was the former CM, at times Ajit Pawar. Today, the country has lost great potential, including leaders like Pramod Mahajan... Whether this is a coincidence or a conspiracy, I do not know..."

4 / 11 BJP leader Pramod Mahajan was killed by his brother, Pravin, in 2006. On a quiet April morning, Pravin entered his brothers home and shot him. Gopinath Munde, another prominent BJP politician and Pramod Mahajans brother-in-law, died in a car crash in 2014, just days after being appointed the Union Rural Development Minister by PM Modi. Vilasrao Deshmukh, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, died after a long illness in 2012.

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5 / 11 Several social media accounts have been pointing out the multiple tragedies that have struck the state over the past two decades. Another X user, Kumar Sahil, wrote, From Pramod Mahajan to Gopinath Munde, and now Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra has seen the tragic downfall of its tallest leaders. Their decline reflects the harsh, unforgiving nature of the states power politics, where ambition often destroys legacy.

6 / 11 For several people, Ajit Pawars death felt like a big blow. A user named Swami commented, Never voted for NCP. He wasn't an ideal politician .. had his fair share of controversies yet Dada's sudden passing feels personal. He also highlighted how Pawar was an able administrator and one of the last people's leaders from the state.

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7 / 11 Another account, called Yews Finest, said Pawars death was a big loss to the NCP, comparing it to how the BJP suffered after Pramod Mahajans death. You cannot underplay just how critical Ajit Pawar was to the NCP & its politics in the state. The comparisons to Pramod Mahajan reflect how the sudden death of both political stalwarts shook the nation.

8 / 11 X user YK Rajesh felt that Maharashtra politics seems to be going through tragedy after tragedy over the past two decades. Maharashtra politics seems cursedGopinath Munde in a car crash, then Pramod Mahajan, and now Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Tragedy after tragedy shakes the state, leaving citizens stunned and mourning yet another sudden loss at the top, he wrote.

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9 / 11 The death of Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe was also counted among the tragedies by an account named Abhishek. Dighe suffered an accident on August 25, 2001. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment, where he suffered two heart attacks and passed away the following day. The news of Dighes demise led to the crowd outside the hospital where he was being treated going on a rampage, as per Hindustan Times.

10 / 11 Ajit Pawars tragic death has led many people to recall other shocking incidents when senior leaders in Maharashtra passed away, leaving behind a void in the political arena.

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Ajit Pawar: The Man Who Was Never Out Of Power In Maharashtra's Politics

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 10:56 IST

Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a tragic aviation accident as the plane he was travelling in crashed during landing at Baramati airport on Wednesday

Rapid Read

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in an air crash on Wednesday. (PTI)

He was often described as Maharashtras ultimate political survivor". However, fate took a cruel turn on Wednesday morning when Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a tragic aviation accident as the plane he was travelling in crashed during landing at Baramati airport in Pune district.

The aircraft, a chartered flight carrying Ajit Pawar and four others, was attempting to land in Baramati, his home constituency and political stronghold, when it reportedly encountered difficulties on approach and crash-landed.

Pawar was on his way to Baramati to participate in several scheduled public meetings and campaign events ahead of the ongoing local Zilla Parishad polls.

Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and pic.twitter.com/mdgwwGzw4R Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026

Born on July 22, 1959, Pawar was one of Maharashtras most prominent and enduring political figures. A nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, he built a long political career rooted in the cooperative movement and grassroots administration before rising to state leadership.

Pawar began his foray into politics through local cooperative bodies and went on to represent the Baramati constituency in the Maharashtra legislative assembly for multiple terms. Over decades in office, he held key portfolios, including finance, water resources and planning, shaping several state policies and budgets.

2019: A LANDMARK YEAR

The year 2019 captured Ajit Pawars political instinct for survival in its most dramatic form. In a stunning pre-dawn move, he broke ranks with his uncle and long-time mentor Sharad Pawar and walked into government with the BJP, taking oath as deputy chief minister alongside Devendra Fadnavis. The alliance collapsed within three days, and Pawar promptly pulled the plug, triggering Fadnaviss resignation and throwing Maharashtra politics into chaos. The episode fuelled intense debate over ambition, loyalty and Pawars willingness to take risks few others would.

Yet, even when the gamble failed, Pawar did not drift into political exile. By December 2019, he was back in governmentthis time reunited with Sharad Pawar and sworn in again as deputy chief minister in Uddhav Thackerays Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) administration. The quick return underscored a recurring theme of his career: when governments changed, Ajit Pawar remained.

That pattern repeated itself in July 2023. With the collapse of the MVA, Pawar engineered his boldest move yeta vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Partyand aligned with the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Once again, the transition placed him firmly in the ruling dispensation, reinforcing his reputation as a politician who rarely found himself on the sidelines, regardless of shifting alliances.

THE 2024 TEST

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections appeared to puncture that aura of invincibility. Contesting under his own leadership for the first time and armed with the party name and symbol, Pawars faction managed to win just one seat. The setback raised uncomfortable questions about whether the 65-year-old could truly command the political ground without his uncles shadow.

But Ajit Pawar was not done yet. When the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and his NCP faction, went into the 2024 assembly elections, Pawar was widely seen as its weakest link. Expectations were low, and scepticism was widespread.

The results told a different story. Pawars faction emerged with 41 seats, a performance that placed him on par with the alliances biggest players. The Mahayutis success was not just a victory for Devendra Fadnavis or Eknath Shinde; it was equally Pawars momenta reminder that he could still deliver numbers, command legislators and anchor himself in power.

Across rebellions, reversals and realignments, Ajit Pawars career followed a consistent script: governments fell, alliances shifted, but he almost always found a way back to the centre of authority.

However, despite his repeated stints as deputy chief minister, the chief ministerial post remained out of reach throughout his career, leading some observers to describe him as Maharashtras ultimate political survivor".

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Location : Baramati, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 10:19 IST

News politics Ajit Pawar: The Man Who Was Never Out Of Power In Maharashtra's Politics

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BJP Attacks TMC Govt After High Court Fixes Timeline For Indo-Bangladesh Border Fencing Land Handover

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News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 23:53 IST

The Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to hand over acquired land along the Indo-Bangladesh border in nine districts to the BSF for fencing.

The Bench expressed concern over the State's reliance on the DPP, noting that the policy was designed for stalled infrastructure projects and not for matters of national defence. (File image)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday hit out at the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government after the Calcutta High Court directed the state government to hand over land for fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border within a fixed timeline, saying that the ruling has exposed TMCS attempts to shift blame to the Centre on the issue of infiltration.

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya said that the Trinamool governments attempts to delay border fencing had hit a judicial wall". He said the High Court had issued clear directions to the State to stop delaying tactics and hand over land required for fencing to the Border Security Force (BSF), stressing that political obstruction could not override national security concerns.

Mamata Banerjees bid to stall Indo-Bangla border fencing hits a judicial wall. The court has now stepped in, directing the West Bengal government to stop delaying tactics and hand over land required for border fencing to the BSF," he said in a post on X.

Mamata Banerjees bid to stall Indo-Bangla border fencing hits a judicial wall.The court has now stepped in, directing the West Bengal government to stop delaying tactics and hand over land required for border fencing to the BSF.  Clear orders on already acquired land:Where pic.twitter.com/VZChh7bafR  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 28, 2026

The BJP leader further emphasised that the court has categorically directed the state to hand over, by March 31, 2026, land that has already been acquired or purchased and for which compensation has been accepted. He added that the court has also ordered the State to expedite the process across nine border districts and submit an Action Taken Report in cases where acquisition is still underway.

Political obstruction cannot override national security imperatives. With firm judicial deadlines in place, the Mamata Banerjee government can no longer sit on land meant for securing Indias international border. Court orders. Clear timelines. No more excuses," he added.

Former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb also slammed the the Mamata Banerjee government and said that delays in fencing had indirectly encouraged illegal infiltration, smuggling and trafficking along the border. He said the High Courts order had exposed attempts to shift blame to the Centre on the issue of infiltration.

    ,                 - l      ,     ,          Biplab Kumar Deb (@BjpBiplab) January 28, 2026

What Calcutta HC Said?

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to hand over acquired land along the Indo-Bangladesh border in nine districts to the BSF for fencing. The directions were issued by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen while hearing a public interest litigation filed by a former Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Livelaw reported.

The petitioner highlighted that nearly 26 per cent of the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal remains unfenced despite repeated Cabinet approvals since 2016, allegedly facilitating infiltration, narcotics trafficking, cattle and gold smuggling, and circulation of fake currency.

After hearing all parties, the court divided the issue into three categories- land already acquired and paid for, land where acquisition or purchase is ongoing, and land where no process has begun. While setting a firm March 31, 2026 deadline for the first two categories, the court said the issue of fresh acquisition and the applicability of emergency provisions under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act would be examined separately.

The matter is scheduled to be listed again in April 2026.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 23:53 IST

News politics BJP Attacks TMC Govt After High Court Fixes Timeline For Indo-Bangladesh Border Fencing Land Handover

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PropertyLimBrothers, a Singapore property agency, has removed the name of co-founder Melvin Lim from its website as the real estate influencer faces allegations of an affair with a married colleague.

By Tuesday, Lims name had disappeared from the companys leadership website, where he had been listed as CEO. Grayce Tan, PLBs vice president for strategy and his alleged affair partner, was also removed from the page, Mothership reported.

Lim is married with four children. Tan is married as well, but not to him.

Lims home tour videos often pull in more than 20,000 views. Tan is also an influencer with more than 190,000 followers on Instagram, where she goes by @babygrayce.

Melvin Lim, co-founder of PropertyLimBrothers. Photo from the company's website

Their alleged cheating scandal became widespread on the internet after a Reddit user posted in the r/SingaporeInfluencers forum on Monday asking if the duo were having an affair, citing speculation elsewhere, The Straits Times reported.

Within hours, online sleuths began combing through the pairs extensive digital footprint. Users shared holiday photos that appear to show them together, critical Glassdoor reviews of their company and images of their spouses, along with links to Lims past preaching on a local Christian blog and Tans wedding photos.

Some users then pointed to a video allegedly filmed from an office unit opposite Lims. The clip supposedly captured moaning sounds as the person recording tried to move closer to the source, according to AsiaOne.

A man resembling Lim later steps out holding what looks like a packet of wet tissues before returning inside. He and a woman are then seen at the doorway, after which the woman leaves and the man locks up.

The following day, a user shared a screenshot of what was said to be a private WhatsApp message from Lim to company staff.

In the message, he reportedly apologized for his "personal mistake" and said both he and Tan would resign from their roles.

"I take full responsibility for that, and I want to apologise sincerely for the disappointment and distraction this has caused the team," the message read.

"This situation is mine to own, and I ask for your understanding that no speculation, or pressure be placed on any parties in any way. I also ask for your help that the team respects the privacy of both our families during this period."

Local media outlets have reached out to PLB, but no comments on the alleged scandal have been published.

Set up in 2017 by Melvin and Adrian Lim, who met in 2004 while training as prison officers with the Singapore Prison Service, the agency is known for its polished home tour videos, which it says it was the first to adopt at the time. Its slogan is "Real estate with integrity."
'Extremely Unfortunate, Heartbreaking': RSS Mourns Demise Of Ajit Pawar

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 14:05 IST

Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, died in a plane crash in Baramati. RSS expressed grief and paid tribute.

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in an air crash on Wednesday. (PTI)

Following the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)  the BJPs parental organisation  expressed grief over the incident and paid tribute to the leader.

In a statement posted on X, the RSS said, The sudden demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar ji in an airplane accident today is extremely unfortunate and heartbreaking."

His public life has been quite long and impactful. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh offers him heartfelt tribute and prays to God to grant peace to his soul. Om Shanti", it read.

Ajit Pawar Dies In Plane Crash

Ajit Pawar, 66, died in a tragic plane crash in Maharashtras Baramati on Wednesday morning, January 28. Pawar was heading to Baramati to address a public gathering ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections.

Pawar, also known as Dada, was renowned as the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. With his demise, condolences have poured in from across party lines.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, among others, expressed grief over the incident and paid tributes.

Meanwhile, a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has landed in Baramati and begun an investigation into the crash.

During the investigation, the probe team will retrieve the flight recorder, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and Digital Engine Electronic System (DEES), news agency ANI reported.

Maharashtra Declares State Mourning

Maharashtra has declared three days of state mourning following the demise of deputy CM Ajit Pawar. The tricolour across the state will be flown at half mast, as a mark of respect, and all government programmes stand cancelled between January 28 and 30.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 13:54 IST

News politics 'Extremely Unfortunate, Heartbreaking': RSS Mourns Demise Of Ajit Pawar

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Jana Sena Party Orders Probe After Rape Allegations Against MLA Arava Sridhar

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 20:04 IST

Responding to the allegations, the Jana Sena Party announced the constitution of a 3-member enquiry committee to examine the claims

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The party directed Arava Sridhar to appear before the committee within seven days and furnish an explanation. (News18 Telugu)

Serious allegations of sexual exploitation have levelled against Jana Sena Party MLA and government whip Arava Sridhar, setting off a major political controversy in Andhra Pradesh. The controversy began on Tuesday when a woman posted a video on social media, accusing the Railway Koduru legislator of sexually exploiting and threatening her over the past 1.5 years.

Responding to the allegations, the Jana Sena Party announced the constitution of a 3-member enquiry committee to examine the claims. According to a statement issued by the partys central office in Mangalagiri, the state committee has appointed T Shivashankar, Tamballapalli Ramadevi and TC Varun to investigate the matter. The committee has been asked to submit its report after a detailed enquiry.

The party directed Arava Sridhar to appear before the committee within seven days and furnish an explanation. Until a final decision is taken based on the committees findings, the legislator has been asked to refrain from participating in party activities. The statement was signed by Jana Sena political secretary P Hariprasad.

Womans Allegations

In her video, the woman claimed that she first came into contact with Sridhar after congratulating him on Facebook following his election victory as MLA from Railway Koduru constituency in Tirupati district. She alleged that he later spoke to her over the phone and, in July 2024, took her in a car and raped her in the Rajampet area. According to her, she became pregnant and was forced to undergo an abortion. She further claimed that the assaults continued thereafter and that Sridhar threatened her husband to force a divorce.

She also alleged that when she confronted Sridhar, he insisted that she divorce her husband, warning her she had to obey him as he was an MLA.

As the controversy intensified, Sridhar released a video statement on Tuesday, denying all allegations and terming them a deliberate campaign" against him. He said he had served as a village head for three years prior to becoming an MLA and had never faced any such accusations.

The MLA asserted that he would pursue legal action against those circulating what he described as fake videos and against those allegedly behind them. He also stated that his mother had lodged a police complaint, claiming that the woman had been harassing him for the past six months.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Womens Commission Chairperson Rayapati Shailaja said she had spoken to the woman over the phone and gathered details regarding the allegations. She assured that the matter would be thoroughly investigated and that appropriate action would be taken.

The MLAs mother, Arava Prameela, also addressed the media in Railway Koduru on Tuesday, alleging that the woman was attempting to extort Rs 25 crore by threatening to destroy her sons political career. She claimed that the woman initially visited their house as a relative, developed closeness with her son, repeatedly called him and pressured him to marry her. Prameela further alleged that certain YSRCP leaders were mentally harassing their family through the woman.

According to the family, after the woman allegedly created a scene at their residence, they approached the district Superintendent of Police. Railway Koduru police subsequently registered a case against the woman on January 7. The family has stated that they are prepared to fight the matter legally.

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Location : Andhra Pradesh, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 20:04 IST

News politics Jana Sena Party Orders Probe After Rape Allegations Against MLA Arava Sridhar

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'Nobody Is Safe': Mamata Banerjee Alleges Foul Play In Ajit Pawar's Plane Crash, BJP Hits Back

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:07 IST

Ajit Pawar, 66, and four other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Maharashtras Pune district on Wednesday morning.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. (PTI/File)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar was supposed to quit the NDA and join the INDIA bloc, and raised questions over his death in the plane crash.

The Trinamool Congress leader demanded a high-level probe under the monitoring of the Supreme Court into Pawars death.

Somebody from another party had said that Ajit Pawar would leave the BJP. Now look at what has happened today. I want a proper investigation under the monitoring of the Supreme Court. Nobody is safe here. He was supposed to join back  I had seen that  so how did this crash happen?" she said.

Ajit Pawars Plane Crashed At Edge Of Baramati Tabletop Runway During Second Approach

Echoing Banerjees views, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti asked if Pawars death was an accident or sabotage.

Shocked to learn about tragic death of Maharashtra Dy CM Sri Ajit Pawar in a plane crash! Since in last Maharashtra municipal elections, his party contested jointly with NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and there were rumours in power corridors that both the factions may get merged which would have surely troubled the present BJP-shiv Sena (Shinde group) govt. Hence the big question: his death is an accident or sabotage!" Bharti wrote in a post on X.

Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra also demanded an investigation into Pawars death.

Vijay Rupani jis plane accident, Bipin Rawat, and now Ajit Pawars accident, and the fact that no investigation report on any of these has been made public, I believe, raises questions somewhere. The countrys Prime Minister and Home Minister should investigate these three," he said.

BJP Reacts To Mamatas Remark

BJP spokesperson Tuhin Sinha lashed out at Mamata Banerjee, saying such vulture-like behaviour" is avoidable in this hour of tragedy.

Disgusting opportunism by Mamata Banerjee. Such vulture- like behaviour is avoidable in this hour of tragedy . Tuhin A. Sinha   (@tuhins) January 28, 2026

Ajit Pawar, 66, and four other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Maharashtras Pune district on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred when the plane carrying Pawar and others landed near Baramati.

Ajit Pawar was part of the NDA government in Maharashtra after breaking away from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. The two NCP factions had recently joined hands for civic body polls in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, but got little success.

Meanwhile, a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) began its investigation into the tragic plane crash.

The Maharashtra government announced a three-day state mourning following Ajit Pawars death.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 13:24 IST

News politics 'Nobody Is Safe': Mamata Banerjee Alleges Foul Play In Ajit Pawar's Plane Crash, BJP Hits Back

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'Sacrificed Everything...': What Ajit Pawar Said In His Last Facebook Post

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 12:49 IST

Barely hours before the plane crash, Ajit Pawar shared what would become his last post on Facebook, paying tribute to a freedom fighter. Here's what he wrote.

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Ajit Pawar was active on social media till the final hours of his life. (PTI Photo)

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar died early Wednesday morning when the chartered aircraft he was travelling in crashed during a landing attempt at Baramati Airport in Pune district. The plane crash claimed the lives of all five people on board, including the pilot and the members of his entourage, officials confirmed.

Ajit Pawar was active on social media till the final hours of his life. Barely hours before the crash, he shared what would become his last post on Facebook, paying tribute to freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on the occasion of his birth anniversary. In the post, Pawar wrote that Lajpat Rai had sacrificed everything for the countrys freedom and that his patriotism would continue to inspire generations.

Separately, Pawar had also made his final post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) late on Tuesday night, in which he spoke about a cabinet meeting and outlined key decisions taken by the government. He had accompanied the post with a photograph.

The Fatal Incident

Pawar, 66, was en route to his home constituency in Baramati to participate in election-related events for the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections. His twin-engine Learjet 45 jet, registered VT-SSK, departed from Mumbai soon after 8 am on Wednesday and was attempting to land at Baramati at about 8:45 am when it crash-landed near the runway and burst into flames, according to the DGCA.

Eyewitness Accounts

A woman who witnessed the accident said the plane was seen circling the Baramati airstrip before the crash. It was circling in the air and did not appear stable. As it attempted to land, it hit the ground with force and exploded. The sound was so loud that we could hear it from our house," she said, adding that debris from the aircraft was flung into the air and fell near her residence. The plane tilted just before the crash. Seeing the explosion was terrifying," she added.

Another eyewitness said the aircraft seemed to lose control during its descent. From the way it was coming down, we felt it would crash. It was around 100 feet above the runway. As we ran towards the site, we saw flames followed by four to five explosions, which forced us to stop," he told reporters, adding, There was a massive fire. Later, we learnt that Ajit Pawar was on board. It was shocking."

PM Modi Expresses Condolence

The news has triggered shock and mourning across the political spectrum. Condolences have poured in from senior leaders and parties, and the Maharashtra government has announced official tributes and a period of mourning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also express his condolences, saying that Pawars death was sudden and deeply shocking. In a post on X, Modi described Pawar as a mass leader with strong grassroots connect, who was widely respected for his commitment to public service. Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, deeply connected at the grassroots. He was admired for his hard work and dedication to serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administration and his commitment to the welfare of the poor and underprivileged were remarkable. His untimely demise is extremely shocking and saddening," he wrote.

Pawar was a towering figure in Maharashtra politics for more than four decades, known for his strategic acumen and influence across rural and urban constituencies. He had served multiple terms as deputy chief minister and was a key power-broker in the states governance.

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Location : Maharashtra, India, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 12:49 IST

News politics 'Sacrificed Everything...': What Ajit Pawar Said In His Last Facebook Post

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Data Privacy Day 2026: Theme, History, And Tips To Protect Your Data

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 07:40 IST

Data Privacy Day 2026 highlights the global need to safeguard personal information. Explore its history, theme, significance and practical tips for data protection.

Data Privacy Day 2026 highlights awareness and tips for protecting personal digital information.

Data Privacy Day 2026: Every time you update your social media, book a flight ticket or send money to your family using digital mobile applications, you are sharing a piece of your personal information. Data such as names, addresses, health reports, and financial details are part of personal information that requires strong protection from unauthorised access.

Data Privacy Day is marked globally every year on January 28. It is an international effort to empower individuals and encourage companies to respect privacy, safeguard data, and build trust among their users.

Data Privacy Day 2026 Theme

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) has set the theme for Data Privacy Day as Prioritize privacy by design." This is an excellent way to raise awareness among individuals about handling their personal information with care and to reflect on the companys approach to privacy.

Data Privacy Day 2026: History

Established by the Council of Europe in 2006, Data Protection Day commemorates the anniversary of the 1981 signing of Convention 108, the worlds first legally binding international treaty on data protection. What began as a single day of observance has since expanded into a week-long initiative in the U.S. and Canada, aimed at raising broader awareness about data privacy and protection.

Data Privacy Day 2026: Significance

The moment your browsing history, messages, emails, and calls are accessed without your knowledge and even at times misused, this is a breach of privacy. Many such situations even lead to scams involving hefty amounts of transactions and more.

The need of the hour is safeguarding your information while visiting an array of websites, and agreeing to tick the boxes only after thoroughly verifying the companys extent of collecting, storing, and sharing data.

Tips To Protect Your Data

Following these simple steps can help you protect your personal data from digital scams.

Secure your accounts: Instead of using the same password for multiple accounts, you must create strong passwords and keep upgrading them once in a while. This will prevent hackers from accessing other accounts even if one site gets compromised. Meanwhile, if you tend to forget your passwords, try using passphrases" instead of numbers. Turn on extra protection: Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) provides an additional layer of protection for your private data. Usually, the key (code) is sent to your phone number, and you can only log in to your email, social media, and financial apps with a fingerprint scan. Review your app permissions: The moment we download any application or land on certain websites, we are asked for our location, access to our contacts list and many other such permissions. Due to the hurry at that particular time, we might also miss certain prohibited actions. This is why it is recommended to regularly review the permission settings on our phones. Use secure networks: Using free Wi-Fi at railway stations, hospitals, or restaurants can potentially lead to multiple scams. Hence, during sensitive transactions, it is important to turn off Wi-Fi and use your mobile data plan. Dont fall for lucrative scams: Always think and rethink before opening suspicious links or attachments. Try to differentiate between emails and SMS send by legitimate companies and various phishing accounts floating around.

Data Privacy Day 2026: Global Awareness

A list of events is organised worldwide throughout the year to raise awareness about data privacy. In addition, participating in targeted hashtag campaigns can help promote responsible data-sharing practices and foster greater awareness of proper data handling.

As digital technologies evolve, people must begin addressing the new challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and connected devices. Businesses, too, can play a crucial role by empowering customers with practical security measures such as strong passwords and two-factor authentication.

Promoting transparency, ensuring regulatory compliance, and embedding privacy into systems and everyday practices are essential to recognising the importance and vulnerability of personal data in todays digital economy.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 07:40 IST

News tech Data Privacy Day 2026: Theme, History, And Tips To Protect Your Data

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63-Yr-Old Spikes Soft Drinks With Urine For A Year, Wears Enjoy Coca-Cola T-Shirt To Court

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 10:49 IST

A former property agent has pleaded guilty in a Hong Kong court to contaminating soft drinks with urine and placing them in supermarkets across the city for more than a year.

The accused was taken to Kowloon City Court.(Photo Credit : X)

A 63-year-old former property agent has pleaded guilty in a Hong Kong court to a disturbing series of incidents involving urine-spiked soft drinks placed in supermarkets across the city. The man, identified as Franklin Lo Kim-ngai, admitted to contaminating bottles of Coca-Cola Plus and 7-Up with urine and leaving them among other goods in Wellcome and ParknShop outlets.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Lo told the court he acted out of dissatisfaction with supermarket staff and emotional distress following his retirement and divorce.

Lo appeared at Kowloon City Court wearing a grey T-shirt emblazoned with the words Enjoy Coca-Cola" as he faced charges of administering a noxious substance with intent to injure. The offences are alleged to have taken place between July 21, 2024, and August 6, 2025, including at a Wellcome branch in Sham Shui Pos Nam Cheong Place shopping centre.

Court documents stated that Lo tampered with an unspecified number of soft drink bottles with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy" members of the public. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to both administering a noxious substance and attempting to commit the offence. Under Hong Kongs Offences Against the Person Ordinance, the crime carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment.

Lawyer Blames Divorce, Retirement

Los lawyer told the court that his client had been suffering from depression after losing emotional support following his divorce. His ex-wife and son reportedly relocated overseas and have stopped contacting him, while he has also endured the loss of both parents.

The lawyer said Lo described his actions as a prank" meant to cause trouble for supermarket employees.

Magistrate Patrick Tsang Hing-tung adjourned the case until October 21 pending further police investigation and rejected Los application for bail. Police said in a press briefing that the suspect may have targeted supermarkets in Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok and Wan Chai over the past year.

How Did The Matter Come To Light?

The case came to light after multiple reports of contaminated soft drinks at several Wellcome and ParknShop outlets surfaced. In one incident, a nine-year-old boy fell ill after unknowingly drinking a urine-spiked beverage purchased from a Wellcome store at Union Park Centre in Mong Kok in July 2025. The child was hospitalised and later discharged the same day without lasting symptoms.

Dr Fong Lai-ying, director of the Hong Kong Food Innovation and Technology Centre, warned that urine could contain viruses, drug residues, and other harmful substances.

If that person is unhealthy, the problem is very serious. If they are unhealthy or have taken medicine, there will be drug residue. Proteinuria and glycosuria can all be found in urine," she said, adding that anyone who unknowingly consumes such a drink should flush it out by drinking large amounts of water.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 10:48 IST

News viral 63-Yr-Old Spikes Soft Drinks With Urine For A Year, Wears Enjoy Coca-Cola T-Shirt To Court

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Meta AI Scientist With O-1 Genius Visa Denied Re-entry To US, Relocates In London: Unexpected And Crazy

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 10:19 IST

The setback comes despite Wang holding an O-1 visa (a special visa for individuals with extraordinary ability).

Zifan Wang holds a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University.(Photo Credit: X)

A major disruption at the US border has forced a top Meta AI researcher to relocate his work abroad. Zifan Wang, who has spent the last seven years studying and working in the US, faced an unexpected denial of reentry after visiting family in China.

The setback comes despite Wang holding an O-1 visa (a special visa for individuals with extraordinary ability) and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. After being denied reentry, Wang announced he would be moving to London to continue his research.

Meta Researcher Relocates To London After Visa Denial

Wang shared his experience on X: I am moving from SF to London! Looking forward to chatting with people here working on AI and AI safety. When I visited my family and friends in China last month, my O1 visa stamp for re-entrance was denied so it is not possible for me to return to the US immediately after my trip, which was unexpected and crazy. I have been studying and working in the US prob like for 7 years. What is the fastest way to adapt to chips and drive on the right side?"

I am moving from SF to London! Looking forward to chatting with people here working on AI and AI safety Colleagues Welcome The Move Wangs decision to relocate has drawn support from his peers. Miles Turpin from Meta Superintelligence Labs, commented, Were going to miss you Sail, but London has gained a great new resident!!" Dr Alexander D. Kalian, an AI researcher, also offered local opportunities: There are some cool networking events I could tell you about. Also, if you ever wanna give a small guest lecture at Kings College London, theres a chance we could arrange it." Hi Zifan! Im London based. Lets chat when youre here. I still say fries" man," Douglas Li, former Researcher at Open AI, mentioned. Even Genius Visa Holders Arent Safe, Say Users The situation also ignited a discussion online about the US immigration system. One user wrote, So sorry to hear that. Even O1 is not safe for re-entrance?" Another user remarked, This is ridiculous, we need robust legal immigration so that the best talent can come to the US. Huge loss." Immigrate legally is a meaningless phrase when people with valid visas and elite U.S. degrees are still denied entry. Youll never hear that phrase from someone who went through the system themselves in the last two decades," someone else remarked. Immigration is Americas superpower. Its voluntarily giving it away," read another comment. US Tightens Visa Rules Amid Security Concerns Watch more videos Share this Article

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copy link Wangs move comes amid broader restrictions in US immigration system. From January 21, immigrant visa processing was paused for nationals from 75 countries though the full list hasnt been disclosed. According to the Associated Press, the State Department is also seeking to limit entry for applicants deemed likely to rely on public benefits with recent restrictions targeting countries considered security risks including Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and several African nations.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 10:18 IST

News viral Meta AI Scientist With O-1 Genius Visa Denied Re-entry To US, Relocates In London: Unexpected And Crazy

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Alex Pretti Shooting: DHS Report Contradicts Trump's Homeland Security Secy Kristi Noem's Claims

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 22:49 IST

The report does not state that Pretti attacked officers or brandished a gun. This contrasts with earlier claims made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

A photograph of 37-year-old Alex Pretti at a makeshift memorial in the area where he was shot dead by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on January 24, 2026. (Image: AFP)

Amid the Trump administrations claims that Alex Pretti attacked federal officers or brandished a gun and brought about his own death, a preliminary Department of Homeland Security report does not support those assertions. The report, obtained by Congress and reviewed by news outlets, does not say Pretti attacked officers or brandished a weapon, contradicting earlier public statements by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis on 24 January. Two federal officers fired their weapons during the incident, according to an initial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) review obtained by NBC News.

What the DHS report says

The preliminary report was prepared by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) internal investigation led by the Office of Professional Responsibility. It was sent to congressional committees on Tuesday, including the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees.

According to the report, during the encounter an officer shouted Hes got a gun!" several times. About five seconds later, a Border Patrol agent fired a CBP-issued Glock 19, and a CBP officer fired a Glock 47. The report does not clarify whether bullets from both weapons struck Pretti.

No mention of an attack

The report does not state that Pretti attacked officers or brandished a gun. This contrasts with earlier claims made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the shooting.

Videos recorded by eyewitnesses and verified by NBC News show Pretti did not appear to be holding a weapon during the struggle as agents surrounded him. One video shows a federal agent removing a gun from Prettis waist area shortly before he was shot. After the shooting, a Border Patrol agent said he had possession of Prettis gun, which was then secured in his vehicle.

Events leading to the shooting

The report says officers were carrying out enforcement actions in Minneapolis as part of Operation Metro Surge, near Nicollet Avenue and 25th Street. Several civilians were present, shouting and blowing whistles. Officers repeatedly asked them to stay on the pavements and out of the road.

An officer was confronted by two women blowing whistles who did not follow orders to move. After pushing them away, one woman ran to a man identified as Pretti. Officers tried to move both the woman and Pretti out of the road and used pepper spray on them. CBP personnel then attempted to take Pretti into custody. The report says he resisted, leading to a struggle, during which an agent shouted that Pretti had a gun.

Medical response and death

At 9:02 am, CBP staff cut Prettis clothes and gave first aid, including chest seals on his wounds. Fire department medics arrived two minutes later. Pretti was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center at about 9:32 am.

Operation Metro Surge has deployed about 3,000 federal officers and agents to Minnesota, compared with around 600 officers in the Minneapolis Police Department. The operation has faced strong local opposition and protests, especially after another woman, Renee Good, was shot dead by an immigration officer on 7 January.

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to avoid destroying or altering evidence after state investigators were denied access to the scene.

Government response

Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller said the initial DHS statement was based on reports from staff on the ground during a chaotic situation. He said the White House is reviewing why CBP teams may not have followed guidance on separating arrest teams from protesters.

A DHS spokesperson said an investigation is under way and that the facts will guide its outcome. President Donald Trump said he had not heard claims that Pretti was a domestic terrorist but added that he should not have been carrying a gun.

Ongoing investigations

Both DHS and CBP are investigating the shooting. An autopsy report from the Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office has yet to be released. CBP said the report provides only an initial outline of events and does not offer final conclusions.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 22:48 IST

News world Alex Pretti Shooting: DHS Report Contradicts Trump's Homeland Security Secy Kristi Noem's Claims

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'An Armada Heading In That Direction': Trump Warns Iran As US Warships Move To West Asia

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 08:24 IST

Trump said he hopes Iran makes a deal before it's too late. US officials said aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers will arrive in West Asia.

US President Donald Trump | File Image

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States has an armada" heading towards Iran but said he hoped it would not have to be used, renewing warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme.

According to Reuters, US officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers are expected to arrive in the West Asia in the coming days.

One official said additional air defence systems are also being considered for deployment to the region, a move seen as critical to guarding against any potential Iranian strike on US bases.

The deployments expand the options available to Trump, both to strengthen the defence of US forces across the region amid heightened tensions and to enable further military action following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June.

BREAKING:U.S President #Trump: By the way, theres another beautiful armada floating toward #Iran right now. So well see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal. pic.twitter.com/F7otp9RIwl  Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) January 27, 2026

We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case  Id rather not see anything happen, but were watching them very closely," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to the United States after addressing world leaders in Davos, Switzerland.

At another point, he said: We have an armada  heading in that direction, and maybe we wont have to use it."

The warships began moving from the Asia-Pacific region last week as tensions between Iran and the United States escalated following a harsh crackdown on protests across Iran in recent months.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene against Iran over the killing of protesters, though demonstrations subsided last week. He also claimed Tehran had halted executions following his warnings.

He repeated that assertion on Thursday, saying Iran cancelled nearly 840 hangings after his threats.

I said: If you hang those people, youre going to be hit harder than youve ever been hit. Itll make what we did to your Iran nuclear (programme) look like peanuts," Trump said.

At an hour before this horrible thing was going to take place, they cancelled it," he added, calling it a good sign."

The US military has previously surged forces into the Middle East during periods of heightened tensions, typically for defensive purposes. However, it carried out a major buildup last year ahead of its June strikes on Irans nuclear programme.

Trump said the United States would act again if Tehran attempted to restart its nuclear programme.

If they try to do it again, they have to go to another area. Well hit them there too, just as easily," he said.

Iran is required to report to the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on the status of sites struck by the United States and the nuclear material believed to be stored there. This includes an estimated 440.9 kg of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, which, if further enriched, could be enough for 10 nuclear bombs, according to an IAEA benchmark.

The agency has not verified Irans stock of highly enriched uranium for at least seven months, despite advising that such checks should be conducted monthly.

Iran Protests

It remains unclear whether protests in Iran could resurface. The unrest began on December 28 with demonstrations in Tehrans Grand Bazaar over economic hardship before spreading nationwide.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it has verified 4,519 deaths linked to the unrest so far, including 4,251 protesters, with another 9,049 deaths under review.

An Iranian official told Reuters that the confirmed death toll until Sunday stood at more than 5,000, including around 500 members of the security forces.

Asked how many protesters had been killed, Trump said: Nobody knows I mean, its a lot, no matter what."

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 07:12 IST

News world 'An Armada Heading In That Direction': Trump Warns Iran As US Warships Move To West Asia

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Bangladesh Inks Defence Deal With China To Set Up Drone Plant: What Does This Mean For India? Exclusive

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 22:06 IST

The facility will be located near New Bogra Airbase, placing Chinese-funded military technology in close proximity to India's sensitive northern borders and the Siliguri Corridor

The government-to-government deal, signed between the Bangladesh Air Force and state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, aims to have the drone plant operational by late 2026. (Image: News18)

In a development that has raised security alarms in India, Bangladesh has finalised a significant defence agreement with China to establish a state-of-the-art facility to manufacture advanced drones.

This government-to-government (G2G) deal, signed between the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) and state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), aims to have the drone plant operational in the Bogra region by late 2026.

While the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh maintains that these aircraft are intended for humanitarian aid and disaster management, the strategic implications of the plants location have raised an alarm within the Indian security establishment. The manufacturing facility will be located near the New Bogra Airbase, placing Chinese-funded military technology in close proximity to Indias sensitive northern borders and the Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as the Chickens Neck.

According to Indian security sources, the integration of Chinese sensors, software, and data links so close to the border is a major intelligence risk, facilitating high-resolution imagery and signals data collection.

This move furthers a perceived encirclement policy, fitting into the long-standing String of Pearls concerns where Chinese military cooperation with neighbours is seen as a strategic threat to Indian sovereignty, the sources said.

WHAT IS THE UAV PACT ALL ABOUT?

The partnership involves a full technology transfer from CETC to the BAF, marking a shift from mere procurement to domestic production.

Under this agreement, Bangladesh and China will jointly set up a facility to produce and assemble advanced drones with CETC providing the necessary capacity-building support to enable Dhaka to eventually design its own UAVs.

Initially, the plant will focus on manufacturing two primary categories of aircraft: medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAVs, which are designed for extended surveillance and strike missions, and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAVs that offer flexibility for quick deployment across varied terrains.

A statement from the BAF read that the ultimate goal is to achieve indigenous UAV designs by December. This capability will allow Bangladesh to independently sustain its fleet for both military operations and surveillance close to its borders.

IS THIS A STRATEGIC PIVOT ON PART OF BANGLADESH?

This deal represents a major pivot in regional diplomacy, signalling Bangladeshs increasing reliance on Chinese defence infrastructure at the expense of traditional Indian partnerships.

For decades, China has been Bangladeshs primary supplier of military hardware and this latest agreement cements that bond. Reports indicate that the BAF is also finalising a USD 2.2 billion deal to procure 20 Chengdu J-10C Vigorous Dragon multirole fighter jets to replace its ageing fleet, further deepening the military ties between Dhaka and Beijing.

The timing and nature of the deal have particularly concerned the Indian security establishment, which noted that the current interim government appears to be moving away from Indian dependence. There are additional concerns that the local production of these drones could eventually lead to the export of such technology to hostile groups in Indias northeast, the sources said.

They said with Yunus reportedly highlighting maps of a Greater Bangladesh", which includes Indian territories, New Delhi views the placement of advanced Chinese surveillance tech in the hands of a sensitive neighbour as a move by a historically hostile strategic actor.

The signing ceremony, held at the BAF headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment, was attended by high-ranking officials including Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan and Chinese ambassador Yao Wen.

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Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh

First Published: January 28, 2026, 22:06 IST

News world Bangladesh Inks Defence Deal With China To Set Up Drone Plant: What Does This Mean For India? Exclusive

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Aircrafts of the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force are pictured at Singapore's Changi Airport in Singapore, Jan. 27, 2026. Seven J-10 fighter jets from the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport on Tuesday ahead of the 10th Singapore Airshow, scheduled for Feb. 3-8. (Photo by Zhu Jianghai/Xinhua)

SINGAPORE, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Seven J-10 fighter jets from the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport on Tuesday ahead of the 10th Singapore Airshow, scheduled for Feb. 3-8.

PLA Air Force spokesperson Xie Peng said this is the aerobatic team's 13th overseas flight demonstration, marking its return to the Singapore Airshow since the seventh edition in February 2020. The aircraft were accompanied by a YY-20A tanker plane, which allowed the aircraft to be refuelled in flight on the way to Singapore.

The team is scheduled to conduct multiple flight displays alongside aircraft from other participating countries. The take-off and landing airport and the display airspace are in different locations, with performances to be conducted over the sea.

Established 64 years ago, the aerobatic team has performed more than 800 times for over 800 delegations across more than 180 countries and regions.

Aircrafts of the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force are pictured at Singapore's Changi Airport in Singapore, Jan. 27, 2026. Seven J-10 fighter jets from the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport on Tuesday ahead of the 10th Singapore Airshow, scheduled for Feb. 3-8. (Photo by Zhu Jianghai/Xinhua)

An aircraft of the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force is pictured at Singapore's Changi Airport in Singapore, Jan. 27, 2026. Seven J-10 fighter jets from the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport on Tuesday ahead of the 10th Singapore Airshow, scheduled for Feb. 3-8. (Photo by Zhu Jianghai/Xinhua)

Aircrafts of the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force are pictured in Singapore, Jan. 27, 2026. Seven J-10 fighter jets from the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport on Tuesday ahead of the 10th Singapore Airshow, scheduled for Feb. 3-8. (Photo by Zhu Jianghai/Xinhua)

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'US Will No Longer Help Iraq If...': Trump Warns Against al-Maliki's Return As Prime Minister

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 07:07 IST

Donald Trump warned Iraq that the US would withdraw support if Nouri al-Maliki returns to power, calling his past tenure disastrous and threatening an end to American assistance.

File photos of Donald Trump/Nouri al-Maliki (AP)

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a stark warning to Iraq over the possible return of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, saying the United States would withdraw its support if Baghdad reinstates the longtime Shiite political leader.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, Im hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister."

Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again."

He went on to threaten a sharp break in US policy if al-Maliki regains office.

Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq," Trump said, adding that without American backing, the country would have zero chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom."

He concluded the post with the slogan, MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!"

Trumps comments came days after Iraqs dominant Shiite political alliance, known as the Coordination Framework, announced it was backing al-Malikis nomination for prime minister.

The move followed caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudanis decision to step aside earlier this month after he failed to form a government despite his bloc winning the largest share of seats in Novembers parliamentary elections.

According to Reuters, Trumps warning represents the most forceful example yet of his campaign to curb the influence of Iran-linked factions inside Iraq, a country that has long balanced relations between Washington and Tehran.

The news agency reported that US officials have also threatened senior Iraqi politicians with sanctions if Iran-backed armed groups are included in the next government.

Al-Maliki, a senior figure in the Shiite Islamist Dawa Party, served as Iraqs prime minister from 2006 to 2014.

His tenure coincided with intense sectarian violence, political struggles with Sunni and Kurdish rivals, and growing strains with Washington.

He stepped down after the Islamic State group seized large parts of the country in 2014, but has remained a powerful political player, leading the State of Law coalition and maintaining close ties with Iran-aligned factions.

The Associated Press reported that Trumps intervention comes at a particularly tense moment in the region, as he weighs possible military action against Iran in response to its deadly crackdown on protests against the Islamic government.

Trump has said he was holding off on strikes after claiming Tehran had paused executions of detainees, a claim Iran has denied, but US military movements in the Middle East have fueled renewed speculation about potential escalation.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently raised Washingtons concerns in a call with al-Sudani, warning about the risks of a pro-Iran government in Baghdad.

The Secretary emphasised that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraqs own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts, or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq," State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

Middle East analyst Hussain Abdul-Hussain told AP that Trumps public opposition would be difficult for al-Maliki to overcome, but cautioned against writing him off.

But this is Iraq, so never say never," he said.

And this was a guy whose political life was supposed to have expired many, many years ago, and yet Maliki is still here."

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 07:05 IST

News world 'US Will No Longer Help Iraq If...': Trump Warns Against al-Maliki's Return As Prime Minister

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'Everyday Is A Nightmare': Jimmy Kimmel Breaks Down On Air Over Killing Of Minneapolis Nurse

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 07:44 IST

Jimmy Kimmel argued that video footage of the incident contradicted official accounts from federal authorities.

Jimmy Kimmel said he spent the weekend struggling to process a disturbing pattern of violence unfolding in the city.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel fought back tears as he delivered an emotional monologue condemning the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis. The killing, which occurred amid the Donald Trump administrations immigration crackdown, has sparked widespread outrage and renewed scrutiny of federal law enforcement tactics. Alex Prettis death came just weeks after another fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis, involving a woman named Renee Good.

Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host said he has been struggling to process a disturbing pattern of violence unfolding in the city.

I spent the weekend like probably a lot of you did, looking at my phone and just feeling shocked and sick at whats happening in Minneapolis," Kimmel told viewers, his voice cracking early in the monologue. He launched into a blistering critique of federal agents, calling them a gang of poorly trained, shamefully led, mask-wearing goons."

Just one atrocity after another being committed by this gang," Kimmel said, adding, And that is what they are: Theyre goons committing vile, heartless and even criminal acts."

Kimmel argued that video footage of the incident contradicted official accounts from federal authorities as he said, We see these videos in which we clearly see one of our fellow Americans executed by ICE and they wont even admit that it was a mistake!"- referring to both Alex Prettis killing and the earlier fatal shooting of Renee Good.

Kimmel focused on the governments justification that Alex Pretti posed a threat because he was carrying a firearm in an open-carry state where he had a legal permit.

They say the gun Alex Pretti had a license to carry in an open carry state- a right many of these same people screamed very loud about when it was Kyle Rittenhouse carrying the gun- a gun that Alex Pretti did not even draw, did not touch," he said, adding, They fired 10 times onto an ICU nurse, theyre telling us, well, it was justified, you know?'"

The host became visibly emotional as he spoke about how the crisis felt close to home.

Every day is a nightmare now," he said, noting that he and his wife have family in Minneapolis who are afraid to go about their daily lives.

Is that the law and order that you voted for, if you voted for this? How does this end? Whats the plan here?," he asked viewers.

On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert also challenged the Department of Homeland Securitys account of the killing. He said, Masked government agents disarmed an American citizen and then executed him in the streets. Thats what it looks like. They want you to believe that something didnt happen when we all saw it happen with our own eyes."

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Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: January 28, 2026, 07:44 IST

News world 'Everyday Is A Nightmare': Jimmy Kimmel Breaks Down On Air Over Killing Of Minneapolis Nurse

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Germany Says Iranian Regimes Days Numbered As Trump Sends Armada: Could Be A Matter Of Weeks

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 22:38 IST

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Irans leadership has lost legitimacy after a deadly crackdown on protests, calling the regimes survival a matter of weeks.

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz holds a press conference with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan (not pictured), at the Chancellery, in Berlin, Germany. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday that the Iranian governments days are numbered" as US President Donald Trump renews threats of intervention after a crackdown on protests in the country.

A regime that can only hold onto power through sheer violence and terror against its own population: its days are numbered," Merz said at a press conference alongside Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

It could be a matter of weeks but this regime has no legitimacy to govern the country," Merz was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

A reported death toll in the thousands during recent demonstrations shows that the mullahs regime can apparently only cling to power through sheer terror", the chancellor said. Merz also threw his weight behind Italys push to have the European Union designate Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation.

I very much regret that there are still one or two countries in the European Union that are not yet prepared" to support such a designation, Merz said.

The remarks came as Trump warned that time was running out for Iran to avert possible US military action, after Tehran rejected negotiations conducted under what it described as threats. Trump has not ruled out a new attack on Iran following its deadly crackdown on protests this month, after the 12-day June war between Iran and Israel, which the United States backed and joined.

Germany's Merz on Iran:A regime that can only stay in power through sheer violence and terror against its own population has its days numbered. It may take weeks, but this regime has no legitimacy to govern the country. pic.twitter.com/D4Tv5ZZehe  Clash Report (@clashreport) January 28, 2026

A US naval strike group, which Trump described as an armada", led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, has moved into Middle East waters, underscoring Washingtons military posture. In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged Iran to negotiate over its nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at developing an atomic bomb.

Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!" Trump wrote.

Referring to earlier American strikes on Iranian nuclear targets during the June conflict, Trump warned: The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again."

Analysts told news agency AFP that potential US options could include strikes on Iranian military facilities or targeted attacks on senior leadership under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a broader attempt to destabilise the system that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran responded sharply, warning it would deliver an unprecedented retaliation to any US attack. Irans mission to the United Nations said it remained open to dialogue but would defend itself if threatened.

Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests  BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!" the mission said on X, alongside a screenshot of Trumps post about the massive Armada".

The mission also cited US losses in past conflicts, saying Washington had squandered more than $7 trillion and lost over 7,000 lives in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Meanwhile, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had verified more than 6,200 deaths, mostly protesters killed by security forces, during demonstrations that began in late December and peaked on January 89.

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Location : Berlin, Germany

First Published: January 28, 2026, 22:38 IST

News world Germany Says Iranian Regimes Days Numbered As Trump Sends Armada: Could Be A Matter Of Weeks

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Hamas Ready To Transfer Gaza Control To US-Backed Palestinian Committee: Protocols Prepared

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 21:27 IST

Hamas offers to hand Gaza Strip governance to a Palestinian committee and demands full reopening of Rafah border crossing without Israeli restrictions, AFP reports.

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Palestinian Hamas militants stand guard at a site as Hamas says it continues to search for the bodies of deceased hostages, in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

Hamas on Wednesday said it is ready to transfer governance of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian committee, while also calling for the full reopening of the Rafah border crossing without what it described as Israeli restrictions, AFP reported on Wednesday.

Protocols are prepared, files are complete, and committees are in place to oversee the handover, ensuring a complete transfer of governance in the Gaza Strip across all sectors to the technocratic committee," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem was quoted as saying by the French news agency.

Qassem added that the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt must be opened in both directions, with full freedom of exit and entry to the Gaza Strip, without any Israeli obstacles".

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is a technocratic body proposed under a US-backed post-war plan unveiled in January 2025, which includes oversight by an international Board of Peace" announced by US President Donald Trump, according to Reuters.

The committee is tasked with managing Gazas civil administration during a transitional phase, including restoring basic services and rebuilding public institutions. It is headed by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority deputy minister and is positioned as a non-partisan mechanism focused on stabilising daily life rather than political rule.

Shaath announced last week that Rafah would reopen in both directions the following week.

The Rafah crossing has been a key focus of recent diplomatic talks. On January 25, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reopen the GazaEgypt crossing during meetings in Jerusalem, Israeli media reported, according to AFP.

Hamas Committed To End War In Gaza, Says Qassem

The independent national committees announcement of the opening of the Rafah crossing is important," Qassem told the news agency.

What is more important is that we monitor this committees handling of citizens departures and entries in full freedom in accordance with the agreement, and not according to Israeli conditions," he added.

Israel has said it would only allow pedestrians to travel through the crossing as part of its limited reopening" once it had recovered the remains of the last hostage, Ran Gvili.

Israeli forces brought back Gvilis remains on Monday and his funeral was held in the southern town of Meitar on Wednesday.

It is clear that Hamas is committed to the agreement to stop the war on the Gaza Strip", which began after the militant groups deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

It has carried out everything required of it in the first phase and is ready to enter all tracks of the second phase," he added.

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Location : Deir el-Balah, Palestinian Territories, India

First Published: January 28, 2026, 19:55 IST

News world Hamas Ready To Transfer Gaza Control To US-Backed Palestinian Committee: Protocols Prepared

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'I Meant What I Said In Davos': Canada PM Carney Denies Softening Stance After Call With Trump

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 08:54 IST

Mark Carney was responding to Bessents assertion on Fox News that he had softened his earlier comments made at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney (IMAGE: Reuters)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday rejected claims that he had walked back his remarks on global power dynamics, following a recent conversation with US President Donald Trump, pushing back against comments made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Carney was responding to Bessents assertion on Fox News that he had softened his earlier comments made at the World Economic Forum in Davos during a phone call with Trump.

Asked whether he had rescinded any of his remarks, Carney replied: No." To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the president, I meant what I said in Davos," he said.

Carney said the discussion with Trump covered broader issues, including shifts in US trade policy, adding that Canada was the first country to recognise those changes and was responding accordingly. He said Trump had understood" Canadas position.

At Davos, Carney had urged middle powers to avoid accommodating the United States and instead work together to counter its growing political and economic influence.

Middle powers must act together because if were not at the table, were on the menu," he said.

The remarks drew a standing ovation at the forum and garnered international attention, standing in contrast to Trumps address at the same gathering.

Following Carneys speech, Trump withdrew Canadas invitation to participate in his proposed Gaza Board of Peace".

Around the same time, Carney travelled to Switzerland after finalising a limited trade arrangement with China that allows a small number of Chinese electric vehicles to enter Canada at reduced tariffs, despite Ottawa previously joining Washington in imposing 100 per cent duties on such imports.

Trump initially welcomed the move, saying, Thats OK, thats what he should be doing," but later warned on social media that he would impose steep tariffs on Canadian exports If Canada makes a deal with China."

Carney said Canada had no intention of pursuing a broader free trade agreement with China.

I explained to him our arrangement with China," Carney said, referring to his conversation with Trump.

I explained to him what were doing: 12 new deals on four continents in six months  he was impressed."

On Tuesday, Canada and India issued a joint statement on expanding trade in Canadian oil and natural gas. Carney is scheduled to visit India next month for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Carney also said Trumps latest tariff warning should be seen in the context of broader negotiations ahead of a review of the CanadaUSMexico trade pact.

The president is a strong negotiator, and I think some of these comments and positioning should be viewed in the broader context of that," he said at a news conference.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 08:54 IST

News world 'I Meant What I Said In Davos': Canada PM Carney Denies Softening Stance After Call With Trump

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If Zelenskyy Is Truly Ready...: Putin Aide Welcomes Ukraine President To Moscow

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 20:48 IST

Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said Moscow has not ruled out talks with Zelenskyy, adding that any meeting must be prepared and aimed at concrete results.

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World leaders attend Ukraine talks in Paris in December 2019, the last time Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy held formal talks. (IMAGE: AFP FILE)

A senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin this week said Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be welcome to come to Moscow for talks, a suggestion that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected as unacceptable.

If Zelenskyy is truly ready for a meeting, then please  we invite him to Moscow," Yuri Ushakov, a top Kremlin aide, said in comments to state television reporter Pavel Zarubin, a Kremlin pool journalist whose interviews are often used to convey official Russian messaging.

The remarks were shared in a video clip by NEXTA, a Belarusian opposition-linked media outlet, on social media. News18 could not independently verify the authenticity or full context of the video.

I would like to say a few words about his statement that Zelenskyy is ready for a meeting with the President of Russia. This is not a new issue for us. It has been discussed several times during telephone conversations between our President, Vladimir Putin, and US President Trump. During these conversations, Trump in particular suggested that we consider such a possibility," Ushakov is heard telling the reporter.

Ushakov said Moscows position on potential talks has been consistent, stressing that Russia has never ruled out such contacts but believes any meeting must be carefully prepared and focused on delivering concrete, positive outcomes rather than symbolic gestures.

Putins aide invites Zelensky to MoscowIf Zelensky is truly ready for a meeting, then please  we invite him to Moscow," said Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian dictator. Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said he is ready to meet Putin, but that holding pic.twitter.com/FyExyJ9IYU  NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 28, 2026

Our President has also said several times, while speaking to journalists, that if Zelenskyy is truly ready for a meeting, then we invite him to Moscow, and we will guarantee full security and all the necessary conditions for work."

Zelenskyy Refuses To Budge On Eastern Ukrainian Territories

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week said that a US document outlining security guarantees for Ukraine is fully ready and that Kyiv is awaiting confirmation on the time and place for it to be signed. Speaking at a news conference during a visit to Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, Zelenskyy said the guarantees were centred primarily on commitments from the United States.

Zelenskyy reiterated that Kyiv had not shifted its position on territorial integrity, even as Moscow continued to push Ukraine to relinquish eastern regions it has failed to fully capture since launching its full-scale invasion.

These are two fundamentally different positions  Ukraines and Russias," Zelenskyy said, adding that the United States was attempting to broker a compromise. He stressed that any agreement would require all sides to make concessions, while maintaining that Ukraines sovereignty and borders were non-negotiable.

For us, security guarantees are first and foremost guarantees of security from the United States. The document is 100% ready," Zelenskyy said, adding that once signed, it would be sent for ratification to both the US Congress and the Ukrainian parliament.

His remarks followed two days of talks in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday, where Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met for the first time in a trilateral format that included US mediators to discuss Washingtons proposed framework for ending the nearly four-year-old war. While no agreement emerged, both sides indicated openness to continuing dialogue, and a US official said further discussions were expected on Sunday.

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Location : Moscow, Russia

First Published: January 28, 2026, 20:42 IST

News world If Zelenskyy Is Truly Ready...: Putin Aide Welcomes Ukraine President To Moscow

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India Got A Good FTA With EU, Says American Trade Representative

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 11:51 IST

US Trade Representative says India emerged as a major winner in its trade deal with the European Union, gaining market access and immigration opportunities to Europe.

PM Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the India-EU Business Forum, in New Delhi on January 27, 2026. (Image: PMO/PTI)

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Wednesday said India had emerged as a major winner from its trade deal with the European Union, saying New Delhi had secured significant gains in market access and immigration opportunities.

India has come out on top in this deal. They get more market access and immigration to Europe. India is going to have a heyday with this," Greer said.

Greers remarks came shortly after India and the European Union announced what they described as the mother of all trade deals," concluding nearly two decades of intermittent negotiations.

BIG BREAKING: America says India got a great trade deal with the EUIndia has come out on top in this deal. They get more market access and immigration to Europe. India is going to have a heyday with this," says US Trade Rep Greer pic.twitter.com/ViQQ5GIa9m  Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) January 28, 2026

Asked about the newly finalised India-EU free trade agreement, the US trade representative framed the pact as a response to President Donald Trumps sweeping tariff regime and protectionist trade policies. Speaking to Fox Business, Greer said that as Trump prioritises boosting domestic production in the United States, other countries are increasingly seeking alternative markets to absorb what he described as their over-production."

US Stance On India Tariffs

Despite praising the IndiaEU deal, Washington said additional punitive tariffs on Indian imports remain in place, even as it acknowledged progress by New Delhi in reducing purchases of Russian crude oil.

In the same Fox Business interview, Greer said India had made a lot of progress" in cutting back its Russian oil imports but confirmed that the additional 25% duties, taking total tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, were still being enforced.

Greer said it would be hard" for India to completely sever energy ties with Russia, noting that New Delhi continues to benefit from discounted crude.

They like the discount that you get from Russian oil," he said, adding that Washington was closely monitoring Indias actions. He also said he remained in frequent contact" with his Indian counterpart, understood to be Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

Despite describing his relationship with Indian trade officials as positive, Greer stressed that the US was continuing to closely track Indias Russian oil purchases. His remarks contrast with comments made earlier by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at Davos 2026, where Bessent indicated that tariffs on Indian goods could be lowered at a later stage.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 09:20 IST

News world India Got A Good FTA With EU, Says American Trade Representative

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Jamaat Leader Dead In Bangladesh Pre-Poll Clashes With BNP Cadres Over Seating, At Least 50 Injured

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Last Updated: January 29, 2026, 04:15 IST

Maulana Rezaul Karim, a local Jamaat-e-Islami leader, died after being critically injured in clashes during a pre-poll manifesto event in Sherpur.

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Rezaul Karim, secretary of Jamaat-e-Islamis Sreebardi upazila unit, succumbed to injuries after violence broke out at an election programme. (IMAGE: X/@Drsr_Official)

A Jamaat-e-Islami leader died after being injured in a clash during an election manifesto-reading programme in Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur district, Bangladesh, Prothom Alo reported.

The violence broke out on Wednesday afternoon at a programme organised by the local administration, where candidates contesting the Sherpur-3 constituency were scheduled to read out their election manifestos. The clash reportedly erupted over seating arrangements at the venue, escalating into a confrontation between supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami.

The deceased, Maulana Rezaul Karim, was the secretary of Jamaat-e-Islamis Sreebardi upazila unit and a lecturer in Arabic at Fatehpur Fazil Madrasa. He sustained serious injuries during the violence and later died while being taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

According to the upazila administration, supporters of rival political parties had gathered at the venue since morning. An argument broke out over seats in the front rows, which quickly turned violent.

Eyewitnesses told Prothom Alo that several hundred plastic chairs were smashed and thrown during the clash, and multiple motorcycles parked near the venue were vandalised.

At least 50 leaders and activists from both parties were injured in the violence.

Rezaul Karim was initially taken to the Jhenaigati Upazila Health Complex, before being shifted to Sherpur District Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was referred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead at around 9:35 pm, police said.

More than 200 people, including members of the armed forces, were injured in a clash involving BNP and Jamaat supporters in Sherpur. pic.twitter.com/uLMM0aA4dI Battalion71  (@ImbusyWarrior) January 28, 2026

Mohammad Nazrul Islam, in-charge of the police camp at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, told Prothom Alo that Rezaul Karim was brought to the emergency department in an unconscious state and was declared dead on arrival. His body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

Videos aired by Bangladeshs DBC News, which have since circulated widely on social media, show the scale of the violence at the venue. One video shows plastic chairs being hurled forcefully across the programme site in what appears to be a chaotic confrontation. Another clip shows injured security personnel, including one with visible head injuries, seeking medical assistance after the clash.

Bangladesh:Reports of BNPJamaat clashes during a chair battle in Sherpurs three constituencies, ahead of elections scheduled for February 12. pic.twitter.com/3vaK1cjQZN  The Alternate Media (@AlternateMediaX) January 28, 2026

Jamaat-e-Islamis Sherpur-3 candidate Nuruzzaman Badal claimed more than 50 Jamaat activists were injured in the violence, with at least three in critical condition.

The brutal armed attack on a peaceful election manifesto event in Jhenaigati, Sherpur, resulting in the martyrdom of Maulana Rezaul Karim and injuries to hundreds, is a heinous act of political terrorism.I strongly condemn this cowardly assault on democratic rights. The failure pic.twitter.com/Fqk5CFXujq  Dr. Shafiqur Rahman (@Drsr_Official) January 28, 2026

Dr Shafiqur Rahman, the emir (President) of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, described the attack as a heinous act of political terrorism" in a post on X. He demanded the immediate arrest and punishment of those responsible and criticised what he called the failure of law enforcement to protect citizens and ensure safe passage for the injured.

Protests were also reported late at night at Dhaka University, where activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Jamaat-e-Islamis student wing, staged demonstrations demanding justice for Rezaul Karim.

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Location : Dhaka, Bangladesh

First Published: January 29, 2026, 03:24 IST

News world Jamaat Leader Dead In Bangladesh Pre-Poll Clashes With BNP Cadres Over Seating, At Least 50 Injured

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Macron Says US Threat Over Greenland A 'Strategic Wake-Up Call' For Europe

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 18:48 IST

Speaking alongside the leaders of Denmark and Greenland, Macron reaffirmed Frances commitment to Denmark and Greenlands territorial integrity.

French President Emmanuel Macron, Denmarks PM Mette Frederiksen (R) and Greenland PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) speak to the press in Paris. (AFP photo)

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called the standoff with the United States over Greenland as a strategic wakeup call for all of Europe," speaking alongside the leaders of Denmark and Greenland in Paris.

The tensions began after US President Donald Trump suggested seizing Greenland, prompting European powers to assert the importance of their sovereignty and ability to stand independently in defence and security matters.

Macron said Europe must focus on asserting our European sovereignty, on our contribution to Arctic security, on the fight against foreign interference and disinformation, and on the fight against global warming."

Speaking alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlands Premier JensFrederik Nielsen, Macron reaffirmed Frances commitment to Denmark and Greenlands territorial integrity.

Using words in the Indigenous Greenlandic language before switching to Danish, he stressed that France would remain sidebyside" with the Kingdom of Denmark.

Macron also stressed the importance of strengthening NATO engagement in the Arctic region, saying France would continue to defend these principles in line with the United Nations Charter.

Frederiksen, addressing the European audience at Sciences Po university, emphasised the urgent need for Europe to improve its defences to reduce reliance on the United States.

I think rearming ourselves now is the most important thing," she said, noting that waiting until 2035 to increase defence spending would be too late.

The Danish leader also acknowledged Europes dependence on US intelligence and nuclear capabilities but stressed that the continent could do more than what is publicly perceived.

The Greenland standoff has sparked wider discussions on Europes military readiness. NATO members had agreed last year to raise defence spending to five percent of economic output by 2026, up from an earlier target of two percent by 2024, following pressure from the US.

Frederiksen criticised past reductions in military budgets, calling them a big mistake."

(With inputs from AFP)

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Location : Paris, France

First Published: January 28, 2026, 18:48 IST

News world Macron Says US Threat Over Greenland A 'Strategic Wake-Up Call' For Europe

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Malaysian Minister Says Work Stress Makes People Gay, Citizens Ask If He 'Works Hard In Parliament

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Last Updated: January 29, 2026, 00:03 IST

Zulkifli Hasan linked work stress to the LGBT lifestyle, sparking jokes and criticism on social media. Thilaga Sulathireh called his claims misinformation and urged a retraction.

Malaysias minister for religious affairs Zulkifli Hasan (X)

Malaysian minister for religious affairs Zulkifli Hasan has suggested that work-related stress is one of the reason people are drawn into the LGBT lifestyle," sparking jokes on social media.

Hasan said that people are supposedly drawn into the LGBT lifestyle" because of work stress, social pressure, sexual experience, and insufficient religious practice.

He was responding to a question by Opposition MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff who had asked for latest statistics on LGBT-related issues in Malaysia, including a demographic breakdown by age and ethnicity, and key reasons for the rise in such cases. It is to be noted that same-sex relations remain illegal in Malaysia.

VNexpress International quoted the minister replying that the government does not maintain comprehensive data on the size of the LGBT community, saying official figures remain limited.

On the question of causes, he cited a 2017 study by Sulaiman et al" that listed possible influences such as work-related stress, social environment, sexual experiences, and a lack of religious practice, Mothership reported.

Responding to another parliamentary question, the minister said 135 people were arrested in connection with LGBT-related activities between 2022 and 2025. He, however, pointed out that the cases did not proceed to prosecution due to lack of evidence and they were instead given counselling or attend rehabilitative programmes.

The government has also organized what Zulkifli described as special courses aimed at guiding participants in a more positive direction," VNexpress International reported.

Meanwhile, the claim has sparked jokes on X.

Ik this is rage bait but they lowkey got me considering the fact that Im stressed and bisexual https://t.co/gNtps3wS6Q grape juice  (@kaisgrapejuice) January 28, 2026

One of the users said: What the hell does sexual experience have to do with being part of the LGBT community?"

Expressing shock at the claim, another user said: Im sorry what."

Ik this is rage bait but they lowkey got me considering the fact that Im stressed and bisexual," a third user said.

By this logic, Im genuinely shocked my entire office isnt gay by now," a social media user said.

One of the users corelated the ministers comment with the performance of elected representatives in the parliament, saying, In other words: they never work hard in the parliament?"

Minister Zulkiflis statement has also been citicised by LGBTQ rights advocates.

This misinformation reinforces the assumption that LGBT peoples sexual orientation and gender identity can be corrected, changed or are not real or as valid as cisgender heterosexual identities," Thilaga Sulathireh of LGBTQ rights group Justice for Sisters told This Week in Asia.

The fact is diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics is completely natural and normal. This has been proven by medical and other bodies," Thilaga added. The minister must retract and correct the misinformation."

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First Published: January 29, 2026, 00:03 IST

News world Malaysian Minister Says Work Stress Makes People Gay, Citizens Ask If He 'Works Hard In Parliament

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Researchers Li Gang, Liu Jianhua and Zhou Benzhe (L-R) pose for a group photo at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday. The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studiesThe record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field. As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

The development of this all-superconducting user magnet featured the design, manufacturing and integration of the superconducting magnet system by the Institute of Electrical Engineering of CAS, alongside the resolution of problems such as health monitoring and precise measurement for high-temperature superconducting magnets by the Institute of Physics of CAS. The successful development of this magnet is a result of the joint efforts and collaborative research by both institutions.

This achievement provides extremely high-magnetic-field experiment conditions essential for cutting-edge research in fields such as material science and life sciences, according to the CAS.

It will help researchers explore unknown phenomena in the micro-world and accelerate major scientific discoveries and technological innovations in basic research and high-end equipment manufacturing in China and the world.

High-magnetic-field superconducting magnets are devices that achieve zero electrical resistance and generate strong magnetic fields at extremely low temperatures. They feature extreme high magnetic field intensity, uniformity and stability, with very low energy consumption.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation.

Researcher Liu Jianhua (R) and postdoctoral researcher Zhou Benzhe work at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

A researcher works at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researchers Li Gang, Liu Jianghua, and Zhou Benzhe (R-L) discuss the operational status of the all-superconducting magnet at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researcher Li Gang works at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researcher Li Gang works at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This photo taken on Jan. 26, 2026 shows a screen displaying a reading of 35.6 tesla for the central magnetic field of an all-superconducting magnet at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researchers Li Gang, Liu Jianhua and Zhou Benzhe (L-R) discuss the operation of an all-superconducting magnet at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researcher Li Gang works at the ultra-low temperature high magnetic field quantum oscillation experimental station of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, capital of China, on Jan. 26, 2026. China has achieved a 35.6 tesla all-superconducting magnet in an experiment facility, setting a new record, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The all-superconducting magnet, with a central magnetic field of 35.6 tesla and a usable aperture of 35 millimeters was conducted with the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility. It is a user magnet designed to support domestic and international research teams in conducting cutting-edge studies.

The record-breaking magnetic field is about 12 to 24 times that of a medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the strongest magnetic field people can access in daily life, and over 700,000 times that of Earth's magnetic field.

As one of the core facilities in modern technology, they hold significant application value in major national sci-tech infrastructures, advanced scientific instruments, high-end medical equipment, energy and transportation. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Editor: Xiong Jian
'My Partner Is Half Indian, Son Named After...': Musk After Khosla Accuses Him Of Promoting 'WAGA'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 09:48 IST

Elon Musk and Vinod Khosla clashed online over the former's comments on white people population, sparking debate on race, 'WAGA' and MAGA.

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Elon Musk hits back at billionaire investor Vinod Khosla (R). (Image: Reuters)

Elon Musk has reacted sharply after Indian-origin investor and entrepreneur Vinod Khosla accused him of promoting what he described as WAGA"  or White America Great Again", calling him a pompous a**hole" and full retard."

A war of words between them broke out after Musk commented on demographic trends, stating on X that white people were becoming a shrinking share of the global population. He was responding to a post claiming that the global white population has declined sharply from 36 per cent in 1900 to about 8 per cent today.

Khosla reacted strongly, alleging that Musks remarks reflected a racially motivated worldview. He argued that Musk was not interested in MAGA but in advancing a white America first" ideology, calling it a dangerous and discriminatory narrative. In a sharply worded post, Khosla even urged non-white employees and what he termed decent whites" to leave Musks companies and instead join firms backed by his investment portfolio.

Elon Musk doesnt want MAGA, he wants WAGA or white America great again" as a racism is great and desirable" paradigm. All non-whites in Tesla, SpaceX and X etc and all decent whites should quit and join our portfolio. Email us your linkedin!," Khosla commented on Musks post.

Musk responded by dismissing Khoslas criticism, noting that his partner, Shivon Alice Zilis, is half Indian and that one of his children has been named in honour of renowned Indian-American physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.

Vinod, youre not just such a pompous a**hole that you tried to stop the public from using a public beach near your house, youve also gone full retard. My partner, Shivon, is half Indian and my eldest son with her is named in honor of the great Indian physicist Chandrasekhar," Mush wrote in response.

Who Is Shivon Zilis?

Shivon Zilis is a Canadian technology executive and venture capitalist with experience at IBM, Bloomberg Beta, OpenAI and Neuralink. She was born in 1986 to a Punjabi Indian mother and a Canadian father. She and Musk have four children together, including twins and two younger children, one of whom carries a middle name honouring Chandrasekhar.

The online clash has drawn attention to broader debates around race, demographics and political messaging in the United States.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 09:48 IST

News world 'My Partner Is Half Indian, Son Named After...': Musk After Khosla Accuses Him Of Promoting 'WAGA'

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'Next Attack Will Be Far Worse': Trump Asks Iran To Negotiate 'No Nuclear Weapons' Deal

Curated By :

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 18:55 IST

Trump told Tehran to come to the table for a fair and equitable agreement on nuclear weapons, saying that time was truly of the essence.

US President Donald Trump (AP)

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Iran that the next attack on the country would be far worse" if it did not negotiate a deal to abandon nuclear weapons.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said a massive US naval armada, led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, was heading to the region and was ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary."

Trump told Tehran to come to the table" for a fair and equitable agreement on nuclear weapons, saying that time was truly of the essence."

Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table" and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!," he wrote.

The US President also referenced a previous US strike, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer," and warned Iran not to repeat past mistakes.

The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again," Trump warned.

The warning comes after Iran, earlier, rejected the call for talks, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful." He added that Iran had not sought negotiations and that threats and excessive demands would not produce dialogue.

Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated amid ongoing unrest in Iran, where protests over the governments crackdown have left thousands dead.

Human rights group HRANA has confirmed over 6,200 fatalities, mostly protesters, while thousands more are believed to have been killed, with arrests exceeding 42,000. The situation has prompted growing concern across the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials have engaged in back-channel diplomacy with Arab states allied to the US.

On Tuesday, Iranian Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, while Egypts Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate discussions with both Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff.

(With inputs from agencies)

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 18:08 IST

News world 'Next Attack Will Be Far Worse': Trump Asks Iran To Negotiate 'No Nuclear Weapons' Deal

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Pakistan's Top Cleric Threatens To Defy Child Marriage, Domestic Violence Laws | Exclusive

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 16:06 IST

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said he would facilitate and attend marriages involving minors, including children aged 10, 12, 15 & 16, to demonstrate his opposition to child marriage ban

Rapid Read

Maulana Fazlur Rehman claimed he would openly violate the laws as a form of protest and questioned the states authority to enforce them. (Screengrab)

Pakistans top religious cleric and chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has ignited fresh political and social controversy by openly challenging recently passed and proposed family law reforms, including the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2025 and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2026.

Addressing the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman rejected the amendments outright, declaring that he does not accept the changes being introduced in Pakistans family legislation. In a provocative statement, the JUI-F chief claimed he would openly violate" the laws as a form of protest and questioned the states authority to enforce them.

Fazlur Rehman went as far as stating that he would facilitate and personally attend marriages involving minors, including children aged 10, 12, 15, and 16, to demonstrate his opposition to the proposed child marriage ban. His remarks drew sharp reactions across political and civil society circles.

The controversy unfolded as Parliament passed the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act 2026, presented by PPP MNA Sharmila Faruqui, amid loud protests from opposition benches, including members of the JUI-F. The legislation criminalises physical, emotional, and psychological abuse within households.

Under the new law, actions such as threatening a wife with divorce or a second marriage, forcing her to live with others without consent, or emotionally distressing wives, children, or household members are classified as punishable offenses. The act also defines a child as anyone under the age of 18, regardless of gender, effectively setting 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage in Pakistans capital territory.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman termed both pieces of legislation unconstitutional and unlawful," arguing that they contradict Islamic principles. He demanded that the bills be referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology for review, insisting that Parliament lacks the authority to legislate on matters he described as religious.

Top government sources, however, expressed concern over what they described as the states failure to confront extremist rhetoric. According to senior officials, allowing influential clerics to publicly defy child protection and domestic violence laws signals a dangerous collapse of political will and risks undermining the rule of law.

Critics argue that the governments reluctance to act decisively suggests that ideological appeasement continues to outweigh commitments to womens rights and child protection, further deepening divisions within Pakistani society.

The developments have reignited a national debate over the balance between religious authority, constitutional governance, and fundamental human rights in Pakistan.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 16:06 IST

News world Pakistan's Top Cleric Threatens To Defy Child Marriage, Domestic Violence Laws | Exclusive

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Rock Veteran Neil Young Gifts Greenland Free Access To His Music Amid Trumps Takeover Threats

Curated By :

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 23:18 IST

The offer is valid for one year, with the possibility of renewal, and is available to those with a Greenland-based cellphone.

Neil Young performs onstage during the Light Up The Blues 7 Concert. (File photo: Getty Images via AFP)

Veteran rocker Neil Young is giving the people of Greenland free access to his entire music catalogue. The musician announced the offer on his blog on Tuesday, saying it is intended to provide comfort amid tensions affecting the Danish territory, whose future has recently been a point of dispute between the United States and NATO.

I hope my music and music films will ease some of the unwarranted stress and threats you are experiencing from our unpopular and hopefully temporary government," Young wrote. It is my sincere wish for you to be able to enjoy all of my music in your beautiful Greenland home, in its highest quality."

The offer is valid for one year, with the possibility of renewal, and is available to those with a Greenland-based cellphone.

Young called the gesture as an offer of Peace and Love." His manager confirmed to The Associated Press that the message was genuine.

The move contrasts sharply with Youngs decision to withdraw his catalogue from Amazon Music, a protest against its owner, Jeff Bezos, who has publicly supported U.S. President Donald Trump.

Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, a billionaire backer of the president," Young said last week. The presidents international policies and his support of ICE make it impossible for me to ignore his actions. If you feel as I do, I strongly recommend that you do not use Amazon."

Young has also previously clashed with Spotify, temporarily removing his music in protest of controversial podcast content. His music later returned, and it remains available on Apple Music.

The musician, known for hits such as Rockin in the Free World and Heart of Gold, said the Greenland offer reflects his wish to share music directly with fans while taking a stand against corporate platforms and policies he disagrees with.

(With inputs from AP)

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Location : New York, United States of America (USA)

First Published: January 28, 2026, 23:18 IST

News world Rock Veteran Neil Young Gifts Greenland Free Access To His Music Amid Trumps Takeover Threats

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'System Being Abused': Texas Halts New H-1B Visa Applications, Citing Need To Protect US Jobs

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 07:26 IST

The move makes Texas the first US state to impose such sweeping restrictions on the widely used visa program

The freeze comes as the Trump administration has tightened H-1B rules nationwide.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered an immediate freeze on new H-1B visa petitions across all state agencies and public universities, citing reported abuse of the federal program and vowing to prioritize American workers for taxpayer-funded positions. The Republican governor announced the freeze will remain in effect until May 31, 2027, when the current legislative session concludes, making Texas the first state to impose such sweeping restrictions on the widely used visa program that allows US employers to hire foreign professionals for specialized roles.

In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa program, and amid the federal governments ongoing review of that program to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions," Abbott said in a letter to agency heads.

What Is H-1B Visa Program And Why Does It Matter To Texas?

The H-1B visa program permits US employers to bring in foreign professionals for specialized positions typically requiring at least a bachelors degree. The program offers 65,000 visas annually, with an additional 20,000 reserved for workers with advanced degrees, approved for three to six years. In Texas, the system has become a critical resource for public universities, academic medical centers and some school districts, helping them recruit professors, researchers, doctors and teachers when local talent is scarce.

What Evidence of Abuse Prompted Texas Action?

Abbott pointed to US President Donald Trumps recent proclamation on restricting certain non-immigrant workers, noting the H-1B program was created to supplement Americas workforce, not replace it.

Evidence suggests that bad actors have exploited this program by failing to make good-faith efforts to recruit qualified US workers before seeking to use foreign labor," Abbott said. In some cases, he added, employers have fired American workers and replaced them with H-1B employees, often at lower wages. The governor argued that the program has increasingly been used to fill jobs that could and should have been filled by Texans, rather than attracting the worlds best talent for truly specialized roles.

The Texas economy must work for the benefit of Texas workers and Texas employers," Abbott said, emphasizing that state government should lead by example in hiring practices, particularly for taxpayer-funded positions.

How Will The Freeze Work In Practice?

Under the directive, no state agency led by a gubernatorially appointed head, or any public institution of higher education, may initiate or file new H-1B visa petitions without written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission until May 31, 2027.

The freeze comes as the Trump administration has tightened H-1B rules nationwide. Last year, Trump imposed a new one-time fee of $100,000 on fresh H-1B applicants. The measure was challenged in court by more than 20 states, though Texas did not join the lawsuit.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 07:24 IST

News world 'System Being Abused': Texas Halts New H-1B Visa Applications, Citing Need To Protect US Jobs

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US Ambassador Sergio Gor On 10-Year Defence Pact With India: 'This Is A Strong Relationship'

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 09:08 IST

The ambassador's remarks come days after he attended India's Republic Day parade for the first time, describing it as a privilege

Sergio Gor said the pact will "significantly deepen" the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi. (Image Credit: X)

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor highlighted the strength of bilateral defence cooperation, pointing to a 10-year defense pact signed last year that he said will significantly deepen" the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi.

Just last year the United States and India signed a 10 year defense pact which will significantly deepen our Defense Partnership. Joint exercises will continue, additional sales are in progress. This is a strong relationship! Thank you for hosting us Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh," Gor wrote on X (formerly Twitter), underscoring defence ties even as trade disputes continue to test the broader relationship.

Just last year the United States and India signed a 10 year defense pact which will significantly deepen our Defense Partnership. Joint exercises will continue, additional sales are in progress. This is a strong relationship! Thank you for hosting us Defence Secretary Rajesh pic.twitter.com/sxbRC2osKn Ambassador Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) January 28, 2026

The ambassadors remarks come days after he attended Indias Republic Day parade for the first time, describing it as a privilege and calling the celebration a tribute to Indias Constitution and democratic values. In a post on X following the parade, Gor specifically highlighted the participation of US-manufactured aircraft in the flypast, terming it a strong symbol of the depth and strength of the US-India strategic partnership."

Last week, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met a visiting delegation from the US Congress, with discussions centered on trade issues, defense and security cooperation and wider geopolitical challenges. The interaction came against the backdrop of significant trade tensions following Washingtons decision to impose a 50 percent tariff on Indian.

US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about the future of trade relations with India. At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Trump praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and suggested that a trade deal remains within reach.

I have great respect for your Prime Minister. Hes a fantastic man and a friend of mine. We are going to have a good deal," Trump said, signalling possible progress.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 09:05 IST

News world US Ambassador Sergio Gor On 10-Year Defence Pact With India: 'This Is A Strong Relationship'

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Very Disappointing: Trump's Commerce Secy Says Europe Put Trade Above Ukraine With EU-India FTA

Curated By :

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Last Updated: January 29, 2026, 02:29 IST

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent again criticised the EUs trade deal with India, saying Europe put commerce ahead of pressure on Russia over the Ukraine war.

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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters as US President Donald Trump stands next to him aboard Air Force One. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday once more criticised Europes decision to finalise a major trade agreement with India, saying it showed the continent had put trade interests ahead of its stated concern for the Ukrainian people.

Speaking to CNBC, Bessent said he was disappointed by Europes stance, arguing that Brussels had prioritised commercial interests even as the war in Ukraine continued.

They should do whats best for themselves, but I will tell you, I found, I find the Europeans very disappointing," Bessent said.

His remarks came a day after the European Union finalised a long-delayed trade agreement with India, aimed at boosting two-way trade and reducing Europes reliance on the United States amid growing global trade tensions. The EU said the deal would eliminate or reduce tariffs on 96.6% of traded goods by value, potentially doubling EU exports to India by 2032 and saving European companies around 4 billion euros in duties.

He said the trade deal explained why the European Union had refused to match Washingtons decision to impose higher tariffs on India last year. The Europeans were unwilling to join us, and it turns out, because they wanted to do this trade deal," he said. So every time you hear a European talk about the importance of the Ukrainian people, remember that they put trade ahead of the Ukrainian people."

Bessent accused Europe of indirectly financing Russias war effort by buying refined fuel products linked to Russian crude oil. The Russian oil goes into India, the refined products come out, and the Europeans buy the refined products," he said. They are financing the war against themselves."

Bessents criticism followed similar comments he made last week, before the trade deal was formally signed. In an interview with ABC News, he said the US had imposed 25% tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil, while Europe was moving ahead with a trade pact.

We have put 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. Guess what happened last week? The Europeans signed a trade deal with India," Bessent said. And just to be clear again, the Russian oil goes into India, the refined products come out, and the Europeans buy the refined products. They are financing the war against themselves."

Bessent also said the Trump administration had taken tougher steps than its European allies to pressure Moscow to end the conflict. Trump has worked to negotiate a settlement on the Russia-Ukraine conflict," he said, adding that the United States had made much bigger sacrifices" than Europe.

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First Published: January 29, 2026, 02:26 IST

News world Very Disappointing: Trump's Commerce Secy Says Europe Put Trade Above Ukraine With EU-India FTA

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Vinod Khosla Snaps Back At Elon Musks Pompous Taunt: Maybe Not Tweet Seemingly Racist Stuff

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Last Updated: January 29, 2026, 03:05 IST

Khosla pushed back after Musk dragged his family into the dispute, urging him to rethink comments on race and defending himself against personal attacks.

Rapid Read

Indian-US businessman Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, speaks during the Hill & Valley Forum at the US Capitol Visitor Center Auditorium in Washington, DC. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

Silicon Valley billionaire Vinod Khosla escalated his ongoing social media spat with Elon Musk, pushing back against Musks personal attacks and urging him to reconsider what Khosla described as seemingly racist" public commentary on race and demographics.

In a lengthy post on X, Khosla took issue with Musk dragging his family into the dispute after the Tesla and SpaceX chief cited his partners Indian heritage and his sons name to rebut accusations of racial bias. Instead of bringing your family into it, maybe try not tweeting seemingly racist stuff next time?" Khosla wrote, adding that many would appreciate Musk clarifying that he was not trying to establish a white society in America".

Khosla said Musks repeated remarks about declining white birth rates and demographic shifts had created the impression of a racial agenda, referencing his earlier jibe that Musk was pushing WAGA"  White America Great Again  rather than Donald Trumps MAGA slogan. He said acknowledging that racism was not driving those views would go some way towards defusing criticism.

The exchange followed Musks sharp personal attack earlier this week, in which he accused Khosla of trying to block public access to a beach near his California home and used abusive language to dismiss his criticism. Musk had also pointed to his relationship with Shivon Zilis, who is of Indian origin, and said his son was named in honour of Indian-American physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, in an attempt to counter accusations of racial prejudice.

Instead of bringing your family into it, maybe try not tweeting SEEMINGLY" racist stuff next time? Many would appreciate it if you acknowledge you are not trying to establish a white society in America, and are not WAGA, and racism isnt behind your many laments around white https://t.co/0beAe5tDUN Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) January 28, 2026

Addressing the beach dispute directly, Khosla defended his actions, saying Musk had misrepresented the facts of a long-running legal battle over Martins Beach in Half Moon Bay. Khosla said he was standing up for the principle of private property rights rather than attempting to privatise a public beach.

Every court ruling in the Friends of Martins Beach case, including all appeals, so far reaffirms there has never been free access to the beach through private property," Khosla wrote, adding that only paid parking access had existed even though the beach itself was public. He said courts had also declined to give him a hearing on his petition to close a gate on the access road, leaving the matter unresolved for years.

Anything else is communism," Khosla added, doubling down on his defence of property rights while criticising what he described as regulatory overreach by Californias Coastal Commission.

Despite the pointed tone, Khosla ended his post on a note that mixed sarcasm with reluctant praise. Unfortunately I have no proof to refute your claim that I am a pompous asshole and retarded," he wrote, before adding: I have said publicly I do admire your extraordinary entrepreneurial skills."

The latest exchange builds on an earlier round of sparring that began after Musk reposted a claim that white people were becoming a rapidly diminishing share of the global population, a comment that drew widespread backlash online. Khoslas response at the time accused Musk of normalising racial politics, while Musk has framed his remarks as demographic observations rather than ideology.

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What Is The Difference Between European Union And European Commission? Which Is More Powerful?

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 15:09 IST

India and the European Union sign a historic Free Trade Agreement, with Narendra Modi, Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa marking a new era in India-EU relations

Rapid Read

At the heart of EU governance is the European Commission.

India and the European Union (EU) have announced what both sides are calling a historic" Free Trade Agreement (FTA), dubbed the Mother of All Deals". The agreement is being projected as the beginning of a new phase in India-EU relations. Marking the occasion, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are on a visit to India.

A photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with von der Leyen and Costa, holding hands and sharing a light moment, has gone viral. The two European leaders were also the chief guests at the Republic Day Parade in 2026.

But what exactly is the European Union? How many countries are part of it? What is the European Commission that negotiates trade deals with India, and how does this unique union of European nations actually function?

The European Union is a bloc of countries built on the idea that shared strength can go beyond national borders. It represents an ambitious experiment in cooperation for peace, prosperity and stability, and is widely regarded as one of the worlds most powerful and structured regional organisations. The EU is not merely an alliance of states, but a distinctive model of economic, political and legal integration in which member countries take collective decisions on key issues. Today, it plays a major role in global trade, diplomacy, climate policy and the regulation of emerging technologies.

The roots of the EU lie in the aftermath of the Second World War, when European nations sought lasting peace through economic cooperation. Over the decades, this effort evolved into a deeper union with a single market and shared policies across several sectors. At present, the EU has 27 member countries. It was earlier a 28-member bloc, but the United Kingdom exited in 2020 in a process known as Brexit.

Current members include major economies such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain, alongside countries like the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Greece and Portugal, as well as several nations from Central, Western and Eastern Europe.

The EU functions through a set of powerful institutions that together make, implement and enforce laws. The European Commission serves as the executive arm, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing policies, managing the EU budget and negotiating international agreements. The European Parliament, whose members are directly elected, debates and votes on laws, approves the budget and exercises oversight over the Commission.

The Council of the European Union, made up of ministers from member states, shares law-making powers with the Parliament. Above them is the European Council, which brings together heads of state or government and sets the EUs overall political direction and priorities. Other key bodies include the European Central Bank, the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of Auditors.

At the heart of EU governance is the European Commission. It is the only EU institution with the power to propose new laws. Once proposed, these laws must be approved by both the European Parliament and the Council to come into force. The Commission ensures that EU laws are correctly applied across member states and can initiate legal action against countries that fail to comply. It manages the annual EU budget, represents the bloc internationally and leads negotiations on trade agreements, including those with India. Importantly, the Commission is meant to function independently of national governments.

In recent years, the Commission has taken an increasingly assertive stance on technology regulation. It has launched investigations into major tech firms, including probes related to deepfake content affecting women and children, as well as antitrust cases against companies like Google over the use of online content to train artificial intelligence systems and generate search overviews.

The Commission is made up of 27 Commissioners, one from each member state, headed by a President. The current President is Ursula von der Leyen, who is responsible for shaping the Commissions agenda, assigning portfolios to Commissioners and representing the EU at high-level international forums such as the G7, G20 and meetings with non-EU countries.

Together, the President and Commissioners form the College of Commissioners. The President also appoints Vice-Presidents, often tasked with key areas such as foreign and security policy. Following elections to the European Parliament, the European Council nominates a candidate for Commission President, who is formally appointed after securing majority approval in Parliament.

A central debate around the EU concerns sovereignty, the right of a country to govern itself without external interference. In practice, however, absolute sovereignty is rare. As noted by the Council on Foreign Relations, countries that join multilateral organisations often pool or limit certain rights to gain the broader benefits of cooperation.

In the EU, member states participate in a single market where goods, services, capital and workers move freely. Common rules eliminate internal trade barriers, while the Schengen system allows visa-free travel across much of the bloc. Trade negotiations are conducted collectively, giving smaller countries greater leverage against large global economies.

Certain policy areas such as monetary policy, trade and fisheries are largely handled at the EU level, while others, particularly defence and security, remain shared responsibilities between the Union and national governments.

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First Published: January 28, 2026, 15:08 IST

News world What Is The Difference Between European Union And European Commission? Which Is More Powerful?

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'Will Not Look Other Way': Spain To Grant Legal Status To 500,000 Undocumented Immigrants

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Last Updated: January 28, 2026, 20:42 IST

Spanish government to grant legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants, expediting a decree as announced by Elma Saiz, despite criticism from Vox and other right-wing parties.

As per the rules, foreigners who entered Spain before December 31, 2025 and can prove they have been living in the country for at least five months will be eligible. They must also prove they have no criminal record. (AP)

Spanish government has announced that it will grant legal status to 500,000 undocumented migrants.

Associated Press quoted Minister of Migration Elma Saiz saying that the extraordinary measure will be implemented by expediting a decree to amend immigration laws bypassing a similar bill that has stalled in parliament. Eligible immigrants will be granted up to one year of legal residency as well as permission to work.

Speaking at a press conference, he said: Today is a historic day for our country. We are strengthening a migration model based on human rights, integration, coexistence, and compatibility with economic growth and social cohesion."

He further said the new measure was necessary to respond to a reality that exists on our streets" and would benefit the countrys economy.

This is in contrast to US President Donald Trump-led administrations policies to restrict immigration and asylum.

Saiz said Spain will not look the other way" and the government is dignifying and recognising people who are already in our country".

As per the rule, foreigners who entered Spain before December 31, 2025m and can prove they have been living in the country for at least five months will be eligible. They must also prove they have no criminal record.

According to AP, many immigrants are from Latin American or African countries working in the agricultural, tourism or service sectors.

Saiz said those eligible will likely be able to start applying for their legal status from April until the end of June.

However, this is not the first time pain has granted amnesty to immigrants who are in the country illegally. It has done so six times between 1986 and 2005.

Meanwhile, the Center-right and far-right parties have criticised the announcement.

AP quoted Santiago Abascal, leader of the anti-immigration, far-right party Vox, saying on social media that Sanchez hated" Spaniards and was accelerating an invasion," echoing a racist conspiracy theory often used by right-wing extremists.

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People attend a candlelight vigil held for Alex Pretti in San Francisco, California, the United States, on Jan. 25, 2026. A Minnesota resident was fatally shot by federal law enforcement agents on Saturday. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The White House has attempted to ease tensions over the latest fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, even as investigations continue and questions grow among state officials, lawmakers and other groups.

According to local media, U.S. Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino and some agents deployed to Minneapolis are expected to leave the city as early as Tuesday. The announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was dispatching White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

CHANGING NARRATIVE

Bovino is viewed as the face of Trump's immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. His departure comes amid rising criticism after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, following the January killing of Renee Good, also 37, a mother of three who was shot and killed during an encounter with ICE officers.

Trump spoke by phone with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Monday. In a post on his social media platform after the call, he said Walz had sought to "work together" and that the two "seemed to be on a similar wavelength," a noticeably softer tone than his sharp criticism of the Democratic governor over the weekend.

Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday that the federal government was reviewing the shooting incident. According to the Washington Post, a Trump administration lawyer assured a federal judge Monday that investigators have preserved body-camera footage and other evidence from the shooting, but stopped short of promising to share that evidence with state investigators.

According to local media, bystander footage showed that Pretti was pushed by an officer and then a half-dozen agents descended on him. During the scuffle, he was holding a phone but was not seen brandishing the 9mm semiautomatic handgun police say he was licensed to carry.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office on Saturday filed a lawsuit accusing federal authorities of irregularities in the evidence-gathering process, seeking to bar the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and related agencies from destroying or altering material connected to the shooting.

Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General and a Democrat, said the state had not been provided with information about key evidence and called for a full, transparent investigation.

MOUNTING DIVISIONS WITHIN

The death of Pretti has also brought rising internal divisions within the Republican Party over immigration policy and federal intervention.

According to Time magazine, some Republican lawmakers and governors have begun calling for investigations or for a pause in the surge of agents into Minnesota. Vermont Governor Phil Scott called the killing in Minneapolis unacceptable and asked to "pause these operations and de-escalate the situation," while Senator Dave McCormick expressed support for immigration enforcement but called for a thorough review of what happened in Minneapolis.

Chris Madel, a Republican candidate for governor of Minnesota who previously provided legal counsel in a separate fatal shooting case involving a law enforcement officer, withdrew from the race Monday in protest at the Trump administration's immigration operation. He criticized the current federal operation for creating fear among U.S. citizens and eroding civil liberties.

Gun rights advocates were surprised and disappointed by the Trump administration's initial statements following the Pretti shooting. William Sack, legal director of the Second Amendment Foundation, said the administration's shifting public posture was "very likely to cost them dearly with the core of a constituency they count on."

Protesters attend a rally against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) near the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Jan. 25, 2026. A Minnesota resident was fatally shot by ICE agents on Saturday. (Xinhua)

FUNDING AT RISK

The fallout from the shooting has spilled into Congress as well. Lawmakers are locked in negotiations over a six-bill government funding package, including the DHS bill, that accounts for more than 70 percent of federal operations and has raised the risk of a partial government shutdown.

The package was sent to the Senate last week following a House vote, in which almost all Democrats voted against the DHS bill. Pretti's death has hardened Democratic senators' resolve to withhold funding for immigration enforcement operations unless new restraints are imposed.

"I failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis," Tom Suozzi, one of seven Democrats who had voted to approve the DHS funds, said Monday, reversing his earlier position in a Facebook post.

Some Republicans suggested breaking apart the six-bill package, removing the homeland security funding while allowing the others to go forward. But many GOP lawmakers still strongly reject stripping the DHS of its funding.

According to local media, the White House is reaching out to Congressional leaders behind the scenes in search of a way out of another government shutdown.

"We absolutely do not want to see that funding lapse," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Editor: Xiong Jian
GUANGZHOU, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have unveiled a crucial mutation in the Ebola virus that significantly enhanced its infectivity during a major outbreak, providing new insights for epidemic surveillance and drug development.

The research effort, published in the journal Cell, was conducted by a team led by Professor Qian Jun from Sun Yat-sen University, in collaboration with researchers from Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, both located in south China, the First Hospital of Jilin University in northeast China, and other Sun Yat-sen University teams, the research team told Xinhua on Monday.

"The research tells us that during major emerging infectious disease outbreaks, real-time genomic surveillance and evolutionary analysis of the pathogen are crucial," said Qian.

"This is not only able to warn of changes in transmission risk but also to prospectively assess the effectiveness of existing drugs and vaccines, guiding us to preemptively adjust control strategies."

The study focused on the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from 2018 to 2020, the second-largest in history, which caused over 3,000 infections and more than 2,000 deaths. A key question drove the research, namely beyond the impact of local healthcare challenges, did viral evolution itself contribute to this outbreak's prolonged duration?

"We have long been aware that key viral mutations often act as invisible drivers accelerating transmission during major outbreaks. Having worked on Ebola for over a decade, we had to investigate whether similar patterns of mutation existed for this virus," said Qian, explaining the team's motivation.

In 2022, the team analyzed 480 complete Ebola virus genomes and discovered that a variant carrying a specific mutation in the viral glycoprotein, named GP-V75A, had emerged early in the DRC epidemic. This variant rapidly replaced the original strain, and its rising prevalence closely mirrored the surge in case numbers, suggesting it might confer a transmission advantage, according to the research team.

Subsequent experiments using various models confirmed the mutation's biological impact. It showed that GP-V75A had significantly enhanced the virus's ability to infect multiple types of host cells and mice.

Furthermore, this study revealed a potential clinical concern, notably that the GP-V75A mutation had diminished the antiviral effectiveness of some existing therapeutic antibodies and small-molecule entry inhibitors, indicating a possible risk of drug resistance.

These findings underscore the importance of continuous viral genome monitoring during outbreaks to anticipate evolutionary threats and inform the development of broad-spectrum countermeasures, the research team said.

The paper titled "Molecular characterization of Ebola virus glycoprotein V75A substitution in the 2018-2020 epidemic," is available online.

Editor: Xiong Jian
Members of a motorcycle club and a street gang clearly targeted an Indiana judge for assassination, police said Tuesday, days after officers arrested five people in connection with the attack. Police and prosecutors at a news conference praised what they characterized as a relentless effort to track down who opened fire on Tippecanoe County Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kim, at their home in Lafayette on Jan. 18. Both Meyer and his wife suffered gunshot wounds but survived, per the AP . The Lafayette Police Department, the FBI, the Indiana State Police and the Purdue University Police Department launched a search for the shooter that went on for days before apprehending four people in Indiana and one in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday evening.

Prosecutors allege that the attack was designed to derail a domestic abuse case against Thomas Moss, a member of the Detroit-based Phantom MC motorcycle club with ties to the Vice Lords street gang. According to a probable cause affidavit, the Vice Lords offered the victim in the case $10,000 not to testify against Moss but she refused. With Moss' trial set to begin on Jan. 20 in front of Meyer, another Phantom MC member, Blake Smith, purchased a shotgun. A masked man traveled to the Meyers' home armed with that shotgun on Jan. 18. He lured the couple to the door by saying he was looking for his dog, shot them through the door and fled.

"(Meyer) was targeted," Indiana State Police Lt. Col. Al Williamson said at Tuesday's news conference. "They went after him for a reason." Police recovered the mask, the shooter's clothing and the shotgun discarded near the Meyers' home. DNA on the mask matched Raylen Ferguson, an associate of the Almighty Vice Lord Nation from Lexington, Kentucky, according to the affidavit. Surveillance video showed a car that was parked near the Meyers' home had traveled from Kentucky toward Lafayette on Jan. 16 and traveled toward Smith's residence in the hour after the shootings, according to the affidavit.

Court appearances for the suspects were set for Wednesday in Indiana and Kentucky. Moss, Ferguson, and Smith each face multiple charges, including attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Amanda Milsap, whom prosecutors allege offered the bribe in the domestic abuse case, faces bribery and obstruction counts. Zeneda Greer, a woman Ferguson lives with, has been charged with helping a criminal and obstruction. Prosecutors have accused her of traveling to Lafayette with Ferguson.
An 18-year-old in a ski mask apologized as he pointed a gun at a woman and took her SUV, saying he needed it to visit his grandmother, according to authorities in Orange County, Florida. Deputies say Kenneth Shears approached the woman as she sat in her parked vehicle on Saturday, talking on her phone. The victim, who spoke to FOX35 Orlando on the condition she not be identified, said she initially thought it was some kind of prank.

She quoted her carjacker as saying, "I am sorry to be doing this, but I need to see my grandmother," a statement also noted in the arrest report. The woman said she tried to talk him down for several minutes and even offered him a ride, to no avail. He then drove off, promising to return the vehicle, per Fox News. A short police pursuit ensued, ending when the carjacker crashed the SUV into a parked car on a front lawn, heavily damaging both vehicles, deputies said. Shears was arrested and is being held at the Orange County Jail on multiple counts, including carjacking with a firearm.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) attends a joint news conference with visiting French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot in Ankara, Trkiye, Jan. 27, 2026. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua)

ANKARA, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Trkiye's priority goals in its relations with the European Union are to update the Customs Union agreement and advance visa liberalization, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Tuesday, pointing to persistent bottlenecks in ties with the bloc.

"We currently have several objectives ahead of us. One is the updating of the Customs Union agreement, and the other is the implementation of the visa liberalization agreement," Fidan told a joint news conference with visiting French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot in Ankara.

Fidan said the talks focused on ways to deepen bilateral trade, economic, and political ties, as well as on overcoming obstacles in Trkiye-EU relations. He said Ankara and Paris exchanged views on concrete steps to move the process forward and discussed other outstanding issues.

European security was also a key topic, particularly within NATO, Fidan said, noting that both countries played important roles in the alliance and in Europe's broader security architecture.

"Given the significant roles both countries play in NATO and European security, we underlined that there is much we can do together and that this requires meeting more frequently to discuss specific issues," he said.

Barrot said countering the Islamic State threat was a major area of cooperation, adding that the situation in Syria was discussed during the talks.

Economic ties were another focus, Barrot said, noting that bilateral trade exceeded 24 billion euros (around 26 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024 and that both sides aimed to increase the figure in 2025.

Barrot paid a one-day visit to Trkiye on Tuesday, his first since attending an informal NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Antalya in May 2025.

Editor: Xiong Jian
America's headcount is still edging up, but at a crawl not seen outside the pandemic eraand immigration is the main reason why. New Census Bureau estimates show the US population rose by about 1.8 million between mid-2024 and mid-2025, reaching 341.8 million. That's a growth rate of roughly 0.5%, the slowest since 2021, when COVID-19 deaths surged and international movement nearly stopped, the New York Times reports. The growth rate that year was just 0.16%. The lowest before that was just under 0.5% in 1919, when the flu pandemic was at its height, reports the AP.
President Trump said Tuesday a "big investigation" was underway into the killing of protester and ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. "I want to see the investigation. I'm going to be watching over it, and I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself," the president said as he left the White House. He was also asked about Pretti's family and said: "I love everybody. I love all of our people. I love his family. And it's a very sad situation."

The comment is the latest marker of Trump's sudden turnabout on the issue as his administration confronts growing pushbackincluding from some Republicans and Second Amendment advocateson federal agents' tactics in the second fatal shooting from the aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota, the AP reports.
A Utah father says his missing kids have been found in a Croatian orphanageand their mother is now under arrest hundreds of miles away. Croatian officials confirmed that a woman was detained in Dubrovnik in a case involving violation of children's rights, local outlets report. US media identify the suspect as 35-year-old Elleshia Anne Seymour, who allegedly left Utah with her four children on a one-way flight to Europe on Nov. 29. The childrenLandon, 11, Levi, 8, Hazel, 7, and 3-year-old Jacobwere later located in a state-run orphanage, according to a GoFundMe page started by Elleshia's ex-husband, Kendall Seymour, who is father to three of the four children and shared custody.

During a Dec. 2 welfare check at Elleshia Seymour's West Jordan home, police found the residence unlocked and empty, People reports. She allegedly left amid escalating fears about "end times" and "biblical events," a former boyfriend told police, per KSL. Kendall Seymour, unaware Elleshia had such beliefs, says she left a note claiming God promised she'd be "in Italy by Christmas," plus a list including "shred paperwork," "destroy identifying photos," and "throw away phone."

Police were tipped off by the teenage son of a woman who'd been in contact with Elleshia Seymour and likewise fled the US, apparently believing it was "going to be destroyed," Kendall Seymour's partner, Heather Shelly, tells KSTU. The Croatian Institute for Social Work says authorities must fully review the case before deciding whether to return the kids to their father, so the children remain at the orphanage for now. Shelly, who's visited the children, says they are comfortable but struggling to understand why they can't go home. Amid the uncertainty, Kendall Seymour is seeking help with legal and travel expenses, with roughly $48,000 raised so far. Elleshia Seymour, meanwhile, faces four counts of custodial interference.
Investigators have uncovered several factors that contributed to the collision of a US Army helicopter and a passenger airplane near Washington, DC, last January, killing 67 people in the deadliest US air disaster since 2001. The National Transportation Safety Board discussed the investigation's findings on Tuesday, including testimony about numerous near-crashes in the years before the fatal collision, as well as missed opportunities for the the Federal Aviation Administration to address risks. Thursday marks the first anniversary of the crash.

"I'm sorry for you, as these pages of these reports are written in your family members' blood," board member Todd Inman told the audience. "I'm sorry that we have to be here." Family members listened intently during the hearing. Some were escorted out, including two in tears, as an animation of the flights was displayed on video screens. Others wore black shirts bearing the names of first responder units. "The negligence of not fixing things that needed to be fixed killed my brother and 66 other people. So I'm not very happy," Kristen Miller-Zahn, who watched from the front row, said during a break.

Victims' families say they hope there's meaningful change in response to the long list of recommendations the NTSB listed at the conclusion of Tuesday's hearing. Taken together, the recommendations are designed to strengthen the safety cultures at the FAA and Army and reduce the risk of a similar midair collision from happening again.

Before hearing from investigators, Inman said "systemic issues across multiple organizations," not an error by any individual, caused the tragedy. Everyone aboard the jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, and the helicopter died when the two aircraft collided and plummeted into the icy Potomac River. The victims included 28 members of the figure skating community.

The Federal Aviation Administration last week made some changes permanent to ensure helicopters and planes no longer share the same airspace around the airport.

NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said she couldn't believe the FAA didn't realize the helicopter route in use during the crash didn't provide adequate separation from planes landing on Reagan's secondary runway. She noted that the FAA had refused to add detailed information about helicopter routes to pilots' charts so they could better understand the risks, and it wouldn't change the helicopter route even after a near miss in 2013.

"We know over time concerns were raised repeatedly, went unheard, squashedhowever you want to put itstuck in red tape and bureaucracy of a very large organization," Homendy said. "Repeated recommendations over the years."

Mary Schiavo, a former US Department of Transportation Inspector General, said it's troubling to hear how many times the FAA failed to act. "It was just a shocking dereliction of duty by the FAA. And they have so much work to be done to fix it. And just from my background, I don't know if the people there are up to it," Schiavo said.

NTSB investigators said the Army and FAA weren't sharing all safety data with each other before the crash, and that Army helicopter pilots often weren't even aware when they were involved in a near-miss around Reagan.

NTSB human performance investigator Katherine Wilson said an air traffic controller felt a "little overwhelmed" when traffic volume increased to 10 aircraft about 10 to 15 minutes before the collision, but then "felt the volume was manageable when one or two helicopters left the airspace." Yet about 90 seconds before the collision, Wilson said, "traffic volume increased to a maximum of 12 aircraft consisting of seven airplanes and five helicopters. Radio communication showed that the local controller was shifting focus between airborne, ground, and transiting aircraft." The workload "reduced his situational awareness," Wilson said.

NTSB investigators showed a video animation to demonstrate how difficult it would have been for the pilots in both aircraft to spot the other amid the lights of Washington. The animation also showed how the windshields of both aircraft and the helicopter crew's night vision goggles restricted views.
A Southern California tech entrepreneur is facing a murder charge after his estranged wife was found dead below a mountain highway more than two months ago, Fox News reports. Authorities in San Bernardino County say they arrested 66-year-old Gordon Abas Goodarzi on Friday in the killing of his wife and longtime business partner, 58-year-old Aryan Papoli. Her body was discovered Nov. 18 roughly 75 feet down an embankment off Highway 138 near Crestline, a small mountain community. Investigators initially noted injuries consistent with a fall, but the county coroner later ruled the death a homicide. The identity of Papoli, who had been reported missing, was not confirmed until Dec. 1, People reports. Goodarzi is being held without bail; prosecutors say the crime involved "planning, sophistication, and professionalism" and that Papoli was "particularly vulnerable."

Detectives have not publicly detailed what led them to Goodarzi or suggested a motive. Court records show Papoli filed for divorce on June 12, 2025, after 28 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking spousal support and a split of millions in shared assets. The couple's holdings reportedly included more than $4.5 million worth of property in California and Massachusetts, among them the Rolling Hills Estates home where Goodarzi was arrested and a property in Crestline, the same area where Papoli's body was found. The divorce case was dismissed in December following her death.

Goodarzi, an engineer and tech executive, sold their clean-energy company, US Hybrid, in 2021 for about $50 million. Goodarzi had acted as CEO, Papoli as CFO and vice president, the New York Post reports. In a Los Angeles Times interview, one of the couple's two sons, Navid Goodarzi, described his mother, who emigrated from Iran as a young woman, as devoted to creativity, service, and entrepreneurship. "My mom was a ray of light, sunshine manifested," he said.
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A 5-year-old boy swept up in an immigration arrest in Minnesota can't be deported or moved for now, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. The temporary restraining order shields Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, from removal or transfer outside the Western District of Texas, where they are being held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, NBC News reports. The order is active "until further order" of the court. The pair were detained Jan. 20 after returning from Liam's preschool to their home in Columbia Heights, Minn., according to the local school superintendent. A witness said she heard an adult inside their home pleading with immigration agents not to take the child.

The Department of Homeland Security says Conejo Arias tried to flee when officers approached his car, leaving Liam behind. "For the child's safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias," DHS said. Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin rejected claims that agents targeted the boy, saying Liam's mother declined to take custody and that his father agreed to keep the child with him. School board Chair Mary Granlund disputes that account, saying she saw the mother inside the home and her husband warned the woman not to open the door or immigration agents might enter. Granlund says agents were informed that a district representative was present and could take responsibility for the child: "There was ample opportunity to be able to safely hand that child off to adults," she says.

The case has fueled criticism from advocates who accuse ICE of using children as "bait." Some advocates accuse the agents of trying to get to Liam's mother through her child, CNN reports. But an ICE official claims agents were "heartbroken" she wouldn't open the door to take the boy. McLaughlin has defended the agency's approach, saying parents are asked if they want to depart with their children or designate another caregiver, a practice she described as consistent with prior administrations. The family's attorney, Marc Prokosch, says they entered the US legally in 2023 using the CBP One app and have complied with asylum procedures. "This family was not eluding ICE in any way," he said last week, arguing they pose no safety or flight risk and "never should have been detained." CBS News previously reported that the family cannot be legally deported because they have a pending immigration case.
A nearly finished offshore wind farm that the Trump administration abruptly froze just before Christmas is spinning back to life, the New York Times reports. A federal judge in Massachusetts on Tuesday ruled construction can resume on Vineyard Wind, a $4.5 billion project about 15 miles off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, granting a preliminary injunction that undercuts the administration's national-security rationale for the abrupt shutdown of the project. Judge Brian E. Murphy, a Biden appointee, said he reviewed the classified Pentagon report the administration relied on and found officials hadn't sufficiently explained or justified halting work.

Vineyard Wind, currently about 95% built, has 61 of its planned 62 turbines in place and is already feeding some electricity into the Massachusetts grid. Once fully online, it's expected to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses. The developersAvangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partnerstold the court they were losing roughly $2 million a day while the project was idled. A company spokesperson said they'll work with federal officials to restart safely. The order is in place while the lawsuit progresses.

The December pause hit Vineyard Wind and four other East Coast projects after the Defense Department flagged potential security risks. The White House said at the time that "America First" and national security guided the move and signaled it still expects to prevail in the broader fight. The decision marks the fourth time courts have cleared construction to continue on offshore wind projects the Trump administration sought to stall, following similar outcomes for developments off Rhode Island, New York, and Virginia. "Nearly the entire suspension order" issued by the Trump administration is now on hold thanks to court rulings, the Nantucket Current reports.
A man lunged toward Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar and sprayed an unknown substance on her at a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. The audience cheered as the man was tackled to the ground and subdued, the AP reports. The incident unfolded just after the Minnesota Democrat had renewed her call to dismantle Immigration and Customs Enforcement and urged that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem resign or face impeachment, NBC News reports.

The man moved down the center aisle and appeared to spray a liquid toward Omar as a security guard intercepted him. One person in the room was heard saying the substance "smelled bad." Local leaders who had spoken at the event urged Omar to leave the room and get checked out, but she rejected the idea, saying, "That is what they want." She then told the audience, "We will continue," adding, "These f------ a--holes are not going to get away with this." The event went on after the man was taken out. "We are Minnesota strong. We will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us," Omar said, per KING5.

President Trump has been criticizing Omar almost daily. He called her "garbage" during a Cabinet meeting last month, and hours before the town hall incident, he told a crowd in Iowa that immigrants his administration will allow in "have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar," the AP reports. The attack was condemned by fellow lawmakers including Republican Rep. Nancy Mace. "Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric ... no elected official should face physical attacks," Mace said. "This is not who we are."

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A specialized NASA research jet made an emergency belly landing at Ellington Airport in Houston on Tuesday after an apparent malfunction, with all crew members reportedly safe. The aircraft, a WB-57 high-altitude research plane run by NASA's Johnson Space Center, came down without its landing gear deployed, NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens wrote on X . She cited a "mechanical issue" with the aircraft and said an investigation is underway. Stevens added that NASA will release more details as they become available.

Jim Szczesniak, aviation director for the Texas city's airports, said the incident occurred around 11:30am local time on Runway 17R-35L at Ellington, and that the runway has been closed until the aircraft can be removed. The AP notes that video of the incident posted to social media shows the plane's "wings bouncing as yellow fire and white smoke bursts from beneath it."

The WB-57 is a long-range platform capable of flying from low altitudes up to more than 60,000 feet while carrying scientific instruments, per Click2Houston. It operates with a pilot and a sensor systems operator seated next to each other. NASA hasn't yet disclosed the exact nature of the mechanical problem or whether there were any minor injuries.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has held a telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, during which the latter expressed hope that "an agreement to end the war will soon be reached." The two sides also discussed the situation in Iran.

It is noted that the conversation was held at the initiative of the Ukrainian side.

I expressed our solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condemned the Russian attacks against civilians. I conveyed our hope that an agreement will soon be reached to end the war, Saar said on X Wednesday.

The parties also focused on recent events in Iran, focusing on the authorities brutal crackdown on protesters.

We also discussed Irans brutal massacre of its own people by the Revolutionary Guards, one of the darkest events in the history of Iran and humanity. I stressed the need for Ukraines Parliament to designate the IRGC as a terror organization, the minister added.

Saar and Sybiha agreed to remain in close contact.
Bari Weiss delivered a blunt message to CBS News staff this week: The network won't survive by holding on tight to its broadcast audience. In an all-hands meeting on Tuesday, the CBS News editor in chiefwho simultaneously runs the opinion site the Free Press, now owned by CBS parent Paramount Skydanceannounced a new lineup of contributors that pulls heavily from the Free Press orbit, report the Washington Post and Axios . The roster includes Harvard professor Arthur Brooks, historian Niall Ferguson, ex-Trump national security adviser HR McMaster, and New York chef Clare de Boer. Neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman and physician Mark Hyman, both controversial in medical circles, were also added.

Weisswho "sees her role as a change agent," per the APtold staff she wants CBS News to become a home for viewers across a broad middle. "We're for the center. We're for the center-right, and we're for the center-left," she said. Weiss also argued that the network's current output isn't drawing enough audience, and that relying on those who watch broadcast TV is a dead end: "If we stick to that strategy, we are toast." Some staffers agreed with her industry diagnosis but questioned her methods and whether the new contributors would meaningfully change CBS' trajectory.

Weiss also addressed one of her most controversial early moves: delaying a 60 Minutes piece on deportees transported to El Salvador's CECOT prison after promotions had already aired. She described the last-minute hold as an effort to secure more information on the prisoners and comment from the Trump administration, insisting she wasn't pressured by Paramount Skydance chief David Ellison. The segment eventually ran four weeks later, without the interview but with written responses from Trump officials.

Gayle King, co-host of CBS Mornings, followed Weiss with a call to embrace improvement without losing the network's identity. She also sharply criticized internal leaks, saying she was "so sick of that," prompting Weiss to quip that someone was probably livestreaming the meeting already. Weiss also told staffers who don't love her vision for the network that they have other options, per the Daily Beast. She compared CBS under her wing to a startup, noting that startups "aren't for everyone. They're places that move at a rapid speed. They experiment. They try new things. They sometimes create noise and, yes, bad press," she said. "I completely respect if you decide this is just not the right place at the right time for you."
South Korea has just checked off a political first: a former president and first lady convicted at the same time. Ousted ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced earlier this month to five years in prison over an attempted martial law plan in 2024. On Wednesday, a Seoul court sentenced his wife, Kim Keon Hee, to 20 months in prison for accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church in exchange for political and business favors, per the BBC . Prosecutors said she took about 80 million won (roughly $60,000) in items, including a Graff diamond necklace and several Chanel bags, between April and July 2022. The court ordered her to repay $9,000 and to forfeit the necklace.

Kim, 52, was acquitted on separate charges of stock price manipulation and receiving free political polling ahead of the 2022 election that brought Yoon to power. A special counsel had pushed for a 15-year sentence and $2 million in fines on all three counts, per NBC News, but Judge Woo In-sung said Kim did not initiate the bribes and had "no significant criminal record." Still, he said she "failed to reject solicitations," was "preoccupied with self-adornment," and "misused her position as a means of pursuing personal gain."

The leader of the Unification Church, Han Hak-ja, who is also on trial, has claimed nothing was expected in return for the gifts. Kim, who called the charges "deeply unjust," only admitted to receiving handbags that she later returned. She still faces additional trials tied to alleged efforts to funnel Unification Church followers into Yoon's conservative People Power Party and to trade gifts for government posts. Yoon also faces multiple trials, including a judge's verdict on a charge of attempted insurrection, with prosecutors requesting a death sentence.
Sarah Mullally was confirmed as archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England, per the AP . The worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes the Episcopal Church in the US, has no formal head, but the archbishop traditionally has been seen as its spiritual leader. Mullally, 63, a cancer nurse turned cleric, officially took up the responsibilities of her new job as judges presided over a legal ceremony confirming her appointment, which was announced almost four months ago. The so-called Confirmation of Election service marks a major milestone for the Church of England, which ordained its first female priests in 1994 and its first female bishop in 2015.

The church traces its roots to the 16th century when the English church broke away from the Roman Catholic Church during the reign of King Henry VIII. George Gross, an expert on theology and the monarchy at King's College London, highlighted the church's continuing divergence from the Catholic Church, which forbids women from being ordained as priests, much less as serving as the religion's global spiritual leader. "It is a big contrast," Gross said. "And in terms of the position of women in society, this is a big statement."

But Mullally's appointment may deepen rifts within the Anglican Communion, whose 100 million members in 165 countries are deeply divided over issues such as the role of women and the treatment of LGBTQ people. She will also have to confront concerns that the Church of England hasn't done enough to stamp out the sexual abuse scandals that have dogged it for more than a decade. Gafcon, a global organization of conservative Anglicans, says Mullally's appointment is divisive because a majority of the Anglican Communion still believes only men should be bishops. Rwandan Archbishop Laurent Mbanda, chairman of the Gafcon council of senior bishops, also criticized Mullally's support for the blessing of same-sex marriages.

Mullally replaces former Archbishop Justin Welby, who announced his resignation in November 2024, after he was criticized for failing to tell police about allegations of physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at a church-affiliated summer camp. She was nominated by a 17-member commission composed of clerics and lay people and her appointment was confirmed by King Charles III, who is the supreme governor of the church. But there is still one more step in the long process of appointing the new archbishop. On March 25 at Canterbury Cathedral, Mullally will be formally installed as bishop of the diocese of Canterbury in a ceremony marking the beginning of her new role. After that, her public-facing ministry begins.
Threats tied to Congress jumped sharply last year, and the force tasked with protecting lawmakers says the country's political tone is part of the problem. The US Capitol Police disclosed Tuesday that cases involving threats or alarming communications toward members of Congress, their families, staff, or the Capitol complex surged 57% in 2025, per the Daily Beast . There were 14,938 total cases, rising from 9,474 in 2024. The tally has been climbing for several years, up from 8,008 in 2023 and 7,501 in 2022, per the Washington Post .

In a statement, Capitol Police linked the rise to two factors: increasingly aggressive political rhetoric and the sense of impunity some people feel online. "Decreasing violent political rhetoric is one of the best ways to decrease the number of threats across the country," the agency said. The tally was reported on the same day Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance at a town hall in Minnesota. Another Democrat, Rep. Maxwell Frost, was punched in the face in Utah last week. Capitol Police said both Democrats and Republicans have been the target of threats, which can arrive via social media, email, phone, and mail.
SpaceX may be about to test a new financial frontier. The rocket and satellite company founded by Elon Musk is weighing an initial public offering that could value it at roughly $1.5 trillion, with timing that's as symbolic as it may be strategic, per the Guardian . Musk is reportedly eyeing mid-June for the float, a window that would land close to his 55th birthday on June 28, as well as a celestial meetup of Jupiter and Venus, sources tell the Financial Times . The company is reportedly looking to raise about $50 billion, more than previously signaled and nearly twice the size of Saudi Aramco's record $29 billion IPO in 2019though Aramco's overall valuation was higher, at $1.7 trillion.

Bank of America, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley are among the Wall Street firms being considered to lead the deal, according to earlier reporting. SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen has been in talks with already in-place private investors since the end of last year about a possible mid-2026 listing. SpaceX has long hedged on an IPO, once noting that it wouldn't consider the option "until its rockets were regularly flying to Mars," per the Wall Street Journal. The artificial intelligence explosion, and the idea of putting AI data centers in space, appears to have expedited those plans.

An IPO at that scale would further expand Musk's estimated $775 billion fortune, per the Guardian. He holds about 42% of SpaceX, in addition to sizable stakes in Tesla and the social platform X. SpaceX brings in revenue through reusable rocket launches for satellites and NASA resupply missions, and via its Starlink satellite internet service, which has proven successful. The potential IPO would land amid a broader reopening of US equity markets, with AI firms Anthropic and OpenAI also exploring paths to go public. Space technology remains a tightly held but coveted sector, as investors look for ways to tap into its rapid expansion.
Mexico's president is confirming a politically sensitive move while insisting the motive is her country's alone. Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday effectively acknowledged that Mexico has pulled a planned oil shipment to Cuba, telling reporters the choice was "a sovereign decision and it is made in the moment when necessary," reports the Guardian . Bloomberg had reported a day earlier that the state-run Pemex had done an about-face on plans to send an oil shipment that was expected to help ease Cuba's worsening fuel shortages and blackouts.

Mexico has become Havana's main supplier since the US cut off Venezuelan oil flows to the island earlier in the month, and "the cancelled shipment comes amid reports that the Mexican government had been privately reviewing whether to keep sending oil to Cuba amid fear of reprisals from the US," per the Guardian. The AP notes, however, that US officials have not publicly asked Mexico to stop sending oil. Sheinbaum didn't say if this was a one-time cancellation or the start of a broader halt.

Reuters reports Cuba hasn't received Venezuelan crude or fuel for roughly a month, with the US blockade interrupting shipments even prior to Maduro's capture. Though Mexico sent the equivalent of 5,000 barrels per day to Cuba in 2025, Reuters calls Pemex's shipments a "critical, though insufficient, lifeline for the island." The AP notes that Sheinbaum said Tuesday that Mexico "will continue to show solidarity" with Cuba, but she didn't elaborate on what kind of support Mexico would offer.
Last week President Trump warned Iran that an "armada" was heading its way, said the same on Monday, and recycled the warning on Wednesday. In a Truth Social post, Trump cautioned that a "massive Armada" led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is speeding toward Iran "with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose." He called the deployment larger than one sent to Venezuela and said it was "ready, willing, and able" to carry out its mission "with speed and violence, if necessary" should Iran not come to the table to negotiate "a fair and equitable deal" regarding its nuclear weapons program. He concluded:
Claire Danes says the shock of finding out she was pregnant at 44 sent her straight into "meltdown" mode. On Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast , the Homeland star recalled calling her ob-gyn "in convulsive tears" after she says her pregnancy test flashed "bold, cap-locked PREGNANT," per CNN . The news felt especially unlikely, she said, because conceiving her second child, her son Rowan, required two cycles of IVF. "None of this was by design," Danes noted, adding that each of her three kids is spaced five years apart. "I didn't know it was physically possible. I was 44 ... It just was so unlikely."

Danes, now 46, said she first voiced her pregnancy suspicions while at a spa with a good friend, after spiraling online about the tiny odds of conceiving naturally at her age. Her friend then shared that she'd had a dream she was pregnantbut in Danes' body. Danes went on to have "two strong cocktails," took a pregnancy test the next day, and broke down when it came back positive. The actor, who welcomed her daughter in July 2023, also revealed the baby's name publicly for the first time: Shay.

"This beautiful girl emerged and she's the best and none of it was up to me and I'm just delighted," Danes said, describing Shay as "very kind of in her head and dreamy." She has previously said the late-in-life pregnancy left her feeling a "funny shame ... like I had been caught fornicating past the point I was meant to." Danes and husband Hugh Dancy, whom she met while filming 2007's Evening, married in 2009. She was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in the Netflix series The Beast in Me. People notes that the couple also share Rowan, who's 7, and 13-year-old son Cyrus. Watch the podcast in full here.
The CEO of a Los Angeles homeless services charity faces federal and state fraud charges after prosecutors said he lived a luxury lifestyle that included lavish vacations and designer clothes paid for with $23 million in public money meant to keep people off the streets. Alexander Soofer, 42, was arrested Friday at his $7 million home that investigators believe he afforded using funds that were supposed to support his nonprofit Abundant Blessings, said First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli, per the AP .

The charitable group was contracted with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, a county agency, to use taxpayer money to find shelter and provide three meals a day for more than 600 homeless residents. Instead, prosecutors said Soofer bought a $125,000 Range Rover, a $2,450 Hermes jacket, a vacation home in Greece, and a trip to Hawaii. "He was living the high life while the people suffering, the homeless, lived on the streets with no shelter, no food," Essayli said during a Friday news conference with Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.

"Mr. Soofer called his company Abundant Blessings, but the only abundant blessings were the blessings he gave himself," Hochman said. If convicted as charged, Soofer could receive a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, Essayli said. According to the indictment, Soofer falsified invoices to claim he was serving fresh meals and renting out rooms while homeless people were instead fed canned beans and bulk packs of microwaveable ramen noodles. Investigators found Soofer falsified records to cover up the fact that he paid himself to "rent" properties for homeless people that he already owned, the indictment said.

Between 2018 and 2025, Soofer received more than $23 million in homeless housing funding. Of that, more than $5 million came directly from the county homeless services authority and more than $17 million came through a Los Angeles-based nonprofit called Special Service for Groups Inc., the US attorney's office said. None of the money came directly from the state. Soofer appeared in court Friday but did not enter a plea. He was released on $1.5 million bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court on Feb. 26. His arraignment on state charges was not yet scheduled.
President Trump is accusing Minneapolis' mayor of crossing a legal line over immigration enforcement. In a Truth Social post Wednesday, the president said Mayor Jacob Frey is "playing with fire" after Frey publicly declared that the city "does not, and will not, enforce federal immigration laws."

Frey had made the comments after meeting with White House border czar Tom Homan, who was sent to Minneapolis this week amid the outcry over the killing of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol officer. Frey, a Democrat, said he told Homan that the federal immigration crackdown has harmed Minneapolis and nearby communities and strained local police.

Replying on X to Trump's post, Frey wrote: "The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador. It's similar to the policy your guy Rudy had in NYC," Frey wrote. "Everyone should feel safe calling 911."

The BBC notes that as mayor, Rudy Giuliani "advocated for the rights and protection of undocumented migrants." Frey said city officials would stay in contact with Homan's team even as they decline to help carry out federal immigration enforcement. Republicans quickly pushed back. Vice President JD Vance replied to Frey on X, asking whether federal law enforcement officers "should feel safe calling 911," and contending they do not because the mayor has told city police not to assist them.
A delegation from the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, led by Deputy Minister Ihor Zubovych, held a series of working meetings with European partners in Brussels.

According to a statement published on the ministry's website on Tuesday, the visit focused on the functioning of the Register of Damage Caused by the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine, as well as current issues related to environmental monitoring.

"During a meeting with representatives of the Council of Europe, led by Markiyan Kliuchkovsky, Executive Director of the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U), the parties discussed the technical aspects of submitting materials to the Damage Register, issues related to the protection of official and confidential information, ensuring the quality of the evidentiary base, as well as the application of appropriate methodologies for assessing harm and damage," the statement said.

Particular attention was paid to the need for close coordination at all stages of implementation and pilot testing of the Register's functionality.

The Damage Register was established by Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe CM/Res(2023)3 dated May 12, 2023. Individuals, legal entities, and state authorities may submit claims for damage caused by the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine. Work is currently underway to amend Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 326 of March 20, 2022, as well as to launch the submission of claims on behalf of Ukraine through the Diia web portal.

A working meeting was also held between the Ukrainian delegation and representatives of the European Commission, during which strengthening Ukraine's institutional and administrative capacity in the field of environmental monitoring was discussed.

The Ukrainian side provided information on the status of transposing EU directives in the field of ambient air monitoring and the challenges currently faced.

"The development of an effective environmental monitoring system is a key prerequisite both for holding the aggressor accountable and for planning Ukraine's green recovery. We are working to ensure that this system meets EU standards, is institutionally capable, and integrated into the European data space," Ihor Zubovych said.

The meeting was joined online by Oleh Bondarenko, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management, who stressed the need to update legislation in the field of state environmental control, taking into account the consequences of the Russian Federation's armed aggression and accumulated practical experience.

He also highlighted the importance of forming a new environmental protection architecture, including the establishment of a monitoring agency, reform of the State Environmental Inspectorate, and strengthening its institutional capacity in line with European Commission recommendations.

In addition, the Ukrainian side informed the European Commission about progress achieved during previous meetings in Berlin and Dessau with representatives of the IMPEL Network, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, as well as the German and Austrian Environment Agencies (UBA).
JPMorgan is throwing its support behind the administration's new investment accounts for infants. In an announcement that coincides with the White House's Wednesday call on parents to open the accounts as they file their 2025 taxes, the bank said it will match the federal government's new $1,000 "Trump account" deposits for eligible employees' newborns, effectively turning the government's seed money into $2,000 per child. Bank of America announced a similar move in an internal memo the same day, as big financial firms line up behind the White House-backed pilot program.

ABC News reports the administration's Wednesday event is to be attended by President Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Sen. Ted Cruz, investor Kevin O'Leary, Dell CEO Michael Dell, actress Cheryl Hines, and rapper Nikki Minaj. Trump touted the long-term impact of the accounts, saying, "Decades from now, I believe the Trump accounts will be remembered as one of the most transformative policy innovations of all time," per the Hill.

The initiative sets up tax-advantaged investment accounts for children born in the US between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Washington kicks in $1,000 at birth; ABC News reports families can add up to $5,000 a year, with employers able to add another $2,500 annually. The effort is pitched as a long-horizon tool to chip away at the wealth gap by getting compounding investment returns working from day one.

ABC News reports an account opened in 2026 with the single $1,000 deposit is expected to grow to $5,800 over 18 years, while an account that has $5,000 added to it annually would hit $303,800. CNBC notes financial firms are heavily represented among corporate participants: BlackRock, BNY, Robinhood, SoFi, and Charles Schwab have all pledged to match the federal deposit for eligible staff.
The Trump administration is going big on nuclear, and part of the effort includes bulking up the country's nuclear fuel supply chain. The Department of Energy on Wednesday invited states to voice their interest in hosting "Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses," hub-style sites that could eventually handle almost everything related to nuclear fuel, CNBC reports. That ranges from uranium enrichment to power generation and, notably, recycling used fuelsomething the US currently doesn't do on a commercial scale. Only a small fraction of the energy in nuclear fuel is used in reactors, and the DOE says the rest could be tapped instead of heading toward long-term storage sites like the proposed Yucca Mountain site in Nevada, which has been stalled due to opposition from residents.

In a best-case scenario, officials say, one campus could centralize the entire process, potentially including advanced reactors and on-site data centers that would plug directly into the power produced. With interest in nuclear risingfueled in part by the energy demands of large-scale tech and data operationsthe DOE estimates a single campus could draw as much as $50 billion in private investment. Nuclear currently provides about 21% of US electricity, but the country still relies heavily on imported uranium, much of it from Canada and Kazakhstan.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright cast the plan as a way to spur innovation, strengthen the domestic supply chain, and create jobs while supporting President Trump's push to expand nuclear power. Earlier this year, the DOE announced $2.7 billion to bolster US enrichment capacity. Wright has said he wants to see "dozens" of nuclear plants under construction before the administration leaves office.

Analysts say the "community buy-in" Wright is proposing could be key to solving the problem of what to do with spent nuclear fuel, Bloomberg reports. "We want states to welcome that repository," says Sam Thernstrom, president of the Energy Innovation Reform Project. "That's obviously a lesson of Yuccathat ignoring the politics of the host community is not a viable strategy."
A London jury has convicted a Russian man of assaulting a young woman whose FaceTime call with Barron Trump turned into evidence in the case. Prosecutors said 22-year-old Matvei Rumiantsev attacked the woman in the early hours of Jan. 18, 2025, after a night of drinking, allegedly fueled by jealousy over her friendship with President Trump's 19-year-old son, the Telegraph reports. Barron Trump, calling police from the US, reported that he saw the woman crying and being hit during a brief video call and told a City of London Police operator: "I just got a call from a girl... she's getting beat up," according to court testimony.

Trump told police he had met the woman on social media and was "very close" to her. At Snaresbrook Crown Court, Rumiantsev, who lives in east London, was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice. The latter charge stemmed from a letter he sent the woman from prison, asking her to withdraw her allegations. He was acquitted of two counts of rape and one count of intentional strangulation related to alleged incidents on the night Trump called police and in November 2024.

Barron Trump, in an emailed witness statement, said that he "didn't expect her to pick up [the Facetime call] due to the time difference" and the video connection lasted only five to seven seconds but showed a shirtless man, then the woman "getting hit while crying." Prosecutors said Rumiantsev resented her contact with Trump "perhaps because of his public profile." The woman testified that the call from Trump helped save her life. "That call was like a sign from God at that moment," she said.

Under cross-examination, Rumiantsev denied being a violent, jealous partner but admitted he was "jealous to some extent" and claimed she had "led" Trump on. Prosecutors said that in an earlier incident, Rumiantsev "flew into a rage" on Nov. 3, 2024, and smashed an air fryer after he found out that the woman had used the word "sweetheart" in a message to Trump, the Times of London reports. Sentencing is scheduled for March 27.
Bruce Springsteen didn't wait long to turn a Minneapolis killing into a protest song. Just days after Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents, Springsteen has released " Streets of Minneapolis ," a track that explicitly targets "Trump's federal thugs" and calls for ICE to leave the city, Rolling Stone reports. In a social media post on Wednesday, Springsteen said he "wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis." He dedicated it to Minneapolis residents, "our innocent immigrant neighbors," and in memory of Pretti and Renee Good.

The song's lyrics describe armed federal forces in the city, dispute official claims of self-defense in Pretti's death, and accuse Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem of spreading "dirty lies." "There were bloody footprints where mercy should have stood," Springsteen sings. "And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets. Alex Pretti and Renee Good." Another lyric: "Here in our home they killed and roamed in the winter of '26. We'll remember the names of those who died on the streets of Minneapolis." He describes federal forces as "King Trump's private army from the DHS."

The track follows Springsteen's surprise appearance last week at the Light of Day benefit concert in Red Bank, New Jersey, where he condemned ICE and the killing of Good. "If you stand against heavily armed masked federal troops invading an American city, using Gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens," he told people in the crowd, then they should send a message that "ICE should get the f--- out of Minneapolis."

"Streets of Minneapolis" deliberately echoes the title of his 1994 Oscar-winning "Streets of Philadelphia" and continues his long-running engagement with political themes. But the speed of this release stands out, Rolling Stone notes. While he wrote "Roulette" less than a week after the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, that song stayed unreleased for years. Springsteen has been an outspoken Trump critic since before the 2016 election, the Guardian reports. Trump has responded by calling Springsteen a "pushy, obnoxious jerk" and "not a talented guy."
A standoff at a consulate door has added to the conflict in Minneapolis. Ecuador said a US immigration officer tried to get into its consulate in the city, prompting a formal protest and a reminder that foreign missions are off-limits without permission. Ecuador's foreign ministry said a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent showed up at its Minneapolis consulate around 11am Tuesday, the BBC reports, and "attempted to enter" the building but was blocked by staff.

Under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, consular offices are considered inviolable, and host country authorities can't go inside work areas without the explicit consent of the consul, except in narrow emergencies like fires or other disasters. Ecuador says no such consent was given. A video circulated by Ecuadorian mediaverified by the New York Timesshows a staff member to the building's entrance and telling an ICE officer, "This is the consulate, you're not allowed in here." The agent answers, "If you touch me, I will grab you." The official repeats that the building is a foreign government's office and shuts the door, per the BBC.

The exterior of the consulate is clearly marked and carries Ecuador's national seal, per the Times. The foreign ministry said it immediately lodged a formal diplomatic protest with the US embassy in Ecuador "so that acts of this nature don't happen again." ICE agents are among roughly 3,000 officers in the region after fatal shootings by federal officers of Alex Pretti on Saturday and of Renee Good weeks earlier, which intensified protests. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has mostly supported the Trump administration's deportations.
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The volume of repatriated foreign currency export proceeds in 2025 increased by about 5%, following growth of nearly 20% a year earlier. This was facilitated by improved information exchange between the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), the State Customs Service, and tax authorities, Deputy Governor of the NBU Volodymyr Lepushynsky said.

"The more foreign currency export proceeds flow into the country, the easier it becomes to move toward currency liberalization," he emphasized during the Export Credit Forum in Kyiv organized by the Export Credit Agency (ECA).

Lepushynsky stressed that the NBU continues to view currency liberalization as an unchanged priority and is ready to further ease restrictions as foreign currency inflows from exporters increase.

"Currency liberalization remains our unwavering priority. At the same time, currency restrictions remain a forced measure to ensure the stability of the foreign exchange market," he said.

The deputy governor recalled that in January the NBU implemented another package of easing measures, including the abolition of settlement deadline limits for contracts assigned to the ECA, as well as for the export of insurance services.

Lepushynsky also said that the NBU is working on developing foreign exchange risk hedging instruments. In particular, the use of forward transactions within the limits of currency sold by banks has been allowed, but the number of such operations remains limited: 39 deals totaling $10 million have been concluded so far.

Commenting on lending to exporters, the deputy head of the National Bank noted that exporters remain among the highest-quality borrowers for banks. According to him, since the first quarter of 2025, the business foreign currency loan portfolio has grown by about 20%, while the hryvnia-denominated portfolio has increased by more than 25%.

As for credit stimulation, Lepushynsky said that the NBU, together with the government, has identified the energy and defense sectors as areas where such stimulation is possible. He specified that as a result, lending to the defense industry has reached about UAH 5 billion, while in the energy sector it has enabled the expansion of generation capacity by 1.3 GW and electricity storage systems by 0.5 GW.

Lepushynsky also reported that the NBU is highly likely to introduce a reference euro exchange rate in 2026, given the growing role of the euro in Ukraine's foreign trade, particularly in imports.
Jan 28 (News On Japan) - Nvidia, a major US semiconductor company, announced on January 26th that it had made an additional investment of $2 billion, equivalent to just over 300 billion yen, in CoreWeave, a company that provides cloud services for artificial intelligence applications.

The move is aimed at strengthening the partnership between the two companies, with plans to expand data center capacity by five gigawatts by 2030.

Following the announcement, CoreWeaves share price rose as much as 16% during trading.

Source: BIZ
ST. JOHN'S, NL, Jan. 28, 2026 /CNW/ - Focus FS today announced a multi-year, $8 million Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiative, aimed at enhancing safety, reliability, and operational control in offshore oil and gas. The Hebron and Hibernia Projects will each contribute more than $2.45 million toward the research and development of advanced industrial AI technologies, totalling over $4.9 million.

The collaboration will apply AI across offshore assets, targeting key operational areas where intelligent insights can reduce risk exposure, minimize downtime, and deliver measurable business value.

"Our AI strategy connects the promise of AI technology with the reality of operations," said Jeff Brown, CEO of Focus FS. "We're not just talking about what AI can do, we're demonstrating how it delivers tangible improvements in safety and control. This project will look at embedding AI directly into workflows, helping organizations turn data into action and unlock new value from previous digital investments."

Designed to meet the stringent data governance standards of industrial operators, Focus FS's proprietary AI platform operates within each customer's secure, dedicated cloud environment, ensuring that sensitive operational data remains protected and under the company's control. Its private large language model (LLM) architecture delivers natural language processing (NLP) and advanced analytics capabilities without compromising privacy, security, or governance.

The initiative will also revitalize the value of historical data collection projects. By using this data to train AI models, Focus FS aims to reopen the business case for earlier digitization programs, transforming untapped information into actionable predictive insight.

The multi-year program will deliver phased outcomes, beginning with AI-powered safety reporting, and expanding into asset performance optimization and predictive modeling.

About Focus FS

Focus FS is a Canadian industrial software company based out of St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, specializing in Asset Safety Solutions for high-risk industries. Its AI-driven platform empowers organizations to mitigate risk, reduce downtime, and enhance operational efficiency through intelligent data-driven technology.

About Hibernia and Hebron Projects

Hibernia Management and Development Company Ltd. (HMDC) is the operator of the Hibernia project and is owned jointly by ExxonMobil Canada (33.125%), Chevron Canada Resources (26.875%), Suncor Energy Inc. (20%), Canada Hibernia Holding Corporation (8.5%), Murphy Oil Company Ltd. (6.5%) and Equinor Canada Ltd. (5%).

The Hebron Project co-venturers are ExxonMobil Canada Properties (EMCP), as Operator, (35.5%), Chevron Canada Limited (29.6%), Suncor Energy Inc. (21%), Equinor Canada Ltd. (9%) and Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador (4.9%).

Contacts

Focus FS

Jennifer West

Chief Operating Officer

[email protected]

(709) 764-0746

EMCP and HMDC

Shelley Sullivan

Public and Government Affairs Manager

[email protected]

(709) 728-3345

SOURCE Focus FS Inc.
ABU DHABI, UAE, Jan. 27, 2026 /CNW/ -- G42, Cerebras Systems and the Institute of Foundation Models at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), today announced the release of K2 Think V2. This latest 70-billion parameter advanced reasoning system reasoning system is now built on the K2-V2 base model, IFM's strongest fully frontier-class open-source foundation model that's purpose built for K2 Think.

MBZUAI Launches K2 Think V2: UAEs Fully Sovereign, Next-Generation Reasoning System

This launch marks a major milestone for the UAE's technological sovereignty. While earlier versions of K2 Think were open and widely accessible, K2 Think V2 (70B) is the first to be open from end-to-end; from pre-training data and curation through post-training, reasoning alignment, and evaluation. The result is a reasoning system that is both more transparent and more powerful.

By upgrading the base model to K2-V2, K2 Think V2 unlocks a new level of performance, openness, and independence, reinforcing the UAE's leadership in building frontier-grade AI systems that are globally accessible and fully sovereign.

Why K2 Think V2 is Different

K2 Think V2 marks a step change in open reasoning systems, shifting from a reasoning model layered on top of a foundation to one built directly into it. Inheriting K2-V2's long-context capabilities and full training transparency, it now operates as a fully sovereign system end-to-end.

Every stage of K2 Think V2 (70B) is open, inspectable, and independently reproducible, ensuring both scientific credibility and national AI sovereignty. Designed as a purpose-built reasoning system, it solves complex problems step-by-step using long chains of thought across mathematics, science, coding, logic, and simulation.

This reasoning-first, fully open foundation translates directly into greater levels of performance. K2 Think V2 delivers leading results on complex reasoning benchmarks, including AIME2025, GPQA-Diamond, HMMT, and IFBench, when compared against other open-source reasoning systems.

Key Features, Made Simple

Built on K2-V2

K2 Think V2 (70B) is powered by MBZUAI IFM's latest foundation model, designed from the outset to support reasoning, long context, and alignment, raising the ceiling for what the reasoning system can achieve.

Longer Memory, Deeper Thought

Expanded context length enables sustained, multi-step reasoning over much larger bodies of information.

Truly Independent Data Pipeline

All training relies on IFM-curated datasets, including the Guru dataset, fully decontaminated from downstream benchmarks to ensure fair and trustworthy evaluation.

360-Open Transparency

From pre-training data and intermediate checkpoints to post-training recipes and evaluations, every component is available for inspection, reuse, and extension.

For more information on K2 Think V2 (70B) or to explore the data used to build it, please visit the Institute of Foundation Models' official platform. You can also access the system and learn more through the following resources:

For more information, please visit https://mbzuai.ac.ae/

About Cerebras

Cerebras Systems builds the fastest AI infrastructure in the world. We are a team of pioneering computer architects, computer scientists, AI researchers, and engineers. We make AI blisteringly fast through innovation and invention because we believe that when AI is fast it will change the world. Our flagship technology, the Wafer Scale Engine (WSE) is the world's largest and fastest AI processor. At 56 times larger than the largest GPU, the WSE uses a fraction of the power per unit compute while delivering inference and training more than 20 times faster than the competition. Leading corporations, research institutes and governments on five continents chose Cerebras to run their AI workloads. Cerebras solutions are available on premise and in the cloud. For further information, visit cerebras.ai or follow us on LinkedIn, X and/or Threads.

About Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) is the first university dedicated entirely to the advancement of science through AI. The university empowers the next generation of AI leaders, driving innovation and impactful applications of AI through world-class education and interdisciplinary research. In 2025, MBZUAI launched its first ever undergraduate program, a Bachelor of Science in AI, with two distinct streams: Business and Engineering.

About MBZUAI's Institute of Foundation Models

The Institute of Foundation Models (IFM) at MBZUAI is dedicated to pioneering academic research at the forefront of global AI innovation, driven by real-world societal needs.

With deep scientific roots and world-class talent in Abu Dhabi, Paris, and Silicon Valley, IFM builds some of the world's most powerful foundation models - open, fast, and focused on solving real-world problems.

These include the PAN World Model, K2, a 360-open LL, and K2-Think, a leading open-source system for advanced AI reasoning. IFM engineers have contributed to the development of low-resource language LLMs in Arabic (Jais), Hindi (Nanda) and Kazakh (Sherkala).

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2870716/MBZUAI_Launches_K2_Think_V2.jpg

SOURCE Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)

MBZUAI Media, E: [email protected]
Findings from the company's third annual AI Report suggest that a collaborative approach is needed to boost confidence in AI

Key highlights

Transparency and safety matter: More than three-quarters of respondents want companies to review AI for harms before new tools are released, and provide easy-to-understand explanations

More than three-quarters of respondents want companies to review AI for harms before new tools are released, and provide easy-to-understand explanations Calls for inclusion and respect: About 7-in-10 respondents want companies to ask for and listen to customer input on how AI is deployed

About 7-in-10 respondents want companies to ask for and listen to customer input on how AI is deployed Near-universal call for robust governance: 90% of respondents in both countries want AI regulated, with clear expectations for accountability and oversight

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2026 /CNW/ - 'Include our feedback as you build AI' is the key message from American and Canadian respondents polled in TELUS' latest cross-border study, AI Trust Atlas: Public perspectives on bridging the AI trust gap . With 85% of Canadians and 89% of Americans reporting that they are using AI, familiarity with the technology is growing  and so are calls for inclusion and engagement in how AI is designed and deployed.

The report captures perspectives from more than 11,000 Canadians and Americans, with special attention to historically underrepresented* communities, highlighting the importance of including a wide range of voices to build trustworthy AI. In large majorities, respondents shared that their trust in companies that use AI is stronger when organizations review potential harms before release, explain AI use in plain language and actively listen to customer input on how AI is deployed.

"What our research shows is that technology companies can't do this alone: people want to be included in the development of AI and want to see safety, respect and transparency built into the technology," said Pam Snively, Chief Data & Trust Officer, TELUS. "AI has incredible potential but will only live up to that promise if we have the trust needed to support meaningful adoption."

Charting a course to trust in AI

Survey participants laid out actions companies that deploy AI technology can take to earn public confidence:

69% of Canadians and 72% of Americans want companies to actively seek and listen to customer input before deploying AI

76% of Canadians and 77% of Americans would trust companies more if they reviewed AI systems for potential harms before launching new tools

73% of Canadians and 74% of Americans want companies to explain how they use AI in easy-to-understand terms

90% in both countries believe AI should be regulated, demonstrating strong support for governance frameworks

Earning this trust is more than a reputational win for organizations, it is a primary driver of adoption. By fostering public confidence, organizations can unlock the full potential of AI to accelerate productivity and economic growth.

Trust in AI is built through collaboration

The report concludes with actionable recommendations for government, industry and academia, providing a clear roadmap for implementation:

Strengthen AI literacy through education programs that help people understand and safely use AI

Embed diverse perspectives throughout AI development  from conception to deployment  to create more resilient, trusted systems that work equitably for all communities

Provide clear explanations and human oversight for critical AI decisions

Collaborate across sectors to create ethical standards that keep people safe while encouraging innovation

"Trust is earned with every interaction, from the way that an organization talks about AI to how people actually engage with it," said Snively. "TELUS has been building AI responsibly from the start. Driven by principles such as accountability, respect and fairness, safety and robustness, and transparency, we have been taking action to connect with our stakeholders, share clear and easy to understand updates on our work, and advocate for human-centric and beneficial data use and AI."

Global leadership in AI

TELUS established its leadership in human-centric technology, consistently evolving how it innovates to meet the changing needs and expectations of customers and communities:

By prioritizing trust, TELUS aims to create a future where everyone can confidently embrace the benefits of technology. To read the full report, visit telus.com/ResponsibleAI .

About the Research

The 2026 TELUS AI Trust Atlas survey was conducted by Leger from September 2-28, 2025, surveying 5,487 Canadians and 6,109 Americans through online panels. The study included boosted samples for underrepresented groups including Indigenous Peoples, Black women, LGBTQ2S+ individuals, people with disabilities, low-income individuals, seniors, and recent immigrants to ensure diverse perspectives were represented. The research was commissioned by TELUS as part of its third annual public accountability effort on responsible AI deployment.

*According to the Government of Canada's mandate on research design , "underrepresentation refers generally to groups or individuals from groups who, due to both formal and legal restrictions and to systemic barriers, have lacked access to full participation in a given organization, community or discipline."

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a world-leading communications technology company operating in more than 45 countries and generating over $20 billion in annual revenue with more than 20 million customer connections through our advanced suite of broadband services for consumers, businesses and the public sector. We are committed to leveraging our technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. TELUS is passionate about putting our customers and communities first, leading the way globally in client service excellence and social capitalism. TELUS Health is enhancing more than 160 million lives across 200 countries and territories through innovative preventive medicine and well-being technologies. TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods utilizes digital technologies and data insights to optimize the connection between producers and consumers. TELUS Digital specializes in digital customer experiences and future-focused digital transformations that deliver value for their global clients. Guided by our enduring 'give where we live' philosophy, TELUS continues to invest in initiatives that support education, health and community well-being. In 2023, we launched the TELUS Student Bursary, which strives to ensure that every young person in Canada who wants a postsecondary education has the opportunity to pursue one. To date, the program has distributed over $6 million in bursaries to more than 1,600 students and counting. Since 2000, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $1.8 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs, including 2.4 million days of service--earning TELUS the distinction of the world's most giving company.

For more information, visit telus.com or follow @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

Media Contact

Emily Piccinin

TELUS Public Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE TELUS Communications Inc.
OAKVILLE, ON, Jan. 28, 2026 /CNW/ - Sunset Grill will once again host its annual Pancake Tuesday fundraiser on Tuesday February 17, 2026, in support of the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). The 2026 event marks the 16th year the restaurant brand has partnered with CCS to help support Canadians affected by cancer.

On February 17, guests can enjoy Sunset Grill's signature buttermilk pancakes for $2 each, with all franchised Sunset Grill locations across Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick participating in the fundraiser.

A $2 contribution will be made to the Canadian Cancer Society from each Sunset Grill pancake sold. (CNW Group/Sunset Grill Restaurants Ltd.)

For every pancake sold, $2 will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society to help fund vital cancer research, patient support services and community programs for individuals and families impacted by cancer.

Since the fundraiser's inception, Sunset Grill and its guests have contributed significantly to CCS initiatives. In 2026, the organization aims to further increase its impact with a fundraising goal of $50,000.

"Sunset Grill is proud to continue its longstanding commitment to supporting the Canadian Cancer Society and advancing efforts to improve outcomes for people living with cancer," said Angelo Christou, founder and CEO of Sunset Grill Restaurants Ltd.

To date, more than $262,000 has been raised for CCS since the launch of Sunset Grill's Pancake Tuesday fundraiser in 2009.

"Cancer affects so many people in our local communities and advancing efforts to increase survival, prevent more cancers and improve the lives of people affected is vital," said Michelle Duggan, Vice President of Partnerships, Canadian Cancer Society. "We're grateful to Sunset Grill for continuing this beloved Pancake Tuesday tradition and for bringing people together in a way that fuels progress, supports families, and helps lead the way to a future without cancer."

Organizations and schools interested in placing bulk pancake orders may do so through the pre-order form available on Sunset Grill's website at sunsetgrill.ca/pancake-tuesday/. All orders must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. on February 13, 2026.

About Sunset Grill Restaurants Ltd.

Sunset Grill is a proudly Canadian all-day breakfast restaurant franchise founded in Toronto, Ont. by Angelo Christou in 1985. The owner-operated, California-style breakfast restaurant features fresh, made-to-order breakfast and lunch prepared in an open kitchen, served daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunset Grill has since expanded to more than 100 locations across Canada and the U.S. and is continuously growing. For franchising opportunities or to learn more, visit sunsetgrill.ca

About the Canadian Cancer Society

The Canadian Cancer Society works tirelessly to save lives, improve lives and drive collective action against cancer. Together with patients, volunteers, donors and communities across the country, we raise funds to invest in transformative cancer research, we provide a caring support system for everyone affected by cancer and we advocate to governments to create a healthier future for all. It takes a society to take on cancer  and the Canadian Cancer Society is leading the way.

Help us make a difference. Call 1-888-939-3333 or visit cancer.ca today.

SOURCE Sunset Grill Restaurants Ltd.

Vanessa Divers, (905) 286-5833, [email protected]
The Way Experiential Ecosystem delivers a single, fully integrated ecosystem that powers every type of experience, with new offerings that enable brands to extend curation and distribution opportunities.

At the foundation of the Experiential Ecosystem is Way's market-leading Core Platform, which enables brands to launch, market, and manage experiences across the customer journey, along with the following new products:

Curation Lab offers a first-of-its-kind AI-powered experience curation technology that blends artificial intelligence with each customer's brand identity and proprietary Way data.

offers a first-of-its-kind AI-powered experience curation technology that blends artificial intelligence with each customer's brand identity and proprietary Way data. Loyalty Sync provides a seamless connection between experiences and loyalty programs at enterprise scale; in 2025, Way launched and powered the extensions of experiential loyalty programs for brands, including World of Hyatt and Alaska Air Group's Atmos Rewards Unlocked.

provides a seamless connection between experiences and loyalty programs at enterprise scale; in 2025, Way launched and powered the extensions of experiential loyalty programs for brands, including World of Hyatt and Alaska Air Group's Atmos Rewards Unlocked. Partner Exchange brings an industry-first global marketplace for consumer brands across industries to partner and co-create experiences, including luxury brands such as Piaget and Kiton.

Together, these capabilities deliver new and diversified revenue streams through experiences, reduce operational lift and third-party dependency, deepen customer engagement and brand loyalty, and provide a faster global rollout with consistent brand expression.

Experiential's Rise Brings New Opportunities

With experiential spending up ~32% in the last five years (source: Earnest Analytics), demand is evident among consumers worldwide. Way's Core Platform has consistently answered this need at the enterprise level, allowing global brands like Hyatt and Maybourne to consolidate their experiential technology and strategy across their luxury and lifestyle portfolios.

Brands today are leveraging experiences as a central pillar of their marketing strategy, as signature programming drives sales of core products while also fueling differentiation, loyalty, and revenue. Increased demand for experiences is evident not only in hospitality but also among consumer brands worldwide. As a result, organizations face growing operational complexity in merchandising and managing ticketed events, curated experiences, recurring programming, and experiential resources, their experiential technology and strategy across their luxury and lifestyle portfolios.

This product launch underscores Way's ongoing commitment to building products that enable brands to unlock the true value of experiences and shape more meaningful consumer engagement while continuing to define the experiential category at large.

About Way

Way is the premier experiential ecosystem, uniting software, artificial intelligence, and proprietary data to redefine how people engage with the world's leading consumer brands. Organizations leverage Way to launch, merchandise, manage, and scale distinctive experiences that resonate with today's consumers.

Founded in 2020 as the solution for hospitality brands seeking to integrate experiences into their strategy, Way quickly established itself as a category leader at a time when unlocking new revenue streams had never been more critical. Today, Way is expanding across new segments of the consumer economy, enabling brands to offer transformative experiences that forge deeper, lasting connections with their audiences.

The company is backed by over $22m in capital and headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in Paris, France. www.way.co

SOURCE Way
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/minenergoUkraine

Investment in the construction of new generation facilities is what will benefit both investors themselves and Ukraines power system, said Vitalii Zaichenko, CEO of NPC Ukrenergo, during online participation in a meeting of the European Business Associations management board.

During the meeting, he briefed representatives of Ukraines largest financial and industrial groups on the current situation in the energy sector and near-term prospects.

"Since October last year, the enemy has been carrying out complex attacks on energy facilities, using a very broad arsenal of weapons, from rocket artillery to guided aerial bombs, attack drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Many generation, transmission, and distribution facilities in most regions of Ukraine have been damaged," Zaichenko said.

According to him, an acute capacity deficit has emerged in the power system, which cannot yet be covered by existing generation and electricity imports. Under such conditions, attracting private investment in the construction of generation facilities is critically important for Ukraines energy sector.

As the head of Ukrenergo recalled, thanks to special auctions conducted by the company over the past year, 423 MW of new generating capacity have been added to the power system.

"We are grateful to businesses that are investing in projects that strengthen the resilience of the power system under such difficult conditions," he said.

Zaichenko also stressed the importance of connecting to the grid those generating facilities that businesses and industry currently use exclusively as backup power sources in the event of scheduled or emergency outages.

"If such facilities operated on the electricity market, they could cover part of the capacity deficit in the power system while simultaneously generating profit for their owners," he noted.

According to preliminary expert estimates, the total deficit of operable generation capacity in Ukraine currently exceeds 4 GW.
Since the beginning of the day, 93 combat clashes have taken place, the General Staff of the Armed Forces reports in operational information as of 22:00 on Tuesday.

"The enemy carried out 67 air strikes, dropping 184 guided bombs. In addition, it used 5,261 kamikaze drones and carried out 2,993 attacks on settlements and positions of our troops," the General Staff said

According to information from the General Staff, the hottest situation today was in the Pokrovsk and Hulaipole directions, where the aggressor carried out 27 and 20 assault and offensive actions, respectively.
Defense forces neutralized 103 enemy UAVs out of 146 that attacked Ukraine overnight, with a ballistic missile and 36 strike UAVs hitting 22 locations, the press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.

"On the night of January 28 (from 6:00 p.m. on January 27), the enemy attacked with an Iskander-M ballistic missile from Rostov region, as well as 146 strike UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas types and drones of other types from the directions of: Kursk, Orel, Primorsko-Akhtarsk  Russian Federation, Chauda, Gvardeyske  temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, about 90 of them  Shahed UAVS," the Air Force statement said.

According to preliminary data, as of 9:00 a.m., air defense forces shot down/suppressed 103 enemy UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera types and drones of other types in the north, south, center and east of the country. A ballistic missile hit and 36 strike UAVs at 22 locations were recorded.
a meeting with heads of regional state administrations, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Viktor Mykyta discussed the integration of cogeneration capacity into the country's power system and its contribution to strengthening Ukraine's energy resilience.

"Over the past several years, heads of regional state administrations, together with businesses, have worked in the regions to create cogeneration infrastructure for their own production needs. This includes more than 700 cogeneration units and additional megawatts for the power system. This work is now delivering concrete results. These installations can and will strengthen the country's energy resilience. The government has adopted the relevant decisions," Mykyta said.

The participants also discussed the situation in western mountainous regions, where a sharp rise in temperatures and increased precipitation have triggered ice drift on rivers, creating risks for communities and populated areas. "Regional leaders have been instructed, together with communities, to take appropriate measures and step up monitoring of rising water levels in tributaries in order to respond promptly to potential natural emergencies," he said.
Photo: https://t.me/ampu_uspa

Russia last night struck a port in the Odessa region with drones - logistics elements were destroyed, hangars, a locomotive, and production buildings were damaged, said Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine - Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba has said. .

"In the Odesa region, a Russian UAV hit the port, logistics elements were destroyed, hangars, a locomotive, and production buildings were damaged. A fire broke out. The liquidation of the damage by emergency services and port workers is ongoing," he said on Telegram on Wednesday morning.

Earlier, Odesa regional military administration Oleh Kiper said that as a result of the enemy's night attack on the region, there were three victims. One person was hospitalized, the others were provided with assistance on the spot.

According to him, the attack damaged a private residential building, administrative and warehouse buildings, cars, as well as port infrastructure and buildings on the territory of an Orthodox monastery.
Breeze Airways will begin regular service from Atlantic City International Airport, becoming the second carrier to add service at the South Jersey terminal in the last six months.

Breeze will fly to RaleighDurham, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina, officials from the airline and the South Jersey Transportation Authority said Wednesday.

Local officials at the press conference touted the deal as a way to leverage tourist spending from the Carolinas.

Atlantic City is going to thrive as a result of this new route, said Christina Renna, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey. Airlines dont pick a location based on a city limit or a county limit. This is going to impact South Jersey as a whole.

The RaleighDurham route marks Atlantic Citys first regular service to North Carolina in its history, airport Director Tim Kroll said.

Atlantic City International Airport is now served by three airlines  Spirit Airlines, Allegiant Air, and Breeze Airways  giving South Jersey travelers more options beyond the longtime Spirit routes.

A fourth carrier, American Airlines, does not operate flights from ACY, but it does provide a bus service to Philadelphia International Airport for passengers connecting to its network.

The North Carolina route will also offer connections to Tampa International Airport, a destination Spirit Aalready serves from Atlantic City.

The announcement comes just a month after Allegiant Air began flying between Atlantic City and Florida during its rapid national expansion. Breeze and Allegiant will move into terminal space long dominated by Spirit Airlines, which has been Atlantic Citys primary carrier to Florida and South Carolina.

Sun Country Airlines, which Allegiant has sought to acquire, also operates charter flights out of the airport.

Atlantic City is not only a great destination for travelers, but also a gateway to many other metro areas, said David Neeleman, founder and CEO of Breeze Airways. We know Atlantic City will be a welcome addition to our guests in Charleston, Raleigh, and Tampa, and we look forward to introducing our new Guests in Atlantic City to Breeze.

Fares will be as low as $39. The first Breeze plane will fly between Atlantic City and South Carolina on May 6, while service to North Carolina begins June 11.

With Atlantic City added, Breeze now serves 84 cities nationwide. The Utahbased airline, which launched in 2021, has been rapidly expanding and is frequently cited as one of the fastestgrowing lowcost carriers, Breeze officials said.

The addition marks a major milestone for Atlantic City, said Stephen Dougherty, executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority, which owns the facility.

Past airlines include WestJet and Air Canada, both of which shelved Canadian-bound flights within the last 15 years.

Were always talking to airlines, said Dougherty. Its a continuous discussion, and look, frankly, these things dont happen overnight.

Adding Atlantic City also expands Breezes presence in New Jersey, which began in 2024 with flights between Newark Liberty International Airport and West Virginia International Yeager Airport.
A Philadelphia resident has been convicted by a jury in the fatal shooting of a Jersey Shore man that happened following a fight in 2023.

Jamar Jones, 37, was found guilty of first-degree murder as well as second-degree possession of a handgun for unlawful purpose and possession of a handgun without a permit, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office said in a statement. A judge separately convicted him of second-degree certain persons not to possess weapons.

Atlantic City Police found 23-year-old Luis Rosa-Rodriguez suffering from a gunshot wound on South Florida Avenue on Nov. 7, 2023. Rosa-Rodriguez, of Atlantic City, died at the hospital the next day, authorities said.

An autopsy later determined that he was killed by a gunshot wound to the head.

Detectives later learned that Jones was involved in a fight with the victim less than hour before the shooting. Both the fight and shooting were captured on surveillance video, official said.

Additional surveillance footage showed Jones buying a mask at a convenience store before heading towards the location of the shooting, prosecutors said.

Jones was charged with the crimes on Dec. 11, 2023. At the time, his whereabouts were unknown and he failed to turn himself in, officials said.

More than two months later, the Atlantic City Police Departments SWAT team located Jones at an apartment on North Martin Luther King Boulevard. He jumped from a third-story window in an attempt to avoid the arrest, resulting in serious injuries.

Jones was arrested on Feb. 20, 2024, and was treated at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center before being transferred to police custody.

His sentencing is scheduled for March 26.
A 79-year-old Bergen County man was jailed Monday after police said he assaulted his neighbor with a snow brush.

The incident occurred a day after a winter storm dumped about a foot of snow across the region.

Closter police received an 11 a.m. call from a person who claimed the man was striking his neighbor with the brush on Carlson Court.

Arriving officers spoke with the victim and witnesses and determined the man had assaulted his neighbor, according to Closter Police Capt. Vincent Aiello.

The victim had previously obtained a court order barring the suspect from harassing him, Aiello said.

The victim, 73, sustained a minor injury to his arm and refused medical attention.

This has been an ongoing issue in the neighborhood, Aiello said, noting the suspect has had several issues with multiple neighbors.

The man was charged with third-degree aggravated assault, making terroristic threats, criminal mischief, contempt of court and disorderly conduct.

He was taken to the Bergen County Jail and released shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday after a court hearing, jail records show.
Police officers in Bergen County delivered a baby boy late Tuesday night, minutes after arriving at the scene.

Carlstadt police officers were dispatched at 11:55 p.m. to the home of a 26-year-old woman who was in active labor, according to police.

Upon arrival, officers immediately began aiding in the birth, and the baby was born only minutes later at 12:01 a.m., police said.

The mother and her son were both healthy and doing well after the birth, police said.

Sgt. Winand, along with Officers Bellina, Rivezzi, and Abnousi helped the local resident in the delivery, according to a social media post.

The Carlstadt Volunteer Ambulance Corps arrived on the scene and transported the mother and child to Hackensack University Hospital in Hackensack, officials said.
The Appellate Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) at its meeting on January 27 partially satisfied the appeal of the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SA), overturned the verdict of the HACC dated June 27, 2024, and adopted a new verdict, which found the head of one of the state-owned enterprises in Poltava region guilty of misusing almost UAH 29 million allocated for road construction in the region.

"At the end of 2018, the head of an enterprise specializing in road repair, at his own discretion, contrary to the requirements of the Law of Ukraine On Public Procurement, concluded contracts with private firms for the development of design and estimate documentation for the overhaul of local public roads. However, the use of the specified funds under the contracts did not correspond to the directions provided for by the Budget Code of Ukraine. As a result, almost UAH 29 million was used for purposes other than their intended purpose," the SAPO said on its Telegram channel on Wednesday.

At the same time, the design documentation was not used in its original form - the enterprise was subsequently forced to order its corrections for additional funds. "In addition, it turned out that the cost of work under the concluded contracts was overstated. These abuses by the head of the state enterprise, according to the expert's conclusion, caused losses to the state represented by the state enterprise in the amount of more than UAH 5.5 million," the report says.

The court sentenced him to two years of service restriction with deduction of 20% of the amount of cash benefits to the state income, with deprivation of the right to hold positions and engage in activities related to organizational and managerial and administrative and economic functions at enterprises, institutions and organizations of state and municipal ownership, for a period of 2 years.

At the same time, on the basis of Clause 3, Part 1, Article 373 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, the court acquitted the person of committing a crime stipulated by Part 2, Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, due to the absence of all elements of the criminal offense in the act, in particular the objective side.

"The decision of the Administrative Court of the Supreme Court of Justice enters into force from the moment of its proclamation and may be appealed to the Supreme Court," the SAPO reported.
A Serbian national who is charged with stealing two mandolins from a vintage guitar store in Teaneck and a luxury pocketbook from a high-end consignment shop in Englewood was arrested for shoplifting in Colorado two weeks ago and is now free on bail, authorities said.

Stevan Milovanovic, 35, was arrested on Jan. 14 at the Walmart in Westminster, Colorado, after security stopped him leaving the store with nearly $1,000 worth of music, sunglasses and electronics tucked inside his puffer jacket, police said.

Milovanovic allegedly had a stack of vinyl albums by top-selling artists Pink Floyd, Elvis Presley, Taylor Swift and others, plus a pair of expensive shades (estimated value $350) and a 128 gigabyte memory card, according to the police report.

Westminster cops ran a background check and discovered a fugitive warrant that Englewood police issued after Milovanovic skipped out on a charge of stealing a luxury pocketbook from a high-end consignment store just before Christmas.

In addition, Teaneck police have charged Milovanovic with stealing two mandolins from the Lark Street Music Store in Teaneck. Store surveillance video captured the thief stuffing the instruments under his coat in a theft that took place just days after the Englewood incident.

But after a change of heart, the alleged thief returned the mandolins days later with a note in which he apologized for being drunk at the time.

Westminster police officer Lauren Brooks wrote in her report that Milovanovic said he was in America on a six-month work visa. He offered to pay for the pilfered merchandise after he was brought into the security office in handcuffs.

Stevan requested a ticket and told us he would pay right now, Brooks wrote in the police report obtained by NJ Advance Media. We explained to Stevan that that is not how the process works. I found he had a warrant out of Englewood Police Department in New Jersey for 2nd degree shoplifting which stated it was Full Extradition.

Milovanovic was charged with shoplifting and locked up in the Adams County Jail. Brooks said she contacted Englewood police who indicated they planned to extradite Milovanovic back to New Jersey.

But according to the Adams County Sheriffs Department, Milovanovic was released three days later on Jan. 17 after posting $1,500 bail on the shoplifting charge and $2,000 bail on the fugitive warrant.

His whereabouts are now unknown. An Englewood police department spokesman would not comment on the case, except to say that Milovanovic was not in their custody.

Milovanovic is scheduled to appear in Westminster Municipal Court on the shoplifting charge on Feb. 23.

Milovanovic could still be extradited to New Jersey at a later date. Shoplifting is considered a Crime Involving Moral Turpitude, and if convicted, Milovanovic could be subject to deportation.
A man accused of sexually assaulting two juveniles in New Jersey has been taken into custody in North Carolina.

Gilmar Da Silva Carvalho, 29, of Riverside, was apprehended by U.S. Marshals in Watauga County, North Carolina on Friday, the Riverside Police Department said in a statement.

Earlier last week, police started investigating allegations that Carvalho sexually assaulted a juvenile in Riverside. During the investigation, he was also identified as a suspect in the sexual assault of a minor in Willingboro.

Warrants were later issued for his arrest for multiple counts of aggravated sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual contact. At the time, his whereabouts were unknown and there indications that he had left the state, police said.

Riverside Police then coordinated with the New Jersey State Police and U.S. Marshals Service to determine that Carvalho was in Watauga County, North Carolina. He was taken into custody late Friday night.

Carvalho is still in custody in North Carolina pending extradition to New Jersey.

The Riverside Police Department is asking anyone with tips about the case to call the detective bureau at 856-461-8820, Ext. 114, or submit a tip anonymously on the departments website.
Amazon is shutting down all 72 of its Amazon-branded grocery stores, including Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go.

According to the company, it will convert some of those locations into Whole Foods Market-branded stores.

While weve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we havent yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion, the company said in a statement announcing the closings.

The move comes as the company shifts away from its brick-and-mortar retail efforts.

Heres why the e-commerce retailer is closing stores, how it will affect employees and where and when the store closings will take place.

Why is Amazon closing so many stores?

The retailer is shifting away from its branded grocery stores, and the company says it will stock more produce and perishables at its 550 Whole Foods stores and same-day Amazon delivery warehouses.

But the real reason for the closing might be that the stores just werent profitable.

The main reason behind the decision is that neither Fresh nor Go stores were delivering the sales needed to make them fully economic, Neil Saunders, a retail analyst with GlobalData, told Bloomberg News. Nor were they producing growth trajectories that might convincingly reverse that position.

Will Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go employees jobs be affected?

Thousands of hourly workers will likely lose their jobs, although the company said it would help displaced employees find other jobs within Amazon.

According to Bloomberg News, Amazons corporate workforce is bracing for layoffs this week.

How many Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores will close and when?

Amazon has 14 Amazon Go stores that are equipped with cameras to track what people take off of store shelves.

Amazon also has 58 Amazon Fresh stores, according to its website.

Four of those Amazon Fresh stores are located in New Jersey in Eatontown, Lodi, Paramus and Woodland Park, according to Amazons website.

In total, Amazon will be closing 72 of its branded grocery stores.

A spokesperson told Bloomberg News that the last day of operation for most stores will be on Sunday, except for California locations that will stay open longer to stay within state regulations requiring advance notice of closures.
Popular modern American cuisine restaurant, Kitchen 519, announced an abrupt closure Tuesday after more than 10 years in business in Camden County.

With heavy hearts, were sharing that Kitchen 519 will not be reopening its doors, the restaurant management said in a social media post signed the Kitchen 519 team.

The restaurant is located on East Evesham Road in the Glendora section of Gloucester Township.

Kitchen 519s Inside Out burger has been featured on NJ.coms list of top burgers in the state.

Inside Out Burger, Kitchen 519, Glendora

For over 10 years, Kitchen 519 has been more than a restaurant - its been a gathering place, a second home, and a space shaped by the people who walked through our doors, the restaurant management said.

Recent government shutdown delays added further uncertainty, and decisions that were expected to take more time at the end happened faster than anticipated.

While the Glendora restaurant is closing, Kitchen 519 will continue to offer catering.

The owners also run another restaurant in Philadelphia called Revival BBQ on Front Street.

The message indicated that a new restaurant is taking over the space, though did not offer details.

We also hope youll extend the same love and support youve shown us to the new owners when they open their doors and begin their chapter here, the management said. From the bottom of our hearts  thank you for everything."
A 33-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with sexually assaulting a child more than four years ago, authorities said.

Brandon J. Anderson, of Woodbine, was arrested Tuesday, the Cape May County Prosecutors Office said.

He is charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Court records state the victim was less than 13 years old when the assault took place on Oct. 1, 2021.

Anderson remains held at the Cape May County jail Wednesday afternoon, according to jail records. An attorney was not listed in court records.

The investigation was launched less than a month ago  on Dec. 29.

Anderson was previously arrested about five months before the alleged sexual assault.

On April 26, 2021, Anderson allegedly tried to run someone over and slash the persons throat while driving a vehicle, officials said. He was later indicted on three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of terroristic threats."

The state Department of Health suspended his EMT license following the indictment.

It wasnt immediately clear how those charges were resolved.

Anyone with information about Anderson is asked to call the Cape May County Prosecutors Office at 609-465-1135, submit an anonymous tip through the Prosecutors Office website at cmcpo.tips, or use the Cape May County Sheriffs Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net by clicking on anonymous tip.
A dispute with two customers over a charge for a shopping bag in a small New Jersey store ended when the shops clerk pulled out a machete, police said.

The clerk in the Cumberland County store was charged with weapons offenses after the incident on Tuesday.

Police responded to the Cottage Market, located in the 100 block of Cottage Avenue in Bridgeton, around 3 p.m. for a harassment complaint.

Officers said two Bridgeton women were shopping when they got into an argument with a store clerk over the fee for shopping bags.

The argument began when a woman asked that her purchases be double-bagged to ensure the bag she paid for wouldnt rip during the walk home, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.

That request was declined and the customer became irate, police said.

The customer told the clerk she would call other family members to come to the business to harm him, according to the court document.

The clerk then grabbed a machete and walked out from behind the counter toward the victim and told her to leave the business, police said.

The two customers left the store. No injuries were reported.

Investigators obtained surveillance video of the incident, police said.

The clerk, a 29-year-old Bridgeton man, was charged with third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

He was released on his own recognizance pending a March court date. Attempts to reach the clerk and the shops owner for comment were unsuccessful.
New Jersey was the fastest growing state in the Northeast and one of the fastest in the nation last year, new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows.

The state added 41,861 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, according to the latest population estimates from the Census Bureau. That was enough to make New Jersey the tenth fastest growing state nationwide.

No state in the Northeast added more residents.

More than 9.54 million people now call New Jersey home, up from more than 9.28 million during the April 2020 census.

The numbers are a change from earlier in the decade, when New Jersey was one of the states with the highest population declines during the pandemic.

Nationally, Texas was the fastest growing state last year, adding 391,243 residents. Florida was second, with 196,680, followed by North Carolina, with 145,907.

Overall, it was a slow time for population growth in America, mostly thanks to a sharp decline in international migration. Only 1.3 million people immigrated to America between July 2024 and June 2025, down from 2.7 million during the same timeframe the year before.

With births and deaths remaining relatively stable compared to the prior year, the sharp decline in net international migration is the main reason for the slower growth rate we see today, Christine Hartley, assistant division chief for estimates and projections at the Census Bureau, said in a statement.
The Rookie schedule is getting a shakeup.

There wont be a new episode of The Rookie airing Tuesday, Jan. 27, as the police procedural recently moved to Monday nights.

Season 8 of The Rookie kicked off on Jan. 6, with the first three episodes airing Tuesdays on ABC. Beginning with episode 4 on Jan. 26, The Rookie moved to Mondays.

TheRookie is making big moves to Mondays. We better see you there!!! the shows official Instagram account captioned a reel shared last week.

The Rookie stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, who joined the Los Angeles Police Department in his 40s. Eight seasons in, Nolans rookie days are behind him, and he now trains new police officers.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for season 8 of The Rookie.

During season 8, Nolan has been forced to think about the possibility of leaving the LAPD. His wife, Bailey Nune (Jenna Dewan), was offered a new job in Washington D.C., but relocating would mean becoming a rookie all over again for Nolan.

After discussing the possibility of a transfer with his colleagues Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox) and Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), Nolan told Bailey that he wants to stay in L.A. during episode 4. Bailey still wants to take the job in D.C., which leaves the couples future uncertain at the moment.

READ MORE: The Rookie brings back controversial character: Are they here to stay?

Despite the new hurdle, Fillion recently told TV Insider that Nolan and Bailey have a solid relationship.

Jenna Dewan and Nathan Fillion as Bailey Nune and John Nolan. Disney

Its not rocked with drama and tribulation, he said. Certainly, life throws curveballs, and you have to face those tribulations, those trials. You have to face them as a team. But I think Nolan and Bailey are a fantastic team. I think they have found happiness with one another, and I think its a strong relationship.

The Rookie also stars Alyssa Diaz (Angela Lopez), Melissa ONeil (Lucy Chen), Eric Winter (Tim Bradford), Shawn Ashmore (Wesley Evers), Lisseth Chavez (Celina Juarez) and Deric Augustine (Miles Penn).

The Rookie airs on ABC Mondays at 10 p.m. ET. Episodes are available to stream on Hulu one day after they air.
Emma Heming Willis, wife of iconic Hollywood actor and New Jersey native Bruce Willis, recently revealed her husband remains unaware of his condition as he battles dementia.

The legendary action star never connected the dots about his frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis, his wife said, describing it as both the blessing and the curse of the disease, according to Page Six.

The 47-year-old detailed the situation during a recent appearance on Cameron Rogers Conversations with Cam podcast.

Emma Heming Willis explained that Bruce, 70, suffers from anosognosia as part of his FTD diagnosis, a condition in which the brain cannot recognize other health conditions, causing individuals to believe their symptoms are normal rather than being in denial.

Bruce Willis, a native of Carneys Point in Salem County, rose to fame after his breakout roles in the Moonlighting series (1985) and Die Hard (1988).

Some of his other notable performances came in projects like Pulp Fiction, The Sixth Sense, and Armageddon.

The actors wife clarified that he still recognizes everyone around him because he has dementia and not Alzheimers disease.

Bruce Willis retired from acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia. He then received his FTD diagnosis in 2023.

The Hollywood legend shares two daughters  Mabel and Evelyn  with his current wife and three adult daughters, Rumor, Scout and Tallulah, with ex-wife Demi Moore.
Less than two weeks after he stood on a stage in Red Bank condemning ICE operations in Minneapolis, Bruce Springsteen has taken his protesting a step further, releasing a fiery new song Wednesday called Streets of Minneapolis.

Springsteen posted on social media that he wrote the song Saturday and recorded it Tuesday in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. Its dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Alex Pretti, 37, was shot and killed by U.S. Border Patrol officers during a protest in Minneapolis Saturday.

Renee Good, also 37, was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during an encounter on a suburban street Jan. 7.

Streets of Minneapolis, advances Springsteens ongoing criticisms of President Donald Trump. In the song, he sings King Trumps private army from the DHS / Guns belted to their coats / Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law / Or so their story goes.

The song goes on to refer to ICE officers as Trumps federal thugs.

He also denounces U.S. Homeland and Security Advisor Stephen Miller and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, singing: Its our blood and bones / And these whistles and phones / Against Miller and Noems dirty lies.

Springsteen, 76, names both Pretti and Good in the song, noting over heartland guitars and harmonica Well remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis.

The songs political spirit channels the protest songs of Pete Seeger, a guiding light for Springsteen, who released his Seeger Sessions album in 2006 honoring the folk icon.

Though this new song is easily the most direct political disapproval of his career, and the most overt condemnation of ICE operations in Minneapolis put forth by a major artist so far.

Streets of Minneapolis, which shares no relation to Springsteens Oscar-winning 1994 song Streets of Philadelphia, follows Springsteens anti-ICE speech at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank Jan. 17. During a surprise performance, Springsteen paused to address the crowd:

If you believe in democracy, in liberty, if you believe that truth still matters, that its worth speaking out, that it is worth fighting for, if you believe in the power of the law and no one stands above it, if you stand against heavily armed masked federal troops invading American cities and using Gestapo tactics against our fellow citizens, if you believe you dont deserve to be murdered for exercising your American right to protest, then send a message to this president, and as the mayor of that city has said, ICE should get the f--- out of Minneapolis, Springsteen said, to roar from the audience of about 1,500.

He then dedicated The Promised Land to mother of three and American citizen Renee Good.

Springsteen, who performed in support of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in 2024 and performed at President Joe Bidens inaugural celebration in 2021, has been at odds with Trump since his first campaign in 2016.

Springsteen and Trumps most recent dust-up came in 2025 when Springsteen called Trump incompetent and treasonous during a Manchester, England concert. Trump fired back on Truth Social, saying Springsteen was dumb as a rock, and a dried out prune of a rocker.

I see that Highly Overrated Bruce Springsteen goes to a Foreign Country to speak badly about the President of the United States, Trump wrote. Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, hes not a talented guy  Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK."

See the songs full lyrics below:

Through the winters ice and cold / Down Nicollet Avenue

A city aflame fought fire and ice/ Neath an occupiers boots

King Trumps private army from the DHS/ Guns belted to their coats

Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law / Or so their story goes

Against smoke and rubber bullets / In the dawns early light

Citizens stood for justice / Their voices ringing through the night

And there were bloody footprints / Where mercy should have stood

And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets / Alex Pretti and Renee Good

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Singing through the bloody mist

Well take our stand for this land / And the stranger in our midst

Here in our home they killed and roamed / In the winter of 26

Well remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis

Trumps federal thugs beat up on / His face and his chest

Then we heard the gunshots / And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead

Their claim was self defense, sir / Just dont believe your eyes

Its our blood and bones / And these whistles and phones / Against Miller and Noems dirty lies

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Crying through the bloody mist

Well remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis

Now they say theyre here to uphold the law / But they trample on our rights

If your skin is black or brown my friend/ You can be questioned or deported on sight

In chants of ICE out now / Our citys heart and soul persists

Through broken glass and bloody tears / On the streets of Minneapolis

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Singing through the bloody mist

Here in our home they killed and roamed / In the winter of 26

Well take our stand for this land / And the stranger in our midst

Well remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis

Well remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis
Support points have been put into operation in six schools in the Desniansky district of Kyiv, and multidisciplinary groups are working there, which include representatives of the National Social Service Service, a specialist from the Desniansky district administration, a volunteer from the Red Cross Society in Ukraine, and other volunteers.

"The task of the multidisciplinary teams is to conduct maximum screening of people who, in conditions of heating and electricity outages, are most in need of help, who cannot cope on their own, go down to the heating point, get food, and buy medicine. We are currently filling out and forming lists of such citizens so that volunteers can deliver humanitarian aid and food in a targeted manner. If necessary, we will deliver citizens with limited mobility to medical institutions," the press service of the department quotes Deputy Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity Tetiana Kiriienko.

It is noted that the ministry team conducted a briefing at all six support points, as well as representatives of school administrations.

The department added that additional places for overnight stays have also been deployed in the strongholds, which are equipped with everything necessary.

"School employees and principals are very involved in the work, creating maximum conditions for everyone who needs it: they involve parents of students, students themselves. School administrations are also trying to provide assistance to people, even in the absence of a sufficient number of volunteers," the deputy minister emphasized.
A jury awarded $30 million to a former Newark student who charged that, starting in third grade in 1991, he was repeatedly raped by an aide in an after-school program run jointly by the district and the city, and then ignored by a teacher he reported the abuse to, his lawyers announced Wednesday.

The award was delivered on Tuesday by the eight jurors in the case, following a two-week trial before Judge Jeffrey Beacham in state Superior Court in Newark.

Matthew Bonanno, one of the victims lawyers, said their client felt vindicated by the award.

This was a long journey for him, a long process for him, talking about everything that happened 30-plus years ago, said Bonanno, of the firm Rebenack Aronow Mascolo, who tried the case with Vincent Nappo of Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala.

Its rare for a child to come forward and that actually happened in this case, he added, and he was ignored by a teacher who, by all accounts, was a trusted teacher.

The aide, John Cantalupo, killed himself in 1995, Bonnano said.

The suit charged that the abuse occurred at the K-8 Ann Street School from 1991 to 1995, and that the victim was sexually assaulted several times a week while he was in the 3rd through 7th grades.

The suit named the City of Newark, the Newark Public Schools district, and Cantalupos estate as defendants.

Bonanno said Cantalupo was assigned to staff the Ann Street School Afterschool Recreation Program, which was administered jointly by the city and the district.

Cantalupo would assault the victim in secluded areas of the school, including a storage closet/office space, and in his car while giving him rides to and from the program, Bonnano said.

He said the victim told a teacher at the school involved in the program, Gene Foti, about the abuse, but that Foti failed to report it or take any action to protect the boy, enabling the abuse to continue for years. Bonnano said Foti recalled being told of the abuse in his testimony at the trial.

He testified that he does have a vague recollection of a child telling him something about Mr. Cantolupo trying to kiss him, Bonanno said. But, the lawyer added, He chalked it up to horseplay, and he did not think that Mr. Cantolupo was capable of that.

Bonanno said Foti was promoted to vice principal of Ann Street School in 1995, before he retired in 2020.

Foti could not be reached for comment.

Bonanno said his client suffered decades of emotional problems and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He still lives in New Jersey, but no longer in Essex County, said Bonanno, adding that his client preferred not to be identified or interviewed about the case.

The plaintiff did not seek a specific dollar amount. Instead, Bananno said the amount was calculated by the eight Essex County jurors based on the pain and suffering already experienced by the plaintiff, now in his mid-40s, and what they expect he will continue to suffer.

Jurors also determined the share of liability that would be borne by the three defendants named in the suit. Jurors found the district 70% liable, the city 20%, and Cantalupos estate 10%, a share Bonanno said was unlikely to be recovered.

He said the district and the city have 40 days to appeal the award.

A district spokesperson, Paul Brubaker, declined to say whether the district would appeal. But he issued a statement advising students and families that measures were in place to assure they were safe.

The district faithfully keeps many layers of protection in place, including mandatory criminal background checks, reporting protocols, required staff training, anti-pass-the-trash procedures, and digital-communication restrictions, Brubaker stated. We will not tolerate inappropriate conduct toward any child, and will pursue appropriate consequences for any such misconduct to the full extent of the law.

Newark Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart said the city would appeal the award.

We want to voice our condemnation of sexual abuse in the strongest possible terms, Stewart said in a statement. Nonetheless, the City upholds its right to disagree with the verdict and intends to file an appeal.

Cantalupo committed suicide shortly after being contacted by law enforcement authorities about an abuse complaint made to police by another victim, said Bonanno, who did not know what became of the other victim.

He said Cantalupo had been a well-known member of Newarks Ironbound community, where the school is located, and had been employed by the City of Newark as a part-time recreation aide.

The victim filed the suit in February 2020 during a two-year window to take legal action for survivors of childhood sexual abuse created under the New Jersey Child Victims Act.

Bonanno said he could not predict when any of the awards might be paid, and that he and his colleagues anticipate appeals.

But, he added, were confident at the end of the day, our client will see the money.

NOTE: This article was updated to include statements from Newark Public Schools and the City of Newark.
Frustrations are running high in Jersey City as residents and visitors continue to grapple with snow removal problems following last Sundays snowstorm.

New Jerseys second-largest city got at least 9 inches of snow over the weekend. That was less than some parts of the state, but enough to cause traffic problems and force Jersey Citys public schools to close for two days.

Parts of Jersey City remained snarled by mounds of snow and ice on Wednesday morning, more than 48 hours after the storm ended, officials said.

Jersey City Mayor James Solomon on Wednesday pledged to deliver an after-action report on what went wrong. He placed part of the blame on snow removal procedures that were in place before he took office Jan. 15.

Weve identified gaps in our snow operations. Were going to be fighting to make those better, Solomon said in a video posted to X.

Solomon took office earlier this month after defeating former Gov. Jim McGreevey in a runoff election in December. He took over for longtime Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who declined to seek a fourth term.

Youre going to see exactly what we walked into and how were making it better so that you get the government services you deserve, Solomon, formerly a Jersey City council member, said in pledging to make the snow removal report public once it is completed.

His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jersey City Council member Jake Ephros said that while main streets in his Ward D district were mostly clear on Wednesday, snow and slush continued to clog side streets.

Large snow piles were impeding pedestrians who cant get from sidewalks to crosswalks without stepping over mountains of snow, Ephros said.

Its been a pretty frustrating experience for most residents, Ephros told NJ Advance Media.

A fire hydrant buried in snow Wednesday on Booraem Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey. John Jones | For NJ Advance Media

Jersey City Public Works Director Greg Kierce told residents Tuesday night that a statewide salt shortage was among the factors complicating snow removal.

I wish to acknowledge there were parts of the city that did not receive the comprehensive street clearing that our residents expect, Kierce said at a city council meeting.

Snow covering a portion of Central Avenue on Wednesday in Jersey City, New Jersey. John Jones | For NJ Advance Media

Jersey City placed three separate orders for salt, totaling 4,900 tons, on Dec. 29, Jan. 19 and Jan. 21, Kierce said. But the city received only 650 tons before Sundays storm.

Snow began falling in Jersey City at 4:30 a.m. Sunday. The peak of the storm was between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., when the rate was two inches per hour, Kierce said.

During the storm and the aftermath, the city worked to secure additional supplies from neighboring towns, along with state and county officials and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Kierce said.

Kierce asked residents to avoid shoveling snow onto streets.

I know the snowbanks are high right now but every time snow is shoveled into the street cars turn it into slush and with these low temperatures, that slush freezes, Kierce said.

Jersey City has around 220 miles of roads.

A snowplow clearing part on Central Avenue on Wednesday in Jersey City, New Jersey. John Jones | For NJ Advance Media

Solomon said in his social media video that around 50 public works vehicles are clearing streets.

We are focused on making it easier for you to get around this city. That means clearing out bus stops, crosswalks, areas around schools, Solomon said.

Ephros said residents were helping out. He said he was with a group that was clearing crosswalks by P.S. 28 when a driver got caught in a snowbank. They all went over to help dig out her vehicle, he said.

We have a community here. We care about each other, Ephros said.
A Republican councilwoman in Middlesex County urged constituents on Tuesday to stop calling Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Nazis and criticized protesters for demonizing agents for doing their job.

I do want to say all life is precious, and its a tragedy to see anyone get killed, Old Bridge Council Vice President Anita Greenberg-Belli said, speaking for four minutes near the end of a public meeting.

But not only that, we have to recognize that ICE is not the problem, she said. Peaceful protesting is one thing. Disruption is another thing.

The councilwomans comments came after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal immigration agents during a highly contentious enforcement operation that deployed ICE agents as part of an immigration crackdown.

Both shootings have become focal points in a broader national debate over immigration enforcement, use of force and accountability, fueling demonstrations and calls for investigations at city, state and federal levels.

Greenberg-Belli found fault with people who have compared ICE agents to Nazis.

When youre calling these people Nazis, that just shows ignorance to me. Thats despicable, she said.

It is heart-wrenching to me, knowing what went on in World War II, with all the people that were slaughtered there. These people (migrants) have a choice to go home to their countries of origin, she said

Greenberg-Belli said Jews werent allowed to leave the country, and that Nazis took away their citizens homes and businesses.

It has no comparison with the Holocaust, and when you use that word and call these people Nazis and fascists, it just shows your ignorance, she said.

Greenberg-Belli said she believes in law and order and is against violence.

But you cant go around calling people that are doing their job, that work for the federal government, the state or local government, Nazis when theyre doing their job protecting communities, she said.

The councilwoman also defended ICE agents wearing of face masks.

The reason why they have masks on is because theyve been doxxed, she said. Their families are at risk.

Greenberg-Belli criticized local police departments for not working with federal agents.

Law enforcement should work together, Greenberg-Belli said, speculating that Old Bridge police could easily arrest someone wanted by ICE and detain them until federal agents pick them up.

Everyones safe (in that scenario), even that family of that person who was in jail is safe. No one has to go to their house, she said.

Greenberg-Belli did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment Wednesday. Other council members contacted for comment did not immediately respond.

Last week, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill called for ICE agents to be taken off the streets immediately.

This is an unaccountable, untrained, lawless organization that is terrorizing American citizens, Sherrill, a Democrat sworn in last week, told host Dana Bash on CNNs State of the Union."
The owner of the Asbury Park Casino has requested a permit to demolish the breezeway of the iconic Jersey Shore structure, much to the chagrin of city officials.

Redevelopment Counsel for the City of Asbury Park Joseph J. Maraziti Jr. said in a statement Tuesday that the possibility of demolishing the breezeway has once again demonstrated its shocking disregard for the integrity of the iconic Asbury Park Boardwalk treasures that it has owned since 2010.

The city is deeply disappointed in this latest illustration of a pattern of behavior that is disrespectful to the historic heritage of Asbury Park.

A social media post showed an orange sticker dated Jan. 22 deeming the now-closed breezeway an unsafe structure.

The casino building, along with Convention Hall and all the buildings on the Asbury Park boardwalk, are owned by Madison Marquette, which is responsible for their upkeep.

But, the company has drawn criticism for the perceived slow pace of redevelopment on the boardwalk, and in January 2023, the Asbury Park City Council voted to hold Madison Marquette in default of its obligations to maintain and restore the buildings.

Maraziti reiterated those concerns again on Tuesday.

Madison Marquette, through its subsidiary Madison Asbury Retail, LLC, has repeatedly breached the commitments it made when it entered into the Subsequent Developer Agreement which it negotiated over 15 years ago with previous city officials to develop, finance, construct, operate, repair, and maintain, various sites of historic importance along the Boardwalk, he said.

However, the language of the 2010 agreement limits the legal options for the city to respond to breaches of the contract, he said.

Maraziti added that the owner has routinely ignored Notices of Default issued by the city in the past.

Madison Marquette could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday night.

There are multiple legal steps that must be taken by the company prior to the issuance of a demolition permit by the citys construction official, Maraziti said.

Among them, the city will insist on a report by a certified structural engineer as to the option to conduct repairs to assure public safety, rather than demolition of the building, he said.

Built in 1929, the Casino once housed bumper cars and an indoor skating rink, but the bulk of the building was demolished in 2006. Nearly 100 years of wind, rain, and salt air have left the Casino in serious disrepair.

The building was abruptly closed in May 2023, and has not reopened since, according to a spokesperson for the city.

At the time, Madison Marquette quashed rumors that it was planning to demolish the structure and stated that it was planning a major revamp, to include a 5,000-seat amphitheater on the beach where the bulk of the Casino once stood.

According to a report in the Asbury Park Sun, Madison Marquette has proposed a $130 million plan to restore Convention Hall, the Paramount Theater and the Casino. The project would be funded by state and federal tax credits, the company said.
A couple has filed a lawsuit against a Morris County wedding venue, claiming the business failed to return their $25,000 deposit after their special day was canceled due to the COVID lockdown.

Shammi Patel and Jankee Dani, of Gainesville, Florida, had planned to hold their wedding and reception on Oct. 4, 2020, at The Meadow Wood on Route 10 in Randolph.

The contract called for 300 guests for the ceremony and 375 for the reception, according to the lawsuit, filed Jan. 19 in Superior Court of Morris County.

But the couples plans were derailed when then-Gov. Phil Murphy issued a stay-at-home executive order placing New Jersey into lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19.

In addition to directing residents to remain at home, the order closed all non-essential businesses.

The lawsuit states that The Meadow Wood was unable to fulfill the couples contract because the event could not be held at the venue due to COVID restrictions.

The Meadow Wood also failed and refused to return the deposit money, the lawsuit says.

A representative of The Meadow Wood on Wednesday called the allegations inaccurate, misleading and disparaging. Our attorneys plan on pursuing all avenues of legal action, the representative said.

The complaint alleges breach of contract and fraud. The couple seeks the return of their deposit, plus punitive damages and attorney fees.

Note: This story has been updated to include comments from a representative of The Meadow Wood.
New Jerseys most prominent Catholic leader is denouncing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a lawless organization and urging churchgoers to press Congress to vote against funding the agency.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin, head of the Archdiocese of Newark, cited ongoing tensions in Minnesota, where ICE agents are accused of clashing with protesters and detaining a 5-year-old boy while targeting his father.

We mourn for a world, a country, that allows 5-year-olds to be legally kidnapped and protesters to be slaughtered, Tobin said during an online forum Sunday, one day after the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal officers in Minneapolis.

Tobin was among several religious officials who spoke during the National Faith Call to Action event organized by Faith in Action, a network of faith-based organizations in the U.S. and 14 other nations.

He referenced an oft-quoted statement by Martin Luther King Jr.  that says only love can drive out hate  in asking Catholics to step up their advocacy against ICE.

This week, when an appropriations bill is going to be considered in Congress, will you contact your Congressional representatives, the senators and representative from your district? We ask them for the love of God and the love of human beings, which cant be separated  vote against renewing funding for such a lawless organization, Tobin said.

A spokesperson for ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tobins appearance followed his joint statement last week with the Catholic cardinals in Chicago and Washington, D.C. The three cardinals raised concerns about the morality of U.S. foreign policy.

The Cardinals said U.S. policy related to Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland raises basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace.

Earlier this month, Faith in Action condemned the U.S. attack on Venezuela that ousted that nations president, Nicolas Maduro.

During Sundays Faith in Action event, Tobin spoke for around five minutes from Newark. He said he was within a couple of miles of two ICE detention centers, referring to the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility in Union County and Delaney Hall in Newark.

He made an analogy to Bread and Wine, a 1936 novel in which a young woman asks a priest whether anything can be done to deter an invading fascist force in Italy.

The priest, Tobin said, responded in the novel by saying what authoritarians most fear is the person willing to stand up and say, no.

Every day, people from many faith communities go to Delaney Street here in Newark, and to the Elizabeth detention center, and they say no by standing at the gates, by talking with the ICE personnel, by insisting on the rights of the detainees within. They bring them human comfort. They console the families of those who arent always admitted to see their loved ones, Tobin said.

He closed with a question for Catholics.

How will you help restore a culture of life in the midst of death? Tobin said.

The Archdiocese of Newark serves Catholics in Bergen, Essex, Union and Hudson counties. Tobin, 73, was named cardinal of the Newark archdiocese in 2016.
Hey there New Jersey! Heres your audio update highlighting a U.S. senator from New Jersey calling for Kristi Noems resignation and the Newark cop who fatally shot a man last week ranking high on a use-of-force list.

Well also tell you about a New Jersey man who has admitted to funneling millions of dollars to North Koreas nuclear weapons program.

Listen by clicking the play button above.

This audio presentation is an editorially-curated selection of stories, selected by an editor, and then summarized and read aloud by artificial intelligence. Some variations in pronunciation, tone or diction may result.

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If youre planning on traveling to the nation of Pakistan anytime soon, you might want to reconsider those travel plans.

The U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory to Pakistan, advising travelers to think twice before traveling to the country due to crime, unrest, terrorism and kidnapping risks.

Heres what you need to know if you plan on traveling to Pakistan.

What does the latest travel advisory for Pakistan mean for you?

Item Detail Start Date Jan. 26, 2026 Whats changing Upgraded travel advisory warning travelers to reconsider travel to Pakistan due to crime, terrorism, unrest and kidnapping risks in the region. What will happen? Travelers should not display signs of wealth, be aware of their surroundings, monitor local media, avoid demonstrations and crowds, and have a plan to exit Pakistan in an emergency that does not depend on the U.S. government for help.

Who will it affect? Travelers to Pakistan.

The agency gave a Level 3: Reconsider Travel warning to Pakistan due to increased levels of violent terrorism groups carrying out attacks and potential for armed conflict.

Terrorists may strike without warning. They target transportation hubs, hotels, markets, malls, military and security forces sites, airports, trains, schools, hospitals, places of worship, tourist spots and government buildings, the State Department said.

Some areas such as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province are classified under a Level 4: Do Not Travel warning.

Officials are urging people not to travel in that area for any reason because assassination and kidnapping attempts are common against government officials and citizens.

Local laws also prohibit demonstrations without a permit, and U.S. citizens have been detained for participating, according to the State Department.

You can also face detention for posting content on social media viewed as critical of the Pakistani government, military or officials, the State Department says.

What is the highest travel advisory?

There are four levels of travel advisory, Level 1 through Level 4.

When planning a vacation, you should check the current travel advisory for that destination. So, which level is the most concerning?

Level 1 : Exercise Normal Precautions  This is the lowest level of advisory; it is advised that there is some risk in that area, and travelers should take precautions while on their visit.

Level 2 : Exercise Increased Caution  There is a heightened risk for safety and security in that area, and travelers need to take extra caution.

Level 3 : Reconsider Travel  There are serious risks to safety, and travelers are advised to reconsider their travel plans to this destination.

Level 4: Do Not Travel  This is the highest level of advisory, and it is strongly recommended not to travel to any destinations with a Level 4 advisory, due to many factors, one of which is that the U.S. government might not be able to provide travelers any assistance in the event of an emergency.

What should travelers to Pakistan do in light of this travel advisory?

Travelers should heed the following instructions for their safety:
A campaign to force a recall election against Toms Rivers mayor ended this week without enough signatures to move forward, prompting a sharp response from Mayor Daniel Rodrick, who cast the effort as a politically motivated attack.

The reality is, these individuals  and their media allies  attack me for the same reasons they attack President Trump: anyone who doesnt play by the establishments rules becomes a target, Rodrick wrote in a letter to the Toms River Republicans, one of several local GOP groups.

Listen to the language they use: they accuse me of creating chaos, call me a dictator, a bully, and accuse me of interference  just like Trump, he added.

Rodrick did not immediately return a call Wednesday requesting comment.

Leaders of the petition drive told the township they collected 16,963 signatures by a Monday deadline, falling short of the 18,464 required under state law to trigger a special election.

In a letter Monday to Township Clerk Stephen Hensel, the organizers said the shortfall should not be read as an endorsement of the mayors leadership, arguing instead that the effort itself reflected broad dissatisfaction with the towns direction.

This recall effort was never about personal vendettas, political grudges, or individuals who do not follow the ways of any one official, they wrote.

It was about conduct, they continued. It was about leadership. It was about decisions, actions, tone, and treatment of residents.

The letter was signed by the Committee to Recall Daniel Rodrick as Mayor of Toms River, a group led by three vocal critics: zoning board member Dana Tormollan, former school board member Christopher Raimann and local business owner Phil Brilliant.

The effort was also supported by hundreds of volunteers, according to Brilliant.

We canvassed every ward in Toms River, doing meet-and-greets and putting up signs almost every weekend since September, he said. This was as grassroots as it comes.

Rodrick disputed the legitimacy of the effort in his note to the Toms River Republicans, calling it a hoax and claiming that recall leaders had actually collected less than 1,000 signatures.

If they had 17,000, they would have had to visit nearly every other house in Toms River, he wrote. But no one came to your door or mine.

Rodrick said he had hired a private investigator to observe signing events and found turnout to be minimal. He also accused organizers of permitting people to sign for others who were not present.

This recall was only meant to discredit my administration and create the false impression that we lack public support, his letter read.

In a social media post, the committee noted that it had not verified the signatures it collected so as to protect each and every person from retribution and retaliation of Daniel Rodrick.

Thats something people were worried about, Brilliant said, adding that he stood by the committees reported numbers.

We collected signatures on over 3,500 petition pages, he said. What the mayor says doesnt change the facts.

Organizers previously said their push to recall Rodrick grew out of a series of disputes they describe as part of a broader pattern of misconduct.

They pointed to the mayors opposition to charitable operations such as Jon Bon Jovis pay-it-forward restaurant and a local thrift store that assists homeless people; a botched attempt to seize a local church through eminent domain; and claims of interference in local schools and school board matters.

The group also cited public safety issues, including reduced police staffing and the closure of the Silverton emergency medical service, as well as the shutdown of the townships animal shelter.

I think hes set this town back 20 years, Brilliant said.

Toms River is New Jerseys eighth-largest municipality, with a population of just under 100,000 people.

Rodrick, a former Toms River councilman, was elected the townships mayor in late 2023. He received nearly 70% of the vote, with 13,701 residents backing his candidacy.

In his letter, he claimed to have an approval rating of around 66%, without specifying how polling was conducted.

Brilliant said the committees work was done and that it wouldnt initiate any further formal efforts to unseat Rodrick before the end of his term.

Now we wait until 2027, he said.

Editors note: The leaders of the petition drive say they collected 16,963 signatures by the Monday deadline, but did not officially submit them.
A South Jersey school district had a delayed opening Wednesday and will likely have delayed openings for the rest of this week, according to the superintendent.

Toms River Regional Schools Superintendent Michael Citta announced the delayed openings in a letter to community members on Tuesday, citing safety concerns for students commuting to school in wintry conditions.

Sundays storm has presented unique challenges considering the volume of snow, ice and the extreme cold that accompanied it, said Citta. Believe me, we are doing everything we can to get all of our students back to school safely.

Citta said there are still sidewalks in the area that are not cleared after this past weekends nasty winter storm and the students who walk to school deserve safe paths to school.

The districts delayed openings for the rest of the week will depend on whether temperatures remain below freezing, Citta said.

Hardyston Township School District in Sussex County also said schools would have delayed openings all week, according to a notice on the districts website.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/robertficosk

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has described US President Donald Trump's mental state as "dangerous" after meeting him at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on January 17, Politico reported, citing sources.

"The Slovak prime minister made his remarks in a separate informal huddle between some leaders and chief EU officials rather than during the formal roundtable talks, the diplomats said. While none of the diplomats who spoke to POLITICO were present, individual leaders briefed them separately on the content of the conversation shortly after it," the publication reported on its website on Wednesday.

The publication notes that the Slovak prime minister is one of the few EU leaders who often supports Trump's position on Europe's weaknesses. He was concerned about the US president's "mental state."

According to diplomats, Fico made his statements during a separate informal meeting between some leaders and top EU officials, rather than during formal roundtable talks.

He used the word "dangerous" to describe how Trump appeared during their in-person meeting at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on January 17.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that President Donald Trump had previously misspoken while defending his campaign to acquire Greenland  and critics are pouncing.

While testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, Rubio answered questions for the first time since a U.S. military operation in Venezuela led to the capturing of leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife. He said that the former regime represented an untenable situation, telling lawmakers that the United States does not intend nor expect to take any further military action at this time.

At one point, Rubio was asked a question by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) about the presidents desire to acquire Greenland, which was renewed in the days following the raid. Kaine pointed to an instance last week when Trump said Iceland instead of Greenland four times while addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Until the last few days when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me daddy, right? Last time, Trump said, referencing a previous nickname from NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

About a minute later, Trump claimed that they are not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you.

I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland, Trump said. So Icelands already cost us a lot of money.

During the hearing, Kaine asked Rubio directly: The president repeatedly mistook Iceland for Greenland, right? Were not mad at Iceland... the president just mistook the two countries for each other, correct?

Yeah, he meant to say Greenland, but I think were all familiar with presidents that have verbal stumbles, Rubio said, appearing to take a jab at former President Joe Biden. Weve had presidents like that before. Some made a lot more than this one.

After some reporters and critics noted the presidents mistake, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt quickly hopped on the defense, responding to NewsNations Libbey Dean, who posted on X that Trump appeared to mix up Greenland and Iceland around three times.

No he didnt, [Libbey], Leavitt replied. His written remarks referred to Greenland as a piece of ice because thats what it is. Youre the only one mixing anything up here.

Leavitts post has since been marked with a community note, with X users claiming that she is not telling the truth.

A number of Trumps critics quickly pummeled Leavitt following the exchange with Rubio.

Rubio calls Karoline Leavitt a liar, the progressive network MeidasTouch wrote in response, though Rubio did not use the label directly.

So the Press Secretary wasnt on the level here? another user asked. Shocking.

Democratic congressional candidate Fred Wellman added: Swing and a miss, Marco! Better luck next time.

Trump told reporters last week that he would announce details of a compromise in two weeks related to the future of Greenland, which falls under the boundaries of Denmark, a NATO ally. His deadline came one day after he announced a framework of a deal with the NATO alliance, without providing any details.

Trump called a potential proposal infinite, adding that it will be a deal thats forever.

Rubio said during Wednesdays hearing that were in a good place right now with Greenland. He noted that there is a professional process underway that will result in a good outcome for everybody.

Trump has faced fierce resistance from officials in both Greenland and Denmark, who have argued that the semi-autonomous Arctic territory is not for sale. The president, however, has frequently maintained that ownership over the island, home to critical rare earth minerals, is necessary for national security, while warning against Russia or China occupying it in the future.

In his announcement of a framework, Trump also pointed to his proposed Golden Dome, a missile defense system that he has previously teased will be operating before the end of his term in 2029.

Because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Florida state Sen. Ileana Garcia (R), the co-founder of Latinas for Trump, dropped an explosive accusation against the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller after warning the GOP about losing the 2026 midterm elections.

Garcia, who previously worked in public affairs for the Department of Homeland Security during President Donald Trumps first administration, told The New York Times in an interview released Tuesday that the president will lose the midterms because of Miller.

Garcia, a Cuban American, blamed Miller for what she characterized as aggressive tactics when it comes to deportation, including removing children living in foster care homes who crossed the border on their own and yanking people out of cars.

She said that Miller has more power than before in Trumps second term  while noting that she did not like him during the first presidency, either.

Im not justifying the things that were seeing, Garcia said, before adding: Theres no perfect administration.

Her comments quickly reached Katie Miller, a former adviser to the Department of Government Efficiency, who took to X to take a jab at Garcia over her assessment.

Ileana was fired from DHS in Trumps first term because she failed to show up to work, she claimed.

Garcia went on to fire back, asking to be invited on The Katie Miller Podcast to discuss what truly transpired and how you labeled your then-boyfriend a racist when you were upset that he treated you poorly and me as a mere token Hispanic for the administration.

Both did not provide evidence to back up their claims.

Lets discuss who was responsible for the leaks in the White House, and how you helped carve the floor out from under then-Secretary [Kirstjen] Nielsen, Garcia continued, referring to Trumps former homeland security secretary who resigned in 2019 amid pressure from the president.

In an earlier post on Tuesday, Garcia said she was not afraid of Miller, saying that she gets doxxed every time she criticizes Miller.

@KatieMiller Invite me to your podcast so we can have a candid discussion about what truly transpired and how you labeled your then-boyfriend a racist when you were upset that he treated you poorly and me as a mere token Hispanic for the administration. Lets discuss who was https://t.co/PmYUTQYcpW  Ileana Garcia (@IleanaGarciaUSA) January 27, 2026

While speaking to the Times, Garcia predicted that the Republican Party will lose in November if the White House does not reconsider its immigration enforcement actions.

We should not be afraid as a party to speak up, to course correct, she said, later adding she was dumbfounded by how federal officials have portrayed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who was shot and killed by a Border Patrol officer earlier this week.

Control of Congress will be up for grabs this year as Republicans try to hold on to their majorities in both chambers. During his speech in Iowa on Tuesday, Trump called on his MAGA base to turn out and vote in an effort to defy historical trends that the party in power typically loses seats.

If we lose the midterms, youll lose so many of the things that were talking about, Trump said. So many of the assets that were talking about, so many of the tax cuts that were talking about. And it would lead to very bad things.

In recent weeks, Trump has also argued that he will face impeachment if the GOP comes up empty-handed. The president was impeached twice in the House during his first term, but was acquitted both times by the Senate.

Theyll impeach me for having a good economy or something, Trump told NewsNations Katie Pavlich in an interview earlier this month. Theyll take anything I do.

Garcia, who is up for reelection this year, said she is not afraid the GOP will attempt to primary her. She has previously condemned parts of the Trump administrations sweeping immigration agenda as unacceptable and inhumane.

Im afraid of someone stopping my son, she said. Thats what Im afraid of.
At least two Senate Republicans are demanding that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem step down from her position in the wake of another fatal shooting in Minneapolis.

Noem has faced growing calls for her resignation after a Border Patrol officer shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday. She is being criticized for her response to the shooting, in which she baselessly suggested Pretti was engaging in domestic terrorism.

A number of Democrats, including Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), have already demanded Noem to be removed from her post. But on Tuesday, GOP Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined those calls.

In comments to reporters, Tillis criticized Noem for the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

I think that what shes done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job, Tillis said, according to reporter Jamie Dupree.

Its just amateurish. Its terrible. Its making the president look bad on policies that he won on. He won on a strong message about immigration, and now nobodys talking about that. Theyre not talking about securing the border, he continued.

He then bashed Gregory Bovino, who was the commander of President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Multiple news outlets reported that Bovino is leaving the city following the killing of Pretti.

Theyre talking about the incompetence of the leader of Homeland Security and the other people, Bovino, whatever his name is. He needs to go back to California, get his retirement papers and go. These people are amateurs. They got to deescalate there and treat these communities with some respect, Tillis said.

Murkowski echoed similar concerns in comments to reporters on Tuesday.

I think the President needs to look at who he has in place as the Secretary of Homeland Security. I would not support her again, and I think it probably is time for her to step down, Murkowski said, according to CNN.

This comes days after Pretti was fatally shot, and nearly three weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed Renee Good. Since Goods death, Minneapolis has been the site of mass protests demanding that ICE leave the city.

Despite growing calls for her resignation, Trump reiterated his support for Noem in comments to reporters on Tuesday. He also said that Noem will not be stepping down from her position.

I think shes doing a very good job, he told reporters.
Jersey Shore Family Vacation star Vinny Guadagnino faced intense backlash on social media after criticizing those protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the wake of another fatal shooting in Minneapolis.

Guadagnino, who supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, fired back at social media users who criticized his political stances earlier this week. In an Instagram post promoting his upcoming shows, one user commented that people are mad because Guadagnino voted for Trump.

Vinny, I think people are mad bc you support Trump, the comment stated. What ICE is doing is not ok. Until it doesnt happen to you, you wont understand. They dont care you are a republican what the people care (about) is you not supporting Trump and his administration.

Guadagnino pushed back at the user with a heated response, saying that the users message was not clear. He also claimed the media and politicians have brainwashed those opposing ICEs actions.

You are allowed to be Republican but not vote for the Republican presidential candidate? 77 million people did. ICE deporting 3m people under Obama administration and 1m under Biden was ok but now that Trump has deported 1m (so far in two terms) thats not ok? Guadagnino wrote.

The politicians/media has brainwashed everyone to believe something different is happening and its making people fight the police and get killed so that they can stay in power and become rich, he added.

His Instagram post was inundated with comments criticizing his stance on ICE.

One user said no Republican principle supports chaos, cruelty, or the loss of innocent life, adding that Guadagnino does not have to abandon conservatism to say enough.

In one of his comments, Guadagnino suggested that higher power puppeteers are causing the civil war between ICE and the empathetic protesters on the street in order for political gain and power. This echoed a familiar talking point of Trump, who has baselessly claimed that the Minneapolis protesters are being paid.

Guadagnino argued that under the Obama and Biden administrations, there wasnt as much outrage on the streets and rioting because the media and leadership were not causing the chaos and sending people into the fire through emotional manipulation.

But why are they jumping in now? Who is telling them to? This has been going on and law enforcement has always existed. Is it plausible puppeteers are making this happen for political gain and power? Guadagnino added.

Minneapolis has been the site of mass protests for weeks after ICE initiated its crackdown on the city. Tensions escalated after two U.S. citizens were shot and killed by federal immigration officers earlier this month, which has fueled more demonstrations.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) ripped Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for trying to gaslight Americans about the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti.

Noem has faced intense backlash for days after a Border Patrol officer shot and killed Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday morning, marking the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen there this month. Walz criticized President Donald Trump for reiterating his support for Noem despite her response to Prettis death.

I didnt take well tonight when he was asked about Kristi Noem. He said, Shes doing a fantastic job, Walz said on Pod Save America.

No, she lied and slandered Alex, and she blamed everyone else, and she tried to gaslight all of America, he added, referring to Noem baselessly suggesting Pretti planned to engage in domestic terrorism.

He went on to blame her for ongoing situation in Minneapolis, which has been the site of Trumps latest immigration crackdown.

I think she is the most unqualified, ineffective and loathsome of all of the Cabinet positions that weve never seen in any administration, and yet the President wouldnt call that out, he said. Look, shes behind this.

I think [DHS Secretary Kristi Noem] is the most unqualified, ineffective and loathsome of all of the cabinet positions whom weve ever seen in any administration. And yet, the president wouldnt call that out.  @GovTimWalz on Trumps praise of Noem pic.twitter.com/SCzFpWfuIp  Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) January 28, 2026

He explained that his is a little more hopeful that Prettis death is a wake-up call for the Trump administration.

I am a little more hopeful, perhaps, that this shook them up enough that maybe theyre going to get tired of this. But if Stephen Miller is still there, I just think they hope that you guys go away and they just go right back to what they were doing, Walz said, referring to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

If they do that, theyll lose the whole thing, he added. This things a powder keg here, youre feeling it.

A growing number of Democratsand at least two Senate Republicanshave called for Noem to step down from her position in the wake of Prettis death. Despite growing demands for her resignation, Trump reiterated his support for Noem in comments to reporters on Tuesday.

He also said that Noem will not be stepping down from her position.

I think shes doing a very good job, he told reporters.
Rap icon Nicki Minaj is vowing thousands of dollars in cash support her fans under President Donald Trumps new program, according to the New York Post.

Minaj will join Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CEOs and investors at a summit on Wednesday, aimed at encouraging parents to sign up for Trump accounts, also known as Section 530A accounts, when they file their 2025 tax returns.

It just speaks to President Trump and the coalition hes assembled, Bessent said on Fox News ahead of the event. But it also goes across political lines.

Starting this July, the Treasury Department will give $1,000 to every newborn in an effort to kickstart the new type of retirement account designed to support wealth building. The accounts are available to every U.S. citizen born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028.

Families can contribute up to $5,000 a year for their child, who will be able to access the funds when they turn 18.

Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz confirmed to MS NOW that Minaj will contribute between $150,000 and $300,000 in grants to the accounts of her fans.

I absolutely love my Barbz, Minaj, known for her global hits including Super Bass and Starships, said in a statement to the Post, referencing her fanbase. I want to see them bring healthy, and successful children into the world. Becoming a mother was the greatest thing thats ever happened to me, and I want others to experience the same joy my son has brought into my life.

Minaj acknowledged that raising a child can be expensive and challenging at times, adding that she is committed to doing whatever I can to support them. Minaj has a 5-year-old son nicknamed Papa Bear.

The Queens-raised artist said she also hopes her contributions to the program will increase the next generations financial literacy. She said the program will help with decreasing the gap between children who arent born with a full bank account and children who receive that support.

I believe it will have the most profound impact on urban communities, which often face greater financial challenges, Minaj said. Its an excellent way to educate kids on the value of investing, saving, and managing money responsibly.

Minaj will become the latest to offer her own financial support to the initiative. Michael and Susan Dell pledged in December to donate $6.25 billion to the program, while billionaire investor Ray Dalio announced he had donated $75 million for children in his home state of Connecticut.

It is also not that first time Minaj has openly expressed admiration for the Trump administration in recent months. In November, she first took up Trumps claims that Christians are facing persecution in Nigeria, while the strategic U.S. partner has repeatedly denied those allegations.

Minaj was later invited to speak about the issue at a U.S. mission to the United Nations event, receiving an introduction from Ambassador Mike Waltz.

This isnt about taking sides, Minaj said during her speech. This is about standing up in the face of injustice. Its about what Ive always stood for my entire career, and I will continue to stand for that.

Minaj has also praised Vice President JD Vance as an assassin after he weighed in on her long-running feud with Cardi B.

Dont debate him. On anything, Minaj wrote on social media. Quick as a computer. Maybe quicker. Hes the best blend Ive ever seen of us&them.

In a post on X last week referencing Wednesdays event, Minaj said it is the true meaning of paying it forward.

Early financial literacy & financial support for our children will give them a major head start in life, she wrote. In some cases, they will end up teaching their very own parents how to invest & what to invest in. This makes me very happy.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a warning to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over his opposition to federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said Frey was playing with fire by refusing to cooperate with more than 3,000 federal agents deployed to Minnesota for Operation Metro Surge.

Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws. This is after having had a very good conversation with him, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!

Trumps outrage stemmed from Freys Tuesday meeting with White House border czar Tom Homan.

Despite labeling it a productive conversation, the mayor signaled his unwillingness to work with U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers amid citywide protests and national outcry.

Federal officers involved in immigration enforcement have shot and killed two people, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during targeted operations in Minneapolis this month.

"I shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts this operation has had on Minneapolis and surrounding communities, as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers," Frey posted on X.

I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that we will remain focused on keeping our neighbors and streets safe, he added.

Homans arrival in the Twin Cities this week came amid growing bipartisan demands for an independent investigation into immigration enforcement tactics.

MS NOW reported on Tuesday that the Justice Department will not conduct a civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Pretti. Instead, two units within the Department of Homeland Security will conduct investigations into the officers who shot Pretti.

Meanwhile, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has called for impartial investigations, the departure of federal forces, and an end to the campaign of retribution against our state.

And in response to Trumps latest social media threat, Frey said that the job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws.

I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to MPLS & is from Ecuador, Frey said in an X post. Its similar to the policy your guy Rudy (Giuliani) had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Photo: https://eurosolidarity.org/2025/08/05

The actions of the Russian Federation have little in common with the real negotiation process, believes Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, the Member of Parliament of Ukraine, the Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine's Integration into the European Union (European Solidarity faction).

"A new round of trilateral negotiations between the Ukrainian, American and Russian delegations is due to take place at the end of the week. But for some reason, the fact that the Russian Federation, with its brazen inhuman shelling during the first trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi, has once again shown its negotiating tactics - how it sees the negotiations, namely, as it seems to it, by forcing Ukrainian society to capitulate, has been completely ignored. Against this background, it is rather strange to see reports that the previous round of negotiations was constructive and productive. In my opinion, Russia's actions definitely have little in common with the real negotiation process," Klympush-Tsintsadze said in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Wednesday.

According to the MP, it is also questionable that the Russian negotiators have a real mandate to make any decisions and act accordingly in two directions: presenting their position and listening to the position of others. According to Klympush-Tsintsadze, the current discussions in the Kremlin are probably more about what new demands they will put forward during the next meeting in Abu Dhabi, rather than what concessions they are ready to make.

"I am cautious and quite skeptical about the possibility of reaching real agreements on ending the war during these talks that are currently taking place. It looks like the Russian Federation, by its presence at the so-called negotiations, is simply trying to demonstrate that it is ready for some discussions. Although, in my opinion, its behavior in the military sphere shows the exact opposite, that, apart from achieving its most ambitious goals, Russia is not ready for any compromises and meaningful discussions," the head of the committee emphasized.

Klympush-Tsintsadze emphasized that the Russian Federation understands only the language of force, so "we must now work a lot with colleagues in European countries, try to work with various stakeholders in the United States, insisting on the application of coercion to Russia both in terms of sanctions and in terms of providing Ukraine with military capabilities both for defense and for attacks on military targets on the aggressor's territory in order to force it to make peace." According to the MP, the expectation that peace is just around the corner is demobilizing for Ukrainian society and, unfortunately, an excuse for some countries, including Europe, not to strengthen their defense capabilities, not to increase the production of weapons that Ukraine urgently needs, and to wait for this moment. "Our message to all partners should be that Ukraine's military capability should be strengthened as much as possible. This, of course, also applies to work within the state - our military industry, internal military, economic and psychological mobilization," Klympush-Tsintsadze noted.
Ukrainian Railways lowers flags at stations in memory of passengers killed in attack on passenger train

JSC Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways - UZ) lowered flags over all train stations in the country in memory of passengers whose lives were taken by a Russian attack on a passenger train on January 27, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Today's minute of silence is in memory of both our soldiers and the terrible tragedy of yesterday - our passengers killed by Russia," UZ wrote on its Telegram channel.

Flagship trains, which traditionally depart to music, will depart in silence throughout the day.

"We continue to move with memory and pain in our hearts," the statement said.

As reported, on Tuesday, January 27, the Barvinkove - Lviv - Chop passenger train was attacked by three Shahed UAVs in Kharkiv region. At least five people were killed.
Heavy flooding continues to disrupt rail services in and out of Exeter as back-to-back storms leave large parts of the Devon network closed, with emergency engineering work also forcing an overnight shutdown of the main line towards the coast.

The line between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot is closed from 7pm on Wednesday 28 January until 7am on Thursday 29 January.

Engineers are carrying out emergency repairs following Storm Chandra, which leaves an 8m by 3.5m sinkhole close to the track between Dawlish and Teignmouth.

Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) are advising passengers that disruption across Devon and Cornwall is expected to last for several days following persistent heavy rain and widespread flooding caused by recent storms.

Several routes serving Exeter remain closed, and passengers are being urged not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

Lines currently closed include Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple and Exeter St Davids to Okehampton via Crediton.

The main line between Taunton and Exeter St Davids is also closed due to deep, fast-moving floodwater at Hele, north of Exeter. Trains are unable to run on this section, and only limited replacement buses are operating.

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The line is expected to remain closed until at least Wednesday 28 January, with journeys taking longer than usual because of flooded roads.

Poor road conditions mean replacement bus services are not able to operate on these routes at present, and Network Rail has warned that these branch lines are likely to remain closed for several days while safety checks and repairs take place.

During the closure, services continue to run between London and Exeter St Davids, and between Newton Abbot and Penzance, with rail replacement buses operating between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot, and between Plymouth and Tiverton Parkway.

Passengers are warned to expect busy conditions on replacement services, while the Night Riviera Sleeper is cancelled in both directions on Wednesday night.

Network Rail engineers work through the night to fill the sinkhole with around 200 tonnes of material, using heavy equipment that requires the railway to be shut for safety reasons.

A nearby coastal footpath between Teignmouth and Smugglers Lane is also closed to allow the work to be completed safely.

GWR managing director Mark Hopwood says the repairs are essential to protect the reliability of rail services used by many Exeter passengers.

To continue to be able to provide safe and reliable services on this really important section of track linking Devon and Cornwall, we need to make this repair as soon as possible, he says.

To do so will unfortunately impact a small number of journeys, and we are working to keep this to a minimum. Please do however aim to complete your travel by 1900 on Wednesday evening between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot.

We aim to have the line reopen early on Thursday morning, though further inclement weather is forecast over the coming days and as ever the safety of our customers and colleagues is always our top priority.

Network Rail route director Marcus Jones says the damage is a direct result of recent extreme weather.

Storm Ingrid left a sinkhole near the railway that requires repair as soon as possible, he says.

Our teams need to close the railway on Wednesday evening for 12 hours to allow us to safely move heavy equipment to the area and start working to fix this issue.

He adds: Were very grateful to passengers and local residents for their patience while we complete these essential repairs.

To ensure this work can be completed safely, the footpath between Teignmouth and Smugglers Lane will also be closed from the evening of Wednesday 28 January until early next week.

Were working as quickly as we can and will reopen the path as soon as its safe to do so.

The overnight closure follows days of disruption for Exeter rail users after Storm Chandra brings heavy rain, flooding and strong winds across Devon, affecting multiple routes and leading to delays and cancellations.

Rail operators warn that further disruption remains possible if more bad weather hits already saturated ground.

Passengers travelling to and from Exeter are being advised to continue checking journey planners before setting out, as engineers remain on standby to respond to any further weather-related issues across the network.
A surge in the octopus population is likely to continue impacting the livelihoods of crab and lobster fishers around Plymouth and the south coasts of Devon and Cornwall, a new study has revealed.

Leader of Plymouth City Council, Tudor Evans (Lab, Ham), called the octopus bloom in South West waters, which has accelerated since January 2025, a crisis for our local fishing industry, saying the science has now backed up concerns raised by fishers.

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The unusual event is thought to be linked to warming seas, providing a clear connection to climate change.

The study, funded by Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council and Defra, and led by a coalition of scientists, was commissioned after Plymouth fishers reported that their usual crab and lobster catches were being replaced by octopus and the remains of shellfish they had not eaten.

There were also reports of shellfish fisheries being decimated off the coasts of south Devon and south Cornwall.

Scientists from the Marine Biological Association, the University of Plymouth, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and Blue Dog Consulting reveal in their report that the bloom is continuing, is the most impactful in over a century, and poses a significant and complex challenge to marine ecosystems and the fishing industry.

According to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), more than 400 tonnes of octopus were landed in May 2025 alone, a figure unmatched in UK records.

Prior to this year, monthly landings rarely exceeded 75 tonnes.

The common octopus is native to UK waters but is typically rare, favouring warmer seas further south in Europe and the Mediterranean.

Only four major population blooms have been recorded in the past 125 years: in 1899-1900, 1932-33, 1950-51, and now since 2025.

The research team found that unusually warm sea temperatures during bloom years, and the year preceding them, were a consistent factor in all recorded events.

Sustained easterly winds may also have helped transport young octopus larvae from the Channel Islands and northern France.

Ocean current modelling supports this, showing that larvae from Guernsey, which has experienced its own octopus bloom since 2024, likely contributed to the UK surge.

A survey of 40 fishermen revealed mixed impacts from the octopus surge.

While some adapted to catching octopus and benefited economically for a period, more than half reported negative impacts, particularly those targeting brown crabs, lobsters and scallops, which suffered heavy predation from octopus.

Catch rates for those species fell by between 30% and 50% in 2025, raising concerns about long-term damage to crab, lobster and scallop stocks.

Cllr Tudor Evans said: This is a crisis for our local fishing community. Our fishers felt the pressure of the bloom earlier this year and now the science backs up what they have been telling us: the octopus bloom is not a blip, its a sustained threat.

We need to move beyond reactive measures. There needs to be serious investment in predictive tools and support to help fishers adapt and safeguard the fishing fleet for the future. This is not a one-season issue; its a long-term challenge that demands a long-term fix.

Plymouth crab fisherman Brian Tapper said his catch had dropped drastically and that his business was no longer financially viable.

We used to have a tonne of crab a day, but we havent had a tonne all year. Ive tied the boats up and the crew have left because there is no income. The octopus eat everything in sight, they are like locusts.

A fisherman of 39 years, Mr Tapper said he was now in debt but would have one more bash next season. He added that his Cornish colleagues were also struggling.

Cllr Julian Brazil (Lib Dem, Kingsbridge), leader of Devon County Council, said: These findings are a concern and justify the urgency of carrying out this vital research at the earliest opportunity.

The study has highlighted that the influx of octopus into our waters is an issue likely to become increasingly frequent.

Attention must now focus on how best to support the needs of our fishing communities and local marine life.

Dr Bryce Stewart, senior research fellow at the Marine Biological Association, added: If these conditions persist, octopus blooms could become a more regular feature of our changing seas.

Understanding their causes and consequences is vital to help both ecosystems and coastal communities adapt.

The report recommends expanding monitoring programmes, developing predictive models, and creating tools to help fishermen report octopus impacts more easily. It also calls for guidance on the humane handling and dispatch of octopus.

With climate change likely to increase the frequency of such blooms, researchers stress the need to better understand how sudden influxes of species like octopus affect ecosystem resilience.
Exeter City Council are asking residents to check routes carefully before travelling after a number of roads remain closed in and around Exeter.

It follows heavy rainfall and flooding from Storm Chandra, which hit the region Monday night (January 26).

Although floodwaters are receding in many areas, Streatham Drive in Exeter remains flooded and impassable on Wednesday morning (28 January).

Other parts of the county continue to be affected by localised flooding, fallen trees, and river damage, with congestion reported on minor roads as drivers try to avoid closed routes.

In Exeters Beacon Heath, volunteers continue the clean-up at the Beacon Community Centre after floodwater entered the building earlier this week.

The twice-weekly food banks held at the centre have been cancelled while recovery work continues, with visitors advised to use the Cowick Street or Cranbrook locations, which remain open.

Devon County Council has confirmed that the county is now moving into recovery mode following Storm Chandra, but officials are urging residents to travel only if essential in areas where flooding is known to be affecting roads.

A yellow weather warning for rain is in place for Thursday, from lunchtime until midnight, raising concerns that already saturated ground could cause further disruption.

Road closures affecting Exeter and surrounding areas include:

Streatham Drive, which is impassable

the A3052 Boshill Hill (awaiting confirmation as river levels fall)

The road past Darts Farm

Mill Street in Ottery St Mary

Pinn Lane in Otterton

Northmostown

Sidmouth Road between Ottery and The Bowd, closed due to an uprooted tree undermining the road.

Several major routes elsewhere in Devon are also closed, including parts of the A377, A396, and A382, as well as roads around Bovey Tracey, Buckfastleigh, and Crediton.

READ NEXT: Sinkhole forces overnight rail closure between Exeter and Newton Abbot after storm damage

Councillor Julian Brazil, Leader of Devon County Council, has issued an urgent call to the Government for additional funding to help communities recover from the storms.

We are experiencing more frequent and more severe storms. This is having a significant impact on peoples lives, said Councillor Brazil.

Our communities rely on resilient transport infrastructure to stay safe and to access work, education and essential services.

Yet once again this week, the consequences of decades of under-investment by the central government in Devon is being felt across our county.

Storm Ingrid, which hit the county earlier, severely damaged the sea wall between Dawlish and Dawlish Warren, caused extensive damage to homes in Torcross, and undermined parts of the A379 Slapton coast road.

We are experiencing more frequent and more severe storms. This is having a significant impact on peoples lives, said Councillor Brazil.

Our communities rely on resilient transport infrastructure to stay safe and to access work, education, and essential services. Yet once again this week, the consequences of decades of underinvestment by the central government in Devon is being felt across our county.

He praised council officers and emergency crews for their work but stressed that local authorities cannot manage the scale of damage caused by increasingly extreme weather without national support.

The aftermath of this weekends storm and now Storm Chandra makes it clear that we urgently need national support to repair the damage, strengthen our defences, and build long-term resilience, he added.

Devon County Council advises drivers to never attempt to drive through floodwater or fast-moving water, as it is often deeper than it appears, and to seek alternative routes where possible.

Motorists should also be alert to fallen trees and debris, allowing extra time for journeys, reducing speed, leaving more space between vehicles, and driving according to conditions.

Residents are encouraged to check local radio, the Devon County Council website, and the Devon Alert service for updates.

Flooding affecting properties can be reported through the councils online flood reporting form.
Photo: ttps://www.facebook.com

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna agreed with the Minister of Culture of the French Republic Rashida Dati on France's accession to the Alliance for Cultural Resilience.

"France is joining the Alliance for Cultural Resilience. This was agreed with the Minister of Culture of the French Republic Rashida Dati during a meeting in Paris. We discussed strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and France, coordinating international efforts to protect and restore Ukrainian cultural heritage, as well as developing professional education, exchanges and restoration programs," Berezhna wrote on Facebook during a working visit to France.

The Deputy Prime Minister also presented the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Foundation (UCHF) to international partners and discussed potential options for France's participation in the UCHF.

Among other things, Berezhna discussed with the European Union Commissioner for Intergenerational Justice, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef and the leadership of ALIPH Bariza Chiari the "Culture Compass" initiative, aimed at strategically harmonizing cultural policy and strengthening coordination between EU member states.

As reported, in July 2025, the Ministry of Culture and partners at the Recovery 2025 Conference in Rome (Italy) presented new international instruments to support Ukrainian culture: the Cultural Resilience Alliance, the Heritage Fund of Ukraine and Team Europe Ukraine.

In early November, the second international conference "Cooperation for Sustainability" was held in Copenhagen (Denmark), at which the mechanism of the functioning of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund was presented. Following the results of the Conference, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom announced that they would invest EUR3 million in the newly created Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund. In December, Berezhna reported that the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund had already raised over EUR 4 million in international support.
I started attending yoga classes when I was in my early 20s, when it cost $12 for a drop-in class. For me, a recent college graduate with absolutely no savings, and a very low-paying job, that number was wildly expensive. Luckily, a kind local studio owner was moved by my interest in yoga and offered me free classes in exchange for volunteer work. I dutifully mopped the studio, cleaned yoga blocks, and vacuumed the reception area twice a week.

Photo by Lilli Worona

To be honest, I'm not quite sure what brought me into the yoga studio in the first place. I was 22 years old, a brand new transplant to Bend - wide-eyed, insecure, and looking for a place to feel at home. The dimly lit yoga studio with its array of bronze buddha statues, jade plants, serene watercolor paintings, and sweet-smelling incense seemed like a hopeful place to start.

Little did I know that my volunteer agreement would lead me to a dedicated yoga practice and a yoga teacher training at the same studio. I later taught all levels classes at several studios in Central Oregon while maintaining a dedicated personal practice.

Although my intentions for joining the yoga studio were unclear at the start, I had quickly found that yoga offered a sense of peace and well-being that I had not experienced before. The practice was not only physically demanding, but mentally challenging as well. It required my full attention to get through class, and I learned to focus on my breath, stay with uncomfortable sensations, and to allow myself to fully relax. I continue to practice yoga to this day, and have found it to be especially healing during times of uncertainty or anxiety; a powerful elixir to combat the stressors of everyday life.

Mel Marth, kinesiologist and owner of Mellness Whole Body Wellness in Sisters, discovered yoga at a young age as well, albeit through different circumstances.

Marth explained, "When I first started my yoga journey, I didn't know anything about yoga, I was a dancer... ballet, tap, and jazz. I didn't even really find yoga until one of my dance teachers [said] 'you are super hyper, you need to try to calm down,' I didn't breathe when I danced, so I would literally do a whole performance and hold my breath, and so my body wasn't working as efficiently. So that teacher kind of took me aside and was like, 'Hey, go try this class out. It'll help you learn to breathe while you move. You won't be gasping for breath when you come off stage.'"

Marth not only learned to "calm down" and breathe, she found in yoga a place of peace and focus she had never been able to tap into before. Later, upon receiving a cancer diagnosis, Marth was able to use yoga and breath to center herself for the difficult treatment ahead.

"When I was in my undergrad, I went through a very tough bout of cancer, and so [yoga] really helped me see that my body was not my enemy anymore, and it took me to a really holistic place that I'd never even explored, never even thought about," she said.

Marth's description of her slow, mindful practice may seem at odds with pop culture images of yoga, which are often focused on beautiful, spandex-clad women looking serene in contorted, seemingly impossible positions. In actuality, there are hundreds of varieties of yoga ranging from intense, physically demanding practices (power yoga, ashtanga, vinyasa) to slow, meditation-based stretching classes (yin and hatha). Marth emphasizes that yoga comes in all different forms, and its benefits are vast and varied.

"[In yoga], movement is coordinated with breath, so it enhances circulation, brings oxygenation to your entire body, releasing through the connective tissue and muscular tissue... deep breath helps to keep the nervous system regulated. There are just endless benefits," Marth said.

If all of this seems too good to be true, I assure you it isn't. In our fast-paced world, a dedicated time and space to slow down and fully focus on one's body and breath can do wonders. Marth's studio, cleverly named "Mellness," can serve as a jumping off point for new practitioners looking for beginner friendly guidance, or for more seasoned yogis looking to level up their practice. She also offers "stretch therapy," an assisted movement practice that focuses on hands-on deep stretching through passive yoga poses.

For those who might be hesitant to enter a studio or who would prefer to practice in their own home, there are a plethora of online instructional videos, both free and subscriber based, that offer detailed classes for beginners up through advanced levels.

One thing is for sure; yoga is an extremely effective way to enhance one's wellness journey. Countless studies have found that the benefits of breath and mindful movement decrease stress and anxiety, help with focus and day-to-day health. Marth asserts that perhaps yoga isn't really that complicated at all  the real magic isn't based on what style of yoga you choose, or the studio you practice in. Instead it lies in the history of the discipline, honed by ancient practitioners focused on meditation, mental control, and spiritual enlightenment.

"You can do yoga just as an exercise practice... it can just be a breath practice, it can be just spiritual. It can be just meditation. It's so well rounded. I mean, they really, they really did it right centuries and centuries ago," Marth concluded.
District Ranger Ian Reid hosted around a dozen guests last Friday for a walk-through of the recently completed Sisters District headquarters. Most of the guests were current or retired employees of the agency including the two district rangers who preceded Reid, and a past Deschutes National Forest supervisor.

Photo by Bill Bartlett

Current supervisor, Bend-based Holly Jewkes, had planned to be in attendance but was called away to a meeting in Portland.

The retirees all had a role during their tenure in bringing the new headquarters to fruition, a long and often tedious process requiring some clever funding mechanics. Humorous stories were told describing the old HQ building that became more and more dysfunctional in its later years.

The key guests were city councilors Sarah McDougall and Gary Ross, who exchanged warm praise with their hosts.

"The new Sisters ranger station is an excellent example of how careful planning and thoughtful design can create an attractive yet functional facility. Staff took into consideration how the building would blend with the site, creating an attractive addition to our towns western entrance," Ross said.

"Staff also took the needs of our community into consideration, with two meeting rooms off the lobby available for community use after hours, as well as designing a large parking lot with RV parking spaces to help support large city events. The lobby features a large three-piece artwork done (and donated by) a Sisters High School student, which adds a spectacular Sisters welcome to visitors!"

"We are lucky for the community of partnerships in Sisters Country. Knowing that the Forest Service's thoughtful planning included the needs of organizations outside of their own says it all," McDougall added.

The new ranger station replaces the prior ranger station built in 1957, which no longer met building code standards. The new building is designed for the 21st century workforce, which requires increased connectivity and technology to accomplish the agency's mission, the agency says.

A new warehouse was completed in 2023, providing a common workspace and storage for equipment and vehicles for all program areas, including fire operations, recreation, timber, and silviculture. Additionally, the warehouse provides storage for three fire engines in a heated bay, thus prolonging their lifespan and keeping them available for fall and winter use when outdoor temperatures could damage water storage components.

The warehouse is compliant with Architectural Barriers Act standards, which are more stringent than the Americans with Disabilities Act standards for workspace, with adequate security that directly contributes to the District's ability to perform critical work for the Forest.

Planning for an updated Sisters Ranger Station has been underway since 2004. Over the years, three different locations and multiple iterations of site plans were considered. Deschutes National Forest officials chose the final location based on its opportunity to best serve the public, to provide continuous operations in Sisters, and to provide the best value to taxpayers.

Photo by Bill Bartlett

Reid pulled out a copy of the 2019 Sisters Country strategic visioning process that listed the development of the Sisters Ranger Station site as the top priority for the community.

Reid said, "The Sisters Ranger Station fields an average of 10,000 calls and visitors each year."

The Sisters Ranger Station is open for business Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closes 1 to 2 p.m. for lunch.

Construction costs were around $10 million dollars with an additional approximately $3 million for the warehouse, furniture, etc. Roughly $3 million dollars were offset through the sale of portions of the administrative site.

Construction of the new ranger station was funded in part through the sale of a portion of Forest Service land adjacent to the new office which is made possible by the Forest Service Facility Realignment & Enhancement Act, which allows the Forest Service to use funds collected from the sale of administration sites for site improvements. This authority can only be used for the sale of Forest Service land recognized as an administration site.

The updated facility and associated parking area provide an enhanced visitor experience. The new ranger station has increased connectivity and technology that not only improves employee workflow, but also supports better functionality for visitors purchasing passes, permits, and maps.

The new facility features increased security functions that improve employee safety and better protects taxpayer investments on fleet and equipment.

Public meeting space exists with large, dividable conference rooms and processes to reserve this space in a fair and equitable process are being developed by staff, Reid told the group.
It's been almost a year since Ty Godfrey was forced to fight for his life and the life of his dog, Dazey Mae. The pair were attacked by three dogs in the woods southwest of Sisters on February 6, 2025. Godfrey fought the attacking dogs off with a sheath knife, suffering injuries to his hands. Dazey was seriously injured as well.

Photo by Jarod Gatley

Godfrey got Dazey to Sisters Veterinary Clinic, where she was treated, and he received treatment himself from Sisters EMTs, and later from a doctor. Deschutes County Sheriff's deputies determined that Godfrey's actions were justified, and cited a transient woman camping in the woods for three counts of Animal at Large and Animal Nuisance. Two of her dogs died at the scene and a third was euthanized. (See, The Nugget, February 12, 2025 edition or https://www.nuggetnews.com/story/2025/02/12/news/attack-left-man-and-his-dog-injured/37407.html.)

A year later, Godfrey's four-year-old Labrador/German Shepherd mix is healthy and happy. She has a little gray on her head where a bite dug into her scalp, and some scar tissue in her shoulder from bite injuries. Thanks to community donations through a GoFundMe page, she gets ongoing care and monitoring at Sisters Veterinary Clinic.

She frolics with Godfrey, and loves playing with sticks. She does not seem to be afraid of other dogs, although Godfrey says that if she is approached by more than one large dog, she will snug tight against his legs. The pair get out into the woods to hike, but they stay away from the 1505 Road where the attack occurred. Godfrey said he drove out there once, but it felt bad out there, and he left immediately.

Godfrey is still somewhat traumatized by the incident. He's a lifelong animal-lover, and killing three dogs in defense of his own was the last thing he would have wanted.

"I still see a counselor a couple of times a month," he said.

He generally stays away from violent movies, and can't watch a scene where an animal, especially a dog, is in danger of being hurt.

But overall, Godfrey reports that he and Dazey are both doing well. Dazey is treated like a celebrity in local businesses, and there has been a continued outpouring of love and support toward her, Godfrey said. He has very warm feelings toward his community.

"This place is amazing," he said. "It really is."

Godfrey acknowledges that he spoils Dazey. She was gifted to him by his children, and was very special to him before the incident. Almost losing her has made the bond of affection profoundly close. So... he spoils her.

"I will for every single day of her life," he said.

Photo by Jarod Gatley

The dog's happy antics fill Godfrey - and anybody else watching - with joy. He noted that she joined him on a recent tree-limbing job, and dragged the downed limbs around as toys, to the amusement of everyone on the scene.

The woman who kept the dogs involved in last year's incident is believed to have left Deschutes County.

At-large, aggressive dogs can be a serious problem. Dogs are to be under control at all times, by voice command if they are off-leash in the forest. Lt. Chad Davis of the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office told The Nugget that monitoring complaints of at-large, aggressive dogs in forest encampments is a regular part of deputies' camp checks. He cited a recent occurrence in which there were multiple complaints regarding an at-large and aggressive dog, which had bitten one person. DCSO convinced the forest-dwelling dog owner to relinquish the dog. The dog was transferred to an animal shelter, where it had to be euthanized.

Godfrey and Dazey continue to be a fixture in Sisters (she particularly enjoys visits to Sisters Smokehouse for treats). Godfrey is appreciative of the community support he has received after an incident he will never forget - but one from which he and his beloved dog are mostly recovered.
The second of five installments where Sisters' thought leaders share with The Nugget how they imagine Sisters in five years.

Tourism is vital to Sisters' economy. It's not just the immediate economic impact of visitors' dollars following into the economy; more people require more service-based businesses, everything from a plumber to a lawyer to a dog groomer.

That will not only take pressure off of tourism as an economic engine, but will create more dining and essential retail.

Central Oregon's tourism sector, and by extension Sisters', is set for modest growth over the next five years, with baseline annual visitation increases of roughly two percent and upside of three to four percent under favorable conditions, according to the state's tourism agency.

Recovery in international travel, steady domestic demand for outdoor and experiential trips, and expanded regional air service are the primary growth drivers. Continued interest in outdoor recreation, from hiking and mountain biking to winter sports, supports yearround visitation, while constrained lodging supply and workforce shortages may keep occupancy and average daily rates elevated even as visitor counts rise moderately.

The region faces significant downside risks: recurring wildfires and smoke can sharply reduce shortterm demand and damage destination reputation. Macroeconomic shocks or recession could curtail discretionary travel. And housing and labor constraints may limit the industry's capacity to capture growth.

What do local experts say? Judy Trego, executive director of Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, told The Nugget, "In 2031, Sisters Country will be a modern Western community that preserves its history and remembers those who came before us to make Sisters into the place it is today. We will be a community that supports our individuals, families, and children of limited means so they can continue to enjoy and stay in the community in which they live and work. We will have a strong connection to the beauty and inspiration that surrounds us every day when we step out our door to delight in the mountains and forest that we love so dearly.

"Our families and businesses that are so dependent on connections will grow into an independent community which thrives on new ideas, sharing resources, watching out for our neighbors, and taking nothing for granted.

"In 2031, Sisters will be the most grateful community in our state by showing and receiving the kindness and compassion we share with others."

Scott Humpert, executive director of the city's contracted visitor development agency, Explore Sisters, had this to say: "2031 feels far off, but looming on the horizon at the same time. I see the future of tourism in Sisters as thoughtful, balanced, and deeply rooted in place. I believe tourism will continue to thrive and be a major economic driver.

"Sisters is shaping itself as a destination worthy of a multi-day visit, not just a pass-through stop on the way to somewhere else. As the community grows, options for lodging, shopping, dining, recreating, and other experiences will expand. Sisters will maintain its slower pace, sense of community and care will be taken to balance visitation with local livability.

"Stewardship will remain front and center, respecting our natural environment, leaning into differentiators like our dark skies, and strengthening our vulnerabilities such as wildfire resiliency and seasonality.

"Our signature local events will thrive, reinforcing our culture, encouraging discovery, and warranting new and returning guests. My hope is Sisters continues to feel like home to those who live here and like a place worth protecting and celebrating for those who visit."

EDCO (Economic Development of Central Oregon) has a designated advocate based in Sisters, Eric Strobel. He looks more globally as he imagines Sisters in 2031.

Job Growth

"A forecast from an Economic Opportunities Analysis, prepared by the City of Sisters, shows job growth in Sisters ranging from 1.5 to 2.3 percent annual growth, which amounts to about 698-1,110 new jobs over five years if trends stay consistent. Ongoing housing and employment land development made possible by an expanded urban growth boundary will be key to continuing job growth across all sectors.

"Having available land and leasable space is essential for attracting new companies like BasX, as well as providing local businesses like Cascade Spirits the chance to expand and create local jobs. Sisters does not want to face a situation like in the early 2000s when there was no land or leasable space. The community struggled to attract new companies, and business expansions meant relocating to Redmond."

Employment Inflow/ Outflow

"According to the 2023 Census data, which is the most current available, 66.2 percent of those employed within the Sisters School District boundary live outside the district," Strobel said. "In contrast, only 33.8 percent both live and work within the district. Similarly, 69.5 percent of those who live within the Sisters School District boundary work outside the district. In contrast, only 30.5 percent live and work within the district.

"While our community appreciates the workers commuting to Sisters, we need more individuals who can reside and work in our area. With additional housing and commercial developments on the horizon, I hope that by 2031, the percentages will be much closer."

Additional Services

"Two of the most popular desires I hear almost daily in our community are an immediate care clinic, and more grocery choices," Strobel said. "I know growth can be difficult for longtime residents and newcomers alike, but with continued growth in Sisters, those wishes could be a reality by 2031."

Next week: Focus on recreation.
The Overton Window is a political concept describing the range of ideas that are acceptable to the public at a given time. They vary from ideas so popular they become policy to the radically unacceptable. The Trump administration probably assumed its initial statements in response to the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota would at least be publicly acceptable, if not popular. The problem with that assumption: video.

Trumps first response to Goods fatal shooting claimed she was a screaming professional agitator who violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defense. J.D. Vances immediate first response was to blame Good for her own death and defend the shooters act as self-defense. No video taken at the scene clearly or convincingly shows Good ran over anyone. That pattern of responses continued after the Alex Pretti shooting.

Before any investigation, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement that Pretti approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and violently resisted any attempts to disarm him. DHSs statement adds an agent fired defensive shots and that this looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement. Video evidence contradicts those statements.

The images show Pretti held a phone, turned his back to officers while helping a woman on the ground, was pepper sprayed seconds before he was shot, and that an agent removed someones gun during the altercation, perhaps before Pretti was shot. Video evidence moves the Trump administrations knee-jerk statements about the Good and Pretti shootings toward the Overton Windows radically unacceptable range. Thats politically dangerous as midterm elections approach. Publicly acceptable impartial investigations could help restore order in Minnesota and benefit the Trump administration. There are hints Trump would support that.

During a CBS interview Trump allowed that video taken by the ICE officer who shot Good can be viewed two ways, I guess. At a recent White House briefing Trump said, theyre going to make mistakes sometimes. He did not include Goods shooting as a mistake. In a Washington Examiner interview Vance pledged to discipline ICE agents when justified. Clean investigations of the Good and Pretti shootings could do more than justifiably identify and discipline any mistakes. They could reduce tensions by bringing order to and increasing confidence in ICEs operations.

Who to trust with the investigations? DHS? Officials there already defended the shooters. The Department of Justice? Six federal prosecutors investigating fraud in Minnesota resigned to protest the DOJs lack of interest in investigating the officer who shot Renee Good. Minnesota law enforcement? Too many would doubt the result. The Trump administration should appoint a retired or sitting federal judge from outside Minnesotas jurisdictions with an impeccable reputation for impartiality to select and supervise a team of current and retired law officers to conduct expedited, fully funded investigations and report findings. The administration should order DHS, ICE, the DOJ, and Minnesota agencies to safeguard and turn all physical and other evidence over to the investigators.

A fair and impartial investigation could open Trumps Overton Window to an acceptable outcome that improves ICEs operations. That could help convince the public ICE is not a gang of poorly trained, undisciplined, leaderless, masked vigilantes. Unless the investigators find otherwise.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine

The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) has provided assistance to victims of another Russian nighttime airstrike in the Kyiv region and Zaporizhia.

"The rapid response unit of the National Committee of the Ukrainian Red Cross was involved in the elimination of the consequences of the attack in Bilogorodka (Kyiv region - IF-U) this night," the URCS reported on Facebook on Wednesday.

Volunteers, together with rescuers from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, conducted a house-to-house round of houses to identify victims. Volunteers provided first psychological aid to three residents.

In Zaporizhia, the URCS rapid response unit in the Zaporizhia region, together with other rescue services, worked at the site of a missile strike.

As reported, Zaporizhia was hit by a Russian missile strike: more than 100 apartments in high-rise buildings and about 20 cars were damaged, and a fire broke out on the spot. One person sought medical help.

According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, a fire broke out in an apartment on the 7th floor of a seven-story resident
24 Simple Secrets to a Healthier Life Leer en espanol

You can pack a lot of wisdom into a few words. The writer Michael Pollan distilled decades of nutrition research into just seven: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. We wanted to see if we could do the same thing for other principles of healthy living. So we spoke with two dozen doctors, therapists and authors and offered them a challenge: Create a wellness mantra  a line or two that encapsulates a core truth about physical and mental health. Here are their words to live by.
Kids get stuff stuck in their noses all the time, from LEGOs and small marbles to pen caps and bits of paper, but have you ever heard of a child getting a lock pad stuck in their nose? Well, neither had firefighters in Huaihua, Chinas Hunan province.

Its not exactly clear how the young boy managed to get a small combination padlock stuck in his nose, but everyone suspects that he was playing with it, probably trying to cosplay as the Bull Demon King. What we do know is that at some point, the pad lock became stuck and he ended up with a unique bull-ring.

After several attempts to remove the lockpad, the boy asked his parents for help, but they couldnt dislodge it without causing the boy severe pain and possible injuries. In the end, they decided to seek the help of the local fire department. But even for them, the case presented quite a challenge.

First, firefighters caled the boy down, and after examining the lockpad, they decided that yanking on it or applying too much pressure could cause serious injuries, or even pierce the childs septum. So they opted to cut through the lock with shears.

Surprisingly, the boy remained calm throughout the entire operation and vowed never to put things in his nose again.
Jennifer Cruickshank

Jennifer Cruickshank will join General Motors' global public policy organization on Feb. 2 as executive director, state and local.

She will lead the automakers policy initiatives, advocacy, and engagement with communities across the US.

During her five-year stint at Amazon, Cruickshank was director, public policy responsible for the northeast and midwest US regions. She also handled community engagement in New York and a few other states.

Earlier, Cruickshank worked nearly eight years at Coca-Cola and rose to the VP-US East region PA, communications & sustainability.

She has first hand political experience gained from working a five-year span as director of state affairs for Boston mayor Thomas Menino.
People in County Offaly have been left 'distressed and angry' over raw sewage 'destroying' local roads, the Dail has heard.

The issue was raised by Offaly Fianna Fail TD Tony McCormack during a recent debate on Uisce Eireann.

Deputy McCormack first took the time to welcome a new initiative which will allow the private sector to develop wastewater systems for smaller housing developments.

While he described the programme as welcome and necessary, he said the reality on the ground in Offaly tells a different story. Deputy McCormack said: Across our towns and villages, expansion is effectively frozen.

READ NEXT: Three Offaly schools to receive new classes for children with special educational needs

Homes cannot be built because communities are waiting years, and sometimes decades, for water treatment plants.

This has left developers, local authorities and approved housing bodies unable to meet housing demand. In the middle of a housing crisis, that is simply unacceptable.

He went on to highlight his frustration at the inadequacy of wastewater services in some parts of the county.

In other areas, the situation is even more serious. We have raw sewage coming up through manholes, destroying roads and footpaths and flowing directly into the canal.

If this were a private company, the State would be all over it, using every environmental regulation available.

It would be shut down until the problem was solved, yet Irish Water has been allowed to get away with this year after year.

Deputy McCormack outlined how recent flooding led to serious frustrations in County Offaly.

Recently, during very heavy rainfall, sewage again surged up through the manholes and reached as far as peoples front doors. Residents were left distressed and angry, and rightly so.

Irish Water has failed to give proper assurances to residents or councillors that the system will be actively monitored during periods of heavy rainfall, pipes will be kept clear or meaningful temporary measures will be put in place to protect homes.

He acknowledged work that is planned for Tullamore later this year, but expressed concern that other towns and villages in the county will be forgotten about.

What about Birr, Cloghan, Banagher, Ferbane, Kilcormac, Rhode and Edenderry? When are we going to get help to allow these towns to grow?

Even where temporary measures have worked so far, they are exactly that - temporary. At some point they will fail and we will be back to square one.

That is not good enough. The people of Tyrells Road and Tullamore deserve better.

The message is simple: stop managing the problem - get it fixed and get the work done now.

Deputy McCormack concluded by highlighting the importance of progressing the Shannon water supply project.

Minister of State Christopher OSullivan was present in the chamber on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Darragh OBrien.

While Minister OSullivan did not give a direct response to Deputy McCormack, he did provide a general response to all members.

He highlighted the work the Government has done to address water issues across the country, but acknowledged that there is much more to do.

He complimented Uisce Eireann on the significant progress it has made in that regard, but accepted that the utility is not perfect.

Minister OSullivan said: We realise that Uisce Eireann certainly has not got everything right. We realise there is a necessity to focus on wastewater projects and water supply.

The Minister and Ministers of State in the Department know there are towns, villages, cities and urban areas where improvements are needed or where basic infrastructure is needed.

We know that some of these timelines are very hard to stomach and very frustrating but when we think about the various licences and permits that are needed, we can understand.

He added that the Department will focus on reducing the amount of red tape involved in the delivery of water services.

Minister OSullivan concluded by saying that the Government will continue to support Uisce Eireann and the work it is doing nationwide.
Publicans in Birr have decided to remove the majority of Diageo products from their premises over the coming weeks following discussions on the most recent price hike from the beverage company.

The matter was discussed at the latest meeting of Birr Publicans Group, after which they sent a letter to the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) outlining their plan of action in response to the price rises.

It read: "The levels of disappointment and complete frustration in the room were at all all-time high, which is saying something because we have had many discussions in recent years on the same topic following many other price increases from Diageo and other drinks suppliers."

The letter continued: "In the coming weeks, we aim to remove the majority of Diageo products from public houses in the town and substitute them with alternative products.

"We are doing this to protect our own local businesses and also to protect our valued customers from more unnecessary price increases."

Diageo, who operate in 180 countries worldwide, own a vast portfolio of drinks under the categories of Beer, Whiskey, Gin, Rum, Tequila, Vodka and Liqueurs.

Popular drinks which may be affected by the removal by pubs in Birr could include Guinness, Smithwicks, Hop House 13, Baileys, Gordons, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan.

READ MORE: IN PICTURES: Out and about on the town over the weekend in Tullamore

Chair of the Birr Publicans Group, Barry Kennedy said pubs have been left with little other choice after the recent price rises. He commented: "The potential move to remove some Diageo products by Birr Publicans is borne out of complete frustration at repeated price increases, year after year, from big international drinks companies."

He added: "A further price increase was communicated to publicans countrywide by Heineken on Monday, January 26. Ultimately these constant increases by international drinks suppliers like Diageo and Heineken are just leading to customers facing a more expensive drink in their local pubs."

As a group of publicans, we feel this is unfair and we are highlighting this fact, as we believe it is the correct thing to do in the best interests of our loyal customers. Since we voiced our frustrations, we have received a lot of support from other areas, such as Tullamore Publicans Group, and we appreciate this show of support."

The topic was also discussed at the latest meeting of the Tullamore Publicans Group who are very disappointed as well with the recent price increases but haven't opted to join their counterparts with the removal of Diageo products as of yet.

The Birr Publicans Group also hit out at the VFI for their lack of support on the issue as their representative body insisting they had to make a stand themselves as a result.

The letter which was sent to the Vintners Federation of Ireland stated: "The overarching annoyance at this week's meeting however was not directed at the drinks companies but you - our representatives - the VFI."

"It is simply not acceptable that the voice of publicans throughout the country is not heard by these large multinational companies. This is the feeling from us in Birr, and I am sure in many other towns and districts countrywide."

The Birr Publicans Group addressed the VFI directly describing the reasons why they have felt misrepresented and let down in recent times. They explained: "You are not arguing our case well enough and strong enough. You are not representing the sentiment of your members well enough or strong enough. This is what we expect our representatives to do."

They concluded the letter by saying: "It is disappointing that we have to take a stand ourselves and not in a way led by our representative bodies."
The newly appointed temporary leader of Catholics in the Ossory Diocese has acknowledged upheaval in the leadership of the Roman Catholic district, which includes an Offaly parish.

The Catholic Church in Ireland announced that, as of Sunday, January 25, Bishop Ger Nash would assume the position of Apostolic Administrator on foot of his appointment by Pope Leo. The Diocese includes the parish of Seir Kieran in South Offaly.

The announcement came on the foot of the installation ceremony of Bishop Niall Coll, the former Bishop of Ossory and new Bishop of Raphoe. Bishop Coll had been operating as administrator since his transfer to Donegal in February.

Following his appointment, Bishop Nash thanked the Pope and acknowledged the turnover in leadership in Ossory in recent years. Bishop Coll has been in Ossory since January 2023, replacing Archbishop Dermot Farrell who became Archbishop of Dublin, after serving as Bishop of Ossory between 2018 and 2020.

"I resolve to carry out my pastoral and administrative duties in both dioceses to the best of my ability," he said in a statement.

I am very much looking forward to working with the priests, Religious, diocesan staff and the people of the Diocese of Ossory. I know that there has been much change in the diocese over a short number of years but I am confident that we can all work well together to build on the proud traditions of the Diocese of Ossory.

"The diocese is blessed to have many talented priests and people who carry out great work each day, often unheralded, and I hope to be able to assist them in every way I can," he said.

He said the appointment will impact his Limerick Diocese.

"I am very conscious that this appointment also affects the Diocese of Ferns. I thoroughly enjoy my work and role as Bishop of Ferns and will continue to do so. I consider it a great privilege to be part of Ferns diocese and have always felt a warm and genuine welcome.

"However, with this extra responsibility, I will not have the same time to devote to every aspect of my life and work in Ferns. I am very confident, though, that we have good strong systems in place in Ferns, a wonderful body of clergy, hardworking diocesan staff and no shortage of people willing to step up to the mark when called upon," he said.

Bishop Coll thanked the people of Ossory.

"On a personal note, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to you, clergy and Religious, for your faithful service - most of you over several decades - to the People of God in Ossory. I also wish to thank you, the lay faithful, who contribute so generously and in so many different ways to the life of faith in the parishes and pastoral areas, and who voluntarily serve on various diocesan committees and pastoral outreaches.

"I wish to offer Bishop Ger my warm congratulations and best wishes as he undertakes his additional responsibility as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ossory. I am greatly heartened by this news and am confident that Bishop Ger will bring a wealth of pastoral, personal and episcopal experience to the diocese," he said.

Bishop Nash was appointed as Bishop of Ferns in 2021.

The Diocese of Ossory has a Catholic population of 83,595. The diocese comprises 42 parishes, 35 priests in active ministry, and covers the areas of most of Co Kilkenny, south Laois and one in Offaly.

An Apostolic Administrator is appointed to temporarily govern a diocese when warranted by special circumstances. The Apostolic Administrator governs in the name of the Holy Father.
Pilot 5G network launched in Borodianka, with plans to roll it out later in Kharkiv, Odesa and Kyiv  ministry

A pilot 5G communication network was launched in the city of Borodianka near Kyiv, further plans are to expand the technology in Kharkiv, and later in Odesa and Kyiv, the Ministry of Digital Transformation said in a statement.

A pilot 5G project has been launched in Borodianka, Ukraines Ministry of Digital Transformation said Wednesday. The pilot will allow testing the technology using restored telecommunications infrastructure and prepare the network for nationwide rollout after martial law ends, the ministry said in a press release.

The ministry noted that Borodianka is the second city after Lviv to host a 5G pilot. The project will initially cover the citys central district, while separate 5G zones may be deployed at the request of businesses, it added.

As previously reported, 5G services from all three Ukrainian mobile operators began operating in test mode in central Lviv on January 12. The technology was expected to be introduced in Borodianka later that month and in Kharkiv in February.

Vodafone Ukraine, the countrys second-largest mobile operator, said 44,000 subscribers joined the 5G network in the pilot zone in central Lviv within the first 12 hours.

Kyivstar, Ukraines largest mobile operator, told Interfax-Ukraine that more than 26,000 subscribers used faster internet via 5G during the first 24 hours after launch.

Lifecell, the third-largest operator, said that within the first 12 hours, 63% of subscribers who were in the coverage area and had compatible devices tested the new technology.
Ice And Police Must Use Non-Lethal Force

By Joel D. Joseph, author, Black Mondays: Worst Decisions of the Supreme Court

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar said that two out of three Minneapolis January, 2026 homicides were committed by Federal Agents. These two civilian victims were American citizens who did not pose a threat to ICE officers. Alex Pretti and Renee Good, victims of the ICE violence in Minneapolis, were both 37 years old and in the prime of their lives. Pretti and Good were brutally murdered by ICE without any justification. Neither Pretti nor Good posed any threat to law enforcement officers.

The police and ICE have a problem with killing too many citizens. They kill far too many Black men. They also kill far too many white men and Hispanic men. And they kill too many women. Some cops may be racist, but most of them are just too quick to use deadly force, becoming judge, jury and executioner all at the same time.

According to the Police Violence Report, more than 1,200 civilians have been killed by police in the United States every year for the past four years. This averages more than three police-caused homicides per day every day for the past four years.

In 2025, by contrast, police killings in Europe remained significantly lower than those in the United States with about 80-90 fatalities across the entire European Union and the United Kingdom (Belgium, 5, Finland, 1, Germany 11, France, 37, Luxembourg, 1, Netherlands, 24 , Norway, 1, Portugal, 1, U.K., 3, Poland, 2, Sweden , 1, Switzerland, 0). World Population Review, 2026. The population of Europe, excluding Russia and the Ukraine is more than 500 million, 50 percent more than the population of the United States.

Non-Lethal Weapons

Nonlethal or "less-lethal" force refers to weapons and tactics designed to incapacitate individuals or equipment while minimizing fatalities, permanent injuries, and property damage. These options, such as pepper spray, Tasers, and rubber bullets, are used by law enforcement to control suspects or crowds, offering an alternative to deadly force.

While intended to be non-deadly, improper use or underlying health issues can result in severe outcomes, including death. Nonlethal tools are part of a broader "intermediate force" capability aimed at providing options that are more than verbal commands but less than lethal force.

In 2018, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) encouraged the establishment of protocols "for the training and use of non-lethal weapons, bearing in mind that even less-lethal weapons can result in risk to life." (UNHRC, 2018, para. 15).

Principle 2 of the 1990 Basic Principles calls on governments and law enforcement agencies to "develop a range of means as broad as possible and equip law enforcement officials with various types of weapons and ammunition that would allow for a differentiated use of force and firearms."

Guns in the Hands of Civilians

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By Paul J. Hetznecker, Esquire

As we celebrate 250 years of democracy our system is threatened by a storm cloud of fascism that has formed over our political landscape. In cities throughout the country, notably Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and more recently in Minneapolis, the Trump Administration has unleashed its federal shock troops and ICE agents as the frontline assault on the First Amendment.

Criminalizing dissent has long been the playbook utilized by tyrannical rulers to undermine democracy. While the military occupation of major cities is the most serious threat to our freedom in decades, this strategy has been utilized throughout history by governments in an attempt to silence opposition by falsely labeling those engaged in peaceful protests as "criminals" and "terrorists."

For more than three decades I have been honored to represent hundreds of courageous individuals wrongly accused of crimes for simply exercising their First Amendment rights. From mushroom workers arrested during a campaign to unionize, death penalty abolitionists arrested for protesting in front of the courthouse, to the Republican National Convention protesters in 2000, anti-war protesters protesting the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2005-2009, Occupy protesters in 2011,Democratic National Convention protesters in 2016, the George Floyd/Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020, and dozens of others in between, my clients preserved democracy through peaceful protest. The lesson from all of these cases is that our democracy is protected through peaceful resistance. As my colleagues and I educated judges and juries regarding the intersection between the protections of First Amendment rights and the power of the government to restrict liberty, the challenge now is to educate the public that a coordinated national response through peaceful protests is precisely what is needed in this crucial moment in our nation's history.

A key strategy in Trump's totalitarian scheme includes what we have witnessed over the past nine months. First, send the troops and goon squads into Democratically controlled cities, then initiate violence against peaceful protesters, including the killing of peaceful protesters, label peaceful protesters criminals and terrorists, arrest and intern opponents, declare martial law and finally, suspend the constitution and mid-term elections. The response to combat this authoritarian recipe and preserve democracy is multi-faceted, but it starts with resistance in the form of free speech and peaceful protests, the touchstone of our democracy for 250 years.

Under our constitutional system, the right to protest has been the pathway to social and political change. However, this right does not automatically leap from a two-century old scroll into our body politic, into our consciousness, and become law. Rather, resistance to authoritarianism begins with protests, actions by those imbued with the spirit to challenge and speak truth to power. History proves it is resistance on the streets that eventually moves institutions, sometimes at a glacial pace, to change, from the ground up and not from the top down.

During the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 60's, activists marched, organized sit-ins, boycotts and protests against the institutions perpetuating a system of racist oppression. Along with non-violent civil disobedience, peaceful protests, protected by the First Amendment, defined the movement for racial justice. As Martin Luther King stated "If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they haven't committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right." The right to dissent, the "right to protest for right," has always been the pathway of our democratic journey.

Inevitably the battle to define our collective freedom, the historic struggle between the affirmation of rights and the denial of rights moves from the street to the courtroom. Last September a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled that the military occupation of Lost Angeles ordered by Trump was illegal. Earlier this month a federal judge in Minneapolis granted an injunction barring ICE and federal authorities from arresting peaceful protesters exercising their First Amendment rights.

Educating judges and juries in these cases regarding First Amendment protections was the goal in most of the protest cases that I have litigated over the years. Marching in the street, blocking traffic, continuing to protest in response to an illegal order to disperse, demonstrating in a corporate space used for a public purpose, all were deemed protected by the First Amendment once the judges and/or juries were educated about the scope, importance and necessity of peaceful protest protected by the First Amendment. However, we cannot look to the courts as the sole refuge to preserve our rights. Throughout our 250 years rights were secured through resistance in the form of peaceful protests, even in the face of state sponsored violence. Lawyers as social engineers can support the effort to preserve for democracy but it is the courageous actions of peaceful protesters that have always led the way to preserve our democracy.

Now is the time to celebrate the millions of voices that have echoed in the streets and down through our history, over and over again breathing life into the words inscribed on the scroll that defines our freedom, "Congress shall make no law"abridging the freedom of speech"or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances." U.S. Constitution, Amendment I.

Political participation does not begin and end at the ballot box. If voting is the measure of our democracy, political protest is democracy's lifeblood. The Trump Administration's effort to undermine free speech through a military occupation, the testing ground for martial law, must be met with resistance in the form of peaceful protests on the street, supported by accurate reporting in the press and legal challenges in the courtroom. The protests flourishing in Minneapolis and throughout this country against the police state tactics by ICE agents brings life to the First Amendment as the voice of dissent is the enduring legacy of our democracy.

Paul J. Hetznecker is a criminal defense/civil rights lawyer in Philadelphia. He teaches in the Criminal Justice Department of Arcadia University. As part of his practice Mr. Hetznecker has represented hundreds of protesters pro bono for almost forty years.
Florida - August 16, 2025 - Global recognition continues to grow for EV Electra, as the company has been named one of the Top Business 
Spotbeam, an AI-first local growth companion for small and medium businesses, has launched publicly with a mission to give India's 64 million MSMEs an AI 
The mother and daughter who ran a Tigard adult foster care home on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to a new 12-count indictment charging each with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and forced labor.

Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 67, and her daughter, Yolandita Marie Andre, 31, remain out of custody pending trial.

Prosecutors allege Valmont and Andre lured three Haitian relatives -- two adults and one teenager -- to the United States and then forced them to work 17 hours a day in the home for $2 a day. The relatives had to sleep on the living room floor and were threatened with deportation if they complained, prosecutors said.

Valmont also is accused of taking the immigration paperwork of the compelled caregivers and controlling nearly every aspect of their daily lives. Prosecutors said the three continued working under threats of serious harm until the teenager disclosed their situation to a medical professional in the summer of 2024. The Oregon Department of Justice then began an investigation.

Their defense lawyers disputed the allegations, saying the relatives were younger and simply didnt want to work.

The home was licensed by the state in December 2022 and has since been shut down. Its most egregious violation occurred on Sept. 21, 2023, according to state records. A patient suffered a pelvic fracture, bruises and a sore on their left elbow after being forced to take a shower, according to the records.

Andre, a registered nurse, allegedly neglected the patient, who suffered from dementia and needed help bathing and was at risk of falling, according to the state compliance reports.

The home was repeatedly understaffed, didnt keep medications locked up and harmed at least one patient who required hospital care, according to the compliance records.

The homes owners and operators, meanwhile, received what the state called exceptional rate payments, with a higher Medicaid reimbursement rate for two of its four patients who needed around-the-clock care.

The state Department of Human Services in fall 2023 restricted new admissions of patients without prior approval and urged the home to hire a nursing consultant, but didnt issue an emergency suspension of the homes license until a day before the arrests of the owners last fall.

The mother and daughter appeared separately Tuesday afternoon with their lawyers before U.S. Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You.

A 10-day trial is set for May 11 before U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson in Portland.
A Gresham man accused of being a prolific and determined trailer thief in Oregon and Washington is back in custody after he allegedly made off with multiple trailers while wearing a GPS monitor.

Nickolas Alexander Edwards, 34, faces allegations of first-degree theft, unauthorized use of a stolen vehicle and possession of a stolen vehicle for crimes he allegedly committed in October and November.

He also faces charges of first-degree theft, unauthorized use of a vehicle, reckless driving and fleeing police in two other open cases in Multnomah County.

A probable cause affidavit filed by prosecutors alleges that Clark County Sheriffs Office investigators have linked Edwards to dozens of trailer thefts in 2023 and 2024 with a combined loss of almost $200,000. Multnomah County prosecutors filed charges against him in April 2025 for alleged thefts in Oregon.

Edwards was fitted with a court-ordered ankle monitor while on pre-trial release in 2024, according to Clark County court records, but officials say the tracker did little to slow him down. On March 28, 2025, prosecutors indicted him on allegations of stealing a trailer while wearing the ankle monitor.

And on Aug. 28, Marion County prosecutors also indicted him on charges of theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle a day before he pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of a vehicle in a separate case there.

Court records show he received 18 months of probation after the guilty plea in August. The newest Marion County case is still pending.

Multnomah County District Attorneys investigators started looking into Edwards on the newest allegation in late 2025, after he allegedly stole a Portland mans $6,000 utility trailer on Nov. 10, court records show.

Investigators identified Edwards as a possible suspect and retrieved his GPS tracking data  and found that he was at the scene of the trailer theft when it happened, prosecutors allege.

Detectives also found evidence that Edwards had stolen another $6,000 trailer in Portland in October, as well as another alleged theft in early November, court records show.

He listed many of the stolen trailers for sale online, and GPS data corroborated his location at both the scene of the alleged crimes and the places where he ultimately is believed to have sold them, court records say.

In one of the cases, Edwards sold a stolen trailer to someone in Beaverton  only to later steal it yet again, court records allege.

After more than a month of investigation, the Multnomah County District Attorneys Offices Auto Theft Task Force and Portland police found and arrested Edwards on Jan. 15.

His next court appearance is scheduled for March 9.
Sabrina Taylor didnt have the opportunity to know her father before his death.

When a 2024 apartment flood abruptly destroyed her saved memories, much of her progress into researching his life was halted. Taylor, a Portland State University student majoring in Black studies, said the loss forced her to start from scratch.

I was in the process of following the steps to figure out what happened, Taylor said.

Among her belongings, Taylor lost a hard drive with materials she was using to piece together her fathers story and a box of memorabilia with details from his life that ended when she was a young child. His story was littered with holes and hiccups, Taylor said, which made clues about her fathers migration, military history and life path difficult to decipher.

On Saturday, Taylor participated in a free archiving workshop, Portland in Black: Documenting Our Lives in the City of Roses, organized by the Portland City Auditors Archives and Dont Shoot PDX, a Portland-based activism and community-building organization. The free monthly workshops invite people to the Black Memory Lab in downtown Portland to learn archiving skills and uplift community stories, particularly within the underrepresented Black community.

Memory workers, city archivists and leaders from Dont Shoot PDX assisted attendees with any questions of projects during the workshop. Chiara Profenna

I would love to get back into archival work, Taylor said. Its just so scary because, do I really want to unpack this ancestral pain with the fear in the back of my mind that I might lose it again?

Supplied with more knowledge on how to conduct research and an archival starter kit, Taylor said her passion for documenting Black history was reinvigorated. The kit, which included best practices for preserving photos, documents, scrapbooks, art and textiles, was a free resource attendees could take home to reference.

Im not the only one here trying to build an archive and make sure that it gets kept into history, Taylor said. It feels less alienating and alone.

Free archiving kits with best practices for documenting different materials were offered to visitors. Chiara Profenna

Held in Dont Shoot PDXs office space, the event featured records management, scanning and printing stations, along with an oral history booth and listening stations. A reference library also gave visitors the opportunity to explore Black literature, rare and historical materials  including a book signed by The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

In our Memory Lab, we get to document our memories of joy and happiness and family and culture and heritage, said Teressa Raiford, executive director and founder of Dont Shoot PDX. That is meant to inspire our children to be helpful and faithful in their future, and not to be feeling like second class citizens.

The workshops also doubled as a community building opportunity, allowing visitors to collaborate on projects and discuss their work with one another. Robin Franklin, a leader from Hughes Memorial United Methodist Church, attended the event with hopes to build an archive for the Northeast Portland church.

Our church has been in the heart of the Black community for a while, Franklin said. And we need to preserve our story. Were in the process of cleaning out some space, and we found some old records. Hopefully the archivists can help us preserve those records because we stand on the shoulders of people that went before and really made big sacrifices.

City archivists assist attendees with preserving different types of documents. Chiara Profenna

Memory workers, city archivists and leaders from Dont Shoot PDX attended, assisting with research and archival education or helping attendees use the oral history booth set up in the space, which was the featured theme for the January workshop.

Were looking to teach people when there arent documents or photographs that speak to a certain part of history or that tell certain stories, a way to create a document of that history is through an oral history recording, said Madeline Moya, city archivist for the City of Portland.

Other attendees learned how to scan documents for safekeeping. Demetria Hester, a Portland-based activist, recently returned after spending a year and a half in Accra, Ghana.

I want to archive some of the things and some of the material that I got from Ghana in order to put in my story, said Hester, who is working on a personal book about her life and travels. Im a grandmother, so I want to leave this future of how you can grow by going to different places. You can see different things of life, and different genres of life, and experience going back to Africa, where were from.

Hester brought residency documents, receipts, letters and other important records, with plans to bring more materials in the future and continue documenting her travels.

Its up to us to tell the real stories, Hester said, because everything is getting erased. Its important for our future to know what we went through, what were going through, what we can get through.

Subsequent workshops will be held every fourth Saturday through the end of November, with new themes offered for each event.

The next workshop will be Feb. 28 at The Black Memory Lab, 510 S.W. Third Ave., Suite 400; free with registration through eventbrite.com, search Portland in Black. portland.gov/auditor/archives/events.

The Oregonian/OregonLive receives support from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to bring readers stories on religion, faith and cultural connections in Oregon. The Oregonian/OregonLive is solely responsible for all content.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

Statements by Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov about alleged "street fighting" and a "cleansing operation" in the village of Kutkivka in Kupyansk district of Kharkiv region are untrue, the 16th Army Corps stated.

"The village of Kutkivka, located in the area of responsibility of the 16th Army Corps, is under the full control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. No losses of positions have been recorded," the corps said in a Telegram post.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces noted that the enemy is attempting infiltration in small groups, but these actions are being promptly identified and stopped.

"Units of the 151st Separate Mechanized Brigade are effectively destroying enemy groups on the approaches to populated areas or while they are hiding in destroyed buildings," the military added.

As the 16th Army Corps noted, information about the "capture" of Kutkivka "is another element of the enemys information and psychological operations and has nothing to do with the real situation."
WASHINGTON  Two federal officers fired shots during the encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday.

Officers tried to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to a struggle, according to a notification to Congress obtained by The Associated Press. During the struggle, a Border Patrol agent yelled, Hes got a gun! multiple times, the official said.

A Border Patrol officer and a CBP officer each fired Glock pistols, the notice said.

Investigators from CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the notice said. The law requires the agency to inform relevant congressional committees about deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours.

The notification came a day after President Donald Trump ordered border czar Tom Homan to take over his administrations immigration crackdown in Minnesota following Prettis death, which was the second fatal shooting this month of a person at the hands of immigration law enforcement.

Trump said in an interview broadcast Tuesday that he had great calls with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Monday, mirroring comments he made immediately after the calls.

As he left the White House, the president was asked whether Alex Prettis killing on Saturday was justified. He responded by saying that a big investigation was underway. In the hours after Prettis death, some administration officials sought to blame the shooting on the 37-year-old intensive care nurse.

The seemingly softer tone emerged as immigration agents were still active across the Twin Cities region, and it was unclear if officials had changed tactics following the shift by the White House.

BCA officers stand on the scene where Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer yesterday, in Minneapolis, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) AP

Walzs office said Tuesday that the Democratic governor met with Homan and called for impartial investigations into the shootings involving federal officers. They agreed on the need to continue to talk, according to the governor.

Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara said they also met with Homan and had a productive conversation. The mayor added that city leaders would stay in discussion with the border czar.

The White House had tried to blame Democratic leaders for the protests of immigration raids. But after the killing of Pretti and videos suggesting he was not an active threat, the administration tapped Homan to take charge of the Minnesota operation from Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino.

The streets appeared largely quiet in many south Minneapolis neighborhoods where unmarked convoys of immigration agents have been sighted regularly in recent weeks, including the neighborhoods where the two deaths occurred. But Associated Press staff saw carloads of agents in northeast Minneapolis, as well as the northern suburb of Little Canada.

Also Tuesday, federal immigration authorities released an Ecuadorian man whose detention led the chief federal judge in Minnesota to order the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear in his courtroom, the mans attorney said.

Attorney Graham Ojala-Barbour said the man, who is identified in court documents as Juan T.R., was released in Texas. The lawyer said in an email to The Associated Press that he was notified in an email from the U.S. attorneys office in Minneapolis that his client had been freed.

In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz expressed frustration with the Trump administrations handling of Juans and other immigration cases. He took the extraordinary step of ordering Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, to personally appear in his courtroom Friday.

Schiltz had said in his order that he would cancel Lyons appearance if the man was released from custody.

This Court has been extremely patient with respondents, even though respondents decided to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to detain aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result, he wrote.

Schiltzs order followed a federal court hearing Monday on a request by the state and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul for a judge to halt the immigration enforcement surge. The judge in that case said she would prioritize the ruling but did not give a timeline for a decision.

Schiltz wrote that he recognizes ordering the head of a federal agency to appear personally is extraordinary. But the extent of ICEs violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed, he said.

The Associated Press left messages Tuesday with ICE and a DHS spokesperson seeking a response.

--By Seung Min Kim, Mike Catalini and Steve Karnowski/The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS -- A North Minneapolis woman taking in a sudden influx of stray animals in crisis needed help, especially after a rescued dog in her care unexpectedly gave birth to a litter of puppies.

A small rescue already at capacity referred the case to Jeanne Weigum of Pooches United with People (PUP), who called the woman to get more information.

The first words out of her mouth were, Im Hispanic, said Weigum of the St. Paul-based nonprofit. She basically indicated that she had taken in all these dogs and cats of people who were being disappeared from the ICE activity. She said people are going away and theyre just putting their dogs and cats outdoors, hoping somebody will take care of them. She said she was working with a young man who was helping catch these dogs and cats and bringing them to her. She told me shed already rehomed seven dogs.

Even though Weigum was aware of the heavy presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the Twin Cities for Operation Metro Surge, it was still startling to hear about these particular ripple effects.

Even though I work with dogs, this was brand new to me and Im embarrassed to say I had never even thought of it, Weigum said.

This crisis is different from past pet crises, Weigum says.

Because of Katrina, when there was such a catastrophe with animals, the whole animal rescue community figured out how to deal with these big crises, said Weigum of the 2005 hurricane. So if its a hurricane or if theres something like that, like floods, the big rescue organizations are set up now to deal with those issues, but this is a rolling crisis. Its clearly a rolling crisis in our community.

For pets and their people, its also a quieter kind of crisis, one that some organizations and rescuers are still realizing.

The fact that nobody had talked to me about it, that I hadnt thought about it, suggests to me that this is a crisis that we havent even defined yet as a crisis, Weigum said recently. Once you define something as a crisis, you start figuring out what to do about it. Im not sure anybodys even doing that yet.

A dog in a car

In an interview with Michael Barbaro of The Daily, a New York Times podcast, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara was asked about how ICE operations were impacting policing in the city.

That impact included the story of a dog in a car.

So weve just gotten a pretty dramatic increase in 911 calls from people in the community related to a lot of the street enforcement thats happening, OHara said in the interview that aired on Jan. 12. And its things like: People are being arrested, and their cars are left  sometimes left in the roadway, sometimes blocking the street, and in one case left when it wasnt even placed in park and was rolling down the road. We had another time where there was a dog in the car, and they left the dog in the car.

But, in terms of the numbers of dogs and cats in the animal control system, it doesnt appear to be a significant issue yet.

MACC (Minneapolis Animal Care & Control) hasnt seen a real uptick, said a spokesperson for the city of Minneapolis. Just a few animals.

Its the same in St. Paul.

We have the same year-to-date number of impounded animals as we did this time last year, said a spokesperson with the city of St. Paul.

The Animal Humane Society, the largest animal welfare organization in the Upper Midwest, concurs.

We have had less than a handful of calls that we know of over the last couple of weeks related to ICE, said a spokesperson last week. We take about 1,000-plus calls a month, so three calls in two weeks isnt huge. These folks were surrendering because they were either leaving the country or state, or in one instance the owner was deported and a co-worker had their dog and was surrendering to us.

But if this situation is impacting pets, some local rescue groups say, in addition to potential language barriers, people might not feel comfortable saying why they are surrendering their animals  and, anecdotally, they are turning for help within their own circle, if they have time to turn to anyone at all.

Lafond, a rescue dog, checks out a selection of bones on a grooming visit to Pet Evolution St. Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. TNS

(At press time, the Pioneer Press was waiting to hear back from U.S. Department of Homeland Security representatives on how they handle pets if detaining people locally.)

But, across all rescues interviewed, its clear that pet owners currently in fear of being detained or deported are needing places or people to take their pets in an emergency and they need help now getting supplies like pet food and cat litter while they hunker down at home during this surge.

Feline Rescue

Across St. Paul at Feline Rescue, the kennels are full and the inquiries are incoming.

We have seen an uptick of cats left at our door, said Traia Thiel, cat support services manager of the St. Paul-based nonprofit. I cant say its ICE-related, but it feels correlated. They are usually in carriers. I commend them for leaving them in a place that all but guarantees cats end up safe, but its cold.

Sometimes, the rescue does know more about the pets stories due to the inquiries they receive.

One type is folks who are reaching out on behalf of their neighbors who have had to go into hiding, and so theyve left their cats with their neighbors who are then trying to rehome the cats for them, Thiel said.

Another recent call came in for help from people also in hiding while dealing with a deported family members two litters of kittens.

Theyre suddenly trying to feed all these kittens and they havent been able to leave the house to get food and supplies, Thiel said.

Feline Rescue is doing what it can to help, despite a full house from taking in cats from an unrelated hoarding situation as well as the current atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.

Our adoption rates have dropped over the last two weeks, Thiel said. Its cold, people are scared to come in and maybe it feels like not a good time to make a permanent decision for your family  but we are trying to reserve intake slots for anyone directly affected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Pet Haven

The staff at Pet Haven  a foster-based animal rescue with a facility on Minnehaha Avenue in St. Paul  are also seeing people and pets in crisis right now.

Weve taken in about 18 animals that have been directly affected by ICE operations, said Kerry DAmato, executive director. I cry more often these days than I ever have. Our facility is in the heart of one of Minnesotas oldest historical immigrant neighborhoods, Frogtown. We are under attack. Our neighbors are scared. Fosters afraid to leave their house to come get supplies. We are all suffering.

In some cases, its not clear why the pets were separated from their owners  like Otto. The dog was found in an abandoned vehicle that was towed to an impound lot. It took a long time, possibly a month, before anyone discovered the dog and brought him to Pet Haven.

We have him, DAmato said. He somehow survived.

There are other cases where the pets stories are definitely related to Operation Metro Surge.

On Friday, we took in six dogs from three different families, all affected by ICE, DAmato said. The immigrant community is very tight and they support each other. There is a community member, in the Latin community, this person became the drop-off point for people who were taken or fearing being taken or leaving, so this person took all these animals and contacted someone who knew us.

Three days before, we also took in two cats from a mobile home park that belonged to a husband and wife taken by ICE, she said.

People are coming to Pet Haven, DAmato says, because they know it really is a haven.

We have whistles at our front door, we have a sign that says ICE is not welcome; people know its a safe space, she said.

The Bond Between

The ordinary tasks of going to the store to purchase food for your pet or taking them on a walk are not something everyone feels comfortable doing right now in the Twin Cities.

This is something that Rachel Mairose, executive director of the Bond Between, is learning.

Somebody that I ran into yesterday was crying because she hadnt walked her dog in a month because she was too scared to go outside, Mairose said. She said, What kind of world is this where I cant even walk my dog? Thats just heartbreaking to hear.

The Bond Between wants to help.

Were hoping to be a resource for people who are potentially going to be displaced, Mairose said.

The nonprofit encourages pet owners to have a plan in place for their pets as Operation Metro Surge continues.

Everybodys talking about the human side of it, but pets are also impacted by all of this, Mairose said.

The nonprofit, which has locations in Minneapolis and Minnetonka, is letting the community know they are open to both surrenders and respite care for pets in this crisis. The organization also has a food shelf.

The help is needed.

Right now, its friends or family members of people who have been detained or are deported and they have custody of the animal, so theyre the ones reaching out to us, Mairose said.

This is how the organization came to know a Mastiff-Cane Corso mix named Chapo who is in need of a foster home.

His dad was taken, Mairose said. A friend is taking care of him, but cant long term, and this is not something he expected to happen  thats his family member and its horrible to feel helpless after you have been detained.

Its not the organizations only pet in crisis.

We have another family where the father is getting deported to Venezuela and his wife and daughter are going to follow him because they want to stay together, but they have a little dog they cant take, she said. These are the situations that are heartbreaking right now  the animal is confused and its just another layer of stress for that family that is already going through a hard time. And so, were just doing what we can to get resources to families.

To learn about those resources as well as fostering/donating, go to thebondbetween.org.

Good Samaritans

The Minneapolis woman who is taking in displaced animals spoke to the Pioneer Press recently about the situation from her home in Minneapolis, on the phone and with a rescued cat sitting on her chest while she talked.

The Pioneer Press is not naming the woman at her request; she has security concerns.

While she lives in Minneapolis now, the displaced animals in her care come from a suburban mobile home community where she says she used to live; she still is in contact with some neighbors, including a young good Samaritan rescuing animals there as people scramble in the face of ICEs presence.

He was asking me to take this animal or that animal, and I asked, What is going on? she said. Thats when he said that people are just opening doors and letting pets out.

While she says she has not witnessed the situation herself, the young man paints a picture of a tense neighborhood: He told me about one guy coming back from getting groceries on his bike and they arrested him, she said.

Helping the pets of her former neighborhood feels natural; some of her first memories in Mexico involve trying to save chickens, she says.

I was born that way, she said. I have been protecting animals all my life.

That includes a young dog named Lafond and her six puppies.

Advice for pet owners

The Minneapolis woman with the dog and puppies had initially reached out to a different animal rescue organization in the metro. This small but established rescue asked PUP to help because they already had their hands full. They still do.

When contacted by the Pioneer Press earlier this month, the rescue had just taken in several dogs from someone who told them they had ICE knocking on their door. After initially giving an interview to the Pioneer Press, the organizations president later asked not to be named as they are busy with current requests for help from the community, including helping those with cats in need.

She did share some advice for all of us, though, citizens as well as people without legal status.

The biggest thing is to let people know: Dont take animals in your car if you are going for an errand, she said. Because you dont know if ICE is going to stop you, detain you and leave the animal in a running car. Only take the pets out if you are bringing them to a vet appointment.

Also, she said, if you believe you are at risk of detainment, leave a piece of paper somewhere prominently in your home with emergency contacts for people or organizations who can help your pets.

Because, like this mom with puppies, she said, its typically your neighbors watching out for you.

Saying goodbye to Master Shifu

The young woman arrived at Feline Rescue with red eyes, her cat in a carrier.

It was time to say goodbye to Master Shifu.

Im originally from Canada and I have the privilege of being white in this country right now, but I just feel sick that my tax dollars are going toward what they are right now  its just so scary, said the woman, a dual citizen who asked not to be identified out of security concerns. And so me and my family talked about it and we were like, We have to go back.

Master Shifu, however, is staying here.

My partners in Canada and theyre very allergic to cats, she said.

Because no one she knew here could take in her cat, she was surrendering Master Shifu to Feline Rescue, who will find a new home for the young tuxedo.

I looked into this rescue and Im very hopeful because it seems like there are a lot of great people who work here, she said.

Thiel is one of those people. On Friday, she walked the woman through the paperwork, handed her a box of tissues and gave her time to privately say goodbye to Master Shifu as he settled into the kennel where he would be temporarily housed.

Im sorry, the woman said to her cat. I love you.
Writing an accurate and understandable ballot title in just 15 words is a challenge, but its something newspaper editors do every day in headlines and descriptions. It is no surprise why some are shaking their heads over the attorney generals approved title for the initiative petition to create an open primary for elections in Oregon (Hit with criticism, Oregon attorney general largely stands by ballot explanations critics derided as biased, egregious, inaccurate, Jan. 16) . The AGs wordsmiths offered the following:

Amends Constitution: Changes general election nomination processes for most partisan offices: single primary ballot; top two advance.

In this title, the word changes is worthless. Of course, it changes something or it wouldnt be on the ballot. What are nomination processes for heavens sake? Simply saying that partisan offices will now have a single primary ballot would lead many to believe that only Republicans and Democrats will now be on the same primary ballot. It gives no indication that over one million voters who are unaffiliated with either the Ds or the Rs now get to join in the election.

KIS. Keep It Simple. It really isnt that difficult.

Amends Constitution: Opens general election nomination primary for most partisan offices to all unaffiliated voters.

Even have two words to spare.

Rick Metsger, Salem

Metsger served in the Oregon Senate from 1999-2011.
Gov. Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown are condemning President Donald Trumps aggressive immigration crackdown in Minnesota and say theyre preparing legal options to fight back if a similar operation ramps up in Washington.

At a news conference Monday morning, Ferguson said state officials cannot stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement from operating here.

But he denounced ICEs tactics  including masked agents snatching people off the streets and breaking into homes without judicial warrants  as deeply un-American" and most certainly unconstitutional.

Ferguson and Brown warned that theyll be ready to file lawsuits and take other actions to hold the Trump administration  and individual ICE agents  accountable if they violate the rights of people in Washington state.

The news conference at the state Capitol had been scheduled before the weekend killing in Minneapolis of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old man who was shot to death by federal immigration agents.

Ferguson and Brown said Prettis death, and the dishonest response to it by Trump and his allies, reinforces how dire a spot the country is in.

The recent events in Minnesota have taken this un-American activity to an entirely different level, Ferguson said. Now, they are killing Americans for holding a camera. ICE is, to be blunt, completely and totally out of control.

Brown said Trumps deportation actions in Minnesota have only made that state less safe.

America is weaker because of the operations in Minnesota, and real people all across this country are now traumatized, injured and dead because of this presidents fascist tendencies, Brown said.

What were seeing right now coming from Washington, D.C., is motivated by hate and bias, and its guided by the whims of the president, not the facts, not the courts, and certainly not the United States Constitution, he said.

King County and the City of Seattle on Monday signed on in support of Minnesotas lawsuit seeking to halt the massive deployment of immigration agents to the state. Minnesota, in a court hearing Monday morning, argued that the enforcement was a campaign of retribution and asked a judge to stop the federal operation.

In an amicus brief joined by dozens of cities and local governments, Seattle and King County wrote that ICEs surge in Minnesota amounted to a military occupation of the Twin Cities.

They argued ICEs actions exceed the authority granted by the Constitution, which reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states.

The presence of militarized, unidentifiable agents is not making our communities safer, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay said, and is instead creating chaos and distrust.

While Ferguson said he had no new information about any Minnesota-like ICE escalation in Washington, he outlined several steps, some that had already been announced, that his office is pursuing to hold ICE accountable.

He urged state lawmakers to quickly pass a bill that would prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing masks. He said hes adding the head of the states office of immigration assistance to his cabinet meetings and has hired a senior immigration policy adviser.

Ferguson also said he met with Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, the head of the Washington National Guard, about options for deploying the guard as a buffer between federal agents and protesters in the event of a federal ICE escalation here.

He and Brown also rebuked Trump and top administration officials for lying about the Pretti shooting.

Ferguson said he supports people who are tracking ICE activities, pointing to videos that have contradicted the administrations claims about the Minnesota shooting. He said footage shot by observers is deeply helpful in the face of the lies that came from federal officials.

Pretti was armed with a pistol, for which he had a legal permit, but video shows he was holding a phone when confronted by agents, who wrestled him to the ground, removed the gun from his hip, and then shot him several times.

His death spurred renewed national protests, including in Seattle, where hundreds took to the streets on Saturday.

Pretti was the second person to be killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis in recent weeks amid major protests over an aggressive immigration crackdown carried out by masked agents.

Renee Good, an unarmed 37-year-old woman, was killed on Jan. 7 as she attempted to drive away from agents in her Honda Pilot.

Trump administration officials have defended the shootings and reportedly moved to block independent investigations into the deaths, asserting that federal agents have broad legal immunity. Theyve also blamed the killings on protesters and on Democratic leaders in Minnesota and nationally.

On Sunday, Trump doubled down on his deportation tactics, demanding that Democratic-led states cooperate with the federal government to enforce our nations laws, rather than resist and stoke the flames of division, chaos and violence.

Ferguson and Brown had initially scheduled Mondays news conference to respond in large part to a leaked ICE memo that claims its agents do not have to wait for a signed judicial warrant before busting into peoples houses.

Federal immigration officers have asserted they have the power to forcibly enter homes without a judges warrant, The Associated Press reported last week, citing an internal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement memo.

The stance is a sharp reversal from longstanding guidance meant to respect the constitutional rights of people during government searches.

The memo says ICE officers can use force, such as breaking down doors, to enter a residence based solely on narrower administrative warrants to arrest someone with a final order of removal.

-- Jim Brunner, The Seattle Times

Seattle Times staff reporter David Gutman contributed to this report.

 2026 The Seattle Times. Visit www.seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Two Portland city councilors released a letter Tuesday demanding that Mayor Keith Wilson take stronger action to enforce land use and nuisance rules at the South Portland U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. The letter calls out federal agents for using tear gas on protesters on Saturday  which councilors say violates a new city code.

The South Waterfront facility has been the site of controversy and demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement action for months. Protests ramped up again last weekend after Border Patrol agents killed a second U.S. citizen in Minnesota. The Oregonian/OregonLive saw federal officers use chemical munitions on protesters at least five times on Saturday alone.

Councilors Angelita Morillo and Mitch Green on Tuesday spelled out an urgent call for the mayor to more assertively enforce city codes to confront the federal officials they say have been terrorizing the neighborhood in South Portland.

Portlanders are demanding that we take action to protect our communities from our authoritarian federal government, they wrote. We must act urgently with every tool we have.

As of Jan. 2, it is a violation of city code for a landlord to allow their tenants to deploy tear gas in a neighborhood, the councilors wrote. Thats because a new nuisance provision that Morillo and Green sponsored prohibits detention center landlords from allowing chemical agents or other environmental hazards that originate from the building or its occupants to adversely affect public rights of way or adjacent properties.

In a statement Tuesday, city spokesperson Cody Bowman said Portland leaders are still working to develop the enforcement framework for new city policy and remain committed to protecting community safety and ensuring accountability.

Separately, the city found the ICE facility in violation of its land use approval last fall because it had held people in detention longer than 12 hours, as prohibitied by the agreement. Morillo and Green urged city leaders to act on violations and issue warnings or fines.

The buildings owner has asked for an administrative review of the violation findings, and the matter is now making its way through an appeal process.

Wilson in a statement last week said he agreed with people saying loud and clear that our public safety is undermined by the actions taken by federal agents, and called for patience with the land use process

Any attempt to unilaterally revoke the conditional land use approval would surely be challenged, Wilson said in the Jan. 21 statement. We cannot allow hasty action to prevent us from taking meaningful action.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the correct day Portland spokesperson Cody Bowman emailed a statement. It was Tuesday.

Shane Dixon Kavanaugh contributed to this report.

This story was updated at 11 a.m. on Jan. 28 to include a statement from Portland spokesperson Cody Bowman.
Multnomah Countys former Preschool for All director who resigned under a cloud of controversy over the summer is poised to sue the county for alleged discrimination and retaliation leading up to her departure.

Leslee Barnes, who is Black, accused the county of treating her differently than white male managers and alleged that officials disparaged her in remarks to the media, among other things, in a Jan. 23 tort claim notice obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

As a result of Multnomah Countys discriminatory, retaliatory, and defamatory conduct, Ms. Barnes experienced irreparable economic harm and emotional distress, attorney Monica Goracke wrote in the document. She lost her employment and future earnings, and she suffered damage to her professional reputation.

The six-page claim gives a first account from Barnes of what she alleges happened behind closed doors in the weeks leading up to her resignation.

The county declined to comment on the potential lawsuit.

Barnes resigned July 31 following a state audit that determined a preschool she owns had a chronic problem enrolling fewer children than it was funded to serve through the states Preschool Promise initiative, first reported by Willamette Week. That program is separate from the countys own highly-scrutinized universal preschool initiative, which has come under fire many times over the years for the tax on high-income earners that funds it and a large savings account it has accumulated.

Before Barnes was hired in 2021 under former county Chair Deborah Kafoury, she disclosed she owned the preschool, Village Childcare, records show. She stepped down as the preschools executive director before taking on the county role, but did not disclose her ownership of the school as a potential conflict of interest in the years after she took the job, nor did the county explicitly press her to do so, records show.

Barnes told the county that she would take the job under the condition that she could retain ownership of Village Childcare, according to the tort claim. She told officials that the school would not seek any contracts with Preschool for All, and passed the management of the school to her children.

The state audit found that Village Childcare collected over $833,000 from the state between the 2020 and 2023 academic years, records show. That money was designated to fund 63 preschool seats, but the school only enrolled nine children, Willamette Week reported; Barnes told the news outlet that although enrollment was low at the preschool run by her family, the school still had to pay for staff and operating costs during the pandemic.

The audit itself did not accuse the preschool of wrongdoing. Rather, it focused on the actions of state managers who insisted on continuing to send money to programs that other state workers had flagged for chronic under enrollment. The Oregon Department of Justice said at the time that it was reviewing the audit report, but did not disclose the names of any preschool providers being investigated.

In the legal notice to the county, Barnes attributed many of the spending problems to the COVID-19 pandemic and documented issues with the state agency contracting with child care providers and the organizations responsible for outreach and enrollment.

Village Childcare had spent the state funding entirely in accordance with its state contract to keep its doors open and staffed at full capacity during the terrifying months of COVID lockdowns and chaos, her attorney wrote.

Two days after Willamette Weeks story, Barnes said she was pulled into a phone call with the county Department of Human Services Director Mohammad Bader and the former Chief Human Resources Officer Travis Brown, who resigned in October amid complaints about his workplace conduct. Barnes claims Bader and Brown told her that because she had not disclosed her ownership of Village Childcare, if she did not resign within two hours, she would be fired.

Barnes, who was making $164,832 a year in the role, said she reminded them both that she had disclosed her ownership, but that they told her she would still have to resign because of the scandal.

On the same day, Multnomah County commissioners Julia Brim-Edwards and Shannon Singleton called for Barnes to resign and for an outside investigation into the matter. Barnes claimed those statements were made without even the slightest attempt to investigate the facts, according to the document.

The countys handling of the matter, Barnes alleged, is in stark contrast to how it has handled other controversies involving white male employees of similar rank. Brown, the human resources officer, remained employed at the county for weeks before he resigned, although he was on medical leave for part of that time. The tort claim also pointed to Jessica Vega Pedersons previous chief of staff and former homeless response system director who resigned after a Willamette Week probe into allegations that he bullied female employees.

These examples reveal a pattern in which the county affords weeks or months to white male directors who are publicly accused of misconduct to leave on their own terms and refrains from bashing them in the media, Barnes attorney wrote. Leslee Barnes, a woman of color who committed no misconduct, received no such protection.

News of Barnes preschool woes surfaced after a gauntlet of political tension and attacks from Gov. Tina Kotek and the state Legislature threatened the preschool programs future in June. Barnes claimed that during that time, she was being cut from key conversations and meetings with the county chairs office, while a white employee who reported to her was being included.

Barnes had asked Bader, whom she reported to, for advice and help to be included in those meetings in the future, according to the document. Barnes alleged that Bader told her that people at the County were more comfortable talking to a white woman, and that he had experienced the same thing as a man of color and a Muslim. Bader did little to address the situation further, Barnes claimed.

Bader, who has been on medical leave since October, is set to retire Feb. 16.

The attorney wrote that Barnes began seeing a mental health provider and started to show serious physical symptoms due to the stress and demands of the job. Barnes said she took medical leave in July when the states audit on preschool promise dollars was released.

Multnomah County announced their pick for the next Preschool for All director earlier this month. Danisa McLean, who served as the interim executive director of early learning and director of childcare resources and referrals at Mt. Hood Community College, started Monday.

Barnes notice of her intent to sue and McLeans hiring come as Preschool for All is gearing up to make significant programmatic changes after a preliminary data analysis found it would need to serve far fewer children than originally planned, due to a decline in population forecasts. The program also sits on a savings account of roughly $610 million.
Someone vandalized the office of Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Monday morning, the week after she broke ranks with other Democrats to approve more funding for the Department of Homeland Security and days after she called for the leader of that department to resign.

Officers found red paint splattered on the front porch, sign and door of the Washington Democrats Vancouver district office, 1051 Officers Row, around 10:30 p.m. Monday, Vancouver Police spokesperson Kim Kapp said.

The vandal faces a potential charge of second-degree malicious mischief. No suspect has been identified so far, and officers have not determined a motive.

Gluesenkamp Perezs office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment about the incident.

[READ MORE: Why this Portland-area member of Congress says she doesnt give her kids toys]

Gluesenkamp Perez occupies an uncomfortable position  near the center  in a polarized political landscape. She voted in alignment with the Republican platform about 50% of the time in 2024, according to a political scorecard issued in October.

The vandalism came just two days after Gluesenkamp Perez called for U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to step down over the death of nurse Alexander Pretti, who was shot by federal agents while filming a protest in Minnesota.

Its unacceptable to have another needless death in Minnesota, and its unacceptable to have elected officials, candidates, and administration officials continue to throw gas on this fire, or tacitly encourage assaults on law enforcement and anyone else, Gluesenkamp Perez wrote in a statement.

Critics pointed out that Gluesenkamp Perez was one of only seven House Democrats to vote last week for a Department of Homeland Security spending bill which includes $10 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The House approved the overall spending bill, which now sits in the U.S. Senate. The bills prospects have dimmed after the shooting of Pretti, raising the possibility of another government shutdown.

Gluesenkamp Perez in a statement last week characterized it as a vote to keep the government open. She said that the Coast Guard and FEMA, both branches of the Homeland Security department, are important to her district.

Her district, Washingtons 3rd, swung for Trump in both 2020 and 2024, but Gluesenkamp Perez held on to her seat by about 16,000 votes last cycle.

With another election coming up, nonpartisan political analysts rank Gluesenkamp Perezs House seat as one of the nations most competitive.
Intel says it will put $1,000 in employees government-backed savings accounts for newborn children, matching the federal contribution to the so-called Trump Accounts.

Congress established the new savings accounts last summer, which are modeled on conventional IRAs (individual retirement accounts). Parents, friends, families or employers can contribute  and the government is kicking in $1,000 for children born from 2025 through 2028.

Intel, Oregons largest corporate employer, is among several companies that have pledged to match the government contribution. Others include the financial firms SoFi, Robinhood, Charles Schwab and Chime Financial. But no other major Oregon employer has announced made a similar pledge.

By matching the federal governments contribution, Intel is reinforcing our longstanding commitment to investing in our people and expanding the ways we support employees families as they prepare for the future, said Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan.

President Donald Trump negotiated an $8.9 billion government investment in Intel last summer, helping to stabilize the faltering chipmakers balance sheet. Intels sales last year hit their lowest point since 2013 as rivals took technological leadership and market share.

Intel has reacted to its declining fortunes by eliminating 30,000 jobs across the company in the past 18 months, including more than 6,000 Oregon jobs. It still has approximately 16,000 working in Washington County, Intels largest site.

The company has also cut several employee benefits, reducing retirement contributions, placing limits on its employee stock purchase program and scaling back its sabbatical program.

Intel said its undesired turnover rate  the share of employees who left Intel without being fired, laid off or bought out  was 7.9% last year. Thats up from 5.9% in 2024 and 5.6% in 2023.
Dont let the lack of snow in the mountains fool you  its still very much winter in Oregon.

But this weak winter cant last forever. Soon enough, as the planet continues to spin, it will be spring and then ... more weather.

But what weather? That depends on who you ask.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center, the northern half of the state is looking at equal chances of normal, warmer and colder temperatures from March through May (spring begins on Friday, March 20).

For those in the southern half of the state, March through May is leaning towards warmer than normal temperatures.

NOAA seasonal temperature outlook for March through May. Courtesy of NOAA

When it comes to precipitation, NOAAs outlook shows most of the state at equal chances of more, less or normal amounts of wet stuff from clouds over the period between March and May.

NOAA seasonal precipitation outlook for March through May. Courtesy of NOAA

The long-range forecast from The Old Farmers Almanac offers a slightly different picture.

According to the almanac, the western part of the state will be cool and dry, while the other half of the state will be cool and wet.

A slice of the state across the bottom, the map shows, will be warm and dry.

The Old Farmer's Almanac spring forecast for 2026. Almanac.com/Spring-Forecast

How much stock should you put in long-range predictions? Just a little. They can give a good potential overview but tell you nothing about the day-to-day machinations of the weather.

For that, youll just have to go outside (or read the newspaper).
the opening sequence registered to me as a kind of psychedelically plotless Saint Laurent advertisement.as if in removing him from her sight she staunches the feelings that

he insists on a fundamental equality of purpose between them that I recognize from conversations with my loveryo soy un cuero.you find youre dunked suddenly into some
Further reduction of price cap for Russian oil, fight against shadow fleet to push Russia toward peace  Brusylo

Deputy Head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine Ihor Brusylo held a meeting with Director General Political at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Edward Llewellyn, they discussed, in particular, the issue of increasing sanctions pressure on Russia.

"During the meeting, they discussed the progress of negotiations to achieve a decent peace. The Deputy Head of the Presidents Office said it is important to increase sanctions pressure on Russia, since the reduction of Russias income from the sale of energy resources remains an important tool for influencing its ability to continue aggression," the presidential press service said.

The parties agreed on positions ahead of a meeting of European representatives in the UK next week, which will be dedicated to further decisions against the Russian shadow fleet.

Among Ukraines key priorities are reducing the price of Russian oil below $30, banning tankers from entering European ports and passing through European straits, denying insurance to operating companies, and discouraging the use of European tankers to transport Russian oil.

"Further reduction of the marginal price for Russian oil and active opposition to the shadow fleet will force Russia to be more open to peace," Brusylo said.

During the meeting, Brusylo informed about the consequences of Russian attacks on energy facilities in Ukraine and handed over a list of equipment needed to restore the energy system. Ukraine is counting on an additional package of assistance from the UK. In turn, Llewellyn noted the resilience of Ukrainians and assured of continued British support.

In addition, during the meeting, they discussed the start of joint work on a draft legally binding agreement on the deployment of multinational forces in Ukraine within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing. The corresponding declaration was signed by the leaders of Ukraine, Great Britain and France in Paris on January 6.
Shark Tank  the show where entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to major investors  will hold a casting call in Pennsylvania.

The shows casting producers will return to Rivers Casino Philadelphia on March 18 for the open audition, where entrepreneurs can pitch their products, services, and ideas.

Casting producers from Shark Tank will be on hand to hear pitches. Contestants can begin lining up at 8 a.m., with numbered wristbands distributed from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Pitches are expected to begin at approximately 10 a.m.

Participants will have the opportunity to deliver a one-minute pitch about their business, product, or idea to a member of the casting team. Only individuals auditioning may attend the open call.

Applications are available online at ABC.com.

Successful participants may be selected to appear on Season 18 of Shark Tank, which is expected to begin airing later this year.

More than 900 people attended last years casting call at Rivers Casino Philadelphia, and producers heard more than 460 pitches. Many participants were regional, but some traveled from as far as France, officials from the show said in a news release.

We were blown away by last years turnout and the quality of the entrepreneurs that presented to us. Returning to Philly was a no-brainer, and we cant wait to see what innovative brands and entrepreneurs will impress us with in March, Mindy Zemrak, supervising Casting producer of Shark Tank, said in the news release.

The March 18 event in Philadelphia will be the only East Coast casting event that Shark Tank will hold for Season 18. Entrepreneurs who pitched last year are welcome to try again.

Parking at Rivers Casino Philadelphia is complimentary, and a free shuttle runs throughout the day from the propertys main entrance to Riversuites at The Battery, the casinos hotel.

Rivers Casino Philadelphia is located at 1001 N. Delaware Ave. in Philadelphia. The casting call will take place at The Event Center at Rivers Casino Philadelphia.

Riversuites at The Battery is located at 1325 N Beach St. in Philadelphia.
A man has been charged with homicide after police said he killed his father, mother and sister inside a Bucks County home.

Kevin Castiglia, 55, was arrested on Monday after he barricaded himself inside his parents Northampton Township home.

Police were dispatched to the home at about 2:15 p.m. after the boyfriend of Castiglias sister contacted authorities to say he had not heard from her since Jan. 24, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The boyfriend then went to the home twice and saw his girlfriends car in the driveway, police said. When he knocked on the door the second time on Monday, Castiglia answered and threatened him with a large chefs knife.

When police arrived, Castiglia came to the front door with two knives, one of which an officer said had blood on it.

Police said Castiglia was speaking incoherently and pointed to the knives when asked where his family members were. Officers then deployed Tasers on him but they had little effect. Castiglia pulled the probes out and slammed and locked the door.

A tactical team was then called for and neighbors were told to shelter in place.

Hours later a SWAT team was able to forcibly enter the house and Castiglia was taken into custody.

Once inside, police discovered the body of his 53-year-old sister, Deborah, in the kitchen. The bodies of his parents, Frederick, 90, and Judith, 84, were found in the basement. Their cause of death has not been reported yet.

In addition to homicide, Castiglia is also charged with terroristic threats, possession of an instrument of crime with intent, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person.
Pennsylvania State Police shot and killed one person Wednesday morning while serving a warrant in a Lebanon County neighborhood.

State police spokesman Trooper Ethan Brownback said the shooting happened around 6 a.m. at a home on the first block of Gable Drive in Jackson Township.

Police said troopers were serving the warrant as part of a child pornography investigation.

After entering the home, the suspect confronted troopers in a manner which resulted in members discharging their firearms, Brownback said. Police did not say if the suspect was armed or what actions he may have taken.

The person who was shot was pronounced dead at the scene by the Lebanon County Coroners Office. The person has not been publicly identified.

State police are investigating the shooting alongside the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.

The involved troopers have been placed on administrative duty, per department policy, Brownback said.
A class-action lawsuit accuses Costco of misleading shoppers with its Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken.

The lawsuit, filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, alleges Costco advertises the chickens as preservative-free, despite listing sodium phosphate and carrageenan as ingredients.

FOX Business reports that the lawsuit claims the warehouse clubs signage and website create an overall net impression that the rotisserie chicken does not contain added preservatives.

The lawsuit states that sodium phosphate and carrageenan contradict Costcos No Preservatives claims

Costcos rotisserie chickens, priced at $4.99, are one of the retailers most popular items.

Carrageenan is used as a stabilizer or thickener, and sodium phosphate is part of an injected salt solution used to keep chickens moist, according to the Tasting Table.

Both ingredients are listed in small print on the chickens packaging, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs argue Costcos messaging influences purchases.

The lawsuit alleges customers purchase the chickens based on whether they are preservative-free, something they are unable to determine at the time of purchase.

The lawsuit seeks damages and changes to Costcos labeling.

Wesley Griffith, California managing partner at Almeida Law Group LLC and attorney for the plaintiffs, told FOX Business: Consumers reasonably rely on clear, prominent claims like No Preservatives, especially when deciding what they and their families will eat.
Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation is considering updating the special legal and tax regime for Diia City to attract industries that are in the early stages of development but have growth potential, Acting Minister of Digital Transformation Oleksandr Bornyakov said in an interview with the UT-2 YouTube channel and Dou.

As an example, he cited companies producing bionic prosthetics, of which there are currently two in Ukraine, but thanks to Diia City their number could be increased.

"And we create some special, tailored suits for them. We justify the economics of why they're needed. We show that there are two of them now, but they could become, say, ten, but the economic impact will be 'x hundred'," Bornyakov explained.

He clarified that this would allow companies to attract more workers and focus on exports.

The head of the Ministry of Digital Development also announced plans to appoint a deputy for artificial intelligence.

"The ministry must have a dedicated deputy for artificial intelligence. In accordance with our European commitments, we must adopt the AI Act, which directly shapes state policy," Bornyakov explained, adding that he himself has historically worked on artificial intelligence, robotics, and European integration.

The day before, Danylo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy, noted that as of January 1, 2026, Diia City had 3,900 registered residents, of which 3,400 were active companies. In 2025, some 2,200 new companies joined Diia City, and 249 were excluded.

As of the beginning of December 2025, there were 3,159 active entities, which is 43%, or 949, less than the figure for August, when the number of residents reached 2,210.

From January to November 2025, Diia City residents paid UAH 27.7 billion in taxes (excluding the unified social contribution), which is UAH 11.9 billion more than in the same period in 2024. However, UAH 13.4 billion of this amount was paid by taxpayers of the national value-added tax (an increase of UAH 6.0 billion compared to the same period in 2024).
By SEUNG MIN KIM, MIKE CATALINI and STEVE KARNOWSKI, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP)  Two federal officers fired shots during the encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti over the weekend in Minneapolis, a Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday, while Ecuadors minister of foreign affairs filed an objection saying immigration agents tried to enter the countrys consulate in the city without permission.

Officers tried to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to a struggle, according to a notification to Congress obtained by The Associated Press. During the struggle, a Border Patrol agent yelled, Hes got a gun! multiple times, the official said.

A Border Patrol officer and a CBP officer each fired Glock pistols, the notice said.

Investigators from CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the notice said. The law requires the agency to inform relevant congressional committees about deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours.

Separately, a man was arrested after he sprayed an unknown liquid at U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar while she was speaking at a town hall meeting in Minneapolis. The Democrat had just called for the abolishment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign when she was sprayed.

Trump says were going to de-escalate a little bit

The developments came a day after President Donald Trump ordered border czar Tom Homan to take over his administrations immigration crackdown in Minnesota in the wake of Prettis death, which was the second fatal shooting this month of a person at the hands of immigration law enforcement.

By sending Homan to Minnesota, were going to de-escalate a little bit, Trump said during an interview on Fox News Will Cain Show. Thats significant since White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when questioned repeatedly Monday about Homans being dispatched to Minnesota, refused to say that doing so was an effort to calm the situation.

A framed photograph of Alex Pretti, along with candles and an American flag, sits at a memorial outside the Minneapolis VA hospital on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Kerem Yucel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP) AP

The president added of Homan, Tom, as tough as he is, gets along with governors and mayors, even in Democratic areas.

As he left the White House on Tuesday, the president was asked whether Prettis killing was justified. He responded by saying that a big investigation was underway. In the hours after Prettis death, some administration officials sought to blame the shooting on the 37-year-old intensive care nurse.

Stephen Miller, Trumps deputy chief of staff who had initially called Pretti an assassin, issued a statement suggesting CBP officers in Minneapolis may not have been following protocol. He said the Homeland Security Departments initial statements about what transpired on Saturday was based on reports from CBP on the ground.

Ecuador files a protest with the US Embassy

A video of the Ecuadorian consulate entry attempt posted on social media shows a staffer running to the door to turn the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents away, telling them, This is the Ecuadorian consulate. Youre not allowed to enter. One ICE officer can be heard responding by threatening to grab the staffer if he touched the agent before agreeing to leave.

International law generally prohibits law enforcement authorities from entering foreign consulates or embassies without permission, though sometimes permission may be assumed granted for life-threatening emergencies, like fires.

Consulate officials immediately prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular building, thus ensuring the protection of the Ecuadorians who were present at the time and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, the ministry wrote on X.

A note of protest was filed with the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador so that similar attempts arent made at other consulates, the ministry said. The State Department, Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A man is detained by federal agents Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) AP

Trump says of sending Bovino to Minneapolis: Maybe it wasnt good here

Immigration enforcement activity witnessed by journalists in Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs on Tuesday appeared comparable with recent weeks. As before, most didnt result in major confrontations with agents. Activists say they continue to monitor enforcement operations through social media and chats on messaging apps.

The White House had tried to blame Democratic leaders for the protests of immigration raids. But after Prettis killing and videos suggesting he was not an active threat, the administration tapped Homan to take charge of the Minnesota operation from Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino.

Trump said Bovino, the go-to architect for the presidents large-scale city-by-city immigration crackdowns, was very good but added hes a pretty out-there kind of a guy and maybe it wasnt good here.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, along with the citys police chief, met with Homan on Tuesday and agreed to keep talking. Homan posted on social media that the discussions were a productive starting point.

Courts weigh in on detained immigrants

In Texas, a federal judge issued a temporary order prohibiting the removal of a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father who were detained last week in Minnesota in an incident that further inflamed divisions on immigration. U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled Monday that any removal or transfer of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, is on hold while a court case proceeds.

Also in Texas, federal immigration authorities released an Ecuadorian man whose detention led the chief federal judge in Minnesota to order the head of ICE to appear in his courtroom, the mans attorney said.

Attorney Graham Ojala-Barbour said the man was released in Texas. The lawyer said in an email to The Associated Press that he was notified in an email from the U.S. attorneys office in Minneapolis that his client had been freed.

In an order dated Monday, Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz expressed frustration with the Trump administrations handling of immigration cases. He took the extraordinary step of ordering Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, to personally appear in his courtroom Friday.

Schiltz had said in his order that he would cancel Lyons appearance if the man was released from custody.

This Court has been extremely patient with respondents, even though respondents decided to send thousands of agents to Minnesota to detain aliens without making any provision for dealing with the hundreds of habeas petitions and other lawsuits that were sure to result, he wrote.

Federal agents make a traffic stop on a U.S. citizen as they provide their identification including a passport and drivers license, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) AP

Schiltzs order followed a federal court hearing Monday on a request by the state and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul for a judge to halt the immigration enforcement surge. The judge in that case said she would prioritize the ruling but did not give a timeline for a decision.

Schiltz wrote that he recognizes ordering the head of a federal agency to appear personally is extraordinary. But the extent of ICEs violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed, he said.

The Associated Press left messages Tuesday with ICE and a DHS spokesperson seeking a response.

Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey and Karnowski from Minneapolis. Associated Press writers Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis, Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, and Michelle Price in Washington contributed to this report.
By Christa Lawler, The Minnesota Star Tribune (TNS)

David Brom, convicted when he was a teenager of killing four members of his family with an ax, has been granted parole by the Minnesota Department of Corrections Supervised Release Board.

The transition from his work release status is expected to take one to three months while Broms parole plan and conditions of release are established, according to the corrections department. The board voted 5-2 in his favor on Jan. 27.

There was little conversation among board members about whether to grant Brom parole. A motion was made and seconded quickly, followed by the vote.

Brom was 16 in 1988 when he killed his parents and siblings in their home on the outskirts of Rochester, Minnesota.

His original release date was late 2031, but a law change in 2023  reducing the minimum time of imprisonment for offenders who received life sentences before they were 18  significantly bumped up his parole eligibility.

David Brom, center, in a book club years ago, met with the Supervised Release Board on Jan. 27, 2026. The man who as a teen in 1988 murdered most of his family with an ax in their Rochester, Minnesota, home was approved for parole. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS, file) TNS

After shifting from incarceration to work release and a Twin Cities halfway house last summer, Brom has worked in cabinetry, gotten a drivers license and navigated a world made for smart phones with the flip phone he received when he left prison.

The transition has actually been very smooth, Brom told the board while sitting alongside his advocate, Paul Welchert. Not that there hasnt been issues or difficulties or struggles, but it has been relatively smooth.

Brom said he has taken his return slowly. Everything is new and relatively uncomfortable, he said. He has opted to press into those experiences rather than retreating, he said, and he has called on his faith. On the outside, he has had to learn about societys changes, which sometimes requires help. He brought along a friend when it was time to trade out the flip phone for a smart phone.

Welchert said Brom is a planner who always thinks ahead. Hes thoughtful and composed.

Im surprised, but I shouldnt be surprised, at how well hes doing, he said.

If Brom had been originally tried as a juvenile, he would have gotten a three-year sentence. Instead, he was tried as an adult and sentenced to three life sentences of 17-1/2 years each.

Brom was in prison for more than 35 years and in that time had just a single infraction: He once had too many people in his cell.

Broms case was high-profile and the news that he was headed for release was met with a range of responses in his home state. When he was granted work release, a stipulation was that he not return to Olmsted County.

No response is new to Brom; he faced a range of reactions during his incarceration, he told the board. People meeting him now are meeting the person he is today, not who he was decades ago.

And I hope they find somebody whos more interested in healing situations and relationships and not interested in continuing any kind of harm, he said.
Kyle Rittenhouses roller-coaster return to social media continued on Tuesday with a new statement following the shooting death of Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents.

A day after issuing a slur-filled post that blamed former President Joe Biden, Rittenhouse wrote, Carry everywhere. It is your right. #ShallNotBeInfringed, and pinned it to the top of his X page.

That came as President Donald Trump told the media, You cant have guns. You cant walk in with guns, you just cant.

Rittenhouse also reshared a slur-filled post ripping those on the right for using anti 2A terms frequently used by the left.

In another post, Rittenhouse wrote, We need National Constitutional Carry (H.R. 645) NOW. No government permission slips. No ids. No tax on your rights. A path toward 100% firearms liberty  as the founding fathers intended. #ShallNotBeInfringed.

Carry everywhere.



It is your right.#ShallNotBeInfringed  Kyle Rittenhouse  (@rittenhouse2a) January 26, 2026

Rittenhouse created a stir on Monday when he issued his slur-filled initial response to Prettis shooting.

Pretti, 37, was shot and killed by ICE agent on Jan. 24. Pretti was carrying a handgun, but it was removed by an ICE agent before he was shot, according to multiple media outlets who reviewed video of the incident.

Rittenhouse, who is famous for shooting three people, killing two, during a racial injustice protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020 before claiming self-defense and being acquitted of all charges, has been pointed to as an example of hypocrisy from the 2A folks since Prettis killing.

The same people wanting to silence me are now begging me to comment, Rittenhouse wrote on X Monday. My comment: Communists are gay. And anti-2A people are gay. Bidens failed borders policies created this ENTIRE mess. #ShallNotBeInfringed.

He wasnt done, though, sharing a meme and writing, But glad theyre all about the Second Amendment now.

He then added, Every Leftist retard is going out of their way to prove me right in the comments.

When Rittenhouse returned to X in December, he promised big things were to come. That included quickly speaking out on a shooting in Florida that drew a quick and cutting rebuke from a Republican Sheriff there.

As for his latest post  Rittenhouses big return to social media has often included the use of slurs  he was successful at getting folks fired up again.

Was hoping for a little more than that from you bro, Matthew Richards responded. Ive been defending you for years. Dont know if you got people paying you not to say something, but this is your moment to stand up for open carry and concealed carry.

The Trump administration is the one killing people for conceal carrying dumb (expletive), another wrote. You cant blame Biden for that.

No, we want you to shut up because youre annoying, another wrote. Youre using a single day of your life to grift off acting like some super hero instead of the scared boy we know you still are.

Kyle, I donated to your givesendgo immediately after I saw the video of the blm mob attacking you, Bryan Thanos replied. That said, I wish you would come out in clear defense of (Pretti) who was also exercising his 2nd amendment.

Man  you are trying so hard, but it is so obvious that you do not have the intellectual capacity to swim in the deep end, another wrote. You should leave social media again.

Rittenhouse reshared his post on X, and wrote, Ill give you my serious take soon. For now, I will feed the trolls.

Rittenhouse announced in December that he was returning to social media saying that the assassination of Charlie Kirk convinced him he couldnt sit on the sidelines anymore.

So Im back, he wrote. Not quietly. Not halfway. Im coming back in a big way.

But just a week into his return he found himself getting ripped online by a Republican Sheriff from Florida.

That came after he filmed a video of himself standing in front of the Walton County Jail while claiming that Michael Rediker used Floridas Stand Your Ground law to lawfully defend himself when his life was put in jeopardy.

Michael did nothing wrong, and he deserves all our support, Rittenhouse said in the video which he pinned to his X page.

We are expecting an outright not guilty under Floridas Stand Your Ground law, he added.

Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson did not take kindly to Rittenhouses claims. He reshared the video via the Walton County Sheriff Offices official X account and issued a video of his own scathing response.

I dont normally do this, Adkinson said. I dont normally take the time to speak to public comments on cases, certainly not open cases. But in this particular situation, a murder that occurred yesterday in Walton County, I feel compelled to respond to what I can only call wildly irresponsible. I would say motivated by many factors, none of them in the interest of justice in which individuals, particularly Kyle Rittenhouse and his attorney, Anthony Sabatini, are attempting to frame the murder here in Walton County on Thursday of Mr. Keen as a Stand Your Ground case or wrapping it in the Constitution or that it is Second Amendment case.

Adkinson was far from done.

After 30-something years of doing this, I very rarely get personally offended, but Im actually just kind of disgusted with them, the sheriff continued. There was a man who lost his life yesterday. A father, a husband with two small children, who was murdered, unarmed on his own property, unprovoked by an individual who drove a tractor over a half a mile onto the victims property. Once there, batters his wife in front of eyewitnesses. When the husband, whom there had been no confrontation with, gets out to come over and help pick his wife up off the ground the suspect shoots him in the face. He was unarmed. There was no fight between them. There was no attack, and as he is laying dying on the ground, this suspect, Michael Rediker, stood over him and made some comments for which he is going to answer to in court. At the same time, he committed aggravated assault on multiple other people because he murdered this man in front of witnesses that watched this as this man was murdered. Again, unarmed, on his own property, after his wife had been battered, and no confrontation.

Now, somehow out of that, Mr. Rittenhouse and his attorney, Anthony Sabatini, have determined that this is the great Stand Your Ground case, Adkinson continued. Well, Ill tell you this. Ill bet my badge on this. Not only is that not a stand your ground, Mr. Rediker will face either the ultimate penalty in the state of Florida or God willing the rest of his natural life in prison. Because, come Christmas morning in two weeks, there are two little boys elementary school age, two children, that are not going to have their father, and theres a wife whose not going to have her husband all so these two idiots can get more likes on their Facebook and call it a Constitutional issue.

Adkinson then brought it home.

I think both of you are jokes, and I dont think you should make a damn cent off the suffering of someone else, he said. So, if you dont like that, well you can file that under I dont really give a damn. I know people arent going to like this, and I dont care about that either. Im so disgusted and sad for the Keen family and their loss and the fact that these two yo-yos are going to try to make money and news on it. And I probably shouldnt give them this, but I think the public deserves to know this doesnt have a damn thing to do with the Second Amendment or Stand Your Ground. So, I hope that many of you will reach out and tell these two jack-wagons what you think about what they are doing to this family suffering.

Dont let them make on penny off a like.
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 40 years ago, on Jan. 28, 1986.

The disaster was watched live on CNN across the globe and in person by family and friends of the crew and schoolchildren. A teacher, Christa McAuliffe, 37, had joined the mission.

The observers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida cheered as Challenger finally lifted off after three weather delays.

Seconds later, there was stunned silence and confusion.

CNN correspondent Tim Mintier was narrating. A NASA official is heard relaying details.

It looks like a couple of the solid rocket boosters blew away from the side of the shuttle in an explosion, Mintier said.

Obviously, a major malfunction, the NASA official said.

The NASA official then says the dreaded words, We have a report from the flight dynamics officer that the vehicle has exploded.  We are looking at, checking with the recovery forces to see what can be done at this point.

Just 73 seconds into its mission on Jan. 28, 1986, the shuttle was violently torn apart, sending the crew to their deaths: Francis R. Scobee, 46, mission commander; Gregory Jarvis, 41, payload specialist; Judith A. Resnik, 36, mission specialist; Ronald E. McNair, 35, mission specialist; Mike J. Smith, 40, pilot; Ellison S. Onizuka, 39, mission specialist; and Sharon Christa McAuliffe, 37, teacher in space and payload specialist.

President Ronald Reagan, in an address from the Oval Office that evening, said, For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this tragedy. But we feel the loss, and were thinking about you so very much.

Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, Give me a challenge and Ill meet it with joy. They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us.

Reagan said the tragedy was a truly national loss.

Helicopters, ships and planes started a recovery mission after debris stopped falling from the sky, which took about 15 minutes.

Picture taken Jan. 28, 1986, showing the solid fuel rocket booster of the space shuttle Challenger starting to explode over Kennedy Space Center. (Bob Pearson/AFP via Getty Images, file) AFP via Getty Images

I regret that I have to report that based on very preliminary searches of the ocean where Challenger impacted this morning, these searches have not revealed any evidence that the crew of Challenger survived, said Jesse Moore, NASA associate administrator.

The Associated Press reported, The accident defied quick explanation, though a slow-motion replay seemed to show an initial problem with one of two peel-away rocket boosters followed by detonation of the shuttles huge external fuel tank. The exploding tank destroyed Challenger high above the Atlantic while crew families and NASA officials watched in despair from the Cape.

McAuliffe was to be the first teacher in space. Some students, including McAuliffes, were watching the liftoff live on TV. Eighteen students were in the audience at Cape Canaveral along with McAuliffes family.

Space Shuttle Challenger crew members gather for an official portrait Nov. 11, 1985, in an unspecified location. In the back row from left are Mission Specialist Ellison S. Onizuka, teacher-in-space participant Sharon Christa McAuliffe, payload specialist Greg Jarvis and mission specialist Judy Resnick. In front, from left, are pilot Mike Smith, commander Dick Scobee and mission specialist Ron McNair. (Photo by NASA, file) Getty Images

Within seconds, a party died in silence as hundreds of Christa McAuliffes friends, students and colleagues watched the shuttle Challenger blast off yesterday and then explode, the Associated Press reported from Concord, N.H.

NASA said, At 73 seconds after liftoff, controllers lost all telemetry from Challenger and noticed a fireball on television screens. Stunned controllers slowly came to realize that the vehicle had suffered a major malfunction that the crew likely did not survive.

The cause of the explosion

The breakup was blamed on failed O-ring seals in the right rocket booster. The seal had become brittle because of the cold temperature that morning.

According to history.com, The morning of January 28 was unusually cold, and engineers warned their superiors that certain components  particularly the rubber O-rings that sealed the joints of the shuttles solid rocket boosters  were vulnerable to failure at low temperatures. However, these warnings went unheeded, and at 11:39 a.m. Challenger lifted off.

Some crew members are known to have survived the initial breakup  four Personal Egress Air Packs were found to have been activated. But, the impact of the crew cabin  2 minutes and 45 seconds after launch  with the surface of the ocean was not survivable.

Divers from the USS Preserver found the crew compartment on the ocean floor on March 7, 1986. The remains of the seven crew members were found in the compartment.

In this Jan. 28, 1986 file photo, the Space Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after lifting off from Kennedy Space Center, in Fla. All seven crew members died in the explosion, which was blamed on faulty o-rings. (AP Photo/Bruce Weaver, file) AP

In March 2022, a large piece of the Challenger was discovered by divers for a TV documentary crew. The piece is believed to be from the underside of the shuttle.

Challenger was supposed to have a six-day mission that included deploying a large communications satellite and deploying and retrieving an astronomy payload to study Halleys Comet. McAuliffe, selected from 11,146 applications to be the first teacher in space, was going to conduct lessons for students that wouldve aired on PBS.

A version of this story was posted on PennLive in 2023.
A clash between the Newberry Township police officers and the board of supervisors took center stage at a meeting on Tuesday night.

Township supervisors voted to name Lt. Braxton Ditty as interim chief of the townships police department following the resignation of Steven Lutz.

Township supervisors also voted to hire the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association to recruit a new chief.

The Newberry Township Police Officers Association says it has unanimously endorsed Ditty to be named chief permanently. Residents and officers who spoke on Tuesday night before the vote said that a search to hire someone from outside of the township is a waste of money and that Ditty should be given the chance to serve as police chief permanently.

Jesse Bloom, a 17-year Newberry Township police officer, read a letter from the association that unanimously endorsed Ditty. Bloom, who is vice president of the association, said that supervisors wouldnt allow the letter to be read at a previous meeting.

Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated sound judgement, a strong work effort and a clear understanding of the responsibilities of leading a modern police organization, Bloom read.

After reading the letter, Bloom, who is also a township resident, added his own opinion.

It is astonishing to me that you have not given the consideration of this association to promote [Ditty] to chief, he said.

Trevor Stuck, an 11-year police officer with the department, called Ditty the backbone of its operation.

Choosing to outsource this position while ignoring proven leadership already in place is wasteful, unnecessary and disrespectful to this department and to the taxpayers, said Stuck, who is also a resident of the township.

Resident Dave Lash encouraged supervisors to give Ditty a chance.

Why dont you appoint Lt. Ditty as our chief? Let him be the chief for a period of time  you know, six months to a year, he said. If he doesnt produce. If he doesnt show that you guys can depend on him as well as the community, then at that point, you can go ahead and look for somebody else. Why spend the townships money, our money to look for somebody from out of state or out of the area who doesnt know Newberry Township and doesnt know the people of this community?

Newberry Township Police Chief Steven Lutz recently resigned. File photo/November 7, 2022. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

At the meeting on Tuesday night, township supervisors didnt discuss their decision to name Ditty interim chief and begin recruiting for a permanent chief.

Ditty, who was sitting up front with township supervisors, said he was appreciative of all the comments.

I want to assure the public from the current leader of this police department, we will not waver in our service to this community, he said. We will hold our officers accountable. They will stay steady to the mission and we will serve this department as we always have. Lastly, I would like to end with just a simple message to the police officers  thank you.

The Newberry Township Police Officers Association released a statement on Wednesday morning regarding the chief hiring process.

Lieutenant Ditty has served in a leadership capacity for several years and is widely regarded within the department for maintaining morale, professionalism, and mission focus during periods of transition.

The Township Board of Supervisors has announced consideration of an external search process through the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association at an estimated cost to taxpayers of $14,000 to $18,000. The Association has expressed concern about the necessity and fiscal prudence of this expenditure, given the qualifications, experience, and community ties of the departments existing leadership.

The association also said in the statement that it encouraged residents to attend and speak publicly at upcoming township meetings and to contact their elected officials to express any concerns regarding departmental stability, long-term public safety, and the preservation of a locally controlled police force.

Furthermore, we challenge board members to listen to the employees and the public, and not to allow predetermined connotations or egos to cloud their decision-making, the statement said.

Dittys annual salary as interim chief is the same as Lutzs  $124,100.

Ditty was hired by the Newberry Township Police Department following his graduation from HACCs police academy in 2008. In December 2019, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.
Donald Trump said that Alex Pretti didnt need to have a gun with him before he was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minnesota, and the NRA appeared to respond Tuesday by saying that everyone should be carrying.

The NRA unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bar arms anywhere they have a legal right to be, a post on the associations X page read.

Pretti, 37, was shot and killed by ICE agent on Jan. 24. He was carrying a handgun, but it was removed by an ICE agent before he was shot, according to multiple media outlets who reviewed video of the incident.

Despite that, President Trump told the media, You cant have guns. You cant walk in with guns, you just cant.

The NRAs post on X provided its followers with a plaform to vent about the president.

The NRA unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be.  NRA (@NRA) January 28, 2026

CRITICIZE TRUMP THEN YOU COWARDS, one person replied.

Please elaborate why you felt the need to post this tonight? another wrote. No vague posting. Tell the world who youre talking about. Go on. You can do it little buddy. I believe in you.

Weak and pathetic wording, another replied. Do better. Shall not be infringed.

Oh, there you are, another wrote. I wouldve expected to hear from you days ago when an innocent civilian was killed simply for legally possessing a firearm. Seems you dont care about citizens rights  only your own.

So what is the NRA going to do about our current administration, another replied.

The President doesnt want me carrying my gun, another wrote. What should I do?

And David Hogg, a gun control activist and survivor of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, chimed in asking, Why did you give Trump millions then?

Remember when they said Kamala was going to take your guns away? another person wrote. Turns out it was Trump all along.

There were plenty more comments like that, and many of them were directed at Trump.

It will be interesting to see where this goes with the NRA, champions of 2A, and the president.
By Katie Bernard, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

On a below-freezing day in January, Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton delivered food to a West Philly home just minutes from her district office and listened as Sheila Alexander discussed the patchwork of care shes created for herself.

Alexander, 67, who struggles to get around on her own, explained that she depends on family often but uses a Medicaid-funded home health aide who helps her in the evening  especially when she needs to get up the steep stairs in her home.

McClinton is advocating for the aides who care for Alexander  and the rest of the roughly 270,000 Pennsylvania workers who make up the home care industry  to earn a higher wage.

Pennsylvanias home healthcare workers are among the lowest paid in the region at an average of $16.50 per hour, resulting in what the Pennsylvania Homecare Association has called a crisis point for home care, as more and more workers leave the field and seniors struggle to find help. And its a crisis that may only deepen in future years, as one in three Pennsylvanians is projected to be 60 or older by 2030.

Its an issue that McClinton, a Philadelphia Democrat who became House speaker in 2023 when her party took a one-seat majority, has had to contend with in her own life.

McClintons 78-year-old mother lost one of her favorite aides because of low pay, she said. The aide had cared for McClintons mother for a year, until the aides daughter got a job at McDonalds that paid $3 more an hour. At that point, McClinton said, her mothers aide realized just how low her pay was.

McClinton said she helps her mother when she can, but she only has so many hours in the day and needs assistance when shes at the Capitol.

Many of my colleagues are just like myself, supporting parents who are aging and trying to make sure that they have all the necessities so that when Im in Harrisburg, Im not thinking, Oh my God, hows my mom going to eat or hows she going to have a bath, McClinton said. Its because of home health aides and the folks assigned to her that shes able to thrive. But shes not unique.

Until recently, McClinton had taken a more hands-off approach compared to some previous House speakers who would use their position as the top official to push through their own personal agendas. Now, shes taking a more active role in pushing for the issues she cares about most, with special attention to the home care wage crisis.

Home care workers are often paid through Medicaid, which provides health services to low-income and disabled Americans and is administered at the state level. Pennsylvania hasnt increased how much it reimburses home care agencies, resulting in all of the surrounding states paying higher wages to home care workers, including GOP-controlled West Virginia and Ohio.

Describing her leadership approach with a slim majority as pragmatic, McClinton says her goal is to find common ground to raise the wages for home healthcare workers between Republicans and Democrats, on an issue that impacts residents across all corners of the state.

We just have to really coalesce and build a movement so that we see things get better and that theres more care, she said. Because when theres more care, theres less hospitalization, theres less ER trips, theres more nutrition.

Better pay at Sheetz

Stakeholders recount dozens of similar stories of aides leaving to work at amusement parks, Sheetz, or fast-food restaurants because the pay is better. Whats more: Some home health aides will choose to work in a nearby state where wages are all higher than those paid in Pennsylvania.

Cathy Creevey, a home health aide who works for Bayada in Philly, made $6.25 when she started working in the field nearly 25 years ago. Now, she makes just $13.50. Shes watched countless colleagues quit to take higher-paying jobs elsewhere, resulting in missed shifts and seniors who will go without the care they need.

We have patients that are 103, 105, and when that aide doesnt show up, their whole world is turned upside down because sometimes were the only people that they see to come in, to feed them, to bathe them, Creevey said.

House Speaker Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia. State Representatives take the oath of office during Swearing-in Day at the state Capitol January 7, 2025. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

While Creevey said she stays in the work because she cares about her patients, she said the long hours and low pay are difficult.

Fewer and fewer people are willing to take on the jobs means seniors are going without care or being forced into already understaffed nursing homes throughout the state.

Participants are waiting for care that isnt coming, said Mia Haney, the CEO of the Pennsylvania Homecare Association.

Haney said she hoped McClintons advocacy will help drive the issue heading into the next budget season.

She has a wonderful opportunity to really influence her peers, but also raise awareness and education about how meaningful and critical these services are, Haney said.

In addition to McClintons advocacy, 69 House Democrats sent a letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro earlier this month, calling for more funding for the struggling industry just as Shapiro is set to make his 2026-27 budget proposal next month.

Older Pennsylvanians prefer to age in place, or stay in their homes where they remain connected to their communities, said Kevin Hancock, who led the creation of a statewide 10-year strategic plan to improve care for the states rapidly aging population.

Nursing facilities and hospital services get a lot of attention in the space of older adult services, but its home care that really is the most significant service in Pennsylvania, Hancock said. The fact that it doesnt seem to warrant the same type of attention and same type of focus is pretty problematic.

Home care remains popular in Pa.

The fight to increase dollars for home care workers has been an uphill battle in Harrisburg even with the speakers support.

More Medicaid dollars go to home care services than any other program in Pennsylvania due to its popularity among Medicaid recipients, Hancock said. Meanwhile, its critical care workers  a majority of whom are women or women of color  still make low wages for often physically and emotionally demanding work.

A study by Shapiros Department of Human Services last year determined that a 23% increase would be necessary for agencies to offer competitive wages, but the states final budget deal did not include it. (The final budget deal did provide increases to direct aides hired by patients, which represent about 6% of all home care workers in the state.)

Home care agencies are asking Shapiro to include a 13% reimbursement rate increase in the 2026-27 budget which equates to a $512 million increase for the year. The 13% ask, Haney said, was a reasonable and fair first step in what would need to be a phased approach to reaching competitive wages.

But neither Shapiro nor Senate GOP leadership has committed to any increases in the upcoming budget.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Shapiro said the governor understood the need and cited his support for limited increases in last years budget and for a proposed statewide minimum wage increase to $15 per hour. (Previous efforts by the Democratic House to increase the states minimum wage have stalled in the GOP-controlled Senate.)

House Speaker Joanne McClinton, speaking about finding more money for home care workers, says Republicans are 'refusing to work, refusing to resolve issues, thats not acceptable. Ive seen an unwillingness from Republicans to resolve these issues.' October 21, 2024. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R., Indiana) said his caucus will put the states future financial stability before all else. Pennsylvania is expected to spend more than it brings in in revenue this year, setting the stage for yet another tense budget fight.

While weve seen Democrats continually push for more spending within the state budget year after year, any increases require thoughtful consideration as to the impact on hard-working taxpayers of Pennsylvania, Pittman added.

McClinton, however, was cautiously optimistic that something could be done this year, even as she placed the onus on Senate Republicans, rather than Shapiro.

Weve seen Republicans refusing to work, refusing to resolve issues, thats not acceptable, McClinton said. Ive seen an unwillingness from Republicans to resolve these issues.

Republicans, she said, should come to the table because staffing shortages harmed their constituents in rural Pennsylvania even more than it harmed hers in Philly.

We have to get our heads around the fact that we have the lowest reimbursement rates in our area, McClinton said in an interview after visiting two patients in her district. We have to make the investment now. We have lots of needs. We have lots of priorities but we can balance them.

 2026 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit www.inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A group of more than 30 people gathered in front of Sen. John Fettermans Harrisburg office in Strawberry Square on Tuesday to protest the congressmans position on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding.

No one voted for this, Patty Torres, co-executive director of Make the Road Pennsylvania, said. We all just wanted lower prices and better economic opportunities for families, not citizens being gunned down in the streets, or hardworking families being separated every day.

Make the Road Pennsylvania helped organize protests at each of Fettermans Pennsylvania offices. Fetterman is a key target for protestors, after breaking from Democratic ranks to say he will vote for DHS funding. Torres called his actions a breach of public trust, and begged Fetterman to choose people over power.

Senator Fetterman, show the leadership this crisis demands, Torres said. History will remember what you choose at this moment.

The protestors chanted things such as ICE out now and stand up, fight back.

Mirna Miranda, organizer/director with CASA, an immigrant rights group in York, said protestors are willing to gather until Fetterman vows to vote no to DHS funding.

The group planned to deliver a letter to Fettermans office with more than 100 signatures, including multiple state legislators, calling for DHS accountability.

Torres and Miranda expressed rage and sorrow over the recent killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis by DHS agents, as well as sorrow over immigrants who have died in DHS custody.

These are not statistics: Theyre human beings whose lives were cut short in government custody, Torres said.

Torres herself is an immigrant who came to the U.S. when she was 6. Shes now almost 40 and said the immigration system is broken and needs reform.

Were talking about more than 12 million people that have lived here for more than 30 years, theyre now being separated, Torres said. That is wrong, that is not on the values of what this country should be.

Fetterman did call for an end to the ICE operation in Minnesota, saying Pretti and Good should still be here. He also called for the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday, but was adamant that he would not vote to shut down the government over DHS funding.

The funding is connected to five other bills to fund the departments of Defense, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Labor and Education.

While Fetterman said on social media that he supports separating DHS funding from the other bills, he said he would not vote against the current package.
As a practicing physician assistant for more than two decades, I have seen firsthand how vital PAs are to improving access to care across Pennsylvania. At a time when patients are already struggling with shortages of healthcare providers, a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Education would make it significantly harder to train the next generation of clinicians.

In November, the Department announced it plans to redefine what constitutes a professional program for federal student loans. The new definition would exclude PAs, nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists and physical and occupational therapists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists and other essential healthcare providers.

If finalized, this rule would cap federal loans at $25,000 beginning in July 2026, far below the actual cost of attending PA school today. That shortfall is not theoretical; it will deter qualified students from entering PA programs and directly weaken the healthcare workforce pipeline.

Congress never intended to exclude advanced healthcare training programs when it updated federal loan policy through H.R. 1, and many lawmakers have already spoken out. Pennsylvania cannot afford to lose future PAs  especially in rural and underserved areas where PAs are often the difference between timely care and no care at all.

I urge U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick to join those working to ensure this misguided proposal is not finalized and to support including PAs as eligible professionals under federal student loan programs. Protecting access to PA education means protecting access to care for Pennsylvania patients.

The Department of Education should not undermine the healthcare workforce at the very moment the nation needs it most.

Jennifer Campbell, Harrisburg, Pa.; President, Pennsylvania Society of Physician Associates
By the Rev. Dr. Larry Pickens

I have watched from afar, as we all have, Somali and other immigrant people brutalized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn. We have seen innocent people driven from their homes in their underwear, shot, and, in the case of Renee Nicole Good, killed by an ICE agent.

A call went out this week from MARCH (Multifaith Antiracism, Change & Healing) for clergy to come to Minneapolis and protest what is taking place in the Twin Cities. I gave it a great deal of consideration and decided that I needed to stand with Somali people and other immigrants to send a message that it is not the actions of bad people that are most damaging; it is the silence of the good people.

Liam Conejo Ramos, 5, is detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after arriving home from preschool, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in a Minneapolis suburb. (Ali Daniels via Associated Press) (Ali Daniels via Associated Press)

I went to Minneapolis to protest because our inaction only gives oxygen to a forming totalitarian regime.

I remember reading Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail. He referred to the fact that many people told him that he did not belong in Birmingham; he was not a citizen of Birmingham. He should mind his own business. Dr. King said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Over one hundred people gathered for a vigil honoring Alex Pretti at Canterbury Episcopal Church in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. Pretti was fatally shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis, Minn., on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (Will McLelland | WMcLelland@al.com) Will McLelland

This is why I traveled to Minneapolis. Justice everywhere is under threat. The reality in the United States today is that as a person of color, I can be stopped, asked for documents, and apprehended for walking on the streets simply because of the color of my skin. This is not the country of my birth, and I will do all in my power to assure that racism-based ICE arrests never become an accepted reality.

I traveled to Minneapolis because injustice is there. I traveled to Minneapolis because racism is there. I traveled to Minnesota because homophobia and transphobia are there. I traveled to Minnesota because when one part of the community is suffering, we are all challenged.

Protesters demonstrate against Immigration and Customs Enforcement Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Minneapolis. AP

Gods people and the entire creation are inextricably bound. It is this connection that makes me aware that I can never be everything that I ought to be until you are everything that you ought to be, and you can never be everything that you ought to be until I am everything that I ought to be. We are connected.

I was thinking about my parents today. I am thankful that they took me with them to a protest action in Chicago when Dr. King came to town. My parents raised me to stand up against injustice and for those who are threatened and have no voice.

My ask from you is that you pray for me, the other clergy, and all the people who are standing up for justice. Let us pray that this nonviolent witness changes hearts, moves policy, and makes a difference.

The Rev. Dr. Larry Pickens in Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches.
On Wednesday, January 28, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a call with President of France Emmanuel Macron.

"Of course, we discussed how to strengthen our energy stability. In the near future, Ukraine will receive generators from France. Also this year there will be additional supplies of French aircraft, missiles for air defense systems and aerial bombs," Zelenskyy said in the Telegram channel following the conversation.

In addition, the head of the Ukrainian state informed his French counterpart about the situation on the front and Russian losses.
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman has amped up the volume this week on his critiques of the Trump administrations immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis.

Earlier Tuesday, he issued a statement calling on President Donald J. Trump to fire his Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.

But in a move sure to disappoint his Democratic Senate colleagues, Fetterman said Tuesday night on CNN he wont support their efforts to use a key federal budget bill as a cudgel to force changes in Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Democrats, including Fetterman, have called for reforms to DHS and ICE after ICE and other federal agents were involved in two fatal shootings in Minneapolis this month.

But Fetterman said Tuesday that forcing a government shutdown to strike at ICE is, in his view, the wrong place to make that stand.

I want everybody to know that that vote will not have any impact on the funding for ICE at this point, Fetterman told CNN host Kaitlan Collins.

Theyve had many, many, many billions available after the big, beautiful bill. They have all of the necessary funding to operate for a while.

Trumps marquee domestic policy bill, dubbed the One Big, Beautiful Bill, did in fact contain $75 billion for ICE.

As a result, in the event of a new shutdown after Jan. 30, The Associated Press has reported that many essential workers  including the military and Transportation Security Administration agents  may have to work without pay.

But Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol employees would likely be paid through the earlier appropriation.

So, for me, do we really want to stop paying our military two times in two months at this point? Fetterman asked Collins, referring to the 43-day shutdown last fall.

Shutting the government down and punishing and not paying the military and all of the other critical parts of our government... is not going to defund or do anything to ICE.

Fetterman also repeated his earlier calls, now echoed by many other Washington Democrats, for Trump to fire Noem and to impose a reset on his deportation operations.

You know, as a Democrat, I believe in immigration, Fetterman said.

I believe we deserve a secure border. I believe we should deport all of the criminals in our nation. What I dont believe is we should be targeting otherwise hardworking immigrants...

So for me its been a breakdown in Minneapolis, he said.

They werent deporting all the criminals. Certainly wasnt making our border any more secure. And it turned into like an out of control situation and its getting increasingly more and more deadly and chaotic.

Fetterman, elected to the Senate from Pennsylvania in 2022, had been largely silent until this week on the ICE surge in Minnesota

On Monday, however, he condemned the killings of Minnesotans Alex Pretti and Renee Good by U.S. Border Patrol agents and ICE agents.

I do think you need a reset at this point, Fetterman said about the overall operation in Minneapolis Tuesday night.

I dont think at this point anything more productive can continue as is, because you cant control it, you cant govern it. And so why would you, at this point, maintain and push such a very bad situation?
By Alfred Lubrano, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

PHILADELPHIA  Saying the Trump administration is using the federal government for pure evil in its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, Gov. Josh Shapiro revealed on late-night television Monday that hes preparing Pennsylvania to respond should the commonwealth face such an incursion.

Shapiros wide-ranging remarks on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert  which included Shapiro deriding Vice President JD Vance as a sycophant and a suck-up  sounded at times like a speech before a studio audience that applauded him vigorously.

Guest Gov. Josh Shapiro (left) and Stephen Colbert during Mondays "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Jan. 26, 2026. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS Broadcasting/TNS) TNS

The governor sharply criticized the Trump administrations actions in Minneapolis, where agents he called untrained from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been creating chaos by fatally shooting two American citizens.

I think Americans are outraged by what they see, Shapiro said, adding, The mission in Minnesota must be terminated immediately.

When Colbert said there are rumors that federal troops will be sent to Philadelphia to foment fear, Shapiro nodded.

We have spent hours and hours and hours doing tabletop exercises to prepare for it, Shapiro said, without being specific. The governor did not elaborate.

He added that its a sad day in America that a governor of a commonwealth needs to prepare for a federal onslaught where they would send troops in to undermine the freedoms and the constitutional rights of our citizens. This is un-American.

But I want the good people of Pennsylvania to know  I want the American people to know that we will do everything in our power to protect them from the federal overreach.

Asked for comment, Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, said Tuesday, Its pure evil when Democrat leaders provide sanctuary to dangerous criminal illegal aliens who assault, murder, and rape innocent American citizens. President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people to deport criminal illegal aliens.

Referencing ICE agents wearing masks, Shapiro said that members of the Pennsylvania State Police have strict rules on when they can wear a mask. You want to be identified as folks who are keeping people safe.

He added, Of all the tools that we give our law enforcement in Pennsylvania, the most important tool you need to have is trust with the community that you police.

When the conversation turned to Vances statement that the ICE officer who shot and killed Minneapolis resident Renee Macklin Good on Jan. 7 has absolute immunity, Shapiro retorted that its untrue.

He added that Vance is such a sycophant, such a suck-up. He embarrasses himself daily as he seeks the affirmation of Donald Trump.

ICE agents are not above the law, Shapiro added moments later. I dont care what B.S. Vance [says.]

The governors reelection bid this year, as well as rumors that he may be a presidential candidate in 2028, did not come up. Instead, Colbert touted Shapiros new book, Where We Keep the Light/Stories from a Life of Service.

Shapiro said that the courts, Congress, and public opinion need to be marshaled to prevent the Trump administration from sending more troops to U.S. cities.

All of you have powerful voices, Shapiro told the audience. He added, The story of America is ordinary Americans rising up, demanding more, seeking justice.
By Sean Collins Walsh, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

In Philadelphia, lawmakers on Tuesday unveiled legislation that would institute some of the nations toughest limits on federal immigration-enforcement operations.

In Harrisburg, a top Democrat floated making Pennsylvania a so-called sanctuary state to protect undocumented immigrants.

And in Washington, senators faced mounting pressure to hold up funding for the Department of Homeland Security, an effort that could result in a government shutdown by the end of the week.

Across the nation, lawmakers are fielding calls to rein in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after President Donald Trumps administration surged forces into Minneapolis as part of his aggressive nationwide deportation campaign. Frustration with the agency reached new heights Saturday after agents fatally shot protester Alex Pretti, the second killing of a U.S. citizen there this month.

Democrats nationwide slammed ICE and called on Trump to pull the forces out of Minnesota. Sen. John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Democrat who has at times sided with Trump on immigration matters, said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem should be fired.

But Fetterman has also said he will not vote to shut down the government. That angered protesters, who rallied on Tuesday outside his offices. Some of the senators fellow Democrats, including members of Pennsylvanias U.S. House delegation, urged him to vote against a bill to fund DHS.

A growing number of Republicans have also signaled their discomfort with the Minneapolis operation, including Trump allies who called on members of the administration to testify before Congress. Sen. Dave McCormick, a Pennsylvania Republican, has called for an independent investigation into Prettis killing.

Trump, for his part, showed some willingness to change course, sending border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to meet with Democratic leaders there. The president on Tuesday called Prettis death a very sad situation.

However, a chorus of Democrats and activists said Tuesday that the agency needs to change its tactics and be held accountable for missteps. And local leaders said they are laying out plans in case a surge of immigration enforcement comes to Philadelphia, home to an estimated 76,000 undocumented immigrants.

Guest Gov. Josh Shapiro (left) and Stephen Colbert during Mondays "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Jan. 26, 2026. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS Broadcasting/TNS) TNS

We have spent hours and hours and hours doing tabletop exercises to prepare for it, Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said during a Monday night interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Shapiro, who is running for reelection and is a rumored presidential contender, added: I want the good people of Pennsylvania to know  I want the American people to know  that we will do everything in our power to protect them from the federal overreach.

Sanctuary policies

Philadelphia officials said the best way they can prepare is by limiting the citys cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

City Councilmember Kendra Brooks, of the progressive Working Families Party, and Councilmember Rue Landau, a Democrat, were joined by dozens of activists and other elected officials during a news conference Tuesday to unveil a package of legislation aimed at codifying into law the citys existing sanctuary city practices.

Those policies, which are executive orders, bar city officials from holding undocumented immigrants in custody at ICEs request without a judicial warrant.

Landau and Brooks legislative package, expected to be introduced in Council on Thursday, goes further, preventing ICE agents from wearing masks, using city-owned property for staging raids or accessing city databases.

Erika Guadalupe Nunez, executive director of immigrant advocacy organization Juntos, said the legislation goes beyond just We dont collaborate.

Juntos gets regular calls about ICE staging operations at public locations in and around Philadelphia, and people have been worried, despite official assurances, whether personal information held by the city will be secure from government prying.

We deserve a city that has elected leadership thats willing to step forward with clear and stronger protections, Nunez said.

If the legislation is approved, Philadelphia would have some of the most stringent protections for immigrants in the country.

Oregon has especially strong restrictions against cooperation with federal immigration authorities, including barring local law enforcement from detaining people or collecting information on a persons immigration status without a judicial warrant.

In Illinois, local officers may not participate, support, or assist in any capacity with an immigration agents enforcement operations. They are also barred from granting immigration agents access to electronic databases or to anyone in custody.

California, New York, Colorado, Vermont  and individual jurisdictions in those states  also provide strong protections for immigrants.

In New Jersey, Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat who was sworn in last week, has kept the states sanctuary directive in place as lawmakers seek to expand and codify the policy into law. Legislators came close in the final days of former Gov. Phil Murphys administration, but he killed a related bill that had won approval in Trenton, saying he worried that enacting a law that included changes to the states current policy would invite new lawsuits.

Meanwhile, some conservatives say bolstering sanctuary policies risks community safety.

If an illegal immigrant breaks the law, they should be dealt with and handed over to federal law enforcement, not be released back into our neighborhoods to terrorize more victims and commit more crime, said James Markley, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Republican Party.

He added: Sanctuary policies dont protect communities; they endanger all of us by shielding criminals from accountability for their crimes.
For the second time in as many days, Gov. Josh Shapiro went on national television to issue a warning to the Trump administration that he is preparing the commonwealth to pushback on the type of immigration crackdown seen in Minneapolis.

Appearing Tuesday evening on CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper, Shapiro assailed the military-style immigration crackdown in that city, which has left two people dead and dozens of others injured.

Shapiro called for ICE forces to pull out of Minnesota.

In Minnesota, the federal officials have eviscerated the trust that should exist between law enforcement and the community by virtue of how theyve gone about the operation, Shapiro said, reminding Tapper he was attorney general of Pennnsylvania.

It is undeniable that trust that needs to exist between law enforcement and the public simply does not exist between these federal agents and the community that they are there, in theory, to serve, Shapiro said. And so I think that the mission needs to be terminated. It needs to end. Fear is a real thing, but the reality is we need to end this mission and move forward.

Much like he did on Monday night when he appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Shapiro was vague on details on preparations he has ordered in anticipation of a federal immigration incursion in Pennsylvania. He has in recent weeks signaled working with courts and local communities.

Ill work with anyone to keep the people of Pennsylvania safe, the governor said. And I will also stand up to anyone that tries to undermine the safety and security of a community. We work with our law enforcement partners, the federal, obviously, state and local level, to keep people safe.

Shapiro, a Democrat who is running for re-election, cited decreasing statistics in crime in Pennsylvania under his watch, including a 12% reduction in violent crime and a 43% reduction in fatal gun violence.

What we dont want are outside forces coming in and eroding that trust, creating chaos, Shapiro said. You know, Donald Trump and his administration love to put themselves out there as the party of law and order. What we see from them is not law and order, but chaos and division.

Shapiro accused federal immigration forces and President Trump of acting outside the bounds of the law in Minneapolis, based not only on the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, but just the very premise of their mission being there.

I think thats outside the law and the bounds of the 10th Amendment, Shapiro said. And so it is something we are prepared for. And I will work with anyone to keep people safe, but Ill stand up to anyone that undermines that safety.

Amid growing outcry from Republicans and Democrats, Trump on Tuesday sent border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to replace Greg Bovino, commander of U.S. Border Patrol, from running operations in the state.

Asked by Tapper if he thought the change in the command leadership would lead to improved operations on the ground, Shapiro said he would not be swayed until the president vowed to stop going after people with an accent and ordered the unmasking of federal agents.

Until I hear that the mission has changed, I dont really care whos in charge, Shapiro said.

Tapper also pivoted to several questions regarding Shapiros newly released book, Where We Keep the Light, wherein he unpacks his decision to drop out of the running to be the running mate of then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

Shapiro pushed back on suggestions from Tapper that the relationship with Harris was fraught with clashes.

I did everything in my power to try and help the vice president win, and I wish she would have, Shapiro said. The country would have been in a far better place than it is right now.

Shapiro said Harris had been direct with me and honest with me. And I hope she appreciates that I was direct and honest back with her.
Who will be the first among President Donald Trumps Cabinet members to leave this year?

The odds on one betting site have embattled Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as the favorite with a 69% chance as of Wednesday that she will be removed by Trump before 2027 arrives.

BetOnline.ag originally had Noems odds of getting booted at 4 to 1, about a 20% chance, in late December, but the deadly operations in Minnesota by ICE agents, who she oversees, have fueled anger in that state and across the country.

After voting last year to confirm Noem, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman on Tuesday called for Trump to fire her, sentiments echoed by a handful of Republican senators.

GOP Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski told Axios that Noem should be removed.

She should be out of a job, said Tillis, while Murkowski said it probably is time for her to step down.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is next on the list at -200 to get ousted in 2026, or about a 67% chance.

The likelihood that other Trump administration officials will leave before the year ends:

64%: FBI Director Kash Patel.

Even: National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard.

42%: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

40%: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

19%: Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

As for House Speaker Mike Johnsons future, there is a 75% chance that he remains in that role at least until this years mid-term elections.
President Donald Trump is giving two thumbs up to Republican Stacy Garrity in the Pennsylvania governors race.

In a post on Truth Social late Tuesday, Trump gave Garrity his Complete and Total Endorsement and called her a true America First Patriot.

As your next Governor, Stacy will work tirelessly to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, Keep our Border SECURE, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Safeguard our Elections, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.

Garrity, the likely GOP nominee who will take on Gov. Josh Shapiro in November, said she was honored to receive Trumps endorsement and praised his victories in Pennsylvania in 2016 and 2024.

President Trump has been a voice for hardworking Americans who have been too often left behind, by standing up to our international adversaries like China, lowering the tax burden on families and small businesses, and returning pride to our nation, Garrity said in a statement.

Trumps endorsement comes as his poll numbers tumble and Congressional Republicans show their first significant pushback on the president following the ICE killings of civilians in Minneapolis.

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party wasted no time lambasting the endorsement, calling Garrity a rubber stamp for Trump policies that are killing jobs and raising costs.

Stacy Garrity is an extreme, toxic candidate who is running to bring Trumps dangerous and chaotic Washington agenda here to Pennsylvania  and Donald Trumps endorsement confirms that," said Eugene DePasquale, chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.

She supports cutting health care to pay for tax cuts for billionaires even as tens of thousands lose their coverage, opposed tax cuts for working families here in Pennsylvania, backs restricting abortion access in Pennsylvania, and said it was fun to spread misinformation about the 2020 election.

For her part, Garrity doubled down on her role with Team Trump, assailing Shapiro for standing in the administrations way through multiple lawsuits.

Josh Shapiro is President Trumps number one adversary, and I am looking forward to working with President Trump and his team to defeat Josh Shapiro this November, she said.
The cleanup from the first major snowstorm of the winter in central Pennsylvania continued on Tuesday, with many schools switching to a virtual learning day.

Temperatures once again remained in the low to mid-20s on Tuesday and are predicted to drop to 10 degrees or below overnight, meaning that anything that melted during the day will freeze.

That is expected to prompt a lot of schools throughout central Pennsylvania to delay classes by an hour or two.

The Harrisburg School District has already announced that it will operate on a two-hour delay with no early release for students. High schools will be dismissed at 2:45 pm, middle schools at 3:30 pm, and elementary schools at 3:50 pm. Information is available on the Districts Facebook page and website at www.HBGSD.us .

To see if your school located in one of central Pa.s 11 counties will follow a similar script, check the link below.

Adams County

Bermudian Springs

Gettysburg Area

Conewago Valley

Fairfield Area

Upper Adams

Berks County

Boyertown Area

Antietam

Wilson

Wyomissing Area

Hamburg Area

Muhlenberg

Brandywine Heights Area

Exeter Township

Cumberland County

Public schools

Big Spring

Camp Hill

Carlisle Area

Cumberland Perry Area Career & Technical Center

Cumberland Valley

East Pennsboro Area

Mechanicsburg Area

Shippensburg Area

South Middleton

West Shore

Non-public schools

St. Joseph School

St. Patrick School

St. Theresa School

Trinity High School

Carlisle Christian Academy

Christian School of Grace Baptist Church

Heritage Christian Academy

Good Shepherd School

Harrisburg Academy

West Shore Christian Academy

Dauphin County

Public schools

Capital Area School for the Arts

Central Dauphin

Dauphin County Technical School

Derry Township

Halifax Area

Harrisburg

Lower Dauphin

Middletown Area

Millersburg Area

Sci Tech High

Steelton-Highspire

Susquehanna Township

Upper Dauphin Area

Non-public schools

Bishop McDevitt High School

Covenant Christian Academy

Harrisburg Catholic Elementary

Harrisburg Christian School

Holy Name of Jesus School

Londonderry School

Milton Hershey School

Nativity School of Harrisburg

St. Catherine LaBoure School

St. Joan of Arc School

St. Margaret Mary School

St. Stephens Episcopal School

Seven Sorrows of the B.V.M. School

The Silver Academy

Franklin County

Chambersburg Area

Fannett-Metal

Greencastle-Antrim

Tuscarora

Waynesboro Area

Lancaster County

Public Schools

Eastern Lancaster

Cocalico

Columbia Borough

Conestoga Valley

Donegal

Elizabethtown Area

Ephrata Area

Hempfield

Lampeter-Strasburg

Lancaster

Manheim Central

Manheim Township

Octorara

Penn Manor

Pequea Valley

Solanco

Warwick

Non-public schools

Lancaster Catholic High School

Lancaster Country Day School

Lancaster Mennonite

Resurrection Catholic School

Sacred Heart School

St. Anne School

Lebanon County

Annville-Cleona

Cornwall-Lebanon

Eastern Lebanon

Lebanon

Northern Lebanon

Palmyra Area

Mifflin County

Mifflin County schools

Perry County

Public schools

Greenwood

Newport

Susquenita

West Perry

Schuylkill County

Public schools

Blue Mountain School District

Mahanoy Area School District

Minersville Area School District

North Schuylkill School District

Pine Grove Area School District

Pottsville Area School District

Saint Clair Area School District

Schuylkill Haven Area School District

Schuylkill Technology Center

Shenandoah Valley School District

Tamaqua Area School District

Tri-Valley School District

Williams Valley School District

Non-public schools

Marian High School

Nativity B.V.M. High School

Assumption BVM School

New England Valley Mennonite School

The Perception Training Center, Inc.

York County

Public schools

Central York

Dallastown Area

Dover Area

Eastern York

Hanover Public

Northeastern

Northern York County

Red Lion

South Eastern

South Western

Southern York County

Spring Grove Area

West York Area

York City

York Suburban

York County School of Technology West Shore

Non-public schools

Holy Trinity Catholic School

St. Joseph School-York

St. Rose of Lima School

York Catholic
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a comprehensive resolution "Elections in Times of Crisis" aimed at protecting electoral processes in crisis conditions, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has said.

"PACE noted that elections are increasingly rare in 'normal' conditions. Polarization, disinformation, foreign interference, cyberattacks, climate threats and wars are shaping a new reality of the constant vulnerability of electoral processes in Europe and the world," the commission said on the website on Wednesday.

As noted, the main provisions of the resolution are based on the results of the 2023 Bern Parliamentary Conference "Elections in Times of Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities" during which Chairman of the Central Election Commission Oleh Didenko presented the key challenges for Ukrainian post-war elections.

"The resolution emphasizes that crises are no longer exceptional events: they have become a permanent structural challenge for modern democracy. This requires adaptation and resilience at all stages of the electoral process. The document is a call for states to develop frameworks and practices that would ensure safe elections, while protecting fundamental rights and maintaining public trust in electoral processes," the commission said.

The resolution also outlines Russia's full-scale aggressive war against Ukraine has caused unprecedented pressure on the member states of the Council of Europe and necessitated the application of exceptional measures to preserve democratic processes, renew national security concepts in general, and strengthen electoral security in particular.

PACE stated that the forced involvement of the civilian population of Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories in the so-called "elections" organized by Russia is a gross violation of international law and completely negates any claims to their legitimacy.

At the same time, the document emphasizes that, according to international standards, it is impossible to hold elections during martial law. It specifically emphasizes the need for international support for Ukraine to prepare safe, inclusive and legitimate post-war elections, when appropriate conditions arise for their holding.

Chairman of the Central Election Commission Didenko said the PACE resolution "Elections in Times of Crisis" is an important document for Ukraine, both in terms of an objective assessment of the consequences of Russian aggression for democratic electoral processes, and as a guideline for preparing for post-war elections.

"The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in my opinion, objectively assessed the scale of the negative consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine for democratic electoral processes in Europe and the world and called for support for Ukraine in overcoming them," he said.

Didenko said that in Europe and the world, elections and citizens' electoral rights are facing new systemic challenges  foreignn interference, in particular disinformation, cyber threats, targeted undermining of voters' trust in the expression of will, as well as complicated security conditions for holding elections, under which it is especially important to prevent violations of voters' rights.

"Ukraine will probably also face these challenges in the post-war elections. That is why preparations for their prevention and neutralization have already begun: both at the parliamentary level through the activities of a special Working Group, and at the level of the Central Election Commission through the development and adoption of proposals for legislation on post-war elections, as well as through a systematic study of foreign practices in overcoming such challenges," he said.

Didenko also drew attention to the fact that the PACE resolution specifically emphasizes strengthening international election observation and improving its methodologies. The commission's chairman believes that it is important to use this PACE signal as a basis for a professional discussion on how to strengthen international observation by preventing malicious influence on legitimate missions by Russia and other anti-democratic regimes, as well as by systematically countering the phenomenon of "fake international observers" which Ukraine has repeatedly encountered in the temporarily occupied territories.
China's foreign trade sector buzzes with activity

People's Daily Online) 09:26, January 28, 2026

At the beginning of the year, foreign trade companies across China are bustling with activity  securing orders, setting up overseas warehouses, running cross-border e-commerce operations, strengthening existing markets, and exploring new ones.

Workers assemble garments at a clothing company in Tianmen, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

In recent years, the garment industry in Tianmen city, central China's Hubei Province, has grown into an industrial cluster with an output value of over 10 billion yuan ($1.44 billion), attracting over 100,000 people back home for entrepreneurship and employment.

Fei Wen is one of them. Five years ago, after facing setbacks in his e-commerce business in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, he was drawn back to Tianmen by a series of support policies for returning entrepreneurs.

After returning to his hometown, Fei expanded his business from a dozen employees to 1,500 in just four years, with revenue soaring from tens of millions of yuan to over a billion.

"The profit margins in cross-border e-commerce still outperform domestic trade. We're planning to use overseas warehouses to expand into Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea," he said, adding that he aims to establish six or seven overseas warehouses in Southeast Asia over the next two years.

Chen Jinbao and his colleagues communicate with a client from Turkiye at his store in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

At a store in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Chen Jinbao, general manager of an artificial flower company, was meeting with a Turkish client.

"This client is a major prospect. They've selected over 50 samples and are likely to place large orders soon," Chen said.

Having started from scratch, Chen entered the artificial flower industry in 2011 and has spent 14 years in the field.

He believes that as China's international influence continues to grow, his company should invest more in foreign trade, focusing on small- and medium-sized sellers abroad. "We aim to set up overseas branches to push our products into broader international markets," he said.

Zhang Wei, deputy general manager of a supply chain management company in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has been particularly busy recently.

"Currently, we ship around 200,000 to 300,000 packages a day from China to Vietnam," Zhang said.

In 2020, Zhang moved to Pingxiang, a border city in Guangxi, where he began working in cross-border e-commerce and logistics, gradually growing his business.

"E-commerce was booming at the time. After identifying the right direction, we assembled a team and gradually expanded. Today, we have overseas warehouses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam," he said.

Zhang is optimistic about the future. "Global demand for Chinese-made products remains strong. While the policy landscape is evolving, the overall outlook is positive. Our logistics operations are already active in Thailand and Cambodia, and we plan to expand further into other Southeast Asian countries."

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Quick Response and Public Safety Reporter

Caitlin Bell is a breaking news and courts reporter for The Post and Courier Charleston. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Growth & Development Reporter

Caleb Bozard covers business, growth and development for The Post and Courier Columbia. He has previously written for The State and the Times and Democrat. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2023.
Dairy industry developed in Wuzhong, China's Ningxia

Xinhua) 09:31, January 28, 2026

This photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows an ultra-high temperature instant sterilization production line at a Yili workshop in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

A staff member checks an automatic production line at the packaging workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 27, 2026. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

This photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows the packaging workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

An automatic production line is pictured at the packaging workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 27, 2026. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

An autonomous forklift transfers goods at the packaging workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 27, 2026. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

Staff members of Yili monitor the production data at the control room in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 27, 2026. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows the Yili factory in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

This photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows the filling workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Reporter

Riley covers business and government in Richland County for The Post and Courier Columbia. She has previously written for The State and National Mortgage News. She graduated from the University of South Carolina's journalism school and is finalizing a master's degree in data and communications.
Food & Dining Editor

Parker Milner is the Food Editor of The Post and Courier. He is a Boston College graduate and former professional hockey player who joined The Post and Courier after leading the Charleston City Paper's food section.
Greenville, SC (29601)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 46F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Cold. Low 24F. Winds light and variable.
White House seeks to ease tensions after fatal shooting in Minnesota

Xinhua) 09:39, January 28, 2026

People attend a candlelight vigil held for Alex Pretti in San Francisco, California, the United States, on Jan. 25, 2026. A Minnesota resident was fatally shot by federal law enforcement agents on Saturday. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The White House has attempted to ease tensions over the latest fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, even as investigations continue and questions grow among state officials, lawmakers and other groups.

According to local media, U.S. Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino and some agents deployed to Minneapolis are expected to leave the city as early as Tuesday. The announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was dispatching White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

CHANGING NARRATIVE

Bovino is viewed as the face of Trump's immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. His departure comes amid rising criticism after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, following the January killing of Renee Good, also 37, a mother of three who was shot and killed during an encounter with ICE officers.

Trump spoke by phone with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Monday. In a post on his social media platform after the call, he said Walz had sought to "work together" and that the two "seemed to be on a similar wavelength," a noticeably softer tone than his sharp criticism of the Democratic governor over the weekend.

Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday that the federal government was reviewing the shooting incident. According to the Washington Post, a Trump administration lawyer assured a federal judge Monday that investigators have preserved body-camera footage and other evidence from the shooting, but stopped short of promising to share that evidence with state investigators.

According to local media, bystander footage showed that Pretti was pushed by an officer and then a half-dozen agents descended on him. During the scuffle, he was holding a phone but was not seen brandishing the 9mm semiautomatic handgun police say he was licensed to carry.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office on Saturday filed a lawsuit accusing federal authorities of irregularities in the evidence-gathering process, seeking to bar the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and related agencies from destroying or altering material connected to the shooting.

Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General and a Democrat, said the state had not been provided with information about key evidence and called for a full, transparent investigation.

MOUNTING DIVISIONS WITHIN

The death of Pretti has also brought rising internal divisions within the Republican Party over immigration policy and federal intervention.

According to Time magazine, some Republican lawmakers and governors have begun calling for investigations or for a pause in the surge of agents into Minnesota. Vermont Governor Phil Scott called the killing in Minneapolis unacceptable and asked to "pause these operations and de-escalate the situation," while Senator Dave McCormick expressed support for immigration enforcement but called for a thorough review of what happened in Minneapolis.

Chris Madel, a Republican candidate for governor of Minnesota who previously provided legal counsel in a separate fatal shooting case involving a law enforcement officer, withdrew from the race Monday in protest at the Trump administration's immigration operation. He criticized the current federal operation for creating fear among U.S. citizens and eroding civil liberties.

Gun rights advocates were surprised and disappointed by the Trump administration's initial statements following the Pretti shooting. William Sack, legal director of the Second Amendment Foundation, said the administration's shifting public posture was "very likely to cost them dearly with the core of a constituency they count on."

Protesters attend a rally against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) near the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Jan. 25, 2026. A Minnesota resident was fatally shot by ICE agents on Saturday. (Xinhua)

FUNDING AT RISK

The fallout from the shooting has spilled into Congress as well. Lawmakers are locked in negotiations over a six-bill government funding package, including the DHS bill, that accounts for more than 70 percent of federal operations and has raised the risk of a partial government shutdown.

The package was sent to the Senate last week following a House vote, in which almost all Democrats voted against the DHS bill. Pretti's death has hardened Democratic senators' resolve to withhold funding for immigration enforcement operations unless new restraints are imposed.

"I failed to view the DHS funding vote as a referendum on the illegal and immoral conduct of ICE in Minneapolis," Tom Suozzi, one of seven Democrats who had voted to approve the DHS funds, said Monday, reversing his earlier position in a Facebook post.

Some Republicans suggested breaking apart the six-bill package, removing the homeland security funding while allowing the others to go forward. But many GOP lawmakers still strongly reject stripping the DHS of its funding.

According to local media, the White House is reaching out to Congressional leaders behind the scenes in search of a way out of another government shutdown.

"We absolutely do not want to see that funding lapse," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Deirdre Weaver-Currin covers Florence and the Pee Dee for The Post and Courier Pee Dee. She previously worked at The Sumter Item.
PLA Naval Aviation University organizes arrested landing training

China Military Online) 16:24, January 28, 2026

A J-15 carrier-based fighter jet attached to the Chinese PLA Naval Aviation University catches the arresting gear wire during an arrested landing training exercise. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Sun Hongqiang)

The arresting gear crews assigned to the Chinese PLA Naval Aviation University inspect an arresting gear cable during an arrested landing training exercise. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Sun Hongqiang)

An arresting gear crew member assigned to the Chinese PLA Naval Aviation University guides an arresting wire back into position as it is retracted on the flight deck during an arrested landing training exercise. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Sun Hongqiang)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
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DAVIE, FL / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / BHG Financial , the leader in small business and unsecured personal loans, today announced a $100,000 donation to Mount Sinai Medical Center's Labor and Delivery Unit, designated to benefit the hospital's Abess Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).The donation will help support the NICU in providing specialized, around-the-clock care for premature and medically fragile newborns. Funding will help strengthen resources within the unit, including critical equipment, clinical programs, and services that support infants and their families during the earliest and most vulnerable stages of life."Our family experienced the love and dedication from the NICU team at Mount Sinai Medical Center firsthand," Tyler Crawford, President of BHG Financial, said. "When your child is in the NICU, every moment matters. The compassion, skill, and commitment of the caregivers make an immeasurable difference. This gift is deeply personal for us and it's our way of giving back to the team that supports families when they need it most." "We're deeply grateful to BHG Financial for this generous gift," Gino R. Santorio, President and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center, said. "Their support helps us expand the resources behind the exceptional care our NICU team provides and strengthens the support we offer families during an incredibly stressful and uncertain time." As a Level III NICU, The Abess NICU at Mount Sinai Medical Center cares for babies born as early as 23 weeks and can address nearly any condition or complication that may arise. The 16-bed unit's extensive team includes respiratory therapists, neonatal rehabilitation specialists, social workers, lactation consultants, and more. The NICU provides advanced medical care for infants requiring specialized monitoring and treatment, along with continued support through the child's first year.The donation is not only personal to BHG Financial's leadership team, but it also reflects the company's ongoing commitment to investing in the health and well-being of the communities it serves.About BHG FinancialBHG Financial is a national leader in providing financial solutions to American consumers and financial institutions. Since 2001, BHG has originated over $18.5 billion in loans, helping customers achieve greater financial flexibility in their business and personal lives. With customizable financing, a simplified process, longer loan terms, and personalized service, the BHG Financial approach to lending helps set the company apart in the market. BHG Financial also provides high-quality assets to more than 1,600 national banks that are members of its Institutional Network, one of the largest in the country. Members have access to the BHG Financial state-of-the-art loan delivery platform and premium regulatory services. BHG Financial is partially owned by Pinnacle Bank (PNFP) and has headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Syracuse, NY. For more information, visitbhgfinancial.com/ About Mount Sinai Medical Center Founded in 1949,Mount Sinai Medical Centeris the largest independent, private, not-for-profit teaching hospital in South Florida. Mount Sinai's mission is to provide quality health care to a diverse community enhanced through teaching, research, charity care, and financial responsibility. Mount Sinai's Centers of Excellence combine technology, research, and academics to provide innovative and comprehensive care in cardiology, neuroscience, oncology, urology, and orthopedics. One of the original statutory teaching hospitals in the state of Florida, Mount Sinai is the hospital of choice for those who seek the level of expertise and care that only a teaching hospital can offer. Mount Sinai currently offers ten convenient locations in Miami-Dade County, including three emergency centers, and four specialty care offices in Monroe County.For More InformationBHG Financial Brooke NiemeyerDirector of Communicationsbniemeyer@ bhg-inc.com Mount Sinai Medical Center Amanda PazDirector of Content and Communicationsamanda.paz@msmc.com SOURCE: BHG Financial
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VICTORIA, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 27, 2026 / Boron One Holdings Inc. ("Boron One" or the "Company") (TSXV:BONE) is pleased to announce that, further to its news release of January 5, 2026, it has increased the non-brokered private placement by an additional $100,000, for total gross proceeds of up to $600,000 by the issue of units at a price of $0.05 per unit. Each unit consists of one common share and one common share warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to subscribe for one additional common share for a period of 3 years from the date of closing, at an exercise price of $0.05 in the first year, and $0.10 in the second and third years, subject to the Corporation's option to accelerate the expiry date if the stock trades at $0.12 per common share for the initial exercise period and $0.22 per common share for the subsequent period.The Company further announces that it has been granted an extension to file the required documentation with the TSX Venture Exchange until February 20, 2026.The company will pay a finder's fee to qualified finders who assist in selling the units, in cash or securities or a combination of both, as permitted by TSX Venture Exchange policy and applicable securities laws.The Company intends to use net proceeds of the Private Placement for working capital requirements.The Private Placement is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including approval from the TSX Venture Exchange.On behalf of the Board of Directors,Tim Daniels, PresidentAbout Boron One Holdings Inc.Boron One Holdings Inc. is an international mineral exploration and development company with boron assets in Serbia. Headquartered in Victoria, B.C., Canada, Boron One's shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "BONE". For detailed information please see Boron One's website at www.boronone.com or the Company's filed documents at www.sedar.com For further information, please contact:Boron's Public Quotations:Boron One Holdings IncBlake Fallis, General ManagerPhone: 1-250- 384-1999 or 1-888-289-3746 info@ boronone.comwww.boronone.com CanadaTSX Venture:BONEBerlin:EKVUS:SEC 12G3-2(B) #82-4432ERVFFOTC PINK:ERVFFNeither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: Boron One Holdings Inc.
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 27, 2026 /WHY: New York, N.Y., January 27, 2026. Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of investors in cryptocurrency issued by Balancer (ticker:BAL), resulting from allegations that Balancer may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.SO WHAT: If you purchased Balancer cryptocurrency you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48945 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@ rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On November 3, 2025, Bloomberg published an article entitled "Hack Drains Over $100 Million From Crypto Protocol Balancer." The article stated that "Balancer, a decentralized finance protocol, has been hit by a major exploit that drained more than $100 million in digital assets, according to blockchain security firms. Security researchers at PeckShield and Cyvers flagged the incident on Monday, warning that funds linked to the attacker's wallet were still being siphoned. Total losses have climbed to about $128 million, Cyvers said in a message." WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved, 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.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.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 27, 2026 / Troy Minerals Inc. ("Troy" or the "Company") (CSE:TROY)(OTCQB:TROYF)(FSE:VJ3) announces that it intends to settle outstanding indebtedness in the amount of $348,000 owed to certain creditors in exchange for the issuance of a total of 2,784,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.125 per share.The Company intends to complete the debt settlement to preserve the Company's cash for working capital and improve its financial position by reducing its existing liabilities. The debt settlement is expected to close shortly, subject to customary closing conditions, including, but not limited to, finalizing all contractual documentation and receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals, as applicable, including compliance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange.All securities issued under the debt settlement will be subject to a four-month hold period in accordance with Canadian securities law.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,Rana Vig | CEO and Director Telephone: 604-218-4766 rana@ ranavig.com Forward-Looking StatementsCertain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Although management of the Company have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.SOURCE: Troy Minerals Inc.
President Recep Erdogan of the Republic of Turkiye, on Tuesday in Ankara, said his country targets a $5 billion trade volume with Nigeria, adding that discussions to actualise this have already commenced.

President Erdogan stated this during a joint press briefing with President Bola Tinubu during the Nigerian Presidents State Visit.

At present, the trade volume between the two nations is about $2 billion. Turkey exports planes, helicopters, machinery, iron and steel, and chemical products to Nigeria. Nigeria exports crude oil and agricultural products to Turkiye.

Mr Erdogan said the establishment of the Joint Economy and Trade Committee between the two countries will create opportunities to expand Turkish investments in Nigeria to realise the target.

He praised the commitment of President Tinubu to develop Nigeria and highlighted the presence of several ministers and high-ranking officials as the most unambiguous indication of this political determination:

Today, we conducted a comprehensive review of our relations with the esteemed President and his delegation in the fields of trade, investments, energy, education and defence industry.

Firstly, we see that we have significant potential in the fields of trade and investment. In todays meetings, our commitment is to the $5 billion trade volume target, and we discussed the steps needed.

We also discussed opportunities to support our investments in Nigeria. We believe that the joint Economy and Trade Committee, which we agreed to establish today, will be instrumental in this regard.

Mr Erdogan hailed the Nigerian presidents strides in the energy sector, which has resulted in the restructuring of the countrys economy.

He hoped that the cooperation between the Turkish Petroleum Corporation, their Nigerian counterparts, and organisations would yield the expected outcomes.

He promised to assist Nigeria in tackling insurgency, given its history with a similar problem.

Terrorist organisations emerging, particularly in Africas Sahel region, unfortunately, pose a threat to the peace of the entire continent. We stand by the friendly people of Nigeria in their fight against terrorism under the leadership of President Tinubu.

In fact, today, we addressed opportunities for closer cooperation in the fields of military training and intelligence. We stated that we are ready to share our countrys significant experience in combating terrorism.

Also, I believe that we will soon see positive outcomes from the meetings that Nigerian officials will hold with our leading defence industry companies during this visit, he said.

In his remarks, President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the Republic of Turkiye for its openness and willingness to collaborate in promoting global freedom, stability, and prosperity.

He emphasised the importance of creating an inclusive economy, particularly focusing on vulnerable people.

Mr Tinubu commended the Turkish leader for being willing to collaborate, willing to help, willing to work together to promote freedom, stability and prosperity, shared prosperity across the world.

What is very important to the countries being discussed, trade, business, no restrictions, giving opportunity to those who are ready to learn to work and prosper. How do we build an inclusive economy together? How do we reform the economy and involve vulnerable people? How do we ensure peace in the world? he asked.

Mr Tinubu stressed that Nigeria would continue to play a significant role in promoting peace and stability in Africa despite security challenges in some parts of the country.

We discussed efforts against terrorism. We discussed how to defeat agents of destabilisation.

Mr Tinubu also praised Mr Erdogan for his commitment towards promoting global peace, particularly his efforts in Somalia.

At the end of the bilateral meeting, officials from the two countries signed nine agreements.

They were: Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Diaspora Policy; Agreement on Defence Cooperation; Joint Declaration Establishing the Economy and Trade Joint Committee; and Agreement in the Field of Halal Quality Infrastructure.

Others include Cooperation in the Field of Higher Education; Cooperation in the Field of Media and Communication; Cooperation in the Field of Education; Cooperation Between the Republic of Turkiye, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Diplomacy Academy, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Affairs Academy; and Cooperation Between the Republic of Turkiye, Ministry of Social services and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ministry of women Affairs and Social Development.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

January 27, 2026
He was not only talking about his watches, which he described as consequences of this love and the skills of the team. You choose your clients  they dont choose you. And then you declare your love to this audience.

Mr. Zorik, who is also the president and founder of the Journees Internationales du Marketing Horloger, had gone on to say that true luxury is providing access to secrets. And expressing secrets. And even though it could be seen as a bit of marketing blah-blah, perhaps this is the simple truth? (Or, I should say, one of many truths.) Let us not forget that, when it comes to expressing secrets, this is where media can be, if you allow me, the mediator. Yes, media might be a middleman. But an important one, since media brings information and knowledge and opinion; often coupled with a product or a person.

Secrets, or at least insights, should be a core component, regardless of which medium we are using. Print, online, or social media; good articles and photos should reveal secrets, express secrets, give insights, offer a peek behind the scenes, and declare love. Do all of our articles always do all that? Nah. But it is always the goal. And I just love the goosebumps I get when one of our writers outdoes themselves. And I think we are getting there more and more often, especially with the aid of our new freelance team members Victoria Gomelsky, Simon de Burton, and Rachel Silvestri, all with experience from world-leading titles like The New York Times, Financial Times, Vogue, and Harpers Bazaar.

Speaking of secrets, it is still too early to really say what is brewing here in Geneva. But lets say that we are increasing the synergies between the titles. And we are doing some spring cleaning. I will definitely keep you posted.

Before letting go of the beautiful lake view, I also think about Mr. Zoriks words on choices. I think about how I chose writing in the late 1990s, initially to be published in Antipodean newspapers and magazines, as I lived in Australia at the time. I also think of the strong choice made by my forerunners here at WorldTempus and GMT, 25 years and 26 years ago. Ever since, we have forged strong relationships in the industry. Back then, we made a choice to write for watch lovers inside and outside the Swiss watch industry. And you can rest assured, we love you.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has summoned Overland Airways following complaints over alleged Value Added Tax (VAT) charges imposed on flight tickets purchased in 2025 but flown in 2026.

The action followed a public complaint by Oluwa Kemmy Bello, who, on 21 January, raised concerns on X about her 86-year-old grandmother, who was reportedly compelled to pay an additional 11,286 in VAT at Ilorin Airport while travelling on an Overland Airways flight.

Dear @mikeachimugu01 kindly assist clarify if a ticket purchased since last year 2025 attracts additional VAT? My 86-year-old grandma was forcibly made to pay 11,286 as new VAT today at Ilorin Airport by OverlandAirways, she wrote.

In a response shared on Wednesday, the NCAA Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the regulator invited the airline to explain the incident on Tuesday.

Mr Achimugu said the NCAA delegation included officials from the Consumer Protection Directorate, Air Transport Regulations, Policy and Enforcement Unit, Flight Operations and Adjudication Department, as well as legal officers from the authority.

According to him, Overland Airways argued that aviation taxes are charged at the point of flight rather than when tickets are purchased, adding that the airline claimed to have an existing understanding with the tax authorities on the matter.

However, the regulator said any previous arrangement could not override current regulatory guidance unless formally confirmed by the relevant tax authority.

The NCAAs position is that any such agreement between the airline and anybody in the past is overtaken by new developments, unless stated otherwise by the Nigeria Revenue Service, Mr Achimugu noted.

He added that the Director of Air Transport Regulations had earlier confirmed through tax policy expert Taiwo Oyedele that VAT should not apply to tickets purchased before 2026. However, further clarification was required from the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).

Mr Achimugu said Overland Airways has been directed to seek official clarification from the tax authority within 10 days and submit its response to the NCAA.

He said the airline was also instructed to facilitate refunds to all affected passengers if the tax authority confirms that retrospective VAT charges do not apply to tickets purchased before 2026.

The airline has agreed to refund all passengers affected by this situation if the NRS clarifies otherwise, he said.

The development comes amid growing public concerns over rising aviation costs and consumer protection issues within Nigerias domestic aviation sector.
Nigerian streamer and TikToker Habeeb Peller Hamzat has sparked reactions on social media after announcing that he might withdraw from university barely two days after resuming academic activities.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the 20-year-old revealed on his Instagram page on Saturday that he secured admission into a private university in Lagos to study Law.

Although Peller did not disclose the name of the institution, reports claimed he was admitted to Caleb University in Imota, Ikorodu, Lagos.

The TikToker expressed excitement over gaining admission and also took a swipe at critics who had previously mocked his educational background.

Not going back

However, in a viral voice note that surfaced online on Tuesday, Peller announced plans to quit the programme, citing a lack of financial reward and a shift in his personal priorities.

He said, I swear to God, I just remembered that I am supposed to be going to school, maybe tomorrow or the next day. I cant even remember, but Im not going again. I just realised that I would sit in class for about seven hours without making any money. I would just be writing, watching and playing around, earning nothing.

God forbid. Im not doing that again. When I entered the school, I noticed that everyone was old and I was the only young one among them. So I need to grow older first. Maybe when Im 30 or 40, Ill go back to school. Im not doing it again, please cancel everything, because Im tired.

Request

Meanwhile, Peller, in a post on his Instagram Story on Tuesday, appealed to the school management to make an exception to its rules.

He urged the authorities to allow him to livestream on campus, explaining that it would enable him to earn an income while attending lectures.

Please make una allow streaming for school abeg, as school dey go on, make I put my my livestream for one corner dey make some small token (Please allow streaming in school, as classes are ongoing, so I can run my livestream quietly in one corner and earn some small income), said Peller.

The newspaper reported that the streamer faced heavy online criticism, particularly over his grammar and academic background.

Some social media users even labelled him uneducated, a backlash that reportedly influenced his decision to return to school.

Peller later explained that part of his motivation was to improve his spoken English.

Reactions

Pellers decision to quit school has sparked widespread reactions, particularly given his growing public profile after catching the attention of American streamer IShowSpeed during his visit to Nigeria.

While some netizens expressed concern over the move, others argued that he should have enrolled in an online university rather than attending a conventional, physical institution.

Below are some of the comments
A United Kingdom High Court of Appeal has upheld earlier rulings against blogger Maureen Badejo, ordering her to pay 100,000 in damages to the founder of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Daniel Olukoya and his wife, Folashade, after losing a defamation suit.

In April 2021, the Queens Bench Division of a UK high court of justice ordered Ms Badejo to pay the sum of 65,000 to the general overseer and 35,000 to his wife as damages over defamatory publications.

The court also directed her to publicly retract the defamatory statements and publish a summary of the judgment on her social media platforms for a period of 10 consecutive days as a corrective measure and as a means of ensuring that her misguided and misinformed audience gets to know about the courts decision.

Offence

Ms Badejo, a UK-based blogger and the proprietor of Gio TV, was accused of using her social media channels to blackmail Mr Olukoya and his church on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

She had claimed that Mr Olukoya and his church duped the United States Government by selling his books in the country without paying due tax.

She also alleged that an MFM pastor in the UK paid 150,000 into the personal account of Mr Olukoya, and then went to Nigeria to meet the cleric so he could help him cover up his fraud.

Appeal denied

Delivering the judgment, Justice Lavender, the UK High Court of Appeal, Queens Bench Division, affirmed earlier rulings against Ms Badejo in the case marked QB-2020-003625.

Justice Lavender upheld the orders made by Master Thormett on April 13, 2021 and February 3, 2022 and dismissed Ms Badejos appeal.

The court held that Ms Badejos online publications concerning Pastor Olukoya and his wife were false and defamatory, finding that the claims lacked factual basis.

Justice Lavender refused Ms Badejo permission to appeal, ruling that her application did not meet the required legal threshold.

He stated that the application lacked merit and that, under CPR 52.4(3), the decision could not be reconsidered at an oral hearing.

Insofar as the defendant seeks permission to appeal against Master Thormetts order of 3 February 2022, her proposed grounds of appeal are both hopeless and pointless, the court held.

The court noted that individuals are entitled to protection against defamatory publications and that false accusations circulated online carry legal consequences.

It added that freedom of expression does not extend to the publication of false statements that could damage reputations.

Repeat offender

On February 9, 2021, an Ogun State High Court ordered Ms Badejo to pay N500 million to the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) and its General Overseer, Daniel Olukoya, for defamation.

In a suit filed before the court in September 2020, the claimants sought N10 billion compensation for aggravated and exemplary damages.

READ ALSO: N3billion worth of properties lost to fire in Cross River

While delivering the judgment, Abiodun Akinyemi ordered Ms Badejo, the proprietor of Gio TV, to remove and delete the offending online publications concerning the claimants from the internet.

The judge further ordered the blogger to tender a written apology and retraction of the offending publications prominently on social media and at least three national dailies.

He described her actions as reckless defamation and an evil use of the internet and social media.
The Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, on Wednesday, sentenced a security guard, Emmanuel Buchi, to life imprisonment for raping a 37-year-old nurse (name withheld) in a school clinic.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Buchi and the nurse were employees of Greensprings School, Awoyaya, Ibeju-Lekki, where the incident occurred on 27 November 2021.

In his judgement, trial judge Rahman Oshodi held that the Lagos State Government had successfully proved the charges of rape and assault occasioning harm against the convict.

Mr Oshodi described Mr Buchi as a pathological liar whose attempt to deviate from the offences he committed did not hold water.

According to the judge, the convict showed no remorse for his actions, as he continued to maintain that the survivor (prosecutrix) consented to sexual intercourse with him.

The judge noted that the sentence for rape was a mandatory life imprisonment as prescribed by law, reflecting societys condemnation of the crime.

The judge further said that the circumstances of the case were deeply troubling, as the convict threatened the prosecutrix while raping her in the school clinic.

Mr Oshodi said the evidence of the prosecutrix was corroborated by two other prosecution witnesses.

He stated that the evidence of the prosecutrix was clear, consistent, credible and convincing, while that of the convict was unreliable and tainted with lies.

You were employed as a security guard at Greensprings School, Awoyaya, and your duties were to protect lives and property.

Instead of protecting the prosecutrix, you became her assailant by abandoning your duty post on the night of 27 November 2021.

You entered the school clinic, where you had no authorisation to be, and raped her while she was alone on duty that night, the judge said.

The judge added that the evidence showed the convict used force and violence against the prosecutrix by pressing her hands down, grabbing her legs, and using his security boots to stamp on her legs.

He said the medical examination showed black discolouration on her left eye and bruises on the inner part of her vagina.

Punctured defence and sentence

The court noted that the convict in his extra-judicial statement to the police wrote that the prosecutrix told him, Leave me now.

The convict admitted under cross-examination that he interpreted her refusal to mean consent.

The court further held that the convict falsely claimed in his defence that the prosecutrix was his girlfriend, a claim contradicted by his statement to the police.

Throughout this trial, you have shown no understanding of the gravity of your actions or the harm you have caused.

Beyond the physical injuries, the prosecutrix will carry the psychological scars of that violation.

Consequently, you are sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and three years imprisonment for assault occasioning harm, the judge said.

The court held that the sentences would run concurrently and ordered that the convicts name be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.

NAN reports that the lead prosecution lawyer, Babajide Boye, called three witnesses, through whom compelling evidence and exhibits were presented, while the convict testified as the sole witness for his defence.

From request for Vitamin C to rape

The prosecutrix testified during the hearing that she resumed night duty on the day of the incident when the convict approached her at the school clinic for vitamin C.

She said the convict returned to the clinic a few minutes later after switching off the light and raped her.

According to the prosecution, the offences contravene Sections 173 and 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)
Stakeholders in Nigerias nutrition and pharmaceutical sectors have called for a shift from donor-dependent supply to local manufacturing and market-based financing to sustain the scale-up of multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women.

The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja on the sidelines of the 7th Nigerian Academy of Science Scientific Conference, during a high-level session organised by the development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) in partnership with Sight and Life.

The session, titled Moving Research to Market: Scaling Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for Maternal Health Impact in Nigeria, examined the countrys transition from ironfolic acid (IFA) supplementation to MMS, with discussions centred on research evidence, supply chains, financing models, and local production.

From evidence to policy

Speaking during the session, Salisu Abubakar, president of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), said Nigerias adoption of MMS is grounded in evidence showing better maternal and birth outcomes compared to the long-used ironfolic acid supplements.

Mr Abubakar explained that MMS, based on the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMAP) formulation, contains 15 essential micronutrients and has been shown to reduce anaemia, low birth weight and poor pregnancy outcomes.

He said MMS was institutionalised through the Nigerian Micronutrient Deficiency Control Guideline in 2021 and is currently being provided free of charge at public health facilities, largely through government and development partners.

However, he noted that supply remains limited and far below national needs, stressing that donor-funded distribution is not sustainable.

The gap in supply has made it clear that we must encourage local manufacturing and begin to think seriously about the market, he said.

He added that while acceptability among pregnant women has been high, access to antenatal care, health facility capacity and consistent commodity availability remain major constraints.

Research shows high adherence

Sunday Okoronkwo, programme lead at Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), said Nigerias transition to MMS has been guided by implementation research, in line with the World Health Organisations (WHO) recommendations.

Mr Okoronkwo said a nationwide study conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health assessed the acceptability, adherence and cost-effectiveness of MMS.

According to him, the research showed strong uptake where women had early and consistent access to antenatal care, with more than half of participants achieving over 90 per cent adherence.

We found that when health workers are trained, supply chains are functional and women receive proper counselling, adherence improves significantly, he said.

He added that community engagement and last-mile distribution helped prevent stock-outs during the pilot phase.

CS-SUNN, he said, has since supported states such as Katsina and Jigawa to develop cost rollout plans and train health workers, following the end of donor-funded commodity support in 2024.

Push for local production

The country programme manager for Nigeria at Sight and Life, Zainab Abubakar, said the organisation is supporting the federal government to scale MMS through demand generation, financing research and local manufacturing.

Ms Abubakar said Sight and Life is working with professional health bodies to train thousands of healthcare workers, while also engaging pharmaceutical manufacturers to support the production of UNIMAP-compliant MMS in Nigeria.

At the moment, most MMS available in the country are donations, and even registered products are not always UNIMAP formulations, she said.

She added that locally produced MMS would reduce costs, improve availability and open up access for government procurement and health insurance schemes.

She also noted that Sight and Life is conducting research into existing antenatal care financing mechanisms, including potential self-pay and insurance-based models to support long-term sustainability.

Nigeria-first policy

Frank Muonemeh, representing the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), urged the government to prioritise local producers over imported donations.

Mr Muonemeh warned that reliance on donated commodities weakens national manufacturing capacity and exposes the health system to future shocks.

No country builds a sustainable health system on donations, he said, citing lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply disruptions.

He called for firm policies that incentivise local manufacturers, strengthen regulatory support and ensure quality, arguing that Nigeria already has the industrial base to produce MMS domestically.

MMS

MMS are daily antenatal tablets that combine iron, folic acid and other essential vitamins and minerals designed to improve the nutritional status of pregnant women and enhance birth outcomes.

Unlike traditional ironfolic acid supplements, MMS contains 15 micronutrients, and evidence suggests it can further reduce the risk of low birth weight, preterm birth, and other adverse outcomes compared with ironfolic acid alone.

PREMIUM TIMES had in 2024 reported on the federal government distribution of about 1.3 million bottles of MMS to pregnant women across 12 states as part of early rollout efforts, with additional stockpiles scheduled for delivery later that year.

The governments decision to adopt MMS was based on global recommendations and the recognised limitations of ironfolic acid alone, aiming to reduce anaemia and improve birth outcomes among Nigerias large population of expectant mothers.

Stakeholders at the high-level dialogue on multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for Maternal Health Impact in Nigeria held in Abuja on Tuesday
Nigeria has recorded 21 new confirmed cases of Lassa fever and nine deaths in the first epidemiological week of 2026, pushing the countrys case fatality rate (CFR) to 42.9 per cent.

This is according to the latest situation report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) .

The report, covering 29 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, shows that while the number of confirmed infections declined compared with the final week of 2025, fatalities rose sharply compared with the same period last year.

Data from the report indicate that 104 suspected cases were recorded in the reporting week, of which 21 were laboratory-confirmed, with no probable cases reported.

Three states account for all confirmed cases

All confirmed cases in the reporting period were recorded in Bauchi, Ondo and Edo States, spanning nine local government areas (LGAs).

Bauchi accounted for the largest number of confirmed infections, contributing 57 per cent, followed by Ondo with 29 per cent, and Edo with 14 per cent.

Health authorities noted that 100 per cent of confirmed cases nationwide originated from the three states, underscoring their continued role as high-burden areas for the viral haemorrhagic disease.

Fatality rate higher than 2025

As of epidemiological week one of 2026, Nigeria has recorded nine Lassa feverrelated deaths, resulting in a CFR of 42.9 per cent.

This figure is significantly higher than the 18.5 per cent CFR recorded during the same period in 2025, when 54 confirmed cases and 10 deaths were reported across six states and 20 LGAs.

Although the total number of suspected and confirmed cases this year is lower than last years figures, health officials expressed concern over the sharp rise in fatalities.

Young adults most affected

The report shows that young adults aged 2130 years remain the most affected group, with confirmed cases ranging from one to 74 years, and a median age of 23.5 years.

Men were disproportionately affected, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.4 among confirmed cases.

No healthcare worker was infected during the reporting week, a development authorities attributed to improved infection prevention and control measures at treatment centres.

Response and coordination

The NCDC said the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate response efforts at national and subnational levels.

The agency noted that it has supported treatment centres, strengthened case management, and distributed medical countermeasures, including PPE, Ribavirin, thermometers, sanitisers, and communication materials.

Laboratory networks have been strengthened for rapid diagnosis, while community-based initiatives, in partnership with the Robert Koch Institute and UNICEF, have promoted hand hygiene and awareness through capacity-building and behavioural assessments in high-burden areas.

Despite these measures, the agency highlighted persistent challenges in controlling the disease.

Late presentation of cases has contributed to higher fatalities, while poor health-seeking behaviour, high treatment costs, inadequate environmental sanitation, and low awareness of preventive measures remain obstacles in affected communities.

To curb the outbreak, the NCDC urged states to strengthen year-round community engagement on Lassa fever prevention. Healthcare workers were also advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for the disease and ensure timely referral and treatment.

The agency also called on partners and state authorities to reinforce capacities for the prevention, detection, and response to Lassa fever outbreaks across the country.

Lassa fever

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is transmitted to humans primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rats.

It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids.

The disease often begins with fever, weakness, and headache, and may progress to more severe symptoms such as bleeding, difficulty breathing, swelling, and organ failure.

Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with Ribavirin are critical for improving survival.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a Bombardier BD-700 Global 6000 private jet operated by Orlean Invest Africa Limited to the federal government over its failure to pay customs duty since its importation into Nigeria in 2015.

The judge, James Omotosho, held in his judgement that the respondents failed to show any justification for why the aircraft should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Omotosho delivered the judgement on Thursday (22 January) in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1085/2025. But the agency only saw the certified true copy of the judgement on Tuesday.

The judge found that the jet, bearing Registration Mark: 9H-GVG and Manufacturers Serial Number: 9470, was imported into Nigeria on 26 October 2015, well over 10 years ago, as a non-commercial private aircraft.

He said failure of Orlean Invest Africa Limited to pay the required customs duty or obtain a Temporary Import Permit was done in clear violation of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

He stated that the law prescribes seizure and forfeiture as the penalty for such breaches under Section 246(a) of the Act.

The judge emphasised that the respondents failed to present any evidence of customs duty payment, thereby depriving the federal government of substantial revenue.

Mr Omotosho described the conduct as a deliberate attempt to cheat the government of revenue lawfully due to it.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had assessed the outstanding customs duty liability on the aircraft at over N1 billion (N1,044,493,295.54).

According to the NCS, the aircraft was brought into the country without the necessary permits, approvals or duty payments.

Mr Omotosho said that a Temporary Admission Permit should have been obtained, along with an undertaking to re-export the aircraft within the approved period of one to two years.

What aircraft owner told court as defence

The respondents, in their arguments, said that the aircraft was foreign-registered in Malta, listed on the Civil Aviation Register of Malta, and operated under international charter by ElitAvia Malta Ltd.

They also contended that the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 could not apply retrospectively and cited clearances obtained from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), including Maintenance and Flight Operations Clearance Certificates.

But Mr Omotosho dismissed these arguments, holding that Section 280(1)-(4) of the Act preserves obligations under the repealed Customs and Excise Act.

He further relied on an NCAA circular issued on 17 January 2017, which mandates all aircraft owners and operators importing aircraft into Nigeria to obtain customs clearance and pay duties or secure a Temporary Import Permit.

He found that the respondents failed to comply with this directive and again noted the absence of any proof of duty payment.

How case started

The case arose from an audit exercise conducted by the NCS in 2024, which reviewed the importation compliance of private aircraft operating in Nigerian airspace.

The verification exercise, carried out between 19 June 2024 and 19 July 2024, revealed widespread violations, prompting warning notices to affected operators.

READ ALSO: NUPRC courts global investors ahead of 2025 oil licensing round

Earlier, on 17 June 2025, the court ordered the interim seizure and detention of the aircraft pending a final determination.

In its final ruling, the court ordered the aircrafts permanent forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

A lawyer to the NCS, Okon Efut, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), hailed the judgement and praised the judiciary for enforcing compliance with existing laws, describing the decision as groundbreaking and the first of its kind in Nigeria.

(NAN)
Peaceful protesters demanding entry into the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa were met with gunfire and aggressive police action on Wednesday, leaving several residents injured and blood covering parts of the road.

Journalists covering the protest were also targeted at exactly 1:15 p.m. This PREMIUM TIMES reporter said he was pushed into teargas and shot at close range by police officers while standing near colleagues from Cool FM.

One officer reportedly said, We dont like journalists. Join them now or Ill shoot you, before opening fire. Some journalists struggled to breathe while fleeing, despite clearly identifying themselves as members of the press.

Eyewitnesses said two female lawmakers, whose identities could not be independently confirmed, allegedly instructed Lagos State Police Commissioner Jimoh Moshood to disperse the protesters and journalists.

PREMIUM TIMES observed that after speaking with Mr Jimmy, following the alleged order, protest leader Hassan Soweto was reportedly seized by a police officer identified only as Yellow.

Police then fired into the crowd, which included children and elderly women, witnesses said.

Eyewitnesses and organisers emphasised that the protest remained peaceful throughout, insisting that protesters sought only to make their grievances heard and did not engage in any acts of violence.

The demonstration, organised by the Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land Grabbing, and Displacement, began at 7 a.m. at Ikeja Underbridge.

Residents marched along Awolowo Road toward the State Assembly, carrying placards reading: Save Our Souls and Stop the Killings, Stop Demolition of Our Homes.

Addressing the crowd under the bridge, Hassan Soweto said residents were not opposed to development but condemned demolitions that left communities homeless.

Organisers said they were uncertain about possible police intervention after the Lagos State Police Command rejected the coalitions notification of the rally on Tuesday.

The police have not issued an official statement regarding the rejection.

Traders at Owode Onirin spare parts market and residents of Ajegunle are among those reportedly facing eviction.

Organisers allege the demolitions form part of a broader plan by the state government and private interests to acquire land for hotels and luxury residential developments.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana criticised the Lagos State Government for allegedly ignoring court orders protecting residents homes.

He cited a 2017 Lagos State High Court ruling that declared previous government-ordered evictions unlawful and awarded affected families N3.5 million in damages, as well as a Federal High Court ruling from August 2025 prohibiting demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, Sogunro, and Iwaya waterfront settlements.

Mr Falana added that the states actions also contravene a 2024 Supreme Court ruling affirming the Federal Governments exclusive authority over navigable inland waters.

The Lagos State Government defended the demolitions as necessary to protect lives, public infrastructure, and the environment. Officials say buildings along critical waterways and beneath high-tension power lines pose safety risks.

During the weekly Ask Lagos X-space forum, Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso said the law requires buildings to maintain prescribed setbacks, warning that accidents involving live power cables or waterways could result in large-scale disasters.

Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, said the demolitions are part of a broader urban regeneration plan aimed at enforcing planning standards and making Lagos more resilient.

Civil society organisations and community groups, however, condemned the demolitions as anti-poor, noting that they were carried out without adequate consultation, compensation, or resettlement for affected residents.
As military authorities finally confirmed the plan to illegally oust President Bola Tinubus administration, PREMIUM TIMES has gathered fresh details about the involvement of Musa Sadiq and the case against the Nigerian Army brigadier general.

Mr Sadiq was among the 16 military officers arrested and detained for an attempted coup last year in October. The coup plot, according to our sources, contributed to the governments decision to cancel the 1st October Independence Day parade.

Fourteen of the 16 officers are from the Nigerian Army. The remaining two are from the Navy and the Air Force. Subsequently, more officers and civilians were arrested in connection with the matter.

Military authorities were initially reluctant to admit the coup and claimed that the officers were being investigated for indiscipline and breach of service regulations.

Following the coup attempt, the president sacked service chiefs, retaining only Olufemi Oluyede and Emmanuel Undiendeye.

While Mr Oluyede, formerly the Chief of Army Staff, was appointed as Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding Christopher Musa, Mr Undiendeye retained his position as Chief of Defence Intelligence.

However, amid the tension of Christian genocide claims by US President Donald Trump, Mr Musa was called back and appointed as Minister of Defence. He replaced Muhammed Badaru, who said he resigned on health grounds.

About two months after the news of the coup report broke, the military confirmed the report, saying indicted officers will be court-martialed.

In a statement on 26 January, the Defence Headquarters said that an investigation into the allegations of a coup attempt against the suspects has been completed.

It said it found a number of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government.

Their conduct, the military said, is inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

Accordingly, those with cases to answer will be formally arraigned before appropriate military judicial panel to face trial in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other applicable service regulations, the military stated.

The case against General Sadiq

Despite being described in some intelligence briefs as a suspected leader of the plot, officials familiar with the investigation insist that the core allegation against him centres on prior knowledge and failure to act, rather than direct involvement.

Military sources who spoke to this newspaper in confidence described Mr Sadiqs role as that of an accessory rather than an active participant.

Our sources said that information available to investigators revealed that Mr Sadiq was informed of the coup plot by those directly involved in its planning.

While he is not accused of participating in the execution of the plot, security sources say he failed to report the information to the relevant authorities, choosing instead to keep it to himself.

This, investigators argue, constitutes a serious breach of military conduct and forms the basis of the case against him, one source told our reporter.

Who is this general?

Born on 3 January 1974, Mr Sadiq is a serving brigadier general with service number N/10321.

He was trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as a cadet between 14 August 1992 and 20 September 1997 and is a member of Regular Course 44. An indigene of Nasarawa State, he belongs to the infantry corps.

Mr Sadiq rose steadily through the ranks of the Nigerian Army, attaining the rank of colonel in 2015 and becoming a brigadier general four years later.

Over the course of his career, he has held several strategic command positions, including Commander of the 3rd Brigade in Kano and Garrison Commander of the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army in Lagos.

The generals record

This is not the first time the senior officer has come under scrutiny.

In October 2024, he reportedly made headlines after being detained over allegations of gross misconduct, including the diversion of rice palliatives and the sale of military equipment such as generator sets and operational vehicles to scrap yards.

READ ALSO: Nigerian military finally confirms coup plot to overthrow Tinubus government

Those allegations, while separate from the current coup-related investigation, have resurfaced in news pages as part of a broader review of his service record.

Military authorities have not issued a formal public statement on the cases status, but sources say investigations are ongoing and that due process will be followed. Mr Sadiq is yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed claims that the newly enacted tax laws contain discrepancies, describing the allegations as misleading.

Mr Akpabio said the gazetted versions of the laws fully comply with the resolutions reached by lawmakers during the clause-by-clause consideration of the bills.

He stated this during Wednesdays plenary session of the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

He, thereaftet, directed the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, to circulate copies of both the Acts passed by the National Assembly and the gazetted versions to senators for review.

Copies of the Acts will be made available to all senators by the Clerk of the Senate. The copies of the Acts are totally in compliance with what happened in the two chambers. No adulteration, nothing, he said.

The Senate president urged lawmakers to challenge the National Assembly if, after careful examination, they discovered any discrepancy between the versions.

So, I mean, at this stage now, you can feel bold enough to discard anything that is to the contrary, knowing that it is not what the president signed and it does not represent what you passed, he added.

The controversy over alleged discrepancies in the tax reform laws began shortly before lawmakers proceeded on the Christmas and New Year recess. A member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), had alleged differences between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions gazetted and released to the public by the federal government.

The Acts in question are the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025, all of which came into force on 1 January.

The House could not resolve the matter at the time and instead constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate it.

The committee has yet to submit its report.

In addition, the House minority caucus, led by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, set up a separate committee to review the laws. The committee, which submitted its report last week, claimed to have identified discrepancies between the Acts passed by the legislature and those gazetted by the government.

However, the House, through its spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, rejected the caucus report, insisting that the official ad hoc committee had yet to conclude its assignment.

During the recent recess, the lower chamber released the versions of the four Tax Reform Acts as passed by the legislature and assented to by the president. The legislature also published the Certified True Copies of the Acts.
The flames have ravaged at least 35,000 hectares and are surrounding the town of Cholila. Residents have organized into volunteer brigades to defend their homes

The fires that began in early January and appeared to be contained in the province of Chubut, in Argentine Patagonia, have reignited in recent days and are advancing rapidly through native forests, plantations, and peri-urban areas. The town of Cholila, in the northwest of the province and just over 1,000 miles from Buenos Aires, is surrounded by fire: it is besieged to the south by the blaze that started in Los Alerces National Park and to the north by the one that began in Puerto Patriada. This situation has led to road closures and a state of high alert among residents, who have organized themselves into volunteer brigades to defend their homes.

On January 15, the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres, announced that the fires were contained after two days of rain that were crucial in suppressing the flames. However, subsequent weather conditions reignited the blazes: the rain stopped, and there were days on which temperatures exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, accompanied by strong winds.

Today the fire is behaving violently, advancing at an enormous rate, increasing the area burned by more than 50% since the initial outbreak, notes Mariano Amoroso of the Institute for Research on Natural Resources, Agroecology, and Rural Development (IRAD), speaking from the area. While there are no official figures and its difficult to estimate from the images alone, its estimated to be at least 35,000 hectares. Thats a huge amount for a single year and a summer season thats only halfway through, he adds. This is the most-damaging blaze in at least the last six summers, more than doubling (130%) the nearly 15,400 hectares burned in the previous record.

Right now, Cholila is completely surrounded. The national government isnt providing resources, and the official firefighters are overwhelmed. Its just the volunteers from the town and other nearby communities who are coming to stop this because the fire is coming. Its going to engulf our town if we dont do something now, warns Agustin Naula, who lives in Cholila and works as a forest restorer for the ReforestArg Foundation. Like many other residents in this area, which has around 3,000 homes, he put his usual routine aside 25 days ago to dedicate himself to the most urgent battle. Today we were creating firebreaks, clearing brush, cooling down the vegetation, he explains, adding, People arent eating, they arent sleeping, theyre arriving home terrified.

Firefighters battle flames as wildfires blaze in Epuyen, Patagonia, Argentina, Sunday, January 11, 2026. Nicolas Palacios (AP)

While wildfires have always existed in Patagonia, the phenomenon has worsened in the last 20 years. The fires are not only more frequent, but also more virulent and explosive. They are firestorms that create clouds of ash, hot air, and embers that fly and ignite other secondary fires. Climate change is contributing to this situation due to droughts, which make vegetation more prone to burning, and the increase in fires caused by lightning, resulting from a greater frequency of thunderstorms.

Due to the recurrence of these types of fires  which have been happening almost every summer for the past decade and are now threatening not only the densest forests but also populated areas  the community itself has begun to organize volunteer brigades to defend their homes. While state resources for fire prevention and management are dwindling, the number of neighborhood groups participating in  and even leading in some places  the effort is growing.

Some brigades are experienced and trained, while others are newer and less experienced. Some work in conjunction with firefighters from official institutions, who accompany or coordinate them, while others act independently, sometimes creating tension. Its a risk because some brigades have training in the subject and adequate equipment, but they are in the minority, explains Amoroso. Often, due to a lack of experience, the actions of these brigades have even compromised the work of official institutions, while on other occasions they have reached places where official aid has not arrived.

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The Anambra State House of Assembl has thrown their weight behind the state governments temporary closure of the Onitsha Main Market as a measure to stop the traders from continuing to observe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)s illegal sit-at-home directive every Monday.

Hundreds of angry traders on Tuesday protested against the market closure.

The Anambra assembly said the governments action was necessary as the state loses N19.6 billion every Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the legislators, during their plenary session on Tuesday in Awka, resolved to back the governors decision to close down the market for a week.

They, therefore, urged the residents to discontinue the Monday sit-at-home exercise forthwith.

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra closed the Onitsha Main Market on Monday, 26 January, following the traders refusal to open their businesses on Monday.

Johnbosco Akaegbobi, the House minority leader, moved the motion calling on Anambra residents to discontinue the Monday sit-at-home forthwith.

Mr Akaegbobi, representing Nnewi South 1 State Constituency, said that the sit-at-home had disrupted economic and social activities across the state for years, and that Anambra alone reports a loss of about N19.6 billion every Monday.

He said the sit-at-home had evolved into a habitual weekly practice enforced by fear, across the South-east region.

Mr Akaegbobi said that the region loses approximately N88.08 billion every Monday.

He added that the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector bore the heaviest burden, accounting for roughly 60 per cent of total financial losses.

He said that the micro business loses an estimated N4.6 trillion annually due to recurring closure, while transporters lost between N10billion to N13billion daily.

The lawmaker said that the enforced inactivity has led to a 20 per cent decline in annual effective working days and a 35 per cent decline in business productivity in the public and labour sectors.

Chuma Okoye, the deputy speaker, seconded the motion, noting that Governor Soludos action was apt.

He said that the decision was for the common good of the people and should not be seen as high-handedness.

Mr Okoye expressed concern that most religious leaders, Anambra residents, school leaders, market leaders, and civil and public servants have perceived Monday as an extension of the weekend.

He described their actions as intentionally crippling the economic viability of Monday as the first working day of every week.

Golden Ilo, representing the Ihaila 2 State Constituency, said that the traders should see the state governments action as productive for the various enterprises.

He said that he also expects them to back the governor by complying without further delay.

NAN reports that, after deliberations on the motion and the support of the majority of lawmakers, it was resolved that the sit-at-home directive should stop forthwith.

Sometochukwu Udeze, the speaker of the House, urged the market leaders, religious leaders, schools, civil and public servants, transporters, and SMEs to commence full-scale activities forthwith across the state.

Background

IPOB, in August 2021, introduced a sit-at-home every Monday across the South-east to pressure the Nigerian government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was standing trial for terrorism at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The separatist group later suspended the order, preferring it be implemented only on days Mr Kanu appeared in court.

But despite its suspension, residents of the five South-east states  Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra  had been observing the directive, mostly out of fear.

IPOB later repeatedly disowned the Monday sit-at-home across the region, saying those who still enforce it were criminals attempting to blackmail the separatist group.

But Simon Ekpa, a controversial Biafra agitator, continued to declare the sit-at-home in the region, despite its suspension by the IPOB faction led by Mr Kanu.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kanu, the IPOB leader in late July 2023, through Aloy Ejimakor, his special counsel, ordered Mr Ekpa to stop issuing sit-at-home directives in the region.

However, Mr Ekpa described the letter as fake, and maintained that the illegal action would go on until Mr Kanu spoke to him directly in Finland, a North European country, where he (Ekpa) resides.

Several Igbo leaders, including Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had made unsuccessful efforts to stop the sit-at-home.

For instance, Governor Soludo had declared prayer to end the sit-at-home in Anambra and later threatened to sanction those who observed it.

READ ALSO: Court sentences three to death by hanging for armed robbery in Ekiti

Similarly, Mr Mbah, on assumption of office as governor of Enugu in May 2023, banned sit-at-home in the state.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that while the illegal order has almost completely ended in Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi States, it has remained active in Anambra and Imo states.

Mr Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism in November and Mr Ekpa was sentenced to six years imprisonment for similar crime in Finland.
The Police Command in Oyo State has arrested two dismissed officers of the Nigerian Army for alleged armed robbery, recovered three vehicles and a motorcycle.

The commands spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, a deputy superintendent of police, stated this in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Mr Olayinka said the arrest was made possible through credible intelligence and an intense manhunt carried out by the operatives of the commands Monitoring Unit within Ibadan metropolis.

He said one of the suspects aged 48, a dismissed corporal of the Nigerian Army, falsely paraded himself as an Army captain while the second aged 43, was also a dismissed corporal of the Nigerian Army.

The police spokesperson said the suspects specialised in dispossessing unsuspecting members of the public of their vehicles at gunpoint, instilled fear in them and disrupted public peace within the state.

Mr Olayinka listed the items recovered from the suspects during the operation to include one Toyota Camry, black in colour, with registration number KRD 253 KC and one Toyota Corolla, metallic in colour, with registration number JTA 938 AA.

READ ALSO: Court sentences three to death by hanging for armed robbery in Ekiti

Others were one Lexus RX 350, silver in colour, unregistered; and one Super Cargo motorcycle, black in colour, with registration number YRE 487 VD, he said.

He called on members of the public who might have lost their vehicles to armed robbery or theft, and whose vehicle descriptions matched any of the recovered exhibits to approach the command with valid proofs of ownership and means of identification.

Mr Olayinka saidthe suspects were assisting the command with credible information that could aid in apprehending other members of the criminal syndicates.

(NAN)
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has charged security agencies to arrest and prosecute any individual found in possession of firearms or attempting to disrupt peace in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The governor gave the directive when the Commissioner of Police in Delta, Aina Adesola and senior officers of the command visited him on Tuesday in Asaba.

Mr Oborevwori described Mr Adesolas posting to the state as a homecoming, noting that the police chief was well acquainted with the state, having previously served in key operational positions within the command.

He said the relative peace enjoyed across the state reflected the collaboration between the police and other security agencies.

The governor said that the new commissioner has displayed experience, professionalism and a deep understanding of the terrain.

I am very happy that you are here because you know this terrain very well. You have served here before and we saw your impact.

For the few weeks you have been here as commissioner of Police, Delta has remained peaceful, and we are proud of your achievements, he said.

He recalled the security situation prior to 2023, noting that the open display of firearms by youths and criminals was once prevalent but had since been decisively curtailed.

Mr Oborevwori said that such acts would no longer be tolerated in the state.

Before now, people brandished firearms openly and caused fear. Since 2023, that has stopped, and it will never happen again in Delta, he said.

Mr Oborevwori also commended the senior officers within the command for their dedication and professionalism.

He lauded Aliyu Shaba, an assistant commissioner of police and a former deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations, for their outstanding roles in tackling gun violence in previously volatile areas of the state.

The governor charged the police command to remain firm and proactive, stressing that anyone found in possession of firearms or attempting to breach the peace must face the full weight of the law.

We will not tolerate insecurity in this state. Anyone caught with firearms or attempting to disrupt peace must be arrested and prosecuted, he said.

He urged residents to support security agencies by providing timely and useful information, describing security as a collective responsibility.

According to him, peace is directly linked to development and economic growth, adding that investors can only be attracted to a secure environment.

Peace gives room for development. Without peace, investors will not come. That is why Delta remains open for business, he said.

Earlier, the police commissioner, Mr Adesola thanked the governor for the warm reception and assured him of the commands commitment to sustaining peace and security across the state.

The commissioner of police pledged that under his leadership, residents would continue to sleep with their two eyes closed, as the police would work tirelessly to ensure lasting peace in the state.

(NAN)
The Federal Fire Service, Cross River Command, says properties estimated at over N3 billion were destroyed by fire in the state in 2025.

The State Commanding Officer of the service, Olumayowa Olomola, disclosed this on Wednesday in Calabar in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Mrs Omolola said that the value of destruction was recorded from 18 fire incidents that affected 14 houses across the state.

The commanding officer described the nature of the incidents as including gas explosions, electrical fires, bush fires, and petroleum products.

According to her, these fire incidents led to two deaths while five people sustained various degrees of injuries.

Mrs Omolola said the command was doing its best within its limits and appealed for more support in logistics.

According to her, the command is facing challenges due to a shortage of diesel, the unavailability of water tankers, ambulances, and utility vehicles.

She also spoke on the need to open more fire offices within Calabar city and other local government areas of the state.

Meanwhile, early this month, an angry mob in Calabar metropolis had attacked a fire truck belonging to the Federal Fire Service and injured firefighters who responded to a fire incident.

We hear that they misunderstood us to be from the state fire service, which they accused of delayed response.

We were called by the Cross River Fire Service to respond. This is after they complained of lacking the capacity to respond, Mrs Omolola had said, while confirming the attack.

She stated that the firefighters were unable to disembark or extinguish the fire due to the attack.
Bauchi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi, has faulted the airstrikes carried out by the United States in collaboration with Nigerias military against terrorist groups in some parts of the country, including Sokoto State.

Mr Ningi, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the operation as a violation of Nigerias territorial sovereignty and a breach of the United Nations Charter.

He made the remarks on Wednesday during plenary through a motion for personal explanation, which is usually taken before the commencement of legislative business.

The senator argued that such military operations ought to have been conducted with the approval of the National Assembly and in collaboration with local security agencies.

He alleged that the president failed to brief lawmakers before and after the operation, thereby undermining their constitutional responsibilities.

Sometimes in December, the United States of America, via its military, took a lead into Nigerias territory, which is a complete violation of this document (constitution), which was also a complete breach of the United Nations Charter, the senator said.

Mr Ningi acknowledged that while the president, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has the authority to invite foreign military assistance, such action must be carried out with the backing of the National Assembly.

What the president can do is to ask such military forces to come into Nigeria and align with their local forces and give them the right directive. Mr President, if we allow this matter and the executive refuses to talk about it , all they say is that they were told, but the legislature must talk despite the good intention of the American military, he said.

The senator stressed that the National Assembly has a core responsibility and accountability in governance and should not be treated as an appendage of the executive.

Mr President, this assembly has a core responsibility in governance. This assembly has a core accountability in governance. This assembly is not an appendage of the executive. This assembly is not a department of the executive and therefore, for a proaction intended, the leadership of the National Assembly must be taken along. It is not right, he added.

The lawmaker further complained that since the National Assembly resumed from the Christmas and New Year recess, lawmakers had not been briefed on the matter.

This is our second day, we have not heard from the chairman of the National Assembly as regards this serious matter. The president of the Senate and indeed the National Assembly leadership must take a brief from the security agencies as to what happened and why this matter happened, and I hope the leadership will allow the president to hear me, he said.

He warned that failure to assert legislative oversight could expose lawmakers to external intimidation, insisting that the executive must always brief the leadership of the National Assembly on sensitive security matters.

If we allow this thing to happen and we pass a law here that is detrimental to any powerful country, the next well hear is that president Akpabio has been hijacked or deputy senate president Barau has been taken out of Nigeria by the powerful military or even the senate leader can be taken away. The executive must at all times brief the leadership of the National Assembly. As (President Donald) Trump is, he always invites the leadership of his assembly before and after an act. I have no knowledge whatsoever whether the National Assembly is taking along .

Lastly, the American government must be told in clear terms that this is a violation of our territory. Lastly, the president can at any time invite the American or any other power into Nigeria and take a directive but it has to be with our local armed forces, it is not right.

Responding, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said he had intended to brief lawmakers upon resumption of plenary on Tuesday, but the death of Senator Godiya Akwashiki disrupted the plan.

Mr Akpabio added that the issue would still be discussed during a closed-door session and noted that the operation was carried out in collaboration with Nigerias security agencies.

The airstrike

Nigeria has, for over a decade, relied on international military cooperation, particularly with the United States, in its fight against insurgency, banditry, and terrorist groups operating across different regions of the country. The collaboration has largely focused on intelligence sharing, training, logistics support, and the supply of military equipment to Nigerias armed forces.

READ ALSO: Kastina records 118 suspected cases of cholera

In December, the joint USNigeria operation was carried out in Tangaza and Tambuwal lo

Local Government Areas of Sokoto State. The operation, which took place on Christmas Day, targeted locations believed to be hideouts of Islamic State-linked militants along the NigeriaNiger border.

The attacks were the result of intelligence sharing and strategic coordination between the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Nigerian military.

In recent years, Tangaza has seen the emergence of a group known as the Lakurawa. Originally a group of foreign herders from Sahelian countries, they have evolved into a terrorist group that imposes taxes on locals and enforces their own version of justice, often clashing with traditional authorities.

US Africa Command said its initial assessment indicated that multiple ISIS terrorists were killed at the request of Nigerian authorities.

Nigerias foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar, later confirmed that President Bola Tinubu approved the strikes and that Nigeria had shared intelligence with the US to ensure their success.
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Kazeem Yusuf, on Wednesday, told the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that N4.6 billion was transferred from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Mr Yusuf said this in his evidence at a hearing in the trial of a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

Others are a former governor Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State; his son Sagir and Dalhatu Investment Limited, owned by Mr Bafarawa and his son

They face 25 counts of misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and receiving stolen property before trial judge Yusuf Halilu.

During cross-examination by defence lawyer A.A Ayodele, representing the first defendant, the witness, Mr Yusuf, said he could not remember how long the defendants stayed in detention.

Mr Yusuf added that he was not there when the defendants made their statements at the EFCC headquarters.

When asked if the money was paid into the account of the first defendant, he said there was no record showing such.

When the second defendants counsel, A .Usman, asked if he had knowledge of the ONSA covert operations , he said he knew what it meant .

When he was asked to confirm to the court if the money was from the ONSA, he replied:yes.

While taking their turns to cross-examine the witness, the third and fourth defendants counsel, Kayode Olatoke, a professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), as well as the fifth defendants counsel H. Afolabi, a SAN, asked the witness if their clients accounts were credited with money from the said account.

He said none of the defendants received money in their accounts but their companies accounts were credited.

At the end of the cross-examination, the judge, Mr Yusuf adjourned further proceedings until 14 April.

(NAN)
The Kaduna Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project on Wednesday intensified efforts to tackle environmental degradation by sensitising residents of Tudun Wada and Rigasa on the implementation of a gully erosion control project in the area.

As observed by PREMIUM TIMES, the sensitisation exercise focused on preparing residents for the projects rollout and explaining its likely social and environmental impacts, especially on households, farmlands, and economic trees around the erosion corridor.

Speaking at the event, the ACReSAL Project Coordinator in Kaduna State, Hadiza Halid, said the engagement was part of the projects Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) activities, aimed at ensuring transparency, inclusion, and accountability.

Ms Halid, who was represented by the projects Human Resource Officer, Nuhu Satuk, explained that construction activities would affect some residents and assets around the gully site, noting that consultants had already conducted surveys to identify persons likely to be affected.

This sensitisation is mainly for those who will be directly affected by the construction. Government will compensate them for anything that will be affected during the process, Mr Satuk said.

He added that the cooperation of residents was critical to the successful execution of the project and to achieving long-term environmental improvement in the community.

Community voices welcome intervention

The District Head of Rigasa, Aminu Idris, described the project as a timely and welcome development, saying the area had suffered severe gully erosion over the years.

During the rainy season, we lose farmlands, houses, and sometimes lives because of erosion. This intervention gives us hope, Mr Idris said.

Residents who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES after the event expressed optimism about the project.

A resident, Asmau Sadiq, said the action plan would bring relief to families affected by erosion, noting that she was personally impacted.

Erosion has taken away our houses and access roads over the years. I believe this government intervention will finally bring lasting relief, she told PREMIUM TIMES.

Another resident, Sadiq Lawal, said the project would help reduce the fear that grips the community every rainy season.

We are always worried when it starts raining. If this project is done properly, it will protect our homes and our future, he said.

Similarly, Musa Abdullahi, a community elder who also spoke to PREMIUM TIMES, urged the government to ensure transparency in compensation and sustained engagement with residents.

We support the project, but fairness and regular communication are important. That will guarantee success, he said.

ACReSAL officials assured residents that the project would be implemented in line with best practices, to control gully erosion, protect livelihoods, and strengthen climate resilience in vulnerable communities across Kaduna State.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticised Tuesdays ruling of the National Industrial Court ordering the suspension of the ongoing strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The labour union made its position known in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, following the courts decision to halt the strike and adjourn the matter to 25 March.

In the statement titled FCT Workers: Let Not Your Hearts Be Broken, the union said it was dismayed by the decision of the court in the suit between the FCT minister and FCTA workers.

While acknowledging that court decisions may not satisfy all parties, Congress said it expected the court to ensure justice for both sides.

While we are acutely aware of the well-worn axiom that decisions of the court must not and cannot please all parties to a dispute, we are equally conscious of the fact that justice must be done to all parties in a dispute in varying degrees, the union said.

It added that the ruling failed to address what it described as ongoing violations against FCTA workers by the administration.

Workers under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) had embarked on an indefinite strike on 19 January, shutting down key administrative offices, including the FCTA Secretariat and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

The strike followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued on 7 January, demanding that the FCTA management address long-standing labour and welfare grievances.

However, a ruling by the National Industrial Court earlier on Tuesday granted an interlocutory injunction restraining JUAC and its members from continuing the strike pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons.

Alleged violation of pension, NHF laws

In its statement, the union accused the FCTA of failing to remit deductions made from workers salaries, particularly under the National Housing Fund (NHF) and the pension scheme.

Citing the NHF Act, the union said that failure to remit deductions within one month constitutes an offence that attracts stiff penalties.

Failure to remit National Housing Fund deductions in Nigeria within one month of deduction constitutes an offence, subjecting employers to stiff penalties, including N50,000 to N100 million in fines and potential imprisonment for directors or responsible officers.

The union added that there are other penalties, including personal liabilities and jail terms ranging from one to five years.

NLC also referenced the Pension Reform Act 2014, which it said mandates employers to remit pension deductions within seven working days after salary payment.

A default attracts a minimum of two per cent of the total outstanding amount for each month the default continues. The penalty of 24 per cent per annum is to be paid into the employees RSA along with the principal, the union said, adding that there are other prices to pay for a default.

The union further added that there were other violations by the FCTA and the minister which it chose not to disclose.

Criticism of courts silence

The labour union also faulted the court for failing to grant any injunctive relief in favour of the workers, describing the lengthy adjournments and refusal to intervene as damaging.

It said it is distasteful that the court did not think it necessary to do justice to workers by way of even a tokenistic injunctive relief.

The combined effects of a long adjournment and denial of an injunctive relief are irredeemably damaging to the cause of the workers and are suggestive of the interest of the court in this matter, it said.

The union further claimed that the actions of the court raised concerns about its interest in the matter.

Threats against workers

The union also accused the FCT minister of issuing threats of dismissal to workers shortly after the ruling.

The Minister of the FCT, taking the cue, did not wait for the signature ink on the court order paper to dry before issuing threats of sack to workers. We doubt that reasonable conversation can hold in such a toxic situation.

However, in a separate statement, the FCTA defended the ministers comments, saying they were aimed at enforcing the rule of law and preventing political interference in workers demands.

The administration said the court ruling was a victory for the rule of law and a necessary step to protect the FCT from politically motivated disruptions.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the ruling, Mr Wike warned that any attempt to defy the court order would attract sanctions.

The court has called off the strike. If anybody dares to block the gate again, then I will use the person as a scapegoat because you must obey the law. We are in a democracy and not in a military government, he said.

He added that workers were expected to return to duty immediately, warning that any absence would attract disciplinary measures.

Despite the court ruling, the union urged workers not to be discouraged.

The union said it would engage institutions and individuals who violate the provisions of the Pension Fund Act and the National Housing Fund Act.

It also urged workers and organs of the Congress to be similarly on high alert to see to the implementation of the engagement in case someone thinks we are bluffing.
President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking the confirmation of Olubunmi Oyewole as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, read Mr Tinubus letter at plenary on Tuesday.

The letter reads: Pursuant to Section 231 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended

I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Hon. Justice Oyewole Kayode as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

While it is my hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nomination expeditiously, please accept the assurances of my highest regards.

Mr Akpabio thereafter referred the letter to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to report back as soon as possible.

Mr Tinubus letter to the Senate followed Mr Oyewoles recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The NJC recommended Mr Oyewole to the president for appointment at the Councils 110th meeting held on 13 and 14 January.

Mr Oyewole, who currently heads the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, was recommended alongside 35 other candidates for other various judicial offices across the country.

If successfully screened by the Senate, Mr Oyewole will fill in the South-west geo-political zones slot which became vacant following the retirement of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Olukayode Ariwoola last year.

His appointment will restore the Supreme Court bench, currently with 20 justices including CJN Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to its full complement of 21 justices.

Mr Oyewole, who hails from Ila Orangun, Osun State, began his judicial career as a High Court judge in Lagos.

Incidentally, he was appointed to the Lagos State High Court bench by Mr Tinubu as then-governor of Lagos State on 24 May 2001.

Reputed for judicial courage and high-level ethics and professionalism, Mr Oyewole, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal bench on 24 March 2014, has been in the limelight since his days as a High Court judge, handling sensitive, high-profile cases.

In 2005, he jailed Emmanuel Nwude, Nzeribe Okoli, and Amaka Anajemba for their roles in defrauding a Brazilian bank of $242 million.

The scam, considered to be one of the largest financial frauds globally at the time, was perpetrated under the guise of constructing a fictitious airport in Nigeria. The fraud led to the collapse of Banco Noroeste in 2001.

He also sentenced Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, widely known as Reverend King, to death by hanging at the on 11 January 2007, for the murder of church member Ann Uzoh and the attempted murders of others.

In October 2009, he sentenced Bode George, a stalwart of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to 30 months imprisonment for conspiracy, disobedience to lawful order, abuse of office and alleged illegal award of contracts worth N84 billion while he was chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

In January 2011, the Court of Appeal, affirmed the judgement considered to be courageous at the time. But the Supreme Court overturned the conviction and sentence in December 2013.

But to date, Mr Oyewole is hailed as a judge who handles cases with utmost integrity and courage.

(NAN)
Galatasaray head into Wednesday nights UEFA Champions League showdown against Manchester City with history firmly within reach and ambition driving every step to the Etihad Stadium.

For the Turkish giants, qualification for the knockout rounds remains the immediate objective. But beyond survival, there is a far bigger landmark in sight. Galatasaray are just two goals away from becoming the first Turkish club to reach 250 goals in the European Cup and Champions League combined, a milestone that would cement their legacy on the continent.

At the heart of that pursuit stands Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen, records and responsibility

The Nigerian striker has been the spearhead of Galatasarays European campaign, scoring six goals in five Champions League matches this season, even though he was kept quiet in the recent 11 draw with Atletico Madrid.

Still, his influence is undeniable. Osimhen remains Galatasarays leading scorer this season and, at 27, is closing in on multiple personal milestones. One more European goal would see him move clear of Shabani Nonda and Milan Baros as the clubs most prolific foreign scorer in continental competition.

Since arriving in Istanbul, Osimhens output has been relentless with breathtaking goals, including decisive European strikes against Liverpool, Bod/Glimt and Ajax. Fresh from helping Nigeria secure third place at the Africa Cup of Nations, he will once again shoulder Galatasarays attacking hopes.

He will not be alone. Former City stars Ilkay Gundogan and Leroy Sane are expected to play key supporting roles against their old club, adding an extra layer of narrative to a high-stakes night.

A tight Champions League picture

Beyond the records and individual storylines, the competitive context is unforgiving.

Manchester City enter the final round of the league phase 11th, narrowly outside the top eight on goal difference. Galatasaray sit 17th, three points off the automatic qualification places but still holding a slim buffer over the teams chasing them. City know that a win, coupled with favourable results elsewhere, could keep them clear of the play-off zone.

For Galatasaray, the priority is simpler but no less intense: secure knockout qualification, even if a late surge into the top eight still depends on multiple variables falling into place.

Underdogs with momentum

Pep Guardiolas side boast a formidable home record in the Champions League, but recent performances have introduced an element of uncertainty. City will again be without several injured players, Rodri is suspended, though Erling Haaland and Phil Foden are expected to return to the starting line-up.

Galatasaray arrive as underdogs and with their own absentees, yet their European resume this season commands respect. They have already beaten Liverpool and Bod/Glimt; the same Norwegian side that recently stunned City, underlining their capacity to disrupt even the strongest opponents.

City may carry the tag of favourites, but Galatasaray travel with belief, motivation, and history within touching distance. And in Victor Osimhen, they possess a striker who has made a career out of delivering on the biggest stages.

If a new Turkish chapter is to be written in Champions League history, the pen is already in Osimhens hands.
In the last year, paramilitaries have gained a notable aerial presence, especially with drones, challenging the armys superiority and wreaking havoc among the civilian population

In early January, a swarm of drones descended from the skies above the city of Merowe in Sudans North State. The regular army reported a few hours later that they had been launched by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and shot down before hitting the countrys largest dam and nearby military installations. Just days later, hundreds of miles away, the rebels boasted of intercepting an army drone as it flew over Nyala, the capital of South Darfur and one of the RSFs strongholds.

Although the exchange of blows did not result in major setbacks, it reflects the transformation the war in Sudan has undergone in the last year. In 2025, the RSF, which receives substantial support from the United Arab Emirates, evolved from a predominantly ground force to one with a significant air power projection, enabling it to challenge the Sudanese regular armys traditional air superiority. This reconfiguration has also led the conflict into a more sophisticated phase, with serious consequences for the civilian population.

The main factor in this shift in the balance of power has been unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The army has Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones, has used Iranian aircraft such as the Mohajer, and has recently developed its own models like the Safaroog, with a range of around 370 miles. The RSF, for its part, has primarily deployed versatile drones of Chinese design, such as the FH-95 and CH-95, at least some of which were manufactured in Serbia and likely supplied to the group by Abu Dhabi.

In 2025, the conflict monitoring organization ACLED recorded 472 drone attacks by the two main warring factions in Sudan, a marked increase from 277 the previous year and 152 in 2023, after the war erupted in April of that year. Evidence of the fierce struggle for control of the countrys skies, the army carried out 57% of the attacks and RSF the remaining 42% (201), even though between 2023 and 2024 they had conducted only 22 such operations.

Geographically, 88% of drone strikes last year were concentrated in Kordofan, Darfur, and Khartoum  the major combat zones, according to ACLED data  confirming their increasing use on the battlefield. However, the other 57 strikes hit states far from the front lines, suggesting an attempt to spread violence and erode public trust in areas controlled by the opposing side. In 2023 and 2024, these attacks struck nine states, while in 2025 all 18 Sudanese states recorded at least one.

People at the Sudanese refugee camp of Al-Affad, on January 13. Anadolu (Anadolu via Getty Images)

The impact on the civilian population has been enormous. Since the start of the war, drone strikes have resulted in at least 2,200 deaths, 80% of them in 2025, according to data from ACLED, which indicates that the majority were caused by the military. One of the deadliest incidents, attributed to the RSF, occurred on December 4 in Kalogi, South Kordofan, when a drone first attacked a kindergarten, then those who came to the aid of the wounded, and finally the hospital where the victims were taken. Some 79 people died, including more than 40 children. On December 25, another attack, this time attributed to the military, killed 12 people who had gathered to celebrate Christmas in the village of Julud, in the Nuba Mountains in the south.

Drone strikes have also targeted civilian infrastructure such as power plants, refineries, and hospitals, causing blackouts, shortages, and disruptions to basic services. The UN warns that these attacks could constitute war crimes. Even foreign observers have not been safe. On December 13, an attack attributed to the RSF on a UN peacekeeping force base in South Kordofan, in Abyei, a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan, killed six Bangladeshi soldiers.

Defense and interference systems

Beyond drones, the RSF has developed sophisticated integrated air defense systems over the past year, including man-portable short- and medium-range surface-to-air missile platforms. They are also increasingly deploying jamming systems to disrupt or disable military electronics. In their brutal takeover of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in October, the RSF made extensive use of all these new capabilities, often with the assistance of foreign mercenaries.

Since the RSF lacks conventional planes, the army still maintains a certain advantage with manned aircraft. But the growing air power of the paramilitaries is also challenging this superiority. In 2024, the regular forces carried out 919 airstrikes with manned aircraft, the vast majority on major battlefronts, according to data compiled by ACLED. In 2025, however, the figure dropped to less than half (446).

Furthermore, since April of last year, with the sole exception of August, there has not been a single month in which the military has carried out more than 50 manned aircraft strikes, something that had only occurred three times since August 2023. This suggests increasing caution on the part of the military leadership, which has already seen several of its aircraft shot down by the RSF. As a precaution, the Sudanese army transferred some aircraft to neighboring Eritrea last year.

A Sudanese army soldier on the Shambat Bridge, Sudan, on April 27, 2025 Giles Clarke (Getty Images)

This gap is even more pronounced when compared to the situation just over a year ago. In September 2024, when the army launched a series of operations on multiple fronts in Sudan, putting it on the offensive for the first time, it was precisely the month in which it carried out the most manned airstrikes (153), according to ACLED data. The following month, the number again exceeded 100. Since then, however, the figure has plummeted. In an attempt to reverse this trend, the army is currently finalizing a major deal with Pakistan that includes fighter jets, drones, and air defense systems.

As with drones, airstrikes have had a serious impact on the civilian population. Since the start of the war, these military attacks have resulted in at least 4,500 deaths, according to data from ACLED, which includes both civilian and military casualties. Similarly, the investigative platform Sudan Witness, which has documented 384 airstrikes, reports that more than half of them hit civilian areas, including residential neighborhoods, health and educational facilities, markets, and camps for displaced people.

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Former Governor of Kano State and leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has stated that Governor Abba Yusuf and his cabinet will eventually regret their decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In an interview with BBC Hausa released Wednesday morning, Mr Kwankwaso stated that the move caught many by surprise, adding that he still finds the governors departure to the APC difficult to comprehend.

I am aware that many people believe the governors defection to the APC was a prearranged deal between us, Mr Kwankwaso remarked. However, I find what is happening hard to believe; it feels like a dream.

Governor Yusuf officially resigned from the NNPP last Friday and formally joined the APC on Monday. The transition was marked by an elaborate ceremony at the Government House, attended by high-ranking APC leaders in Kano.

The defection comes less than three years after Mr Yusuf was elected under the NNPP banner.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the governor joined the APC with his cabinet members, 22 members of the State House of Assembly, and nine members of the House of Representatives.

Governor Yusuf stated that his return to the APC is anchored on the necessity of working in a closer alliance with the federal government for more effective support for transforming the states critical sectors, including social welfare, infrastructure, and inclusive economic development.

But Mr Kwankwaso disagreed.

It is disheartening to witness Governor Yusuf divert the NNPPs mandate and that of the people of Kano toward the Gandujiyya APC (his rival, former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje) without providing a convincing justification, he stated.

Mr Kwankwaso said whenever he reflected on these events, he found himself questioning what truly transpired and where accountability lies.

Who is at fault? Its my fault, is it the partys fault or is it the members? I have yet to find a definitive answer, Mr Kwankwaso stated in the interview.

He said the most disappointing part is the governors return to Mr Ganduje camp.

When asked about the governors chances of reelection, Mr Kwankwaso stated that Governor Yusuf was losing ground by allowing Mr Ganduje to endorse him.

He argued that Mr Ganduje lacks political influence, noting that he failed to secure electoral victories for himself in both 2019 and 2023. He claimed that the people of Kano are not with Mr Ganduje.

Mr Ganduje was also a long-term associate of Mr Kwankwaso until they fell out after the former succeeded him as governor.

It is believed that the hostility between them is the major obstacle to Mr Kwankwaso returning to the APC.
Former presidential aide and ambassador-designate, Reno Omokri, has said activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore cannot rely on his past statements calling President Bola Tinubu a drug lord in defence of his ongoing cybercrime trial.

In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES and also posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Mr Omokri responded to comments attributed to Mr Sowore and his lawyer, Abubakar Marshal, during proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.

At Tuesdays proceedings, the court admitted in evidence video clips presented by Mr Sowores defence team, including one showing Mr Omorkri boasting during a 2023 interview on Arise News that he had documentary evidence to show that Mr Tinubu was a drug lord.

But on Wednesday, he acknowledged that his uncomplimentary remarks about President Tinubu during the 20222023 electioneering were made in good faith but later proved to be false.

He said he later discovered that the claims were false and withdrew them publicly through written statements and video messages on multiple platforms.

He added that he formally recognised Mr Tinubu as President on 29 May 2023, the day of his inauguration, and urged Nigerians to support the new administration.

He also said he repeated that position on 26 October 2023, following the Supreme Courts dismissal of petitions challenging Mr Tinubus election.

Mr Omokri recalled that the Supreme Court ruled that there were no criminal charges or convictions against the president.

He stated that he had publicly admitted the claims he had previously repeated were incorrect and based on misinformation.

On 28 October 2023, he said he granted a TVC interview in which he described the Supreme Court ruling as just and consistent with the law.

He also recalled appearing on News Central Television on 27 March 2025 and on Channels Televisions Politics Today on 11 June 2025, where he apologised for relying on media reports in making earlier statements.

On 1 October 2024, he said he personally apologised to President Tinubu during a private meeting in Nigeria.

Reacting to the use of his past statements in court, Mr Omokri argued that under Nigerian and common law, statements that have been withdrawn cannot be used to establish the truth of allegations made at a later date.

He cited the rule against hearsay and referenced Phipson on Evidence and the Privy Council decision in Teper v. R.

President Tinubu is not, has never been, and will never be a drug lord, Mr Omokri said, adding that he is prepared to testify under oath and provide documentary evidence to support his claims.

Backstory

The dispute arose from Mr Sowores cybercrime trial over two social media posts published in August 2025 in which he described President Tinubu as a criminal.

The federal government said the posts could cause a breakdown of law and order and damage the presidents reputation.

During proceedings on Tuesday, the court admitted video clips showing Mr Omokri calling Mr Tinubu a drug lord in televised interviews during the 2023 election campaign.

One clip, recorded during a 2023 ARISE News appearance, showed him claiming he had documentary evidence linking Mr Tinubu to drug-related offences in the United States.

Another clip showed him vowing never to work with the president.

The prosecution objected to the videos, arguing that the producer was not listed as a witness, but the trial judge, Mohammed Umar, admitted the clips and adjourned the case until 4 February for continuation.

READ ALSO: Court sentences three to death by hanging for armed robbery in Ekiti

Mr Omokri was confirmed by the Senate in December 2025 as one of President Tinubus 64 ambassadorial nominees, despite his earlier opposition to the president.

His past remarks were based on documents related to a 1993 civil forfeiture case in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, which has remained a focal point in political debates.

Following the Supreme Courts 26 October 2023 judgement affirming Mr Tinubus election and confirming that there were no criminal convictions against him, Mr Omokri publicly withdrew his statements and apologised.
Residents of Lagos waterfront communities on Wednesday marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa, protesting ongoing demolitions and forced evictions. The demonstration proceeded despite the Lagos State Police Command rejecting the notification of the rally.

The protest, organised by the Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land Grabbing, and Displacement, began at 7 a.m. at Ikeja Underbridge. Residents carried placards reading: Save Our Souls and Stop the Killings, Stop Demolition of Our Homes.

The march followed Awolowo Road en route to the state assembly.

Activist Hassan Soweto, addressing the crowd under the bridge, said the residents were not opposed to development but condemned demolitions aimed at rendering communities homeless.

The Lagos State Police Command had rejected the coalitions notice on Tuesday and has yet to issue a statement explaining its decision.

Organisers and residents remained uncertain about possible police intervention. However, the police have deployed their men to accompany protesters.

Traders at Owode Onirin spare parts market and residents of Ajegunle are among those reportedly facing eviction.

Organisers allege that the demolitions are part of a broader effort by the state government and private interests to acquire land for hotels and luxury residential developments.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana had at a different forum accused the Lagos State Government of ignoring multiple court orders protecting residents homes in waterfront communities.

Mr Falana cited a June 2017 Lagos State High Court ruling that declared previous government-ordered evictions unlawful and awarded N3.5 million in damages to affected families, as well as a Federal High Court ruling from August 2025 stopping demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, Sogunro, and Iwaya waterfront settlements.

According to him, the states actions also contravene a 2024 Supreme Court ruling affirming the Federal Governments exclusive authority over navigable inland waters.

The Lagos State Government had also defended the demolitions as necessary to protect lives, public infrastructure, and the environment.

Officials say buildings along critical waterways and under high-tension power lines pose safety risks.

During the Ask Lagos weekly X-space forum, Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso also said the law required buildings to maintain prescribed setbacks, warning that accidents involving live cables or waterways could result in large-scale disasters.

Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, added that the demolitions were part of a broader urban regeneration plan to enforce planning standards and make Lagos a more resilient city.

But some civil society organisations and community groups have condemned the demolitions as anti-poor, noting that they were carried out without adequate consultation, compensation, or resettlement.

Details later
President Bola Tinubu has asked the House of Representatives to consider far-reaching amendments to Nigerias key judicial statutes aimed at tackling increased case backlogs, modernising court procedures and strengthening access to justice.

The requests, conveyed in separate letters read by the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen during Wednesdays plenary, seek to significantly increase the number of justices of the Court of Appeal from 70 to 110 and increase the number of judges of the Federal High Court from 70 to 90, while also introducing virtual hearings and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms at the appellate level.

The bill was earlier transmitted to the Senate on Tuesday before reaching the House.

In the letter, Mr Tinubu said the proposed increase was necessitated by the growing volume and complexity of appeals across the country, which have placed immense pressure on the intermediate appellate court and contributed to prolonged delays in the resolution of cases.

The amendment bill also seeks to clarify the judicial structure of the Court of Appeal by restructuring provisions on composition, precedence and ranking. This includes clearer rules on the seniority of justices and the status of the president of the Court.

The bill seeks to restructure provisions relating to the composition, precedence, and ranking of Justices of the Court of Appeal, including the ranking of the President of the Court and the determination of seniority among Justices, he said.

Mr Tinubu stressed that the bill further introduces provisions for virtual court proceedings, allowing the Court of Appeal to conduct hearings through electronic and audiovisual means.

The president also proposed the establishment of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) centre within the Court of Appeal. The move is aimed at encouraging the settlement of appropriate disputes outside full adversarial proceedings, thereby easing the courts workload and promoting faster resolution of cases.

According to Mr Tinubu, the amendments would update outdated terminology in the existing law, including references to virtual hearings and modern correctional nomenclature, while consolidating interpretative provisions to ensure clarity and consistency with the current legal framework.

He noted that the expansion has become unavoidable due to the increasing workload at the Court of Appeal and is expected to reduce delays in the administration of justice, strengthen access to justice and promote public confidence in the judiciary.

In a separate but related legislative request, Mr Tinubu transmitted a bill seeking to amend the Federal High Court Act to increase the number of judges from 70 to 90.

Section 1(2) of the Federal High Court Act, Cap F12, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, originally provided for a maximum of 50 judges. That figure was increased to 70 by an amendment in 2005. However, the president said the courts responsibilities have since expanded significantly.

He noted that The Court now bears a substantial and expanding responsibility for the prosecution of terrorism related offenses, transnational organised crimes and other matters touching directly on national security.

According to the president, increasing the number of judges would improve the judge-to-case ratio, accelerate adjudication and enhance the quality of judicial decisions.

He said it would also allow for greater judicial specialisation in technically demanding areas such as terrorism, financial crimes, taxation, intellectual property, maritime law and election-related litigation.

Mr Tinubu urged the House to consider and pass both bills expeditiously, describing them as critical to strengthening Nigerias justice delivery system and responding effectively to emerging legal and security challenges.
The Nigerian Senate has resolved to debate and consider the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act on Thursday.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced this during Wednesdays plenary shortly after the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, requested that senators be allowed to take home the report on the Electoral Act prepared by the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters for a detailed clause-by-clause study.

Mr Akpabio agreed with the submission, saying there was no need to rush the passage of the amendment, stressing that a carefully considered law would better serve Nigerians.

This is a very important bill, considering the fact that were about to go into elections. So, if we rush it, well meet at the tribunal. So, if we do it right, then, all Nigerians will smile that we have free and fair elections, he said.

Next legislative day

The debate on the general principles of the Electoral Act amendment bill was initially scheduled for consideration during Wednesdays plenary.

However, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South), who was expected to present the committees report, was absent.

His absence prompted a brief consultation by the Senate leadership at the Senate presidents seat while the plenary was ongoing. It was subsequently agreed that the presentation and debate should be deferred to the next legislative day.

Mr Bamidele thereafter moved a motion to step down the bill until Thursday, noting that a brief closed-door session would be held on the amendment proposals before public consideration.

The motion was put to a voice vote by Mr Akpabio and was overwhelmingly supported by the senators, after which the bill was stepped down.

The electoral amendment act

The Electoral Act amendment bill contains about 20 proposals to reform Nigerias electoral process.

One of the key proposals seeks to make the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) non-compulsory for voting. The proposed amendment to Sections 18 and 47 says that since the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) does not rely on the PVCs microchip, other forms of identification, such as the National Identification Number (NIN), international passport, or birth certificate, should also be acceptable for voting.

Another proposal seeks to amend Section 60(5) to make the electronic transmission of election results mandatory, while Section 71(2) is proposed to criminalise the distribution of unstamped or unsigned ballot papers and result sheets. The provision recommends a penalty of at least one years imprisonment, a fine of N1 million, or both, for any presiding or collation officer who distributes such documents.

The bill also proposes an upward review of campaign spending limits for candidates seeking elective offices.

Under the proposal, the spending limit for presidential candidates would increase from 5 billion to 10 billion, while governorship candidates would be allowed to spend up to 3 billion, up from the current 1 billion.

For senatorial elections, the cap would rise from 100 million to 500 million, while House of Representatives candidates would be permitted to spend up to 250 million, compared to the existing 70 million.

The spending limit for state House of Assembly candidates would increase from 30 million to 100 million. Local government chairmanship candidates would also be allowed to spend up to 100 million, while councillorship candidates spending limit would rise from 5 million to 10 million.
The defence and the prosecution teams involved in the N5.2 billion fraud trial of a former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dibu Ojerinde, skipped proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mr Ojerinde, a professor, too, was absent from the hearing.

With neither the defendant nor the lawyers to the parties present, there was no update on the status of the settlement discussions they had said resumed more than six months ago.

The acclaimed settlement talks have stalled the trial, which has reached an advanced stage, since the parties informed the judge of the behind-the-scenes discussions in July last year.

When the matter was called before trial judge Obiora Egwatu on Wednesday, no lawyer from the prosecuting agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the defence team was present to announce appearance.

Mr Ojerinde too was not seen in court.

Consequently, Mr Egwuatu adjourned the matter until 25 March for a report on any settlement or to resume the trial. He also directed that hearing notices be served on all parties in the case.

Mr Ojerinde and ICPC informed the court at the 16 July 2025 proceedings of their resumed settlement talks.

The disclosure came just weeks after the trial judge ordered Mr Ojerinde to open his defence and two and a half years after the first settlement talks failed.

Defence lawyer Eteya Ogana told the trial judge at the said proceedings that the defence was meant to open its case, but for the need to give the settlement talks a chance.

Lesie Iheduru, who appeared for the prosecution, confirmed the development and did not oppose the request for adjournment.

But since then, the case has stalled.

Backstory

Mr Ojerinde, a professor, served as registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO) from 1999 to 2007, before he became the JAMB registrar, a position he held between 2007 and 2016.

In July 2021, ICPC charged him with 18 counts of diverting N5.2 billion in public funds, abuse of office, and conferring corrupt advantages on himself while heading both examination bodies.

He previously made an unsuccessful attempt to settle the matter out of court.

The earlier settlement moves broke down in February 2022, paving the way for the ICPC to call its first prosecution witness after some wait to see the negotiation through.

After ICPC finished presenting its case, calling all its prosecution witnesses and tendering documentary evidence, Mr Ojerinde filed a no-case submission to ask the court to dismiss the charges on the grounds that the commission failed to prove any case against him.

The judge dismissed the no-case submission last month, insisting that he had case to answer, and ordering him to open his defence Wednesday (16 July).

The defence resumed negotiation with the prosecution following the ruling.

Mr Ojerinde faces another set of charges alongside his children also before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In the 17 charges, the ICPC alleged that the former JAMB boss conspired with three of his children (Oluwaseun Ojerinde, Olumide Ojerinde, and Adebayo Ojerinde) to sell off property worth $150,000 after it had been forfeited to the federal government by a court order.

The property is located at House No. 4 Ahomko Drive, Achimota Phase 2, Accra, Ghana.

The prosecution also accused Mr Ojerinde of incorporating companies and taking up simultaneous appointments as Chairman and Director, while being a public officer on full-time appointment as Registrar/Chief Executive of National Examinations Council (NECO), Minna and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Bwari, Abuja.

ICPC said this was despite the fact that Mr Ojerinde knew very well that the Code of Conduct for Public Officers forbids public officers from engaging in private business other than farming or participating in shareholding of joint stock companies.

ICPC had in 2020 obtained a court order for the confiscation of various assets, including schools, filling stations, and houses traced to Mr Ojerinde.
African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday announced the composition of a 50-member policy and manifesto committee to be chaired by John Odigie-Oyegun, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The committee has Pat Utomi, a professor, as its deputy chairman, with Salihu Lukman as Secretary.

A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the constitution of the committee was approved by the ADCs National Working Committee (NWC).

The statement said that the composition was in line with the partys commitment to building a credible, people-centred, and forward-looking policy framework for national governance.

Mr Abdullahi noted that the policy and manifesto committee brought together a distinguished group of Nigerians from diverse backgrounds, including former public officeholders, academics, and professionals.

Collectively, they represent a wealth of experience in governance, economic management, social development, security, and democratic reform across Nigerias public and private sectors.

According to the party, the committee is tasked with articulating a clear, coherent, and credible policy direction reflecting Nigerians aspirations and positioning the ADC platform.

The party reaffirmed its belief that Nigerias challenges required ideas rooted in competence, integrity, and national consensus to drive sustainable development, unity, stability, and progress.

It also expressed confidence that the committee would deliver a manifesto that spoke to the real needs of Nigerians across all regions, sectors, and communities.

Earlier in the month, the ADC constituted a 22-member committee to review its constitution, aimed at deepening internal democracy.

(NAN)
A mild debate broke out on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday following concerns over the public use of honorary academic titles by lawmakers.

The issue was raised by Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP, Rivers) under a matter of personal explanation during plenary, where he urged the House to clearly distinguish between honorary degrees and doctoral degrees obtained through formal academic labour.

Mr Abiantes intervention followed an announcement earlier made by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who informed the House of an honorary doctorate conferred on the Deputy Majority Leader, Abdullahi Halims (APC, Kogi), by the Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, Kogi State.

While congratulatory announcements of this nature are customary during plenary, Mr Abiante cautioned against allowing honorary awards to be treated on the same footing as academic doctorates obtained through years of scholarly work.

We should have a clear distinction between honorary degrees and a doctor of philosophy. They are two different things, Mr Abiante said.

He noted that some members deliberately avoid adopting the Doctor title despite holding earned degrees, out of respect for academic integrity.

That is why some of us, when we stand up, do not introduce ourselves as Doctor this or Doctor that. I will not sacrifice my labour in the academic environment for someone who just got honoured, he added.

According to him, the National Assembly, as a symbol of national leadership, must uphold standards that promote merit and excellence.

This is an environment that should elevate the best of the best, he said.

Speaker Abbas Tajudeen had earlier opened the session before the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, later took over presiding duties.

Reacting to Mr Abiantes concerns, Mr Kalu acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue and ruled that the House Committee on Rules and Business should examine the matter.

He consequently directed the committee to review existing parliamentary practices and make recommendations on how the House should formally distinguish between honorary doctorates and earned doctoral degrees in its proceedings and official records.

NUC policy

The debate in the chamber comes amid a recent policy directive by the National Universities Commission (NUC) aimed at curbing the misuse of honorary doctorate degrees nationwide.

In November 2025, the NUC announced a ban on the conferment of honorary doctorates on serving public officials, including politicians and appointed officeholders, as part of broader measures to safeguard academic standards and public trust in higher education.

Abdullahi Ribadu, a representative of the commission, disclosed that it also intends to take action against over 30 institutions, both local and foreign, found to be involved in the racketeering of honorary degrees. These include unaccredited universities and other bodies facilitating the illegitimate use of such prestigious titles.

According to Mr Ribadu, honorary awards, designed to recognise exceptional service or achievement, are increasingly being misappropriated by recipients.

More troubling, he noted, is that some local and foreign institutions are conferring these honours without merit, oversight, or legitimacy.

This is the policy agreed upon by vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities to regulate the award of honorary doctorate degrees, Mr Ribadu said.

He outlined that recipients are free to use the full formal designation, such as Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) or D. Litt. (h.c.), at the end of their names. However, they must not use the title Dr, which is reserved for holders of earned doctoral degrees or medical professionals.

The NUC official further warned that adopting the Dr prefix based on an honorary degree without clarification constitutes false representation and may attract sanctions under Nigerias fraud-related laws.

The commission emphasised that the authority to award honorary degrees rests solely with approved Nigerian universities, as provided under the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, Chapter E2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, L.F.N. 2004.

Honorary doctorate vs earned doctorate

An honorary doctorate is an academic award conferred by a university or institution to recognise an individuals contributions to society, public service, philanthropy, leadership or other fields.

It is typically awarded without the recipient undergoing formal academic study, research or examinations. Honorary degrees are symbolic and celebratory.

However, an earned doctorate, such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or professional doctorate, is obtained through rigorous academic processes. These usually include years of coursework, original research, the submission of a thesis or dissertation, and a formal defence before academic experts. Earned doctorates signify scholarly achievement and academic competence in a specific field.

In many academic and professional settings, it is considered improper for recipients of honorary doctorates to publicly adopt the Dr title, particularly in formal or official contexts, as this may misrepresent academic credentials.
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has insisted that he will no longer allow the infamous Monday sit-at-home directive to continue in all markets in the state.

Mr Soludo announced this on Wednesday during a press conference in Awka.

The governors remarks came in the wake of his closure of the Onitsha Main Market over traders compliance with the illegal sit-at-home.

He had ordered the market to be closed for one week when he visited it on Monday and observed that shops were closed in compliance with the sit-at-home order.

The illegal directive is often enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Mr Soludos action has triggered a protest by angry traders in the state, who on Tuesday backed the Monday sit-at-home directive in honour of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

On Wednesday, the protesters blocked the popular River Niger Bridge, which connects Onitsha in Anambra State to Asaba in Delta State, in Nigerias South-south.

Why Ill not tolerate sit-at-home in Anambra again

Mr Soludo vowed to resist the sit-at-home directive across markets in the state, saying that those who promote it have an evil agenda to sabotage the state and the South-easts economy.

The cost of sit-at-home to Anambra State is enormous. People think about revenue.

Im talking about a larger economy. The traders themselves. That each day that you dont go to market. You dont know how many businesses youve lost, he said.

You dont know how many businesses are moving out of Onitsha to elsewhere.

The governor argued that it is deceptive that some people engage in social activities in their neighbourhood and street trading on Mondays, but refuse to open their shops in markets on the excuse of insecurity.

Theres now some deliberateness about what is going on: sabotage, criminal intent to keep Anambra and the South-east behind.

And we are determined to fight this with everything legal to make sure that we come to an end to this, he said.

The governor said allowing the Monday sit-at-home directive to continue would give a bad signal to investors that the state and region had accepted a different business calendar.

We are redefining a new calendar for Anambra and the South-east.

That you are open for business from Tuesday to Saturday or to Friday as the case may be, while the rest of the world has a different kind of calendar, he said.

He contended that traders cannot complain of insecurity at the Onitsha Main Market because he has provided adequate security operatives in the market.

The main market. You have over 150 security persons working there, he said.

He added that some people also fail to open their shops on Mondays due to plain laziness, which they had been forced to accept for years under the sit-at-home directives.

Previous efforts to reverse the sit-at-home

Mr Soludo said that, upon assuming office as governor, he made efforts to resolve the sit-at-home issue by engaging all parties, including visiting the IPOB leader, Mr Kanu.

The governor said he also met with market leaders and appealed to them to shun the illegal directive to save the state and regional economies from collapse, but the issue persisted afterwards.

You know, when I assumed office, we engaged everybody in the discussion. I personally visited Nnamdi Kanu at the SSS custody when I assumed office.

We discussed it. He (Kanu) was not happy with the sit-at-home. This is what he told me, Mr Soludo said.

Continuing, he said: We came in first. We didnt want to come with any force or coercion. We had meetings.

Multiple meetings. With the leadership of various markets. I was in one of them.

I visited some of the markets. The Onitsha Main Market, particularly. I visited it. I asked them to open the main market.

Mr Soludo noted that the IPOB, led by Mr Kanu, had distanced itself from the illegal directive, but that a controversial Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, continued to enforce it.

The governor pointed out that the Mr Ekpa-led group often used the fear factor to compel people to obey the illegal directive, adding that his administration had even offered amnesty to the gunmen enforcing the directive to reverse the situation.

He said the illegal directive had been drawing the South-east behind and wondered how its promoters could be serving the regions interests by preventing petty traders, artisans and schoolchildren from stepping out.

How will the children, innocent children, grow and be part of the next century if you keep them away from schools?

Those are the people you say you are fighting for? Thats madness, he stated.

Schools, banks, others must open too

Mr Soludo said proprietors and proprietresses of private schools in the state must also stop obeying the sit-at-home directive.

Were going to open the schools. And were going to take the same measures.

If you are running a private school. If you are not open, Ill come and slam it, lock it up. Weve given you permission to operate there as a school, he said, insisting that proprietors must get permission before shutting their schools.

The governor hinted that he would hold a meeting with banks and petrol station owners to urge them to shun the Monday sit-at-home directive in the state.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwarimpa, Abuja, heard on Wednesday that former Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, who is standing trial over alleged N2.2 billion fraud charges, awarded an N80 million renovation contract to a firm that did not participate in the bidding process.

First prosecution witness Pedro Chellen, whose petition triggered Mr Ngiges investigation and trial, said the contract was for the renovation of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Makurdi office.

Led in evidence by prosecution lawyer Sylvanus Tahir, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the witness, an entrepreneur and project manager of Imanil Haq Nigeria Limited, told the court that his company briefed its lawyers to petition the EFCC after discovering that the company that was awarded the NSITF contract was not part of the bidding process.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, shared a statement with some of the details of Wednesdays proceedings with PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State on the Peoples Democratic Partys platform from May 2003 to March 2006, served as Nigerias labour minister from 2015 to 2023, during the late former President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

In December 2025, EFCC filed eight counts of fraud against the former minister, who supervised the NSITF as the labour minister.

The commission accused him of awarding seven contracts worth over N366 million for consultancy, training and supply by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to a company, Cezimo Nigeria Limited, belonging to his associate, Ezebinwa Charles.

The prosecution similarly accused him of awarding eight contracts worth over N583 million to another company belonging to Mr Charles.

The EFCC also alleged that the defendant used his position to give preferential treatment, awarding eight contracts worth over N362 million to a company, Jeff & Xris Limited, belonging to Nwosu Chukwunwike.

Other companies he allegedly awarded contracts under controversial circumstances include Olde English Consolidated Limited and Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited, belonging to Uzoma Igbonwa to the sum of N668 million and N161 million respectively.

How witness petition led to Ngiges investigation

Mr Chelle, the first prosecution witness, told trial judge Maryam Hassan on Wednesday that he was invited by the EFCC after submitting his petition, reporting alleged irregularities in the award of the NSITF renovation contract, to the anti-graft agency.

He identified the petition and the bid documents attached to it. The judge admitted the documents as Exhibit P1.

He also narrated how his company applied for the contract and participated in the bidding process following its advertisement in the papers

According to him, following the loss by his company, he wrote to the management of NSITF, requesting details of the contract award.

He said nothing came out of it, prompting him to appeal to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) where it was revealed that the contract was awarded to a company which did not participate in the bidding process.

Under cross examination by defence lawyer Patrick Ikwueto, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SANO, the witness said his petition was against the management board of NSITF.

He said that he also complained about the change of title of the contract from Renovation of Makurdi Office to Construction of Makurdi Office.

He added that the initial cost of N80 million was also hiked to N120 million by the management board of the NSITF.

He said he made a statement to the EFCC in 2023.

He also noted that there was massive corruption in NSITF and further acknowledged that he had not attended any management meeting of the NSITF board. He also said he learned through the media that the board was later reconstituted.

The judge adjourned the matter until Thursday for continuation of trial.

The court remanded Mr Ngige in prison following his arraignment on 12 December 2025 and granted him bail six days later.

About NSITF

The NSITF is saddled with managing the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS).

The ECS is designed to provide social protection, compensation, and rehabilitation for workers injured, disabled, or deceased due to work-related accidents or diseases, funded by employer contributions (typically 1 per cent of payroll) and covering both public/private sectors under the Employees Compensation Act.

It also promotes workplace safety and ensures employers register and contribute, with compliance often required for contracts.
Claudia Sheinbaum maintains that the image shows the moment the alleged drug trafficker surrendered in Mexico City. Canadian television, however, reports that it was created using artificial intelligence

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum attempted to settle the debate on Monday with a photograph regarding the capture of Ryan Wedding, a high-priority FBI target wanted for drug trafficking and multiple homicides. The United States maintains that the alleged Canadian kingpin was arrested in a joint operation with Mexican authorities. The Mexican government, however, asserts that Wedding surrendered voluntarily to security forces, a version of events supported by the U.S. ambassador in Mexico City. What Sheinbaum did not anticipate was that the image, uploaded to Instagram, would become part of the discussion and fuel the mystery surrounding the downfall of the man known as the King of Cocaine.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) questioned the veracity of the photograph on Monday, which shows Wedding at night outside the U.S. embassy in the Mexican capital. After analysis, the network concluded that the image had been fabricated using artificial intelligence. Five days after the former Olympic snowboarders arrest, the debate about what really happened has been reignited.

According to information initially released by the Mexican Secretariat of Citizen Security, Wedding surrendered to the U.S. Embassy on Thursday night. This message was later confirmed by the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson. A public statement from the diplomat, dated January 23, corroborates the alleged surrender of the former Olympic athlete.

Ryan Wedding's arrival in California, on January 23. AP

From Washington, however, a different narrative was promoted: that the alleged criminal was apprehended in an operation on Mexican soil. In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, FBI director Kash Patel stated that he and a team comprised of the same agents who captured Nicolas Maduro participated from Mexico in the operations that culminated in Weddings arrest.

Adding to the conflicting accounts between the two countries is now the analysis from CBC, the national public broadcaster, which asserted that the image shared by Sheinbaum on Monday morning and uploaded to a social media account supposedly belonging to Wedding was a digital creation.

A delivery without consular service

The image, dated January 23, shows Wedding standing in front of one of the entrances to the U.S. Embassy building on Danubio Street in the Cuauhtemoc neighborhood, just steps from Paseo de la Reforma, one of the capitals most iconic avenues. It was taken at night. The Canadian is wearing jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, a light padded vest, and a cap. I have decided to voluntarily turn myself in to the authorities, reads a portion of the text.

However, the diplomatic mission is no longer located there. The embassy moved to a new building last November after 61 years on Paseo de la Reforma. A security guard at the old building says that consular services have not been offered there for at least three months. The new offices in the capital are located in the Irrigacion neighborhood, over three miles from the previous location. On Tuesday morning, a removal truck was parked at the former embassy buildings entrance on Danubio Street, loading office chairs.

The former U.S. Embassy building on Danubio Street in Mexico City, January 27. Nayeli Cruz

Weddings image also shows the parking spaces on the street. The paint is white. Security signs appear on the perimeter fence of the building behind him, as well as a cornice rising to the right. However, as EL PAIS confirmed, there is no longer any trace of the security signs, and the parking spaces are painted blue. Furthermore, the cornice is located approximately 100 meters away from where it appears in the image on Weddings alleged social media profile. The composition of a real photograph does not allow this cornice and the alleged drug trafficker to appear together in the frame.

This newspaper contacted the U.S. Embassy for comment on the photo and to find out if there was any consular service on the night of Thursday, January 22, when Wedding entered on his own two feet  according to his supposed publication  but a spokesperson declined to comment and stated that they stand by the written version that Johnson released on January 23.

A distorted cap

Another detail that stands out is Weddings clothing. Upon his arrival in Los Angeles, escorted by Patel and FBI agents, Wedding was wearing a black cap, as shown in the images of the aircrafts disembarkation. The cap, from the Rude Awakenings brand, features the letters LA LA LA in white, interlocking letters. In the Instagram photo, the white lettering on the visor is illegible and resembles a scribble. Analysts point out that artificial intelligence models often produce blurry, illegible, or distorted text in their images because they do not understand language or writing in the same way that humans do.

Ryan Wedding's cap at the time of his arrival in California (left) and in the image shown by the Mexican government. REUTERS / GOBIERNO DE MEXICO

CBC has pointed out that the Instagram account where the photograph was posted, allegedly owned by Wedding, had already shared AI-generated images days before it was taken. When questioned about the images authenticity, Sheinbaum defended herself by arguing that social media platforms have policies regarding AI-generated content. According to the president, these platforms have labels warning that the content is not generated by humans. Theres nothing from Meta [Instagrams parent company] that says its AI, and every social network has that policy. In this case, theres no indication that its AI, Sheinbaum responded when asked about CBC News analysis.

This newspaper has attempted to contact Meta to learn about its policies and actions on Instagram regarding images and the use of AI, but received no response by the time of publication. Without a clear explanation of how Ryan Wedding came to be in the hands of the authorities, the mystery persists.

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Civil rights activists and advocacy groups have condemned the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Police Command over the violent dispersal of peaceful protesters and journalists at the Lagos State House of Assembly complex in Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier on Wednesday that residents from Makoko, Owode-Onirin Spare Parts Market, Oworonshoki, Bariga, Ajegunle and other affected communities had marched from Ikeja Underbridge to the Assembly to protest years of forced evictions and demolitions that have displaced families and destroyed livelihoods.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as Save Our Souls and Stop the Killings, Stop Demolition of Our Homes.

PREMIUM TIMES observed that the protest remained peaceful from the point of assembly until security operatives moved in to disperse the crowd shortly after 1 p.m.

Journalists covering the demonstration were also affected, despite clearly identifying themselves as members of the press.

A PREMIUM TIMES reporter saw how police officers pushed journalists into teargas and fired canisters at close range while reporters stood beside colleagues from several media organisations, including Cool FM.

One of the officers was overheard threatening journalists, saying, We dont like journalists. Join them now or Ill shoot you.

Eyewitnesses said the Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, was seen holding discussions with two female lawmakers near a police van shortly before officers advanced toward the protesters.

Moments later, operatives of the police task force moved in, firing teargas and attempting to arrest protest leaders.

Witnesses said a senior officer, identified by colleagues as Yellow, forcefully arrested Comrade Hassan Soweto, one of the protest leaders, while he was addressing demonstrators who were seated on the ground.

Following the arrest attempt, police operatives fired teargas into the crowd, which included elderly women and children, eyewitnesses told PREMIUM TIMES.

Several protesters sustained injuries, with blood stains visible on parts of the road leading to the Assembly complex. Some injured protesters were taken to nearby hospitals for medical attention.

Speaking to journalists during a press conference organised by the Coalition Against Demolition, Forced Eviction, Land Grabbing, and Displacement on Wednesday, Ayoyinka Oni, an activist present at the protest ground, said residents had approached the Assembly peacefully to present their grievances but were met with what he described as brutality by the police.

People left their homes and businesses to speak with their elected representatives, but they were tear-gassed and chased away, Mr Oni said, alleging that some lawmakers who had earlier engaged protest leaders later approved the dispersal.

Chorus of condemnations

Zikora Ibeh, Assistant Executive Director of CAPPA Africa, said the police attacked protesters despite the non-violent nature of the demonstration.

Communities across Lagos have suffered repeated demolitions resulting in destroyed homes, schools and livelihoods. Many residents are now without shelter or any means of survival, she said.

Ms Ibeh added that Mr Soweto and several other protesters were arrested, noting that their whereabouts were still unknown as of Wednesday evening.

Babatunde Yusuf of the Ajegunle Peoples Movement described the police action as excessive, particularly against elderly protesters.

People above 70 and 80 years came out peacefully with placards, yet they were arrested, he said.

Comrade Ibrahim Oluwatoba of Voice of the Masses likened the incident to practices associated with the military era.

What happened today is troubling for our democracy. Citizens were only demanding justice for victims of forced evictions, he said.

Alex Omotenishi of the Centre for Human and Social Economic Rights said police prevented protesters from accessing the Assembly podium and tear-gassed those who attempted to speak with lawmakers.

The commissioner openly directed his men to separate Hassan Soweto from the group, he said.

He also confirmed that peaceful protesters, many of whom were rendered homeless by demolitions, were attacked during the protest.

According to the him, one of the injured protesters, Kafayat Muftaudeen from Oworonshoki, is receiving treatment at Lagoon Hospital, Ikeja, and may be transferred to Lagoon Hospital, Ikoyi, for specialist care.

Elderly residents from Makoko were also reportedly arrested directly in front of the Assembly complex.

Another speaker, Blessing Osugba, a member of the organising committee of the End Bad Governance movement in Lagos State, called for the immediate release of all arrested protesters.

The duty of the police is to protect citizens, not attack them. Our demands remain that demolitions should stop and victims should be adequately compensated, she said.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, had criticised the Lagos State Government in a statement days ago for allegedly ignoring existing court orders protecting waterfront communities.

But Lagos State Government has repeatedly defended the demolitions, describing them as necessary to protect lives, public infrastructure and the environment.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso said during the states weekly Ask Lagos X-Space forum that buildings erected along waterways and beneath high-tension power lines pose serious safety risks.

However, civil society organisations insist the demolitions are anti-poor and were carried out without adequate consultation, compensation or resettlement.

The coalition described Wednesdays incident as a horrific encounter and urged the government to halt forced evictions and engage affected communities through lawful and humane processes.

As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Police Command and the Lagos State House of Assembly had not responded to the allegations.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of a former Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) official for using forged academic and service certificates to secure employment.

Muhammad Musa was convicted by Justice B. Mandy Bassi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Asokoro, Abuja, following a plea bargain agreement on a one-count amended charge.

The IPCC provided details of the ruling on Wednesday but did not indicate the day the judgement was delivered.

The court found that Mr Musa fraudulently obtained and presented a forged Bachelor of Science degree certificate in Political Science, purportedly issued by the University of Maiduguri, as well as a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, to secure employment with the NIPC.

The offence came to light after ICPC received a request from the NIPC executive secretary for a staff verification audit. During the exercise, the commission discovered that the certificates submitted by Mr Musa were not genuine. Further independent verification confirmed that both certificates were forged.

In Charge No: CR/113/25, ICPC counsel, O. R. Bada, told the court that the defendants actions contravened Section 25(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The prosecution disclosed that Mr Musa was initially arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on forgery and false statements. However, following an application for leniency and his willingness to cooperate, the charges were reduced to a single count in line with the plea bargain agreement.

The ICPC counsel submitted that the plea bargain served the interest of justice, noting that Mr Musa showed remorse and fully cooperated during the investigation and prosecution.

As part of the agreement, the defendant refunded N36.5 million, proceeds earned from the false representation, into the ICPC Recovery Account.

Emeka Izima, counsel to Mr Musa, told the court that his client was remorseful and had demonstrated genuine repentance by refunding all benefits derived from the offence.

In her judgement, Justice Bassi upheld the plea bargain agreement and sentenced Mr Musa to a non-custodial sentence, ordering him to be of good conduct and pay a fine of N50,000.

Adeosun, Nnaji cases

While the ex-NIPC official was convicted, two former ministers who were also found to have forged NYSC certificates remain free from prosecution.

PREMIUM TIMES had revealed how former Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun skipped the mandatory national youth service and procured a forged exemption certificate.

The investigation was not just about whether Mrs Adeosun was required to participate in the NYSC scheme but mainly about her submission of a forged exemption certificate.

The former minister went on to use the forged document to secure high-profile employment, including her appointment as commissioner in Ogun State and later as Nigerias finance minister.

Following the investigation, Mrs Adeosun resigned on 14 September 2018. In her resignation letter to former President Muhammadu Buhari, she admitted that she realised the NYSC certificate she submitted for her ministerial appointment was not genuine after the PREMIUM TIMES report.

Although she claimed in the letter that she did not know the certificate was forged and had relied on associates who helped her obtain it after her return from the United Kingdom, she acknowledged the findings of the investigation as true.

Similarly, PREMIUM TIMES investigation published last year showed that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, forged the credentials he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial confirmation in 2023.

The findings of PREMIUM TIMES extensive examination of the documents were damning and conclusive: both the degree certificate and the NYSC discharge certificate in the ministers possession are outright forgeries.

This newspaper reported that Mr Nnaji had admitted that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), never issued him a degree certificate.

Legal provisions

Nigerian laws prescribe punishment for anyone who absconds from the NYSC scheme or forges its certificates.

Eligible Nigerians who skip the service are liable to be sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and/or a N2,000 fine, according to Section 13 of the NYSC Act.

Section 13 (3) of the Act also prescribes a three-year jail term or a N5,000 fine for anyone who contravenes the provisions of the law.

Subsection 4 of the same section also criminalises giving false information or illegally obtaining the agencys certificate. It provides for a jail term of up to three years for such offenders.

Perjury is also a criminal offence. Section 117 of the Criminal Code Act says a person commits perjury if they lawfully take an oath (or affirmation) and knowingly give false testimony on a material matter, or make a statement they do not believe to be true.

Forgery is outlawed in Nigerias Criminal Code Act, which prescribes various jail terms for offenders upon conviction, depending on the nature of forgery.

According to Section 465 of the Act, A person who makes a false document or writing knowing it to be false, and with intent that it may in any way be used or acted upon as genuine, whether in the State or elsewhere, to the prejudice of any person, or with intent that any person may, in the belief that it is genuine, be induced to do or refrain from doing any act, whether in the State or elsewhere, is said to forge the document or writing.

Section 467 of the Act states that forgery is a felony that attracts a three-year jail term upon conviction.

Like the Criminal Code Act, forgery is also outlawed in the Penal Code. However, while the Criminal Code Act applies to southern Nigeria, the Penal Code covers the northern part of the country.

Whoever commits forgery shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 14 years, Section 364 of the Penal Code states.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed grave concerns over recent demolitions in Lagos State and the closure of Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State.

Tony Ojukwu, NHRCs executive secretary, said both actions have serious human rights implications.

He therefore called for an immediate halt to demolitions to pave way for meaningful consultation with affected communities, and provision of adequate resettlement and compensation for the demolitions in Lagos State.

According to a statement from the commission on Wednesday, Mr Ojukwu insisted that development projects must never come at the expense of fundamental rights.

He said the ongoing demolitions of waterfront and informal settlements in Makoko, Lagos, were carried out without adequate notice, compensation, or resettlement plans, leaving families homeless and livelihoods destroyed.

Mr Ojukwu added that the state government took the action notwithstanding that the courts have issued pronouncements prohibiting forced evictions, yet these rulings are disregarded.

This undermines the rule of law and erodes public confidence in governance, he said.

Lagos demolitions, Anambra market closure

PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier on Wednesday that residents of Lagos waterfront communities, including Makoko, Owode Onirin and Oworonshoki, protested ongoing demolition exercises by the state government.

The operations drew demonstrators to the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa.

Police responded with tear gas and gunfire, injuring some protesters. Journalists covering the demonstration were also targeted. Rights groups have condemned the demolitions and the use of force against residents.

The NHRC said the development projects must not come at the expense of fundamental rights.

It called for an immediate halt to the Lagos demolitions and urged meaningful consultation with affected communities and the provision of adequate resettlement and compensation.

In Anambra, the temporary closure of Onitsha Main Market entered its second day as traders protested the shutdown.

Governor Charles Soludo ordered the temporary closure on Monday, alleging that the traders followed the compliance with the Monday sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Hundreds of traders on Wednesday reportedly blocked the River Niger Bridge, warning that the closure threatened livelihoods and disrupts trade. Security forces, including police and soldiers, were deployed, and reports indicated gunshots as tensions escalated. Traders and rights advocates continue to call for dialogue, while the state government maintains that the measure aims to restore normal commerce.

Market closure not solution

While commending the state government for addressing the outlawed sit-at-home directive, the NHRC expressed concern over the closure of Onitsha Main Market, warning that traders livelihoods were being jeopardised.

NHRC said that collective punishment of traders raises questions about their right to livelihood, freedom of movement, and due process.

It also noted the economic impact of the sit-at-home, noting that the government estimates losses of N8 billion every Monday, but said that traders often comply out of fear of violence, meaning there is a need for stronger protection and confidence-building measures.

Mr Ojukwu urged the Anambra State Government to prioritise dialogue, ensure security for traders, and adopt measures that safeguard both economic activity and human rights.

The commission reiterated that law enforcement, development, and economic governance must respect fundamental rights, warning that forced evictions and collective sanctions erode trust in government and deepen social vulnerabilities.

It stated firmly that Nigerias progress must be anchored in justice, fairness, and respect for citizens dignity.

The commission assured Nigerians of its commitment to monitoring the situations closely and engaging with authorities to ensure development and governance remain consistent with human rights obligations.
In every functioning democracy, power comes with a timer. It starts ticking the day an oath is taken, and it stops the day the law says it must. That timer is not symbolic, it is the foundation of electoral legitimacy. Nigerias constitution understands this clearly. It draws firm lines around how long elected officials may remain in office, and those lines are not suggestions; they are safeguards designed to protect the peoples sovereignty.

For governors, the rule is straightforward: four years per term, two terms maximum. At the local government level, tenure is defined by state assembly laws, often three years, and it must align with constitutional principles. The key idea is simple, no one holds elective office indefinitely, and no one has the legal authority to extend their stay once the clock runs out. When tenure expires, power must return to the electorate, till fresh elections are conducted. That cycle is the heartbeat of democracy.

There is a clear legal reason why tenure elongation is not permitted. Under constitutional democracy, the length of time an elected official serves is part of the mandate given by voters. The people elect leaders for a defined period, not an open-ended stay. Extending tenure without a fresh election effectively changes the terms of that mandate without the consent of the electorate. It is, in essence, governance without renewed legitimacy. The constitution does not allow that because sovereignty belongs to the people, not to those temporarily occupying public office.

The judiciary has consistently defended this principle. One of the most important precedents remains Senator Rashidi Ladoja v INEC (SC.120/2007). After Ladoja was illegally impeached as governor of Oyo State and later reinstated, he argued that his tenure should be extended to make up for the months he was unlawfully removed. On the surface, the argument seemed fair. But the Supreme Court ruled firmly that no court has the power to extend a constitutionally fixed tenure, even in the face of injustice. The four-year term, the court held, begins on the day the oath is taken and ends exactly when the Constitution says it does so. The judiciary could restore him to office, but it could not manufacture additional time.

That ruling established a vital democratic truth: courts can correct wrongful removal, but they cannot rewrite constitutional timelines. Tenure is not elastic. Once it begins, it runs its full legal course.

The same logic applies at the grassroots. Local governments may be regulated by state law, but those laws cannot contradict constitutional norms. In Rivers State, Suit No. PHC/1320/CS/2024 reaffirmed this when the court struck down an attempt to extend the tenure of local government chairmen through legislative amendment. The court made it clear that a state assembly cannot simply grant elected officials extra time in office. To do so would amount to altering the peoples mandate without their participation. Tenure belongs to voters, not to politicians or lawmakers.

Tenure limits are therefore democratic guardrails. They ensure political offices remain positions of trust, rather than personal entitlements. They compel leaders to return to the people for a renewal of their authority. Without fixed tenures, elections would lose their meaning, accountability would weaken, and democracy could slowly give way to political permanence.

It is against this constitutional background that the current political tensions in the Osun Local government must be viewed.

APC local government chairmen elected in 2022, whose tenures many legal interpretations pointed out as ending in October 2025, returned to office after appellate court decisions earlier last year, approached the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/OS/CS/147/2025 seeking to have their tenures run until February 2028, arguing that their time should effectively restart from their reinstatement.

Rather than allowing a freshly democratic elected council official resume office at the completion of their supposed tenure, there have been allegations of reliance on what Nigerians commonly call federal might that is the influence that comes from alignment with power at the center to illegal invade the council.

When federal connections, institutional pressure, or security presence are used to reinforce positions that appear to conflict with constitution on tenure limits, democracy begins to tilt away from law and toward influence.

But Nigeria is not structured to be governed by proximity to federal power; it is structured to be governed by constitutional order and the will of the people.

Using federal weight to sustain local political control after tenure expiration does more than create political tension, it challenges the supremacy of the Constitution itself.

Grassroots governance should reflect the decision of local voters, not the shadow of central authority. Otherwise, the very spirit of federalism is undermined.

This is not merely a party dispute; it is a constitutional matter. Today, one side may benefit from bending the rules. Tomorrow, another may attempt the same. But once tenure limits become negotiable, democracy itself becomes fragile.

Nigerias courts have spoken clearly in cases that no sympathy, no strategy, and no political muscle can lawfully stretch it. Power, in a democracy, must always bow to the Constitution.

James Bamgbose writes from Igbajo, Boluwaduro Local Government, Osun State. He can be reached via [email protected].
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda has received a unanimous endorsement for a second term in office from stakeholders of the Daura Zone, in recognition of the visible achievements recorded under his leadership. The Radda administration is driven by the Building Your Future Strategic development agenda.

The stakeholders, drawn from across the Daura Zone, described the governors administration as people-centred, inclusive and development-driven, and resolved to support his re-election bid.

The endorsement was made at a stakeholders meeting held Tuesday at the Daura Local Government Secretariat. It brought together political leaders, traditional rulers, party officials and community representatives from across the emirate.

Speaking at the gathering, the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Hon Nasir Yahaya Daura, said the decision followed wide consultations and a careful assessment of the performance of the Radda administration.

The people of Daura have every reason to support Governor Radda for a second term. His leadership is fair, inclusive and focused on the welfare of the people. The level of development recorded across the emirate speaks for itself, the Speaker said.

He cited key projects in the area, including the ongoing Western Bypass Road, the rehabilitation of primary and secondary schools, and the award of contract for the construction of a new General Hospital following the upgrade of the existing facility to a Federal Medical Centre.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, Adnan Na Habu, highlighted the administrations inclusive development agenda, particularly in the education sector.

He listed the employment of over 7,000 teachers, the construction of model smart schools, the sponsorship of indigent students for overseas studies, and the rehabilitation and construction of educational facilities across the state as some of the landmark achievements of the governor.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Daura Zone Stakeholders Forum and former National Legal Adviser of the APC, Ahmed Usman El-Marzuk, said the meeting was convened to formally declare the collective position of the people of Daura in endorsing Governor Radda for a second term in the 2027 general elections.

The people of Daura are united in their support for Governor Radda. He has the capacity, competence and physical fitness to continue steering the affairs of Katsina State to greater heights, he said.

Similarly, the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sani Aliyu Daura, said the governors achievements across critical sectors informed the decision of the people to openly declare their support.

The performance of Governor Radda has united the people of Daura behind him. This endorsement reflects the confidence we have in his ability to sustain the tempo of development, he said.

In separate remarks, a renowned woman politician in Daura, Amburu Sani Wali (Zinariyar Kasar Hausa), the former APC State Women Leader, Mrs Safiya Dauda Daura, and another party chieftain, Mrs Talatu Nasir, commended the governor for promoting womens inclusion in governance and for implementing empowerment and skills acquisition programmes across the state.

Other speakers at the event included the Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Agenda in Daura Zone, Kabir Salisu Royal, who praised the governor for the equitable distribution of projects across all parts of Katsina State.

At the meeting, the former Registrar of Dr Yusuf Bala Usman College of Legal and General Studies, Mohammed Ibrahim Dahiru, formally moved the motion endorsing Governor Radda for a second term, while the Tafidan Daura, Saidu Abdulrahman, seconded it.

The motion was unanimously adopted by the stakeholders through a voice
The Zamfara State Government has donated 10 brand new motorcycles to the Gusau Central Police Station. The Secretary to the Zamfara State Government (SSG), Abubakar Mohammad Nakwada, presented the motorcycles to the Divisional Police Officer, Abubakar Sani Mohammad, a chief superintendent of police on Tuesday.

The SSG, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs, Abubakar Mohammad Gusau, said the motorcycles are meant to aid police patrols, especially in the hard-to-reach areas of the city that cannot be easily accessed using operational vehicles.

He also announced that the state government would support the division in the routine fueling of the motorcycles for effective service delivery.

The gesture is part of the ongoing efforts of Governor Dauda Lawals administration towards fighting all forms of criminalities across the state.

Receiving the vehicles on behalf of the Nigerian Police Force, the Divisional Officer, Mr Abubakar Mohammad, said the motorcycles will significantly boost their operational capacity to clamp down on criminal elements, who are taking advantage of the inaccessible areas to perpetrate crimes.

He further expressed gratitude to Governor Dauda Lawal for providing all that is required for all security formations across the state, reassuring that they have no excuse than to deliver results.

It is noteworthy that since 2025, the State Government has distributed over 140 operational vehicles to security agencies and is consistently providing logistical support to those agencies.

In a related development, the Zamfara State Government is currently rehabilitating and remodeling the Gusau Central Police Station and the Force Command Headquarters at the costs of N726.9 million and N1.4 billion respectively.
Many traders in Nigeria spend years searching for higher accuracy signals, believing that a strategy must win most of the time to be profitable. This mindset creates a constant cycle of switching indicators, joining signal groups, and chasing the latest setup. The problem is that accuracy alone does not guarantee results in forex trading. A trader can be right often and still lose money if entries, exits, and risk rules are inconsistent or emotional. This is why forex trading outcomes are usually determined by trade logic rather than by how often a signal wins.

Clear logic defines what you are trying to capture, where you are wrong, how much you risk, and what conditions must exist for the trade to be worth taking. For Nigeria centric traders who face fast volatility, variable spreads, and strong narrative shifts around global dollar moves, clear logic protects you from impulsive decisions and turns trading into a repeatable process.

Accuracy can hide weak risk control and poor exits

A strategy can have high accuracy because it takes small profits frequently. This looks good on paper, but it can fail badly when one loss is larger than many wins. Many traders in Nigeria experience this when they use tight targets and wide stops, or when they remove stops entirely to avoid being wrong. The win rate stays high until a single move wipes out weeks of progress.

Clear trade logic forces you to define exits and risk before focusing on accuracy. You decide where the trade thesis is invalid and you place protection there. You also decide how profits will be taken in a way that matches market behavior. When exits are logical, you can remain profitable even if accuracy is moderate because your wins and losses are structured.

Clear logic creates consistency across different market conditions

Forex markets do not behave the same every week. Some weekstrend, some range, and some react violently to news. A signal that works in one environment can fail in another. Traders who rely on accuracy alone often keep taking signals even when conditions have changed, because they have no framework for filtering trades.

Clear trade logic includes context. It defines what volatility conditions you need, what time windows suit the strategy, and which pairs are appropriate. For Nigeria centric traders who often trade around global releases, this context matters because the same setup can behave differently depending on liquidity and risk sentiment. Logic helps you avoid forcing trades in low quality conditions.

Logic helps you handle losing streaks without breaking the system

Even strong strategies experience losing streaks. Traders who focus on accuracy panic during these periods because they expect to be right most of the time. They start changing rules, increasing size to recover, or abandoning the strategy entirely. This behaviour is a major reason accounts fail.

When logic is clear, a losing trade is not a personal failure. It is a normal outcome within a probability based system. You know why you entered, where you were wrong, and how much you were willing to lose. This keeps you stable during drawdowns. In Nigeria, where many traders feel pressure to recover quickly due to economic stress and social expectations, clear logic protects discipline and prevents revenge trading.

Good logic improves execution even when signals are imperfect

A signal can be early, late, or noisy, but good logic still guides execution. You can wait for confirmation, adjust entry style, or reduce size when the setup is not clean. Without logic, the trader either takes the signal blindly or ignores it randomly, which produces inconsistent outcomes.

Clear logic also improves stop placement. Instead of placing stops at random distances, you place them at points where your thesis is invalid. This reduces unnecessary stop outs. Nigerian traders who trade volatile pairs often find that proper stop logic matters more than finding a better indicator, because the market can move sharply and punish poor stop placement quickly.

Logic makes performance review possible and measurable

If you cannot explain why you entered, you cannot improve. Many traders cannot learn effectively because their decisions are emotional and inconsistent. They may blame the market, spreads, or news, but they cannot identify what they did wrong because there is no defined process to evaluate.

Clear trade logic turns trading into measurable decisions. You can track which setups work, which conditions produce losses, and what adjustments improve results. For Nigeria centric traders, this is powerful because it reveals whether losses come from strategy weakness or from issues like trading during the wrong hours, using too much leverage, or entering without confirmation. With logic, improvement becomes systematic.

Clear logic reduces dependence on external signals and noise

Many Nigerian traders rely on external signals because they want certainty. They believe that a highly accurate provider will remove risk. In reality, every signal still requires the trader to manage entry timing, risk, and exit. Without logic, even a good signal can be traded badly.

When you develop your own clear logic, you become less vulnerable to noise. You stop chasing every alert and start selecting trades that match your conditions. This reduces overtrading and improves emotional control. It also builds confidence because you understand your decisions rather than copying someone elses.

A practical framework Nigerian traders can apply

A simple logic framework can be built with four elements. First, define the setup condition in plain language. Second, define the invalidation point that proves you are wrong. Third, define the risk per trade that keeps you stable during losses. Fourth, define the profit plan based on market structure rather than wishful targets.

Once these elements are consistent, accuracy becomes less important. You can work with a moderate win rate because your losses are controlled and your winners have room to compensate. This is what separates traders who grow steadily from those who jump between strategies without progress.

Conclusion

Clear trade logic matters more than signal accuracy because it controls risk, defines exits, filters market conditions, and keeps execution consistent under pressure. In Nigeria, where volatility and narrative shifts can be sudden, clear logic protects traders from emotional decisions and reduces the damage caused by poor risk habits. High accuracy can look impressive, but without structured logic it often leads to fragile systems that collapse during one strong move. When logic is clear, trading becomes measurable, improvable, and sustainable, and profitability depends on process rather than on chasing perfect signals.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says the demolition of a community school in the state on the order of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, was a deliberate affront to the state government.

Njoku Ukoha, the spokesperson to Mr Otti, stated this in a press release issued on Wednesday, 28 January, in Umuahia.

Mr Ukoha, who identified the demolished school as Eluokwu Community School in Igbere, Bende Local Government Area of Abia, said the demolition was done without consultation with the Abia State Government.

It is strange that even after meeting the presence of the contractors handling the upgrade at the site, agents of the federal lawmaker still went ahead to pull down the building in flagrant disregard to all known conventions of decency. One would have thought that as a lawmaker with a good handle on the provisions of the law, Rt. Hon Kalu would have approached the State Government for an alternative location for his project, a request that the State Chief Executive, in his usual magnanimity, would have granted without hesitation, the statement stated.

Read the full text of the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE: ON RT. HON BENJAMIN KALUS DIATRIBE

The Abia State Government has taken note of a public remark by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CFR, claiming to have extended hands of friendship and courtesy to the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, and offering collaboration on development programmes and projects.

While maintaining the Governments measured position not to join issues with Rt. Hon. Kalu, especially on issues of politics, we consider it necessary to make the following clarifications:

1. Governor Otti prioritises governance over petty politics as evident in his actions and disposition. He not only pledged support for projects attracted by Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu and other Federal Lawmakers to their constituencies, the Governor has also demonstrated a genuine commitment to collaboration with Hon. Kalu by generously allocating a parcel of land to the Deputy Speaker for a housing project he attracted to his constituency in the recent past. Specifically, the Governor allocated a large expanse of land along Umuahia-Bende Road for the Construction of a housing Estate. Governor Otti, refusing to bow to political pressure to withhold assent, gave his express approval and the land was made available for the project as a mark of support, collaboration and goodwill.

2. The Governor has consistently kept his doors open to Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, CFR. Unfortunately, the latters actions tell a completely different story. The reckless demolition of Eluokwu Community School in Igbere, Bende LGA, a public school earmarked and awarded to a contractor for upgrade to a smart school by the State Government, without consulting the relevant agencies of the State, contrasts sharply with Governor Ottis commitment to due process when dealing with other arms of government on matters of project execution.

3. The demolition of Eluokwu Community School in Igbere on the orders of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was a deliberate affront to the State Government. It is strange that even after meeting the presence of the contractors handling the upgrade at the site, agents of the federal lawmaker still went ahead to pull down the building in flagrant disregard to all known conventions of decency. One would have thought that as a lawmaker with a good handle on the provisions of the law, Rt. Hon Kalu would have approached the State Government for an alternative location for his project, a request that the State Chief Executive, in his usual magnanimity, would have granted without hesitation.

4. It is regrettable that after the demolished school was sealed by the State Government in line with the provisions of the law, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu ignored all channels of resolution within the State and ran off to Abuja to report. Expectedly, the authorities he reported to, after thorough investigation, admonished him against acting in a manner that reeks of complete disregard for due process and disrespect to the Governor. They advised that when next he wants to embark on such projects, appropriate approvals must be sought and secured from the relevant local authorities. This is the same lawful approach the Governor has repeatedly followed in the execution of several Federal Projects in the State, a standard that has seen him establish harmonious relationship with the Federal Government. Sadly, Honourable Kalu prefers drama to decorum and due process.

5. Lastly, the Abia Governor appreciates Rt. Hon. Kalus invitation to join his political party, which apparently had either been declined or ignored. At any rate, now that the Deputy Speaker has, in his own words, shut the door, one may also advise that he leaves a window open should the need arise for him to use it for emergency escape or at the minimum, get some fresh air.

Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA

Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.

January 28, 2026.
Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the North-West Governors Forum, Dikko Umaru Radda, has congratulated the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Joseph Fubara, on the occasion of his 51st birthday.

Governor Radda described Governor Fubara as a resilient and visionary leader whose dedication to peace, good governance and development continues to inspire confidence among the people of Rivers State and across the federation.

The Katsina State Governor commended his Rivers State counterpart for his steadfast commitment to democratic values, unity and inclusive leadership, noting that his calm disposition and wealth of administrative experience have contributed significantly to strengthening governance in the South-South region.

Your Excellency, your humility, courage and sense of duty in the service of your people distinguish you as a true servant-leader. Your passion for development, youth empowerment and institutional growth reflects your deep love for Rivers State and Nigeria at large, Governor Radda stated.

He further acknowledged Governor Fubaras contributions to inter-state cooperation and national stability, particularly his role in promoting peace and harmony during challenging moments in the nations political life.

As fellow governors, we appreciate your commitment to collective progress and your support for initiatives that promote unity, good governance and sustainable development across our states and regions, Radda added.

Governor Radda, on behalf of the Government and people of Katsina State and the North-West Governors Forum, prayed Almighty God to grant Governor Siminalayi Fubara good health, wisdom and renewed strength to continue serving Rivers State and the nation with distinction.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Zuba, Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the remand of a former National Coordinator of the MultiSectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) under the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Danjuma Mohammed, for allegedly defrauding a businessman of more than N2.2 billion.

The judge Keziah Ogbonnaya issued the remand order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him.

Mr Mohammed was arraigned alongside Prince Achem and Aminu Alhaji, who is said to be at large.

They face 54 counts of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, and forgery. The EFCC alleged that the offences were committed between 2022 and 2024.

But the defendants present in court pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their plea, EFCC counsel Adeola Olanrewaju asked the court for a trial date and requested that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the conclusion of the case.

However, defence counsel Chukwuka Obidike informed the court that a bail application had already been filed on behalf of his clients.

Mr Olanrewaju opposed the immediate hearing of the bail application, telling the court that the prosecution had only been served the previous evening and needed time to file a counteraffidavit.

Mr Ogbonnaya agreed that the prosecution should be given time to respond.

Taking into consideration all sundries and in the interest of justice, I will allow the prosecution to reply, the judge ruled.

He ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre pending the hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial.

The judge fixed 25 March for trial.

Details of alleged fraud

According to the antigraft agency, the defendants allegedly obtained a cumulative sum of N2.28 billion from Kenneth Ejiofor Ifekudu, managing director of Diamond Leeds Limited, under the false claim that they could facilitate the award and execution of contracts under the NEDCs MultiSectoral Crisis Recovery and Stability Programme (NERSP).

One of the charges stated that the defendants conspired between May 2022 and February 2024 to obtain the funds from Mr Ifekudu under false pretencean offence said to contravene Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other FraudRelated Offences Act, 2006.

Another count alleges that between January and December 2023, the defendants fraudulently received N573.5 million through a Wema Bank account operated by Mr Achem, claiming they had the capacity to award contracts to the victims companiesclaims the EFCC says were knowingly false.
Data refutes Donald Trumps statements in which he downplayed NATOs support in the conflict, which lasted from 2001 to 2021

In another instance of backtracking, U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday retracted his statements attacking and belittling the work of NATO troops in the war in Afghanistan (2001-2021): They stayed a little back, a little off the front lines, the U.S. president had stated last Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. His words even angered British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is generally more measured in his responses to the Republican. Two days later, Trump changed his tune: The great and very brave soldiers of the United Kingdom [...] were among the greatest of all warriors, he posted on his social media account, Truth.

The data shows that 3,609 military personnel died in combat actions during the intervention in Afghanistan, of which 1,144 were non-U.S. troops, almost one in three, according to iCasualties, a database that collates all military deaths in Afghanistan from information from various media outlets and government statements.

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks perpetrated by the terrorist group Al Qaeda against New York and the Pentagon, the United States launched a massive military intervention in Afghanistan, then governed by the Taliban, who harbored Osama bin Laden, the main architect of the 9/11 plot, and hosted numerous training camps for the organization. A total of 42 NATO countries participated in the conflict, 31 of which suffered military casualties in combat. This compilation only includes deaths in combat on the ground and excludes other casualties, such as the Spanish soldiers who died in the Yak-42 plane crash. Sixty-two military personnel were on board, returning from their mission in Afghanistan, when the aircraft crashed into a mountain near the Turkish city of Trabzon.

Aside from the U.S., the country that had to bury the highest number of combatants was the UK, with 457, followed by Canada (159), France (90), and Germany (62). In the case of Spain, there were 35.

Most of these casualties  90%  occurred between 2001 and 2014 when the mission was under the umbrella of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), led by NATO and under a UN mandate to fight in the Central Asian country.

In 2015, the allies abandoned the goal of implementing a new regime and opted instead to train Afghan troops capable of assuming the countrys security under the Resolute Support Mission, notes Pol Bargues, a researcher at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB). The most conflictive years were 2008, 2009, and 2010 because [the allies] ultimately wanted to achieve stability throughout the country and couldnt quite manage it. And so they decided to plan a withdrawal, Bargues explains.

After more than two decades of war, the allied forces, unable to defeat the Taliban regime, finally withdrew between May and August 2021.

Felix Arteaga, senior researcher for Security and Defense at the Elcano Royal Institute, asserts that, from the outset, the intervention in Afghanistan was neither a mission to rebuild the country nor a humanitarian one, but a military one in which the majority of soldiers died in the first few years. It was a failed intervention that lasted 20 years, Bargues agrees.

Regarding Trumps statements, both insist that the U.S. president is wrong. Arteaga asserts that it says very little about the prudence of a leader who aspires to be a world leader. They are appalling, cruel words, an insult. He adds: [The British troops] were as close to the front lines as the American soldiers themselves.

A French soldier observes an Afghan village in Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 29, 2004. Yoray Liberman (Getty Images)

Its a complete lie, Bargues asserts. The researcher interprets Trumps behavior as reflecting his increasingly evident intention to defame his European allies, blaming them for the missions failure. NATO never managed to penetrate the most remote areas of the country, thats true. But the claim that the United States did well and NATO didnt, and that this is why the mission failed, is essentially a lie. Trump invented it to place blame on the allies and for the U.S. to emerge victorious, he emphasizes.

The missions failure, according to the CIDOB researcher, was due to several factors, but it also allowed NATO to learn for future interventions. He highlights, in particular, the need for the support of local governments  which in the case of Afghanistan was never achieved beyond the Kabul area, the capital  and for clearer and more achievable objectives. He emphasizes: More resources do not necessarily mean better results.

[Former president Joe] Biden said that one of the problems was that there were too many goals, too ambitious, and that from that moment on they will no longer carry out nation building, which is understood as building a nation, a state, from the outside, explains Bargues.

Arteaga points out that the failure of the war in Afghanistan and the attitude shown by Trump generate a feeling of distrust regarding the United States, and as such, he concludes, the distancing of the allies is inevitable.

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Troops of the Nigerian Armys 6 Brigade, under Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have rescued a kidnapped man in Dogon Gawa, Takum LGA of Taraba State.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Umar Muhammad, on Wednesday.

According to the statement, soldiers deployed at Dogon Gawa in Taraba State rescued the victim on Tuesday after sighting him in the bush during operations. The man was later identified as Ghali.

Mr Muhammad said preliminary investigations showed that the man and another man, Simon Oluchukwu, were abducted on 11 January at Gbise village, Mbayonga, in Benue State. Their driver was reportedly killed by the kidnappers during the attack.

He added that Mr Ghali was abandoned by his captors before he was found by the troops.

Following his rescue, the victim was immediately debriefed, provided with necessary medical care and later reunited with his family, the statement said.

Reacting to the operation, the Commander of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army and Sector 3 OPWS, Brigadier Kingsley Uwa, commended the troops for their courage, professionalism and persistence.

Mr Uwa assured that military operations in the area would be intensified to secure the release of the remaining victim and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.

He also called on residents to support security agencies with timely and credible information to aid ongoing operations.

The army said the rescue highlights the commitment of troops of 6 Brigade to protecting lives and property, and reaffirmed their resolve to rid the area of criminal elements and restore lasting peace.
The Edu and Ifelodun local governments in Kwara State have imposed fresh 24-hour curfews to support ongoing military and police operations against banditry and kidnapping in the areas, expanding movement restrictions across communities identified as security flashpoints.

In Edu Local Government Area, the chairman, Abdullahi Bello, announced a round-the-clock curfew on Gbugbu community, including the popular Gbugbu International Market, with effect from 6 p.m. on Tuesday. He said the measure was taken to enable security agencies to conduct clearance operations without obstruction.

The curfew is part of the measures to protect lives and property in the area as security forces continue their operation in areas of interest, Mr Bello said, adding that all human and vehicular movements were prohibited for the duration of the restriction.

In Ifelodun Local Government Area, the chairman, Femi Yusuf, declared a similar 24-hour curfew across the entire Oro Ago District, beginning from 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

In a statement, he said the decision was aimed at supporting an ongoing security sweep and preventing the movement of suspected criminals.

Within this period, there will be no human or vehicular traffic in the entire district. This is in support of the ongoing security clearance operation in the area, Mr Yusuf said, noting that the restriction would be reviewed as the situation evolves.

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said the curfews were designed to complement sustained security pressure on criminal groups operating in the affected areas.

He spoke on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by executive members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

Bandits are currently in disarray due to the onslaught against them, Mr Ojo said. Coupled with the issue of informants prevalent in some communities, the curfew will help to track and apprehend criminal elements attempting to flee with their families and assist in identifying their collaborators.

He said the restrictions were part of broader efforts to stabilise the area and prevent criminal elements from exploiting civilian movements to evade arrest.

The latest curfews follow a series of security measures taken in Kwara State in recent months as authorities respond to rising incidents of kidnapping and armed attacks, particularly along the Kwara Niger axis.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that, in December 2025, nighttime movement restrictions were imposed in parts of Patigi and Edu LGAs following repeated attacks on travellers and farming communities.

Those measures were later eased after security agencies reported improved surveillance and arrests, though residents continued to express concerns over sporadic violence.

Security analysts say curfews have become a common containment tool in the states counterbanditry strategy, largely to create controlled environments for intelligence-led operations.

Data from security briefings reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES show that while curfews often coincide with short-term drops in reported attacks, criminal groups tend to relocate rather than dismantle their networks, prompting repeated restrictions across neighbouring communities.

Residents of Edu and Ifelodun have been urged to comply fully with the directives and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information.

Authorities said violations of the curfew would be treated as security breaches, while assurances were given that the restrictions would be lifted once operations are concluded and normalcy restored.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned former Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), Tersoo Loko, and 10 others over alleged N1.1 billion fraud.

The anti-graft agency arraigned the defendants at the Federal High Court in Makurdi, on 30 counts of criminal misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.

It listed the other defendants as Kuleve Terlumun, Mtomga Manasseh, Ugbede Denen, Tatyough Thaddeus, Angwa Dominic, Uwua Igbawua, Adese Asom Orkuma Emmanuel, Owoicho Odeh and Mhir Iyenge.

The charges alleged that during his time in office, the former BSIEC chair misappropriated and diverted funds meant for the conduct of the 2020 and 2022 local government polls to the tune of N1.6 billion.

Prosecution counsel M.S. Yusuf stated that a petitioner had alleged that Mr Loko only utilised N565 million for both election cycles out of the N1.6 billion.

He said the sum of N1.1 billion was unaccounted for by the former Benue State electoral commission chairman.

Mr Yusuf added that the chairman, sometime in 2020, directly received a cash payment of N118 million from the commission, which was recorded as a receipt/payee and diverted for personal use.

The prosecution counsel further said that sometime in 2022 again, the accused received a cash payment of N110.9 million from the commission, which was recorded as a recipient/payee and diverted for personal use.

He said the acts contravened Section 5(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended in 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same act.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Mr Yusuf further asked the court for a date to enable the prosecution to prove its case.

In a ruling, the judge, M.S. Abubakar, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N50 million each with one surety in like sum.

Mr Abubakar said the sureties must have a valid passport, and each defendant shall deposit his or her international passport with the court registrar.

He also remanded the defendants pending perfection of their bail and adjourned the case until 24 April for hearing.

The trial comes at a time when the chairman of the Kano State Electoral Commission (KNSIEC), Sani Malumfashi, who is a professor, is similarly facing EFCC prosecution over N1 billion fraud charges.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, granted bail to Sani Malumfashi, a professor and chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), and his co-defendants, who are facing charges of fraudulently taking N1 billion between November and December 2024.

Trial judge James Omotosho granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200 million bail each and two sureties in like sum.

Ruling on their bail application moved by their counsel, Okechukwu Edeze, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the judge held that the offence with which the defendants are charged were bailable.

Mr Omotosho observed that the defendants are being prosecuted on bailable offences of money laundering and not capital offence.

It is based on this, that this court is inclined to grant the bail application, he said.

The judge also said he considered the fact that the prosecution lawyer from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Osuobeni Akponimisingha, did not oppose the bail application.

The judge, therefore, granted them bail in the sum of N200 million each with two sureties in like sum.

He said that each of the sureties shall be owner of property with minimum value of N100 million within the Federal Capital Territory and shall swear to affidavit of means.

He said the sureties shall show evidence of tax payment in the past three years and that the sureties and the defendants shall submit their recent passport photographs and certified true copies of their bank statements.

Mr Omotosho also ordered the defendants to submit their passports, if available, to the registrar of the court and that the registrar should verify all the documents and issue a report accordingly.

The judge, who adjourned the matter until 4 March for commencement of trial, said the defendants shall remain in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of their bail conditions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Malumfashis co-defendants are the Secretary of KANSIEC, Anas Muhammed Mustapha, and Ado Garba, a Deputy Director, Account Department of the state electoral body.

The charges filed by the ICPC on 1 December 2025 accused the defendants of siphoning the sums of N450 million, N310 million and N260 million between November and December 2024.

Count one also alleged between November and December 2024 in Kano, Messrs Malumfashi, Mustapha and Garba, conspired to take possession ofN450 million cash through SLM Agro Global Farm Account Nos. 0018222634 and 0015932143 with Jaiz Bank on 1 November 2024.

The prosecution said the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity.

It added that offence is contrary to Sections 2(1)(b) & 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022, among other counts.

After the six counts were read to them on Tuesday, the defendants pleaded not guilty.

NAN reports that the defendants were initially billed for arraignment before another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Joyce Abdulmalik, in 2025, but the case was struck out due to ICPCs failure to effect service of court documents on the defendants.

(NAN)
A principal witness in the multi-billion-naira port ownership dispute case involving a former Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, was arrested at the airport on Wednesday.

Ahmad Rabiu was arrested at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano by plainclothes officers from the Kano State Police Command, according to his aide, Hanif Umar, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Rabiu was intercepted while boarding an Air Peace flight bound for Abuja.

At the time of his arrest, he was in the company of Aminu Dabo, a prominent Kano politician and former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Mr Umar stated that Mr Rabius flight was cancelled on the orders of the arresting officers.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Rabiu, in a statement to his lawyers, alleged threats to his life after he agreed to testify before the State High Court in the criminal case filed by the Kano State Government regarding the ownership dispute on the Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.

Mr Ganduje and other defendants face a 10-count charge of criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds, breach of trust, and conflict of interest.

He was charged alongside his aide, Abubakar Bawuro; his lawyer, Adamu Aliyu-Sanda; and the former Managing Director of the Nigeria Shippers Council, Hassan Bello.

Mr Ganduje had on 14 January filed an objection challenging the service of court processes before the State High Court No. 2, sitting at the Audu Bako Secretariat Complex, presided over by Yusuf Ubale.

Mr Ganduje is asking the court to set aside the order for substituted service, arguing that it is invalid, a nullity, and ultra vires (beyond the courts legal power).

Mr Ganduje was represented by A.S. Gadanya, SAN, who, along with other defence counsel, objected to the states application requesting his arrest for failure to appear in court in person.

The court granted the application to hear the preliminary objections and adjourned the matter to 23 February for a hearing.

Responding to Mr Rabius arrest, the state prosecutor, Muhuyi Magaji, stated that the move was intended to tamper with the ongoing case.

The prosecution has lined up witnesses, including government officials who were allegedly manipulated into signing documents that facilitated fraudulent transfers from the state government to the private port entity.

The state government accused Mr Ganduje and other defendants of conspiring to fraudulently transfer 80 per cent of the shares of Dala Inland Dry Port, including the states 20 per cent equity, to private ownership under the fictitious name City Green Enterprise.

The prosecution also alleged that the defendants diverted over 4.49 billion in Kano State funds to execute infrastructure projects, including a double-carriageway, electricity, and perimeter fencing at the dry port, for their personal and family benefit.

The defendants also face charges of abuse of office and conflict of interest, as it was alleged that they leveraged their official roles to redirect public resources for personal benefit, thereby violating financial and constitutional regulations.

Background

PREMIUM TIMES exposed how Mr Ganduje secretly transferred the state governments 20 per cent stake in the facility to private hands, making his children co-owners of the company before awarding a contract worth more than N4 billion to provide infrastructure for the project.

The transfer ended Kano States shareholding in the project, while Mr Gandujes children and aide, Abubakar Bawuro, became directors and shareholders.

What PREMIUM TIMES investigation exposed

When Dala Inland Dry Port Limited was incorporated on 8 December 2003, its only directors were the founder, Ahmad Rabiu, and his son, Rabiu Ahmad Rabiu.

Two years later, at an extraordinary general meeting on 19 January 2005, the board was expanded with the appointment of four new directors: Abdulaziz Haladu, Anwar Isyaku-Rabiu, Diepreye George, and Abdullahi Kwaru.

Records obtained by this newspaper show that on 5 March 2020, Mr Gandujes three children and his longtime associate, Abubakar Bawuro, replaced Mr Rabius son and all other directors elected in 2005 as board members of the company.

Minutes of the companys Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on 5 March 2020, at its Zaria Road office in Kano, confirmed the appointment of Abdulaziz Abdullahi Umar, Umar Abdullahi Umar, and Muhammad Abdullahi Umarall children of Mr Ganduje alongside Mr Bawuro as new directors of Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.

It was also at the meeting that the state government was removed as a co-owner of the dry port, and the Ganduje children were appointed not just as directors but also as shareholders, each holding 5 million shares.

READ ALSO: Court refuses to issue arrest warrant for Ganduje over port ownership scandal

According to its ordinary resolution, the meeting was attended by all the shareholders, and it was unanimously resolved that Abdulaziz Abdullah Umar, Umar Abdullahi Umar, and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar the three children of Mr Ganduje be allotted five million shares each, each being 20 per cent of the total 25 million shares of the company.

Mr Rabiu and Mr Bawuro were also each allotted 20 per cent, creating a new ownership structure of five equal shareholders, each with 20 per cent of the companys shares.

This structure edged out the Kano State Government from the ownership of the company.

The state government said due process was not followed in the divestment process, accusing Mr Ganduje of using his office to undermine the state.
A prominent Kano-based lawyer, Abba Hikima, has called on the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, to ensure that corruption cases against his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and his close associates are fully pursued.

Mr Hikima, a rights advocate, fears that several pending cases of alleged financial impropriety and unlawful acquisition of public assets could be quietly abandoned following Governor Yusufs recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

PREMIUM TIMES recalls that Mr Yusuf resigned from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Friday and officially joined the APC on Monday, stating that his decision was taken in the best interest of the people of Kano State.

However, the governors defection has drawn criticism from many Kano residents, who faulted him for joining the same party he spent years fighting before defeating it at the polls.

Others, however, praised the move, describing it as strategic alignment with the federal government.

Fears of burial of court cases

Expressing his concerns in a video posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Mr Hikima, who spoke in Hausa, said the unfolding political developments in Kano could lead to the outright burial of corruption charges against Mr Ganduje.

My concern is that there is still a clear obligation on the governor of Kano State to ensure that allegations against individuals widely believed to have looted public funds or acted unlawfully are pursued, Mr Hikima said.

He added, As was loudly promised during the campaigns, these people must still be pursued so that all allegedly stolen funds can be recovered.

It should not be that simply because they are now in the same political party, everything is swept under the carpet.

Mr Hikima noted that since 2019, members of the Kwankwasiyya Movementincluding Governor Yusuf himself, both before and after his electionhad consistently accused Mr Ganduje of various offences, ranging from theft and abuse of office to allegations involving members of his family.

Allegations against Ganduje

Speaking on the nature of the accusations, Mr Hikima said he personally approached the courts no fewer than 22 times on matters bordering on public interest during Mr Gandujes administration.

I know what Im saying. I went to court 22 times over scandals involving the former governor of Kano State that concerned the public, he said.

I challenged the proposed construction of shops along Katsina Road, where peoples houses were blocked. I also went to court over the Kwari Market, where there were plans to build on public roads within the market.

He further accused the former governor of forcibly acquiring farmland that was later converted into housing estates without adequate compensation to the original owners.

In Madobi Local Government Area, he said, large farmlands belonging to people were used to construct estates, but no meaningful compensation was paid.

There were also cases of taking property from one private owner and handing it over to another, or converting public assets into private hands, Mr Hikima alleged.

He accused the former Ganduje administration of selling public schools and cemeteries. He also alleged persistent conflicts with commercial tricycle operators (adaidaita sahu), who were reportedly burdened with multiple taxes.

According to him, traders were not spared either. Illegal levies were imposed on traders at Kwari Market, he said.

I fought for Abba to become governor

Mr Hikima acknowledged that he actively supported Governor Yusufs candidaturethen popularly known as Abba Gida-Gidaduring the elections.

He stated that his support was not based on any personal relationship with the governor, but was driven solely by a desire to end the Ganduje administration.

We went to court as if our lives depended on it. That was why, in the last election, I supported Abba Gida-Gida. I didnt want to keep going to court every day over things that a governor could resolve with a simple commitment to justice, he said.

He also claimed that lives were lost during the struggle to ensure that Mr Yusuf, the NNPP candidate, won the 2023 governorship election.

Some people lost their lives because they wanted Abba Gida-Gida to win, while the Ganduje camp insisted he would not, he said, recalling the violence that marred the election period.

There were incidents in Dala Local Government Area. People can still recall what happened, the lawyer added.

Mr Hikima further referenced the campaign rhetoric attributed to the Kano State APC leader, Abdullahi Abbas, Ko da tsiya ko da tsiyaya (by whatever means necessary), which he claimed was used to mobilise supporters to acts of violence.

We were told these people were incapable and had nothing to offer. So why are they now being embraced and celebrated? he asked, referring to the governors realignment with the APC led by Mr Ganduje.

Ganduje should have been arrested

Mr Hikima said that instead of being arrested, Mr Ganduje was sighted at the Kano State Government House celebrating with Governor Yusuf despite allegedly ignoring court summons.

Ganduje is being sought by two courts, and he has refused to appear. A warrant should have been issued for his arrest, he insisted.

But instead, he was at the Government House, with police officers and security operatives all around. It looked like a comedy, he said.

As hands were raised in celebration, he added, everything was forgiven, and the poor masses were left with their lossesincluding lives that were sacrificed. Families were divided, and now we are told everything is being done in the best interest of the people.

People should open their eyes

The lawyer urged Kano residents to remain vigilant and learn from recent events.

I am calling on ordinary people to open their eyes. You can see what is happening in this country and how leaders treat us. We must understand what to do, because we have no country other than this one, he said.

If you refuse to speak or do what is right, you will eventually feel the consequences yourself, Mr Hikima warned, cautioning against public apathy in the face of decisions that could shape both individual lives and Nigerias future.

PREMIUM TIMES investigation on Ganduje

PREMIUM TIMES previously exposed how Mr Ganduje allegedly transferred the Kano State Governments 20 per cent stake in the Dala Inland Dry Port to private hands, making his children co-owners of the facility before awarding a contract worth over 4 billion for infrastructure development at the port.

READ ALSO: Court refuses to issue arrest warrant for Ganduje over port ownership scandal

The transfer effectively ended the state governments shareholding, while Mr Gandujes children and an aide, Abubakar Bawuro, became directors and shareholders.

During court proceedings, counsel to the Kano State Government, Yau Adamu, applied under Section 388 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Kano for a bench warrant against all defendants for failure to appear in court.

However, the State High Court No. 2, sitting at the Audu Bako Secretariat Complex, declined the request. The presiding judge, Yusuf Ubale, ruled that issuing a bench warrant at that stage would be premature.

Mr Ganduje, who A.S. Gadanya, SAN, represented, objected to the application, challenging the service of court processes. He argued that the order for substituted service was invalid, null, and ultra vires.

The court granted the application to hear the preliminary objections and adjourned the matter to 23 February.

The state government is accusing Mr Ganduje and other defendants of conspiring to fraudulently transfer 80 per cent of the shares of the Dala Inland Dry Portincluding the states 20 per cent equityto private ownership under the fictitious name City Green Enterprise.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendants diverted over 4.49 billion of Kano State funds to execute infrastructure projects at the dry port for personal and family benefit, including road construction, electricity supply and perimeter fencing.

The defendants are also facing charges of abuse of office and conflict of interest, for allegedly using their official positions to redirect public resources for personal gain, in violation of financial and constitutional regulations.
A former member of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom State, Onofiok Luke, has vowed not to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This party has given me all my political platforms, from governors aide to state legislature, and speaker (Akwa Ibom House of Assembly) and thereafter federal lawmaker. So, if this same party is in its trying times, good conscience forbids that I abandon it, Mr Luke, a lawyer, said on Monday, 26 January, at a PDP stakeholders meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

Mr Luke, who represented Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency from 2019 to 2023, said he will rather remain in the PDP and help to rebuild the party than defect to another party.

The protracted national leadership crisis in the PDP has weakened its nationwide presence, with several of its governors, federal lawmakers and other chieftains defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Many believe the PDP crisis is being instigated by the APC and President Bola Tinubu through the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, but both have denied any involvement.

Mr Wike, a member of the PDP, is serving as the FCT minister in Mr Tinubu administration. He has been campaigning for Mr Tinubus re-election in 2027.

In Akwa Ibom, Governor Umo Eno, who defected from the PDP to the APC in June last year, is fighting hard to weaken the PDP in the state so he can easily win re-election as Akwa Ibom governor in 2027. He has been funding the sacked PDP executive in the state, and has used the police to prevent the recognised party leadership from accessing the PDP state secretariat in Uyo.

I want those in the other party to allow us remain in our party. Let them allow us to exercise our rights and freedom of association to remain in our party the same way we have respected their rights and freedom to move from one party to another, Mr Luke said at the stakeholders meeting, apparently referring to the concerted attempts to distabilise the PDP in Akwa Ibom.

I will rather remain and rebuild the party, trusting the word of God in John 12:24, which says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit.

The former lawmaker continued: In Job 14:7-9, the scripture assures us that for there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.

This party shall rise and flourish again.

Mr Luke commended the PDP members in Akwa Ibom for their steadfastness.

Its time for us to go into the communities

The Caretaker Chairman of the PDP in Akwa Ibom, Iquat Umoren, thanked the stakeholders for keeping faith with the party despite the current happenings, noting that the stakeholders meeting was part of the partys strategic plan to commence its rebirth and rebuilding.

We are here to prepare our strategy for the year. It is time for us to go into the communities. It is clear that we all have political value; that is why they want us, Mr Umoren, a lawyer, stated while assuring that the PDP in Akwa Ibom will bounce back under his leadership.

Dont let anyone lie to you. The PDP is very strong in Akwa Ibom. That is why, despite all the people they claim they have, they are still afraid and are still coming after those of us who are remaining in PDP. Together, we will work, rebuild this party and reclaim our mandate in 2027.

Ini Emembong, the PDP national publicity secretary, flew in from Abuja to attend the meeting.

Mr Ememobong, a lawyer, admitted that the PDP was undergoing a test but urged members not to be bothered about who was leaving or joining the PDP, as the party would continue to thrive.

I want to charge you all to brace up because they will test you. I can assure you that they will come to buy you, but the question is, how much will you be worth?

Speaking on the multiple lawsuits involving the PDP, Mr Ememobong assured that the cases will soon be heard, expressing the confidence that the judgements will be in favour of the party following judicial precedents in cases of a similar nature.

I can assure you that we have reached the bottom of the valley. From here on, it is a movement up. I can assure you that PDP is coming back strong in Nigeria. Whether it will come back strong in Akwa Ibom will depend on us, he added.

In their separate remarks, a former chairman of the PDP in Akwa Ibom, Uwem Ita Etuk, PDP chieftains, Tony Esu, Chris Abasieyo and other PDP stakeholders in the state urged members to go back to their communities and embark on robust mobilisation, noting that the PDP was still the most popular party in villages across the state.

The highlight of the meeting was the constitution of the Akwa Ibom PDP Elders Forum, with Mr Etuk as chairman, Mr Esu as deputy chairman, and Mr Abasieyo and Adasi Obolum as members.
Protesting traders have blocked the popular River Niger Bridge in Onitsha over the temporary closure of Onitsha Main Market by Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State.

The bridge links Onitsha in Anambra State, Nigerias South-east,, to Asaba in Delta State, Nigerias South-south.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Governor Soludo of Anambra State ordered the closure of the market for one week when he visited on Monday and observed that shops were closed for businesses in compliance with a sit-at-home directive.

The illegal directive is often enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Anambra State Government, on Monday night, claimed, without providing details, that the illegal directive costs the state about N8 billion weekly.

Bridge blocked as protest enters second day

The protest against the market closure, which began on Tuesday, entered its second day on Wednesday, when protesters blocked the Niger Bridge.

Several video clips seen by PREMIUM TIMES showed the protesters blocking the bridge.

In one of the clips, hundreds of protesters were seen rolling logs of wood and what appeared to be a rusted iron drum onto the main road to block the highway.

Head bridge blocked. No going out, no coming in, one of the protesters declared.

They should block the road. Nothing will happen. If Onitsha Main Market does not open, no other market will open, another protester added.

Some armed security operatives were seen monitoring the incident, but the clip did not show them either stopping the protesters or manhandling them.

In another clip, some travellers on the bridge appeared stranded as protesters blocked their vehicles.

Another clip showed the protesters appearing to block access through the bridge by lining up to barricade the road.

Does he feed us in this state? one protester said, apparently referring to Governor Soludo.

Onitsha to Asaba blockedno way in, no way out. Standstill, another protester added.

Background

The sit-at-home directive began in the South-East in August 2021 when IPOB imposed it in the region.

The directive, which was to be observed every Monday, was intended to press the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The group later suspended the weekly directive, limiting it to days Mr Kanu appeared in court. However, residents of Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra states continued to observe the directive largely out of fear.

IPOB repeatedly distanced itself from the continued enforcement, insisting that those behind it were criminals exploiting the groups name.

Despite this, Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based Biafra agitator, continued to issue sit-at-home orders, even after being suspended by the IPOB faction loyal to Mr Kanu.

In July 2023, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kanu, through his lawyer Aloy Ejimakor, directed Mr Ekpa to halt the action. Mr Ekpa dismissed the directive as fake, insisting the order would continue unless Mr Kanu personally addressed him in Finland.

Efforts by Igbo leaders, including Enugu Governor Peter Mbah, Anambra Governor Mr Soludo, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to end the practice yielded limited results.

While the sit-at-home has largely disappeared in Enugu, Abia, and Ebonyi states, it persists in Anambra and Imo.

Meanwhile, Mr Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism in November, while Mr Ekpa received a six-year prison sentence in Finland for similar offences.
A member of the House of Representatives from Abia State, Obi Aguocha, has criticised Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State for temporary closure of the Onitsha Market over traders compliance with a sit-at-home directive.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Governor Soludo of Anambra State ordered the closure of the market on Monday, when he visited and observed that shops were shut in compliance with the illegal order.

The illegal order is often enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The governors action has triggered heavy protests by angry traders in the state who, on Tuesday, backed the Monday sit-at-home directive in honour of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Its counterproductive

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Aguocha, who represents Ikwuano-Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, argued that Mr Soludos closure of the market had unsettled the fragile peace which was slowly returning to the state and region.

Over the last three years, many markets, plazas and shopping centres across the Southeast have gradually returned to normalcy, operating freely and unencumbered.

I have worked tirelessly in this direction, and peace was steadily returning to our rural and commercial trading centres, he said.

Governor Soludo, unfortunately, has unleashed terror on an army of silent agitators who, for so long, had helped to abate the significance of the Monday sit-at-home rituals.

The federal lawmaker contended that

while Mr Soludos intention to end the sit-at-home was noble, the method adopted by the governor was counterproductive.

The governors effort has been executed in the most unconstructive and unacceptable manner.

These misguided ordinances and actions have reignited embers of fear, hardened resistance and resurrected old resentments which, if left unchecked, could plunge the region into renewed violence, serious crimes and widespread criminality, he said.

Soludo, Anambra govt have no power to close market

Mr Aguocha, who is the chairperson of the House Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation, stressed that Governor Soludo and the Anambra State Government have no legal authority to compel private business owners to open or close their shops.

Governor Soludo cannot force, punish or compel private business owners to close or open their shops, or to trade or refrain from trading, he said.

The federal lawmaker argued that the governor should drop the idea of compelling people to open their shops on Monday because he cannot apply similar punitive measures to those who close their businesses early on Wednesdays and Fridays to attend religious services.

Such decisions fall squarely within the ambit of their fundamental rights and are not governed by any state, labour or market-union relationship, he said.

Continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, marginalisation of South-east

Mr Aguocha argued that the failure of the Nigerian government to address the grievances of the South-east was fueling unrest and violence in the region.

Until the Nigerian state genuinely and sincerely addresses the unjust detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the bias in the administration of criminal justice, the marginalisation and entrenched hostility against the Igbo people, and the root causes of youth agitation, we must brace ourselves for a vicious cycle of resentment, he stated.

The federal lawmaker cautioned against attempts to coerce political support from the region, maintaining that such tactics would fail.

If nothing urgent is done, no one should expect votes from the region based on being coerced, manipulated or compelled.

Our votes will count, and we will defend them, even at the cost of our lives, he said.

He assured that, as a member of the lower chamber of the countrys National Assembly, he is duty-bound to continue pursuing the best path towards freedom and justice.

Background

The sit-at-home directive began in the South-east in August 2021 when IPOB imposed it in the region.

The directive, which was to be observed every Monday, was intended to press the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The group later suspended the weekly directive, limiting it to days Mr Kanu appeared in court. However, residents of Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra states continued to observe the directive largely out of fear.

IPOB repeatedly distanced itself from the continued enforcement, insisting that those behind it were criminals exploiting the groups name.

Despite this, Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based Biafra agitator, continued to issue sit-at-home orders, even after being suspended by the IPOB faction loyal to Mr Kanu.

In July 2023, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kanu, through his lawyer Aloy Ejimakor, directed Mr Ekpa to halt the action. Mr Ekpa dismissed the directive as fake, insisting the order would continue unless Mr Kanu personally addressed him in Finland.

Efforts by Igbo leaders, including Enugu Governor Peter Mbah, Anambra Governor Mr Soludo, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to end the practice yielded limited results.

While the sit-at-home has largely disappeared in Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states, it persists in Anambra and Imo.

Meanwhile, Mr Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism in November, while Mr Ekpa received a six-year prison sentence in Finland for similar offences.
The Anambra State Government has declared an end to the infamous Monday sit-at-home directive in 12 additional markets in the state.

Evarist Uba, the special adviser to Governor Soludo on trade and markets, announced this in a circular addressed to market leaders in the state on Wednesday.

The announcement followed Governor Soludos earlier closure of the Onitsha Main Market on Tuesday over traders alleged failure to comply with the sit-at-home directive.

The illegal directive is often enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The governors action has triggered heavy protests by angry traders in the state, who on Tuesday backed the Monday sit-at-home directive in honour of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Ignore Monday sit-at-home or risk closure

In the circular, Mr Uba directed traders in 12 additional markets to resume business activities on Mondays and warned that their markets could be closed if they fail to open their shops on Mondays.

The newly affected markets include Ochanja Central Market, Bridgehead Market, Ogbaru Main Market, Building Materials Market, Ogidi, Agba-Edo Auto Spare Parts Market, Nnewi, and New Auto and Motorcycle Spare Parts Market, Nnewi.

Others are Fairly Used Motorcycle Spare Parts Market Nnewi, New Auto Spare Parts Market Nkpor, Nkpor Main Market, Old Mercedes Benz Spare Parts Dealers Market Nkpor, Old Motor Spare Parts Market Obosi, and Electrical Dealers International Market, Obosi.

The circular was specifically addressed to leaders of major markets under the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association.

Mr Uba directed the chairpersons of the markets to notify traders to open for business on Mondays in compliance with Governor Soludos executive order, which he said was aimed at restoring normal economic activity in the state.

The aide said government monitoring teams are expected to conduct random inspections, and markets found wanting may face temporary closure for about one month.

Any shop that is not open will be sealed by government officials, and the occupant may face legal action. Any market found not complying will be closed for one month, he said in the circular.

Background

The sit-at-home directive began in the South-east in August 2021 when IPOB imposed it in the region.

The directive, which was to be observed every Monday, was intended to press the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Mr Kanu, who was facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The group later suspended the weekly directive, limiting it to days Mr Kanu appeared in court. However, residents of Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra states continued to observe the directive largely out of fear.

IPOB repeatedly distanced itself from the continued enforcement, insisting that those behind it were criminals exploiting the groups name.

Despite this, Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based Biafra agitator, persisted in declaring sit-at-home orders, even after being suspended by the IPOB faction loyal to Mr Kanu.

In July 2023, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kanu, through his lawyer Aloy Ejimakor, directed Mr Ekpa to halt the action. Mr Ekpa dismissed the directive as fake, insisting the order would continue unless Mr Kanu personally addressed him in Finland.

Efforts by Igbo leaders, including Enugu Governor Peter Mbah, Anambra Governor Mr Soludo, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to end the practice yielded limited results.

While the sit-at-home has largely disappeared in Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states, it persists in Anambra and Imo.

Meanwhile, Mr Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism in November, while Mr Ekpa received a six-year prison sentence in Finland for similar offences.
Hours after the U.S. government issued a temporary permit allowing Colombian President Gustavo Petro to visit U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, the leftist politician revived a critical discourse against the Republican, which he had kept dormant in recent weeks. They must bring Maduro back, and let him be tried in a Venezuelan court, he said at a public event in downtown Bogota. While the meeting was intended to announce a project to revitalize an old hospital, Petro ended up resuming his criticism of Trumps intervention in Venezuela, accusing Washington of undermining international law at missile range.

Petro, with six months left of his term, is enjoying a period of high approval. According to the most recent polls, his approval rating has improved among citizens, from 30% or 35% last year to 45% at the beginning of 2026. Polls say that if there were reelection, which [Juan Manuel] Santos prohibited, I would easily be president of Colombia. By a long shot... I think Id win in the first round, he said at the start of his speech at the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Bogota.

The smile that accompanied that introduction underscored an emotion that framed the nearly three-hour discourse, which touched on a dog he brought back from Cuba, criticism of those who name their children with Anglophone names like Kevin or Bryan, and the COVID-19 pandemic. It also showcased his renewed critical tone toward Trump and echoed the anti-Americanism that was a fundamental part of the vision of the guerrilla group he belonged to, the M-19, which laid down its arms in 1990. We have to tell Trump  they cant forget this in the movies  it wasnt the United States that defeated Hitler. It helped, yes, heroically, he said at one point. We have to remember that the Americans didnt reach Berlin, and that the Americans didnt capture Mussolini.

Colombians who go to the United States go as slaves, he said later, in a speech announcing the stipends for medical interns in Colombia. It will always be better to live in Colombia than in the United States, he stated, before speaking about the upcoming binational meeting: It is a key, fundamental, and decisive meeting, not only for my personal life, but for the life of humanity, he stated.

Petros renewed tone also revisited his belief that Trump was planning to attack Colombia. On January 9, when a call between the two presidents defused the crisis, he had prepared a speech based on that assumption: it was a call to action, urging us to move like jaguars the day Petro fell in the Palace guarding Bolivars sword. I was going to invite all the soldiers of Colombia, with or without leave, to come with their rifles and ammunition to become liberating guards. This is an allusion to an event Petro frequently recalls: the death of Chilean president Salvador Allende, gun in hand, in the La Moneda Palace in Santiago, an episode that marked his generation.

Preparations for the meeting in Washington also hinge on Petros immigration status, after his visa was revoked by the Trump administration last September when he participated in a pro-Palestinian protest in the streets of New York. In a lighthearted and jocular manner, he wondered why they would revoke his visa if they were going to grant him entry again. They took away my visa, now they say theyve given it back: why take it away if theyre just going to give it back? he said, even though its a one-off, five-day permit. What was once an affront is now a source of laughter, another sign of the change in tone.

With Trump, you have to talk to him as an equal, not as though you were a servant, he stated, revealing one of the motivations behind his new tone: the meeting in Washington elevates him to the status of a valid interlocutor with the leader of the superpower.

And although he maintains significant ideological differences with Trump, he also finds similarities: He does what he thinks, just like me. Hes also pragmatic, though more so than I am. I like to talk. His views on many issues are very different from mine. But for example, on drug trafficking, we have no differences, he said in a recent interview with EL PAIS. And that is precisely the biggest change compared to the anti-Trump Petro of 2025: now he questions a president with whom he has spoken and who has invited him to visit in six days time  if the renewed criticism doesnt derail that meeting.

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Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has convened a crucial meeting with leaders of all the markets in the South-eastern state.

Evarist Uba, the special adviser to Governor Soludo on trade and markets, announced this in a circular addressed to market leaders in the state on Tuesday.

Notice is hereby given to market executives in the state, including zonal chairmen and secretaries, and line chairmen and secretaries, to a crucial meeting with Mr Governor, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, on matters of urgent importance, Mr Uba said in the circular.

The special adviser said the meeting would be held on Thursday morning, 29 January, at the International Conference Centre in Awka, the state capital.

Although he did not mention the reason for the meeting, there are indications that it is connected to the recent closure of the Onitsha Main Market by Governor Soludo over the traders observance of a sit-at-home directive.

The governor ordered the market closed for one week when he visited on Monday and observed that shops were closed in compliance with the illegal directive.

The illegal directive is often enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Mr Soludos action has triggered heavy protests by angry traders in the state, who on Tuesday backed the Monday sit-at-home directive in honour of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.

On Wednesday, the protesters blocked the popular River Niger Bridge, which connects Onitsha in Anambra to Asaba, Delta State, in Nigerias South-south.

Meanwhile, the sit-at-home directive initially enforced by IPOB had resulted in deadly attacks and destruction of goods.

The illegal directive, usually observed on Mondays, began in the South-east in August 2021 when IPOB imposed it on residents of the region.

The directive was intended to pressure the Nigerian government to release its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The group later suspended the weekly directive, limiting it to days Mr Kanu appeared in court. However, residents of Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra states continued to observe the directive largely out of fear.

Gunmen who often enforce the illegal directive have killed many residents and punished others for flouting the directive.

IPOB repeatedly distanced itself from the continued enforcement, insisting that those behind it were criminals exploiting the groups name.

Despite this, Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based Biafran agitator, continued to issue sit-at-home orders, even after being suspended by the IPOB faction loyal to Mr Kanu.

In July 2023, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kanu, through his lawyer Aloy Ejimakor, directed Mr Ekpa to halt the action. Mr Ekpa dismissed the directive as fake, insisting the order would continue unless Mr Kanu personally addressed him in Finland.

Efforts by Igbo leaders, including Enugu Governor Peter Mbah, Anambra Governor Mr Soludo, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo, to end the practice yielded limited results.

While the sit-at-home has largely disappeared in Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states, it persists in Anambra and Imo.

Meanwhile, Mr Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism in November, while Mr Ekpa received a six-year prison sentence in Finland for similar offences.
The Ojora family of Lagos has announced the death of its patriarch and business mogul, Adekunle Ojora, the Olori Omo Oba of Lagos, who died in the early hours of Wednesday. He was 93.

The family disclosed the passing in a statement signed by Toyin Ojora-Saraki, describing his death as a submission to the will of Almighty Allah.

With total submission to the will of Almighty Allah (SWT), the Ojora family announces the passing of our beloved patriarch.

We say Alhamdulilahi for a life well lived, and we comply with Allahs words: Surely, to Allah we belong, and to Him we will all return (Q2:156), the statement read.

The family said the late businessman would be buried in Lagos in accordance with Islamic rites and appealed to members of the public to pray for the repose of his soul.

Mr Ojora was a prominent businessman and traditional title holder, serving as the Olori Omo Oba of Lagos. He was also the Lisa of Ife.

Born in 1932, he began his professional career as a journalist with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the early 1950s. He later joined the United Africa Company (UAC) in 1962, where he rose to executive level.

From 1971, he served as chairman of the board of AGIP Nigeria Limited, a position he held until the company was acquired by Unipetrol in 2002.

During the 1970s, Mr Ojora also invested in several foreign firms operating in Nigeria, playing a notable role in the growth of private enterprise in the country.

He is survived by his wife, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora, as well as his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family urged the public to join them in prayers, asking Allah to grant the deceased forgiveness and a place in Aljannah Firdaus.
PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. ("Alexandria" or the "Company") (NYSE: ARE) today announced the commencement of cash tender offers ("Tender Offers") to purchase up to an aggregate principal amount that will not result in an aggregate purchase price that exceeds $800,000,000 (subject to increase or decrease by the Company, the "Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount") of its outstanding 3.000% Senior Notes due 2051 (the "2051 Notes"), 3.550% Senior Notes due 2052 (the "2052 Notes") and 4.000% Senior Notes due 2050 (the "2050 Notes", and, together with the 2051 Notes and the 2052 Notes, the "Notes" and, each series, a "series of Notes"), subject to the order of priority (the "Acceptance Priority Levels" as set forth in the table below under "Acceptance Priority Level"). The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, L.P.

The price offered in the Tender Offers and other information relating to the Tender Offers are set forth in the table below.

Title of Notes CUSIP

Number (1) Aggregate

Principal Amount

Outstanding (2) Acceptance

Priority Level (3) Reference

U.S. Treasury

Security Bloomberg

Reference

Page (4) Fixed Spread

(basis points) Early

Tender

Premium (5) 3.000% Senior

Notes due 2051 015271 AX7 $850,000,000 1 4.750% UST

due August

15, 2055 FIT1 +75 $50















3.550% Senior

Notes due 2052 015271 AZ2 $1,000,000,000 2 4.750% UST

due August

15, 2055 FIT1 +75 $50















4.000% Senior

Notes due 2050 015271 AS8 $700,000,000 3 4.750% UST

due August

15, 2055 FIT1 +80 $50

















______________________________________ (1) No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP Numbers listed in this press release or printed on the Notes. They

are provided solely for the convenience of the Holders (as defined below) of the Notes. (2) As of January 27, 2026. (3) Subject to the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount and proration, the principal amount of each series of Notes that is purchased in the Tender

Offers will be determined in accordance with the applicable Acceptance Priority Level (in numerical priority order with 1 being the highest

Acceptance Priority Level and 3 being the lowest) specified in this column. (4) The applicable page on Bloomberg from which the Dealer Managers (as defined below) will quote the bid side prices of the applicable U.S.

Treasury Security. In the above table, "UST" denotes a U.S. Treasury Security. (5) Per $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date (as defined below) (and not validly withdrawn)

and accepted for purchase by the Company.

The Tender Offers are being made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated January 27, 2026 (as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Offer to Purchase"), including the Financing Condition (as defined below). The Tender Offers are open to all registered holders (the "Holders") of the Notes. The Company reserves the right, but is under no obligation, to increase the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount at any time, including on or after the Price Determination Date (as defined below), without extending withdrawal rights except as required by law. Notes of a series may be subject to proration (as described in the Offer to Purchase) if the aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such series validly tendered and not validly withdrawn would cause the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount to be exceeded.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Tender Offers, each Holder who validly tenders and does not subsequently validly withdraw its Notes at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 9, 2026 (the "Early Tender Date") will be entitled to receive the applicable total consideration ("Total Consideration"), which includes an early tender premium of $50 per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes accepted for purchase ("Early Tender Premium"), plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the Early Settlement Date (as defined below) if and when such Notes are accepted for payment. The Total Consideration for each series of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase will be determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to the applicable fixed spread over the yield to maturity based on the bid side price of the applicable Reference U.S. Treasury Security specified in the table above and in the Offer to Purchase. In calculating the applicable Total Consideration for a series of Notes, the application of the par call date will be in accordance with standard market practice. Holders who validly tender their Notes after the Early Tender Date but at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on February 25, 2026, or such other date as the Company extends the Tender Offers (such date and time, as it may be extended, the "Expiration Date") will be entitled to receive only tender offer consideration (the "Tender Offer Consideration") equal to the Total Consideration less the Early Tender Premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but not including, the applicable settlement date, if and when such Notes are accepted for payment. The Total Consideration and Tender Offer Consideration will be determined at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, February 10, 2026, unless extended by the Company (the "Price Determination Date").

Payments for the Notes purchased will include accrued and unpaid interest from and including the last interest payment date applicable to the relevant series of Notes up to, but not including, the applicable settlement date for such Notes accepted for purchase. The settlement date for the Notes that are validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Date is expected to be February 12, 2026, three business days following the scheduled Early Tender Date (the "Early Settlement Date"). The settlement date for the Notes that are validly tendered following the Early Tender Date but on or prior to the Expiration Date is expected to be February 27, 2026, two business days following the scheduled Expiration Date (the "Final Settlement Date").

Subject to the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount and proration, all Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Date having a higher Acceptance Priority Level (with 1 being the highest) will be accepted before any validly tendered Notes having a lower Acceptance Priority Level (with 3 being the lowest), and all Notes validly tendered following the Early Tender Date having a higher Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted before any Notes validly tendered following the Early Tender Date having a lower Acceptance Priority Level. If the Tender Offers are not fully subscribed at the Early Tender Date, subject to the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount and proration, Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Date will be accepted for purchase in priority to Notes validly tendered following the Early Tender Date even if such Notes validly tendered following the Early Tender Date have a higher Acceptance Priority Level than Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Date.

If the Tender Offers are fully subscribed at the Early Tender Date, Holders who validly tender Notes following the Early Tender Date but on or prior to the Expiration Date will not have any of their Notes accepted for purchase regardless of their Acceptance Priority Level.

The Company's obligation to accept for purchase, and to pay for, the Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Tender Offers is subject to, and conditioned upon, among other things, the receipt by the Company of gross proceeds of at least $500,000,000 from one or more other capital markets financing transactions on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Company (the "Financing Condition"). The Tender Offers are not contingent upon the tender of any minimum principal amount of the Notes.

The Company has retained Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Barclays Capital Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to serve as Lead Dealer Managers for the Tender Offers. Global Bondholder Services Corporation has been retained to serve as the Depositary and Information Agent for the Tender Offers. Questions regarding the Tender Offers may be directed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, (800) 558-3745, Barclays Capital Inc. at 745 Seventh Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10019, (800) 438-3242, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, (866) 834-4666. Requests for the Offer to Purchase may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at 65 Broadway  Suite 404, New York, New York 10006, Attn: Corporate Actions, (212) 430-3774 (for banks and brokers) or (855) 654-2014 (for all others). The Company is making the Tender Offers only by, and pursuant to, the terms of the Offer to Purchase. None of the Company, the Guarantor, the Lead Dealer Managers, or the Depositary and Information Agent make any recommendation as to whether Holders should tender or refrain from tendering their Notes. Holders must consult their own investment and tax advisors and make their own decisions as to whether to tender their Notes and, if so, the principal amount of the Notes to tender. The Tender Offers are not being made to holders of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the securities laws or blue sky laws require the Tender Offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Tender Offers will be deemed to be made on behalf of the Company by the Lead Dealer Managers, or one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described above, nor shall there be any sale of these 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 such state or jurisdiction.

About Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

Alexandria, an S&P 500 company, is a best-in-class, mission-driven life science REIT making a positive and lasting impact on the world. With our founding in 1994, Alexandria pioneered the life science real estate niche. Alexandria is the preeminent and longest-tenured owner, operator, and developer of collaborative Megacampus ecosystems in AAA life science innovation cluster locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, Research Triangle and New York City.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "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. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding timing and consummation of the purchase of the Notes, risks and uncertainties related to the satisfaction of the Financing Condition and other conditions related to the purchase of the Notes. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's present intent, beliefs or expectations, but forward-looking statements are not guaranteed to occur and may not occur. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by the Company's forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties detailed in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update this information. For more discussion relating to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the Company's forward-looking statements, and risks and uncertainties to the Company's business in general, please refer to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

Contact: Joel Marcus, Executive Chairman & Founder, (626) 578-0777, [email protected]

SOURCE Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.
With capacity for around 3,000 customer miners, the Texas 8 facility advances Compass Mining's strategy to scale operated hosting across the United States.

WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Compass Mining, a leading provider of Bitcoin mining infrastructure and services, today announces the launch of a new 10-megawatt (MW) Bitcoin mining facility located just outside Odessa, Texas.

The site will be operated by Compass Mining and will host around 3,000 customer Bitcoin mining machines. Named Texas 8, the facility comes online as Compass Mining continues to meet rising demand for dependable, industrial-grade hosting.

"This expansion underscores our commitment to delivering continuity and reliable infrastructure for our customers," says Shanon Squires, Chief Mining Officer at Compass Mining. "Our operations team was able to rack thousands of miners and bring Texas 8 to full energization in record time, showing our ability to activate new sites whenever the market needs them."

The 10 MW deployment aligns with Compass Mining's strategy to grow hosting capacity in key energy markets. The Odessa region, near Midland, is one of the most active power markets in the country and provides strong conditions for large-scale Bitcoin mining.

"Texas 8 reflects our focus on meeting customer demand for operations-as-a-service," says Cameron Morrissey, Director of Operations at Compass Mining. "The Odessa-area facility gives customers a stable long-term home for their hardware while we continue scaling our operated fleet across the United States."

The energization of Texas 8 follows two recent site expansions: a 20 MW facility energized in Texas last October and an off-grid natural gas site launched in Wyoming the month prior.

Together, these deployments highlight Compass Mining's long-term strategy to vertical integration, geographic diversification, and innovation in energy sourcing. By bringing new facilities online quickly, Compass Mining continues to support institutional customers seeking operational stability, low-cost hosting options, and trusted long-term infrastructure partners.

About Compass Mining

Compass Mining is a Bitcoin mining infrastructure and operations-as-a-service company. The Compass Mining platform enables individuals, institutions, and facility owners to purchase ASIC hardware, host machines at top-tier data centers, and access professional site-management, logistics, and repair services.

With more than 160 MW under management and a global network of facilities, Compass Mining provides end-to-end solutions  from procurement and deployment to uptime optimization and operational oversight. The company is committed to transparency, reliability, and making Bitcoin mining more accessible.

To learn more or start mining with Compass Mining, visit compassmining.io

SOURCE Compass Mining
Two new members to join the board

CALGARY, AB, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) (CPKC) announced today that, as part of its ongoing board succession planning, Gordon Trafton, a current member of the CPKC board, has been appointed vice-chair of the board.

Additionally, CPKC today announced that Marc Parent has been appointed to the board effective Jan. 27, 2026, and that Kate Stevenson has been nominated to stand for election as a director at CPKC's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in April 2026.

Mr. Trafton, of Naperville, IL., has been a member of the board since Jan. 1, 2017. He retired in 2010 from Canadian National (CN), completing a 33-year railroad career that included time at CN, Illinois Central and Burlington Northern Railroad. From 2003 to 2009, he successively served as Senior Vice-President Strategic Acquisitions and Integration and as Senior Vice-President, Southern Region at CN. Prior to that, Mr. Trafton worked as CN's Vice President, Operations Integration. On CPKC's board, Mr. Trafton chairs the Risk and Sustainability Committee, serves on the Management Resources and Compensation Committee, and previously served on the board's Integration Committee.

"I am honoured to be appointed vice-chair of the board," said Mr. Trafton. "Isabelle Courville has established a legacy of excellence as board chair and I look forward to working closely with her, my fellow board members and our talented management team as we forge ahead together in our commitment to maximizing the value of CPKC for our shareholders, employees and customers."

New board members

Mr. Parent, of Montreal, is a seasoned chief executive officer and corporate director with more than three decades of leadership experience in the aerospace industry. Throughout his 15-year tenure as President and CEO of CAE, Mr. Parent grew the company into the undisputed leader in global aviation training and simulation. His transformative work has garnered numerous accolades, including appointment to the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour.

"It is with great excitement that I join CPKC's board," said Mr. Parent. "CPKC plays a vital role in connecting communities and nations while driving economic growth across the continent. I look forward to collaborating with the talented CPKC team to shape the company's next phase of growth and success."

Ms. Stevenson, of Toronto, has extensive corporate governance experience having served on numerous public company and not-for-profit boards in Canada and the United States over the past two decades. With experience as a financial executive in the telecommunications and banking sectors, Ms. Stevenson is currently Chair of the Board of Directors of CIBC.

"It is an honour to be nominated to join CPKC, a company critical to our supply chain and vital to our North American economy," said Ms. Stevenson. "I am excited at the prospect of bringing my perspective and expertise to the board to advance the company's remarkable success."

About CPKC

With its global headquarters in Calgary, Alta., Canada, CPKC is the first and only single-line transnational railway linking Canada, the United States and Mexico, with unrivaled access to major ports from Vancouver to Atlantic Canada to the Gulf Coast to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico. Stretching approximately 20,000 route miles and employing 20,000 railroaders, CPKC provides North American customers unparalleled rail service and network reach to key markets across the continent. CPKC is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpkcr.com to learn more about the rail advantages of CPKC. CP-IR

SOURCE CPKC
NEWTOWN, Pa., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating data privacy claims regarding an incident at Melwood, Inc. Melwood learned of a data breach between August 9, 2025, and August 17, 2025.

If you would like to discuss this case with a lawyer, please click HERE.

About Melwood, Inc.

Melwood is a Maryland nonprofit organization that has supported employment for people with disabilities for over 60 years.

What happened?

From August 9 to August 17, 2025, Melwood identified that an unauthorized individual accessed part of their computer network and copied files without authorization. They promptly secured their system and started an investigation. It was found that the compromised files may have included personal details such as names and Social Security numbers.

How can I protect my personal data?

If you receive a data breach notification regarding Melwood, you should take steps to protect yourself against identity theft and fraud. Such measures include regularly reviewing your account statements and monitoring your credit reports for any suspicious or unauthorized activity.

Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating a class action lawsuit to seek legal remedies for individuals whose sensitive personal data may have been compromised by the Melwood data breach.

For more information, please contact:

Marc Edelson, Esq.

EDELSON LECHTZIN LLP

411 S. State Street, Suite N-300

Newtown, PA 18940

Phone: 844-696-7492

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.edelson-law.com

About Edelson Lechtzin LLP

Edelson Lechtzin LLP is a national class action law firm with offices in Pennsylvania and California. In addition to data breach cases, our lawyers focus on class and collective litigation involving securities and investment fraud, violations of the federal antitrust laws, employee benefit plans under ERISA, wage theft, and consumer fraud.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions.

SOURCE Edelson Lechtzin LLP
In recent weeks, two women campaigning for their sons release died before seeing them freed, and another shortly after

Yarelis Salas, 39, the mother of political prisoner Kevin Orozco, died a few days ago of a heart attack outside Tocoron prison, an hour and a half from Caracas, after taking part in one of the several vigils organized at the facility by relatives demanding an amnesty for all political prisoners in Venezuela. Journalist Ramon Centeno, another recently released detainee, left prison in a wheelchair, suffering from the harsh conditions of detention and from several untreated ailments developed while incarcerated. His mother, Omaira Navas, has also just died, after suffering a stroke. She had spent four years trying to find out her sons whereabouts. Carmen Davila, 90, has also died. She was the mother of physician Jorge Yespica, 66, who was jailed in late 2024 amid one of the Venezuelan governments repeated legal crackdowns on the opposition in recent months.

The recent release of political prisoners has unleashed pentup indignation that had long been bottled up on Venezuelas streets. It has started to gain momentum to the extent that the government of Delcy Rodriguez  now seeking to ease tensions  has allowed it to do so. Students and civil society activists have taken the first steps to reclaim the constitutional right to protest, which had all but vanished from the streets in recent months. At the Central University of Venezuela, students directly challenged Chavista rule with protest banners and briefly blocked traffic to express their discontent.

Protests aimed at drawing attention to the fate of thousands of political prisoners who have been detained in recent months are gaining some space. Official announcements of releases, which are being carried out at an extremely slow pace, have brought no relief; instead, they have caused intense anxiety for family members and loved ones. They have also sparked frustration due to the unexplained discrepancies in the numbers: the Chavista government claims 600 political prisoners have been released, while organizations linked to the victims  such as Justicia, Encuentro y Perdon, or Foro Penal  have documented 276.

As political prisoners return to the streets, new reports are emerging about the dire conditions in Chavista prisons. These stories are circulating among families and friends, compounding the anguish. Many mothers and wives of political prisoners have spent weeks or months without knowing where their loved ones were being held. Many families are gripped with the fear of dying before seeing their imprisoned children freed  as happened to these mothers.

Evelis Cano, 49, the mother of political prisoner Jack Tantak, 31, says she is desperate and has decided to chain herself to one of the bars at the socalled Zone 7, which houses cells of the Bolivarian National Police, to plead for her sons release. I am willing to die, she cries. Take away those hearts of stone, she shouts at the police overseeing the families protest. There is no response, only silence. You have no mercy. We demand justice. Everyone here is innocent; none of them is a criminal.

Evelis Cano protests outside Zone 7 of the Bolivarian National Police, in Caracas, on January 26. MIGUEL GUTIERREZ (EFE)

Opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia  who claims he won the disputed 2024 presidential election and has the official voting records that prove it  says that the deaths of these women, who were mothers of political prisoners, are irreversible harm that we will not normalize. We know of fathers, mothers, and children who wait outside prisons and detention centers for hours and days to learn about their loved ones, without answers, without information, he adds. This anguish has consequences. Political persecution extends to families, consumes lives, and leaves wounds that time cannot heal.

The situation of political prisoners in Venezuela has been largely absent from the countrys mainstream news and commentary. The issue is kept alive primarily as a persistent demand on social media from relatives, some political parties, and human rights groups. Occasionally an opposition leader calls for the release of political prisoners or underscores the importance of an amnesty law as part of national reconciliation. But the terrible prison conditions, the anguish of families, the deaths of relatives, and the sheer number of people jailed in recent months have been largely excluded from local daily news coverage.

This contributes to the fact that many Venezuelans who support Chavismo  or ordinary people who are not constant news consumers  are noticeably disconnected from this reality.

Despite the mass prisoner releases announced by the government of Delcy Rodriguez, tens, and, by some estimates, hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars. According to Foro Penal and other local human rights organizations, while some releases have occurred, many detainees remain in custody, and opposition figures say the process is opaque and incomplete. Numbers vary by source, and critics argue official tallies do not reflect the actual scope of releases.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
A leading infrastructure engineering company Consor Engineers, LLC allegedly failed to provide their employees legally required meal periods and rest periods, among other things. This resulted in various other California Labor Code allegations.

**THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT**

ALAMEDA, Calif., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Francisco employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that Consor Engineers, LLC. violated the California Labor Code. The Consor Engineers, LLC class action lawsuit, Case No. 26CV163568, is currently pending in the Alameda County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here.

The Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP Speed Speed

According to the lawsuit filed, Consor Engineers, LLC allegedly required employees to work during their meal periods. These employees were allegedly, from time to time, unable to take thirty (30) minute off duty meal breaks and/or were not fully relieved of duty for their meal periods. Additionally, the employees were required to perform work as ordered by Defendant for more than five (5) hours during some shifts without receiving a meal break. Further, Defendant often allegedly failed to provide employees with a second off-duty meal period for some workdays in which these employees were required by Defendant to work ten (10) hours of work. Defendant also, allegedly, engaged in the practice of rounding the meal period times to avoid paying penalties to Employees. Therefore, employees unknowingly forfeited meal breaks without additional compensation.

The Complaint further alleges Plaintiff was required by Defendant to use their own personal cellular phones as a result of and in furtherance of their job duties as employees for Defendant but were not reimbursed or indemnified by Defendant for the cost associated with the use of their personal cellular phones for Defendant's benefit. Defendant allegedly violated Cal. Lab. Code  2802. California Labor Code  2802 expressly states that "an employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, or of his or her obedience to the directions of the employer, even though unlawful, unless the employee, at the time of obeying the directions, believed them to be unlawful."

For more information about the class action lawsuit against Consor Engineers, LLC, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today.

**THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT**

CONTACT: Nicholas De Blouw, Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, (800) 568-8020, [email protected], https://www.bamlawca.com/

SOURCE Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP
New Offerings Deliver Key Employment Information Alongside the Equifax Consumer Credit Report to Create a More Complete Financial Picture During Auto Loan Prequalification and Financing Processes

ATLANTA, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax  (NYSE: EFX) today announced the launch of two new Employment Insights solutions designed to provide a more complete picture of a buyer's financial profile earlier in the car-buying process. Delivered alongside the Equifax Consumer Credit Report, the offerings provide auto dealers with access to verified data from The Work Number , the nation's largest centralized commercial database of employment and income information.

The Employment Insights solutions offer information at two different points in the auto dealer workflow  prequalification and financing  to enable a faster, more reliable process. By leveraging The Work Number, the solutions help auto dealers move beyond self-reported data to make faster data-driven decisions based on verified consumer information.

"Today's car shoppers are more price sensitive than ever, so a delay in financing could easily result in a lost sale," said Lena Bourgeois, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Automotive Services at Equifax. "This makes it critical for auto dealers to quickly receive reliable information that helps them operate with confidence and close deals faster. With these new Employment Insights, dealers get proven income and job data, helping them verify what consumers report themselves. This allows them to make smarter decisions, lower their risk, and create a smoother, quicker loan approval process for consumers and dealerships."

Employment Insights for Prequalification

Delivered at the early shopping or prequalification stage, Employment Insights for Prequalification helps dealers better understand a buyer's purchasing power before a full credit application is submitted. The report includes the applicant's calculated total annual income and active employment record and tenure, allowing dealers to:

Understand the potential buyer's purchasing power.

Gain confidence in debt-to-income (DTI) and payment-to-income (PTI) calculations to offer right-sized deals.

Tailor sales experiences based on the buyer's verified ability to pay.

Customize offers based on the consumer's employment status and ability to pay.

Employment Insights for Financing

At the financing and deal-closure stage, Employment Insights for Financing helps dealers validate application information and reduce buyback risk. The report combines verified income and employment data with identity validation, so dealers can:

Verify consumer employment status and tenure for stronger confidence in stated application information.

Route applications more precisely based on consumer qualifications including verified income and employment.

Align deal terms with the consumer's verified purchasing power.

For more information about Employment Insights solutions for auto dealers, please visit our website .

ABOUT EQUIFAX INC.

At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 15,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com .

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Tiffany Smith for Equifax

[email protected]

SOURCE Equifax Inc.
In this free webinar, gain insight into how community-based research models remove barriers and improve patient access. The featured speakers will share how localized strategies, such as community-site networks and mobile visits, boost enrollment and retention in trials. Attendees will explore real-world data and lessons learned from a Principal Investigator in the field. The speakers will also discuss practical steps for implementing patient-centered approaches across therapeutic areas.

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Clinical research succeeds when protocols prioritize the patient experience. Community-based trials are proving that bringing research closer to patients removes barriers, improves access and creates opportunities for more inclusive participation.

In this webinar, the featured speakers will share real-world data and experiences showing how community-based models deliver results. You'll learn how localized engagement strategies  such as community-site networks and mobile visits  are improving enrollment, strengthening retention and building trust with patients in their own communities.

Attendees will see key metrics on diversity and retention, hear lessons learned from a Principal Investigator in the field and gain practical insights for implementing patient-centered approaches across therapeutic areas. Whether you're a sponsor, CRO or site professional, this session will highlight why community-based models aren't just innovative  they're essential for expanding the reach of research and advancing health equity for all.

Register for this webinar to gain practical lessons learned on improving enrollment, retention and inclusivity through community-based trials.

Join experts from EmVenio Clinical Research, Deon Miller, DO, DABOM, Principal Investigator; Nancy Lizzul, Director, Site Operations; and (Moderator) Lou Cappoli, Senior Director, Clinical Trial Strategy, for the live webinar on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 12pm EST (5pm GMT).

For more information, or to register for this event, visit How Community-Based Trials Are Delivering Results: Investigator and Site Perspectives.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks  The Life Science Community empowers professionals across pharma, biotech, medtech, healthcare and research with the trusted knowledge and collaborative insights that move the industry forward. Powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., Xtalks delivers news, feature articles, webinars, podcasts, videos, expert interviews, curated job opportunities and more designed to support informed decision-making in a fast-evolving sector.

Every year, thousands of professionals rely on Xtalks for timely intelligence, peer perspectives and industry thought leadership. Join our life science community to stay informed, connected and ready for what's next.

To learn more about Xtalks, visit www.xtalks.com

For information about working with Xtalks to host your webinar, visit https://xtalks.com/partner-with-us/

Contact:

Vera Kovacevic

Tel: +1 (416) 977-6555 x371

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Xtalks
"State of Tobacco Control" report urges states to step up and protect residents as federal progress stalls

CHICAGO, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Lung Association released its 24th annual "State of Tobacco Control" report today, warning that the largest federal rollback of tobacco prevention efforts in decades is putting hard-won progress at risk. Tobacco use remains the nation's leading cause of preventable death and disease, claiming the lives of more than 490,000 people each year. The report evaluates state and federal efforts to prevent and reduce tobacco use and issues urgent recommendations for action.

In 2025, the tobacco control and prevention landscape fundamentally changed when the administration took a series of actions that weakened enforcement and jeopardized public health efforts across the country. These included the virtual elimination of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health, major staffing cuts to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products and delaying Congressionally appropriated funding for nearly six months. As a result, tobacco control and quitline programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia were left at risk of shutting down, with some states drastically reducing lifesaving services.

"These unprecedented disruptions will embolden the tobacco industry to expand its predatory marketing and put more lives at risk," said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. "These decisions are not abstractthey directly affect whether people can access quitline counseling, whether states can run prevention programs that help communities, and whether kids are protected from the next generation of tobacco products. With the federal government reversing long-established tobacco prevention efforts, states must now take the lead. We urge everyone to join our effort and tell policymakers that protecting health must come first."

Tobacco use exacts a staggering toll across the nation. Cigarette smoking costs the U.S. more than $600 billion each year in healthcare expenditures and lost productivity, placing a massive burden on the nation's healthcare system and economy. Though youth tobacco use is at the lowest level in 25 years, 2.25 million middle school and high school students still use highly addictive and dangerous tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Close to 90% of youth who use e-cigarettes use flavored products.

Adult smoking rates have dropped from 23.3% in 2000 to 10.8% in 2023proof that sustained prevention and quit tobacco efforts work. However, the report warns that without strong federal and state prevention efforts, this progress could quickly unravel.

Federal Grades Overview

The 2026 "State of Tobacco Control" report grades the federal government in five areas:

Federal Regulation of Tobacco Products  Grade D

Federal Coverage of Quit Smoking Treatments  Grade D

Level of Federal Tobacco Taxes  Grade F

Federal Mass Media Campaigns to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use  Grade I*

Federal Funding for Tobacco Prevention and Control  Grade B

*The federal government gets an I for Incomplete in this category due to data not being able to be obtained about the duration, reach and frequency of the Real Cost campaign in 2025.

In the "State of Tobacco Control" report, the Lung Association identified five key actions for the Trump administration and Congress to take in 2026 that will help ultimately eliminate the death and disease caused by tobacco use:

Congress and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must restore and fully staff the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) to ensure that states receive tobacco prevention and cessation funding, that comprehensive federal surveillance and evaluation of tobacco can continue, and that the nation regains a functioning federal tobacco control and prevention infrastructure to reduce tobacco-related chronic disease; Congress and HHS must reestablish and adequately fund the Tips from Former Smokers campaign so CDC can once again deliver proven, lifesaving tobacco prevention and cessation messages to people across the country; Congress and HHS must protect the independence of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to ensure access to evidence-based services, including quit tobacco treatments and lung cancer screening with no cost-sharing; Congress must pass legislation requiring e-cigarette manufacturers to pay user fees to provide the FDA with the resources needed for robust oversight and enforcement. With these resources, FDA, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and other members of the multi-agency taskforce must act decisively to remove illegal e-cigarettes from the marketplace; and FDA must maintain a strong, science-based public health standard when reviewing and authorizing tobacco products, ensuring decisions protect kids and public health rather than expanding access to addictive products.

State Grades Overview

The 2026 "State of Tobacco Control" report grades states and the District of Columbia in five areas that have been proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use and save lives:

Strength of Smokefree Workplace Laws  13 states and Washington, D.C. earned A grades

 13 states and Washington, D.C. earned A grades Ending the Sale of All Flavored Tobacco Products  46 states earned F grades

 46 states earned F grades Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs  40 states and Washington, D.C., earned F grades

 40 states and Washington, D.C., earned F grades Level of State Tobacco Taxes  35 states earned F grades

 35 states earned F grades Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco  18 states and Washington, D.C. earned A or B grades

Best Graded States

California : Tobacco Program Funding: D, Smokefree Air: B, Tobacco Taxes: C, Access to Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: B

: Tobacco Program Funding: D, Smokefree Air: B, Tobacco Taxes: C, Access to Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: B Colorado : Tobacco Program Funding: A, Smokefree Air: B, Tobacco Taxes: C, Access to Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: F

: Tobacco Program Funding: A, Smokefree Air: B, Tobacco Taxes: C, Access to Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: F Delaware : Tobacco Program Funding: A, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: D, Access to Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: F

: Tobacco Program Funding: A, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: D, Access to Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: F District of Columbia : Tobacco Program Funding: F, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: A, Access to Cessation: C, Flavored Tobacco Products: A

: Tobacco Program Funding: F, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: A, Access to Cessation: C, Flavored Tobacco Products: A Maine : Tobacco Program Funding: A, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: B, Access to Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: F

: Tobacco Program Funding: A, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: B, Access to Cessation: A, Flavored Tobacco Products: F Massachusetts: Tobacco Program Funding: F, Smokefree Air: A, Tobacco Taxes: B, Access to Cessation: C, Flavored Tobacco Products: A

Worst Graded States

Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas rated the worst in the nation, scoring Fs in all five categories.

rated the worst in the nation, scoring Fs in all five categories. Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Tennessee received 4 Fs and 1 D grade.

Most Improved States

Maine increased its Tobacco Taxes grade from a C to a B and its Smokefree Air grade from a B to an A due to passing a $1.50 cigarette tax increase and fully adding e-cigarettes to its smokefree workplace law.

increased its Tobacco Taxes grade from a C to a B and its Smokefree Air grade from a B to an A due to passing a $1.50 cigarette tax increase and fully adding e-cigarettes to its smokefree workplace law. Montana increased its Funding for Tobacco Prevention and Control grade from an F to a D and its Smokefree Air grade from a B to an A due to passing a nearly $2 million increase in tobacco prevention and control funding and adding e-cigarettes to its smokefree workplace law.

"The administration has said it wants to reduce chronic disease in both children and adults. This goal cannot be achieved without funding and staffing to address the nation's leading cause of preventable death and disease: tobacco use. We call on Congress to restore these lifesaving investments," said Wimmer.

In the "State of Tobacco Control" report, the American Lung Association calls on the federal government to fully restore critical tobacco control programs, including CDC's Office on Smoking and Health. Federal leadership is essential. In the current absence of federal leadership, the organization is calling on state legislatures to advance strong, fact-based tobacco control policies that protect communities and reduce tobacco use.

To learn more about this year's "State of Tobacco Control" grades and take action, visit Lung.org/sotc.

About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org. To support the work of the American Lung Association, find a local event at Lung.org/events.

American Lung Association  55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150  Chicago, IL 60601

1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste. 1425 North  Washington, D.C. 20004

1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) Lung.org

CONTACT: Jill Dale | American Lung Association

P: 312-940-7001E: [email protected]

SOURCE American Lung Association
Co-development of innovative financial services powered by advanced digital technologies such as AI, cloud, and data science

Strategic cooperation on trade finance for large-scale GPU and NPU server imports aligned with the government's Global Top 3 AI initiative

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MegazoneCloud, a leading AI-native digital transformation company (CEO: Doug Yeum), today announced a strategic partnership with Hana Bank (CEO: Hosung Lee) to jointly explore and develop innovative digital financial services integrating advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and data science.

Max Lee (left), Chairman of MegazoneCloud, and Hosung Lee, CEO of Hana Bank, pose for a photo following the signing of a strategic business cooperation agreement in the AI cloud market and expanded support for financial services.

Max Lee, Chairman of the Board of MegazoneCloud, and Hosung Lee, CEO of Hana Bank, signed a Strategic Business Cooperation Agreement at Hana Bank's headquarters in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul. The agreement outlines collaboration in the AI cloud market and expanded support for financial services.

Under the agreement, the two companies will work together to:

Provide import and export trade finance to support MegazoneCloud's planned large-scale imports of GPU and NPU servers for the construction of AI data centers, in line with the Korean government's Global Top 3 AI initiative.

to support MegazoneCloud's planned large-scale imports of GPU and NPU servers for the construction of AI data centers, in line with the Korean government's Global Top 3 AI initiative. Identify and jointly develop converged business models that combine both companies' technologies and services across finance, cloud, and AI.

In particular, Hana Bank plans to consider not only financial support for GPU and NPU server imports, but also direct and indirect equity investments as part of the partnership.

Through this collaboration, the companies aim to strengthen the technological competitiveness of MegazoneCloudAsia's largest cloud managed service provider (MSP)while also supporting the growth of domestic big tech and semiconductor companies facing constraints in securing GPU supplies.

"Together with Hana Bank, we will combine MegazoneCloud's strengths in multi-cloud and hybrid cloud operations and our AI-focused platforms with Hana Bank's financial data to develop AI-driven financial solutions," said Chris Hwang, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of MegazoneCloud. "We also aim to accelerate the deployment of AI data centers tailored to the financial sector."

Headquartered in Seoul, Korea, MegazoneCloud has built a strong global presence through overseas subsidiaries and local branches across nine countriesincluding the United States, Canada, China, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore. Each entity works closely with regional customers and partners to accelerate cloud adoption and AI-driven innovation, while expanding MegazoneCloud's end-to-end delivery capabilities worldwide.

Guided by its vision, "Transform Tomorrow, Together," MegazoneCloud is dedicated to helping customers build future-ready competitiveness powered by technology, data, and people, continuing to grow alongside its global partners and clients.

SOURCE MegazoneCloud
NEW YORK, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces a New York State class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers or acquirers of senior notes by Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) issued pursuant and/or traceable to the Shelf Registration Statement filed with the SEC on March 15, 2024, and as supplemented on September 25, 2025 (together, the "Offering Documents"). A class action lawsuit has already been filed.

So What: If you purchased or acquired Oracle senior notes 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 Oracle class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=51135 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed.

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. 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, the Offering Documents contained false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that at the time of the Offering, Oracle would require a significant amount of additional debt to build the AI infrastructure. In addition, Oracle was organizing to raise that additional debt, which would ultimately bring the creditworthiness of these bonds into question. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Oracle class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=51135 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] 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.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.
LEESBURG, Va., Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SkillsUSA, the #1 workforce development organization for students, is proud to celebrate SkillsUSA Week 2026 from Feb. 26. Occurring during Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, this week serves as a powerful platform to showcase CTE programs as a primary solution to the nation's skills gap, providing students with a clear pathway to high-wage, high-demand careers.

The value of CTE has never been more evident. CTE programs offer a 94% high school graduation ratesignificantly higher than the national average of 85-87%, according to the Association for Career and Technical Education. Plus, involvement in a career and technical student organization like SkillsUSA only further boosts student engagement, completion and career readiness.

"Students who participate in SkillsUSA are more likely to earn industry certifications, meet potential employers, gain work experience, connect classroom learning to real-world applications, and achieve clarity about their career path," said Chelle Travis, SkillsUSA's Executive Director. "These outcomes are not just good for individual studentsthey are essential for closing our nation's skills gap and ensuring American economic competitiveness."

SkillsUSA Week highlights the achievements of more than 444,000 members across all 50 states, two territories and Washington D.C., demonstrating that technical education is a vital academic path.

"SkillsUSA Week is a celebration of the dignity of work and the brilliance of our students," Travis said. "By integrating the industry-informed SkillsUSA Framework of personal, workplace, and technical skills into CTE classrooms, we are connecting education and industry to ensure our students are building the skills they need to be career-ready day one."

This week is not only a celebration, but also a reminder to our communities and policymakers that investing in CTE is an economic imperative. SkillsUSA's national officers14 high school and college/postsecondary students elected by their peers to lead the organizationwill travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with policymakers on Capitol Hill. SkillsUSA's legislative efforts focus on several key priorities: investment in the nation's CTE infrastructure, protection and support for the role of CTE in public education, improvement in postsecondary CTE access, stronger connection to workforce development systems and growth of the CTE instructor pipeline.

While national officers meet Washington D.C., SkillsUSA students across the country will host a variety of activities in their schools and communities, including open houses, community service projects, industry chats, and more.

Learn more about SkillsUSA, SkillsUSA Week and the organization's impact on CTE at skillsusa.org .

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is the #1 workforce development organization for students, empowering them to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. SkillsUSA represents more than 444,000 career and technical education students and teachers in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. Those members represent 130 in-demand occupational areas, from 3-D animation to welding. A vital solution to the skills gap, SkillsUSA has served over 15 million members since its founding in 1965. Learn more at skillsusa.org and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , X and LinkedIn .

SOURCE SkillsUSA
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that Smartsheet Inc. (NYSE: SMAR) shareholders who held Smartsheet securities as of the record date, October 25, 2024, and were harmed by defendants' alleged violations of Sections 14(a) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in connection with the acquisition of Smartsheet by Blackstone Inc., Vista Equity Partners Management, LLC, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ("Merger"), have until February 24, 2026 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Smartsheet class action lawsuit. The Smartsheet class action is captioned KaraEftimoglu v. Mader, No. 25-cv-02530 (W.D. Wash.).

If you held substantial Smartsheet securities as of the record date and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Smartsheet class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-smartsheet-inc-class-action-lawsuit-smar.html

You can also contact attorney J.C. Sanchez of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at [email protected].

CASE ALLEGATIONS: Smartsheet is an enterprise software company providing software-as-a-service ("SaaS") work management solutions. As a SaaS company, Smartsheet tracked its Annual Recurring Revenue ("ARR") metric, which normalized contracted recurring revenue components of its subscription services to a one-year period.

The Smartsheet class action lawsuit alleges that in connection with Smartsheet's solicitation of stockholder approval of the Merger, defendants issued and filed with the SEC a false and misleading Schedule 14A Proxy statement, as amended ("Proxy"). And as a direct result of the misleading Proxy, Smartsheet's former shareholders approved the Merger and received the unfair price of $56.50 in cash for each share of Smartsheet common stock they owned, the complaint alleges.

Moreover, the Smartsheet class action lawsuit alleges among other things that every press release published and every associated earnings call during the period covered by the narrative in the Proxy touted Smartsheet's increasing ARR metric, which management, after re-evaluating its business metrics, guided the market to rely on as the best indicator of Smartsheet's future financial performance. Nevertheless, despite the clear materiality of this financial metric, the Proxy did not disclose this positive metric in the narrative, the complaint alleges. Nor did the Proxy disclose the January 2024 Forecasts prepared in the ordinary course of business  and not in the midst of negotiations  thereby preventing shareholders from comparing and fully assessing Smartsheet's financial prospects, including any changes between the two sets of projections versus Smartsheet's actual results and guidance, the Smartsheet shareholder class action alleges.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who held Smartsheet securities as of the record date of the Merger to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Smartsheet class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Smartsheet investor class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Smartsheet shareholder class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Smartsheet class action lawsuit.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world's leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud and shareholder litigation. Our Firm has been ranked #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for four out of the last five years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. In 2024, we recovered over $2.5 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases  more than the next five law firms combined, according to ISS. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in the world, and the Firm's attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest ever  $7.2 billion  in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.

Contact:

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

J.C. Sanchez

655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101

800-449-4900

[email protected]

SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
The historic campaign, which highlights patient journeys and underscores the powerful impact donors can make, has privately raised $335 million toward its $400 million goal

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- St. Louis Children's Hospital announced the public phase of its "I Am Proof" campaign, a $400 million fundraising effort designed to expand access to world-class pediatric care, accelerate groundbreaking pediatric research at WashU Medicine, and enhance the patient and family experience for the more than 270,000 children a year who seek care at St. Louis Children's.

St. Louis Childrens Hospital announced the public phase of its I Am Proof campaign, a $400 million fundraising effort designed to expand access to world-class pediatric care, accelerate groundbreaking pediatric research at WashU Medicine, and enhance the patient and family experience for the more than 270,000 children a year who seek care at St. Louis Childrens.

The campaignwhich highlights patient care journeys and underscores the powerful impact donors can makehas privately raised more than $335 million toward its $400 million goal. The early success of the campaign reflects its strong philanthropic leadership and provides extraordinary momentum for public support.

"Supporting pediatric research is one of the most meaningful investments we can make," said James S. McDonnell, honorary chair of the "I Am Proof" campaign. "Through the Children's Discovery Institute, St. Louis Children's Hospital, its Foundation, and WashU Medicine collaborate to make discoveries that lead to better treatments and cures for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. I'm honored to help lead a campaign that will advance this critical work and continue to strengthen St. Louis as a center for pediatric innovation."

The "I Am Proof" fundraising campaign focuses on three priorities that reflect St. Louis Children's leadership as Missouri's No. 1 children's hospital:

Advancing Scientific Discovery: Through investments in WashU Medicine pediatric research and innovation, anchored by the Children's Discovery Institute (CDI), donors support a campaign that will enable St. Louis Children's and WashU Medicine to establish disease-specific centers of excellence. These centers will accelerate discoveries that lead to treatments and cures for children.

Expanding Access to Care: St. Louis Children's and WashU Medicine are committed to reaching children where they live, learn, and playextending revolutionary pediatric health care beyond the hospital walls. Campaign donations will support community-based programs like Healthy Kids Express, mobile health care units that deliver essential care directly to children who might not otherwise receive it.

Enhancing the Patient and Family Experience: Campaign contributions will enable St. Louis Children's to support spaces and services that bring comfort and relief during challenging times. This support includes St. Louis Children's Center for Families, open 24/7, which provides a welcoming place for parents to rest, do laundry, enjoy snacks, and find comfort while their child receives care.

The campaign priorities are outlined in greater detail on the "I Am Proof" website, which shares stories of patients, families, care teams, physicians, and donors who are helping bring this vision to life. In addition, the campaign will be featured regionally on colorful billboards and highlighted through local radio, television, and online promotions. To learn more or to make a gift, visit StLouisChildrens.org/IAmProof or contact Tanya Waskiewicz at 314.286.0971.

Early commitment and funding have built the necessary momentum for the public campaign

Leadership commitments from James S. McDonnell III, members of the Taylor and Kindle families, along with Enterprise Mobility, Dana Brown Charitable Trust, Emerson, Nestle Purina PetCare Company, the Hauck Charitable Foundation, Robert and Signa Hermann Jr., Richard G. Engelsmann, and several anonymous donors are propelling the "I Am Proof" campaign forward.

Early funding from these gifts supports transformational initiatives across all three campaign pillars:

Scientific Discovery: Establishing disease-specific pediatric research centers of excellence as part of the Children's Discovery Institute, including the Center for Brain Development and Neurological Disorders; Center for Gene and Cell-Based Therapies; Center for Pediatric Immunology; Center for Pediatric Pulmonary Disease and Asthma; Center for Rare, Undiagnosed and Genetic Diseases; Hermann Center for Child and Family Development; and McDonnell Pediatric Cancer Research Center.

Access to Care: Expanding outreach programs like Healthy Kids Express and advancing the development of the mental wellness campus to expand behavioral health services and increase access to care across the region.

Patient and Family Experience: Enhancing programs and spaces that support families during their care journeys, including pet therapy, the new Child Life Zone, and the Center for Families.

"My family and I have a deep love and passion for our hometown, and we believe in giving back to help make this community as strong as possible," said Chrissy Taylor, CEO of Enterprise Mobility and campaign co-chair. "Unfortunately, too many children in our region still face barriers to receiving the care they need. Programs like Healthy Kids Express are powerful examples of how this campaign will bring critical services directly to kids who might not receive them otherwise. Together, we can make sure every child has access to outstanding care, right here at home."

For nearly 150 years, St. Louis Children's, in collaboration with WashU Medicine pediatric physician specialists, has provided exceptional care to children and families from every state and more than 80 countries. WashU Medicine pediatric specialists are the physicians who treat patients at St. Louis Children's. Physicians and researchers at WashU Medicine advance discovery and lead innovative clinical trials, giving children and families more answers and treatment options for the most common to the most complex conditions. As the hospital continues to expand its programs and facilities to meet growing regional needs, the "I Am Proof" campaign provides the resources to strengthen its legacy of excellence.

"St. Louis Children's has a storied history of serving children and families with heart, innovation, and excellence," said John Stupp Jr., campaign co-chair. "This campaign both honors that legacy and secures the futurefueling discoveries, advancing cures, and ensuring generations of children continue to receive world-class care and support."

In 2025, U.S. News & World Report again recognized St. Louis Children's as one of America's Best Children's Hospitals, ranking St. Louis Children's as No. 1 in Missouri, No. 1 in St. Louis, and No. 3 in the Midwest region.

About St. Louis Children's Hospital

St. Louis Children's Hospital is part of BJC Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States and has provided exceptional care for children from all 50 states and 80 countries around the world for more than 140 years. With its academic partner, WashU Medicine, St. Louis Children's is consistently ranked among the nation's best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and earns national distinction for comprehensive services that include heart, cancer, neurology, and orthopedics. St. Louis Children's is among an elite group of pediatric hospitals worldwide that have achieved a fifth consecutive, four-year Magnet Distinction designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. St. Louis Children's is also one of the few pediatric hospitals in the Midwest nationally recognized by the American College of Surgeons as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, which is the highest classification of trauma care.

CONTACT:

Patrick Barry, BYRNE PR

314-540-3865

[email protected]

Rachel Yann, BJC HealthCare

618-334-1787

[email protected]

SOURCE St. Louis Children's Hospital
BREA, Calif., Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NuLiv Science, a leading plant-based nutraceutical ingredients company enabling people to lead healthier lives, announced the release of a new preclinical study evaluating the effects of AstraGin, its patented compound derived from Astragalus membranaceus and Panax notoginseng, on intestinal barrier integrity and probiotic adhesion under inflammatory conditions.

Published in Bioactive Compounds in Health and Disease ( AstraGin improves intestinal barrier function and probiotic adhesion in human intestinal Caco-2 cells ), the study investigated AstraGin's ability to support intestinal epithelial barrier function using a widely accepted in-vitro human Caco-2 cell monolayer model exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a compound commonly used to simulate inflammatory response.

The study demonstrated that AstraGin helped to improve multiple indicators of intestinal barrier health. Treatment with AstraGin resulted in increased transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), reduced FITC-dextran permeability, restored expression of key tight junction proteins including Claudin-1, Occludin, and ZO-1, and recovered cellular ATP levels compared to LPS-treated cells. In addition, AstraGin demonstrated to significantly enhance the growth and adhesion of Lactobacillus rhamnosus to intestinal epithelial cells, even under inflammatory conditions.

The preclinical study assessed intestinal barrier integrity, cellular energy status, and probiotic growth and adhesion using established laboratory markers commonly associated with gut health and nutrient transport function. Results suggest that AstraGin helps maintain a healthier intestinal environment by supporting barrier structure and fostering beneficial microbiota activity.

"This study reinforces our earlier human research showing increases in beneficial gut bacteria with AstraGin," said Richard Wang, CEO of NuLiv Science. "The data adds another dimension for brands formulating gut health products to really deliver for their end users."

The authors concluded that AstraGin demonstrated protective effects against LPS-induced inflammation in human epithelial cells and may be considered a functional food ingredient for maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal environment.

For more information about AstraGin and the portfolio of preclinical and human studies supporting its role in gut health and nutrient utilization, please visit www.nulivscience.com

About NuLiv Science

NuLiv Science, a Certified B-Corp, is a plant-based nutraceutical ingredients company that leverages the heritage of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to produce branded specialty ingredients. Partnering with academia for innovative and scientifically-based methods, NuLiv Science provides herbal-based wellness ingredients that enable people to lead healthier lives.

SOURCE Nuliv Science
The state Senate has given the green light to a bill that opens the door to civil lawsuits against federal officials

The California Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that will allow people to file civil lawsuits in state courts against federal officials  including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents  who violate constitutional rights. The so-called No Kings Act seeks to create a new legal avenue under state law for seeking compensation, as President Donald Trumps administration continues its immigration crackdown on cities governed by Democrats.

The bill now needs to be passed by the State Assembly and receive the approval of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom to become law. Democrats hold a supermajority in the Assembly, which should allow them to pass the legislation with little Republican opposition.

The No Kings Act  the name given to the massive protests against the Trump administration last year  seeks to fill the legal void of what are known as Bivens lawsuits, civil actions that allow people to sue federal agents directly  not the federal government as such  for violations of their constitutional rights.

These lawsuits are not based on a law passed by Congress, but rather are a remedy created by the courts. Their origin dates back to a 1971 Supreme Court ruling (Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents), in which the court determined that an individual could seek monetary damages directly from federal agents who had violated the Constitution. However, in recent decades, the courts have restricted the circumstances under which these lawsuits are permitted, arguing that it is up to Congress to legislate on the matter. As a result, many people who allege abuses by federal officials lack an effective legal alternative.

The bills author, Senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, has said that the Trump administration is attempting to wield unchecked power to illegally kidnap and deport people.

By passing the No Kings Act, were putting a stop to the impunity thats enabling ICE and Border Patrols sickening terror rampage through American cities, Wiener said in a statement. We must close the loophole that makes it almost impossible for the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti  who were executed in broad daylight  to seek justice for their family members. We must close the loophole that makes it almost impossible for the victims of Trumps terror campaigns in our immigrant communities to seek justice [...] These agents must face real consequences for terrorizing our communities."

The law would be applied retroactively from March 2025, before the start of the immigration offensive that sparked mass protests and later the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, as part of the Trump administrations offensive against cities governed by Democrats.

Last summer, protests erupted in several parts of Los Angeles against Trumps immigration offensive, following months of mass raids, arrests of people without criminal records, and allegations of racial profiling that resulted in a court order prohibiting arrests based on race, language, or employment, but was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

Trump ordered the deployment of more than 4,000 National Guard troops and hundreds of U.S. Marines without the consent of Governor Newsom, who challenged the move in court. It was the first deployment of the National Guard without state consent since the 1960s and served as a roadmap for an administration offensive against Democratic-run cities that later extended to Portland, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis, among others.

Hector Pereyra, director of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, celebrated the Senates passage of the bill, saying it is more necessary than ever. We have seen federal agents go unpunished after shooting a family without facing significant consequences. This bill seeks to ensure that no one is above the Constitution and that federal agents can be held accountable when they violate constitutional rights.

Senator Wiener  who is seeking to replace Nancy Pelosi in the U.S. Congress for District 11, which includes San Francisco  also championed another law last year called the No Secret Police Act, which prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks to conceal their identities during public interactions. The law was passed in September, but the Trump administration challenged it in federal court, arguing that it violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.

The principle of federal supremacy establishes that federal law prevails over state laws. However, it has been a double-edged sword for Trumps anti-immigrant agenda, as several states have attempted to pass restrictive laws against immigrants that have subsequently been struck down under that same principle.

California voters in November approved a law championed by Governor Newsom to redraw the states congressional districts in favor of Democrats, in response to efforts by other states like Texas to solidify Republican majorities. The initiative allows the use of maps drawn by the Legislature for the 2026-2030 elections, potentially giving Democrats up to five additional seats in the U.S. Congress.

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A Vintage of Balance and Precision, Now Available Internationally

MONTALCINO, Italy, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tenuta Luce presents Luce Brunello 2021, the latest vintage of its Brunello di Montalcino, wine uniquely shaped by its place of origin and interpreted through a distinctive style defined by precision, balance and elegance.

The grapes for Luce Brunello are sourced from one of the estate's most highly suited vineyards, Madonnino, located approximately 400 meters above sea level. The vineyard's elevation, exposure and soil composition create ideal conditions for producing a Brunello that faithfully reflects both terroir and variety.

"2021 was a truly exceptional vintage in Montalcino, giving us a wine that opens effortlessly in the glass, finely expressing both the power and longevity of Sangiovese," - explains Alessandro Marini, Technical Director of Tenuta Luce. "Luce Brunello represents the highest expression of the bond between Tenuta Luce and the terroir of Montalcino. At the heart of our philosophy lies the belief that wine should reflect its origins and the unique characters of the grape, a harmony between variety and terroir."

The 2021 Vintage

The growing season began with a cold winter marked by limited rainfall, interrupted only by a brief snowfall in early February. Spring brought a gradual rise in temperatures, with values slightly above average as early as March, encouraging even and regular budbreak for Sangiovese.

Summer months were warm and dry, resulting in slow and steady vine growth. "To limit water loss from evaporation," Marini states, "we encouraged the formation of a protective layer in the rows by using mown cover crops as natural mulch."

September proved ideal, with bright days and milder temperatures, combined with cool nights that promoted optimal phenolic ripening and high aromatic intensity. As Marini recalls, "Harvest began on September 24th, the bunches were perfect, fully ripe and well balanced in size. This resulted in fruit of great intensity and juiciness on the palate."

The grapes were vinified in concrete tanks, where fermentation took place over approximately ten days at a temperature of 78F. Skin contact lasted around four weeks, allowing for a balanced and refined extraction. Luce Brunello 2021 was aged for a minimum of 24 months in Slavonian oak casks, before being bottled in July 2025.

Luce Brunello 2021 shows a bright ruby-red color. The aromatic profile is elegant and precise, with notes of red plum and fresh red berries, complemented by delicate hints of tobacco. On the palate, it is full-bodied, velvety and well-balanced, with a fine texture that evolves into citrus and spice nuances, supported by vibrant freshness and a long, persistent finish. "A Brunello that interprets the character of the 2021 vintage with sensitivity and rigor, confirming Tenuta Luce's vision: respect for terroir and a constant pursuit of elegance," concludes Alessandro Marini.

Press Assets

Vintage Sheet HERE

For images download HERE

Press inquires, please contact:

Cristina Coari: [email protected]

TENUTA LUCE

Tenuta Luce lies southwest of the town of Montalcino, in the heart of the Val d'Orcia Natural Park, a rural landscape sensitively re-designed by man in the pre-Renaissance era and declared by UNESCO in 2004 a World Heritage Site. This extraordinary corner of earth, historically renowned for its world-class wines, hosts the Luce wine estate, set among woods and olive groves: a lightly inhabited, near-pristine ambiance rich in biodiversity. Its brilliant sunlight, crisp air and well-ventilated conditions, gift of its unique exposure; and its diversity of soils and elevations all combine to make Tenuta Luce a truly privileged place, where the equilibrium of all these components is jealously respected and protected. That respect is reflected in the winemaking as well, where every step in the process is performed with meticulous care, in order to preserve the nonpareil harmony achieved in the vineyard. The fruits of this enlightened philosophy and unmatchable terroir are the Tenuta Luce wines: Luce, Lucente, Luce Brunello, and Lux Vitis, the culmination of an ambitious project begun in the early 1990s aimed at obtaining the fullest expression of the Montalcino zone yet with an utterly distinctive individual style.

www.tenutaluce.com

SOURCE Tenuta Luce
Organization presents seven sessions focused on modernizing clinical trial operations at major global clinical operations conference

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- TransCelerate BioPharma (TransCelerate), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of people around the world by accelerating and simplifying clinical research, will highlight practical, scalable approaches to advancing more efficient, patient-centered clinical trials across the research lifecycle at SCOPE Summit 2026 , taking place February 2-5 in Orlando, Florida.

The annual SCOPE Summit convenes leaders from across the biopharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies, and the clinical research ecosystem to address the evolving complexities of trial design, execution, and oversight.

At this year's conference, TransCelerate and representatives from its member companies, including Amgen, Merck, and Pfizer, will participate in seven sessions addressing topics such as data collection, protocol digitization, pragmatic trial design, and integration of patient perspectives.

"Clinical research is at an inflection point  trials are more complex than ever, yet the expectations for speed, quality, and patient relevance continue to rise," said Rob DiCicco, Vice President, Portfolio Management at TransCelerate. "No single organization can solve these challenges alone. At SCOPE, we're focused on sharing practical, collaborative approaches that simplify trial design and execution, reduce burden for sites and participants, and improve the usability of data  so innovation in clinical research translates into real-world impact for patients."

SCOPE sessions featuring TransCelerate and its member companies include:

Enabling Research at the Point of Care: What Will It Take to Get Patients, Providers, Regulators, and Life Science Companies to Collaborate?

Date & Time : February 3, 2026, at 11:05 a.m. ET

: February 3, 2026, at 11:05 a.m. ET Speakers : Kevin Bugin, PhD, Head, Regulatory Policy and Intelligence, Amgen; Rob DiCicco, Vice President, Portfolio Management, TransCelerate

: Kevin Bugin, PhD, Head, Regulatory Policy and Intelligence, Amgen; Rob DiCicco, Vice President, Portfolio Management, TransCelerate Description: This session explores efforts to enable research at the point of care and what is needed now to generate high-quality data that supports regulatory decisions and patient outcomes.

Optimizing Protocol Data Collection To Reduce Site and Patient Participation Burden

Date & Time : February 3, 2026, at 3:05 p.m. ET

: February 3, 2026, at 3:05 p.m. ET Speakers : Laura Galuchie, Senior Director, TransCelerate Program Lead, Oversight Committee, Merck; Ken Getz, Executive Director and Professor, Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD), Tufts University School of Medicine

: Laura Galuchie, Senior Director, TransCelerate Program Lead, Oversight Committee, Merck; Ken Getz, Executive Director and Professor, Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD), Tufts University School of Medicine Description: This session presents findings from a TransCelerateTufts CSDD collaborative study examining how rising protocol data volume and complexity contributes to site and patient participant burden.

Implementation of Digital Protocols Enables Automation and Analytics-Powered Study DesignsIt's Here, and It's Now!

Date & Time : February 3, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET

: February 3, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET Speakers : Chris Decker, President & CEO, CDISC; Rob DiCicco, Vice President, Portfolio Management, TransCelerate

: Chris Decker, President & CEO, CDISC; Rob DiCicco, Vice President, Portfolio Management, TransCelerate Description: This session explores how digital protocols and standards are enabling automation, analytics-powered study design, and more efficient trial execution.

From Tabletop To Trial: Collaborative Solutions For Real-World Pragmatic Studies

Date & Time: February 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET

February 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET Speakers: Meghana Chalasani, Associate Director for Clinical Trial Innovation, Office of New Drugs, FDA CDER; Zhanna Jumadilova, MD, Biopharmaceutical Physician Executive, Pragmatic Clinical Trials, R&D, Pfizer; Stacy Tegan, Program Director, TransCelerate

Meghana Chalasani, Associate Director for Clinical Trial Innovation, Office of New Drugs, FDA CDER; Zhanna Jumadilova, MD, Biopharmaceutical Physician Executive, Pragmatic Clinical Trials, R&D, Pfizer; Stacy Tegan, Program Director, TransCelerate Description: This session highlights insights from TransCelerate-led tabletop exercises conducted with FDA's CDER Center for Clinical Trial Innovation to identify opportunities to scale the use of pragmatic elements in clinical trials to enable more research to be conducted at the point of care.

Yes, You Can (Digitalize That): Streamlining Study Design Through Protocol Digitalization

Date & Time: February 5, 2026, at 8:35 a.m. ET

February 5, 2026, at 8:35 a.m. ET Speakers: William Illis, Global Head, Collaboration & Technology Strategy Clinical Development, Novartis; Donald Jennings, Senior Director, Digital Trial Foundations and Patient Engagement, Eli Lilly

William Illis, Global Head, Collaboration & Technology Strategy Clinical Development, Novartis; Donald Jennings, Senior Director, Digital Trial Foundations and Patient Engagement, Eli Lilly Description: This session highlights how digitalizing protocol design with an open data model reduces manual effort, strengthens data consistency, and accelerates study start-up.

For a complete list of TransCelerate-related sessions at SCOPE 2026, please visit TransCelerate's website .

Meet with TransCelerate at SCOPE

Media interested in meeting with TransCelerate at the SCOPE Summit 2026 are welcome to contact Hannah Davis at [email protected] to schedule a meeting.

About TransCelerate BioPharma Inc.

TransCelerate BioPharma (TransCelerate) is a nonprofit organization that fosters collaboration across the global biopharmaceutical research and development community to simplify clinical trials and help bring new treatments to patients faster, safer, and more efficiently. Headquartered in the Philadelphia area, TransCelerate has 18 member companies and a robust portfolio of initiatives focused on transforming connectivity, enabling information sharing and reuse, and driving innovative trial designs. For more information, please visit transceleratebiopharmainc.com .

SOURCE TransCelerate BioPharma
SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Utah is launching a new presidential initiative on federalism, law, and American governance.

As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding in 1776, the initiative situates the university's work within a broader moment of national reflection on the constitutional principles, governing institutions, and civic responsibilities that have shaped the American experiment.

The initiative reflects President Taylor Randall's commitment to innovating the university of the future and the institution's long-standing legacy of socially impactful scholarly engagement with questions of human dignity, freedom, responsibility, and civic lifequestions that remain central to education and public leadership in the 21st century.

"Universities exist to pursue enduring questions and to prepare students to lead in moments of uncertainty and change," Randall said. "At their best, they provide space for rigorous inquiry into the ideas, values, and institutions that have defined the American experiment and will guide its future."

The initiative will focus on advancing knowledge and understanding of federalism, law, and governance, including the study of how free societies organize authority, balance power, and sustain democratic institutions over time. Key academic work of the center will include public engagement, resource development, development of student programs and experiences, and support for platforms that program open and healthy dialogue.

Former West Virginia University President Emeritus Gordon Gee and former American Enterprise Institute (AEI) president and Harvard Kennedy School Professor Arthur C. Brooks will serve as inaugural external advisory board members.

"At a time of rapid technological change, global instability, and growing civic fragmentation, there is increasing demand for educational environments that foster careful reasoning, respectful discourse, and deep engagement across difference," said Gee, who will serve as chair of the external advisory committee. "This initiative aims to address that demand by fostering inquiry into classical traditions and the human values that inform individual and collective decision-making."

Two S.J. Quinney College of Law professorsPaul Cassell and Jason Iulianowill serve as co-directors of the initiative. Cassell and Iuliano will focus on shaping the initiative's scholarly agenda and coordinating research and engagement activities.

University leaders say the effort will build on the university's legacy in teaching the classics, particularly the Honors College's decades of focused "Intellectual Traditions of the West" courses, as well as the Hinckley Institute of Politics' public forums and Washington D.C. and Capitol Hill internship programs. The initiative also intersects in a collaborative way with recent related efforts to expand viewpoint diversity on campus, including the president's Viewpoint Representation and Expression Task Force.

Contact:

Rebecca Walsh, director of communications, 801-550-4930, [email protected]

SOURCE The University of Utah
CALGARY, AB, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- VCA Canada, a nationwide leader in veterinary care is proud to announce that we have once again been named one of Alberta's Top employers for 2026.

Alberta's Top Employers is an annual competition organized by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers. This award recognizes employers with head offices in Alberta that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Winners are selected based on eight criteria, including health and wellness benefits, work culture, professional development and community involvement.

"Being acknowledged as one of Alberta's Top Employers for three consecutive years is a source of great pride and reflects the dedication and passion of our Associates," shared General Manager of VCA Canada, Cathy Gaviller. "Their teamwork, inclusive culture, and support for one another are the inspiring foundation of our genuine commitment to providing high-quality veterinary care and making a meaningful difference in the lives of pets and their families."

The editors of Alberta's Top Employers project selected VCA Canada for its comprehensive employee engagement and development initiatives, including generous referral bonuses and robust professional growth opportunities such as mentoring, leadership programs, and tuition subsidies. Additionally, VCA Canada is acknowledged for its impactful community program, Paw It Forward, which demonstrates a strong commitment to pet welfare by providing essential care, food access, and vaccination clinics for pets in need across the country.

VCA Canada, a practice within Mars Veterinary Health network, continues to advance its purpose as part of the collective commitment to creating a BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. This latest recognition showcases VCA Canada's dedication to creating engaging environments that inspire and support our people. By prioritizing well-being and professional growth, VCA Canada elevates the Associate experience while driving innovation and excellence in veterinary medicine, helping to shape the future of pet care, and truly living our shared purpose.

For more information about Alberta's Top Employers award and the selection process, please visit the Alberta's Top Employers website. You can also explore our features in the Calgary Herald , the Edmonton Journal and the Alberta's Top Employers digital magazine.

About VCA Canada Animal Hospitals

A leader in veterinary care, VCA Canada Animal Hospitals is committed to caring for the future of veterinary medicine. With over 150 locations across six different provinces, VCA Canada is a network of veterinary hospitals that works to positively impact pets, people, and local communities by delivering world-class medicine. Every VCA Canada hospital carries a sense of pride for the legacy of excellence built and the stories of service that deeply connect them to their local communities. VCA Canada joined the Mars Veterinary Health family of brands in 2017 and, together, are committed to the purpose of Caring For Life's Greatest Companions.

To learn more about VCA Canada, visit vcacanada.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Lauren Batiuk

VP Marketing and Communications

403-541-0815

SOURCE VCA Canada
SUWON, South Korea, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This is an article published in The Korea Herald:

Korea's automotive cybersecurity legislation has now come into force. Compliance has been required for newly registered vehicle types since August 2025 and will apply to existing mass-production registered vehicle types (production vehicles) from August 2027 as a prerequisite for vehicle sales. The industry, however, now faces a key question: "How should we understand this Korean legislation, and how should we respond?"

Korea's automotive cybersecurity regulatory framework

As the vehicle industry shifts from hardware-centric to software-centric architectures and the era of connected vehicles accelerates, mandatory automotive cybersecurity requirements are expanding globally. In June 2020, UNECE WP.29 adopted UN R155. Based on this, Korea established a cybersecurity framework under the Motor Vehicle Management Act in February 2024.

Cybersecurity Management System (CSMS) certification assesses automaker's cybersecurity organization and processes, while Vehicle Type Approval (VTA) verifies implementation on actual vehicles. UN R155 requires both to follow a preapproval system. Korea's Motor Vehicle Management Act adopts a different structure.

Under Korea's system, CSMS is subject to preapproval, while VTA follows self-certification with postmarket oversight. This reflects the nature of what is being assessed. Existing automotive safety requirements  such as collision or braking tests  are defined by clear quantitative criteria. CSMS, however, includes many qualitative elements related to an automaker's organization, processes and policies. As a result, applying a single quantitative or uniform standard is challenging due to differences in organizational structures across automakers. Preapproving CSMS is therefore intended to verify in advance whether the required processes are properly established.

Turning regulatory compliance into operating strategy

Many companies already hold UN R155 certification, but Korea's requirements often demand additional preparation. Under UN R155, CSMS certification is assessed across 12 major categories.

The Motor Vehicle Management Act further refines these categories into multiple subitems and requires automakers to clearly articulate their positions and provide supporting evidence for each subitem. Effective compliance requires more than translation or formal submission  it demands a clear understanding of regulatory intent and well-prepared evidence. Thorough preparation is essential to obtain certification in a single assessment cycle.

For companies without prior certification experience, the starting point should be CSMS.

CSMS is a management framework, not a technical checklist. Companies should begin by clearly defining internal roles and responsibilities and establishing cybersecurity policies and operational procedures across the full lifecycle, from development and production to postproduction phases. They must also formalize the Threat Analysis and Risk Assessment process by systematically identifying threats and vulnerabilities and documenting response strategies, while establishing continuous monitoring, incident response capabilities and supply chain cybersecurity management.

Focusing on CSMS alone, however, is not enough. While CSMS assesses organizational readiness, VTA verifies whether cybersecurity measures are effective on actual vehicles. VTA requires security testing at both ECU and vehicle levels. Documentation alone is insufficient  an effective automotive cybersecurity system is achieved only when policy, processes and real-vehicle implementation are addressed through an integrated approach.

Ultimately, Korea's automotive cybersecurity regulation sends a clear message: Cybersecurity does not end with certification; it must be embedded across business operations, with continuous improvement throughout the vehicle life cycle.

Building cyber resilience  the ability to respond to and recover from incidents  further strengthens long-term competitiveness.

Kim Sung-bum

Kim Sung-bum is a technical adviser at Fescaro(https://www.fescaro.com/en/) and a former head of the autonomous driving division at the Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute (KATRI). He participated in the enactment of Korea's automotive cybersecurity legislation. The views in this column are his own.

SOURCE The Korea Herald
About this content 

About Stephen Gunnion

Stephen Gunnion is a senior financial journalist and broadcaster at Proactive Investors. He has more than 25 years of experience in television, radio and print media, anchoring on a number of television channels including South Africa's Business Day TV, CNBC Africa and the South African Broadcasting Corporation, where he was the economics editor. He has also worked for Daily Maverick, Bloomberg, the Business Day newspaper and Investors' Chronicle. 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.
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.
Tough but fair. Thats how Donald Trump describes his border czar, Tom Homan, whom he has sent to Minneapolis to take charge of immigration enforcement operations in the Democratic city, amid a wave of anger after Border Patrol agents fatally shot 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti during a protest in the city on Saturday. Not everyone will agree with the U.S. presidents benevolent description of his official, one of the staunchest defenders of the Republican administrations most controversial immigration policies. But his posting has been met with widespread relief, following the aggression, showmanship, and slander of the previous head of the operation, Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, under whose command federal agents shot and killed two activists at point-blank range.

Homan, 64, met Tuesday in Minneapolis with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Jacob Frey, the mayor of the city that has become a symbol of resistance against immigration policy and of hardline stances against Democratic governments. Speaking before traveling to Iowa Tuesday to deliver a speech on the economy, Trump asserted that everything is going very well following the arrival of his representative.

The mission of the high-ranking official, one of the most public faces of U.S. immigration policy  he is frequently seen at White House press briefings  will be to focus Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations on investigating a massive fraud scandal, and move away from the massive, violent raids that characterized Bovinos tenure. His profile is much more political than that of his predecessor and Homan exhibited a more lenient approach to apprehending suspects at the border.

His appointment is a conciliatory gesture from the White House to try to calm tensions amid widespread outrage following the deaths of Pretti and, three weeks ago, poet Renee Good, which have triggered a collapse in the Trump administrations approval ratings. The border czar has decades of experience in law enforcement, having begun his career as a police officer in New York in 1983 and then as a Border Patrol agent in California in 1984. He also oversaw deportation operations during the presidency of Democrat Barack Obama (2009-2017).

But while his appointment may be seen as an olive branch offered by the White House, Homan is no dove when it comes to immigration policy. During Trumps first term, he served as acting director of ICE. In that role, he became the public face and one of the most vocal advocates for the Republicans initiatives against illegal immigration. These included the separation of children from families who crossed the border illegally, a proposal Homan had already put forward during the Obama era as a deterrent, and which was ultimately rejected.

In 2017, eight months after Trump took office, Homan publicly declared that ICE would arrest undocumented immigrants who came to take custody of detained children, something previous administrations had avoided doing. He has also repeatedly opposed sanctuary city policies, which restrict cooperation between local authorities and police forces with federal immigration agencies.

Indeed, one of the strategies Trump has indicated he intends to pursue following the events in Minneapolis is to push through legislation in the U.S. Congress prohibiting cities from declaring themselves immigration sanctuaries. One of the presidents key allies on Capitol Hill, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, has already stated on his social media accounts that he plans to introduce a bill to this effect.

During Joe Bidens presidency, Homan moved to the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, where he contributed to Project 2025, a set of right-wing proposals designed to transform the federal government and consolidate executive power should Trump return to office. Although the Republican claimed during his campaign that he had no connection to the document, its tenets have served as a roadmap for his administration throughout its first year in office.

Project 2025 proposes, among other things, mass raids on undocumented immigrants at their workplaces and the use of active-duty military personnel to assist in their detention. It also suggests eliminating citizen watch groups that allegedly obstruct ICE operations. The document further advocates for the indefinite reduction of refugee resettlement programs and the repeal of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for migrants from certain countries experiencing war or natural disasters. The Trump administration has implemented many of these measures.

During his assignment in Minnesota, Homan will report directly to Trump, as the president announced in a social media post on Monday regarding the transfer of his senior official. It was implied that, if he only has to answer to the president, he wont have to answer to his de facto boss, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Along with her protege Bovino, Noem has been among the senior administration officials who, from the outset  and contradicting videos that unanimously debunked this version of events  blamed Pretti for his own death, accusing him of being a terrorist who was trying to attack federal agents.

Trumps statement has highlighted the divisions within the White House regarding how to implement the presidents immigration policy. During the 2024 election campaign, Homan assured the public that deportation operations would be carefully measured. Its not going to be a mass sweep of neighborhoods. Were not going to build concentration camps. Ive read all that. Its ridiculous, the current border czar declared at the time.

But events have proven him wrong. Under Noems leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement, and under pressure to meet very high deportation quotas, ICE and the Border Patrol have opted for indiscriminate raids and showy actions. Noem herself has even posed for the cameras in front of the cells of the notorious Cecot  the maximum-security prison created by President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, where hundreds of Venezuelans were deported  and during ICE raids.

The White House has sought to quell rumors of serious private disagreements between Homan and Noem. Justifying why the border czar reported to Trump instead of Noem, spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt pointed out that the Secretary of Homeland Security is also in charge of FEMA, and we are in the wake of a brutal winter storm where hundreds of thousands of Americans have been impacted by that [...] Border czar Homan is in a unique position to drop everything and go to Minnesota to continue having these productive conversations with state and local officials, the spokeswoman noted.

The top immigration official has been embroiled in other controversies. In September, The New York Times reported that a 2024 recording showed Homan accepting a bag containing $50,000 in cash from undercover FBI agents during an investigation into alleged corruption that the Trump administrations Justice Department eventually closed. The border czar maintains that he never accepted that amount from anyone.

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About this content 

About Jamie Ashcroft

Jamie Ashcroft, the News Editor for Proactive UK, has developed an impressive career in financial journalism, focusing on the small-cap sector for over fourteen years. Before joining the Proactive team, he was a stockbroker during the global financial crisis, a role that complemented his educational background - a first-class degree in Business and Economics and qualifications in software design and development. As one of the early external hires at Proactive in 2009, Jamie contributed... 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 Emily Jarvie

Emily began her career as a political journalist for Australian Community Media in Hobart, Tasmania. After she relocated to Toronto, Canada, she reported on business, legal, and scientific developments in the emerging psychedelics sector before joining Proactive in 2022. She brings a strong journalism background with her work featured in newspapers, magazines, and digital publications across Australia, Europe, and North America, including The Examiner, The Advocate, The Canberra Times, and... 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.
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Tehran, Jan 28 : Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian voiced Iran's readiness to welcome any process leading to peace and conflict prevention "within the international law framework while fully safeguarding the rights of the country and its people."

He made the remarks in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, on Tuesday, during which both sides underscored the necessity of ensuring peace and security in West Asia, Xinhua news agency reported quoting a statement from the Iranian president's office.

Pezeshkian said US threats and actions against Iran are aimed at compromising regional security. He accused Washington of disrupting Iran's past diplomatic engagements with Europe, and characterized the US approach to dialogue as "we say and you do."

He urged collective cooperation among Muslim countries to secure security, stability and development in the region.

For his part, the crown prince affirmed that Saudi Arabia rejects as "unacceptable" any aggression, threat, or escalation of tension against Iran, read the statement.

He expressed his country's readiness for cooperation with Iran and other regional states to ensure lasting peace and security.

Separately, Deputy Commander of the Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Mohammad Akbarzadeh said Tuesday that warnings have been issued to Iran's neighbors against letting their airspace, territories or territorial waters be used for any attack on Iran.

According to a report by the semi-official Fars news agency, Akbarzadeh said that Iran is constantly receiving data from the Strait of Hormoz through sky and the sea's surface and subsurface, and that Iran decides "which vessel and warship under which flag is allowed to pass."

The developments came as the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has reportedly arrived in the Middle East amid tensions in the region, and as Iran has warned of a "comprehensive and regret-inducing" response to any aggression.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Seoul, Jan 28 : North Korea has test-fired an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS) to assess its effectiveness, overseen by leader Kim Jong-un, state media said on Wednesday.

Kim called Tuesday's test of "great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent," saying the weapon system could be used for "specific attacks," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The weapons test came as North Korea is widely expected to convene its first ruling party congress in five years early next month.

The upcoming ninth congress "will clarify the next-stage plans for further bolstering up the country's nuclear deterrent," Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA.

The previous day, South Korea's military said it detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched from north of Pyongyang toward the East Sea, Yonhap news agency reported.

The KCNA quoted Kim as saying, "All the indexes have been improved to maximise its strike capability, and the mobility, intelligence and hitting accuracy of the rockets, in particular, have remarkably been upgraded."

He also described the weapon's "self-steered precisely guided flight system" as a major feature, touting "the steady improvement and uninterrupted evolution of our defence technology."

He said the relevant activities were aimed solely at raising the level of the country's "deterrent against a nuclear war."

"To build up the most reliable offensive capability and enforce the deterrence strategy based on it is the invariable line of our party's national defence policy," the KCNA also quoted him as saying.

Released photos showed Kim's daughter Ju-ae accompanying him to the test, along with Kim Jong-sik, first vice department director of the party's Central Committee, and Jang Chang-ha, chief of the Missile Administration.

The missile launch appears to be a show of muscle flexing as the North is expected to unveil five-year development plans for defense, the economy and other fields at the upcoming ninth congress, the first since the eighth in 2021.

The test also came as US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby visited South Korea to discuss security issues, including Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines. Following the three-day trip to Seoul, he left for Japan the previous day.

Tuesday's test of four MRLS rockets employing new technology hit a target in waters 358.5 kilometres away from the point of launch, the KCNA said.

Experts suggested that the self-steered precisely guided flight system mentioned by Kim may indicate a new navigation system employed to help the weapon defy GPS jamming.

Shin Jong-woo, a researcher at the Korea Defence and Security Forum, said, "There's a possibility a military-grade GPS system provided by Russia may have been attached," adding that such systems are immune to jamming operations.

Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, also suggested that Kim's description of the MRLS as applicable to "specific attacks" may indicate it could carry tactical nuclear weapons.

North Korea's multiple rocket launchers with 600-millimetre caliber have a maximum range of 400 km, putting all key military bases in the South within range.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Washington, Jan 28 : Calling for a return to "duty and decency" in policymaking, Indian American candidate Rakhi Israni said she is running for Congress to re-engage communities that feel locked out of decisions shaping their daily lives, from affordability to healthcare.

Washington, Jan 28 (IANS) Calling for a return to "duty and decency" in policymaking, Indian American candidate Rakhi Israni said she is running for Congress to re-engage communities that feel locked out of decisions shaping their daily lives, from affordability to healthcare.

Israni, who announced her Congressional run last week, said she decided to enter the race after years of working on service and policy issues, at a time when she believes public discourse has drifted away from solving real problems.

"Problems are not getting solved," Israni told IANS in an exclusive interview, adding that quality of life has deteriorated even as political rhetoric grows louder and less reflective of people's concerns. Her campaign raised more than USD1 million in the first 24 hours of her announcement.

Israni said the decision to run came together quickly after the seat in California's 14th Congressional District became open. The district is currently represented by Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell, who is running for governor. "This opportunity came up, and I was asked to run for it," she said, describing the move as sudden but necessary to "wake up the community" and encourage greater participation in policy making.

Israni said she is "a mother of four, an attorney, an entrepreneur, and an educator," and stressed that family and service have guided her choices. She said her involvement in handling issues such as food insecurity, homelessness, housing, and affordability convinced her that she could have a larger impact by seeking federal office.

Describing the 14th District, Israni said it covers parts of the Bay Area, including Fremont, Hayward, Pleasanton, Livermore, and Dublin. Indian Americans are present in sizeable numbers in these areas.

She noted that the district is about "40 per cent Asian" and has one of the largest populations of Indian registered voters in the country. She described it as an educated district with above-average income and home ownership, where families are focused on stability and opportunity for their children.

On her campaign priorities, Israni said the central focus is restoring attention to the quality of life. "The main priority is bringing back a focus to the quality of life for people," she said, pointing to the rising cost of living, affordability, and access to basic needs such as healthcare.

She said her approach has been shaped by listening to the people affected by policies and understanding where changes can benefit the largest number of families.

Responding to a series of questions, Israni was critical of how Congress has functioned in recent years, saying policymaking has increasingly become about "social media retweets or likes," rather than solutions. She said politics has catered to "the noisier few," leaving many people feeling unheard. "Most people just want to be heard," she said, adding that restoring a sense of duty and decency is essential to rebuilding trust.

Asked about competition in the race, Israni said her biggest challenge would come from those who prefer the status quo and want to dictate how people should think or live. She said she hopes voters become more engaged with policies and their long-term impact, especially on children and future generations.

On foreign policy, Israni said that while her primary responsibility as a member of Congress would be improving life in her district, she sees strong US-India ties as important, particularly given the district's proximity to Silicon Valley. She said strengthening relations between "the two largest democracies in the world" is relevant to the technology sector and to the broader well-being of people in the region.

Israni said her campaign raised $1 million within the first 24 hours, with support coming from across the country. She emphasised that enthusiasm has gone beyond fundraising, with many supporters eager to feel included in the political process and to have a voice. She also said local officials have begun reaching out, and confirmed that Jeff Rosen was the first public endorser of her campaign.

Explaining her values, Israni said she describes herself as a "dharmic" candidate, using the concept of dharma as a decision-making framework centered on duty, service, and tackling challenges. She said the idea is not tied to religion but to principles that promote harmony and improve society for everyone, regardless of belief or background.

Israni's parents immigrated to the United States in 1967 for education and raised their family in Houston. They instilled in her a strong sense of community service. She said her family is Sindhi, with roots in Uttar Pradesh and Bombay, and that her upbringing continues to shape her commitment to public service.

Currently, there are six Indian Americans in the House of Representatives. If elected, Israni would become the seventh Indian American member of Congress and only the second Indian American woman to serve in the House, reflecting the community's increasing participation in national public life.
Washington, Jan 28 : Momentum in key India-US security frameworks, including the Quad and the two-plus-two dialogue, is slowing as bilateral strains weigh on confidence-building efforts in the Indo-Pacific, an influential American lawmaker warned.

Mark Warner, chairman of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, said traditional diplomatic and security mechanisms require sustained political focus but have received less attention under the current Trump Administration.

"These traditional efforts that take the two plus two and the Quad are confidence building mechanisms," Warner told IANS in an exclusive interview, referring to ministerial-level engagements between India and the United States and the four-nation Quad grouping.

He said such processes are demanding but necessary. "They take a lot of time, take a lot of energy," Warner said. He added that even limited outcomes matter. "Even if they're just small deals that come out, it's important," he said.

Warner expressed concern that these mechanisms were being sidelined. "The fact that they've not gotten the same attention is a long-term challenge," he said.

He linked the slowdown to broader strains in India-US relations, including trade disputes and growing mistrust. Warner warned that weakening confidence-building platforms could have consequences beyond the bilateral relationship.

Despite those concerns, he said cooperation among Quad partners remained strategically important. "I do think that the activities of the Quad, India, Japan, Australia, United States, that military relationship seems to be strengthening," Warner said. "I think that's important," he added.

Warner said inconsistent engagement by Washington risked affecting how allies view US reliability. "I worry when American allies say China may be a more dependable partner than the United States," he said.

He said such perceptions were deeply troubling. "That hugely concerns me," Warner said, warning that allies could begin hedging their strategic bets.

He said this concern applied to India as well. "If there are parts of the Indian government that say maybe we can't depend upon America, that is a huge concern to me," Warner said.

Warner tied the issue directly to trust. He said strained relations were not limited to India alone. "When the United States disrespects its allies and friends it creates that trust deficit," he said.

He argued that Congress has a role in sustaining long-term engagement when executive-level ties are under pressure. Warner said the Senate India Caucus continues to work on a bipartisan basis to keep channels open.

"We are proud that the Senate India Caucus is the largest bilateral caucus in the Congress," he said, adding that collective action by lawmakers can help reinforce long-term strategic priorities.

Warner said maintaining regular dialogue through established frameworks remains critical for regional stability, even during periods of political friction.

The Quad has emerged as a central platform for coordination on security, supply chains, and stability in the Indo-Pacific amid China's growing regional influence.

For India, sustained momentum in the Quad and the two-plus-two dialogue is seen as essential to balancing regional power dynamics while preserving strategic autonomy and deepening defence cooperation with key partners.
Messiah Burnley, Chad Joseph's nephew, carries a little girl to the altar dedicated to the worker, whom his family believes died in the attack on an alleged drug boat on October 14.

Two families in Trinidad and Tobago have filed a lawsuit against the government in Washington over the deaths of two of their relatives in one of the United States attacks against alleged drug-running boats in the Caribbean on October 14. It is the first lawsuit filed in U.S. courts against the anti-drug campaign that Washington used for months to justify its increasingly aggressive pressure on Venezuelas Chavista regime, a campaign that ultimately culminated in a military operation that captured president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas on January 3.

In the lawsuit, filed on behalf of the families by civil rights lawyers in the United States, it is stated that Chad Joseph, 26, and Rishi Samaroo, 41  both from the fishing village of Las Cuevas in Trinidad  were returning home from Venezuela, where they had been working, when the boat they were traveling in was hit. The two of them and four other people died in the strike, the fifth attack acknowledged by Washington in the military anti-drug campaign it launched on September 2 to pressure the Venezuelan government.

The Donald Trump administration has provided limited details about each of these attacks. The strikes are usually announced in a brief message on social media, accompanied by a video showing a boat exploding. The message includes the number of people killed and claims that the sunken vessel belonged to a drug trafficking organization and was carrying drugs. It does not identify the victims, the type of narcotic allegedly on board, or the cartel that supposedly organized the voyage.

Although the U.S. government maintains that this type of attack is perfectly legal and an appropriate response to cartels included on its list of foreign terrorist organizations, numerous experts and various lawmakers  most of them from the opposition Democratic Party  believe they constitute extrajudicial executions that violate international law and U.S. law.

The lawsuit filed by the families of Samaroo and Joseph, submitted to a court in Massachusetts, comes four days after the Pentagon reported the 36th attack last Friday in waters of the eastern Pacific. So far, there is evidence of at least 117 deaths resulting from these strikes.

In the lawsuit, the families representatives explain that Joseph had spent the last months of his life working in Venezuela, as an agricultural laborer and fishing. He had begun looking for a boat to take him back to Las Cuevas, where he had a wife and three children, but the United States launched its campaign. The worker was increasingly frightened at the prospect of making the journey by boat, according to what he told his family in phone calls. The last call came on October 12, when he told his wife he had found a vessel and would arrive within a matter of days. On October 14, a U.S. missile sank another boat accused of drug trafficking. The Joseph family believes Chad was on board: when they tried to reach him, his phone was disconnected. They have not heard from him since.

These premeditated and intentional killings lack any plausible legal justification, the lawsuit states. Thus, they were simply murders, ordered by individuals at the highest levels of government and obeyed by military officers in the chain of command.

In December, the family of a Colombian citizen, Alejandro Carranza Medina, also chose to pursue legal action following the death of their relative in another attack against an alleged drug-running boat. In that case, the family filed a complaint for human rights violations with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington.

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Coimbatore, Jan 28 : When it opens next month, Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore will rank among the largest public library complexes in Tamil Nadu, offering a blend of conventional library services and interactive science-based learning.

Built at a total cost of Rs 301 crore, the eight-storey facility will house more than 1.2 lakh books and serve as both a public library and a science learning centre.

The project, executed by the Public Works Department, spans seven acres and has reached an advanced stage of completion, with about 90 per cent of the civil works already finished, officials said.

Calling it one of the most advanced libraries being established in the state, G. Ramesh, librarian at the District Central Library, R.S. Puram, said the new facility would significantly enhance public access to knowledge.

"The infrastructure, air-conditioned reading halls and dedicated learning zones make it comparable with the best libraries in Tamil Nadu. It is expected to attract students, researchers and the general public in large numbers," he said.

The government has allocated Rs 245 crore for civil construction, Rs 50 crore for the procurement of books and Rs 5 crore for IT and digital infrastructure, including computers and networking facilities. The building has a total built-up area of 1.98 lakh sq ft and has secured all statutory clearances, including no-objection approval from airport authorities.

Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar said special emphasis had been placed on inclusive design. "One floor has been exclusively planned for persons with disabilities, with wheelchair access and Braille books, ensuring that the library is accessible to all sections of society," he said.

Recently, Public Works Minister E.V. Velu inspected the construction works and reviewed progress with engineers and contractors. In a statement, the Minister said the Dravidian model government, under M.K. Stalin, has prioritised the creation of knowledge infrastructure to build an informed and educated society.

He cited the Kalaignar Centenary Library as a successful example, noting that it has become a major learning destination for people across southern districts.

"Following that model, Periyar Arivulagam is being developed in Coimbatore, a city known for its strong academic and intellectual culture," he said.

The Minister added that the centre has been named after social reformer Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, who hailed from the undivided Coimbatore district, in recognition of his lifelong efforts to promote rational thinking and social awareness. He said the Chief Minister is expected to inaugurate the facility between February 10 and 28, subject to completion of remaining works and final approvals.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, on Wednesday, described the defence partnership between the two nations as strong and said that the 10-year pact signed in 2025 will further deepen the ties.

He said this following his meeting with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and other top officials.

In a post on X, Gor said, "Just last year, the United States and India signed a 10-year defence pact which will significantly deepen our Defence Partnership. Joint exercises will continue, and additional sales are in progress. This is a strong relationship! Thank you for hosting us, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh."

Earlier on Sunday (January 25), External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met a three-member US Congressional delegation, including two Republicans and one Democrat, along with the US Ambassador, and discussed trade and security issues.

EAM Jaishankar called the meeting a "good interaction" and posted on X, "Discussed various aspects of India-US ties, Indo-Pacific and Ukraine conflict. Congressional interactions have always been an important facet of our relationship."

Gor said the talks were "productive" and focused on strengthening bilateral ties in the fields of security, trade, and critical technologies.

In October 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting - Plus in Malaysia.

During this, India and the US inked a 10-year defence partnership, which, according to officials, will usher in a new era in already strong defence ties.

"The 2025 framework marks a new chapter to further transform the partnership over the next 10 years. It is intended to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence cooperation," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The two leaders appreciated the continuing momentum in the bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to further build upon the mutually beneficial partnership across all its pillars.

Pete Hegseth reiterated that India is a priority country for the US in defence cooperation and that Washington was committed to working closely with New Delhi to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

"India and the US continue to expand and deepen defence relationship through military-to-military exercises and activities, information sharing, collaboration with like-minded regional and global partners, defence industrial, science and technology cooperation and defence coordination mechanisms," the Ministry added.
Washington, Jan 28 : US President Donald Trump has said that his administration will work "something" out with South Korea after he threatened earlier this week to raise "reciprocal" tariffs and other levies on the Asian ally.

His remarks raised hopes for negotiations between Seoul and Washington to address their renewed trade tension as South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan is expected to visit the United States for talks with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, reports Yonhap news agency.

"We will work something out with South Korea," he said during a press availability at the White House, responding to a question about whether he would increase tariffs on Korea.

On Monday, Trump made the surprise announcement of a plan to increase "reciprocal" tariffs and auto, lumber and pharmaceutical duties on South Korea to 25 percent from 15 percent, taking issue with a delay in Seoul's legislative procedures supporting the implementation of the trade deal.

Earlier on Tuesday, a White House official told Yonhap News Agency that South Korea has made "no progress" on fulfilling its end of a bilateral trade deal, although Trump lowered tariffs in line with the deal.

Under the deal struck in late July and finalised months later, Seoul has committed to investing US$350 billion in the United States, among other pledges, in return for Washington's lowering of "reciprocal" tariffs to 15 percent from 25 percent.

Trump's revived threat to raise tariffs came amid concerns in Washington over Korea's ongoing investigation into Coupang Inc., a U.S.-listed firm, over a massive customer data leak and the Asian country's moves to regulate online platform companies.

It also came amid concerns that the Korean won's weakness against the U.S. dollar could get in the way of Seoul delivering on its investment commitment under the trade deal with Washington.

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Baramati, Jan 28 : A plane carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar on Wednesday crashed during landing in Baramati on Wednesday morning.

Early reports from local sources like Saam TV state that Ajit Pawar and his security guards are safe, having narrowly escaped the crash. However, some other reports (like NDTV Marathi) mentioned that he was being evaluated as "injured" or in a serious situation immediately following the impact.

Emergency services and senior security officials have reached the site in Baramati. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after the aircraft lost control during the landing phase. Amid ongoing elections to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis, Dy CM Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting.

The information regarding the extent of injuries and the exact cause of the crash (whether a technical failure or weather-related) is still being confirmed by official government statements.

Official confirmation was awaited.

Unconfirmed reports said the plane was attempting to make a landing at Baramati.

Visuals from the site show the wreckage of the plane engulfed in flames. There were people at the wreckage site trying to extend help in every possible way. The locals had rushed to the spot on seeing the helicopter crash-land.

The number of people on board is not yet confirmed.

Rescue and relief operations are currently underway at the site. Locals are also helping the police and the relief officials in assisting the injured to the ambulances.

This incident comes after several aviation-related scares for the leader.

In October 2024, a helicopter intended to pick up his party colleague Sunil Tatkare crashed in Pune, and there have been previous instances of emergency landings in the region due to bad weather.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday led the nation in paying rich tributes to legendary freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary, hailing him as an "immortal son of the motherland" whose life continues to inspire generations.

New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday led the nation in paying rich tributes to legendary freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary, hailing him as an "immortal son of the motherland" whose life continues to inspire generations.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister wrote, "To the immortal son of the motherland, Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai, heartfelt and respectful tributes on his birth anniversary. He offered everything he had to liberate Mother Bharati from the chains of slavery. His life of sacrifice will continue to remain a source of inspiration for every generation of the country."

In a video message, Prime Minister Modi stated that Lala Lajpat Rai was a towering figure in the Independence movement, dedicating his entire life to freeing the nation from foreign rule.

"Lalaji's personality went far beyond his role in the freedom struggle," said PM Modi, describing him as a visionary with deep foresight.

The Prime Minister highlighted Lala Lajpat Rai's significant contribution to institution-building, including his role in the establishment of Punjab National Bank and several other organisations. He added that Lalaji's mission was not limited to driving out foreign powers, but also centred on strengthening India economically, which was a core part of his ideology.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid homage, posting on X, "Lala Lajpat Rai Ji sacrificed his life for India's independence. His sacrifice wove the fragmented freedom movement into a single thread of unity, transforming it into a blazing inferno. He became the inspiration for armed revolution for countless revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh. To him, millions upon millions of salutations." (loosely translated from Hindi)

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari shared his tribute in Hindi on X, which translates to: "On the birth anniversary of the great freedom fighter 'Punjab Kesari' Lala Lajpat Rai ji, I offer my humble salutations to him."

Union Minister and BJP President J.P. Nadda also took to X, writing, "To the immortal son of Mother Bharat, the great freedom fighter, the Lion of Punjab, Lala Lajpat Rai ji, on his birth anniversary, I offer my countless salutations. With his outstanding nationalist thoughts, Lala ji ignited the flame of freedom in the hearts of the youth and gave a new direction to the independence movement. His sacrifice for the freedom of the motherland remains a living inspiration for every Indian."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid tribute, posting on X, "Great freedom fighter, dedicated social worker, and staunch advocate of Swadeshi, 'Punjab Kesari' Lala Lajpat Rai's birth anniversary is observed today. Humble tributes to him."

"His indomitable courage, unwavering dedication, unbreakable patriotism, and life of sacrifice are an invaluable heritage of the Indian freedom struggle, which always inspires us to work with the spirit of Nation First," he added.

Lala Lajpat Rai, popularly known as Punjab Kesari, remains one of the most influential leaders of India's freedom movement, remembered for his fearless resistance to colonial rule and his enduring legacy of nationalism and sacrifice.
Washington, Jan 28 : President Donald Trump, during his Iowa trip, stopped at a restaurant, shook hands, and spoke with diners as he repeated his core campaign themes on falling prices, border enforcement, and crime in a burst of campaign-trail color ahead of the midterm elections.

Trump moved through tables and staff, greeting customers and posing for photos. He said his administration had "secured the border" and claimed illegal crossings had stopped unless people entered legally. "Nobody thought it was possible," he said.

He focused on everyday costs. Trump told diners that gasoline prices had dropped sharply since he took office. "You had gasoline at $4.50," he said. "Now it's at $1.99 in many places." When diners said fuel was cheaper locally, Trump repeated the figure and said prices were "coming way, way down."

Trump linked lower prices to what he described as substantial investment. He again claimed "$18 trillion" was being invested in the United States. He said factories and plants were being built across the country, including auto and technology facilities.

He credited tariffs for drawing companies back to the US "If you build here, you don't have to pay tariffs," Trump said. He argued that foreign producers were choosing to manufacture in the US rather than pay trade penalties.

Immigration and crime were key topics. Trump said crime had fallen nationwide and described the US as "the safest we've ever had." He pointed to Minnesota and Washington, DC, saying crime dropped after authorities removed "thousands of criminals."

Asked about leadership changes in Minnesota, Trump compared it to running a business. "You shake up your team," he said. He praised immigration enforcement chief Tom Homan and said talks with state and local leaders were going "very well."

Trump also highlighted farm support. He reminded diners that his administration recently delivered "$12 billion" in aid to farmers. "You know where I got it?" he asked. "Tariffs." He said total farm assistance had reached "$66 billion."

The stop was informal. Diners applauded, prayed with Trump, and asked for autographs. He signed hats and took photos.
January 28 : Lucknow: At the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, from 19 to 23 January 2026, the Government of Uttar Pradesh achieved a major milestone by securing investment proposals through MoUs worth nearly 3 lakh crore, amounting to more than 2.92 lakh crore.

After returning from the conference, the Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Suresh Kumar Khanna, presented a detailed account of Uttar Pradeshs participation and investment achievements at the World Economic Forum during a press conference held on Tuesday at Lok Bhavan Auditorium.

He described this achievement as a significant step in establishing the state as a leading global investment destination on the world investment map.

The Finance Minister informed during the conference, "The delegation of Uttar Pradesh held 119 high-level meetings involving 55 to 56 major global companies. As a result of these meetings, 31 MoUs were signed in sectors including data centres, renewable energy, waste-to-energy, manufacturing, defence, logistics, tourism, food processing, EV, pharma, healthcare and artificial intelligence.

Through these MoUs, a total proposed investment of more than 2.92 lakh crore has been received, which is a major achievement for Uttar Pradesh.

The Finance Minister also stated, "The largest investment proposal was finalized with the Netherlands-based company AM Green. Under this MoU, an AI-based 1 gigawatt data centre will be established in Greater Noida".

Through this project, an investment proposal of approximately 2.10 lakh crore is planned by the year 2028. This project will not only bring a digital and technological revolution in the state, but will also generate large-scale employment through associated ancillary industries.

Along with this, an MoU worth 200 crore was also signed with ASR Technology. Meanwhile, Uber expressed interest in expanded mobility collaboration and the possible establishment of a Global Capability Centre.

Director of UPNEDA Indrajeet Singh said, "Significant MoUs were signed in the renewable energy sector at the Davos conference. These include 1000 crore in solar rooftop and battery energy storage, 1100 crore in a hybrid electric vehicle plant, 10,500 crore in solar power projects and solar module manufacturing, and 3800 crore in a green manufacturing park consisting of 3 gigawatt solar cell module manufacturing and a 60 megawatt solar plant.

In addition, a non-financial MoU with NTPC Green Energy regarding renewable energy and green hydrogen was signed, and investment proposals worth 8000 crore were received from REC Limited for 500 megawatt agricultural waste-to-energy projects.

The Finance Minister stated, "Rashmi Metaliks has committed an investment of 4000 crore for a 1 MTPA integrated steel plant. In addition, detailed discussions were held with companies such as AB InBev, Godrej, Philip Morris International and Schneider Electric regarding smart factories, Industry 4.0 and supply chain development".

Discussions were held with DuPont, Ramco Group and Schneider Electric on partnership possibilities in water management, irrigation, sewage and waste management, microgrids and smart buildings. DuPont proposed pilot projects in Jhansi and Lucknow, Noida and Varanasi, highlighting potential costs of approximately 50,000 to 60,000 per solar unit in Uttar Pradesh.

Extensive discussions were held with global technology companies, including Google, Uber, ASR Technology, Tech Mahindra, Cisco, Deloitte, Google Cloud, AutoNation Energy and SS Technology. These discussions focused on Global Capability Centres, AI, data centres, digital governance, skill development and mobility solutions. On the other hand, investment discussions were also held in healthcare, pharma and life sciences.

Bayer Consumer Health and AGLT Technologies deliberated on opportunities in agro-processing, pharma, diagnostics, research and development and life sciences sectors. Bayer Consumer Health highlighted the possibilities of expansion in the states industrial hubs.

Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said, "All MoUs signed in Davos will be regularly monitored and followed up on. A dedicated single-window team will be constituted for the implementation of these 31 investment proposals, which will provide time-bound support from approvals to project operations.

He stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh is rapidly moving forward towards realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047".

The Finance Minister stated, "Under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh government has participated in the World Economic Forum for the third consecutive year, effectively showcasing the states development potential, investor-friendly environment and strong governance system. This participation further strengthened the state governments commitment to establishing Uttar Pradesh as a globally competitive investment destination".

He informed that this global conference, organized on the theme Samvad Ki Bhawana, saw participation from nearly 3000 representatives from more than 130 countries. These included over 60 heads of state, top global industry leaders, policymakers, representatives of civil society and innovators.

From the Government of India, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Prahlad Joshi, Minister for IT and Electronics Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of Civil Aviation K. Ram Mohan Naidu participated in the conference. Ten states from India marked their presence on this platform, with Uttar Pradesh emerging as a leading participant.

The Finance Minister also added, under the Partner With India theme, the Uttar Pradesh Pavilion set up at the India Pavilion remained crowded with investors throughout all four days. While other state pavilions witnessed limited activity, the UP Pavilion saw a continuous influx of global investors, industry representatives and policymakers.

The Finance Minister also added that "Uttar Pradeshs law and order, infrastructure and connectivity have earned the trust of investors. He informed that earlier the state had only 2 cyber police stations, whereas now cyber police stations have been established in all districts. Due to MSME and ODOP schemes, Uttar Pradeshs exports have increased to 1.86 lakh crore, and the states products are gaining recognition in the global market".

On this occasion, all members of Team UP who attended the World Economic Forum were present. These included Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner Deepak Kumar, Secretary to the Chief Ministers Office Amit Singh, CEO of Invest UP Vijay Kiran Anand and Director of UPNEDA Indrajeet Singh.
January 28 : Gorakhpur: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Uttar Pradesh has now shed its old BIMARU image and has emerged as a breakthrough state with a new identity. He added, Jativadi and Parivarvadi forces are unable to tolerate this transformed image of the state. These are the same forces that earlier patronized rioters and lawlessness.

The Chief Minister was addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the Khajanchi Chauraha flyover in Gorakhpur, built at a cost of 96.50 crore and the Bargadwa-Nakaha rail over bridge, constructed at a cost of 152.19 crore. He first unveiled the plaque and inaugurated the flyover at Khajanchi Chauraha, and later dedicated the rail over bridge to the public at Bargadwa-Nakaha.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, CM Yogi said, Uttar Pradesh has transformed from a 'state of unrest' into a 'state of celebration. With a strong law and order system in place, rioters have been forced into hiding, and strict legal action has been taken against those who remained, making the state riot-free.

He said, Those who once supported and sheltered rioters are now troubled, as their means of livelihood have vanished. Disturbed by the development process, 'Jativadi' and 'Parivarvadi' forces attempted to create disorder, but those who incite unrest know well how firmly the state government responds.

Recalling the situation before 2017, CM said, Uttar Pradesh was once gripped by fear, terror, chaos, disease and riots. Neither women nor traders were safe. People know well who was responsible, those who practiced caste based politics, spoke only about their families and played with the future of the youth. They created an identity crisis for the state and its young population.

The CM added, After 2017, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh has focused on solutions rather than problems. To secure a bright future for the coming generations, it is essential to continue the journey of development and strengthen the environment of security.

CM Yogi said, By ensuring security and creating robust infrastructure, the double-engine government has ushered in an investment boom. By converting scale into skill, the government is providing employment and jobs to youth in their own regions. Investment proposals worth 45 lakh crore and employment opportunities for 15 crore youth are living documents of this progress.

Referring to Gorakhpur, he said, A long industrial corridor is emerging from GIDA to Dhuriyapar, providing local youth with jobs close to home.

Highlighting Gorakhpurs development, CM said, The city is no longer identified with mafias, mosquitoes, or encephalitis, but with world-class roads and infrastructure. Four-lane connectivity, link expressways, GIDA as an investment hub, fertilizer plants, AIIMS and other projects define Gorakhpurs new identity. Roads connecting Gorakhpur to Sonauli, Lucknow and Varanasi are now four lane highways, supported by link expressways. Ramgarh Tal, once a breeding ground for mafias and mosquitoes, now gives the city a new identity. Gorakhpur is emerging as a new skill hub, contributing to the vision of a Viksit Bharat.

CM Yogi emphasized that development will no longer remain the legacy of any one family or region. He added, Every region and district will witness growth. Infrastructure and development like Gorakhpur will be visible in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Azamgarh, Bundelkhand and western Uttar Pradesh as well.

He noted that earlier, only 10-15 lakh pilgrims attended the Magh Mela in Prayagraj. With improved security and facilities under the double-engine government, 4.5 crore devotees took a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya and 3.5 crore on Basant Panchami this year.

Inset

MP Ravi Kishan Shukla also attended the event. He said, The double-engine government led by PM Modi and CM Yogi is firmly committed to development as well as the service of the poor, deprived and marginalized. He added, CM Yogi Adityanath possesses the strength required to govern a state with a population of 25 crore. Those who conspire out of fear forget that saints like Modi and Yogi are not afraid of anyone.

Mayor Dr. Manglesh Srivastava, while welcoming the Chief Minister, said, Gorakhpurs development has gained new momentum under CM Yogis leadership and guidance. He also highlighted the achievements and ongoing initiatives of the Municipal Corporation, inspired by the Chief Minister.

Prominent attendees included Cabinet Minister Dr. Sanjay Nishad, MLAs Fateh Bahadur Singh, Shriram Chauhan, Vipin Singh, Mahendra Pal Singh, Dr. Vimlesh Paswan, Pradeep Shukla, Sarvan Nishad, MLC and BJP State Vice President Dr. Dharmendra Singh, State Womens Commission Vice Chairperson Charu Chaudhary, BJP District President Janardan Tiwari, Mahanagar Convener Rajesh Gupta, Kalibari Mahant Ravinderdas, among others.
January 28 : Lucknow: The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concluded between India and the European Union (EU) is set to provide a new direction to the economic landscape of Uttar Pradesh. The agreement, concluded under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has provided India with an opportunity for stronger integration with reliable global markets.

At the same time, for a state like Uttar Pradesh, rich in industry, agriculture and labour-intensive sectors, this agreement is being considered historic in terms of exports, investment and employment.

According to experts, easier access to a large market of around 45 crore consumers across 27 European countries will directly benefit Uttar Pradesh, ranging from traditional industries to modern manufacturing.

The biggest beneficiaries of the IndiaEU FTA will be the labour-intensive industries of Uttar Pradesh. These include leather, footwear, textiles, handicrafts, carpets, the brass industry, food processing and MSME-based production units.

With reduced or zero tariffs (zero duty), their products will be available in the European market at lower prices, increasing export competitiveness and enabling expansion of production capacity.

Under the IndiaEU FTA, with tariffs of up to 17 percent being reduced to zero, shoes, leather goods and accessories produced here will become far more competitive in the European market. This will have a direct impact on thousands of tanneries, MSME units and the artisans associated with them. Experts believe that this will generate large-scale employment opportunities for women and youth.

Saharanpurs wood-based handicrafts and furniture, Moradabads brass industry, and Bhadohis carpet industry are already export-oriented. After the IndiaEU FTA, these products will receive better market access in Europe at more competitive prices.

This is expected to provide artisans with steady orders, better incomes and enhanced global brand value. Districts identified under the ODOP scheme are expected to receive special benefits.

The electronics manufacturing ecosystem of Noida and Greater Noida is already emerging as a hub for global companies. With competitive access to the EUs USD 744 billion electronics market, the electronics, engineering goods, and semiconductor supply chain in Uttar Pradesh will be strengthened. This will lead to increased investment, technology transfer and demand for skilled manpower.

The impact of the IndiaEU FTA will not be limited to industries alone. Farmers of Western and Eastern Uttar Pradesh will also derive significant benefits. Tea, coffee, spices, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and processed food will find better opportunities in the European market.

This will strengthen FPOs, cold chains, food processing units and rural employment spread across the state.

Uttar Pradeshs MSME sector will be one of the primary beneficiaries of this agreement. With an increase in export-based production, womens participation, incomes of home-based artisans, and the availability of skilled and semi-skilled jobs for youth are expected to rise rapidly.

New employment opportunities will also be created in allied sectors such as logistics, packaging, design, quality certification and e-commerce.

The EU FTA positions Uttar Pradesh as an attractive manufacturing and export base for European companies. Investment prospects for EU companies are expected to increase in sectors such as the expressway network, defence and electronics corridors, industrial parks and medical devices.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar.

The President took to the social media platform X to convey her condolences. In her message, she said, "The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is deeply saddening. Ajit Pawar's untimely demise is an irreparable loss. He will always be remembered for his significant contributions to Maharashtra's development, especially in the cooperative sector."

She further expressed her heartfelt sympathies to his family, supporters, and admirers, and prayed for strength for the families of all those who lost their lives in the tragic accident.

Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar and four others died in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed the deaths.

The plane crashed while landing near Baramati. Visuals from the spot show fire and smoke, mangled remains of the plane, and ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. There were people at the wreckage site trying to extend help in every possible way.

This incident occurred around 9 a.m., an hour after the plane took off from Mumbai.

Deputy CM Pawar's family rushed to the accident site. Incidentally, his wife and party MP Sunetra, and son, Parth, were set to leave for Baramati from Delhi, along with the leader's cousin, and NCP-SP working president Supriya Sule.

Amid ongoing elections to the Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis, Dy CM Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting.

Emergency services and senior security officials were at the site in Baramati. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after the aircraft lost control during the landing phase.

A team of DGCA officials was at the plane crash site.

More details were awaited about the plane crash. Reports said that locals had rushed to the spot on seeing the plane crashing.

This incident comes after several aviation-related scares for the leader. In October 2024, a helicopter intended to pick up his party colleague Sunil Tatkare crashed in Pune, and there have been previous instances of emergency landings in the region due to bad weather.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry arrived in Milan on Tuesday ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, expressing her excitement to begin on-site work with the local team.
Chandigarh, Jan 28 : Eighteen schools in Chandigarh on Wednesday received bomb-threat emails, causing widespread panic among the police and local administration.

As the schools, both public and private, received the email in the morning, the police were informed. An alert was issued from the police control room within minutes.

Upon receiving the information, the bomb detection team, the operations cell, and the local police station personnel reached the spot and began searching all school premises.

According to the police, no suspicious objects have been recovered from any school premises so far. The local administration has appealed to the public to maintain peace. Schools have been instructed to immediately report any threatening emails or messages to the police so that appropriate action can be taken according to the established protocol.

Schools have been advised not to declare holidays without any confirmed basis, as such actions can cause unnecessary panic among students, parents, and the public. The schools have also been directed to remain vigilant while continuing regular classes.

The threatening emails contained inflammatory and objectionable content, including the phrase "bomb blast 1.11 p.m. The email states, "Chandigarh is Khalistan, stop the national anthem in schools"

It also mentions the Prime Minister's proposed visit to Dera Ballan in Punjab's Jalandhar. The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Dera Ballan on February 1 to pay his respects on Guru Ravidas Jayanti.

Police have launched an investigation to trace the source of the emails and identify those responsible.

"Strict action will be taken against those found behind the threatening emails," a police official told the media.

Meanwhile, normalcy gradually returned as schools remained closed for the day and parents took their children back home.

According to the police, at least five private schools and a public School, along with several government schools, received threatening emails.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, along with five others, died in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday morning. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that all six passengers onboard perished in deadly crashlanding.

Political leaders across parties expressed shock and grief at the untimely demise of the senior leader.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan posted on X, "The news of the untimely demise of four individuals, including Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, in the plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely heart-wrenching. My humble tribute to the departed souls and my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Om Shanti."

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary wrote, "The news of the demise of several people, including the Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and National President of NCP, Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, in the horrific airplane crash that occurred in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely heartbreaking and soul-wrenching. May God grant peace to the departed souls and provide strength to the grieving families to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti!"

BJP leader Parvesh Verma also expressed grief . "The news of the demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar Ji is extremely heartbreaking. This is an irreparable loss. May God grant peace to the departed soul and provide strength to the bereaved family, colleagues, and supporters to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti," he said.

The plane crashed while attempting to land near Baramati around 9 a.m., roughly an hour after taking off from Mumbai. Visuals from the crash site showed fire and smoke, the mangled remains of the aircraft, and ambulances rushing to assist.

Locals reportedly rushed to the site in a bid to help. Emergency services and senior security officials reached the scene immediately, and a team of DGCA officials has arrived for investigation.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief and former Dy CM Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal posted, "Shocked and saddened by the tragic news of the passing away of Maharashtra Deputy CM & NCP chief Sh. Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati. My heartfelt condolences to the Pawar family, his supporters, and the people of Maharashtra. May the Almighty grant eternal peace to his soul."

J&K PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti also expressed grief. She wrote in a post on X, "Deeply shocked & saddened by reports of a tragic private plane crash claiming the life of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar along with others. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May the departed souls rest in peace."

AAP leader Manish Sisodia posted, "This news is heart-shattering. The information about the tragic death of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar ji and other passengers in a plane crash is extremely painful. The families are enduring this unbearable grief May God grant them strength. Humble condolences."

BJP MP Naveen Jindal said, "Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Ajit Pawar Ji, in the unfortunate aircraft accident near Baramati. My heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and supporters. Prayers for the departed souls and strength to their loved ones in this hour of grief."

Three bodies were transported to Baramati Medical College, and identification is underway, as confirmed by Pune Superintendent of Police (SP).

Deputy CM Pawar's family rushed to the accident site. His wife and party MP Sunetra Pawar, son Parth Pawar, his cousin. The Deputy CM was en route to attend a public meeting ahead of Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala expressed grief nd remarked, "A loss beyond words! Om Shanti"

Congress leader Kamal Nath also prayed for peace and strength.

"We have received the news of the tragic demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar in an airplane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra.

The demise of Shri Ajit Pawar has caused an irreparable loss to India's politics. He dedicated his entire life to the service of the people of Maharashtra. May God grant peace to his soul and give strength to the family members to bear this sorrow. Om Shanti," he wrote on X.

Ajit Pawar, a seasoned leader of Maharashtra, leaves behind a big legacy of public service. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with officials examining both technical and procedural aspects of the accident.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : The Budget Session of Parliament opened on Wednesday, with President Droupadi Murmu delivering her address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in New Delhi.

This ceremonial address marks the beginning of a crucial period in the Parliamentary calendar, during which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Economic Survey on Thursday (January 29) followed by the Union Budget on Sunday (February 1).

As political figures converged in the national capital, President Murmu commenced her speech with warmth and reflection.

She expressed her delight at addressing the joint session, describing the previous year as a memorable chapter in India's story of swift advancement and rich cultural heritage.

Highlighting the nationwide celebrations marking 150 years of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's immortal composition Vande Mataram, she paid tribute to the inspiration it continues to provide, and also congratulated Parliamentarians for holding a special discussion on the occasion.

Looking ahead, the President portrayed 2026 as a pivotal foundation year in the nation's ambitious path toward becoming a Viksit Bharat, or developed India.

She observed that the closing of the first quarter-century of the new millennium had brought numerous triumphs, moments of national pride, and profound experiences.

Over the past decade or so, she noted, India has fortified its base across every major sector, laying a robust groundwork for future growth.

The address also turned to the power of historical remembrance in shaping the present and future.

President Murmu spoke movingly of the country's observance of the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, whose sacrifice continues to resonate deeply.

She recalled the widespread tributes paid during the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, honouring his enduring legacy for tribal communities and the broader fight for justice. Similarly, commemorations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary had reinforced the vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, while the celebrations surrounding Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika's birth anniversary had filled the nation with music and a renewed sense of unity.

Through these reflections, the President emphasised that when a country honours the contributions of its forebears, it ignites inspiration in the younger generation, accelerating the collective march toward a developed and inclusive India.

Her words set an optimistic and unifying tone for the session ahead, blending pride in past milestones with resolve for the journey still unfolding.

In the lead-up to the session, an all-party meeting held on Tuesday, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, set the tone for proceedings.

Leaders from across the political spectrum shared their anticipated priorities and pledged cooperation to ensure smooth functioning. Among them, Congress indicated that the party would focus on people-centric matters, including concerns over alleged vote theft, the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, paddy procurement, and the revival of aspects of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Indore, Jan 28 : The youth wing of the Madhya Pradesh Congress has launched a nine-day 'Jan Adhikar Nyay Yatra' from Wednesday, demanding clean drinking water and higher compensation for families of those who died after consuming contaminated water in Indore's Bhagirathpura area.

State Youth Congress media cell chairman Abhigyan Shukla said the march began at 11 a.m. from the statue of Devi Ahilya in Rajwada and would cover all Assembly segments of Indore district during the nine days.

"This nine-day protest march will focus on one Assembly constituency each day, covering 10 to 15 km on foot to explain the main objective of the journey to the general public. The Youth Congress will demand that the administration take strict action against those responsible for the deaths caused by the water crisis in Bhagirathpura," Shukla told IANS.

He said Congress workers would seek action against state Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav. The party will also demand Rs 1 crore compensation for each affected family and a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The state government has announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for 23 families. The Congress, for its part, provided Rs 1.5 lakh each to the families of 24 victims during Rahul Gandhi's visit to Bhagirathpura on January 17, when cheques were distributed.

Meanwhile, during a hearing at the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday, the state government informed the court that a five-member death audit committee comprising associate and assistant professors from MGM Medical College in Indore had found that 16 of the 23 deaths were caused by an epidemic triggered by contaminated water.

Reports on five other deaths are still awaited.

A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi has constituted a commission headed by a former High Court judge to probe the water contamination in Bhagirathpura, observing that the matter requires investigation by an independent and credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny". The panel has been directed to submit an interim report within four weeks of the start of the proceedings.
Chennai, Jan 28 : In a significant move to curb animal cruelty and improve safety standards at tourist destinations, the Tamil Nadu government has notified stringent guidelines to regulate joyrides and the commercial use of horses, donkeys and mules across the state.

The new framework introduces compulsory licensing, regular veterinary checks and strict monitoring of working conditions for all equines engaged in public activities.

The guidelines were issued through a recent government order by N. Subbaiyan, Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Dairy, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department, and are aligned with provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Officials said the move was prompted by repeated complaints of abuse, unregulated operations and the absence of accountability in several tourist and semi-urban areas.

According to the order, equines are commonly deployed for joyrides, goods transport and ceremonial purposes in popular tourist centres such as Chennai, Udhagamandalam and Kodaikanal, besides many hilly and rural regions. Inspections by authorities have revealed frequent violations, including overloading, lack of food and water, inadequate shelter, poor veterinary supervision and forcing animals to work in extreme weather.

Under the new rules, all owners and operators of working equines must obtain licences from the concerned municipal corporations or municipalities and register the animals with the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board.

Equines used for joyrides, passenger carriage, transport or racing must undergo mandatory health screening, including tests for glanders, and carry valid fitness certificates issued by registered veterinarians every six months.

The guidelines also lay down detailed norms for housing and care, specifying minimum stable sizes, proper ventilation, flooring and drainage systems, along with seasonal shelter requirements.

Working hours have been restricted, with joyrides allowed only between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and banned during extreme heat, heavy rain or other harsh weather conditions. The use of equines beyond a prescribed age -- generally 20 to 21 years -- and overloading beyond weight limits fixed under animal welfare rules has been prohibited.

Further, the order mandates regular hoof care, use of proper saddles and harnesses, adherence to vaccination schedules and the availability of first-aid kits at all equine work sites.

Authorities have been empowered to seize animals immediately in cases of serious cruelty or repeated violations, with provisions for temporary rehabilitation and permanent confiscation in extreme cases. Violators may face criminal prosecution, suspension or cancellation of licences and financial penalties.

Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board member Shruti Vinod Raj said the Board would soon conduct a statewide census of working equines.

Citing Chennai as an example, she noted that recent inspections revealed large-scale movement of horses and several without microchips.

With licensing now mandatory, she said enforcement would improve, and the government was also planning basic infrastructure, such as stables, to encourage compliance with the new norms.
Mumbai, Jan 28 : Maharashtra Governor Aacharya Devvrat expressed grief over the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati.

He said, "Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Ajit Pawar ji in a plane crash near Baramati. I pay my respects to Shri Ajit Pawar Ji and convey my heartfelt condolences to all the members of the bereaved family. Om Shanti."

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said, "I don't think he ever spoke ill of anyone. He made a lot of effort. He tried to maintain harmony even within his party... He had wisdom. Such a person is essential for politics. I didn't know him very closely, but I have seen his personality and his way of working, and he was a good person. He knew how to keep everyone together. The passing of such a person is a very tragic."

Expressing grief, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said, "It is a saddening incident. He was a popular leader of Maharashtra. He held many important positions in Maharashtra politics with a proven record. My deepest sympathy goes to his family and loved ones."

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy said, "It is heartbreaking to hear about his death in a plane crash today. I pay my tribute to Ajit Pawar on behalf of the people of Telangana and my Ministry. He was a leader known for making firm decisions for the development of Maharashtra. It is a great loss for his family, for party politics, and for Maharashtra."

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said Ajit Pawar was a great leader of Maharashtra. "He had joined Mahayuti for the development of the state. He did remarkable work for Maharashtra and achieved great success in the Maharashtra local body elections. His sudden death in a plane crash is a great loss for Maharashtra," he said.

Congress MP Praniti Shinde said, "The news is just not sinking in. He was a stickler for time. His hectic lifestyle has cost him his life today. He always went out of his way to help his party workers and others. It is just a very sad day for Maharashtra."
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Political leaders cutting across party lines, from the BJP to the Congress, expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar, describing his sudden demise as "devastating and highly distressing".

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy expressed shock and grief over the incident said, "The news of Ajit Pawar's air crash is extremely shocking for all of us. It is very sad and unfortunate. In such weather conditions, pilots have to be extremely careful. I offer my condolences and pray that God gives strength to the bereaved family members to overcome this shock."

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut recalled his long association with Ajit Pawar and Pawar family.

"We have known Ajit Pawar for many years. He was an excellent leadergenerous, sincere, and straightforward. There was no deceit in him; whatever he felt, he spoke openly and then moved on. He was always cheerful and a true leader of workers," Raut said.

"Uddhav Thackeray often said that among all ministers, Ajit Pawar was the most experienced and dedicated. He always had a clear vision for the development of Maharashtra. We have lost a leader of great calibre. Those in power today should learn from his approach. Politics should not be rushed, and excessive competition harms governance. Grassroots elections should be left to party workers. The current chaos in Maharashtra politics and relentless political manoeuvring has led to unfortunate outcomes," Raut remarked.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar termed the incident tragic and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family.

"This is a tragic incident. We pray to God to give strength to the family to bear this irreparable loss. In this time of grief, the Bharatiya Samaj Party and I stand with the family," he said.

Congress MP Imran Masood expressed grief, stating, "When the news of the plane crash first came in this morning, there was hope that perhaps he had survived. However, later, when videos emerged, it caused immense distress. He was a very energetic and dynamic leader, and this loss is extremely painful," Masood said.

Odisha's Deputy Leader of Opposition, Prasanna Acharya, said the news was unexpected and heartbreaking. "Ajit Pawar was not just a leader of Maharashtra but a nationally recognised political figure. He played a crucial role in shaping Maharashtra's political development and had a strong presence in the country's political landscape. His demise is a major loss for Maharashtra and a significant setback for Indian politics as a whole," Acharya stated.

Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP N. K. Premachandran described the incident as shocking and unfortunate.

"It is really distressing to hear about such a plane crash in which the Deputy Chief Minister and his team of officers were reportedly travelling. Let the official report come first, and then all issues can be addressed accordingly," he said.

Senior advocate and former MP Majeed Memon also expressed deep anguish over the incident.

"The news of the plane crash and the death of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, along with others, is devastating. Ajit Pawar was a proactive and dynamic leader. Despite facing criticism for parting ways with the main party, he remained decisive and served Maharashtra effectively as Deputy Chief Minister," Memon said.

Recalling his long association with Ajit Pawar, Memon added, "I worked with Ajit Pawar for nearly 25 to 30 years, including closely for about two decades since 2002. He was a unique politicianaggressive, dynamic, and steadfast in his beliefs. While he faced allegations related to breaking away from the NCP and disagreements within the party, he always stood firmly by his convictions."
Hyderabad, Jan 28 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday expressed deep shock over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash.

Revanth Reddy, who is currently on a visit to the United States, expressed deep shock and profound grief over the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar.

According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office, he said Ajit Pawar's sudden passing is an irreparable loss to public life and extended heartfelt condolences to his family, the Government of Maharashtra, and the people of the state.

CM Revanth Reddy prayed for strength to the bereaved family in this moment of immense sorrow.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, too, mourned the death of Ajit Pawar in the plane crash.

"Shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash this morning. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and followers. Om Shanti," posted CM Naidu.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said he was deeply shocked by the tragic news of the passing of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, President of Maharashtra NCP and an NDA alliance leader Ajit Dada Pawar in a devastating plane crash.

"His dedicated public service and immense contributions towards the welfare and development of the people of Maharashtra will always be remembered, and his enduring commitment to the people will continue to be held with respect. I express my profound condolences on his passing and extend my deepest sympathies to his family members, admirers, and party cadre during this moment of immense grief," said the Jana Sena leader.

Former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy posted on 'X' that he was deeply shocked to learn of the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the families of the six individuals who lost their lives in this tragic accident. Om Shanti!," said Jagan.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K.T. Rama Rao was also deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic plane crash in Baramati that claimed the life of Ajit Pawar.

"A seasoned leader with strong grassroots connect, he dedicated decades to serving the people of Maharashtra. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, his colleagues, and supporters. This is an irreparable loss for Maharashtra politics," he said.
Seoul, Jan 28 : South Korea, the United States and Japan discussed North Korea's latest missile launch and coordination efforts in three-way phone talks the previous day, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

Baek Yong-jin, director general for the Korean Peninsula policy, spoke by phone with Dan Cintron, acting US deputy assistant secretary of state, and Otsuka Kengo, deputy director general of the Japanese foreign ministry's Asia and Oceania bureau, the ministry said, Yonhap News Agency reported.

On Tuesday, South Korea's military said the North fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, in yet another military muscle-flexing by Pyongyang ahead of its upcoming key party congress.

North Korean state media said Wednesday it has test-fired an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket launcher system, with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance.

Seoul confirmed the phone talks with Washington and Tokyo only after it was first made public in Japan earlier Wednesday, a move seen as rare considering that such trilateral consultations on North Korea's provocations had mostly been released to the media promptly.

"South Korea, the US and Japan operate channels to swiftly share relevant information and assessments when North Korea launches ballistic missiles, and there was communication among the three sides regarding the latest launch," the ministry said.

The ministry said it did not disclose details about the phone discussion as the government's position on the latest missile launch was already made clear through the National Security Office and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"North Korea's ballistic missile launches violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions, and there has been no change in our position that we respond firmly in coordination with the international community," the ministry added.
Dhaka, Jan 28 : As campaigning is underway for the Bangladesh elections, escalating violence, including threats and attacks targeting candidates and law enforcement personnel, triggered renewed concerns over the safety and security of the electoral process across the country, local media reported on Wednesday.

From the outset of the election campaign, incidents involving shootings, stabbings, vandalism and clashes in multiple constituencies have reportedly resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities.

Additionally, in several constituencies, election-related infrastructure, including camps, microphones, offices, vehicles and even CCTV cameras installed at polling stations, have been vandalised or looted.

Amid rising tensions, several candidates have lodged General Diaries (GDs) with police stations seeking protection, citing death threats and fears of conspiracy against them, Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

Reports suggest that political violence during electioneering has left as many as 24 people injured in clashes between political activists across five districts since Monday night, with most incidents involving workers of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami.

On Tuesday, eggs were hurled at NCP leader Nasiruddin Patwari, a candidate of the 11-party electoral alliance in the Dhaka-8 constituency, during an event held at Habibullah Bahar College in Dhaka.

Both NCP leaders Patwari and Nahid Islam accused rival BNP leaders Mirza Abbas and Tarique Rahman of orchestrating the egg-throwing incident, an allegation BNP has denied.

Earlier, on January 24, a GD was reportedly lodged at Shahbagh Police Station seeking protection for the son and brother of slain Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi, over concerns about a threat to their lives.

The same day, Mohammad Hasan Molla, general secretary of BNP's Hazratpur Union unit in Keraniganj, died while undergoing treatment at Holy Family Hospital in Dhaka after being critically injured in a shooting by unknown assailants in the capital on January 22.

NCP convener and Dhaka-11 candidate Nahid Islam on Wednesday alleged intolerant behaviour by a political group, saying that while verbal exchanges are expected during elections, attacks occur when some fail to accept differing views.

"If this continues, the election will not be free and fair. We urge them to abandon such practices; otherwise, there will be retaliation," The Dhaka Tribune quoted Nahid as saying while campaigning in the capital.

The NCP leader further claimed that their office came under gunfire and that his election campaign was being hindered both directly and indirectly.

Bangladesh has been witnessing escalating political violence ahead of the February 12 election.

The parties that earlier collaborated with the interim government's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, are now embroiled in an intense power struggle to win the upcoming election.
KABUL, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Police discovered 18 kg of hashish-type illegal drug and arrested an alleged drug trafficker in eastern Khost province of Afghanistan on Tuesday, said a news release of the provincial police office on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the alleged smuggler was attempting to sell the contraband in Garbaz area, but police identified and took him into custody.

Police would hand over the drug smuggler to the judiciary after completion of preliminary investigation, the statement added. 
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Al Qaeda in the Sub-Continent (AQIS) has devised a new strategy for its India operations. While at first, it was plotting high-profile killings, the AQIS realised that the chances of such operations turning out to be a success are very low.

Intelligence agencies have learnt that the module members, during their online discussions, decided that they should be targeting the common people. They feel that such targets are easy to hit as they are not covered by any form of security, like in the case of high-profile individuals.

An official said that the AQIS has multiple modules, and each one of these has been instructed by the top leadership to carry out such operations on a large scale. The chatter that has been picked up by the Intelligence agencies suggests that the AQIS has formed several hit squads in states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. These hit squads have been instructed to carry out random killings of common people. They would then later implement the same modus operandi in other states as well, officials say.

Another official explained that the AQIS is trying to do what the Popular Front of India (PFI) was doing prior to it being banned. The PFI too had hit and death squads that targeted common people. The idea is to instil fear in the minds of the people. Killing random common people for no rhyme or reason instils fear and also spreads panic in society, and this is what the AQIS is trying to achieve.

Further, the AQIS has also been scouting for members of the PFI who are currently underground owing to the ban. The members who are part of the hit or dawah squads are in high demand. The AQIS feels that roping in these persons makes the job easy, as they are battle-ready. During their stint in the PFI, they were trained for years. The AQIS does not have to invest in their training or try to radicalise them, as they are ready to undertake the task.

The Intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on the recruitment process and would look to thwart any such attempt. While the PFI have been trying to revive itself, many feel that the task would be harder than what one would have expected. Terror outfits such as the AQIS and Islamic State are looking to seize this opportunity and recruit former PFI members, an official said.

The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) had this week busted one such module that was planning to carry out a hit job in Uttar Pradesh. The accused Faizan, who hails from Uttar Pradeshas Rampur district, had moved to Navsari and was hatching a plot to kill common people in Uttar Pradesh, the ATS said.

In addition to causing panic and fear, Faizan was also trying to spread the agenda of Al Qaeda, the ATS learnt. Faizan had also arranged for weapons and even identified targets, the ATS probe found. Officials say that in addition to targeted killings, the AQIS has also created distorted maps to be circulated as part of its propaganda material. A map titled Muslim Territories Currently Under Kuffar Occupation is in circulation.

Officials say that the AQIS has clicked pictures of random people in various states. These images are in circulation, and this is a dangerous trend that is setting in. The images are shared with the location of the people so that hitting the target becomes easier. There is no one person who has been assigned to carry out the hit job.

The AQIS says that anyone who believes in the cause and is capable of carrying out the job is free to target these common people. Counter terrorism officials have been working on over drive mode to identify these modules. It is a matter of grave concern that this terror group has embarked upon a mission to try to hit the common man. If they are successful, then the damage to society would be unprecedented, officials say.
Dhaka, Jan 28 : As the law and order situation in Bangladesh continues to deteriorate, experts warned that patronage from the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government is inciting organised mobs in the country, local media reported.

The remarks were made during a dialogue organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) titled 'Media Reform in Bangladesh: Between Freedom, Responsibility and Power', on Tuesday, which brought together senior journalists, editors, academics, political leaders, and media analysts across the country.

Expressing concerns, the speakers stated that media freedom in Bangladesh is increasingly restricted, with journalists facing insecurity, financial difficulties, and pressure from politically affiliated groups, as the leading Bangladeshi daily, The Dhaka Tribune, reported.

Recalling the December 18 attacks on the offices of media outlets, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, senior Bangladeshi journalist Nurul Kabir said either the interim government allowed the attacks or failed to prevent them.

"That was not spontaneous -- that was organised," The Daily Star quoted Kabir as saying.

He further stressed that the inability of fire services to respond during the arson attacks on the media houses demonstrated a grave breakdown of state responsibility.

CGS President Zillur Rahman, referring to attacks on Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, said that a senior editor critical of the interim government was subjected to harassment and branded a political collaborator.

"This raises serious questions about media freedom," he added, noting that a representative of the interim government at the CGS program refused to term the incidents as mob attacks.

Criticising the upcoming February 12 election, Rahman said, "There is no real vote in the country; what exists is referendum campaigning -- government campaigning through government offices, with 'Referendum 2026' above parliamentary election."

Bangladesh Media Reform Commission Chief Kamal Ahmed warned that the Yunus-led interim government's proposed Broadcast Commission Ordinance and Media Commission Ordinance may lead to serious regulatory conflicts due to overlapping powers.

Kamal slammed the interim government's haste in passing ordinances, describing the new Information Broadcasting Commission and Media Commission as "patchwork initiatives" with insufficient planning.

Meanwhile, senior Bangladeshi journalist Zahid Newaz Khan shared accounts of surveillance and pressure, drawing attention to concerns over press accreditation and reliance on advertising.

Calling for gender inclusivity, Ayesha Kabir, head of Prothom Alo English, said, "Women's participation in media must increase to build an equitable state."

Bangladesh has witnessed a surge in attacks on journalists, the rise of mob culture and a deteriorating law and order situation since the Yunus-led interim government assumed power in August 2024.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Pathanamthitta, Jan 28 : Expelled Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil was on Wednesday granted bail by a court in Pathanamthitta in connection with a rape case registered against him, offering temporary relief to the first-time MLA who has been in custody since his arrest earlier this month.

Mamkootathil was arrested at midnight on January 11 from a hotel in Palakkad, where he was staying at the time.

Following his arrest, he was remanded to judicial custody and lodged at the Mavelikkara sub-jail. Investigators had taken him to multiple locations linked to the case, including a hotel in Thiruvalla and his residence in Pathanamthitta district, as part of evidence collection.

The bail order comes days after the Thiruvalla Magistrate Court had refused him relief, dealing a significant setback to the expelled MLA. At the time, the prosecution had strongly opposed bail, describing Mamkootathil as a "habitual offender" and pointing out that he had earlier obtained temporary relief from the High Court in two similar cases.

Prosecutors had also argued that there was a strong possibility of more complaints emerging and that granting bail could influence witnesses and hamper the investigation.

The magistrate court had considered a detailed report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the allegations.

The hearing on the bail plea was held in a closed courtroom following a request by the prosecution citing the sensitive nature of the case.

Investigators had produced chat records between the accused and the complainant as part of the evidence and informed the court that procedures were underway to record the confidential statement of the woman.

The defence, however, maintained that the relationship was consensual and argued that continued incarceration was unwarranted.

It had submitted that Mamkootathil, being a former public representative, would cooperate with the investigation and posed no risk if released on bail.

The case has also triggered wider controversy, particularly on social media.

Screenshots of alleged WhatsApp chats between Mamkootathil and the complainant were made public by his friend Fenny Ninan, prompting the Pathanamthitta Cyber Police to register a case against Ninan for cyber harassment.

Another Congress worker, Renjitha Pulickal, was also taken into custody for allegedly posting content targeting the complainant.
Bhopal, Jan 28 : Leaders across party lines in Madhya Pradesh, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and former chief minister Kamal Nath, expressed grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Yadav said Pawar's life was devoted to serving the poor, the underprivileged and the backward classes. He also acknowledged Pawar's contribution to Maharashtra's development.

"He was a leader deeply connected to the people. I offer my heartfelt condolences on his untimely demise. I pray to Lord Mahakal to grant him a place at his divine feet and give strength to his grieving family to bear this immense loss," Yadav wrote on X.

State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal said the death of Ajit Pawar in the Baramati plane crash was deeply sad and painful.

"Ajit ji dedicated his entire life to public service. His passing is an irreparable loss to the political world. May God grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense sorrow," Khandelwal said in a statement.

Veteran Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath described Pawar's death as an irreparable loss to Indian politics.

"The death of Ajit Pawar is an irreparable loss to Indian politics. He dedicated his entire life to serving the people of Maharashtra. May God grant peace to his soul and give strength to his family to bear this grief," Nath said.

State Congress chief Jitu Patwari, who was in New Delhi for a meeting with the party's central leadership on Wednesday, called the news of Pawar's death extremely painful.

"I pray to God to grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family and supporters to bear this immense loss. Om Shanti," Patwari wrote on X.

Ajit Pawar, 66, was killed in a plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati district. Known affectionately as "Dada", he was a dominant figure in Maharashtra politics, noted for his administrative skills and direct speaking style.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Ahmedabad, Jan 28 : Security agencies were placed on high alert after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad received a bomb threat email on Wednesday, prompting immediate action by airport authorities and the police.

The threat led to the registration of a formal complaint at the airport police station and the tightening of security across the entire airport precinct, officials said.

According to information available, the threat email was sent from an unidentified email ID, aldurham420@gmail.com, bearing the name Amber Durham. The email was received at 11.05 a.m. on the airport's official email ID, dtm.amd@adani.com, along with other feedback addresses.

The subject line read "BOMB Blast luggage Section". The message stated that "Ahmedabad Airport is target", and contained remarks claiming that Sikhs are not Hindus while alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are enemies of Khalistan.

The email also warned of serious consequences if demands were not met. Following the receipt of the threat, the airport's Chief Security Officer and senior officials immediately responded.

Given the seriousness of the message, an emergency meeting of the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee was convened at 11.20 a.m. The meeting, which lasted for around 30 minutes, involved a detailed assessment and verification of the threat.

After evaluation, the committee categorised the email as a "non-specific" bomb threat. However, as a precautionary measure, comprehensive checks were carried out across the airport premises, including the luggage and terminal areas.

A complaint in this regard has been lodged at the airport police station by Ravikant Bhardwaj, the Landside Security Duty Manager at Ahmedabad Airport, against an unknown person. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and criminal intimidation laws.

A senior police official said efforts are underway to trace the sender of the email with the assistance of the cybercrime cell.

Earlier on January 23, at least 20 schools reported similar emails, prompting security sweeps and parent notifications, though no explosives were found. Police described those emails as hoaxes and have referred them to the cybercrime branch for investigation.
Kolkata, Jan 28 : Suspecting a conspiracy theory surrounding the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday called for a Supreme Court-supervised investigation into the plane crash that resulted in the NCP leader's death.

In light of this unfortunate incident, Mamata Banerjee has deferred her planned trip to Delhi that was set for later in the day.

Speaking to media persons on her way to Hooghly's Singur to attend a government event, CM Banerjee claimed that Ajit Pawar was likely to leave the NDA and had been planning to return to the opposition's INDIA bloc.

The Chief Minister said that she has no faith in the Central investigation agencies to conduct an impartial probe into the case; therefore, only an apex court-monitored probe will unearth the truth.

"The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister died in a plane crash this morning. I am really shocked to see the news. There is no safety and security of people of the country, even for the political leaders. I do not know what the fate of the Opposition political parties is. He was very much with the ruling party. But a few days ago, I came to know from social media that somebody from the other party gave a statement that Ajit Pawar is willing to leave the BJP-led NDA," said CM Banerjee.

The Chief Minister further said, "What happened today.... I need a proper investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court. We have trust only in the Supreme Court and no other agency. All the agencies have been totally purchased. It is a great loss for the country."

The strong statements from Mamata Banerjee came after Ajit Pawar, NCP chief and Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, died in a tragic plane crash this morning while he was flying from Mumbai to Baramati. Four others, including pilots and Ajit Pawar's security personnel, also died in the crash.

The small aircraft, which took off from Mumbai around 8 a.m., crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt 45 minutes later. According to reports, Pawar was to attend four important public meetings ahead of the local body polls.
Patna, Jan 28 : A serious allegation of misconduct has surfaced in Bihar's Darbhanga district, where a station house officer (SHO) has been accused of misbehaving with a woman doctor during a vehicle-checking drive.

Patna, Jan 28 (IANS) A serious allegation of misconduct has surfaced in Biharas Darbhanga district, where a station house officer (SHO) has been accused of misbehaving with a woman doctor during a vehicle-checking drive.

A video of the incident from the Beta police station area has gone viral on social media, triggering public outrage and raising concerns over police conduct and womenas safety.

According to the complaint, Beta police station in-charge Harender Kumar used abusive language, threatened the doctor and allegedly pushed both her and her driver during a roadside checking operation.

The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday morning when the doctor, accompanied by her granddaughter and driver, was travelling from Patna and returning home in a private vehicle.

The doctor said the car had inadvertently entered a one-way road, a minor traffic violation that could have been dealt with through a challan or other legal procedure. However, she alleged that the SHO lost his temper after arriving at the spot.

She claimed that the officer verbally abused her in public, pushed her driver and misbehaved with her when she protested.

The viral video purportedly shows the SHO shouting obscenities and behaving aggressively, further escalating the situation. The doctor also alleged that she was intimidated during the confrontation.

The incident has drawn sharp reactions, particularly as the complainant is a senior and well-known doctor in the city. Local residents said that if such behaviour can occur with an educated woman in a public place, it raises serious questions about the safety of ordinary women.

The controversy has deepened as this is not the first time SHO Harender Kumar has faced such allegations. Sources claimed he had earlier been accused of misbehaving with journalists, with complaints reaching senior officials. However, no concrete disciplinary action was taken in those cases, they alleged.

The matter has also gained political and administrative significance as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is scheduled to visit Darbhanga, and the state government has repeatedly highlighted its commitment to good governance.

The viral video has reignited debate over police accountability on the ground.

The doctor has demanded a fair and impartial inquiry and strict action against the SHO if the allegations are proved. She said her intention was not personal revenge but to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

When contacted, a senior police official said the video and the allegations were being examined and assured that appropriate action would be taken strictly in accordance with the rules after the inquiry is completed.

For now, the viral footage and the doctoras account have placed the police department under intense public scrutiny.
Mumbai, Jan 28 : Maharashtra's deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, along with four others were killed on Wednesday after his chartered plane crashed and exploded before landing at Pune's Baramati airport. The aircraft burst into flames, leaving all five people on board including the veteran NCP leader and others, dead.

The tragic demise of 66-year-old Pawar comes as grim reminder of air tragedies that happened through the years, leading to death of several noted figures including political heavyweights in aviation accidents.

Below are some noted figures and political leaders who were killed in plane crash:

Vijay Rupani (2025): Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani died in a tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. Rupani was on the London-bound flight that crashed moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 of the 242 persons on board.

General Bipin Rawat (2021): Indiaas first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, tragically died in a helicopter crash on December 8, 2021. The incident occurred near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu while he was en-route from Sulur to Wellington with his wife and 11 others.

Dorjee Khandu (2011): Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu died on April 30, 2011, when a helicopter, with him onboard, crashed in the West Kameng district of the state.

YS Reddy (2009): Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy was killed on September 2, 2009, when his Bell 430 helicopter crashed in the dense Nallamala forests due to bad weather.

O.P. Jindal (2005): Haryanaas Power Minister and steel magnate, died on March 2, 2005, when his helicopter crashed near Saharanpur due to technical failure. His death impacted both state politics and Indiaas industrial landscape.

Madhavrao Scindia (2001): Senior Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia was killed in a Cessna aircraft crash on September 30, 2001 while travelling to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh to address a public rally. The 10-seater private aircraft crashed due to poor weather conditions near Manipuri in Uttar Pradesh.

Surendra Nath (1994): The then Punjab Governor Surendra Nath and nine members of his family were killed when the government's Super-King aircraft crashed into high mountains in bad weather on July 9, 1994 in Himachal Pradesh.

Sanjay Gandhi (1980): Sanjay Gandhi, the son of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who was just 34, was killed when a small plane he was flying crashed soon after taking off from the Safdarjung airport in Delhi on June 23, 1980. Diving and looping in aerobatic manoeuvres, he lost control, and the plane crashed near Teen Murti house.
Kolkata, Jan 28 : Just hours before West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee's crucial public rally at Singur in Hooghly district on Wednesday, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari released a purported audio clip involving a local woman leader of the Trinamool Congress and a member of a Self-Help Group.

In the audio clip, the leader was allegedly heard threatening a member of the women's Self-Help Group in the area with freezing of benefits under different welfare schemes, unless they turn up at the said public rally.

IANS, however, was not in a position to verify the authenticity of the audio clip.

"There will be no excuse for absence at the meeting. If anyone remains absent, I will give her name and number to the Block Development Officer. Now, if in the future you ask me why certain work has not been done or if you are denied something, you will have to seek that explanation from the Block Development Officer," the Trinamool Congress leader was allegedly heard saying in the audio clip.

The LoP claimed that this proves that crowds are not gathering at the Chief Minister's meeting spontaneously, but because of pressure.

"People are no longer coming voluntarily to attend the Chief Minister's meeting and listen to her bombastic speeches. There is a severe shortage of spontaneous listeners, and so strict instructions have been given to the Self-Help Groups to follow orders and show up at the meeting," he said.

"Otherwise, the list of opportunities and facilities that they will be deprived of is long," Adhikari claimed.

However, on the ground, the excitement over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's rally at Singur later in the day stems from two reasons. The Chief Minister will be leaving for New Delhi immediately after her Singur rally, reportedly to garner consensus among Opposition parties against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in some states and Union Territories, including West Bengal

Second, her rally at Singur is very near to the place where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally on January 18, adding more significance to the choice of location.
Bhopal/Indore, Jan 28 : In a significant development amid the ongoing water contamination crisis in Indore, the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at its Indore bench has appointed a one-man commission to probe the tragedy in Bhagirathpura and its broader implications.

The order, issued on Tuesday by Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi, addresses multiple writ petitions filed as public interest litigations and individual complaints highlighting negligence by civic authorities that led to widespread health issues and deaths.

The court scrutinised a state-submitted death audit report, based on a committee of doctors, which attributed 16 out of 23 deaths to the contamination epidemic, deeming the rest inconclusive.

Petitioners highlighted inconsistencies in the report's reasoning, noting identical remarks for conclusive and inconclusive cases.

Emphasising the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution, which encompasses access to clean water, the court deemed an independent probe essential.

It appointed retired Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta as the commission head, with terms of reference covering the contamination's cause (sewage ingress, pipeline damage, etc.), actual death toll, disease nature, medical response adequacy, immediate and long-term reforms, official accountability, and compensation guidelines for victims, especially vulnerable groups.

The commission holds civil court powers for summoning witnesses, accessing records from government departments, hospitals, and civic bodies, ordering lab tests, and conducting site inspections. All relevant authorities, including the district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, Public Health Engineering Department, and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board, must cooperate fully. The state government is tasked with providing office space, staff, and logistics.

The bench questioned the basis, including unexplained "verbal autopsy" methods, and noted the absence of supporting records. An interim report is due within four weeks of proceedings commencing.

In addition to prior directives, the court mandated daily water quality testing and ongoing medical camps by the health department.

The matter is listed for further hearing on March 5.

The court consolidated several petitions, including one filed by Prabhat Pandey and others, which allege contamination due to sewage mixing, pipeline leaks, and failure to maintain potable water standards in Ward No 11 of the Indore Municipal Corporation.

Petitioners argued that this mismanagement resulted in an outbreak of water-borne diseases, affecting residents, particularly children and the elderly.

Media reports and photographs submitted to the court indicated severe health hazards, with claims of up to 30 deaths linked to the contaminated supply.

Recalling its earlier interim directions from January 6, the bench noted orders for immediate safe water supply via tankers, halting use of polluted sources, health camps, free treatment, and water quality testing by NABL-accredited labs.

The court had also directed pipeline repairs, online monitoring systems, chlorination protocols, and a long-term water safety plan for Indore.

Additionally, it summoned the Chief Secretary to report on statewide preventive measures.

Compliance reports from the state government and Indore Municipal Corporation claimed strict adherence, including the formation of a high-level committee to investigate causes, prevention, and accountability. However, petitioners vehemently contested these, labelling the committee an eyewash to shield negligent officials.

They cited ground-level non-compliance with water supply and medical aid directives, supported by newspaper clippings and resident interventions. Concerns were raised over potential tampering of records without an independent inquiry.
SANAA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will suspend all operations in areas of Yemen controlled by the Houthi group and terminate the contracts of 360 Yemeni employees starting March 31, multiple sources told Xinhua on Wednesday.

Sources from Yemen's internationally-recognized government and WFP staff in Sanaa confirmed that the decision was conveyed during a virtual meeting with program leadership. The suspension affects all WFP activities in the capital Sanaa and other Houthi-held provinces.

A Yemeni WFP official, speaking anonymously, cited the loss of a safe operating environment and funding constraints as key reasons behind the move. He also noted that 38 WFP employees have been detained by the Houthis for several months.

There was no immediate comment from the Houthi group regarding the suspension.

The UN has repeatedly accused the Houthis of detaining local UN staff, with some held since 2021, and has called for their immediate and unconditional release. 
Quetta, Jan 28 : Human rights activist and member of Baloch Yakjehti Committee, Beebow Baloch, stated that civilians in Balochistan are treated not as rights-bearing citizens, but as a problem to be managed, with their identities reduced to a perceived threat rather than a culture to be respected.

Alongside the "dehumanisation" of Baloch civilians, the human rights activist said there exists a brutal truth of systemic neglect by Pakistani authorities.

She stressed that the resources extracted from Balochistan fuel development elsewhere, while Baloch students disappear from their classrooms, only to be returned as mutilated bodies abandoned by the roadside.

Beebow also highlighted a "ruthless pattern" of the enforced disappearance of Baloch men by Pakistani security forces across the province.

"The pattern is chillingly familiar: unmarked vehicles, faceless agents, and the state's categorical denial of any involvement. Families are forced into endless legal labyrinths, searching for answers that rarely come. Too often, the search ends in desolation, with the discovery of a broken body in some remote wasteland, the grim signature of the 'kill and dump' policy. This is not merely murder; it is a message, a declaration of absolute disregard for human life," she mentioned.

Highlighting the atrocities, Beebow said, the "deeper horror" lies in how such abuses have become normalised with over two decades of repetition, creating what she described as a "terrifying sense of acceptance".

"What once provoked outrage is now expected. A generation has grown up knowing that a knock at the door may mean a permanent, unexplained disappearance. Courts appear unable, or unwilling, to intervene. Media attention fades. The wider public, if it notices at all, retreats behind the excuse that the situation is 'too complex.' The crime is not confronted; it is absorbed into everyday life, its brutality dulled by familiarity," she stressed.

Beebow asserted that the machinery of enforced disappearance employed by Pakistani forces is now being deliberately turned toward Baloch women, describing the shift as both "strategic and devastating".

"If men were targeted as perceived threats, women are targeted as the foundation of family, memory, and future. Their disappearance signals that all remaining boundaries have been crossed, that dehumanisation is now total. No one is safe. No line remains uncrossed," the human rights activist noted.

"This is how life bends under a slow genocide. It does not announce itself with a sudden catastrophe, but presses down relentlessly on the ordinary," she further added.

The global response to this crisis, Beebow said, has increasingly shifted from muted concern to silent acceptance, effectively amounting to complicity through inaction.

Questioning when repeated atrocities cease to shock the world, and what silence permits, Beebow said, confronting the reality of Balochistan means confronting a profound "question of conscience".
Seoul, Jan 28 : South Korea's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Wednesday reiterated the commitment to regaining wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops from Washington, vowing to accelerate efforts this year for the planned transfer.

Ahn made the remarks during a meeting with about 170 key defence ministry officials, military chiefs and related officials to review progress on the OPCON transfer push, Yonhap News Agency reported.

South Korea seeks to retake OPCON, currently held by the United States, on a conditional basis within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term ending in 2030.

"The year 2026 should mark the starting year for restoration of wartime operational control," Ahn said. "Through the OPCON transfer, our military will be equipped with an ever stronger military readiness posture based on six component commands, leading a powerful South Korea-US alliance that is unprecedented in world history."

The ministry plans to draw up a roadmap for the OPCON transfer by April, followed by verification of Seoul's Full Operational Capability (FOC) by October, before ultimately selecting the timing for the actual transfer, according to Ahn and his ministry.

Seoul seeks to determine the transfer timing after the defence ministers of South Korea and the US finally approve the verification of the FOC at their next Security Consultative Meeting in October.

FOC refers to the second part of a three-stage program to assess Seoul's capabilities to lead the allies' combined forces for the retaking of wartime control. Seoul is currently in the second phase of the assessment required for the transfer.

The defence ministry said it will hold the OPCON transfer progress assessment meeting every quarter this year, up from once a year previously, in a bid to complete the FOC verification process within this year as planned.

On January 20, South Korea's defence ministry said a special advisory committee tasked with reforming the military has called for establishing a joint operations command as South Korea pushes for a handover of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington.

The recommendation by the committee, comprising civilian, government and military officials, comes as South Korea seeks to achieve the conditions-based OPCON handover from Washington within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term ending in 2030.

"(The committee) suggested establishing a joint operations command for unifying the command structure and enhancing the completion of wartime and peacetime operational command," the ministry said in a release.

Under the plan, the envisioned command is expected to spearhead the military's operational function currently led by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The JCS will instead focus on other roles, such as establishing military strategy, building military power and dispatching military units for overseas deployment.

As part of the structural reform, the military was also advised to redefine the role and mission of the Strategic Command to ensure its strategic autonomy and underscored the need for launching a space command to respond to changes in the space security landscape and future warfare trends.

The Drone Operations Command was advised to be scrapped in consideration of overlapping features with respective functions within military branches, according to the ministry.
Amaravati, Jan 28 : The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet expressed condolences on the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on Wednesday.

As Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu informed the ministers on Ajit Pawar's plane crash at the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet expressed grief over the death of Ajit Pawar and five others in the accident. The Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect for the deceased.

Recalling his acquaintance with Ajit Pawar, Naidu said he was shocked by Ajit Pawar's death in the plane crash that occurred while he was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati and termed it an irreparable loss to Maharashtra politics.

A resolution was passed in the AP Cabinet expressing condolences on the death of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.

Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer expressed condolences over the demise of Ajit Pawar. "I am deeply saddened by the reports of the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sri Ajit Pawar and others in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra on Wednesday. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members," the Governor posted on X.

Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu condoled the death of Ajit Pawar. "Deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Shri Ajit Pawar in the plane crash in Baramati earlier today. My sincere condolences to his family, loved ones and all those affected by this loss. May his contributions to public life be remembered, and may the bereaved find strength in this difficult time," he said.

State Minister for Education and Information Technology Nara Lokesh also expressed shock over the death of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.

"Absolutely shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic and sudden passing of Shri Ajit Pawar ji in an air crash at Baramati. Heartfelt condolences to his family & loved ones. This is a colossal loss for Maharashtra and the nation. Praying for strength and peace in this moment of immense grief," Lokesh posted on X.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, on Wednesday called for an investigation into the plane crash that resulted in the deaths of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other individuals.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Kharge, when asked about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's demand for a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the accident, said that a thorough investigation was necessary, stressing that the incident did not appear natural.

"Almost all political leaders travel by air for urgent work. Corporate executives also travel frequently by air for official purposes. However, plane accidents are being reported from different places. On one hand, there was a major plane crash in Ahmedabad. This was a small aircraft, and how the accident occurred must be investigated. We will also demand a probe," Kharge said.

Condoling the deaths, Mallikarjun Kharge said the incident was deeply tragic and described Ajit Pawar's death as premature. "It has shocked us to see how a committed leader lost his life in a plane crash. His family has been struck by this tragedy and is mourning the loss. We share their grief and pray that they find the strength to cope with this irreparable loss," he said.

Ajit Pawar, one of Maharashtra's most high-profile leaders, succumbed in an inferno along with four others as the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, crashed and burst into flames while attempting to land at Baramati Airport.

The Maharashtra government declared a three-day state mourning following the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar in the devastating plane crash near Baramati.

A state funeral will be organised for the late NCP veteran, who maintained strong grassroots connections and was seen as a people's leader.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while addressing the media at his official residence Varsha, expressed deep shock and grief over the loss.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash had left him shocked and stunned and urged political leaders to be more cautious while travelling.

"The death of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar is shocking. I too was stunned when I heard the news of his demise. As politicians, we must be extremely cautious. We should be careful while travelling from place to place. We have lost many leaders in this manner," Shivakumar told reporters near his residence in Bengaluru.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a plea filed by Congress MP Karti P. Chidambaram challenging a trial court order framing charges against him in connection with the alleged Chinese visa scam case.

After briefly hearing the matter, a single-judge Bench of Justice Manoj Jain issued a notice on Chidambaramas criminal revision petition as well as on the application seeking a stay of the trial courtas proceedings.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Chidambaram, submitted that there is a complete absence of the essential ingredients required under Sections 8 and 9 of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, adding that charges under the anti-corruption law could not stand in the absence of any public servant being involved.

He further said that the trial court has framed a charge under Section 204 IPC (destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence) without any supporting material.

During the brief hearing, when Luthra sought a stay of the trial court proceedings, the Delhi High Court orally observed that it would first seek a response from the CBI before considering the prayer for interim relief.

Listing the matter for further hearing on February 12, Justice Jain recorded that the Special Public Prosecutor for the CBI appeared on advance notice and sought time to file a brief reply and status report.

Earlier, the matter had witnessed multiple recusals, with Justices Swarana Kanta Sharma, Anup Jairam Bhambhani, and Girish Kathpalia withdrawing from hearing Chidambaramas plea.

In his criminal revision petition, Chidambaram has challenged the December 23, 2025 order passed by a special CBI court, which framed charges against him for criminal conspiracy and bribing a public servant in connection with alleged irregularities in the issuance of visas to Chinese nationals in 2011.

Charges were also framed against several other accused, while accused Chetan Shrivastava was discharged.

According to the CBI, the case relates to alleged irregularities in 2011 involving the misuse of visas for Chinese nationals, in violation of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) norms.

The probe agency has alleged that visas of around 250 Chinese workers were facilitated for reuse beyond the prescribed limit during the construction of a power plant in Punjab.

The allegations centre on Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL), a company linked to the Vedanta group, which was setting up a power project in Punjabas Mansa.

The CBI has alleged that TSPL paid an illegal gratification of Rs 50 lakh to Bell Tools Limited, which was routed to Bhaskararaman, for facilitating visa approvals and renewals for Chinese nationals in excess of the permissible rules.

The agency has further claimed that the alleged gratification was paid to secure approvals from the Ministry of Home Affairs at a time when Chidambaramas father, P. Chidambaram, was serving as the Union Home Minister.
Islamabad, Jan 28 : A minor Christian girl from Pakistan's Punjab province was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam and married off, a leading human rights organisation said on Wednesday, adding that this case once again raises serious concerns about the safety of children and religious minorities across the country.

According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), the 13-year-old Christian girl -- a sixth-grade student -- from Sahiwal district in Punjab was reportedly abducted and then forced into two life-altering decisions "no child can consent to" -- a coerced religious conversion and a forced marriage.

"Her parents describe themselves as powerless and vulnerable. The mother is disabled after a leg fracture. The father is physically impaired and earns a fragile living selling eggs, doing what he can to keep the household afloat. In a home where every rupee matters and every day is already a struggle, the child's disappearance has become a nightmare that doesn't end when morning comes," the rights body stated.

Citing accounts from the family and community members, the rights body mentioned that the alleged abductor is Ali Haider, reportedly from the Muslim Jatt community in Pakistan.

After the abduction, the girl was allegedly compelled to convert to Islam and coerced into marriage with the abductor.

The VOPM said community representatives also criticised the incident, calling it "a grave violation of human rights and especially the rights of children".

The rights body stated that days have passed without meaningful progress in recovering the girl, while the family have faced repeated threats -- aimed at intimidating them and preventing them from pursuing legal action.

"It is a cruelty layered on cruelty: first, the child is taken, then the parents are told to accept it or face harm. For families already struggling with disability and poverty, fear can become a cage," the VOPM noted.

The rights body cited activists stating that "forced conversion for marriage thrives where power is unequal, where communities feel isolated, and where perpetrators believe they can act without consequence."

The VOPM called on the Pakistani authorities to rescue the child immediately, ensure her safety and well-being, safeguard the family from threats, and pursue a transparent legal process that treats the case as what it is -- an alleged crime against a minor, not a "private matter" to be buried under pressure and fear.
Mumbai, Jan 28 : Pinky Mali, a flight attendant from Worli in Mumbai, lost her life in the plane crash at Baramati in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was also on board. Her grieving father, Shivkumar Mali, on Wednesday said that his only wish was to receive his daughter's body so that he could perform her last rites.

Speaking to IANS, Shivkumar Mali said that he last spoke to his daughter a day before the tragic incident.

"Yesterday, she called me and said, 'Papa, I am going to Baramati with Ajit Pawar, and from there I will go to Nanded.' That was all we discussed yesterday. For some time, she had been travelling continuously with Ajit Pawar on his recent trips," he said.

Expressing his anguish, he added, "I have lost my daughter. I do not know what exactly happened, as I have no technical knowledge about such incidents. I am completely shattered."

Overcome with grief, Shivkumar Mali said that he was not seeking any explanations at the moment.

"I just want my daughter's body so that I can perform her last rites with dignity. That is all I wish for," he said.

Meanwhile, a team of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has departed from Delhi for Pune to investigate the deadly Baramati plane crash, in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others lost their lives.

The team will head to Baramati after landing in Pune to initiate the investigation into the tragic crash.

Five people, including Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, died in the Baramati plane crash on Wednesday morning, according to the flight details.

Apart from Deputy CM Pawar, the people onboard the plane, Learjet 45 aircraft (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR, included a personal security officer (PSO), Vidip Jadhav; a flight attendant, Pinky Mali; and two crew members -- a Pilot-in-Command (PIC), Sumit Kapur and a Second-in-Command (SIC Shambhavi Pathak.

Emergency services and senior security officials have reached the site in Baramati. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after the aircraft lost control during the landing phase.

A team of DGCA officials has arrived at the plane crash site.

Additionally, according to sources, Ajit Pawar's body was identified by the watch he was wearing at the time of his death.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police on Wednesday said the Baramati plane crash, in which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar lost his life, is being carefully investigated to determine the cause of the accident.

"The wreckage's location and condition at the crash site will be thoroughly examined and photographed to determine the speed and angle of the aircraft's impact," police officials said.

They further mentioned that a black box will be examined to determine the technical condition of the aircraft during the flight and whether it was airworthy.

"The cockpit voice recording will provide information about the pilots' conversations and decisions in the final moments," officials said, adding that all records related to the maintenance performed on the aircraft will also be reviewed.

A team of DGCA officials has arrived at the plane crash site.
Tokyo, Jan 28 : Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu Back in Yokosuka on Friday, local media reported, citing the ministry.

During the meeting, Koizumi is expected to strengthen personal ties with Ahn Gyu Back, showcasing the need for bilateral cooperation to tackle threats posed by North Korea's missile and nuclear programme and other challenges. South Korea's Defence Ministry stated that the meeting will be held at the Yokosuka base of the Maritime Self-Defence Force, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government lodged a strong protest after North Korea launched two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan. Japan's Defence Ministry stated that one of the missiles rose to an altitude of around 80 kilometres and flew about 350 kilometres.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the military spotted the missiles launched from a region in northern Pyongyang at around 3:50 pm (local time) on Tuesday. According to a Japanese government official, the missiles seem to have fallen outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Kyodo News reported.

Japan condemned North Korea for its ballistic missile launch. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi directed relevant government officials to collect information and ensure that vessels and aircraft are safe. So far, no damage has been reported from the missile launch.

Earlier this month, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visited Japan, where he held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. He told Takaichi that cooperation between the two nations is more important than ever, citing the complex international order, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

He made the remarks at the start of the talks with Takaichi, urging the two nations to take measures towards a better future. Lee said, "Amid a complex and dizzying international order, I believe that cooperation between Korea and Japan is more important than ever."

Lee said South Korea and Japan have built mutually beneficial ties over the past six decades since normalising ties and expressed hope to further develop the relationship over the next 60 years. Takaichi said she would work closely with Lee to promote regional stability, expressing hope that his visit would elevate bilateral ties.
January 28 : Siddharthnagar: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday inaugurated projects worth over 1,000 crore in Siddharthnagar. Known as the sacred land of Gautam Buddha, Siddharthnagar is now gaining recognition not only for its religious heritage but also for forging a distinct national and global identity through Kalanamak rice.

This centuries-old traditional crop is today scripting a new chapter of development by linking with modern markets under the Uttar Pradesh governments One District One Product(ODOP) initiative. Kalanamak rice has emerged as a powerful driver of farmers income growth while significantly strengthening the districts economy.

The history of Kalanamak rice is more than 2,600 years old. Its cultivation has been taking place in the Piprahwa region of Siddharthnagar since 600 BC. The same region that is deeply associated with the life of Gautam Buddha and his teachings.

According to local beliefs, when Mahatma Buddha returned to Kapilvastu after attaining enlightenment, he blessed the villagers of this region with grains of Kalanamak rice.

It is said that, associating its unique fragrance with his memories, Buddha remarked that this aroma would always remind people of him. Since then, this rice has become a symbol of religious faith and cultural heritage.

Kalanamak rice is known for its distinctive aroma and medicinal properties. Even after cooking, its aroma lasts for a long time, which sets it apart from ordinary rice. It contains iron, zinc and other nutrients, making it beneficial from a health perspective as well. Due to these qualities, it is worshipped as the prasad of Gautam Buddha and is now gaining popularity among health-conscious consumers.

The Uttar Pradesh governments ODOP scheme has played a significant role in giving Kalanamak rice a new identity. After its selection under the scheme, farmers were provided support in the form of better seeds, modern agricultural techniques, training, packaging and branding.

This encouraged the cultivation of Kalanamak rice and rapidly expanded its reach. While earlier its cultivation area was limited to only 2,642 hectares, it has now increased to 18,000 hectares. This expansion has led to higher production and a notable improvement in farmers incomes.

Due to the ODOP scheme and the continuous efforts of the district administration, Kalanamak rice is no longer confined to local and national markets. Today, it is being exported to countries such as Singapore and Thailand.

The demand for Kalanamak rice is increasing in international markets because of its background, aroma and health benefits. This is ensuring better prices for farmers of Siddharthnagar and establishing the districts identity at the global level.

For the overall development, conservation and promotion of Kalanamak rice, the Siddharthnagar district administration has been honoured with several prestigious awards at the national level.

For these efforts, the district administration has received the Prime Ministers Award 2021, the SKOCH Award 2022 (Gold), and the National One District One Product Award 2024.

These honours not only recognise administrative efforts but also demonstrate that when traditional products are guided in the right direction, they can achieve global recognition.

Overall, through ODOP, Kalanamak rice has today become a successful story of heritage to development. It is emerging as a strong foundation for farmers' prosperity, employment generation and the districts global identity.
Bengaluru, Jan 28 : Karnataka Minister for Women and Child Welfare Laxmi Hebbalkar on Wednesday appealed to the public to play a proactive role in preventing crimes against children and stated that the state government is committed to ensuring their safety.

Her comments came in response to BJP MLA Y. Bharat Shetty raising concern over the increase in cases of kidnapping and sexual abuse of children in the State and urging the government to initiate effective measures to curb the menace. ,

Bharat Shetty raised the issue in the State Assembly on Wednesday during the Question and Answer session.

After receiving a written reply from the minister concerned, the MLA said, "I sought details regarding cases of physical and sexual abuse against children. The minister has given a two-page reply explaining the laws and the preventive steps being taken. However, there are serious issues in the implementation of these laws."

"The problem is that every year, irrespective of the government in power, cases of kidnapping and sexual abuse are increasing by 70 to 75 per cent. Several rules exist, including provisions to create bodies at the grassroots level in gram panchayats and local bodies to prevent such crimes. The government has ordered the implementation of the Child Protection Policy. Despite all this, the crime rate is not coming down," he said.

"What we are witnessing is a steady increase in crimes every year. While there is a child helpline, information about predators, those arrested and convicted, and repeat offenders must be compiled, as cases of kidnapping and sexual abuse of children continue to rise," he added.

"These issues sometimes take a communal turn as well. The Devadasi system has been dealt with efficiently by officials under successive governments. However, in religious institutions where there is single-person supervision, incidents of child abuse and sexual exploitation are increasing," he noted.

"For example, in madrasas. I am not saying this with prejudice. This should not be viewed from a religious angle. As a society, we must raise our voices. The minister's reply is not effective," he opined.

Replying to the concerns, Minister Hebbalkar said, "We have provided a comprehensive reply to the legislator. He claims that despite laws and helplines to prevent atrocities against children and women, crimes are increasing. As he himself stated, this issue should not be given a communal colour. Action must be initiated against criminals irrespective of their background."

"Regarding effective prevention, I would like to say that while elected representatives have responsibilities, every citizen of society also has a role to play. We are conducting extensive awareness campaigns in schools, hostels, and public places. Helplines are being publicised, awareness about the POCSO Act is being created, and street plays are being organised to reach out to people," she said.

"For the past one-and-a-half months, radio has also been used to disseminate information on this issue," she added.

Speaker U.T. Khader intervened and asked the minister what further steps could be taken to strengthen preventive measures to stop crimes against children, adding that the suggestions made by the legislator could be considered and discussed.

Responding, Minister Hebbalkar said, "On November 28, 2025, the government formed the Akka Force, which is now operational in all 31 districts. Its primary objective is to prevent crimes against children and women. The force visits schools and religious institutions. I would like to inform the public that the child helpline '1098' is available round the clock. The Akka Force helpline is 181, and the police department helpline is 112. The public should keep these numbers handy."

"The Akka Force conducts patrolling for 12 hours every day and comprises only women personnel. Parents, children, and the public should contact the Akka Force in case of any issues. Crimes do not happen suddenly; there are warning signs and background factors. Victims should approach us, and their information will be kept confidential," she said.

She further stated that a committee comprising officials from seven departments has been formed at the gram panchayat level to deal with such issues, and that the government would intensify its efforts.

Bharat Shetty suggested that CCTV cameras should be made mandatory in all schools and that institutions managed by a single individual should have a second supervisor, preferably a woman. He warned that despite the Akka Force, cases of child kidnapping are on the rise, and stressed that failure to prevent such crimes would undermine the very idea of a civil society.

Speaker U.T. Khader complimented MLA Y. Bharat Shetty for offering constructive suggestions.
BAGHDAD, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday rebuffed the "blatant U.S. interference" in Iraq's internal affairs, describing it "a violation of Iraqi sovereignty."

Iraq's Coordination Framework, an umbrella alliance of Shiite parties and the largest parliamentary bloc, announced Saturday the official nomination of al-Maliki for a third term to head the country's next government.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday that the United States would "no longer help Iraq" if al-Maliki returns to power. 
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Union Health Minister and Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha J.P. Nadda on Wednesday strongly condemned what he described as the "utterly reprehensible" behaviour of the opposition, led by Congress, during President Droupadi Murmu's address in Parliament.

New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) Union Health Minister and Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha J.P. Nadda on Wednesday strongly condemned what he described as the "utterly reprehensible" behaviour of the opposition, led by Congress, during President Droupadi Murmu's address in Parliament.

The opposition parties staged a protest inside Parliament over the alleged scrapping of the MGNREGA scheme while the President was addressing a joint sitting of both Houses.

As President Murmu spoke about the newly introduced Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law, the opposition leaders stood up and raised slogans in protest, disrupting the proceedings.

Reacting sharply, Nadda said, "With the address by President Droupadi Murmu, the Budget Session of Parliament began today. However, the way the leaders of the Congress party and other opposition leaders once again completely disregarded parliamentary decorum today is utterly reprehensible."

President Murmu, while highlighting the nationwide celebrations marking 150 years of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's immortal composition Vande Mataram, paid tribute to the inspiration it continues to provide, and also congratulated Parliamentarians for holding a special discussion on the occasion.

Nadda further said that when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament in a joint session and was talking about the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, paying homage to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's contributions, the "anarchic Congress and the INDIA bloc created a ruckus and started shouting slogans."

Nadda accused the opposition of showing disrespect to national symbols and cultural icons.

"While shouting these slogans, they insulted the Vande Mataram song and also insulted the revered sage Bankim Babu. The entire country witnessed this scene. I don't understand why the Congress and the INDIA bloc have so much hatred for Vande Mataram, Bankim Babu, and the land of West Bengal," he said.

The Rajya Sabha Leader of House also expressed surprise at the participation of the Trinamool Congress in the protest.

"Surprisingly, the Trinamool Congress was also a part of the opposition's disruption. The way these people have hurt the dignity of Parliament is highly condemnable. No amount of condemnation or censure is enough. These people should apologise to Parliament and the country," Nadda added.

The Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, was passed by Parliament in December last year. It replaces MGNREGA (2005) to boost rural development, according to the government.

Key updates in this Act include raising guaranteed annual employment from 100 to 125 days per household, establishing a 60:40 Centre-state funding, and focusing on infrastructure to fulfil the resolution of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Jammu, Jan 28 : J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference President and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday expressed grief and shock over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash.

The Chief Minister expressed grief over Ajit Pawar's untimely death on X.

"Shocked to hear about the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar Sb. I've known Ajit da since my days in college in Bombay when I stayed with Sharad Pawar Sb & his family at Varsha. Ajit da was an able administrator and a consummate political organiser whose loss will be greatly felt. I join my father in sending our condolences to Sharad Pawar Sb, Supriya & the entire family", he wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Farooq Abdullah termed the news "heartbreaking". "He was a great son of Maharashtra who sincerely tried to change the destiny of the state. His passing away in the plane crash left me deeply saddened," he told reporters here.

He said the contribution of the deceased politician will never be forgotten.

aToday India has lost one of its great sons. No one has power over the will of Allah. He was on his way to Pune for election preparations, but fate did not favour him. His death is not only an irreparable loss to the entire Pawar family but for the entire nation," the Chief Minister said.

Expressing condolences with Sharad Pawar and other members of the family, Abdullah prayed for the peace of the departed soul and sought strength for the family to bear his loss.

Pawar, 66, and four others were killed when a private aircraft carrying them crashed while trying to make an emergency landing near his hometown, Baramati, in Pune district on Wednesday morning. The Nationalist Congress Party leader was heading from Mumbai to Baramati, where he was scheduled to address rallies for the February 5 zilla parishad polls, when the incident took place.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Bengaluru, Jan 28 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President, D.K. Shivakumar, stated on Wednesday that the Opposition is deliberately exaggerating the issue and the Minister for Excise has no connection with the excise controversy being kicked up in the state.

Responding to questions on the Opposition demanding the resignation of Minister for Excise R.B. Timmapur, Shivakumar said on Wednesday, "In my view, R.B. Timmapur has no connection whatsoever with the controversy. The Opposition is deliberately exaggerating the issue. I will discuss the matter in detail with the Chief Minister and then respond. A political conspiracy is underway."

The BJP leaders are raising the issue in the Assembly today under Rule 69 and it is likely to create high drama.

The Karnataka BJP on Tuesday sought a probe by a sitting High Court judge or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into what it alleged was an excise scam in the state.

Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra said the BJP and JD(S) were jointly staging a protest against what he alleged was a 'corrupt and immoral' state government near the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Vidhana Soudha.

He said the protest was being held in the presence of Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, JD(S) leaders Suresh Babu and Bhojegowda, along with MLAs and MLCs from both parties.

Vijayendra claimed the name of the Excise Minister himself was being mentioned in the purported excise scam and "despite this, the Chief Minister is not allowing a discussion on the issue in the House."

Vijayendra further alleged that it had become impossible for officials to get postings in the Excise Department without paying crores of rupees as bribes. "As a result, the government has allowed liquor sales even in rural grocery shops and permitted illegal liquor sales. This is how the government is filling its coffers. Karnataka has never seen such a shameless and disgraceful government in its history," he said.

Responding to the BJP staging a protest and demanding his resignation, Timmapur on Tuesday said he would not resign and would issue a clarification on the floor of the House.

He said, "I will not resign. Let the BJP raise the matter during the session. I will answer the charges and also provide clarifications."

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Reacting to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks suspecting a conspiracy behind the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash, BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva on Wednesday criticised her statement, questioning how far she was willing to 'stoop low' in politics. Mamata Banerjee had called for a Supreme Court-supervised investigation into the plane crash that claimed the life of the senior NCP leader.

Speaking to IANS, Virendra Sachdeva said that such statements at a time of grief were highly inappropriate.

"The way Mamata Banerjee's statements are coming out, I believe she should introspect about how far she wants to stoop low in politics and what kind of remarks she wishes to make. At least during a moment of mourning, turning such a tragic incident into a political issue reflects poorly. Some people seem capable of finding politics even in the most sorrowful situations," he said.

Sachdeva further expressed deep sorrow over the death of Ajit Pawar and termed it a major loss for Maharashtra and Indian politics.

"This is a very sad and unfortunate situation for Indian politics, especially for Maharashtra. Ajit Dada was a very popular leader and had served the state with dedication. He was also the Chief Minister of Maharashtra," he said.

Calling the loss irreparable, Sachdeva added, "It is a huge loss for Maharashtra. I pray to God to give strength to Ajit Pawar's family to bear this profound loss during this difficult time."

Meanwhile, speaking to media persons on her way to Hooghly's Singur to attend a government event, CM Banerjee claimed that Ajit Pawar was likely to leave the NDA and had been planning to return to the Opposition's INDIA bloc.

The Chief Minister said that she has no faith in the Central investigation agencies to conduct an impartial probe into the case, therefore, only an apex court-monitored probe will unearth the truth.

"The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister died in a plane crash this morning. I am really shocked to see the news. There is no safety and security of people of the country, even for political leaders. I do not know what the fate of the Opposition political parties is. He was very much with the ruling party. But a few days ago, I came to know from social media that somebody from the other party gave a statement that Ajit Pawar is willing to leave the BJP-led NDA," said CM Banerjee.

The Chief Minister further said, "What happened today.... I need a proper investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court. We have trust only in the Supreme Court and no other agency. All the agencies have been totally purchased. It is a great loss for the country."
Jaipur, Jan 28 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma departed for New Delhi on Wednesday at around 2:30 p.m. to hold a series of important meetings with senior Union Ministers aimed at accelerating development initiatives and strengthening the state's infrastructure and public welfare systems.

During his visit, the Chief Minister is scheduled to meet the Union Health Minister and former BJP President J.P. Nadda.

The discussions will primarily focus on issues related to Rajasthan under the National Health Mission along with a comprehensive review of ongoing and proposed initiatives in the health sector.

Key areas likely to be discussed include expansion of healthcare infrastructure, strengthening primary and secondary healthcare services, availability of medical personnel, and improved implementation of central health schemes in the state.

The meeting is expected to play a crucial role in securing enhanced central support for Rajasthan's healthcare programmes and ensuring better health services for people across urban and rural areas.

Chief Minister Sharma will also meet Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Manohar Lal, to deliberate on a wide range of issues related to urban development and the energy sector.

The agenda includes discussions on urban infrastructure projects, housing schemes, smart city initiatives, and the progress of metro rail projects in the state.

Energy-related matters, including power generation, transmission, renewable energy expansion, and strengthening of the power distribution network, will also be taken up.

Officials said that Rajasthan has been receiving significant benefits from the Chief Minister's regular engagements with the Union government, resulting in faster approvals and better coordination for development projects.

These visits have helped align state priorities with central policies, ensuring effective implementation of schemes at the grassroots level.

Chief Minister Sharma has consistently emphasised that no region of Rajasthan should remain untouched by development.

His vision focuses on balanced growth, improved civic amenities, robust healthcare facilities, and sustainable urban and rural development.

According to sources, new dimensions of development are being established across the state as a result of Chief Minister Sharma's proactive approach and sustained efforts.

The Delhi visit is expected to further strengthen Rajasthan's development roadmap and pave the way for accelerated progress in key sectors.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) a last opportunity to file its rejoinder in its appeal seeking the death penalty for Yasin Malik, the Kashmiri separatist leader and chief of the banned JKLF, who is serving a life sentence in a terror-funding case.

A Division Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja allowed four weeks' time to the anti-terror agency to place its rejoinder on record and listed the matter for further hearing on April 22.

During the hearing, the NIA's Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) asked for more time to file the rejoinder to Malik's reply, explaining that the document was still under vetting. Opposing the request, Yasin Malik, who appeared through video conferencing from Tihar Jail and represented himself, remarked that the NIA had been seeking adjournments on every date.

In response, the SPP said the contention was factually incorrect and that Malik had taken over a year to file his reply to the NIA's appeal. He further said the reply was lengthy and dealt with issues not directly related to the case.

"This might not be factually correct. We filed the petition, the respondent (Malik) took over a year to file a reply. Only on the last date, that's one occasion till now, we had sought time because it was a very longish reply. Rejoinder has gone for vetting. Lordship may give me two or three weeks," the NIA's SPP submitted.

After hearing the submissions, the Justice Chawla-led Bench ordered: "Counsel for appellant (NIA) is granted four weeks further time as the last opportunity to file rejoinder. List on April 22."

The NIA had earlier sought time to respond to Malik's reply, stating that it was lengthy and under consideration, while Malik had pressed for an early date, contending that the matter had been pending for nearly three years.

In its appeal, the anti-terror agency has challenged the trial court's 2022 judgment that sentenced Malik to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC. Appealing against the sentence, the NIA emphasised that a terrorist cannot be sentenced to a life term only because he has pleaded guilty and chosen not to go through trial.

While seeking enhancement of the sentence to the death penalty, the NIA said if such dreaded terrorists are not given capital punishment on account of pleading guilty, there would be complete erosion of the sentencing policy, and terrorists would have a way out to avoid capital punishment.

The trial court, which rejected the NIA's plea for the death penalty, had said the crimes committed by Malik struck at the "heart of the idea of India" and were intended to forcefully secede Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India.

Malik, who declined to appoint a lawyer and chose to argue the case himself, has been appearing virtually following an August 2024 court order that barred his physical presence due to security threats.
Washington, Jan 28 : The Washington State Senate has passed a resolution honouring India's 77th Republic Day, citing India's democratic traditions and the contributions of the Indian-American community.

The resolution, Senate Resolution No. 8674, was adopted in Olympia with bipartisan support. It recognised India's strong democratic legacy and noted the growing ties between India and Washington state. It also highlighted agriculture, trade, technology, and critical and emerging technologies as shared priorities.

The measure was proposed by Indian American State Senator Manka Dhingra of the 45th Legislative District. It was supported by State Senator Vandana Slatter of the 48th Legislative District. All senators present voted in favour.

To mark the adoption of the resolution, the Consulate General of India (CGI) hosted a reception at the Washington State Capitol. Several state senators, members of the House of Representatives, and other dignitaries attended. Cultural performances were also held at the Capitol.

Several states in the US Northwest also issued proclamations honoring India's Republic Day. These included Alaska, Nebraska, Washington, Oregon, and South Dakota.

Governors and other regional leaders sent messages to mark the occasion. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte acknowledged the "contributions of the Indian and Indian American community" to Montana's cultural, educational, and economic life. He said their commitment to innovation and learning enriches the state's society.

South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden said, "Congratulations on the 77 years of the Republic of India. I am confident that the United States and India will continue to build an even stronger relationship."

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen spoke of the "shared values" between India and Nebraska. He pointed to collaboration in trade, technology, agriculture, and culture.

Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, highlighted India's global impact. "Indian innovation is serving people at scale, not just in India, but across the global south. That's true in health, in agriculture, in digital public infrastructure, and in new technologies like AI," he said.

US Representative Kim Schrier of Washington's 8th Congressional District also sent greetings. "On behalf of the people of Washington, I wish all of you a happy Republic Day as bright as your tricolour flag and as meaningful as the values and freedoms that your democracy represents," she said. "May the friendship between our peoples continue to grow ever stronger in the years ahead."

The Consulate hosted two events in Seattle on January 26 as part of the celebrations. In the morning, the Consul General unfurled the Indian tricolor atop the Federal Reserve building in downtown Seattle. He read excerpts from the President of India's address.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson attended the ceremony. A 30-member delegation from Montana also joined as guests of honour. The programme included patriotic poems and a traditional Kuchipudi dance performance.

Later in the evening, a reception was held at the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle. Washington state leaders, technology executives, and Indian American community leaders attended.

During the reception, six recently elected Indian American city council members from Washington state were recognised. They were honoured for their public service and for strengthening Indian American representation in local government.

Guests also viewed cultural displays under the One District One Product initiative. Items from all 28 Indian states were exhibited during the event.

Earlier in the day, the Consulate also inaugurated the newly co-located offices of the Indian Consular Application Centre. The offices are housed in the Federal Reserve building. The co-location is expected to improve efficiency and provide a single location for consular services.
January 28 : Siddharthnagar: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday inaugurated the five-day Siddharthnagar Mahotsav and launched a major development push in the district by inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for 229 projects worth 1,052 crore. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said, The government has accelerated development by treating the states 25 crore people as one family.

He remarked that a negative mindset had once weakened the region, but through determination and collective effort, it has now emerged from an era of unrest into an atmosphere of celebration.

The Chief Minister lauded the Saraswati Vandana presented by teachers of the Basic Education Council, stating that when such values are instilled in children, they grow into torchbearers of a developed India. On the occasion, two women entrepreneurs who achieved success through government schemes also shared their inspiring journeys with the Chief Minister on stage.

CM Yogi said, Development schemes in the district are being implemented based on proposals and sustained efforts of public representatives, with the government acting as a facilitator by providing funds without discrimination. Reiterating the vision of inclusive governance, he emphasized that development has progressed by considering the entire population as one family. He thanked Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey and SP MLA Sayeda Khatoon for attending the event.

The Chief Minister said, Life is meant for enthusiasm, positivity, and collective effort, not despair or division. Development, he asserted, cannot take place by dividing society. He added, There should be no discrimination based on caste, religion, region, or language; instead, progress must be driven by inclusiveness and sustainability. He described such efforts as a reflection of the ideals of Ram Rajya, where development reaches every village and benefits the poor, farmers, women, and youth.

CM Yogi highlighted that welfare schemes such as free ration, toilets, housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and Ayushman Bharat cards are being delivered to every eligible beneficiary without discrimination, guided by the principle of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. He also spoke about the benefits of the Viksit Bharat Ji Ram Ji initiative.

Reflecting on the transformation of Siddharthnagar, the Chief Minister said, 810 years ago, the presence of a medical college here was unimaginable. Today, Madhav Prasad Tripathi Medical College is operational, a nursing college has been established, the foundation stone for a womens hostel has been laid, and work has begun on a 1,000-seat auditorium through CSR funds. Once classified as an aspirational district due to a lack of infrastructure, disease, and migration, Siddharthnagar has now entered a new phase of development.

CM Yogi recalled that eastern Uttar Pradesh had long suffered due to neglect, disease, and criminal elements, with encephalitis claiming the lives of children from poor, Dalit, minority, and backward communities. Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government resolved in 2017 to eliminate encephalitis entirely.

He added, Through the dedicated efforts of the double-engine government, a disease that had plagued the region for decades was eradicated in a short span. Today, no child dies from encephalitis, he said, adding that these children were not vote banks but valued members of the states family, and protecting them was the governments foremost responsibility.

The Chief Minister also referred to the historical significance of the region, noting that relics of Lord Buddha taken from Piprahwa over a century ago were recently traced during an auction abroad following the efforts of the local MP and the state government.

He added, A Vipassana center is now being developed in Kapilavastu, along with dormitories and other facilities.

Emphasizing improved connectivity, CM Yogi said, Interstate and international road networks, including four-lane highways, are being strengthened. Siddharthnagar is also being connected through upgraded highways and rail routes, while the GorakhpurShamli Economic Corridor passing through Itwa, Dumariyaganj, and Bansi is poised to emerge as a new engine of growth for the district.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, The very word 'Mahotsav' reflects grandeur and celebration. He noted that human beings, the greatest creation of God, inherently possess a sense of dignity, security, and self-respect. This inner strength inspires individuals to think positively, act constructively, and move forward with initiative, which ultimately leads to positive outcomes.

Referring to the historical significance of the region, the Chief Minister said, The district derives its name from Prince Siddhartha, whose kingdom was Kapilavastu. In his quest for knowledge and the truth of life, Prince Siddhartha renounced worldly attachments, undertook intense penance in Gaya, attained enlightenment, and delivered his first sermon at Sarnath. He spent the maximum number of Chaturmas in Shravasti, further highlighting the regions spiritual legacy.

Referring to the Mahotsavs theme song Buddham Sharanam Gacchami, CM Yogi said, Seeking refuge in Dharma requires wisdom and discernment.

He explained that when power falls into destructive hands, it leads to devastation, but when guided by righteous intent, it becomes a force for positive transformation in peoples lives.

He added, The double-engine government is working with this very spirit, emphasizing that governance is not an act of favor but a responsibility entrusted by the people. Power, he said, must always be exercised for public welfare without discrimination, and when intentions are noble, divine grace also supports such efforts.

The Chief Minister cited the success stories of two women entrepreneurs who shared the stage with him, describing them as exemplary models of women-led entrepreneurship. He praised Siddharthnagars performance under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative and the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), noting that the district is home to ponds that are 2,500 to 3,000 years old and emphasizing the need for their rejuvenation.

CM Yogi suggested that prior to the main mahotsav, competitions should be organized at grassroots levels, including gram panchayats, nyaya panchayats, wards, area panchayats, tehsils, and assembly constituencies. Outstanding performers should then be given a platform at the main mahotsav and suitably rewarded. He said, Artists, progressive farmers, sportspersons, innovative youth, laborers, women entrepreneurs, and other change-makers should all be actively connected to this initiative.

Highlighting opportunities for farmers, the Chief Minister shared his experience from a visit to central Uttar Pradesh last May, where farmers were cultivating a third crop of maize after two earlier crops. Farmers from districts such as Auraiya, Etah, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, and Hardoi reported earning an additional income of nearly 1 lakh per acre from the third crop.

CM Yogi assured local farmers that they would receive the Minimum Support Price for their produce, while emphasizing that value addition through food processing could generate significantly higher returns. He encouraged farmers to submit proposals for food processing units, assuring them of government subsidies and support.

Several dignitaries were present on the occasion, including Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey, Minister-in-charge Anil Rajbhar, Dumariyaganj MP Jagdambika Pal, MLAs Shyamdhani Rahi and Sayyada Khatoon, MLC Dhruv Kumar Tripathi, District Panchayat Chairperson Sheetal Singh, former minister Satish Dwivedi, former MLA Raghavendra Pratap Singh, Vice Chairman of the Cow Service Commission Mahesh Shukla, BJP District President Kanhaiya Paswan, Naugarh Municipal Chairperson Govind Madhav, Sanjay Singh, former District Panchayat Chairperson Sadhana Chaudhary, Narendra Mani Tripathi, Lalji Tripathi, Ramesh Gupta, Ram Kumar Kunwar, and others.

Inset

CM Yogi expresses grief over Ajit Pawars demise

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. He paid tribute to the departed leader and extended heartfelt condolences to his family. The Chief Minister also expressed condolences to the families of other victims who lost their lives in the tragic accident.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), acting as India's National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL, has successfully coordinated the deportation of three INTERPOL Red Notice subjects from India to Malaysia, an official statement said on Wednesday.

New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), acting as Indiaas National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL, has successfully coordinated the deportation of three INTERPOL Red Notice subjects from India to Malaysia, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Those who have been deported include Sridharan Subramaniam, Pratifkumar Selvaraj and Navindren Raj Cumarason.

The deportation was carried out on Tuesday, January 27, through established INTERPOL cooperation mechanisms in close coordination with NCB-Kuala Lumpur.

The Malaysian authorities wanted these three individuals in connection with offences related to organised criminal activities, allegedly committed with common intent to carry out serious crimes aimed at obtaining material benefit, power, or influence.

According to the statement, NCB-Kuala Lumpur informed NCB-New Delhi that the Red Notice subjects were denied entry into India by immigration authorities upon their arrival from the United Kingdom at Mumbai International Airport.

Following this, Malaysian authorities formally sought Indiaas assistance to facilitate their deportation to Malaysia for further legal proceedings.

Acting on the request, an escort team from the Royal Malaysia Police arrived in Mumbai on January 25. With coordination and facilitation provided by NCB-New Delhi, along with the support of Indian immigration and other concerned agencies, the Malaysian escort team safely escorted the three accused back to Malaysia.

The CBI said the smooth execution of the operation highlights the robust bilateral cooperation between India and Malaysia in the field of law enforcement and demonstrates the effectiveness of INTERPOL channels in tackling transnational and organised crime.

The agency further noted that INTERPOL Red Notices remain a crucial instrument for international police cooperation, enabling law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate, detain, and facilitate the lawful return of fugitives, strictly in accordance with national laws and due process.
Kolkata, Jan 28 : Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday intensified her attack against the BJP and the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and alleged that a conspiracy to implement National Register of Citizens (NRC) was being hatched under the guise of SIR. Demanding accountability from the Centre on this matter, Chief Minister Banerjee warned that she would move court as an individual if necessary.

She claimed that about 140 people have fallen victim to this conspiracy.

"If you snatch people's voting rights then I will not keep quiet. If needed, then I will go to the court and contest them. If permission is granted, then I will fight for the rights of the people, not as a lawyer but as a common citizen. I have all the documents (related to SIR) and evidence. I have kept them safe. They have shown living persons as dead in the voters list," CM Banerjee said while addressing a public meeting in Hooghly's Singur.

On the same issue, CM Banerjee attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "They come to Singur and say 'I will do this for Bengal,' reading from a teleprompter. For four years, they haven't given money for housing projects in Bengal. They haven't given money for construction of roads."

"Don't take it personally. I ask the Home Minister, what is your wife's title? The women of Bengal get married and go to their in-laws' house. Their surnames get changed. Does that mean they will be put under a scanner? Put me in jail or shoot me. I don't care. If you put me in jail, the mothers and sisters will respond. The farmers will respond," said CM Banerjee.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that Singur is her favourite place in West Bengal and asserted that both industries and agriculture would go on simultaneously. "Singur is my favourite place; I have spent a long time on this land. I had promised to return the farmers' land, and I have done so. The soil of Singur brought me victory," she said.

At the same time, CM Banerjee announced that an 'agro-industrial park' would be built on 8 acres of land in Singur, where agriculture and industry would operate together. "Online sellers Amazon and Flipkart are building large warehouses in Singur. A private industrial park will be built on 77 acres of land," she said.

Meanwhile, remembering the kin of the victims in the Anandapur warehouses fire incident, CM Banerjee announced jobs for the family members of the deceased.

"Recently, some of our friends died while working for a private company. I sent Bobby and Aroop there. We are giving Rs 10 lakh each as compensation to the families of the deceased. The Momo company and the decorators' company are giving Rs 5 lakh each. I have instructed the police to provide a job to one member of each family of the deceased. They will be given jobs as civic volunteers," said CM Banerjee.
MOSCOW, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Two Russian sailors from the seized Marinera oil tanker have been released and are on their way back to Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

"Two Russian sailors have been released and are on their way back to Russia," Zakharova said in response to a question about the Marinera tanker.

The seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera tanker by U.S. military personnel constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international maritime law, the Russian foreign ministry said in early January.

On Jan. 7, the U.S. European Command said it has seized an empty oil tanker linked with Venezuela and registered as a Russian vessel in the North Atlantic. 
Islamabad, Jan 28 : A rising number of people are being accused of blasphemy for digital crimes in Pakistan with the rights groups terming it as a type of "blasphemy business", in which fabricated evidence, digitally doctored screenshots, or false witness statements are used to initiate police complaints, a report has detailed.

In December, the Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi Bench acquitted six people who had been sentenced to either life imprisonment or death in a digital blasphemy case. The court found that prosecution did not establish any credible connection between the accused and the alleged online material, Niala Mohammad, Director of Research for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate and Cecil Shane Chaudhry, the South Asia Deputy Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide wrote in a report in Centre for the Study of Organised Hate.

In its observations, the court mentioned about increasing "blasphemy businesses," noting the growing use of fabricated or unverified digital content to implicate people in capital offences. The targetted people, mostly from religious minority or low-income communities, are pressurised to pay intermediaries to avoid prosecution, quash cases or hold talks with complainants and clerical authorities. This marks a shift from opportunistic blasphemy accusations to systematic entrapment operations conducted by organised crime networks that use these provisions for extortion.

A Centre for the Study of Organised Hate report stated, "Pakistan's blasphemy laws, especially Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which mandates a death sentence for insulting the Prophet Muhammad, along with other perceived offences, have produced a high-risk environment where even an unsubstantiated allegation can result in arrest, mob violence, or extrajudicial killing."

"At least 104 people have been killed extrajudicially following blasphemy allegations between 1994 and 2024. In this climate, the business of blasphemy thrives, and the allegation itself holds such destructive power that it becomes a tool through which lives can be threatened, upended, or permanently altered," it added.

Rights groups and victim advocates highlight the involvement of actors with ties to religious groups and in some cases, complicity from individuals within the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). FIA officers have allegedly lodged complaints without forensic verification, accepted screenshots at face value, or acted on anonymous digital tips. Private online vigilante groups with connection to extremist groups like the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) are at the forefront of prosecuting online blasphemy cases, the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate report stated.

Pakistan's FIA Cyber Crime Wing charges hundreds of young and vulnerable people with blasphemy based on social media content. "In the case of Shagufta Kiran, the Christian mother of four from Islamabad was arrested in 2021 after unknowingly forwarding a WhatsApp message that contained sexually explicit material overlaid with religious text. The arrest was carried out under both Section 295 C and Section 11 of the Pakistan Electronic and Cybercrime Act of 2016, which deals with hate speech and glorification of offences," it added.

"Soon after, Kiran was threatened by a man who demanded money and threatened her to convert to Islam. When she and her family refused, FIA agents raided her home and detained her children. In September 2024, following a protracted three-year trial, a court sentenced her to death after concluding that she had shared offensive content about Islam, despite her consistent denial and the lack of clarity around how the message reached her phone. She is currently on death row awaiting appeal," the report mentioned further.

Kiran's case showcases criminal coordination and exposes the permeability of state institutions. The existence of these networks demonstrates the weakness of investigative safeguards and the potency of blasphemy allegations as tools of intimidation. Religious minorities in Pakistan are particularly vulnerable, with Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus, Sikhs, and Shia Muslims face both legal discrimination and societal hostility, which make them prime targets.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has confirmed that he will make an official visit to India in February, after which he will travel to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump.

Lula said in a post on X that he spoke to President Trump by telephone and the two leaders agreed on a meeting in Washington after his visits to India and South Korea in February, with dates to be finalised soon.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a telephone call from the Brazilian President, and the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership and take it to even greater heights in the year ahead.

In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry said that the two leaders had noted with satisfaction the significant progress achieved across diverse areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties.

The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They also underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges. Prime Minister Modi conveyed that he looked forward to welcoming President Lula to India at an early date.

PM Modi visited Brazil in July last year. The two leaders discussed cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, defence and security, health and pharmaceuticals, space, renewable energy, agriculture and food processing, energy security, infrastructure development, digital public infrastructure and UPI, traditional medicine, yoga, sporting links, culture and people-to-people ties.

They discussed strengthening bilateral trade, including the expansion of the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement. The leaders set a target to increase bilateral trade to $20 billion over the next five years. Taking stock of the ongoing cooperation in the energy sector, the two leaders agreed to explore investment opportunities, as there exists immense potential in the hydrocarbon as well as renewable energy sectors in both countries.

They also explored avenues for collaboration in the new areas of cooperation, such as critical minerals, new and emerging technologies, AI and supercomputers, digital collaboration and mobility.

Besides, the Prime Minister thanked Brazil for its solidarity and support extended to India in the aftermath of the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Lithuania's Ambassador to India, Diana Mickeviciene, has described the proposed European Union-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a "historic" and transformative pact, calling it the "mother of all deals" for its scale, scope and geopolitical significance.

New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) Lithuania's Ambassador to India, Diana Mickeviciene, has described the proposed European UnionIndia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a "historic" and transformative pact, calling it the "mother of all deals" for its scale, scope and geopolitical significance.

Speaking to IANS in an exclusive interview Diana Mickeviciene expressed strong enthusiasm on behalf of Lithuania and the wider EU. She said the agreement goes far beyond a conventional trade arrangement.

"This is an agreement between the two largest trading blocs in the world and between two democracies," she noted, adding that it offers a blueprint for how democratic nations can shape trade relations in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

According to Diana Mickeviciene, the greatest excitement surrounding the FTA lies in the vast opportunities it will unlock for businesses on both sides. She underlined that India is already playing a meaningful role in global supply chain diversification, but the agreement could significantly amplify that role.

With the EU being a major pillar of global supply chains, closer economic integration with India is strategically important, she said, particularly as India continues to expand its network of FTAs.

Calling the EUIndia FTA unprecedented in terms of both size and openness, Diana Mickeviciene said India has "come a long way" in its trade engagement, and the future of EUIndia economic ties looks highly promising.

Highlighting the benefits for Lithuania, she pointed out that despite being a smaller economy, the country has experienced strong growth over the past two decades by being part of the EU's common economic area and free trade framework. Partnering with a major economy like India, she said, would further enhance these gains.

Currently, bilateral trade between Lithuania and India stands at around 400 million annually when goods and services are combined, a figure the ambassador said is well below its true potential. These sectors fall squarely within the scope of the proposed FTA. Lithuanian authorities plan to actively inform businesses about reduced tariffs, simplified procedures and improved market access once the agreement is in place.

She also highlighted Lithuania's strong purchasing power, with per capita income ranging between 29,000 and 30,000, and said Lithuanian consumers are keen to access a wider range of high-quality Indian goods.

Diana Mickeviciene emphasised that one of the most historic aspects of the agreement is the unprecedented level of mutual market access it offers. "This degree of openness is unique for both the EU and India," she said.

Against the backdrop of rising global trade tensions and tariff measures by the United States, the Ambassador described the EUIndia FTA as a strong and credible alternative. Despite accounting for nearly one-third of global trade, current trade volumes between the EU and India remain underdeveloped.

The agreement, she said, has the potential to dramatically change this, with EU forecasts suggesting that trade in goods and services could double within six years. Similar expectations exist on the Indian side. This is an extremely positive signal for global trade.

On implementation of FTA, Diana Mickeviciene said she does not foresee major challenges, citing unprecedented political will on both sides. While procedural steps remain, she described these as a normal part of the process. She also pointed to extensive technical cooperation, including customs coordination and institutional collaboration, as an opportunity to strengthen interoperability between EU and Indian institutions.

Reiterating the growth potential of LithuaniaIndia trade, the Ambassador said both countries already exchange goods and services covered by the FTA framework. Enhanced market access is expected to boost Lithuanian exports, while Indian goods and services  particularly those in high demand in Lithuania  are likely to find new opportunities, provided they meet quality and competitiveness standards.
Ahmedabad, Jan 28 : The Ahmedabad Central Jail, on Wednesday, hosted a felicitation ceremony under the Gujarat government's 'Vikasdeep' scheme, honouring the meritorious children of inmates, who have succeeded in competitive examinations and secured government employment.

The event was organised with the objective of encouraging the children of prisoners to pursue education and build stable careers despite the challenges arising from incarceration within their families.

Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) K.L.N. Rao presented cash awards and certificates to two young men whose achievements were highlighted during the programme.

One awardee is the son of Rajendrasinh Jadeja, an inmate lodged at the Ahmedabad Central Jail, who has been selected as an Unarmed Police Constable after completing the Gujarat Police Recruitment Board recruitment process for 2024.

The second awardee is the son of Surasang Solanki, a released convict from Rajkot Central Jail, who cleared the Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board examination, and has been appointed as a Junior Clerk in the Gujarat Food and Civil Supplies Department in Surat.

Both recipients were awarded a cash prize of Rs 15,001 each, along with a memento and a certificate of appreciation, under the 'Vikasdeep' scheme.

The programme was held under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and was presided over by state DGP Rao.

Addressing the gathering, state DGP Rao said that prisons should not be viewed solely as places of punishment.

"A jail is not merely a centre for punishment but a school of reform. The prison department is continuously working to ensure that the children of inmates progress through education and competitive examinations and create a bright future for themselves," he added.

Officials said the initiative is part of a broader effort by the state prison department to provide moral and material support to inmates and their families, particularly children pursuing studies.

Senior prison officials, including the Inspector General of Prisons, Ahmedabad Jail Superintendent, Gaurav Agrawal and Deputy Superintendent P.I. Solanki, were present at the ceremony along with jail staff and inmates.

The prison department also shared details of incentives distributed over the past two years under similar welfare schemes.

Under the 'Ek Nai Ummeed' scheme, 57 inmates across the state who passed Class 10, Class 12 and higher examinations were awarded cash incentives totalling Rs 74,057 on August 12, 2024.

Incentives were also extended to the children of convicted inmates, with 39 children of 38 prisoners receiving Rs 54,038 in November 2024, and 38 children of 34 prisoners receiving Rs 47,538 in June 2025.

Additionally, on January 22, cash incentives totalling Rs 11,500 were distributed to 10 children of convicted inmates, while a separate incentive of Rs 1,501 was awarded to one inmate on the same date.
Ahmedabad, Jan 28 : An anonymous threat to blow up the Ahmedabad rural court triggered panic and heightened security measures in the area, prompting an immediate response from security agencies and the district administration.

Soon after the threatening message was received, multiple fire department vehicles rushed to the court, and senior fire officials, along with emergency response teams, were deployed on site.

Firefighters were placed on high alert to deal with any untoward incident. Police and fire department teams jointly launched an intensive search operation across the court premises, including courtrooms, parking areas and other sensitive locations.

The sudden security alert caused panic among lawyers, litigants and court staff present at the time, many of whom were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Officials said efforts are underway to trace the source of the threat and identify the person responsible.

While preliminary inputs suggest the threat may have been issued to create fear, authorities said no chances are being taken, and security protocols are being strictly followed. Further details are awaited as the investigation continues.

Earlier in the day, security agencies were placed on high alert after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad received a bomb threat email, prompting immediate action by airport authorities and the police.

The threat led to the registration of a formal complaint at the airport police station and the tightening of security across the entire airport precinct, officials said.

According to information available, the threat email was sent from an unidentified email ID, aldurham420@gmail.com, bearing the name Amber Durham. The email was received at 11.05 a.m. on the airport's official email ID, dtm.amd@adani.com, along with other feedback addresses.

The subject line read "BOMB Blast luggage Section". The message stated that "Ahmedabad Airport is target", and contained remarks claiming that Sikhs are not Hindus while alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are enemies of Khalistan.
Jaipur, Jan 28 : The Central Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Bhopal has taken serious cognisance of large-scale failure of compensatory afforestation and alleged misuse of public funds in forest areas near Kota district of Rajasthan.

The bench, comprising Justice Sheo Kumar Singh, judicial member, and Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, expert member, was hearing the original application filed by Tapeshwar Singh Bhati against the State of Rajasthan and others.

The application raised concerns over illegal encroachment and failure to restore forest land measuring about 2,375.86 hectares, including Lakhawa I to VIII plantation sites, developed under the Mitigative Measures Scheme associated with forest diversion for National Highway-27 (NH-27).

During the proceedings, it was brought to the Tribunal's notice that the National Highways Authority of India had deposited Rs 25.72 crore with the Central Empowered Committee for compensatory measures such as construction of stone masonry walls, fencing, and large-scale tree plantations as part of statutory forest clearance conditions.

However, inspection reports submitted by senior forest officials revealed that the plantations had largely failed, with negligible survival of saplings.

The reports further pointed to fresh re-plantation activities allegedly undertaken to mask earlier failures, raising serious questions over compliance and accountability.

The Tribunal said that the findings indicate gross negligence, serious lapses in implementation, and possible misappropriation of public funds, resulting in significant environmental damage and loss of forest cover.

Taking note of the gravity of the issue, the NGT issued notices to all respondents and directed Arijit Banerjee, Rajasthan's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) to personally examine the matter.

The Tribunal also ordered initiation of disciplinary proceedings against erring officials found responsible for the lapses.

The bench also directed preparation and execution of a fresh plantation plan covering at least 400 hectares, along with strict monitoring to ensure survival of plantations.

An Action Taken Report, along with a detailed plantation and restoration plan, has been sought before the next court hearing.

The matter has been listed for further consideration on March 16, 2026.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has confirmed that he will make an official visit to India in February, after which he will travel to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump.

Lula said in a post on X that he spoke to President Trump by telephone and the two leaders agreed on a meeting in Washington after his visits to India and South Korea in February, with dates to be finalised soon.

In India, Lula is also expected to take part in the AI Summit being held in New Delhi in February.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a telephone call from the Brazilian President, and the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership and take it to even greater heights in the year ahead.

In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry said that the two leaders had noted with satisfaction the significant progress achieved across diverse areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, technology, defence, energy, health, agriculture, and people-to-people ties.

The leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They also underscored the importance of reformed multilateralism in addressing shared challenges. Prime Minister Modi conveyed that he looked forward to welcoming President Lula to India at an early date.

PM Modi visited Brazil in July last year. The two leaders discussed cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, defence and security, health and pharmaceuticals, space, renewable energy, agriculture and food processing, energy security, infrastructure development, digital public infrastructure and UPI, traditional medicine, yoga, sporting links, culture and people-to-people ties.

They discussed strengthening bilateral trade, including the expansion of the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement. The leaders set a target to increase bilateral trade to $20 billion over the next five years. Taking stock of the ongoing cooperation in the energy sector, the two leaders agreed to explore investment opportunities, as there exists immense potential in the hydrocarbon as well as renewable energy sectors in both countries.

They also explored avenues for collaboration in the new areas of cooperation, such as critical minerals, new and emerging technologies, AI and supercomputers, digital collaboration and mobility.

Besides, the Prime Minister thanked Brazil for its solidarity and support extended to India in the aftermath of the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025.
Patna, Jan 28 : Panic gripped the administration in Bihar's Siwan after a bomb threat was received at the Siwan Civil Court on Wednesday via an unknown email ID, warning that the court premises would be blown up by 12 p.m.

Following the threat, the district administration and police swung into action, placing the entire area on high alert.

Considering the gravity of the situation, Siwan Superintendent of Police (SP) Puran Kumar Jha and District Magistrate Vivek Ranjan Maitreya reached the court premises and personally monitored the security arrangements.

The court complex was sealed and converted into a police camp, and an extensive search operation was launched by the bomb disposal squad.

Strict security checks are being carried out at all entry points using advance security liaison checking, door frame metal detectors, and hand-held metal detectors.

Despite an intensive search conducted till the deadline mentioned in the threatening email, no suspicious object or explosive material has been recovered so far.

As news of the threat spread, chaos erupted among lawyers and court staff, who were immediately evacuated and moved to safe locations as a precautionary measure.

To deal with any emergency, Quick Response Teams, ambulance services, and fire brigade units have been kept on high alert.

The Traffic Deputy Superintendent of Police has completely banned the entry of unauthorised vehicles into the court premises, and traffic routes in the surrounding area have been diverted.

A dog squad team is also conducting a thorough search of the entire court complex.

Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha has directed the cyber cell to conduct a technical investigation to trace and verify the source of the threatening email.

Both the Siwan District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police carried out a detailed inspection of the premises and issued instructions to further strengthen security measures.

At present, the situation at the Siwan Civil Court is fully under control, but the administration has made it clear that no risk will be taken under any circumstances.
Aizawl, Jan 28 : Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Wednesday stressed the need to promote entrepreneurship and startup ventures in the state, saying that the people of Mizoram possess the skills and talent required to undertake industrial and business initiatives.

As the Mizoram Startup Mission under the Planning & Programme Implementation Department, in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), organised a startup-related event, the Chief Minister, on this occasion, formally launched the Mizoram Bana Kaih (Hand Holding Scheme) Venture Capital Fund and the Startup Readiness Level (SRL) of Mizoram.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister stated that for many years, Mizoram has had individuals with strong skills and innovative ideas who ventured into entrepreneurship. However, due to a lack of adequate support and guidance, many such ventures could not scale up, and ideas often failed to translate into reality, he said, adding that entrepreneurs frequently lacked start-up capital, proper mentorship, and clear pathways to build sustainable and successful enterprises.

The Bana Kaih Venture Capital Fund, he said, has been designed to address these long-standing challenges.

The Chief Minister clarified that the fund is neither a grant nor a donation, but an investment based on trust and confidence. It aims to support entrepreneurs with strong growth potential and future prospects, particularly those working on scalable and innovative business models, skill-based and industry-oriented products, and technology-driven enterprises.

While financial support helps businesses grow, he emphasised that institutional trust and structured guidance are equally important.

In this context, the Startup Readiness Level (SRL) of Mizoram plays a crucial role. The SRL is not merely a record-keeping mechanism but a significant tool to showcase the progress, capability, and seriousness of entrepreneurs and startups in Mizoram, he said.

Through SRL, entrepreneurs will receive official recognition, enabling early-stage and small ventures to become more visible to investors, banks, and large firms. Policymakers will be able to design more reliable and effective schemes using accurate data, while large firms can clearly assess startup activities, sectors, and maturity levels. Overall, SRL will help make Mizoramas startup ecosystem more transparent, credible, and support-worthy.

The Chief Minister remarked that these initiatives reflect the governmentas commitment to the youth and its determination to pursue development. He expressed the hope that investors and large firms would no longer see Mizoram as a remote state, but as a region rich with opportunities. He urged young people to view entrepreneurship as a viable and respectable career choice and encouraged all stakeholders to contribute wholeheartedly to ensure that these programmes are impactful, sustainable, and result-oriented.

Mizoram Startup Mission CEO Lalrinzuala said that the Bana Kaih Venture Capital Fund has a target corpus of Rs 100 crore, with the government committing Rs 20 crore, while the remaining amount will be mobilised from other sources.

As a pooled fund, it requires registration with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as a trust, under the name Senhri Investment Fund.

Reputed operating partner companies will also be engaged. While the fund will operate under SEBI regulations applicable across India, its primary objective is to provide legally compliant financial support to Mizoram entrepreneurs for startup initiation and business expansion.

The Mizoram Outstanding Entrepreneurs & Startups Award 2026 was also presented during the event.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 28 : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday strongly rejected the Opposition's charge that Kerala's public healthcare system was in decline. Speaking in the Assembly, he said that the State continued to be a national model in the health sector.

Replying to an adjournment motion moved by the Congress-led UDF seeking a discussion on what it described as an alarming health crisis, Vijayan said the criticism ignored the structural improvements and investments made by the government.

The Chief Minister said Kerala had created extensive healthcare facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic, successfully handling an unprecedented public health emergency. He maintained that major changes had been implemented since the LDF came to power, with initiatives such as the Aardram Mission focusing on upgrading government hospitals, improving patient care, and strengthening primary health services.

Vijayan said isolated incidents were being projected as evidence of systemic failure and cautioned against undermining the credibility of a public health system that had earned global recognition.

He stressed that the government intervened whenever lapses were identified and that corrective measures were part of an ongoing process of reform.

The CM's remarks came in response to a scathing speech by Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who accused the government of presiding over a breakdown of healthcare delivery marked by negligence, staff shortages and lack of emergency facilities.

Satheesan cited multiple cases, including medical errors, delayed treatment, and inadequate infrastructure in medical colleges and district hospitals, to argue that the system was "on a ventilator".

He alleged that inquiry orders issued by the Health Department rarely led to accountability and claimed that several medical colleges, particularly those initiated during the UDF's tenure, had been neglected.

Satheesan also flagged rising out-of-pocket medical expenses, arguing that ordinary people were being forced into unaffordable private healthcare.

The adjournment motion debate once again exposed the sharp political divide over Kerala's healthcare narrative, with the Opposition projecting a system in distress and the government defending its record of reform and crisis management.

As healthcare remains a core political and social issue in the State, the clash underscored how competing claims over governance and accountability are likely to intensify in the months ahead, with the assembly polls round the corner.
YANGON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has won a majority of seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House) of the Union Parliament, including non-elected military seats, according to data released by Myanmar's Union Election Commission (UEC) on Wednesday. 
Chennai, Jan 28 : With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections approaching closer, alliance negotiations between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Congress have gathered momentum following a significant meeting in Delhi.

DMK Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi met senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at his Delhi residence, holding detailed discussions on seat-sharing and alliance coordination.

According to sources, the Kanimozhia"Rahul Gandhi meeting lasted for nearly an hour and is being seen as a significant step towards finalising the DMKa"Congress understanding for the upcoming state polls.

During the discussion, Kanimozhi is reported to have handed over a tentative list of Assembly constituencies that the DMK is willing to allocate to its allies, including the Congress.

The talks reportedly centred on how many seats the Congress should contest and which Assembly constituencies would be most suitable, keeping in mind past poll performance and local political equations.

Sources said the DMK leadership has indicated its readiness to offer 27 Assembly seats to the Congress, along with support for one additional Rajya Sabha seat as part of the broader alliance arrangement.

However, the Congress is understood to have sought a larger share, pressing for up to 30 Assembly seats.

While no formal announcement was made after the meeting, leaders familiar with the talks described the discussions as positive and forward-looking.

Both sides are said to be keen on avoiding prolonged negotiations and reaching an early consensus to focus on campaign strategy and candidate selection.

Kanimozhi is also reported to have raised concerns about recent public remarks by certain Tamil Nadu Congress leaders on alliance-related issues.

She is said to have urged Rahul Gandhi to ensure that internal differences are not aired publicly, emphasising that such statements could weaken the perception of unity within the alliance.

Stressing the importance of cohesion, Kanimozhi reportedly told Rahul Gandhi that both parties must set aside differences and work together seamlessly ahead of the upcoming state Assembly elections.

A united front, she is said to have said, is crucial to effectively counter the Opposition and retain voter confidence.

The Kanimozhia"Rahul Gandhi meeting comes at a time of heightened political activity in Tamil Nadu, with all major parties accelerating poll preparations.

With both the DMK and the Congress keen on preserving their alliance in Tamil Nadu, further rounds of discussions are expected soon to iron out differences and finalise the seat-sharing arrangement.
Amaravati, Jan 28 : Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said that people are vexed with the coalition government as it is 'wicked, vindictive, and soaked in corruption and inefficiency'.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president said that he would take up a mass contact programme covering all the Assembly constituencies to instil confidence among the people.

Addressing party workers from Bhimavaram at the party headquarters, he lashed out at the policies of the coalition government and the 'wicked' manner in which Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has been handling affairs by giving a bonanza to his own people and targeting political rivals.

Stating that people are vexed with Chandrababu Naidu's policies, the former Chief Minister promised that Jagan 2.0 would be different, with the cadre being given top priority, which would be an amendment to the previous term.

"We supported people in every way and helped them out despite COVID and fulfilled all our poll promises. Chandrababu, on the other hand, has broken all the Super Six promises and cheated all sections of the people," he said, comparing the two governments.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, during the five-year term of the YSRCP government, had taken loans of about Rs 3.32 lakh crore, of which Rs 2.73 lakh crore was given under DBT for welfare schemes. "Chandrababu has taken Rs 3 lakh crore loan during his less than two-year term, and there is no accountability. While welfare schemes were not implemented where the money went, and the answer is rampant corruption," he said.

The former Chief Minister alleged that from liquor to sand, corruption is mounting, and the money is being stashed away by ruling party members, with the leadership having its due share in it. Belt shops are auctioned, liquor is sold above MRP, and it is available round the clock.

"When it comes to sand, sales have increased, but revenue has fallen, which is another shining example of corruption. Sankranti festival was run like a gambling festival with high stakes, and the festive spirit was lost in commercial activity and commissions of leaders and cadre of the ruling party, with the police also actively involved," he said.

Alleging that law and order has deteriorated in the state, Jagan Mohan Reddy cited the allegation against some coalition MLAs. Railway Kodur MLA has intimidated a female employee, another woman employee attempted suicide, unable to bear the harassment of the Amadalavalasa MLA, while the Satyavedu MLA raped a woman and closed the case by misusing his power. These are but a few examples, he said.

He said that students are suffering as all welfare schemes have been stopped, Aarogyasri has been crippled, and farmers are not getting MSP and are in distress due to multiple reasons.

If the government cannot provide agriculture, healthcare, and education, then "what is the point of having a government, he asked.

Jagan said that he would be going on a padayatra covering all Assembly constituencies to highlight the failures of the coalition and show the contrast.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement is expected to significantly strengthen the competitiveness of Indian exporters in European markets, helping them take on rivals such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, industry leaders said on Wednesday.

New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) The IndiaEuropean Union Free Trade Agreement is expected to significantly strengthen the competitiveness of Indian exporters in European markets, helping them take on rivals such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, industry leaders said on Wednesday.

Speaking to IANS, Polymedicure Managing Director and CEO Himanshu Baid said the IndiaEU FTA is a major achievement for the country, as it opens up the combined market of 27 European nations for Indian exporters.

"The agreement will give Indian companies a stronger footing in Europe, enabling them to compete more effectively with other export-oriented Asian economies," he stated.

Baid added that the trade pact will improve market access for Indian firms and support higher export volumes.

"The agreement will ensure easier access to advanced European technologies, while European companies will benefit from entry into India's fast-growing domestic market," he told IANS.

"The FTA is expected to boost manufacturing activity in India and attract higher levels of investment into the country," he added.

Echoing similar views, Medical Devices Export Promotion Council (EPCMD) Chairman R.S. Kanwar told IANS that the IndiaEU trade agreement is highly beneficial and could prove transformative for the pharmaceutical and medical devices sector.

Kanwar said the FTA is a positive step for India's medical devices industry, noting that improved access to life-saving medical products will be mutually beneficial for both India and the European Union.

He welcomed the move towards zero-duty access for medical devices but stressed that non-tariff barriers must also be addressed to allow Indian manufacturers to fully tap the European market.

Announcing the IndiaEU FTA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the agreement is not just a trade deal but a new blueprint for shared prosperity.

"The historic pact will make it easier for Indian farmers and small industries to access European markets, create fresh opportunities in manufacturing, and further strengthen cooperation in the services sector between India and the European Union," he told IANS.
Lucknow, Jan 28 : A Lucknow court has convicted and sentenced Ram Nibas Verma, a senior accountant at the Zonal Pay & Account Office of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Aliganj, to five years in prison along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh in a bribery case.

The conviction came on Wednesday, following a trial in the CBI court, an official statement said.

The case dates back to July 2, 2018, when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR based on a complaint from a constable (general duty) serving with the 3rd Battalion SSB in Lakhimpur Kheri.

The complaint, forwarded through the Chief Vigilance Officer at SSB headquarters in New Delhi, accused Verma of demanding Rs 4,000 as illegal gratification to process and pass bills and allowances for the battalion.

Investigators found that Verma had sought the bribe in exchange for clearing pending financial claims, exploiting his position responsible for handling payments and accounts in the paramilitary force.

After completing its probe, the CBI filed a charge sheet against Verma on August 31, 2018. Charges were framed by the court on May 24, 2019, and the trial proceeded over the following years.

The court, after examining evidence and hearing arguments, held Verma guilty of the bribery charges and imposed the sentence.

The punishment includes rigorous imprisonment for five years and a monetary penalty. This case highlights ongoing efforts by the CBI to curb corruption within security and paramilitary organisations, where officials in administrative and financial positions can delay legitimate payments to extract bribes from subordinates.

Such practices undermine morale and operational efficiency in forces like the SSB, which guards India's borders and handles internal security duties. The conviction serves as a reminder of the legal consequences for demanding or accepting bribes in official duties.

Authorities continue to emphasize vigilance and prompt action against corrupt practices to maintain integrity in government institutions.
Kolkata, Jan 28 : Aruna Mardi, the first wife of West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) two-time Lok Sabha MP and state tribal front president Khagen Murmu, joined the Trinamool Congress in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Senior Trinamool Congress leader and State Education Minister Bratya Basu and State Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Forests, Birbaha Hansda, handed Aruna Mardi the Trinamool flag at the party's headquarters.

During the joining ceremony, Bratya Basu introduced the new Trinamool Congress member, saying, "This is Aruna Mardi. She was formerly associated with the CPI-M. She was a leader of the Democratic Women's Front. Later, she joined the BJP. She played a crucial role in the election campaign of the then MLA, who later left the CPI-M and joined the BJP to contest for a Parliamentary seat -- that is, Khagen Murmu. Aruna Mardi also led several committees within the BJP. She also has a personal identity; she is the wife of BJP MP Khagen Murmu."

Minister Basu told that inspired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's work, she wanted to join the Trinamool Congress.

"Following Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee's permission, she is joining the Trinamool Congress family today," he said.

At the press conference, with Aruna Mardi sitting beside her, Birbaha Hansda launched a scathing attack against the BJP.

Using tribal sentiments as a political weapon, Birbaha Hansda said, "Those who have true tribal blood in their veins will not join the BJP, no matter what. If tribal people want to survive, they must leave the BJP. The Central government does not recognise the religious practices of the tribals. Why should we support a party that doesn't allow us to practice our religion?"

After joining the Trinamool Congress, Aruna Mardi alleged that she was not getting opportunities to work in the BJP.

She said, "I am a working person. I want to work. But I wasn't getting that opportunity in the BJP. Inspired by Mamata Banerjee's ideals, I have joined the Trinamool today with the goal of working for the people."

She also added that although she had long desired to work for the people, she had become marginalised within the BJP.

She also said, "I want to work for the women of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities who are neglected and deprived of opportunities. That is why I joined this (Trinamool Congress) party."

Responding to a query from reporters, without directly naming BJP MP Khagen Murmu, she said, "Everyone has their own opinion. He may have joined the BJP, that's fine. I will also work according to my own wishes."

There was no official reaction from the BJP regarding the political development.

However, BJP's Maldaha Uttar MP Khagen Murmu told his close quarters that he had no relation with Aruna Mardi and there is no contact between them for last 12 to 13 years.
New Delhi, Jan 28 : The government on Wednesday released a discussion paper which outlines the proposed methodology for seasonal adjustment of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is undertaking the base revision exercise of the IIP.

In the process, it is revisiting methodologies, exploring new data sources and incorporating changes after comprehensive consultations with the experts, academicians, users and other stakeholders.

According to the ministry, although industrial production is significantly influenced by seasonality and calendar effects, India has not attempted to publish seasonally adjusted IIP series so far, and users were expected to undertake such analysis separately using methods and tools of their choice.

"However, in light of an increasing demand for a seasonally adjusted IIP among users, MoSPI has prepared a 'Discussion Paper 3.0: Seasonal Adjustment of Index of Industrial Production' which outlines the proposed methodology for seasonal adjustment of IIP," said the ministry.

The ministry has invited views and comments from experts, academicians, Central government Ministries/departments, state governments, financial institutions, and other stakeholders on the proposed methodology.

"Comments and suggestions may be sent by February 12, 2026," it added.

Meanwhile, Indiaas industrial production surged by 7.8 per cent in December, reaching its highest level in over 2 years, driven by a robust across-the-board growth in the manufacturing, mining, and electricity sectors.

The manufacturing sector recorded an 8.1 per cent growth in December, with 16 out of 23 industry groups recording a positive growth during the month. The top three contributors include the manufacture of basic metals, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

The mining sector has bounced back with a growth of 6.8 per cent in December compared to the same month of the previous year, while the electricity sector also recorded a strong growth of 6.3 per cent.
Chandigarh, Jan 28 : BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Wednesday termed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's 'Mukhyamantri Sehat Insurance Scheme' in Punjab as misleading, impractical and entirely publicity driven.

Chugh claimed the biggest and most fundamental failure of the scheme was its rigid package capping, which exposes the Rs 10 lakh health coverage claim as hollow from the very beginning.

"The reality is that the scheme provides actual insurance of only Rs 1 lakh per family, while the remaining Rs 9 lakh is left to the mercy of a debt-ridden state government," Chugh told the media here.

He questioned where this Rs 9 lakh will come from when the state is already struggling financially.

He further claimed that while the former Chief Minister of Delhi and the AAP's National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his party "are loudly advertising the false Rs 10 lakh claim, they have imposed such harsh capping on even the most serious medical procedures that proper treatment becomes impossible. When treatment caps are fixed so low that complete care for critical illnesses cannot be provided, the Rs 10-lakh promise remains nothing more than a paper claim."

The BJP leader alleged the scheme has been deliberately designed to either offer incomplete treatment or force patients to pay heavily from their pockets.

Referring to Ayushman Bharat, Chugh said the Central government's scheme sets a national benchmark by fixing package rates based on the actual cost of treatment. In contrast, the state's 'Mukhyamantri Sehat Scheme' has imposed extremely low caps on complex procedures like heart surgery, brain surgery and knee replacement, pushing major and credible hospitals away from the scheme and leaving the poor and middle class to suffer.

Chugh said it took the Mann government 48 months just to announce this scheme, and even now the government itself admits it will take several more months to implement.

He alleged the truth is that patients will not get treatment under this scheme, but in an election year, the AAP will use public money only for self-promotion and propaganda.

Raising concerns over Punjab's deteriorating financial condition, Chugh said the state is already burdened with debt exceeding Rs 4 lakh crore. Over the last four years, the Mann government has added more than Rs 1 lakh crore of fresh debt, and in the current financial year alone Punjab must repay Rs 90,000 crore.

He remarked while the government claims it has no money to pay Dearness Allowance (DA) to its employees, it has ample funds for Kejriwal's helicopter rides.

Chugh further stated, "If even one per cent of families avail benefits under the scheme, the annual expenditure would reach Rs 6,500 crore, while the budget allocation remains negligible."

He ended by saying that the real debate is not Rs 5 lakh versus Rs 10 lakh, but the real insurance versus paper promises. While Ayushman Bharat provides genuine, pre-insured protection, the Mukhyamantri Sehat Scheme rests on hollow claims and weak foundations.
Patna, Jan 28 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for 50 development projects worth Rs 103 crore and inaugurated 40 completed projects worth Rs 33 crore in Darbhanga district as part of the ongoing Samriddhi Yatra.

During the programme, the Chief Minister inspected model exhibition stalls showcasing development initiatives undertaken by various government departments.

He also held a review meeting of district-level schemes and later addressed a large public gathering.

During a public interaction programme held at Nagendra Jha Stadium, Nitish Kumar interacted with Jeevika women members of self-help groups and local residents.

He highlighted the achievements of the state government and presented a future roadmap for Biharas development, reiterating the governmentas commitment to inclusive growth.

Several senior leaders and officials were present on the occasion, including Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Rajya Sabha MP and JD(U) National Working President Sanjay Jha, Cabinet Ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Madan Sahani, Darbhanga City MLA and State BJP President Sanjay Saraogi, along with other dignitaries and district officials.

As part of the visit, the Chief Minister reviewed the construction of the Inter-State Bus Terminal at Delhi Mod, a project announced during the earlier Pragati Yatra.

The terminal is being built at a cost of Rs 88.78 crore. Construction began on December 15, 2025, and is scheduled for completion by December 14, 2027.

Currently, procurement of machinery and construction materials is underway.

Nitish Kumar also visited the model exhibition stalls set up at the bus stand complex, where models of 11 major schemes announced under the Pragati Yatra are being displayed for public awareness.

In addition, the Chief Minister inspected the under-construction Darbhanga Airport terminal, being built at a cost of Rs 112 crore.

Officials informed him that nearly 50 per cent of the work has been completed, and the terminal buildingas structure is expected to be finished within the next six months.

The Chief Minister further visited the camp office of Biharas first expressway, the Amasa"Darbhanga Expressway, and reviewed the progress of the ongoing construction work.

The expressway will connect Darbhanga to NH-27, significantly improving regional connectivity.

It was also informed that during the cabinet meeting held on January 13, 50 acres of land were allocated for a proposed logistics park in the district.

Nitish Kumar inspected the site and directed the district administration to initiate the land acquisition process at the earliest.

The second phase of the Samriddhi Yatra began on January 27 from Madhubani, and Wednesday marked the second day of the Chief Ministeras development tour.
Mumbai, Jan 28 : The untimely death of a dynamic leader, the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar, has left a void in the state's politics and given rise to countless questions about the future course of action. Issues such as party leadership, the NCP's position in the government, and the merger between the Ajit faction and the NCP headed by his uncle and Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar are being debated now.

It is unlikely that Sharad Pawar will become a member of the Rajya Sabha again after his retirement in April. Furthermore, Sharad Pawar has avoided a direct alliance with the BJP so far.

In the 80s, his Socialist Congress was part of the Progressive Democratic Front which included the BJP, but it is said that many workers with progressive thoughts are with Pawar due to his anti-BJP stance.

During the recently-concluded municipal corporation elections, both NCP factions contested together in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad and continued their alliance in the ongoing Pune Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.

However, Ajit Pawaras death has put both the factions in a fix whether to continue the poll-related alliance or go ahead with a merger, keeping in mind the state Assembly elections slated for 2029.

In case a merger happens, will Supriya Sule be given some responsibility at the Centre?

The next few months will be crucial in finding answers to these questions and also to find out who will lead the party in the state after Ajit Dada. The BJP's role in this will be decisive.

Ajit Pawar faced criticism for joining hands with the BJP. It was an ideological struggle. However, many who went with him believed that staying in power helps get the work of the constituency and the workers done.

The formula that emerged was that a practical approach is more important than ideology. However, he suffered a setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where Sunil Tatkare was his only winning MP.

Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Tai, lost to Supriya Pawar in Baramati. This was a shock to him in the Pawar family's political conflict. He compensated for this in the Assembly elections by winning the third-highest number of seats in the state.

Realising that conflict with the BJP was not beneficial, he maintained cordial relations with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the BJPas central leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

However, he reiterated that despite being a ruling partner in the Mahayuti government he would not make any compromise on his secular credentials and also on the thoughts of Shivaji, Phule, Ambedkar and Shahu. Consequently, his image remained largely unaffected.

By winning with a record margin in Baramati during the Assembly elections, he proved his grip on the constituency.

The performance of the Sharad Pawar faction was poor in the Assembly elections, and the Mahayuti won a massive majority. The intensity of the opposition decreased.

Subsequently, to challenge the BJP in the municipal council and corporation elections, both factions of the NCP formed alliances in many places. This led to talks about a merger.

Now, after Ajit Pawar's untimely demise, the issues of merger and leadership have come to the fore.

Before the split in the NCP in July 2023, Ajit Pawar handled responsibilities in the state while Supriya Sule managed politics at the Centre. After Ajit Pawar set up his separate front, Sharad Pawaras grandson, Rohit Pawar, became more active in state politics, though his experience is relatively less.

Significantly, Ajit Pawar's name remained at the centre of state politics for nearly four decades.

He began his political career in 1982 as a director in a cooperative sugar factory. He served as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state for a record six times. Ajit Pawar's working style was straightforward: If a task could be done, he would say 'yes' and finish the worker's job on the spot; otherwise, he would say 'no' clearly. Meeting officials and workers from 6:00 AM was his daily routine.

He became the Chairman of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank in 1991 and held the post for 16 years.

In 1991, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati, the Pawar family stronghold. The very next year, he got an opportunity in the state Cabinet. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly from Baramati seven times with an increasing margin of victory.

Due to the constant presence of workers around him and his quick-witted nature, his popularity remained intact in state politics, especially in rural areas.

Despite building a massive organisation, his supporters still feel the sting of him missing out on the Chief Minister's post.

Ajit Pawar worked alongside his uncle and Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar, in politics. However, on November 23, 2019, he rebelled and took oath as Deputy Chief Minister, though this was short-lived, and he returned home.

Later, on July 2, 2023, Ajit Pawar again left the party to join the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government. Since the majority of MLAs were with him, a vertical split occurred in the NCP, and he took oath as Deputy Chief Minister.

How the Ajit Pawar faction goes ahead without him remains to be seen.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)
Chandigarh, Jan 28 : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of compromising the river water rights to "save his chair".

Chandigarh, Jan 28 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of compromising the river water rights to "save his chair".

Akali Dal leader Parambans Singh Romana said just like former Chief Minister Darbara Singh had compromised the state's river water rights at the instance of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the present Chief Minister is ready to give away the state's waters to Haryana on the directions of his boss Arvind Kejriwal.

Asking the Chief Minister why he did not utter one line which Punjabis wanted to hear that the state did not have one drop of water to spare and that no water would be allowed to flow to Haryana, Romana told the media, "This itself makes it clear that the AAP government in Punjab is getting ready to give away our river waters to Haryana".

He said the Chief Minister had put the seal on this intention by stating that "first let us decide on the water which is to be given, and then we will build the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal".

Making it clear that the Akali Dal would not allow this conspiracy to succeed, he said, "We will not let even one drop of water from Punjab flow into Haryana".

The SAD leader said that party President Sukhbir Badal had also made this clear by announcing the next party government would remove historic injustices done to the state by stopping flow of water into the Rajasthan canal and divert it to the fields of Punjab.

He also made it clear that AAP convener Kejriwal was bent on handing over Punjab's waters to Haryana and Delhi since 2017 and had even given statements and filed an affidavit to this effect in the Supreme Court. "Try as it might, SAD will not let this conspiracy succeed," Romana added.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that an additional "armada" of U.S. military vessels is sailing towards Iran, expressing hope that Iran will agree to a deal. 
Ahmedabad, Jan 28 : In a decision that will benefit thousands of Anganwadi workers across Gujarat, the state government, on Wednesday, accepted a long-pending demand and decided to bear the cost of transporting foodgrains and rations supplied to Anganwadi centres.

Until now, Anganwadi workers were required to pay out of their own pockets to transport foodgrains meant for children and pregnant women from fair price shops to Anganwadi centres.

Workers often had to hire tempos or other vehicles, adding to their financial burden despite receiving a modest honourarium.

Several organisations representing Anganwadi workers had repeatedly raised the issue, saying that the additional expense was creating financial stress and was unjust.

As per the state government's latest decision, Anganwadi workers will now be eligible for financial assistance to cover the cost of transporting rations.

Under the new arrangement, workers will receive financial support of Rs 200 per month, with an annual cap of Rs 2,400, and the amount will be credited directly to their bank accounts or disbursed through a prescribed transparent mechanism to ensure accountability.

The state government said the move aims to ensure that workers are not forced to incur work-related expenses from their own income.

The announcement has been welcomed by Anganwadi workers across the state, who described it as a long-overdue relief.

Many workers said that while the amount may appear modest, it addresses an injustice that had persisted for years.

The decision is expected to benefit workers in remote and rural areas in particular, where transportation costs are higher.

Officials said the measure would improve the functioning of Anganwadi centres and enable workers to carry out their responsibilities more effectively.
Paris, Jan 28 : French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that the escalating tensions with the United States over Greenland constitute a strategic wake-up call for Europe as a whole, while reiterating France's solidarity with Denmark and Greenland.

"Recent events confirm that the situation in Greenland is a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe: on asserting our European sovereignty, on our contribution to Arctic security, on combating foreign interference and disinformation, on the fight against climate change, and on a privileged partnership for sustainable development and reducing strategic dependencies," Macron said at a joint press conference with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland in Paris.

Macron said France is deeply committed to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity with all its partners in the European Union, adding that France will continue to defend these principles in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called for NATO to play a much more significant role in the region and in the High North, including in and around Greenland.

Earlier on January 22, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reiterated that sovereignty remains a red line for his government, even amid intense pressure from the United States.

"Our territorial integrity and borders are absolutely red lines that must not be crossed," Nielsen, on Thursday told a press conference in Nuuk, capital of Greenland. "Greenland chooses the Greenland we know today, as part of the Kingdom of Denmark."

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. Since returning to office in 2025, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to "obtain" Greenland, a move that has been repeatedly rejected by Europe.
Washington, Jan 28 : US President Donald Trump on Wednesday asked Iran to move quickly toward negotiations as a large American naval force advanced to the region, raising pressure on Tehran amid heightened Middle East tensions.

In a radio interview with WABC host Sid Rosenberg, Trump said, "We have a big armada going over there right now," describing it as "very powerful" and larger than a recent US deployment tied to Venezuela. He said Washington hoped military force would not be required. "Hopefully, we won't have to use it," he said.

Trump later reinforced the warning in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying, "A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose." He said the fleet is led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and is "larger than that sent to Venezuela."

The president said the force is "ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary." He urged Tehran to negotiate, writing, "Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties."

"Time is running out; it is truly of the essence!" Trump added.

Trump warned of severe consequences if talks fail, recalling past US military action. "As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!" he wrote. "They didn't, and there was 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse!"

In the radio interview, Trump linked the deployment to broader regional security concerns, including Israel. He said Iran continues to threaten Israel and that US backing has helped deter escalation. He referred to recent tensions that led Israel to shut its airspace temporarily.

Trump also said his administration had secured the return of hostages and remains connected to the conflict. "We got the last of the hostages back," he said. "We got the last of the dead back today." He described the effort as something many believed was impossible.

The president framed the Iran move as part of a broader foreign policy strategy built on military strength and direct negotiation. He said U.S. power was being used to prevent war, not provoke one, but stressed that force remained an option.

Trump placed the Iran standoff alongside other global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, which he again described as a "bloodbath." He said he wanted the fighting to stop and claimed progress was possible through direct talks.

The deployment underscores Trump's approach to foreign policy, relying on pressure and deterrence to force negotiations. His message to Tehran was blunt: negotiate now or face much harsher consequences.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 28 : Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheesan, on Wednesday demanded the immediate withdrawal of notices issued to nearly 18 lakh voters asking them to appear for hearings under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, warning that the process was causing widespread public distress.

Addressing a press conference at the Assembly media room, Satheesan said people were being harassed in the name of "logical discrepancy" for minor variations in names and initials, most of which had originated from errors in the Election Commission's software.

"Citizens should not be penalised for technical mistakes made by the system," he said, insisting that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) must visit homes and correct errors instead of summoning voters repeatedly.

He said notices generated through the BLO app directing voters to attend hearings should be withdrawn in full, adding that although the Election Commission had earlier indicated such a course, it was not being implemented uniformly on the ground.

The Opposition leader also raised serious concerns over the alleged misuse of Form 7, which is meant for the deletion of names from the voter list.

He demanded strict action against individuals who submit Form 7 with false information and against BLOs who accept such applications without proper verification.

"No voter should be removed from the rolls without being informed," he said, alleging that such deletions were occurring frequently in North Kerala districts.

Satheesan cautioned that since the SIR exercise effectively amounted to a citizenship verification process, political parties had a heightened responsibility to act with restraint.

He alleged that Form 7 was being misused to target voters affiliated with rival political parties.

The LoP also flagged procedural gaps affecting expatriate voters, pointing out that the Election Commission's website still did not provide an option for overseas-born citizens to enter their place of birth while submitting Form 6A applications.

The issue, he said, affected lakhs of expatriates and warranted immediate intervention and extension of deadlines.

Satheesan said complaints had been submitted to District Collectors in all districts and added that the Opposition would seek discussions between the Election Commission and representatives of political parties to resolve the issues urgently.
Amaravati, Jan 28 : Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and discussed 'ongoing issues' in the state.

The Jana Sena leader posted on social media that he had a meaningful meeting with Amit Shah at his residence.

"We held detailed discussions on the ongoing issues in Andhra Pradesh, and several other important matters of public and administrative importance," he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister thanked Amit Shah for providing an opportunity to the Kakinada district administration to present the proposal on the Uppada sea protection wall before the Technical Advisory Committee of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Pawan Kalyan also met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw with a focus on improving rail infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh.

The Jana Sena leader said they discussed the development of Pithapuram Railway Station, construction of a Road Over Bridge, and key railway projects in the state.

"I requested that Pithapuram, an important spiritual centre visited by devotees from across the country, be developed as a model station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, and that the Road Over Bridge be taken up under the PM Gati Shakti programme," he said.

Pawan Kalyan said he was received very cordially by Ashwini Vaishnaw, and the discussions were held in a positive and constructive atmosphere. He responded very positively to all the proposals and assured due consideration.

The Deputy CM said that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian Railways continues to move forward with a strong development focus. He thanked Ashwini Vaishnaw for his encouraging support towards railway development in Kakinada district and across the state.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the railway projects in the state during a meeting at the Secretariat in Amaravati.

The Chief Minister reviewed rail connectivity from different ports in the State and from the states of Telangana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Senior officials of South Central Railway, East Coast Railway and South Coast Railway attended the meeting.
Bhubaneswar, Jan 28 : Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Wednesday, inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for as many as 20 industrial projects worth Rs 8,884 crore, generating 6,832 employment opportunities in the western region of the state.

Chief Minister Majhi laid the foundation stone and grounded these projects during the inauguration of Silver Jubilee edition of Enterprise Odisha in Rourkela.

According to an official statement released by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), during the event, MoUs and investment intents worth Rs 52,026 crore were received, with an employment potential of 20,427, marking a major boost to the region's industrial momentum.

The statement also noted that western Odisha has emerged as a core engine of the state's industrial growth.

While addressing the inaugural session, Chief Minister Majhi said that western Odisha is no longer the "next frontier" of growth; it is a core engine of Odisha's development.

Several leading companies participated in the event.

More than 500 people gathered to witness this significant moment in the industrial growth journey of Western Odisha.

The theme of this year's Silver Jubilee edition of Enterprise Odisha is 'Odisha: Best Place to Live, Work and Do Business'.

Referring to the theme of this year's event, the Chief Minister said, "This reflects our renewed vision that economic growth must go hand in hand with an improved quality of life. Industrial development must create employment opportunities, enhance living standards, and ensure that ease of doing business is matched with ease of living. Industrial growth should bring better opportunities into the lives of every citizen."

Chief Minister Majhi in his address during the event also highlighted the state government's industrial strategy.

"Our strategy is clear-- establish a few anchor industries in every region and develop hundreds of MSMEs around them as suppliers, vendors, logistics partners, fabricators, maintenance providers, packaging units, and technology partners. This will ensure that our youth no longer need to migrate for jobs; opportunities will come to their doorstep," he added.

The event marked the inauguration of 11 industrial projects with an investment of Rs 5,708.00 crore, generating employment for 4,183 persons.

This was followed by the grounding of nine projects worth Rs 3,176.00 crore, creating employment for 2,649 persons.

During his visit to Rourkela, the Chief Minister also participated in three key roundtable discussions with the Rourkela Chamber of Commerce, Orissa Sponge Iron Manufacturing Association (OSIMA), and a special interaction with delegations from Ranchi and Raipur.

These engagements highlighted the growing RRR Corridora"Raipura"Ranchia"Rourkela, reflecting enhanced regional collaboration and shared growth prospects.

Through these roundtables, 22 MoUs worth Rs 43,349 crore were signed, generating 18,985 employments, while five investment intent of Rs 8,677 crore with employment potential of 1,442 was received.

Chief Minister Majhi also handed over the letter offering 1,447.927 acres of land at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal, to a leading aluminium firm for its proposed three million tonnes per annum aluminium smelter and 4,900 MW Captive Power Plant project.
Kolkata, Jan 28 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has insinuated a conspiracy behind the Wednesday plane crash on Wednesday that resulted in the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and demanded a Supreme Court-supervised investigation

Banerjee had started with a post on X expressing shock at the death of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President and other passengers aboard the aircraft, but adding: "The incident needs proper investigation".

Later, on her way to Singur in Hooghly district to attend an event, she told accompanying media persons that she has no faith in Central investigation agencies to conduct an impartial probe into the crash, thus, demanding the involvement of the apex court to unearth the truth.

Banerjee's conspiracy theory came in relation to the alleged prospect of Ajit Pawar likely quitting the BJP-led Maharashtra government alliance, Maha Yuti.

"There is no safety and security of people of the country, even for the political leaders. I do not know what the fate of the Opposition political parties is. He (Ajit Pawar) was very much with the ruling party. But a few days ago, I came to know from social media that somebody from the other party gave a statement that Ajit Pawar is willing to leave the BJP-led NDA," she said.

Banerjee further implied that the NCP leader was planning to return to the opposition INDIA bloc.

"What happened today.... I need a proper investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court. We have trust only in the Supreme Court and no other agency. All the agencies have been totally purchased. It is a great loss for the country," she added.

\In light of this unfortunate incident, the Chief Minister postponed her planned trip to Delhi that was set for later in the day, where she had planned a protest against the Election Commissionas ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Her Trinamool Congress has since picked up her conspiracy theory in a bid to spread it on social media.

"West Bengal's Honourable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed deep sorrow over the untimely demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. She also extended her condolences to his family, friends, and well-wishers," said a post on the Trinamool Congress Facebook page.

"However, the Honourable Chief Minister appealed that this should not be seen as a mere accident and that it needs to be investigated under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court," it added.

Taking a cue from the leader, other party members started echoing the observation.

"Just four days ago, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had told the media that Ajit Pawar wanted to leave the BJP alliance and join the opposition grand alliance (especially with uncle Sharad Pawar). And this morning, his plane crashed, leading to his mysterious death," wrote Arup Chakraborty, among the more vocal spokespersons of the Trinamool.

He then went a step ahead in looking up any unnatural deaths in the past

Mamata Banerjee had, earlier also, raised conspiracy theories.

During her political battle against the communists in West Bengal, she had repeatedly alleged that there were plans for her assassination.

In August 1990, when a firebrand Congress leader, Banerjee was reportedly hit on the head with a baton by a Communist Party of India-Marxist youth wing leader during a Kolkata rally. This fractured her skull, and she was inthe hospital fighting for life for over a month. In 1993, a protest organised by Banerjee, again as a Congress leader, led to violence and police firing. It resulted in the deaths of 13 people and became a significant turning point in West Bengal's political history. The Trinamool still commemorates the incident as "Martyrsa Day" and on several occasions, Banerjee has claimed that she was among the intended targets that day. She reiterated that charge on subsequent occasions, especially during the Singur and Nandigram movements that finally catapulted her as Chief Minister.
Islamabad, Jan 28 : Pakistan's renewed relevance and facade of internal stability, secured through the suppression of dissent and temporary major power favour, remain fragile as the hybrid regime still struggles to secure public trust, and the illusion of order "carries the seeds of its undoing", a report said on Wednesday.

Writing for 'East Asia Forum', Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director at the Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies, said that in 2025, Pakistan had decisively consolidated military power with the hybrid system, which once placed civilian politicians in the spotlight while the army controlled the real authority -- giving way to overt military dominance.

"For many Pakistanis, 2025 marked a deeper erosion of democracy. The judiciary weakened further, parliamentary authority diminished and elected representatives were reduced to largely compliant roles. Most members of the National Assembly, seated after the disputed February 2024 elections, aligned closely with the military establishment. Through a series of legislative measures, they formalised a transfer of authority from civilian institutions to the armed forces, prioritising stability over democratic contestation," he stated.

According to the report, the developments in Pakistan deepened the marginalisation of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan  detained since August 2023 on charges widely regarded as "politically motivated"  intensifying domestic unrest.

"Months ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House, Khan's supporters had lobbied republican congressmen August Pfluger, Joe Wilson and Jack Bergman as well as a close Trump aide, Richard Grenell, for Khan's release. But subsequent international developments brought those efforts to naught. Khan's detention continued to draw international concern. In December 2025, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Alice Jill Edwards called for urgent action over reports of inhumane conditions at Adiala Jail, including prolonged solitary confinement," it detailed.

Pakistan's civil-military leadership earned international attention when Trump called Pakistani Army Chief Munir as his 'favourite Field Marshal'.

"The warmth effectively extinguished hopes among Khan's supporters that external pressure might secure his release from the more than 180 cases filed against him since his removal in a no-confidence vote in April 2022," the report stated.

The report highlighted that the events of 2025 in Pakistan reflected how easily democratic principles can be sold for strategic convenience. Amid the US's growing rivalry with China and Russia, a military-led Pakistan aligned itself with Washington's priorities.

It further said that the global scrutiny of Pakistan's democratic practices and human rights record waned primarily due to geopolitical reasons.

The report noted, "In Pakistan, where grievances repeatedly boil over, short-term order may prove a prelude to deeper and more dangerous disorder."
Bengaluru, Jan 28 : In a major development, the Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru on Wednesday accepted the closure report filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

The development is seen as a shot in the arm for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah amid the leadership tussle in the state.

The court gave relief to the first accused in the case, CM Siddaramaiah, the second accused, his wife B.M. Parvati, the third accused, his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy and land owner J. Devaraj, named as the fourth accused. The court has directed that the probe against the other accused persons in the case.

Activist Snehamayi Krishna has filed an appeal petition against the closure report against CM Siddaramaiah by the Karnataka Lokayukta.

The court stated that the B Report (closure report) filed by the investigating officer against Siddaramaiah, Parvathi, Mallikarjuna Swamy and Devaraj is hereby accepted. Needless to mention, the further investigation being conducted by the investigating officer against other accused persons shall continue, and he shall file the Final Report on completion of the investigation.

"The application filed by the complainant to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the investigating officer is hereby rejected," the court said.

The court further stated, "It is held that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is having right to intervene in the case as aggrieved persons to a limited extent. The office is hereby directed to return the CD files and also the draft copy of the final report kept in the sealed cover to the concerned investigating officer on proper identification. For filing the final report, call on Feb 9."

It may be recalled that the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bengaluru Zonal Office, has provisionally attached Proceeds of Crime having a market value of Rs 460 crore so far in the case under the provisions of PMLA, 2002.

ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR filed by Lokayukta Police Mysuru, in the case of large-scale scam in the illegal allotment of sites by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

The searches revealed that the sites were allotted in gross violation of the letter dated March 14, 2023, and the government order dated October 27, 2023.

Further, the search action also revealed a deep nexus between MUDA Officers/officials and real estate businessmen. Evidence also revealed payment of cash for the allotment of sites as compensation and approval of layouts.
Bengaluru, Jan 28 : Karnataka BJP on Wednesday slammed the Congress-led government, alleging that under the pretext of discussing the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, ruling party members insulted the Governor for declining to read the speech prepared by the State Cabinet while addressing the joint session.

The BJP demanded that the government express regret in the House. However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah denied that the Governor was disrespected and rejected the demand for an apology.

The heated arguments and counter-arguments between the Opposition and ruling party members led to chaos in the Assembly, forcing Speaker U.T. Khader to adjourn the House.

Raising the issue after the Question and Answer session, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said, "A decision was taken to move a motion of thanks to the Governor's address. Media reports clearly indicate that the Governor was insulted under the pretext of this discussion by Congress members. The Governor is the first citizen of the State. On one hand, Congress leaders are condemning the Governor, and on the other, they claim it is a motion of thanks."

Ashoka alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's legal advisor and MLA A.S. Ponnanna had questioned the Governor's conduct and accused him of failing to uphold constitutional responsibilities. "Ponnanna also questioned why the Governor was 'afraid' to speak about the government's achievements. This amounts to insulting the Governor," he said.

He further alleged that the Law Minister had said the Governor "ran away," adding that several Governors in the past, including the late Hansraj Bharadwaj and Khursheed Alam Khan, had taken similar actions. "The Congress is projecting this as an unprecedented act," Ashoka stated, demanding that the House apologise and close the matter.

Responding, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the issue would not have arisen had the Governor read the speech prepared by the government. "I do not agree to the demand for an apology. What wrong has the government committed?" he asked.

Ashoka countered by questioning the slogans of "Go Back Governor" and attempts to obstruct him while exiting the House by the Congress members. Siddaramaiah said he was unaware of such incidents and questioned why the Governor left before the National Anthem was played. "He should have remained until the anthem concluded," he said.

Ashoka pointed out that Governors in the past had also exited in a similar manner. Siddaramaiah asked what the BJP had done at that time, prompting Ashoka to allege that Siddaramaiah himself had asked the Governor to stop reading the address when he was in the Opposition.

Siddaramaiah claimed he did not recall the incident, drawing criticism from BJP MLAs, who alleged he was deliberately forgetting it.

Senior BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar cited Assembly records from January 6, 2011, when Siddaramaiah was Leader of the Opposition and Hansraj Bharadwaj was Governor. He said Opposition members had raised slogans during the Governor's address to the joint session, but Siddaramaiah had stood up and stated that they had great respect for the Governor while accusing the previous BJP-led government of corruption and urging him not to read the speech.

Siddaramaiah responded that his remarks were directed at the government, not the Governor.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the political situation at that time was different, as it coincided with the illegal mining scam that eventually led to the dismissal of the BJP-led government.

Ashoka accused Siddaramaiah of misleading the House, stating that the padyatra mentioned by the Chief Minister was undertaken later. BJP MLA Janardhana Reddy supported this claim, adding that the Congress had made Santhosh Lad a minister despite adverse rulings against him.

Janardhana Reddy further stated that CM Siddaramaiah undertook padyatra in July 2010. CM Siddaramaiah should not mislead the House.

As the arguments escalated, chaos prevailed in the Assembly, following which Speaker U.T. Khader adjourned the House.
HANOI, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A military aircraft crashed in central Vietnam's Dak Lak province on Wednesday morning, with the pilot ejecting safely by parachute and suffering injuries, the Vietnam News Agency reported. 
Jaipur, Jan 28 : A businessman, Prakash Chand Jain, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) Jaipur Zonal Office on Wednesday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a major financial fraud case involving M/s Digi Mudra Connect Private Limited and others was produced before the PMLA Special Court in Jaipur.

Following his arrest and after being produced in court, Prakash Chand Jain was granted four days of ED custody for further investigation under the provisions of PMLA.

The investigation by the ED was initiated on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by the Bhopal Special Task Force (STF), and various police stations across Rajasthan, Haryana, Odisha and Maharashtra against Prakash Chand Jain, Ravi Jain, and other associated individuals.

ED's investigation has revealed that the accused person, acting in collusion, allegedly cheated thousands of investors by collecting crores of rupees through fraudulent investment schemes.

The investors were lured with promises of exceptionally high returns through a digital platform/application named "My Victory Club (MVC)", which was operated by M/s Digi Mudra Connect Private Limited.

During the course of investigation under PMLA, 2002, it was reported that hundreds of crores of rupees were mobilised from investors.

A significant portion of these funds was allegedly diverted into personal bank accounts of the promoters/directors of the company, as well as accounts of their family members, relatives and agents.

The proceeds of crime were further utilised for the acquisition of immovable properties in the names of family members and associates.

Earlier, on December 31, 2025, the ED conducted search operations at seven premises linked to the accused persons.

These searches led to the seizure of incriminating documents, digital evidence, and cash amounting to Rs 11.3 lakh.

The searches also resulted in the identification of immovable properties worth several crores of rupees and bank balances of around Rs 38 lakh held in various accounts linked to the accused persons and entities.

During the investigation, it was also revealed that Ravi Jain, one of the main accused in the case, is currently based in Dubai and has allegedly channelised the proceeds of crime to Dubai for investments in real estate and other business ventures.

Further investigation in the matter is underway.
Guwahati, Jan 28 : Assam opposition leader and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Wednesday mounted a strong attack on the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and the Assam Sahitya Sabha, alleging that the organisations have failed to uphold their stated commitment to protecting Assam's interests and have instead indulged in behind-the-scenes political dealings.

Addressing the media, Gogoi questioned AASU's claim of being a vigilant watchdog of the state's concerns, asserting that its public posturing did not align with its actions. "If they claim to be so alert and vigilant, where is that vigilance on crucial issues affecting Assam?" he asked, casting doubts on the credibility of the student body.

Gogoi also trained his guns on the BJP-led Assam government over the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), alleging that the law had accelerated the influx of Bangladeshi immigrants into the state. He further raised concerns over the handling of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, claiming that key reports prepared in this regard were yet to be forwarded to the Centre.

According to Gogoi, AASU advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya, who has been associated with the Clause 6 process, has been holding regular discussions with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He alleged that despite the preparation of important documents, member secretary Satyendra Garg had failed to send the reports to Delhi for necessary follow-up and action.

Escalating his criticism, the Raijor Dal leader alleged that Bhattacharya and Utpal Sharma had been engaging in discreet consultations with Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and the Chief Minister, while projecting an image of transparency in public.

Gogoi accused them of encouraging communal tendencies under the banner of nationalism and adopting what he described as a soft approach towards Hindutva politics.

He claimed that such positions reflected a distorted form of nationalism and said the present version of AASU's regionalism was "adulterated" and no longer rooted in genuine regionalist ideology.
Kohima, Jan 28 : Highlighting its long-term economic significance, Nagaland's Deputy Chief Minister T. R. Zeliang on Wednesday said that the Nagaland-Japan Connect is a strategic economic intervention designed to enhance bilateral cooperation, promote investments, and accelerate the state's growth trajectory.

Delivering the keynote address at the 'NagalandJapan Connect 2026' at the Integrated Business Hub and Innovation Centre (IBHIC) in Dimapur, the Deputy Chief Minister described NagalandJapan Connect as a strategic economic intervention.

"Human capital is economic policy. By investing in language, skills, and international exposure, we are creating long-term returns through employment, remittances, and institutional capacity," he said.

Zeliang said that this partnership is built on mutual trust and a shared vision for the future and recalled the long-standing engagement between Nagaland and Japan since 2014. The Nagaland government, through the Investment and Development Authority (IDAN), organised this meet at the state's main commercial hub, Dimapur.

Officials said that this event marked a major milestone in the state government's global engagement strategy, positioning human capital development, international mobility, and people-to-people partnerships at the centre of the state's economic vision.

The initiative brought together state government representatives, Japanese prefectural officials from Kochi, industry partners, academic institutions, and youth to create structured pathways for overseas employment, skill enhancement, and long-term institutional cooperation with Japan.

Chairing the programme, IDAN official I. Changsang emphasised the long-term vision of the initiative, stating that "NagalandJapan Connect is not a one-time engagement, but a structured platform to prepare our youth for global workplaces while building enduring institutional partnerships with Japan."

Addressing the meeting, Abu Metha, Advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman, IDAN, highlighted that the initiative reflects Nagaland's evolving global outlook. "Dreams are meant to be realised through hard work, enabling youth to achieve success and excellence," he said, while urging the youth to gain knowledge and experience, bring back good practices, and contribute to Nagaland, with assurance that the Government will continue to support them.

Hekani Jakhalu, Minister for Industries and Commerce, in her special address, highlighted the importance of youth stepping beyond traditional boundaries.

"With more than 10 lakh job seekers, the challenge before us is to create sustainable livelihoods. This initiative is about expanding horizons and enabling our youth to compete globally. Japan choosing Nagaland reflects the credibility and commitment of our people and our Government," she remarked, adding that the programme marks "a beginning, not an end."

Representing Kochi Prefecture, Japan, Kunitoshi Hojo emphasised the growing demand for skilled youth from Nagaland. "Japan is facing a rapidly ageing population, and Kochi Prefecture is actively seeking motivated and disciplined young workers. From zero workers from Nagaland just two years ago, we now have 19, and we expect many more success stories to follow," he said, reaffirming Kochi's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Nagaland.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bhopal, Jan 28 : Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel said on Wednesday that the objective of the Prime Minister's Janman Abhiyan and Dharti Aaba Tribal Village Development Campaign is to expand basic facilities and improve the standard of living in tribal areas.

The Governor said this while addressing the gathering of tribals during a programme organised at a village in Chhindwara district.

During his address, Governor Patel instructed the officials to ensure that eligible families receive the benefits of the government schemes in a timely and quality-oriented manner.

He commended the Chhindwara district administration for being a leader in the country in PM Awas Yojana (housing scheme) construction under the PM Janman Abhiyan.

Governor Patel stressed the importance of timely testing, treatment, and awareness regarding sickle cell anaemia and tuberculosis.

He told the tribal community that the state government provides free medicines to patients and encouraged them to take their medication regularly.

During the programme, Governor Patel held a cordial discussion with the students of the newly established tribal girls' hostel in the gram panchayat.

He encouraged them to study diligently, strive for success in life, and wished them a bright future.

On this occasion, the Governor also launched 'Swachhta Saathi Wash on Wheels Plus' service, an initiative of the state government, to implement the Swachh Bharat and Jal Jeevan Mission (Central government schemes) at the grassroots level.

This service was launched by Governor Patel on September 26, 2024.

He was told that under this service, regular cleaning and necessary repairs of individual and institutional toilets are being carried out at a fixed service charge.

"At present, 50 workers engaged in cleaning 55,000 individual and institutional toilets have earned an income of more than Rs 55 lakh."

The Governor also visited a health check-up camp organised under the National Program for the Prevention and Control of Sickle Cell and Non-Communicable Diseases in Bhodiyapani gram panchayat in the district and interacted with the patients.
Ahmedabad, Jan 29 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) should come forward with clear and satisfactory steps if questions are being raised over the functioning of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), warning that a lack of transparency could undermine public trust in the democratic process.

Speaking to media on Wednesday after arriving in Ahmedabad, Mann said that if any political party, national- or state-level, has objections or doubts regarding the SIR, it is the responsibility of the ECI to address them openly.

"The Election Commission should not impose conditions or issue pressure-driven directions. It should conduct a transparent and credible examination of the entire process to the satisfaction of the public," he added.

The Punjab Chief Minister said, "If SIR continues to create a fake electorate, then how will democracy survive? This is dangerous for democracy."

Mann also referred to concerns related to the University Grants Commission (UGC), saying that if questions are being raised, a proper and satisfactory inspection should be carried out.

"The UGC conducts major examinations and oversees large universities. If objections arise on any issue, whether related to educational institutions, the Election Commission or any other constitutional body, it is their duty to provide clear explanations and satisfactory answers," he said.

The Punjab Chief Minister arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday evening and was received by Gujarat Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Isudan Gadhvi, party MLAs Gopal Italia and Chaitar Vasava, and party's state organisation general secretary Manoj Sorathiya.

Commenting on the political situation in Gujarat, Mann said AAP's organisational structure in the state had strengthened considerably, with public meetings being held in villages and regular programmes taking place in major cities.

"The people of Gujarat now want change. From what we have seen, it is clear that they are looking for something new," he added.

Referring to the Visavadar by-election, he described Gopal Italia's victory by a large margin as "a very positive signal" for the AAP.

Mann said that AAP would seek to extend the education and healthcare model associated with party leader Arvind Kejriwal, which has been implemented in Delhi and Punjab, to Gujarat as well.

"We will take this model to every household in the state," he added.

He also expressed condolences over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the plane crash on Wednesday morning.

"We pray to God that the departed soul attains peace, and we pay our tributes," Mann said.

Speaking on Punjab-related issues, Mann added that the state had made significant sacrifices for the country and played a key role during the Green Revolution when the nation faced food shortages.

Despite this, he said, Punjab still does not have its own capital.

He reiterated that Chandigarh, currently the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, rightfully belongs to Punjab and said the absence of a separate capital and High Court has added to administrative and judicial burdens.
Washington, Jan 29 : US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday told lawmakers that the Trump Administration is pursuing a phased strategy in Venezuela focused on immediate stabilisation, economic recovery, and an eventual democratic transition, while acknowledging that the effort is complex and will take time.

Speaking at a congressional hearing on US policy toward Venezuela, Rubio said Washington's objective is to reach "a phase of transition where we are left with a friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela and a democratic one in which all elements of society are represented and free and fair elections." He cautioned that "we're not going to get there in three weeks," describing the process as gradual and difficult.

Rubio argued that the situation under Nicolas Maduro posed a direct risk to US security interests. He said Venezuela had become "a base of operation for virtually every competitor, adversary, and enemy in the world," naming Iran, Russia, and China. He described it as "an enormous strategic risk for the United States" within the Western Hemisphere.

He said the first phase after Maduro's removal was preventing disorder. "The concern was what happens in Venezuela? Is there a civil war? Do the different factions start going at each other?" Rubio said, adding that large-scale violence and regional spillover had been avoided.

To stabilise the country, Rubio outlined a temporary mechanism allowing sanctioned Venezuelan oil to be sold at market prices under US oversight. "The funds from that will be deposited into an account that we will have oversight over, and you will spend that money for the benefit of the Venezuelan people," he said, citing the need to fund basic government functions such as paying police officers, sanitation workers, and other essential services.

Rubio emphasised that the arrangement is limited in scope. "This is not going to be the permanent mechanism," he said, describing it as a short-term step to prevent fiscal collapse while longer-term reforms are pursued. He also said Venezuela has shifted key energy sourcing to the United States, noting that diluent used to process heavy crude is now coming "100 per cent" from the US rather than Russia.

In the recovery phase, Rubio pointed to early economic and political moves by interim authorities. He said a new hydrocarbon law "eradicates many of the Chavez era restrictions on private investment," adding that while it "probably doesn't go far enough," it represents "a big step from where they were three weeks ago."

He also cited the release of political detainees. "By some estimates up to 2,000," Rubio said, though he acknowledged they are being released "probably slower than I would like." He said the administration is watching closely how those released are treated as they begin to re-enter public life.

Rubio said Washington plans to restore a diplomatic presence in Caracas to engage not only with authorities but also with civil society and opposition figures. He described current contacts as "respectful and productive," while underscoring that progress will be measured by actions. "We are going to judge actions, not words," he said.

Addressing concerns about future military involvement, Rubio said the administration does not anticipate any further military action in Venezuela. "The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our marine guards at an embassy," he said, while noting that the president retains authority to respond to imminent threats.

Venezuela has faced prolonged economic collapse, mass emigration, and international isolation in recent years, with disputed elections and sweeping sanctions contributing to instability. US officials say the current approach is intended to move the country away from that trajectory toward a more open political and economic system.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, Jan 29 : Political parties in Tamil Nadu have begun intensive preparations for the 2026 Assembly elections, with the State steadily moving into full election mode. As of now, two major political fronts have clearly taken shape - one led by the ruling DMK and the other headed by the principal Opposition, the AIADMK.

Chennai, Jan 29 (IANS) Political parties in Tamil Nadu have begun intensive preparations for the 2026 Assembly elections, with the State steadily moving into full election mode. As of now, two major political fronts have clearly taken shape a" one led by the ruling DMK and the other headed by the principal Opposition, the AIADMK.

Campaign strategies, alliance negotiations and internal organisational reviews are already underway across parties as anticipation builds around the announcement of the election schedule.

According to reports, the official dates for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election are likely to be announced either in the first or second week of March.

The process leading up to the announcement is expected to begin in early February, with the Election Commission initiating a series of preparatory consultations and field assessments.

On February 4 and 5, a key consultation meeting is scheduled with senior officials who will serve as election observers. These meetings are expected to focus on logistical preparedness, security arrangements, voter management, and adherence to the Model Code of Conduct once elections are notified.

Such consultations are a routine but crucial step in ensuring the smooth conduct of polls in a large and politically active State like Tamil Nadu. Following these meetings, the Chief Election Commissioner is expected to undertake a tour of the five States slated to go to the polls this year.

The tour, likely to take place during the second week of February, will reportedly include Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal, among others. During these visits, the Election Commission leadership will review ground-level preparedness, law and order conditions, and feedback from State election machinery.

Based on inputs gathered during these consultations and field visits, a draft election schedule will be prepared. Once this internal process is completed, the Election Commission of India is expected to formally announce the election dates for all five States, including Tamil Nadu.

The announcement of the schedule will mark the official commencement of the election process, bringing the Model Code of Conduct into force.

With political temperatures already rising, the coming weeks are expected to see intensified campaigning, sharper political messaging and heightened activity across constituencies, as Tamil Nadu heads toward another closely watched Assembly election.
Hyderabad, Jan 29 : A total of 902 nominations were filed on Wednesday, the first day for next month's municipal elections in Telangana.

According to State Election Commission (SEC), 890 candidates, including 55 independents, filed the nominations.

Elections for seven municipal corporations and 116 municipalities will be held on February 11.

The poll process began on Wednesday with the returning officers issuing election notice.

As many as 382 candidates of the ruling Congress filed nominations on the first day.

Main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) filed 258 nominations while 169 nominations were received from the candidates of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The SEC said that 123 urban local bodies going to polls have a total of 2,996 wards.

Ward-wise electoral rolls of urban local bodies was displayed on Wednesday.

A total of 52.43 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in the municipal elections. They comprise 25.62 lakh men, 26.80 lakh woman and 640 others.

State Election Commissioner I. Ranu Kumudini released the schedule for municipal elections on Tuesday.

January 30 is the last date for filing of nominations while scrutiny of the nominations will be taken up on January 31.

The State Election Commissioner said the list of validly nominated candidates will be published on January 31 while appeals against rejection of nominations can be filed on February 1. The appeals will be disposed on February 2.

February 3 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidatures.

The same day final list of contesting candidates will be published.

Polling will be held on February 11.

Re-polling, if any, will be conducted on February 12.

Counting of votes will be taken up on February 13.

The SEC will set up 8,203 polling stations and arrange 16,031 ballot boxes for polling.

The state poll body will also arrange 137 strong rooms and 136 counting centres.

Meanwhile, the SEC issued instructions to the candidates for filing of nomination.

Only three persons are permitted to enter the Returning Officer's office (including the candidate and/or proposer).

Only two vehicles per candidate are allowed within 100 metres of the Returning Officer's office.

A help desk is available in all Returning Officer's offices, municipalities and municipal corporations.
Washington, Jan 29 : US President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a new federal initiative called "Trump Accounts," saying the programme would provide every newborn American child with a government-funded investment account to give families a financial head start from birth.

Washington, Jan 29 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a new federal initiative called "Trump Accounts," saying the programme would provide every newborn American child with a government-funded investment account to give families a financial head start from birth.

Speaking at the Treasury Department's Trump Accounts Summit, Trump said the initiative would "give every newborn American child a financial stake in the future," calling it a way to ensure that children begin life with assets rather than debt.

Under the programme, the US government will automatically create a tax-free investment account for each child born in the country. The account will be seeded with a $1,000 contribution at birth, Trump said, with additional contributions allowed from parents, employers, states, and other donors.

"We'll fund those personal accounts with a seed contribution of $1,000, which will compound and grow over the course of their lives," Trump said, adding that the accounts could grow to "very, very substantial numbers" over time.

The President said families and supporters would be able to add up to $5,000 annually to each account. With modest contributions, he said, the accounts could reach at least $50,000 by the time a child turns 18, and potentially far more. "The typical account will grow to 100,000, 200,000, and can even grow up to past $300,000 per child," he said.

Calling the initiative unprecedented in scale, Trump said the programme would ultimately place trillions of dollars in the hands of young Americans over the next decade. "Over the next 15 years, we're going to put 3 to $4 trillion of wealth into the hands of young Americans who otherwise would have really started with nothing," he said.

The President linked the initiative to legislation he signed last year, which he described as a "great, big, beautiful bill," saying it made the programme possible. He also highlighted broader tax measures, including "no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security," as part of what he called a pro-worker economic agenda.

Trump credited private-sector support as central to the programme's rollout. He announced that Michael and Susan Dell had donated $6.25 billion to fund accounts for an additional 25 million children aged 10 and under, calling it "one of the largest private donations of all time."

Several major employers have also committed to contributing to the accounts, Trump said, naming companies including Uber, Schwab, Charter Communications, Intel, Nvidia, Broadcom, IBM, and Comcast. Visa, he added, is creating a platform that would allow cardholders to deposit cash-back rewards directly into their accounts.

Trump said parents will be able to activate the accounts beginning July 4 this year through a dedicated government website. "When Trump accounts officially launch on July 4th of this year, every parent will be able to activate their accounts and access the funds," he said.

In closing remarks, Trump framed the initiative as a defining legacy policy. "Every President in modern history has left our children with nothing but debt," he said. "Under this administration, we're going to leave every child with real assets and a shot at financial freedom."

The United States has previously relied on targeted tax credits and education savings plans to support families with children. Trump Accounts would mark the first universal, government-seeded investment programme for all newborns, positioning early asset ownership as a central pillar of US family and economic policy.
Guwahati, Jan 29 : Assam Governor and Chancellor of Rabindranath Tagore University, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, has said that the transformative reforms are underway in India's education sector, including the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) and the entry of foreign universities into the country.

Addressing the third convocation ceremony of Rabindranath Tagore University at Hojai on Wednesday, the Governor described the occasion as a milestone marking both the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of a new journey for the graduates.

Congratulating the students on their academic achievements, he also acknowledged the crucial role played by parents and teachers in shaping their success.

Focusing on the evolving education landscape, Governor Acharya said the reforms introduced under the NEP are aimed at making Indian education more holistic, skill-oriented and globally competitive.

He noted that the decision to allow reputed foreign universities to establish campuses in India reflects growing international confidence in the country's education system and opens up wider global opportunities for Indian students without requiring them to go abroad.

Referring to India's civilisational values, the Governor said the country has long upheld ideals of truth, compassion, harmony and non-violence, drawing inspiration from figures such as Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Srimanta Sankardev, Madhavdev and Rabindranath Tagore.

He stressed that Tagore's philosophy of education, which seeks to liberate the mind and nurture humanity, remains deeply relevant in the modern era.

Governor Acharya emphasised that education should not be confined to personal advancement alone, but must also contribute to social welfare, particularly for the underprivileged.

He urged the graduates to consider service to humanity as an integral part of their professional commitment.

Highlighting the role of youth in nation-building, the Governor quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on youth energy, calling it the greatest asset of the nation.

He said skill development, innovation and global competitiveness are essential as India moves towards its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

The Governor also called upon the teaching fraternity of Rabindranath Tagore University to help students equip themselves with Industry 4.0 skills, expressing confidence that the university's academic environment would enable graduates to contribute meaningfully to India's growth story.

Rabindranath Tagore University Vice-Chancellor Manabendra Dutta Chaudhary, former Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Amarjyoti Choudhury, Registrar Sandeep Ratna, along with faculty members, students, parents and other dignitaries, were present at the ceremony.
KHARTOUM, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people were killed and six others injured when a traditional gold mine collapsed recently in South Kordofan state in southern Sudan, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company said Wednesday.

The company, a government body overseeing mining activities, said in a statement posted on its official Facebook page that five abandoned shafts at the Um Fakroun mine in Abu Jubaiha locality collapsed on Friday.

Several people were still missing, it said.

According to the statement, the collapsed shafts had been abandoned and officially closed. Some miners sneaked into the site and resumed unregulated work after cutting away the shafts' support structures, causing the shafts to become unstable and collapse.

Sudan has sought to boost gold production as a key source of foreign currency since losing three-quarters of its oil revenue following South Sudan's secession in 2011. However, the sector has seen frequent accidents due to poor safety standards and aging infrastructure. 
Jaipur, Jan 29 : The SC-ST Special Court in Rajasthan's Jaipur has framed charges against former MLA Girraj Singh Malinga under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the SC-ST Act, including attempt to murder, a charge that carries the possibility of life imprisonment upon conviction.

The charges were framed by Special Judge Vidyanand Shukla against Malinga and seven other accused in the case.

The case dates back to March 28, 2022, when Malinga was serving as the MLA from the Bari assembly constituency in Dholpur district.

According to the prosecution, Malinga allegedly instigated and led an assault on Assistant Engineer (AEN) Harshadapati and Junior Engineer (JEN) Nitin Gulati at the Bari Discom office.

The police registered an FIR on March 29, 2022, invoking various sections related to assault, obstruction of official duty, and provisions of the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Following directions from the Rajasthan High Court, the trial was transferred from Dholpur to Jaipur.

The Jaipur court has now framed charges against Malinga along with co-accused Rakesh, Bhola, Sachin, Guman, Pramod, and Sameer under relevant IPC sections and the SC-ST Act.

Malingaas bail history has remained contentious. He was initially granted bail by the High Court on May 17, 2022, citing the COVID-19 pandemic. After his release, Malinga reportedly took out a public procession with supporters. Viewing this as a misuse of bail, the High Court cancelled his bail on July 5, 2024, and directed him to surrender within 30 days.

Subsequently, acting on the directions of the Supreme Court, Malinga surrendered before the SC-ST court in Dholpur on November 20. He later secured bail from the Supreme Court, and is currently out on bail as the trial proceeds.

The framing of charges marks a significant step forward in the long-running case, paving the way for the commencement of the trial, said officials.
Patna, Jan 29 : Shivani Shukla, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and daughter of former MLA Munna Shukla, arrived in Bihar's Jehanabad to meet the deceased NEET aspirant's mother and family members.

After gathering details of the incident, she demanded a thorough investigation on Wednesday and urged the police to question the hostel warden and management and examine CCTV footage from the premises.

Speaking to the media, Shivani Shukla said, "Will the victim's family have to go outside India to seek justice? They will seek justice here from the administration. It is the responsibility of the Bihar government and administration to ensure justice."

She also stressed that the site of the incident must be examined first, saying, "The uncle of the victim is clearly stating that the place where the death occurred should be investigated thoroughly. The inquiry should begin from there. Hostel and hospital authorities must be questioned. Even the family is saying the same. If a common person can understand this, why are the officials of the Bihar police not acting accordingly?"

Raising questions over the investigation process, Shivani Shukla asked, "Where is the hostel owner? Questioning should begin from there. Instead, the victim's family is being questioned and harassed while they are only demanding justice for their daughter."

She added that Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha had met the family on Tuesday and expressed hope that the state government and administration would not step back from ensuring justice for the deceased NEET student.

The case continues to draw widespread attention, with political leaders across parties closely watching the investigation.

Earlier on Tuesday, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha visited the family of the deceased NEET aspirant in Jehanabad and assured them of appropriate action in the case.

Since the incident came to light, several political leaders and public representatives have been visiting the victim's family, while the matter has intensified political debate in the state, with the Opposition questioning the law and order situation in Bihar.
Jaipur, Jan 29 : The Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) on Wednesday organised a Panchayati Raj Empowerment Conference at Birla Auditorium, Jaipur, highlighting the BJP government's systematic assault on constitutional institutions and rural democracy.

Addressing the gathering, RPCC President Govind Singh Dotasra accused the BJP-led state government of deliberately violating the Constitution by failing to hold Panchayati Raj elections even after more than six years. He said Articles 243E and 243U of the Constitution mandate elections to Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies every five years, yet even after the expiry of Panchayat terms over a year ago, elections have not been conducted.

Dotasra said administrators have been imposed on village panchayats, while Pradhans and Zila Parishad members have been removed, completely crippling rural governance. For the last two years, no development funds have been released to Panchayati Raj institutions, bringing rural development to a standstill.

He alleged that elected Pradhans are being arbitrarily suspended, and even those reinstated by courts are removed again without justification. Recalling the vision of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Dotasra said the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments empowered grassroots democracy and gave leadership opportunities to the poor, backward classes, Dalits, youth, and minoritiessomething the BJP is ideologically opposed to.

He pointed out that despite a 2021 Supreme Court ruling, the BJP delayed constituting the OBC Commission, further stalling elections.

Dotasra warned that due to the BJP's indecision and "One StateOne Election" experiment, Rajasthan risks losing Rs 3,000 crore in central funds. He also accused the Centre of weakening MNREGA, stating that Rajasthan owes Rs 5,000 crore, while rural employment has collapsed.

He asserted that the people of Rajasthan recognize BJP's conspiracy and will respond decisively at the ballot box.

Besides, RPCC President Govind Singh Dotasra, the conference was attended by Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully, former State President Dr C.P. Joshi, National President of Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Organisation Sunil Panwar, senior civil society activists, district Congress presidents, and party leaders from across the state.
Business

Fashion Sourcing: Leading B2B Apparel Into the Next Era With Its Founder & CEO : Laurent Gabay

For companies involved in clothing production, design, branding, and retail, the year ahead will demand clarity, agility, and smart partnerships. This is especially true when it comes to trims, labels, packaging, and end-to-end sourcing solutions.

At Fashion Sourcing, we do things differently to help our partners stay ahead of the curve.

A Strategic Approach to Apparel Manufacturing in Asia

Sourcing and manufacturing apparel in Asia has become a strategic advantage for many global retail and wholesale brands. However, long-term success depends on more than cost efficiencyit requires access to quality manufacturers and the ability to build strong, transparent relationships.

Fashion Sourcing helps brands unlock that advantage.

One Partner. Everything You Need.

Fashion Sourcing works closely with clients to strengthen their sourcing capabilities and expertly manage procurement operations across Asiaso they can focus on growth, creativity, and brand impact.

What sets us apart:

Dedicated global team

Verified manufacturers and partners

Competitive pricing on key quality items

No hidden costs or initiation fees

Transparent FOB and DDP pricing

Multi-stage quality control

Design, development, and branding support

State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities

Fast sample and production turnaround

7-day sample development

End-to-end branding and sourcing for apparel, accessories, and textiles

Expert Market Research

Fashion Sourcing delivers the data and professional insight you need to make confident decisions.

Rapid identification of relevant factories

Detailed product quotes and cost analysis

Factory qualification based on your requirements

Expert recommendations and strategic guidance

And more

Product Development

We help transform ideas into finished products.

Professional product engineering

Simple and efficient sample ordering

Development of product and performance standards

Execution of sample tooling agreements

And more

Quality Assurance

Fashion Sourcing implements high-performance quality systems to protect your brand.

Defined quality and performance standards

Pre-shipment inspections

On-site production monitoring

Manufacturing and social compliance audits

And more

Supplier & Order Management

Think of Fashion Sourcing as your on-the-ground team in Asiaworking as an extension of your business.

Clear, efficient communication with factories

Expert order and production management

Shipping, customs, and documentation support

Product and payment fraud prevention

And more

Freight & Logistics

We identify cost-effective and reliable logistics solutions to meet your timelines and commercial goals.

Access to competitive shipping partners

Consolidation across multiple manufacturers

Customs documentation and monitoring

Strategies to reduce tariffs and logistics costs

And more

Your Trusted Apparel Sourcing Partner

Looking for the right manufacturing partner for your brand? Fashion Sourcing makes it simple. We represent a broad and diverse network of factories across Asia, giving you access to multiple vetted options tailored to your needs.

Unlike traditional agencies, we take a transparent and democratic approachpresenting several factory choices and guiding you through each step with expert consultation. Think of us as your trusted apparel brokering partner, committed to your success.

Learn more at:

www.fashion-sourcing.com
Business

FrogData joins FordDirect to Strengthen Dealership Service Operations on The Shop, a Trusted Marketplace for Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and DEARBORN, Mich., JANUARY 2026  FrogData (www.frogdata.com), an automotive data and analytics company focused on dealership Fixed Operations performance and service marketing, announced it has partnered with FordDirect, a joint venture between Ford dealers, Lincoln retailers and Ford Motor Company, to join the e-commerce platform for dealer solutions called The Shop.

The Shop is a curated online shopping experience designed for dealers to meet the challenges of operating in the evolving retail automotive business landscape beyond the products and services that FordDirect already provides to dealers. The Shop, powered by FordDirect, provides dealers with access to vetted vendors, like FrogData, that include pre-negotiated prices for products and services that dealerships need.

FrogDatas FixedOps Solutions Suite, which includes FixedOps Mojo and FixedOps Velocity, is now available to Ford dealers and Lincoln retailers and any dealership group that includes a Ford or Lincoln store. FixedOps Mojo is a Service Operations Intelligence Platform that uses AI and advanced data analytics to deliver instant analysis and prioritized action items for service managers. The platform helps dealers increase Effective Labor Rate (ELR), reduce profit leakage and optimize service menus, enabling faster, more informed decision-making across daily service operations.

FixedOps Velocity is a Hyperlocal service marketing program designed to help franchise dealers retain post-warranty customers and compete effectively with independent repair shops. The program strengthens local digital visibility through targeted SEO and advertising, reinforces OEM service advantages and helps dealers protect high-margin customer-pay service revenue.

Being selected as a partner on The Shop by FordDirect is an important milestone for FrogData, said Tej Soni, CEO of FrogData. Fixed Operations is the backbone of dealership profitability. With FixedOps Mojo, we deliver instant intelligence and clear actions to service managers, and with FixedOps Velocity, we help dealers retain customers and protect service revenue beyond the warranty period. Together, our FixedOps Solutions Suite enables better decisions, stronger performance and long-term customer retention.

FordDirect recognizes that dealerships face an increasing demand for day-to-day resources, including meeting customer expectations, complying with regulations, managing employees, updating technology and planning sales events. The Shop is designed to create more efficiencies and cost savings so that dealerships can focus on core activities.

FrogData will now help Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers spend more time doing what they do best while also supporting FordDirects mission as a trusted partner and resource to find the best vendors in the market for all of their needs, explained Chris Thornton, FordDirect CEO.



About FrogData

FrogData (www.frogdata.com) is an automotive data and analytics company specializing in Fixed Operations performance and service marketing. Its solutions help dealerships improve profitability, operational discipline, and customer retention by transforming repair order pricing and market data into actionable insights for service managers and dealer leadership.

About FordDirect

FordDirect, headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., connects the worlds of data, analytics, and technology to provide best-in-class digital marketing and advertising solutions exclusively for Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers. FordDirect is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and its dealers with a mission of helping Ford and Lincoln dealerships sell more cars and trucks.

For more information, Contact:

FrogData Communications

marcom@frogdata.com
Internet

Web hosting leader SiteGround becomes all-in-one growth platform

Alexandria, VA  January 27, 2026  SiteGround, a leading web hosting provider for over 20 years, announced its evolution into an all-in-one platform for online success. The company has expanded its product suite beyond its world-class hosting, launching a fully integrated ecosystem of tools designed to help entrepreneurs and small businesses build, manage, and grow their online presence.

This strategic transformation addresses the growing fragmentation and complexity that business owners face when managing their digital footprint. They are often forced to rely on a patchwork of separate services for web hosting, site development, and marketing, which creates inefficiency and hinders growth.

The expanded suite of products from SiteGround now includes:

Premium Web Hosting at its core: The high-performance, secure, and reliable foundation that millions of users already trust.

at its core: The high-performance, secure, and reliable foundation that millions of users already trust. Easy Website Builder : An intuitive, AI-assisted tool that allows users to create professional-grade websites effortlessly, with no steep learning curve.

: An intuitive, AI-assisted tool that allows users to create professional-grade websites effortlessly, with no steep learning curve. Coderick AI : A powerful vibe coding tool that brings AI-driven development to everyone, allowing users to build sophisticated websites and applications simply by describing their vision.

: A powerful vibe coding tool that brings AI-driven development to everyone, allowing users to build sophisticated websites and applications simply by describing their vision. SiteGround AI Studio : An integrated workspace giving users access to multiple cutting-edge AI models and over 15 specialized AI agents to handle real business tasks from SEO and image generation to WordPress management. (Available now for existing SiteGround clients, with access for new customers coming soon.)

: An integrated workspace giving users access to multiple cutting-edge AI models and over 15 specialized AI agents to handle real business tasks from SEO and image generation to WordPress management. (Available now for existing SiteGround clients, with access for new customers coming soon.) SiteGround Ecommerce : A comprehensive solution designed to simplify selling online, with intuitive functionality and all the features needed to manage an online store successfully. (Available now for existing SiteGround clients, with access for new customers coming soon.)

: A comprehensive solution designed to simplify selling online, with intuitive functionality and all the features needed to manage an online store successfully. (Available now for existing SiteGround clients, with access for new customers coming soon.) Email Marketing: A streamlined tool for creating and managing lightweight, effective email campaigns, removing the complexity and cost of over-featured alternatives.

"For two decades, SiteGround has been synonymous with world-class hosting and exceptional support," said Nikolay Todorov, CEO of SiteGround. But as our customers' needs have evolved, so have we. The dynamic changes in business and the rapid adoption of AI created new opportunities, but also new challenges. Our evolution is a direct response  a fundamental rethinking of what our customers need to succeed online. We are now more than a hosting provider; we are their growth partner.

This transformation is underscored by a new visual identity and website, reflecting the modern, integrated platform SiteGround has become.

While the company has expanded its services, its core commitment remains the same. The exceptional support, reliable infrastructure, and customer-first philosophy continue to be the bedrock of the SiteGround experience.

"Our mission has always been our customers' success," added Todorov. This transformation isn't just about the new tools we offer; it's about what our customers can achieve with them. We've created a unified ecosystem where every tool works in harmony to help you build, host, and grow. Lets build something extraordinary together.

About SiteGround

For 20 years, SiteGround has been a global leader in providing high-quality web hosting services. Trusted by millions of businesses worldwide, SiteGround is renowned for its commitment to innovative technology, reliable infrastructure, and exceptional customer support. Today, SiteGround has evolved into an all-in-one platform for online success, offering a comprehensive suite of tools designed to help entrepreneurs and businesses thrive in the digital world.

Media Contact

Dimitar Ganev, Content Manager for AI Products, SG Hosting Inc. dimitar.ganev@siteground.com
By combining KIBO's platform with Jumpmind's modern POS and inventory capabilities, we can operate smarter and faster in every store. Post this

"KIBO gives us the unified foundation we need to grow with confidence," said Craig Hewitt, Chief Operating Officer at TPS Group Holdings. "We are scaling into new markets, launching new brands, and investing in experiences that meet our customers wherever they choose to shop. By combining KIBO's platform with Jumpmind's modern POS and inventory capabilities, we can operate smarter and faster in every store. Most importantly, our customers get the consistency, reliability, and relevancy they expect from us across channels and at every touchpoint."

TPS Group Holdings evaluated several platforms such as BigCommerce, Shopify, and Fluent Commerce. After partnering with Perficient, a global AI-first consultancy, to assess business capabilities across these enterprise commerce platforms, TPS Group Holdings chose KIBO for its ability to consolidate workflows across digital and physical channels and deliver real-time visibility into inventory across more than 100 stores. Key capabilities include:

Unified order management that routes every order to the fastest, most cost-efficient fulfillment location.

Real-time visibility across all stores and channels to reduce out-of-stocks and improve customer experience.

Scalable multi-site and multi-brand architecture to support expansion and new concepts like Uncharted.

Business-user tools that let teams manage promotions, rules, and content without developer support.

Jumpmind's cloud-native POS, Inventory, and Promotions suite powering an endless aisle, streamlined receiving, and more than 200 unified promotions.

"We're proud to support TPS Group Holdings as they modernize their retail operations and extend their omnichannel leadership," said Ram Venkataraman, Chief Executive Officer at KIBO. "Their team is building a retail model that's nimble, scalable, and customer-first. With KIBO and Jumpmind working together, TPS Group Holdings now has the unified data and flexible architecture needed to expand, innovate, and deliver exceptional experiences across every store and digital channel."

"We are thrilled that through our partnership with KIBO we were able to launch a new, robust digital experience for TPS Group Holdings/Uncharted within six months; just in time for the holiday season," said Kim William-Czopek, General Manager of Commerce and Customer Care, Perficient. "The collaboration highlights our shared commitment to innovation and excellence in delivering highly engaging solutions around digital commerce, order management, and product experience. Our partnership reinforces our joint dedication to providing seamless and efficient experiences for our clients and their customers."

"TPS Group Holdings has demonstrated a fierce commitment to modernizing its omnichannel technology stack that is incredibly commendable. Shoppers and associates are now empowered with ease and convenience whenever and wherever they choose to engage  in the store or online," said Joe Corbin, Chief Executive Officer at Jumpmind. "By harnessing the power of composable commerce, the company now has a strong and resilient technology foundation that keeps pace with its incredible growth trajectory."

To learn more about how KIBO powers unified commerce, order management, and composable retail experiences, organizations can request a demo today.

About KIBO

Established in 2016, KIBO is a market leader in composable commerce solutions for retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers that want to simplify the complexity in their businesses and deliver modern customer experiences. KIBO is the only modular, MACH-certified platform supporting experiences that span Order Management, Commerce, and Subscriptions, with cutting edge AI and agentic technology designed to improve operations and productivity. Companies like Zwilling, Ace Hardware, Al-Futtaim, Nivel, and REEDS Jewelers trust KIBO to bring simplicity and sophistication to commerce and order management operations. To learn more, visit https://kibocommerce.com/.

About TPS Group Holdings

The TPS Group Holdings family of brands, including The Paper Store, Gifts & More at The Paper Store, and Uncharted, is a vibrant retail destination where exploration and discovery meet. With a carefully curated selection of leading brands and must-have products, their stores offer an ever-changing assortment of fashion, jewelry, beauty, home decor, and more. Whether shopping for yourself or a loved one, you will experience moments of joy with every visit - inspiring you to explore beyond the expected and indulge in the thrill of the unknown. Visit them at either www.thepaperstore.com or www.uncharted.com.

About Perficient

Perficient is the global AI-first consultancy. We're buildersobsessed with outcomes and powered by pragmatismand, through speed and agility, we help the world's most innovative companies and admired brands boldly advance business. For more information, visit www.perficient.com.

About Jumpmind

Jumpmind is a leading provider of innovative retail technology solutions. Our cloud-native, mobile POS platform empowers retailers to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and achieve sustainable growth. With a future-proof architecture and a focus on delivering exceptional value to our clients, Jumpmind is committed to shaping the future of retail technology. Jumpmind powers inspired in-store experiences for a growing list of leading retailers, including American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Build-A-Bear Workshop, DTLR, Petco, Reitmans Canada Ltd., Shoe Palace, The Paper Store, Landmark Group, and The Vitamin Shoppe. Learn more about Jumpmind at www.jumpmind.com.

Media Contact

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SOURCE KIBO
When Renee Watson arrived home to New York City this past weekend, she had plenty of things on her mindand hearing from the Newbery Committee wasnt one of them. I had just gotten back from London, Watson told PW. I was jet-lagged and unpacking, trying to get settled in, and the snowstorm had come to New York, so I was like, let me get some groceries. I was so distracted, with just, you know, life. Then, on Sunday evening, her phone rang. It was the committee, she said. They were cheering, and they gave me the great news, and I was completely taken aback.

The committees great news, of course, was that Watson had won the Newbery Medal for her middle grade novel All the Blues in the Sky (Bloomsbury), which follows 13-year-old Sage as she tries to navigate the complex and unpredictable feelings that come with grieving the sudden death of her best friend.

In the initial surprise of the call, My first reaction was to say thank you, Watson recalled. And then a new wave of emotion rolled in. As committee chair Ramona Caponegro was explaining the logistics of next steps, I looked over at a bookshelf that I have in my living room that has framed photos of beloved peoplemy mother, Nikki Giovanni, a dear friend named DeLana who recently passed away, Watson said. And then it hit me. I wrote this book because I had so much of my own grief, and looking at those photos, it got me so emotional. We were all cryingI was crying, the committee was crying, all of us saying that we cant wait to be in person in June [at ALA Annual] to celebrate together.

But in the meantime, Watson plans to have a celebration closer to home, as soon as weather conditions allow. Im going to have to figure that out, she said with a laugh. Were snowed in here in New York, so I cant do anything tonight. But this week, at some point, I will gather with my people, and we will toast and hug each other and laugh and just take in the moment. Its a moment of levity that Watson is especially looking forward to. Ive had deep losses, and Ive had folks with me who have mourned alongside me and really been here for those moments. And I think its just as important to have the tears of joy and have those same people with me to celebrate and be happy about something.

The Newbery recognition represents other full-circle feelings for Watson, too. This was my first time writing a novel in verse, she said. Poetry was my first love; I still write it personally in my journal. With All the Blues in the Sky, she felt the time was right to embrace poetry in a new way. Telling a full narrative through the vehicle of verse was a lovely challenge, she said. It felt appropriate for a story that was heavy because I wanted space to be on the page where kids could just pause and breathe and take in everything that was happening.

She recalled her earliest impressions of the award and the significance of becoming part of its legacy. I was the little girl in the library searching for the sticker books and rubbing my fingers around that circle sticker, understanding that it was something special, she said. To now be an author who has those stickers on my books means a lot to me, and for this particular story to be acknowledged in this way, its validating. I was pushing myself to do something new and different, and it feels very rewarding to be honored for taking that kind of artistic risk.

Watson finds comfort in the fact that her book is going to exist for young readers everywhere who will one day have to process grieving something or someone. Instead of trying to get over the sadness or deny it, I wanted young people to know its OK to be sad and to be happy and you can do both things at the same time. I take it very seriously that Im trusted to tell stories to young people and spend time with them in that way. So its an incredible honor that my words are going to be resonating with young people for years to come.
What a difference two weeks can make in a Minneapolis booksellers lifeand bottom line.

On January 13, DreamHaven Books and Comics owner Greg Ketter told PW that he ascribed slow sales at his store to the economy and to the weather, and that he really hadnt witnessed the ICE agents that have been swarming the Twin Cities since late December. Maybe Im out of touch, Ketter said.

Now, thanks to social media, Ketter has become one of the most recognizable faces and voices of the Twin Cities ongoing resistance to ICE.

Ketter became a social media phenomenon over the weekend, when MS Now aired a video of him pacing half a block away from where Alex J. Pretti had been murdered by agents an hour earlier, cursing the 50-100 armed ICE agents keeping the crowd back. That video, as well as a photo taken minutes later by freelance photo-journalist Theia Chatelle of Ketter walking through clouds of tear gas, immediately went viral.

Life for Ketter has not been the same since. The store landline has been ringing off the hook, he told PW, and DreamHavens website has received so many hits, that it went down for several days. A GoFundMe campaign for the store thats been dormant for four years received more than $5,000 in donations since Saturday, according to Ketter, who said the money will be donated to local food pantries, as well as an influx of supportive letters and emails.

Counting only sales through AbeBooks and eBay, DreamHavens current sales are 10 times that of a typical January, Ketter said, noting that on Tuesday morning, there were more than 100 eBay overnight orders awaiting him. Two retired employees are now helping Ketter and his sole employee, who is new and still being trained, process orders and ship books. There are orders big and small of $5 books, he said, with titles on tyranny and on the Constitution proving the most popular.

We're trying to keep up, Ketter said. We don't have that many books in stock. I mean, if I have five copies, that's probably a lot, so we're ordering books every day, trying to get them in as quickly as possible. We'll have everything under control before the end of the week, but the orders are still coming in.

Comma and BookTok

Ketter is not the only Minneapolis bookseller whose profile has been raised amid the ICE protests thanks to social media. On January 16, Victoria Ford, the owner of Comma: A Bookshop in Linden Hills, responded to a post on Threads that was looking for businesses in Minnesota that didn't support ICE.

Ford, who says she is far from a social media expert, commented that Comma was one such business, and that it hosts a resistance book club, distributes whistles, and raises money for mutual aid against ICE. The comment went viral after being shared on BookTok.

That gave us national attention, Ford said, Since then, weve been shipping hundreds of orders from around the country.

Like DreamHaven, books on tyranny, the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers are most popular with online customers, according to Ford. Orders have been so robust, she said, that the store closed its doors on Monday and Tuesday just to catch up on shipping orders that peaked this past weekend after a statewide strike against ICE and Pretti's murder.

In typical Minnesotan fashion, Ford's thoughts turned to DreamHaven: "Greg is totally inundated in a wonderful way, she said. I wonder if he needs some help from the bookselling community? I want to reach out just to see if there's any way we can figure out whatever he needs.
Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Zhao Yong (L) and Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio attend the inauguration ceremony of a jointly-built vocational academy in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Jan. 27, 2026. China Railway Seventh Group Co., Ltd. (CRSG), in collaboration with Zhengzhou Railway Technician College and Freetown Polytechnic, officially launched the Excellence Skills Academy on Tuesday in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. (CRSG/Handout via Xinhua)

FREETOWN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China Railway Seventh Group Co., Ltd. (CRSG), in collaboration with Zhengzhou Railway Technician College and Freetown Polytechnic, officially launched the Excellence Skills Academy on Tuesday in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown.

The initiative aims to equip young Sierra Leoneans with essential vocational skills, promote youth development, and strengthen ties between China and Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio underscored the importance of the program in empowering young people, pledging government support and encouraging CRSG to expand its contributions, particularly through the establishment of Chinese technology centers.

Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Zhao Yong congratulated the partners on the launch of the academy while addressing the inauguration ceremony. "The Excellence Skills Academy translates shared visions into concrete realities," he said, noting that the initiative aligns closely with the government's youth development agenda.

Zhao added that 2026 marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone, as well as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. He said the Chinese embassy would continue to support people-to-people and cultural exchanges, as well as educational cooperation between the two countries.

Samba Moriba, principal of Freetown Polytechnic, welcomed the initiative, saying it reflects a shared commitment to technical and human capacity development. "This initiative will promote skills training among our learners and present skilled opportunities, enabling them to contribute positively to society," he said.

CRSG General Manager Du Xinguo said trainees who successfully complete the program will be offered job placements, enabling them to apply their skills in the workforce. 

Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio speaks at the inauguration ceremony of a jointly-built vocational academy in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Jan. 27, 2026. China Railway Seventh Group Co., Ltd. (CRSG), in collaboration with Zhengzhou Railway Technician College and Freetown Polytechnic, officially launched the Excellence Skills Academy on Tuesday in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. (CRSG/Handout via Xinhua)
Wood and firearms go together like peanut butter and jam. A classic pairing that can do no wrong, but in an age of polymer and cost-cutting, it can be hard to find good wood stocks. Lucky for us, Woox is here to save us!

Woox has long offered some beautiful wood options, but they've taken it to a new standard with the release of the High Grade walnut line of stocks for shotguns, lever-guns, and bolt-action rifles.

Available for a wide range of firearms in every line, High Grade can be had for Remington and Mossberg shotguns, Henry and Marlin lever-actions, and Remington, Howa, Tikka, Savage, and CZ rifles.

Woox's High Grade brings nature and handcraftsmanship to firearms otherwise lost to modernization. Every piece of High Grade walnut is hand-selected and oiled by real humans with an eye for beauty. Made in Italy and assembled in the USA.

The WOOX High Grade Line is dedicated to those who seek the highest expression of natural materials and traditional craftsmanship, said Ben Fleming, CEO of WOOX USA. Crafted from High Grade American Walnut, each piece is hand-selected for its exceptional look, grain depth, and contrast, we look for wood that stands apart from the rest.

Price ranges from $640 to $999, depending on model and options. This premium option is available alongside the standard Walnut Woox has been known for.
'The trade deficit in some sectors is huge and that is an area of opportunity to localise.'

IMAGE: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the pre-Budget meeting with state finance ministers in New Delhi, January 10, 2026. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo

Budget 2026-2027 must focus on improving consumption demand and give a leg up to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially to tide over global uncertainties, Nirmal K Minda, Assocham president and executive chairman, UNO Minda, tells Ruchika Chitravanshi/Business Standard.

What more reforms should the government undertake in the Budget after the recent goods and service tax (GST) rationalisation?

Both GST and income tax reforms have improved spending. Today, people are spending a lot on health and education out of their own pockets.

The government should increase its spending in these two sectors to put more money in the hands of consumers.

Improving consumption demand, strengthening income has to be a focus area for the coming Budget.

This would improve the market and economic growth. Job security is also an area of concern.

There is no doubt that India is a bright spot in the world economy, but ease of doing business, simplification of processes, especially for the MSME sector, is essential.

What are your suggestions to boost the MSME sector?

The MSME sector needs ease of financing and flatted factories, where they can plug and play. The government should offer time-bound support to sectors hit by tariff shocks, such as textiles, gems and jewellery, and seafood.

We should reduce power and input costs by expanding incentives for distributed renewable energy uptake by MSMEs, expand cash-flow-based lending using digital infrastructure and account aggregators.

The government should provide targeted credit enhancement for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) lending to MSMEs to reduce borrowing costs.

How is industry addressing concerns around the wage impact of the new labour codes?

Major concerns are around cost, which is the advantage India enjoys from the labour point of view.

There is no question that more money needs to be spent on labour but it has to be rational else we may weaken our competitive advantage at a time when the labour cost in China has gone up.

The wages should be increased in steps, not abruptly. It can be spread over a period of 3 to 4 years. We have given our inputs to the government on this.

Why is private sector investment still lagging?

Foreign investors want a smooth exit. India is an attractive market and everyone wants to come here, but we need simplification of processes, speed and agility of decision making.

Refunds owed to industry should be sped up. Logistics and energy needs more work.

What role will the private sector play in job creation in the coming year?

Increased industrialisation will lead to more jobs. The trade deficit in some sectors is huge and that is an area of opportunity to localise.

Skill will also be developed when private foreign direct investment (FDI) comes into the country.

This is because they will not be bringing labour from outside but develop it in India.

Is artificial intelligence a big concern for industry?

India has made commendable progress on digitisation. Concerns are not as much around jobs as much as concern on quality of products, especially exports.

AI has to be used for productivity improvement, not for job cuts. We should use AI to improve quality and cost as well as increase exports.

How is industry dealing with the current global uncertainty and the US tariffs?

Most of the GDP is coming from domestic demand. This is certainly a disruption but it will normalise over time.

The industry, too, is looking for newer markets. Things are improving in different sectors and segments. In many sectors, the time between development and delivery is long and it cannot be shut abruptly.

So, exports are continuing. The MSME sector has got ease of credit but some subsidy in the form of loan for a year or so would be helpful.

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: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
BRATISLAVA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Slovak government has decided not to join the Board of Peace, set up by U.S. President Donald Trump, for now, according to a document approved by the cabinet at its session on Wednesday.

"Slovakia will support all peace initiatives that have the potential to contribute to stability and are not in conflict with the rules that, in line with the United Nations (UN) Charter of 1945, have helped to protect us from a Third World War following the horrors of the first two," the Slovak government said.

The cabinet noted that new initiatives creating obligations under international law must be carefully assessed. It pointed to Article 103 of the UN Charter, which requires Slovakia to give precedence to obligations arising from the UN Charter in the event of a conflict with obligations stemming from decisions adopted within the Board of Peace.

Under the current plan, Trump would serve as the board's inaugural chairman, a position he could hold for life. Trump has said that permanent members would each be required to contribute 1 billion U.S. dollars to fund the board. 
As per the India-EU free trade agreement, the 50,000-tonne cap will be increased to one lakh tonnes over 10 years.

Photograph: Sharafat Ali /Reuters

Key Points India's import duty on apples is 50 per cent

India's apple imports were about 5 lakh tonnes in 2024

India will lower duty on European apples to 20 per cent under the trade pact, but the imports would be capped at 50,000 tonnes per year and subject to a minimum import price of Rs 80 per kg, thereby fully protecting domestic farmers, an official said on Wednesday.

At present, India's import duty on apples is 50 per cent.

The commodity is a politically-sensitive subject for major apple-growing regions such as Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

As per the India-EU free trade agreement, the 50,000-tonne cap will be increased to one lakh tonnes over 10 years.

The two sides on Tuesday announced the conclusion of the negotiations.

It is expected to be signed and implemented this year itself.

"This means that the EU (European Union) apples will continue to face a minimum effective landed cost of around Rs 96 per kg.

"This preserves domestic price stability and safeguards domestic farmers' incomes, while supporting the strong market position of locally produced apples," the official said.

FTA to protect India's apple growers

The official added that all the necessary measures are there in the FTA to protect the interests of domestic apple growers.

India's apple imports were about 5 lakh tonnes in 2024, with 25.7 per cent coming from Iran, 22.5 per cent from Turkiye and around 8 per cent from Afghanistan.

The EU accounts for 11.3 per cent of the shipments.

The duty concessions will help diversion of imports from Iran and Turkiye.

"These imports are expected to be largely on the cost of existing imports and may replace some current sources without significantly increasing overall apple imports," the official added.

Under the pact, Indian apples too will get duty concessions in the EU market.

The duties will be reduced to zero by the EU over five to seven years, a move which would open a premium segment for Indian apple producers.

"We have secured market access reciprocally," the commerce ministry official said, adding that the concession on apples is a measured, reciprocal, and balanced trade outcome that safeguards livelihoods, preserves price stability and enables new opportunities for our apple growers.
It has a potential to become 500,000 tonnes per year export market for Indian marine products, inCRED said. In 2023-24, as per official data, India exported around 192,505 tonnes of marine products to the EU worth at around Rs 8461 crore, while it exported 329,192 tonnes to the US worth at around Rs 21,000 crore.

Photograph: Feisal Omar/Reuters

Key Points Imports tariffs on olive oil, margarine, and other vegetable oils will be brought down

Potential to become 500,000 tonnes per year export market for Indian marine products

India exported around 192,505 tonnes of marine products to the EU

Indias marine product exports facing rough weather from punitive US tariffs are expected to get a big boost following the reduction of 26 per cent tariff as part of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), but concerns over non-tariff barriers, which are a dominant aspect of marine trade to the EU, still remain.

In fact, non-tariff barriers could act as a big hurdle for easier access for Indian farm products to the EU as it has some stringent testing and phytosanitary standards.

We will conduct impact assessments to analyse potential alignment of production standards between domestic and imported products, notably on pesticides and animal welfare, and increase the number of food safety audits to third countries, an EU statement read.

What InCred says

As per Nitin Awasthi of InCred Research, for India, the EU market was historically constrained for Indias marine products because of a combination of tariffs in the range of 4 percent-12 per cent, and stringent compliance norms (non-tariff barriers) which caused huge delays and rejections.

All this led to costs even higher than the duty which now is at the cusp of reopening meaningfully, Awasthi said.

Late in 2025, the EU had already approved 102 new Indian processing units and in every month of CY25, marine exports from India to EU rose sequentially, with exports in recent months touching nearly 20 per cent EU market share on a monthly basis.

It has a potential to become 500,000 tonnes per year export market for Indian marine products, inCRED said.

India, EU's exports

In 2023-24, as per official data, India exported around 192,505 tonnes of marine products to the EU worth at around Rs 8461 crore, while it exported 329,192 tonnes to the US worth at around Rs 21,000 crore.

From the EU side, among other major items, imports tariffs on olive oil, margarine, and other vegetable oils will be brought down from the existing 45 per cent to zero in the near future.

So also on sheep meat, from 30 per cent to nil.

Trade sources said cheaper olive oil imports from the EU are of little concern as olive is one of the costliest edible oils sold in India and is used only for dressing of food products.

For sheep meat too, traders said it will cater only to the niche markets.

Imports from India

India imports around 20,000-25,000 tonnes of olive oil largely from Spain and Italy in the EU every year, but it is priced at around Rs 700 per litre, which is far higher than the cheapest available edible oils in India priced at around Rs 110-150 per litre.

Even if the duty is lowered, it would not have much impact on prices and virgin olive oil would continue to be one of the costliest available edible oils in India, said B V Mehta, managing director of Solvent Extractors Association of India.

Also, olive has a smoke-point of around 180 degrees, which is not suitable for Indian cooking where the average smoke-point of oil is around 240 degrees.

However, when it comes to other vegetable oils, the other item mentioned in the list of agricultural goods on which India will lower tariffs, Mehta said it could include rapeseed oil as the EU is a major producer of this oil.

Meanwhile, on marine, the official statement said that the preferential market access covering 100 per cent of trade value, by reducing tariffs of up to 26 per cent, will unlock the EU marine market for imports of around Rs 4.67 trillion ($53.6 billion).

This enhanced market access is expected to significantly improve the competitiveness of Indias marine exports while complementing and strengthening Indias export capacity in the marine sector, currently valued at Rs 8,715 crore ($1 billion), to the EU, the statement added.

It claimed that the FTA will turbo-charge exports of shrimp, frozen fish, and value-added seafood exports to the EU, empowering coastal communities in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala and beyond, as well as Indias blue economy.

The government statement also said that India has secured preferential market access for its agricultural exports, boosting competitiveness for processed foods, tea, coffee, spices, table grapes, gherkins and cucumbers, sheep and lamb meat, sweet corn, dried onion, and some other fruit and vegetable products while safeguarding sensitive sectors like dairy, cereals, poultry, soymeal, certain fruits and vegetables, etc.
Stock markets will be open on Sunday, February 1, the day Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveils the Union Budget for 2026-2027, but mutual fund investors will be locked out.

Illustrations: Dominic Xavier/Rediff

At 9.15 am on Sunday, February 1, 2026, equity markets will open for Budget Day trading. The Nifty will move, stocks will (or won't) react in real time to various Budget proposals, and exchange traded funds (ETFs) will change hands. But mutual fund investors -- despite watching their portfolio values fluctuate -- won't be able to transact at that day's NAV.

The reason isn't regulatory. It's operational.

Key Points Settlement system closed: Stock markets open Sunday, but banks and clearing systems remain shut, preventing mutual fund transactions from processing.

NAV skips Sunday: Mutual fund NAVs jump from Friday to Monday evening, completely bypassing Sunday's market movements and Budget-day pricing.

Locked-in investors: MF investors cannot buy discounted units if markets fall or redeem profits if markets surgeunlike direct equity investors who can trade live.

ETFs tradable but risky: ETFs remain available but may trade at wider spreads and deviate from true value due to constrained market makers without bank access.

Long-term impact negligible: Missing one day's trading won't affect 10-15 year wealth creation goals-mutual funds aren't designed for market timing.

Can MF Investors Redeem MFs on February 1, Budget Day?

The Settlement Problem

When investors buy or sell mutual fund units, money moves through the banking system and clearing mechanisms that only function on bank working days. On February 1, Sunday, banks remain closed.

"Let us say I'm a mutual fund company. You are an investor. Only if your money gets credited to my bank account, I'll be able to allot units to you at today's NAV," explains financial advisor Ramalingam Kalirajan. "Because Sunday banks are closed, Sunday we don't get credit. So you'll not be able to allot units on that day."

The issue runs deeper than just bank holidays.

According to Ulhas Joshi, CEO, RankMF, even when stock exchanges are operational, mutual funds need their entire ecosystem functioning.

"Mutual funds need banks, clearing and depository systems (and fund accountants) to receive payments, process redemptions and settle trades," he explains. When any part of this chain breaks, the entire dealing system comes to a standstill.

"The system is straightforward. When you place an order on a settlement holiday, payment instructions -- NEFT, RTGS, UPI, or auto-debit mandate -- cannot be credited to the mutual fund's bank account that same day. Fund houses receive the order but can only process it when money actually lands in their account."

As Joshi notes, "NAV allocation depends on when money is realised as per AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds of India) cut-off rules: if the fund doesn't receive the money before the cut-off time on a business day, your order is queued to the next business day and you get the next day's applicable NAV."

As per AMFI rules, if a mutual fund receives your money before 3 pm on a business day, you get that day's NAV; if it comes in later, you get the next business day's NAV.

Fund houses will calculate NAVs based on Sunday's closing prices, but cannot process subscriptions or redemptions. Investors will see the price but cannot act on it.

How Does Sunday Budget 2026 Affect SIP Investors?

The Opportunity Cost

This disconnect becomes acute during volatile sessions. "Let us say on that day, market is down by 1%, 2% or 5%. Someone wants to invest to take advantage of that discounted NAV, they can't do it," says Kalirajan. "Well, if somebody is directly buying stocks in the market, they'll be able to take advantage of it."

The inverse holds true for redemptions. If markets surge post-Budget, equity investors can book profits immediately. Mutual fund investors cannot.

Financial advisor Reetika Sharma clarifies the NAV calculation timeline: "After Friday, NAV will change directly on Monday. Sunday will have no impact on it."

This means the NAV sequence jumps from Friday evening to Monday evening, completely bypassing Sunday's market movements (markets usually stay closed on Saturdays and Sundays but will remain open to discount the impact, if any, of Budget proposals).

Will fund houses at least publish an NAV for Budget Sunday? Joshi has the answer: "NAVs are only published for business days, following AMFI guidance. If the day isn't a business day for mutual funds -- even with stock exchange trading -- that NAV isn't applicable for new transactions."

The NAV may be published later for record or valuation purposes, but dealings won't be accepted at that NAV "because the fund can't complete money settlements that day."

Why ETFs, Liquid Funds Behave Differently on Holidays

ETFs can still be bought and sold on holidays because they, unlike mutual fund units, trade on the stock exchange just like shares. But the system that normally keeps ETF prices close to their real value can weaken. This happens because market makers -- the institutions that provide liquidity and keep prices in line -- may not have access to normal bank funding.

When they can't easily create or cancel ETF units, prices can move away from their true value, especially during volatile trading hours.

"ETFs and bonds, you can invest. Gold ETF, Nifty BeES (BeES are Benchmark Exchange-traded Schemes that track a market index and trade like shares on the stock exchange), whatever you want to," notes Sharma, pointing out that investors still have options -- via ETFs, BeES, etc. -- if they want exposure on Budget Day.

However, ETF investors need to be careful. When market makers and authorised participants -- who ensure smooth buying and selling in ETFs -- face banking or settlement restrictions on holidays, trading becomes less efficient.

As Joshi warns, "bid-ask (buy-sell) spreads can widen and on-screen ETF prices can move away from the underlying NAV." This means investors may end up buying at a higher price or selling at a lower one than expected.

In such situations, the usual price-discovery process does not work smoothly. "Thin trading + stressed market makers can cause larger intra-day deviations, which is real risk for active traders or those placing market orders during such days," he adds.

Long-term investors are usually less affected, except for small differences in price or slightly higher trading costs.

Liquid and overnight funds continue to publish NAVs even on Sundays because the short-term instruments they invest in earn interest every day. But actual transactions cannot be completed until banks and clearing systems reopen (on Monday, February 2, 2026). So, any order placed on Sunday is processed using Monday's NAV (which will be declared after 3 pm on Monday, February 2), not Sunday's.

These funds normally operate under special SEBI rules because they deal with very short-term money. Joshi explains that liquid and overnight funds have separate cut-off and processing rules "mainly to ensure fairness and proper settlement." On regular working days, these rules help ensure that investors get the correct NAV and prevent misuse. But on settlement holidays like Budget Sunday, "the benefit is limited and transactions are generally processed on the next working day."

Investment Options for Budget Day 2026 Trading

The Long Term Story

Kalirajan seeks to ease the pain-point of the issue that MF investors won't be able to buy or redeem their investments based on the Budget Day NAV : "Mutual funds are basically long term instruments. Just because one day I'm not able to do trading, is it going to impact my wealth creation? Achieving my financial goals? No."

He adds: "Even if this 5% up or 5% down, like even 10% up or 10% down, my goals are for 10 years, 15 years. It is not going to impact me much. Anyone who wants to time the market, they'll be doing trading."

Still, he acknowledges sector-specific volatility: "Budget days can be volatile. With reference to some stocks, some sectors, it can have a huge impact. It can be more relevant for direct stock investing; very less relevant for mutual fund investing."

What Investors Should Do

For mutual fund holders: Orders placed on February 1, Sunday will execute at Monday's NAV. The system isn't broken -- it's just closed. Long-term investors with disciplined SIPs and asset allocation need not alter their approach.

For ETF traders: Check iNAV on fund house websites before transacting. Avoid market orders if bid-ask spreads widen significantly in early hours.

For active traders: Direct equity or equity derivatives remain the only venues for real-time Budget Day execution.

The Bigger Question

This year's Budget being announced on a Sunday highlights a simple problem: The stock market is open, but the banking system is shut. Since money can't move normally, mutual fund investors can't buy or sell smoothly. It lasts only for a day, but it raises a basic question -- does it make sense to announce major financial decisions when the system that handles money is closed?

Perhaps the simpler solution would have been to move Budget Day to a Monday -- when markets, banks, and investors can function in sync. But this solution is perhaps for another day, another time.

As things stand today, on February 1, markets will move, or, won't move at all.

Mutual fund investors will watch.

And act -- 24 hours later.
India has been on an FTA-signing spree of late. Since 2021, it has signed eight trade agreements, three of which -- with the UK, Oman and New Zealand -- were finalised in 2025 alone.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Dr Ursula von der Leyen at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, January 27, 2026. Photograph: DPR PMO/ANI Photo

Free-trade agreements (FTAs) signed by India in the post-pandemic era reflect a shift from tariff-focused deals to an alignment with a changing world order.

These agreements have weaved in new elements such as binding investment commitments from the FTA partners, provision for social security arrangements and progressively opening up the government procurement market to foreign firms.

In a first, New Delhi also agreed to lower tariffs and grant market access for automobiles in the FTA with the UK.

This is a sector that has been long considered 'sensitive' due to its potential to impact jobs in India.

Similarly, while India continues to fiercely protect another sensitive sector -- agriculture -- it has, in some recent trade agreements, offered quota-based market access to fruit and dry fruit -- a step it had never attempted in the past.

Broad architecture

Government officials said the recently concluded trade agreements and the ongoing negotiations for FTAs indicate a recalibration in the way India is engaging with the world.

These trade deals aim not only to deepen economic ties with India's strategic allies, but also to position the country in shaping modern trade frameworks and integrate them into global supply chains.

India has been on an FTA-signing spree of late. Since 2021, it has signed eight trade agreements, three of which -- with the UK, Oman and New Zealand -- were finalised in 2025 alone.

A comprehensive trade deal with Mauritius was signed in 2021, followed by pacts with the UAE and Australia a year later.

A deal with the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) was signed in 2024. Currently, India is in active negotiations with the US, Canada, Mexico, Israel, the Eurasian Economic Union, Peru and Chile.

Agneshwar Sen, trade policy leader, EY India, said in the newer FTAs signed with developed markets, tariff concessions offer limited preferential market access.

Thus, alongside goods and services trade, India is increasingly weaving in new elements such as investment and visa commitments, social security agreements and calibrated access to government procurement.

Given the increasing impact of these subjects on trade, these provisions will future-proof the agreements, Sen said, by providing greater certainty to investors; reducing the cost of labour mobility for Indian professionals; and integrating Indian firms, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises, into the partner country's public procurement ecosystem.

"India is pursuing this broader architecture because global value chains are being reconfigured, and competitiveness today depends as much on investment flows, regulatory predictability and services mobility as on tariffs," he said.

Investment pledges

Nearly two years ago, when India and the four-member EFTA bloc -- Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein -- signed a trade and economic partnership agreement (TEPA), government officials said that apart from the gains for India's labour-intensive sectors in terms of reduction in tariffs, New Delhi's major win was investments worth $100 billion.

Under the deal, which kicked in on October 1, India secured a binding commitment from the four-nation group to invest $100 billion and create 1 million direct jobs over the next 15 years.

The deal also says India can partially withdraw market access to EFTA countries after a lengthy consultation if investments do not flow in -- another first.

Similarly, under an FTA finalised in December, New Zealand has committed $20 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) over the next 15 years.

The commitment too will be backed by a 'rebalancing mechanism' enabling suspension of benefits under the FTA if expected investments don't materialise.

The reason was that average tariffs in any case were low in developed countries -- 2.2 per cent in New Zealand for instance. Bringing them down to zero meant the gains for Indian exporters were limited.

As a result, negotiators in the department of commerce devised a strategy focused solely on FDI, where countries will nudge companies to invest in India.

In return, India has to maintain a certain level of nominal economic growth rate.

Experts said there will be greater clarity on these developments in a few years.

Auto, alcohol, agri

India has until now protected its domestic automobile and alcohol sectors. But now, under the insistence of developed countries such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand and EU, India is bound to give access to its large domestic market.

Indian negotiators have however, succeeded in ensuring that access is given in a phased manner.

In the case of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta), New Delhi for the first time has agreed to reduce tariffs on automobiles, but in a phased manner.

Indian negotiators struck a fine balance by protecting small cars while opening up the large car segment to promote competition.

Similarly, India allowed duty cuts on another contentious item -- alcoholic beverages such as whisky, brandy, rum, vodka, tequila and cider -- but again in a phased manner.

India has also reduced the customs duty on Australian wines, but in a staggered manner to ensure that the domestic wine industry doesn't end up being subjected to predatory pricing.

Even as India continues to fiercely guard its agriculture sector, trade deals with Australia and New Zealand gave quota-based market access for oranges, mandarins, almonds, pears and cotton, among others produce.

Looking West

A former trade ministry official said that while India's earlier 'Look East' approach focused on countries that are now competitors, the current emphasis is on looking towards the West -- mainly developed nations, where certain demands will have to be accommodated in order to integrate into the global supply chains.

"India is gradually opening up its markets, keeping in mind the evolving global order. Developed countries are increasingly prioritising issues such as sustainability, labour standards and other New Age concerns," the official said, adding that India will have to respond, slowly and in a calibrated manner by aligning its policies through small steps.

For instance, India has been wary of opening government procurement -- or tenders -- to foreign entities in order to protect domestic producers.

However, the first sign of flexibility was seen in the comprehensive economic partnership agreement (Cepa) with the UAE.

The biggest relaxation has come in the India-UK Ceta, where New Delhi has committed to give UK businesses access to around 40,000 tenders with a value of at least Pound 38 billion a year.

The UK trade deal with has also seen many other new chapters such as telecommunication, innovation, and subsidies.

By embedding these in FTAs India is aligning its trade policy with its development priorities, while positioning itself as a reliable, long-term economic partner.

Key Points FTAs mark a move beyond tariffs towards investment, mobility, procurement access and strategic alignment.

New deals integrate investment pledges, visa facilitation, social security agreements and government procurement access.

India has, for the first time, agreed to phased tariff cuts on automobiles (UK FTA) and quota-based farm imports.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
'She came home covered in blood. When I asked her, she first said she had fallen, but there were no injuries on any other part of her body. On questioning further, she told me what had been done to her'

Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: Pixabay.com

Key Points The three boys, aged 10, 13 and 16 years, allegedly lured the girl and raped her

Girl's mother alleged that the boys had taken the girl to a terrace of a building and claimed that bloodstains were found there during the probe

The mother of the 10-year-old handed her son over to the police herself after seeing girl's condition

The Delhi Police have apprehended two boys for allegedly raping a six-year-old girl in northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura area, an official said on Tuesday.

The incident took place on January 18 following which the girl's family approached the police and a case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, police said.

According to the investigators, three boys, aged 10, 13 and 16 years, allegedly lured the girl and raped her.

"Two juveniles have been apprehended and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. Efforts are underway to trace the third," a senior police officer said. Multiple teams have been formed to locate the absconding juvenile, and CCTV footage and local intelligence inputs are being analysed, they said.

Vicitm's mother recounts harrowing ordeal

Police said that the child was sent for medical examination and is receiving necessary care and counselling. Her statement has been recorded, and legal procedures in cases involving minors are being followed.

Speaking to reporters, the girl's mother said that her daughter returned home in a distressed condition.

"She came home covered in blood. When I asked her, she first said she had fallen, but there were no injuries on any other part of her body. On questioning further, she told me what had been done to her," the woman said.

She added that she immediately took her daughter to the police station, from where they were sent to a hospital for the girl's medical examination.

Mother of 10-year-old accused handed her son over to the police herself

She alleged that the boys had taken the girl to a terrace of a building and claimed that bloodstains were found there during the probe.

She further alleged that the accused belonged to the same locality.

"The mother of the 10-year-old handed her son over to the police herself after seeing my daughter's condition. I want strict punishment for all those responsible," she said, adding that one accused was believed to be in Bihar.
Supreme Court Resumes Hearing on Bihar Electoral Roll Revision.

Additions and deletions are part of the electoral roll revision exercise undertaken by the Election Commission, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday, as it resumed final hearing on a batch of 19 petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points The Supreme Court is reviewing petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

The court addressed the admissibility of Aadhaar cards as proof, stating that the possibility of forgery is not grounds for rejection.

Petitioners allege mass deletions from voter lists and question the transparency and legal basis of the SIR exercise.

The Election Commission defends the SIR, stating that Aadhaar and voter ID cards are not conclusive proof of citizenship and that the exercise aims to ensure only citizens are on the rolls.

Arguments centered on the Election Commission's powers versus the Union government's authority in determining citizenship.

Aadhaar card admissibility

On the admissibility of Aadhaar card as one of the proofs, the top court categorically said that the possibility of forgery cannot be a ground to reject the 12-digit biometric identifier.

Observing that even passports are processed through private agencies performing public duties, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said, "If a document is recognised by statute, it cannot be discarded merely because a private entity is involved in its issuance."

Arguments against the revision

When senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners, alleged mass deletions of names from the voter list, the CJI said, "Additions and deletions are part of the electoral roll revision exercise."

In their rejoinder submissions, the petitioners questioned the transparency, timing and legal basis of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

The bench heard rejoinder submissions from senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Prashant Bhushan, Vijay Hansaria and petitioner-in-person, Yogendra Yadav.

The court had commenced final arguments in the matter on August 12 last year, when it observed that inclusion or exclusion of names in electoral rolls falls within the constitutional remit of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Election Commission's defence

The ECI has defended the SIR exercise, maintaining that Aadhaar and voter identity cards cannot be treated as conclusive proof of citizenship.

Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, arguing in favour of the exercise, submitted that Aadhaar cannot be relied upon for determining citizenship, noting that under the Aadhaar Act, even foreign nationals residing in India for 182 days are eligible for enrolment and that the statute expressly clarifies that Aadhaar does not confer citizenship or domicile.

Justice Bagchi countered that the possibility of forgery cannot be a ground to reject Aadhaar alone, observing that even passports are processed through private agencies performing public duties.

Hansaria maintained that no petitioner had sought the inclusion of Aadhaar as proof of citizenship and argued that the court could not issue a mandamus without such a prayer.

Citizenship determination

Sibal argued that while the poll panel has plenary powers under Article 324 to conduct elections, the determination of citizenship lies exclusively with the Union government under the Citizenship Act.

"Who decides if I am a citizen of India? It is the Government of India, not the Election Commission," Sibal said, relying on Articles 325 and 326 of the Constitution.

He also contended that electoral registration officers (EROs) cannot effectively decide citizenship while processing objections or deletions under Form 7.

Justice Bagchi observed that exclusion from electoral rolls does not amount to loss of citizenship per se, but Sibal responded that the practical effect of such exclusions was disenfranchisement without due adjudication by the competent authority.

Scale of the revision

Sibal stressed the "enormity" of the SIR exercise, claiming that nearly 1.82 crore voters were subjected to scrutiny without any data showing large-scale illegal migration in Bihar, where the exercise was carried out last year ahead of the assembly elections.

"How many illegal migrants were actually found? Not one," Sibal said, arguing that mass deletions close to elections could undermine democratic participation.

While the bench noted that deletions are inherent to roll correction, Sibal countered that annual revisions already exist and that a wholesale special revision required strong justification supported by data.

"This is not an ordinary administrative decision. This judgment will decide the future course of democracy in India," Sibal said.

Arguments from other petitioners

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioner Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO, argued that once a person is included in the electoral roll, valuable constitutional rights accrue, including the right to vote.

He said the SIR in Bihar effectively created a 2003 cut-off, shifting the burden of proof onto voters added after that year, many of whom had already voted in multiple elections.

"A constitutional right has been taken away without amending the Constitution or the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951, and without framing rules or issuing orders under Article 324," he said.

Yogendra Yadav, political activist and one of the petitioners, submitted that the poll panel had not disputed the data or methodology he had placed before the court.

He said global standards for electoral rolls require completeness, equity and accuracy, and claimed that the SIR led to a sharp decline in the electoral population ratio in Bihar, pointing to "structural design defects" rather than accidental errors.

Election Commission's stance

The poll panel has consistently maintained that ensuring only citizens are included in electoral rolls is its constitutional duty, and that Aadhaar can at best be used to prevent duplication, not to establish citizenship.

It has denied allegations of political motive, stating that deletions occurred across party lines.

The hearing is expected to conclude on Thursday.
The Learjet 45 (LJ45), a mid-size business jet aircraft produced by the Learjet Division of Bombardier Aerospace, went off the runway while attempting to land at Baramati airport and burst into flames.

IMAGE: Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra deputy chief minister dies in plane crash in Baramati. Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Key Points According to Flight Radar, the flight took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and it disappeared from radar around 8.45 am

Ajit Pawar was traveling to Baramati from Mumbai to address public meetings as part of the campaign for the February 5 zilla parishad elections in the state

Ajit Pawar Pawar is survived by wife Sunetra, a member of Rajya Sabha and two sons, Parth and Jay

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed near the Baramati airport in Maharashtra's Pune district on Wednesday.

The 66-year-old leader's death has not only left a vacuum in the BJP-led state coalition government, but also cast a shadow on the future of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which he headed.

IMAGE: Rescuers at the site where the plane carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashes in Pune district. Photograph: Special arrangement

His uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar said the plane crash was an accident which shouldn't be politicised.

The "black box" (comprising the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder) from the aircraft, will be analysed after recovery to determine the cause of the accident, an official said.

Ajit Pawar had taken off from Mumbai in the morning to address four rallies in the day in Pune district for the February 5 zilla parishad elections.

The others killed in the tragedy were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had a flying experience of 15,000 hours, co-pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak with 1,500 hours of flying, personal security officer Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali.

WATCH: Visuals from the spot show fire and smoke

The government released a statement detailing the sequence of events that led to the crash and Pawar's death. The aircraft, a Learjet, was cleared for landing in Baramati on Wednesday morning after a go-around due to poor visibility, but having finally received a clearance it did not give any read-back' to the ATC, and moments later burst into flames on the edge of the runway. In aviation parlance, a go-around is a standard procedure where a pilot discontinues a landing attempt and initiates a climb to fly another approach. It is used when a landing cannot be completed safely due to factors like poor weather, an unstable approach, or traffic on the runway. It is a proactive safety measure rather than an emergency. WATCH: Mangled remains of plane
Ajit Pawar and four others on board died after the chartered plane crashed.

IMAGE: The wreckage of the aircraft at the crash site in Baramati, January 27, 2026. Photograph: ANI video grab

Key Points During the second landing attempt, ATC again asked whether the runway was in sight, to which the pilot responded in the affirmative

After the ATC granted landing clearance, the aircraft crashed

Teams from the DGCA and AAIB are in Baramati to carry out a probe into the accident

Union Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu on Wednesday said that as per the preliminary information, visibility at the Baramati airport was poor when the aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed.

Pawar and four others on board died after the chartered plane crashed on Wednesday morning.

Naidu and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol flew to Pune from Delhi to attend Pawar's last rites.

"Teams from the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) have arrived to carry out a probe into the accident. Preliminary information suggests that visibility was poor at the time the aircraft was attempting to land," said Naidu.

When ATC Baramati asked the pilot whether the runway was in sight, the response was negative, following which the aircraft executed a go-around, he said.

During the second landing attempt, ATC again asked whether the runway was in sight, to which the pilot responded in the affirmative, the minister said.

After the ATC granted landing clearance, the aircraft crashed, Naidu said, adding, "We are seeking more details and will conduct the investigation in a transparent manner.
Ajit Pawar, who was the finance and planning minister, would have tabled his budget for 2026-27 next month when the state legislature's budget session begins in Mumbai on February 23.

IMAGE: Ajit 'dada' Pawar's political career was marked by twists and turns, and he was always the survivor. Photograph: @AjitPawarSpeaks

Key Points Ajit Pawar was known to speak his mind and did not mince words while expressing his view especially before a rural audience

Pawar had the record of becoming the deputy chief minister in several governments, led by the Congress, the Shiv Sena and the BJP

Despite his alliance with BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar stressed that he had joined the ruling alliance for development and had not deviated from his core progressive ideology

For Ajit Pawar, it was a perennial case of "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride", as the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister for a record six times passed away in a tragic air crash on Wednesday, without realising his goal of becoming the chief minister.

For the 66-year-old grassroots politician, the end came in Baramati, his home turf.

A seasoned politician, Ajit Pawar never hid his desire to become the state's CM. Before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena alliance government in July 2023, he was deputy CM when Devendra Fadnavis was the CM in November 2019, their government lasting barely two days.

Known to be workaholic and punctual

Pawar was known to be a workaholic, and was famous for his punctuality, unlike many politicians notorious for their tardiness.

He had the record of becoming the deputy chief minister in several governments, led by the Congress, the Shiv Sena and the BJP.

His political career was marked by twists and turns, and he was always the survivor, be it the alleged Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam or the recent controversy over his son Parth's land deal in Pune.

Affectionately called ''Dada'' (elder brother), Ajit Pawar was known to speak his mind and did not mince words while expressing his view especially before a rural audience.

Not unknown to controversies

In 2013, Ajit Pawar stirred up a hornet's nest with comments ridiculing the acute water and power shortage in parts of the state. He was forced to issue a public apology after his remarks came in for all-round criticism.

Addressing a public meeting in a village in Pune's Indapur, he had mocked Bhaiyya Deshmukh, a farmer from a drought-hit area in Solapur who was on a hunger strike at Mumbai's Azad Maidan, demanding more water.

"He has been fasting for the last 55 days. If there is no water in the dam, how can we release it? Should we urinate into it? If there is no water to drink, even urination is not possible," he had said.

Referring to the load shedding situation in parts of the state, he had said, "I have noticed that more children are being born since the lights go off at night. There is no other work left then."

Ajit Pawar broke away from Sharad Pawar's shadow

In July 2023, he stepped out of his uncle and NCP founder's Sharad Pawar's shadow by rebelling against him and walking away with most of the party's MLAs, along with the party's name and symbol.

After a setback in last year's Lok Sabha election where his party won only one seat, he outwitted critics by bagging 41 seats in the assembly polls five months later, in alliance with the BJP. The NCP-SP got only 10 seats.

Since the 2024 assembly results, Ajit Pawar fortified his position in state politics.

Despite his alliance with BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, he stressed that he had joined the ruling alliance for development and had not deviated from his core progressive ideology.

He stayed focussed on his party and his ministries while political speculation centred around the so-called one-upmanship between chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the other deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

More about Ajit Pawar

Born on July 22, 1959 to Asha and Anantrao Pawar, Ajit Pawar followed the footsteps of his uncle (his father's younger brother) Sharad Pawar into politics in 1982 when he was elected to the board of a sugar factory.

In 1991, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati and later vacated the seat for his uncle who then became defence minister in P V Narasimha Rao's government.

Ajit Pawar then served as Baramati MLA for eight terms from 1991.

Ajit Pawar, who was the finance and planning minister, would have tabled his budget for 2026-27 next month when the state legislature's budget session begins in Mumbai on February 23.

In the days to come, the focus will be on the future of the NCP factions, with political circles buzzing with the possible merger of the two outfits.
The Learjet 45XR aircraft, which was carrying Ajit Pawar and four others from Mumbai, crashed near Baramati airport at 8.48 am on Wednesday.

IMAGE: The wreckage of the aircraft at the crash site at Baramati, January 27, 2026. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on board died in the crash. Photograph: ANI video grab

Ever since news broke that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in an air crash on Wednesday morning, there is speculation over what could have gone wrong with the jet in which he was flying.

Key Points Learjet aircraft popular with corporates

Pilot did not land on first attempt

Did engine fail on second attempt?

The Learjet 45XR aircraft, which was carrying Ajit Pawar and four others from Mumbai, crashed near Baramati airport at 8.48 am.

Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff spoke to Captain C S Randhawa, president, Federation of Indian Pilots, to find out what could have gone wrong with the aircraft.

It is a small aircraft which weight about 9,000 to 10,000 kg.

This particular aircraft belongs to VSR Ventures, New Delhi.

Learjet aircraft used by corporates

The aircraft is used widely by corporates; some 1,200 to 1,700 such aircraft are being used across the world.

It is a small 9-seater jet, and comes under the Non Schedule Operators Permit (NSOP) category.

This particular flight was from Mumbai to Baramati and the aircraft crashed before reaching the runway.

What was the distance from the runway when it crashed? At this moment we cannot make out from the visuals or footage that we have got.

Therefore, it is premature to speculate what went wrong with the aircraft.

The first time the pilot made a turnaround but did not land, and he made a second attempt to land the aircraft.

Was there a problem with the aircraft?

Visibility could be a factor

Did the engine fail when he was approaching the runway the second time?

Visibility could be another factor because it is a VFR (Visual Flight Rules) field and it does not have instrumental landing or VOR (Omnidirectional range or critical ground based radio navigation aids).

Therefore, a pilot has to land visually.

Now was there a problem at that point of time and if yes, whether a May Day call was given, that is yet to be found out.

Black box will give the actual picture

They must have retrieved the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder, which is called the black box from which the data will emerge as to what really happened.

Two things are pertinent. There is speculation that there was a landing gear problem in the Learjet, but if it had landing gear problem the aircraft would have crashed on the runway.

And since it crashed before landing on the runway, the question comes up, was there a problem in the engine? If yes, what was the problem?

Problem with aircraft?

We know the pilot did a go-around (of the runway) and tried for a second approach to land, so was there a problem with the aircraft?
TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said here Wednesday that he has not been in contact with U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff over the past days, according to the official news agency IRNA.

He made the remarks while addressing reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, noting that Iran has submitted no request for negotiations with the United States as tensions remain high between the two sides.

Araghchi said different mediators and countries are in contact with Iran "seeking to play a role with goodwill," adding that "no decision has been made yet and we have not sent any request."

He emphasized that negotiations should be held on equal footing, based on mutual respect and to safeguard bilateral interests.

A day earlier, Araghchi and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani discussed the latest international developments and bilateral ties in a phone call, highlighting the necessity to continue diplomatic efforts to maintain stability and de-escalate tensions in the West Asia region, according to an Iranian Foreign Ministry statement.

The developments came as Trump announced that a "massive armada," headed by the Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln and larger than that sent to Venezuela, is heading to Iran, and warned Iran that "time is running out" to make a deal with the United States. Iran has warned of a "comprehensive and regret-inducing" response to any aggression. 
The tragic and untimely demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on Wednesday has not only left a vacuum in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state coalition government, but also cast a shadow on the future of the Nationalist Congress Party.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Photograph: @CMOMaharashtra X/ANI Photo

The NCP is likely to face a leadership crisis following Ajit Pawar's death, as there is no clear second-in-command, say political observers.

Key Points No second in command in NCP

Will two factions of NCP unite?

Will mantle fall on Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra?

As the 'clock' symbol lost its undisputed leader, questions loomed over the party's survival and its future equation with founder Sharad Pawar, whose Rajya Sabha tenure ends in April this year.

There has been speculation whether the NCP might reunite with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SP, especially as ties between the factions have softened in recent months.

Fadnavis has to retain NCP flock with NDA

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will need to ensure that the 41 MLAs aligned with Ajit Pawar do not drift back toward Sharad Pawar, political analysts say.

Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra, is currently a Rajya Sabha member and has been politically active, though she lacks administrative experience.

The NCP has one Lok Sabha member, Sunil Tatkare, and two Rajya Sabha MPs -- Praful Patel and Sunetra Pawar.

With NCP founder Sharad Pawar staying away from the public glare during the recently held local bodies and civic elections, his daughter and NCP-SP working president, Supriya Sule, campaigned for the party candidates, but was no match for her cousin Ajit Pawar, who campaigned statewide.

State politics was abuzz with speculation about a possible merger of NCP-SP with the NCP under Ajit Pawar's leadership. However, his untimely death in a plane crash has cast uncertainty over the future of his faction.

No senior leader to succeed Ajit Pawar

Apart from state NCP president Sunil Tatkare and national working president Praful Patel, the party lacks a senior leader capable of succeeding Ajit Pawar. The only other mass-based leader, Chhagan Bhujbal --recently acquitted in a money laundering case -- is currently unwell.

While Patel and Tatkare have been key organisational figures, they lack the statewide grassroots connect that Ajit Pawar commanded.

In the ruling Mahayuti, which won a massive mandate in the 2024 assembly polls, the BJP has 132 MLAs, followed by Eknath Shinde- led Shiv Sena with 57 and Pawar's NCP 41.

Senior journalist Prakash Akolkar told PTI that both NCP factions are contesting the February 5 zilla parishad elections together on the 'clock' symbol, effectively signalling an unofficial merger.

NCP bested by BJP in civic polls

"The question is no longer about who merges with whom. With only two Opposition parties left-Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT)-it remains to be seen whether the Congress can revive itself," he said.

In the recently-concluded civic polls in Maharashtra, the NCP, which contested separately from Mahayuti allies, bagged 167 seats across 29 municipal corporations and was defeated by the BJP on its home ground of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, where it had aligned with Sharad Pawar's NCP-SP, which won only 36 seats across the state.

In the 165-member Pune Municipal Corporation, the NCP won only 27 seats and NCP-SP 3 seats against BJP's tally of 119, whereas in the 102-member Pimpri Chinchwad civic body, Ajit Pawar's party got 37 and Sharad Pawar's faction drew a blank, while BJP got 84 seats.

Last month, in the polls to 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats, the NCP won 966 and NCP (SP) 256 out of the total 6,851 seats.
The last rites of Ajit Pawar, killed in a plane crash, will be held with full state honours at Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati, Pune district, at 11 AM on Thursday

IMAGE: Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy CM Eknath Shinde, meet Sunetra Pawar, wife of deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who lost his life in a charter plane crash landing, in Baramati, Maharashtra, January 28, 2026. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash.

His last rites will be held with full state honors in Baramati.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the funeral.

The state government has declared a public holiday and a three-day period of state mourning.

The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, killed in a plane crash, will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati, Pune district.

Expected Attendees

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the funeral, which will be held at Vidya Pratishthan ground at 11 AM. Leaders cutting across the political spectrum will be present, the Nationalist Congress Party said.

Details of the Incident

The plane crash occurred in the morning shortly after Ajit Pawar and four other persons took off from Mumbai.

Victims of the Crash

Besides Pawar, his Personal Security Officer, an attendant, and two crew members (pilot in command and the first officer) were also killed.

Family and Mourning

Pawar is survived by wife Sunetra, a member of the Rajya Sabha, and two sons, Parth and Jay.

State Response

The state government declared a public holiday on Wednesday and announced a three-day period of state mourning.
The incident had taken place on July 17, 2024 when Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis and then industries minister Uday Samant were heading to Gadchiroli from Nagpur for the foundation stone laying ceremony of a steel company

IMAGE: MPs observe a two-minute silence to pay tribute to Ajit Pawar, Shalini Patil, Bhanu Prakash Mirdha, Satyendra Nath Brohmo Chaudhury, Suresh Kalmadi, Kabindra Purkayastha and the former prime minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia, in Lok Sabha on the first day of the Budget Session, in New Delhi, January 28, 2026. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Video Grab

Key Points Ajit Pawar recounted a tense helicopter ride to Gadchiroli with Devendra Fadnavis and Uday Samant in July 2024.

Pawar described being nervous due to thick cloud cover, while Fadnavis remained calm and shared his past experiences with similar situations.

The incident occurred during a trip to Gadchiroli for the foundation stone laying ceremony of a steel company.

Pawar humorously narrated his fear and reliance on chanting prayers during the flight.

The video of Pawar's speech resurfaced on social media following his death in a plane crash.

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a plane crash on Wednesday, had shared an anecdote about the tense moments he experienced while flying in a helicopter to Gadchiroli with a couple of prominent politicians from the state amid bad weather in July 2024.

He had shared the experience at a public function in Gadchiroli, where he arrived in the helicopter from Nagpur with the then deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and industries minister Uday Samant.

Although the anecdote was about the mid-air scare he experienced, Pawar had narrated it in his trademark humorous style. A video of Pawar's speech has now resurfaced on social media following his death.

The tense helicopter ride

He said although he was very nervous during the helicopter journey as nothing was visible outside due to a thick cloud cover, Fadnavis was unperturbed and told him that he had experienced mid-air scares six times earlier, and asked him to calm down, saying nothing bad would happen.

The incident had taken place on July 17, 2024 when the three leaders were heading to Gadchiroli from Nagpur for the foundation stone laying ceremony of Surjagad Ispat Pvt Ltd, a steel company.

Addressing the gathering at the event after their arrival, Pawar said, "When we started from Nagpur in the helicopter, it was fine at first. But later, when the helicopter entered the clouds, I looked this way and that way -- there were clouds everywhere. And our Devendra Fadnavis was just sitting there, casually chatting."

"I told him (Fadnavis) - 'Look outside, we can't see anything, no trees, no ground, nothing. We are flying blindly through the clouds. Where are we even going?' But he calmly replied - 'Don't worry at all. I have experienced six such incidents so far. Whenever I am in a helicopter or a plane and an accident occurs, nothing happens to me. So, nothing will happen to you either."

"I thought to myself - 'My goodness, what is he saying? I already had a sinking feeling in my stomach! Today is Ashadhi Ekadashi (a holy day), so I was constantly chanting 'Panduranga, Panduranga' (God's name) in my mind. And here was this 'Maharaj' (Fadnavis) giving me advice," he said.

Fadnavis's reassurance and safe arrival

Pawar also said that as Fadnavis told him not to worry, he remained completely relaxed and nothing bad really happened.

"It is the good deeds of his (Fadnavis) elders that we reached here (safely)...Those good deeds helped us," he said.

"But friends, honestly, all of us were quite shaken. Uday Samant was sitting to my right, and he said, 'Dada, Dada, look! The ground is finally visible'. I said - 'Thank God, we can see the ground now!' Jokes apart, everyone must take care," he said.

Pawar (66) and four others were killed after a plane carrying them crashed in Baramati town in Maharashtra's Pune district on Wednesday morning.
The ill-fated aircraft was 'very well-maintained', and its pilot, Captain Sumit Kapoor, was a very seasoned and experienced pilot who had clocked 16,000 flying hours, V K Singh, owner of VSR Ventures claimed.

IMAGE: Wreckage of the crashed plane that was carrying Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, in Baramati, January 28, 2026. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points VSR Ventures owner suggests the pilot initiated a 'missed approach' due to poor visibility.

The owner vouches for the pilot's extensive experience (16,000 flying hours) and the aircraft's well-maintained condition.

All five people on board the Learjet 45 died in the crash.

The pilot, Captain Sumit Kapoor, was highly experienced and an instructor/examiner material.

VSR Ventures operates a fleet of private aircraft for corporate travelers.

V K Singh, owner of VSR Ventures whose aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed in Baramati on Wednesday, said the pilot apparently could not see the runway and carried out a "missed approach", a standardised procedure in such cases.

The ill-fated aircraft was "very well-maintained", and its pilot, Captain Sumit Kapoor, was a very seasoned and experienced pilot who had clocked 16,000 flying hours, he told reporters.

All five persons on board the Learjet 45 died in the crash.

Captain Kapoor was an "instructor and examiner material" and had worked with Sahara Airlines, Jetlite and Jet Airways in the past, Singh said, adding that he had experience of flying the Learjet 45. Kapoor's son also works in his company, he said.

Co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, who was among the deceased, was like a daughter to him, said Singh. Both Kapoor and Pathak were Delhi-based, he said.

"Primarily it appears that the pilot could not see the runway and that is why he would have carried out a missed approach. The pilot will carry out a missed approach in case he is not comfortable to land," Singh said.

A 'missed approach' is a standardised procedure pilots execute when a landing cannot be safely completed during an instrument approach, often called a go-around.

When asked whether the remaining Learjet 45 aircraft in the company's fleet will be grounded, Singh said they were in good condition and there was no need to ground them. The Learjet 45 aircraft are very dependable, he added.

Asked about an accident at the Mumbai airport in 2023 which also involved an aircraft of his company, Singh said it was raining, the visibility was low, and the aircraft skidded after landing.

According to the website of Delhi-based VSR Aviation (owned by VSR Ventures), it caters to corporate travelers and others who need to fly to remote locations not serviced by commercial airlines.

According to a Civil Aviation Ministry statement, VSR Ventures is a Non-Scheduled Operator (NSOP) with Permit No 07/2014. Its fleet included seven Learjet 45 aircraft (including the one involved in the crash), five Embraer 135BJ aircraft, four King Air B200 aircraft and one Pilatus PC-12 aircraft.
The tragedy in Baramati brought back the 'haunting memories' of June 12, 2025, when Ahmedabad witnessed one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent history

IMAGE: A view of the site of the charter plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, January 28, 2026. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Ahmedabad residents recall the Air India crash of June 2025 after the Baramati plane crash.

The Air India crash killed 241 passengers and 19 people on the ground.

First responders recall the horrific scenes of the Air India crash, including the difficulty of retrieving bodies and belongings.

Families of victims from the Air India crash express renewed grief and trauma after hearing about the Baramati accident.

Pilots highlight the importance of safety procedures and the challenges of flying in low visibility conditions, especially at uncontrolled airstrips.

For the residents of Shahibaug and Meghaninagar localities here, the news of the aircraft crash in which Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on Wednesday reopened wounds of the Air India crash of June last year.

The tragedy in Baramati brought back the "haunting memories" of June 12, 2025, when Ahmedabad witnessed one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent history.

"Those visuals have been repeating in my head ever since I heard about the crash in Maharashtra today," said Rajesh Patel, a local businessman who was among the first responders at the Ahmedabad site.

"It has taken me back to that fateful day. The sound, the smoke, it's like it's happening all over again," he said.

On the fateful day last year, Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, plunged into a hostel complex at BJ Medical College just seconds after takeoff, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, including former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, and also claiming 19 lives on the ground.

Patel, who lives barely 500 metres from the accident site, said he could see thick black smoke and towering flames from his residence. "At first, I thought it was a blast. But one of my employees, who lives closer to the site, informed me that a plane had crashed," he said.

The 57-year-old businessman said he and his team reached the spot within 10 minutes. "All we could experience was fire everywhere and the strong smell of burning fuel," Patel recalled. He said they struggled to enter the area for the first few minutes as their eyes began to burn due to the heat and smoke.

Patel claimed they recovered nearly 70 tolas of gold ornaments, Rs 50,000 in cash, British passports, and a few US dollars from the scene of the deadly aircraft accident and handed over the valuables to the police.

It was extremely difficult for first responders to enter the crash site as explosions were occurring at intervals due to the aviation turbine fuel in the plane. There was also fear that gas cylinders in the medical college hostel canteen could explode at any moment, he added.

As they retrieved passengers' belongings, gold ornaments, and cash, they did not find a single body that was intact, said Patel. "It was only flesh and bones. We collected the remains in bedsheets and bags and handed them over to the officials."

Handling the body of a pregnant woman was particularly difficult, he said.

"My hands were shaking after I retrieved the body of the pregnant woman. It was heart-wrenching to witness the fate of an unborn child," he said, his voice heavy with emotion.

The news of the Baramati plane crash also revived painful memories for the family of 14-year-old Akash Patni, one of those who lost their lives in the June 12 tragedy.

Suresh Patni, a resident of Meghaninagar and the father of the teenager, said, "Whenever we remember the incident, we lose our appetite. No one should ever have to go through something like this. I pray to God that such a tragedy never happens again. But who can stop destiny?"

Akash had gone to deliver lunch to his mother at the family's small tea stall near the B J Medical College hostel in Meghaninagar when disaster struck.

Another bereaved father, Girdharbhai Jirawala, said with teary eyes, "The Baramati crash brings back painful memories of the terrifying Ahmedabad tragedy. Whenever I hear about a plane crash, it reopens my wounds and reminds me of my son Mahesh. In my old age, bearing the loss of a child is an unbearable pain."

Mahesh Jirawala, a filmmaker and Jeevandhara Foundation Seva Trust NGO founder, was one of the 19 people killed on the ground during the plane crash.

According to the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others were killed when the Learjet plane they were travelling on crashed near Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday morning.

A Gandhinagar-based pilot who flies VIPs and politicians described the Baramati crash as a tragic moment for the aviation community. "It is sad news for the entire aviation fraternity. I also used to meet one of the pilots who lost their lives in Baramati," he said.

Recalling his association, the pilot said he had flown Pawar at the same airport in 2021 while he was in Mumbai. "We learn from incidents like these," he added.

Another pilot who flies officials from the Gujarat government said that pilots strictly adhere to standard operating procedures, as safety remains paramount. "However, it is wintertime, which often means low visibility," he said.

He also said that Baramati airport has an uncontrolled airstrip, meaning it lacks a proper instrument landing system to guide aircraft during low-visibility operations.

"At such airstrips, landing is based largely on pilot judgment and the GPS systems available in the aircraft," he added.
Shambhavi, the daughter of a retired Air Force pilot, had received commercial pilot training in New Zealand and frequently flew to various destinations, including Delhi, London, and Russia

IMAGE: Meera Pathak, grandmother of Pilot Shambhavi Pathak, who was the pilot of the charter plane which crashed resulting in the death of Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, speaks to the media, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, January 28, 2026. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak sent a 'good morning' message to her grandmother before the fatal flight.

Meera Pathak said she was surprised to receive the message, as Shambhavi did not send messages regularly.

She was the daughter of a retired Air Force pilot and had commercial pilot training in New Zealand.

Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to address public meetings for the Zilla Parishad elections.

Shambhavi Pathak, the co-pilot of the aircraft that crashed on Wednesday while carrying Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar, had sent a rare "good morning" message to her grandmother in Gwalior before take-off, which turned out to be her last communication.

Besides Pawar, Captain Sumit Kapoor, co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak, flight attendant Pinky Mali, and Pawar's personal security officer Vidip Jadhav were killed when the Learjet 45 aircraft enroute to Baramati from Mumbai crashed near Baramati airport in Pune district.

Shambhavi was the daughter of retired Air Force pilot Vikram Pathak.

Speaking to PTI, Shambhavai's grandmother, Meera Pathak, who lives in Vasant Vihar of Gwalior, said her 25-year-old granddaughter studied at Air Force Vidya Bharti School up to Class V during her father's posting at the local Air Force Station.

After her father's transfer, the family moved to Lodhi Colony in Delhi.

She added that Shambhavi had received commercial pilot training in New Zealand and frequently flew to various destinations, including Delhi, London, and Russia.

Meera Pathak said she was surprised to receive the "good morning" message, as Shambhavi did not send messages regularly.

She said that around 11 AM, her younger son called to inform her that Shambhavi was among the passengers on the plane that crashed and that Ajit Pawar had died.

Later, Shambhavi's father and Meera Pathak's elder son called to inform the family that they were travelling to Pune to receive the body.

Meera Pathak's neighbour, Usha Uniyal, told PTI Videos that Shambhavi was very intelligent in her studies and playful by nature.

She said that whenever Shambhavi visited Gwalior, she never missed an opportunity to meet her grandmother.

Another neighbour said that Shambhavi had come to Gwalior on the death anniversary of her grandfather in 2024, and again on October 12, 2025.

According to Flight Radar, the aircraft took off from Mumbai at 8:10 AM and disappeared from radar around 8:45 AM. The aircraft crashed a minute later, police said.

Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to address public meetings as part of the campaign for the Zilla Parishad elections to be held in the state on February 5.
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tribute to Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday morning.

IMAGE: The site of the plane crash in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others onboard died, Baramati, Pune, January 28, 2026. Photograph: ANI video grab

Pawar and four other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said.

President Murmu in a post on X said Pawar will always be remembered for his special contribution to the development of Maharashtra, especially in the cooperative sector.

"The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely tragic. The untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji is an irreparable loss," she said in the post in Hindi.

Key Points President, PM offer condolences

Recall Pawar's grassroots connect

Mamata calls for investigation into death

Murmu expressed deep condolences to his family, supporters, and admirers.

"May God grant strength to the families of all others who lost their lives in this accident to bear this blow," the President said.

Untimely demise shocking, saddening: Modi

Prime Minister Modi said Pawars death was untimely and very shocking.

In a post on X, Modi said Ajit Pawar was a leader of the people with a strong grassroots level connect.

"Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra.

"His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti," Modi said.

Known for compassion for the people: Rajnath

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a post on X wrote, "Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers, and admirers."

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari termed Pawar's passing as "unfortunate".

"Ajit Pawar's death is unfortunate. He was my close friend in politics, and we also had familial relations. His passing away is a huge loss. On behalf of the party, I pay my tributes to him," he said.

Incident needs to be investigated: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in a post on X, "Deeply shocked and stunned by the suddden demise of Ajit Pawar! The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati today morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss. My condolences to his family including his uncle Sharad Pawar ji, and late Ajitji's all friends and followers."

"The incident needs proper investigation," she added.
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday urged parliamentarians to stand united on the resolve for Viksit Bharat, campaign for swadeshi as well as national security, asserting that these were matters beyond all differences.

IMAGE: President Droupadi Murmu addresses the joint session of Parliament to mark the beginning of the Budget Session. Photograph: ANI/X

Addressing a joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament, which marked the start of the budget session, she said the government will continue to accelerate the momentum of "reform express" and listed various economic and social initiatives taken to make India a developed nation by 2047.

Key Points President's address marks beginning of budget session

President's address is prepared by the government of the day

Oppn protests mention of VB-G RAM

Murmu said the world saw the valour of Indian armed forces through Operation Sindoor when they destroyed terror camps on the strength of their own resources and asserted that any terror act will be responded with decisive action.

India has proved that power can be used with responsibility and wisdom, she said.

Unanimity about nothing greater than nation

"Amid different opinions and diverse viewpoints, there has been unanimity about nothing being greater than the nation," Murmu said, addressing the members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha chamber of Parliament.

The President's address is prepared by the government.

In her address, Murmu invoked Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said they shared the belief that differences of opinion are natural in a democracy but certain subjects are beyond differences.

"The resolve of Viksit Bharat, the security of India, Aatmanirbharta, the Swadeshi campaign, efforts for national unity, Swachhata and on all such matters concerning the nation, the parliamentarians must stand united," the President said, asserting that this was the spirit of the Constitution.

Govt committed to social justice

Murmu urged all the MPs to take a unified stand on issues of national interest as participants in the country's development and infuse new energy into its progress.

Amid unease over certain sections of the University Grants Commission's regulations to promote equity in higher education institutions, the President said the government was working with "full sensitivity" for all -- for Dalits, backward classes, the marginalised and tribal communities.

Murmu further said her government was committed to social justice in the country.

In the third term of the government, she said, work is being done to further empower the poor, and social security benefits are available to nearly 95 crore citizens now.

"My government is committed to true social justice," she said, adding that 25 crore Indians moved out of poverty in the last 10 years.

Oppn protests mention of VB-G Ram

The President said the government has been successful in tackling corruption and scams, and ensuring proper use of public funds.

"For India, the end of the first 25 years of this century has been filled with several successes, proud achievements and extraordinary experiences. In the last 10-11 years, India has strengthened its foundation in every sector," she said.

Murmu's mention of the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) scheme was met with loud protests from the Opposition benches.

The President said the VB-G RAM G initiative would provide guarantee for 125 days of work, would stop corruption and leakages, and provide a new impetus to rural development.

The Opposition members raised slogans demanding its rollback, even as the treasury benches thumped their desks in support of the scheme.

Murmu had to take a brief pause amid opposition cries of "vaapas lo" (roll back) against the Act that replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

FTA to boost manufacturing, service sectors

Further, the President hailed the signing of a free trade agreement with the European Union, saying it will give impetus to the manufacturing and service sectors and create new employment opportunities for the country's youth.

Over the last 11 years, she said, the economic foundation of the country has grown significantly stronger and despite various global crises, India has remained the fastest growing major economy in the world.

She said astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's visit to the International Space Station last year was the beginning of a historic journey and space tourism was also not beyond India's reach.

"The visit of India's young astronaut, Shubhanshu Shukla, to the International Space Station marks the beginning of a historic journey," the President said.

She said that in the coming years, the country will move ahead towards establishing an Indian station in space.

Murmu said the nation was enthusiastically working on the Gaganyaan Mission.
After Prashant Kumar Singh announced his resignation in Ayodhya, where he has been posted, his brother alleged before the media that the GST officer had secured his government job using a fake disability certificate

IMAGE: Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati speaks at a press conference during the Magh Mela, in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, January 20, 2026. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points Prashant Kumar Singh resigned as GST Deputy Commissioner in protest against remarks against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

An investigation is underway regarding the authenticity of Singh's disability certificate, initiated after a 2021 complaint.

Singh allegedly secured his government job using a fake disability certificate, according to his brother.

Singh failed to appear before the divisional disability medical board for assessment twice after being summoned.

The case is currently pending before the Divyangjan Commissioner, the Health Directorate, and other higher institutions.

Prashant Kumar Singh, who resigned as GST deputy commissioner on Tuesday in protest against alleged "objectionable" remarks by Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is under probe over the authenticity of his disability certificate, an official said here.

Mau chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Sanjay Gupta said on Wednesday that a complaint seeking re-examination of Singh's disability certificate was filed in 2021, and the investigation was being conducted at multiple levels, including the Health Department, the Office of the Divyangjan Ayog and higher administrative authorities.

After Prashant Kumar Singh announced his resignation in Ayodhya, where he has been posted, his brother Vishwajeet Singh alleged before the media that the GST officer had secured his government job using a fake disability certificate.

According to the CMO, the disability certificate in question was issued in 2009. A complaint seeking re-examination of the certificate was filed in 2021, and since then, the verification process has been underway.

"This matter has been in my knowledge since 2021 and the inquiry process has been continuing since then," Gupta said.

He said that following the complaint, the officer was summoned twice before the divisional disability medical board for assessment of around 40 per cent disability, but he failed to appear on both occasions.

Gupta said that on December 19, the Health Department issued an official letter seeking directions from the Director General of Health Services in the matter.

A copy of the letter was also sent to the complainant, Vishwajeet Singh.

The entire case has been communicated to the office of the Divyangjan Ayog, Gupta said, adding that all required procedures at their level have been completed and further action will be taken after receiving instructions from higher authorities.

Responding to claims that the disability pertains to an eye-related condition considered rare even at the age of 50, the CMO said that only an expert medical board can give a final and authentic opinion on such issues.

"There is no pressure on me of any kind. The entire process is being carried out in a transparent manner and strictly as per rules," Gupta said, adding that the matter is currently pending before the Divyangjan Commissioner, the Health Directorate and other higher institutions concerned.

Further action will be initiated once directions are received, he said

Singh had on Tuesday resigned in protest against Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand's alleged "objectionable" remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying that he was deeply hurt by what he described as recent attempts to divide the country on the basis of caste and religion.

Singh said that he was stepping down in support of the government, the Constitution and the country's elected leadership.

"From the holy land of Prayagraj, Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand has made objectionable remarks against our state's elected leader, who is constitutionally holding the post," he said.

As a government servant bound by service rules, Singh said, he could not remain indifferent to such developments, he had said.

Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati had lashed out at Chief Minister Adityanath after police allegedly stopped him and his followers from going in a chariot for a holy dip in the Ganga during the Magh Mela in Prayagraj on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on January 18.

A day later, the Magh Mela administration issued a notice to Avimukteshwaranand, asking how he was projecting himself as the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth despite a Supreme Court order saying that no religious leader could be anointed as Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth until the disposal of an appeal.
Congress sources said that during the meeting at 10 Janpath, Gandhi urged the DMK to speak with the team set up by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge for ironing out issues on seat sharing

IMAGE: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi in a conversation with DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi during the protest against SIR in Parliament premises, on the second day of the winter session, in New Delhi, December 2, 2025. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo

Key Points Rahul Gandhi and Kanimozhi met to discuss seat-sharing for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections.

No agreement was reached during the meeting.

Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu are seeking a substantial increase in the number of seats they contest.

The DMK is reportedly unwilling to offer more seats than it did in the 2021 election.

The Congress is also considering an alliance with actor Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK).

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Kanimozhi met in New Delhi on Wednesday but no agreement was reached on seat-sharing for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, sources said.

Congress sources said that during the meeting at 10 Janpath, Gandhi urged the DMK to speak with the team set up by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge for ironing out issues on seat sharing.

"It was a pleasant meeting and no number for seat sharing was discussed but an emphasis was made on showing respect for Congress," a party source said.

Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu want a substantial increase in the number of seats they contest in this assembly election and have a proper share in power, but the DMK is not willing to give more seats than it did last time.

The Congress contested 25 seats in 2021 and won 18.

DMK leader and Chief Minister M K Stalin has good relations with the Congress leadership, so it is expected that this issue will be resolved soon, the sources said.

Some Congress leaders also consider actor Vijay's party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) as an option for an alliance in Tamil Nadu, although sources say that the Congress leadership is keen to go to the polls with the DMK.

Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are likely to be held in April-May.
GUANGZHOU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Airports in south China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) reported exceptional performance in 2025, with this cluster handling over 230 million passenger trips and approximately 9.72 million tonnes of cargo and mail.

This solidified its position as one of the world's leading aviation hub groups, according to recently released operational data from seven major airports in the region.

Experts believe that the GBA's aviation hub cluster has significantly enhanced its capacity, becoming a key driver of China's modernization and high-standard opening-up policies. This reflects the region's continuous institutional innovation, improved regional coordination and growing ability to allocate global resources.

The core hubs within the cluster, namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, reported particularly good results last year. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, notably, achieved a historic milestone in 2025, with passenger throughput amounting to 83.59 million trips and cargo and mail throughput totaling 2.44 million tonnes, both reaching record highs.

Shenzhen Baoan International Airport, meanwhile, handled 66.49 million passenger trips in 2025. Hong Kong International Airport, long the world's busiest cargo airport, saw passenger numbers rise to 61 million last year, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent. Its cargo volume grew by 2.7 percent in 2025 to 5.07 million tonnes.

Airports in Zhuhai, Macao and Huizhou, all located in south China, also demonstrated strong growth momentum in 2025, with their cargo and mail throughputs increasing by 15 percent, 1.08 percent and 25 percent year on year, respectively.

This robust demand for air travel and logistics is supported by the GBA's remarkable economic scale and dynamic global connections. In 2024, the GBA's total economic output had reached 14.79 trillion yuan (about 2.12 trillion U.S. dollars), surpassing that of the New York and San Francisco Bay Areas and placing it alongside the Tokyo Bay Area in the top global tier. The GBA's GDP was expected to exceed 15 trillion yuan in 2025.

Among the world's four major bay area airport clusters, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA cluster leads in terms of transport volume. It includes three hub airports in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, two trunk airports in Zhuhai and Macao, and two feeder airports located in Huizhou and Foshan, with its route network covering more than 200 cities worldwide. In 2024, this cluster handled over 214 million passenger trips.

The cluster has developed "express channels" for the GBA's advanced manufacturing sector and its global trade pattern of "buying and selling."

The GBA hosts many high-value-added industries, said Qi Qi, an associate professor at Guangzhou Civil Aviation College in Guangdong Province. Products such as semiconductor chips, biopharmaceuticals, precision instruments, core components for new energy vehicles and high-end consumer electronics rely heavily on highly efficient air logistics, Qi added.

Additionally, cross-border e-commerce platforms, like SHEIN and Temu, which use flexible supply chain models based on the concept of "small batches, high frequency and rapid turnover," have generated enormous demand for customized air logistics products like "e-commerce-dedicated routes" and "charter services," according to Qi.

Institutional innovation has injected new momentum into the coordinated development of the Greater Bay Area airport cluster. Initiatives such as streamlined air-rail-sea intermodal transport policies have significantly enhanced connectivity efficiency between major hub airports. Additionally, cross-border logistics projects have extended core airport cargo functions directly into key manufacturing zones within the GBA, better supporting regional industrial chains.

China's continuous expansion of its visa-free travel policies for visitors from an increasing number of countries is also driving international passenger traffic. In the first 11 months of 2025, the number of foreign nationals entering China visa-free via Shenzhen airport had surged by 133 percent year on year.

In 2025, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport launched, increased the frequency of, or resumed nearly 40 international passenger routes, leading to a 19.8-percent rise in international passengers at this airport in Guangdong. Hong Kong International Airport further expanded its network, adding 30 new global destinations in 2025, including Abu Dhabi and Brussels. 
The dominant theme at this year's ceremonial parade at the Kartavya Path, and other associated celebrations, has been the sesquicentenary of the national song, 'Vande Mataram'

Bands of the Indian armed forces and the paramilitary will play an array of lilting tunes and foot-tapping melodies, including Vande Mataram, Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja, Vijay Bharat, Sitare Hind and Brave Warrior, at the Beating Retreat ceremony in New Delhi on Thursday that will also celebrate 150 years of the national song.

IMAGE: Military bands perform at the Beating Retreat ceremony 2025, at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi, January 29, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

The majestic ceremony traditionally marks the culmination of Republic Day celebrations every year.

Key Points The majestic ceremony traditionally marks the culmination of Republic Day celebrations every year

Invitation cards to the ceremonial parade carried the logo of the song's 150th anniversary, along with a silhouetted image of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and 'Vande Mataram' as a watermark

This year, the seating enclosures at Vijay Chowk for the ceremony have been named after Indian instruments such as 'bansuri', 'damaru', 'ektara', 'esraj', 'mridangam', 'nagada', 'pakhawaj', 'santoor', 'sarangi', 'sarinda', 'sarod', 'shehnai', 'sitar', 'surbahar', 'tabla' and 'veena'.

This year, the seating enclosures at Vijay Chowk for the ceremony have been named after Indian instruments such as 'bansuri', 'damaru', 'ektara', 'esraj', 'mridangam', 'nagada', 'pakhawaj', 'santoor', 'sarangi', 'sarinda', 'sarod', 'shehnai', 'sitar', 'surbahar', 'tabla' and 'veena'.

The dominant theme at this year's ceremonial parade at the Kartavya Path, and other associated celebrations, has been the sesquicentenary of the national song, 'Vande Mataram.'

Invitation cards to the ceremonial parade carried the logo of the song's 150th anniversary, along with a silhouetted image of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and 'Vande Mataram' as a watermark. Invitation cards issued for the Beating Retreat ceremony also carry the logo and the commemorative images.

Also, performances by the military and the Central Armed Police Forces bands were held from January 19 to 26 in many cities, on the theme of 'Vande Mataram'.

The iconic Vijay Chowk is all set to reverberate with "captivating Indian tunes" during the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29, marking the culmination of the 77th Republic Day celebrations, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.

The bands of the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, the Indian Air Force and the Central Armed Police Forces will play an array of foot-tapping melodies before a distinguished audience, comprising President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, several Union Ministers, senior officials, and other invited guests.

The ceremony will begin with the massed band's Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja, followed by melodious tunes by the pipes and drums band, such as Atulya Bharat, Veer Sainik, Mili Jhuli, Nritya Sarita, Marooni, and Jhelum.

The Central Armed Police Forces bands will play Vijay Bharat, Hathrohi, Jai Ho and Veer Seepahi, it said in a statement. The tunes played by the band of the Indian Air Force will include Brave Warrior, Twilight, Alert, and Flying Star, while the Indian Navy band will play Namaste, Sagar Pawan, Matribhumi, Tejasvi, and Jai Bharati, it said.

"It will be followed by the band of the Indian Army playing 'Vijayee Bharat', 'Aarambh Hai, Prachand Hai', 'Aye Watan, Aye Watan', 'Anand Math', 'Sugamya Bharat', and 'Sitare Hind'," the ministry said. The massed bands will, then, play the tunes 'Bharat Ke Shaan', 'Vande Mataram' and 'Drummers Call'.

The event will come to a close with the ever-popular tune of 'Sare Jahan Se Acha' to be played by the Buglers, it added.

"The principal conductor of the ceremony will be Squadron Leader Leimapokpam Rupachandra Singh. The Indian Army Band conductor will be Subedar Major Prakash Joshi, while M Antony, MCPO MUS II and Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar will be the conductors of the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force bands respectively," the statement said.

The conductor of the Central Armed Police Forces band will be INSP Chetram. The pipes and drums band will play under the instructions of Subedar S P Chourasia, while the buglers will perform under the leadership of Subedar Manoj Kumar.
Her father, a retired Army pilot, travelled to Pune following the tragedy. The couple, both in their late 40s, was planning their daughter's marriage, locals said

IMAGE: The wreckage of the aircraft at the crash site at Baramati, January 27, 2026. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on board died in the crash. Photograph: ANI video grab

Key Points Captain Shambhavi Pathak was killed in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra.

Pathak was a pilot with VSR Ventures and had a commercial pilot license from New Zealand.

Her family in Delhi, including her mother, a teacher, and father, a retired Army pilot, are grieving her loss.

The family was planning Pathak's marriage.

Locals described Pathak as a sweet, soft-spoken, and well-respected member of the community.

A pall of grief hung over the Safdarjung Enclave residence of Captain Shambhavi Pathak here on Wednesday, curtains drawn and visitors moving in silence, as her mother, who was planning to get her married, grappled with the devastating loss of her daughter in a plane crash in Maharashtra's Baramati earlier in the day.

Pathak, aged around 25 years, was one of the five people killed in the crash of a VSR Ventures Learjet 45 that had Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on board. The aircraft that had taken off from Mumbai crashed minutes before its scheduled landing, officials said.

At Pathak's southwest Delhi home, her mother, a teacher at the Air Force Bal Bharati School, was inconsolable.

Her father, a retired Army pilot, travelled to Pune following the tragedy. The couple, both in their late 40s, was planning their daughter's marriage, locals said. Pathak's younger brother, aged around 22, is in the Navy.

Shilpi, 40, who runs a beauty parlour in the locality, broke down while recalling her interactions with Pathak.

"She was an extremely sweet woman, innocent and very soft-spoken. She last came to my parlour about a month and a half ago.

"Her mother was thinking of getting her married and was looking for prospective grooms. I had even thought of her as a match for my son who lives in Canada. It did not materialise, but I really loved her and her family. They were very well-behaved and had a good standing in the locality. She was really bright," Shilpi told PTI.

Jitendra, a security guard who has worked in the area for four decades, said the family moved into the neighbourhood five years ago.

"Whenever Shambhavi would see me, she would always greet me with a namaste. The family was really nice to everyone. They took part in community gatherings and treated everyone with dignity," he said.

Another man who has been washing her father's car for the last one year described Pathak as "sweet and nice", adding that her father had always treated him kindly.

Pathak was associated with VSR Ventures since 2022 as the first officer. She studied at the Air Force Bal Bharati School before undergoing flight training in New Zealand, where she earned a commercial-pilot licence. She later completed her BSc in aeronautics from the University of Mumbai and held a "Frozen ATPL", along with multiple aviation certifications, including a Flight Instructor Rating.

Locals said the neighbourhood had never witnessed such sorrow.

"We saw her grow into a confident pilot. This is a huge loss," a neighbour said.
After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that the truth would not emerge through existing mechanisms and called for a probe, several opposition leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge backed her demand.



IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Photograph: @AITCofficial/X

Key Points Mamata said she only trust the SC as other agencies have been 'completely compromised'

Ajit Pawar, 66, and four other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Baramati in Pune district

Banerjee said only a probe under the supervision of the Supreme Court would be credible

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday called for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, alleging that "all other agencies" have been "completely compromised", with several opposition leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge backing her demand.

Speaking in Kolkata, Banerjee stressed that the truth would not emerge through existing mechanisms and only a probe under the supervision of the apex court would be credible.

"We trust only the Supreme Court. All other agencies have been completely compromised," she told reporters.

Banerjee also hinted that Ajit Pawar was planning to return to the Nationalist Congress Party faction NCP-SP led by his uncle Sharad Pawar, noting that reports circulating in recent days had pointed to such a move.

"I was truly shocked to see the news (of Ajit Pawar's death) this morning. It shows that there is no safety or security in this country, even for political leaders," the CM said.

"Even those who are a part of the ruling establishment today do not seem to be safe," she said.

Kharge supported her demand as he condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Congress's Kharge backs Mamata

Asked about Banerjee demanding a Supreme Court-monitored investigation, Kharge said there should be a probe as this was an accident.

"Everyone, all leaders, keep travelling for urgent work. But in so many instances, we saw in Ahmedabad how a big plane crashed. This was a small plane; why did this happen? It should be probed. We also demand a probe," Kharge said.

The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said that Ajit Pawar worked for the people, and his untimely demise has caused sorrow to all.

"This has hurt everyone, including his family members, and we share their grief and pray that they can bear this loss," the Congress chief told reporters in the Parliament House complex.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav cited similar incidents in the past and said Banerjee's demand was justified.

"He (Ajit Pawar) was a big leader, served as a deputy chief minister many times, and a popular leader of Maharashtra. She (Banerjee) must have made a justified demand... Earlier as well, many VIPs lost their lives in a similar manner, so there should be an impartial probe so it can be known what the reason for the accident was," Yadav said.

Sena-UBT too seeks probe

Shiv Sena-UBT MP Anil Desai described Pawar's demise as a great loss for Maharashtra and called for a thorough probe.

"There has to be an investigation because these kinds of incidents keep happening. Everybody is wondering why..." Desai said.

"On one hand, demand for chartered planes has increased, private planes are on the rise, but at the same time, incidents of technical glitches, or other reasons come forth after an accident, there has to be a thorough investigation...," he said.

Asked about Banerjee's remarks, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu said it is unfortunate and unfair that "dirty politics" is being played when Pawar's family and others connected to him are grieving.

Don't play politics: Minister

"This is extremely unfortunate. If anyone else wants to play politics, let them do so, but political people are supposed to understand everything; they are aware of all facts.

"To mislead in this manner, when today the family has suffered such a huge loss, is unfair... If you had to say something like this, you could have done it a few days later. If your desire to indulge in such dirty politics was not satisfied, you could at least have allowed the family a few days to perform the last rites and rituals. She is a senior leader. I don't want to say anything but choosing to do this today itself is a very petty act," the minister of state said.

BJD Vice President Debi Prasad Mishra said that the incident should be thoroughly investigated.

Pawar (66) and four others were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed near Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning.

The Learjet 46, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, crash-landed at the Baramati airport. The five people onboard included crew members, according to the aviation regulator DGCA.

Probe in transparent manner: Minister

Union Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said that as per the preliminary information, visibility at the airport was poor when the aircraft carrying crashed.

"Teams from the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) have arrived to carry out a probe into the accident. Preliminary information suggests that visibility was poor at the time the aircraft was attempting to land," said Naidu.

When ATC Baramati asked the pilot whether the runway was in sight, the response was negative, following which the aircraft executed a go-around, he said.

During the second landing attempt, ATC again asked whether the runway was in sight, to which the pilot responded in the affirmative, the minister said.

After the ATC granted landing clearance, the aircraft crashed, Naidu said, adding, "We are seeking more details and will conduct the investigation in a transparent manner."
Ajit Pawar granted Rediff an interview in Baramati at 6 am. Why?

'To be a successful politician one needs to sleep less, and I never sleep for more than 4 hours,' Mr Pawar told Syed Firdaus Ashraf as Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff captured the encounter on his camera.

Back in 2024, covering the Lok Sabha election in Kashmir, I met a fellow Maharashtrian at the Srinagar hotel that I was staying in.

Speaking to someone in Marathi gave me a sense of bonding during my seven day stay in Kashmir.

He was from Baramati, a district-level worker of the Nationalist Congress Party and told me how close he was to Ajit Pawar, the Maratha strongman.

Key Points 'I ensure that I am present in their good and bad times'

'I am always free at 6 am'

'I have to be awake before everyone'

"Whenever you are in Baramati please let me know, I will arrange an interview for you with Ajit Pawar," he told me.

As luck turned out, I was in Baramati a few months later to report on the Maharashtra assembly elections.

And I wanted to interview Ajit Pawar.

I reminded my acquaintance about his promise to arrange an interview with Ajit Pawar.

'Ajit Dada is always particular about timings'

He was not in Baramati but arranged for another NCP worker to accompany me to Ajit Pawar's home.

My colleague Hitesh Harisinghani and I reached Mr Pawar's home in Baramati late one evening, only to discover that he was not in Baramati and would only arrive at 1 am.

The NCP worker introduced me to Mr Pawar's secretary and within minutes my appointment was fixed for 6 the next morning.

"6 am or 6 pm?" I asked Mr Pawar's secretary.

"6 am."

The NCP worker interjected and said, "Don't be late because Ajit Dada is very particular about timings. He will meet you at 6 sharp."

Hitesh and I were up at 5 and by 5.45 we were knocking at Mr Pawar's door.

There was no one in the bungalow except for security personnel.

I reminded a gent who responded to our knocks that our interview with Mr Pawar was scheduled for 6.

Within two minutes, a man dressed in a spotless white kurta-pyjama opened the door of the front room.

Ajit Pawar.

The interview began on the dot, at 6 am.

'Ajit Dada insisted on called me Firdausji'

"How should I address you?" Mr Pawar asked. "Syedji or Firdausji?"

Syed, I told Mr Pawar, was my surname and Firdaus was my name. He said he would call me Firdausji.

He told us he had come home at 1 and got up in time for the 6 am interview.

"To be a successful politician," he said, "one needs to sleep less, and that is why I never sleep for more than 4 hours."

And since it was election time, he had slept for only 3 hours that night,

He spoke of how the Mahayuti (the Bharatiya Janata Party+Shiv Sena+Nationalist Congress Party) of which he was part of would sweep the Maharashtra assembly elections.

His confidence arose from the fact that in spite of getting drubbed in the Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra the vote difference between the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (the Congress+Shiv Sena [UBT] + NCP [Sharad Pawar]) was only 0.5 percent.

He spoke about the BJP's 'Batenge Toh Katenge' slogan and insisted that the Mahayuti government had given a riot-free Maharashtra.

Mr Pawar was confident that Laadki Bahin scheme would be a game-changer for the Mahayuti and he was proved right when the results came in, with the Mahayuti winning 233 out of Maharashtra's 288 seats.

After the interview ended, he told us how he loved to roam the streets of Baramati early in the morning and see to the watering of plants on the streets.

He had ensured that every street corner in Baramati was covered with greenery.

Ajit Pawar insisted we leave his home only after breakfast

"NCP workers make Ajit Pawar THE Ajit Pawar," he said when I thanked him for granting me an interview on an NCP worker's recommendation.

"I always respect them and ensure that I am present in their good and bad times."

When we were about to leave, Mr Pawar called his secretary and told him that we should not leave the bungalow without eating breakfast.

"Whenever you want to meet me, you can come at 6 am to my house in Mumbai or in Baramati."

"I am always free at 6 because rarely does anybody turn up for work."

"Why then do you do it?" I asked.

"Because I am Ajit Pawar. I am the leader of my party. I have to be awake before everyone."
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BRATTLEBORO  Voters will soon be deciding the fate of Representative Town Meeting.

In August, a petition was put forward by Tom Franks and Randy Blodgett requesting the town consider discontinuing RTM and vote by ballot. In September, another petition came in to vote on conducting business by open town meeting if RTM is discontinued.

A hearing on Tuesday allowed the petitioners time to discuss their proposals, which will both be on the March 3 ballot.

"Australian ballot offers every voter the chance to vote," Franks said. "Other systems do not."

Franks said the "secret ballot" was created in Australia in the 1850s, as public voting was found to be "vulnerable to intimidation and coercion." He noted voting from the floor, whether at RTM or open town meeting, leads to less participation.

Counting 31 towns in Vermont that have adopted the ballot system within the last three years, Franks said, "It works best."

Millicent Cooley, who spoke about the other petition, said misinformation can be "challenged immediately on the floor" at an open town meeting.

"You're looking at people in the eye when you say what you think," she said. "And I think that with Australian ballot, it too is vulnerable, but it's vulnerable to social media misinformation, much more so."

A plan proposed by the Charter Review Commission also would see the town moving to open town meeting.

Future of Representative Town Meeting on the ballot in Brattleboro BRATTLEBORO  A question on the March 3 ballot will ask Brattleboro voters if they want to d

Discontinuance of RTM would take effect immediately if approved, Town Manager John Potter previously said. RTM currently planned for March 21 would be replaced with an open town meeting in April.

"The town clerk has secured meeting dates and locations to do either of those options," Potter said.

Either option would be considered later as potential charter amendments and must be preceded by a vote to discontinue RTM. Town Attorney Bob Fisher previously said approval from the Vermont Legislature for charter changes "take a long time, sometimes years, to get there."

A second public hearing on the March 3 ballot items is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Brattleboro is the only town in Vermont using a representative form of town meeting, according to a memo from town staff. Brattleboros last charter amendment, which introduced youth voting in town, was approved by the voters in March 2019 and not enacted until May.

If neither charter amendment is approved, a memo states, "then open town meeting would continue unless and until there is a vote to switch to another form of town meeting in accordance with state law, or through a later charter amendment."
Stephen Smith, president of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and a research professor at Carnegie Mellon University, is pictured during an interview with Xinhua in Singapore, on Jan. 25, 2026. (Xinhua/Shu Chang)

SINGAPORE, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- What's next for artificial intelligence (AI)? For Stephen Smith, a senior U.S. robotics researcher, the answer may lie in the way humans learn: lifelong learning.

"What if you think about true intelligence and how humans learn? They learn very differently. Humans learn their whole lives," Smith, president of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), told Xinhua, adding that most AI today, built on large language models (LLMs), cannot truly learn over time, a gap that frames the questions to drive future research.

Speaking during the 40th Annual AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Singapore, Smith said the most visible breakthrough in recent years is the rise of LLMs. These deep-learning systems, trained on massive datasets, can understand and generate text -- and increasingly, other types of content. "A lot of research is riding that wave or building on it," he said.

Smith traced the rise of LLMs to longer-term shifts in computing and AI research. Over decades, growing computing power and changes in AI reasoning methods gradually pushed the field toward deep learning. That shift set the stage for the rapid evolution of LLMs.

"The innovations behind LLMs -- and deep learning more generally -- have really energized the field," he said. Computer vision has advanced dramatically, and robotics has benefited as well.

A new frontier is agentic AI. Unlike chatbots, which respond mainly to prompts, agentic AI focuses on autonomous decision-making. They are built around agents -- software entities that act independently.

Smith sees cooperative systems, where multiple agents work together, as likely to make significant gains in the next few years.

Many of these systems currently use LLMs for high-level decision-making, but "today's LLM technology still relies mainly on pre-programmed coordination plans," he said. "The challenge is to create teams of agents that can form, adapt, and plan together to solve larger, more complex problems on their own."

At Carnegie Mellon University, where Smith is a research professor, his lab is exploring this. One student studies cooperative autonomous driving in urban environments. Each vehicle carries an LLM and shares sensor data with nearby cars.

"They collaborate to figure out: Is there another vehicle behind you? Or a pedestrian sneaking out that I can't see?" Smith said. Vehicles perceive their surroundings, predict movements, and plan their own paths. Early results suggest the approach can enhance safety, and showcase what cooperative, agent-based AI might do.

Still, Smith said, LLMs have limits. "There are a lot of things they don't do well. Some big tech companies would say it's just a matter of tweaking, but this is not likely," he said.

To understand why, Smith explained how most LLMs are built. Models are trained on massive datasets over long periods, producing a base model that is then "frozen." Fine-tuning or reinforcement learning can adjust behavior, but it does not expand the model's knowledge in new directions. "At the same time, fine-tuning the LLMs can disrupt them. It's very much an art," he noted.

Another key limitation is causal reasoning. LLMs model correlations, not cause-and-effect. Planning is difficult. "It's a capability of human reasoning that they don't really have," he said. Some systems appear to plan, but only because the steps to accomplish a task are pre-programmed. They don't ask, "If I do this, what happens next?"

This gap, Smith added, helps explain why LLMs sometimes produce ridiculous answers.

Embodied AI, including robotics, offers a partial solution. Machines that interact with the world can experiment and learn. "You can drop things and see what happens, or take actions and observe the results," Smith said. This hands-on experience helps fill knowledge gaps and understand causality.

Think of a child playing with building blocks. With a few pieces, the child stacks, knocks down, and rearranges structures, gradually discovering what works. Similarly, AI's lifelong learning may rely on small, well-chosen data and exploration, rather than massive datasets. "That's essential to the concept of lifelong learning, a feature of human intelligence," Smith said.

"Humans don't read an encyclopedia to acquire common-sense knowledge about how the world works," he added.

These gaps make Smith cautious about "claims of artificial general intelligence (AGI)" -- AI with human-level cognitive abilities. Early chatbots showed promise. "There are problems LLMs have solved that you would imagine would require the intelligence of a graduate student working in that area," he said.

But core challenges remain: LLMs don't continually learn, and they cannot yet revise understanding as humans do.

He illustrated human flexibility with a scenario: a phone. Normally, it's for calling, but trapped in a burning building, it could become a tool to break a window. Humans can repurpose objects on the fly, but can AI?

"I just think AGI is not around the corner. From a research perspective, there are plenty of challenges left," he said. Progress will come, but not quickly. "The capabilities or the types of things that machines can do, that humans can now do -- they will increase and increase. I think we've scratched the surface of the level of intelligence and autonomy that machines can potentially have."

Smith also raised more immediate concerns: AI-generated misinformation and altered reality. "We need appropriate guardrails," he said. 
SAP Platinum Partner DyFlex Solutions has appointed former SAP head of private sector Australia Evan Mantis as chief executive officer (CEO) following a period of strong growth during 2025.

Mantis succeeds DyFlex founder and long-standing CEO Peter Lander, who will transition into the role of group executive director. Lander will continue to support the companys strategic direction, growth initiatives and acquisition strategy.

DyFlex had a busy 2025, with the IT service provider entering into a strategic partnership with private equity firm Five V Capital to accelerate growth locally and across Asia, creating an opportunity to acquire a willing SAP partner in February last year.

This helped it to acquire local SAP partner Bluetree Solutions to further its SAP capabilities in August 2025, as well as continue the expansion of its presence across New Zealand.

The acquisition of Bluetree also expanded DyFlexs capabilities in data, analytics and AI, strengthening its ability to deliver integrated, end-to-end SAP solutions for complex, asset-intensive organisations.

The company has also continued to invest in its New Zealand operations, responding to increasing demand from mid-market and enterprise customers across the region.

The leadership transition comes as DyFlex continues to scale across Australia and New Zealand, expanding its SAP cloud offerings, AI-enabled analytics capabilities, and industry-specific solutions, while continuing to invest in the mining, energy, and other asset-intensive sectors.

Mantis, who steps into his role on 2 February, will continue to see the IT provider remain on its sustainable, customer-led growth.
The bombing earlier this month on a Chinese hotel restaurant in Kabul, claimed by a regional affiliate of the Islamic State extremist group, has raised new questions about its operations in Taliban-run Afghanistan and what analysts say is an emerging campaign targeting Chinese citizens.

The January 19 suicide attack on the Lanzhou Chinese Noodles restaurant in the heart of the Afghan capital killed at least seven people and wounded 13 others, including a Chinese citizen. The attack was quickly claimed by Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K), the regional affiliate of the extremist group, which said in a statement it "has placed Chinese nationals on its list of targets" due to Beijing's policies in Xinjiang, where at least 1 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minorities have been put into mass detention camps.

"Extremist jihadists who believe China is an enemy of Muslims are still free and active under Taliban rule," Michael Semple, an Afghanistan expert and professor at Queen's University Belfast, told RFE/RL. "As a result, China will be forced to further strengthen security measures for its citizens."

Chinese nationals have been targeted before in Afghanistan, including by IS-K, but the recent bombing comes amid a larger string of attacks against Chinese interests in neighboring Pakistan and Tajikistan that analysts say are also likely aimed at making China less willing to invest. Since the Taliban retook power in 2021, it has clashed with IS-K, viewing the extremist group's goals of establishing a regional caliphate as a threat to its own governance of Afghanistan.

"By creating fear, IS-K seeks to prevent Chinese companies from investing, doing business, and extracting natural resources in Afghanistan, thereby weakening the Taliban," Lucas Webber, a senior analyst at Tech Against Terrorism, a research group monitoring terrorist activity, told RFE/RL.

Chinese Citizens In The Cross Fire Of Taliban-IS Rivalry

Amid biting sanctions, China has become one of the Taliban's most important diplomatic and economic partners since the group returned to power, even without formally recognizing the government. That relationship has made Chinese citizens -- from engineers to restaurant owners -- visible symbols of Taliban legitimacy and attractive targets for IS-K militants seeking to expose cracks in the group's security claims.

Semple says that in targeting Chinese nationals, IS-K may also be looking to send a message to the Taliban that it "still has the ability to successfully carry out attacks" despite ongoing efforts to push the extremist group out of Afghanistan and weaken it.

The recent attack also casts doubt on Taliban claims that Islamic State has no active presence in Afghanistan and has been eradicated.

In April 2024, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an audio message broadcast by Taliban-controlled national radio and television that IS-K had been suppressed and no longer posed a threat in Afghanistan.

Sami Yousafzai, a political analyst, says the Taliban's claims are only partly true, although IS-K currently lacks "bases inside Afghanistan, which limits its ability to carry out frequent attacks."

IS-K is also active in Pakistan and Tajikistan, where Chinese citizens have been targeted. Five Chinese workers were killed and five others wounded in two separate attacks in November in Tajikistan close to the Afghan border.

Tajik authorities said the attacks were carried out from Afghan territory, and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi pledged to cooperate with Tajikistan in a joint investigation.

Following the attacks, a Taliban government official -- speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss ongoing investigations -- told Radio Azadi, RFE/RL's Afghan Service, that Taliban forces recently raided an IS-K hideout in northern Afghanistan near the Tajik border and that it is linked to the November attacks on Chinese workers.

An Ongoing Regional Campaign

IS-K emerged in 2015, largely formed by disgruntled Pakistani Taliban fighters led by Hafiz Saeed Khan, a former Pakistani Taliban commander, and later expanded operations into Afghanistan.

The group has also carried past attacks against Chinese nationals in Afghanistan -- including a 2022 bombing of a Chinese-owned hotel in Kabul -- and has stepped up its recruiting and propaganda efforts since the Taliban returned to power.

"In the lead-up to the Taliban's return to power, various unofficial IS-K-linked media outlets released videos, pamphlets, and online posters criticizing and threatening China," said Webber, who is also a senior fellow at the Soufan Center. "These activities were largely tied to the Taliban's diplomatic relations with China."

He says IS-K is continuing with those efforts and is poised to keep targeting Chinese nationals as the group's rivalry with the Taliban deepens and its regional ambitions grow.

"[IS-K] has previously talked about bombings, and its propaganda branch has issued warnings in Uzbek about possible attacks on Chinese energy lines in Central Asia," said Webber. "Cross-border attacks are also possible, as insurgent and criminal groups have increasingly targeted Chinese nationals."
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A drone strike hit a Ukrainian passenger train in the Kharkiv region on January 27, killing at least six people, according to authorities. Some 200 people were on board during the attack, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced as "terrorism."
Iran is bracing for a potential attack as the United States deploys key military assets, including an air carrier and additional bombers, to the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to strike the Islamic republic over its bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters. If Trump authorizes military action, Tehran would be virtually powerless to stop an aerial attack, experts say.

But that does not mean Iran cannot retaliate against US military and commercial assets in the region, experts say, citing Tehran's formidable arsenal of advanced ballistic and low-flying cruise missiles as well as combat and suicide drones.

During the 12-day war last June, Israel hit Iran's military infrastructure, including missile-production centers. Israel's attack also weakened the ability of Iran, which has an aging air force, to fend off aerial assaults by targeting its radars and Russian-made S-300 air-defense systems.

Even then, Tehran was still able to fire hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel. Dozens of the missiles, aimed mostly at military sites, penetrated Israel's formidable air defenses.

"In terms of purely defensive capabilities, Iran is practically naked," said Michael Horowitz, an independent defense expert based in Israel.

But Iran "still has a large arsenal of short and medium range missiles that can easily hit US bases in the Middle East, as well as cruise missiles and drones that it would likely use to try and target US ships," added Horowitz.

'Potent' Ballistic Missile s

In June, Israel struck sites around Tehran, including the Parchin military complex, the Khojir military base, the Shahrud missile site, and a factory in the Shamsabad Industrial Zone.

The strikes were aimed at hindering Iran's production of medium-range ballistic missiles that threaten Israel and are "fairly potent," said Sascha Bruchmann, a military and security affairs analyst at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Many of the medium-range ballistic missiles are "liquid-fueled and rely on infrastructure to be loaded, fueled, and launched," said Bruchmann. "The Israelis used this fact to find them and destroy many launchers during the war."

The number of Iranian launchers still operational is unclear.

Iran also possesses short-range ballistic missiles that are "often solid-fueled, much more flexible, and thus more difficult to detect before launch," added Bruchmann, estimating that Tehran has several thousand of the missiles.

He said the short-range missiles "constitute a real threat, especially for the smaller Gulf countries" like Qatar and Bahrain that house US bases and forces.

Beyond its weapons, one of Iran's most potent tools is its ability to disrupt oil traffic in the Persian Gulf, a region that produces around 40 percent of the world's oil, experts say.

About one-fifth of the world's oil supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Iran has previously considered closing the route, a move that would disrupt global oil flows.

"The Islamic republic has long prepared a set of military assets meant to shut down this key maritime route. This would create an economic shock that Iran could exploit," said Horowitz.

US Weighs Military Options

Trump threatened military strikes against Iran as the authorities killed thousands of people in a crackdown on mass protests that erupted in late December. Trump recently backed away, although he has not ruled out an attack.

Trump is weighing up a range of military options, according to US media reports. They include strikes on largely symbolic targets, decapitation strikes targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other leaders, or a sustained bombing campaign.

Any US military action against Iran is fraught with risks, experts say, and even a limited strike could provoke retaliation by Tehran and trigger a full-blown conflict that could drag in the entire region.

It is unclear if the end goal of possible US military action in Iran is regime change, to encourage defections in the armed forces and political elite, to impede the ability of the security forces to suppress street protests, or bring a weakened Tehran to the negotiating table.

A US aerial campaign alone, without a ground incursion, would not lead to regime change, experts say. A ground invasion of Iran, the largest and most populous country in the Middle East, is considered a nonstarter by many defense experts.

A protracted US air campaign is considered unlikely, experts say, citing Trump's reported desire for a limited and decisive attack. But even a monthslong offensive would not guarantee the fall of the regime.

"A sustained US air campaign could severely degrade Iran's conventional military by ripping up command-and-control, and fixed infrastructure, but it is unlikely by itself to produce collapse of Iran's security forces, which can disperse, hide, and shift to low-signature internal repression," said Horowitz.

"Airpower can punish and paralyze, but it would need a simultaneous political fracture on the ground, both a resumption in protests and divisions within the Iranian leadership, to really deliver a full collapse of Iran's security forces or regime," he added.
Just after 2 p.m. on the first Tuesday of December, in the lower Manhattan courthouse for the US Southern District of New York, a 35-year-old Russian woman and mother of a young daughter stood before a federal judge and pleaded not to be sent to jail.

"My life now seems like a tragedy because I get almost every day threats from many people from many countries who think that I was a spy but they don't know the whole story," Nomma Zarubina told the court, in near-fluent English. "No one knows the whole story."

About 12 months earlier, Zarubina had been arrested and charged with repeatedly lying to the FBI about her interactions with Russia's main domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service. For years, authorities alleged, Zarubina cultivated relationships with journalists, think-tank experts, and academics, as well as Russian opposition activists in the United States at the specific instruction of intelligence officers in Russia.

At the December 2 hearing, the judge was less interested in the whole story than in the fact that in recent months Zarubina had allegedly sent scores of text messages and photographs, often while drunk, to one of the FBI agents who had interviewed her previously. Prosecutors said she was "taunting" the agent.

"How are you?" she wrote in one of several text messages that were filed in court records. "I'm so tired. Everything is so f***ed up."

During the December 2 hearing, Zarubina lashed out at the FBI, including the very agent she was accused of stalking, who was in the courtroom.

The FBI "actually work the same like Russians work," she said. "They frame people, they build cases. You know this. They essentially inflated [my] case all the time, and now all of you are very focused on my drinking, but I don't drink often."

The judge was sympathetic but unimpressed. He ordered her jailed, pending trial.

Zarubina's case is the latest in a series that have drawn public attention -- and fascination. Maria Butina, Natalia Burlinova, Elena Branson, Aleksandr Ionov -- all Russians with direct links to Moscow intelligence spending years forging ties in emigre circles and building networks among Western think tanks, journalists, and cultural groups.

Zarubina "acted as a very good access asset: She established initial contacts with persons of interest and made sure she was remembered, so those contacts could be exploited later, by her or by other, more skillful operatives," said Andrei Soldatov, an investigative journalist and co-author of a book about Russian emigre communities and how frequently they are infiltrated by Russian intelligence agencies. "It is a very good, traditional tactic."

'A Clearer Idea Of The Peculiarities'

The FBI said it "first approached" Zarubina on October 5, 2020, in connection with an investigation into Branson, another Russian woman who had lived and worked in New York for years.

About a week before the FBI interviewed Zarubina, agents raided Branson's Manhattan apartment, executing a search warrant. The apartment, which Branson owned as a result of her divorce years earlier from the late Princeton University economist William Branson, doubled as a home office for the organization she ran called the Russian Center New York.

Three weeks after the FBI search, Branson fled to Russia. In a subsequent interview with state TV, she said armed FBI agents took iPhones, iPads, computers, documents, and tax declarations during the search. About 18 months later, in March 2022, US prosecutors filed criminal charges against Branson, accusing her of working as an unregistered agent of the Russian government for nearly a decade.

A native of the Siberian city of Tomsk, Zarubina immigrated to the United States in 2016 after graduating from an elite Moscow university. She went to work for Branson, helping to run the website for the Russian Center, which promoted Russian cultural events with funding, and explicit guidance, from Russian authorities.

Branson was also the godmother of Zarubina's daughter, and Zarubina said she was close to Branson's daughter.

In Washington and elsewhere, Zarubina was a prolific networker, joining panel discussions and advocacy groups, attending book talks, hobnobbing with Russians and Americans alike. She posted scores of photographs to her social media accounts. She spoke at events in Washington and Ottawa, including one discussing "decolonizing Russia."

In the fall of 2022, she landed a fellowship at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a well-known Washington think-tank.

"Long-term living abroad and various joint projects with people in different fields have given [Zarubina] a clearer idea of the peculiarities of working with the Russian and American government authorities using public diplomacy," according to her profile. The center removed it after her arrest, citing its inability to verify her professional background.

She also traveled regularly back to Russia, and beginning in December 2020, she was in contact with an FSB officer from her hometown, Tomsk. According to court filings, she signed an agreement to help the FSB with "network marketing."

Her FSB contact gave Zarubina a code name, Alyssa, as well as list of individuals at US think tanks and other organizations, and told her to obtain information about them or contact them, court records say.

She also met with Branson, who pressed Zarubina for information about the status of Branson's own case. In early 2022, Branson requested Zarubina ask the FBI if it was safe for Branson to travel back to the United States, Zarubina told the FBI.

Over the course of next four years, Zarubina also sat for at least five interviews with the FBI -- in which, among other things, she described her interactions with an FSB officer with whom she "developed a personal relationship."

The FBI obtained a search warrant to search her cell phone, a warrant directly tied to her relationship with Branson, according to court records.

In her final interview with the FBI, on July 24, 2024, Zarubina allegedly showed agents the contact information for one of the FSB officers whom she felt manipulated her, according to court records, which "ultimately led to a fracture in their relationship."

On November 21, 2024, Zarubina was arrested.

Prosecutors later added more charges: transporting women around the New York region for prostitution and lying on her US immigration application.

Butina, Burlinova, Branson, And More

Zarubina's actions -- and the allegations she was working at the behest of the FSB -- fit into a pattern of cases over the past decade. Her relationship with Branson is a central element in her prosecution by US authorities. However, they face two sets of charges: Zarubina, primarily lying to the FBI; Branson primarily being an unregistered foreign agent.

Branson's prosecution stems from allegations that she closely coordinately her work at the Russian Center New York and related groups with Russian government officials and received "tens of thousands of dollars."

In two other similar cases, US authorities said they pinpointed a specific FSB office that was directing and coordinating work of the people in the United States.

The first was Natalia Burlinova, who founded a nongovernmental group called Creative Diplomacy that hosted young journalists, public policy specialists, and newly minted graduate students from the United States and Europe at annual events in Russia. Participants attended lectures given by former Russian spies.

The second was Aleksandr Ionov, a Russian businessman who founded an NGO called the Anti-Globalization Movement and pushed a quixotic effort to get the state of California to secede from the United States.

The FSB unit that oversaw both those efforts, according to US officials, was the Second Directorate, formally known as the Service for the Protection of the Constitutional System and the Fight Against Terrorism. The unit's chief and a subordinate officer coordinated the effort.

Another case that drew wide attention was that of Maria Butina, a Russian graduate student who was an active networker particularly among activists from US gun-rights groups, as well as the Republican Party. Arrested in Washington in 2018, she pleaded guilty to working as an unregistered foreign agent and spent 15 months in US prison before being released and deported back to Russia, where she was later elected to parliament.

In the October 2021 Russian state TV interview where Branson discussed some of the details of the FBI raid and her decision to flee the US, the interviewer was Butina.

'So Many Spies'

After Zarubina's arrest, she was released on $25,000 bail, her travel restricted, and her passport confiscated.

In an extensive interview with RFE/RL's Siberia Realties conducted shortly after her release on bail, Zarubina confirmed she had numerous contacts with the FSB during her trips. She said she had been forced into working with them.

"They wrote to me, sometimes threateningly, because that's basically how they work -- like, 'We see everything, we're kind of keeping an eye on you, even there in New York,'" she told RFE/RL.

In the spring and summer of 2025, she spent most of her time in Brooklyn, where she had an apartment and lived with her young daughter. That September, Zarubina received court permission to spend a week in Texas, where her daughter was at the time, according to court records. It wasn't clear why her daughter was there.

She also, prosecutors said, sent scores of messages on several occasions to one of the lead FBI agents in her investigation. Some of the messages included photographs of her standing outdoors in a cowboy hat, drinking what appeared to be glasses of red wine. Some were sent in the dead of the night.

"I need you. Call to the court. Please. Wake up. You are SO smart," she said in one string of disjointed messages sent at 4 a.m. on September 13. "So many Russians. And Prostitutions in Manhattan."

"Catch me baby. So many spies," she wrote.

In September, prosecutors accused her of stalking the FBI agent and asked the court to revoke her bail. Her court-appointed defense lawyer told the court that the texts were "largely a byproduct of her being intoxicated and texting the agent while drunk. This is supported by the incoherent nature of the text messages and the time of day in which they are sent."

"While Zarubina's text messages may certainly be an annoyance to the [FBI agent], these messages do not suggest that she poses a danger to him," the lawyer, Kristoff Williams, wrote in his September 22 filing.

Williams did not respond to e-mails seeking comment.

The court ordered her to attend alcohol abuse treatment and "intensive" mental health counseling.

At a final emergency hearing on December 2, however, prosecutors said Zarubina had continued sending messages, despite previous warnings, accusing her of "relentlessly and illegally harassing an FBI witness."

In her own remarks to the court, Zarubina said she felt she had been manipulated, or used, by the FBI. She said she had provided evidence and other information to the bureau about her FSB contacts.

"Honestly very deep inside I'm proud that I produced and shared so much valuable information with the FBI, even though they never appreciated that," she said, according to a court transcript. "And that's what I got from them, a pack of candy, chocolate candy, after all our meetings."

She brandished a pack of candy to the court. The judge cut her off and revoked her bail.

Her trial is scheduled for June.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least three people and injured several others, Ukrainian officials said on January 28, just hours after a deadly attack on a passenger train in the Kharkiv region that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced as "terrorism."

In the Kyiv region, an apartment building where RFE/RL correspondent Marian Kushnir lives was hit, killing at least two people and sparking a fire. Kushnir, who covers the front line of the war with Russia, rescued a 4-year-old girl from the blaze. Her mother and partner were killed in the strike.

Medics treated the rescued girl, another child, and two adults at the scene, Ukraine's National Police said.

"I was at home when I heard an explosion. A drone struck the roof of our building, the upper two-story apartment," said Kushnir, who has worked for RFE/RL's Ukrainian-language service for more than a decade.

"I saw half-open doors to the place where the impact was. I opened them and saw a child lying on a couch, wrapped in a blanket, crying, screaming, calling for her mother."

Kushnir, an award-winning correspondent who has regularly reported from the front-lines of the war since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, said that with the fire spreading quickly, he carried the child to safety before heading back into the building to search for more survivors.

However, the impact location of the drone trapped those upstairs -- the mother and her partner -- who were later declared dead.

"When I carried the little girl out, she started crying a lot and then began to shake badly, she hugged me. And then it became very painful for me, because in 10 years of war I had never felt anything like this, when, holding in my arms a 4-year-old child who was crying, I realized that her mother is dead."

In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, a drone strike on January 27 killed a 46-year-old man and injured five others, one of them seriously, according to the regional authorities.

Russian forces launched another attack on Kyiv, hitting a 17-story residential building and damaging the roof, upper-floor windows, and nearby parked cars. No casualties were reported, according to preliminary information from Ukraine's Emergency Service.

Deadly Attack On Passenger Train

The overnight strikes followed a deadly Russian drone attack on a passenger train in Ukraine's Kharkiv region on January 27. Ukrainian authorities said at least six passengers were killed.

Russian forces attacked with three Shahed drones, striking near the locomotive and a passenger car, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said, adding that 291 passengers, including children, were on board.

Kuleba said 18 people were in the carriage hit by one of the Russian drones.

Zelenskyy condemned the strike, calling it "purely an act of terrorism" and saying there could be no military justification for killing civilians in a train carriage.

"In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be regarded in the same way -- purely as an act of terrorism," he wrote in a post on X.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the attack was a deliberate strike on civilians and described it as a crime against humanity.

"A deliberate strike on a civilian train is pure terrorism, a conscious crime against peaceful people and against humanity itself," she said on X.

"Russia must be held accountable for every such attack. The means by which Russians continue to inflict atrocities on our people are only growing," she added.

The Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office updated the number of casualties, saying the remains were badly damaged and it took DNA forensics to determine that retrieved body fragments belonged to six people.

Ukraine's State Emergency Service later clarified that the final number of victims would be determined once the tests are completed.

Russia denies intentionally targeting civilians in Ukraine despite widespread evidence to the contrary, including the latest attack on a passenger train, since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022.
LISBON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The United States' recent actions toward Venezuela constitute "a severe violation of the United Nations Charter and the basic rules of international relations," said Lisbon-based historian Rui Lourido in an interview with Xinhua.

"It is totally unacceptable to use the policy of the strongest power, through commercial blackmail, military threats, the blockade of international waters and airspace, and the seizure of the legitimate president of a country without a United Nations mandate," Lourido said, criticizing Washington's "growing reliance on coercion."

The researcher accused the U.S. of maintaining "an illegitimate naval blockade" and of "pirating and stealing oil tankers sailing to and from Venezuela."

He warned that "the danger for the remaining countries of South America, especially Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico, is very great," and this danger also extends to Canada and Greenland.

"According to the new strategy approved by the Pentagon, the countries of the American continent should submit fully to U.S. hegemony," he said.

Lourido alleged that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and contracted agents are increasing their manipulation of information "and covert actions to create internal chaos," paving the way for regime change and access to natural resources.

He warned that if economic sanctions do not lead to submission, the U.S. will apply "a brutal military threat," which represents "a real danger" to economic development and political autonomy.

For decades, argued Lourido, the U.S. has promoted a "rules-based world, shaped by U.S. interests." It has justified past interventions in countries such as Iraq, Libya, and Syria with the need to restore democracy and human rights, a narrative Lourido considers to have been discredited.

"The genocide of the Palestinian people by the State of Israel, with U.S. military support, shows that human rights and the export of democracy were and remain mere rhetoric," he said.

He warned that "military and economic blackmail and open piracy have assumed a central role in U.S. tactics." Lourido cited Venezuela and U.S. pressure on Europe, particularly Denmark and Greenland, as examples.

"The military threat is real and deeply disturbing for any country in Africa, the Middle East, or Asia that actively opposes the United States," he added.

In Lourido's view, the weakening of international and multilateral organizations poses "a serious threat to global stability and security."

He criticized U.S. actions affecting the United Nations system and the World Trade Organization, as well as attempts to create alternative mechanisms outside the UN framework. Such moves, he said, aim to legitimize unilateral policies and undermine international law.

Regarding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Lourido said recent U.S. military actions are "a temporary destabilizing factor" for the alliance. "The threat to take Greenland, whether by purchase or by force, does not respect the sovereignty of Denmark, one of NATO's most loyal members," he underlined.

While Europe has often aligned itself with U.S.-led interventions, Lourido observed growing discomfort when similar coercive methods are directed at European allies.

Nevertheless, he does not foresee the dissolution of NATO. The elite is already planning the best way to essentially concede to U.S. demands, while trying "to save face and formally preserve sovereignty," he said, warning that such dynamics "corrode stability and trust" within the alliance.

Lourido said actions such as the seizure of a president, maritime piracy, and airspace blockades without UN approval are "dire, serious, and illegitimate."

In a turbulent world, he concluded, "Europe should diversify and intensify its economic relations with Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Americas, to reduce its energy, economic and political dependence on the United States." 
TOKYO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has drawn renewed criticism after endorsing more than 40 candidates linked to a political slush fund scandal for the upcoming House of Representatives election, Japanese media outlets reported.

The Mainichi Shimbun reported that the finalized candidate list, confirmed on Tuesday, includes more than 40 LDP members implicated in the party's "slush fund" scandal, many of whom had lost the party's endorsement in the 2024 general election following internal disciplinary action.

The LDP has also eased restrictions this time, allowing most of the controversial candidates to run simultaneously in single-seat constituencies and proportional representation blocs, a move seen as increasing their chances of winning seats, the report said.

The Tokyo Shimbun criticized Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who also serves as the LDP president, for failing to pursue a full investigation into the scandal or push through fundamental political reforms, arguing that such an approach makes it difficult to prevent similar incidents from recurring. It stressed that public trust in politics is the foundation for all policymaking.

Chihiro Okawa, a professor at Kanagawa University, noted that the election is being held not long after the previous one, leaving voters' memories of the scandal still fresh.

Re-endorsing candidates previously rejected by voters could further damage the LDP's image and cast a chill over the Takaichi administration, he warned.

The slush fund scandal was first revealed in 2023, in which some party factions of the LDP allegedly instructed member lawmakers to sell political fundraising party tickets beyond their assigned quotas without recording the amount as revenue in their political fund reports, and then funneled the surplus back to lawmakers as kickbacks, creating off-the-books funds.

After taking office in October 2025, Takaichi appointed several scandal-tainted figures to key government posts. Takaichi herself was also accused in December last year of accepting a political donation that exceeded the legal maximum, fueling public anger. 
A County Roscommon butcher shop has come out sizzling in the National Irish Steak Challenge.

Elphin based Morris Meats picked up the overall national award for the Best Striploin Steak in the country in the National Irish Steak Challenge, held as the centrepiece of the Butchers Expo at the Curragh Racecourse. Not only did Morris Meats win the overall award in this category but the business also picked up the gold award for Best Striploin in Connacht and won a bronze award for its fillet steak.

The National Irish Steak Challenge brought together the very best of Irelands independent butchery sector in a celebration of skill, quality and craftsmanship.

Hosted by the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland, the Challenge was open exclusively to independent butchers from across the country. Each entry represented hours of careful preparation, expert cutting, product knowledge and pride in sourcing and presenting the finest Irish beef. The competition provided a national platform for butchers to showcase not only their cuts, but the expertise, tradition and passion that underpin their work every day.

Delivered in partnership with Fire Steakhouse & Bar and sponsored by Bord Bia, the event highlighted a shared commitment to championing premium Irish beef, traditional skills and excellence in food production. This collaboration between butchers, chefs and industry partners reinforced the strength of Irelands food community and the importance of supporting local, independent businesses.

The judging process was both rigorous and respected, with more than 25 industry professionals taking part. Every steak was blind tasted, ensuring the focus remained solely on quality, technique and execution. Judging criteria included appearance, tenderness, flavour, texture and succulence, demanding consistency and excellence at every level.

Ronan Gavigan from Morris Meats, Elphin was delighted with the awards won at the National Irish Steak Challenge 2026.

All competing steaks were cooked by the highly experienced chef team from Fire & Sole Restaurants, led by Culinary Director Richie Wilson, who also serves as chairperson of the World Steak Challenge. To guarantee precision and consistency, Synergy Grills were specially installed at the Curragh Racecourse, ensuring each steak was cooked to perfection under controlled conditions.

The National Irish Steak Challenge continues to stand as a benchmark for excellence within the industry. More than a competition, it is a celebration of independent Irish butchers, the quality of Irish beef, and the skill, tradition and pride that define craft butchery in Ireland, said organisers.
Cocaine, cannabis and cash have been seized by gardai following a search of a number of properties in Sligo. Three people have been arrested and are due in court.

As part of an ongoing operation targeting the sale and supply of drugs in County Sligo, gardai carried out a search under warrant of two residences in Sligo town on Monday, January 26th.

Members of Sligo/Leitrim Divisional Drugs Unit, assisted by the Armed Support Unit, searched a property in the town and seized suspected cocaine with an estimated street value of 70,000, cannabis with a value of 12,900 and just under 20,000 in cash.

A woman (30s) and a man (40s) were arrested at the scene at detained at a station in the Garda North Western Region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

In a follow-up search at a residential property in Gurteen, cannabis with an estimated street value of 20,000 and cash totalling 7,350 was seized.

A man (50s) was arrested and detained at a station in the Garda North Western Region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

All three have since been charged and are due to appear before Tubbercurry District Court today, Wednesday, January 28th

The drugs will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.

Investigations are ongoing.
There is shock and sadness in County Roscommon following the news of the tragic death of a 25-year-old British Army officer following an incident during live fire training on Sunday.

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that Capt Philip Gilbert Muldowney, who grew up in County Roscommon, died on Sunday after the tragic accident at an army training site in Northumberland.

He served as a fire support team commander in the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery and it is understood that the accident happened during a night time exercise at around 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Son of David and Meg Muldowney from Ballinameen, Boyle, Gilbert, as he was known, was educated locally at Elphin Community College after the family moved from Dublin to the North Roscommon village.

His father, David, was ordained a Deacon for the Diocese of Elphin back in 2012 and is actively involved in parish life in Ballinameen.

This afternoon the parish priest of Ballinameen/Breedogue Very Rev Lawrence Ebuk spoke of the sadness in the community as news broke of the passing of Gilbert.

He told the Roscommon Herald that prayers had been recited at Masses throughout the parish for the Muldowney family and the parish would stand united with them at this very sad time. He added that Deacon David was actively involved in parish life and the Muldowney family would be well known throughout the area.

A spokesperson for the Dioceses of Achonry and Elphin offered condolences and prayers to Deacon David Muldowney, his wife Meg and their daughters, on the tragic death of their son and brother Gilbert.

Gilbert who attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, joined the Army in January 2020 and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in December of that year.

He served in multiple roles and was deployed in November 2021 to Estonia for six months.

He had been seriously injured on a commando course in January 2025 and ordered to pause and rehabilitate, but returned to duty after his recovery.

Tributes have been paid made by military personnel who had served with him, describing him as a "true friend" and a "truly kind person".

Known as Gilbert, he was "an immensely enthusiastic officer who embraced life with a vigour that inspired everyone around him, Commanding Officer of the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Waller said.

"Always full of ideas and never without a bright smile, Gilbert approached every challenge wholeheartedly, whether in camp or out in the field."

He described Gilbert as an "outstanding officer who consistently put his soldiers first", calling him "a rising star" in the Army and the regiment.

He will be remembered "for his easy-going nature, boundless energy, and infectious sense of humour".
Feb. 4, the 73rd National Hard Spring Wheat Show will open at the Grand Williston Hotel and Conference Center, Williston, ND, where scientists, producers, financial advisors, and agricultural professionals will gather to share the latest developments and information vital to the wheat industry in North Dakota and surrounding region.

The Wheat Show will begin at 7 a.m. with the free "Ag Appreciation Breakfast" sponsored by American State Bank and Trust. At 8:15 a.m., Williams County Commissioner Beau Anderson and Williams County Commodity Elections President Brian Kaae, along with Ag & Natural Resources Agent Kelly Leo will welcome attendees.

Mark Ewens, Home on the Prairie Weather, will kick off the first speaking section, with "A Climate Game-Changer: How one volcano has changed everything".

Following at 9:30 a.m., Evan Shout, Maverick Ag CFO and founder, will share "Cost Management in Agriculture"; bulletproofing your budget as a producer, even in the face of volatile markets, weather, and politics.

A break for The Commodity Election will be taken at 10:30 a.m. At 11 a.m., Brian Jenks will share his 2026 Weed Control Update.

The awards lunch, and sponsor recognition, will follow at 12 noon.

Andrew Friskop will speak at 1 p.m. on "Wheat Disease Trends and Employing the Best Management Tools". Andrew Green will present "Wheat Breeding for Western North Dakota" at 2 p.m.

After a break at 3 p.m., the show will end with Dr. Frayne Olson sharing his "2026 Crop Market and Trade Outlook".
Grazing permits granted to the conservation nonprofit as part of its prairie-rewilding initiative have been subject to years of criticism by cattle ranchers and Montana politicians.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced that it is revoking seven grazing permits in Phillips County that American Prairie had been using to sustain its herd of bison.

The decision comes after a three-and-a-half-year battle between the Montana livestock industry, backed by Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Montana Department of Justice, and American Prairie, a conservation nonprofit working to restore the prairie ecosystem of north-central Montana.

The Montana Stockgrowers Association cheered the news, describing it as a "win for public lands ranching in Montana."

"MSGA is thrilled to see this decision by the BLM to restore grazing allotments back to their intended usage for production livestock grazing," MSGA President Lesley Robinson said in a press release. "MSGA is proud to defend sound, lawful land management. This decision is an incredible win for public lands grazers, ranching families and rural communities across the West."

American Prairie called the decision a "troubling precedent" for those reliant on consistent, predictable federal land management decisions.

"This decision is not grounded in new impacts or new information - it appears to be completely arbitrary and is unfair," American Prairie CEO Ali Fox wrote in an emailed statement. "When federal agencies begin changing how the rules are applied after the process is complete, it undermines confidence in the system for everyone who relies on public lands. Montana livestock owners deserve clarity, fairness and decisions they can count on."

American Prairie's statement also emphasized bison's ecological significance to prairie ecosystems, describing it as "a relationship that has been extensively studied and well documented over time."

In its Jan. 16 letter to American Prairie signed by Sonya Germann, state director for the Bureau of Land Management's Montana/Dakotas office, the Interior Department took issue with how American Prairie has characterized its herd of bison, estimated in 2024 at approximately 900 animals.

American Prairie had been grazing bison on the leases in question for about three years as the high-profile case wound through the Interior Department's Office of Hearings and Appeals, a quasi-judicial body that considers issues related to federally administered grazing permits. (American Prairie said in its statement to MTFP that it first received permission to graze bison on BLM land in 2005 and has "done so successfully for the past 20 years.")

In December, Trump administration Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the BLM to reconsider the grazing authorization approved by the Biden administration in 2022, arguing that the 1934 Taylor Grazing Act requires that grazing on publicly owned federal lands be "limited to cases where the animals to be grazed are domestic and will be used for production-oriented purposes."

That distinction was the justification BLM provided for its decision.

"There are multiple times wherein by the applicant's own admissions it is clear that these are not managed for production-oriented purposes and so do not fall within the meaning of the terms livestock and domestic as those terms are used in the applicable statutory authorities," Germann wrote in her 24-page decision letter. "Reissuing cattle-only permits on allotments where bison or a combination of cattle and/or bison were previously authorized ... ensures that the BLM is acting within the limits of its statutory authority."

In its 2022 record of decision approving American Prairie's Montana bison grazing plan, the BLM noted that bison grazing is permitted on leases it administers in Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

"Though the proposal to allow domestic indigenous livestock grazing conflicts with views and opinions expressed among some users of public lands, such unfavorable views of the proposal itself do not constitute a scientific controversy, disagreement about the nature of effects, or provide evidence that the project is not in conformance to BLM's statutory and regulatory requirements," the agency wrote then.

American Prairie, which aims to connect 3.2 million acres - "enough to support a healthy prairie ecosystem" - has amassed a vast collection of land holdings and leases to facilitate its rewilding and biodiversity-restoration vision since its founding in 2001. In late 2024, the nonprofit announced that recent large ranch purchases had helped it cross a notable threshold: between its private landholdings and federal grazing leases, it has assumed control over more than half a million acres.

In recent years, the organization, previously titled the American Prairie Reserve, has garnered pushback from Republican politicians and neighboring livestock producers wary of the nonprofit's substantial - and growing - influence on the cultural, land-ownership and property tax dynamics of central Montana. American Prairie critics, including the United Property Owners of Montana, have rallied support for their cause under a "Save the Cowboy" slogan.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Gianforte, who have fought the 2022 decision, described the agency's reversal as a victory for Montana agriculture.

"Canceling the American Prairie Reserve's bison grazing permit will help to protect the livestock industry and ranching communities in Northeastern Montana from the elitists trying to push them out," Knudsen said in a statement.

American Prairie hinted in its statement that a legal challenge to the decision in the federal court system might be coming, writing that it is "reviewing the decisions and determining its course of action."
The 73rd National Hard Spring Wheat Show begins Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the Grand Williston Hotel & Conference Center, Williston.

Andrew Friskop, NDSU Cereal Extension Plant pathologist, will be discussing wheat disease trends studied in North Dakota over the past decade, and which ones are most concerning to producers and scientists. Through the IPM survey efforts, he has noticed downward trends in fungal leaf spots such as tan spot and attributes this to longer rotations away from wheat, better variety resistance, and common use of fungicides. One disease he has observed to be a consistent irritant to wheat production is bacterial leaf streak. Although this disease tends to be more noticeable in eastern North Dakota, bacterial leaf streak has presented problems in western North Dakota as well. Unlike tan spot, bacterial leaf streak has limited management opportunities with variety resistance being the most effective tool. Aside from disease trends, he will present the most recent summaries of collaborative fungicide and research on both hard red spring wheat and durum. He hopes producers and businesses in agriculture will find knowledge functional to their operations in the 2026 growing season in his work and presentation.

Friskop is a North Dakota native and has served as the NDSU Cereal Extension Plant pathologist since 2013. His Extension-driven research program focuses on finding management solutions to economically important diseases found in wheat, barley, corn and oats. He has delivered over 400 Extension presentations and regularly presents material related to the effective use of integrated management tools to offset yield losses in cereal crops.
Montana Farmers Union is engaging Montana students with interactive, in-person lessons about agriculture through MFU's school visit program and is now scheduling in-person, educational visits to Montana classrooms starting Feb. 2 and for the remainder of this school year.

"The school visits are a great opportunity for incorporating some real-world applications of math and science through agriculture. The lessons are very hands-on and engaging to appeal to a wide range of students," MFU's Education Director Jodi Koterba said.

Classroom visits are part of the grassroots organization's commitment to education and consist of MFU staff presenting interactive, 45-minute lessons targeted to standards for all K-12 grade levels. There is a predetermined set of lessons for grades K-6 for teachers to choose from to best fit their curriculums.

MFU conducted 16 school visits, engaging 1160 students with agriculture during the 2024-25 school year at various locations around the state. There are already 20-plus schools scheduled for visits for the 2025-26 school year, illustrating the desire to bring ag into classrooms.

To learn more, email [email protected].
North Dakota State University's Agriculture Department will be well-represented at the 73rd National Hard Spring Wheat Show, at the Grand Williston Hotel & Conference Center in Williston, ND, on Feb. 4 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT.

Weed Scientist Brian Jenks, Associate Professor Andrew Green, and Professor/Crops Economist Dr. Frayne Olson will all be discussing their research and its applications to the 2026 growing season.

Brian Jenks has been the NDSU weed scientist in Minot since 1997 and has his Ph.D. in weed science from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His 2025 research results in wheat will include spring burndown results, postemergence weed control, the effect of drought on weed control, a Kochia and Waterhemp update, and pigweed identification. Distinguishing between redroot pigweed, waterhemp, Powell amaranth, and Palmer amaranth species is important as waterhemp and Palmer are prone to developing herbicide resistance and are difficult to control.

Andrew Green is the spring wheat breeder at NDSU focusing on breeding balanced varieties for all of North Dakota. His research interests include breeding methods, abiotic stress resistance, disease resistance breeding, and experimental design for breeding trials. He interviewed for his current job almost exactly ten years ago and has released nine cultivars in that time. Recent releases from the program adapted to western North Dakota include North Dakota Nighthawk hard white spring wheat, North Dakota Roughrider hard red spring wheat, and a recent release with solid stem for the wheat stem sawfly.

Dr. Frayne Olson is the NDSU crop economist marketing specialist, Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives director and Agribusiness and Applied Economics Department professor. Dr. Olson conducts educational programs focusing on crop market outlook and price analysis, evaluating alternative crop marketing strategies and the economics of crop contracting. As Center for Cooperatives director, he teaches a senior level course on cooperative business management and coordinates the center's research and outreach activities. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in agricultural economics, and his M.S. and B.S. in agricultural economics from NDSU.
Montana Farmers Union is proud to once again offer Sentence Grants for Montana 4-H clubs.

Clubs can apply for the $100 mini-grants by submitting one sentence project proposals. If clubs publicly thank MFU for the funding, they receive an additional $50.

MFU has awarded more than $20,000 to clubs since the programs inception two years ago for projects ranging from barn supplies to community beautification projects to supplies for club activities. The Sentence Grant program is just one of the ways MFU supports Montana 4-H, including sponsorships, free MFU memberships for 4-Hers, and more.

Learn more and apply at https://montanafarmersunion.com/education/scholarships-grants/.

Questions? Contact your regional Membership Ambassador. Find them at https://montanafarmersunion.com/about-us/mfu-board-staff/.
LYIP Urges Citizens to Write In Support of Lower Yellowstone River Fish Conservation Act

The Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project (LYIP) is asking the community to write and submit letters in support of the Lower Yellowstone River Fish Conservation Act (SB 3409 / HR 6568) by Feb. 1. LYIP Project Manager James Brower will be traveling to Washington D.C. to testify in support of the legislation before Congress on Feb. 4.

Letters can be written by individuals, organizations, clubs and businesses. They can be as simple as I support the Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act (SB 3409 / HR 6568). If the public has questions or would like help writing a letter of support they can contact LYIP at 406-433-1306 or [email protected]. The letters can be submitted by email, post mail or brought to the LYIP office at 2327 Lincoln Ave. SE, Sidney, MT 59270. LYIP can also arrange to pick up letters if none of these options are available.

The Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project is going to Washington D.C. to fight to keep the federal government from doubling the irrigation taxes and ruining our farmers and ranchers. Anybodys letter of support helps motivate the legislators to vote to protect them, our area economy and our communitys water supply, said Brower.

LYIP and the local community are familiar with fighting for the survival of the irrigation district. In 2015, lawyers from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Army Corps of Engineers and Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project argued against a temporary injunction on the proposed Intake diversion project with lawyers representing the Defenders of Wildlife and Natural Resources Defense Council in a Great Falls District Courtroom. The battle lasted three years and in 2018 the injunction was lifted and construction of the bypass channel and new wier near Intake was able to begin. This time weve got a bill. This is for the good of endangered species, fish and for the good of the American farmer, who is the true endangered species, Brower stated.

The Lower Yellowstone River Fish Conservation Act was introduced by Congressman Troy Downing and Senator Steve Daines. The bill reaffirms that the Bureau of Reclamation retains exclusive ownership, operational control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone fish bypass channel, built to support the recovery of the endangered pallid sturgeon. The bill provides protections for irrigators, ensuring that local communities are not unfairly charged for federal projects and are protected from bearing the costs of long-term conservation efforts.

The Lower Yellowstone fish bypass channel is a 2.1-mile-long engineered fish passage channel constructed near Intake, designed to facilitate the migration of pallid sturgeon and other fish. The Lower Yellowstone Project was authorized in 1904 as a single purpose irritation project. The Project irrigates about 58,000 acres on more than 400 farms in Eastern Montana and Western North Dakota.

LYIP has been providing farmers and ranchers in the area with irrigation water since 1909. These irrigated lands are vital to the local economy and are the reason Richland County and surrounding areas exist as we know them today. Without the vast amount of water delivered across the valley in the hottest and driest times of the year, 90% of drinking wells (including the City of Sidneys) would likely go dry according to a 10-year study by the Montana Department of Mines & Geology.

The Lower Yellowstone Federal Endangered Species Recovery Project was authorized in 2007 and built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Completed in 2022, the fish bypass is located outside the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Districts boundaries and has cost $3 million per year on average to repair ongoing erosion. The local farmers and LYIP cannot afford to reimburse the Bureau of Reclamation for repair and maintenance costs of the fish bypass channel. The Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act is necessary to provide continued protection to the pallid sturgeon and other species as well as our local economy.
BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China and France, both as major countries acting independently, should strengthen communication and coordination, jointly inject much-needed stability into the world, and better leverage the strategic value of China-France relations, Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said on Wednesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a phone call with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president.

At the beginning of the new year, the international landscape has undergone significant changes, marked by turbulence and instability, said Wang.

China and the European Union (EU) are partners rather than rivals, which has been proved by the fruitful outcomes of their cooperation over the past 50 years and more, he said, noting that China and the EU share similar positions on promoting a multipolar world and many other issues, and are capable of properly resolving specific trade disputes through dialogue and coordination.

Under the current circumstances, the two sides should in particular enhance communication, promote mutual trust and deepen cooperation, he said.

The recent visits to China by several European leaders have strongly advanced China-Europe relations, said Wang, voicing his hope that France will continue to play a constructive role within the EU and help promote the sound and steady development of China-EU relations.

For his part, Bonne said that France attaches great importance to the France-China comprehensive strategic cooperation and stands ready to work with the Chinese side to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state.

Based on the spirit of mutual trust and cooperation, France is willing to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with China on major international hotspot issues within bilateral and multilateral frameworks, jointly address challenges, and make positive contributions to safeguarding global security and stability as well as promoting common development and prosperity, said Bonne.

Moving in the same direction and further stabilizing relations fully serve the interests of both the EU and China, and the French side is willing to make active efforts to promote the steady development of EU-China relations, he said.

Both sides also coordinated positions and exchanged views on hotspot issues such as the Ukraine crisis and the situations in Venezuela and Iran. 
A major highlight of the event was the display of Air India's first line-fit Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Russia's Ilyushin IL-114-300, which made its first appearance outside of Russia. File Photo.

The biennial summit showcases India's growing prowess across the aviation value chain.



Aviation Powerhouse: Air India and Russian Jets in Focus as Minister Naidu Opens Wings India 2026

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Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday inaugurated Wings India 2026 at Begumpet Airport, marking the start of Asias largest civil aviation event. The minister during the inaugural address declared that India is strategically moving to transition from a consumer of aviation technology to a global exporter within the next decade. He emphasised the government's focus on creating a robust domestic manufacturing ecosystem to meet the increasing international demand for aircraft and components.

A major highlight of the event was the display of Air Indias first line-fit Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Russias Ilyushin IL-114-300, which made its first appearance outside of Russia. Minister Naidu highlighted that while aircraft delivery delays have been a bottleneck, the industry expects improved supply flows this year.

Hosted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Telangana government, the biennial summit showcases Indias growing prowess across the aviation value chain. Wings India 2026 has attracted delegations from over 20 countries and 3,000 participants, including global CEOs and policymakers. The event features cutting-edge exhibitions of avionics and emerging technologies alongside critical discussions on carbon reduction and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

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Scheduled from January 28 to 31, the first two days focus on ministerial deliberations, while the final two days will open to the public, highlighting Indias ambition to lead the global aviation growth story.

Source: The Tribune
Chandigarh: Schools Advised to Stay Calm, Verify Bomb Threats Before Declaring Holidays

All schools have been instructed to remain vigilant while continuing regular academic operations.

Chandigarh School Bomb threats: A notice has been issued to schools requesting them to maintain calm and avoid creating "unnecessary panic" in case they receive any threatening email or message, and to immediately report such incidents to the police.

The notice added that appropriate action will be taken as per established protocol once the matter is reported. It also asked school authorities not to declare school holidays without verification upon receiving threats.

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Schools are advised not to declare holidays without any verified basis, as such actions may lead to avoidable panic among students, parents, and the general public.

All schools have been instructed to remain vigilant while continuing regular academic operations.

The notice comes after several schools in Chandigarh, including DPS, received bomb threats on Wednesday morning, following which the schools were evacuated immediately.

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(For more news apart from Baramati Plane Crash: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, five others killed in aircraft crash in Pune," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Baramati Plane Crash: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, five others killed in aircraft crash in Pune

Visuals from the spot showed thick smoke emanating from the crash site, while some parts of the aircraft were still in flames.

An aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed in Pune district on Wednesday morning, killing him and five others, including crew members on board, officials confirmed, news agency PTI reported. A senior DGCA official also confirmed to the news agency that no one on board the plane survived.

Visuals from the spot showed thick smoke emanating from the crash site, while some parts of the aircraft were still in flames.

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The incident occurred when the plane carrying NCP leader Pawar (66) and others was attempting to land in Punes Baramati area, PTI cited officials as saying.

VIDEO | Visuals from the accident site. Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and five others were killed after an aircraft crash in Pune district.



(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/dv5TRAShcC)#AjitPawar pic.twitter.com/dsY3Qo4fgX Advertisement January 28, 2026

According to preliminary information, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was travelling on the aircraft along with two other personnel, a personal security officer, and an attendant, besides the pilot-in-command and the first officer.

Further details are awaited.

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After Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five others were killed in the aircraft crash, Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said,

I am shocked after hearing about Ajit Pawars plane crash. I am still praying to God, as I have not received any information confirming his death. I have been informed that he was taken to Mumbai in an injured condition by a chartered plane. We are all wishing for his well-being. Hearing about the horrific accident that took place in Baramati has left me stunned, and all aspects of this incident should be thoroughly investigated to determine whether this was a conspiracy and how the accident occurred.

(For more news apart from Baramati Plane Crash: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, five others killed in aircraft crash in Pune," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Dies in Plane Crash; Political Arena Mourns Loss, Leader of the People, Says PM Modi

PM Modi said Pawar was a leader of the people, with a strong grassroots-level connect.

Baramati Plane Crash News: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash on Wednesday morning, along with four others on board the aircraft in the Baramati area, leaving the political arena in shock.

Leaders across party lines, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have expressed shock over the sudden demise of the leader and those on board the plane.

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Prime Minister Modi said he was saddened by the tragic air crash.

Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and pic.twitter.com/mdgwwGzw4R  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026

In a post on X, PM Modi said, My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief.

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PM Modi said Pawar was a leader of the people, with a strong grassroots-level connect.

He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening.

PM Modi extended condolences to Pawars family and countless admirers.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, reacting to the incident, called it very sad and tragic news.

Today is a dark day in Maharashtras political and social life. When the news came this morning that the plane carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar from Mumbai to Baramati had met with an accident, we were all praying for his safety. His passing has brought a mountain of grief upon Maharashtra, MP Sanjay Raut said.

VIDEO | Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on deputy chief minister Ajit Pawars demise and the death of five others in an aircraft crash says, This is very sad and tragic news. Today is a dark day in Maharashtras political and social life. When the news came this morning pic.twitter.com/QSNpevmhkP Advertisement January 28, 2026

He added that there was a special bond between Pawar and Baramati.

It is a strange coincidence that he passed away there. I never imagined that we would have to pay tribute to him like this, Raut added.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Home Minister Amit Shah, and other leaders have expressed shock and condolences to the bereaved families.

The news of the tragic demise of Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash, is deeply shocking and profoundly distressing. It is an untimely loss of a leader who had a long and promising political career ahead.



No words can adequately express the immense grief that the bereaved family  Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 28, 2026

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that no one on board the plane survived.

The aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others, including two crew members, crash-landed at Baramati airport, killing all five persons on board.

VIDEO | Visuals from the accident site. Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and five others were killed after an aircraft crash in Pune district.



(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/dv5TRAShcC)#AjitPawar pic.twitter.com/dsY3Qo4fgX  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026

The deceased include personnel, one personal security officer (PSO) and one attendant, and two crew members, the pilot-in-command and the first officer, who were on board the Learjet 45 aircraft when the accident occurred.

(For more news apart from Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Dies in Plane Crash; Political Arena Mourns Loss, Leader of the People, Says PM Modi," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
MRSAFPI Mohali Achieves Historic Milestone with 50 Cadets Training at NDA; Second Only to RIMC

Meanwhile, admissions for the 16th course at MRSAFPI are underway, said Major General Ajay H. Chauhan, VSM (Retd), Director of MRSAFPI.

MRSAFPI Mohali Achieves Historic Milestone with 50 Cadets Training at NDA; Second Only to RIMC

In a remarkable achievement, 50 cadets from the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI), SAS Nagar (Mohali), are currently undergoing training at the National Defence Academy (NDA), according to an official release.

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This is the highest number of cadets from the institute to be training at the NDA since its inception. Notably, three alumni are now serving as NDA instructors, shaping the next generation of leaders for the Indian Armed Forces.

The under-training NDA cadet strength at MRSAFPI Mohali is now the second highest in the country, trailing only the prestigious Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), marking a significant milestone for the institute.

Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Aman Arora lauded MRSAFPIs training staff for bringing glory to the state and urged them to continue their exceptional performance.

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Highlighting the institutes impressive track record, the minister said that a total of 278 cadets have joined service training academies since its inception, and 181 alumni have been commissioned as officers in the Defence Services so far. He added that seven cadets will pass out from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) and Air Force Academy (AFA) on December 13, 2025, while 15 cadets are set to join the NDA and other training academies this month.

Meanwhile, admissions for the 16th course at MRSAFPI are underway, said Major General Ajay H. Chauhan, VSM (Retd), Director of MRSAFPI.

All class 10th students (males of Punjab domicile) aspiring to join the NDA through MRSAFPI Mohali can apply online until 15 December 2025 at https://recruitment-portal.in. The entrance examination is scheduled for January 4, 2026 (Sunday).
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain previously said that flight operations are expected to begin in March 2026. File Photo.

In response to the announcement, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has convened an important review meeting in Chandigarh this Thursday.



Boost for Ludhiana Industry: Halwara Airport Set for PM Modis Virtual Inauguration

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After years of delay and missing many deadlines, the Halwara Airport in Ludhiana is finally set for a virtual inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 1, 2026. Government officials in Chandigarh confirmed the development on Wednesday, noting that the Prime Minister will dedicate the long-awaited project to the public via video conferencing.

In response to the announcement, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has convened an important review meeting in Chandigarh this Thursday. The session aims to oversee final preparations and ensure the smooth functioning of this high-profile event.

This inauguration is particularly significant, as it marks a rare instance of a terminal being officially opened ahead of its operational launch; Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain previously said that flight operations are expected to begin in March 2026.

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The project, initially slated for a 2022 opening, faced persistent hurdles, including funding issues from GLADA in early 2022, followed by pending runway work by the Indian Air Force and security clearances. A virtual inauguration scheduled for July 2025 was also deferred.

Industrialists, including Badish Jindal, president of the World MSME Forum, appreciated the move, and the industry has long awaited this convenience to reduce travel time.

Source: The Tribune
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reiterated that Punjab has no surplus water to share, noting that the state already provides 60 per cent of its water to non-riparian states. File Photo.

This panel is scheduled to meet every 10 to 15 days to discuss technical aspects and potential solutions.



SYL Row: Punjab, Haryana Move to Official Talks Ahead of April SC Hearing

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Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini agreed to form a joint committee of officers to address the long-standing Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal dispute. Following the 40-minute discussion, both states agreed to establish a joint committee of secretary-level officers to conduct regular technical deliberations on the sharing of river waters.

According to official sources, the committee will consist of the water resources secretaries from both states. This panel is scheduled to meet every 10 to 15 days to discuss technical aspects and potential solutions. These officials are tasked with exploring practical solutions and briefing their respective governments ahead of the Supreme Courts next hearing.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reiterated that Punjab has no surplus water to share, noting that the state already provides 60 per cent of its water to non-riparian states. While Mann described Haryana as a "younger brother" and invoked the compassionate spirit of Bhai Kanhaiya ji, he maintained that Punjabs interests must be safeguarded.

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Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini expressed optimism, stating that regular official-level dialogue is a constructive step toward a mutually acceptable settlement.

Source: The Tribune
SACEUR Visit in Romania

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, made an official visit to Romania last week

photo: MApN

Agentia Media a Armatei, 28.01.2026, 13:38

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, made an official visit to Romania last week. The visit was not a perfunctory one, but one with a clear goal: to consolidate regional security, strengthen the eastern and south-eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance and send a firm message of unity and deterrence, in an increasingly complicated security context in the Black Sea region.

In Bucharest, Gen. Grynkewich spoke about the importance of Romania as an ally and about the meetings he had with the political and military leaders of our country. Romania is an extremely valuable ally, he said, which is why I prioritised this visit at the beginning of 2026. We had very good discussions in Bucharest on important topics for Romania, for the United States and for the Alliance. We also had the opportunity to meet with the President of Romania, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence. For me, these meetings were a true honour, Gen. Grynkewich added.

The visit was not limited to official meetings, but also included direct contacts with the troops in the field. The US official visited the air base at Deveselu (south) and the Joint Training Centre at Cincu, where he spoke with members of NATO structures deployed to Romania and Bulgaria, which strengthen the Alliances deterrence and defence posture on the eastern flank. I spoke with soldiers who represent the foundation of our strong alliance, and I am grateful for Romanias commitments to the Alliance, he also pointed out.

An important element of General Alexus Grynkewichs visit was related to air defence and new threats, including drones, increasingly present in current conflicts. As he explained, Romania contributes to securing NATO airspace, working together with a unit of fighter jets from Germany and using its own F-16 aircraft. It also began testing the MEROPS anti-drone system, provided by the US, as part of NATOs efforts to strengthen air defence on the eastern flank.

Finally, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich sent a message that goes beyond numbers and equipment, a message about the unity of the Alliance and its ability to protect people and member states. One of the most important things that NATO has achieved in recent years is the development of solid defensive plans, the US official pointed out. We are ready today, starting tonight, to deter and defend. We will be even more ready tomorrow, thanks to increased spending and the achievement of capability goals. And we will be even more ready in the coming days. Every day, the Alliance becomes stronger and more capable, thanks to the commitments that nations like Romania have made, he also said.

Beyond official statements and agendas, the message of this visit is simple and powerful: Romania matters. It matters as an ally, it matters as a pillar of stability, and it matters as part of an alliance that takes responsibility for protecting its people, borders, and values. On the eastern flank, security is not an abstract concept. It is about the troops on the ground, about the airspace that must be defended, about the infrastructure that must be protected and, ultimately, about the daily safety of each of us. And the message sent from Bucharest, Deveselu, Cincu and Sibiu is clear: Romania is present, it is involved and it is part of a united alliance, which is becoming stronger every day. (AMP)
Civil defence preparation: success or failure?

In mid-January, the president of Romania Nicusor Dan signed a new law on preparing citizens for defence

Photo mapn.ro

Roxana Vasile, 28.01.2026, 13:18

In mid-January, the president of Romania Nicusor Dan signed a new law on preparing citizens for defence. The first stage in implementing the law was planned for February-March. According to the new legislation, young men and women aged between 18 and 35, with permanent residence in Romania, have the opportunity to voluntarily undergo a 4-month basic military training programme. During this time, they are provided with accommodation, food and medical assistance. At the end of the programme, they also receive an allowance equivalent to 3 median gross salaries. For the authorities, however, it is essential that after these 4 months of training, the young people will either be able to enter a selection to become professional Army personnel, or they may decide to attend a relevant school or stay as voluntary reserve troops.

Why was such a law necessary in Romania? The retired colonel Ion Petrescu, a journalist and military analyst, explains:

Ion Petrescu: A strong army means a free society, in which citizens can follow their professional path, have secured incomes and optimistic prospects for their families. To use a somewhat extreme but necessary parallel, the army is to society what a big loud dog is for a peasant home. Because, as we can see, we need to protect the borders of states that can fall prey to aggressions that were unimaginable yesterday. So the law promulgated by president Nicusor Dan strengthens the national military corps and, at the same time, serves the national interest  for Romania to remain a sovereign country, with secured territorial integrity and also capable of preserving its status as a NATO member state and a member of the European Union.

Romania has a deficit of both active and reserve military personnel. And the reserve staff is naturally aging, as its members include mainly men who completed their compulsory military service by 2007, the year when it was suspended. With the suspension of this compulsory military service, states such as Poland have sensed the need for fresh, young and permanently trained reserve staff. On the other hand, in Romania, the reserve staff has been ignored since 2007. The current law on preparing the population for defence, therefore on gradually rebuilding the reserve corps, was passed at the last minute, with a delay that some military experts did not hesitate to describe as irresponsible. What does the retired colonel Ion Petrescu think?

Ion Petrescu: When the compulsory military service was abolished, there were other circumstances and there was a sense of military de-escalation in Europe. Life has proved that this democratic tendency in the centre and western part of Europe was not followed by similar measures in the East, where a nuclear superpower, I mean the Russian Federation, continued to look at neighbouring states in the old, Soviet-kind framework. We cannot stay unconcerned, for the simple fact that we live in Europe and we want to have neighbours on our borders who look constructively towards a future necessary for all, that of international cooperation. For now, in various other places we are witnessing geopolitical monologues with obvious consequences.

In the opinion of the military journalist, for many young Romanians undergoing a military training programme would mean moving from an area of uncertainty, of fog, to one where they would feel that their skills or knowledge matter. Ion Petrescu gives an example:

Ion Petrescu: Reality on the battlefield shows that the use of drones has become a constant, and so has the use of young people with skills in handling computers, so we are also witnessing military conflicts taking the form of electronic warfare. We need trained minds, passionate minds to participate in this effort, in dedicated electronic warfare units designed to counter actions aimed at spreading confusion, as we have seen happen in other countries, a confusion that can only be favourable to those who intend to invade sovereign independent states. So the contribution of young people to this national effort will be in a new framework, in which their skills and what they could be trained to achieve will count, so that they feel useful to their unit, to the national military corps and implicitly, to the defence of Romania. These are not just big words!

It remains to be seen, however, how many young men and women aged 18 to 35 will be willing to enrol in this defence training program. Opinion polls conducted over the last few years vary too much to provide an accurate image.

According to the Romania Security Barometer conducted in 2022 by the Laboratory for Information Warfare Analysis and Strategic Communication (LARICS) and the Romanian Academy, when asked what would you do if Romania were attacked? only about a third of respondents answered that they would participate in its defence in any way they could. The same number would wait first to see how things go, and the other third would run away or hide with their families. Of those who said they would not defend their country, the majority would not do it because, they said, this is the job of the military. Others mentioned family obligations or said they would not go to war to defend the riches of the corrupt and of swindlers.

A year later, in 2023, according to a survey conducted by INSCOP Research, over half of Romanians (50.5%) said they would fight for their homeland, almost 20% would emigrate and over 11% would hide until the war was over.

Finally, the most recent survey on this topic, conducted by Avangarde and made public earlier this year, shows that half of Romanians believe compulsory military service should be reintroduced, while the other half reject the idea. Moreover, almost three-quarters (74%) are convinced that, if attacked, Romania would be defended by NATO. (AMP)
Chisinau eyes fast track to the EU

Moldovas President Maia Sandu has called for a faster EU accession.

Foto: Facebook.com/maia.sandu

Daniela Budu, 28.01.2026, 13:50

President Maia Sandu called on the European Union to accelerate the Republic of Moldovas accession process during an address to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), warning that Moscows deepening interference in Moldovan domestic affairs, particularly in elections, poses a real risk that the country could be overtaken by Russia and lose its freedom, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.

We hope the EU will take a decision before it is too late, Sandu told delegates in Strasbourg. To feel safe, you must be part of the EU, she added.

President Sandu stressed that Moldova is fully committed to joining the bloc, has already implemented reforms to align itself with the EU acquis and intends to stay the course.

Radio Chisinau reports that the Moldovan president reiterated her view that Russias invasion of Ukraine represents a direct threat not only to Kyiv, but also to Moldova and to Europe as a whole. She also warned against a second, less visible war, one waged through disinformation, electoral meddling, illicit financing and digital technologies.

According to Maia Sandu, the aim of these operations is to undermine democratic systems from within and manipulate electoral outcomes. She recalled that over the past two years, Moldova has faced largescale electoral interference, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns on social media, amplified by artificial intelligence.

Moldova has been  and still is  on the frontline of this second war. For two consecutive years, our country has faced massive electoral interference. It was multi-domain. [] All with one objective: to seize Parliament, install a Kremlin-controlled government, crush our democracy, drag Moldova into Russias sphere of influence and use it against Ukraine and against Europe.

Radio Chisinau notes that Sandu urged the Council of Europe to adopt clear legal instruments to counter information manipulation and foreign interference, including through responsible regulation of the digital space. She also highlighted the need to safeguard the freedom of thought of younger generations, warning that digitalera disinformation directly undermines the democratic health of society.

Moldova has been a member of the Council of Europe since July 1995. Regarding its EU path, the country submitted its membership application in March 2022, in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine, and obtained candidate status in June 2022. Accession negotiations formally began in June 2024.

Meanwhile, from Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine should join the European Union by 2027. According to Reuters, he wrote on social media that Ukraine views EU membership as part of its security guarantees as it continues to face the devastation of war. Kyiv applied for EU membership at the end of February 2022, immediately after Russias invasion and likewise holds candidate status. (VP)
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge has ordered Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to appear in court on Friday to explain why he should not be held in contempt for failing to comply with multiple judicial orders.

In a Jan. 26 order, Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota wrote that the court's "patience is at an end" after ICE repeatedly failed to comply with "dozens of court orders" in recent weeks and the agency's noncompliance had caused "significant hardship" for immigrants.

In the court document, Schiltz said the extraordinary step of summoning the acting ICE director was necessary because lesser measures had failed.

The order reflects escalating tensions between federal immigration enforcement and the judiciary amid legal challenges to ICE practices. 
Oil prices held near a four-month high on Wednesday following a dramatic 3 percent surge on Tuesday, the sharpest daily increase in months, after a winter storm disrupted U.S. crude output and exports.

Benchmark Brent crude futures dipped 0.3 percent to $66.39 a barrel, while WTI crude futures were down 0.2 percent at $62.24.

Supply worries lingered after winter storm Fern wreaked havoc across the United States, disrupting crude output and exports.

U.S. producers lost up to 2 million barrels per day, or roughly 15 per cent, of national output over the weekend, analysts and traders estimated.

Meanwhile, tensions between the U.S. and Iran remained heightened. After deploying USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in West Asia, U.S. President Donald Trump said there's another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran.

The U.S. announced a multi-day military exercise in the Middle East to bolster its military presence in the region.

Iranian officials issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for live-fire military activity in the airspace along the Strait of Hormuz.

Amid the looming specter of a global oil glut, traders now await U.S. inventory figures and the upcoming OPEC+ meeting for direction.

The oil cartel is expected to hold oil production flat in March and reiterate the first quarter pause in supply hikes when the group meets on February 1.

In a recent announcement, Kazakhstan's energy minister indicated that the country's declining oil production is likely to keep it within the OPEC+ quotas.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
Two cases of the deadly Nipah virus in India have led several Asian countries to increase checks at airports to stop the disease from spreading. Countries including Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia have stepped up screening of travelers arriving from affected areas.

The cases were confirmed in India in late December. Health experts said small outbreaks of Nipah happen from time to time, and the overall risk to the public remains low. While some vaccines are being developed, they are still being tested.

Indian authorities said the two infected people were health workers in the eastern state of West Bengal and are being treated at a local hospital. Officials traced and tested 196 people who had close contact with the patients, and all tested negative with no symptoms reported.

"Speculative and incorrect figures regarding Nipah virus disease cases are being circulated," the Indian health ministry said in a statement. "Enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, and field investigations were undertaken ... which ensured timely containment of the cases."

News of the cases has put nearby countries in Southeast Asia, as well as Nepal and Hong Kong, on alert. Singapore said it will introduce temperature screening at its airport for flights coming from areas in India where the virus was detected.

"We are also reaching out to our counterparts in South Asia to better understand the situation. Work is ongoing to establish a global platform for countries to report genome sequencing of detected cases," Singapore's Communicable Diseases Agency said in a statement.

Nipah is a virus that was first identified in Malaysia in the 1990s. It spreads through fruit bats, pigs, and close contact between people. There is no approved vaccine yet, and treatment mainly focuses on managing symptoms and supporting patients.

According to the World Health Organization, Nipah has a fatality rate of between 40 percent and 75 percent, making it much more deadly than COVID-19.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Conceptual illustration of the RIMS method. [Credit: Alienor Flores]

Building on the expertise of researchers at Paris Observatory, an international team has developed a novel analysis method capable of uncovering previously undetectable stellar and exoplanetary signals hidden within archival radio-astronomical data. Thanks to this innovation, known as Multiplexed Interferometric Radio Spectroscopy (RIMS), scientists have discovered new radio bursts originating from dwarf stars. Some of these signals are consistent with star-planet interactions, analogous to the mechanisms responsible for auroral emissions in the Solar System. These results are published in Nature Astronomy, 27 January 2026.

A new use for radio astronomy archives

Modern radio telescopes collect colossal volumes of data, primarily exploited to synthesise images used to study distant galaxies and black holes. Until now, these archives had never been used to monitor, minute by minute, the variable activity of the hundreds of stars hidden within the field of view of each observation.

This is precisely what RIMS enables. The method transforms each radio observation into a simultaneous survey of hundreds or even thousands of stars, much like a net that captures many fish, where a single fishing rod would catch only one, regardless of the original instrument or scientific program.

RIMS exploits every second of observation, in hundreds of directions across the sky. What we used to do source by source, we can now do simultaneously, explains Dr Cyril Tasse, researcher at the Paris Observatory and lead author of the study. Dr Tasse is a former Rhodes University postdoc and remains an associate of the University. Without this method, it would have taken nearly 180 years of targeted observations to reach the same detection level.

An unprecedented harvest of stellar radio signals

By applying RIMS to more than 1.4 years of data collected by the European LOFAR radio telescope as part of the large sky survey LoTSS, the team generated no fewer than 200,000 dynamic spectra that represent the received energy as a function of time and frequency, from isolated stars or stars hosting exoplanets.

Among the signals revealed by RIMS are bursts consistent with violent stellar events, analogous to solar coronal mass ejections, published last month by the same team in Nature. Even more remarkably, some signals exhibit all the expected characteristics of magnetic star-planet interactions, a mechanism comparable to that producing certain auroral emissions on Jupiter.

These signals were literally right in front of us for years in the LOFAR data, but because the LoTSS survey is designed to map galaxies rather than detect the hiccups of nearby stars, they would have remained invisible without RIMS, notes Philippe Zarka, co-lead author of the study and CNRS Research Director at Paris Observatory.

Toward large-scale detection of star-exoplanet interactions

These radio signatures could represent some of the first robust evidence of magnetic star-exoplanet interactions and exoplanetary aurorae, pointing to the likely existence of exoplanet magnetospheres. Some bursts display characteristics duration, intensity, time-frequency morphology that are perfectly consistent with the scenario of a planet orbiting very close to its star, perturbing its magnetic field and producing intense radio emissions, emphasises Philippe Zarka.

This breakthrough opens a new avenue for low-frequency radio astronomy. RIMS effectively turns every array of radio telescopes into a powerful detector of variable radio signals from nearby stars. "Processing the LoTSS data with RIMS was a pan-European effort", adds Martin Hardcastle, professor of astrophysics at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK and co-lead of the study. "Many petabytes of data were processed in computer centres in the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and the UK in order to extract the dynamic spectra. The results illustrate the value of open scientific data archives and community-led data processing."

By mining existing observational data with novel processing techniques, an effort building on decade-long collaborations, this result shows how new scientific treasures can still be uncovered, says Oleg Smirnov, professor at Rhodes University and at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. With RIMS, we are entering an era in which magnetic interactions between stars and exoplanets can be studied on a very large scale, a decisive step toward understanding the habitability of worlds orbiting other stars, adds Dr Tasse.

This new technique was also successfully applied to the new French low-frequency radiotelescope NenuFAR, and provided the detection of a burst from a star-planet system, recently published in Astronomy and Astrophysics (Zhang et al., A&A, 700, A140, 2025, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202555209).

Future giant observatories, such as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), will be able to fully exploit this new technique. They are expected to reveal thousands of new radio signals, paving the way for large-scale statistical exploration of stellar radio emissions and starplanet interactions in our galactic neighbourhood.
Hyundai Motor India is preparing to introduce an updated Exter in the Indian market, with the refreshed model expected to debut around March 2026. First spy shots are now out, thanks to automotive enthusiast S Balaji. Since its launch, Exter has established itself as one of the more popular choices in the small SUV segment, and the upcoming update is likely to focus on strengthening its core strengths rather than making radical changes.

Hyundais recent product updates across models like Venue and Creta indicate a clear strategy of incremental yet meaningful improvements, and the 2026 Exter is expected to follow a similar pathadding more value through features, comfort and technology while retaining its everyday usability.

What to expect from 2026 Hyundai Exter Facelift

Revised variant strategy  Hyundai has recently introduced a new HX-based trim hierarchy on models like Venue, and a similar approach could be extended to the Exter lineup. This would help simplify variant selection while clearly differentiating feature levels.

Optimised space and practicality  Exter is already known for its generous headroom and comfortable cabin for its size. The updated model is expected to retain these strengths, with the possibility of improved seat ergonomics and smarter storage solutions aimed at enhancing daily usability.

Updated technology suite  The 2026 Exter could see technology upgrades inspired by Hyundais larger models. This may include a larger touchscreen infotainment system, a more advanced digital instrument cluster, and improved connected car features, further enhancing the overall in-cabin experience.

Comfort-focused additions  With features like a voice-enabled sunroof and dual-camera dashcam already setting it apart, Hyundai may look at further comfort enhancements. Industry expectations point toward features such as ventilated front seats and improved seating support, depending on variant positioning.

Long-drive friendly features  Looking at buyer usage patterns, Hyundai could consider adding features such as front and rear armrests to reduce fatigue during longer journeys. Such additions would also improve everyday comfort for urban users.

Enhanced convenience features  As with most Hyundai updates, improvements in convenience are likely. These could include rear sunshades, faster USB Type-C charging ports and other thoughtful touches that buyers in this segment increasingly value.

Safety focus remains strong  The current Exter already offers six airbags and electronic stability control as standard. The updated model could build on this foundation with additional driver-assistance features, depending on market positioning, reinforcing Hyundais safety-first approach in the segment.

Refinement and ride comfort continue to stand out

While competition in the segment has increasingly shifted toward turbo-petrol engines, a large section of buyers still prefers naturally aspirated petrol engines for their smoother power delivery and lower ownership costs. This is where Exters 1.2-litre Kappa four-cylinder engine continues to play a key role.

Known for its refinement and linear performance, the engine offers a calm and composed driving experience, whether in congested city traffic or on longer highway runs. The availability of the Hy-CNG Duo variant further strengthens Exters appeal for buyers looking for lower running costs without compromising boot usability.

Ride quality is another area where Exter has been well received. Its suspension setup prioritises comfort, absorbing road imperfections effectively and delivering a relaxed driving experience that suits daily commuting and family usage.

Price revision likely, value proposition expected to remain strong

Given the expected upgrades in features, technology and safety, the 2026 Hyundai Exter is likely to see a marginal price increase. However, Hyundais strong aftersales network, proven reliability and consistent resale values continue to play a significant role in overall ownership value.

While the entry price may move slightly upward, the long-term benefitslower maintenance costs, dependable engineering and wide service reachare expected to keep Exter competitive in its segment. With its upcoming update, the Hyundai Exter looks set to build on its existing strengths, offering a more rounded package for buyers who prioritise comfort, refinement and peace of mind in the small SUV space.
Hyundais luxury brand Genesis, which is all set to make India debut this year, has taken a decisive step into the world of extreme off-road vehicles with the global debut of the Genesis X Skorpio Concept in the Rub al Khali Empty Quarter desert of the United Arab Emirates. Revealed at Liwa Oasis, the X Skorpio Concept marks the luxury marques first purpose-built off-road concept, engineered to perform in some of the worlds harshest terrain while retaining Genesis signature design-led approach.

The unveiling was accompanied by a live demonstration of the vehicles real-world desert-driving capability and the announcement of a new concept car strategy, underscoring Genesis intent to deepen emotional connections with customers through bold, expressive and lifestyle-focused concept vehicles.

An extreme off-road first for Genesis

Inspired by the resilience and agility of a black scorpion, the X Skorpio Concept represents a dramatic expansion of Genesis design and engineering scope. Designed as an extreme off-road recreational vehicle, it blends motorsport-grade hardware with luxury craftsmanship, aimed at enthusiasts who demand both performance and refinement.

Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer at Genesis, described the X Skorpio Concept as an exploration of a new emotional territory for the brand. He noted that the vehicle uses a tubular frame, full roll cage and components sourced from off-road endurance racing specialists, highlighting Genesis intent to inject adrenaline and emotion into new segments without abandoning its luxury roots.

Design inspired by nature and purpose

The exterior design draws directly from the form of a black scorpion. Tension-filled curves and segmented, armor-like body panels evoke a scorpions exoskeleton while also serving a functional purpose, enabling quicker repairs in extreme environments. The arched silhouette, short overhangs and poised stance reflect readiness and balance, much like a scorpion preparing to strike.

Genesis signature Two-Line lighting design is fully integrated into the front and rear lamps, ensuring brand identity remains intact even in this radically different format. A functional roof-mounted air intake and high-clearance bodywork reinforce the vehicles desert-focused mission.

A luxury-first off-road cabin

Inside, the X Skorpio Concept departs sharply from the stripped-back interiors typical of trophy trucks. Genesis has focused on driver endurance, comfort and situational awarenesscritical factors in demanding off-road environments.

Key highlights include an instrument cluster integrated into the steering wheel, allowing drivers to monitor vital information without taking their eyes off the terrain. A sliding display system can shift between a driver-focused position and a passenger-oriented layout for co-driver navigation. Ergonomic seating, prominent grab handles, climate control and advanced communication systems further enhance usability during intense off-road driving.

Materials and colours mirror the vehicles exterior inspiration. A deep black and blue-toned palette is paired with suede and leather featuring laser-cut gradient patterns and stitching inspired by a scorpions segmented anatomy. Matte and gloss finishes are combined to convey both strength and agility.

Built for extreme conditions

At the heart of the X Skorpio Concept is a high-performance V8 engine producing 1,115 PS (1,100 hp) and 850 lb-ft (117.6 kgf m) of torque, setting a new benchmark for off-road concepts from a luxury brand. Power is managed through a motorsport-grade setup that includes 18-inch beadlock wheels, custom 40-inch off-road tyres and Brembo Motorsport brakes.

A short wheelbase, extreme ground clearance, generous approach and departure angles, and a finely tuned suspension system allow the vehicle to tackle dunes, jumps and uneven terrain with confidence. High-clearance fenders, reinforced skid plates and precision-engineered components protect critical systems, while an integrated roll cage and four-point harness ensure occupant safety. The vehicles structure combines fiberglass, carbon fiber and Kevlar, striking a balance between durability and reduced weightessential for high-speed desert driving.

Tailored for the Middle East lifestyle

Genesis has designed the X Skorpio Concept with the Middle Easts strong off-road culture firmly in mind. In regions where high-speed desert driving and dune bashing are deeply ingrained, the concept demonstrates how luxury and extreme performance can coexist. Aerodynamic optimisation plays a key role, helping the vehicle remain stable both on the ground and during airborne moments over dunes.

By choosing the UAEa global crossroads and a rapidly growing luxury car marketfor the X Skorpio Concepts debut, Genesis has clearly aligned the vehicle with regions that value both performance and exclusivity. The concept not only demonstrates technical capability but also signals Genesis ambition to lead in new niches within the luxury automotive space.

With the X Skorpio Concept, Genesis has made a powerful statement: luxury off-road vehicles need not compromise on design, emotion or craftsmanship, even when engineered to conquer the harshest environments on earth.
While the Hyryder is already well-equipped, the Tech Package further enhances the overall experience for users

In line with evolving consumer needs and preferences, Toyota has introduced a curated Tech Package for the Hyryder SUV. It includes multiple new features focused on enhancing safety and the overall premium feel. This package, priced at Rs 29,499, is available with all variants of the Hyryder. Lets check out the details.

Hyryder Tech Package  Whats included?

For a livelier cabin experience, the tech package includes ambient lighting. Users can create the perfect mood with a multitude of available personalization options. With this feature, Hyryders cabin feels more welcoming and relaxing. Another useful feature is a head-up display (HUD), which improves both convenience and safety.

Users can access all essential driving information without taking their eyes off the road. Ambient lighting and head-up display are already available with the Hyryder, but only with select variants. The Tech Package ensures availability across all variants of the Hyryder. Hyryders Tech Package also includes a dashcam, which has become an essential feature for both urban and highway driving.

The video evidence plays a key role in ensuring your overall safety when dealing with challenging situations. It can also be useful for insurance claims. Instead of choosing aftermarket dashcams, users can now get the official version with Hyryders Tech Package. Toyota has announced that the new Tech Package for Hyryder will be available across all Toyota dealerships in the country.

It can be installed with all variants of Hyryder. This tech package is in addition to the accessories already available with the Hyryder. Talking specifically about interior accessories, options include wireless charger, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and music system.

Toyota Hyryder  A popular C-segment SUV

Hyryder is currently ranked third in the list of bestselling 4.2m  4.4m SUVs. It trails Hyundai Creta and Maruti Grand Vitara. In December, Hyryder sales were at 7,022 units, which is close to 15% market share in this segment. Powered by its consistent performance, the Hyryder recently achieved a major milestone of surpassing cumulative sales of 2 lakh units.

The SUV is also exported to various global markets. Prices in India start at Rs 10.94 lakh (Ex-sh). Key USPs of Toyota Hyryder include its strong hybrid powertrain option and an impressive mileage of 27.97 km/l. 4WD option is available with variants equipped with the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. This engine generates 103.06 PS and 136.8 Nm of torque.

Transmission choices include 5MT and 6AT. Fuel efficiency is 21.11 km/l with 2WD 5MT, 20.59 km/l with 2WD 6AT and 19.20 km/l with AWD 6AT. The 1.5-litre petrol engine used with the strong hybrid variants of Hyryder generates 92.45 PS and 122 Nm. The electric motor contributes 80.2 PS and 141 Nm. Max combined power output is 115.56 PS.

Hyryder strong hybrid variants are equipped with an e-Drive transmission. Hyryder is also available with factory-fitted CNG option. When running on CNG, output is 87.8 PS and 121.5 Nm. The CNG variant is offered with a 5-speed manual transmission. Mileage in CNG mode is 26.6 km/kg.

Hyryder has sporty styling and packs in a comprehensive range of premium features. Key highlights include a panoramic sunroof, smartphone connectivity, voice commands, wireless charging and ventilated seats. Also included are features such as a 9-inch touchscreen, 7-inch TFT colour instrument display, USB ports and rear AC vents.
KIGALI, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has formally launched arbitration against Britain following London's decision to terminate a migration treaty.

The arbitration process began after Britain failed to honor its financial and resettlement commitments under the Migration and Economic Development Partnership treaty, which was signed to address irregular migration and protect vulnerable refugees, according to a government spokesperson's statement.

The partnership reflected a commitment to protecting vulnerable people and built on Rwanda's long-standing record of hosting refugees and migrants from around the world, it said.

The treaty, which entered into force in April 2024, aimed to facilitate the sending of some migrants who arrive in the UK across the English Channel to Rwanda, where their asylum claims would be processed.

Tensions between the two countries escalated in July 2024 when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, shortly after taking office, announced that the treaty was "dead and buried." Rwanda was informed later that no future removals of individuals under the agreement were planned and that the British government would consider formally terminating the treaty, according to the statement.

Britain had offered an upfront investment of 120 million pounds (about 149.5 million U.S. dollars) to facilitate the implementation of the five-year deal, which had faced legal challenges in Britain, well before the Labour Party's victory in the July 2024 elections. 
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday renewed the mandate of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) for the last time.

Hodeidah is a port city on Yemen's Red Sea coast in the western part of the country.

Resolution 2813 decides to extend UNMHA's mandate for a final two-month period until March 31, 2026, during which the mission will draw down its operations and physical presence while preparing for the transition of any residual functions to the office of the UN special envoy for Yemen.

The resolution further decides that, as of April 1, 2026, UNMHA will commence a liquidation process. It also requests the UN secretary-general, in consultation with the Yemeni parties, to prepare a transition and liquidation plan for the mission.

The resolution was adopted with 13 votes in favor, while China and Russia abstained.

The Security Council established UNMHA in 2019 to support the implementation of the agreement on the city of Hodeidah and ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa as set out in the Stockholm Agreement between the Yemeni government and the Houthis. 
This photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows an ultra-high temperature instant sterilization production line at a Yili workshop in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

A staff member checks an automatic production line at the packaging workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 27, 2026. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

This photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows the packaging workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

An automatic production line is pictured at the packaging workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 27, 2026. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

An autonomous forklift transfers goods at the packaging workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 27, 2026. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

Staff members of Yili monitor the production data at the control room in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 27, 2026. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows the Yili factory in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

This photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows the filling workshop of Yili in Wuzhong, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In recent years, Wuzhong City has significantly enhanced the scale, standardization and intensification of its dairy industry. The Jinji industrial park in Wuzhong has attracted a cluster of renowned dairy enterprises, with a daily capacity of processing fresh raw milk reaching 6,400 tons, accounting for over 53 percent of the total processing capacity in Ningxia. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)
French President Emmanuel Macron (C) greets Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (R) and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Jan. 28, 2026. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that escalating tensions with the United States over Greenland constitute a strategic wake-up call for Europe as a whole, while reiterating France's solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)

PARIS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that escalating tensions with the United States over Greenland constitute a strategic wake-up call for Europe as a whole, while reiterating France's solidarity with Denmark and Greenland.

"Recent events confirm that the situation in Greenland is a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe: on asserting our European sovereignty, on our contribution to Arctic security, on combating foreign interference and disinformation, on the fight against climate change, and on a privileged partnership for sustainable development and reducing strategic dependencies," Macron said at a joint press conference with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland in Paris.

Macron said France is deeply committed to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity with all its partners in the European Union, adding that France will continue to defend these principles in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called for NATO to play a much more significant role in the region and in the High North, including in and around Greenland.

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. Since returning to office in 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to "obtain" Greenland, a move that has been repeatedly rejected by Europe. 

French President Emmanuel Macron (L) greets Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Jan. 28, 2026.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that escalating tensions with the United States over Greenland constitute a strategic wake-up call for Europe as a whole, while reiterating France's solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)
BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday that peaceful reunification will create tremendous opportunities for Taiwan's economic and social development.

Backed by a strong motherland, all sectors of Taiwan, including infrastructure, will be better developed, Zhang Han, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a press conference.

Taiwan compatriots will join their mainland counterparts in sharing the fruits of Chinese modernization and embracing a bright future of prosperity and stability, she added. 
BEIRUT, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani has met with Denmark's Ambassador to Lebanon Kristoffer Vivike, who led a delegation involved in Danish development programs supporting the development of Lebanon's agricultural sector, local media reported Wednesday.

During the meeting, they discussed a strategic development project with an aim of rebuilding agricultural sector in areas in southern Lebanon affected by Israeli attacks and with a total value of 28 million U.S. dollars, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Of the total funding, Denmark will contribute 5 million dollars, while the remaining will be provided by the EU and the French Development Agency, the NNA reported.

Hani said the project represents a strategic step in restoring the agricultural sector in the south and reflects international partners' commitment to supporting Lebanon during the recovery phase.

Vivike reaffirmed Denmark's long-term commitment to supporting Lebanon's agricultural sector through partnerships that strengthen rural communities' resilience and recovery.

Separately, Lebanon's General Directorate of General Security announced Wednesday the arrest of a four-member Turkish drug trafficking network at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport. 
This photo taken on Jan. 28, 2026 shows an overturned car on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in Russia. A Chinese tourist died after a car carrying tourists overturned on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in Russia on Wednesday. (Xinhua)

VLADIVOSTOK, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese tourist died after a car carrying tourists overturned on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in Russia on Wednesday.

According to TASS, it occurred on the ice near Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal, in Russia's Irkutsk Oblast.

The Chinese Consulate General in Irkutsk confirmed the death and added that four other Chinese tourists sustained minor injuries.

Upon receiving the report, the consulate general immediately activated its emergency response plan, contacting the tour guide, the Chinese tourists, and local rescue personnel.

Meanwhile, the consulate general also coordinated volunteers to rush to the scene and requested that rescue personnel promptly transport the injured to the medical station in the town of Khuzhir for treatment.

At present, the injured have been transferred to a hospital in Olkhon District, and the consulate general is making every effort to assist with follow-up arrangements.

The Russian Investigative Committee has opened an investigation into the incident. 

This photo taken on Jan. 28, 2026 shows an overturned car on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in Russia. A Chinese tourist died after a car carrying tourists overturned on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in Russia on Wednesday. (Xinhua)
Amazon is to cut around 16,000 jobs, it was confirmed on Wednesday, as the US tech and retail giant looks to right-size its corporate workforce.

The latest round of layoffs comes on the back of 14,000 redundancies announced last autumn. Taken together, they represent a 10% reduction in Amazons corporate workforce.

Globally, Amazon employs around 1.58m people, but the vast majority of those work in warehouses and fulfilment centres.

Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology, acknowledged it was "difficult news" in a blogpost shared with employees.

But she insisted the job cuts would "strengthen our organisation by reducing layers, increasing ownership and removing bureaucracy".

Affected employees in the US will now have 90 days to look for a new role internally. The timing will vary for those based outside the States.

Galetti insisted this was not "the beginning of a new rhythm, where we announce broad reductions every few months".

But she added that every team would continue to evaluate the "ownership, speed and capacity to invent for customers, and make adjustments as appropriate".

News of the layoffs first emerged on Friday, although Amazon declined to comment at that stage.

Staff at Amazon Web Services were then inadvertently informed earlier than planned on Tuesday, after the company accidentally sent employees an online meeting invitation that included a draft email discussing the cuts.

Referring to the layoffs as Project Dawn, the message erroneously said employees in the US, Canada and Costa Rica had already been told they had lost their jobs.
Greeting cards and gifts retailer Card Factory said on Wednesday that it was on track to deliver profits in line with revised guidance despite a "challenging" consumer backdrop and a fall in sales over the Christmas period.

In an update for the 11 months to the end of December 2025, the company said total group revenue rose 7.3% on the year to 541.6m, supported by positive contributions from acquired businesses. Total stores sales were up 1.1%, while LFL store sales were flat.

Card Factory said trading across November and December was in line with its revised expectations, "reflecting the challenging UK consumer backdrop and lower footfall across UK shopping destinations".

Total group revenue grew 4.3% compared to the same period a year earlier, but total store sales were down 0.8% and LFL store revenue was 1.2% lower.

The company, which issued a profit warning in December, said it expects to deliver its revised guidance of FY26 adjusted pre-tax profit of between 55m and 60m.

Chief executive Darcy Willson-Rymer said: "During the second half of the year and particularly the important Christmas period, trading in our UK stores reflected the challenging consumer backdrop which contributed to soft high street footfall. Across the group, we are encouraged by the performance of our international businesses and that the integration of Funky Pigeon remains on track.

"While the outlook for the UK high street remains uncertain, we continue to focus on our value-led proposition to help our customers celebrate all life's moments. In addition, we continue to successfully drive efficiencies and manage costs through our 'Simplify and Scale' programme. The board remains confident in the group's prospects and continued momentum of our growth strategy."

At 1015 GMT, the shares were down 0.6% at 69.21p.

Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said: "Card Factory had already delivered a painful message pre-Christmas when it blamed negative consumer confidence and patchy high street conditions for depressing earnings. The rest of the festive season continued in this fashion, meaning it goes into 2026 from a position of weakness.

"The market will now have to wait until April for an update on longer-term strategic plans for the business.

"In its defence, Card Factory has shown resilience in recent years despite a general downturn in sending letters and cards by post. It has been pushing hard on extras like balloons and gifts, while also keeping prices as low as possible on cards as it plays the volume game.

"It is a profitable business and a mainstay of UK retail. Whats uncertain is by how much profits can grow in the future. Card Factory is having to work hard just to stand still, and it might need more radical ideas if it wants to become a bigger player."
FDM Group said on Wednesday that it expected full-year performance for 2025 to be within the range of market expectations, as it reported a sharp fall in revenue and consultant deployments amid what it described as a third consecutive year of challenging trading conditions.

Revenue for the 12 months ended 31 December was expected to be 178m, down 31% from 258m a year earlier, or 30% on a constant currency basis.

The London-listed group ended the year with 2,003 consultants placed with clients, compared with 2,578 at the end of 2024, reflecting subdued demand across key markets despite some improvement in activity levels late in the year.

By region, the UK closed the year with 910 consultants deployed, down from 1,056 in 2024, while North America finished with 500 consultants compared with 742 a year earlier.

In the Asia-Pacific region, deployments fell to 469 from 524, and in EMEA consultant numbers declined to 124 from 256.

FDM said it delivered 828 training completions during 2025, compared with 877 in the prior year, after taking a cautious approach to increasing consultant numbers in training in response to a modest pickup in demand in the second half.

The board said it had continued to focus on aligning resource levels with client demand across its geographical markets, noting that 2025, like the previous two years, remained a difficult trading environment.

Despite the revenue decline, the group said its balance sheet remained robust, with closing cash balances of 35m at year end, down from 41m in 2024, and no debt.

Chief executive Rod Flavell said recent trading trends had been more encouraging.

We have been encouraged that the uptick in activity levels which we saw in the last four months of 2025 shows signs of continuing into early 2026, he said.

He added that the economic and political backdrops remain uncertain and market conditions remain subdued, but there are signs that an appreciable number of our clients have appetite for investment, with some of them already initiating activity.

Looking ahead, Flavell said the board would remain cautious.

Your board will continue to align resources with demand, be prudent with investment and mindful of continuing market uncertainties.

We are focussed on enabling FDM's return to growth as soon as our markets allow, he said.

FDM said its full-year results for 2025 would be released on 18 March.

The company-compiled range of analysts expectations for adjusted profit before tax was 13.5m to 14.4m.

At 0844 GMT, shares in FDM Group Holdings were up 8.68% at 157.15p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
This photo taken on Jan. 27, 2026 shows a car showroom in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Cambodia has registered a total of 9,065 electric cars or electric vehicle (EVs) as of 2025, according to a Ministry of Public Works and Transport's report on Wednesday. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has registered a total of 9,065 electric cars or electric vehicle (EVs) as of 2025, according to a Ministry of Public Works and Transport's report on Wednesday.

In addition, the Southeast Asian country has also recorded 3,203 electric motorcycles and 700 electric three-wheelers, the report said.

The three most popular EV brands in the kingdom are China's BYD, Japan's Toyota, and America's Tesla.

Phan Rim, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said using EVs saves on fuel costs and is environment-friendly as EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions.

"EVs have been gaining popularity in Cambodia, and the country aims to increase the number of electric cars to 30,000 by 2030," he told Xinhua. "Using EVs has significantly contributed to reducing the impact of carbon dioxide emitted from petrol-powered vehicles."

Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, observed that Chinese EV brands such as BYD and GAC are popular in Cambodia.

"This trend signals not only a shift in consumer preferences toward greener mobility, but also deeper structural changes," he told Xinhua.

"Expanded EV charging infrastructure and ambitious national electrification goals are creating conditions that support sustained growth in Cambodia's EV market over the medium to long term," Mengdavid added. 

A BYD electric car travels on a road in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Jan. 27, 2026. Cambodia has registered a total of 9,065 electric cars or electric vehicle (EVs) as of 2025, according to a Ministry of Public Works and Transport's report on Wednesday. (Photo by Van Pov/Xinhua)
Haryana invites budget ideas till Jan 31 via multiple platforms.

Submit views through missed calls, AI interface, or online portal.

Chief Minister meets stakeholders across sectors for input.

The Haryana government has opened the consultation process for the states 2026-27 budget, inviting citizens to submit their suggestions until January 31. The public can share their views through various platforms, including a missed call service, an AI-assisted interface, and an online portal.

This initiative aims to broaden public participation in the budget-making process. Along with the public outreach, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is holding meetings with key stakeholders from various sectors such as industry, education, trade, agriculture, and women entrepreneurs to gather inputs.

Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar emphasized that the budget should reflect public interests, development priorities, and the real needs of citizens. Every citizen is invited to share their suggestions, he said. emphasized that the budget should reflect public interests,, and the real needs of citizens., he said.

To submit suggestions, people can give a missed call to 7303350030, use the AI-assisted interface at thevoxai.in/haryanabudget, or fill out the online form at bamsharyana.nic.in/suggestion.aspx.

The Chief Minister began the consultation process with a meeting at Gurugram University on January 6, followed by dialogue programs in Gurgaon, Faridabad, and Hisar. The newly launched AI-based portal, which supports submissions in Haryanvi, Hindi, and English, ensures broad participation from citizens and experts.
Budget Session 2026-27 begins with President Murmu's address from January 28 to February 13.

Economic Survey on January 29 and Union Budget presentation by Finance Minister Sitharaman on February 1.

Focus on economic reforms with discussions on taxation, fiscal policies, and opposition concerns over the G RAM G Act.

The Budget Session of Parliament for 2026-27 began today with President Droupadi Murmus address to a joint sitting of both Houses. This marks the official start of the two-phase session. The first phase will run from January 28 to February 13, while the second phase, dedicated to discussions on the Union Budget, will begin on March 9 and continue until April 2.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, the Economic Survey is set to be presented in Parliament on January 29, providing an overview of the countrys economic performance and outlook. The Union Budget, a key event in Indias political calendar, will be tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. Notably, the Budget will be presented on a Sunday, a rare occurrence. As per, the Economic Survey is set to be presented in Parliament on January 29, providing an overview of the countrys economic performance and outlook. The Union Budget, a key event in Indias political calendar, will be tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. Notably, theon a Sunday, a rare occurrence.

During this session, lawmakers will discuss important issues such as taxation, public expenditure, and government policies. The focus is expected to be on matters such as economic growth, fiscal consolidation, and the countrys infrastructure and job challenges.

Opposition parties are preparing to raise concerns during the session, including issues related to US President Donald Trumps remarks, the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists, and the recently passed G RAM G Act, which has replaced the MGNREGA Act. These topics are likely to dominate the debates in the coming weeks, adding a layer of tension to an otherwise busy legislative agenda.

The session will consist of 30 sittings, and it is expected that members will engage in intense discussions on key issues affecting the nations future. With the government's focus on various economic reforms, the coming days will be crucial in shaping Indias fiscal policies for the year ahead.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in tragic plane crash, along with four others, near Baramati while attempting an emergency landing

Pawar, a prominent political figure, was en route to campaign for local elections in his home region when the chartered plane crashed

Investigation ongoing into the crash, which occurred due to a suspected technical malfunction, with no survivors reported

On Wednesday, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, tragically lost his life in a devastating plane crash that also claimed the lives of four others. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft, a chartered plane, crashed and caught fire, leaving no survivors. The five victims included Pawar himself, two of his staff members, and two crew members. The crash occurred as the aircraft was attempting an emergency landing near Baramati, a region close to Pawar's home, around 250 kilometers from Mumbai.



Ajit Pawar, a prominent political figure and member of one of Maharashtras most influential political families, was en route to Baramati to campaign for local body elections. Pawar, who had been a significant figure in the state's political landscape, had aligned himself with Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2023, following a split from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), an opposition party. His move was seen as a key shift in Maharashtra's political dynamics, which added further gravity to the loss.



Eyewitness accounts and footage from the scene showed large plumes of smoke rising from the wreckage of the plane, which had scattered across an open field. The sight was one of utter devastation, marking a somber moment in Maharashtras history. Media reports indicated that the plane had been traveling from Mumbai, the financial capital of India, before attempting an emergency landing near Pawars home turf.



The crash occurred after the plane encountered an apparent technical malfunction, though investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause. As the plane approached Baramati, it reportedly tried to make an emergency landing, but tragically, it was unable to avoid disaster. The wreckage, consumed by fire, has left little behind, making the process of identifying the bodies challenging, though the DGCA confirmed that no one survived the crash.

Also Read: Yunus Praises Global Medical Teams After Dhaka Plane Tragedy



Pawars death has sent shockwaves through both Maharashtras political scene and the wider Indian public. His family, which has had a significant influence on the states politics for decades, is grappling with the untimely and tragic loss. As the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, Pawar was a key figure in the states government, playing a crucial role in shaping the political landscape alongside other leaders in the ruling coalition.



In a statement, the DGCA said that their teams were at the site of the crash, working to piece together the events leading up to the disaster. "No person on board has survived", the DGCA's initial statement confirmed. Authorities have initiated a full investigation into the incident, and the state government has expressed deep condolences.



The news has deeply saddened political leaders across the country, with many extending their condolences to Pawars family. Pawars political journey had been marked by his ability to navigate complex political waters, and his sudden death leaves a void not only in his party but in the states governance. As Maharashtra prepares for local body elections, his absence will undoubtedly be felt, especially in the Baramati region, which he had planned to visit for his election campaign.



Ajit Pawar's political influence, his strategic alliances, and his contributions to Maharashtras development had earned him respect even among rivals. His tragic death in such a sudden manner has not only shocked his supporters but has left the entire state in mourning.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Authorities allege that a gunpoint robbery led to the raid of a home in Mariners Harbor where police confiscated a gun in a refrigerator and drugs in the attic.

Palmer Kwame, 35, and Farrah Cardona, 33, were arrested after police, armed with a search warrant, swarmed their home on Bush Avenue on Jan. 23 at about 7:30 p.m., according to the criminal complaint and police.

The raid was prompted by an incident around 11 a.m. on that same day when Kwame allegedly pointed what appeared to be a black firearm at a victim.

You have to pay me for whats missing, the criminal complaint alleges that Kwame said before the victim handed that defendant about $1,000 in cash.

The victim was a 45-year-old man, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

The criminal complaint alleges that officers found a 9 mm Heckler & Koch VP9 handgun in the refrigerator. A bullet was in the chamber of the semi-automatic handgun and the magazine was loaded with 10 bullets.

The criminal complaint alleges that the defendants are not dealers in rifles or shotguns in New York City or the state.

In the attic, officers found multiple plastic-zipper bags and glassine envelopes containing white powder and rocks that authorities identified as cocaine. Additional drugs seized included nine white tablets of the anti-seizure medication Clonazepam, each was marked with an arrow and 41, and 33 orange pills of amphetamine labeled E401. Some of the drugs were stashed in a purse, according to the criminal complaint.

Officers confiscated drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale and a large plastic-zipper bag holding other plastic-zipper bags, found in the living room.

The defendants have been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of drug paraphernalia.

Kwame faces additional charges of robbery and menacing.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Kwame has been released with non-monetary conditions and is due back in state Criminal Court in St. George on Feb. 26. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bail has been set at $40,000 bond/$10,000 cash for Cardona who is due back in state Criminal Court in St. George on Jan. 29, according to public records.

Attorney Louis Gelormino, who is representing Cardona, defended the innocence of his client.

Ms. Cardona completely denies these allegations, Gelormino said. She looks forward to a full investigation of the facts where we expect she will be fully vindicated.

Kwame, who also is listed as Kwame Palmer in public records, was convicted of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree in 2016. He was sentenced to a conditional discharge in Criminal Court in St. George, according to the criminal complaint.

Cardona was convicted of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree in 2013 in Criminal Court in St. George. She was sentenced to a three-year license suspension, according to the criminal complaint.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  For at least one morning in Oakwood, the usual sight of iPad kids disappeared.

On Wednesday, St. Charles School welcomed students from St. TeresaSt. Rita STREAM Academy as both schools celebrated Literacy Day, a highlight of Catholic Schools Week.

More than 70 first- and second-grade pupils gathered in the St. Charles gym, dressed as their favorite book characters, to share stories, create crafts, and celebrate their love of reading.

Borough President Vito Fossella and Jann Amato, regional superintendent of the Catholic School Region of Staten Island, celebrate literacy day with first and second graders as part of Catholic Schools Week at the St. Charles School in Oakwood on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 (Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon) Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella and Regional Superintendent Jann Amato joined the festivities by reading aloud the beloved childrens book The Rainbow Fish, a fitting choice, as its message of kindness and collaboration reflected the spirit of the day.

STREAM Academy and St. Charles School partner each Catholic Schools Week to celebrate the amazing work of the students and the faculties of two faith-based, academically strong institutions, said St. Charles Principal J.C. Kiernan. Having Mr. Fossella and Ms. Amato join us on this special day exemplifies their dedication to Catholic education on Staten Island.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A new principal has been appointed for Curtis High School, St. George.

Nicholas Mele, previously serving as principal of Markham Intermediate School (I.S. 51), Graniteville, has been named the new principal of Curtis High School.

He is taking over the role from Gregory Jaenicke, who retired this month after serving as principal since 2015.

New York City Public Schools is pleased to welcome Nicholas Mele as the new principal of Curtis High School, said Chyann Tull, spokesperson for the city education department. Mr. Mele brings valuable leadership experience from his years as a classroom instructor and middle school principal and is well-equipped to partner with families, support school staff, and continue strengthening the school community."

Jaenickes final day as principal was Monday, with Mele taking the helm as principal officially on Tuesday.

We also extend our sincere thanks to Principal Gregory Jaenicke as he retires and are grateful for his years of dedicated service, said Tull.

Mele was principal at I.S. 51 since 2011.

In a letter to the school community on Tuesday, Mele shared the news that his departure is very difficult.

This community has been my home for the past 15 years and the countless relationships I have made during my time as principal I will cherish for the rest of my life, he wrote in the letter.

He added that serving as I.S. 51 principal has been the greatest honor of his career and is confident that the school will continue to thrive.

Thank you for the trust, support, and countless memories I will carry with me. I.S. 51 will always hold a special place in my heart, and I look forward to watching its continued success, he wrote in the letter.

The city education department did not immediately say who will serve as interim acting principal at I.S. 51 after Mele.
CITY HALL  Mayor Zohran Mamdani sounded the fiscal alarm Wednesday saying that New York City is facing a $12 billion budget crisis that he largely blamed on two former elected officials.

During a City Hall press briefing, Mamdani pointed his finger at fiscal mismanagement from former Mayor Eric Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying the first downplayed the citys budgetary standing over the past four years and the latter funneled tax dollars from the five boroughs to pay for things in other parts of the state.

We expected for months that when we entered City Hall we would likely inherit a grim fiscal situation. Many of the journalists here reported about imbalance during the Adams years, yet once we looked under the hood, the full picture was staggering, Mamdani said. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo extracted our citys resources, using our revenue to address state level goals, while withholding from the city what it was owed.

Overall, Mamdani said the city is facing a budget gap of about $12 billion heading into negotiations with the City Council for fiscal year 2027, which the city will begin July 1.

Mamdanis dour projections put him in line with budget projections from city Comptroller Mark Levine and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Given federal funding uncertainty, New York City must plan defensively and be clear about the numbers. I commend Mayor Mamdani for speaking plainly about these stark fiscal realities, DiNapoli said. The budget issues laid out by the mayor today echo the concerns my office has flagged for years. Despite revenue that my office anticipates will come in above planned collections in the current fiscal year, the city will very likely see spending exceed revenues for the fourth year in a row this year, a troubling trend.

He blamed mismanagement and waste on the Adams administration, pointing to a defunct artificial intelligence chatbot the administration paid about $500,000 on as an example of their budgetary woes.

For Cuomo, Mamdani blamed current budget disparities that see the five boroughs pour far more into state coffers than they receive back. The mayor spent five years in Albany as a state assemblymember and did nothing to reverse that trend.

To offset the city budget gap, Mamdani called on increased taxes for the wealthiest New Yorkers, a campaign slogan of his that has been shot down by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The time has come to tax the richest New Yorkers and most profitable corporations, he said. This is the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, and yet we have allowed one in four New Yorkers to live in poverty. It doesnt need to be done.

Both Cuomo and Adams disputed Mamdanis blame for the citys budget woes.

Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi pointed out that his boss hadnt been in office in five years, that Mamdani served as an assemblymember during that time, and shared a variety of statistics from Cuomos time in office.

Zohran Mamdani needs to learn that being an executive is more than cosplaying in a custom designer made windbreaker, you need a basic command of the facts: Under Governor Cuomo, state aid to New York City schools rose 68%, and the state absorbed billions in New York City Medicaid cost increases, he said. Andrew Cuomo inherited an $11 billion deficit when he first took office and managed to turn it into a surplus through hard work and fiscal discipline  words that just arent in Mamdanis vocabulary. He also hasnt been governor for the last five years, the exact amount of time that Mamdani - as a state legislator - was in a position to correct any perceived inequalitiesexcept he couldnt even be bothered to show up for work.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Historic Richmond Town, Staten Islands living-history village, has been nominated for 10 best open-air museums by USA Today.

This recognition is part of the publications 10 Best Readers Choice Award. The national contest features 20 museums, with the top 10 earning the award. Historic Richmond Town is currently in the lead, according to a leaderboard on the USA Today website.

Vote early and often, Historic Richmond Town CEO Jessica Phillips said.

Phillips encouraged people who havent yet visited to come experience the site firsthand and explore New York history.

We have the largest collection of the oldest houses in New York state. We have 38 historic structures, Phillips said.

Phillips said the museum offers guided tours through its campus, and features buildings dating back to the 1660s. The museum even includes costumed interpreters who reenact daily colonial and early American life.

Fifty percent of the houses are original to the site, Phillips said, a distinction that makes the museum particularly authentic.

Phillips said she hopes the nomination encourages more people to visit.

Right now we have an exhibit on womens shoes, Phillips said. And an exhibit on postcards from Staten Island. Its really interesting to see how the borough used to look.

Phillips said the nomination itself is exciting.

Its an honor to be listed among them, Phillips said of the other museums nominated.

Voting is open now, and supporters can vote once per day, every day until the contest closes Monday, Feb. 9 at noon ET. Winners will be announced Wednesday, Feb. 18.

To vote, visit 10best.usatoday.com.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday a big investigation was underway into the killing of protester and ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.

I want to see the investigation. Im going to be watching over it, and I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself, the president said as he left the White House.

The comment is the latest marker of Trumps sudden turnabout on the issue as his administration confronts growing pushback  including from some Republicans and Second Amendment advocates  on federal agents tactics in the second fatal shooting from the aggressive immigration operation in Minnesota.

A day earlier, the White House made an effort to distance Trump from some early comments by high-ranking administration officials who had branded Pretti as a domestic terrorist despite videos of the encounter contradicting their narrative.

Immigration agents were active Tuesday across the Twin Cities region, but it was unclear if officials had changed tactics after the shift in tone from the White House.
HAIKOU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- According to Haikou Customs, south China's Hainan Province imported 592,000 tonnes of coconuts through its ports in 2025, up 17.3 percent year on year, ranking first in imports of the tropical fruit among other provinces and regions in China.

Its imports of coconuts from Indonesia totaled 516,000 tonnes in 2025, up 34.3 percent and accounting for 87.2 percent of the total. Imports from the Philippines and Thailand also recorded strong growth.

The steady rise in imports highlights Hainan's efforts to leverage the policy advantages of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), which supports the rapid development of its coconut industry while delivering faster logistics and lower costs for businesses.

Freshness is crucial to the market competitiveness of coconut products. By implementing measures such as advance declaration and appointment-based inspections, customs clearance procedures have been streamlined, reducing port operation times. This enables coconuts to be transferred more quickly from arrival to processing.

"Time directly determines product competitiveness," said Zheng Xinzhuang, a customs agent of a local freight company. "Now it takes as little as 24 hours from berthing to production."

Preferential tax policies under the Hainan FTP have further reduced costs for enterprises. Local processors benefit from zero tariffs on imported production equipment, which reduces investment and production costs and strengthens their market competitiveness.

In 2025, Hainan achieved its first export of virgin coconut oil, while other coconut products, including coconut juice and coconut milk, are expanding into overseas markets.

With new direct shipping routes from Indonesia's Pontianak and Palembang to Yangpu Port now in operation, Hainan is expected to further strengthen its coconut supply chain. Haikou Customs said it will continue to optimize regulatory services to support the industry's expansion and upgrading. 
First-time visitors to New York City paid nearly 12 times the normal fare for an airport taxi ride after falling victim to unlicensed drivers who continue to operate at John F. Kennedy International Airport despite increased enforcement efforts, Gothamist reported.

Tabitha Abed and her husband, Abed Mulee, traveled from Kenya and paid $800 for transportation from JFK to Times Square, a trip that typically costs about $70 in a licensed yellow cab.

The couple encountered a man posing as a legitimate driver in the international arrivals area who later became aggressive and locked the car doors while demanding payment that included a made-up $180 charge for crossing the Queensboro Bridge, the report said.

We are scared to ask him because his voice, he was getting agitated, said Abed, 35. She said the payment nearly depleted their vacation budget.

Airport workers and licensed drivers report that these unlicensed operators, known as hustlers, have multiplied since the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds are estimated to work throughout JFKs terminals, operating without credentials from the citys Taxi and Limousine Commission, the report said.

According to the outlet, the Port Authority Police Department issued more than 2,400 summonses for illegal ride solicitations at JFK between January and November of 2025, up from 1,400 citations issued throughout 2024.

Taxi hustling is criminal, said Port Authority spokesperson Seth Stein. We are determined to intensify our enforcement efforts to drive these fraudsters out of our airports and out of business.

The Port Authority board approved $100 million for Operation Legal Ride, which will deploy license plate readers and AI-aided surveillance to combat the illegal activity, the report said.

New York law makes ride solicitation illegal and carries fines ranging from $750 to $3,000, with jail time possible for repeat offenders. Most of these fines, however, go unpaid and drivers return to work quickly, the report said.

Taxi and Limousine Commission spokesperson Jason Kersten advised travelers to refuse anyone who approaches them with ride offers.

If someone is asking you if you need a ride, its illegal, he said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Feb. 2, 2014, began like any other Groundhog Day at the Staten Island Zoo in West Brighton.

But on this day, as dignitaries surrounded then-mayor Bill De Blasio and a crowd gathered to celebrate Staten Island Chucks annual spring prognostication, something unexpected happened.

The groundhog squirmed in the mayors gloved hands and fell quickly to the ground.

At the time, the crowd didnt know that it wasnt Chuck at all. It was a 10-month-old stand-in groundhog named Charlotte. They laughed off the incident and the day proceeded as usual.

But she died a few days later. And though the Staten Island Zoo issued a statement saying it appeared unlikely that young Charlottes death was related to the events on Groundhog Day, many were skeptical and blamed the mayor for Charlottes untimely demise.

De Blasio faced scrutiny and became the butt of jokes citywide.

After taking a beating from animal rights activists when her son was photographed stepping on the family dog, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin used an appearance on NBCs Today Show to redirect the attention to de Blasio.

He just, doggonit  he killed a groundhog when he dropped it last year, Palin said during the nationally broadcast show, just weeks before Groundhog Day 2015.

That year, the Staten Island Zoo changed its Groundhog Day celebration protocol, and Chuck was required to remain in a clear plastic enclosure.

He can now only be removed from and held by his handler. After a successful visit between de Blasio and Chuck in 2015, the protocol is still followed today.

The groundhog was hidden underneath the enclosure during the 2015 ceremony and lifted through a small elevator  the Chuck-a-vator.

To this day, the elevator remains aboveground while Chuck searches for his shadow within the safety of his enclosure.
We, the undersigned religious leaders, currently or formerly from Staten Island, express our profound dismay at the reckless and violent behavior of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in recent months.

Examples include the seizing and handcuffing of a 5-year-old boy, separated from his parents and sent by himself to a detention center in Texas, the dragging of a 56-year-old gentleman, a U.S. citizen from his home, into sub-freezing temperatures, dressed only in his underwear and a blanket, and the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, and Keith Porter, Jr., killed by an off-duty ICE agent in Los Angeles.

Since the beginning of 2025, 40 people in this country have been killed by ICE officials.

We have been told that the people targeted by ICE for arrest are violent criminals, the worst of the worst. However, most detainees, according to a Syracuse University study, have no criminal record whatsoever.

Some of our cities this past year have become armed camps. The occupying army in question is from our own government, terrorizing law-abiding residents, and undermining public safety rather than protecting it.

Pope Leo XIV said he is troubled by the violent and at times extremely disrespectful ways migrants have been treated in the United States. Other religious leaders have echoed his sentiments. Leviticus 19 admonishes us regarding immigrants Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

We must remember that, aside from Native Americans, we are a nation of immigrants, and descendants of immigrants, mindful that many African-Americans came here in chains and against their will.

We call upon our elected leaders to stop armed officials from terrorizing immigrants and American citizens. We ask that more taxpayer dollars not be approved until this unconscionable conduct stops.

We make this statement on behalf of moral values upheld by various religious traditions, and on behalf of simple human decency.

This letter is signed by the religious leaders and community members listed below:

Rev. Ben Bortin

Fr. Liam ODoherty, OSA

Fr. Trevor Babb

Rev. Richard Michael

Rev. Katie Cumiskey

Ms. Marie Noel

Rev. George McClain

Pastor Janet Jones

Rev. Leslianne Braunstein

Ms. Regina Cassidy

Rev. Antoinnette R. Donegan

Ms. Anne Hughes-Hinnen

Rev. Karen Pershing

Rev. Jennifer Hanus Richards

Rev. Terry Troia

Rabbi Judah Newberger

Fr. John OHara
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The boroughs lone congressional representative said Senate Democrats attempt to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security in wake of the most recent ICE shooting is misguided.

On Saturday, Sen. Charles Schumer said that Senate Democrats will not provide the necessary votes to pass a funding bill for DHS following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE officers.

Whats happening in Minnesota is appalling  and unacceptable in any American city. Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE. I will vote no. Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included," Schumer said.

Democrats have said they will not approve the DHS bill unless it includes significant reforms to the departments immigration enforcement efforts, which have resulted in two fatal shootings in Minneapolis in recent weeks.

Party officials have urged Republicans to remove the DHS bill from a larger, six-bill appropriations package, which would allow the other five to pass while the DHS bill is reworked to include significant reforms.

Simply put, ICE and DHS are out of control. They openly lie to the American people, disregard our constitutional rights, and undermine the trust law enforcement must have to serve and protect the public, said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat who represents New York.

Separating children from families, pepper-spraying pastors, and disrupting local residents and small businesses is unacceptable. The murder of American citizens is intolerable. I cannot and will not support further funding of DHS without increased accountability and reform of the agency, she continued.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican who represents Staten Island and parts of South Brooklyn, told the Advance/SILive.com that ICE has no choice but to enter cities and states to find foreign criminals.

When states and municipalities shield foreign criminals by releasing them onto our streets instead of turning them over to federal law enforcement, ICE has no choice but to go into municipalities to find them. In Minneapolis over the past week alone, ICE arrested two convicted murderers with orders for removal going back a decade, a convict who sodomized a 12 year old girl and a repeat offender with 24 convictions among other pedophiles, sex offenders and violent criminals, said Malliotakis.

She went on to refer to the fatal shooting of Pretti as a tragedy, but said withholding funding as a result would have ripple effects that make the country less safe.

The shooting of Alex Pretti is a tragedy and should be independently investigated as claims made by DHS officials do not match what is seen on video. However, the Senates misguided attempts to stop funding the Department of Homeland Security would not only hinder law enforcements ability to get foreign criminals off our streets, it would negatively impact TSA airport security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity and our Coast Guard operations, she said.

Malliotakis did not respond to questions as to whether she believes ICE agents acted appropriately during the shooting of Pretti or whether ICE is in need of reform or additional training to prevent future shootings.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Rep. Nicole Malliotakis believes appeals filed Tuesday will preserve Staten Islands congressional district and her political chances.

The filings seek to overturn a Manhattan judges Jan. 21 ruling that orders a redrawing of the district likely taking its shared portion out of South Brooklyn and moving it into lower Manhattan.

This was a meritless lawsuit fueled by Washington Democrats claiming our district disenfranchises minorities in an effort to take out the first minority to represent the district and steal our seat, Malliotakis said. We will not allow them, or a judge who previously served as chief of staff for [Gov.] Kathy Hochul, to silence the voters of our district. We are appealing this decision and will continue to use every legal option at our disposal to protect the voices of the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn and are very confident that we will prevail at the end of the day.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Pearlman did not order specifics on how the district should be redrawn, but plaintiffs in the case, the Washington, D.C.-based Elias Law Group, sought a reconfiguration of New Yorks 11th congressional district, which Staten Island currently shares with South Brooklyn, into lower Manhattan.

Malliotakis attorneys had sought Pearlmans recusal but were unsuccessful. An experienced election lawyer, hes also worked in multiple roles for Hochul, including as her chief of staff when she was lieutenant governor."

Opponents of the districts current configuration argue that Black and Latino voters on Staten Island have faced decades of stymied political power, and that the current map, approved in 2024 by Hochul and the New York Legislature, violates those voters rights under state law.

As a solution, the lawsuit proposes shifting the shared portion of the district into lower Manhattan, a move the plaintiffs say would give a fairer voice to the Islands Black and Latino voters by having them share a district with voters in Manhattan areas like Battery Park City, the Financial District and the West Village.

They argue congressional district maps drawn in 2024 shouldve brought the 11th Congressional District into Manhattan to create a minority influence district where Black and Latino voters on Staten Island could combine with communities in Lower Manhattan to elect their candidates of choice.

While voters in both district-mate options went for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the last presidential election, those in lower Manhattan did so more overwhelmingly, according to an analysis from The City news outlet.

That advantage could help Democrats take the only Republican-held congressional district in the five boroughs, which Malliotakis first won in 2020 when she defeated former Democratic Rep. Max Rose.

The lawsuit, filed in October, acknowledges Malliotakis as the Islands first Latino member of Congress, but discounts her Cuban heritage as she was not the candidate of choice for either Black or Hispanic voters.

Malliotakis attorneys filed appeals Tuesday in the New York Appellate Division and its Court of Appeals, the states highest court. Attorneys for the state Board of Elections did the same, citing a Feb. 6 deadline they have set for new maps to be drawn in time for this years congressional elections."

Ultimately, the case is expected to make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A noreaster will bring snow to New York City this weekend.

The five boroughs will generally receive between 1 and 3 inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 45 mph one week after Winter Storm Fern brought the city to a halt.

Snow will begin to arrive sometime early Sunday morning and continue into Sunday evening before ending around 8 p.m., according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys.

The farther west you go, the less [snowfall] amounts youre going to see, Roys said.

However, those farther east in Long Island could potentially receive over 6 inches of snow, he added.

Any shift, any small shift  could be 10, 20 mile shift  in the track that were looking at, will lead to a change in snow amounts," Roys told the Advance/SILive.com.

Staten Island and northern New Jersey are among the locations where snowfall amounts could change the most, according to Roys.

Unlike Winter Storm Fern, which brought over a foot of snow to Staten Island, this noreaster will not bring a mix of precipitation to the five boroughs.

In addition to snow and high winds, those along the coast may want to prepare for potential coastal flooding, as the storm will coincide with the full moon and astronomical high tide this weekend.

Previously, the Advance/SILive.com reported that the powerful low off the southern coast could take one of two tracks. Either the storm could track towards Bermuda, which would spare the city from any significant precipitation, or it could track towards Cape Cod, which would bring greater impacts to the city.

As of Wednesday morning, it looks as though the noreaster will take a path between the two.

A kicker low emerging from the Midwest is pushing the storm away from the city, but not far enough for the system to be negligible.

The noreaster comes amid an extended cold snap for the city. Saturdays high will remain in the teens and the low will dip to around 11 degrees Fahrenheit. Sunday will see temperatures in the lower 20s. On Monday, the daily high will climb into the upper 20s, according to Roys.
BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) held a video conference on Tuesday, where a research report titled "The Belt and Road Initiative: High-Quality International Economic Cooperation" was released.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, who is the Advisory Council convener, addressed the meeting. He said that against the global changes and challenges to the multilateral system, countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative are committed to enhancing connectivity and common development and engaging in mutually beneficial international cooperation, sending a positive signal of unity, cooperation and win-win outcomes.

Ma added that China will continue to deepen partnerships with all parties, so that the Belt and Road Initiative can contribute more to the stable growth of the world economy and sound development of international economic and trade cooperation.

Members of the Advisory Council highlighted the significant role of the Belt and Road Initiative in promoting global economic growth and advancing sustainable development.

They noted that the initiative has made substantial contributions to enhancing mutual trust among countries and fostering international cooperation. They recommended that participating parties strengthen collaboration in areas such as connectivity, international trade, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy.

Hailing Belt and Road cooperation as having entered a new stage of high-quality development, the report said that Belt and Road cooperation has enhanced trust among countries and served as a stabilizer in a turbulent world. 
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BusinessCompaniesABC More Insight than Q+A: David Speers to host ABCs new town hall show Calum Jaspan January 28, 2026  2:33pm 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

Insiders host David Speers will front a new town hall-style program called ABC National Forum, less than a year after the broadcaster axed its previous discussion show Q+A after successive years of audience decline. The new program will air in March, and will place citizens, community leaders, experts and policymakers together on a panel to discuss topical issues of national importance, the broadcaster said in a statement. David Speers will front the ABCs new town hall style program. ABC The first episode will focus on issues arising from the Bondi massacre on December 14 and the lives and experiences of Jewish Australians. Unlike Q+A, National Forum will not air episodes in a regular slot, instead running as specials, and will focus on everyday Australians rather than politicians. The ABC is yet to decide how often the show will go to air, this masthead was told.

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Speers will host the show in front of a live audience in Sydney. He has hosted Insiders since joining the broadcaster from Sky News in 2019, and was made national political lead in 2024. He is regularly the face of the major political coverage on the ABC, such as hosting the federal election leaders debate in 2025. Host Tony Jones fronted Q+A from its inception in 2008 to 2019, followed by a period of instability, with six permanent hosts in the six years after his retirement. Speers was part of a trio of hosts who fronted Q+A in 2021 after the short-lived appointment of Hamish Macdonald. Patricia Karvelas was the shows final host when it was retired in 2025. Kumi Taguchi hosts Insight on SBS, a show which has been running since 1995. Janie Barrett The new show will feature experts asking a panel of individuals about their experiences, as opposed to audience members taking on public figures, a source with knowledge of the program but not authorised to speak publicly said. Similar topics such as immigration or deaths in custody could be considered for future forums, the source said, likening the show to SBSs Insight, rather than a copycat of Q+A.

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ABC managing director Hugh Marks said the program would bring the public together. Related Article Sunday Life We married young, but after my wife developed cancer, we thought, why wait? That responsibility is at the core of our role as the national public broadcaster, and were proud to continue investing in content and services that serve and connect our community, Marks said. Forum-style shows have had a recent resurgence on social platforms, where personal, partisan opinions are clipped up and highly sharable. A YouTube channel of panel shows called Jubilee, which features broadcasts such as 1 Conservative vs 25 LGBTQ+ Activists and 1 Progressive vs 25 Far-right Conservatives, has become hugely popular. Jubilee has close to 11 million subscribers on YouTube and millions more on TikTok and Instagram, where short clips from episodes can reach tens of millions of users.

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Related Article Australian TV This was a big swing for the ABC. Can Tony Armstrong turn it into a series? The ABCs new program will not take Jubilees combative approach, but could use a similar method of distributing viral moments. The broadcaster must continue to innovate the concept of the town square, ABC News boss Justin Stevens said, with National Forum a result of that, seeking to bring together voices of Australians from across the country in a constructive way. Listening to one another is essential to strengthening social harmony and fostering a more cohesive nation, Stevens said. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
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BusinessThe economyTrade wars Opinion The mother of all deals that will infuriate Trump Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist January 28, 2026  11:58am

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In the face of Donald Trumps trade war on everyone, other countries have no option but to try to diversify their trade relationships to hedge the risk of overexposure to US sanctions. The European Union and India have just done that. On Tuesday in India, the two powerhouses signed what the EU Commissions President, Ursula von der Leyen, described as the mother of all deals  a free trade agreement that creates a market of nearly 2 billion consumers and a quarter of the worlds GDP. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the deal sent a strong message to the rest of the world. Bloomberg Tariffs on a majority of their trade will eventually be eliminated as Europe opens its market to Indias more labour-intensive goods and India, one of the worlds more protected economies, imports European cars, machinery, capital and beverages. About 96 per cent of the EU exports to India will see their tariffs either eliminated or reduced. The deal is part of a scramble by Americas trading partners to sign trade deals with non-US counterparties.

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The EU-India deal was nearly two decades in the making, but was accelerated by Trumps tariffs and threatened tariffs on both countries. Related Article Opinion

Rupert Murdoch Will Murdoch get rewarded for his expensive gift to Trump? Elizabeth Knight Business columnist India has been the target of Americas most punitive tariffs  50 per cent  while the EU, despite having agreed a deal with the US (not yet ratified), has still faced threats of new, higher tariffs, most recently after some of its members upset Trump by opposing his (absurd and unnecessary) ambition of acquiring Greenland. India has recently struck more limited trade pacts with the UK, New Zealand and Oman, while the EU, after a quarter of a century of negotiations, has finally agreed a deal with the four South American countries  Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay that form the Mercosur trade bloc. This week, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in China on a mission for more trade and investment that risks Trumps ire.

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Trump has threatened Canada with 100 per cent tariffs after Mark Carneys government agreed a deal with China that will allow imports of up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for increased sales of Canadian agricultural products to China. These deals also risk Trumps ire and the threat of even more tariffs. However, the presidents willingness to threaten these in response to any action or comment that he perceives as damaging to Americas interests, or his own ego, means it is a risk worth taking  indeed one that has to be taken to reduce countries exposures to Americas now-volatile and more aggressive relationships with even its former closest allies. Donald Trump has left the rest of the world with little choice but to pursue alternative deals. AP Canada, which along with Mexico negotiated the USMC (United States-Mexico-Canada) free trade agreement with the US during Trumps first term as president, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), is a case in point. Ever since regaining office, Trump has criticised and threatened Canada with punitive tariffs, despite the level of integration and mutual dependency between the two economies and a trade relationship that tilts only modestly in Canadas favour.

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His latest threat seems to have been sparked not as much by the narrow deal Canada agreed with China, but by Mark Carneys speech at Davos, in which he urged middle powers to act together in response to hegemons because if were not at the table, were on the menu. Canada, he said, had agreed a comprehensive strategic partnership with the EU and had signed 12 other trade and security deals in the past six months. It was negotiating new partnerships with China and Qatar, and free trade pacts with India, ASEAN, Thailand, the Philippines and Mercosur. View post on X While he didnt mention Trump by name, the acclaim Carney (who Trump disrespectfully calls Governor Carney, in line with his repeated and sometimes threatening references to Canada as Americas 51st state) received for what was a powerful speech seems to have annoyed Trump, whose long-winded and boastful meanderings at the same event werent received as enthusiastically. Another US ally in Trumps sights is South Korea, which struck a deal, under the threat of hefty tariffs, to invest $US350 billion ($500 billion), including $US20 billion this year.

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That pledge, however, triggered a massive outflow of funds and a plunge in the value of Koreas currency that has caused fears of a financial crisis if it delivers on its promise. Trump has slapped a 25 per cent tariff on the countrys exports in response. The free trade agreement creates a market of nearly two billion consumers and a quarter of the worlds GDP. AP Most of Trumps trade deals arent fully developed and signed, but framework agreements without the detail and legal commitments of conventional free trade pacts, raising a question mark over whether the massive investment promises extracted in exchange for lower tariff rates will ever be fully honoured. Meanwhile, countries will seek to reduce their economic exposure to the US. Trump is redirecting global trade flows away from the US. The trade agreement the EU and India have struck wont suddenly diminish Americas importance to the EU as its major trading partner, although it will make the EU a bigger market for India than the US. Over time, however, it and the trade deals both seek with other countries and regions will make each of them less dependent on the US and less vulnerable to US tariffs.

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It will add an estimated $US19 billion a year in export revenue for the EU, about a quarter of its export losses as a result of Trumps tariffs, and boost Indias exports to the EU. Trade between the EU and India  the worlds second and fourth-largest economies  is already slightly larger than the $US132 billion in trade India had with the US, which has been hit hard by the 50 per cent tariff. Trump is redirecting global trade flows away from the US. Now the EU will be able, over a decade, to lift its exports of cars, currently levied at 110 per cent, but reducing to 10 per cent as a result of the deal, up to a quota ceiling of 250,000 vehicles a year. Duties of 44 per cent on machinery will be largely eliminated, as will a 36 per cent rate on food products, a 22 per cent rate on chemicals and an 11 per cent rate on pharmaceuticals. Indias exports of apparel, textiles, plastics and jewellery will drop from between 4 and 26 per cent to zero, with estimates that its current 2 per cent share of EU trade will double once the deals full benefits are realised. Indias technology service sector, increasingly shut out of the US, should also benefit.

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The EU will also provide India with expertise and 500 million ($860 million) to lower its emissions and avoid the EUs new carbon tax on imported steel and other carbon-intensive goods. Related Article Opinion

Trump's White House What if Trump doesnt chicken out next time? Stephen Bartholomeusz Senior business columnist The EUs von der Leyen said the signing of the deal sent a strong message to the rest of the world that co-operation was the best answer to global challenges, creating levels of growth that neither country could achieve alone and reducing strategic dependencies. Today, we are taking our partnership to the next level. As the two largest democracies in the world, we are working hand in hand to deliver concrete benefits for our citizens and to shape a resilient global order that underpins peace and stability, economic growth and sustainable development. She didnt name the US or Trump in her comments. She didnt need to. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
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Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Michael Sheen as Tony Blair in The Deal, The Queen and The Special Relationship. Richard Roxburgh as Bob Hawke in Hawke. Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in The Darkest Hour. Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon. Theyre all standouts: convincing screen portraits of national leaders. But performances like these require skills far beyond mimicry. There are myriad decisions involving voice, posture, mannerisms and the nuances within each of them. There are also choices about hair, make-up and costume design. Beyond that, theres the need to bring an inner life to the surface, to capture something elemental about the spirit of the subjects, and to do it in a way that feels authentic, both within the framework of a drama and for viewers familiar with the person. Related Article Australian TV This was a big swing for the ABC. Can Tony Armstrong turn it into a series? The multitude of choices and tiny adjustments is vast, yet those decisions are crucial to the overall effect. A false note can destroy the necessary illusion. If a bad a wig or a wobbly accent becomes a central aspect of the reaction to the character, its a red-flag indicator of failure. Playing Boris Johnson in This England, Kenneth Branaghs challenge was made even more difficult by the fact that his subject was alive and fresh in the public consciousness. His version of the former UK prime minister is affable and blustery, a hearty hand-shaker who bounds up to people like a labrador, greeting them with a hail-fellow-well-met chumminess. Theres the unmistakable haystack of tousled blond hair, the tubby belly and hunched shoulders, combined with florid recitations of Shakespeare and dark cautions delivered in ancient Greek. A controversial politician, hes also a colourful character. Kenneth Branagh stars as Boris Johnson in This England. Phil Fisk/ Sky UK Ltd

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Michael Winterbottoms propulsive pandemic drama depicts Johnson as an embattled head of state struggling to manage a rapidly escalating health crisis and its political fallout. Made with lightning speed, the six-part series originally screened here in 2022 and is now having its free-to-air premiere on the ABC. And its as topical and confronting today as it was then. Co-written by prolific and eclectic producer-director Winterbottom with Kieron Quirke, This England recreates the first phase of the coronavirus spread, a febrile six-month period early in 2020, and its focus is broad. Introducing itself as a fiction based on real events, it takes in hospitals, scientists, home-care and aged-care workers and their patients, families affected by the disease, and follows discussions in the corridors of power about how to respond to the alarming developments. Editor's pick Streaming The ass-end of Westeros: Why this new Game of Thrones spinoff is opposite of epic A sense of danger is palpable, as is the impression of Johnson heading a government struggling to respond to numerous challenges while a physically and emotionally exhausted workforce battles to keep calm and carry on. Describing the series as a collage, Winterbottom has said, Boris is just one strand that runs through it, because it really is a mosaic of lots of different stories ... Its not a character piece. Boris/Ken is just the central character in the story. Hes also critical to it. If Branaghs portrayal had been cartoonish, the series would be substantially diminished. But it avoids the pitfalls and the result is gripping. An additional reason for this is the way in which Johnson and his pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds (Ophelia Lovibond), are depicted: both at the centre of the crisis, yet oddly remote from it. They seem to exist in a bubble of blithe entitlement. Ferried between stately residences in chauffeur-driven limousines or isolated in their apartment upstairs at No. 10, they automatically expect public servants to act as dog-minders for their minimally house-trained Jack Russell cross  a detail that speaks volumes.

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The UK screen industry has long had appetite for examining the lives of its leaders and, over recent years, has provided compelling frameworks for fine performances. The Crown, for example, offers an intriguing and illuminating portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, her family and of the prime ministers who served her through decades. Eight PMs are seen through the series and several are vividly memorable: John Lithgows Emmy-winning turn as a commanding, tormented Winston Churchill; Gillian Andersons brittle, resolute Margaret Thatcher; and Bertie Carvels mild, canny Tony Blair. Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher in The Crown. Des Willie/Netflix Locally, the appetite for such dramatisations has been less enthusiastic. The most impressive and audacious attempt came with the 1983 Kennedy Miller miniseries, The Dismissal, which chronicled the 1975 sacking of the Labor government. Like This England, it was shot close enough to the events it depicted to seem current and topical. Made for Channel Ten in the days when our commercial networks invested in quality dramas, it was an ambitious and accomplished production with writer-directors including George Miller and Phillip Noyce. While it dealt with three key figures  Prime Minister Gough Whitlam (Max Phipps), Opposition leader Malcolm Fraser (John Stanton) and Governor General Sir John Kerr (John Meillon)  it also benefited from an extensive, beautifully cast ensemble. It was a resounding critical and commercial success and nothing has rivalled it since, although there have been sporadic telemovies: 1993s Johs Jury, with Gerry Connolly as the former Queensland premier facing perjury charges; 2007s Curtin, with William McInnes as the wartime leader; and 2010s Hawke, with Roxburgh as the countrys longest-serving Labor prime minister.

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FoodSizzle reel Opinion In the overstuffed buffet of celebrity foodie travelogues, this is the most charming He may be best known for creating 90s sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, but Phil Rosenthals greatest television legacy may well be Somebody Feed Phil. Ben Pobjie Entertainment writer January 29, 2026  5:00am

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Phil Rosenthal is the latest to unlock the ultimate Hollywood perk: reaching a level of success where you can spend your days travelling and eating, transforming a personal passion into a paid profession. But in the overstuffed buffet of celebrity foodie travelogues, Rosenthal remains the most charming presence. Despite his stature in TV history, he began these adventures as a relatively anonymous figure  the kind of person few would recognise if they bumped into him at a roadside tripe stand. Phil Rosenthal visits San Sebastian bakery Otaegui in Spain as part of season 8 of Somebody Feed Phil. Netflix For Rosenthal is the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond (I know, it wasnt created by Raymond  weve been lied to for decades), and so when he embarked on his late-career pivot, he was a high-flyer who nobody had seen enough of to get sick of yet. Thus we have Somebody Feed Phil, a Netflix series now in its eighth season, wherein the sitcom mastermind hits the road, sees and eats incredible things, and reacts to the vast diversity of human culture around the globe with delight and excitement and a kind of wide-eyed, drop-jawed wonder that mingles with a streak of wise-ass humour and an expression equal parts isnt this GREAT and can you BELIEVE Im getting PAID for this?

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Rosenthal does not hide his love of food, which is part of his appeal. Netflix Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up Each episode opens with a jaunty theme reminiscent of 80s and 90s sitcoms the kind that makes you expect Phils family to turn and smile at the camera. In a nod to that era, various Rosenthals do actually drop by as guests. We then get straight down to business: Phil and a friend walking the streets of somewhere beautiful and fascinating, stopping every few minutes to sample another delicacy shot to make the viewers mouth water to the max. The star banters with locals, gets informed by experts, and riffs on his discoveries. He also provides classic doco voiceover, as well as appearing in cutaways a la MasterChef, where he comments on his experiences directly to camera while sitting in a mysterious confessional room.

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Somebody Feed Phil is a show that likes to cover all its bases when it comes to the various ways in which a celebrity can remark upon their food journey. A huge part of SFPs appeal is Rosenthals commitment to variety. An hour-long episode can naturally be no more than a whistle-stop tour of a citys food culture, but the show makes the effort to cast the net as wide as it can. Phil wants to be fed at fine-dining establishments where renowned chefs break new ground with fusions of traditional and modern  but he dedicates just as much time to street food and popular snacks. For a taste of what awaits the hungry traveller in Bangkok, Venice, Amsterdam or Marrakesh, few shows deliver a more rounded view. Rosenthal is equally thrilled by Taiwanese street food and fine-dining restaurants. Netflix There is no class prejudice here: Rosenthals palate is thrilled by food of every kind, in any locale and at any price point.

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Besides the food, the locations are also a star. Like a less stressful Amazing Race, SFP showcases the dazzling diversity of the world: bustling metropolises and spectacular landmarks and corners of culturally rich tranquillity  from the chaotic streets of Singapore to the intoxicating boulevards of Paris to a Buddhist temple in Bangkok. But the big star is, obviously, Phil Rosenthal himself, who displays a great flair with both what goes into his mouth and what comes out of it. Assuming an air of goofy naivete with a delivery that brings to mind actor Richard Kind  as well as more than a hint of Ray Barone himself  he is clearly playing to the gallery, but the exercise is always fuelled by a sincere sense of appreciation for everything hes experiencing. Somebody Feed Phil captures Rosenthals wide-eyed, drop-jawed wonder at the food he tastes. Netflix His persona is very different to towering predecessors in the field like Anthony Bourdain or Michael Palin, but he shares with those gentlemen the greatest attribute for any documentarian: genuine, passionate curiosity. You might wonder whether hes quite as full of one-liners in his day-to-day life, but never do you doubt Phils interest in his subject, his enjoyment of the journey, or his insatiable need to be fed.

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NationalNSWData centres Data centres are popping up all over Sydney. But what impact do they have on our suburbs? Mostafa Rachwani January 28, 2026  11:30am 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

If every data centre in the NSW Planning portal is built, their combined maximum power demands in western Sydney will climb to about 4.4 gigawatts in a decade. That is equivalent to the average electricity load of more than 10 million households and, at their peak, they will demand almost four times as much power as the rest of the city. And while it is unlikely they will all be operating at capacity at the same time, the figure reflects the scale of growth in the construction and operation of data centres in Sydney. Data centres are dedicated IT infrastructure facilities, hosting items such as servers, storage and networking equipment, and are how users can easily access AI or streaming services.

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And while there have been such facilities in Sydney since the early 2000s, the increase in usage and popularity of AI, alongside key operational services such as cloud computing, has meant there is greater demand for larger data centres with greater capacity. The ones that have been completed will require huge amounts of energy and water to operate their facilities 24/7, putting pressure on systems already strained by population growth and climate change. A data centre in Huntingwood in western Sydney. Dominic Lorrimer Over the next 10 years, large-scale data centres are set to be mostly concentrated in western Sydney, where as many as 14 large-scale data centres are seeking approval or have been approved for construction, including six in the Blacktown LGA. While there will ultimately be more data centres outside western Sydney by 2036, they will account for far less power demand than those in the west, with their combined peak demands coming in at around 1.1 gigawatts.

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The full list of major data centres operating or seeking approval in Sydney comes to 43, with many more smaller facilities dotting the city, reflecting the booming growth in the industry. Dr Amr Omar, a research associate at the University of NSW, says there should be some concern at the exponential growth in data centres in Sydney, and their resource demands. Its alarming for multiple reasons, including the clustering of these systems in one region, he said. The issue is that if youre going to cluster all of those systems in one location, youre placing a heavy load on the grid. Local congestion becomes an issue, it creates bottlenecks. Farms and other industries will begin competing with these facilities for water and power.

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A spokesperson for Endeavour Energy, one of the two major providers in Sydney, said they believed that data centres could increase load demand on the distribution network by around 25-30 per cent in the next five years. The typical size of data centres [is] increasing from an average of 30MVA [megavolt-amperes] just a couple years ago, to over 100MVA on average today, the spokesperson said. The speed, scale and location of data centre growth are all key factors involved in network planning, and continued cross-sector collaboration will be critical in ensuring NSW remains globally competitive and an attractive place to do business. Their resource demand also extends to water usage, with Omar estimating that one megawatt of data centre usage equates to the water usage of 75 households. That means that, should the major data centres seeking approval in western Sydney open in the next decade, they will use the same water as about 330,000 households. This is a huge problem, Omar said.

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Because it is not clear [if] we have enough infrastructure for so many. And my concern is that the resource demands of these facilities are so great, they will leave Sydney at risk. Related Article Development This site near a Sydney metro station could be home to hundreds. Instead, 50 people will work there Despite the concerns, data centres remain key to future technologies, so authorities have been working with the sector and encouraging them to find sustainable solutions, such as emerging cooling technology (where one body of water continuously circulates throughout the system). A spokesperson from Sydney Water said it was working to understand the scale of proposed data centre growth across the city, and was engaging with the sector to ensure sustainable water supply can be delivered without impacting bills or service levels for our community. Sydney Water is exploring a range of servicing options to supply water to these proposed developments, including the provision of alternative water sources such as recycled water from wastewater treatment facilities and stormwater harvesting, alongside the rollout of smart metering to improve monitoring and efficiency, the spokesperson said.

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Planning Minister Paul Scully said the government was also working with the sector to improve its sustainability measures, emphasising how important these new infrastructure projects were to the future of the city. Sustainability is a key consideration in all data centre assessments as the Minns Labor government works with the industry to encourage both water and energy efficiency, he said. Industry figures point to the importance of data centres in the future of the NSW economy, including their integration in key sectors such as health and government. Data Centres Australia chief executive Belinda Dennett said that the construction of data centres was imperative if Australia wants to participate in the next industrial revolution. AI will change every industry  it is a general-purpose technology on a huge scale and trajectory, she said. Jobs building the foundations of the AI era are the most sought-after roles globally and they will exist in our own backyard. Get to the heart of whats happening with climate change and the environment. Sign up for our fortnightly Environment newsletter.
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NationalNSWPlanning Opinion One unit block, two different entrances: The problem with apartment apartheid Megan Gorrey Sydney editor January 29, 2026  5:00am

January 29, 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

Behind two different doors in a proposed Mosman apartment block will lie two different realities. Residents of 34 build-to-sell apartments in the Rangers Avenue complex will enter through two foyers. Tenants paying below-market rent for 10 affordable housing units will enter via another. An $85 million complex of 44 apartments, proposed for Rangers Avenue in Mosman, is one of many that will include a portion of affordable housing dwellings. Woods Bagot The idea that private buyers would have different entrances to less well-off residents in the same complex has echoes of a phenomenon dubbed poor doors that has long played out in London and New York. The debate surfaced closer to home when it emerged residents in key worker housing had a separate lobby to luxury apartment owners in the One Sydney Harbour towers at Barangaroo. As NSW faces a wave of proposals for new apartment blocks  many of which must incorporate affordable housing for lower-income earners to win approval  Sydneysiders will increasingly be forced to confront an uncomfortable question: Are we designing social segregation into our city?

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Critics condemn the trend as a form of apartment apartheid  splitting societys haves from the have-nots, entrenching inequality and reinforcing stigma around lower-cost or subsidised housing. Related Article Exclusive

Development Why a divisive plan to build 227 homes on the old Balmain Leagues site will be fast-tracked The reality is not always so clear-cut. Some developers and community housing providers (CHPs), which manage the affordable housing units in mixed-tenure dwellings, can argue that separating the affordable housing units makes it significantly easier to manage the dwellings and ensures they dont foot the bills for expensive amenities or maintenance fees. Controversy over the use of separate entrances for the same building erupted in New York City more than a decade ago, when residents of the affordable housing units required by the citys inclusionary zoning policy were provided with different front doors, lobbies and lifts to their homes. Separate entrances for private buyers and lower-income tenants have been controversial in London and New York City. Marija Ercegovac

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In 2015, the city council banned builders, who received a tax break for providing some units for low-income tenants, from creating separate entrances for rich and poor residents. The issue has also simmered in London. Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged a ban on the appalling use of separate entrances for private residents and social housing tenants in mixed developments after reports that lower-income residents could not access pools, car parks and bike storage, or had separate arrangements for postal services and bins. Khan later issued guidelines to encourage tenure-blind developments where affordable homes were indistinguishable from private, high-end residences. Sydney has so far escaped some of the more egregious discrepancies that have stoked divisions in those cities. But it also faces a sorely needed influx of housing of all shapes, sizes and tenures. The Mosman proposal leverages the state governments infill affordable housing incentives, which give developers extra height and floor space if they include affordable housing for at least 15 years.

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The seven-storey complex, which overlooks Mosman Bay towards the city, will provide 44 units of two, three and four bedrooms. The affordable homes have been shuffled to the rear. They will be offered at 80 per cent of market rent  arguably still relatively expensive given their location. Planning documents say the affordable housing dwellings have been designed to the same high quality as the market apartments, with a separate entrance but equal access to communal outdoor areas. They would achieve good residential amenity in terms of size, access to sunlight, natural ventilation, outlook, visual and acoustic privacy, storage and access. Related Article City life Walking on this Sydney street felt like a traffic sewer. Not any more This is the preferred approach recommended by the [community housing provider] to allow for those units and access to those units to be placed on a separate strata title and manage strata levies and outgoings for the affordable housing apartments, the documents said. Indeed, Macquarie Law School Professor Cathy Sherry said so-called poor door arrangements were not as entirely appalling as they sound. They often meant the affordable housing dwellings were on a different stratum, meaning providers and tenants could avoid the costs of fancy foyers or pools.

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They definitely should not exist because of the social connotations and consequences, but they are usually genuinely intended to reduce community housing providers costs. Of course, the best solution would be that everyone uses the lobby, and it is of a standard suitable for all human beings  The market strata can pay for a concierge. Shelter NSW chief executive John Engeler says projects with affordable homes should be tenure blind. Apartment apartheid shouldnt result as the consequence of affordable housing initiatives, he said. The use of different entrances in key worker housing at the One Sydney Harbour twin towers at Barangaroo (centre) sparked debate. Wolter Peeters

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Even the technical or design justification  such as reduced operational costs, less [expensive] strata fees  can be gotten around, as ultimately, they mask the social stigma that results. Related Article Sydney beyond 2026 Sydneys booming population wont kill the great Australian dream, but it will change it Developer lobbyist Tom Forrest, of Urban Taskforce, says a salt and pepper approach to including social and affordable housing might be preferable, in an ideal world, but it was difficult in practice. As long as youre complying with all the relevant safety standards and building codes, I dont see it as a shock-horror moment that the people who are paying $6 million for their two-bedroom apartment might be getting something slightly better than the person whos getting either social housing or affordable housing with a substantial subsidy, Forrest said. Sydney stands to gain many apartment blocks in which private buyers live alongside social and affordable housing tenants in coming decades  not only due to the affordable housing incentives, but also through massive mixed developments in Waterloo and Macquarie Park.

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While there appears to be some consensus that separating private buyers from lower-income tenants is, in principle, far from optimal, there is less clarity on whether the trend should be monitored, how that might happen, and who should be responsible. The issue is complex and involves a tangled web of state government portfolios, planning authorities, developers, architects, market forces and community housing providers  but, nonetheless, it warrants examination. This might go some way to ensuring that more deeply entrenched social divides are not an unintended consequence of Sydneys necessary push to build more homes people can afford. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China, as the host of the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, will hold the first APEC Senior Officials' Meeting and related sessions in Guangzhou from February 1 to 10, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Wednesday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing that this marks the first official event of the APEC "China Year." 
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NationalQueenslandCrime Chinese team heads to Brisbane as wanted man who attacked baby with coffee still at large William Davis January 28, 2026  8:18pm 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

The first major development has emerged in the search for a man who allegedly scalded a baby with hot coffee in a Brisbane park before fleeing the country more than a year ago. After months of silence from authorities, ambassador Xiao Qian revealed on Wednesday a team of Chinese investigators would travel to Australia to work with local police. The 33-year-old accused attacker allegedly dumped a Thermos of coffee on the nine-month-old boy at Hanlon Park in Stones Corner on August 27, 2024, before fleeing to his home country via Sydney. Ambassador Xiao Qian said China was serious about pursuing the investigation. Alex Ellinghausen Im not sure if I should announce this at this moment, but theres going to be a working group from China coming to Brisbane, the ambassador told reporters in Canberra.

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[It will] investigate [the case and] talk with Australian colleagues to see what exactly happened, how it happened, and how both sides can work together as a follow-up. We are serious in addressing this concern, we are serious in taking the necessary action as a follow-up. Luka was seriously scalded and underwent multiple operations to treat his face, neck and chest. GoFundMe Baby Luka was with his mother and her friend when attacked. The man then allegedly jogged about half a kilometre to the Apostolic Church of Queensland in Annerley, where he changed his clothes and caught a rideshare car to the CBD. He fled to China four days later via Sydney, just hours before police confirmed his identity.

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China does not have an extradition treaty with Australia, and legal experts have previously said the most optimistic outlook was the accused might face jail time in his home country. It was out of nowhere  I dont even know who he is or why this happened, the injured boys mother previously told this masthead. A CCTV image of the alleged offender fleeing after the attack in Hanlon Park. Queensland Police Media We were all traumatised. Luckily, [my son] is young, and he probably wont remember any of this, but we will, and this is something were going to have to carry forever. I dont think its acceptable that a person  gets away with it. Luka deserves justice.

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Ruwan Kalu was sitting at home at the time when he heard screams. Seconds later, his CCTV system captured a man running past his front door. Ruwan Kalu, of Stones Corner, on the street where the wanted man was filmed after a baby was scalded with coffee. William Davis The footage was circulated widely after the attack, with police alleging it showed the offender. All of a sudden there was a screaming noise and the man was running, Kalu said. I dont know why it happened. Its really weird. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
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NationalQueenslandSchools Top Brisbane girls school joins push to secure more students  and future fees Catherine Strohfeldt January 29, 2026  6:00am 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

One of Brisbanes highest-achieving and most expensive schools has opened its gates to primary students for the first time, joining other private-sector schools boosting early buy-in from families. The first year 5 and 6 students walked through the gates of Brisbane Girls Grammar Schools new primary years campus on Wednesday, across the road from its secondary grounds. Principal Jacinda Euler Welsh said the school chose to create the new campus just over two years ago. Brisbane Girls Grammar Schools primary campus welcomed its first students on Wednesday. Catherine Strohfeldt More and more parents were looking for years 5 and 6, and essentially, what we found was that the boys schools were offering years 5 and 6, and there were far fewer places for girls, Euler Welsh said.

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She said girls secondary schools had offered year 5 entry to about 300 students, while boys schools offered closer to 2000 year 5 places. The new campus cost about $30 million to build and mirrors the schools main grounds across the road, in both values and visuals. Tuition fees alone would set a family back $29,316 for the year. The arches at Brisbane Girls Grammar Schools primary campus mirror those on the main grounds, only smaller. Catherine Strohfeldt When you look at the arch  the iconic Girls Grammar arches at the front of the school  youll see within the junior school theyre at two-thirds scale, Euler Welsh said. Theyre an appropriate size for the younger girls, but they keep the two sides of the school connected.

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Professor Helen Proctor, who specialises in schooling policy at the University of Sydney, said private schools opening primary-years campuses were hoping to buy loyalty. Theyre competing with public schools, which are a lot less expensive, and theyre competing with the other private schools, she said. Its a financial decision, [but] thats not to say that its only a financial decision. Proctor said parents were increasingly shopping around for the school that best matched their children, and now had more money to do so in the private sector.

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Maybe 30 or 40 years ago, parents would have either sent their kids to the local public school or  if they were Catholic or private school parents  they would have just sent their kids to the local Catholic school or the private school that they had some kind of affiliation with, she said. Related Article Schools People are crying out for something different: Brisbanes shrinking public primary schools She said private high schools were now keen to give students and families a taste of their offerings ahead of the secondary years, which cost more for both parents and schools. They can get young students accustomed to the ways of the school, the culture of the school, and embrace them early so theyre less likely to go to other schools for high school, she said. Anna Marsden, whose daughter Lucy began grade 5 at Girls Grammar this year after leaving Milton State School, said the timing was just serendipitous.

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We always wanted to go to Girls Grammar, so we had put her down when she was very young, Marsden said. As soon as we had the opportunity to suggest that she could possibly go into the first intake [of the new school]  we jumped at the chance. Across Brisbane, eight other independent and Catholic high schools have introduced year 5 entry in the past four years  beginning with St Ritas College. Proctor said the flipside of earlier entrance at sought-after high schools was a retreat from local primary schools, both state and Catholic. Trevor Cobbold, national convenor of the public school lobby group Save our Schools, said the boosting of private school enrolments was increasing social segregation.

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Its hollowing out middle-class, high-income families from public schools, 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.
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NationalVictoriaCourts A Facebook comment caused a student to fail her subject. Now shes in Supreme Court Erin Pearson January 28, 2026  11:43am 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 Victorian student is suing a major Australian university after being embroiled in a cheating scandal, accused of posting about an exam question on social media after the test in breach of academic rules. Lawyers for Abbey Bowland, 21, say she did not know that discussing her nursing exam after sitting the test was against Australian Catholic University policy. The case relating to the nursing exam is set to be heard in the Supreme Court. Dominic Lorrimer Bowland says she unsuccessfully tried to appeal the universitys decision multiple times, but ACU maintains she cheated on her online nursing exam, which she sat on May 21 last year. Court documents released by the Supreme Court show Bowland failed the exam, with a score of 78.67 per cent, and at a second sitting, on May 28, passed with a unit mark of 97.33 per cent.

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Related Article University Its Sydney and Melbourne versus Brisbane to decide the future of Australias Catholic Church On May 24, the documents state Bowland posted a question in a Facebook chat group with other bachelor of nursing students. Hey guys, I had a question about ondansetron vs metoclopramide in my exam and which would have been better to use for the case study, does anyone know which was the correct answer and why? Another student replied: Ondansetron. They asked which antiemetic medication is used for nausea and vomiting. So ans [sic] is ondansetron. Just a logical thought. Bowlands legal team said at no time before the exam was the nursing student made aware that not all students receive the same exam questions and that questions can be reused in subsequent or supplementary exams. The university maintains other students elsewhere might not yet have taken the exam, and by posting the question Bowland might have provided them with an unfair advantage.

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The students legal team said she was also unaware that exam questions were not to be discussed after exams were completed. Related Article Education ACU offers refunds to graduates after conservative ceremony speech sparked walkout The court documents state that in a letter sent to the student in July, the universitys academic integrity officer found Bowland had engaged in cheating because she might have provided other students with academic advantage. In subsequent letters sent to Bowland by the university, its lawyers said cheating could occur regardless of a students intent. As a result of the failing grade, Bowland says she must repeat the subject, is no longer eligible for the governments HECS-HELP scheme, must repeat a four-week placement, and can no longer graduate this year after beginning her studies at ACU in 2023.

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She is seeking a declaration from ACU that she did not cheat and that the university breached its own rules in failing Bowland. The ACU and lawyers for Bowland declined to 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.
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Karmein Chan, 13, went missing from her family home on April 13, 1991.

On a cool Melbourne evening, a D24 call of a possible abduction went out on police radio. When no one answered, Sergeant Rod Phillips decided to head to the Templestowe house for a look. I didnt know it was going to be the crime of the century, he said.

The call said it was 10 minutes old and was the abduction of a child.

In 1991, police door-knocked the Templestowe area looking for information on Karmein Chan. Neil Newitt

Before Karmeins abduction, police had been investigating a series of similar sexual assaults that may have been committed by an offender dubbed Mr Cruel. There was 10-year-old Sharon Wills in 1988 and 13-year-old Nicola Lynas in 1990.
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NationalVictoriaInsects Abhorrent and heinous: Bedbug bites cause mayhem at op shop Carolyn Webb January 28, 2026  4:48pm 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

An ordinary day at an op shop turned into a nightmare when bedbugs almost caused its permanent closure. Fundraising has saved the Daylesford Community Op Shop, but it is closed for six weeks to be deep cleaned and have its soft stock thrown out after an unknown person donated cloth infested with the biting pests. It could have been intentional, says Michelle Clifford, of Daylesford Community Op Shop, about a bag containing bedbugs that was dropped off. Arsineh Houspian The critters swarmed up the arms of a volunteer as they opened a bag in a sorting area of the warehouse-style shop on January 18. The worker was bitten several times. And then all hell broke loose.

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The store, in Mink Street, Daylesford, north-west of Melbourne, was evacuated and closed within 20 minutes. The affected volunteer was sprayed with a solution of eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil and rubbing alcohol that managers had installed in the shop for such an emergency. In the past 10 days, all soft stock including clothes and bedding has been taken to a hazardous materials tip. Daylesford Community Op Shop co-founder Clifford says the store will reopen in early March, thanks to community donations. Arsineh Houspian The store is partway through two hazard cleanings and two pest control sprays. It is quite an abhorrent, heinous event for us all, said co-founder Michelle Clifford. She said that even though the shop sometimes had dirty nappies and bloody clothes donated, this was the worst thing that could happen.

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Bedbugs live in crevices in clothing, bedding and mattresses, feed off you, then crawl back into their little homes, and theyre incredibly hard to get rid of, she said. Clifford said the charitys board feared the shop would have to fold because of losses including lost sales and more than $15,000 spent on cleaning and tip fees. Here comes trouble: Bedbugs can survive bug spray and washing machines. Getty Images But she said the store would now reopen in early March, thanks to fundraising of more than $11,000 so far, including donations, a GoFundMe appeal, a market stall and an upcoming online raffle. Clifford has wondered why someone would donate a bag containing bed bugs, and suggested mental illness or carelessness. But it could also have been intentional, she said.

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If she could speak to the anonymous donor, I would let them know what impact they have had on us, financially and psychologically. She said the volunteers were quite distressed. Its not a nice thing to happen to anyone. Entomologist Stephen Doggett said people could suffer bites all over their bodies from bedbugs. Bites could be extremely itchy for weeks and scratching could lead to secondary infection, he said. Anyone who is allergic could suffer hives, swelling and difficulty breathing.

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Compared with a mosquito bite, a bedbug bite can extract 10 times the amount of blood from a human, which in cases has caused anaemia. Doggett, who works for NSW Health Pathology, said that after infestations in the home, a pest controller visit could cost more than $1000. However, such a service is usually needed because bedbugs can live for months without extracting blood, with no host, and can survive bug spray and washing machines. Doggett said infestations could spread to a homes carpet, mattresses and furniture and into neighbouring flats. Modern strains of bedbugs are highly resistant to insecticides and extremely hard to kill, 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.
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At least 434 homes have been lost in the bushfires that have swept through more than 435,000 hectares across Victoria and claimed one life. While authorities are hopeful of containing the fires burning out of control in the Otways, Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman said they could run again any time over the next two to three weeks because of the dry conditions. Temperatures across Victoria hit 40 plus and broke records this week. Jason South Hardman said that despite the tireless efforts of fire crews throughout the previous days, the Otways fire had broken containment lines about 5pm on Tuesday after a change to 70 km/h south-westerly winds, sending fires racing across more than 1000 hectares overnight. Twin blazes in the region, near Carlisle River and Kennedys Creek, had so far burnt through 14,900 hectares, the State Control Centre reported.

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Communities in Gellibrand, Barongarook, Barongarook West, Kawarren, Carlisle River, Wimba, Lovat and Charleys Creek were urged to take shelter about midday on Wednesday, and warned it was too late to safely leave the area. Only the metallic parts of this vehicle parked on Gellibrand-Carlisle Road remain. Justin McManus They were later told it was not safe to return. Several houses in dense bushland surrounding Gellibrand were claimed after the sprawling bushfire was fanned by chaotic winds, despite the efforts of firefighters. To the south and west of the town, several houses were reduced to tumbles of corrugated steel and burnt knickknacks, the wreckage still smouldering on Wednesday morning. CFA members, locals and private firefighters employed by the nearby plantations swept through the area, dousing spot fires where they could.

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Editor's pick Media & marketing Make The Age your preferred source on Google Its still burning. There will be a lot thrown at it today, and hopefully with milder conditions we can get a lot contained today, said Glenn Anderson, who is supervising a team of private firefighters from Midway Establishment, which manages a nearby bluegum plantation that remained on fire. Its been hot and dusty and very uncomfortable. These have been extreme conditions. The fires were erratic and unpredictable. On some properties, they vapourised anything that wasnt metal. Cars sat on their wheel rims, the insides disintegrated. Wayne Knight and Tom Morgan standing on burnt ground, where they fought to save the blueberry farm. Justin McManus

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Wayne Knight, who has been in the Otways for nearly 45 years, said the fires were the biggest he had seen. Knight, the director of Oz Blueberry Holdings, one of Victorias largest blueberry growers, spent a draining Wednesday night with his employees fighting fires that lapped at the edges of his vast netted orchards. Knights son arrived from Sydney with a 1200-litre firefighting apparatus. He was up until 1am ... Tuesday night, putting out little spots all around here, Knight said. He said the fire had burnt all the way to our boundary, within a few hundred metres of the house. Two Skycrane helicopters and a Black Hawk battled the blaze. On Wednesday morning, a single chopper continued to make round trips, ferrying water to the fire front.

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Related Article Victoria bushfires That fire will run: Dozens of towns evacuated as Otways fire grows At one point on Tuesday night, the chaotic winds meant Knight and his crew were putting out spot fires around the boundary, before the wind changed and covered them with so much smoke that they couldnt see the blaze. At another point, the pull on the fire pump broke. The winds went all over the place, Knight said. There were four or five helicopters in the air yesterday; you could hardly talk. Tom Morgan, a major shareholder in the business, said: The smoke was incredibly thick. There were burning embers falling all about the perimeter. Ive still got the original house here. When that fire crossed and started to get into it, I was getting a bit nervous.

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Thankfully, with the crews that were out here, they were able to stop it at the road. The blueberries are ripe, and Knight should be harvesting. Instead, he is assessing for smoke taint. Initial assessments estimate that as well as the 434 homes destroyed, a further 28 have been significantly damaged, and 1054 outbuildings have been damaged or lost. The Australian Defence Force has begun supplying food ration packs to support emergency services personnel, which includes more than 1300 firefighters from other states, Canada and New Zealand.

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Locals are hopeful they are past the worst of it, although temperatures are expected to climb again on Friday. A lot of places burn down when they think they are safe, said Knight. Some little bit somewhere catches something, and then youve got a major fire again. Photo: Matt Golding Senior meteorologist Angus Hines said heatwave conditions would continue until Saturday or Sunday, but bushfire conditions should ease in coming days. The weather across that area is going to get a bit more mild, perhaps a little less difficult, he said. Winds would be cooler and the atmosphere would be more humid, he said, which could help suppress the speed at which fires spread.

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The federal government has committed $171 million to assist communities directly affected by fires, including for those hit by prolonged power outages, as well as support for farmers. Services Australia has paid out more than $1.3 million in disaster assistance payments and disaster recovery allowance. More than 435,000 hectares have burnt across Victoria  nearing the estimated 450,000 hectares burnt during Black Saturday. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
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NationalVictoriaEducation The buddy system helping preps find their feet from day one Jackson Graham January 28, 2026  11:58am 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

Eleven-year-old Eliette McLean dashes into a class of prep students settling into their first day to see a familiar face. Jasper, she calls to a five-year-old boy who is colouring and sitting alone, moments after his parents dropped him off. Jaspers face lights up as he recalls Eliette reading to him several months ago. Jasper the prep with grade 5 student and buddy Eliette at Bentleigh West Primary School. Penny Stephens Since last year, an extension of the buddy system at Bentleigh West Primary School means that grade 4 students meet many of incoming preps at surrounding kindergartens before the youngsters even start school. Its someone looking out for you thats older, Eliette proudly says of the role. Buddies help you find your friends if you cant find them. Grade 5 pupils then buddy up with a prep for two years. In a few weeks, the children will have their first outing to the school canteen to buy an icy pole.

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At 8.45am on Wednesday, the school yard is buzzing with excitement as principal Sarah Asome greets the families of the 110 children starting school this year. Theyre among almost 79,000 preps starting at government schools in the coming days. Theyve had an extensive transition program, says Asome. Theyre more excited than nervous. Still, plans for day one were almost thwarted after builders hit a pipe and disconnected the schools water several days ago. Plumbers raced to fix the issue on Tuesday, which meant Asome could call off a delivery of portaloos and bubblers. Thank goodness, she says with a laugh. Sarah Asome, principal of Bentleigh West Primary School in Melbournes south-east Penny Stephens The school has seen a lift in results and behaviour under Asome, who 10 years ago brought in an explicit instruction approach that has since become the standard teaching model in all government schools. Results took several years to show; once they did, enrolments grew by about 100 students. We started in the space with students who were struggling and had dyslexia and learning difficulties, and then we realised quickly that we had to get instruction right for everybody, Asome says. The routines are the same. Its predictability. We all like the same routines. Its consistent model. Theres less time wasted and more time on task.

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Twins Olivia and Mia Rafferty were also among the preps. Theyre looking forward to playing and drawing on their first day. We already have friends from the park, Olivia says. Jasper, meanwhile, cant wait to learn Italian  hes picked up several words from his older sister, who is in grade 2  and maths, which he says he loves after playing with number blocks. Preppys and twins Olivia and Mia at Bentleigh West Primary School. Penny Stephens Hes been looking forward to it, Jaspers father, Callam Pickering, says. Seeing off his son is the end of an era in some ways as his family opens a new chapter with both their children now in school. At 9.30am, the school yard goes quiet. Theyre all settled, Asome says with a grin. Now the real work begins in their classrooms. Well go straight into the routines. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
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NationalSocial media Violations of social media ban must be met with strong action The Herald's View January 28, 2026  3:44pm 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

Today, we change a generation. Today, we change a culture. Today, we change lives for the better. These were the lofty words of Communications Minister Anika Wells  remember her?  delivered at Kirribilli House in Sydney on December 10 last year, the day the federal government introduced its social media ban for children aged under 16. The ban was billed as a world first and has since sparked a wave of action by other nations. In the United States, a key Republican senator and potential Democratic presidential candidate both backed the policy. Photo: Marija Ercegovac Frances National Assembly this week backed legislation to ban under-15s from social media, amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks.

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In Britain, the House of Lords voted to support a ban for under-16s via an amendment to the governments schools bill. Denmark, Greece, Spain and Ireland are also considering following the Australian example. Meanwhile, TikTok has agreed to settle a lawsuit on social media addiction, the same day the trial was due to start against Meta and YouTube in a California court. TikTok is one of four companies  including Meta, Snap and YouTube  facing allegations their platforms are fuelling a youth mental health crisis. Snap settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum. So, given this wave of global reaction, much attributed to our Australian laws, what are the results of the ban here  and how effective has it been? Well, according to a Herald story published by Bronte Gossling on Wednesday, for young Snapchat users not very effective at all. They can verify their accounts by scanning the faces of people who are much older and even of a different gender.

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Despite this alarming failure of one of the apps most popular with young users, on January 16 eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said all 10 age-restricted platforms were in compliance with the legislation and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said more than 4.7 million accounts had been removed across all age-restricted platforms. Related Article Exclusive

Social media Adult mens faces can verify teen girls Snapchat accounts in major loophole Meta has provided its own numbers: 544,052 accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Threads believed to belong to under-16s were shut down between December 4 and December 11. That all sounds positive. But its common among the estimated 2.3 million eight- to 15-year-old Australian social media users to have logins across social media sites, multiple accounts on any single platform, and its unclear how many just created fresh accounts. To be fair, the government and the eSafety commissioner acknowledged that enforcement of the ban and the accuracy of facial recognition technology would be a work in progress and would take time. Fines of up to $49.5 million for corporations that fail to exclude youngsters are seen as a last resort.

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But this latest revelation about Snapchat illustrates that what is needed is robust enforcement of the ban, ongoing monitoring of social media companies and their actions, and a commitment to share information with the public. Whats more, parents must back the laws and not turn a blind eye to what their children are doing. Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.

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For subscribers The Herald's View  Since the Herald was first published in 1831, the editorial team has believed it important to express a considered view on the issues of the day for readers, always putting the public interest first.
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Exclusive NationalWARenting David was desperate for a Perth rental. Instead, he found a hive of scams online Hamish Hastie January 29, 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

David* is no internet novice and is smart to online scams, but admits he is so desperate to find a rental in Perths frenzied market that his guard lowered slightly while searching for low-cost single-bedroom apartments on Facebook. After attending home inspections shoulder-to-shoulder with sometimes hundreds of other people and struggling to get cut through with agents in todays cold markets, David  who asked his full name not be used so as not to hamper his search for a rental  decided the risk was worth the effort. Perths tight rental market is pushing some online - where scammers are waiting. Peter Rae You never know, he said. But after conversing with the would-be private landlords behind the listings, patterns began emerging.

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Similar wording used in conversations, making excuses for why properties couldnt be inspected, and the same emails being provided on different listings, all building up to a final request: Send through hundreds of dollars in the form of a bond or security deposit and the property is yours. David figured out most of the low-cost rentals on Facebook Marketplace were scams early on, but that didnt prevent the gut-punch feeling he got when an avenue of hope turned out to be another dead end. I get angry that theyre taking advantage of desperate people who are probably in financial distress, he said. Facebook Marketplace is awash with scam rental listings across Perth, preying on desperate renters struggling to get a roof over their heads amidst a housing crisis. The listings David came across and the conversations with the scammers, shared with this masthead, reveal they used professional images stolen from past legitimate home sale or rental listings on sites like realestate.com.au or Domain.

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The listings are below market price, with one supposedly offering a modern one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment overlooking South Beach in North Coogee for $350 per week  all bills included. Davids conversation with scammer advertising a Perth rental on Facebook Marketplace. The profiles behind the scams will be recently created and have few or no friends, and often the only activity on Facebook will be other rental listings. Once the conversation moves to Messenger or WhatsApp, often the scammer will rattle off semi-coherent rental legalese and warn there were other potential renters interested before eventually asking for a bond payment or security deposit to secure the property. A number provided on a bogus rental agreement sent to David was disconnected when this masthead attempted to call it.

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Plenty of West Australians have fallen for the trap. Consumer Protection acting commissioner Owen Kelly revealed that in the past three years, almost $200,000 was lost from rental scams, including $50,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2023. Kelly said the biggest individual loss in 2025 was $5835 in April. He said the scammers often encouraged people to drive past the real property, but made excuses for why they couldnt inspect it properly. Once youve gone past now youre emotionally invested in it, and youre desperate for a house, what will happen then is, theyll say, great, we can sign you up for this, we need to see a bond payment. We need to see your rent in advance, whatever it might be, he said.

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Its one thing to lose money but to lose money to not having a house that maybe this is the first one out of 50 that youve looked at or something  itd be devastating. Scammers are targeting renters at a time when the market is in the depths of a crisis. Some of the messages David received while inquiring about rental listings online. WAtoday The December vacancy rate sat at 2.6 per cent, while prices are historically high at $700 a week for homes and $670 a week for units. Fremantle Co real estate agency is one of the agencies whose photos for a legitimate listing on Little High Street a few years ago were used in a recent scam listing.

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Fremantle Co licensee and sales director Damien Anthony said he was disappointed that his listings were being used, and he felt for those being duped by scammers. Its such a tight market, so many people are so desperate, he said. We get people coming in here all the time, and you can see it on their faces, and you do feel for them. Its the last thing you need if youre desperate, then someone comes along and decides to kick you in the guts when youre down, its pretty tough. REIWAs red flags for rental scams Most properties in WA are managed by property managers, they will not contact you through or advertise on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or WhatsApp. Be very wary of responding to ads on these platforms or people who contact you via these platforms;

Be cautious of rental listings that have extremely low prices. Scammers often try to entice people with prices that are too good to be true. Do some research on www.reiwa.com to see what properties in that area are being advertised for;

If the landlord says they cant show you the property because they are away, interstate or overseas, it is probably a scam. Suggesting you do a drive-by of the property is another common trick;

Be wary of someone trying to push or rush you to make a decision and send funds to make sure you dont miss out of the property. Davids conversations with scammers on Messenger contain a warning from Facebooks owner Meta that it may be a scam, but the app does not shut down the conversation or pull the listing.

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David, who works in tech, said Meta should be employing know your customer rules like those that applied to banks, or blocking suspected scams like it blocks medical products being sold on Marketplace. Related Article Property market Perth tipped to outpace rest of the country in 2026 property prices Kelly said tech companies had a role to play to stamp out these scams. I think everyone just needs to be doing a little bit more to try and protect everyone thats being affected by this, he said. A Meta spokesman said scams were an ever-evolving issue driven by cross-border criminal networks that operated on a global scale.

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As scams have become more persistent and sophisticated, so have our efforts. Weve rolled out anti-scam products including inline anti-scam warnings and Messenger filters and work with government, law enforcement, and industry groups to tackle this problem, he said. We encourage anyone who sees content that might violate our policies to report it so we can investigate and take action. Ultimately, REIWA president Suzanne Brown said desperate house-hunters should trust their gut. If you feel something is misleading or seems too good to be true, dont follow through with the property and cease all interaction with the property manager or landlord, she said. *Davids name has been changed to not disadvantage him during his rental search.

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Facebook Hamish Hastie is WAtoday's state political reporter and the winner of five WA Media Awards, including the 2023 Beck Prize for best political journalism. or email. Connect via X
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Updated NationalWAAustralia Day Perth Invasion Day rally bomb scare being investigated as potential terrorist act Hannah Murphy Updated January 28, 2026  9:38pm ,first published 2:54pm 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 joint counter-terrorism team is investigating a bomb scare at an Invasion Day rally in Perths CBD on Monday as a potential terrorist act. A 31-year-old man from Perths north, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court on Tuesday accused of making an improvised explosive and hurling it into the crowd at a rally protesting WAs Australia Day celebrations. Loading Thousands of people gathered in Forrest Place in Perths city centre to attend the event, which had to be evacuated after a member of the public told an attending police officer something had been thrown from the terrace of the Myer building overlooking the rally. Rally organisers and politicians including WA Greens MLC Sophie McNeill had urged police to further investigate the incident as potential terrorism, after the man was charged with intent to cause harm and making an explosive device with suspicious intentions.

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Late on Wednesday, the Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team  comprising WA Police, Australian Federal Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation  confirmed it was investigating the incident as a potential terrorist act. Related Article Updated

Crime Accused bomb-maker appears in Perth court after Invasion Day rally scare The WA JCTT investigation is ongoing and further charges have not been ruled out, a statement read. It comes after WA Police defended the actions of officers after facing criticism for their response to the alleged attempted bombing. Organisers criticised WA Police for a lack of communication when they became of aware of the threat, alleging they created confusion and unnecessary concern.

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However, a WA Police spokesperson said officers had been placed in a difficult position on Monday, and had to prioritise public safety. The Western Australia Police forces decision to evacuate Forrest Place during the Invasion Day rally was made in response to a potential mass casualty threat, they said. Police moving protesters from Forrest Place in Perth on Monday. WA Police A decision had been made to deploy significant police resources to the area prior to the event, in case protest participants required protection from a range of possible scenarios including the critical incident which actually took place on the day. Rally organiser Fabian Yarran previously said the Invasion Day rally had attracted several serious threats in the lead-up.

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The police response balanced an urgent need to evacuate but also a need to stop a level of panic which may have in itself resulted in serious injury through crowd crush, the WA Police spokesperson said. WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch and Mechelle Turvey  the mother of murdered Indigenous teen Cassius Turvey and head of the agencys Aboriginal Affairs division  met with elders on Wednesday to reassure them they respected the right to protest. Yarran called for the recently announced royal commission into antisemitism to be expanded to target all forms of racism, and in particular, the rise of the far-right movement in Australia. His concerns were echoed by national anti-racist organisation Democracy in Colour national director Noura Mansour, who said what had been alleged should amount to a hate crime. What we saw in Perth was a calculated attempt to cause mass harm to First Nations people and their supporters and should not be downplayed by the media and authorities, she said.

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To treat this as a simple criminal matter rather than a targeted act of hate is a slap in the face to the communities living under the threat of far-right violence. WA Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia on Wednesday said labelling the incident an act of terror required confirmation of motivations, and Im not sure that [police] understand the motivations behind this individual at the moment. The man being spoken to by police. WA Police Papalia said he believed police, facing a big crowd that wasnt fully aware of the reasons the rally was being cleared, handled the tense situation well. In my view, there has been some very ill-informed commentary from peripheral political players, he said.

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Australian National University terrorism researcher Dr Michael Zekulin said the decision to call something an act of terror by WA Police or federal authorities would ultimately come when investigators were able to determine the mans main alleged motivation. Specifically whether an incident is being done for personal reasons or if there is a broader political, ideological goal, he said. In court on Tuesday, the man successfully applied to have his identity suppressed to protect his safety. In these circumstances it could be seen that a class of people may have been the target of the offending, his duty lawyer said. If [the man] was to be identified as the person who is accused of these allegations, his safety in a custodial environment would be in jeopardy.

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She told the court the man would be at risk both in prison and in the community if his name was known, and his family were also concerned they could be linked to his alleged offending. Related Video Video icon 4:49 Vision of moment homemade bomb allegedly thrown into Invasion Day crowd It is understood WA Police are currently investigating whether the man accused of throwing the bomb had come to their or federal authorities attention previously. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
COLOMBO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government is considering restricting social media access for underage children amid growing concerns about the harmful effects of online content, local media reported on Wednesday, citing a senior official.

Deputy Minister of the Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne said discussions are underway to explore possible limits on social media use by students and minors following a rise in incidents linked to digital platforms.

He said the decision on whether to introduce restrictions would fall under the Ministry of Mass Media or the Ministry of Education. Once a policy is finalized, authorities will provide the necessary technical support for implementation.

However, the government has not yet reached a final decision, but the country must address the damage caused to the minds of underage children by social media content, Weeraratne said.

He added that social media companies could work with local telecommunications providers to enforce controls, noting that similar measures have already been adopted in several countries. The required technical capability already exists and could be applied in Sri Lanka, he said.

He said that any restrictions would require a formal government policy and a comprehensive plan before enforcement.

Globally, governments have been tightening oversight of children's social media access due to concerns over cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and declining mental health among minors. A prime example is Australia, where the world's first social media ban for underage children came into effect in December 2025. 
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PoliticsFederalBondi shooting Muslim leaders slam Morrison as reckless, irresponsible after Islam speech Brittany Busch and Mostafa Rachwani Updated January 28, 2026  12:59pm ,first published 12:01pm 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

Leading Liberal moderate Andrew Bragg has called on Australian Muslims to take some responsibility for religious extremism, after former prime minister Scott Morrison told an antisemitism conference in Israel that Islamic leaders should enforce stronger standards on their own communities. Morrison said Australias Muslim leaders should license preachers, translate all sermons into English and set up a board to police radicals. Morrisons comments were made at a conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday night (AEDT), where he was hailed by Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a terrific, terrific champion of our people. Morrison made a speech at a Jerusalem antisemitism conference overnight in which he demanded Australian Islamic institutions enforce stricter regulations to quash radical Islam. AP Morrisons speech drew swift condemnation from Labor MPs and the Australian National Imams Council, which said the comments were reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Morrison was a pretty divisive figure who was pursuing his own agenda, while Chalmers was confident in the governments approach to cracking down on antisemitism and hate speech.

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Morrison argued in his speech that an Islamic peak body should not be purely representative, but have the authority and tools to enforce membership standards. It is time that Islamic institutions in Australia adopted nationally consistent, self-regulated standards, including a recognised accreditation framework for imams, a national register for public-facing roles, clear training and conduct requirements, and disciplinary authority for their governing councils, he said. He said many Islamic states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, had been better at confronting radical ideology than liberal western democracies, including through policing religious teaching, although he acknowledged such state-centric tactics could clash with liberal principles such as freedom of religion. Andrew Bragg claims there has been a mutation of Islam in Australia. Alex Ellinghausen In a later post on LinkedIn, Morrison said, to treat such issues as taboo would allow extremism to flourish.

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Bragg backed Morrisons call on Wednesday and claimed there had been a mutation of Islam in Australia. I think the Australian Muslim community has to take some responsibility for the behaviours weve seen exhibited over the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, it has been a pattern of behaviour that some of these smaller incidents  and now weve had a significant terrorist incident  have emerged from these communities, the opposition housing spokesman told ABCs Radio National. The West has probably been too nice for its own good, and a lot of Western countries probably feel that they cant be honest and open about some of the issues. Asked whether the Christian community should take responsibility for Nazi hate speech, Bragg said: 99.9 per cent of Australian Muslims are fantastic citizens, but this is a mutation of Islam which is leading to now the deaths of our fellow citizens. And so we need to do everything we can stop that. Im not going into this sort of false equivalent stuff. I mean, weve had a massive religious massacre in Australia where people who are adherents of a mutation of Islam have decided they wanted to kill Jews, he said.

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President of the Australian National Imams Council, Imam Shadi Alsuleiman, rejected Morrisons attempt to draw a line between the Muslim community and the Bondi attack. The comments by former prime minister Scott Morrison are reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed, he said. It is deeply concerning and disappointing that someone who has held the highest office in the country would make such divisive remarks. To blame an entire community for the actions of a few criminal terrorists is unacceptable, rejected, and undermines our social cohesion. Alsuleiman called on Morrison and Bragg to work towards uniting the Australian people, not undermining social cohesion, especially at a time when Australia needs it most. It saddens me that such language comes from political leaders who shape our countrys policies, he said.

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Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy labelled Morrisons intervention as problematic and troubling, and said Muslim Australians should be able to practise in peace like any other religious group. The Liberals are dividing this nation. Theyre trying to hold 1 million Australians responsible for the acts of two individuals. And Im appalled by that, and I oppose it 100 per cent, he told Sky News. To tar an entire religion, I just think is unacceptable. Its not based in fact, and it undermines social cohesion, he said. Every Australia should have a right to follow their religion in peace in this country as long as they follow all the laws of the land. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said Morrisons intervention was troubling. Alex Ellinghausen Morrison on Wednesday insisted he was not discriminating against Muslims. Im not proposing really anything different for how religion is practised in the Islamic faith in Australia, as it is in all other faiths, Morrison said, speaking on 2GB from Israel.

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Bondi shooting Attorney-general tells imams new hate speech laws wont silence criticisms of foreign governments We want to have systems for Islam in Australia, which help them deal with radicalism that occurs within their own ranks and protect their own people from that radicalism, he said. There are requirements that you need to follow, and you need to be accountable to leaders in your own faith community, and thats what we should all expect of all of our religious communities. I believe that good religion is good for our society. This week Attorney General Michelle Rowland wrote to the Australian National Imams Council to assure them the new hate speech laws would not introduce restrictions on the ability of faith communities to practise and teach their religious and cultural beliefs. Muslim leaders have condemned the Bondi attack, and in Sydney last month said they had been warning police about hate preachers for a decade. Threats and hate speech against Muslim Australians have spiked following the Bondi terrorist attack, a shift NSW Premier Chris Minns denounced as horrifying. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
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Exclusive PoliticsVictoriaVictorian Parliament Ignorance and stupidity: Labor luminary slams planned VicHealth closure Chip Le Grand January 28, 2026  7:00pm 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

The Labor health minister who led the campaign to establish VicHealth 40 years ago has urged the Allan government to reverse its decision to abolish the health promotions body and keep fighting against tobacco-related disease. David White, a senior figure in the Cain government, which established VicHealth with bipartisan support to wean sport off cigarette advertising, sharply criticised the current governments plan to scrap the internationally renowned agency, saying big tobacco would welcome the news. It is just ignorance and stupidity, he said. The current minister is clearly the greatest health minister the tobacco industry has ever had. Premier Jacinta Allan announces the governments plan to abolish VicHealth. Wayne Taylor

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Whites rare intervention into state politics came as Mark Birrell, a former Kennett government minister who helped secure bipartisan support for VicHealth, said the Allan government should listen to preventive health experts and reconsider what he described as an irrational decision. This was a 100 per cent bipartisan initiative, and it deserves to continue to have bipartisan support, Birrell said. There is no rationality for the ALP to withdraw support from one of their proudest achievements. My advice is for the government, having listened to experts in public health and science, to withdraw its abolition plan. Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas dismissed the criticism. The public health landscape has changed significantly since either David White or Mark Birrell were ministers in the last century, she said.

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A government spokesperson said integrating VicHealth into the Health Department would reduce duplication and focus public health resources where they were most needed. Former Kennett government minister and VicHealth chairman Mark Birrell. Photo: Michel OSullivan Last month, Allan, Thomas and Treasurer Jaclyn Symes announced their intention to abolish VicHealth as a standalone entity and fold its operations and $45 million budget into the Health Department. The change was recommended by former top bureaucrat Helen Silvers review of the Victorian public service. She concluded that while VicHealth continued to do important work preventing chronic disease, it no longer needed to operate independently of the department. It can be absorbed into [Health Department] work without compromising service quality, Silver said.

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VicHealth is one of 29 public entities or government boards or committees the Allan government has vowed to scrap, merge or absorb into government departments following the Silver review. Silvers published report does not quantify how much money would be saved by abolishing the health agency. VicHealth was established in 1987 as a statutory entity with its own funding source from tobacco excise. Scrapping it as a standalone entity would require changes to the states tobacco laws. The state opposition has not indicated whether it supports or opposes the idea. Related Article Opinion

Victorian election Politicians and the media once united to do good. In this heat, thats impossible Chip Le Grand State political editor The proposal to fold the agency into the department has prompted a fierce backlash from preventive health experts. They warn that once VicHealth is absorbed into the sprawling health bureaucracy, its funding and programs would be eroded. It is a funder of Cancer Council Victoria programs and the Quit helpline. Warnings that getting rid of the agency would be a retrograde step for preventive health in Victoria have come from VicHealths chair for the previous five years, Rudd and Gillard government health minister Nicola Roxon; global health advocate and VicHealth patron Sir Gustav Nossal; the National Heart Foundation; the Australian Medical Association; Victorian Drug and Alcohol Association; the Victorian Council of Social Service; and the European Public Health Association.

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Birrell, the oppositions health spokesman at the time VicHealth was established, chaired the agency for three years after retiring from politics. He said a case for abolishing VicHealth had not been made by the Silver report or Thomas, who last month said the health promotions body had a strong legacy but it was time to do things differently. It is an irrational government decision which will strip money away from highly successful preventative health initiatives, including Quit funding, Birrell said. VicHealth is the principal source of funding for programs like Quit. You dont save a cent unless they are saying they are going to abolish funding for anti-smoking advertising. I am not sure they know what they are doing. Related Article Exclusive

Healthcare Bone-headed decision: Government under pressure to spare VicHealth from axe Birrell said the strength of VicHealths work was the focus it had on marginalised, hard-to-reach population groups such as First Peoples and long-term smokers in migrant communities. One of its more recent initiatives was the This Girl Can campaign, which encourages women to have more active lifestyles.

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Obesity, like tobacco, is a leading cause of preventable deaths in Victoria. White, the senior Cain government minister, said that at the time VicHealth was established, 17 people were dying in Victoria every day from tobacco-related illness. While smoking rates in Victoria have halved since then, VicHealth estimates tobacco still kills 4000 people a year in the state and costs the health system about $5 billion. VicHealth has been exported around the world, White said. The current government is now saying it is not worth having. Whether in the party or the public arena, you have to fight all the time  fight to get an initiative and fight to preserve it. If you dont fight to preserve VicHealth, you will lose it, as is occurring. 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 Melbourne school has paid $7.1 million to buy the house next door  a home that once featured on TV crime drama Underbelly.

Penleigh and Essendon Grammar Schools property trust has emerged on title records as the buyer of a five-bedroom home on Ardmillan Road in Moonee Ponds.

The Moonee Ponds home sold for $7.1 million. Credit: Domain

The home shares a boundary with the schools junior girls campus.

Known as Rosina, the Victorian Italianate house is set on a large block of 1455 square metres amid a landscaped garden. It was marketed with three bathrooms, a home office, a central ballroom, a modern kitchen, high ceilings, open fireplaces and Baltic pine solid timber floors.
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Analysis WorldAsiaChina relations Nobody is safe: What Xis purges say about his control over Chinas military Lisa Visentin January 28, 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

Singapore: In the end, Zhang Youxias downfall was as stunning as it was clinical. The fate of Chinas top general was sealed in a single line of a defence ministry press release on Saturday that accused him of grave violations of discipline and the law. But his political demise is not a routine purge. Its a bombshell to a system that has grown accustomed to President Xi Jinpings ruthless anti-corruption drives. Xi Jinping has completed one of the biggest purges of Chinas military leadership in the history of the Peoples Republic, says Neil Thomas, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institutes Centre for China Analysis. Chinese President Xi Jinping and former senior PLA General Zhang Youxia. Matt Davidson Zhangs ouster, alongside General Liu Zhenli, who was also placed under investigation, all but completes Xis decapitation of the top brass of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), handing him total control over the Chinese Communist Partys military wing.

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Zhangs removal means that truly nobody in the leadership is safe now, Jonathan Czin, a former CIA China analyst, told Reuters, saying the probe marked a profound shift in Chinese politics. It also fuels speculation about power struggles and warring factions within the partys upper echelons. At 75, Zhang was knifed even though he could have been retired at the 21st Party Congress next year, when Xi is expected to seek an unprecedented fourth term in power. And it raises obvious questions about the PLAs future direction in particular. What does this mean for Xis demand, according to the US intelligence, that the armed forces be capable of executing an invasion of Taiwan by 2027? The official, internal story is not always the truth about what happened. Bill Bishop, China analyst One possible explanation advanced by some experts is that disagreement with Xi over PLA development and Taiwan strategy led to the senior officers downfall.

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Zhang and Liu likely failed to meet Xi Jinpings requirements for force building related to a Taiwan invasion, and may even have engaged in open disagreement or defiance within the PLA, said K.Tristan Tang, from the Pacific Forum think tank, in a report that analysed official PLA statements over recent months. Related Article Opinion

China relations What Chinas kill line obsession exposes about its own anxieties Lisa Visentin North Asia Correspondent Corruption and graft has been an endemic problem in PLA, but Xis purges have also been used to root out potential disloyalty fermenting in the ranks. The famous black box of Chinese elite politics  untouched by the sunlight of transparency  means we may never know the real reason for Zhangs political demise. But within hours of his ouster, the rumour mill had cranked into overdrive. Online, wild speculation circulated that Zhang was mobilising a coup against Xi. The Wall Street Journal published allegations that Zhang was accused of leaking information about the countrys nuclear weapons program to the US, citing anonymous sources who claimed knowledge of a Chinese high-level briefing about the generals.

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But this drew heavy scepticism from seasoned China watchers. The official, internal story is not always the truth about what happened, so just because they may be telling other officials he leaked nuclear secrets does not mean he actually did, wrote analyst Bill Bishop in his Sinocism newsletter. But it might make for a useful charge internally, as it shows him to be an even greater villain than if he were simply corrupt, as he was working for the main enemy. Zhang was expected to survive As vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission  Chinas supreme military decision-making body  Zhang was not just the most senior PLA figure, he was one of the few generals with actual combat experience, albeit from the Sino-Vietnamese conflicts of the 1970s and 80s.

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This fact and his close ties to Xi  the pair grew up together as princeling sons of Chinas communist revolutionary elite  were thought to be key to his survival as generals were felled around him. With Zhang and Lius removal, Xi has purged all but one of the six generals he appointed to the commission in 2022. Just two remain: Xi himself as chair and Zhang Shengmin (no relation to Zhang Youxia), who has overseen the anti-corruption purges in the military. Former Pentagon official Drew Thompson, who met Zhang when he travelled to the US for a week-long defence delegation in 2012, said he had heard rumours since 2023 that Zhang was under investigation. I assessed that Zhang Youxias combat experience, his self-confidence, intellect and life-long commitment to the defence of China and the Communist Party would protect him. I thought that his life-long relationship with Xi Jinping would be his insurance, Thompson wrote in a Substack essay.

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Since 2023, Xi has ramped up corruption investigations, heavily targeting top military brass, including his hand-picked generals and those thought to be his allies. Getty Images A fiercely worded commentary in the PLA Daily, the official mouthpiece of the armed forces, on Sunday indicated the reasons for Zhang and Lius downfall went beyond standard corruption allegations, hinting at political tension. It accused the generals of having seriously trampled upon the system of responsibility under the military commission chairman (Xi) and fuelled political and corruption problems that weaken the Partys absolute leadership over the military. This could suggest that Zhang was becoming too powerful for Xis liking, or simply that he betrayed the chairmans trust by helping corrupt the procurement bureaucracy and/or not doing his utmost to create a cleaner fighting force, says Thomas. Where to for the PLA and Taiwan?

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Some China analysts point to signs that Zhang was likely to have been more conservative on attacking Taiwan than Xi, particularly in the near term. Related Article Taiwan Australia deeply concerned about Chinas live fire drills as Xi calls reunification unstoppable I think he could assess US and Taiwan military capabilities objectively and explain to Xi Jinping what the military risks and costs of an operation to take Taiwan would be, Thompson wrote of Zhang. I worry about the consequences of someone other than Zhang Youxia providing Xi Jinping with military advice. Tang concluded that Zhang likely saw Xis 2027 timeline for military readiness on Taiwan as unachievable and clearly placed this goal closer to 2035. Together with Liu, their presence instead posed a challenge to Xis authority, he wrote.

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Although the probability of achieving the 2027 Taiwan invasion capability remains extremely low, Xi Jinping will likely appoint successors who are willing to execute his military blueprint in place of Zhang and Liu. Thomas assesses that Chinas threat toward Taiwan is now weaker in the short term but stronger in the long term. A high command in disarray, he said, increases the gamble for Xi of massive military escalation, but in the longer term, a less corrupt, more loyal, and more capable military could more credibly coerce Taipei into submission and deter Washington from intervening. For now, one thing is clear. Xi is in total control of Chinas military and will stop at nothing to secure absolute loyalty. 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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WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America Minneapolis politician attacked as White House changes tune on shooting Michael Koziol January 28, 2026  3:40pm 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: A Minnesota politician who has been intensely targeted by President Donald Trump was sprayed with a mystery substance from a syringe during a public event in Minneapolis as she called for the abolition of immigration police. A man was arrested after he rushed at congresswoman Ilhan Omar and sprayed her with an unknown, brown-coloured liquid that a witness described as odorous. Oh my god, he sprayed something on her, a woman in the audience said. It smells terrible. Omar refused entreaties to seek urgent medical attention and returned to the microphone as her assailant was detained. We will continue, she said. These f---ing assholes are not going to get away with it. Loading Police confirmed the man was booked into a local jail for third-degree assault, and forensic scientists attended the scene. After the event ended, Omar headed to seek medical aid and told reporters: I feel OK.

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A vocal critic of ICE and the Trump administration, Omar was calling for ICE to be abolished and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached when the man rose from his seat near the podium, rushed toward her and attacked. Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar has been relentlessly targeted by the Trump administration. Scott Applewhite Omar has been relentlessly targeted by Trump over her views and Somali background, as well as allegations of corruption and an unproven claim that she married her brother. Ilhan Omar is garbage, shes garbage, Trump said last month. Her friends are garbage  they complain and do nothing but bitch. We dont want em in our country. Let em go back to where they came from and fix it. The incident on Tuesday evening in Minneapolis came as Trumps hardline homeland security adviser, Stephen Miller, softened his position on the killing of American citizen Alex Pretti on the weekend, and conceded Border Patrol teams in Minneapolis may have broken protocol  though he did not criticise the actions of the agents involved in the shooting.

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Miller said initial statements made by the Department of Homeland Security on the Pretti shooting were based on reports from Customs and Border Protection personnel on the ground. Additionally, the White House provided clear guidance to DHS that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors, he said. We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol. Loading Miller, who is also White House deputy chief-of-staff, authored some of the strongest rhetoric against Pretti in the aftermath of his death, calling him a would-be assassin who tried to murder federal law enforcement.

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Pretti was carrying a gun, which is legal in Minnesota, and there is no evidence he was trying to use his weapon. Footage of his death appears to show him being disarmed in the seconds before he was shot and killed. Millers about-face, which was first reported by CNN, came after the White House declined to defend his rhetoric and Trump partially backed down by calling Minnesotas Democratic leaders, withdrawing a small number of ICE agents from the state, and sending his border tsar Tom Homan to replace Border Force commander Greg Bovino. Trumps hardline homeland security adviser, Stephen Miller, has reversed his position on the shooting of American citizen Alex Pretti. AP During a trip to Iowa on Tuesday, US time, Trump said it was his intention to de-escalate the situation in Minneapolis, where two Americans have been killed by federal agents this month, and protests against ICE continue to rage. Trump also riled the gun lobby by again declaring that Pretti should not have been carrying a firearm when he was observing and confronting Border Patrol agents.

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You cant have guns, you cant walk in with guns, Trump said. You cant do that. Its a very unfortunate incident. Related Article Analysis

Trump's America In Trumps America, the right to bear arms now puts a target on your back Dudley Brown, the president of the National Association for Gun Rights, said Trump was simply wrong. While we agree you cant interfere with law enforcement, you absolutely have the right to carry the tools for self-defence while lawfully protesting. In fact, thats precisely the kind of place where exercising that right matters most, he said. Unfortunately, this isnt just a misstatement by the president; it reflects a broader problem with the messaging of other highly ranked administration officials.

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The National Rifle Association also took issue with Trumps remarks. The NRA unequivocally believes that all law-abiding citizens have a right to keep and bear arms anywhere they have a legal right to be, it said. 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.
The Hague,NETHERLANDS:--- In a world first, a Dutch court today ruled that the Netherlands breached the European Convention on Human Rights by not protecting and discriminating against citizens living in the Dutch-Caribbean special municipality of Bonaire from the impacts of the climate crisis, and ordered the State to set new, fair climate targets.

Onnie Emerenciana, plaintiff in the Bonaire Climate Case, said:

I am very happy. Today, we are making history. Finally, The Hague can no longer ignore us. The court is drawing a line in the sand. Our lives, our culture, and our country are being taken seriously. The State can no longer look the other way. The next step is to free up funding and expertise for concrete action plans to protect our island. We truly have to do this together; Bonaire cannot solve this alone.

Marieke Vellekoop, Director of Greenpeace Netherlands, said:

This is truly a historic victory. People on Bonaire are finally getting recognition that the government is discriminating against them and must protect them from extreme heat and rising sea levels. The State must also contribute its fair share to staying below 1.5 degrees of warming by implementing new climate targets. This means that the reduction of Dutch greenhouse gas emissions must be accelerated significantly. This is a huge breakthrough. The current climate policy is insufficient, and the cabinet can no longer get away with failing climate policy. With this ruling in hand, communities have a powerful new asset to hold governments to account.

In a historic ruling, the Hague District Court found in favour of the residents of Bonaire and Greenpeace Netherlands, observing that the Netherlands is doing too little to protect Bonaire residents from the impacts of the climate crisis.

The Court found the Dutch State in violation of multiple provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights (Art 8 and 14 and Article 1 of Protocol No. 12), citing discriminatory treatment of citizens of Bonaire and a failure by the Dutch State to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect people against the current impacts of climate change.[1]

The Dutch court is the first court in the world to rule that the State is discriminating against its own people by failing to develop and adopt a climate adaptation plan.

The court agreed that Bonaire residents are already experiencing climate impacts, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather, and dying coral reefs. It noted that these impacts will intensify under current policies, providing even greater urgency for a coherent and integrated climate adaptation policy for Bonaire than for the European Netherlands.

This case sets a precedent with global relevance. It is the first time that a European court has ruled that a country must take concrete adaptation and mitigation measures to protect all of its citizens, no matter where they live, from the impacts of climate change.

Michael Bacon, lawyer at Kennedy Van der Laan, said:

With this ruling the court has done precisely what an independent court in a democratic society must do: determine whether national policy complies with national and international law, and specifically with human rights. The court correctly ruled that Dutch climate policy does not comply with international law. It is now up to the State to improve its climate policy.

Notes:

[1] The Court Judgement

[2] On January 11, 2024, residents of Bonaire and Greenpeace went to court to demand fair climate policy from the State, after earlier research commissioned by Greenpeace Netherlands confirmed that the climate crisis is already affecting daily life on Bonaire and showed how, under current policies, climate change would continue to intensify risks for the island and its residents in the future. The hearings took place on October 7 and 8, 2025, and were attended by the eight plaintiffs. Greenpeace was assisted in this case by lawyers from Kennedy van der Laan.

Previously, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that states must keep global warming below 1.5 degrees and that their climate plans must demonstrate maximum ambition, taking into account historical emissions and economical and technological capacity of the State. This is the first climate case in Europe, in which these international recommendations have been applied.




People watch a televised news report on Kim Keon-hee, wife of the impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 28, 2026.

Kim Keon-hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison for taking bribes, live footage showed Wednesday (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)

SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Kim Keon-hee, wife of the impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for taking bribes, live footage showed Wednesday.

The Seoul Central District Court handed down the prison sentence with a forfeiture of 12.81 million won (about 9,010 U.S. dollars), saying Kim exploited her position as the first lady for private profit.

The court found her not guilty of the charges of violating the capital markets act and the political funds act.

Kim was charged with receiving valuables from Unification Church officials in return for favorable treatment of the religious group in 2022.

The court rejected the special counsel's claim of Kim's involvement in stock rigging, saying it was difficult to confirm her complicity even if she was aware of the stock price manipulation.

Kim was indicted while in detention in August last year on charges of her participation in the stock price manipulation between October 2010 and December 2012.

She was also charged with conspiring with Yoon to receive illegal public opinion poll results worth about 270 million won free of charge from a political broker on 58 occasions from April 2021 to March 2022 ahead of the presidential election.

The court, however, ruled that there was no evidence to prove the presidential couple's order of the opinion polls.

Apart from the ruling, Kim was indicted on charges of requesting mass enrollment of Unification Church members in the People Power Party to support a specific candidate as a party leader in the party's national convention.

She also faced charges of accepting valuables in exchange for providing business favors and selling public offices.

Kim became the first wife of a former South Korean president to be tried under detention as she has been held at a detention center since last August. 

People watch a televised news report on the court trial result of Kim Keon-hee, wife of the impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 28, 2026.

Kim Keon-hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison for taking bribes, live footage showed Wednesday (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)

People watch a televised news report on Kim Keon-hee, wife of the impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 28, 2026.

Kim Keon-hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison for taking bribes, live footage showed Wednesday (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)

People watch a televised news report on the court trial result of Kim Keon-hee, wife of the impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 28, 2026.

Kim Keon-hee was sentenced to 20 months in prison for taking bribes, live footage showed Wednesday (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)
Press Release from Business Wire: Cyber Guru



(AFP) Jan 27, 2026



ROME & LECCO, Jan 27, 2026 (BSW) - Cyber Guru and Libraesva today announced a strategic combination that brings together two highly complementary Italian cybersecurity companies to form a new European leader in human-centric cyber protection. The combined group will offer organisations an integrated approach to defending against email-based threats, social engineering, and human-targeted attacks, integrating advanced technology with behavioural resilience.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127531600/en/

Cyber threats are evolving rapidly, with attackers focusing less on infrastructure and more on the weak link in security - human behaviour. Phishing, business email compromise, smishing, QR-code attacks, social engineering and many other forms of attacks targeting humans continue to be primary breach vectors and are rapidly growing in sophistication with support of widely available AI tools. By integrating Libraesva's advanced, privacy-first email security technologies with Cyber Guru's AI-driven training, awareness and real-time protection platform, the combined group will deliver a complete, end-to-end solution combining prevention, detection, and human risk reduction.

The transaction combines Libraesva's advanced email security capabilities with Cyber Guru's human-centric security awareness and risk management expertise, addressing one of the most critical challenges facing organisations today: protecting people, inboxes, and digital communications from increasingly sophisticated attacks designed to bypass traditional security solutions.

The combined organisation will serve more than 3,500 customers worldwide and operate through a partner ecosystem of over 500 resellersand managed service providers. Customers will benefit from stronger protection across the entire human attack surface, measurable security outcomes, and simplified vendor management. Partners will gain access to a broader, differentiated European cybersecurity portfolio designed to meet modern compliance, data sovereignty, and security requirements allowing them to combine leading technologies with their own value-adding services.

"This strategic combination is a major step in building a strong and credible European cybersecurity group," said Paolo Frizzi, CEO of Libraesva. "By bringing together our email security expertise with Cyber Guru's human risk capabilities, we are creating a fully integrated platform that protects organisations where attacks most often start: in the inbox and with people."

"This combination is about solving a real and urgent problem our customers face every day," said Gianni Baroni, CEO of Cyber Guru. "By combining human-centric security awareness with advanced email protection, we enable organisations to defend against attacks that target people, not just technology, while building an Italian and European cybersecurity leader."

Libraesva's recognition in the 2025 Gartner(R) Magic Quadrant? for Email Security underscores the strength, maturity, and international relevance of its technology. Combined with Cyber Guru's adaptive, AI-powered awareness and training capabilities, the group is well positioned to support organisations across Europe and internationally as they navigate an increasingly complex and regulated threat landscape.

The combination is expected to close in the coming months, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

About Cyber GuruCyber Guru is a leading cybersecurity awareness training platform that helps organisations reduce human risk by changing employee behaviour. Using AI-driven, adaptive learning paths and behavioural science, Cyber Guru enables organisations to improve resilience against cyber-attacks while minimising operational impact. For more information, please visit www.cyberguru.io and follow us on LinkedIn

About LibraesvaLibraesva is a leading email security provider focused on detecting threats directly in the inbox. Its privacy-first solutions leverage modern detection techniques and local language models, offering organisations strong protection, regulatory compliance, and full control over their data. For more information, please visit www.libraesva.com and follow us on LinkedIn







View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127531600/en/









Contact

Media ContactNoesis for Cyber Guru & LibraesvaElena Cerutti, Bianca GeddesTel: +39 350 0093442[email protected]







 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
Press Release from Business Wire: REVEAL GENOMICS



(AFP) Jan 27, 2026



BARCELONA, Jan 27, 2026 (BSW) - REVEAL GENOMICS, a Barcelona-based biotechnology company that advances precision oncology through biomarker innovation, today announced a strengthened leadership framework with several senior appointments. These appointments underscore the company's commitment to scientific excellence, technological rigor, and clinical impact, and they seek to support the continued development, validation, and global adoption of the company's genomic assays.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127015446/en/

The company appoints Ana Vivancos, Ph.D., as Director of NGS and Genomic Technologies; Joel Parker, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer; and Aleix Prat, M.D., Ph.D., as Chairman of the Board of Directors.



The roles are assumed by co-founders of REVEAL GENOMICS and are a reflection of the company's strong internal leadership, continuity of vision, and long-term commitment to its scientific and clinical mission. By aligning its strategic responsibilities with founders who provide in-depth domain expertise and a proven track record in genomics and oncology, REVEAL GENOMICS ensures tight integration between innovation, execution, and patient impact as the company expands internationally.

Leadership responsibilities aligned with strategic prioritiesAs part of this leadership alignment, Joel Parker, Ph.D., a co-founder of REVEAL GENOMICS, has been appointed as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). In this role, Dr. Parker will continue to define the company's scientific vision, drive innovation across its biomarker programs, and expand collaboration at the intersection where genomics, data science, and translational research meet.

Dr. Parker has led REVEAL's strategy in science, computational biology, and artificial intelligence since the company's inception. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to cancer genomics, including the molecular classification of breast cancer and the integration of genomic and multimodal data into clinically actionable frameworks.

Ana Vivancos, Ph.D., a co-founder of REVEAL GENOMICS, has been appointed as Director of NGS and Genomic Technologies, transitioning from her prior role as scientific and technological consultant. In her new position, she will lead the company's genomic and technological infrastructure to ensure analytical robustness, regulatory compliance (including IVDR), and the scalability of REVEAL's assays across international markets.

Dr. Vivancos is a leading authority on next-generation sequencing and molecular diagnostics and has played a central role in building and validating REVEAL's internal genomic testing platform.

Aleix Prat, M.D., Ph.D., a co-founder of REVEAL GENOMICS, has assumed the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors, thereby strengthening the company's strategic governance, long-term vision, and global partnerships. In this capacity, Dr. Prat will focus on supporting the company's overall strategy, guiding clinical adoption initiatives, and promoting collaboration across academia, healthcare systems, and industry.

A shared leadership vision for advancing precision oncologyPatricia Villagrasa, a co-founder and the Chief Executive Officer of REVEAL GENOMICS, commented: "This evolution reflects the way we already work. Each co-founder has a clearly defined and complementary role, which lets us translate strong science into clinically meaningful diagnostics, while continuing to grow internationally."

Aleix Prat added: "Our priority is to ensure that REVEAL's genomic assays are supported by high-quality clinical evidence and that they are integrated responsibly into routine clinical practice, while maintaining a long-term strategic vision for the company."

Joel Parker stated: "REVEAL's strength lies in the integration of genomics, data science, and clinical insight. As CSO, my focus is on continuing to advance that integration in order to deliver innovation with real clinical impact."

Ana Vivancos noted: "Operational excellence and a robust technological platform are essential for delivering high-quality diagnostics at scale. This role underscores the importance of technology, quality, and execution as REVEAL expands globally."

REVEAL GENOMICS develops high-value diagnostic tools designed to improve outcomes for patients with cancer by supporting more precise treatment selection. The company's portfolio includes HER2DX, the first genomic test clinically validated to provide prognostic information and support treatment decision-making in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer, as well as TNBCDX and DNADX, which extend the company's precision oncology capabilities to triple-negative breast cancer and circulating tumor DNA analysis, respectively.

About REVEAL GENOMICS(R)

REVEAL GENOMICS, S.L. is a Barcelona-based biotechnology company that discovers, develops, and markets innovative diagnostic tools for optimizing cancer treatment. By leveraging genomic data, advanced analytics, and clinical research, REVEAL provides actionable insights that help physicians personalize therapy decisions.

REVEAL GENOMICS, S.L. is a spin-off company of Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, the University of Barcelona (U.B.), and the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO).

Website: www.reveal-genomics.com







View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127015446/en/









Contact

Further information:Adriana Herrera, [email protected]







 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
EU to show Google how to open up to rival AI services



Brussels, Belgium, Jan 27 (AFP) Jan 27, 2026



Google must provide rival AI services equal access to its features and other search engine platforms access to data, the EU said on Tuesday, as it said it would help the giant over six months to comply with rules.

The EU executive said it would launch proceedings to help Google prepare measures in line with its flagship rulebook, the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Under the DMA, the world's biggest tech companies must open up to competition to give consumers more options and limit abuses linked to market dominance.

US President Donald Trump's government has railed against the law and its sister content moderation law the Digital Services Act, accusing Brussels of unfairly targeting US firms.

The European Commission wants to ensure Google gives rival AI service providers equal access to its Android operating system, and demands the American titan grants competing search engines access to search data.

Brussels believes the move will allow rivals "to optimise their services and offer users genuine alternatives to Google Search".

The EU step is not a formal investigation that could lead to fines.

But if Brussels is not satisfied with Google's efforts, it can later conclude the company is not complying.

And any DMA violations can lead to fines of up to 10 percent of a company's total global turnover.

"We want to help Google by explaining in more detail how it should comply with its interoperability and online search data sharing obligations under the Digital Markets Act," EU competition chief Teresa Ribera said in a statement.

Google pushed back, insisting Android is open by design.

"We're already licensing search data to competitors under the DMA," Google's senior competition counsel Clare Kelly said in a statement.

"However, we are concerned that further rules which are often driven by competitor grievances rather than the interest of consumers, will compromise user privacy, security, and innovation."

The commission said it would conclude the proceedings within six months.

Google already faces a fine under the DMA for favouring its own services in a probe launched in March 2024.

The giant has also been subject to a separate DMA probe since November over suspicions it pushed down news outlets in search results.

The scrutiny does not end with the DMA. Google also faces cases under the bloc's competition rules.

In December, the EU said it had opened a probe to assess whether Google breached antitrust rules by using content put online by media and other publishers to train and provide AI services without appropriate compensation.

That came after the EU slapped Google with a 2.95-billion-euro ($3.5 billion) fine in September for breaking competition rules.

raz/del/jxb
Austria orders Microsoft to stop tracking school children: privacy campaigners



Vienna, Jan 27 (AFP) Jan 27, 2026



Austria's data protection authority has ordered Microsoft to stop using tracking cookies in education software, a privacy campaign group said Tuesday, marking its latest victory against the US tech giant.

The European Center for Digital rights -- which goes by the acronym Noyb, for "None of Your Business" -- filed two complaints against Microsoft in 2024, saying its education software that is widely used in schools violates data protection rights for children.

Last year, the Austrian data protection authority DSB determined that Microsoft "illegally" tracked students using its education software and must grant them access to their data.

In the latest ruling, dated January 21 and provided by Noyb, DSB found that Microsoft lacked a "legal basis" to process "personal data" and must therefore refrain "within four weeks from using cookies that are not technically necessary".

Cookies, which analyse user behaviour for advertising and other purposes, were installed on students' devices without consent, Noyb said.

"Tracking minors clearly isn't privacy-friendly," Felix Mikolasch, a data protection lawyer at Noyb, said in a statement.

A Microsoft spokesperson told AFP the company was reviewing the decision.

"Microsoft 365 for Education meets all required data protection standards and institutions in the education sector can continue to use it" in compliance with the EU's data protection regulation, the spokesperson said.

Noyb has launched hundreds of legal cases that often prompt action from regulatory authorities against tech giants.

The group began working in 2018 with the advent of the EU's landmark General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which aims to make it easier for people to control how companies use their personal information.

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Press Release from Business Wire: ThetaRay



(AFP) Jan 27, 2026



NEW YORK, Jan 27, 2026 (BSW) - In the face of rapidly evolving global regulatory standards and rising Anti-Money Laundering (AML) scrutiny, ThetaRay today announced the launch of Ray, an Agentic AI AML investigation suite designed to transform how financial institutions conduct transaction monitoring investigations. Embedded in the ThetaRay Investigation Center,Ray extends Cognitive AI from detection to investigation, combining autonomous investigative execution with on-demand analyst support enabling financial institutions to significantly improve case resolution time and bring greater consistency to the investigation process across teams and jurisdictions.

Global regulators are converging on higher expectations for investigative quality and documentation. In the European Union, the new Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR) and the broader AML Authority framework, created a unified rulebook requiring stronger due diligence, more rigorous monitoring and record-keeping, and consistent compliance controls across jurisdictions. In the United States, FinCEN's AML and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) priorities reinforce the need for transparent, evidence-based investigations and well-supported Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) narratives.

Together, these shifts create a compliance environment where financial institutions are facing unprecedented investigation pressure as alert volumes surge while regulators expect higher investigative quality, documentation and more defensible decisions. Yet investigation teams remain constrained by manual data gathering, inconsistent case narratives, and complex cases.

Rayis built for this new reality, addressing this operational gap by taking on the investigative heavy lifting: automating evidence collection, behavioral and counterparty analysis, open-source checks, document review and narrative generation, while embedding an on-demand AI assistant that supports human analyst questions and deeper exploration.

Rayautonomously handles the full investigation: from data aggregation to geolocation validation, pattern analysis, counterparty evaluation, adverse-media scanning, and prepares a structured, audit-ready case-file document.

In addition, an embedded, on-demand AI assistant supports the review and escalation process by answering analyst questions, validating assumptions, running additional checks, and summarizing documents. Ray provides deeper investigative context where needed, including visualizations such as charts and graphs that can be attached as supporting evidence within the case file.

"For years the industry tried to modernize investigations with faster detection engines or better interfaces. But the real bottleneck has always been the investigation itself. Ray is one of the first Agentic AI suites built to take that burden on to enable analysts to do their best work," said Moshe Siman-Tov, Chief Operating Officer at ThetaRay. "Banks and fintechs have incredibly capable investigators; what they lack is capacity. Ray restores that capacity. It becomes a partner that handles the complexity so analysts can stay focused on judgment."

"Manual investigations inevitably vary from analyst to analyst. Ray introduces a consistent reasoning framework across the entire operation, reducing subjectivity, and ensuring that each case, no matter who handles it, stands up to scrutiny," said David Shapiro, Regulatory Affairs Manager at ThetaRay. "Most importantly, Ray was built so that every decision is traceable back to evidence. In a regulatory environment that demands transparency, AI explainability is the foundation."

Rayis built and deployed on Microsoft Azure, integrating Azure OpenAI Service and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) to support secure, scalable agentic investigations.

"Financial institutions are moving beyond experimentation toward real, production-grade use of Agentic AI in compliance-critical environments," saidTyler Pichach, Global Head of AIStrategy and GTM for Payments and Banking at Microsoft. "Platforms like Ray demonstrate how Agentic AI, when deployed on a secure and governed cloud like Microsoft Azure, can help banks modernize complex investigation workflows while meeting regulatory expectations for transparency, control, and trust."

With this architecture, institutions can significantly reduce manual investigation time, often by as much as 70%, while improving consistency, transparency and auditability. This positions compliance teams to proactively meet stricter global AML regimes with confidence, consistency, and scale.

"This is an incredibly important moment for us and for the industry," said Brad Levy, CEO of ThetaRay. "I couldn't be more energized by the opportunity to tackle one of the biggest challenges in financial crime compliance. Our mission is simple: to help make global markets more modern and secure for all. The future will be shaped by people who care and by megatechs and specialized fintechs working closely together to raise the bar for transparency, accountability, and lasting trust."

Ray is available immediately within the ThetaRay Investigation Center. The agentic investigation suite is designed for banks, fintechs, and payments platforms managing high alert volumes, lean compliance teams and rising regulatory demands.

About ThetaRay

ThetaRay harnesses the power of Cognitive AI for financial crime compliance, enabling financial institutions to precisely identify legitimate customers while flagging bad actors. The SaaS solutions overcome the limitations of traditional rule-based systems by shortening long implementation lifecycles, enabling efficient, risk-aware compliance operations. By transforming compliance from a regulatory obligation into a driver of growth, ThetaRay allows institutions to scale faster and expand confidently into new markets. By uncovering hidden criminal networks and delivering actionable insights, ThetaRay empowers organizations to combat evolving threats, maintain positive regulator relationships, and enhance customer experiences. Implemented at some of the world's leading financial institutions including Santander, Clear Bank, Mashreq Bank, Payoneer, Onafriq and Travelex, ThetaRay helps financial institutions thrive, fostering trust and confidence across the global financial ecosystem. For more information, visit www.thetaray.com.







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Contact

Media[email protected]







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Press Release from Business Wire: Arthur D. Little



(AFP) Jan 28, 2026



LONDON, Jan 28, 2026 (BSW) - Arthur D. Little (ADL) today announced new leadership appointments in Asia, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the region and supporting the next phase of its growth strategy.

Effective 1 February 2026, Satoshi Ohara will assume the role of Asia Cluster Leader, overseeing ADL's activities across Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and China. At the same time, Kensuke Sobue will become Head of Japan, leading the firm's operations and development in the Japanese market.

These appointments follow the planned transition of Yusuke Harada from his regional and Japan leadership responsibilities after more than a decade of exceptional service. Mr. Harada will continue to support Arthur D. Little during a transition period and will remain closely connected to the firm as Partner Emeritus.

In his new role, Satoshi Ohara, Managing Partner, will focus on strengthening collaboration across Asian markets and deepening integration with ADL's global platform. With more than 30 years of experience in strategic consulting, he has advised leading organizations across industries including healthcare, industrial goods, energy, technology, and financial services.

As Head of Japan, Kensuke Sobue, Partner, will lead ADL's continued development in one of its most important markets. He brings nearly 20 years of consulting experience across Japan and Southeast Asia, with deep expertise in corporate transformation, new business development, M&A, sustainability, and digital transformation. His focus will be on strengthening client impact, developing talent, and reinforcing ADL's premium positioning in Japan.

Under Yusuke Harada's leadership, ADL's presence in Japan and Southeast Asia expanded significantly, with strong and consistent performance over many years. He also played a central role in establishing and growing the firm's footprint across Southeast Asia, Korea and China, laying the foundations for today's Asia cluster.

ADL has been serving clients in Japan from its Tokyo office since 1978. With this strengthened leadership structure, the company is well positioned to accelerate growth in Asia, deepen collaboration across markets, and continue supporting clients with high-impact strategy and transformation services.

Ignacio Garcia Alves, Chairman and CEO of ADL, comments: "Asia is a key strategic region for Arthur D. Little, and these appointments ensure both continuity and renewed momentum. Satoshi and Kensuke bring deep experience, strong leadership, and a shared commitment to delivering lasting impact for our clients. We are also deeply grateful to Yusuke for his remarkable contribution to the firm and his continued support."

NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information, please visit www.adlittle.com







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Contact

Media Contact:Cate BonthuysCatalyst Comms+44 7715 817589[email protected]







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NIAMEY, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Niger's military has said that more than 70 terrorists were "neutralized" across the country between Jan. 19 and 25, including over 50 killed in airstrikes targeting "enemy gatherings."

In a weekly bulletin broadcast Tuesday on state television Tele Sahel, the Defense and Security Forces said "48 suspects were also arrested as part of security and intelligence operations conducted on the ground."

The operations also led to the destruction of major enemy logistics, significantly reducing the armed groups' operational capabilities, the bulletin said. 
Will the EU ban social media for children in 2026?



Brussels, Belgium, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



As France moves one step closer to banning social media for children, the European Union is seriously considering whether it's time for the bloc to follow suit.

Pressure has been rising since Australia's social media ban for under-16s entered into force, and Brussels is keeping a close eye on how successful it proves, with the ban already facing legal challenges.

France had been spearheading a months-long push for similar EU action alongside member states including Denmark, Greece and Spain -- before deciding to strike out on its own.

Its lower house of parliament this week passed a bill that would ban social media use by under-15s, which still needs Senate approval to become law.

At EU level, tough rules already regulate the digital space, with multiple probes ongoing into the impact on children of platforms including Instagram and TikTok.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has advocated going further with a minimum age limit, but first wants to hear from experts on what approach the 27-nation bloc should take.



- 'All doors open' -



Promised by the end of 2025, a consultative panel on social media use promised by von der Leyen is now expected to be set up "early" this year.

Its objective? To advise the president on what the EU's next steps should be to further protect children online, commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said.

"We're leaving all doors open. We will get feedback, and then we will take potential future decisions in this regard," Regnier said on Tuesday.

The European Parliament has already called for a social media ban on under-16s -- with Malaysia, Norway and New Zealand also planning similar restrictions.

France isn't alone in opting not to wait for EU-level action.

Denmark last year said it would ban access to social media for minors under 15.

Both countries are among five EU states currently testing an age-verification app they hope will prevent children accessing harmful content online.

Commission spokesman Regnier said that tool, which is to be rolled out by the end of the year, would be a way for Brussels to enforce compliance with whatever rules are adopted at national level, in France or elsewhere.



- EU vows to 'close cases' -



While the EU has yet to ban children from social media, its content law known as the Digital Services Act (DSA) gives regulators the power to force companies to modify their platforms to better protect minors online.

For example, the DSA bans targeted advertising to children.

The EU can "use the DSA to impact the way that children interact with social media", Paul Oliver Richter, affiliate fellow at the Bruegel think tank said.

In February and May 2024 respectively, the EU launched probes into TikTok, and Meta's Facebook and Instagram, over fears the platforms may not be doing enough to address negative impacts on young people.

In both investigations, the EU expressed fears over the so-called "rabbit hole" effect -- which occurs when users are fed related content based on an algorithm, in some cases leading to more extreme content.

Nearly two years on, the EU has yet to wrap up the probes, although one official says regulators hope to deliver preliminary findings in the first half of the year.

EU spokesman Regnier has insisted "work is heavily ongoing".

Without referring to any specific probes, he said that "for certain investigations, we need more time", but added: "We will close these cases."
Press Release from Business Wire: L&T Technology Services Ltd



(AFP) Jan 28, 2026



BENGALURU, Jan 28, 2026 (BSW) - L&T Technology Services (BSE: 540115, NSE: LTTS),a global leader in AI, Digital & ER&D Consulting Services, announced that it has secured a significant multi-year engagement in its Mobility segment from a leading automotive OEM. The strategic win further strengthens LTTS' long-standing partnership with the premium automotive manufacturer and underscores its growing role in supporting next-generation mobility engineering.

The engagement encompasses advanced software, connectivity and digital engineering services across multiple vehicle technology domains. LTTS will draw on its global engineering expertise, strong domain knowledge and proven delivery frameworks to support the customer's evolving product and technology roadmap.

This win reinforces LTTS' comprehensive mobility engineering capabilities, spanning embedded systems, digital platforms, verification and validation, cloud integration, cybersecurity, and cross-disciplinary software-mechanical engineering. LTTS' investments in state-of-the-art R&D labs and connected mobility infrastructure continue to serve as key enablers for large-scale programs with global OEMs.

Alind Saxena, Executive Director and President, Mobility and Tech at L&T Technology Services, said, "We are proud to deepen our partnership with the valued customer through this strategic engagement. LTTS brings together domain-led engineering, secure development practices and excellence in global delivery to accelerate the future of premium mobility. The win reflects the trust placed in our teams and our commitment to delivering world-class engineering at scale."

About L&T Technology Services Ltd

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) is a global leader in AI, Digital & ER&D Consulting Services. A listed subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), we offer design, development, testing, and sustenance services across products and processes.

Purposeful. Agile. Innovation. is how we drive growth across the Mobility, Sustainability and Tech segments. Our customer base includes 69 Fortune 500 companies and 57 top ER&D companies across industrial products, medical devices, transportation, telecom & hi-tech, and process industries. Headquartered in India, we have over 23,635 employees across 22 global design centers, 31 global sales offices, and 100 innovation labs, as of December 31, 2025.

For additional information about L&T Technology Services log on to www.LTTS.com.







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Contact

Media Contact:Aniruddha BasuL&T Technology Services LimitedE: [email protected]







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Press Release from Business Wire: SES



(AFP) Jan 28, 2026



LUXEMBOURG & BRUSSELS, Jan 28, 2026 (BSW) - SES, a leading space solutions company, and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) today announced an extension of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) GEO-1 satellite service agreement through 2030, with an option to extend until 2032, helping maintain high-precision navigation services for aviation and other critical users across Europe.

By improving the accuracy and integrity of satellite positioning signals, EGNOS supports aircraft in landing in low-visibility conditions, as well as planning more efficient routes, reducing fuel burn and CO? emissions. At the core of the EGNOS service is Europe's regional Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) that improves the accuracy and reliability of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, such as GPS. Beyond aviation, EGNOS supports maritime navigation and precision-driven agriculture, contributing to efficient operations and sustainability by reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Under the extended GEO-1 contract, SES will continue operating an EGNOS hosted payload on its SES-5 satellite, as well as the ground segment from its facilities in Europe.

"This extension ensures a robust EGNOS space segment, ready for the transition towards its next version and the development of new services, while safeguarding high-precision navigation for aviation and other critical users across Europe," said Rodrigo da Costa, EUSPA Executive Director.

"EGNOS is a cornerstone of Europe's aviation and broader navigation applications. The agreement underscores SES' and EUSPA's joint commitment to advancing satellite-based services that enable secure, reliable, and sustainable navigation solutions," said Philippe Glaesener, Senior Vice President, Global Government at SES. "Thanks to the service, millions of users and operators will benefit from efficient and more reliable air transportation services across all of Europe. This commitment reflects our broader mission of delivering resilient satellite solutions for critical infrastructures."

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About SES

At SES, we believe that space has the power to make a difference. That's why we design space solutions that help governments protect, businesses grow, and people stay connected-no matter where they are. With integrated multi-orbit satellites and our global terrestrial network, we deliver resilient, seamless connectivity and the highest quality video content to those shaping what's next. Following our Intelsat acquisition, we now offer more than 100 years of combined global industry leadership-backed by a track record of bringing innovation "firsts" to market. As a trusted partner to customers and the global space ecosystem, SES is driving impact that goes far beyond coverage. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains, and our officers and representatives may make, certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "ensures" and "will". Examples of forward-looking statements include those we make regarding the extension of the satellite service agreement.

Forward-looking statements are not assurances of future performance and are subject to inherent uncertainties and risks that are difficult to predict. Factors that might cause such a difference include those discussed in our filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form F-4, such as disruption or failure of information systems, satellite control and operations networks, and other technology as a result of unauthorized access, misappropriation of data, or other malfeasance and external threats may disrupt our business. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.







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Contact

For further information please contact: Steven LottCommunicationsTel. +352 710 725 500[email protected]







 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
Press Release from Business Wire: Canoga Perkins



(AFP) Jan 28, 2026



QUERETARO, Jan 28, 2026 (BSW) - Canoga Perkins, a global leader in Private 5G network connectivity solutions, announces their first international Private 5G Customer Experience Center at the BLOQUE in Queretaro, Mexico. On January 16th, 2026 the company demonstrated the SyncMetra(R) 100 product and an end-to-end Private 5G solution at the "Experiencing SyncMetra(R)" event attended by government representatives, city representatives, industry leaders, technology partners, system integrators, resellers and end customers.

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Queretaro invests in becoming a global hub for advanced manufacturing, industrial automation, smart agriculture and tech advanced ports applications; the demand for reliable, high-speed connectivity has never been higher. SyncMetra(R) 100 and Canoga Perkins arrive as critical enablers of Deterministic Networking for all these applications. The SyncMetra Platform offers a software-defined, IT-operated 5G network transport solution that guarantees the ultra-low latency required for next-generation industrial applications.

Revolutionizing Connectivity in Mexico - Unlike traditional wireless solutions, SyncMetra is purpose-built to support Time Sensitive Networking (TSN). This capability allows enterprises to deploy various mission critical applications -such as robotic control, Enterprise AI, and AR/VR, manufacturing and automation-without the lag or instability inherent in standard cellular or Wi-Fi networks. As part of the event, Canoga Perkins demonstrated an industrial robotic arm operating flawlessly over an Ultra-Low Latency Private 5G Network supported by SyncMetra.

"Bringing SyncMetra to Mexico is a major milestone for Canoga Perkins and we are gratified by the overwhelming response from industry leaders here," said Malik Arshad, President of Canoga Perkins. "Deterministic networking removes the barriers to digital transformation for the most critical applications. The Bloque is a venue for furthering technology, innovation and digital entrepreneurship. It's fitting that we are demonstrating that deterministic Private 5G and 5G TSN are no longer future concepts- we take pride in developing leading edge solutions that show that these technologies are ready for deployment today."

Key Technology Highlights:

-- Determinism: Guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS) for real-time industrial communication.

-- Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency (URLLC): Precise packet delivery essential for mission-critical automation.

-- IT-Centric Operation: Cloud-managed orchestration via SyncMetra Manager? (SMM) for ease of use.

-- Scalable Architecture: Expands easily to cover large manufacturing floors or complex campus environments.

About the Bloque

BLOQUE is the Innovation and Technology Center of the Municipality of Queretaro, promoted by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology. It is a unique public space in Mexico, designed so that anyone - students, entrepreneurs, professionals, companies and organizations - can learn, create and connect through technology, innovation and talent training. In BLOQUE, citizens find the tools to build tomorrow. We are the space that invites you to create, not just observe. Here ideas come to life and dreams are transformed. We are more than a place: we are the community of the future.

Find out more: BLOQUE - Que es BLOQUE?

About Canoga Perkins

With over five decades of engineering excellence, Canoga Perkins has consistently led the charge in delivering mission-critical network solutions that empower industries to innovate and thrive. Trusted by leading service providers, industrial enterprises, utilities, military branches, and government agencies, Canoga Perkins combines a rich legacy with a relentless drive for innovation. We lead with AI whenever possible, designing intelligent solutions that are not only reliable and secure but also scalable and adaptable, ensuring our clients are always at the forefront of technological advancement.

Learn more at www.canogaperkins.net.







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Contact

Marketing ContactAmber Flores, Marketing[email protected] +1-818-678-3856







 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
Press Release from Business Wire: SLB



(AFP) Jan 28, 2026



HOUSTON, Jan 28, 2026 (BSW) - SLB (NYSE: SLB) has been awarded two five-year contracts by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) to supply wellheads and artificial lift technologies for operations in Block-6, Oman's largest oil and gas concession, while advancing in-country value (ICV).

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The contracts include the provision of low-pressure, high-pressure, and thermal wellheads, as well as electric submersible pumps (ESPs) and progressive cavity pumps (PCPs). These solutions are expected to increase recovery rates and extend the productive life of Block-6 assets.



The contracts include the provision of low-pressure, high-pressure, and thermal wellheads, as well as electric submersible pumps (ESPs) and progressive cavity pumps (PCPs). These solutions are expected to increase recovery rates and extend the productive life of Block-6 assets. Key milestones include expanding local manufacturing capabilities and introducing made-in-Oman gate valve production within six months of commencement.

"These awards reflect our deep commitment to Oman's energy future and advancing in-country value through local manufacturing and talent development," said Jesus Lamas, president, Middle East and North Africa, SLB. "By producing more equipment in country and investing in Omani expertise, we are ensuring that PDO's strategic goals are met with sustainable, locally driven approaches. Our focus is on delivering innovative wellhead and artificial lift solutions that drive production efficiency and maximize recovery. Through our ongoing investment in advanced technologies and tailored services, we support our customers' production and recovery goals with capabilities designed to meet their evolving operational needs."

Wellheads will be produced at SLB's Rusayl production center, and ESPs will be assembled at its Nizwa assembly, repair, and testing center, supporting hundreds of Omani employees. SLB will deploy advanced technologies including the 15k SOLIDrill modular compact wellhead system, ESP surveillance systems, and ESP permanent magnet motors, which reduce power consumption and enhance sustainability.

About SLB

SLB (NYSE: SLB) is a global technology company that has driven energy innovation for 100 years. With a global footprint in more than 100 countries and employees representing almost twice as many nationalities, we work each day on innovating oil and gas, delivering digital at scale, decarbonizing industries, and developing and scaling new energy systems that accelerate the energy transition. Find out more at slb.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws - that is, statements about the future, not about past events. Such statements often contain words such as "expect," "may," "can," "estimate," "intend," "anticipate," "will," "potential," "projected" and other similar words. Forward-looking statements address matters that are, to varying degrees, uncertain, such as forecasts or expectations regarding the deployment of, or anticipated benefits of, SLB's new technologies and partnerships; statements about goals, plans and projections with respect to sustainability and environmental matters; forecasts or expectations regarding energy transition and global climate change; and improvements in operating procedures and technology. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the inability to achieve net-negative carbon emissions goals; the inability to recognize intended benefits of SLB's strategies, initiatives or partnerships; legislative and regulatory initiatives addressing environmental concerns, including initiatives addressing the impact of global climate change; the timing or receipt of regulatory approvals and permits; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in SLB's most recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize (or the consequences of such a development changes), or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and SLB disclaims any intention or obligation to update publicly or revise such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.







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Contact

MediaJosh Byerly - SVP of Global CommunicationsMoira Duff - Director of External CommunicationsSLBTel: +1 (713) 375-3407[email protected]

InvestorsJames R. McDonald - SVP of Investor Relations & Industry AffairsJoy V. Domingo - Director of Investor RelationsSLBTel: +1 (713) 375-3535[email protected]

slb.com/newsroom







 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
Press Release from Business Wire: Seequent



(AFP) Jan 28, 2026



CHRISTCHURCH, Jan 28, 2026 (BSW) - Seequent, the Bentley Subsurface company, says mining and civil geoprofessionals turning to AI still struggle to unlock value from increasingly complex, multisource datasets, according to its 7th Geoprofessionals Data Management Report.

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Geoprofessionals spend a quarter of their time managing data and are increasingly turning to AI, reveals new Seequent survey.



The global report, based on a survey of more than 1,000 geoprofessionals worldwide, highlights teams grappling with complex datasets across multiple software platforms, unmanaged historical data, and significant time spent on routine data administration.

Angela Harvey, Chief Customer Officer, Seequent, said: 'According to the report findings, geoprofessionals on average spend over a quarter of their time on data management. They are actively seeking to harness the information it contains for competitive advantage, but limited data frameworks mean too much time is spent managing data, versus interpreting results.'

Both civil and mining geoprofessionals cite issues with data quality, integrating diverse sources, and accessing good quality historical data, with many organisations lacking a centralised 'single source of truth.' At the same time, AI momentum is building. Across all industries 51% of organisations are now using or at least considering using AI, increasing from just 30% two years ago.

'Data is the most valuable asset of any organisation, and it's clear from our report that both the civil sector and the mining sector are ready to unlock that value. The surge in AI consideration shows a clear appetite for innovation. The opportunity now is to build the data foundations that will allow these technologies to thrive and deliver on their promise of a more efficient and sustainable future,' Harvey said.

Data 'the core asset that drives every decision' in mining

In mining, 80% of geoprofessionals view data management as being of high or critical importance. Mining geoprofessionals spend almost a third of their time on data management tasks. Yet foundational frameworks lag: only 39% of mining organisations have a defined data management framework.

Dr Janina Elliott, Segment Director, Mining, Seequent, said: 'In mining, data isn't just a byproduct of operations but the core asset that drives every decision, from exploration to reclamation. Our report shows that the industry is laser-focused on data management, but it also highlights the next major challenge: unlocking the full value from current and historical data, as the mining industry positions itself for a future where AI and automation will be increasingly important.'

In civil infrastructure, 'foundational frameworks for success are often missing'

Sixty-nine per cent of civil geoprofessionals rate data management as critically or highly important. According to the survey results, civil geoprofessionals spend over a fifth of their time on data management. Only 41% of civil geoprofessionals have an established framework, with just 30% maintaining a formal data chain of custody.

Pat McLarin, Segment Director, Civil, Seequent, said: 'The civil sector is grappling with a data paradox. Geoprofessionals are spending a significant amount of their time - a full day a week - on data management, yet they still face challenges that impact project outcomes. Our report shows that while the will to be data-driven is there, the foundational frameworks for success are often missing.'

The Geoprofessionals Data Management Report 7th Edition provides a comprehensive look at the state of data management across the mining and civil infrastructure industries.

Download a copy of the report Downloadimages

# # #

About Seequent

Seequent, The Bentley Subsurface Company, helps organisations to understand the underground, giving them the confidence to make better decisions faster. Seequent builds world-leading technology that is at the forefront of Earth sciences, transforming the way our customers work. Every day we help them develop critical mineral resources more sustainably, design and build better infrastructure, source renewable energy, and reduce their impact on the environment.

Seequent operates in 145+ countries while proudly maintaining headquarters in New Zealand.

Newsroom:https://www.seequent.com/company/news-media/ Seequent on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 2026 Bentley Systems, Incorporated. Bentley and Seequent are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries.







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Contact

Press Contact: Mike Eng, Ph [+64] 22 4101 603, [email protected]







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Press Release from Business Wire: Laserfiche



(AFP) Jan 28, 2026



LONG BEACH, Jan 28, 2026 (BSW) - Laserfiche - the leading SaaS provider of intelligent content management - today announced major enhancements to its AI-powered data extraction tool, Smart Fields. The update introduces automated document classification and tagging, allowing organizations to move from unstructured content to informed decisions in seconds.

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Using natural language prompts instead of rigid, ruled-based OCR, Smart Fields can now identify document type - such as invoices, taxpayer identification forms, or student transcripts - and automatically apply the correct metadata template using AI. Users can also use Smart Fields to automatically add informational and security tags to files that meet certain criteria, defined using a natural language prompt. Users can capture key details, route documents, and apply the proper metadata tags instantly and at scale.

"Success in today's AI-driven landscape is defined by speed to insight," said Michael Allen, chief technology officer at Laserfiche. "By using AI in Laserfiche content management, we are transforming organizations' digital repositories into active engines for business intelligence. Smart Fields allows users to bypass the friction of manual data entry, saving time for more high-value decision-making."

Redefining Document Capture for the AI Era

Traditional capture methods often require specialized technical knowledge and complex configuration. Laserfiche Smart Fields, first launched in 2025, eliminates this barrier by allowing users to describe the data they need using natural language. Key updates include:

-- Automatic classification: Smart Fields recognizes document types and matches them to the appropriate template.

-- Intelligent auto-tagging: Administrators define tags once, and the Smart Fields applies them during ingestion to help organizations with consistent security and findability.

Smart Fields has helped customers capture metadata from content such as financial documents, vendor forms and legal contracts, cutting document management processes down from months to seconds. These enhancements reduce operational overhead and human error, and support enterprise-wide data consistency while freeing up technical resources.

Key benefits include:

-- Automated organization: Smart Fields eliminates manual sorting by classifying documents on entry.

-- Dynamic security controls: Auto-tagging supports both informational and security classifications, enabling organizations to automatically protect sensitive content.

-- Simplified automation: Classification data can trigger workflows, like approvals or retention schedules, without complex coding.

"The true value of AI in the enterprise is its ability to shed light on dark data, or what Laserfiche calls 'ghost content,'" said Andrea Malick, principal advisory director at Info-Tech Research Group. "By automating the foundational work of document organization, organizations can finally bridge the gap between content silos and actionable insights, making sure that information is not just stored, but systematically ready for the AI era."

For More Information

-- Learn more about Laserfiche's AI-powered document management capabilities at laserfiche.com/ai.

-- Explore insights into automation, document management and digital transformation in AI era by downloading the Laserfiche report, "The State of Document Management and AI."

-- Find out more about ghost content and how it impacts your data strategy in the Laserfiche Blog.

About Laserfiche

Laserfiche is the leading enterprise platform that helps organizations digitally transform operations and manage their content with AI-powered solutions. Through scalable workflows, customizable forms, no-code templates and AI-enabled capabilities, the Laserfiche(R) document management platform accelerates how business gets done. Trusted by organizations of all sizes - from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises - Laserfiche empowers teams to boost productivity, foster collaboration, and deliver a superior customer experience at scale. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Laserfiche operates globally, with offices across North America, Europe and Asia.

Connect with Laserfiche:

Laserfiche Blog | X | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube







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Contact

Media Contact:Linda Domingo Communications Director, Laserfiche [email protected] 562-988-1688 ext. 234







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Amazon to cut 16,000 jobs worldwide



New York, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



US online retail and cloud computing giant Amazon said Wednesday that it would be cutting 16,000 jobs worldwide as part of a restructuring, as it focuses spending on artificial intelligence.

The job cuts, which follow already flagged plans to cut its workforce by 14,000 posts, are aimed at "reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy," senior vice president Beth Galetti said in a statement.

Media reports from October had said the roughly 30,000 job cuts planned in total would impact nearly 10 percent of the 350,000 office jobs at Amazon, without affecting the distribution and warehouse workers that make up the bulk of its 1.5 million employees.

At the time the company refused to comment on the reports, which said they came amid increased investments in artificial intelligence.

Amazon did not give any breakdown of the latest job cuts on Wednesday, saying only that "every team will continue to evaluate the ownership, speed, and capacity to invent for customers, and make adjustments as appropriate."

The company will release its full-year 2025 results on February 5. In its last quarterly earnings statement in October, the company said it spent $1.8 billion on severance costs tied to planned job cuts.

Amazon said that new positions will be offered to employees where possible, without giving further details on which divisions will be affected by the cuts.

The layoffs are in line with a trend to trim white-collar management jobs across big tech. Microsoft in July said it had slashed a little less than four percent of its global workforce, about 15,000 jobs.

Facebook owner Meta has also cut jobs over the past year, in a move intended to remove organizational bloat following aggressive hiring during the pandemic.

Dutch tech giant ASML on Wednesday said it would cut cut hundreds of management jobs to improve internal organisation, with HP and Oracle also announcing recent layoffs.

Like other tech giants, Amazon is making massive investments to grab a slice of the AI revolution pie.

It is particularly banking on the performance of its subsidiary Amazon Web Services (AWS), the world's leading cloud provider, which is engaged in a race against its fast-growing rivals, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

And spending on developing new AI-based chips and services is growing exponentially. In December, Amazon announced that it would invest more than $35 billion in India.

lem-arp/msp
UK proposes to let websites refuse Google AI search



London, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Britain's competition watchdog proposed Wednesday that websites be allowed to opt out of having content used by Google's "AI Overviews" feature as it tackles the technology giant's dominance in online search.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in October paved the way for tougher regulation on the matter, under new targeted measures focused on technology giants.

Last year it designated Google with "strategic market status" (SMS), subjecting it to special requirements, following a nine-month investigation.

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said Wednesday that the regulator's proposal, which is out for consultation until February 25, "would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google's search services".

She added in a statement that it "would also provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google's AI Overviews".

The CMA proposed that publishers "be able to opt out of their content being used to power AI features such as AI Overviews or to train AI models outside of Google search".

"Google will also be required to take practical steps to ensure publisher content is properly attributed in AI results," it added.

Website publishers, particularly media outlets, say that AI pilfers their content without compensation to feed its models.

They also argue that the AI-generated summaries discourage clicks to publishers' original pages, reducing traffic to their sites and in turn cutting their advertising revenue.

"Google is able to extract valuable data without reward, harming publishers and giving the company an unfair advantage over competitors in the AI model market," said Owen Meredith, chief executive of industry group, News Media Association.



- 'Confusing experience' -



Google's search engine accounts for more than 90 percent of online enquiries in the UK, according to the regulator.

It also says that over 200,000 businesses in the UK rely on Google search advertising to reach customers.

Responding to the watchdog's announcement, Google said it was already exploring updates to its controls "to let sites specifically opt out of search generative AI features".

"Any new controls need to avoid breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people," the company's principal for product management, Ron Eden, said in a statement.

Among its other proposals, the CMA suggests displaying a screen to facilitate changing a user's default search engine, and rules guaranteeing a fair ranking of results, which Google should be able to demonstrate.

"These measures will give publishers -- including news and other content producers -- stronger bargaining power and support the long-term sustainability of trusted information online," Will Hayter, executive director for digital markets at the CMA, said in a blog post.

"They will also help people verify sources in AI-generated results and build trust in what they see," he added.

The UK's stricter regulation is modelled on the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which a handful of tech giants -- including Apple, Google, and Meta -- must comply with.

Google employs more than 7,000 people in the UK, according to its website.

zap-bcp/ajb/rl

GOOGLE

Apple
MANILA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday urged Filipinos to remain vigilant amid reports of the spread of the Nipah virus abroad, even as it assured the public that the country is prepared to prevent its entry and transmission.

The DOH said the recent detection of confirmed human cases of Nipah Virus in West Bengal, India, is being closely monitored globally.

It noted, however, that there are no international recommendations for travel restrictions at this time.

While the Philippines' borders remain open, the DOH said proactive border screening measures continue to be enforced to protect the public from the entry of infectious diseases. These include online health declarations before travel, on-arrival thermal scanning, and trained observation of travelers at ports of entry.

The DOH stressed that the Nipah virus is not new to the Philippines. It was detected as early as 2014 in the southern Philippines, where 17 cases were recorded.

Following the 2014 incident, no further Nipah virus cases were detected in the country, said the DOH. 
Trump warns US to end support for Iraq if Maliki returns



Washington, United States, Jan 27 (AFP) Jan 27, 2026



President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to end all US support for Iraq if Nouri al-Maliki, a former prime minister with ties to Iran, returns to the post.

Trump, in his latest blatant intervention in another country's politics, said that Iraq would make a "very bad choice" with Maliki, who has been nominated as prime minister by the largest Shiite bloc.

"Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq," he said.

"If we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!" he wrote, adopting his slogan at home.

Maliki left power in 2014 following pressure from the United States, which blamed his nakedly sectarian Shiite agenda for giving rise to the Islamic State group of ultra-violent Sunni extremists.

The United States wields key leverage over Iraq as its oil export revenue is largely held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, in an arrangement reached after the 2003 US invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Oil sales account for around 90 percent of Iraqi government revenues.

Trump's statement came days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced similar concerns in a telephone call with the incumbent prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The United States had also sent a letter to Iraqi politicians saying that Washington views Maliki negatively, political sources said.



- Delay in parliament -



By convention, a Shiite Muslim has been prime minister since the fall of Saddam, who ruthlessly repressed the Shiite majority in Iraq.

On Saturday, the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite parties with varying ties to Iran that holds a parliamentary majority, endorsed Maliki.

Normally he would then be nominated by the president, who holds a largely ceremonial role.

Iraq's parliament was set to elect a president on Tuesday but the vote was abruptly delayed.

The presidency traditionally goes to a Kurd, and the official INA press agency said that the two main Kurdish parties had requested more time to come to a consensus on a candidate.

Before Trump's open call to dump Maliki, an Iraqi political source said that the Coordination Framework was set on moving forward with the nomination, believing that Maliki could eventually allay Washington's concerns.

A pro-Iranian government in Iraq would be a rare boon for Tehran's Shiite clerical state after it suffered major setbacks at home and in the region.

The Islamic republic has killed thousands of Iranians since mass protests erupted in late December in one of the largest threats to the clerics' rule since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Since suffering the October 7, 2023 attacks, Israel has hit Iran both with strikes inside the country and heavy blows against Tehran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah, while Iran lost its main Arab ally with the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

The United States has enjoyed smooth relations with Sudani, who has worked quietly to prevent violence by Iraqi Shiite armed groups tied to Iran.

Sudani has also cooperated with the United States to bring into Iraq a caravan of Islamic State prisoners from Syria, where the army recently moved on Kurdish fighters who had run the detention camps.

Even during Sudani's term, Maliki annoyed the then US administration of Joe Biden by helping push through a harsh anti-LGBTQ law.

The United States has long intervened in other countries, but Trump has broken precedent by meddling openly.

Trump has backed fellow right-wing candidates in elections in Poland, Romania and Honduras, where the Trump-backed winner was inaugurated Tuesday.

Trump earlier this month ordered a deadly military operation into Venezuela that removed leftist president Nicolas Maduro, a longtime US nemesis.

burs-sct/dw
Kim says NKorea soon to unveil 'next-stage' nuclear deterrent plans: KCNA



Seoul, Jan 27 (AFP) Jan 27, 2026



North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has announced that his country's next steps in developing its nuclear arsenal will be revealed at the upcoming ruling party congress, KCNA reported Wednesday.

The congress meeting "will clarify the next-stage plans for further bolstering up the country's nuclear war deterrent," Kim was quoted as saying as he oversaw a ballistic missile test on Tuesday.

North Korea is set to hold a landmark congress of its ruling party in the coming weeks, its first in five years.

KCNA said Kim, accompanied by senior North Korean officials, attended the test-firing of a "large-caliber" multiple rocket launcher that fired four missiles.

While acknowledging that development of the rocket launcher system had "not been plain sailing", Kim said Tuesday's test was "of great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent."

The rockets "hit a target" in waters 358.5 kilometers (222.7 miles) away, according to the North Korean leader.

The ballistic missiles were fired toward the Sea of Japan, with two missiles landing outside the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, Japanese state news agency Jiji Press had reported, citing defence ministry sources.

"The result and significance of this test will be a source of excruciating mental agony and serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us," Kim said.

Tokyo condemned Pyongyang for Tuesday's missile test, saying it violated UN Security Council resolutions and was a threat to the peace and safety of the region as well as Japan, the Kyodo News Service reported.



- Second test in January -



The test was Pyongyang's second of the month, following a salvo of missiles fired hours before South Korea's leader headed to China for a summit.

It came a day after a high-level visit to Seoul by the Pentagon's number three official, Elbridge Colby, who hailed South Korea as a "model ally".

Ties between the United States and South Korea, longstanding treaty allies, were forged in the bloodshed of the Korean War (1950-53).

Washington still stations 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against the nuclear-armed North.

Pyongyang routinely denounces Washington and Seoul's joint military drills as rehearsals for invasion.

Last month, Kim bashed Seoul's push to develop its own nuclear-powered submarines with the United States, calling it a "threat" that "must be countered".

During his first term, US President Donald Trump met with Kim three times, in an effort to reach a denuclearisation deal.

But since a summit in Hanoi fell through over differences about what Pyongyang would get in return for giving up its nuclear weapons, no progress has been made between the two countries.

Trump had expressed hopes for a meeting with Kim ahead of a regional summit in South Korea in October 2025, but these went unanswered by the North Korean leader.
US probe to determine cause of 2025 DC air collision



New York, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



US safety officials met Tuesday to determine the probable cause of a crash between a military helicopter and a passenger jet a year ago near a Washington-area airport.

Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board convened a hearing on the January 29, 2025 collision between a Sikorsky Black Hawk chopper and a Bombardier plane flown by an affiliate of American Airlines that killed 67 people.

NTSB board members voted on a probable cause and recommendations, with a final report expected in the coming weeks.

The investigative agency had released earlier "urgent" recommendations with restrictions on military helicopters near Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) when certain runways are in use.

The body also organized a three-day hearing last summer that revealed a significant discrepancy between the altitude displayed in the aircraft and its actual height.

Investigators at the meeting had compiled a list of more than 70 areas for improvement, from the staffing of the air traffic control tower at the time of the crash to communication between the two aircraft.

Among their findings, investigators discovered more than "18 reports per year on average of close calls between airplanes and helicopters near DCA in the four years before the accident."

In the Potomac River area where the collision occurred, helicopters are required to stay below 61 meters (200 feet). But the helicopter was at an elevation of 85 meters (278 feet) at the time of the collision.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said Tuesday a military helicopter's altitude readings could have a margin of error of as much as 30 meters (100 feet). But pilots were not aware of this discrepancy at the time of the accident.

Military manuals have been updated with this guideline, an Army official told the hearing Tuesday.

The US government admitted in December it was liable for the accident, according to a Department of Justice filing in a civil lawsuit against the US government and the commercial airline operating the plane.
Greenland blues to Delhi red carpet: EU finds solace in India



New Delhi, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Presiding over the signing of a major trade deal alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen broke into a large smile.

A diplomatic and economic coup, the EU-India pact comes as a welcome piece of good news for Brussels after a tumultuous few weeks dominated by US threats over Greenland.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, von der Leyen described it as a tale of "two giants who choose partnership" and "the best answer to global challenges".

In spite of its eye-tickling pollution, the Indian capital must have felt like a breath of fresh air for von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa, who co-led the EU delegation.

As they flew away from Brussels over the weekend, the pair left behind a just-defused crisis in transatlantic relations and internal squabbling over another trade deal with South American nations.

In New Delhi, authorities rolled out the red carpet for the pair, who were feted as guests of honour at India's Republic Day parade.

Posters emblazoned with their faces adorned lampposts across the city.

Costa, whose family hails from Goa, proudly flashed his Indian identity card at a press conference where Modi celebrated him as "the Gandhi of Lisbon".

Meanwhile local media praised von der Leyen's burgundy and gold brocade outfit -- a nod to Indian fashion.

It was a far cry from the scorn and threats reserved for Europe by its traditional ally the United States at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week.

European officials had been hoping to make progress on Ukraine at the Swiss ski resort -- a goal drowned out by US President Donald Trump's push to wrest control of Greenland from EU member Denmark.



- 'Difficult job' -



Trump made an about-turn after talks with NATO chief Mark Rutte -- a change of heart EU officials were keen to credit to Europe's firm response -- and the climbdown took the sting out of an emergency summit called on the Greenland issue.

One year into Trump's second term, Costa said the European Union has "learned how to manage" the ups and downs, and not to "react to each message".

"We need to keep calm and continue to have a polite, respectful relationship," the council chief told AFP. "At the same time, we need to diversify our relationships".

But few in Europe believe the Greenland crisis was a one-off bump in the road, with the unpredictable US leader at the helm.

Maros Sefcovic, the EU's trade chief, told AFP he scours through newspaper headlines each morning in anticipation of "what else might happen".

"It's indeed a difficult job," he quipped.

Yet he said the same was true for most other countries, which in turn found renewed appeal in what Europe has to offer: partnership, predictability and stability.

India, for one, was left bruised by tariffs slapped on it by the White House over its purchase of Russian oil as New Delhi and Washington were negotiating a -- so-far-elusive -- trade deal.

"The last year has turbocharged the European trade policy," Sefcovic said.

Pushing to reduce its dependencies on the United States and China and lower the cost of US tariffs, the EU was negotiating or looking to open talks with an array of nations including the Philippines, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, he said.



- 'New opportunities' -



By cutting or eliminating tariffs on almost 97 percent of European exports, the deal struck in New Delhi will help ease access to India's 1.4-billion-people-strong market for cars, wine, pasta and other EU products.

But the signing also allowed Brussels to turn the page after a just-sealed pact with South American bloc Mercosur was cast into limbo by a legal challenge in the European parliament.

That setback added to rancorous divisions among member states over the deal's impact on European farmers, who remained deaf to the EU's arguments and staged months of tractor-mounted protests against the accord.

European officials hope the new India deal will also help bring the South Asian giant diplomatically closer to Europe.

Neutral on Ukraine, New Delhi has relied on Moscow for key military hardware for decades, but has tried to cut its dependence by diversifying imports and pushing its own domestic manufacturing base.

Modi said a security partnership struck alongside the trade deal would provide "new opportunities" for defence companies.

While denying a pivot away from Russia, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said India was interested in hosting the joint production of European military kit.

Monday's Republic Day parade featured Russian helicopters and planes, alongside dancers and motorcycle daredevils.

But, in perhaps a hint of things to come, it ended with a squad of French-made Rafale fighter jets zooming overhead.
North Korea to soon unveil 'next-stage' nuclear plans, Kim says



Seoul, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will unveil plans to bolster his nuclear forces at an upcoming ruling party meeting, state media reported Wednesday, after a missile launch he said would bring "excruciating mental agony" to his enemies.

The landmark congress of North Korea's ruling Workers Party is expected in the coming weeks and is its first in five years.

Kim has ordered the "expansion" and modernisation of the country's missile production ahead of that meeting.

Overseeing a ballistic missile test on Tuesday, Kim said the party congress "will clarify the next-stage plans for further bolstering up the country's nuclear war deterrent", the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Kim, accompanied by senior North Korean officials as well as his young daughter, watched the test-firing of a "large-caliber" multiple rocket launcher that fired four missiles, KCNA said.

"The result and significance of this test will be a source of excruciating mental agony and serious threat to the forces that attempt to provoke a military confrontation with us," Kim said.

While acknowledging that development of the rocket launcher system had "not been plain sailing", Kim said the test was "of great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent".

Photos released by state media showed Kim and his daughter, who analysts believe is called Ju Ae, watching the missile launch.

The rockets "hit a target" in waters 358.5 kilometres (222.7 miles) away, according to the North Korean leader.

The ballistic missiles were fired toward the Sea of Japan, with two missiles landing outside the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, Japanese state news agency Jiji Press had reported, citing defence ministry sources.

Lee Ho-ryung, principal researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, told AFP the upcoming congress would likely see Kim announce "that the goal is now to maximise nuclear operational prowess".

"Kim Jong Un has used past party congresses to stress the completion of the country's nuclear capability, and this time he is expected to declare that such capability has now reached its peak," she said.



- Second test in January -



The test was Pyongyang's second of the month, following a volley of missiles fired hours before South Korea's leader headed to China for a summit.

It followed a high-level visit to Seoul by the Pentagon's number three official, Elbridge Colby, who hailed South Korea as a "model ally".

Ties between the United States and South Korea, longstanding treaty allies, were forged in the bloodshed of the Korean War.

Washington still stations 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against the nuclear-armed North.

"Pyongyang may have been signalling to Washington that it possesses response capabilities on an entirely different level from those of countries such as Venezuela," Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told AFP.

Last month, Kim bashed Seoul's push to develop its own nuclear-powered submarines with the United States, calling it a "threat" that "must be countered".

During his first term, US President Donald Trump met with Kim three times, in an effort to reach a denuclearisation deal.
EU top diplomat urges 'more European' NATO as Trump upends ties



Brussels, Belgium, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Europe must step up efforts on defence and play a bigger role in NATO as US President Donald Trump has "shaken the transatlantic relationship to its foundation", EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Wednesday.

"Let me be clear: we want strong transatlantic ties. The US will remain Europe's partner and ally. But Europe needs to adapt to the new realities. Europe is no longer Washington's primary centre of gravity," Kallas told a defence conference in Brussels.

"This shift has been ongoing for a while. It is structural, not temporary. It means that Europe must step up -- no great power in history has outsourced its survival and survived."

Trump rocked European allies this month by threatening to seize Greenland from NATO and EU member Denmark -- before eventually backing off.

The crisis -- the latest to buffet ties since his return to power a year ago -- has reinforced calls for the continent to cut its decades-long reliance on NATO's dominant military superpower for protection.

Kallas remained clear-eyed that NATO remains the bedrock of European security.

She said EU efforts should "remain complementary" to those of the alliance, but insisted Europe needed to play a bigger role.

"Especially now, as the US is setting its sights beyond Europe, NATO needs to become more European to maintain its strength," she said.

"For this, Europe must act."

European countries have already ramped up defence budgets since Russia invaded Ukraine four years ago, and agreed last year to massively hike NATO's spending target under pressure from Trump.

The EU last year also launched a raft of initiatives that it says could see its members plough an additional 800 billion euros into defence.

Washington meanwhile has said it wants European allies to take over more responsibility for the conventional defence of the continent as US focus switches to other threats like China.

"The risk of a full-blown return to coercive power politics, spheres of influence and a world where might makes right, is very real," Kallas said.

She insisted Europe "must acknowledge that this tectonic shift is here to stay. And to act with urgency."

Kallas' comments come after NATO chief Mark Rutte told EU lawmakers to "keep on dreaming" if they thought Europe could defend itself without the United States.

In a Monday address to the bloc's parliament, Rutte insisted that Europe would have to double its spending targets to afford the "billions and billions of euros" it would cost to replace the US nuclear umbrella.

The head of the Western military alliance also warned that if Europe tried to build its own forces to replace the United States in NATO then it would play into Russian leader Vladimir Putin's hands.

"Putin will love it. So think again," Rutte said.

Instead he urged the EU to use its traditional strengths to generate funding and cut regulation to help the defence industry grow.
Europe urged to 'step up' on defence as Trump upends ties



Brussels, Belgium, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Europe must step up efforts on defence and play a bigger role in NATO as US President Donald Trump has "shaken the transatlantic relationship to its foundation", EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Wednesday.

Trump rocked European allies this month by threatening to seize Greenland from NATO and EU member Denmark -- before eventually backing off.

The crisis -- the latest to buffet ties since his return to power a year ago -- has reinforced calls for the continent to cut its decades-long reliance on NATO's dominant military superpower for protection.

"Let me be clear: we want strong transatlantic ties. The US will remain Europe's partner and ally. But Europe needs to adapt to the new realities. Europe is no longer Washington's primary centre of gravity," Kallas told a defence conference in Brussels.

"This shift has been ongoing for a while. It is structural, not temporary. It means that Europe must step up -- no great power in history has outsourced its survival and survived."

Kallas remained clear-eyed that NATO remains the bedrock of European security.

She said EU efforts should "remain complementary" to those of the alliance, but insisted Europe needed to play a bigger role.

"Especially now, as the US is setting its sights beyond Europe, NATO needs to become more European to maintain its strength," she said.

"For this, Europe must act."

European countries have already ramped up defence budgets since Russia invaded Ukraine, and agreed last year to massively hike NATO's spending target under pressure from Trump.

The EU last year also launched a raft of initiatives that it says could see its members plough an additional 800 billion euros into defence.

Washington meanwhile has said it wants European allies to take over more responsibility for the conventional defence of the continent as US focus switches to other threats like China.



- 'Keep on dreaming' -



Kallas' comments come after NATO chief Mark Rutte told EU lawmakers to "keep on dreaming" if they thought Europe could defend itself without the United States.

Rutte insisted Europe would have to double its spending targets to afford the "billions and billions of euros" it would cost to replace the US nuclear umbrella.

The head of the Western military alliance warned that if Europe tried to build its own forces to replace the United States in NATO then it would play into Russian leader Vladimir Putin's hands.

"Putin will love it. So think again," Rutte said.

Instead he urged the EU to use its traditional strengths to generate funding and cut regulation to help the defence industry grow.

EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius, speaking at the same event as Kallas, insisted Europe needed to "rapidly build our independence -- independence in defence: without delays and without excuses".

"To be clear, independence does not mean alone. Independence means together," he added.

Camille Grand, the head of European defence lobby group ASD, told AFP manufacturers would be able to match almost all the capabilities the United States can produce in the coming years.

But he said the aim was not to eliminate US support entirely -- but rather for European forces to be able to take the lead in defending the continent.

"Is the baseline scenario: the United States defends Europe, or does Europe defend Europe with the help of the United States?" he said.

"It is important that Europeans reach this second scenario as quickly as possible."
Turkey urges US to start nuclear talks with Iran



Istanbul, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Turkey's top diplomat urged Washington to start nuclear talks with Iran in an interview broadcast Wednesday, as US warships arrived in the region ahead of a possible strike over Tehran's protest crackdown.

"It's wrong to attack Iran. It's wrong to start the war again. Iran is ready to negotiate on the nuclear file again," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television in English.

"My advice has always been to our American friends: close the files one by one with the Iranians. Start with the nuclear issue and close it. Then move on to the others."

Fidan's comments after a US naval strike force led by an aircraft carrier took up position in Middle Eastern waters, US Central Command said on Monday, without revealing its precise location.

Washington has not ruled out new military intervention against Tehran over its harsh response to the protests, which according to rights groups saw thousands of people killed within days.

Since Iran began its crackdown earlier this month accompanied by a nationwide internet blackout, US President Donald Trump has given mixed signals on intervention.

NATO member Turkey, which shares a 530-kilometre (330-mile) border with Iran, has often expressed opposition to military operations targeting the Islamic Republic.

Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the unrest in Iran as a "new test" for Tehran, pledging Turkey would "stand against any initiative" that would drag the region into chaos.

He said he hoped diplomacy and dialogue would help Iran get through this "trap-filled period".

Speaking to Al-Jazeera, Fidan said the problems with Iran should be tackled individually.

"Do not treat them as a package. If you put everything together as one package, it will be very difficult for our Iranian friends to digest and truly process it," he said.

"In some cases, it may even seem humiliating for them. It would be hard to explain not only to themselves but also to their leadership."

The minister made similar comments Friday, telling Turkey's NTV he had visited Tehran late last year, urging them to "take steps", saying he believed an agreement with the US on the nuclear issue was "possible".

"A friend tells the bitter truth and I said what needed to be said," he said.

Fidan also urged Iran to build trust in the region.

"When I was in Iran two months ago, I was very frank with my Iranian friends. They need to build trust in the region," he told Al-Jazeera.

"They need to pay attention to how they are perceived by regional countries".
Iraq PM candidate Maliki denounces Trump's 'blatant' interference



Baghdad, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Iraq's main candidate for the premiership, Nouri al-Maliki, on Wednesday denounced Washington's "blatant interference", after President Donald Trump threatened to end all support to the country if Maliki took the post.

"We categorically reject the blatant American interference in Iraq's internal affairs," Maliki said on X, adding that "we consider it a violation" of Iraq's "democratic system", in place since the 2003 US-led invasion.

Trump on Tuesday said that Iraq would make a "very bad choice" if Maliki were selected for the top post.

He warned that because of Maliki's "insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq".

Maliki was endorsed as Iraq's next prime minister by the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite groups with varying links to Iran that has been in recent years the main ruling coalition.

In his post, Maliki denounced the US interference saying it "infringes upon the Coordination Framework's decision to nominate" its candidate.

He added that in line with that decision, he "will continue to work until the end, in a way that achieves the higher interests of the Iraqi people".

Maliki, Iraq's only two-term prime minister (2006-2014), fell out with the US during his last stint over deepening ties with Iran and after being accused of pushing a sectarian agenda.

But the 75-year-old shrewd politician remained a central figure in Iraq's politics and a powerbroker whose approval is considered indispensable to any governing coalition.

bur-rh/jsa
Japan has become disruptor of int'l order: Chinese envoy

Xinhua) 10:18, January 28, 2026

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Japan has become a disruptor of international order, said a Chinese envoy on Monday in response to the Japanese representative's statement to an open debate of the Security Council on the international rule of law.

Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said the Japanese representative was distorting facts and misleading, which China firmly opposes and categorically rejects.

Taiwan's return to China was a major outcome of the victory in World War II and constitutes an integral part of the post-war international order. The erroneous remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, he said, seriously violate the obligations of a defeated nation as stipulated in the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender.

He added that the remarks also represent a grave breach of the fundamental principles of international relations enshrined in the United Nations Charter, including respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as non-interference in internal affairs. In essence, such statements seek to deny the outcomes of World War II and undermine the post-war international order.

"Such behavior shows that Japan has become a disruptor of the international order," he said.

During World War II, Japan waged wars of aggression and inflicted untold atrocities on Asian peoples. The International Military Tribunal of the Far East systematically exposed the crimes of Japanese militarism. However, some Japanese politicians and forces have never truly repented or confessed guilt. Instead, they have attempted to deny those crimes and falsify history, he said.

Their so-called reflection on the war focuses ironically on why Japan was defeated rather than on its war crimes. Such a Japan is a perpetrator of wars of aggression, he stressed.

From the Japanese leader threatening the use of force against China, to a senior official in the prime minister's office publicly advocating Japan's nuclear armament and attempting changes to the three national security documents and signaling revisions to the three non-nuclear principles, all of this exposes the attempts of Japan's right-wing forces to promote re-militarization and return to the old path of military expansion. These actions pose new threats to regional and global peace. Such a Japan has become a resurrector of militarism, he said.

The international community must prevent Japan from embarking on the old and evil path of militarism again, he warned.

The Takaichi administration has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, hinted at military intervention in the Taiwan question, and deployed offensive weapons in areas adjacent to Taiwan of China, deliberately creating regional tensions and provoking military confrontation, said Sun, stressing that Japan is a true instigator of regional tensions.

China strongly urges Japan to do serious self-reflection, genuinely acknowledge and repent for its wrongdoings, stop making provocations and crossing lines, and earn the trust of China and the international community through concrete actions, he said.

A Japanese representative made an additional statement. Sun asked for the floor again to reject his remarks.

Sun said the Japanese representative not only refused to acknowledge wrongdoing but continued groundless justifications, leaving the Chinese side no choice but to respond again.

If Japan truly abides by the UN Charter and is committed to upholding the international order, Sun asked, why do its leaders, from a country defeated in World War II, interfere in the internal affairs of a victorious nation and even threaten the use of force.

If Japan genuinely seeks to build a nuclear-weapon-free world as a so-called peace-loving country, why has its government floated revising the three non-nuclear principles and even talked of introducing nuclear weapons.

If Japan truly upholds the international rule of law, why has it failed to fulfill its obligations under international legal documents such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, which require complete disarmament and prohibit the maintenance of industries capable of rearmament.

And if Japan's position on the Taiwan question has indeed remained unchanged, he asked, why can it not fully and accurately reaffirm the stance set out in the 1972 Sino-Japanese Joint Statement.

Sun said China's demand has always been categorically clear. China urges Japan to face history squarely, reflect on its wrongdoings, retract erroneous remarks and stop shaping a new type of militarism. China hopes Japan can take concrete actions to come clean with the people of China and the world at large.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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LIGONIER, Pennsylvania  All that remained of Ruthie's Diner on Jan. 21 was charred, ice-encased rubble  the aftermath of firefighters' desperate efforts to extinguish the blaze that ultimately consumed the modest eatery, which for more than 70 years had served locals and the travelers, anglers and hunters heading east along the Lincoln Highway.

Several locals pulled into the parking lot and simply stared, at a loss for words as they watched a community mainstay reduced to charred ruins, thin smoke still rising from the ashes.

Ruthie's was the kind of place where everyone felt familiar, whether you'd been in last week, last month or only when hunting and fishing season came around.

It was where my parents took me, and where I later took my children and grandchildren. For anyone who walked through those doors, it felt like home: comforting, unpretentious and powerful in its simplicity.

It was the kind of place that served chicken-fried steak smothered in gravy, their version of peas and carrots succotash, and a pile of french fries unlike any other. Outside of the mile-high pies, it was the french fries that everyone loved.

Originally known as Burnsy's Diner in the 1950s and '60s, it was so rooted in the community that it even sponsored its own bowling team in the Ligonier Valley league and was famous for staying open 24 hours a day.

Every time I went, I met not just locals but hunters and anglers on their way to cabins, Pittsburgh families headed for the Flight 93 National Memorial or Idlewild, and neighbors gathering after Sunday services at one of the many churches that dot this Westmoreland County village.

Now Ruthie's joins that painful category of "used-to-be" places that linger in the memory long after they're gone. And this wasn't the familiar story of neglect or empty tables slowly choking the life out of a business, which does not make the loss hurt any less.

In bigger, more transient places, a loss like this barely registers. But here, the loss of Ruthie's lands like a gut punch, largely because the people who filled its booths weren't passing through; they were planted. Most Americans, for example, still live close to where they grew up. A U.S. Census Bureau study found that by age 26, nearly 60% live within 10 miles of their childhood home, and 80% within 100 miles.

That kind of rootedness rarely shows up in the way news is framed, which too often reflects the worldview of the rootless, the people who dominate the power structures of legacy media. They tend to live in the "super ZIP codes" of Washington, D.C., and New York, the centers of wealth and power, and their assumptions end up shaping the national story the rest of us are handed.

Why does that matter when it comes to Ruthie's? Because people who live unrooted lives, not always, but often, are less able to grasp what's really lost when a place like this disappears. This wasn't just the closing of a diner. It was the loss of a room that held whole chapters of life, dinners with grandparents who are gone now, late-night meals with high school friends, the familiar booth you could still return to instead of relegating all of it to memory.

Those attachments aren't sentimental clutter. They're part of emotional well-being. There's real power in being able to revisit the places that shaped you  and in being able to bring your children and grandchildren into them, so the story becomes something shared, not just remembered.

Ruthie's wasn't just stitched into the social fabric of this area; it was part of American roadside culture. It opened long before the Pennsylvania Turnpike existed, back when the Lincoln Highway carried travelers from one end of the state to the other, and sometimes from one end of the country to the other.

And it endured. It survived the turnpike siphoning away business as cars sped past the exit. It resisted the pull of homogenized chain-restaurant menus, and the even worse temptation of food fads, holding fast instead to the same personal touch through every shift in America's driving and dining habits.

The social cohesion that Ruthie's gave everyone who passed through her doors has left a void, one that tells the story of all of us, and serves as a reminder to hold on to, frequent and cherish the Ruthie's in your city or town.

(COMMENT, BELOW)

Salena Zito is a CNN political analyst, and a staff reporter and columnist for the Washington Examiner. She reaches the Everyman and Everywoman through shoe-leather journalism, traveling from Main Street to the beltway and all places in between.
BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's solar power sector saw steady expansion in 2025, contributing significantly to the growth of the nation's overall power generation capacity, according to data released Wednesday by the National Energy Administration (NEA).

As of the end of 2025, China's total installed power generation capacity reached 3.89 billion kilowatts (kW), a year-on-year increase of 16.1 percent. Solar energy was the standout performer in the country's energy mix, with installed capacity surging 35.4 percent to 1.2 billion kW.

Wind power also continued its steady expansion, with installed capacity reaching 640 million kW, up 22.9 percent year on year.

The NEA data also showed the cumulative average utilization of power generating equipment (for power plants rated 6,000 kW and above) was 3,119 hours in 2025, a decrease of 312 hours compared to 2024.

China has built the world's largest renewable energy system, vowing to accelerate the green transition across the board. 
Denmark PM says Europe can improve defences 'now'



Paris, France, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in Paris on Wednesday that Europe needed to improve its defences "now" to become less reliant on the United States for military protection.

Europe's alliance with the US through NATO has been shaken by President Donald Trump's threat to seize Greenland from Denmark, which he has since rowed back.

But NATO chief Mark Rutte told EU lawmakers on Monday to "keep on dreaming" if they thought Europe could defend itself without the US.

In response to Rutte's comments, Frederiksen conceded it would be "extremely difficult" for Europe to defend itself right now.

"Because when you look at intelligence, nuclear weapons, and so on, we depend on the US," she said at Sciences Po university.

"But I think we're able to do more than what is being said publicly right now."

As for a 2035 target to ramp up spending on NATO, she said: "I'm sorry to say it would be too late."

"I think rearming ourselves now is the most important thing."

NATO members committed to raising defence and security spending last year to 5 percent of their economic output, following on from an earlier target of 2 percent by 2024, after pressure from the US government.

Fredriksen said Europe had made a "big mistake" by cutting military budgets in the past.

Frederiksen, along with Greenland's premier, was due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron later on Wednesday.
Turkey urges US to start nuclear talks with Iran



Istanbul, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Turkey's top diplomat urged Washington to start nuclear talks with Iran in an interview broadcast Wednesday, as US warships arrived in the region amid fears of a strike over Tehran's protest crackdown.

"It's wrong to attack Iran. It's wrong to start the war again. Iran is ready to negotiate on the nuclear file again," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television.

"My advice has always been to our American friends: close the files one by one with the Iranians. Start with the nuclear issue and close it. Then move on to the others."

Fidan's comments came after a US naval force led by an aircraft carrier took up position in Middle Eastern waters, US Central Command said on Monday, without revealing its precise location.

Washington has not ruled out a new military intervention against Tehran over its harsh response this month to protests, which according to rights groups has left thousands dead.

Since Iran began its crackdown, accompanied by a nationwide internet blackout, US President Donald Trump has given mixed signals on intervention.

NATO member Turkey, which shares a 530-kilometre (330-mile) border with Iran, has often expressed opposition to military operations targeting the Islamic Republic.

Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the unrest in Iran as a "new test" for Tehran, pledging Turkey would "stand against any initiative" that would drag the region into chaos.

He said he hoped diplomacy and dialogue would help Iran get through this "trap-filled period".

In a phone call on Wednesday, Fidan and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi evaluated "efforts to reduce tensions in light of recent developments in the region", a Turkish diplomatic source said.

Speaking to Al-Jazeera, Fidan said problems with Iran should be tackled individually.

"Do not treat them as a package. If you put everything together as one package, it will be very difficult for our Iranian friends to digest and truly process it," he said.

"In some cases, it may even seem humiliating for them. It would be hard to explain not only to themselves but also to their leadership."

The minister made similar comments Friday. He told Turkey's NTV he had visited Tehran late last year, urging them to "take steps" and he believed a nuclear agreement with Washington was "possible".

"A friend tells the bitter truth and I said what needed to be said," he said.

Fidan also urged Iran to build trust. "When I was in Iran two months ago, I was very frank with my Iranian friends. They need to build trust in the region," he told Al-Jazeera.

"They need to pay attention to how they are perceived by regional countries".
Greenland dispute is 'wake-up call' for Europe: Macron



Paris, France, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday a standoff with the United States over Greenland was "a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe" as he hosted the leaders of Denmark and the Danish autonomous territory for talks.

European powers have sought to join forces after US President Donald Trump roiled the transatlantic alliance by threatening to seize strategically-located and mineral-rich Greenland.

Speaking alongside the prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland, Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Macron said the "awakening" must focus "on asserting our European sovereignty, on our contribution to Arctic security, on the fight against foreign interference and disinformation, and on the fight against global warming."

He reaffirmed to Frederiksen and Nielsen France's solidarity and "its commitment to your sovereignty and territorial integrity."

"France will continue to defend these principles in accordance with the United Nations Charter," he added, expressing his support for increased NATO engagement in the Arctic.

"Greenland is not for sale, nor is it up for grabs. The Greenlanders will decide their own future," Macron said in the indigenous Greenlandic language.

He then switched to Danish, telling the prime minister that France would "be side-by-side" with the "Kingdom of Denmark".

In a gesture of solidarity, a modest number of military personnel were deployed to Greenland this month by a handful of European countries including France.

After European pushback, Trump backed down on the threat to take Greenland, which is located between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, by military force.

On Tuesday, the French navy flagship, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, set course for the Atlantic for pre-planned military exercises. Sources familiar with the matter told AFP that the carrier was being deployed to the North Atlantic.



- 'Greenland will never forget' -



Frederiksen said that recent weeks had shown that Europe can stand up for itself.

"The world order as we have known it is under pressure, it's changing rapidly," she added. "Maybe it's gone."

Nielsen, 34, thanked Macron for "standing by us without hesitation."

"We will in Greenland never forget it," he said.

He said cooperation with France was not only about Greenland.

"It goes beyond Greenland," Nielsen said. "For us, this is about the values in the world, our democracy."

Speaking earlier Wednesday, Frederiksen said that Europe needed to improve its defences "now" to become less reliant on the United States for military protection.

On Monday, NATO chief Mark Rutte told EU lawmakers to "keep on dreaming" if they thought Europe could defend itself without the United States.

In response to Rutte's comments, Frederiksen conceded it would be "extremely difficult" for Europe to defend itself now.

"Because when you look at intelligence, nuclear weapons, and so on, we depend on the US," she said at Sciences Po university.

"But I think we're able to do more than what is being said publicly right now."

As for a 2035 target to ramp up spending on NATO, she said: "I'm sorry to say it would be too late."

"I think rearming ourselves now is the most important thing."

NATO members committed to raising defence and security spending last year to five percent of their economic output, following on from an earlier target of two percent by 2024, after pressure from the US government.

On Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosted Frederiksen in Berlin and assured her of Germany's solidarity.

fz-vl-fff-sjw-as/giv/tw
Probe launched into drug use at German defence academy



Berlin, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Germany's armed forces have launched an investigation into illicit drug use at a military academy, the defence ministry said Wednesday, vowing "zero tolerance" on the issue.

"Drugs were not only allegedly consumed but also sold by students" at the German Armed Forces University in the northern city of Hamburg, the ministry said in a statement without specifying which drugs were involved.

A campus search was carried out in mid-January and disciplinary measures have been taken in the investigation targeting officer cadets, said ministry spokesman Kenneth Harms.

He added that law enforcement authorities are also involved.

"To be perfectly clear, drug use and drug possession are incompatible with the values upheld in the German Armed Forces, and we maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy in this regard," he said.

The ministry said an investigation was also underway into "potentially humiliating initiation rituals" at the university.

The issue comes as the German armed forces steps up a recruitment drive, sending questionnaires to all young men turning 18.

The drive is part of Germany's broader effort to build up the military as Europe worries about Russia and the strength of US commitment to NATO.

The ministry is already investigating a scandal centred on sexual misconduct and right-wing extremism at an elite paratrooper regiment based in the southwestern town of Zweibruecken.
Rubio says US closely watching China shake-up, points to graft



Washington, United States, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



The United States is closely watching developments in China after the removal of a top general, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday, as he pointed to corruption as the cause.

Rumors had swirled about the reasons for the probe before Saturday's announcement in China, where President Xi Jinping has launched a sweeping drive stated as aiming to root out graft.

Rubio said that the firing of the general was "part of a pattern we've seen over the last few years, which is a purge in their military."

"They're spending a lot of money on their military and obviously some of these guys are stealing that money and they're trying to address that," Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"It's an issue internally in their system. They're obviously not sharing with us or talking to us in depth about any of that, but it's certainly something we watch with interest," Rubio said.

China announced Saturday that Zhang Youxia, the senior vice chairman of its powerful Central Military Commission, and another senior official were being put under investigation for "serious violations of discipline."

Xi, often described as the most powerful Chinese leader in decades, has championed crackdowns on corruption since taking office more than a decade ago.
Colombian security forces kill 5 members of top cocaine cartel



Bogota, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Colombian security forces killed five members of the country's largest drug cartel, including a regional kingpin, the government said Wednesday ahead of a meeting in Washington between presidents Gustavo Petro and Donald Trump.

The US leader is set to host his leftist sparring rival Petro at the White House next Tuesday for talks on combatting drug trafficking from Colombia, the world's top cocaine producer.

Writing on X, Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said seven members of the Gulf Clan were "neutralized" during a joint operation by the police and air force in Magdalena department on the Caribbean Sea.

A defense ministry official on Wednesday told AFP that five cartel members were killed and two captured.

Sanchez said the dead included Wilson Dario Ruiz Velez, who goes by the alias "Moises" or "07" and whom the minister said was "responsible for the violent expansion of the group in the Caribbean region."

The highly anticipated meeting between Trump and Petro follows a bitter war of words on social media, which culminated with Washington sanctioning Petro and his family for alleged narcotrafficking.

Petro, a former left-wing guerrilla, denies the allegations.

He has been fiercely critical of Trump's migrant deportations and Washington's campaign of deadly strikes on suspected Latin American drug boats.

After the US ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Trump warned Petro to "watch his ass" but the pair have since sought to dial down tensions and vowed to cooperate in the war on drugs.

Petro's government has held peace talks with the Gulf Clan in Qatar, as part of the president's bid to get all remaining armed groups in Colombia to disband.

The negotiations have yet to produce tangible results.



das/lv/cb/msp




Iraq PM candidate Maliki denounces Trump's 'blatant' interference



Baghdad, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Iraq's main candidate for the premiership Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday denounced Washington's "blatant interference", after President Donald Trump threatened to end all support to the country if Maliki took the post.

The US has held significant sway over Iraqi politics since leading the 2003 invasion that ousted long-time ruler Saddam Hussein.

"We categorically reject the blatant American interference in Iraq's internal affairs," said Maliki, the only former Iraqi prime minister to have served two terms since the invasion.

"We consider it a violation" of Iraq's "democratic system", in place since 2003, he added on X.

In response to Trump's threat, several hundred people protested in the evening near the US embassy in Baghdad, chanting "Yes for Maliki", while some burned a poster bearing the image of Trump and an American flag, an AFP journalist said.

Maliki fell out with Washington during his premiership (2006-2014) over growing ties with Iran and accusations that he pushed a sectarian agenda.

But the 75-year-old shrewd politician has remained a central figure in Iraq's politics and a powerbroker whose approval is considered indispensable to any governing coalition.

On Tuesday, Trump said that Iraq would make a "very bad choice" if Maliki were selected for the top post.

He warned that because of Maliki's "insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq".

Maliki was endorsed as Iraq's next prime minister by the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite groups with varying links to Iran that has emerged in recent years as the main ruling coalition.



- 'Until the end' -



Since the invasion, Iraq has long been a proxy battleground between the US and Iran, with successive governments negotiating a delicate balance between the two foes.

But Iraq's new prime minister is set to return to power at a time of seismic changes in the Middle East, as Tehran's regional influence wanes and as Washington threatens possible military intervention in Iran.

In his post on Wednesday, Maliki said the US involvement "infringes upon the Coordination Framework's decision to nominate" its candidate.

He added that, in line with that decision, he "will continue to work until the end, in a way that achieves the higher interests of the Iraqi people".

Several Iraqi political sources told AFP that the coalition is set to meet soon to discuss Trump's ultimatum.

It is "a complicated situation", said a source close to the Framework, adding that there had been internal divisions within the coalition over supporting Maliki, but that a majority vote ultimately settled the issue.

Maliki's backers are now pushing to maintain his candidacy and "not back down", he added.

Trump's statement came days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced similar concerns in a telephone call with outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

Sudani's parliamentary bloc said on Wednesday that choosing a prime minister is an "Iraqi affair", while stressing the need "for positive, balanced relations with friendly and allied countries, especially the United States, based on mutual respect".

The US had also sent a letter to Iraqi politicians saying that Washington views Maliki negatively, political sources told AFP.

Iraq's new premier will be expected to address Washington's longstanding demand that Baghdad disarm Tehran-backed factions, many of which are designated terrorist groups by the United States.



- 'Precarious moment' -



Two US-sanctioned armed groups that are part of the Coordination Framework on Wednesday slammed Trump's meddling in Iraq's affairs.

"We reject all attempts to interfere in our country's internal affairs or influence the peaceful transfer of power, and we refuse any external dictates," said the Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction, while Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada also expressed its rejection of Trump's remarks.

Last month, Iraqi officials and diplomats told AFP that Washington demanded that the incoming government exclude Iran-backed armed groups.

Before Trump's call, an Iraqi political source said that the Coordination Framework was set on moving forward with the nomination, believing that Maliki could eventually allay Washington's concerns.

Maliki "thinks differently today", an Iraqi politician told AFP.

After decades of conflicts and chaos, Iraq has recently regained a sense of stability.

But it is struggling with weak economic growth and cannot risk punitive measures by the US, which has already sanctioned several Iraqi entities, accusing them of helping Tehran evade sanctions.

Political scientist Renad Mansour warned that the US might use its leverage over Iraq.

"Sanctions, access to US dollars... and of course, the military threat is there," he said, referring to strikes against pro-Iran groups.

"Iraq is now in a very precarious moment... and there's a lot of concerns over the relatively newfound stability."
Iran vows to resist any US attack, insists ready for nuclear deal



Paris, France, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



Iran's foreign minister warned Wednesday its forces would respond immediately and forcefully to any US military operation after President Donald Trump declared time was running out to avoid one, but did not rule out a new deal on Tehran's nuclear programme.

The Islamic republic's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi warned its forces have their "fingers on the trigger" to "powerfully respond" to any US strikes, but also used language strikingly similar to Trump's to describe a possible agreement to defuse the stand-off through a new nuclear deal.

"Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL -- on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation -- which ensures Iran's rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS," Araghchi posted on X.

"Such weapons have no place in our security calculations and we have NEVER sought to acquire them," he added, restating Tehran's long-standing insistence -- dismissed by sceptical Western capitals -- that its nuclear programme is focused only on research and civilian energy development.

Earlier, before Trump's latest declaration, Araghchi had said "conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful".

But if some saw his shift in tone as an opening, Ali Shamkani, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, posted more stark language warning of conflict and strikes on US ally Israel.

"A limited strike is an illusion," he posted on X.

"Any military action, from America from any origin and at any level, will be considered the start of war, and its response will be immediate, all-out and unprecedented, targeting the heart of Tel Aviv and all supporters of the aggressor."



- 'Massive armada' -



Hours earlier, Trump had warned that a "massive armada" of US naval vessels was heading to waters off Iran and ready "to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary".

But, mirroring Trump's language, Araghchi added: "Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal -- NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS -- one that is good for all parties."

After Trump issued his latest threat, his top diplomat Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Iranian leadership was at its weakest ever point and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz predicted the Islamic republic's "days are numbered" after this month's deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.

Separately, Germany's ally France joined Berlin in backing a push for the European Union to declare Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a "terrorist organisation".

The IRGC is seen as Iran's ideological army with the mandate to ensure the survival of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

It is already designated as a terror group by Canada and the United States, but not yet by the EU or UK.

Anti-government protests erupted in late December and peaked on January 8 and 9. A rights group said more than 6,200 people were killed.

Washington has expressed support for the revolt, but Trump's recent statements have focused more on Iran's nuclear programme than the fate of the demonstrators.

In June last year the US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during Israel's 12-day war against the Islamic republic.



- 'Severe damage' -



Analysts say US options include strikes on military facilities or targeted hits against the leadership under Khamenei, in a full-scale bid to bring down the system that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the shah.

Following a call on Tuesday between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and de facto Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Iran reached out to other US allies in the region.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is also foreign minister and expressed support for "efforts aimed at reducing escalation", Qatar's foreign ministry said.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty meanwhile held separate calls with both Araghchi and Witkoff, and stressed the need to "work towards de-escalation", the Egyptian foreign ministry said.



- 'New dimensions of crackdown' -



In an updated toll, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had confirmed that 6,221 people had been killed, including 5,856 protesters, 100 minors, 214 members of the security forces and 49 bystanders.

But the group added it was still investigating another 17,091 possible fatalities. At least 42,324 people have been arrested, it said.

HRANA warned that security forces were searching hospitals for wounded protesters, saying this highlighted "new dimensions of the continued security crackdown".

Monitor Netblocks on Wednesday said internet connectivity was back to around 95 percent nearly three weeks after the blackout was imposed by authorities, but cautioned users still faced "heavy filtering".
Trump troop deployments in US cities cost nearly $500 mn in 2025



Washington, United States, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



President Donald Trump's contentious deployments of troops in multiple US cities cost nearly $500 million in 2025, according to an estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) published Wednesday.

Trump sent troops onto the streets of Democratic-led cities including Los Angeles and Washington, DC to quell allegedly out-of-control unrest, while court challenges blocked him from doing so in some other locations.

The deployments are set to cost tens of millions more per month this year.

"CBO estimates that those deployments...cost a total of approximately $496 million through the end of December 2025," its director Phillip Swagel wrote in response to a request from a top Democratic lawmaker.

At $223 million, the costliest deployment has been the one in Washington, DC, where there are still more than 2,600 National Guard personnel, followed by Los Angeles at $193 million, which saw a higher peak number of troops but for a shorter duration.

The cost of future deployments is "highly uncertain, mainly because the scale, length, and location of such deployments are difficult to predict accurately," Swagel wrote.

If current deployments are continued, "that cost would range from about $6 million a month for 350 personnel in New Orleans, to $28 million a month for 1,500 personnel in Memphis, to $55 million a month" for those in Washington, he added.

In addition to domestic deployments, Trump has repeatedly employed military force outside the United States since returning to office for a second term a year ago.

In the Middle East, he ordered an air campaign against Yemen's Huthi rebels and strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

Closer to home, US forces have targeted alleged drug-smuggling vessels off South America and seized the leader of Venezuela and his wife.
by Xinhua writer Li Yue

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- After years of decline, marriage registrations rebounded across regions in China last year, government data showed, as reforms eased long-standing registration rules and gave fresh momentum to wedding-related spending, often referred to as the "sweet economy."

The trend was mirrored in several regions. In Shanghai, marriage registrations jumped 38.7 percent year on year to 125,102. Cities with large population inflows also recorded strong gains, with Shenzhen up 28.5 percent and Suzhou rising 33.5 percent. Nationwide, 5.15 million marriages were registered in the first nine months, up 8.5 percent from a year earlier.

Analysts said the rebound reflects the improving policy environment for marriage and childbearing, with support measures beginning to take effect.

They noted that regions attracting large inflows of people, such as the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta, are likely to account for a growing share of national marriage registrations, while smaller cities and rural areas facing population outflows may see declines.

LOVE WITHOUT BORDERS

Much of the growth has been attributed to a new reform that allows couples to register without presenting their household registration booklet, or hukou, ending a decades-long restriction that required people to register their marriage in their place of residence, which, for many, means their hometown.

"We came here specifically because of the new policy," said Mr. Su and Ms. Huang, who registered their marriage soon after the reform took effect in May.

Having worked in Shanghai for a decade, the couple had initially planned to take time off and travel more than 1,000 kilometers back to their hometown in southwest China to complete the formalities.

The change has been especially significant for China's more than 370 million migrant residents, reducing the time and cost of marriage registration. On the first day, registrations under the new rules made up 30 percent of new marriages in Beijing and Shanghai, and more than 452,000 such marriages were recorded nationwide by year's end, official data showed.

Local governments have also moved to make marriage registration easier and more flexible. In Gansu, authorities have upgraded both online and in-person appointment systems, while Liaoning has introduced year-round registration and opened outdoor venues in parks and tourist sites.

"The revised rules go beyond where couples can register. They also push ahead with digital registration systems and expanded counseling services, bringing the process more in line with the needs of modern society," said Hao Haibo, a university professor and an executive council member of the China Society for the Studies of Marriage and Family.

Supportive measures have extended into the workplace. Last year, Sichuan and Shandong announced longer marriage leave, and at least 28 provincial-level regions nationwide now offer extended leave, with Shanxi and Gansu providing up to 30 days.

At the national level, authorities have also issued guidance to rein in exorbitant "bride prices" in rural areas, while strengthening public marriage services and support for rural residents of marriageable age.

With long-standing registration restrictions eased, young couples now have greater flexibility in how and where they formalize their marriages, allowing personal preference and experience to play a larger role.

After the new policy took effect, Liang Sen and Wang Mingyi began considering an unconventional option: a road trip of more than 10,000 kilometers from Jilin City in northeast China, following National Highway 331 to Sayram Lake in Xinjiang, where they planned to register their marriage.

"We both love traveling, and we wanted a marriage registration that felt different," Liang said. Along the way, the couple sampled local snacks, visited sections of the Great Wall and crossed snow-capped mountains -- a journey that unfolded like a road movie made just for them.

Places that offer distinctive settings are already benefiting. Last year, a historic district in Suzhou registered 12,321 marriages, up 88.8 percent year on year.

Preserving the urban layout of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Gusu District is known for its stone bridges, canals and whitewashed houses with black-tiled roofs. From May through year's end, it handled 10,105 marriage registrations, more than half involving couples from outside Suzhou.

Local authorities have also linked marriage registration with cultural tourism, introducing vouchers for dining, clothing and home decor that newlyweds can use at nearly 40 participating merchants.

Across China, local governments are rolling out "marriage-friendly" programs linked to the growth of wedding tourism and related services.

At Sayram Lake in Xinjiang, couples who register their marriage receive lifetime free admission, while in Chengdu, authorities extend registration hours across all districts during selected holidays. In Shanghai, dozens of companies last July formed a "sweet industry" alliance to integrate wedding services with tourism, dining, accommodation and finance.

BEYOND REBOUND

The recent policy reforms and supportive initiatives come against the backdrop of China's long-term demographic challenges, a situation mirrored in many other countries, with marriage registrations long regarded as a leading indicator of future birth rates.

Yuan Xin, vice president of the China Population Association, predicted that the rebound in marriages is likely to boost the fertility rate, potentially leading to a new wave of births in 2026. However, he also noted that fluctuations in birth rates are common during periods of broader demographic decline, both in China and worldwide.

China's total fertility rate has remained low for years, and since 2022, its population has entered a period of decline. China's population stands at roughly 1.4 billion.

Experts also noted that sustaining the trend depends on social policies effectively creating a marriage and birth-friendly environment and easing young people's concerns about the future.

Yang Fan, associate dean at the School of Population and Health, Renmin University of China, noted that policy effects take time to materialize. "It's a gradual process," he said. "What matters most is the long-term stability and continuity of these policies."

The government has extended parental leave and rolled out generous benefits, including an annual tax-free childcare subsidy of 3,600 yuan (about 516 U.S. dollars) per child for families with children under three, as well as free tuition for the final year of kindergarten.

By 2026, China plans to ensure basic childbirth costs are fully covered by insurance programs nationwide. Fertility policy has also been elevated to a key national priority, as highlighted at the Central Economic Work Conference in December 2025, which called for sustained efforts to "stabilize the number of newborns."

From 2026 to 2030, China will emphasize promoting high-quality population development by establishing a sound system to provide full life-cycle population services for all. Measures will focus on different aspects, including encouraging positive attitudes toward marriage and childbearing and refining policies and incentives to support higher birth rates, according to the authorities. 
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Whats not to like? Nothing, until you think of what this might mean in practice, especially when it comes to housing. Right now, demand for social housing in Westminster significantly exceeds supply. From what I can gather, there are over 6,000 households on the register but only around 800-900 homes coming up for rent every year. If youre an ordinary, employed, married couple with several children, good luck, because you could be waiting a century before a 3-bed house comes up. The system operates on a priority band/points basis rather than a waiting list. And its there that supporting refugees to move into settled housing comes into effect. Will refugees be prioritised on the basis that they are refugees? If I were a Westminster resident waiting for a council house, I wouldnt be enthusiastic about that.
The 31-year-old will now also perform on July 1 and 4 as part of the Together, Together tour, as he bids to break Coldplays record of most performances by any artist in a single year at the national stadium in London.
He added: Id like to recognise the awareness and proactivity of our officers in identifying Zenith, then quickly working to link him to further offences. This fast-paced investigative work allowed us to arrest, charge, and bring him before the courts in just two days.
He had success, musical talent and was considered "charming and charismatic" but "it is because Ross Davidson expects to get sex on demand that he will resort to rape and sexual assault if he is not given what he thinks he deserves", Mr Hearnden said.
He added: "It's certainly attracted more press interest than practically anything else which has occurred at this council in my seven-and-three-quarters' years on the council, and I think it's important we can turn around to the thousands of people who've commented on this application, far more than I've ever seen on any other planning application, and be able to give them reassurance that we did cross all the Ts and dot all the Is."
Without that, we will never have the full picture of what happened, and theres a further risk if political decision making is not examined, ministers will attempt to use the final report of the inquiry as proof that the problems were contained entirely within the health board and could not have been prevented by government intervention.
ANKARA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Attacking Iran would be wrong and would risk reigniting war, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said, adding that diplomacy remains viable and that Tehran is ready to re-engage on its nuclear file.

"Attacking Iran is wrong. Restarting the war is wrong," Fidan said in an interview with Al Jazeera, parts of which were aired on Wednesday. "When you begin negotiations, Iran is ready to renegotiate the nuclear dossier," he said.

Fidan said he has consistently advised U.S. officials to address issues with Iran step by step, beginning with the nuclear file.

He said that he visited Iran two months earlier and held frank discussions with the Iranian side, emphasizing the need for Tehran to build trust in the region.

"They need to pay attention to how they are perceived by countries in the region," he said, adding that regional states would continue to coexist.

The remarks came as U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a "massive armada," headed by the Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln and larger than that sent to Venezuela, is heading to Iran, and warned Iran that "time is running out" to make a deal with the United States. Iran has warned of a "comprehensive and regret-inducing" response to any aggression. 
He also told the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Polar Regions: The Canadians just opened one just few days ago, and the French are doing it  Im saying that because I know that will provoke you doing it  so please give that a thought.
Speaking to reporters on the flight to Beijing, he said: The evidence there are opportunities is the fact that weve got so many CEOs with us on this flight, that weve got 60 coming out to explore those opportunities.
Taking questions from journalists after making a speech on Wednesday morning, the Conservative leader said: "You asked, would I be going to China? No, not now, because I don't think that this is the time to do that. We need to be talking to those other countries who are worried about the threat China is posing to them."
The charge, which was eventually dropped in September last year, alleged that O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, had displayed a flag in support of Hezbollah, which is proscribed as a terror organisation by the British Government, at a gig at the O2 Forum in London in 2024.
Well have another summit this year with the EU, which I hope will be iterative, as well as following through on what weve already agreed. And Ive consistently said Im not choosing between the US and Europe. Im really glad that the UK has got good relations with both.
In an address which appears aimed at Tory moderates, Mrs Badenoch is also expected to say: Theres another group of people who seem to think that if we just pretend that nothing bad is happening, everything is going to be OK  as long as we say nice things and dont mention immigration.
SOFIA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Zahari Zahariev, president of Bulgaria's National Association for the Belt and Road, on Wednesday called for deepening ties with China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), highlighting broad prospects for bilateral cooperation in infrastructure.

Speaking at the association's General Assembly, Zahariev specifically noted the development of maritime connections with China, citing a BRI route running "from China, through the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus and the Black Sea, with Bulgaria serving as a gateway to Central and Eastern Europe and Europe as a whole."

He said municipal authorities in Bulgaria's Black Sea ports of Burgas and Varna, particularly Burgas, have expressed willingness to see the route pass through a joint project to construct a shared port center at Port Burgas.

Zahariev added that the pharmaceutical industry could be another area for cooperation with China, along with the development of Bulgaria's energy system.

Wang Min, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria, said at the assembly that China stands ready to continuously deepen its partnership with all countries, including Bulgaria, so that the BRI can become a path to prosperity, cooperation and opportunity, contributing to the stable growth of the global economy and the sound development of international economic and trade cooperation. 
LONDON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation between China and Britain stands at a pivotal moment, as the two countries seek to deepen dialogue and expand practical collaboration in a world marked by growing uncertainty and fragmentation.

Against this backdrop, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China is widely expected as an effort to refocus bilateral relations on win-win cooperation and open a new chapter in engagement.

During the visit, the first trip to China by a British head of government since 2018, Starmer will be accompanied by senior officials and executives from major British companies, underscoring the importance London attaches to ties with China.

On the Chinese side, the message is clear: China stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust with Britain, deepen practical cooperation, open a new chapter of sound and steady development of China-Britain relationship and together make due efforts and contributions to world peace, security and stability.

Starmer has been forthright about why engagement with China matters, calling disengagement from China "a dereliction of duty" and acknowledging China as a defining force in technology, trade and global governance. This signals a shift from ideological apprehension to pragmatic realism. For Britain, especially post-Brexit, strategic isolation from one of the world's most dynamic and influential economies is no longer an option.

Recent experience shows that cooperation with China delivers real benefits. Since last year, ministerial visits to Beijing have helped secure market access worth billions of pounds. Sectors such as finance, pharmaceuticals, creative industries and luxury goods continue to benefit from China's vast demand. China remains Britain's third-largest trading partner in goods and services and cooperation with China supports hundreds of thousands of British jobs, boosting the nation's global competitiveness.

With a population of over 1.4 billion, including more than 400 million in the middle-income bracket, China offers a consumer base unmatched by most economies. For British companies seeking long-term growth, embracing China means embracing opportunity and investing in the future.

Historically, China-Britain relations have been characterized by strong cooperation and mutual benefit. As one of the first Western countries to officially recognize the People's Republic of China, Britain has been a key early partner in fostering diplomatic and economic ties with China. Over the decades, the two nations have cultivated a mutually beneficial partnership, strengthened by major trade agreements, vibrant educational exchanges and deep cultural collaborations.

Since Starmer took office, China-Britain relations have shown signs of steady improvement. High-level exchanges have resumed, including the restart of economic, financial, and trade talks. A series of agreements in different fields demonstrates the Labour government's willingness to develop relations with China in a consistent, long-term and strategic way.

For China and Britain, the priority should be building a resilient relationship that is not easily swayed by external pressures or third-party interests. In an increasingly interconnected world, sustained cooperation offers the most reliable path to stability and shared prosperity.

As the global landscape undergoes profound change, China and Britain have every reason to keep communication open and cooperation steady. By managing differences through dialogue and expanding areas of common interest, China and Britain can contribute to international stability and development, demonstrating that cooperation, not confrontation, remains the more durable answer to a turbulent world. 
Siena Garcia, center, takes an elevator with others during a simulated Mars expedition mission Jan. 16 at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News Jannet Recio, academic education specialist and flight director, explains a mission task during a simulated Mars expedition mission Jan. 16 at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News David Wood raises his hands with others while going through a decontamination chamber during a simulated Mars mission Friday at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News Groups are divided into teams for a simulated Mars expedition mission Jan. 16 at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News Alyssa De Leon, center, and Natasha De La Garze communicate with mission control during a simulated Mars expedition mission Jan. 16 at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News Dr. Sara McAndrew points at a measurement gauge during a simulated Mars expedition mission Jan. 16 at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News Dr. Sara McAndrew, left, and Letty Ramirez tackle tasks during a simulated Mars expedition mission Jan. 16 at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News Siena Garcia, left, and Kimberly Robinson test samples during a simulated Mars expedition mission Jan. 16 at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News Mission control monitors a simulated Mars expedition mission Jan. 16 at the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College. Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News

Forty years after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, the Scobee Education Center at San Antonio College is still working to keep the lost crews legacy alive.

The Scobee center is one of more than 30 Challenger Learning Centers, a nonprofit network of mini-space camps created by the families of the astronauts on the doomed flight to keep the crews educational mission going.

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On most weekdays, Scobee hosts as many as 68 middle- and high-schoolers for simulated missions to Mars. The nearby Micronaut Center sends pre-K through third-grade students on similar experiences but to the International Space Station.

We want Challenger Center to be a living memorial to the future, to the things that are yet to come, and how can we help them take shape, said Rick Varner, director of the education center that opened in 2014. The site also includes a planetarium and observatory.

The center was established in memory of the seven crew members who were part of the Challengers Teacher in Space mission. Its named after the missions commander, Francis Dick Scobee, who attended classes at SAC in the 1960s, as did his future wife, June. Scobee also worked as an airplane engine mechanic at the former Kelly AFB in the late 50s.

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You are no longer adults

But students arent the centers only mission. Sometimes the center lets adults see if they can hack being astronauts.

You are no longer adults. Youre a 12-year-old student in the sixth grade, Mariana Zoll, the centers associate director for instruction, said as she prepared a group of 16 community members for a recent mission.

In the briefing room, the group watched a video about the Challengers crew, including teacher-turned-astronaut Christa McAuliffe and Scobee.

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The crew then donned lanyards and vests and learned about their roles, which included communications, navigation, robotics, life support, weather and medical.

You have been traveling now for the past nine months to get to (Mars moon) Phobos, Zoll said. Half the crew then entered a room bathed in red light, buckled into seats that lined the wall and flew from Phobos to Mars. The rest of the group went to mission control.

Mission control, the spacecraft crew has successfully achieved a stable Martian orbit, said a voice over the intercom.

The crew began their tasks on the station and at the mission control consoles. They used computers to transmit messages back and forth, search for lost satellites or an asteroid, and perform calculations.

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The bio team studied plant bacteria. The life support team monitored oxygen flow and pH levels of water. The nav team calculated fuel amounts.

An asteroid heading toward the spacecraft forced a quick evacuation and return for the Mars team, who then switched roles with those working in mission control.

Congratulations to mission control and the remote geo team for an overall successful outcome for the trip, said the voice over the intercom.

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You have to experience it

The 90-minute missions for up to 34 students and eight adult chaperones cost $500, and the center has some grants available. Each program meets state education standards and reinforces teamwork, communications and problem solving.

We can do bilingual missions and we run bilingual missions, said Jannet Recio, one of the centers instructors and flight directors. Whenever teachers come through our center, not only do they get the field trip, but we give them a lot of online, free resources that weve created, so curriculum that they can use back in the classrooms.

Sometimes the educational missions lead to careers tied to space, including at the Scobee Center.

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Brooke Strowd, an instructor and flight director, said she was a shy middle school student in the East Central Independent School District when her class took a trip to Scobee.

I didnt like to talk, she said. So, my teacher threw me in as the (communications officer) talking on that microphone.

They told her the mission depended on her ability to communicate. Despite her anxiety, she got through it.

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No big deal, she said. And that kind of started my love of space.

She now holds a masters degree in STEM education  science, technology, engineering and math  and inspires kids to look to the stars through her work at Scobee.

We work so hard to get teachers to understand the value, said Pam Bonham, who spent 34 years teaching on the North Side before resigning to join Scobee a year ago. Get in here, you have to experience it.

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The center has planetarium shows most Fridays and sometimes offers simulated space missions to the public.
Elon Musk, seen here in a photo illustration with a person holding a phone displaying the Grok AI logo, has enabled creation of inappropriate sexualized images of people without their consent, the CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate says. Vincent Feuray/Tribune News Service photo illustration

Grok, an artificial intelligence tool created by Elon Musks xAI, generated an estimated 3 million sexualized images in just days this month, including 23,000 of children, a new analysis found.

Conducted by the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, the study focused on images generated from Dec. 29 to Jan. 8, the day before X claimed access to the image editing feature had been restricted to paid users. In fact, non-subscribers are still able to edit images and digitally undress people without their consent.

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Center founder and CEO Imran Ahmed, said Musk has enabled creation of such images.

The data is clear: Elon Musks Grok is a factory for the production of sexual abuse material, he said in a statement to the Austin American-Statesman. Belated fixes cannot undo this harm. We must hold Big Tech accountable for giving abusers the power to victimize women and girls at the click of a button.

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The new report comes with Grok facing condemnation over inappropriate images made without subjects consent and investigation and regulatory action under way in the U.S. and around the world. In Texas, House Democrats have called on Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate the issue. Last week, a bipartisan group of 35 attorneys general sent a letter demanding that xAI take additional action to prevent Grok from generating such nonconsensual images.

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On Monday, the European Union opened a formal investigation to examine whether Texas-based X is fulfilling its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the blocs rules for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products. UK regulator Ofcom had earlier launched an investigation. Several other countries are also investigating.

Researchers at the Center for Countering Digital Hate said it reached its conclusions by analyzing a random sample of 20,000 images from the total of 4.6 million produced by Groks image-generation feature during the time studied.

Researchers analyzed each of the sampled posts using an OpenAI model to assess sexualized imagery and age. The model was instructed to score the likelihood that the posts image contained sexualized depictions, photorealistic depictions and minors. Images flagged by the tool as likely depicting a child were reviewed manually to confirm that the person appeared to clearly be under the age of 18.

All sexualized images of children were reported to the Internet Watch Foundation.

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The images the centers survey found depicted people wearing transparent bikinis or micro-bikinis or women wearing only dental floss, saran wrap or transparent tape. Public figures identified in sexualized images include Taylor Swift, Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch and former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Ashley St. Clair, the mother of Musks son, Romulus, also accused xAI of generating images of her undressed and has filed suit in New York over the explicit images. Musks company sued her back, arguing that disputes with X and xAI must be filed in Texas.

Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks in May during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House. Musks xAI is under increasing global fire for allowing users to create sexualized image of adults and children without their consent. Evan Vucci/Associated Press

Even after the centers research period, sexualized images remained. As of Jan. 15, 29% of sexualized images of children identified in the sample of 20,000 were still publicly accessible in posts on X, the center said.

xAI did not respond to a request for comment. As of this week, Grok reportedly still is generating undressed images of people without their consent.

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An Austin Realtor will appear in episode 12 of HGTV's new series, "Cheap A$$ Beach Houses." Sara Diggins/American-Statesman

An Austin real estate agent is getting a national spotlight this week  and shes inviting the public to celebrate with her.

Clarissa Lopez, an Austin-based Realtor, will be featured on the newest episode of HGTVs new series, Cheap A$$ Beach Houses. The show, which premiered in December 2025, highlights creative, budget-conscious approaches to buying beach properties, according to the network.

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The episode description reads: A Texas family searches for an affordable dream home and their sights are set on the sunny shores of North Padre Island. With their budget anchored down, theyre looking to uncover hidden gems that wont wash out their big family beachy dreams.

To mark the episodes debut, Lopez is hosting a public watch party from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Waterloo Ice House, 9600 Escarpment Blvd. The episode will air on large screens at 8 p.m. with food, drinks and a meet-and-greet before and after the show.

The watch party is open to the public.

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Lopez is an Austin native, and according to her Realtor.com profile, she wins deals for clients by always being candid and honest with a smidge of Texas charm and a very no holds barred approach. According to the profile, she works with sellers and buyers the Austin area and along the Gulf Coast.
Austin Police Department cruiser Austin American-Statesman

An Austin police officer was suspended for one day after an internal investigation found he violated department policy by conducting a high-speed maneuver to immobilize a vehicle without supervisor approval.

According to a Jan. 15 memorandum from Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the disciplinary action stems from a June 20, 2025, incident in which Officer Mason Brown said he witnessed what he believed to be a drive-by shooting from a moving vehicle in East Austin. Brown pursued the vehicle for about 14 minutes over roughly 23 miles, then executed a precision immobilization technique maneuver at nearly 90 mph, despite supervisors denying authorization for a high-speed PIT and instructing him to slow below policy limits.

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According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a PIT maneuver is a technique used by law enforcement personnel to force a fleeing vehicle to abruptly turn 180 degrees, causing the vehicle to stall and stop.

Department policy generally prohibits PIT maneuvers above 40 mph without explicit supervisor authorization.

Brown requested to conduct a high-speed PIT that was denied by the control supervisor Sgt. Hutchins, the original complaint against Brown read. Brown later stated that he was going to attempt to PIT after the speed was reported to be 70 mph. The new control supervisor, Sgt. Paredes, told Brown that he would need to slow down, below 40mph. Brown then conducted a PIT at 87 mph. Officer Brown, by his actions, may have violated APD General Orders.

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Internal Affairs determined Brown did not receive approval to perform the maneuver at that speed and acknowledged during the investigation that he knew he was exceeding policy limits at the time.

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Brown disputed that he violated policy, arguing exigent circumstances and public safety concerns justified his actions.

I considered the risk and this suspects risk to the public far outweighed the risk of conducting the PIT, Brown said in the memo. This is not normal circumstances, to be clear. This is a violent act of felony offense in my presence in front of a police officer in a fully marked police car.

According to the memorandum, the incident began around 2:30 a.m. June 20 when Brown was driving east on Rosewood Avenue. The memo states he observed a black sedan run a stop sign at Thompson Street and then again at Bedford Street.

As Brown prepared to initiate a traffic stop, he reported seeing a gun fired multiple times from the passenger-side window of the vehicle toward a nearby apartment complex, the memo said. Brown later told investigators he could not determine whether the shots were aimed at a specific person but believed the residences were occupied due to the time of night.

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Brown reported the shooting to dispatch and activated his lights and siren, but the vehicle did not stop, the memo said. A pursuit followed, with Brown asking other officers to check on possible victims while he continued chasing the suspect vehicle.

During the chase, Brown requested permission to conduct a high-speed PIT maneuver. That request was denied by a supervising sergeant, and Brown was later instructed by another supervisor to slow the pursuit below 40 mph  the departments general speed threshold for PIT maneuvers without special authorization.

Despite those instructions, Brown executed a PIT maneuver at approximately 87 mph. The driver of the vehicle fled on foot, while the passenger  identified as the suspected shooter  remained at the scene and was taken into custody.

Brown argued that the circumstances justified immediate action and that continuing the pursuit would likely have put others in danger.

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In deciding discipline, Davis cited the risks posed by the maneuver and Browns lack of acceptance of responsibility. Davis also considered Browns prior disciplinary history, which included earlier incidents in 2023 involving similar high-speed PIT maneuvers that posed risks to him and other drivers.
At least five North Texas children have died in winter weather accidents following this weekend's storm. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

A second Texas teen has died as a result of a sledding accident in Frisco last weekend.

Family members confirmed Grace "Gracie" Brito, 16, died Tuesday night after being on life support. Her friend, another 16-year-old girl named Elizabeth "Lizzie" Angle, died in the same accident on Saturday.

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Both girls were riding a sled pulled by a Jeep Wrangler driven by a 16-year-old boy when the sled struck a curb and crashed into a tree. According to a release, police and fire crews attempted life-saving measures on Angle and Brito before taking them to a local hospital. Angle died shortly after, while Brito was critically injured and put on life support.

The incident remains under investigation, with assistance from the Denton County District Attorneys Office, as officials determine whether anyone should face charges. The identity of the boy driving the Jeep Wrangler was not made public as of Wednesday morning.

5 North Texas children dead in winter weather accidents

Brito's death marks the fifth confirmed North Texas child's death as a result of winter weather tragedies.

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On Monday, three young brothers drowned after falling into an icy pond near Bonham, about 70 miles northeast of Dallas. Cheyenne Hangaman told investigators her youngest son had been playing on a frozen pond near their home when he fell through the ice. Two of his brothers followed, trying to save him.

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Despite jumping in herself, Hangaman said she couldn't save her three children. With the help of a neighbor, first responders pulled the two older boys out and began life-saving measures. Both later died at a hospital. The body of the youngest was recovered after an "extensive search," CBS Texas reports. Family members identified the boys as Howard Doss, 6; Kaleb Doss, 8; and EJ Doss, 9.

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Temu and Shein are part of a growing list of Chinese software and hardware companies whose products are banned from being used by Texas state employees. (Photo Illustration by Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett

Texas has added Temu and Shein to a growing list of Chinese tech companies banned from state employee devices as officials say they could pose risks to user privacy and sensitive government data.

Gov. Greg Abbott released an updated list Monday of prohibited technologies that state employees are barred from using on government-issued devices.

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It includes an increasing number of Chinese-based software, hardware and web services including Temu, Shein, Alibaba, Hisense and several others. Among them are apps many people use daily.

According to a statement, the update  developed in consultation with Texas Cyber Command  adds new restrictions on physical hardware, artificial intelligence and software linked to the Peoples Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party and any other hostile foreign actors who may attempt to undermine the safety and security of Texas.

Rogue actors across the globe who wish harm on Texans should not be allowed to infiltrate our states network and devices, Abbott said. Hostile adversaries harvest user data through AI and other applications and hardware to exploit, manipulate and violate users and put them at extreme risk.

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On Jan. 22, a consortium of primarily American technology and finance companies announced it had taken control of TikToks U.S. assets under a Trump administration deal designed to keep the app operating in the United States while complying with a 2024 federal ban.

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What is banned in Texas?

Abbott added 26 Chinese companies to Texas prohibited technologies list. It now includes:

SenseTime

Megvii

CloudWalk

Autel

CATL

Wuhan Geosun LiDAR

Yitu

iFlytek

Uniview

Zhipu (Z.ai)

Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI)

Alibaba

Xiaomi

Gotion High Tech

Baidu

RoboSense LiDAR

TP-Link

Hisense

TCL

Baichuan

StepFun

MiniMax

PDD (Pinduoduo, Temu)

Shein

Moonshot AI

NucTech

Who is affected by the ban?

The restrictions apply to Texas state employees and government-issued devices, not the general public.

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Why are Temu and Shein banned?

Abbott and other state officials say products and services from Temu, Shein and other Chinese companies could pose risks to the privacy of state employees and sensitive government data.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is also investigating Shein over alleged violations of state labor and consumer protection laws, as well as concerns about toxic chemicals found in some of its products.

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Nurse practitioner Debra Lynch writes a note Dec. 5, 2024, to go into a packet of abortion medications that will be mailed to a patient of Delaware-based telehealth provider Her Safe Harbor. Each package includes the two-medication abortion regimen, plus ibuprofen and an anti-nausea medication to help patients as they terminate a pregnancy at home. Bridget Grumet/American-Statesman

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Tuesday against a Delaware-based nurse practitioner and clinic, alleging they violated Texas abortion laws by mailing abortion-inducing drugs into the state.

Debra Lynch, a nurse practitioner, is named in the suit along with Her Safe Harbor, a womens reproductive and sexual health clinic she founded, and a related health care entity also owned by Lynch.

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Paxtons suit alleges that Lynch and Her Safe Harbor conducted telehealth appointments with patients in Texas and then prescribed and shipped abortion-inducing drugs into the state, including mifepristone and misoprostol. The petition identifies multiple Texas cities where Lynch allegedly shipped prescriptions, including Beaumont, Fulshear, Tomball, Houston and El Paso.

The suit also accuses Lynch of violating state laws that require medical providers to be licensed to practice in Texas.

The case was filed in state district court in Jefferson County, which includes Beaumont in Southeast Texas. The lawsuit seeks temporary and permanent injunctions for both alleged violations, as well as court costs and attorney fees.

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The Attorney General's Office sent a cease-and-desist letter to Lynch in August 2025, requesting that she respond within 14 days to demonstrate the steps (Lynch and the clinic) have taken to remedy your violations of Texas law, according to the lawsuit. Lynch did not respond to that letter, the suit alleges.

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This isnt the first time Paxton's office has sued an out-of-state abortion provider.

In December 2024, his office filed a lawsuit against a New York-based provider for prescribing abortion pills via telemedicine, citing similar allegations to those now raised against Lynch.

In an interview with the American-Statesman in late 2024, Lynch said she was more concerned about women feeling isolated and desperate than about potential legal consequences.

I dont fear Ken Paxton, Lynch said in the interview. I dont fear getting arrested or anything like that.

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Additional comments Lynch made to the Statesman at the time were cited in the recent lawsuit.

Her Safe Harbor published a statement Wednesday condemning the lawsuit and warning that it sets a dangerous precedent for other states.

The state of Texas is suing us  not because we harmed anyone, the statement said. Not because we acted recklessly. Not because we violated medical ethics. They are suing us because we helped women access health care.

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"We are being dragged into court by a state that wants to control people who dont even live there," the statement continued. "If Texas can do this, any state can."
From left, Junseong Heo, Dave Cooper and David Carver work on the network cabling above the racks of the Frontera supercomputer. Frontera, currently the largest academic supercomputer, will lose the top spot to Horizon in UT's new facility. The Naitonal Science Foundation gave UT federal funding to develop the supercomputer Horizon. Provided by Texas Advanced Computing Center

The University of Texas at Austin was the top university for research funded by the National Science Foundation nationally in fiscal year 2024  a sign of the universitys leadership in scientific research.

Federal funding pays for 60% of UTs research. In 2024, NSF dollars made up $176.4 million of that funding, accounting for roughly one-quarter of UTs total federal research dollars.

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The National Science Foundations mission is to advance scientific discovery, national prosperity and national security. The federal agency funds thousands of projects at 1,900 universities annually. UTs top rank means the Texas flagship received more funding than any other institution, according to a Higher Education Research and Development Survey released last month.

Two major UT centers studying artificial intelligence computing power and image processing received significant investment from NSF. The research keeps UT on the forefront of the rapidly growing fields while ensuring the public can access its benefits.

I do think people all over Texas, if theyre not already, will be using tools that were created by NSF researchers, said Adam Klivans, the director of the AI Institute for Foundations of Machine Learning.

UT supercomputer

The biggest 2024 NSF grant for UT was a multi-year $457 million investment to build a leadership-class computing center, with UT receiving $26 million of the grant in 2024. The money will go to creating the largest-ever supercomputer, Horizon, which will have ten times the computing power than the current largest computer, Frontera, which is also at UT.

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The facility marks a new major facilities commitment to large scale computing, said Daniel Stanzione, the executive director of UTs Texas Advanced Computing Center, which is spearheading the project.

About 80% of the centers funding comes from NSF alone, he said.

We keep sort of upgrading the level of funding were getting as they trust us more and more to be the right place to do this, he said. UT has built four other supercomputers with NSF over the past two decades.

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He believes UT won the project over other competitors because of the universitys own investment in facilities and research and its successful track record. He called the top NSF ranking and the federal agencys trust a tremendous honor.

They see us as the computing and AI anchor for all the other scientific activities that happen around the NSF, Stanzione said. Its a testament to our general leadership in computational science, but also our track record has had them come back to us through multiple competitive rounds.

Stanzione said the new facility is near completion, and UT will soon begin building Horizon. Construction will take several months. In November, UT bought 4,000 Nvidia artificial intelligence GPUs, or specialized processors, for the project in a move that makes UT the largest owner of AI computing power in all of academia, the university said.

Once Horizon is launched, academic scientists and university partners across the country will be able to take advantage of its computing power, conducting research simulations that can produce major discoveries across disciplines  from drug development to space research.

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The machine is for open science, meaning everyone will be able to see the outcomes of that research, Stanzione said. The project makes research more time and cost effective, analyzing data far faster than humans while enabling simulations that prevent waste, TACCs executive director said.

We dont want to build a million car designs and crash them. We want to do computational simulation and then build 10 prototypes and crash them, Stanzione said. Were using (the tools) to make discoveries about the universe and the world we live in and how it works and how we can make peoples lives better.

Machine learning leadership

Thats not the only impact NSF research has had on campus. Klivans, the director of the AI Institute for Foundations of Machine Learning, said his institute was created by a 2020 NSF grant to study artificial intelligences model accuracy.

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Last summer, the NSF gave UT $20 million in a second round of funding, Klivans said, making it one of only three institutes nationwide that the NSF renewed to lead the nations AI research.

UTs institute studies how to improve AI systems, including advancing machine learning in AI imaging, which is used in healthcare to process MRI images. All the tools and trainings the institute creates are open-source, meaning anyone can access them, Klivans said. Google has used its imaging tools on devices, and Klivans anticipates UTs research will help in the development of devices across Texas.

The NSF ranking shows UT is a real research powerhouse, Klivans said. Beyond the material impacts that come from the research, the rankings drive more talent to UT and keep the university on the forefront of discovery, he said.

In 2025, the university hit $1.37 billion for research expenditures, exceeding 2024's total. UT currently has 4,400 externally funded projects.

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Klivans said UT is distinguished by research strength across its 18 schools and colleges, which leads to interdisciplinary studies that people want to join. UT also ranks in the top 10 for funding from the Department of Defense and Department of Energy.
Travis county residents paid a total of $5.7 billion in property taxes in 2025. Austin American-Statesman

With the deadline to pay property taxes without penalty approaching, many Central Texans are taking a closer look at their tax bills and asking a familiar question: where does all that money actually go?

The deadline to pay property taxes in Travis County  and the rest of Texas  is generally Jan. 31 unless that day falls on a weekend, as it does this year. When that's the case, the deadline typically moves to the following Monday.

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In Texas, property taxes are raised and collected locally, and most of that money is spent close to home. The big exception is schools: districts like Austin ISD are required to send a sizable share of their property tax revenue to the state through a system called recapture, which helps fund public education in property-poor districts elsewhere in Texas.

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In Travis County, the process begins with the Travis Central Appraisal District, or TCAD, which determines the appraised value of each property each year. TCAD does not set tax rates or collect money; its role is limited to valuing properties, administering exemptions and handling protests. Tax rates are set separately by elected officials for each taxing entity.
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed in a bomb blast in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday, local police said.

The explosion occurred in the Wara Mamund area of Bajaur district, an official from the local police station told Xinhua.

Police cordoned off the area, collected evidence from the site, and launched a formal investigation to determine the nature of the blast and those responsible, the official said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blast yet. 
Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old college student at Babson College, was detained by ICE while trying to make a surprise trip to see her family in Austin. Within about 48 hours of her arrest, the agency deported her to Honduras. Courtesy of Todd Pomerleau

Eighty U.S. Democrats urged the Trump administration in a letter Wednesday to swiftly return an Austin college student who was deported in November despite a federal judges order to pause her removal  a case lawmakers say underscores broader failures in the administrations immigration enforcement.

The effort, led by U.S. Rep Greg Casar of Austin, centers on Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a Babson College freshman who was detained by federal immigration agents while flying home from Massachusetts during Thanksgiving week. Lopez Belloza, a 20-year-old Honduran national, was living in the United States with a removal order that her family said she did not know existed. She was deported despite a stay issued by a federal judge, which government lawyers later acknowledged in court was a mistake.

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Government lawyers said during a hearing earlier this month that her deportation was the result of an error by a single officer, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter telling the court, On behalf of the government, we want to sincerely apologize." Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin, however, told the American-Statesman in a statement Tuesday evening that the agency did not err in removing Lopez Belloza and had authority to deport her because of her outstanding removal order.

Wednesdays letter, authored by Casar and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and addressed to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, responds to the governments earlier assertion that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent made a mistake and urges federal officials to return Lopez Belloza to the United States so she can continue her studies at a top-tier university with a full scholarship, the lawmakers wrote.

ICEs mistake has already caused irreparable harm to Ms. Lopez Belloza, the letter said.

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In an interview with the Statesman on Tuesday, Casar framed Lopez Bellozas return as a necessary step to hold the Trump administration accountable for what he described as a larger pattern of chaos and lawlessness in its immigration enforcement.

And one way we can start to fix that is to bring Any back and demand an end to this massive and broken system that is violently deporting thousands of people, Casar said.

U.S. Representative Greg Casar speaks to a large crowd gathered 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

The letter comes about a week and a half after a federal judge presiding over Lopez Bellozas case urged the government, in a memorandum, to consider options for legally returning her to the United States.

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There is a salmagundi of options, U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns wrote, suggesting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio could "exercise his considerable discretion to grant Lopez Belloza a student visa.

Lopez Bellozas attorney, Todd Pomerleau, reiterated Tuesday that he viewed the government's apology as hollow, though he stopped short of accusing officials of acting in bad faith. He said he remains hopeful that Lopez Belloza could return to the United States through several avenues, including a new visa application process her mother has begun.

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Nine Texas Democrats, including U.S. Reps. Lloyd Doggett of Austin and Joaquin Castro of San Antonio, signed the letter as the case continues to test how federal agencies respond when a court order halting a deportation is not followed.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces a new public safety initiative to combat violent crime in Greater Houston during a press conference in Houston, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. Jason Foctman/Houston Chronicle Shaimaa Zayan, left, operations manager for CAIR-Austin, and board member Krista Cole listen during a news conference at the Capitol on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, where elected officials, civil rights advocates and interfaith leaders voiced support for the Council on American-Islamic Relations after Gov. Greg Abbott designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday demanded that Attorney General Ken Paxton move to shutter the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Texas branch, escalating his campaign against the country's largest Muslim civil rights organization.

The Republican governor wrote in a letter to Paxton that CAIR, which he last year declared a foreign terrorist organization, is "masquerading" as a nonprofit, and that only the attorney general has the power to police it.

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"Regardless of the facade CAIR attempts to portray in press releases, CAIR cannot be allowed to use its 'nonprofit' status as a shield for sponsoring terror, advancing radical Islamism in Texas," Abbott said. "Under Texas law, the Texas Attorney General is the only elected official charged with regulating nonprofits that may be violating the law, including by examining their records and stripping their corporate charters. You have used these tools before; I urge you to use them now to combat CAIR."

The attorney general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Muslim rights group has said it is anything but a terror organization and has actually helped federal officials thwart attacks, including alerting the FBI to a potential threat against President Donald Trump during his first term. CAIR is suing Abbott over the designation, calling it unconstitutional and defamatory.

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CAIR's Texas branch said in a statement that it sees Abbott's drive against them as an effort to "silence critics of Israel's genocide."

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CAIR is a vocal critic of Israel, accusing the Israeli government of human rights abuses against the Palestinian people, including occupation, ethnic cleansing and genocide. It has also sued Abbott and other state officials, including challenging the governors executive order directing universities to institute rules punishing students for criticism of Israel.

The people of Texas elected Greg Abbott to serve them, not to serve the Israeli government," CAIR-Texas said in a statement. "Yet Governor Abbott keeps wasting taxpayer dollars on his obsession with smearing Texas Muslims because they dared to oppose Israel's genocide in Gaza.

The governors order accuses CAIR of being tied to Hamas, the U.S.-designated terror organization that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007. Among the evidence it cites is a 2008 terrorism financing case in which CAIR was identified as one of more than 200 groups and individuals with ties to a charity accused of funneling money to Hamas.

Since making the designation, Abbott has urged the U.S. Treasury secretary to strip CAIR of its tax exempt status. And he has directed DPS to launch a criminal investigation into the organization.

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Anti-Islamic rhetoric has dominated the GOP primary in Texas this cycle, with candidates in a slew of races vowing to stop the spread of Islamic law, known as Sharia.

Paxton, meanwhile, has recently used the powers Abbott is urging him to now wield against CAIR on migrant shelters. His efforts to shut those Catholic operations down have been challenged in court, but are ongoing.

Haajrah Gilani contributed reporting.
SYDNEY, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Residents in the northern suburbs of Perth in Western Australia (WA) were on Wednesday afternoon ordered to evacuate immediately due to the danger posed by two separate life-threatening bushfires.

The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said in an emergency warning issued at 1:45 p.m. local time that residents of Gnangara, 20 km north of central Perth, should leave immediately if it is safe to do so.

The warning said that the fire, which started in a pine plantation, was out of control and threatening lives and homes.

"Do not wait and see, leaving at the last minute could put your life in danger," it said.

A separate DFES warning issued shortly before 2 p.m. said that a fire burning near Bullsbrook, 15 km northeast of Gnangara, was also threatening lives and homes and that residents should leave for a safer place.

People in the path of either fire who cannot evacuate have been advised to prepare to shelter indoors in a room with running water.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that thick plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the Gnangara pine plantation. 
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Continued fighting in Sudan's Kordofan region is worsening the already severe humanitarian needs and putting civilians in danger, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Wednesday.

OCHA said the security situation in Dilling, South Kordofan state's second-largest city, remains highly volatile, with humanitarian access routes cut off. The prolonged isolation of the city has driven the humanitarian situation to crisis levels.

"Humanitarian partners report that half of Dilling's civilian population fled last year, while those who remain face critical shortages of food, healthcare and other basic services," the office said. "Humanitarian operations in the city are limited, with only a small number of non-governmental organizations working under severe constraints."

Across the Kordofan region, more than 88,000 people were displaced between late October 2025 and mid-January because of the conflict, said the International Organization for Migration.

In North Darfur state, OCHA said that violence against civilians continues, with multiple drone strikes on markets and other civilian locations reported on Monday. Civilians were reportedly killed and injured, livelihoods were destroyed, and already fragile health facilities were impacted.

OCHA urged all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and ensure rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, while calling on donors to step up funding so that life-saving assistance can reach more people in need. 
TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Wednesday cautioned against the dangers of rising tensions in West Asia, Iran's foreign ministry said.

The two diplomats reviewed Tuesday's "fruitful" phone call between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, emphasizing the shared responsibility of regional states to maintain stability and security, the ministry added.

Also on Wednesday, Araghchi spoke with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, stressing the need for diplomatic solutions and ongoing political consultations among key regional players, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

The exchanges come as the United States bolsters its military presence in the region. On Monday, U.S. Central Command announced the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East. On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump called on Tehran to return to nuclear negotiations, warning that a "massive armada" was moving toward Iranian waters.

Iran, however, rejected any talks with Washington while it continues to threaten military action. The country has reiterated that its missile program and defense capabilities are non-negotiable and warned that any aggression would be met with a "comprehensive and regret-inducing response." 
An Air Force EA-37B Compass Call from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., is parked at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Jan. 26, 2026. Ramstein was the first European stop in what's billed as a road show for the jet. (Edgar Grimaldo/U.S. Air Force)



KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany  Plane spotters were abuzz earlier this week when the Air Forces newest electronic warfare jet was observed in European skies.

Some speculated that the EA-37B Compass Calls maiden trans-Atlantic voyage and arrival at Ramstein Air Base on Monday could be related to the increased tensions in the Middle East amid ongoing political turmoil in Iran.

The plane traveled from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, where its assigned to the 55th Electronic Combat Group. Its designed to suppress enemy air defenses by preventing the transmission of essential information between adversaries, weapon systems and command-and-control networks.

The EA-37B uses a heavily modified Gulfstream G550 business jet airframe and can fly at altitudes of over 40,000 feet and at speeds nearly double those of its C-130-retrofitted predecessor, the EC-130H.

But the aircrafts first foray into Europe is more ground-focused, with U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa describing the visit as a short road show.

The purpose is to introduce the updated platform to airmen, units and some allies as it transitions into its operational capacity, the command said in a statement Wednesday.

The plane is slated to continue on to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, the command said Wednesday, but a planned visit to RAF Mildenhall in England was canceled.

At Ramstein, the EA-37B was on static display only as part of a demo for base personnel, according to USAFE-AFAFRICA. Several familiarization briefs were also planned.

U.S. airmen and their NATO counterparts from Norway and Turkey were among personnel who saw the plane up close Monday while it was parked inside a hangar at Ramstein, according to Air Force photos published the following day.

The two-stop show marked the aircrafts first appearance in the European theater and builds off two previous tours in the Indo-Pacific region, according to USAFE-AFAFRICA.

Aviation observers on social media reported spotting the plane at Spangdahlem on Wednesday, a sighting confirmed by USAFE-AFAFRICA.

The aircraft is slated to return to Davis-Monthan, with no further European stops currently planned, the command said Wednesday.

svanjennifer@stripes.com @stripesktown
An MV-22 Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 774 flies over Fort Campbell, Ky., training grounds on Jan. 23, 2026, during an air assault exercise for the Armys 101st Airborne Division. Fort Campbell incorporated the tilt-rotor Osprey into training for the first time as the 101st prepares for the arrival of the Armys first MV-75 tiltrotor aircraft in the coming years. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)



FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.  The Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey touched down gently on the long, thick vegetation in a clearing on Fort Campbells training grounds, sending debris flying across the field as soldiers stormed out the back of the tilt-rotor aircraft.

The 101st Airborne Division soldiers raced forward and dove into the grass, turning away from the hulking airframe to protect them from the hurricane-strength winds the Osprey produces with its twin rotors in helicopter mode. It marked a first for the historic division  a long-range air assault of infantry forces with a tilt-rotor aircraft. And it marked the first step to prepare the division to receive its own tilt-rotor aircraft  the MV-75 that Bell Helicopter is building for the service  in the coming years.

We cooked that flight, said Army Staff Sgt. Peyton Porter, an infantry squad leader in the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101sts 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team. A veteran of the Iraq War who has completed dozens of air assault operations on traditional Army UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, Porter said he was struck by the speed of the Osprey in his first time flying in a tilt-rotor aircraft.

It was pretty smooth, especially considering how fast it was, Porter said Friday immediately after conducting the air assault operation during a major training exercise dubbed Operation Lethal Eagle. It was very fast. Very nice. A lot faster than any Chinook ride that Ive been on.

Operation Lethal Eagle is the 101sts primary annual divisionwide home station training exercise, which brought together about 7,000 Fort Campbell soldiers to test the 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Teams lethality. After the Army announced last year the 101st would be the services first unit to receive the MV-75 aircraft, division planners sought to include Ospreys in Lethal Eagle to help develop the Armys doctrine for fighting with its coming tilt-rotor capability.

We dont want [the MV-75] to arrive here with a learning curve, said Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh, the 101st Airbornes deputy commander for operations and a longtime Army aviator. We want it to arrive as a warfighting capability ready to go in this division. So, getting the MV-22 tilt-rotor experience today allows us to inform how we will fight with the MV-75 tomorrow.

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101 Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team conduct an air assault operation out of an MV-22 Osprey during a training event at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 23, 2026. Fort Campbell incorporated the tiltrotor Osprey into training for the first time as the 101st prepares for the arrival of the Armys first MV-75 tiltrotor aircraft in the coming years. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)



Large-scale and long-range

The 101st Airborne Division has spent recent months planning for the eventual arrival of the MV-75, currently slated for 2028, but last week was the first time it got its hands on an Osprey to see firsthand the difference a tilt-rotor aircraft could make.

The MV-75, once completed, will be slightly smaller than the Osprey, but it will bring a new world of capability to the 101st Airborne and the Army, according to McIntosh. Leaders at Fort Campbell have begun referring to those coming capabilities as Air Assault 2.0, he said.

Weve never been able to really get large-scale and long-range together, and thats the relevance, the general said. We think speed plus range equals relevance.  In this division, we only have half the equation right now, I can either give you speed or range, not both, and with the tilt-rotor capability that we will be fielding soon, we will have that relevance and bring Air Assault 2.0 into the future fight.

Though the Osprey can serve for now as a stand-in for the MV-75, the comparison of the tilt-rotor aircraft is not apples-to-apples, said Douglas Englen, a retired legendary Army aviator who is now a military sales and strategy manager for Bell Helicopter.

He said that Bell  which worked with Boeing to build the Osprey  has taken many design and capability cues from the Osprey, but the MV-22 was purpose-built for the Marines. Bell has designed the MV-75 from scratch specifically for the Armys needs, Englen said.

Englen describes the new helicopter as a jump to a third generation in tilt-rotor aviation. Among the key concepts of the design is an all-digital platform that can be rapidly updated and equipped with the most modern software and hardware capabilities to allow the Army to adjust practically on the fly to emerging enemy capabilities.

The MV-75 is designed to carry 14 troops and a crew of four, according to the Army. It has a cruise speed of 320 mph  much faster than the Black Hawks operating speed of 183 mph. And it will boast a range of up to 920 miles, which dwarfs the Black Hawks 367-mile top range.

Fort Campbell officials expect to begin receiving MV-75s around 2028. Since it was chosen to build the new tilt-rotor aircraft in 2022, Bell has sped efforts to produce the new airframe, moving its goal for production up about 30 months from its initial plans, Englen said. The Army wants to further speed production, Gen. Randy George, Army chief of staff, said this month. Army officials said this week they could not immediately provide an updated time frame for MV-75 production.

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101 Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team conduct an air assault operation out of an MV-22 Osprey during a training event at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 23, 2026. Fort Campbell incorporated the tiltrotor Osprey into training for the first time as the 101st prepares for the arrival of the Armys first MV-75 tiltrotor aircraft in the coming years. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)



Much more lethal

Army officials believe the new capability will allow the 101st Airborne to deploy its forces as far as Europe with just MV-75s, instead of needing to load troops and helicopters on planes or ships to reach the Continent.

Army Col. Ryan Bell, the commander of the 101sts 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, described that coming capability as extending our legs.

Bell watched closely Friday as the MV-22 from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 774 at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., conducted a handful of air assault flights with his Easy Company soldiers, who had held as his reserve force for the exercise.

The colonel, an infantry officer and veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, joked that he wished he would have put himself on one of the Osprey flights to experience just how much faster it was than the Black Hawks and Chinooks he has flown on for years.

But the operation was an opportunity to learn. Bell was impressed with the Ospreys ability to rapidly load up squads of his soldiers at a location miles away from the training fight and deliver them into an engagement.

We can move forces from much farther away, whether were fighting in Europe or the Pacific  from a different island, for example, Bell said. It lets me change the geometry of the battlefield because of those speed and legs  the distance it can cover so quickly.

Its going to make us much more lethal.

But Bell also said it was critical his troops spent Lethal Eagle focusing on basic infantry tactics while they worked to incorporate all the Armys latest technology and the tilt-rotor Ospreys. His units employed the Armys new M7 rifles, its latest night vision goggles and the new Infantry Squad Vehicle during its Lethal Eagle fight.

Were infantry. Its all about being really good at the fundamentals, he said. Can you shoot, move, communicate? Were getting a ton of technology. It enables us. It doesnt replace those core skill sets.

It was not lost on Bell or McIntosh the significance of placing the 2-506ths legendary Easy Company  of Band of Brothers fame  in the Osprey for the 101st Airbornes first-ever tilt-rotor air assault. One of the Armys first airborne units that jumped into combat on World War IIs D-Day, Easy Company will now help pave the way for the next revolution in Army air-based operations, McIntosh said.

The division plans to include Ospreys in all its major training events going forward until the MV-75 arrives at Fort Campbell  so long as the Marines or another of the Armys sister services has one available, McIntosh said.

Weve often said were not an innovation division, but we are a division that has a history of innovating, and this fits right in our profile, the general said. This is the division that will innovate appropriately and tell our Army how to properly execute [MV-75] air assaults.
Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team take cover during an air assault operation as a CH-47 Chinook departs during a training event at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)



FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.  As winds kicked up and temperatures dropped midday Friday, dozens of Infantry Squad Vehicles loaded with soldiers and gear streaked across Fort Campbells training grounds headed back to the main post ahead of Winter Storm Fern.

Top leaders at the Army post that straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee border decided days earlier to pull 7,000 101st Airborne Division soldiers out of the field where they were conducting the units largest annual home station training event, Operation Lethal Eagle. After more than a week in the field, conducting a large-scale air assault and initiating a force-on-force battle, division leaders ordered an operational pause in the training and instructed the troops to pack up their gear and head home until the storm and its aftereffects were cleared.

The forecasters here, the local community and the emergency services have all informed us that this has the potential to be a dangerous storm with widespread power outages and extremely dangerous cold temperatures, Army Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh, the deputy commander of the 101st Airborne, said Friday as his soldiers headed home. Therefore, it only makes sense  that we reunite these soldiers with their families during that time to weather the storm.

By the time the last troops were out of the field Friday evening, temperatures had plummeted into the low teens at Fort Campbell. By Sunday evening, more than 4 inches of snow blanketed areas, and sleet and freezing rain left roads nearly impassible, according to local officials. Installation officials kept most of the base closed at least until Wednesday.

Moving a division of soldiers out of the field and lining up the training scenario to make it work properly were huge efforts, McIntosh said.

As it became clear the storm would hit Fort Campbell and as prognosticators predicted a potentially historic weather event  including some predictions beyond 16 inches of snow  McIntosh had his planning team look at ways the division could make the most of the training while ensuring their troops safety from the storm.

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team prepare for a nighttime assault on an enemy position during Operation Lethal Eagle at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team load an Infantry Squad Vehicle and prepare for a nighttime assault on an enemy position during Operation Lethal Eagle at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team conduct an air assault operation out of a CH-47 Chinook during a training event at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team prepare for a nighttime assault on an enemy position during Operation Lethal Eagle at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team prepare for a nighttime assault on an enemy position during Operation Lethal Eagle at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team prepare for a nighttime assault on an enemy position during Operation Lethal Eagle at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team prepare for a nighttime assault on an enemy position during Operation Lethal Eagle at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team cross a Fort Campbell, Ky., field after conducting an air assault in a Marine MV-22 Osprey during Operation Lethal Eagle on Jan. 23, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team prepare for a nighttime assault on an enemy position during Operation Lethal Eagle at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Divisions 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team prepare for a nighttime assault on an enemy position during Operation Lethal Eagle at Fort Campbell, Ky., on Jan. 22, 2026. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)



Planners sped up the fight. The major air assault movement to emplace the 101sts 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team for an attack on the opposing force played by the divisions 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team was moved to occur 30 hours earlier than initially intended, McIntosh said.

That allowed the units to conduct the major training movement  the 101st is the Armys primary air assault unit  ahead of the storm, so they could be pulled from the field at a natural breaking point for the training operation. Instead of pausing for 24 hours after the 3rd Brigade attack to conduct an after-action review, the soldiers went home to shelter from Fern with their families or at their barracks.

Its a very deliberate planning effort, and so we gave our entire operational planning team that effort for about a 72-hour time frame, McIntosh said. You cant move a divisions worth of soldiers without a deliberate plan.

Division leadership had yet to determine when troops would return to the training grounds on Tuesday, as local efforts to clear roads continued and forecasts called for high temperatures to remain at or below freezing for the coming days.

Officials hope to return the soldiers to the training exercise in the coming days to conduct live-fire training and prepare for a spring rotation to the Armys Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La.

Col. Ryan Bell, who commands the 2nd Brigade, said he did not think the unusual pause in the middle of a major training event would impact his units ability to focus on the training once they return to the field.

Theyll pick right back up, Bell said. Even if the weathers bad, the battalions are going to focus on leader development and doing some of the training they need to get ready for JRTC. Its an opportunity for them to reset and get their maintenance straight and really for our junior leaders, they had a good couple days in the field, which is hard to train for, and we hadnt done in a while. So, theres a lot of lessons learned already, and this lets you go back and reinforce the good things and make some quick adjustments, so well come back out practicing the right things.
A Sabre short-range ballistic missile launches in June 2017 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., for a test of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement, an advanced missile defense system. (U.S. Army)



WASHINGTON  Enlisted soldiers have until April 30 to apply for a new space operations specialty, the Army announced this week.

The new career field, known as 40D tactical space operations specialist, is expected to be in place by Oct. 1. The specialty is open to Army active duty, National Guard and Reserve component soldiers, the Army said in a statement.

The establishment of 40D [Military Occupational Specialty] will alleviate the burden on other Army branches who are lending their soldiers to space operations, Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command commanding general, said in August. This new space operations MOS is designed to build a robust and experienced noncommissioned officer corps in Army space and will ensure that Army space formations are equipped with soldiers who have experience in space operations.

The Army forecasts about 1,000 40D billets, which could grow up to 1,500 by 2032.

Since U.S. Space Command was established by President Donald Trump in 2019, the military services have been building up their respective space capabilities. That same year, Trump also established the Space Force as a separate military branch.

The 40D soldiers will attend the Space and Missile Defense Center of Excellence at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Notifications of selection board results are expected in the summer, and initial selectees will transition to the 40D MOS and attend training beginning Oct. 1, according to the Army.
A felon with four prior convictions in Virginia has been charged with possession of firearms and trespassing onto Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where he lived for a year in base housing without authorization, according to federal court records. (San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS)



A felon with four prior convictions in Virginia has been charged with possession of firearms and trespassing onto Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where he lived for a year in base housing without authorization, according to federal court records.

James Andrew White was arrested Jan. 16 at the base for being a felon in possession of firearms, a felony, and trespassing upon a military installation, a misdemeanor. He is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 12.

According to an affidavit from the Criminal Investigative Division at Camp Pendleton, White was apprehended at the on-base home leased by Cpl. Nicholas Rosa and his wife, Heaven Rosa.

Under a search warrant, officers found two .22 caliber rifles as well as .22 and .45 ammunition in a room that Cpl. Rosa said had been used for the past year by White.

Rosa told investigators he was aware that White was staying on base without authorization. He said he was not aware of Whites criminal record or that firearms were being kept in the home he leased. He said White used a Veterans Administration identification card at times to access the base.

White had been barred from the base earlier because of his felony convictions.

He was convicted in 2014 of writing bad checks in Gloucester County, Va., and of carrying a concealed firearm without a permit in the county in 2015. He was convicted in York County, Va., in 2015 for receiving unauthorized prescription drugs.

He received suspended sentences and probation on all three convictions.

In 2017, he was jailed in Gloucester County for 6 months of a 5-year sentence for a probation violation.

The affidavit from Camp Pendleton law enforcement said that Cpl. Rosa had been read his Miranda rights as well as his rights under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The court records did not specify if Rosa or his wife are alleged to have broken any laws.

The complaint and an affidavit refer to White as a veteran, but no materials indicate his branch or time of service.

White told investigators he avoided leaving the residence because he lacked authorized identification to be on the base. He claimed that Rosa and his wife had at times driven him off base using Whites Dodge Caravan. The court documents contain security camera photos of the van being driven by both the husband and wife in December 2025.

The arrest was first reported by Luke Harold, who writes about federal courts on Substack.
A life-size mannequin depicts a driver looking out the front windshield of his military vehicle as he drives a wounded colleague to safety during the fighting in Luxembourg during World War II. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



In 2016, at a NATO base in northern Afghanistan, military officials introduced me to the only soldier from Luxembourg deployed to the country.

His situation intrigued me, and after chatting for a while, I asked if I could write a profile of him. He told me I couldnt publish his name or describe exactly what he did in Afghanistan, so the story never materialized.

I was reminded of that soldier recently when I learned that the National Museum of Military History in Diekirch, Luxembourg, was hosting an exhibition on the evolution of the tiny countrys army, which today numbers only a few hundred volunteer soldiers, but its history is anything but small.

Our Army at Harebierg, named for the historic Harebierg barracks near Diekirch, offers a detailed look at one of NATOs smallest forces and a striking contrast with the alliances largest, the U.S. military.

The temporary exhibition offers far more insight than the Luxembourg soldier in Mazar-e-Sharif was ever able to share with me.

According to the museums permanent exhibition, which is in English, Luxembourgers by and large were not patriotic until 1939, the year the Grand Duchy celebrated a century of independence, and its people truly became aware of their belonging to a small yet independent nation with its own traditions.

But little more than a year later, after remaining neutral during the first months of World War II, Luxembourg was invaded and occupied by German forces.

More than four years passed before U.S. troops initially liberated Luxembourg in September 1944, and shortly afterward the Grand Duchys army was built virtually from scratch at the request of the government in exile, marking a fundamental break with its previous policy of neutrality.

A poster displayed as part of the Our Army at Harebierg exhibition at the National Museum of Military History in Diekirch, Luxembourg, shows the correct use of uniforms and equipment for the Luxembourgian armed forces. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

The Our Army at Harebierg exhibition, which focuses on the evolution of Luxembourgs army, will run at the National Museum of Military History in Diekirch until mid-September. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

A uniform of a Luxembourgian UNPROFOR soldier is displayed at the National Museum of Military History in Diekirch, Luxembourg, Jan. 17, 2026. In 1992 and 1993, soldiers from Luxembourg took part in the UNPROFOR peacekeeping mission in Croatia. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



Our Army at Harebierg starts in 1944 with Luxembourgs first organized military contribution to the Allied cause, when volunteers joined Belgiums Brigade Piron.

From there, visitors learn about the rebuilding of the army, the development of military infrastructure and the armed forces anchoring in Luxembourg society.

Various weapons used by Luxembourgs troops over the years, many American-made, and photos of Luxembourg soldiers over the past eight decades are among the highlights of the exhibition, as is a section devoted to female soldiers.

According to the exhibition, 128 women were serving in Luxembourgs army in 2024, accounting for about 12% of all personnel.

An undated British newspaper that appeared to be from the 1950s also caught my attention. The headline read, The army with only one colonel, which again made me think of the soldier I met in Afghanistan.

The museums permanent exhibition is a perfect complement to Our Army at Harebierg, providing an in-depth look at Luxembourg during World War II, including U.S. efforts to liberate the country in 1944, its reoccupation by German forces during the Battle of the Bulge and its final liberation in January 1945.

The standout section of the museum is a display depicting the Sauer River crossing by U.S. soldiers with the 5th Infantry Division in January 1945, which led to the liberation of Diekirch.

Life-size mannequins depict U.S. soldiers with the 5th Infantry Division crossing the Sauer River, which led to the liberation of Diekirch, Luxembourg, in January 1945. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

Life-size mannequins show U.S. troops using a 60 mm mortar for direct fire support. The soldiers are wearing the official Army camouflage uniforms. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

Personal items of soldiers who fought in the World War II Battle of the Bulge, including cigarettes and matches, are displayed at the National Museum of Military History in Diekirch, Luxembourg. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



Life-size mannequins are positioned in a vast winter scene meant to give visitors a realistic sense of what it was like for the troops there. Some are trudging through the heavy snow, while others tend to wounded comrades.

A German command post and an American field hospital are depicted in other sections.

The museum also features a large hall packed with World War II vehicles and heavy equipment, including armored vehicles, artillery pieces and anti-aircraft guns.

Various items from American and German soldiers who fought during the Battle of the Bulge are also on display.

Visitors are reminded how this tiny country has been pulled into various global conflicts.

It helped me understand how one Luxembourger ended up serving on a remote base in Afghanistan with NATO allies, sharing the type of story that he himself could not.

National Museum of Military History

Address: 10 Rue Bamertal, Diekirch, Luxembourg

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed Monday. Our Army at Harebierg exhibition runs until Sept. 15, 2026.

Price: Adults, 5 euros; adolescents 10-18, 3 euros; students, 3 euros; children under 10, free. Groups of 10 or more, are 3 euros each.

Information: www.mnhm.net/mnhm
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observes a missile launch in this undated photo from the state-run Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA)



North Korea fired four missiles from an improved version of a large-caliber multiple rocket launcher in a test overseen Tuesday by leader Kim Jong Un, according to the state-run news agency.

Japan and South Korea each reported ballistic missiles launched from the North fell off the Korean Peninsulas eastern coast.

Several short-range missiles were launched from north of Pyongyang around 3:30 p.m., the Souths Ministry of National Defense said in a text message to reporters. They flew about 220 miles before dropping into the Sea of Japan, known on the peninsula as the East Sea.

The Korean Central News Agency, the official voice of North Koreas ruling regime, said the test verified the improved systems strike capability, mobility, intelligence and accuracy.

Todays test is of great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent, KCNA quoted Kim as saying. The self-steered precisely guided flight system, which can neglect any outside intervention, is a major feature that demonstrates the superiority of this weapon system.

The launches marked the first time North Korea fired weapons since testing what it called hypersonic missiles early this month, the Associated Presse reported Tuesday. In December, the country test-fired what it called long-range, strategic cruise missiles and new anti-air missiles and released photos showing apparent progress in the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine.

The launches occurred during a visit to Seoul by Elbridge Colby, U.S. undersecretary of defense policy, to meet with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back.

U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies tracked the movements of the launch and closely shared the related information, according to the ministrys text message.

North Korea may have also made the weapons demonstration ahead of the upcoming ruling Workers Party congress, according to analysts cited by the AP. The congress, scheduled for next month, would be the first of its kind in five years and is one of North Koreas biggest propaganda spectacles, the wire service reported.
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, the head of Training and Education Command, listens to a brief at Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 25, 2025. (Zachariah Ferraro/U.S. Marine Corps)



CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  A general with 35 years of experience that includes combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan has been tapped to lead the Marine Corps operations in Japan.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Forces Japan, both headquartered at Camp Courtney on Okinawa, according to a Defense Department announcement Jan. 20.

If confirmed by the Senate, he will succeed Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, who has led the commands since January 2024.

III MEF is one of three expeditionary forces in the Marine Corps, and the only one permanently deployed in the Indo-Pacific. A Marine expeditionary force is the largest air-ground task force and the principal organization of the Marines combat power. III MEF consists of about 27,000 Marines, according to a 7th Fleet news release from February 2022.

Watson would take over III MEF as the Marine Corps continues to implement its Force Design plan to counter Chinas moves in the Indo-Pacific.

Turner oversaw the integration of the 12th Marine Littoral Regiments three subordinate units, including logistics, anti-air and combat team elements. The regiments stand-in force operations are a key tenet of the island-fighting doctrine found in Force Design.

Watson since August 2024 has served as the head of Training and Education Command at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. He commanded the 1st Marine Division as a two-star from 2022 to 2024, according to his service biography.

Watson is a native of Syracuse, N.Y., according to a July 2024 division news release. He was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program after graduating from Cornell University with a bachelors in history in 1991, according to his biography.

He deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina as commander of Weapons Company and operations officer of 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, from 1999 to 2002; and to Iraq as G-3 Future Operations Planner with I Marine Expeditionary Force from 2006 to 2007.

While commanding 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, from 2008 to 2011, he deployed with the 31st MEU to Afghanistan. He returned from January to November 2018 as commander of Task Force Southwest, his biography states.

His awards include two Defense Superior Service Medals with C device, the Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star with V device, two Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals and two Combat Action Ribbons.
Polish Maj. Gen. Maciej Jablonksi, deputy commanding general for interoperability, V Corps, examines a 3D-printed quadcopter drone prototype held by a U.S. soldier during a tour at Katterbach Army Airfield, Germany, on Jan. 21, 2026. (Terrell Mason/U.S. Army)



After Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, countries across Europe pledged to become more like Poland.

Governments began pushing to build up their militaries. Factories pivoted from civilian products to tanks and jets. Prodded by U.S. President Donald Trump, Europes NATO members last year committed to spending 5 percent of their gross domestic product on security, defense and related infrastructure.

While some countries struggled to meet an earlier NATO target of 2 percent of GDP on defense, Polands figure last year was 4.7 percent, the highest in the alliance. Its the European Unions fifth-most-populous nation and sixth largest economy, but it has the blocs largest standing army.

As Europe seeks to retool for the dual threats of Russian aggression and U.S. indifference, Poland is arguably already there. At least by the numbers. The challenge is that even as countries scrambled to build up their capabilities, the nature of the threat has changed.

Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace and the sabotage of a major rail line have highlighted the inadequacy of a conventional army  the type Poland has built up so successfully  to counter a new style of hybrid warfare. There is no doubt that Poland is a European model of militarization. Its just not clear that it is the right kind of militarization for the rapidly changing risk landscape.

We started to prepare ourselves for a more conventional kind of war, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski said in an interview. It turned out that cheaper means, namely drones, can be very successful and make very important tactical gains on the front line, especially in comparison to very expensive, more conventional armaments.

On Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte delivered a sharp reality check to European leaders who have suggested that Europe must be able to stand alone, without the United States  saying it would be virtually impossible, especially without the deterrence capability of the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

If anyone thinks here, again, that the European Union, or Europe as a whole, can defend itself without the U.S., keep on dreaming, Rutte said in a speech to the European Parliament. You cant. We cant. We need each other.

For Europe, if you really want to go it alone  you can never get there with 5 percent, Rutte continued. It will be 10 percent. You have to build up your own nuclear capability. That costs billions and billions of euros. You will lose then in that scenario; you would lose the ultimate guarantor of our freedom, which is the U.S. nuclear umbrella. So hey, good luck.

That leaves European nations caught in the middle, short of the biggest, most powerful weapons, and the newest, most nimble drone technology.

You cant scramble fighter jets every time to shoot down a few drones, said Kai-Olaf Lang, a political scientist and Poland expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Thats easy to say, but what do you do if you dont yet have the defense systems?

One of the biggest wake-up calls came late one night in September, when about 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Polish and NATO forces responded by shooting down several of the drones in a confrontation that political leaders and analysts saw as a test of NATO defenses by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Since then, Poland has scrambled fighter jets multiple times in response to Russian missile and drone strikes in Ukraine, near the Polish border.

In November, a rail line through Poland used to deliver aid to Ukraine was blown up in what Prime Minister Donald Tusk called an unprecedented act of sabotage. Tusks foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, accused Russia of an act of state terrorism.

Meanwhile, Polish social media has been flooded with disinformation seeking to sow division by convincing Poles that the drones were Ukrainian. Many of the posts appeared to come from Russian actors or bots, experts said.

Poland is working to bolster its defenses against hybrid warfare. After the September drone attacks, Zalewski said, we understood that our air defense, including this lower layer against drones, required very quick development, which we are doing as quickly as possible.

Whether these efforts are adequate is up for debate. Tomasz Szatkowski, who served as deputy defense minister and ambassador to NATO under Polands previous conservative government, worries that the current centrist governments response has been too makeshift, or improvised.

Even though were continuing broadly in the right direction, Im increasingly convinced that it is high time for a more comprehensive analytical and planning effort on a strategic level, Szatkowski said.

Polands defensive posture has deep historical roots. For centuries, Lang said, Poland was a pawn of the great powers, stuck between Germany (and earlier, Prussia) to the west and Russia to the east, which together periodically wiped Poland off the map.

After the fall of communism in Poland in 1989, the country set about ensuring that it would no longer be dominated by big neighbors like the Soviet Union. The goal was to work toward a situation where Poland would no longer be so easily targeted by aggression, Lang said.

Between 2014  when Russia invaded and illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine  and 2025, Poland roughly doubled the size of its armed forces and tripled its military spending.

Polands allies, however, didnt always share Warsaws belief that Russia posed a danger to Europe. We had a unanimous perception of threats in Poland, which was not shared, unfortunately, by our closest allies, Zalewski said.

That began to change in 2014, though it wasnt until after Russias 2022 full-scale invasion  and particularly after Trump made clear that the U.S. couldnt always be counted on to defend Europe  that Polands European allies really sprang into action with anything approaching Polands sense of urgency.

But if Trumps actions have spurred Europe to focus on defense, they have created a conundrum for Poland. The entire Polish security policy [has been] based on functioning transatlantic relations and very close security, defense and strategic cooperation with the United States, Lang said. Many conservative Poles are wary of Germany and the E.U., preferring to look to the U.S. as Polands best ally and protector. But it is no longer clear how eager the Americans will ever be to jump to Europes or Polands defense.

It was jarring to many Poles when the U.S. Army announced last year that it was withdrawing its personnel and equipment from the Jasionka airport, near the eastern Polish city of Rzeszow, which since 2022 had been the main U.S. hub for military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

After three years at Jasionka this is an opportunity to rightsize our footprint and save American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars per year, said Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

There are currently about 8,500 U.S. soldiers in Poland, Zalewski told a parliamentary defense committee last week, accounting for most of the roughly 9,900 troops from allied countries stationed in Poland. Thats down from about 10,000 U.S. troops in Poland at the start of 2025.

A bigger shock came when the Trump administration unveiled its national security strategy in December, which downplayed the Russian threat and instead focused on the risks posed to Europe by migration, warning that the continent faces civilizational erasure.

Zalewski sought to focus on the strategys upside for Europe, arguing that even if it highlighted disagreements, it demonstrated that the U.S. cares about European security and stability. But he added: Of course Russia is the greatest security threat. I would call it an existential threat for Europe.

For Poland to counter that threat, experts say, will require not just a strategic shift but also a financial one. Poland is heavily invested in legacy military systems that tie up much of the countrys funds, Lang said. The question, he said, is, How can we continue with these and simultaneously move into modern, flexible technologies like drones?

Although Ukraine has demonstrated that a smaller country can stand up to Moscow, Polands leaders insist its aim isnt to prepare for a one-on-one conflict with Russia, but to bolster its capabilities as part of the broader NATO alliance.

Still, Zalewski said, a strong Polish military could have a powerful deterrent effect. Russians best understand the language of power, he said, adding: Russia attacks only those who are weak. They do not take risks.
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Community organizers and labor groups in the United States are preparing for a second National Day of Action on Saturday to demand the withdrawal of federal immigration agents from the state of Minnesota.

The planned mobilization follows a massive protest on Jan. 23.

According to a statement posted by the 50501 Movement, the upcoming event has been endorsed by hundreds of groups across the country.

Organizers are demanding that the U.S. Congress freeze federal funding for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They are also seeking accountability for the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Good was a community observer killed on Jan. 7, and Pretti was an intensive care unit nurse fatally shot on Jan. 24.

"Every day, ICE, Border Patrol and other enforcers of Trump's racist agenda are going into our communities to kidnap our neighbors and sow fear. It is time for us to all stand up together in a nationwide shutdown and say enough is enough," the statement read.

The first day of action on Jan. 23 saw an estimated 50,000 to 75,000 people march through downtown Minneapolis. This occurred despite temperatures reaching minus 23 degrees Celsius, with a windchill of minus 40 degrees. Local media reports noted that over 700 small businesses closed their doors to support the strike. 
Coast Guard cutter USCGC Munro conducts maritime operations during the Bella 1 seizure in the north Atlantic Ocean on Jan. 7, 2025. The captain and first officer of the seized oil tanker are now aboard Munro, according to British media reports. (U.S. Coast Guard)



The captain and first officer of a runaway oil tanker seized in the north Atlantic Ocean by the American authorities earlier this month are now aboard a U.S. Coast Guard cutter after spending weeks in Scottish waters, according to U.K. news outlets.

Avtandil Kalandadze, the captain, and an unidentified first officer of the Russian-flagged tanker Marinera are aboard the USCGC Munro and were taken out of U.K. waters, the BBC reported on Tuesday. It was unclear whether Munro still was in the region Wednesday.

U.S. forces seized the Iran-linked oil tanker Jan. 7 near Iceland, capping more than two weeks of dogged pursuit after a failed boarding attempt in the Caribbean Sea in December.

The Justice Department notified Scotland of the transfer early Tuesday, the BBC reported, citing a Scottish attorney general.

The U.S. contacted Scottish authorities on Jan. 16 seeking help in starting extradition proceedings but withdrew the request Monday, according to the BBC report.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard, did not immediately respond Wednesday to requests for confirmation of the transfer of the men to U.S. authorities. The DOJ also had no immediate response to Stars and Stripes questions.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney was scheduled to update the countrys parliament about the situation on Wednesday, a government spokesman said in an email.

Two Russian crew members had been released and were on their way back to their country, Russian state news agency Tass reported Wednesday.

According to the BBC, arrangements are being made to fly five others to the U.S. The remaining crew members are from India, Georgia and Ukraine, the BBC reported.

Formerly called Bella I, the vessel was targeted for violating U.S. sanctions, which were imposed in 2024. The U.S. said it was smuggling cargo for a company linked to Hezbollah, one of several Middle East proxy groups funded by Iran.

The tanker and Munro had been in Scotlands Moray Firth following the U.S. seizure of the vessel, the British media outlet Sky News reported Tuesday.

A court order issued Monday that barred the removal of the Marineras crew from Scottish jurisdiction came because of a petition filed by Natia Dzadzama, the wife of the ships captain.

But a judge rescinded that order during a virtual hearing Tuesday after learning of the transfer to the U.S., Sky News reported.

Dzadzamas attorney, Aamer Anwar, told Sky News that the captain and first officer were whisked away at night.

The removal of the two men was particularly troubling, Anwar said, because it occurred at the same time as a hearing about foreign claims of immunity from the Scottish courts order.

The remaining crew members are being processed at an army reserve center in Inverness, Sky News reported.
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arrives to his political block campaign rally before the parliamentary elections in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (Hadi Mizban/AP)



BAGHDAD  Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed defiance Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw Washingtons support for Iraq if he returns to power.

Al-Maliki, who was nominated last week by the countrys dominant political bloc to return to the premiership, said in a statement: We reject the blatant American interference in Iraqs internal affairs and consider it a violation of its sovereignty.

Trump in a social media post Tuesday wrote, Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos, adding, Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom.

Washington has been pushing Iraq to distance itself from Iran and sees al-Maliki as too close to Tehran. His last term, which ended in 2014, also saw the rise of the Islamic State group, which seized large swaths of the country.

Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudanis list of candidates won the largest share of seats in Novembers parliamentary elections. But he stepped aside earlier this month, clearing the field for al-Maliki after the two competed for the backing of the Coordination Framework, a collection of Shiite parties that is the largest parliamentary bloc.

The framework named al-Maliki as its nominee last week. A parliament session was set to take place Tuesday to elect a president, who in turn would appoint the prime minister, but the session was canceled due to a lack of quorum, with no alternate date set.

Al-Maliki said he would continue to stand for the premiership out of respect for the national will and the Coordination Frameworks decision.

Before Trumps statement, members of the Coordination Framework had received a written message from U.S. Charge dAffaires Joshua Harris saying that we recall the period of previous governments headed by Prime Minister Maliki negatively in Washington. Two members of the Coordination Framework confirmed to The Associated Press having received the message, a copy of which was circulated widely on social media.

The selection of the prime minister-designate and other leadership positions is a sovereign Iraqi decision, and likewise, the United States will make its sovereign decisions regarding the next government in accordance with U.S. interests, the message said.

A U.S. embassy spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Trumps intervention into Iraqi politics came as he weighs carrying out new strikes on Iraqs neighbor Iran. It also comes as the U.S. has started transferring Islamic State group militants from detention sites in Syria to ones in Iraq.

Al-Sudani came to power with the backing of the Coordination Framework in 2022 but during his first term managed to balance relations with Iran and the U.S. and restrained pro-Iran militias from intervening in support of Iran during last years 12-day Israel-Iran war.

Some of those militias have voiced their support for al-Maliki.

Abu Alaa al-Walae, commander of the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada militia, called Trumps statement blatant interference in Iraqi affairs,adding that the criminal Trump, who physically assassinated the leaders of victory now wants to repeat the act by politically assassinating al-Maliki.

During his first term, Trump ordered a drone strike that killed powerful Iranian military leader Gen. Qassim Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy leader of Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group composed of an array of militias, including Iran-backed groups, formed to fight the Islamic State group.

Tamer Badawi, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London specializing in Iraq, said that al-Sudani may well have anticipated the pushback against al-Malikis nomination and stepped aside as a political maneuver. That allows al-Maliki to temporarily steal the spotlight, while the rival candidates path to office narrows under the weight of his domestic opponents and even sharper hostility from the Trump camp, he said.

Iraq cannot afford the economic consequences of Donald Trump delivering upon his threats, he said. Those could include imposing sanctions and restricting Iraqs access to its own supply of U.S. dollars - Iraqs foreign currency reserves have been housed at the United States Federal Reserve.

But that does not automatically mean the race is now decided in Sudanis favor, Badawi said. A third candidate emerging as a compromise pick remains one of the plausible outcomes.
The Edward J. Schwartz United States Courthouse seen on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 in San Diego, CA. (Meg McLaughlin, The San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS)



(Tribune News Service)  A San Diego federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a former Navy detective and El Cajon police officer to 20 years in prison in a child sex-exploitation case, telling Jonathan Christopher LaRoche that he would have sentenced him to a longer term if the law did not cap his punishment at two decades.

Your actions here were reprehensible, U.S. District Judge James Simmons told LaRoche, also a Marine Corps veteran. Frankly, 20 years is not enough time.

LaRoche, 42, pleaded guilty last year to a charge of conspiracy to distribute child sex abuse material. In his plea agreement, he admitted that he had created child sex abuse images with a pre-pubescent victim, shared those images online and was having online conversations about creating more explicit images with his victim. He also admitted to possessing other child sex abuse images.

At the time of his arrest last year in the sex-abuse case, LaRoche was just weeks away from reporting to federal prison in a different case in which he had pleaded guilty to choking a handcuffed sailor unconscious at Naval Base San Diego while working as a detective for the Department of the Navys Criminal Investigations Division. In that case, LaRoche also pleaded guilty to making false statements under penalty of perjury when he lied on his Navy application about his multiple uses of excessive force while working for the El Cajon Police Department.

In addition to his 20-year sentence, which will run concurrently with his 15-month sentence in the previous case, the judge on Tuesday imposed a 15-year term of supervised release once LaRoche is out of prison. A prosecutor had asked that he be subjected to a lifetime of supervised release once his prison term ends.

Mr. LaRoche has shown he cant function in society without being watched, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Griffith told the judge.

Griffith noted in sentencing documents that at the time of the sex crime, LaRoche was still a detective for the Navy and had sworn an oath to uphold the law.

And yet, he spent months bragging about grooming and sexually exploiting (the victim), Griffith wrote in a sentencing memorandum. Defendant, while a law enforcement officer, sought advice on how to further sexually exploit (the victim) for his own sexual gratification and for the ability to make money.

LaRoche and his attorney asked for a 15-year sentence, arguing in part that prison will be harder for LaRoche than most inmates.

As a former law enforcement officer and now convicted sex offender, his time in prison is going to be extraordinarily difficult, his attorney wrote in a sentencing memorandum. He will most likely be placed in administrative segregation for his own safety for the duration of his entire sentence. He will be isolated, and for the times when he is not, he will be in constant fear of attack.

Simmons acknowledged that argument, but said it didnt warrant mitigation given that LaRoches conduct was so reprehensible.

Dressed in orange prison clothing, LaRoche sat slumped over and crying for most of Tuesdays hearing. Given a chance to address the court, he spoke for about 15 minutes, begging the victims mother for forgiveness and the judge for mercy.

Im beyond horrified with myself, LaRoche said. He told Simmons that he grew up Christian but got away from it for a long time.

He said he had post-traumatic stress disorder from his time as a Marine, and that he turned to alcohol and online pornography to numb himself. He said he spiraled mentally and was too weak to ask for help.

Im not a monster sitting here before you, LaRoche told the judge. I will spend the rest of my life making amends and trying to fix what I have broken.

Simmons seemed unconvinced by LaRoches pleas for mercy and a second chance.

Your second chance is that youre not getting a life sentence, the judge said.

Griffith, the prosecutor, described LaRoche as a documented liar, citing his previous case, while telling the judge that alcohol and PTSD dont make you molest a child.

Simmons agreed, noting that hed never before heard post-traumatic stress disorder cited as an excuse for child molestation. He acknowledged that LaRoche suffered invisible wounds from his military service, but noted that he has now inflicted invisible mental wounds on his victim.

According to court documents in the case, law enforcement authorities in the Netherlands identified LaRoche after obtaining a copy of the server for a dark web email provider that authorities described as a place where child sex abuse material was being shared and distributed.

One user of that email service purported to run a business that claimed to offer members tens of thousands of dollars or more in exchange for original images and videos depicting child sex abuse with a system for members to request and commission specific images, according to a search warrant.

In his plea agreement, LaRoche admitted to communicating with that user and stating that he was interested in becoming a member and wanted to produce child sex abuse material with a minor child. According to his plea agreement, he also wrote in the online communications that he was sexually abusing a victim and wanted to meet up with other children for sex.

He also admitted in the plea agreement that hed previously created at least 20 images of the victim, that he was willing to create more images, that he bought a specific clothing item for the victim that he was told to purchase and that he accepted a request from another member for specific images.

In court Tuesday, the prosecutor noted that the images showed the victims face, while the judge noted that Internet users had been able to identify the victim and the victims mother. Simmons said its not uncommon for such victims to be contacted years later in adulthood, noting the lasting impact this will have on the victims life.

These images will forever be out there, the judge said.

2026 The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Visit sandiegouniontribune.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Members of the Georgia National Guard patrol the Anacostia Metro Station in Washington, D.C., Jan. 26, 2026. (Jeremy Farson/U.S. Air National Guard)



WASHINGTON  President Donald Trumps deployment of the National Guard to American cities cost $496 million last year and could cost $1.1 billion this year, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the Congressional Budget Office.

The estimates cover the cost of deployments to Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Memphis, Tenn.; Portland, Ore.; and Chicago as well as the mobilization of 200 National Guard personnel who were put on standby in Texas after leaving Chicago.

The deployments to Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland have ended, but the National Guard presence is continuing in Washington, D.C., Memphis and New Orleans, where troops were deployed in late December. The standby force in Texas also remains.

Continuing those deployments at their year-end size would cost $93 million per month, according to the nonpartisan agencys analysis, which was requested by Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee.

Nearly a dozen other Senate Democrats signed on to the request for a formal probe in October.

The American people deserve to know how many hundreds of millions of their hard-earned dollars have been and are being wasted on Trumps reckless and haphazard deployment of National Guard troops to Portland and cities across the country, Merkley said in a statement on Wednesday.

The agency said it was difficult to predict future costs, partly because many of the deployments have been challenged in court. Generally, deploying 1,000 National Guard personnel to a U.S. city in 2026 would cost $18 million to $21 million per month, depending on living costs.

The ongoing deployment of more than 2,690 troops to Washington, D.C., which the Trump administration has indicated will continue at least through the end of 2026, will cost $55 million per month, or $660 million for the year, according to the analysis.

The agency said it calculated expenses by tallying costs for military pay and benefits when National Guard personnel are mobilized, costs for housing and food, and transportation costs for moving personnel from their home stations and back. Those total expenses range from $522 to $607 per service member per day.

Trump began the deployments in June 2025 in Los Angeles in response to protests stemming from immigration enforcement efforts. Pentagon officials at the time said the mission, which also included the deployment of 700 active-duty Marines, would cost $134 million.

The Congressional Budget Office said the mobilization actually cost $193 million last year. Deployments cost $223 million in Washington, D.C.; $33 million in Memphis; $26 million in Portland; and $21 million in Chicago.

Trump has defended his decision to send National Guard troops to American cities, arguing they have lowered crime and made cities safer.

Cant imagine why governors wouldnt want us to help, he said in a news conference this month.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies at a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing concerning U.S. policy toward Venezuela on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)



WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Marco Rubio told senators Wednesday that the Trump administration does not expect to take further military action in Venezuela but reserves the right to use force to protect U.S. interests.

I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time, Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In written remarks he did not deliver orally, Rubio said the U.S. was, however, prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation from the interim authorities in Venezuela if other methods fail.

It is our hope that this will not prove necessary, but we will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere, Rubio wrote.

His comments came nearly a month after a U.S. military raid seized President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and his wife, raising concerns among some lawmakers of protracted military involvement in the country.

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier remains deployed in the Caribbean, and about 15,000 U.S. troops are stationed on land and at sea in the region.

Rubio told senators that the only military presence theyll see in Venezuela itself are Marines serving as U.S. Embassy guards.

That is our goal, that is our expectation, he said.

Rubio did not rule out taking military action in self-defense. If, for example, Venezuela deployed Iranian drones to threaten the U.S. presence in the region, we most certainly will address that, he said.

But we hope we dont get to that point, we dont expect to get to that point, he said. Were not trending in that direction. Thats a fact.

He noted that using military force in Venezuela would also impede the countrys recovery and hamper the administrations goals.

We want to reach a phase of transition where we are left with a friendly, stable, prosperous Venezuela and democratic in which all elements of society are represented and free and fair elections, he said.

The timeline for that transition is unclear. Rubio said it cant take forever and the U.S. needs to be much further along in Venezuela several months from now.

The hearing marked the first time Rubio faced public questioning about the administrations actions in Venezuela and its strategy for the countrys future after months of classified briefings for lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Lawmakers from both parties have expressed frustration over the administrations lack of consultation with Congress as it embarked on a bombing campaign against suspected drug boats and then ousted Maduro.

Rubio said Wednesday that the Jan. 3 military raid could not have been briefed to Congress because it wasnt even in the realm of possible until very late in December and the State Department deferred to the Pentagon on operational security.

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., urged Rubio to respect Congress oversight role over military engagements abroad, particularly as the U.S. is now surging military assets to the Middle East for a possible attack against Iran.

Im worried that the very foundations of trust are being shaken, Coons said. Our democracy depends on consultation with Congress that is truthful and timely. The confidence of our allies depends on them knowing where were going next.

Republican John Curtis, of Utah, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee for the Western Hemisphere, said the State Department would not participate in a planned hearing on Venezuela last year, would not brief him on drug boat strikes and is not cooperating on a future hearing on priorities in the Western Hemisphere.

I want to be clear, I support whats happening with Maduro and whats going on there, but I do think the administration could get Congress to be a better partner by informing us better, he told Rubio. And from my perspective, Im struggling to see that.
The News in Brief Thursday, January 29, 2026

The Helsinki Commission has postponed its planned briefing on the situation in Georgia due to weather conditions. The briefing, titled "Georgian Dream's Growing Suppression of Dissent," had been scheduled for January 28 at 11:00 p.m. Tbilisi time.Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili questioned the stated reason and criticized the invitation of Laura Thornton as a witness."When President Trump's enemy, Laura Thornton, who has called him a sexual abuser, is invited to testify, the Helsinki Commission is discrediting itself," Papuashvili said.Levan Makhashvili, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on European Integration, welcomed the postponement, saying it had no negative impact on Georgia."I can't say what the real reason was, but nothing was lost or added for the state," Makhashvili said. "This does not help reset relations. We are glad the hearing was postponed and hope such hearings will not take place at all."External lobbying will become a criminal offense under a legislative package planned by the Georgian Dream parliamentary majority.The proposed amendments would introduce criminal liability for the direct or indirect transfer of money, securities, property, or other benefits to a foreign citizen or legal entity in exchange for carrying out activities on political issues related to Georgia. Violations would be punishable by a fine, 300 to 500 hours of community service, or imprisonment of up to six years.Georgian Dream faction chair Irakli Kirtskhalia announced the changes at a briefing following a majority meeting."Criminal liability is being established for violation of the rules set by the Law on Grants," Kirtskhalia said. "The relevant violation will result in a fine, community service for a term of 300 to 500 hours, or imprisonment for a term of up to six years."The draft legislation also introduces an aggravating circumstance to Article 194 of the Criminal Code. According to Kirtskhalia, money laundering carried out for activities related to Georgia's political processes would carry a prison sentence of nine to 12 years."An aggravating circumstance is added to Article 194 of the Criminal Code, namely, money laundering for the purpose of carrying out activities on political issues of Georgia," he said.In addition, the amendments would impose criminal liability on senior officials of political parties who violate the Organic Law on Political Unions of Citizens by accepting foreign funding.
BAGHDAD, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Iraqis demonstrated near the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad on Wednesday evening, condemning alleged U.S. interference in the country's internal affairs over the formation of a new government.

Protesters gathered near the Suspension Bridge near the entrance of a road leading to the U.S. Embassy, chanting slogans against the United States while demanding the preservation of Iraq's sovereignty.

The rally remained largely peaceful, although some scuffles occurred with security forces preventing demonstrators from approaching the U.S. embassy entrance. No injuries were reported.

"We reject any forms of foreign interference in the Iraqi people's decision to build their future," Abbas Attiwi, one of the protesters, told Xinhua. He specifically criticized U.S. pressure regarding Iraq's formation of a new government, calling it a "blatant intervention" in Iraq's domestic affairs.

The protest was triggered by a sharp escalation in rhetoric between Washington and Baghdad. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday that the United States would "no longer help Iraq" if former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki returns to power, citing concerns over his previous policies and ideologies.

Al-Maliki on Wednesday rebuffed the "blatant U.S. interference" in Iraq's internal affairs, describing it as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, a breach of the democratic system established in Iraq after 2003, and an infringement upon the decision of the Coordination Framework (CF) for selecting its candidate for the premiership.

Iraq's CF, an umbrella alliance of Shiite parties and the largest parliamentary bloc, announced Saturday the official nomination of al-Maliki for a third term to head the country's next government.

Al-Maliki, born in 1950, is the leader of the State of Law Coalition and previously served two terms as Iraq's prime minister from 2006 to 2014.

Under Iraq's post-2003 ethno-sectarian power-sharing system, the presidency is reserved for a Kurd, the speaker's post for a Sunni Muslim, and the prime minister's office for a Shiite Muslim. 
Wednesday, 28 January 2026, 13:13 Share

The Spanish cabinet approved the advanced aid for the victims of the Adamuz and Gelida train accidents on Tuesday. A total of 210 people will be divided into 14 categories of injuries and damages, entitled to between 2,404 and 84,141 euros in compensation.

The royal decree aid is granted as an advance on the compensation the 168 Adamuz and the 42 Gelida victims are legally entitled to under civil liability rules. The aim is to give them quick access to financial support.

If the recipients agree, the government will handle the legal claim afterwards and try to recover the money from the responsible party.

Relatives of the fatalaties will receive 72,121.46 euros. The passengers who have sustained injuries will be divided into 14 categories.

The aid is as follows: 84,141.7 euros in category one; in category two, 60,101.22 euros; in category three, 54,086.08; in category four, 48,080.96; in category five, 42,050.84; in category six, 36,060.72; in category seven, 30.30,050.6 euros; in category eight, 24,040.48; in category nine, 18,030.16; in category ten, 12,020.24; in category 11, 9,015.08; in category 12, 7,212.14; in category 13, 5,409.1; and in category 14, 2,404.04.

A total of 14 categories are established in the case of injuries

The aid will not be repayable and will be exempt from personal income tax (IRPF). If the compensation eventually awarded is lower than the amount paid as an advance, the beneficiaries will not have to repay the difference. Conversely, if the final compensation is higher than the advance, the beneficiaries will receive the amount by which the compensation exceeds the advance, the specifications published in the official state gazette say.

The beneficiaries are the passengers and the families of the fatal victims of the two railway accidents that happened in Spain in the span of three day. The first incident is the most serious train crash in the history of the high-speed line in Spain: the collision between a derailed Iryo train with an Alvia train that was travelling in the opposite direction. The incident happened near the Adamuz train station in Cordoba at 7.43pm on 18 January.

Spain has suffered only one bigger train accident, although not on the high-speed line: the Angrois accident on the Alvia train to Santiago de Compostela in 2013.

In order to receive the aid, the relatives of the deceased must present the death certificate and those injured must present the corresponding medical reports.

Without prejudice to other compensation

The aid will be granted without prejudice to any other compensation to which passengers on the affected trains may be entitled. This includes compensation related to assistance (such as food, accommodation and transport), loss of or damage to hand luggage, animals and baggage, as well as death and personal injury, all of which will be governed by the applicable sector-specific regulations.

The Adamuz accident directly impacted a total of 527 passengers, including 45 dead and 123 injured. The accident also led to the suspension of the high-speed service in Andalucia, which extended the personal, social and economic impact of the accident.

Gelida train accident

The second railway accident happened at 9.33pm on 20 January, when a train of the Catalan Rodalies R4 service collided with a retaining wall in Gelida (Barcelona). The wall had come loose and fallen on the track due to a heavy rainstorm.

One person died and 41 were injured. The Rodalies service had to be suspended for two days and "its full recovery will still take some time".

According to the royal decree approved and published in the state gazette, a total of 210 victims were recorded in both accidents. The impact on society has been "devastating". Multiple resources have been activated to provide physical and emotional support to the victims and their families.

The government has thanked the emergency services for their rapid action and professionalism. Doctors, police officers, firefighters, the government's military unit, caregivers, civil protection personnel and volunteers have all taken part in the efforts following the accidents.

The people of Adamuz, "who have shown admirable empathy, dedication and solidarity towards the victims", have become the anonymous heroes following the tragic event.

The government has also highlighted the work of various institutions towards helping victims and recovering railway services.

Other grants and subsidies

The royal decree aid comes into force from the moment of its publication (Wednesday, 28 January). The publication in the state gazette explains the application procedure. It also addresses the compatibility of this aid with other subsidies granted for the same purpose, such as those from civil liability insurance or railway companies, infrastructure managers or other administrations, including the victims' personal insurance policies.

Beneficiaries can find assistance during the application process at the stations set up at the delegations and sub-delegations of their regional governments.
High-speed trains have been stationed for days at the Maria Zambrano station in Malaga.

Ignacio Lillo Malaga Wednesday, 28 January 2026, 14:37 Share

Spain's minister of transport has announced the possibility of reopening the high-speed line between Malaga and Madrid on 7 February. On Wednesday, Oscar Puente said that the state rail infrastructure company (Adif) had received judicial authorisation to start restoring the track near Adamuz, where a serious train crash took place on 18 January.

Following the incident, the Andalusian high-speed line was suspended until 2 February. This week, however, the reopening of the line between Malaga and Madrid was further delayed.

Now that Adif has the permit to start working on the one-kilometre-long double track, the minister expects that the train service will be restored in ten days, making possible the reopening on 6 or 7 February.

The exact date depends on the progress of the restorative process. This week is marked by two consecutive storms, with heavy rainfall and strong winds, which could disrupt the process.

The minister has not clarified whether the full double track will be reopened

Puente has not specified whether only a single track will be restored or the full double track. If it's the former, there will initially be some delays in travel times.

New deadline

The initially planned reopening on 2 February is not possible due to the delay in obtaining judicial authorisation.

The current deadline implies that the high-speed trains of the three companies operating in the Andalusian corridor (Renfe, with its brands AVE and Avlo; Iryo and Ouigo) will be able to run again by the end of next week. If this happens, the service will have been suspended for about three weeks.

In the past two weeks, Renfe has continued operating some high-speed trains, with an alternative bus bypass as a substitute for the damaged section of the tracks. Tickets for the five-hour journey are fixed at 40 euros.
TEHRAN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Wednesday rejected any prospect of talks with the United States as long as Washington continues to threaten military action, after U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric and announced the deployment of additional U.S. naval forces to the Middle East.

"There can be no negotiations in an atmosphere of threats," Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. "Conducting diplomacy through military pressure is neither effective nor useful. If they want negotiations, they must abandon threats, excessive demands, and illogical issues."

In a post on X, Araghchi added that Iran welcomes a new deal on its nuclear program but would respond forcefully to any U.S. military operation.

"Our brave Armed Forces are prepared -- with their fingers on the trigger," the Iranian diplomat said.

Trump, meanwhile, urged Tehran to return to negotiations over its nuclear program, warning that a "massive armada" was moving toward the region.

"A massive armada is heading to Iran," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the force would be larger than one previously deployed near Venezuela and would be ready to act if necessary.

"Hopefully Iran will quickly come to the table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal -- NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS," he added. "Time is running out." Trump warned that any future U.S. strike would be "far worse" than previous military actions if no agreement is reached.

The United States has already dispatched the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying guided-missile destroyers to the region. The U.S. Central Command said Monday that the carrier-led strike group had taken up position in Middle Eastern waters, without disclosing its exact location.

The heightened military posture comes roughly a month after protests erupted across Iran, which Tehran has accused the United States and Israel of fomenting. Since then, Trump has sent mixed signals, alternately calling for negotiations while refusing to rule out military intervention.

Inside Iran, the response to the naval buildup has been defiant. Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Wednesday that any notion of a "limited strike" against Iran was an illusion. He warned that any U.S. military action "from any origin and at any level" would be considered the start of a war and would prompt an "immediate, all-out and unprecedented" response.

In a statement, Iran's mission to the United Nations also warned against military action, citing the cost of past U.S. wars in the region.

"The last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over 7 trillion U.S. dollars and lost more than 7,000 American lives," the statement said. "Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests -- but if pushed, it will defend itself."

Iran has also sought to rally regional opposition to any U.S. strike. Officials contacted several Arab states this week, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia and the UAE said they would not allow their airspace to be used for an attack on Iran.

Turkiye, a NATO member that shares a long border with Iran, urged diplomacy. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Al Jazeera on Wednesday that Washington should restart nuclear talks with Tehran.

"It's wrong to attack Iran. It's wrong to start another war," Fidan said. He added that Iran was ready to resume negotiations on its nuclear program and called on the United States to address disputes step by step, beginning with the nuclear issue. 
Under normal conditions, two years of proven residence in the country are needed to obtain a residence permit. In the meantime, many migrants try to make a living out of activities such as street vending.

Cristina Vallejo Wednesday, 28 January 2026, 10:45 Share

Awaiting the extraordinary regularisation for migrants who are already in the country, which the Spanish cabinet approved on Tuesday, Diario SUR has estimated that between 40,000 and 50,000 people in Malaga province could benefit from the measure.

The figure has been calculated on the basis of comparing the number of people in the province with a legal residence permit and those who are registered as living here but lack a permit.

What does the one-off measure approved by the Spanish government mean? It concerns migrants who are already in the country but don't have legal residency.

It is aimed at people seeking international protection who have submitted their application before 31 December 2025.

It also includes people who have been in Spain for at least five months prior to 31 December 2025, as long as they can prove that. Proof can be obtained through any public document: a 'padron' (municipal registration), rental contract, any receipts or a combination of all.

If the application is accepted, individual applicants receive a one-year work permit, while families are granted five years. The processing period is three months at most, but applicants will be able to start working legally as soon as the application is accepted.

How many people will benefit from the measure in Malaga province? According to 2024 data, there were 116,453 immigrants with a residence permit and 172,000 with a 'padron', which does not mean that they were legally allowed to stay in Spain. The difference of around 50,000 constitutes the people who could benefit from this extraordinary measure.

Diario SUR has also made provisional 2025 calculations, using undocumented numbers. According to those, the number of people awaiting regularisation of their status in the province is around 40,000.

This last figure, however, could be distorted, because there are 13,187 more Ukrainians with residence permits than appear on the local census. The difference could be attributed to the fact that many might have arrived to the admission centre in Malaga city but then moved to other parts of Spain.

To compile these estimates, SUR has cross-referenced data from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration and the national institute of statistics. While the former records granted residence permits, the latter collects information from the census.

A recent study by Funcas suggests that the figure calculated by SUR may be overestimated, given that the number of people without a residence permit in the whole of Spain may currently be around 840,000.

Humanitarian organisations have criticised the regularisation procedure applied until now, stating that it condemns migrants to live two years in irregular residential and employment status. The authorities cannot return a person to their country if they do not have documentation to show where they are from. Moreover, if a country does not have an extradition agreement with Spain, a return is much more complicated.

While expulsion is difficult, regularising one's status is also challennging. In order to obtain legal residence in the country, it is necessary to provide proof of census registration and proof of continuous residence in Spanish territory for at least two years prior to the submission of the application, with absences of a maximum of 90 calendar days.

As for asylum seekers, once they have made a request for international protection, they can work legally until the procedure is resolved. If they are denied refugee status, however, they lose the right to work and have to start their residency application again: the two-year residency counter is reset to zero.

"Regularisation is not a privilege, it is a tool to guarantee rights and responsibilities, to provide legal certainty and strengthen social cohesion and co-existence"

The regularisation proposal approved by the government is therefore extraordinary, as it sits outside the rules that operate in normal circumstances. Organisations have welcomed the new measure.

The president of the Moroccan assocaition for the integration of immigrants in Malaga, Ahmed Khalifa, said: "We positively value any measure that allows thousands of people who already live, work and contribute to Spanish society to be removed from the administrative limbo. Regularisation is not a privilege, it is a tool to guarantee rights and responsibilities, provide legal security and strengthen social cohesion and co-existence."

According to Khalifa, regularisation is the recognition of a state of invisible co-existence and "a question of social justice and common sense". While awaiting full details, Khalifa calls for the process to be "clear, accessible" and accompanied by "sufficient resources".

Addressing the working conditions of many immigrants, Comisioners Obreras says: "The administrative situation of part of the foreign population in Spain is a classic dysfunction of our system that fundamentally harms the population in question, which exists in dynamics of social exclusion, over-exploitation of labour and clandestinity."
Maria Jose Diaz Alcala Wednesday, 28 January 2026, 17:54 Share

A drug-trafficking boat has been spotted for the first time at Caleta de Velez harbour on the eastern Costa del Sol. On Sunday 25 January crew members allegedly "defied and mocked" Guardia Civil officers who were filming the boat.

Due to the series of Atlantic storms battering the south of Spain, drug traffickers' boats are now taking refuge in the ports along the Malaga coast. For the first time, a semi-rigid boat with three individuals on board has been documented in Caleta de Velez.

With their faces covered, the suspects look at the camera and wave at officers. Jucil Malaga, the association of the Guardia Civil, has denounced the "impunity of drug traffickers on the Andalusian coast, defying and mocking officers".

As officers shone lights on the boat and filmed its occupants, they allegedly acknowledged the officers and waved at them. However, the Jucil Malaga association's judicial secretary, Pablo Rosa, acknowledges that the officers were unable to check the condition of the boat or identify its crew because the Guardia Civil boat "was not available to these colleagues at the time".

The association has denounced "the lack of resources" to identify the individuals, "linked to criminal organisations" and "the total impunity they enjoy".
A man, aged 49, has been arrested for allegedly working as a fake nurse at public and private health facilities across Malaga and Almeria since 2020.

The suspect was detained by National Police on suspicion of falsifying public documents and practising medicine without a licence.

The investigation began following a complaint from the 061 emergency medical services centre. Officers from the provincial judicial police unit discovered that the university degree, transcripts, and professional registration certificates provided to his employers were all forgeries.

Police confirmed the man had never been enrolled in the nursing programme at the University of Malaga (UMA), despite the institution being named on his falsified diploma.

Checks with professional nursing associations in both Malaga and Almeria revealed no record of his membership. Investigators found he had submitted a registration certificate to a private clinic using a member number belonging to a different, legitimate nurse.

The suspect also reportedly claimed to have served as a "military nurse" in the Spanish Air Force. Police verified with military authorities that this claim was also false.

The man remains in custody pending further enquiries.
Large cracks in the wall next to the Cercanias tracks in Benalmadena.

Ignacio Lillo Malaga Wednesday, 28 January 2026, 14:54 Share

Residents of the Arroyo de la Miel district in Benalmadena and firefighters have warned of the risk of a wall collapsing across the tracks of the Costa del Sol Cercanias line.

The state rail infrastructure company, however, says that engineers have evaluated the risk and decided that the line can remain open.

The succession of railway accidents in Spain in recent weeks has been keeping everyone on tenterhooks. While the high-speed Andalusian line remains closed until next week at least, the provincial short-distance line has also been in the spotlight for several days now.

Videos on social media have been raising awareness to a crack of considerable size in a wall that extends along the C1 line as it passes through Benalmadena. Suspicions grew larger once the fire brigade also showed concern.

After seeing the crack in a video, firefighters went to the location of the wall and asked Adif (Spain's rail infrastructure company) to rapidly take measures.

30 metres is the approximate length of the crack in the wall next to the Cercanias de la Costa tracks

Benalmadena town hall has said that the firefighters cannot assess how big the risk is because the wall is state property. "Adif has been asked to check it, but we don't know if there's a risk," municipal sources stated.

SUR also went to the area to report on the state of the wall. Photos taken from Calle Medina Azahara show approximately 30-metre-long cracks in the wall, right next to the overpass that spans the railway tracks between Calle Alhambra and Calle El Pinar.

A pipe belonging to the Acosol water company has burst there on at least two occasions.

Adif sees no danger

The wall is located in an area of Arroyo de la Miel with a high concentration of houses, a school, a secondary school and an industrial area. After crossing this part of the route, the track goes underground to Arroyo de la Miel station, right under a playground and the promenade in Medina Azahara and Avenida de la Constitucion.

Adif has stated that maintenance technicians are monitoring the crack. During the visit, SUR spoke to several Adif engineers, who said that, for the moment, the C1 line remains "fully operational" as there is no risk of the wall collapsing.
Storm that hit Malaga worsens after leaving one dead in Torremolinos A 31-year-old woman died after a palm tree fell on her in Torremolinos, where the wind exceeded 80km/h on Tuesday

Police at the scene of the accident in Torremolinos on Tuesday.

Juan Cano Malaga Wednesday, 28 January 2026, 12:42 Share

Storm Joseph has been wreaking havoc since Tuesday, forcing several municipalities and the regional government of Andalucia to activate emergency plans.

The most serious incident has been the death of a 31-year-old woman from a fallen palm tree in Torremolinos. Several flights bound for Malaga were diverted on Tuesday, while the parks in some municipalities were closed on Wednesday.

In addition, some rivers have overflown, sweeping away cars and forcing road closures. Almost the whole of Spain activated warnings for strong winds, coastal phenomena, rainfall or all three on Wednesday

Storm Joseph takes one victim

The accident in Torremolinos on Tuesday happened on Avenida Palma de Mallorca, shortly after 1pm. The emergency services were mobilised after the strong winds caused a palm tree to fall on top of a young woman.

Upon their arrival, the medical team performed CPR on the 31-year-old woman, who had an open leg fracture and a crushed thorax. Unfortunately, they could not resuscitate her and she was pronounced dead.

Torremolinos town hall extended condolences to the young woman's family and friends.

Emergency plan

Regional minister of emergencies Antonio Sanz had already activated the emergency plan for the risk of floods in Andalucia on Friday, 23 January. At 3pm on 27 January, however, Sanz raised the pre-emergency phase to operational stage one in light of the passage of consecutive storms.

Storm Joseph left more than 50 incidents in Malaga province, out of a total of 366 cases in Andalucia, mainly in Cadiz (96) and Seville (78). Reports have come from practically all Andalusian provinces.

Diverted flights

Malaga Airport was also impacted by the weather situation on Tuesday. By 2pm, a total of 12 flights bound for the Costa del Sol capital had been diverted. While some were sent to Seville, others had to be diverted to Madrid, Valencia, Faro, Alicante and Jerez due to saturation at Andalucia's second airport in terms of traffic.

According to Spanish airport operator Aena, four planes, with departures from Istanbul, Barcelona, Oslo and Madrid, were diverted to Seville.

One from Madrid had to return. A flight from London-Heathrow was also diverted to the Barajas Airport in Madrid.

Another flight from London-Gatwick went to Faro. A flight from Tampere (Finland) and another from Berlin went to Jerez. One from Bergamo and one from Casablanca landed in Valencia. One from Zurich and one from Dublin diverted to Alicante-Elche.

The airport station of the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) yesterday measured a maximum gust of 82 km/h at 11.30 a.m. today, as well as sustained winds of 42 km/h, due to storm Joseph.

Roads closed

Numerous roads in Malaga province have had to be closed due to river floods. The flooding of the Velerin river in Estepona left 50 homes cut off after the water level rose above that of the two existing crossings.

Many municipalities have ordered the closure of parks and cemeteries due to the risk of falling trees. Alhaurin de la Torre town hall activated the municipal emergency plan after receiving reports concerning falling trees, branches, awnings and urban infrastructure elements.

In addition, many municipalities ordered the closure of parks and cemeteries where there were trees at risk of falling. In Alhaurin de la Torre, the strength of the wind forced the Town Hall to activate the Municipal Emergency Plan, after some trees, branches, awnings and street furniture fell.

Record rainfall

Data compiled by SUR's weather expert Jose Luis Escudero from various official and unofficial sources reflects the magnitude of the storm: 92mm of accumulated rainfall in Ronda on Tuesday; 74mm in Benarraba; 70mm in Juanar; and 64mm in Montejaque.

According to the official regional government's Hidrosur network, the record was in Cortes de la Frontera (65mm).
Susana Zamora Wednesday, 28 January 2026, 16:20 Share

A communal car park management organisation in Catalonia has been ordered to pay 12,000 euros to a motorcyclist after she slipped on a dilapidated access ramp.

The Provincial Court of Barcelona upheld a previous ruling, dismissing the organisations argument that the accident was caused by the riders "lack of skill" or wet tyres.

It was around 8.45pm when the woman slipped while going down the ramp to access the communal car park. She suffered personal injuries and material damage. Her treatment (rehabilitation and osteotherapy) lasted 221 days.

After she couldn't reach an agreement with the managers of the car park (an organisation within the community of homeowners' association), she took the matter to court.

In response, the car park organisation denied any responsibility and attributed the accident to the motorbike tyres that had been wet "because it had rained that day". It also accused the woman of not applying the brake properly, "probably as a result of her lack of skill". In addition, the defence said that the ramp was in good condition.

The court ruled in favour of the complainant and ordered the compensation for injury and damage to the motorcycle.

The provincial court of Barcelona upheld the judgement of the court of first instance. The expert report and photographic evidence confirmed the deterioration of the pavement and that no maintenance work had been carried out prior to 2000.

"The images show that the ramp pavement is worn and deteriorated, undoubtedly due to the repeated daily passage of vehicles, especially given that there are around 70 parking spaces on the level accessed via the ramp, as indicated in the images by the former president of the homeowners' association. There are stains on the surface that appear to be from some kind of liquid (water or oil) and small stones (gravel or debris) can be seen. The report also shows two tiles that are cracked," the report states.

In addition, the organisation fixed the ramp days after the accident, proving that the pavement had been in a poor state. "Both the administrator and the then president of the homeowners' organisation recognise that it was precisely the accident that led the entity to carry out the action," the ruling states.

This ruling can be appealed before the Supreme Court or the High Court of Justice of Catalonia.
Utica, N.Y.  A judge has ordered New York state to pay the legal bills for several former state corrections officers who are being sued for their roles in an inmates killing.

State Supreme Court Justice Peter Rayhill ruled Jan. 14 that the state Attorney Generals Office must cover the legal fees for Michael Along and Mathew Galliher in a federal lawsuit over inmate Robert L. Brooks death in December 2024.

The state Public Officers Law generally requires the state to pay for the legal defense of an employee when they are acting within the scope of their public employment or duties.

Only in the rare circumstance where the facts are so clear-cut that reasonable minds could reach no other conclusion than that the employee acted outside the scope of employment may the Attorney General disclaim a defense, Rayhill wrote.

Several other former corrections officers named as defendants in the wrongful death lawsuit  Shea Schoff, David Walters and Nicholas Kieffer  have filed similar lawsuits against the state to try to get it to pay their legal bills.

Rayhill is also the assigned judge in those cases. He has not ruled yet.

The AGs office had previously denied requests from the five men for the state to pay their legal bills. It said the involvement of the officers in the fatal use of excessive force occurred outside the scope of their employment.

In Gallihers case, Rayhill said his placing restraints is an example of actions that, on their face, fall within the ambit of correctional duties.

Ten corrections officers were indicted in the fatal beating of Brooks at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Oneida County on Dec. 9, 2024.

Multiple corrections officers repeatedly punched and kicked Brooks in the groin, abdomen and face in the prison infirmary, according to body camera videos that captured the attack. He died hours later at a Utica hospital.

Brooks death was ruled a homicide by the Onondaga County Medical Examiners Office. His cause of death was compression of the neck and multiple blunt-impact injuries, according to the autopsy report.

Body cameras captured the beating from multiple angles. Four guards present had their cameras on but did not activate them to start recording. Unbeknownst to them, 30 minutes of video was passively recorded without audio.

Galliher and Kieffer were acquitted at trial last October.

Walters pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter, but has been released from state prison while he is appealing.

No charges have been announced against Along or Schoff in connection with the case.
The Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard police blotter of arrests from police agencies around Central New York was updated today.

The arrests added this week occurred between Dec. 8, 2025 and Jan. 25.

The people charged ranged from 17 to 68 years old.

Information in the police blotter is provided by the arresting agencies. Arrests are also published in the Neighbors pages of The Post-Standard and are available in the ePost-Standard.

The police blotter is searchable by name, charge, date, and agency. If you dont find a particular arrest, try adjusting the date range.

You can search the blotter here:

Dont see the link? Click here to search the police blotter
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 22: Bruce Springsteen performs onstage during the AFI Los Angeles Premiere of 20th Century Studios' "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" at The TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California on October 22, 2025. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios) (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios)

Bruce Springsteen is dedicating his new song to the people of Minneapolis, taking aim at President Donald Trumps ongoing immigration enforcement operations in the city.

The lyrics of Streets of Minneapolis, released Wednesday, describe how a city aflame fought fire and ice neath an occupiers boots, which Springsteen calls King Trumps private army.

Springsteen in a statement said he wrote and recorded the song over the weekend and released it in response to a second deadly shooting by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

Its dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, he wrote, naming the two victims.

The slow-burning song builds from just acoustic guitar and voice to a fuller band tune, including a harmonica solo, and ends with chants of ICE Out!

Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice, The Boss sings. Singing through the bloody mist/Well take our stand for this land/And the stranger in our midst.

The title echoes Springsteens Streets of Philadelphia, which served as a title song for the Tom Hanks-led 1993 film Philadelphia.

Springsteen has long been critical of the president, who in turn has called the rock icon overrated. They last publicly clashed last year, when Springsteen on tour in England told his audience that America is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent and treasonous administration. Trump responded by calling Springsteen a dried out prune of a rocker.
BAGHDAD, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) announced on Wednesday the arrest of two Islamic State (IS) militants in the western province of Anbar and the destruction of three IS hideouts in the northern Kirkuk province.

A CTS statement said that the arrests were carried out during two separate operations based on precise intelligence and judicial warrants.

Separately, CTS forces in Kirkuk located and destroyed three IS hideouts during search and ambush operations, it added.

The operations come amid heightened vigilance as Iraqi security forces on Tuesday arrested an IS militant wearing an explosive belt in Anbar, thwarting a suicide bombing attempt.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have sneaked into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerrilla attacks against security forces and civilians. 
A Syracuse University professor returned to national television Tuesday to share some insights into his writing process for a new book.

George Saunders appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for the fourth time to promote Vigil, his latest novel. Stephen Colbert compared it to Lincoln at the Bardo, Saunders Man Booker Prize-winning book, in featuring ghosts and the afterlife again.

Saunders said that wasnt intentional, but his revision-heavy approach forces him to constantly look for ways to make a story more exciting with highs and lows.

I think the writer is like a roller coaster designer, he explained. In the beginning, I dont think you should know what youre trying to do. But youre trying to thrill the reader...

For me, if I have a real story, like a couple having a serious discussion about their marriage, he continued, I cant do it. But if I let her dead mom drift in and also the dead mom doesnt like the husband then (it might work).

Colbert said Vigil would be The Late Show Book Clubs book of the month for February, humorously calling it a higher honor than Saunders past awards (including a Library of Congress prize for American Fiction and multiple National Magazine Awards for fiction).

Saunders is an author who has taught in the creative writing program at Syracuse University since 1996. He received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2006, has had a dozen books appear on The New York York Times bestsellers list, and is having Lincoln in the Bardo adapted into an opera.

Saunders went viral in 2013 with his moving commencement speech at SU and has appeared on late-night talk shows with Stephen Colbert and David Letterman. His short story, Spiderhead, became a Netflix movie (starring Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller) in 2022 and he produced a pilot episode for an Amazon TV series, Sea Oak, starring Glenn Close and Jack Quaid, based on a story he wrote.
Syracuse, N.Y.  City Common Council members Monday unanimously passed a resolution calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation meant to limit how state and local police and other officials work with federal immigration agents.

Common Council member Chol Majok , who came to Syracuse as a refugee in 2001 from South Sudan, spearheaded the resolution. The state legislation Majok is pushing for is called the New York For All Act.

This is an effort to be able to protect New Yorkers at a larger scale, especially New Yorkers that are immigrants, Majok said. New York For All is an act of protection.

The proposed state legislation would prohibit local and state law enforcement throughout New York from sharing information or working with immigration authorities, except when specified by law or under a judges order. In most cases, it would extend those limitations to all public workers, down to the village level.

It also would expressly prohibit county probation officers and state workers from asking individuals about their immigration status and making that public. And it would bar county jails and prisons from entering into agreements with agencies such as ICE, according to the proposed state legislation.

The Common Councils vote comes as immigration enforcement, and criticism of those tactics, has increased both nationally and locally. ICE officers detained at least 162 people in Onondaga County between January and October 2025. Most recently, Jose Criollo and Adrian Ramirez were arrested on Jan. 16 while leaving a construction project on Syracuses East Side.

In Minneapolis earlier this month, ICE officers fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. Citizen, as she drove away from agents. On Jan. 24, a Border Patrol officer shot and killed Alex J. Pretti , an ICU nurse.

During Mondays meeting, Syracuse Common Councilor Marty Nave condemned the recent shootings by federal agents before a vote was called.

Recently, two American citizens were murdered by ICE agents because they were exercising their constitutional rights, Nave said. We abhor all these violent acts against human beings.

For Majok, the legislation is deeply personal. From his arrival in Syracuse as a South Sudanese refugee to working for local elected officials, Majok became the first former refugee elected to Common Council in 2019 and now serves as a councilor-at-large, representing the entire city.

For me as somebody that is a minority, its a lived experience, Majok said. We came to this country. This country is a place where we seek second chances where people all over the world are seeking second chances and the way our government is treating them is unacceptable.

Majok said the raids, arrests and detentions by federal officials are terrifying for New Americans like him. The fear is real, he said.

Syracuse has one of the largest immigrant communities in Upstate New York, Majok said.

In Upstate, the city has the second-highest percentage of foreign-born population at 12.07%, behind Albany at 14.97%, according to the U.S. Census. Syracuse also has the second-highest number of foreign-born residents at 17,644 among its Upstate peers. Buffalo has 29,038.

Mondays vote in Syracuse was a recommendation to state lawmakers.

Still, Majok said, it sends an important message about the citys values.

We have a moral code that we stand up for that we want to keep, Majok said.

Staff writer Kevin Tampone contributed to this story.
DeWitt, N.Y.  The eight board members of the Central New York SPCA announced Wednesday afternoon that they were all resigning after employees walked out in protest earlier this week.

The board is seeking a full leadership reset by the end of next month, according to a message sent to shelter employees Wednesday that was obtained by syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Nonprofit consultants have been hired to guide the transition.

We recognize the strain this has placed on you and are committed to an accountable process that will create a healthier path forward, the boards message said.

About a dozen shelter employees and volunteers protested Tuesday in front of the shelter at 5878 E. Molloy Road in DeWitt, calling for a change in leadership.

The protesters said the nonprofits board has allowed animals to be neglected and called on them to resign.

Concerns about staff turnover, frozen water bowls and broken kennels have been ignored, according to Lizzy Scollo. She resigned about a month ago from her job as the groups adoption and training manager.

Scollo said the protesters were trying to take in the news Wednesday afternoon.

We appreciate that they made the right choice, she said. Were all ready to jump in and do whatever we can to get things back to a good place.

Monica Williams, the president of the SPCAs board, acknowledged Tuesday that the shelter was understaffed and how that might frustrate employees. She said the shelter is actively hiring.

The current staff is ensuring the animals are very well taken care of, she said.

Williams, a former county legislator who is now the countys chief diversity officer, previously said she would not resign. She did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Wednesday.

According to the nonprofits website, the eight board members are:

Monica Williams, president

Pat Romano, vice president

Bob Wood, treasurer

Gale Rachetta, interim secretary

Carole Marsh

Jack Yogga

Tina Dausman

Heidi Macko

New York state regulators told syracuse.com that they plan to visit the shelter soon after receiving complaints.

The shelter, which currently has about 60 animals inside, is licensed by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

The department will conduct an educational visit in the coming days, according to spokesperson Jola Szubielski.

That visit will be followed by an unannounced inspection at a later date, Szubielski said.

The nonprofit provides shelter and medical attention to stray, abused and unwanted animals, and helps police officers with animal cruelty investigations. It also earns about $200,000 a year providing dog control services, including to the towns of Clay, Lysander and Manlius, according to tax records.

The shelter was built in 1965, according to county property records. There is an ongoing fundraising campaign for a new building.

The animal shelter has faced difficulties in the past.

Four employees, including the then-executive director, were charged in 2016 with stealing more than $1 million from the organization. All of them later pleaded guilty.

The state Attorney Generals Office had been investigating the shelter in recent years. The investigation was closed because there were no allegations of financial abuse or mismanagement, the AGs office said this week.

The shelter passed the investigation, Williams previously said.

The shelter is currently being run by the board after the executive director, Sean-Patrick Malloy, recently resigned.
DeWitt, N.Y.  New York state regulators plan to visit the Central New York SPCA after receiving multiple complaints about the animal shelter, officials said Wednesday.

The state Department of Agriculture and Markets will conduct an educational visit in the coming days at the shelter at 5878 E. Molloy Road in DeWitt, according to Jola Szubielski, a department spokesperson.

That visit will be followed by an unannounced inspection at a later date, Szubielski said.

The shelter, which currently has about 60 animals inside, is licensed by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

The department last inspected the shelter in March, Szubielski said. The results were satisfactory, she said.

About a dozen shelter employees and volunteers protested in front of the shelter Tuesday, calling for a change in leadership.

The protesters said the nonprofits board of directors has allowed for animals to be neglected and called on them to resign.

Concerns about staff turnover, frozen water bowls and broken kennels have been ignored, according to Lizzy Scollo. She resigned about a month ago from her job as the adoption and training manager.

Monica Williams, the president of the SPCAs board, acknowledged the shelter was understaffed and how that might frustrate employees. She said the shelter is actively hiring.

The current staff is ensuring the animals are very well taken care of, she said.

The shelter is currently being run by the board after the most recent executive director, Sean-Patrick Malloy, recently left.

Williams, a former county legislator who is now the countys chief diversity officer, said she would not resign.

Im willing to sit down with them and meet their concerns, she said.

The animal shelter has faced difficulties in the past.

Four employees, including the then-executive director, were charged in 2016 with stealing more than $1 million from the organization. All of them later pleaded guilty.

The state Attorney Generals Office had been investigating the shelter in recent years. The investigation was closed because there were no allegations of financial abuse or mismanagement.

The shelter passed the review, Williams said.

Williams said the shelter is working to get into compliance with new statewide regulations for animal shelters that took effect last month.
In his obituary, Raymond Ray Simcuskis beloved daughter Jacqueline wrote that a write-up could never cover the life of her father.

She wrote:

Countless stories, memories, accomplishments and achievements would simply take an eternity to convey. He was a force, a presence, an entity. Standing 66 with a size 15 shoe, his stature was perfectly suited to his personality. There was no one else, and there will never be anyone else, like him. He always said he was a legend in his own mind, but he became a legend reality. He will be truly, dearly and greatly missed.

That sentiment was echoed by former Syracuse mayor Matt Driscoll, one of the local politicians who Simcuski served as an aide.

Like countless others, I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend Ray Simcuski, Driscoll wrote. Words cannot express the sorrow I feel. Ray was not only a friend, but a mentor throughout my many years of public service, always behind me and supportive with advice and counsel.

Ray possessed tremendous institutional knowledge of our city, region and state, and no one was better at crunching numbers and shaping political strategies than Ray Simcuski. When Ray walked into a room, people took notice, he had an air of ease and confidence along with a tremendous sense of humor. His family will miss his love as a father and brother, I will miss his insight and perspective, but most of all I will miss his friendship.

Raymond "Ray" Simcuski passed away on Jan. 20, 2026 at the age of 77. He was aide for Syracuse mayors Lee Alexander and Matt Driscoll and NYS Senator Nancy Hoffmann. Provided photo

Raymond Simcuski died on Tuesday, Jan. 20, of heart-related complications. He was 77 years old.

According to his obituary, he was born in Syracuses Valley section, spent years working in local and state politics and enjoyed restoring antique cars and furniture.

He was born on Oct. 28, 1948, and grew up on Fiscoe Avenue, a street developed by his grandfather Joseph P. Fiscoe.

In 1997, he spoke about his memories of growing up there with newspaper columnist Dick Case.

Oh, the smells that filled the house, he said. And the food. I think those meals lasted for three hours.

From left Margie Simcuski, her Uncle Neil Fiscoe, Mary Lou Simcuski and Ray Simcuski hold the blueprints of a track of housing for Fiscoe Avenue in Syracuse in 1997. Suzanne Dunn

Politics were present too.

His mother, Lucretia, known as Lu, Case wrote, was the family politician. She turned into an avid Democrat who was active in the party organization. Her father had been an avid Republican.

Mom was rebellious, Ray explained. As kids, wed go door to door handing out fliers.

Simcuski, nicknamed Ray Simms, would become a major political figure in the city of Syracuse and New York State for over 40 years, his obituary said.

According to Post-Standard archives, Simcuski was an area sales manager for Lever Brothers before joining Syracuse Mayor Lee Alexanders administration for five years. In 1986, he was named Director of Operations for State Senator Nancy Lorraine Hoffmann.

His obituary said he took great pride in serving Hoffmann, spearheading the campaign for Mayor Matt Driscoll in 2001 and especially working as mayoral executive to Mayor Alexander.

He served as a pallbearer at Alexanders funeral in 1996.

After aiding in Driscolls successful 2001 campaign, Simcuski visited the mayors office for the first time since 1986.

The only familiar fixtures he found were the brackets for the chin-up bar Alexander had used every morning, he told The Post-Standard.

Following his political career, Simcuski was a top executive for All Seasons Services, which was later acquired by Next Generation Vending company, where he became vice president.

All Seasons company received the Business Award from the Greater Canastota Chamber of Commerce in March 2000. Right to left: All Seasons sales executive Scott Rapasadi, district manager Bob Holdrege, sales manager corporate Bill William Batchelor and sales executive Raymond Simcuski. Li-Hua Lan

Ray Simcuski, member of the board of Oncenter and vice president of All Seasons Service in Canastota, attends its OnCenter's 10th anniversary in 2002. Li-Hua Lan

After his retirement, he worked full time as a consultant for RSA Management Group, overseeing vending accounts for Boeing Co. and other major institutions until the day he died.

With a vast knowledge of and fascination with antique cars, Ray, his obituary said, collected many classics over the years that he was thrilled to meticulously restore and enjoy.

He also was second to none in restoration of antique furniture and chrome, his obituary added. Many sought him out to bring their pieces not just back to their original condition, but better.

He cherished his later years in his beloved house on Oneida Lake.

His obituary said everyone who knew Simcuski knew the greatest joy in his life and the apple of his eye was his daughter, Jacqueline.

No matter how many birthdays were celebrated, Jacki was and always will be his little girl. He took immense pride in being her father, which he considered his biggest and most important job.He was said to have been lucky enough to fall in love and be loved by his longtime partner, Heidi Williams, for over 15 years.

Together they would travel all over Upstate New York, being professional eaters and driving fast in his Jaguars. Heidi was the best driver and had to drive, his obituary joked.

In recent years, he looked forward to lunches and dinners with close friends he met from grammar school all the way through college.

He was predeceased by his parents, Raymond E. and Lucretia (Fiscoe) Simcuski.

Simcuski is survived by Heidi Williams, the love of his life; beloved daughter, Jacqueline Simcuski; sisters Margie and Mary Lou Simcuski, who both live in The Villages in Florida; Jacquelines mother, Jennifer Brown, and several cousins.

Calling hours will be held at Edward J. Ryan and Son Funeral Home, 3180 Bellevue Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y., on Friday, Jan. 30, from 4-6 p.m. A service will follow at the funeral home at 6.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
President Donald Trump criticized U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar after she was attacked and sprayed with an unknown substance during a town hall event on Tuesday.

In an interview with ABC News, Trump suggested she staged the incident without providing evidence.

I dont think about her. I think shes a fraud, Trump said, according to ABC. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.

Omar is a Somali-American and frequent target of criticisms from Trump. She is a Democrat who represents a House district in the Minneapolis area.

During the town hall, a man rushed at her and sprayed her torso with an unknown liquid from a syringe, according to USA Today.

Omar was calling for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached.

Trump told ABC he had not seen video of the attack.

Omar discussed the incident in a post on X.

Im ok. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work, she wrote. I dont let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.

Omar was not injured in the attack, according to USA Today.

Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was arrested in connection with the incident and booked on suspicion of third-degree assault, according to the New York Post. He had been sitting in the front row of the event when he jumped up and started ranting after Omars comments on ICE and Noem.

Tensions have been high in Minneapolis in recent weeks amid an immigration crackdown that has sparked protests.

Federal agents have shot and killed two U.S. citizens in separate incidents. Even some Republicans have been calling for deeper investigations and pushing back against agents tactics.

After the second shooting, Trump said the government would de-escalate a little bit, according to the BBC.
Greece, N.Y.  A young boy was killed by his father this week in a murder-suicide in Upstate New York, according to reports.

The Greece Police Department responded to a home at Fetzner Square Apartments & Townhomes in Greece on Monday night for a welfare check, WHAM reported. Greece is a large suburb northwest of Rochester in Western New York.

When officers arrived at the complex, they found a 4-year-old boy and his father dead inside a Squareview Lane home, WHAM reported.

In preliminary autopsy findings, the Monroe County Office of the Medical Examiner determined a firearm was used in the apparent murder-suicide, WXXI News reported.

Greece police said the department would not release the names of the man and his son.

Given the involvement of a young child and the profound impact on the surviving family members, the Greece Police Department will not be releasing the names of the deceased, the department told WHAM. Our decision is rooted in compassion for the family and a commitment to preserving their privacy and dignity during an extraordinarily difficult time.

The suspected murder-suicide remains under investigation. Police said more information may be released at an appropriate time, consistent with investigative integrity and respect for the family.

Where to get help

If you or someone you love is in crisis and struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available by calling, texting or chatting with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
Fitbit users could lose access to their devices next month unless they link their profiles to a Google account.

The fitness wearable company has set a firm deadline of Feb. 2, 2026, for users to migrate their legacy Fitbit accounts. This date is actually an extension, as the brand originally aimed for a 2025 cutoff.

Essentially, this means that users currently logged into the app with Fitbit-specific credentials must log out and sign back in using a Google account to maintain service.

The tech giant announced this deadline in an email to users last March. Fitbit is now a part of Google, and Fitbit Account holders will need to transition to Google Accounts to continue using Fitbit. If you want to keep using Fitbit, you must move to a Google Account by Feb. 2, 2026, read the email, according to The Verge.

The email also warned that historical data will not be retained beyond the Feb. 2 deadline and accounts along with their data will be deleted. Google noted an exception for data it needs to keep to comply with laws.

For context, Google completed its purchase of Fitbit in early 2021 and has been steadily integrating the brand into its ecosystem. Since 2023, Google accounts have been mandatory for activating new Fitbit devices, meaning newer Fitbit owners are already in the clear.

Founded in 2007, Fitbit launched its first wearable in 2009 and quickly became a household name for tracking steps, heart rate, and sleep stages. However, the landscape shifted in 2015 when the Apple Watch entered the market. Apples device rapidly became the worlds best-seller by offering smartphone-like features such as calls and texts.

While Fitbit sales initially took a hit, the brand has maintained its footing by offering robust tracking capabilities and modern smartwatch features at more accessible price points than its competitors.
LONDON  The crime was in London, the suspect was Russian and the witness who saw the beating on a video call was in the United States and happened to be the youngest son of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Barron Trump called police in the British capital and his intervention more than a year ago led Wednesday to the assault conviction of Matvei Rumiantsev, who admitted he was jealous of his girlfriends friendship with Trump.

Trump said he placed a late night FaceTime call to the victim, a woman he met on social media, and was startled when it was answered by a bare-chested man.

This view lasted maybe one second and I was racing with adrenaline, Trump told police. The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian.

The call was hung up after a few seconds and Trump then phoned London police in a recording in which Trump desperately pleaded for help as the dispatcher insisted he answer basic questions about the victim.

How do you know her? the operator asked after a back-and-forth dialog.

I dont think these details matter, shes getting beat up, Trump said.

Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions? the dispatcher said. If you want to help the person, youll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you. So how do you know her?

Police went to the address on Jan. 18 and arrested Rumiantsev, 22, a receptionist who lived in London.

He was acquitted in Snaresbrook Crown Court of rape and choking the woman on the night Trump called police, and an additional rape and assault alleged in November 2024.

Rumiantsev testified that he was jealous of Trump but that he also felt badly for him because he thought that his girlfriend was leading him on.

Defense lawyer Sasha Wass said that Trump didnt know the woman had a boyfriend and questioned how much he could have seen in five or seven seconds of video.

Wass said that the woman exploited her ties to Trump to make her boyfriend envious in a relationship full of dramas.

Trump, 19, the only child of Donald and Melania Trump, didnt testify in the case.

Justice Bennathan advised jurors before they began deliberating to treat Barron Trumps accounts  on the recording of his call to police and his follow-up email to investigators  with caution because he hadnt been subjected to cross-examination.

If he had done so, no doubt, he could have been asked about things such as whether he ever got a good view of what happened, whether he actually saw (the woman) being assaulted, or jumped to this conclusion on the basis of her screams, Bennathan said. He might also have been asked whether his perception was biased because he was close friends with (her).

Rumiantsev was also convicted of perverting the course of justice, because he sent the woman a letter from jail asking her to retract her allegations. Hes scheduled to be sentenced on March 27.
ABIDJAN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara has reaffirmed the country's commitment to multilateralism, stressing that today's global challenges require concerted and collective responses.

"On the international stage, Cote d'Ivoire has continued its engagement in support of multilateralism, in which it firmly believes," Ouattara said Tuesday in Abidjan during a ceremony with the diplomatic corps.

He said that the world is undergoing "profound transformations," marked by persistent geopolitical tensions, security challenges, economic fragilities and the impacts of climate change.

Expressing his conviction that "global challenges call for concerted and united responses," Ouattara said Cote d'Ivoire would continue to work with its partners to promote "shared and sustainable development."

On the domestic front, the Ivorian president recalled achievements in the political, economic and social spheres, while reaffirming the country's commitment to consolidating "strong, sustainable and inclusive" growth to improve living conditions.

He said the country will implement the National Development Plan for the 2026-2030 period, calling on partner countries and institutions to contribute to that goal.

He expressed hope that such support, based on "trust, dialogue and mutual respect," would effectively contribute to the implementation of public policies and reforms undertaken by the Ivorian government.

"I hope that 2026 will be a year of shared economic progress, the consolidation of peace, and the strengthening of bonds of friendship and cooperation among our states and with international organizations," Ouattara said. 
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that his office is investigating claims that TikTok is suppressing content critical of President Trump following changes to the platform's US ownership.

Newsom announced the probe on social media, saying the review will examine whether TikTok is violating California law by censoring certain political speech.

"It's time to investigate," Newsom wrote. "I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content."

The move comes days after TikTok revealed it had formed a new joint venture to run its US business.

Under the new structure, Chinese ownership would drop to 19.9 percent, while majority control would shift to American companies, including business allies of President Trump, CBS News reported.

The change was meant to address long-standing concerns in Washington about national security risks tied to TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, which is based in Beijing.

Newsom, a Democrat and frequent critic of Trump, said his office has seen signs that content moderation may have changed since the ownership announcement.

"Following TikTok's sale to a Trump-aligned business group, our office has received reports  and independently confirmed instances  of suppressed content critical of President Trump," Newsom's office said in a post.

TikTok uninstalls are up 150% following Larry Ellison's (jewish) take over of the platform in the US.



At the same time, New Australian app UpScrolled is number 1 on the US Play Store and the most downloaded social network app after the mass censorship of TikTok.



People simply pic.twitter.com/MfhU4ntMtg  Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis__) January 27, 2026

TikTok Faces Investigation Over Alleged Censorship

As part of his claim, Newsom shared a screenshot that appeared to show a TikTok user being blocked from sending a message containing the word "Epstein," with the app stating the message violated community guidelines.

According to Yahoo, Trump's past association with the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, has drawn renewed attention and criticism in recent months.

The governor's office did not say how many cases of alleged suppression it has reviewed or how long the investigation may take.

However, the probe adds new pressure on TikTok at a time when the company is already facing scrutiny from both state and federal officials.

TikTok denied that it is intentionally censoring political content. In a statement, the company said recent problems involving searches and messages were caused by technical issues, not political bias.

TikTok said it is working to fix those problems and remains committed to enforcing its rules fairly.

The company has long said it does not favor any political group or candidate.

Originally published on vcpost.com
A growing storm over artificial intelligence (AI) abuse has pushed European regulators into action. The European Union (EU) has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musks social media platform X after its AI chatbot, Grok, was used to generate manipulated sexually explicit images, including content that may amount to child sexual abuse material.

The inquiry, launched under the European Unions Digital Services Act (DSA), will assess whether X properly evaluated and reduced the risks posed by Grok before rolling out its image-generation tools across the platform. Regulators said those risks have already materialised, exposing European citizens to serious harm.

Sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation. With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens  including those of women and children  as collateral damage of its service, said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.

AI Misuse Sparks Global Outrage

Grok triggered international backlash after users discovered it could be prompted to digitally undress women and children or place them in sexualised poses. Researchers at the Center for Countering Digital Hate estimate the tool generated around three million sexualised images in less than two weeks, including thousands that appeared to depict minors.

The backlash has triggered regulatory action worldwide. The UKs media watchdog Ofcom is examining whether X breached the countrys Online Safety Act, while data authorities in the United States, Australia, France, and Germany are also scrutinising the platform. Several countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia, temporarily blocked Grok altogether before safeguards were introduced.

Controversial Response From X

In response to the uproar, X initially restricted Groks image-generation tools to paid subscribers  a decision that drew fierce criticism from European and UK officials. A UK Prime Ministers spokesperson called the decision insulting to victims of misogyny and sexual violence, accusing the company of monetising harmful content.

Under mounting pressure, X later announced measures to stop Grok from editing images of real people into revealing clothing. EU officials, however, said those steps failed to address broader systemic risks.

Whats At Stake For X

As a designated very large online platform (VLOP) under the DSA, X is required to mitigate any potential systemic risks related to its services in the EU, such as illegal content, and potential threats to fundamental rights, including those of minors, posed by its platform and features.

If the Commission finds the company in breach of the DSA, X could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue, along with possible interim restrictions.

The Commission is also extending a separate investigation into Xs recommender systems, especially after the company revealed plans to rely more heavily on Grok to filter and recommend content.

A Broader Warning To Big Tech

The latest inquiry comes just weeks after the EU fined X 120 million for transparency violations, including misleading blue tick verification practices and obstructing independent research. While Musk has openly criticised EU regulators, officials insist enforcement is essential.

For European regulators, the message is clear. No company operating in the EU is above the law, said Irish MEP Regina Doherty. When powerful technologies are deployed at scale, the rules must mean something in practice.

As the investigation moves forward, the Grok investigation could become a landmark case for how far governments are willing and able to go in holding AI-driven platforms accountable.
Algeria shuts most schools over storm alert



Algiers, Jan 27 (AFP) Jan 27, 2026



Algeria said Tuesday it was shutting down schools in the vast majority of its provinces for the next two days, as the country prepares for a major storm.

Winds are expected to reach speeds of 120 kilometres per hour (74 miles per hour) in regions spanning most of the North African country on Wednesday, including in the capital Algiers.

The education ministry said in a statement that classes were suspended across 52 of Algeria's 69 provinces following the "urgent" storm alert.

The Algerian civil defence urged the public to exercise extreme caution, asking residents to ready "lighting that does not rely on electricity", stay away from windows and power poles, and avoid travel except in cases of necessity.

Last week, severe weather in Algeria left two people dead, including a child, the civil defence said.

In Relizane, as well as in Algiers and Tipaza, entire neighbourhoods were flooded last week and several roads were cut off due to heavy rains and flooding.

Heavy rainfall also hit neighbouring Tunisia, where several people were reported dead in flooding and at sea.
'So little we know': in submersibles revealing the deep sea



Aboard Oceanxplorer, Indonesia, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



A dome-fronted submersible sinks beneath the waves off Indonesia, heading down nearly 1,000 metres in search of new species, plastic-eating microbes and compounds that could one day make medicines.

This month, AFP boarded one of two submersibles belonging to OceanX, a non-profit backed by billionaire Ray Dalio and his son that brings scientists onto its OceanXplorer ship to study the marine world.

The ship boasts labs for genetic sequencing, a helicopter for aerial surveys and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) capable of descending up to 6,000 metres (19,700 feet) under the ocean surface.

Its two submersibles have everything from hydraulic collection arms and suction tubes to high-definition cameras, allowing them to uncover the improbable life found in some of the harshest conditions on Earth.

The ship's latest mission focuses on a seamount chain off Indonesia's Sulawesi island that scientists on board mapped last year.

A new team of Indonesian scientists is now surveying its biodiversity, including with submersible dives that put the researchers right into the environment they are studying.

As the sub dropped below 200 metres, the last traces of light disappeared, and indigo faded into total darkness.

Husna Nugrahapraja, an Indonesian scientist on the mission, admitted feeling "a little bit nervous and anxious" as he descended on his first submersible trip.

It is a "very lonely" environment at first, the assistant professor at Institut Teknologi Bandung told AFP.

The craft's lights offered the only illumination, revealing drifts of "marine snow" -- a shower of debris, including decomposing animals, that falls continuously into the depths and creates the impression of an old television stuck between stations.

Marine life that most people never see floated into view, including delicate comb jellies with pulsing fairy-light illuminations along their sides.

Siphonophores -- largely translucent creatures in fanciful shapes resembling toddlers' drawings -- glowed as they drifted by, and silver, fingernail-sized fish skittered out of the sub's wake.

Finally, Husna said, "We arrive on the seabed... (where) we can see many unique organisms", from delicate sea stars to fronded soft corals.



- 'Quite different' -



OceanXplorer's Neptune submersible is designed for scientific collection and observation, while its Nadir vessel has high-end cameras and lights for media content.

That reflects OceanX's view that compelling images make research more accessible and impactful.

The subs do not go as deep as an ROV, but offer a unique view, explained Dave Pollock, who heads OceanX's submersible team.

"We get a lot of scientists come on who are very sceptical about subs," he told AFP.

"Pretty much without fail every sceptical scientist that comes on board who gets to go on a dive changes their opinion."

The nearly 360-degree view gives them "a totally different perspective" to the flat video fed up to the ship by the ROV.

"It's quite different when you see it yourself," Husna said.

The submersibles also offer unique experiences, including the flashes of light called bioluminescence that many deep-sea animals produce to communicate, for defence, or to attract mates.

The vessel's powerful light beams can be used to elicit the display.

First, all the lights are switched off. Even the internal control board is covered, plunging the craft's occupants into total darkness.

Then the sub flashes its lights several times while those on board close their eyes.

When they open them, a seascape galaxy of stars appears -- the bluish-white flashes of creatures from plankton and jellyfish to shrimp and fish responding to the sub lights.

Pollock, who has spent hundreds of hours diving in submersibles, counts some of the more spectacular "flashback bioluminescence" events as among the most memorable moments in his career.

Submersibles are used in many fields, but many now associate them with the 2023 underwater implosion of the Titan, which killed five people on a trip to explore the Titanic wreck.

Pollock stressed that, unlike Titan, OceanXplorer's vehicles are designed, manufactured and inspected regularly in accordance with industry body DNV.

"The subs are designed safe" and equipped with back-up systems including four days of emergency life support, he said.



- 'So little we know' -



For deeper exploration, the scientists rely on OceanX's ROV, operated from a futuristic-looking "mission control" where two crew members sit in gamer-style armchairs.

A bank of screens shows the largely barren seabed, as an operator uses a multi-jointed joystick to operate the robot's hydraulic arm from thousands of metres above.

It resembles a space mission, with an intrepid rover traversing desolate, distant terrain. But here there are aliens.

At least that is how some of the species encountered appear to the untrained eye.

There's a bone-white lobster, suctioned up for examination at the surface, and a horned sea cucumber whose mast-like spikes collapse into black spaghetti when it arrives on the ship.

And there's a deep-sea hermit crab, living not inside a shell, but a sea star the team can't immediately identify. The crab has laid lurid orange eggs inside its long-dead host.

Not every collection is a success: a delicate red-orange shrimp daintily eludes the suction tube, swirling its long antenna as it swims almost triumphantly beyond reach.

When the ROV returns, there is an excited dash for the samples including seawater, sediment and a forearm-length sea lily coated with dripping orange goo.

Crustacean specialist Pipit Pitriana from Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency is fascinated by the captured lobster, as well as some pearl-sized barnacles she thinks may be new to science.

Large parts of the ocean, particularly the deep sea floor, are not even mapped, let alone explored.

And while a new treaty to protect international waters entered into force this month, the ocean faces threats from plastic pollution and rising temperatures to acidification.

"Our Earth, our sea, is mostly deep sea," Pipit said.

"But... there is so little we know about the biodiversity of the deep sea."
Press Release from Business Wire: WinDC



(AFP) Jan 28, 2026



SYDNEY, Jan 28, 2026 (BSW) - WinDC today announced a strategic partnership with Megaport (ASX:MP1) that will connect WinDC's renewable-powered AI Factories to Megaport's global Network as a Service platform. The partnership enables high-density AI compute deployed at renewable generation sites to be accessed by organisations across Australia and throughout Megaport's international network.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127082153/en/

WinDC. Australia's first Portable AI Factories



WinDC's model introduces a new category of AI infrastructure in the Australian market. Instead of building data centres in metropolitan areas and drawing power across congested transmission lines, WinDC deploys modular, high-density compute directly at solar, wind or hydro generation sites. This approach addresses one of the country's most critical energy challenges: renewable curtailment. AEMO forecasts that hypothetical new solar farms in Victoria and South Australia could face curtailment rates of up to 65 per cent by 2027, while existing solar farms already average 4.5 per cent. This wasted energy represents billions of dollars of lost value and a major opportunity for sovereign AI capability.

By integrating Megaport's private, high-speed global connectivity fabric, WinDC customers can run AI workloads behind the meter on renewable power while maintaining secure, low-latency links to cloud providers, enterprise networks and international markets.

"WinDC is addressing an urgent and legitimate gap in Australia's digital infrastructure," said Michael Reid, CEO of Megaport. "They are turning stranded renewable energy into usable AI compute. By connecting WinDC to our global platform, we are making that capability available to thousands of organisations worldwide and giving Australia the opportunity to export clean, sovereign AI. It is an exciting step forward for Australia's AI ambitions."

The partnership strengthens WinDC's role in supporting Australia's sovereign AI opportunity by combining renewable-powered compute with global reach.

"Australia cannot become a leader in AI without a new approach to infrastructure," said Andrew Sjoquist, Founder and CEO of WinDC. "WinDC delivers the compute at the source of clean power. Megaport delivers the connectivity that makes it accessible everywhere. Together, we provide a scalable pathway for organisations to run advanced AI workloads on renewable energy, independent of grid congestion or urban infrastructure constraints."

Speaking to the customer opportunity, Jonathan Staff, Executive Director at WinDC, said, "Our partnership with Megaport means WinDC's capabilities are immediately accessible to Megaport customers globally. It has never been easier for organisations to consume Enterprise Green Edge infrastructure and Green AI services. Whether you are neo-cloud, research-driven or running global operations, you can now reach sovereign, renewable-powered compute with the same simplicity as provisioning any other Megaport service."

The first WinDC portable data centres begin arriving in Australia in early 2026.

About WinDC

WinDC is the missing link between energy and AI. We provide portable, renewable-powered AI Factories and data centres, delivering Australia's AI and Energy Future. By placing compute directly at the source of clean power, WinDC replaces the slow, expensive, grid-constrained traditional data centre model with AI infrastructure that deploys 8x faster, runs at 50% of the cost, and operates on 100% renewable energy. For more details, visit www.windc.ai.

About Megaport

Megaport is a leading provider of Network as a Service (NaaS) solutions. The company's global Software Defined Network (SDN) helps businesses rapidly connect their network to services via an easy-to-use portal or our open API. Megaport offers agile networking capabilities that reduce operating costs and increase speed to market compared to traditional networking solutions. Megaport partners with the world's top cloud service providers, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, as well as the largest data centre operators, systems integrators, and managed service providers, and operates in over 1000 enabled locations worldwide. Megaport is an ISO/IEC 27001-certified company.







View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260127082153/en/









Contact

Pru LoonHead of Demand GenerationWinDC[email protected] 0411 250 740







 2026 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release.
Court orders Dutch to protect Caribbean island from climate change



The Hague, Jan 28 (AFP) Jan 28, 2026



The Netherlands "insufficiently" protects the tiny Caribbean territory of Bonaire from climate change, a Dutch court said Wednesday, in what Greenpeace hailed as a "huge breakthrough" for environmental justice.

Residents of the Dutch territory off the coast of Venezuela had teamed up with Greenpeace to sue the Dutch government, demanding "concrete measures" to shield the island from rising waters.

The District Court in The Hague ruled that Bonaire residents were "treated differently from the inhabitants of the European part of the Netherlands without good reason", calling it a violation of their human rights.

It ordered the Netherlands to set binding interim targets within 18 months "for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across the entire economy".

"The judges really listened to us, and I'm extremely happy about that," Jackie Bernabela, a co-claimant who travelled from Bonaire to be in court, told AFP.

She said islanders had felt like they were being treated like "second-class citizens".

The ruling follows an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice that countries violating their climate obligations were committing an "unlawful" act.

Greenpeace said before the ruling that it regarded Bonaire as the first major test case following the ICJ's opinion.

The campaign group's Netherlands director Marieke Vellekoop described Wednesday's ruling as a "huge breakthrough".

"This is a truly historic victory," she said.

"People on Bonaire are finally getting recognition that the government is discriminating against them and must protect them from extreme heat and rising sea levels."



- 'Unbearable' heat -



The low-lying Netherlands is famous for its protective measures against rising waters, mainly based on an extensive system of barriers and dykes.

But campaigners argued that it was not providing the same protection for its overseas territories such as Bonaire.

They had called for a plan for Bonaire by April 2027 and for the Netherlands to reduce CO2 emissions to zero by 2040 rather than 2050 as agreed at EU level.

The government had argued it was an "autonomous task" of the local authorities to develop a plan to counter the ravages of climate change.

Following the judgment, a spokesperson for the infrastructure ministry said the state was taking the ruling "very seriously" and would study it closely.

"After that, we can say more about the measures the state will take," the spokesperson said.

Campaigners pointed to a survey by Amsterdam's Vrije Universiteit showing the sea could swallow as much as a fifth of Bonaire by the end of the century.

Bonaire, a former Dutch colony, became one of three so-called special municipalities of the Netherlands in 2010 along with Saba and St Eustatius.

During court hearings last year, some of the island's 27,000 residents shared their experiences battling rising seas and temperatures.

Bonaire farmer Onnie Emerenciana told judges: "Where we used to work, play, walk, or fish during the day, the heat is now often unbearable."

After the ruling, she said the state could "no longer look away".

"Our lives, our culture and our country are being taken seriously," she said in the statement provided by Greenpeace.



- Equal treatment -



The judges pointed out that Europe and the Caribbean had different climates.

"There is no good reason why measures for the inhabitants of Bonaire, who will be affected by climate change sooner and more severely, should be taken later and less systematically than for the European part of the Netherlands," it added.

The use of courts and other legal avenues to pursue climate litigation has grown rapidly over the past decade, with most lawsuits targeting governments.

Claimants argue a relatively small number of major polluters bear a historic liability for losses caused by droughts, storms and other climate-fuelled extremes.

The ICJ opinion, requested by the United Nations, aimed to clarify international law as it relates to climate change.

In what was largely seen as a win for environmental campaigners, the judges said polluters could be liable for reparations to countries suffering from climate damage.

Greenpeace's Vellekoop said Wednesday's Dutch ruling would have a huge impact on future cases.

"With this ruling in hand, communities have a powerful new asset to hold governments to account," she said.
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Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei has spoken about the experience of quietly returning to his homeland for the first time in about a decade, describing it as being like a phone call that had been disconnected for 10 years suddenly reconnecting.

The three-week visit in December was Ais first since 2015, when Chinese authorities returned his passport. It had been confiscated nearly four years earlier when he was subject to tax evasion charges, which also saw him detained for 81 days.

He lived under police surveillance after his release, with his phone and internet use strictly monitored, before moving to Berlin. He spent the next decade living in Germany, the UK and Portugal.

open image in gallery Ai Weiwei speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York City ( Getty )

During his visit, Ai shared pictures and videos on social media of personal moments in Beijing as he travelled with his teenage son and reunited with his 93-year-old mother.

Ai told CNN he didnt need to take any particular precautions for his visit, although he was inspected and interrogated for almost two hours at the airport in Beijing.

The questions were very simple. How long do you plan to stay here? Where else do you plan to go? he told the US media outlet, adding that the rest of his time in the country was smooth and, one could say, pleasant.

Asked whether this suggested a change in the attitude of Chinese authorities towards him, Ai said he didnt believe there had been a recent shift, and that it was instead a reflection of his longtime views.

Although a country or group may disagree with my positions, they at least recognise that I speak sincerely and not for personal gain, he said.

He described the experience of returning as emotionally significant, especially after 10 years away.

What I missed most was speaking Chinese, he said. For immigrants, the greatest loss is not wealth, loneliness or an unfamiliar lifestyle, but the loss of linguistic exchange.

open image in gallery Ai Weiwei at his installation in Piccadilly Circus in London in 2024 ( Getty )

Ais conflict with the Chinese authorities arose from a series of direct challenges to the official narrative. After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, he launched an investigation into the collapse of school buildings and published the names of more than 5,000 children who had died, accusing officials of corruption in relation to shoddy construction.

The kind of authoritarian state we have in China cannot survive if it answers questions  if the truth is revealed, they are finished. So they started to think of me as the most dangerous person in China. That made me become an artist, but also an activist, he wrote in a 2018 opinion piece for The Guardian.

From exile, Ai continued to make politically engaged work, including the 2020 documentary Coronation, which examined Chinas handling of the Covid outbreak, and Cockroach, which focused on the 2019 Hong Kong protests.

He had previously made Human Flow, a film about the global refugee crisis, which took him to nearly 20 countries. His 2016 installation Laundromat used clothing left behind by refugees to evoke displacement and loss.

In 2023, the artist had said he would return to China if they dont take my personal freedom away, if I can express myself freely, and if they do not put me in jail secretly again.

Its just about the very basic principles of surviving, so I cannot, Ai said at an exhibition in London in April 2023.

In an interview with The Independent last year, Ai talked about the double standards of the Wests so-called democracies.

You cannot talk about human rights in Russia or China and then apply different rights in the Middle East, he said. Youre just using too many double or triple standards. The West has totally lost the moral high ground.
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Spencer Pratt has made a startling admission about Mary-Kate Olsen, 22 years in the making.

In his new memoir, The Guy You Loved to Hate: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain, which hit shelves Tuesday, The Hills star wrote about needing money for a trip to Brazil, where he planned to spend a month competing in jiujitsu and shooting an indie film. Thats how he hatched the plan to swipe photos of Full House star Mary-Kate Olsen from his friend Max Winkler  son of Happy Days Henry Winkler  to sell to the press.

Pratt wrote that the younger Winkler had a photo shrine to his ex in his bedroom from their short-lived relationship in the early 2000s.

It was 2004, the golden age of tabloid voyeurism. One exclusive  Mary-Kates Teen Romance!  could fund my entire Brazilian expedition, Pratt wrote, noting that while he had never before profited from his proximity to fame, desperate times called for desperate measures.

Pratt wrote that he did ask Winkler for his permission to take the photos as part of his healing process post-breakup. He didnt say no, so I took that to be a yes, Pratt wrote.

open image in gallery Spencer Pratt has confessed to selling photos of Mary-Kate Olsen to the press for $50,000 ( Getty )

open image in gallery Henry Winklers son Max (pictured in 2004) briefly dated Mary-Kate Olsen in the early 2000s ( Getty )

Each image was currency waiting to be converted, he wrote. It was hard not to grin.

Pratt ultimately sold the images, which showed Olsen partying in Hollywood, to a photo agency for $50,000.

Here I was, twenty years old, turning my buddys romantic misery into startup capital, he wrote. Who knew heartbreak could be such a growth industry?

America was starving for celebrity intimacy, and I had access to the kitchen, Pratt continued about his newfound business opportunity. When you really think about it, it was a win-win. Mary-Kate got her rebel rebrand, Max got closure. And soon, cinema would get my masterpiece, he said of his Brazilian film venture.

The Independent has contacted Olsens representatives for comment.

Pratt, 42, and his wife, Heidi Montag, 39, starred on The Hills for six seasons, leaving in 2010. They later appeared on several reality shows, including Celebrity Big Brother U.K., I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, and The Hills: New Beginnings. After marrying in 2008 (and again for the cameras in 2009, as Pratt noted in his memoir), the couple welcomed two sons, Gunner and Ryker.

open image in gallery Spencer Pratt and his wife Heidi Montag lost their home in the 2025 California wildfires

The reality star recently announced his bid for Los Angeles mayor following the devastating 2025 California wildfires, in which he and Montag lost their Pacific Palisades home.

Pratt said: Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles, and I'm done waiting for someone to take real action. That's why I am running for mayor.

He continued: And let me be clear, this just isnt a campaign, this is a mission, and we are going to expose the system. We are going into every dark corner of LA politics and disinfecting this city with our light. And when we are done, LA is going to be camera-ready again.
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Two-thirds of the crew members who worked on Melania Trumps new movie do not want their names associated with the project, a new report claims.

The controversial behind-the-scenes Amazon documentary, titled simply Melania, follows the First Lady in the 20 days leading up to her husbands 2025 inauguration. It was directed by disgraced filmmaker Brett Ratner, who was publicly accused of sexual harassment and assault by six women in 2017. The Rush Hour filmmaker has denied any wrongdoing.

According to a new report in Rolling Stone, which cites multiple anonymous sources who worked on the film, the majority of the New York-based crew asked to be left off the credits.

A person whose work was credited told the outlet that they regretted putting their name on the film, saying: Im much more alarmed now than I was a year ago.

The White House did not return The Independents request for comment.

open image in gallery The majority of crew members who worked on Melania Trump's documentary asked to have their names removed from the credits, according to a recent report ( Getty )

open image in gallery Brett Ratner has returned from Hollywood exile to direct a documentary about the First Lady, 'Melania' ( Getty )

Other crew members said that the worst part of working on the First Ladys Amazon MGM documentary had nothing to do with the president or the politics involved  but instead came from sharing a set with Ratner.

I feel a little bit uncomfortable with the propaganda element of this, a member of the production team told Rolling Stone. But Brett Ratner was the worst part of working on this project.

Melania is the first movie Ratner has made since Hercules in 2014.

Insiders told the outlet that Ratners Melania set was chaotic and disorganized, with crew members often working long hours and being forced to work without meal breaks. The director was also accused of leaving trash everywhere and being dismissive to his employees.

There was more talk about Brett being slimy than there was about Melania, a production team member told the outlet about Ratner, who is also slated to direct a new installment in the Rush Hour franchise on the presidents personal request.

While Ratner made terrible impressions on set, crew members reported that the First Lady was boring and nice.

A spokesperson for Amazon told Rolling Stone: We licensed the film for one reason and one reason only  because we think customers are going to love it. Amazon did not immediately return The Independents request for comment.

open image in gallery Melania follows the First Lady in the 20 days leading up to Donald Trumps inauguration ( Getty )

Amazon reportedly spent $75 million to acquire and promote the new movie, although CNN polling analyst Harry Enten estimates the documentary will earn between just $1 million and $5 million during its opening weekend.

Unfortunately, if it does flop, I would really feel great about it, a crew member told Rolling Stone.

After the White House held a private screening for the movie earlier this week, Melania will premiere at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Thursday and open in theaters worldwide Friday.
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Paul Dano has broken his silence after director Quentin Tarantino dissed his acting skills.

The actor, 41, saw a flood of support and praise from fellow actors in recent weeks after Tarantino labeled him the weakest actor in SAG. However, the Ruby Sparks actor has not spoken out about the filmmakers insult until now.

That was really nice, Dano told Variety in an interview published Wednesday. I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didnt have to.

The Pulp Fiction director sparked backlash when he appeared on Brett Easton Ellis podcast to discuss his ranking of the best movies made in the 21st century. Tarantino picked 2007 film There Will Be Blood as his fifth best movie of the century and said it would have been higher on the list if it werent for Danos performance.

[Dano] is weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister. [Daniel Day Lewis] is eating him [alive]. Austin Butler would have been wonderful in that role. Hes just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy, Tarantino slammed on the podcast.

open image in gallery Paul Dano has broken his silence months after Quentin Tarantino labeled him a bad actor ( AFP via Getty Images )

When asked about Tarantinos remark at a 20th anniversary screening of Little Miss Sunshine at Sundance, Danos co-star Toni Collette interrupted to defend him before he could answer.

Are we really going there? Collette slammed. F*** that guy! He mustve been high it was just confusing. Who does that?

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood focuses on depraved oil baron Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his fraught relationship with preacher Eli Sunday (Dano). The film is widely regarded as one of the best of the century.

Dano, meanwhile, has drawn consistent acclaim throughout his career for performances in films such as Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Meeks Cutoff (2010), and The Fabelmans (2022).

Multiple celebrities hit back at Tarantinos unsparing remarks about Dano in December. An Instagram account purporting to be the leading actor of There Will Be Blood, Day-Lewis, posted that Paul Dano is one of the best and most talented actors of his generation. Representatives for the record-holding three-time Oscar winner informed The Guardian that the account was fan-run, but maintained that the British actor endorsed the sentiments.

open image in gallery Paul Dano's (left) performance in 'There Will Be Blood' was slammed as 'weak' by director Quentin Tarantino (right) ( Getty )

Day-Lewis had also recommended Dano for the part of Eli Sunday in the film, after the original actor suddenly dropped out.

Meanwhile, Ben Stiller, who directed Dano in the 2018 series Escape at Dannemora, wrote on X: Paul Dano is f***ing brilliant.

Reese Witherspoon, who starred in Paul Thomas Andersons 2014 film, Inherent Vice, added on Threads: Paul Dano is an incredibly gifted, versatile actor. More importantly, he is a gentleman.

George Clooney, who co-starred with Tarantino in the 1996 vampire film From Dusk Till Dawn, also showed his support for Dano earlier this month. During an appearance at AARPs Movies for Grownups award, he said hed be honored to work with Dano, suggesting he was left unimpressed by Tarantinos cruelty.
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Top theatre director Rupert Goold has admitted that he wouldnt enter the industry if he was graduating now.

The 53-year-old has been in charge at Londons Almeida Theatre since 2013, overseeing more than 70 productions, including a musical version of Bret Easton Elliss novel American Psycho in 2013, and a 2023 run of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Paul Mescal.

Goold is now preparing to leave the intimate north London venue behind and take up a new position as artistic director of the Old Vic.

In a new interview, Goold reflected on his career so far, which has seen him go from Cambridge University graduate to one of the UKs most lauded theatre directors.

When asked how he thinks his younger self would fare trying to get into the industry now, he told The Telegraph: To be honest, I dont think I would have done it. If I was graduating now, I would have done something else.

Goold will take up his new post later this year ( Getty Images )

The director also candidly admitted he knew he wouldnt get another highly coveted job  artistic director of the National Theatre  when the position opened up in 2023. That didnt stop him from applying, though.

I knew it wasnt going to go to somebody like me, he said. But I thought, If I dont take it seriously and go through [the application] in some way, am I going to be on my deathbed and regretting it? But I also would have dreaded [getting] it, for all the reasons you can imagine!

The director offered his thoughts how the theatre world has been drawn into online culture wars in the cancel culture era, theorising: The world went mad, and theatre was part of that. Now, the world has got madder but I think theatre is getting saner or at least, its trying to deal with the madness.

Freedom of speech is essential, he added.

Goolds first season at the Old Vic is due next year and will likely be announced this autumn. While the director is largely keeping his cards close to his chest for now, he has reportedly let slip that it will include a production of Paradise Lost.

For now, Goold has his final season at the Almeida to look forward to, which includes a revival of his American Psycho musical, a production of Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House and Sarah Kanes masterpiece Cleansed.
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Harry Potter actor Katie Leung has shared her advice for the stars of HBOs upcoming TV adaptation of the famous books, warning them: Dont be dragged down by the noise.

The Scottish star, now 38, played Cho Chang in four of the Harry Potter films, making her debut as the girlfriend of Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) in 2005s The Goblet of Fire. Cho later became a love interest for Harry and the pair shared their first kiss in 2007s Order of the Phoenix.

A new HBO series is now set to introduce Harry Potter to a new generation of viewers with a fresh crop of young actors playing the Hogwarts students.

Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint  who played Harry and his best friend, Ron Weasley  have written to the child stars taking on their roles but speaking to The Independent, Leung said she doesnt have plans to contact whoever plays Chang.

I think I would only give her advice if she wanted it from me, because I don't want to underestimate her, she explained.

open image in gallery Katie Leung and Daniel Radcliffe as Cho Chang and Harry Potter ( Warner Bros )

Sharing her advice for the young cast, Leung added: I think it's really important to just have fun and not be kind of dragged down by the noise, whatever that may mean to her Try and enjoy it as much as you can, just do the work and have fun.

Reflecting on her own experience of being pushed into the limelight at such a young age, Leung continued: In retrospect, looking back, I was super insecure as any other 16-year-old would be, and then to be kind of catapulted into this huge franchise and being in the spotlight is a lot to deal with.

open image in gallery Katie Leung has landed a new role in Bridgerton ( Getty )

While HBO is yet to announce who will play Cho, it has confirmed the young stars playing the central Gryffindor trio. Dominic McLaughlin will be taking centre stage as The Boy Who Lived, while Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione and Alastair Stout will be Ron. All three actors are 11 years old.

Theyll be joined by a host of famous names playing the grown-up characters, with John Lithgow as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore and I May Destroy Yous Paapa Essiedu following in the late Alan Rickmans footsteps by playing Severus Snape.

Hot Fuzz star Nick Frost is taking on the role of Hogwarts groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid, while comedian and fishing fan Paul Whitehouse is playing caretaker Argus Filch, and Katherine Parkinson has landed the role of Weasley matriarch, Molly.

open image in gallery Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin and Alastair Stout ( HBO )

An airdate is yet to be confirmed but the series is expected to debut in late 2026 or early 2027.

Meanwhile, Leung is about to make her Bridgerton debut, having joined the cast for season four of Netflix's racy drama. Shell be starring as Lady Araminta Gun, the head of a new family in the Ton, whose daughters are set to cause a stir in the marriage mart.
African Penguins are seen on a beach at Simon's Town in Cape Town, South Africa, Jan. 24, 2026. (Xinhua/Deng Bingxue)

CAPE TOWN, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly called bird flu, is threatening the survival of the critically endangered African penguins living off the coast of South Africa, local media reported.

The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) said 23 African penguins had tested positive for the disease since September 2025, with at least nine confirmed deaths among wild populations, media reports said Tuesday.

"For a population under immense pressure, the loss of even a few individuals is significant," the organization told an event marking Penguin Awareness Day on Jan. 20.

"A large-scale outbreak within a breeding colony would be devastating for the rapidly declining African penguin population," SANCCOB said.

It urged the public not to touch sick or dead penguins and to report sightings immediately to the organization or other relevant authorities.

In 2023, the global population of the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) fell below 10,000 breeding pairs for the first time, prompting the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to list the species as "critically endangered" in 2024.

SANCCOB said in June 2025 that at the current rate, the African penguin will likely become extinct in the wild by 2035.

In a statement released in December 2025, the organization said over 1,000 African penguins had died from bird flu since 2018.

It added that 26 suspected cases of HPAI in African penguins had been reported since July 2025, when a new outbreak of the devastating disease started to affect seabirds in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. 

African Penguins are seen on a beach at Simon's Town in Cape Town, South Africa, Jan. 24, 2026. (Xinhua/Deng Bingxue)

African Penguins are seen on a beach at Simon's Town in Cape Town, South Africa, Jan. 24, 2026. (Xinhua/Deng Bingxue)
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Bruce Williss wife, Emma Heming Willis, says the actor is unaware of his dementia, which she considers to be a blessing and a curse.

The 70-year-old actors family announced in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), only a year after they said he was stepping away from acting because he had aphasia.

Since announcing her husbands diagnosis, Heming Willis has been open about his physical health and how its affected their family, including their two daughters, Mabel Ray, 13, and Evelyn Penn, 11.

In an appearance on Wednesdays episode of Cameron Oaks Rogerss Conversations with Cam podcast, she explained that the Die Hard actor does not know about his condition.

I think thats like the blessing and the curse of this, is that he never connected the dots that he had this disease, and Im really happy about that. Im really happy that he doesn't know about it, Heming Willis said.

open image in gallery Bruce Williss wife, Emma Heming Willis, revealed during Wednesdays episode of the Conversations with Cam podcast that her husband is not aware of his dementia diagnosis ( Getty Images for Film at Lincoln )

open image in gallery He never connected the dots that he had this disease, and I'm really happy about that, Heming Willis said about her husband ( Getty )

Williss lack of awareness of his condition is a neurological symptom known as anosognosia, which can occur with FTD and other types of dementia and prevents a person from accurately recognizing their own illness.

People think this might be denial, like they don't want to go to the doctor because they're like, I'm fine, I'm fine, actually, this is the anosognosia that comes into play, Heming Willis explained. It's not denial. It's just that their brain is changing. This is a part of the disease.

Her podcast appearance comes after she addressed criticism about moving Willis out of their family home due to the degenerative nature of his condition.

F*** em! As Bruce would say, she told the audience at End Well 2025, a Los Angeles conference focused on end-of-life care. During the event, Heming Willis joined actor Yvette Nicole Brown, who takes care of her father, to discuss their experiences as caregivers.

The models dismissal of her critics came after Brown asked her about the backlash she faced earlier this year when she moved Willis out of their family home due to the degenerative nature of his condition.

At the time, Heming Willis said her husband would not have wanted their two daughters lives to be affected by adjustments to their home, but it did not stop trolls from judging her decision.

I tell you, when I heard about the house thing, I wanted to throw elbows for you, honey, Brown said. Because the thing is, what people dont understand who arent caregivers, is that every caregiver is different, especially if youre dealing with dementia or Alzheimers, its very unwieldy... And we all are doing our best and making the best decisions for your family. So when they came for you, I wanted to come for them.
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New research suggests that the menopause is linked to a loss of grey matter in the brain, which may help explain why women are more likely to suffer dementia than men.

Experts from the University of Cambridge carried out a study on 124,780 women to examine the effects of menopause on the brain and whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) plays a role in preventing cognitive decline.

They found the menopause is linked to a loss of brain grey matter, which is vital for mental functions, memory, emotions and movement.

As this research shines a light on the potential role of menopause in dementia risk, an expert has revealed whether there is anything we can all do to lower our risk of dementia.

Is dementia preventable?

Research [from the Lancet Commission] suggests that up to 45 per cent of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed through lifestyle changes and by removing 14 risk factors that we might be able to influence, says Emma Taylor, information services manager at Alzheimers Research UK.

What risk factors are we unable to control?

Age is widely considered the biggest risk factor for dementia, and is something we are unfortunately unable to control.

The older we are, the more likely we are to develop a disease that causes dementia, like Alzheimers, says Taylor.

One of the main reasons why age is such a big factor is that the diseases that cause dementia tend to take a long time to develop.

In addition, our bodies naturally become a bit more vulnerable to damage as we age.

open image in gallery Specific genes can play a role ( Alamy/PA )

Specific genes can also play a role.

Although only around one per cent of dementia cases are directly inherited, some people do have risk genes, such as APOE4, which can increase their risk of developing dementia, but doesnt necessarily guarantee that they will get it, explains Taylor.

So, what factors can we control to lower our risk of dementia?

The Think Brain Health campaign at Alzheimers Research UK breaks brain healthy behaviours, that we can all do, down into three pillars, says Taylor.

The first pillar is all about loving your heart, because whats good for your heart is also good for your brain. The next pillar is all about staying sharp, and the third pillar is about keeping connected.

So, here are some ways to reduce your risk of dementia:

Stay connected

Research suggests that social isolation is linked to an increased risk of dementia, says Taylor.

Depression, in particular, is a recognised risk factor for dementia, so keeping connected to the people around us is a really good way to give back to our brain.

Have regular catch-ups with friends and family or join a club that interests you, such as a dance class, a reading club or a puzzle club.

Stay sharp with puzzles and brain teasers

We know that keeping our brain active and challenged throughout our lives can also really help with our brain health and to reduce our risk of dementia, says Taylor.

Learning new skills and doing puzzles can be really great for this.

open image in gallery Learning new skills and doing puzzles can keep the brain active ( Alamy/PA )

Alzheimers Research UK recently launched a Think Brain Health picture puzzle which is designed to use the pockets of spare time during the day, like waiting for a train, to challenge our brains and to keep learning new things, says Taylor.

Get your eyesight checked

Getting your eyesight checked is a really important part of looking after your brain health, says Taylor.

Its crucial to have regular eye tests because our eyes and our brains are very closely connected.

In particular, visual impairment caused by cataracts and diabetic retinopathy is associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to Alzheimers Research UK.

Managing long-term health conditions

Conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can all damage the blood vessels, particularly in the brain, and when that happens, less oxygen and nutrients are able to supply our brain cells with what they need to function normally, explains Taylor.

That can make it harder for our brain to fight against any damage that may build up over time.

open image in gallery Get your blood pressure or your cholesterol checked by your GP ( Alamy/PA )

So, its really important to get your blood pressure or your cholesterol checked by your GP or at a pharmacy. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, its important to make sure that youre proactively taking steps to manage those conditions.

Limit alcohol consumption to 14 units per week

Regularly drinking too much alcohol, especially over a long period of time, is toxic to brain cells and causes them to die, says Taylor.

Drinking lots of alcohol can also make it harder for our bodies to absorb and store a vitamin called vitamin B1, and when we dont have enough, our brains cant produce the energy that they need to work properly.

So, its recommended to drink no more than the current NICE guidelines, which is 14 units per week.

Quit smoking

Smoking is linked to a lot of different medical conditions, including heart disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, says Taylor. Whats good for your heart is good for your brain, therefore, these effects mean that smoking increases your risk of dementia.

Also, when we smoke, our blood vessels become coated in a sticky substance that causes fatty lumps to build up and the blood vessels to become narrower and get weaker. This means that less blood can get to every part of our body, including our brain.

Common early symptoms of dementia NHS Some common early symptoms that may appear some time before a diagnosis of dementia include: memory loss

difficulty concentrating

finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping

struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word

being confused about time and place

mood changes

Theres also carbon monoxide in smoke from cigarettes, which can replace oxygen in our blood. That also means that the brain cells dont get as much oxygen, which causes damage over time, because theyre not able to carry out their functions normally.

Maintain a healthy weight

Research has found that obesity between the ages of 35-65 could increase dementia risk by three times (30 per cent), according to Alzheimers Research UKs website.

Being obese can often put a strain on our heart, blood vessels and internal brain, says Taylor.

It can increase our risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke and inflammation, which can have a significant impact on our brain health.

Stay active

Physical activity keeps our blood pumping around, it helps us to control our weight, and studies have shown that being active regularly can help blood vessels to grow and work better, says Taylor. So, its actively helping things as well as managing your health.

In addition, when you do regular physical activity, your brain starts to form new connections and this process can help protect our brains from damage from conditions like strokes, and also slow down natural age-related decline of our memory and thinking.

open image in gallery When you do regular physical activity, your brain starts to form new connections ( Alamy/PA )

Research has also found that a year of regular physical activity could make the memory centres in our brain larger, she adds.

If these areas are larger, it may take longer for the symptoms of diseases like Alzheimers to start showing, says Taylor. So, being physically active could actually delay the onset of dementia, as well as obviously reducing our risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and having a stroke.

Alongside the host of benefits that exercise brings, walking with others strengthens the social bonds that play an important role in supporting longterm brain health.

This summer, Alzheimers Research UK is bringing communities together through a nationwide series of Walk For A Cure events, from relaxed, accessible 5km routes to more demanding 42km challenges, says Taylor.
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A man was arrested Tuesday after spraying an unknown substance at Representative Ilhan Omar during a town hall event.

The suspect used a syringe to spray the congresswoman, who was addressing supporters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, about the ongoing protests against ICE.

Despite being sprayed by a liquid described by eyewitnesses as having a foul odor, Omar remained on the stage.

These f***ing ***holes are not going to get away with it, she said in footage recorded by C-Span. Heres the reality that people like this ugly man dont understand.

We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us. I learned at a young age that you dont give into threats.

open image in gallery Ilhan Omar was attacked during a town hall by a man wielding a syringe ( AFP/Getty )

The substance that Omar was sprayed with remains unknown, although photographs taken by the Associated Press showed the remains of a light-brown liquid inside the syringe.

Anthony Kazmierczak was later identified by the Hennepin County Sheriffs Office, who listed the 55-year-old on their jail roster. He has been charged with third-degree assault.

What we know about Anthony Kazmierczak

Details about the suspect are still emerging following the attack Tuesday, but Kazmierczaks younger brother told The Independent that his sibling is a piece of s**t with lifelong anger issues who has been fixated on the Somali-born lawmaker  and the Somali diaspora in general  for years.

Im not surprised this happened, the brother said Wednesday morning in a phone interview from his home in North Carolina. Not at all. Unfortunately, he and my mother are both right-wing extremists.

The Independent agreed not to name the brother, who said he has begun receiving death threats.

I believe in helping people, Kazmierczaks brother, 52, went on. He believes in blaming people.

He has had a hatred of the Somali community for probably 20 years, Kazmierczaks brother contended. Theres a reason I dont talk to him Hes got a lot of anger, I have no idea where it comes from. Hes always been that way. In and out of treatment since he was a kid.

In an interview with The New York Post, a neighbor described Kazmierczak as a pretty conservative guy who doesnt like Omar.

Brian Kelly told the outlet that Kazmierczak had asked him to watch his dog while he went to the event.

open image in gallery Anthony Kazmierczak has been held by Hennepin County authorities on charges of third degree assault ( Hennepin County Sheriff's Office )

He said, Im going to this Omar thing. Im like, Omar what? He said This town hall thing. And he said, I might get arrested, Kelley told the outlet. I figured it was nonsense. He wasnt going to do anything stupid.

Kelly claimed Kazmierczak is heavily medicated because of a car accident that affected his spine nine years ago and suffers from Parkinsons disease.

Kazmierczak has a history of sharing posts about politics on social media, on a Facebook profile under the name Andy, including criticism of the Biden administration.

Were all too stupid to realize Biden and Pelosis Greatness, he wrote in a sarcastic 2022 post. That same year, he also compared Biden to Elmer Fudd, the bumbling Looney Tunes character.

He also reshared a post from conservative commentator Ben Shapiros account, which had uploaded an image of a transgender athlete winning a prize.

All the best women as men, Shapiro captioned the post. Men are incredibly good at womens swimming.

open image in gallery Omar continued to address her supporters despite the attack ( AFP/Getty )

Kazmierczak also took aim at Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison in 2022, resharing a post blaming him for rampant crime in the state and calling for his resignation.

In 2025, he changed his profile picture to an image of Donald Trump at a Turning Point USA event after Charlie Kirks assassination. He later changed the image to a picture of Kirks widow, Erika.

Other posts show Kazmierczak posing with his dog, Laura, including one in which he added an Israel flag. The 55-year-old also shared several posts supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia, including one which described Vladimir Putin as an evil leader.

However, not all of his social media presence was focused on his political views.

In his Facebook bio section, Kazmierczak describes himself as an empty nester looking to enjoy retirement and 2nd half of my adventure. His employment history lists phone company business consultant for 22 years.

He also has two previous DUI convictions, according to court records seen by CNN. The outlet added that Kazmierczak has been married and divorced twice.

open image in gallery Trump had hit out at Omar in a speech hours before the substance attack ( Getty )

Attack came out after Omar spoke out against ICE

Moments before Omars attacker raced on stage, the congresswoman had criticized the activities of ICE agents in Minneapolis.

ICE cannot be reformed, she said. It cannot be rehabilitated.

We must abolish ICE for good, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must resign or face impeachment.

Hours before the attack, Trump had criticized Omar in a speech delivered to supporters in Iowa.

The latest in a series of swipes at the Somalian congresswoman, the president said immigrants should only be allowed into the country if they love the United States.

They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar, he said, as the crowd erupted into boos.

She comes from a country thats a disaster. So probably, its considered, I think - its not even a country.

Omar is a frequent target for MAGA Republicans

Born in Somalia, Ilhan Omar moved to the United States in 1995, after securing asylum amid the Somali Civil War.

Trump has long suggested that the Congresswoman came to the U.S. illegally, despite evidence to the contrary, making her a frequent target for MAGA Republicans.

The president has even falsely claimed that she married her own brother to gain citizenship and often references her during speeches about Somali immigration to the United States.

Her home state of Minnesota is a fixation for MAGA Republicans, too, with both Trump administration officials and social media users sharing conspiracy theories about alleged fraud cases conducted by Somali immigrants in the state.
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A Florida mother is in custody after her daughter returned home from school to find her holding the body of the teens four-year-old brother.

Diana Cullom, 43, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Finley Joseph Cullom, who was strangled to death, according to St. Petersburg police.

Culloms 16-year-old daughter, who has not been named, made the horrific discovery when she arrived at the familys home on Tuesday.

Officers were called to the residence on Tanglewood Drive NE around 3:30 p.m., where they found the deceased child and blood on the bed and throughout the house.

Initial reports suggested the child had been stabbed. However, the medical examiner later determined there were no stab wounds on the boy and that he had been suffocated, police said.

Diana Cullom, 43, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 4-year-old son Finley Joseph Cullom ( St. Petersburg Police Department )

Cullom, however, had suffered stab wounds. She was taken to Bayfront Hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said at a Tuesday press briefing that a knife and a note were found inside the home.

It is our belief that the note was left by mom, Holloway said. The contents of the note have not been disclosed.

Cullom was released from the hospital overnight and taken into custody early Wednesday morning. Police said her stab wounds were self-inflicted. She has been charged with first-degree murder.

The childrens father was not home at the time of the incident, Holloway said, adding that he was later notified and has spoken with the authorities. Investigators said there was no prior history of 911 calls at the home.

There is no history of calls for service at the home, Holloway said. Were looking at everything.

The circumstances leading up to the boys death remain under investigation.

A lot of these officers, they have kids, and then you have the 16-year-old whos coming home from school and finding her brother and her mother, Holloway said.

And then youre just having a father come here. So right now in the neighborhood, everybodys heart is heavy.
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Two people are facing seconddegree murder and aggravated DUI charges after a night of snow sledding resulted in the fatal death of an Oklahoma City woman.

Police say the victim, Makayla Mitchell, 31, was riding on a sled tied to a car driven by Angel Walzier, 22, late Sunday night.

Another car, driven by James Kirk, 24, was following behind them when the rope connecting Mitchells sled to Walziers car snapped. Kirks vehicle then struck Mitchell, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both Kirk and Walzier were evaluated for impairment by a Drug Recognition Officer, and police obtained blood draw warrants for each. Investigators said both drivers appeared to be under the influence at the time of the accident.

Contributing factors included the dark street, which had no street lamps, limiting visibility.

James Kirk, 24, (left) is accused of driving the vehicle that struck 31-year-old Makayla Mitchell, who was riding a sled being towed by another car driven by 22-year-old Angel Walzier, right ( Oklahoma City Police )

In addition to second-degree murder and aggravated DUI, Kirk faces a child endangerment charge after a child was in his vehicle during the crash. Mitchell leaves behind a soon-to-be 2-year-old daughter, whom she had joyfully filmed sledding just the night before her death.

Devon Hackett, who was there at the time of the incident, told News 9 that the group of friends were all having fun before tragedy struck.

It shouldnt be murder, Hackett said of the charges against the suspects. It wasnt intentional. It couldve happened to anybody.

Hackett described Mitchell as outgoing, fun-loving, and a great cook who was excited for her daughters upcoming birthday.
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A pregnant woman was stabbed to death inside her Illinois home that was then set on fire after investigators say she tried to stop a teen from breaking into the apartment  a brutal attack that also killed her unborn baby and left her family shattered.

Firefighters responding to the blaze in Downers Grove found 30-year-old Eliza Morales in the burning home just before 9 p.m. on Monday. Police said the fire was intentionally set.

Morales, who was five months pregnant with her second daughter, had suffered multiple stab wounds, according to Downers Grove police and was pronounced dead at the scene.

An investigation led to the arrest of 19-year-old Nedas Revuckas, of Westmont. Investigators said Morales confronted Revuckas at her door when he attempted to break in and rob her.

Revuckas has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of intentional homicide of an unborn child, armed robbery, aggravated arson and aggravated cruelty to an animal, according to DuPage County court records filed Tuesday.

open image in gallery Nedas Revuckas, 19, is charged with several murder and robbery charges in the stabbing death of Eliza Morales, who was five months pregnant ( Downers Grove Police Department )

Revuckas appeared in court on Wednesday where prosecutors laid out horrifying details of the incident in what officials believe was a suburban Facebook Marketplace exchange turned deadly, according to WMAQ.

Prosecutors said Revuckus had responded to a listing Morales' husband had posted for a dark red 1994 Ford Ranger pickup truck on Facebook Marketplace.

Surveillance video from Morales' apartment shows her meeting Revuckus around 5:30 p.m. and at one point handing him a screwdriver. He is seen returning a few minutes later and walking into the building with the screwdriver in his hand.

Morales is then seen at the door to the unit in what appears to be a struggle, with Revuckus before the door closes, according to the report read in court. The door handle moves as if someone was trying to get out, the report states.

About 10 minutes later, smoke is seen coming from the apartment. Firefighters arrived about 20 minutes later to find Morales unresponsive inside, with multiple stab wounds.

In a police interview, police told Revuckus they found bloody clothing inside his home and he confessed to murdering Eliza, the court report stated.

The defendant indicated he stabbed the victim 10 times. The defendant was upset about the condition of the dark red 1994 Ford Ranger pickup truck that he had purchased and decided to take out his frustration on Eliza, the report read. The defendant got into a fight with Eliza. The defendant said that during the fight, Eliza mentioned that she was pregnant.

An autopsy, however, found that Morales had been stabbed at least 70 times, mainly in her head and neck.

The familys elderly pitbull mix, Zula, who had escaped the burning building was taken to VCA animal hospital for care after it was discovered that she had been stabbed between her eyes.

Prosecutors said Revuckus confessed to starting a fire in the kitchen using items in the home, which authorities said was consistent with preliminary findings on the blaze.

open image in gallery Prosecutors said Revuckus confessed to starting a fire in the kitchen ( Downers Grove Police Department )

Morales worked in the payroll department of a childrens hospital and was married to her high school sweetheart, according to CBS News. Relatives said she was expecting a baby girl in March. Her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter was with her mother at the time of the incident, the outlet reported.

A second person, who was not named, was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene and then taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for further treatment, police said.

Morales husband, Gabriel, was at work when he received the call that his wife and unborn child were gone, WLS reported.

Im gonna spend the rest of my life missing her, Gabriel Morales said. I can get every second back with her and just continue try to live through her for my daughter. And continue to be strong for my family.

Aside from the murder and robbery charges, Revuckas is also charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal for allegedly stabbing a dog in the face, police said.

Revuckas is currently in DuPage County Jail.
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A man on trial for the brutal bludgeoning deaths of four men sleeping on New York City streets was suffering from schizophrenia and believed he had to kill 40 people to save his own life, a jury heard on Tuesday. His lawyer revealed that Randy Santos, 31, had been diagnosed with the condition months before the attacks, following his release from prison.

Santos is asserting an insanity defense at his trial in a Manhattan state court. While his legal team acknowledges he committed the 2019 Chinatown rampage, they argue he cannot be held criminally responsible. They contend that mental illness had "polluted his mind with irrational thoughts and left him prone to violence."

The court was told that Santos was "hearing voices telling him he needed to kill 40 people or he would die too." If the defense succeeds, he could be sent to a psychiatric treatment facility instead of prison.

He needed the voices to stop. he needed to save his own life," Santos lawyer, Marnie Zien, said in an opening statement. He saw no other way out.

Santos, 31, has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder in the deaths of Florencio Moran, Nazario Vasquez Villegas, Anthony Manson and Chuen Kok and attempted murder charges for assaults that left two other men severely injured. They were among 319 killings in New York City in 2019, including 52 in Manhattan.

Surveillance video captured Santos repeatedly lifting the bar up over his head and bringing it down on the head of one victim, Assistant District Attorney Alfred Peterson told jurors.

A couple out on a date on Manhattans Bowery street saw him beating another man with the same weapon, Peterson said. Police found Santos carrying the bar, which was covered with blood and hair. Testing showed it had his DNA on one end and blood from some of his victims on the other, the prosecutor said.

open image in gallery A man walks past a makeshift memorial made for Chuen Kok, Oct. 18, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) ( Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

If the jury convicts Santos, rejecting his insanity defense, he could be sentenced to life in prison. Otherwise, he could be involuntarily committed to treatment for as long as necessary.

Peterson urged jurors to look past Santos' mental health claims and find him guilty on all charges, telling them that evidence will show that Santos knew exactly what he was doing and the consequences of what he was doing  that he was killing these men," the prosecutor said.

Santos looked up and down the street and saw the coast was clear before starting the attack, Peterson said. He then paused to let a pedestrian  and potential witness  leave the area before wailing on another man, Peterson said. He knew it was legally and morally wrong, the prosecutor said.

Santos even recognized himself in surveillance video of the attack, Peterson said. Shown the footage after his arrest, he told police: Yea, thats me.

Santos, a native of the Dominican Republic who moved to New York as a child, attacked five men between 1:30 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Oct. 5, 2019, bashing their heads repeatedly with a 4-foot (1.2 meter) bar he found on the street, Peterson said. The victims ranged in age from 39 to 83.

The lone survivor, critically injured 49-year-old David Hernandez, staggered to a nearby street where police officers were trying to revive another Santos victim.

Peterson said Santos had done a trial run about a week earlier, badly hurting another man by bashing his head with a wooden stick in a different Manhattan neighborhood.

Santos, who has gone back and forth from jail to psychiatric treatment facilities since his arrest, wore an untucked white button-down shirt and a tie as he sat between his lawyers at the defense table. He listened to Ziens opening statement through a Spanish interpreter, but moved his headphones off his ear as Peterson spoke.

Prevailing with an insanity defense can be particularly tough in New York. Santos lawyers must convince the jury that he didnt understand the consequences of his actions and didnt know right from wrong. The strategy has had mixed results.

In 2022, a man who killed a young tourist when he drove his car through crowds of people in Times Square was cleared of responsibility and sent to a mental health facility instead of prison after a jury found he was so psychologically disturbed he didnt know what he was doing.

But in 2018, a Manhattan nanny was convicted of killing two children in her care while their parents were away after a jury rejected her lawyer's claims that she had an undiagnosed mental illness, heard voices and saw hallucinations, snapped and didnt know what she was doing.

open image in gallery New York Police Department officers investigate the scene of an attack in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood, Oct. 5, 2019, in New York. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon, File) ( Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Zien said Santos knew that attacking the men was legally wrong, but  in his mind  he had to do it to save his own life.

The ambush, she said, was the last in a line of increasingly violent episodes that began with a clash with his grandfather.

He has at least six prior arrests, police said, including allegations that he punched a tourist he thought was laughing at him on a subway train, choked a man at an employment agency and punched a homeless man inside a Brooklyn shelter.

During his last jail stint before the killings, Santos was diagnosed with schizophrenia, Zein said. He was released in August 2019 and given referrals for treatment and prescriptions for medication but never used them, Zein said.

Santos was previously diagnosed with schitzophreniform, a shorter-term mental health condition, and turned up at a hospital complaining that he was hearing voices in his head, Zein said.

He was asked about drug use but didn't get the treatment he needed, she said.
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An apparent custody dispute turned deadly when a Texas man allegedly drove across the state and fatally shot the couple who had adopted his seven-year-old daughter, authorities said.

Norman Lee Johnson, 42, is charged with murder in the killings of Christopher Lopez, 52, and his wife, Trinette Lopez, 52, who were found shot to death on January 12 inside their home in Katy, Texas, KPRC reported.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said investigators believe the motive stemmed from ongoing custody conflicts involving the little girl, who is the biological child of Johnson. Johnson is also a cousin of Trinette Lopez, according to family members.

On January 12, deputies were called to the home on Bent Springs Lane shortly after 6 a.m. when one of the couples adult children reported finding their parents had been shot.

Christopher Lopez was found in the main living area with a gunshot wound to the face and Trinette Lopez was found near the kitchen, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences determined, according to KPRC. She had been shot twice in the head and had a gunshot wound to her left hand. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Norman Lee Johnson, 42, was arrested for the January 12 murders of Christopher and Trinette Lopez ( Harris County Sheriffs Office )

The couples two adult children and the seven-year-old girl were asleep upstairs at the time of the shootings and were not harmed, officials said. There were no signs of forced entry into the two-story home and no weapon was recovered from the scene.

Following an investigation, Johnson was named a suspect in the killings, and members of the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Task Force arrested him in Round Rock on Tuesday. He was booked into the Williamson County Jail and is expected to be transferred to Harris County.

Investigators believe Johnson drove from Round Rock, where he lived, to Katy, about two-and-a-half hours by car, to carry out the killings. There was a history of dispute between the suspect and the victims, according to officials, who said Johnson had a prior criminal case involving the couple.

In October 2024, he was charged with harassment after allegedly threatening the family. According to court records from that case, Johnson threatened to kill Christopher Lopez and another family member after being denied access to his daughter without going through child protective services, KPRC reported.

The threatened family member then told authorities that Johnson had a violent criminal history and that another law enforcement agency had recently responded to a home after Johnson allegedly assaulted that relative.

The couples children told KHOU11 that their parents were high school sweethearts who had lived in their home since 2000. They described their mother as a caring person who was like a mom to many of their friends.

Detective Mace worked hard to help bring our parents killer into custody, Kristina and Jonathan Rayson said in a statement to KHOU 11.

We hope that he is charged to the fullest extent of the law. Our parents deserve justice and to know that we are safe from his harm.
GABORONE, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Botswana on Wednesday announced suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in its North East District, prompting immediate animal movement restrictions and a swift government response.

The suspected cases were detected at Jackalas 1 crush in the Tsamaya Extension Area of the Masunga district, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture.

While official investigations are ongoing, authorities have moved swiftly to contain any potential spread, imposing an immediate ban on the movement of all cloven-hoofed animals within and out of the affected zones.

The movement of related fresh products, including meat, fresh milk, livestock feeds, trophies, skins, and hooves, is also prohibited.

Kobedi Segale, acting director of veterinary services, said exports of cloven-hoofed animals are now suspended, and all previously issued permits are revoked. However, the importation of certain processed products, such as pasteurized and UHT milk and cooked goods, remains permitted.

Farmers and stakeholders have been urged to adhere strictly to disease prevention measures and to report any signs of illness in livestock to the nearest veterinary office.

Botswana has approved an emergency response fund of 97 million pula (about 7 million U.S. dollars) to prevent a potential outbreak of FMD following official notifications from neighboring countries, Minister of Communications and Innovation David Tshere said on Tuesday.

The funds are intended to strengthen border surveillance, deploy rapid-response veterinary teams, and conduct farmer awareness campaigns in high-risk areas. The overall goal is to build a resilient barrier against the virus, which was detected in South Africa and Zimbabwe. 
A performance is staged during a Chinese New Year celebration event in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 27, 2026. The opening performance of the 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" activities took place here Tuesday night, alongside an intangible cultural heritage exhibition. (Photo by Thilina Kaluthotage/Xinhua)

COLOMBO, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The opening gala of the 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" cultural events in Sri Lanka was held Tuesday at Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo, marking the beginning of a series of celebrations ahead of the traditional Chinese holiday.

Co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, the gala notably features artists and performers from Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The art troupe presented the audience with authentic Bai ethnic performances, including songs, dancing, and musical performances with traditional instruments.

The gala was attended by an audience of around 1,200, including Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, senior officials of the Sri Lankan government, as well as Chinese nationals in Sri Lanka and the local public.

Addressing the event, Qi said that the year 2026 is the Chinese Year of the Horse. He noted that in Chinese culture, the animal symbolizes endeavor, loyalty, and success, which coincides with the spirit of optimism and strenuousness that is also valued in Sri Lanka. He wished both China and Sri Lanka new and greater accomplishments in the new year in their pursuits of national development.

In his speech, Wickramaratne hailed the long history of cultural exchange between Sri Lanka and China. He added that the performance amply manifests the joyfulness and profound cultural meanings of the traditional Chinese festival.

Apart from the opening gala, the cultural events will also see performances, parades and other activities held at the Colombo Port City, the Hambantota International Conference Centre, and Colombo's historic Gangaramaya Temple area. 

Sri Lanka's parliament speaker Jagath Wickramaratne (L) attends a Chinese New Year celebration event in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 27, 2026.

The opening performance of the 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" activities took place here Tuesday night, alongside an intangible cultural heritage exhibition. (Photo by Thilina Kaluthotage/Xinhua)

A performance is staged during a Chinese New Year celebration event in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 27, 2026.

The opening performance of the 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" activities took place here Tuesday night, alongside an intangible cultural heritage exhibition. (Photo by Thilina Kaluthotage/Xinhua)

Chinese tea is displayed and offered to visitors during a Chinese New Year celebration event in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 27, 2026.

The opening performance of the 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" activities took place here Tuesday night, alongside an intangible cultural heritage exhibition. (Photo by Thilina Kaluthotage/Xinhua)

A performance is staged during a Chinese New Year celebration event in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Jan. 27, 2026.

The opening performance of the 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" activities took place here Tuesday night, alongside an intangible cultural heritage exhibition. (Photo by Thilina Kaluthotage/Xinhua)
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Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Geochem clues steer Red Metal along WA Hemi gold corridor Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Rowena Duckworth January 28, 2026  2:13pm 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

Red Metal Limited has taken its first meaningful move in chasing gold potential at its Pardoo project in Western Australias highly prospective Pilbara district after early drilling picked up subtle, although encouraging chemical clues that point towards possible gold hiding in the deeper basement rocks. The company completed five wide-spaced reverse circulation (RC) holes for 1,098 metres across two geophysical magnetic targets, Pardoo 2 and Pardoo 3, testing for Hemi-style gold mineralisation beneath extensive younger sedimentary cover. Pardoo Homestead, which lies close to Red Metal Limiteds Pardoo gold project in Western Australias Pilbara region. While no ore-grade gold was intersected in basement rocks, assays revealed weakly anomalous gold values in the cover sequences immediately above the basement in all drill holes  a result that has caught the companys attention. At Pardoo 2, drilling hit a string of mafic and intermediate volcanic rocks with intermittent quartz diorite intrusions hiding below roughly 90 metres of younger sedimentary cover. Although no strongly magnetic rocks were encountered and the source of the magnetism remains unresolved, the geochemistry told a more intriguing story with arsenic and antimony sniffs - elements commonly associated with gold.

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At Pardoo 3, the drill bit threw up mafic volcanic rocks, including a magnetic ultramafic horizon lurking below 100 metres of cover, finally explaining the magnetic feature. As with Pardoo 2, basement gold grades were not economic, but anomalous gold values were consistently recorded in the sedimentary cover immediately above the basement contact. Notably, on both drill traverses, the gold tenor within the cover sequence increased towards the southeast. Red Metal believes this pattern may be providing a geochemical trail, hinting at nearby basement-hosted gold mineralisation, rather than representing mineralisation in its own right. Supporting this interpretation, trace element data from the basement rocks show that gold-loving arsenic and antimony also increased running to the southeast. These pathfinder elements are considered particularly relevant in intrusion-related and orogenic settings, including those linked to the Hemi structural corridor. The Pardoo project lies within the covered extension of the Hemi structural corridor, a region that has emerged as one of Australias most exciting gold provinces following the discovery of the world-class 10-million -ounce Hemi gold deposit, now owned by Northern Star. The Hemi discovery is an intrusion-hosted form of gold mineralisation, new to the Pilbara region. It has a scale of mineralisation not previously encountered in the Mallina Basin, with the elusive yellow metal hosted in a series of intrusions associated with stringer - and disseminated-sulphide-rich zones.

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Significantly, regional magnetic imagery clearly shows a continuation of this structural corridor through the Pardoo tenement, placing Red Metals ground right in the middle of a highly prospective geological setting. Adding to its credentials, the project also sits on the margin between granite intrusions and greenstone rocks within the Mallina Basin. This is exactly the same geological environment that hosts the gold-bearing intrusions of the De Grey Group. Red Metals reading of the assay data suggests the increasing gold and pathfinder element tenor may be vectoring towards mineralisation developed along the granitegreenstone contact at depth. With these early signs now identified, management is considering a follow-up program to assess gold potential further towards the southeast along a roughly three-kilometre portion of the sheared granitegreenstone contact. Red Metal says future work is planned to focus on compiling and refining trace-element geochemistry, remodelling magnetic data and designing targeted drill holes to test the interpreted basement position. While still early-stage, the results have delivered exactly what first-pass drilling is designed to do - reduce geological uncertainty and provide a clearer exploration direction.

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In a region where subtle geochemical signals have preceded major discoveries, Red Metals Pardoo vector could prove to be an important step toward uncovering concealed Pilbara gold mineralisation Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au

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Sponsored BusinessCompaniesBulls N' Bears Great Southern unlocks fresh upside at shallow WA gold play Brought to you by BULLS N BEARS Andrew Todd January 28, 2026  3:53pm 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

Great Southern Mining has unveiled shallow gold hits at its Mon Ami project in Laverton, Western Australia, hinting at a potentially new parallel lode that could expand the deposits existing 55,500-ounce resource. 2146 metres of aircore drilling was completed, targeting gold anomalies to the north of the existing 1.56 million tonnes resources grading 1.11 grams per tonne (g/t). The historic headframe standing above Great Southern Minings Mon Ami deposit at its Duketon gold project in Western Australia. Standout intercepts included one hole, which returned 2m at 2.56g/t gold from 62m, sitting within a broader 10-metre section grading 0.77g/t gold, confirming saprolite-hosted gold directly beneath a surface anomaly. Another hole delivered two more columns of 2m at 1.86g/t gold from 20m and a 2-metre strike of 0.74g/t gold from 62m. These hits sit alongside a historic shallow intercept from 2018, which featured 4m at 2.5g/t gold, suggesting a promising new parallel structure emerging.

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Mon Ami is still wide open to the north and down plunge and it already sits on a granted mining licence with much of the key permitting in place. Given its proximity to operating and planned gold mills, the project could shape up as a very handy near-term development opportunity. Great Southern says it is lining up follow-up drilling to grow the existing resource, with the aim of fast-tracking Mon Ami toward a potential near-term development opportunity. Great Southern Mining managing director Matthew Keane said: The recent assay results at Mon Ami highlight the potential for new gold lodes offset and parallel to the existing resource. We are building a better understanding of the mineralised system and we believe there may be several high-grade splays associated within the broader Barnicoat Shear Zone. Elsewhere, the company is also chasing gold at its Amy Clarke prospect, another emerging exploration play that is quickly moving up the priority list. The gold mineralisation at Amy Clarke sits within a 4.7km-long corridor that looks to be hosted in a high-grade fractionated dolerite - a lookalike to Kalgoorlies fabled Golden Mile.

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A long-overdue follow-up air-core program in 2025 at Amy Clarke turned up some impressive thick discovery intercepts, including a 17m hit grading 1.4g/t gold, including 1m at 11.2g/t gold. Although the company continues to push out the boats with an aggressive exploration program across its broader Duketon gold project, including ongoing RC drilling at Golden Boulder and follow-up work at Amy Clarke, it is Mon Ami that appears to offer a more advanced counterpoint in the portfolio. With encouraging shallow hits now in hand at Mon Ami, depth potential still to chase and a supportive gold price backdrop, Great Southern has a range of value-adding paths in play across its gold portfolio - and it seems the market is starting to wake up to its potential. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au

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CultureMoviesFilm awards Aussie trio backs up Oscar nominations with BAFTA nods Jill Lawless and and Chris Hook January 28, 2026  9:15am 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: Actors Rose Byrne and Jacob Elordi and production designer Fiona Crombie have backed up their Oscar nods with nominations in this years British Academy Film Awards. Byrne was nominated in the leading actress category for If I Had Legs Id Kick You, Elordi was nominated as best supporting actor for Frankenstein, and Crombies work on Hamnet was nominated in the best production design category. Rose Byrne, Jacob Elordi and Fiona Crombie have backed up Oscar nominations with BAFTA nods. However Paul Thomas Andersons politically charged action thriller One Battle After Another leads the race, securing 14 nominations on Tuesday, including acting nods for five of its cast. Ryan Cooglers blues-steeped vampire epic Sinners is close behind with 13 nominations for Britains equivalent of the Oscars, while Chloe Zhaos Shakespearean family tragedy Hamnet and Josh Safdies ping-pong odyssey Marty Supreme have 11 apiece.

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Guillermo del Toros reimagining of Frankenstein and Norwegian family drama Sentimental Value each got eight nominations, rounding out a six-pack of leading contenders for both the British and Hollywood Academy Awards. Related Article Oscars The Oscar nominations are in. Here are the good, the bad and the ugly of this years nods The best film nominees are One Battle After Another, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, Sinners and Sentimental Value. BAFTA Chief Executive Jane Millichip said the nominations recognised films like One Battle After Another, Sinners, tackling really big societal issues  the moral ambiguity of activism, Black identity, alongside films exploring the most intimate side of family relationships. Theyre all doing it in quite different ways: Strong flavours, really bold storytelling, she said.

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Hollywood heavyweights and rising stars Best leading actor contenders are Timothee Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Ethan Hawke for Broadway biopic Blue Moon, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, Jesse Plemons for Bugonia and British actor Robert Aramayo for playing a man with Tourettes syndrome in biographical drama I Swear. Aramayo said it was really crazy to be nominated alongside Hollywood heavyweights. Its absolutely amazing, he said. I admire each and every one of them so much. Besides Byrnes nomination, the leading actress category also includes awards-season favourite Jessie Buckley for her performance as Agnes Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare, in Hamnet. Shes up against Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs Id Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue, Chase Infiniti for One Battle After Another, Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value and Emma Stone for dystopian tragicomedy Bugonia.

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Related Article Golden Globes Where to watch the films and TV that won the 2026 Golden Globes One Battle actors Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn are all nominated for supporting performances. Elordi faces tough competition in the supporting actor category with Paul Mescal nominated for Hamnet, Stellan Skarsgard for Sentimental Value, del Toro and Penn for One Battle and Peter Mullan in the race for I Swear. In the production design category, Crombies work on Hamnet will be up against Frankenstein, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another and Sinners. The Associated Press was recognised in the best documentary category with a nomination for Mstyslav Chernovs harrowing Ukraine war portrait 2000 Meters to Andriivka, co-produced by the AP and PBS Frontline.

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The winners will be announced at a February 22 ceremony in London hosted by actor Alan Cumming. The UK prizes  officially called the EE BAFTA Film Awards  often provide clues about who will triumph at Hollywoods Academy Awards, held this year on March 15. Related Article Golden Globes Golden Globes 2026 as it happened: Rose Byrne gets a win as One Battle After Another and Adolescence clean up This year, unusually, Oscar nominations were announced first, with Sinners securing a record 16 nominations, followed by 13 for One Battle After Another. The British academy has recognised several performers overlooked by the Oscars, including supporting actor nominees Mescal for Hamnet and Odessa Azion for Marty Supreme. The BAFTAs also have a distinctly British accent, with a separate category of best British film. Its 10 nominees include The Ballad of Wallis Island, Pillion, I Swear and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.

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Tom Basden, co-writer and star of The Ballad of Wallis Island, the story of a musical duo reluctantly reunited by a superfan, said it was gratifying to receive three nominations for a movie filmed on a tiny budget in 18 days. Carey Mulligan, who spent 10 days on set, is nominated for best supporting actress. Sort of against the odds, we managed to create something in those conditions that were really proud of and thats really hit home with people, Basden said. So its a lovely kind of underdog story in many ways. In search of diversity Most BAFTA winners are chosen by 8,500 members of the UK academy of industry professionals, with one  the Rising Star Award  selected by public vote from a shortlist of nominees. This years rising star contenders are Infiniti, Aramayo, Sinners star Miles Caton and British actors Archie Madekwe and Posy Sterling. Like other major movie awards, Britains film academy has introduced changes in recent years to increase diversity, including the addition of a longlist round before the final nominees are selected. Diversity has improved since 2020, when no women were nominated as best director for the seventh year running, and all 20 of the main acting nominees were white.

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Still, Zhao is the only female nominee in the best director category, alongside Anderson, Safdie, Cooger, Yorgos Lanthimos for Bugonia and Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value. Across all categories including documentaries and shorts, 25 per cent of the directing nominees are women. Associated Press writer Hilary Fox contributed to this story. With AP



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Cinema Chris Hook is Culture News Editor Sydney for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
YANGON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has won a majority of seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House) of Myanmar's Union Parliament, according to data released by the Union Election Commission (UEC) on Wednesday.

UEC's figures showed that the USDP secured 231 of the 263 elected seats in the lower house. The Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party won seven seats, while the Mon Unity Party and the Pa-O National Organization party each secured five seats. The remaining elected seats were shared among nine other political parties.

Elections for the Pyithu Hluttaw were held in 263 of Myanmar's 330 townships, with each township serving as a single constituency and electing one representative.

The general election was conducted in three phases: the first phase on Dec. 28 last year, the second on Jan. 11 this year, and the final phase on Jan. 25. 
Send Help



(MA), 113 minutes

The opening scenes of Send Help play like one of those AI-generated vignettes proliferating online. A bully is tormenting somebody well-meaning and ill-equipped to deal with the onslaught when the tables are turned, the bully is thoroughly humiliated and their victim comes out on top.

And thats where the films air of predictability evaporates. Once director Sam Raimis

enthusiasm for black humour goes to work on this set-up, youre not sure whats going to happen next.

Rachel McAdams and Dylan OBrien in Send Help. AP

At the start, Rachel McAdams Linda Liddle, the office nerd with a genius for mathematics, is being verbally abused by Bradley Preston (Dylan OBrien), her new boss, a preening loudmouth determined to put her down because she was a favourite of his fathers, her former boss. Having awarded her promised promotion to a member of the odious boys club who make up his circle of chief executives, he grudgingly includes her in a business trip to Thailand aboard the companys plane, but the plane crashes en route, killing everybody aboard except for Bradley and Linda.

They wash up together on a remote island which looks a little like the one which became home to Tom Hanks in Castaway, but theres no sign of Wilson, the volleyball which kept him company. Instead, Linda and Bradley must deal with one another while navigating a radical shift in status.

After treating Bradleys leg wound, Linda, an avid fan of the TV series Survivor, swiftly rigs up a shelter, secures a supply of drinking water, catches a fish dinner and manages to coax a campfire into being by using two sticks and a lot of friction. After making a feeble attempt to pull rank, Bradley finds that he can do little but lie back and watch her in action.

Raimi, who shot part of the film in Sydney, rejoices in the comedy of exaggeration. Lindas finest moment comes when she sharpens a stick and goes into battle with a wild boar, emerging blood-soaked and victorious to dump the boars severed head beside Bradley on the sand. But the scripts main focus is on Linda and Bradleys see-sawing relationship  especially when they start being nice to one another. Even though were encouraged to conjure with the possibility that romance is in the air, its hard to imagine that Bradley could ever be trusted.

Rachel McAdams in Send Help. AP

And Linda, too, is hiding a few secrets which are gradually revealed as she adapts to her altered circumstances. McAdams brings great verve and humour to the part. Linda in office mode is another exercise in exaggeration, dressed up with a beige cardigan, battered lace-ups and a chronic stoop, all of which highlight the makeover taking place on the island with her delirious discovery of the warrior woman within. The big question is how far shes going to go with this new version of herself.

OBrien is also good at ringing the changes. As the two of them sit by the fire one night, exchanging confidences about unhappy episodes in the past, they give every sign of being sincere  something which adds an extra charge to the next inevitable act of betrayal.

There are gaping holes in the plot which become very conspicuous when we reach the end, but Raimi has issued an early warning that hes not out to make sense here. He treats us a crafty mix of blood, gore and gallows humour featuring two actors inviting us to share in the great time theyre having.
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LifestyleLife & relationshipsMarriage Parents hate your partner? Heres what the experts say you should do Sara Mulcahy January 28, 2026  3:45pm 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

If mother-in-law jokes are anything to go by, theres nothing new in merged families not getting along. Its a theme thats repeatedly played out on the big screen  think Monster in Law, Meet the Parents, My Big Fat Greek Wedding  and often for laughs. But as Brooklyn Beckham Peltz would no doubt attest, in real life its far from a joking matter. While a lengthy Instagram post expressing his dismay with his famous family may have seemed like a good idea at the time, it begs the question: is there a better way to respond when your parents take a dislike to your significant other? The messy unravelling of the Beckham family begs the question: is there a better way to respond when your parents take a dislike to your significant other? Marija Ercegovac When parents object to a partner, it can be deeply distressing and put people in the painful position of feeling they have to choose between their family and their relationship, says Naomi Doyle, family dispute resolution practitioner with Relationships Australia. While theres no one-size-fits-all solution, some practical steps can help reduce tension and clarify boundaries. Heres what the experts say about managing the tricky dynamic.

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Present a united front Related Article Family Is #boymum culture to blame for the Beckham family saga? Its important that your partner doesnt feel undermined or blamed for the conflict. Agree privately on your expectations, so you can respond consistently to family pressure. Set respectful boundaries, says Doyle. Its reasonable to say that while youre open to hearing concerns, ongoing criticism or disrespect toward your partner isnt acceptable. Remember that boundaries arent punishments; they are ways of protecting relationships from further harm. Seek to understand

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Sometimes parents express worry in frustrating ways, but it is helpful to understand the concern beneath the criticism. Asking calm questions can help identify whether their unease is about values, safety, culture, communication style or simply fear of losing closeness with their child. When concerns are raised about your partner, try to listen calmly, without interrupting or rushing to defend your partner, says Dr Zena Burgess, chief executive of the Australian Psychological Society. Listening to what your parent or caregiver has to say may allow you to better understand their perspective. Ask clarifying questions such as, Can you explain what you mean when you say they are a bad influence? or Can you give me an example of when you believe they have been disrespectful? Dont make a bad situation worse The Hills actor Heidi Montag stopped speaking to her family for approximately two years because they disapproved of her now-husband, Spencer Pratt. At one point, tensions ran so high that Montag called the police to turn her mother away from her home.

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Unnecessarily escalating the already tense situation should be avoided, advises Doyle. Have clear, calm conversations when emotions are settled, says Doyle. Using I statements that describe your own feelings and needs, and focusing on impact rather than blame, can help keep conversations constructive. (If someone raises concerns about behaviours such as disrespect, manipulation, dishonesty, or control, its important to consider your own wellbeing.) Take care of the children Children are often very perceptive, even when adults try to shield them from tension. Here are Doyles tips on how to talk to them about family disharmony.

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Related Article Opinion

Celebrity relationships We mock Victoria Beckham and the dance, but this slapdown of a mother is too cruel Kate Halfpenny Regular columnist Use simple, age-appropriate language and avoid blaming or criticising grandparents or other adults.

Reassure children that the conflict is not their fault and that they are loved by all parties.

Let them know that sometimes adults disagree, but that its the adults job to manage those disagreements.

Where possible, try to maintain childrens relationships with extended family, unless there are safety concerns.

Above all, children benefit most from seeing the adults in their lives model emotional regulation, even in difficult situations. Consider professional help US Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty fell out with his parents over his engagement to TV chef Gordon Ramsays daughter, Holly. As a result, they were uninvited from the couples wedding late last year. But things dont always need to escalate so drastically. Professional counselling can be very helpful, particularly when emotions are high, or conversations keep going in circles, says Doyle.

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Importantly, counselling isnt about deciding whos right but rather its about helping people navigate competing loyalties. Resolution doesnt always mean agreement, advises Doyle. Sometimes the goal is not changing minds, but finding a way to coexist with less conflict and more respect. Estrangement should be a last resort I do not want to reconcile with my family, Brooklyn Beckham declared at the start of his public statement. The decision to cut people out of your life is rarely made lightly and is often driven by a complex combination of factors such as chronic stress, trauma, or breaking cycles of dysfunction. Conflict can arise from the very nature of family itself, says Burgess. Relationships are foundational, emotionally charged, and often expected to be enduring.

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Estrangement often involves weighing the benefits of self-protection against the costs of severing ties and is usually taken after considerable reflection. A psychologist is well-placed to assist through these experiences. The flip side Related Article Family Should you try to repair a family rift or just let go? It can be confronting for parents to see their adult children make choices they dont agree with. Thats exacerbated by feelings that the relationship has changed, or a distance has grown. But its key to be able to distinguish between genuine concerns and personal discomfort. Ask yourself whether your worries relate to safety or wellbeing, or whether theyre about expectations, control or unfamiliar differences, says Doyle.

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Focus on the relationship with your child first. Maintaining that connection matters more in the long run than being right about their partner. Express concerns respectfully and sparingly, as repeated criticism can push people further away. And be open to self-reflection. Sometimes, tensions can occur due to unrealistic parental expectations of their relationship with their child. Says Doyle: Family transitions can stir up grief, loss or fear of being replaced. Acknowledging this internally can reduce conflict externally. Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.
Man struck by machete and tree branch during alleged home invasion

A man says he has been struck with a machete and a tree branch as he defended his home from a group of six masked invaders in Adelaide.
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NationalNSWSydney Metro What happens to our metro tunnel boring machines when they hit the end of the line? Aidan Elwig Pollock January 29, 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

They weighed 1200 tonnes each, the same as 171 elephants, measured 170 metres in length, and dug through 1.58 million tonnes of rock. Now that their job is done, theyve been dismantled underground, and raised to the surface piece by piece. These mechanical behemoths were Betty and Dorothy, the tunnel boring machines tasked with digging the Sydney Metro West tunnels. Loading The borers were dismantled underground last month in the Westmead station cavern, before individual pieces each weighing up to 110 tonnes were lifted by crane to the surface. The borers main drive units, along with their electrical systems and other moving parts, have been returned to manufacturer Herrenknecht for repair and reuse.

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However, the cutterheads  the massive circular saw at the head of these mechanical worms  cant be reused. The steel has exceeded its wear limits, a metro spokesperson said. The cutterheads are dismantled into sections on the surface and recycled. They were the first in Australia to use artificial intelligence software to help steer and dig. However, an onboard crew of 15 people was required to operate each machine. A construction worker walks near the tunnel boring machine named Dorothy. Sitthixay Ditthavong Behind the cutterhead, each TBM includes a long back-up section  of connected gantries that house the equipment and facilities needed to excavate the tunnel and install its lining, the spokesperson said. For Betty and Dorothy, this included extensive mechanical, electrical, ventilation and segment-handling systems, along with crew amenities.

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The machines worked 24 hours a day, five days a week, cutting around 800 metres of tunnel per month. Betty and Dorothy also installed more than 57,900 segments of concrete tunnel lining. Worldwide tradition dictates underground tunnelling machines be given female names. Dorothy was named for human rights advocate Dorothy Buckland-Fuller, who founded the Australian Migrant Womens Association in 1974. Betty was named after record-setting Olympian Betty Cuthbert, who grew up in western Sydney and won four gold medals for Australia, including three at the 1956 Melbourne Games. As tunnelling on the Metro West network draws to a close, borers Jessie and Ruby are also winding up their work.

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Ruby broke through into the Hunter Street station cave on December 17 last year, while Jessie is due to break through within weeks, a Sydney Metro spokesperson said. The cutterhead is removed at Westmead station. Sydney Metro Jessie and Ruby are mixed shield (slurry) machines, designed for the challenging conditions under Sydney Harbour and the CBD. They mix slurry fluid with the excavated rock and soil to maintain pressure at the cutterhead and enable safe digging under the harbour. They required additional systems to manage slurry circulation and treatment. Their progress was slower, at about 90 metres per week, excavating 460,000 tonnes of rock in total.

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Jessie and Ruby were more expensive to build and maintain than Betty and Dorothy, but all six tunnel boring machines used to excavate for Metro West cost tens of millions of dollars to design, manufacture and commission, the spokesperson said. Related Series

Sydney beyond 2026 Sydney into the future A complex overnight retrieval effort in the cramped space of Sydneys CBD lies ahead once Jessie reaches the finish line. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Matt Petersen of Randwick has always been one to wax lyrical: I hate to see a good marketing opportunity missed. Some time back, the Sydney Aquarium and the Sydney Zoo at Darling Harbour rebranded themselves as Sea Life and Wild Life respectively. But nobody thought to rebrand Madame Tussauds to Still Life. Is it too late?

I drove past a country gate one day which had bags sitting by the road with a sign which said organic (C8) manure, notes Ann Clydsdale of Bathurst. I wasnt aware that there was any other sort.

John Deady of Forestville has more on the beer glass vs stubby vs can debate (C8): Wow! How many can remember that before you could drink a beer from a can, you had to carry your own can opener as they had no ring-pull to open them?

My sadness at the death of Queen Elizabeth II back in 2022 was less to do with personal affection and more to do with one of my favourite comments being rendered obsolete, explains Eric Scott of Bondi Junction. When given bottled beer in a pub, I would ask for a glass and say I will drink out of a bottle when the Queen drinks out of a bottle.

Now heres a challenge, says Ellen Kassel of Collaroy. How do I describe the power and the glory of Column 8 in one neat sentence to overseas friends who have no idea?
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PoliticsFederalChina relations We will see: Beijing hints at retaliation over Port of Darwin lease Matthew Knott January 28, 2026  3:47pm 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

Chinas top diplomat in Australia has warned of retaliation from Beijing if the Albanese government forces the sale of the Chinese-owned Port of Darwin, as he issued a stern instruction for Australia to respect Chinas position on the need to reunify with the self-governing island of Taiwan. Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian argued it was a mere coincidence that China had decided to conduct live fire exercises in the Tasman Sea while circumnavigating the Australian continent last year, as he left the door open to similar future visits by the Chinese navy. Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian, pictured on Wednesday, said there was no room for compromise on Chinas position on Taiwan. Alex Ellinghausen Xiao also said he saw no prospect of a prisoner swap deal or other way to return jailed writer and former Chinese state security official Yang Hengjun to Australia from Beijing, where he is serving a suspended death sentence on espionage charges. The envoys at times pointed comments highlighted the areas of tension that remain in the China-Australia relationship, even as both sides celebrate the resumption of normal trading relations and diplomatic ties after they fell apart under the Morrison government.

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As US President Donald Trump unsettles traditional allies, Xiao painted China as a dependable partner looking to deepen ties with Australia, including by upgrading and expanding the nations existing free trade agreement. Related Article China relations We want it in Australian hands: Albanese cool on US bid to buy Darwin Port Xiao said Chinese firm Landbridge, which bought a 99-year lease to Darwin Port in 2015, had invested significantly in the facility and made it profitable, raising ethical concerns about Australias bid to return it to Australian ownership. When youre losing money, you lease it to a foreign company and when it starts making money you want to take it back. Thats not the way to do business, he said at an annual new years press conference at the Chinese embassy in Canberra. Rather than a discrete commercial dispute between the federal government and Landbridge, Xiao said the Chinese government saw the issue as an important matter of principle.

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We respect the decision of the Landbridge company  either to continue or to take a different approach, but the Chinese government has an obligation to protect the interests, the legitimate interests of Chinese companies overseas, he said. So if anything happens like the port will be taken back by force or forceful measures, then we have an obligation to take measures to protect the Chinese companys interest. This is our position. Xiao said Beijing would be watching very closely and we will see when its time for us to say something, do something, to reflect the Chinese governments position and protect our Chinese companys legitimate interests. Pressed on what actions China could take to intervene over the port, Xiao said it was still a hypothetical question and he did not want to pre-empt any moves by Beijing. Both Labor and the Coalition announced during the election campaign that they would move to strip Landbridge of its controversial 99-year lease of the port, which sits directly opposite Darwins Larrakeyah Defence Precinct.

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Albanese later said: Weve said we want to see it in Australian hands. I notice this speculation which is there, but well examine the process. Were determined to make sure its in the national interest for it to be in Australian hands. Xiao arrives to address the media on Wednesday at the Chinese embassy in Canberra. Alex Ellinghausen The government has since had little to say about the issue, but Albanese reiterated his previous comments when asked on Wednesday afternoon during his trip to Timor-Leste. Asked about the Chinese militarys live fire drills between Australia and New Zealand last February, Xiao said they were normal exercises, not a provocative act as many Australian defence experts argued at the time. It just happened to be conducted in that region, in that part of the world, it happened to be near Australia, he said. It has nothing to do with Australia and it [had] nothing to do with the ongoing campaign of the federal elections.

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If the Chinese military returned to conduct such exercises near Australian waters, Xiao said: I would advise that over-interpretation is not necessary  We look at each other, at least from the Chinese point of view, as partners, not rivals. Theres no reason for China to threaten Australia, and theres no reason for Australia to interpret the Chinese military exercises as targeting Australia. Xiao warned there was no room for compromise on Chinas position on Taiwan, which it says is a province of China and an integral part of its territory. He accused Australias Department of Foreign Affairs of making misleading statements in December when it said major Chinese military exercises around Taiwan were deeply concerning, destabilising and risk inflaming regional tensions. Taiwan, a democratic island of 23 million people, has never been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party but is not recognised as a nation state by most of the world, including Australia.

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In his annual New Years Eve speech in Beijing, Chinas President Xi Jinping vowed to reunify China and Taiwan, describing movement towards that goal as unstoppable. Related Article Exclusive

China relations Australian forced to choose between food and clothes in Beijing jail Xiao said Australia and China were reviewing their free trade agreement, struck in 2015, to see if there were areas it could be expanded. Asked about the status of Yang Hengjun, Xiao said Beijing had received regular concerns about his health from Australia but insisted he was relatively healthy for a man of his age. This masthead reported last year that Beijing prison officials had slashed Yangs access to food and hygiene products in a move that triggered official complaints from Australian ambassador Scott Dewar.

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The Chinese resident authorities have been providing the basic necessary medical care to look after his health, so hes in a relatively stable situation, Xiao said. He added there were no discussions under way about a prisoner swap or other deal to return Yang to Australia. Hes been sentenced to prison. He has to fully follow the Chinese ruling, which is based on the facts and based on the Chinese law, he said. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
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PoliticsVictoriaRoads The high-stakes game of chicken highlighted by a median-strip fire Rachael Dexter January 28, 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 blaze in overgrown grass on an inner-Melbourne median strip has shown the potentially dangerous consequences of a councils refusal to maintain state-managed roads unless the state coughs up for the cost. Fire Rescue Victoria was called to Hoddle Street, Collingwood, about 5pm on Saturday to tackle a five-metre by 15-metre median-strip blaze burning in the grass and into trees along the busy eight-lane arterial road. Authorities believe the fire was sparked by a cigarette butt. Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly at the site of Saturdays Hoddle Street median-strip blaze. Arsineh Houspian Hoddle Street is one of a number of state-managed roads in the City of Yarra that have become overgrown and dried out amid intense heat this summer, leaving significant fire risks in high-density, high-traffic areas and affecting driver sight lines. At least one other major roadside scrub fire broke out on Tuesday on a state road, on the Monash Freeway near Mulgrave. It is believed to have been ignited by a car, according to authorities.

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Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly said overgrown median strips and verges had long been a bugbear of locals, but the weekend fire had shifted the situation from ugly and embarrassing for the state government to dangerous. Who would ever imagine that youd have a bushfire in Collingwood? he said. Opposition roads spokesman Danny OBrien said the weekend blaze should be a wake-up call, noting that overgrown roadsides were a factor in recent bushfires at Longwood and Yarroweyah in regional Victoria. The catastrophic Longwood blaze was sparked along the Hume Freeway, where grass had grown higher than safety barriers despite state guidelines that it be under 10 centimetres. No one should think this cant happen in the city either, because it can and could be even more disastrous, OBrien said. The state opposition has highlighted overgrown state roads in recent years with various stunts, including Ringwood Liberal MP Nick McGowan taking a mower to freeway median strips himself.

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Whether its potholes, graffiti or roadside with grass and vegetation out of control, the Labor government has been neglecting our roads for too long, OBrien said. Fire Rescue Victoria, which handles fires in Melbourne, would not comment on whether it had raised the fire risk from overgrown urban roadsides with the Department of Transport and Planning, but issued a statement saying bush and grass fires could happen in urban and regional areas and keeping grass shorter than 10 centimetres helped reduce the risk. A decline in road maintenance in the City of Yarra in particular comes after the council stopped its monthly maintenance work on state roads in late 2023, in response to the state providing only $88,000 for a service costing more than $1 million annually. Overgrowth along Alexandra Parade pictured on Monday. Arsineh Houspian

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The council stopped mowing in protest to extract more funding, but the state has not budged. A council spokeswoman confirmed the council only sweeps the roads twice a year, in line with what the state government is paying us to do. Related Article Exclusive

Victoria bushfires Thats hazardous, without a shadow of a doubt: Long grass beside the Hume Freeway before Longwood fire A Department of Transport and Planning spokesman said crews maintained about 45,000 kilometres of roadside vegetation around Melbourne annually as part of a prioritised maintenance program, but did not say how much  if any  mowing had occurred in Yarra since the council stopped monthly mows two years ago. We work closely with councils and emergency services to plan mowing and vegetation management programs and prioritise the highest-risk areas, the spokesman said.

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But a Yarra spokeswoman said it had received 90 complaints in 2025 about the condition of state-owned roads, which it had forwarded to the department with no response. The departments spokesman said roads such as Hoddle Street and Alexandra Parade were inspected twice weekly for hazards. After being approached by The Age, the department said both strips were set to be cut this week. Annual reports from the department do not have a breakdown of maintenance schedules, although the latest says it mowed 53,743 kilometres of state roads in 2024-2025. Across a network of 23,500 kilometres of state roads, that averages out to about two mowing cycles a year for the entire state. Councils across Melbourne have begun redirecting locals to complain not to them, but to MPs about the condition of roads, citing increasing so-called cost shifting, whereby the state government offloads responsibility for key services to rate-capped councils without adequate compensation.

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Yarra Mayor Jolly said his council was in a game of chicken with the state on the issue, but that locals did not want the council to cave in and redirect ratepayer funds from other services. Dried-out long grass on Alexandra Parade. Arsineh Houspian I dont think thats the mood at the moment. What Im hearing is people want us to fire up and embarrass the government, he said. You cant ask people in the inner city to vote for the Labor Party later in the year and then just do this to their streets, to the streets that you own. Jolly said some Richmond residents were so fed up they were planning a working bee next month to mow the grass themselves and dump bags of clippings with state authorities. Were not asking for anything radical here. Its just simply to do their [the states] job, he said.

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Roads Minister Melissa Hornes office did not respond to requests 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.
CHICAGO, Jan. 27, 2026 -- Rand McNally Publishing, America's leading map company for 170 years and a Founding Sponsor of the Route 66 Centennial, today released The Official Map of the Route 66 Centennial. Produced in partnership with the Route 66 Centennial Commission, this map serves as a commemorative keepsake and comprehensive guide for the Mother Road's 100th anniversary.

Designed for an "analog-first" adventure, it encourages a digital detox while providing integrated QR codes that link directly to the Route 66 Centennial's directory of official events, festivals and activities along the entire route. The map is available for order at randpublishing.com , Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other retailers.

Key features include:

66 Essential Stops: A handpicked list of must-see landmarks from Chicago to Santa Monica.

A handpicked list of must-see landmarks from Chicago to Santa Monica. State-by-State Navigation: Detailed maps to help find your way through every mile of the journey.

Detailed maps to help find your way through every mile of the journey. Hidden Lore: Insights into the history and secrets that define the Mother Road.

Insights into the history and secrets that define the Mother Road. Commemorative Content: Expert tips and a guide to nationwide celebrations.

A portion of each sale benefits the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership's Preservation and Economic Development Grant Program, supporting businesses and attractions across the historic highway.

"Rand McNally has a long history of innovation, including the creation of the highway numbering system used to name Route 66," said Joseph Roark, CEO of Rand McNally Publishing. "As the Official Map Provider, we are proud to help travelers disconnect from digital noise and reconnect with the spirit of the American road."

"Route 66 is more than a road  it's a shared American story," said Bill Thomas, Chair of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership and Route 66 Centennial Commissioner. "This map was designed to help travelers explore the Mother Road in a meaningful way while celebrating its legacy during the Centennial."

About Rand McNally Publishing

Chicago-based Rand McNally Publishing is the most trusted source for maps, directions and travel content for 170 years.

About the Route 66 Centennial Commission

The Commission was established by Congress to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and support celebrations honoring its iconic status in American history.

SOURCE RAND MCNALLY PUBLISHING
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's special counsel said Wednesday that it will appeal a court ruling that acquitted Kim Keon-hee, wife of the impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, of several charges.

In a statement, the special counsel said the court's reasoning for acquittals on charges including violations of the Capital Markets Act and the Political Funds Act, as well as some counts related to the influence-peddling charge, was "hard to accept," adding that the sentence for the guilty part was also "insufficient" and would be challenged on appeal.

Kim was sentenced to 20 months in prison for taking bribes, along with a forfeiture of 12.81 million won (about 9,010 U.S. dollars). 
21st Annual Dealertrack Compliance and Fraud Mitigation Guide Released

ATLANTA, Jan. 27, 2026 -- As costs associated with automotive fraud surge, Cox Automotive is launching a new partnership with Point Predictive that delivers advanced AI-driven identity verification (IDV) solutions to protect dealers, lenders, and consumers. BorrowerCheck by Point Predictive, designed to fight sophisticated techniques including deepfakes and synthetic identities, integrates directly with Cox Automotive's Dealertrack and uses machine learning to detect synthetic IDs, score fraud risk, and verify documents in real time.

"With auto fraud and lender pushbacks on the rise, the automotive industry needs to move beyond red flag solutions that can miss sophisticated fraud schemes," said Derek Hansen, SVP, dealer, lender, and inventory management solutions at Cox Automotive. "Our goal with this partnership is to strengthen our compliance portfolio and provide our dealers with more robust, next-generation fraud detection and identity verification solutions."

BorrowerCheck powered by Point Predictive is a powerful fraud prevention and identity verification tool integrated seamlessly into the Dealertrack F&I workflow- this AI-powered solution enables faster, more secure transactions and a more unified dealer experience. It includes identity, Synthetic ID, employment and income verification checks; plus, an Identity Document Validation scanning solution. By embedding BorrowerCheck into our compliance suite, we empower dealers to mitigate fraud-risk early in the financing process, streamline workflows, and protect revenueall while delivering a superior customer experience that dealers already trust.

"Industry analysts are predicting as much as $10B in fraudulent automotive transactions in 2026," said Joey Yates, AVP of F&I Services, Cox Automotive. "Dealers need help right now mitigating that risk. We've answered their call with a fully integrated fraud prevention solution powered by Point Predictive that works seamlessly with our market-leading Compliance solution that thousands of dealers use every day."

Point Predictive solutions help lenders reduce early payment default (EPD) losses by more than 30-50% while improving funding rates by 40-60%. (Source: Point Predictive website) Leveraging AI-driven analytics and a proprietary risk database with billions of unique data points, BorrowerCheck identifies high-risk applications with unmatched AI-precision, detecting over 90% of fraud missed by traditional systems while reducing false positives by up to 70%. (Source: Point Predictive website)

Powering Dealertrack Compliance with BorrowerCheck gives dealers a comprehensive identity verification and fraud-risk prevention solution with the following features:

Comprehensive Red Flags and OFAC alerts for identity verification, including the ability to pull Out Of Wallet questions

questions Includes more robust bio-metric Synthetic ID and Fraud -Risk Indicators

-Risk Indicators Includes OTP (Sending a passcode to customers' phones) as a verification tool

Includes Military Lending Act (MLA) alerts to identify active-duty military status

Includes a BorrowerCheck Fraud Summary Report with recommended actions

Summary Report with recommended actions Employment and Income verification functionality (Coming Post-NADA)

Identity Document Validation and scanning as an add-on

Point Predictive's BorrowerCheck technology coupled with Dealertrack goes more deeply into F&I workflows, redflag replacement, digital contracting, and compliance tools for a more unified dealer experience. These tools are designed to stop fraudulent deals before they close, accelerate funding, and reduce compliance burdens for dealers, while ensuring a safer, faster experience for car buyers.

"We trust Point Predictive for fraud protection and having it integrate directly into our Dealertrack F&I workflow with Dealertrack helps us operate efficiently while staying confident that our process is compliant," said David Basha, General Manager, Carriage Auto Group, in Woodstock, GA. "Fraud risk is assessed in real time without holding up the customer, deal data is automatically stored, and our team has clear, consistent documentation to support audits and lender requirements."

"Now more than ever, fraud prevention and compliance practices are inextricably linked," said Tim Grace, Co-Founder and CEO, Point Predictive. "By integrating BorrowerCheck into Dealertrack's compliance suite, we're giving Cox Automotive's dealer network powerful tools to detect sophisticated fraud schemes, from synthetic identities to income and employment misrepresentation, while creating a faster, more seamless experience for legitimate car buyers. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to making lending safer and easier for everyone."

Augmenting the new partnership, Cox Automotive is also releasing its 21st annual Dealertrack Compliance and Fraud Mitigation Guide, offering strategies to help dealers navigate regulatory changes and stay ahead of fraudsters. The guide is available for free download.

SOURCE Cox Automotive
ALMATY, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan plans to triple its investment volumes under the updated investment policy concept through 2030, the press service of the Kazakh prime minister reported Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin said that in 2025, investment in fixed capital reached 22.7 trillion tenge (about 45.2 billion U.S. dollars), while the target for 2026 is set at 31.5 trillion tenge (62.7 billion dollars).

The target for foreign direct investment inflows this year stands at 25.5 billion dollars. The government also plans to implement 475 investment projects worth 16 trillion tenge (31.9 billion dollars), which are expected to create more than 1,100 permanent jobs, Zhumangarin added. 
Bira Ji Ke Angna inaugurated, 110-foot tricolour draws massive gathering





A powerful display of patriotism and social unity marked the inauguration of Bira Ji Ke Angna at Arya Nagar, Kohka, in Bhilai, where a 110-foot-high national flag was unfurled in the presence of a huge public gathering. The landmark community facility, developed under the aegis of the Sarva Samaj Kalyan Samiti (SSKS), witnessed an overwhelming turnout, turning the event into a memorable civic and cultural moment for the region. The inauguration ceremony was led by Sarva Samaj Kalyan Samiti president Inderjeet Singh Chotu, whose initiative has been widely viewed as a meaningful contribution towards inclusive community infrastructure. The programme began with the ribbon-cutting of the newly constructed dome shed, jointly performed by Kulwant Kaur and Inderjeet Singh Chotu, formally dedicating the facility to public use. Representatives of various social groups were handed over the keys of the facility. The highlight of the programme followed soon after, as the towering tricolour was ceremonially hoisted. As the flag rose to its full height, the crowd erupted in applause and patriotic slogans, with thousands standing in respectful silence, capturing the moment and sharing in a collective sense of national pride. The flag hoisting emerged as the emotional centrepiece of the event, drawing people from across Kohka and nearby areas. The newly built dome shed at Bira Ji Ke Angna has been dedicated to social service and will be made available free of cost for economically weaker and middle-income families. The facility has been earmarked for weddings, social gatherings, Ramayan recitals, Bhagwat Katha and other religious and cultural programmes, addressing a long-standing community need in the area. The ceremony was attended by a large number of local residents, senior citizens and social workers, creating an atmosphere of celebration, unity and social harmony. Locals described the initiative as a new chapter in community service in Kohka, praising the effort for social cohesion while combining civic utility with a strong message of collective pride.
Dy CM Arun Sao unfurls the national flag at Jagdalpur





Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao unfurled the national flag at Lalbag Maidan, Jagdalpur in Bastar district on the occasion of 77th Republic Day, on Monday. After unfurling the national flag, he took the salute of the parade. He read the message of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. The ceremony featured a spectacular parade and salute by 14 contingents, including the District Police Force, Central Paramilitary Forces, Nagar Sena, NCC, Scouts and Guides. Afterward, colourful balloons were released into the sky, symbolizing joy and happiness. School students presented a mesmerizing cultural programme on the occasion. Various departments displayed tableaux based on public welfare schemes. Deputy Chief Minister Sao honoured the families of the martyred jawan by presenting them with shawl and shrifal. Officers and employees from various departments were also honoured for their exceptional works at the ceremony. Also, prizes were given to those who performed well in cultural programs, parade and tableau competitions. Chairman of Chhattisgarh Beverages Corporation Srinivas Maddi, Mayor Sanjay Pandey, Speaker of Municipal Corporation Jagdalpur Khemsingh Dewangan, District Central Cooperative Bank Chairman Dinesh Kashyap, Divisional Commissioner Doman Singh, Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P, Chief Conservator of Forests Alok Tiwari, Collector Akash Chhikara, Superintendent of Police Shalabh Sinha, other officers and public representatives and people in large number were present.
Events marks annual day celebrations at DPS





Junior Wing of Delhi Public School, Bhilai celebrated its 40th Annual Open Day for Classes III, IV and V in a magnificent display of patriotism. The dignitaries present were honoured through the presentation of saplings, symbolising respect and gratitude towards nature. This was followed by the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, invoking wisdom and enlightenment. The Principal, Parshant Vashishta, warmly welcomed the dignitaries, parents, and audience. The journey of excellence and endeavour was beautifully chronicled in the Annual Report presented by Dr Geeta Zunjani, Headmistress, Junior Wing. The highlight of the celebration was a magnificent Patriotic Extravaganza, where each class portrayed the colours of the Indian Tricolour with artistic brilliance. The spectacle began with Kesari - The Flame of Courage, where 93 students of Class III embodied the saffron hue through an energetic and spirited dance, honouring the bravery and sacrifice of countless heroes whose selfless service continues to inspire generations. A vote of thanks was delivered by Madhu Malini, acknowledging the contributions of all involved. The mesmerising LED display was prepared by Seema Chaudhary, Mrunmayee Mishra, Manjeet Kaur, Juhi Gupta Singh and Anjali Gandhok. The celebration concluded on a solemn and uplifting note with the rendition of the national anthem, marking a fitting end to a memorable and meaningful occasion.
India, UN chief call for reforming UNSC urgently





INDIA and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have called for urgently reforming the Security Council in the face of dire challenges to the world organisation. Indias Permanent Representative P Harish on Monday said the reform must add permanent members to make the international rule of law effective when the world organisation at its core is under strain. Paralysis and lack of effectiveness in tackling conflicts remain a significant shortcoming testing the UNs credibility, he said at the Councils high-level open debate on Reaffirming International Rule of Law. For multilateralism and international rule of law to remain effective and credible, global governance structures must evolve to reflect contemporary realities, he said. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who warned that around the world, the rule of law is being replaced by the law of the jungle, said it was imperative to reform the Council without delay. Only the Council can make decisions binding on all, and no other body or ad-hoc coalition can legally require all member states to comply with decisions on peace and security, he said. The Council has singular and universal responsibility, since under the UN Charter, it alone can authorise the use of force, he said. That is why reform is essential; that is why we must act without delay to enhance the representation and effectiveness of this Council, he stressed. Harish added a note of caution that, because of challenges to the Councils relevance, Security conversations and discussions have moved on to parallel plurilateral frameworks, some even involving private sector actors to bring about outcomes on peace and security outside the United Nations. While the world has undergone a profound transformation in the 80 years since the UNs founding, the Council is stuck in a bygone era, he said. Given the changes in power dynamics, demographics and the nature of global challenges, theres an urgent and compelling need to undertake comprehensive reform, including expansion in the permanent and non-permanent categories, he said. Guterres reference to an ad hoc coalition and Harishs mention of parallel plurilateral were about the Board of Peace that US President Donald Trump is creating as a challenge to the UN. Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do, he said last week at Davos. Although he added a rider, Well do it in conjunction with the United Nations, it still meant he was seeing a downgraded role for it.
VIENTIANE, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 Lao Food Festival opened its doors on Monday along the scenic banks of the Mekong River in the Lao capital Vientiane, offering visitors a vibrant journey through the flavors, traditions, and craftsmanship of Laos.

The festival, held from Monday to Friday under the theme "Discover Laos Through Its Taste," features 180 stalls offering local dishes, desserts, drinks, handicrafts, and agricultural products. More than a culinary showcase, it is a celebration of Lao culture and a platform for women entrepreneurs to preserve traditional recipes, promote local ingredients, and share their creativity with the world.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chanthachone Vongsay, president of the Business Women's Association, said the festival aims to preserve and promote Lao food traditions, reflecting the lifestyle and spirit of the Lao people. She added that the event also celebrates Lao culture, highlights local ingredients, and introduces Lao cuisine to the wider ASEAN community.

For many people, the festival offers a valuable opportunity for both domestic and international visitors to immerse themselves in Lao culture and traditions through local cuisine.

Saychai, a resident of Vientiane, expressed her pride in the diversity of Lao flavors. "Each dish carries memories of family, festivals, and our way of life. Events like this allow visitors to experience the authentic spirit of Laos," she told Xinhua.

She added that the festival serves as an important platform to showcase unique local dishes and products to a wider audience. "Some traditional dishes are now difficult to find in everyday life, but here people can taste them again. This helps younger generations experience ancient Lao cuisine and preserve the charm of our local food," said Saychai.

Sharing a younger perspective, Keota, a 17-year-old student, described Lao food as exciting and full of character as many dishes have complex flavors, including sour, sweet, spicy, and even bitter.

"Some dishes I have never tried before, and this festival brings many interesting local foods together in one place. It's a great occasion," she added.

Keota encouraged more people, especially young people, to visit the festival to explore both traditional and ancient Lao dishes, describing the event as lively and enjoyable.

Meanwhile, Sonemany, a 51-year-old mother from Vientiane who regularly cooks for her family, highlighted the importance of passing down culinary traditions. She said teaching children how to cook and encouraging them to try various dishes, especially popular Lao favorites such as larb -- a minced meat dish seasoned with lime juice, fermented fish sauce, and herbs -- is one of the most enjoyable ways to preserve traditions across generations.

In addition, some participating businesswomen told the media that Lao cuisine is a valuable cultural heritage that should be preserved and passed on to future generations. They said the Lao Food Festival plays an important role in promoting Lao culture and traditions, especially the distinct cooking methods of different localities. 
N Korea launches missiles into sea between Korean Peninsula, Japan





NORTH Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Tuesday, according to its neighbours, as the North heightens animosities with rival South Korea ahead of a major political meeting. South Koreas military said it detected lift-offs of several ballistic missiles from an area north-east of the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, before the missiles each flew about 350 kilometres (217 miles). Japans Defence Ministry said two ballistic missiles launched from North Korea landed off the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula. The Ministry condemned the launches as a threat to the peace of Japan, the region and the international community. South Koreas military said it maintains a firm readiness to repel any provocations by North Korea. The launches were the first time North Korea fired weapons since testing what it called hypersonic missiles in early January. In December, the country test-fired what it called long-range, strategic cruise missiles and new anti-air missiles and released photos showing the apparent construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine. North Korea has engaged in a run of weapons launches to enlarge its nuclear and missile arsenals since talks with the US. And South Korea stalled in 2019. Experts say the Norths leader, Kim Jong Un, believes a bigger weapons arsenal would give him greater leverage to win concessions from the US.
Nagpur ITI to be modernised under PM Setu scheme





The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved a plan to modernise Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) under the PM SETU scheme to improve skills and generate employment opportunities. The scheme will be rolled out in ITIs located in three districts and Nagpurs is included in the first phase, and will be expanded to other districts in the next phase. The programme aims to upgrade training infrastructure and make job placements easier for candidates. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took this initiative while Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha had been working on it since long. The aim is to reduce the gap between the demand and supply of skilled manpower. The project will follow a hub-and-spoke model and will be implemented in phases from next year, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office.

The Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme, launched on October 4, 2025, is aimed at modernising 1,000 government ITIs. The funding ratio is 50:33:17 per cent, with contributions from the Centre, the Maharashtra Government, and industry, respectively. It means a whopping 55 per cent will be the share of Central Government, 33 of Maharashtra Government and 17 per cent contributions will be from industries. Each cluster (one hub ITI and four spoke ITIs) will cost about Rs 241 crore over five years. Of this, the Central Government will contribute Rs 112 crore, the State Government Rs 98 crore, and the industry sector Rs 31 crore. Approval was also given for the State Governments expenditure of Rs 98 crore over five years.

The Government ITI in Nagpur will be modernised as a hub. This includes the Girls ITI, Nagpur, and ITIs in Kamptee, Hingna, and Butibori. In a hub ITI, an average of four new courses will be started, and ten existing courses will be upgraded. In a spoke ITI, two new courses will be started, and eight courses will be upgraded. In areas with fewer industries, service sector, multi-skill courses, and livelihood courses will be introduced.
Shocking chain-snatching incident inside AIIMS lift; police start the hunt.





Staff Reporter :

A daring chain-snatching incident took place inside the high-security premises of AIIMS Bhopal on Sunday evening. The incident has sparked serious concerns regarding safety of staff and patients within the premier medical institute. CCTV footage of the crime, which surfaced on Monday, depicts a major security lapse in the hospitals Internal Patient Department (IPD).The incident occurred inside a lift near the Blood Bank area. The victim, Varsha Soni, an attendant in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, was on duty and alone in the elevator when a youth wearing a mask and a cap entered. According to the police complaint, the unidentified assailant initially feigned a query regarding the Ophthalmology Department. As the lift reached the third floor, the suspect stepped out but immediately turned back to assault Soni, attempting to snatch her gold chain and mangalsutra.

Despite the victims resistance, the accused overpowered her, pushed her to the floor and fled using the stairs. While the gold chain broke and fell at the scene during the struggle, the assailant successfully escaped with the mangalsutra. The lapse in security was highlighted by total absence of personnel near the lift area during the assault. The victim remained in a state of shock at the scene until a security guard on routine patrol discovered her and alerted senior administration. While a written complaint was submitted to Bagsewania Police Station, authorities are currently processing formal FIR. Preliminary findings suggest the suspect exited through the IPD gate. Although security agency officials argued that the mask and cap hindered immediate identification, law enforcement remains optimistic. Bhopal DCP Zone-2 Vivek Singh, confirmed that a case of chain snatching has been registered. This is the first such incident reported within AIIMS premises.

The nature of crime suggests the perpetrator was familiar with internal layout of the hospital. We are actively pursuing leads, Singh stated. Bagsewania Police Station In-charge Amit Soni, added that the culprit has been nearly identified through technical surveillance. Multiple teams have been deployed to trace and apprehend the suspect, Soni said.
States first mobile court flagged off





Staff Reporter :

Madhya Pradesh has taken a new step to simplify judicial procedures by launching a mobile court for resolving municipal matters. The initiative has been started from Jabalpur and will deal with cases related to municipal tax, encroachments, revenue and other civic disputes. On the occasion of Republic Day, Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, flagged off the Mobile Court Bus. The vehicle has been named Justice at Doorstep. Several High Court judges, Municipal Commissioner Ram Prakash Ahirwar, Mayor Jagat Bahadur and other senior officials were present at the event. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Justice Sachdeva said the mobile court is not just a vehicle but a moving courtroom.

Its main objective is to provide quick and easy justice in matters related to the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation. He said citizens will now be able to get relief in civic cases without the need to visit offices repeatedly. Municipal Commissioner Ram Prakash Ahirwar said the mobile court will ensure faster hearings of municipal cases. Many civic matters require immediate action by a judicial magistrate, which will now be possible at the ward level. He added that this is the first mobile court initiative of its kind in Madhya Pradesh. Mayor Jagat Bahadur termed the project as an innovative step by the JMC. He said people will no longer have to run from one office to another for municipal issues. Magistrates will hear cases on the spot in the wards visited by the mobile court. He added that more such vehicles will be introduced in the coming days and the initiative is expected to deliver positive results.
SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Seoul court will deliver its first-instance verdict on Wednesday in the case of Kim Keon-hee, wife of the impeached former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, on charges including stock price manipulation and bribery.

The Seoul Central District Court is set to hand down its ruling at 2:10 p.m. local time, which will be broadcast live on television and streamed online, marking the first live court broadcast of a verdict involving a former first lady in South Korea.

If Kim is found guilty and sentenced to prison, it would be the first time that both members of a former presidential couple have been handed jail terms, following the recent five-year prison sentence imposed on Yoon for obstructing an attempt to arrest him.

The special counsel team has sought a combined prison term of 15 years for Kim on charges that include involvement in a stock-price manipulation scheme and accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church. 
Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO  Get Free Report) major shareholder Guaranty Ltd Assured sold 4,562 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $14.31, for a total transaction of $65,282.22. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 5,269,690 shares in the company, valued at $75,409,263.90. This trade represents a 0.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Major shareholders that own 10% or more of a companys shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

Guaranty Ltd Assured also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Friday, January 23rd, Guaranty Ltd Assured sold 305 shares of Assured Guaranty stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.29, for a total transaction of $4,358.45.

On Wednesday, January 14th, Guaranty Ltd Assured sold 1,650 shares of Assured Guaranty stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $14.48, for a total transaction of $23,892.00.

On Tuesday, January 13th, Guaranty Ltd Assured sold 165 shares of Assured Guaranty stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $14.50, for a total value of $2,392.50.

On Monday, January 12th, Guaranty Ltd Assured sold 3,782 shares of Assured Guaranty stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.72, for a total value of $55,671.04.

On Monday, November 17th, Guaranty Ltd Assured sold 102 shares of Assured Guaranty stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.40, for a total value of $1,672.80.

Assured Guaranty Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:AGO traded down $0.87 on Tuesday, hitting $83.01. The companys stock had a trading volume of 207,358 shares, compared to its average volume of 291,845. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $88.86 and a 200 day simple moving average of $85.02. Assured Guaranty Ltd. has a 1 year low of $74.09 and a 1 year high of $96.50. The company has a market capitalization of $3.83 billion, a PE ratio of 10.30 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.88.

Assured Guaranty Dividend Announcement

Assured Guaranty ( NYSE:AGO Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The financial services provider reported $2.57 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.54 by $1.03. The company had revenue of $207.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $196.76 million. Assured Guaranty had a return on equity of 7.09% and a net margin of 40.65%.Assured Guarantys revenue was down 23.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.42 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Assured Guaranty Ltd. will post 7.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 3rd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 19th were issued a $0.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, November 19th. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.6%. Assured Guarantys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 16.87%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on AGO shares. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Assured Guaranty from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, November 17th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on shares of Assured Guaranty from $105.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Zacks Research raised Assured Guaranty from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 7th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Assured Guaranty from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of Assured Guaranty in a report on Monday, December 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $101.00.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in AGO. River Road Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Assured Guaranty by 58.3% during the second quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC now owns 1,791,780 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $151,549,000 after purchasing an additional 660,009 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP lifted its position in Assured Guaranty by 12.2% during the third quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 1,333,024 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $112,840,000 after buying an additional 144,841 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its position in Assured Guaranty by 8.8% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,145,054 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $96,929,000 after buying an additional 92,148 shares during the period. Royce & Associates LP boosted its holdings in shares of Assured Guaranty by 7.1% during the 3rd quarter. Royce & Associates LP now owns 1,035,827 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $87,683,000 after buying an additional 69,020 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Assured Guaranty by 25.0% in the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 540,800 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $45,779,000 after buying an additional 108,280 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.22% of the companys stock.

Assured Guaranty Company Profile

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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.

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Shares of iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF (NYSEARCA:THRO  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $39.44 and last traded at $39.40, with a volume of 658396 shares. The stock had previously closed at $39.14.

iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF Trading Up 0.7%

The firm has a market cap of $7.38 billion, a P/E ratio of -3,823.76 and a beta of 1.09. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $38.64 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.73.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. United Financial Planning Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Family Legacy Financial Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Wells Financial Advisors INC acquired a new stake in iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $47,000. Team Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF by 18.5% in the 4th quarter. Team Financial Group LLC now owns 2,124 shares of the companys stock worth $82,000 after purchasing an additional 332 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Leavell Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF during the third quarter worth approximately $201,000.

iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF Company Profile

The iShares U.S. Thematic Rotation Active ETF (THRO) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in stocks based on a particular theme. The fund is an actively managed fund of US stocks selected to provide exposure to multiple themes, including emerging and structural trends. THRO was launched on Dec 14, 2021 and is issued by BlackRock.

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ULAN BATOR, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The total population of Mongolian Saiga antelopes, a critically endangered species, reached 28,857 last October, up 24 percent year-on-year, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Mongolia on Wednesday, citing an annual survey.

"Recent conservation efforts to mitigate impacts of environmental and human influences, such as improving water accessibility, law enforcement, disease prevention, and community engagement, have contributed to the recovery of the saiga population in Mongolia," the organization said in a statement. 
Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO  Get Free Report)s stock price traded up 3.5% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $86.85 and last traded at $85.2220. 10,479,364 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 27% from the average session volume of 14,357,095 shares. The stock had previously closed at $82.31.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $122.00 price target on shares of Oklo in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a neutral rating and issued a $106.00 target price on shares of Oklo in a report on Friday, January 9th. Zacks Research cut Oklo from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Friday. William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Oklo in a report on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, Wedbush restated an outperform rating on shares of Oklo in a research note on Friday, January 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and three 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 price target of $103.20.

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Oklo Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $13.32 billion, a P/E ratio of -157.82 and a beta of 0.76. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $89.76 and a 200-day moving average price of $96.23.

Oklo (NYSE:OKLO  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported ($0.20) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.13) by ($0.07). During the same period last year, the company posted ($0.08) earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Oklo Inc. will post -8.2 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Jacob Dewitte sold 26,740 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.38, for a total value of $2,978,301.20. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 808,197 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $90,016,981.86. The trade was a 3.20% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Richard Craig Bealmear sold 5,159 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.97, for a total transaction of $397,088.23. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 196,913 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,156,393.61. This trade represents a 2.55% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 1,552,800 shares of company stock worth $137,543,426 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 18.90% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Oklo

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of OKLO. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in Oklo by 162.6% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 92,850 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,009,000 after purchasing an additional 57,497 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Oklo in the first quarter valued at $519,000. Millennium Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Oklo by 4,974.1% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 582,002 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,589,000 after buying an additional 570,532 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Oklo by 165.6% during the 1st quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 15,672 shares of the companys stock valued at $339,000 after buying an additional 9,772 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its stake in shares of Oklo by 90.9% during the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 112,772 shares of the companys stock worth $2,439,000 after acquiring an additional 53,703 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 85.03% of the companys stock.

About Oklo

(Get Free Report)

Oklo, Inc is a California-based energy technology company specializing in the design and development of advanced nuclear microreactors. Headquartered in Fremont, the firm focuses on small modular reactor (SMR) technology that leverages fast-neutron fission and liquid-metal cooling to deliver carbon-free power. Oklos core objective is to bring compact, factory-built reactors online within a decade, offering a low-footprint alternative to traditional large nuclear plants.

The companys flagship product, the Aurora microreactor, is a 1.5-megawatt electric (MWe) fast reactor cooled by a sodium alloy.

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Permian Resources Corporation (NYSE:PR  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $15.35 and last traded at $15.3070, with a volume of 10413315 shares. The stock had previously closed at $14.76.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

PR has been the topic of several research reports. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Permian Resources from $19.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Piper Sandler dropped their price objective on shares of Permian Resources from $21.00 to $20.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. Bank of America reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $16.00 price objective (down previously from $17.00) on shares of Permian Resources in a research note on Friday, January 16th. Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Permian Resources from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on Permian Resources from $17.00 to $18.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $18.71.

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Permian Resources Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The firms fifty day moving average price is $14.26 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $13.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.69 billion, a PE ratio of 14.04 and a beta of 0.66.

Permian Resources (NYSE:PR  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.08 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.30 by ($0.22). Permian Resources had a net margin of 15.65% and a return on equity of 11.03%. The firm had revenue of $1.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.33 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.53 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Permian Resources Corporation will post 1.45 EPS for the current year.

Permian Resources Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 17th were paid a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.9%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 17th. Permian Resourcess payout ratio is currently 55.05%.

Insider Activity at Permian Resources

In other news, EVP Guy M. Oliphint sold 172,904 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.63, for a total transaction of $2,356,681.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 616,683 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,405,389.29. This represents a 21.90% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Robert Regan Shannon sold 106,405 shares of Permian Resources stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.63, for a total transaction of $1,450,300.15. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 360,667 shares in the company, valued at $4,915,891.21. This represents a 22.78% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 2,210,456 shares of company stock valued at $30,231,728 in the last ninety days. 12.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Permian Resources

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Permian Resources by 114.1% in the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,965 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 1,047 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Permian Resources by 154.4% in the second quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 2,292 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 1,391 shares in the last quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Permian Resources in the second quarter worth approximately $36,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of Permian Resources by 90.8% during the second quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 2,852 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 1,357 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LRI Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Permian Resources during the second quarter worth approximately $54,000. 91.84% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Permian Resources Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Permian Resources (NYSE: PR) is an independent exploration and production company focused on the acquisition, development and optimization of oil and natural gas assets in the Permian Basin. The companys operations encompass all phases of upstream activity, including geological and geophysical analysis, drilling, completion and production. By employing horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies, Permian Resources aims to efficiently unlock hydrocarbon reserves and deliver consistent production growth.

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Permian Resources concentrates its asset portfolio in the Delaware and Midland sub-basins of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico.

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Wayfair Inc. (NYSE:W  Get Free Report) insider Steven Conine sold 150,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.87, for a total transaction of $16,330,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 289,073 shares in the company, valued at $31,471,377.51. This represents a 34.16% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Steven Conine also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Friday, December 26th, Steven Conine sold 30,000 shares of Wayfair stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.33, for a total value of $3,069,900.00.

On Tuesday, December 23rd, Steven Conine sold 120,000 shares of Wayfair stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.28, for a total transaction of $12,033,600.00.

On Monday, November 24th, Steven Conine sold 150,000 shares of Wayfair stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.92, for a total transaction of $15,888,000.00.

Wayfair Stock Up 1.0%

Shares of NYSE W traded up $1.09 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $111.22. The company had a trading volume of 1,320,938 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,682,800. The stock has a market cap of $14.50 billion, a PE ratio of -43.44, a P/E/G ratio of 9.02 and a beta of 3.31. Wayfair Inc. has a 12-month low of $20.41 and a 12-month high of $119.98. The businesss 50-day moving average is $104.78 and its 200 day moving average is $89.76.

Institutional Trading of Wayfair

Wayfair ( NYSE:W Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The company reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.44 by $0.26. The company had revenue of $3.12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.01 billion. The firms quarterly revenue was up 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.22 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Wayfair Inc. will post -2.54 earnings per share for the current year.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership grew its position in shares of Wayfair by 826.0% in the third quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,817,056 shares of the companys stock valued at $251,648,000 after purchasing an additional 2,512,854 shares in the last quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Wayfair in the third quarter worth about $108,125,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Wayfair by 197.3% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,557,937 shares of the companys stock valued at $79,673,000 after buying an additional 1,033,865 shares during the period. Holocene Advisors LP lifted its stake in Wayfair by 351.9% in the second quarter. Holocene Advisors LP now owns 1,294,057 shares of the companys stock worth $66,178,000 after acquiring an additional 1,007,676 shares during the period. Finally, Spruce House Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Wayfair by 37.6% during the 2nd quarter. Spruce House Investment Management LLC now owns 3,000,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $153,420,000 after purchasing an additional 819,615 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.67% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

W has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d-) rating on shares of Wayfair in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Wayfair from $90.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. BMO Capital Markets set a $110.00 price objective on shares of Wayfair and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Wayfair from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, September 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $75.00 target price on Wayfair in a report on Friday, October 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $107.21.

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Wayfair Company Profile

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Wayfair Inc (NYSE: W) is an e-commerce company focused on home furnishings and decor. Through its platform, Wayfair offers a broad assortment of furniture, lighting, home textiles, kitchenware and decorative accessories. The companys portfolio includes flagship sites such as Wayfair.com, as well as specialty retail brands like Joss & Main, AllModern, Birch Lane and Perigold, each catering to distinct design styles and price points.

Founded in 2002 by Niraj Shah and Steve Conine under the name CSN Stores, the business rebranded as Wayfair in 2011 and went public in 2014.

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Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd lowered its holdings in shares of Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH  Free Report) by 23.6% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,747,644 shares of the electronics makers stock after selling 538,502 shares during the quarter. Amphenol makes up 6.1% of Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltds holdings, making the stock its 6th largest position. Stonehage Fleming Financial Services Holdings Ltd owned about 0.14% of Amphenol worth $216,271,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC raised its position in Amphenol by 9.4% during the third quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 975 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $121,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the period. Financial Management Professionals Inc. raised its position in shares of Amphenol by 82.6% during the 3rd quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 199 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. Allen Capital Group LLC lifted its stake in Amphenol by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Allen Capital Group LLC now owns 3,012 shares of the electronics makers stock valued at $373,000 after buying an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc boosted its holdings in Amphenol by 19.2% in the 2nd quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 591 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $58,000 after buying an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CENTRAL TRUST Co increased its stake in Amphenol by 9.4% during the 2nd quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 1,146 shares of the electronics makers stock worth $113,000 after buying an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. 97.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Amphenol Stock Up 7.2%

Shares of NYSE APH opened at $166.69 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $204.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 55.56, a P/E/G ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 2.07 and a quick ratio of 1.52. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $140.60 and a 200-day simple moving average of $126.71. Amphenol Corporation has a 1 year low of $56.45 and a 1 year high of $167.04.

Insiders Place Their Bets

Analysts Set New Price Targets

In other Amphenol news, VP David M. Silverman sold 120,000 shares of Amphenol stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.17, for a total value of $16,940,400.00. Following the sale, the vice president owned 12,500 shares in the company, valued at $1,764,625. The trade was a 90.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Also, CFO Craig A. Lampo sold 40,076 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $143.50, for a total value of $5,750,906.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 39,884 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,723,354. This represents a 50.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 498,076 shares of company stock valued at $70,996,906 over the last quarter. 1.67% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Amphenol from $160.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday. Bank of America upgraded Amphenol from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $120.00 to $150.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. Truist Financial set a $182.00 target price on shares of Amphenol in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Amphenol from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, November 2nd. Finally, Citigroup restated a buy rating and set a $175.00 price target (up from $160.00) on shares of Amphenol in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Amphenol presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $149.54.

Read Our Latest Research Report on APH

About Amphenol

(Free Report)

Amphenol Corporation (NYSE: APH) is a leading global manufacturer of electronic and fiber optic connectors, interconnect systems, and related components. The company designs, engineers and produces a broad range of products including electrical connectors, cable assemblies, fiber optic solutions, sensors, antennas and electromechanical devices used to transfer power, signal and data across complex systems. Its product portfolio spans ruggedized connectors for harsh environments to high-speed solutions for data centers and telecommunications networks.

Amphenol serves a diverse set of end markets, including automotive, broadband and telecom, data communications, mobile devices, industrial, energy, and military/aerospace.

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Annaly Capital Management (NYSE:NLY  Get Free Report) released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The real estate investment trust reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.02, Zacks reports. Annaly Capital Management had a return on equity of 15.96% and a net margin of 26.68%.

Annaly Capital Management Stock Performance

NYSE NLY traded down $0.12 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $24.25. The stock had a trading volume of 5,608,534 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,495,626. Annaly Capital Management has a 52-week low of $16.59 and a 52-week high of $24.52. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $22.93 and a 200 day moving average of $21.68. The stock has a market cap of $16.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 7.36 and a beta of 1.25.

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Annaly Capital Management Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 11.5%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 31st. Annaly Capital Managements payout ratio is presently 129.63%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Annaly Capital Management

Analyst Ratings Changes

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Lido Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Annaly Capital Management during the 3rd quarter worth $200,000. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Annaly Capital Management in the third quarter worth $257,000. Brooklyn Investment Group raised its stake in shares of Annaly Capital Management by 128.1% in the 3rd quarter. Brooklyn Investment Group now owns 10,546 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $213,000 after purchasing an additional 5,923 shares in the last quarter. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Annaly Capital Management in the 3rd quarter valued at about $261,000. Finally, Vident Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Annaly Capital Management in the second quarter worth $261,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 51.56% of the companys stock.

NLY has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Annaly Capital Management from $21.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Piper Sandler reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $25.00 price target (up previously from $23.50) on shares of Annaly Capital Management in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Jones Trading restated a buy rating and set a $22.00 price objective on shares of Annaly Capital Management in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. BTIG Research upgraded Annaly Capital Management from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $25.00 target price for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Annaly Capital Management in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. 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, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $22.81.

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Annaly Capital Management Company Profile

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Annaly Capital Management, Inc is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in generating income through investment in mortgage-related assets. The companys core business activities include the acquisition, financing, and management of a diversified portfolio of agency and non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), and other real estate debt instruments. Annaly seeks to profit from the spread between the interest earned on its mortgage investments and its cost of funds, as well as from capital gains realized through active portfolio management.

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in New York City, Annaly has grown to become one of the largest mortgage REITs in the United States.

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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG  Get Free Report) is expected to announce its Q4 2025 results after the market closes on Thursday, January 29th. Analysts expect Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. to post earnings of $2.42 per share and revenue of $3.6125 billion for the quarter. Interested persons may review the information on the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning report for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 5:15 PM ET.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The financial services provider reported $2.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.51 by ($0.19). The firm had revenue of $3.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.34 billion. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. had a return on equity of 11.98% and a net margin of 13.58%.The firms revenue was up 20.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.26 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. to post $12 EPS for the current fiscal year and $13 EPS for the next fiscal year.

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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Stock Performance

Shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. stock opened at $242.00 on Wednesday. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has a 12 month low of $236.34 and a 12 month high of $351.23. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $253.35 and its 200-day moving average price is $277.53. The firm has a market cap of $62.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on AJG shares. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $330.00 to $277.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Needham & Company LLC set a $272.00 target price on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Wolfe Research set a $289.00 price objective on Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings restated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $272.00 to $279.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $290.50.

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Insider Activity

In related news, VP Michael Robert Pesch acquired 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was purchased at an average price of $247.12 per share, for a total transaction of $988,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 41,849 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,341,724.88. This trade represents a 10.57% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Richard C. Cary sold 6,000 shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $261.00, for a total value of $1,566,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 50,668 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,224,348. This represents a 10.59% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 32,100 shares of company stock worth $8,243,865. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in AJG. State Street Corp grew its holdings in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 1.4% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 10,891,080 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,373,403,000 after purchasing an additional 147,587 shares during the period. Boston Partners boosted its holdings in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 40.0% in the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,032,253 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $319,587,000 after purchasing an additional 294,954 shares during the period. Viking Global Investors LP raised its position in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 8.9% during the second quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 725,795 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $232,341,000 after purchasing an additional 59,243 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 597,620 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $185,106,000 after acquiring an additional 16,038 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Unisphere Establishment lifted its holdings in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 1.4% in the third quarter. Unisphere Establishment now owns 537,500 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $166,485,000 after buying an additional 7,200 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.53% of the companys stock.

About Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

(Get Free Report)

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co is a global insurance brokerage and risk management firm headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Founded in 1927 by Arthur J. Gallagher, the company has grown from a regional broker into an international professional services organization that arranges insurance, provides consulting and designs risk-transfer solutions for commercial, industrial, public sector and individual clients.

The companys core activities include property and casualty insurance brokerage, employee benefits consulting and administration, and a range of risk management services.

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Banco Santander Chile (NYSE:BSAC  Get Free Report) is projected to announce its Q4 2025 results before the market opens on Friday, January 30th. Analysts expect Banco Santander Chile to post earnings of $0.58 per share and revenue of $769.7580 million for the quarter. Parties may review the information on the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning report for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET.

Banco Santander Chile (NYSE:BSAC  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 17th. The bank reported $0.99 EPS for the quarter. Banco Santander Chile had a return on equity of 22.18% and a net margin of 24.74%.The business had revenue of $740.10 million for the quarter. On average, analysts expect Banco Santander Chile to post $2 EPS for the current fiscal year and $2 EPS for the next fiscal year.

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Banco Santander Chile Stock Up 1.6%

BSAC stock opened at $36.93 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.51, a current ratio of 1.84 and a quick ratio of 1.84. The company has a 50-day moving average of $31.52 and a two-hundred day moving average of $27.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $17.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 0.56. Banco Santander Chile has a 52-week low of $19.70 and a 52-week high of $37.08.

Institutional Trading of Banco Santander Chile

Analyst Ratings Changes

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Banco Santander Chile during the second quarter worth $33,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Banco Santander Chile by 577.8% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,559 shares of the banks stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 1,329 shares in the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC bought a new stake in Banco Santander Chile in the 3rd quarter worth about $152,000. Seldon Capital LP purchased a new stake in shares of Banco Santander Chile during the 2nd quarter valued at $200,000. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Banco Santander Chile during the 1st quarter worth approximately $240,000. 6.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Banco Santander Chile in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered shares of Banco Santander Chile from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Banco Santander Chile from $24.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, November 10th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Banco Santander Chile from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 30th. Finally, Citigroup cut shares of Banco Santander Chile from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Reduce and an average target price of $27.67.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on BSAC

About Banco Santander Chile

(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.

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Bank Hapoalim (OTCMKTS:BKHYY  Get Free Report)s share price was down 5.8% on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $117.69 and last traded at $117.69. Approximately 1,056 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 72% from the average daily volume of 3,735 shares. The stock had previously closed at $124.91.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Barclays downgraded shares of Bank Hapoalim from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold.

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Bank Hapoalim Stock Up 2.9%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 0.93. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $116.14 and its 200 day moving average price is $103.98. The firm has a market cap of $33.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.00 and a beta of 1.16.

Bank Hapoalim (OTCMKTS:BKHYY  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The bank reported $2.68 EPS for the quarter. Bank Hapoalim had a net margin of 21.60% and a return on equity of 14.60%. The company had revenue of $1.99 billion during the quarter.

Bank Hapoalim Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 18th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.9362 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 1st. This represents a yield of 266.0%. Bank Hapoalims payout ratio is presently 38.62%.

Bank Hapoalim Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Bank Hapoalim B.M. is one of Israels largest banking groups, providing a broad range of financial services to retail, corporate and institutional customers. Founded in 1921 by the Histadrut labor federation, the bank has developed into a full-service financial institution offering deposit accounts, consumer and mortgage lending, credit cards, payment services, and branch-based retail banking. It also serves small and medium-sized enterprises with working capital and trade finance solutions.

In addition to traditional retail banking, Bank Hapoalim operates significant corporate and investment banking divisions.

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Bank Of Montreal (NYSE:BMO  Get Free Report) (TSE:BMO) shares reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $139.10 and last traded at $140.3650, with a volume of 673 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $138.02.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms recently weighed in on BMO. Scotiabank restated a sector perform rating on shares of Bank Of Montreal in a report on Friday, January 9th. Raymond James Financial assumed coverage on Bank Of Montreal in a research report on Monday, November 24th. They issued a market perform rating on the stock. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b-) rating on shares of Bank Of Montreal in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered Bank Of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and lowered their target price for the company from $168.00 to $163.00 in a research note on Friday, October 3rd. Finally, TD Securities raised Bank Of Montreal from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Bank Of Montreal has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $163.00.

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Bank Of Montreal Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $98.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $130.27 and a 200-day simple moving average of $124.72.

Bank Of Montreal (NYSE:BMO  Get Free Report) (TSE:BMO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The bank reported $2.36 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.16 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $6.67 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.51 billion. Bank Of Montreal had a net margin of 11.13% and a return on equity of 11.76%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.90 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Bank Of Montreal will post 7.71 earnings per share for the current year.

Bank Of Montreal Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be given a $1.67 dividend. This represents a $6.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This is an increase from Bank Of Montreals previous quarterly dividend of $1.63. Bank Of Montreals payout ratio is presently 59.56%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bank Of Montreal

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new stake in Bank Of Montreal during the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its position in shares of Bank Of Montreal by 466.7% in the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 238 shares of the banks stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 196 shares in the last quarter. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in shares of Bank Of Montreal in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Bank Of Montreal during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Bank Of Montreal during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Institutional investors own 45.82% of the companys stock.

Bank Of Montreal Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO), commonly known as BMO Financial Group, is one of Canadas largest and longest-established banks. Founded in Montreal and headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, the bank provides a broad range of financial services to retail, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. BMO is publicly listed in both Canada and the United States and operates under a consolidated financial services model that integrates banking, capital markets, wealth management and asset management activities.

BMOs core businesses include personal and commercial bankingoffering checking and savings accounts, lending, mortgages, and small-business servicesalongside wealth management and private banking through its asset and investment management divisions.

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BCI Minerals (ASX:BCI) used its December 2025 quarterly update to outline progress at its Mardie project across operations, construction, safety, financing, and market conditions, while reiterating its plan to begin salt shipments in the December 2026 quarter and advance sulfate of potash (SOP) as a future revenue stream.

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Operational ramp-up and digital systems

Managing Director David Boshoff said Mardie is already Australias largest solar salt operation and the third largest globally, with salt operations underway and a planned ramp-up to 5.35 million tonnes per annum. He said the companys focus is on delivering salt to customers later this year and progressing SOP as the next revenue stream, targeting about 140,000 tonnes per annum.

Operational performance during the quarter included pumps running at 96% utilization across more than 9,300 hours. Boshoff said brine levels across ponds 1-9 remained in line with operational targets and brine density increased as forecast. The companys internal model, Poseidon, indicates Pond 9 is expected to reach target density in February, which Boshoff said keeps the project on track for first salt on ship in the December 2026 quarter.

BCI also highlighted the rollout of systems under what it calls the Mardie Operating System, including a mine production reporting system and a laboratory information management system. Management said the systems, alongside the Poseidon digital twin, are intended to improve operational visibility and support timely, data-driven decisions.

Boshoff cited technical milestones that he said are important for steady-state operations and quality outcomes, including calcium carbonate sealing in Pond 6 and gypsum formation across ponds 7, 8, and 9. He also noted the arrival of brine shrimp in Pond 7, which he said helps clear nutrients and supports salt quality.

Construction progress and port approvals

BCI reported the project was 77% complete during the quarter. Construction work included commencing sealing of the primary crystallizers, completing major earthworks for the salt wash pond, stockyard, and non-processed infrastructure, and advancing port works at the Port of Cape Preston West.

BCI said it secured all primary approvals for offshore placement of dredging material at the port, calling it a key milestone that also significantly de-risks achieving our construction budget. Management said dredging of the berth pocket and navigation channel is expected to begin in April 2026, subject to remaining approvals and contracting steps.

At the port, the marine package was described as 94% complete, with electrical and mechanical installations progressing. Remaining works include final piles and a catwalk, which management said are scheduled for completion in September 2026.

In response to a question about the Salt Wash Plant, Boshoff said earthworks were completed, the concrete package had been awarded, and fabrication for reinforcement was underway. He said the company expected to award fabrication of the main structure in the coming month or so, followed by construction and then electrical and instrumentation work. Boshoff said commissioning could begin perhaps late October, dependent on salt availability, with a goal of being ready for production in November for shipments in December.

Safety metrics and sustainability activities

BCI reported more than 400 leadership in the field safety interactions and 290 critical control verifications during the quarter. Its 12-month rolling average total recordable injury frequency rate was 3.9. Management also said it continued to manage the complexity of concurrent operational and project activities on site.

On sustainability, Boshoff cited ongoing monitoring programs including mangroves, samphire and algal mats, marine turtles, and migratory shorebirds. The company also said it convened a co-designed workshop with the Wirrawandi Aboriginal Corporation to update its Indigenous engagement strategy.

Financial position and funding

CFO Steve Fewster said construction remained within budget and that BCI continued to be in a strong financial position. During the quarter, BCI drew A$99.8 million from its syndicated debt facility, bringing total debt drawn to A$446.8 million as of the end of December.

Fewster said the company issued more than 50 million new shares following the conversion of Series One convertible notes held by AustralianSuper Pty Ltd, which reduced borrowings by A$29.1 million.

Total construction costs were reported at just over A$1 billion, with A$41 million spent during the quarter. Cumulative expenditure was stated as A$1,043 million, and Fewster said BCI had invested almost A$1.3 billion in the Mardie salt operation when including pre-revenue operating expenditure of around A$295 million.

Fewster said BCI had A$601 million of available liquidity at quarter end and estimated about A$400 million remained to complete construction. He said the company was fully funded to complete construction, including working capital needs through ramp-up, and noted A$351 million in uncommitted funds for remaining major packages such as dredging, the balance of crystallizer lining, and the salt wash plant.

Salt and SOP outlook, plus optionality

On market conditions, Fewster said fundamentals for high-grade industrial salt remained strong. While he noted some short-term softness in demand among certain Chinese chlor-alkali producers tied to slower real estate growth and domestic consumption, he emphasized a positive medium-term outlook across Asia.

Fewster discussed Indian exports to China, saying volumes increased over the last five years to a peak of 28 million tonnes in 2024 before pulling back to 26 million tonnes in 2025. He said BCI expects volumes to reduce further as Indian chemical industries expand to supply local demand. He added that between now and the end of 2028, 16 new chlor-alkali and soda ash plants under construction in India, China, and Indonesia are forecast to increase demand for high-grade industrial salt by 10.2 million tonnes per annum, while only 6 million tonnes per annum of new supply is expected to enter the market, including Mardie.

Asked whether Mardies ramp-up could flood the market, Fewster said he did not expect that outcome and argued the timing aligns with new chemical capacity being built in Asia, including production replacing plant closures in Europe. He also pointed to rising rainfall in Indias Gujarat region affecting evaporation and yields, and said Indian policy settings restrict expansion of salt production there.

BCI also outlined potential upside from its port, which Fewster described as a multi-user facility designed to export around 20 million tonnes per annum of bulk commodities. He said Mardies salt needs at nameplate would be around 5.5 million tonnes per annum, leaving about 14.5 million tonnes of surplus capacity. Fewster said BCI has received inquiries from potential third-party users, particularly iron ore project proponents, though he suggested meaningful progress may be more likely beyond the next one to two years as those groups advance approvals, funding, and final investment decisions. He added BCI would still need to determine pricing, referencing a gazetted rate of about A$9.10 per tonne at the Port of Ashburton as one data point.

On SOP, Boshoff described it as a high-value premium fertilizer compared with muriate of potash (MOP), noting SOP contains sulfur as well as potassium and is suited for high-value crops. During the quarter, BCI commissioned all KTMS trial crystallizers, achieving steady-state operation in line with expectations. Boshoff said batch plant testing allowed BCI to finalize the pilot plant scope, with preparations underway to award the design package in the current quarter. In Q&A, he said high-temperature tests in China and Perth showed selected collectors performed well above 50 degrees Celsius, which he described as a key input ahead of pilot plant design.

BCI also discussed longer-term optionality. Boshoff said there are other products produced from sea brine by other operators, including bromine and magnesium, and he also cited data suggesting pharmaceutical salt as a potential product. Separately, he said BCI has additional leases primarily to the south of its current site and some to the north, though any expansion would require further environmental approvals and management plans, which he cautioned can take time.

BCI also announced a two-year capacity building program with Wirrawandi Aboriginal Corporation, including A$480,000 intended to support governance systems, financial management, leadership development, and succession planning.

About BCI Minerals (ASX:BCI)

BCI Minerals Limited engages in the development and operation of mineral assets in Australia. The company explores for salt, iron ore, and potash deposits. It primarily focuses on its 100% interest owned in the Mardie Salt and Potash Project located in the West Pilbara coast, as well as owns interest in the Iron Valley, an iron ore mine located in the Central Pilbara. The company was formerly known as BC Iron Limited and changed its name to BCI Minerals Limited in December 2017. BCI Minerals Limited was incorporated in 2006 and is based in West Perth, Australia.

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ALMATY, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Venture investment in artificial intelligence (AI) projects in Kazakhstan rose from approximately 14 million to 73 million U.S. dollars between 2023 and 2025, a new report showed Wednesday.

According to the Kazakhstan AI Country Report presented in Astana, AI now accounts for more than half of all venture investment in the country, with over 100 AI startups currently operating in Kazakhstan.

The report was prepared by the analytical agency RISE Research in partnership with Mastercard and Freedom Bank, with support from Kazakhstan's Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.

Kazakhstan is entering a new stage of development, shifting from digitalization to large-scale AI adoption, said the report, adding that AI is viewed as a key driver of economic growth and a tool for strengthening the country's international competitiveness.

AI adoption could generate an additional 0.5 percent to 2 percent increase in Kazakhstan's GDP annually in the medium term by boosting productivity across more than half of all jobs, according to the authors' estimates. 
Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. II, Robinhood Markets, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are the three Financial stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Financial stocks are equity shares of companies in the financial sectorbanks, insurance companies, asset managers, brokerages and payment processorsthat earn revenue by providing financial services such as lending, underwriting, asset management and payments. For stock market investors, they offer exposure to banking and credit cycles and interest-rate sensitivity, often provide dividends, and can be more cyclical and regulation-driven than nonfinancial sectors. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Financial stocks within the last several days.

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Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. II (IPXX)

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Robinhood Markets (HOOD)

Robinhood Markets, Inc. operates financial services platform in the United States. Its platform allows users to invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), American depository receipts, options, gold, and cryptocurrencies. The company offers fractional trading, recurring investments, fully-paid securities lending, access to investing on margin, cash sweep, instant withdrawals, retirement program, around-the-clock trading, and initial public offerings participation services.

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JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a financial holding company, which engages in the provision of financial and investment banking services. It focuses on investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. It operates through the following segments: Consumer and Community Banking (CCB), Commercial and Investment Bank (CIB), Asset and Wealth Management (AWM), and Corporate.

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BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF (NYSEARCA:XHLF  Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 8,918 shares, a drop of 93.2% from the December 31st total of 131,457 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 530,516 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 530,516 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days.

BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF Stock Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA XHLF remained flat at $50.36 during trading hours on Wednesday. The company had a trading volume of 2,052,792 shares, compared to its average volume of 745,927. BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF has a twelve month low of $50.17 and a twelve month high of $50.42. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $50.32 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $50.32.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in XHLF. Royal Bank of Canada increased its stake in BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF by 43.6% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 19,881 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,001,000 after acquiring an additional 6,040 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. acquired a new stake in BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $413,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $221,000. Astor Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $10,746,000. Finally, Warren Street Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF by 12.8% in the 2nd quarter. Warren Street Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 104,827 shares of the companys stock worth $5,277,000 after buying an additional 11,905 shares in the last quarter.

BondBloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF Company Profile

The Bondbloxx Bloomberg Six Month Target Duration US Treasury ETF (XHLF) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund is passively managed to invest in a portfolio of US Treasury securities with a target duration of six months. XHLF was launched on Sep 13, 2022 and is managed by BondBloxx.

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Federated Hermes Inc. increased its holdings in shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI  Free Report) by 8.7% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 3,779,137 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 303,136 shares during the quarter. Federated Hermes Inc.s holdings in British American Tobacco were worth $200,597,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT raised its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 46,488.4% during the second quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 173,309 shares of the companys stock worth $8,203,000 after purchasing an additional 172,937 shares during the last quarter. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. increased its stake in British American Tobacco by 44.3% in the 3rd quarter. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. now owns 421,800 shares of the companys stock valued at $22,389,000 after buying an additional 129,500 shares during the period. Trivest Advisors Ltd purchased a new position in British American Tobacco during the 2nd quarter worth $60,109,000. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of British American Tobacco by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 243,367 shares of the companys stock worth $11,519,000 after acquiring an additional 10,096 shares during the period. Finally, Access Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of British American Tobacco in the second quarter valued at about $591,000. 16.16% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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British American Tobacco Price Performance

British American Tobacco stock opened at $60.30 on Wednesday. British American Tobacco p.l.c. has a 52 week low of $37.31 and a 52 week high of $60.38. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $56.98 and its 200 day simple moving average is $55.13. The company has a current ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on BTI shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Kepler Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of British American Tobacco in a research report on Friday, December 12th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley reiterated an underweight rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Citigroup reissued a buy rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Friday, November 28th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c+) rating on shares of British American Tobacco in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $51.00.

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British American Tobacco Profile

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British American Tobacco plc (BTI) is a multinational tobacco manufacturer and nicotine products company headquartered in London. Founded in 1902 as a joint venture to commercialize tobacco products outside the United States, the company has grown into one of the worlds largest tobacco firms with a long history in manufacturing and global distribution of combustible tobacco products.

BATs core business remains the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products under a portfolio of well-known consumer brands, including Dunhill, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Kent and Rothmans.

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BV Financial, Inc. (OTCMKTS:BVFL  Get Free Report)s stock price dropped 0.2% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $18.75 and last traded at $18.76. Approximately 8,534 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 24% from the average daily volume of 11,273 shares. The stock had previously closed at $18.80.

BV Financial Trading Down 0.2%

The firm has a market capitalization of $167.04 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.76 and a beta of 0.42. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $18.46 and a 200-day moving average of $17.00.

About BV Financial

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BV Financial, Inc operates as the holding company for BayVanguard Bank that provides various financial services to individuals and businesses in Maryland. The company offers checking and money market accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposits. Its loan products include real estate, home equity, construction, lot, auto, boat, and other personal loans; and commercial lending products, such as commercial equipment/installation, commercial real estate, construction, investment real estate, lines of credit, and SBA loans, as well as loans for short-term real estate purchase, renovation, and sale projects.

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BXP (NYSE:BXP  Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The real estate investment trust reported $1.56 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.80 by ($0.24), Zacks reports. The company had revenue of $843.74 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $875.61 million. BXP had a positive return on equity of 1.35% and a negative net margin of 5.82%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.79 EPS. BXP updated its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.560-1.580 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance to 6.880-7.040 EPS.

BXP Stock Performance

BXP stock opened at $64.12 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $68.75 and a 200-day moving average price of $70.36. BXP has a 1-year low of $54.22 and a 1-year high of $79.33. The firm has a market cap of $10.16 billion, a PE ratio of -50.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 7.69 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 4.50, a quick ratio of 4.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.26.

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BXP Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 29th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 31st will be given a $0.70 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.4%. BXPs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -220.47%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of BXP from $79.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, October 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $77.00 price target on BXP and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, October 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald set a $79.00 price objective on BXP in a report on Monday, January 5th. Evercore ISI lowered their target price on BXP from $77.00 to $76.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating and issued a $70.00 price target on shares of BXP in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $77.90.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on BXP

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP John J. Stroman sold 16,838 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.17, for a total transaction of $1,215,198.46. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Raymond A. Ritchey sold 36,314 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, December 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.18, for a total transaction of $2,621,144.52. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 70,710 shares of company stock valued at $5,107,771 in the last ninety days. 1.35% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BXP

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BXP. Quadrant Capital Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of BXP by 7.6% in the third quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 4,501 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $335,000 after buying an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of BXP by 91.5% in the 3rd quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 5,953 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $443,000 after acquiring an additional 2,845 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its position in BXP by 73.2% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 9,143 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $617,000 after acquiring an additional 3,864 shares in the last quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in BXP by 29.5% during the 2nd quarter. Cresset Asset Management LLC now owns 9,181 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $628,000 after purchasing an additional 2,089 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC increased its holdings in BXP by 107.7% during the 3rd quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,724 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $128,000 after purchasing an additional 894 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 98.72% of the companys stock.

About BXP

(Get Free Report)

Boston Properties, Inc (NYSE: BXP) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the ownership, management, and development of Class A office properties across major U.S. markets. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the companys portfolio comprises high-quality office buildings, mixed-use developments and select retail assets designed to serve leading corporations in key metropolitan areas.

Established in 1970 by Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Boston Properties has grown through disciplined acquisitions and strategic ground-up developments.

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Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH increased its holdings in shares of Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE  Free Report) by 59.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 117,552 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 43,944 shares during the period. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH owned 0.06% of Cadence Bank worth $4,413,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of CADE. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cadence Bank during the second quarter worth about $25,000. Mather Group LLC. acquired a new stake in Cadence Bank during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new position in shares of Cadence Bank in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Cadence Bank by 24.4% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,442 shares of the companys stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 283 shares during the period. Finally, Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Cadence Bank by 47.2% during the second quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 1,870 shares of the companys stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 600 shares during the last quarter. 84.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

CADE has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Stephens cut Cadence Bank from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, October 28th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised Cadence Bank from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered shares of Cadence Bank from a moderate buy rating to a hold rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $41.00 to $49.00 in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Cadence Bank in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Piper Sandler set a $40.00 price objective on shares of Cadence Bank and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Cadence Bank presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $42.88.

Cadence Bank Stock Up 0.6%

CADE stock opened at $43.18 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $42.75 and its 200-day simple moving average is $38.91. Cadence Bank has a 12 month low of $25.22 and a 12 month high of $46.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.87 billion, a PE ratio of 15.31 and a beta of 0.95.

Cadence Bank (NYSE:CADE  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The company reported $0.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.79 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $528.41 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $525.15 million. Cadence Bank had a return on equity of 10.16% and a net margin of 18.12%.During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.70 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Cadence Bank will post 2.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Cadence Bank Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 20th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.3438 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This is an increase from Cadence Banks previous quarterly dividend of $0.28. This represents a $1.38 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Cadence Banks dividend payout ratio is 39.01%.

About Cadence Bank

(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.

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Canadian Pacific Kansas City (NYSE:CP  Get Free Report) (TSE:CP) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The transportation company reported $0.95 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.00 by ($0.05), Zacks reports. Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a net margin of 28.41% and a return on equity of 8.79%.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Price Performance

NYSE CP traded down $0.95 on Wednesday, reaching $71.80. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,457,550 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,297,845. The stock has a market cap of $64.45 billion, a PE ratio of 21.89, a PEG ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 1.10. Canadian Pacific Kansas City has a twelve month low of $66.49 and a twelve month high of $83.65. The firms 50 day moving average is $72.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $74.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a current ratio of 0.63.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Canadian Pacific Kansas City

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of CP. Advisory Services Network LLC lifted its position in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 3.1% in the third quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 6,764 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $504,000 after purchasing an additional 204 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 0.8% in the third quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 27,039 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,014,000 after buying an additional 212 shares during the last quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp increased its holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 1.0% in the third quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp now owns 27,703 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,064,000 after buying an additional 285 shares during the last quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group lifted its stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 10.9% in the third quarter. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group now owns 3,012 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $224,000 after acquiring an additional 296 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ewing Morris & Co. Investment Partners Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City by 6.2% during the 2nd quarter. Ewing Morris & Co. Investment Partners Ltd. now owns 5,591 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $444,000 after purchasing an additional 325 shares during the last quarter. 72.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CP has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group set a $90.00 price target on Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their target price on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $129.00 to $127.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Citigroup set a $88.00 price objective on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Susquehanna set a $87.00 price target on Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Barclays set a $90.00 price target on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, October 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, five 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 Moderate Buy and an average target price of $92.36.

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Canadian Pacific Kansas City Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) is a North American Class I freight railroad formed through the combination of Canadian Pacific Railway and Kansas City Southern. The merged company operates an integrated rail network that spans Canada, the United States and Mexico, providing a single-line rail connection across all three countries. This transborder footprint is intended to streamline cross-border freight flows and provide shippers with direct rail access from Canadian and U.S. production centers to Mexican markets and ports.

CPKCs core business is freight transportation and related logistics services.

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CD Projekt S.A. (OTCMKTS:OTGLY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 98 shares, a decline of 98.5% from the December 31st total of 6,408 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 21,230 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 21,230 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating on shares of CD Projekt in a report on Friday, November 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Reduce.

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CD Projekt Stock Performance

CD Projekt Company Profile

OTCMKTS OTGLY opened at $19.11 on Wednesday. CD Projekt has a fifty-two week low of $10.83 and a fifty-two week high of $19.74. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $17.18 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $17.37.

(Get Free Report)

CD Projekt SA is a Poland-based video game developer, publisher and digital distribution company best known for its critically acclaimed Role-Playing Games (RPGs). Through its development arm CD Projekt Red, the company designs, develops and publishes blockbuster game franchises, including The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077. In addition to its core game development activities, CD Projekt operates GOG.com, a digital storefront offering a catalogue of DRM-free PC games, and provides related online services such as multiplayer support, game updates and community forums.

Founded in Warsaw in 1994 by Marcin Iwinski and Micha Kicinski, CD Projekt initially built its reputation by translating and distributing popular Western titles in Central Europe.

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Cellcom Israel, Ltd. (OTCMKTS:CELJF  Get Free Report) saw a large growth in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 17,863 shares, a growth of 2,781.1% from the December 31st total of 620 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,103 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 16.2 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,103 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 16.2 days.

Cellcom Israel Price Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS CELJF traded up $0.43 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $12.32. The stock had a trading volume of 1,614 shares, compared to its average volume of 569. Cellcom Israel has a twelve month low of $3.00 and a twelve month high of $13.42. The businesss fifty day moving average is $11.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $10.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.68.

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Cellcom Israel (OTCMKTS:CELJF  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, January 12th. The company reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter. Cellcom Israel had a net margin of 5.98% and a return on equity of 10.12%. The firm had revenue of $307.28 million for the quarter.

Cellcom Israel Company Profile

Cellcom Israel Ltd. is a leading provider of wireless telecommunications services in Israel. Established in 1994 and headquartered in Netanya, the company operates one of the countrys most extensive cellular networks. Through its infrastructure, Cellcom delivers voice, messaging and data solutions to a broad customer base that includes individual consumers, small businesses and large enterprises.

The companys core offerings encompass mobile voice plans, high-speed 4G and 5G data connectivity, international roaming and value-added content services.

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CGI Group, Inc. (NYSE:GIB  Get Free Report) (TSE:GIB.A)s share price hit a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $83.75 and last traded at $84.51, with a volume of 321380 shares. The stock had previously closed at $88.23.

Trending Headlines about CGI Group

Here are the key news stories impacting CGI Group this week:

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently issued reports on GIB shares. Cibc Captl Mkts downgraded CGI Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, December 14th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a hold rating and set a $81.00 price target (down previously from $105.00) on shares of CGI Group in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a hold (c-) rating on shares of CGI Group in a report on Monday, December 29th. TD Securities upgraded shares of CGI Group to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 3rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an outperform rating on shares of CGI Group in a research report on Monday, January 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, CGI Group currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $117.00.

CGI Group Stock Down 3.7%

The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $91.02 and its 200 day simple moving average is $92.16. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The company has a market capitalization of $18.62 billion, a PE ratio of 16.15 and a beta of 0.59.

CGI Group (NYSE:GIB  Get Free Report) (TSE:GIB.A) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The technology company reported $1.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.53 by $0.02. CGI Group had a net margin of 10.41% and a return on equity of 18.55%. The business had revenue of $2.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.92 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that CGI Group, Inc. will post 5.79 EPS for the current year.

CGI Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 21st were paid a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. This is a boost from CGI Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.11. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 21st. CGI Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 9.13%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CGI Group

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in CGI Group in the 1st quarter valued at $347,000. Millennium Management LLC lifted its position in shares of CGI Group by 786.2% in the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 81,470 shares of the technology companys stock worth $8,141,000 after acquiring an additional 72,277 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in CGI Group by 29.4% during the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 12,858 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,284,000 after buying an additional 2,921 shares in the last quarter. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in CGI Group by 2.8% in the second quarter. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,443 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,200,000 after acquiring an additional 314 shares during the period. Finally, Davis Rea LTD. grew its stake in shares of CGI Group by 5.6% in the 2nd quarter. Davis Rea LTD. now owns 34,141 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $3,572,000 after purchasing an additional 1,800 shares during the period. 66.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About CGI Group

(Get Free Report)

CGI Group Inc is a global information technology and business consulting firm that delivers a broad range of services including IT consulting, systems integration, application development and maintenance, infrastructure and network services, managed IT and business process outsourcing. The company works with clients to design, build and operate IT systems and business solutions, with capabilities spanning cloud and hybrid IT environments, cybersecurity, data analytics and artificial intelligence, digital transformation and enterprise resource planning implementations.

Founded in 1976 in Quebec by Serge Godin and Andre Imbeau, CGI has grown from a regional systems integrator into a multinational professional services organization.

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MINSK, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Belarus plans to further strengthen its high-level strategic partnership with China, President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a meeting on bilateral cooperation, Lukashenko highlighted China's growing importance as a key pillar of Belarus's foreign and economic policy amid global geopolitical shifts. "China is not only our most important partner, but also a major partner for all countries committed to development," Lukashenko said.

China is now Belarus's second-largest trading partner, with exports to China surpassing those to the EU, Lukashenko said. He called for more proactive efforts to expand market access to China and attract more Chinese investment.

He also underscored progress at the China-Belarus Industrial Park, where dozens of Chinese companies have registered, and pledged swift implementation and acceleration of all announced projects. 
Little House Capital LLC raised its position in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX  Free Report) by 32.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 34,726 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after purchasing an additional 8,416 shares during the period. Chevron accounts for approximately 1.2% of Little House Capital LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest holding. Little House Capital LLCs holdings in Chevron were worth $5,393,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Quaker Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Chevron by 197.7% during the 2nd quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 217 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 439 shares in the last quarter. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Chevron during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC grew its position in shares of Chevron by 86.1% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 255 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 118 shares in the last quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Chevron in the third quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Finally, IMG Wealth Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Chevron by 52.3% in the second quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 265 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 72.42% of the companys stock.

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Chevron News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Chevron this week:

Chevron Trading Up 0.9%

NYSE CVX opened at $169.03 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $340.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.77, a PEG ratio of 11.83 and a beta of 0.70. The firms 50-day moving average is $155.08 and its two-hundred day moving average is $155.03. Chevron Corporation has a 12 month low of $132.04 and a 12 month high of $169.37.

Chevron (NYSE:CVX  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The oil and gas company reported $1.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.14. Chevron had a net margin of 6.57% and a return on equity of 8.74%. The business had revenue of $48.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $46.99 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.48 EPS. The businesss revenue was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Chevron Corporation will post 10.79 earnings per share for the current year.

Chevron Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 18th were given a dividend of $1.71 per share. This represents a $6.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 18th. Chevrons dividend payout ratio is currently 96.20%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Chevron

In other Chevron news, Director John B. Hess sold 275,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.75, for a total value of $41,456,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 1,128,045 shares in the company, valued at $170,052,783.75. The trade was a 19.60% 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. Also, insider Alana K. Knowles sold 7,956 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.05, for a total value of $1,313,137.80. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 1,207 shares in the company, valued at $199,215.35. This represents a 86.83% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 635,190 shares of company stock worth $100,254,408. 0.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

CVX has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Mizuho boosted their price objective on Chevron from $204.00 to $206.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. UBS Group reissued a buy rating on shares of Chevron in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Chevron from $174.00 to $189.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Chevron from $183.00 to $180.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Freedom Capital cut shares of Chevron from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Chevron currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $170.00.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Chevron

Chevron Profile

(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.

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Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL  Get Free Report) had its target price boosted by equities researchers at CIBC from $27.00 to $32.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the basic materials companys stock. CIBCs price objective would suggest a potential upside of 17.54% from the stocks current price.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Wall Street Zen raised Hecla Mining from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, November 2nd. Canaccord Genuity Group set a $26.50 price target on Hecla Mining in a research report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Hecla Mining from $16.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Tuesday. Scotiabank raised their target price on shares of Hecla Mining from $15.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Roth Mkm reiterated a sell rating and set a $16.00 price target on shares of Hecla Mining in a report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has assigned a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Hecla Mining has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $22.00.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on HL

Hecla Mining Price Performance

NYSE:HL traded down $1.09 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $27.23. 25,449,873 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 28,608,453. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $20.44 and its 200 day moving average price is $13.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 2.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The company has a market cap of $18.24 billion, a PE ratio of 88.08 and a beta of 1.28. Hecla Mining has a 12-month low of $4.46 and a 12-month high of $34.17.

Hecla Mining (NYSE:HL  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 5th. The basic materials company reported $0.12 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.11 by $0.01. Hecla Mining had a net margin of 16.35% and a return on equity of 7.87%. The company had revenue of $409.54 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $315.60 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.03 earnings per share. Hecla Minings revenue for the quarter was up 67.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Hecla Mining will post 0.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Hecla Mining news, VP David C. Sienko sold 207,553 shares of Hecla Mining stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.42, for a total value of $4,030,679.26. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 906,370 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,601,705.40. This trade represents a 18.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, VP Kurt Allen sold 52,219 shares of Hecla Mining stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.91, for a total transaction of $1,144,118.29. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 216,641 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,746,604.31. This trade represents a 19.42% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 426,679 shares of company stock worth $7,678,773 in the last three months. Insiders own 1.40% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Hecla Mining

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Hecla Mining by 13.4% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 71,349,059 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $863,324,000 after buying an additional 8,452,401 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its position in Hecla Mining by 32.4% during the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 49,881,495 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $603,566,000 after purchasing an additional 12,197,740 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Hecla Mining by 14.8% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 34,485,817 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $417,278,000 after purchasing an additional 4,453,706 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its position in shares of Hecla Mining by 38.0% during the 3rd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 23,524,912 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $284,651,000 after purchasing an additional 6,472,566 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Tidal Investments LLC raised its holdings in Hecla Mining by 14.7% during the 2nd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 20,118,397 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $120,509,000 after buying an additional 2,574,855 shares during the period. 63.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Hecla Mining News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Hecla Mining this week:

About Hecla Mining

(Get Free Report)

Hecla Mining Company, founded in 1891 and headquartered in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, is one of the oldest publicly traded precious metals companies in the United States. Originally established to develop the rich silver deposits of the Coeur dAlene district, Hecla has evolved into a diversified mining enterprise focused on the exploration, development and production of silver and gold, with by-product credits from lead and zinc.

The companys principal operations are located in North America and Latin America.

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Triumph Financial (NYSE:TFIN  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 competitors? We will compare Triumph Financial to related businesses based on the strength of its risk, valuation, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Volatility & Risk

Triumph Financial has a beta of 1.48, suggesting that its share price is 48% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Triumph Financials competitors have a beta of 1.01, suggesting that their average share price is 1% more volatile than the S&P 500.

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Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Triumph Financial and its competitors revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Net Income Price/Earnings Ratio Triumph Financial $518.88 million $16.09 million 226.72 Triumph Financial Competitors $812.60 million $114.12 million 37.41

Institutional & Insider Ownership

Triumph Financials competitors have higher revenue and earnings than Triumph Financial. Triumph Financial is trading at a higher price-to-earnings ratio than its competitors, indicating that it is currently more expensive than other companies in its industry.

91.1% of Triumph Financial 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. 5.6% of Triumph Financial 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 hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Triumph Financial and its competitors, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Triumph Financial 1 1 0 0 1.50 Triumph Financial Competitors 32 178 225 26 2.53

Triumph Financial presently has a consensus price target of $70.00, suggesting a potential upside of 6.46%. As a group, State Commercial Banks  Fed Reserve System companies have a potential upside of 3.11%. Given Triumph Financials higher probable upside, equities analysts clearly believe Triumph Financial is more favorable than its competitors.

Profitability

This table compares Triumph Financial and its competitors net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Triumph Financial 4.89% 3.53% 0.48% Triumph Financial Competitors 8.26% 7.68% 0.87%

Summary

Triumph Financial competitors beat Triumph Financial on 9 of the 13 factors compared.

About Triumph Financial

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Triumph Bancorp, Inc. operates as a financial holding company for TBK Bank, SSB that provides various banking and commercial finance products and services to retail customers and small-to-mid-sized businesses in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Banking, Factoring, Payments, and Corporate. It offers depository products, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as certificates of deposit; and commercial and industrial loans, loans to purchase capital equipment, and business loans for working capital and operational purposes. The company also provides asset-based, and equipment and premium finance loans; real estate loans to finance commercial properties; to factoring services the transportation and non-transportation sectors; agriculture loans; commercial construction, land, and land development loans; mortgage warehouse loans; residential real estate loans; and consumer loans. In addition, it offers debit cards; electronic banking, trust, and treasury management services; and insurance brokerage services. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated through a network of 10 branches in the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area of Iowa and Illinois; 8 branches in northern and central Illinois; 7 branches in southern Colorado; 3 branches in New Mexico; 31 branches in central and eastern Colorado; and 2 branches in far western Kansas, as well as a branch office dedicated to deposit gathering activities in Dallas, Texas. Triumph Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

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Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Customers Bancorp (NYSE:CUBI  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Sunday.

CUBI has been the subject of a number of other reports. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Customers Bancorp from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, December 26th. Hovde Group upped their price target on shares of Customers Bancorp from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on shares of Customers Bancorp from $76.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. B. Riley reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Customers Bancorp in a report on Monday, October 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Customers Bancorp in a report on Monday, December 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Customers Bancorp presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $87.50.

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Customers Bancorp Stock Performance

Shares of Customers Bancorp stock opened at $76.03 on Friday. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $73.91 and a 200-day simple moving average of $68.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.00. Customers Bancorp has a one year low of $40.75 and a one year high of $82.56. The company has a market cap of $2.60 billion, a PE ratio of 12.26 and a beta of 1.61.

Customers Bancorp (NYSE:CUBI  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The bank reported $2.06 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.04 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $236.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $200.38 million. Customers Bancorp had a net margin of 15.15% and a return on equity of 14.05%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.36 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Customers Bancorp will post 6.45 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Customers Bancorp news, CEO Jay S. Sidhu sold 128,185 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.43, for a total value 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. This represents a 13.96% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Bernard Bennett Banks sold 9,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.93, for a total value of $602,370.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 7,524 shares of the companys stock, valued at $503,581.32. This represents a 54.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 211,900 shares of company stock valued at $14,595,664 over the last three months. 6.92% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Customers Bancorp

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Customers Bancorp in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp bought a new stake in shares of Customers Bancorp in the first quarter worth $37,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Customers Bancorp by 63.1% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 672 shares of the banks stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 260 shares during the last quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd increased its position in shares of Customers Bancorp by 451.2% during the 3rd quarter. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd now owns 937 shares of the banks stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 767 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CX Institutional bought a new position in shares of Customers Bancorp in the 3rd quarter valued at about $67,000. 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.

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Danone (OTCMKTS:DANOY  Get Free Report) saw an uptick in trading volume on Wednesday . 2,311,583 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 174% from the previous sessions volume of 843,924 shares.The stock last traded at $15.90 and had previously closed at $15.8630.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on DANOY shares. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating on shares of Danone in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating on shares of Danone in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Citigroup reissued a neutral rating on shares of Danone in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut shares of Danone from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold.

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Danone Price Performance

Danone Company Profile

The company has a current ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $17.67 and a 200 day moving average price of $17.36.

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Danone is a French multinational food-products company headquartered in Paris, with roots dating to 1919 when it was founded by Isaac Carasso. The company positions itself around nutrition and health-oriented food and beverage products, and it combines global brand management, manufacturing and distribution to serve a broad consumer base. Danones long history has been characterized by expansion beyond its original yogurt business into bottled water, infant and medical nutrition, and plant-based alternatives.

Danones principal activities include the development, production and marketing of dairy and plant-based products, bottled waters, and specialized nutrition for infants and medical patients.

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Dassault Systemes SA (OTCMKTS:DASTY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 112,398 shares, an increase of 1,214.0% from the December 31st total of 8,554 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 370,191 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.3 days. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the company are short sold. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 370,191 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.3 days.

Dassault Systemes Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of DASTY stock traded up $0.17 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $28.59. The stock had a trading volume of 26,123 shares, compared to its average volume of 175,744. The company has a current ratio of 1.55, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $27.76 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $30.56. The firm has a market capitalization of $38.36 billion, a PE ratio of 30.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.57 and a beta of 0.98. Dassault Systemes has a 52-week low of $26.33 and a 52-week high of $44.18.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Dassault Systemes stock. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its stake in shares of Dassault Systemes SA (OTCMKTS:DASTY  Free Report) by 49.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,866 shares of the technology companys stock after acquiring an additional 951 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLCs holdings in Dassault Systemes were worth $80,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. 0.03% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on DASTY. Citigroup reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Dassault Systemes in a research note on Thursday, December 11th. Rothschild Redb raised shares of Dassault Systemes to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy.

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About Dassault Systemes

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Dassault Systemes is a France-based software company that develops solutions for 3D design, digital mock-up and product lifecycle management (PLM). Founded as a technology spin-off from Dassault Aviation in 1981, the company is headquartered near Paris and has grown into a global provider of engineering and business software used to model, simulate and manage products and processes across their lifecycles. Its platforms and applications are aimed at enabling digital continuity from ideation and design through manufacturing, operation and service.

The companys product portfolio centers on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which integrates applications for computer-aided design (CAD), simulation, data management and collaboration.

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Derwent Valley Holdings Plc (OTCMKTS:DWVYF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 4,723 shares, a decline of 95.8% from the December 31st total of 113,200 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently  days. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently  days. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold.

Derwent Valley Price Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS:DWVYF traded up $0.00 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $24.28. The stocks fifty day moving average is $23.43 and its two-hundred day moving average is $23.03. Derwent Valley has a 52-week low of $22.86 and a 52-week high of $24.28.

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Derwent Valley Company Profile

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Derwent London PLC (OTCMKTS:DWVYF) is a real estate investment trust headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The company specialises in the ownership, development and management of commercial properties, with a primary focus on office and mixed-use buildings in central London. Leveraging a significant development pipeline, Derwent London aims to maximise asset value through both new-build projects and the refurbishment of historic structures, often incorporating sustainable design and modern workplace features.

With a portfolio concentrated in key West End and City locations, Derwent London targets areas undergoing regeneration and urban renewal.

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Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB  Get Free Report) is expected to be posting its Q4 2025 Pre Recorded results after the market closes on Thursday, January 29th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $0.72 per share and revenue of $7.7077 billion for the quarter. Investors are encouraged to explore the companys upcoming Q4 2025 Pre Recorded earning overview page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 1:00 AM ET.

Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE:DB  Get Free Report) last released 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. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft had a net margin of 7.99% and a return on equity of 5.97%. The firm had revenue of $9.44 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.75 billion. On average, analysts expect Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft to post $3 EPS for the current fiscal year and $3 EPS for the next fiscal year.

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Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Trading Up 2.3%

Shares of NYSE DB opened at $40.33 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $80.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.88, a price-to-earnings-growth 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. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft has a 1 year low of $18.56 and a 1 year high of $40.43. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $37.74 and a 200 day moving average of $35.96.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of DB. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 15.9% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 126,101 shares of the banks stock valued at $3,005,000 after purchasing an additional 17,262 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth bought a new position in shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $795,000. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $413,000. Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 27,750 shares of the banks stock worth $813,000 after acquiring an additional 1,187 shares during the period. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft by 24.1% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 528,327 shares of the banks stock valued at $15,620,000 after purchasing an additional 102,754 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 27.90% of the companys stock.

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen raised Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, December 20th. Barclays raised Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, October 10th. Citigroup restated a sell rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a buy (b) rating on shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold.

Read Our Latest Research Report on Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Company Profile

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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.

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Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd reduced its stake in shares of Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG  Free Report) by 45.9% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 23,791 shares of the companys stock after selling 20,145 shares during the period. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltds holdings in Dollar General were worth $2,459,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Dollar General in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Caldwell Trust Co bought a new position in shares of Dollar General during the second quarter worth $25,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp bought a new position in Dollar General during the second quarter worth about $26,000. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Dollar General in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, Peoples Financial Services CORP. acquired a new stake in shares of Dollar General during the third quarter worth $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.77% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Dollar General

In related news, EVP Tracey N. Herrmann sold 12,583 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.07, for a total value of $1,573,755.81. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 30,948 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,870,666.36. This represents a 28.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Carman R. Wenkoff sold 19,166 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.01, for a total transaction of $2,530,103.66. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 43,179 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,700,059.79. This trade represents a 30.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 58,673 shares of company stock valued at $7,713,389. Insiders own 0.56% of the companys stock.

Dollar General Price Performance

NYSE:DG traded down $1.41 on Wednesday, reaching $146.25. 101,809 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,350,594. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $131.88 and a 200-day simple moving average of $115.23. Dollar General Corporation has a 12 month low of $69.32 and a 12 month high of $154.75. The firm has a market cap of $32.19 billion, a PE ratio of 25.20, a P/E/G ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.24, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63.

Dollar General (NYSE:DG  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 4th. The company reported $1.28 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.95 by $0.33. Dollar General had a return on equity of 18.59% and a net margin of 3.03%.The company had revenue of $10.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.60 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.89 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 4.6% on a year-over-year basis. Dollar General has set its FY 2025 guidance at 6.300-6.500 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Dollar General Corporation will post 5.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Dollar General Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, January 20th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 6th were given a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, January 6th. Dollar Generals dividend payout ratio is currently 40.76%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on DG shares. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Dollar General from $135.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Evercore ISI raised their target price on shares of Dollar General from $140.00 to $143.00 in a report on Tuesday. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Dollar General from $115.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. BNP Paribas Exane boosted their target price on shares of Dollar General from $118.00 to $127.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Finally, Guggenheim increased their price target on Dollar General from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and fifteen have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $141.27.

View Our Latest Report on Dollar General

Dollar General Company Profile

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Dollar General Corporation is a U.S.-based variety and discount retailer operating a large network of small-format stores that serve primarily rural and suburban communities. The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DG and is headquartered in the Nashville/Goodlettsville, Tennessee area. Founded in 1939, Dollar General has grown from a regional operation into one of the nations prominent low-price retailers focused on convenience and value.

Dollar Generals stores offer a wide assortment of everyday consumables and household goods, including food and beverage items, cleaning supplies, health and beauty products, paper goods, apparel basics, seasonal merchandise and small household items.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG  Free Report).

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Shares of DRDGOLD Limited (NYSE:DRD  Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Monday . The company traded as high as $38.73 and last traded at $38.78, with a volume of 61280 shares. The stock had previously closed at $37.43.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of DRDGOLD from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, January 3rd. HC Wainwright raised their price objective on shares of DRDGOLD to $36.25 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 17th. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of DRDGOLD in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Zacks Research raised 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 stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $36.25.

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DRDGOLD Stock Up 2.5%

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

The firms 50-day moving average is $31.89 and its 200 day moving average is $25.37.

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership lifted its stake in DRDGOLD by 239.6% in the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake 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 worth $12,609,000 after purchasing an additional 4,030 shares during the last quarter. Amundi purchased a new stake in shares of DRDGOLD during the third quarter worth about $17,467,000. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. raised its position in shares of DRDGOLD by 1.2% in 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 buying an additional 6,740 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC raised its position in shares of DRDGOLD by 91.9% in the third quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 397,000 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $10,957,000 after buying an additional 190,152 shares during the last quarter. 14.70% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

DRDGOLD Company Profile

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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.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 28, 2026. Starmer arrived here on Wednesday for an official visit to China through Saturday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for an official visit to China through Saturday.

In August 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone call with Starmer at the latter's request, and in November that year, during his attendance at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Xi met with Starmer, leading China-Britain relations onto a track of improvement and development.

During Starmer's visit, the first by a British prime minister in eight years, President Xi will meet with him, Premier Li Qiang will hold talks with him, and China's top legislator Zhao Leji will also meet with him. The two sides are expected to have in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations and issues of common interest.

In addition to Beijing, Starmer will visit Shanghai.

Since taking office, the British Labor Party government has clearly expressed its willingness to develop a consistent, enduring and strategic relationship with China and actively promote dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.

Starmer is leading a delegation comprising senior executives from over 50 major British firms and representatives of British institutions. They represent Britain's leading sectors including finance, medicine, manufacturing, culture and creativity.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Tuesday that China wishes to use this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust with Britain, deepen practical cooperation, jointly open a new chapter of healthy and stable development in bilateral relations, and work together for global peace, security and stability. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 28, 2026. Starmer arrived here on Wednesday for an official visit to China through Saturday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 28, 2026. Starmer arrived here on Wednesday for an official visit to China through Saturday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 28, 2026. Starmer arrived here on Wednesday for an official visit to China through Saturday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 28, 2026. Starmer arrived here on Wednesday for an official visit to China through Saturday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)
Teacher Retirement System of Texas trimmed its holdings in Fair Isaac Corporation (NYSE:FICO  Free Report) by 14.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,191 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 519 shares during the quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas holdings in Fair Isaac were worth $4,775,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in FICO. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp raised its holdings in shares of Fair Isaac by 1,728.3% in the 3rd quarter. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp now owns 2,322 shares of the technology companys stock worth $3,475,000 after purchasing an additional 2,195 shares in the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its position in Fair Isaac by 5.9% in the third quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 143 shares of the technology companys stock worth $214,000 after buying an additional 8 shares during the last quarter. Olympiad Research LP bought a new position in shares of Fair Isaac in the third quarter valued at $242,000. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Fair Isaac during the 3rd quarter valued at $24,043,000. Finally, Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH boosted its stake in shares of Fair Isaac by 17.0% during the 3rd quarter. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH now owns 12,305 shares of the technology companys stock worth $18,415,000 after acquiring an additional 1,791 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.75% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on FICO shares. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $1,950.00 target price on shares of Fair Isaac in a research report on Thursday, October 2nd. Seaport Research Partners raised Fair Isaac to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Fair Isaac from $1,750.00 to $1,825.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c+) rating on shares of Fair Isaac in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Fair Isaac from $1,900.00 to $1,960.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $2,092.15.

Fair Isaac Price Performance

NYSE FICO opened at $1,545.01 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $36.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 58.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $1,700.05 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1,605.02. Fair Isaac Corporation has a 52-week low of $1,300.00 and a 52-week high of $2,217.60.

Fair Isaac (NYSE:FICO  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The technology company reported $7.74 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $7.36 by $0.38. Fair Isaac had a net margin of 32.75% and a negative return on equity of 43.97%. The firm had revenue of $515.75 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $512.38 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $6.54 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 13.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Fair Isaac Corporation will post 24.15 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Fair Isaac

In other news, CEO William J. Lansing sold 2,400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, November 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,732.88, for a total value of $4,158,912.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 10,933 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,945,577.04. This represents a 18.00% 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, CFO Steven P. Weber sold 1,426 shares of Fair Isaac stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,810.00, for a total value of $2,581,060.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 2,804 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,075,240. The trade was a 33.71% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 4,347 shares of company stock valued at $7,691,229. 3.46% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Fair Isaac

(Free Report)

Fair Isaac Corporation, commonly known as FICO, is a data analytics and software company best known for its FICO Score, a widely used credit-scoring system that helps lenders assess consumer credit risk. Founded in 1956 by Bill Fair and Earl Isaac, the company has evolved from its origins in statistical credit scoring to a broader focus on predictive analytics, decision management and artificial intelligence-driven solutions for financial services and other industries. FICO is headquartered in San Jose, California, and operates globally, serving clients across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.

FICOs product portfolio centers on analytics and decisioning technologies.

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Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 12.1% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,836,828 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 307,307 shares during the quarter. Philip Morris International comprises 0.8% of Federated Hermes Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Federated Hermes Inc.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $460,133,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 1.6% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 142,857,055 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,018,555,000 after purchasing an additional 2,235,380 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 1.6% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 55,831,655 shares of the companys stock worth $10,243,429,000 after purchasing an additional 871,165 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Philip Morris International by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 37,181,107 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,760,346,000 after buying an additional 672,983 shares during the period. WCM Investment Management LLC increased its position in Philip Morris International by 24,968.0% during the second quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 11,275,606 shares of the companys stock worth $2,041,223,000 after purchasing an additional 11,230,626 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fayez Sarofim & Co increased its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 7.9% during the 2nd quarter. Fayez Sarofim & Co now owns 10,676,908 shares of the companys stock worth $1,944,585,000 after buying an additional 782,536 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.63% of the companys stock.

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Philip Morris International Stock Performance

PM stock opened at $179.23 on Wednesday. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52 week low of $128.25 and a 52 week high of $186.69. The stock has a market cap of $278.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.47, a P/E/G ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.40. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $160.14 and a 200 day simple moving average of $161.33.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

Analyst Ratings Changes

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 26th were paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 26th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.3%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 106.52%.

A number of brokerages have recently commented on PM. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $190.00 to $185.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. 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 price target on Philip Morris International from $220.00 to $180.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 17th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $180.00 price objective on shares of Philip Morris International in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two 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 price target 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.

Further Reading

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Monex Group (OTCMKTS:MNXBF  Get Free Report) and Computershare (OTCMKTS:CMSQF  Get Free Report) are both financial services companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability, risk and analyst recommendations.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Monex Group and Computershares top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Monex Group N/A N/A N/A $11.59 0.43 Computershare N/A N/A N/A $0.48 52.17

Profitability

Monex Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Computershare, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

This table compares Monex Group and Computershares net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Monex Group N/A N/A N/A Computershare N/A N/A N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings for Monex Group and Computershare, as reported by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Monex Group 0 0 0 0 0.00 Computershare 0 0 2 0 3.00

Computershare has a consensus price target of $39.50, suggesting a potential upside of 58.51%. Given Computershares stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Computershare is more favorable than Monex Group.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

9.7% of Monex Group shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 21.9% of Computershare shares are held by institutional investors. 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.

Dividends

Monex Group pays an annual dividend of $6.53 per share and has a dividend yield of 130.7%. Computershare pays an annual dividend of $0.28 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.1%. Monex Group pays out 56.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Computershare pays out 58.6% 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. Monex Group is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Summary

Computershare beats Monex Group on 5 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Monex Group

(Get Free Report)

Monex Group, Inc., an online financial institution, provides retail online brokerage services in Japan, the United States, China, and Australia. It offers international forex, asset management, investor education, M&A advisory, and cryptocurrency exchange services; investment and trading, and investment education services; asset building and management services; custodial trust service; private banking services for high net worth clients; investment advisory services; management and utilization services for genomic, medical, and healthcare data; and education and childcare services. In addition, it involved in development and operation of marketing SaaS ChatBook'; research and design, study, development, and consultation on cryptocurrency; and development of trading technology. The company was formerly known as Monex Beans Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Monex Group, Inc. in July 2008. Monex Group, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

About Computershare

(Get Free Report)

Computershare Limited provides issuer, employee share plans and voucher, business, communication and utilities, technology, and mortgage and property rental services. The company offers issuer services that include register maintenance, corporate actions, stakeholder relationship management, corporate governance, and related services; mortgage services and property rental, including tenancy bond protection services; and employee share plans and voucher services comprising administration and related services for employee share and option plans, and childcare voucher administration services. It also provides business services, including the provision of bankruptcy, class action, and corporate trust administration services; communication services and utilities operations consisting of document composition and printing, intelligent mailing, inbound process automation, scanning, and electronic delivery; and technology services, such as software solutions in share registry and financial services, as well as agency services in connection with the administration of debt securities. It operates in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Canada, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, Ireland, Africa, and the United States. The company was incorporated in 1978 and is based in Abbotsford, Australia.

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Shares of Finsbury Growth & Income (LON:FGT  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The company traded as low as GBX 779.51 and last traded at GBX 784.11, with a volume of 143864 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 788.

Finsbury Growth & Income Trading Down 0.4%

The firm has a market cap of 932.09 million, a PE ratio of -83.51 and a beta of 0.52. The companys 50 day moving average price is GBX 817.62 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 854.41.

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Finsbury Growth & Income (LON:FGT  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, December 3rd. The investment trust reported GBX 18.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Finsbury Growth & Income had a return on equity of 6.50% and a net margin of 89.28%.

Insider Transactions at Finsbury Growth & Income

Finsbury Growth & Income Company Profile

In related news, insider Pars Purewal bought 260 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were purchased at an average price of GBX 791 per share, with a total value of 2,056.60. Also, insider Katherine Cornish-Bowden purchased 144 shares of Finsbury Growth & Income stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was bought at an average price of GBX 791 per share, for a total transaction of 1,139.04. 0.32% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

(Get Free Report)

The Company was founded in 1926 and Nick Train has managed the portfolio since his firm, Lindsell Train, was appointed as Portfolio Manager in 2000. Finsbury Growth & Income Trust PLC (the Company) invests principally in the securities of UK listed companies, whilst up to a maximum of 20% of the Companys portfolio, at the time of acquisition, can be invested in quoted companies outside of the UK.

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Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO  Get Free Report) has been assigned an average rating of Reduce from the five analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have issued a hold rating on the company. The average 1-year price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $13.6667.

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on FLO. Truist Financial cut their price objective on Flowers Foods from $15.00 to $10.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Zacks Research raised shares of Flowers Foods from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a sell (d+) rating on shares of Flowers Foods in a report on Thursday, January 22nd.

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View Our Latest Analysis on FLO

Insider Activity

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In other news, CEO Ryals Mcmullian sold 209,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $10.87, for a total value of $2,271,830.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,022,380 shares in the company, valued at $11,113,270.60. This trade represents a 16.97% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink . Corporate insiders own 11.57% of the companys stock.

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in Flowers Foods in the first quarter worth about $499,000. Millennium Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Flowers Foods by 209.6% in the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 949,688 shares of the companys stock worth $18,054,000 after buying an additional 642,942 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Flowers Foods by 7.2% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 976,456 shares of the companys stock worth $18,562,000 after buying an additional 65,258 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its position in Flowers Foods by 10.6% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 150,404 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,859,000 after buying an additional 14,476 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its stake in Flowers Foods by 12.2% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 744,714 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,157,000 after buying an additional 81,066 shares during the last quarter. 75.45% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Flowers Foods Price Performance

Shares of Flowers Foods stock opened at $11.12 on Wednesday. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $10.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $12.87. Flowers Foods has a 12-month low of $9.93 and a 12-month high of $20.25. The firm has a market cap of $2.35 billion, a PE ratio of 12.08 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97.

Flowers Foods (NYSE:FLO  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.23. Flowers Foods had a net margin of 3.78% and a return on equity of 16.35%. The company had revenue of $1.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.33 earnings per share. Flowers Foodss revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Flowers Foods has set its FY 2025 guidance at 1.020-1.08 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Flowers Foods will post 1.18 EPS for the current year.

Flowers Foods Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 28th were given a dividend of $0.2475 per share. This represents a $0.99 annualized dividend and a yield of 8.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 28th. Flowers Foodss payout ratio is presently 107.61%.

About Flowers Foods

(Get Free Report)

Flowers Foods, Inc is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States, offering a variety of fresh bread, buns, rolls, snack cakes and tortillas. Headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia, the company operates an extensive network of bakeries and distribution centers that serve retail grocery chains, convenience stores, mass merchandisers and foodservice customers nationwide. Flowers Foods markets its products under well-known brands such as Natures Own, Wonder, Daves Killer Bread, Mrs.

Further Reading

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Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Flowserve Corporation (NYSE:FLS  Free Report) by 16.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 46,874 shares of the industrial products companys stock after purchasing an additional 6,539 shares during the quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltds holdings in Flowserve were worth $2,491,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in FLS. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC increased its holdings in shares of Flowserve by 4.8% in the 2nd quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 36,039 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,887,000 after purchasing an additional 1,667 shares in the last quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. increased its position in shares of Flowserve by 67.1% in the third quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 34,914 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,855,000 after acquiring an additional 14,025 shares in the last quarter. Paradice Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Flowserve during the 3rd quarter valued at about $17,970,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its stake in shares of Flowserve by 104.4% in the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 4,333,481 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $230,281,000 after acquiring an additional 2,213,406 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brian Low Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in Flowserve in the third quarter worth $1,007,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.93% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CFO Amy B. Schwetz sold 47,000 shares of Flowserve stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.02, for a total transaction of $3,337,940.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 52,628 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,737,640.56. This trade represents a 47.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Susan Claire Hudson sold 10,667 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.01, for a total transaction of $746,796.67. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 6,589 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $461,295.89. This represents a 61.82% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 59,276 shares of company stock worth $4,196,578. Insiders own 0.72% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on FLS shares. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Flowserve from $84.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Flowserve in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Mizuho lifted their price target on Flowserve from $60.00 to $74.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Flowserve from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Finally, Bank of America reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $73.00 target price (up previously from $60.00) on shares of Flowserve in a report on Friday, November 14th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $79.90.

Read Our Latest Research Report on FLS

Flowserve Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:FLS traded down $1.08 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $76.52. The companys stock had a trading volume of 29,430 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,146,230. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $72.22 and its 200-day simple moving average is $61.81. The company has a market capitalization of $9.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.24, a P/E/G ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 2.10 and a quick ratio of 1.54. Flowserve Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $37.34 and a fifty-two week high of $78.84.

Flowserve (NYSE:FLS  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The industrial products company reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $1.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.21 billion. Flowserve had a return on equity of 19.41% and a net margin of 9.66%.The businesss quarterly revenue was up 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.62 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Flowserve Corporation will post 3.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Flowserve Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 26th were paid a $0.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 26th. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. Flowserves dividend payout ratio is presently 24.42%.

About Flowserve

(Free Report)

Flowserve Corporation (NYSE: FLS) is a leading provider of fluid motion and control products and services. The company designs, manufactures and services engineered and industrial pumps, mechanical seals, valves and related flow management equipment. Flowserves offerings are utilized across a broad spectrum of end markets, including oil and gas, power generation, chemical processing, water management, pharmaceutical and semiconductor manufacturing, as well as mining and general industrial applications.

Flowserves product portfolio encompasses a wide range of centrifugal and positive displacement pumps, high-performance control valves, butterfly and ball valves, as well as mechanical seals and seal support systems.

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Geberit AG (OTCMKTS:GBERY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 6,705 shares, a growth of 329.0% from the December 31st total of 1,563 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 9,991 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.7 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 9,991 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.7 days.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on GBERY. Morgan Stanley restated an underweight rating on shares of Geberit in a research report on Friday. Citigroup reissued a neutral rating on shares of Geberit in a report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Geberit to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 8th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Geberit presently has an average rating of Reduce.

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Geberit Trading Up 1.6%

About Geberit

Geberit stock opened at $77.91 on Wednesday. Geberit has a 12-month low of $54.81 and a 12-month high of $81.47. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $77.62 and a 200-day simple moving average of $76.62.

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Geberit AG is a Swiss-based manufacturer specializing in sanitary products and systems for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Headquartered in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland, the company develops and supplies installation systems, bathroom ceramics, faucets and piping solutions. Its product range encompasses concealed cisterns, flush plates, wall-hung toilets, washbasins, shower trays and underfloor heating systems, complemented by digital bathroom controls and smart water management technologies.

Founded in 1874, Geberit evolved from a regional metalworking business into a global market leader in sanitary technology.

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Georgina Energy (LON:GEX  Get Free Report) rose 7.8% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as GBX 3.30 and last traded at GBX 2.91. Approximately 5,611,019 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 537% from the average daily volume of 881,334 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2.70.

Georgina Energy Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of 8.61 million and a PE ratio of -0.17. The companys 50-day moving average is GBX 3.32.

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Georgina Energy (LON:GEX  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, October 27th. The company reported GBX (1.08) EPS for the quarter.

Georgina Energy Company Profile

Georgina Energy is a Helium & Hydrogen development and production company, based in Australia.

Georgina Energy aims to become a leading player in the global energy market and is focused on establishing itself among the top producers of helium and hydrogen worldwide. With a strategic approach and leveraging the experienced management teams expertise, Georgina Energy aims to capitalize on opportunities in these critical energy sectors.

The projects benefit from established infrastructure and a reliable supply chain, offering significant resource potential through low-risk, cost-effective drilling projects.

Georgina Energy has two principal onshore interests held through its wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Westmarket O&G.

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Gran Tierra Energy (NYSE:GTE  Get Free Report) was downgraded by Canaccord Genuity Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Separately, Roth Mkm assumed coverage on shares of Gran Tierra Energy in a research report on Friday, December 12th. They set a buy rating and a $5.45 target price on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Gran Tierra Energy currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $5.45.

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Read Our Latest Stock Report on GTE

Gran Tierra Energy Price Performance

Insider Transactions at Gran Tierra Energy

Shares of GTE stock opened at $5.81 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a current ratio of 1.31. The firm has a market cap of $205.07 million, a P/E ratio of 4.04 and a beta of 0.30. Gran Tierra Energy has a fifty-two week low of $3.09 and a fifty-two week high of $6.29. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $4.46 and its 200-day moving average price is $4.26.

In other news, Director Equinox Partners Investment Ma bought 276,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 4th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $3.79 per share, with a total value of $1,046,040.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 2,255,590 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,548,686.10. The trade was a 13.94% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, major shareholder Daniel Lau bought 360,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 18th. The shares were bought at an average price of $3.95 per share, for a total transaction of $1,422,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider owned 3,531,200 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,948,240. This trade represents a 11.35% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders have purchased a total of 1,643,783 shares of company stock valued at $6,690,541 over the last 90 days. 6.45% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Gran Tierra Energy

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Equinox Partners Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Gran Tierra Energy by 37.2% during the 2nd quarter. Equinox Partners Investment Management LLC now owns 5,097,688 shares of the companys stock valued at $24,316,000 after buying an additional 1,381,574 shares during the period. LM Asset IM Inc. lifted its position in Gran Tierra Energy by 13.4% during the 2nd quarter. LM Asset IM Inc. now owns 1,945,800 shares of the companys stock worth $9,281,000 after buying an additional 229,200 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Gran Tierra Energy by 8.2% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,409,583 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,724,000 after buying an additional 106,478 shares during the period. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Gran Tierra Energy by 6.1% in the third quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC now owns 554,262 shares of the companys stock worth $2,411,000 after purchasing an additional 31,805 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in Gran Tierra Energy by 7.2% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 233,271 shares of the companys stock worth $1,150,000 after acquiring an additional 15,719 shares in the last quarter. 31.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Gran Tierra Energy

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Gran Tierra Energy Inc is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on on-shore assets in South America. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, the company trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GTE. Since its founding in 2006, Gran Tierra has assembled a diversified portfolio of exploration and development blocks, with principal operations in Colombias Llanos and Putumayo basins and in Ecuadors Oriente Basin.

The companys core activities encompass the full upstream value chain, from geological and geophysical surveys to drilling, completion and production operations.

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Harleysville Savings Financial (OTCMKTS:HARL  Get Free Report) posted its earnings results on Wednesday. The bank reported $0.74 earnings per share for the quarter, Zacks reports. Harleysville Savings Financial had a net margin of 21.91% and a return on equity of 10.74%.

Harleysville Savings Financial Price Performance

HARL traded down $0.21 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $25.55. 5,606 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 457. Harleysville Savings Financial has a 1 year low of $21.75 and a 1 year high of $25.98. The company has a market capitalization of $91.72 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.79 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.97. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $25.18 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.51.

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About Harleysville Savings Financial

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Harleysville Savings Financial Corp. is the bank holding company for Harleysville Savings Bank, a community-based financial institution founded in 1871 and headquartered in Harleysville, Pennsylvania. As a federally chartered savings bank, Harleysville Savings Financial focuses on traditional banking services, including accepting deposits, offering checking and savings accounts, and providing certificates of deposit and individual retirement accounts. The companys mission centers on delivering personalized financial solutions to individuals, families, and small businesses across its core markets.

In addition to deposit products, Harleysville Savings Financials primary revenue drivers include residential mortgage lending, home equity lines of credit and installment loans.

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MINSK, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Belarus is strengthening its strategic deterrence, including deployment of the Oreshnik operational-tactical missile complex and tactical nuclear weapons on its territory, to counter growing North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military activity, a senior official said Wednesday.

State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Alexander Volfovich made the remarks after reporting to President Alexander Lukashenko on the results of a surprise inspection of the country's armed forces.

Volfovich said Western neighbors have significantly increased defense spending, expanded armed forces, and intensified large-scale military exercises near Belarusian territory.

He described these moves as part of a broader Western strategy to justify military expansion by portraying an alleged threat from the east.

In response, Belarus has prioritized the retention and potential deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons and precision strike systems on its soil, aiming to prevent aggression through credible deterrence, Volfovich said.

Belarus frames its actions not as escalation, but as a necessary response to an increasingly hostile security environment, he added. 
Dakota Gold Corp. (NYSE:DC  Free Report)  Analysts at HC Wainwright issued their FY2025 earnings estimates for Dakota Gold in a research note issued on Monday, January 26th. HC Wainwright analyst H. Ihle anticipates that the company will post earnings per share of ($0.25) for the year. HC Wainwright has a Buy rating and a $9.75 price objective on the stock. HC Wainwright also issued estimates for Dakota Golds FY2026 earnings at ($0.24) EPS.

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Separately, Zacks Research raised shares of Dakota Gold to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $10.25.

Dakota Gold Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:DC opened at $6.62 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $749.79 million, a P/E ratio of -16.15 and a beta of 1.08. Dakota Gold has a 52-week low of $2.21 and a 52-week high of $7.25. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $5.61 and a 200 day simple moving average of $4.76.

Insider Activity at Dakota Gold

In related news, CEO Robert Quartermain sold 250,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.88, for a total value of $1,720,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 7,493,244 shares of the companys stock, valued at $51,553,518.72. The trade was a 3.23% 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, CFO Shawn Campbell sold 55,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.30, for a total transaction of $346,500.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 179,491 shares in the company, valued at $1,130,793.30. The trade was a 23.46% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 17.40% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of Dakota Gold

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in DC. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Dakota Gold by 109.8% in the second quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 7,070 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 3,700 shares during the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its holdings in shares of Dakota Gold by 15.8% in the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 32,058 shares of the companys stock valued at $118,000 after purchasing an additional 4,377 shares in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in shares of Dakota Gold by 120.5% in the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 8,309 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 4,541 shares during the last quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Dakota Gold by 130.7% during the 2nd quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 8,788 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 4,978 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Dakota Gold by 15.0% during the 2nd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 47,127 shares of the companys stock worth $174,000 after buying an additional 6,130 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 37.41% of the companys stock.

Dakota Gold Company Profile

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Dakota Gold Corp (NYSE:DC) is a mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing gold projects within the United States. The companys primary asset is the historic Homestake District in South Dakotas Black Hills, where it seeks to redevelop gold-bearing tailings and lowgrade ore volumes for openpit heap leach processing. Dakota Gold pursues a staged approach, combining exploration, resource delineation and economic studies to unlock value from legacy mine materials.

The firms flagship property comprises sealed tailings impoundments and adjacent lowgrade stockpiles left over from the Homestake Gold Mine, which operated from 1876 until 2002.

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Hutchens & Kramer Investment Management Group LLC lifted its position in iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:TFLO  Free Report) by 109.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 104,059 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 54,264 shares during the period. iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF accounts for about 2.1% of Hutchens & Kramer Investment Management Group LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest position. Hutchens & Kramer Investment Management Group LLC owned approximately 0.08% of iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF worth $5,264,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of TFLO. Whittier Trust Co. bought a new position in shares of iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Independence Bank of Kentucky purchased a new stake in iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF in the second quarter worth about $30,000. Robbins Farley bought a new position in iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC increased its position in iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF by 250.2% during the 2nd quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 704 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 503 shares during the period. Finally, Addison Advisors LLC purchased a new position in iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $41,000.

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iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF Trading Up 0.0%

NYSEARCA TFLO opened at $50.61 on Wednesday. The firms 50 day moving average price is $50.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $50.53. iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF has a 52-week low of $50.39 and a 52-week high of $50.69.

iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF Profile

The iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF (TFLO) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. Treasury floating rate bonds. TFLO was launched on Feb 3, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Hypermarcas (OTCMKTS:HYPMY  Get Free Report) saw a significant growth in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 544 shares, a growth of 3,300.0% from the December 31st total of 16 shares. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 4,007 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 4,007 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Hypermarcas Price Performance

OTCMKTS HYPMY traded up $0.01 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $4.95. 51,051 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,477. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. Hypermarcas has a 12-month low of $3.04 and a 12-month high of $5.18. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $4.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $4.44. The company has a market capitalization of $3.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.52 and a beta of 0.72.

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Hypermarcas (OTCMKTS:HYPMY  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $0.13 EPS 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.

Hypermarcas Company Profile

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.

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Innealta Capital LLC grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (NYSEARCA:EZA  Free Report) by 138.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 21,697 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 12,608 shares during the period. Innealta Capital LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI South Africa ETF were worth $1,391,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. grew its position in iShares MSCI South Africa ETF by 65.9% during the second quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 9,141 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $491,000 after acquiring an additional 3,631 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its position in iShares MSCI South Africa ETF by 386.7% during the third quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 27,327 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,752,000 after buying an additional 21,712 shares during the period. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI South Africa ETF during the second quarter valued at about $5,138,000.

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iShares MSCI South Africa ETF Trading Down 0.1%

NYSEARCA EZA opened at $78.92 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $765.48 million, a PE ratio of 14.34 and a beta of 0.78. iShares MSCI South Africa ETF has a 1-year low of $39.74 and a 1-year high of $79.70. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $69.72 and a 200-day moving average of $63.77.

iShares MSCI South Africa ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI South Africa ETF, formerly iShares MSCI South Africa Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded securities in the aggregate in the South African market, as measured by the MSCI South Africa Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the South African equity market. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization.

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Innealta Capital LLC cut its holdings in iShares MSCI Sweden ETF (NYSEARCA:EWD  Free Report) by 32.3% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 19,682 shares of the companys stock after selling 9,401 shares during the quarter. Innealta Capital LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI Sweden ETF were worth $929,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of EWD. Jones Financial Companies Lllp lifted its stake in iShares MSCI Sweden ETF by 398.7% in the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,157 shares of the companys stock worth $49,000 after purchasing an additional 925 shares in the last quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Sweden ETF by 4,475.6% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,059 shares of the companys stock valued at $94,000 after purchasing an additional 2,014 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers lifted its position in iShares MSCI Sweden ETF by 76.8% during the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 2,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $122,000 after purchasing an additional 1,260 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Sweden ETF in the 2nd quarter worth $122,000. Finally, Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Sweden ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $213,000. Institutional investors own 49.63% of the companys stock.

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iShares MSCI Sweden ETF Trading Up 1.7%

EWD opened at $53.64 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $49.28 and a 200 day moving average of $47.70. iShares MSCI Sweden ETF has a 12 month low of $36.50 and a 12 month high of $53.75. The firm has a market cap of $333.64 million, a P/E ratio of 20.15 and a beta of 1.14.

iShares MSCI Sweden ETF Profile

Ishares

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International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM  Get Free Report) released its earnings results on Wednesday. The technology company reported $4.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.33 by $0.19, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $19.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.23 billion. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 37.76% and a net margin of 12.09%.

International Business Machines Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE IBM traded up $0.61 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $294.47. 5,095,534 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,181,228. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $275.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.22, a PEG ratio of 2.87 and a beta of 0.70. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $302.19 and a two-hundred day moving average of $282.72. International Business Machines has a one year low of $214.50 and a one year high of $324.90.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. SWAN Capital LLC bought a new position in International Business Machines in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of International Business Machines in the 2nd quarter valued at about $127,000. Binnacle Investments Inc lifted its position in International Business Machines by 10.1% in the second quarter. Binnacle Investments Inc now owns 468 shares of the technology companys stock worth $138,000 after buying an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Truefg LLC purchased a new stake in International Business Machines in the 2nd quarter worth about $203,000. Finally, Jump Financial LLC purchased a new position in International Business Machines during the 2nd quarter valued at $211,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.96% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently commented on IBM shares. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of International Business Machines from $256.00 to $252.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Bank of America upped their target price on International Business Machines from $315.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Dbs Bank raised shares of International Business Machines from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a report on Monday, January 19th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded International Business Machines from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $300.00 to $360.00 in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their price target on shares of International Business Machines from $315.00 to $330.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $306.86.

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Key Stories Impacting International Business Machines

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About International Business Machines

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International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a global technology and consulting company headquartered in Armonk, New York. Founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) and renamed IBM in 1924, the company has evolved from early electromechanical machines to a diversified technology provider serving enterprises and governments worldwide. IBM is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol IBM.

IBMs principal businesses encompass cloud computing and software, infrastructure and systems, consulting and technology services, and research and development.

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Invesco China Technology ETF (NYSEARCA:CQQQ  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 2,746,219 shares, an increase of 1,926.9% from the December 31st total of 135,486 shares. Currently, 5.0% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 1,752,532 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.6 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,752,532 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.6 days. Currently, 5.0% of the shares of the company are sold short.

Invesco China Technology ETF Trading Up 1.1%

NYSEARCA CQQQ traded up $0.61 on Tuesday, hitting $57.75. 2,670,235 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,523,405. The company has a market cap of $3.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.61 and a beta of 0.43. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $53.74 and a two-hundred day moving average of $53.23. Invesco China Technology ETF has a 1-year low of $35.62 and a 1-year high of $61.20.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Invesco China Technology ETF

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Uhlmann Price Securities LLC lifted its holdings in Invesco China Technology ETF by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Uhlmann Price Securities LLC now owns 13,477 shares of the companys stock worth $701,000 after purchasing an additional 203 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its position in Invesco China Technology ETF by 1.5% in the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 27,783 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,229,000 after acquiring an additional 424 shares during the last quarter. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG lifted its stake in Invesco China Technology ETF by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG now owns 18,760 shares of the companys stock valued at $976,000 after purchasing an additional 430 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Invesco China Technology ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Optimum Investment Advisors increased its stake in shares of Invesco China Technology ETF by 40.3% in the second quarter. Optimum Investment Advisors now owns 2,525 shares of the companys stock valued at $112,000 after buying an additional 725 shares during the period.

Invesco China Technology ETF Company Profile

Guggenheim China Technology ETF (the Fund), formerly Claymore China Technology ETF, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the performance, before the Funds fees and expenses, of an equity index called the AlphaShares China Technology Index (the Index). The Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stock, American depositary receipts (ADRs), American depositary shares (ADSs), global depositary receipts (GDRs) and international depositary receipts (IDRs) that comprise the Index and depositary receipts or shares representing common stocks included in the Index (or underlying securities representing ADRs, ADSs, GDRs and IDRs included in the Index).

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Rainey & Randall Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (NYSEARCA:RSP  Free Report) by 2.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 249,586 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,071 shares during the period. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF accounts for approximately 7.9% of Rainey & Randall Wealth Advisors Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest position. Rainey & Randall Wealth Advisors Inc. owned 0.06% of Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF worth $47,346,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of RSP. Investment Counsel Co. of Nevada purchased a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Tompkins Financial Corp bought a new position in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $32,000. GoalVest Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF in the second quarter worth $34,000. Copia Wealth Management lifted its stake in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF by 335.8% in the third quarter. Copia Wealth Management now owns 231 shares of the companys stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares during the period. Finally, Howe & Rusling Inc. boosted its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF by 51.9% in the second quarter. Howe & Rusling Inc. now owns 287 shares of the companys stock valued at $52,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 61.18% of the companys stock.

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Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF Trading Down 0.2%

Shares of NYSEARCA RSP opened at $198.93 on Wednesday. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF has a 12 month low of $150.35 and a 12 month high of $200.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $82.55 billion, a PE ratio of 20.10 and a beta of 0.99. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $193.53 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $189.58.

Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF Profile

Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, formerly Rydex S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, seeks to replicate as closely as possible, the daily performance of the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index (the Index). The Index is a capitalization-weighted index covering 500 industrial, utility, transportation and financial companies of the United States markets (mostly NYSE Euronext issues). The Index utilizes quarterly rebalancing to maintain its equal-weight stance. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 90% of its net assets, plus any borrowing for investment purposes, in the equity securities (and derivatives thereof) included in the Index.

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iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:IDEV  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $87.85 and last traded at $87.69, with a volume of 2004016 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $86.39.

iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF Trading Up 1.5%

The firm has a market capitalization of $26.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.62 and a beta of 0.85. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $82.99 and its 200 day simple moving average is $80.45.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF by 33.4% during the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 6,852,208 shares of the companys stock valued at $521,039,000 after acquiring an additional 1,716,886 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF by 55.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,966,793 shares of the companys stock worth $149,555,000 after buying an additional 700,939 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF by 19.4% during the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 3,856,982 shares of the companys stock valued at $293,285,000 after purchasing an additional 626,665 shares during the last quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC purchased a new stake in iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $42,537,000. Finally, First Command Advisory Services Inc. increased its position in iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF by 13.8% during the third quarter. First Command Advisory Services Inc. now owns 1,343,457 shares of the companys stock valued at $107,705,000 after acquiring an additional 163,326 shares during the last quarter.

About iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF

The iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF (IDEV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI World ex USA IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of large-, mid, and small-cap stocks from developed countries, excluding the US. IDEV was launched on Mar 21, 2017 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Innealta Capital LLC reduced its position in iShares MSCI France ETF (NYSEARCA:EWQ  Free Report) by 28.3% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 60,778 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 23,939 shares during the period. iShares MSCI France ETF accounts for approximately 1.3% of Innealta Capital LLCs holdings, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. Innealta Capital LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI France ETF were worth $2,670,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its holdings in iShares MSCI France ETF by 21.0% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 903,597 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $38,678,000 after acquiring an additional 156,555 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI France ETF by 10.1% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 770,301 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $33,839,000 after purchasing an additional 70,700 shares in the last quarter. Pictet North America Advisors SA raised its position in iShares MSCI France ETF by 20.2% in the third quarter. Pictet North America Advisors SA now owns 130,339 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $5,726,000 after acquiring an additional 21,921 shares in the last quarter. Rice Partnership LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI France ETF by 52.8% in the second quarter. Rice Partnership LLC now owns 113,164 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $4,843,000 after buying an additional 39,111 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Monument Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI France ETF during the second quarter valued at $3,446,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 73.46% of the companys stock.

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iShares MSCI France ETF Stock Down 1.3%

Shares of iShares MSCI France ETF stock opened at $45.55 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $391.76 million, a PE ratio of 17.82 and a beta of 0.98. iShares MSCI France ETF has a 12 month low of $35.24 and a 12 month high of $46.37. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $44.92 and a 200-day simple moving average of $44.07.

iShares MSCI France ETF Profile

iShares MSCI France ETF, formerly iShares MSCI France Index Fund, seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the French market, as measured by the MSCI France Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the French equity market. The Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Paris Stock Exchange. The Fund invests in sectors, such as industrials, financials, energy, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, healthcare, materials, telecommunication services, utilities and information technology.

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NICOSIA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- A tripartite meeting on the Cyprus issue ended on Wednesday without agreement, and no enlarged meeting will be held for now, United Nations (UN) envoy Maria Angela Holguin said.

Holguin met with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman in the UN buffer zone. She told reporters that further progress on confidence-building measures is needed before broader talks can be arranged.

Despite the lack of concrete results, Holguin said she was not disappointed, describing the process as "dynamic" but slow.

Christodoulides presented a five-point proposal, including reaffirming the agreed basis for a settlement and calling for the reopening of several crossing points. He also expressed readiness to continue dialogue and support steps toward resuming negotiations.

Erhurman said the current level of trust between the two sides was insufficient to justify an enlarged meeting. He added that key issues related to political equality and power-sharing remain unresolved, describing the talks as "useful but not very productive."

Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, when a Turkish military intervention followed a coup by Greek army officers. Decades of UN-led negotiations have failed to deliver a comprehensive solution. 
HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA  Get Free Report) had its target price raised by stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $535.00 to $590.00 in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Groups price target would suggest a potential upside of 20.44% from the companys previous close.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the company. TD Cowen reissued a buy rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Wednesday. Zacks Research cut shares of HCA Healthcare from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, November 27th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on HCA Healthcare from $525.00 to $555.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b) rating on shares of HCA Healthcare in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Leerink Partners increased their price objective on shares of HCA Healthcare from $470.00 to $507.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, HCA Healthcare has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $512.43.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare Trading Down 3.2%

Shares of HCA Healthcare stock traded down $15.97 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $489.87. The stock had a trading volume of 1,130,074 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,117,369. HCA Healthcare has a 52 week low of $295.00 and a 52 week high of $527.55. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $480.84 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $435.90. The company has a market capitalization of $111.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.96, a P/E/G ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.36.

HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The company reported $8.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.37 by $0.64. HCA Healthcare had a net margin of 8.53% and a negative return on equity of 792.25%. The firm had revenue of $19.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.67 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $6.22 EPS. The companys revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. HCA Healthcare has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.100-31.500 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that HCA Healthcare will post 24.98 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Michael R. Mcalevey sold 3,892 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $473.79, for a total transaction of $1,843,990.68. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,487 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,652,105.73. This trade represents a 52.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of HCA Healthcare

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of HCA. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of HCA Healthcare during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,152,408,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of HCA Healthcare by 6,115.3% in the third quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 911,096 shares of the companys stock worth $388,309,000 after acquiring an additional 896,437 shares during the period. Viking Global Investors LP raised its holdings in HCA Healthcare by 58.5% in the 2nd quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 1,872,133 shares of the companys stock worth $717,214,000 after purchasing an additional 690,773 shares during the period. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al acquired a new stake in HCA Healthcare in the 2nd quarter valued at $109,337,000. Finally, Danske Bank A S acquired a new position in HCA Healthcare during the third quarter worth $115,530,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 62.73% of the companys stock.

Key Stories Impacting HCA Healthcare

Here are the key news stories impacting HCA Healthcare this week:

Positive Sentiment: Analysts lifted price targets and maintained buy/outperform ratings  RBC raised its target to $555, Deutsche Bank to $558 and Truist to $546, reinforcing upside expectations. RBC price target raise Benzinga coverage

Analysts lifted price targets and maintained buy/outperform ratings  RBC raised its target to $555, Deutsche Bank to $558 and Truist to $546, reinforcing upside expectations. Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns stepped up  management added $10B to the buyback program and raised the quarterly dividend ~8.3%, a strong capital-allocation cue supporting EPS and cash-return expectations. Dividend and buyback

Shareholder returns stepped up  management added $10B to the buyback program and raised the quarterly dividend ~8.3%, a strong capital-allocation cue supporting EPS and cash-return expectations. Positive Sentiment: Quarterly beat and constructive 2026 outlook  Q4 EPS $8.01 topped estimates and the company issued FY26 EPS guidance of $29.1031.50 with revenue guidance of $76.5B$80B and a $400M cost-savings plan. Management framed demand and cost initiatives as supportive of profit. Q4 results & guidance

Quarterly beat and constructive 2026 outlook  Q4 EPS $8.01 topped estimates and the company issued FY26 EPS guidance of $29.1031.50 with revenue guidance of $76.5B$80B and a $400M cost-savings plan. Management framed demand and cost initiatives as supportive of profit. Neutral Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed expectations  Q4 revenue was $19.51B versus estimates near $19.67B, suggesting mix or volume/reimbursement nuances despite the EPS beat. Earnings details

Revenue slightly missed expectations  Q4 revenue was $19.51B versus estimates near $19.67B, suggesting mix or volume/reimbursement nuances despite the EPS beat. Negative Sentiment: Policy risk could reduce 2026 results  management flagged a multi-hundred-million-dollar hit from loss of ACA tax credits and Medicaid changes (reported estimates $600M$1B), which increases uncertainty around margin and cash flow. Policy headwinds/StatNews FierceHealthcare coverage

Policy risk could reduce 2026 results  management flagged a multi-hundred-million-dollar hit from loss of ACA tax credits and Medicaid changes (reported estimates $600M$1B), which increases uncertainty around margin and cash flow. Negative Sentiment: Valuation and margin risk concerns  some analysts/commentary warn that margin gains may be peaking and current valuation already reflects much of the upside, leaving the stock exposed if policy or margin pressures materialize. Seeking Alpha risk analysis

HCA Healthcare Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

HCA Healthcare is a forprofit operator of healthcare facilities headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1968, the company owns and operates a network of hospitals and related healthcare facilities and has grown through organic expansion and acquisitions to become a large provider of inpatient and outpatient services.

The companys core activities include the operation of acute care hospitals, freestanding surgical and emergency centers, and outpatient clinics. HCAs services encompass inpatient care, surgical services, emergency medicine, diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing, and various outpatient and ambulatory care offerings.

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KBC Group SA (OTCMKTS:KBCSY  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $71.78 and last traded at $71.66, with a volume of 23360 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $69.10.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on KBCSY shares. Citigroup reaffirmed a neutral rating on shares of KBC Group in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an overweight rating on shares of KBC Group in a research note on Friday, November 14th. Barclays lowered shares of KBC Group from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a sector perform rating on shares of KBC Group in a report on Monday, November 17th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered KBC Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, October 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold.

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Read Our Latest Report on KBC Group

KBC Group Trading Up 3.7%

The stock has a market capitalization of $59.86 billion, a PE ratio of 14.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $64.93 and a 200 day simple moving average of $60.53.

KBC Group (OTCMKTS:KBCSY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.06. KBC Group had a net margin of 15.91% and a return on equity of 13.96%. The company had revenue of $3.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.54 billion. On average, equities research analysts predict that KBC Group SA will post 4.28 EPS for the current year.

KBC Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

KBC Group is a Belgian bank-insurance group headquartered in Brussels that combines retail and commercial banking with life and non-life insurance, asset management, leasing and related financial services. The company operates an integrated bank-insurance model designed to serve both individual consumers and corporate clients, offering deposit accounts, lending and mortgage products, payment and treasury services, pension and protection insurance, investment solutions and wealth management.

The groups banking activities include retail and private banking, corporate and commercial banking, and specialized finance such as leasing and factoring.

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KPP Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX  Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 4,356 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock, valued at approximately $630,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Lavaca Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of TJX Companies during the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in TJX Companies during the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute bought a new position in TJX Companies in the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of TJX Companies during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Capital A Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of TJX Companies by 776.7% during the 2nd quarter. Capital A Wealth Management LLC now owns 263 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 233 shares in the last quarter. 91.09% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have issued reports on TJX shares. BTIG Research reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $165.00 price target on shares of TJX Companies in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Robert W. Baird set a $168.00 target price on shares of TJX Companies in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on shares of TJX Companies from $163.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating and set a $162.00 price target (up previously from $159.00) on shares of TJX Companies in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. Finally, Guggenheim raised TJX Companies to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and twenty-two have given a Buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $163.86.

TJX Companies Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of TJX Companies stock opened at $147.97 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a current ratio of 1.09. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $154.05 and a 200-day moving average of $143.34. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a 52-week low of $112.10 and a 52-week high of $159.48. The stock has a market cap of $164.31 billion, a PE ratio of 32.66, a PEG ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 0.75.

TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 19th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.22 by $0.06. TJX Companies had a net margin of 8.68% and a return on equity of 58.30%. The business had revenue of $15.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.80 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.14 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 7.5% on a year-over-year basis. TJX Companies has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 1.330-1.360 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 4.630-4.660 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 4.18 EPS for the current year.

TJX Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 5th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 12th will be paid a dividend of $0.425 per share. This represents a $1.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 12th. TJX Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 37.53%.

Insider Buying and Selling at TJX Companies

In other news, Director Amy B. Lane sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $151.40, for a total transaction of $75,700.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 22,212 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,362,896.80. This represents a 2.20% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 30,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.81, for a total value of $4,464,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 535,143 shares in the company, valued at $79,634,629.83. The trade was a 5.31% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 54,863 shares of company stock valued at $8,226,366 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

TJX Companies Company Profile

(Free Report)

TJX Companies, Inc is a leading off-price retailer of apparel, footwear, home fashions and other consumer goods. The company operates multiple retail concepts that offer discounted brand-name and designer merchandise, including well-known banners such as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls in the United States, HomeGoods for home furnishings, TK Maxx in parts of Europe, and Winners and Homesense in Canada. Merchandise categories span womens, mens and childrens apparel, accessories, beauty, home decor, kitchenware and small furniture, with frequent changes in assortment that create a treasure-hunt shopping experience for consumers.

The companys business model centers on opportunistic buying, purchasing excess, irregular or out-of-season inventory from manufacturers, department stores and other suppliers, and passing savings to customers through lower prices.

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L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX  Get Free Report) is projected to issue its Q4 2025 results before the market opens on Thursday, January 29th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of $2.79 per share and revenue of $5.7587 billion for the quarter. L3Harris Technologies has set its FY 2025 guidance at 10.500-10.700 EPS. Individuals can check the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning summary page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 10:30 AM ET.

L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $2.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.60 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $5.66 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.51 billion. L3Harris Technologies had a return on equity of 11.08% and a net margin of 8.09%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.34 EPS. On average, analysts expect L3Harris Technologies to post $11 EPS for the current fiscal year and $13 EPS for the next fiscal year.

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L3Harris Technologies Price Performance

Shares of L3Harris Technologies stock opened at $360.78 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $67.48 billion, a PE ratio of 38.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. L3Harris Technologies has a 12 month low of $193.09 and a 12 month high of $362.42. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $303.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $289.85.

L3Harris Technologies Increases Dividend

Analyst Ratings Changes

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be given a dividend of $1.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 6th. This is an increase from L3Harris Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.20. This represents a $5.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. L3Harris Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.56%.

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on LHX. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating on shares of L3Harris Technologies in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an outperform rating on shares of L3Harris Technologies in a research note on Monday, January 12th. UBS Group raised their price objective on L3Harris Technologies to $323.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Truist Financial set a $364.00 price objective on L3Harris Technologies in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Vertical Research restated a buy rating and set a $355.00 target price on shares of L3Harris Technologies in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $315.73.

View Our Latest Research Report on L3Harris Technologies

Insider Activity

In other L3Harris Technologies news, CEO Christopher E. Kubasik sold 14,171 shares of L3Harris Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $301.05, for a total transaction of $4,266,179.55. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 144,426 shares in the company, valued at $43,479,447.30. The trade was a 8.94% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.72% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in shares of L3Harris Technologies by 233.9% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 4,284 shares of the companys stock valued at $901,000 after purchasing an additional 3,001 shares during the last quarter. Prosperity Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of L3Harris Technologies during the 3rd quarter valued at about $203,000. One Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of L3Harris Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $204,000. Nicolet Bankshares Inc. acquired a new stake in L3Harris Technologies in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $212,000. Finally, Wealth Watch Advisors INC bought a new position in shares of L3Harris Technologies in the third quarter valued at approximately $91,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.76% of the companys stock.

L3Harris Technologies Company Profile

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L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) is an American aerospace and defense company formed in 2019 through the combination of L3 Technologies and Harris Corporation. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company designs, manufactures and supports a broad range of technology solutions for government and commercial customers, with a particular emphasis on defense, intelligence and public safety applications.

The companys offerings span communications systems, avionics, electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors, space systems and mission integration.

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Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI  Get Free Report) announced its earnings results on Wednesday. The blue-jean maker reported $0.41 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.02, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.71 billion. Levi Strauss & Co. had a net margin of 9.48% and a return on equity of 27.92%.

Levi Strauss & Co. Trading Down 3.5%

Shares of LEVI traded down $0.74 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $20.51. 3,974,428 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,967,462. Levi Strauss & Co. has a twelve month low of $12.17 and a twelve month high of $24.82. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.52 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $21.47 and a 200-day simple moving average of $21.51. The stock has a market cap of $8.01 billion, a PE ratio of 13.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.33.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. UBS Group boosted their target price on Levi Strauss & Co. from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Raymond James Financial initiated coverage on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. They issued an outperform rating and a $26.00 price target for the company. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Levi Strauss & Co. from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 1st. Morgan Stanley upped 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. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reissued an outperform rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Levi Strauss & Co. in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Levi Strauss & Co. has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $26.46.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Levi Strauss & Co.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Oberweis Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. in the third quarter valued at $21,052,000. Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new stake in Levi Strauss & Co. in the third quarter valued at approximately $241,000. PDT Partners LLC raised its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 20.8% in the third quarter. PDT Partners LLC now owns 337,375 shares of the blue-jean makers stock valued at $7,861,000 after buying an additional 58,141 shares during the period. Prosperity Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Levi Strauss & Co. during the third quarter valued at approximately $442,000. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd boosted its holdings in Levi Strauss & Co. by 27.9% in the third quarter. Qube Research & Technologies Ltd now owns 1,909,810 shares of the blue-jean makers stock valued at $44,499,000 after purchasing an additional 416,555 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.14% of the companys stock.

Levi Strauss & Co. Company Profile

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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.

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Mastercard (NYSE:MA  Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Cantor Fitzgerald to a strong-buy rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Evercore ISI set a $610.00 target price on shares of Mastercard in a report on Friday, December 12th. Compass Point upgraded shares of Mastercard from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $620.00 to $735.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Macquarie increased their target price on Mastercard from $655.00 to $660.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, October 31st. TD Cowen reiterated a buy rating on shares of Mastercard in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Hsbc Global Res raised Mastercard from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 8th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Mastercard currently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $661.70.

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Mastercard Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MA opened at $521.54 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.40, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.12. The company has a market capitalization of $468.34 billion, a PE ratio of 33.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 0.86. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $554.46 and a 200-day moving average of $564.88. Mastercard has a one year low of $465.59 and a one year 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 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 business had revenue of $8.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.53 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.89 earnings per share. Mastercards revenue was up 16.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Mastercard will post 15.91 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mastercard

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in MA. Curio Wealth LLC boosted its stake in Mastercard by 22,400.0% during the 2nd quarter. Curio Wealth LLC now owns 225 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $126,000 after acquiring an additional 224 shares during the last quarter. Financiere des Professionnels Fonds d investissement inc. raised its holdings in Mastercard by 88.9% in the third quarter. Financiere des Professionnels Fonds d investissement inc. now owns 15,335 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $8,723,000 after purchasing an additional 7,215 shares during the period. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. grew its holdings in shares of Mastercard by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. now owns 309,192 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $175,872,000 after buying an additional 4,700 shares during the period. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. increased its position in shares of Mastercard by 3,694.7% in the 3rd quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 9,297 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $5,288,000 after buying an additional 9,052 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Mastercard by 1.2% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 78,475,807 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $44,098,695,000 after acquiring an additional 931,132 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.28% of the companys stock.

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Here are the key news stories impacting Mastercard this week:

Mastercard Company Profile

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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.

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JinkoSolar (NYSE:JKS  Get Free Report) and Meyer Burger Technology (OTCMKTS:MYBUF  Get Free Report) are both energy companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, earnings, valuation, dividends, profitability, risk and analyst recommendations.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares JinkoSolar and Meyer Burger Technologys gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio JinkoSolar $12.64 billion 0.11 $7.47 million ($9.15) -3.04 Meyer Burger Technology N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Profitability

JinkoSolar has higher revenue and earnings than Meyer Burger Technology.

This table compares JinkoSolar and Meyer Burger Technologys net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets JinkoSolar -4.98% -8.96% -2.19% Meyer Burger Technology N/A N/A N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for JinkoSolar and Meyer Burger Technology, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score JinkoSolar 2 3 0 1 2.00 Meyer Burger Technology 0 0 0 0 0.00

JinkoSolar currently has a consensus target price of $22.33, suggesting a potential downside of 19.80%. Given JinkoSolars stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe JinkoSolar is more favorable than Meyer Burger Technology.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

35.8% of JinkoSolar shares are owned by institutional investors. 19.8% of JinkoSolar shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

JinkoSolar beats Meyer Burger Technology on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About JinkoSolar

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JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, production, and marketing of photovoltaic products. The company offers solar modules, silicon wafers, solar cells, recovered silicon materials, and silicon ingots. It also provides solar system integration services; solar power generation and solar system EPC services; and energy storage system, as well as undertakes solar power projects. The company sells its products to distributors, project developers, system integrators, and manufacturers of solar power products under the JinkoSolar brand. As of December 31, 2023, it had an integrated annual capacity of 85 gigawatts (GW) for mono wafers; 90 GW for solar cells; and 110 GW for solar modules. It operates in China, the United States, Mexico, Australia, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Jordan, Vietnam, Egypt, Spain, Germany, and internationally. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Shangrao, the People's Republic of China.

About Meyer Burger Technology

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Meyer Burger Technology AG, a technology company, produces and sells solar cells and modules. The company operates through Modules, Photovoltaics, and Specialized Technologies segments. It offers the products based on proprietary Heterojunction/SmartWire technologies. In addition, the company provides balcony power plants and solar roof tiles. It operates in Switzerland, Germany, rest of Europe, Asia, the United States, and internationally. Meyer Burger Technology AG was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Thun, Switzerland.

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Mkango Resources Ltd. (LON:MKA  Get Free Report)s stock price was up 1.7% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as GBX 61 and last traded at GBX 60. Approximately 1,586,884 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 25% from the average daily volume of 1,267,771 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 59.

Mkango Resources Trading Up 1.7%

The firm has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 48.87 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 45.48. The firm has a market cap of 208.32 million, a PE ratio of -13.07 and a beta of 2.17.

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Mkango Resources Company Profile

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Mkangos corporate strategy is to develop new sustainable primary and secondary sources of neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium to supply accelerating demand from electric vehicles, wind turbines and other clean technologies. This integrated Mine, Refine, Recycle strategy differentiates Mkango from its peers, uniquely positioning the Company in the rare earths sector.

Mkango released a Feasibility Study for Songwe Hill, Malawi, in July 2022. Malawi is known as The Warm Heart of Africa, a stable democracy with existing road, rail and power infrastructure, and new infrastructure developments underway.

In parallel, Mkango recently announced that Mkango and Grupa Azoty PULAWY, Polands leading chemical company and the second largest manufacturer of nitrogen and compound fertilizers in the European Union, have agreed to work together towards development of a rare earth Separation Plant at Pulawy in Poland.

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MSCI Inc (NYSE:MSCI  Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock traded as high as $619.24 and last traded at $615.26, with a volume of 552538 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $581.75.

The technology company reported $4.66 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.62 by $0.04. MSCI had a net margin of 40.03% and a negative return on equity of 110.94%. The firm had revenue of $822.53 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $819.51 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.18 EPS. MSCIs quarterly revenue was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year.

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MSCI announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock buyback program on Tuesday, October 28th that authorizes the company to buyback $3.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the technology company to repurchase up to 7.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are typically an indication that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Here are the key news stories impacting MSCI this week:

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on MSCI shares. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on shares of MSCI from $588.00 to $611.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Seaport Research Partners raised MSCI to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 1st. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on MSCI from $570.00 to $590.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Raymond James Financial restated an outperform rating and set a $690.00 target price on shares of MSCI in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Barclays increased their price target on shares of MSCI from $650.00 to $660.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MSCI has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $650.13.

View Our Latest Analysis on MSCI

Insider Buying and Selling at MSCI

In other MSCI news, General Counsel Robert J. Gutowski sold 624 shares of MSCI stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $558.42, for a total transaction of $348,454.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel owned 15,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,904,006.90. The trade was a 3.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO Andrew C. Wiechmann sold 450 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $550.00, for a total transaction of $247,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 21,639 shares in the company, valued at $11,901,450. This trade represents a 2.04% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 3.31% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of MSCI

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of MSCI. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MSCI by 7.6% during the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 2,003 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,133,000 after purchasing an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP grew its holdings in MSCI by 39.0% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 6,585 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $3,724,000 after buying an additional 1,846 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in MSCI by 20.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,052 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $607,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the period. Perigon Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of MSCI by 14.6% during the 2nd quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLC now owns 675 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $389,000 after acquiring an additional 86 shares during the last quarter. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSCI by 16.9% during the 2nd quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 513 shares of the technology companys stock worth $296,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.97% of the companys stock.

MSCI Price Performance

The companys 50-day moving average is $570.24 and its 200-day moving average is $565.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $46.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.89, a PEG ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 1.30.

About MSCI

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MSCI Inc is a global provider of investment decision support tools and services for the financial industry. The company is best known for its family of market indexes, which are widely used as benchmarks by asset managers and as the basis for exchange-traded funds and other passive products. In addition to index construction and licensing, MSCI offers portfolio analytics, risk models, factor and performance attribution tools, and a suite of data and technology solutions designed to support portfolio management and trading.

Beyond traditional indexing and risk analytics, MSCI has expanded into environmental, social and governance (ESG) research and ratings, offering data, scores and screening tools that help investors integrate sustainability considerations into investment processes.

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Murata Manufacturing Inc. (OTCMKTS:MRAAY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 17,046 shares, a drop of 75.8% from the December 31st total of 70,414 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 801,776 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Based on an average trading volume of 801,776 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Murata Manufacturing Stock Performance

Shares of Murata Manufacturing stock traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $10.36. 203,878 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 344,922. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $10.38 and a 200-day moving average of $9.37. The company has a market cap of $37.88 billion, a PE ratio of 24.09 and a beta of 0.92. Murata Manufacturing has a 12 month low of $6.24 and a 12 month high of $11.25.

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Murata Manufacturing (OTCMKTS:MRAAY  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 31st. The company reported $0.15 EPS for the quarter. Murata Manufacturing had a return on equity of 9.16% and a net margin of 13.40%.The company had revenue of $3.30 billion during the quarter. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Murata Manufacturing will post 0.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About Murata Manufacturing

Murata Manufacturing Co, Ltd. is a Japan-based manufacturer of electronic components and modules, best known for its development and production of ceramic components. Founded in 1944 by Akira Murata and headquartered in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto Prefecture, the company has grown into a leading global supplier of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), ceramic resonators, and a broad range of passive and active electronic parts used across consumer, industrial and automotive electronics.

The companys product portfolio encompasses passive components (such as capacitors, inductors and filters), sensors and sensing modules, power modules, and RF/wireless communication modules.

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Antonello Pietrangeli (1st R, back), youth representative of the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, Liang Linlin (2nd R, back), director of communication and research at the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU, Nicole Rita Napoli (3rd R, back), director of operations at Young European Leadership, and Zhang Min (2nd L, back), overseas vice general manager of Unitree Robotics, attend a round-table session during an exchange event titled "Building the future together: China-Europe youth exchange and dialogue" in Brussels, Belgium, on Jan. 28, 2026. The exchange event was held here on Wednesday, focusing on technological innovation and youth entrepreneurship. (Xinhua/Lyu You)

BRUSSELS, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- An exchange event titled "Building the future together: China-Europe youth exchange and dialogue" was held here on Wednesday, focusing on technological innovation and youth entrepreneurship.

The event brought together approximately 60 representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, diplomatic missions to the EU, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and multinational corporations.

Antonello Pietrangeli, youth representative of the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI), noted that European and Chinese universities have established close partnerships in education and training, with annual student exchange programs fostering the sharing of knowledge, skills, and best practices. He added that for the long term, both sides should learn from each other to jointly create hubs for scientific research and innovation.

Nicole Rita Napoli, director of operations at Young European Leadership, said that China and Europe each have their own strengths in technological innovation and governance. While China has seen rapid progress in technical iteration and industrial application, the EU has been a pioneer in exploring regulatory frameworks for fields like Artificial Intelligence, influencing global governance discussions. She called for further cooperation through mutual learning and complementary advantages.

Liang Linlin, director of communication and research at the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU, said that as China continues to expand its unilateral visa-free policy for European countries, there is vast potential for exchange in youth talent and emerging technologies. She suggested that more convenient personnel exchanges and platforms could facilitate the efficient matching of youth and innovation resources.

She noted that many Chinese companies are eager to cooperate with European talent and hope European partners will recognize the growing ease of doing business and collaborating in China.

Zhang Min, overseas vice general manager of Unitree Robotics, described the EU as a "highly influential and potential-rich" market for high-tech enterprises. He noted that European demand for humanoid robots in manufacturing, services, and household tasks is driving Chinese companies to iterate products based on specific European user scenarios. Unitree Robotics aims to deepen cooperation with various sectors in Europe through closer market integration and grassroots exchanges.

During the open discussion, participants agreed that the rapid development of high-tech industries will drive high-end manufacturing and new consumption models, providing broader space for China-Europe youth innovation. They emphasized that bilateral cooperation requires synergy in policy guidance, financial support, market access, and human resource exchange to effectively connect ecological industrial chains based on mutual benefit.

The event was co-organized by the China Intercontinental Communication Center (CICC) and Euronews, aiming to build a dialogue platform for Chinese and European youth to promote mutual learning and win-win cooperation. 
Mutual of America Capital Management LLC reduced its holdings in Burlington Stores, Inc. (NYSE:BURL  Free Report) by 8.1% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 28,778 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,547 shares during the period. Mutual of America Capital Management LLCs holdings in Burlington Stores were worth $7,324,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in Burlington Stores by 6.7% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 945,554 shares of the companys stock worth $240,643,000 after acquiring an additional 59,587 shares in the last quarter. Oak Thistle LLC bought a new stake in Burlington Stores in the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,932,000. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC acquired a new position in Burlington Stores during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,033,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Burlington Stores by 1.4% in the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 405,256 shares of the companys stock worth $94,279,000 after acquiring an additional 5,559 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC grew its stake in Burlington Stores by 23.5% in the second quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 5,660 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,317,000 after acquiring an additional 1,077 shares during the period.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on BURL. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Burlington Stores from $330.00 to $310.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a buy rating and set a $330.00 target price on shares of Burlington Stores in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Burlington Stores from $330.00 to $315.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 27th. Evercore ISI cut their price target on Burlington Stores from $370.00 to $335.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on Burlington Stores in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. They issued a hold rating and a $318.00 price objective for the company. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $335.94.

Burlington Stores Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BURL opened at $289.82 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $18.24 billion, a PE ratio of 33.31, a PEG ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.74. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 1.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $283.27 and its 200-day moving average price is $277.16. Burlington Stores, Inc. has a twelve month low of $212.92 and a twelve month high of $315.14.

Burlington Stores (NYSE:BURL  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 25th. The company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.09. Burlington Stores had a return on equity of 41.02% and a net margin of 5.01%.The company had revenue of $2.71 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.74 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.55 earnings per share. Burlington Storess revenue was up 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. Burlington Stores has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 4.500-4.70 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 9.690-9.890 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Burlington Stores, Inc. will post 7.93 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Burlington Stores

In related news, CMO Jennifer Vecchio sold 419 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.48, for a total value of $115,007.12. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer directly owned 63,751 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,498,374.48. The trade was a 0.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 1.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Burlington Stores

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Burlington Stores, Inc is an American off-price retailer that sells apparel and home goods at discounted prices. The companys merchandise assortment includes clothing for women, men and children, plus baby products, footwear, accessories, beauty items, toys and home decor. Burlingtons merchandising strategy focuses on offering branded and private-label goods at lower prices than traditional department stores by sourcing excess inventory, closeouts and opportunistic buys from manufacturers and other retailers.

The business traces its roots to the Burlington Coat Factory name established in the early 1970s and has since evolved into a broader off-price retailer that carries a wide range of seasonal and everyday merchandise.

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Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:PKG  Get Free Report) updated its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 2.200-2.20 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 2.340. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Analyst Ratings Changes

PKG has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised Packaging Corporation of America from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, January 3rd. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b-) rating on shares of Packaging Corporation of America in a report on Monday, December 29th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Packaging Corporation of America from $263.00 to $273.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Packaging Corporation of America from $230.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Citigroup lowered their price target on shares of Packaging Corporation of America from $229.00 to $226.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $236.17.

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Packaging Corporation of America Trading Up 0.7%

NYSE PKG traded up $1.45 on Tuesday, reaching $223.28. The company had a trading volume of 1,804,413 shares, compared to its average volume of 751,331. Packaging Corporation of America has a 52 week low of $172.71 and a 52 week high of $239.66. The stocks 50 day moving average is $207.28 and its 200-day moving average is $206.54. The company has a quick ratio of 2.00, a current ratio of 3.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. The stock has a market cap of $20.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.58, a PEG ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.88.

Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE:PKG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The industrial products company reported $2.32 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.41 by ($0.09). Packaging Corporation of America had a return on equity of 19.72% and a net margin of 10.18%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.47 EPS. Packaging Corporation of Americas revenue for the quarter was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Packaging Corporation of America has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 2.200-2.20 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Packaging Corporation of America will post 10.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Packaging Corporation of America Announces Dividend

The company 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. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 15th. Packaging Corporation of Americas dividend payout ratio is currently 50.56%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Packaging Corporation of America by 40.4% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 198 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new stake in Packaging Corporation of America during the third quarter worth approximately $61,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its stake in shares of Packaging Corporation of America by 61.5% during the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 893 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $195,000 after purchasing an additional 340 shares during the period. Certuity LLC bought a new position in Packaging Corporation of America during the 3rd quarter worth $201,000. Finally, Safeguard Investment Advisory Group LLC bought a new position in Packaging Corporation of America during the third quarter worth about $218,000. 89.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Packaging Corporation of America Company Profile

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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.

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Principle Wealth Partners LLC lowered its position in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF (NYSEARCA:XMHQ  Free Report) by 7.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 62,476 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,348 shares during the period. Principle Wealth Partners LLC owned approximately 0.12% of Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF worth $6,558,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Creative Planning raised its position in Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF by 8.8% in the 2nd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 19,517 shares of the companys stock worth $1,917,000 after buying an additional 1,571 shares during the last quarter. American National Bank of Texas purchased a new stake in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at about $3,788,000. Flow Traders U.S. LLC grew its stake in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF by 138.6% in the second quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 16,782 shares of the companys stock worth $1,649,000 after acquiring an additional 9,748 shares during the period. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF by 7.0% during the second quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 316,369 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,080,000 after purchasing an additional 20,756 shares during the last quarter. Finally, EWG Elevate Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $3,941,000.

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Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF Trading Down 0.2%

Shares of XMHQ stock opened at $108.63 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.29 and a beta of 1.04. Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF has a 12-month low of $80.60 and a 12-month high of $109.79. The firms 50 day moving average is $104.52 and its 200 day moving average is $103.80.

About Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF

The Invesco S&P MidCap Quality ETF (XMHQ) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P MidCap 400 Quality index. The fund tracks the S&P mid-cap 400 Quality Index, which screens stocks based on fundamental factors and weights them using a multi-factor approach. XMHQ was launched on Dec 1, 2006 and is managed by Invesco.

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PT Bank Mandiri Persero TBK (OTCMKTS:PPERY  Get Free Report) shares fell 6.2% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $10.83 and last traded at $10.85. 20,096 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 80% from the average session volume of 98,679 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.57.

PT Bank Mandiri Persero TBK Trading Down 7.0%

The firms 50-day moving average price is $11.86 and its 200 day moving average price is $11.34.

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About PT Bank Mandiri Persero TBK

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PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk is one of Indonesias largest banking groups, providing a full range of commercial banking services to corporate, commercial, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and retail customers. The bank was established in 1998 through a government-led consolidation of four state-owned banks as part of efforts to strengthen the financial system during the Asian financial crisis. Since then it has grown into a diversified financial services franchise offering deposit taking, lending, trade finance, payment and cash management, treasury, and wealth-management services.

Bank Mandiris product suite spans traditional retail and corporate banking products  including savings and time deposits, consumer and mortgage loans, working capital and project financing  alongside specialized services such as trade and export-import finance, foreign exchange and treasury solutions, card products, and digital banking channels.

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RAM Investment Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Roblox Corporation (NYSE:RBLX  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 62,482 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,655,000. Roblox makes up about 1.6% of RAM Investment Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest position.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of RBLX. Pilgrim Partners Asia Pte Ltd acquired a new stake in Roblox in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Total Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Roblox in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. ORG Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Roblox in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Roblox during the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. bought a new position in Roblox during the third quarter worth $37,000. 94.46% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Activity

In other Roblox news, CFO Naveen K. Chopra sold 19,424 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $95.23, for a total value of $1,849,747.52. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 337,036 shares of the companys stock, valued at $32,095,938.28. This trade represents a 5.45% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Matthew D. Kaufman sold 20,867 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.10, for a total value of $2,005,318.70. Following the sale, the insider owned 239,775 shares in the company, valued at $23,042,377.50. The trade was a 8.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 504,300 shares of company stock worth $46,290,436. Company insiders own 12.92% of the companys stock.

Roblox Stock Performance

Shares of RBLX stock opened at $72.18 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.54. The company has a market cap of $47.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -50.48 and a beta of 1.64. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $85.21 and a 200-day moving average of $110.64. Roblox Corporation has a 52 week low of $50.10 and a 52 week high of $150.59.

Roblox (NYSE:RBLX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported ($0.37) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.44) by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $1.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.64 billion. Roblox had a negative return on equity of 314.20% and a negative net margin of 21.70%.The companys quarterly revenue was up 70.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted ($0.37) earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Roblox Corporation will post -1.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

RBLX has been the subject of a number of research reports. Jefferies Financial Group set a $85.00 target price on shares of Roblox in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Canaccord Genuity Group set a $160.00 target price on Roblox in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. UBS Group set a $155.00 price objective on shares of Roblox in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th. Wall Street Zen raised Roblox from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, October 18th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $165.00 price target (up from $155.00) on shares of Roblox in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Roblox has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $133.77.

Read Our Latest Analysis on RBLX

Roblox Company Profile

(Free Report)

Roblox Corporation operates Roblox, a user-generated online platform that enables people to create, share and monetize immersive 3D experiences and games. The core offering centers on Roblox Studio, a development environment that allows independent creators and studios to design interactive worlds using the companys building tools and scripting language. Content on the platform spans games, virtual hangouts, branded experiences and live events, all delivered through a persistent social environment.

Robloxs business model is built around its virtual economy and creator ecosystem.

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Renasant (NYSE:RNST  Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.80 by $0.11, FiscalAI reports. Renasant had a return on equity of 6.99% and a net margin of 11.26%.

Renasant Trading Down 0.2%

Shares of NYSE:RNST opened at $37.20 on Wednesday. The companys 50 day moving average is $36.18. The company has a market cap of $3.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.97. Renasant has a 12-month low of $26.97 and a 12-month high of $40.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings assumed coverage on shares of Renasant in a research note on Friday, October 31st. They issued a hold (c+) rating for the company. Hovde Group raised Renasant from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Renasant currently has a consensus rating of Buy.

About Renasant

(Get Free Report)

Renasant Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Renasant Bank that provides a range of financial, wealth management, fiduciary, and insurance services to retail and commercial customers. It operates through three segments: Community Banks, Insurance, and Wealth Management. The Community Banks segment offers checking and savings accounts, business and personal loans, asset-based lending, and equipment leasing services, as well as safe deposit and night depository facilities. It also provides commercial, financial, and agricultural loans; equipment financing and leasing; real estate1-4 family mortgage; real estatecommercial mortgage; real estateconstruction loans for the construction of single family residential properties, multi-family properties, and commercial projects; installment loans to individuals; and interim construction loans, as well as automated teller machine (ATM), online and mobile banking, call center, and treasury management services.

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Schneider National (NYSE:SNDR  Get Free Report) is anticipated to issue its Q4 2025 results after the market closes on Thursday, January 29th. Analysts expect Schneider National to post earnings of $0.21 per share and revenue of $1.4482 billion for the quarter. Schneider National has set its FY 2025 guidance at 0.700-0.950 EPS. Investors are encouraged to explore the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning overview page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 4:30 PM ET.

Schneider National (NYSE:SNDR  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $0.12 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.44 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.18 EPS. Schneider Nationals revenue for the quarter was up 10.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect Schneider National to post $1 EPS for the current fiscal year and $2 EPS for the next fiscal year.

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Schneider National Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:SNDR opened at $29.55 on Wednesday. Schneider National has a 12-month low of $20.11 and a 12-month high of $30.84. The companys 50 day moving average price is $26.63 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.60. The firm has a market cap of $5.18 billion, a PE ratio of 46.17, a PEG ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a quick ratio of 1.93, a current ratio of 2.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

Institutional Trading of Schneider National

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in shares of Schneider National by 19.1% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 162,011 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,702,000 after acquiring an additional 26,015 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC purchased a new position in Schneider National during the 1st quarter valued at $7,477,000. Empowered Funds LLC raised its holdings in Schneider National by 12.0% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 13,944 shares of the companys stock worth $319,000 after purchasing an additional 1,494 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its holdings in Schneider National by 18.0% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 178,433 shares of the companys stock worth $4,077,000 after purchasing an additional 27,180 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Schneider National by 120.5% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 90,616 shares of the companys stock worth $2,071,000 after purchasing an additional 49,511 shares during the period. 28.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Zacks Research cut Schneider National from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Monday, October 13th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Schneider National from $23.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Schneider National from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $32.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a hold (c) rating on shares of Schneider National in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, TD Cowen cut their target price on Schneider National from $25.00 to $23.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Schneider National presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $28.80.

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About Schneider National

(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.

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Fortis (NYSE:FTS  Free Report)  Analysts at Scotiabank boosted their FY2025 earnings estimates for shares of Fortis in a research report issued on Friday, January 23rd. Scotiabank analyst R. Hope now anticipates that the utilities provider will post earnings per share of $2.52 for the year, up from their prior estimate of $2.50. Scotiabank has a Sector Perform rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Fortis current full-year earnings is $2.35 per share. Scotiabank also issued estimates for Fortis FY2026 earnings at $2.62 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $2.77 EPS.

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Fortis (NYSE:FTS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The utilities provider reported $0.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.61 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $2.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.22 billion. Fortis had a net margin of 14.18% and a return on equity of 7.05%.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on FTS. Weiss Ratings reissued a buy (b) rating on shares of Fortis in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. National Bankshares reaffirmed a sector perform rating on shares of Fortis in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. CIBC reissued an outperform rating on shares of Fortis in a research note on Tuesday, October 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated a market perform rating on shares of Fortis in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $72.00.

Read Our Latest Research Report on FTS

Fortis Trading Up 1.6%

Shares of Fortis stock opened at $53.69 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32. Fortis has a twelve month low of $41.24 and a twelve month high of $53.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.24 billion, a PE ratio of 22.37, a P/E/G ratio of 4.80 and a beta of 0.50. The firms 50-day moving average price is $51.73 and its 200 day moving average price is $50.67.

Fortis Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 17th will be given a dividend of $0.64 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 17th. This represents a $2.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.8%. Fortiss payout ratio is presently 75.83%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fortis

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Fortis by 2.5% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 23,593,840 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $1,196,727,000 after buying an additional 568,326 shares during the period. TD Asset Management Inc boosted its stake in Fortis by 0.4% during the third quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 13,531,955 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $686,518,000 after acquiring an additional 57,447 shares in the last quarter. Scotia Capital Inc. grew its holdings in Fortis by 3.7% in the third quarter. Scotia Capital Inc. now owns 9,163,354 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $461,748,000 after purchasing an additional 326,212 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc grew its holdings in Fortis by 5.9% in the second quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 6,224,022 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $296,614,000 after purchasing an additional 345,633 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new stake in Fortis in the second quarter valued at $291,400,000. 57.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Fortis

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Fortis Inc is a Canadian diversified electric and gas utility holding company headquartered in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador. Through a portfolio of regulated utility subsidiaries, the company develops, owns and operates electricity and natural gas transmission, distribution and generation assets. Fortis serves customers across multiple jurisdictions in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean, focusing on the delivery of safe, reliable energy to residential, commercial and industrial users.

The companys core activities include operation and maintenance of transmission and distribution networks, ownership of generation facilities, and investment in grid modernization and system resilience.

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Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX  Get Free Report) declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, January 27th, RTT News reports. The company plans to repurchase $10.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the medical instruments supplier to buy up to 0% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually an indication that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c-) rating on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $190.00 to $207.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $215.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Wall Street Zen lowered Becton, Dickinson and Company from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, November 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $197.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $207.64.

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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on BDX

Becton, Dickinson and Company Trading Down 0.0%

Shares of NYSE BDX traded down $0.01 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $203.41. 1,884,824 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,491,532. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 12-month low of $162.29 and a 12-month high of $251.99. The firm has a market cap of $57.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 0.23. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $197.87 and a 200 day moving average price of $190.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a current ratio of 1.11.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.96 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.92 by $0.04. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a return on equity of 16.42% and a net margin of 7.68%.The company had revenue of $5.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.91 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.81 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. Becton, Dickinson and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 14.750-15.050 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 14.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 8th were given a $1.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 8th. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.1%. This is an increase from Becton, Dickinson and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.04. Becton, Dickinson and Companys payout ratio is presently 72.04%.

Insider Activity at Becton, Dickinson and Company

In related news, EVP Michael David Garrison sold 1,610 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $207.46, for a total transaction of $334,010.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 12,095 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,509,228.70. This trade represents a 11.75% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Bertram L. Scott sold 217 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $176.58, for a total value of $38,317.86. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 35,816 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,324,389.28. This represents a 0.60% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 2,605 shares of company stock worth $524,643 in the last 90 days. 0.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Company Profile

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Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is a global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells a broad range of medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. BDs products are used by healthcare institutions, clinical laboratories, life science researchers and the pharmaceutical industry to enable safe, effective delivery of care, specimen collection and diagnostic testing. The companys operations span multiple business areas focused on medical devices, life sciences research tools and interventional technologies.

BDs product portfolio includes single-use medical devices such as syringes, needles, needlesafety and injection systems, infusion therapy and medication management solutions, as well as vascular access, urology and oncology devices acquired through its interventional business.

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Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW  Get Free Report) is projected to issue its Q4 2025 results before the market opens on Thursday, January 29th. Analysts expect Sherwin-Williams to post earnings of $2.17 per share and revenue of $5.5661 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 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET.

Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The specialty chemicals company reported $3.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.44 by $0.15. Sherwin-Williams had a return on equity of 66.75% and a net margin of 11.05%.The business had revenue of $6.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.21 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.37 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect Sherwin-Williams to post $12 EPS for the current fiscal year and $13 EPS for the next fiscal year.

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Sherwin-Williams Price Performance

Sherwin-Williams stock opened at $346.43 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $85.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.04 and a beta of 1.26. Sherwin-Williams has a one year low of $308.84 and a one year high of $379.65. The business has a fifty day moving average of $336.86 and a two-hundred day moving average of $343.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11, a quick ratio of 0.52 and a current ratio of 0.82.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on SHW. Vertical Research upgraded shares of Sherwin-Williams from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $371.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Bank of America dropped their price objective on Sherwin-Williams from $375.00 to $368.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c+) rating on shares of Sherwin-Williams in a report on Monday, December 29th. Wells Fargo & Company set a $410.00 price objective on shares of Sherwin-Williams and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $378.00 to $385.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Sherwin-Williams has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $385.94.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Sherwin-Williams

Institutional Trading of Sherwin-Williams

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sherwin-Williams in the 3rd quarter valued at $45,000. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in Sherwin-Williams during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $60,000. Johnson Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in Sherwin-Williams by 437.1% during the 3rd quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 188 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new position in shares of Sherwin-Williams in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $235,000. Finally, Shay Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Sherwin-Williams during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $260,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.67% of the companys stock.

Sherwin-Williams Company Profile

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Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) is a global manufacturer and distributor of paints, coatings and related products. Founded in 1866 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the company supplies a broad range of coatings for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Its product offering includes architectural paints and stains, industrial and protective coatings, automotive finishes, and a variety of sundry products such as primers, sealants and specialty treatments used by professionals and consumers.

The company sells through multiple channels, including a large network of company-operated retail paint stores that serve professional contractors and do-it-yourself consumers, as well as through distributors and mass retailers.

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Nazrin Abdul



Twenty-five road projects outlined in the State Program on Improving Transport Infrastructure in Baku City and Surrounding Areas for 20252030 are related to the construction of road infrastructure.

As reported by Azernews, Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rahman Hummatov made the remarks today during a roundtable discussion dedicated to the implementation of the State Program for 2025.

He noted that construction is currently underway on four of the projects, including the BilgahNovkhaniVAZ CircleKhirdalanM-4 road, the Academic Hasan Aliyev StreetKoroghlu metro station connection, the Khagani RustamovAgha Nematulla road, and the VAZ CircleM-4 Shamakhi highway.

Hummatov added that construction is expected to begin this year on four additional roads: the Mohammad KhiyabaniCircular Road-1 section, the M-4Khirdalan (city center) tunnel, the Khirdalan Circle, and the Abdulvahab SalamzadehZiya Bunyadov road.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that an additional "armada" of U.S. military vessels is sailing towards Iran, expressing hope that Iran will agree to a deal.

"There's another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now, so we'll see," Trump said at a rally in the midwestern U.S. state of Iowa.

"I hope they make a deal," Trump added, "They should have made a deal the first time they'd have a country."

One day earlier, the U.S. Central Command said the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group was deployed to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran.

Last week, USS George H.W. Bush departed Virginia for Europe, amid speculation that the supercarrier could be deployed to the Mediterranean and transit the Suez Canal if tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to rise, Forbes reported.

The Pentagon also ordered U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles that were forward-deployed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in Britain to American air bases in Jordan, Forbes added.

On Monday, the U.S. Air Forces Central said in a statement that "Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) will be conducting a multi-day readiness exercise to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility."

The exercise will allow the U.S. military "to validate procedures for rapid movement of personnel and aircraft; dispersed operations at contingency locations; logistics sustainment with a minimal footprint; and integrated, multi-national command and control over a large area of operations," said the statement.

Cameron Chell, a leading military drone expert, told Fox News on Sunday that Iran's drone swarms would pose a credible and serious threat to U.S. naval assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group.

So far, there is no indication that the White House has made any decision on Iran.

Trump has repeatedly said he is considering several options, including striking Iran, but also noted that Tehran "wants to talk," suggesting that Washington may enter into discussions with Tehran, CNN reported. 
Bank of the Philippine Islands (OTCMKTS:BPHLY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 1 shares, a drop of 99.8% from the December 31st total of 541 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,903 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 1,903 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Bank of the Philippine Islands Stock Performance

OTCMKTS:BPHLY traded down C$1.58 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting C$39.12. The companys stock had a trading volume of 305 shares, compared to its average volume of 839. Bank of the Philippine Islands has a 52-week low of C$32.90 and a 52-week high of C$52.02. The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$40.20 and a 200-day moving average of C$39.48.

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Bank of the Philippine Islands Company Profile

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Bank of the Philippine Islands (OTCMKTS:BPHLY) is one of the Philippines oldest and largest universal banks, offering an integrated suite of financial solutions to retail, corporate and institutional clients. Headquartered in Makati City, the bank provides traditional banking services alongside digital channels, serving millions of Filipinos through its expansive branch and ATM network as well as online platforms.

Founded in 1851 as El Banco Espanol Filipino de Isabel II, BPI holds the distinction of being the first bank established in the Philippines.

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Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCMKTS:ENZN  Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 64 shares, a drop of 94.9% from the December 31st total of 1,266 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 41,603 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Currently, 0.0% of the companys stock are sold short. Currently, 0.0% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 41,603 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Enzon Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of ENZN stock traded down $0.00 on Wednesday, hitting $0.07. The stock had a trading volume of 5,000 shares, compared to its average volume of 82,679. The stocks 50 day moving average is $0.04 and its 200-day moving average is $0.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.99 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.34 and a beta of 0.02. Enzon Pharmaceuticals has a 52-week low of $0.03 and a 52-week high of $0.18.

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Enzon Pharmaceuticals (OTCMKTS:ENZN  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 12th. The biotechnology company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter.

About Enzon Pharmaceuticals

Enzon Pharmaceuticals, Inc, headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, is a specialized biopharmaceutical company best known for pioneering polyethylene glycol (PEG) technology to enhance the pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic proteins. Founded in 1981, Enzon has leveraged its PEGylation platform to develop an array of oncology and hematology products with improved half-life and reduced immunogenicity.

The companys flagship product, Oncaspar (pegaspargase), was originally approved for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in pediatric and adult patients, highlighting Enzons commitment to oncology.

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Iluka Resources Limited (OTCMKTS:ILKAY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 691 shares, a growth of 245.5% from the December 31st total of 200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 5,074 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days. Based on an average daily volume of 5,074 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days.

Iluka Resources Trading Down 7.1%

Iluka Resources stock traded down $1.66 on Wednesday, hitting $21.74. The companys stock had a trading volume of 484 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,585. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $20.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $20.99. Iluka Resources has a one year low of $9.08 and a one year high of $35.77.

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Iluka Resources Company Profile

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Iluka Resources is a leading global mineral sands company with operations spanning Australia, Sierra Leone and the United States. The company specializes in the exploration, mining and processing of zircon and titanium dioxide feedstocks, including ilmenite, rutile and synthetic rutile. Ilukas products serve a broad range of end markets, notably ceramics, refractory, pigment and chemical applications, as well as emerging technology sectors requiring specialty minerals.

Headquartered in Perth, Western Australia, Iluka Resources operates a vertically integrated business model encompassing mine development, mineral separation and marketing to industrial customers worldwide.

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Jeronimo Martins SGPS SA (OTCMKTS:JRONY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 15,615 shares, a growth of 299.6% from the December 31st total of 3,908 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 39,922 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 39,922 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Kepler Capital Markets raised shares of Jeronimo Martins SGPS from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Jeronimo Martins SGPS

Jeronimo Martins SGPS Price Performance

OTCMKTS JRONY traded up $0.73 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $48.80. The stock had a trading volume of 112 shares, compared to its average volume of 23,294. Jeronimo Martins SGPS has a 52-week low of $39.01 and a 52-week high of $54.50. The company has a market cap of $15.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.59, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $47.87 and a 200 day simple moving average of $48.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13.

Jeronimo Martins SGPS (OTCMKTS:JRONY  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The company reported $0.79 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.77 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $10.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.61 billion. Jeronimo Martins SGPS had a return on equity of 21.15% and a net margin of 1.83%. Equities analysts forecast that Jeronimo Martins SGPS will post 2.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Jeronimo Martins SGPS

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Jeronimo Martins SGPS is a Portugal-based corporate group engaged primarily in food distribution and retail. Through its flagship Pingo Doce banner in Portugal, the company operates a network of full-service supermarkets and convenience outlets offering fresh produce, grocery items, and private-label products. In addition, its cash-and-carry arm, Recheio, supplies wholesale and hospitality professionals with a broad range of food and non-food goods.

Beyond its home market, Jeronimo Martins has established a significant presence in Poland under the discount supermarket brand Biedronka.

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Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Skeena Resources (NYSE:SKE  Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Sunday.

A number of other research firms also recently commented on SKE. Scotiabank reaffirmed an outperform rating on shares of Skeena Resources in a report on Thursday, October 23rd. Desjardins upgraded shares of Skeena Resources to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a strong-buy rating on shares of Skeena Resources in a report on Friday, October 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d-) rating on shares of Skeena Resources in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Skeena Resources presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy.

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Skeena Resources Stock Performance

NYSE:SKE opened at $33.39 on Friday. The firms 50-day moving average is $24.23 and its 200-day moving average is $19.45. Skeena Resources has a 52-week low of $8.53 and a 52-week high of $33.76. The company has a market cap of $4.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -45.74 and a beta of 1.22.

Skeena Resources (NYSE:SKE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 13th. The company reported ($0.09) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.06) by ($0.03). Equities analysts predict that Skeena Resources will post -0.98 EPS for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Skeena Resources

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Helikon Investments Ltd raised its position in shares of Skeena Resources by 20.3% in the third quarter. Helikon Investments Ltd now owns 16,871,819 shares of the companys stock valued at $310,948,000 after purchasing an additional 2,841,708 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Skeena Resources by 1,834.0% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,260,442 shares of the companys stock valued at $23,212,000 after acquiring an additional 1,195,270 shares during the period. Amundi grew its stake in Skeena Resources by 43.4% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 2,258,524 shares of the companys stock worth $35,640,000 after buying an additional 683,524 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its position in shares of Skeena Resources by 16.5% during the 3rd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 4,741,607 shares of the companys stock worth $87,404,000 after acquiring an additional 670,200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Skeena Resources by 114.9% in the 3rd quarter. Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd. now owns 1,227,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $22,630,000 after purchasing an additional 656,471 shares in the last quarter. 45.15% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Skeena Resources Company Profile

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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.

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Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV  Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The airline reported $0.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.02, FiscalAI reports. Southwest Airlines had a net margin of 1.38% and a return on equity of 6.39%. The firm had revenue of $7.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.51 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.56 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Southwest Airlines updated its FY 2026 guidance to 4.000- EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance to 0.450- EPS.

Southwest Airlines Price Performance

LUV stock opened at $40.94 on Thursday. Southwest Airlines has a 12-month low of $23.82 and a 12-month high of $45.02. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 62.98, a PEG ratio of 0.37 and a beta of 1.16. The firms 50-day moving average price is $40.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $35.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.

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Southwest Airlines Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 16th. Investors of record on Friday, December 26th were issued a dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 26th. Southwest Airliness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 110.77%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines by 100.6% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 39,347 shares of the airlines stock worth $1,303,000 after purchasing an additional 19,729 shares in the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its stake in Southwest Airlines by 5.4% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 61,060 shares of the airlines stock valued at $2,050,000 after buying an additional 3,141 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its position in Southwest Airlines by 7.6% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 7,459 shares of the airlines stock valued at $250,000 after acquiring an additional 527 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Southwest Airlines by 73.4% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,690 shares of the airlines stock worth $185,000 after acquiring an additional 2,408 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP increased its stake in Southwest Airlines by 47.4% in the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 307,602 shares of the airlines stock worth $9,979,000 after purchasing an additional 98,986 shares during the period. 80.82% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Several brokerages have issued reports on LUV. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Southwest Airlines from an underweight rating to an overweight rating and increased their target price for the company from $36.00 to $60.00 in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Seaport Research Partners upped their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines from $46.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday. Bank of America increased their price objective on Southwest Airlines from $28.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price target on Southwest Airlines from $43.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Southwest Airlines currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $42.37.

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Southwest Airlines News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Southwest Airlines this week:

About Southwest Airlines

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Southwest Airlines Co is a U.S.-based low-cost carrier that operates a point-to-point domestic and near-international airline network. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company primarily flies Boeing 737 aircraft and offers no-frills, single-class service designed to keep fares competitive. Southwests operating model emphasizes high aircraft utilization, quick turnaround times and an open seating policy, allowing customers to board and select seats on a first-come, first-served basis.

Founded in 1967 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King as Air Southwest Company, Southwest began commercial service in 1971, initially connecting Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

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Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of TD SYNNEX (NYSE:SNX  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Sunday morning.

Several other analysts have also weighed in on the company. UBS Group upped their price objective on TD SYNNEX from $187.00 to $193.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of TD SYNNEX from $177.00 to $172.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Zacks Research downgraded TD SYNNEX from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Barrington Research reiterated an outperform rating and set a $182.00 price objective on shares of TD SYNNEX in a report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on shares of TD SYNNEX from $164.00 to $163.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, TD SYNNEX has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $170.64.

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TD SYNNEX Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:SNX opened at $158.39 on Friday. TD SYNNEX has a 52 week low of $92.23 and a 52 week high of $167.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.89, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.37. The firms 50 day moving average is $151.98 and its two-hundred day moving average is $151.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.21, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43.

TD SYNNEX (NYSE:SNX  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 8th. The business services provider reported $3.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.68 by $0.15. TD SYNNEX had a return on equity of 12.60% and a net margin of 1.32%.The firm had revenue of $17.38 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.46 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $3.09 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. TD SYNNEX has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 3.000-3.500 EPS. Analysts anticipate that TD SYNNEX will post 11.88 earnings per share for the current year.

TD SYNNEX Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 30th. Investors of record on Friday, January 16th will be issued a $0.48 dividend. This is an increase from TD SYNNEXs previous quarterly dividend of $0.44. This represents a $1.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 16th. TD SYNNEXs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 19.26%.

Insider Transactions at TD SYNNEX

In other TD SYNNEX news, insider Miriam Anne Murphy sold 1,673 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.49, for a total value of $261,807.77. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 16,529 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,586,623.21. This represents a 9.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Richard T. Hume sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $153.77, for a total transaction of $768,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 47,515 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,306,381.55. This represents a 9.52% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 17,177 shares of company stock worth $2,638,371 in the last three months. Insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On TD SYNNEX

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of SNX. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in shares of TD SYNNEX by 9.5% in the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 16,820 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,749,000 after purchasing an additional 1,460 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of TD SYNNEX by 5.8% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 179,210 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $18,631,000 after buying an additional 9,815 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC grew its position in shares of TD SYNNEX by 6.6% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 204,172 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $21,226,000 after acquiring an additional 12,615 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its position in TD SYNNEX by 4.7% during the second quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 2,880 shares of the business services providers stock worth $391,000 after buying an additional 129 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its holdings in shares of TD SYNNEX by 4.8% during the 2nd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 26,176 shares of the business services providers stock worth $3,552,000 after acquiring an additional 1,198 shares during the last quarter. 84.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About TD SYNNEX

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TD SYNNEX (NYSE: SNX) is a leading global distributor and solutions aggregator for the information technology industry. Formed in September 2021 through the merger of Tech Data and SYNNEX Corporation, the company provides a comprehensive range of products, services and solutions that span hardware, software, cloud, mobility, security and data center technologies. TD SYNNEX partners with vendors, resellers and system integrators to design, deploy and support IT infrastructures across diverse market segments, including commercial enterprises, public sector organizations and retail operations.

The companys core business activities include the distribution of technology products from manufacturers such as servers, storage, networking equipment and peripherals, as well as the resale and provisioning of software licenses and cloud-based solutions.

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Tele2 (OTCMKTS:TLTZY  Get Free Report) saw an uptick in trading volume on Wednesday . 14,596 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 1,018% from the previous sessions volume of 1,305 shares.The stock last traded at $9.21 and had previously closed at $9.1075.

Analyst Ratings Changes

TLTZY has been the subject of several research reports. BNP Paribas Exane upgraded shares of Tele2 from a hold rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, October 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating on shares of Tele2 in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, New Street Research raised shares of Tele2 to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Two 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 data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Buy.

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Tele2 Trading Up 1.1%

The stock has a market capitalization of $12.61 billion, a PE ratio of 29.71 and a beta of 0.44. The businesss 50-day moving average is $8.15 and its two-hundred day moving average is $8.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.68.

Tele2 (OTCMKTS:TLTZY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The company reported $0.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.10 by ($0.01). Tele2 had a return on equity of 20.33% and a net margin of 14.75%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Tele2 will post 0.28 earnings per share for the current year.

About Tele2

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Tele2 AB is a European telecommunications company headquartered in Kista, Sweden. Since its founding in 1993, the firm has developed into a full-service provider of voice, data and multimedia solutions for both consumer and business markets. Its core offerings include mobile telephony, fixed and mobile broadband, voice over IP, digital television services and data network solutions, alongside emerging Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine connectivity products.

Tele2 operates primarily across the Nordic and Baltic regions, with key markets in Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

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Telecom Italia S.P.A. (OTCMKTS:TIAIY  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $8.12 and last traded at $8.12, with a volume of 568 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $7.95.

Telecom Italia Price Performance

The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $7.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $6.25. The company has a quick ratio of 0.82, a current ratio of 0.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61.

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About Telecom Italia

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Telecom Italia S.p.A. (OTCMKTS:TIAIY) is a leading Italian telecommunications operator that provides a broad range of fixed-line, mobile voice and data services. The companys offerings span consumer broadband connections, mobile telephony plans and pay-TV packages under its TIM brand. Telecom Italia also delivers wholesale network capacity and managed connectivity solutions to other carriers and service providers.

Headquartered in Rome, Telecom Italia traces its origins to Italys state-owned telephone monopoly and was established in its current form in 1994 following privatization and corporate restructuring.

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Textron (NYSE:TXT  Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The aerospace company reported $1.73 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.74 by ($0.01), FiscalAI reports. Textron had a net margin of 5.81% and a return on equity of 14.16%. The company had revenue of $4.18 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.11 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.34 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 15.6% on a year-over-year basis. Textron updated its FY 2026 guidance to 6.400-6.600 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Textrons conference call:

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Textron closed 2025 with strong results  Q4 revenue +16% and segment profit +34% (adjusted EPS $1.73), and fullyear revenue $14.8B (+8%) with adjusted EPS $6.10, reflecting recovery after the 2024 disruptions.

Bell has materially accelerated the MV75 program (90%+ drawings complete, ~2,000 suppliers contracted, 45,000 POs, first components in production), which management says pulls production forward ~23 years but could trigger an LRIP catchup charge of $60M$110M when awarded.

program (90%+ drawings complete, ~2,000 suppliers contracted, 45,000 POs, first components in production), which management says pulls production forward ~23 years but could trigger an LRIP catchup charge of when awarded. 2026 guidance calls for revenue of about $15.5B , adjusted EPS $6.40$6.60 and manufacturing cash flow $700M$800M, while flagging incremental MV75 investment (about $350M of higher CapEx/longlead in 2026; total CapEx ~ $650M).

, adjusted EPS $6.40$6.60 and manufacturing cash flow $700M$800M, while flagging incremental MV75 investment (about of higher CapEx/longlead in 2026; total CapEx ~ $650M). Textron Aviation momentum  171 jets and 146 turboprops delivered in 2025, aftermarket revenue +6%, several FAA certifications (Citation Ascend, CJ3 Gen2, M2 Gen2) and a strong aviation backlog of about $7.7B .

. Capital allocation remains shareholderfriendly and disciplined  the company repurchased ~10.7M shares in 2025 (~$822M) and plans to continue buybacks alongside targeted R&D and strategic investments while maintaining a midBBB balance sheet.

Textron Price Performance

TXT opened at $85.25 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $88.28 and a 200 day simple moving average of $83.94. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. The stock has a market cap of $15.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.95, a P/E/G ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.00. Textron has a 12 month low of $57.70 and a 12 month high of $96.98.

Trending Headlines about Textron

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Textron

Here are the key news stories impacting Textron this week:

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Glenmede Investment Management LP increased its position in shares of Textron by 1.0% in the third quarter. Glenmede Investment Management LP now owns 14,123 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,193,000 after acquiring an additional 142 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in Textron by 18.8% during the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 998 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $80,000 after buying an additional 158 shares during the period. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in Textron by 5.4% in the 3rd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,164 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $352,000 after buying an additional 214 shares during the period. Pathstone Holdings LLC raised its position in shares of Textron by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC now owns 20,951 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $1,770,000 after buying an additional 257 shares in the last quarter. Finally, United Capital Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Textron by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. United Capital Financial Advisors LLC now owns 7,756 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $655,000 after acquiring an additional 270 shares in the last quarter. 86.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on the company. Susquehanna reaffirmed a positive rating and issued a $110.00 price target on shares of Textron in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Textron from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Textron from $90.00 to $88.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 27th. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Textron from $89.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a buy rating and set a $115.00 price target on shares of Textron in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $97.90.

Read Our Latest Report on TXT

About Textron

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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.

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LOS ANGELES, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- One man is in critical condition after being shot in an incident involving the U.S. Border Patrol in the state of Arizona on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department said it responded to the incident in Arivaca, an unincorporated community in Pima County about 16 km north of the U.S.-Mexico border, local media reported.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed at a news conference that the suspect has been identified as Patrick Gary Schlegel, an Arizona resident.

The incident started around 7:30 a.m. local time (1430 GMT) after border Patrol agents recognized a vehicle they believed belonged to a man suspected of human trafficking in an earlier incident.

"When they made that traffic stop, the lone occupant, the driver, fled on foot," said Nanos. "The border patrol agent chased after him on foot. Shortly thereafter, shots were fired by the suspect and the agent returned fire. The suspect was hit."

The individual was taken into custody and transported to receive medical treatment, reported local media.

The sheriff's department said that it is working in coordination with the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Heith Janke, special agent in charge of the FBI's Phoenix division, also told the media that the suspect shot at a Border Patrol helicopter and at agents during the incident. 
Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO  Get Free Report) had its price objective cut by equities research analysts at Truist Financial from $105.00 to $100.00 in a research note issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a buy rating on the financial services providers stock. Truist Financials target price suggests a potential upside of 35.45% from the companys current price.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on BRO. Raymond James Financial restated an outperform rating on shares of Brown & Brown in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a market perform rating on shares of Brown & Brown in a research report on Tuesday, December 30th. Wolfe Research started coverage on shares of Brown & Brown in a research report on Thursday, November 20th. They issued a peer perform rating for the company. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Brown & Brown from $95.00 to $85.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of Brown & Brown in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. They set a neutral rating and a $91.00 target price for the company. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Brown & Brown has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $97.80.

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Brown & Brown Trading Down 0.4%

Shares of Brown & Brown stock traded down $0.29 on Wednesday, hitting $73.83. 160,305 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,809,003. The company has a market capitalization of $25.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a fifty day moving average of $79.74 and a two-hundred day moving average of $87.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 2.10 and a quick ratio of 2.10. Brown & Brown has a one year low of $73.10 and a one year high of $125.68.

Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, January 26th. The financial services provider reported $0.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.65 billion. Brown & Brown had a return on equity of 13.65% and a net margin of 17.84%.The companys revenue for the quarter was up 35.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.86 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Brown & Brown will post 4.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brown & Brown

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BRO. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Brown & Brown by 38.3% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 33,444 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $4,132,000 after acquiring an additional 9,264 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth boosted its position in shares of Brown & Brown by 5.2% during the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 11,149 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,387,000 after acquiring an additional 547 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue grew its holdings in shares of Brown & Brown by 13.2% during the second quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 31,483 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,490,000 after purchasing an additional 3,680 shares in the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Brown & Brown by 38.9% during the second quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 3,776 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $419,000 after purchasing an additional 1,057 shares in the last quarter. Finally, HB Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Brown & Brown by 4.1% in the second quarter. HB Wealth Management LLC now owns 14,009 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,553,000 after purchasing an additional 546 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.01% of the companys stock.

Brown & Brown News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Brown & Brown this week:

Brown & Brown Company Profile

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Brown & Brown, Inc (NYSE: BRO) is a professional insurance brokerage and risk advisory firm that provides a broad range of property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, and specialty insurance products. The company works with commercial, public sector and individual clients to design and place insurance programs, manage claims and loss control, and deliver risk management consulting. Its services also include wholesale brokerage, program administration and other specialty distribution solutions that connect carriers and intermediaries to niche markets.

Brown & Brown operates through a decentralized model of operating units and subsidiaries, enabling local client service with the scale to access national and specialty markets.

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Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER  Get Free Report) dropped 1.8% on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $79.74 and last traded at $79.77. Approximately 19,197,595 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 4% from the average daily volume of 18,431,234 shares. The stock had previously closed at $81.24.

Trending Headlines about Uber Technologies

Here are the key news stories impacting Uber Technologies this week:

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Positive Sentiment: Uber committed up to $500 million to Waabi and is part of a larger $750M$1B funding round as Waabi pivots from trucking into robotaxis, aiming to deploy tens of thousands of vehicles. This accelerates Ubers path to autonomous ride volume and long-term margin leverage. Read More.

Uber committed up to $500 million to Waabi and is part of a larger $750M$1B funding round as Waabi pivots from trucking into robotaxis, aiming to deploy tens of thousands of vehicles. This accelerates Ubers path to autonomous ride volume and long-term margin leverage. Read More. Positive Sentiment: Uber launched an AV Labs division to collect driving data from partners and opened a direct channel to support robotaxi deployments  a low-cost way to scale data collection and improve partner integrations. Read More.

Uber launched an AV Labs division to collect driving data from partners and opened a direct channel to support robotaxi deployments  a low-cost way to scale data collection and improve partner integrations. Read More. Neutral Sentiment: Earnings previews flag mixed near-term results: revenue growth is expected but some outlets forecast a potential Q4 EPS decline, leaving the beat/miss risk elevated into results. That could drive volatility even as strategy news is encouraging. Read More.

Earnings previews flag mixed near-term results: revenue growth is expected but some outlets forecast a potential Q4 EPS decline, leaving the beat/miss risk elevated into results. That could drive volatility even as strategy news is encouraging. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Shareholders face legal and governance scrutiny: a law firm announced an investigation of Ubers board over oversight of rider safety and background checks  litigation or governance remedies could be costly or distracting. Read More.

Shareholders face legal and governance scrutiny: a law firm announced an investigation of Ubers board over oversight of rider safety and background checks  litigation or governance remedies could be costly or distracting. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Safety and liability headlines continue: Uber recently denied liability in a sexual-assault trial and local firms are expanding Uber-related personal-injury practices  ongoing suits and settlements remain a headline risk. Read More.

Safety and liability headlines continue: Uber recently denied liability in a sexual-assault trial and local firms are expanding Uber-related personal-injury practices  ongoing suits and settlements remain a headline risk. Read More. Negative Sentiment: Data-security and vendor-control concerns were raised in a Bloomberg Law analysis invoking past incidents (SolarWinds) and an ex-officers cases  any material security lapse or vendor failure could spur regulatory action or reputational damage. Read More.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Uber Technologies from $115.00 to $110.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, December 8th. Citigroup restated a market perform rating on shares of Uber Technologies in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $100.00 target price on shares of Uber Technologies in a report on Thursday, January 15th. Guggenheim reiterated a buy rating and issued a $135.00 target price on shares of Uber Technologies in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, DA Davidson boosted their price target on shares of Uber Technologies from $102.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 5th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have assigned a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $107.50.

Uber Technologies Trading Down 1.8%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 1.15. The firms 50 day moving average price is $84.25 and its 200 day moving average price is $90.46. The stock has a market capitalization of $165.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.25 and a beta of 1.20.

Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The ride-sharing company reported $3.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.67 by $2.44. Uber Technologies had a return on equity of 68.17% and a net margin of 33.54%.The company had revenue of $13.47 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.25 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.20 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 20.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Uber Technologies, Inc. will post 2.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Uber Technologies

In other news, insider Tony West sold 3,125 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.50, for a total value of $260,937.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 176,584 shares of the companys stock, valued at $14,744,764. This represents a 1.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah sold 5,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $94.41, for a total transaction of $519,255.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 20,330 shares in the company, valued at $1,919,355.30. The trade was a 21.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 14,875 shares of company stock valued at $1,319,130. Company insiders own 3.70% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Uber Technologies

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Uber Technologies during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Kilter Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies in the second quarter valued at $26,000. Westend Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies in the third quarter valued at $27,000. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH bought a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Uber Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. 80.24% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Uber Technologies Company Profile

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Uber Technologies, Inc is a technology company that operates a global platform connecting riders, drivers, couriers, restaurants and shippers. Founded in 2009 by Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick and headquartered in San Francisco, Uber developed one of the first large-scale ride-hailing marketplaces and has since expanded into a broader set of mobility and logistics services. The company completed its initial public offering in 2019 and continues to position its app-based network as a multi-modal transportation and delivery platform.

Ubers principal businesses include mobility services (ride-hailing and shared rides), delivery through Uber Eats, and freight logistics via Uber Freight.

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United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Get Free Report) had its price objective cut by investment analysts at Citigroup from $126.00 to $120.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the transportation companys stock. Citigroups price target suggests a potential upside of 13.24% from the stocks current price.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on UPS. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. HSBC upgraded shares of United Parcel Service from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday. Wolfe Research reissued a peer perform rating on shares of United Parcel Service in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. BNP Paribas Exane cut United Parcel Service from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and set a $85.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on United Parcel Service from $88.00 to $106.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $114.50.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on UPS

United Parcel Service Price Performance

United Parcel Service stock traded down $1.23 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $105.97. 2,298,934 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,487,142. United Parcel Service has a 12-month low of $82.00 and a 12-month high of $136.58. The company has a market capitalization of $89.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.36, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.11. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $101.01 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $93.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.30.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The transportation company reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $24.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.91 billion. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 40.07% and a net margin of 6.15%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.75 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that United Parcel Service will post 7.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Andra AP fonden lifted its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 95.9% during the second quarter. Andra AP fonden now owns 332,983 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $33,611,000 after buying an additional 163,000 shares during the last quarter. BLVD Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in United Parcel Service during the second quarter worth $1,479,000. Strategic Planning Inc. bought a new position in United Parcel Service during the third quarter worth $3,885,000. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. raised its stake in United Parcel Service by 14.6% during the 2nd quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 94,361 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $9,525,000 after purchasing an additional 12,035 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Equity Investment Corp boosted its holdings in United Parcel Service by 16.8% in the 2nd quarter. Equity Investment Corp now owns 1,130,550 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $114,118,000 after purchasing an additional 162,364 shares during the period. 60.26% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

United Parcel Service News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting United Parcel Service this week:

Positive Sentiment: Q4 results topped estimates and UPS issued a higher 2026 revenue guide, supporting the case for a recovery in revenue and margins. This is the primary bullish catalyst underpinning analyst revisions. UPS forecasts higher 2026 revenue (Reuters)

Q4 results topped estimates and UPS issued a higher 2026 revenue guide, supporting the case for a recovery in revenue and margins. This is the primary bullish catalyst underpinning analyst revisions. Positive Sentiment: Multiple brokerages raised price targets and ratings this morning (notably UBS to $125 buy and Truist to $130 buy), signaling analyst confidence that upside remains after the guide and results. Analyst price-target roundup (Benzinga)

Multiple brokerages raised price targets and ratings this morning (notably UBS to $125 buy and Truist to $130 buy), signaling analyst confidence that upside remains after the guide and results. Positive Sentiment: UPS announced a meaningful dividend (declared $1.64/share quarterly, ~6.2% yield), and management reiterated capital returns, which supports income-focused demand for the stock.

UPS announced a meaningful dividend (declared $1.64/share quarterly, ~6.2% yield), and management reiterated capital returns, which supports income-focused demand for the stock. Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity showed elevated call buying, indicating some traders are positioning for further upside following the earnings/guide release.

Unusual options activity showed elevated call buying, indicating some traders are positioning for further upside following the earnings/guide release. Neutral Sentiment: Several firms raised targets but kept hold/market perform stances (e.g., Wells Fargo, BMO, TD Cowen), implying cautious optimism rather than broad conviction. Brokerage notes (Benzinga)

Several firms raised targets but kept hold/market perform stances (e.g., Wells Fargo, BMO, TD Cowen), implying cautious optimism rather than broad conviction. Negative Sentiment: UPS will cut up to 30,000 operational jobs and close facilities as it reduces Amazon volume  a costly and disruptive separation that raises near-term restructuring charges and execution risk. UPS job cuts and Amazon unwind (CNBC)

UPS will cut up to 30,000 operational jobs and close facilities as it reduces Amazon volume  a costly and disruptive separation that raises near-term restructuring charges and execution risk. Negative Sentiment: Revenue was down year-over-year (3.2%) and GAAP EPS declined versus the prior year even though results beat estimates  underscoring that the turnaround depends on execution and margin recovery. Q4 results & details (MarketBeat)

About United Parcel Service

(Get Free Report)

United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) is a global package delivery and supply chain management company that provides a broad range of transportation, logistics and e-commerce services. Its core business centers on small-package delivery and last-mile distribution for business and individual customers, supported by a network of ground transportation, air cargo operations (UPS Airlines) and sorting facilities. In addition to parcel delivery, UPS offers freight transportation, contract logistics, warehousing, customs brokerage and reverse-logistics solutions designed to support domestic and international commerce.

The company traces its roots to 1907 when it began as a small messenger service in the United States and later evolved into the United Parcel Service.

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United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Get Free Report) had its target price boosted by equities researchers at BMO Capital Markets from $105.00 to $110.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a market perform rating on the transportation companys stock. BMO Capital Markets price objective would indicate a potential upside of 2.57% from the stocks current price.

Several other analysts have also commented on UPS. Bank of America raised shares of United Parcel Service from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $114.00 target price for the company in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Stephens upgraded United Parcel Service to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on United Parcel Service from $91.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Susquehanna boosted their target price on United Parcel Service from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price target on United Parcel Service from $94.00 to $113.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, fifteen have assigned a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $113.53.

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United Parcel Service Trading Up 0.3%

Shares of United Parcel Service stock opened at $107.24 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $101.01 and a 200-day simple moving average of $93.40. United Parcel Service has a fifty-two week low of $82.00 and a fifty-two week high of $136.99. The firm has a market cap of $90.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The transportation company reported $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.18. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 40.07% and a net margin of 6.15%.The firm had revenue of $24.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.91 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.75 earnings per share. United Parcel Services revenue was down 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that United Parcel Service will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of United Parcel Service during the second quarter worth $851,842,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in United Parcel Service by 11,517.3% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,503,413 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $252,695,000 after purchasing an additional 2,481,864 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 78.7% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,086,862 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $412,528,000 after purchasing an additional 1,799,882 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in shares of United Parcel Service by 45.4% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 5,730,804 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $578,467,000 after buying an additional 1,789,467 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 94.8% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,300,081 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $231,388,000 after buying an additional 1,119,372 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.26% of the companys stock.

More United Parcel Service News

Here are the key news stories impacting United Parcel Service this week:

Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and upbeat 2026 guide  UPS posted $24.5B in Q4 revenue and adjusted EPS above estimates; it guided 2026 revenue to $89.7B, above Street consensus, driven by stronger international margins and higher-yield package mix. This is the main driver lifting the stock. Article Title

Q4 beat and upbeat 2026 guide  UPS posted $24.5B in Q4 revenue and adjusted EPS above estimates; it guided 2026 revenue to $89.7B, above Street consensus, driven by stronger international margins and higher-yield package mix. This is the main driver lifting the stock. Positive Sentiment: Higher, reliable cash return  UPS declared a quarterly dividend of $1.64 per share (annualized yield ~6.1%), ex-dividend Feb. 17, supporting income-focused investor demand and providing a valuation floor relative to peers.

Higher, reliable cash return  UPS declared a quarterly dividend of $1.64 per share (annualized yield ~6.1%), ex-dividend Feb. 17, supporting income-focused investor demand and providing a valuation floor relative to peers. Positive Sentiment: Analyst/institutional tone turning constructive  MarketBeat and other outlets note institutional accumulation, analyst upgrades and a narrative that UPS is transitioning to higher-margin, targeted growth areas, which reinforces the post-earnings rally. Article Title

Analyst/institutional tone turning constructive  MarketBeat and other outlets note institutional accumulation, analyst upgrades and a narrative that UPS is transitioning to higher-margin, targeted growth areas, which reinforces the post-earnings rally. Positive Sentiment: Unusual options activity  a notable uptick in call buying (about 63,994 calls) suggests some traders are positioning for further upside after the beat/guidance.

Unusual options activity  a notable uptick in call buying (about 63,994 calls) suggests some traders are positioning for further upside after the beat/guidance. Neutral Sentiment: Strategic shift in volume mix  UPS is deliberately reducing low-margin Amazon volume and refocusing on healthcare, cross-border and B2B, which should improve long-term mix but may depress near-term top-line growth during the transition. Article Title

Strategic shift in volume mix  UPS is deliberately reducing low-margin Amazon volume and refocusing on healthcare, cross-border and B2B, which should improve long-term mix but may depress near-term top-line growth during the transition. Neutral Sentiment: Q4 included notable one-time charges  GAAP results reflect charges (aircraft retirement etc.) that reduced headline EPS; adjusted results beat, so investors must judge how recurring benefits offset one-offs. Article Title

Q4 included notable one-time charges  GAAP results reflect charges (aircraft retirement etc.) that reduced headline EPS; adjusted results beat, so investors must judge how recurring benefits offset one-offs. Negative Sentiment: Large job cuts and restructuring risk  UPS will eliminate up to 30,000 operational roles in 2026 (on top of ~48,000 cuts in 2025) as it unwinds work for Amazon and retools its network; this underscores the cost and execution risk of the separation and could pressure operations and near-term sentiment. Article Title

Large job cuts and restructuring risk  UPS will eliminate up to 30,000 operational roles in 2026 (on top of ~48,000 cuts in 2025) as it unwinds work for Amazon and retools its network; this underscores the cost and execution risk of the separation and could pressure operations and near-term sentiment. Negative Sentiment: Scale and execution questions remain  repeated large layoffs and the Amazon unwind highlight structural challenges; if volume declines or execution slips, margins and growth could be weaker than management expects.

About United Parcel Service

(Get Free Report)

United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) is a global package delivery and supply chain management company that provides a broad range of transportation, logistics and e-commerce services. Its core business centers on small-package delivery and last-mile distribution for business and individual customers, supported by a network of ground transportation, air cargo operations (UPS Airlines) and sorting facilities. In addition to parcel delivery, UPS offers freight transportation, contract logistics, warehousing, customs brokerage and reverse-logistics solutions designed to support domestic and international commerce.

The company traces its roots to 1907 when it began as a small messenger service in the United States and later evolved into the United Parcel Service.

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Phoenix Financial Ltd. grew its holdings in Visa Inc. (NYSE:V  Free Report) by 11.9% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 72,420 shares of the credit-card processors stock after purchasing an additional 7,682 shares during the period. Phoenix Financial Ltd.s holdings in Visa were worth $24,723,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of V. Sonoma Allocations LLC acquired a new position in Visa during the 3rd quarter worth $710,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Visa by 1.8% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,241,348 shares of the credit-card processors stock worth $438,196,000 after purchasing an additional 21,401 shares during the period. Precedent Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Visa by 7.5% during the 2nd quarter. Precedent Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,588 shares of the credit-card processors stock worth $564,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the last quarter. Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in Visa by 5.9% during the 2nd quarter. Baltimore Washington Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 95,150 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $33,783,000 after purchasing an additional 5,295 shares during the period. Finally, Consilium Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in Visa in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $862,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.15% of the companys stock.

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More Visa News

Here are the key news stories impacting Visa this week:

Visa Trading Down 1.0%

V stock opened at $325.10 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $338.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $341.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 1.08. Visa Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $299.00 and a fifty-two week high of $375.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $592.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.84, a P/E/G ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.81.

Visa (NYSE:V  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The credit-card processor reported $2.98 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.97 by $0.01. Visa had a net margin of 50.15% and a return on equity of 60.31%. The firm had revenue of $10.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.60 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.71 EPS. The companys revenue was up 11.5% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Visa Inc. will post 11.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised Visa to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of Visa in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised Visa from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $385.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday. UBS Group reissued a buy rating on shares of Visa in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $408.00 price objective (up from $398.00) on shares of Visa in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $400.19.

View Our Latest Research Report on Visa

Insider Buying and Selling at Visa

In other news, insider Paul D. Fabara sold 2,172 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $325.93, for a total transaction of $707,919.96. Following the transaction, the insider owned 26,413 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,608,789.09. This represents a 7.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Lloyd Carney sold 900 shares of Visa stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $336.48, for a total value of $302,832.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 2,468 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $830,432.64. The trade was a 26.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 24,042 shares of company stock worth $8,247,289. Insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock.

Visa Company Profile

(Free Report)

Visa Inc is a global payments technology company that facilitates electronic funds transfers and digital commerce by connecting consumers, merchants, financial institutions and governments. The firm operates one of the worlds largest payment networks, providing processing, authorization, clearing and settlement services for credit, debit and prepaid card transactions. Visas network-based model enables partner banks and other issuers to offer branded payment products while Visa focuses on the infrastructure, standards and technologies that move money securely and efficiently around the world.

Visas product and service portfolio includes card-based payment products for consumers and businesses, real-time push-payment capabilities, tokenization and authentication services, fraud and risk-management tools, data analytics and APIs for fintech and merchant integration.

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Shares of Vodafone Group Public Limited (LON:VOD  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as GBX 106.35 and last traded at GBX 105.85, with a volume of 71034305 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 105.60.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on VOD shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on shares of Vodafone Group Public from GBX 140 to GBX 150 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Berenberg Bank increased their target price on shares of Vodafone Group Public from GBX 80 to GBX 82 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Friday, October 17th. UBS Group reiterated a sell rating and issued a GBX 82 price target on shares of Vodafone Group Public in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Citigroup increased their price target on Vodafone Group Public from GBX 75 to GBX 85 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Vodafone Group Public from GBX 62 to GBX 71 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Friday, November 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Vodafone Group Public has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus price target of GBX 94.

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Vodafone Group Public Stock Up 0.2%

Insider Buying and Selling at Vodafone Group Public

The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 97.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 90.42. The stock has a market capitalization of 24.88 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.40, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 96.88.

In other Vodafone Group Public news, insider Anne-Francoise Nesmes acquired 20,911 shares of Vodafone Group Public stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 14th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 95 per share, with a total value of 19,865.45. 0.43% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Vodafone Group Public

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Vodafone is a leading European and African telecoms company.

We serve over 355 million mobile and broadband customers, operating networks in 15 countries with investments in a further five and partners in over 40 more. Our undersea cables transport around a sixth of the worlds internet traffic, and we are developing a new direct-to-mobile satellite communications service to connect areas without coverage. Vodafone runs one of the worlds largest IoT platforms, with 215 million IoT connections globally, and we provide financial services to around 92 million customers across seven African countries  managing more transactions than any other provider.

From the seabed to the stars, Vodafones purpose is to keep everyone connected.

For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com follow us on X at @VodafoneGroup or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/vodafone.

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W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB  Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday. The insurance provider reported $1.13 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.14 by ($0.01), Zacks reports. The business had revenue of $3.18 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.18 billion. W.R. Berkley had a return on equity of 18.35% and a net margin of 12.10%.The companys revenue was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.13 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from W.R. Berkleys conference call:

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Record 2025 financial results: Q4 operating earnings were $450M ($1.13/share) and full-year net income was $1.8B, delivering a 21.4% return on beginning-of-year equity and strong operating cash flow ($3.6B for 2025).

Q4 operating earnings were $450M ($1.13/share) and full-year net income was $1.8B, delivering a 21.4% return on beginning-of-year equity and strong operating cash flow ($3.6B for 2025). Underwriting strength and efficiency: Record quarterly pre-tax underwriting income, a current accidentyear combined ratio excats of 87.9% (calendar year 89.4%) and an improved expense ratio of 28.2% with guidance to remain comfortably below 30% in 2026.

Record quarterly pre-tax underwriting income, a current accidentyear combined ratio excats of 87.9% (calendar year 89.4%) and an improved expense ratio of 28.2% with guidance to remain comfortably below 30% in 2026. Capital returns and balancesheet flexibility: Management returned $971M to shareholders in 2025 (including $608M in Q4), retains a historically low financial leverage ratio of 22.6%, and says buybacks/dividends will remain opportunistic.

Management returned $971M to shareholders in 2025 (including $608M in Q4), retains a historically low financial leverage ratio of 22.6%, and says buybacks/dividends will remain opportunistic. Investments and portfolio positioning: Invested assets rose 11.4% to $33.2B with fixed-maturity income up quarter-over-quarter, duration extended to ~3 years and credit quality AA, but results included $32M of investment fund losses driven by one disappointing fund.

Invested assets rose 11.4% to $33.2B with fixed-maturity income up quarter-over-quarter, duration extended to ~3 years and credit quality AA, but results included $32M of investment fund losses driven by one disappointing fund. Market headwinds and linespecific pressure: Persistent weakness in auto liability, intense competition in large account property/reinsurance (notably a 19% riskadjusted rate decrease on its main cat treaty) and pressure in some professional lines (D&O, A&E) raise nearterm underwriting risk and could spill into casualty markets.

W.R. Berkley Price Performance

Shares of NYSE WRB opened at $67.33 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.37 and a quick ratio of 0.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.13, a PEG ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.39. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $70.55 and its 200-day simple moving average is $72.06. W.R. Berkley has a 12 month low of $58.07 and a 12 month high of $78.96.

W.R. Berkley Announces Dividend

W.R. Berkley News Roundup

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 29th. Investors of record on Monday, December 15th were issued a dividend of $0.09 per share. This represents a $0.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 15th. W.R. Berkleys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 8.09%.

Here are the key news stories impacting W.R. Berkley this week:

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on WRB. UBS Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $87.00 price target on shares of W.R. Berkley in a report on Friday, November 7th. Mizuho decreased their price objective on W.R. Berkley from $69.00 to $67.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b) rating on shares of W.R. Berkley in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their target price on W.R. Berkley from $73.00 to $76.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $80.00 target price on shares of W.R. Berkley in a report on Tuesday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and four have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Reduce and a consensus target price of $70.57.

Read Our Latest Research Report on WRB

Insider Buying and Selling at W.R. Berkley

In other W.R. Berkley news, major shareholder Sumitomo Insurance Co L. Mitsui bought 368,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 23rd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $66.96 per share, for a total transaction of $24,641,280.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 54,589,504 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,655,313,187.84. The trade was a 0.68% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders have bought a total of 5,782,916 shares of company stock valued at $399,073,250 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 23.00% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On W.R. Berkley

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in W.R. Berkley in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC lifted its position in W.R. Berkley by 691.9% in the second quarter. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC now owns 586 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 512 shares during the last quarter. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA lifted its stake in W.R. Berkley by 62.2% during the third quarter. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA now owns 600 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares in the last quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in W.R. Berkley by 22.3% during the 3rd quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 756 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares during the period. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new position in shares of W.R. Berkley in the second quarter valued at approximately $65,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.82% of the companys stock.

About W.R. Berkley

(Get Free Report)

W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB) is a publicly traded insurance holding company that underwrites and sells commercial property and casualty insurance, specialty insurance products, and reinsurance. Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, the company operates a portfolio of underwriting businesses that focus on niche and specialty commercial risks, offering coverage tailored to industries such as transportation, construction, professional services and other commercial lines.

The companys product mix includes primary and excess casualty, property, professional liability, environmental and other specialty lines, together with treaty and facultative reinsurance solutions.

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WisdomTree (NYSE:WT  Get Free Report) is expected to be announcing its Q4 2025 results before the market opens on Friday, January 30th. Analysts expect WisdomTree to post earnings of $0.23 per share and revenue of $142.7820 million for the quarter. Parties can check the companys upcoming Q4 2025 earning summary page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Friday, January 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET.

WisdomTree (NYSE:WT  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, October 31st. The company reported $0.23 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.21 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $125.62 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $122.00 million. WisdomTree had a return on equity of 26.59% and a net margin of 21.10%.WisdomTrees revenue for the quarter was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.18 EPS. On average, analysts expect WisdomTree to post $1 EPS for the current fiscal year and $1 EPS for the next fiscal year.

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WisdomTree Stock Up 2.8%

Shares of WT stock opened at $16.63 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.58 and a beta of 1.08. WisdomTree has a one year low of $7.47 and a one year high of $16.66. The companys fifty day moving average price is $12.68 and its 200-day moving average price is $12.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.16, a current ratio of 2.82 and a quick ratio of 2.41.

Insider Buying and Selling at WisdomTree

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In related news, COO R Jarrett Lilien sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.77, for a total value of $294,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 1,011,138 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,901,094.26. This represents a 2.41% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Also, insider David M. Yates sold 6,820 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.12, for a total value of $75,838.40. Following the sale, the insider owned 152,123 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,691,607.76. The trade was a 4.29% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing . Insiders have sold 44,320 shares of company stock worth $507,713 over the last three months. 9.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of WT. CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of WisdomTree in the 3rd quarter valued at $178,000. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co raised its holdings in WisdomTree by 9.3% during the third quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 141,259 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,959,000 after buying an additional 11,962 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP acquired a new stake in shares of WisdomTree in the third quarter worth about $1,001,000. Voloridge Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of WisdomTree by 61.9% during the 3rd quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 1,525,539 shares of the companys stock worth $21,205,000 after acquiring an additional 583,484 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP boosted its stake in shares of WisdomTree by 1,679.0% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 2,206 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 2,082 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.64% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

WT has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings restated a buy (b-) rating on shares of WisdomTree in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Oppenheimer raised their price target on WisdomTree from $15.00 to $17.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday. Wall Street Zen raised WisdomTree from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on WisdomTree from $13.50 to $14.75 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of WisdomTree from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $15.80.

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About WisdomTree

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WisdomTree Investments, Inc (NYSE: WT) is a U.S.-based asset management firm specializing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded products (ETPs). Founded in 2006 by Jonathan Steinberg and headquartered in New York City, WisdomTree has developed a reputation for pioneering smart-beta and fundamentally weighted indexing approaches. The company designs strategies that seek to enhance returns and reduce volatility by weighting constituents based on dividends, earnings or other financial metrics rather than relying solely on market capitalization.

WisdomTree offers a broad suite of investment products covering equities, fixed income, currencies, commodities and digital assets.

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua)-- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that an additional "armada" of U.S. military vessels is sailing toward Iran, expressing hope that Iran will agree to a deal.

"There's another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now, so we'll see," Trump said at a rally in the midwestern U.S. state of Iowa.

"I hope they make a deal," Trump added, "They should have made a deal the first time they'd have a country."

One day earlier, USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group was deployed to the Middle East amid tensions over Iran's unrest, the U.S. Central Command said on X.

It is not immediately clear if Trump is referring to the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group or another carrier strike group. 
Pay immediately and reform overtime budgeting  nurses are essential and must never be owed wages

Fix systemic staffing and pay issues first  overtime reliance signals a deeper workforce failure

Enforce stricter controls on overtime  fiscal discipline must come before expanded commitments

Vote

View Results
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
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem will not step down, even as Democrats threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against her.

When asked if Noem will leave the post, Trump told reporters at the White House: "No."

Noem has been facing mounting pressure in recent days following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. The backlash has focused on her comments describing the victims as having committed "an act of domestic terrorism," a claim not supported by video evidence.

On Jan. 7, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis during an operation. On Saturday, Border Patrol officers fatally shot 37-year-old U.S. citizen Alex Pretti in the city.

The shootings have drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, with Democrats calling for Noem to be fired or impeached and some Republican lawmakers urging congressional hearings into federal immigration enforcement practices.

Republican Senator Rand Paul said Tuesday on X that he is calling on the leadership at ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which he chairs. 
For all the enthusiasm around GLP-1s, also known as weight-loss drugs, Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) tumbled nearly 42% in 2025. The once hot stock was confounded by headwinds, including rivals making progress in the weight-loss arena and the emergence of cheaper generics.

Fast-forward to 2026, and the stock is already shedding last year's bear market conditions. Shares of the maker of Wegovy are up 25% year to date. That's a new bull market and then some.

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This weight-loss leader is already rebounding and could extend that bullishness this yea. Image source: Getty Images

A 25% rally in three weeks prompts investors to wonder if they've missed the "easy money," but there are reasons to believe Novo Nordisk's gains could be built upon as 2026 moves forward.

Wegovy has pill power

The earliest GLP-1 formulations were administered by injection. That's not a big deal for many patients, but there are still plenty of us who have unpleasant memories of childhood visits to the doctor's office involving needles. Sounds folksy, but it underscores why the FDA approval of a Wegovy pill earlier this month is significant for Novo Nordisk shares.

Bank of America estimates Novo Nordisk needs to move 2,000 prescriptions per week to achieve 2026 sales targets. Recent data from Symphony Health indicate prescriptions for the oral version of Wegovy surged to 20,392 last week, more than quadruple the prior week's rate.

While it's clear the Wegovy pill is popular with patients, it's not cannibalizing the injectable version, with data indicating prescriptions for that form of the GLP-1 are holding steady.

The pill can also expand the avenues through which Novo Nordisk can shop this offering. More telehealth providers, including Amazon Pharmacy and LifeMD, are offering the pill, making it easier for patients to access it without going to a doctor's office.

Currently, the U.S. is the only country where the Wegovy pill is available. If more countries join the club, that could spark a rally in Novo Nordisk stock. The potential for those approvals is there. For example, Great Britain's pharmaceuticals regulator is examining the Wegovy pill. Other regions where the injectable version is legal could also make for logical adopters of the oral version.

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Two more parks for recreational vehicles will be going up along Highway 62 with one south of Interstate 10 having 119 spaces. The other, in Mauriceville, will have 24 spaces.

Orange County Commissioners Tuesday gave approval to the plans for the two new RV parks after Joel Ardoin, director of the Orange County Environmental Health and Code Compliance Department, said the parks have met all the county regulations. In addition, the two new parks have had their drainage plans approved by the Orange County Drainage District and the Orange County Road and Bridge Department.

The RV park south of Interstate 10 is planned for 16648 Highway 62 between Godwin Road and Egan Drive with the 119 spaces. The park will be near other large RV parks along 62 south of the interstate and north of Highway 87 South.

RV parks have become an affordable way for individuals and families to live, especially for workers in construction trades who move to different places as they follow jobs.

The state requires the property owner of every RV park to provide water and sewer service connections for each trailer space. Orange County also has some regulations, including fencing, roads wide enough to handle emergency vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances, plus adequate vehicle parking spaces.

All four of the county commissioners approved the plans for the RV park south of the interstate, however, in an unusual move, Precinct 2 Commissioner Chris Sowell asked for a re-vote on the one in Mauriceville so he could change his vote to oppose that park.

The court agreed to null the first vote and then vote again. The RV park with 24 spaces at 13535 Highway 62 was approved by votes from Precinct 1 Commissioner Johnny Trahan, Precinct 3 Commissioner Kirk Roccaforte, and Precinct 4 Commissioner Robert Viator. County Judge John Gothia votes only in case of a tie.

Commissioner Sowell said he wanted to vote against the plans for the park because he is concerned the RV park would cause more traffic near the gas station. A large Sunoco station with convenience store and diner opened at the site a couple of years ago. The commissioner also mentioned that several residential homes back up to the planned park.

In other county business Tuesday, the county reopened the East Roundbunch Road swing bridge to vehicular traffic. The county had opened the swing bridge Saturday afternoon in anticipation that ice or sleet could break the open-close mechanisms.

The open position means the swing bridge opens to boat and barge traffic on Cow Bayou, but the roadway on the bridge is closed to cars and trucks.

Part of the Commissioners Court agenda Tuesday was to approve an additional $3,995 for the purchase of a boat with motor and trailer to be used by the Road and Bridge Department to help service the bridge mechanisms. The price quotes for the boat outfit were that much more than the amount the court budgeted.

Commissioners Court gave the city of Orange permission to use the courthouse parking lot for Mardi Gras festivities on Saturday, February 7. Alison Clary, communications and marketing director for the city, told the court about the activities in the downtown area by the Riverfront Pavilion area by the courthouse.

The approved appointing new Pinehurst City Manager Robbie Hood to the Orange County Economic Development Corporation board of directors. The city of Pinehurst is a member of the county EDC.

Bills approved included $110,000 from the general fund for the Texas Association of Counties group medical insurance for younger than age 65, plus $97,000 from the general fund to the Amwins Group Benefits for insurance for county retirees ages 65 and older.

More included $58,475 from the Texas General Land Office hurricane recovery grants fund to Gary R. Traylor and Associates for services on the Tulane Street improvements, and $35,100 from the Texas GLO hurricane recovery grants fund to Arceneaux, Wilson and Cole for the Tulane drainage improvements.

The court approved dates for fireworks sales in the unincorporated areas of the county to allow for Texas holidays and Memorial Day. The fireworks sale for Texas Independence Day will run February 25 through midnight on March 2. For San Jacinto Day, the sales will be from April 15 to midnight April 20. Memorial Day fireworks sales will be May 20 through midnight at May 25.
As campaigning increases for the March 3 Republican primary, candidates Dr. Ray Callas for state representative and Trent Ashby have set public receptions to meet voters.

Trent Ashby, a candidate for State Senate District 3, will be at Leslie's Place in Bridge City on Wednesday, January 28, from 8 to 9 a.m. Orange County Precinct 3 Commissioner Kirk Roccaforte is hosting the gathering a the restaurant, 2198 Texas Avenue.

Ashby is a Texas State Representative from Lufkin who is running for the District 3 Texas Senate seat long held by Robert Nichols of Jacksonville, who is retiring.

Ashby's opponent in the primary is Rhonda Ward of Nacogdoches, a real estate appraiser. Ward has been in Orange County several times, including earlier this month at a Bridge City restaurant with guest David Covey, a former Orange County Republican Party Chair and run-off candidate for State Representative District 21.

Dr. Ray Callas will be at the Orange Train Depot, 1210 West Green Avenue in Orange, on Monday, February 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Callas is running unopposed in the Republican primary for State Representative District 21.

The District 21 seat was previously held by Dade Phelan of Beaumont, who decided not to run. Phelan served two terms as Texas State Speaker of the House.

The reception for Callas is hosted by David Montagne, Bill and Colleen Bruce, Sheila Faske, Dr. Amy Townsend, Brad Rutledge, Zach Johnson, Entergy Texas PAC, J.W. Dalton, Mickey Landry, Kevin and Angie Williams, Travis Williams, and former State Representative Ron Lewis.

Callas also has the endorsements of Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.

Early voting for the Republican and Democratic primary races will start on Tuesday, February 17, because Monday, February 16, is the federal President's Day holiday.

The winners of the state positions will have Democratic opposition in the November general election. Jacqueline "Jacky" Hernandez of Beaumont, a small business owner, is running for State Representative District 21. Bobby Tillman, an East Texas rancher, is running unopposed as a Democrat for the State Senate District 3.

Orange County has no Democrats running for local offices. The Republican races with challengers are for County Commissioner Precinct 2 with incumbent Chris Sowell facing Colleen Owens.

Also, Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 with incumbent Joy Dubose-Simonton facing Jesse Thibodeaux and Jeremiah Braneff, plus Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 with incumbent Rodney Price running against Walter Low.
Despite describing ServiceNow as a resilient software company, BNP Paribas Exanes Slowinski cut his price target on the stock to $120 from $186, implying moderate downside from current levels, while maintaining a Neutral rating.

Shares of the enterprise software firm started the new year on a downbeat note, down 12% on a year-to-date (YTD) basis, extending a slide that weighed on the stock throughout 2025 amid concerns that AI could devastate its business model.

ServiceNow is a prominent provider of cloud-based digital workflow solutions. The company operates the ServiceNow AI Platform, which integrates with any cloud, model, or data source to orchestrate workflows across the enterprise. It offers a broad suite of products across areas such as IT service management, customer service management, operational technology management, and security operations. ServiceNows customer base includes more than 85% of the Fortune 500 and nearly 60% of the Global 2000. It has a market cap of $138.1 billion.

In this article, we will take a closer look at two resilient software stocks highlighted by BNP Paribas: ServiceNow (NOW) and SAP SE (SAP).

Wall Street analysts, however, are pushing back on the most bearish narratives. For example, BNP Paribas argues that some enterprise software leaders are far more resilient than the market gives them credit for. We view our January survey results as cautionary for the software sector, reinforcing recent negative sentiment, BNP Paribas analyst Stefan Slowinski said in a note. Hyperscalers continue to be winners with relatively resilient spend scores reported for Microsoft, AWS, and GCP, and increasing demand for public cloud. SAP and ServiceNow stood out positively with improving demand.

The rapid rise of AI hyperscalers has shaken confidence across the enterprise software landscape, sparking fears that traditional platforms could be disrupted or commoditized as generative AI becomes more powerful and widely accessible. In recent months, those concerns have weighed heavily on software stocks, driving sharp pullbacks even among companies with long track records of growth, sticky customers, and recurring revenue models. For many investors, the question has shifted from how fast these businesses can grow to whether they can remain relevant at all in an AI-dominated world.

Story Continues

ServiceNow shares have been in a steep decline over the past few months as investors continue to worry about potential disruption from AI-focused competitors. The selloff intensified this month after Anthropic unveiled Claude Cowork, a tool built to tackle complex tasks such as coding, enterprise workflows, and advanced reasoning. Some analysts believe that some of ServiceNows offerings could be disrupted as AI models continue to advance.

Despite fears of AI-driven disruption, the companys latest earnings report indicated that the business continues to grow at a double-digit pace. ServiceNow posted third-quarter total revenue of $3.41 billion, up 21.8% year-over-year (YoY) and beating Wall Streets expectations by $50 million. Of that total, $3.3 billion came from subscriptions, a 21.5% increase from a year earlier, driven mainly by increased purchases by new and existing customers. Its quarterly GAAP earnings stood at $2.40 a share, beating expectations by $0.20.

Meanwhile, ServiceNows current remaining performance obligations (cRPO), revenue expected to be recognized over the next 12 months, totaled $11.35 billion as of Q3, representing 21% YoY growth. The company also deepened its customer relationships, recording 103 deals exceeding $1 million in net new annual contract value (ACV) during Q3 and finishing the quarter with 553 customers with more than $5 million in ACV, an 18% YoY increase.

Looking ahead, ServiceNow raised its full-year guidance for subscription revenue, operating margin, and free cash flow. The company said it now expects subscription revenue of $12.84 billion to $12.85 billion, up from its previous forecast of $12.78 billion to $12.8 billion.

Investor attention now shifts to the companys Q4 results, which are set to be released on Wednesday after the market closes. Analysts tracking the company expect its GAAP EPS to rise 23.08% YoY to $0.48 in Q4, while revenue is forecast to increase 19.35% YoY to $3.53 billion. Oppenheimer said it sees a favorable earnings setup for ServiceNow in Q4, with solid performance and positive commentary against subdued investor expectations.

Its also worth noting that the recent pullback in NOW shares has made the companys valuation more attractive, after years of trading at an incredible premium. The stock is currently trading at a forward non-GAAP P/E of 38.25x, well below its five-year average of 67.56x, though still above the sector median of 25.35x.

Many Wall Street analysts disagree with investor concerns about AI disrupting ServiceNows business. Of the 42 analysts covering the stock, 33 recommend a Strong Buy, three suggest a Moderate Buy, five advise holding, and one assigns a Strong Sell rating. This translates to a top-tier Strong Buy consensus rating. The average price target for NOW stock is $212.88, indicating a 59.9% upside potential from Fridays closing price.

www.barchart.com

"Resilient" Software Stock #2: SAP SE (SAP)

SAP SE is a German-based software corporation and the global leader in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. The company specializes in software that centralizes data management, allowing businesses to manage complex processes through a single intelligent suite on a digital platform. Its flagship product, SAP S/4HANA, uses in-memory computing and AI to process vast amounts of data in real-time. Beyond ERP, SAP offers 100+ solutions covering finance, human resources, supply chain, customer experience (CRM), and spend management. SAPs market cap currently stands at $272.5 billion.

Similar to ServiceNow, shares of the business software group have been pressured by AI disruption risks, falling 2% YTD and 13% in the past 52 weeks.

www.barchart.com

BNP Paribas Exane has an Outperform rating on SAP with a price target of 135 euros ($160). The positive sentiment from BNP Paribas points to strong confidence in SAPs future performance and its strategic positioning in the enterprise software market.

Meanwhile, Jefferies recently reiterated its Buy rating on SAP and maintained a 290 euro ($345) price target. Jefferies analyst Charles Brennan said that although SAP is trading about 15% above prior trough valuations, the stock still appears to be nearing a valuation trough for a company growing recurring revenue at roughly 15%. Software sentiment has rarely been lower, with AI casting a shadow of uncertainty for the sector, Brennan said in a note. Jefferies believes that SAP is a higher-quality business now than at any time in the past.

Last week, SAP stock fell to its lowest level since August 2024, bringing the market value loss from last years record high to roughly $130 billion. A months-long downtrend was driven by concerns over the disruptive potential of AI. More precisely, there is concern that AI could make it easier to build and replicate existing software services, potentially putting pressure on the average selling price of services for companies like SAP.

In late October, SAP SE reported mixed third-quarter earnings results and gave a mixed outlook. The companys total revenue grew 11% YoY at constant currencies to 9.076 billion euros, slightly missing expectations. At the same time, adjusted EPS came in at 1.59 euros, topping Wall Streets consensus estimate of 1.49 euros and up from 1.23 euros in the year-ago quarter.

Meanwhile, SAPs cloud segment generated 5.29 billion euros in revenue in Q3, up 27% from a year earlier on an adjusted basis. Analysts had expected revenue of 5.33 billion euros. Notably, cloud revenue made up 58% of SAPs total sales, up from 51% a year earlier. The companys current cloud backlog rose 27% YoY at constant currencies to 18.84 billion euros in Q3, maintaining the growth momentum seen in the second quarter. Investors have been closely monitoring SAPs cloud sales since the company pivoted from selling traditional on-premise software licenses to subscription-based services. A subscription model allows software companies to generate more predictable cash flows. For SAP, this transition is centered on its Cloud ERP Suite, the cloud-based version of the companys core offering.

Looking ahead, the company said it expects 2025 cloud revenue to come in near the lower end of its 21.6 billion to 21.9 billion euro range at constant currencies. At the same time, management said full-year adjusted profit is expected to land at the upper end of its 10.3 billion euros to 10.6 billion euros forecast range.

Like ServiceNow, SAP SE is set to report its Q4 results this week, with analysts forecasting adjusted EPS of $1.72, up 17.32% YoY, and revenue of $11.53 billion, an increase of 17.88% YoY. Citi analysts said the company is expected to deliver strong Q4 results and likely reaffirm its outlook for accelerating revenue growth and margin expansion next year.

In terms of valuation, the stock is currently trading at a forward non-GAAP P/E of 33.21x, close to the sector median of 25.35x and its five-year average of 28.99x.

Wall Street analysts have a consensus rating of Strong Buy on SAP stock. Among the 27 analysts offering recommendations for the stock, 20 call for a Strong Buy, one suggests a Moderate Buy, five recommend holding, and one gives it a Strong Sell rating. The mean price target for SAP stock is $329.08, which is 42.4% above Fridays closing price.

www.barchart.com

On the date of publication, Oleksandr Pylypenko 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
For many people, "I invest in dividend stocks" doesn't have the same ring to it as investing in "the next big thing." But the former can often be just as lucrative, if not more so. Even relatively small dividends compound and add up over the years.

There's also a peace that comes with knowing that you'll be rewarded for holding a stock regardless of how its price moves. That's why you shouldn't just go searching for high yields; you should invest in companies built to maintain their dividend for the long haul. That's how you truly get the most value from your dividend stocks.

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If you're looking to add dividend stocks to your portfolio, each of the following three options is a go-to you can confidently hold for the next 20 years.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Chevron

Chevron (NYSE: CVX) is the second-largest U.S. oil company, operating across three main segments of the value chain: upstream, midstream, and downstream. Upstream involves exploration and extraction; midstream involves transportation, processing, and storing; and downstream involves refining products and selling them to consumers.

Having a hand in all three segments helps Chevron weather segment-specific downturns, price swings, and disruptions caused by geopolitical events. It's not foolproof, but it's better than relying on one part of the oil business in many cases.

Over the past decade, Chevron has averaged a dividend yield of around 4.2%, more than 2.5 times the S&P 500 average in that span. It provides high income and stability, with 38 consecutive years of annual payout increases.

The oil industry can be cyclical, but you don't have to worry about Chevron's dividend at any point. Its finances comfortably support the dividend, and it has said it's committed to running a more efficient operation. This includes prioritizing profits over expansion and aiming to maximize shareholder returns.

If you're investing for the long haul, you usually can't go wrong with a cash-flow-heavy business with financial discipline.

2. Procter & Gamble

Even if the name Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) does not ring a bell for anyone, the products that it owns probably will. In its portfolio, it has notable brands like Tide, Pampers, Old Spice, Febreze, Crest, and dozens of others.

P&G is a poster child for defensive and recession-proof stocks because it owns products that sell no matter what. If it's a recession and money is tight, people will cut back on a lot of things before they stop buying laundry detergent, disposable diapers, and toothpaste.
Everyone has a candy from their childhood that perhaps they haven't seen in a few years. For me, it's not so much a personal favorite, but Coffee Nips remind me of my grandparents' house, as my grandmother always had a stash of them.

That's not a product you see on store shelves very often, but they are still made. When I see them, I usually take a picture and share it on social media or on the family group text.

Candy is childhood, the best and bright moments you wish could have lasted forever, wrote Candy Bar creator Dylan Lauren in her book "Dylans Candy Bar: Unwrap Your Sweet Life."

Most people associate candy with childhood, and Primrose Candy Company manufactures a lot of candies that kindle nostalgia. The 98-year-old company may not be as well known as Hershey's or M&M Mars, but its hard candies, taffy, and flavored popcorns have been sold nationally for decades.

Now, the company has been forced into filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Primrose Candy Co. files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Founded in 1928, Primrose Candy Co. has operated for nearly a century, producing hard candies, taffy, and flavored popcorn. It operates a factory in Chicago and has outsourced some business to a factory in China.

Like many smaller U.S. candy manufacturers, it has faced consistent pressure from higher domestic sugar costs and competition from lower-cost imports, leading to consolidation or relocation of production.

"Primrose Candy Co., a Chicago-based manufacturer of nonchocolate confectionery products, filed for chapter 11 protection on January 27, 2026, in the Northern District of Illinois. The company is seeking to restructure its financial obligations while maintaining its manufacturing presence in the Midwest," according to an RK Consulting post on X, the former Twitter.

The Chapter 11 filing for Primrose Candy Co. was confirmed on PacerMonitor and reported by Bondoro, detailing assets estimated between $1 million and $10 million and liabilities of $10 million to $50 million.

"As of 2026, the company continues to operate a 130,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Chicago, though it recently faced significant headwinds including the loss of two major contracts for lemon drop production worth approximately $1 million annually," according to the RK Consulting post.

The company blamed those losses on "lower-cost foreign competition."

"Additionally, the company managed liabilities related to a $125,000 biometric privacy settlement regarding the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) that reached a fairness hearing in July 2025," it added.
UNESCO's 2003 report on language endangerment and vitality, in its preamble, quotes Russell Bernard: About 97% of the worlds people speak about 4% of the worlds languages; and conversely, about 96% of the worlds languages are spoken by about 3% of the worlds people. The report then infers, Most of the worlds language heterogeneity, then, is under the stewardship of a very small number of people.

India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. According to linguists' estimates, India is home to more than 700 languages out of the worlds total of nearly 7,000. The majority of these languages are minor and endangered languages, spoken by fewer than 10,000 speakers, and are therefore ignored by the Census of India.

According to UNESCOs 1996 Atlas of the Worlds Languages in Danger of Disappearing, any language that is not learnt as a mother tongue by at least 30 per cent of a communitys children needs to be considered seriously endangered.

As a linguist working with endangered language communities to document or revitalise their languages, I often face common resistance from the language community members themselves as well as neighbouring communities, who often ask: Why preserve these languages? What is the benefit of speaking such languages? It does not get us jobs, nor does it allow us to travel to other places for education or employment. It even brings social stigma to us when identified as a member of a marginalized or oppressed community.

Studies show that it is not linguistic diversity that kills off languages; rather, it is the rapid and mindless urbanisation in the name of development. Many language communities in India undergo forceful or coercive language loss because of the pressure for assimilation and social mobility. The more technologically and infrastructurally connected we are, the more we fall into homogenised boxes as citizens, workers, and even as netizens. This includes externally imposed codes of corporate cultureof which the colonisers language is an inescapable requisiteand internalised beliefs and stigma regarding ones own culture and social status. Speaking ones own mother tongue is unfashionable for dominant language speakers, but it is socially detrimental for minority/endangered language speakers. It does not help that minority language speakers also tend to belong to socially and economically minoritised, marginalised, and oppressed communities. Language becomes worthless collateral damage, the loss of which is a mere "side effect" in the process of development. It is left unseen because we prioritise the apparent benefits of development. So, what exactly is lost if your language is lost?

Imagine waking up tomorrow and forgetting your mother tongue. An educated Indian today typically speaks at least three languages, so being multilingual, one might imagine that they would be able to manage their daily life even without their mother tongue. But how realistic is this assumption?

We have heard the famous Akbar-Birbal story in which a polyglot, fluent in many languages, comes to Akbars court and challenges the scholars there to find out his mother tongue. When all others fail, Birbal hides near the polyglot's bedchamber and shocks him out of his deep sleep. The polyglot jumps awake, crying out in his mother tongue, and Birbal wins the challenge. As in this story, there are many instances in our daily life where nothing can replace our mother tongue. Many people cannot properly express their emotions in languages that are not their mother tongue. Many others use idioms and expressions from their mother tongues and try to use literal translations of them even when speaking English or other languages. Many swear in their mother tongues. Malayalis and Bengalis are particularly known for speaking their mother tongues when they encounter someone from the same state, often completely disregarding and excluding other people who may be present. Here, the mother tongue represents a social bond of belonging, shared cultural understanding, and value systems.

Our native language shapes our identity and serves as a medium to understand the world around us. This is why early education should start in a childs mother tongue. Experts in the field of Mother-Language Education have shown how school dropout rates, especially in Adivasi communities, are caused by primary school textbooks and teaching being inaccessible to the students because the state language, the medium of education, is alien to them. To a child who lives with nature as their home and animals and plants as their friends and family, how can stories and examples of cars and city life be relatable?

Studies have also shown that the loss of the mother tongue can affect the well-being of the community in many ways. The decline in the intergenerational transmission of the mother tongue can be correlated with an increase in suicide rates and substance addiction among such communities, as well as to increasing school dropout rates. This is related to the identity struggle caused by the loss of cultural continuity. Language links people to their cultural past and anchors their social, emotional, ecological, and spiritual vitality. It helps one situate oneself in space and time in relation to everything and everyone else around them. Without this anchoring, youth across the world have been observed to fall into patterns of depression and self-effacement, leading to self-harm.

Each language encodes a unique way of seeing the world and making sense of where and how one is placed in the ecological and social fabric. For instance, the languages of northeast India show us how their beliefs about the peaceful coexistence of humans, animals, plants, and spirits underlie every aspect of their lives. Languages also encode sustainable ecological preservation practices that we can learn from. For example, many coastal languages have words that encode the depths of the sea at various distances and correlate them to other ecological phenomena related to those areas, while many Himalayan languages have words for the maximum height till which terraced paddy farming is possible, based on the terrain and rainfall patterns. Endangered species of flora and fauna have been discovered with the help of the knowledge encoded in the languages spoken in the forested areas.

Our native languages also influence the kinds of pattern recognition and contextual meaning-making we are capable of within our brain. Multilingualism fosters memory capacity, cognitive adaptability, task-switching skills, empathy, and mental flexibility. We stand to lose on all of these fronts if we lose our languages.

Fascinating facts:

The Sora language, spoken in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, uses a mixed number system of base-12 and base-20 unlike the common decimal system familiar to most of us. (Reference: Gregory Anderson, documentary, The Linguists)

In the Great Andamanese language, body part names encode the zones of the body they are located in. For instance, the word for blood will encode a prefix denoting whether it was from the head, torso, legs, etc. (Reference: Anvita Abbi, Vanishing Voices of the Great Andamanese)

In the Himalayan language Rodung, instead of an adverb of intensification like very, reduplication is employed in interesting ways. Eg. chhakchhakwa is cold, chhakchhakchhakwa is very cold, and chhakchhakchhakchhakwa is very very cold. (Reference: Ktien Hima et al, SIDHELA archives of Sikkim University)

Onomatopoeia is the encoding of words denoting and imitating sounds from nature. The dogs barking in English is bow-wow, in Hindi it is bhow-bhow, and in Tamil it is Llol-llol.
By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

NEW YORK, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Activist investor Fivespan Partners said on Tuesday that it owns 6.2% of Appian, a cloud computing and enterprise software company, and plans to discuss business strategy with its management and board as its stock price has slid.

The San Francisco-headquartered investment firm reported the stake in a so-called 13-D filing which is required when an investor crosses the 5% ownership threshold and intends to push for changes.

McLean, Virginia-headquartered Appian's stock price has tumbled 86% over the last five years to roughly $2 billion, partly due to investor worries that artificial intelligence could eat into its business. The stock price closed at $29.89 on Tuesday.

However, a number of investors have called Appian a misunderstood company with extremely loyal customers, including the U.S. government.

While 13-D filings were once filed routinely by blue-chip activists like Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management and Carl Icahn, they have not been as common in recent years as investors realised they can push for changes with smaller ownership stakes.

A representative for Fivespan declined to comment beyond the filing.

Fivespan, which oversees roughly $1 billion, was founded by several former partners who in 2023 left ValueAct Capital Management, one of the industry's best-known activist investors.

ValueAct prided itself on fostering enduring and collaborative relationships with target companies. Dylan Haggart, one of Fivespan's founders who has spent 10 years at ValueAct, has served on the board of data storage company Seagate Technology for nearly a decade.

Fivespan also has investments in The New York Times Company, German molecular diagnostics company Qiagen, where Fivespan's representative Mark Stevenson joined the supervisory board this week, and advertising company Outfront Media.

The pace of activist investing is exepected to accelerate this year, investors, bankers and lawyers have said, as investors see a chance to push companies to sell themselves or break apart as the pace of mergers and acquisitions is picking up.

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
For a few years now, Indias civil aviation sector has been the fastest-growing in the world. But, that may well be a problem which India is now getting around to sorting out: a booming sector, albeit one fuelled by all things imported. From the aircraft to engines to fuel to even cabin seats.

Yes, you heard it right. Aircraft seats, each and every one of them being imported, simply because India did not have the standards to make them.

Girish Mudgal, co-founder of Timetooth technology, would perhaps like to believe that it is probably because no one bothered. So his Bengaluru-Noida-based company ventured into the long process of designing and crafting one from scratch, spending the last few years gaining all the clearances and certifications needed.

The last of which, from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), came in on Wednesday afternoon at Wings India 2026, Asias biggest civil aviation event, presently on in Hyderabad.

True Atmanirbhar aviation can only be achieved when Indian product companies own design IP, manufacturing and type certification, said Girish Mudgal, Co-Founder, Timetooth Technologies. He added, This vision requires capable Tier-I suppliers to be supported by regulators like the DGCA and enabled by forward-thinking airlines.

Timetooth still has a long way to go, with the present certified seats meant for smaller aircraft. Jhansi Nene, Vice President (engineering) of Timetooth, said the company will soon come up with C127C certified seats for the workhorses of domestic aviation, like the Airbus A320 and A321.

Regional airline Fly91, which operates smaller aircraft on routes in Goa, Maharashtra, Kerala, etc., is presently the only one to adopt the seats. This MoU reflects our intent to build critical aviation capabilities within India. We see value not just in operating aircraft, but in nurturing an ecosystem that supports indigenous design, certification and manufacturing, said Manoj Chacko, MD & CEO, FLY91.

But the scope, according to Timetooth, is immense: with around 1,200 aircraft on order by just the three top Indian pan-national airlines, Indigo, Air India and Indigo, the seat requirement over the next decade will be about 2 lakh seats, amounting to hundreds of thousands of crores.

The Made-in-India aircraft seat is only part of a sorting out a mix of policy and industry push has been attempting to foolproof the rapidly growing segment from its overwhelming dependence on foreign entities and technologies.

Perhaps it also stems from the rapid realignments and reconfiguration in geo-strategic alliances, where trade itself has become a potent weapon. And India definitely does not want to be on the wrong end of the barrel.

Similar to such push in the defence and aerospace areas has been a sudden and consistent push towards local manufacturing, if not outright indigenisation.

This includes a sudden flurry to manufacture civil aircraft in India by at least two big tie-ups. One is the government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) tying up with United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the Russian owner of the Sukhoi SuperJet SJ-100. HAL chairman and managing director D.K.Sunil said it is planning to initially lease 10 to 20 of these, before going in for local production in a licensing agreement, similar to what was done earlier with the fighter jets from the same company. The manufacturing is likely to be at HALs existing facility in Nashik or Kanpur.

We see a good market, upwards of 200 aircraft for an aircraft of this size in the Indian market, said Sunil, There is enough market, we are talking to the operators.

He clarified that he does not see any issue in collaborating with the Russian entity, considering the fear of US sanctions. We dont see a risk that there will be a sanction that will hold up a corporate deal. That risk is the first thing we looked at, and I think that is not in the picture.

The other biggie announcement on the sidelines of Wings India was the announcement of a joint aircraft manufacturing venture between Adani and Brazils Embraer. Even though Adani did not seem to have decided where the project would be established or how much the cost would be, it is significant.

Embraer is the third largest civil aircraft manufacturer in the world, though often eclipsed in size and visibility by the two giant market leaders, Europes Airbus and USAs Boeing. It has been actively promoting its E-jet and Regional Jets in recent times, considering the global situation where production issues with the two biggies have meant that the immense demand for aircraft in a booming industry has not been met, with many orders delayed by years.

This partnership is more than just a business agreement. It is a vision taking flight. It represents India's determination to build world-class aviation capabilities on our own soilturning aspiration into action, Jeet Adani, director, Adani Defence & Aerospace, said.

Beyond manufacturing, India is taking baby steps across the Aviation value chain. This includes Indias first indigenously developed aircraft seat, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to MRO (manufacturing, repair and overhaul) facilities.

While SpiceJet did demonstrate a flight flying fully on ethanol a few years ago, the 2019 Republic Day parade saw a military transport aircraft fly past on SAF made from seed oils by Dehraduns Indian Institute of Petroleum.

Presently, the global aim is to reach 1 per cent blending by next year and 5 per cent by the end of the year. Indian Oils Panipat refinery has already got certification for this and is set to start commercial production soon. Indias aim is to utilise its immense agricultural waste and used cooking oil, etc., as a significant source for SAF production as it scales up in the coming years.

This would be a significant shift from importing petroleum worth hundreds of thousands of crores of rupees every year to refine into Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) presently, with some specialised jet fuel (mainly for high-performance defence requirements) being actually imported directly.
Goa is usually associated with beaches and holidays. But this week, this quaint tourist state with rich Portuguese history became the centre stage for Indias move to sustainable energy partnerships. The India Energy Week (IEW) 2026 opened in Goa on Tuesday with a clear message: the worlds energy transition will only succeed if it is backed by steady investment, wider partnerships and a realistic approach that keeps fuel affordable for growing economies like India.

At the inaugural session, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, UAE minister and ADNOC CEO Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant set the tone for the weeklong conclave. Puri said India has managed recent global shocks without fuel shortages by diversifying suppliers and pushing reforms, and argued that the transition should be seen as energy addition across oil, gas, biofuels, green hydrogen, LNG and clean cooking fuels rather than abrupt replacement of existing sources.

Day one at India Energy Week 2026 set the direction for the global energy agenda.



From a landmark Opening Ceremony inaugurated by Honble Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, to high-level ministerial and CEO dialogues led by Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and pic.twitter.com/CxP7fl88Hn  IndiaEnergyWeek (@IndiaEnergyWeek) January 27, 2026

He highlighted new exploration rounds, the opening of more sedimentary basins and a policy push that together offer an investment opportunity of around $500 billion across Indias energy value chain.

Sawant showcased Goas plan to move to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050 and spoke about balancing a green economy with a blue economy that uses ocean resources responsibly.

Security and cooperation in a volatile world

A highlevel ministerial panel on day one brought together Puri, Canadas energy minister Tim Hodgson and International Energy Forum Secretary General Jassim Al Shirawi to discuss energy security in an uncertain world.

They together stressed that rising demand from emerging economies and geopolitical tensions have made secure, affordable and sustainable energy a core part of economic resilience, and that no single transition model fits all countries.

While Puri highlighted that India will keep expanding natural gas in its energy mix while insisting that producers and consumers work together to keep markets stable, Hodgson called for trusted partnerships and diversified supply chains. Here, Al Shirawi warned that underinvestment, grid bottlenecks and concentrated supply chains could threaten energy security even as renewables grow.

A separate leadership panel argued that natural gas and LNG will remain central to cutting emissions, with global gas demand projected to rise 3035 per cent by 2050. Executives from IndianOil, GAIL, ADNOC Gas and US firm Excelerate Energy said coaltogas switching is the most practical nearterm way to reduce emissions while keeping the grid stable, but cautioned that gas must become more affordable and supported by pipelines, LNG terminals and lastmile networks.

IndiaCanada ties

On the sidelines, India and Canada relaunched their Ministerial Energy Dialogue and signed a joint statement pledging deeper trade in LNG, LPG and crude from Canada to India, and refined products from India to Canada.

At the India Energy Week Strategic Conference, Hon. Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Government of Canada, spoke during the panel Charting a course through uncertainty: securing affordable, accessible and sustainable energy in a turbulent world, pic.twitter.com/bJZWw1A5yI  IndiaEnergyWeek (@IndiaEnergyWeek) January 28, 2026

The official statement from the petroleum ministry expanded on Canadas push to expand energy exports and Indias status as the worlds thirdlargest oil consumer and a key driver of global demand, creating what both sides called a natural and symbiotic energy partnership.
The BSE benchmark hit a morning high of 82,503.97 after gaining more than 646 points as the Sensex reacted to the recent free trade agreement negotiation conclusion between India and the European Union. The upcoming Budget also factored into the rally.

For weeks, the uncertainty surrounding the US-India trade deal and consistent foreign fund outflows shaved off gains in the Indian bourses. On Tuesday, the downward trend was slowly arrested with moderate gains, but it was on Wednesday that the market truly turned around. The FTA is now expected to be implemented this year.

As per the FTA, the EU would get tariff concessions on 93 per cent of its goods in the Indian market. The Union Budget is also expected to be the stage for more customs tax announcements.

"After the India-EU trade deal, which is a big long-term positive, investors are now focused on the Union Budget to be presented on Feb 1," V.K. Vijayakumar of Geojit Investments Limited told agencies.

BEL led the gainers with a nearly 4 per cent stock jump. Other green constituents of the Sensex included Eternal, Powergrid, Axis Bank, NTPC, Bajaj Finance, Reliance, Mahindra, Trent, and Tata Steel. Asian Paints, Maruti Suzuki, Infosys, Hindustan Unilever, and Sun Pharma, however, slumped the most in the 30-pack benchmark.

The NSE Nifty 50 also hit a high of 25,372.10 in Wednesday morning trade, gaining more than 196 points.
The Indian Army was entrusted with striking seven of the nine terror camps targeted during Operation Sindoor, while the Indian Air Force (IAF) was asked to target the other two situated deeper inside Pakistani territory, a study published by a Swiss military think tank claimed. The Centre d'Histoire et de Prospective Militaires (CHPM) said that one of the two Indian strike formations, composed of Rafale or Mirage 2000I aircraft, penetrated Pakistani airspace at a very low altitude to release precision-guided bombs on targets. It added that Pakistan instructed its defenders to target IAF Rafale jets because of their symbolic value.

According to the report, the Indian strike formation did not immediately return to safety after the bombs were released but stayed to "guide them until impact." In doing so, the aircraft deliberately exposed themselves to interception by Pakistani fighters and to engagement by ground-based air defence systems. The report states that the IAF enjoyed numerical superiority over its rival counterpart; even after reinforcements were scrambled, the PAF was outgunned eight to 26 in its own western skies. Meanwhile, Pakistani air traffic control ordered civilian traffic to divert from the area, preparing for the worst.

ALSO READ | Did India's intelligence failure lead to Rafale jet loss in Operation Sindoor?

Islamabad's Erieye an Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C)as well as ground-based radar stations, detected the approach of the IAF strike and diversion formations shortly after midnight. "Over the following twenty minutes, they identified eight distinct groups of six to eight aircraft each, concentrated along four main axes, totalling 60 aircraft, including 14 Rafales, soon reinforced by a further dozen combat aircraft," CHPM said.

ALSO READ | How many Indian jets were lost during Operation Sindoor? New US report punctures Pakistan's false assertion about IAF Rafales

Elaborating on the aerial face-off, the report added: "The PAF, which initially ran three combat air patrols (two of four and one of two aircraft), scrambled 32 additional fighters (F-16s, JF-17s, and J-10Cs) on quick reaction alert, most of which concentrated in the east of Pakistans airspace, from Lahore to east of Islamabad. The Erieye continued to orbit at the rear, over the Peshawar region, facing the two largest Indian concentrations. The PAF thus established a locally less unfavourable force ratio, with 24 Pakistani fighters confronting 28 Indian aircraft. Further west, however, only eight further fighters opposed a total of 26 Indian aircraft."

For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India

Here is what the report said about the outcome of the strikes: "Indian aircraft launched a series of longrange munitions against the complex that housed the JeM headquarters at Bahawalpur, roughly one hundred kilometres from the border. Five distinct buildings were targeted, at least one of which was destroyed in the attack. At the same time, another formation released a second salvo of guided munitions against the LeT headquarters at Muridke. As this site lay only around thirty kilometres from the border, it was kept under observation by a drone, allowing for a more accurate post-strike battle damage assessment: at least two of the targeted buildings were confirmed to have been hit by penetration warheads."

Pakistan wanted to down as many Rafale jets as possible

The report said it is possible that New Delhi's intelligence wings were confident that Pakistan would continue adhering to its established practice of refraining from firing at aircraft outside Pakistani airspace. Indian pilots were, therefore, likely taken by surprise by long-range Pakistani fire while some were operating tens of kilometres from the border or the Line of Control. "The Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force immediately instructed pilots operating over the eastern sector to engage the Indian aircraft, aiming to shoot down as many as possible while minimising their own exposure to return fire. Several J-10C and JF-17 fighters fired at least one salvo of PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles, while an HQ-9 or HQ-16 surface-to-air missile battery also engaged Indian fighters. Pakistani forces concentrated their fire on the Rafale, designated as a priority target due to its symbolic value," CHPM said.

Later, Islamabad claimed to have taken out six Indian aircraft over an hour-long sequence, including three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29 inside Indian airspace, the report added.

In the report's abstract, CHPM said that the IAF managed to significantly degrade the enemy's air-defence system, then concluded the conflict by carrying out a series of spectacular strikes against Pakistans principal Air Force stations. "Thus, by achieving clear air superiority, India coerced Islamabad into requesting a ceasefire."

YOU CAN READ THE SWISS THINK TANKS REPORT HERE

What is CHPM?

Founded in 1969, the Centre d'Histoire et de Prospective Militaires (CHPM) is an independent research centre that promotes studies dedicated to military history and thinking, and reportedly offers training in strategic and security studies.
Pakistan's attempt to retaliate to 'Operation Sindoor' with a tit-for-tat strike on Indian territory largely failed as its rockets and drones were successfully countered by an integrated air-defence system, a Swiss think tank report said. Conversely, the Indian Air Force (IAF) effectively degraded Islamabad's air-defence system before carrying out "a series of spectacular strikes against Pakistans principal Air Force stations," it said. Thus, by achieving clear air superiority, India pushed Islamabad into requesting a ceasefire.

ALSO READ | Operation Sindoor: IAF fired BrahMos from Sukhoi-30s and Scalp missiles from Rafale jets at Pak targets

At the cost of roughly fifty long-range munitions, the IAF assessed that they were able to take out at least four or five F-16s, one Erieye [Early Warning and Control System], one C-130 transport aircraft, several MALE [Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance] drones, two radars, two command-and-control centres, and one surface-to-air missile battery which were destroyed on the ground.

The observations were part of a study published by the Centre d'Histoire et de Prospective Militaires (CHPM). It claimed that the effectiveness of India's integrated air-defence system was one of the surprises of the conflict. Conversely, the Indian Air Force managed to significantly degrade the enemy's air-defence system, before going after the principal Air Force stations.

ALSO READ | Russia confirms fourth S-400 delivery to India by Operation Sindoor mark; final squadron to arrive in 2027: Report

How India outgunned Pakistan

During the final stage of the 88-hour-long conflict, the IAF used its Su-30MKI, Jaguar, and Rafale aircraft to fire BrahMos, SCALP-EG, and Rampage missiles from within its airspace, which struck seven sites up to 200 kilometres inside Pakistan. A PAF command-and-control centre at Nur Khan Air Base and a control centre at Murid Air Base were struck among several other targets during this operation, the study said. Sargodha Air Base in central Pakistan, home to multiple combat squadrons, was rendered inoperative after being repeatedly struck by several Indian missiles at the intersection of its runways. Sukkur Air Base, Rahim Yar Khan Air Base, Murid Air Base, and Rafiqi Air Base were also targeted and hit by India. The strikes were part of New Delhi's quasi-immediate counter-strike after Pakistan had an attack scheduled on the evening of May 9.

For more defence news, views and updates, visit: Fortress India

The study had further details on how Pakistan's military infrastructure was humbled by repeated precision pounding: "Indian strikes were even more destructive in the south. At Jacobabad Air Base, an F-16 maintenance hangar suffered a direct hit, while a radar was also damaged or destroyed, along with electrical and cooling facilities. At Bholari Air Base, another hangar housing one or more Erieye aircraft was severely damaged."

YOU CAN READ THE SWISS THINK TANKS REPORT IN FULL HERE

"Nevertheless, by noon on 10 May, Pakistani military authorities requested a ceasefire from their Indian counterparts. This was quickly accepted, as the political objectives assigned to the militarynamely to conduct spectacular retaliatory strikes to deter JeM and LeT while countering the Pakistan militarys responsehad been achieved. New Delhi thus claimed to have brought the conflict to a close, whereas other powers repeatedly get bogged down in the conflicts they initiate," the report further said.

ALSO READ | China wanted a 'live lab' to test weapons; ensured Pakistan had 'live updates' on India's vectors during Operation Sindoor: Deputy COAS

Talking about the conflicts on 9 May, the Swiss think tank said that India's S-400 batteries "surprised the PAF, likely by lying in ambush near the border". It engaged a PAF AEW&C that was flying at a very great distance, spreading fear regarding the safety of other radars located at a similar distance. The cumulative effect of these operations was a drastic reduction in both the extent and quality of Pakistani airspace coverage, it claimed.

What is CHPM?

Founded in 1969, the Centre d'Histoire et de Prospective Militaires, sometimes called the Centre for military history and perspective studies, is an independent research centre that promotes studies dedicated to military history and thinking, and reportedly offers training in strategic and security studies.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the governments agenda and work done over the last decade in her address to the joint sitting of the Parliament as the Budget session began on Wednesday. The speech positioned 2026 as the start of Indias second phase of the 21st century, arguing that the foundations laid over the past 1011 years now enable a faster push toward the stated goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. The address blended cultural symbolism with governance outcomes, placing emphasis on scale and delivery.

The address described the past decade as a period of consolidation across sectors. According to the government, these years strengthened institutional capacity in various sectors, including welfare delivery, infrastructure, manufacturing and policy reform.

Here are the key takeaways from the speech.

Social justice

Framing social justice with values associated with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Murmu highlighted key achievements of the Centre. The government claimed that 25 crore people have moved out of poverty in the last decade, attributing this to large-scale interventions in housing, water, cooking fuel and income support. Four crore permanent houses were built for the poor over ten years, with 32 lakh handed over in the last year alone.

The Jal Jeevan Mission has provided piped water to 12.5 crore households, including one crore new connections in the previous year. More than 10 crore LPG connections were extended under the Ujjwala Yojana. The address also highlighted the use of Direct Benefit Transfer, through which benefits worth 6.75 lakh crore were transferred directly to beneficiaries in the last year, positioning transparency as central to social justice.

Health and social security

The expansion of welfare was presented as a shift toward near-universal social security. Coverage has grown from 25 crore people in 2014 to about 95 crore today, according to the address. Health outcomes were used to substantiate this claim. Under Ayushman Bharat, more than 11 crore free hospital treatments have been provided so far, including 2.5 crore in the last year. Around one crore senior citizens have received Vay Vandana Cards, with nearly eight lakh accessing free inpatient care.

The spread of 1.8 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs was cited as evidence of healthcare moving closer to households. Disease control efforts were also highlighted, including the screening of over 6.5 crore people for sickle cell anaemia, effective containment of Japanese Encephalitis in vulnerable districts, and the World Health Organisation declaring India free from trachoma. Insurance schemes for life and accident cover have disbursed claims exceeding 24,000 crore, providing financial support during crises.

Economy

The economic narrative focused on output growth, manufacturing capacity and connectivity. India recorded foodgrain production of over 350 million tonnes in the last year, including 150 million tonnes of rice, making it the worlds largest producer. The country is now the second-largest fish producer globally and the worlds largest milk producer, with cooperatives cited as a key driver. Manufacturing growth was highlighted through Indias position as the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, with smartphone exports crossing Rs 1 lakh crore in the first five months of 202526.

Electric vehicles are now being exported to more than 100 countries. Infrastructure expansion was presented as the backbone of this growth. Over 18,000 kilometres of rural roads were added in the last year; Indian Railways is moving toward full electrification, and more than 150 Vande Bharat trains are operational. Indias metro network has crossed 1,000 kilometres, making it the third-largest globally, while national waterways have expanded from five to over 100.

Global positioning

Foreign policy was framed against a backdrop of global instability, with India portrayed as steady and pragmatic. The address highlighted Indias role as a bridge between competing blocs, maintaining balance while prioritising national interest. Over the past 11 years, India has attracted about $750 billion in foreign direct investment, reflecting growing global confidence. Indias engagement across platforms such as BRICS, G20, BIMSTEC and SCO was presented as evidence of its rising international profile. Humanitarian interventions in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Afghanistan were cited to underline Indias role as a first responder. Holding the BRICS presidency and plans to host a Global AI Impact Summit were positioned as markers of Indias expanding influence in global governance.
An eyewitness who was working in the fields during the time of the plane crash in Baramati said that the plane was about to land at the airport before it rose up again.

The woman said that parts of the plane flew all the way to her house.

The plane was landing at the airport, but suddenly rose upto the sky again. It circled two or three times in the air and then crashed down rapidly. As soon as it hit the ground, the plane exploded. The iron parts and debris flew so hard that they reached the roof of our house, she said.

Baramati, Maharashtra | A local resident says, "We live here and behind us there is an airstrip where we saw that a plane came and it did not land. It went further, but then it turned back in sometime and started landing. But then it crash landed just before the runway. As soon pic.twitter.com/Gb1NvdjNst  ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026

The private VSR plane carrying Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and 5 other passengers crashed into a field near Barmati airport at around 8:50 am, killing all of its passengers.

The passengers included Videep Jadhav, Captain Sumit Kapoor, Captain Sambhi Pathak and Pinky Mali.

Another person who saw the incident said that the following the crash, the plane burst into flames, followed by four to five blasts. The man who spoke to ANI said, I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion.After that, we rushed here and saw that the aircraft was on fire. There were 4-5 explosions in the aircraft again. More people came here, and they tried to pull the people out (of the aircraft). But since this was a huge fire, people could not help. Ajit Pawar was onboard and this is really painful for us. I can't describe it in words The plane crashed about 100 feet away from the track.

One woman who lives in the area recounted the scene right after the crash. "They tried to extinguish the fire. After 15 minutes, they could douse the fire and when we went near, we saw a headless body lying there. It was completely burned and swollen. We could not identify it, but later, with the help of something in the hand, it was identified that it was the body of Dada (Ajit Pawar). Police team came to us and asked for water. We gave them, and they also asked for clothes to cover it, so we gave a new blanket from our house."

#WATCH | Crash landing in Baramati | Baramati, Maharashtra: An eyewitness at the spot says, "I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion. After that, we pic.twitter.com/fBQplnxHON  ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026

The flight had taken off from Mumbai at around 8:10 am, and it disappeared from the radar around 8:45 am. Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to address public meetings as part of the campaign for the February 5, zilla parishad elections in the state.
Ajit Pawar, Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), tragically passed away in a plane crash on Wednesday morning, sending shockwaves across the nation.

Ajit was en route to Baramati to attend a rally for the Zilla Parishad elections when his chartered aircraft crashed and went down in flames. All five people on board lost their lives.

Ajit's death comes amid reports of a potential thaw between the two factions of the NCP, with increasing speculation that he might return to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

In 2023, the NCP suffered a vertical split when Ajit, along with several senior leaders, broke away from the party led by his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition in Maharashtra. Recently, there had been mounting speculation that a reconciliation between the uncle and nephew was becoming more likely.

#WATCH | Delhi | Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar passes away in a charter plane crash in Baramati; Visuals from ANI Archives



Ajit Pawar, Deputy CM of Maharashtra, was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew (PIC+FO) members in the charter plane. pic.twitter.com/pzJ12LvcQT  ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026

Just last week, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had expressed hope that Ajit Pawar would merge his faction with the NCP (Sharad Pawar), led by Sharad Pawar.

"Though Ajit Pawar is part of the Mahayuti alliance, he remains connected with the MVA. Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar will reunite as part of the MVA. Ajit Pawar cannot sit on two stools," Raut had said.

Also read Which aircraft was Ajit Pawar flying in when killed in the Baramati plane crash?

Following the split in the NCP and a prolonged legal battle for control of the party, the Election Commission granted Ajit Pawar's faction the original party name and the clock symbol, while Sharad Pawars faction was rebranded as NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Ajit first raised the flag of rebellion in 2019 when he defected from the NCP to join the BJP government, becoming the Deputy Chief Minister. However, the government collapsed within 80 hours, and Ajit soon returned to the NCP.

In recent months, a clear thaw between the two factions had become evident. They formed an alliance for municipal elections in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad earlier this month, and have also announced a tie-up for the upcoming third phase of civic body polls on February 5. Both factions had agreed to contest under Ajit Pawars faction's clock symbol.

Signs of reconciliation had been apparent over the past several months, with members of the Pawar family appearing together at multiple events and posing for photos.

"In an interview with the Times of India earlier this month, Ajit acknowledged that the bitterness between the two factions of the NCP had diminished. He hinted at a possible reunion with his uncle, stating that he believes in the politics of 'addition, not subtraction.'

There has been no discussion with Pawar Saheb yet. However, I want to make it clear that there are no permanent enemies in politics,' he said.

In an interview with the Indian Express last week, the NCPs Maharashtra unit chief Sunil Tatkare said that the two factions would hold discussions for a merger if circumstances arise. "It is possible. We will fight together and this means there will be one symbol," he said.
The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a plane crash on Wednesday, will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati, Pune district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the funeral, which will be held at Vidya Pratishthan ground at 11 AM.

Leaders, cutting across the political lines, will be present at the funeral, the Nationalist Congress Party said.

The mortal remains of Ajit Pawar would be kept at the Vidya Pratishthan grounds in Baramati, where people will be allowed to pay their final respects to the deceased leader.

The state government declared a public holiday on Wednesday and announced a three-day period of state mourning following the death of the deputy CM.

Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar and his wife Pratibha Pawar flew to their hometown in a helicopter from Mumbai after hearing the news.

The plane crash occurred in the morning shortly after Ajit Pawar and four other persons took off from Mumbai.

Besides Pawar, his personal security officer, an attendant, and two crew members (pilot in command and the first officer) were also killed in the accident.

Pawar is survived by wife Sunetra, a member of the Rajya Sabha, and two sons, Parth and Jay.
Hinting at a possible conspiracy angle in the death of NCP leader Ajit Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, called for a Supreme Court-monitored probea demand that was also backed by other opposition leaders.

Pawar was killed after an aircraft carrying him and a few others crashed near Baramati in Pune district on Wednesday morning.

Banerjee suggested that Ajit Pawar was planning to return to the Nationalist Congress Party faction NCP (SP) led by his uncle Sharad Pawar, noting that reports circulating in recent days had pointed to such a move. "I was truly shocked to see the news (of Ajit Pawar's death) this morning. It shows that there is no safety or security in this country, even for political leaders," the CM said.

"Even those who are a part of the ruling establishment today do not seem to be safe," she said.

Alleging that "all other agencies" have been "completely compromised", the WB M demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge backed her demand, saying, "Everyone, all leaders, keep travelling for urgent work. But in so many instances, we saw in Ahmedabad how a big plane crashed. This was a small plane; why did this happen? It should be probed. We also demand a probe."

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai described Pawar's demise as a great loss for Maharashtra and said, "There has to be an investigation because these kinds of incidents keep happening. Everybody is wondering why..." Desai said.

"On one hand, demand for chartered planes has increased, private planes are on the rise, but at the same time, incidents of technical glitches, or other reasons come forth after an accident, there has to be a thorough investigation...," he said.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav cited similar incidents in the past and said Banerjee's demand was justified.

"He (Ajit Pawar) was a big leader, served as a deputy chief minister many times, and a popular leader of Maharashtra. She (Banerjee) must have made a justified demand... Earlier as well, many VIPs lost their lives in a similar manner, so there should be an impartial probe so it can be known what the reason for the accident was," Yadav said.
Many in the financial media have expressed concerns over an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble, and it's no wonder why. AI stocks have been on a seriously big and incredibly fast run over the past couple of years.

The parallels to the dot-com crash are easy to draw. Both that event and the current AI bull market centered on incredible new technologies that promise to change the way we live and work.

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While the internet has already done that, and AI certainly has the potential to do the same, possible over-speculation and billions of dollars pouring into AI have cast doubts on the short-term viability of AI investment.

Fortunately, you can protect yourself from any potential AI bubble popping while still capturing some gains if the bull market in AI continues. Canada's Cameco (NYSE: CCJ) is the way to do it.

Power with the intensity of ten thousand suns

Cameco, as a uranium miner, is integral to powering AI's energy needs. But even without AI, focus on alternative energy and the shortcomings of other low-carbon alternatives like wind and solar is seeing many countries giving nuclear another look.

The United States is no exception. The Department of Energy has set a goal to triple America's nuclear capacity by 2050. The U.S. is already the world's largest nuclear energy generator by volume, but it only makes up about 21% of the country's total energy output.

Image source: Getty Images.

All of America's 94 operating nuclear reactors need uranium. So will the 10 planned Westinghouse reactors the government pledged $80 billion toward procuring (more on that in a moment.)

Cameco is the second-largest uranium miner in the world. In 2024, it produced 17% of all uranium used around the world. The only company that produced more is Kazakhstan's state-run company, Kazatomprom.

Cameco also owns the world's highest-grade uranium mine and the world's largest high-grade uranium mine, which are both in Canada.

In fact, so critical is Canadian uranium to the American energy market that there is a carveout in the U.S. tariffs on Canadian energy exports. They are only taxed at a 10% rate, as opposed to the 25% at which most Canadian goods are taxed.

Despite a dip in revenue for third-quarter 2025 (Cameco's most recent reported quarter) of 15%, for the first nine months of 2025, Cameco saw revenues grow 17% and gross profits surge by 31%. The company's net income margin is sitting comfortably at 15.18%.
On January 25, inside a crowded conference hall at Mahabalipuram on the outskirts of Chennai, actor Vijay declared that "neither the evil force nor the corrupt force should rule the state. Addressing his party functionaries, Vijay sounded categorical about the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagams (TVK) stand against the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK.

For the first time since the launch of his party in 2024, the actor-politician spoke critically of the AIADMK, referring to it as the party which ruled Tamil Nadu earlier, and called it a corrupt force.

The Mahabalipuram meeting was the last nail in the coffinputting an end to all the speculations about Vijays TVK aligning with the AIADMK. The actor also called his party a powerful force that was capable of winning the upcoming election in the state on its own.

Vijays speech invited sharp criticism from the AIADMK, leading to battle lines being drawn amid closely fought elections in the state.

The AIADMK, which had been waiting in the wings by sending feelers to the TVK, brought Vijay into the line of fire with a scathing attack, in which it called him a narcissist.

In a social media post written in the form of a letter addressed to the 'Panaiyur Pannaiyar' (landlord of Panaiyur), the AIADMK IT wing questioned his claims of being a clean, non-corrupt individual. Soon, it also unleashed a flurry of memes against Vijay, recalling the days when he called on Edappadi K. Palaniswami to resolve issues affecting the release of his film Master, and how he went (with his father) all the way to the Kodanad estate to call on Jayalalithaa to resolve issues behind the release of Thalaiva.

Even days later, the social media fight between the AIADMK and the TVK has cooked up some of the most interesting memes and videos in the elections.

Interestingly, the T.T.V. Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) joining the NDA has crushed all the hopes of the TVK. Dhinakaran, who was said to be in talks with the TVK for an alliance after former minister K.A. Sengottaiyan joined the party, has also come out heavily against the TVK. When Vijay called AIADMK a corrupt party, Dhinakaran also took a dig at Vijay, saying that he was an actor who could not even control the sale of black tickets for his own movies.

Notably, the AIADMK had given Vijay false hopes after the Karur stampede.

When Palaniswami said at a Namakkal meeting that a magnificent party would join the AIADMK-led alliance, pointing out that the TVK flag was being waved there, political observers in the state opined that the AIADMK and the TVK might join forces.

However, those hopes fell flat when Union Minister Piyush Goyal replaced Baijayant Panda as the BJP in-charge for Tamil Nadu to give shape to the fragmented NDA in the state.

The second time everything went haywire for Vijay and his party was when Dhinakaran chose to walk into the NDA fold. TVK had been waiting for senior leaders from the AIADMK and its factionsled by O. Panneerselvam and Dhinakaranto either join his party or float an alliance with him.

With the AIADMK-led NDA surging in the state after AMMKs re-entry into the alliance, the anti-incumbency and anti-DMK voteswhich had been likely to tilt toward the TVKnow seem to be going back to the AIADMK alliance.

Being a fledgling party, the TVK also doesnt have any prominent face other than Vijay and Sengottaiyan, as well as a handful of other leaders who are also new to electoral politics. Now, with the AIADMK's fresh salvos against the actor, the TVK has been forced to rework its political strategies.
The untimely death of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash, has shocked the state and the nation.

Ajit Dada, as he was affectionately known, was travelling to Baramati, his constituency and hometown, to address four public rallies during the day as part of the zilla parishad elections campaign.

He left Mumbai at 8 in the morning and boarded a Learjet 45 aircraft, which crashed while landing at Baramati airport and then exploded, resulting in a fireball that killed all six persons on board the flight. The pilot had complained of very poor visibility at the time of landing, it is learnt.

Born on July 22, 1959, in the village Deolali Pravara in Rahuri Taluka of Ahilya Nagar (then Ahmed Nagar) district, Ajit was the son of Anantrao Pawar. His father had tried his luck in Mumbais film industry but returned to Pune as his career did not take off.

Ajit grew up at his maternal grandparents' house in Deolali Pravara. When he was eight years old, in 1967, his uncle Sharad Pawar got elected to the state legislative assembly from Baramati on a Congress ticket. Sharad Pawar was the first congressman in a family that had its ideological leaning towards the Peasants and Workers Party, which had a strong presence in Maharashtra back then.

Right from childhood, Ajit closely followed his uncle and drew inspiration from him. Uncle Sharad Pawar too groomed his nephew in order to get him into politics.

Ajit first contested assembly elections in 1991 from Baramati. He won with a big margin, and since then, he had been representing the constituency with an increasing margin every time. He was one of those leaders who would get elected with the biggest margins in state assembly elections.

Ajit Pawar was a no-nonsense and blunt-talking politician. He did not like Chamchas or hangers-on, which is a trademark of a politician in India. He was hugely popular among the people and party cadre, be it when he was in Congress, or in the United NCP or in the NCP that he split more than three years ago in order to join the NDA alliance.

Ajit was seen as Sharad Pawars political heir till the time Pawar seniors daughter Supriya entered politics in 2008. Slowly, after Supriyas entry into politics, the differences between the uncle and nephew started coming to the fore, said people in the know.

Ajit became a minister in his very first term in the assembly. Thanks to his uncles influence, he began getting more and more important portfolios, first as MoS and then as a cabinet minister. He became deputy chief minister in 2010 and, since then, has been the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra five times.

Ajits tenure as irrigation minister would go on to become controversial as he faced allegations of the irrigation scam and the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam. It was Devendra Fadnavis, who was then the state BJP president, who had launched a fiery attack on Ajit Pawar. The politics would later take such twists and turns that Ajit Pawar became Fadnaviss deputy chief minister in 2019, first and then in 2024.

Ajit was a pragmatic politician who believed that there was no point in being in opposition. He was among the first NCP men who openly took a stand that NCP should ally with the BJP and be part of the NDA after Narendra Modi became the prime minister and the BJP came to power in Maharashtra too.

His colleague and senior NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil called him Mr Perfectionist. Another colleague and former NCP state president, Jayant Patil, had said Ajit Dada is so conscious of timeliness that one can set their watches as per his schedule.

An early riser, Ajit Pawar always began working at 6 in the morning. In fact, this writer has personally experienced his timeliness and early morning working style. An interview given to this writer was scheduled at 6.30 in the morning, and it began at the same time.

Reacting to Ajit Pawars demise, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that it was a great personal loss to him as Ajit Dada was his close friend who was very generous at heart.

Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra, who is a Rajya Sabha MP, and his sons Parth and Jay.

It would be interesting to see what happens to the Ajit Pawar-led NCP after his demise. Already, there are talks of a reunion of both factions of the NCP. The death of Ajit Pawar is likely to speed up the process, as both factions had already fought Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation elections together. His death also means that Supriya Sule will now be the topmost NCP leader after her father in the party heirarchy and the two factions might merge. What remains to be seen is whether the party remains with the India alliance or gravitates towards BJP led NDA.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash at Baramati on Wednesday morning. As per initial reports, five others, including his two personal assistants and two pilots, died in the accident.

The incident occurred after the aircraft he was traveling on landed belly up before catching fire.

Extremely shocked and saddened by the tragic news of the passing of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar ji in a plane crash.



My heartfelt condolences to the Pawar family, his supporters and the people of Maharashtra.



Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/cH9YYJabkW  Dr Sudhakar K (@DrSudhakar_) January 28, 2026

Pawar was in Baramati, his home ground, to address multiple election rallies for the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.

Footage doing the rounds on social media showed the light aircraft on fire in a deserted field. The wreckage was scattered across the area, with flames and thick smoke billowing after the crash.

According to reports, the ATC received information about the crash of the chartered flight at about 9:12 am. The plane took off from Mumbai around 8:10 am.

His body has been taken to Baramati hospital, where a huge crowd has thronged.

Pawar is survived by wife Sunetra, a member of Rajya Sabha and two sons, Parth and Ja
The budget session of Parliament, set to begin on Wednesday, is expected to be a stormy affair, with the Congress-led opposition preparing to raise several critical issues, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). This comes despite the government's refusal to allow further discussions on these matters.

Congress leaders are also expected to seek clarification on key economic and foreign policy concerns amid rising global tensions.

Naseer Hussain, Congress leader and whip in the Rajya Sabha, stated that a meeting convened by party leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday had identified several important issues for the first part of the Budget session.

"The most pressing issue is MGNREGA. We had an in-depth discussion on it and will bring it up during the initial phase of the Budget session. Along with that, the issue of SIR will also be raised. Many members highlighted how the BJP has caused confusion and disruption surrounding the SIR," he said.

This move comes despite a rejection by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who turned down requests to debate both the VB-G RAM G Act and the SIR.

All-Party meeting attended by all the floor leaders of political parties before the Budget Session of Parliament. pic.twitter.com/Ch5mdbxZ3g  Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) January 27, 2026

The Congress is also likely to raise other concerns, including the redefinition of the Aravalli Hills, the Great Nicobar project, the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir, and issues related to water contamination in Indore and Ahmedabad.

With ongoing tariff tensions between India and the United States and US President Donald Trump's continued claims of mediation between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, the opposition is also expected to demand greater clarity on the government's foreign policy approach.

Meanwhile, leaders from various opposition parties will meet in Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in Parliament House on Wednesday at 10 am to strategise their approach for the session.
It has been a tragic full circle for Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who passed away in an air crash earlier this morning in Baramatia place that has been his stronghold and from where he took his first steps into electoral politics.

For Ajit Pawar, Baramati was never just a constituency. It was his power base, the heart of his political identity, the reminder of a personal sacrifice and a place he called his "political laboratory".

His electoral journey began in 1991 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Baramati constituency. However, in a move that defined his early career, he vacated the seat after just a few months to allow his uncle, Sharad Pawar, to enter Parliament and serve as the Union defence minister. Ajit then turned his attention to state politics and was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly seven consecutive times from the Baramati seat.

He earned the moniker "Dada" in Baramati primarily because of his focus on local infrastructure and the cooperative sector. His power was rooted in the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank, where he served as chairman for 16 years, sugar cooperatives, and milk unions.

Ajit is credited with transforming Baramati into a "model constituency" through major investments in irrigation, education, and industrial development.

He was known for his Janata Darbars and a daily routine that often began at 6am, maintaining a direct grassroots connection with the people there.

Following the split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Baramati became the epicentre of a high-stakes family battle. He took a political gamble in the Lok Sabha 2024 elections by fielding his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against his cousin, Supriya Sule. After Sunetra's defeat, Ajit publicly admitted that contesting against family in Baramati was a "mistake".

In the assembly elections the same year, however, he pitted himself against his nephew, Yugendra Pawar. Despite the challenge from the Sharad Pawar-led faction, Ajit won, retaining his seat and proving once again his personal influence over the Sabarmati voters.

Incidentally, Ajit was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati, where he was scheduled to address public meetings as part of the campaign for the Zilla Parishad elections on February 5. He died in the heart of his hometown and the constituency that had served as his fortress for over three decades.
Six people were reportedly on board the small aircraft that crashed in Maharashtra's Baramati, allegedly claiming the life of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) icon Ajit Pawar.

The details about the aircraft make or model that the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister was on board have not been officially released in the initial coverage. No credible source has specified which exact plane  aircraft type or registration  he was on at the time. Official statements on the aircrafts identity were still pending at the time of compiling this report.

READ HERE | Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash

However, local media reports citing Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources and aviation officials have reported that the aircraft involved was a Learjet 45, operated by VSR, bearing registration VT-SSK. The aircraft had taken off from Mumbai at around 8:10 AM and was attempting to land at Baramati when the tragic accident occurred.

Learjet 45 jet planes

The Bombardier Learjet 45 is a midsize business jet aircraft introduced in January 1998. It is designed for speedy and comfortable short- to mid-range flights.

Learjet 45's cabin is typically designed for eight passengers in a double club configuration. An extra passenger can be seated in the enclosed lavatory if required.

According to a report by Air Charter Service, the production of the Learjet 45 ended in 2007, with the Learjet 45XR ceasing in 2012. Learjet 45 is powered by two Honeywell TFE731-20AR engines with 3,500 pounds of thrust, the report added.

The aircraft has a tail height of 14 ft 1 in (4.3 m), a wingspan of 47 ft 9 in (14.6 m), and a length of 57 ft 7 in (17.6 m), with a maximum take-off weight of 20,500 lbs (9,299 kg). It has a long-range capability of 1,420 nautical miles (2,630 km), a maximum cruise speed of 460 knots (852 km/h), and a service ceiling of 51,000 ft (15,545 m). The aircraft requires a take-off distance of 4,400 ft (1,341 m) and a landing distance of 2,440 ft (744 m).

Ajit Pawar passes away

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, who defected from his parent party to join the BJP-Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra in 2024, tragically died in a plane crash on Wednesday morning. His death comes at a time when reports suggested a potential thaw between the two warring factions of the NCP, with speculation about his possible return to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

As per initial reports, five others, including his two personal assistants and two pilots, died in the accident. The incident occurred after the aircraft he was traveling on landed belly up before catching fire.

Footage doing the rounds on social media showed the light aircraft on fire in a deserted field. The wreckage was scattered across the area, with flames and thick smoke billowing after the crash.
Captain Shambhavi Pathak was one of the five people who died after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ajit Pawars Learjet 25 VT SSK, crashed in Baramati.

Pathak was co-piloting the aircraft along with the pilot in Command captain Sumit Kumar. The two were experienced aviation professionals. VSR Aviation confirmed their identities.

Sumit Kumar had over 16,000 hours of flying experience.

Co-pilot Shambhavi had a strong academic background in aviation and was trained in qualities in the business jet segment, Pune Pulse reported. She was the daughter of an Army officer.

She had completed her schooling at Air Force Bal Bharati School and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics, Aviation, and Aerospace Science and Technology from the University of Mumbai. Additional she also enrolled in the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy, where she pursued advanced flight training.

One of Shambahavis childhood friends' father shared that he knew the young pilot, calling her a brilliant student, a great daughter, a very loving sibling, and a very good friend, on X.

Along with the Deputy CM of Maharashtra, a young pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak the Pilot of the plane also lost her life in the Plane crash. She was a brilliant student, a great daughter, a very loving sibling and a very good friend. This is a personal loss as she was my pic.twitter.com/pbNJ3LfGif  SUDHIR (@seriousfunnyguy) January 28, 2026

Along with the Deputy CM of Maharashtra, a young pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak, the Pilot of the plane, also lost her life in the Plane crash. She was a brilliant student, a great daughter, a very loving sibling, and a very good friend. This is a personal loss as she was my daughters friend from KG class. Prayers,  Shudhir, a chef and traveller, said.

The aviation community is mourning the death of two experienced pilots in the crash.

According to the preliminary investigation, the crew carried the Learjet 45 business aircraft in a go-around after reporting that the runway was not in sight. The visibility in the area was reported to bae around 3000 metres with calm winds.

The pilots reported visibility issues for a second time after retrying landing, a DGCA statement said. The pilots were given clearance to land at 8:45 am, but there was no readback, and moments later the flames were observed near the threshhold of Runway 11.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has taken over the investigation and is conducting a probe into how the crash occurred.
US President Donald Trump issued a renewed warning to Iran on Tuesday, urging the country to pursue a deal while highlighting the ongoing buildup of US military forces in the region.

Trump's latest threat came in response to Iran's announcement of military drills near the Strait of Hormuz, amid ongoing tensions over the government's crackdown on anti-government protests.

"By the way, there's another beautiful armada floating toward Iran right now. So we'll see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time. They'd have a country," Trump said during a campaign-style event in Clive.

Trump on Iran:



There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now, so we will see.



I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal.



(Iran will never accept US offer) pic.twitter.com/UgGIiLv09N  Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 27, 2026

Trump's announcement of the deployment of a second armada came a day after the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and accompanying warships arrived in the Middle East on Monday.

Trump has consistently threatened military intervention if Iran continues its violent crackdown on protesters. According to an Axios report, the President nearly ordered a strike on regime targets earlier this month but eventually postponed the decision.

Location of USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group.



A giant armada is approaching to Iran. pic.twitter.com/8IQXB9utwk  Cyrus Intel (@Cyrus_Intel75) January 24, 2026

Trump stated that he had been informed that the killings in Iran were subsiding and that he was aware of no immediate plans for executions of prisoners.

Nevertheless, Washington continues to reposition military assets in the region. Last week, Trump remarked, "We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela."

However, he also noted that Iranian officials have expressed a willingness to engage in talks. "They want to make a deal. I know so. They've called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," he added."
US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that additional naval forces were moving towards Iran, raising questions about whether Washington was preparing for another escalation or just applying pressure through rhetoric. Speaking at a rally in Iowa, Trump said another beautiful armada was sailing towards Iran. He repeated the phrase later, telling supporters, Theres another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now, while expressing hope that Tehran would make a deal.

What remains unclear, however, is whether Trump was referring to a new deployment or merely rebranding an existing one. While his remarks suggested a fresh wave of military muscle, available evidence points to the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group as the force he was describing. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier carries nearly 5,000 sailors and several dozen fighter jets and represents one of the most formidable instruments of American power projection.

For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East

Media reports indicate that this strike group is the massive fleet Trump referred to, intended to be used just in case diplomacy fails or tensions spiral further. There has been no independent confirmation of a second carrier group heading towards the region, suggesting that the presidents language may have been deliberately ambiguous, designed to heighten psychological pressure.

BREAKING:



U.S President #Trump:



By the way, there's another beautiful armada floating toward #Iran right now. So we'll see.



I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal. pic.twitter.com/F7otp9RIwl  Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) January 27, 2026

The naval deployment has coincided with the launch of multi-day readiness exercises announced by US Central Command. The drills are intended to demonstrate Washingtons ability to deploy, disperse and sustain combat airpower across the region. According to CENTCOM, the exercises are aimed at improving operational flexibility, strengthening coordination with partners and preparing forces for rapid response under volatile conditions.

The Air Forces Central component of CENTCOM said the exercises are meant to deter aggression and reduce the risk of miscalculation. US aircrews are being deployed to multiple contingency locations, following the arrival of a squadron of F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets in the region. The aircraft comes from the same unit that participated in strikes on Iran in April 2024. CENTCOM has also announced defensive drills with Bahrain focused on countering drone threats, a reflection of growing concern over Tehrans expanding use of unmanned aerial systems.

The drills coincide with heightened war rhetoric. Trump has claimed that the US obliterated Irans nuclear capacity during a June operation codenamed Midnight Hammer, a statement that has been disputed but has nonetheless sharpened tensions. He has warned of further US action if mass executions continue in Iran, although he recently suggested that the killings had paused. Both Washington and Tehran now openly acknowledge the risk of a wider conflict. US destroyers operating alongside the Lincoln are equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking targets deep inside Iran. Regional anxiety has spread beyond the Gulf, with Turkey briefing its parliament on contingency plans for a buffer zone along its border in anticipation of a possible collapse of the Iranian state and a large refugee influx.

Yet even as the US builds up its military presence, key Gulf allies have moved to distance themselves from any offensive action. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in which he said Riyadh would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military operations against Iran. He emphasized dialogue and political solutions as the only viable path to regional stability.

The United Arab Emirates had already made a similar reassurance to Iran. Abu Dhabi said it would not permit its territory, airspace or territorial waters to be used for attacks on Iran, underlining its desire to remain neutral and prevent further destabilization. These positions complicate US planning, particularly as the US Air Force has stressed that its regional activities are conducted only with host-nation approval and respect for national sovereignty.

Iran, for its part, has responded with a mix of military signalling and diplomatic messaging. Tehran issued a Notice to Airmen announcing live-fire military exercises near the Strait of Hormuz between January 27 and 29, restricting airspace up to 25,000 feet around one of the worlds most critical energy chokepoints. Iranian state media also released footage of a drone carrier, the Shahid Bagheri, showing armed drones lined up on deck and ready for deployment. The messaging has been unmistakably confrontational.

At the same time, Pezeshkian has told Saudi leaders that Iran remains open to international mechanisms aimed at preventing conflict, underscoring the fragile balance between deterrence, diplomacy and the threat of catastrophe now hanging over the region.
Not just Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is also witnessing a real estate boom in 2026, with off-plan sales set to increase by between 15 per cent and 20 per cent compared with 2025.

A market report by Metropolitan Premium Properties has forecast that the Ras Al Khaimah real estate market will see a price growth, thanks to strong buyer demand and short supply, particularly in prime coastal locations. Ras Al Khaimahs growing appeal as a lifestyle and investment destination and continued investment in infrastructure, tourism, and hospitality will aid in this growth.

Ras Al Khaimah is moving into a more balanced and sustainable phase of growth, Maxim Novikov, head of the RAK branch at Metropolitan Premium Properties, was quoted by Arabian Business.

Novikov added that there is a healthy demand for off-plan properties, especially for branded and lifestyle-led developments. Limited supply in prime areas is supporting prices across both new and ready properties, and were seeing increasing competition for high-quality assets in established communities, he added,

Off-plan property refers to real estate purchased directly from a developer before it is constructed, or while still under development, based solely on blueprints and architectural plans.

Hot zones

Much of the off-plan activity in 2024 and 2025 was concentrated on coastal zones, mainly Al Marjan Island. The area witnessed much of its available inventory sell out, thereby shifting the demand to new and emerging coastal zones, including the Marjan area. The area is witnessing a boom following major hospitality developments such as the Hard Rock Hotel.

Other areas in demand include Raha Island within Mina, thanks to the plans for Armani-branded villas alongside the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences. This area is also witnessing the emergence of a number of boutique waterfront projects.

The report added that the flexible payment options are also supporting the sector, including lower upfront payments, extended instalment schedules and post-handover plans.

As for rent, the yields are expected to average around 78 per cent, especially for villas, townhouses and waterfront homes. The demand for ready properties will continue, thanks to Ras Al Khaimahs expanding tourism sector and the rapid growth of short-term rentals.

With annual visitor numbers projected to approach five million, a significant share of residential units in key coastal communities is expected to be used for short-term rental purposes. The combination of tourism growth, globally recognised hospitality brands and limited new beachfront supply is reshaping the market, Novikov added. In 2026, we expect both off-plan and secondary segments to perform well, but the real differentiators will be location, branding and long-term fundamentals rather than sheer volume of new launches.
Nazrin Abdul



New electric buses are set to be put into operation in Nakhchivan this year, with similar plans underway for the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.

As reported by Azernews, the announcement was made by Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rahman Hummatov during a roundtable discussion dedicated to the implementation of the State Program on Improving Transport Infrastructure in Baku and Surrounding Areas for 20252030 for 2025.

Hummatov stated that new buses will be introduced in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic this year, with a focus on deploying electric buses to improve the efficiency and environmental sustainability of public transport.

As a result, Azerbaijans public transport system will continue its transition toward cleaner and more energy-efficient electric vehicles.

It was also noted that within the framework of the COP29 conference, 160 electric BYD buses were delivered to Azerbaijan as part of a pilot project and have already been put into service. The buses were supplied under an agreement signed with the Chinese company BYD Company Limited
Right now, across all asset classes that we hire for, we probably have six or seven development roles across our entire team, McGuffin said late last year. In 2021 to 2023, we would have had 25 to 30.

Development and dealmaking roles have been hit the hardest. Jim McGuffin, managing director and real estate practice lead at Chicago-based search firm Hirewell, who called the environment choppy in 2025, said those positions have fallen by 50% to 75%.

Then, as dealmaking slowed and starts fell, executive hiring quickly cooled. Lisa Flicker, senior managing partner and head of real estate with New York City-based organizational consulting firm Jackson Lucas, called 2022 a structural break for real estate executive search. When rates spiked in 2022, I think hiring shifted, she told Multifamily Dive.

In the post-COVID world, we were in this position where there was a slowdown for six to nine months and then all of a sudden there were a lot fewer people willing to move and a lot more companies trying to get them, said Ben Shamah, president of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based recruiting firm and full-service staffing agency Sanford Barrows Group. All of a sudden, you had these bidding wars that resulted in the tremendous overpaying of candidates.

As the apartment market expanded in 2021 and 2022, executive salaries ballooned. Companies that were eager to buy and build paid top dollar for talent.

Lubeck isnt alone, according to executive recruiters. After a couple of years of softness, headhunters are hopeful that 2026 will be better as firms begin to restart their investment and development engines, while also continuing to incorporate technology and artificial intelligence into their platforms.

We're growing our senior-level technology team because there's so much great new tech coming, Lubeck told Multifamily Dive. But there's so much of it that you need to know what you need, what's applicable, what's fully baked, as opposed to what's still testing.

To fuel that expansion after raising approximately $400 million in equity commitments, hes recruiting technology and capital markets executives to grow his investor base.

For instance, Joe Lubeck, CEO of American Landmark, already a sizable firm ranking No. 34 on the 2025 National Multifamily Housing Council list of the top apartment owners in the country, plans to grow its leadership ranks even more in 2026.

Even during an industry slowdown, multifamily companies need to invest in strengthening their management teams.

This story was originally published on Multifamily Dive . To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Multifamily Dive newsletter .

Story Continues

However, the decline in executive search roles hasnt necessarily meant a significant spike in layoffs.

People have held on to their talent pretty much across the board, said Kimberly Byrum, managing principal of multifamily for Newport Beach, California-based advisory firm Zonda. I have not seen many layoffs occur during this time because everybody kept thinking it's going to ramp back up, but it still has just stalled out.

In fact, some firms have dusted off their 2008-era playbooks and moved their development talent into asset management, according to Flicker. One thing I noticed from a lot of my development clients is they have taken a lot of their investment professionals, because they haven't been doing direct deals, and moving them into asset management, and maybe to a lesser extent, to development, she said.

A better year ahead?

As the calendar turns to 2026, recruiters arent totally sure what to expect. Dealmakers and developers are hopeful that business improves for them over the next 12 months. If that happens, firms may move their developers back to building and away from asset management, for instance.

I think there is this feeling of, We need to get people in who can help us develop and reposition our assets, Flicker said. It's not necessarily growth hiring, but if the investment folks go back to being investment folks, where are the gaps, whether it's in development or asset management?

In many cases, recruiters may be seeking younger executives rather than grizzled veterans to fill those gaps. While saving money is one driver, its not the only reason multifamily firms may look to younger hires.

Doing the exact same model that was done for the last 30 years might not necessarily mean the same positive results anymore, Sanford Barrows Groups Shamah said. So I think that companies are open to taking a little bit more of a risk, understanding that they just can't necessarily afford those higher-level people.

Flicker said she was getting the most inquiries for heads of development and senior vice presidents of development, as companies look to start building again. However, the searches are more limited than they were a few years ago.

Theyre bringing in one great hire to manage that, as opposed to putting in a handful of people, Flicker said.

AI driving executive demand

Often, real estate firms, including those in multifamily, are seen as slow to adopt technology. But some firms have found that they can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines as artificial intelligence adoption becomes universal.

For instance, American Landmark has decided it's time to hire tech leaders to navigate AI and the plethora of tech offerings available to apartment firms.

The reality is we know AI is going to be important, but it needs to be used smartly, Lubeck said. It needs to be used effectively. And, we want to use best-in-class partners to make sure that we're doing the best we can.

While there is a feeling that AI will eventually eliminate positions, Flicker is seeing companies ramp up AI hiring at both the senior and junior levels. That should only increase this year.

Doing the exact same model that was done for the last 30 years might not necessarily mean the same positive results anymore. So I think that companies are open to taking a little bit more of a risk, understanding that they just can't necessarily afford those higher-level people.

Ben Shamah

President, Sanford Barrows Group

They may need 10 analysts, Flicker said. But they want those 10 analysts to not only be able to create a financial model, but have some understanding of how to use predictive analytics and how to be a data analyst.

Eventually, AI investment could claim multifamily jobs, along with jobs in other fields, but Flicker doesnt think the industry is there quite yet. There are a few jobs that I think were just displaced because of the internet, but I believe it probably created more jobs, she said. I do feel like for the next five years that is going to be the case [with AI].

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As Bangladesh heads into crucial elections on February 12, political fault lines are sharper than ever as identity politics, youth movements, and shifting alliances have turned the transition into a high-stakes battle for the countrys future.

THE WEEKs Namrata Biji Ahuja, Chief of Bureau, Delhi, travelled across Bangladesh, speaking to young voters, artists, student leaders, politicians and everyday citizens to understand how they see the new Bangladeshand the leaders they believe can represent it.

The country is in the middle of a political and a cultural war that erupted following the student-led rebellion in July 2024. The struggle is not just political; it is a fight for the very soul of the nation. The conflict finds its tragic symbols across the capital. Near rebel Bangladeshi poet Kazi Nazrul Islam's resting place lies the fresh grave of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the rebellion, killed in December last year. Hadis Islamist revolutionary platform, Inquilab Manch, saw Nazrul as a spirit of rebellion for a new Bangladeshi Muslim identity. Just a week after his death, a short distance away, Nazruls poetry was burnt at Udichi, one of the country's oldest secular cultural institutions. Both sides claimed Nazrul, yet they stand tragically apart in death and destruction.

This ideological rift fuels a volatile political landscape as Bangladesh prepares for its first competitive election in nearly two decades. The July rebellion, which began as a unified stand against autocracy, has splintered. As activists like Fatima Tasnim Zuma of Inquilab Manch said, a new generation is asserting a "Bangladeshi Muslim cultural lens", rejecting what they see as the dominance of a broader, India-linked Bengali identity. In contrast, cultural veterans who fought in the 1971 Liberation War lament that culture, once a tool for unity and freedom, is now being weaponised.

With the previous ruling party sidelined, a political vacuum has emerged. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is positioning itself as a force for stability, with standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury saying the party under its new chairman Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khalida Zia, is committed to changing the political culture of the country to make it more tolerant and respectful. For BNP, the countrys strategic autonomy is important, even as it works towards buidling trust and resetting ties with India.

On the other hand, the Jamaat-e-Islami has joined hands with the student-led National Citizen Party that took birth after the July 2024 protests. While the Jamaat-e-Islami is experiencing a resurgence, leveraging its student wing and forming alliances born of political necessity, the survival of the student-led party, which is fighting its first national election, hinges on the alliances ability to garner votes.

Nahid Islam, the convener of student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) and a candidate for the national election, interacts with students during a campaign at Rampura area, in Dhaka | REUTERS

Amid this high-stakes contest for power, the ordinary Bangladeshi yearns for something simpler: an end to fear, corruption, and violence. They hope for stability, jobs, and the freedom to live without the shadow of conflict. As the nation approaches a pivotal election, the question remains. Can democracy heal these deep fractures and build a future where dissent and culture can coexist peacefully, or will the cycle of rebellion and retribution continue to define Bangladeshs destiny?

Read the full story in THE WEEK issue dated February 8.
WATCH IT.



Today russians hit a passenger train. They killed three people. Just like that. Because the world allows this evil.

In this video, a Ukrainian soldier saves a baby.

I have no words.

I hate russians.

May they and everyone who helps Russia burn in hell! pic.twitter.com/Qc9h4hLEsv  Serhii Sternenko  (@sternenko) January 27, 2026

A Ukrainian soldier was seen helping passengers out of a burning passenger train struck by Russian drone on January 27.

At least five people were reported dead after a Russian Shahed drone struck a civilian passenger train in northeastern Ukraine. Emergency workers who arrived to assist victims of the attack were met with strewn body parts in Kharkiv on Tuesday.

The Barvinkove-Lviv-Chop passenger train had nearly 300 passengers and was used by civilians to visit soldiers on the front lines.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack an act of terrorism.

In one of the videos from the incident, a military official with the call sign Omar helped passengers evacuate. One of them was a woman with a baby.

Horrifying video that once again confirms that our enemies have nothing human left in them.



This happened today  the Russians deliberately struck a passenger train with a guided jet-powered Shahed in the Barvinkove area, Kharkiv region. pic.twitter.com/PIzJb8XwDb  EMPR.media (@EuromaidanPR) January 27, 2026

The man opened the doors of the carraige and lowered the ladder, helping the woman get out of the car along with her belongings and the baby carrier.

The soldiers directed the passengers into the nearby forest as another drone was reportedly spotted closeby, according to one of the soldiers who recounted the incident.

Ten carriages that did not sustain any damage continued onwards to its destiation after a delay of about 5 hours.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) dropped 2.3% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $1,034.81 and last traded at $1,038.2280. Approximately 2,568,851 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 13% from the average daily volume of 2,951,121 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,062.75.

Key Headlines Impacting Eli Lilly and Company

Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week:

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,286.00 to $1,268.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Zacks Research raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 1st. CICC Research boosted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $801.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Guggenheim reduced their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,163.00 to $1,161.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Daiwa Capital Markets set a $1,230.00 target price on Eli Lilly and Company and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $1,174.61.

Eli Lilly and Company Trading Down 2.3%

The firm has a market capitalization of $981.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $1,057.99 and a 200-day moving average price of $883.36. The company has a current ratio of 1.55, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.18 earnings per share. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a dividend of $1.73 per share. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is 29.35%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in LLY. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 80,959,089 shares of the companys stock valued at $61,771,785,000 after acquiring an additional 551,659 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 34,726,558 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,496,364,000 after purchasing an additional 219,590 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 20.9% during the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 25,088,371 shares of the companys stock worth $19,141,787,000 after buying an additional 4,332,008 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 4.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 14,563,780 shares of the companys stock worth $11,112,164,000 after acquiring an additional 574,229 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 78,621.2% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,552,336 shares of the companys stock worth $9,005,392,000 after purchasing an additional 11,537,661 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.53% of the companys stock.

Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile

(Get 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.

Further Reading

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Shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:JUST  Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $98.70 and last traded at $98.56, with a volume of 1506 shares. The stock had previously closed at $98.23.

Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF Stock Up 0.4%

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $96.70 and a 200 day simple moving average of $94.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $512.93 million, a P/E ratio of 24.96 and a beta of 1.00.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in JUST. Royal Bank of Canada raised its position in shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 0.8% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 19,443 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,546,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its holdings in Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 3.5% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 732,191 shares of the companys stock valued at $58,224,000 after acquiring an additional 24,907 shares during the last quarter. Albion Financial Group UT lifted its stake in Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 12.5% in the 2nd quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 117,329 shares of the companys stock worth $10,316,000 after purchasing an additional 13,082 shares in the last quarter. Sage Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Sage Financial Group Inc. now owns 42,290 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,718,000 after purchasing an additional 309 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers raised its holdings in shares of Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 7.8% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 24,323 shares of the companys stock worth $2,139,000 after acquiring an additional 1,754 shares in the last quarter.

About Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF

The Goldman Sachs JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (JUST) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the JUST US Large Cap Diversified index. The fund tracks a tier-weighted index of US-listed large-cap stocks selected based on a survey-based assessment of business behavior. JUST was launched on Jun 7, 2018 and is managed by Goldman Sachs.

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The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA  Get Free Report) shares fell 1.5% on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $238.75 and last traded at $244.7360. 20,465,578 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 122% from the average session volume of 9,203,642 shares. The stock had previously closed at $248.43.

Boeing News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Boeing this week:

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d-) rating on shares of Boeing in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Boeing from $240.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Tigress Financial reissued a buy rating and issued a $275.00 target price on shares of Boeing in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Loop Capital set a $223.00 target price on shares of Boeing in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on Boeing from $265.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and four have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Boeing has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $241.74.

Boeing Trading Down 1.5%

The company has a market cap of $186.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -17.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 7.18 and a beta of 1.16. The firms fifty day moving average price is $215.22 and its 200-day moving average price is $218.45.

Boeing (NYSE:BA  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The aircraft producer reported $9.92 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.40) by $10.32. The company had revenue of $23.95 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.41 billion. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 57.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($5.90) earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Boeing Company will post -2.58 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, SVP Dana S. Deasy acquired 554 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The stock was bought at an average price of $178.88 per share, with a total value of $99,099.52. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 28,442 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,087,704.96. The trade was a 1.99% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Uma M. Amuluru sold 1,366 shares of Boeing stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $197.66, for a total value of $270,003.56. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 14,656 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,896,904.96. The trade was a 8.53% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Boeing by 1.1% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 67,529,417 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $14,574,874,000 after purchasing an additional 756,057 shares in the last quarter. Newport Trust Company LLC boosted its stake in shares of Boeing by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Newport Trust Company LLC now owns 29,198,446 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $6,301,901,000 after purchasing an additional 707,490 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Boeing by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 16,316,838 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $3,402,073,000 after purchasing an additional 432,026 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its position in Boeing by 3.3% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,505,040 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $1,188,153,000 after purchasing an additional 177,597 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Boeing by 1.1% in the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,242,397 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $888,910,000 after buying an additional 44,338 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.82% of the companys stock.

About Boeing

(Get Free Report)

Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense systems, and space and security technologies. Founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, the company today operates as an integrated aerospace and defense contractor with a global customer base. Boeing relocated its corporate headquarters to Arlington, Virginia in 2022 and maintains extensive engineering, manufacturing and service operations across the United States and around the world.

Boeings principal lines of business include Commercial Airplanes, which produces and supports a range of jetliners used by airlines globally; Defense, Space & Security, which develops military aircraft, rotorcraft, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, satellites, and launch and missile systems; and Boeing Global Services, which provides aftermarket maintenance, training, spare parts, digital analytics and logistics support.

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Dr. Martens plc (LON:DOCS  Get Free Report) shares fell 11.6% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as GBX 65 and last traded at GBX 66.90. 9,032,986 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 342% from the average session volume of 2,043,681 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 75.65.

More Dr. Martens News

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Positive Sentiment: Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a buy rating on DOCS, which supports investor confidence in the brand and long-term growth potential. Broker Rating

Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a buy rating on DOCS, which supports investor confidence in the brand and long-term growth potential. Negative Sentiment: Dr. Martens projected flat revenue for 2026 while saying it will scale back discounts  a move that should help margins but signals limited top-line growth near term, which is weighing on the share price. Revenue Guidance Article

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

DOCS has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Berenberg Bank reiterated a buy rating on shares of Dr. Martens in a research report on Tuesday. Peel Hunt reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Dr. Martens in a research note on Thursday, November 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Dr. Martens presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of GBX 6,000.

Dr. Martens Trading Down 11.6%

The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 2.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 127.27. The businesss fifty day moving average is GBX 76.53 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 83.47. The firm has a market capitalization of 646.63 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.40 and a beta of 0.11.

Dr. Martens (LON:DOCS  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 20th. The company reported GBX (0.90) earnings per share for the quarter. Dr. Martens had a return on equity of 18.91% and a net margin of 7.89%. Equities analysts predict that Dr. Martens plc will post 2.5809394 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Robert Hanson bought 96,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, December 5th. The shares were purchased at an average price of GBX 79 per share, for a total transaction of 75,840. In the last quarter, insiders purchased 97,130 shares of company stock valued at $7,673,816. Insiders own 2.79% of the companys stock.

Dr. Martens Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Founded in 1960, Dr. Martens is an iconic British brand with a global presence. Docs or DMs were originally

produced for their durability for workers, before being adopted by diverse youth subcultures and associated musical

movements. Today, Dr. Martens has transcended its roots while still celebrating its proud history. It operates in over

60 countries and employs over 3,650 people worldwide. Its operations are split across both Direct-to-Consumer and

wholesale channels, and in addition to its world-renowned 1460 boot its product segments span shoes including the

1461 shoe and Adrian loafer, sandals including the Zebzag mule, Kids ranges, as well as a growing line of bags and

accessories.

The Company successfully listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange on 29 January 2021 (DOCS.L) and

is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index.

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Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE:BDN  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $2.82 and last traded at $2.8650, with a volume of 3121799 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $2.91.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently weighed in on BDN shares. Citigroup reaffirmed a sell rating on shares of Brandywine Realty Trust in a report on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen raised Brandywine Realty Trust from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, December 27th. KeyCorp lowered Brandywine Realty Trust from an overweight rating to a sector weight rating in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated an underweight rating on shares of Brandywine Realty Trust in a report on Monday, November 24th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a sell (d-) rating on shares of Brandywine Realty Trust in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Reduce and a consensus price target of $4.00.

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Brandywine Realty Trust Trading Down 1.5%

Brandywine Realty Trust Dividend Announcement

The company has a quick ratio of 2.14, a current ratio of 2.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.68. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $3.08 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $3.67. The company has a market capitalization of $497.65 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.68 and a beta of 1.30.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 22nd. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 7th were paid a dividend of $0.08 per share. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 11.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, January 7th. Brandywine Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio is presently -29.91%.

Insider Activity at Brandywine Realty Trust

In other Brandywine Realty Trust news, CEO Gerard H. Sweeney bought 88,500 shares of Brandywine Realty Trust stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $3.38 per share, for a total transaction of $299,130.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 3,042,210 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,282,669.80. This trade represents a 3.00% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director James C. Diggs sold 23,190 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3.47, for a total transaction of $80,469.30. Following the transaction, the director owned 128,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $446,491.84. The trade was a 15.27% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 3.30% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brandywine Realty Trust

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Brandywine Realty Trust during the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Ballentine Partners LLC bought a new stake in Brandywine Realty Trust during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $55,000. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. increased its position in Brandywine Realty Trust by 48.5% in the 2nd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 14,042 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 4,588 shares during the period. Creative Planning lifted its holdings in shares of Brandywine Realty Trust by 23.9% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 14,244 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 2,749 shares during the period. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its position in Brandywine Realty Trust by 146.6% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 14,625 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $63,000 after purchasing an additional 8,694 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.27% of the companys stock.

Brandywine Realty Trust Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN) is an internally managed real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in the acquisition, development, and management of office and mixed-use properties. Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, the company focuses on creating high?quality, transit?oriented workplaces that meet evolving tenant demands for sustainability, technological connectivity, and flexible design. Brandywines portfolio emphasizes Class A office space, often integrated with retail, residential or hospitality components to foster vibrant, live?work?play environments.

Since its founding in 1994, Brandywine has executed a strategy of disciplined property investment and targeted development.

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Boss Energy (ASX:BOE) management told investors its December quarter delivered record production at the Honeymoon uranium operation, lower unit costs, and a stronger inventory position, while the company also advanced plans for a new feasibility study aimed at changing wellfield design and improving long-term project economics.

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Record production and expected quarterly phasing

Managing Director and CEO Matt Dusci said Honeymoon produced 456,000 pounds of uranium drummed in the quarter, up 18% from the prior quarter. Ion exchange (IX) production rose 8% to 406,000 pounds, which the company attributed to increased flow from wellfields B1 to B4 being online for the full quarter.

Looking ahead, Dusci said the March quarter (Q3 FY26) is expected to be softer than the December quarter, before lifting again in Q4 to support the companys maintained. He attributed the anticipated Q3 dip to wellfield sequencing, including a decline in average tenor, and operational disruptions from tying in columns four and five and completing power upgrades.

Boss expects wellfield B5 to begin production in the coming few days as flushing work continues. In Q4, the company expects B5 to contribute for a full quarter and plans to bring B6 online at the very back end of the quarter. Dusci noted B6 will be the first wellfield to operate at Far East Kalkaroo, but he said it is not heavily weighted toward achieving the FY26 guidance and is expected to contribute more meaningfully into FY27.

Costs below prior guidance and revised FY26 outlook

CFO Justin Laird and Dusci highlighted improved costs in the quarter. Boss reported C1 cash costs of A$30 per pound, down 12% quarter-over-quarter and below the companys earlier guidance range of A$41A$45 per pound. All-in sustaining costs (AISC) were A$49 per pound, down 3% from the prior quarter and below the prior A$64A$70 per pound guidance range.

Management attributed the cost performance to lixiviant optimization, reagent optimization in the plant, and other productivity and cost reduction programs. Dusci also said sustaining capital was being phased, with some capital deferred while Boss works through a new feasibility study and avoids spending under a non-optimal plan.

Boss revised down its FY26 unit cost guidance while maintaining production guidance:

C1 cash cost guidance: A$36A$40 per pound (down from A$41A$45)

A$36A$40 per pound (down from A$41A$45) AISC guidance: A$60A$64 per pound (down from A$64A$70)

Project and supporting infrastructure capital costs totaled A$11 million for the quarter, up from A$9 million previously. Boss said A$4.5 million related to completing NIMCIX columns, while A$6.5 million supported East Kalkaroo infrastructure, including spending on a trunk line, monitoring wells, and high-voltage upgrades, plus delineation drilling. For the full year, Boss increased guidance for project and supporting infrastructure capital by A$3 million to A$30A$33 million, primarily to include the Honeymoon delineation drill program.

Balance sheet, inventory build, and sales

Boss reported it ended the quarter with no debt and A$208 million of cash and liquid assets, including A$52.9 million in cash (up from A$47.8 million). The company noted the overall cash and liquid assets figure declined slightly quarter-over-quarter due to mark-to-market declines in the fair value of strategic equity shareholdings.

The company continued to build drummed inventory, which increased from 1.44 million pounds to 1.62 million pounds. Management described the inventory as strategic given what it sees as a tightening uranium market.

Sales during the quarter totaled 350,000 pounds at an average realized price of A$112 per pound (US$74), generating A$39.3 million in revenue. Laird said Boss expects sales quantities to remain roughly in line with production.

Management also discussed a legacy contract tied to the Honeymoon mining license, with first delivery expected in Q3 and continuing in Q4. The contract provides for up to 1.7 million pounds total, with annual deliveries linked to 20% of the prior calendar years production or a maximum of 250,000 pounds per calendar year. Boss said the pounds delivered under this contract are expected to realize roughly 65%70% of spot price, but Laird said the precise terms are commercially sensitive and include multiple tranches and mechanisms.

In Q3 and Q4, Laird said Boss expects 125,000 pounds per quarter to be delivered under the legacy contract, with the timing of deliveries within a calendar year determined by the utility counterparty. He added that Q3 sales outside the legacy contract were largely executed in the prior quarter as forward sales, while Q4 forward sales had not yet been executed at the time of the call.

Management also confirmed the company is commencing royalty payments going forward and expects royalties to be reflected in the current half-year.

Alta Mesa joint venture update

Boss provided an update on its 30% stake in Alta Mesa, a joint venture with enCore. On a 100% basis, Alta Mesa produced 143,000 pounds drummed in the quarter, and Boss received 68,000 pounds. Management said the quarter-over-quarter production decline was due to the timing of bringing new wellfields online, noting that additional modules are being installed at wellfields 7 and 3. The company also said drilling at Alta Mesa East continued to confirm potential extensions of mineralization from Alta Mesa West.

New feasibility study and board update

Dusci reiterated that Boss began work on a new feasibility study following the companys December 18 announcement concluding the Honeymoon Review. He said the alternative wide-space wellfield design is intended to increase residence time and lixiviant, reduce cost structure, unlock lower-grade mineralization, improve the production profile, and extend mine life. He also said the approach could have positive implications for satellite deposits.

In response to analyst questions, Dusci said test work patterns for wide spacing vary in location and spacingup to 100 meters in one patternand include areas around existing wellfields as well as planned testing at Far East Kalkaroo. He said the feasibility study is due in Q3 and that Boss intends to provide market updates as data becomes available.

Boss also discussed work at Goulds Dam and Jasons Deposit, stating that technical and baseline studies progressed and that an updated mineral resource statement and a timeline for the permitting pathway would be provided in the coming quarter. Management said the wide-space wellfield design being developed could potentially improve recoverable uranium and reduce capital intensity and C1 costs at those deposits.

Finally, Dusci said Chairman Wyatt Buck informed the board of his intention to step down as chair. Upon appointment of a new chair, Buck will remain on the board as a non-executive director.

About Boss Energy (ASX:BOE)

Boss Energy Limited is a multi-asset energy company primarily focused on the development of its 100%-owned Honeymoon Uranium Project, South Australia. Boss Energy also has an interest in the Alta Mesa Uranium Project in Texas, USA.

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Australias financial regulator has identified regulatory gaps around digital assets as a critical risk for 2026, warning that rapid innovation in the crypto and fintech sectors continues to expose consumers and markets to unlicensed advice, misleading conduct, and exploitation of unclear regulatory boundaries.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission flagged emerging financial sector participants, particularly in digital assets and payments, alongside users of artificial intelligence as priority areas requiring enhanced perimeter oversight.

ASIC said some entities actively seek to remain outside regulation, contributing to perceived regulatory uncertainty that demands clearer licensing requirements and stronger supervision.

Regulatory Perimeter Creates Enforcement Challenges

ASICs Key Issues Outlook 2026, released Tuesday, highlighted that rapid innovation by participants unfamiliar with financial services rules continues creating risks across the crypto sector.

The regulator noted that while some businesses currently operate legitimately outside existing frameworks, determining whether new product classes or services should fall within licensing regimes ultimately rests with the government.

The warning arrives as Australias crypto adoption rate reached 31% in 2025, up from 28% the previous year, placing the nation among the worlds most crypto-engaged populations.

Source: a16z

Self-managed superannuation funds have increased their crypto exposure sevenfold since 2021 to A$1.7 billion, while major exchanges, including Coinbase, prepare dedicated pension account services targeting the countrys retirement pool.

Despite this growth, regulatory fragmentation persists.

ASIC Chair Joe Longo warned in November that Australia risks becoming a land of missed opportunity unless it adapts to blockchain-driven tokenization that reshapes global markets.

Australia must innovate or stagnate. Seize the opportunity or be left behind, Longo said at the National Press Club, noting that J.P. Morgan told him their money market funds will be entirely tokenized within two years.

Government Advances Comprehensive Licensing Framework

Parliament is currently debating the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025, introduced last November by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Financial Services Minister Daniel Mulino.

The legislation would require crypto exchanges and custody providers to obtain Australian Financial Services Licenses, bringing them under ASIC supervision, with potential penalties of up to 10% of annual turnover for rule breaches.
Maisons du Monde S.A. (OTCMKTS:MDOUF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 37,142 shares, a growth of 37,042.0% from the December 31st total of 100 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently ? days. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently ? days.

Maisons du Monde Stock Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS:MDOUF remained flat at $2.30 on Tuesday. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $2.49 and its 200-day simple moving average is $3.27. Maisons du Monde has a 1-year low of $2.30 and a 1-year high of $3.69.

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About Maisons du Monde

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Maisons du Monde SA is a France-based retailer specializing in furniture, home decor and lifestyle accessories. The companys product offering spans indoor and outdoor furniture, textiles, lighting, tableware and decorative accents, all sold through a combination of brick-and-mortar showrooms and a dedicated e-commerce platform. Key merchandising themes include contemporary, industrial, Scandinavian and exotic design styles, with regular seasonal collections and collaborations with independent designers.

Founded in 1996 by Xavier Marie and headquartered in Brest, France, Maisons du Monde pursued rapid geographic expansion in the 2000s.

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BlackRock International Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:BIDD  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 7,019 shares, an increase of 12,001.7% from the December 31st total of 58 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 83,605 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 83,605 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days.

Institutional Trading of BlackRock International Dividend ETF

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of BIDD. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of BlackRock International Dividend ETF by 3.7% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,111,051 shares of the companys stock worth $59,078,000 after purchasing an additional 75,251 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in BlackRock International Dividend ETF by 48.3% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,788,674 shares of the companys stock valued at $48,795,000 after buying an additional 582,246 shares during the last quarter. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in BlackRock International Dividend ETF by 22.5% during the 2nd quarter. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC now owns 918,111 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,046,000 after buying an additional 168,634 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its holdings in BlackRock International Dividend ETF by 74.9% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 522,118 shares of the companys stock worth $14,227,000 after acquiring an additional 223,600 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vertex Planning Partners LLC grew its holdings in BlackRock International Dividend ETF by 4.7% in the 3rd quarter. Vertex Planning Partners LLC now owns 502,102 shares of the companys stock worth $14,051,000 after acquiring an additional 22,315 shares during the last quarter.

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BlackRock International Dividend ETF Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of BIDD traded up $0.40 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $30.63. The company had a trading volume of 78,025 shares, compared to its average volume of 90,713. BlackRock International Dividend ETF has a 52-week low of $22.66 and a 52-week high of $30.68. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $28.89 and its 200 day moving average price is $28.11. The firm has a market cap of $485.18 million, a P/E ratio of 20.30 and a beta of 1.10.

BlackRock International Dividend ETF Company Profile

The iShares International Dividend Active ETF (BIDD) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund is an actively managed ETF that invests in companies outside the US that are identified to pay attractive and growing dividends. BIDD was launched on Nov 15, 2024 and is issued by BlackRock.

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General Motors (NYSE:GM  Get Free Report) (TSE:GMM.U) declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, January 27th, RTT News reports. The company plans to buyback $6.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the auto manufacturer to purchase up to 8.1% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are often a sign that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

General Motors Trading Up 8.8%

GM traded up $6.96 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $86.39. 23,619,201 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,293,445. The companys fifty day moving average price is $79.17 and its 200-day moving average price is $66.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $80.59 billion, a PE ratio of 17.38, a P/E/G ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 1.31. General Motors has a fifty-two week low of $41.60 and a fifty-two week high of $87.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.23.

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General Motors (NYSE:GM  Get Free Report) (TSE:GMM.U) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The auto manufacturer reported $2.51 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.30. General Motors had a return on equity of 12.29% and a net margin of 1.62%.During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.92 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. General Motors has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.750-10.500 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that General Motors will post 11.44 EPS for the current year.

General Motors Increases Dividend

Analyst Ratings Changes

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 6th will be paid a $0.18 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 6th. This is a boost from General Motorss previous quarterly dividend of $0.15. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. General Motorss payout ratio is currently 12.07%.

Several research firms have recently weighed in on GM. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of General Motors from $86.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Wall Street Zen cut General Motors from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, January 4th. Mizuho set a $100.00 price objective on General Motors in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on General Motors from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Monday, October 6th. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on shares of General Motors from $85.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $80.27.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on General Motors

Insider Buying and Selling at General Motors

In other news, CAO Christopher Hatto sold 7,724 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 12,007 shares of the companys stock, valued at $864,504. The trade was a 39.15% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

General Motors News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting General Motors this week:

About General Motors

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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.

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Petroteq Energy (OTCMKTS:PQEFF  Get Free Report) and Tidewater (NYSE:TDW  Get Free Report) are both energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership and dividends.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Petroteq Energy and Tidewaters revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Petroteq Energy N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Tidewater $1.35 billion 2.33 $180.66 million $2.97 21.31

Analyst Ratings

Tidewater has higher revenue and earnings than Petroteq Energy.

This is a summary of current ratings for Petroteq Energy and Tidewater, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Petroteq Energy 0 0 0 0 0.00 Tidewater 0 6 1 0 2.14

Tidewater has a consensus price target of $67.50, indicating a potential upside of 6.65%. Given Tidewaters stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Tidewater is more favorable than Petroteq Energy.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

0.0% of Petroteq Energy shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 95.1% of Tidewater shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.9% of Petroteq Energy shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 6.6% of Tidewater shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Petroteq Energy and Tidewaters net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Petroteq Energy N/A N/A N/A Tidewater 11.14% 14.86% 8.01%

Volatility and Risk

Petroteq Energy has a beta of 407.95, meaning that its share price is 40,695% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Tidewater has a beta of 0.63, meaning that its share price is 37% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Tidewater beats Petroteq Energy on 9 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Petroteq Energy

(Get Free Report)

Petroteq Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the oil sands mining and processing operations in the United States. It holds rights to mine, extract, and produce oil and associated hydrocarbons and minerals from oil sands containing heavy oil and bitumen under mineral leases covering approximately 1,671,91 acres in the Asphalt Ridge area of Utah, including 320 acres held under the TMC Mineral Lease and an additional 1,351.91 acres held under three Temple Mountain State of Utah's School and Institutional Trust Land Administration Leases. The company also operates rights under five leases covering lands consisting of approximately 5,960 acres situated in Uintah, Wayne, and Garfield Counties, Utah. In addition, it is developing a blockchain-powered supply chain management platform for the oil and gas industry. The company was formerly known as MCW Energy Group Limited and changed its name to Petroteq Energy Inc. in May 2017. Petroteq Energy Inc. was founded in 2010 and is based in Sherman Oaks, California.

About Tidewater

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Tidewater Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides offshore support vessels and marine support services to the offshore energy industry through the operation of a fleet of marine service vessels worldwide. It provides services in support of offshore oil and gas exploration, field development, and production, as well as windfarm development and maintenance, including towing of and anchor handling for mobile offshore drilling units; transporting supplies and personnel necessary to sustain drilling, workover, and production activities; offshore construction, and seismic and subsea support; geotechnical survey support for windfarm construction; and various specialized services, such as pipe and cable laying. The company operates anchor handling towing supply vessels, platform supply vessels, crew boats, utility vessels, and offshore tugs. The company serves integrated and independent oil and gas exploration, field development, and production companies; mid-sized and smaller independent exploration and production companies; foreign government-owned or government-controlled organizations, and other related companies; offshore drilling contractors; and other companies, such as offshore construction, windfarm development, diving, and well stimulation companies. Tidewater Inc. was incorporated in 1956 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions Inc. (OTCMKTS:AITX  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 9,968,961 shares, an increase of 1,893.3% from the December 31st total of 500,119 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 333,456,635 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Based on an average daily volume of 333,456,635 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions Stock Performance

Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions stock remained flat at $0.00 during trading hours on Tuesday. 309,084,929 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 179,089,375. Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions has a 52 week low of $0.00 and a 52 week high of $0.00.

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Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions Company Profile

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Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc (OTCMKTS: AITX) is a technology company focused on developing and deploying advanced robotic and artificial intelligence solutions for security, surveillance and remote monitoring applications. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices, the company offers integrated platforms that combine autonomous robotics, machine learning software and cloud-based monitoring services to enhance operational efficiency, safety and threat detection.

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The Bank of East Asia Ltd. (OTCMKTS:BKEAY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 845 shares, a decrease of 85.7% from the December 31st total of 5,924 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 1,087 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.8 days. Based on an average trading volume of 1,087 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.8 days. Approximately 0.0% of the companys shares are sold short.

Bank of East Asia Stock Down 7.7%

Shares of OTCMKTS BKEAY traded down $0.14 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $1.70. The companys stock had a trading volume of 282 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,298. Bank of East Asia has a 12 month low of $1.13 and a 12 month high of $1.98. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $1.74 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1.63.

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Bank of East Asia Company Profile

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Bank of East Asia, Limited is a Hong Kongbased commercial bank established in 1918. As one of the territorys largest independently owned banks, it provides a comprehensive range of financial services to retail, corporate and institutional clients. The institution operates through a network of branches and digital channels designed to support both individual consumers and businesses of varying sizes.

The banks core offerings include personal banking services such as deposit accounts, consumer and mortgage lending, credit cards and wealth management solutions.

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VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF (NYSEARCA:QUSA  Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 241 shares, a drop of 83.3% from the December 31st total of 1,443 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 17,174 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days. Currently, 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Currently, 0.0% of the companys shares are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 17,174 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.0 days.

VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF Stock Up 0.3%

QUSA traded up $0.06 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $18.19. 5,791 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 15,376. The businesss 50 day moving average is $18.26 and its two-hundred day moving average is $19.15. VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF has a fifty-two week low of $17.85 and a fifty-two week high of $20.72. The stock has a market cap of $17.28 million, a P/E ratio of 31.64 and a beta of -0.75.

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VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF Company Profile

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The VistaShares Target 15 USA Quality Income ETF (QUSA) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund seeks to generate a 15% annual income through a mix of US equities and an active options strategy. The fund aims for steady income alongside potential long-term capital growth by prioritizing firms with strong financial stability and low earnings variability QUSA was launched on May 6, 2025 and is issued by VistaShares.

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Standard Bank Group Limited (OTCMKTS:SGBLY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 16,301 shares, a decrease of 86.7% from the December 31st total of 123,004 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 59,854 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 59,854 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days.

Standard Bank Group Stock Up 2.2%

Shares of SGBLY traded up $0.41 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $18.99. 31,221 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 29,933. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $16.97 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $15.11. Standard Bank Group has a 12-month low of $10.55 and a 12-month high of $19.25.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently commented on SGBLY shares. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Standard Bank Group in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Investec lowered shares of Standard Bank Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold.

Standard Bank Group Company Profile

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Standard Bank Group Limited is a South African financial services conglomerate headquartered in Johannesburg, offering a comprehensive range of banking and related services. Established in 1862, the group has grown to become one of Africas largest banks, serving individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large corporations. Its core activities encompass personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth management, and insurance.

Within its personal and business banking division, Standard Bank provides transactional accounts, savings and deposits, mortgage lending, vehicle and asset finance, as well as payment solutions and digital banking platforms.

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SWEDISH ORPHAN/S (OTCMKTS:SWTUY  Get Free Report) dropped 1.2% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $24.38 and last traded at $24.38. Approximately 200 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 88% from the average daily volume of 1,665 shares. The stock had previously closed at $24.67.

SWEDISH ORPHAN/S Stock Down 1.2%

The stock has a market capitalization of $6.64 billion, a PE ratio of 48.76, a PEG ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 1.81. The businesss 50-day moving average is $24.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $24.38.

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SWEDISH ORPHAN/S Company Profile

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Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) (OTCMKTS:SWTUY) is a Stockholm-based biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of therapies for rare diseases and specialty care. The companys portfolio spans treatments in hematology, immunology and metabolic disorders. Its research and development efforts focus on addressing unmet medical needs by advancing both proprietary and in-licensed drug candidates through clinical and regulatory pathways.

The companys flagship offerings include clotting factor products for hemophilia, enzyme replacement therapies for lysosomal storage disorders and targeted immunomodulators for inflammatory conditions.

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Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE:FIS  Free Report)  Investment analysts at KeyCorp lifted their FY2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Fidelity National Information Services in a report released on Friday, January 23rd. KeyCorp analyst A. Schmidt now anticipates that the information technology services provider will post earnings per share of $5.78 for the year, up from their previous estimate of $5.77. KeyCorp has a Hold rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Fidelity National Information Services current full-year earnings is $5.74 per share. KeyCorp also issued estimates for Fidelity National Information Services Q4 2025 earnings at $1.70 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $6.33 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $6.86 EPS.

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Several other analysts have also commented on FIS. Compass Point dropped their price target on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $90.00 to $81.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Fidelity National Information Services from $93.00 to $86.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on Fidelity National Information Services in a research note on Tuesday. They issued an overweight rating and a $72.00 price target for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price target on Fidelity National Information Services from $88.00 to $85.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 1st. Finally, Truist Financial cut their price objective on Fidelity National Information Services from $72.00 to $70.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $79.53.

Fidelity National Information Services Price Performance

NYSE:FIS opened at $58.11 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.53 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $65.13 and a 200-day moving average price of $67.99. Fidelity National Information Services has a 1-year low of $57.78 and a 1-year high of $83.97. The firm has a market cap of $30.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 215.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.88 and a beta of 0.93.

Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:FIS  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The information technology services provider reported $1.51 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.48 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $2.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.65 billion. Fidelity National Information Services had a return on equity of 19.76% and a net margin of 1.45%.The companys revenue was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.40 earnings per share. Fidelity National Information Services has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.740-5.780 EPS.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Fidelity National Information Services

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Dodge & Cox lifted its holdings in Fidelity National Information Services by 22.2% in the third quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 43,105,207 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $2,842,357,000 after acquiring an additional 7,830,710 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Fidelity National Information Services in the second quarter valued at $624,858,000. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 585.9% in the 3rd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 2,365,322 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $155,969,000 after purchasing an additional 2,852,118 shares during the last quarter. Mizuho Markets Americas LLC grew its holdings in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 49.1% during the 3rd quarter. Mizuho Markets Americas LLC now owns 4,609,169 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $303,929,000 after purchasing an additional 1,518,200 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Partners increased its position in shares of Fidelity National Information Services by 10.5% during the 2nd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 11,820,211 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $958,537,000 after purchasing an additional 1,122,181 shares during the last quarter. 96.23% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Jeffrey A. Goldstein acquired 941 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were bought at an average price of $64.11 per share, for a total transaction of $60,327.51. Following the acquisition, the director owned 14,529 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $931,454.19. This trade represents a 6.93% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.21% of the companys stock.

Fidelity National Information Services Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 23rd. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 9th were given a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 9th. Fidelity National Information Servicess payout ratio is presently 592.59%.

About Fidelity National Information Services

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Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE: FIS) is a global provider of financial technology solutions and services for banks, capital markets firms, merchants and corporations. The company develops and delivers software, processing, and outsourcing services that support core banking, payments and merchant acquiring, wealth and retirement platforms, risk and compliance, and trading and capital markets operations. Its offerings include cloud-based and on-premises core banking systems, card processing and gateway services, e-commerce and point-of-sale payment solutions, and a range of back-office and advisory services designed to automate and modernize financial operations.

FIS serves a broad international client base across North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region through a combination of direct clients and partner channels.

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Global manganese production remains heavily concentrated in Africa, with South Africa, Gabon, and Ghana collectively accounting for a substantial share of total output. This concentration reinforces Africas strategic role in the global manganese supply chain and highlights the sectors structural dependence on a limited number of producing regions.

In 2025, global manganese production is estimated to have increased by 10.8% to 57.3 million tonnes (mt), primarily supported by supply growth from Ghana and Australia. Ghanas production growth reflects the continued ramp-up of operations at the Nsuta mine, while Australias recovery is linked to the phased resumption of mining at the Groote Eylandt mine from May 2025. Operations at Groote Eylandt were suspended in March 2024 following disruptions caused by Tropical Cyclone Megan, and their restart is expected to materially strengthen Australias supply contribution in 2025.

Looking ahead to 2026, global manganese output is forecast to rise by a further 3.3% to 59.1mt, largely underpinned by Groote Eylandt reaching full production capacity following its 2025 restart. This ramp-up is expected to be a key driver of incremental global supply growth in Australia during the year.

In contrast, production from other major suppliers, including South Africa, Gabon, and Ghana, is expected to remain broadly flat, reflecting the absence of significant new capacity additions. However, this stability is particularly significant against the backdrop of supply disruptions elsewhere. The suspension of mining at Kazakhstans Kazmarganets mine since December 2023 due to resource depletion, combined with ongoing geopolitical disruptions affecting production in Ukraine, has tightened supply from non-African regions.

As a result, global markets are increasingly reliant on output from South Africa, Gabon and Ghana to meet sustained demand, especially from the steel and electric vehicle battery sectors. Over the forecast period (2025-2035), global manganese production is expected to grow marginally with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of just 0.6% to 60.6mt by 2035.

"Australias Groote Eylandt mine to support global manganese supply growth in 2026" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




Shares of Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico, S.A. de C.V. (NYSE:PAC  Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Hold from the seven ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have issued a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $210.00.

PAC has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Scotiabank reaffirmed a sector perform rating on shares of Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Bank of America upgraded Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico from an underperform rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico from a neutral rating to an overweight rating in a report on Friday, November 14th.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico

Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico Trading Up 1.1%

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PAC. Allworth Financial LP boosted its stake in Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico by 48.1% during the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 154 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC grew its stake in shares of Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico by 41.5% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 174 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 51 shares during the period. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new stake in Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico in the 3rd quarter valued at about $43,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake in Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico by 680.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 195 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 170 shares during the period. Finally, Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its holdings in Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico by 20.6% in the third quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 334 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $79,000 after acquiring an additional 57 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 11.73% of the companys stock.

Shares of NYSE:PAC opened at $283.73 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.01, a current ratio of 2.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.21. The business has a 50 day moving average of $256.15 and a 200-day moving average of $241.13. Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico has a 12-month low of $168.62 and a 12-month high of $285.09. The stock has a market cap of $14.19 billion, a PE ratio of 27.23, a P/E/G ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 1.02.

About Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacifico

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Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, SAB. de C.V. (NYSE:PAC), commonly known as GAP, is a leading airport operator in Mexico. Established in 1998 as part of the federal governments airport privatization program, GAP holds long?term concession agreementstypically 50 yearsto manage, develop and operate airports under a publicprivate partnership model. Through these concessions, the company undertakes terminal expansions, runway maintenance and the modernization of navigation and security systems.

The companys portfolio comprises 12 airports across Mexicos Pacific and western regions, including major hubs such as Guadalajara, Tijuana, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan, as well as regional facilities in Aguascalientes, Morelia and La Paz.

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Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday after CICC Research raised their price target on the stock from $50.40 to $64.40. CICC Research currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Freeport-McMoRan traded as high as $63.58 and last traded at $61.21, with a volume of 31583731 shares. The stock had previously closed at $60.41.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Bank of America upgraded Freeport-McMoRan from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $42.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 30th. Dbs Bank lowered their price target on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $51.00 to $48.00 in a report on Thursday, October 2nd. HSBC raised their price target on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $48.00 to $69.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Clarkson Capital upgraded shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $46.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Freeport-McMoRan from $58.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Freeport-McMoRan has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $58.40.

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Insider Activity

Trending Headlines about Freeport-McMoRan

In other news, CAO Stephen T. Higgins sold 28,423 shares of Freeport-McMoRan stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.99, for a total value of $1,364,019.77. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 105,294 shares in the company, valued at $5,053,059.06. This trade represents a 21.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link . Also, CAO Ellie L. Mikes sold 9,572 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.66, for a total transaction of $456,201.52. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 38,761 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,847,349.26. This represents a 19.80% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure . 0.79% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Here are the key news stories impacting Freeport-McMoRan this week:

Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised targets and ratings  Scotiabank upped its target to $70 (outperform) and CICC raised its target to $64.40, signaling fresh buy-side conviction and potential upside pressure on the stock. Scotiabank Raises FCX Price Target to $70

Analysts raised targets and ratings  Scotiabank upped its target to $70 (outperform) and CICC raised its target to $64.40, signaling fresh buy-side conviction and potential upside pressure on the stock. Positive Sentiment: Macro/sector story is supportive: MarketBeat and other outlets highlight a structural copper bull market driven by electrification and AI data-center buildouts  a direct tailwind for copper-focused Freeport. What the Future Could Hold After a 70% Rebound

Macro/sector story is supportive: MarketBeat and other outlets highlight a structural copper bull market driven by electrification and AI data-center buildouts  a direct tailwind for copper-focused Freeport. Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat: FCX posted stronger-than-expected revenue and an adjusted EPS beat (helping validate margin leverage to high copper prices), which supports investor confidence in near-term cash flow upside if metals remain elevated. Freeport Q4 Earnings

Q4 earnings beat: FCX posted stronger-than-expected revenue and an adjusted EPS beat (helping validate margin leverage to high copper prices), which supports investor confidence in near-term cash flow upside if metals remain elevated. Positive Sentiment: Momentum and market attention: Zacks and other sites flag FCX as a strong momentum/trending stock and coverage of a new 52-week high/analyst upgrade has drawn inflows and options activity from traders. Zacks: Strong Momentum Stock

Momentum and market attention: Zacks and other sites flag FCX as a strong momentum/trending stock and coverage of a new 52-week high/analyst upgrade has drawn inflows and options activity from traders. Neutral Sentiment: Options-market signals show elevated interest and positioning but are ambiguous on direction  heavy flow can amplify moves but also increase volatility. Options Market Insights

Options-market signals show elevated interest and positioning but are ambiguous on direction  heavy flow can amplify moves but also increase volatility. Negative Sentiment: Production disruption remains a headwind: the Grasberg mudslide cut output, and Freeport guided to slightly lower 2026 copper/gold sales before restoration  lingering supply impacts could pressure revenue if copper weakens. Grasberg Production Impact and Outlook

Production disruption remains a headwind: the Grasberg mudslide cut output, and Freeport guided to slightly lower 2026 copper/gold sales before restoration  lingering supply impacts could pressure revenue if copper weakens. Negative Sentiment: Near-term copper-price risk: some forecasters (and the MarketBeat/Goldman discussion) expect a pullback from record highs, and FCXs cash flow is highly sensitive to copper movesnear-term price weakness could reverse recent gains. Copper Forecasts and Impact

Institutional Trading of Freeport-McMoRan

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in FCX. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its holdings in Freeport-McMoRan by 190.9% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 36,494,793 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $1,431,326,000 after purchasing an additional 23,950,557 shares in the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main raised its position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 89.4% in the second quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 17,569,169 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $761,623,000 after buying an additional 8,292,873 shares during the last quarter. Mizuho Markets Cayman LP purchased a new position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan in the second quarter worth about $159,147,000. Crake Asset Management LLP lifted its stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 60.6% in the second quarter. Crake Asset Management LLP now owns 9,522,673 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $412,808,000 after buying an additional 3,593,050 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Voya Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Freeport-McMoRan by 289.0% during the third quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 3,844,504 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $150,781,000 after acquiring an additional 2,856,302 shares during the last quarter. 80.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Freeport-McMoRan Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $90.28 billion, a PE ratio of 41.64, a PEG ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a current ratio of 2.29. The firms 50 day moving average is $50.68 and its 200-day moving average is $45.22.

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The natural resource company reported $0.47 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.28 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $5.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.42 billion. Freeport-McMoRan had a return on equity of 8.50% and a net margin of 8.50%.The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.31 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Freeport-McMoRan Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.075 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a $0.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Freeport-McMoRans payout ratio is 19.87%.

About Freeport-McMoRan

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Freeport-McMoRan Inc is a U.S.-based natural resources company primarily engaged in the exploration, mining and processing of copper, gold and molybdenum. Its operations encompass large-scale open-pit and underground mining as well as associated concentrator and milling facilities. The company produces copper in the form of concentrates and cathodes, and also recovers gold and molybdenum as co-products; its business model includes exploration, development, mining, beneficiation and the sale of bulk commodities to smelters and industrial customers.

Freeport-McMoRan conducts operations and development activities across multiple geographies, with substantial assets in the Americas and Indonesia.

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Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of MasTec (NYSE:MTZ  Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Sunday morning.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group boosted their target price on MasTec from $206.00 to $252.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on shares of MasTec in a report on Friday. They issued an overweight rating and a $274.00 price target on the stock. KeyCorp restated an overweight rating and issued a $264.00 price objective on shares of MasTec in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $215.00 target price on shares of MasTec in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of MasTec from $219.00 to $248.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $238.16.

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MasTec Stock Up 1.3%

Insiders Place Their Bets

NYSE MTZ opened at $248.47 on Friday. MasTec has a 1 year low of $99.70 and a 1 year high of $250.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.60 billion, a PE ratio of 59.02 and a beta of 1.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.33 and a quick ratio of 1.30. The businesss 50-day moving average is $222.76 and its 200 day moving average is $203.21.

In other MasTec news, CAO Timothy Michael Love sold 1,929 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $206.15, for a total transaction of $397,663.35. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 9,757 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,011,405.55. This trade represents a 16.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 21.30% of the companys stock.

Institutional Trading of MasTec

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in MTZ. Salomon & Ludwin LLC raised its stake in MasTec by 344.4% during the third quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 120 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. Caldwell Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of MasTec in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its position in shares of MasTec by 253.7% in the 2nd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 191 shares of the construction companys stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 137 shares during the last quarter. Princeton Global Asset Management LLC bought a new position in MasTec in the 3rd quarter worth about $43,000. Finally, Ameritas Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in MasTec during the 2nd quarter valued at about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.10% of the companys stock.

MasTec Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

MasTec, Inc is a diversified infrastructure construction company that provides engineering, fabrication, installation and maintenance services across a broad range of end markets. Its principal activities encompass the development of communications networks, oil and gas pipeline systems, electrical transmission and distribution facilities, industrial installations and renewable energy projects.

The company traces its roots to a small cable installation operation in Miami and has grown through a series of strategic acquisitions to become one of the largest infrastructure contractors in North America.

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IREN, Freeport-McMoRan, Caterpillar, Hecla Mining, and Newmont are the five Mining stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Mining stocks are shares of publicly traded companies that explore for, develop, and extract minerals and metals (such as gold, copper, coal, and rare earths), and may also include firms that process or provide services to the mining sector. Investors buy mining stocks to gain exposure to commodity prices, production growth, or takeover potential, but they carry risks tied to commodity cycles, operational costs, and geopolitical or environmental factors. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Mining stocks within the last several days.

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IREN (IREN)

IREN Limited, formerly known as Iris Energy Limited, owns and operates bitcoin mining data centers. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

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

Caterpillar (CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives in worldwide. Its Construction Industries segment offers asphalt pavers, compactors, road reclaimers, forestry machines, cold planers, material handlers, track-type tractors, excavators, telehandlers, motor graders, and pipelayers; compact track, wheel, track-type, backhoe, and skid steer loaders; and related parts and tools.

Read Our Latest Research Report on CAT

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.

Read Our Latest Research Report on HL

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

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The Sage Group (LON:SGE) reported a strong start to the year in its fiscal first quarter trading update, with growth strengthening across key regions and management reiterating full-year guidance. Chief Executive Officer Steve Hare and newly appointed Chief Financial Officer Jacqui Cartin, who started on January 1, discussed revenue performance, cloud momentum, early artificial intelligence (AI) monetization, and competitive dynamics during the call.

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Revenue growth strengthens across regions

Cartin said total group revenue increased 10% to GBP 674 million in the quarter, with broad-based contributions across geographies.

North America: Revenue rose 13% to GBP 304 million , driven by Sage Intacct and supported by growth in Sage 200 and Sage 50.

Revenue rose 13% to , driven by Sage Intacct and supported by growth in Sage 200 and Sage 50. UK & Ireland (UKIA): Revenue increased 10% to GBP 194 million , reflecting rapid scaling of Sage Intacct and strong growth in Sage Accounting and Sage 50.

Revenue increased 10% to , reflecting rapid scaling of Sage Intacct and strong growth in Sage Accounting and Sage 50. Europe: Revenue grew 7% to GBP 176 million, with good growth across accounting, HR, and payroll solutions.

In Q&A, Cartin attributed the acceleration in North America to strong Sage Intacct performance across new and existing customers, supported by demand and high-quality sales execution. She said investments in go-to-market strategy, vertical strategy, and staffing were starting to pay off.

In UKIA, she highlighted traction in Intacct, particularly strength in new customer acquisition (NCA) motion during the quarter. She also pointed to cross-sell and upsell strength in Sage Accounting and Sage 50. In Europe, Cartin described growth as solid and consistent with fiscal 2025, calling out success in Sage 200 and Sage X3 and noting a good performance in Iberia.

Cloud mix and recurring revenue expand

Sage Business Cloud revenue grew 15% to GBP 574 million, which management said reflected continued strategic progress and investment in cloud and AI-powered solutions. Within that total, Cloud Native revenue increased 24% to GBP 253 million, supported by continued strength in new customer acquisition. The company also reported growth in its Cloud Connected portfolio, driven by both existing and new customers.

Recurring revenue increased 10% to GBP 675 million, which Cartin said reflected continued momentum in annual recurring revenue (ARR). Subscription revenue grew 12%, lifting subscription penetration to 84%. On an organic basis, total revenue increased to GBP 673 million, also up 10%.

ARR momentum continues; multi-year Intacct contracts not a Q1 driver

Asked whether ARR accelerated again in the first quarter, Cartin noted Sage does not formally report ARR in Q1, but said the companys strong fourth-quarter exit momentum carried into the new fiscal year. She said sequential ARR growth for Q1 was around 2.5%, compared with around 2% at the same time last year.

UBS also asked about the impact of Sage Intaccts move to multi-year deals in the U.S., which management introduced in the second half of fiscal 2025. Cartin said the change was intended to drive greater lifetime value through lower churn and improved cross-sell and upsell, while also aligning commercial terms with competitors. However, she added that in Q1 there was no impact on ARR and no material impact on total revenue growth, emphasizing that the quarters acceleration was driven by demand and sales execution rather than contract-length changes.

AI rollout: early monetization, broader enablement underway

Management addressed questions on AI monetization and rollout timing. Hare said it remains very early days and characterized most recent momentum as the underlying performance of the business rather than AI-driven upside. He noted Sage has seen some early monetization from bundling Sage Copilot into certain plans and using that to raise plan pricing, but said the company has not yet meaningfully monetized individual AI agents that are beginning to launch.

Cartin added context from fiscal 2025, stating that pricing contribution was around 5.5%, supported in particular by the rollout of AI and Copilot in the UK business. She said Sage rolled out Copilot and the Finance Intelligence Agent in the U.S. and UK Intacct businesses in Q1, alongside cross-sell, upsell, and strong NCA.

On rollout coverage, Hare said all of the cloud native revenue is AI-enabled, and Sage is progressively rolling AI capabilities across the cloud connected base, with broad completion expected by the end of the calendar year. He added that after embedding Copilot, Sage plans to expand the use of individual agents to carry out various tasks, starting in Cloud Native and then following quickly in Cloud Connected products.

Competition and customer adoption: trust and accuracy emphasized

Bank of America asked about risks from new AI-first entrants and from enterprises changing accounting workflows through AI. Hare argued AI may favor incumbents due to their install base and domain expertise, emphasizing the need for accuracy, compliance, and customer trust. He said customers are experimenting and adopting AI, with some reporting time savings of 510 hours a week from automating repetitive tasks.

Cartin added that the company is not seeing churn impacts as it rolls out functionality and implements pricing changes, though she noted Sage does not report renewal rate by value at this point in the year.

On North American competition, Goldman Sachs asked about Intuits market moves. Hare said the U.S. landscape remains competitive, but Sage has not seen evidence of Intuit competing more aggressively for new customer acquisition where Sage Intacct goes to market. He said the proportion of QuickBooks graduates moving to Intacct remains consistent, reiterating that historically about a quarter of new customer acquisition for Intacct comes from Intuit. He also noted Sage sees newer competitors particularly in software/SaaS verticals, while Sage continues to focus on verticalization across areas such as construction, non-profit, healthcare, financial professional services, and hospitality. Hare also said Sage has launched X3 Cloud into the U.S. market to double down in manufacturing and distribution verticals.

Looking ahead, Cartin reiterated Sages full-year guidance, with organic total revenue growth expected to be 9% or above, while operating margins are expected to continue trending upward in fiscal 2026 and beyond. Management said it would provide a fuller update at the first-half results, with the next scheduled communication at interims in May.

About The Sage Group (LON:SGE)

The Sage Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides technology solutions and services for small and medium businesses in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and internationally. It offers cloud native solutions, such as Sage Intacct, a cloud accounting software product and financial management software; Sage People, a HR and people management solution; Sage 200, a finance and business management solution; Sage X3, a business management solution; Sage Accounting, a solution for small businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers to manage customer data, accounts, and people; Sage Payroll for small businesses manage their payroll; and Sage HR for small and mid-sized businesses for record management, leave management, staff scheduling, and expenses services.

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Cleveland-Cliffs (NYSE:CLF  Get Free Report) and Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais (OTCMKTS:USNZY  Get Free Report) are both basic materials companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, earnings, dividends and profitability.

Volatility and Risk

Cleveland-Cliffs has a beta of 1.91, indicating that its stock price is 91% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais has a beta of 1.33, indicating that its stock price is 33% more volatile than the S&P 500.

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Profitability

This table compares Cleveland-Cliffs and Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Cleveland-Cliffs -9.00% -20.02% -6.10% Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais -12.91% 1.22% 0.81%

Valuation & Earnings

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Cleveland-Cliffs $19.19 billion 0.37 -$754.00 million ($3.40) -4.20 Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais $4.80 billion 0.15 -$27.06 million ($0.49) -2.66

This table compares Cleveland-Cliffs and Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Geraiss revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Cleveland-Cliffs. Cleveland-Cliffs is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Cleveland-Cliffs and Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais, as reported by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Cleveland-Cliffs 2 5 3 0 2.10 Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais 0 1 0 0 2.00

Cleveland-Cliffs presently has a consensus price target of $13.80, indicating a potential downside of 3.38%. Given Cleveland-Cliffs stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Cleveland-Cliffs is more favorable than Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

67.7% of Cleveland-Cliffs shares are held by institutional investors. 1.8% of Cleveland-Cliffs shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Cleveland-Cliffs beats Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Cleveland-Cliffs

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Cleveland-Cliffs is the largest flat-rolled steel company and the largest iron ore pellet producer in North America. The company is vertically integrated from mining through iron making, steelmaking, rolling, finishing and downstream with hot and cold stamping of steel parts and components. The company was formerly known as Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. and changed its name to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. in August 2017. Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.

About Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais

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Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais S.A. manufactures and markets flat steel products in Brazil and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Mining and Logistics, Steel Metallurgy, and Steel Transformation. It extracts and process iron ore, such as pellet and sinter feed and, granulated iron ore; provides storage, handling, and road cargo transportation services; and operates highway and railway cargo terminals. It also manufactures and sells steel products; manufactures and installs equipment for various industries; and transforms cold-rolled coils into hot-dip galvanized coils. In addition, the company provides technology transfer services for steel industry; project management and services for civil construction and capital goods industry; road transportation of flat steel; and texturing and chrome plating of cylinders. It serves automotive, construction, distribution, energy, white line, oil and gas, and machines and equipment markets. Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais S.A. was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

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Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. (NYSE:KNSL  Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of Hold from the twelve ratings firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $476.60.

A number of brokerages have recently commented on KNSL. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on shares of Kinsale Capital Group in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. They issued a sector perform rating and a $415.00 price target on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Kinsale Capital Group in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. They issued an overweight rating and a $490.00 target price for the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a hold (c) rating on shares of Kinsale Capital Group in a research note on Monday, December 29th. TD Cowen lowered their price target on Kinsale Capital Group from $448.00 to $442.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 4th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Kinsale Capital Group from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Sunday, December 14th.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on KNSL

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Kinsale Capital Group Stock Down 3.9%

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Kinsale Capital Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $125,812,000. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC boosted its holdings in Kinsale Capital Group by 1,141.4% in the second quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 81,724 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $39,546,000 after acquiring an additional 75,141 shares in the last quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Kinsale Capital Group during the 2nd quarter valued at $32,034,000. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP raised its holdings in Kinsale Capital Group by 127.4% in the 2nd quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP now owns 117,394 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $56,807,000 after purchasing an additional 65,770 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Tudor Investment Corp ET AL raised its holdings in Kinsale Capital Group by 7,444.2% in the 3rd quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL now owns 37,721 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $16,041,000 after purchasing an additional 37,221 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 85.36% of the companys stock.

Shares of NYSE KNSL opened at $386.66 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.09, a quick ratio of 0.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The business has a 50-day moving average of $389.16 and a 200-day moving average of $422.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.99, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 1.00. Kinsale Capital Group has a 12 month low of $349.00 and a 12 month high of $512.76.

Kinsale Capital Group declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback program on Thursday, December 11th that authorizes the company to repurchase $250.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the financial services provider to purchase up to 2.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Kinsale Capital Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 11th. Investors of record on Friday, November 28th were given a dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 28th. Kinsale Capital Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 3.34%.

About Kinsale Capital Group

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Kinsale Capital Group, Inc (NYSE:KNSL) is a specialty property and casualty insurance company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 2009, the company focuses on underwriting complex and underserved risks across the United States. Kinsale operates through a network of wholesale brokers and independent agencies, offering tailored coverage solutions for a range of niche industries.

The companys product portfolio includes general liability, business auto, professional liability, environmental liability, inland marine, cyber liability, and other specialty lines.

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Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE:CDE  Get Free Report) saw unusually large options trading activity on Tuesday. Stock traders bought 52,921 call options on the company. This represents an increase of 125% compared to the typical daily volume of 23,556 call options.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently issued reports on CDE. TD Cowen upgraded shares of Coeur Mining to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, December 1st. Raymond James Financial set a $21.00 price target on Coeur Mining in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Wall Street Zen raised Coeur Mining from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Sunday, December 21st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a buy (b-) rating on shares of Coeur Mining in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Coeur Mining from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Coeur Mining presently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $18.17.

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View Our Latest Analysis on CDE

Coeur Mining Stock Performance

CDE opened at $25.66 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 2.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm has a market cap of $16.48 billion, a PE ratio of 38.88 and a beta of 1.24. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $18.64 and a 200-day simple moving average of $16.07. Coeur Mining has a fifty-two week low of $4.58 and a fifty-two week high of $27.77.

Coeur Mining (NYSE:CDE  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The basic materials company reported $0.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.25 by ($0.02). Coeur Mining had a return on equity of 15.52% and a net margin of 24.03%.The company had revenue of $554.57 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $511.20 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.12 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 76.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Coeur Mining will post 0.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in CDE. Sound Income Strategies LLC lifted its position in shares of Coeur Mining by 99.2% in the 4th quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 2,000 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 996 shares in the last quarter. Savant Capital LLC raised its stake in Coeur Mining by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 46,551 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $873,000 after purchasing an additional 1,066 shares during the period. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Coeur Mining by 1.8% in the second quarter. Ameritas Investment Partners Inc. now owns 65,416 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $580,000 after purchasing an additional 1,183 shares in the last quarter. Zacks Investment Management boosted its position in shares of Coeur Mining by 0.8% in the third quarter. Zacks Investment Management now owns 165,988 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $3,114,000 after buying an additional 1,246 shares during the period. Finally, Vise Technologies Inc. boosted its position in shares of Coeur Mining by 8.3% in the third quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 16,300 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $306,000 after buying an additional 1,255 shares during the period. 63.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Coeur Mining

Here are the key news stories impacting Coeur Mining this week:

Positive Sentiment: Shareholders of New Gold and Coeur overwhelmingly approved the plan of arrangement to combine the two companies, clearing a key regulatory/transactional milestone that materially increases Coeurs scale, asset base and growth profile. This is the primary driver of todays bullish sentiment. Shareholders Overwhelmingly Support Plan of Arrangement with Coeur Mining

Shareholders of New Gold and Coeur overwhelmingly approved the plan of arrangement to combine the two companies, clearing a key regulatory/transactional milestone that materially increases Coeurs scale, asset base and growth profile. This is the primary driver of todays bullish sentiment. Positive Sentiment: Market write-ups and screens are highlighting CDE among top-performing materials and critical-miner names, which can draw momentum flows and investor attention into the stock. Top performing materials stocks in the past month

Market write-ups and screens are highlighting CDE among top-performing materials and critical-miner names, which can draw momentum flows and investor attention into the stock. Positive Sentiment: Analyst/sector coverage is noting Coeur alongside rare-earth and critical-miner names benefiting from Washington support and CHIPS-related activity, which lifts demand for miners tied to critical metals. This broader sector tailwind supports continued investor interest. 3 Rare Earth Stocks to Watch as USAR Rallies on Washington Support

Analyst/sector coverage is noting Coeur alongside rare-earth and critical-miner names benefiting from Washington support and CHIPS-related activity, which lifts demand for miners tied to critical metals. This broader sector tailwind supports continued investor interest. Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call-option volume (roughly +125% vs. average daily call volume) indicates speculative or hedged bullish positioning by options traders, which can amplify intraday upside and volatility.

Unusually large call-option volume (roughly +125% vs. average daily call volume) indicates speculative or hedged bullish positioning by options traders, which can amplify intraday upside and volatility. Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary on valuation notes that CDEs strong share-price momentum has pushed multiples higher; investors should weigh the strategic benefits of the New Gold combination against an elevated P/E and current market pricing. A Look At Coeur Mining (CDE) Valuation After Strong Recent Share Price Momentum

Coeur Mining Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Coeur Mining, Inc is a publicly traded precious metals mining company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company specializes in the exploration, development and production of silver and gold deposits, with a focus on high-grade underground and open-pit operations. Through a combination of operating mines and advanced exploration projects, Coeur Mining seeks to deliver consistent production of silver and gold bullion while maintaining industry standards for safety, environmental stewardship and cost management.

Coeur Minings portfolio includes five principal operating mines and several exploration projects across North America and Australia.

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Federated Hermes Inc. grew its stake in shares of Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK  Free Report) by 0.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,485,090 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 7,411 shares during the quarter. Duke Energy makes up about 0.8% of Federated Hermes Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Federated Hermes Inc. owned 0.45% of Duke Energy worth $431,280,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Simon Quick Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 42.2% during the 2nd quarter. Simon Quick Advisors LLC now owns 7,444 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $878,000 after buying an additional 2,210 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Duke Energy by 37.7% during the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 41,642 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $5,153,000 after acquiring an additional 11,409 shares during the last quarter. Alley Investment Management Company LLC increased its position in Duke Energy by 13.0% during the 3rd quarter. Alley Investment Management Company LLC now owns 88,018 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $10,892,000 after purchasing an additional 10,108 shares in the last quarter. Greystone Financial Group LLC raised its stake in Duke Energy by 12.7% in the 3rd quarter. Greystone Financial Group LLC now owns 93,766 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $11,604,000 after purchasing an additional 10,580 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. lifted its holdings in Duke Energy by 11.3% in the 3rd quarter. Lockheed Martin Investment Management Co. now owns 274,630 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $33,985,000 after purchasing an additional 27,820 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.31% of the companys stock.

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Duke Energy News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Duke Energy this week:

Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital Markets raised its price target on Duke to $132 from $130 and kept an Outperform rating, implying roughly a double-digit upside versus current levels  a clear near-term catalyst for buying interest. BMO raises PT to $132

BMO Capital Markets raised its price target on Duke to $132 from $130 and kept an Outperform rating, implying roughly a double-digit upside versus current levels  a clear near-term catalyst for buying interest. Positive Sentiment: Duke says crews have restored power to roughly 131,000 customers after Winter Storm Fern and is advising customers on energy-use tips as cold weather continues  this shows effective operational response and reduces the scope of prolonged outage-related risk and potential regulatory scrutiny. Duke restores power to 131,000

Duke says crews have restored power to roughly 131,000 customers after Winter Storm Fern and is advising customers on energy-use tips as cold weather continues  this shows effective operational response and reduces the scope of prolonged outage-related risk and potential regulatory scrutiny. Neutral Sentiment: Macro commentary: a recent piece highlighting dividend stocks that could benefit if the Fed cuts rates in 2026 reinforces the narrative that regulated utilities (high-yield, stable cash-flow names) may rerate higher on easing rates  supportive context but speculative and dependent on Fed action. Dividend stocks could run if Fed cuts

Macro commentary: a recent piece highlighting dividend stocks that could benefit if the Fed cuts rates in 2026 reinforces the narrative that regulated utilities (high-yield, stable cash-flow names) may rerate higher on easing rates  supportive context but speculative and dependent on Fed action. Negative Sentiment: Repeated alerts about text and outage scams targeting Duke customers (fake scheduled outage notices) have been widely reported; while currently non-financial, elevated scam activity can increase customer service load, reputational risk and potential short-term distraction for management. Duke warns customers of text scam

Insiders Place Their Bets

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

In other news, EVP Robert Alexander Glenn sold 8,200 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.80, for a total value of $1,015,160.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 11,367 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,407,234.60. The trade was a 41.91% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $135.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. TD Cowen assumed coverage on Duke Energy in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. They set a buy rating and a $143.00 target price on the stock. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on Duke Energy from $130.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $126.00 to $115.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $136.00 to $126.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Duke Energy presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $135.06.

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Duke Energy Trading Up 1.2%

NYSE:DUK opened at $120.24 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $93.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 0.50. Duke Energy Corporation has a one year low of $110.51 and a one year high of $130.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 0.40 and a current ratio of 0.63. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $118.27 and its 200 day simple moving average is $121.47.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.75 by $0.06. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.98% and a net margin of 15.76%.The company had revenue of $8.54 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.51 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.62 EPS. Duke Energys revenue for the quarter was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Duke Energy Corporation will post 6.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Duke Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be issued a dividend of $1.065 per share. This represents a $4.26 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 66.98%.

About Duke Energy

(Free Report)

Duke Energy Corporation is a U.S.-based electric power holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The companys core business is the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Duke Energy operates a mix of regulated electric utilities and non-regulated energy businesses, providing essential energy infrastructure and services across multiple states.

Its operating activities include owning and operating generation assets across a portfolio that encompasses nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric and an expanding array of renewable resources, as well as battery storage and grid modernization projects.

Further Reading

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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 weigh in compared to its peers? We will compare Equity Bancshares to similar businesses based on the strength of its earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends, valuation and risk.

Volatility and Risk

Equity Bancshares has a beta of 0.87, meaning that its share price is 13% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Equity Bancshares peers have a beta of 1.01, meaning that their average share price is 1% more volatile than the S&P 500.

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Institutional & 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 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 stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Equity Bancshares 0 2 0 1 2.67 Equity Bancshares Competitors 32 179 225 26 2.53

This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for Equity Bancshares and its peers, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

As a group, State Commercial Banks  Fed Reserve System companies have a potential upside of 3.83%. Given Equity Bancshares peers higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Equity Bancshares has less favorable growth aspects than its peers.

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 6.17% 12.37% 1.41% Equity Bancshares Competitors 8.26% 7.68% 0.87%

Dividends

Equity Bancshares pays an annual dividend of $0.72 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.6%. Equity Bancshares pays out 55.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. As a group, State Commercial Banks  Fed Reserve System companies pay a dividend yield of 2.2% and pay out 60.2% of their earnings in the form of a dividend.

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 $206.96 million $22.73 million 34.91 Equity Bancshares Competitors $820.12 million $114.12 million 37.41

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.

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.

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CANBERRA, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The value of Australia's wine exports fell by 8% to A$2.34 billion ($1.6 billion) in 2025 as a global decline in drinking led to lower shipments to key markets including China and Britain, an industry body said on Wednesday.

Australia is the world's fifth-largest wine exporter. Like other wine producing regions, it is dealing with oversupply and declining sales.

"Consumers are reducing overall alcohol consumption in line with wellness trends and in order to save money as the cost-of-living increases," said Peter Bailey, head of market insights at Wine Australia.

"For wine exporters around the world, trade barriers and regional conflicts are also making it more difficult and costly to get product into markets," he said.

The value of Australian exports to China, its most lucrative market, fell the most sharply, dropping 17% last year to A$755 million ($530 million).

Australian winemakers logged strong sales to China in 2024 when Beijing removed tariffs that had blocked trade, but a rapid shrinking of Chinese wine demand is now taking its toll.

"The Chinese wine market is one-third of the size it was five years ago," Bailey said.

($1 = 1.4294 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Peter Hobson; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar)
iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF (NYSEARCA:EWN  Get Free Report)s stock price crossed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Tuesday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $58.78 and traded as high as $63.98. iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF shares last traded at $63.70, with a volume of 1,037,015 shares traded.

iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF Stock Up 1.4%

The company has a market cap of $318.50 million, a P/E ratio of 19.71 and a beta of 1.16. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $58.78 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $56.76.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF by 47.2% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 15,933 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $746,000 after buying an additional 5,106 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF during the 2nd quarter worth $175,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $185,000. Lyell Wealth Management LP acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $231,000. Finally, Mount Lucas Management LP boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF by 522.6% in the 2nd quarter. Mount Lucas Management LP now owns 14,756 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $804,000 after purchasing an additional 12,386 shares during the last quarter.

iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF, formerly iShares MSCI Netherlands Investable Market Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Netherlands Investable Market Index (the Index). The Index consists of stocks traded primarily on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. Components primarily include consumer staples, financial and industrials companies. The Fund invests in a particular segment of the securities markets and seeks to track the performance of a securities index that generally is not representative of the market as a whole.

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Mutual of America Capital Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX  Free Report) by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 179,984 shares of the natural resource companys stock after selling 10,085 shares during the quarter. Mutual of America Capital Management LLCs holdings in Freeport-McMoRan were worth $7,059,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in FCX. Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. bought a new stake in Freeport-McMoRan in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC lifted its stake in Freeport-McMoRan by 1,962.9% in the 3rd quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 722 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 687 shares in the last quarter. Proffitt & Goodson Inc. boosted its holdings in Freeport-McMoRan by 39.8% during the third quarter. Proffitt & Goodson Inc. now owns 977 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 278 shares during the last quarter. Finally, West Branch Capital LLC acquired a new position in Freeport-McMoRan during the third quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.77% of the companys stock.

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Key Headlines Impacting Freeport-McMoRan

Here are the key news stories impacting Freeport-McMoRan this week:

Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised targets and ratings  Scotiabank upped its target to $70 (outperform) and CICC raised its target to $64.40, signaling fresh buy-side conviction and potential upside pressure on the stock. Scotiabank Raises FCX Price Target to $70

Analysts raised targets and ratings  Scotiabank upped its target to $70 (outperform) and CICC raised its target to $64.40, signaling fresh buy-side conviction and potential upside pressure on the stock. Positive Sentiment: Macro/sector story is supportive: MarketBeat and other outlets highlight a structural copper bull market driven by electrification and AI data-center buildouts  a direct tailwind for copper-focused Freeport. What the Future Could Hold After a 70% Rebound

Macro/sector story is supportive: MarketBeat and other outlets highlight a structural copper bull market driven by electrification and AI data-center buildouts  a direct tailwind for copper-focused Freeport. Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat: FCX posted stronger-than-expected revenue and an adjusted EPS beat (helping validate margin leverage to high copper prices), which supports investor confidence in near-term cash flow upside if metals remain elevated. Freeport Q4 Earnings

Q4 earnings beat: FCX posted stronger-than-expected revenue and an adjusted EPS beat (helping validate margin leverage to high copper prices), which supports investor confidence in near-term cash flow upside if metals remain elevated. Positive Sentiment: Momentum and market attention: Zacks and other sites flag FCX as a strong momentum/trending stock and coverage of a new 52-week high/analyst upgrade has drawn inflows and options activity from traders. Zacks: Strong Momentum Stock

Momentum and market attention: Zacks and other sites flag FCX as a strong momentum/trending stock and coverage of a new 52-week high/analyst upgrade has drawn inflows and options activity from traders. Neutral Sentiment: Options-market signals show elevated interest and positioning but are ambiguous on direction  heavy flow can amplify moves but also increase volatility. Options Market Insights

Options-market signals show elevated interest and positioning but are ambiguous on direction  heavy flow can amplify moves but also increase volatility. Negative Sentiment: Production disruption remains a headwind: the Grasberg mudslide cut output, and Freeport guided to slightly lower 2026 copper/gold sales before restoration  lingering supply impacts could pressure revenue if copper weakens. Grasberg Production Impact and Outlook

Production disruption remains a headwind: the Grasberg mudslide cut output, and Freeport guided to slightly lower 2026 copper/gold sales before restoration  lingering supply impacts could pressure revenue if copper weakens. Negative Sentiment: Near-term copper-price risk: some forecasters (and the MarketBeat/Goldman discussion) expect a pullback from record highs, and FCXs cash flow is highly sensitive to copper movesnear-term price weakness could reverse recent gains. Copper Forecasts and Impact

Insider Buying and Selling at Freeport-McMoRan

Freeport-McMoRan Stock Up 2.8%

In other news, CAO Ellie L. Mikes sold 9,572 shares of Freeport-McMoRan stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $47.66, for a total transaction of $456,201.52. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 38,761 shares in the company, valued at $1,847,349.26. The trade was a 19.80% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, CAO Stephen T. Higgins sold 28,423 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.99, for a total transaction of $1,364,019.77. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 105,294 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,053,059.06. This represents a 21.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure . Corporate insiders own 0.79% of the companys stock.

Shares of NYSE:FCX opened at $62.87 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $50.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of $45.22. The company has a quick ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 2.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The firm has a market cap of $90.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.64, a P/E/G ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 1.45. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a 12-month low of $27.66 and a 12-month high of $63.58.

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 22nd. The natural resource company reported $0.47 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.28 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $5.63 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.42 billion. Freeport-McMoRan had a return on equity of 8.50% and a net margin of 8.50%.The businesss revenue was down 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.31 EPS. Analysts predict that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.68 earnings per share for the current year.

Freeport-McMoRan Cuts Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.075 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 15th. This represents a $0.30 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Freeport-McMoRans payout ratio is 19.87%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

FCX has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. BNP Paribas Exane reduced their price target on Freeport-McMoRan from $58.00 to $56.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 5th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $42.00 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, September 30th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Freeport-McMoRan from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $54.00 to $48.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 1st. Finally, CICC Research boosted their price target on Freeport-McMoRan from $50.40 to $64.40 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $58.40.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Freeport-McMoRan

Freeport-McMoRan Profile

(Free Report)

Freeport-McMoRan Inc is a U.S.-based natural resources company primarily engaged in the exploration, mining and processing of copper, gold and molybdenum. Its operations encompass large-scale open-pit and underground mining as well as associated concentrator and milling facilities. The company produces copper in the form of concentrates and cathodes, and also recovers gold and molybdenum as co-products; its business model includes exploration, development, mining, beneficiation and the sale of bulk commodities to smelters and industrial customers.

Freeport-McMoRan conducts operations and development activities across multiple geographies, with substantial assets in the Americas and Indonesia.

Read More

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FCX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX  Free Report).

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Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (OTCMKTS:FGPR  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 85 shares, a decline of 93.5% from the December 31st total of 1,312 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 5,185 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 5,185 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Ferrellgas Partners Trading Down 1.7%

FGPR traded down $0.35 on Wednesday, hitting $20.00. 3,079 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,312. Ferrellgas Partners has a fifty-two week low of $8.00 and a fifty-two week high of $20.58. The stock has a market cap of $1.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -23.53 and a beta of 2.99. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $18.63 and a 200-day moving average price of $16.42.

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About Ferrellgas Partners

(Get Free Report)

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (OTCMKTS:FGPR) is a master limited partnership that operates as the retail propane distribution arm of Ferrellgas, Inc, one of the largest retail propane providers in the United States. Headquartered in Liberty, Missouri, the partnership was formed in 1997 to acquire and manage propane assets and inventory in support of Ferrellgass nationwide network.

The companys primary business activities include the procurement, transportation and distribution of propane to residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural customers.

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LG Display (NYSE:LPL  Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The electronics maker reported ($0.24) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.17 by ($0.41), Zacks reports. LG Display had a negative return on equity of 3.22% and a negative net margin of 0.94%.

LG Display Price Performance

NYSE:LPL traded down $0.38 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $3.99. The company had a trading volume of 390,757 shares, compared to its average volume of 620,070. The company has a market capitalization of $3.99 billion, a PE ratio of -23.38, a P/E/G ratio of 0.61 and a beta of 1.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. LG Display has a 52-week low of $2.43 and a 52-week high of $5.67. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $4.28 and its 200-day moving average price is $4.45.

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Institutional Trading of LG Display

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Creative Planning bought a new position in LG Display during the second quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV bought a new stake in shares of LG Display in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $63,000. Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of LG Display during the third quarter valued at approximately $67,000. XTX Topco Ltd bought a new position in shares of LG Display during the second quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. purchased a new stake in LG Display in the second quarter worth $52,000.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on LPL shares. Wall Street Zen raised shares of LG Display from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, November 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a sell (d-) rating on shares of LG Display in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, LG Display presently has a consensus rating of Reduce.

Read Our Latest Report on LPL

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.

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Kunlun Energy (OTCMKTS:KLYCY  Get Free Report)s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Wednesday . The stock had previously closed at $9.94, but opened at $9.44. Kunlun Energy shares last traded at $9.44, with a volume of 108 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, Zacks Research upgraded Kunlun Energy from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, October 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold.

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View Our Latest Research Report on Kunlun Energy

Kunlun Energy Trading Down 5.0%

About Kunlun Energy

The firms 50 day simple moving average is $9.52 and its 200-day simple moving average is $9.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.89 and a quick ratio of 1.85.

(Get Free Report)

Kunlun Energy Company Limited is a China-based energy company engaged primarily in the exploration, production, distribution and sales of natural gas and crude oil. As a publicly traded entity on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the OTC Markets under the ticker KLYCY, the company focuses on developing upstream reserves in key basins across northwest China, including the Tarim, Junggar and TurpanHami basins. Kunlun Energys upstream activities are supported by a combination of proprietary drilling technologies and strategic partnerships that enable it to target both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources.

In its midstream operations, Kunlun Energy has established an extensive pipeline network that links its production areas to major consumption centers.

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SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2026 / Elektros Inc. (OTC PINK:ELEK), a developer of hardrock lithium mining operations in Sierra Leone, is proud to announce a special Free TShirt Giveaway for all of our valued shareholders.

For the next 30 days, Elektros will be giving away complimentary Elektrosbranded Tshirts-featuring the Elektros logo-as a sincere "thank you" to the shareholders who continue to support our mission. We want our community to be loud and proud wearing the Elektros name, as we continue working at the forefront of the global cleanenergy transformation.

Shareholders may request up to three (3) free Tshirts per person. Available sizes include: Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large. Shipping is completely free.

To participate, please email us at ElektrosInc@gmail.com and include:

Your full name

Your mailing address

Quantity requested (up to 3)

Your preferred size(s): S, M, L, or XL

"We are truly overwhelmed-in the best way-by the incredible response from our shareholders," said Shlomo Bleier, Chief Executive Officer of Elektros Inc. "We've received so many emails requesting Elektros Tshirts, and it means the world to us. That kind of engagement gives us the heart and soul to keep pushing forward and giving it everything we've got to build Elektros into a tremendous success. When you engage with shareholders, there's nothing more motivating. We are relentless, we are moving forward nonstop, and we love each and every shareholder-thank you for believing in Elektros."

Lithium remains one of the most critical materials powering the future of electrification-supporting electric vehicles, grid storage, and nextgeneration battery technologies. As Elektros advances its hardrock lithium development initiatives in Sierra Leone, the Company believes it is positioned in a sector that is central to global energy security and longterm innovation.

Industry Perspective (Lithium's Global Importance)
A major clean up operation has begun on Wednesday morning following the destruction left by Storm Chandra on Tuesday.

Counties across Ireland, including the worst hit Wexford, Dublin and Wicklow, have begun repairing damage that was caused on Tuesday but local councillors say it will take "months to repair".

READ NEXT: Woman in her 60s dies after being hit by a truck in Dublin

Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, Labour Party councillor in Dublin Lettie McCarthy spoke of how harrowing it was to speak to stressed families whose homes have been destroyed by floods.

She said that damage in areas like Kilternan and Stepaside will take "months to repair" and that a lot of families will struggle to find a place to rent if they can't access their homes.

Cllr McCarthy said she hopes this is a "wake-up call" and that everything has a knock-on effect but "you wouldn't expect that with new houses".

Also speaking was head of Climate Services with Me Eireann Keith Lambkin who said the yellow warnings yesterday were based on expected rainfall levels but the rain the Storm Chandra brought across Ireland was concentrated on the east and south east.

Mr Lambkin said that because of knock-on consequences to the jet stream from very cold conditions in the US at the moment, "that caused those fronts and those systems that the west coast would normally get, they were all coming up and exposing the south east.

READ NEXT: Search stood down for missing 37-year-old woman from Donegal amid Garda update

"So, the south east was getting all of that rainfall that the west would normally get, and that really led to complicated problems. That system itself then, based on the amount of rain that was expected and the known fact that it was saturated levels, the local authorities and so forth would have been warned of the likes of localised flooding and many acted on the basis of that."

Mr Lambkin went on to say that there are flood warnings being put in place and Met Eireann's rain warnings are separate from that.

"What other jurisdictions have is a more complicated, better observation system that then feeds higher resolution models that then feeds into a warning system. Ireland is currently in the process of putting that system in place, but only components of that are in there at the moment. That's still in development," he added.

Speaking on the Tonight Show on Virgin Media, Carlow Weatherman Alan O'Reilly has said that he has been saying for "many years" that Ireland needs a flood warning system and that although Met Eireann has a flood forecasting team, the forecasts are not made public.

"The yellow rain warning that was issued for parts, including Wicklow and Wexford, there was no yellow rainfall warning for Dublin only wind. That is completely useless when it comes to flood forecasting as it doesn't take into account how high the river levels are or how much rainfall has fallen in the 2 weeks before that.

"So we need that flood forecasting system made public, we need to see it up and running, but we need data from the likes of the Wicklow mountains in real time being fed into the weather models so we can get an estimation of how quick and how high these river levels are going to rise.

READ NEXT: PICTURES: Inside Irish Rugby star Peter Stringer's stunning home as it hits the market

"They have a great flood warning system in the UK, that is very localised it goes river by river. We seem to be 10 years on from the announcement in the Dail, but we're not getting the information to the public."

 We need that flood warning system made public, we need to see it up and running,  @saloreilly#TonightVMTV #StormChandra pic.twitter.com/sRS2VKVXSI  TonightVMTV (@TonightVMTV) January 27, 2026

Of the days to come, Mr O'Reilly has said there is still "uncertainty on weather models for low system on Friday. Most models were keeping it south of Ireland but latest high resolution HARMONIE model brings it into Southeast Ireland with risk of more heavy rainfall. This needs careful watching over next 48 hours."
The Kansas City South Side politico isn't pulling any punches when it comes to his opinion regarding the national immigration debate . . .

Known for his support of Palestine, considerations of Democratic Socialism and down-low family connections to Mayor Q . . . This week . . .

COUNCIL DUDE DUNCAN PROUDLY DENOUNCES "GOONS" IN FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT!!!

Agree or disagree . . . He makes a bold statement and we're sharing it because it offers some perspective on the "motivations" of 12th & Oak as they confront continued local immigration controversy and more political heat as Midterms approach.

For now we share the money line and a link . . .

"Dont take the bait- abolish ICE and prosecute those involved."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Developing . . .
Right now we're thinking about a lot of headlines but merely wanted to offer some snarky takes on pop culture, community reporting and top headlines to loyal night owl & early bird readers.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Having Grown Up Conversation About Reality Of Barista Life

Kansas City therapist shares advice on how to talk to kids about Minnesota ICE shooting Local mental health experts say now is the time to check in with your kids - even if they haven't brought it up.

Golden Ghetto Victory Lap

'We feel heard': Overland Park neighbors react to Royals dropping stadium plans The Kansas City Royals are no longer considering the Aspiria site in Overland Park as a spot to build the team's new stadium. Neighbors who shared their concerns about the stadium welcomed the news.

Kansas Borrowing Against Time

Economists say fast payoff of Chiefs stadium STAR bonds would require ideal economic conditions In Topeka last week, an attorney representing the Kansas City Chiefs, Korb Maxwell, told Kansas lawmakers that STAR bonds to finance a new Chiefs stadium could be paid off in half the time.

Pricey JoCo Road Work Winning

After years of work, 69Express toll lanes construction nears finish line in Johnson County The 69 Express Toll Lanes project in Johnson County, Kansas, is nearing completion, with an expected opening date of mid to late February

Affordable Local Love Debuts . . .

Shawnee chapel offers $214 Valentine's Day weddings as more couples seek affordable alternatives With the average wedding in America now topping $30,000, often costing much more, many couples are looking for ways to say "I do" without drowning in debt.

Tay-Tay Too Busy Tying Knot

Taylor Swift will not be expected to perform at 2026 Grammys Grammys executive producer Ben Winston addressed, clarified and shut down the rumors that the superstar will be present at this year's annual award ceremony.

MAGA Manages Tensions

Trump says government will 'de-escalate a little bit' in Minnesota after Pretti shooting The killing of Alex Pretti over the weekend led Minnesota officials and locals to renew calls for Trump to end his immigration operation there.

Congress Lady Suffers Attack

Rep. Ilhan Omar rushed on stage and sprayed with liquid at town hall event Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar was speaking at a town hall event when she was rushed by a man who sprayed a liquid at her via a syringe.

Elite Full Circle?!?

Ivy League President Makes Appeal In WSJ Op-Ed. It Is What Conservatives Have Been Saying For Years President of Dartmouth College Sian Beilock admits the obvious in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal: 'American higher education has a trust problem.'

GOP Join Protesters?!?!

Republicans turn on Noem, demand resignation "She should be out of a job," said Sen. Thom Tillis.

Suspected Creepers In Court

Alexander brothers trial: Prosecution paints trio as predators, not party boys in opening statements Alon, Oren and Tal Alexander face federal sex trafficking charges.

Tragic Crash Postscript

NTSB blames 'deep' systemic failures for deadly midair collision near Washington D.C. After a yearlong investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board did not find a single cause for the deadly collision near Washington, D.C., but blamed the crash on multiple systemic failures.

Mob Mentality Consequences Well-Remembered

'I was simply luckier': Holocaust survivors warn against forgetting Nazi atrocities People urged to stand up against populism and antisemitism as the world marks International Holocaust Memorial Day

Far East Flexing?!?

China is purging its military leaders. Is this a step toward war? Xi Jinping is eliminating the people who might be willing to say no to him.

Nightmare Countdown Cont'd

"Doomsday Clock" moves to 85 seconds to midnight, closest point to catastrophe since its debut The "Doomsday Clock" is a metaphor for how close humanity is to self-annihilation.

More Than Handful Of Debate

Woman can't work due to 34GG boobs that NHS refuses to operate on Mary Rich says she is in constant agony from a back problem caused by her 34GG bust and is desperate for breast reduction surgery, but says the NHS has refused to do the op

Literary American Celebration

Kansas City Public Library marks America's 250th anniversary with speakers, book lists and more - KC STUDIO Jeremy Drouin, special collections manager at the Kansas City Public Library, was just six years old in 1976.

Suburbanites Resist New Neighbors

Lee's Summit mayor addresses apartment development concerns in 1-on-1 interview with KSHB 41 News Lee's Summit is experiencing a surge in apartment-style housing developments, with longtime residents questioning whether the city is prioritizing the right type of housing for its growing population.

Upscale Offering Redux

Todd Barlow's Food Pedaler lands at Parlor KC Barlow's newest iteration is the Food Pedaler, a stall at Crossroads' Parlor food hall, where he's creating a wide range of culinary delights, many gluten-free.

Marking Mobster Mortality

This Day in History: Kansas City's mob boss, Tom Pendergast, dies Kansas City's political boss, Tom Pendergast, dies at the age of 72. Pendergast controlled KC and Jackson County from 1925 to 1939. His political machine helped launch the career of future president Harry S. Truman.

Winter This Week . . .

Less chilly on Wednesday before another Arctic blast to end the week in Kansas City Wednesday warms up slightly compared to recent temperatures, with a high reaching near freezing. But that won't last long: Thursday through Sunday morning will be much colder.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
PrivateJetToCancun.com has launched dedicated private jet charter services to Cancun, offering flexible, luxury air travel from major cities including Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Toronto, Dallas, and Chicago.



(TRAVPR.COM) MALDIVES - January 27th, 2026 -

Cancun, Mexico  PrivateJetToCancun.com has officially announced the launch of its specialized private jet charter services to Cancun, offering travelers a refined, flexible, and fully personalized way to fly to one of the Caribbeans most in-demand luxury destinations.

As demand for private aviation continues to rise among leisure and business travelers, PrivateJetToCancun.com enters the market with a focused approach. Instead of operating as a general charter directory, the platform is built exclusively around private jet travel to Cancun, allowing clients to access tailored routes, aircraft options, and concierge-level flight planning without unnecessary complexity.

The service now supports a growing list of high-demand routes, including Houston to Cancun, Los Angeles to Cancun, Miami to Cancun, New York to Cancun, Toronto to Cancun, Dallas to Cancun, and Chicago to Cancun. These routes connect major business and lifestyle hubs directly with Cancun, enabling travelers to avoid commercial airline schedules, crowded terminals, and indirect connections. A full overview of available routes is published at https://privatejettocancun.com/routes/.

PrivateJetToCancun.com is designed for a wide range of travelers, including executives flying for meetings or events, families planning private resort stays, groups traveling for celebrations, and individuals seeking discretion and comfort. Clients can choose from light jets for shorter regional flights, midsize and super midsize jets for longer nonstop journeys, and heavy jets for larger groups requiring extended range and spacious cabins.

Cancun has evolved far beyond a traditional vacation destination, said a spokesperson for PrivateJetToCancun.com. It is now a global hub for luxury resorts, private villas, destination weddings, and high-level business travel. Our goal was to create a platform that matches that evolution by offering private jet services that are efficient, transparent, and built around the traveler.

The charter process emphasizes speed and clarity, with personalized quotes, flexible departure times, and access to private aviation terminals that streamline check-in and boarding. Flights are arranged on demand, allowing clients to depart according to their schedule rather than fixed airline timetables.

In addition to flight planning, PrivateJetToCancun.com provides support for aircraft selection, passenger capacity planning, and routing considerations to ensure each trip aligns with client expectations. By concentrating solely on Cancun-bound private jet travel, the platform aims to deliver higher consistency and a more focused service experience.

With Cancun continuing to attract international travelers seeking privacy, exclusivity, and premium travel solutions, the launch of PrivateJetToCancun.com reflects a broader shift toward destination-specific private aviation services.

For more information, route details, or to request a private jet charter quote, visit https://privatejettocancun.com.

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U.S.-based technology company Baker Hughes said it has a strategic technology solutions and equity agreement with energy storage group Hydrostor. The deal between the companies, announced January 28, integrates Baker Hughes' technology as part of Hydrostor's core design offering for the latter's advanced compressed air energy storage, or A-CAES, solution. The groups on Wednesday said the deal includes up to 1.4 GW of Baker Hughes equipment orders for Hydrostors flagship projects. The announcement was made during Baker Hughes annual meeting in Florence, Italy. "Increasing pressure on electric grids is making long-duration energy storage an urgent priority. Hydrostor's innovative approach offers a low-carbon solution to ensure power reliability across a diverse mix of generation resources," said Lorenzo Simonelli, chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes, which is headquartered in Houston, Texas. We are proud to support Hydrostor with critical technology to accelerate these projects, supporting greater global grid resilience, and enabling sustainable power systems at scale. The agreement Hydrostor has signed with Baker Hughes underscores the momentum behind our A-CAES technology platform that is able to cost-effectively provide reliability and resiliency to grids around the world, said Curtis VanWalleghem, co-founder and CEO of Hydrostor. Were excited to build on our relationship with Baker Hughes as we near construction for our flagship projects and work to expand our project pipeline, as load grows and AI data center infrastructure is being built out globally. Baker Hughes has been an investor in Hydrostor since 2019. This latest strategic agreement marks an expansion of the relationship as Hydrostor nears construction on its flagship projects in the U.S. and Australia. In the initial phase of the expansion, Hydrostor will be deploying up to 1.4 GW of power generation and compression technology solutions from Baker Hughes extensive portfolio including compression, expander, motor and generator technology. Baker Hughes is a global energy technology company that serves energy and industrial customers in more than 120 countries. Hydrostor, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, is a leading developer and operator of long-duration energy storage systems. Hydrostor is backed by Goldman Sachs Alternatives, CPP Investments, Canada Growth Fund, and other institutional investors. The company has a pipeline of A-CAES projects in North America, Australia, and Europe. Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
Blowup Cleaners expands its professional cleaning services for UK hotels and travel accommodations, providing eco-friendly deep cleaning to ensure hygienic and safe spaces for guests and staff.



(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - January 28th, 2026 -

Manchester, UK  Blowup Cleaners, a leading professional cleaning company based in Manchester, today announced the expansion of its commercial cleaning services tailored for hotels, guesthouses, and travel accommodation across the UK. With increasing demand for highstandard hygiene in the travel sector, this service supports safe, spotless environments for visitors and staff.

The new service includes deep carpet, upholstery, endoftenancy, and commercial space cleaning, all delivered by certified technicians using ecofriendly products and advanced equipment. With the travel industry rebounding strongly across the UK, reliable cleaning is crucial to guest satisfaction and safety, said a spokesperson for Blowup Cleaners. The expanded offering also includes flexible scheduling and sameday booking options to meet the needs of busy travel businesses.

The initiative reinforces the companys commitment to quality and hygiene standards in commercial spaces serving travellers and local customers alike. Hoteliers and UK travel accommodation providers seeking professional cleaning solutions can learn more at [url=https://blowupcleaners.uk/]Blowup Cleaners website

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PASHA Bank, the countrys leading corporate financial institution, has held a press conference dedicated to the preparatory phase of the Initial Public Offering of its shares.

The event took place on 28 January 2026 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Speaking at the conference, Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of PASHA Bank Javid Gouliyev stated that the initiative aims to further strengthen the Banks financial resilience, enhance transparency, and contribute to the development of the capital market.

Gouliyev added that the placement of shares through an IPO represents the Banks next stage of strategic development: PASHA Bank is the first private bank to join the IPO process. Conducted under the slogan We grow by sharing. Together., this share placement enables our Bank to further expand its operations as a more transparent, sustainable financial institution that creates long-term value for investors. At this stage, the volume of shares planned for placement amounts to 5 percent of the Banks capital, comprising 932,926 ordinary registered shares.

He also emphasized that PASHA Bank has consistently served as a reliable financial partner to the real sector and continues to successfully fulfill this mission. Years of sustainable and purpose-driven growth have paved the way for our entry into the capital market. This step creates new opportunities to make a stronger contribution to the national economy, particularly to the development of the non-oil sector, the CEO noted.

PASHA Bank was established in 2007 and is one of Azerbaijans leading corporate financial institutions. The Bank provides corporate and small and medium-sized business clients with investment banking, trade finance, asset management, and traditional banking services. Its core mission is to support the development of the non-oil sector, meet the financial needs of real-sector businesses, and contribute to the diversification of the national economy. In addition to Azerbaijan, PASHA Bank operates in Georgia and Turkiye.

In 20242025, PASHA Bank received multiple awards from prestigious international publications such as Euromoney, International Investor, and Global Finance in recognition of its contributions to the development of local entrepreneurship, including titles such as Best SME Bank and Worlds Best Private Banks 2025. In 2025, the Bank also became the first Azerbaijani bank to win the Gold Stevie award in the Company of the Year category at the Stevie Awards.
Photo: State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Azerbaijani families consisting of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) who arrived in Jabrayil's Horovlu village today were handed the keys to their homes, Trend reports.

The families were provided with detailed information by staff from the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) on the dangers posed by mines and unexploded ordnance. They were advised to avoid unfamiliar objects and immediately report any suspicious items to the relevant authorities.

The key presentation ceremony was attended by representatives from the Special Presidential Envoys Office for the districts of Jabrayil, Gubadli, and Zangilan, the State Committee for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, and other officials.

At this stage, a total of 20 families, comprising 77 people, have been relocated to Horovlu. These families were previously temporarily housed in dormitories, sanatoriums, camps, unfinished buildings, and administrative facilities across various regions of Azerbaijan.

13:25

BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. The next group of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) sent this morning has returned to their native homes in Horovlu village of Azerbaijans liberated Jabrayil district, thus completing another phase of resettlement, Trend reports.

At this stage, 20 families (77 people) returned to the village.

Families entered the rebuilt village with tears of joy and admired the beauty created in their homeland.

The village covers a total area of 248 hectares. In the first phase, 334 individual houses were built on 94 hectares, featuring two-, three-, four-, and five-room layouts and equipped with modern infrastructure, including water, electricity, gas, solar panels, and high-speed internet. Internal village roads have been asphalted.

As part of the ongoing reconstruction efforts, a new school building with a capacity for 624 students, a kindergarten for 220 children, a two-story administrative building, a market complex, multifunctional catering facilities, a medical center, and a sports and health complex have been constructed. Additionally, qanats historically used in the area, specifically, Asgar, Shighi, Orta, Gulgasim, and Khalifa, have been restored, following their destruction during the period of occupation. Furthermore, a 4.4-hectare park complex has been established in the village, accompanied by pedestrian walkways that extend from Flag Square to the market complex. A 3.1-hectare green area has been planted with olive, plane, and Eldar pine trees.

Former internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have returned to their homeland expressed immense satisfaction with the state care extended to them, conveying deep gratitude to the nation's leadership for providing modern living conditions. The residents solemnly honored the memory of the heroic martyrs whose sacrifice secured the historic victory and liberated the land, offering prayers for their souls. At the same time, they extended heartfelt wishes for long life and good health to the veterans whose courage in battle made the revival of these liberated territories possible. They emphasized that this restoration effort was made achievable through the sacrifices of those who fought to reclaim the land.

06:41

BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. The next group of former internally displaced persons is returning to the village of Horovlu in the Jabrayil region, Trend reports.

At this stage, 20 families, 77 people, have been resettled to the village of Horovlu in the Jabrayil region.

The former IDPs returning to the native village thanked President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva for their comprehensive care and expressed gratitude to the valiant Azerbaijani Army, which liberated the lands from occupation.

Currently, more than 50,000 people live in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur. Among them are former internally displaced persons who have returned to these areas, as well as employees involved in the implementation of restoration and construction projects, employees of local departments of various government agencies, and specialists employed in healthcare, education, culture, tourism, industry, and energy institutions that have resumed their activities.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. A strategic partnership has been discussed between Azerbaijan and China, the statement of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, Trend reports.

The discussion took place during the meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

The meeting also discussed the current state and development prospects of bilateral and multilateral relations between Azerbaijan and China, as well as regional and international issues.

The ministers highly appreciated the high-level political dialogue and contribution of the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership relations between the two countries in 2025 to raising relations to a qualitatively new stage. Moreover, an additional impetus from the numerous agreements signed during the state visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to China in April last year to cooperation in several areas was emphasized.

Besides, the meeting noted with satisfaction that the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries will be celebrated in 2027.

The ministers emphasized the importance of further expanding cooperation based on mutual trust and respect in the fields of trade and economy, transport and logistics, energy, renewable energy, industry, digital transformation, agriculture, humanitarian, and education. Cooperation in the work carried out on the Middle Corridor and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route was appreciated.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of continuing mutual support within the framework of international organizations, and saw an exchange of views on regional security issues. Cooperation relations within the framework of the UN, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Non-Aligned Movement, and other multilateral formats were reviewed.

The parties also noted that strengthening people-to-people ties, expanding exchanges in education, culture, tourism, and youth play an important role in the sustainable development of bilateral relations.

The meeting then reviewed global and regional security issues, cooperation plans within the Central Asian format. The meeting also briefed the Chinese side on post-conflict reconstruction and mine threat, thanking it for support to the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) in the demining activities.

The parties also exchanged on other issues of mutual interest.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. We hope that a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be signed in the coming months, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said at the PACE on January 28, Trend reports via Armenian media.

I hope that a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed in the coming months. The components of peace include the opening of communication routes and mutual assistance in the transit sector, Mirzoyan said.

According to the Armenian minister, TRIPP (Trump's Roadmap for Peace and Prosperity) will play a semantic role in peace and cooperation in the South Caucasus region.

On August 8, 2025, following a trilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint declaration on ensuring peace between Baku and Yerevan and establishing transport links between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan. This project is called "Trump's Route to International Peace and Prosperity."

During the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan initialed the draft "Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia" and signed a joint appeal by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office (on the closure of the OSCE Minsk Process, Personal Representative OSCE Chairman-in-Office on the conflict discussed by the Minsk Conference, and High-level Planning Groups).
Details added: first version posted on 15:49

BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. A strategic partnership has been discussed between Azerbaijan and China, the statement of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs says, Trend reports.

The discussion took place during the meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

The meeting also discussed the current state and development prospects of bilateral and multilateral relations between Azerbaijan and China, as well as regional and international issues.

The ministers highly appreciated the high-level political dialogue and contribution of the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership relations between the two countries in 2025 to raising relations to a qualitatively new stage. Moreover, an additional impetus from the numerous agreements signed during the state visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to China in April last year to cooperation in several areas was emphasized.

Besides, the meeting noted with satisfaction that the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries will be celebrated in 2027.

The ministers emphasized the importance of further expanding cooperation based on mutual trust and respect in the fields of trade and economy, transport and logistics, energy, renewable energy, industry, digital transformation, agriculture, humanitarian, and education. Cooperation in the work carried out on the Middle Corridor and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route was appreciated.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of continuing mutual support within the framework of international organizations, and saw an exchange of views on regional security issues. Cooperation relations within the framework of the UN, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Non-Aligned Movement, and other multilateral formats were reviewed.

The parties also noted that strengthening people-to-people ties, expanding exchanges in education, culture, tourism, and youth play an important role in the sustainable development of bilateral relations.

The meeting then reviewed global and regional security issues, cooperation plans within the Central Asian format. The meeting also briefed the Chinese side on post-conflict reconstruction and mine threat, thanking it for support to the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) in the demining activities.

The parties also exchanged on other issues of mutual interest.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
In 2026, the jubilee anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet Afzaladdin Khagani Shirvani will be celebrated.

Khagani Shirvani is one of the towering figures presented by the golden age of Azerbaijani literature and culture to the treasury of universal culture. A master of the word who deeply mastered the diverse sciences of his time and rose majestically on the foundation of the centuries-old cultural traditions of the East, he left behind a rich legacy of poetic works that stand at the pinnacle of artistic expression. A call for justice, a spirit of struggle and personal freedom, moral elevation, human dignity, and faith in the power of intellect are among the defining features of this unique heritage. In his works of high aesthetic value and humanistic content, shaped by socio-philosophical and didactic-ethical reflections, the thinker artist gave distinctive artistic meaning to social and historical events and urged readers to draw lessons from them. The patriotic motifs vividly expressed through brilliant lyrical scenes in Khaganis creativity are a profound poetic manifestation of the poets boundless love for his homeland and its beauty. Closely connected to the cultural life of his era, Khagani Shirvani, through the innovations he introduced into classical literature, exerted a powerful influence on the development of literary and philosophical thought of the peoples of the Near and Middle East as a whole. Master poets of subsequent centuries have always treated Khaganis genius with deep respect and benefited from it as a school, the decree reads.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. An agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has been approved, Trend reports.

The relevant decree was signed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev

Under the decree, the Agreement on Cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, signed in Tbilisi on November 21, 2025, is to be approved.

Following the entry into force of the agreement specified in the first clause of the decree, the Azerbaijani ministry is tasked with ensuring the implementation of its provisions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan must notify the Government of Georgia that the domestic procedures required for the agreements entry into force have been completed.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Azerbaijan has tightened penalties for the deliberate destruction and unlawful handling of historical and cultural heritage assets, Trend reports.

The changes are reflected in amendments approved by President Ilham Aliyev to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the laws On the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments and On Culture.

Under the amendments, illegal removal of national cultural heritage objects included in the protected list of cultural assets from the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan will result in fines of 3,000 manat ($1,764) for individuals, 6,000 manat ($3,528) for officials, and 20,000 manat ($11,762) for legal entities.

The same fines will apply for relocating protected cultural assets without coordination with the authority designated by the relevant executive body, as well as for carrying out construction, installation, restoration, reconstruction, conservation works, or landscaping activities that violate their integrity or pose a threat to them.

The law will enter into force on February 1, 2026.

The head of state has also signed a decree to ensure the implementation of the amended law.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. More than 10,000 people have registered to participate in the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, the publication of the Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Development and Architecture of Azerbaijan, National Coordinator of WUF13 Anar Guliyev, on X says, Trend reports.

According to him, Baku is proud to host WUF13, which will take place from May 17 through 22.

He noted that the fact that more than 10,000 participants from 158 countries have already registered shows that the forum has become an important international platform for sustainable, inclusive, and sustainable urban development.

"We invite all partners and stakeholders to join this important dialogue. Register now and be part of WUF13 in Baku," he added.

WUF13 is a premier global conference on sustainable urbanization, organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and co-hosted by the Government of Azerbaijan.
Well start with Credo Technology Group, the California tech company that has both hands fully enmeshed in networking and connectivity. Credo provides solutions and products for the high-speed bandwidth and wired connections that make data infrastructure function  and without which, AI capability would not be possible.

After using TipRanks database , we found out that each ticker has also received enough support from other Wall Street analysts to earn a Strong Buy consensus rating. Lets take a closer look.

Bank of Americas 5-star tech expert Vivek Arya has taken this logic to its natural endpoint  he has picked out two lesser-known AI chip stocks to buy at current levels. These are companies connected to the industry  in exactly the supporting roles that are now growing ever more important.

The result is a growing focus on the less glamorous layers of the stack  the chips that manage, amplify, and route data rather than process it. These components may not perform calculations, but without them, AI systems cannot scale effectively. As bottlenecks move from compute to communication, spending is beginning to follow, opening the door for suppliers positioned at this critical junction of performance and efficiency.

This shift is reshaping where value is created in the semiconductor ecosystem. Training and running modern AI workloads requires massive volumes of data to be transmitted at extremely high speeds, often across complex networks of hardware. That has turned connectivity, signal integrity, and power efficiency into strategic priorities for hyperscalers racing to expand their AI infrastructure.

While Nvidia grabs headlines for powering AI brains, a different class of chipmakers is quietly building the nervous system that connects them. As data centers scale to support ever-larger models, the ability to move information quickly and reliably between servers, racks, and processors is becoming just as important as raw computing power.

Stay ahead of the market with the latest news and analysis and maximize your portfolio's potential

The surge in AI investment is rippling through the semiconductor supply chain in ways that go beyond GPUs and CPUs. Building and scaling modern data centers requires a growing amount of specialized connectivity and networking silicon, creating opportunities for companies positioned in the high-speed data movement segment of the market.

Story Continues

Prominent among Credos products are AECs, PCIe retimers, ethernet retimers, and optical solutions. These products provide the direct, high-capacity connections that interlink server racks, connect accelerator clusters, and provide essential GPU-to-GPU connections. Credo assembles these systems based on a high-end core technology, a solid architecture, and a system-level approach that provides a firm foundation.

In practical terms, what this means is that Credo can support AI infrastructure for the largest hyperscalers. The companys products can meet the high-speed reliability that makes interconnections at the largest scales possible  connecting AI clusters with more than 1 million GPUs while maintaining low latency and high bandwidth, and, at the same time, allowing AI operations to scale up and scale out.

Recent trends  the expansion of AI data centers, the growth of generative and agentic AI  have been good to Credo  and thats putting it mildly. Even competition from such major names as Marvell and Astera hasnt been able to derail Credos strength. The company reported a huge 272% year-over-year revenue gain in its last quarterly release, which covered fiscal 2Q26. The top line in the quarter reached $268 million and beat the forecast by $33 million. The companys non-GAAP EPS figure, of 67 cents, was 17 cents per share better than had been anticipated.

Bank of Americas Arya, who is rated by TipRanks among the top 2% of his Wall Street peers, notes both Credos status as an early provider of AECs and other high-end data center networking tech, and its ability to withstand competition. He writes, As a pioneer of the AEC technology, CRDO had enjoyed near 90% share through 2024. Starting in 2025, competition from MRVL/ALAB emerged, with CRDO market share likely declining to the ~70-75% range. Nevertheless, we view CRDO as the technological, reliability, tech transition, and customer engagement leader in AECs with first mover advantage. If CRDO can maintain 50% market share through CY30E, we view AEC sales alone could ~4x to $3.5bn from ~$900bn in CY25E, or $10+ EPS power at current 65% GM, excluding any new meaningful impact from new optical ALCs (active LED cables), PCIe retimers, or omniconnect gearboxes. This is also in-line with: (1) CRDOs recent $10bn total company TAM outlook by CY30, of which believe CRDO can capture 40-50% overall market share at ~$4-5bn in annual sales, or (2) ~8-10% share assumption of total ~$60bn AI connectivity TAM (5% of $1.2Tn+ AI TAM).

Quantifying his stance, Arya gives the shares a Buy rating with a $200 price target that implies a 56% upside potential for the coming year. (To watch Aryas track record, click here)

Shares in CRDO are currently trading for $128.02, and the $224.44 average target price implies a one-year gain of 75%. Overall, the stock holds a Strong Buy consensus rating, based on 12 reviews with a lopsided split of 11 Buys to 1 Hold. (See CRDO stock forecast)

MACOM Technology Solutions (MTSI)

MACOM, the second stock were looking at here, is based in Lowell, Massachusetts, and is known for its global footprint in the high-end networking field. MACOM has offices and operations across North America, Europe, and East Asia, and boasts a market cap of $16.4 billion.

This company offers a wide portfolio of essential products, including RF/Microwave and mmWave digital phase shifters, diodes, frequency converters, transformers, equalizers, and limitersa long list; as well as optical devices such as lasers, diodes, and LED/laser drivers; and networking devices and products for a wide range of applications.

In addition, MACOM can handle foundry manufacturing in the RF field, producing products using top-end GaAs and GaN MMIC technology. MACOM has three leading semiconductor fab facilities and can provide advanced research and development capabilities.

In the last quarter reported, fiscal 4Q25, MACOM had a top line of $261.2 million, growing 30% year-over-year and just skimming over the forecast by $1 million. The bottom line, in non-GAAP measures, came to 94 cents per shareand beat expectations by a penny.

In his coverage of the stock for Bank of America, Arya notes that the expansion of data center capabilities has been one of the prime supports for MACOM recently. As the top-rated analyst puts it, MTSI is a clear beneficiary of the move from 800G to 1.6T, which will structurally increase demand for 200G/lane components while retaining a durable, growth-oriented aerospace and defense growth engine. Demand visibility remains high with 4Q25 seeing record backlog and book to bill exceeding 1. MTSI is ahead of a multi-year runway from 200G/lane photodetectors (PDs), drivers/TIAs for EMLs, and a broader interconnect portfolio that can keep datacenter growth strong into FY26.

Arya goes on to rate MTSI as a Buy, and his $260 price target indicates room for a 12-month gain of 19%.

Overall, MACOM has earned a Strong Buy rating from the Streets consensus, based on 12 reviews that include 9 Buys and 3 Holds. However, the stocks big gains  up by 79% over the past year  have pushed it substantially above the $204.75 average price target. With this in mind, watch out for either price target hikes or rating downgrades shortly. (See MTSI stock forecast)

To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. AzerGold CJSC, one of Azerbaijans leading state-owned companies in the non-oil and gas sector, successfully completed its first export operation of 2026 in January, Trend reports.

As a result of the sale of the first batch of gold and silver exported by the company on international markets this year, 32.9 million manats of funds were attracted to the country's economy.

Over the past year, AzerGold sold a total of 73,200 ounces of gold and 93,200 ounces of silver on international and local markets. The total revenue from these sales amounted to 439.3 million manats, representing a 43% increase over the previous year (2024).

Since the start of its operations, the state-owned company has sold a total of 560,500 ounces of gold and 1.04 million ounces of silver, attracting 1.9 billion manats of funds to the country's economy.
The legislation also addresses protection measures for children affected by armed conflicts, natural disasters, accidents, or difficult living conditions, including those with disabilities, deprived of parental care, neglected, or at social risk. The draft law introduces a comprehensive legal framework to strengthen state guarantees for child rights, incorporates international standards, and establishes a mechanism for state oversight of their implementation.

In addition, the session reviewed proposed amendments to the Civil Procedure Code, Family Code, Criminal Procedure Code, and various other laws, including the Youth Policy, Approval of Regulations on Commissions for the Protection of Childrens Rights, Prevention of Neglect and Juvenile Offenses, Physical Education and Sports, Social Services, Advertising, Restrictions on Tobacco Use, Protection of Children from Harmful Information, and Media laws, to ensure consistency with the new child rights legislation. The amendments aim to strengthen protections in justice processes, safeguard personal data, identify children in difficult circumstances, and prevent violence against children.

During the discussions, committee members and representatives from relevant state agencies shared comments and proposals. Participants included committee vice-chair Arzukhan Alizada, Razi Nurullayev, Bahruz Maharramov, Nagif Hamzayev, Mubariz Gurbanli, Sevil Mikaylova, Hikmet Mammadov, Vugar Rahimzadeh, Tural Ganjaliyev, Elman Nasirov, and Adil Valiyev, director of the Social Legislation Department of the parliamentary apparatus. Also attending were Taliya Ibrahimova, head of the Legal Support Department of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Childrens Affairs; Mehriban Zeynalova, chair of the Clean World Womens Assistance Public Union; and Babk Huseynov, head of the Social Protection Policy Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population.

The participants emphasized the laws significant advantages, its contemporary relevance, and its role in fostering the physical, moral, and intellectual development of children, with particular attention to the evolving digital landscape. At the sessions conclusion, both draft laws were recommended for further review at the parliamentary plenary session.

The session was attended by committee members Azer Allahveranov and Mirjalil Gasimli, as well as representatives from key state institutions and other relevant officials.
Photo: State Committee for Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Fuad Muradov, Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora, received Matlab Najafov, head of the Ivano-Frankivsk regional diaspora organization of the Congress of Azerbaijanis in Ukraine, Trend reports via the State Committee for Work with Diaspora.

Muradov emphasized that Azerbaijani communities abroad remain under the close attention of President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. He praised the diasporas active role in promoting Azerbaijans truth, rich cultural heritage, and integration into local societies, highlighting the communitys importance in fostering bilateral relations between countries and offering recommendations for future activities.

Following the meeting, Matlib Najafov was awarded the For Service in Diaspora Activities medal of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Najafov pledged to continue strengthening bilateral relations and ensuring more organized diaspora activities in the future.

The meeting noted that Najafov has led the Ivano-Frankivsk regional diaspora organization of the Congress of Azerbaijanis in Ukraine since 2000 and provided support to many compatriots during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. As the global economy begins to recover from a series of trade disruptions, a new trade initiative between Canada and China has drawn significant attention from policymakers and analysts across both sides of the Pacific. On January 16, 2026, Ottawa and Beijing signed an agreement that, while seemingly pragmatic and narrowly focused, has already sparked speculation regarding its potential ramifications for U.S. economic interests and foreign policy.

At the heart of the deal lies a straightforward arrangement: Canada will reduce tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, which were initially imposed in 2024 in coordination with the United States, while China will lower duties on key Canadian agricultural exports. Specifically, Canada will permit the annual import of up to 49,000 Chinese EVs at a reduced tariff rate of 6.1%, down from the previous 100%. This quota is set to gradually rise to 70,000 vehicles over the next five years. Projections suggest that within this period, more than half of the Chinese EVs entering under the preferential quota will be priced below $35,000, thus expanding consumer options and providing a significant boost to Canada's domestic market.

China, for its part, will lower tariffs on Canadian canola from 84% to roughly 15% starting March 1, 2026, and will eliminate duties on lobster, crab, flour, and peas. Canadian authorities estimate that the move will unlock roughly $3 billion in stalled export orders.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the agreement as a pragmatic step aimed at diversifying trade and reducing reliance on what he called increasingly volatile relations with the United States. For farmers and fishers who have faced unpredictable trade barriers in recent years, the tariff cuts promise a measure of long-sought stability.

The move, however, provoked an immediate and forceful response from Washington. On January 24, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to issue a stark warning that, should Canada become a conduit for Chinese goods, the U.S. might impose a 100% tariff on all Canadian exports. U.S. officials have emphasized that any trade concessions granted to China could be perceived as an attempt to bypass existing tariff frameworks.

The following day, the Canadian government swiftly refuted reports suggesting the imminent preparation of a comprehensive free trade agreement with China. Carney clarified that the recent measures were exclusively focused on addressing specific concerns within agriculture and seafood, and did not represent the foundation of a broader trade partnership. Ottawa further stressed that the inclusion of electric vehicle (EV) quotas rendered the deal highly targeted, asserting that it did not pose a direct threat to U.S. interests.

Beijing, meanwhile, pushed back against claims that the agreement carries an anti-American edge. Chinas Foreign Ministry said the cooperation is based on mutual benefit and openness and is intended to support stability and development in both countries. Recent trade data adds nuance to that argument: In 2025, ChinaCanada trade totaled $89.6 billion. Chinese exports to Canada rose to $47.9 billion, up 3.2%, while imports from Canada fell to $41.7 billion, down 10.4%. Overall bilateral trade declined 3.6% from 2024, underscoring the fragility of traditional trade flows and the pressure to seek new opportunities.

Against that backdrop, Canada is clearly attempting a delicate balancing act between economic pragmatism and political risk. Limited concessions on Chinese EVs and agricultural products leave room for maneuver, allowing all sides to avoid a sweeping agreement that could provoke U.S. sanctions. At the same time, deeper engagement with China could become a longer-term pressure point, particularly as U.S. China trade shrank by 18.7% in 2025 to $559.7 billion. Chinese exports to the U.S. fell 20% year over year, while imports from the U.S. dropped 14.6%, narrowing Chinas trade surplus to $280.3 billion.

This new phase in Canada-China relations manifests a dual character: a pragmatic attempt to stabilize trade while safeguarding national interests, coupled with a potential point of friction with the U.S., where any divergence in tariff policy is viewed through a lens of strategic risk. The contours of the situation are sharply delineated. Canada maintains that its measures are both limited and targeted, while China underscores their mutually advantageous nature. The U.S., for its part, signals its readiness to respond decisively should it perceive a significant shift in the balance.

What remains indeterminate is how this dynamic will unfold, whether Ottawa can successfully navigate the delicate equilibrium between economic benefit and political security, and what the cascading consequences may be for global trade patterns. The outcome of this balancing act will not only influence the economic trajectories of Canada and China but also shape Washingtons strategic calculus within the Asia-Pacific region.
Uzbekistan boosts trade with Austria in 9M2025

In 2025, Uzbekistan and Austria saw their bilateral trade soar, underscoring the strengthening economic ties that were the talk of the town during a recent intergovernmental meeting in Tashkent.

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Photo: The Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 28. Uzbekistan and Austria have signed a protocol outlining practical steps to advance bilateral economic cooperation, Trend reports via the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The protocol was signed during the 9th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Austria, held in Tashkent.

The Uzbek delegation was headed by Shokhrukh Gulamov, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, while the Austrian side was led by Elisabeth Weissenbock, Head of the Department for External Economic Relations at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, and Tourism of Austria.

During the meeting, the parties reviewed the current state and future prospects of expanding trade, economic, and investment cooperation. Discussions also covered the development of industrial cooperation, as well as collaboration in transport and logistics, energy and green technologies, digitalization, healthcare, tourism, mining, and the agro-industrial sector.

Uzbekistan and Austria have developed strong bilateral relations since 1992, emphasizing economic, industrial, and diplomatic cooperation. Economic ties are notably highlighted by Austrian investments in Uzbekistan's mining, construction, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Regular diplomatic meetings underline their commitment to deepening connections and aiding Uzbekistan's WTO accession. Austria is also involved in developing the Trans-Caspian Corridor, contributing to a relationship characterized by positive momentum in trade diversification and investment growth.

Meanwhile, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Austria reached $261 million in January-September 2025, reflecting a 37.6% year-on-year increase.

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EDB designates lead manager for UAE dirham bond issuance

The EDB has tapped BHM Capital to take the reins as the lead manager for its bond issuance in UAE dirhams, set to make its debut on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. The initiative seeks to bolster local currency financing and solidify Abu Dhabi's standing in the international debt arena. The funds raised from the bond will back essential investment initiatives in EDB member nations across Central Asia.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. A total of 932,926 ordinary registered shares of Azerbaijan's PASHA Bank will be offered to the market, Javid Guliyev, Chairman of the Board and CEO of PASHA Bank, said at a press conference on the preparatory process for the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the bank's shares, Trend reports.

He pointed out that rolling out shares via an IPO is the next big step on the bank's strategic journey.

He claims that PASHA Bank is the first private bank to throw its hat in the ring for the IPO process.

"The placement of shares, held under the slogan 'As we share, we grow together,' allows our bank to expand its activities as a more transparent, sustainable, and long-term value-creating financial institution for investors. At the current stage, the volume of shares planned for placement consists of 932,926 ordinary, registered shares, equivalent to 5% of the bank's capital," Guliyev explained.

He pointed out that PASHA Bank has always been a reliable financial partner of the real sector and is successfully continuing this mission.

"Sustainable and purposeful development over the years has been the impetus for our entry into the stock market. This step creates new opportunities for us to make a stronger contribution to the country's economy, especially to the development of the non-oil sector," the CEO emphasized.

An IPO, or Initial Public Offering, marks the transition of a private company to a public entity by selling shares to the public to raise capital for various purposes like growth and debt repayment. Commonly referred to as "going public," this process enables public trading of shares following the offering. Key aspects include the purpose of raising equity capital and providing liquidity to shareholders, an underwriting process by investment banks that involves marketing and pricing, and the requirement for the company to adhere to stringent financial reporting after becoming publicly listed.

The benefits to companies consist of accessing substantial capital and enhancing their public profile, while investors gain opportunities to invest in emerging companies, although acquiring shares may be challenging.

PASHA Bank is one of the leading corporate financial institutions in Azerbaijan, established in 2007. The bank provides investment banking, trade finance, asset management, and classic banking services to corporate and small- and medium-sized business clients.

The main goal of its activities is to support the development of the non-oil sector, meet the financial needs of real sector businesses, and contribute to the diversification of the country's economy. PASHA Bank also operates in Georgia and Turkiye. The bank was awarded various awards by prestigious international publications such as Euromoney, International Investor, and Global Finance for its contribution to the development of local entrepreneurship in 20242025, including the titles Best SME Bank and World's Best Private Banks 2025. In 2025, it became the first Azerbaijani bank to win the Gold Stevie award in the Company of the Year nomination by the Stevie Awards.

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Azerbaijan reports hike in loan portfolio of local banks for 2025

In 2025, Azerbaijan's banking sector experienced a surge in its loan portfolio, fueled by business, consumer, and mortgage loans. Deposits held the lion's share in bank liabilities, with a robust contribution from both corporate and individual clients. Term deposits have also taken a turn for the better, showcasing a silver lining in the financial landscape.

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Azerbaijan records decline in manat's nominal effective exchange rate for 2025

By the end of 2025, the nominal effective exchange rate of the Azerbaijani manat took a dip compared to both the prior month and the year 2024. This was also evident in the non-oil sector, where both nominal and real rates took a nosedive. All in all, the manat took a hit against foreign currencies.

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Big companies are heeding President Trump's call to support his "Trump Accounts," a new savings plan he said will make life more affordable for Americans.

Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase are pledging to make a matching $1,000 contribution to their employees who open a Trump Account, a savings plan announced by the White House last year for children born during President Trump's second term in office.

The program calls for the federal government to start each tax-preferred Trump Account for eligible kids with $1,000, which would be invested in the stock market on their behalf. To qualify for the accounts, children must be born in the U.S. between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028.

"JPMorganChase has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the financial health and well-being of all of our employees and their families around the world, including more than 190,000 here in the United States," CEO Jamie Dimon said in a statement on Wednesday. "By matching this contribution, we're making it easier for them to start saving early, invest wisely and plan for their family's financial future."

Bank of America also said that it will match the government's $1,000 contribution for eligible employees. The company will also allow workers to make pre-tax contributions to their children's Trump Account.

"We applaud that the federal government is providing innovative solutions for employees and families to plan for their future, and we welcome the opportunity to participate," Bank of America said.

Other companies and individuals have made similar pledges to fund their workers' Trump Accounts. Intel on Tuesday said it will give its workers' kids a head start through its contribution.

"By matching the federal government's contribution, Intel is reinforcing our longstanding commitment to investing in our people and expanding the ways we support employees' families as they prepare for the future," the company said in a statement.

Visa on Wednesday said it would support Trump Accounts by letting credit card holders make contributions using rewards earned from daily purchases.

Also on Wednesday, Erika Kirk, the widow of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk and CEO of the group Turning Point USA, said in a post on social media that the organization will "support families through a company-sponsored dollar-for-dollar match of the federal government's $1,000 contribution to the 503A 'Trump Account' established for every eligible employee's newborn baby."
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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 28. Turkmenistan and Afghanistan discussed bilateral and regional ties, Trend reports via the Afghan MFA.

The talks were held during a video conference between Turkmenistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Rashid Meredov, and Afghanistans Foreign Minister, Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The sides emphasized the ongoing development of bilateral relations and the importance of coordinated efforts, highlighting the implementation of joint economic projects, official visits, and upcoming programs as key areas for strengthening ties.

They also noted the significance of regional dialogue along the Afghanistan-Central Asia corridor as a valuable framework for cooperation.

Earlier, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan expressed their willingness to accelerate the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. As of January 2026, 91 kilometers of its route were prepared for pipe-laying, said the Consul General of Turkmenistan and manager of the TAPI project in Afghanistan, Batyr Yolov.

Meanwhile, in December 2025, the chief executive officer of Afghanistans national power utility, Abdul Bari Omar, said that Afghanistan has completed the development of a roadmap for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line project and plans to submit it to the Turkmen side in the near future.

Omar added that Afghanistan is aiming to harness electrical energy through the utilization of hydrocarbons delivered via the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas conduit project, underscoring the imperative to conclude negotiations on gas tariff structures.

Relations between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan are marked by pragmatic economic cooperation and strategic partnerships, primarily driven by Turkmenistan's policy of "positive neutrality." Key elements of their relationship include the TAPI pipeline for gas exports, discounted electricity supply from Turkmenistan, collaboration on infrastructure projects like the Lapis Lazuli corridor, and significant trade agreements exceeding $200 million in 2024. Turkmenistan engages with the Taliban to ensure regional stability and security along their 804 km border while fostering investment and diplomatic ties.

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 28. Turkmen delegation led by Khydyrberdi Abdurakhmanov, owner and founder of Aydyn Gijeler Holding LTD, met with Eswatinis Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini to discuss investment opportunities and bilateral economic ties during a visit to the Kingdom, Eswatini Prime Minister wrote on his social media account, Trend reports.

The delegation visited the Kingdom as part of a business mission to explore opportunities for cooperation following the establishment of diplomatic relations between Eswatini and Turkmenistan in August 2025.

Discussions focused on potential investment projects and avenues for deepening economic and commercial ties. The delegation also expressed Turkmenistans interest in procuring sugar from Eswatini.

Prime Minister Dlamini emphasized the governments commitment to building mutually beneficial partnerships to support economic growth and expressed hope that the visit will lead to concrete investment opportunities and strengthened ties between the two countries.

Earlier, the delegation was received by Eswatinis Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Pholile Shakantu, and Home Affairs Minister, Princess Lindiwe. The investment opportunities were also the main topic, as well as the cooperation on international platforms on peacebuilding and sustainable development.

Eswatini ranks as the fourth-largest sugar producer in Africa and 25th worldwide, exporting approximately 92% of its output. In 2023, it was the 16th largest exporter of raw sugar globally and 30th for sugars and confectioneries. Noted for high-quality production, Eswatini is among the top five lowest-cost sugar producers, contributing over half of the nation's agricultural output.

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Azerbaijan sheds light on allocations to its liberated territories in 2025

Azerbaijan has allocated funds from its 2025 budget for the reconstruction of liberated territories. The financing will support infrastructure and key state obligations. All funding has been ensured based on organizational requests.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) and the Arab Energy Fund (TAEF) have partnered with CVC DIF (formerly DIF Capital Partners) to invest in PAL Cooling Holding (PAL) through a joint investment structure created to secure a 50% stake in the company, Trend reports, citing the Fund.

According to the Fund, this collaboration reflects a shared strategic approach aimed at developing regional infrastructure projects that enhance energy efficiency.

In June 2025, leading global private market investment manager CVC, together with Tabreed, one of the worlds leading centralized cooling companies, agreed on the acquisition of PAL Cooling Holding LLC. Through the joint venture formed by CVC DIF and Tabreed, PAL was acquired with a 50/50 ownership split, with the deals capital valued at approximately 3.8 billion UAE dirhams.

PAL Cooling Holding is the second-largest centralized cooling operator in the UAE, operating under eight long-term concession agreements averaging 25 years and serving over 45,000 clients. The company plays a key role in building reliable, efficient, and sustainable cooling infrastructure in the countrys main development zones.

The partnership between TAEF and SOFAZ with CVC DIF unites three institutional investors on a single platform, leveraging capital and sector expertise to strengthen PALs operational resilience and support the implementation of its long-term development strategy. Tabreed retains a 50% stake in the joint venture, contributing its extensive experience in centralized cooling across six countries and managing 99 facilities.

We are pleased to partner with CVC and the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan on this significant investment in PAL. Centralized cooling plays a crucial role in energy efficiency, and we are supporting a platform with high operational performance. This partnership reflects TAEFs strategic approach of targeting long-term, impactful investment platforms and collaborations, TAEF CEO Khalid Ali Al-Ruwaigh said.

To this account, SOFAZs strategic dedication to the UAE and the wider Gulf area received significant recognition.

Our involvement in this landmark project underscores SOFAZs strategic commitment to the UAE and the broader Gulf region. District cooling is a cornerstone of energy-efficient, modern urban development, and this investment advances our goals of strengthening cross-border economic cooperation and forging strategic partnerships. We are proud to expand our presence in Abu Dhabi alongside trusted partners, contributing through this consortium to the regions broader sustainability and long-term development objectives, SOFAZ Deputy Executive Director Rovshan Javadov highlighted.

In this context, it's also significant to underscore SOCAR and The Arab Energy Fund (TAEF).

We are thrilled to partner with SOCAR and TAEF in this venture. This collaboration perfectly reflects CVCs long-term commitment to the region, especially the UAE, and aligns with our strategy to invest in businesses that drive national development. PAL Cooling represents a high-quality investment with strong potential for sustainable growth and long-term value creation, while delivering reliable returns for all our investors, CVC DIF Investment Director and Partner Alvaro Ruiz Nolasco said.

About the Arab Energy Fund

TAEF is a multilateral financial institution dedicated to the energy and utilities sectors across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Established in 1974 at the initiative of ten oil-exporting Arab countries, TAEF provides financing through credit and equity instruments to drive the development of the regions energy sector. Its work focuses on strengthening energy security, promoting sustainable energy solutions, and expanding local value chains and services across MENA. The Fund partners with leading public and private sector institutions in more than 35 markets, offering comprehensive financial solutions that cover all stages of the energy value chain. Guided by environmental, social responsibility, and corporate governance (ESG) principles, TAEF dedicates roughly 20% of its $5.8 billion loan portfolio to environmental and social projects. It is the only financial institution in MENA with an exclusive focus on energy and holds strong international credit ratings of "Aa2" from Moodys, "AA+" from Fitch, and "AA-" from S&P.

About SOFAZ

Established in 1999, the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) is a sovereign wealth fund responsible for collecting and efficiently managing the countrys oil and gas revenues. Its primary mission is to safeguard and grow these revenues for future generations through long-term, sustainable management. Today, SOFAZ manages total assets exceeding $70 billion and implements a globally diversified investment strategy spanning debt and money market instruments, equities, gold, real estate, and infrastructure.

About CVC DIF

CVC DIF is a leading global private equity fund manager specializing in the middle-market infrastructure segment. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, CVC DIF currently oversees approximately 19 billion in infrastructure assets across energy transition, transportation, utilities, and digitalization sectors. With over 250 employees operating from 12 offices worldwide, the firm combines global reach with strong local networks and sector-specific expertise. CVC DIF forms part of CVCs broader infrastructure strategy, benefiting from the firms extensive global platform of 30 offices across six continents, enabling access to unique investment opportunities and long-term growth potential.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay an official visit to Turkiye on January 29 to take part in the fourth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

In recent years, the council format has become the main institutional mechanism driving the development of UzbekTurkish relations. Each meeting has been accompanied by the signing of significant agreements in trade and economic cooperation, investment, energy, and transport, laying the groundwork for a long-term partnership.

Previously, the president of Uzbekistan emphasized that the establishment of the Strategic Cooperation Council marked an important milestone in the development of bilateral relations.

The establishment of the Strategic Cooperation Council opened a new chapter in the history of UzbekTurkish relations and gave a strong impetus to the further development of partnership across all areas, Mirziyoyev said following the third meeting of the High-Level Council.

Expectations for the upcoming summit in Ankara remain high. The forthcoming summit in Ankara is expected to focus on further expanding trade, strengthening cooperation in energy and transport, and enhancing regional connectivity between Central Asia and international markets via Turkiye.

Meanwhile, during the previous Council meeting held in June 2024, the presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkiye signed a Joint Declaration on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, along with 19 bilateral documents. At that moment, both parties pointed out that in recent years, bilateral trade had surged by 1.5 times, the number of joint ventures had doubled, Turkish investments in Uzbekistans economy had skyrocketed by 2.5 times, and tourist arrivals from Turkiye had tripled.

At the same time, current trade dynamics point to a slowdown in growth. Turkiye remains one of Uzbekistans largest trading partners and consistently ranks fourth; however, according to the results of 2025, bilateral trade amounted to $3.03 billion. Data from the Statistics Committee show that this figure was slightly below the 2024 level and declined compared to 2023. This suggests that the previous model of trade expansion, largely based on the exchange of finished goods, is gradually reaching its limits.

Against this backdrop, the objective of increasing bilateral trade to a higher level takes on a qualitatively different meaning. The focus is not merely on boosting volumes but on developing industrial cooperation, expanding localization of high value-added production, and building joint supply chains. This strategy would pave the way for Uzbekistan to boost its exports of processed goods and generate new employment opportunities, while also helping Turkiye to solidify its manufacturing foothold in Central Asia and tap into third-country markets through collaborative ventures.

Additional momentum could come from reduced customs tariffs under the Preferential Trade Agreement and the opening of Uzbekistans trade representation office in Istanbul.

For Turkiye, Uzbekistan represents a fast-growing market and a production base in Central Asia. For Uzbekistan, in turn, Turkiye serves as a source of investment, technology, and managerial expertise, as well as an important gateway to international markets. The most promising areas of cooperation include textiles, agribusiness, construction, and manufacturing.

Energy remains one of the key pillars of bilateral cooperation. Uzbekistans economy continues to demonstrate steady growth, accompanied by a constant increase in electricity demand. Industrial development, digital projects, and population growth are placing growing pressure on the energy system each year, much of which was built decades ago. In this context, priorities include not only commissioning new capacity but also modernizing the entire energy infrastructure.

A number of Turkish firms are actively participating in these endeavors, and Uzbekistan has previously launched initiatives to construct modern power plants with a combined investment of around $1 billion and a total capacity of about 1.8 GW, in collaboration with Turkish partners. Uzbekistans Minister of Energy, Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov, has previously emphasized that cooperation with Turkiye in the energy sector continues to expand.

The Turkish companies were among the first to actively support Uzbekistans reforms, including the implementation of the countrys first public-private partnership projects, he noted.

A landmark step in this direction was the decision to transfer the management of electricity distribution networks in the Samarkand region to the Turkish company Aksa Enerji. This marks the countrys first large-scale public-private partnership involving a private operator in electricity distribution. The project covers the design, financing, modernization, and operation of over 30,000 kilometers of distribution networks, many of which were once thought to be past their prime. The project is expected to reduce power losses, improve reliability of electricity supply, and ease pressure on the state budget.

In addition, Turkish company Cengiz Enerji is implementing a project to build a 240 MW thermal power plant in the Tashkent region, aimed at meeting rising electricity demand and enhancing the countrys energy resilience.

Transport is another important area of cooperation. For landlocked Uzbekistan, developing alternative routes and diversifying logistics corridors is of strategic importance. Turkiye, for its part, views cooperation with Uzbekistan as part of a broader effort to strengthen its role as a transit hub between Asia and Europe.

In this context, the two sides are discussing prospects for expanding the international multimodal transport corridor along the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Turkiye route. The project is envisaged under a protocol signed at the 12th meeting of transport ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization, held in November 2023 in Tashkent.

This route's development will allow Uzbekistan to broaden its export and transit avenues, gaining greater access to Middle Eastern and European markets. For Turkiye, it signifies a boost in transit traffic and improved logistics capabilities.

Overall, cooperation between Uzbekistan and Turkiye now spans a growing range of sectors, from trade and industry to energy, transport, investment, and tourism. For Uzbekistan, the partnership brings capital inflows, access to technology, and expanded access to foreign markets. For Turkiye, it strengthens economic presence in Central Asia and participation in major infrastructure projects.

The upcoming visit of Mirziyoyev to Ankara could give additional momentum to Uzbek-Turkish cooperation, shifting the focus from simple growth in indicators toward scaling projects and deepening cooperation in industry, energy, and transport infrastructure.

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Photo: The Embassy of US in Georgia/Facebook

BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. A delegation of staff members from the U.S. Congress is visiting Georgia as part of a regional tour, Trend reports via the U.S. Embassy in Georgia.

During the visit, the delegation is scheduled to hold meetings with Georgian government officials as well as representatives of the opposition to discuss the current political and socio-economic situation in the country.

Relations between Georgia and the United States deteriorated significantly in 2024 following the adoption of the foreign agents law in Georgia. After Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the suspension of the process of opening EU accession talks on November 28, the U.S. State Department halted the strategic partnership with the country.

In January 2026, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that Tbilisi is ready to restore strategic partnership with Washington from scratch and is awaiting a decision by the U.S. administration.

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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 28. Uzbekistan and Latvia discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in the field of IT, with a focus on promoting exports of digital products and services developed in Uzbekistan, Trend reports via the Uzbek Ministry of Digital Technologies.

The discussions took place during a meeting between Uzbekistans Minister of Digital Technologies, Sherzod Shermatov, and Aigars Ceruss, Founder and CEO of Corporate Solutions Group, a leading Latvian IT consulting and business management company.

The discussions emphasized the critical need to enhance practical training for emerging programmers by integrating artificial intelligence with both legacy systems and contemporary technologies. Special attention was given to advancing specialists to senior-level roles through active involvement in real-world projects.

The talks also explored strategies for developing the startup ecosystem, focusing on the introduction of competitive financing mechanisms and structured support through development funds, drawing upon European best practices. It was highlighted that international investors not only provide capital but also offer invaluable access to global markets and business networks.

The parties reached a consensus to continue collaboration on joint initiatives, foster startup ventures, and position Uzbekistan as a regional hub for digital products aimed at the European market.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistans exports to Latvia, as well as the number of joint ventures between the two countries, have tripled over the past five years.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 28. Uzbekistans Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov and Indias External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed the 2026 cooperation agenda between the two countries, the Uzbek foreign minister wrote on his X page, Trend reports.

There is a strong, positive, and dynamic trend in our partnership across all areas. We held a comprehensive exchange on the 2026 agenda of UzbekistanIndia cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally, Saidov stated.

He mentioned that both sides are optimistic that the year will bring a cornucopia of favorable results that will benefit the people of both nations.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistans trade turnover with India reached $1.3 billion in 2025, marking a 31.6% increase year-on-year, compared to $988.1 million recorded in 2024.

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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 28. The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) proposed a project to implement the third priority of the Turkmenistanbacked Awaza Programme of Action - Transit, Transport and Connectivity - across the ECO region, Trend reports via the Turkmen MFA.

The proposal, along with plans for its implementation, received the endorsement of the ECO Council during its regular meeting of the Council of Permanent Representatives of member states, which was held in Tehran, Iran, on January 27, 2026.

Previously, at the initiative of Turkmenistan, the third priority of the Awaza Programme was integrated into the ECO's draft document, Strategic Objectives of Economic Cooperation - 2035, which is anticipated to be adopted in the near future. Additionally, a dedicated section titled Awaza Programme of Action 2024-2034 and the ECO Region has been launched on the official ECO website.

The Awaza Programme of Action 2024-2034 serves as a regional framework developed by ECO to guide economic collaboration among its member states. It outlines key strategic priorities aimed at enhancing regional connectivity, trade, and transport infrastructure. The programme places particular emphasis on advancing transit corridors, logistics development, and interconnectivity, all in an effort to promote trade and economic integration within the ECO region.

Turkmenistan played a leading role in advancing the programmes third priority - Transit, Transport and Connectivity - reflecting its broader strategy to enhance regional cooperation and infrastructure development. The programme also aligns with international efforts, including discussions within the framework of the 3rd UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, to address connectivity challenges in landlocked states.
Amazon (AMZN) stock has gained about 5.3% over the past five days, at the time of writing, Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 27, according to Yahoo Finance. The company has set a Q4 earnings release for February 5, and investors are hoping it will beat consensus estimates, as it did in Q3.

I covered Q3 results in my article Bank of America resets Amazon stock price after earnings smasher.

Other factors are helping the stock, too.

Now, as early as Tuesday next week, Amazon will reportedly announce the second round of its broader layoff plan; the number is expected to be the same as in October: 14,000. This can impact employees across its Prime Video, human resources, and Amazon Web Services units, writes Aparajita Chatterjee for TheStreet.

On top of layoffs, AWS scored a $581 million deal from the U.S. Air Forces Cloud One Program.

Bank of America expects 22% year-over-year AWS revenue growth.Photo by Anadolu on Getty Images  Photo by Anadolu on Getty Images

Bank of America lowers Amazon stock price target

Bank of America analyst Justin Post and his team updated their Amazon stock outlook ahead of earnings.

Analysts estimate Amazon's Q4 revenue and EBIT at $213 billion and $26.0 billion, respectively, which are above Wall Street's estimates of $211 billion and $24.6 billion.

They expect 22% year-over-year AWS revenue growth as greater capacity drives incremental sales. Analysts noted that Amazon CEO Andy Jassy's recent interview with The Information suggests demand still outstrips capacity, which is a positive for pricing.

Related: Bank of America resets Meta stock forecast before earnings

Post said Q1 margins should benefit from Q4 layoffs. For Q1, the team estimates stable retail growth, while incremental capacity should support AWS acceleration. They expect Q1 Amazon revenue guidance to be in the range of $173 billion to $178 billion, and operating income in the range of $18.5 billion to $22.5 billion.

They noted that Amazon usually beats Q1 guidance, and a Q4 beat could drive upside to the Q1 ranges.

In a research note shared with me, Post reiterated a buy rating and lowered the target price from $303 to $286, due to software as a service sector multiple compression.

The target price is based on his sum-of-the-parts analysis that values AWS at 9x 2027 sales, first-party retail at 1.1x, third-party retail at 2.5x, and advertising at 5.0x. Posts price target implies a 3.5 times blended price-to-sales ratio, 12 times 2027 EBITDA, and 31 times 2027 EPS.

Analysts noted downside risk factors for Amazon:

Increasing competition from offline and local retailers

AWS client cost optimization impact on revenues and margins

Regulatory pressure on the third-party marketplace

They also noted that the stock has been subject to heavy volatility in the past, based on margin trends, and this volatility could increase due to economic uncertainty.

Recent Amazon activity

AWS launched AWS European Sovereign Cloud, a new, independent cloud for Europe entirely located within the EU, and physically and logically separate from other AWS Regions.

According to the company, the AWS European Sovereign Cloud provides the only fully featured, independently operated sovereign cloud backed by strong technical controls, sovereign assurances, and legal protections designed to meet the needs of European governments and enterprises for sensitive data.

AWS plans to expand its AWS European Sovereign Cloud footprint from Germany across the EU, starting with new sovereign AWS Local Zones in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

Europe needs access to the most robust cloud and AI technology. The expansion of AWS innovation across Europe will help supercharge customers growth and AI ambitions, said Stephane Israel, managing director of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud and digital sovereignty.

More AI Stocks:

LSEG, a global financial markets infrastructure and data provider, announced it will collaborate with AWS. The company sources and distributes market data from over 575 exchanges and trading venues to customers worldwide, delivering hundreds of billions of data updates every day.

LSEG will be leveraging AWSs services in the collection, routing, and distribution of its Real-Time financial data. This partnership will leverage LSEGs private cloud and enable financial institutions to access its market data with greater flexibility, speed, and resilience.

Ron Lefferts, Co-Head of Data & Analytics, LSEG, said: LSEGs real-time data and feeds is a crucial component of our business and this collaboration is part of our cloud transformation strategy. Advances in AI and other technologies mean that demand for data is accelerating rapidly. This is a fundamental transformation of our critical data offering that powers the financial markets."

Infosys (INFY), a digital services and consulting firm, entered into a partnership with AWS. The two companies are combining Infosys Topaz, an AI-first set of services, solutions, and platforms powered by gen AI, with Amazon Q Developer, AWSs gen AI assistant.

Infosys Topaz is designed to enhance productivity in software development, HR, recruitment, sales, and vendor management.

The company provides an example of how, in the software development lifecycle, integrating Infosys Topaz with Amazon Q Developer enables automated documentation and provides tailored support for tasks such as code generation, debugging, testing, and legacy code modernization, significantly enhancing workflow efficiency and accuracy.

Key takeaways:

Overall, Amazon shareholders will want to see the company overdeliver on:

Q4 revenue, expected by BofA to be $213 billion. Wall Street is modeling $211 billion.

Q4 EBIT: BofA estimate is $26. Wall Street expects $24.6.

Q1 revenue guidance, BofA expects in the range $173 billion to $178 billion. Wall Street is targeting $175.4 billion.

The author holds no position in AMZN at the time of writing.

Related: Bank of America resets Intel stock forecast

This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jan 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Investing section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 28. At the invitation of President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay an official visit to Turkiye on January 29, Trend reports via the press service of the Uzbek President.

The agenda for the visit to Ankara includes the 4th session of the Strategic Cooperation Council, which will be co-chaired by the two heads of state.

The discussions will center on further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Turkiye, with particular emphasis on enhancing political dialogue, expanding bilateral trade relations, advancing cooperative initiatives in key economic sectors, and improving transport connectivity.

The meeting will also address the continuation of dynamic cultural and humanitarian exchanges, as well as provide an opportunity to deliberate on critical international and regional matters.

Following the high-level talks, a significant set of bilateral agreements is expected to be signed. Additionally, the two leaders will participate in a series of joint engagements.
Photo: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 28. Uzbekistan and Poland discussed plans for bilateral cooperation for 2026, Trend reports via the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The discussion took place during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Muzaffar Madrakhimov and Pawel Kowal, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Sejm of the Parliament of Poland.

The sides expressed mutual interest in further strengthening cooperation, including the implementation of joint projects in agriculture, logistics, and transport.

Following the talks, the parties agreed to hold joint events, including visits of parliamentary delegations, meetings of inter-parliamentary friendship groups, and the expansion of cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
Photo: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Azerbaijan and the World Petroleum Council (WPC Energy) discussed key issues on the global energy agenda and regional energy projects, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Energy.

The meeting took place between Azerbaijans Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, and Pedro Miras, President of WPC Energy.

Minister Shahbazov emphasized that while Azerbaijan continues to be a conventional oil and gas producer and exporter, it has achieved remarkable advancements in the energy transition. Recently, the energy sector has experienced significant reforms, marked by the adoption of various regulatory acts and the launch of initiatives aimed at advancing renewable energy sources.

He noted that Azerbaijan aims to increase the share of installed renewable energy capacity to 30% by 2030, while current plans target reaching 33.7% by 2027, demonstrating steady advancement in the energy transition and a commitment to continue along this path.

The discussion also focused on energy projects of regional and international significance. Energy connections spanning Central Asia, Turkiye, and Europe were evaluated within a unified framework. These projects are expected to enhance the integration of energy systems, strengthen regional energy security, and support the development of energy and digital infrastructure, including data centers.

Miras emphasized Azerbaijans role as a key energy corridor between Asia and Europe, highlighting the country as an exemplary model for facilitating dialogue between diverse energy perspectives.

The meeting also addressed participation in the 2026 WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and explored prospects for continued collaboration with the organization.

WPC Energy, established in 1933 and previously known as the World Petroleum Council, is a London-based charitable organization dedicated to the sustainable management of oil and gas resources. Representing 70 member countries that account for over 96% of global production and consumption, WPC Energy serves as a neutral platform for stakeholders. In 2023, it rebranded to emphasize energy transformation and hosted the triennial World Petroleum Congress, a key event for industry leaders.

The organization seeks to address technical, social, and environmental challenges, focusing on sustainability, diversity and inclusion, youth support in the energy sector, and recognizing innovation through the WPC Energy Excellence Awards. It operates as an NGO, accredited by the United Nations.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Opportunities for cooperation between Azerbaijan and European companies in the production of green energy have been discussed, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Energy.

The discussions took place during a meeting between Azerbaijans Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov and Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission.

The meeting focused on the priorities of the strategic energy partnership between Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU), the role of the Southern Gas Corridor in Europes energy security, as well as the expansion of the list of countries purchasing Azerbaijani gas. It was noted that 12.8 bcm of gas were supplied from Azerbaijan to Europe last year. The sides emphasized that, alongside natural gas, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other key areas are reflected in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Azerbaijan and the EU on a strategic partnership in the field of energy, which forms the basis of bilateral energy relations.

The meeting also addressed regional energy connectivity projects for electricity transmission between Azerbaijan and Europe via the Black Sea, as well as routes planned through Nakhchivan and Georgia. An exchange of views took place on the inclusion of the CaspianBlack SeaEurope Green Energy Corridor project in the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) Ten-Year Network Development Plan for 20262036 (TYNDP), as well as the potential granting of Project of Mutual Interest (PMI) status. It was also noted that the new route, which will connect Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan, and Turkiye via the Zangezur corridor, will serve as a strategic energy corridor linking Central Asia and Europe.

During the discussions, cooperation opportunities with European companies in renewable energy projects were assessed, particularly in the production and transmission of solar and wind energy. Issues of cooperation within the framework of the Azerbaijan-EU Energy Dialogue, as well as the Southern Gas Corridor and Green Energy Advisory Councils, were also reviewed.

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As part of the implementation of the Decree No. 718 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, On measures for the creation of the 'Government Cloud' (G-cloud) and the provision of cloud services, the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan has migrated its information systems to the Government Cloud.

The agencys main digital resources have been placed in the Baku Data Center operated by AzInTelecom LLC, one of the companies of AZCON Holding. AzInTelecom has provided the State Tourism Agency with Virtual Server  IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) and Backup  BaaS (Backup-as-a-Service) cloud services. As a result, the agency has obtained a more resilient and accessible IT infrastructure for its critical systems.

It should be noted that, within the framework of the Government Cloud project, state institutions are fully or partially migrating their IT systems to the Baku Main and Yevlakh Backup Data Centers of AzInTelecom. As a result, current IT expenses of the institutions decrease, and the performance of their information systems improves. The process also ensures enhanced information security, a more resilient IT infrastructure, high-quality service delivery, and 24/7 monitoring.

It should be noted that AzInTelecom LLC is the first organization in the South Caucasus region to obtain the TIER III certification, which defines international standards for cloud services.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, January 28. Kyrgyzstan will develop and launch a new electronic system for school transferring between general education institutions in the near future, Trend reports via the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The directive to develop the mechanism was given to the Ministry of Education by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Head of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan, Adylbek Kasymaliev, during a regular staff meeting with the heads of state bodies and structural divisions of the Presidential Administration.

During the meeting, issues related to the introduction of innovative digital mechanisms in the fields of education and tourism were also discussed.

"We have successfully implemented electronic registration for first grade, which parents have already become accustomed to. Now it is time to establish the same order for student transfers. The system should automatically display available places in classes and eliminate human bias in decision-making. This will ease the workload of school administrations and make the process transparent for every parent," Kasymaliev emphasized.

Kyrgyzstan hosts over 2,170 schools serving more than 1.5 million children as of January 2026, alongside approximately 74 to 78 higher education institutions, including both state and private universities. The vocational education system comprises around 110 primary vocational schools and over 120 secondary vocational institutions. Notably, many schools are in urgent need of renovations, with over 200 identified as emergency cases.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 28. Kazakhstan's natural gas condensate exports to Russia totaled 31,637 metric tons between January and November 2025, marking a 0.8% increase from the 30,146 tons recorded in the same period of 2024.

Data obtained by Trend from the countrys Bureau of National Statistics shows that the value dropped 15.2% to $11.52 million from $13.59 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

In total, Kazakhstan exported 265,892 metric tons of natural gas condensate in 11M2025, a 12% increase compared to 237,368 tons in 2024. Despite the growth in volume, the value of these exports dipped slightly by 2.7%, reaching $121.15 million, down from $124.51 million in 2024.

Exports were distributed across several markets: Azerbaijan received 206,092 tons, Uzbekistan imported 24,771 tons, Kyrgyzstan took 433 tons, with other countries accounting for 2,956 tons.

Kazakhstan's overall foreign trade turnover for the period amounted to $128.8 billion, reflecting a marginal 0.1% decline from the previous year. While exports fell by 4.2%, totaling $71.14 billion, imports rose by 5.5%, reaching $57.67 billion.
My first introduction to popular investor Michael Burry was the 2015 Hollywood film "The Big Short." His character, played by the charismatic Christian Bale, discovers that the U.S. housing market is soon going to crash.

When most traders were netting profits sitting in their cozy offices, Burry was closely observing a disturbing pattern in 2005.

Michael Burry, former head of Scion Capital Group LLC, poses for a portrait in Cupertino, California, U.S., on Monday, Sept. 6, 2010.

The Scion Asset Management founder made a bet against the housing market and shorted subprime mortgages. When the housing bubble finally burst in 2008, it led to the ensuing global financial crisis.

Related: 'Big Short' Burry Sees Similarity Between Crypto And the 2008 Financial Crisis

While most traders lost millions, Burry turned a $100 million fund into one of the most profitable trades in Wall Street history.

The episode cemented Burrys reputation as one of the sharpest hedge fund managers, and the film only amplified its impact.

The movie also influenced my teenage self to pursue a career in finance.

2008 wasn't the only time he made the right call. He also shorted overvalued tech stocks before the dot-com bubble burst in 2000. In 2021, he warned of the risks associated with meme stocks and crypto leverage before those markets unraveled.

The legendary trader is quick to separate facts from fiction and assess accurate valuations in the thick of shilling. He recently closed his hedge fund, Scion Asset Management, saying his estimation of values in securities is not in sync with the markets.

It's not that Burry is always right, but the market can ignore him at its own risk.

Actor Christian Bale accepts Best Actor in a Comedy award for 'The Big Short' onstage during the 21st Annual Critics' Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on January 17, 2016 in Santa Monica, California.

Michael Burry reveals stake in GameStock

On Jan. 26, Burry disclosed in a Substack post that he has recently been purchasing the shares of GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME).

GameStop is a video game retailer that had been struggling until it became viral in early 2021.

Retail investors active on Reddit's r/WallStreetBets community began purchasing GME shares and options to squeeze significant hedge funds that were betting the stock would lose value (called short-selling).

The GME stock soared from less than $20 to nearly $500 within a few days due to buying pressure.

More News:

Michael Burry says he doesn't know about 'this Bitcoin thing'

In his latest blog, Burry said,
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 28. Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister, Yermek Kosherbayev, and ExxonMobil's Senior Vice President, Peter Larden, held discussions regarding the expansion of investment cooperation, Trend reports via the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The sides discussed ExxonMobil's ongoing activities in Kazakhstan, including its involvement in key energy projects, and explored ways to further strengthen mutually beneficial economic ties.

Kosherbayev emphasized the important role of ExxonMobil as one of Kazakhstan's key partners in the oil and gas sector, highlighting the company's contributions to strategic projects, the stability of the energy market, and the activities of the Foreign Investors Council under the President of Kazakhstan.

In turn, Larden commended Kazakhstan's efforts to improve the investment climate and create favorable conditions for foreign investors, expressing the company's commitment to continued long-term cooperation aimed at the sustainable development of the country's energy sector.

Key energy projects in Kazakhstan are focused on transitioning from coal to cleaner sources while aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060. Notable initiatives include the conversion of Almatys CHP-2 and CHP-3 to gas, the 1 GW Mirny wind project by TotalEnergies, and plans for the first nuclear power plant near Lake Balkhash. The Mirny project will support one million people with its battery-based energy storage system.

Other ventures involve expanding regional renewable capacity through the Kostanay regions 1 GW wind farm, along with several solar projects. Modernization includes the unification of Western grids and new combined-cycle power plants in Kyzylorda and Turkestan. The nuclear power plant, planned with Rosatom, aims to address industrial demand. Overall, Kazakhstan targets an addition of 26 gigawatts of electricity capacity and an increased renewable energy share by 2035 to meet carbon neutrality goals.

ExxonMobil has been operating in Kazakhstan since 1993 and is one of the largest foreign investors in the country's oil and gas sector. The company is involved in strategically significant projects, including Tengiz, Kashagan, and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, covering exploration, production, and transportation of hydrocarbons.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 28. The Majilis (lower house of Kazakhstans Parliament) has ratified an agreement to establish a joint civil protection mechanism among the members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) signed on November 6, 2024, in Bishkek, Trend reports via the Majilis.

The agreement aims to create a unified response system for natural disasters and emergency situations that may arise within the member states, observer countries, and other nations.

The key functions of the newly established Civil Protection Mechanism include disaster response, lifesaving operations, providing medical assistance, ensuring emergency communications, risk monitoring and analysis, offering shelter, delivering humanitarian aid during catastrophes and emergencies, and enhancing preparedness and prevention efforts.

Another critical component of the agreement is the development of common standards for professional training, alongside theoretical and practical training programs designed to enhance the skills of emergency management personnel at all levels. These initiatives will aim to improve the overall competency of staff working in the field of disaster and emergency management.

To oversee the implementation of the agreements objectives, a Council of Ministers responsible for emergency management and a Secretariat for the Civil Protection Mechanism will be established within the OTS.

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS), formerly the Turkic Council, is an intergovernmental entity facilitating cooperation among Turkic nations, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan, with observers such as Hungary and Turkmenistan. Established on October 3, 2009, and rebranded in 2021, it is based in Istanbul and comprises various councils addressing political, economic, cultural, and security matters.

Key initiatives include the Turkic World Vision 2040 strategic roadmap and transport corridor developments, positioning OTS as a significant geopolitical platform in Eurasia focused on deeper integration and collaboration across diverse sectors.

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Kazakhstan faces oil export losses due to attacks on CPC

Photo: Caspian Pipeline Consortium official telegram account

Two new single-point moorings (SPMs) have been ordered from the UAE, with a delivery time of about 30 days. The setup process will take approximately 70 days. The CPC operates a critical pipeline for oil transport from Kazakhstan to Russia, handling a significant portion of the country's oil exports. Following attacks on November 29, 2025, and January 13, 2026, that damaged the marine infrastructure, SPM-2 is under repair, while SPM-3 has recently returned to service after maintenance.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 28. Kazakhstan's President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasized the urgent need to combat the shadow economy, which he said causes tremendous harm to the state, Trend reports via the press service of the president.

During a session with the Financial Monitoring Agency, Tokayev emphasized the matter as one of paramount significance.

We are struggling to find ways to effectively use the funds allocated for the countrys development. However, there are fraudsters, many of them, who are embezzling trillions of tenge intended for the social sector. This is unacceptable. Such phenomena must be decisively eradicated, Tokayev stated.

He also highlighted ongoing attempts to move capital abroad through cryptocurrency schemes, adding that these activities continue despite the government's efforts to curb them.

The president underscored the importance of the fight against the shadow economy, calling it a highly relevant and crucial task for the nation's development.

The primary mission of the Financial Monitoring Agency is clear: to ensure that state funds are used exclusively for the benefit of the people. The successful implementation of this vital task directly depends on your work, Tokayev said.

Tokayev also noted that the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure the effective functioning of the Agency and instructed them to enhance analytical work using artificial intelligence.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 28. Proposed amendments will affect 84% of the text of the Kazakhstan Constitution, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court Bakyt Nurmukhanov said while presenting a consolidated draft of amendments to members of the Constitutional Reform Commission, Trend reports via the official Telegram channel of the commission.

According to Nurmukhanov, the document was developed and finalized with careful consideration of the proposals submitted by citizens, political parties, public organizations, and experts.

He highlighted that the draft of the updated Constitution comprises a Preamble, 11 sections, and 104 articles. Notably, two new sections, titled The Peoples Council and Amendments and Additions to the Constitution, have been introduced, while four existing sections have undergone renaming.

The amendments and additions encompass all sections of the Constitution, with changes being made to 77 articles.

Nurmukhanov emphasized that these proposed changes represent a significant and well-thought-out step, aimed at revising conceptual approaches, enhancing legal clarity, and improving the overall quality of the Basic Law.

He also noted that parallel work on the consolidated draft is being conducted by working groups of qualified lawyers and linguists. These specialists have diligently ensured precise legal wording while eliminating inconsistencies, ambiguities, and discrepancies in interpretation.

In his view, the proposed reforms touch upon the very foundations of Kazakhstan's constitutional framework, signaling a profound transformation of the Constitution and holding considerable potential for further institutional and structural advancements.

The guarantees for the realization and protection of constitutional rights and freedoms of individuals and citizens are being strengthened. While maintaining the presidential form of governance, the organization of unified state power is undergoing significant changes, Nurmukhanov said.

He also outlined key reforms, including the introduction of a new unicameral Parliament model, expanded forms of citizen participation in state governance, enhanced efficiency of human rights protection mechanisms, and a stronger role of the Constitutional Court in ensuring the rule of law based on the Constitution.

The constitutional innovations, he added, allow for a renewed interpretation of the mission of the state, the content of its functions, and the principles governing relations between state bodies, civil society institutions, and citizens, enabling broader involvement of civil society in addressing matters of national importance.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 28. Kazakhstan plans to strengthen the values of marriage and family at the constitutional level as part of a broader package of amendments, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court Bakyt Nurmukhanov said at the fourth meeting of the Constitutional Reform Commission, Trend reports via the official Telegram channel of the commission.

Presenting the consolidated draft, Nurmukhanov noted that the updated Constitution will reinforce guarantees for the realization and protection of rights and freedoms based on the principle of the supreme value of the individual.

He said the amendments provide for stronger safeguards for personal inviolability, protection of personal data in the digital era, enhanced protection of human dignity and social rights, and greater legal certainty.

According to him, the reforms also revise the right to freedom of speech and creativity, introducing clearer guarantees for intellectual property protection.

Nurmukhanov added that significant changes are envisaged in the section on justice and judicial authority, including measures to strengthen judicial independence and improve human rights protection mechanisms.

On January 21, 2026, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree establishing the Commission on Constitutional Reform.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Jolfa customs in the East Azerbaijan Province, located in the northwest of Iran, may play an important role in the Araz corridor, Director General of Jolfa Customs Office Ali Bisalam told local media, Trend reports.

According to him, with the commissioning of the Araz corridor, efforts are also being made to commission the railway in this direction.

Bisalam said that Jolfa city, Jolfa Free Trade Zone, and Jolfa customs have the potential to play a significant role in export and import in providing necessary products from European countries, Russia, and China.

The customs official said that during the 10 months of the current Iranian year (from March 21, 2025, through March 20, 2026), products worth $105 million were exported through Jolfa customs.

Bisalam added that during the above period, Julfa Customs' revenue amounted to 67 trillion rials (approximately $61.9 million).

Iran views the Araz corridor as one of its important projects. According to Iran, it will connect the Eastern Zangezur region of Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and the Araz corridor, which passes through Iranian territory, will contribute to economic development in the region.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Iran has not turned to the U.S. with a plea for talks, the Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi told reporters following the Cabinet meeting in Tehran on January 28, Trend reports.

According to him, in recent days, there have been no contacts between the Iranian Foreign Minister and US Special Representative Steve Witkoff.

Aragchi noted that some countries are making efforts and holding consultations as mediators for negotiations. Iran maintains contacts with these countries.

If the U.S. wants negotiations, then there can be no talk of negotiations under threat. Negotiations have their own circumstances and can be conducted based on equality and mutual respect, he noted.

On April 12, 19, and 26, and May 11 and 23, 2025, five rounds of indirect talks between Iran and the US on Iran's nuclear program took place. The indirect talks were organized through the mediation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, and were conducted by an Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and a U.S. delegation led by U.S. Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. The first, third, and fourth rounds of talks took place in Muscat, the capital of Oman, and the second and fifth rounds took place in Rome, the capital of Italy.

On the morning of June 13, 2025, Israel launched air strikes against Iran. The strikes killed a large number of high-ranking military officials, generals, nuclear scientists, and other senior officials.

On the same evening, Iran responded to Israel with Operation True Promise III, launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at several targets, including Tel Aviv, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread destruction.

On June 22, the U.S. launched military airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. The airstrikes reportedly destroyed the Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran lifts curtain on funds for upgrading maritime transport fleet

Iran is gearing up to give its maritime fleet a fresh coat of paint over the next decade, with an eye on locking in annual funding. A fair number of vessels are in need of a little TLC, with both the big and the small ones in the mix. The country will also trim the sails of ship lifespans to save a pretty penny and lessen the environmental footprint.

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It has become a tradition in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to begin the January session by unkindly mentioning the name of Azerbaijan. Our country has been absent from the ranks of this structure for two years, and PACE cannot forget about us.

On Monday, a resolution entitled "Progress in the monitoring procedure of the Assembly" was adopted in Strasbourg. The resolution is devoted to human rights in general, not to Azerbaijan alone, but the section concerning our country is, as always, extensive. PACE demands that Baku release someone, provide something, comply with the decisions of the European Court of Justice, and so on. It is noteworthy that the drafters of the text did not even notice that the Armenian prisoners were no longer 23, but 19, since four had recently been transferred to Armenia. This important fact was somehow overlooked by the European educators. The transfer of four prisoners to Yerevan was a high-profile event, so it is not serious to talk about the ignorance of the drafters of the document. Even if it was compiled a long time ago, changes should have been made to it.

But that's not even the main thing. The main reason for this "legal" noise was the demand to cancel the decision of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry to declare PACE deputies persona non grata, who voted to deprive the Azerbaijani delegation of its mandate. Moreover, it should be canceled immediately, and then proceed "to a constructive dialogue with all bodies of the Council of Europe, including the Assembly itself."

All this reminded me of a round date that went unnoticed in Azerbaijan. 25 years ago, on January 25, 2001, Azerbaijan became a member of the Council of Europe. And on January 24, 2024, deputies of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted to deprive the Azerbaijani delegation of its mandate. Apparently, this demarche was timed to coincide with the next anniversary of our country's accession to the Council of Europe. Its organizers believed that it would be symbolic and touch Baku to the quick. But Baku was not particularly upset, but the participants in the conspiracy against Azerbaijan lost their right to enter the country.

Azerbaijan will lift the ban on PACE members visiting the country when our delegation returns to this organization, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at the Cernobbio International Forum in September 2024. "Our decision was the answer. If they change their decision and restore our right, this so-called embargo will be lifted. <...> Our delegation must return, and then the ban will be lifted," the head of state said. President Ilham Aliyev stressed that PACE had crossed a red line with its decision, these were sanctions imposed on the country for restoring its sovereignty.

At a forum at ADA University in April 2025, President Ilham Aliyev, responding to a question from a professor from Spain regarding the failure of international organizations, including the Council of Europe (CoE), in resolving the Karabakh conflict, stated that yes, by joining the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan was full of hopes to enlist the support of European structures, but this was not the case. It happened. Expectations were not fulfilled. But after Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty, PACE deprived its delegation of the right to vote. Since then, Azerbaijan has not participated in the work of the Assembly. He did not participate in the selection of the judges of the ECHR, so, President Ilham Aliyev warned, all the decisions of this court are invalid for us.

The head of state made it clear that Azerbaijan will survive without PACE membership. In principle, he can live without membership in the Council of Europe as a whole. A lot of things have changed in the world, and "the bureaucrats in Brussels and Strasbourg live on their own planet. It seems to them that everyone around them is trying to get closer to them."

Interestingly, the then PACE President Theodoros Roussopoulos reacted violently to these statements by the Azerbaijani leader. He took this as "blackmail" and got angry, saying that the Council of Europe was not afraid of such statements, because "the Council of Europe has made and is making decisions in its Assembly in accordance with the rule of law, human rights and democratic procedures."

And no one thought of blackmailing the Council of Europe. It is the parliamentary structure of the Council of Europe that has been blackmailing Azerbaijan for 25 years, or rather, for 23 years, with its biased and openly biased decisions. Our country has not done anything that would contradict international law, the UN Charter or resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council. Depriving her of the right to vote in PACE was an absolutely unjustified, biased and illogical decision. The Armenian delegation, which occupied the territories of its neighbor and violated all imaginable international norms and principles during the occupation period, should have been deprived of its mandate during these decades. However, the "democratic procedures" were applied not to her, but to Azerbaijan.

Why has Armenia never been convicted of the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, ethnic cleansing and vandalism? This issue has remained in the air both in PACE and in other international organizations. None of these structures, until they give a clear answer to this question, has the right to make claims to our country and cover up their phobias with the well-worn topic of human rights.

Azerbaijan also once believed in European democracy and the power of international law. When he joined the Council of Europe in 2001, he hoped for the triumph of justice, that his place would be shown to the occupier, and that the Council of Europe would impose strict demands on Yerevan to fulfill the conditions it had assumed upon joining the Council of Europe. Azerbaijan hoped that the "cradle of democracy" would protect its rights and bring the aggressor to order. But instead of all this, the occupier was taken into custody by Europe, and the stones flew as a victim of the occupation. Throughout its years of membership in the Council of Europe, Baku has had to fend off attacks from members of the Armenophile club. PACE, which ignored Armenia's crimes, fought to the last drop of its blood for the opening of the Lachin road to the separatists, spoke of "ethnic cleansing" after the anti-terrorist operation and accused Baku of failing to fulfill its obligations to the Council of Europe. Unable to influence the situation in which international law was on Azerbaijan's side, it was decided to punish Baku by depriving it of its mandate in PACE. Which was done in January 2024.

And yet, despite the difficult history of relations, the current PACE document with its traditional set of accusations against Baku sounds somehow sluggish. It seems that the authors themselves are tired of themselves. Or there are no more orders for the defaming of Azerbaijan, and the structure acts simply by inertia. They accelerated, but they can't slow down in any way. It takes honesty and willpower to slow down. At a time when Azerbaijan and Armenia are moving towards peaceful cooperation, the presence of one of these countries in PACE in the absence of the other looks strange. Moreover, everyone knows that Azerbaijan was ousted from the Assembly in the interests of Armenia. The withdrawal of the Azerbaijani delegation's mandate was greeted almost with an orchestra and called a "diplomatic victory" for Armenia.

Today's trend is that even Yerevan's closest allies and other provocateurs have fallen silent and are trying not to trip up the peace process. PACE could contribute to this process by revoking its notorious decision No. 2527 of January 24, 2024. However, judging by the latest resolution, Strasbourg wants a "constructive dialogue" and expects Baku to take the first step. But this is unlikely to happen. Because cooperation with the Assembly is possible only after the restoration of the mandate of the Azerbaijani delegation. So in any case, the first step will have to be taken by PACE.

Meanwhile, PACE has a new president. Austrian MP Petra Bayer has been elected head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Let's see what success Ms. Bayer will have.
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Christopher Pinsak has been promoted to chief operating officer of BJs Restaurants, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

He has served as the casual-dining chains executive vice president and chief restaurant operations officer since September 2024. He previously served as senior vice president of operations from January 2010 to September 2024.

Pinsak joined the company in 2004 as senior regional vice president. Prior, he was the director of operations for Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill. He started his career at Brinker International where his last position was area director of Chilis Bar & Grill.

Pinsaks appointment comes less than a year after BJs named Lyle Tick as chief executive officer. The chain has since put a plan in place that focuses on its core menu, leverages its signature Pizookie platform and craft beverages, simplifies operations, and creates a more contemporary environment.

During its most recently reported quarter in November, BJs posted its fifth consecutive period of sales and traffic growth, and its fourth consecutive period of profit expansion.

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

Follow her on TikTok: @aliciakelso
BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must develop a procedure for dealing with attacked nuclear facilities so that Iran can also implement it, Iran's Vice President and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, told reporters following the Cabinet meeting in Tehran on January 28, Trend reports.

According to him, the IAEA has a procedure for nuclear facilities that have not been attacked. However, there is no procedure for attacked nuclear facilities. Accordingly, Iran has not deviated from its obligations.

Eslami stated that all Iranian nuclear facilities that have been attacked were under IAEA control, and therefore, the IAEA and its Director General, Rafael Grossi, should have responded to this issue.

In June 2025, following Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Iran downgraded its relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In response, the Iranian parliament passed a law on cooperation with the IAEA. According to the law, any cooperation with the IAEA is possible only with the consent of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

On the morning of June 13, 2025, Israel launched air strikes against Iran. The strikes killed a large number of high-ranking military officials, generals, nuclear scientists, and other senior officials.

On the same evening, Iran responded to Israel with Operation True Promise III, launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at several targets, including Tel Aviv, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread destruction.

On June 22, the U.S. launched military airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. The airstrikes reportedly destroyed the Iranian nuclear facilities.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran of a possible attack if it reneges on the deal, Trend reports.

''A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary,'' Trump noted on his Truth Social page.

He expressed hope that Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - no nuclear weapons - one that is good for all parties.

''Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didnt, and there was Operation Midnight Hammer, a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter!,'' the post reads.

Today, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi declared that the country had not approached the U.S. regarding negotiations.

According to him, there had been no contact between the Iranian foreign minister and U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff in recent days.

Araghchi stressed that some countries are making efforts to organize negotiations as mediators, and Iran is in contact with them.

If the U.S. wants negotiations, then there can be no talk of negotiations under threat. Negotiations have their own circumstances and can be conducted based on equality and mutual respect, he noted.

On April 12, 19, and 26, and May 11 and 23, 2025, five rounds of indirect talks between Iran and the US on Iran's nuclear program took place. The indirect talks were organized through the mediation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi, and were conducted by an Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and a U.S. delegation led by U.S. Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. The first, third, and fourth rounds of talks took place in Muscat, the capital of Oman, and the second and fifth rounds took place in Rome, the capital of Italy.

On the morning of June 13, 2025, Israel launched air strikes against Iran. The strikes killed a large number of high-ranking military officials, generals, nuclear scientists, and other senior officials.

On the same evening, Iran responded to Israel with Operation True Promise III, launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at several targets, including Tel Aviv, resulting in civilian casualties and widespread destruction.

On June 22, the U.S. launched military airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. The airstrikes reportedly destroyed the Iranian nuclear facilities.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 28. Iran and Saudi Arabia have highlighted the importance of joint responsibility and coordinated action among all countries to maintain peace and stability in the region, Trend reports.

This issue was discussed during a phone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud.

During the call, both ministers warned that any escalation of tension in the region could have dangerous consequences for peace and stability. They also reviewed a recent phone conversation between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, exchanging views on regional and international issues.

The phone conversation between the Iranian president and the Saudi crown prince took place the previous day.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) is one of the defense & aerospace stocks gaining from rising geopolitical spending. On January 20, analysts at UBS reiterated a Buy rating on The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) with a $275 price target. According to the research firm, positive trends are emerging around the aerospace giant with 787 Dreamliner production.

UBS Affirms Buy Rating on The Boeing Company (BA) on Accelerating Dreamliners Production

For the 30 days ending January 9, there was a 69% year-over-year increase in Dreamlifter flights, implying a significant increase in components to Boeings Charleston assembly facility. The flights imply a production rate of 5.4 aircraft per month. Before a typical slowdown, Dreamlifter flights reached a high of 7.4 per month for the first time since December 2020.

On December 20, Ethiopian Airlines ordered 9 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners as it looks to expand its international network, which currently serves 145 destinations. Meanwhile, the US Federal Aviation Administration insists it is not the roadblock to Boeing securing certification for two new variants of the Boeing 737 MAX. The agency insists it has devoted resources to ensure the company gets the smaller 737 MAX 7 and larger MAX 10 planes certified.

The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) designs, manufactures, and sells commercial airplanes, military aircraft, and space/defense systems, while also providing extensive aviation services, support, and training globally, serving airlines and governments in over 150 countries as a leading aerospace manufacturer and U.S. exporter.

While we acknowledge the potential of BA 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: Top 10 Materials Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Organic Food and Farming Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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Ajit Pawar Dies in Plane Crash: What We Know So Far

Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar has died in a plane crash Tuesday January 28, 2026

Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar has died in a plane crash Tuesday January 28, 2026.

Ajit Pawar, popularly known as Ajit Dada, was travelling in his private jet, Learjet 45, when the crash took place near his home town Baramati. The tragic accident is reported to have occurred around 08:45 am Tuesday.

Ajit Pawar's Plane

A similar business jet, which belonged to VSR Ventures, had earlier met with an accident in 2023.

Along with Ajit Pawar, 04 others onboard, including the pilot, have also died. The aircraft was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it crashed, plane tracker, Flightradar24, said.

The plane reportedly lost control and crashed while landing at Baramati Airport. The aircraft caught fire after the crash.

The aircraft, Bombardier Learjet 45XR, was registered as VT-SSK and was built in 2010. It received its Indian registration on June 2nd 2021. It had previously been owned and operated by a number of US operators.

The Learjet 45 is a mid-sized business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace. More than 640 aircraft were reportedly built between 1995 and 2012.

Five passengers were onboard

A senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that there were five passengers onboard, including Ajit Pawar, his PSO and attendant, and two crew members - Pilots Sumit Kapur and Sambhavi Pathak. Captain Shambhavi Pathak was flying the plane, accrding to the reports.

Ajit Pawar left Mumbai around 08:00 am and was scheduled to address four election rallies in Baramati ahead of local body polls.

Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay Pawar and Parth Pawar. Sunetra Pawar is daughter of Padamsinh Bajirao Patil, former Maharashtra minister.

His uncle and mentor, NCP Chief and former minister Sharad Pawar, has reached Baramati. Soon after reaching the City, Pawar rushed to the hospital where Ajit Pawars dead body was taken after the crash.

Ajit Pawar Political Career

Ajit Pawar was born on July 22, 1959 in a family having a strong political background. He was the nephew of Maratha stalwart Sharad Pawar.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1991 from the Baramati Parliamentary constituency but vacated the seat for his uncle Sharad Pawar, who then became Defence Minister in Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao's government.

Later, Ajit Pawar was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly seven times from the Baramati Assembly seat. He first won in a 1991 by-election and subsequently retained it for five consecutive terms. Ajit Pawar served as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a record 8 times.

Party workers and fellow MLAs from the NCP and opposition parties said Ajit Pawar was very co-operative and would always like to help people who approached him for small and big tasks.

"He would never say NO to work which he was capable of doing. He was straightforward, and would never shy away from telling this could not be done", Malegaon MLA Mufti Ismail said while mourning the death of the NCP leader.

One of the most known faces of secular politics in Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, however, split his uncles Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) two years ago, and joined hands with the BJP.

The rift between the uncle and nephew reached at such a point that Ajit Pawar fielded his wife against Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It is alleged that he was blackmailed to take all these decisions for which he publicly apologised.

Condolences Pour-in

Party colleagues and political leaders cutting across the party-line are condoling the death of Ajit Pawar. Sharad Pawars daughter and MP, Supriya Sule, is seen inconsolably crying. "Everyone's beloved has gone", she said.

We mourn the death of Ajit Pawar. This is tragic and untimely, Congress President Malikarjun Kharge said.

"The tragic death of Ajit Pawar is extremely heartbreaking", Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Senior Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi said.

"In this moment of grief, I stand with the people of Maharashtra. I extend my condolences to the entire Pawar family and their loved ones during this hour of sorrow", he added.

Condoling the death of Ajit Pawar, Congress leader and MP Priyanka Gandhi said, Deepest condolences to revered Sharad Pawar Ji, Supriya Sule Ji and their entire family, and to the supporters of revered Ajit Pawar Ji.

While expressing shock over Ajit Pawar's death in the accident, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee demanded probe into the accident.

"I am shocked to see the news of Ajit Pawars death... Nobody is secure in this governmen", she said.

"SC monitored proper investigation is required into Ajit Pawars death in the plane crash", she added.

The government of Maharashtra has announced three-day mourning for Ajit Pawar. All schools and colleges stopped regular activities after the sudden death of the state's Deputy Chief Minister.

"There is an atmosphere of sadness in the state. Losing a leader like him is an unprecedented loss. In personal life, he was a good friend. We faced many challenges together. At a time when he was contributing to Maharashtra's development, his untimely demise is a loss. We stand with his family", Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Meanwhile, a sea of crowd gathers at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati to pay their final respects to the departed leader. "Ajit Dada amar rahe", the crowd is chanting.

Pawar's last rites and funeral will be held tomorrow i.e. Wednesday January 29, 2026 at 11:00 am at Vidya Pratishthan ground.

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KSA wont permit attack on Iran from its territory: Crown Prince to Masoud Pezeshkian

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman categorically ruled out permission to the U.S. or other foreign forces to use its territory for attack on Iran

Riyadh: Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman categorically ruled out permission to the U.S. or other foreign forces to use its territory for attack on Iran.

In a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian T uesday, Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed respecting the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Mohammed bin Salmans assurance is important as it came amidst the wild speculations that the U.S. and Israeli forces are planning military operation against Iran.

The reports and video footages available online also showed that the U.S. naval ship USS Abraham Lincoln is currently operating in Arabian Sea.

Last week, USS George H.W. Bush departed Virginia for Europe, amid speculation that the supercarrier could be deployed to the Mediterranean and transit the Suez Canal if tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to rise, Forbes reported.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that an additional "armada" of U.S. military vessels is sailing towards Iran to press Iran agree for a nuclear disarmament deal or a possible military operation against the oil-rich country.

Mohammed bin Salman-Masoud Pezeshkian Conversation

At the beginning of the call, the Iranian President outlined the latest developments in Iran and reviewed the efforts of the Iranian government in this regard.

During the telephonic conversation, the Iranian President told the Saudi Crown Prince that US threats against Tehran would only result in instability, according to AFP.

"The threats and psychological operations of the Americans are aimed at disrupting the security of the region and will achieve nothing other than instability for them," Pezeshkian told the Saudi Crown Prince, according to his office.

Pezeshkian told MBS that the "unity and cohesion" of Islamic countries can guarantee "lasting security, stability and peace in the region".

The Iranian President said that Tehran always welcomed any process, within the framework of international law, that prevents war, Iranian media reported.

The Saudi Crown Prince also affirmed Riyadh's support for any efforts aimed at resolving disputes through dialogue.

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By Andrew MacAskill

BEIJING, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Keir Starmer began the first visit to China by a British prime minister since 2018 on Wednesday, encouraging businesses to seize opportunities on a trip aimed at strengthening ties with Beijing as relations with the U.S. become more volatile.

Starmer, whose approach to China has been criticised by some British and U.S. politicians, said that while courting the world's second-largest economy, Britain must also remain vigilant about potential security threats.

More from Yahoo Scout How might Trump's policies influence UK-China relations? What prompted Starmer's first China visit since 2018? What security concerns remain despite diplomatic engagement? What business opportunities is Britain pursuing in China?

"They say that eight days is a long time in politics. Try eight years, because it's eight years since a British prime minister stepped on Chinese soil. So on this delegation you're making history," Starmer told more than 50 business leaders visting with him.

"You're part of the change that we're bringing about ... Because everything you're doing here, everything I'm doing here is focused on how do we benefit people at home," he said before meeting President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Thursday.

The visit could mark a shift in ties between Britain and China after years of deep acrimony over Beijing's crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong, China's support for Russia in the Ukraine war and allegations by British security services that China regularly spies on politicians and officials.

For China, the visit offers the country a chance to portray itself as a stable and reliable partner at a time of global disorder.

TENSIONS WITH TRUMP SHADOW STARMER'S TRIP

"It doesn't make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China, it's in our interests to engage," Starmer told reporters earlier.

European and other Western countries have engaged in a flurry of diplomacy with China as they hedge against unpredictability from the United States under President Donald Trump.

Starmer's trip follows tensions with Trump over his threats to seize Greenland, his criticism of Britain's deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago - including an island with a U.S.-UK air base - to Mauritius, and his comments that NATO allies avoided front-line combat during the war in Afghanistan.

On Saturday, Trump threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if that country's prime minister, Mark Carney, signed a trade deal with China.

The UK leader insisted Britain could continue to strengthen economic ties with China - without angering Trump - because of his country's long history of working closely with the United States.
With a record $177 billion of deployable capital, we are well positioned to be at the forefront of these opportunities, including the next evolution of the build-out of the global economy. As an example, we are launching our AI infrastructure strategy. At the core of this strategy is the development of AI factories, which are large-scale integrated sites that combine power, data shells and the equipment to provide compute capacity to the industry's leaders as well as governments and corporates seeking compute capacity. This effort draws on our strength of our global operating teams in real estate, power and infrastructure, each today, a global leader in their category.

This relative stability has been supportive of increased monotone, which reflects both the quality of the businesses we own and assets we have. So far this year, we've completed $55 billion of asset sales, including $35 billion in the quarter, each generating excellent returns and returning meaningful capital to investors. We also saw continued strength in the financing markets where we opportunistically completed $94 billion of financings across the franchise, enabling our capital structure -- enhancing our capital structure and deploying significant capital within the business. Against this increasingly constructive backdrop, the key themes that ground our capital deployment, digitalization, deglobalization and decarbonization are accelerating.

This acquisition builds on the foundation we established in the U.K. earlier this year and will allow us to accelerate our growth in the country. As already one of the largest infrastructure renewable and property investors in the U.K., this acquisition matches well with our capabilities and positions us to assist policyholders earn strong returns. Turning briefly to the macro environment. Conditions continue to become increasingly constructive. During the quarter, as most of you will know, global equities hit all-time highs. Credit spreads tightened dramatically and interest rates remain largely unchanged, with growing expectations that we may see cuts on the short end of the curve in the next while.

James Bruce Flatt: Thank you, and welcome, everyone, on the call. We delivered strong second quarter results. Distributed earnings before realizations increased 13% year-over-year to $1.3 billion. That was $0.80 per share for the quarter and $5.3 billion or $3.36 per share for the last 12 months. Performance was supported by continued momentum across our core businesses and a significant pickup in transaction activity. Strong underlying operating fundamentals are driving demand and cash flow growth in both our asset management and operating businesses. Our Wealth Solutions business continues to grow its asset base. And last week, we announced an agreement to acquire Just Group, a leading provider of pension risk transfer solutions in the United Kingdom.

Story Continues

At the same time, global electricity demand is accelerating at a very dramatic pace, driven by power demand for the AI revolution and the broader electrification of the energy grid. This, coupled with AI infrastructure presents a tremendous investment opportunity, particularly for our renewables and our infrastructure platforms. As the backbone of the global economy transforms, so does our approach to investing our capital. Today, we have $180 billion of our own capital on our balance sheet, predominantly invested in real assets beside or to assist our clients, where we have deep investing and operating expertise.

Our long-term plan is to further enhance the efficiency of our capital structure, thereby enhancing the returns we can earn on our equity without changing the risk profile of the business. This is being done by continuing to refocus overall Brookfield as an investment-led insurance organization, using our large-scale capital base to back low-risk, long-duration insurance. On the asset side of the balance sheet, importantly, we remain focused on the exact same asset classes where we have proven best- in-class investment skills for decades and which are ideally suited for wealth and insurance. This shift is a natural extension of our platform to continue to drive long-term shareholder value.

To date, we have had 2 primary sources of capital, the first being our balance sheet and the second being institutional capital in our Asset Management business. In this next evolution, besides those 2 amounts, we are focusing our balance sheet to back our growing insurance operations, meaning that our capital will increasingly come from individual investors via our insurance float. Our intention is to continue funding our insurance operations from the Brookfield Corporation balance sheet to ensure that our policyholders and regulators know that we have our capital at risk to assist them. When we established our insurance business, we envisaged this as one arm of Brookfield.

But after 5 years of meaningful growth and with a large number of opportunities ahead, this business is becoming increasingly foundational part of our long-term vision for Brookfield. There will be more to come, so stay tuned. As we plan for the future, it's important also to reflect on what has been the foundation of our growth and success from past. Simply stated, it is our ability to consistently adapt and evolve with the shifts in the global economy, while staying focused on generating investment returns over the long term.

This started 30 years ago with real estate, moved to pipelines and electricity transmission lines and is now led by renewable power data centers, fiber lines, telecom towers and more recently, AI infrastructure and battery storage, which are just developing. Each step has been about anticipating where the world is going and positioning ourselves and our investors at the center of each transformation. Our view is that AI is next and coming after that is AI-led advances in manufacturing. The world is always evolving and is exciting to be involved. I will end my comments by saying that we look forward to seeing you at our Investor Day on September 10 at Brookfield Place in New York.

Additional details are on our website. And as always, thank you for your continued support and interest in Brookfield. Over to Nick.

Nicholas Howard Goodman: Thank you, Bruce, and good morning, everyone. Financial results were strong for the quarter. Distributable earnings or DE before realizations were $1.3 billion or $0.80 per share, representing an increase of 13% per share over the prior year quarter. Over the last 12 months, DE before realizations was $5.3 billion or $3.36 per share. Total DE, including realizations, was $1.4 billion or $0.88 per share for the quarter and $5.9 billion or $3.71 per share over the last 12 months with total net income of $2.9 billion over the same period. Starting with our operating performance.

Our Asset Management business generated distributable earnings of $650 million or $0.41 per share in the quarter and $2.7 billion or $1.72 per share over the last 12 months. Strong fundraising across our flagship funds and complementary strategies led to inflows during the quarter of $22 billion, including over $5 billion from our retail and Wealth Solutions clients. Fee-bearing capital grew to $563 billion, resulting in fee-related earnings of $676 million, an increase of 10% and 16%, respectively, over the prior year quarter.

With final closes anticipated for our fifth vintage flagship opportunistic real estate strategy and our second vintage global transition strategy, we expect fundraising momentum to continue into the second half of 2025, which should support further earnings growth. Our Wealth Solutions business delivered another quarter of strong results, benefiting from robust investment performance and disciplined capital deployment. Distributable operating earnings were $391 million or $0.25 per share in the quarter and $1.6 billion or $1.02 per share over the last 12 months. During the quarter, we originated over $4 billion of retail and institutional annuities, bringing our total insurance assets to $135 billion.

On the investment side, we deployed $3.5 billion into Brookfield managed strategies across our portfolio at an average net yield of 8%. Our investment portfolio generated an average yield of 5.8%, allowing us to achieve strong spread earnings, which were 1.8% higher than our average cost of funds. On both an LTM and annualized basis, we continue to deliver a return on equity that's broadly in line with our long-term target of 15% plus. As Bruce mentioned, we announced an agreement to acquire Just Group, a U.K. leader in buying pensions from companies who wish to get off the risks.

This marks an important next step in scaling our global platform and expanding our presence in one of the world's fastest-growing retirement markets. Per the announcement, we plan to acquire the company for $3.2 billion and we plan to fund this with roughly 2/3 from an acquisition credit facility and the balance from cash on hand at BWS. While we anticipate net investment income will take some time to ramp up following the close, we expect the transaction to deliver a return on equity in line with the long-term target for the overall business of 15% plus.

With this acquisition, our insurance assets are expected to grow by approximately $40 billion, significantly accelerating the growth of our business and advancing a short-term path towards $200 billion of insurance assets. Our operating businesses continue to deliver stable and growing cash flows, generating distributable earnings of $350 million or $0.22 per share in the quarter and $1.7 billion or $1.07 per share over the last 12 months. These results were supported by strong underlying fundamentals and resilient operating earnings.

As an example, we signed a landmark agreement with Google to deliver up to 3,000 megawatts of hydroelectric capacity across the U.S., a first-of-its-kind partnership and a testament to our unique capabilities and demonstrates our relationships with the largest buyers of power in the world. In our real estate business, market fundamentals across the platform continue to strengthen. While this quarter's performance was impacted by softer conditions in our North American residential business, where land and housing sales have moderated, most of our real estate businesses performed well, and we saw strong same-store NOI growth across our core portfolio. Demand for high-quality office and retail space remains the first choice for tenants with active requirements.

We signed nearly 4 million square feet of office and retail leases during the quarter, reflecting both strong tenant demand and limited availability across our premium space. Our core office and retail assets continue to perform exceptionally well with occupancy in 94% and 97%, respectively. As the global supply of trophy office space tightens, we're seeing leasing interest begin to spill over into other high- quality, well-located assets across our portfolio, and we are seeing this trend play out in real time. For example, in downtown Toronto, one of our long-term tenants in a trophy office building approached us with expansion plans.

With our trophy office space full for a requirement of that size, we leveraged our broader platform to meet their needs by offering space in a nearby premium building where they ultimately signed a 17-year lease. At the same time, we're already in late-stage discussions to backfill the space they vacated at rents approximately 10% higher than prior levels. Rents in premium space are well above their highest on a net effective base ever. We expect this evolving shift in tenant demand to support performance across our broader office portfolio in the coming quarters. Moving to monetization. Market sentiment is improving and is increasingly supportive for transactions for high-quality assets.

As Bruce mentioned, we've sold $55 billion of assets across the business so far this year, including over $35 billion since the last quarter alone. This includes $15 billion of real estate sales, nearly $13 billion of infrastructure investments and $7 billion within energy. Some highlights include, in real estate, we exited a leading student housing platform in Southern Europe for EUR 1.2 billion, sold our triple net lease platform in the U.S. for $2.2 billion.

We also completed the successful IPO of Leela Palaces in India, valuing the portfolio of $1.8 billion and marking the largest hospitality IPO in India's history, and we executed the AUD 3.9 billion sale of a senior living platform in Australia, the largest direct real estate transaction in the country's history. In infrastructure, we sold our remaining interest in the U.S. gas pipeline for $1.4 billion of proceeds and a stake in PD Ports, one of the U.K.'s largest port operations for approximately $1.3 billion of proceeds.

In energy, we sold $7 billion in assets, generating an aggregate 17% IRR, underscoring the strength of our strategy and execution while also illustrating the global demand for high-quality renewable power assets remains strong. Substantially, all sales were completed at or above our carrying values, monetizing significant value for our clients at attractive returns. And as a result, we realized $129 million of carried interest into income. But more importantly, with these asset sales, we've moved a number of our funds closer to carried interest realization. And finally, across our assets, which are not our super prime -- super premium assets, we continue to make progress on our monetization pipeline, completing over 10 transactions this year.

One highlight was the sale of an office building in Washington, D.C. at an 11% premium to recent market comps. This generated a 5.5x multiple on invested capital. That is over 5x equity of what we invested. As markets remain constructive, we expect this momentum and monetizations to continue through the remainder of 2025 and beyond as we continue to see strong demand for high-quality cash-generative assets we own. Shifting to capital allocation. During the quarter, we invested excess cash flow back into the business and returned $432 million to shareholders through regular dividends and share buybacks.

Notably, we repurchased over $300 million of shares in the open market in the quarter at an average price of $49.03, adding $0.21 of value to each remaining share. We continue to remain strong access to the capital markets, executing $94 billion of financing so far this year, further bolstering our capital structure and liquidity. And we ended the quarter with conservative capitalization and high levels of liquidity, including record deployable capital of $177 billion. Bringing it all together, our financial results were strong, and we expect continued growth in our results over the remainder of the year.

I'm pleased to confirm that our Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.09 per share, payable at the end of September to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 12, 2025. The Board of Directors also approved a 3- for-2 stock split of the outstanding Class A limited voting shares, implemented by way of a stock dividend, which will be payable on October 9, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 3, 2025. Thank you for your time, and I will hand the call back to the operator for questions.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from Bart Dziarski with RBC Capital Markets.

Bart Dziarski: So just wanted to ask about the -- in the letter to shareholders, you talked about the growth that you're seeing in the P&C over time and potentially scaling that business to $30 billion to $50 billion of equity. So can you just unpack that a little bit and how you're thinking about getting there? What time frame and any inorganic or organic plans?

Nicholas Howard Goodman: Welcome to the call. Listen, when we started this business, our focus was and still is to focus on low-risk liabilities, and that's meant the predominant focus so far has been on the annuity business, the PRT market, and that's where we've scaled significantly. We also identified P&C as a potential opportunity for us if we could find product lines where we felt we could bring a competitive advantage where the Brookfield experience and insight could allow us to scale something. And if operated well, we could run at a less than 100 combined ratio, effectively giving us access to attractive float to be invested into the things that we do at Brookfield and it could be very profitable.

We've taken our time to assess that. We continue to assess it. But as we do and as we identify those markets where we think we could scale while managing risk and operating something differentiated, then we will do that and allocate capital to scale. So that will be done organically to begin with. And that's where we focus with Argo and some P&C within American National. We are refocusing those businesses on the lines that we think of long-term potential. And as we proceed, there could be inorganic opportunities. But for now, the focus is organic.

Bart Dziarski: Great. And then just a follow-up on the pricing competitive advantage that you talked about within P&C. Like, help us understand some of those dynamics in terms of what you see in these assets your ability to price better than the incumbents?

Nicholas Howard Goodman: I think that just comes down to risk tolerance, which comes down to your experience with an asset class. And that's leveraging our operating capabilities around the assets where we are not just an investor, but we've been an operator in those assets for a very long time. And that allows you to price risk better, we believe, whilst not actually increasing the risk profile of the business because we just have a deeper understanding of operations. So that's what we'll be leveraging as we look to grow.

Operator: Next question comes from Kenneth Worthington with JPMorgan.

Kenneth Brooks Worthington: I wanted to dig into carry and real estate disposition really centered around this theme of market conditions are getting better. So is the environment better enough to start to pull forward carry that might have logically been expected for 2027 and '26 into the second half of this year or maybe even early '26, if the market condition path sort of continues on its current trajectory. And then from a real estate perspective, sort of fleshing out, Nick, your comments, are the conditions better enough to pull forward the timing of dispositions on that T&D portfolio as well?

Nicholas Howard Goodman: Thanks, Ken. So I'll start with the timing of carry. Listen, we are making excellent progress on the monetization. As we said, it's $55 billion year-to-date, and it's diversified across asset class and geography, which is very encouraging and the breadth and depth of interest from viruses has been very strong. As it relates to carried interest, it obviously takes time. The market is strong. The focus today is on well-run assets with good platform and good growth potential, and that's what we've been bringing to market. To bring them to market, to execute sales, to complete the sales takes time.

So I think what we are doing is executing probably in line with the plan that we had expected at the start of the year. And obviously, the capital markets and general conditions are being conducive to executing that plan. So it has not changed significantly our expected timing on carry. We would still expect this year to be sort of a bridge year broadly in line with last year and then see a significant step up into next year. And that will just really be dependent on the actual timing of the transactions and the processes. But right now, it points to us being broadly in line with what we would have laid out before.

On real estate, what I'd say on real estate, my observation is we've talked extensively over the last few years, and we've been fairly consistent in saying that for real estate transaction activity pickup, we need 2 key foundations to be in place. One, we need to see the strong operating fundamentals and therefore, the sentiment turn more positive. And secondly, we need to see constructive capital markets to support transaction activity. And I'd say that both of those boxes feel like they are checked now. The operating fundamentals for high-quality real estate across the board are very strong.

Specifically, as you're asking on balance sheet for office and retail, as we talked about, the occupancy is high, supply-demand fundamentals are heavily in our favor. And that is why we're seeing consistent record rents signed across the portfolio and across the globe. So I think with those 2 boxes checked, we're now starting to see transaction activity pick up. And within the T&D portfolio, we said we sold over 13 assets so far this year. We have a lot of assets there that's contributing equity, and we'll continue to execute. Again, it takes time to execute those sales, but we have more assets coming to market.

We have some actively in the market right now, and we will just continue to execute the plan.

Kenneth Brooks Worthington: Okay. Great. And just a little one on the Just acquisition. I think you said 2/3 of the financing was coming from a facility. Can you sort of describe what that facility is? And how does that facility or the funding from that facility impact the economics for you and the accretion, if at all?

Nicholas Howard Goodman: So Ken, I would just make a general comment, and this would apply to broadly most questions on Just that you may have on the call that this is a public to private transaction and it's subject to pretty strict U.K. takeover rules. So we are very limited in what we will and can say about the transaction at this stage. If you read the information contained in the public 2.7 announcement, that will give you extra detail and there are extra documents filed on a micro site that we can point you to, but we're limited in what we can say at this time about the transaction.

Operator: Next question comes from Mario Saric with Scotiabank.

Mario Saric: Just one for me. And maybe coming back to the disclosed evolution of focusing the balance sheet on growing the insurance operations. With that in mind, are there any kind of longer-term kind of desired or implications for the corporate structure that exists today that perhaps you didn't envision 5 years ago when this initiative started, including perhaps desired ownership levels and other listed vehicles?

Nicholas Howard Goodman: Not as it pertains to those, Mario. Listen, I think Bruce said it in his remarks that when we started this company, we thought it would be a very attractive opportunity to deploy capital. And it would have synergies with broader Brookfield, but it would be a discrete investment. I think what we're seeing is the opportunity and the synergies are more significant, and therefore, it's become more integrated into overall Brookfield. And I think when we started this, we always had the intention to fund it on balance sheet. And what we're seeing in the business is just reaffirmed that expectation. This business will stay heavily integrated into Brookfield, and that would be the approach.

And I think the important 3 things to note as we scale the business is, one, it will be a tremendous engine for growth for BAM, who manages the capital. Two, as pension markets open up, this will be very powerful for broader Brookfield. And three, we just think it could be -- it is or it will be a more efficient capital structure and will allow us to enhance our returns on capital. So I think that's the key message. And probably the last thing I would add and just to be very clear, like our single skill in Brookfield is investing people's capital, institutions, sovereigns individuals and making good risk-adjusted returns. And none of that is changing.

This is just potentially a more efficient way to accelerate the scale and the returns of our business.

Operator: Our next question comes from Cherilyn Radbourne with TD Cowen.

Cherilyn Radbourne: With respect to the dedicated AI infrastructure strategy that you're preparing to launch, can you give us some color on whether you expect to have cornerstone investors to support that launch, the way that you did with the inaugural transition strategy? And can you elaborate on how you will mitigate exposure to technological obsolescence risk inside the box?

Nicholas Howard Goodman: Yes. Cherilyn, it's Nick. I think first of all, yes, I think that is something that we are working on when we launch these new strategies. It can be very appealing to some of our largest shareholders around the world, and this is obviously an asset class they're very focused on. So we are engaged with a number of our largest clients. And if things play out, it would be similar to how we launched the transition fund. I think on your second question, that is sort of how -- that's through our engagement with the offtakers or who will be providing these services to.

We will be structuring these investments in a way where we can limit our downside risk and exposure and effectively providing capital to fund the build-out of the backbone of that infrastructure. So it will come down to the structure and in terms of the capital we provide, but it will be done to meet the criteria of the risk-return profile of this capital, which will be similar to other funds that we've raised.

Cherilyn Radbourne: Great. And then just as a quick follow-up with respect to carried interest. Can you remind us which funds are currently recognizing carried interest and which are approaching that milestone?

Nicholas Howard Goodman: Yes. So the carry contribution this year has come from some Oaktree funds. And then we've been finishing off the carry really in the first global vintage of our funds, which would have been the first infrastructure fund, the first real estate fund, which is actually now tied up. It's finished. It's complete. It's delivered an excellent return of north of 20%. And so that fund is now done with the final 2 transactions this quarter. And it would have been our fourth private equity fund, which is also largely done. Those would have been the contributors to date.

The next funds, which will be significant contributors as we execute on currently signed and planned sales will be the next global infrastructure fund. So BIP II and then working into BSREP II, BSREP III and then the Oaktree opportunity funds coming short after that into 10 and 11.

Operator: Our next question comes from Jaeme Gloyn with National Bank.

Jaeme Gloyn: Just in the Wealth Solutions business, just wanted to get a little bit more color. It looks like spread at 1.8% came in a little lighter than the last couple of quarters by my calculations. Am I reading that right? And then maybe you can just sort of talk through some of the drivers of that slight step down.

Nicholas Howard Goodman: Sure. And also welcome to the call. Thanks for joining. We were roughly at 1.8% last quarter. So it's broadly consistent with last quarter. I think when you look at the rounding, it's down slightly compared to last quarter. I'd say there's nothing really instructive in that. We are still seeing excellent deployment opportunities, and it's probably more just about the timing of the inflows versus the speed to deployment. So when we look at the opportunity set for deployment, we're really seeing an excellent opportunity set and don't see any risk to the downside on that spread as we sit here today.

Jaeme Gloyn: Great. And then on the real estate operating business, 2 questions here. First, cash distributions coming in a little lighter than previous quarters. What could be driving that? And then with the improved operating environment for real estate, do you have a sense as to the time line when operating FFO or NOI would begin to close the gap to those cash distributions?

Nicholas Howard Goodman: Sure. So just on your first question, the cash distribution this quarter, the reduction is really just a product of the residential land and housing business, where last year, we had onetime income from lot sales that were not repeated this year. And we have seen a little bit of a slowdown in home sales. And I'd say the long-term outlook for the business remains strong and intact, really driven by the supply/ demand fundamentals in housing. But that reduction this quarter in the DE was really driven by the land and housing business. On your question about the operating FFO for the business and the outlook, listen, I think the underlying fundamentals for the business are very strong.

And so we had -- obviously, we had the impact from resi. I would tell you that the FFO this quarter also, if you look at it year-over-year, is impacted by the fact that we have sold assets. So that has an impact to income. And then we have the absence of some onetime events that were there last year. These impacts were offset by lower rates, tightening credit spreads and the effects of the deleveraging we've undertaken in the business. And I think that deleveraging, better capital markets, tighter spreads, but that's supported by the core NOI continuing to grow in the business is going to drive FFO growth over the next months and years.

And as we sign these new rents like just this week, we're poised to sign a rent in a building in New York at close to $300 a square foot. It's $300 a square foot for a new lease were poised to sign in New York this week. And as those leases start to work their way through earnings as we burn off the rent freeze and they start to work their way through earnings, we have a tremendous tailwind for FFO coming from these assets. So I think you have strong FFO coming from those assets.

And while the FFO may take time to pick up, these leases are fully reflected into the valuation of the assets now as people do a long-term DCF on these assets. So I think you have that positive driver. And then I think on top of that, the increased pace of monetization is going to bring significant capital and cash flow back to the business. I mean just if you think about the 3 transactions announced out of BSREP and our interest in those assets, that's going to be $500 million to $600 million of cash flow for the real estate business from 3 transactions alone.

So I think the outlook for the liquidity, capital and FFO for the real estate business is very positive.

Operator: Our next question comes from Sohrab Movahedi with BMO Capital Markets. Sohrab, your line is now open. And as there are no more questions, I will now turn it back to Ms. Katie Battaglia for any closing remarks.

Katie Battaglia: Thank you, everybody, for joining us today. And with that, we'll end the call.

Operator: Thank you. This concludes the conference. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect.

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This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.

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Brookfield (BN) Q2 2025 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
A University of Michigan student has been found dead after vanishing from a fraternity party during sub-zero winter conditions, prompting renewed questions about timeline gaps, extreme weather risks, and late-night campus safety.

Lucas Mattson, a 19-year-old engineering student, was last seen walking alone at around 1:00 a.m. on Friday, 23 January, wearing only a light-coloured T-shirt, blue jeans and white trainers. Temperatures in Ann Arbor dropped as low as 0F, or minus 18C, that night. Authorities later confirmed that Mattson's body was found on Saturday evening following an intensive search conducted in hazardous weather conditions.

Last Seen Alone During Sub-Zero Temperatures

According to the University of Michigan's Division of Public Safety and Security, Mattson left a fraternity party without a coat or winter gear despite the extreme cold. Police said he was seen walking away from the area shortly after 1:00 a.m., with no further confirmed sightings.

Mattson was reported missing to the Ann Arbor Police Department approximately 15 hours later. The delay has drawn attention as cold exposure can become life-threatening within a short period when temperatures plunge below freezing.

Intensive Search in Extreme Conditions

A nearly 20-hour search effort began after Mattson was reported missing. Authorities said the operation took place in 'extreme cold conditions' and involved multiple agencies, including Ann Arbor Police, the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security, and the university's police drone unit.

Officers searched wooded areas, campus grounds and nearby neighbourhoods as temperatures remained dangerously low. Mattson's body was discovered on Saturday night, bringing the search to a tragic end.

What Police Have Confirmed

Police said there were no obvious signs of trauma and that foul play is not suspected at this stage. The Washtenaw County Medical Examiner's Office will determine the official cause and manner of death.

Authorities have not released details about where Mattson was found or how long he may have been exposed to the cold. Investigators stressed that medical examiner findings are required before drawing conclusions.

Timeline Questions and Reporting Delay

While police have not suggested any wrongdoing, the gap between Mattson being last seen and the missing person report has raised questions about how quickly concerns were escalated.

In winter conditions like those experienced in Ann Arbor, experts note that exposure without adequate clothing can rapidly lead to hypothermia, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Officials have not stated whether alcohol or other factors were involved, and no such claims have been made by authorities.

University Response and Warning Against Misinformation

University of Michigan interim president Domenico Grasso issued a statement expressing condolences to Mattson's family and friends and urging the campus community to avoid spreading misinformation.

'Please join me in extending our deepest condolences to Lucas's family, friends, and all who loved him,' Grasso said. He added that university officials have been asked to retrace the events of the night Mattson disappeared to better understand what transpired and to identify steps that could help prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Grasso also thanked those who participated in the search, noting the difficult and dangerous weather conditions under which it was carried out.

Cold Exposure Risks on Campus

Public safety officials routinely warn that exposure to extreme cold without proper clothing can be deadly, particularly during overnight hours when temperatures fall rapidly. Even brief periods outdoors can become dangerous in sub-zero weather.

Mattson's death has deeply affected the University of Michigan community, with students and staff mourning the loss as investigators continue to review the circumstances surrounding his final hours.

Originally published on IBTimes UK
Bitcoin fell after investors yanked more than $1.3 billion from US spot Bitcoin ETFs in just days. BTC USD hovered near $86,000, down about 7% on the week, as steady selling hit the market.

BTC USD price slipped below $90,000 after heavy selling pressure from US spot Bitcoin ETFs. Investors pulled out more than $1.3 billion in just days, with outflows hitting every session in the recent week. The largest weekly redemption since earlier periods reached $1.33 billion, led by big names like BlackRocks IBIT seeing hundreds of millions in redemptions.

This follows a pattern seen before: November 2025 recorded record ETF outflows of around $3.47 billion. Bitcoin now trades roughly 2930% off its October 2025 peak near $126,000. Some market watchers view the consolidation as normal, with longer-term trends mattering more than short-term noise

EXPLORE: Ethereum Spot ETFs Outflows Spike as ETH Price Slumps

Strategy Buys More Bitcoin  Whales Accumulate as Retail Sentiment Weakens

On the whale front, activity leans toward accumulation despite the dip. Wallets holding 1,000+ BTC added over 100,000 BTC in recent weeks, pushing their total supply to around 7.17 million BTC. Large players scooped up tokens during weakness, with some reports of 270,000 BTC accumulated by whales in January alone. Exchange supplies tightened as tokens moved off platforms, reducing available sell pressure.

While a few newer holders realized losses on bad entries, overall whale metrics show confidence through buying on dips. Notably, Strategy announced the purchase of 2,932 BTC for about $264 million at an average price of $90,100 per bitcoin.

As of January 25, 2026, their total holdings stand at 712,647 BTC, bought for a cumulative $541.9 billion at an average cost of around $76,000 per bitcoin.

DISCOVER: Crypto News: BitGo Debuts as First Major Crypto IPO of 2026, Strong $2.59 Billion Valuation

BTC USD Price Analysis  Retest of $86K Support

(Source: TradingView)

BTC USD sits near $87,800 after briefly dipping below $87,000 over the weekend. The weekly change is down 78%, with a monthly drop of around 1011% from early January levels near $98,000. From the longer view, its 2930% below the October high of $126,000, with recent lows testing $86,500.

Support appears solid around $86,000$87,000, where buyers stepped in on dips. RSI readings indicate oversold territory, opening the door for a rebound toward $90,000 if inflows reverse or whales continue adding.

Resistance looms at $90,000-$92,000; a clear hold above $90,000 could signal recovery toward $92,000$95,000. Downside risk exists below $86,000, potentially targeting $85,000 or lower in a deeper pullback.
National Retail Federation (NRF) The National Retail Federation (NRF) is the worlds largest retail trade association, founded over a century ago to represent the retail industry. It advocates passionately for the people, brands, policies, and ideas that help retail succeed. NRF provides news, insights, events, and resources to its members, which include retailers of all sizes and types. It stands up for retail in policy debates, helping the industry thrive amid changes like technology and consumer trends.

National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group founded in 1943 by C. Wilson Harder to give small and independent business owners a say in government decisions. It advocates for its members in Washington, D.C., and all 50 state capitals on issues like taxes, healthcare, and regulations. NFIB represents businesses across all industries, from one-person operations to companies with hundreds of employees, with policies set by member votes.

National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) was founded in 1946 and represents the wholesale distribution industry, which acts as a key link between manufacturers and retailers or end users like businesses and governments. It includes employers of all sizes, national, regional, and state, plus trade associations across 19 types of products. Together, its members cover about 35,000 companies with nearly 150,000 locations nationwide, mostly small- to medium-sized family-owned businesses. The industry generates over $8 trillion in yearly sales and employs more than 6 million people.

Business Roundtable Business Roundtable is a group of more than 200 CEOs from Americas top companies, covering every part of the U.S. economy. Founded in 1972, it serves as the main voice for these leaders in Washington, D.C., working with both political parties on practical solutions to national issues. These companies support one in four American jobs and nearly a quarter of the countrys GDP.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the worlds largest business organization, founded over 100 years ago. It represents about 300,000 direct members and over three million companies indirectly, including small businesses, local chambers, industry groups, big corporations, and new sectors. Its main goal is to advocate for policies that create jobs and grow the economy, while providing members with legal help, policy info, resources to build their businesses, and connections to leaders in business and government.

Nearly as important as the arguments advanced in this amicus brief are the entities that are advancing them. Lets dig in:

In a big Supreme Court showdown over trucking accidents, major business groups have filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting freight brokers. The case, Shawn Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, et al., stems from a 2018 crash where a trucker hired through broker C.H. Robinson hit Montgomerys car, causing injuries. Montgomery sued the broker for negligent hiring, claiming CH picked an unsafe carrier. The Seventh Circuit Court said federal law blocks such state lawsuits against brokers.

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Its worth noting that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce maintains a high success rate before the Supreme Court, winning approximately 70% to over 80% of cases in which it files amicus briefs during the Roberts Court era.

Federal Law Shields Brokers from State Tort Claims

Now that we know the players, lets dig into the arguments. The briefs main argument hinges on the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (FAAAA). This law aimed to deregulate trucking after airlines were freed up in the 1970s. It says states cant pass laws that relate to a brokers prices, routes, or services for moving property by truck. While I have written about this issue extensively, this amicus echoes previously advanced positions by CH, TIA, and the United States among others.

Negligent Hiring Relates To Broker Services

The groups say negligent-hiring lawsuits clearly relate to what brokers do. Brokers connect shippers with carriers, they negotiate deals, check insurance, and pick reliable haulers. A lawsuit claiming bad hiring directly hits this core service. The brief cites Supreme Court cases like Morales v. Trans World Airlines and Dans City Used Cars v. Pelkey, which define relate to broadly: If a state law has a connection with broker services, its preempted. The groups point out that courts in the Ninth, Eleventh, and Sixth Circuits agree: These claims are blocked. Allowing suits would force brokers to change how they operate, raising costs, and messing with the uniform federal system Congress wanted.

Safety Exception Doesnt Apply Here

FAAAA has a safety clause that saves state laws with respect to motor vehicles. But the brief argues this doesnt cover broker hiring claims. Why? The claim isnt directly about vehicles, its about a brokers business choice far from the road. The clause is narrow, focused on things like vehicle inspections or driver qualifications, not broker decisions. Citing cases like City of Columbus v. Ours Garage, they say expanding it to brokers would swallow the preemption rule. Importantly, the law defines brokers separately from carriers, so the exception targets vehicle operators, not middlemen.

Huge Costs, No Safety Gains

Freight brokers coordinate the transportation of goods from one destination to another. They neither own or maintain the trucks nor employ or train the drivers. And the safety standards that govern motor carriers and drivers with respect to these issues are set by extensive federal and state regulations. As a result, imposing common-law tort liability on brokers for vehicle accidents that occur in the course of shipments they coordinate would not improve safety. Rather, it would serve only to increase the costs of freight trucking, raising prices for shippers and consumers alike.

Whats at Stake for Freight?

If the Court sides with Montgomery, brokers will face a patchwork of state rules, driving up insurance and fees. Small brokers might fold, consolidating power with big players. But upholding preemption keeps things efficient, letting brokers focus on logistics, not lawsuits. Regardless of the outcome, this case will reshape trucking. Oral arguments in this case are set for early March, but with the Chamber on their side, brokers across the United States are justifiably sleeping a bit easier.

Matthew Leffler is a transportation attorney, adjunct professor of law at Michigan State University College of Law, and the host of the Armchair Attorney Podcast. He can be reached at matthew@armchairattorney.com.

The post Business groups back freight brokers in Supreme Court trucking liability fight appeared first on FreightWaves.
Sicilian town faces emergency after massive landslide.

Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday visited the Sicilian town of Niscemi which has been left hanging over a cliff after the devastating impact of Cyclone Harry.

Meloni arrived in Catania by plane before taking a helicopter flight to visit areas affected by the colossal storm damage, accompanied by the head of the national civil protection department, Fabio Ciciliano.

The arrival of Meloni in Niscemi comes after around 1,500 of the town's residents were evacuated following a massive landslide triggered by the torrential rainfall brought by Cyclone Harry.

The landslide front extends for about four kilometres as the cliffside upon which the town is perched continues to crumble, leaving multiple homes hanging perilously over the 25-metre precipice.

The town, which has a population of around 25,000, has been declared a 'red zone' by authorities.

Meloni held an hour-long meeting in Niscemi with Ciciliano, the town's mayor Massimiliano Conti, and the prefect of Caltanisetta, Donatella Licia Messina.

Niscemi "risks collapsing in the face of a huge void", according to Sicily regional president Renato Schifani who told reporters that authorities were drawing up emergency plans for the town.

Schifani also estimated that the broader damage caused by Cyclone Harry, which also devastated the island of Sardinia and the southern Calabria region, amounts to 2 billion in Sicily alone.

Italys civil protection minister Nello Musumeci has pledged the full support of the Meloni government which has declared a state of emergency in the three storm-hit regions, allocating initial funds of 100 million to tackle the damage.

Elly Schlein, leader of the opposition centre-left Partito Democratico, visited Niscemi on Tuesday and called for 1 billion to be diverted from the Strait of Messina bridge project and used instead to support areas affected by the storm.

Photo: Open
Jan 27 (Reuters) - Enterprise artificial intelligence software provider C3.AI is in talks to merge with software company Automation Anywhere, The Information reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the discussions.

If the deal materializes, Automation Anywhere would buy C3.AI and go public as a result, the report added.

More from Yahoo Scout What factors led C3.AI to explore a sale? What business models do these AI companies operate? How would the merger structure work between companies? What companies are involved in the reported merger talks?

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. C3.AI and Automation Anywhere did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

California-based C3 offers a platform that enables clients, including the U.S. Air Force, to develop and operate large-scale AI applications. Its AI tools are used across the U.S. government as well as in the energy and manufacturing sectors.

Automation Anywhere develops software to automate repetitive tasks. Private investors valued the company at $6.8 billion in 2019, according to The Information report.

Reuters reported exclusively late last year that C3.AI was exploring a potential sale, among other options, after its founder Thomas Siebel stepped down as CEO.

C3 AI's stock has fallen more than 59% in the last one year amid worsening financial performance and uncertainty over its strategy and leadership.

(Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich, Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Sonia Cheema)
CATU (Community Action Tenants Union) Waterford have called a residents meeting over ongoing complaints regarding Mount Suir Apartments.

The apartments are located in Gracedieu in the Western suburbs of Waterford City. The residents are a mixture of council tenants and private renters.

Issues with mould, damp and anti-social behaviour have all been cited by residents in the past.

The residents' meeting will take place on Thursday, January 29 at 6 pm in Carrickphierish Library.

"For years, residents at Mount Suir Apartments have been calling for one simple thing: a safe and secure home, said CATU Waterford.

Yet despite individually raising awareness through local media and reaching out to local councillors, their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.

At CATU (Community Action Tenants' Union) Waterford, we have in recent years visited Mount Suir Apartments to speak with residents - some renting privately, some renting from the council, and some with mortgages - in order to help collectively organise them, with the aim of everyone working together to put pressure on their landlords and building managers to improve the situation.

The conditions in Mount Suir Apartments have been horrible for a long time, with persistent mould, decaying and defaced communal areas, and unsafe surroundings.
Emergency Response Payments are to be made available to Waterford homes affected by Storm Chandra.

That's according to Minister of State for Planning & Local Government, John Cummins TD, who said the payments provide financial support for people whose homes are damaged from flooding and severe weather events and who are unable to meet emergency costs for essential needs, household items and structural repair.

The payments were initially allocated to homes affected in counties Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin.

While the Department of Social Protection still hadn't Waterford included in the counties to be covered, on its website at the time of publishing, Minister Cummins confirmed the scheme is to be extended to Waterford.

Stage 1 of the scheme is available from today until next Wednesday.

Minister Cummins said: An Emergency Response Payment is available to people living in properties in areas directly affected by flooding. This storm caused significant damage across the country and this payment is about getting help to people quickly at a time when many are dealing with damage and uncertainty."

I want to acknowledge Council workers across the country who have been carrying out essential works in extremely difficult conditions," said Minister Cummins.

"This scheme is an essential lifeline for families who have encountered unexpected expenses as a result of storm damage," he added.

"I would encourage anyone affected to access the supports available by contacting the Community Welfare Service on 0818 60 70 80.

Minister Cummins has also confirmed that where needed, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment will activate the Business and Community Flooding Support Scheme, working with local authorities and the NDFEM.

This scheme supports business, community and voluntary organisations affected by flooding who cannot obtain flood insurance.

Further information on the Emergency Response Payment is available here.
Former Waterford Labour TD Brian OShea passed away on January 28, aged 81.

Throughout a storied political career that spanned over four decades from 1989 to 2011, OShea served as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health.

Born in Waterford, Brian was educated at Mount Sion CBS and St. Patricks College, Dublin.

He worked as a teacher before he began his first foray into local politics, running a successful election campaign for Tramore Town Council in 1979.

His first experience in Leinster House came in the Seanad in 1987, serving on the Industrial Panel.

Brian passed away peacefully in the company of his family at Killure Bridge Nursing Home.

He will repose at Thompson's Funeral Home, Barrack Street, on Friday, January 30, from 7-8:30pm. Rosary will take place at 8pm.

His funeral cortege will walk from his residence on Saturday, January 31, to the Holy Cross Church, Tramore, Co Waterford for Requiem Mass on arrival at 10am. Burial will be held in St. Declans Cemetery, Riverstown, Tramore.

Mass will be livestreamed at 10am.

He is survived by his wife Eileen, sons John and Paddy, daughters Christine, Anne, Siobhan and Mary, brother Sean, his in-laws, and 12 grandchildren.

Former Labour TD Ciara Conway succeeded Brian as Waterfords Labour TD from 2011-2016.

She paid tribute to the Labour great, writing: Throughout his years of public service, Brian gave so much to Waterford  working tirelessly for the community, advocating for people who needed a voice, and leaving a legacy of commitment, integrity and genuine care for the place he served.

That contribution will be remembered with respect and gratitude by many across the county.

I hope it is some comfort to know that his work made a real difference in peoples lives and that his legacy will endure. My thoughts are with you and your family, and I wish you strength and peace in the days ahead.
There were welcoming scenes of excitement in St Paul's Community College in Waterford City recently when the school celebrated Culture Day.

Waterford News & Star photographer, Joe Evans was there to capture images of those in attendance.

Photos will also appear in the forthcoming print edition of the newspaper and also online here at waterford-news.ie.

Photos of other events are also available to view here on the website under the 'Archive' section and collections of nostalgic photos from our archive, titled 'Colourful Memories of Waterford - Volume 1 and 2', are currently available as fantastic photobooks on sale at The Book Centre or through our office on Gladstone Street.

Hard copy prints of photos are also available to buy through our office.

The Nigeria table at St. Paul's Community College for Culture Day.

Maciej and Albert at St. Paul's Community College for Culture Day.

The Vietnam table at St. Paul's Community College.

The Waterford table at St. Paul's Community College for Culture Day.

Pictured at the Zimbabwe table.

Africian nations at St. Paul's Community College for Culture Day.
Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Seamus Ryan has paid tribute to former Waterford Labour TD Brian OShea who died peacefully on Wednesday, January 28th.

Mayor Ryan opened up an online book of condolence to commemorate his late party colleague.

Brians political career in Dail Eireann spanned over four decades from 1989-2011.

I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Brians wife Eileen, his children Christine, Anne, Siobhan, Mary, Paddy and John, his extended family, friends and many Labour Party colleagues, said Mayor Ryan.

Having been elected to Waterford Corporation, Waterford County Council and Tramore Town Commissioners, Brian had a distinguished political career, serving the people of Waterford with pride, dedication and commitment.

As a Senator and latterly a TD, Brian served as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health, and while these were significant national portfolios, it was his dedication to and advocacy for Waterford that he will be long remembered and respected for.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.
Wicklow-Wexford Sinn Fein TD Fionntan O Suilleabhain said individuals experiencing acute mental health crises were being turned away from University Hospital Waterford (UHW) due to a lack of capacity.

HSE figures showed that over 1,000 people had presented to Wexford General Hospitals A&E Department in mental health crises between January and October 2025.

Deputy O Suilleabhain said because no acute mental health services are available in Wicklow or Wexford, individuals could either make a long journey to UHW or go to a local facility that lacks necessary support.

There are 42 beds in the department of psychiatry at UHW, with a service level-agreement with St. Patricks Mental Health Services in Dublin.

In my office, we received far too many reports of patients waiting and being referred to an antiquated psychiatric department in Waterford city, only to be discharged or often refused services within hours due to a lack of staff or lack of space, said Deputy O Suilleabhain.

I am sure the Minister of State [Mary Butler] will agree it is completely unacceptable to have these circumstances in 2026 in a country that is awash with money.

Waterford Fianna Fail TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Mental Health, Mary Butler, said she took umbrage with the description of UHWs service as antiquated.

Minister Butler said Deputy O Suilleabhain had misrepresented the situation, with Waterford and Wexford merged under one integrated healthcare area. The area is managed by Dr Sinead Reynolds, a mental health specialist.

To go back to what the Deputy has said in relation to acute beds, I am aware that there are none in Wexford. I am also aware that there are none in Tipperary, said Minister Butler.

We have done a capacity review of mental health beds and we will be having a look at this in the new year.

Minister Butler said she would explore the possibilities of acute mental health beds in Wexford via a crisis house or high-level hostel.

I am just reflecting what every politician in Wexford is saying and what the people coming to me are saying. They are saying that the facility in Waterford is not appropriate. I am not disparaging the work that they are doing, said Deputy O Suilleabhain.

When people in mental health crisis present at Wexford General Hospital, the staff there do not have the training, resources or expertise to be dealing with them.

Minister Butler said that UHWs new 50-bed department of psychiatry has been progressing slowly but steadily.

HSE Dublin-South East did not respond to requests for comment at the time of writing.

Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme
By Sergio Goncalves and Miguel Pereira

Ryanair expects to offer free Wi-Fi across its fleet within three to five years as the technology improves, chief executive Michael O'Leary told Reuters on Wednesday, after a public spat with Elon Musk over the use of his Starlink internet service.

Musk and O'Leary have traded barbs in recent days after the airline boss ruled out installing Starlink on the carrier's 600-plus jets.

Ryanair is "still a in discussions" with Starlink, Amazon Web Services, and Vodafone, but current systems require a aWi-Fi antenna on top of the aircraft, creating "a fuel drag penalty that will cost us about $200 million a year," O'Leary said.

The sticking point, he said, is that Wi-Fi providers believe Ryanair's customers "will pay a for it, and we don't think they will."

O'Leary said the technology was continuously a evolving and that antennas could eventually a be fitted into the baggage hold or nose cone, eliminating the extra fuel cost.

"Then we'll be able to offer free Wi-Fi to our clients on all Ryanair flights ... we think that will happen in the next three-to-five years," he said in an interview.

He joked that he and Musk could keep up their banter to "generate even more free publicity".

Separately, O'Leary said that European governments - not airlines - should pay for efforts to stop drone incursions that have disrupted flights across the region.

European officials have blamed Russian hybrid warfare, a claim Moscow denies.

"Why should airlines be paying for something? Securing the skies is a government responsibility, it is a defence strategy, that is the responsibility of governments," O'Leary said.

"Europe needs to have much more a defence capability because, you know, when (Russian President Vladimir) Putin respects Europe's defence capability, then you won't see any more drone incursions."
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BusinessCompaniesGaming & wagering The company was told a gambler was banned. A new account was opened minutes later Kishor Napier-Raman January 29, 2026  7:07am 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

Six betting companies breached rules designed to protect problem gamblers from losing large sums of money while in the grip of addiction, an investigation by the media watchdog has found. In one case, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that a gambler on the Picklebet platform was allowed to open an account just two minutes after the company was notified, by an industry-wide register, that he had asked to be excluded from gambling. Tabcorp is among the companies found to have breached self-exclusion rules. Will Willitts The authority concluded separate probes into Tabcorp, LightningBet, Betfocus, TempleBet, Picklebet and BetChamps which found that the wagering companies had failed to comply with BetStop, an opt-in, national self-exclusion register that allows people with gambling addiction to block themselves from betting sites. The investigations were based on complaints from nine separate gamblers who had been able to create accounts with the various betting agencies despite self-registering with BetStop.

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ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the breaches undermined the protections from the self-exclusion regime. The national self-exclusion register is designed to help people who are trying to avoid gambling services and stop gambling, but self-exclusion only works if wagering providers follow the rules, Lidgerwood said. These rules have been in place for more than two years, and wagering providers should be taking their responsibilities seriously. Tabcorp, the biggest of the six companies, has paid a $112,680 fine and agreed to commission a third-party review of its customer verification processes, and train staff on their regulatory obligations as part of a court-enforceable undertaking. A report last year by Equity Economics, a consultancy, found that Australians lost more than $31.5 billion annually to all forms of gambling. The report was commissioned by the Alliance for Gambling Reform and Wesley Mission, both of which have campaigned against the sector.

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The authoritys investigative report found that Tabcorps internal control systems did not function as intended, and failed to stop people on the self-exclusion register opening new accounts. The investigation into Tabcorp focused on two separate complainants. In one of the complaints the company had been informed three times by the regulator that the person was excluded, before they created an account using new information that no longer matched their record on the self-exclusion register. Tabcorp submitted that it was unaware the person was a registered individual until informed by the regulator as part of its investigation. A Tabcorp spokesperson told this masthead the company acknowledged the authoritys findings. Tabcorp assisted the ACMA throughout the investigation and will continue to work closely with the regulator to ensure ongoing improved compliance, they said. Betfocus, LightningBet and TempleBet were each issued with remedial directions notices by the watchdog, requiring them to commission an independent audit of their internal systems and adopt any recommendations.

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The authority investigation into Betfocus included evidence from three separate complainants and concluded that there were gaps and deficiencies in the bookmakers procedures to identify accounts linked to self-excluded people. Related Article Gambling Problem gamblers find loophole in self-exclusion register BetChamps, which received a formal warning, was found by the regulator to have sent an email promotion advertising betting for a coming race to a person who was on the self-exclusion register. The authority is still determining what action to take against Picklebet. In its investigative report, the authority found that Picklebet had allowed an individual on the self-exclusion register to open a new account just two minutes after the register operator had informed it that the person was excluded.

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The watchdog said that this suggests the ease in which the complainant was able to request to open an account with Picklebet. All of the gambling companies were contacted for comment. The national self-exclusion register was launched by the Albanese government in 2023. Legislation was first introduced by then-Coalition communications minister Paul Fletcher five years earlier but the scheme was never implemented, despite support from the industry. As of late last year, about 30,000 people have registered. Within months of the scheme going live, the communications authority warned betting companies that problem gamblers could circumvent their exclusion by using personal data that was not an exact match with details provided to the register. Alastair Shields, the chair of the Northern Territory Racing and Wagering Commission, told a 2023 House of Representatives inquiry that people who are addicted to gambling could exploit those loopholes in the system.

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It is the commissions experience that self-excluded persons who are in the grip of a gambling addiction will go to extraordinary lengths to circumvent a system designed to prevent them from opening an account and using it to gamble, he said. ACMA said all contraventions occurred in 2024 and noted that companies could face stronger action in the future if they failed to comply with self-exclusion, including Federal Court proceedings to seek civil penalties. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
Here we go again, began Gippsland MP Darren Chester on Facebook, a few hours after one of his Nationals colleagues announced his intention to move for a leadership spill.

In one of todays top stories, Colin Boyce, an MP from Queensland, revealed on Sky News he would seek to replace David Littleproud as leader next week, following Littleprouds decision to take the Nationals out of the Coalition.

Nationals MP Darren Chester. Simon Schluter

Chester, a former cabinet minister, didnt mention anyone by name in his post, but said: At a time when Australian families are struggling with the increased cost of housing, energy bills and everyday expenses, I am embarrassed that my party has spent the past week talking about itself.

I entered politics to make a difference for the people of Gippsland, not to participate in self-indulgent Canberra games about leadership and issues which have no real impact on people in my community.

Thank you to all the journalists who have tried to call me following the member for Flynn [Boyce]s announcement that he will run for leadership of the party on Monday. You can quote from this statement.

Chester said he would not support the spill motion, nor enter as a leadership candidate.

Seriously, the sooner the Liberals and the Nationals can resolve any internal leadership debates and set up a plan to transition back to a functioning Coalition, the sooner we can hold this poor government to account, he said.

We owe it to the Australian people to do better.

Chester ended the post with a picture of some participants in the Cycling Without Age Gippsland trishaws.
We came across a bullish thesis on Celestica Inc. on R. Denniss Substack by OppCost. In this article, we will summarize the bulls thesis on CLS. Celestica Inc.'s share was trading at $333.17 as of January 27th. CLSs trailing and forward P/E were 54.17 and 40.32 respectively according to Yahoo Finance.

Fermi (FRMI) Drops to All-Time Low

Celestica Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides supply chain solutions in Asia, North America, and internationally. CLS presents a compelling investment opportunity through the strategic sale of deep out-of-the-money put options, specifically the January 16, 2026, $190 strike, recently transacted in 2,800-contract institutional blocks. Trading near $304, Celestica has transformed from a low-margin Electronics Manufacturing Services provider into a high-margin Connectivity & Cloud Solutions partner, driven by Hardware Platform Solutions (HPS) for hyperscale and AI data centers.

This structural pivot has expanded margins to 7.6% and established sticky, high-value customer relationships with Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. The put strategy effectively creates a limit order to acquire a high-growth company at a significant discount while generating immediate premium income, enhanced by margin efficiency under portfolio margin rules.

The AI Capex supercycle underpins durable revenue visibility, as hyperscalers collectively plan over $400 billion in infrastructure spending through 20262027. Celesticas productsnetworking switches and ultra-dense storage solutionsare integral to the operation of these AI data centers, and the companys early engagement in open-hardware design ensures multi-year production contracts and revenue stability. Technical analysis reinforces the $190 strike as a strong support, well below the 200-day moving average, with elevated implied volatility providing further premium advantage.

Celesticas fortress-like balance sheet, free cash flow of $425 million, low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, and NCIB share repurchase program add additional safety. Stress tests show that a drop to $190 would require catastrophic revenue collapse, margin compression, or extreme multiple contraction, all statistically unlikely. Overall, selling the $190 puts offers asymmetric risk-reward: a high-probability income-generating strategy while positioning for ownership of a structurally transformed, high-growth AI infrastructure enabler at a deep-value price, aligning smart-money conviction with disciplined value investing principles.
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NationalNSWTelecommunications Two huge ships are floating off the coast of Sydney. This is what theyre doing Jack Gramenz January 28, 2026  12:30pm 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

Two massive ships floating off the coast of Sydney have sparked curiosity from locals and, while the ships wont remain for long, they will be leaving something behind that could play a vital role in Australias future. The ships became visible off Maroubra on the weekend, but have both been on a long journey, leaving a trail of fibre optic cables buried in the seabed behind them. Loading Undersea cables, the submerged spine of the internets global connectivity, are not just critical for connectivity, but also as a tool of diplomacy. The cables are similar to projects being funded through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, which received a $550 million boost on Tuesday as the federal government attempts to strengthen ties with Pacific leaders.

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The 139-metre SubCom Responder is anchored off Maroubra, where it is laying cable for Googles Tabua connection between Australia and the US via Fiji. Melanie Silva, Google Australia managing director, called the arrival of the cables a big milestone in the project, saying they would improve connectivity across the nation. The 147-metre Alcatel Submarine Networks vessel Ile dYeu was seen on Wednesday, also near Maroubra. The Ile dYeu will probably have moved on within 24 hours, Subco founder Bevan Slattery told the Herald.

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The ship has been laying Subcos SMAP cable, connecting Sydney to Perth via Melbourne (at Torquay) and Adelaide. The Perth to Melbourne portion of the SMAP cable has been completed and will become operational in March, with the Sydney connection to be spliced in and ready for service in May, Slattery said. The cable-laying Ile dYeu off Sydneys coast on Wednesday. Wolter Peeters Previous connections have mostly been overland. One [aim] is to improve resilience and connectivity across Australian capitals, but secondly, [to] interconnect the Indian and Pacific Ocean, Slattery said.

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Theres only a couple of routes that it typically follows to do that, which is usually rail and beside road. Related Article Analysis

Telecommunications What are subsea cables, and what happens when one gets cut? This is diverse from that, and also subsea systems in deep water  [have] a higher reliability factor. Threat diversity as well  bushfires or landslides or flooding or whatever doesnt affect the subsea system. For the average internet user, it might mean more reliable connections, but there are also potential international diplomacy benefits.

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Its about positioning Australia as the new hub for the Indo-Pacific region, Slattery said. A new resiliency for the entire internet to avoid these kinds of areas that are geopolitically unstable, or just high rates of incidents or faults. Online vessel tracking platforms list the Ile dYeu as departing from Melbourne on January 7, after setting off from Perth in July. It was recently converted to lay undersea cables in partnership with Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, which claimed the vessel has the worlds biggest cable loading capacity. It can load more than 8500 tonnes of cable, enough to lay 15,000 kilometres, on a single voyage. Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app.
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NationalSchools Opinion School for my bright son has been heartbreaking. Too many teachers think kids need to try harder Clare Traub Contributor January 28, 2026  2:20am

January 28, 2026  2:20am 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 I picked up my son from his final year 12 exam at the start of this summer, I was definitely happy it was over and proud of him for getting through such a tough few weeks, but the biggest feelings I had were immense frustration and sadness that we arent doing better for the kids who dont fit the mould. Our son is autistic with severe anxiety and his experience of school has been heartbreaking at times. Many people did not think hed get to the end of year 12, and there have been huge challenges along the way. As parents and teachers prepare for the new school year, its worth noting that it did not have to be this hard for my son, and there are many more kids like him that need better care. Photo: Andrew Dyson Over his 13 years at school we struggled through drawn-out battles to get funding and support  with teachers, principals, the Education Department and the NDIS. We won every time because his medical records are crystal-clear, but it was an exhausting, confusing fight every time. He has had illegal school exclusions, bullying, teachers who think of themselves as inclusive but have no training or real understanding, and many teachers who think its just a phase and that he should try harder. Peer understanding of autism is very poor. Other kids get irritated easily when he talks too much about a favourite topic and mistake his need to walk off stress and sensory overload for a lack of interest in them. There have been years when he was not invited to even one birthday party, and times when we have feared for his safety and mental health.

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School days are not good days for every child. Alamy We have been at two primary schools and two secondary schools. Early in year 11, when a senior teacher described the allowance of extra time in exams as special treatment (again, despite medical evidence from several specialists), we considered moving schools again, but where would we go? Would that teacher say this to a student with poor vision who needed extra time, the kid using a wheelchair who needs a ramp? Autism has been described as the invisible disability, and its often badly misunderstood by teachers, the people whose support students most need. Related Article Opinion

Teaching I taught for 40 years. Inspiring kids comes back to one three-letter word Dianne Kupsch Teacher During the exam season, while other parents were worrying about ATARs and whether their child will do well enough for this course or that, I was afraid he might not make it through the doors of school to even sit the exams, that he might come home, have a meltdown and be so full of anxiety and self-hate that he cant get back to school. Not because he isnt highly intelligent  every assessment says he is  but because he cant get the support he needs to do well. Were not the only ones  there are many students who have a tough time at school and often dont get the support they need: students with illness or poor mental health, students with family challenges. But these stories are not often told.

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Weve had some caring, insightful teachers who have made an immense difference (and I have made sure I thanked every one of them) but also many who dont understand, dont want to know, and have left both our son and us feeling isolated and rejected. Some teachers lack of understanding of autism and lack of willingness to be flexible have done actual harm, both to his success at school and his mental health. Related Article Opinion

Parenting My son didnt win school captain, and Im glad Kellie Floyd Contributor If I could make those teachers understand just a couple of things about autistic students it would be that these kids overwhelmingly want to be at school, they want to be with their peers and they want to do well. But they learn differently from others and they need your help with that. Remember, autistic kids in mainstream settings typically dont have barriers such as severe intellectual disability. They have the capacity to succeed, but we know they often dont. They are many times more likely to be excluded or suspended or to drop out. I want teachers to understand that most autistic kids are harder on themselves than you could ever be. As a medical specialist told us early on, anxiety is always in the driving seat. And anxiety and self-doubt dont always look like the quiet, withdrawn student who is no trouble in class; its often the student who makes jokes when they shouldnt. Its the student who doesnt ask questions, not because they dont care, but because theyre scared. Who doesnt hand work in because theyre worried its not quite right and doesnt ask you for help. Heres another myth: that they choose to be loners or dont want to join in. In those post-exam weeks, our son did not head off to schoolies or friends beach houses. He would have loved some kind of celebration with peers but wasnt invited. Autistic kids are far more likely to experience bullying and social isolation than their peers.

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Im proud and happy that my son has got to the end of the school journey. We are delighted that he has been accepted into the course he chose and will start this year, but it should never be this hard, and we can do so much better. We need far better training and understanding for teachers, better understanding in the community, and a wider variety of school models to suit the needs of different learners. In the current school system, we are wasting potential and causing unnecessary pain. Clare Traub is a Melbourne writer. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.
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Health authorities have warned the most dangerous impacts of Victorias heatwave may be still to come, as prolonged temperatures build through another four days in parts of the state and bushfires continuing to affect many. On a day of scorching highs on Tuesday, the states all-time highest temperature was recorded in the tiny town of Walpeup in the Mallee region, where in the mercury hit 48.9 degrees at 3.36pm. Half an hour later, Hopetoun Airport, about 90 kilometres south of Walpeup, matched the record, according to Bureau of Meteorology observations. A bat flies through a rain curtain at Yarra Bend Park. Alex Coppel Previously, Victorias highest temperature recorded was 48.8 degrees on Black Saturday in 2009. Melbourne surpassed the forecasted 45-degree maximum, as Laverton, in the citys west, hit 45.6 degrees at 4.54pm and Point Cook recorded 45.3 degrees at 4.31pm.

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Bushfires raged across much of Victoria on Tuesday. By Tuesday evening, bushfires in the Otway Ranges  known as the Carlisle River fires complex  continued to trigger warnings to thousands across the state. A total fire ban has been declared for the Wimmera and the north-east for Wednesday, where the regions will continue to be hot, dry and windy, and temperatures are forecast to reach into the mid-40s. Walpeup, which has broken Victorias temperature record, was deserted on Tuesday. Jason South Health authorities continue to monitor impacts of heat-related illnesses on the states emergency departments, ambulance service, Nurse on Call and virtual emergency department, but late on Tuesday, a Department of Health spokesperson reported all services were operating within anticipated demand levels. Statewide, there was a 27 per cent jump in Ambulance Victoria workloads in the Hume region, and breathing difficulty-related callouts rose by 67 per cent in the Loddon Mallee area. Paramedics also responded to three incidents involving children locked in vehicles.

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Chief health officer Caroline McElnay said that for many Victorians, the worst impacts were yet to come. Related Article Bushfires People just drop what theyre doing: The double-edged sword being felt by fire volunteers Continuous high temperatures can stop the body from cooling down normally. It can cause heat illness and even heatstroke, which is life-threatening, McElnay said, warning that severe- intensity heat was more dangerous for people over 65, the very young and those with a medical condition. Take steps to protect yourself and others by keeping cool, staying hydrated, planning ahead to avoid the heat, and checking in with others. Animals are also being closely monitored. Wildlife services, veterinarians and qualified volunteers worked together to help protect the states bats, which experience heat stress once the mercury reaches 38 degrees, and start to die if it hits 40.

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Parks Victorias treetop sprinkler system is activated when temperatures hit the high 30s, and experts are also on hand to provide help to animals. In Melbourne, teams geared up for a long night to protect the grey-headed flying fox colony at Yarra Bend in Kew, while Wildlife Victoria crews were deployed on Saturday to monitor colonies at Tatura and Numurkah. A bat comes down to the water to keep cool in Kew. Alex Coppel So far, both colonies  each home to about 10,000 flying foxes  are doing well, but conditions are expected to worsen later this week as the animals experience the cumulative impact of several consecutive days of intense heat. With the long days ahead, energy officials have braced for power demand to hit a 17-year record high as Victorians turn up their air conditioners to cope.

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On Tuesday at 9pm, more than 100,000 people had been affected by outages across the state, most on the Powercor and AusNet network. The bulk of Powercors impacts were in the region around Ballan, north-west of Melbourne, while smaller outages were reported across suburban Melbourne. AusNet had customers without power in Venus Bay and was investigating the cause. Between 5pm and 8pm, an increased need for home cooling collided with a sharp drop-off in rooftop solar panel output, and pushed forecast grid demand to record levels. On Tuesday evening, Energy and Resources Minister Lily DAmbrosio said Victoria surpassed a 17-year-old record for electricity demand. With record-breaking heat, Victoria has surpassed a 17-year old record for electricity demand this evening, DAmbrosio wrote on social media.

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Despite this, the independent market operator (AEMO) advises that Victoria has sufficient reserves in place to meet our needs. The outages are due to a combination of bushfires burning out electricity assets, trees falling on poles and wires, and heat-related equipment failure, she said. Loading Officials said the biggest concern for the power grid was the risk of wind gusts worsening the danger posed by bushfires in the Otway Ranges. The fires were bearing down on two critical transmission links in the states south-west and threatening to disrupt the supply of power to towns in the region. Powercor, which owns and maintains the power poles and wires in central and western Victoria, activated emergency plans on Tuesday to try to keep the lights on, including sending a back-up generator to the coastal town of Apollo Bay.

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Those who didnt have air-conditioning or couldnt afford to turn it on and those who were homeless were particularly vulnerable, City of Melbourne chief heat officer Krista Milne said. Related Article Extreme weather What it feels like in the hottest place on the planet We have heard instances of people where their apartment is the same temperature as outside, so theyre going outside, sleeping under trees and in stairwells  so a whole range of people are vulnerable, Milne said. Milne said many cool places in the city stayed open later than usual on Tuesday to offer refuge, while more than 55,000 people flocked to the states patrolled beaches. Life Saving Victoria volunteers performed 19 rescues and administered first aid to eight beachgoers. At Melbourne Park, the Australian Opens heat stress scale hit the maximum score of five shortly after 1.30pm  prompting outdoor play to be suspended and the roofs to be closed on the arena courts. Some matches from the day session on outdoor courts were rescheduled to Tuesday night to avoid the hottest part of the day.

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The last time Victoria experienced such a prolonged heatwave was in 2009, when the Mallee region recorded 12 days above 40 degrees during Black Saturday. Iva Jovic of the US placed an iced towel to her face during her quarter-final match at the Australian Open tennis championship on Tuesday. AP Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Michael Ephron Ease said a change would ease conditions in Melbourne and the south of the state but said there was little relief in sight for the north, where temperatures would remain around 40 to 45 degrees until at least Saturday. In terms of rainfall, we are going to, unfortunately, see generally dry conditions persisting at least until the weekend, he said. We may see some shower and thunderstorm activity over the eastern ranges, but certainly not that widespread rainfall that we need to really put these fires out. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Venues in entertainment precincts across Perth will roll out a new safety campaign called Ask for Angela.

The campaign will see participating venues in protected entertainment precincts in Perth, Northbridge, Hillarys, Fremantle and Mandurah, train staff to help patrons feeling unsafe or uncomfortable because of the behaviour of other patrons.

An example of the posters that will be used as part of the campaign.

Patrons can approach staff at a venue and ask for Angela which will trigger a response from the venue to help the patron in distress by helping arrange transport or separate them from the other patron making them uncomfortable.

Australian Hotels Association WA approached the government to support the citywide campaign and government relations manager Angela Beechy said it was a discreet tool to help someone calmly and early before a situation escalates.

Its a single, coded phrase that works in busy venues without disruption and fits naturally into everyday operations, she said.

That simplicity, combined with awareness and training, is what makes it effective.

Some venues across Perth already use the Ask for Angela system or something similar.

The Ask for Angela campaign was started in UK bars and clubs in 2016 by the family of Angela Phillips who was killed by her husband in 2012.

The campaign will not be mandatory but the state will supporting the rollout of the campaign through advertising, which began on Wednesday.
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Exclusive PoliticsFederalPolitical leadership Ley heaps pressure on Littleproud as leaders fight for their political lives Paul Sakkal and James Massola Updated January 28, 2026  3:33pm ,first published 8:49am 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

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has ratcheted up the pressure on Nationals counterpart David Littleproud, sparking a fresh rift between the under-pressure pair after Ley claimed that Littleproud was too busy fending off a leadership threat to discuss reforming the Coalition. With Leys key rivals set to speak on Thursday about how to unite against her, Littleprouds leadership was thrust into the spotlight after rogue MP Colin Boyce, an outsider with few allies, shocked MPs by going on TV to announce he planned to bring on a leadership vote next week. Ley and Littleproud in parliament last week. Alex Ellinghausen Even though Boyces spill motion was quickly dismissed by Littleprouds top competitors, it undermines the Nationals leader and complicates any push to reunite the warring parties after last weeks split over a dispute on shadow cabinet discipline. Influential Nationals senator Matt Canavan told this masthead on Wednesday he would not support Boyces motion and that the Coalition should be reformed as soon as possible  a move that many Liberals and Nationals believe can only happen if Littleproud were to resign.

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Ley, desperate to fend off rivals for her own job, seized on the Nationals drama, telling her Liberal colleagues hours after Boyces announcement that Littleproud had rejected her offer to discuss a truce ahead of parliaments return next week. I reminded him that as the leaders of the Liberal and National parties, we are the stewards of two great movements that exist to serve the Australian people and that maintaining a strong and functioning relationship between our two parties is in the national interest  whether in formal Coalition or not, she said. Nationals leader David Littleproud in Brisbane on Thursday morning. William Davis Davids team have just advised mine that his focus is the spill motion he now faces and he is therefore unavailable to meet until after that spill is considered. In remarks likely to provoke the Nationals leader, she added: We will talk to whoever the Nationals elect as their leader.

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When Littleproud withdrew the Nationals from the Coalition last Thursday, he said he could not see a Coalition while Ley remained leader of the Liberals. Related Article Analysis

Political leadership Littleproud might save his job, but not for long Littleproud declined to comment when asked by this masthead about Leys remarks. But a senior Nationals source, unwilling to speak publicly, said it further diminished the Nationals trust in Ley and made it even less likely the parties could reunite. This is bad faith and all about displaying strength to her people so she can ward off Angus [Taylor] and [Andrew] Hastie, they said. A majority of the 18 Nationals would need to vote yes to vacate the leaders position before another MP could put up their hand. Two competitors to Littleproud, Canavan and former minister Darren Chester, ruled themselves out immediately, and Boyces spill motion may not even get up because he needs two MPs to back him and not a single colleague has lent their support so far.

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Even so, the incendiary move from the Gladstone-based former boilermaker cast a spotlight on Littleprouds future. Matt Golding Former leader Michael McCormack said, David is the leader and he has the support of the majority of the party room, before adding in relation to his own ambitions: Never say never. The moment you shut the door completely you look stupid. Senator Bridget McKenzie, who some colleagues believe could lead the party from the Senate, released a statement that did not explicitly rule out running for leader. This spill motion has come out of the blue, she said. I dont believe the party room has changed since last weeks events.

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Liberal challengers Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie, the two conservatives considering a tilt against Ley, will hold their first face-to-face talks in weeks on Thursday in Melbourne, where they will both attend the funeral of former Liberal MP Katie Allan. Related Article Exclusive

Political leadership Not even in with a look: Nationals face Senate wipeout if Liberal split continues Most right-wingers believe Leys leadership is doomed, but the faction must rally around one candidate for any challenge to succeed. Taylor has been urging calm to colleagues, questioning the wisdom of a swift spill that is not handled maturely, while Hasties backers firmly believe the West Australian has more support than Taylor. The split among Leys opponents has buoyed the confidence of the opposition leaders camp, but continued dire polling has MPs calling for an urgent overhaul of the partys policy agenda and public messaging. The status of the leadership of both parties is fluid and difficult to predict. Some MPs predict the most likely time for a Liberal spill is mid-February, at the tail end of the two-week parliamentary session.

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Boyce said on Sky News early on Wednesday that his colleagues deserved the chance to debate Littleprouds leadership. Some of his colleagues believe he will defect to the crossbench after Mondays spill fails. The National party is committing political suicide by removing itself from the Coalition, he said. Member for Flynn Colin Boyce will move a spill motion in parliament for the leadership of the National Party. Alex Ellinghausen Littleproud said he stood by his record and what the Nationals had achieved. The Nationals held all of its House of Representatives seats at the last election, he said.

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Related Article Good Weekend Inside Sussan Leys battle to hold on to the hardest job in politics The Nationals also fought to keep important policies, including the Regional Australia Future Fund, tougher action on supermarkets with divestiture powers, Universal Service Obligation reform to ensure better mobile phone coverage in regional areas, and dumping net zero while keeping all energy options on the table, including nuclear. Littleproud fended off a challenge after the last election from Canavan, who has much wider support than Boyce. Canavan suggested the latest spill motion would fail. I see no reason to change our team now, he said. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
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WorldEuropeFrance Former French senator guilty of drugging MP with MDMA Sylvie Corbet Updated January 28, 2026  7:28am ,first published 5:30am 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

Paris: A former French senator has been found guilty in a high-profile drug-facilitated sexual assault case, more than a year after France was shaken by a mass rape trial that made Gisele Pelicot a symbol of the fight against sexual violence. Joel Guerriau, 68, stood trial for putting the drug commonly known as ecstasy into a glass of champagne he served to MP Sandrine Josso in November 2023. Guerriau has acknowledged serving her a drink containing MDMA but says it was an accident. French MP Sandrine Josso arrives for the trial of former French senator Joel Guerriau in Paris on Monday. AFP A Paris court on Tuesday sentenced him to 18 months in prison, an additional suspended sentence and a ban on holding elected office. Josso, a centrist member of the National Assembly, told the court that the centre-right senator invited her to his Paris apartment for what she believed was a re-election celebration. The two had known each other for years and were on friendly terms.

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She said she quickly began feeling unwell after drinking champagne, suffering heart palpitations and uncontrollable shaking. Related Article Graphic content

Crime Gisele Pelicots daughter believes she was probably raped, too I really felt myself slipping away, Josso testified, saying she felt uneasy being alone with Guerriau, who appeared unusually agitated and repeatedly turned the lights on and off. Josso said Guerriau later took her glass into the kitchen to refill it. Thats when she noticed him holding a little bag, which made her realise she had likely been drugged. My legs were shaking, I was extremely thirsty, she recalled, her voice breaking.

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Josso said she tried to hide her symptoms, afraid to alert Guerriau. She eventually managed to leave and take a taxi. I think about my children, I call my colleague, I tell him that Im going to die, she told the court, crying. Josso left the apartment, took a taxi and went to a hospital, where blood tests revealed a substantial quantity of MDMA  far higher than levels typically associated with recreational use. I want the truth to come out. Its important to me, Josso told the court. She later took medical and psychological leave. When she returned to the National Assembly two months later, she publicly recounted the incident.

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I went to a friends house to celebrate his re-election. I came out terrified, she told lawmakers. I discovered an assailant. I then realised that I had been drugged without knowing it. Thats what we call drug-facilitated assault. Very serious mistake Guerriau told the court he made a very serious mistake that led him to serve Josso a drugged drink. I feel really sorry for Sandrine. Thats something I never wanted, he said. I hope one day shell forgive me. Former French senator Joel Guerriau arrives in court in Paris. AFP

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He said another senator had given him MDMA months earlier to help cope with depression and anxiety, though he refused to name the lawmaker. Guerriau said he had put the white powder into a glass intended for himself the night before but did not use it, then mistakenly served the same glass to Josso the next day. Things happened very, very quickly. I did not think about it, he said, acknowledging his ignorance about MDMA and what he called his stupidity. Guerriau remained in the Senate for nearly two years after being charged despite calls for his resignation. He stepped down in October, presenting the move as political and unrelated to the case. Investigators testified that Guerriau had searched online for information about drugs, including ecstasy, in connection with rape about a month before the incident. Guerriau said the research was part of his work as a senator.

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I never intended to commit an assault or harm Ms Josso. I am devastated, he told the court on Tuesday. Echoes of Pelicot trial Less than a year after the senators case broke out, France was rocked by Gisele Pelicots case, which put a worldwide spotlight on drug-facilitated sexual abuse. Pelicots ex-husband and 50 other men were convicted of sexually assaulting her while she was under chemical submission between 2011 and 2020. Gisele Pelicot in December 2024, after her husband and 50 other men were found guilty of rape. Getty Images

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The harrowing and unprecedented trial exposed how pornography, chat rooms and mens indifference to  or hazy understanding of  consent is fuelling rape culture. Related Article Updated

Crime Ex-husband found guilty in mass rape trial, sentenced to 20 years in prison However, even after the Pelicot trial, France is still just starting to reckon with such crimes. Drugging a person to commit rape or sexual assault is punishable by up to five years in prison, compared to a maximum sentence of 10 years for drug possession. Josso became a major figure in Frances fight against drug-related sexual assault, joining an association set up by Gisele Pelicots daughter, Caroline Darian.

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The lawmaker co-authored a parliamentary report about drug-facilitated sexual abuse that calls for taking action against the scourge that was ignored for too long. The report noted a lack of statistics and information on the phenomenon in the country and stressed authorities failure to provide victims with efficient means to do blood and other analysis especially overnight and in remote areas. In the wake of the Pelicot trial, France adopted a new law in October 2025 defining rape and other sexual assault as any non-consensual sexual act. Until then, rape was defined under French law as penetration or oral sex using violence, coercion, threat or surprise. Increased awareness worldwide In the United States, the Bill Cosby case that surfaced in 2014 raised public awareness about a pattern involving victims  mostly women  being offered pills or drinks, leading them to feel disoriented, semi-conscious or paralysed.

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WorldEuropeMilano Cortina 2026 ICE at the Winter Olympics: Agents to support US security, stirring anger in Italy Crispian Balmer and Alvise Armellini Updated January 28, 2026  4:56am ,first published 1:30am 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

Key points ICE agents to support US diplomatic security at 2026 Games

Embassy source says no immigration enforcement in Italy

Italian politicians critical, some demand ICE be barred

Rome: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel will help protect US delegations at next months Winter Olympics in Italy, causing a political uproar in the country. ICE and Border Patrol agents have come under heavy criticism over their enforcement of President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown after they shot and killed two U.S. citizens in separate incidents this month in Minnesota. People walk past posters for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy. Getty Images ICEs Homeland Security Investigations division will back up the US State Departments Diplomatic Security Service at the February 6 to 22 Milano Cortina Olympics, the Department of Homeland Security said in a post on X. The ICE agents role will be to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations, the post added, noting all security operations remain under Italian authority.

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Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries, said DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. Related Article Analysis

US politics Trump could see this crisis turning rapidly. His response was inevitable ICE has been present at major sport events in both the US and abroad in the past, including previous Olympic Games, as part of international partnerships related to human trafficking and drug trafficking, one former official said. Despite assurances that there is nothing unusual about the HSI deployment, Italian politicians criticised the involvement of ICE in next months Games, highlighting how the image of the United States has been tarnished in recent months. It seems sheer idiocy to me, Maurizio Lupi, leader of a small centrist party in Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis governing coalition, told la Repubblica daily.

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Giuseppe Sala, the left-leaning mayor of Milan, one of the cities co-hosting the Olympics, called ICE a militia that kills. Speaking to RTL 102.5 radio, Sala said: Its clear that theyre not welcome in Milan, theres no doubt about it. The Rome government sought to defuse the protests. The interior ministry said in a statement that ICE personnel would only work in U.S. diplomatic offices such as the Milan consulate, and not on the ground enforcing order. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said he met with US Ambassador Tilman Fertitta. Piantedosi said he would address parliament on February 4. The US embassy in Italy declined to comment. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for a measured response. Were not talking about the (ICE people) who were out on the streets of Minneapolis... Its not as if the (Nazi) SS are arriving, he told reporters at a Holocaust memorial event. A State Department spokesperson said that, as in past Olympics, multiple federal agencies would help with security, including ICE.

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But Italia Viva, a centrist Italian opposition party led by former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, said agents affiliated with ICE did not represent Italian values and should be barred entry. The hard-left USB trade union said it would hold an ICE OUT rally in central Milan on February 6, to coincide with the Olympic opening ceremony. Reuters 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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WorldMiddle EastMiddle East tensions Opinion I thought I was in control of the algorithm. Then came the dreams of blood-soaked streets Kylie Moore-Gilbert Political scientist and writer January 28, 2026  4:00pm

January 28, 2026  4:00pm 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

Bodies stacked atop each other in refrigerated vans. Corpses laid out on the floor of a morgue. The unmistakeable crack of gunfire and the screams of thousands, footage blurring as crowds of unarmed youths flee for their lives. Hopeful, joyous protests. Teens and uni students and their parents and grandparents united in the streets, chanting for peace, chanting for change. Video messages, just in case: If I dont come back, I want you to know that I was willing to die More bodies, more death. People shot in the head in hospital beds, medical equipment still attached. Burning regime buildings, death to the dictator. Heartfelt yearnings for freedom and democracy. Funerals. Grieving mothers and grandmothers. Children clutching at the gravestones of parents. My feed has been a seemingly endless doomscroll of the dead and the maimed, of hope and righteous anger, of lofty political statements and promised help which never came. A record of an unprecedented massacre whose chronology became scrambled alongside Iranians ability to connect to the internet, which was switched off by the regime on January 8. Kylie Moore-Gilbert Luis Enrique Ascui The massacre in Iran was my first real experience of being trapped in an algorithmic bubble. My feeds on both Instagram and X had long been dominated by Iran-related content, but after news of the massacre started to filter out something changed. Now 100 per cent of what I was seeing was Iran. Social media had become a fire hose of devastating violence to the exclusion of almost all else. From years of clicks and scrolls the algorithm knew I was invested. It knew I couldnt look away.

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I am only now beginning to understand the self-radicalising power of the social media algorithm. My Iran-dominated feed bears all the hallmarks of big techs ability to game our fears and anxieties, our innate concern for the downtrodden, and our political preferences and confirmation biases, in its insatiable quest to generate engagement-driven profits. Initially, I felt a sense of responsibility to bear witness, and to post myself to amplify and speak up about the atrocities that had taken place in Iran at the hands of a brutal regime determined to cling to power no matter the cost. I still feel this duty. Protesters take to the streets in Tehran on January 9 in an image that was widely circulated on social media. AP After days of scrolling, however, those blood-soaked streets filled my dreams. The victims haunt my subconscious, as do the imagined faces of the perpetrators  among them probably the very same men who took me hostage and imprisoned me for over two years. Some of my prison friends are missing  dead, arrested or simply unable to connect due to an internet blackout that has lasted weeks. An ever-present undercurrent of dread started to animate all of my daily interactions. The algorithm was funnelling me into a place in which nothing else existed beyond the horrors of Iran. There is an acuity to the polarisation prolonged exposure to social media algorithms is generating that simply was not present in earlier times  certainly not within mainstream political movements or causes.

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Those of us old enough to remember the heady days of the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 will recall the optimism in the air  these were the first social media revolutions, in which young people organising online could outsmart brutal authoritarian dictators, reclaim the streets and peacefully, without weapons or even leaders, force change. For a painfully brief moment, countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen stood as exemplars of a brave new world of tech-driven democratisation, in which social media was held up as an undeniable force for good. A protester burns an image of Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran during a protest outside the Iranian embassy in London on January 14. Getty Images Think about all the mass movement social and political causes that have exploded onto the scene recently. Almost all have authentic foundations grounded in real injustices or suffering. Scaffolded onto this, however, is the tenor of a growing radicalism nurtured online in algorithmic echo chambers and conspiracy rabbit holes. Some of this is the byproduct of the design of the algorithms themselves. Some of it is manufactured by outside forces. Our feeds have become the playthings of interest groups, whether they be influencers or commentators chasing likes and clicks, companies seeking to sell us something or governments using bot farms, sock-puppets and sympathetic user accounts to contort public opinion in the service of foreign policy objectives. In Autocracy Inc., Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum debunks the view in many democracies that the internet is a vast marketplace of ideas, a kind of libertarian public square in which, through reasoned debate, the facts will emerge salient and lies and conspiracy theories will be discredited and exposed.

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This may have been the case in the early days of social media, which gave rise to the protest movements of the Arab Spring and groups like Occupy Wall Street. However, plentiful evidence has since emerged of foreign entities and governments gaming the algorithms, including Iran, China and Russia. Malign actors have an interest in fostering echo chambers of radicalism and outrage, bombarding users with content that over time, like my grief-stricken doomscrolling of images from the Iranian massacre, comes to saturate our brains in such a way that a single perspective becomes the only perspective. Related Article Opinion

Middle East tensions All the conditions are there for Irans regime to fall  except one Kylie Moore-Gilbert Political scientist and writer You cant blame foreign regimes for tapping these vast and powerful algorithms for their own nefarious ends. Its just too easy  especially when our governments are either asleep at the wheel, in thrall to big tech or too afraid of provoking Donald Trump to properly regulate the mostly-American social media behemoths. I am confident that the Iranian content in my feed was not curated by an online influence campaign. However, when I see influencers and commentators with sizeable followings casting doubt on the numbers killed, or characterising the protesters as paid agitators acting on behalf of Irans enemies, I do wonder. Such people, likely to be ensconced within their own algorithmic bubbles, probably look upon me as being duped by propaganda in the other direction. Nobody wants to believe that there is an invisible hand shaping the very formation of their opinions.

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Social media, far from the public square of old, has become a powerful tool in the hands of those who seek to influence our psychology. Its important to recognise that caring deeply about a cause does not prevent us from tumbling into an ideological echo chamber. In fact, it might make it more likely. Related Article Opinion

Middle East tensions The Islamic Republic of Iran is crumbling. Miscalculations have pushed it to this terminal frenzy Kylie Moore-Gilbert Political scientist and writer Iran is still grappling with the fallout of the most devastating atrocity in its modern history. Its essential that we amplify the voices of those who have witnessed these horrors. But, on a personal level, its also important to recognise when the time has come to look away. Kylie Moore-Gilbert is an academic in Middle Eastern political science at Macquarie University, the author of memoir The Uncaged Sky: My 804 Days in an Iranian Prison and a regular columnist. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.
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Updated WorldNorth AmericaTrump's America ICE officers in Minnesota directed not to interact with agitators in new orders Myles Miller Updated January 29, 2026  6:43am ,first published 4:11am 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: ICE officers in Minnesota have been directed to avoid engaging with agitators as they carry out US President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown, according to internal guidance. The new guidance, reviewed by Reuters, offers the most detailed look so far at how operations would change after two fatal shootings of US citizens in Minneapolis this month. It also orders US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers only to target immigrants who have criminal charges or convictions. That would mark a departure from the broad sweeps that have provoked backlash and legal challenges in Minneapolis and other US cities. Demonstrators protest ICE activity in Minnesota. Bloomberg DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS, said an email disseminated by a top ICE official. It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation. No one is going to convince the other. The only communication should be the officers issuing commands.

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In response to a request to the White House for comment, an administration official said, There are ongoing conversations on how to most effectively conduct operations in Minnesota. No guidance should be considered final until it is officially issued. The operational shift comes after Trump said this week that he aimed to de-escalate tension in Minneapolis and St Paul after federal immigration officers killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti and mother-of-three Renee Good there this month. Loading In both cases, Trump officials swiftly portrayed the deceased as aggressors, an assertion undercut by video evidence. Trump tasked border tsar Tom Homan to take over operations in Minnesota, in what a senior official told Reuters would be a shift to a more targeted approach to enforcement. He effectively replaced Border Patrol commander-at-large Greg Bovino, who had been the face of the special enforcement operation in Minneapolis and attracted criticism for saying  without evidence  that it looked like Pretti intended to massacre officers. Prettis killing on January 24 ignited widespread criticism, including from Republicans. Democrats have threatened to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless restrictions are placed on enforcement operations.

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State and local officials have called for independent investigations into both killings and for a reduction in the federal presence, warning that aggressive enforcement tactics risk further loss of life. Related Article Updated

Trump's America Border Patrol commander Bovino to leave Minneapolis as Trump shifts strategy Two US Border Patrol agents involved in the fatal shooting of Pretti had been placed on administrative leave, Customs and Border Protection said, in a move it described as standard protocol after an officer-involved shooting. Under the new guidance outlined in the email, ICE officers will receive megaphones so that they can issue commands to the public and need to verbalise every step of the arrest process. The guidance does not describe what sort of actions would trigger commands or what officers should do if commands were not followed.

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The updated guidance came from Marcos Charles, the top official in ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations division, the email said. It said officers could only target immigration offenders who had a previous criminal history. We are moving to targeted enforcement of aliens with a criminal history, it read. This includes arrests, not just convictions. ALL TARGETS MUST HAVE A CRIMINAL NEXUS. Alex Pretti was shot by federal officers in Minneapolis on January 24. AP Under former US president Joe Biden, ICE officers were required to focus on serious criminals, but the Trump administration rescinded that policy, allowing officers to arrest non-criminals without restrictions. ICE officers could run licence plate checks for possible targets and should make an arrest if the registered owner of the vehicle was an immigrant with a criminal history, the guidance said.

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ICE would run the Minnesota operation with Border Patrol in a support role, it said, a reversal after months of Bovino-led clashes in city streets. The guidance states that ICE has been getting more co-operation from state and local officials in Minnesota, and that the agency could have more opportunities to pick up immigrants released on parole or probation. Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, is accused of squirting an unknown substance on Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis. Bloomberg Meanwhile, details of the man accused of squirting an unknown substance on Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis have begun to emerge, showing he has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of Trump. Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989, has been arrested multiple times for driving under the influence and has had numerous traffic citations, Minnesota court records show. There are also indications he has had significant financial problems, including two bankruptcy filings.

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Police say Kazmierczak used a syringe to squirt a liquid on Omar during the event on Tuesday (Minnesota time) after she called for the abolishment of ICE and the firing or impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the fatal shootings of Good and Pretti. Officers immediately tackled and arrested Kazmierczak, who was jailed on a preliminary third-degree assault charge, police spokesperson Trevor Folke said. Loading Photos of the syringe, which fell when the man was tackled, show what appears to be a light-brown liquid inside. Authorities havent publicly identified the substance, though US media reports said that tests by police concluded the substance was apple cider vinegar. Omar continued speaking for about 25 minutes after Kazmierczak was ushered out, saying she wouldnt be intimidated. While leaving, she said that she felt a little flustered but wasnt hurt and that she was going to be screened by a medical team.

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She later posted on X: Im ok. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work. I dont let bullies win. Photo: Matt Golding Kazmierczak hadnt been formally charged or scheduled for an initial court appearance as of Wednesday morning. The Hennepin County Attorneys Office has until Thursday to charge him but could seek an extension. Its unclear if Kazmierczak has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. The countys chief public defender, Michael Berger, said the case hasnt been assigned to his office. Omar, a progressive, has been a frequent target of Trumps barbs since she joined Congress in 2019.

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That year, Trump urged Omar and three other freshmen congresswomen of colour known as the squad to go back to their countries if they wanted to criticise the US. Omar was the only one of the four born outside the US, having immigrated to the country as a child when her family fled violence in Somalia. During a Cabinet meeting in December, Trump referred to her as garbage. Earlier on Tuesday, the president criticised her as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa, saying his administration would only let in immigrants who can show that they love our country. When asked about the attack, Trump told ABC News that he hadnt watched the footage and accused Omar of staging the attack. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her, Trump said. Reuters, Bloomberg, 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.
China began allowing purchases of Nvidias powerful H200 chips for the first time, pointing to a nascent US-China rapprochement ahead of a planned visit by President Donald Trump in April.

The first Nvidia approvals went to three of Chinas tech giants  ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent  Reuters reported, after the US greenlit their exports last month.

It was previously unclear whether China would allow the sales given its push for high-tech self-sufficiency.

But the approval suggests the extreme hunger for high-quality computing power from Chinas tech scene is taking priority, a Taiwan-based expert said.

 J.D. Capelouto
Valued at a market cap of $106.8 billion, Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) is a media and technology company. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based company provides broadband, wireless, cable television, and advertising services.

This media company has significantly lagged behind the broader market over the past 52 weeks. Shares of CMCSA have declined 21.8% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 13.9%. Moreover, on a YTD basis, the stock is down 1.5%, compared to SPXs 1.5% uptick.

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Narrowing the focus, CMCSA has also notably underperformed the iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETFs (IYZ) 21.2% uptick over the past 52 weeks and 1.3% YTD rise.

www.barchart.com

Comcast shares plunged 3.1% on Nov. 3, after a series of analysts trimmed their price targets on the stock, reflecting rising concerns about the companys broadband outlook. Barclays PLC (BCS) reduced its target price to $30 from $34, while Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (DB) lowered its estimate to $40 from $44. The downgrades followed Comcasts caution that it is likely to see further broadband subscriber losses as competition intensifies from fiber-based networks and fixed wireless providers.

For the current fiscal year, ending in December, analysts expect CMCSAs EPS to decline 2.8% year over year to $4.21. The companys earnings surprise history is promising. It topped the consensus estimates in each of the last four quarters.

Among the 30 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy, which is based on 10 Strong Buy, 18 "Hold, and two "Strong Sell ratings.

www.barchart.com

The configuration has changed since last month, when nine analysts suggested a Strong Buy rating, and one recommended a Strong Sell.

On Jan. 21, Bank of America Corporation (BAC) analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich maintained a "Buy" rating on CMCSA and set a price target of $37, indicating a 25.7% potential upside from the current levels.

The mean price target of $34.41 represents a 16.9% premium from CMCSAs current price levels, while the Street-high price target of $53 suggests an ambitious 80.1% potential upside from the current price levels.

On the date of publication, Neharika Jain 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
This undated photo provided by Michael Pretti shows Alex J. Pretti, the man who was shot by a federal officer in Minneapolis on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (Michael Pretti via AP)
by Alimat Aliyeva

Germany and Denmark have signed an agreement at the North Sea Summit in Hamburg to establish and jointly operate a major energy hub on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, Azernews reports.

The negotiations were attended by German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche and Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard.

Under the agreement, an energy hub will be built on Bornholm to transmit electricity generated by offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea to the national power grids of both Germany and Denmark. The two countries agreed to share the costs of constructing and maintaining the necessary infrastructure, including subsea cables and grid connections.

The project is expected to play a key role in strengthening energy security in Northern Europe and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels. Experts note that Bornholms strategic location makes it an ideal junction point for cross-border energy distribution, potentially allowing additional countries to connect to the hub in the future.

In addition, according to DPA, energy ministers from Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom signed a separate agreement at the summit focused on the large-scale development of offshore wind energy in the region. Investments in this sector are expected to reach approximately 9.5 billion by 2030.

Analysts believe these initiatives could turn the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions into Europes green power plants, supplying renewable electricity to millions of households. Some observers also suggest that such energy hubs may eventually support green hydrogen production, further expanding their role in Europes long-term climate strategy.
Without question, AI increasingly has the ability to complete some entry-level tasks at far less cost to companies than the hiring and training of young professionals. A report by J.P. Morgan estimates that corporations can save billions of dollars a year by employing fewer people through automation. And, in fact, a 2025 study out of Stanford University has found that AI is already beginning to have a significant and disproportionate impact on entry-level workers in the American labor market, with workers between the ages of 22 and 25 in the most AI-exposed occupations experiencing a 13 percent decline in employment.

More from Yahoo Scout How is AI affecting entry-level employment in America? Why do companies still need human apprenticeship programs? What skills separate candidates in an AI-driven workplace? What long-term risks come from replacing entry-level workers?

Yet while replacing entry-level workers with AI can boost profits in the short term, it will ultimately drain the talent pool and create real vulnerabilities over the long haul. By automating the apprentice stage of workthe time when young workers learn how to make low-cost mistakes, gain guidance from experienced mentors, and practice thoughtful business judgmentcompanies risk creating a lost generation of knowledge workers who are technically employed but unprepared to lead.

In the end, this wont just be a problem for new graduates. Todays generation of managers may be extracting gains from their businesses by substituting technology for labor costs, but by doing so, they are also failing to reinvest in the human resources that their companies need to thrive into the future. In the process, they may be risking their organizations sustainability and survival over the long haul. Most important, even though some firms that automate entry-level roles may continue to perform well individually, the collective impact could be a major national talent deficit, jeopardizing the United States at large for decades and damaging its competitive position worldwide.

Traditionally, business leaders have been willing to invest in hiring and onboarding new employees, recognizing that it will take some time for those workers to learn enough to be as productive as possible and fully contribute to the organizations success. Theyve recognized that, however well-educated a new employee might be, that person will usually learn much more once theyre actually on the job.

Today, however, many companies are instead relying on AI and other technological advances to replace the roles that entry-level employees once played. And while many more-seasoned workers are becoming competent enough to apply such new technologies in ways that can advance an organization and its objectives, what will happen when that organization starts to lose those individuals as they move to other firms, retire, or depart for other reasons? It will be left with a variety of technical systems, but without the people who have the expertise or judgment to applyand questionthose systems effectively.
Corn futures posted losses of 1 to 2  cents on Monday, fading back from the Friday gains. The CmdtyView national average Cash Corn price was down 2 1/4 cents at $3.91 1/4.

USDAs FGIS tallied corn export shipments at 1.51 MMT (59.45 mbu) during the week ending on January 22. That was 1.63% larger than the week prior and 20.74% above the same week last year. Mexico was the top destination of 402,936 MT, with 265,122 MT headed to Japan and 210,763 MT to Spain. Marketing year exports for 2025/26 are 31.437 MMT (1.24 bbu) since September 1, which is now 53.35% larger than the same period last year.

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Export Sales data updated last Friday has corn export commitments at 56.045 MMT, which is 34% ahead of last year. That is 69% of the record USDA export estimate and ahead of the 65% average pace.

AgRural estimates the first corn crop in the center south regions of Brazil at 5% harvested, ahead of the 2.2% pace last year. The second crop is pegged at 4.7% planted as of last Thursday, behind the 8.6% early pace in 2024/25. They raised their estimate for the countrys corn crop by 0.6 MMT to 136.6 MMT.

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.28 1/4, down 2 1/4 cents,

Nearby Cash was $3.91 1/4, down 2 1/4 cents,

May 26 Corn closed at $4.36, down 2 cents,

Jul 26 Corn closed at $4.42, down 1 3/4 cents,

On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder 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
The Chairperson of the ICMSA Livestock Committee, Michael OConnell, has stated that farmers will be reassured following on from Mondays (26th January) Bluetongue Stakeholders meeting.

We are happy with the assurances given to Irish farmers that all efforts are being made to maintain live trade into Europe and that all parties involved are working together to prioritise the needs of Irish farmers. It is particularly encouraging that our main markets for the coming months all remain open. I would just say that farmers need a simple guide to the potential symptoms of Bluetongue and the sooner thats circulated the better it will be, he said.

The department assured us that there is a minimal possibility of the virus spreading, as we are completely outside the vector period for midge activity due to the average temperatures remaining well below ambient temperature. On the basis of that, the Department has decided that there is no necessity for restriction zones in the area, and we must hope that this is an isolated case and trade within marts, slaughter and live exports into Europe are not affected, he continued.

Empathising with the farm family affected, Mr. OConnell stated that each and every farmer must be vigilant and notify the relevant authorities if they have any suspicions about animals on their farm.

We need a proactive not reactive approach to this unfortunate infection and thats why wed be calling for a widespread circulation of that simple guide on the symptoms and correct information and guidance about the best course of action and response. What we certainly do not need is unnecessary scaremongering regarding the live trade or beef trade. Preventing that would be helped by the Department providing regular updates regarding the status for trade within and outside of Ireland, he said.

Mr OConnell said that he understood that there are animal health certification issues regarding trade to North Africa as BTV is a notifiable disease. But he said that  as it stands  exports can continue to counties within the EU which have the same strain of the virus as us.

We are approaching the main block of spring calving, and it is good news that both the Netherlands and Spain remain open for Irish livestock.

While work is needed regarding trade to some other countries within and outside the EU and agreement needs to be reached with these countries as soon as possible.

Its imperative that people understand there is no human health risk associated with Bluetongue virus - whether it be through contact with an infected animal or with animal products.

The Departent have been very proactive regarding surveillance and this must continue  we are satisfied that the approach adopted by the Department so far has been appropriate and timely and wed ask them to look at and resolve the trade certs requirements as soon as possible, he concluded.
Ballina Fianna Fail Comhairle Cheantar elected a new officer board at its annual general meeting held in The Merry Monk last week.

The following officers were elected: President, Dr Tom Moffatt; Vice-Presidents, Liam Breslin, Tommy Ginley, Carmel Hughes, Matt Farrell, Padraic Kelly, Rosaleen Hughes, Eddie Ruane, Paddy Walsh, Josephine Murray; Chairperson, Michael Rouse; Vice-Chairperson, Carmel Bourke; Secretary, Mags Downey Martin; Treasurer 1, Noel Mullen; Treasurer 2, Michael Barrett; Disability Officer, Vincent Grant; PRO, Liam Henry.

Outgoing chairperson Brian Hopkins thanked the organisation for their help and assistance during his term. He acknowledged the work of previous chairpersons and officer boards and reflected on a successful term for Fianna Fail in the region in Local, European and General Elections. He congratulated Dara Calleary TD on his appointment to the Cabinet and thanked Minister Calleary, Cllr Annie May Reape and Cllr Michael Loftus for their commitment and dedication to the area and the party.

Minister Calleary extended his thanks to Brian for his assistance during his tenure and wished the incoming chair and officer board well in their roles, assuring them of his co-operation. He reflected on a successful year since the formation of the government and highlighted a number of significant investments in Ballina during that time including the Ballina Flood Scheme which has been granted planning permission and will move to construction in early 2027, the advancement of the Ballina Relief Road which is scheduled to commence construction in early 2027, the construction of social housing projects at The Meadows (underway), the Old Duffys Bakery Site (starting in March) and the former Cheshire Home Killala Road (starting in April), and the opening of the Ballina Minor Injuries Unit (final stages of recruitment underway with a scheduled opening of April).

Minister Calleary paid tribute to Paul Bourke and the Let There Be Light committee for the sterling work they did on lighting Ballina up for Christmas, saying it was community spirit in action and confirmed that he has allocated 300,000 from his Departments Town and Village Renewal Scheme for the upgrade of the lighting infrastructure across the town. He also pointed to a number of challenges including the traffic issues in the town, affordable housing, the present issues being experienced with Inland Fisheries Ireland and proposed restrictions on the Moy, and outlined the importance of getting other projects such as The Quay redevelopment into a position to be ready to submit applications to relevant government departments for funding. He assured the meeting of his commitment to working with Mayo County Council and other bodies to bring such proposals to fruition.
One of Mayos newest solicitors was given a warm welcome to Ballina District Court last Tuesday.

Justin Kelly, who is a native of Kilkelly, was formally introduced to the court by solicitor Denis Molloy.

Mr Molloy said Mr Kelly has began practicing with Callan Tansey Solicitors in Ballina having completed his traineeship with Sherwin ORiordan Solicitors, a well-renowned Dublin-based firm.

He said Mr Kelly is hoping to specialise in medical negligence and personal injury law, adding that he will be a welcome addition to the legal profession in Mayo.

Court Presenter Gda Sgt Conor McShane welcomed Mr Kelly to Ballina on behalf of An Garda Siochana and said he was looking forward to working with him.

Ballina District Court Officer Manager Ailish McGuinness wished Mr Kelly a warm welcome back to Mayo on behalf of the local Court Services.

Judge Sandra Murphy said it was a great pleasure to welcome Mr Kelly to the court.

Were extremely proud of you for qualifying as a solicitor. It is great to see young practitioners taking up roles as solicitors now, she said.

I think you will find that everyone in Mayo works well together and everyone pulls in the same direction.

Mr Kelly thanked everyone for their kind words of welcome and said he is looking forward to working with them in the local courts.
In the summer of 2010, thats 15 years ago this summer, the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) was founded after a meeting of a small group of priests reflected on what might be done to raise the siege that seemed about to overwhelm the Catholic Church in Ireland. It was during the winter pontificate of Benedict XVI and the very elderly pope seemed defeated by a series of what appeared to be insurmountable challenges. Everything from the abuse scandals to the Vatican Bank and from one embarrassing crisis to another. Where, people began to wonder aloud, would it all end up?

The small group of disillusioned ACP priests reflected on the same issues and concluded that, even though we felt powerless in the face of such immense challenges, we felt we could at least provide a voice for priests. It was the least and possibly the best we could do. To light one candle rather than to sit and curse the darkness.

We set out more in hope than expectation. But to our amazement we discovered that in those dark days there was huge support for our plan. Our agenda, in essence, was to work for the implementation of the vision and reforms of the Second Vatican Council. The documents of that council, despite the occasional tribute paid to them, had been moth-balled. Effectively, they were more honoured in the breach than in the observance.

We publicised a meeting for priests in Portlaoise and to our surprise more than 600 priests turned up. In a matter of months that figure had expanded to over 1,000, about a third of Irish priests. We started a series of meetings which culminated in a meeting in a Dublin hotel with over one thousand people (priests and people) pondering possibilities for the future of (in Vatican Two-speak) A Peoples Church in Ireland.

We didnt attempt to establish an association that would represent the views of all Irish priests. That had been tried before and had failed dismally for the simple reason that priests views are many and varied. So our direct focus was on Vatican Two and its possible implementation.

From 2010 to 2013, the ACP sought to establish a voice for priests in Irish media and in building up the profile of the Association. In February 2013, Pope Benedict stunned the world by stepping down from the papacy and a month later one Jorge Mario Bergoglio succeeded him as Francis I. Both events enhanced considerably the prospects of the ACP. Soon Francis was making it clear that his agenda for the Church entailed implementing the vision and reforms of Vatican Two.

Suddenly, after the long, dark days of the pontificates of John Paul and Benedict when the dream of a Peoples Church progressively faded into the mists of history, it was as if a new dawn had broken. Suddenly, as one commentator memorably described it, the new pope had stolen the clothes of the ACP and everything now seemed possible.

On the crest of a wave, we asked to meet the Irish Catholic bishops but it soon became clear that while they were gracious in their approach, they distrusted our new-found excitement. Even though, at the Second Vatican Council, the assembled Catholic bishops of the world in a General Council of the Catholic Church had indicated clearly - specifically in the Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, No. 8 - that Associations of priests are to be highly esteemed and diligently promoted, the Irish bishops (it was said) presumably regarded themselves as a higher authority.

Shamefully the most we (ACP) achieved from the bishops was an offer to extend invitations to our representatives to visit Councils of Priests in the dioceses of Ireland to set out our stall for the Irish Catholic Church.

With my colleagues in the ACP, I visited a number of dioceses to do just that. We usually went in twos (as the biblical tradition has it) but on one occasion, visiting the diocese of Ferns, my designated colleague had fallen ill and I was on my own. It took me four hours to drive to Wexford where I was welcomed by Bishop Denis Brennan and his Council of Priests.

It was an interesting meeting. I presented the reasons for the founding of the ACP, the agenda agreed by our 1,000-plus priest-members, including our three proposals for combatting the now mathematically certain and imminent disappearance of Catholic priests in Ireland: ordain married men; welcome back priests who had left the priesthood to marry; and ordain women deacons.

I ended my presentation by suggesting that while the ACP had been founded in less promising times three years earlier, the election of Pope Francis earlier that year and his utterances in his first months in office were creating the possibility, even an expectation of real change. Indeed it could be said that if Jorge Bergoglio had been a PP in Ireland he would have been a founder member of the ACP!

Bishop Brennan asked me if I was suggesting that the ACP was now, because of Pope Francis, becoming mainstream. Most of the ten or so priests around the table laughed at the implied incongruity but I said, Yes, I was suggesting just that, on the basis that, for example with vocations, there was simply no alternative to significant change. Every priest didnt have to be a celibate but every Catholic had the right to the Eucharist. And if the Church decided to change the church-made rule on celibacy, the Church could and would do that, if it had to.

In fairness to the Ferns gathering, Bishop Brennans was a predictable enough response because until Francis became pope, anyone, particularly any bishop who suggested that the celibacy rule should be looked at would have their knuckles rapped by Rome. No one was allowed to mention the elephant in the room.

A week, someone said, is a long time in politics. And, for the ACP, the three years between the pontificates of Benedict and Francis was a long time in the Catholic Church, which is supposed to think in centuries. But, by the time of my visit to Wexford, it soon became clear that change was not just possible but as we know now regarded as inevitable as the Francis agenda gradually unfolded.

We know now that because of Francis 12-year pontificate, the ACP in Bishop Brennans words, has become mainstream and even though some may suggest that Francis has stolen some of our clothes, it was the very happiest of faults.

Fifteen years on, the dream is still alive.
Reading, PA (19601)

Today

Becoming mainly clear; brisk and bitterly cold with near or below zero wind chills. .

Tonight

Becoming mainly clear; brisk and bitterly cold with near or below zero wind chills.
Following the initial announcement on Jan. 11, many rushed to adjust positions on a prediction market on the amount of capital the ICO would attract. The rapid switch left many of these traders holding the bag.

"We messed up by announcing an extension, and we're correcting it," Trove Markets said, but not before causing chaos in prediction markets.

The announcement raised eyebrows, since the ICO was already at its scheduled end and oversubscribed, having raised over $11.5 million. Only minutes later, Trove Markets reversed the extension.

The Trove Markets team, which promised to do for collectibles what exchanges did for Bitcoin, first stirred confusion with a short-lived decision to extend its initial coin offering. The team on Jan. 11 said it was extending the ICO for five more days "to ensure a fair, high-quality distribution to real users and long-term community members."

The token crash marks the culmination of a launch that was already fraught with confusion and controversy.

"Its time for a class-action lawsuit against @TroveMarkets," another said . "My $20,000 investment with 9+ mil committed should have resulted in $14k USDC back and $6k in $TROVE. Due to the token GIGA nuking, they gave me in total $600 back."

"I put $10k into trove, they gave me tokens worth $3k at 20 mil FDV and just kept the remaining $7k??????" one claimed . "Just checked, my tokens are now worth $285."

Others have also taken to the social media platform to lament their losses.

"$TROVE is officially the first rug of 2026," another said .

"Textbook style rug executed by @TroveMarket," one user said on X. "Delayed ICO + TGE multiple times. Started token trading before distribution, allowing insiders/team wallets to frontrun sell before the market. Crashed the price to a 200k MC in 10 minutes."

The token, which launched at a market cap of nearly $19 million, was most recently at $153,000, an over 99% decline.

Cryptocurrency investors have accused proposed Pokemon cards perpetual exchange Trove Markets of a rug pull after its token crashed over 95% within minutes of its launch on Jan. 19.

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

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Meanwhile, amid the chaos, investors also flagged suspiciously timed Polymarket trades before Trove Markets initial extension announcement, raising questions about whether team members attempted to benefit from insider knowledge.

Fundrise isn't a newcomer to private markets. The company has been operating for over a decade and manages billions of dollars on behalf of hundreds of thousands of clients. Their venture capital offering was built specifically for individual investors, with low minimums, diversification, and a long-term focus on private technology companies that often remain private for years before going public. They are looking for investors with a $10 investment minimum.

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?

Sudden Pivot

As if the ICO situation wasnt bad enough, Trove Markets announced on Jan. 17 that it was launching on Solana instead of Hyperliquid, the blockchain on which it had issued its ICO. No reason was given for the switch at the time. It was also approximately 48 hours to the initially scheduled time of its token launch.

Compounding the situation, the founder of Trove Markets, known only as "unwise," appeared to admit to paying influencers for undisclosed ads on the same day.

When asked by prominent cryptocurrency sleuth "ZachXBT" about a $45,000 transfer from the projects angel round to an online casino, unwise hinted that it was sent to an influencer who had been promoting the project without disclosing any payments.

"@TJRTrades likes to gamble it seems," he said.

In the wake of the Trove tokens collapse, several other influencers have come forward, claiming they were offered similar deals.

Trove Markets admitted in a Jan. 19 statement to paying influencers for promotion, but did not disclose the nature of the deals.

Meanwhile, Trove Markets also rejected the idea that it had defrauded investors.

"We are not going anywhere," Trove Markets said. "We're still committed to building, and we're going to earn trust back through execution."

Read Next: Blue-chip art has historically outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, and fractional investing is now opening this institutional asset class to everyday investors.

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Fundrise

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Arrived

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Domain

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Image: Shutterstock

This article Crypto Investors Cry 'Rug' As Token Tied To Pokemon Card Trading Project Crashes Near Zero originally appeared on Benzinga.com

 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
High property taxes, expensive housing and rising everyday costs can quietly drain wealth in many East Coast states.

Even strong incomes can struggle to keep up when so much goes toward staying put. For those open to relocating, some states offer a better equation: Lower taxes, cheaper housing and more room to save and invest.

Here are six more affordable states for East Coasters to grow wealth.

North Carolina

North Carolina gives East Coast residents a way to slow the financial drain without radically changing their lifestyle.

While the states overall cost of living is 4% lower than the national average, per RentCafe, housing prices and property taxes are significantly lower than in Northeastern states like New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.

That gap means a smaller share of income goes toward housing and taxes, leaving more room for saving, investing and building equity. Continued population growth also supports job availability and long-term housing demand, reinforcing wealth-building potential.

Discover More: 9 States With No Income Tax  Lower Your Tax Bills by Moving to These States

For You: How Middle-Class Earners Are Quietly Becoming Millionaires  and How You Can, Too

Georgia

Georgia gives East Coast residents access to large job markets without some of the regions highest housing costs.

According to Realtor.com, median asking rents in the Atlanta area remain lower than in several major East Coast metros, including New York-New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, even if they are not the lowest nationally.

That relative rent gap allows residents to redirect money that would otherwise go toward housing into savings, investments or home equity, while still benefiting from metro-level employment opportunities.

Tennessee

Tennessee makes wealth-building possible by letting residents keep more of what they earn.

The state has no personal income tax, which immediately boosts take-home pay compared to most East Coast states. Housing costs are also well below Northeastern levels, and overall living expenses remain moderate.

Combined with strong in-migration and job growth, that lower tax burden and cheaper housing leave more income available for saving, investing, and building long-term equity.

Florida

Florida allows East Coast residents to grow wealth by eliminating one of the biggest ongoing drains on income: State income tax.

With no personal income tax, more earnings stay available for saving and investing year after year. While housing costs vary widely by metro, many parts of the state remain more affordable than Northeastern markets.
By Mariam Sunny and Bhanvi Satija

Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly signed an agreement worth up to $1.12 billion with Seamless Therapeutics, the Germany-based startup said on Wednesday, to develop and commercialize treatments for hearing loss using the biotech's gene-editing platform.

The deal will give Lilly access to its proprietary technology to design specially engineered enzymes to correct certain gene mutations linked to hearing loss.

These enzymes, called programmable recombinases, are designed to make large, precise changes to DNA at specific locations without relying on the cell's own DNA repair pathway.

Lilly would oversee the development from preclinical testing through to commercialization.

The deal is a "way for us to work with the platform, with a partner, but continue our own internal program," Seamless CEO Albert Seymour told Reuters in an interview. He said the company is open to similar partnerships beyond Lilly.

The company has raised over $40 million, Seymour said, adding that including Lilly's upfront payment, it was well funded to advance its first experimental drug to lab studies by the end of the year.

Lilly's $1.12 billion offer includes an upfront payment, funding for research and development, as well as future payments upon completing certain development and commercial milestones.

The drugmaker has been steadily building a pipeline of genetic medicines for multiple diseases, through acquisitions and partnerships, as it looks beyond its blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro for growth.

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Lilly shelled out $1.3 billion last year to buy Verve Therapeutics and develop gene-editing therapies to reduce high cholesterol in people with heart disease.

It also acquired Akouos in 2022 in a $487 million buyout to get access to its gene-therapy candidate for hearing loss. The therapy showed hearing restoration in children in an early to mid-stage trial in 2024.

(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru and Bhanvi Satija in London; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
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Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD) is back on investors radar after recent share price moves, with the stock showing positive returns over the past month, past 3 months and year. That performance now sits against softer revenue and net income figures.

See our latest analysis for Toronto-Dominion Bank.

With the share price at CA$130.42 and a 90 day share price return of 14.37%, recent momentum has been firm, while the 1 year total shareholder return of 64.64% points to a much stronger longer term outcome.

If TDs recent move has you thinking about where else capital is flowing in financials, it could be a good moment to scan beyond banks and look at fast growing stocks with high insider ownership.

So with TD trading at CA$130.42, a 14.37% 90 day return, softer revenue and net income, and an indicated intrinsic discount of 23.36%, is there still a buying opportunity here, or is the market already pricing in future growth?

Most Popular Narrative: 1.4% Overvalued

Toronto-Dominion Bank's most followed valuation narrative puts fair value at CA$128.67, slightly below the last close of CA$130.42. This frames the market as marginally ahead of that view.

Persistent investment in compliance (notably elevated AML remediation, cyber, and fraud prevention costs) is expected to drive higher structural expenses, weighing on net margins and overall earnings growth well into 2026 and 2027, as regulatory scrutiny and associated operational costs remain elevated.

Read the complete narrative.

Curious how a bank with shrinking forecast revenues and thinner margins can still land near fair value? The key is how earnings, payout, and valuation multiples are wired into this 7.2% discount rate model. The full narrative lays out those moving parts in detail, including what has to happen on profitability and capital returns to keep that CA$128.67 figure intact.

Result: Fair Value of CA$128.67 (OVERVALUED)

Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts.

However, if TD keeps growing digital and fee based revenue, or executes well on cost savings and capital returns, this overvalued narrative could be tested.

Find out about the key risks to this Toronto-Dominion Bank narrative.

Another Take: Multiples Point The Other Way

While the popular narrative sees TD as about 1.4% overvalued versus a CA$128.67 fair value, the current P/E of 10.9x paints a different picture. It sits below peers at 16.1x, below the North American banks at 11.9x, and below its own fair ratio of 13.1x, which suggests the market may be pricing in extra risk. The question is whether you think those concerns are justified.
Wits launches AMPLIFY to support first-year maths students

AMPLIFY will centralise the delivery of large gateway maths courses that are vital for degrees in Science, Engineering, and Commerce.

Wits has launched a new unit aimed at improving how mathematics and applied mathematics are taught and supported for first-year students across the university.

The new unit, called AMPLIFY, short for Academy for Mathematical Pedagogy, Learning, and Innovation for First-Year, will centralise the delivery of large gateway maths courses that are vital for degrees in Science, Engineering, and Commerce.

This is not just a project, it is a long-term unit designed to rethink how we teach maths at scale, says Abdul Hamid Carrim, Head of AMPLIFY and lecturer in the School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics.

The launch was marked by a full-day symposium at Wits Solomon Mahlangu House, with leading maths educators from across the country sharing insights on teaching and learning practices.

Every year, over 5,000 students enrol in first-year maths courses at Wits, but many struggle to adjust from school-level maths to the more abstract and demanding university content.

AMPLIFY is here to help them bridge that gap where they find the shift from school maths to university maths difficult, says Carrim. We're creating a space that gives students the academic and emotional support they need early  not just when theyre already failing.

The new unit brings together previously separate departments and courses into a single system, allowing for better coordination, shared resources, and more consistent teaching.

We want every student, no matter their degree, to have the same high-quality maths learning experience.

AMPLIFY will manage everything from course delivery and assessment to student support and staff development. It also aims to ease the load on lecturers by taking over administrative work, allowing them to focus on teaching and research.

The unit also hopes to tackle how new technology like artificial intelligence is changing education. AI has changed how students approach learning. AMPLIFY must be a space where we respond to that creatively.

At the launch symposium, guest speakers from universities around South Africa shared ideas on how to make maths more meaningful and effective. Topics ranged from bridging theory and practice, to the future role of technology in the classroom.

Carrim sees AMPLIFY growing beyond maths teaching. In three to five years, we want this to be a hub for STEM education innovation. Its a chance to rethink how large-scale education is done.

The initiative has been strongly supported by the Dean of Science, Professor Nithaya Chetty, and other senior university leaders. This is a strategic move for the university, says Carrim. Were building something sustainable that can grow and adapt with time.
(Reuters) - China has given the green light to three of its largest tech companies to buy Nvidia's (NVDA) H200 artificial intelligence chips, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters, marking a shift in position as Beijing seeks to balance its AI needs against spurring domestic development.

ByteDance, Alibaba (BABA, 9988.HK) and Tencent (0700.HK, TCEHY) have been approved to purchase more than 400,000 H200 chips in total, with other firms now joining a queue for subsequent approvals, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Chinese government is only granting approvals with conditions and the sources said they were still being decided upon.

A fifth source said that the licenses were too restrictive and customers were not yet converting the approvals to purchase orders.

The regulatory nods were granted during Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang's visit to China this week, one of the sources said.

China's industry and commerce ministries as well as Nvidia had not yet responded to requests for comment at the time of publication. ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent had not responded either.

Chinese government officials have told domestic technology companies in previous meetings that they should only purchase chips when necessary, Reuters has reported.

One proposal that Chinese authorities have discussed in the past would require each H200 purchase to be bundled with a set ratio of domestic chips, Reuters has also reported.

The H200, Nvidia's second most powerful AI chip, has emerged as a major flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. Despite strong demand from Chinese firms and U.S. approval for exports, Beijing's hesitation to allow imports has been the main barrier to shipments.

The U.S. earlier this month formally cleared the way for Nvidia to sell the H200 to China, where the company is seeing strong appetite. However, Chinese authorities have the final say on whether they would allow it to be shipped in.

It was unclear in recent weeks whether Beijing would grant approval as the government wants to balance meeting surging domestic demand for advanced AI chips and nurturing its domestic semiconductor industry.

Chinese customs authorities told agents that the H200 chips were not permitted to enter China, Reuters reported earlier this month.

But Chinese technology firms have placed orders for more than two million H200 chips, far exceeding Nvidia's available inventory, Reuters reported last month.

It remains uncertain how many additional companies will receive approval in subsequent batches or what criteria Beijing is using to determine eligibility.
Five workers were killed in a massive explosion and fire in the early hours of Monday morning at the Violanta biscuit factory near the town of Trikala in Thessaly, central Greece. Eight workers managed to escape with their lives, with six hospitalised with minor injuries. A firefighter was also taken to hospital.

The shockwaves from the explosion were so powerful that part of the building and its roof collapsed. The blast was heard up to 8 kilometres away in Trikala itself and in nearby villages. The ensuing blaze burned for hours as firefighters battled to control it, while relatives of the trapped workers gathered outside.

A view of the destroyed factory from above [Photo: Daphne Tolis/X]

Three bodies were recovered after 9 a.m., a fourth shortly after, while the charred remains of the final victim were not found amid the wreckage until late afternoon.

The five dead were identified as Vasiliki Skambardoni, 42, a mother of two; Elena Katsarou, 45, mother of a 13-year-old; Stavroula Boukovala, a mother of three; Anastasia Nasiou; and Agapi Bounova, whose identity was confirmed by DNA testing.

Violanta operates two production structures at the site. The explosion originated in the central section of an older factory building, located next to a newer and larger modern production unit that was not affected. Although the destroyed structure was a single building, the force of the blast effectively tore it in two, collapsing a wall and bringing down the roof.

The explosion occurred just before 4 a.m., during the night shift when 13 workers were on site. That there were not more fatalities was purely a matter of chance: normally around 30 workers are present during the night shift. Eighteen workers had been given the morning off to attend a company eventan annual New Years cake celebrationthat had continued late into Sunday night.

The blast occurred on the production line where industrial ovens are located, with preliminary indications that a gas leak may have triggered it. To Vima (The Tribune) reported: While there were no liquefied gas storage tanks in the destroyed building, officials have not ruled out a leak of propane, ammonia, or another flammable gas.

On Tuesday afternoon, the factory owner and two company officialsa shift manager and security technicianwere arrested. They will appear before a prosecutor on Wednesday. Among the charges are manslaughter by negligence, multiple counts of grievous bodily harm and arson by negligence.

Workplace accidents occur with increasing frequency in Greece. According to figures compiled by the Federation of Technical Company Trade Unions (OSETEE), 630 workers lost their lives at work between 2022 and 2025. Of these, 201 deaths occurred in the previous year alone, up from 150 in 2024.

These figures are far higher than government data, which is disproportionately low due to underreporting of workplace accidents by an estimated 30 to 40 percent. According to the latest figures released by the Greek Statistical Service (ELSTAT), there were 51 work-related fatalities in 2023only a fraction of the 179 recorded by OSETEE.

Because ELSTATs data feeds into Eurostats EU-wide statistics, the conservative New Democracy (ND) government has cynically used these figures to present Greece as a model of workplace safety. In a social media post four days ago, Deputy Labour Minister Kostas Karagounis falsely claimed that Greece ranks fourth in the European Union (EU) in terms of the lowest number of workplace accidents.

The surge in workplace deaths and injuries is the consequence of brutal austerity and the systematic assault on working conditions imposed for well over a decade by successive governments on the Greek working class, at the behest of the EU and International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the 2008 financial crisis.

Last year, a new labour law made Greece the first country in the EU to legalise a 13-hour working day, formalising the reality faced by many workers holding two or more jobs simply to make ends meet. With fatigue a major cause of workplace accidents, this legislation will only increase their frequency.

Long, hard hours are not unique to Greece but part of a global pattern in which profit-driven speedups, understaffing and the rollback of safety regulations transform workplaces into death trapsas seen in recent industrial disasters worldwide, from postal facilities in the United States to plantations and factories in Sri Lanka.

Demonstrating how little workers lives are valued by the Greek ruling class, many reports in the corporate media have framed the explosion as a tragedy for Greek entrepreneurship. The dominant narrative is that the disaster has damaged Violantas success story image of an emerging biscuit manufacturer pioneering the adoption of green technologies at one of its factories in Larissa.

According to Violantas website, company sales nearly doubled from just under 25 million in 2019 to almost 45 million in 2024. Over the same period, gross profit rose by nearly 60 percent to 14.6 million. Much of this growth has come from expanded exports, with Violanta products now sold in 6,500 retail outlets internationally.

The rise in profitability is directly linked to Greeces business-friendly framework, which enables the extraction of surplus value from the working class through intensified exploitation, low wages and systematic disregard for safety.

Violantas CEO, Konstantinos Tziortziotis, openly acknowledged this fact in a 2022 interview, when he ruled out establishing a factory in the United States. He complained that you cant find workers easily [there], primarily at a manageable cost. Its not possible to make money on investments like this over there.

Reports have already emerged that the factory in Trikala was unsafe, with a catastrophic incident, even a possible explosion, waiting to happen.

Speaking to Proto Thema (Lead Story), Dimitris Armagos, president of the Labour Centre of Trikalathe local branch of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE)stated that during the summer his union had participated in an inspection of the factory alongside the Labour Inspectorate.

During our visit, we identified issues and made specific observations, mainly concerning the emergency exits and the system for detecting possible LPG gas leaks used in the ovens. Armagos went on to absolve his union of responsibility for failing to alert workers about these dangers, stating, We documented and pointed out the problems we identified at that time. Beyond that, I do not know what happened.

Trikala is located only around 97 kilometres from the site of the February 28, 2023 Tempi Valley train crash, which claimed the lives of 57 mostly young people, and triggered protests even larger than those against EU-backed austerity. Large-scale protests are expected again next month to mark the third anniversary of the disaster, which was caused by privatisation and cost-cutting imposed on an already antiquated rail network.

Protests began in Trikala on Monday evening following the factory deaths. A 24-hour strike called by various trade unions comprising the Labor Centre of Trikala was held on Tuesday under the slogan: No more dead workers on the altar of profits. Among those participating were workers in various sectors, including from food industry factories.

Hundreds of residents, among them workers including a delegation of high school teachers, attended a march and rally in Trikalas Riga Feraiou central square Tuesday. Among the banners displayed were: Enough is enough! No other dead workers on the altar of profit, They talk about profits and losses, we talk about human lives, and Its not a tragedy, its a crime of the employer. Among the most chanted slogans as they marched were: Profits steeped in workers blood and They talk about profit and losses, we talk about human lives!

The Labor Centre of Larissa called a rally for Tuesday evening in Larissa, the regional capital of Thessaly and Greeces fifth-largest city, with a municipal population of over 164,000.

In its statement the GSEE declared: It is not acceptable, in the year 2026, for workers to lose their lives at work. Human life cannot and should not be treated as collateral damage of the production process.

This is nauseating. It was precisely the collaboration of the GSEE and the public sector federation ADEDY with austerity-imposing governments of every political stripe that produced the conditions in which such tragedies occur. In Greece today, employers can essentially do what they wantand get away with it.

Like an arsonist returning to the scene of a crime, Alexis Tsipras, Greeces former prime minister and ex-leader of the pseudo-left Syriza (Coalition of the Radical Left), asked on Facebook in response to the Trikala deaths: Until when will we mourn people who lose their lives simply trying to make a living?

The dire state of workplace safety today is inseparable from the betrayal of Tsipras and his rotten party. Syriza was swept into power with a landslide in January 2015 on an anti-austerity platform, only to junk it within weeks. Following the July 2015 referendumin which workers overwhelmingly rejected a third austerity packageSyriza swiftly agreed to a new austerity programme with the EU and IMF.

Over the next four years, Syriza imposed austerity measures even more savage than those implemented by previous social democratic and New Democracy administrations. The party privatised Greeces railway network, gutting safety standards and paving the way for the Tempi disaster.
Three months have passed since the explosion at Polymetals Resources Endeavor mine near Cobar, New South Wales (NSW), that killed workers Patrick Ambrose McMullen, 59, and Holly Clarke, 24, and left 24-year-old Mackenzie Stirling with serious injuries.

Fresh flowers adorn a memorial to workers killed at mines in Cobar

At approximately 3:30 a.m. on October 28, McMullen, Clarke, and Stirling were preparing a ballistic disc explosive device to clear a blockage of rocks when the device detonated prematurely. The explosion killed shift supervisor McMullen instantly. Clarke and Stirling were brought to the surface, but Clarke succumbed to her injuries. Stirling was airlifted to hospital in Orange, more than 350 kilometres away.

The incident rocked Cobar, where a significant proportion of the towns 3,500 residents are employed in the mining industry. McMullen, who left behind a wife and four children, and Clarke, killed at such a tragically young age, were well-loved in the community, a fact testified to by the combined attendance at their memorial services of well over 1,000.

Despite the passage of time, there is still no official explanation for the tragedy. The NSW Resources Regulator has released only a perfunctory interim report, raising more questions than it answers, and is not requiredor likelyto provide any further updates until the investigation is complete. Nor does the report make any recommendations to prevent a repeat tragedy at Endeavor or anywhere else.

Based on countless previous investigations by the so-called safety regulators, it could be years before any official findings are released. The final report will almost certainly be a whitewash, covering over the companys responsibility for the explosion and calling for nothing more than a token fine and a slap on the wrist.

Despite its insubstantial character, barely stretching to four pages, the lines of inquiry referred to in the regulators November 25 document indicate that the circumstances leading to the explosion were not unique to the Endeavor mine.

The regulators main areas of interest appear to be the ballistic disc explosives and the electric detonators used to set them off. Unlike many other mines, Endeavor was not using more modern electronic detonators, which have numerous safeguards against accidental detonation and are less susceptible to being triggered by electrical and radio-frequency interference.

Polymetals, meanwhile, has been allowed to proceed almost as if nothing has happened. The company began herding workers back to the mine within 12 days of the explosion on October 28. By November 15the day after a substantial proportion of the towns population turned out for McMullens memorial servicenormal daytime mining and milling operations had resumed, with full round-the-clock operation restored before the end of the month.

While the regulators own investigation is ongoing and ostensibly inconclusive, it allowed Polymetals to resume blasting operations on the basis of an internal review. Officially, this review also failed to determine the cause of the explosion, but was still used as a pretext for a full reopening.

However, in a December Quarter report published earlier this month, Polymetals noted of the review: While no critical deficiencies were identified, the Company elected to implement a site-wide transition from standard electric to electronic detonators as an additional precautionary measure.

While far from a definitive statement about the cause of the fatal explosion, this comment, along with the regulators interest in the electric detonators, does indicate the possibility that the investigations may not have been as inconclusive as is officially claimed.

Adding further weight to this possibility was the curious way in which the issue of electric detonators was first broached by the regulator. On November 7, a fact sheet on the Safe use and handling of electric detonators was quietly uploaded to the library section of its website. It contains no mention of the Endeavor explosion and was not issued as a press releasemeasures seemingly designed to ensure the regulators interest in the detonators was kept quiet.

Clearly, intensive discussions have taken place behind the scenes about what took place on October 28, not from the standpoint of preventing future deaths or informing workers of potential risks to their safety, but to minimise any interruption to profits for Polymetals and the broader mining industry.

The Polymetals report also notes that several staff resignations during November had contributed to reduced mine output, and subsequently been filled by contractor staff, suggesting that safety concerns and opposition to the rapid reopening may have prompted some workers to leave the mine.

Amid serious safety concerns among workers, their families and friends, as well as other Cobar residents, the profit-driven reopening has been enabled by a conspiracy of silence involving the unions and the corporate media.

Polymetals immediate response to the tragedy was to slap workers with a gag order, instructing them not to discuss the explosion or conditions at Endeavor, even with their own families.

The corporate media, after a flurry of activity in the hours and days following the explosion, had abandoned any serious coverage of the story by the end of the week. No major news outlet has reported the reopening of Endeavor, the companys resumption of blasting, or the regulators November 25 release.

The Australian Workers Union (AWU) and Mining and Energy Union (MEU), whose officials issued empty vows on the day of the blast to find out what happened and make sure that it never happens again, have not uttered a word since. Their silence demonstrates their agreement with the mine being reopened with the explosions cause unexplained and workers, at Endeavor and throughout the mining industry, therefore at risk of a repeat event.

The unions response to the Cobar tragedy is no aberration. These organisations have presided for decades over countless worker deaths and serious injuries in the mining industry. Together with the so-called safety regulators, the unions work to cover up the responsibility of corporations for industrial accidents as well as their real underlying causethe capitalist system and the subordination of workers health and lives to profit.

Above all, the role of the corporatised trade unions is to prevent any struggle by workers against the dangerous conditions they confront, just as they suppress the fight for real wage increases and job security.

Underscoring the phoney character of the unions and regulators claims to be protecting workers, in the three months since the Cobar tragedy, at least three more mining workers have been killed across Australia, including Jeff Palmer, at Mammoth coal mine in Queensland.

This poses the urgent need for mining workers and their families to take matters into their own hands. The truth about what happened on October 28 will only be uncovered through an investigation led by workers themselves. A rank-and-file committee of Endeavor workers should be established to oversee this. As a matter of urgency, such a committee should fight to reverse the reopening and insist that workers are paid in full for the duration of the investigation.

Such an investigation would have a significance that extends far beyond the Endeavor mine or the town of Cobar. Until the real cause of the explosion is conclusively identified and rectified, countless mining workers around the world could be at risk of a similar incident.

Moreover, workers in every industry, wherever they are in the world, are being placed in danger by escalating demands for stepped-up productivity, at the same time as their wages and conditions are under attack. Workplace deaths are the sharpest expression of the brutal demand of big business for ever-growing profits.

Therefore, the fight for a workers investigation of McMullen and Clarkes deaths must be part of a broader struggle for workers safety everywhere, and for a fight against the capitalist system itself.

The World Socialist Web Site and Socialist Equality Party pledge to provide every political assistance in this fight. This will depend on workers coming forward, breaking the gag order imposed by Polymetals. We urge workers at Endeavor and others in Cobar and throughout the mining industry to contact us with whatever information you have about the October 28 incident and safety in the mines. We will protect your anonymity from the companies, unions and government authorities.
In an act of political censorship, a collections committee at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) rejected buying a work by photographer-artist Nan Goldin last year because several committee members found her denunciation of the Gaza genocide offensive and antisemitic.

Nan Goldin speaking in Berlin in November 2024

The Globe and Mail carried the story January 21, and other media outlets have followed up with further information. The action against the Jewish-American Goldin led to the resignation of senior curator John Zeppetelli and two collections committee volunteers.

The AGO is one of the largest and most prestigious art museums in North America, with a collection of over 120,000 works. It already has three other Goldin works.

Nan Goldin is a prominent figure in the global art community. In 2023, she was described as the most influential person in the art world in ArtReviews Power 100 list of such individuals.

In her most widely publicized statement on Gaza, Goldin took the opportunity in November 2024 of the opening of an exhibition, This Will Not End Well, at the Neue Nationalgalerie [New National Gallery] in Berlin to condemn both Israel and Germany for their roles in the genocide in Gaza and its extension into Lebanon.

As the WSWS reported:

At the start of her 14-minute speech to a packed audience  Goldin called for four minutes of silence in remembrance of the victims of the conflict in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, as well as civilians killed in Israel.  Referring to her own Jewish background, Goldin explained that My grandparents escaped pogroms in Russia. I was brought up knowing about the Nazi Holocaust. What I see in Gaza reminds me of the pogroms that my grandparents escaped.

Later in her remarks,

Anti-Zionism has nothing to do with antisemitism she said to cheers, noting that the campaign to conflate the terms increasingly endangered Jews who had previously regarded Germany as a refuge from antisemitism.

Some months later, the AGO determined to buy Goldins video work Stendhal Syndrome with the Vancouver Art Gallery and Minneapoliss Walker Art Center.

According to Artnet,

Stendhal Syndrome, made in 2024, intersperses Goldins own photographs of friends and lovers taken over the last two decades with images of classical, Renaissance, and Baroque paintings and sculptures. It is named after the psychosomatic condition in which one faints or hallucinates when exposed to intense beauty.

However, what officials might have expected to be a formality, a meeting of the contemporary curatorial working committee to vote on the proposal to purchase the Goldin work, became the occasion for slanderous denunciations of the artist as an antisemite.

A more recent article in the Globe and Mail provided additional details. The new piece reports that it was philanthropic executive Judy Schulich who spearheaded the opposition to Stendhal Syndrome. Schulich apparently led off the discussion. She proceeded to describe Goldin as a liar and propagandistic and argued that committee members feelings were not included in the acquisition discussion.

An unnamed person in the meeting, the newly revealed documentation also shows, likened Ms. Goldin to Leni Riefenstahl, the controversial Second World War-era German filmmaker who was a major contributor to Nazi propaganda. The heated discussion that followed included support for Ms. Goldin from some committee members, who felt that refusing to acquire her work amounted to censorship, according to [a] memo.

The committee eventually voted 11-9 to not acquire the work, according to a source.

The Globe and Mail also notes that

Ms. Schulich is the executive vice-president of the Schulich Foundation, which bills itself as one of Canadas largest private foundations, and which was seeded by her father, the billionaire entrepreneur Seymour Schulich.  Between 2019 and 2024, she and venture capitalist David Stein jointly donated at least half a million dollars to the AGO, gallery records showoutside of the foundation, which has also supported the gallery.

Art Gallery of Ontario [Photo by Canmenwalker / CC BY 4.0

This is yet another desperate effort to suppress the truth about the Gaza horrors on behalf of the fascist Netanyahu regime and the global ruling elite, which backs the Zionist state to the hilt.

In an interview, Goldin told Artnet,

It seems that Palestine is a great exception that doesnt include freedom of speech, Goldin said in a phone call. We were told that it was one board member who shut down the sale, maybe there was someone leading the charge, not 11 people who voted against it.

Significantly, Goldin also explained the professional consequences of her speaking out against Israels crimes:

My sales went from selling very well with Gagosian [global network of art galleries] for basically the first time in my life to minimal sales for a while, Goldin said. There was a WhatsApp chain that committed to destroying all the artists that signed the Artforum letter. They committed to not buying us, not collecting us, not showing us, not reporting on us.

[The Artforum letter refers to a protest by leading artists, including Goldin, after the magazine in question fired editor David Velasco for publishing a pro-Palestinian open letter in October 2023.]

Goldin has continued denouncing the crimes taking place in Gaza and the region. At the Rencontres dArles international photography festival in southern France on July 8, 2025, she described the slaughter in Gaza as the first live-streamed genocide.

The artist told Artnet that Im Jewish. Ive always been Jewish. Im still Jewish, and its part of my Jewish learning to show compassion. She added, The idea that not supporting the policies of a nation can be called anti-Semitic is ridiculous.  Zionism isnt even a religious construct. Its a political one.

After the AGO capitulated to the pro-Zionist watchdogs, the Walker and the Vancouver Art Gallery went ahead with their part of the acquisition, and Stendhal Syndrome opened in November in Vancouver
The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) has called for an independent investigation, led by rank-and-file workers, into the recent deaths of US Postal Service workers Nick Acker, 36, in the Detroit area and Russell Scruggs, Jr., 44, near Atlanta. We urge postal workers to come forward with information about safety conditions at their facilities by filling out the form at the end of this article. All submissions will be kept anonymous.

USPS worker Keywan Glenn [Photo by provided by the family]

On the morning of April 22, 2024, the United States Postal Service (USPS) distribution center in Forest Park, Illinois, was the site of a devastating workplace tragedy.

Keywan Glenn, a dedicated 44-year-old postal clerk who had previously worked at the Chicago Transit Authority, suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while on the job. His death, and the circumstances leading up to it, expose conditions of extreme workplace stress andalong with many other tragic deathsthe systemic failure of emergency response within USPS facilities.

Keywan Glenn was the father of four girls and one boy: Kayla, Savannah, Kailani, Amara, and Keywan Lontee Glenn Jr., who was born after Keywan Sr. died. His fiancee, Princess Shaw, spoke with the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) this month about his death.

When I got pregnant, we didnt know, Princess said. It was a week after he had passed that I found out. Of course, I named him Keywan Jr.

Princess Shaw with their children [Photo by provided by the family]

Keywan was well loved in his community and was a leader in his local motorcycle club. He loved riding his Harley, she said.

Princess explained that she contacted the World Socialist Web Site to expose the conditions that led to Keywans untimely death and to encourage postal workers to fight for improved working conditions.

She told WSWS reporters that Keywan was under immense and sustained workplace stress in the period leading up to his death. He was often anxious about his employment at USPS, which was vital for supporting his family. His supervisor was a particular source of stress.

At the same time, she explained that he was generally very happy to be working at USPS. When he started working there, he was all-in, full of energy. When he was going from seasonal to full-time, and then got the shift he wantedhe was so grateful. He cared about his job, and he sacrificed.

On the morning of his death, Keywan said he was not feeling well and was experiencing nausea and weakness. He lay down for a while and later decided to go to work against the wishes of both his mother and Princess.

When he arrived at work, he still did not feel any better, but his supervisor brushed off his complaints. Nevertheless, Keywan decided to clock out and go home. He lost consciousness as he approached the time clock, where, Princess said, a supervisor instructed other workers not to help him until emergency medical assistance arrived. Princess said she does not believe that anyone present was CPR trained and that no AED device was available.

It took 1520 minutes for an ambulance to arrive at the Forest Park facility, and by then Keywan could not be saved.

The circumstances of Keywans death are strikingly similar to those of Russell Scruggs Jr. and Chris Montano, also a Chicago-area postal worker. Both men were USPS workers in their 40s who died of cardiac arrest while at work. These tragedies underscore the systemic failure of emergency preparedness and response at the agency.

Describing the pressure Keywan faced to work as much as possible and avoid any absenteeism, Princess said, These people think they are God with the way they think they can treat people. One supervisor in particular would call him, and I would hear him ask her, Why are you messing with me? Why are you picking on me? It was constant stress.

She explained that she contacted OSHA. I contacted them because I heard from another worker that there had been an investigation. They gave me the runaround. I couldnt get any information. Then I was advised to drop it.

When asked whether the union or USPS had offered any support, she said, None. All they have done is send his last check, which I still havent cashed.

Addressing coworkers and families of other postal workers who have lost their lives on the job, she said, I am so sorry theres not anything better in place. I am taking a stand here not just for my loved ones, but for yours too, to make sure the changes come that need to come.

Critical initiative led by the rank and file

On December 3, 2025, the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee issued a statement calling on all postal workers to come forward with information on the deaths of Russell Scruggs Jr., Nick Acker, and any other deaths or instances of unsafe working conditions.

The committee explained that its independent inquiry will collect testimonies, inspect machine lockout/tagout records, document the bypassing of safety features, obtain grievance histories and witness statements, and preserve photographic and video evidence.

Since the investigation was launched, USPS workers have exposed the extremely dangerous conditions prevailing in postal facilities. One worker suffered severe health problems while working during a construction project at her facility. After falling into a coma due to breathing particulate pollution, she was denied workers compensation. Management ignored her physicians work restrictions after the injury and later fired her.

The Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee stated:

Workers in postal facilities across the country report speedup, lack of safety procedures, inadequate staffing, and pressure from management to keep machines running instead of properly shutting them down for repairs. Postal carriers are facing job cuts and wage cuts, along with a draconian monitoring regime. Management, OSHA, and the union bureaucracy have repeatedly failed to protect us. Company-run investigations and advance notice of inspectors allow management to temporarily clean up plants before visits. Union officials are complicit or passive, leaving grievances unresolved and safety failures unchecked.

Fill out the form below to get in touch with the committee. Your identity will be protected.
Los Angeles County officials announced last week that they have effectively dismantled the joint city-county Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and transferred much of its authority and funding to a new Department of Homeless Services and Housing under direct county control.

A homeless encampment on a street in downtown Los Angeles [AP Photo/Richard Vogel]

The new department, officially launched January 1, 2026, consolidates homelessness-related programs that were previously spread across multiple county departments and LAHSA. County leaders claim the restructuring will increase accountability and transparency, improve coordination with cities and deliver better outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger summed up the official justification bluntly. Under the old arrangement, she said, LAHSA blames the county, the county blames the city, the city blames LAHSA. Now, accountability will end with the Board of Supervisors. Director Sarah Mahin, appointed to lead the new department, has pledged to focus resources on the most vulnerable people and on programs that we know work.

This language is familiar. For years, Democratic officials have responded to the explosion of homelessness with promises of reform, oversight and efficiency. Audits of LAHSA documented weak financial controls, fragmented oversight and poor data quality. These findings are now being used to justify a sweeping bureaucratic overhaul.

But the creation of a new department does nothing to address the social causes of homelessness. It does not create affordable housing, raise wages, expand social programs or reverse decades of austerity. It reshuffles administrative authority while leaving intact the capitalist system that produces homelessness.

Homelessness is the product of a brutal housing market, stagnant and declining real wages, precarious work, impossible medical costs and the systematic defunding of social programs. These conditions are the outcome of policies pursued for decades by Democratic and Republican administrations alike in the interests of property owners, developers, healthcare corporations and financial institutions.

The hollowness of the countys claims is underscored by the new departments draft budget. Even as officials promise improved care and coordination, the budget includes cuts of more than 25 percent to existing homeless services. These reductions are justified by expiring state and federal funding, rising costs and lower-than-expected sales tax revenue from Measure A, even as overall county revenues have grown.

In other words, the county is centralizing control while cutting services.

The restructuring comes amid growing public anger over homelessness that Democratic officials are seeking to deflect away from the capitalist system they defend. By framing the crisis as one of mismanagement rather than social crisis, they prescribe technocratic fixes while presiding over the dismantling of affordable housing, the erosion of rent protections and the treatment of housing as a profit-making commodity rather than a social right.

Central to this strategy is privatization. In 2025, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously, including the four members of the Democratic Socialists of America, to begin dismantling LAHSA and diverting funds into new agencies and private contractors.

As the World Socialist Web Site warned at the time, this created lucrative profit opportunities for private companies with little accountability or oversight.

Under outsourcing, social services for the poor are funneled through a maze of nonprofit intermediaries and corporate contractors. Public money flows freely, but democratic control and transparency disappear, producing corruption rather than efficiency.

The case of Abundant Blessings and its director, Alexander Soofer, starkly exposes this reality. Soofer has been charged with wire fraud and related state crimes for allegedly stealing more than $23 million in public funds intended to house and feed unhoused people. Prosecutors allege that at least $10 million was diverted to finance a luxury lifestyle, including a $7 million home in Westwood, designer clothing and private vacations, while residents were reportedly fed cheap instant noodles.

Last April, the City of Los Angeles also paid millions to Lincoln Safe Sleep Village for shelter beds that did not exist, exposing systemic fraud and lack of oversight in homelessness contracting.

These scandals are not aberrations, but the predictable outcome of outsourcing essential social services. Billions have flowed through nonprofit and private contractors with little serious monitoring. State audits have repeatedly shown that California spent vast sums on homelessness programs without tracking outcomes or properly accounting for the money.

More broadly, a bipartisan consensus prevails that there is always limitless funding for war, repression and policing, but none for social programs. This was underscored by the recent congressional minibus bill, passed with Democratic and Republican support, which allocates hundreds of billions for military expansion and the further militarization of immigration enforcement, while social spending is slashed or left to wither.

The state is increasingly relying on repression to manage the social consequences of inequality. The killing of nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis stands as a stark warning. It demonstrates how the state responds to social dissent and opposition not by addressing legitimate grievances, but by deploying violence and repression.

The real scandal is not simply the existence of individual fraudsters, but the political order that subordinates human need to profit. While unhoused people sleep on sidewalks, taxpayer dollars are siphoned into luxury consumption. Officials respond with ritual expressions of concern and promises of oversight, while leaving the underlying system untouched.

California Governor Gavin Newsoms administration has taken this logic further with a new framework for homelessness funding. To access billions in state dollars, cities and counties must now meet a series of bureaucratic requirements: updated housing plans, pro-housing designations, encampment policies aligned with state guidance, local matching funds and evidence of progress.

Presented as accountability, these requirements function as gatekeeping mechanisms. They delay urgently needed housing and services while homelessness continues to grow. Responsibility is shifted onto local compliance, while the structural drivers of the crisis are ignored.

Political responsibility lies squarely with Governor Newsom and the Democratic leadership in Sacramento. By treating homelessness as a managerial problem rather than a product of a profit-driven housing system, they shield landlords and developers from any accountability, worsening the crisis.

Homelessness exposes the complete bankruptcy of capitalist politics. Without massive public investment in social housing, strong tenant protections and the mobilization of the working class to assert housing as a social right, the crisis will continue to deepen. The Democrats accountability framework is a political ploy to allow homelessness to spread while protecting property and profit. Only a socialist program offers a way forward from the social regression capitalism is producing.
The Trump administration launched a massive immigration enforcement surge in Maine on January 20, 2026, unleashing a campaign of terror designed to intimidate immigrant and working class communities across the state. Cynically dubbed Operation Catch of the Day in a state well-known for its fishing industry, this offensive is part of a nationwide crackdown on immigrants, escalating in the context of mounting federal violence seen in Minneapolis following the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Photos of Renee Good and Alex Pretti are displayed at the scene where 37-year-old Pretti was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. [AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson]

To justify its campaign of state terror, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has constructed a fraudulent narrative, claiming its operation targets the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens who have terrorized communities. Those caught up in the dragnet include:

Yanick Joao Carneiro: An asylum seeker from Angola who was detained without a warrant during a routine immigration check-in at the Scarborough ICE office.

Jean-Pierre Obiang: An 18-year-old student at the University of Southern Maine and an asylum seeker from Gabon, detained after a minor traffic accident.

Micheline Ntumba: A mother and asylum seeker from the Congo, living in the US for nearly a decade, who was arrested after dropping her child off at Portland High School.

Sarah Mehta of the American Civil Liberties Union correctly identified the operation as being 100% a dragnet approach. Data from the Deportation Data Project confirms this assessment; of the nearly 100 people arrested in the initial days of the operation, the governments own incomplete list showed only 13 with criminal records.

As Mehta explains, the operation is a calculated strategy of targeting those convenient to inflate arrest numbers. The easiest people to go after are those the government already has personal identifying information about, she notes, including people that are checking in at their immigration interviews  people that are, again, lawfully here. This deliberate targeting of asylum seekers, students and workersmany of whom were complying with legal immigration proceedingsis intended to inflict the maximum cruelty and chaos to intimidate the entire working class.

A woman films a Homeland Security Investigations agent at a parking lot at Deering Oaks Park, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in Portland, Maine. [AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty]

Across the state, agents have engaged in a campaign of terror designed to disrupt daily life and create a pervasive atmosphere of fear. Tactics used by federal agents include:

Masked agents operating in high-traffic public areas, including a high-profile arrest in the parking lot of the Maine Mall in South Portland near the Hannaford and TJMaxx stores.

The use of unmarked minivans with out-of-state license plates to abduct people from the streets.

Forcibly entering homes without judicial warrants, a reversal of longstanding policy revealed in an internal ICE memo.

Smashing car windows to extract detainees, as occurred in the arrest of civil engineer Juan Sebastian Carvajal-Munoz.

Leaving detainees cars running on the street, which Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce accurately described as bush league policing.

On January 22, Associated Press published a video of an ICE agent seen on camera outside the front door of a resident of Biddeford, Maine. Cristian Vaca was warned, Were gonna come back for your whole family. Vaca, a native of Ecuador who says he has a work permit and an upcoming immigration hearing, told AP that he was terrified during the encounter and it made him concerned about his son.

Also in Biddeford, five-year-old Keyli Camila Espin Vaca was left at school after her mother was seized by ICE agents on Friday, January 23. Her mother was stopped in her car, where agents demanded documentation she did not have. Mayra Vaca Latacunga, a 25-year-old single mother from Ecuador and Camilas sole caretaker, was handcuffed and transferred to Massachusetts.

School officials escorted the kindergartner to her uncles house. Her mother was released Tuesday, January 27, with an ankle monitor strapped to her leg. Her family was afraid to pick her up at the Burlington field office and she had to wait for a ride to unite with her child.

The brutality of the federal operation has provoked widespread opposition from workers and community advocates. Grassroots resistance has emerged as workers and residents refuse to be intimidated. Anti-ICE flyers have appeared in shop windows across Portland, and protesters have gathered outside the ICE field office in Scarborough to demand an end to the raids. The Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition and other community organizers have worked tirelessly to create support networks, connecting families with legal counsel. Residents have formed support networks to deliver food and supplies to immigrant families too afraid to leave their homes.

The blatant illegality and violence of the federal operation have also drawn criticism from Democratic state and local officials, who fear the social explosion it is creating. The response from Maines Democratic officials is not a genuine defense of immigrants and democratic rights, but a calculated political performance. Their actions follow a well-worn national playbook: issue outraged press releases, hold press conferences to express concern, and demand information from the very agencies carrying out the terror. These are tactics designed to give the appearance of opposition, channeling popular anger into safe, institutional dead ends without obstructing the functioning of the federal state apparatus in any meaningful way.

Governor Janet Mills, the states leading Democrat, at a press conference January 22, adopted a posture of defiance, declaring, If they have warrants, show the warrants. In America, we dont believe in secret arrests or secret police. While making such declarations, her administration took no concrete action to use the powers of the state government to halt the raids.

The centerpiece of state Democrats supposed legislative defense, bill LD 1971, limiting state and local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, was exposed as an equally empty gesture. Mills own role was telling. She initially called the bill overly broad and confusing and only allowed it to become law without her signature in January 2026, after witnessing what she called ICEs unacceptable actions. She did not campaign for the law but was reluctantly pushed into accepting it by the very crisis she refused to confront. More fundamentally, the law is designed to be ineffective against federal power.

As the ACLU of Maine itself noted, As a state law, LD 1971 will not impact federal laws allowing federal officials to operate in Maine. It prohibits Maine police from assisting ICE, but it does absolutely nothing to prevent federal agents from conducting their own operations, abducting residents and terrorizing communities.

Moreover, laws such as this are no guarantee against direct collusion between police and ICE agents as was shown in Everett, Massachusetts, where a 13-year-old was transferred directly to ICE by Everett police in violation of well-established legal precedents that required them to release him.

The working class, whether immigrant or native-born, can place no faith in any section of the capitalist political establishment. The experience in Maine proves that the Democratic Party is not a shield against the far right, but a key enabler of its agenda.

Operation Catch of the Day is not an isolated event confined to a rural state. It is an integral part of a nationwide assault by the Trump administration on the democratic and social rights of the entire working class, directly connected to the federal escalation of state violence in Minneapolis and other cities.

The defense of immigrants is an essential and inseparable component of the struggle to defend the democratic and social rights of the entire working class. The working class must reject the nationalist poison used to divide it, and unite in a common struggle against the capitalist state and its apparatus of repression. Workers everywhere should take up the call of the Socialist Equality Party for the formation of rank-and-file committees that can coordinate mass action, defend those under attack, and lay the foundations for a general strike, that is, the complete shutdown of economic activity. This is the only way to oppose the entire state apparatusICE, the DHS, the police, the military which exists to defend the wealth and power of the capitalist oligarchy.
Nurses at New York Presbyterian Hospital

Now in its third week, the New York nurses strike has entered a critical phase. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) is moving to prepare a sellout deal, with concessions on wages and healthcare being made in talks over the past several days with management.

Reports indicate that NYSNA has reduced its wage demands at Mount Sinai, retreating from an initial demand of 30 percent wage increases over three years. According to press reports, the union is now proposing increases of 7 percent in the first year, 6 percent in the second and 5 percent in the third, for a total of only 18 percent.

The climbdown, coming as negotiations resume, would represent a major concession to hospital management, under conditions where nurses are already struggling with the impossible cost of living in New York City.

Over the weekend, NYSNA announced agreements with some hospital networks that they claimed would maintain nurses current healthcare plan. NYSNA hailed the announcement as clearing a major hurdle, describing the preservation of existing benefits as a victory. Previously, management had threatened to eliminate the plans altogether; nurses health insurance ended at the start of the year, even before the strike.

In reality, the agreement paves the way for significant cuts to healthcare spending. NewYork-Presbyterian says that trustees of the nurses health plan would form a committee to examine potential savings and programs.

This method essentially conceals future cuts until nurses will have already voted to approve the contract under false pretenses, leaving them without even a semblance of democratic control.

But nurses current health plans were already grossly inadequate, leaving nurses in the bitterly ironic situation of being unable to obtain medical care at the hospitals where they work.

These concessions are being made in defiance of NYSNA membership. Striking nurses should hold mass meetings and elect trusted nurses to a rank-and-file strike committee. Only through action from below will they be able to override these decisions, impose democratic control over contract talks and prepare for an expansion of the strike.

NYSNA bureaucrats are making these concessions at precisely the point where the position of the nurses is strongest. On the West Coast, more than 31,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses and other health care workers have launched a strike. In Minneapolis and around the country support is growing for a general strike against the ICE rampage, following the execution-style murder of VA nurse Alex Pretti.

What terrifies the bureaucracy is a movement of the working class which undermines their corrupt relations with the Democratic Party and with management. They see as their role the imposition of labor peace and imposing one round of concessions after the next.

This is why NYSNA called strikes at only 4 of 15 hospitals in the metro area, canceling strike action at other facilities even without finalized tentative agreements. And over the past three weeks, the bureaucrats have provided no strike pay to nurses on the picket line, as has historically been standard practice during a strike.

For example, strike pay at the United Auto Workers is $500 a week; and the UAW is also controlled by a bureaucracy which is helping carry out layoffs and supporting Trumps America First trade war. But NYSNA is not even giving workers that level of inadequate strike pay.

The purpose is to soften nurses up at the remaining four hospitals for the inevitable sellout. Without strike pay, nurses face intensifying financial pressures, forcing many to take on additional work and to forgo medical treatment and the purchase of needed medications. Union officials have instead directed nurses to apply for unemployment benefits.

According to the latest federal filings, NYSNA has over $101 million in net assets; National Nurses United, to which NYSNA is affiliated, has over $56 million. These resources, which come from nurses dues money, must be taken over by nurses and used to adequately provision their fight!

The strike should also be expanded, including to the 11 other facilities in New York City, and joint actions organized from below with other key sections of the citys working class. Nurses should establish lines of contact with the striking Kaiser nurses over social media to prepare national actions and to build a nationwide movement in defense of public health against Wall Street.

This movement must be independent of the entire political establishment. Governor Kathy Hochul intervened by authorizing hospitals to bring in out-of-state nurses to replace strikers, directly strengthening managements position. At the city level, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has claimed support for the strike, but has publicly called for a swift settlement, aligning himself with Hochul.

Conditions are emerging for a powerful national movement of the working class. The killing of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents has sparked protests and solidarity actions among healthcare workers, as well as growing support for the idea of a general strike. At the same time, the Trump administrations withdrawal from the World Health Organization highlights the subordination of public health to financial interests.

Preventing a sellout and sustaining the struggle now requires a break from the existing framework. The formation of independent rank-and-file organizations and the unification of healthcare workers nationallyincluding with the expanding strike at Kaiser Permanenteare essential to advancing a broader working-class struggle against the financial oligarchy.
The Canada-China trade agreement that Prime Minister Mark Carney reached with President Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing earlier this month has been angrily denounced by the Quebec separatist establishment. The Parti Quebecois (PQ) and its federal sister party, the Bloc Quebecois (BQ), have seized upon the modest trade agreement as a further argument for Quebec independence, and above all to signal their allegiance to American imperialism, now led by the would-be dictator Donald Trump.

The Trump administrations trade war and its threats to use economic force to transform Canada into Americas 51st state have caused the virtual collapse of Canada-US relations. Ottawas deal with Beijing to scale back their own tariff war represents a tactical maneuver by Canadian imperialism. It is aimed at diversifying Canadas economic ties, so as to gain greater leverage in pushing back against an increasingly belligerent Washington that is seeking to use Canadas dependence on the US market to extract economic and geopolitical concessions.

Ottawas limited rapprochement with China is taking place amid a concerted drive on the part of the Carney Liberal government to expand economic and military-strategic ties with the European imperialist powers, as well as Japan, South Korea and India.

The China trade deal in no way suggests a departure from Canadas previous imperialist alignments and alliances. With its insistence that any improved relations with Beijing must be within strict national-security guardrails, the Carney government has made clear that it remains committed to the US-led military-strategic offensive against China, including denying Beijing access to dual-use technologies. Just before embarking on his visit to China, the first by a Canadian prime minister since 2017, Carney participated in a coalition of the willing meeting in Paris to underline Canadas support for the continued prosecution of the NATO-instigated war against Russia in Ukraine.

Despite all this, the PQ leadership has denounced Carneys China trip and the trade deal in the most virulent terms. The PQ has accused Ottawa of imperiling Canadian national security and threatening Canada and Quebecs relations with Washington.

The PQ and its leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon are determined to demonstrate their alignment with Washingtons anti-China war drive, as part of their efforts to convince the Trump administration, and Washington and Wall Street more broadly, that an independent capitalist Republique du Quebec would be no threat to US imperialist interests. Indeed, they argue, it would be a more dependable and loyal ally than Canadian imperialism.

Even before Carney had set foot in Beijing, the PQ broadcast its opposition to any rapprochement with China and eagerness to work with Trump. It reprised the strident anticommunist rhetoric in which the fascist president and the US political and military establishments couch their predatory geopolitical agenda.

This PQ poster promoting its independence program shows a photo of its leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, superimposed on a map of Quebec. [Photo: St. Pierre Plamondon/Facebook]

In a January 12 social media post, PQ leader St-Pierre Plamondon denounced Carneys insane desire to suddenly forge an alliance with a totalitarian communist regime that already constitutes a threat to our national security, China. The postingcoming amid Trumps threats to launch a further US military attack on Iran on the fraudulent pretext of defending its people from repressionalso proclaimed the PQs support for the Iranian people in their uprising against a totalitarian Islamist regime.

The PQ elaborated on its opposition to Carneys China trip in an article written by PQ spokesman and legislator Pascal Paradis and published in the nationalist tabloid the Journal de Montreal the same day. It declared:

This visit occurs at the very moment when Chinese interference in Canada and Quebec is vastly documented and constitutes one of the most important threats to our security. This mission also takes place at a time when China supports Russia in its large-scale war against Ukraine, where the authoritarian Chinese regimea communist dictatorshipviolates the human rights of dissidents and Uyghur and Tibetan minorities, among others.

Paradis continued:

This dynamic now takes on another dimension if it is part of an endorsement of the Chinese regime and a rupture of cooperation with the Americans in matters of security and commercial exchanges: displeased with negotiations with the Trump administration, Mark Carney and (former Liberal Prime Minister) Jean Chretien are going to throw themselves into the arms of China, the United States main rival for decades and for the foreseeable future.

At a press conference at the Quebec National Assembly on January 16the same day that Carney announced the China trade dealSt-Pierre Plamondon doubled down on his attack on any thawing of relations with Beijing. He explicitly endorsed Washingtons characterization of China as a strategic threat, and went on to make clear the PQs alignment with the most aggressive elements of Trumps foreign policy.

While denouncing China for violating international law, the PQ leader excused the Trump administrations illegal January 3 military invasion of Venezuela, the abduction of its president, Nicolas Maduro, and the announcement that it was seizing the countrys oil wealth. Venezuela, he declared, is a country, a truly totalitarian and oppressive regime, that openly collaborated with China and Russia in the territory of the Americas. At the same time, St-Pierre Plamondon downplayed Trumps threats to militarily seize Greenland, and affirmed the PQs recognition that Washington has a legitimate interest in defending North America.

I work for Quebec businesses, declared the PQ leader, who according to the opinion polls is poised to become the provinces premier after the election slated for this October. There is no scenario where our Quebec businesses will stop doing business with our main partner, which is the United States. St-Pierre Plamondon expressed anger and dismay that Ottawa would throw ourselves... into the arms of the totalitarian communist Chinese regime to slightly increase our canola exports a few months before a crucial negotiation with the United States, in the context of which our businesses may face all sorts of other measures.

Speaking of US imperialism, St-Pierre Plamondon then affirmed, We are part of the same geopolitical team, adding, it is undeniable that we have shared security and foreign interference concerns.

Courting Trump in the name of Quebec independence

Under St-Pierre Plamondon, the PQ has spelled out a far-right agenda for independence based on an explicitly chauvinist, pro-big business agenda. In in a Quebec version of the fascistic great replacement conspiracy theory, the PQ claims that if Quebec does not vote to secede from Canada by 2030 it will be submerged in a sea of English-speaking immigrants.

St-Pierre Plamondon has made common cause with the far-right, pro-Trump Alberta separatist movement, and like them is planning to visit Washington in the coming weeks to solicit support.

Far-right ideologue Mathieu Bock-Cote (whose columns are avidly read by Quebecs nationalist political establishment) pointed to the political calculations behind the PQs courting of the Trump administration in the Journal de Montreal earlier this month: Are we not capable, he asked, of understanding that our membership in Canada is far more dangerous for our people than a cordial relationship with the United States?

Trump, he continued, is less closed-minded regarding the idea of redefining state borders. It is reasonable to assume that an independent Quebec, offering the U.S. a favourable energy agreement and serious military cooperation, primarily to ensure the defence of the North, could find a partner in Washington willing to recognize it.

The PQ sees Trumps openly imperialist and territorial expansionist agenda as an opportunity to secure American backing for Quebec independence. It is effectively offering Quebecs services as a willing junior partner in a Fortress North America. This includes assisting Washington in its efforts to redefine its relations with the Canadian federal state, so as to reshape Canadas economy and its borders to the advantage of Washington and Wall Street.

St-Pierre Plamondons declaration at his January 16 press conference that an independent Quebec would take a completely different approach, than Carney and the most powerful sections of Canadian capital, much more aligned with the prevention of foreign interference and the preservation of security in our region, represents nothing less than an offer to serve as Washingtons loyal sentinel on the north-east flank of North America as Washington prepares for world war with its principal rivals, China and Russia.

The PQs support for Trumps criminal foreign policy represents a continuation of decades of Quebec separatist backing for American and Canadian imperialisms wars and regime-change operationsfrom Yugoslavia and Haiti to Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. Previously, this was wrapped in the language of humanitarian intervention and democratic values. Today, the PQ is supporting American imperialism under conditions in which it is led by a fascistic administration that models its foreign policy strategy on Hitlers Third Reich, openly proclaiming its right to seize territories and plunder resources at will.

The PQ is aligning with a criminal regime that has:

*enabled Israels genocidal assault on Gaza and illegally attacked Iran, as part of a drive to impose a New Middle East through aggression and war;

*attacked Venezuela, threatened to take back the Panama Canal and invade Mexico and Colombia, andunder the so-called Donroe Doctrineasserted the right to seize assets and territories throughout the Americas to ensure US preeminence in the Western Hemisphere;

*threatened military action against Denmark, an ostensible NATO ally over Greenland;

*systematically dismantled democratic rights and the rule of law within the United States, as part of a drive to establish a presidential dictatorship.

War and escalating attacks on the working class are incompatible with democratic rights. As Trump declared at last weeks Davos summit: Sometimes you need a dictator. The Trump administrations drive to violently assert US global hegemony is taking place as Gestapo-type federal agents are occupying American cities, conducting illegal raids against immigrants and citizens alike, and even executing anti-ICE protesters. In Minneapolis, ICE agents summarily executed the poet and mother Renee Good on January 7, and Alex Pretti, a nurse, last Saturday.

The Quebec separatists efforts to court American imperialism under these circumstances carry a stark warning for the working class: the drive to war abroad is inseparable from war on workers at home. As the rapid turn of Canadian and Quebec establishment politics to the right since Trumps return to the White House has underscored, the development of the class struggle in Canada and Quebec is inevitably shaped by American developments.

In a climate of increasing xenophobia and anti-Muslim hysteria, the PQ has consistently positioned itself to the right of Quebecs ruling Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ), denouncing it for being too soft in its promotion of chauvinism and insufficiently vigorous in defending Quebecs national interests and values. The party has called for even more draconian restrictions on immigration, joined the CAQ in blaming immigrants for myriad social problems caused by capitalist austerity, and labelled asylum seekers, temporary foreign workers and international students an existential threat to the Quebec nation.

The PQs offer to serve as Washingtons loyal partner in Fortress North America is also a statement of intent for domestic policy: more austerity, the criminalization of strikes and dissent, and the whipping up of anti-immigrant hysteria to divide workers along national and linguistic lines and undermine democratic rights. An independent Quebec under PQ leadership would function as a garrison state, fully integrated into American imperialisms war machine, with the Quebec working class subjected to intensified exploitation and repression in the service of US imperialism and its Quebecois junior partners.

For the unity of the North American working class!

This does not mean, however, that the unravelling of the US-Canada economic and military-security partnership transforms Canadian imperialism or its federal state into any sort of progressive alternative to American imperialism or Quebec separatism. Insofar as the Canadian bourgeoisie opposes Trump, it is only from the standpoint of defending its own profits and privileges and its first right to exploit Canadas working class and abundant resources.

In a revealing illustration of the Canadian bourgeoisies predatory appetites, Carney told last weeks Davos summit that middle powers must act together, because if were not at the table, where the imperialist powers divide up resources, plunder and spheres of influence, were on the menu.

Canadian imperialism is determined to profit at the expense of its traditional rivals and erstwhile allies alike in the rapidly escalating repartition of the globe. Carneys reference to Canada as a middle power, rather than the imperialist predator that it is, is part of a concerted propaganda offensive by the Canadian ruling class to exploit popular revulsion against Trump and US imperialism to garner undeserved political sympathy, justify rearmament and the intensification of worker-exploitation and further divide workers along national lines. Workers in Canada must respond by forging unity with their class brothers and sisters in the US and internationally in struggle against imperialist war.

The resistance of workers everywhere is growing. Last Fridays demonstration of over 100,000 in freezing temperatures in Minneapolis is merely a harbinger of a prolonged period of mass struggles. The growing upsurge of the American working class poses with increasing urgency the fundamental question of unifying the North American working class in a mass industrial and political offensive against rearmament and war, austerity, oligarchy and dictatorship. This unity can only be forged in a political fight against all factions of the Canadian bourgeoisie and their various political representatives, including the Quebec separatists, who are desperately scrambling to reinforce borders or create new ones, while promoting nationalism, anti-immigrant chauvinism and other forms of political reaction.
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Photos of Renee Good and Alex Pretti are displayed at the scene where 37-year-old Pretti was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. [AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson]

Emerging evidence strongly indicates that the murder of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents on January 24 in Minneapolis was a targeted assassination carried out by the Trump administrations paramilitary forces in order to terrorize Minneapolis citizens opposing and recording its criminal activities.

According to a CNN report published Tuesday, Pretti was involved in a confrontation with federal agents about a week before his murder. The earlier incident started, CNN reported, when he stopped his car after observing ICE agents chasing what he described as a family on foot, and began shouting and blowing his whistle, according to a source who asked not to be named out of fear of retribution.

CNN added that Pretti told the source that five agents tackled him and one leaned on his backan encounter that left him with a broken rib. The agents quickly released him at the scene. That day, he thought he was going to die, said the source. The source added that Pretti was known to federal agents, according to CNN.

This revelation that ICE and CBP agents identified Pretti as an opponent sheds new light on what actually happened on January 24. The video shows Pretti intervening to protect a woman who had been shoved to the ground. He is then tackled and beaten, face down on the ground. One agent removes a legally carried gun Pretti had in his possession but was not holding. Another agent, who was not involved in the initial assault on Pretti, then pushed this agent away and fired four shots in Prettis back, as Prettis arms were pinned to the ground. That agent and a second agent then fired six additional shots into Prettis motionless body.

The murder of Pretti came just over two weeks after the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good. It is evident from the video of that murder that the shooter, Jonathan Ross, was acting like someone who was carrying out a job, deliberately placing himself in a position to fire on Good through her car window at point-blank range.

One revealing moment in the video of Renee Goods murder comes just before the shooting, when her wife says, we dont change our plates every morning  it will be the same plate when you come talk to us later. This shows both women knew they were being tracked. ICE and CBP agents, working with firms like Palantir, have been compiling lists of protesters and those filming their operations. A DHS memo obtained by CNN orders agents to collect license plates, IDs and photos of agitators for a centralized surveillance database.

Both Pretti and Good were acting as legal observers when they were killed, filming and documenting the actions of ICE and CBP. Their killings serve the specific function of intimidating those exposing the criminal actions of ICE and CBP agents. In this sense, the weapon that the agents who shot Pretti were concerned about was not a gun but a cell phone.

The response of the Trump administration to the murders, first of Good and then of Pretti, was not only the immediate declaration that those killed were terrorists but the elaboration of a fascistic theory that asserts the absolute right of the state to murder citizens.

Vice President JD Vance stated this openly after the murder of Good, declaring that the killer was protected by absolute immunity  he was doing his job. This is a chilling and entirely false statement. There is nothing in American law that grants government agents absolute immunity from prosecution for killing someone.

Vance claims that the agents of the state carry a secret designation that places them above the law and that they will not be held accountable for their acts. They have a license to kill. It is an extension to the agents of the state of the ruling of the Supreme Court in July 2024 (Trump v. United States) that the president is immune from prosecution from actions carried out as chief executive.

The principles proclaimed by Vance are not those of American law but Nazi jurisprudence. In justifying Hitlers dictatorship, the fascist theoretician Carl Schmitt developed the concept of the state of exception. According to Schmitt, Sovereign is he who decides on the exception. In the name of preserving order, the sovereign can suspend the law itself and replace it with the arbitrary rule of executive power. Legal norms are abrogated, rights are stripped and individuals are placed outside the protection of the lawwhat Schmitt called unmediated justice, in which the leader alone determines guilt and punishment.

According to this framework, those targeted by the state are treated not as citizens but as enemies, as homo sacer, (a Roman law term meaning literally sacred man but signifying the opposite, cursed man). They are individuals who are without legal protection and can be killed. The ICE operations, according to the Trump regime, take place on this basis. They operate, for all intents and purposes, as a death squad.

In these events, the real criminality of the Trump regime is revealed. Such a regime has historical precedentin the juntas of Videlas Argentina and Pinochets Chile and, above all, in Hitlers Germany and Mussolinis Italy. In each case, the transition to dictatorship was marked not only by escalating violence but by a transformation of the legal order itself.

Under these conditions, those now hailing the tactical maneuvering of the Trump administration over the past two days as a major shift are peddling complacency and lies. Nothing fundamental has been resolved. The Trump administration is not backing down, it is buying time, regrouping and recalibrating.

In reality, the so-called agreement between Trump and local Democrats in Minnesota amounts to nothing more than public relations cosmetics. Trump has made no commitment to withdraw federal agents. A leaked internal memo from Customs and Border Protection, posted by journalist Ken Klippenstein, makes the real situation clear: The deployment to Minneapolis is steady state and expected to continue as planned.

Superficial changes have been accompanied by new outrages. On Tuesday, a video circulated on social media showing a federal immigration agent in Minnesota threatening to murder a resident: If you raise your voice, the agent said, I will erase your voice. The same day, ICE agents attacked protesters in Eugene, Oregon, and they are presently carrying out a terror campaign in Maine.

Representative Ilhan Omar was attacked during a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday night, when a man rushed the stage and sprayed her with an unknown substance. The assault followed a fascistic tirade by Donald Trump at a rally in Iowa, where he singled out Omar by name and denounced immigrants rounded up in Minnesota as hardened, vicious, horrible criminals.

The peace proclaimed by the Democrats with Trump is directed not at constraining the fascist threat but at suppressing popular opposition. Former President Barack Obama summed it up when he urged the administration to work constructively with Walz and Frey to avert more chaos. What does Obama mean by chaos? Not the murders of Alex Pretti or Renee Nicole Good. Not mass roundups, indefinite detention or the suspension of constitutional rights. Chaos is the eruption of resistance from below. The Democratic Partys overriding concern is to stabilize the state and preserve the illusion of a functioning two-party system.

Trumps conspiracy for dictatorshipof which the events in Minneapolis are only one componentis continuing. The president speaks and acts as the representative of the capitalist oligarchy, which, confronted with an escalating series of economic, political and social crises, is breaking with all democratic and legal norms. The Democrats role is to conceal this fact, to chloroform the population and to block the emergence of any independent movement from below.

Any celebrations of a victory in Minneapolis are naive, premature and unwarranted. The so-called tactical retreat is a maneuver. The danger of dictatorship has not receded, it is intensifying. The federal occupation of Minneapolis continues, and there will be new attacksnot just in Minnesota but throughout the country.

The developments of the past month have shown that no opposition to Trumps dictatorship can be waged through maneuvers within the state apparatus. It can be stopped only through the development of a conscious, organized movement of the working class, armed with a socialist program, fighting not just against Trump but against the capitalist system that has produced him. The work of building this movementthrough the formation of rank-and-file committees, the mobilization of workers across industries and the development of a general strikemust go forward.
Jan 28 (Reuters) - China has given the green light to three of its largest tech companies to buy Nvidia's H200 artificial intelligence chips, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters, marking a shift in position as Beijing seeks to balance its AI needs against spurring domestic development.

ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent have been approved to purchase more than 400,000 H200 chips in total, with other firms now joining a queue for subsequent approvals, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Chinese government is only granting approvals with conditions and the sources said they were still being decided upon.

A fifth source said that the licenses were too restrictive and customers were not yet converting the approvals to purchase orders.

The regulatory nods were granted during Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang's visit to China this week, one of the sources said.

China's industry and commerce ministries as well as Nvidia had not yet responded to requests for comment at the time of publication. ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent had not responded either.

Chinese government officials have told domestic technology companies in previous meetings that they should only purchase chips when necessary, Reuters has reported.

One proposal that Chinese authorities have discussed in the past would require each H200 purchase to be bundled with a set ratio of domestic chips, Reuters has also reported.

The H200, Nvidia's second most powerful AI chip, has emerged as a major flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. Despite strong demand from Chinese firms and U.S. approval for exports, Beijing's hesitation to allow imports has been the main barrier to shipments.

The U.S. earlier this month formally cleared the way for Nvidia to sell the H200 to China, where the company is seeing strong appetite. However, Chinese authorities have the final say on whether they would allow it to be shipped in.

It was unclear in recent weeks whether Beijing would grant approval as the government wants to balance meeting surging domestic demand for advanced AI chips and nurturing its domestic semiconductor industry.

Chinese customs authorities told agents that the H200 chips were not permitted to enter China, Reuters reported earlier this month.

But Chinese technology firms have placed orders for more than two million H200 chips, far exceeding Nvidia's available inventory, Reuters reported last month.

It remains uncertain how many additional companies will receive approval in subsequent batches or what criteria Beijing is using to determine eligibility.
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Latin America

Peruvian oil-workers hold 72-hour protest strike

On Monday, January 19, Peruvian oil workers launched a 72-hour protest strike at the state-owned Petroperu. The principal demand was the derogation of a government decreefrom the Jeri administrationthat seeks to break up Petroperu, in order to privatize it bit by bit.

The government justifies the partial privatization citing the need to pay down debt. Workers charge that the privatization will lead to the destruction of 1,500 jobs and to increases in fuel prices.

A peaceful protest march in the city of Lima on the first day of the walkout was assaulted by the police.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil sanitation workers strike over deadly working conditions

Scores of part-time urban cleaning employees in the city of Belo Horizonte went on strike January 19, against the cleaning contractor Sistemma Servicos Urbanos. At issue was the life-threatening sanitary and working conditions that they deal with each day. The walkout lasted three days. In addition to physical injuries, at least two sanitation workers perished from COVID-19 in 2021. Many workers also are affected by the high daily temperatures in this tropical municipality, with annual high temperatures that reach 101 degrees F (38.4 C) on average.

Sanitation workers have been fighting for medical insurance since 2013.

In addition to dangerous working conditions in the streets of this city of 2.7 million inhabitants, workers also denounced being forced to use outdated trucks and cleaning equipment, exhausting work, the lack of health insurance and delayed payments for severance and retirement.

The Belo Horizonte municipal administration blamed the bad conditions on the subcontractor, but refused to take any meaningful action.

Chilean mining supply workers strike

Five hundred workers employed by the Canadian firm Finning, which delivers mining supplies and equipment, went on strike on January 20. The workers denounced the firm for wage discrimination relative to other employees at the firm. The strike impacted copper mines in the Antofagasta region of Chile, near the Peruvian border, and lasted seven days.

We are simply fighting to have the same wages and benefits as other workers at the firm, declared a striking worker.

The strike was broadly supported by the workers in the Antofagasta region, including the miners. Educators carried out a sympathy strike on January 24.

Initially, Finning responded by flying in supplies with helicopters. When this became untenable, the company negotiated with the strikers. The negotiated settlement granted workers a US$100 raise and US$14,000 sign-in bonus to be paid in 10 days.

United States

US Foods drivers and warehouse workers grant strike authorization

The 135 drivers and warehouse workers at the US Foods distribution center in Indiana voted January 22 by a 98 percent margin to strike unless the second largest US food distributor and Fortune 500 company produces an acceptable offer. Workers are making an array of demands for better wages, benefits, job protection measures and safer working conditions.

Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach stated in a press release, [O]ur members will not work a second past the expiration of this agreement on January 30. The union said there will be no contract extensions.

US Foods operations comprise some 30,000 employees. The Teamsters represent more than 5,500 workers nationwide, but the union signs separate contracts that entail different contract expiration dates, thereby frustrating united action.

US Foods CEO David Flitman raked in a total compensation package in 2024 of $11.25 million.

Rockford, Illinois teachers grant strike authorization

Some 1,400 teachers in the Rockford, Illinois public schools district voted January 24 by an overwhelming margin to grant strike authorization after turning down district negotiators most recent offer. The Rockford Public Schools (RPS 205) is offering a 4 percent annual wage increase and a $700 ratification bonus.

The Rockford Education Association (REA) says that teachers want a much higher signing bonus, step increases, better benefits and retroactive pay as well.

The REA has not given the 10-day strike notice, required by law, to the district. Were not planning on striking in ten days, REA president Claudia Marshall told WTVO/WQRF. We are hoping to get back to the table with the district.

Marshall indicated that a strike would probably not occur until at least late February.

Canada

Faculty strike shuts down classes at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario

Some 700 tenure-track faculty, limited-term faculty, master lecturers, librarians, seasonals, clinicians and professional staff are in the second week of their strike at Laurentian University based in Sudbury, Ontario. All classes, labs and online learning programs have been suspended. The university, with some 9,000 students, is a major bilingual (English/French) university and a key provider of online distance education throughout northern Ontario and beyond.

In the current Sudbury strike, the workers, members of the Laurentian University Faculty Association, are fighting for improvements in working conditions, bargaining rights and pension control. With significant cuts in financial support from the right-wing provincial government of Premier Doug Ford decimating post-secondary education, the faculty at Laurentian were forced into significant concessions in 2021 through the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) enacted by the provincial legislature.

At that time, the insolvency process at the university imposed a four-year contract on faculty that included job and salary cuts, increased workloads and changes to the pension plan, which mandated limits on the union even bargaining on its pension plan until 2038. In late 2025, the faculty union began a Charter of Rights court challenge to allow it to negotiate for pension plan improvements during collective bargaining. With the recent expiration of the universitys insolvency period, faculty are now fighting to reverse all the brutal concessions contained in the last imposed contract.

Mirroring the increasing attacks on basic democratic rights to strike and demonstrate, in the first week of picketing, contingents of the universitys security personnel harassed strikers, students and community supporters on the picket line and at a major rally. Security personnel were demanding individuals provide them with their names and email addresses. People carrying signs supporting the strikers at the rally were accosted. Students who had erected signs in windows on the campus were told to take down the signs.

The Laurentian strike follows on from bitter struggles by thousands of Ontario community college workers this past fall against the Conservative provincial governments ongoing program to slash 10,000 jobs from the education network provincewide. In addition, a militant three-week strike by some 50,000 public school teachers in Alberta was crushed last October by government anti-strike legislation in that province.
The Trump administrations invasion of Venezuela and his threats to bomb Iran, and the strike movement in Minneapolis against its extrajudicial murders of US citizens in occupied cities, is relentlessly unmasking political tendencies. The outbreak of imperialist wars and class struggle is exposing the bankruptcy of the organizations that have predominated in what capitalist media promoted as the left for decades.

France Unbowed (LFI), the populist party of Jean-Luc Melenchon that formed the New Popular Front (NFP) with the bourgeois Socialist Party (PS), the Stalinist French Communist Party (PCF), the Greens and the Pabloite New Anticapitalist Party (NPA), does not offer a revolutionary perspective for a struggle against imperialism. Ignoring the mobilisation of US workers in Minneapolis, LFI is aligning itself with French imperialism. It is backing attempts by Paris to find a new understanding with Washington, despite the explosive crisis in US-European relations provoked by Trumps designs on Greenland.

Last week, when Macron refused to give the $1 billion Trump was demanding to participate in his peace council, which is supposed to administer the genocide in Gaza, Trump published WhatsApp messages that Macron had sent him. The Elysee presidential palace then confirmed that the texts from Macron were indeed authentic. In them, Macron applauded Trumps foreign policy and begged to organize a meeting with Trump in Paris. Macron wrote:

My friend, we are totally aligned in Syria. We can accomplish great things in Iran. I dont understand what youre doing in Greenland. Lets try to build great things: (1) I can organize a G7 meeting after Davos in Paris on Thursday afternoon. I can invite the Ukrainians, the Danes, the Syrians, and the Russians to the margins. (2) Lets have dinner together in Paris on Thursday before you return to the USA. Emmanuel.

By publishing Macrons sycophantic text, Americas fascist president demolished Paris pretensions to a foreign policy fundamentally different from his own. Ignoring the plundering of Venezuela, Macron endorsed Trumps threats to bomb Iran and applauded his policy in Syria, a country whose president Trump had received in Washington before he launched a bloody offensive against the Kurds. And Macron, who has praised Israeli leaders and cracked down on pro-Gaza protests in France, is no opponent of genocide in Gaza.

Indeed, Paris, the French banks and the CAC-40 (French stock exchange) hope to plunder Venezuelan and Iranian oil and obtain a large share of the spoils of a redivision of the world that the imperialist powers are trying to carry out, despite the growing rivalries between them.

Indeed, Macron had also welcomed Trumps invasion of Venezuela, writing on X: The Venezuelan people are now rid of the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro and can only rejoice. Cynically trying to pass off as a liberation Trumps unprovoked invasion of a country to plunder its oil, Macron added: The coming transition must be peaceful, democratic and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people.

What was the LFIs reaction to this revelation of Macrons political criminality and cowardice? After Trump published Macrons text message, LFI sent the leader of its faction in the National Assembly, Mathilde Panot, on public France Info television to defend Macron.

Emmanuel Macron is absolutely right to refuse to join this Gaza Council, Panot said. Attempting to portray the French government as a courageous opponent of Trump, she added: Capitulating to Trump, giving in to Trump is useless. So we have to stand firm.

Panot then set herself up as a defender of Macrons honor. Taking offense at Trumps publication of the private text messages Macron had sent Trump behind the backs of the French people, she added: We do not accept that our country and the president, as hated as he is, are humiliated in this way internationally.

On the content of Macrons text message, however, Panot did not criticize his support for Trumps wars of plunder. She only worried that Macrons subservience to a US president who is hated across Europe would stoke social anger. She complained: Emmanuel Macron seems to be continuing on a strategy where he thinks that by being sycophantic enough towards Donald Trump, Donald Trump could change his attitude.

These comments expose LFIs pro-imperialist class orientation. While LFI is endlessly denounced in the far-right or pro-Macron press, its role is above all determined by its populist hostility to the class struggle. The parties and union bureaucracies that LFI has gathered into the NFP aim to stifle or, if that is impossible, to channel the class struggle on the national stage, as workers saw with the union leaderships sellout of mass strikes against Macrons overwhelmingly unpopular pension cuts in 2023.

Minneapolis workers are mobilising and striking against the unlawful executions of US citizens by ICE, Trumps fascist anti-immigrant police. But LFI does not aim to mobilise workers in France against a hated president, against neocolonial wars and in solidarity with US workers. LFI defends Macrons left flank, while Macron declares himself a friend of a fascist US president who is sending troops to occupy US cities and oppress the American population.

The decisive question posed to workers by the bankruptcy of LFI is how to fight imperialist war, fascism and the dictatorship of the capitalist oligarchy. A decisive question must be posed to workers and youth: the need to break the grip of the New Popular Front bureaucracies on the class struggle and unleash the energy of the immense workers opposition simmering in France and internationally.

This requires the independent mobilisation of workers from below and the building of rank-and-file action committees in the working class. These would serve to remove control of the organisation of struggles from the union bureaucracies, linked in France to the NFP. The mobilisation of the yellow vests has already shown in an embryonic way how such powerful social movements can be built independently of the bureaucracies.

It is now a question of building such a mobilisation in the working class, to coordinate a movement of strikes and social protests to stop the imperialist wars and social attacks on the working class and bring down the capitalist dictatorships in formation.

This raises the need for a reorientation of politically advanced layers of workers and youth on the basis of Permanent Revolution, the Trotskyist perspective advocated by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and its French section, the Parti de legalite socialiste.

World imperialist war, fascism and genocide are not minor blemishes in an otherwise healthy capitalist system that needs to be refounded through trade union struggles in unity with bourgeois organisations like the French PS. They are the signs of a mortal crisis of capitalism, like the crimes of the Hitler regime at the founding of the Fourth International in 1938, the year before the outbreak of World War II. They call for a revolutionary strategy. Democracy and social rights can only be defended through an international struggle for workers power and socialist revolution.

The fact that Panot is covering for the politically criminal discussions between Macron and Trump is a warning about the counterrevolutionary role of the NFP and all the organisations that have oriented to it and the necessity of building the ICFI as the revolutionary alternative for the working class.
By Naveen Thukral and Ella Cao

SINGAPORE/BEIJING, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Chinese importers secured up to 10 Canadian canola cargoes following Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to Beijing earlier this month, two trade sources told Reuters, easing supply tightness and potentially displacing Australian exports.

Canadian canola is expected to be shipped between February and April, two traders with direct knowledge of the deals said. Each cargo is of around 65,000 metric tons.

Ten cargoes, or around 650,000 metric tons, represent over 10% of China's canola imports in 2024 and about 26% of its total imports last year.

"It is easy to get Canadian canola into the Chinese market. Crushers have gone ahead and booked these cargoes," said one of the sources at an international agricultural company.

The traders asked not to be named because they were not authorised to speak publicly on the issue.

During Carney's visit to Beijing, China and Canada reached an initial trade deal that would cut tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for lower levies on Canadian canola.

Canola, or rapeseed, is crushed to produce cooking oil and other products. The protein-rich meal left behind in the crushing process is used as livestock feed.

CHINA'S CANOLA CRUSHING INDUSTRY CAME TO A HALT

China imposed preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola in August last year. It then resumed purchases of Australian canola that were halted after it imposed biosecurity curbs that derailed trade in 2020.

State-owned COFCO bought about 500,000 tons of Australian canola in recent months, raising the hopes of Australian farmers that more purchases would follow.

The two Australian cargoes that have reached China have yet to be processed, leaving China's vast canola crushing industry at a halt for the first time in years.

"We are not sure what is happening to Australian cargoes as the first cargo that arrived in China has yet to be crushed," said the source.

(Reporting by Naveen Thukral and Ella Cao; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Barbara Lewis)
By Harshita Mary Varghese and Patrick Wingrove

Jan 28 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk spent nearly $500 million on U.S. advertising for its GLP-1 drugs Wegovy and Ozempic in the first nine months of 2025, more than double what Eli Lilly shelled out for its rival medicines, as the Danish drugmaker fought for market share, data seen by Reuters shows.

The data from advertising tracking firm MediaRadar, which has not been previously reported, shows Novo spent an estimated $316 million advertising its weight-loss drug Wegovy in the U.S. and $169 million on diabetes medication Ozempic from January through September last year. That's up 54% and 44%, respectively from the same period in 2024.

Indianapolis-based market leader Eli Lilly spent about $131 million advertising obesity treatment Zepbound in the same period versus $2 million in 2024. It spent $83 million promoting diabetes medicine Mounjaro.

Combined, Novo spent about $487 million and Lilly an estimated $214 million on U.S. ads for these drugs. The companies declined to comment on their advertising budgets.

It is not known how much Novo plans to spend on advertising its new pill version of Wegovy.

David Moore, Novo's executive vice president of U.S. operations, said the company plans to advertise the pill immediately and push sales through its cash-pay, direct-to-consumer channels.

Insurance coverage in the U.S. is uneven for these drugs, prompting many people to pay outofpocket for them.

ADVERTISING BLITZ REFLECTS AMPLE SUPPLY

The U.S. is unusual in allowing directtoconsumer advertising of prescription medicines, a system that has been criticized as driving up already high U.S. medical costs.

AbbVie, for example, spent more than $850 million in advertising for arthritis drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq in the first nine months of 2025. AbbVie declined to comment.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have tried to discourage drugmaker advertising with new disclosure rules.

Last year's advertising blitz reflects a shift in availability for the medicines that were in shortage for much of 2024, with the companies unable to meet unprecedented demand.

During the shortage, Novo halted its ads and then ramped them up in 2025 as supply increased, Moore said.

Also, data released by Lilly in late 2024 showed patients taking Zepbound lost 47% more weight than those who were given Wegovy in a large, head-to-head trial.

"When it comes to weight loss, Lilly has that edge with Zepbound, which is why, likely, Novo is looking to offset that with higher advertising investments," Rajiv Leventhal, senior analyst for digital health at market research firm Emarketer.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in China, beginning a three-day visit aimed at strengthening dialogue with Beijing on trade, investment, and national security, Azernews reports, citing BBC.

On Thursday, Starmer is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, marking one of the most significant UK-China diplomatic engagements in recent years.

Following talks in the capital, the Prime Minister will travel to Shanghai, where he will participate in a series of meetings with British and Chinese business leaders. He will be accompanied by Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle and Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby, underscoring the economic focus of the visit.

After concluding his engagements in China, Starmer will continue his Asia tour with a visit to Japan, where he is set to meet the countrys new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, in Tokyo.

The visit comes against the backdrop of stark economic contrasts between the two countries. Last year, the UKs gross domestic product (GDP) stood at approximately $4 trillion (2.9 trillion), compared with Chinas $20 trillion economy. Growth rates also differ significantly: the UK expanded by around 1.5% in 2025, while Beijing reports 5% economic growth. Analysts note, however, that such disparities are typical when comparing a mature, highly developed economy with one still undergoing structural expansion.

Beyond headline figures, deeper differences shape the bilateral relationship. Chinas vast manufacturing base and its dominance in the global rare earths supply chain contrast sharply with the UKs service-oriented economy. The two nations also operate under fundamentally different economic models, with Chinas socialist market economy blending state planning with market mechanisms, while the UK remains a largely liberal market economy.

Starmers visit is further complicated by the need to carefully balance relations with the United States, as trade tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to escalate. Last week, US President Donald Trump warned that he could impose 100% tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa pursued deeper trade ties with China. The warning followed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneys visit to Beijing, where he announced a new strategic partnership and plans to reduce tariffs.

Amid these developments, Starmer has reiterated that the UK will not be forced to choose between China and the United States. He emphasized that Britain would maintain close ties with Washington on business, security, and defence, while also arguing that disengaging from China would be impractical.

Sticking your head in the sand and ignoring China wouldnt be sensible, Starmer said, highlighting Londons intent to pursue a pragmatic and balanced foreign economic policy in an increasingly polarized global environment.
By Hannah Lang

Jan 28 (Reuters) - The White House on Monday will meet with executives from the banking and cryptocurrency industries to discuss a path forward for landmark crypto legislation which has stalled due a clash between the two powerful sectors, said three people familiar with the matter.

The summit hosted by the White House's crypto council will include executives from several trade groups and will focus on how the bill treats interest and other rewards crypto firms can dish out on customer holdings of dollar-pegged tokens known as stablecoins, the people said.

The White House meeting could help the industries reach a compromise, and underscores how keen President Donald Trump's administration is to get the legislation across the line.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The sources declined to be identified discussing private policy discussions.

(Reporting by Hannah Lang in New York)
Photo Credit: iStock

American households will continue to feel the pinch of high energy costs as gas prices are set to increase in the coming year, according to a new analysis.

What's happening?

The Guardian reported that the Energy Information Administration projects that U.S. homes will pay 4% more for gas in 2026 than in 2024. These increases are being driven by a multitude of factors.

One is the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, whose effects are felt worldwide. A 2023 analysis by the World Economic Forum found that the war caused household energy prices to nearly double. Increased instances of extreme weather events also affect household prices. Hurricanes and extremes in heat and cold can all lead to intense short-term price surges. Additionally, the current administration's decision to resume exports of liquefied natural gas is only adding to the problem.

The U.S. exported 100 million tons of LNG last year that was a windfall for producers, but at the expense of domestic consumers. In the first nine months of 2025, American households forked out over $12 billion in additional costs, per Public Citizen.

Clark Williams-Derry, an energy analyst, told the Guardian that the effects will be long-lasting: "This may be something that lasts for a while and will be a severe economic crimp for lower-income families."

Why are the increased costs such a concern?

The steep cost increases reflect short-term thinking that prioritizes profiteering and convenience above all else. It's hardly unique to the current situation or even the United States; Germans are still paying the price for their overreliance on gas imports from Russia.

For households, the problems of using gas as an energy source go beyond the cost. Using a gas stove presents a serious health risk akin to having a car's tailpipe pumping directly into your kitchen.

What can be done to make home cooking more affordable?

Fortunately, there is a cost-effective way for homes to move past cooking with gas without compromising on quality. An induction stove may look like an underpowered electric hob, but it performs much better.

Its highly efficient design applies heat directly to the cookware instead of heating a surface. That means the surface remains cool and is a good deal safer for the little fingers that might touch it. Upgrading to an induction stove doesn't have to mean an expensive renovation, as there are several plug-in options starting at around $50.

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 Smithsonians National Museum of Asian Art is returning to the Indian government three bronzes, museum leaders told The Washington Post, after extensive provenance research indicated that the objects were removed from their original sites illegally.

The trove includes the 12th-century Somaskanda, which shows Shiva with his wife, the 16th-century Saint Sundarar With Paravai, as well as a dancing Shiva known as Shiva Nataraja, made around A.D. 990.

Statues in the form of that last sacred image have become notorious targets of looting and theft.

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After early-20th-century writing by art historian Ananda Coomaraswamy pitched the figures as emblems of Indias exceptionalism, they exploded in popularity. Souvenirs re-creating the sacred image multiplied at tourist traps and gift shops. Shiva Nataraja statues, meanwhile, disappeared from temples.

It got really famous from this guys article, and then every museum in the West needs to have a Shiva Nataraja, said Padma Kaimal, a professor of art at Colgate University who has written about the image-type. It was a time when museums asked fewer questions, and the coveted dancing gods were welcomed into their collections.

The Smithsonians dancing Shiva will remain on a long-term loan and will be displayed alongside information about its repatriation.

The return of these sculptures, the result of proactive research, reflects our dedication to ethical museum practice, museum director Chase F. Robinson said in a statement.

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In an interview with The Post, Robinson added that the museum believes strongly that the objects full biographies are really interesting and compelling stories, and we are increasingly integrating them into our galleries and as a feature of our exhibitions.

The return attests to the sharper attention to objects origins across the museum world in recent years, as advocates, historians and museum professionals have called, sometimes in vain, for the repatriation of artifacts such as the Benin bronzes and Elgin Marbles held at prominent museums.

The Asian art museum last year appointed Nancy Karrels as associate director of provenance and object histories, a new role at the institution, and last month, the museum announced the return of its first batch of works under the Smithsonians Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns Policy, which was adopted by the wider institution in 2022. Those three sculptures from Cambodia were found to have been removed from the country in a period of widespread looting during civil conflict before appearing on the U.S. market.

Previously the Smithsonian had a policy of returning items proved to be obtained illegally, but the 2022 policy widened grounds for return. Museums could deaccession and return objects based on ethical considerations alone, as well as collaborate with origin communities for their care.

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The repatriation of these bronzes to India  made on legal grounds  is a result of the museums systematic review of its South Asian collection.

The museums approach demonstrates a newer way of thinking about and presenting objects: that the very thing that may necessitate an objects return is also part of the story a museum should tell.

Historically, museums are much better at aestheticizing the object than contextualizing the object, said Robinson. Charles Lang Freer was a fantastic collector. He really wasnt interested in the social context, religious context, ritual context, he said, adding that there has been a change of course in museology of the last generation or two. Increasingly one finds exhibitions and galleries devoted to trying to recontextualize.

Holdings in the Smithsonians extensive, nearly 180-year-old collection have long sparked calls for repatriation. In late 2022, the National Museum of African Art returned 29 Benin bronzes to Nigeria.

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A 2023 Post investigation found that the institution took decades to take action on human remains, including more than 250 human brains. (At the time, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III said the Smithsonian was accelerating its efforts to return remains and called the period of their collection the institutions darkest history.)

The research required for returns can be hefty. The National Museum of Asian Art has a team of four people working on provenance research, larger than other museums of its size, Robinson said. The work underlying the Indian bronze return took years.

Somaskanda and Saint Sundarar With Paravai were part of the collection Arthur M. Sackler donated to the museum in 1987. The institution received a tip that the pieces appeared in photographs at the Photo Archives of the French Institute of Pondicherry. They sent a curator to visit the archives and found that the statues were documented in temple settings in Tamil Nadu in the 1950s. Such in situ photographs form a legal basis in India to establish theft, Robinson said, and confirm the sculptures unauthorized removal from India, the museum said in an email.

The Shiva Nataraja arrived in the museum later, acquired in 2002 through New Yorks now-infamous Doris Wiener Gallery. According to the Manhattan district attorneys office, Wiener was known for taking shopping trips through South Asia to select stolen antiquities that would later be smuggled into New York. In 2021, her daughter, Nancy, who was a part of the gallery operations, pleaded guilty to trafficking illicitly acquired works and creating false provenance records.

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Robinson said museum researchers attempted to trace the origins of the Shiva Nataraja bronze that Wiener sold them. They were not able to find a gallery matching the name that her documents provided as the source of the object, nor any street matching the gallerys purported address. The object, like the others, was also photographed in a temple in Tamil Nadu in the 1950s.

It was not the only stolen Shiva Nataraja that passed through the Wieners hands  another was returned from the Asia Society in 2021.

Theres a huge network of extraction, we could call it, thats particularly focused on these Shiva Natarajas, Kaimal, the Colgate professor, said.

The figures are vulnerable to theft not just because of their popularity but because the temples are out in these tiny villages that cant afford serious security, and people need to see the images during worship so you dont want to lock them away, Kaimal said. At times, copies of the piece have been swapped in during cleanings, she said.

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The bronze shows Shiva dancing on a demon representing ignorance, encircled by a ring of fire and on a lotus base. It is considered one of the most important, visually thrilling forms of the Hindu god Shiva, according to the Asian art museum, and is rich with symbolism in the objects Shiva holds in his hands, the clothes he wears and more.

Recently the image, which Kaimal says Coomaraswamys essay argued shows that India was full of wisdom long before Europe, has appealed to Hindu nationalist sentiments in India. But it also has wider allure.

These images continue to be very powerful in the present because they have deep meaning for people who identify with these places, all the Indian expats, but also for many people who admire India, said Kaimal, calling them beautiful, important, precious objects.

Kaimal applauded the Asian art museums efforts to return the bronzes. This is big. This is about acknowledging that the ways in which objects made their ways into museums have not always been legal, she said. Thats a huge confession for museums to make.
NEED TO KNOW

Chad Franke is giving a deeper look into his current relationship with his mom Ruby Franke

Using a viral TikTok sound where users mouth the words "Shut up Mom," the child of the former 8 Passengers vlogger, shared that Ruby still sent him letters from prison

In 2024, Ruby was sentenced to up to 60 years in prison for aggravated child abuse



Chad Franke is revealing more details about his current relationship with his mom, Ruby Franke.



In a recent video shared on TikTok, the child of former 8 Passengers YouTube vlogger Ruby Franke participated in a viral trend, using a sound from a popular Key & Peele sketch titled "Sibling Rivalry."



"Shut up mom. Silence from you! You're cut off  from talking!" the sound sees users mouthing, in a trend that has creators reflecting on things that their mom or parents have done that annoyed them.



In Chad's video, he lip syncs to the sound, while text over the video reads, "Every time I get a letter from my mom in prison."



Earlier last week, Chad started a series on TikTok where he would read diary entries from 2023, many of which touched on moments with his mom.

In the first video he posted, Chad introduced himself to the camera, saying plainly: "Hi, my name is Chad, and I used to be very brainwashed."

Ruby, Chad and Kevin Franke. Ruby Franke/Instagram

Chad then shared that he had received requests from some of his over 857,200 TikTok viewers to "write a book on my story," however, he pushed back, saying that he felt he wasn't a "very good writer" and that he also wouldn't want a ghost writer taking control of his story.



"Then I remembered I kind of wrote my own story myself," he recalled.



"While I was in that phase of my life, I journaled every single day," he said in the clip, presumably referencing his time living with his mother.



"And to show you guys how real it was for every single day of the year, I will go back to 2023, two years ago, and read every single journal entry that I wrote," he continued.



He went on to assure followers that he wouldn't be sharing anything "too personal" but that he was going to be "honest and thorough and show you guys what it truly was like."



In a later video, Chad read an entry that mentioned a phone call he had had with Ruby in January 2023. "We talked for two hours about removing lust. It's a little more complicated and difficult than I thought," Chad read, before going on to mention his job as a lifeguard at the time.

Chad Franke. Ruby Franke/Instagram

In 2015, Chad's mother began to grow a following online by posting videos of her six children on her YouTube channel 8 Passengers. In 2022, Ruby began working alongside controversial family therapist Jodi Hildebrandt. The two hosted a podcast and Instagram account under the handle Moms of Truth, where they shared their extreme views on parenting and discipline.

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Franke separated from her husband, Kevin, and moved into Hildebrandts home in Ivins, Utah, which often allegedly resulted in Ruby leaving her two then-teenage daughters, Abby and Julie, alone in the familys Springville home for weeks at a time without supervision.

Police were contacted twice throughout 2022 out of concern for Frankes children, and in August 2023, authorities were notified after Frankes youngest son, then-12-year-old Russell, escaped Hildebrandts home and went to a neighbors house seeking help.



Franke and Hildebrandt were arrested on charges of aggravated child abuse. Franke later pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse and was sentenced to 4 to 60 years in prison for her crimes.



After Ruby's 2023 arrest, Kevin filed for divorce. Kevin was given full custody of their four children, according to the divorce agreement obtained at the time of its finalization in 2025 by PEOPLE.



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Chelsea Handler gave followers a chilly peek into her latest adventure on Instagram, sharing a series of photos from an ice cave excursion in Whistler, Canada, posted on Tuesday, January 27.

The comedian and television host, 50, wore practical cold-weather gear designed for the icy conditions. She was seen in a black insulated jacket layered over matching snow pants, paired with sturdy winter boots and thick gloves. A knit beanie and dark sunglasses completed one look, while another image showed her wearing a protective helmet fitted with a headlamp.

One photo showed Handler posing outdoors in the snow alongside a companion, both dressed in heavy coats and winter accessories. Other shots captured her resting on the icy ground inside the cavern, chin propped on her hands as she smiled directly at the camera while layered ice walls curved overhead.

Handler credited the tour company in her caption, framing the experience as both adventurous and unforgettable. Known for her stand-up comedy, bestselling books, and long-running television career, Handler had frequently shared travel highlights with fans, and the Whistler trip added another memorable moment to her globe-trotting feed.

This story Chelsea Handler Gives Fans an Up-Close Peek Inside a Dreamlike Ice Cave in Canada first appeared on Globe. Add Globe as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
AMSTERDAM, Jan 28 (Reuters) - ASML has become Europe's most valuable company thanks to its dominance in making lithography systems, huge "chip printing" machines that cost $250 million each and are indispensable to firms driving the AI boom.

Here is a closer look at the technology behind the Dutch company's rise.

WHAT IS DRIVING DEMAND FOR ASML'S PRINTERS

ASML holds a monopoly on the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) machines applied in the manufacturing of the most advanced semiconductors, though rivals in China and the U.S. are trying to develop alternatives.

Rapid advances in AI and a global build-out of data centres has boosted demand for such chips, making supplying Nvidia's manufacturer TSMC and other makers of AI chips ASML's number one business.

THE TECHNOLOGY: HUGE MACHINES WORKING AT NANOSCALE

The machines, the size of a school bus and weighing 150 tons, use a complex system of lasers, mirrors and magnets to write microscopic circuitry onto silicon wafers needed in chip production.

They map out layers of circuitry by shining patterns of light onto silicon wafers, each containing maybe a hundred AI chips, with unparalleled precision.

The EUV wavelength is 13 nanometers. By comparison a human hair is between 80,000 and 100,000 nanometers thick.

The machines offered "patterning precision, scalability and energy efficiency" that advanced chip manufacturing and AI chips in particular depended on, according Luc Van den Hove, CEO of the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre in Belgium, which collaborated with ASML to develop the technology.

LASERS AND MIRRORS

To generate the EUV light, droplets of tin are blasted at a rate of 50,000 times per second with some of the most powerful lasers ever built, manufactured by German industrial firm Trumpf. A system of mirrors made by German optical systems maker Zeiss, with surfaces smoother than those used in space telescopes and kept in a vacuum, guides the light into the heart of the machine.

The table holding the wafers levitates on magnets and accelerates and decelerates at a rate of 70 to 80 meters per second.

HOW ARE ASML'S SYSTEMS DELIVERED?

EUV machines are assembled in the Netherlands, then packed into around 40 containers, and taken on 747 cargo planes to plants owned by TSMC of Taiwan, which manufactures chips for Nvidia, as well as Samsung and SK Hynix of South Korea, Intel and Micron of the U.S., and Rapidus in Japan. Last year, ASML shipped 44 such systems and analysts forecast large increases will be needed in 2026 and 2027.

(Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Tomasz Janowski)
NEED TO KNOW

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway has commented on the upcoming trial of his stepson Marius Borg Hiby

The future king of Norway revealed whether he'll be in the courtroom for the trial beginning on Feb. 3

Marius, 29, has been accused of 38 charges, including four counts of rape.



Crown Prince Haakon of Norway has revealed whether he will attend the upcoming trial of his stepson, Marius Borg Hiby, who has been indicted of 38 charges, including four counts of rape.

On Jan. 28, the Crown Prince of Norway, 52, released a statement clarifying what to expect from the royal family when the trial begins. Marius, 29, is Haakon's stepson through his marriage to Crown Princess Mette-Marit and will head to court in Oslo on Feb. 3 for the start of the seven-week trial.

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"Our thoughts are with everyone who is affected by this case. It has an impact on the individuals, their families and all those who care about them. We understand that this is a difficult time for many of you, and we sympathise," began the statement from Crown Prince Haakon, which was released by the Royal House of Norway and shared in English.

"At the same time, it is reassuring to know that we live in a state governed by the rule of law. I am confident that those responsible for overseeing the proceedings will ensure that the trial is conducted in as orderly, proper, and just a manner as possible," it continued.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon visit Frederikstad Library to mark its 100th anniversary on Jan. 28, 2026 in Frederikstad, Norway. Rune Hellestad - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

"Marius Borg Hiby is not a member of the Royal House of Norway and is therefore autonomous. We care about him, and he is an important member of our family. He is a citizen of Norway and, as such, has the same responsibilities as everyone else  as well as the same rights," the statement said.

It specified that in connection with the upcoming court case, Crown Prince Haakon wished to clarify that he and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 52, "are not planning to be present in the courtroom."

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The message also said that "The Royal House will not comment on the case during the course of the trial," adding that the work and official duties of the Norwegian Royal House "will continue as normal throughout the trial."

The last point outlined that Crown Princess Mette-Marit "is planning a private stay over the coming weeks," meaning that she will be outside of the public eye. In December 2025, the Royal House announced that the Crown Princess' chronic lung condition, pulmonary fibrosis, had worsened and that she was on track to be evaluated for a potential lung transplant.

Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra (front C) poses for a family photo with (front L and R) Norway's King Harald V and Norway's Queen Sonja and (back LtoR) Marit Tjessem, Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, Norway's Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Hoiby on the occasion of a gala dinner for her 18th birthday in Oslo on June 17, 2022. LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP via Getty

Crown Princess Mette-Marit welcomed Marius during a relationship prior to her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, the future king of Norway, in 2001. The couple later had two children  daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 21, and son Prince Sverre Magnus, 20  but unlike his siblings, Marius is not in the line of succession to the throne and has no public role.

Marius has joined his royal family members at many official royal events through the years, most recently appearing at the festivities for future heir Ingrid Alexandra's 18th birthday festivities in 2022, but has kept a low profile since his initial arrest in August 2024.

King Harald, Queen Sonja, Marius Borg Hoiby, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attend the celebrations of Princess Ingrid Alexandra's Official Day at Deichman Museum on June 16, 2022 in Oslo, Norway. Rune Hellestad/Getty

In August 2024, Marius was arrested after authorities alleged he "attacked" a 20-year-old woman "psychologically and physically," according to a report from Norwegian publication Se og Hr. That November, he was arrested again on suspicion of rape.

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A year after his initial arrest, in August 2025, Norway's state prosecutor charged him with 32 crimes, including rape, domestic violence and assault, CBS and Reuters reported. The count included including one count of rape with sexual intercourse and three counts of rape without intercourse.

Marius denies the most serious accusations against him, but he planned to plead guilty to some of the lesser charges, his lawyer Petar Sekulic told Reuters. The maximum penalty for the offenses listed was imprisonment of up to 10 years, prosecutor Sturla Henriksbo said, per CBS.

Marius Borg Hoiby and Crown Princess Mette-Marit on June 16, 2022. LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP/Getty

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On Jan. 19, CBS reported that Marius was charged with six new crimes, taking the total to 38.

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According to the outlet, one was a "serious narcotics offense" from 2020 involving about 7.7 lbs. of marijuana. He admitted to the crime, prosecutor Sturla Henriksbo told AFP in a statement. Meanwhile, his lawyer Ellen Holager Andenaes told Norwegian outlet NTB that Marius "on one occasion transported marijuana from A to B without earning a penny."

Three of the counts were traffic violations for speeding on a motorcycle and the other two involved restraining order violations.

Henriksbo said the additional indictment "will now be sent to the Oslo district court for consideration during the main hearing," which kicks off next week on Tuesday, Feb. 3.



Read the original article on People
Pharrell Williams was honored with the Chevalier de la Legion dhonneur, or Knight of the Legion of Honor, by French President Emmanuel Macron.



Oh my liege! There are multi-hyphenates, and then theres Pharrell Williams. A groundbreaking, award-winning artist and producer, skateboard star, skincare founder, and fashion designer  and now, officially, a sir.

Just days after presenting a star-studded Fall/Winter 2026 menswear show for Louis Vuitton, the 52-year-old music and fashion icon was honored with French knighthood during a private ceremony on Jan. 23 at the Elysee Palace. French President Emmanuel Macron presented him with the Chevalier de la Legion dhonneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor) for his contributions to culture and the creative industries.

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Chevalier of the Legion dhonneur. Grateful and blessed, the Virginia native wrote in the caption of an Instagram post featuring a carousel of snaps from the ceremony.

The photos included one of him shaking hands with Macron, another of him standing before an intimate crowd that included his wife, Helen Lasichanh, and their four children, and a shot of him celebrating the moment with friend and collaborator Pusha T. Frances First Lady Brigitte Macron also posed alongside Williams, his wife, and their children in a shot.

Future, who appeared alongside Williams in at least one photo, and Quavo, who posed in an ornate room inside the French presidents residence beneath decadent chandeliers, were also part of the celebration.

Pharrell Williams and Helen Lasichanh attend the Kenzo Takada Dinner as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 21, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurore Marechal/Getty Images)

Of course, he looked fly for the occasion. The artist, who received a red ribbon medal as part of the honor, wore a navy blue flared suit with a crisp white collared shirt and brown tortoiseshell shades.

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The honor is Frances highest and most prestigious civil or military distinction. Established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, it recognizes outstanding service to the French nation, exceptional bravery, or significant contributions to humanity and culture.

Its also not the first major recognition the 13-time Grammy winner has received from the nation since becoming Louis Vuittons creative director of menswear in 2023. That same year, he received the insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters from Frances culture minister for his contributions to the arts.

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While on a state visit to Estonia, Queen Mary of Denmark wore a sentimental piece from her past: Her delicate wedding tiara.

IDA MARIE ODGAARD - Getty Images

In 2004, when Queen Mary (then Mary Elizabeth Donaldson of Australia) wed King Frederik, then the Crown Prince, she wore an antique tiara gifted to her by her in-laws, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik. The provenance of the tiara has never been revealed, according to The Court Jeweller. It features fleur-de-lis and scroll motifs and can be converted into a necklace.

Pool BENAINOUS/TRAVERS/DUCLOS - Getty Images

She has since worn the tiara on many occasions, including Princess Charlene and Prince Albert of Monacos wedding in 2011, a gala dinner celebrating Queen Beatrixs abdication in 2013, and a state visit of from King and Queen of the Netherlands to Denmark in 2015.

Julian Parker - Getty Images

Mark Cuthbert - Getty Images

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Michel Porro - Getty Images

Last night, for the state banquet at St Nicholas Church in Tallinn, Queen Mary paired her wedding tiara with a midnight blue Prada gown she has owned for over a decade.

IDA MARIE ODGAARD - Getty Images

The Denmark royal couples state visit to Estonia concludes today, and they will head to Lithuania, where another state dinner is scheduled to take placewhich means another possible tiara moment from Queen Mary this evening.

Per the Danish royal house, the two state visits will reaffirm the longstanding and close relations between Denmark and Estonia and Lithuania, which are not only based on geographical proximity, but also on a set of strong shared values. The visits will help to underscore the joint European commitment and the continuing support for Ukraine.

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King Charles has been put in a rather uncomfortable position. Hes trying to manage diplomacy and family life. That is proving to be rather difficult following Prince Harrys words to Donald Trump.

Charles youngest son took issue with Trump, alleging NATO troops stayed a little back off the front lines during the war in Afghanistan. Harry did not take kindly to those comments, noting that he had served in the British Army in Afghanistan and had lost friends there. Insiders say that more than anything, Charles is horrified by the timing of his sons comments. The King and his wife Camilla are expected to visit Trump in Washington, D.C., later this year to celebrate Americas 250th birthday.

King Charles understands the emotion of Prince Harry

Photo Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Balancing your business life and personal one is never easy. Charles is experiencing just how hard that is once again. On one hand, an insider tells Rob Shuters Substack Naughty but Nice that Charles understands the emotion Harry must be feeling. On the other hand, the insider says that the King is worried that this may sour what has been a good relationship between himself and the President.

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Harry stated that 457 UK service personnel were killed in Afghanistan, leading to thousands of lives being changed forever. Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, said Harry. His strong words for Donald arent ideal for his father. Another source says that the King cant clap back even if he agrees with his son. Its reportedly made a sensitive situation much trickier.

Harrys comments seemed to echo the UKs Prime Ministers sentiments. Last week, Keir Starmer called Donalds comments about the war insulting and frankly appalling. He adds that if he were in the Presidents shoes and had misspoken in such a way, he would apologize.

The complication lies in the fact that the UK and the US have a long-standing alliance. Thats something Keir said was important for the security and defense of both nations.

TELL US  COULD PRINCE HARRYS WORDS DAMAGE THE LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UK AND THE US?

The post Why King Charles Is Horrified Over Prince Harry and Donald Trump  Insider appeared first on Reality Tea.
As someone who braved the very slippery, snowy grounds, I can attest that this years Sundance Film Festival is bittersweetprimarily because it marks the last time that the late Robert Redfords iconic program will descend upon Park City, Utahs Lisa Barlow-run streets. (And though rumors swirled that last year would be Sundances final run in Utah, theyre actually moving the operation to Boulder, Colorado, next year. Really. They promise.)

What managed to brighten the mood during this somber final dance was the eclectic lineup of films headlining the festivals programming, along with the of-the-moment themes that connected them. For one, there was a lot of sex talk: from Gregg Arakis exploration of Gen Z prudishness in I Want Your Sex, to the Wizard of Oz-inspired tale Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, which sets a small-town girl (played by Zoey Deutch) on a winding journey to hook up with Jon Hamm (its as wonderfully ridiculous as it sounds).

There was also plenty of Charli xcx to go around. On top of her meta mockumentary The Moment, the Grammy winner also appeared in the aforementioned I Want Your Sex, as well as the dark comedy The Gallerist alongside Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortegabegging the question: Who exactly is the Charli fanatic on the Sundance programming committee?

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I feel so grateful to have been a part of 3 films at this festival, each helmed by a director with a potent vision, the Grammy winner shared on Instagram this week. Thank you [Sundance] for championing these fucking fantastic filmmakers.

But amid the Park City farewell tributes and pop-star-to-leading-lady pivots, there was also a solemn awareness thatjust a few states overtensions between Minneapolis civilians and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence had once again reached a fever pitch.

On day three of the festival, ICE agents fatally shot 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti during a protest in Minneapolis, prompting many high-profile names to address the agencys increasingly violent enforcement tactics during the festival. Stars like Olivia Wilde and Natalie Portman sported ICE OUT pins during promotional appearances for their projects.

Its really impossible not to talk about what is happening right now and the brutality of ICE and how it has to stop immediately, Portman said in an interview with Variety. But also, theres a beautiful community that Americans are showing right now. Theyre showing up for each other, protecting each other, and fighting for their freedom. Its a bittersweet moment to celebrate something were so proud of on the backdrop of our nation in pain.

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On Sunday, a group of anti-ICE protesters even gathered at Sundances epicenter on Main Street to call attention to the ongoing tensions.

Shoot films, not people.



Hundreds of protestors have gathered in Park City in the midst of the Sundance Film Festival to speak out against ICEs actions in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/ljD1eqGID5  Variety (@Variety) January 26, 2026

The festival runs until February 1, and throughout the first weekend, a number of its biggest events unfolded at the Chase Sapphire Lounge. The space hosted post-premiere fetes for The Gallerist and I Want Your Sex, as well as in-depth panels with casts from films like Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass.

Ahead, check out photos of the stars who were bopping around the lounge, and various premieres to celebrate modern independent cinema, including Jenna Ortega, Natalie Portman, and Alexander Skarsgard (who did in fact wear flip flops on a red carpet).

Courtesy of Sundance Film Festival

Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

Courtesy of Sundance Film Festival

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Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

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Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

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Courtesy of Chase Sapphire

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As the creator of acclaimed Danish political thriller Borgen, Adam Price is accustomed to rave reviews and stellar ratings. But when Donald Trump threatened to take over the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland recently, the softly spoken playwright and screenwriter found himself in the strange new role of accidental prophet.

The idea that Greenland  tucked away beyond Canada and well into the Arctic Circle  should become a flashpoint in the eternal game of geopolitical one-upmanship between America, Russia, and China caught many by surprise this year. One of the rare exceptions was Price who, long before Trump set his sights on the worlds largest island and claimed it was essential to US national security, had sketched out just such a power play in the gripping fourth season of Borgen  Borgen: Power & Glory  in 2022. However, he admits that nothing he imagined in the series came close to the bizarre reality of Trumps ambitions for the territory of 57,000.

If I had pitched a plot that was vaguely like what we have seen in the past few weeks, most people, most streamers and broadcasters would have laughed at me, says Price, 58, from Copenhagen. A year ago or more, they would have said, well, that its just completely unlikely. To have an American administration whos basically, all in awe and fear of one person and one person alone. And hes acting like a spoilt and very vain boy-king, who has never heard the word no.

Protesters gather in Nuuk, Greenland to protest President Trumps proposal to acquire Greenland - Sean Gallup/Getty

In Power & Glory, the discovery of oil beneath the Greenland ice sheet draws Russia, China and the US to the far north and plunges Denmark into a political crisis, while heightening tensions between locals pushing for greater autonomy from their old colonial masters. Its great fun and full of twists and turns, such as when Danish special forces open fire on camouflaged Russians, who have surfaced from their submarine just as a Chinese drone crashes on the ice.

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As ever with Borgen, it also features a commandingly chilly performance from Sidse Babett Knudsen as no-nonsense politician, Birgitte Nyborg  a former prime minister who, as series four gets underway, has returned to government as Denmarks new foreign minister.

Price, whose ancestors left London for Denmark in the 18th century, explains that he set the fourth season of Borgen largely in Greenland to inject excitement and urgency into the often staid genre of political drama.

When youre talking about a political show, most people would say that politics can be very dry and something that is definitely not aiming for a big audience. I always with Borgen tried to make politics very emotional. So I deliberately go for areas within political life that are very emotional in themselves. Therefore, this century-old and very emotional relationship between Denmark and one of its only colonies ever  because Denmark has never been a country that has had many colonies.

In all old colonial relationships, there is a lot of bad conscience, he says. There is most certainly bad blood and old wounds that are difficult to heal. And therefore colonial relationships are hugely dramatic in themselves. I felt it was obvious to go into the old relationship between Denmark and Greenland. They used to be a colony. Then we gave them limited self-rule. And now it seems they have very close to full autonomy  but they dont decide their security policy and their foreign policy.

Borgen creator Adam Price set the fourth season in Greenland to add an emotional edge to the show, given Greenland and Denmarks old colonial relationship - Philip Davali/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP/Getty

Historically, Greenland rarely featured on the radar of the Danish public, he says. People were aware of the entwined history of the two countries. However, the existence of a Danish protectorate halfway around the world did not often intrude on daily life. To the average Dane, Greenland is very far away, and it has been very difficult to go there.

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Only recently has it become easier with more airports opening and stuff like that. But it has been quite difficult and very expensive, actually, to go there. So for many Danes it has been something occasionally in the news, he says.

Just like you in the UK would see pictures of the Royal family visiting old colonial places that are a shared history and are now within the British Commonwealth. You know, the royal yacht anchoring up in some bay somewhere. We would see the same  the royal couple visiting in their traditional costumes and shaking hands with the political leaders in Greenland. And that would be the relationship that most Danes have had with Greenland for many years.

That has changed as Denmark has started the painful process of grappling with its colonial legacy. In the past, I would say five, eight years, we have seen a number of these old and very often quite emotional and difficult stories emerging. And with very good reason. That shed new light on the relationship between Denmark and Greenland. Old stories from the more colonial days. Days when we forced contraception on Greenland women. That was not a pretty story.

Price points out that Denmark  a beacon for liberal values and sensible government  has often treated Greenlands indigenous Inuits like wild people, while making quite a number of millions from mining. In 2025, Denmarks prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, apologised to Inuit women who were fitted with contraceptive coils without their consent or knowledge in the 1960s and 1970s.

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Denmarks willingness to accept responsibility for its colonial sins has improved the relationship with Greenland, says Price. It has grown much better, also with these stories emerging and us actually dealing with them  instead of hiding them and trying to move past them, says Price. And that has happened in recent years.

The fictional foreign minister Nyborg initially opposes the exploitation of Greenlands natural resources. But the largely independent Greenland government knows the oil could make the country hugely wealthy and does not take kindly to being told what to do by an outsider. When the US, China and Russia make their own plays for control of the region, Nyborg goes over to the dark side (as she sees it) to secure the reserves for Denmark. As tensions are ratcheted ever higher, she ultimately torpedoes the deal to drill for oil and quits as leader of her party. The future of Greenland is unclear  but Nyborg leaves with her principles intact.

In Borgen, prime minister Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen) initially opposes exploiting Greenlands natural resources - Mike Kollaffel/Netflix

Borgen: Power & Glory was a big hit when it aired in Denmark  and also contributed to a greater awareness of the often painful dynamic between Copenhagen and Greenland.

It was discussed quite a lot. It also made journalists go into some of these stories, where we have actually collided with the Greenlanders  with our vision for Greenland and theirs. And how would the US react to certain developments in the Arctic? We tried to be reasonably realistic. There have been issues now and then  the Russians and the Chinese have tried to gain some kind of foothold in Greenland. But never to an extent that just in any way resembles what Trump has said. It was almost like they were surrounded by Chinese and Russian warships and if the US didnt move now, the Russians and Chinese would take over Greenland. That is a completely absurd claim. It has no foundation in reality whatsoever.

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The series was more controversial in Greenland, where pro-independence campaigners felt it didnt go far enough in making a case for full autonomy from Denmark. The Greenlanders I spoke to were quite pleased with it. But naturally there are also people that are very much into the independence movement. They would probably want an even more radical storyline. We tried to place ourselves within the limits of the reality five years ago.

Donald Trump seems to have ruled out taking Greenland by force  for now, at least. But with tensions between the US and its Nato ally Denmark set to continue, does Price feel that hes been put out of a job? Whats the point of political drama when real-life politics is far more absurd than anything he could possibly conjure?

We are always challenged by the fact that we are at least two to three years behind, concedes Price, who says hes working on several ideas for new political dramas. It takes a year to write a show. It takes a year to shoot it and edit it. So before it actually would hit the screens, we could actually be facing the end of the Trumpian era in the United States. Or we could be headed for some place far worse.

Borgen: Power & Glory is on Netflix

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.
It goes down in the DMs. After Michael Rapaport made yet another appearance on Watch What Happens Live, a fed-up Bravo fan decided to pull back the curtain. They shared their private messages with Andy Cohen, where they boldly called out the for repeatedly choosing to platform Rapaport. The exchange is eye-opening to say the least. It shows just how exhausted some Bravo fans feel from seeing this man on the network.

Andy Cohens DMs were leaked on social media

ill show you how a bitch goes down a slide https://t.co/rmAzZSOHg3 pic.twitter.com/1ljY5hrlma  yolanda fister (@yolandafister) January 27, 2026

Michael recently exited The Traitors Season 4 after a homophobic comment aimed at Colton Underwood pitted the entire cast against him. The moment only intensified the backlash that had already been brewing, thanks to Rapaports extensive track record of inflammatory and bigoted social media posts.

An ardent defender of Israel, Michael has repeatedly denied the ongoing genocide in Gaza while mocking Palestinian suffering. Hes compared pro-Palestinian protestors to animals and called New Yorks first Muslim mayor a sh*t stain. Still, Rapaport is always a welcome guest on WWHL.

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The ignorance finally pushed a Bravo fan and parody account known as Yolanda Fister over the edge. Their frustrations boiled over when Andy made a statement about the recent ICE murders, only to then announce Rapaport as an upcoming guest.

Andy Cohen making a statement about ICE murders then in the same show saying he booked racist Michael Rapaport who said the kids in Gaza deserve to die for WWHL classic liberalism, Yolanda wrote.

After Michaels episode aired, Yolanda followed up with a video revealing a series of DMs with Andy. The messages showed a months-long debate about Zionism, Palestine, and the optics of repeatedly booking someone like Michael. Ahead of his latest appearance, the fan cut straight to the point: You really dont give a f*ck do you?

Andy replied, That youre mad Im having Rappaport [sic] on my show to talk about Traitors and the HW? No I dont.

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The host added, The man has been coming on to talk Housewives for 15 years, before legit actors would do it. He hasnt been on in a year and is now on [Traitors]. We arent discussing his views on Israel and Trump.

Of course, Rapaports viewpoints and hateful past dont just go away because they arent on the WWHL cue cards. Its a debate that Yolanda and Andy have maintained for months. However, a DM from last summer shows that things probably wont change anytime soon.

Andy wrote, I largely feel like this has been going on for so many years and the people in charge there (Hamas and Netanyahu) are unaffected by anything that I could possibly say or do in this situation. It is sadly far bigger than all of us.

Watch What Happens Live airs Sunday through Thursday on Bravo. You can always stream it on Peacock.

TELL US  WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ANDYS DMS ABOUT RAPAPORT? DO YOU THINK IT REFLECTS POORLY ON WWHL TO REPEATEDLY BOOK HIM?

The post Bravo Fan Leaks Andy Cohens DMs After Michael Rapaports WWHL Appearance appeared first on Reality Tea.
(NewsNation)  A cast member on TLCs Suddenly Amish is firing back against claims the show is scripted and exploitive.

The show, which premiered on Jan. 13, follows six English outsiders who leave their current lives behind to live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, within a traditional Amish community.

Bruce Willis doesnt know he has dementia, wife Emma Heming reveals

According to the Daily Mail, viewers dont believe the people hosting the guests are Amish and believe that the cast are paid actors. Others have claimed that the show makes a mockery of the Christian community.

A group of Amish men attending a farm auction in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. March 1942. (Photo by  CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Billy Jo, who appears on the show, said its insulting that people are questioning the shows authenticity.

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I think that our Amish host and the bishop and their families are the most beautiful people, and Im so happy to have met them, and Im so happy to be in their life, Billy Jo, 44, told the Daily Mail. I think thats very insulting to them and their family and their faith, and its kind of horrifying.

TikToks Khaby Lame sells his company in huge $975M deal

She also added that the show isnt scripted or staged, and if it were, she couldnt do it because she isnt an actress.

Im not an actress. Im just authentic. Im myself, and I dont want to be a movie star, Billy Jo told the publication.

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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.
In order to afford their dream trip, many Americans are making big financial sacrifices.

They refuse to give up travel as a way to rest and recharge and are opting to slash other parts of their budget to get there.

In the new USA TODAY Workforce Survey, powered by SurveyMonkey and conducted Jan. 8-20, 51% of the 3,156 American respondents age 18 and older said they've cut back on their spending over the past 12 months to pay for travel.

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Among those who have been intentionally budgeting for their vacations, 20% said their financial cuts have been significant, and 31% said they've been somewhat significant.

Workers are prioritizing travel amid high rates of burnout

Angela Tran, a public relations account executive in New York, treats travel as a nonnegotiable in her budget in the same way she does for rent, car insurance, utilities and groceries. "I do make traveling a top priority and having an ample amount of PTO is super important to me," Tran told USA TODAY.

For the past couple of years, she's gone on at least two long trips as "something to look forward to so I don't feel burnt out from work," as she put it.

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To afford her trips, Tran has cut down on eating out for dinner, saying no to events with friends and reducing streaming subscriptions.

Here's how travelers are cutting down on their spending to afford trips.

What's one way to feel happier? Go on a trip.



According to G Adventures' recently released Happiness List 2026, 89% of the 8,000 adults intending to travel in 2026 across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand agree that purpose-driven travel contributes to their long-term happiness. Those trips offer a sense of wonder along with a chance to decompress and find connection.



Here are 10 travel experiences that G Adventures' travelers said made them feel happiest: Panama's San Blas Islands are ideal for unplugging while enjoying turquoise waters and white-sand beaches. Travelers can stay in Indigenous-owned accommodations, including traditional huts, and explore the archipelago by boat. Witnessing a solar eclipse is one way to experience wonder. G Adventures offers five trips for the Aug. 2027 eclipse, including an exclusive viewing party in Chefchaouen, Morocco. Travelers can dive into Guatemala's history and culture, from learning how to make beloved local dishes to exploring the ancient ruins of Tikal. Exploring the wild, remote landscapes in the Arctic aboard an expedition cruise can leave travelers with a newfound appreciation for Mother Nature. Imagine having a close encounter with Africa's wildlife while also supporting ethical travel and conservation. G Adventures offers a trip to Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, where travelers can see Victoria Falls, track elephants and cruise rivers looking for hippos. Sail down Sri Lanka's South Coast on a seven-day trip on a 54-foot catamaran for the chance to swim at remote beaches, explore fishing villages and more. Ecuador offers much more than being a gateway to the Galapagos. Travelers can go chocolate tasting, learn more about Indigenous culture and explore the wild jungle. Rather than falling into the typical tourist traps, travelers can try to live like a local and go off the beaten path. On G Adventures' East Iceland trip, guests go to a remote hamlet, enjoy geothermal pools and hike coastal trails. The Stans  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan  offer a rich history steeped in the Silk Road trade along with stunning nature, like Kaindy Lake's otherworldly sunken forest. Moldova may not be on everyone's radar, but this underrated Eastern European destination is perfect for foodies. Travelers can sip wine, taste local cuisine and visit spots like an eco-friendly cheese factory. 10 destinations where travelers feel happiest 1 of 10 What's one way to feel happier? Go on a trip.



According to G Adventures' recently released Happiness List 2026, 89% of the 8,000 adults intending to travel in 2026 across the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand agree that purpose-driven travel contributes to their long-term happiness. Those trips offer a sense of wonder along with a chance to decompress and find connection.



Here are 10 travel experiences that G Adventures' travelers said made them feel happiest: Panama's San Blas Islands are ideal for unplugging while enjoying turquoise waters and white-sand beaches. Travelers can stay in Indigenous-owned accommodations, including traditional huts, and explore the archipelago by boat.

Making travel work for their budgets

Tran calls herself a cost-conscious traveler who will still deal with a long layover if it means scoring cheap airfare. Like Tran, many Americans find that travel costs play a major role in their vacation planning.

According to KAYAK's new 2026 What the Future report, the cost of travel is the biggest factor in how often Gen Z and millennial travelers will go on trips, with 70% of the survey's 2,029 U.S. respondents saying it shapes their travel plans for 2026.

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These young travelers aren't giving up; they're just getting creative. Over one-third of them are interested in using installment plans to help afford trips. More young people are also using price trackers to notify them when it's the best time to book a flight or a car rental, with the latter up 60% compared with last year.

Vacations remain a top priority

For many Americans, the sacrifice is worth it. Going on trips is the leading use for their paid time off, with 55% of U.S. workers saying this is how they want or plan to use their vacation days, according to the USA TODAY Workforce Survey.

These days, many people feel strapped for not only cash but vacation days, too. Americans are notorious for taking the fewest vacations globally, and the fact that they get the fewest vacation days out of 11 industrialized countries may also play a role. In 2024, Americans received an average of 11 vacation days, while French workers received about a month off.

For travelers sitting on unused vacation time, Intrepid Travels new Short Breaks trips are designed to help them use more of their PTO by fitting immersive adventures into long weekends and short time off.

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"You know how sometimes your computer needs a reboot? Our brains are much the same," Becky Spelman, a psychologist who partnered with Expedia for the travel platform's 2024 Vacation Deprivation Report, previously told USA TODAY in a statement. "Over time, work stress can build up to an unsustainable level and our brain functions start to slow down and work less effectively."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Over half of Americans are slashing their budgets to afford trips
The post A 700-Pound Grizzly Sat Inches From This Photographer. His 3-Word Response Saved Him appeared first on A-Z Animals.

Watch the Video

Click here to watch on YouTube

Quick Take

Surviving a close encounter with a 700-pound grizzly requires maintaining absolute stillness within its critical space.

The crushing power of a grizzlys jaw creates a lethal risk during close-range observations.

Lightning strikes pose a statistically similar threat to humans as grizzly bear encounters.

Executing a 3-word vocal command was necessary to redirect the apex predator as it approached the photographer.

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Can you imagine spotting a grizzly when youre out enjoying nature? It would be heart-racing enough to spot one from a distance, but imagine one that casually walks up to your camp chairs, literally feet from you?

Well, thats exactly what happened to one photographer with ice in his veins  an enormous grizzly casually stopped by and sat down next to him. His camera didnt even shake!

Grizzly bears have jaws powerful enough to crush a bowling ball. Jack Nevitt/Shutterstock.com (Jack Nevitt/Shutterstock.com)

This is a short clip, but one that starts with a jaw-dropping, eerily peaceful but tense moment. In the background, you can see some snow-covered mountains with a large, open green space just ahead of a, wait for ithuge grizzly bear.

Almost comically, there is a lawn chair on the right side of the screen, as if the bear had been invited for a daytime hangout. Seemingly unbothered by the mans presence off to his right, the bear looks around and casually walks forward toward the rushing river just below.

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He stops to take in the sight, the way a tourist would. At this point, he is a mere couple of feet from the mans lawn chair and the man. Its size can be fully appreciated at this angleand so can its mighty claws.

The grizzlys slow yawn and heavy breathing may look like human sadness or boredom, but in wild bears, these can be signals of the animal processing its surroundings or simply cooling down after the physical exertion of fishing.

Grizzly Bears are expert fishers with their own unique methods. AndreAnita/Shutterstock.com (AndreAnita/Shutterstock.com)

Attributing human emotion to a bear should be left for cartoons, but the scene is much too rare, and begin to feel as though they both need this time away with a friend out by the cleansing aura of rushing waters.

The cameraman holds the camera steady, and the grizzly continues looking out onto the water, not acknowledging the presence of the man or the little site hes created for himself. White birds fly in the background as the bear decides this is a nice place to rest.

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The bear sits back and places its front paws just ahead of its torso, resting on the ground. Suddenly, he stands up and starts walking toward the man. The man responds quickly, turning the camera and saying Hey, hey, hey to the bear.

The bear, disinterested, walks around the man and away from him. At the end of the short clip, the camera captures another camera pointed out toward the water, where somewhere around 10 grizzly bears can be spotted. This cameraman probably wasnt counting on such a close encounter, but his nerves of steel paid off as he earned some truly epic close-up footage of this enormous bear.

Grizzly bears can weigh upwards of 700 pounds. Steve Boice/Shutterstock.com (Steve Boice/Shutterstock.com)

Would You Keep Your Cool if a Giant Grizzly Approached You?

Grizzly bears can be extremely dangerous in the wild but they are also intelligent and reclusive and will alter their habits to avoid humans.

A grizzly encounter would be a major challenge for the average person. This encounter took place at the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, where bears have become habitually indifferent to people. Because the bears and humans follow strict rules of coexistence, the bear felt comfortable enough to rest near the photographer without perceiving him as a threat or a source of food.

Grizzly bears weigh upward of 700 pounds  the males being much heavier than the females. A large female can weigh up to 350 pounds. While grizzlies are significantly larger and heavier than black bears, they are typically smaller than polar bears and the massive kodiak bears found on the islands of southwestern Alaska. With a bite force of over 1,100 PSI, a grizzly has enough power to crush heavy bone and thick materials  a strength often compared to the force needed to crack a bowling ball.

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They can be distinguished from black bears by a concave-looking face and a shoulder hump full of muscles that attach to the Grizzlys backbone for extra strength for digging. Their very long, sharp claws on the front feet also give them extra ability to dig for food and to dig out their dens. Do not rely on color for identification. Black bears can actually be brown, cinnamon, or even blonde. Instead, look for the grizzlys prominent shoulder hump and concave facial profile, which Black bears lack.

Is It Normal for Grizzly Bears to Approach Humans?

Grizzly bears are intelligent and reclusive; they will alter their habits to avoid humans. Don Mammoser/Shutterstock.com (Don Mammoser/Shutterstock.com)

Fortunately, the bears dont consider humans to be prey. Visitors to national parks known for bears, such as Yellowstone, are about as likely to be killed by a lightning strike as a bear attack. Grizzly bears are curious, with good eyesight and excellent memories, hearing, and sense of smell. They are also intelligent and reclusive; they will alter their habits to avoid humans and much like any animal, they have what is called a critical space, an area surrounding them that they will defend. These bears are more likely to be indifferent to human presence, although every bear encounter will be different.

It is important to remain calm during any encounter with a wild animal and if you are traveling in an area with bears, you should prepare yourself on how to proceed.

Where do Grizzly Bears Live?

There are about 21,000 grizzlies in Canada. Their life expectancy is 20-25 years. Kelp Grizzly Photography/Shutterstock.com (Kelp Grizzly Photography/Shutterstock.com)

Unless you live in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington, or Wyoming  you dont have to worry about grizzlies. They were once more widespread but have been hunted almost to extinction in some areas and still suffer from habitat loss. There are about 21,000 grizzlies in Canada. Life expectancy is 20-25 years.

Watch the Video

Click here to watch the video.

The post A 700-Pound Grizzly Sat Inches From This Photographer. His 3-Word Response Saved Him appeared first on A-Z Animals.
As the United Kingdom's major indices, such as the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250, navigate through global economic challenges, including weak trade data from China impacting commodity-dependent stocks, investors are increasingly looking for opportunities in lesser-known sectors that might offer resilience amid broader market volatility. In this environment, identifying undiscovered gems requires a keen eye for companies with strong fundamentals and growth potential that can withstand external pressures.

Top 10 Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals In The United Kingdom

Name Debt To Equity Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Health Rating B.P. Marsh & Partners NA 42.17% 45.70%  Andrews Sykes Group NA 2.01% 5.12%  BioPharma Credit NA 7.73% 7.94%  Georgia Capital NA 2.23% 16.34%  MS INTERNATIONAL NA 15.41% 44.20%  Vectron Systems NA 2.48% 28.82%  Nationwide Building Society 282.42% 9.69% 21.24%  FW Thorpe 2.12% 10.94% 13.25%  Distribution Finance Capital Holdings 9.37% 48.09% 66.49%  Foresight Environmental Infrastructure NA -24.80% -27.25% 

Click here to see the full list of 54 stocks from our UK Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals screener.

Let's dive into some prime choices out of from the screener.

Simply Wall St Value Rating: 

Overview: BioPharma Credit PLC is an investment trust focused on investing in interest-bearing debt assets, with a market cap of $1.03 billion.

Operations: The primary revenue stream for BioPharma Credit comes from investments in debt assets secured by royalties, generating $154.66 million. With a market cap of approximately $1.03 billion, the company focuses on interest-bearing investments to drive its financial performance.

BioPharma Credit, a nimble player in the UK market, showcases robust financial health with earnings growth of 12.6% over the past year, outpacing the Capital Markets industry average of 2.4%. Trading at a notable 24.6% discount to its estimated fair value, it offers intriguing potential for investors seeking undervalued opportunities. The company has maintained a debt-free status for five years and consistently generates positive free cash flow, which was US$126 million as of September 2024. Recent board changes include appointing Nigel Hugh Reynolds as director in January 2026, signaling strategic shifts ahead.

LSE:BPCR Debt to Equity as at Jan 2026

Simply Wall St Value Rating: 
Knowing that being seen can mean destruction, warplanes have adopted camouflage since the hair-raising flying of the first world war.

Sometimes from art, sometimes from science and sometimes just as an exercise in morale, warplanes have donned a multitude of wildly different colours and schemes in pursuit of a decisive or momentary advantage. Here are 9 extremely pleasing examples of aircraft camouflage:

10: Reconnaissance Spitfires

Reconnaissance Spitfires

Photo Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) Spitfires were among the most capable reconnaissance aeroplanes of the Second World War. They used several different camouflage schemes. One of the early schemes was a pink that worked well at dawn and dusk.

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Spitfire R7059, a Mark I PR Type G (later re-designated Spitfire PR Mark VII), belonged to B flight of No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit Detachment based out of RAF Heston in 1941. The artwork shows it in camotint pink for the dawn/dusk low-level recce role. The actual shade of pink is a subject of much heated debate.

10: Reconnaissance Spitfires

Reconnaissance Spitfires

Various Reconnaissance Spitfires received other grey, white, green and blue-based schemes, including greenish-blue schemes with the Soviet Air Force and blue USAAF aircraft. Some RAF Spitfires used the standard disruptive uppers and light undersides.

By October 1940, most PRU Spitfires wore overall 'PRU Blue', which proved very effective at high altitudes. The colour was a mixture of cerulean and Prussian blue. No 2 PRU Royal Blue was darker and better suited to high-altitude use in the Middle East.

9: Mean and green?

Mean and green?

This is an A-10 in one of four camouflage schemes evaluated as part of the Joint Attack Weapons System (JAWS) 2 exercise in November 1977. It was essentially a single-colour base coat, with the colour and pattern of the temporary spots changed to suit local geographical conditions. The adoption of the Europe One ("Lizard") scheme killed the JAWS concept.

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Aircraft camouflage involves several key principles: colour-matching, disruption of form, and reflectiveness. Consideration of where the threat will likely be viewing the aircraft from (above or below, etc.) and how manoeuvring will affect the camouflage effect (for example, highlighting a pale belly against a dark mountainous background) is vital.

9: Mean and green?

Mean and green?

Ground attack aircraft expected to operate at a low level held onto green and tan schemes longer than dedicated fighter aircraft, which essentially went grey in the 1990s. Some countries, most notably Russia, still use a second world war-style camouflage of two-colour uppers and light underside on some tactical aircraft (Su-25 shown).

Another consideration is how specific to go; if the camouflage is overly specialised, it can make the aircraft more visible. An aircraft perfectly painted to match the desert will stand out like a sore thumb against the sea. As well as night, weather conditions can massively vary an environment's light and colour.

8: Swedish splinter

Swedish splinter

The iconic Swedish FOA scheme was first developed as a long-distance vehicle camouflage, and it evolved from intense studies based on aerial observation. Its angular 'splinter' camouflage was applied to Saab 37 Viggen combat aircraft.

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Sweden is a highly forested country, with forests covering roughly 70% of its land area. The scheme is perfect for operating over forests. It is also effective for dispersed basing, a tactic built into Swedish defence planning and training.

8: Swedish splinter

Swedish splinter

The FOA scheme varies but generally features blackish green, dark green, light green, and sand brown. Scale aircraft modellers consider it one of the most challenging schemes to reproduce, but many enthusiasts love it.

FOA is a 'splinter' scheme. 'Splinter' refers to the colour sections' sharp angular shapes. One of the earliest forms of this scheme was a German scheme used for military tent fabric from the 1930s, which was later used in German Army uniforms, known as Splittertarnmuster. Angular splinter-like schemes were also used on wartime Luftwaffe aircraft, including some Arado Ar.234s and Do 335s.

7: Fake cockpits

Fake cockpits

In nature, mimicry or visual deception is often used to confuse potential predators. Forms of visual deception are also used in aircraft camouflage. The most popular is the fake canopy, developed by aviation artist Keith Ferris. This simple technique is said to be effective.

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It consists of the image of the dark outline of an aircraft canopy on the underside of an aircraft's nose. In 'within-visual range' combat or the 'dogfight', a split second of confusion can have deadly consequences; the fake canopy may cause the viewer to believe the aircraft is the other way up.

6: Fake cockpits

Fake cockpits

Aircraft types utilising fake canopies include Italian Navy Harriers and Canadian Air Force F/A-18 Hornets. Though some doubt the effectiveness, other pilots have testified to near collisions caused by fake canopies causing disorientation.

Deception camouflage was the first form of camouflage used on a military aircraft. The Dunne D.1 glider of 1907 was a tailless biplane with a swept wing featuring a secret conical wing surface. Thin white lines of tape with misleading angles were placed on its black covering to confuse any snooping eyes.

6: Ferris

Ferris

A 64th Aggressor Squadron F-16 in a striking splinter scheme. Aggressor aircraft portray hostile aircraft in training exercises to teach aircrew air combat skills. Their range of schemes both highlights their dissimilarity from 'friendly' aircraft and gets aircrew familiar with schemes that may be worn by hostile aircraft.

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This scheme is based on schemes worn by Russian 'Flanker' aircraft, themselves influenced by the work of US aviation artist and camouflage pioneer Keith Ferris. The large asymmetrical shapes with clear-cut boundaries help break up the shape of the aircraft visually.

6: Ferris

Ferris

The Keith Ferris Camouflage Paint System was an innovative, experimental, deceptive paint scheme. Inspiration came in the late 1970s after Ferris returned from deployment with the first F-4E squadron sent to Southeast Asia. Ferris was shocked at how visible green and brown tactical schemes were at medium or high altitudes.

Ferris worked to create schemes that worked at different altitudes and made it difficult to determine which way the aircraft was turning. One scheme he proposed used a jagged pattern. Key principles included removing bright colours and black, embracing grey tones with a matte finish and asymmetric patterns, and toning down insignia.

5: Desert

Desert

Perhaps the most famous photograph highlighting the effectiveness of good aircraft camouflage is this image of a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109 above the desert in North Africa. The sand tone is very well matched, and the dark sections are an excellent match for the shade and scale of the shadows of rocks.

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Several approaches to desert camouflage have been employed, many of which use sand, brown, and pink tones. There is a surprising amount of variation in colour in different deserts, and the colour changes dramatically across the day.

5: Desert

Desert

The North Africa campaign in the second world war saw the widespread use of aircraft desert camouflage. Many warplanes were also painted in desert camouflage during the various Arab-Israeli wars, the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, and the 1991 Gulf War. More recently, many air forces have moved away from low-altitude attacks, meaning grey can remain even for desert operations.

These Israeli Air Force F-16s use a three-tone scheme well-suited to the arid landscape. It consists of a sand tone, a brown and a light pistachio green. The elongated forms work well with the shapes seen in the natural environment.

4: Lockheed Have Blue camouflage

Lockheed Have Blue camouflage

The Have Blue test aircraft was utterly radical in shape and concept. Aerodynamic efficiency was sacrificed for reflecting radar waves, resulting in a fiercely swept wing, inward-canted vertical stabilisers, and a weird mass of flat surfaces. It was nicknamed "the Hopeless Diamond"a playful title based on the faceted Hope Diamond.

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Hiding its shape from prying eyes was extremely important, as its shape revealed its concept. The Have Blue was uniquely painted in a scheme devised by the chief technical engineer Alan Brown. It consisted of three colours, each with three tones, to make the aircraft's characteristic faceting hard to notice.

4: Lockheed Have Blue

Lockheed Have Blue

Blue first flew on December 1 1977, and the concept would define the later Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk' Stealth fighter'. The Have Blue was considerably smaller than the F-117 and had canted-in tail surfaces rather than out, as with the later F-117.

Key to the stealth is the shape of the aircraft. The Have Blue's angular form reflected radar waves away from the transmitters that sent them. As the shape revealed the concept, Have Blue was highly classified and kept secret for a long time.

3: Snow

Snow

For many countries, the most radical change in environmental colours comes with the snow and ice of winter. For others, parts of the country are always snow-covered. Green and grey aircraft can stand out like a sore thumb against such white backgrounds, which is why many combat aircraft adopt temporary winter schemes.

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The widest-spread example was during the second world war in the Soviet Union, in which thousands of aircraft were painted in winter schemes. There was massive variation in winter camouflage schemes.

2: Snow

Snow

Some aircraft were carefully painted all-white, others messily and temporarily painted or sprayed in messy whites or greys, often over the greens of their standard scheme. Many of these schemes were highly effective, so finding and recovering crashed aircraft in the snow was hard.

In the Cold War, NATO aircraft often trained in the north of Norway. For such exercises, aircraft types painted with water-based temporary camouflage included RAF Harriers and Jaguars (pictured), and USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II.

1: Lozenge

Lozenge

Aero engines in World War One were laughably low-powered by modern standards, and as a result, any means to reduce airframe weight was potentially invaluable. This was the main reason for the German adoption of preprinted 'lozenge' fabric, as it removed the need to cover an aircraft in heavy paint.

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Experiments with various patterns, including a three-colour background and circular dots of different sizes, led to the basic duo of four and five-colour patterns. Fokker generally used the four-colour palette as on this D.VII. Different shades were produced for upper and lower surfaces and for nocturnal operations. Both the Army and Navy produced lozenge fabrics for their exclusive use.

1: Lozenge

Lozenge

Originally developed to diminish the highly visible yellow colouration of observation balloons, the fabric had to be lightweight. The recently discovered indanthrene dyes employed were highly colourfast and durable. Lozenge patterns were not intended to explicitly hide the aircraft but to break up its outline and make it less easily recognised.

Yet the scientific rigour with which the camouflage of lozenge fabrics had been developed, along with the weight savings they delivered, was effectively abandoned in the frontline. Virtually all German aircrew liberally applied vast quantities of paint onto their machines to produce elaborate personal markings, such as these obscuring the five-colour lozenge on the Albatros D.Va of Helmut Dilthey.

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Absolut Vodka and Tabasco Brand have partnered on Absolut Tabasco, a new chile-flavored vodka made with real aged Tabasco pepper mash and no added sugar.

The collaboration emphasizes balanced flavor over extreme heat, capturing the signature spice and aroma of Tabasco while remaining approachable for most drinkers.

Certified gluten-free, Absolut Tabasco is the first joint release from the two global icons and is rolling out in more than 50 markets worldwide.

Fans of spicy booze are in for a treat. One of the worlds most famous vodkas has teamed up with Americas most iconic hot sauce for a collab that brings the heat  just not too much.

Absolut Tabasco is a new chile pepper-flavored vodka available throughout the U.S.  and in more than 50 international markets  starting this month. Its the first-ever collaboration between Absolut Vodka and Tabasco Brand, each of them goliaths in their respective categories.

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Fittingly, both of the companys core products  Absolut Vodka and Tabasco Brand Original Red Sauce  are made with just three ingredients. Distilled in Ahus, Sweden, Absolut Vodka is made from water, winter wheat, and a proprietary yeast strain. Tabasco has been produced on Avery Island, Louisiana, since 1868. Its famed pepper sauce is made from an aged mash of red peppers, salt, and vinegar.

Flavoring for Absolut Tabasco begins with real Tabasco pepper mash, which is aged and fermented for up to three years in reclaimed oak barrels. (Many of those barrels were previously used for whiskey maturation.) A portion of the mash is then blended with Absolut Vodka, followed by other natural flavor notes. According to a press release, the result delivers distinctive heat and aroma of the worlds most famous pepper sauce, along with a mouthfeel reminiscent of the sauce. As with all Absolut flavored vodkas, no sugar is added. It is certified gluten-free.

Absolut Tabascos flavor begins with a pepper mash thats fermented and aged for up to three years. (Some of that aging happens in reclaimed oak barrels previously used for whiskey.) A portion of the mash is then blended with vodka to deliver depth and warmth. Courtesy of Pernod Ricard

Absolut emphasizes that while the new collab brings plenty of spice, the focus is on flavor rather than raw heat. Tabasco Sauce does not aim to be the hottest of hot sauces, but has the perfect level of kick which has contributed to its massive fandom, an Absolut representative tells Food & Wine. Similarly, Absolut Tabasco delivers against expectations for those that crave heat, but is not so overwhelmingly spicy that the average consumer would be overwhelmed by the heat level.

Related: It's Okay to Drink Vodka Again  Here Are the Bottles Leading the Revival

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The partnership has been in the works since early 2025, when Absolut initiated talks with Tabasco. Of course, the behemoth vodka brand  the worlds second-largest  is no stranger to flavored varieties. The Pernod Ricard-owned company launched Absolut Peppar in 1986, followed by Absolut Citron in 1988. Other current Absolut flavors include Wild Berri, Grapefruit, Peach, Vanilla, Raspberri, and Mango.

Fast Facts: Absolut Tabasco

ABV: 38% ABV

How its made: To make Absolut Tabasco, real Tabasco red pepper mash is blended with vodka and other natural flavors. The final product is proofed to 38% ABV, or 76 proof.

Availability: Absolut Tabasco is available nationwide in the United States and in more than 50 international markets.

MSRP: $25

Absolut Tabasco was partially inspired by a growing demand for spicy vodka, which a 2025 Datassentials report forecasts will rise by up to 27% by 2029. A 2020 Technomic Flavor Trends report also suggests that a majority of Gen Z is more likely to purchase consumables when theyre advertised as spicy. Thats a key demographic for the worlds largest alcohol companies, one thats slowly building its affinity for alcohol, from wine to spirits and cocktails.

Fittingly, Absolut recommends the new product in a variety of mixed drinks, including Bloody Marys and Spicy Lemonade, or on its own as a pepper-infused shot.

Read the original article on Food & Wine
Feb. 1

 Full Moon Snowshoe, Berks Leisure Area, 1901 Tulpehocken Road, Wyomissing, 6 p.m. Enjoy a snowshoe walk down the Union Canal Trail with Parks staff. Well grab a cup of hot chocolate and discuss snowshoe tips before trying out a few pairs outside. In the event we dont have snow, well still look at snowshoes and then go for a hike on foot on the trail. Free. Registration required at countyofberks.recdesk.com/Community/Program.

Feb. 2

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 A Christian pet loss support group will be held at St. Johns Reformed Church, 4001 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring. The next meeting will be held in the churchs fellowship hall, starting at 6:45 p.m. Sessions are led by Dr. Becky Frank, associate veterinarian with Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice. Frank is also certified in thanatology (death, loss, grief and bereavement). The program entails six different sessions and participants may join at any time. This group is open to the public and is offered at no charge. Questions should be directed to office@stjohnsss.org. RSVP to that email if you are planning to attend. Parking is located behind the church, and the fellowship hall is on the lower level.

Feb. 7

 Winter Wellness Walk, Berks Leisure Area, 1901 Tulpenocken Road, Wyomissing, 9 a.m. Join Parks staff as we get out on the Union Canal Trail to enjoy an hour-long brisk walk with likeminded friends. Getting moving this time of the year can be tough, but studies show that outdoor time is just as important in winter as the warmer months of the year. Just a few minutes of walking can greatly improve the state of your mind, create healthy habits, and introduce new connections among others looking to do the same! Wear walking shoes or other appropriate footwear and dress accordingly. Free. Registration suggested at countyofberks.recdesk.com/Community/Program.

 Deadline to order chicken corn noodle soup and ham and cheese sandwiches from St. Peters United Church of Christ, 122 W. Franklin St., Topton. Cost is $7 for a quart of soup and $5 for sandwiches. Pickup on Feb. 14 from 9 a.m.-noon at the church. To order, call 610-682-7633.

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 Pennsylvania German ice harvesting demonstration, Historic Dreibelbis Farm, 356 Hard Hill Road, Richmond Township, 1:30-4:30 p.m. The event will include a demonstration of antique ice harvesting tools and (weather permitting) cutting and harvesting ice blocks from the ice pond. Well explain how and why ice was hauled to and loaded in the farms ice house. The first presentation will begin at 1:45; a repeat presentation will be at 2:30. Well offer horse-drawn wagon rides for a small fee (or if we have 4 inches of snow on the ground, the horses will pull a sleigh). A bonfire, homemade soup, hot chocolate and marshmallows for toasting will be available, and the farm grounds and nature trail will be open to the public. The event is free (wagon/sleigh rides and food for a small fee) and will be held rain or shine, with only blizzard conditions or pouring rain cancelling.

Feb. 10

 Trail Tales, Berks County Heritage Center, 1102 Red Bridge Road, Bern Township, 10 a.m. Get wrapped up in a trail tale and discover plants and animal friends in our parks. This toddler-age program focuses on a nature topic each month partnered with a story and a craft. Special guests and visitors may make an appearance to join us in the fun! Geared toward children ages 3-5. Registration required at countyofberks.recdesk.com/Community/Program.

Feb. 11

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 Junk Journaling: Part 2, Berks County Heritage Center, 1102 Red Bridge Road, Bern Townshp, 6 p.m. Join us for this workshop series to learn the art of junk journaling. Junk journals can be made out an assortment of different materials, which are often recycled or found. Learn about ways you can use your journal and what supplies can be utilized to create one. A limited amount of art materials are provided but please bring your own book and any supplies you would like to include in your journal. If you need to purchase a journal, we will have some available for $5. Registration required at countyofberks.recdesk.com/Community/Program.

Feb. 14

 Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue will hold its monthly open house from 10 a.m. until noon at its Golden Gateway facility at 60 Vera Cruz Road, Reinholds. Meet and greet the golden retrievers and dogs available for adoption. Staff is on hand to answer questions, and food is available for purchase. No admission charge. No photos, and do not bring other dogs to this event. For more information, contact info@dvgrr.org, call 717-484-4799 or visit dvgrr.org/adopt/monthlyopenhouse.

Feb. 18

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 Winter Tree Walk, Angora Fruit Farm, 502 Angora Road, Lower Alsace Township, 9 a.m. Come with us as we get to know our favorite natural friends in a different light (or in this case, season). Trees can be easy to identify when they have leaves, however, as we dive into the colder months where leaves are scarce, we are here to emphasize their other identifiable features. Join us as we look at a variety of different tree and shrub species and test your ID knowledge. This program is geared toward adults, but all are welcome. We will be outside so water and sturdy walking shoes/boots are recommended. Registration required at countyofberks.recdesk.com/Community/Program.

Feb. 20-21

 Friends of the Sinking Spring Library book sale, 3940 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring, Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Snow dates are Feb. 27-28. Hardback and paperback books, childrens books, DVDs, CDs and puzzles. All cookbooks and DIY and craft books are half prices. Cash and checks only.

Feb. 22

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 Deadlilne to order Italian hoagies from Pioneer Grange, 46 E. Keller St., Topton. Cost is $6. Pick up on March 2 from 3-5 p.m. at the Grange hall. To order, call Tammy at 610-463-7213.

Feb. 28

 Maple Sugaring, Grings Mill Recreation Area, 2083 Tulpehocken Road, Spring Township, 10 a.m. Learn how to identify the right kinds of trees to tap and make your very own syrup. Observe the process of taking sap to syrup and see just how much it takes to get the sweet and sticky liquid we love. $5 per person, kids under 3 free. Registration required at countyofberks.recdesk.com/Community/Program.


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After a nearly 2-year hiatus, Chipotle is bringing back Chicken al Pastor.

The protein features grilled chicken marinated with chile morita, achiote, and pineapple.

It returns to Chipotle locations in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, and Germany starting February 10.

No shade to Chipotles other proteins, but the best one theyve ever served, bar none, is the Chicken al Pastor. Even with other limited-time menu items like Carne Asada and Chipotle Honey Chicken, none of them have filled the void since Chicken al Pastor disappeared in 2024. And after nearly two years of manifesting, it has finally returned!

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I nearly jumped for joy this morning when I heard the news. And if social media fanfare is any indication, Im not the only one. Chipotle says customers have requested the return of Chicken al Pastor twice as much as any other limited-time offering.

Starting February 10, Chipotle locations in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, and Germany will serve Chicken al Pastor for a limited time. It's grilled chicken marinated in a blend of chile morita, achiote, and pineapple, then finished with fresh lime juice and cilantro for a hit of brightness.

Pineapple haters may be skeptical about fruit in the marinade, but don't knock it 'til you've tried it. Pineapples are rich in natural enzymes that help tenderize the chicken. Plus, the sweet-and-tart flavor balances the spice without veering into dessert territory.

Chipotle's recipe is inspired by the tacos al pastor you'll find at taquerias in Mexico and beyond. The only thing missing is the traditional trompo, but honestly, that would be a logistical nightmare to pull off across thousands of locations.

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I already know what I'm eating for lunch on February 10and for as many days as I can after that, until it disappears again.

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Welcome to another installment of Dear Diner, an advice column in which food writer Kristine Sherred answers your specific questions about the Tacoma-area dining scene and other food-and-drink topics. Submit a question anytime through this form.

Q: Croissants are good, but Im in search of a fabulous brioche. Any ideas?  Lynette Miller, Tacoma

Croissants arent just good. When properly executed, the intricate, sumptuous, flaky flattened butter wonders of the world are nothing short of incredible!

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Tacoma is indeed in short supply of the golden, buttery soft bread that is brioche, forged from a pastry-inspired dough with roots dating to the 13th century. My mind immediately jumped to brioche loaves  the kind that creates restaurant-worthy French toast at home. Outside of prefab, vacuum-sealed versions you might see in the bakery section of specialty grocers (Metropolitan Market, Tacoma Boys, Marlenes Market & Deli, Central Co-op, Harbor Greens), such rectangles are nowhere to be found in the immediate vicinity.

Even more curious in Lynettes question is the flawed premise that Tacoma is a beacon of viennoiserie. Le sigh. Its not.

The city has just two brick-and-mortar bakeries making croissants  three if you count Olympia Coffee, whose Seattle-based Moonrise Bakery has fed each of its shops, including Proctor, delightful pastries since 2021. Corina Bakery often has croissants in the case, but their specialty leans toward cakes, cookies and other treats that dont subscribe to the lamination category. When Three Hearts opened in 2024, it became the most reliable leader in local lamination. Seven days a week the breakfast-and-lunch restaurant opens with a pastry case bursting with croissants and cruffins (the trendy towering version baked in a muffin tin, generously sprinkled with sugar for an ever crispier exterior, whose identity falls somewhere between the O.G. and a kouign-amann), as well as cookies, tarts and  praise be  brioche.

The lack of traditional brioche seems, Im sorry to say, par for the course for a city not wholly bereft of but assuredly lacking in, for lack of a better term, artisan bakeries.

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I see bakeries as I do coffee shops: No, you cannot have too many. Each can master their specialty. Just like every neighborhood needs a coffee shop, every neighborhood deserves a bakery. Its fine if the two are under one roof  better in fact!

Three Hearts makes sweet and savory brioche buns daily in Tacomas Hilltop neighborhood. (Liesbeth Powers/lpowers@thenewstribune.com)

The temperature has graciously warmed in the past couple of years.

In addition to Three Hearts, Balloon Roof Baking Co.  which has all but maxed out baking sourdough loaves, cookies, cruffins and more in a production-only space in Fife, sold at local farmers markets  is on track to open a glimmering new storefront on Sixth Ave this year.

Dough Boy Bakery, which operates under a cottage license (meaning a home-based kitchen), has drawn fans to the Tacoma Farmers Market on summer Thursdays and the Haunted Farmers Market in South Tacoma every other Saturday.

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Bas Que Bakery, a shining light of Tacomas culinary newcomers in 2025, has turned sourdough inside-out in a petite kitchen with Blodgett deck ovens under Berliner Beerhall.

A few others, like Spilled Butter Desserts and Girl Loves Cake Dessert, have nurtured niches in whimsical treats sold to local coffee shops and macarons available to pre-order and often found at seasonal markets and pop-up events. Lobo Bakery has also amassed fans with clever flavor combinations in various laminated forms, as well as a very subtle, real-almond croissant.

But it still kind of feels like bakery nerds have to go out of their way, or at least know where to look.

When I asked Lynette for more background on her brioche quest, she explained that she grew up in a rural part of New York state  a food wonderland! where brioche was easy to find.

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I always look for them, usually without success, she said, nodding to a loaf at Trader Joes (sorry-not-sorry, TJs is assuredly not as fresh as the local oven) and the occasional bun. But none of them live up to my memories.

She longs for the traditional brioche a tete, a shape she accurately described in her email as with a fluted base and the round ball on top.

I realize Im probably not going to get that here. Sigh! But Id take a reasonable substitute, she concluded.

As a food writer who quite literally plans her days around bakeries, especially when traveling, I get it. The below list might not entail the classic, unadulterated brioche of Lynettes memories, but it highlights the beautiful brioche buns at Three Hearts and some brioche-adjacent breads, made on-site and by hand, with a similarly sweet backbone.

The pastry case at Three Hearts is packed daily with tarts, cookies, muffins and the wonderful brioche buns in sweet and savory flavors. (Liesbeth Powers/lpowers@thenewstribune.com)

Three Hearts

1116 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma 253-201-7742, threeheartstacoma.com

Daily 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

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The double-couple team that created Three Hearts  Will Eder and Jenah Garrett, Jeffery and Maggie Hellis  built the daily daytime destination they wished they could frequent. In teaser posts, they focused so much on the baking program that people mistakenly thought they were opening a bakery, not a restaurant. While the hot food from the open kitchen, the coffee and cocktails from the bustling bar, and the positively effervescent atmosphere provide plenty of fodder to wake up a little early and meet a friend for brunch on a Tuesday, the baking program holds equal, if not superior, stature.

Chef Jeffery Hellis developed the foundation, and last spring, pastry chef Alec Young took the helm. After culinary school, Young trained at Blackbird Bakery on Bainbridge, which has served the island since 1999. His approach to baking is meticulous yet laid back, with a commitment to not cutting corners.

Each batch begins with poolish, a flour-yeast-water starter that Young lets rest for around three hours, mixed for about 10 minutes on a medium speed with eggs, yolks, milk and a bit more dried yeast. The gluten strands must be strong, explained Young, before adding any butter.

Three Hearts pastry chef Alec Young stuffs brioche buns with savory potato filling on Friday, Jan. 23. He arrives early in the morning to craft the dough, which rests through the day until co-owner Jeffery Hellis arrives to shape, fill and bake the next days pastries for the restaurant and local wholesale accounts. (Liesbeth Powers/lpowers@thenewstribune.com)

This dough includes a lot of butter, he said, pointing to the five big blocks, at room temperature, on the stainless steel work bench shaking under the whir of the countertop mixer.

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He chops the butter with a bench scraper into cubes, adding one at a time into the flour mixture, until each piece is fully incorporated. Slowly but surely, the dough transforms from a clumpy blob into a nice smooth dough, almost silken in texture and appearance.

Its super-duper stretchy, he said. It kinda wants to break.

He pulls it up out of the bowl a foot or so. It doesnt.

The batched dough then rests in the cooler for most of the day, until Hellis arrives around 7 p.m. to start shaping each bun into baking trays. A delicate dimple makes room for the filling  Three Hearts offers sweet and savory options. During our visit, the savory flavors featured house bacon jam, pesto and confit potatoes in one and goat cheese, romesco and the same potatoes in another, finished with cheese, a whole egg cracked just before heading into the oven, and flaky sea salt.

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The enriched dough, which historians say gained more and more butter to please the royal class, accepts sauces and fillings in a way that harder sourdoughs or softer dinner buns dont. Picture babka, swirled with chocolate-tahini paste, or challah studded with seeds  goods also largely absent from the regional scene due to a dearth of Jewish bakeries.

Three Hearts buns bake for about 30 minutes, until the dough is golden-brown and the egg is aptly cooked. The beauty of brioche  a just-crispy-enough crust revealing a buttery (but not too buttery), fluffy, pull-apart interior  is that the dough is neither pastry nor bread.

Three Hearts struck a chord in Tacoma with a daytime-focused concept that satisfy breakfast, brunch and true-lunch desires, plus a commitment to from-scratch baked goods. (Liesbeth Powers/lpowers@thenewstribune.com)

Brioche is very specific, said Young. It lives between batter and dough.

Three Hearts also stocks the cases at local cafes including Bluebeard Coffee (both cafes), Coffeezaun Espresso, Civic Roasters, The Method Skateboards and Coffee, Jin Jin Matcha, Curran Coffee, and Papaver Roaster House in Olympia.

Surtidoras Bakery

1314 E 72nd St, Tacoma, 253-650-0104, surtidorasbakery.com

Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Friday-Sunday 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Also at 1702 Auburn Way N, Auburn, 253-363-3210

Dulce Cafe in downtown Puyallup serves Latin-inspired treats, like this strawberry concha stuffed with fresh fruit, cream and Nutella. They source the bread from Surtidoras Bakery in Tacoma.

Conchas, core to the pan dulce category of Mexican baked goods, are constructed from a brioche-like dough, finished with a streusel topping. Any panaderia will have the seashell-shaped bread, but head to Surtidoras Bakery, with locations in Auburn and as of last year Tacomas South End, for a fresh one with vanilla, chocolate or strawberry. You can also try the pretty pink varietal stuffed with cream and strawberries at Dulce Cafe in downtown Puyallup.

Bas Que Bakery

112 s 24th St., Tacoma, instagram.com/getbasque

Friday-Monday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

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DJ Park and Seong Hyun Lee hit the ground seriously running with their new downtown bakery. The theme ostensibly explores Spanish flavors, but as they told me last December, the climate of the Basque region that inspired them aligns surprisingly closely with that of the PNW. Crops like quince, chestnuts and pears, which theyve incorporated into their all-sourdough, Washington-wheat handheld breads, grow in both places. The cases contents change day by day, but often it features a round brioche bun, stuffed with some sort of fruit or veg, as well as the likes of a cinnamon concha and torrijas, a Spanish version of brioche-based French toast.

Midsommar Bakery

Mobile bakery with select wholesale and special event ordering, midsommarbakery.square.site

Proctor Farmers Market, Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (Feb. 14 and 28, March 14 and 28, then weekly starting April 4-Dec. 19), proctorfarmersmarket.com

Delightful Neighborhood Market, 4818 N 45th St., Tacoma, delightfulmkt.com

Outer Dark Coffee, 750 Market St., Tacoma, outerdarkcoffee.com

The husband-and-wife team behind Midsommar Bakery has steadily blossomed since launching at the Proctor Farmers Market in 2024. (Owners Thea Billing and Noah Citron bake at Sons of Norway.) The traditional Swedish recipes for kardemummabullar (cardamom buns) is also akin to a brioche but adds milk and of course bountiful spices. The dough is rolled flat, sliced into strips, and then twisted into a pretty little knot. Midsommars usual menu also includes a cinnamon-sugar version if youre for some reason averse to cardamom, as well as an almond-orange, vanilla (known as vaniljbullar) with cream, and seasonal variations.

Bon Bon Bakery

9122 South Tacoma Way, 253-267-1353, instagram.com/bonbonbakery2021

Daily 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Bon Bon Bakery in Lakewood serves an array of Korean pastries and global baked goods, including this lovely Japanese milk bread. Look for the stuffed cream buns for a sweet brioche alternative.

This Korean bakery, although one of several in Lakewood, stands out for its selection of chapssal (rice flour doughnuts) and affordable, well-designed cakes, but a few other items harken to brioche. Look for the bulbous buns smiling up at you with whipped-cream teeth. A cousin to the Roman maritozzo or maritozzi, the soft, fluffy dough is part-milk bread, part-brioche, part-doughnut  only its baked, not fried. You might also pick up a squared loaf of milk bread, which involves much less butter than brioche but still, a slice of this beaut is an ideal sandwich or French toast vessel.

The Cat & Rabbitt Cake Shop

111 E Stewart Ave., Puyallup, 253-693-9463, thecatandrabbitt.com

Monday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

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Obviously Terryn Abbitt and Julia Browns cake shop is beloved for its massive, multilayered slices of cake in so many flavors weve all lost count, but the iykyk crowd piles into this Puyallup bakery for cinnamon rolls every weekend. They begin with a brioche dough, made in big enough batches that rolling them out, layering the cinnamon love, and assembling them into their almost-as-big-as-the-box squares consumes an entire prep table. Each one runs $14.50, but I promise you these cinnamon rolls are the ultimate deal. Availability is limited to Saturdays and Sundays only because, well, see above!

Emish Market

2040 70th Ave. E, Fife, 253-262-6070, emishmarket.com

Daily 6 a.m.-midnight

Emish Market in Fife offers an array of breads and pastries from in its in-house bakery. The vanilla rolls combine eggs, milk, flour and butter into a fluffy, slightly sweet bread with enough moisture to keep for several days. (Kristine Sherred/ksherred@thenewstribune.com)

The in-house bakery at this Ukrainian market and cafe does it all, from loaves of bread (wheat, rye, pumpernickel) to bite-sized, caramel-filled walnut cookies and honey cake. Head past the produce aisle to find the days selection, including what they call vanilla rolls, essentially a type of brioche bun sprinkled with a little streusel topping for good measure. They keep well for several days sealed in their bag or Tupperware.

Kevins Italian

Cottage bakery based in South Tacoma

Pre-order for pickup only, kevinsitalian.square.site

This might be the biggest stretch, but it felt right to highlight this awesome cottage bakery in this list with no clear answers! Kevin Pemoulie quietly launched his home-based baking business a couple of years ago after 20-plus years in professional kitchens. As he jokes on his website, he is not, in fact, Italian, but he is from New Jersey. If youre an East Coaster, or long for East Coast and/or Italian foods in your life, beeline to his website to order the crackly-to-cloudlike focaccias. His default vehicle is an 8-inch round pan, which lends a bubblier, poofier bread, but you can opt for a 9x13 rectangle if you so desire. Flavors include rosemary and sea salt, orange and green olive, and simple salt and pepper. The semolina sesame bread is also among the finest sandwich breads you can find in Tacoma.

As mentioned above regarding going out of your way, you must pre-order online by Tuesday at 5 p.m. for Friday pickup or Wednesday at 5 p.m. for Saturday pickup. You can also advance order up to 90 days out. Choose a pickup time in the windows provided and Pemoulie will emerge from the house with your order when you text that you have arrived. Thank me later!
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  A 22News viewer shared a video of their dog looking for their yard after it was covered with a foot of snow.

The video shared to 22News on Tuesday shows Ruger, a German Shepherd, heading outside to do his business. He looked around, a bit confused because his usual yard is now covered with a massive amount of snow.

VIDEO: T-Rex conquers historic Massachusetts snowstorm

Ruger is wondering what happened to his yard, shared Martina St Louis. Rugers mom told 22News that they even made a path for him to go.

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22News received several photos of animals in the snow. If you have any funny moments of your pets, email reportit@wwlp.com.

Sent by 22News viewer Martina St Louis. Sent by 22News viewer Tina Washington. Freddie, Mini Goldendoodle, after 30 of snow in Shutesbury. Dog looks for way to go outside in Bernardston. Southwick. Southwick. Southwick. Southwick. Sixteen Acres area of Springfield. Gizmo, sent by Tammie Paris. Piper and Cagney. Sent by Dr. Kathy Martin.

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.

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.
STEVENS POINT  The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Allen F. Blocher Planetarium will host a series of free shows in February, offering the public a chance to explore various aspects of space.

The shows will take place at 2 p.m. Sundays, according to a community announcement. Each session will last about an hour and will include a 25-minute presentation focusing on the current night sky over central Wisconsin, highlighting bright stars, constellations and planets.

Planetarium seating is first-come, first-served and can accommodate up to 55 people. Groups of eight or more may schedule a special showing of any planetarium program by calling 715-346-2208 or completing an online request form. There is a cost for these requests.

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The planetarium is located on the second floor of the UW-Stevens Point Science Building, 2001 Fourth Ave., Stevens Point. Parking is available in Lot D behind the building and is free in all university lots after 7 p.m. and on weekends.

Show topics range from black holes to Mars missions

The schedule is as follows:

Feb. 1: "Forward! To the Moon!" will feature Kari Byron from "MythBusters" and "Crash Test World" discussing NASA's space endeavors in the 21st century and the next steps toward establishing lunar outposts.

Feb. 8: "Mars: The Ultimate Voyage" will explore the challenges of future human expeditions to the red planet.

Feb. 15: "Variable Stars in the Winter/Spring" will explain how some stars change in brightness over time.

Feb. 22: "The Largest Black Hole in the Universe" and "The Incredible Power of Quasars" will present two short shows about black holes and quasars.

Junior Scientist program returns

A Junior Scientist planetarium program, "Leo and Art," will be offered from 3:30 to 4:10 p.m. Feb. 8, with a book reading session at 3 p.m. This program is being presented in collaboration with the UW-Stevens Point Museum of Natural History.

Stargazing opportunities

Stargazing sessions are available Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 8:30 to 10 p.m., weather permitting, on Colman field, located on the corner of Maria Drive and Reserve Street. Viewings will be held only if the skies are clear and the temperature is above 15 degrees.

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More information and stargazing weather updates can be found at uwsp.edu/smcpa/blocher-planetarium.

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 Stevens Point Journal: Explore space this February at UW-Stevens Point planetarium
Cruising Altitude is a weekly column about air travel. Have a suggestion for a future topic? Fill out the form or email me at the address at the bottom of this page.

Friends and loved ones, we are gathered here today to mourn the loss of Southwest Airlines as it once was. The fun, free-spirited carrier with open seating and two complimentary checked bags for every passenger is no more. Elliott Management, the airlines new Wall Street overlord, decided the company would be more profitable by fitting in with the others.

On Jan. 27, the last major differentiator between Southwest and its competitors fell by the wayside as the airline moved to assigned seats for all passengers.

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It may not seem like a life-altering decision to some. In fact, many casual travelers may not even notice.

Certainly, when I flew an early morning flight on the first day of assigned seating, there was no commotion. There was no pushback. There wasnt even any apparent confusion among passengers heading to assigned seats  even as the airline was transforming from the quirky carrier that so many travelers loved for its personality and different approach.

Speaking more broadly and from the heart, its a bummer.

I may like knowing what to expect when I travel, but theres something to be said when a company blazes its own trail and stands out from the competition.

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Its a very big deal. Theyre going to be in many ways similar to the other three mega carriers who have 80% of the market more or less offering the same product. William J. McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project told me. Southwest managed to find a niche and managed to develop a product that truly was different than the others.

It can be good for travelers to have choice beyond the simple schedule an airline operates, and Southwests decision to homogenize with its competitors poses a bigger question: What will this mean for its most loyal passengers?

It's truly the end of an era of differentiation at Southwest Airlines.

What changed at Southwest?

In the last year or so, Southwest reinvented itself to be more like all the other major U.S. airlines.

Where once the Dallas-based carrier offered two free checked bags for every passenger, first-come, first-served seating, a flexible policy for plus-sized passengers and other customer-friendly business practices, the airline is now getting in line with the competition.

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Free checked bags for most casual passengers? Thats over. Especially when airlines collectively made $7.3 billion from bag fees in 2024, according to the Department of Transportation. The exhilarating race to grab a seat? Thats done. Assigned seating and extra legroom rows have become the new standard on its fleet of Boeing 737s. A second seat for passengers who need the space? Sure, but its more likely to cost you. Its plus-size passenger policy, too, has gotten more restrictive.

When Southwest started in 1971, it flew just two routes: Dallas-San Antonio and Dallas-Houston. That's not the only thing that was different back then: The flight attendants wore hot pants and go-go boots. Click ahead for more photos from the airline's history. Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher at the launch of the airline's Boeing 737-300s in 1984. A Boeing 737-300 aircraft in Southwest Airlines' historic colors. Southwest planes at one time featured lounge-style seating, with passengers facing each other. In 1992, Southwest co-founder Herb Kelleher famously arm-wrestled Kurt Herwald, the chairman of Stevens Aviation, for the the rights to the phrase "Plane Smart.'' Kelleher lost. Southwest airlines employee Darlene McKinney takes boarding passes from passengers at the gate at the BWI airport on Aug. 27, 1996. Southwest Airlines flight attendant uniforms in the 1990s. The tail section of two Southwest Airlines jets are seen Jan. 10, 2003 at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nev. Southwest announced today that the company flew 3.9 billion revenue passenger miles in December 2002, a 9.7 percent increase from the 3.5 billion flown in December 2001. Southwest's planes got a new look when the airline turned 30 in 2001. Kelleher kissed the Liberty Bell to mark Southwest's new flights to and from Philadelphia in 2005. Southwest had Shamu planes to celebrate its partnership with SeaWorld. Southwest featured baggage handlers in its Bags Fly Free advertisements. Southwest announced its acquisition of AirTran Airways in 2010. Boeing unveiled Southwest Airlines' first 737-800 in 2012. The company's latest look features a heart on the belly of the plane. Southwest Airlines added the Boeing 737 Max 8 to its fleet in 2017. Southwest Airlines' website paid tribute to co-founder Herb Kelleher on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Kelleher died Jan. 3 at age 87. Southwest Airlines debuted service to Hawaii in March 2019. Mario poses for a photo for the Nintendo of America and Southwest Airlines Partnership at San Diego International Airport on July 17, 2019 in San Diego, Calif. Baggage is loaded onto a Southwest Airlines plane Aug. 12, 2020, at Mitchell Airport. in Milwaukee. The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected multiple airlines and the travel industry as a whole. Southwest Airlines 737 MAX 8 airplanes are stored at the Southern California Logistics Airport on April 4, 2020 in Victorville, Calif. Commercial aircraft are being parked at the remote desert airport about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles as demand for travel drops amid the global coronavirus pandemic. A Boeing 737-700 flying for Southwest airlines approaches the Palm Springs International Airport passing by snow-capped mountains as seen from Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. on March 22, 2023. A Southwest Airlines jet takes off from Sky Harbor International airport heading for San Francisco on July 13, 2023 in Phoenix, Ariz. A Southwest Airlines plane takes off from Hollywood Burbank Airport as other Southwest planes are parked at their gates on July 25, 2024 in Burbank, Calif. Southwest Airlines has announced it will discontinue its 50 year policy of open seating and will assign seats including premium seating in an effort to broaden its appeal. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 at Denver International Airport. See Southwest Airlines history in photos from the beginning in 1971 1 of 25 When Southwest started in 1971, it flew just two routes: Dallas-San Antonio and Dallas-Houston. That's not the only thing that was different back then: The flight attendants wore hot pants and go-go boots. Click ahead for more photos from the airline's history.

While executives insisted the changes give customers more choice and more options that they actually want, consumer advocates like McGee arent so sure.

From his perspective, the changes are being driven entirely by whats good for the companys quarterly earnings statements, not necessarily whats best for passengers.

"More should be made of the fact that we have such an upside-down world here in that the market is driven by punishing people, so therefore, if youre doing something that is good and that consumers like, for example, free bags, what are the investors on Wall Street say and what do the big banks and the analysts say, they say youre leaving money on the table, he said. The value of your company is hurt because youre doing something good for your customers.

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Brian Lorenzo, 28, a Southwest Airlines loyalist, told me hes "happy to see them doing more for different customers," and added that he's glad to see Southwest doing assigned seating in its own way  which includes keeping the pre-boarding lineup procedure, something he said seems to make boarding go smoother. But still, he said, hell miss some of the old quirks.

Sunrise seen from one of the first Southwest Airlines flights with assigned seats.

What its like on the new Southwest

Its just like any other airline, and isnt that kind of a shame?

When I flew to Nashville from New York on Jan. 27, I was expecting at least some people to be upset or annoyed about the new policy. Instead, I saw a bunch of passengers slogging their way through the airport before the sun came up, and checking their boarding passes to confirm their seat assignment.

Southwests open seating policy, in place for decades, ended more with a resigned sigh than a furious uproar. Even the airlines own press materials were uncharacteristically staid.

A Southwest Airlines jet at Nashville International Airport.

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Southwest Airlines as the airline introduces assigned and premium seating in response to customer demand for more options, including Extra Legroom seating, Preferred seating, and Standard seating, along with a new group-based boarding process and elevated travel experience, a statement from the company said.

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Online, some superfans spoke out about how much theyd miss open seating, but at LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday morning, it seemed like most people didnt notice or at least didnt care if they took note.

Onboard, people found their seats and seemingly went to sleep. Or at least, I went to sleep. There wasnt much else to do considering the Wi-Fi, now free for all Rapid Rewards members, was nonfunctional.

Last week's Cruising Altitude: Flying with a backpack? You may have forfeited overhead bin space

And just like that, a new era at Southwest began. With passengers sleeping in their assigned seats, unable to scroll Instagram.

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I was in seat 24A, a window seat near the back of the plane, assigned to me at check-in with my basic economy ticket.

There was no singing or celebration at my gate, although the airline announced a few celebrations that popped up for other flights, including the last one with open seating. Meanwhile, Southwest executives promise the airline intends to keep its quirky personality onboard, even amid the other changes.

How you may ask? Its up in the air.

The sun rises on assigned seating onboard a Southwest Airlines flight on Jan. 27, 2026.

That Tuesday morning departure could have been any other flight on any other airline.

For McGees part, he said these changes were bound to come to Southwests lovely skies sooner or later.

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In the end, we all should be surprised that they hung on as long as they did, he said. I guess, the market being what it is, it was inevitable.

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: We gather here today to mourn Southwest Airlines' uniqueness
Oliver Yetman and Randy Marker are technically both seniors in college.

Yetman, an 18-year-old senior at Whetstone High School, and Marker, a 69-year-old former construction executive, wouldn't typically be college classmates for a few reasons. For one, Yetman is a high schooler. Second, Marker completed his bachelor's degree at Ohio State in 1979. And third, the duo are grandfather and grandson.

But thanks to a couple of different programs and serendipitous timing, Yetman and Marker got to enroll at Ohio State together.

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"It was the experience of a lifetime," Marker said.

Grandson Oliver Yetmen, left, and grandfather Randy Marker pose for a photo at the Ohio Union on Jan. 20 in Columbus. They are both enrolled at Ohio State University.

It started last fall when Yetman was enrolling in classes through the Ohio State Academy, the universitys College Credit Plus arm. Yetman needed to take a math course in order to graduate from high school, but he was torn. Should he take the class at Whetstone or at Ohio State?

College courses, he said, could be really overwhelming, especially for math. But he preferred to be on campus full-time if he could. So he asked his grandpa what he would suggest.

Marker had considered participating in Ohio State's Program 60, an initiative during the last few years that allows Ohio residents 60 and older to audit courses tuition-free, but the timing never quite worked out. He told Yetman that taking the class would be a good challenge for him  plus it would only be one semester versus a whole school year.

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More: Ohio Wesleyan's Lifelong Learning Institute gets older adults back in the classroom

About a week before classes started, Yetman asked Marker another question: What if you took the class with me?

Marker was surprised, thinking, "Does he seriously want me to be in class with him?" But Marker had wanted to take some college calculus courses through Program 60. This, he said, seemed like the perfect chance to start.

So Marker and Yetman both enrolled in a calculus course together. They were in the same lecture hall together, seated in the front row, and had different but back-to-back recitations.

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The two would discuss their homework assignments and study for exams together. But there was certainly a level of friendly competition between them.

"After about two weeks, it was pretty clear it was game on," Marker said.

Yetman said he would call his grandma and ask what Marker was up to. Studying in the bedroom, she would often reply. Occasionally while he was in meetings, Marker would get a call himself from his grandson about a homework problem.

"Hed say, 'Did you figure out problem number five in section 18?'" Marker said. "I'd think, oh my God, I'm not even close!"

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Marker's last taste of college life was more than 50 years ago, so he was curious to see how much students have changed since then. He was pleasantly surprised by how much was the same. The biggest difference, he said, was the learning style.

Although Marker worked early in his career for Texas Instruments Inc. and considers himself pretty tech savvy, there was definitely a learning curve, he said. He didn't bring a laptop to the first week of recitation and it took a few weeks to get used to submitting assignments online.

But Marker said it was cool to get to learn from Yetman and his peers. He even took part in a couple of extracurricular activities, namely going to Ohio Stadium together to watch the Buckeyes beat the Texas Longhorns.

"Oliver told me, 'You're getting a full college experience here, aren't you?' It was kind of ironic hearing that from your grandson," Marker said.

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Yetman said he learned just as much from his grandfather last semester.

Their relationship never felt like "a helicopter parent," Yetman said, but rather like peers. They would talk before and after class about business, relationships, money and school. Yetman said he gleaned a lot of advice from Marker.

"(Marker) would introduce me to people and say, 'This is my classmate, Oliver,'" Yetman said. "It really felt like we were friends."

"Sometimes you don't realize how much you have to learn from your family," he added. "I learned a lot more than you would expect."

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Most students are relieved by the time the semester ends, but Yetman said he was a little bittersweet. But hopefully it won't be the last time the duo get to be on campus together. Yetman applied for early action to Ohio State and will likely attend as a certified college student in the fall.

As for Marker, he plans to continue taking math courses through Program 60.

They both "crushed" their final exam and easily passed, Yetman said. But who got the better final grade last semester?

Yetman did, by one point.

"What would a good granddad do if I didn't let him score higher?" Marker said with a smile.

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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: This grandfather-grandson duo are also Ohio State classmates
Jan. 28 (UPI) -- A capybara bathing contest held across multiple zoos in Japan was won by a rodent -- aptly named Prune -- who spent 1 hour, 45 minutes and 18 seconds in the bath.

Animals at multiple zoos across Japan participated in the "capybara long bath showdown," which timed how long each capybara willingly remained in the bath before exiting their respective tubs, and Prune was dubbed the winner at Nagasaki Bio Park.

Koharu, a capybara at Nasu Animal Kingdom, came in second with a 1 hour, 32 minute and 17 second soak; while Truffle from Izu Shaboten Zoo finished third with a time of 1 hour, 26 minutes and 57 seconds.

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Hechima, a Saitama Children's Zoo Park resident famous as the "watermelon queen" for her four consecutive titles in an annual speed eating contest, finished fourth in the bathing contest, with a time of 1 hour, 23 minutes and 6 seconds.

"It was a close contest. If Hechima had held on a little longer, she could have been first," a Saitama Children's Zoo Park spokesperson told The Mainichi newspaper.
In the last several years, I've seen a close correlation between the performance of the Russell 2000 iShares ETF (IWM) and the returns of small-to-medium stocks. I consider Sandisk (SNDK), with a market capitalization of about $69 billion, to be in the upper segment of the medium category. And indeed, the recent, meteoric rise of SNDK has coincided with a major rally by the IWM.

So, with the IWM showing signs of stalling for now amid multiple macro issues and SNDK stock having already soared 169% in the three months that ended on Jan. 23, I believe that SNDK's short squeeze is very likely to moderate significantly, if not cease altogether, at least in the short term.

More News from Barchart

Moreover, while Sandisk is likely to continue benefiting meaningfully in the next year or two from the strong demand for NAND flash memory sparked by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, I believe that Micron (MU) is a significantly better pick for investors at this point.

About Sandisk

Sandisk used to be part of Western Digital (WDC), but SNDK was spun off from its parent company nearly a year ago. SNDK specializes in developing NAND flash memory, which is being utilized extensively in devices that utilize AI, like robots and autonomous cars. However, the company's NAND chips are also being used by hyperscalers and in consumer electronics products. With the demand for NAND memory soaring due to the AI boom, NAND prices have jumped, causing SanDisk's operating cash flow to also surge and helping to spark the huge rally by SNDK stock.

www.barchart.com

Sandisk and the IWM

Although SNDK stock has generally performed very well since its spinoff, the shares were down meaningfully between Nov. 12, 2025, and the end of 2025. Between Jan. 2 and Jan. 23, however, the name soared 100%. During the same period, the IWM advanced by 7.6%. And tellingly, on Jan. 23, the IWM dropped 1.85%, while SNDK stock sank 5.88%.

Further, both the IWM and SNDK appear to have lost significant momentum starting on the afternoon of Jan. 22. The IWM dropped from a high of $271.60 on the latter day to $264.81 as of market close on Jan. 23, while Sandisk's shares fell from a high of $509.50 on Jan. 22, to $473.83 at market close on Jan. 23.
When temperatures plummeted below freezing during a historic storm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ryan Duval didnt hunker down and stay put.

Instead, he climbed into his vintage fire truck and headed straight out into the icy tundra. Why? To help.

Ryan knew that with wind chills dropping the mercury to life-threatening lows, people outside without shelter were in serious danger.

"I just saw a need for getting people out of the cold. The negative 20 temperatures really hit me hard...Someone staying outside, I wouldn't be able to survive it. So, I'm just out here getting those folks off the street," he said.

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Duval had purchased the 40-year-old fire truck at a government auction years ago. He hadn't used it for a while until this moment.

Cruising through Tulsa, Duval kept an eye out for anyone exposed to the freezing temperatures. When he spotted someone in need, he pulled over and offered help. Whether that meant a safe ride to a warming shelter or a chance to grab a hot meal and some water, Duval and his fire truck were town heroes.

One by one, people climbed aboard, finding temporary relief from the brutal cold inside the old truck. But through it all, Duval says he never set out to be recognized. He simply felt called to act.

"Its just giving back to a community like everybody should do, Duval said. If I can do it, anybody can do it."

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By the end of the weekend, his old fire truck had become a moving shelter  a place of warmth and a reminder that we can all find ways to help those around us whether the storm.

Humankind is your go-to spot for good news! Click here to submit your uplifting, cute, or inspiring video moments for us to feature. Also, click here to subscribe to our newsletter, bringing our top stories of the week straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How one man is helping Tulsa's homeless during deadly freeze
A 27-year-old woman thought her boyfriend was gearing up for a grown-up money talk when he said he wanted them to be "fully transparent" financially. Instead, he asked for her bank login.

Not joint account planning. Not budgets. Her actual password. When she laughed in disbelief, he got seriousand then got offended when she said no.

In a post on Reddit, the woman explained that she and her 30-year-old boyfriend have been living together for over two years, splitting bills fairly evenly. She earns about $15,000 more than he does, but both have stable incomes. When he brought up the idea of full transparency, she assumed it meant credit reports, long-term goals, maybe retirement talk. What she didn't expect was a request to monitor her account activity in real time.

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She offered a spreadsheet, monthly statement reviews, even a joint account for rent and bills. He rejected all of it. "That's not the same," he told her, calling her compromise "a wall." He argued that couples headed for marriage shouldn't keep private money and told her, "If you trust me enough to sleep next to me, you should trust me with a password."

That wasn't the only line that gave her pause. When she pointed out she had no debt aside from student loans and had never hidden purchases, he said he believed herbut added, "I want receipts."

From there, the tone shifted. She says he went cold and started making passive-aggressive comments about her "private life" and whether they were "at that level." When he later suggested linking their accounts through a budgeting app instead, she again said no. That, too, was met with frustration. He accused her of being controlling and "sabotaging" their future.

Trending: Americans With a Financial Plan Can 4X Their Wealth  Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Pro

Many responses challenged his definition of trust. "My husband and I have a joint account for bills," one married commenter said. "But we also have separate accounts. We're a team, not a surveillance state." Another added, "Not wanting your partner to watch every 11 p.m. grocery run isn't secrecy. It's privacy."

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Some also flagged the contradiction in his argument. He claimed she could have his passwords "any time," but had never offered them before. Others pointed out how quickly his framing shiftedfrom transparency to suspicion. "Why is he worried you're sending money to someone or hiding debt now?" one user asked. "That's not transparency. That's pre-accusation."

From a financial standpoint, experts agree that conversations around debt, spending, and credit are essential before marriage. But full access to personal accounts? That's not a baseline requirement. Financial transparency doesn't mean surrendering autonomy. Boundaries are still allowed.

See Also: This ETF issuer isn't chasing the index  it's building tools for income, leverage, and conviction

A 2025 Bankrate survey found 62% of committed couples keep at least some money separate, preserving personal privacy while still building a shared future.

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The woman ended her post by saying she feels like she's losing her mind. "I'm not saying we can't talk money," she wrote. "I'm just saying I'm not handing over access to my actual bank."

Couples planning a future together do need to be on the same page financiallybut that doesn't mean giving up every ounce of personal privacy. For some, transparency means openness. For others, it means a password. And figuring out which version your partner believes in might just determine if you should be opening a joint accountor changing your locks.

Read Next: This investment firm leverages expert insights and a $1.85 billion track record to help accredited investors capitalize on 2026 multifamily market trendsread the full forecast now.

Image: Shutterstock

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This article Woman, 27, Says Boyfriend Demanded Her Bank Login To Be 'Fully Transparent' Before Engagement  'If You Trust Me Enough to Sleep Next to Me' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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One person was shot and killed in the parking lot of a Steak N Shake on Tuesday night, according to a media partner WCPO-9 TV.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The shooting happened at the restaurant on 4949 Ridge Avenue in Hamilton County before 6:30 p.m.

A spokesperson with Cincinnati police told WCPO-9 that crews found a man with multiple gunshot wounds when they arrived on scene.

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Fire and EMS crews confirmed that the person died on scene.

Authorities said one person was detained, but theyre working to learn their involvement in the shooting.

The restaurant was closed at the time of the shooting, WCPO-9 reported.

This incident remains under investigation by the Cincinnati Police Departments Homicide Unit.

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On Wednesday evening, MIssissippi closed large portions of I-55 and I-22 to clear abandoned vehicles and treat roads, WLBT said. Hundreds of tractor-trailers had become stuck on interstates 22, 55 and 269 in northern Mississippi Tuesday evening after ice from the weekend storm refroze on the roads.

AccuWeather.com

Emergency crews were dispatched Tuesday evening to clear stranded drivers after several accidents and disabled vehicles, likely due to refreezing roads. WAPT reported that "hundreds of people" were still stranded on I-55 Wednesday morning.

Governor Tate Reeves has signed an executive order to deploy the Mississippi National Guard to the area. At 10 a.m. CST Wednesday, MDOT reported traffic speeds slow or stopped along more than 100 miles of interstate. Other roads were affected as well.

AccuWeather.com

The northbound lanes of I-55 from Batesville (Exit 243) to Senatobia (Exit 265) and all lanes of I-22/U.S. 78 from Red Banks (Exit 21) to the Tennessee state line were closed Tuesday evening. The hope was that one northbound lane of I-55 will open Thursday morning, but I-22 would remain closed.

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Sean Tindell, commissioner of public safety, told WLBT, "What we've tried to do is try to get as many of the commercial vehicles on one side of the road so that the personal vehicles could start turning around and utilizing the other lane and some sort of contraflow going back the other direction."

AccuWeather.com

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys explained what caused the slick roads. After temperatures reached into the middle 30s Tuesday, ice was able to melt but then refreeze as night approached -- first on overpasses and bridges.

"Temperatures got down into the upper teens across northern Mississippi Tuesday night. By 8 p.m., they were already falling below freezing, leading to things quickly becoming icy," Roys said.

"These same areas will run into this issue again Thursday evening," Roys added, though there should be enough drying that not as many locations will refreeze Thursday night.

AccuWeather.com

After that, refreezing will not be a problem. "Another cold shot will come Thursday night through the weekend, with temperatures failing to reach above freezing Friday, Saturday and Sunday," Roys said. "Temperatures might not even get out of the teens on Saturday."
NEED TO KNOW

Police in Florida have arrested a teen they believe is responsible for a dogs death

The Volusia County Sheriffs Office said the 14-year-old was arrested at school on Tuesday, Jan. 27

Authorities said a social media challenge consisting of "door-kicking prank" left a front door broken, allowing a Yorkshire terrier to roam free and get struck and killed by a car

A Florida teen has been arrested after their alleged participation in a social media challenge led to the death of a womans dog.

A 14-year-old was arrested at school on Tuesday, Jan. 27 in connection with the death of a woman's 3-year-old Yorkshire terrier named Spookie, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said in a press release. The teen was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges of burglary and criminal mischief after a Dec. 20, 2025 "door-kicking prank" inspired by a social media challenge.

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An investigation identified several juveniles who attended a party in the area that night and went out to play ding dong ditch in the neighborhood, the sheriffs office said. A neighbor's security camera captured audio of the incident. Further investigation led to identification of the defendant who kicked the victim's door multiple times, forcing it open.



Door broken from "ding dong ditch Volusia Sheriff's Office

Surveillance footage aired by WOWT showed two young boys turning their backs to a front door and using the bottom of their shoes to forcefully kick it amid the viral social media door kick challenge.

The dog's owner has since been identified as Dissany Cid of Deltona, Fla.

After Cids door was broken from being kicked in, Spookie got out and was later hit and killed by a car.

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I feel like I failed him, Cid, who was not home at the time, told local news station, WESH.

If it was my door, I dont care about my door. Yall could break my windows, I could care less about that, Cid said. But [Spookie] didnt deserve that.

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.

Cid was speaking with WESH during an on-camera interview when the news station informed her of the arrest. Authorities had initially told her no one would be arrested, she told the local outlet.

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When Cid got the news that police arrested and charged the person they believed was responsible, she appeared to be overcome with emotions, telling the camera Spookie didnt deserve to die that way.

I need closure, she added. This is just something that shouldnt have happened.



Read the original article on People
Wondering what are your chances of getting a tariff stimulus check? Here's the status and betting odds, predictions on whether President Donald Trump's proposed $2,000 tariff refund is coming to you from the IRS in 2026.

In an interview this month, Trump responded to questions about the reality of Americans getting his proposed tariff dividend checks, "Well, I am going to  the tariff money is so substantial. Thats coming in, that Ill be able to do $2,000 sometime. I would say toward the end of the year."

But the reality of this tariff stimulus check is likely resting on a looming Supreme Court decision over the legality of those tariffs, to which he's commented on through his social media blasts predicting the catastrophic consequences of a potential Supreme Court ruling against his tariff orders and having to refund anyone who paid them.

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Here's the status on Trump's $2,000 tariff dividend proposal and the odds, predictions on when or if it is really happening at all.

Are we getting $2,000 stimulus check 2026 from the IRS?

In early November, Trump floated the idea of issuing a $2,000 dividend to "middle income people and lower income people" from the "hundreds of millions of dollars" collected in tariff revenues. However, later that month, Costco and other American business owners filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, seeking a "complete refund" of tariffs paid on imported goods if the Supreme Court decides to strike down tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

The Supreme Court could issue a ruling soon on whether to strike down all or part of the tariffs and clarify how importers would receive tariff refunds.

Last month, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said that tariff dividend checks would likely need Congressional approval, adding "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."

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On the looming Supreme Court tariff decision, Hassett said "It's going to be pretty unlikely that they're going to call for widespread refunds, because it would be an administrative problem to get those refunds out to there."

Will Americans receive tariff stimulus checks? Predictions, odds

The Kalshi betting market has predictions and odds on if and when Americans might receive tariff stimulus checks, here's how it looks today, Wednesday Jan. 28, 2026:

2% believe it will happen before March, 2026

6% believe it will happen before April, 2026

8% believe it will happen before May, 2026

17% believe it will happen before June, 2026

17% believe it will happen before July, 2026

21% believe it will happen before August, 2026

35% believe it will happen before 2027

Note: Polls and odds are constantly changing. These numbers reflect odds as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday Jan. 28, 2026.

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Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Are we getting another stimulus check 2026 from IRS? Odds, predictions
Two federal agents fired their guns during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Jan. 24, according to a copy of a Department of Homeland Security internal investigation report obtained by USA TODAY.

The report states that the officers began firing after an agent yelled "hes got a gun" multiple times. It does not say that the bullets from both agency members hit Pretti.

Videos from bystanders  and a witness account in court filings  do not show Pretti brandishing a weapon when he approached agents.

Mourners kneel at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. A mourner visits a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. His killing sparked new protests and impassioned demands by local leaders for the Trump administration to end its operation in the city. A picture of Alex Pretti is left at a makeshift memorial in the area where Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. His killing sparked new protests and impassioned demands by local leaders for the Trump administration to end its operation in the city. Mourners gather at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan.25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. His killing sparked new protests and impassioned demands by local leaders for the Trump administration to end its operation in the city. A woman cries at a makeshift memorial in the area where 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026. Federal immigration agents shot dead a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, in the second fatal shooting of a civilian during the Trump administration's unprecedented operation in the city, sparking fresh protests and outrage from state officials. The death came less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. People mourn at a makeshift memorial in the area where 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026. Federal immigration agents shot dead a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, in the second fatal shooting of a civilian during the Trump administration's unprecedented operation in the city, sparking fresh protests and outrage from state officials. The death came less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. A woman prays at a makeshift memorial in the area where 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026. Federal immigration agents shot dead a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, in the second fatal shooting of a civilian during the Trump administration's unprecedented operation in the city, sparking fresh protests and outrage from state officials. The death came less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. People gather together during a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti after he was shot and killed earlier in the day on Jan. 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Federal agents shot and killed Pretti amid a scuffle to arrest him. The Trump administration has sent a reported 3,000 federal agents into the area, with more on the way, as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants in the region. People gather together during a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti after he was shot and killed earlier in the day on Jan. 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Federal agents shot and killed Pretti amid a scuffle to arrest him. The Trump administration has sent a reported 3,000 federal agents into the area, with more on the way, as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants in the region. People pay their respects during a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti after he was shot and killed earlier in the day on Jan. 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Federal agents shot and killed Pretti amid a scuffle to arrest him. The Trump administration has sent a reported 3,000 federal agents into the area, with more on the way, as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants in the region. Vigils held for Alex Pretti, killed in Border Patrol related shooting 1 of 10 Mourners kneel at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car.

The investigation was performed by Customs and Border Protections Office of Professional Responsibility and preliminary findings were based on body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, according to the report. It does not name the agents involved in the shooting.

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Here is the report of the DHS investigation into the shooting of Alex Pretti.

Visual analysis: Second-by-second breakdown of video shows when agents killed Alex Pretti

A photo of Alex Pretti is displayed at a makeshift memorial in his honor in the area where he was shot dead by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 26, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway in Minneapolis, less than three weeks after an immigration officer fired on Renee Good, also 37, killing her in her car.

Alex Pretti shooting Border Patrol report finds two officers fired

Read the DHS report on the shooting of Alex Pretti

The following is the text of the report from the Customs and Border Protections Office of Professional Responsibility on the shooting of Alex Pretti:

"The following statement pertains to an in-custody death that occurred on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis, MN. This information is based on a preliminary review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Investigative Operations Directorate (IOD) and may be updated and clarified as additional details become available. It is being provided to Committee staff concurrently with CBP senior leadership to ensure timely reporting. CBP OPR IOD established the following information and timeline based on a preliminary review of body worn camera footage and CBP documentation. On January 24, 2026, United States Border Patrol (USBP) Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) and Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBPOs) supporting Operation Metro Surge were conducting enforcement actions near the intersection of Nicollet Ave. and 26th St. in Minneapolis, MN. Several civilians were in the area yelling and blowing whistles. BPAs and CBPOs made several verbal requests for the civilians to stay on the sidewalks and out of the roadway.At approximately 9:00 a.m., a CBPO was confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles. The CBPO ordered the female civilians to move out of the roadway, and the female civilians did not move. The CBPO pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen. The CBPO attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The CBPO deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman.CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnels efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a BPA yelled, Hes got a gun! multiple times. Approximately five seconds later, a BPA discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a CBPO also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti. After the shooting, a BPA advised he had possession of Prettis firearm. The BPA subsequently cleared and secured Prettis firearm in his vehicle.At approximately 9:02 a.m., CBP personnel cut Prettis clothing and provided medical aid to him by placing chest seals on his wounds. At approximately 9:05 a.m., Minneapolis Fire Department Emergency Medical Services (MFD EMS) emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arrived and assumed primary medical care for Pretti.At approximately 9:14 a.m., MFD EMTs placed Pretti in an MFD EMS ambulance and he was subsequently transported to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). At approximately 9:32 a.m., HCMC medical personnel pronounced Pretti deceased.CBP OPR IOD was advised that an autopsy would be conducted by medical personnel from the Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office. CBP OPR IOD will request the official findings upon completion.Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the incident and CBP OPR IOD is reviewing it. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General was notified."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alex Pretti shooting probe finds 2 agents fired weapons. Read report.
Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti over the weekend, according to a government report sent to Congress and obtained by CBS News that does not mention Pretti reaching for his firearm.

The report was shared with congressional officials Tuesday by CBP, which said it was based on a "preliminary review" by its Office of Professional Responsibility. It provides the most comprehensive official account yet of Pretti's killing, which has triggered widespread outcry from members of both parties.

According to the report to Congress, CBP agents were conducting an operation in Minneapolis on Saturday morning when an officer was "confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles." The officer ordered the women to "move out of the roadway," the report said. That's when CBP agents first encountered Pretti.

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"The [CBP officer] pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen," the report said. "The [CBP officer] attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The [CBP officer] deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman."

CBP agents then "attempted to take Pretti into custody," according to the report.

"Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a BPA yelled, 'He's got a gun!' multiple times," the report said.

"Approximately five seconds later, a [Border Patrol agent] discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a [CBP officer] also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti. After the shooting, a BPA advised he had possession of Pretti's firearm," CBP added. "The BPA subsequently cleared and secured Pretti's firearm in his vehicle."

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The new information provided by CBP differs from the initial accounts offered by the Department of Homeland Security, which said in a statement over the weekend that one Border Patrol agent had fired "defensive shots."

In that statement, DHS also said Pretti "approached" the CBP agents with a 9mm semi-automatic firearm. But CBP's report to Congress makes no claim that Pretti tried to reach for his firearm.

In the hours after the shooting, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem alleged that Pretti approached federal agents with a gun in what she described as an effort to kill officers, and Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino accused Pretti of trying to "massacre law enforcement"  allegations that did not appear in the Office of Professional Responsibility's report.

The government's response to Pretti's death  the second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis this month  has drawn intense scrutiny in recent days, as videos of the incident appear to contradict officials' claims that Pretti approached law enforcement with his gun.

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Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara has said Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.

The report does not state that Pretti's gun discharged accidentally, one theory that has circulated in the wake of the shooting. President Trump alleged in a Wall Street Journal article that Pretti was carrying a "dangerous and unpredictable gun" that "goes off when people don't know it."

It also revealed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel removed and stored Pretti's firearm in a government vehicle, a decision now raising broader concerns about the integrity of the investigation.

According to a CBP report sent to congressional officials, a Border Patrol agent reported taking possession of Pretti's gun immediately after the shooting and later clearing and securing the firearm inside a vehicle. The report does not specify whether the weapon was photographed in place or logged with a documented chain of custody at the scene.

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CBS News previously reported that federal investigators have no documented chain of custody for Pretti's handgun, with officials saying the firearm was placed on the seat of a vehicle rather than sealed in a required plastic evidence bag and labeled with standard identifying details such as date, item description, and handler name.

The report to Congress confirmed ICE's Homeland Security Investigations branch is investigating the shooting, a move current and former agency officials described as highly unusual for an office that has historically not investigated use-of-force incidents. The report said CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility is also reviewing the incident internally, and that the DHS Inspector General has been notified.

CBP told CBS News in a statement: "These notifications reflect standard Customs and Border Protection protocol and are issued in accordance with existing procedures. They provide an initial outline of an event that took place and do not convey any definitive conclusion or investigative findings. They are factual reports  not analytical judgments  and are provided to inform Congress and to promote transparency."

The full report is below:

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The following statement pertains to an in-custody death that occurred on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis, MN. This information is based on a preliminary review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Investigative Operations Directorate (IOD) and may be updated and clarified as additional details become available. It is being provided to Committee staff concurrently with CBP senior leadership to ensure timely reporting.



CBP OPR IOD established the following information and timeline based on a preliminary review of body worn camera footage and CBP documentation.

On January 24, 2026, United States Border Patrol (USBP) Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) and Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBPOs) supporting Operation Metro Surge were conducting enforcement actions near the intersection of Nicollet Ave. and 26th St. in Minneapolis, MN. Several civilians were in the area yelling and blowing whistles. BPAs and CBPOs made several verbal requests for the civilians to stay on the sidewalks and out of the roadway.

At approximately 9:00 a.m., a CBPO was confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles. The CBPO ordered the female civilians to move out of the roadway, and the female civilians did not move. The CBPO pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen. The CBPO attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The CBPO deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman.

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CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a BPA yelled, "He's got a gun!" multiple times. Approximately five seconds later, a BPA discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a CBPO also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti. After the shooting, a BPA advised he had possession of Pretti's firearm. The BPA subsequently cleared and secured Pretti's firearm in his vehicle.

At approximately 9:02 a.m., CBP personnel cut Pretti's clothing and provided medical aid to him by placing chest seals on his wounds. At approximately 9:05 a.m., Minneapolis Fire Department Emergency Medical Services (MFD EMS) emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arrived and assumed primary medical care for Pretti.

At approximately 9:14 a.m., MFD EMTs placed Pretti in an MFD EMS ambulance and he was subsequently transported to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). At approximately 9:32 a.m., HCMC medical personnel pronounced Pretti deceased.

CBP OPR IOD was advised that an autopsy would be conducted by medical personnel from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office. CBP OPR IOD will request the official findings upon completion.

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Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the incident and CBP OPR IOD is reviewing it. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General was notified.

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About 200,000 extra people have been seen, diagnosed or treated by the health service since April in a bid to tackle waiting lists in Northern Ireland.

The figure was not broken down in detail, but in December 2025, figures showed that more than half a million people were waiting to see a hospital consultant for the first time, with some waiting almost six years.

Now, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has told clinical leaders of Northern Ireland's five health trusts the target of 70,000 extra patients, set by the executive in the Programme for Government to tackle the lists, had been exceeded threefold.

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Nesbitt hailed the number of patients seen as a phenomenal achievement.

"We will be well over 200,000 by the time we get to the end of the financial year," he said.

The Department of Health said across the past year, "significant gains have been achieved".

The Health Department said the number of people waiting for procedures including endoscopies and colonoscopies came down, as well as the number of people waiting for outpatient appointments.

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These gains have been driven by "new ways of working, better use of data, modern scheduling and digital platforms that help us plan and deliver care more efficiently".

Nesbitt said he had put a focus on waiting lists since he took up his post as health minister in May 2024, but said he was also conscious it was not a permanent solution if money was spent on waiting lists without reform.

"In parallel with addressing waiting lists we are going to move in the next financial year, from the 1 April, to this neighbourhood model which is putting a lot more emphasis on prevention and early intervention to take some of the pressure of the acute hospitals where all the expensive stuff happens," he said.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said the progress was "a phenomenal achievement" [PA Media]

The next phase of the Elective Care Framework will continue to embed standardisation, expand elective capacity, use digital platforms to support validation and scheduling, and strengthen the system's long-term sustainability.

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Under the Elective Care Framework, the department said it was committed to:

Carrying out more treatments and procedures

Reducing long waits for appointments and operations

Using theatres and facilities more efficiently

Making care more consistent no matter where patients live

Expanding alternative models and giving patients more choice

Prof Mark Taylor, the regional clinical director for elective care, said there had been a "concentrated effort" to get those people waiting four years and more off the waiting list and "sizeable progress" was being made.

He said while money is important, it is not all about money, it is about a change of practice - a different way of doing things.

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"It's about refreshing everything, particularly because of the budgetary restraints," he said.

Sinn Fein health spokesperson Philip McGuigan said he welcomed the news of waiting lists being tackled.

"Despite this, much more work remains, as waiting lists are still far too long, with thousands of people left waiting for surgeries, consultations and other essential medical procedures," he said.

More on this story
HONOLULU (KHON2)  2026 marks an election year in the state of Hawaii, and if youre looking to put your name on the ballot this year, you might want to read this.

Monday, Feb. 2, marks the first day potential candidates can begin the process.

According to the State of Hawaii Office of Elections, candidates must obtain a nomination paper and collect signatures from registered voters in the district they want to represent.

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This year, more than 100 offices are up for elections, including key races such as Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Maui Mayor and Kauai Mayor.

And if holding one of these key positions is a goal of yours, Office of Elections officials advise you submit your filing as soon as possible.

We encourage candidates to file early to avoid last-minute issues and ensure a smooth process. Collecting more signatures than required can help prevent delays and make filing easier, said Chief Election Officer Scott Nago.

The deadline for candidates to file is June 2. Resources are available HERE.

Here are some other key dates to keep in mind:

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Feb. 2: Candidate filing begins

June 2: Candidate filing ends

Aug. 8: Primary Election

Nov. 3: General Election

And in case you didnt know, registered voters can expect their ballots by mail 18 days before the election.

Primary Election: July 21

General Election: Oct. 16

Anyone with questions regarding official election and voting information can visit the Office of Elections website or call 808-453-VOTE (8683).

KHON2 is proud to be your local election headquarters. Stay with us on KHON2 and KHON2.com for coverage throughout the year and day of.

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 KHON2.
Third quarter results also included 2 months of "extra sub debt expense" as we did not pay off the old sub debt until September 1 of this year. And during the quarter, we bought back almost 120,000 shares at an average price of $14.91. In summary, the core operating trends look good, and they're improving. The economic outlook remains uncertain, but we're well positioned for whatever rate environment may emerge. And obviously, we're keeping a close eye on the overall level of economic activity and what that might mean for credit quality going forward. I'll turn it over now to Andrew Hibshman, our CFO, to give you a little more detail on the financial results. Andrew?

Our investor commercial real estate to capital ratio came down to 370% from a high of 430% after we closed the Malvern acquisition. Our specialized lending groups now make up 16% of total loans, but within that broader category of specialized lending, no niche makes up more than 5% of total loans. Overall, credit quality seems to be holding up with the exception of some softness we saw in the small business segment, specifically companies with revenues under $1 million. Our NPAs in our nonperforming loans did decline during the quarter, and our allowance coverage ratio to nonperformers increased to 2.93%. Charge-offs were elevated but remain very manageable.

So all nice positive movements upward in terms of our overall revenue and margin. That strong revenue growth, coupled with expense control, drove continued improved profitability -- our net income was up $3.5 million or 43% compared to Q3 of 2024. Our return on average assets improved 28 basis points to 1.16% compared to 0.88% in the third quarter of last year. Our earnings per share improved to $0.47 in the third quarter, a 46% increase compared to Q3 a year ago, and our return on tangible common equity came in at 12.35%. We did see continued loan portfolio diversification within the quarter.

Patrick Ryan: Thanks, Andrew. I'll hit on a couple of the high-level points from the quarter and then turn it over to the team to provide some of the details. In the third quarter, we saw a nice increase in net interest income, thanks to continued loan and deposit growth, coupled with net interest margin expansion. Our net interest income was up $1.5 million compared to the second quarter and up $5 million compared to a year ago. Our margin was up 6 basis points linked quarter and was up 23 basis points compared to a year ago. And the pre-provision net revenue number increased to 1.81% from 1.65% in the prior quarter.

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Andrew Hibshman: Thanks, Pat. For the 3 months ended September 30, 2025, we recorded net income of $11.7 million or $0.47 per diluted share and a 1.16% return on average assets. We saw another quarter of solid loan growth, however, down from the first and second quarter as we continue to prioritize relationships and profitability over volume. Loans were up $47 million for the second quarter or 5.6% annualized. Over the last 12 months, loans have grown $286 million or over 9% with our core areas of focus leading the way. C&I grew $194 million and owner-occupied commercial real estate loans grew $40 million.

Our evolution into a middle market commercial bank can be seen in our loan mix shift over the past 12 months. C&I and owner-occupied commercial real estate are now a combined 42.2% of loans compared to 40% of loans at September 30, 2024. And our investor commercial real estate loans, which includes multifamily and construction and development, are now 49.8%, down from almost 53% 1 year ago. Growth was also solid again on the deposit side. Balances were up over $55 million during the quarter or an annualized 7% as we continue to execute on adding and maintaining profitable relationships. The growth primarily came with time deposits, along with some interest-bearing demand deposit growth.

Darleen will expand on this, but we saw a strong response to promotional campaigns in markets around our new branches. We also utilized some brokered CDs to help reduce FHLB advances by $25 million during the quarter. I'll highlight that our deposit growth occurred even as our average cost of deposits declined 3 basis points to 2.69% for the quarter. Net interest income increased $1.5 million compared to the second quarter, primarily due to margin expansion on a growing balance sheet. Our net interest margin grew 6 basis points to 3.71% in the third quarter despite increased costs on our subordinated debt.

We carried sub debt totaling $65 million from June 18, 2025, through September 1, which is the date we redeemed $30 million of outstanding debt. This carry resulted in about $486,000 in additional interest for the third quarter. Looking ahead, we continue to manage a well-balanced asset and liability position, which should result in continued strong net interest income generation. We will benefit from lower sub debt interest costs. However, we expect the immediate impact of Fed rate cuts to be slightly negative as it takes longer to move deposit costs lower compared to the immediate impact of rates moving lower on our variable rate assets.

We also continue to expect a larger decline in our acquisition accounting accretion over the next several quarters. Overall, we expect our margin to remain relatively stable as we continue efforts to push deposit costs lower and replace the runoff of lower-yielding assets with higher-yielding loans. Our asset quality metrics at September 30 continue to be strong. NPAs to total assets declined to 36 basis points compared to 40 basis points at June 30 and 47 basis points 1 year ago. The linked quarter decline reflects a decrease of $1.6 million in nonperforming loans. Our allowance for credit losses to total loans increased slightly to 1.25% at September 30 from 1.23% at June 30.

We recorded $1.7 million in net charge-offs during the quarter compared to $796,000 for the second quarter and $15,000 in net recoveries in the first quarter. Year-to-date charge-offs are almost exclusively in our small business portfolio. We continue to value this business for the sticky deposit relationships it generates, its impact on improving our community presence and brand loyalty, and it builds a pipeline of future middle market commercial customers. Pat summarized our credit outlook, and Peter will discuss it further in his comments. Noninterest income totaled $2.4 million in the third quarter of 2025 compared to $2.7 million in Q2.

The decrease reflects lower swap fees, loan swap fees as well as $397,000 gain on the sale of a corporate facility that occurred in the second quarter. Noninterest expenses were $19.7 million for the third quarter compared to $20.9 million in Q2. Recall that Q2 expenses included $863,000 in onetime executive severance payments. Additional declines in other line items reflect efficiency initiatives as the bank continues to prioritize effective expense management. Darleen will expand on this in her remarks, but we have some new branch openings that will drive costs slightly higher, but we also have an offsetting branch closure in process and other cost mitigation initiatives in place that should help to minimize cost increases.

Tax expense totaled $3.6 million for the third quarter with an effective tax rate of 23.4%. This compares to an effective tax rate of 22.9% in Q2. We anticipate our effective tax rate going forward will be relatively stable. Our efficiency ratio improved to 52% and remained below 60% for the 25th consecutive quarter. We also continued to expand our tangible book value per share, which grew $0.46 during the quarter to $15.33. We continue to be pleased with our earnings momentum and our progress in executing our strategy to evolve into a middle-market commercial bank. Our capital ratios remain strong, allowing for capital flexibility.

This affords us the opportunity to further drive shareholder value through ongoing investment in the franchise and technology, a stable cash dividend and share buybacks as applicable over time. At this time, I'll turn it over to Darleen Gillespie, our Chief Retail Banking Officer, for her remarks. Darleen?

Darleen Gillespie: Thanks, Andrew, and good morning, everyone. As Pat and Andrew noted, we experienced solid deposit growth in the third quarter with balances up $55 million or 7% annualized from Q2. This reflects increased business development activities by our sales teams and the success of targeted promotions, which we were -- which were implemented to drive engagement with our newly opened branch locations. While at a higher cost, promotional campaigns tend to generate strong relationship deposits and have proven successful as part of our branch network optimization efforts. We also saw growth from some CD promotions implemented to strategically onboard funding in support of our strong loan growth. But we're not only growing high-cost deposits.

The point-in-time balance sheet hides an important success that I'd like to highlight. Our average noninterest-bearing deposits grew by $21 million during the quarter and by $52 million year-to-date, reflecting strong relationships that provide critical interest-free funding. During the third quarter, our average cost of interest-bearing deposits declined by 2 basis points to 3.27% and our overall cost of deposits declined by 3 basis points to 2.69%. This occurred despite growth coming from higher cost promotional campaigns and some brokered funding to support our loan growth. It reflects our bankers' outstanding success in executing their dual mandate to both maintain deep customer relationships and lower funding costs.

The initiatives and banker incentives we have in place to support these goals continue to be effective. Similarly, what's also hiding in our net growth is our continued success in managing out some higher cost balances over the past few quarters. If you look at the first 9 months of 2025, our average money market deposits grew by about $25.1 million or 2.4% over the same period of 2024, but the average cost declined by 61 basis points, lowering the overall interest expense on these deposits by $4.1 million compared to the year-to-date period.

And I do not believe we have fully realized the benefit of the Fed's September rate cut yet, but we have made solid progress lowering our pricing and managing interest expense through the first 3 quarters. Now I'll talk a little bit about our branch strategy, which has always been aimed at supporting engagement in our current markets and opportunistic expansion into adjacent markets. We opened a de novo branch in the Fort Monmouth section of Ocean Port, New Jersey, extending our footprint into Monmouth County and increasing our New Jersey footprint to 10 counties. We also completed the relocation of our Palm Beach branch to Wellington, Florida, still in Palm Beach County.

This location was part of our Malvern Bank acquisition and was originally in a small office suite. We now have a full-service branch in a more convenient and accessible location to better serve our customers. We also officially closed our limited-service Morristown office in August and transferred those relationships and deposits to our nearby Denville branch. In line with our strategy to operate efficiently, we made the decision to close our Coventry, Pennsylvania branch in December of this year and transferred those deposits and relationships to our nearby Lionville branch. This decision allows us to better leverage our resources while continuing to provide high-quality service across our footprint.

Needless to say, it's been a busy year for us with branch -- with several branch openings and consolidations. We've focused on aligning our branch footprint with customer demand and growth opportunities. By year-end, these efforts will result in a net increase of 1 branch in our network. I'll finish up with a note on rates and pricing. We've been very proactive in moving rates with the Fed cuts and expect to continue to do so. Now this does take time and a measured approach. We've been able to grow deposits in many rate environments, and we aim to continue doing this provided the desired profitability levels can be achieved.

At this point in our evolution, growth for the sake of growth is not our end goal. We will focus on growing our deposit portfolio through disciplined relationship-driven strategies while remaining competitive in our pricing. Our goal is to continue to offer fair, market-aligned pricing, supported by strong customer relationships and exceptional service. Our focus is on serving our customers -- or growing our customers and serving our customers well and profitably. And also, our team is doing an outstanding job toward this end. At this time, I'll turn it over to Peter Cahill, our Chief Lending Officer, for his remarks. Peter?

Peter Cahill: Thanks, Darleen. Well, Pat and Andrew have already commented on the loan growth. We've experienced in the past quarter as well as year-to-date, an annualized growth rate of 9%, I think, compares favorably to our peers. The third quarter was right in line with budgeted loan growth. And after 2 quarters of growth that were well ahead of plan, I think we're positioned to report good overall growth in earnings at the end of the year. For the past couple of years, I've reported on our goal to do more C&I business, which includes owner-occupied real estate, while maintaining a healthy level of investor real estate and consumer lending.

And I'm happy to report that the trend of growing C&I business has continued. New loans closed and funded for the 9 months ending 9/30/25 were comprised 65% by C&I loans and 18% by investor real estate, the remainder consisting mainly of consumer loans. That's an increase in C&I lending from 2024 when C&I loans represented 64% of all new loans. The regional commercial banking teams continue to generate most of the loan growth for us. They represented 39% of new loans generated in Q3, followed by investor real estate at 28%, private equity at 18% and small business banking at 9%.

Our specialty areas, which also includes asset-based lending, are all at or very close to their growth plans for the year. Regarding investor real estate, we closed a number of new loans in the third quarter, but similar to previous periods, new loans were offset by payoffs. You'll see a bump up in investor real estate if you look at the schedules in the earnings release, but that was due mainly to a reclassification of a loan from owner-occupied to investor. Our goal over time is to moderate growth in investor real estate and manage more of that business in its own investor real estate team, focusing on relationships and loan concentrations, and that continues to go very well.

A focus of most community banks is the ratio of investor real estate loans to total capital, as Pat mentioned, we hit a high point at 430% of capital after the Malvern acquisition, but got to 390% in March of 2025 and finished Q3 at 370%, which is about where we want to be. The lending pipeline at the end of the third quarter stood at $283 million of probable fundings, down 6% from the level of probable fundings at June 30. The number of deals in the pipeline, however, is up 5% from the end of Q2.

If one breaks down the components of the pipeline at quarter end, C&I loans made up 68% of the overall pipeline, exactly where we were at June 30 and up from 63% at March 31. Overall, I'm happy with where the new business pipeline stands. We are anticipating a higher level of loan payoffs in Q4 than what we've experienced on average over each of the first 3 quarters, which is why despite a strong start to the year from the standpoint of overall loan growth, our target has remained in the 6% to 7% growth range. On the topic of asset quality, Andrew provided a good outline on where we are.

I think things continue to be in good shape. The loan portfolio continues to be well diversified. Andrew mentioned some softness in the small business loan portfolio. We've made some adjustments there, and we anticipate a return to the quality we've experienced previously. Overall, it's a modest piece of the overall loan portfolio. I should probably also comment on what's been out there in the banking news about the fear of deteriorating credit quality and the "one-offs" cited by a handful of banks. I can only say that we don't do any lending into deals like what you read about publicly around First Brands, Tricolor, factoring and borrowers not providing financial information. That's not what we do.

We have very -- and we have very limited exposure to NBFIs and none to private lenders. In summary, I think we had a good third quarter. Loan growth was in line with budget, and we expect to meet our loan growth goals for the year. That pretty much concludes my remarks. So I'll turn things back to Pat for any final comments.

Patrick Ryan: Great. Thank you, Peter. Appreciate all the additional comments. And at this point, I think we'd like to open it up for Q&A.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] Your first question comes from the line of Justin Crowley with Piper Sandler.

Justin Crowley: Just want to start on expenses. You've talked about tighter cost control before. So nice to see the core base now down 2 quarters in a row. How would you describe some of the efficiency actions taken, what they involve, what, if anything, is left to do? And where does that leave you on the thinking around run rate here over the next several quarters, more specifically, just factoring in your comments as well about some actions like new branches that could add to costs?

Patrick Ryan: Yes. No, absolutely. Justin, we always are focused on costs. But at the same time, we don't want to miss out on important investment opportunities. I think you've seen over the last couple of years, we've invested in some new teams in terms of some of the specialty lending niches, we've invested in some additional branch locations in new markets for us, and we've invested in some technology, whether that be the online loan application platform or salesforce, things like that. But I think in terms of big investments, we're at a point right now where we're just kind of digesting the moves we made. We're letting those new business units scale up.

And so I don't see a lot of big new costs on the horizon. We are a year away from needing to make a decision on our core and how much we want to keep kind of with our current provider versus spreading it out amongst other kind of best-in-class operators. So always a little bit of a question mark on tech when you're doing a big core contract renewal. But again, I don't suspect there's going to be anything too outlandish there in terms of technology spend increases.

And we've been very focused internally on just making sure we can get our noninterest expense to average asset ratio down to that 2% range and below since that's where we've been able to operate historically. So that's a little bit of big picture on expenses, and I'll let Andrew jump in and talk a little bit about some of the initiatives and kind of where he sees the line item moving forward.

Andrew Hibshman: Yes. Thanks, Pat. I'd just add, I think Pat talked about this in previous calls where kind of you do a big acquisition and you get cost saves and then you kind of recalibrate and now we're just kind of recalibrating a little bit more and fine-tuning. We haven't done anything drastic to save money, like things like professional fees, a lot of that was kind of elevated because of some of the big projects we had going, implementation of salesforce. We have consultants helping us with that. We had some other projects going on.

And so I think really, the cost mitigation has been really just kind of settling to where we're at, finding some excess spending where we could. I don't think there's any major initiatives that are going to significantly reduce costs from where we're at now. We will -- obviously, like we mentioned, we will see a little bit of a creep for some of the couple of small -- the branches we've done, new branches. But I think we can minimize expenses, keep them relatively flat, maybe again, like some slight increases, always kind of heading into a new year, there's standard cost of living adjustments on things like rent and salaries and things. So we'll continue to see that.

But no major new costs that I'm aware of or any major new cost-cutting initiatives, but we're going to just keeping a tight eye on things. We think we can continue to grow without adding meaningfully to the expense base and to the payroll. So again, I think we're going to be able to maintain the total expenses at a relatively flat level.

Justin Crowley: Okay. And then just, I guess, in terms of like very near-term run rate, like next quarter, even if we do see a little bit of an increase given the new branches, it's going to be modest. It's not going to be anything too eye-popping.

Andrew Hibshman: Yes, I think that's right.

Justin Crowley: Okay. And then on the margin and some of the inputs, obviously, the latest Fed cut came late in the quarter. But following that and what should be, I guess, some further reductions looking out here, and Darleen touched on it, but can you folks talk a little bit more on how aggressive or active you think you can get on lowering deposit costs?

Patrick Ryan: I'll start and then I'll let Darleen provide a little more color there. But at the end of the day, when the Fed moves, we move, as Andrew pointed out, it takes a little bit of time to kind of to go through it. We have certain rack rates we can move down and we obviously are taking a look to see are there areas where we can move more than what the Fed did. And so we try to be selective in certain product categories to see if we can even move things a little bit further.

But at the end of the day, our goal is to try to make enough adjustments on the deposit cost side to offset what we know is coming in terms of floating rate asset yields so that after a month or so, it should be a relatively neutral event from a margin perspective. And then separate from that, there's just kind of the work we do every day to drive core low-cost noninterest-bearing deposits and move promotional customers into rack rate so that if we can make the impact of the Fed move neutral, then some of the mix improvements and some of the other changes we make can hopefully continue to drive costs lower.

So I don't know, Darleen, anything you want to add there?

Darleen Gillespie: I think, Pat, you touched on it. I would just add that we talked a lot about this over the past year and even early -- I'm sorry, late 2024, in which we've really been focused on lowering our cost of deposits, looking at specific portfolios and determining where we can make an adjustment without negatively impacting our customer base. One of the benefits that we have is our government portfolio, a good portion of that is tied to the effective funds rate. So as the Fed makes adjustments, we can make adjustments immediately. But I think everyone within the organization understands the message of competitive pricing but not going overboard and not necessarily winning based on rate.

So overall, I think that we do a really good job in managing our cost, and I anticipate us continuing to be able to do that as the Fed continues to make adjustments over the next couple of months.

Justin Crowley: You mentioned the government portfolio of funding. How much do you have in deposits that are like that, that are indexed directly to Fed funds?

Darleen Gillespie: Our government portfolio is approximately 12% to 13% of our total deposit base. And I would say 75% of that portfolio is tied to the effective funds rate. So we look to onboard full customer relationships when we look at deposit opportunities on the government side. And generally, when we bid on that business, the request is to tie it to an index. So we've been successful in winning business in that world by bidding based off of an index rate. And so I think, again, as we look at additional cuts down the road, we'll be able to make adjustments in that portfolio.

Justin Crowley: Okay. Got it. And then just one last one. You continue to be active on the buyback and seems like that should continue to some degree. Obviously, with the stock right around tangible book makes it attractive. But what are other considerations like, for example, on capital levels? What levels are you comfortable at? Or what do you think could serve as a good floor for you guys?

Patrick Ryan: Well, we always look at internally the total risk-based capital ratio, and we have a soft limit around 11.5% that we try not to dip below if we don't need to. And then after that, it's just sort of looking at different uses for capital, and we're happy to see that based on -- despite the strong growth based on the strong earnings, we've been able to see that level creep up over the last couple of quarters. So I think we're in a position right now where based on organic growth alone, we're growing capital, which gives us flexibility.

And what we choose to do with that " additional capital" that we're creating will be a function of the opportunities in the market. Obviously, M&A could be one consideration, but we continue to be very selective there. Our dividend is relatively low, so we could take a look at that. And then depending on where the stock trades, we think we've got room to look at capital deployment in the form of the buyback. So we're at a level where we think capital ratios are growing nicely, and that gives us flexibility to kind of pull the levers that we think will generate the best returns.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] I would now like to turn the call over to Patrick Ryan. Please go ahead.

Patrick Ryan: Thank you very much. I just want to conclude the call by thanking everybody for calling in. We appreciate your interest in First Bank, and we look forward to reconnecting with you after year-end results. Thanks, everybody. Have a great day.

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes today's call. Thank you all for joining. You may now disconnect.

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First Bank (FRBA) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
The 2026 tax season has officially begun, according to an announcement from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services on Tuesday.

The DRS is currently accepting individual state income tax returns for the 2025 tax year ahead of the state and federal income tax filing deadline on Wednesday, April 15.

DRS Commissioner Mark Boughton said in a release that his team is ready to help Connecticut taxpayers file on time.

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Its that time of year again, Boughton said. As always, we encourage taxpayers to take advantage of our free myconneCT service to file their state returns electronically, or they can use third-party software.

RELATED: The 2026 tax filing season is here: How to track your refund

Boughton reminded taxpayers that filing electronically is the best way to get refunds quickly and avoid delays while processing returns and payment.

Those using myconneCT can access the DRS eAssistant, which is always available to answer questions. The DRS eAssistant can be found on the myconneCT homepage in the bottom right-hand corner.

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The DRS release also noted that recent information from the United States Postal Service could impact taxpayers who mail their returns and payments.

The USPS is now postmarking letters and packages with the date they are first processed, not when they are dropped off at a post office or in a mailbox.

RELATED: Possible government shutdown looms as tax season begins | Experts weigh in

USPS officials advise residents to ask for a manual postmark at a retail location to ensure their mail receives a postmark with a date that matches when the postal service first accepted possession of the mail.

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Connecticut law states that a postmark is deemed to be when the return and/or payment is delivered to the DRS, so taxpayers using USPS for their returns and payments should be knowledgeable of this.

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25 Investigates: Lawmakers demand Babson student deported in error be allowed to return to U.S.

Dozens of members of Congress  including both Massachusetts senators  are pressing the federal government to allow a Babson College student to immediately return to the United States after what the government has acknowledged was a wrongful deportation.

Earlier this month, 25 Investigates reported that Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old Babson College freshman, was deported just days after she was detained at Logan Airport. Belloza was traveling to Texas to visit her family for Thanksgiving and said she did not realize her student visa had expired.

A federal judge ordered that Belloza not be deported. Despite that order, the Department of Homeland Security violated the judges directive and deported her to Honduras. Federal officials later admitted the mistake in court.

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On Wednesday, lawmakers sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, writing in part: We appreciate your acknowledgment of your error and ask that you remedy the harm you have caused this young woman and her family by allowing her to return to the United States to pursue the legal options available to her.

Belloza came to the United States at the age of 8 and has no criminal record.

Speaking with 25 Investigates earlier this month, Belloza said she wants to return to campus and continue her education.

I just want to go back to Babson and continue my studies. Thats all I dream for, Belloza told 25 Investigates Kerry Kavanaugh. Being one of the first in the family to just go to college. I just wanted to have that for them and also for me.

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Bellozas attorney told 25 Investigates that a judge has ordered DHS to come up with a remedy to resolve her situation by February 13. Options include allowing her to apply for a student visa.

On Wednesday, DHS told 25 investigators that they did not make a mistake.

There was no mistake. The court order to stop her removal was issued AFTER she was already removed. She received full due process including a final order of removal from a judge. On November 20, CBP arrested Any Lopez-Belloza, an illegal alien from Honduras, as she was attempting to board a flight at Boston Logan International Airport. This illegal alien entered the country in 2014 and an immigration judge issued her a final order removal in 2015. She was removed to Honduras. Illegal aliens should use the CBP Home app to fly home for free and receive $1,000 stipend, while preserving the option to return the legal, right way. Its an easy choice leave voluntarily and receive $1,000 check or stay and wait till you are fined $1,000 day, arrested, and deported without a possibility to return legally. ASSISTANT SECRETARY TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN

According to the court transcript obtained by 25 Investigates, the government did acknowledge the error in court.

At the top, on behalf of the government, I want to sincerely apologize for the inadvertent violation of the courts stay that was entered in this case. The government regrets that violation and acknowledges that violation, said Mark Sauter, an assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, in a January 13 court hearing.

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In this case, specifically, the court order was provided to ICE within ten minutes of its issuance on a Friday evening. That order was sent to a deportation officer who is not from a unit that typically has the responsibility of sitting as a duty officer, Sauter continued

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MIDLAND Midland College has announced that Ariana Blackwell, Zing Len, and Ovya Rajamanickam, students in its Primary Care Pathway Program (PCPP), have earned early admission to the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.

The early acceptance of these three students represents a significant milestone and reflects the strength of Midland Colleges partnership with the University of North Texas and UNT Health Science Center. Through this collaboration, Midland College provides a structured, supportive pathway for students pursuing careers in medicine, a news release said.

The Primary Care Pathway Program is an accelerated medical education pathway that allows highly motivated students to complete their training through a 2-plus-1-plus-4 model: two years at Midland College, one year at the University of North Texas in Denton, and four years at TCOM. Students who meet program requirements may apply for Early Acceptance Notification during their second year at Midland College and are not required to take the MCAT as part of the early admission process.

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Early acceptance to TCOM is a tremendous accomplishment, and we couldnt be prouder of these students, Joey Schenkman, Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the Midland College Primary Care Pathway Program, said in the release. They represent the heart of the Primary Care Pathway Program, driven, compassionate learners who are already taking steps toward becoming the physicians our region needs. Their achievements affirm that when barriers are removed and students are supported, extraordinary things happen.

PCPP students engage in a competitive and comprehensive curriculum that includes two summer internships and opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, such as hands-on sonography training and lifesaving CPR/AED certification. The program also emphasizes community engagement and clinical experience to prepare students for the realworld challenges of healthcare delivery. The program is designed to reduce financial, academic, and systemic barriers while maintaining high standards of academic excellence.

TCOM is nationally recognized for its focus on osteopathic medicine and primary care, with a mission that closely aligns with Midland Colleges goal of addressing physician shortages in West Texas and underserved communities across the state.

The early acceptance of Ariana Blackwell, Zing Len, and Ovya Rajamanickam underscores Midland Colleges ongoing commitment to student success and workforce development. Through programs like PCPP, the college continues to create clear, attainable pathways for students to pursue meaningful careers in healthcare, the release said.

The post 3 Midland College students earn early admission to Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine appeared first on Odessa American.
The Ada County Highway District is closing in on a $40 million plan to widen Star Road  and expand access to the fast-growing suburb in the countys northwest.

The ACHD board on Wednesday will consider a $4.99 million contract with Boise consultant Parametrix to design the project and work with landowners to acquire rights of way necessary to widen a two-mile stretch of Star Road between West Chinden Boulevard and West State Street. The contract is part of the boards consent agenda  it wont be discussed unless a commissioner decides it needs more deliberation. ACHD staff members recommended approving the agreement ahead of Wednesdays regular meeting.

As written, the contract would see Parametrix draft plans to bring the road to five lanes with buffered pathways on either side for cyclists and pedestrians.

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Its a complicated chunk of road. The concept calls for replacing seven bridges  most significantly a 400-foot span across the Boise River  and evaluating intersections at State, Chinden and the Boise Greenbelt. Those considerations pushed the cost much higher than $2.5 million originally budgeted for project planning, according to a staff report.

But the idea addresses a handful of ACHD priorities in its northwest zone. The district identified the Star-State intersection as a top-10 priority in its latest five-year-plan. Widening the road ranked 31st out of 132 projects.

The Commission programmed this project because it is the City of Stars top request, ACHD spokesperson Rachel Bjornestad told the Idaho Statesman in an email. The City actually made it their #1, #2, and #3 requests.

The Ada County Highway District aims to widen Star Road by 2030 or 2031. (Courtesy Ada County Highway District)

The timeline stipulates two phases, with construction on Phase 1 starting in fiscal year 2029 and Phase 2 in 2030-21, according to the five-year plan passed in October. For now, the combined construction costs are estimated close to $40 million. The plan is evaluated every year, and the costs and dates could change.

Star has nearly doubled in size since the 2020 Census, surpassing 25,000 in 2025, according to data from the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho.
(The Center Square) The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio is denouncing a possible federal immigration crackdown on Haitian immigrants in Springfield.

The ACLU statement followed media reports that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told state leaders that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is planning a 30-day surge in Ohio the ACLU said in a news release.

The operation in Ohio is set to begin Feb. 4 after the Trump administration ended Temporary Protective Status about 500,000 Haitian immigrants in the U.S.

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The ACLU of Ohio firmly denounces ICE actions in our state and expresses extreme concern over this escalated, dangerous operation, the group said Wednesday.

Gov. DeWines office would not confirm the possible crackdown.

The Ohio Governors Office has not received any information, guidance, or confirmation from federal immigration authorities regarding any potential enforcement actions either in Springfield or regarding the end of any TPS status, DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney said in an email to TCS. I cannot confirm any of the information reported by the news outlet referenced beyond that the Governor meets regularly with Springfield officials, including this month.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The ACLU is closely monitoring the situation, the organization said.

This despicable surge in lawless ICE officers descending upon Springfield will ignite swells of fear within the Haitian community, terrorize our Black and Brown neighbors, and cause considerable damage to citizens and non-citizens alike, J. Bennett Guess, ACLU of Ohio executive director, said in a statement. Following the governments senseless, brutal killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, it is clear that ICE poses a grave threat to all who call Ohio home.

The news comes after Trump and Vice President JD Vance brought Springfield to national attention during the president campaign.

Leading up to the presidential debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in the fall of 2024, Vance spent a week saying refugees were stealing and eating the pets of Springfield residents. Trump repeated the false claims.

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Springfield officials, DeWine and other state officials repeatedly debunked the claims, but Trump and Vance continued to promote them.

There were more than 30 bomb threats and threats of other acts of violence in the city, forcing schools, colleges and government offices to close.

DeWine ordered state troopers to post at each public school in Springfield.
BAGHDAD (AP)  Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed defiance Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw Washingtons support for Iraq if he returns to power.

Al-Maliki, who was nominated last week by the countrys dominant political bloc to return to the premiership, said in a statement: We reject the blatant American interference in Iraqs internal affairs and consider it a violation of its sovereignty."

Trump in a social media post Tuesday wrote, Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos, adding, Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom.

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Washington has been pushing Iraq to distance itself from Iran and sees al-Maliki as too close to Tehran. His last term, which ended in 2014, also saw the rise of the Islamic State group, which seized large swaths of the country.

Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudanis list of candidates won the largest share of seats in Novembers parliamentary elections. But he stepped aside earlier this month, clearing the field for al-Maliki after the two competed for the backing of the Coordination Framework, a collection of Shiite parties that is the largest parliamentary bloc.

The framework named al-Maliki as its nominee last week. A parliament session was set to take place Tuesday to elect a president, who in turn would appoint the prime minister, but the session was canceled due to a lack of quorum, with no alternate date set.

Al-Maliki said he would continue to stand for the premiership out of respect for the national will and the Coordination Frameworks decision.

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Before Trump's statement, members of the Coordination Framework had received a written message from U.S. Charge d'Affaires Joshua Harris saying that we recall the period of previous governments headed by Prime Minister Maliki negatively in Washington." Two members of the Coordination Framework confirmed to The Associated Press having received the message, a copy of which was circulated widely on social media.

The selection of the prime minister-designate and other leadership positions is a sovereign Iraqi decision, and likewise, the United States will make its sovereign decisions regarding the next government in accordance with U.S. interests, the message said.

A U.S. embassy spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Trumps intervention into Iraqi politics came as he weighs carrying out new strikes on Iraqs neighbor Iran. It also comes as the U.S. has started transferring Islamic State group militants from detention sites in Syria to ones in Iraq.

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Al-Sudani came to power with the backing of the Coordination Framework in 2022 but during his first term managed to balance relations with Iran and the U.S. and restrained pro-Iran militias from intervening in support of Iran during last years 12-day Israel-Iran war.

Some of those militias have voiced their support for al-Maliki.

Abu Alaa al-Walae, commander of the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada militia, called Trumps statement blatant interference in Iraqi affairs,"adding that the criminal Trump, who physically assassinated the leaders of victory now wants to repeat the act by politically assassinating al-Maliki.

During his first term, Trump ordered a drone strike that killed powerful Iranian military leader Gen. Qassim Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy leader of Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group composed of an array of militias, including Iran-backed groups, formed to fight the Islamic State group.

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Tamer Badawi, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London specializing in Iraq, said that al-Sudani may well have anticipated the pushback against al-Malikis nomination and stepped aside as a political maneuver. That allows al-Maliki to temporarily steal the spotlight," while the rival candidate's path to office narrows under the weight of his domestic opponents and even sharper hostility from the Trump camp, he said.

Iraq cannot afford the economic consequences of Donald Trump delivering upon his threats, he said. Those could include imposing sanctions and restricting Iraqs access to its own supply of U.S. dollars - Iraqs foreign currency reserves have been housed at the United States Federal Reserve.

But that does not automatically mean the race is now decided in Sudanis favor, Badawi said. A third candidate emerging as a compromise pick remains one of the plausible outcomes.

Despite the political tensions, the U.S. and Iraq have continued to cooperate, most recently with an agreement to transfer some 7,000 unsuspected IS members from prisons in Syria to Iraq. A new batch of prisoners was transferred on Wednesday, bringing the total to 821.
Susan McAllister can still see Alex Pretti, who was her music student all four years he attended Green Bay Preble High School, standing in the bass section of the choir.

My heart is broken under Alexs death. And of course, like everybody else, I am deeply angry, McAllister said at a meeting of the Green Bay School Board held on Jan. 26. But I am also so, so proud of the young man I knew.

McAllister was one of seven people to speak about Pretti, the man shot and killed by a federal agent on Jan. 24, at the meeting. They joined a growing chorus of people publicly remembering the man that he was during his life.

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Susan Carlson, who taught Pretti in middle school, said in a statement read at the meeting that at his core, Alex was a helper . . . Im not one bit surprised that his final act on Earth was to help a woman who had been viciously thrown to the ground, and that his last words were, Are you OK? Carslon wrote.

Micayla Pretti, Pretti's younger sister, released a statement on Jan. 27 saying that her brother, "always wanted to make a difference in this world."

"Its devastating that he wont be here to witness the impact he was making," Micayla wrote. "All Alex ever wanted was to help someone  anyone. Even in his very last moments on this earth, he was simply trying to do just that."

Here's what we know about Alex Pretti.

A woman lights a candle while mourning at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 26, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway in Minneapolis, less than three weeks after an immigration officer fired on Renee Good, also 37, killing her in her car.

Pretti's sister calls him 'my hero'

Micayla Pretti said in the statement that it was a "privilege" to be his sibling and said he "had a way of lighting up every room he walked into."

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"Through his work at the VA caring for the sickest patients, and passion to advance cancer research, he touched more lives than he probably ever realized," she wrote. "My brother is, and always will be, my hero."

She also rebuked against claims made by the Trump administration about Pretti's actions in the confrontation that preceded his death.

Federal officials have alleged Pretti was carrying a gun he intended to use to "kill law enforcement." Videos from bystanders  and a witness account in court filings  do not show Pretti brandishing a weapon when he approached agents.

"Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching, and my family is deeply grateful so many people have stood up and helped tell his truth," Micayla wrote.

Former patients warned Pretti to 'be careful' at protests

Marta Crownhart, a former ICU patient of Pretti's at the Minneapolis Veteran's Affairs hospital, said in a Jan. 26 interview on CNN that her former nurse was "always there for you."

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Crownhart, who also volunteers at the hospital, said that it has been "difficult" to be near the ICU Pretti worked after the shooting.

"He told me about his protest that he did because he felt so strongly about how Renee Good had died," Crownhart said. "I remember telling him to be careful."

Like Pretti's sister, Crownhart denounced claims from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem  who branded the ICU nurse a "domestic terrorist" after his death.

"What was worse was listening to Kristi Noem talk about him the way she did ... not even seeing the videos yet and not knowing exactly what had happened," Crownhart said. "Calling him a domestic terrorist, I think that hurt worse than anything."

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Video analysis of Minneapolis shooting details killing of Alex Pretti

Childhood friend calls Pretti 'generous' and 'sweet'

Kristen Radtke, creative director for The Verge who grew up with Pretti, called Pretti "generous, curious, sweet," in an essay for the outlet.

"We rollerbladed and had sleepovers, excitedly dragging our sleeping bags across the street from one house to the other." Radtke, wrote of their youth in Green Bay. "When Alex had his bedroom window open, I could hear him singing all the way from my own open window. His voice was operatic and strong, carrying above the suburban drone of leafblowers and lawnmowers."

She called the claims made by federal officials "flagrantly incongruous to anyone who watches the videos" and that she saw him attempting to protect his head during a struggle.

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"Certainly, through his training as an ICU nurse, he knew that it was important to protect his head," Radtke wrote. "Once in the old neighborhood, when he was seven or eight, hed fallen off his bike, his helmet splitting cleanly in half like a cantaloupe. He showed the halves to all the neighbor kids as a way to warn them to never ride without one."

Mourners kneel at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. A mourner visits a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. His killing sparked new protests and impassioned demands by local leaders for the Trump administration to end its operation in the city. A picture of Alex Pretti is left at a makeshift memorial in the area where Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. His killing sparked new protests and impassioned demands by local leaders for the Trump administration to end its operation in the city. Mourners gather at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan.25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car. His killing sparked new protests and impassioned demands by local leaders for the Trump administration to end its operation in the city. A woman cries at a makeshift memorial in the area where 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026. Federal immigration agents shot dead a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, in the second fatal shooting of a civilian during the Trump administration's unprecedented operation in the city, sparking fresh protests and outrage from state officials. The death came less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. People mourn at a makeshift memorial in the area where 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026. Federal immigration agents shot dead a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, in the second fatal shooting of a civilian during the Trump administration's unprecedented operation in the city, sparking fresh protests and outrage from state officials. The death came less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. A woman prays at a makeshift memorial in the area where 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026. Federal immigration agents shot dead a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, in the second fatal shooting of a civilian during the Trump administration's unprecedented operation in the city, sparking fresh protests and outrage from state officials. The death came less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. People gather together during a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti after he was shot and killed earlier in the day on Jan. 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Federal agents shot and killed Pretti amid a scuffle to arrest him. The Trump administration has sent a reported 3,000 federal agents into the area, with more on the way, as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants in the region. People gather together during a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti after he was shot and killed earlier in the day on Jan. 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Federal agents shot and killed Pretti amid a scuffle to arrest him. The Trump administration has sent a reported 3,000 federal agents into the area, with more on the way, as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants in the region. People pay their respects during a candlelight vigil for Alex Pretti after he was shot and killed earlier in the day on Jan. 24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Federal agents shot and killed Pretti amid a scuffle to arrest him. The Trump administration has sent a reported 3,000 federal agents into the area, with more on the way, as they make a push to arrest undocumented immigrants in the region. Vigils held for Alex Pretti, killed in Border Patrol related shooting 1 of 10 Mourners kneel at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. On January 24, federal agents shot dead US citizen Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, while scuffling with him on an icy roadway, less than three weeks after an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car.

ICE backlash: Trump insists shakeup in MN immigration operations isn't a 'pullback'

Who was Alex Pretti?

Pretti was raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, an industrial city, home to the NFL's Packers, that sits at the mouth of the Fox River. He was in the Green Bay Boy Choir, among other youth activities. As a young man, he acted with the Preble Players Theatre, a performing arts group at Green Bay Preble High School.

He attended the University of Minnesota Twin Cities where he graduated in 2011 with a bachelors degree in biology, society and the environment, according to the Associated Press. Pretti returned to school to become a registered nurse, according to the AP, and would work at the Minneapolis VA.

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Pretti was shot and killed during a confrontation with federal agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 24.

Read the report: 2 agents fired guns in Alex Pretti shooting, DHS finds

Two federal agents fired their guns during the shooting, according to a copy of a Department of Homeland Security internal investigation report obtained by USA TODAY.

The report states that the officers began firing after an agent yelled "hes got a gun" multiple times. It does not say that the bullets from both agency members hit Pretti. It does not name the agents involved in the shooting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who was Alex Preti? Family, friends describe his life
FOND DU LAC  Fond du Lac residents have shown up for Wisconsin's neighbor to the west.

Fond du Lac Indivisible held an emergency protest on Johnson Street Jan. 25 in honor of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minnesota this month.

Alex Pretti shooting latest: Trump wants 'honest' investigation of Alex Pretti shooting. Live updates.

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Despite only a few hours' notice, several people turned up on the corner of North Peters Avenue in the bitter cold for a peaceful demonstration.

Kay Ladson, one of the organizers, said holding protests at the local level shows citizens there are members of their community who believe the U.S. "is a country of laws, for all people."

Remembering Alex Pretti: Alex Pretti's life and death in Minneapolis. 'A genuine person'

Fond du Lac Indivisible organized a protest on the corner of Johnson Street and North Peters Avenue Jan. 25 after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota, not long after the death of Renee Nicole Good.

"Our protest, on a corner in Fond du Lac, on a cold, frigid day lets the community know that other people feel the same way they do and gives them hope and confidence that the local community will not surrender to this authoritarianism but together build an America that is for all people," she said.

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Fond du Lac Indivisible also holds regular "Honk and Wave" rallies on Thursdays at locations announced on the FDLindivisible Facebook page and on mobilize.us.

Fond du Lac Indivisible organized a protest on the corner of Johnson Street and North Peters Avenue Jan. 25 after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota, not long after the death of Renee Nicole Good.

The next monthly meeting is 6 p.m. Feb. 2 at Open Circle Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Church, 19 Third St., with guest speaker Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein talking safety during protests. The meeting will also discuss protest etiquette, Indivisible's commitment to non-violence and upcoming initiatives.

Worker and Community Assembly will discuss other initiatives

The Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement will hold a Worker and Community Assembly at 1 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Fond du Lac Labor Temple, 50 E. Bank St.

Preceded by a light lunch at 12:30 p.m., the program will feature Wisconsin-based labor and community organizations discussing their initiatives against union busting, genocide, war and fascism, and will also include reports about the Minneapolis "Day of Truth and Freedom: No Work. No School. No Shopping" from Jan. 23. Displays at the event will highlight Wisconsin labor and community history.

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A suggested donation of $10 will help with expenses, but no one will be turned away at the door for lack of funds.

For more information, visit the Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement Facebook page.

Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at dlemke@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis draws protest in Fond du Lac, WI
After U.S. Border Patrol agents fatally shot Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti on Saturday, federal officials described him as a "domestic terrorist" and "would-be assassin" who "wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement." But the only evidence to support those characterizations was the fact that Pretti was carrying a concealed handgun, which he was legally allowed to do.

Although videos of the incident show Pretti never drew that weapon, let alone threatened the agents with it, several officials portrayed his exercise of the constitutional right to bear arms as inherently suspicious. That position provoked criticism from leading gun rights groupsthe latest example of disagreements between Second Amendment advocates and an administration that claims to support their cause.

Pretti "approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun," the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Saturday, neglecting to mention that the agents did not see the holstered gun until after they tackled Pretti. "The officers attempted to disarm [him] but the armed suspect violently resisted," DHS added, omitting the fact that an agent had removed the gun by the time the shooting started.

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FBI Director Kash Patel erroneously claimed Pretti's possession of a handgun was illegal. "You cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines, to any sort of protest that you want," Patel said. "It's that simple. You don't have a right to break the law."

Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, went even further. "If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you," he averred. "Don't do it!"

That was too much for Gun Owners of America (GOA), which condemned Essayli's "untoward comments," noting that "the Second Amendment protects Americans' right to bear arms while protestinga right the federal government must not infringe upon." The National Rifle Association (NRA) also was perturbed, calling the prosecutor's statement "dangerous and wrong."

President Donald Trump did not explicitly say that Pretti invited his own death by carrying a gun, but he did portray that conduct as troubling. "I don't like any shooting," he told The Wall Street Journal. "But I don't like it when somebody goes into a protest and he's got a very powerful, fully loaded gun with two magazines."

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According to Pretti's ex-wife, the Journal notes, he "had carried a gun for several years," exercising a right recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court, the state of Minnesota, and local licensing authorities, which had issued him a carry permit. In this context, there was nothing necessarily nefarious about his decision to carry a gun the day he was killed.

As the GOA's comments reflect, conservatives traditionally have prized the more specific right to carry guns at political protests, such as demonstrations against the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Left-leaning gun control advocates, meanwhile, have condemned that practice and supported bans on it.

Given this history, it is not surprising that gun rights groups usually allied with Trump rebelled at the notion that carrying a firearm is threatening, illegal, or an invitation to police violence. Nor is it surprising that they were alarmed when Justice Department officials considered a ban on gun possession by transgender people.

While that half-baked proposal seems to have gone nowhere, the Trump administration is actively defending the federal ban on gun possession by people convicted of nonviolent felonies. The NRA and other Second Amendment groups, by contrast, say that policy is blatantly unconstitutional.

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The Trump administration is also defending a federal law that treats cannabis consumers as felons if they own guns, even if they live in states that have legalized marijuana. The NRA has called that policy "unjust."

Trump is avowedly committed to "protecting Second Amendment rights," and his Justice Department recently launched a litigation project for that purpose. But as the government's defense of the Pretti shooting confirms, those promises are less reliable than they seem.

 Copyright 2026 by Creators Syndicate Inc.

The post Alex Pretti's Death Widens a Split Between Trump and Gun Rights Groups appeared first on Reason.com.
U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo appears on the campaign trail on election day, Nov. 5, 2024, in Warren, Rhode Island. (Photo by Ken Castro/Rhode Island Current)

U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo and nearly three dozen other Congressional Democrats are asking federal law enforcement agencies for a formal briefing on their investigations of the mass shooting at Brown University last month that killed two students and wounded nine.

Amo, whose First Congressional District includes the Ivy League schools Providence campus, is lead signatory on the Jan. 28 letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Director Daniel P. Driscoll. The Democratic representative is one of 33 signatures attached to the letter, a list which also includes Rhode Islands other Democratic congressional delegate Seth Magaziner.

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Amo and the reps credit the local, state and federal law enforcement, including the Boston divisions of the FBI and ATF, with identifying the individual responsible for this heinous crime. The Dec. 13, 2025, shooting occurred at the Barus & Holley engineering building on the Brown campus.

We seek to learn more about developments in the case, including how the individual responsible for this crime obtained a firearm and other details relevant to our oversight responsibilities, Amo and his colleagues wrote.

In a press release on the letter, Amos office characterized the request as being aimed at transparency about the investigation and noted Amos role on the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

Other letter signers include Massachusetts Reps. Jake Auchincloss and Ayanna Pressley.

Brown University is conducting its own investigations into the shooting response and the aftermath.

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Ford and General Motors are in talks over a financing deal to help parts supplier First Brands Group secure liquidity while operating under Chapter 11 protection.

According to the Financial Times, the two automakers are among several manufacturers negotiating with the Ohio-based company on an arrangement that would involve advance payments for expected deliveries, giving First Brands short-term cash.

One source said discussions were close to the finish line, though the proposal could still collapse.

Another person involved described such agreements between carmakers and suppliers as quite unusual, but this is an extreme case.

First Brands filed for bankruptcy in September carrying $12bn in debt and has since alleged fraud by its founder Patrick James and others, accusations they deny.

The group provides components to both Ford and GM, including windscreen wiper parts for the F-150 pickup.

Fords F-series trucks represented almost 40 per cent of its US sales in 2025.

Court filings show First Brands owns 25 automotive brands, many bought over the past decade, and has been consuming cash rapidly during the restructuring process, which can incur hundreds of millions of dollars in professional fees.

Earlier this month, the company warned it could exhaust its funds by the first week of February without further support.

The supplier has said it intends to wind down certain US operations, including its Brake Parts and Autolite units, while pursuing asset sales and new funding from lenders.

Negotiations are taking place as US carmakers supply networks face strain from tariffs, competition from China and slower-than-anticipated growth in electric-vehicle sales.

Earlier this month, Ford and Chinas BYD discussed a potential battery-supply deal for some of Fords hybrid vehicles.

The potential arrangement came as the US carmaker reduces the scale of its electric vehicle (EV) programme while increasing its focus on hybrids.

One option being considered would involve Ford sourcing batteries from BYD for use at its manufacturing sites outside the US.

"Ford, GM reportedly discussing funding for bankrupt First Brands" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




From the start, this has been a say-anything presidential administration.

A White House led by President Donald Trump, who lies frequently and brazenly, has rarely appeared concerned about factual accuracy. And guided by Trumps no-apologies ethos and penchant for dogged repetition, the administration has almost never retreated from even the most outlandish of its falsehoods even after they have been thoroughly debunked.

This past week has been different.

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Both Trump himself and his administration more broadly have backed off when faced with blowback to their inaccurate rhetoric  first the presidents minimization of NATO countries military contributions in Afghanistan, then top administration officials groundless accusations about Alex Pretti, the registered nurse killed by Border Patrol in Minneapolis.

Trump insults NATO members, draws condemnation, then retreats

In an interview that aired last week on Fox Business, Trump claimed of NATO countries: Weve never needed them. We have never really asked anything of them. You know, theyll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan or this or that. And they did. They stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.

But the US has certainly asked for things from NATO countries, notably a request to help fight a war in Afghanistan after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. And while there was a kernel of truth behind Trumps claim that NATO members stayed a little back, since some coalition countries placed restrictions on their troops Afghanistan activities, Trumps assertion was incorrectly and insultingly broad.

Various NATO countries  including the United Kingdom, Denmark and Canada, all of which Trump has criticized in recent weeks  deployed troops to fight in Afghanistans most volatile provinces, such as Helmand and Kandahar, and suffered considerable losses. On the whole, more than 1,000 troops from non-US NATO members died in the war, according to tracking by iCasualties.org.

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Afghanistan veterans and political figures from NATO countries, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, expressed outrage at Trumps remarks. And while the White House initially offered its usual comment that Trump was absolutely right, the president then tried something unusually conciliatory. He posted on social media on Saturday to praise the sacrifices of British troops, noting, In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors.

This wasnt an explicit apology, of course, and it didnt mention other NATO countries losses in Afghanistan. But it was widely, and correctly, seen as a Trump retreat.

Trumps team immediately attacks Alex Pretti, then backs off

Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse admired by patients and colleagues at the Veterans Affairs facility where he worked, was shot dead by the Border Patrol in Minneapolis on Saturday morning after he intervened when an agent shoved a woman to the ground. Within hours, top Trump administration officials were baselessly depicting him as a thwarted would-be mass murderer.

In a Saturday social media post amplified by Vice President JD Vance, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller called Pretti an assassin who tried to murder federal agents; in another post, Miller called Pretti a domestic terrorist. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told reporters Saturday: This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino used near-identical language Saturday.

People gather during a vigil for 37-year-old Alex Pretti on January 24. - Adam Gray/AP

The administration has previously smeared people caught up in its immigration enforcement efforts. This time, it appears the story was too big and the incendiary claims about Pretti too obviously contradicted by viral video footage for even a no-apologies administration to try to sustain.

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By Sunday morning, Trump officials who appeared in television interviews were conspicuously refusing to repeat their most sensational Saturday claims about Pretti, deferring instead to the ongoing investigation. When White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the domestic terrorist claim at a briefing on Monday, she said, I have not heard the president characterize Mr. Pretti in that way. And on Tuesday, when Trump was asked whether he thinks Pretti was acting as an assassin, he said, No.

There were, again, limits to the administrations retreat. Leavitt dodged Monday when asked whether Miller would apologize to Prettis family. Trump said Tuesday that Noem is doing a very good job, and after rejecting the assassin claim, he went on to say, With that being said, you know, you cant have guns. You cant walk in with guns, you just cant.

Pretti had a permit to carry a firearm, and the Minneapolis police chief said Sunday that he was allowed to have the gun on him on the public street where he was killed. Even with Trumps unexplained suggestion that Prettis concealed weapon was improper, though, there was no mistaking that the president was taking part in a rare rhetorical climb-down.

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Angela Rayner has reportedly told supporters she is not dead yet as allies of the former deputy prime minister claim she would have the support of 80 Labour MPs necessary to back a leadership bid.

She also said Labours current leadership should do better as she hinted at a planned return to government in private remarks at a fundraising dinner, according to The Times.

Her comments emerged just days after Andy Burnham, another rival to Sir Keir Starmer, had his path back to parliament blocked by the prime minister, who voted to bar him from standing in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.

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Ms Rayner resigned last year after she admitted she did not pay enough stamp duty on the purchase of her 800,000 seaside flat.

But allies have told The Independent she would have the numbers for a leadership challenge against Sir Keir.

One Labour MP said: Now Andy [Burnham] cannot get into parliament, Angela has become the obvious choice. They added: It cant be [health secretary Wes] Streeting, hes too right wing.

Another said: Angela can get the 81 MPs needed, Im sure. It depends if she wants it.

Angela Rayner has urged Labour and No 10 to do better (PA Archive)

They added: I think the by-election brings things forward. Angela should go for it if Labour come third. Whats the point of waiting until 7 May?

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Theres no doubt Wess people are planning the same thing. Its becoming a who will be first to jump and when rather than if now.

Ms Rayner was also reported to have warned of the dangerous threat posed by Reform UK and vowed: I aint giving those keys to No 10 to Nigel Farage. Labour is expected to suffer a series of disastrous election results in May, which will raise further questions about Sir Keirs future.

Speaking to activists in central London at the event last week, Ms Rayner reportedly thanked them for their loyalty since her 2015 election as the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has been blocked by Labour from standing in a Westminster by-election (PA Wire)

She said: Youll remember when I was a young whippersnapper. Ive come through the ranks and had the honour and the privilege to get us into government and become your deputy prime minister. And Im still fighting. Im not dead yet.

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Her allies have predicted she would secure more than 1m from donors if she stood for the leadership and said she was wooing them with dinners at her flat in Hove, according to The Times.

Ms Rayner is carrying out a number of speaking engagements at events organised by Labour MPs. She will also speak at a reception next month hosted by Mainstream, a new Labour group co-launched by Mr Burnham.

A spokesperson for Ms Rayner said: Angela is indeed alive and well, but wont be indulging ill-informed gossip or idle speculation.
Last February, the tables at Vientiane Noodle Shop were full, business was booming and the family-owned restaurant had to turn patrons away because they were at capacity.

The influx of customers was participating in VIA Community Development Corporations (VIA CDC) annual Phobruary event, a partnership with several Southeast Asian restaurants on Milwaukees south side, that draws in customers by offering discounts on pho, a Vietnamese soup dish.

In Phobruary, our business picks up immensely, said Duan Nguyen, owner of Vientiane Noodle Shop.

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Nguyen remembers when her parents, immigrants from Laos who dreamed of owning a restaurant, first opened Vientiane Noodle Shop on South 35th Street and West National Avenue in the Silver City neighborhood in 2001.

The restaurant has had pho on the menu from the beginning, she said.

Vientiane Noodle Shop participated in VIA CDC's first Phobruary after Nguyen's parents retired, and she took over the shop with her sister, Sue Soumpholphakdy.

Each year, they are excited to see people from across Milwaukee stop by during the month-long event to share cultural foods and support their family business, Nguyen said.

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This year, two restaurants are offering Phobruary discounts. At Vientiane Noodle Shop, a customer can get a bowl of beef or meatball pho for $8, instead of the usual $11.99.

At Thai Bar-B-Que, another participating restaurant located on South 34th Street and West National Avenue, patrons can get a bowl of steak pho for $8, and three eggrolls, six crab rangoons or a small order of chicken fried rice for $7 each.

(From left) The Vientiane Noodle Shop and Thai Bar-b-que restaurants on West National Avenue pictured on Jan. 27, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Throughout February, both restaurants will offer pho discounts during VIA Community Development Corporations 13th annual Phobruary.

VIA CDC will award $25 gift cards from the participating restaurants to six winners who visit during the February promotion.

Historically, the participating restaurants donate the gift cards to the winners, said Brisa Van Galen, economic development director at VIA CDC. However, this year, the community development organization purchased the gift cards in hopes of increasing sales for local restaurants as they prepare for the upcoming reconstruction project on National Avenue set to begin this spring.

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Thats kind of at the core of why were here, to shine the light on them, give them that exposure, Van Galen said. Especially with the reconstruction coming, sales will decline and this is a great event to help mitigate some of that.

Last year, average sales for participating businesses increased by just over $10,000 in February, Van Galen said.

Those who wish to enter the gift card raffle can scan a QR code at the two participating restaurants and complete a survey sharing where they traveled from for a chance to win, Van Galen said.

A bowl of regular pho, which contains homemade beef and meatballs, at the Vientiane Noodle Shop on Jan. 27, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Throughout February, the restaurant will offer pho discounts during VIA Community Development Corporations 13th annual Phobruary.

The most popular local zip codes for restaurant patrons who entered previous raffles are 53215, 53207 and 53208, but past visitors also came from neighboring states, including Illinois and Minnesota, to sample the food.

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It really matters that people show up for these businesses that have been participating since the beginning of Phobruary, but have been here even longer than that. These are staples in the community, Van Galen said. "We don't want to take them for granted because if we don't shop, we don't eat, they won't be here."

Nguyen said shes excited for her family business to participate in the 13th year of the event and hopes that it will attract new customers during a difficult time for the local business community.

We are very fortunate that even through all of those challenges, that the community still shows up for us, Nguyen said.

Alyssa Salcedo covers Silver City, Layton Park and Burnham Park for the Journal Sentinels Neighborhood Dispatch . Contact: asalcedo@usatodayco.com.

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Neighborhood Dispatch reporting is supported by Zilber Family Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Journal Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and reader contributions to the Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project . Journal Sentinel editors maintain full editorial control over all content. To support this work, visit jsonline.com/support . Checks can be addressed to Local Media Foundation (memo: JS Community Journalism) and mailed to P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689.

The JS Community-Funded Journalism Project is administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #364427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Annual 'Phobruary' event returns to West National Avenue
Tennessee continues to reel after a winter storm dumped snow, sleet, freezing rain and ice across the state, crippling roads, snapping trees and power poles, downing power lines and stranding residents.

Power outages are lingering in areas of Middle Tennessee as crews work to make repairs and remove debris.

While temperatures have improved slightly during the daytime, though still well-below normal, the National Weather Service cautioned that melting is expected to be limited and refreezing could create hazardous travel overnight.

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"Temperatures remain well below normal through the work week, with dangerously cold temperatures this weekend. Single digit lows are forecast Saturday and Sunday mornings," the National Weather Service in Nashville warned, adding the possibility for a "low chance for light snow and/or flurries Friday afternoon through Saturday."

Is another winter storm coming to Tennessee?

Another winter storm could affect Tennessee later this week, bringing a chance for snow from Friday night into Saturday, Jan. 30-31, though forecasters say it is still too early to pin down exact impacts.

According to the Weather Prediction Center, the developing system is expected to move out of the Ohio Valley on Friday, spreading snow across parts of Kentucky and the southern Appalachian Mountains Friday night, Jan. 30. Snow chances could then expand east into Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia early Saturday, Jan. 31, as the storm strengthens offshore.

More: Middle TN winter storm recovery continues, more cold on tap. The latest

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Another winter storm could bring snow to parts of Tennessee late this week, with impacts possible from Friday night into Saturday, though forecasters say details are still coming into focus.

According to the Weather Prediction Center, the developing system is expected to move out of the Ohio Valley on Friday. As it does, snow could spread into parts of Kentucky and Tennessee Friday night, especially across eastern portions of the state and higher elevations.

Snow chances may increase early Saturday, Jan. 31, as the storm strengthens offshore, pulling colder air and moisture back into the region. Forecast guidance shows eastern Tennessee  including areas near the Smoky Mountains  has the highest chance of seeing accumulating snow, while snowfall amounts farther west remain less certain.

Uncertainty remains tied to the storms timing and track. Small changes in how quickly the system moves or how strong it becomes could keep heavier snow closer to the Appalachians or limit impacts across much of the state. In some scenarios, snowfall is lighter and more localized. In others, snow becomes more widespread across eastern Tennessee.

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"Light snow is increasingly likely Friday evening to Saturday, especially in the eastern half of the region," the National Weather Service in Knoxville said. "Extreme cold will return Saturday night through Sunday night, possibly colder than what has been seen in recent days."

At this point, the incoming system is not expected to be as disruptive as the initial storm earlier this week. However, forecasters say bitter cold could linger into early next week, prolonging winter conditions even after the first storm fully exits the state.

This type of weather pattern does not typically produce major East Coast snowstorms, and many similar setups in the past have weakened or stayed offshore, according to the Weather Prediction Center. Still, forecasters note one historical comparison  March 1980  produced heavy snow across parts of Virginia and eastern North Carolina, showing the upper end of what could happen if conditions align.

Forecasts are expected to evolve over the next several days as the storm moves closer.

Weather Prediction Map shows projected snowfall accumulations across Tennessee for Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

How cold will temperatures get in Tennessee?

NOAA graphical maps show projected temperatures from late Friday, Jan. 30, into early Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

NOAA graphical maps show projected temperatures from late Friday, Jan. 30, into early Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

NOAA graphical maps show projected temperatures from late Friday, Jan. 30, into early Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

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NOAA graphical maps show projected temperatures from late Friday, Jan. 30, into early Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.

Tennessee weather watches and warnings

Tennessee snowfall tracker: Search past totals by address

USA TODAYs snowfall map shows accumulation over the past 24, 48, and 72 hours, as well as seasonal totals dating back to Oct. 1. Updated multiple times a day, the map lets you toggle between timeframes to see how snow is adding up in your area.

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Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at baddison@gannett.com. Find her on Facebook here.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee forecast shows another winter storm possible. See maps
The German government's anti-Semitism commissioner has warned that discrimination against Jewish people is "no longer a marginal phenomenon."

Speaking ahead of the German parliament's event to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Klein said remembrance is an "expression of respect for the victims and of responsibility" towards Germany's history.

"We commemorate the millions of people who were disenfranchised, persecuted and murdered," Klein told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland media network.

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Attacks on the culture of remembrance are a clear warning signal, Klein said.

"It is precisely our engagement with history that obliges us to be vigilant today and to actively and resolutely oppose anti-Semitism in all its forms," he argued.

"The anti-Semitism we are seeing again in our country is no longer a marginal phenomenon," Klein added. "It is certainly not a problem of a minority, but rather one that threatens the very foundations of our society."

Confronting anti-Semitism is not the task of individuals, but the responsibility of all, the commissioner said.

The Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, is set to hold a memorial service on Wednesday to commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp on January 27, 1945.

Around 6 million Jewish people were killed by Nazi Germany in the Holocaust.
The Brief

Sarah Short, a 54-year-old substitute teacher, allegedly punched a student during an argument in class on Jan. 26.

The student was not hurt.

Short was arrested at her home in Goodyear and is accused of aggravated assault on a minor.

BUCKEYE, Ariz. - A substitute teacher accused of assaulting a fifth grader at a West Valley school has been arrested.

What we know

The alleged incident happened on Jan. 26 at the Odyssey Prep Academy campus located near Apache Boulevard and Southern Avenue.

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Buckeye Police say 54-year-old Sarah Short, got into an argument with a student during class.

Sarah Short (MCSO)

What they're saying

"Short hit the 10-year-old male student in the back. The student did not require medical attention," police said.

Short left the school after the incident but was later arrested at her Goodyear home. She's accused of aggravated assault on a minor.

Map of the school

The Source

The Buckeye Police Department
The Army is now accepting applications for a new enlisted career track focused entirely on space operations, formalizing a role that has until now, relied on soldiers temporarily assigned from other branches.

The new military occupational specialty, MOS 40D Tactical Space Operations Specialist, will be officially established Oct. 1, according to an Army press release published Tuesday, and is open to soldiers in grades E-4 through E-9 across the active-duty Army, National Guard and Army Reserve.

This is the first space-specific MOS for enlisted soldiers, and it couldnt have come at a better time, Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, commanding general of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, said. The release cited his remarks from an August 2025 speech at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Alabama.

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This new space operations MOS is designed to build a robust and experienced noncommissioned officer corps in Army space and will ensure that Army space formations are equipped with soldiers who have experience in space operations, he said.

Interested applicants should apply before April 30 and must be able to attain a top secret clearance. Initial applicants will be selected this summer and slotted for training in October at the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense School in Colorado.

The Army is planning to open 1,000 slots for the new specialty, which could swell to 1,500 by 2032.

Command Sgt. Maj. John Foley, the senior enlisted leader of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, emphasized that unlike other space capabilities, Army space soldiers are expected to operate alongside ground forces.

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Army space soldiers must be on the ground to provide effects to the warfighter and operate in deep enemy and extended deep areas, Foley said, according to the press release, adding, That is the distinct difference that only soldiers can do for our Army.

According to Army doctrine, space-based systems help soldiers communicate, navigate, forecast the weather, gather intelligence and receive missile warnings, among other things.
Yes, you can film police or ICE agents in Ohio and Kentucky  and anyone else in public for that matter.

It's part of your First Amendment right.

But could whipping out your cell phone land you in jail? Is it considered obstructing justice? Is it worth it?

We asked two local First Amendment attorneys and relied on some previous reporting to break down exactly what's permitted when it comes to recording law enforcement in Ohio and Kentucky.

Can you record police and ICE agents in Kentucky and Ohio?

In both states, you don't need to get anyone's permission to record them while they're in public. So aside from private areas in public, like bathrooms, you are free to record, USA TODAY reported.

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That includes police officers and ICE agents, but you are not permitted to interfere with them while they're performing their duties, said First Amendment attorney Jack Greiner, who represents The Enquirer in media issues.

For instance, blocking emergency vehicles from getting to a scene or grabbing a person police are trying to arrest could be deemed obstructing justice, a misdemeanor. (It's called obstructing governmental operations in Kentucky.)

What if officers or agents threaten to charge me with obstruction of justice?

A police officer or federal agent can take you into custody for interfering with their work, First Amendment attorney H. Louis Sirkin told The Enquirer.

For instance, Sirkin represented a photographer charged with obstructing justice a few years ago when the photographer prevented a tow truck from quickly getting to a vehicle smashed into a tree. A nearby police officer charged the photographer with obstruction, which was upheld in court.

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"In my opinion, police officers have overused the obstruction statute," he said.

But he added that officers do have an obligation to protect the public, crime scenes, and victims' privacy. Even if you are not committing a crime, police could still arrest you at a scene.

"If they want to put you in handcuffs and put you in the car, they probably can," Greiner said. "I think the person needs to make a decision about, in their own circumstance, if that's something they can tolerate or deal with."

So how can I stand up for my rights?

If a police officer or federal agent tries to arrest you or reaches for their weapon, Greiner said, it's important to comply and stay safe  even if you think you are being wronged.

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"We don't want to see someone in the same situation as Renee Good or Alex Pretti," he said, referencing two protesters who were killed by law enforcement in Minneapolis recently.

He added that charges can later be dropped or fought in court.

One good piece of advice: Back up

People who record officers or agents while they work can do one thing to help communicate their intentions to law enforcement: back up.

There's no set distance the public has to give police officers or federal agents while they work, but behind yellow crime scene tape or another reasonable distance away from police should be sufficient.

"Back up so that it's absolutely, unequivocally clear that you are not impeding anything," Greiner said, and people don't have to stop recording as they do so.

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He also noted that police are not supposed to tell people to back up further than necessary for officers to do their job.

"(It's) not constitutional and it's not reasonable," he said.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Can I get arrested for recording police, ICE?
The assistant principal at an elementary school in Cherokee County is on leave after being accused of nearly 100 thefts.

Courtney Shaw, 47, is the assistant principal at Free Home Elementary School, according to the schools website.

An incident report filed by the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office and obtained by Channel 2 Action News accuses Shaw of stealing from Walmart 98 times in just two months.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The report says that between Nov. 2 and Dec. 31, Shaw stole $943.97 worth of merchandise from the Bells Ferry Road store.

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They say Shaw stacked items on top of each other at checkout, but only scanned one item before placing both in a bag or her shopping cart.

TRENDING STORIES:

Channel 2 Action News reached out to the Cherokee County School District for a statement and learned Shaw has been placed on administrative leave pending internal and law enforcement investigations.

Maintaining the safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority and inappropriate conduct will never be tolerated.

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According to the schools website, Shaw has been at Free Home Elementary School since 2024.

Before then, she spent eight years as assistant principal at Bascomb Elementary School, according to the schools website.

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An Athens woman was recently lured into a scam that is designed to manipulate a persons fear that a family member is in immediate trouble.

The scam, sometimes called the grandparent scam because it targets an older member of a family, has been perpetrated for years in Georgia and other states.

This scam occurred on Jan. 16, when the 72-year-old woman received a telephone call from a person she believed was her daughter, according to the report filed with Athens-Clarke police.

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The daughters problem: She was in a wreck and is now in jail, but a lawyer would be calling to help arrange her release.

The woman told the officer that upon speaking to the alleged lawyer, she was told to withdraw $12,000 cash and give it to a woman who would arrive at her home in an east Athens subdivision. Sure enough, a woman in a red sedan arrived and collected the cash.

But more problems arose.

Oconee Blotter: Unlicensed man claiming to be surgeon screams after arrest

The victim said the lawyer called back, saying he needed $12,000 more. Sometime after this call, a man in a white Ford Escape arrived and collected the additional cash.

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It was only after she gave away the $24,000 in cash that she called her out-of-state daughter, only to learn she had not been in a wreck, nor had she been in jail, police said.

The woman also went as far as to contact the Asheville (North Carolina) Police Department and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and both confirmed they had no history of her daughter, the report shows.

The United States Postal Inspection Service has posted information regarding these type scams. To avoid scams, the service offers these tips:

Verify the story  After ending the urgent call, contact your grandchild or another family member who can verify their whereabouts. Do not send any money until you can verify the validity.

Think before acting  Never provide your bank account or credit card number over the phone to an unverified requestor. Dont be quick to act. Be quick to think.

Be wary of late-night calls  Scammers tend to take advantage of times when older adults are tired or asleep.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens woman loses $24,000 cash after believing daughter in jail
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) and General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) are reportedly in discussions to provide a financial lifeline to save the bankrupt auto parts supplier First Brands Group.

The potential deal involves the automakers making advance payments for the products they are set to receive. This would provide First Brands with much-needed cash to continue its operations.

The talks are reportedly in the final stages, with the deals success still uncertain, reported the Financial Times on Tuesday.

The Ohio-based supplier produces critical components for Ford and GM, including windshield wiper parts used in Ford's F-150 pickup truck.

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Several automakers are in advanced talks over a deal that would require upfront payments for expected parts deliveries, the publication reported. While discussions are close to the finish line, the agreement could still collapse, with Ford seen as the most exposed and facing the highest risk among participants.

Ford, GM, and First Brands did not immediately respond to Benzingas requests for comment.

First Brands Collapse: A Timeline

The potential rescue of First Brands by Ford and GM comes after a series of events that have rocked the auto industry.

September 2025: First Brands filed for bankruptcy, disclosing almost $12 billion in debt and off-balance sheet financing.

November 2025: The company has sued its founder, Patrick James, and several others, accusing them of fraud that allegedly left the firm burdened with at least $2.3 billion in liabilities. At the same time, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission opened an investigation into Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE:JEF), examining whether the investment bank properly disclosed its exposure to First Brands during the collapse.

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Jan. 26, 2026: First Brands announced plans to scale back certain U.S. operations, including its Brake Parts and Autolite brands.

Recent bankruptcy hearing: A company lawyer said First Brands has been in discussions with lenders to obtain new financing through a loan to support ongoing operations, reported FT.

The potential rescue of First Brands by Ford and GM highlights the ripple effects of the auto industrys challenges, including the shift to electric vehicles, changes in policy, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions.
An 87-year-old Auschwitz survivor addressed the German parliament on Wednesday to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, warning that hatred and anti-Semitism must be combated.

Tova Friedman praised Germany's efforts to learn from its history but warned that not enough is being done.

"Neutrality in the face of hatred is not neutrality  it means consent," she emphasized. "May remembrance lead to responsibility. May responsibility lead to action. And may action ensure that 'never again' is not just a slogan, but a lasting commitment."

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The Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, held a memorial service on Wednesday to commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp on January 27, 1945.

Around 6 million Jewish people were killed by Nazi Germany in the Holocaust.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier were in attendance along with Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Holocaust survivors Charlotte Knobloch, Eva Szepesi and Roman Shvartsman.

Star pianist Igor Levit, who is of Jewish heritage, provided the musical accompaniment.

In her speech, Bundestag President Julia Klockner lamented that hatred of Jews is once again spreading freely in Germany.

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Given the country's history, citizens must never be indifferent to anti-Semitism, she insisted. "As Germans, we bear ... a special responsibility to counter the resurgence of hatred against Jews."

Friedman, who runs a TikTok account in memory of the Holocaust with her grandson, told lawmakers about her childhood in Auschwitz.

"I assumed that all Jewish children would be sent to their deaths," the 87-year-old said.

After surviving the camp, she thought she would never have to fear for her Jewishness again. But times had changed: "Anti-Semitism has not disappeared  it has adapted."
SYDNEY, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Australia was committed to returning a key northern port leased for 99 years to a Chinese company to Australian ownership, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday after Beijing's envoy to Canberra warned of trade reprisals.

The Northern Territory government sold Darwin Port to Chinese company Landbridge for A$506 million in 2015, a move criticised by the United States.

The awarding of the contract came just a few years after the United States posted the first of a rotating group of U.S. Marines in Darwin. The U.S. and Australia are expanding air bases in Australia's north to host U.S. bombers.

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Speaking in East Timor on an official visit on Wednesday, Albanese said his government had made it clear it wanted the port returned to Australian ownership.

"We are committed to making sure that that port goes back into Australian hands because that is in our national interest," he said.

The port's owner, Landbridge Australia, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but said in November the port was in a strong financial position.

China's ambassador in Canberra, Xiao Qian, told reporters at an annual press briefing on Wednesday that Beijing would "take measures to protect the Chinese company's interests" if a sale of the port were forced.

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"Should Landbridge be forced to leave that port, I think it might also affect the substantive investment, cooperation and trade between Chinese companies and that part of Australia," the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported Xiao as saying.

It is not the first time Xiao has criticised Albanese's election pledge last year to return the strategically located northern port to local ownership.

"China would like to reiterate that the relevant Chinese enterprise obtained the lease for the Port of Darwin through market means," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news conference in Beijing.

"Their legitimate rights and interests should be fully protected," he added.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Additional reporting by Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Demonstrators gather outside Merrimack Town Hall Thursday, Jan. 8, for a protest of reported plans to put an ICE facility in Merrimack. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)

Gov. Kelly Ayotte, speaking to reporters Wednesday, said her team asked the White House and the Department of Homeland Security about reports that an immigration detention center is planned for Merrimack. Ayotte said there was no confirmation that the federal government plans to open a facility there, but ultimately she did not get an answer to my question.

But I made quite clear, both to the Department of Homeland Security as well as to the White House, Ayotte said, that I thought it was critical that there be full information provided to Merrimack and that local officials be given the opportunity (to be) consulted and to weigh in, and that that local voice was very, very important before that facility went there, because of the impact you can imagine on emergency services and traffic in the area, all the things that you can imagine that locals should weigh in on.

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In late December, The Washington Post, citing leaked DHS documents, reported that Merrimack is one of 23 sites across the United States where the Trump administration plans to build a new immigrant detention facility to assist with its aggressive deportation campaign. The plan reportedly involves building a network of detention centers of smaller feeder facilities  like the one reportedly planned in Merrimack  where immigrants awaiting deportation will be held before being transferred to one of several larger facilities.

The reports have sparked outrage and confusion in Merrimack. Protests have taken place in Merrimack and Concord where demonstrators decried the plans, as well as the administrations broader deportation agenda, as cruel and unjust. The Merrimack Town Council sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem opposing the facility on the grounds that it would reduce the towns tax revenue because the federal government is exempt from local property taxes and that it would cause unrest.

Ayotte said the state doesnt have any levers to stop the federal government from placing a facility in Merrimack beyond her administrations communicating with federal officials.

Minneapolis shooting

Ayotte also reacted to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen protesting federal agents in Minneapolis, by federal immigration officers Saturday.

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Any loss of life is tragic, and I think we can all agree on that, she said. Its my hope that there will be a thorough investigation conducted and that there will be transparency around the results of that investigation. Thats what we would do if there was an officer-involved shooting in New Hampshire.

She emphasized the need for an investigation.

People seem to be wanting to make conclusions from the sidelines, Ayotte said. From my perspective, whatever your view of it, its very important that we get all the facts and circumstances. Thats what an investigation is for. And so I hope that that is conducted.

The death was captured on multiple videos that have circulated on social media and in news reports.
Australian authorities have sparked a backlash by killing a group of dingoes linked to the death of a young Canadian woman on an island in the country's east.

The Queensland government said six animals were put down after 19-year-old backpacker Piper James's body was found on January 19 at a beach on the World Heritage-listed island of K'gari.

The euthanisation programme has stirred debate about how to manage the local population of dingoes, a sandy-coloured canine believed to have first arrived in Australia 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.

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An autopsy conducted on James' body found evidence "consistent with drowning" but also detected injuries corresponding to dingo bites.

"Pre-mortem dingo bite marks are not likely to have caused immediate death," said a spokesperson for the Coroners Court of Queensland.

The coroner's investigation into the cause of death was expected to take several weeks.

In response, the Queensland government said a pack of 10 dingoes involved would be euthanised after rangers had observed some "aggressive behaviour".

Six of the dingoes had already been euthanised, the state's environment minister, Andrew Powell, told reporters Sunday.

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"Obviously, the operation will continue," he said.

The traditional owners of K'gari, the Butchulla people, said the state's failure to consult with them before euthanising the dingoes -- or wongari in their language -- was "unexpected and disappointing".

"Once again, it feels as though economic priorities are being placed above the voices of the people and traditional owners, which is frustrating and difficult to accept," the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation said in a statement to Australian media this week.

- 'You are food' -

Wildlife experts said killing the animals was the wrong response and may threaten the island's dingo population, estimated at just 70-200 animals.

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Given their small numbers, killing a pack of 10 animals would harm the population's genetic diversity, said Mathew Crowther, professor of quantitative conservation biology at the University of Sydney.

"There's no moral from the dingoes' point of view. They're just being wild animals, doing wild things," Crowther told AFP.

Dingoes tend to lose their fear of people as they interact with tourists, some of whom defy advice against feeding the animals.

"That's the worst thing you can do to a wild animal," Crowther said.

"They just relate humans to food, and if you don't give them food, well, you are food -- that's basically how it is."

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Dingoes are wild, predatory animals and need to be treated with respect, said Bill Bateman, associate professor in the school of molecular and life sciences at Curtin University.

The canines are more likely to attack children or people who are alone, and may be triggered when people turn their backs or run, he said.

"These are important animals, and therefore we need to change the way we deal with them, otherwise we're just going to keep reacting to these attacks and driving the population of dingoes down," Bateman told AFP.

Wildlife managers, rangers, Indigenous people and tourism operators need to work together so that humans and dingoes can coexist on the island, he said.

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Todd James, the father of Piper, has described on social media how his family's hearts were "shattered" by her death.

News of the dingoes' euthanisation was "heart-wrenching", he told Australian media, adding however that he recognised it may be necessary for safety because of the pack's behaviour.

djw/dhc/mtp
Those white picket fences are most often associated with the American Dream. Add an old, hearty tree and life seems, well, complete.

But now the Berkeley Hills area is undergoing a transformation of sorts because of the potential threat of a wildfire starting in nearby Tilden Park.

"If there is a wildfire in the park and millions of small burning pieces of material fly and start landing on roof tops and next to homes here in Berkeley, how do we protect the homes so that the embers don't ignite those homes? asked Berkeley Council member Brent Blackaby.

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Blackaby says the answer is simple. Create a five-foot barrier around homes where nothing ignitable is allowed.

This, as expected, has ignited criticism.

"It's personal, it's my yard, demanded Jane Terjung, a Berkeley Hills resident.

When you venture around the Berkeley Hills, the word "lush" comes to mind and for some having to re-landscape around their home is unreasonable.

"You remove plants, what's going in their place? You now have a problem. As you can see we're up in the hills, it's steep. There's potential runoff problems when you remove plants, you lose the soil structure," explained Richard Illgen, also a resident there.

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Others have a different way of approaching it.

"Close to the house, we are planning on putting large stones that would keep the growth away from the home," said resident Patrice Ignelzi.

In addition, she and her husband traded in their wooden fence for a metal one at a significant cost.

Under Berkeley's new EMBER ordinance that went into effect on January 1, no wooden structures may touch or come within five feet of a home.

Almost immediately, contractors started to advertise.

The city of Berkeley is helping a few of those households and seniors pay for some of the landscaping costs.

Let's take a closer look at what that five-foot barrier looks like. The councilmember showed us a tree next to his house which has been trimmed down.

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"We need to do a little more refining. We started that process. This one too, again we've taken some of these branches out. We are directing the growth this way. We'll do a little more pruning over here," said Blackaby.

"Bushes against the deck, yeah, we have to remove those. We started removing some in the backyard so that one is gonna go," he added.

For the past year, the fire department has started inspecting homes with the purpose of helping homeowners understand the ordinance.

"I think EMBER is a great idea because we need to do everything that we can to protect our homes in the whole area. To me, it doesn't ruin our surrounding yards. It just sort of protection, a little bit of protection," said Ignelzi.

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Terjung says that's debatable.

"There are studies on the other side, so to speak, because it's turned into a fight, that shows that the moisture in plants often save a home, that some of them screen the embers," claimed Terjung.

Let's stop right there because a few months ago, UC Berkeley was part of a simulation that tested the vegetation during a wildfire.

Michael Gollner is one of the researchers.

"Unfortunately, the conditions are so extreme that the fire after a minute or two will dry out those plants and you get right at the same scenario, so any benefit is washed away before the fire would die down," concluded Gollner who is the Director of the Berkeley Fire Research Lab.

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His team also published a study that found that a 5-foot barrier can reduce the loss of a home by an added 17%.

But not every researcher agrees with the so-called benefits of that 5-foot perimeter.

RELATED: Berkeley votes to ban most plants, wooden fences within 5 feet from some homes to prevent wildfires

Travis Longcore of UCLA has studied the aftermath of larger Southern California fires.

"There is not currently in the literature strong evidence of post fire studies that show complete removal of plant within five fee is necessary or beneficial," said Longcore of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.

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Longcore believes this kind of removal has an adverse environmental impact.

Wildfires in these hills aren't unheard of.

The last major fire in the Berkeley Hills was in 1991 which actually started in the Oakland Hills and quickly spread.

MORE: Oakland Hills Fire decades years later: Survivors' stories captured in ABC7 documentary 'Firestorm'

Wildfires don't just happen in the wild. They can happen in the middle of cities, too. And they are terrifying. Take a look back at the firestorm that tore through the East Bay Hills, streaming now on our ABC7 News Bay Area app.

Before that, 640 homes were destroyed in 1923.

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The state of California is finalizing its Zone Zero regulations. Those affected must be in compliance by 2029.

"Why wait for the state that has already take a long time when we are at risk while we wait? Second point is home insurers are canceling insurance of many of my constituents in this area every month. The longer we wait, the more people lose their insurance," insisted Blackaby.

RELATED: Berkeley could soon ban plants, wooden fences 5 feet from homes to prevent wildfires

Homeowners in parts of Berkeley may have to rip out their landscaping to prevent wildfires. It's part of a plan city council is considering next week.

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That's true of Patrice Ignelzi and Bruce Smith. They lost their insurance coverage but eventually found another company at a higher cost.

Jane Terjung and is now covered through the California Fair Plan which is very expensive.

"Requires that everybody has to do it. If not everyone does it, then it's really not going to help," insisted Ignelzi. She and others now belong to a neighborhood group working with firefighters called Firewise.

Those who oppose the ordinance are threatening to recall their council member and fight to delay it from being enforced.

If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live




WASHINGTON (AP)  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that his recent public comments against U.S. trade policy could backfire going into the formal review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade deal that protects Canada from the heaviest impacts of President Donald Trump's tariffs.

Carney used a high-profile speech last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to condemn economic coercion by great powers on smaller countries and since then he has as since sparred with Trump and Bessent about related trade issues. Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada over a trade deal Carney is pursuing with Beijing.

I would not pick a fight going into USMCA to score some cheap political points -- either youre working for your own political career or youre working for the Canadian people," Bessent said during a CNBC interview.

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Ive seen what happens when a technocrat tries to pivot and become a politician. Bessent added, in a reference to Carney's background as a central banker. It never really works out well.

Trump and Carney spoke on Monday, after which Bessent told Fox News that the prime minister was very aggressively walking back some of the unfortunate remarks he made at Davos.

Carney had a different characterization the next day.

To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the president, I meant what I said in Davos, Carney told reporters.

The North American trade agreement signed in 2020 during Trump's first term, but lately the Republican president has expressed indifference to it. Earlier this month, he said, "I dont really care about it.

Bessent, in his CNBC appearance, did say that in the end, I think we will end up in a good place  may not be a straight line.
Former President Joe Biden is speaking out against the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota, saying that it "betrays our most basic values as Americans."

During his 2024 re-election campaign, then-former President Donald Trump argued that Biden and his border czar, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, failed to secure the border, effectively allowing unprecedented illegal immigration into the U.S. that posed a national security threat. Trump had promised a mass crackdown and deportations of criminal illegal aliens.

Now, Biden is calling out the Trump administration's actions after the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

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"We are not a nation that guns down our citizens in the street. We are not a nation that allows our citizens to be brutalized for exercising their constitutional rights. We are not a nation that tramples the 4th Amendment and tolerates our neighbors being terrorized," Biden wrote in a statement posted on X.

Leavitt Says Trump Spoke To Walz, Demands Minnesota 'Work Together Peacefully' With Ice: 'Let Cops Be Cops'

Former President Joe Biden slammed the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration. (Getty Images)

"Minnesotans have reminded us all what it is to be American, and they have suffered enough at the hands of this administration. Violence and terror have no place in the United States of America, especially when its our own government targeting American citizens," he added.

Read On The Fox News App

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The former president called on Americans to "stand up and speak out" against the conduct of federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota.

"Now, justice requires full, fair, and transparent investigations into the deaths of the two Americans who lost their lives in the city they called home. Jill and I are sending strength to the families and communities who love Alex Pretti and Renee Good as we all mourn their senseless deaths," Biden said.

Federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis has faced increased scrutiny in recent weeks following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Both deaths sparked mass demonstrations and calls for federal immigration officers to be pulled out of the state.

A card with images of Renee Good and Alex Pretti lies among flowers and other mementos at a memorial in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 27, 2026.

'Mob Mentality' Endangers Officers Amid Anti-ice Unrest And Chaos In Minneapolis, Retired Cops Warn

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Harris, who served as Biden's vice president, has also been a vocal critic of the immigration crackdown. She called the shooting of Good "shocking" and said that "the horrifying and painful video" of the incident showed "that the Trump administration's explanation of this shooting is pure gaslighting."

After Pretti was shot, Harris said she was "heartbroken for Alex, his family, Minneapolis and America."

Minnesota leaders have criticized the Trump administration's immigration enforcement, with Minnesota Mayor Jacob Frey telling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to "get the f--- out" of his city after Good was shot and killed during an interaction with an ICE officer.

Agitators converge after the shooting of Alex Pretti.

Sen Ruben Gallego: I Won't Fund A Rogue Ice That Shoots First And Calls It Law Enforcement

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On Monday, Trump announced that he would be sending border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota as Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, the face of his administration's campaign to arrest and deport criminal illegal immigrants, would be leaving, signaling a possible shift in policy.

"I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight. He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there. Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me," Trump said on Truth Social. In the same post, the president announced "a major investigation" into allegations of welfare fraud in Minnesota.

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Trump later said that he and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had a "very good call" despite their disagreements on the handling of immigration enforcement.

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"I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all criminals that they have in their possession. The governor, very respectfully, understood that, and I will be speaking to him in the near future," Trump said in a separate Truth Social post. "He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I!"

Trump added that both he and Walz share the goal of further reducing crime in Minnesota.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.





Original article source: Biden speaks out against immigration crackdown in Minnesota, says it goes against American values
Rep. Travis Ismay, R-Newell, listens to Gov. Larry Rhoden give his budget address on Dec. 2, 2025, at the South Dakota Capitol in Pierre. (Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

Constitutional concerns helped tank a bill Tuesday in the South Dakota House of Representatives that aimed to ban payments to petition circulators in ballot measure campaigns.

Rep. Travis Ismay, R-Newell, sponsored House Bill 1087. It sought to bar payments for those who want to put initiated laws, referendums or constitutional amendments on the ballot.

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Ismay argued that paying circulators undermines the interests of South Dakotans by allowing out-of-state interests to fund campaigns meant to change the state.

Circulators need 17,508 signatures from registered voters to propose a law or challenge a bill passed by the Legislature. They need 35,017 to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Ismays bill would allow a court to invalidate a petition if its circulators were found to have been paid.

Rep. Matt Roby, R-Watertown, said South Dakota would be sued over HB 1087 and lose. He pointed to Supreme Court cases that took up the legality of payments for petition circulation and ruled it to be protected First Amendment speech.

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Rep. Erik Muckey, D-Sioux Falls, said passing a bill bound to cost taxpayers an untold amount of money for a losing cause is bad policy.

Thats just fiscally irresponsible use of our state taxpayer dollars, Muckey said.

Rep. John Hughes, R-Sioux Falls, who was among the members who stood up to back Ismays bill, said the fight to defend the bill in court would be worth it.

Sometimes lawsuits like that are essential to preserve our democracy, said Hughes, who described every interaction hes had with paid circulators as miserable.

I could tell they were not from around here, and they were there to harvest signatures, Hughes said.

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An Iowa House subcommittee moved ahead legislation Wednesday to add the Classic Learning Test to the regents admission index. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

An Iowa House subcommittee moved ahead a bill Wednesday to change how state universities determine admission through different test scores.

House Study Bill 547 would require the Iowa Board of Regents to develop a policy for students applying to state universities who do not qualify for admission based on the regent admission index, which combines ACT or SAT test scores, high school grade-point average and number of completed core classes.

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For these students, the bill would require universities to only use merit and likelihood of employment in Iowa after graduation in deciding whether to admit them or not. The board of regents would also have to incorporate the Classic Learning Test into the regent admission index if the legislation is passed.

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A report released by the board in April 2024 recommended leaving the Classic Learning Test out of the admission index until its viability can be better measured, and only use it in individual students cases. According to its website, more than 300 colleges and universities accept the test.

Iowa Board of Regents State Relations Officer Jillian Carlson said the board is registered as undecided on the bill, and referenced the report. She said state universities do accept the test for admission, it just hasnt been incorporated into the regents admission index.

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Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Birmingham, chaired the subcommittee and was joined by Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville. Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, was on the subcommittee but did not attend the meeting. The subcommittee approved the bill to head to the full Iowa House Higher Education Committee, Shipley said in a text message.

Jacoby was opposed to the legislation, saying in an interview after the meeting the board needs to have admissions measures that have been tested, and the Classic Learning Test is such a low denominator for potential students that hes not sure its accurate.

Another concern he had was of students signaling their intent to stay in Iowa after graduation and then leaving after graduation anyway. There are no pre- and post-tests to measure this, he said, and the board of regents doesnt have staff to handle it.

He is, however, in favor of taking a more holistic view in admissions than just looking at ACT and SAT scores and allowing students to create portfolios that they could submit to universities for admission.

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US-based insurance automation company Fulcrum has secured $25m across seed and Series A funding rounds as it looks to broaden adoption of its software among large brokerage houses.

The financing was led by CRV, with backing from South Park Commons, Foundation Capital and a number of angel investors.

Fulcrum intends to use the capital to advance its platform, which helps brokers automate servicing work such as analysing coverage and claims, generating proposals, checking policies, preparing sales materials for clients and carriers, and issuing certificates.

The companys system is built to connect with existing agency-management software including Applied Epic, and to extract policy documents from email while reconciling information across multiple records in real time, the press statement read.

Fulcrum co-founder and CEO Arjun Mangla said: For too long, insurance brokerages have accepted a complex and outdated web of partners, paperwork and legacy systems. We are showing that it doesnt have to be this way. Fulcrum is re-architecting the brokerage back office with AI that is fast, precise and deeply integrated into how teams actually work.

According to Fulcrum, its tools currently handle more than 2,500 hours of manual activity each day across brokerage teams.

It has shortened policy delivery times from at least 15 days to same-day completion and reduced proposal-generation processes from six to eight hours to under two, the company claims.

It added that many of its customers are among the top 50 US insurance brokerages, groups that have traditionally relied on offshore business process outsourcing providers for tasks such as policy checks and quality assurance.

Fulcrum was founded by CEO Arjun Mangla and chief technology officer (CTO) Sambhav Anand.

The company said its technology combines several large language models tailored for insurance, incorporating proprietary retrieval, reasoning and validation systems aimed at accuracy and compliance, while working directly within brokers existing workflows.

The latest funding round brings together institutional investors and angel backers as the company seeks to scale the use of its platform across major brokerage operations.

CRV general partner Reid Christian added: Insurance brokers sit at the centre of a trillion-dollar market, but the systems that power their operations are decades old. Fulcrum is uniquely positioned to change that.

The team has built a solution that fits directly into the systems brokers already use, replacing slow, outsourced workflows with AI that continuously handles the most operationally heavy parts of the job.
Border Police identified the suspect approaching the checkpoint on foot from the West Bank, and pulled a knife on the officers, causing police to open fire and neutralize the suspect.

A suspect in a potential terror stabbing at the Tunnels crossing near Jerusalem was neutralized on Wednesday afternoon, the IDF and Israel Police confirmed.

No injuries have been reported, and IDF and police personnel are on the scene investigating the incident.

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Border Police identified the suspect approaching the checkpoint on foot from the West Bank, and, during a security check, pulled a knife on the officers.

Police opened fire and neutralized the suspect.

IDF works to combat terrorism across Israel

The IDF Judea Brigade launched a large-scale counterterrorism operation this month in the Jabal Johar neighborhood of Hebron, aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure, eradicating the illegal possession of weapons, and strengthening security in the area.

The operation is expected to continue for several days. During this period, residents may hear explosion sounds and observe increased movement of IDF forces throughout the area.

According to the IDF Spokesperson, Security forces will continue to act proactively to thwart terror throughout the West Bank.
A Brazilian man living in Milford who federal authorities say was wanted on a Brazilian warrant for statutory rape is now facing federal child pornography charges.

Federal authorities arrested Joao Carlos Tavares Da Silva, 21, on Friday, Jan. 23, and charged him with one count of possession of child pornography after an investigation.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, federal authorities were serving an international warrant on Da Silva, who is charged in Brazil with statutory rape; the production, reproduction, direction, recording or filming scenes of sexual acts or pornography involving children; and selling or offering for sales of material containing scenes of sexual acts involving children.

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'Pretty different from criminal court': Massachusetts lawyers explain how immigration court works

According to the release, when authorities searched Da Silvas home, they seized several electronic devices. According to the federal affidavit, images of a child were found on one of the devices. The photos are believed to have been taken in Brazil.

If convicted, Da Silva faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

Da Silva was ordered held without bail after his initial appearance last Friday in U.S. District Court in Worcester. His next court date was not available.

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Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormnMillerJournalist.

This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Brazilian national living in Milford faces child pornography charges
Authorities are starting to release details about the Northampton man who allegedly murdered three family members in a home on Heather Road on Monday, but little is still confirmed on the victims.

Deborah Castiglia, 53, of Doylestown, was found along with her mother Judith, 84, and father, Fred Castiglia, 90, at the couple's home after a five-hour standoff ended with the arrest of Kevin Castiglia, 55, of Churchville, according to details released by the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.

Property records show that Judith and Fred Castiglia have lived at the same home since 1970, a two-floor home in a quiet neighborhood where children played in the snow Tuesday as police continued their investigation.

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The Castiglia's neighbors described Judith and Fred as a "very sweet couple," always friendly at the neighborhood block party.

Deborah Castiglia taught math in the Centennial School District, according to school district board documents. She was previously known as Deborah Feinberg.

Shes a veteran teacher, school board member Charley Martin said on Jan. 27. Its tragic and it affects a lot of people.

Centennial Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh issued a community statement Jan. 27 on the death of Castiglia, who started in the district in 1999 as a middle school math teacher at Klinger Middle School. She transferred to William Tennent High School in 2018.

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"Where she continued to teach mathematics and serve her students with dedication, care and compassion," Lucabaugh wrote. "Her loss is profoundly felt across our school community."

The district has activated its crisis response team and counseling and support services will be available for staff and students, Lucabaugh said. Additional support including ROXY Therapy Dogs and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit crisis response staff will be available at Tennent and Klinger.

Northampton Police set up a barricade at Cedar Brook Drove and Heather Road to block access as they investigate the scene of a homicide at 26 Heather Road in Northampton Township on Jan. 27, 2026.

Deborah's boyfriend, who requested Northampton police visit the Castiglia's home after not hearing from her since Jan. 24, said Tuesday the two dated for eight years and he believed Deborah's adult daughter was the only other family in the area.

He declined to speak further about his girlfriend, his voice cracking with emotion.

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Jess Rohan can be reached at jrohan@gannett.com. Chris Ullery can be reached at cullery@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Centennial teacher Deborah Castiglia killed with parents in Churchville
On Jan. 28, 1986 - 40 years ago today - seven spacefarers including a North Carolina Navy commander were killed in a tragic event that has become widely known as the Challenger disaster.

NASA's space shuttle Challenger exploded mid-air, killing all seven crew members on board during what was then the pinnacle of the U.S. spaceflight program. The Apollo lunar era had come to an end in 1972, but the first shuttle mission in 1981 reinvigorated the imaginations and dreams of many yearning to see humanity push the bounds of space exploration.

The Challenger explosion came as a massive shock to a nation looking forward to further achievements in space exploration. As we acknowledge the 40-year anniversary of the disaster, here's what to know, including who the North Carolina pilot that was killed in the accident.

What happened to the Challenger space shuttle? Why did the Challenger explode?

The crew members were aboard the Challenger space shuttle on Jan. 28, 1986, when it exploded 73 seconds after taking off at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The fatal explosion, which billions of people saw happen live on television, sent a shockwave around the world  becoming one of the most pivotal events of the 1980s.

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Following an investigation, a presidential commission assembled a report determining what caused the deadly accident to occur.

According to the commission, a leak, caused by an O-ring seal failure, in one of two rocket boosters ignited the main liquid fuel tank, leading to the explosion. Exasperated by extreme cold weather in Florida, the leak was caused by the destruction of seals that were intended to prevent hot gases from leaking during the propellant burn of the booster, the commission concluded.

Which Challenger astronaut was from North Carolina?

Michael J. Smith, a Navy commander from Beaufort, N.C., was one of the Challenger's pilots. NASA confirmed that Smith, born April 30, 1945, graduated from Beaufort High School in 1963, going on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1967 and a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1968.

South Carolinian mission specialist Ronald E. McNair, who became one of the first three Black Americans to be selected as a NASA astronaut, also held ties to North Carolina, having graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University with a bachelors degree in engineering physics.

Who were the Challenger astronauts?

Including Smith, a total of seven crew members were selected for the Challenger mission:

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Francis R. Scobee , the mission commander from Cle Elum, Washington, and an Air Force test pilot

Judith A. Resnik , a mission specialist from Akron, Ohio, who in 1978 was among the first astronaut class containing women

Ellison S. Onizuka , a mission specialist from Hawaii who was on active duty with the Air Force until he was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1978

Ronald E. McNair , a mission specialist from Lake City, South Carolina, with a doctorate in physics and a black belt in karate who became one of the first three Black Americans selected as a NASA astronaut

Gregory B. Jarvis , a payload specialist from Detroit, Michigan, who was not a NASA astronaut, but who was rather made available for the mission by his company

S. Christa McAuliffe, a non-astronaut civilian from Boston who was selected from among more than 11,000 applicants to become the first teacher in space

Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, contributed to this report.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Why did the Challenger explode? Which Challenger astronaut was from NC?
A Charlotte man has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated content, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Daniel Joseph Broadway, 54, is also required to serve a lifetime of supervised release, register as a sex offender and pay $17,000 in special assessments and $15,000 in restitution.

A federal judge imposed the sentence following Broadways guilty plea on April 23, 2025, for possession of child pornography involving a minor under the age of 12.

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ALSO READ >> Hickory man on probation sentenced for possessing child pornography

In a statement, Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, emphasized the seriousness of child sexual abuse material.

Child sexual abuse material is harmful in all of its forms, and my office has the experience, expertise and resolve to keep up with the technology as criminals use new methods to exploit children, Ferguson said.

The investigation began in April 2023 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip regarding Broadway uploading child sexual abuse material to an online account. Following a search warrant execution at his residence in December 2023, authorities seized nine electronic devices containing more than 30,000 images and videos of AI-generated child sexual abuse material and more than 8,600 traditional child sexual abuse images and videos.

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Broadway created original images of child sexual abuse material using an AI platform and modified existing images, demonstrating a concerning adaptation to technology to produce harmful content.

Broadway is currently in federal custody as he awaits designation of a federal facility.

VIDEO: Volunteer coach accused of sexually assaulting child
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is considering two calendar options for the 2027-28 school year and is asking for community input before the board picks one on April 14.

In one option, the first day of school would fall on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2027, and the last day on Friday, June 9, 2028. In the other, the start and end of school would be shifted two days earlier, with the first day on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2027 and the last day on Wednesday, June 7, 2028.

The main differences between the calendar options lie in when teacher workdays and spring break fall. In option one, spring break would run from April 10 through April 14, ending the weekend of Easter. In option two, spring break would be the following week, from April 17 through April 21.

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Both options include the same number of instructional hours, two weeks off for winter break and a teacher workday on Election Day, Nov. 2, 2027.

In a change from previous years, the district will not have four early release days as it has in the past, instead it will opt for two additional full teacher workdays.

The districts hands are somewhat tied when it comes to school start and end dates. The North Carolina General Assembly passed a now-controversial law in 2004 that requires NC public school districts to start school no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday closest to June 11.

This rigid timeframe has drawn criticism from some, including board members, as it means students must take end-of-course exams after they return from winter break, when theyve spent two weeks away from class material.

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CMS Vice Chair Dee Rankin suggested at Tuesdays board meeting that the board and community put pressure on our General Assembly to do the right thing and allow calendar flexibility, in order to change the law so school can start earlier in August.

State law also says districts are required to have a minimum of 185 instructional days or 1,025 instructional hours. CMS aims to schedule at least 1,063, so theres wiggle room in case days need to be canceled due to inclement weather, for example.

A poll is open to the public to share feedback on the two options until Feb. 13. CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill will give her recommendation to the board March 10, and the board will vote April 14.
CHEYENNE  Members of the Cheyenne City Council voted unanimously Monday night to postpone a controversial decision on whether to allow certain city officials to apply for administrative inspection warrants.

Administrative inspection warrants are non-criminal warrants that allow city officials to enter a property for safety or code-enforcement inspections when they are unable to get the property owners permission.

The ordinance would create Chapter 1.28, establishing the process by which a city official or employee could obtain an administrative inspection warrant, and a new section under Title 2, allowing the Cheyenne Fire Rescue chief, or an authorized designee, the ability to request an administrative inspection warrant.

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The proposal has been controversial among members of the public since the ordinance was introduced at the councils Public Services Committee meeting Jan. 5.

At the Jan. 12 full council meeting, more than 20 members of the public came forward to express their opposition to the ordinance, with some saying they oppose it as written and want to see it heavily amended.

Many comments on social media and through letters to the editor of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle over the past couple of weeks had the same concern: That administrative inspection warrants violate Fourth Amendment rights as stated in the Wyoming Constitution and the United States Constitution.

Monday night, 13 members of the public made comments, with many saying they support the Public Services Committee members recommendation to postpone the vote.

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Cheyenne resident Patricia McCoy was one commenter who said she supports postponement, with the condition that council members work diligently to revise the ordinance.

This time is necessary for the council to review a corrected version of the draft provided by an attorney and fellow citizen who is willing to help this body pass an ordinance that actually aligns with the Wyoming Constitution and Wyoming Supreme Court precedents, McCoy told council members, and allows the public time to review the amended draft prior to it being voted to pass.

Another resident, Tamara Trujillo, had a different opinion than most, stating in the meeting that she wants to see the ordinance tabled, rather than postponed.

You are voted in by the people, for the people, not for the government, Trujillo said. So tonight, your vote to postpone is a nice courtesy, but I would really ask for it to be tabled and just redone from the beginning.

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However, Councilman Mark Rinne told members of the public that the city government has a rule that ordinances cannot be tabled, because when they are, they die.

Instead, Rinne said city government officials can postpone a decision only until the next City Council meeting, meaning two-week postponements.

Still, council members are able to continue approving two-week postponements at as many council meetings as they see fit.

All nine City Council members said at Mondays meeting that they support the postponement.

Part of our job has to be to clearly define why we do need this, Emmons said. ... We have to figure out how we can clearly articulate what it is we need, and then how we can put together a piece of legislation that accomplishes what is needed  nothing more, nothing less  but what we need to do to keep Cheyenne safe.

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Councilwoman Michelle Aldrich said two substitutions have already been drawn up over the past week, with a third in progress.

The motion to postpone for two weeks was approved. The ordinance will come back before the councils Public Services Committee next Monday for committee members to recommend substitutions and amendments.

Following that, it will go before the full City Council at its meeting Feb. 9, potentially for final approval.
In Chicago, nurses joined labor and faith leaders Tuesday in a prayer vigil for Alex Pretti.

They honored his life and work as a nurse, while calling out the actions of the Trump administration.

The vigil brought together health care workers at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chicago alongside many others who may have never met Pretti but who, through their work, see themselves in him.

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White roses are among the mementos that now adorn the fence outside the Jesse Brown VA hospital. They were affixed there by fellow nurses, veterans and others who came out to remember Pretti, who was photographed before his death paying tribute to a veteran who had just died.

"As an ICU nurse, I can't help but to see myself in Alex Pretti," Scott Mechanic said.

"In Minneapolis, many of our members worked side-by-side with Alex. They trusted, respected and deeply loved him," said Dr. Nicolette Alberti, a resident physician at University of Illinois Chicago Hospital.

The gathering meant to call out the tactics that led to his death at the hands of Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis this past Saturday.

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SEE ALSO: DHS report says 2 agents fired weapons in Alex Pretti shooting

"This hit so close to home because we work with people like Alex in the hospital every single day," said Dr. Andrew Weber, an internal medicine resident.

And while some said the removal of Gregory Bovino from day-to-day operations in Minneapolis is progress, it is accountability for Pretti's death, and others at the hands of federal immigration agents, that they seek.

"We have seen multiple murders occur. Nothing has basically been done here in Chicago about the murder of Silverio. So, the change in leadership, that's some movement. My fear is it's meant to distract from our demands," U.S. Navy veteran Daniel Lakemacher said.

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That demand is a complete withdrawal of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from U.S. cities. It is one that does not appear likely as President Donald Trump Monday announced Border Czar Tom Homan would be taking over leadership of the operation in Minneapolis, which he appeared to indicate will continue.

"Their crime is way down. You know why? Because we took out thousands of criminals out of Minnesota. It's going very well. We are good," Trump said.

A second vigil is being planned outside Jesse Brown in honor of Pretti. That one is scheduled to take place Wednesday evening.
Ask any Utah teacher, principal or school counselor to blurt out a short list of the biggest challenges found in todays K-12 classrooms.

Absenteeism is almost certain to be included.

Last year prior to the current academic year, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) reported that almost a quarter of Utah students were chronically absent during the 2023-2024 school year.

Thats nearly double the rate from just a decade earlier. And its happening across every grade level, region and demographic in the state.

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The consequences of chronic absenteeism  defined as missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason  are far-reaching: Declines in classroom performance, grade-point averages, graduation rates and opportunities to build social skills and connections with teachers and fellow students.

On Tuesday, Rep. Andrew Stoddard, D-Sandy, presented to the Legislatures House Education Committee a bill hes sponsoring in response to Utahs chronic absenteeism problem.

Rep. Andrew Stoddard raises his concerns about HB226 Criminal Amendments with the bill sponsor Rep. Candice Pierucci during a House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Standing Committee meeting in the House building in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

If ratified, House Bill 106 would task USBE with gathering and analyzing absenteeism data from each public K-12 school  including the percentage of chronically absent students and specifics about each student struggling to make it to class.

USBE would then be required to publish the aggregated, anonymized chronic absenteeism data  while also analyzing root causes of chronic absenteeism such as socioeconomics, mental health factors, family issues and student disengagement.

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And finally, the board would identify interventions and strategies to help get kids back in the classrooms.

Chronic absenteeism, said Stoddard, is a huge problem for our students. What we know from the data is that kids who arent in school are not graduating.

Stoddard said he and others consulted with school board members, juvenile justice officials, parents rights groups and other stakeholders to best tackle chronic absenteeism.

What they all said is, We really need to figure out what is the cause of this chronic absenteeism  and until we understand what the cause is, we cant really do much about it, because were just going to be putting Band-Aids on and keep doing that forever.

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Committee members agreed with Stoddards argument: Something needs to be done about kids skipping school. But some called for some additional clarifying language in the bill.

Jordan High School in Sandy on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Stoddard said he was not tied to the language  Im tied to the issue. So for now, HB106 is on hold awaiting modifications and collaboration with fellow lawmakers who are also working on the chronic absenteeism issue.

Calls for bipartisan cooperation to solve chronic absenteeism

Rep. Tiara Auxier, R-Morgan, saluted Stoddards efforts to find solutions to chronic absenteeism, but noted that the education committee has held similar audits and other studies in recent years.

So Im wondering, she said, why we need to do another (chronic absenteeism) study when weve already spent the time to do a deep dive with an audit.

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Stoddard responded that a key part of his bill is bringing stakeholders together, identifying solutions and utilizing whats already working in different schools and districts.

Until we have the groups working on them to know what is working, were kind of stuck with just data.

Rep. Jason Thompson, R-River Heights, said that prior chronic absenteeism studies reveal that schools and districts measure absenteeism and tardiness in different ways. As a result, the data is inconsistent and unreliable.

Thompson added that he is co-sponsoring a similar school attendance measure, Senate Bill 58,  and he invited Stoddard to work with the sponsors of that legislation.

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There are a lot of things happening around all of us that are working in this space  and we just need to bring it together into one conversation, said Thompson.

Im committed to working with you to make sure that all aspects of this bill are included there. Were all rowing in the same direction  and I think were going to make tremendous progress.

Stoddard said hes agreeable to working with the Republican sponsors of the similar Senate bill. What matters is that we get the policy right  and that were doing it in a way thats going to help students graduate and be successful.
A Northampton man allegedly told hospital staff that he stabbed his parents to death while they slept in their Churchville home, then killed his sister when she found their bodies.

Kevin Castiglia, 55, of Churchville, was video arraigned Jan. 27 before District Judge Brian Marriott on three homicide charges and 18 related misdemeanors including three counts of abuse of corpse in the deaths of Judith, 84, and Fred Castiglia, 90, and Deborah Castiglia, 53, of Doylestown.

He was transferred to Bucks County Correctional Center without bail. Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan has scheduled a press conference for Jan. 28 at the Bucks County Justice Center in Doylestown to provide an update on the investigation.

The scene of a homicide in the 20 block of Heather Road in Northampton on Jan. 27, 2026.

Castiglia was taken into police custody Jan. 26 following a five-hour standoff after police went to the Churchville home for a well-being check at the request of Deborah Castiglia's boyfriend.

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He was held in police custody for most of Tuesday on related misdemeanor charges filed Monday stemming from his police confrontation while Northampton and Bucks County Detectives conducted the murder investigation at the home.

The original probable cause affidavit for the misdemeanors included information about the murders; the updated court document provided Tuesday evening after his arrest on homicide charges included more details including Castiglia's alleged confession to police and hospital workers.

The boyfriend told police after he had not heard from Deborah Castiglia since Jan. 24, he went to her Doylestown home on Jan. 25, but she was not there and neither was her vehicle, according to an update probable cause affidavit.

The boyfriend then drove to the home in the 20 block of Heather Road here her parents and brother Kevin Castiglia lived, arriving around 6:30 p.m. The boyfriend saw Deborah's vehicle in the driveway, but he did not see any footprints in the snow leading up to the front door, the affidavit said.

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He banged on the door several times, but no one answered and the lights were off, so he left without contacting police, the affidavit said.

On Monday around 2:15 p.m. the boyfriend returned to the Heather Road home and knocked on the door numerous times until Kevin Castiglia, dressed in a bathrobe, answered, the affidavit said. When the boyfriend asked to speak with Deborah, Castiglia told him that she probably went on vacation, the affidavit said.

More on Churchville murders Centennial teacher, 53, among victims of Churchville family killings

Kevin Castiglia then allegedly approached the boyfriend, opened the door with a knife in his hand, which was described as a "large psycho-type chef's knife" at the boyfriend and warned him.

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"Don't ever come here again or I will kill you,' Castiglia allegedly said.

After he saw the knife, the boyfriend jumped off the front porch, got in his car and drove down the street where he called 911 telling police about the threat and requesting someone check on his girlfriend, the affidavit said.

Reached Tuesday, the boyfriend said he and Deborah Castiglia dated for eight years, and he believed her adult daughter, a college student, was the only other family in the area. He declined to speak further about his girlfriend, his voice cracking with emotion.

Deborah Castiglia was a math teacher in the Centennial School District for the last 26 years.

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Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh issued a community statement Jan. 27 on the death of Castiglia, who worked at William Tennent High School since 2018, describing her loss as "profoundly felt across our school community."

When Northampton police officers got no response when they knocked on the front door and called a number inside the home, they started calling out for Kevin Castiglia to come to the door, the affidavit said.

When Castiglia opened the front door he was still wearing the bathrobe, but armed with two knives, one which appeared to have blood on it, the affidavit said.

Castiglia started speaking in an incoherent manner, the affidavit said, and when asked about his family he allegedly did not respond. He subsequently pointed the knives at the officers, at which time two deployed their Tasers.

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But the devices did not subdue Castiglia and he pulled the electric probes out of his body, slammed the door shut and locked it, the affidavit said. Officers, attempted to speak with Castiglia through the door, but heard stomping noises inside the home.

The South Central Emergency Response Team was called in at that point to force entry into the home. Once inside, the officers found Deborah Castiglia dead in the kitchen, and shortly after found Fred and Judy Castiglia dead in a first-floor bedroom, the affidavit said.

The Bucks County Coroner Patti Campi confirmed the victim autopsies were completed Jan. 27, but no information was released citing the active police investigation.

The SWAT members also found Kevin Castiglia armed with knives, and the team attempted to apprehend him but he ran to a second-floor bedroom and barricaded himself, the affidavit said.

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County emergency dispatch calls show that crews from Tri-Hampton Rescue Squad and Northampton Fire Department were dispatched to the scene shortly before 3 p.m. for a "psychiatric emergency" and advised to use caution.

The affidavit also stated that Northampton police had "prior contacts" at the home with Kevin Castiglia. The Bucks County Prothonotary Office confirmed Kevin Castiglia had no active or past protection from abuse orders in place.

After Castiglia was in police custody he was transported to St. Mary Medical Center for unspecified treatment, where he allegedly told the doctor, "I hurt someone." About two hours later, Castiglia allegedly made a similar confession to other hospital employees.

"I killed my parents in their sleep," Castiglia allegedly said. "I killed my sister when she found them."

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After he was medically cleared, Castiglia was brought to Northampton Police headquarters where he was processed and arraigned on the misdemeanor charges, the affidavit said.

While at the police station, Castiglia allegedly also confessed to stabbing his parents and sister.

Reporter Michele Haddon contributed to this story.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Churchville man told police, hospital staff killed family: court doc
Weir described 2025 performance at Tawke as exceptional, despite operational disruption. The company pointed to a mid-year drone attack that caused a short outage in the third quarter. Excluding that quarter, Weir said production would have been on track to outperform 2024 levels even though no new wells were drilled during the year, crediting a very effective well management program.

During the presentation, the company highlighted steps taken in 2025 to rightsize its capital structure, including a new bond maturing in 2030 . Weir said the refinancing removed uncertainty and reduced funding risk around growth through acquisition. Clements added that debt has been reduced from more than $300 million in 2022 to a little less than $100 million , lowering net interest costs.

Management said the company ended 2025 with net cash of $134 million and available cash of $224 million . Weir stated Genel has more than $200 million of cash to hand and described the balance sheet as a core element of the firms strong and resilient platform.

Genel Energy (LON:GENL) used its January trading update and investor presentation to outline year-end positioning, discuss operational performance at its Tawke PSC asset, and provide high-level guidance on spending priorities and strategic direction for the year ahead. Chief Executive Officer Paul Weir and Chief Financial Officer Luke Clements emphasized balance sheet strength, continued focus on business efficiency, and efforts to diversify cash generation through organic projects and acquisitions.

Genel has not joined the interim export arrangement and is withholding participation until the disclosed topup payment is executed as intended; based on public disclosures the current allocation (~ $16/boe ) would yield proceeds similar to domestic sales but paid in arrears, and Genel remains aligned with operator DNO on the export approach.

Operations at Tawke rebounded to around 80,000 barrels per day after a midyear drone outage, with management calling 2025 exceptional; drilling has resumed for 2026 and most new investment is effectively repaid quickly via the PSC costrecovery mechanism (reported as about a month), limiting balancesheet funding needs.

Genel finished 2025 with a strong balance sheet  net cash $134m , available cash $224m and more than $200m on hand  after reducing debt from >$300m in 2022 to under $100m and refinancing with a new bond maturing in 2030 , which management says lowers funding risk.

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Genel said gross production rates are now back to around 80,000 barrels per day. Weir also praised the operators efforts to reconfigure and repair the processing plant after the drone incident, saying the team reacted quickly and innovatively to safely reestablish optimal production.

Looking ahead, the company said investment has resumed on the drilling front. Weir noted plans to drill a series of wells in 2026 to bolster production and potentially add reserves. He emphasized that the lions share of investment is supported through the PSC cost recovery mechanism, enabling a quick return on capital.

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In the Q&A, management addressed whether increased drilling could require balance sheet funding if exports do not resume. Weir said it was possible in principle, but Clements explained the Tawke PSC has recovered past costs and that new investment is effectively repaid virtually immediate[ly]described as around a monththrough cost recovery, with activity funded by cash generation from the asset.

Exports: monitoring interim arrangements before joining

A key theme in the Q&A was the status of oil exports via the pipeline to Turkey and why Genel has not joined interim export arrangements. Weir said the company is not part of the current arrangement and is not privy to all details, relying largely on public disclosures from participants. However, he said things have started well, citing disclosed initial payments and stating early indications appear in line with what Genel understood from negotiated outcomes discussed mid-year.

Clements added that, based on disclosures by another operator, the current payments appear to include an allocation component and a top-up payment. He said the allocation paymentdescribed as $16 per barrelappeared to result in about the same price as domestic market sales. Clements said Genels internal math suggested that, if it were exporting under the current cash flow quantum, the proceeds would be about the same as domestic sales, though paid in arrears rather than upfront.

Management said the deciding factor for Genel is seeing the top-up element executed as intended. Weir said the company wants to see the full agreement playing out in full before reconsidering its decision to sell locally. He also said DNO is extremely important to Genels position on exports because it is the operating partner leading engagement with authorities, and that Genel has made a deliberate decision to remain in lockstep with DNO.

On a question about whether a third-party cost assessment being conducted for the export arrangement would include Tawke, Weir said it would not, because Genel is not part of that arrangement.

Portfolio actions, free cash flow drivers, and diversification efforts

Weir said the companys core business now generates double-digit underlying free cash flow even at local sales pricing of just over $30 a barrel, with the potential for cash generation to increase significantly if international exports resume and pricing exposure improves. Clements noted that free cash flow was lower than the prior year due to the absence of certain working capital benefits that helped 2024, particularly offsetting mechanisms related to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

Weir detailed portfolio rationalization steps taken since late 2022, including the exit from non-core or non-productive positions. He listed:

Exits from the Sarta-Qara Dagh licenses in the KRI

Exit from the offshore Lagzira license in Morocco

Exit from the Odewayne license in Somaliland

Divestment of the legacy Taq Taq asset

Weir said these changes were completed in 2025 and were achieved at no incremental cost and without retaining future liability exposure.

On receivables, Weir said there had been no recent movement on agreeing a payment plan with the KRG, citing political distractions including elections, but emphasized the company continues to pursue the matter. Clements said the company has reduced exposure through offsetting, noting that while the gross agreed number was $88 million, about $40 million has been received mostly in 2024 via offsetting, reducing the net figure to around $48 million. He added the company does not expect cash to flow out related to the $40 million offset balance.

For 2026 spending priorities outside Tawke, Weir said the company expects domestic sales income to again more than cover organizational costs and that Genel may spend up to about $20 million on its projects in Oman Block 54 and Somaliland, with some potentially funded from the balance sheet.

In Oman, Weir said work on the legacy Batha West-1 well was completed safely, ahead of time, and under budget in late 2025. Data gathered will be analyzed to inform a forward program that includes 3D seismic and two more wells over the next two and a half years.

In Somaliland, Weir said progress continued toward drilling the Toosan-1 (also referred to in the Q&A as Tucan-1) well, describing it as an exploration prospect defined by modern seismic and analogous to nearby basins. He said the prospect targets prospective resources of around 650 million barrels and noted commercial terms described as first-mover advantage, with potential monetization supported by proximity to Berbera Deep Water Port and the Gulf of Aden. In the Q&A, he said the project remains active, with ongoing engineering and procurement, but reiterated that multiple operational, commercial, and geopolitical factors must align before spudding.

On M&A, Weir said 2025 was busy despite suitable opportunities being hard to find, with Genel originating, screening, and bidding on opportunities in a competitive environment. He said the company will maintain discipline and not overpay. In response to questions about geographic scope, Weir said the company is open to new countries, has a natural inclination toward the MENA region due to familiarity, but has also bid on opportunities outside MENA. Clements addressed share-based acquisitions, saying Genels focus is value accretion for shareholders and noting that, given the companys view that its stock is undervalued versus underlying metrics, share deals would need to be clearly accretive to make sense.

About Genel Energy (LON:GENL)

Genel Energy is a socially responsible oil producer with a low-cost and low-carbon production asset in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and exploration assets in Oman, Morocco and Somaliland and listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE: GENL, LEI: 549300IVCJDWC3LR8F94). Genel's strategy is designed to build a business with resilient and diversified cash flows that delivers sustainable value to shareholders, and with the aim of restarting the payment of a regular dividend.

The article "Genel Energy Q4 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat.
PEORIA  After a lengthy and robust debate on Tuesday night the City Council, after two months of deliberation, gave approval for a halfway house to open near Peoria's Warehouse District.

Tuesday's discussion marked the third time the council has debated approval for the halfway house, which will operate at 1924 Southwest Adams St. The council narrowly approved the halfway house in a 6-5 vote, despite vehement opposition from business owners in the Warehouse District.

GRO Community CEO Aaron Mallory addressed the council for the first time on Tuesday night about his nonprofit's plan for the facility, which he said isn't really a halfway house, and tried to assuage the concerns of local business owners.

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Mallory, first and foremost, wanted to challenge the use of the term "halfway house" in regard to what GRO Community wants to do at the vacant property, which used to be home to a mental health facility. Mallory told the council the space should not be considered a halfway house because it will only serve parolees who live in the city of Peoria and it will require them to go through both mental health and workforce development programs.

Mallory also addressed questions over GRO Community's financial commitment to the space, saying they had funds available and would be committing somewhere between $250,000 and $1 million to the rehab of the Adams Street building.

'Danger to communities': Peoria police chief's take on ICE actions

GRO Community has already been working with men and youth in the Peoria area for two years, he said, but they have outgrown their current space and wanted to expand their live-in services to the Peoria area.

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For the city's purposes, however, the term "halfway house" does best fit the description of what GRO Community wants to do in that space, assistant community development director Leah Allison told the council.

A cap of 12 men will be allowed to live at the home, and on-site security will be required around the clock at the location.

Council poses questions, concerns over halfway house

Over the past two months the city council has raised a host of questions and concerns about the proposed halfway house, and on Tuesday night six councilmembers felt those concerns had been adequately addressed while five did not.

Councilmembers Zach Oyler, Denis Cyr, John Kelly, Kiran Velpula and Alex Carmona voted no.

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Kelly's no vote centered on what he felt was a lack of communication between GRO Community and the city council. Kelly said he liked the vision of GRO Community but questioned the quality of the organization based on what he said had been poor communication throughout the two months they have been petitioning the council for approval.

Oyler's chief concerns echoed those of the business community in the Warehouse District, which included business owners such as Pat Sullivan and John Ritchie, who both spoke in opposition of the development on Tuesday night.

Likewise, Cyr also felt the halfway house, while saying he agreed with its mission, did not fit the city's vision for a safe and vibrant downtown and Warehouse District.

Carmona was concerned with business filings connected to GRO Community, which showed that entities such as GRO Construction, a construction company run by Mallory, had been dissolved in November and had only been brought back into good standing this week.

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Mallory said the dissolution and recent filing to get back into good standing with those entities was an "oversight" that fell on his shoulders.

Councilmembers approve mission of halfway house

Those who supported the halfway house and came out on the winning side Tuesday said GRO Community was bringing a needed service to the community, one that would help some of Peoria's hundreds of parolees.

Among the proposal's most ardent supporters was councilmember Bernice Gordon-Young, who works as a mental health professional in the Peoria County Jail.

More: Proposed halfway house asked to meet with Peoria business community

Gordon-Young said the business owners posed valid concerns on Tuesday night, but she felt that GRO Community was a "class-act." She also said that the service they offer will be helpful to parolees who received mental health services while incarcerated but struggle to find support when they are introduced back into communities.

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Denise Jackson, who represents the 1st District  which be home to the facility  said Tuesday she is "extremely protective" of her district but supported what GRO Community wanted to do on Adams Street. Jackson held community meetings between GRO Community and business owners in the lead up to Tuesday night's final vote.

Mayor Rita Ali was a firm supporter of the proposal, too, saying the service was needed in the community and the city would be counting on its success. However, she also delivered a warning to GRO Community that it would be "under a microscope" and should be on notice that it will be facing scrutiny.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: City Council narrowly approves new Peoria halfway house
The City of Dunn welcomed its new police chief during a city council meeting on Tuesday night.

Timothy "Lynn" Gay, who has been a deputy chief in the Rocky Mount Police Department, takes over in Dunn next week.

He has three decades of leadership and North Carolina law enforcement experience. He began his career with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and was a member of the SBI bomb squad from 2004 to 2020.

Timothy "Lynn" Gay has been named new chief of police in Dunn.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to be appointed as Chief of Police for the City of Dunn," Gay said. "It is a profound privilege to lead such a dedicated team of men and women who serve our community every day. I am committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, building stronger partnerships with residents, and ensuring the safety and well-being of all who call this community home."

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Gay will fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former Dunn Police Chief Cary Jackson.

Maj. Nicholas Simmons has been the interim chief since her departure in October.

"Chief Gay emerged as the right public servant to lead our department into the future," said Dunn City Manager Justin Hembree. "His decades of proven leadership will greatly benefit our community, and I could not be more excited for the City, the Police Department, and our community. We welcome Lynn to the City of Dunn team."

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Russian drone attacks have killed or injured civilians in several places in Ukraine, authorities said on Wednesday.

In the municipality of Bilohorodka west of Kiev, a couple were killed, the national police reported on Telegram. The couple's 4-year-old child was treated for injuries. Three other people were also injured.

In the southern Dnipropetrovsk region, one man was killed and seven others injured, the military governor, Oleksandr Vilkul, said.

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The Black Sea port city of Odessa was also targeted for the second night in a row.

Ukraine's state electricity grid operator Ukrenergo reported emergency power cuts in several regions following the attacks.

Newly appointed Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said 710,000 consumption points in the capital Kiev were still without electricity on Tuesday evening.

The most urgent task, he said, is to restore a reliable alternation of supply and shutdowns.

The Ukrainian Air Force said it had located 137 Russian drones during the night, 103 of which had been disabled.

Meanwhile, Ukraine launched drone attacks on the city of Sevastopol on the occupied Crimean peninsula and on several Russian regions.

There were no reports of major damage. Russia's Defence Ministry said that 75 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight.
I returned home to Kenyas coast after months of winter in Germany, and the heat felt extreme. Temperatures rose past 35C by midday under the blazing sun of Kilifi, a tourism destination on Kenyas shores of the Western Indian Ocean. It is here that international visitors come for pristine beaches, marine excursions, and trips to nearby islands and creeks.

As a tourism researcher, I study how women earn a living through coastal small businesses in times of environmental change. My research work in Kilifi brought me into close contact with the everyday realities of climate change in Kenyas coastal tourist towns: rising temperatures, rising ocean levels, drought and floods.

In Kilifi, local womens groups cultivate mangrove seedlings in rows of small plastic bags along the ocean waters edge. The seedlings are crucial in replanting and regenerating forests in dense mangrove areas.

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However, while mangrove trees survive in coasts, estuaries and river mouths where saltwater from the sea mixes with freshwater from rivers, their seedlings generally rely on freshwater to grow before they are gradually acclimatised to the salinity and tidal conditions at the coast. And these seedlings were dying because freshwater was drying up.

When mangrove forests die off or are cut back, this has a direct impact on women tour guides, souvenir item sellers, hoteliers and seafood suppliers, said one of the women I interviewed:

If mangroves are flourishing, we get plenty of prawns. But now that all this has been cut, those prawns run away, and they are not found. Crabs are also found here in the mangroves.

My research found that women tourism operators also experienced the changing climate as a deeply personal loss of identity, culture and community.

For example, women whose sense of self comes from preparing local cuisines saw their culinary traditions vanish when crab and prawn stocks dwindled or when cashew and coconut trees failed to bear fruit.

Read more: What Kenya's government can do to protect, and benefit from, ocean resources

Community bonds were also lost when shared cooking practices weakened. This affected the tourism industry because cultural traditions support the growth of tourism. The human experience of travel is deepened when local people share heritage, meaning and traditions with visitors.

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When climate change affects womens sense of identity and culture, it affects their livelihoods and well-being too. These impacts ripple through the tourism industry, affecting the experiences and services that millions of visitors rely on in Africas tourism. Women are particularly affected; in Kenya they occupy the bulk of jobs in tour guiding and hospitality.

Traditional coastal cuisines decimated by climate change

As part of my research, I held workshops with women involved in cooking and food businesses. Cooking is part of our heritage as coastal women, one explained. Their coastal cuisine is rooted in specific plants and ingredients, learned through practice and shared across generations. Most importantly, its a part of how people know who they are and where they are from.

When baobabs dry out, or when any other coastal plant withers, longstanding recipes are forced to change. Food flavours disappear, and culinary knowledge becomes harder to pass on.

These changes affect gastro-tourism, a growing part of the local tourism economy, where visitors come for traditional dishes and the coastal culinary experience.

Read more: Coastal and island heritage offers a rich resource for the world

Seafood, important in tourist hotels, is increasingly affected by mangrove loss and rising ocean temperatures. These destroy fish nursery habitats and force fish to migrate to waters far out of the reach of artisanal fishers, women who supplied seafood to restaurants told me.

Homes and land are being swallowed by the sea

Another person I interviewed pointed out that land had disappeared under rising sea levels. What used to be land is now water, she said, recalling a land beacon that once marked the boundary of a piece of land. That beacon is still there, she said, but now it stands in the ocean waters.

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Such loss of land can have profound effects  displacement, the loss of family burial sites, the need to adapt to new neighbours, and psychological distress.

The women also told me that small-scale beachfront traders were being displaced as the ocean water rose, affecting their livelihoods.

This is not only an economic loss but also a loss that unfolds gradually, erasing the meaning of place. When women are displaced from the coastline, it also means they have far less chance of being part of decision making in the ocean economy.

Economic and non-economic losses unfold together

People experience the cost of climate change when ecosystems erode and they lose the income theyd once been able to earn from working with natural resources. However, climate change also brings about a loss of heritage, knowledge, and sense of place. This carries deep consequences for identity and community.

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The United Nations has a mechanism to help vulnerable countries cope with climate damage that cant be prevented or adapted to, such as floods, storms and sea-level rise. This acknowledges culture, identity and sense of place as important non-economic dimensions of global warming.

But local voices are essential for defining what such loss means on the ground and how responses should unfold.

Read more: Review of nine African 'blue economy' projects shows what works and what doesn't

One of the findings from my research was that the ocean economy idea focuses too narrowly on extracting economic value from the sea. It often overlooks the non-economic cultural practices and relationships that actually sustain tourism, fisheries and other small coastal businesses.

What needs to happen next

My research shows that climate policy needs to account better for the human and cultural dimensions of climate change. When governments only focus on the economic losses caused by climate change, this contradicts the lived experiences of women working in coastal tourism in Kenya who rely on non-economic cultural practices and relationships that actually sustain tourism, fisheries and other small coastal businesses.

Read more: Mangrove loss is making the Niger Delta more vulnerable: we built a model that can track how the forests are doing

Coastal livelihoods give communities living near the sea more chance of being able to cope with climate change. Cultural practices are closely tied to caring for ecosystems. When policy overlooks culture, it weakens the very people whose everyday work helps sustain and protect these environments.

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Planners of climate action and adaptation need to recognise non-economic losses alongside economic concerns. It also means using gender sensitive assessments within adaptation efforts, to avoid further excluding women who work in informal enterprises from the ocean economy.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Lucy Atieno, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)

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Lucy Atieno does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
CHICAGO (WGN)  A Virginia man pleaded guilty in Chicago to a federal drug conspiracy charge involving the operation of a dark web marketplace.

Rahiem Hamilton, 30, of Suffolk, Virginia pleaded guilty Monday to his role in the scheme that prosecutors say enabled users to buy and sell illegal goods and services anonymously. According to prosecutors, Hamilton and another man, 40-year-old Thomas Pavey of Ormond Beach, Florida co-owned and operated Empire Market from 2018 to 2020.

The online market facilitated more than four million transactions between vendors and buyers, valued at more than $430 million, prosecutors say, making it one of the largest dark web marketplaces of its kind at the time.

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TSAs top 10 airport finds of 2025 include knee-knife brace combo in Illinois

Illegal products and services available on the site included controlled substances, compromised or stolen account credentials, stolen personal identification information, counterfeit currency, and computer-hacking tools.

Drug sales netted nearly $375 million. Hamilton and co-conspirator Davey required the use of cryptocurrency for all transactions.

Prosecutors add that Hamilton admitted in a plea agreement that he and Pavey designed Empire Market to help its users avoid detection by law enforcement and to assist users with laundering money from the illicit transactions.

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Both agreed to forfeit ill-gotten proceeds, multiple properties and more. Hamilton and Pavey also await sentencing. Hamiltons is set for June 17.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

A conviction in the case is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with a maximum of life.

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.
A Cold Spring company has paid more than $15,000 in fines for stormwater violations.

A Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) investigation in May 2024 found Cold Spring Brewing Company had multiple environmental violations.

The company's main Cold Spring facility, Cold Spring Brewing failed to get rid of contaminated stormwater runoff, MPCA wrote in a release. In addition, the brewery also failed to implement a facility inspection plan.

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MPCA fined Cold Spring just under $16,000 for stormwater violations at three of the company's facilities.

More: St. Cloud's New Flyer pays $12,000 for hazardous waste violations

At the brewery's other Cold Spring location and in St. Cloud, the brewery failed to apply for an industrial stormwater permit, the release stated.

Cold Spring Brewing, a 130-year-old brewery, has agreed to the following corrective actions:

update stormwater pollution prevention plans

submit a spill response procedure for each site

evaluate facility operations, maintenance and spill response programs to reduce or eliminate the risk of stormwater mixing with contaminated wastewater

apply for an industrial stormwater permit

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When calculating penalties, the MPCA considers how seriously the violations affected or could have affected the environment, and whether they were first-time or repeat violations.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Cold Spring Brewing fined thousands over stormwater violations
While much of the country has eyes trained on the unrest in Minneapolis after the shooting death of Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol agents, some in metro Atlanta are concerned as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement leaders appear to be expanding operations in College Park. Elected officials in the southwest Atlanta suburb say the federal government hasnt been communicating with them about whats happening.

Videos of vehicles adorned with ICE logos being trucked into metro Atlanta started circulating on social media over the weekend, along with texts alerting residents to cooperate by showing ID if stopped. College Park Mayor Bianca Motley Broom and members of the City Council said they began receiving reports from local residents around the same time.

ICEs local division in Atlanta didnt immediately respond Wednesday morning to Capital B Atlantas request for comment. ICE spokesperson Lindsay Williams told WABE on Tuesday that more of the agencys officials are working in a new office, but she declined to say where its located.

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ICE has operated a field office on Ted Turner Drive in Atlanta for years. The agencys satellite office in College Park was reportedly established to accommodate more administrative officers.

While the opening of the new office appears to be a continuation of the Trump administrations efforts to bolster the ranks of ICE agents in cities across the country, there are community concerns that it could be part of a coordinated effort with the Department of Homeland Security operation that has raised alarm in cities like Minneapolis.

In an emailed statement on Wednesday, College Park officials said theyre aware of a possible ICE administrative office recently opening in their city.

We are committed to complying with all applicable laws while remaining transparent with our residents and businesses, spokesperson Gerald H. Walker said via email. Our priority is sharing accurate information, dispelling misinformation, and reducing fear within our community.

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Motley Broom and other College Park officials didnt immediately respond Wednesday morning to requests for comment from Capital B Atlanta. The mayor told Fox 5 Atlanta on Tuesday that shes not getting much direction from the federal government about whats going on with ICE in College Park.

I would welcome communication with ICE at this point because we are hearing rumors, but we dont have anything actually confirmed, Motley Broom told the news station. From our perspective, for the safety of our community, we would want to know if [ICE is] here definitively.  They have not contacted us.

College Park City Council member Jamelle E. McKenzie said Sunday on Instagram that the city hasnt received reports of ICE targeting or harassing residents, but she advised her constituents to carry ID in case theyre stopped by ICE agents.

Make sure that you have something that shows that youre a U.S. citizen when you are going out, McKenzie said. This is a sound practice for travel, employment and any type of interactions with law enforcement. If you are approached by an ICE officer, please cooperate with that agency.

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Michelle S., an elementary school parent who has lived in the area for over 5 years and who declined to give her full name, said shed like to see the city hold an informational meeting to explain to residents how the city will and wont be supporting ICEs work.

She said she is also concerned with the possibility of ICE expanding operations to her sons school, which she said is majority Black but has a decent-sized Hispanic population.

[The school] said their policy was they would not let [ICE] in, but its just like, what if they get in under subterfuge? What are they going to do? What could happen? she said.

The new concerns over ICE activities in College Park emerged less than five days after federal agents fatally shot Pretti in Minneapolis and three weeks after ICE officers shot and killed Renee Good in the same city.

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Both incidents sparked national uproar and protests across the country, including in metro Atlanta, as many Americans pushed back against an apparent ramp up of ICE raids and arrests in support of President Donald Trumps anti-illegal immigration policies.

In November, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Georgia, who is running for the U.S. Senate, asked the federal government to increase ICEs presence in Atlanta to address the citys criminal illegal immigration problem following the Clayton County arrest of accused murderer and undocumented Mexican migrant Salvador Rodriguez-Mendoza.

The lawmaker doubled down on his position over the weekend in a statement to WSAV following recent ICE protests in Savannah.

ICE has every right to defend itself, Carter told the news station. If ICE wasnt in Minneapolis, the 12,000 criminals that theyve removed would still roam free, leading to much more violence than what we are seeing on the streets today.

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There have been multiple reports around the country of masked ICE officials targeting U.S. citizens in their raids, stops, and arrests, in addition to protestors being harmed and killed during encounters with the agencys officers.

Ossoff and U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock are two of the Democrats whove vowed not to support a budget bill that includes funding for ICE in response to the shooting deaths of Pretti and Good.

ICE critics in Decatur voiced support on Tuesday for a DeKalb County Board of Commissioners resolution calling for an end to the agencys alleged militarized operations in the region. Commissioners delayed their vote on that resolution Tuesday night, according to Decaturish.

Orazo Abrams is a veteran and former federal worker who has been in College Park for about 18 months. He said hes not concerned about ICE agents who follow the law, but is worried about agents who go too far.

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I am opposed to any interrogation or detainment of citizens, Abrams told Capital B Atlanta on Wednesday. We have prided ourselves as a region to be inclusive, so I stand with the region in resisting any lawlessness.

Staff writer Madeline Thigpen contributed to this report.

Read More:

The post College Park Leaders Seek Answers as ICE Activity Raises Community Fears appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday extended an olive branch to his US-backed Ecuadoran counterpart Daniel Noboa in a bid to end a week-old trade war over cross-border drug trafficking.

Noboa fired the first shot in the hostilities last week by slapping 30 percent tariffs on imports from Colombia over Petro's alleged failure to help him fight cartels that ship Colombian cocaine through Ecuadoran ports.

Noboa's move echoed US President Donald Trump's tariff hikes on Canada and China -- and threatened increases on Mexico -- which Trump partly attributed to concerns over fentanyl trafficking into the United States.

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Colombia responded with tit-for-tat tariffs and a suspension of electricity sales to Ecuador, which in turn hiked charges on Colombian oil travelling through an Ecuadoran pipeline by 900 percent.

At a meeting of regional leaders in Panama City on Wednesday, the left-wing Petro suggested de-escalation.

"I offer you the possibility of talks," he told the right-wing Noboa, a staunch Trump ally, in a speech at a forum hosted by the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Noboa, who spoke later, did not publicly respond to Petro's offer, but sounded a defiant note.

"We must fight to prevent our nations from being seized by drug trafficking," he emphasized. "We must fight to be truly free, and that can only be achieved through willpower."

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The Colombian government had already proposed a bilateral meeting to ease the tensions, but the two countries had yet to decide on a date.

Ecuador has gone from being one of South America's safest countries to its deadliest in the space of a few years.

It closed 2025 with a rate of 52 homicides per 100,000 residents -- the highest in Latin America, equivalent to a murder an hour, according to the Geneva-based Organized Crime Observatory.

Ports in Ecuador, which is wedged between Colombia and Peru, South America's two largest producers of cocaine, serve as major gateways to US and European markets.

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Noboa has accused Colombia of failing to help secure the two countries' porous 600-kilometer (370-mile) border, which is riddled with illegal crossings used to smuggle contraband.

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Colorado's Democrats in Congress during a virtual press call Tuesday called for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and for reforms to federal immigration enforcement after Border Patrol agents killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. (Screenshot from Zoom)

Every Democratic member of Congress from Colorado called for U.S. Secretary of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem to resign after Border Patrol agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The legislators say U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is a lawless, rogue agency terrorizing Americans.

In a press call U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Lakewood hosted Tuesday, Democrats from Colorado said the Trump administration has lied repeatedly about what happened to Pretti on Saturday and called for mass reforms of immigration enforcement in the U.S.

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What is happening is not what we were sold by (President) Donald Trump about deporting the most dangerous people, Pettersen said.

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Prettis death came just two weeks after ICE agents in Minneapolis shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three. The killings have sparked nationwide outrage, while Trumps top advisers rushed to spread false information about Pretti and Good, both of whom the administration smeared as domestic terrorists hours after they were killed.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent was involved in a shooting near the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona Tuesday. An off-duty ICE agent shot and killed Keith Porter on New Years Eve in Los Angeles. More than 50 people have died while in ICE or CBP custody under Noem, according to Democrats on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee. The immigration enforcement operations are part of Trumps mass deportation efforts.

Loss of public trust

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver said Noem was never qualified to lead Homeland Security, and her performance is worse than DeGette expected when she was selected and confirmed.

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Shes cruel and shes lawless. She refused a court order. She violated public trust. She has no regard for human life or dignity, DeGette said.

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Others on the call included U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse of Lafayette and U.S. Rep. Jason Crow of Aurora.

If Noem does not resign, Democratic leaders in the House have indicated they will move forward with articles of impeachment against her.

Pettersen said ICE in its current form has completely lost the public trust. If reforms are not made to hold ICE to strict standards, the agency must be dismantled, DeGette said.

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There are some enforcement mechanisms that an agency can and should provide at the border, but ICE has gone far, far beyond that, as were seeing in Minneapolis and many other U.S. cities, DeGette said.

Crow said 2025 was the most lethal year to be in ICE custody in decades, and recent actions from the agency are a feature, not a bug of what the Trump administration envisioned for immigration enforcement. The administration built ICE into a rogue agency to terrorize communities and abuse Americans for the purpose of suppressing dissent and asserting control and power over communities that they perceive as unfriendly.

Sickening lies

Pettersen said the recent deaths and the Trump administrations immediate defense of those killings are shocking. She said Pretti, who was a nurse at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, was murdered by our own government and the administration is spreading horrific lies about who he was and what happened.

Prettis parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, live in Pettersens district, which covers an area west and southwest of metro Denver. They released a statement calling their son a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends.

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The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting, their statement said. Alex (was) clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trumps murdering and cowardly ICE thugs.

DHS is operating lawlessly with no accountability, Bennet said. ICE agents should be prohibited from wearing masks and detaining children, and warrants must be required, he added.

No person in America should have to wonder whether masked men in unmarked cars carrying guns might snatch them from the street, detain their children or kill them on the side of the road, Bennet said.

The U.S. Senate this week must vote on a government funding package to avoid a partial government shutdown, but Democrats in the chamber have said they will not support more funding for Homeland Security without additional constraints on federal immigration enforcement.

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If there is a shutdown, its going to be because President Trump is so far outside the mainstream of conventional American approaches to the Constitution and law enforcement that hes unwilling to allow those rules to apply to ICE, and I think that would be a huge mistake on his part, Bennet said.

Hickenlooper and Bennet said they will not support the legislation in its current form. Bennet called the measure a blank check to Noem without sufficient guardrails, transparency or oversight. While Hickenlooper said he sees some Republican senators siding with Democrats to reform ICE operations, Bennet said he is far less optimistic and does not see Republicans being willing to stand up to Trump.

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Colorados population surpassed 6 million in the first half of 2025, according to new estimates released on Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau, even as overall growth slowed amid declining migration.

The Census Bureaus vintage 2025 estimates show Colorados population reached 6,012,561 as of July 1, 2025  a milestone driven largely by an increase in births rather than people moving to the state.

Colorados population grew 0.4% over the previous year, slightly below the national growth rate of 0.5%, according to the data. The estimates are considered the official population counts for years between decennial censuses.

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This is a notable moment for the state, the Colorado State Demography Office said in a summary of the data. However, the pace and drivers of growth are shifting.

Migration slowed significantly. For the first time since 2004, Colorado saw negative net domestic migration, with 12,100 more people leaving the state than arriving. Net international migration remained positive, with 15,356 more international migrants arriving than leaving, resulting in a total net migration gain of 3,256 people.

County population estimates are expected in March, with municipal data set for release in May 2026. The Colorado State Demography Office will publish updated population estimates in October 2026.

The slowdown reflects a broader national trend. According to the census bureau, every state except Montana and West Virginia saw population growth slow or population decline accelerate.

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Demographers point to a historic drop in international migration across the U.S. as a key factor.

The Colorado State Demography Office also noted that some domestic out-migration in Colorado may include recently arrived international migrants who initially came to the state, often for humanitarian reasons, but later moved elsewhere in the country. Once an international migrant relocates within the U.S., that move is counted as domestic migration.
Barra said Canadas China deal, announced earlier this month, is counter to building a strong North American industrial base and to protecting jobs and national security on the continent.

Still, Barra insists that the move is shortsighted and could lead to much bigger threats to established players. Here's an exclusive from the Wall Street Journal :

The deal will reduce the effective tariff rate of the imported vehicles from a prohibitive 100% down to a much more palatable 6.1%. This might seem like a tidal wave on the U.S. auto industry's imports to Canada, but in reality, it represents just 3% of Canada's total annual vehicle sales.

Canada's recent deal to let in an allotment of up to 49,000 Chinese-built EVs each year is, according to General Motors Chief Executive Mary Barra, a risk to North American auto manufacturing.

Welcome back to Critical Materials , your daily roundup for all things electric and tech in the automotive space. Also on deck: AI data centers are expected to fuel the next chip shortage and BYD plans to sell even more cars outside of China. Let's jump in.

The latest one to do so is General Motors CEO Mary Barra , whose own companylike the rest of the American auto industryrelies heavily on Canada's intertwined manufacturing sector. She joins U.S. lawmakers in warning that Canada's move could be detrimental in the long run.

In case you didn't hear the news, America's neighbor to the north has greenlit the import of thousands of Chinese-made electric vehicles without the 100% tariffs that have limited their growth in that country over the past few years. And while Canadian consumers may be amped about cheaper EVs, auto industry officials are sounding the alarm.

Story Continues

While Barra didn't say this out loud, it's clear that the value proposition represented by Chinese automakers is a big part of these warnings from across the industry.

Carney's pricing goals squarely target the affordable end of the market, which American automakers aren't exactly dominating today. But at least one critic hit back at Barra from Automotive News Canada, saying this is at least a partially self-inflicted wound because GM has been winding down so many investments in the Canadian auto sector as of late:

Its not lost on meor likely the thousands of GM Canada employeesthat she made the comments three months after GM killed the BrightDrop EV commercial van line, which led to the idling of the GM CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ont. And the comments came just three days before the automaker ends the midnight shift at its Oshawa Assembly Plant.

Meanwhile, Canada will also work to ensure that these vehicles meet the country's safety standards, which are aligned with U.S. safety standards. This means that in many cases, cars sold in Canada could easily cross into the U.S.especially when they're also selling like crazy in Mexico. One way or another, it feels like the dominoes are starting to fall here.

50%: EVs Are Getting More Expensive To Build. Blame AI Data Centers

Tesla Optimus

Just when you thought that the COVID-era chip shortage was a thing of the past, the auto industry has a new enemy: giant, humming AI data centers.

Now, as much as cars are becoming more like computers on wheels, Silicon Valley doesn't care about your new crossover or even software-defined vehicles. They want the memory chips that help to power the electronics inside these new tech-heavy cars. With the AI boom, tech giants want as much as they can grab (even if they aren't going to use it)and they're willing to pay a lot more than car companies for it.

S&P Global explains it in a report:

The chip shortage resurfaced in late 2025, this time centered on dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) memory chips, as soaring AI data center demand outstripped supply.

Car companies aren't even using the most cutting-edge memory, either. Cars generally rely on older, slower memory technology, however. That means the manufacturing capacity of even the largest chip companies is becoming overwhelmed to meet the demand of AI customers with virtually unlimited funds seeking more advanced hardware.

Analysts believe that this could begin to affect vehicle output by the second quarter of 2026. That doesn't mean that car production will come to a grinding halt. But if you look back to the last big semiconductor crunch, it could spell another major shortage on all automotive fronts.

75%: BYD Plans A Huge Uptick In Foreign Sales This Year

BYD Mexico

Chinese auto giant BYD has been doing numbers lately. In China, the brand has been well-received, though an industry-wide slump (which is the result of addressing a much larger problem) means an expected dip at home.

To make up for that slump, BYD says that it expects to expand its sales outside of China by nearly 25% this year. And that all starts with Europe. The South China Morning Post tells all:

The Shenzhen-based company, the worlds largest builder of pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, expected to sell 1.3 million cars this year outside mainland China, up 24.3 per cent from 2025, said Li Yunfei, general manager of branding and public relations, in a media briefing on Saturday.

Believe it or not, this is actually a reduction of what BYD had originally planned.

According to Bloomberg data, Citigroup previously said that BYD told investors that it planned to sell between 1.5 and 1.6 million units outside of China back in November. It's not clear what caused BYD to revise that number, especially as news that Canada will be opening its doors to Chinese-built cars.

So now BYD has its sights set on doubling its dealer network in Europe. The writing on the walls doesn't look great for legacy automakers, even if some aren't as worried as others.

100%: Would You Buy A Cheap Chinese EV?

Xiaomi SU7 (2026)

Chinese EVs are both good and cheap. It's the reason that many legacy Western automakers have had to sell their experience rather than the latest tech. So now that America is being squeezed on virtually all sides by Chinese car companies, the very real "existential threat," as Ford's CEO calls it.

Are you ready? More importantly, are you willing to buy one?




A Columbia County man serving a life sentence for a 2022 murder has lost his appeal before the Georgia Supreme Court.

Anthony Alexander Burns, now 45, was convicted of felony murder in February 2024 in the beating and strangling death of 61-year-old Howard Winning.

Prosecutors described Winning as a Good Samaritan who opened his home to the homeless Burns, but was killed in a dispute over a cigar.

Testifying against his lawyer's advice, Burns claimed he was coerced into fighting and slaying Winning by two of Winning's relatives.

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A jury found Burns guilty of two counts of felony murder, defining separate aggravated assaults of beating and strangulation. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on a count of malice murder.

In his appeal, Burns said "evidence presented at trial was constitutionally insufficient," rendering the prosecutors' case "wholly circumstantial."

In its ruling issued Jan. 21, the Georgia Supreme Court's majority opinion concluded that the grounds of Burns' appeal were without merit and failed to meet the burden of proof under the case law cited in his appeal.

The case is S25A1487, Burns v. the State.

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This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.

Found guilty: Evans man sentenced to life in prison for roommate's murder

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: High court upholds murder conviction in 2022 Columbia County slaying
We have to be clear about what we are witnessing from Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota.

As a combat soldier, I recognize a mission when I see one  not because its announced, but because its being carried out. In the span of weeks, ICE and Border Patrol operations in Minneapolis have resulted in the deaths of two Minnesotans. In over a year of combat in Iraq, my battalion of 500 soldiers did not kill a single person.

Also Read: My Husband's Medical Team Was Failing Him. Then A Stranger Stepped In And Said 6 Words That Saved His Life.

That difference matters.

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My unit spent 397 days on the battlefield. We were shot at. We feared for our lives. Snipers fired from crowds. Improvised explosive devices lined the roads we were ordered to clear. And still, we did not return fire unless strict conditions were met: The shooter had to be clearly identified, civilians could not be in the line of fire, and lethal force had to be the last resort.

Why? Because that was not our mission.

Our mission was to build bases, secure supply routes, and protect civilian life. We were governed by Rules of Engagement, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the War Crimes Act. Violations were not brushed aside. Soldiers are criminally accountable when we break the law. That accountability is what separates professional soldiers from mercenaries.

Also Read: Ive Been A Professor For Decades  But The 4 Most Important Lessons About Life Came From My Dog

This isnt just my experience. Its the standard.

This story is part of HuffPosts commitment to fearlessly covering the Trump administration. You can support our work and protect the free press by contributing to our newsroom.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara stated publicly that, in 2025, the Minneapolis Police Department recovered roughly 900 guns from the street and arrested hundreds of violent offenders  and did not kill a single person.

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Let that sit with you.

Life: We Asked Former Military What They Think Of What ICE Is Doing

If the Minneapolis Police Department didnt kill anyone in a year of active policing, and my combat unit didnt kill anyone in over a year of war, Minnesotans  and all Americans  are right to ask why ICE and the Border Patrol have killed two people in my state in two weeks.

The answer is uncomfortable but unavoidable. Either this is their mission  or they are operating outside accountability.

Minnesota is demanding a full legal investigation into the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, including allegations that lifesaving medical care was delayed or denied. Refusing transparency or investigation is not partisan disagreement. It is a constitutional failure.

The author in Nasiriyah, Iraq, in 2003. "I was deployed with the Army's 724 Engineer Battalion in the preemptive strike/invasion of the Iraq war," she writes. Courtesy of Diana Oestreich

Like this article? Keep independent journalism alive. Support HuffPost.

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When armed agents operate beyond the reach of law, they are no longer public servants. They are something else entirely.

Mercenaries are defined not only by who pays them but by what restrains them. Mercenaries answer to orders, not to law, ethics or public accountability. That is precisely why soldiers and law enforcement officers hold codes of conduct so fiercely. Without those codes, uniforms become disguises instead of safeguards.

Also Read: I Pursued Motherhood Despite Past Psychosis -- Then This Happened

As a veteran, I refuse to accept mercenary behavior hiding behind federal badges on Minnesota soil. This is my home. Minnesota stands for liberty, justice and due process  not secrecy, immunity or violence without consequence.

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Staff changes are not legal accountability. Silence is not justice. Justice delayed is justice denied.

Minnesotans are demanding a full, independent investigation under state law into the agents involved in these deaths. No one  federal or otherwise  is above the law of this land.

If ICE and the Border Patrol cannot operate within the Constitution, with restraint, transparency and accountability, then they are not fit to carry out their mission in Minnesota  or anywhere else.

Also Read: I Cut Off Contact With My Mother. The Estrangement Transformed My Own Parenting.

Because when force is untethered from law, our freedom is already in danger.

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Diana Oestreich is a combat veteran, founder of The Waging Peace Project, and author of Waging Peace: One Soldiers Story of Putting Love First. As an author, activist and soldier-turned-peacemaker, shes a nationally recognized speaker at the intersection of justice, nonviolence, faith and how everyday peacemakers are challenging and changing our world.

Do you have a compelling personal story youd like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what were looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@huffpost.com.

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Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unidentified substance by a man with a syringe on Tuesday as she gave her first in-person town hall of the year in Minneapolis, during which she called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished for good and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, Kristi Noem, to resign.

Omar had only been speaking for a few minutes when a man in the audience got up and began to shout while spraying her with the liquid. People at the meeting said the liquid had an acidic smell.

Omar walked toward the man after the alleged assault, but he was then swiftly tackled to the ground by a security guard. People inside the north Minneapolis community center gasped as the scene unfolded.

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Some, such as the Minneapolis council member LaTrisha Vetaw, pleaded with Omar to end the town hall early to get examined, due to concerns for her safety because of the unidentified liquid. Omar refused to stop. Ten minutes, I beg you  please dont let them have the show, she told the security team.

After the alleged attacker was subdued, there was applause from the room as he was escorted out. Here is the reality that people like this ugly man dont understand, is that we are Minnesota strong, the congresswoman said.

I learned at a young age that you dont give in to threats.

The man was then arrested and booked into Hennepin county jail for third-degree assault, and forensics were called to the scene, a Minneapolis police spokesperson, Trevor Folke, said. Jail records identified the man as Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55.

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According to court records reviewed by the Guardian, Kazmierczak has multiple prior traffic convictions spanning decades, including two convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2009 and 2010. Records also show he has been married and divorced twice and has two children.

Related: An unhealthy and creepy obsession: Ilhan Omar on Trumps attacks

A review of his apparent online activity by CNN found that he frequently shared political content on social media. The outlet noted that he posted a political cartoon criticizing Omars stance on security spending during the 2021 calls to defund the police. More recently, after the killing of far-right commentator Charlie Kirk, Kazmierczak appeared to change his profile picture to an image of Donald Trump speaking at a Turning Point USA event. He later replaced it with a photo of Kirks widow, Erika Kirk, alongside Trump, according to CNN.

As she left the town hall on Tuesday, Omar told reporters: Ive survived war. And Im definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think they can throw at me, because Im built that way.

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She later posted on social media that she was OK, adding: I dont let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me.

Omar is among a wave of Democratic politicians to react with outrage and horror to Saturdays shooting of 37-year-old VA nurse Alex Pretti, the second fatal shooting of a US citizen by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

The fatal shootings have resulted in calls from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers for Noem to resign.

The Minneapolis mayor, Jacob Frey, condemned Tuesdays attack on Omar as unacceptable, writing on social media: We can disagree without putting people at risk.

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Jasmine Crockett, the Democratic representative from Texas, said in a post that she was disgusted and outraged, writing: Lets be clear: nonstop hate and dangerous rhetoric from [Donald] Trump and his allies has fueled this type of violence. The Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace said she was deeply disturbed by the news. Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric  and I do  no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are, she wrote in a post on X, alongside a video of the attack.

Omar has long been a political target of the US president, who in recent months has renewed his xenophobic attacks, calling in a post on his Truth Social network for her to be sent back to Somalia. She arrived in the US as a refugee aged 12 and became a citizen more than 25 years ago.

Last month, Omar told the Guardian that during the four years of Joe Bidens presidency she received almost no death threats. Now they are back up, and so there is a clear correlation between [Trumps] presidency and the political violence that we see and the political danger that a lot of members of Congress and electeds feel across the country, she said.

The US Capitol police (USCP) said the alleged assault on Omar was an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice in a statement. We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.

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Later on Tuesday, Trump said in a phone interview with ABC News that he had not seen video of the attack on Omar, but still baselessly blamed the attack on her.

I think shes a fraud. I really dont think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her, Trump said.

Of potentially watching footage of the attack, Trump emphasized: I havent seen it. No, no. I hope I dont have to bother.

According to the latest data, the USCP investigated 14,938 incidents concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed at members of Congress, their families and their staff in 2025  the third year in a row that this number has continued to climb.
The attack occurred shortly after Omar began speaking. Witnesses said a man in the audience stood, shouted, and sprayed her with a liquid that had an acidic smell.

US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was sprayed with an unidentified liquid by a man carrying a syringe during a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday. Omar had called for the abolition of ICE and the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during the event.

The attack occurred shortly after Omar began speaking. Witnesses said a man in the audience stood, shouted, and sprayed her with a liquid that had an acidic smell. Omar approached the man, who was then tackled to the ground by a security guard.

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Minneapolis Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw urged Omar to pause the town hall, but she continued, telling security, Ten minutes, I beg you  please dont let them have the show.

The audience applauded after the suspect was restrained and escorted out. Omar told reporters she was unharmed and later posted on X/Twitter, I dont let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me.

The suspect was identified as 55-year-old Anthony James Kazmierczak. He was arrested and booked into Hennepin County Jail on third-degree assault charges. Minneapolis police said forensics were called to the scene, and the investigation is ongoing.

The attack was condemned by city and national leaders. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described it as unacceptable, writing, We can disagree without putting people at risk.

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Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett said the incident was disgusting and outraged, while Republican Representative Nancy Mace said no elected official should face physical attacks.

Omar says death threats have increased

Omar, who immigrated to the US from Somalia at age 12 and became a citizen over 25 years ago, told The Guardian last month that death threats have increased since US President Donald Trump returned to office after remaining low during the Biden administration.

The US Capitol Police said the assault was an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice and is coordinating with federal authorities to ensure the suspect faces serious charges.

In 2025, the USCP investigated 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed at members of Congress, their families, and staff, marking a third consecutive year of increases.
A convicted sex offender accused of trying to restart an illegal massage business in Gwinnett County is back behind bars, with prosecutors warning a judge he remains a danger to the community.

He was trying to find a loophole to touch people, a prosecutor said during a preliminary hearing last Wednesday.

Prosecutors say Tarek Mentouri, 37, moved to Gwinnett County after serving prison time in Tennessee for groping clients during massage sessions.

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They argue his latest arrest shows a pattern of behavior that never stopped.

He is an inherent risk to society, a prosecutor told the court.

Court records show Mentouri pleaded guilty in 2022 to sexual battery against three women during massages in Tennessee.

At the time, authorities say 19 women had come forward with accusations.

TRENDING STORIES:

After his release last summer, investigators say Mentouri relocated to Gwinnett County and began advertising illegal massage services without a license online using fake names.

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Gwinnett County Sheriffs Office investigators say those ads led to an undercover operation.

Deputy Ariel Stewart testified that her team set up a sting that ended with Mentouris arrest on Jan. 7.

Mr. Mentouri removed his shoes and his shirt and then began manipulating the skin of my undercover investigator, at which point we issued the takedown, Stewart told the court.

Neighbors and his landlord had raised concerns even before the arrest.

His landlord, Rosie Marchal, said Mentouri was bringing people into his room at unusual hours.

I told him to stop, Marchal said in a previous interview. I dont want people coming in and out on my property.

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Despite objections from prosecutors, a judge last week granted Mentouri a $20,000 bond.

On Tuesday, investigators added five prostitution-related charges, alleging Mentouri offered sex acts as part of his illegal massage business.

He was never able to post bond before the new charges were added, and he remains in jail, now needing to post nearly $38,000 to be released.

The teen is accused of setting the street on fire.

We have to divert our resources to focus on this when we could easily be using that to go after gangs, guns, and drugs, Maldonado said.

Investigators arrested and charged Johnson with damage to property in the 2nd degree and conspiracy to commit a felony.

We checked court records, but there wasnt an attorney listed for him. We also tried to reach out to him, but we havent been able to speak with him.
A 23-year-old Clinton County man has been identified as the hunter who died from an apparent drowning after falling through the ice on a pond near New Baden on Monday, the St. Clair County coroner said Tuesday night.

Luke R. Kitterman, of the 100 block of South Mill Street in New Memphis, which is south of New Baden, was pronounced dead at the pond on Tuesday afternoon, according to Coroner Calvin Dye Sr.

Kitterman fell through the ice while waterfowl hunting with about five others on Monday afternoon, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

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Crews searched for him until late Monday night and resumed the search Tuesday morning as multiple agencies responded to the scene.

The pond is southwest of New Baden near Interstate 64 in St. Clair County. It is located off Renth Road near the intersection with Clinton County Line Road.

First responders suspended their search Monday night due to frigid conditions, the New Baden Fire Department said in a news release.

Illinois Conservation Police officers were called to St. Clair County to investigate the apparent drowning of a 23-year-old waterfowl hunter who broke through the ice on a lake near New Baden and did not resurface, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said in a statement Tuesday.

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The hunter was attempting to rescue a dog when he fell through the ice, according to St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons. The dog survived the incident. New Baden firefighters received a call for help about 3:15 p.m. Monday regarding a man who had fallen through the ice on a pond and immediately requested assistance from the Swansea Fire Department dive team.

More than a dozen other agencies also responded to assist in the search.
Rhode Island should open a medical school at the University of Rhode Island to create a permanent pipeline of much-needed primary care doctors for the state, recommended a special legislative commission in its final report Tuesday, Jan. 27.

The report, the final produced by the commission since it was established in August 2024, calls for an initial investment of $20 million, plus $150 million raised from private donors to start the medical school. Additionally, it would require annual commitments from the state of $22.5 million starting in 2029, when the first class of medical students is projected to enroll.

A state medical school would provide transformative long-term benefits for the states healthcare system, economy, and communities. Most critically, it would strengthen the pipeline of primary care physicians at a time when the state faces a growing shortage and an aging workforce, the report says.

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It also warns: Without action, on the other hand, Rhode Island risks falling further behind in physician supply workforce retention, and healthcare access, especially in primary care and underserved areas.

Rhode Island has a shortage of primary care doctors. The state is poised to have a deficit of nearly 100 primary care providers  who could care for 180,000 patients, or close to 18% of the states population  by 2030, according to the report. Nearly a third of physicians are already over the age of 60 and nearing retirement.

Currently, aspiring doctors have no public education option for medical training in Rhode Island. Brown Universitys Warren Alpert School of Medicine, which has an acceptance rate of less than 3% and costs over $71,000 a year in tuition fees, is the only medical school in the state.

The state also has a poor retention rate among the doctors it trains in primary care. In the academic year 2022-2023, only 15 out of 106 graduates of primary care residency programs in Rhode Island planned to remain in the state, according to the report.

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Rhode Island is one of the last states without a public medical school option. This impedes Rhode Island students access to medical school, and ultimately it is detrimental to Rhode Islanders access to care, particularly primary care, said Sen. Pamela J. Lauria, co-chairwoman of the commission. As one of the leading public universities in New England, URI is well-positioned to take this on, and establishing a medical school there will provide transformative benefits to primary care, health care as a whole, and our states economy.

While the commission recommended establishing a medical school at URI to bolster Rhode Islands primary care workforce, it also emphasized the need for broader reforms to address the states health care challenges.

The commission also recommended establishing a primary care commission that focuses on improving pay for primary care, reducing administrative burdens and lowering uninsured rates in the state, as well as expanding the states loan repayment program for health care professionals, including requiring a five-year commitment to practice in the state from recipients of the program.

Creating a medical school would bring returns to Rhode Island, the commission argued. The school will be financially stable by its third year of operating and would create surpluses of $16 million annually by 2037, according to a feasibility study by Tripp Umbach, a consulting firm.

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The study also concluded the school would generate $196 million annually in economic activity, support over 1,300 jobs and contribute $4.5 million in state and local taxes.

Some health care leaders, however, expressed reservations over the creation of the medical school. Edward McGookin, chief of primary care for Brown University Health, argued the states clinical training infrastructure may have limited capacity for additional medical trainees. He recommended investing instead in primary care and expanding graduate medical education opportunities and workforce development in community health centers.

Accreditation for the medical school would start in 2026, followed by the hiring of key staff and the building of academic infrastructure. It would enroll its first class of 50 students in the fall of 2029, with plans to scale up to 100 students per class.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Legislative commission endorses creation of RI medical school at URI
The Trump administration and the Republican Party are currently scrambling to deal with the fallout after the unjustifiable killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino have been sidelined after spending the weekend lying about Pretti and blaming him for his own death. The border czar Tom Homan, who was under investigation for public corruption before returning to office, will now oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota. Republicans in Congress are fretting about the public backlash.

Whether there will be any actual policy changes remains to be seen, and certainly no one is holding their breath for an apology  to Prettis family, to Renee Goods family or to anyone else. But even if Trump were to pull ICE entirely out of Minneapolis tomorrow, long-lasting damage has been done, particularly to the U.S. criminal justice system.

The U.S. Attorneys Office in Minnesota appears to be deteriorating, and more resignations from career prosecutors may be on the horizon. Justice Department and FBI leaders in Washington have undermined their public credibility yet again in defense of the White Houses political priorities. Meanwhile, the federal deployment of ICE agents has created a major rupture between state and federal law enforcement officials in Minnesota, who once prided themselves on their cooperative working relationship with one another. The whole episode risks further destabilizing federal-state law enforcement relations throughout the country, ultimately making Americans everywhere less safe.

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Already, the U.S. Attorneys Office in Minnesota has been seriously hobbled, but the full extent of the problems have only been partially visible to the public.

The office is supposed to have 50 criminal prosecutors on staff, but at the moment, there are only about 17 prosecutors left, according to David Lillehaug, who served as the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota during the Clinton administration and remains familiar with dynamics inside the office he once led. (A DOJ spokesperson declined to comment on personnel.)

Lillehaug, who later served as a judge on the Minnesota Supreme Court, was recently enlisted by the states bar association to brief roughly 150 lawyers on the legal response to the federal deployment and to moderate a brainstorming session on potential legal claims or defenses against the federal governments overreach.

Basically, what has been happening in slow motion with the Justice Department over a year  an unprecedented number of resignations and firings  hit the U.S. Attorneys Office within a matter of days, Lillehaug told me.

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At least nine prosecutors have recently left the office, including some of the crown jewels of the force, he said. Some of the line prosecutors still there are now thinking about leaving in the wake of Prettis killing, but they are worried about things getting even worse in their absence. (A DOJ spokesperson again declined to comment on personnel.)

The Justice Department has quietly tried to paper over these problems. Lillehaug told me that senior officials from the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of Michigan have been brought in to effectively run the Minnesota office and that JAG lawyers who typically work in the military have been added to fill the gap, but this is not a long-term solution. A DOJ official said that the attorneys from the Eastern District of Michigan are assisting the U.S. Attorneys Office in Minnesota and argued that this was a common occurrence when an office has an influx of cases or when specialized experience is needed. A person familiar with the situation added that JAGs are coming in to assist with charges against people assaulting, resisting or impeding federal officers.

The administrations immigration enforcement push has also pulled prosecutors off critical investigations and cases. What is happening in that office  [what] is happening all around the country  is that AUSAs who were in white-collar or doing narcotics or firearms are being transferred to immigration enforcement, Lillehaug said. (A DOJ official said that federal prosecutors are capable of prioritizing multiple needs in order to keep people in their districts safe.)

The Justice Department is also antagonizing federal judges in the district  the judges that prosecutors have to appear before every day in order to do their jobs, and whose assessment of the DOJs credibility can make or break their prosecutions.

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Patrick Schiltz, the chief U.S. District Court judge in Minnesota, already had to publicly dispute the Justice Departments characterization of a highly unusual effort to charge protesters after a magistrate judge declined to sign off on an arrest warrant. On Tuesday, Schiltz ordered Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE, to appear in his courtroom Friday after finding that the agency had defied dozens of court orders in recent weeks. The courts patience is at an end, Schiltz wrote. Within hours, ICE reportedly released the detainee at issue in the case.

Meanwhile, DOJ and FBI leaders have only made things worse with their own public remarks in recent weeks.

In the wake of Goods death, several prosecutors in the U.S. Attorneys Office resigned after the department decided to investigate Goods widow instead of the federal officer who actually shot and killed her. Instead of adjusting course or tamping things down, Attorney General Pam Bondi went on a tirade on Fox News, claiming that the prosecutors had quit because they refused to defend federal law enforcement and announcing that she had summarily fired them instead of allowing them to take the remaining annual leave that they had accrued while working for the government.

More recently, in addition to opening a criminal investigation into elected Democrats in Minnesota, Bondi sent a letter to Gov. Tim Walz outlining a series of demands on local leaders that include giving the Trump administration access to the states voter rolls. The missive read more like a shakedown than an effort to ease the crisis.

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For his part, FBI Director Kash Patel claimed in an interview that it was illegal for Pretti to bring a firearm to a public protest, but under Minnesota law, that is false. It sounded like another effort to blame Pretti for being needlessly killed by federal agents, but on top of that, the administration and its Republican allies are supposed to be staunch supporters of the First and Second amendments. The effort to demonize Pretti for lawfully carrying a firearm has not sit well with gun rights activists.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has taken the lead in public remarks for the Justice Department in the wake of Prettis killing, but he has not done any better than Bondi or Patel.

In multiple interviews in recent days, Blanche has also tried to blame state and local leaders for Prettis death, which, besides being unseemly and illogical  the number of federal agents in the state vastly outnumbers local law enforcement  prompted forceful pushback on the facts from Walz in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal.

Blanches fumbling is not surprising if you have been following his public appearances in recent months. Last fall, Blanche called a federal judge disgusting after she blocked the Trump administrations effort to summarily deport hundreds of children to Guatemala. Blanche indignantly claimed that the administration was simply trying to reunite the children with family members, but that claim turned out to be so false that the Justice Department later had to abandon it.

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Despite the early hopes of some old colleagues, Blanche is at this point publicly indistinguishable from Bondi herself.

There is a conspicuous and troubling vacuum of accountability as well. After the Good shooting, officials in the White House and Justice Department refused to admit error and missed an important opportunity to deter additional killings, intentional or otherwise, by federal immigration officials. Many people pointed out  correctly  that this decision would have the effect of encouraging more reckless behavior by federal law enforcement, and Pretti is now dead.

Given the way that the Trump administration has conducted itself, there is no good reason to believe that there will be a credible federal criminal investigation into the conduct of the officers who killed Good or Pretti, much less a federal prosecution. State prosecutors can do their best, but with the federal government working at apparent cross purposes to prevent them from investigating the officers, the hurdles will be considerable. They include legal complications like Supremacy Clause immunity, which makes it difficult (though not impossible) for state governments to prosecute federal officials, as well as political complications, like the possibility that the Trump administration will abuse its authority to disburse federal funds to punish the state if it pursues serious charges.



Other effects  less tangible, but still significant  are likely to persist well beyond the current moment.

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Lillehaug told me that he was shocked and dismayed by what has already transpired in the state, and that he is concerned that it will permanently damage what had been a very cooperative relationship between federal, state and local governments and law enforcement.

Law enforcement in Minnesota is highly collaborative  more so than most states, having something to do, Im sure, with the states culture, he added. Senior FBI leaders in the state will go to the retirement party of the Ramsey County Sheriff. The U.S. attorney will convene a group of heads of [state] agencies for coffee.

It is not unheard of for federal agents to address issues in Minnesota, Lillehaug said. A DEA task force might come through to tackle open air drug markets, or an ATF temporary assignment might deal with gun tracing, but that would be no more than a dozen agents, not the 3,000 agents from mostly out of town on the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The prognosis is not good. Its going to be harder for federal and state law enforcement efforts to be cooperative, Lillehaug told me. There will be a great deal of suspicion, especially with those who have not separated themselves from DHS and the U.S. Attorneys Office.

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The friction could extend well beyond Minnesota, particularly in the jurisdictions run by Democratic leaders that have been the favored target of the Trump administrations most aggressive law enforcement efforts. Trust and respect are vital to these federal-state relationships, but the Trump administration has generally chosen antagonism and public disdain whenever things do not go their way.

Cooperation between federal and local law enforcement is an essential component of public safety throughout the country. The two groups often complement one anothers efforts  with federal prosecutors picking up more complex and resource-intensive cases while local prosecutors handle the much larger volume of crimes, including violent crimes and property crimes like robbery and burglary, that generally do not require the federal governments attention or limited resources. Senior leaders are often in regular contact with one another, comparing priorities and dividing work.

As a result, a serious breakdown in the collaboration between federal and local law enforcement in any jurisdiction is a breakdown in law enforcement more generally. Whether the Trump administration understands this is unclear, but it is one of the key lessons of the tragedies and the ongoing chaos in Minnesota.

You can add it to the list of major political aberrations and ironies in the second Trump administration. With Trump at the helm, the Republican Party  once the nominal party of law and order, limited government and states rights  is running roughshod over the states, creating chaos in the streets and making the country less safe in the process.
Bryan Kohbergers repeated complaints behind bars may soon land him in another prison, according to a new report.

The former criminology grad student  who is serving four consecutive life sentences without parole for the 2022 murders of University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20  has left Idaho officials scrambling to find another facility willing to take him, according to the Daily Mail.

Chris McDonough, described by the outlet as a retired homicide detective with inside information about Kohberger, said Idaho officials are so fed up with [Kohberger] so theyre trying to move him out of Idaho by making an agreement with another state.

Theyre trying to make it happen. So it wouldnt be surprising if within 30 days Kohberger has been transferred elsewhere or a decision has been reached whether or not to get him out of there, McDonough added.

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McDonough, who now works for the Cold Case Foundation, said Idaho officials are working aggressively to begin the transfer process to another state. So theyre figuring out, what are we going to do with this guy? he said.

According to McDonough, Kohberger, 31, has developed a reputation as a prisoner who frequently complains about his living conditions. He has even been particular about the food served in prison, down to the type of bananas hes being served.

The Moscow, Idaho murders occurred on November 13, 2022. Kohberger changed his plea to guilty last July as part of a deal with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty.

Read More From National Enquirer

This story Department of Corrections Aggressively Trying to Transfer Bryan Kohberger to Another Prison first appeared on National Enquirer. Add National Enquirer as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
By Sakshi Dayal

DELHI, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The deputy chief minister of India's wealthiest state of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, died on Wednesday, along with four other people on board, when his charter aircraft went down in flames, the aviation regulator said.

Pawar, who hailed from a top political family, was en route to his home region to canvass in local body elections, media said.

Two of his staff and two crew were also aboard the VSR Ventures-operated Learjet 45 aircraft, the directorate general of civil aviation said.

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"No person on board has survived," it added in an initial statement.

VK Singh, the director of VSR Ventures, told broadcaster India Today that the plane crashed during its approach to the city of Baramati, but the cause was not clear.

"The aircraft is 100% safe," he said. "The crew was fairly experienced."

Video images showed smoke billowing from some of the burning wreckage of the plane, scattered across an open field.

"At first it was on fire, after that there were four or five more explosions," an unidentified witness told the ANI news agency, after seeing the plane crash and explode. But the flames were too fierce to pull anyone out, he added.

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Pawar backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party in the state government, leading a faction that split in 2023 from the opposition Nationalist Congress Party.

In a post on X, Modi said Pawar's death was "shocking and saddening".

Media said Pawar's aircraft, travelling from the financial capital of Mumbai, tried to make an emergency landing in the family stronghold of Baramati, 250 km (155 miles) away, where he was set to canvass in the elections.

Reuters holds a minority stake in ANI.

(Reporting by Sakshi Dayal; Additional reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar and Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Thomas Derpinghaus)
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Gold has crossed a threshold few expected this quickly. Spot prices surged past $5,100 an ounce in late January, extending a rally that has accelerated over the past year as geopolitical risk, fiscal strain, and currency credibility concerns collide.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs now see gold reaching $5,400 by the end of 2026, while Union Bancaire Privee projects prices near $5,200 by year-end.

This is a spike driven by central banks, not retail investors. According to the World Gold Council, central bank gold purchases are now averaging roughly 60 tons per month, more than triple the pre-2022 pace.

Gold has overtaken the euro as the second-largest reserve asset globally, trailing only the U.S. dollar.

The shift reflects a deeper change in how institutions are thinking about reserves. As geopolitical tensions rise and economic sanctions increasingly target financial assets, gold's defining feature has reasserted itself.

It is not anyone's liability, it carries no counterparty risk, and it cannot be frozen by a foreign government.

That dynamic has pushed countries from China to Poland to Hungary to repatriate gold reserves and increase allocations. The Bank of England still houses hundreds of thousands of bars for foreign governments, but the trend is clear. More gold is moving home, and more is being bought outright.

Private investors are watching the same signals. Western gold ETFs have added about 500 tons since the start of 2025, according to Goldman. High-net-worth families and long-term allocators are increasingly using physical gold as a hedge against macro policy risk rather than as a short-term trade.

The appeal is insulation as gold's role has always been defensive. What has changed is the scale and urgency of demand.

That helps explain why interest in physical gold and gold-backed retirement accounts has accelerated alongside prices.

Where Preserve Gold fits into this shift

Preserve Gold is a U.S.-based precious metals firm that focuses on helping investors acquire physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium for retirement accounts or direct ownership.

Founded in 2022, the company specializes in IRA rollovers from 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and traditional IRAs, as well as insured home delivery for clients who prefer direct possession. Its offerings include IRS-approved coins and bars designed for long-term holding rather than short-term trading.

The firm positions itself around transparency and structure, an important distinction in an industry that has drawn scrutiny for opaque pricing and aggressive sales tactics.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)  Two former detainees at an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades known as Alligator Alcatraz testified Wednesday that they were punished for seeking legal advice and had to use soap to write down attorneys' phone numbers because they didn't have access to pen and paper.

The two men, who were deported to Colombia and Haiti, testified via video in a federal court in Fort Myers, Florida, that their monitored calls to people outside the detention center would be dropped whenever they talked about trying to get an attorney.

During a two-day hearing that started Wednesday, civil rights attorneys representing the former detainees sought a temporary injunction from U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell that would ensure that detainees at the state-run Everglades facility get the same access to their attorneys as they do at federally run detention centers. The Everglades facility was built last summer at a remote airstrip by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis administration.

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The former detainees lawsuit claims that their First Amendment rights were violated. They say their attorneys have to make an appointment to visit three days in advance, unlike at other immigration detention facilities where lawyers can just show up during visiting hours; that detainees often are transferred to other facilities before their attorneys' appointments to see them; and that scheduling delays have been so lengthy that detainees were unable to meet with attorneys before key deadlines.

The former detainees testified remotely from their home countries using translators and only their initials to protect their identities. While at the facility, the former detainee from Haiti said he was asked to sign documents he didn't understand, which ended up being papers to self-deport to Haiti, where he feared returning. He had asked for asylum in the United States.

He then was presented with a second set of papers which a person in the detention center explained to him would get him self-deported to Mexico, which he signed because of his fear of returning to Haiti. In the end, he was sent back to Haiti, he said.

I had to sign the documents, he said. I wasn't able to speak first with attorneys... they forced me to do it.

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State officials who are defendants in the lawsuit denied restricting the detainees' access to their attorneys and cited security and staffing reasons for any challenges. Federal officials who also are defendants denied that their First Amendment rights were violated.

Mark Saunders, an official with a private contractor overseeing operations dealing with attorney communications at the Everglades facility, testified that detainees have been meeting with their lawyers. He said that for at least the past six weeks the detention center has mandated that no attorney would be turned away.

Any written requests by attorneys to meet with detainees are answered within 24 hours and cellphones are available for confidential calls, Saunders said.

When the former detainee from Colombia asked to speak to an attorney, he said: One officer told us that we did not have to fight our cases because they were already lost. He said each time he asked his relatives on a call to help him to connect with a lawyer, the call immediately dropped.

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He also said when he arrived at the detention center, they took away his medication, making it very difficult for his health.

Neither the attorneys from Florida nor federal attorneys said how many people are detained at the facility.

Juan Lopez Vega, deputy field office director of ICE's enforcement and removal operations in Miami, unsuccessfully tried to quash a subpoena to appear in court. Even though his job included oversight of the state-run facility, he testified Wednesday that he had only visited the center once, when it was inaugurated in the summer of 2025.

The case over access to legal counsel was one of three federal lawsuits challenging practices at the immigration detention center. Another lawsuit brought by detainees in federal court in Fort Myers argued that immigration was a federal issue, and Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state had no authority to operate the facility under federal law. That lawsuit ended earlier this month after the immigrant detainee who filed the case agreed to be deported from the United States.

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In the third lawsuit, a federal judge in Miami last summer ordered the facility to temporarily pause operations because officials had failed to do a review of the detention centers environmental impact. But an appellate court panel put that decision on hold for the time being, allowing the facility to stay open.

In addition to the Everglades facility, other detention centers under scrutiny include ICE facilities at the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, Texas; one in Miami; and others in California City and Adelanto, both in California.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social.
Council Member At-Large Mary Waters wants to stop law enforcement officers from wearing masks in Detroit, referring to federal immigration agents conducting raids in Minneapolis as a "masked mob" in a Wednesday, Jan. 28, news release.

Waters named the proposal she submitted to council the "Alex Pretti Detroit No Masks" in honor of Pretti, 37, who was an intensive care nurse for veterans before he was shot and killed on Jan. 24 by masked federal agents amid a government crackdown on immigration that spurred widespread protests. Pretti's killing came shortly after federal immigration agents in Minneapolis shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother.

"We will not have a Detroit where a masked mob are afforded the opportunity to enforce the law with impunity. We want to see the faces of law enforcement in Detroit," Waters said in the news release.

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"The least we can do is honor the memory of an American Hero, Alex Pretti, murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota by a masked mob. That masked mob travesty will not be tolerated in Detroit."

An initial federal government review of Pretti's killing made no mention of him brandishing a firearm, despite initial statements by high-ranking officials mentioning the weapon, Reuters reported.

More: Anti-Trump protests have been massive. Does it matter?

More: Anti-Trump protests in metro Detroit were very White in 2025. Why?

The proposed ordinance would prohibit law enforcement on the local, state and federal level from wearing masks or any other facial coverings that would conceal their identity while on the job in Detroit. The penalties for violating the ordinance would be determined by the city's law department, the news release says.

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Council is expected to refer Waters' proposal to committee in the coming weeks to set a public hearing to allow for questions and discussions before council takes it up for an official vote.

Officials with the Detroit Police Department didn't immediately respond for comment. An official with the Detroit Police Officers Association said they hadn't heard of the proposal and needed time to respond.

Recently, in between Good's death and Pretti's in Minneapolis, dozens of activists poured into Detroit City Council on Jan. 13 urging the city to keep U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents out of the city, to prevent any cooperation between the federal agency and the Detroit Police Department and to make Detroit a sanctuary city.

Staff writer Dana Afana contributed to this report.

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Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at asahouri@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit councilmember wants ban on masked police after Pretti shooting
The presidents social media addiction may have just cost him another court case.

In a post on Truth Social Wednesday morning, Donald Trump openly attempted to sway Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey into fulfilling his immigration agenda, a blatant violation of the Tenth Amendment.

Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws, Trump wrote. This is after having had a very good conversation with him. Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!

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The problem for Trumps bloviating is twofold. Not only is Minnesotaor any state, for that matternot required to enforce federal law under the anti-commandeering doctrine of the Tenth Amendment, but his insistence that the North Star State do so effectively spells out that hes attempting to strong-arm Minnesota into changing its local policies.

Legal reporters noted that detail alone could prove disastrous for Trumps side in Minnesotas federal lawsuit, which requests a temporary restraining order to end Operation Metro Surge. Officials have described ICEs presence as an unprecedented surge of DHS agents into the state.

Trump could not have designed a better statement to convince Judge Menendez that Operation Metro Surge is meant to coerce policy changes, posted Politicos Kyle Cheney. And the menacing playing with fire is exactly the kind of statement (retribution is coming) that worked against the administration in court earlier this week.

The Supreme Court has ruled several times that states cannot be forced to enact federal policy and that the federal government cannot sway state policy, setting national precedent in rulings such as Printz v. United States (1997) and New York v. United States (1992).

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In just a few short weeks, Operation Metro Surge has conducted militarized raids across Minnesota, terrorizing residents while carrying out what state officials have described as dangerous, illegal, and unconstitutional stops and arrests, all under the guise of lawful immigration enforcement.

The federal presence has also claimed the lives of two U.S. citizens. In the last month, agents with ICE and Customs and Border Protection shot and killed two U.S. citizens: Veterans Affairs ICU nurse Alex Pretti and award-winning poet Renee Nicole Good.

In 2025, the agency killed 32 peopleits deadliest year in more than two decades.
Inside Veterans of the Vietnam War Post 52 on Tuesday morning stood boxes upon empty boxes of empty boxes, creating pillar-like columns looming over the actual pillars of Post 52: Phil and Laurie Davis. With them? U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly.

The Posts longest serving members who were instrumental in getting its charter were recognized as Community Champions by the U.S. House of Representatives. During his visit, Kelly, whose 16th District includes Crawford County, presented the duo with a flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol in their honor as well as a certificate that was read into the Congressional Record.

He said that Phil and Laurie, both individually and as a team, have created a support network that countless veterans rely on. Together, your compassion, generosity and your determination have had a profound and lasting impact on veterans and families across our region. Your work embodies the very spirit of community leadership and continues to inspire all who have the privilege of knowing you.

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The Community Champion recognition is for people in the community who not only recognizes the needs of neighbors but actively works to meet and serve them.

Phil, the commander of Post 52, and Laurie, the treasurer, actually met when they began their work 38 years ago, and 30 years ago, they got married. Phil became commander in 1996 when he was considered a national member at-large, belonging to the national Veterans of Vietnam War organization rather than the local division. But when Post 52 was in threat of going out of business, Phil stepped in to revitalize it.

This place doesnt work without them, said Tony Digiacomo, director of Crawford County Veteran Services. Ive done stuff with veterans, and theres very few organizations that I can count on to take care of veterans, and this is one.

On Tuesday night, the Davises were expecting people to fill the room and its empty postal boxes with the goods laid out across tables  peanut butter, candy, trail mix, hand warmers, Girl Scout cookies, canned peaches, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc.

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This is the 25th year that theyve been doing Project Support Our Troops. The packages that night will cost $20 in postage each and will be shipped around the globe to servicemembers. Laurie said the ongoingness of the project can be exhausting and even inconvenient to her schedule at times, but the gratitude from soldiers makes it all worth it. Thats why shes thankful that Kelly is recognizing the work the Posts volunteers do.

Its always heartwarming to be appreciated, she told The Meadville Tribune. What really gets us on fire are the letters from the soldiers that express that it mattered to them, and its nice for the volunteers that could come today to see (the Community Champion award) because it keeps them energized and going.

The Post first began sending packages in 2000 when a members son was a Marine and they compiled a list of six servicemembers to send a small gift to  a six-piece box of Russell Stover chocolates.

Thats all we could afford, Laurie said. Those were five bucks apiece and then the postage.

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The letters they received from those soldiers touched their hearts, though, and they began sending 20 to 30 each year. By the time 9/11 came around, they ramped up even more, asking the public for names, addresses and donations.

Now, they send up to 1,400 packages for Christmas alone.

We have fantastic community support, Laurie said. Everything we do is fundraising and we are a 100 percent volunteer organization. No one gets paid for anything  100 percent of our proceeds go out to veterans and families and for our soldiers. Thats what weve been doing all these years and we will continue for as long as we need.

Kelly asked where their revenue comes from to keep the lights on at the Post to which Phil and Laurie explained the weekly Saturday dinners where they churn out about 100 meals within three hours.

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Impressed, Kelly said that hes proud of the work that benefits older Pennsylvanians in the area and thanked the Davises for creating a place where people young and old could gather in support of the troops.

If it wasnt for you having dinner on Saturday night, who would they be having interaction with, who would they be sitting down and eating dinner with? Kelly said of older residents. As important as the food is, you see the others getting together and people feeling theyre part of the family.

Phil and Laurie said they certainly see the Post as a family and welcome anyone to join their mission.

When asked about what this recognition means to them, Phil told the Tribune, Its great. I mean its unexpected, but just to know people notice is a good thing, and weve been doing good things for a very long time.
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A cartoon from 1905. | Credit: Getty

What is the Monroe Doctrine?

Its a foreign policy vision that was first articulated by President James Monroe in 1823. Monroe declared that the Western Hemisphere was off-limits to European colonization, and that political meddling in the Americas by Old World powers would be considered a threat to U.S. peace and safety. This policywhich in the 1850s became known as the Monroe Doctrinelanded after a decade-long stretch in which Venezuela, Mexico, Guatemala, and a dozen other former Spanish colonies in the Americas had won independence and opened their once-closed ports to American and British trade. With rumors circulating that Spain might try to reconquer its New World possessions, and with Russia claiming control of the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Oregon, both Washington and London were keen to protect their hemispheric interests. The two powers discussed a joint declaration opposing further European intervention in the Americas, but Secretary of State John Quincy Adams objected, saying the U.S. should act unilaterally rather than come in as a cockboat in the wake of the British man-of-war. And so, in December 1823, Monroe told Congress that the Americas are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.

Did other countries take that warning seriously?

Not initially. The young U.S. was not yet a major military power, making Monroes policy much more of an aspirational goal than a declaration of capacity, said Britta Crandall, a political scientist at Davidson College. It didnt stop the French and British navies from blockading Argentinas La Plata River from 1838 to 1850, or the French from invading Mexico and installing a puppet monarch, the Austrian-born Maximilian I, while the U.S. was distracted by the American Civil War. It was only as the century came to an end that the U.S. started to meaningfully enforce the doctrine. It was invoked in the 1898 Spanish-American War, when the U.S. helped liberate Cuba from Spanish ruleand secured control of Madrids former possessions of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Emboldened by that victory, President Theodore Roosevelt would radically expand the doctrine after taking office in 1901.

How did he change it?

When British, German, and Italian gunboats blockaded Venezuelan ports in 1902 to collect debts, Roosevelt told the Europeans to quickly strike a deal with the dictatorship in Caracas or else see an American fleet dispatched against their ships. The Europeans heeded the warning. But Roosevelt didnt want the U.S. to become a shield for the regions corrupt rulers, who, he said, deserved a spank. So in 1904, he laid out what became known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. The U.S., he said, must act as an international police power to keep Americas backyard stable, orderly, and prosperous. It was the start of a

new era of American interventionism.

What happened?

From 1903 to 1934, the U.S. Marines were deployed to a half-dozen countries in the hemisphere. They included Honduras, where American troops were sent seven times to quell revolutions; Nicaragua, which was occupied nearly continuously from 1912 to 1933; and the Dominican Republic, where Marines installed a pro-American president in 1916 and occupied the country for the next eight years. A primary goal was to protect the interests of U.S. companies such as United Fruit, which controlled the trade in bananas, sugarcane, and other goods. A powerhouse in Washington, the company backed coups against elected governments and the installation of accommodating puppet governments, or banana republics. These occupations became military quagmires, in which hundreds of U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of civilians were killed. These are the Forever Wars of their era, said historian Jay Sexton. They begin to become very, very unpopular in the U.S. In 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt put an end to the Banana Wars era with his Good Neighbor Policy, which stressed regional cooperation over military force.

Did that policy last?

For a while. But the Monroe Doctrine was resurrected with the start of the Cold War, and invoked to combat the spread of Soviet-style communism across Latin America. In 1954, shortly after CIA-backed insurgents toppled Guatemalas leftist government, Secretary of State John F. Dulles said the intrusion of Soviet despotism into the country was a direct challenge to our Monroe Doctrine, the first and most fundamental of our foreign policies. Over the following decades, the U.S. would covertly support the overthrow of leftist governments in Bolivia, Cuba, Chile, and Nicaragua. Such meddling fell out of favor with the collapse of the Soviet Union, and in 2013, thenSecretary of State John Kerry won applause when he told an audience of Latin American officials, The era of the Monroe Doctrine is over. But President Trump, who keeps a portrait of Monroe near his Oval Office desk, has brought it back to life, calling his approach to foreign policy the Donroe Doctrine.

What does Trumps doctrine involve?

In its recent National Security Strategy document, his administration laid out a Trump Corollary, declaring its intent to combat mass migration, drug trafficking, and hostile foreign incursion or ownership of key assets in the hemisphere. The administration soon followed through with the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Madurowhom it accused of shipping drugs to the U.S. and hosting foreign adversaries

and Trumps subsequent assertion that the U.S. would run Venezuela. Trump is now threatening to use military force in Mexico and Colombia, to take back control of the U.S.-built Panama Canal, and to buy or forcibly annex Greenland. The Monroe Doctrine was very important, but we forgot about it, Trump said this month. We dont forget about it anymore.
A 30-year-old pregnant woman has died after being found with apparent-sharp force trauma in an apartment fire in the west suburbs on Monday night, Downers Grove police said.

According to police, Eliza Morales resisted the suspect at her doorstep in the 2300-block of Ogden Avenue as he attempted to get inside, upset over some sort of argument.

Nedas Revuckas, a 19-year-old Westmont man, faces first-degree murder, robbery, arson, and aggravated cruelty to animal charges in connection with the incident.

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Police said Revuckas tried to rob the young mother, who was set to have a girl in March.

"Eliza was six months pregnant, visibly pregnant. Whoever did this knew she was pregnant and didn't care," a relative said.

Downers Grove police and fire crews responded to the fire just before 6:10 p.m. Monday.

Morales was taken out of the building and pronounced dead on the scene. A second person was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for smoke inhalation.

"She was just a loving person, kind person. She would take her shirt off her back for anyone," said Angelica Silva, the victim's mother-in-law. "We're in shock. We can't believe that type of evil exists like that."

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SEE ALSO: 4-year-old boy, his mother shot to death at Joliet home; person of interest in custody: police

Silva, speaking with ABC7 over the phone on Tuesday night, said she was taking care of Morales' 1-year-old daughter in her apartment in a neighboring building when the attack was caught on camera.

"I can't imagine, type of monster bandit, what he was thinking. She was over five months pregnant, and you do this to a pregnant woman?" said the victim's niece, Diana Varela.

Family members say they believe Morales was home alone and cooking dinner when her attacker knocked on the door. She worked in the payroll department of a children's hospital.

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"She was just very sweet, a very kind person," one relative said.

The victim's husband, Gabriel Morales, was at work when he got the call that his wife and unborn baby were gone.

"I'm going to spend the rest of my life missing her. I can get every second back with her, and just continue try to live through her for my daughter. And continue to be strong for my family," he said.

Morales' cause of death will be determined by the DuPage County Coroner's Office.

Some other residents have been displaced by the fire, and the incident has left the neighborhood in shock.

"It's been a lot uproar, and people are take it out, as you can see. The building is boarded up pretty good," Deb Culbertson said.

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Police are treating the incident as a homicide investigation. The DuPage County Arson Task Force and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal are also involved in the investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Downers Grove Police Department at 630-434-5600.

Revuckas will be transported to DuPage County Jail and is due in court on Wednesday. Prosecutors are expected to reveal more details about what happened.
When specialized Haitian police units and a drone task force broke through barricades and entered the home of one of Haitis most notorious gang warlords earlier this month, their mission was simple, but highly symbolic.

They would occupy the house for several hours  then destroy it.

The target was a residence linked to gang leader and spokesman of the powerful Viv Ansanm gang coalition, Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier, in the Delmas 6 neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.

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The two hours security forces spent inside his house and an adjoining property before blowing them up came to underscore a shift now quietly being acknowledged even by Haitis deeply divided political class: despite ongoing political turmoil and the absence of any major gang leader being killed or captured, security forces, using drones, are beginning to make tangible gains against the armed groups that dominate much of the capital.

It was definitely done as a sign to the rest of the gangs that the task force can go where it wants, when it wants, a source close to the operation told the Miami Herald.

After months of struggling to establish itself in gang-controlled Port-au-Prince, the specialized drone task force supporting the Haiti National Police is changing the battlefield.

Operation des forces de lordre a Bas-Delmas, fief du chef de gang Babekyou, avec utilisation de drones kamikazes. pic.twitter.com/1JvBrmbxQg  Infos Partage (@infospartagesos) January 14, 2026

Earlier this month, one of Haitis most well-known thoroughfares, Rue Jean-Jacques Dessalines, briefly became something almost unrecognizable in recent years: a functioning road through the capital.

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A video clip shared with the Miami Herald show an armored bulldozer pushing aside burned-out vehicles and debris that had long served as gang barricades, trapping residents inside downtown neighborhoods and keeping police out. Behind it, a line of 20 civilian cars waited patiently for the last obstacle to be cleared before driving through.

For more than a year, merchants and motorists had avoided the area amid gang gunfire and kidnappings. The return of traffic, even if not what it once was, was a small but a meaningful victory.

Were far from being done with this operation, said the task force operative who spoke to the Herald. But I would say were at least at the end of the beginning. And what weve seen of [the Haitian national police] is now the ability to go and clear these neighborhoods, overmatch the gangs that tend to not want to fight as much because the gangs lose those fights.

Hired by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime with the approval of Washington, the task force operates under the supervision of U.S.-based private security firm Vectus Global. The firm was founded by Erik Prince, the former CEO of private military contractor Blackwater whose entry into Haiti has met with mixed reactions.

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After an initial slow start with its explosive drone operations in March of last year, Vectus Global began stepping up, achieving success with a police raid to take back a key telecommunications tower in September from gangs in the hills above Port-au-Prince. But its missed drone strikes triggered anger in the population after several children were killed when a drone missed its intended target at a gang leaders birthday party, and weeks later when it barely missed individuals waiting at a bus stop in front of a hospital as it targeted a moving vehicle.

During the raid at Cheriziers home, none of his team came to fight that day, said the security operative. The panicked gang leader later took to social media to appeal to cops from a new hiding place.

With gang members now panicked and a stash of at least 100 retrieved weapons recovered by police, the source said task force believes the team is now showing great and measurable success in the model that we predicted would work.

Reporting is indicating probably half the gangs are just abandoning their positions completely, the source said, adding that the model will now be accelerated.

Drone task force security model

Haiti National Police Director Andre Jonas Vladimir Paraison said gang leaders are running and hiding while deploying their foot soldiers to the front lines. Ive yet to encounter a general on the battlefield, he told journalists last week as he held a two-hour press conference to discuss the recent successes and the challenges the Haiti National Police forces continue to face.

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Even without any top gang leaders in custody, the shift in security operations is fueling confidence and hope in Haiti, where the gang violence has shuttered schools and hospitals, forced more than 1.4 million people to flee their homes and placed much of the country at the mercy of armed groups.

Currently, there are 129 personnel deployed as part of the task forces one-year deal to tackle gang violence. Working alongside the Haiti National Police, the Armed Forces of Haiti and the Kenya-led international police mission  now operating as the newly authorized Gang Suppression Forc  they are relying on both weaponized and surveillance drones. The coordination is also being done with the help of .50-cal machine guns mounted on armored vehicles.

The tools and the tactics that have been gathered to this mission are working. [Gangs] really dont like to fight against drones. They dont like to fight against the .50-caliber on top of the vehicles, because the .50-caliber will eat through those buildings, the task force operative said of the higher caliber weapons Haiti has finally been authorized to use under U.S. arms rules.

In the months before the surge in operations, police lost 25 armored vehicles to ambushes involving barricades, trenches and Molotov cocktail attacks, authorities said. Since the new tactics were introduced, officials say police vehicle losses have dropped to zero.

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Still, the gains remain fragile.

We just need the Gang Suppression Force and other elements of the [Haitian National Police] to step up and to just occupy these newly cleared areas, the source said.

The Gang Suppression Force was conceived by the United States and authorized by the United Nations in late September. Its first troops arent expected to arrive before April. Leaning more towards military than policing, the new force is expected to be five times the size of the Kenya-led operation currently in Haiti, and more heavily armed.

Gang expansion continues

In a report to the Security Council this month, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged that the intensified anti-gang operations in Port-au-Prince and parts of the neighboring Artibonite region have resulted in the reopening of several key roads. But he also noted that gangs expansion beyond metropolitan Port-au-Prince continue to undermine government authority, disrupting humanitarian and commercial routes in the region.

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The U.N. also noted that the controversial drone strikes resulted in at least 973 people killed between March and December. This includes 934 alleged gang members and 39 residents, among them 16 children. Another 674 people were injured, including 41 residents and 18 children.

The civilian casualties have drawn sharp criticism from human-rights groups, which argue not enough care is being taken to prevent the deaths. The task force says warnings are issued ahead of strikes and extensive surveillance precedes operations.

They are extremely judicious, the source said. I would encourage civilians to not be in those prepared gang defensive positions if they dont want to get killed. Other than that, I think the collateral damage has been extremely, extremely minimal.

The operations, Paraison said, reflect coordinated efforts, and the task force is an extension of the current security framework.

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During the press conference, he acknowledged the heavy casualties on the side of gang members. But he also described the challenge of fighting armed men who are sometimes paid as little as $1.15 a day to carry out attacks.

If 20 die today, we know that 100 will be ready tomorrow, said Paraison, who previously oversaw the task force before he was tapped in August to head the national police. A lot of people are asking, where did they come from?

The Haiti National Police, he said, are determined to respond. We are not pretending we can do everything, Paraison added. But if we can limit it, we will limit it, what we can do we will do.

Expanding role of private security

The expanding role of private security firms in Haiti has fueled controversy, particularly after it was revealed last summer that in addition to the $50 million the government was paying for the drone operations, they were seeking private companies to collect taxes at the land border with the Dominican Republic.

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After months on hold, a 10-year deal was signed this month, according to the daily Le Nouvelliste. Under the deal, the companies Evergreen, Alex Stewart International, Ense Group and SecuriPort would help fortify land borders, seaports and airports in exchange for a share of the increased revenue from the improved security. Paraison did not address the contract, which is currently under review by Haitis Superior Court of Auditors.

Haiti National Police Director Andre Jonas Vladimir Paraison, right, greets the high command of the police on Friday, January 23, 2026 before welcoming 877 new graduates of the academy. The rookie cops are the first class in an accelerated, U.S.-supported training program aimed at adding 4,000 officers within 12 months to the beleaguered force trying to take on gangs. (Haiti National Police)

But he told reporters that control of the border is among the polices most pressing challenges. Haiti, he said, only controls four of its 110 border crossings along its 242-mile frontier with the Dominican Republic.

Everything else has been tried in Haiti: The all-government all-the-time approached has not worked, the source close to the task force said, pushing back against criticism the government is privatizing core state functions. Give the private sector a chance to show whats been done.

New Haiti police recruits

Haiti has fewer than one police officer per 1,000 residents, Paraison said, and the force face severe personnel shortage.

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Last week, 877 new recruits graduated from an accelerated, U.S.-supported program aimed at adding 4,000 officers within 12 months.

The Haitian National Police has been in combat mode, Paraison said at the ceremony. Battles have been fought in key strategic locations, particularly in the citys center and its surrounding areas. We are on all fronts simultaneously until the terrorist gangs have been neutralized and the well-being of our fellow citizens has been ensured.

Henry Wooster, the charge daffaires at the U.S. Embassy, said Haitis stability and security were top priorities for Washington and required monitoring and accountability.

Haitians have suffered enough from gang violence, he said during the police graduation ceremony. Wooster also used his time at the podium to address the countrys politicians and a looming political crisis in which a majority of the countrys Transitional Presidential Council members voted to oust the prime minister ahead of the end of its mandate on Feb. 7.

Maintaining Alix Didier Fils-Aime at the head of the Haitian government remains essential to advancing efforts to combat terrorist gangs and stabilize the country, Wooster said, before issuing a warning to political figures whom he accused of being corrupt and banking their political survival on the support of violent gangs.

The United States is watching closely. We will ensure that anyone who supports the terrorism responsible for the chaos in Haiti and the insecurity in the region faces severe consequences. The era of impunity is over, he said.

For now, success remains modest  and uncertain.

I think theres an initial glimpse of hope, said the task-force source. Its my goal that by late summer we can drive from Cap-Haitien unbothered by gangs, or from Port-au-Prince out to the DR border unbothered. Thats the measure of success for what the task force is doing: Can you move around the country without anybody robbing, raping or assaulting you?
Many members of Senate Foreign Affairs committee have wanted an opportunity to question the US Secretary of State on Venezuela for some time.

They have called for a hearing since well before the unprecedented US airstrikes on Caracas and the removal of Nicolas Maduro from power in the early hours of 3 January. Wednesday, their wish was fulfilled.

"Finally, a public hearing," said Tim Kaine of Viriginia, a Democrat, before launching into a recap of how the Trump Administration had reached this point on Venezuela, where Maduro is now in a US jail and the country is being led by Interim President Delcy Rodriguez.

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Kaine pointed out that the first US strike on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean took place on 2 September 2025  some five months ago  and lamented the fact that the discussions about the legality of those strikes had been classified and took place behind closed doors.

However, this hearing was primarily about the events of this year  when Delta Force troops forcibly removed Maduro from Venezuelan soil in his pyjamas to face drug trafficking charges in New York.

Secretary Rubio was careful to stress that the US was not at war with Venezuela, saying in his written opening statement for the hearing: "We did not occupy a country. There are no US troops on the ground."

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It was a key point for him to register in the face of arguments that the Trump administration has circumvented Congress, which under the US Constitution has the sole power to declare war, and ignored the 1973 War Powers Act.

Instead, Rubio, a former US Senator, repeatedly characterised the US military action in Caracas as a "law enforcement operation".

A "drug bust", retorted Senator Rand Paul, a Republican who has argued the justifications for military action were lacking. But as the Trump administration's critics questioned the logic, wisdom and the legal basis of its decisions on Venezuela, Rubio remained robustly on message.

He was, as expected, thoroughly unapologetic over the military action and removal of Maduro from power. Maduro was an indicted drug criminal, he said, and not the legitimate president of Venezuela.

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Furthermore, it was impossible to make a deal with the man as "he couldn't be trusted" having strung along negotiators and diplomats so often in the past, Rubio added.

"The glue that held the regime together was corruption and graft," Rubio said at one point. "His removal has created the conditions to begin to move away from that."

Rubio insisted the Trump administration's actions would eventually improve the situation in Venezuela  which he likened to a "critically ill patient"  and make the region safer and more prosperous.

The secretary also laid out the administration's plan for Washington to maintain full control over Venezuela's oil industry. The funds from sales of Venezuelan crude were being held, at least initially, in an offshore account in Qatar but would eventually be transferred to "a US Treasury blocked account in the United States".

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The Venezuelan government would have to request the use of those funds for a set of narrowly defined needs and Washington would decide on releasing them, he said.

The upshot, according to Rubio, would be Venezuelan oil profits being spent on US-made goods, from basic foodstuffs to chemicals for oil refineries, rather than in Russia or to service debt to China.

Analysts continue to wonder how government figures in Caracas, all of whom have made a career through vocal anti-Americanism, will receive such intervention in Venezuela's oil wealth

Rubio, however, refused to take the further use of military force in Venezuela off the table.

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"We don't want that and we hope we don't have to use it," he repeated.

But undoubtedly, the action against Maduro has served as a stark warning to others in Venezuela's government and armed forces that they could face a similar fate should they step out of line.

The ultimate goal of Washington's energy plan, said Rubio, was to eventually transfer the control of the oil-rich nation's natural resources back to Venezuela under a stable democratic government.

It was the roadmap to that destination which most concerned a number of Secretary Rubio's critics in the hearing room.

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Still, Rubio exuded confidence when talking about Latin America, one of his strongest area of expertise. Rubio chaired the committee he was facing for many years, and also led its subcommittee on the region.

"We are not even four weeks into this thing," he responded to a question about how success could be defined and measured.

Already things were moving in "the right direction", he insisted.

A hydrocarbons law passed under Maduro's political mentor, Hugo Chavez, had been redrafted to allow greater private investment from US energy companies and Rodriguez was proving to be a willing partner  so far.

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"Four, five or six months from now cannot look like now," he conceded but cited the examples of Spain and Paraguay's 20th Century transitions to democracy.

Rodriguez as the country's leader and an energy policy devised and executed by Washington were both immediate necessities, he argued, not long-term strategies.

Eyes across the region will have been fixed on Rubio's appearance on Capitol Hill -- particularly in Venezuela itself and its long-standing communist-run ally, Cuba.

One statement from Rubio, a Florida-born Cuban American with a deep enmity towards the Cuban Government, will have worried authorities in Havana above all. Rodriguez "has pledged to end Venezuela's oil lifeline to the Cuban regime", he said in his prepared remarks, and she is "well aware of the fate of Maduro; it is our belief that her own self-interest aligns with advancing our key objectives."

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The coming months will reveal whether that belief is well placed.

But either way, the US government's vision as set out by Rubio involves nothing less than transformative change in Venezuela  and, by extension, in Cuba.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  A court on Wednesday ordered the Dutch government to draw up a plan to protect residents on the tiny Caribbean island of Bonaire from the effects of climate change  a sweeping victory for the islanders.

The Hague District Court, in a stunning rebuke of Dutch authorities, also ruled that the government discriminated against the islands 20,000 inhabitants by not taking timely and appropriate measures to protect them from climate change before it's too late.

The island already suffers from flooding due to tropical storms and extreme rainfall, and according to several researchers, this will worsen in the coming years. Even conservative forecasts predict that parts of the island will be underwater by 2050, so in 25 years, Judge Jerzy Luiten told a packed courtroom.

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Binding targets

The court also ordered the Dutch government to set binding targets within 18 months, laid down in law, to cut greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Climate agreement. That pact, signed just over a decade ago, commits countries to keeping the rise in global temperatures by the year 2100 compared with preindustrial times well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and says they will endeavor to limit them even more, to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The case brought by eight Bonaire residents and backed by environmental group Greenpeace, sought to compel the government to better shield its citizens from the effects of increasing temperatures and rising sea levels and could set a precedent for similar legal challenges elsewhere.

Reaction to the ruling

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The judges heard us, said one of the residents, Jackie Bernabela.

We are no longer second-class citizens. Equality. I am very happy, she said in the courtroom as she wiped away tears.

The government can appeal the 90-page written decision. Sophie Hermans, minister for climate policy and green growth, said: Today, the court delivered a ruling of significance for the residents of Bonaire and the European Netherlands. She said she would study it with other government departments before responding.

Greenpeace campaigner Eefje de Kroon welcomed the ruling and said that the organization would carefully monitor how the government implements the court's orders. She called it an amazing victory not only for the people of Bonaire, but for all of us, because the Dutch government needs to do more to stop the climate crisis and actually protect people who are already experiencing the effects.

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Government efforts

The case was heard in The Hague because Bonaire, along with two other islands, St. Eustatius and Saba, became special Dutch municipalities in 2010. The islands 20,000 residents are Dutch citizens based on their colonial history.

Lawyers for the government argued that the Netherlands already is making strides to combat climate change, citing greenhouse gas reductions and mitigation efforts. Government lawyer Edward Brans said the issue should be handled by national administrations and not judges.

But the court ruled that government efforts weren't enough, saying a target to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels wasn't binding and didn't fully include emissions from air and sea transport. The court also said that the Netherlands was highly unlikely to meet its 2030 target.

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Political backdrop

The ruling came as weeks of talks to form a new Dutch government following a national election in late October look like producing a new minority coalition headed up by centrist D66 leader Rob Jetten.

He earned the nickname climate pusher when he was a minister responsible for shepherding through a raft of legislation intended to reduce the Netherlands' reliance on fossil fuels and significantly cut its carbon emissions.

Now, the new government that Jetten is expected to lead will have to tighten the measures in line with the court's ruling.

Groundbreaking decisions

It's not the first time that The Hague District Court has issued a groundbreaking climate ruling. The same court heard the first stage of the landmark Urgenda case more than a decade ago. That case wrapped up in 2019 when the Dutch Supreme Court ruled in favor of climate activists and ordered the government to cut greenhouse gas emissions, a legal battle that paved the way for similar challenges around the world.

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The Urgenda decision featured prominently in recent climate change decisions from the European Court of Human Rights and the United Nations highest court, the International Court of Justice. Both courts found that failing to combat climate change violated international law.

In the decade up to 2023, sea levels rose by a global average of around 4.3 centimeters (1.7 inches), with parts of the Pacific rising higher still. The world has also warmed 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 Fahrenheit) since preindustrial times because of the burning of fossil fuels.
This week's winter storm that covered streets in ice and a dusting of snow was enough to close schools for a couple days.

But what about Wednesday, Jan. 28, as temperatures remain frigid in East Tennessee?

Knoxville and East Tennessee high temperatures will only be on the cusp of freezing or below at least through Jan. 31, according to the National Weather Service. The highest temperature Knoxville will see all week is 35 degrees.

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KCS operates with safety at the top of mind, Superintendent Jon Rysewyk said, and if it's hazardous for some students then KCS isn't going to risk opening the schools.

East Tennessee school districts closed on Jan. 28

East Tennessee school districts with delayed start on Jan. 28

Any schools or districts we missed? Please let us know by emailing keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.

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Keenan Thomas is the higher education reporter for Knox News. Email: keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.

Support strong local journalism by subscribing to subscribe.knoxnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: East Tennessee school closures and delays for Wednesday, Jan. 28
Gold, silver, and pretty much all precious metals are exceeding expectations, melting faces. This week, gold printed fresh all-time highs, soaring to as high as $5,100. Meanwhile, silver broke $100, pushing to as high as $110.

During this time, however, Bitcoin USD price struggled for momentum. If anything, sellers had an upper hand, sliding to as low as $86,100 before recovering on Monday. Although the Bitcoin USD price is back in green, traders need to see more conviction. This leg up could be triggered by gold reclaiming $5,100, and the world flocking back to the yellow metal as they move away from fiat.

While hopium is high, and the trading community expects the digital gold to also lift some of the best meme coins to buy, fundamental analysts are watching how the network behaves as winter bites in the US.

DISCOVER: Best Meme Coin ICOs to Invest in 2026

Gold and Silver Are Parabolic: Will This Metal Inferno Continue?

How fast gold and silver perform in the coming weeks will largely depend on geopolitics. Greenland and the EU are at the center of it all, and as eye-watering number flows out of the precious metal trading pit, traders expect this uptick to lift other markets as well.

Gold has shattered the psychological $5,000 barrier, trading to as high as $5,100 after a brief flash crash yesterday that saw $1.7 trillion in value temporarily vanish before being instantly bought back. Silver is the undisputed king of the 12-month rally, up a staggering +260% to rest at $110. Meanwhile, Platinum has joined the fray, up +175% over the last year as investors flee a weakening USD and hedge against a possible government shutdown by the end of the month.

The driver of this rally is clear: A crisis of confidence. With US national debt soaring past $37T and trade tensions escalating over proposed Greenland tariffs, the market is choosing physical permanence offered by precious metals over digital volatility of paper currencies and stocks.

DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2026

Bitcoin USD Price At Cross Roads, Hash Rate Down 32%

Amid this, Bitcoin sits at a critical crossroads, grappling with a massive network power drawdown and a temporary decoupling from its digital gold narrative. Whats more worrying is that while gold and silver are ripping higher, the Bitcoin USD price is stuck in a narrow range. Critics argue that Bitcoin has failed as a debasement hedge, pointing to the -17% sell-off over the last year while gold rose by over +80%.

While this could be plausible, one analyst notes that data shows that Bitcoin is only second to silver in the debasement trade over the last five years. He also added that historical BTC-gold ratio data reveals that the digital gold is currently undervalued and could, in the next few weeks, reprice higher.
Jan. 28 (UPI) -- The Foreign Ministry of Ecuador has filed a protest with the U.S. Embassy in the South American country after a federal immigration agent tried to enter its consulate in Minneapolis.

Uncorroborated video of the incident shared online shows a consular employee confronting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents attempting to enter the facility.

The employee stands in the doorway and tells the ICE agent that he is not allowed to enter. The ICE agent is heard telling the employee to "relax" and threatens to "grab" the employee if the agent is touched.

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The employee repeatedly tells the ICE agent he is not allowed to enter the premises. The agent then leaves. The incident lasts less than a minute.

"Officials of the Consulate prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular premises, thereby ensuring the protection of Ecuadorians who were present at the consulate at the time, and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility," the Foreign Ministry of Ecuador said in a statement.

The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. CST Tuesday, the ministry said.

UPI has contacted ICE for comment.

Law enforcement of the host country is generally prohibited from entering diplomatic missions of foreign nations, including consulates, except with the consent of the head of the mission, Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 states.

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Minneapolis City Council Member Elliot Payne, of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said he spoke with Ambassador Helena Del Carmen Yanez Loza who explained they were filing the protest "so that they know that their community is safe coming here."

"It's really important that our Ecuadorian community knows that their consulate is a safe place to come and do the business that they need to do," Payne said in a video statement published on Instagram.

The council member added that community members in the area monitoring the situation have been "really helpful" to ensure people feel safe coming to the consulate, encouraging them to continue with their service.

"Stay out on these foot patrols. Stay out on Central Avenue. Stay safe. Stay vigilant," he said.

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Launched by the Trump administration in December, Operation Metro Surge has seen thousands of federal immigration officers deployed to Minneapolis with the mission to arrest and then deport undocumented migrants with criminal records.

Thousands of migrants have been arrested. Activists and civil and immigration rights advocates have accused federal agents of detaining U.S. citizens, racial profiling people and using excessive force as well as violating due process rights.

Residents have taken to the streets in protest against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and have been met with violence, resulting in the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by federal immigration officers in the city this month.
The government of Ecuador has condemned what it described as an attempt by a US federal immigration agent to enter the Ecuadorean consulate in Minneapolis.

The agent was prevented from gaining access by consular officials, who acted "to guarantee the protection of the Ecuadoreans who were inside the consulate at the time", a statement by Ecuador's foreign ministry said.

Ecuador, whose president is an ally of Trump, has filed an official complaint.

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The incident comes at a time of high tension in the US city, just days after intensive care nurse Alex Pretti was shot dead by border agents during protests against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.

Ecuador's foreign ministry said in a statement that an agent of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) had "tried to enter the premises of the consulate" at 11:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

Under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, consular premises are considered "inviolable".

According to the Convention, the authorities of the country where the consulate is located "shall not enter" the parts of the consulate used for work "except with the consent of the head of the consular post".

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Ecuador said that its officials had not consented to ICE entering the consulate.

While the Vienna Convention goes on to say that consent may be assumed in certain cases, they are limited to incidents where "prompt protective action" is required, such as in the case of a fire or some other disaster.

In a video shared by Ecuadorean media, which has not been independently verified by the BBC, a consular official can be seen rushing to the entrance door and telling an ICE agent "this is the consulate, you're not allowed in here".

The agent tells the official that "if you touch me, I will grab you".

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The consular official then states again that "you can not enter here, this is a consulate, this is a foreign government's office", before closing the door.

In its statement, Ecuador's foreign ministry said that it had "immediately" handed an official letter of protest to the US embassy in Quito.

The protest letter constitutes a rare note of discord between Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa and the Trump administration.

Just over two months ago, the presidents agreed to strengthen their countries' commercial and economic relationship and Noboa has in the past thanked Trump for designating two Ecuadorean criminal gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organisations.

ICE agents are among the 3,000 officers deployed to the region as part of a crackdown on immigrants [Photo by Jim Watson - Pool/Getty Images]

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The actions of immigration and border agents in Minneapolis - in particular the fatal shooting of Pretti on 24 January and that of Renee Good a few weeks earlier - have triggered protests in the city and beyond.

On Tuesday, President Trump said he would "de-escalate" immigration and border operations "a little bit" in Minnesota.

There are currently 3,000 immigration agents and officers in the region.

Securing the US's borders and implementing tougher enforcement of immigration rules has been one of Trump's top priorities.

According to a 20 January statement by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, her department removed "more than 675,000 illegal aliens" from the US since Trump was sworn in to a second term a year ago.
By Brad Brooks and Alexandra Valencia

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan 27 (Reuters) - A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent tried to get into Ecuador's consulate in Minneapolis on Tuesday but was prevented from entering the premises by consulate staffers, the country's Foreign Ministry said.

The attempted entry prompted the Foreign Ministry to send a "note of protest" to the U.S. Embassy in Quito, the Ecuadorean capital, demanding such incidents "not be repeated," the ministry said in a statement.

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The statement carried a headline referring to the incident as an "attempted incursion into the Ecuadorean Consulate in Minneapolis by ICE agents."

It said the consulate staff members' actions to prevent ICE entry ensured the protection of Ecuadorean nationals who were in the building at the time.

The incident occurred during a mass deportation operation being conducted by some 3,000 heavily armed agents of ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol deployed to Minnesota under orders of President Donald Trump several weeks ago.

Neither the State Department nor the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and the Border Patrol, immediately responded to requests from Reuters for comment.

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Ecuador's Foreign Ministry provided few other details. But eyewitnesses working in retail shops near the consulate said they saw immigration agents try to enter the building.

"I saw the officers going after two people in the street, and then those people went into the consulate and the officers tried to go in after them," said one woman, who asked not to be named, citing a fear of retribution by the federal government.

The agents "werent able to enter the consulate, from what I could see," she said.

Under an international treaty, a country's embassies, consular offices and other diplomatic compounds are regarded as sovereign territory of that nation, protected under diplomatic immunity from unauthorized entry by agents of other governments.

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Dubbed Operation Metro Surge, Trump's immigration enforcement drive in Minneapolis has led to fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens on the streets of Minnesota's most populous city, sparking weeks of protests there and across the country.

As political pressure for a de-escalation of tensions mounted, Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, met on Tuesday with the mayor of Minneapolis and the governor of Minnesota, seeking to defuse the crisis.

(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Minneapolis and Alexandra Valencia in Quito; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; editing by Michelle Nichols and Thomas Derpinghaus)
The Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer attempted to enter the South American nations consulate in Minneapolis.

The ministry wrote on the social platform X that the officer attempted to gain entry to the facility at roughly 11 a.m. CST. Consulate officials immediately prevented the officer from entering, thereby ensuring the protection of the Ecuadorians who were at the headquarters at that moment and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility.

The officials also noted the nations government presented a note of protest to the U.S. Embassy in Quito, Ecuador.

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The Hill has reached out to ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department for comment.

The incident comes amid the Trump administrations immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The administration surged ICE and Border Patrol personnel to the city earlier this month.

Local and state officials have pushed back against the crackdown in the wake of the fatal shootings of Renee Good by an ICE officer on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents Saturday. Both victims were 37-year-old U.S. citizens.

White House border czar Tom Homan, whom President Trump sent to Minneapolis on Monday to oversee the continued operation after U.S. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino departed the area, met with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) on Tuesday.

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Governor Walz met with Tom Homan this morning and reiterated Minnesotas priorities: impartial investigations into the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, a swift, significant reduction in the number of federal forces in Minnesota, and an end to the campaign of retribution against Minnesota, Walzs office said in a statement to NewsNation, The Hills partner outlet.

The Governor and Homan agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and will continue working toward those goals, which the President also agreed to yesterday, his office added. The Governor tasked the Minnesota Department of Public Safety as the primary liaison to Homan to ensure these goals are met.

Trump has largely defended his administrations moves in the North Star State, despite rising criticism of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the departments use of force in the state. Democrats have threatened to launch impeachment proceedings against Noem if she is not removed or agrees to resign.

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.
Just six months ago, most congressional Republicans kept their distance from Elon Musk after the tech moguls messy political breakup with President Donald Trump and his feverish attempt to kill their signature megabill.

Musk is persona non grata no longer, thanks to his mega checkbook and mega platform  both of which he is now using to influence the future of the GOP.

Republicans see his recent donation to a Kentucky Senate candidate as an encouraging sign that Musk will make good on his promises to back the GOP, and top House leaders are elated  especially those in charge of defending their razor-thin majority. Musk spent more than $260 million in the last election helping to elect Trump and Republicans.

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It's definitely a positive development for us, NRCC Chair Richard Hudson said in an interview.

He added, By the way, when they had their rift, I told you all this would happen.

That rift seemed unlikely to heal early on, with Musk accusing the president of covering up the Jeffrey Epstein files because Trump was named in the documents, then threatening to start his own political party.

But just six months later, Musk is back having dinners with Trump and attempting to steer GOP policy again  and he is making his presence felt in key offices on Capitol Hill.

Musk, who posted on New Years Day that America is toast if the radical left wins, did not respond to requests for comment.

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Recently he has used his 233-million-follower X account to push Senate Republicans to pass the SAVE Act  a bill meant to tighten election laws to prevent noncitizens from voting, in part by imposing new proof-of-citizenship requirements and restricting mail voting.

The campaign has driven a huge volume of calls to member offices, according to two aides granted anonymity to discuss internal matters, forcing Republican after Republican to publicly state their support for the legislation. It has no Democratic support and has not been called up for a vote because it cannot overcome the Senates 60-vote filibuster hurdle.

Two of the Senates most endangered Republican incumbents  Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Cornyn  have leaned into Musks push to hold a vote on the bill, often reposting his messages on their accounts. Cornyn also spoke privately with Thune about the bill last week.

When Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas announced on X Saturday he was reviewing the bill, Musk reposted the message with a pair of American flag emojis.

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Asked about the bill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in an interview Tuesday night that he was sure it would come up for a vote at some point but well have to figure out where we can get it done.

Weve got a lot of interest in it, and Im supportive of it, Thune said, noting he has co-sponsored the bill previously.

The public pressure campaign appears to have caught some Republicans by surprise given that theres been little internal rush to formally sign onto the bill since its currently not moving and cant pass the Senate.

Congressional Republicans, who have fresh memories of the trail of destruction he has often left on Capitol Hill, see Musks re-emergence as a mixed blessing. He blew up a carefully negotiated bipartisan government funding deal in December 2024 and almost sunk the GOP megabill in the final stages of passage over his personal objections to the cancellation of electric vehicle subsidies and other policies.

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Hes a big voice, said Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), a member of House GOP leadership, who recalled how Musk was really antagonistic about the huge Republican policy bill last year.

But, he added, I think if he's willing to be accurate, yeah, then I then totally want him on board.

Thats especially true when it comes to Musks money. Even amid his feuding with Trump, he cut $10 million worth of checks to the GOP super PACs charged with preserving the House and Senate majorities.

But with Musk dropping another $10 million into Kentucky Senate candidate Nate Morris campaign effort  and ending his dalliance with a third party  the expectation is that more checks will now be on the way.

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Hudson said he hasnt talked to Musk yet about any future financial commitments to helping House Republicans. But members are straining to get in his good graces as Republicans face huge midterm challenges without Trump on the ballot.

History is not on our side, Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) said, referring to the typical midterm losses suffered by the presidents party. We'll take any and all help possible to reverse that trend in history, because I think it's important for the Republican Party.

Whether they want Musk as a presence on the campaign trail is a more complicated question. His Department of Government Efficiency initiative is widely seen as a bust nearly a year later, and his post-2024 election efforts to vocally back conservatives  like a Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate  backfired at the ballot box.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a hard-liner who is running for governor of South Carolina, said Musk did an unbelievable job in identifying waste, fraud and abuse and would be welcome both on the campaign trail and in his potential administration as an efficiency consultant.

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But Republicans in swingier territory are cooler to the idea of a large Musk presence in their races this fall.

Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.), one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the House, said he was pleased to see Trump and Musk patch up their rift  that obviously we are better when we are united and as a team.

Asked if he wanted Musk to campaign in his district, Bresnahan was more equivocal.

Im not really sure  Im impartial, Bresnahan said. We look at whoever's going to be supportive of what we're trying to do for northeastern Pennsylvania, and if their mission aligns with our mission, then we're going to embrace it.
A newly leaked audio of Erika Kirk has raised eyebrows over her attitude regarding her husband, Charlie Kirk's, death.

In the recording, the mother of two can be heard discussing with her staff the success of a TPUSA event and the strong sales of associated merchandise. She then appeared to dismiss her husband's death during the discussion while emphasizing harmony between staff.

Erika Kirk also recently came under fire for including an alleged pedophile pastor in her ongoing Faith Tour.

Erika Kirk Was Seen Talking Cheerfully In The Audio Two Weeks After Her Husband's Death

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Criticism continues to follow Erika, and it has further intensified in the wake of leaked audio of her speaking to TPUSA team members two weeks after Charlie's death.

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The audio was released by right-wing influencer Candace Owens, who has previously promoted multiple conspiracy theories regarding Charlie's death.

In the recording, Erika can be heard "giggling" and cheerfully praising the team for pulling off "an event of the century" and noting the substantial merchandise sales they made.

Candace Owens released leaked audio from Turning Point USA in which Erika Frantzve Kirk is heard giggling and cheerfully discussing attendance figures, merchandise sales, and performance metrics from Charlie Kirks memorial event just 11 days after his death pic.twitter.com/CvEoOTq5hF  HOT SPOT (@HotSpotHotSpot) January 28, 2026

"Wow, I don't even know where to begin. The fact that we were able to pull off an event of the century is just insane. We had 275,000 people that attended and a stadium overflow," Erika said, in the leaked audio.

She added, "I think we're at like 200,000 for merch sales. Don't quote me on that, cause I think it just keeps like bumping up like crazy. I just wanted to say a huge, huge thank you to the events team, the development team, the graphic design team, and the production team."

The New TPUSA CEO Said She's Not 'Trying To Be Morbid' About Her Husband's Death

Craig Hudson - Pool via CNP / MEGA

Hearing Erika speak so cheerfully about merchandise sales in the wake of her husband's death was sure to raise eyebrows, but her apparent dismissal of his passing was even more shocking.

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Midway through her speech, she candidly urged her staff to resolve any past conflicts among themselves before going on to make the comment about Charlie's death.

"My husband's dead. Like, I'm not trying to be morbid, but he's dead. And it puts life into perspective of how short life is, and relationships," Erika said.

In response, Owens then said on her podcast that she was surprised by Erika's seemingly calm reaction.

"In my imagination, I just thought that she would be more upset," the right-wing influencer noted.

Netizens Divided Over Leaked Erika Kirk Audio

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

The reaction to the leaked audio of Erika has been somewhat divided, with several calling out the widow's overly cheerful attitude, while others noted she was simply making the best of a bad situation.

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A critic on X noted, "The most gleeful leftist you can imagine, isn't half as happy over Charlie Kirk's death as Charlie Kirk's wife."

Another person wrote,"'People mourn differently,' But no one mourns like this."

"That is the first time she sounds authentic, being happy about merch at the memorial of her husband, crazy, every other speech she gave about her husband sounds like bad acting," a third person commented about the leaked audio.

However, several showed support for Erika, with someone asking, "What's she supposed to do? Not address and thank the team that put on her husband's memorial?"

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Another said, "Erika is excited that millions of people heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why are we upset about this?!"

The Widow Is Embarking On A New Faith Tour

Instagram | Erika Kirk

Since taking over from Charlie, Erika has hosted several TPUSA events and recently launched another under the non-profit Faith arm.

The inaugural "Make Heaven Crowded" tour will visit 30 cities this year to call people to "repentance, faith, and bold obedience to Jesus."

"This tour is so special to me because I wanted  to bring a slice of heaven from my husband and bring it to everyone around this county so that they could have that extension, and that beauty and that palpable feeling of the Holy Spirit," Erika said about the tour to an audience of thousands, per the New York Post.

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The mother of two went on to reiterate her commitment to pushing further her husband's faith legacy.

"Church is never meant to retreat from culture. We will change this country. We will change this world," she proclaimed.

Erika Kirk Was Slammed For Including A Controversial Pastor Linked To Child Trafficking Case In Her Faith Tour

Instagram | Erika Lane Kirk

Unfortunately for Erika, the tour, which is still in its early days, was quickly overshadowed by controversy surrounding Pastor Greg Laurie's role as a primary speaker.

Laurie, the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, has been named in a series of lawsuits filed in U.S. federal court alleging child abuse and trafficking by former pastor Paul Havsgaard.

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The lawsuit alleged that church leaders, including Laurie, allowed Havsgaard to act without oversight and overlooked multiple warning signs of his alleged misconduct when he ran church-supported children's homes in Romania from 1998 to 2008.

Laurie and his church have since denied any wrongdoing; however, the pastor's inclusion in the "Make Heaven Crowded" tour has caused Erika to receive severe backlash.

"This isn't Charlie's Turning Point. Erika is not doing what Charlie would do, ugh," a TPUSA supporter commented about Laurie's inclusion on X, as reported by The Blast.
President Donald Trump's deployments of the military to American cities cost taxpayers nearly $500 million last year and would cost more than $1.1 billion if continued for another year, according to an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office.

The estimate found that Trump's deployments of soldiers to five U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, DC, cost around $496 million. It was shared in response to a request from Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, and other lawmakers.

"The American people deserve to know how many hundreds of millions of their hard-earned dollars have been and are being wasted on Trumps reckless and haphazard deployment of National Guard troops to Portland and cities across the country," Merkley said in a Jan. 28 statement.

A soldier in the National Guard cleared leaves with a leaf-blower on Aug. 28 at McPherson Square in Washington, D.C. Members of the Louisiana National Guard patrol the perimeter of Union Station in Washington, DC, as President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops and federal takeover of Metro Police Department continues on Aug. 26, 2025. Members of the National Guard stand outside Union Station on August 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy federal officers and the National Guard to the District and also placed the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control. District of Columbia National Guard members positioned along with United States Capitol Police at Union Station in Washington, DC on Thursday, August 14, 2025. A person yells in protest at members of the National Guard as they stand outside Union Station on August 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. A cyclist passes a National Guard vehicle near the Lincoln Memorial on August 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. District of Columbia National Guard members patrol Washington, DC, on Aug. 14, 2025. National Guard troops patrol the National Mall on Aug. 12, 2025, in Washington, DC. U.S. Army National Guard Humvees park near the Washington Monument after President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department under the Home Rule Act to assist with crime prevention in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., August 12, 2025. Members of the Washington DC National Guard pose for photos with a tourist near the Washington Monument on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. National Guard troops are deployed to the Washington Monument as part of President Trump's mobilization of law enforcement on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. National Guard troops walk along the National Mall on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers carrying boxers of MREOs (Meals Read to Eat) at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arriving at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arriving at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C.. The president has increasingly criticized crime in Washington even as itOs reached a 30-year low. Trump in a social media post on Aug. 10 said that the homeless in D.C. "have to move out, IMMEDIATELY," but he did not elaborate on how that will be accomplished. Members of the District of Columbia Army National Guard walk out of the D.C. Armory building on August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C.. The president has increasingly criticized crime in Washington even as its reached a 30-year low. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arrive on Aug. 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across Washington, DC. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arrive at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C.. Members of the District of Columbia Army National Guard walk out of the D.C. Armory building on August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C.. The president has increasingly criticized crime in Washington even as its reached a 30-year low. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arrive at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arrive at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. A District of Columbia National Guard soldier arrives at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. The scene in Washington, DC, as National Guard troops deploy on the streets 1 of 22 A soldier in the National Guard cleared leaves with a leaf-blower on Aug. 28 at McPherson Square in Washington, D.C.

Trump's deployments of troops domestically have been dogged by legal challenges from local and state leaders, and several have been halted by judges who deemed them illegal.

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Trump first dispatched thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in June as protests exploded against his administration's aggressive immigration raids in the area.

The administration later sent hundreds of Guardsmen to Chicago and Portland, Oregon, last fall in response to protests, but court rulings forced troops in all three cities to withdraw. The Supreme Court barred the Trump administration in December from sending troops to Chicago.

In August, Trump ordered the National Guard into Washington, DC, over what he called "rampant crime" in the city.

Since then, troops deployed to the capital city have been assigned to task forces for "beautification" and safety, which have seen soldiers plucking trash and shoveling mulch in public parks and standing guard in downtown train stations. The National Guard's mission in Washington has been extended through the end of 2026, CNN reported.

President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops to Washington, DC, in August.

According to internal military budget information obtained by USA TODAY in September, the deployment of National Guard troops to Washington costs more than $1.8 million per day. The CBO analysis found that another year of the Washington deployment will cost roughly $55 million per month, or $660 million for the whole year.

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Local officials in Washington also filed a lawsuit in September seeking to end the deployment of troops to the city.

Troops were also sent to Memphis and New Orleans with the consent of the Republican governors of Tennessee and Louisiana. A judge blocked the Memphis deployment in November, siding with state and local officials who sued.

Troops arrived in New Orleans in late December, where Republican Gov. Jeff Landry requested their help in fighting crime. The deployment to New Orleans does not factor into the CBO's cost estimate for last year because it started near the end of the year.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's troop deployments cost more than $496 million, estimate finds
BRUSSELS (AP)  The ambitious free trade agreement between the European Union and India underscores the EUs efforts to ink new global partnerships at a time when the Trump administration has rattled a continent deeply tied to Washington on trade, defense and diplomacy.

The agreement announced Tuesday reflects a new priority for the 27-nation EU, the world's largest trading bloc, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs because of opposition to American control of Greenland, only to back off days later. It follows trade deals struck or pending over the past year with India, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico and the five Mercosur nations of South America.

The international order we relied upon for decades is no longer a given, said Nikos Christodoulides, president of Cyprus, in a speech last week at the European Parliament. He was outlining Cyprus' priorities as the island nation begins its six-month term at the helm of the EU.

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This moment calls for action, decisive, credible and united action. It calls for a union that is more autonomous and open to the world," said Christodoulides, echoing widespread sentiment across the bloc.

Brussels' deals across the world

After attending a military parade in New Delhi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed the free trade agreement to deepen economic and strategic ties with India. She called it the mother of all deals.

The pact could affect as many as 2 billion people and slash tariffs on nearly 97% of EU exports to India like cars and wine, and 99% of Indias shipments of goods like textiles and medicines to the EU.

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Europe and India need each other today like never before, said Garima Mohan, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund. She said that both Brussels and New Delhi had long sought closer ties as a counterweight to China's economic rise. But the Trump administrations newly aggressive stance on economic and security issues clinched the deal.

This movement towards diversification, looking for new partners as well as building self-reliance was precipitated by the tensions with China and really driven home by the fracture of the trans-Atlantic partnership, Mohan said. The deal only came to pass at this particular geopolitical juncture, and that says something of the world we live in.

The EU struck its first trade deal in July with Indonesia. Two weeks ago, von der Leyen signed a deal with the Mercosur nations of South America that was decades in the making to create a free trade market of more than 700 million people - and shes said she has the authority to implement it despite objections raised by European Parliament.

The EU has also upgraded ties with Japan, South Korea and Australia, Pacific nations wary of Beijings strategic ambitions and Washingtons turbulent politics. Canada is knocking on our door to do the same, said Manfred Weber, head of the European Peoples Party, Europes largest political bloc.

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There is a hope that things will change given the importance of the U.S. for us ... but there is a realization now that we are a bit more alone in this world, said Ivano di Carlo, a senior policy analyst at the European Policy Centre.

A burgeoning continental defense industry

Russia's invasion of Ukraine drove the EU to create financial tools to boost the bloc's defense industry and infrastructure like trains, roads and ports  but the Trump administration's criticism of the continent's low levels of defense spending kicked those initiatives into overdrive.

Denmark's prime minister has said Russia could pose a credible security threat to the EU by the end of the decade and that defense industries in Europe and Ukraine must be able to thwart that threat.

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France has led calls for Europe to build strategic autonomy, and support for its stance has grown since the Trump administration warned last year that its security priorities lie elsewhere and that the Europeans would have to fend for themselves.

Shortly after Trump began his second term in the White House, EU leaders agreed to increase their own defense budgets. As a priority, 150 billion euros ($162 billion) in loans are designated for air and missile defense, artillery systems, ammunition, drones and air transport, as well as cyber systems, artificial intelligence and electronic warfare.

Industry leaders and experts across Europe have said truly self-sufficient military power would require overcoming a decades-long reliance on the U.S. as well as the fragmentation along national lines of Europe's own defense industry.

Stocks in Europe's major arms makers like Leonardo (Italy), Rheinmetall (Germany), Thales (France) and Saab (Sweden) have all been on the rise.

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An energy dependency

While trying to cut its energy ties with Russia, the EU began buying more U.S. energy, according to the Institute for Energy Economic and Financial Analysis. But that too is risky for the bloc, said Dan Jrgensen, European commissioner for energy and housing, during a North Sea Summit in Hamburg, Germany on Monday.

The EU imports 14.5% of its oil and 60% of its liquefied natural gas from the U.S, according to the EU statistics agency Eurostat.

Jrgensen said the EU should seek further energy independence by investing in energy production and alternate suppliers.

We do not want to replace one dependency for another  we need to diversify, Jrgensen said.

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Brussels is eyeing sources in the eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf, where negotiations are underway for a free trade deal with the United Arab Emirates.

Decoupling is easier said than done," but forging new global relationships gives the EU an edge in dealing with Beijing, Moscow and Washington, Mohan said.
By Francesco Guarascio

HANOI, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The European Union and Vietnam want to boost trade and investment in critical minerals, semiconductors and infrastructure, according to a draft joint statement seen by Reuters that is set to be adopted on Thursday as the two sides upgrade diplomatic relations.

The eight-page document, still subject to change, says the EU will also explore the possible transfer of defence technology to Hanoi, as both sides seek closer cooperation on "trusted" telecom networks - at a time when Chinese companies have won contracts in Vietnam's 5G development.

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The statement is scheduled to be signed when the European Council President Antonio Costa meets Vietnam's leaders in Hanoi on Thursday, days after the ruling Communist Party reappointed To Lam as the country's top leader.

The two countries will upgrade diplomatic ties to Vietnam's highest level, similar to the United States, China and Russia. An EU-Vietnam free trade agreement entered into force in 2020.

While not binding, the document carries political weight and includes indirect criticism of the international strategies of the United States, China and Russia.

The European Council declined to comment on the draft document and Vietnam's government did not respond to a request for comment.

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CRITICAL MINERALS, SEMICONDUCTORS

Vietnam has significant but largely untapped deposits of rare earths and gallium. Hanoi has signalled interest in developing processing capacity for rare earths, whose global supply and refining is dominated by China. But progress has been limited, in part because Vietnam lacks the technology to fully exploit its resources.

The EU and Vietnam want to promote "trade and investment in goods, services, and technologies that support sustainable mining and processing" for critical minerals, as they eye closer cooperation in the sector, the document said.

Vietnam is also a key supplier of tungsten, a hard metal used in defence and electronics, and Western diplomats have warned of the risk of Chinese interest in a major mine in Vietnam. China's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

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The draft statement identifies semiconductors as another priority area for deeper cooperation, including supply chains.

Vietnam is a major player in chip packaging, testing and assembling, hosting operations by Intel and Amkor Technology among others. Earlier this month Vietnam began building its first semiconductor production facility.

Suppliers of ASML, the Dutch global leader in chipmaking machines, have moved some production to Vietnam, and the company is exploring expanding its supply chain and supplying potential customers there, the Vietnamese government said earlier this month after a high-level meeting in Hanoi. ASML was not immediately available for comment.

5G, DEFENCE, INFRASTRUCTURE

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Expanding cooperation on "trusted communications infrastructure" is also a priority, said the document, citing 5G and satellite connectivity. European firms Ericsson and Nokia are developing Vietnam's 5G network, but last year Hanoi awarded smaller construction contracts to Chinese companies, including Huawei, despite Western concerns about security.

Both sides intend to boost security cooperation, while the EU will consider the transfer of "non-sensitive technology and know-how", the document said.

EU nations are also interested in investing in Vietnamese infrastructure, including railways, according to the document, as Vietnam wants to build a nationwide high-speed network, its largest-ever project.

U.S., CHINA, RUSSIA

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EU President Costa warned of "coercive trade practices" and "challenges to sovereignty and international law" in an opinion piece published by Vietnam's state news agency on Wednesday.

The draft statement reaffirmed support for a "rules-based international order" and for strengthening the World Trade Organization, at a time when the U.S. imposes tariffs and undermines multilateral bodies.

It urged respect for "territorial integrity" and called for a "just and sustainable peace in Ukraine", which is under attack from Russia, a long-time close partner of Vietnam. It also said the two countries agreed to consider deeper maritime security cooperation, as they called for stability in the South China Sea, where China's territorial claims conflict with Vietnam's.

(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Michael Perry)
By Stephen Nellis

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Nvidia helped China's DeepSeek hone artificial intelligence models that were later used by the Chinese military, the chairman of a U.S. House of Representatives committee said in a letter seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

DeepSeek shook markets early last year with a set of AI models that rivaled some of the best offerings from the United States but were developed with far less computing power, fuelling concerns in Washington that China could catch up with the U.S. in AI despite U.S. restrictions on the sale of high-powered computing chips to China.

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In a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Representative John Moolenaar, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Select Committee on China, said documents obtained by the committee from Nvidia showed the achievement came after extensive technical assistance from Nvidia.

"According to NVIDIA records, NVIDIA technology development personnel helped DeepSeek achieve major training efficiency gains through an 'optimized co-design of algorithms, frameworks, and hardware,' with internal reporting boasting that 'DeepSeek-V3 requires only 2.788M H800 GPU hours for its full training' - less than what U.S. developers typically require for frontier-scale models," Moolenaar wrote in the letter.

GPU hours are the number of hours an AI chip must run to train an AI model, while frontier-scale models refer to leading models produced by U.S. firms such as OpenAI, Anthropic or Alphabet's Google.

The documents cover Nvidia activities from 2024. At the time Nvidia provided DeepSeek help, Moolenaar wrote, there was no public indication that DeepSeek's technology was being used by China's military.

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"Nvidia treated DeepSeek accordingly - as a legitimate commercial partner deserving of standard technical support," Moolenaar wrote.

Nvidia's H800 chip was specifically designed for the China market and sold there before H800s were put under U.S. export controls in 2023. Reuters reported last year that U.S. officials believe DeepSeek is aiding China's military.

"China has more than enough domestic chips for all of its military applications, with millions to spare. Just like it would be nonsensical for the American military to use Chinese technology, it makes no sense for the Chinese military to depend on American technology," Nvidia said in a statement.

In a statement, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., said: "China has all along opposed moves to overstretch the concept of national security or politicize trade and tech issues. We hope the U.S. can take concrete actions to keep global industrial and supply chains stable."

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The U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. DeepSeek did not respond to a request for comment outside of business hours in China.

Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump's administration approved sales of Nvidia's H200 to China with some restrictions, including that the chips not be sold to entities that assist the Chinese military. The H200 is more powerful than the H800 chips DeepSeek used.

Trump's decision drew fire from China hawks across the U.S. political spectrum over concerns the chips would supercharge Beijing's military and erode the U.S. advantage in AI.

"If even the world's most valuable company cannot rule out the military use of its products when sold to (Chinese) entities, rigorous licensing restrictions and enforcement are essential to prevent such assurances from becoming superficial formalities," Moolenaar wrote.

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"Chips sales to ostensibly non military end users in China will inevitably result in a violation of the military end use restrictions," he added.

(Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Nia Williams)
By Jonathan Stempel

Jan 28 (Reuters) - Google will pay $135 million to settle a proposed class action by smartphone users who accused Google of programming its Android operating system to collect their cellular data without permission.

A preliminary settlement with the Alphabet unit was filed late Tuesday night in the San Jose, California federal court, and requires a judge's approval.

Google denied wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement, which covers users of Android-powered mobile devices since November 12, 2017.

Users said Google needlessly collected cellular data, which they purchased from mobile carriers, even when they closed Google's apps, disabled location-sharing or locked their screens.

They said the data supported Google's product development and targeted advertising campaigns and amounted to "conversion," when a party wrongfully takes another party's property with the intent to assert control.

As part of the settlement, Google will not transfer data without obtaining consent from Android users when they set up their phones.

The Mountain View, California-based company will also make it easier for users to stop the transfers by toggling, and will disclose the transfers in its Google Play terms of service.

Glen Summers, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a court filing he believed the $135 million payout is the largest ever in a conversion case. Payments are capped at $100 per class member.

A trial had been scheduled for August 5. Google had no immediate comment on Wednesday. The plaintiffs' lawyers may seek up to $39.8 million, or 29.5% of the settlement fund, for legal fees.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Andrea Ricci )
By Erin Banco, Jonathan Landay and Matt Spetalnick

NEW YORK, Jan 27 (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence reports have raised doubts about whether interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez will cooperate with the Trump administration by formally cutting ties with U.S. adversaries, four people familiar with the reports said in recent days.

U.S. officials have said publicly they want the interim president to sever relations with close international allies like Iran, China and Russia, including expelling their diplomats and advisers from Venezuela.

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But Rodriguez, whose swearing-in ceremony was attended by representatives of those countries early this month, has yet to publicly announce such a move. She became president after the U.S. captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3.

The U.S. intelligence reports said it was not clear if she is fully on board with the U.S. strategy in her country, according to the sources, who declined to be identified by name.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled on January 15 to Caracas, where he discussed the country's political future with Rodriguez. Reuters could not determine if those conversations changed the intelligence agencies' opinion.

Washington wants to rein in its foes' influence in the Western hemisphere, including in Venezuela, where Trump seeks to exploit the OPEC nations vast oil reserves.

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If Rodriguez were to break ties with the U.S. rivals, it would open more opportunity for U.S. investment in Venezuelas energy sector. But failure to control Rodriguez could undercut Washingtons efforts to direct the countrys interim rulers from afar and avoid a deeper U.S. military role.

The Central Intelligence Agency and the Venezuela government did not respond to requests for comment.

Asked for comment, a senior Trump administration official, who declined to be identified, said U.S. President Donald Trump "continues to exert maximum leverage" over Venezuela's leaders and "expects this cooperation to continue."

ABANDON LONGTIME ALLIES?

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The CIA has previously assessed that officials loyal to Maduro, including Rodriguez, were best positioned to govern the country following his ouster.

But critics of Trump's Venezuela strategy have expressed doubts about the wisdom of keeping Maduro's loyalists in place as the country's interim leaders. The concerns about Rodriguez' reliability were present prior to the U.S. military operation, said two sources.

For Venezuela, the U.S. directive means abandoning its closest allies outside the region. Iran has helped Venezuela repair oil refineries while China has taken oil as repayment for debt. Russia has supplied weaponry, including missiles, to Venezuela's military.

Trump has also cited communist-led Cuba as another U.S. foe he wants Venezuela to abandon. Havana has provided security and intelligence support while receiving cut-rate Venezuelan oil.

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Since Maduro's removal, Rodriguez, whose deep ties to the oil sector are crucial to keeping the country stable, has taken steps to stay in favor with Washington including releasing political prisoners and authorizing the sale of 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States.

In a speech on Sunday, Rodriguez said she has had enough of U.S. intervention. Still, U.S. officials have also held positive calls with her in recent days, according to two of the sources.

The Trump administration does not see an immediate alternative to working with Rodriguez, given it has publicly backed her so strongly, two of the sources said.

But U.S. officials are developing contacts with senior military and security officials in case they decide to change their approach, a source briefed on Venezuela policy said.

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MACHADO CONSIDERED A LONGER-TERM OPTION TO RUN VENEZUELA

The recent intelligence reports also found that opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is not currently able to run the country successfully in part because she lacks strong ties to the countrys security services or oil sector, the sources said.

Some observers and Machado's movement say it won a 2024 election that year by a huge margin, though the state backed a Maduro victory. She remains popular with Venezuelans.

Trump told reporters last week he wanted Machado involved in the countrys leadership, without providing details.

One person familiar with the administrations discussions with Machado said she is well-liked by the White House and is considered a longer-term option for a leadership position in Venezuela.

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The separate source briefed on Venezuela policy suggested that for now, Machado could be considered for an advisory role but no firm decision had been made. Representatives for Machado did not respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Erin Banco, Jonathan Landay and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman)
Scientists are sounding the alarm after discovering over 10 million corals in the path of a proposed federal dredging project.

What's happening?

Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Shedd Aquarium found that dredging in Florida will put endangered coral species at further risk.

The initiative would use heavy machinery to clear the sea floor near Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, according to Inside Climate News. This would make room for more cargo ships entering and leaving the area, including those carrying fossil fuels.

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The federal project has been in the works for a decade. However, construction has been repeatedly delayed in order to assess the full environmental impact.

Scientists found thousands of staghorn corals are thriving under Port Everglades  although many were killed in a recent heatwave. Local staghorn coral populations have dwindled to the point of functional extinction, underscoring the need to protect the remaining colonies.

The dredging project, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, would involve explosives that would create problematic sediment. This debris could cover and smother the endangered coral, killing them.

A previous study found that the dredging could have impacts as far as six miles away from the planned site.

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"These are precious resources," Ross Cunning, a research biologist at the Chicago-based Shedd Aquarium who co-authored the new study, told Inside Climate News. "We can't afford to just dump dredging sediments on them."

Why is it important to preserve endangered corals?

Scientists pointed out that endangered staghorn corals are an important piece of the local marine ecosystem. They create a habitat for other aquatic life and provide natural protection to our coastlines.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that corals provide a buffer between the coast and incoming waves, floods, and storm surges.

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.

This is crucial at a time when rising global temperatures are supercharging storms that are putting coastal communities at risk. As flooding worsens after major storms, homeowners near the coasts could be displaced, creating a huge financial burden.

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The corals also bring in an estimated $1.1 billion a year and are responsible for 71,000 jobs in South Florida. State officials have said that the creatures help the local fish population thrive and are important for tourism. If they disappear, that revenue may dry up.

What's being done about endangered corals?

Environmental nonprofits like Miami Waterkeeper sued the Army Corps in 2016 in order to halt the dredging project. The parties have paused the lawsuit in order to do more environmental studies, which will hopefully prevent major damage to the corals.

Many of the corals are protected under the Endangered Species Act, which can help ensure the future livelihood of their habitat. Additionally, if dredging moves forward, there are possibilities to relocate some coral. However, advocates are skeptical about moving the delicate creatures.

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The U.S. Navys top officer says global proliferation of increasingly capable air defense systems underscores the vital need to move ahead with work on the F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based fighter. He further warned that the Navys ability to fly with impunity using non-stealthy types like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, even against smaller nation-state adversaries like Iran and non-state actors, is now fleeting.

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Daryl Caudle talked about F/A-XX and the threat ecosystem during a live question-and-answer session at the Apex Defense conference in Washington, D.C., yesterday. Breaking Defense was first to report on Caudles remarks. F/A-XX has been in purgatory since the Pentagon announced its intention to shelve it last year, primarily to prevent any competition for resources with the U.S. Air Forces F-47 sixth-generation fighter. Congress is now pushing ahead with legislation that could jumpstart the Navys next-generation fighter program. Boeing and Northrop Grumman are currently in the running for F/A-XX. Lockheed Martin was reportedly eliminated from the competition last March. Boeing is also the prime contractor for the F-47.

A rendering of Northrop Grummans proposed F/A-XX design. Northrop Grumman

The next-generation airframe, F/A-XX, is so vital, Caudle said yesterday. This [carrier] air wing of the future design is so important for so many reasons  nothing delivers the mass of an air wing if you want to deliver mass fires.

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I know these things are expensive, and I know the defense industrial base is compressed, but we have got to figure out how to walk and chew gum here with aircraft, he added. It is worth noting here that both Boeing and Northrop Grumman have pushed back publicly, to different degrees, on concerns that the U.S. industrial base cannot support work on two sixth-generation fighter programs simultaneously.

You can listen to Adm. Caudles full opening remarks at the Apex Defense conference and the follow-on question-and-answer session in the video below.

Caudle has long been outspoken in his support for F/A-XX, which is the Navys planned successor to its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets. In addition to being very stealthy, the sixth-generation jets would come with increased range and other advancements, giving the Navys carrier air wings a major boost in kinetic capability. F/A-XX will also be able to perform electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, as well as contribute to battle space management.

The CNO highlighted many of these expected capabilities in his comments yesterday. He also called particular attention to how vital F/A-XX will be because of the CCAs [Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones] that it will command and control.

A rendering depicting members of General Atomics Gambit drone family operating from a U.S. Navy Ford class aircraft carrier. General Atomics is one of four companies now under contract to the Navy to develop conceptual carrier-based CCA designs. General Atomics

But the bigger part is  just the ever-lowering cost of entry when it comes to air defense threats, Caudle said. The folks that used to be not in [the] headspace that I needed a stealth aircraft of this level to fly a mission into their country, will gain capability that the F-18 will not match against.

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This is an ever-evolving theme, and when youve got partnerships  well coupled with each other across China and Russia and Iran and North Korea, and terrorist groups that are getting that kit from all of those through back-channel ways, our ability to fly with impunity with our existing airframes is fleeting, he continued. So, if I dont start building that [F/A-XX] immediately, youre not going to get it for some time.

I hate to say it, sounds cliche, but you know, when things heat up in Iran, guess who steamed over there? Right? It was the United States Navy and the Abraham [Lincoln Carrier] Strike Group, the Navys top officer added. So you can imagine what that looks like 10 years from now, with a different Iran, with different capability, that can go against F-18 capabilities of today.

An F/A-18E Super Hornet seen landing aboard the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in January 2026. USN

U.S. military operations in and around the Middle East in the past two years have provided substantial evidence to underscore Caudles remarks. There were multiple reported instances in which Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen were able to threaten existing fourth and fifth-generation U.S. fighters, at least to a degree, with their relatively modest air defense capabilities. Sources differ on the total number, but the Houthis were also able to successfully down 20 or so MQ-9 Reaper drones.

   | The Houthis show footage from the shootdown of another U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper UCAV.



If I'm not mistaken, that would be the 20th MQ-9 downed by the Houthis from Yemen. pic.twitter.com/SCwRVLSs7s  Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) April 18, 2025

TWZ has previously explored in detail the scale and scope of Houthi air defenses, as well as their ability to punch above their weight, and not just against U.S. forces. Infrared sensors and seekers, including the repurposing of heat-seeking air-to-air missiles as surface-to-air weapons, have been a major factor, given that they are not impacted by radar cross-section-reducing features on stealthy targets. They are also passive, meaning that they do not pump out signals that can give opponents advanced warning that they are being tracked and targeted.

Examples of heat-seeking air-to-air missiles that the Houthis have repurposed as surface-to-air weapons. Houthi-controlled media

Infrared capabilities can also help in cueing traditional radars, and pairing the two together offers benefits for spotting and tracking targets, whether they have features to reduce their radar and other signatures or not. This also just allows the radars to not have to start radiating (and expose themselves as a result) until very late in the engagement cycle. The Houthis have also focused heavily on mobile systems that are hard to find and fix in advance, and that present additional complications given their ability to pop up suddenly in unexpected locations.

Houthi Fater-1 radar-guided surface-to-air missiles on parade in 2023. The Fater-1 is a copy or clone of the Soviet 3M9 used in the 2K12 Kub/SA-6 mobile surface-to-air missile system. Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images

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The air defense assets the Houthis have arrayed over the past decade or so are directly reflective of developments in Iran, which has put a similar focus on infrared capabilities and mobile systems. Though B-2 stealth bombers were the centerpiece of the Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last year, stealthy F-22 and F-35 fighters were still used to help clear the way by targeting air defense sites in the country.

The Tabas road-mobile surface-to-air missile system seen here is one of the more modern types in Iranian service. Iranian State Media

This all, in many ways, reflects broader air defense global trends that have been emerging in China, Russia, North Korea, and elsewhere. As Adm. Caudle noted yesterday, there has also been cooperation on various levels between Americas adversaries, well beyond Iran and the Houthis, on the development and proliferation of more capable air defense systems.

The threat picture also goes beyond individual anti-air weapons and sensors. Fully-networked integrated air defenses, which offer a multitude of benefits when it comes to operational flexibility and more efficiently utilizing available resources, are only set to become a bigger part of the equation. These networks will be able to detect, successfully track, and engage targets in ways that federated air defense systems cannot. The barrier to entry in acquiring these capabilities is likely to keep dropping as time goes on, as well.

The Navy does still, of course, see F/A-XX as critical to projecting carrier-based airpower into denser, higher-end air defense threat ecosystems, especially in any future conflicts against a major competitor like China or Russia. A year ago, the U.S. Air Force released a report projecting that American aircraft will be challenged by anti-air missiles with ranges up to 1,000 miles by 2050.

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This [F/A-XX] is, again, a global solution, not just for a pressing scenario, Adm. Caudle said yesterday.

As an aside, it is interesting to point out that the air defense arsenal of another smaller country, Syria, has been credited with helping ensure the F-22 survived post-Cold War drawdowns in defense spending. The program was severely truncated later on as a cost-cutting measure, a decision that has been increasingly questioned in hindsight.

The F/A-XX saga still has yet to play out, but Iranian air defenses, in particular, look to have emerged as a major factor in whatever the future might hold for that program.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
In a heartbreaking and revealing interview, the parents of Alex Jeffrey Pretti--the 37-year-old ICU nurse fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026--have shared new details that paint a far more complicated img src="https://leadstories.com/facebook_3497977.jpg" width="560" height="712" alt="Facebook screenshot" />

(Source: Facebook screenshot taken on Tue Jan 27 17:18:48 2026 UTC)

The article continued:

"He seemed to have joined some kind of group," Michael Pretti told reporters, his voice heavy with grief and concern. "We warned him two weeks ago--protest if you want, but don't engage, don't do anything stupid. He said he understood." The father emphasized that while Alex had always been passionate about helping others, his recent behavior had shifted in ways that worried them. "He was pulling away from his routine, talking more about 'standing up' and 'making a difference' in ways that felt different. We thought it was just stress, but now... we don't know."

Nothing in this article or the social media post is true. At the time of writing there is no video of Pretti's parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, speaking to reporters in his home or anywhere. The family released this written statement about 12 hours after he was killed:

We are heartbroken but also very angry. Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately he will not be with us to see his impact. I do not throw around the hero term lightly. However his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed. Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.

Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of gptzero.me

The source of this fake AI-generated claim is in Vietnam, which is actually included in the article's URL:

Image source: Lead Stories screenshot of Facebook

Each fake post points to btuatu.com.

Screenshot 2026-01-27 121003.png

This is part of an operation that Lead Stories and other fact checkers have identified as a major source of AI-generated false stories we call Viet Spam. You can see recent reporting and fact checks related to Vietnam-based spam operations here.

A deeper dive into this can be found in our article Prebunk: Beware Of Fake Fan Pages Spreading False Stories About Your Favorite Celebrities -- How To Spot 'Viet Spam'.
Family members have been scrambling to learn the whereabouts of more than 200 people arrested during a federal immigration crackdown that has swept across Maine this week, immigration attorneys said, as federal authorities quickly ferried detainees out of the state.

We were buried in phone calls, said Jenny Beverly, an immigration attorney with Haven Immigration Law. She said her team worked long hours to locate detainees and stop their transfer out of Maine.

When Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents transfer detainees out of state, they become even harder to reach and face greater odds of removal from the US, the attorneys said.

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Most immigrants lost their first layer of legal protections in September, when the federal board of immigration appeals ruled that people who crossed the US border unlawfully are no longer eligible for release on bond, reversing years of legal precedent.

Related: US federal judge blocks deportation of five-year-old boy and his father

Now, lawyers are increasingly turning to habeas petitions, which make use of a detainees rights to challenge their detention, Beverly said. The catch is that these petitions must be filed in the same jurisdiction where a detainee is in custody. If a detainee is moved quickly, lawyers lose the opportunity to challenge their detention.

There are only a handful of lawyers who are trained to file habeas petitions in Maine, Beverly said, so an influx of requests could overwhelm the system.

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ICE came with the machinery in place to get people out of here as soon as possible. We are racing against the clock as soon as we get a phone call to get something filed, Beverly said. Frankly, I feel that enforcement was done [at this pace] on purpose so that we cant keep up.

Fifty immigrants were removed from the Cumberland county jail on Thursday, according to Kevin Joyce, the county sheriff. The two-story Portland jail has served as the states central detention hub during Trumps second term.

Thursdays mass removal followed a dispute between Joyce and the federal immigration agency after the sheriff criticized its tactics, calling it bush league policing.

When asked about the operations in Maine, Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary of public affairs, repeated a statement provided to the Guardian last week, saying that immigrants apprehended as part of a recent push were some of the worst of the worst and had been charged and convicted of horrific crimes.

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With only two federal detention facilities in the state, Maine does not have the capacity to hold all 1,400 individuals that Patricia Hyde, deputy assistant director of ICE, said the agency intends to target.

The next closest holding facility, with larger capacity, is located in Burlington, Massachusetts. But data collected by Veras ICE Detention Trends shows that more than 45% of Maines detainees get transferred to Louisiana.

At least eight Maine residents have already been transferred to Louisiana, according to Maines Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP). One man told his family that he is being held in a group of approximately 100 men, sleeping in tents next to or on an active tarmac, the group said in a statement.

More than 60 people have asked ILAP for emergency legal aid to prevent their removal since last week.

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Non-profit groups like ILAP can provide this support free of charge. Beverly said that private firms likely charge thousands, which could be prohibitive, unless families can find financial aid.

There are not adequate words to describe how difficult the past week has been, Sue Roche, ILAPs executive director, said in a statement. In ILAPs legal triage, we are seeing mostly people in lawful immigration processes with no criminal records being arrested. Many have been racially profiled and abducted from their cars off the street, and some have been targeted at home. ICE is stalking grocery stores and schools. The lack of due process or humanity in this enforcement operation is appalling.
The FBI said it executed a search warrant at the Fulton County elections office outside Atlanta on Wednesday amid President Donald Trumps renewed efforts to challenge the 2020 election.

An FBI spokesperson, Jenna Sellitto, said the agency was executing a court authorized law enforcement action at the countys main elections office in Union City, Georgia. She did not specify the objective of the search and described it as part of an ongoing investigation.

Georgias secretary of states office and Fulton Countys elections offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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The action comes just a week after Trump vowed that people will soon be prosecuted for what they did regarding the 2020 presidential election.

Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory, a Democrat, said in a brief interview with POLITICO that she learned upon arriving at the facility that the FBI was seeking ballots from the 2020 presidential election.

The FBI agents are here to get the 2020 ballots, Fulton County Court Clerk Che Alexander told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Theyre all here  trucks, everything.

Trump has long held, without evidence, that the 2020 election was rigged in favor of former President Joe Biden, falsely alleging there was widespread voter fraud across the country.

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The Trump administration has ramped up pressure on Democratic-run states to hand over their voter rolls in recent months, with Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding Minnesota grant DOJ access to its records last week amid an ongoing standoff between the states Democratic leadership and the White House.

The DOJs Civil Rights Division also sued the Fulton County clerk of courts last month for voting materials from the 2020 election. Fulton County has also seen pressure from Republicans on Georgias election board, who subpoenaed the Democratic-leaning county for the same records earlier last year.

The metro Atlanta county  which was central to Trump infamously and unsuccessfully pressuring Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to alter the outcome of the presidential vote  has long been at the heart of conspiracy theories related to the 2020 election.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who brought charges against Trump and several of his allies in 2023 for attempting to overturn the election results, has also drawn Trumps ire. The judge overseeing that case dismissed all remaining charges in November.

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Ivory, the Democratic commissioner, said agents did not initially possess a proper warrant to remove the documents. She said the agents were in the process of securing a hard copy of the warrant with the requisite information and had not yet removed any boxes from the facility, as of Wednesday afternoon.

Sellitto said the FBI arrived with a hard copy of a signed, proper warrant, and that the operation was still ongoing.

This is an effort to scare people, to deter people from going to the polls in May for our primary and then November for the general election, Ivory said. We knew this was coming. We could see the strategy working itself out, and it's just another distraction, while people are dying in the streets in Minnesota.

Republican Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne said she believes "in complete transparency of our election process" but urged the county to comply.

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"If Fulton has nothing to hide, then there should be no fear of showing the election materials," Thorne said in a statement. "I would love to finally put the 2020 election to rest."

Democrats expressed dismay, DNC Chair Ken Martin issuing a statement calling Trump "a weak loser who still cannot come to terms with the fact that he lost the 2020 election."

Georgia Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey said the president was "wielding federal enforcement to push his baseless, dangerous lies about winning the 2020 election," while Sen. Jon Ossoff accused Trump in a statement of "wielding federal law enforcement as an unaccountable instrument of personal power and revenge.

"I suspect today's raid is a continuation of this sore loser's crusade, despite repeated audits and independent reviews confirming that Donald Trump was indeed defeated," Ossoff said.


The federal agents who were involved in Saturday's deadly shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have been placed on administrative leave, a federal law enforcement official confirmed to CBS News.

It is unclear exactly when the personnel were placed on leave. Typically, the protocol is for federal law-enforcement agents who have been involved in a shooting to be placed on administrative leave during the course of the investigation.

But the revelation does directly contradict what Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino announced over the weekend, when he told reporters that the Customs and Border Protection officers were still on the job, working in a different city for their safety.

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"All agents that were involved in that scene are working, not in Minneapolis, but in other locations," Bovino said Sunday. "That's for their safety. There's this thing called doxxing, and the safety of our employees is very important to us. We're going to keep those employees safe."

Sources told CBS News on Monday that Bovino has been relieved of his command in Minneapolis and is expected to return to California's El Centro sector, where he served as the chief agent.

Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents amid the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis known as Operation Metro Surge. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement over the weekend that an agent fired "defensive shots," but multiple videos of the fatal encounter show Pretti did not have a gun in his hands. Police said he was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.

It was the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by immigration officers this month. On Jan. 7, an ICE officer shot and killed Renee Good behind the wheel of her car in an incident that was also caught on video.

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Amid heightened tension in Minnesota, President Trump said Monday that he is sending border czar Tom Homan to the Twin Cities as Bovino departs. Gov. Tim Walz's office has since confirmed that Walz and Homan have met and that they "agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also met with Homan to discuss next steps.

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A federal judge in Oregon ruled against a Trump administration request to view the state's unredacted voter rolls on Monday.

Judge Mustafa Kasubhai said he plans to dismiss the Justice Department lawsuit and will file a final written opinion in the coming days. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield hailed Monday's ruling, arguing the DOJ was seeking a "backdoor" to grab Oregon residents' personal information.

"The court dismissed this case because the federal government never met the legal standard to get these records in the first place," Rayfield told NBC News in a statement. "Oregonians deserve to know that voting laws cant be used as a backdoor to grab their personal information."

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President Donald Trump's administration has filed lawsuits seeking voter registration data in at least 23 states. The lawsuits request access to names, dates of birth, residential addresses, drivers license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

Oregon Election System Faces Scrutiny As State Moves To Address 800,000 Inactive Voters: Astounding

Attorney General Pam Bondi conducts a news conference at the Department of Justice on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (Getty Images)

Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz this weekend laying out steps to quell unrest in the state, with turning over voter data being listed among them.

Read On The Fox News App

"You and your office must restore the rule of law, support ICE officers, and bring an end to the chaos in Minnesota," Bondi wrote. "Fortunately, there are common sense solutions to these problems that I hope we can accomplish together."

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One of Bondi's requests was that Minnesota state officials give the DOJ Civil Rights Division access to voter registration lists. Basic voter registration lists, also known as voter rolls, are typically publicly accessible, but the DOJ has demanded from Minnesota and many other states a wealth of sensitive data associated with the voter rolls that Minnesota has resisted giving up.

Fbi Director Patel Warns Elected Officials 'No One' Is Exempt From Federal Scrutiny Amid Minnesota Probe

Gov. Tim Walz's administration has resisted turning over Minnesota's voter rolls to federal officials.

Democrats framed her letter as a nefarious bargain designed to affect the battleground states elections.

"ICE will leave Minnesota if you hand over your voter rolls tells you everything you need to know. It was always about rigging elections," Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., wrote on X.

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Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., misstated on X that Bondis letter said ICE would "leave if the state turns over its voter database to Trump."

Rep. Ilhan Omar accused the Trump administration of attempting to "rig elections."

Murphy said the Trump administrations immigration crackdown in Minnesota was a "pretext for Trump to take over elections in swing states."

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In a federal court hearing Monday over ICE's broader operations, Lindsey Middlecamp, a lawyer for Minnesota, argued to a judge that Bondis letter sounded like a coercive "ransom note."

Fox News' Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.





Original article source: Federal judge blocks Trump DOJ access to Oregon voter rolls
The Chewaucan River Flowing through the Fremont Winema National Forest in Southern Oregon. A judge recently reversed approvals for three commercial logging projects in the forest because they relied on an exemption to environmental review that has been found unlawful. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service/Flickr)

A 34-year-old rule exempting some commercial logging projects on federal lands from environmental review is unlawful, a federal judge recently ruled.

Judge Michael McShane in the U.S. District Court in Medford earlier this month struck down the exemption, and with it, reversed recent approvals for three commercial logging projects covering tens of thousands of acres in Fremont-Winema National Forest in southern Oregon.

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The decision is the result of a 2022 lawsuit brought against the U.S. Forest Service by regional conservation groups Oregon Wild, WildEarth Guardians and GO Alliance.

Since 1992, the U.S. Forest Service has been able to bypass environmental reviews required by federal law for logging projects on federal land, if the logging is meant to improve forest stand conditions, habitat or prevent wildfires, without significant effect on the human environment.

The agency established the carveout as one of 25 that could be invoked to circumvent a rigorous environmental review process in certain situations that require logging and prescribed burns on federal forestland.

But in 2022, after the U.S. Forest Service used the exemption to approve without environmental review three large and controversial forest restoration and wildfire prevention projects in the Fremont-Winema that involved logging roughly one-third of the 91,000 acres the projects encompassed, local conservation groups sued.

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Oregon Wild, WildEarth Guardians and GO Alliance said in the suit that the agencys exclusion to environmental review for such projects is fundamentally flawed and a logging loophole, because it is being used to justify bypassing environmental reviews on large logging projects of thousands of acres that most certainly will have significant environmental impact.

There is not  and never has been  any legal basis for the agency to use a regulation intended for small, innocuous projects for massive commercial logging projects instead, said Oliver Stiefel, a Crag Law Center attorney who represented the conservation groups, in a statement.

McShane agreed.

Because the record before the court does not show the Forest Service considered the impact of thinning (logging) at any scale, commercial or otherwise, the court cannot conclude the Forest Service engaged in a reasoned decision regarding environmental impacts of the actions authorized by (the exemption), he said in the ruling.

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The U.S. Forest Service has not yet filed an appeal in the case and did not respond by Tuesday to a request for comment.

Exclusion used excessively

The specific exclusion at the heart of the lawsuit allowed for logging and prescribed burns to go forward on national forestland without environmental review if the logging and burns would not cause significant environmental harm, and if they are done in service of forest and habitat improvement or wildfire prevention.

The exemption couldnt be used if logging activities required building more than 1 mile of new road, or if herbicides would be used, but it did not have any other limitations, including on the amount of logging that could reasonably take place without having a significant effect on the environment.

By the early 2000s, the specific exclusion was being used frequently to authorize commercial logging without review on federal land, according to a Government Accountability Office review of Forest Service vegetation management projects from 200305.

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The office found it was the most used of the categorical exemptions to environmental review, and was used to to bypass such reviews on nearly 2.5 million acres of forest logged as part of vegetation management projects during those years.

WildEarth noted in the suit that the 1992 exclusion was established for improving forests, not to make it easier to log them.

The Forest Service did not intend for the categorical exclusion to apply to commercial thinning, the group wrote.

But the Forest Service argued that its been long used to advance commercial logging projects, that the agency is staffed with scientists who know best practices and that its needed to avoid litigation that often comes from environmental review processes that can slow the agencys work down.

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In a ruling that carries far-reaching consequences for the trucking industry, a federal judge has refused to force California to resume processing renewals of non-domiciled commercial drivers licenses.

The decision marks the latest chapter in a bitter legal and policy struggle between the Golden State and federal transportation regulators over how non-U.S.-domiciled drivers are licensed to operate commercial vehicles.

FMCSA Audit Triggers Enforcement Action

The case stems from enforcement actions prompted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations audit of Californias commercial licensing program. Federal investigators found thousands of non-domiciled CDLs were issued in ways that did not align with federal rules.

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Those deficiencies included licenses with expiration dates extending beyond lawful work authorization and insufficient verification of immigration documentation.

Image Credit: 5m3photos/Shutterstock.

In late 2025, FMCSA required California to pause all processing of non-domiciled CDLs and revoke tens of thousands of existing credentials that did not meet federal standards.

The DMV in Sacramento initially set a January 5, 2026, deadline to cancel roughly 17,000 non-compliant licenses but later extended that deadline to March 6 without FMCSAs approval. Federal regulators responded by issuing a Final Determination of Substantial Noncompliance and withholding substantial highway funding from the state.

On January 7, FMCSA announced it would withhold approximately $158 million in federal highway funds beginning in fiscal year 2027 because California had not completed the corrective actions it had agreed to undertake.

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The agency made clear that failure to follow through on its commitments meant the state could face increased penalties, potentially reaching more than $300 million in withheld transportation dollars if noncompliance persisted.

Truck Drivers Challenge the Freeze in Court

Amid these developments, a group representing Chinese American truck drivers filed suit, seeking to compel California to lift the freeze on renewals for non-domiciled immigrant drivers. Plaintiffs argued the DMVs pause created a de facto ban that unfairly impacted otherwise eligible commercial drivers and contributed to economic hardship.

Image Credit: Veronica538 - CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia.

A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California rejected the request for a temporary restraining order. In his ruling, Judge Jesus Bernal acknowledged the difficulties facing individual drivers but emphasized that federal safety standards and compliance obligations outweigh those concerns.

The judge noted that Californias continued administration of the non-domiciled CDL program in a manner deemed out of compliance could trigger even harsher federal enforcement, including decertification of the states CDL system.

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The stakes for California are enormous. CDLs are not merely state-issued credentials. They operate within a federal regulatory partnership that ensures commercial drivers meet uniform qualifications nationwide. If Californias program were decertified, the state could lose the authority to issue any commercial learners permits or CDLs, ultimately disrupting its freight mobility and labor pipelines.

Such a loss would ripple through logistics networks and affect carriers and drivers who rely on Californias licensing infrastructure.

Broader Policy Battle and Industry Fallout

The broader context includes a controversial federal interim final rule issued in September 2025 that was designed to tighten eligibility for non-domiciled CDLs to individuals with specific employment-based visas.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

That rule was temporarily stayed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit after industry groups challenged the manner in which it was developed. While the stay paused the broader regulation, it did not alter the separate compliance issues found in Californias licensing program.

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Industry reaction has been polarized. Safety advocates argue that tightening eligibility and enforcing strict standards protects roadways and ensures that drivers have lawful presence and proper documentation.

Critics contend that the pause and revocations reduce driver supply in an already tight labor market, threatening capacity, especially in sectors dependent on immigrant drivers. Economic ripple effects include potential delays in freight delivery and increased operational pressure on carriers.

For now, the legal battle continues. California maintains its corrective action plan is aimed at ensuring proper compliance and minimizing disruptions to its economy.

Federal regulators however have signaled they will continue to use funding leverage and enforcement remedies to ensure uniform adherence to national standards. What comes next may well reshape how non-domiciled CDL holders are licensed in the United States and how state-federal cooperation unfolds in one of the nations most vital transportation sectors.

Sources: FreightWaves / fmcsa.dot.gov
By Jonathan Stempel

Jan 28 (Reuters) - Google (GOOG) will pay $135 million to settle a proposed class action by smartphone users who accused Google of programming its Android operating system to collect their cellular data without permission.

A preliminary settlement with the Alphabet unit was filed late Tuesday night in the San Jose, California, federal court, and requires a judge's approval.

Google denied wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement, which covers users of Android-powered mobile devices since November 12, 2017.

Users said Google needlessly collected cellular data, which they purchased from mobile carriers, even when they closed Google's apps, disabled location-sharing or locked their screens.

They said the data supported Google's product development and targeted advertising campaigns and amounted to "conversion," when a party wrongfully takes another party's property with the intent to assert control.

As part of the settlement, Google will not transfer data without obtaining consent from Android users when they set up their phones.

The Mountain View, California-based company will also make it easier for users to stop the transfers by toggling, and will disclose the transfers in its Google Play terms of service.

Glen Summers, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a court filing he believed the $135 million payout is the largest ever in a conversion case. Payments are capped at $100 per class member. A damages expert for the plaintiffs estimated that potential damages could have reached $1.05 billion.

The lawsuit began in November 2020. A trial had been scheduled for August 5.

"We are pleased to resolve this case, which mischaracterized standard industry practices that keep Android safe," Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said in an email. "We're providing additional disclosures to give people more information about how our services work."

The plaintiffs' lawyers may seek up to $39.8 million, or 29.5% of the settlement fund, for legal fees.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York. Editing by Andrea Ricci and Mark Potter)
The mayor of a small town in the Philippines was attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade in an apparent assassination attempt and lived to tell the tale ... and it looks like his armored car saved his life.

Ya gotta see this crazy footage out of Shariff Aguak in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ... a white van stops on the side of the road, two men hop out with a rocket launcher and fire a grenade at the mayor's Toyota Land Cruiser.

Shariff Aguak Municipality via Storyful

The RPG explodes under the armored car, and a fireball leads to a huge cloud of smoke ... but the Toyota is able to drive away to safety!!!

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Mayor Akmad Ampatuan survived the attack ... but two of his security guards suffered minor abdominal injuries.

Shariff Aguak Municipality via Storyful

The dudes with the rocket launcher fled the scene and got into a shootout with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army in a nearby municipality. There were four men in the van, and three died in the shootout ... with one still at large.

Incredibly, this was the fourth assassination attempt against Mayor Ampatuan ... he's like President Trump on steroids.
ROAN MOUNTAIN, Tenn. (WJHL)  No injuries were reported after a house caught fire near Roan Mountain on Tuesday afternoon.

Multiple fire departments responded to the fire on Teaberry Road, a little over a mile from the Tennessee-North Carolina state line.

Firefighters arrived around 3:30 p.m., according to Roan Mountain Volunteer Fire Department Chief Dylen Markland.

No injuries, no casualties. Everybody made it out, Markland said. I believe it was one sole elderly male that actually lived here.

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The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Markland said the homeowner had reported seeing smoke coming from a wood furnace in the basement before the fire spread to the attic.

All seven county fire departments responded, along with three departments from North Carolina, the Carter County Highway Department, and EMS.

(WJHL) (WJHL) (WJHL) (WJHL) (WJHL) (WJHL)

Firefighters faced bitter cold and windy conditions, and Markland said the weather made the response more difficult.

We started out with icy roads this morning. Most of our trucks and apparatus had chains put on. You cant drive at full capacity, as far as the speed limit, with chains on, he said.

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Markland also said the response was affected by limited manpower and water supply.

And being in the daytime, were limited on personnel. So getting trucks in or out, people here, we was a couple trucks away from it being a better outcome, but at the end of the day, its water supplies are few and far between, and just manpower. Having limited people during the day has made it a struggle.

Markland said firefighters had to keep water moving to prevent it from freezing.

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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
The Trump administrations slapdash immigration enforcement keeps causing federal judges to speak out.

One of the most prominent recent examples came from Minnesota, where a conservative judge demanded that the acting U.S. immigration chief explain why he shouldnt be held in contempt. In that case, Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz went out of his way to note that he wasnt upset with the government lawyers, who he wrote have struggled mightily to ensure that officials comply with court orders.

A similarly scathing ruling just came out of Florida, but in that case, the judge ordered the lawyers involved to explain why they shouldnt be sanctioned.

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Like Schiltzs order in Minnesota, U.S. District Judge Roy Daltons ruling in Florida stemmed from the detention of an immigrant. In the latter case, the Obama-appointed Dalton had ordered the release of a high school student named Javier Gimenez Rivero, who had been living in Florida with his family for more than four years after they fled Venezuela. On Monday, Dalton published an order memorializing what he said during a hearing last week when he ordered Gimenez Riveros release.

He had a lot to say in his ruling  and it wasnt good for the government.

For one thing, the judge said the argument that he didnt have jurisdiction to hear Gimenez Riveros petition beggars belief and appears to deliberately mislead the Court about the law and the record. The government didnt fare better on the merits, with Dalton calling its position similarly ill-informed, incoherent and simply insupportable on all fronts.

The judge went further, reasoning that while Gimenez Riveros release provides him with the remedy he deserves, it doesnt remedy everything that happened in this Court.

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He pointed out that judges appointed by every president from Ronald Reagan through Donald Trump have said the governments interpretation of the legal question at issue is wrong. He wrote that the government is free to argue for expanding the interpretation of the law, but that its lawyers must make those arguments in a way that comports with their professional obligations, as lawyers have done since time immemorial: Cite the contrary binding authority and argue why its wrong. Dont hide the ball. Dont ignore the overwhelming weight of persuasive authority as if it wont be found. And dont send a sacrificial lamb to stand before this Court with a fistful of cases that dont apply and no cogent argument for why they should.

The judge concluded that Members of this Bar have a duty of candor to the Court but that the governments conduct in the case does not meet that standard. He wrote that U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Warner must show cause why they should not be sanctioned. He gave them until Feb. 9 to explain themselves in writing.

The judge wrote that his order resolves one of many cases flooding the courts in which the Government unlawfully detained a noncitizen who has been present in this country for years. He wrote, In this country, we dont enforce the law by breaking the law.

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The post Florida judge slams Trump DOJs incoherent immigration position, threatens sanctions appeared first on MS NOW.

This article was originally published on ms.now
Springfield, Ohio. (File skyline photo from Getty Images.)

Thousands of Haitians living in Ohio will lose their temporary protected status next week unless a federal court blocks it.

About 330,000 Haitians are living in the United States with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program that allows people from specific countries in conflict or facing natural disasters the chance to live and work in the United States for a set period of time.

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Haiti is currently plagued by gang violence and instability, with many fleeing the small Caribbean nation to the United States for their lives. Many of the refugees have no homes to return to in Haiti, and are fearful for their families safety if forced to return.

The Trump administration has set a date to end protected status for Haitians on Feb. 3, barring any action from a federal appellate court. This also means they will lose their work authorization, so they will no longer be authorized to work legally.

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At that point, they could potentially be arrested, detained, or put in removal proceedings unless they have already applied for some other form of relief they have in addition to TPS, or that they are applying for in addition to TPS, said Emily Brown, Ohio State University Moritz College of Laws Immigration Clinic Director.

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U.S. District Court Judge Ana C. Reyes will decide whether to suspend the expiration of the protected status for Haitians and her decision is expected Feb. 2.

About 30,000 Haitians with temporary status live in central Ohio and an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Haitians call Springfield home, with a mixture of temporary protected status, citizenship, and other legal status.

The folks are fearful, said Viles Dorsainvil, executive director of the Haitian Support Center in Springfield.

They came here just to work and send their kids to school and be here peacefully, said Dorsainvil, who came to the United States from Haiti in 2020.

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All of a sudden, they find themselves in another scenario where theyre not accepted They are panicked and the worst thing is that they cant even plan their lives for three months down the road.

Haitians with temporary status could apply for asylum, Brown said.

If they have a pending asylum application they have the right to apply for work authorization and to not be removed while theyre waiting for their application to be pending, she said.

Customers picking up food at Haitian restaurant Rose Goute Creole in Springfield, Ohio, in September 2024. (Photo by Nick Evans, Ohio Capital Journal)

However, the Trump administration put an indefinite freeze on processing all asylum applications at the end of 2025.

Theres a lot of concern that people may be put in detention while theyre waiting for their asylum hearings, and be taken away from their kids, their work, and their homes, said Ohio Immigrant Alliance Executive Director Lynn Tramonte.

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Haitians were initially granted temporary protected status after Haitis earthquake in 2010 killed 222,570 people. The Biden administration extended Temporary Protected Status to Haitians in 2021 after the assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise.

Gang violence, political instability, and hunger make it unsafe to return to Haiti.

A lot of people are afraid for their lives if they return to Haiti, so a lot of people are not just going to get on a plane and go to Haiti, Brown said.

Most people, I think, are staying and just trying to take their chances and see what happens. Its difficult to uproot your whole life like that, particularly when youre not sure where else to go because its not safe to go back to Haiti.

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Tramonte said it breaks her heart how Haitians have been looking for safety for years.

When do Haitians get to just stop running? she asked.

Some Haitians are going to Canada if they have a family member there, but many Haitians living in Springfield do not have any other alternatives, Dorsainvil said.

Nowhere is safe right now, he said.

There are concerns that protected status ending for Haitians could lead to an uptick in Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

My guess is that  ICE is going to be looking at areas of the country  including Springfield (and) parts of Columbus  where they know that large numbers of Haitians are here, and theyre going to be engaging in racial profiling, Brown said.

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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Ohio officials are expecting a 30-day ICE surge in Springfield starting Feb. 4.

The ACLU of Ohio urges state and local elected officials to do everything in their power to protect the 30,000 Haitians living in Central Ohio, said J. Bennett Guess, ACLU of Ohios Executive Director.

DeWine, who was born in Springfield, has said often talked about how the Haitian people are contributing to Springfields economy.

They are reliable, DeWine told reporters in December. They show up, they work, they want overtime, theyre reliable, and they pass drug tests.

Mike and his wife Fran DeWine help support the Becky DeWine School in Haiti, named after their late daughter, but the school had to close due to gang activity in 2024.

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Springfield Mayor Rob Rue is not providing interviews on this matter at this time, a spokesperson for the mayor said in an email response to the Capital Journal.

The Haitian Support Center director agrees with DeWine about the impact on the local economy if Haitians are forced to leave.

If it happens that those folks leave here, I think it will be felt economically (in Springfield), Dorsainvil said.

Springfield was in the national spotlight during the 2024 Presidential election when Vice President J.D. Vance started the false claim that Haitian immigrants who have moved to Springfield were eating cats and dogs.

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DeWine and state public safety officials debunked the claim, but President Donald Trump repeated the claim during a national debate.

That led to bomb threats against Springfield schools and City Hall, as well as threats of violence toward public officials and business owners, and neo-Nazis protesting in the city.

Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky.

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The 2025 federal government shutdown exposed the significant challenge facing the Ocean State's food pantries, says Rhode Island Community Food Bank CEO Melissa Cherney, shown at a Food Insecurity Awareness Day rally inside the State House Library on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

More than 102,000 Rhode Islanders needed help putting food on the table when federal food benefits were halted last November during the government shutdown  the highest number ever recorded by the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Thats according to the Providence-based nonprofits 2025 hunger report released Tuesday, which found that even before the federal shutdowns impact on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), one in three families across the Ocean State experienced food insecurity.

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Rhode Island households entered 2025 already under significant strain from rising housing, food, and health care costs, Melissa Cherney, the food banks CEO, wrote in the reports introduction. When the federal government shutdown occurred in the fall  disrupting federal nutrition programs in the process  it exposed just how fragile food security remains for tens of thousands of our neighbors.

Findings of the report were presented during a press conference Tuesday afternoon inside the State House library, coinciding with Food Insecurity Awareness Day to get legislative leaders on board with further funding the food banks operations.

We need meaningful policy change and robust investment to truly make change toward ending hunger, Cherney told the crowd.

Gov. Dan McKees proposed fiscal year 2027 budget would double general fund allocations to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank from $1 million to $2 million. Cherney encouraged state lawmakers in attendance to support.

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In the audience was House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi. He did not formally endorse McKees recommendation in his remarks to the crowd.

It will be under consideration as part of the budget proposal that will be adopted in June, House spokesperson Larry Berman said in a text message to Rhode Island Current.

Still Shekarchi spoke of the need to ensure residents get the food they need.

Its 2026, he said. And there are more people facing food insecurity than I can remember.

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is seen walking past food security advocates before speaking at a press conference on hunger across Rhode Island inside the State House Library on Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

While the House leader has not taken a formal stance on funding, a proposal recently introduced by a lawmaker whose district includes the food bank would allocate even more to the nonprofit than what McKee has called for.

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The resolution sponsored by Rep. Scott Slater, a Providence Democrat, calls on the state to provide $3 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

We will not abandon the hungry in Rhode Island, Slater told the crowd. We will continue to work together and not rest until every Rhode Islander can go to sleep at night with a full stomach and without the stress of wondering when their next meal will come.

Companion legislation is sponsored in the Senate by Tiara Mack, a Providence Democrat. Mack told the crowd securing funding is especially personal for her as someone who grew up in a food insecure household.

We all have a food story, she said. Each and every one of us is closer today than wed like to admit  and should be comfortable with  to living with food insecurity.

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Slater and Macks bills were referred to their chambers respective finance committees, which have yet to hold an initial hearing for either piece of legislation.

A copy of the Rhode Island Community Food Banks 2025 hunger report rests on the lap of an advocate during a State House press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

Federal action delays release

The annual report listing how many households across the state struggle to afford adequate meals and receive food assistance is typically released around Thanksgiving, relying on data compiled by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and the Brown University School of Public Health as part of its annual RI Life Index survey.

That data is collected from surveys conducted between March through July.

Because the RI Life Index survey data preceded the 43-day federal government shutdown that triggered severe SNAP disruptions last fall, it does not capture the full picture of need.Demand across the charitable food network increased later in the year, underscoring how quickly food insecurity can worsen when federal support is disrupted, the report states.

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Connecting for Children and Families in Woonsocket, saw an increase of 50 new families every day because of the government shutdown, its executive director, Erin Spaulding, said. That was on top of the 250 regulars who were already using the organizations food pantry on a weekly basis.

Its the highest demand weve ever seen  its not OK, she said. Its unconscionable.

SNAP benefits are now guaranteed through Sept. 30, the end of the federal fiscal year, but concerns over food security remain. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law last July by President Donald Trump makes extensive changes to the federal program.

The new law imposes work requirements on adult SNAP recipients who are capable of working and are younger than 64 and without dependents younger than 14. Previously, those with dependents 18 or younger and those older than 54 were not subject to SNAP work requirements.

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It also removes exemptions for people experiencing homelessness, veterans and former foster youth under the age of 25.

Those subject to work requirements must work at least 80 hours a month, or be participating in education, training or volunteer work to receive SNAP benefits for longer than three months within a three-year period.

The new law also cuts off refugees and asylum seekers from federal food assistance. In Rhode Island, an estimated 2,300 people will lose SNAP benefits due to their immigration status starting Feb. 1, according to an Oct. 30 report by the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

Taken together, these changes are expected to increase demand on the charitable food system at a time when it is already operating at or beyond capacity, the food banks report states.

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Altogether, Cherney projects around 19,000 Rhode Islanders will either be off SNAP or face significant rollbacks. As of December, the report noted 137,753 residents in the Ocean State received SNAP benefits.

With the incoming federal fallout in mind, the food banks report recommends state officials increase investment toward hunger relief, create a task force on food insecurity, and fully prepare for SNAP changes.

Hunger is solvable, Cherney said Thursday. If anyone can do it, we can do it here in Rhode Island.

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The Kent County Prosecutors Office on Wednesday charged Traci Kornak, an attorney who once served as the Michigan Democratic Partys treasurer and is an associate of Attorney General Dana Nessel, with the embezzlement of money from a vulnerable adult to whom she was a conservator, charges that could net Kornak up to 15 years in prison.

Chris Becker, the countys prosecutor, held a press conference Wednesday morning to announce that Kornak was being charged with two counts of embezzlement of a vulnerable adult and a charge for false pretenses, according to both The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.

Kornaks new legal troubles come after years of speculation and scrutiny from independent reporters, including former Detroit News reporter Charlie LeDuff, and Republican legislators who have drawn a line connecting dots to Kornak, the Democratic Party and Nessel.

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Kornak was the partys treasurer between 2019 and the spring of 2025. She was a member of Nessels transition committee when she was elected to office in 2018.

LeDuff and Republican members of the state House have for years accused Nessel and her office for burying an investigation into Kornaks alleged abuse, which quietly wrapped up in 2022.

On Tuesday, Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township), the chair of the House Oversight Committee, said that the Michigan Attorney Generals office is either wholly incompetent or it is corrupt in a hearing of the Oversight Committee on ethics violations allegedly committed by Nessel.

AG spokesperson Kimberly Bush told the Advance on Tuesday, in an email request for comment that the committee continues to conflate the Attorney Generals investigation with subsequent, separate investigations by other agencies that were predicated on separate allegations made by different complainants involving a different victim, that began only after the Attorney Generals investigation was concluded.

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The attorney generals office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday regarding the new charges against Kornak in Kent County.



Nessels office did open an investigation after LeDuff wrote about the issue in the summer of 2022, and a conflict wall was set up to isolate Nessel from the case. However, the case was requested to be closed later in the fall.

DeBoyer said Becker made the right decision.

What we saw yesterday in our Oversight Committee hearing was evidence of years of misconduct and financial exploitation involving a vulnerable individual, and it was allowed to continue because of the inaction from Dana Nessel and her office when it came to closing this case at the state level and walking away from it in 2022, DeBoyer said in a statement. Whether that was through sheer incompetence or a conflict of interest regarding her relationship with Traci Kornak, AG Nessel fell short in her responsibilities. Just because this was a successive investigation doesnt mean the AG did her job. It means someone else did her job for her.


The Hamilton County Justice Center inmate who investigators say was struck with a belt by a corrections officer has filed a federal lawsuit saying the officer used excessive force and he then suffered weeks of retaliation.

Chad Warren is suing Hamilton County, Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey, officer Jordan Anderson and approximately 25 other corrections officers and officials.

Anderson is the corrections officer accused of using his belt to hit Warren. He was arrested in November and charged with misdemeanor assault. His case is still pending in court.

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Sheriff's office spokeswoman Kyla Woods said Jan. 28 that Anderson has since been terminated from his job.

"Regarding the investigation into the actions of now former deputy Jordan Anderson, as soon as we were made ware of the incident, and in accordance with the sheriff's office transparency policy, we immediately released the video and charged him with assault," McGuffey said in a statement.

"All of the facts surrounding this incident will be brought out in a court of law," she said. "Because this case is in litigation, the sheriff's office cannot comment further at this time."

The lawsuit states that following the beating, Warren was denied medical attention and suffered a fractured spine that was either caused by or exacerbated by the attack. It states he was denied water for two full days, segregated from the general population, threatened with more attacks, cussed at and denied access to court.

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This lawsuit makes clear that no one is above the law, said Solomon Radner, civil rights attorney at Radner Law Group, who is representing Warren. When someone entrusted with power chooses to abuse it, the justice system must respond. Our client deserves accountability, and we intend to ensure he receives exactly that.

Radner said the reactions of other officers and blatant retaliation that happened without challenge shows the department has a defacto policy to ignore this behavior by correction's officers.

"It's inconceivable to me that this was not an intentional blind eye," he said. "It's your practices that allowed this to happen."

What happened

According to the lawsuit, Anderson and another officer grabbed Warren on his way to work in the jail kitchen. The officer asked Anderson what he "wanted to do with Chad."

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"I got something for him," Anderson said according to the lawsuit.

"Anderson removed his county issued uniform belt and struck (the inmate) two times in the lower back/buttock region," according to court documents from Anderson's case.

The federal lawsuit states the assault lasted for 20 seconds and that three other officers laughed as it was happening.

Warren said he was laughed at again later in the day when he told two corrections officers that he wanted to speak to a sergeant and a lieutenant about what happened. Eventually, Warren filed a complaint through the jail kiosk and that night another officer came to take his statement.

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The lawsuit states Warren was moved to the Reading Road treatment facility Nov. 20, the day after the beating. While there, he was given a victims form, but two pages of it were left out and had already been filled out by someone else.

On Nov. 24, Warren was asked to sign a form stating he was "safe around other deputies and inmates," the lawsuit states.

"(Warren) refused to sign the paper, so they brought him back to the jail and put Warren in protective custody, over (Warren's) objection," the lawsuit states. The officers said Warren was suicidal.

The lawsuit states that a nurse evaluated Warren and found he wasn't suicidal, but he was still placed in administrative segregation. Warren's lawyers said the official reason was for Warren's safety, but really it was retaliation.

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During another confrontation with officer, Warren said he was unnecessarily placed in restraints and a dirty, used spit hood. He said he was repeatedly called derogatory names by a corrections officer and was told once he would be beaten again "for my buddy Anderson."

Warren said he requested medical attention for his back several times, but was denied it. He said that when he finally saw a doctor, his fractured spine was discovered.

In January, Warren was due in court multiple times, but jail staff falsely reported that he refused to go or was in a fight on three separate dates, the suit states. On Jan. 8, he was permitted to go to court and was then released from jail by the judge.

Attorney Alex Straus, of Milberg, who is also representing Warren, said the case has a broader significance.

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The allegations in this lawsuit reflect a breakdown of basic professional and moral duties, Straussaid. Public trust depends on transparency and accountability. Those who wield authority mustbe held to the highest standards."

What's next

The federal lawsuit will be assigned to a judge in the coming weeks.

Warren is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He is also seeking an order that requires Hamilton County to implement policies and training to prevent others from going through what he went through.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Former inmate says he was struck with a belt, denied water
The Brief

Patty Durand will not be prosecuted.

The case involved a notebook labeled "Georgia Power trade secrets."

DA Fani Willis said there wasnt enough evidence to prosecute.

ATLANTA - A former Public Service Commission candidate and vocal Georgia Power critic who was arrested for allegedly stealing trade secrets will not be prosecuted, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.

PREVIOUS STORY: Georgia Power critic arrested for allegedly stealing trade secrets

What we know

Footage from a regulatory hearing last October showed Patty Durand grab a notebook labeled "Georgia Power trade secrets" and put it in her purse. She voluntarily returned it to law enforcement that day and spent two days in jail.

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Durand had been facing between one and five years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.

But in a decision filed last week in Fulton County Superior Court, District Attorney Fani Willis said there was not enough evidence to prosecute. Durand reportedly completed 40 hours of community service and a theft awareness class.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  A former West Jordan Police officer has been sentenced to over 100 years in prison for sexually abusing two young children.

James Michael Harvie, 38, was convicted of five counts of first-degree felony aggravated sexual abuse of a child and two counts of first-degree felony sodomy on a child during a jury trial in December 2025. He was found not guilty of three counts of first-degree felony rape of a child.

On Monday, Harvie was sentenced to 125 years to life for the crimes. He received 15 years to life for each count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and 25 years to life for each count of sodomy on a child. The sentences are to run consecutively.

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PREVIOUSLY: Former West Jordan police officer accused of violating probation

Harvie was formerly a West Jordan Police officer but was arrested by the Saratoga Springs Police Department for domestic violence in 2016 and was placed on administrative leave. After pleading guilty to aggravated assault in 2017, he was removed from the force.

The unconscionable behavior of the defendant justifies the sentence he is now facing. We appreciate the judge acknowledging the abhorrent behavior of the defendant through this sentence that will likely keep him behind bars and away from the children of our community for the rest of his life, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill is quoted in a press release.

The charges were initially filed in 2023. According to court documents, two children under the age of 14 reported being sexually abused by Harvie on multiple occasions while he was dating their mother years prior. One child reported the abuse happened in 2017 and 2018 while their mother was at work, and they were alone with Harvie.

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We appreciate the work of our prosecutors Danna Radford and Chris Alberico, our support staff, and our social worker Jaynie Palmer, who worked with survivors in this case throughout the criminal justice process. We also appreciate the investigation done by the Unified Police Department, which helped ensure this outcome, Gill stated.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
France has abandoned its opposition to classifying Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, shortly before EU foreign ministers meet to discuss new sanctions on Tehran linked to a crackdown on mass protests in recent weeks.

France's decision, announced by Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Wednesday evening, could lead to an agreement on the designation at the EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday.

France supports the inclusion of the IRGC on the European Union's list of terrorist organizations, Barrot wrote on X. He cited the "unbearable oppression of the peaceful uprising of the Iranian people," saying this could not go unanswered.

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"Their incredible courage in the face of the violence that has been blindly unleashed upon them must not be in vain," he added.

The IRGC is accused of playing a key role in the brutal suppression of the demonstrations that have swept the country, which reports suggest killed between 3,000 and 10,000 protesters since late December.

Designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization would be largely symbolic, as the group is already sanctioned by the EU for human rights violations.

The move, which requires unanimity among the bloc's 27 members, has been discussed for years but has met with resistance from certain states, including France, Spain and Italy.

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Italy and Spain have also signalled their approval of the step in recent days.

France previously argued aginst the move, noting that the IRGC is already subject to EU sanctions, but its reluctance has also been linked to the fate of two French citizens stranded in Iran and fears of negative repercussions.

Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, both teachers, were detained in Iran in 2022 and sentenced in October to 17 and 20 years in prison on espionage charges.

The couple has since been released from prison but is waiting at the French embassy in Tehran for approval to leave the country.
Iran is often described as a sleeping economic giant. The country of over 85 million people holds vast oil and gas reserves, as well as occupying a strategic location linking the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe. Even so, the nation trades far below its potential because of decades of sanctions.

The scale and persistence of the recent protest movement has revived hopes of a future inflection point  one that could force a political break and, eventually, a reopening to trade. If that happened, the consequences would extend far beyond Irans borders.

After decades of isolation, the country could be re-plugged into the global financial system. Banks could reconnect to SWIFT, oil exports could flow without restraint, and foreign direct investment could return at scale. This would not merely be a domestic recovery. It would be a shock powerful enough to reorder trade, energy, and capital flows across the Middle East.

A one-year shock

In the immediate aftermath of any diplomatic or political breakthrough, the lifting of sanctions would likely trigger a rapid rebound  like a tightly wound coil suddenly being released.

Irans non-oil trade, long capped at around $100bn (85bn), could expand sharply. Estimates of latent capacity run as high as $182bn (155bn) once restrictions are removed, although this figure is exposed to a number of variables.

A key early driver would be Irans reconnection to the SWIFT global payments system. Under sanctions, transaction costs have been pushed higher through informal and shadow-banking channels. Restoring normal access could cut those costs, unleashing pent-up demand and fuelling an import surge in the first year  particularly for capital goods, industrial machinery, and higher-end consumer products needed to modernise Irans ageing infrastructure.

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Early regional spillovers

The regional effects could be swift, and Turkey, as Irans main land gateway, would be among the first beneficiaries. Rising demand for Turkish consumer goods and services could notably translate into a tourism boost.

Iranians previously constrained by currency controls  and still facing visa hurdles for Europe  would be expected to travel in larger numbers to Istanbul and Antalya.

At the same time, European and American cultural tourists could slowly begin returning to Iran.

Analysts estimate that within the first year, 57% of Turkeys cultural tourism market could tilt towards destinations such as Isfahan and Shiraz. With a large portion of Irans aircraft grounded due to ageing fleets, Turkish airlines would likely step in, adding daily routes.
Jan. 27Fire officials have not yet determined the cause of a fire that destroyed a Fulton apartment building Sunday morning.

Firefighters from nine departments battled the blaze at 201 11th Ave. throughout the day in wind chills as low as 14 degrees below zero.

The fire was called in shortly before 7:30 a.m., Fulton Fire Chief Eric Burden said, adding that all occupants were out of the building when firefighters arrived. No residents or firefighters were injured in the fire.

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The Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office was on scene Sunday to determine the cause of the fire. Burden said Tuesday the fire's cause is described as "undetermined."

Commonly known as the Martin Hotel, the building was constructed in 1854 by Bradstreet Robinson. The structure was among the oldest in the city.

The building's residents stayed at the AmercInn in Fulton after the fire. Burden said the American Red Cross also was called in to assist the families, and community members have coordinated an effort to collect clothes and items for the families.
As President Donald Trump heads to Iowa Tuesday, a grassroots conservative coalition calling itself "MAGA United" is urging the president to stay out of the Hawkeye States gubernatorial race, at least for now.

While in Iowa, Trump is expected to talk about the economy and tout his administrations agenda. However, some conservative activists in Iowa fear that the president will also endorse Rep. Randy Feenstra, a Republican and close Trump ally who surged in early campaign fundraising, raking in $4.3 million through roughly 2,000 individual contributions in seven months of campaigning and has been touting his "MAGA" bonafides.

Whoever wins the governorship in Iowa this November will be a key player in the next presidential election cycle, when national attention will surge to Des Moines ahead of the Iowa caucuses in the race to replace President Donald Trump.

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Feenstra, who is currently serving his third term in the House of Representatives, has positioned himself as a strong Trump ally. Ahead of Trumps visit to the state he wrote an op-ed saying, "Trump delivered for Iowans, over and over, in his first year," which marked the 1-year anniversary of Trump being in office. He has also been endorsed by top Iowa Republicans, including Iowa Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa.

"Randy Feenstra is a champion for Iowa values  fiscal responsibility, defending life, and supporting farmers and rural communities. I'm proud to endorse Randy Feenstra for governor because I know he delivers for Iowa," Cournoyer said.

Billy Fuerst, a Feenstra campaign spokesman, told Fox News Digital that the congressman "is the only conservative in the race for Iowa Governor whos had the Presidents back and actually voted to implement President Trumps America First agenda."

Read On The Fox News App

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Feenstra, who is the frontrunner in the Iowa gubernatorial race, accompanied the president aboard Air Force One on his trip to Des Moines on Tuesday, marking the second time in roughly six months that Feenstra has traveled with the president on Air Force One, with the last time being when Trump signed a set of working families tax cuts that Feenstra helped write and promote in the House.

Fuerst emphasized Feenstra's record of working with Trump, saying, "Randy voted to secure the border, unleash Iowa energy production, and pass the largest tax cuts for working families in U.S. history."

"Thats real, conservative leadership for Iowa, and Congressman Feenstra will keep working with the President to defeat the Radical Left and keep Iowa red."

However, some Iowa conservatives are not convinced by Feenstras overtures to Trump and believe that he does not reflect the priorities of the conservative base. MAGA United launched an online plea to the president called "No endorsement for Feenstra," which has garnered over 250 signatures, including from some influential Iowa Republicans.

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The petition states that by keeping himself out of the primary race, Trump would "keep the Iowa GOP primary fair, open, and decided by Iowans alone."

Former Des Moines Schools Chief Pleads Guilty To Falsely Claiming Us Citizenship And Gun Charge

"As proud Iowa Republicans and supporters of President Trump, we are launching this grassroots petition to respectfully ask President Trump to refrain from endorsing any candidateincluding Randy Feenstrain the 2026 Republican primary for Iowa governor," the petition states, adding, "Iowa Republicans deserve the opportunity to fully vet and choose our nominee through the democratic process without external influence tipping the scales prematurely."

Among those signed onto the petition are Iowa state Rep. Jason Gearhart, Cass County Republicans member Fritz Baier, former Johnston County school board candidate Lori Stiles and longtime GOP operative Sean Sebourn. Several current and former candidates also appear among the signatories. Stacy Besch, a former Iowa state Senate candidate and human trafficking advocate, is listed, as is Jennifer Duggan, a Muscatine school board candidate. Also listed is Heath Hansen, an Audubon County supervisor who also serves as the county GOP chair.

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The signees expressed support for an array of other candidates, but each universally opposed a Trump endorsement.

Sebourn, a former Greene County GOP chair, who previously worked as a Republican tracker, told Fox News Digital that he signed the petition to keep Trump from endorsing Feenstra because "I just don't think that he's a worthy candidate for governor."

Trump Vows To Take Out Indiana Gop Leader Over Redistricting Fight

Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, walks down the House steps of the Capitol on Thursday, May 18, 2023. (Getty Images)

He said that there is a "night and day" difference between Feenstra and other candidates, saying, "With the real, true MAGA conservatives that are running for the position of governor of Iowa, I think that Trump will be wise enough and smart enough to not endorse."

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Iowa independent journalist Chuck Offenberger reported in August that Sebourn said he would go so far as to "endorse and put a sign for" Democratic candidate Rob Sand Rob in his yard if Feenstra became the Republican gubernatorial nominee.

Perhaps most politically significant is the appearance of Stiles, a Johnston school board candidate who received backing from Bob Vander Plaats and The Family Leader, a prominent evangelical conservative organization in Iowa. Vander Plaats has played an influential role in conservative politics in the state, particularly among faith-based voters, and his network has historically carried weight in both caucus and down-ballot races.

Vander Plaats and The Family Leader have not yet issued official endorsements in the Iowa gubernatorial race and did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Stiles told Fox News Digital that she signed the petition because "I have confidence that the grassroots people of Iowa know all 5 Gubernatorial candidates, or will get to know them," between now and the primary election on June 2.

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"President Trump's endorsement carries weight and  could tip the scales in favor of one who Iowans don't necessarily favor," she said.

"I simply prefer to allow Iowans to decide, without ANY of the 5 receiving a 'Trump-endorsement-advantage," she went on, adding, "The candidates' own efforts, track records, qualifications and vision for Iowa's future should, in my opinion, be the main, dare I say only, consideration when they cast their vote."

In an all-caps message to Fox News Digital, Baier wrote, "I DO NOT WANT AN [sic] HAND PICKED ESTABLISHMENT CANDIDATE."

White House Race Underway: With 2026 Looming, Both Parties Are Already Playing For 2028

President Donald Trump at the America250 rally in Des Moines, Iowa.

Gearhart, a first-term member of the Iowa House of Representatives, echoed this sentiment, telling Fox News Digital that his decision to sign the petition "stems from the belief that Iowa Republicans should have the autonomy to choose their representative for governor without external influence from Washington, D.C."

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"A Trump endorsement could potentially overshadow other candidates who might be more suitable for the role," he said, adding, "While I don't know Congressman Feenstra personally, I have spoken with many members of his district, including state representatives who refer to him as the absent congressman."

"In my view, while President Trump is entitled to express his opinions, I believe the primary process should unfold naturally, free from external influences," said Gearhart.

"I'm sure Representative Feenstra is a great guy and I am certainly not saying anything negative against him," Duggan told Fox News Digital, while noting that "his previous patterns of doing business is not what Iowans are currently needing at this time."

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting.

Addressing Trump directly, Duggan said, "President Trump, if a person needs a wrench and you give them a screwdriver, it doesn't mean that the screwdriver is no good, it's just not the right tool for the current job that needs done. Lets let the people of Iowa decide on which Republican candidate is best to represent Iowa's kids and families and their future so we can continue to make America great again."

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Whether the effort succeeds in shaping Trumps involvement remains to be seen. Trump has not commented publicly on Feenstra or the petition, and it remains unclear whether he is considering an endorsement in the race.





Original article source: GOP campaign touts MAGA bonafides as critics urge Trump not to endorse in key primary: 'Keep Iowa red'
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said officials are preparing for a potential surge in immigration enforcement when thousands of Haitians in Springfield lose their legal status overnight.

On Feb. 3, more than 500,000 Haitians nationwide are expected to lose temporary protected status, which allows immigrants from dangerous countries to stay in the United States. Springfield is home to an estimated 15,000 Haitians  about one-fourth of its population  and another 30,000 live in central Ohio.

DeWine said he doesn't know for sure whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement will send officers to Springfield after TPS expires. But he's talked with Clark County police and school district officials to plan for the possibility.

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"If ICE does in fact come in, comes in with a big operation, obviously we have to work this thing through and make sure people don't get hurt," DeWine told the statehouse bureau Jan. 27.

Flyers with information about temporary protected status written in Haitian Creole hang outside Beauty Depot in Springfield in 2025.

Springfield found itself in the national spotlight during the 2024 presidential election, when President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance falsely claimed that Haitians were eating pets. DeWine has defended the Haitian community and contends the end of TPS will hurt the local economy and risk the safety of people forced to return to Haiti.

DeWine said he's also concerned that children's services could become overwhelmed if parents are detained by ICE.

"I don't think its in our interest in this country for all the Haitians who are working, who are sometimes working two jobs, supporting their family, supporting the economy, I think its a mistake to tell these individuals you can no longer work and have to leave the country," he said.

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DeWine's comments came days after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti amid protests over ICE's presence in Minneapolis. DeWine declined to comment on ICE operations outside Ohio but called on everyone to follow the law and respect the rights of protesters, should ICE arrive in Springfield.

"Everybody should have the same objective, and the same objective is to allow people to demonstrate, allow people to exercise their First Amendment rights, but at the same time, people cannot interfere in what is a lawful action by ICE," DeWine said. "They can't do that. Whether we agree with the policy or not is just a different question."

State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@usatodayco.com or @haleybemiller on X.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio could see ICE surge in Springfield after Haitian TPS expires
Gov. Maura T. Healey proposed her budget for fiscal year 2027 Wednesday, Jan. 28  and its over $2 billion more than last years.

The proposal partly relies on revenue generated from the Fair Share surtax, often called the millionaires tax, to bump spending nearly 4%, from about $60.9 in FY26 to around $63 billion in fiscal 2027.

This budget is about making life easier and more affordable for Massachusetts residents and businesses, Healey said in a statement. At a time when budgets across the country are tight, this proposal maximizes our resources to deliver on what matters most while controlling spending, protecting taxpayer dollars and driving economic growth.

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The proposal comes as Massachusetts faces federal funding cuts from the Trump administration and just a week after Healey announced her reelection campaign.

Massachusetts State House

The proposal, which would cover the fiscal year beginning July 1, needs to be approved by the Legislature to take effect. The House and Senate will create their own plans this spring and the final budget should be approved by the summer. But heres what to know about the proposal as it currently stands:

Health care: No more coverage for GLP-1 drugs

MassHealth has already seen higher spending in recent years, according to the governors office, and the costs are likely to rise as President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill reduced federal funding for state Medicaid programs like MassHealth.

Healeys proposal would set MassHealths budget at $22.7 billion, but it also attempts to put the program on more sustainable footing through things like targeted service reductions.

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One of these would be eliminating coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Other states, like Rhode Island, are also taking aim at the drug to slow ballooning costs.

The proposal would also let MassHealth cap adult dental benefits at $1,000 per year.

More money for the MBTA

The governors plan would provide $2.54 billion for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, including $470 million from the so-called millionaires tax.

The funding fully addresses the Ts deficit and allows them to continue making progress on improving safety and reliability, the governors announcement said.

The budget also gives around $900 million for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, including $85 million for snow and ice removal.

New taxes? Tax credits?

Despite the increase in budget, Healey said that there will be no new taxes or fees.

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While President Trump is cutting federal funding and driving up costs, were focused on making a positive difference in peoples lives  and were doing it without any new taxes, she said.

Healey is creating two new tax credits: Massachusetts farmers who donate excess food to food banks and pantries would be eligible for a $5,000 tax credit, and airlines that use sustainable fuel will receive a credit from Fair Share funding.

Housing, education and extras

The proposal allots $13.2 billion for the Office of Education including nearly $200 million for universal free school meals and $550 million for the Student Opportunity Act.

It also gives $1.2 billion to the Office of Housing and Livable Communities to combat housing affordability issues in the state.

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Massachusetts budgets also tend to include new regulations. This year, Healey has proposed authorizing the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to enforce speed limits through speed cameras, requiring rape kits to be stored for a minimum of 15 years and making it easier to cancel online subscriptions.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Healey's $63 billion budget: Cuts GLP-1s, adds tax credits, MBTA funds
The government decided in December to close the 75-year-old military broadcaster, following a committees recommendation and months of pressure from Defense Minister Israel Katz.

A packed hearing - the first in the case - opened at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on Wednesday to examine the legality of the governments decision to shutter Army Radio.

The hearing is being heard before Justices Dafna Barak-Erez, Alex Stein, and Yechiel Kasher.

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The government decided in December to shut down the 75-year-old military broadcaster, citing the recommendations of a professional committee, after Defense Minister Israel Katz had pushed for the move for several months.

The decision included two operative directives: an immediate halt to the assignment of new military positions to the station, and the initiation of a process to transfer existing personnel to other posts within theIDF, alongside the preparation of severance arrangements for external contractors.

The decision was set to take effect on March 1, but its implementation was frozen by an interim order issued by the court.

The hearing in the Supreme Court in Jerusalem to examine the legality of the governments decision to shutter Army Radio on Wednesday January 28, 2026. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

Since then, and ahead of Wednesdays hearing, five petitioners have consolidated their legal challenges against the move.

A dangerous step in the current political climate

Notably, the attorney generals office - which would ordinarily represent the government in such proceedings - has concluded that the decision was taken without proper authority and warned that it constitutes a dangerous step in the current legislative and political climate.

The government, for its part, has argued that the decision falls squarely within its authority, that efforts to close the station predate the current administration, and that there is no justification for continued public funding of a news outlet which, according to its position, has repeatedly contradicted official state policy.
The World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, kicked off on Jan. 19, but, as Euronews reported, the leaders gathered might undermine their own key messaging.

In 2026, the overarching topic at Davos was a spirit of dialogue, with five major "themes" laid out by the WEF.

One of those five focuses was: "How can we build prosperity within planetary boundaries?"

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Planetary boundaries refer to a scientific and sustainability-focused framework established in 2009, defining nine discrete limits to human activity that exceed what the "Earth's natural system can handle."

Europe's Sustainability Guide put the concept in layman's terms: "We would need at least three planets if everyone lived and consumed like the average European today."

One-fifth of the 2026 meeting in Davos ostensibly focused on sustainable growth and the WEF's assertion that "resilient ecosystems enable long-term economic and social opportunity and stability."

However, as Euronews observed, attendees didn't seem in a hurry to adopt sustainable practices themselves.

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The outlet cited a Greenpeace report, "Davos in the Sky," published Jan. 12. It examined private jet travel to Davos between 2023 and 2025 and identified "one private jet flight per four WEF participants" in 2025.

Private jet use linked with Davos is not news; the annual event is notorious for the number of noncommercial planes traveling to and from it.

Likewise, the immense toll private aviation takes on the planet is no secret; the nongovernmental organization Oxfam has long warned that the actions of the super-wealthy far outstrip those of the average person in terms of their impact on the planet.

"It would take the average U.K. citizen almost 11 years to emit as much carbon" as one round-trip private jet flight from London to New York City does, Oxfam warned.

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According to the group, the wealthiest 1% of people are responsible for enough harmful carbon pollution to cause "1.3 million excess deaths due to heat."

While Greenpeace's report focused on 2023, 2024, and 2025, Business Insider counted "at least 157 private jets" have landed in Davos this year using publicly accessible tools, and it remained possible their accounting was incomplete.

Greenpeace has called on governments to curtail private jet travel and to tax the ultrarich to offset the environmental damage they inflict.

Greenpeace Austria's Herwig Schuster was quoted by Euronews on Davos attendees' avoidance of lower-impact travel options.

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"It's pure hypocrisy that the world's most powerful and superrich elite discuss global challenges and progress in Davos while they literally burn the planet with the emissions of their private jets," Schuster remarked.

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French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday a standoff with the United States over Greenland was "a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe" as he hosted the leaders of Denmark and the Danish autonomous territory for talks.

European powers have sought to join forces after US President Donald Trump roiled the transatlantic alliance by threatening to seize strategically-located and mineral-rich Greenland.

Speaking alongside the prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland, Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Macron said the "awakening" must focus "on asserting our European sovereignty, on our contribution to Arctic security, on the fight against foreign interference and disinformation, and on the fight against global warming."

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He reaffirmed to Frederiksen and Nielsen France's solidarity and "its commitment to your sovereignty and territorial integrity."

"France will continue to defend these principles in accordance with the United Nations Charter," he added, expressing his support for increased NATO engagement in the Arctic.

"Greenland is not for sale, nor is it up for grabs. The Greenlanders will decide their own future," Macron said in the indigenous Greenlandic language.

He then switched to Danish, telling the prime minister that France would "be side-by-side" with the "Kingdom of Denmark".

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In a gesture of solidarity, a modest number of military personnel were deployed to Greenland this month by a handful of European countries including France.

After European pushback, Trump backed down on the threat to take Greenland, which is located between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, by military force.

On Tuesday, the French navy flagship, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, set course for the Atlantic for pre-planned military exercises. Sources familiar with the matter told AFP that the carrier was being deployed to the North Atlantic.

- 'Greenland will never forget' -

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Frederiksen said that recent weeks had shown that Europe can stand up for itself.

"The world order as we have known it is under pressure, it's changing rapidly," she added. "Maybe it's gone."

Nielsen, 34, thanked Macron for "standing by us without hesitation."

"We will in Greenland never forget it," he said.

He said cooperation with France was not only about Greenland.

"It goes beyond Greenland," Nielsen said. "For us, this is about the values in the world, our democracy."

Speaking earlier Wednesday, Frederiksen said that Europe needed to improve its defences "now" to become less reliant on the United States for military protection.

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On Monday, NATO chief Mark Rutte told EU lawmakers to "keep on dreaming" if they thought Europe could defend itself without the United States.

In response to Rutte's comments, Frederiksen conceded it would be "extremely difficult" for Europe to defend itself now.

"Because when you look at intelligence, nuclear weapons, and so on, we depend on the US," she said at Sciences Po university.

"But I think we're able to do more than what is being said publicly right now."

As for a 2035 target to ramp up spending on NATO, she said: "I'm sorry to say it would be too late."

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"I think rearming ourselves now is the most important thing."

NATO members committed to raising defence and security spending last year to five percent of their economic output, following on from an earlier target of two percent by 2024, after pressure from the US government.

On Tuesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosted Frederiksen in Berlin and assured her of Germany's solidarity.

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Nearly a week after interpretive panels about enslaved people were removed from the President's House on Independence Mall, a local advocacy group is vowing to fight to have the displays restored.

Action News has learned that the panels are in the custody of the National Park Service and are being held in storage at the National Constitution Center.

It comes as the Secretary of the Interior filed a motion in court on Wednesday afternoon against a lawsuit filed by the City of Philadelphia.

READ MORE | Philadelphia to hold public hearing after removal of slavery exhibits

That lawsuit alleges that the federal government didn't have the authority to remove panels from the President's House. In a court filing by the Department of the Interior, officials opposed Philadelphia's lawsuit, saying the city has not substantiated its claim that removal of the panels will cause "irreparable harm."

People visit the President's House: Freedom and Slavery in Making a New Nation exhibit in the historic district of Philadelphia, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010. (AP Photo)

Members of the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition marched to the site on Wednesday, where the outlines of the torndown exhibits remain visible on the walls. The group also launched a 30-day campaign titled "Tell the Truth. Restore our History."

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For many visitors, the memorial that once stood at the site had long been a powerful reminder of the nine enslaved people held there by President George Washington.

"This has always been one of my favorite historic sites. Very moving. Very truthful," said one visitor, who added that the feeling is much different now that the stories have been removed. "My heart is breaking."

SEE ALSO | Philadelphia sues over removal of memorial honoring people enslaved by George Washington

Philly sues over removal of slavery exhibits at President's House

The coalition gathered to protest the removal of the displays, which were taken down last week under a directive from the Trump administration to eliminate exhibits deemed "disparaging" to American history.

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Michael Coard, of the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, said, "There's only one place in Philadelphia where Black folks were held on federal property: 6th and Market (site of President George Washington's former home)."

Coard, who helped push for the memorial's creation, noted that the coalition worked with the city and the administration of President George W. Bush to establish the site, which opened in 2010.

READ MORE | Slavery exhibits at President's House in Philadelphia removed after Trump administration directive

Some demonstrators condemned the removal.

"Tearing down those signs was a disgrace," said Barbara Patrizzi of Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

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Kevin Taylor, also of Cherry Hill, said, "The fact that African Americans have been a part of this city and this nation since day one."

The coalition plans to join the city's lawsuit and intends to seek additional legal action.

"We are supporting and pushing a preliminary injunction," Coard said. "The foundation of a preliminary injunction is that the victims will suffer irreparable harm. The removal of the interpretative panels at 6th and Market is irreparable harm."

Freddie Brown of West Philadelphia urged the crowd to continue pressing forward.

"Stand up. We the people. We're not taking no more. Not taking no more," he said.

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Demonstrators said their efforts are aimed at both restoring and protecting the President's House site.

"It's important that our kids are able to see that we stood up and that we fought against this. Because this is what they are going to read in history one day as well," said Alyssa Bigbee of West Philadelphia.

As far as the locations being held in storage at the National Constitution Center, the court filing states, "They will remain in storage at this location pending the outcome of this lawsuit."

The Department of the Interior also sent a statement to Action News that reads in part, "Claims that parks are erasing history or removing signs wholesale are inaccurate."

The city's lawsuit is scheduled to go to court on Friday.
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In the days since Alex Pretti was shot to death by federal agents in Minnesota, Republican administration officials have been deploying torturous logic to defend the agents responsible and villainize the 37-year-old ICU nurse. Pretti had a gun when he encountered law enforcement on Saturdaywhich he was legally permitted to have in accordance with Minnesota lawand suddenly the Trump administration has decided the Second Amendment has exceptions. Seeming to lay some blame on Pretti for his killing, President Donald Trump told the press on Tuesday, You cant have guns. You cant walk in with guns. You just cant. You cant walk in with guns. You cant do that.

This had already been a theme from his administration. Shortly after the incident, FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News that Americans cannot bring a gun to just any sort of protest that you want, while Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino went on CNN to say that Prettis Second Amendment rights dont count because, in Bovinos view, he was obstructing law enforcement officers. Its worth noting that these positions stand in stark contrast to previous ones by some of these figures, including Patel, who described Kyle Rittenhouses acquittal for homicide after shooting someone at a protest a victory for the Second Amendment. Indeed, it did not take long for the reckoning, with far-right figures, the National Rifle Association, and scores of other gun rights groups publicly calling out the Trump administration for this apparent reversal.

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Ive encountered countless police while Ive been armed, and never been shot. The presence of a firearm, by itself, is not an indicator of a criminal intent or a threat to law enforcement, said Cam Edwards , a prominent gun rights activist and host of the Bearing Arms Cam & Co podcast. Tim Pool, a virulent ring-wing conspiracy theorist, noted that video footage appears to show Pretti being disarmed and then shot at by federal agents. I dont see Trump winning this one, Pool said.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus was also quick to call out Patels assertion about Prettis decision to bring a gun with him on the day he was fatally shot, clarifying that there is no prohibition on a permit holder carrying a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines at a protest or rally in Minnesota.

And when California U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli repeated the administrations line that approaching law enforcement with a gun gives agents legal justification to shoot you, the most prominent gun rights figures on X decided enough was enough. Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens, the NRA retorted, to Essayli. Aidan Johnston, director of federal affairs for Gun Owners of America, also responded by questioning the Department of Justices intentions. I guess the Justice Department is back to targeting gun owners as domestic terrorists. You can want illegals & criminals off the streets and not want to see CCW permit holders get executed for approaching law enforcement.

In what appears to be an attempt to calm the blowback to the situation on the ground in Minneapolis, the Trump administration announced Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino would be leaving Minnesota and returning to his old post in El Centro, California. However, among Americas conservative movement, the conversation over gun rights in the wake of Prettis killing is far from settled. To understand why, its worth considering the recent history of gun politics in the United States on the right. According to Saul Cornell, Paul and Diane Guenther Chair in American History at Fordham University, the Republican Party is not aligned on how it views the Second Amendment and in fact is facing three separate schools of thought that were seeing collide in real time.

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As Cornell told Slate, theres the libertarian wing that holds a sweeping view of gun rights, so much so it characterizes the right to defend oneself as basic a human right as there is. Then theres the Christian nationalist view, which is also quite sweeping but believes only white, pure blood Americans deserve to bear arms. Finally, there is the old law-and-order bucket, which includes many Bush and Reagan Republicans who had a recent history of supporting some gun control.

Cornell offers that the Trump administration is seeking to revive the old law-and-order school of thought now that its convenient, and will largely get away with it. Pool, for his part, is already boasting again of his support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying of federal law enforcement, Im not licking the boot. Its my boot. I voted for it. Im the one stomping. Rob Doar, general counsel for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, conceded that the group was disappointed in the Trump administrations response to Prettis death and it has created skepticism among those who support Trump. However, these members are still overall pleased with the general state of things, with Doar noting to Slate that the administration has intervened in court cases in favor of the 2nd Amendment, made gun-friendly policy changes within the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and on the whole been friendly to the 2nd Amendment.

In Cornells view, all the major figures in the conservative movement who may disagree with Trump now are more than likely to eventually fall back in line. Its hard to imagine those people are going to embrace telling people to bring their guns to ICE protests, right? Cornell said. Will this be the last we hear from the NRA? Or will they really harp on this and make it an issue? My suspicion is no, because it doesnt help the Republicans in future elections, Cornell noted.

If theyre willing to play originalist jujitsu, as Cornell characterized it, the Democrats still have a clear opening to use Republicans historical support for gun rights against them. California Gov. Gavin Newsom attempted to do so after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Pretti did not have a Second Amendment right because he was carrying a gun. The Trump administration does not believe in the 2nd Amendment. Good to know, Newsom said.

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Former congressman and 2024 presidential candidate Dean Phillips struck a more earnest tone. For years I quietly mocked 2A defenders who argued arms were necessary to defend American rights against a tyrannical government, Phillips said, in a post on X. Today I apologize, because Ive seen it with my own eyes.

Perhaps the most powerful approach is to simply point to the facts. Speaking to CNN about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noems press conference in the hours following Prettis death, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez noted, How rich is it that she is saying showing up to the scene of a protest with a legally owned weapon should be grounds for a persons death, execution at the hands of the state, by the same party and administration that praises Kyle Rittenhouse.
Forty years ago, the world watched in horror as NASA's space shuttle Challenger exploded mid-air, killing all seven crew members aboard.

The disaster occurred at what was then the pinnacle of the U.S.' spaceflight program. When the nascent shuttle program was just getting started, the memories of the first Americans landing on the moon were likely still fresh in the minds of many.

The Apollo lunar era had come to an end in 1972, but the first shuttle mission in 1981 reinvigorated the imaginations and dreams of many yearning to see humanity push the bounds of space exploration.

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Then, tragedy struck.

The fiery demise of Challenger and its crew shortly after launching Jan. 28, 1986, served as a vivid reminder that space travel was anything but easy  and it could even be heartbreaking.

On the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, here's what to know about NASA's iconic space shuttle program and what happened that fatal day.

Spaceflight in 2026: 6 spaceflights in year ahead, from NASA moon missions to SpaceX Starship

What was the NASA space shuttle program?

Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander captures its shadow on the moon's surface after completing a successful landing March 2 near a volcanic feature on the moon called Mons Latreille. The vehicle became the first of two landers manufactured by a U.S. company to reach the moon is 2025 in crucial missions to lay the groundwork for NASA to return humans to the lunar surface in the years ahead. Athena, the lunar lander on Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission, captured this image of the moon's surface with Earth seen in the distance ahead of a March 6 landing attempt. While the lander was the second U.S. vehicle to reach the moon within a week, it ultimately landed on its side, which hindered much of its mission. NASA astronaut Suni Williams is helped out of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft March 18 following a return to Earth after a nine-month stay at the International Space Station. She and NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore crewed the Boeing Starliner, which had launched in June 2024 on a failed test flight that was meant to return them to Earth a few days later. Butch Wilmore reacts after he and Suni Williams and two other astronauts splashed down March 18 in a Crew Dragon space capsule following their return to earth from the International Space Station off the coast of Florida. The astronauts' extended stay at the orbital outpost dominated the news cycle for months. A SpaceX support team member is seen airborne while working to lift the SpaceX Dragon capsule that returned the Starliner astronauts and two others onto a recovery vehicle following its landing off the coast of Florida. This picture shows the crew of a privately-funded mission known as Fram2, from left to right, mission specialist and medical officer Eric Philips, mission commander Chun Wang, pilot Rabea Rogge and vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen on March 19, 2025 in Hawthorne, California. Launched March 31 from Florida using a SpaceX Dragon capsule, the mission became t first ever human spaceflight over the Earth's polar regions. Pop musician Katy Perry emerges April 14 from Blue Origin's New Shepard capsule in West Texas following a brief flight to the edge of space. Perry was part of an all-women crew that also included broadcast journalist Gayle King that took the ride from Blue Origin's facility called Launch Site One. The high-profile launch attracted plenty of headlines and even drew some backlash from those who viewed the mission as a wasteful publicity stunt. Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket carrying astronauts Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, Kerianne Flynn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, and Lauren Sanchez lifts off April 14 from Launch Site One near Van Horn, Texas. Blue Origin has since launched five more human spaceflights on the New Shepard in 2025. This photo depicts a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the latest batch of Amazon's broadband satellites on Dec. 16 to low-Earth orbit after launching from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Formerly called Project Kuiper, the venture has since been renamed Amazon Leo. Since its debut April launch, Amazon Leo has deployed 180 of 3,000 satellites planned for its first constellation, which could challenge SpaceX's Starlink. A group of Blue Origin employees with their friends and families gather on the beach in Cape Canaveral for the launch of Blue Origin's second New Glenn rocket in 2025. Following its January debut, the rocket launched for the second time Nov. 13 from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, sending NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft on their trek to Mars. Darkness falls Nov. 9 as a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket is prepped for its second-ever launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Blue Origin is developing the towering rocket for heavy-lift missions that could see Jeff Bezos' company compete with Elon Musk and SpaceX. The SpaceX Starship spacecraft sits Oct. 12, 2025 atop the Super Heavy booster before sunrise as preparations continue for its 11th test flight from the company's complex in Starbase, Texas. A SpaceX Super Heavy booster carrying the Starship spacecraft lifts off Oct. 13, 2025, on its 11th ever test flight at the company's launch pad in Starbase, Texas. The launch was Starship's fifth of 2025, and second consecutive successful test flight following a year that was early on marked by explosive failures. SpaceX is developing the rocket for future missions that would help NASA astronauts land on the moon and also potentially transport the first humans to Mars. 2025 spaceflight in photos. See images of Blue Origin, SpaceX missions 1 of 13 Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander captures its shadow on the moon's surface after completing a successful landing March 2 near a volcanic feature on the moon called Mons Latreille. The vehicle became the first of two landers manufactured by a U.S. company to reach the moon is 2025 in crucial missions to lay the groundwork for NASA to return humans to the lunar surface in the years ahead.

The space shuttle program, NASA's fourth human spaceflight campaign, centered around using the iconic spacecraft to transport crew and cargo from Earth to orbit.

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Receiving presidential approval in 1972, the program carried out missions from 1981 to 2011, with Atlantis the last shuttle to land at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

For three decades, the shuttles flew 135 missions critical to helping astronauts reach space, constructing the International Space Station and launching, recovering and repairing satellites.

What happened to the NASA Challenger?

The space shuttle Challenger clears the tower on Jan. 28, 1986 at Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Forty years ago today, seven spacefarers were killed in a tragic event that has become widely known as the Challenger disaster.

The crew members were aboard the Challenger space shuttle on Jan. 28, 1986, when the vehicle exploded 73 seconds after taking off at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The fatal explosion, which billions of people saw happen live on television, sent a shockwave around the world  becoming one of the most pivotal events of the 1980s.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman honors Challenger crew

In a post on social media, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman honored the crew who lost their lives in the disaster.

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"We honor their legacy by staying vigilant, humble, and uncompromising in the pursuit of our world-changing missions," Isaacman said.

On January 28, we honor the seven crew members of Challenger - Dick Scobee, Michael Smith, Ron McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Christa McAuliffe, and Greg Jarvis - lost 40 years ago today.



We honor their legacy by staying vigilant, humble, and uncompromising in the pic.twitter.com/RueoznsIHH  NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) January 28, 2026

What caused the Challenger to explode?

Following an investigation, a presidential commission assembled a report determining what caused the deadly accident to occur.

According to the commission, a leak in one of two rocket boosters ignited the main liquid fuel tank, leading to the explosion. Exasperated by extreme cold weather in Florida, the leak was caused by the destruction of seals that were intended to prevent hot gases from leaking during the propellant burn of the booster, the commission concluded.

Who were the Challenger astronauts? Remembering the crew

Space shuttle Challenger crew members posed for photographs on Jan. 9, 1986. From left are teacher and payload specialist Christa McAuliffe; payload specialist Gregory Jarvis; and astronauts Judith A. Resnik, mission specialist; Francis Scobee, mission commander; Ronald E. McNair, mission specialist; Mike J. Smith, pilot; and Ellison S. Onizuka, mission specialist. On. Jan. 28, countless people watched in horror as the shuttle exploded just over a minute after launch.

Here's a look at the seven crew members selected for the doomed Challenger mission:

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Francis R. Scobee , the mission commander from Cle Elum, Washington, and an Air Force test pilot

Michael J. Smith , the pilot from Beaufort, North Carolina, and a commander in the Navy

Judith A. Resnik , a mission specialist from Akron, Ohio, who in 1978 was among the first astronaut class containing women

Ellison S. Onizuka , a mission specialist from Hawaii who was on active duty with the Air Force until he was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1978

Ronald E. McNair , a mission specialist from Lake City, South Carolina, with a doctorate in physics and a black belt in karate who became one of the first three Black Americans selected as a NASA astronaut

Gregory B. Jarvis , a payload specialist from Detroit, Michigan, who was not a NASA astronaut, but who was rather made available for the mission by his company

S. Christa McAuliffe, a non-astronaut civilian from Boston who was selected from among more than 11,000 applicants to become the first teacher in space

What was the STS-51-L mission?

The mission, known as STS-51-L, would have been the 25th mission of the NASA Space Shuttle program.

The 7-day orbital mission was meant to observe Halley's Comet for six days, deploy routine satellites and serve as the first "teacher in space" project established under President Ronald Reagan. The program was meant to send non-astronaut civilians to space who could then use the experience to educate their classrooms and the public.

Space shuttle Columbia also exploded

The Challenger disaster was the first of two fatal shuttle explosions during the program's run.

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The space shuttle Columbia also has an infamous place in history after it met its fiery demise in 2003 at the end of a 17-day science mission, STS-107. During re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, the vehicle disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana, killing all seven astronauts on board.

Four space shuttles displayed across US. Where are they?

If you want to witness a relic of the space shuttle era, four of NASA's iconic vehicles are on display at different museums across the U.S.

Enterprise at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York

Atlantis at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida

Endeavor at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Los Angeles

Discovery at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia

Discovery, however, may soon be relocated to Space Center Houston, the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center, under a bill signed in July 2025 by President Donald Trump.

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This article has been updated to add new information.

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Remembering space shuttle Challenger disaster on 40th anniversary
It has been frustrating over the last three years that Home Bank continues to perform well, and the market hasn't responded accordingly. This frustration exists, because we continue to feel very good about Home Bank's outlook, and have demonstrated strong performance in a variety of economic cycles. But we can't control the market, so we'll focus on the things that we can control, such as providing exceptional customer service, expanding relationships with new and existing customers, and maintaining our conservative credit culture. In the long-term, we are confident that our approach will continue to build shareholder value at Home Bank. With that, I'll turn it back over to David, our Chief Financial Officer.

Even in the current low demand environment, which we don't expect to last, we think we have an opportunity to drive asset yields higher, as our fixed rate book naturally reprices. Deposits increased $55 million or 8% annualized, with most of the growth coming from money market, and interest-bearing checking accounts. Money market CD rates were quick to adjust lower after the rate cut in September, and we're optimistic that future rate cuts will have a similar impact. David will provide some more details on our asset and liability repricing, to give everyone a sense of the potential to drive our asset yields higher, and reduce our funding costs over the next few quarters.

Loan growth slowed in the third quarter, and was impacted by the paydown of a $19 million medical C&I loan. As we said last quarter, two plus years of sustained higher rates, has had a material impact on loan demand in our markets. We're optimistic that rate cuts and some clarity in November, could lead to a pickup in loan demand and originations. Based on the soft demand we saw in the third quarter and are seeing in the fourth, we're expecting 2024 loan growth, to finish at the lower end of our 4% to 6% guidance.

John Bordelon: Thank you, David. Good morning, and thank you for joining our earnings call today. We appreciate your interest in Home Bank as we discuss our results, expectations for the future, and our approach to creating long-term shareholder value. We reported third quarter net income of $9.4 million, or $1.18 per share, which was a nice improvement from last quarter's strong results. Net interest margin continued to expand, increasing 5 basis points to 3.71%. We're optimistic that the trend will continue, as the Fed rate cuts reduced pressure on our cost of funds. Return on assets also increased and was 1.1% in the third quarter, up 13 basis points from the second quarter.

Story Continues

David Kirkley: Thanks, John. We continue to see increases in asset yields, outpaced increases in funding costs in the third quarter. The yield on average interest-earning assets increased by 12 basis points to 5.82%, while the yield on average interest-bearing liabilities, increased by 9 basis points to 3.02%. This dynamic continued to benefit net interest income, which increased to $30.4 million, up $989,000 from the previous quarter. As John mentioned, loan growth slowed during the quarter to $7 million, or about 1% annualized and that contributed, to a lower loan loss provision of $140,000. The slower loan growth, combined with the $55 million increase in deposits, reduced our loan-to-deposit ratio to 96.1%.

Despite the slower loan growth, we believe we have near-term opportunities to pick up some spread as loans reprice. The origination market is competitive and the rate environment is volatile, we're continually originating loans with yields above 7.5%, which compares favorably to our fixed rate loan portfolio. 62% of our loan portfolio is fixed rate and yields a weighted average rate of 5.27%. So, while our mix of fixed to floating rate loans, slowed asset yield increases when rates were climbing, we think it should provide some downward protection on yields in NIM, now that we appear to be in a decreasing rate environment.

We also think we have an opportunity to stabilize, or reduce our liability costs in the next few quarters, depending of course, what happens with market rates. We have approximately $500 million, or 70% of CDs maturing in the next six months, with a weighted average rate of about 4.75%. New CD origination rates from October, are at least 35 basis points lower. We also have $135 million of 4.76% BTFP borrowings maturing in January. Slide 8, breaks down our loan portfolio composition and you may notice some changes.

The increase in the percentage of one to four family mortgages and the decrease in CRE, was due to updates to our loan coating systems as opposed to actual shifts in collateral, or origination activity. Slides 9 through 12, are new and provide additional details on our CRE and C&I portfolios. Slides 14 and 15, of our investor presentation provides some additional detail on credit. Non-performing loans increased by $1.3 million in the third quarter, to $18.1 million or only 0.68% of total loans. Our allowance for loan loss ratio was stable, from the second quarter at 1.21%. Slide 21, of the presentation has some additional details on non-interest income and expenses.

Third quarter non-interest income decreased slightly to $3.7 million, and should be between $3.6 million and $3.8 million over the next two quarters. Non-interest expense increased by $450,000 to $22.3 million, which was in-line with expectations. We expect core non-interest expenses, to be between $22 million and $22.5 million during the next two quarters. We repurchased 24,000 shares at an average price of $38.50 in the third quarter, which equates to 94% of tangible book value, excluding AOCI. We also increased our dividend by $0.01 to $0.26 per share, which gets us close to the midpoint of our target dividend payout ratio, of 20% to 25.5% of earnings.

Slide 22, summarizes the impact our capital management strategy has had on Home Bank, over the last few years. Over the last five years, we grew adjusted tangible book value per share at a 9.1% annualized growth rate, and over the same period, we also increased EPS at a 7.9% annualized growth rate. We've increased our dividends per share by 20%, and repurchased 14% of our shares during the same time period. And we've done this while maintaining a robust capital ratios, which positions us to be successful in a varying economic environment, and to take advantage of any opportunities as they arise. With that, operator, please open the line for Q&A.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] Your first question comes from Feddie Strickland. Please go ahead.

Feddie Strickland: Hi, good morning guys.

John Bordelon: Good morning, Feddie.

Feddie Strickland: Just wanted to start with loan growth. John, I think you touched on this a little bit in your opening comments, but I mean if you start to get a series of rate cuts as Fed funds futures are showing. I mean, can we see loan growth maybe return to something more like a mid-to-high single-digit annualized rate, as we get into '25 if we see a series of 25 basis point cuts throughout the year?

John Bordelon: Absolutely. I think the most obvious one is the one to four portfolio. That's begun to shrink as new originations have slowed significantly. With the 10-year going up, mortgage rates have climbed into the higher 60s. And so, I think that's had a negative impact, but the builder is not wanting to put too much product out there. So I know that will, with the rate cuts on the long end that would definitely help the mortgage industry. As far as just other commercial loans, I do believe that - many of our customers have paused momentarily just to see where rates are going, where they're going to stop. What's going on economically, and throughout the United States.

So, I think it's prudent that they do kind of hesitate shortly, but I'm anticipating first, second quarter that they should pick that back up, assuming that we've dropped at least 100 basis point in rate.

Feddie Strickland: Got it. That's helpful. And then just geographically, I mean do you expect that New Orleans and Houston, still drive a good bit of the commercial growth going forward? Or is there some opportunities maybe in other parts of the footprint that, you haven't touched yet?

John Bordelon: Surely, the strongest markets are Houston, New Orleans and Lafayette. Other markets periodically come in with some improvement, but the strength of the company is in those three markets. No question.

Feddie Strickland: Got you. And just shifting to credit for a second. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit more, about the relationships that were put on nonaccrual this quarter. And I wanted to ask those are the same ones that, seem to migrate into substandard in the construction category?

John Bordelon: Yes. So we have one credit in the New Orleans area where it is, I think, 15 different rental properties - and this stems from a disagreement with the partners, and the properties are still being rented. It's off of St. Charles Avenue, around Tulane University. And so, there's no problems with the property. It's just a disagreement with the owners. We are heading for share of sales. I think there are five different share of sales dates for all these properties. And I think the first ones are at the end of this month, and then November and then January. So, we should be completely free of that. There's about $2 million of equity in all the properties.

So, we anticipate being taken out at share of sale on all of those.

Feddie Strickland: Got you. That's it for me. I'll step back in the queue.

John Bordelon: Thank you, Feddie.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of Joseph Yanchunis. Please go ahead.

Joseph Yanchunis: Good morning.

John Bordelon: Good morning, Joe.

Joseph Yanchunis: Yes. So, I want to circle back on loans for a minute, and I appreciate the color on the reclassification of the loan categories. I'm curious to know, what was gross loan production in the quarter and just trying to get an idea of kind of payoffs here. And if kind of CRE payoffs start to accelerate, that would be a headwind to loan growth, but would also lead to better lending opportunities if rates fall. Just kind of trying to get a little more color on that?

John Bordelon: We're looking that up...

David Kirkley: We were about $80 million in new originations in Q3, which is about equal or a little bit less than prior quarter, weighted average rate coming in around 78.5% on those new originations. We did have higher levels of principal paydowns and - payoffs during the quarter, probably the highest since Q1 of '23. So, higher paydowns that we've experienced, which stymied some of our growth this past quarter. Joe, I'm sorry, was there another question in that one as well?

Joseph Yanchunis: Well, I was just kind of wondering how you see kind of payoffs, kind of behaving as we kind of move into a rate-cutting environment?

David Kirkley: Yes I think - incremental lending opportunities will offset that headwind.

John Bordelon: The $19 million payoff in C&I came about - basically, it's a major hospital that opened up a new line of manufacturing gloves and other PPE. And that has not - they have not really performed, as well as they wanted. So they had the excess cash. They just paid us off instead of paying us 7% or 8%. So that's kind of a one-off that we don't expect any more, but we are seeing, in fact, I'm betting two new opportunities this afternoon. So, I do think that with lower rates, there's going to be more projects done. The two we're looking at this afternoon. One is construction and the other is an existing facility.

So, it's hard to really predict. I do think have we not had that $19 million payout to - probably look very similar to the first and second quarter, but it has slowed. There's no question. Our construction book is slower than where it was in first and second quarter. And we anticipate as rates go down, as the new presidency takes over, that things will settle down probably in second quarter and take off again.

Joseph Yanchunis: Got it. And just kind of flipping over to deposits. Can you talk about deposit pricing? What does competition look like in your markets? And kind of how do you believe betas will behave on the way down and kind of piggybacking off that, if loan demand remains relatively muted in the near term, as you've alluded to, and you do continue to see kind of pressure around deposit pricing. How should we think about the NII trajectory, moving forward?

John Bordelon: I'm going to comment and let David follow up on that. I do believe that - most all of the banks in our markets have followed suit and dropped their rates. We are seeing some people pull out a little bit of their CDs in search for other rates, but those may be with brokerage houses or whatever, but not necessarily banks. We're not seeing that. So, most of the players are doing as we're doing, and trying to lower their deposit costs. So, I think with additional cuts by the Fed, we should see the ability to continue to bring down our costs.

Our highest rate today is at 4.75% for three months, and we would anticipate that coming down significantly, if not throughout the remainder of this year, surely in the first quarter.

David Kirkley: Yes, Joe, if you look at our cost of funds on Slide 18, you'll notice cost of CDs were flat quarter-over-quarter. If you look at the spot rate from June compared to the spot rate of September, we're actually down about 25 basis points on CD yield. So you'll see that play out in Q3. And if you look at our NIM slide on Slide 19, you'll see uptick in yields in September. So we are seeing the ability, to lower our CD pricing a good bit. And as John pointed out, our competitors have mostly been aggressive in CD rate cuts and money market rate cuts after the Fed announcement. As I talked about in the - earlier.

Our loan rates - we have less variable rate loan in our portfolio than some of our competitors. So our loan yields should not be as negatively impacted, as some of our other competitors, as rate cuts continue down the next couple of quarters. Give a little bit more context on that, spot rate on loans from June to September was actually up six basis points, despite the 50 basis point rate cut in September. So we have a lot of fixed rate loan opportunities coming due, and they're coming due at lower rates. So being able to reprice some of those loans a bit higher, which should offset some of the rate cuts in the future.

Joseph Yanchunis: I appreciate that. And just kind of sticking with Slide 19 here. You have the BTFP funding that's going to mature in January. Do you have a plan to kind of backfill that?

David Kirkley: We're looking in the options. I think given two rate cuts, we're going to be kind of in the money on that, with really no impact if we had to go out and borrow overnight. We're looking at some options to divvy that up between maybe some overnight advances as well as some term funding.

John Bordelon: And we've been carrying a little bit of excess cash over the quarter, just not knowing exactly what's going to happen with deposit flow.

Joseph Yanchunis: Okay. And if I could just slip in one more here. I know it's early for 2025, but some banks over the past week have talked about generating positive operating leverage next year. Is that something you believe will occur?

David Kirkley: Yes. Look, Joe, we think there's the opportunity. I think we're in a good spot with our loan book and our deposit book that, we should see at the very least stabilization in NIM. We expect based off of the deposit behavior, and the ability for us to reprice some loans that we're going to be able, to tick up on NIM over the next couple of quarters as well.

John Bordelon: The severity of the cuts or the speed of the cuts, I think, is what would cause us the most damage to our NIM - methodically throughout 2025, reduced rates, then I think our loan yields will be able to exceed the deposit costs. So, if they drop 50 basis points in November and 15 in December, then it may take, to David's point, a couple of quarters for our NIM to start back up again.

Joseph Yanchunis: Well, perfect. I appreciate you taking my questions.

John Bordelon: Thanks, Joe.

David Kirkley: Thank you, Joe.

Operator: [Operator Instructions] Your next question comes from Feddie Strickland with Hovde Group. Please go ahead.

Feddie Strickland: Hi John, just a quick follow-up after last question, or that last comment on the margin. It sounds like the difference between your rate sensitivity disclosure, is saying that if we have down 100, NII goes down, it was basically all of that happening at once in that shock scenario versus what appears to be the current reality, which is potentially having that gradually happen over time? And is kind of the puts and takes there that you're able to react. You've got some deposits repricing loans, or repricing and you can actually manage it, versus all that hitting at once and they're just getting some of your floating great loans.

Is that sort of the puts and takes, between what the rate sensitivity disclosures are, and what we could actually see happen over the course of '25?

David Kirkley: Yes. The big problem right now that I think we're having as the Home Bank, as well as other banks is figuring out deposit behavior with rate cuts. I think this past rate cut, when they announced 50 basis points, the market expected basically another 100 basis points of rate cuts by the end of '24, and continued into '25. I think a lot of people reacted, and were able to lower their CD rates with that expectation. And since then, rate cut expectations have moderated a little bit.

And so finding that right balance where we're able to retain our CD customers, and grow our deposits is really dependent on how much cuts that we're going to be expecting - when they're going to occur, and how our competitors react to those cuts. I feel like there may be some upward pressure on deposit prices over the next couple of months. With regards to maybe, there was too much rate reductions on deposit rates, across the market with the expectations of rapid rate cuts. So I think, there may be some stabilization, or the beta is not being as high when further rate cuts are announced.

John Bordelon: That drove pretty much our decision on how we're pricing our CDs right now. We have a rate on a three-month that is one of the higher in all of our markets. So, we wanted to stay a little bit high, because of David's comments here that we're not sure exactly what's going to happen in November. Do we do 50%, do we do 25%, do we not do anything. So we do anticipate the ability to be able to move that rate down. We're just going to measure the market, and see how far we can go.

Feddie Strickland: Got it. That's helpful. Thanks guys. And just one last follow-up for me too, on expenses. I appreciate the near-term guidance there. Just curious if there's anything on the horizon down the road with, maybe in later '25 that could cause any sort of acceleration, whether it's merit increases or investment in new technology, or new core system or something. Just curious if there's anything on the horizon that, could cause expenses to materially tick up a little bit in the back half of '25?

David Kirkley: Yes. We generally have annual raises that take effect April 1. So you'll see an uptick in comp and benefit expense during that time period. We are going through the budget process right now, and evaluating those things. There are no material objects that are jumping out there are out of the course, of the ordinary right now for a capital expenditure standpoint.

John Bordelon: But I am looking for cost saves so as not to, so those merit rates aren't as impactful as they would be normally.

Feddie Strickland: Got it. Thanks that's helpful. That it's from me.

John Bordelon: Thank you very much.

Operator: This concludes our question-and-answer session. I would like to turn the conference back over to John for any closing remarks.

John Bordelon: Once again, thank you all for joining us today. We look forward to speaking to many of you in the coming days, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thank you.

Operator: The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today's presentation. You may now disconnect.

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Home Bancorp HBCP Q3 2024 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
NEED TO KNOW

Elleshia Anne Seymour's four children were reported missing in December following their stay with her during Thanksgiving

Landon Seymour, 11, Levi Parker Seymour, 8, Hazel Raye Seymour, 7, and 3-year-old Jacob Kurt Brady have since been located in Croatia

Elleshia is in pre-trial detention in Croatia following her arrest

The four siblings found at a European orphanage following their alleged abduction from Utah in November have a long way to go before they could be back in the care of their guardians, one of whom had reported them missing.

Landon Seymour, 11, Levi Parker Seymour, 8, Hazel Raye Seymour, 7, and 3-year-old Jacob Kurt Brady were found in a state-operated orphanage nearly two months after disappearing over Thanksgiving from West Jordan, Utah, according to Kendall Seymour, who is the father of three of the children.

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Elleshia Anne Seymour  Kendall's ex-wife and the children's mother, who Utah authorities accuse of abducting them  has since been arrested in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia confirms to PEOPLE.

Kendall Seymour with the children of his ex-wife Elleshia Seymour. GoFundMe

The children were located following an intense campaign on GoFundMe by Kendall, who announced on Sunday, Jan. 25, that they were "trapped" in the state-run orphanage.

Croatian officials tell PEOPLE the children are in safe care of the state, pending further assessment of the situation.

"Particular attention is being paid to the prevention of any potential risk to the children and to the protection of their physical and psychological well-being, in line with the best interests of the children," the ministry tells PEOPLE.

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"In accordance with applicable legislation, the children have been placed in an appropriate social welfare care facility, where all necessary forms of care, protection, and support are being provided, and where their needs are being fully and adequately met," the ministry adds.

Croatia's Ministry of Interior further tells PEOPLE that Kendall has been briefed on the procedure and documentation that must be submitted in order to collect the children.

The Ministry of Interior further says that the U.S. has a crucial role to play in the next steps.

Given the international element of the case, it is necessary for the competent authorities of the country from which the children came to the Republic of Croatia to conduct the procedure of verifying all relevant facts and circumstances and to make a valid decision on the handover of the children," the ministry tells PEOPLE. (The Ministry of Interior's message was in Croatian and later translated.)

Elleshia Seymour's four children police allege she abducted Gofundme

The children were reported missing after West Jordan police conducted a welfare check at Elleshia's home on Dec. 2 and found it unlocked and unoccupied, according to court records previously cited by ABC 4 Utah.

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Surveillance footage from Salt Lake International Airport has since been released, showing a woman authorities claim is Elleshia with heavy bags and four children, at least two of whom are also carrying luggage. The footage, published by ABC 4 and KSL Utah, shows Elleshia interacting calmly with Delta personnel with her children nearby.

She was subsequently charged by Utah authorities with four counts of custodial interference and removing a child from the state after allegedly abducting the children, per court records, ABC 4 reported.

She has since been arrested in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik and is being held in pre-trial detention following a decision by a local court, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia tells PEOPLE.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

While an exact motive has not been announced, those who know Elleshia claim she had become paranoid about the world ending before the children went missing.

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She believed the end of times were near and had concerns of "biblical events," a former boyfriend previously told KSL Utah.

Kendall said in his initial GoFundMe post that she had left behind a "to-do" list that included "shred paperwork, destroy identifying photos, throw away phone, purchase pre-paid phone."

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Read the original article on People
President Isaac Herzog will be traveling to Australia from February 8 to February 12, where he will meet with Jewish leaders, victims of the Bondi Beach massacre, and Australian politicians.

President Isaac Herzog announced an upcoming visit to Australia to meet with the local Jewish community and Australian officials on Tuesday, with his official schedule indicating that he will depart on February 8 and return on February 12.

Herzog was invited to the country by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister of Australia, and the Australian Jewish community following the Bondi Beach massacre that occurred during a Jewish community Hanukkah event in which 15 people were killed, and hundreds were wounded last December.

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Herzog will be meeting with bereaved families of the victims of the terror attack, as well as with those injured and their families, according to the government statement.

"Accompanying the President on the visit will be a solidarity delegation from Israels National Institutions, including the Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Yaakov Hagoel, and the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Doron Almog," the Government Press Office (GPO) said.

While the main objective of the visit will be to show solidarity with Australian Jews, the GPO explained that Herzog will also be briefed on the activities of the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization, which both aim to strengthen Jewish communities in Australia, especially in light of the recent rise in antisemitism.

People gather at the floral tribute at Bondi Beach to honour the victims of a mass shooting targeting a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, December 16, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Jeremy Piper)

Finally, the President will meet with Australian government officials, including the Governor-General and the Prime Minister of Australia, as well as with leaders from across the political spectrum.

Herzog addresses Bondi Beach massacre

Herzog's visit to Australia will occur almost a month and a half after he was invited by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on December 23, 2025.

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Herzog was among the first Israeli officials to react to the Bondi Beach massacre, calling it "a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Hanukkah."

We repeat our alerts time and again to the Australian government to seek action and fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism which is plaguing Australian society, he added, while he expressed his condolences to those wounded in the attack, sending "our warmest strength from Jerusalem."

Days later, Albanese called Herzog to extend his invitation to the country. The GPO noted that the Australian Prime Minister also expressed "profound shock and dismay" over the attack.

James Genn and Miriam Sela-Eitam contributed to this report.
A spa owner in west suburban Hinsdale has been charged with recording customers without their knowledge.

Jason Spencer owned Reflexion Spa.

Police said someone anonymously tipped them about a hidden camera on the premises.

Through their investigation, police said, they found more than 60 victims who were secretly recorded in rooms.

Spencer is due in court on Feb. 18.

SEE ALSO | Kane County receives over 1,500 tips from possible victims of chiropractor facing child porn charges

READ MORE | St. Charles man accused of taking hundreds of upskirt videos of women across Chicago area: Police
Tova Friedman, one of the dwindling band of Holocaust survivors, took to the floor of the German parliament Wednesday to urge lawmakers to get "tougher" on resurgent antisemitism.

In a speech that left some MPs visibly moved, 87-year-old Friedman recounted her experiences as a survivor of the Auschwitz extermination camp and appealed on those present to "use your power to fight".

"Don't let antisemitism grow and bloom here," she said.

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Born in 1938 close to Danzig (modern-day Gdansk in Poland), she survived Auschwitz after being sent there at the age of five together with her mother.

Her family emigrated to the United States after the war, where she became a psychotherapist.

"I walked out of Auschwitz thinking I'll never have to be afraid again to be Jewish, never again, but here we are," she said.

"Now, 81 years later, much of the world has turned against us," Friedman told the audience.

"I just hope with all my heart that you become, say, a little tougher" in combatting antisemitism, she told those present, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

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"Jews around the world again feel exposed, targeted, and hated," she said.

Friedman gave the example of her own grandson having to hide his Star of David and her granddaughter leaving her student dormitory after being harassed.

"Shouts of: 'Hitler was right!' and 'Gas the Jews' are heard on the streets of New York, Paris, Amsterdam, London," she said.

She was applauded for several minutes at the end of her speech, held as part of a special session to commemorate Nazi Germany's murder of six million European Jews during World War II.

Germany has grown increasingly alarmed about rising anti-Jewish sentiment since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

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A record 6,236 antisemitic crimes were recorded in 2024, compared with just 2,641 in 2022, according to figures from the federal domestic intelligence agency (BfV).

Nearly half of those incidents were attributed to right-wing extremism.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has a narrow lead in some national polls, and the party includes figures who have called for the country to move away from its "culture of remembrance" of Nazi atrocities.

pyv/jsk/sr/jj
HOLYOKE  Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia is set to lead the states mayors this year after being named president of the Massachusetts Mayors Association on Saturday.

The announcement was made during the Massachusetts Municipal Associations annual meeting at the Menino Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston.

As president, Garcia will set the agenda and lead the groups monthly meetings throughout the year, according to a statement from the mayors office.

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He will also remain on the Municipal Association Board of Directors because of his new role.

The Massachusetts Mayors Association, founded in 1945, serves as a network for the states mayors  just 47 of Massachusetts 351 municipalities have one  helping them collaborate, learn from each other, meet with state leaders and advocate for municipal priorities.

Adam Chapdelaine, executive director and CEO of the Municipal Association, praised Garcia as a tireless advocate who brings a valuable Western Massachusetts perspective to the statewide body.

Garcia described his appointment as an honor and said it will allow him both to highlight Holyokes initiatives and to learn from other cities strategies.

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Were all in this together, he said.

More Western Mass. Content

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced rising calls to step down or be fired Wednesday over her handling of President Donald Trumps Minneapolis immigration crackdown and the killing of Alex Pretti by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

At least two Republican senators have joined many Democratic lawmakers in calling for the ouster of Noem as public outrage continues to build over her effort to whitewash the killing of Pretti and smear the victim as a domestic terrorist.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, called for Noem to go. Both relative moderates voted to confirm Noem last year.

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What shes done in Minnesota should be disqualifying, Tillis, R-NC, told reporters on Capitol Hill. She should be out of a job. I mean, really, its just amateurish.

I would not support her again, Murkowski added to NBC News. She should go.

Trump has so far stood by Noem, a right-wing former South Dakota governor. But that could change as she appears to be a political albatross dragging down his approval ratings in polls and causing him to lose support even among Republican lawmakers.

After weeks of spewing pugnacious rhetoric about the Minnesota crackdown, Trump has sought to take a more measured tone since the Saturday killing of Pretti, which has sparked widespread bipartisan outrage.

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Trump effectively sidelined Noem and removing her tough-talking ally Greg Bovino from his Border Patrol commander at large position on Monday, placing border czar Tom Homan at the helm.

Homan has sought to put a more professional and less confrontational stamp on the enforcement operation, meeting with Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey on his first full day in the city Tuesday.

Pretti was using his cell phone to record ICE agents and sought to help a fellow protester when the agents tackled him on Saturday morning. They shot him 10 times.

ICE agents found a gun on Pretti but he was legally licensed to carry it and never unholstered it, a preliminary DHS investigative report said.

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Despite evidence to the contrary, Noem falsely said Pretti brandished the gun at agents. An official statement from DHS claimed Pretti wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement, without providing any evidence to back up those claims.

Pretti is the second U.S. citizen to be killed by ICE agents this month after agents shot dead unarmed motorist Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt dodged questions about whether Trump agrees with Noems false statements about the killing of Pretti, 37, a respected intensive care nurse at a local Veterans Administration hospital.

The president vowed to hold an honest and honorable investigation of the slaying, but so far its being handled by DHS itself, and there is no sign of a serious probe into whether the agents broke the law by killing Pretti.

Trump also questioned why Pretti was carrying a gun, statements that have irked some of his conservative supporters who are also gun-rights advocates.
The Virginia Military Institute. (Photo by Getty Images)

Virginia lawmakers on Tuesday advanced a bill creating a task force that would examine whether the Virginia Military Institute should remain a publicly funded, state-sponsored institution, marking the most consequential legislative step yet in a debate over the schools governance and culture.

The proposal is part of a broader push by Democratic lawmakers to impose new oversight on VMI following a 2021 state-commissioned investigation that found persistent disparities, cultural barriers and a lack of accountability at the school.

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VMI leaders have said they continue working with state officials to demonstrate progress and the institutions value to the commonwealth.

The House Rules Committee voted along party lines to send the bill to the full House. If approved, the task force would be charged, in part, with determining whether VMI should continue receiving public funds as a state-sponsored military college.

Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, whose district includes VMI, voted against the measure but said he would participate constructively if it moves forward.

I know VMI has had its challenges in the past. I know there have been mistakes made in the past at VMI, and I know that I, myself, as a legislator representing VMI, is willing to carry the (mantle) forward, to make certain that we correct those problems, Austin said. And whatever this study produces, well do our very best to adhere and amend to that.

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Austin emphasized he wants to preserve VMIs status as the oldest state-supported military institution in the nation.

Public comments to the committee leaned heavily against the proposal, with alumni and parents urging lawmakers to maintain state support and pursue reforms without questioning VMIs continued existence.

Stephen Johnson, a VMI alumnus and father of a current cadet, said lawmakers should focus on improvement rather than undermining the institutions legitimacy.

VMI today is not defined by the nineteenth century or by the choices of earlier generations; it is defined by the young men and women it educates now, the standards it enforces now, and the leaders it produces for Virginia and the nation, Johnson wrote in a letter obtained by The Mercury.

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Several parents said the proposal has already created uncertainty among cadets and families, particularly over the possibility that VMI could lose state funding.

Michaela Smithley said her son chose VMI to follow his fathers legacy of service but fears the proposal threatens the stability of his education. She warned that transferring governance to another institution with a different mission would fundamentally alter VMIs identity and set a precedent that any institution may lose its autonomy when it becomes politically inconvenient.



Shortly after the start of the session, Del. Michael Feggans, D-Virginia Beach, introduced House Bill 1374 to dissolve VMIs governing board and transfer oversight to Virginia State Universitys Board of Visitors, who represent a historically Black college, close to 160 miles away.

My child  and thousands like him  are not abstractions in a policy debate, Smithley wrote in her public comment to lawmakers. They are students who have already committed to serve, to lead, and to uphold the values of the commonwealth. They deserve stability, fairness, and confidence that the state they serve will not dismantle the institution they chose in good faith.

Another parent, identifying herself only as Menders, testified that her son, a current cadet, called her in tears, worried he would be unable to afford his degree if VMI were to lose public funding.

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We are begging you to not change the education at VMI, she wrote to lawmakers.

Other written testimony reflected more mixed views.

Erin Tiede and Fred Fenster, parents of a gay cadet, said their daughter has not experienced discrimination and is evaluated solely on character and performance.

Former cadets Jeremiah Woods and Travis Korhorn offered sharply different assessments.

Woods, who is Black, supported the bill, citing racial targeting, a hostile environment and VMIs continued glorification of Confederate identity. He said he left the school after his research related to a memorial for enslaved African Americans was suppressed.

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Korhorn also backed the proposal, saying unresolved issues related to racism and sexism warrant formal review.

VMI has some culture issues relating to racism and sexism, Korhorn said.

I understand there was initiatives undertaken within the last few years to address these issues, but I am not privy to successes or shortcomings. I think HB 1377 would be a good initiative to review the aforementioned initiatives and provide recommendations for further improvement to the school.

The task force bill is one of several measures aimed at VMI this session.

Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, who sponsored HB 1377, is also carrying HB 22, which would align VMI with policies used at other public universities by limiting disciplinary immunity for students who report acts of sexual violence.

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Neither Feggans or Helmers bills had not been docketed as of Tuesday afternoon.

Feb. 17 is the final day the House can consider legislation that originated in the chamber. If approved by the House, the measures would advance to the Senate and, if passed there, to Gov. Abigail Spanbergers desk.

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Hundreds of students who do not attend one of the seven Orange County schools slated for consolidation next year will be rezoned to a different school to balance out class sizes and fill additional classroom space, if the districts plan is approved.

The ripple effects are limited to three schools, one elementary and two middle schools, and mostly to students who would have had to leave their classmates anyway as they attended the high school zoned for their particular neighborhood.

Staff members also presented the plan for what will happen to each of the seven schools that are being closed in a $41 million cost-cutting plan. Attendance at each of the schools has fallen due to several factors, including demographic shifts and the increasing popularity of charter schools.

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The district is also under pressure to fill all available classroom space to prevent schools of hope from moving in, which would further drain resources from the district.

The plan, and effects for each of the seven schools are as follows:

Bonneville Elementary

Bonnevilles students will be shifted to East Lake Elementary, approximately two and a half miles from Bonneville by bus.

East Lake will lose 200 of its original students to Columbia Elementary, located further east in the county.

The East Lake students can be grandfathered back to their original school as long as their parents provide transportation. The parents can also re-enter them through open enrollment, which would protect any younger siblings that also attend beyond the attendance of the older sibling.

Union Park Middle School

Union Parks students will be broken into four groups, attending Legacy Middle School, Odyssey Middle School, Glendridge Middle School and Discovery Middle School respectively.

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Some Odyssey students will be sent to Legacy, while a contingent of Legacy students will be shuffled to Discovery. District staff said the moves will align those students with their future high schools.

Those students can stay at their original middle schools if their parents provide transportation.

Chickasaw Elementary

Chickasaw students will be split in half, with students east of Goldenrod Road head to Deerwood Elementary, while students west of the road will attend Englewood Elementary.

Eccleston Elementary

Eccleston students will remain together and attend Washington Shores Elementary, which will also retain all its students.

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Washington Shores will have an estimated 551 students after the consolidation, under its capacity of 632.

McCoy Elementary

McCoy students will be broken in half, geographically, with students east of Semoran Boulevard attending Ventura Elementary. Students west of the road will attend Shenandoah Elementary.

Meadow Woods Elementary

Meadow Woods students will be split between Southwood Elementary School and Wyndham Lakes Elementary.

While Southwood, on paper, will be over-capacity after the consolidation, district staff said many students zoned for that area attend other schools and they were confident the school would be at or under capacity.

Orlo Vista Elementary

Orlo Vista will lose its community school, with students heading to Oak Hill Elementary and Ivey Lane Elementary. A small group will move south to Eagles Nest Elementary.

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Many of the schools were expected to continue losing students for the next two or three years before enrollment began to climb again, though these projections do not take into account other factors like additional charter schools opening or another surge of families moving from northern states.

The public will have the opportunity to weigh in on this plan during a future meeting.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Hungarian prosecutors on Wednesday charged Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony for his role in organizing last year's Pride parade.

The move escalates the legal battle between the leftist-green mayor and Prime Minister Viktor Orban's right-wing populist government at the national level.

The prosecutor's office for Budapest's 5th and 13th districts alleged that Karacsony violated the Assembly Act by organizing and leading a public demonstration that had been formally prohibited by police.

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The 30th edition of Budapest Pride took place on June 28 and drew around 200,000 participants.

Months earlier, Orban's government was able to amend the EU country's Assembly Act to bar events that violate the countrys Child Protection Law. The change targeted LGBTQ+ events.

In a tactical manoeuvre to bypass the ban, Karacsony declared Pride an official municipal event of the city of Budapest, arguing it was no longer subject to the standard provisions of the Assembly Act.

Despite this, prosecutors  who are widely seen as loyal to Orban  opened criminal proceedings against the mayor.

In an unusual move, authorities indicated they wish to avoid a public trial. Prosecutors said they have requested the court impose a fine through a penal order without an oral hearing.

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Karacsony, who is one of the country's most prominent opposition figures, remained defiant following the announcement.

"I went from being a proud suspect to a proud defendant," the mayor wrote on his Facebook page. Anyone who thinks they can prevent him and the citizens of Budapest from defending freedom is "sorely mistaken," he added.
The Brief

The Consulate of Ecuador, located on Central Avenue Northeast in Minneapolis, reportedly barred an ICE agent from entering its premises on Tuesday.

Consulate officials say the effort was made to "guarantee the protection of the Ecuadorians who were present at the consular office at that time."

A statement since released has called the visit an "attempted incursion."

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Consul of Ecuador in Minneapolis has reported that an ICE agent allegedly attempted to enter its consulate facilities on Tuesday before being barred from doing so by officials.

ICE attempts to enter Consulate of Ecuador in Minneapolis

What we know

Around 11 a.m., the ICE agent reportedly attempted to enter the Consulate of Ecuador, located on Central Avenue Northeast in Minneapolis.

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A statement since released has called the visit an "attempted incursion," while saying that consulate officials immediately prevented the ICE officer from entering the premises"  an effort they say was made to "guarantee the protection of the Ecuadorians who were present at the consular office at that time."

Boletin |



Sobre intento de incursion al Consulado del Ecuador en Minneapolis por parte de agentes de ICE pic.twitter.com/BDkwTKbbZT  Cancilleria del Ecuador  (@CancilleriaEc) January 27, 2026

Big picture view

Thousands of increased federal agents have been present throughout the Twin Cities for weeks as part of an overarching Operation Metro Surge that seeks to apprehend what the Department of Homeland Security describes as the "worst of the worst" violent offenders.

However, the operation has been marred by allegations of constitutional overreaches, arresting the wrong people and the fatal shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti  both U.S. citizens who were bystanders of enforcement operations.

What's next

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic says it has immediately submitted a formal note of protest to the Embassy of the United States in Ecuador, requesting that acts of this nature not be repeated at any of Ecuadors consular offices.
We came across a bullish thesis on Howmet Aerospace Inc. on R. Denniss Substack by OppCost. In this article, we will summarize the bulls thesis on HWM. Howmet Aerospace Inc.'s share was trading at $215.53 as of January 27th. HWMs trailing and forward P/E were 60.50 and 48.78 respectively according to Yahoo Finance.

Airline Stocks Billionaires Are Piling Into

Photo by emiel molenaar on Unsplash

Howmet Aerospace Inc. provides advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries in the United States and internationally. HWM is positioned as a mission-critical supplier at the core of global aerospace and industrial infrastructure, making it a business that is not just a market leader but an absolute necessity. The company specializes in highly engineered components such as turbine blades capable of operating at extreme temperatures, and for many aerospace programs it serves as a sole-source supplier.

This creates a durable moat rooted in proprietary materials science, deep customer integration, and long qualification cycles that make replacement both costly and impractical. As a result, Howmet sits at the heart of both commercial and defense aviation, benefiting directly from long-term secular demand rather than short-term cycles.

A major near-to-medium-term tailwind comes from the aerospace aftermarket. Ongoing production delays at aircraft manufacturers have forced airlines to keep planes in service longer, driving a surge in demand for engine spares and replacement parts. This aftermarket exposure is especially attractive given its high margins and recurring nature, areas where Howmet has consistently demonstrated execution strength. Beyond aerospace, the company is also benefiting from accelerating demand in its industrial gas turbine business, driven by the rapidly growing power needs of AI-driven data centers, adding a second structural growth vector to the story.

Operationally, Howmet has established itself as a reliable beat and raise compounder, having consistently lifted guidance through 2025 and now targeting approximately $9 billion in revenue by 2026. While the stock has already delivered a strong run, this strength has created an opportunity in the options market rather than a reason to step aside.

Selling February 2026 $190 puts allows investors to generate income while maintaining a meaningful margin of safety relative to current prices and key technical levels. If the shares remain elevated, the premium is captured outright; if volatility creates a pullback, investors are positioned to own a high-quality, generational asset at a discounted entry price. This approach reflects disciplined capital allocationgetting paid to wait while anchoring exposure to one of the indispensable backbones of the aerospace recovery.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer is facing a misdemeanor charge after an alleged altercation with an activist in Illinois last month, according to local police.

Brookfield Police Department Chief Michael Kuruvilla said in a statement that officers responded to a gas station on Dec. 27 to investigate an alleged battery.

The victim, Chicago-based attorney Robert Held, told the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark that he had been filming the officer, Adam Saracco, with his cellphone from the sidewalk when Saracco approached him.

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He put the gas hose down, and he started briskly walking towards me. When he got closer, he broke into a run, and I was stunned. He put his hands on me. He threw me to the ground and aggressively was on top of me, trying to grab my phone, Held, 68, told the outlet.

Held posted footage of the alleged incident, spliced with other clips, on Instagram the day after. The video has since garnered roughly 100,000 views and has been shared more than 1,700 times.

This is about our First Amendment right to film what government agents do in our communities. If they can attack one person with a camera, they can scare everyone else into looking away. Dont look away, Held said over the video.

The New York Times reported that Held was not injured and that Saracco was off duty at the time of the incident, having just left a nearby immigration detention center.

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Kuruvilla said in the statement that the Cook County states attorneys office reviewed the case and declined to file felony charges, advising that it would be more appropriately charged as a misdemeanor.

Saracco cooperated with investigators and was subsequently charged, cited, and released on one count of misdemeanor battery with an assigned court date, Kuruvilla added.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security called it gross that Saracco was facing charges in a statement to The Hill on Tuesday.

It is gross that our officer is facing charges for responding to a direct threat against him and his safety. We stand firmly behind our officer. We wont accept this  stay tuned, the statement continued.

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The spokesperson claimed Saracco had been targeted and aggressively harassed by a known ICE agitator, noting that Held had previously been arrested outside an ICE facility in Broadview.

While off duty and driving home in his personal vehicle, the officer was stalked by this individual to a local gas station. The agitator confronted the officer, filmed him at close range, and recorded the officers personal license plate, the statement continued, describing Helds actions as clear attempts to dox the officer.

The officer, who was alone and without protective equipment, acted to protect himself when faced with this threatening behavior, the spokesperson added.

In a statement responding to the DHS account, Held maintained that he did not pose a threat to the agent and accused the agency of lying about how the situation unfolded.



I was not a threat to Saracco. I have an artificial hip and was calmly standing with a camera on a sidewalk. He is a federal agent who tried to silence me with violence, Held said, before delivering a message to other activists.



Your right to record ICE in public is settled law. Your right to stand on a sidewalk with a camera is not a crime, no matter how many times Tricia McLaughlin says otherwise, he added.

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Held previously told the Landmark he was pleased Saracco would face some accountability.

They did a thorough investigation. They conducted themselves professionally, and I am pleased that justice will be done, he said.

As the Trump administration continues to send federal law enforcement officers to U.S. cities as part of a massive immigration crackdown, Democratic leaders have encouraged residents to document their interactions.

People of Illinois, we need your help. Get your cell phones out  record what you see. Put it on social media, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) wrote last September on the social platform X.

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Peacefully ask for badge numbers and identification. Speak up for your neighbors. We need to let the world know this is happening  and that we wont stand for it, Pritzker added.

Updated at 2:27 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.
AP Photo/Adam Gray

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents attempted to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis on Tuesday, prompting the countrys minister of foreign affairs to file a protest with the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador.

A video of the incident was posted online. It shows staff inside the consulate rushing to the door to prevent the agents from entering. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! one man exclaimed. This is the Ecuadorian consulate. Youre not allowed to enter.

Ecuadors foreign ministry issued a statement in Spanish about the incident. The following is an English translation of the statement:

REGARDING THE ATTEMPTED INCURSION INTO THE ECUADORIAN CONSULATE IN MINNEAPOLIS BY ICE AGENTS This morning, the Ecuadorian Consul in Minneapolis reported that, at approximately 11:00 a.m., an agent from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attempted to enter the Consulate premises. Consulate officials immediately prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular office, thus guaranteeing the protection of the Ecuadorian citizens who were present at the consulate at that time and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility. Therefore, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic immediately submitted a letter of protest to the United States Embassy in Ecuador to ensure that acts of this nature are not repeated at any of Ecuadors consular offices in the United States. REPUBLIC OF ECUADOR

Generally speaking, officials from host countries need permission from consular staff to enter the premises. The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations  to which the U.S. is a party  states, The authorities of the receiving State shall not enter that part of the consular premises which is used exclusively for the purpose of the work of the consular post except with the consent of the head of the consular post or of his designee or of the head of the diplomatic mission of the sending State.

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ICE and Border Patrol agents have swarmed the Twin Cities area in recent weeks as part of the Trump administrations ongoing crackdown. On Saturday, Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis shot and killed Alex Pretti, who had been filming their activities in public. Earlier this month in the city, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good as she attempted to drive away from agents.

The post ICE Agents Try To Enter Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis first appeared on Mediaite.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is coming under fire from all sides amid reports she has personally frozen more than $1 billion in FEMA disaster-prevention funds.

Noem, 54, is already fighting for her job after two U.S. citizens were shot dead by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this month, sparking global outrage.

Trump has said Noem's job is safe, but she faces mounting calls to step down. / JIM WATSON / Jim WATSON / AFP

At the heart of the FEMA row is Noems new rule that every Homeland Security-funded project worth more than $100,000 must get her personal sign-off.

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That policy, introduced last July, has virtually frozen FEMAs Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Rep. Rick Larsen, the top Democrat on the House panel overseeing FEMA, told NOTUS. FEMA went from spending about $100 million a month on hazard-mitigation work to almost nothing, the outlet found.

Former FEMA chief of staff Michael Coen told NOTUS the failure to move the money is reckless and a breach of duty, warning that lives will be lost during future disasters that could have been avoided.

By Dec. 31, Noems office was sitting on roughly $1.3 billion in already-approved hazard-mitigation projects, the outlet reported, and only two states, North Carolina and Oklahoma, saw their projects approved since then. Hundreds of applications in nearly every state, as well as in U.S. territories and tribal nations, remain parked at her level.

One stalled plan would have buried power lines on Pajarito Mountain above Los Alamos, New Mexico, to cut wildfire risk near the Los Alamos National Laboratory. We were approved last summer, and its been sitting on her desk since, county utilities manager Philo Shelton told NOTUS.

In the past days, both the New York Times and the New York Post have used the nickname 'ICE Barbie' for Noem, who won the moniker for dressing up for photoshoots with DHS emergency workers. / Alex Brandon/Pool/Reuters

Since Noems $100,000 rule kicked in, FEMA has approved large mitigation grants in only three statesGeorgia, North Carolina, and Oklahomaeven though far more projects have cleared regional review, according to NOTUS.

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In Georgia, grants included work in Rep. Buddy Carters coastal district. North Carolina and Oklahoma also saw projects unlocked after Republican lawmakers lobbied the administration.

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich said Noem is blocking projects that are critical to our national security and the safety of Americans.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) told NOTUS that forcing Cabinet-level sign-off on every local project causes significant delays, and puts lives at risk. / Eric Lee / Eric Lee/Getty Images

Carter conceded the process is frustrating but defended the idea of tight central control, saying Noems rule is probably the best they can do.

Georgia Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop told NOTUS he did not think Noem exercises her authority in the most efficient and effective way and suggested doubts about her qualifications went back to her confirmation.

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DHS did not respond to NOTUS request for comment.

Aside from DHS, Noem is reported to be facing trouble at FEMA. / J. David Ake / J. David Ake/Getty Images

The FEMA chokehold comes as Noem faces a survival fight over DHSs lethal immigration blitz in Minnesota. Earlier this month, ICE agent Jonathan Ross, 43, shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, an unarmed mother, during a chaotic stop in south Minneapolis.

Then on Jan. 24, VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti, 37, was gunned down by masked Border Patrol agents while filming another immigration operation in the city, piling more pressure on Trump and Noem.

The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have sparked protests in the U.S. and around the world. / Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

Before she became notorious for her perceived screwups at DHS, Noem had already turned FEMA into a political headache.

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She has talked about eliminating the agency and signed off on New Years Eve emails terminating roughly 50 members of FEMAs Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery, which provides surge staff during disasters.

Her $100,000 sign-off rule was also widely blamed by lawmakers and former officials for slowing emergency aid to flood-hit Texas communities, where at least 135 people died last summer.

The Daily Beast has contacted DHS for comment.
ICE Barbie has passed the blame to Stephen Miller after she received calls to be fired in response to immigration officials killing another U.S. citizen, multiple sources told Axios.

Everything Ive done, Ive done at the direction of the president and Stephen, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told one source who relayed her comments to Axios.

In an earlier copy of the Axios report, others blamed Miller for divisive comments about slain anti-ICE protestor Alex Pretti wanting to massacre law enforcement, which were made by Border Patrol senior official Greg Bovino.

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Miller denied the blame placed upon him for the massacre statement, instead deflecting the fault to information provided by Customs and Border Protection, which is under Noems Department of Homeland Security.

Stephen Miller is widely known to be responsible for the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown. / Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Any early comments made were based on information sent to the White House through CBP, he told the outlet.

Noem, nicknamed ICE Barbie by the Daily Beast for her rotating wardrobe of law enforcement cosplays, first stirred a media firestorm earlier this month after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Minneapolis mother Renee Nicole Good, whom she referred to as a domestic terrorist within hours of the incident.

Like with the death of Good, Noem received an inundation of backlash for her comments on Saturday about Pretti, a Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, whom she also called a domestic terrorist.

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This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement, Noem said at a press conference on Saturday.

Kristi Noem said that slain ICU nurse Alex Pretti wanted to

Pretti, 37, was legally carrying a handgun when he was tackled by multiple federal agents, but video shows he did not brandish the weapon. Agents can be seen on video disarming Pretti before firing numerous shots into him while he was on the ground, killing him.

Shortly after the shooting Saturday morning, administration officials scrambled to release a statement that included the fact that Pretti was carrying a weapon, with Miller leading the charge.

Miller heard gun and knew what the narrative would be: Pretti came to massacre cops, a source familiar with the process of drafting the press release told Axios.

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Another source briefed on the statement said that the officers directly involved in the shooting all shut up and got lawyers real quick so there wasnt a lot of information.

A rosary adorns a framed photo Alex Pretti, who was shot dead by Border Patrol agents. / ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images

The statement, shared to X by the Department of Homeland Security only three hours after the shooting, was released without full approval from White House officials.

Others within the White House attempted to clean up the DHS statement prior to it being sent but it had already been disseminated, another source told the outlet.

Miller, widely known as the architect behind the administrations aggressive immigration enforcement policies, called Pretti an assassin in an X post shortly after the DHS statement, which was reposted by Vice President JD Vance.

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Noem incorporated similar language to Miller during a press conference on Saturday, as did the now-ousted commander-at-large of Border Patrol, Greg Bovino.

Customs and Border Protection boss Gregory Bovino is due to leave the Twin Cities amid the backlash following the shooting of a U.S. citizen. / Anadolu via Getty Images

The New York Times reported that Noem met with Trump, 79, at the White House on Monday to discuss the situation alongside her de facto chief of staff and rumored lover, Corey Lewandowski.

Notably absent from the two-hour meeting were both Miller and Trumps Border Czar Tom Homan, who was sent to ease tensions in Minneapolis after Saturdays shooting.

Shes a loyal person and she wanted her voice heard, a source told Axios. She made sure to convey her loyalty.

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Another source told the outlet that Noem has been feeling left in the lurch by the administration and has sought to emphasize that she has been directed by Miller and the president.

The Daily Beast reached out to the White House for comment.

When asked for comment, DHS told the Daily Beast: We have seen a highly coordinated campaign of violence against our law enforcement. This individual committed a federal crime while armed as he obstructed an active law enforcement operation. As with any situation that is evolving, we work to give swift, accurate information to the American people as more information becomes available.
Congress could be barreling toward a shutdown this week as Democrats demand changes to the spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security, threatening to tank the full package that would fund half of the budget for fiscal year 2026.

Nearly all Senate Democrats have come out against the spending package that is set for a final vote this week, increasing the chances of a partial government shutdown at the start of the weekend. Democratic leaders say the party is withholding its support unless substantial changes are made to the DHS portion, specifically in relation to funding for federal immigration officers.

If Leader (John) Thune insists on holding a vote on DHS legislation that he knows will not pass, then he will guarantee yet another unnecessary government shutdown this Friday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on Tuesday. And the shutdown will be on Leader Thunes shoulders.

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The Senate is expected to vote on Thursday on the six final appropriations bills for the 2026 fiscal year, but after federal immigration officers fatally shot a man in Minneapolis over the weekend, Democrats are pushing to remove the DHS portion. Instead, Democratic lawmakers are pushing for significant reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement that go beyond what is currently required under law.

The U.S. Capitol is photographed after a snowstorm, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Washington. | Mariam Zuhaib, Associated Press

The DHS funding bill that passed the House last week contains stricter guardrails for ICE agents that were negotiated along bipartisan lines. That includes $20 million that must be used to purchase body cameras for ICE and Border Patrol officials while conducting operations as well as another $2 million to provide de-escalation training for agents who regularly interact with the public.

But now Democrats are demanding more targeted language to rein in how those agents operate.

A handful of Republican senators, such as Utah Sen. Mike Lee, have rejected any changes to the current spending package, arguing the spending levels for DHS and specifically ICE must stay the same.

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Just as we cannot allow the mob to veto federal law enforcement, we should not give Democrats any opportunity to dictate terms for the security of our homeland, Lee said in a statement to the Deseret News. Remember, Joe Biden and the Democrats let millions of people into our country illegally, and they want nothing more than to return to that broken system. Absolutely not.

What are Democrats demanding in DHS bill?

Although an official list of demands has not yet been issued by Democrats, several senators have expressed support for similar reforms they say must be implemented in the funding package before they will vote to advance.

The majority party will need at least seven Democrats to help advance the funding bill, and all but one of the Democratic senators have publicly said they will not vote in favor.

One of the top demands among Democrats is to require ICE agents to issue warrants before arresting or detaining undocumented immigrants. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., one of the most vocal Democratic opponents of the current funding bill, said such language would be necessary to undo what he calls a Show Me Your Papers Department of Homeland Security.

A man in handcuffs runs to avoid being detained by federal immigration agents on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Minneapolis. | Evan Vucci, Associated Press

(We need to) make sure theyre targeting individual immigrants instead of just wandering through communities with guns on their hips, asking people to show their identification, Murphy said in a video posted on social media.

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Democrats are also demanding that immigration officers must wear identification on their uniforms as well as utilize body cameras when they are conducting operations. Additionally, the DHS must mandate clear use-of-force standards that prioritize de-escalation tactics, according to Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona.

The truth is, it does not have to be this way, Gallego wrote in an op-ed for Fox News. We can secure the border without treating entire communities like suspects. We can enforce immigration laws without terrorizing communities or putting innocent people in danger.

Democrats are also pushing restrictions on where agencies can send officers, arguing Border Patrol agents should stay along the southern border as they are not trained to be in our cities, Murphy said. The Connecticut Democrat also wants legislation to prohibit ICE from entering church buildings and schools, he said.

Republicans wary of changing funding bill due to short timeline

Thune expressed concern about changing the current spending package, noting theres not enough time to finalize a deal before the midnight deadline on Friday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., center, is joined by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., left, and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., right, during a news conference at the Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington. | Rod Lamkey, Jr., Associated Press

Democratic leaders such as Schumer have called on Thune to split DHS from the rest of the funding bill for further negotiations. However, Thune called that a risky proposition because any changes to the package would need approval from the House  which is far from a guarantee under current margins.

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I still think if there are things the Democrats want in the Homeland bill or addressed in the context of the situation, that they ought to make those clear and known and see to what degree the administration may be able to address them, Thune said on Tuesday. So I would prefer that there be a way that we keep the package together.

One way to do that could be through executive orders issued by the Trump administration, a route Republicans would prefer to keep the spending bill intact. However, top Democrats have swatted down those suggestions  arguing they cant trust the Trump administration to enact substantial reforms.

The fix should come from Congress, Schumer said on Tuesday. The public cant trust the administration to do the right thing on its own.

What would a partial shutdown do to federal agencies?

Although shutdown conversations are mostly limited to immigration reform, a partial shutdown would have far-reaching effects way past the border.

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The six-bill spending package includes funding for nearly a dozen executive departments such as the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Defense, Education, and more. It also includes funding for agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the SEC, among other things.

Even if the DHS component was removed from the package, it would leave several federal agencies without funding that are unrelated to border security. Those include FEMA, the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, and more.
Diana E. Murphy federal courthouse is shown in Minneapolis Friday, May 17, 2024. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement released the detainee at the center of a growing rift between the Trump administration and Minnesota courts Tuesday, bowing to pressure from the chief judge of the federal district court here.

On Monday, Judge Patrick Schiltz took what he admitted was the extraordinary step of ordering ICEs acting director to release the man, who is identified in court documents as Juan T.R.  or face contempt proceedings.

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The courts patience is at an end the extent of ICEs violation of court orders is likewise extraordinary, and lesser measures have been tried and failed, Schiltz wrote in a brief order.

Schiltz said acting ICE director Todd Lyons, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and ICEs top local official, David Easterwood, had failed to comply with dozens of court orders in recent weeks.

Schiltz is a noted figure in conservative legal circles, making his sharp order all the more notable. He was appointed by former President George W. Bush and clerked for the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, an originalist firebrand who died suddenly in 2016.

The last straw for Schiltz was the officials failure to follow a Jan. 14 order to grant a timely bond hearing for a petitioner identified in court documents as Juan T.R., who Schiltz said remained in custody as of Friday. The Monday order excoriated Lyons and his colleagues for causing significant hardship for Minnesota residents caught up in the federal dragnet, many of whom have lawfully lived and worked in the United States for years and done absolutely nothing wrong, he emphasized.

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Schiltz described scenarios in which detainees were held longer than necessary; removed to detention facilities elsewhere in the country; or released hundreds or even thousands of miles from home with no arrangements made for their return. He ordered Lyons to appear in his Minneapolis courtroom on Friday afternoon to show cause why he should not be held in contempt  unless the government affirmed that it had released Juan T.R. beforehand.

Juan T.R.s attorney, Graham Ojala-Barbour, told NBC News on Tuesday that his client had been released in Texas. Ojala-Barbour identified the man as Juan Tobay Robles, an Ecuadorian national who entered the U.S. as a minor nearly 30 years ago.

Schiltzs order came amid a flurry of legal and political developments related to Operation Metro Surge, the ongoing federal law enforcement offensive in Minnesota.

Late Tuesday, the Ecuadorian government filed a protest with U.S. officials after an ICE agent attempted to enter its consulate in Minneapolis in apparent violation of international law. Its unclear whether the incident is related to the Juan T.R. case.

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Monday that President Trump told them some federal agents would leave the Twin Cities this week. Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, replaced Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino as the top Washington-based immigration official on the ground in Minnesota and met with Walz and Frey.

Frey and Walz both said they would work with Trump and federal agencies on legitimate law enforcement matters.

Also Monday, the state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul asked a different federal judge to halt Operation Metro Surge in a lengthy hearing. Judge Katherine Menendez, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, did not immediately issue a ruling in that case.

Meanwhile, Washington Democrats and the labor union representing more than 800,000 federal workers dialed up pressure on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and others associated with the administrations hardline immigration policy, following the killings this month of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

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The American Federation of Government Employees demanded the resignation last night of Noem and Stephen Miller, the longtime White House advisor seen as an architect of polarizing policies like Trumps first-term Muslim ban and the the current mass deportation effort. New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the U.S. House, threatened Noem with impeachment if Trump does not fire her first.

Two Republican senators  Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska  also called on Noem to resign, with the former referring to Noems amateurish assistant-manager-sort of thought processes, NBC News reported.
Federal immigration officials detained multiple parents of Ypsilanti students this week in actions labeled "deeply distressing" by the Ypsilanti Community Schools superintendent and the Washtenaw County Sheriff.

Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer said in a Facebook post that on Tuesday, Jan. 27 her office "received multiple reports from community members that ICE detained a mother in front of her child in the Ypsilanti area, along with other residents."

It is unclear whether Dyer is stating definitively that this occurred; she notes it is often "difficult to confirm details" of ICE raids.

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"Based on the information we currently have, ICE activity did not occur on any school grounds. However, it did take place near bus stops in the Ypsilanti community, and it appears that parents connected to local schools were targeted at a bus stop in Ypsilanti during student drop-off times," Dyer said later in the statement.

In a letter to the YCS community, Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross does not specifically say parents were targeted at a bus stop by ICE. Instead, she says, "We have received confirmation that several parents in our community were taken into custody while off school grounds."

She also vowed to keep her community safe, noting the sheriff's office will, "monitor our campus borders and ensure that our school grounds remain a protected space where scholars can learn without the threat of enforcement."

An ICE media representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Dyer and Zachery-Ross did not immediately respond to additional Free Press questions.

Ypsilanti Community High School campus in Ypsilanti.

The immigration activity sparked outcries from local and state leaders, who called on the Legislature to take up bills that would bar ICE from taking action at schools, places of worship and other similar locations.

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The move by federal officials also comes a week after the Washtenaw County Commission approved a resolution that aims to bar ICE from entering or using any county property unless they have a valid judicial warrant.

"There are no words to fully capture the pain, fear and disruption this causes for our scholars and their loved ones. To see our families targeted this way is a violation of the sense of safety that every member of our community deserves. We stand in absolute solidarity with those who have been impacted," Zachery-Ross wrote in her letter to the school community.

A Free Press reporter did not see any obvious sign of ICE activity on the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 28 around YCS headquarters or elsewhere in the area.

In a statement on Facebook, Ypsilanti Mayor Nicole Brown provided no new details about the ICE activity. But she said city officials  including police  do not "cooperate" with ICE.

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"Recent reports of ICE activity have caused fear and confusion. Let me say this plainly. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, at work, at school, and when seeking help or services. Immigration status should never be used as a weapon to silence, intimidate, or divide our community," Brown said in the post.

"The City of Ypsilanti will continue to follow the law while standing firm in our values. Our local police and city staff do not ask about immigration status, do not enforce federal immigration law, and do not assist ICE with civil detentions."

The Ypsilanti chief of police did not immediately respond to Free Press questions.

Historically, ICE avoided enforcement actions at schools, places of worship and other similar places, said Herman Dhade, president of the Detroit Immigration Law Firm based in West Bloomfield.

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But recently, in Michigan and across the country, that's changing.

"A school bus stop is really just an extension of the school. They shouldn't be there? Can they? Yes. But it's not good public policy," Dhade said.

It was not immediately clear whether ICE targeted parents at a stop for a school bus or city bus.

Either way, Dhade said it's a traumatic, potentially dangerous and avoidable experience for anyone  especially children  to watch ICE detain someone at a bus stop.

In a statement, Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit said his office had no involvement in any ICE-related activities in Ypsilanti. He decried the federal agency's actions though, and called on state lawmakers to act.

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"What has been reported is deeply disturbing. Schools, courthouses, hospitals, and other sensitive locations should be safe spaces. No parent should fear dropping their child off at school. Nor should families be deterred from accessing educational or medical services, or seeking help if they are in danger," Savit said.

"Every child in our community  and in our state  deserves the right to an education. But educational services cant be accessed if a child is kept at home. And learning cant take place in an environment of fear."

State Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, said in a phone interview he was aware of the ICE activity and hoped it spurred action from his colleagues at the Legislature.

"This kind of enforcement in Michigan shouldn't be happening in schools, places of worship and health care facilities or courthouses," Irwin said, referencing Senate Bills 508, 509 and 510.

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"We don't want kids and their parents to be afraid to go to school. We don't want folks who are maybe witnesses of a crime to be afraid to go to the courthouse to participate in our criminal justice system."

The Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee is scheduled to discuss the bills on Thursday, Jan. 29. Lawmakers and community leaders, including former Detroit Police Chief Ike McKinnon, are expected to testify in support of the bills.

Irwin thinks the full Senate, controlled by Democrats, will eventually pass the measures. He's less optimistic about the chances of approval in the GOP-controlled House.

Still, he noted the depth of public pushback on federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, where two U.S. citizens were recently shot and killed by ICE agents, could prompt Michigan lawmakers to recognize action is necessary.

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"I don't feel like I need to carry my passport when I go to Kroger or when I go for a walk around my neighborhood. I wish I lived in a nation where everyone who was here legally felt that way. And I know that's not true anymore," Irwin said.

Reach Dave Boucher at dboucher@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: ICE 'targeted' Ypsilanti parents near bus stop, sheriff says
The deaths of two U.S. citizens  Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24  at the hands of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis have sparked intense debate over law enforcement tactics and accountability.

Video evidence from both incidents has contradicted official accounts from the Department of Homeland Security, fueling public outrage and calls for congressional oversight. While the events unfolded in Minnesota, Indiana readers have written to express concern about federal agencies that also operate in this state, to question the silence of elected officials and to weigh in on broader questions about immigration policy and constitutional limits on government power.

Have something to say? Submit a letter to the editor at IndyStar.

Judge federal officials by their actions, not their words

With the killing of Alex Pretti  coming closely on the heels of the killing of Renee Nicole Good  we are asked by our own government to disbelieve our eyes. Yet video from multiple angles shows federal agents shoving a woman, then swarming the man who stepped in to intervene. Pretti was taken to the ground, appeared to have been disarmed, and  according to Reuters  "an officer points his gun at Pretti's back and fires four shots in quick succession."

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In a democracy, evidence matters. We are supposed to believe what we can see and hear, not what officials insist afterward. When the government asks citizens to ignore plain video evidence, it is not asking for trust  it is demanding submission.

Opinion: Minneapolis shows what happens when ends justify the means

Good citizens are people like Pretti  people who act on the values we learn in childhood: coming to the aid of those in need and working to make our communities better. Civic virtue is not obedience at all costs; it is engagement, responsibility and moral clarity.

We are not called to blindly accept the government's word when it kills one of us in the street. We are not called to sit quietly while an overreaching government tramples our rights and our safety.

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Congress has both the authority and the responsibility to function as a check on executive power. It has the power to investigate, to hold hearings and to impose consequences when federal agents kill civilians without justification. Yet in cases like these, Congress's response has been silence. That silence is not neutral; it is a choice.

Accountability does not begin or end in a courtroom. It requires pressure from the public. If you are not calling your representatives, attending town halls and demanding answers, now is the time. If elected officials will not act on their own, they must be compelled to do so.

Opinion: Medicaid fraud is bad. So is denying help to those in need.

Elections are the moment when citizens render judgment. Officials who did nothing while the executive branch caused chaos in the streets  and while trust in government eroded further  do not deserve another term. A government that asks us not to believe our own eyes is a government that has forgotten whom it serves.

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We must remember Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good in November.

Joshua Hunt, Indianapolis

America needs immigrants and bipartisan immigration law

As Jay Chaudhary aptly points out ("Door-to-door ICE raids are un-American," Jan. 18), the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in blue states may be an un-American way to deal with the complex problem of immigration and that escalation to a "door to door" policy presents potential constitutional issues. This is especially pertinent when less violent tools exist to manage this problem that do not violate constitutional rights or endanger innocent citizens.

America needs a bipartisan immigration law that appropriately vets prospective immigrants.

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America needs immigrants. In the area of medicine, 25% of all medical residents and interns are international graduates and 37% are trainees in internal medicine. We have a growing physician shortage. A significant number of international medical trainees stay in the U.S. and gain citizenship, which requires practicing for three years in underserved areas  a benefit in rural areas that are now stressed. They later go on to enhance our medical care in private practice and academic medicine. Medicine is only one area of immigrant need.

America is a country of immigrants, has welcomed immigrants and has thrived because of immigrants. Any immigration policy cannot forget this.

Richard Hellman, Indianapolis

Legislators must take stand against 'absolute immunity'

I am saddened by the deafening silence from most Indiana legislators on an issue that is top of mind for so many Hoosiers and Americans. Regardless of your opinion on this administration, law enforcement or protesting, it is the responsibility of any patriot to take a stand against the concept of "absolute immunity." This is the time for our legislators to show Americans that no one is above the law.

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Jane Reagan, Indianapolis

ICE must be abolished and agents held accountable

I'm disgusted by and opposed to what ICE is doing to Americans. Abolishing ICE at this point is not enough. Funding that could have been used to bring down cost of living is instead funding paid thugs to kidnap and kill Americans. It never was about immigrants; it was about control. We need these gangs tried and punished. They can't be corrected or retrained. ICE needs to go, and everyone involved needs to be held accountable.

Dan Ireland, Indianapolis

Indiana officials should demand ICE accountability

What happened in Minneapolis should concern Indiana residents. These were not border encounters or overseas conflicts, but happened in the Midwest, carried out by federal agencies that operate in Indiana every day.

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Video footage, eyewitness accounts and reporting from national outlets have raised serious questions about whether deadly force was necessary or justified in the deaths of two U.S. citizens. Minnesota's governor and local leaders have publicly challenged the federal government's account and called for transparency and accountability.

Indiana's elected officials should not stay silent. Oversight of federal law enforcement is not optional, and it is not partisan. Congress has a responsibility to demand independent investigations, preserve evidence and ensure clear limits on the use of force.

This is not about where someone stands on immigration policy. It is about constitutional government and public trust. If federal agencies can act without accountability in Minneapolis, they can do so anywhere. Hoosiers deserve representatives who will do their jobs and insist on transparency, accountability and respect for human life.

James Howard, Elkhart

ICE agents who killed should face murder charges

It is time for ICE to be reined in. It is proving to be a group of undisciplined goons who openly disregard not only the law, but also common sense. Try those agents who shot to kill without real provocation or reason. Try them for murder, because that's exactly what they are guilty of doing. The excuse was that their lives were endangered. Video evidence disproves that.

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Roger Daugherty, Flora

IndyStar welcomes letters from readers representing diverse viewpoints. Letters should be 350 words or fewer and may be edited for length, clarity and grammar. Submit a letter to the editor at IndyStar.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Minneapolis ICE killings demand accountability | Letters
Originally appeared on E! Online

Bryan Kohberger may not have fled immediately after committing murder.

A newly unsealed filing from the prosecutors in the case obtained by People stated that the former criminology studentwho was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20possibly took the time to arrange the bodies of two victims after killing them at their off-campus residence in 2022.

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Forensic scientist Dr. Brent Turveythe crime scene expert for Kohberger's defense teammade the observation after reviewing the autopsy reports, according to the filing.

The evidence suggests that after both victims were killed or unresponsive they were posed in their shared bed," the crime scene analyst shared in court documents, per the outlet. "Kaylee was moved from a position with her head on her pillow to partially atop of Madison. Then the comforter was placed over them both."

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The detail alleged in the newly unsealed filing provides a new update to the timeline of the quadruple homicide case. On Nov. 13, 2022, roommates Goncalves, Mogen and Kernodle had returned home to their shared house, along with Kernodle's boyfriend Chapin, after a night out, ABC News reported, citing police.

Investigators believe Kohberger snuck into the house through a sliding glass door and killed the four students after 4 a.m, prosecutor Bill Thompson stated.

The now-31-year-old then attacked the victims with a large knife, prosecutors said in a March court filing obtained by Dateline for its special "The Terrible Night on King Road."

Mogen and Goncalves died in their third floor bedroom from sharp force injuries, according to the autopsies released by the Moscow Police Department in July and obtained by E! News. Goncalves was also suffocated during the attack.

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Authorities said Goncalves' wounds made her unrecognizable, per a police report obtained by the Idaho Statesman.

Kyle Green-Pool/Getty Images

Kernodlewho had a bedroom on the second floorappeared to be awake at the time of the murders, having ordered food from DoorDash, prosecutors stated during the trial, per ABC News. She was ultimately stabbed over 50 times, suffering most of her injuries while trying to defend herself, according to her autopsy report obtained by E! News.

Her boyfriend Chapin is believed to have been the last person attacked in the house, as sources close to the investigation told Dateline he was likely asleep in bed before he was killed. The source added that the perpetrator "carved" his legs with a blade during the gruesome slaying.

Instagram

Keep reading for a full breakdown of the horrific case.

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Who Were Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle?

Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin, 20, were University of Idaho students who lived in an off-campus apartment. On Nov. 12, 2022the night before their bodies were foundGoncalves and Mogen were at a nearby sports bar, while Kernodle and Chapin were at the latters fraternity party. By 2 a.m. on Nov. 13, the four roommates and Chapin were back at the three-story rental house. Goncalves was a senior majoring in general studies at the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences. She was expected to graduate in December before heading to Austin, Texas, for a job at a marketing firm, her friend Jordyn Quesnell told The New York Times. Mogen, who was studying marketing, was best friends with Goncalves since the sixth grade. She had plans to move to Boise after graduation, family friend Jessie Frost shared with The Idaho Statesman. Kernodle was a junior majoring in marketing, the University said at the time. She and Chapinwho majored in recreation, sport and tourism managementhad been dating since the spring, the roommates neighbor Ellie McKnight told NBC News.





Were There Any Survivors?

Two roommates, Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke, had been home at the time of the murders. In text messages that were unsealed March 6, 2025, Mortensen and Funke tried contacting their roommates on Nov. 13 after the former saw a masked man moving through the house, according to documents obtained by E! News. "No one is answering," Mortensen texted Funke at 4:22 a.m. "I'm rlly confused rn." She continued to reach out to their roommates, urging them to respond. "Pls answer," she texted Goncalves at 4:32 a.m. and again at 10:23 a.m. "R u up??" At 11:58 a.m., a 911 call was placed after Kernodle was found unresponsive, per an additional motion obtained by E! News. A woman named A1 in the transcript described the current situation to the operator. "One of the roommates who's passed out and she was drunk last night and she's not waking up," she said on the phone. "They saw some man in their house last night."





Who Is Bryan Kohberger and How Was He Found?

Bryan Kohberger, who was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary, was a doctoral candidate at Washington State University. Over one month after the bodies of Gonclaves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin were discovered, Kohberger was taken into custody Dec. 30 in Monroe County, Penn. He was extradited to Idaho Jan. 4, 2023. As for how authorities connected him to the killings? DNA was found on a knife sheath that was left at the crime scene, prosecutors revealed in June 2023 court documents, per NBC News. When the DNA didn't match anyone in the FBI database, authorities ran the DNA through public ancestry websites to create a list of potential suspects, according to the filings. After learning that Kohberger had driven to his parents' home in Monroe County, local officials then went through their trash and found DNA that tied him to that found on the sheath.





What Was Kohbergers Initial Defense?

At the moment, a motive for the attack has not been detailed and a gag order prevents many involved in the case from speaking publicly, NBC News reported. However, the unsealed documents provided some insight into their initial arguments. Kohberger's attorneys argued in a motion obtained by E! News to strike the death penalty that Kohbergerwho initially faced death penalty if found guilty on all countshas autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that executing him would violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on "cruel and unusual punishment." His defense argued that Kohbereger "displays extremely rigid thinking, perseverates on specific topics, processes information on a piecemeal basis, struggles to plan ahead, and demonstrates little insight into his own behaviors and emotions." "Due to his ASD, Mr. Kohberger simply cannot comport himself in a manner that aligns with societal expectations of normalcy," the motion said. "This creates an unconscionable risk that he will be executed because of his disability rather than his culpability."

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Where Was the Trial Set?

Initially, Kohberger had a judge enter a not-guilty plea to the first-degree murder charges on his behalf after remaining silent at his May 2023 arraignment. Although his trial was set to begin Oct. 2, 2023, Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial in August 2023. His trial datewhich was scheduled to take place in Ada County, more than 300 miles from Latah County, where the killings took placewas set to begin Aug. 11, 2025. Latah County Judge John Judge previously ruled in favor of the transfer request made by Kohberger's defense in September 2024 based on "presumed prejudice" if the trial remained in Latah County. Ada County Judge Steven Hippler denied the defense's request to suppress key DNA and other evidence, including cell phone and email records, surveillance footage, past Amazon purchases and DNA evidence in the trial.





What Was the Verdict in the Trial?

Kohberger's murder trial was abruptly canceled after he took a plea deal from prosecutors on June 30, 2025. In accepting the deal, Kohberger agreed to plead guilty to four counts of murder and one count of burglary, as well as waive his rights to appeal and ask for a more lenient prison sentence. He entered his guilty plea on July 2, 2025, confirming with a "yes" after the judge asked if he killed all four victims "willingly, unlawfully, deliberately and with premeditation and malice with forethought."





Did Kohberger Take a Selfie After the Murders?

A selfie Kohberger took the morning after the murders took place was introduced in March 2025. The photograph, which sees him in front of a shower showing a thumbs up, displays how he may fit the description a witness identified as "D.M." gave in filings, who said the perpetrator had "bushy eyebrows." Steve Gonclaves, the father of victim Kaylee, later reacted to the image calling it a "trophy" in an interview with Fox and Friends. "I know the timeline, I know that he had just returned to the crime scene and he had come back," Gonclaves said. "He had realized that nobody had called 911." As he put it, "To him, thats his little trophy to let him know like, Hey, I got away with it, nobodys on me.





What Did Kohberger Google Before the Murders?

In a 2025 Dateline documentary about the murders, a former classmate of Kohbergers detailed a peculiar text she received from him after making his acquaintance at a party. I definitely felt a little obligated to chat with him, because to me, he seemed a little awkward, the studentidentified as Hollyexplained. Kind of like you might expect for a PhD student who didn't know anyone at the party and was maybe trying his best to kind of get out there and be social and make friends. The following day, Holly said she received a text from him, which she described as overly formal. Hey, I am pretty sure we spoke about hiking trips yesterday, Bryans text from July 10, 2022 at 1:19 p.m., read, per Dateline. I really enjoy that activity, so please let me know. Thanks! Elsewhere in the Dateline documentary, Kohbergers browsing history was found to have included searches for Ted Bundy, Britney Spears song Criminal, and the term University of Idaho Murders.

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Did Kohberger Confess to Killing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle?

After accepting a plea deal that would spare him from the death penalty, Kohberger changed his plea to guilty in the murders of Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin, as well as one count of burglary, at a July 2, 2025 hearing in Idaho. When judge Hippler questioned Kohberger if he killed each victim "willingly, unlawfully, deliberately and with premeditation and malice with forethought," he replied with a firm, "Yes" for each. In taking the plea deal, Kohberger has waived his right to appeal or ask for a more lenient prison sentence, according to Hippler.





How Long Is Kohberger's Prison Sentence?

Though the families of Goncalves and Kernodle each slammed the decision to issue a plea deal, therby taking the death penalty off the table, Kohberger was officially sentenced to life in prison July 23, 2025. Judge Hippler sentenced Kohberger to four life termsto be served consecutivelywithout the possibility of parole for each count of first-degree murder, along with a $50,000 fine for each count and a $5,000 civil penalty to be paid to each of the victims' families. He also gave Kohberger 10 years and imposed a fine of $50,000 on the burglary count.




Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked by a man who sprayed a liquid while lunging at her before being detained at a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday.

Omar was speaking to constituents in her district, which includes much of Minneapolis, about the turmoil in the city in the wake of federal immigration agents shooting Alex Pretti, the second U.S. citizen killed by federal agents in the city in less than a month.

As she spoke, a man charged at Omar and sprayed her with an unknown substance before being detained by security. She did not appear to be injured and, after a pause, continued the town hall despite a security officers advice to halt the event, asking him to please not let them have the show.

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Heres the reality that people like this ugly man dont understand, Omar said. We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.

The lawmaker's office later said on social media that the man who threw the liquid is in custody. "The Congresswoman is okay," it said. "She continued with her town hall because she doesnt let bullies win.

Omar has been the subject of frequent rhetorical attacks from Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who have sought to tie the lawmaker to investigations into public benefits fraud linked with Minnesotas Somali community. On Tuesday, Trump said the Department of Justice is investigating her personal finances while suggesting she illegally profited from her service in Congress.

The incident heightens the tensions in Minneapolis, where anti-Trump protests continue to embroil the city in response to a surge of federal immigration enforcement. Two Minneapolis residents, Pretti and Renee Good, were killed by immigration officers, sparking further backlash to the Trump administrations immigration policies from protesters around the city.
Shadowfax stumbled in its market debut, with shares falling as investors weighed concerns about the logistics firms heavy reliance on a handful of large e-commerce clients. The company raised about 19.07 billion (about $208.24 million) in its initial public offering.

The shares fell about 9% from the offer price of 124 to 112.60 on Wednesday, valuing the Bengaluru-based logistics firm at roughly 64.7 billion (about $706.58 million) on debut, roughly matching its last private valuation of close to 60 billion (roughly $655.01 million) in early 2025. The offering, priced in a band of 118124 per share, combined a fresh issue with an offer-for-sale by existing shareholders and was subscribed nearly three times over.

Founded in 2015, Shadowfax operates as a third-party logistics provider, handling last-mile and intra-city deliveries for e-commerce marketplaces, quick-commerce platforms and consumer internet companies across India. The company counts e-commerce players including Flipkart and Meesho, as well as quick-commerce and food delivery platforms Zepto and Zomato, among its largest clients, which together account for about 74% of its revenue, according to its prospectus. Its key shareholders include Flipkart, TPG NewQuest, Qualcomm, and the World Bank-backed International Finance Corporation.

Shadowfaxs listing comes as the e-commerce and quick-commerce sectors continue to expand in India, driven by rising internet penetration, urbanization, and demand for faster deliveries. Platforms offering same-day or rapid fulfillment have increasingly leaned on third-party logistics providers to scale nationally, placing companies like Shadowfax at the centre of the countrys consumer internet supply chain.

The offering includes shares sold by some early and institutional backers, including Flipkart, Eight Roads Ventures, Nokia Growth Partners, Qualcomm, and Mirae Asset. Founders Abhishek Bansal and Vaibhav Khandelwal are not participating in the offer-for-sale and will together retain about 20% of the company after listing.

We dont see this IPO as a destination, said Bansal, Shadowfaxs co-founder and CEO, during its IPO launch ceremony in Mumbai. We are not building this for the next quarter. We are building this for the next century. Today, we dont ring a bell. We are waking up to a new set of possibilities.

In the six months ended September 2025, Shadowfax reported revenue from operations of 18.06 billion (about $197.12 million), up 68% from the same period a year earlier, per its prospectus. The companys profit more than doubled year over year to 210.37 million (around $2.30 million), reflecting higher delivery volumes, though earnings remain closely tied to demand from a small group of large platform clients.
After a fire tore through the Gul Plaza shopping mall in Pakistan's biggest city Karachi in mid-January, dramatic AI-generated images circulated in social media posts falsely claiming they showed the blaze. The images, which differ from AFP photos and video of the fire and its aftermath, also contain visual errors indicative of AI-generated content.

"Deeply saddened by the unfortunate fire incident at Gul Plaza Karachi. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time," reads the caption of an image shared on X on January 19, 2026.

The image shows black smoke billowing from a burning building, with firefighters trying to put out the fire.

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A similar image shared in an X post on January 18 is captioned: "Gul Plaza was not just a shopping center, it was a cultural icon of Karachi. The exact number of lives lost in the fire may never be fully known, but the scale of loss is heartbreaking."

Screenshots of false X posts captured on January 27, 2026, with red Xs added by AFP

The images were also shared in similar Facebook, Instagram and X posts.

They spread in the days after a major fire -- which police blamed on "negligence and carelessness" -- ripped through the Gul Plaza shopping centre in Pakistan's biggest city of Karachi on January 17 (archived link).

According to a January 25 report by Pakistani media organisation Dawn, at least 73 people were killed in the blaze (archived link).

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While fires are common in Karachi's markets and factories, which are known for their poor infrastructure, a blaze on such a scale is rare (archived link).

The images circulating online, however, do not show the fire that engulfed the shopping centre.

Google reverse image searches flagged the pictures as having been "made with Google AI".

Further analysis using SynthID -- a detector launched by Google in May 2025 to identify AI-generated content -- identified with a "very high" level of confidence that the images were created with the help of its AI tools (archived link).

Screenshots of the SynthID Detector results

A visual comparison of the AI-generated images and AFP photographs of the deadly blaze shows multiple errors.

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These errors include a misspelling of the shopping centre's name, the building being incorrectly structured, and missing high-rise buildings in the background.

Screenshot comparison between the AI-generated images (left and centre) and AFP photograph at the scene (right), with inconsistencies highlighted by AFP

Moreover, an AFP video shows there was extensive damage to large sections of Gul Plaza which housed approximately 1,200 shops (archived link).

BBC Verify also debunked the falsely shared images during its coverage on January 19 (archived link).

AFP has previously fact-checked other AI-generated visuals misrepresented as real incidents and disasters.
By Rishika Sadam and Jatindra Dash

NEW DELHI/BANGKOK/SINGAPORE, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Authorities across Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia have taken urgent steps to stop the highly lethal and epidemicprone Nipah virus spreading beyond India, rolling out airport temperature checks and other screening measures.

Nipah is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization because of its ability to spark fastmoving outbreaks, its fatality rate of 40% to 75%, and the fact that there is no approved vaccine or cure.

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Two infections were confirmed in India in late December.

The virus, carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, can trigger a deadly brain-swelling fever in humans and can also spread directly from person to person through close contact. Several vaccines are in development but remain in testing.

INDIAN HEALTH WORKERS INFECTED

The two people infected in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal in late December were health workers and both are under treatment at a local hospital, a district health officer told Reuters.

Authorities have identified and traced 196 contacts linked to the two cases with none showing symptoms and all testing negative for the virus, the Indian health ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.

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"Speculative and incorrect figures regarding Nipah virus disease cases are being circulated," the statement said. "Enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, and field investigations were undertaken ... which ensured timely containment of the cases."

Reports of the infections put authorities on alert in neighbouring Southeast Asian nations as well as Nepal and Hong Kong.

TEMPERATURE SCREENING AT SINGAPORE AIRPORT

Singapore's Communicable Diseases Agency said on Wednesday that it will set up temperature screening at its airport for flights arriving from areas affected by the infections in India.

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The Ministry of Manpower is stepping up surveillance over newly arrived migrant workers from South Asia, and engaging primary care providers to increase vigilance, it said.

"We are also reaching out to our counterparts in South Asia, to better understand the situation. Work is ongoing to establish a global platform for countries to report genome sequencing of detected cases," the agency said in a statement.

A Hong Kong airport authority spokesperson said it was facilitating enhanced health screening measures enforced by the health department at Hong Kong International Airport, including temperature check at gates for passengers arriving from India.

DESIGNATED AIRCRAFT PARKING IN THAILAND

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Thailand earlier this week tightened airport screening measures, with neighbouring Malaysia following suit.

Thailand has assigned designated parking bays for aircraft arriving from areas with Nipah infections, its health ministry said, while passengers must complete health declarations before clearing immigration.

Malaysia's health ministry said it was boosting preparedness through health screening at international ports of entry, particularly for arrivals from countries deemed at risk.

"The ministry remains vigilant against the risk of cross-border transmission following sporadic infections in several other countries," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

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China's disease control authority said on Tuesday that no Nipah infections had been detected in the country but there were risks of imported cases, state broadcaster CCTV said on Tuesday.

Nepal, which shares a busy border with India, said it was on "high alert" and had tightened screening for travellers. Health ministry officials said border points with India and China had been notified to remain vigilant and check suspected cases.

NIPAH NOT NEW TO INDIA

Nipah was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore, although scientists believe it has circulated in flying foxes for millennia and warn that a mutated, highly transmissible strain could emerge from bats.

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India regularly reports sporadic infections, particularly in the southern state of Kerala, considered among the world's most at-risk regions for Nipah outbreaks. The virus has been linked to the deaths of dozens of people in Kerala since it first appeared there in 2018.

The West Bengal cases are the state's first in nearly two decades, following five fatal infections in 2007, local media reported.

(Reporting by Rishika Sadam in Hyderabad and Jatindra Dash in Bhubaneswar, India, Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng in Bangkok, Jun Yuan Yong in Singapore, Julie Zhu in Hong Kong, Qiaoyi Li, Yukun Zhang and Ryan Woo in Beijing, Gopal Sharma in Kathmandu; Writing by YP Rajesh in New Delhi; Editing by Ros Russell)
Indianapolis-area high school students are joining a growing contingent of youth across the country in protesting the Trump administration and its aggressive removal of undocumented immigrants.

Hundreds of Carmel High School students walked out of class Jan. 20 as part of a nationwide movement to push back against Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A few dozen also walked out of class in Bloomington.

IndyStar has obtained flyers for walkouts planned at Franklin Central High School on Jan. 29, Noblesville High School on Feb. 2 and Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville on Feb. 2.

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Walkouts are planned by students and are rarely school-sponsored events. Marnie Cooke, spokesperson for Noblesville Schools, said the school does not endorse or organize student political activism. The district believes sharing political views is a discussion between students and their parents, not schools, she said.

"We do respect students First Amendment rights and do not prohibit students ability to express themselves peacefully, safely, and in a manner that is not disruptive to other students or the operation of the school," Cooke said in an email.

The surge in protest activity, especially amid below-freezing temperatures, is in reaction to unprecedented immigration enforcement activity in and around Minneapolis. In January, federal agents have and killed two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, amid anti-ICE protests there.

Many recent walkouts across the country are part of the Free America Walkout, organized by the Women's March.

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A walkout is when students coordinate to leave class at a certain time to protest an issue. Most notably, thousands of students in Indianapolis and across the country participated in walkouts to call for gun control, especially following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

Students do not have a First Amendment right to participate in a walkout. School administrators could decide to discipline students for causing a disruption or missing class, but they cannot punish students more harshly for the beliefs that prompt their action.

The USA TODAY Network - Indiana's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

Have a story to tell? Reach Cate Charron by email at ccharron@indystar.com, on X at @CateCharron or Signal at @cate.charron.28.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy-area students join nationwide school walkouts to protest ICE
The entrance to the South Dakota State Penitentiarys East Hall. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Corrections)

SIOUX FALLS  Unless he misbehaves in the next year and a half, a state prison inmate wont serve any additional time in a case that accused him of providing the drugs that killed a fellow inmate.

The outcome came two months after a court hearing where prosecutors apologized for a failure by the state Department of Corrections to preserve some evidence.

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Manarion Fuse, 22, is one of two people charged with drug crimes in the death of Anthony Richards, whose February 2025 death was ruled an overdose.

Eight people died of confirmed or suspected overdoses in South Dakota prisons last year, starting with Richards, a prison overdose tally that was both higher than any surrounding state and higher than South Dakota has seen in modern memory.

As with all but one of the eight cases, Richards death was linked to a synthetic drug called K2.

Prison officials and Attorney General Marty Jackleys office have pledged to address the crush of drug incidents through security policy changes and prosecutions.

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Fuse is the first person to enter a plea for a crime linked to one of the 2025 overdoses.

In a statement Tuesday, Jackley said the sentence for Fuse may not have been ideal, but it does offer some closure in the Richards case.

Even though there was some evidence not available that likely impacted the sentence  through no fault of investigators or prosecutors  there was both a criminal conviction and sentence.

No contest, no additional time

In court Tuesday, Fuse pleaded no contest to a charge of felony drug possession in exchange for the dismissal of the remaining charges against him and a sentence that wont change his initial parole date, which comes next May. People pleading no contest do not admit guilt, but it allows a judge to impose a sentence as though they had.

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Such a plea also sidesteps the legal requirement for a judge to read a factual basis statement into the record that includes the date, time and manner in which the pleading party committed a crime.

Fuse had argued that other inmates and staff members may have been involved in distributing the drugs that reportedly killed Richards at the state penitentiarys Jameson Annex.

At a hearing in November, Assistant Attorney General Ryan McFall apologized for the states failure to produce some of the evidence Fuses lawyer Kylie Beck had requested to prepare his defense.

The prosecution had turned over all the evidence delivered to prosecutors by the Department of Corrections, McFall said, but said videos of alleged drug deliveries to Fuse had not been preserved.

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Beck, of the Minnehaha County Public Defenders Office, said Tuesday that her client agreed to the plea deal to avoid a trial, at which hed run the risk of convictions for more than one offense and face sentencing as a habitual offender.

Mr. Fuse is not admitting any sort of guilt, but understands that this will appear as a conviction on his record, Beck said.

McFall offered no comments aside from encouraging Judge Jon Sogn to follow the terms of the plea agreement, which capped Fuses sentence at three years, with two suspended, to run concurrent with Fuses 2024 sentence for discharging a firearm at an occupied structure.

Sogn added two years of suspended time, which could be imposed if Fuse fails to pay a $65 fee or misbehaves while on probation.

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Fuses co-defendant, Malibu Lynn Ross, is scheduled for a change of plea and sentence hearing on March 4.

First sentence in spate of overdose deaths

Jackleys office indicted Fuse in June, the first of what became several rounds of overdose-related prison drug indictments. More people were charged in September for the death of Nicholas Skorka, and still more were charged in December in the death of Travis Long Fox.

On Monday, Jackley announced charges for 11 people allegedly involved in the drug distribution ring linked to the November death of Timothy Tyree at Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield.

Three of the people indicted thus far formerly worked at a prison, one as a correctional officer in Sioux Falls, another as a medical aid in Sioux Falls and a third as a contract food service worker in Springfield.

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Investigations into the remaining drug deaths are ongoing, Jackley said Monday.

Prairie Crowe, Richards sister, told South Dakota Searchlight on Tuesday that her family had been informed of the terms of the Fuse plea deal.

The family is disappointed by the outcome, but Crowe said she puts the blame on the Department of Corrections, not prosecutors. The department needs to step up its efforts to protect the inmates in its care, she said, react more quickly when inmates are in trouble and do a better job investigating when things go wrong.

Theyre responsible for making sure people get home, and theyre not doing it, Crowe said.

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In a statement Tuesday, corrections spokesman Michael Winder said the department cannot comment on ongoing investigations, criminal cases, lawsuits, or security sensitive matters.

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Shamkhani wrote that a limited strike is an illusion, adding that any US military move, from any source and at any level, would be treated as an act of war.

Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned that any US military action would be met with a harsh response, including strikes on Tel Aviv, in a Hebrew post on X/Twitter on Wednesday.

Shamkhani wrote that a limited strike is an illusion, adding that any US military move, from any source and at any level, would be treated as an act of war.

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He cautioned that Irans response would be immediate and unprecedented, aimed at the aggressor, the heart of Tel Aviv, and all supporters of the aggressor.

The warning came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared before a Senate hearing that, while scheduled to address Venezuela, quickly moved to Iran and regional security.

Rubio argued that the Iranian regime is weaker now than at any time in the past, pointing to public anger over a collapsing economy and saying protests are likely to erupt again.

Addressing US deployments, Rubio said existing security commitments, including the defense of Israel and other partners, require a credible American presence to deter or respond to potential Iranian attacks.

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The buildup, he said, is intended to protect our people from what could be an Iranian threat.

Rubio: Reinforcements in MidEast 'smart and cautious step'

Rubio described the reinforcement as a smart and cautious step, designed to ensure forces in the region can respond, and if necessary, prevent attacks on thousands of US service members, facilities, and allies. He emphasized that the posture gives the president options for defensive action if required.

The secretary added that the United States currently has between 30,000 and 40,000 troops at at least eight sites across the region, all within range of thousands of Iranian UAVs and ballistic missiles.

He said Washington must maintain sufficient power in the region as a baseline for defense, with the option of preemptive protective measures reserved to the president.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Thousands across Middle Tennessee have not had reliable electricity for days as crews work around the clock to try to restore power to customers.

In one South Nashville neighborhood, News 2 spoke with Adonis Marzos, who said hes staying at his cousins house because his home hasnt had power since Saturday.

If we didnt have somebody, we wouldnt know what to do. It may be freezing inside the houseIt may be 32 [degrees in the house], Marzos said.

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Residents on Ellington Circle told News 2 people have been going to their cars to warm up and charge their phones.

RELATED | Power outages persist in aftermath of winter storm

Asia Whitaker said shes staying at a friends home because her home hasnt had power since Sunday morning.

We lost power around 6:30, 6:43 in the morning on Sunday and we sort of dealt with it, but the house was really cold and then Sunday night, it got really cold and we were just kind of over it, Whitaker told News 2. By the next morning, it was freezing and I was sitting on the couch in a puffer jacket and several layers of pants texting about trying to figure out what to do and my fingers were freezing, and I was like Okay, this isnt sustainable.'

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As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nashville Electric Service said theres still about 119,000 customers without power. At least 216 broken poles were reported as broken across their service area. The utility said it deployed about 700 line workers Tuesday morning as well as 207 vegetation management teams.

Neighborhoods with outages of 1,000 customers or more include:

Brick Church/North Nashville

Bellevue/West Nashville

Hendersonville

Elysian Fields

Madison

Rosebank/East Nashville

Goodlettsville

Forest Hills

Brentwood

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

NES said theyve been restoring power by tackling areas affecting the largest number of customers first.

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If you are without power, please report it by texting OUT to 637797 (NESPWR) from the phone number linked to your account, or by calling (615) 2340000.

Dont forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app.

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.
By Dedi Hayun

MEITAR, Israel, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The last Israeli captive recovered from Gaza was buried on Wednesday at a funeral attended by hundreds of mourners which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said ended a "painful" chapter in Israel's history.

Ran Gvili, an off-duty police officer, was killed fighting Hamas militants who attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023. His remains were taken back to the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, Israeli officials say.

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Of the about 250 people abducted that day, Gvili was the last to be released either dead or alive, and he was buried in his hometown of Meitar in southern Israel.

His casket was driven to the funeral in a procession beginning in Camp Shura, a facility where Israel identified victims of the October 2023 attack. Police and civilians carrying Israeli flags lined parts of the route.

"The burial of Ran Gvili brings an end to the painful reality of the existence of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, all of them, living and fallen," Netanyahu said in a eulogy at the funeral.

President Isaac Herzog also delivered a eulogy at the funeral. He said the entire nation mourned Gvili, who was 24 when he died, and that "the shattered fragments of our hearts can slowly begin to gather toward healing and repair."

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MOMENT OF NATIONAL HEALING

Gvili was one of about 1,200 people killed in the attack, which set off the war in Gaza, in which Palestinian health authorities say Israel has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians.

Many of the hostages were released during two short ceasefires, but dozens died in captivity. Under the terms of an October deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, Hamas and other groups agreed to return the remaining hostages, alive or dead, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The return of the last hostage and his burial marks a moment of national healing for Israelis. The Hamas attack, the bloodiest killing of Jews since the Holocaust, was widely seen as the most traumatic event in the country's history.

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It also completes a core aspect of the initial phase of Trump's plan to end the war. The second stage, which Washington announced had started earlier this month, includes the reopening of Gaza's Rafah border with Egypt.

Tzvika Mor, whose son Eitan Mor was taken hostage but was released last October, was among the crowds that watched the funeral procession pass.

"So were here to say goodbye and to stand with the Gvili family," he said, hailing Gvili as a hero.

Harel Plachinsky, Gvili's aunt, also saw the return of her nephew's remains and burial as a moment of closure.

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"This is some kind of ending the war...and I think that the seventh of October is ending today," she said.

(Reporting by Dedi Hayun and Omri Taasan, Editing by Rami Ayyub and Timothy Heritage)
Jacksonville protestors demand local law enforcement to end agreements with ICE

The Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance (JIRA) organized a large protest downtown, outside of the federal courthouse, to call for the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office and other law enforcement agencies in Duval County to end their agreements with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Even though the protest was in direct response to the killing of Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse shot over the weekend by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, multiple protestors told Action News Jax they believe local law enforcement agreements with ICE are unnecessary and dangerous.

My children are scared to leave the house. Im scared to leave the house, said Nina Vallecillo, who said she and her kids are U.S. citizens but have been worried about being stopped in public by federal officers.

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Caroline Schultz, another protestor, thinks ICE shouldnt need local agencies to support its efforts, since its budget is higher than $75 billion.

They dont need any of the officers at UNF. They dont need any of the Florida Highway Patrol. They dont need any of the JSO. They dont need any of these people to help them, said Schultz.

JSO, currently, has whats called a 287(g) agreement with ICE. The agreement, simply put, allows ICE officers to train JSO officers to carry out immigration operations and gives ICE more power to operate in local communities. Action News Jax went through ICEs data and found that there are 17 similar agreements with other law enforcement agencies around northeast Florida. There are only two of these agreements with law enforcement agencies in southeast Georgia and, at least, nine agencies in our area without this type of ICE agreement.

Protest organizers with JIRA dont believe the partnerships help to keep communities safer and are anxious about seeing federal immigration officers in their neighborhoods.

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Local law enforcement also trying to act as a function of ICE? Thats dangerous, and its reckless, said Jonathan Gonzalo Kleinick, one of JIRAs co-founders.

The 287(g) agreements with ICE allow for either party to suspend or terminate them. We reached out to JSO to ask about the status of its agreement with ICE. In a statement, JSO told us this:

The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office continually partners with a variety of federal agencies, to include I.C.E., as it relates to immigration violations and enforcement. In that vein, we have been an active participant in the 287g program for more than fifteen years. We will continue in this endeavor to enforce all applicable laws and partner with local, state, and federal agencies in an effort to make our community a safer place for families to thrive.

JIRA told Action News Jax it is planning more ICE protests in Jacksonville, without making mention of whether any more are happening in the coming days.

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By Colleen Howe

BEIJING, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Giant pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei arrived in Sichuan province on Wednesday, China's panda research base said in a social media post, leaving Japan without pandas for the first time since 1972 at a moment of tense relations between the two nations.

Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei arrived at Chengdu's Tianfu International Airport on 1 a.m. on Wednesday, a WeChat post by the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda showed. They reached the centre in Ya'an, Sichuan, at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, where they will quarantine.

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The twin pandas were born in Tokyo's Ueno Zoo in 2021 and their departure followed an emotional goodbye from fans in Tokyo where the pair were born and raised. They have been a top draw at the zoo since their parents, Shin Shin and Ri Ri, went to China in 2024.

Since its founding in 1949, China has used panda diplomacy to cement ties with other countries - or express its displeasure. The pandas are usually lent out and return home after the agreement ends.

Pandas born overseas like Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei typically go to a Chinese breeding program between the age of two and four.

Pictures on the WeChat post showed the pandas' crates being unloaded from a Sichuan Airlines plane and then transported to a truck while workers in white protective suits looked on.

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Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei have "made a positive contribution to promoting friendship between the peoples of the two countries", the research centre said.

Japan has hosted Chinese pandas since the two countries normalised relations in 1972. Their departure, though long planned, comes at a low point in Sino-Japanese relations.

In November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan would respond militarily in the event of a Chinese attack on democratically governed Taiwan. China, which reacted angrily to the comment and advised citizens against travelling to Japan, views Taiwan as its own territory, despite the objections of the government in Taipei.

A future offer of pandas could indicate Beijing wants to improve the relationship.

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Ya Ya, on loan to the U.S. for 20 years, was returned to China in April 2023 after a suspected Chinese spy balloon floated over the U.S.

The following year, as Beijing and Washington increased engagement, China promised to send two younger pandas to Washington in what China's ambassador said was a "very good sign" for bilateral relations.

Similarly, China's Premier Li Qiang offered pandas to Australia as a goodwill gesture in 2024 as relations warmed following a trade spat that stretched back to 2020.

South Korea could be the next test ground for China's panda diplomacy.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Korean counterpart, Lee Jae Myung, agreed during a January summit to start panda talks, Yonhap News Agency reported, as Lee called for a full restoration of South Korea-China relations in his first visit to Beijing as president.

South Koreans in April 2024 bid a tearful farewell to Fu Bao, the first giant panda born in the country, although it remains home to four other Chinese pandas.

(Reporting by Colleen Howe; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Vice President JD Vance was accused of choosing MAGA over Jesus in a damning opinion piece published by the National Catholic Reporter this week.

In the piece, the Catholic newspapers digital editor, John Grosso, rebuked Vances inflammatory and politicizing response to the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis over the weekend.

Politics: Search Warrant FBI Served At Elections Office Near Atlanta Seeks Records Tied To 2020 Elections

Read the full opinion piece at the National Catholic Reporter.

Vance, said Grosso, had the opportunity to call for peace and unity  to lower the temperature of the situation and express empathy with those suffering and mourning and could have chosen to share the Gospel message of healing and human dignity but instead, he chose to offer the MAGA message of division and blame.

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Vice President JD Vance was accused of choosing MAGA over Jesus in a damning opinion piece published by the National Catholic Reporter this week. Bloomberg via Getty Images

The comments of Vance, a Catholic convert, are a moral stain on our collective witness of Catholicism, said Grosso. But they are no longer surprising, he argued. Given its scandal, the vice presidents cafeteria Catholicism must continue to be repudiated by people of faith.

Grosso published a similar blistering commentary about Vance following the vice presidents justification of the fatal shooting of mother Renee Good, also at the hands of a federal agent in Minneapolis, earlier this month.

As a Catholic, Vance knows better than to peddle this brand of gaslighting and agitation, Grosso wrote in that piece, in which he also condemned Vances twisted and wrongheaded view of Christianity and suggested his Catholicism seems to be little more than a political prop, a tool only for his career ambitions and desire for power.

Related...

Read the original on HuffPost
This development, observed in several EU Member States, threatens to undermine the foundational principles of EPR systems, which are crucial for the regions circular economy framework, said the coalition.

The industry groups, including E-commerce Europe, EURATEX, and the Global Fashion Agenda, among others, emphasise that EPR systems should remain producer-driven, transparent, and accountable, as mandated by Article 8a of the Waste Framework Directive.

They argue that harmonisation across the EU is vital to maintain a functional Single Market and to minimise administrative burdens.

Furthermore, a clear delineation of roles between regulators, supervisors, and operators is essential to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure good governance.

Recent shifts towards assigning PRO functions to state-owned or controlled bodies have raised alarms. Such models, already seen in waste streams like packaging and batteries, risk diluting the core governance principles of EPR if roles are not distinctly separated.

The industry warns that when the state assumes multiple roles as regulator, supervisor, and operator, it can lead to reduced transparency, limited accountability, and the potential misuse of EPR fees as public revenue rather than targeted funding.

The design of PRO models has significant implications for investment and financing. Predictable governance structures and transparent fee-setting mechanisms are crucial for attracting private capital necessary for waste management infrastructure.

Conversely, state-run models may deter investment due to perceived fiscal risks and unclear reinvestment strategies.

The industry coalition calls for a coherent, predictable, and harmonised approach to EPR across the EU.

It urges policymakers to ensure that EPR systems remain producer-driven, a one-stop shop for registration and reporting and avoid state-run models that could fragment the Single Market and weaken governance.

Maintaining a clear financial separation between EPR fees and public budgets is essential to uphold transparency and trust, the coalition suggested.

The undersigned organisations stand ready to collaborate with European institutions and Member States to safeguard effective, harmonised, and producer-driven EPR systems that support circularity and environmental integrity.

In late 2025, six fashion, textile, footwear and retail associations in Germany collaborated on a EPR system, specifically for the country's textile industry.

Last June, the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) voiced support for the new Single Market Strategy released by the European Commission (EC) and calls for streamlined labelling and EPR schemes.
The Joplin Sustainable Technology Alliance is launching an effort to try to overturn any Joplin City Council action that could allow a data center to be built in west Joplin.

Amid a crowd of hundreds, some of whom spoke in favor but many of whom expressed opposition, a council majority gave first-round approval Jan. 20 for annexation of the proposed site for the data center. That land is near the area of 20th Street and Central City Road. There also was a majority council vote for first-round approval of M-2 industrial zoning for the site.

Final action will be taken on those measures at the councils meeting Feb. 2.

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Rebecca Collins, a representative of the Joplin Sustainable Technology Alliance, a nonprofit environmental group that focuses on legislation and government oversight, said the group will try to overturn any final decisions by circulating referendum and initiative petitions.

A referendum would automatically suspend needed zoning for the site. The initiative petition would establish a one-year moratorium on construction and require an environmental study on the potential effects to Joplins environment, including the Ozark Aquifer and the Chert Glades, she said.

The petitions would need 6,000 signatures to call for an election on the issues.

Collins said the group needs volunteers to conduct the drive for the referendum and the initiative petitions.

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Meetings will be held starting Thursday to train volunteers in how they would legally need to properly collect signatures. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, Collins said.

The meetings are scheduled from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, and 11 a.m.-noon and 1-2 p.m. Saturday in Conference Room 3 at the Joplin Public Library.

An estimated 400 residents turned out for the Jan. 20 meeting, and many of those residents spoke in opposition to the proposals. They cited concerns with the amount of water a data center would use and its effects on Joplins water supply. They also contended that the volume of electricity that would be used would drive up residents' electric rates.

Representatives of Missouri American, the water utility, and Liberty, the electric company, said there is plenty of water and electric generation available and that the data center owner would pay the costs, which they said would not affect residents.

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In introducing his proposal before it was heard by the citys Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 12, James Pinjuv, owner of the land, said: It is an enormous power consumer and an enormously large water consumer, and there will have to be improvements of the water system and the grid, and those costs will be completely 100% borne by the developer."

He also said a recently passed law in Missouri, Senate Bill 4, would protect consumers from adverse utility effects.

Since that meeting, Pinjuv said he had been meeting with area residents and officials to address questions, and while he said some of the concerns people have about noise and pollution are not based on facts, others have reasonable questions about the effect on utilities, particularly water and electric.

He said he has been working with Liberty for more than two years and Missouri American for more than a year, so that a data center would not adversely affect the rate base for either, and in a way that would actually have a beneficial impact.

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In the Joplin project, Collins said residents will have only 20 days to collect enough signatures to defeat the project.

The group would have to conduct the petition drive in February. The council would review and certify the outcome in March or April, and the election would occur in August.

The council vote last week was 6-3 for annexation of the proposed site with members Chuck Copple, Josh Detar and Mark Farnham casting the no votes. The rezoning question was advanced 7-2 with Copple and Farnham voting "no."
A federal judge in Oregon dismissed the Department of Justices (DOJ) lawsuit against the state for refusing to provide its unredacted voter rolls.

U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai, an appointee of former President Biden, is set to issue a written opinion in the coming days, according to The Associated Press.

The court dismissed this case because the federal government never met the legal standard to get these records in the first place, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield (D) told the AP in an emailed statement.

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Oregonians deserve to know that voting laws cant be used as a backdoor to grab their personal information, he added.

Kasubhais decision comes as the DOJ is awaiting rulings for their lawsuits against more than 10 other Democratic-led states for not complying with its request to produce documents that tabulate their statewide voter registration lists.

It follows U.S. District Judge David O. Carters January dismissal of a DOJ lawsuit against California.

There cannot be unbridled consolidation of all elections power in the executive (branch) without action from Congress, Carter said. This is antithetical to the promise of fair and free elections.

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However, the Trump administration has argued the opposite.

Accurate voter rolls are the cornerstone of fair and free elections, and too many states have fallen into a pattern of noncompliance with basic voter roll maintenance, Attorney General Pam Bondi previously said in a statement on the matter.

The Department of Justice will continue filing proactive election integrity litigation until states comply with basic election safeguards, she added.

Multiple states have supplied federal officials with publicly disclosable information but refused to provide additional information, arguing it would violate the Civil Rights Act.

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Earlier this month, the DOJ sued Virginia for not handing over state voter data.

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.
A federal judge has ordered the Polk County Jail to immediately release an asylum seeker, ruling that the Russian immigrant was illegally detained. (Photo by David Talukdar/Getty Images)

A federal judge has ordered the Polk County Jail to immediately release an asylum seeker, ruling that the Russian immigrant was illegally detained through a legal fiction constructed by the federal government.

Since July 2025, immigration courts around the nation have been denying bond hearings for people detained in county jails by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The denials are based on the Trump administrations newly adopted legal theory that longstanding federal laws require that ICE detainees who are at risk of being deported be held in jail without the possibility of bond.

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As reported by Politico, more than 300 U.S. District Court judges in 1,600 cases have rejected that theory, 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.

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Even so, Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Justice have continued to use that interpretation of the law to argue for mandatory detention in cases where immigrants have lived in the United States for months, years or decades.

Some of the immigration judges  who are not part of the Judicial Branch and instead function as administrative employees of the Executive Branch led by the president  continue to deny detainees bond hearings unless otherwise ordered by a federal judge in U.S. District Court.

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One such case involves 26-year-old Arsen Kulumbekov, a Russian immigrant who came to the United States in March 2023 through the so-called CBP One process that at the time allowed migrants, at U.S. ports of entry, to request asylum or other legal pathways to residency.

Upon his entry to the United States, Kulumbekov was released, or paroled, with the understanding that he would have one year to formally apply for asylum. After filing for asylum in 2024, Kulumbekov was granted authorization to work in the United States and, by all accounts, he complied with the requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to remain in the United States while his asylum case was pending.

Court records show that at some point, ICE issued an undated notice canceling Kulumbekovs asylum application, and then forwarded his information to immigration court. In October 2025, ICE notified Kulumbekov that he was considered an alien who had been apprehended while in the process of entering the United States and that he was therefore subject to being detained without bond.

A few weeks later, in November 2025, ICE agents took Kulumbekov into custody and placed him in the Polk County Jail. Homeland Security then scheduled an immigration-court hearing for him in Texas, mistakenly believing he was being held in Polk County, Texas.

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Kulumbekov then took Polk County, ICE and Homeland Security to U.S. District Court, where a judge ordered Homeland Security to show why Kulumbekov was not being unlawfully detained and then barred the agency from moving Kulumbekov outside Iowas Southern District without first giving the court notice and offering Kulumbekov a chance to be heard on the matter.

In response, the U.S. Department of Justice argued Kulumbekov was subject to mandatory detention without a bond hearing, citing the Trump administrations new legal theory.

On Jan. 20, 2026, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger ruled against the government, citing the fact that ICE detained Kulumbekov 32 months after he entered the country, and not while he was in the process of entering. As such, Ebinger ruled, Kulumbekov was not subject to mandatory detention.

Citing previous case law on the subject, Ebinger characterized the Department of Justices position in the matter as a legal fiction. She also noted that upon entry to the United States, Kulumbekov had been paroled for one year, had successfully completed the term of his release, and had met the requirements of Homeland Security while his case for asylum proceeded.

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Kulumbekov is being unlawfully detained, Ebinger ruled, ordering his immediate release from the Polk County Jail.

The judge then took the additional step of barring the U.S. Department of Justice from using the same mandatory detention theory to deny Kulumbekov bond in any subsequent proceedings they may bring against him.

Andrew Kahl of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District Iowa is the lead attorney for the government in the Kulumbekov case. He declined to comment on the judges ruling or the DOJs handling of the case.

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A Clark County judge has made his ruling on the request for a new trial for the 83-year-old man convicted of killing an Uber driver.

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In a decision made on Tuesday, Judge Douglas Rastatter overruled the motion requesting a new trial and an acquittal of William Brocks conviction.

A jury found Brock guilty of the murder of Lo-Letha Hall on Jan. 14. He was also convicted of felonious assault and kidnapping.

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As News Center 7 previously reported, Brocks attorney filed the motion on Jan. 20, claiming that there was a clear misinterpretation of Ohios Castle Doctrine law and Brocks self-defense rights.

The jury was not instructed that they need not deliberate whether the State disproved any element of self-defense when Mr. Brock was presumed to have acted in self-defense, the filing states. The jury was not instructed that the State had to prove Ms. Hall was not unlawfully at Mr. Brocks residence by a preponderance of the evidence in order to rebut the presumption of self-defense.

Prosecutors filed their response on Jan. 23, stating why they disagreed.

Defense counsel seeks to rewrite the facts of this trial in his clients favor despite the facts that were presented. Moreover, defense counsel seeks to change a jury verdict even though the jury received jury instructions that contained accurate statements of the law, the filing states.

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In his decision filed in Clark County Common Pleas Court, Rastatter wrote that the Court conceded that its castle doctrine instruction was incomplete.

Nevertheless, the Court finds that its failure to provide a complete castle doctrine instruction was harmless to the defendant because, upon reconsideration, it finds that he was not entitled to even a partial castle doctrine instruction, and the fact that the Court provided it was an undeserved benefit to him and therefore prejudicial to the State, Rastatters filing later states.

The judge later added that while the castle doctrine does not cover the facts of this case, the jury was not prohibited from concluding that the defendant acted in self-defense.

Brock is now scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30.

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Judge Christopher Schmidt ordered former Mississippi State Sen. Philip Moran held overnight in custody pending a decision on whether to revoke his bond in a bribery case over alleged death threats the ex-senator made.

The District Attorneys Office is asking to revoke the bond, alleging Moran made death threats during a Jan. 22 conversation with a member of the Hancock County Board of Supervisors.

Assistant District Attorney Chris Daniel argued that Moran poses a danger to the community. During a hearing Tuesday, Jan. 27, in Circuit Court in Gulfport, prosecutors played a recording of a conversation between two FBI agents and the supervisor, identified as Darrin Bo Ladner, after authorities received tips about the alleged threats.

Former state senator Phillip Moran.

In the Jan. 26 recording, Ladner said the conversation occurred Jan. 22, after Moran called him to his Diamondhead home to talk. Ladner said Moran asked who was trying to put him in jail and told him he had plenty of ammunition and could wipe somebody out tomorrow.

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In addition, Ladner said he was told pancreatic cancer runs in Morans family and said the elder Moran said if he found he had the cancer tomorrow, hed wipe a lot of people out.

You know,  I think hes so embarrassed right now there is no telling what he is going to do, Ladner said.

The hearing is set to continue on Wednesday, Jan. 28. Judge Christopher Schmidt ordered Moran jailed overnight pending a final ruling on the bond revocation.

Here are excerpts from the interview FBI agents had with the supervisor.

He called me to his house and asked me, 'Who the hell is trying to put me in prison?' I said, 'First of all, Philip, I wouldnt tell you. Second of all, I dont know.' So, I told him, 'I dont know.'

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Ladner went on to say he hated to be doing the interview with the agents because Philip has been good to me. Ladner added that he didnt like being dragged into this, because, the one thing Im not is a damn rat.

Ladner explained that Philip Moran never mentioned any specific names when he made the threats, but said he knew Philip Moran just bullies his way through life. He said Philip Moran thinks Ladner does know who is trying to send him away.

"I told him, 'I dont know,' and even if I did know, I wouldnt tell him, that I wouldnt get involved in this. In the conversation, Ladner said, Moran then rambled on about (how) if he found out he had cancer, hed kill a bunch of people.

In response, Ladner told Moran, Buddy, thats up to you whoever you want to shoot.

Moran's attorneys want judge disqualified

Alan Moran during a revocation hearing at Hancock County Circuit Court in Bay St. Louis on Thursday, June 19, 2025.

Philip Moran and his son, convicted sex offender, Alan Moran, are asking a judge to disqualify Schmidt from presiding over their upcoming bribery trial. Philip Morans attorney, H.H. Klein III, of Hattiesburg, made the request over an alleged conversation Schmidt had with a deputy requesting a search warrant for cellphone data in the case.

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To support the action, Philip Morans attorney argues that evidence obtained through the search warrant for cellphone data tied to his client should be thrown out because the warrant was based on defective facts and circumstances and failed to connect the phone number to the Morans.

Judge Schmidt has said he doesnt recall the conversation, only that he was outside his home when he signed off on the warrant.

Now, Schmidt is scheduled to testify at a hearing on the disqualification request. That hearing, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was pushed back because of the issues involving the bond revocation.

Harrison County Circuit Judge Randi Mueller will preside over the hearing after Philip Morans attorney announced plans to call Schmidt as a witness. If Schmidt is not disqualified from the case, the Morans are formally requesting his recusal to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

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Alan Morans attorney, Donald Rafferty, said his client wants the change because Schmidt has presided over other proceedings involving his client, including his decision to send Moran to prison for 12 years for violating his probation on a child exploitation conviction.

Weve had such a history with the judge, and thats what my client wanted to do, Rafferty said.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Burrell countered the arguments, saying the judge had sufficient probable cause to issue the search warrants for cellphone data from each of the defendants in the case. The judge Tuesday declined Alan Morans request for him to recuse himself from the case.

A grand jury indicted Philip and Alan Moran, along with Jeremy Billings and Ian Schexnayder, on felony charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery. Prosecutors allege the group attempted to pay Alan Morans stalking victim $20,000 to drop the misdemeanor charge against him.

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Both Billings and Schexnayder have pleaded guilty to bribery and are awaiting sentencing later in February. They are expected to testify against Philip Moran and his son at the trial, currently scheduled in February. New criminal affidavits recently filed in the case outline additional evidence against the father and son that includes information about a tip to law enforcement about the former state senator making a large cash withdrawal the same day the stalking victim reported that crime..

Waveland police and the FBI first started investigating the bribery case in December 2024, after the stalking victim told authorities that two men on motorcycles  later identified as Billings and Schexnayder  approached him at Lowes and offered $20,000 to drop the stalking charge. Authorities say the men offered $5,000 in cash upfront, with the remaining balance set to be paid after the teen dropped the stalking charge.

A $30,000 cash withdrawal and a bribery attempt

Investigators interviewed witnesses and reviewed Lowes surveillance footage, which helped identify Schexnayder and Billings as the two men who arrived at the store on motorcycles to make the bribery offer. Billings recruited Schexnayder to help carry out the plan.

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During the investigation, the records say, a Lowes employee told police that the day the crime was committed, Billings and Schexnayder showed her a backpack containing cash and asked her to bring the stalking victim outside so they could make the offer.

During the investigation, authorities discovered Billings had ties to Philip Moran because Billings had been in an accident in a car registered to Philip Moran in 2024.

Billings has since admitted that Alan Moran reached out to him about carrying out the bribe in the stalking case. Schexnayder said Billings recruited him to go with him to make the cash offer.

In the new records filed in the case, authorities say they also found out that the day the stalking victim accused Moran of stalking him, Philip Moran took out a $30,000 cash loan on a CD at Keesler Federal Credit Union in Diamondhead.

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In video footage of the transaction, an investigator said the elder Moran is seen receiving the cash in three bundles, each wrapped in a $10,000 bank band, the investigator said. According to the records, Billings and Schexnayder were supposed to receive $5,000 each for carrying out the bribe, though they never received the payment.

During his plea hearing, Billings said Alan Moran called him to the family business in Kiln to ask him to carry out the bribe and gave him the cash he needed to do so. Billings said Philip Moran was there and heard the conversation.

After the failed bribery attempt, Billings said Philip Moran called him to ask about the remaining cash, which he said Moran referred to as tools in the conversation. Philip Moran, he said, wanted him to bring the cash back to the family office in Kiln in Hancock County.

Billings said he went back to the office and left the cash on Philip Morans desk, though he said Philip Moran later claimed that all the cash he was supposed to bring back wasnt there. According to the records, authorities received two anonymous tips about Philip Moran going to the bank to get the $30,000 in cash. After the failed bribery attempt, the tipster said Philip Moran later returned to the bank to make a $20,000 cash deposit.

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 This story was originally published on sunherald.com and is republished here with permission.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Judge orders Philip Moran held overnight due to alleged death threats
BOSTON (AP)  A federal judge said Tuesday that a nearly completed Massachusetts offshore wind project can continue, as the industry successfully challenges the Trump administration in court.

At U.S. District Court in Boston, Judge Brian Murphy halted the administrations stop work order for Vineyard Wind, citing the potential economic losses from the delays and the developers likelihood of success on their claims. Vineyard Wind is one of five big offshore wind projects on the East Coast that the Trump administration froze days before Christmas, citing national security concerns and the fourth that has since been allowed to go forward.

A spokesperson for the company, Craig Gilvarg, said in a statement that it would work with the Administration to understand the matters raised in the Order.

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Vineyard Wind will focus on working in coordination with its contractors, the federal government, and other relevant stakeholders and authorities to safely restart activities, as it continues to deliver a critical source of new power to the New England region, Gilvarg added.

Developers and states sued seeking to block the administrations order. Prior to Vineyard Winds hearing, federal judges had allowed three of the five to restart construction: the Revolution Wind project for Rhode Island and Connecticut by Danish company Orsted, the Empire Wind project for New York by Norwegian company Equinor, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind for Virginia by Dominion Energy Virginia. Those three judges essentially concluded that the government did not show that the national security risk is so imminent that construction must halt, said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond Law School professor who has been following the lawsuits.

Orsted is also suing over the administration halting its Sunrise Wind project for New York the fifth paused project  but has not had a hearing yet.

Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, located 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts. It is 95% complete and partially operational, able to produce nearly 600 megawatts of power for the New England electric grid, according to the complaint. Before the pause, it was on track to be complete by the end of March, with 62 turbines generating a total of 800 megawatts. That is enough clean electricity to power about 400,000 homes.

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Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said the completion of this project is essential to ensuring the state can lower costs, meet rising energy demand, advance its climate goals and sustain thousands of good-paying jobs.

The administrations announcement that paused construction did not reveal specifics about its national security concerns. But in a court filing, Matthew Giacona, acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, said he reviewed classified documents in November that discussed direct impacts to national security that arise from operating offshore wind projects near early warning monitoring and radar systems. Giacona said he determined the ongoing activities for the Vineyard Wind project did not adequately provide for the protection of national security interests, absent potential mitigation measures.

Given its nearly complete status, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management decided to allow Vineyard Wind to continue partially operating during the suspension period while it consulted with defense officials and the owners, Giacona said. But he said he is not aware of any measures that would mitigate the national security risks.

Trump has targeted offshore wind power

President Donald Trump has targeted offshore wind from his first days back in the White House, recently calling wind farms losers that lose money, destroy the landscape and kill birds. Research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory shows that states with the most utility-scale wind and solar often have low electricity prices, supported by federal tax incentives. However, states with aggressive, binding programs to mandate more renewable energy have seen prices increase as a result of those policies, according to the study.

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Turbines, like all infrastructure, can pose a risk to birds. The National Audubon Society, which is dedicated to the conservation of birds, thinks developers can manage these risks and climate change is a greater threat.

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers has said the construction pause is meant to protect the national security of the American people and Trump has been clear that wind energy is the scam of the century.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the Vineyard Wind project, specifically, because of a blade failure. Fiberglass fragments of a blade broke apart and began washing onto Nantucket beaches in July 2024 during the peak of tourist season. Manufacturer GE Vernova agreed to pay $10.5 million in a settlement to compensate island businesses that suffered losses.

Kennedys family famously opposed an earlier failed wind project not far from the familys Cape Cod estate.

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The Enquirer is identifying the most important people to watch in 2026 in Greater Cincinnati. Did we miss someone? Email Carl Weiser at cweiser@enquirer.com.

Col. Justin Wietholter, 40, was recently promoted to chief of the Covington Police Department

The Covington Police Department enforces the law and responds to emergency calls in Northern Kentucky's largest city. With more than 41,000 residents, it's also the fifth-most populous city in the state.

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Col. Justin Wietholter was named as the successor to former Covington Police Chief Brian Valenti, who announced his retirement in July.

Wietholter is a person to watch because he's tasked with overseeing the department's operations. It has more than 100 officers, in addition to civilian and non-sworn staff.

See the full list The Enquirer's 2026 People to Watch

Covington Police Chief Justin Wietholter.

The department's mission is, in part, to reduce crime and the public's fear of crime, hold offenders to account and ensure safety in public spaces. Its officers have responded to and investigated a wide range of offenses from thefts to homicides.

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Wietholter is also the one who answers to the Covington City Commission when the department faces public scrutiny, like for the police response to a protest on the John A. Roebling Bridge that resulted in the arrests of 15 people, including two journalists.

Who is Col. Justin Wietholter?

He was just 19 years old when he first joined the department as a cadet in 2005.

Wietholter rose through the ranks to the department's top job, serving in various roles, including third-shift patrol officer, bike officer, narcotics detective, drug unit sergeant and SWAT team commander.

Before his promotion to chief, he served most recently as assistant chief of operations, overseeing the patrol, criminal investigations and strategic services bureaus, along with the department's SWAT team.

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Wietholter said his family has lived in Covington as far back as the 1800s. He's either lived or worked in the river city his entire life.

Covington Police Chief Justin Wietholter.

Public service is also a family tradition. His dad still works in law enforcement, his mom was a 911 dispatcher and several other relatives also work in policing in Greater Cincinnati.

"I was able to see from a different perspective, I think, growing up in that environment that you can actually make a real impact on certain people," Wietholter said.

City's growth, recruiting officers is chief's motivation

Being able to observe Covington's growth as a city is a major motivator for Wietholter in his new role. He wants his department's work to help with that growth.

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Wietholter described the city as up and coming, saying that the police department will have to adapt as Covington evolves.

"With Covington's trajectory and the changing face that it's seeing all the time, our city's expectations are going to change and we have to always be able to move with that," he said.

A major issue for the department is recruiting and retention, he said. Hiring officers and getting them trained is a top priority for Wietholter, but it's been a struggle for police agencies across the country.

"It's motivating to me to see that we still have good officers, good men, good women that want to come and do this profession ... and create a positive impact on the city and its residents," he said.

What Wietholter is looking forward to in 2026

As for 2026, Wietholter said he's eager to see the results of a reorganization of the department's bureaus. He pointed to the formation of an intelligence unit and initiatives to use data to inform policing efforts.

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The department also recently launched its law enforcement navigator program to have a police social worker on staff to efficiently connect residents in need with services that can help them.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what that does," he said, "as far as relieving some of the burden off the patrol officers."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Covington Police Chief Justin Wietholter is a 2026 person to watch
Jan. 28A Kalispell man was one of two people arrested by the FBI on drug dealing charges in Missoula over the weekend. Joshua Stephen Roybal, 35, faces charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in federal court following his Jan. 24 arrest. He made his first appearance in federal court in Missoula on Monday. Federal authorities began homing in on Roybal after receiving a tip that he and another man, 54-year-old Patrick William Allen of Spokane, Washington, were dealing large amounts of fentanyl in the Missoula area, according to court documents. Allen allegedly also sold crack cocaine. Allen, who was arrested Jan. 25, faces counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. The FBI Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force investigated the case in cooperation with the Missoula County Sheriff's Office. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].
The statement is the latest example of how Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are continuing to threaten Israel, the US, and the region.

Kataib Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian militia that is based in Iraq, put out a statement on January 25 threatening Israel. The statement is titled the Secretary-General of Kataib Hezbollah addresses the Zionists of the land: The war on the Islamic Republic will leave nothing of you in our region. Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq is similar to Hezbollah in Iran. Both are well-armed Iranian proxy groups.

The statement is the latest example of how Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are continuing to threaten Israel, the US, and the region. In recent days, these groups have deployed to the Syrian border, claiming to help Iraq secure the border against the Syrian government.

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Kataib Hezbollah is one of the most extreme of the Iraqi militias and the one that is among the closest to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The US killed the leader of Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in 2020. Muhandis was travelling in the same vehicle at IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani when the US used a drone to strike the vehicle.

The Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have attacked Israel in the past. After October 7 they carried out numerous drone attacks on Israel. Kataib Hezbollah also used a drone to attack US forces in Jordan in 2024, killing three Americans.

The new statement from Iraq is addressed to the mujahideen brothers in the east and west. It calls on supporters to prepare for a comprehensive war in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the fortress of the nation and its glory, which has stood for more than four decades alongside the oppressed.

Commuters walk past an anti-US billboard installed on a building at the Enqelab Square in Tehran on January 26, 2026. (credit: ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)

This comes amid US-Iran tensions and as a US carrier group is entering US Central Commands area of operations. Israels IDF has said it is prepared for any kind of scenario amid the tensions.

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The new Kataib Hezbollah statement was signed by Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, who was re-elected as the groups leader in 2022, according to a report at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is also known as Ahmad Mohsen Faraj al-Hamidawi.

It says, today, the forces of falsehood, the Zionists of the earth and their oppressors, are gathering to try to subdue it [Iran], or rather to destroy it and demolish all the moral and ethical constants on the face of the earth.

Any attack on Iran 'will not be a picnic'

The militia warns that any attack on Iran will not be a picnic, and it calls on all the forces of the axis of resistance to support Tehran. The axis refers to groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Palestinian groups that are backed by Iran.

The militia says that a conflict will lead to terrible death and nothing will remain of you [Israel] in our region. Kataib Hezbollah is hoping to prepare its supporters for a war. There are numerous pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. They are organized under what is called the Popular Mobilization Forces. The PMF is a paramilitary group of the Iraqi government, and the militias receive state salaries.

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As such these groups are both part of the state and also carry out their own operations. The US has warned Iraq not to include the militias, many of which are sanctioned as terrorists by the US, in the next government being formed in Iraq.

The US has also warned Iraq about letting itself be controlled by Iran. Nouri al-Maliki, a pro-Iranian politician in Iraq is now angling to be the next prime minister in Baghdad.
LANSING  The Kent County prosecutor announced criminal charges Wednesday, Jan. 28 against an attorney who is a central figure in Republican attacks on Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Traci Kornak, a former treasurer of the Michigan Democratic Party who served on Nessel's transition team after her 2018 election win, is charged with two counts of embezzlement and one count of false pretenses, Kent County Prosecutor Christopher Becker said in a news release.

Kent County Prosecutor Christopher Becker

Becker has been investigating Kornak's handling of the finances of Rosalene Burd, a wealthy west Michigan woman who died in April 2025, at age 86, years after suffering a traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident. Kornak, a Belmont attorney, has served as Burd's conservator in charge of handling her finances.

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Katie Steffes, a Grandville attorney whose practice is focused on probate, family and civil law and who has been representing Kornak in an ongoing investigation of her conservatorship in Allegan County Probate Court, did not immediately return a phone message Jan. 28 seeking comment. In Michigan, conservators are appointed by probate judges.

The House Oversight Committee has been investigating why Nessel's office closed an investigation into Kornak in 2022 without taking any action after allegations were raised in a column in The Detroit News about alleged improper billings by Kornak related to an insurance company and an assisted living facility. The committee held a hearing related to Kornak and Nessel as recently as Jan. 27.

Becker told the Detroit Free Press Jan. 28 he has not been paying attention to any of the state House committee proceedings and the timing of the charges was not affected by external factors. The news release did not state how Becker's investigation began, but Adult Protective Services, an arm of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, had also investigated and found evidence of financial irregularities, according to records presented to the House committee Jan. 27.

A date for a first court appearance for Kornak has not been set, Becker said, He said he did not know if Kornak has retained a criminal defense attorney. Kornak did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Jan. 28.

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Kornak is charged with one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult of between $50,000 and $100,000, which is a felony that can bring a sentence of up to 15 years upon conviction, the news release said. She is also charged with one count of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult of between $1,000 and $20,000 and one count of false pretenses of between $1,000 and $20,000. Those are both felonies that can bring up to five years, upon conviction.

State Rep. Jay DeBoyer, R-Clay Township, chair of the House Oversight Committee, said Jan. 27 that the handling of the Kornak case by the AG's Office shows it is either incompetent or corrupt.

Kimberly Bush, a spokeswoman for Nessel, said Jan. 27 that the GOP-led committee "continues to conflate the Attorney Generals investigation with subsequent, separate investigations by other agencies that were predicated on separate allegations made by different complainants involving a different victim," which was the assisted living facility.

"The Attorney General is grateful that these successive investigations occurred," Bush said.

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Bush did not immediately respond to a request for comment Jan. 28.

Kornak was Democratic state party treasurer, a volunteer position, from spring 2019 to May 2025, party spokesman Derrick Honeyman said in a Jan. 28 email.

"We have no concerns regarding the partys finances," Honeyman said. "The Michigan Democratic Party has in place strict, multi-layered controls over all spending and maintains full transparency and compliance with required federal and state financial disclosures."

This story was updated to add new information.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kent County prosecutor announces charges against Nessel associate
Key Takeaways

Intel shares soared Wednesday, amid a broader rally for chip and AI-exposed stocks.

Nvidia and Apple are planning to shift some 2028 chip production to Intel, DigiTimes reported Wednesday, adding to fuel to earlier rumors they could become clients.

Could Intel be closer to winning new chipmaking contracts from Nvidia and Apple?

On a day when chip stocks were rising broadly, helped by strong orders and a rosy outlook from semiconductor-equipment maker ASML (ASML), Intel (INTC) shares were among the biggest gainers. The stock jumped 11% Wednesday as a report suggested the struggling chipmaker could be set to win some new clients for its manufacturing business.

Nvidia (NVDA) and Apple (AAPL) are planning to shift some 2028 chip production to Intel, while still maintaining their relationships with current supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM), according to a report from Taiwan-based DigiTimes.

Intel declined to remark on the report. TSMC, Apple, and Nvidia did not respond to Investopedia's requests for comment in time for publication.

Why This Is Significant

Chipmaking deals with Nvidia and Apple would represent a major step forward for Intel, which has struggled to win new customers for its manufacturing business, and could boost confidence in its stock.

During Intel's earnings call last week, CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the company has been engaging a few prospective customers that are in the process of evaluating its manufacturing processes, according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense. It's unclear whether they included Apple and Nvidia.

The report from DigiTimes, which has added fuel to earlier rumors that Nvidia and Apple are considering new contracts with Intel, nodded to U.S. manufacturing mandates and tariff pressures as forces in Intel's favor.

Some Wall Street analysts have also previously suggested a deal with Intel could be seen as a way to win some political goodwill, after President Donald Trump brokered a deal last year that saw the U.S. government take a 10% stake in the chipmaker.

Meanwhile for TSMC, the word's largest chip manufacturer, "the anticipated order diversions to Intel may represent more opportunity than threat," DigiTimes wrote, as such moves could ease regulatory scrutiny and U.S. political pressure.

TSMC shares advanced 1% Wednesday, while Nvidia climbed close to 2%, and Apple slipped about 1%.

With today's gains, shares of Intel have added nearly a third of their value in 2026 so far.

Read the original article on Investopedia
Democrats handily won two special elections for state House seats in Minnesota, the first contests held in the state since growing backlash to the Trump administrations immigration crackdown.

Voters in St. Paul and some of the citys eastern suburbs elected Democrats Meg Luger-Nikolai and Shelly Buck for House Districts 64A and 47A, respectively.

Though both Democrats were widely expected to win their races, the elections were notable for coming at a turbulent time in Minnesota. Several days earlier, 37-year-old Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a member of the Border Patrol. Weeks before that, 37-year-old Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent.

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Here are key takeaways from the Minnesota special elections:

State House is once again tied

Democrats wins in both special elections means that the state House is now evenly split. As a result, the two parties will operate under their previously negotiated power-sharing agreement.

That agreement allows Rep. Lisa Demuth (R) to be House Speaker while most House committees are co-chaired by both parties.

Meanwhile, Democrats hold a narrow 34-33 edge in the state Senate.

Control of both legislative chambers are expected to be hotly contested in November. While Democrats acknowledge that the party has to reconcile with the statewide fraud scandal thats plagued the party, many Republicans admit the current situation with ICE in the state is untenable for its party.

A decisive win for Democrats

The two state House races were widely expected to remain in Democratic hands. In the end, there were no surprises on Tuesday night.

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Shelley ran uncontested for District 47A in the eastern suburbs of St. Paul, where former Vice President Harris won with 61 percent of the vote, according to The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, Harris won District 64A in St. Paul with over 83 percent of the vote. The Democrat on Tuesday night trounced her Republican opponent in the district. With 55 percent of the ballots counted that night, Luger-Nikolai was winning 95 percent of the vote.

The results, while expected, are sure to please Democrats, who are facing potentially competitive races for governor and Senate in November.

Kicks off an eventful election year in Minnesota

Tuesdays elections mark the start of a hotly contested election year in the North Star State.

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Minnesota will be holding several competitive primaries for governor and Senate, and both parties are looking to expand their control in the legislature.

Though a statewide fraud scandal has threatened to mire Democrats in November, the recent headlines have largely been overtaken by the two shootings.

The election results will test whether that scandal, as well as the Trump administrations immigration crackdown, remain salient to the voters heading into November.

At the same time, the midterm environment is shaping up to be much like 2018, which saw an anti-Trump blue wave. Democrats are hoping to harness that energy in order to flip not only the House but also the Senate.

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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.
U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, speaks at a rally for presidential candidate Donald Trump on June 28, 2024 in Chesapeake. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury)

Republican U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia Beach and Rob Wittman of Westmoreland joined seven other members of Congress in pressing the administration of President Donald Trump for answers after a federal decision to pause offshore wind development, including Dominion Energys Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project.

In a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the lawmakers called for greater transparency around the 90-day halt, which the Department of Interior said was prompted by national security concerns detailed in confidential reports.

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We respectfully request additional information on the analysis underlying the recent decision, including how radar interference, environmental tradeoffs, long-term subsidy exposure, workforce impacts, and broader national security considerations were assessed, the letter read.

Dominions $11.2 billion project is nearing completion, with the first power expected to be delivered to the grid by the end of March, even with the temporary pause. Construction on the wind turbines resumed after nearly three weeks when a federal judge allowed work to move forward while court proceedings continue.

The initial order suggested the turbines could pose potential radar interference. In their letter, the lawmakers asked for the evidence-based evaluation that led officials to determine the pause was necessary.

Once finished, the 176-turbine project is expected to deliver 2.6 gigawatts of power to the grid  enough to supply more than 660,000 homes  at a time when Virginia faces growing energy demand.

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Dominion has installed the first blades on the first full-scale turbine, beyond the two pilot turbines installed in 2020. The company has repeatedly said the project was thoroughly reviewed for national security concerns.

The project has been more than 10 years in the works, involved close coordination with the military, and is located 27 to 44 miles offshore, so far offshore it does not raise visual impact concerns. The projects two pilot turbines have been operating for five years without causing any impacts to national security, Dominion said in a statement following the 90-day pause announcement.

The lawmakers warned that additional delays to offshore wind projects nearing completion could threaten jobs and undermine grid reliability.

Completing these projects according to plan is essential to achieving American energy dominance and strengthening our national security by reducing reliance on energy produced by our adversaries, the letter said.

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Offshore wind is also a critical component of the broader energy capacity needed to support advanced manufacturing and data infrastructure, including winning the artificial intelligence race.

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A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and critically injured a man who first shot at a helicopter and then at agents while trying to flee from a traffic stop 35 miles south of Tucson, authorities said on Jan. 27.

Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, of Sahuarita, who authorities said was involved with human trafficking, was taken to a Tucson hospital and remained in serious condition.

Schlegel has an extensive criminal record and had an outstanding 2025 warrant for escape related to a previous human trafficking conviction, authorities said.

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Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and Phoenix FBI Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke said border agents recognized Schlegel's vehicle from an earlier incident, and he drove away when they attempted to stop him.

Here's what to know about the shooting:

What happened in the shooting involving the Border Patrol?

Authorities said border agents recognized Schlegel's vehicle from an earlier incident and attempted to stop him. He drove away and was pursued by agents.

After a chase, Schlegel, who was alone in the vehicle, jumped out and shot at agents as he fled into the desert, they said. An agent returned fire. The shooting occurred about 7:30 a.m.

"While reacting to an active alien smuggling matter, CBP agents came into contact with the subject," Janke said. "During the attempt to apprehend him, the subject used a firearm to shoot at a manned CBP helicopter. The subject continued to flee on foot while being pursued by CBP agents who returned fire."

Why is Pima County Sheriff's Office involved in the investigation?

Nanos said his department was assisting the FBI in the investigation as part of a coordinated effort with federal agencies on "critical incidents." The Customs and Border Protection's Office of Professional Responsibility was also investigating.

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"The request for assistance was made by the Federal Bureau of Investigation earlier today," the Sheriff's Department said in a Jan. 27 news release. "PCSD is conducting a parallel investigation and has been asked to lead the use-of-force-investigation involving the agent."

Nanos and Janke shared few details about the shooting and Schlegel's criminal past during an afternoon news conference at the Sheriff's Department in Tucson. They described the case as "an assault upon a federal officer."

Schlegel is expected to be charged with assault on a federal officer, alien smuggling and felon in possession of a firearm, Janke said.

Where is Arivaca?

The shooting occurred about 10 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border on West Arivaca Road.

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Arivaca is a popular border crossing, and the unincorporated ranching community has become a flashpoint for controversy during the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration.

A humanitarian group that provides water and medical aid for immigrants accused border agents in December of entering a camp without a warrant and taking three immigrants into custody.

Longtime Arivaca resident Ken Buchanan, who is often referred to as the town's "unofficial mayor," said the shooting occurred in a very remote area about a half-mile away from the nearest house. He said based on where the crime scene tape was put up, the shooting was closer to Amado than Arivaca.

Amado sits at the junction of Arivaca Road and Interstate 19. A Border Patrol checkpoint is located about two miles west of the interstate, which was closed due to the shooting. Buchanan said when the road is blocked, residents must detour more than 100 miles round-trip to get in and out of Tucson.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about Arizona shooting involving Border Patrol
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  South Sudans army, following territorial losses in recent weeks, has announced a major military operation against opposition forces, raising fears for civilian safety.

In a statement on Sunday, army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said Operation Enduring Peace would commence and ordered civilians to evacuate three counties in Jonglei state immediately. He directed aid groups to leave within 48 hours.

Koang told The Associated Press on Monday that the operation aims to recapture towns recently seized by opposition forces and reestablish law and order.

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The announcement came a day after a senior army commander was filmed urging his troops to kill civilians and destroy property in the Jonglei offensive, drawing rebuke from the U.N. and others.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who chairs the African Union Commission, said he felt deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in parts of South Sudan. His statement also said Youssouf was "gravely alarmed by reports of inflammatory rhetoric and actions" that could incite violence against civilians.

It is now indisputable: South Sudan has returned to war, said Alan Boswell of the International Crisis Group. It is incredibly tragic for a country that only grows weaker and poorer.

Heres what to know about the conflict in South Sudan:

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Governments battlefield losses

Beginning in December, a coalition of opposition forces seized a string of government outposts in central Jonglei, a region that is the homeland of the Nuer ethnic group and an opposition stronghold.

Some of those forces are loyal to opposition leader Riek Machar, while others consider themselves part of an ethnic Nuer militia called the White Army. White Army fighters have historically fought alongside Machar but consider themselves a distinct group.

Machar, an ethnic Nuer, was made the most senior of five vice presidents under a 2018 peace agreement that ended fighting between his forces and those loyal to President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, the countrys largest group. That five-year civil war was waged largely along ethnic lines, killing an estimated 400,000 people.

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Suspension of governments No. 2

But there has been a resurgence of violence in the past year, with sporadic fighting.

Machar was suspended last year as South Sudans No. 2 after White Army fighters overran a military garrison in the town of Nasir. He now faces treason and other charges over that attack, which authorities allege Machar helped orchestrate. But Machars allies and some international observers say the charges are politically motivated. He remains under house arrest while his trial unfolds slowly in the capital, Juba.

Machars trial is widely seen as a violation of the 2018 peace agreement. Yet Kiir and his allies say the agreement is still being implemented, pointing to a faction of the opposition still in the unity government.

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Forces loyal to Machar have declared the agreement dead, and have since ratcheted up pressure on the army by seizing armories and launching hit-and-run attacks on government positions. The government has relied largely on aerial bombardments to beat back a rebellion that analysts say is gaining momentum across multiple states.

After seizing the government outpost of Pajut in Jonglei on Jan. 16, opposition forces threatened to advance toward Juba. The government has responded by amassing fighters in nearby Poktap, while several thousand Ugandan soldiers defend Juba.

Army chief Paul Nang gave his troops one week to crush the rebellion in Jonglei.

Spare no lives

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On Saturday, a day before the army announced its offensive, a senior military commander was filmed urging his forces to kill all civilians and destroy property during operations in Jonglei. It was not clear who took the video, which has been shared on social media.

Spare no lives, Gen. Johnson Olony told forces in Duk county, not far from Pajut. When we arrive there, dont spare an elderly, dont spare a chicken, dont spare a house or anything.

Armed groups in South Sudan, including the military, have repeatedly been implicated in civilian abuses, including sexual violence and forced recruitment.

Olonys comments were particularly aggressive, and drew concern. We are shocked, we are disturbed, we are surprised, said Edmund Yakani, a prominent civic leader.

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Olonys words showed that government troops were being empowered to commit atrocities, to commit crimes against humanity, and, potentially, even to commit a genocide, he said.

The U.N. Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan expressed grave alarm at developments that it said significantly heighten the risk of mass violence against civilians.

Machars political group said in a statement that Olonys words were an early indicator of genocidal intent.

Speaking to the AP, government spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny called Olonys comments uncalled for and a slip of the tongue.

But he also said that while it was possible Olony was trying to boost the morale of his forces, his words are not indicative of government policy.

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Community violence

Olony, appointed assistant chief of defense forces for mobilization and disarmament a year ago, also leads a militia, known as the Agwelek, from his Shilluk tribe that agreed to integrate into the army last year.

Olonys deployment to Nuer communities is contentious because of a separate rivalry between the Shilluk and Nuer communities. In 2022, White Army fighters razed Shilluk villages and displaced thousands of civilians before the government intervened with attack helicopters.

Olonys forces were also involved in military operations in other Nuer communities last year.

Deploying him to Jonglei is incendiary, said Joshua Craze, an independent analyst and writer on South Sudan. His presence in the state is a propaganda gift to the opposition in its mobilization efforts.
BEIJING (AP)  U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that his country doesn't have to choose between relations with the United States and China as he started a four-day trip to China aimed at repairing ties and expanding opportunities for British companies in the worlds second-largest economy.

The British leader arrived in the capital, Beijing, in the late afternoon. Earlier, he told reporters on his plane that he would balance engagement with China with national security concerns.

Im a pragmatist, a British pragmatist applying common sense, he said.

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He is the first U.K. prime minister to visit Beijing since Theresa May in 2018. The relationship deteriorated in the intervening years over growing concern about Chinese espionage, Beijings support for Russia in the Ukraine war and its crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong, the former British colony.

Those issues remain, but both sides are emphasizing that they should seek common ground while managing differences," as Zheng Zeguang, China's Ambassador to the U.K., wrote in a commentary for The Times of London this week.

The UK sees opportunity in selling services to China

Starmer, whose center-left Labour Party government has struggled to deliver the economic growth it promised, is bringing a delegation of more than 50 British business leaders including executives from British Airways, HSBC bank and Jaguar Land Rover. His agenda includes Shanghai, the nation's financial capital and a major port, as well as meetings with Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders in Beijing.

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Starmer told members of the U.K. business and culture delegation that they were making history.

Its in our national interest to engage with China, he said, adding that the relationship brought huge opportunities.

Of course, we will have to manage our differences, he added.

China had a huge trade surplus with the U.K. in 2025, exporting $85.1 billion in goods while importing $18.6 billion worth, according to Chinese statistics. But the U.K. had a trade surplus in services.

Wang Yiwei, a European affairs expert at Renmin University of China, said that Britains strengths in finance, consulting and other services dovetail well with a growing appetite in China for services such as health and elderly care. Its a huge market, he said.

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The Trump factor weighs on both countries

For many governments, the disruption to global trade under U.S. President Donald Trump has made expanding trade and investment even more imperative.

Both Britain and China have been buffeted by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and are seeking to diversify their overseas markets and the supply chains for their industries. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made a trip to China earlier this month with the same goals in mind.

The approach is not without risks. Trump has threatened to put a 100% tariff on Canada if it reaches a trade deal with China, prompting a swift response from Carney. Canada and China have a preliminary agreement to cut tariffs on electric vehicles and farm goods, but Canada has no intention of pursuing a free trade deal with Beijing, the Canadian leader said.

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For many countries, the challenge is finding the right balance in an increasingly uncertain world. Even China, seen by many as a challenger to U.S. dominance in the 21st century, cannot oppose America, Wang said, noting Trumps planned visit in April.

We are not against but we criticize, he said.

Starmer is facing opposition from Trump over the U.K.s agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. The British government says the move will secure the future of a key U.K.-U.S. military base against legal challenge, but critics argue it opens the door to Chinese influence.

Last week Trump spoke out against the deal, calling it an act of great stupidity, although his administration welcomed it when it was agreed in May.

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On his way to Beijing, Starmer insisted the Trump administration's intelligence agencies had reviewed the deal in detail and concluded that it was a deal they wanted to support, did support and did so in very clear terms.

Starmer's office said Wednesday it will continue to engage with the U.S. to allay any concerns about the Chagos deal.

Spying and Hong Kong complicate the relationship

Concern about Chinese spying and surveillance has risen sharply in many countries in recent years, complicating trade and overall relations. The U.K. has barred Chinese investment in sensitive telecoms infrastructure and squeezed China out of investment in new nuclear power plants, souring ties.

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Starmer's government has said it will protect national security while keeping up diplomatic dialogue and economic cooperation with the Asian superpower. The U.K. recently approved plans for a huge Chinese Embassy in London, removing a sticking point in relations but also overriding claims by critics that the mega-embassy would make it easier for China to conduct espionage and intimidate dissidents.

While most Western leaders come under pressure to raise human rights issues with China, they are a particular flashpoint for the U.K. because of its historical links to Hong Kong, a British colony until 1997.

Starmer's visit comes less than two months after a Hong Kong court convicted Jimmy Lai, a former newspaper publisher and a British citizen, under a national security law that Beijing imposed on the territory after massive pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Chris Patten, the British governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997, said Starmer should be firm in raising disagreements over Lai's imprisonment and other human rights issues.

___

Lawless reported from London.
Delaware-Chenango-Madison-Otsego BOCES will be taking a vote on the proposed $44.4 million capital project aimed to renew and strengthen the learning experience for both students and staff.

There will be 18 polling locations for residents to cast a vote, and polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. on Feb. 3.

Residents are encouraged to come out to either approve or decline the proposal, which includes the purchase of the Masonville school site from Sidney Central School District for a program expansion, an addition to the Harrold campus, plus repairs and upgrades to both the Harrold Campus in Sidney Center and the Pole Campus in Norwich.

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DCMO BOCES is made up of 16 different districts operating with two instructional campuses and one support services center. Voters can weigh in at DCMO BOCES or any of the districts on Feb. 3.

The last time DCMO took on a capital project was back in 2009; this new proposal will help districts keep up with educational and technology advancements. The vision for the capital project is based on four principles the district strives to offer students. Safety & Security, Flexibility, Opportunities, and Stewardship.

What upgrades and additions are planned for 2027 capital project

Replacement and repairs across DCMO facilities for structures and appliances like roofs, HVAC, driveways and boilers

New entrance for CTE students on the Harrold Campus

Purchase Masonville School from Sidney Central School District

Renovate classroom spaces

Create shared resource hubs with equipment access

Multiuse spaces

Repurposing areas for instructional spaces

Technology additions

Renovations of the Robert W. Harrold Campus in Sidney Center and the Alan D. Pole Campus in Norwich

Who is funding the project?

The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) will lend the money for the capital project, and over the span of 20 years the district will pay off the debt in installments. DCMO is still paying off the 2007-2008 capital project; the last payment is due in August 2027. All 16 school districts will contribute a percentage annually.

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Property tax impact is based on regional averages since state aid varies across districts, and tax assessment practices differ throughout municipalities. According to the capital project newsletter, taxpayers with a property valued at $100,000 are looking at an increase of less than $2.18.

The first payment for the 2027 capital project, if it is approved, will be in the summer of 2028.

A virtual informational session will be held on Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. led by District Superintendent Michael Rullo. Visit the district website at dcmoboces.com to access the presentation.

Polling locations

DCMO BOCES have listed out all 18 polling sites for the upcoming vote scheduled for Feb. 3, 2026 on a proposed capital project.

What happens if the project is approved?

The design phase will begin during the spring and summer of 2026, followed by contractor bids in the winter.

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Contractor bids are expected to be announced in February 2027, and construction will take place from March 2027 to December 2028.

Kalyn Grant reports on public service issues for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, focusing on schools and community impact. Have a story to share? Follow her on Instagram @KalynCarmen and on Facebook under Kalyn Kearney. Get in touch at KCGrant@usatodayco.com

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: DCMO BOCES 2027 capital project details ahead of Feb. 3 vote
LaGuardia Airport has been hit particularly hard after the winter storm as American Airlines announced this weekend's storm was the most disruptive storm in the airline's 100-year history.

American has canceled more than 10,000 flights and expects impacts to be felt for two more days.

The airline cancelled 1,400 flights, roughly 37%, on Tuesday alone.

For context, Delta has cancelled 102 or 3%, and United has cancelled 28 or 1% of its total flights.

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American has already cancelled 304 or 8% of its flights for Wednesday.

American's CEO partially blamed the current cold weather in Dallas, but Southwest also has a hub in Dallas and they've only cancelled 10 flights on Tuesday.

Dallas is American Airlines' largest hub and the city is still trying to get out from under the ice storm they experienced over the weekend.

The airline says this has already cost them $150-200 million, and their stock is down 7%.

American Airlines is desperate for pilots and flight attendants to pick up extra shifts. The airline is now offering its flight attendants double pay if they are willing to work extra flights on Wednesday. Pilots are being offered an additional five hours pay.

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At LaGuardia on Tuesday, 21% of AA flights -- many of which fly through Dallas -- were cancelled.

Eyewitness News spoke to one family who has experienced two days of canceled flights and won't be able to get out of New York until Wednesday morning at the earliest.

Other travelers said the past few days have cost them upwards of $1,000 -- money they most likely won't be getting back.

"From what I'm told, weather-related, they are not reimbursing," said traveler Albert Leigh, whose flight has been canceled four times.

Some savvy travelers got ahead of the weather and anticipated the inevitable.

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"I got a notification on Friday that I could change my flight to Monday without a fee, so I actually changed it twice," said Kristin Parker, a traveler from Denver.

LaGuardia has 250 canceled flights on Tuesday, JFK had 155 and Newark reported 78.

The U.S. had more than 12,000 flight delays or cancellations nationwide Monday, according to flight tracker flightaware.com. On Sunday, 45% of U.S. flights got cancelled, making it the highest day for cancellations since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

New York City saw its snowiest day in years, with neighborhoods recording 8 to 15 inches of snow.

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(The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.)

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HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH)  As Connecticut continues to recover from this weekends winter storm, many large snow piles have popped up around the state.

In Hamden, snow piles that look like theyre a mile high are spread around town. For people pulling onto Whitney Avenue, its dangerous, since drivers cant see whos coming when they turn out of some intersections.

Waterbury schools closed for second snow day

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Some people in the area are still digging themselves out. In New Haven, a brigade of snow shovelers worked to clear the snow. Its been three days since the storm, and main streets and highways are looking good.

Some side streets, however, not so much. Snowy conditions have been forcing some people to walk in the street, since sidewalks are still covered in snow.

And thats not all  dangerously high helpings of snow have public works crews working day and night to knock down the piles and help people see better behind the wheel.

Getting rid of that snow is wreaking havoc in many communities, such as West Haven, where they canceled school Tuesday due to the large piles. West Haven Emergency Management Head Rick Fontana said the piles make it dangerous for school drop off and pick up.

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Emergency officials were also worried about school buses being able to navigate certain corners still impacted by snow.

Whats the best way to get around these snow piles?

Good situational awareness, Fontana said. [You] have to inch out, inch out, inch out and then just make sure its clear.

Crews are still cleaning up on Tuesday at an apartment building in New Haven. Tenants have been blocked in for a couple of days.

Waterbury group volunteers to help elderly, disabled residents shovel

Luke Melonakos, the vice president of Connecticut Tenants Union, said landlords have 24 hours to clear walkways.

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Our big storm was on Sunday, Melonakos said. If your walk ways arent cleared yet, they are well past that time, so if parking areas havent been cleared that 48 hours has also passed, Melonakos said.

If your landlord leaves you stranded, start with the management company  get your neighbors, too. If that doesnt stop the problem, reach out to whoever does housing enforcement in your city or town.

Watch the full story in the player above.

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 WTNH.com.
Florida state Sen. Ileana Garcia (R), co-founder of Latinas for Trump, blasted President Trumps immigration crackdown, warning he will lose the midterms because of White House adviser Stephen Miller.

I do think that he will lose the midterms because of Stephen Miller, Garcia told The New York Times in an interview published Tuesday.

Though Garcia was openly supportive of Trumps plans to close the border, she placed blame on Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, for the aggressive tactics used during the current crackdown.

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Her comments come after federal agents in Minneapolis over the weekend shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti amid a protest against the administrations immigration action, weeks after an ICE officer shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good in the city earlier this month.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti attacked federal law enforcement, while Miller described Pretti as a would-be assassin who tried to murder federal law enforcement.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday distanced Trump from those remarks, saying she had not heard the president characterize Mr. Pretti in that way and deferring to the investigation.

Distorting, politicizing, slandering  justifying what happened to Alex Pretti contradicts the American values the administration campaigned on. He was neither a domestic terrorist nor an assassin, Garcia wrote in a Monday post on the social platform X, responding to Millers characterization of the incident.

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Allowing individuals like Stephen Miller, among others, who represent the government and make hard-line decisions, to make such comments will have long term consequences.  This is not what I voted for! she continued.

Garcia, who rallied support from Latina voters to help get Trump elected in 2016 and served in Trumps Department of Homeland Security during his first term, has blasted what she last year called inhumane tactics to meet deportation goals.

Her comments mark the latest sign of growing frustration with Trumps immigration handling as fallout from the Minnesota shootings grows, as observers warn the issue could have a lingering impact on Novembers high-stakes midterms.

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.
Lawmakers from both parties have condemned the attack on Ilhan Omar after the Minnesota congresswoman was sprayed with an unknown substance during her town hall on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, responded to comments from Donald Trump who quipped that she probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.

Jeffries countered: Thats a disgusting comment and the presidents lies and misinformation continue to fan the flames of these types of violent incidents.

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Ilhan Omar, of course, is a strong, courageous, hardworking public servant. This should have never happened, he continued.

Trump has long targeted Omar, who arrived in the US as a refugee as a child and has been a citizen for more than 25 years. His xenophobic attacks on her have ramped up in recent weeks as he has targeted Minnesotas Somali community. He recently called for her to be sent back to Somalia in a post on Truth Social.

After the attack, lawmakers have directly blamed Trumps rhetoric.

Jasmine Crockett, the Democratic representative from Texas, said in a social media post that she was disgusted and outraged. Lets be clear: nonstop hate and dangerous rhetoric from Trump and his allies has fueled this type of violence.

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The Minnesota representative Angie Craig said she was relieved that my colleague Ilhan is safe.

The rise in political violence in our state must stop, she posted on X. We are better than this Minnesota.

Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic senator of Maryland, said he was relieved that Omar was not injured. But Trumps response was shameful  & Republicans should say so. His baseless & racist attacks against her have no doubt endangered her. His inability to condemn the attack is appalling, he wrote on X.

Greg Landsman, a Democratic representative from Ohio, said the rhetoric against a sitting member of Congress is un-American and leads to more violence. Everyone, regardless of political affiliation, should approach this moment with humility and grace. Thats how we break this cycle of division and hate.

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Republicans have also spoken out against the apparent act of political violence. The South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace wrote that she was deeply disturbed to learn that Omar was attacked at the town hall.

Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric  and I do  no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.

Don Bacon, a representative of Nebraska, said on social media: Political violence is always wrong. We always have the right to free speech and to petition the government, but political violence must be dealt with sternly.

He added that the attacker needs to spend sometime [sic] behind bars.

Omar is the second lawmaker of color to be physically attacked in the last week. The Florida representative Maxwell Frost said he was punched in the face on Friday at the Sundance film festival in Utah by a man who said Trump would deport him.
Asahi Kasei, Mitsui Chemicals and Mitsubishi Chemical have entered into an agreement to promote the decarbonisation and optimisation of ethylene production capacity in western Japan.

The collaboration follows their selection for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's 'Fiscal 2025 Support Program for Energy and Manufacturing Process Conversion in Hard-to-Abate Industries' (HtA Support Programme).

The initiative seeks to introduce biomass feedstock as an alternative to petroleum-derived resources.

The companies plan to establish a joint operating entity to manage their two ethylene production facilities, resulting in the eventual closure of the Asahi Kasei Mitsubishi Chemical Ethylene (AMEC) facility at the Mizushima Plant in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture.

Operations will be consolidated at the Osaka Petrochemical Industries (OPC) facility in Takaishi, Osaka, by fiscal year 2030.

As part of this transition, Asahi Kasei and Mitsubishi Chemical will make equipment modifications at OPC's Senboku Factory and other relevant sites. Following the cessation of production at AMEC's Mizushima Plant, its equipment will be dismantled, with plans to explore potential uses for the vacated site that align with carbon neutrality objectives.

An investment of Y21.2bn ($139m) has been earmarked for this transition, including a maximum subsidy application amount of Y10.4bn. This investment will focus on transitioning ethylene production facilities and related equipment, as well as establishing an initial production facility using Asahi Kaseis Revolefin technology.

Ethylene production is a key component of the petrochemical industry, serving as a foundation for materials used in various products, from consumer goods to semiconductors. The new cooperative strategy among these chemical manufacturers aims to address challenges in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by sharing technology and jointly implementing carbon-neutral measures.

The initial step under the HtA Support Programme involves installing a facility at Asahi Kasei's Mizushima Works to produce decarbonised chemicals like ethylene and propylene from bioethanol using Revolefin technology, which is currently under development.

Upon successful verification of operational efficiency, commercial production is scheduled to begin by fiscal year 2034.

Through this agreement, Asahi Kasei, Mitsui Chemicals and Mitsubishi Chemical aim to optimise production while ensuring transparent management and equitable distribution of costs and benefits. The HtA Support Programme is expected to facilitate a transition towards competitive decarbonised basic chemicals, thereby supporting market expansion and sustainable business models.
BERLIN (AP)  Lawmakers in an eastern German state elected a new governor on Wednesday as mainstream parties try to prevent a victory for the far-right Alternative for Germany in a regional election that is only seven months away.

The state legislature in Saxony-Anhalt elected Sven Schulze, a member of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's center-right Christian Democratic Union, to replace long-serving incumbent Reiner Haseloff.

Haseloff, 71, has led the state of some 2.2 million people since 2011. Schulze, 46, was designated last year as the CDU's candidate for governor to succeed him in a state election on Sept. 6.

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Although it's quite common in Germany for governors to hand over the reins in midterm to allow their successors a chance to become better-known to voters, Haseloff originally appeared minded to serve out his term. But with regional support very high for Alternative for Germany, or AfD, he announced this month that he would step down early.

AfD, which became the second-biggest party in Germany's federal parliament in a national election last year, is at its strongest in the formerly communist and less prosperous east. Opposition to migration is the signature issue of AfD, with which mainstream parties refuse to work. But it also has shown a talent for capitalizing on discontent with other issues, such as the country's sluggish economy.

In recent years, some sitting governors in the east  including Haseloff himself in the state's last election in 2021  have managed to beat back challenges from AfD as relatively popular incumbents. Schulze, who was Saxony-Anhalt's economy minister until now, would have lacked that potential advantage if Haseloff had stayed in office.

AfD so far has emerged as the biggest party in one state election, in the neighboring eastern region of Thuringia in 2024, but it has yet to take power at state level.
Sen. Jack Stewart, R-Yukon, and Sen. Kendal Sacchieri, R-Blanchard, await votes on a veto override during the Senate session on Thursday, May 29, 2025. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  Thirty-four lawmakers are asking Oklahomas high court to prevent a state agency from providing drivers license information to a Virginia-based nonprofit.

The lawmakers, including Sen. Kendal Sacchieri, R-Blanchard, are asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to prevent Service Oklahoma from sharing drivers license data with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

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The Virginia-based nonprofit operates a technology platform that is used by 44 states and allows officials to cross-check drivers license information to determine if motorists have active drivers licenses in other states.

Service Oklahoman intends to give the nonprofit access to some drivers license information, including names, dates of birth and partial social security numbers, in mid-February. Driver photos and biometric information will not be exchanged.

Sacchieri and the other lawmakers filed a lawsuit late Tuesday to block the data sharing.

Once transmitted, the data cannot be retrieved from AAMVAs system or from other states that may access or rely upon the record, the lawsuit said. The transmission therefore creates irreparable injury to statutory rights, constitutional structure, and personal-data privacy that cannot be remedied after the fact.

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The agencys decision was not authorized by the Legislature, the suit said.

The lawsuit asks the Oklahoma Supreme Court to prohibit the information from being shared and find that the agency may not share the information absent legislative authorization.

Service Oklahoma said it could not comment on the lawsuit, but said the system, more commonly known as State-to-State or S2S, is used exclusively by state drivers licensing agencies and does not allow federal access.

Service Oklahoma is permitted to share records with other states as part of routine license administration, the agency said.

The system does not store or centralize full records, the agency said.

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By the end of 2026, Service Oklahoma said 48 states are expected to utilize the system, which has been in existence for two decades.

Oklahoma provides residents with the option to either obtain a federally-compliant REAL ID license or one that is non-compliant. A REAL ID license, which contains a gold star in the upper right corner, signifies that it meets minimum federal security standards.

Oklahomas non-compliant licenses allow motorists to drive within the state, but are not recognized to access federal property or to fly domestically.

Sacchieri said the suit is aimed at stopping the transfer of any information, but especially the information of those who sought a non-compliant license.

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She said the association is private, but works with and is an arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, is among the plaintiffs seeking to block the sharing of information.

We just cant trust the federal government right now, Boren said.

She said the state should keep the promises made to its residents and keep the information private.

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At least five people were killed in a winter storm in Portugal, officials and news reports said.

The Atlantic storm hit the coast early on Wednesday morning with wind speeds of up to more than 170 kilometres per hour.

A driver died during when his vehicle was hit by a falling tree north of Lisbon.

Further north, in the town of Carvide, one person was struck by flying metal sheets and another was buried in their partially collapsed house, according to the state television channel RTP, citing civil protection authorities.

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Near Silves, a Dutch woman was found dead in her car, which had been submerged in water.

A fifth fatality was recorded in Marinha Grande, RTP reported, citing the city administration.

Fallen trees, rivers bursting their banks after heavy rainfall and snow falling at approximately 400 metres above sea level brought train services to a halt and made roads impassable.

Schools had to closed, and at times up to 1 million households were without power, RTP reported.

The storm has since moved eastwards towards Spain, where the authorities have issued warnings of high waves along the coasts and snow even at lower altitudes.

The Spanish weather service Aemet warned of gusts with wind speeds of up to 90 kilometres per hour for Ibiza.
The Pennsylvania State Police report that one person was killed in a Jackson Township trooper-involved shooting.

At 6 a.m. Jan. 28, troopers attempted to serve a search warrant to a residence at the first block of Gable Drive in Jackson Township. Spokesman Trooper Ethan Brownback said the warrant was in relation to a child pornography investigation.

"Upon entrance into the residence, troopers were confronted by the suspect of the investigation in a manner that resulted in troopers discharging their firearms," he said. "The suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Lebanon County Coroner's Office."

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No troopers were injured on the scene, and Brownback said there is no current threat to the public at this time. The Pennsylvania State Police Major Case team and the state Attorney Generals Office will be investigating the incident, and troopers have been placed on administrative duty.

Police did not release the name of the suspect, or the charges the subject was facing regarding the search warrant.

The Lebanon County Coroner's Office told reporters that they would not be releasing a name as of Wednesday morning. An autopsy will be conducted but has not been scheduled yet.

Pennsylvania State Police are on the scene of an incident in the first block of Gable Drive in Jackson Township.

State police remain on the scene in the neighborhood. Their reconstruction team arrived a short time ago. Authorities are using drones over the area.

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Residents told a Lebanon Daily News reporter they were unaware that anything was occurring until they saw a heavy state police presence.

Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf said she is aware of the incident, but her office is not involved in the investigation.

This story was updated to add new information. Check back later as this is a breaking news story.

York Daily Record reporter Teresa Boeckel contributed to this story.

Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: One killed in police-involved shooting in Jackson Township, Lebanon Co.
The legislative study commission exploring the possibilities for Rhode Island establishing a public medical school at the University of Rhode Island and other ways to enhance the state's primary care workforce holds its last meeting at the State House on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

Rhode Island should move forward with a public medical school at the University of Rhode Island (URI), an expensive move but one that could hopefully counteract Rhode Islands aging and shrinking primary care workforce, a special legislative commission declared Tuesday.

The 21-member commission formed in 2024 voted unanimously to adopt the recommendations of a final report released at its meeting. The 32-page report outlines how a state-supported, MD-granting school could graduate its inaugural cohort as early as 2029.

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We have a severe shortage here, Sen. Pam Lauria, a Barrington Democrat and nurse practitioner who co-chaired the commission, said of the states primary care workforce during a press briefing ahead of the commissions final meeting.

Theres been so many personal stories about people losing their primary care provider and not being able to find someone new, not having two or three primary care providers in as many years as they get bounced from one to the other, Lauria told reporters.

The report was informed by a year and a half of commission meetings, as well as a $150,000 feasibility study conducted by Kansas City, Missouri-based consultancy Tripp-Umbach and released in October 2025.

The release of the new report  and its $20 million recommendation for initial state support with much more spending to come in subsequent years budgets  brings the commissions work to an end. But the report lays out a plan for a permanent commission to shepherd the way forward to solving Rhode Islands primary care crisis. The new panel would be charged with developing comprehensive graduate medical education and workforce strategy to produce and retain skilled and committed primary care clinicians.

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The commissions estimate of the states primary care workforce is imprecise, giving a range from 641 to about 1,200 doctors. But that headcount is going to change with a third of the states primary care providers over age 60.

According to a survey by commission member Dr. Michael Fine cited in the report, about 26% of providers said they aim to retire within the next six years. Plugging those numbers into the states current age distribution, an estimated 55 to 110 physicians could retire annually.

In academic year 2022-2023, only 15 of the 106 primary care residency program graduates in Rhode Island planned to remain living and working in the state, according to the report.

Although 91% of practices report accepting new patients, fewer than half accept patient transfers or newly arrived residents, indicating that true access to primary care is far more limited than these topline numbers suggest, the report reads.

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Among Rhode Islanders who could soon lack a primary care doctor is Senate President Valarie Lawson.

My primary care physician is retiring at the end of March, Lawson, an East Providence Democrat, said during the briefing. So we know that we need to recruit physicians here and we need to retain them.

Joining Lauria and Lawson Tuesday at the briefing were Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone and Senate Majority Whip David Tikoian.

$20 million investment to start

A new medical school would begin with $20 million in seed funding from the state, with fundraising efforts beginning this year for alternate financing sources  including a potential voter bond  for the additional $175 million recommended to open the school by 2029 with 50 initial students.

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It is definitely my hope that the $20 million be part of this years budget, Lauria said of the fiscal year 2027 budget, which will arrive sometime in June.

The school would also need an approximately $22.5 million-per-year line item in the state budget, the report claims.

I think that its an economic investment, and I think that we do lots of economic investments that dont have the potential payback that this one does, Lauria said when asked about potential opposition to the recurring funding in an always-crunched state budget.

Lawson called a medical school an investment and a necessity.

Left to right, Rhode Island Senate President Valarie Lawson, Sen. Pam Lauria, a Barrington Democrat and commission co-chair, and Senate Majority Leader David Tikoian take questions from reporters at the State House Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

The commissions report states: While modest start-up deficits are anticipated in the early years, these are projected to be offset over time by tuition revenue, clinical partnerships, research growth, and operational efficiencies.

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The commission reiterated the feasibility studys estimates that the school could exert a powerful economic ripple effect and glean $196 million in annual economic activity, create over 1,300 jobs, and contribute $4.5 million in state and local tax revenue each year once the school is fully operational.

The report suggests the school would have a $16 million surplus annually by 2037.

That those numbers reside in a somewhat far-off horizon has drawn criticism from state and health care leaders. Lauria and Lawson dismissed the naysayers Tuesday when taking questions from reporters.

We can walk and chew gum, Lauria said, agreeing the state can best address the primary care shortage through a mix of reforms in the near and far future.

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The URI school, Lauria said, is only one part and is definitely looking ahead, but if we dont do that, then were constantly in the rear, Lauria said.

Wed be negligent not to look in the future for 10 years, Lawson said.

When asked what guardrails would be installed to prevent the project from slipping on cost or timeline, Lauria pivoted to another report recommendation: creating another legislative commission.

Added Lauria: A year and a half ago, when we started getting together, I would not have guessed that, as of the last commission meeting, we had a unanimous vote that we were going to start this conclusion of our report with, We recommend a medical school at URI.

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The commission also recommends expanding the state Health Professional Loan Repayment Program and creating a primary care scholarship program that would come attached with a minimum five-year service obligation in primary care.

You need someone to come and work for at least five years before you can reliably count on them staying, Lauria said. So those are things that we need to do no matter what. I wouldnt even put that as a cost of the medical school, because if we want to have a primary care workforce in the state, then were going to have to do that.

Incentives are needed because primary care doctors go into the field knowing theyll make less than their specialty counterparts, Lauria said.

One of the reasons that primary medical students do not go into primary care is that they come out of school with such a large debt load that they have no option but to go into the higher paying specialties, she said.

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Lauria didnt see a public medical school at URI as competition for Brown Universitys Warren Alpert Medical School.

They have different missions, she said. Brown is doing what most of their peer organizations do, they have a heavy focus on research, and theyre not really looking toward primary care as much as they once did.

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At a meeting on Wednesday 28 January, the Lithuanian government approved four projects to support Ukraine's recovery, which will be financed from the Fund for the Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid.

Source: LRT, as reported by European Pravda

Details: More than 14.5 million has been allocated for these projects.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said that she was pleased that their promises and agreements were being put into practice. She added that Lithuania's participation in Ukraine's recovery was very important for everyone involved and noted that she was glad Lithuania was contributing more and more through various projects and concrete solutions.

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A proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earmarked 5 million for the first phase of the Future School for Ukraine project. Of this amount, 500,000 will come from Ireland's targeted contribution to the aid fund.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that this phase, to be implemented by the Central Project Management Agency, will include technical architectural design for a school in Zhytomyr that was destroyed in 2023 during Russian attacks, as well as the construction of an underground multifunctional shelter.

The first stage is planned to be implemented over an 18-month period.

An additional 5 million will be allocated to implement the Children First: Protecting Ukraine's Future project.

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As part of the project, the Boiarka children's home will be reconstructed and adapted to operate as a child and family return centre. Short-term accommodation will be provided, and areas for delivering social and psychological services will be created.

In addition, 10 modular buildings will be constructed in Irpin for medium-term integration, providing up to 80 accommodation places per year.

The funds will also be used to purchase 19 vehicles for foster families in order to improve access to services in the regions.

In Lviv, a child rehabilitation and mental health centre will also be established. This will include hospital renovations, staff expansion, the development of methodologies for working with war-related trauma and the strengthening of professional capacities of specialists working there.

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The project is planned to be implemented over 22 months, with half of the required funding coming from the Taiwan Representative Office in Lithuania, which will make a contribution to the aid fund.

Almost 4 million more will be allocated for the second phase of reconstruction of the Zelenyi Hai school in Mykolaiv.

In addition, a further 800,000 will be allocated for modernising the equipment of a DNA laboratory in Poltava.

Background:

In autumn 2025, European Union countries contributed more than 22 million to the Civil Protection Shelter Coalition, an initiative to create more shelters in Ukraine.

In early November, Lithuania made a contribution through the UNITED24 initiative, financing the construction of shelters in three Ukrainian schools. Thanks to Lithuania's support, new shelters were provided to schools in Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Zhytomyr oblasts.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to arrive in Naples this afternoon, flying on Air Force Two and landing at the Naples Airport.

His mission: a high roller's fundraiser at the Naples Yacht Club for the Republican National Committee (RNC).

Guests paid $250,000 per couple or $100,000 per couple to attend today's luncheon, according to photos of the invitations posted on X (formerly Twitter). Vance will go from Naples to Miami for an RNC fundraising dinner with the same price tag for the pleasure of hearing the vice president speak and possibly shaking his hand.

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Vance is chairman of the RNC finance committee and as such is the top fundraiser for the primary governing body of the Republican Party. He is responsible for securing donations, cultivating relationships with major donors, and leading the party's fundraising efforts to support Republican candidates and initiatives.

Details about the event have been kept quiet with Collier County GOP leaders including the head of the executive committee, were keeping mum. None of them returned phone calls or emails from the Naples Daily News.

Law enforcers converge on Naples Airport before Vance visit

Hundreds of law enforcement members converged at Naples Airport Wednesday, Jan. 28, ahead of Vice-President JD Vance's arrival.

As part of the Wednesday morning preparations, dozens of officers on motorcycles came off Airport-Pulling Road to roll west in two perfect rows on North Road and into one of the main airport lots, where other public safety personnel had already been setting up.

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At least one airport entrance farther west on North Road was blocked off by noon.

Protesters, Vance fans arrive before visit

Protesters and Vance supporters began arriving shortly before noon before Vance was scheduled to appear at the Naples Yacht Club.

Two women bundled in winter clothing showed their support for Vance and Trump, with Kimberly Rae Walker carrying a sign that said, "Make America Great Again. We love you JD Vance!"

A person holding a sign stood outside of Naples Yacht Club ahead of Vice President JD Vance's arrival for a fundraiser on Jan. 28, 2026.

Next to her, Colleen Catapano was wearing a sequined pink hat that said TRUMP GIRL.

An anti-Vance protester arrived with a sign that showed the vice president dressed as a fortune teller.

Workers at Naples Yacht Club place no parking signs around the property ahead of Vice President JD Vance's visit to Naples, Jan. 28, 2026.

Officials arrive for Vance visit, block off press at Naples Yacht Club

Dozens of emergency medical personnel, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission staff, Collier County Sheriffs Office deputies and other law enforcement officers filled the parking lot of the Naples Yacht Club. They're in anticipation for Vice President JD Vances arrival Wednesday, Jan. 28.Many were seen crossing their arms in short-sleeve uniforms as they braced the waterside breeze on an atypically cold Naples morning. Others were adorned in freshly pressed suits and sunglasses, despite the clouds hiding any sight of the sun.

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Members of the vice presidents team removed arriving media from the yacht clubs property, establishing lines of media allowance just beyond the property.

Workers at Naples Yacht Club place no parking signs around the property ahead of Vice President JD Vance's visit to Naples, Jan. 28, 2026.

Will the public get a glimpse of Vice President JD Vance in Naples?

Vance is in town for a private fundraiser so it's unclear if residents will see him. He is not scheduled to speak publicly, but is expected in town sometime between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. based on an Federal Aviation Administration no-fly advisory. He is expected to arrive at the Naples airport and travel to the Naples Yacht Club at 700 14th Ave. S.

A U.S. Secret Service spokesman confirmed that the agency "is conducting a protective operation" and that some roads would be close temporarily.

Will there be road closures, traffic disruptions today in Naples for Vance visit?

Yes, but Secret Service spokesperson Matt Fagiana declined to share details for security reasons.

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"These closures will mainly affect passenger and commercial vehicles, while pedestrians, cyclists, and e-bike or scooter users may be allowed through with additional screening, depending on the location, Fagiana said in an email.

"Weve coordinated with our local law enforcement partners to help the public plan ahead and use alternate routes."

Protests planned at Naples Yacht Club  who is organizing it?

Paul Stephens of the Collier County Democratic Party and the local Indivisible group said the Democratic Party plans a pop-up protest in front of the yacht club.

The Naples Daily News will add minute-by-minute updates here about the vice president's arrival at the Naples Airport, his motorcade, comments from event goers and protesters, with photos and videos.

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J. Kyle Foster is a senior growth & development reporter for The News-Press & Naples Daily News. Reach her by emailing jfoster1@usatodayco.com.

Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Live updates: JD Vance Naples, Florida visit
A teenager has died after accidentally shooting himself in Louisville's California neighborhood, according to a Jan. 28 statement from Louisville Metro Police.

Spokesperson Aaron Ellis said at around 2:30 p.m., officers from LMPD's Second Division responded to a call for service in the 1800 block of Greenwood Avenue, in Louisville's California neighborhood. After arriving, officers located a 14-year-old boy with a gunshot wound.

Officers rendered first aid until Louisville Emergency Medical Services and Louisville Fire arrived and took over medical care. The boy was then transferred to University of Louisville of Hospital, where he died shortly after arriving.

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The Jefferson County Coroner's Office later identified the boy as Dalton Wells Jr. His manner of death is being investigated by LMPD's Homicide Unit. Detectives suspect Wells died from an accidental self-inflicted shooting, Ellis said.

Reporter Leo Bertucci contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville teen accidental self inflicted shooting death
A Long Beach man pleaded guilty Tuesday to sending payments to ISIS and possessing a homemade bomb inside his home.

Mark Villanueva, 29, entered a plea in downtown Los Angeles to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm -- namely the homemade bomb.

Sentencing was scheduled for June 17, at which time Villanueva, a lawful permanent resident from the Philippines, could face up to 35 years imprisonment, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Papers filed in L.A. federal court state that Villanueva communicated via social media with two people who described themselves as fighters with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. In the messages, Villanueva discussed his desire to support the terrorist organization, and offered to send money to support its activities.

According to the DOJ, Villanueva told one of the self-identified ISIS fighters that he wanted to fight for ISIS himself, stating, "It's an honor to fight and die for our faith. It's the best way to go to heaven. ... Someday soon, I'll be joining."

He told the other individual that he possessed a bomb and knives. During Villanueva's arrest on Aug. 1, 2025, the FBI recovered an improvised explosive device from his bedroom, prosecutors said.

Villanueva was previously convicted in state court for stalking, court papers show.

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In a February 2025 message with one of the self-described ISIS fighters, Villanueva offered to send the individual money, and asked whether the money would "cover your equipment and your weapons," the DOJ said.

Villanueva apparently discussed sending the money through an intermediary. According to Western Union records, he sent a dozen payments totaling $1,615 during a five-month period to two intermediaries who accessed the money overseas.

"Supporting a terrorist group, whether at home or abroad, is a serious risk to our national security," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement at the time of Villanueva's arrest. "We will aggressively hunt down and prosecute anyone who provides support or comfort to our enemies."
UPS announced plans to cut 30,000 jobs in the coming year. Amazon is slashing 16,000.

The post office is hiring.

In recent weeks, the U.S. Postal Service has been holding job fairs to fill vacant positions for carriers, assistant carriers, and auto techs at Florida locations, with salaries starting at $21.89 per hour. The next two are in Tallahassee and Lake City.

Recent job fairs were held at Fernandina Beach and Jacksonville.

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Here's what to know.

Is the Post Office hiring?

The USPS in Tallahassee and Lake City are looking for "committed and motivated individuals," according to press releases. The positions are:

Rural Carrier Associates (RCA) - $21.89 per hour, paid bi-weekly, full-time with health benefits. You would deliver mail on a full-time schedule that may include weekend and holidays.

Assistant Rural Carriers (ARC) - $21.89 per hour, paid bi-weekly, part-time. You would deliver packages.

Automotive Technician (AT) - $66,586 annually, paid bi-weekly, health benefits. You would perform repairs and maintenance on all types of motor vehicles used in the postal fleet. (Tallahassee only)

Benefits include multiple health and life insurance choices, pension benefits and a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) like a 401(k), and vacation time and sick leave, the USPS said.

When are the USPS job fairs?

Tallahassee: Friday, Jan, 30, at the Tallahassee Post Office, 2800 S Adams Street

Lake City: Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Lake City Post Office, 250 NW Main Blvd.

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Interested applicants who can't make it to the job fairs may also apply at usps.com/careers.

What are the requirements to work for the post office?

You must be 18 years old or older at the time of appointment or 16 years old with a high school diploma

You must be a United States citizen or permanent resident

You must be able to pass a criminal background check and drug screening

If driving is part of the job, you must have a valid state drivers license and a safe driving record

C. A. Bridges 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.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: USPS is hiring in Florida, here's where and what to know
Japanese finance firms are unhappy with government plans to delay the approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds for two years.

The top financial markets agency says the timeline is necessary to ensure its crypto ETF ban lifts in tandem with new digital asset tax reforms that are due to go live in 2028, Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported.

But at least one of these securities players says Tokyo is failing to act fast enough to keep up with global trends.

Lifting the ban in 2028 is too late, Tomoya Asakura, CEO of SBI Global Asset Management, wrote on X. We strongly urge the government to lift the ban sooner rather than later.

The delays also mean Japan risks lagging behind the US, Middle Eastern, and Asian rivals in crypto adoption, Asakura argued.

The growing tension between the Financial Services Agency and companies championing cryptocurrencies comes as Japans biggest traditional financial players press for wider crypto adoption.

Lagging behind rivals

Tokyo is giving its crypto tax regime an overhaul. It plans to ditch the current system, which taxes crypto profits as a form of income, in favour of capital gains taxation. For higher earners, that would mean a reduction from up to 55% taxation to a flat 20% levy.

The government also wants to let crypto traders defer their losses across tax years.

Satsuki Katayama, the Japanese finance minister, has confirmed that the reforms wont take effect until 2028, which is now also holding back the launch of Bitcoin ETFs.

Overseas observers have welcomed the Financial Services Agencys decision, saying it points to wider crypto adoption.

This marks a significant milestone in the mainstream adoption of digital assets, Didier Lavallee, founder and CEO of the financial services provider Tetra Digital Group, told DL News. It allows broader retail investor access through regulated investment vehicles and demonstrates growing institutional acceptance of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies within one of the worlds leading financial markets.

Katayama conceded that Tokyo is aware of strong demand from the industry for tax reform, which would put crypto taxation on an even footing with stock and foreign exchange trading.

She said around 13 million Japanese people currently trade crypto and said there was now cross-party support for the reforms.

We hope that parliament will pass this bill quickly, the minister said.

Tim Alper is a News Correspondent at DL News. Got a tip? Email him at tdalper@dlnews.com.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Belarus is complicit in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and that Kyiv is preparing sanctions against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenkoa move aimed at holding him accountable for his country's role in supporting the war.

"The Lukashenko regime, and (Lukashenko) himself, must bear responsibility for their complicity in Russian aggression," Sybiha said in an interview with European Pravda on Jan. 27.

When asked about Lukashenko, he said Ukraine, like many European countries, does not view the Belarusian leader as legitimately elected.

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Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994, transforming the country into an authoritarian state. Aside from Russia, Belarus is considered the least democratic country in Europe and has not held free or fair elections since gaining independence from the Soviet Unionwith the exception of Lukashenko's first election.

In 2020, Lukashenko faced a challenge from opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is widely regarded as the rightful winner of that year's presidential election.

Sybiha added the current Belarusian government bears equal responsibility with Russia for the war in Ukraine, noting that Lukashenko has allowed Russian forces to use Belaruswhich shares a northern border with Ukraineas a staging ground for the invasion.

Throughout the war, Belarus has supported Russian troop movements, missile launches, and drone attacksand even serves as a potential launch site for Russia's Oreshnik missiles, reportedly designed to carry nuclear warheads.

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Read also: Ukraine war latest updates: Russian drones strike passenger train in Kharkiv Oblast, 2 injured (9)

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has fired back at those in his party who have dared to criticize senior Trump aide Stephen Miller.

As to Stephen Miller, the South Carolina senator said on Tuesday nights episode of Fox News Hannity, to my colleagues who believe you can convince Donald Trump that Stephen Miller is a liability for him, good luck with that.

When this clock strikes 12 on the Trump era, there will be a few people walking out the door with Donald Trump. Stephen Miller will be in that group. I want everybody to know on the Republican side.

Miller has been on the receiving end of increased criticism as a result of the Trump administration's anti-immigrant crackdown. / Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

In addition to countless Democrats, some Republicans have come forward to offer up critiques of the White House deputy chief of staff, largely focusing on the negative impact his policies and actions are having on President Donald Trumps popularity.

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Stephen Millers in the same boat, GOP Sen. Thom Tillis said on Tuesday, shortly after calling for Noem to be fired. This guy, after doing the stupid comments he made about Greenland, getting the president in a difficult circumstance, came out publicly and said that this guy was a terrorist before hed even talked with anybody on the ground.

Stephen Miller never fails to live up to my expectations of incompetence.

Tillis unleashes on Noem and Miller -



I think if Noem looks at her body of work I can't think of any point of pride over the last yr



She has taken this admin into the ground on an issue that we should own



Miller never fails to live to my expectations of incompetence pic.twitter.com/vAsyafqTuI  Ellis Kim (@elliskkim) January 27, 2026

Florida state Rep. Ileana Garcia expressed concerns in a Tuesday interview with the New York Times that Millers bullishness on immigration could cost Trump the midterms.

Its gone too far. What happened Saturday was abhorrent, she said, referring to the killing of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis.

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I do think that [Trump] will lose the midterms because of Stephen Miller.

The Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal published an editorial on Tuesday in which it said that Millers undisciplined mass deportation and zero-immigration policy was damaging the White Houses credibility.

Stephen Miller has been one of Donald Trump's most staunch loyalists for years. / Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana joined Graham in publicly expressing his support for Miller, writing in a Tuesday X post, .@StephenM is a long time friend and trusted advisor. Grateful for his leadership and everything he does to help President Trump every day.

California Gov. Gavin Newsoms Press Office replied to the post with a simple retort: He needs to be fired. Now.

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The White House stood by Miller on Tuesday, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt telling Axios, Stephen Miller is one of President Trumps most trusted and longest-serving aides. The president loves Stephen.

The White House had previously sought to distance the president from the inflammatory remarks Miller made in the wake of Prettis death, in which he described the Veterans Affairs nurse as a would-be assassin. Noem also described Pretti as a domestic terrorist.

Asked about these characterizations on Monday, Leavitt told reporters, I have not heard the president characterize Mr Pretti in that way. However, I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself.

The president later announced that he is aiming to de-escalate tensions in Minnesota by replacing Gregory Bovino with border czar Tom Homan, who will report directly to Trump.

We have Tom Homan there now. We put him in there, hes great, Trump told Fox News Will Cain during a campaign stop in Iowa. And they met with the governor and the mayor and everybody else. And were going to de-escalate a little bit.
Advocates and municipal leaders rallied at the Maine State House on Jan. 27 in support of the creation of a climate superfund. (Photo courtesy of Maine Conservation Voters)

Lawmakers in Maine moved forward with a climate superfund proposal that was designed to hold fossil fuel companies accountable.

On Wednesday, the Legislatures Environment and Natural Resources Committee voted 8-4 to advance LD 1870 to the whole legislative body for a vote. It will first go to the Maine Senate. The proposal would establish a superfund for large fossil fuel companies to pay for infrastructure repairs, resiliency efforts and other costs in the rural and low-income communities disproportionately affected by flooding and other disasters.

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The bill was first introduced last year, but was carried over to the current session to give time for lawsuits surrounding similar programs in other states including Vermont and New York time to play out.

Melanie Loyzim, commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, told the committee Wednesday that she estimated it would cost $4 million to fully implement the program. She also said it would require additional staff, though the exact number would depend on the specific plan.

Sen. Stacy Brenner (D-Cumberland) asked Loyzim how much the state has spent on storm recovery in recent years. Loyzim estimated that the state has spent $100 million in the past few years for storm recovery as well as implementing resiliency efforts, including a bipartisan climate resiliency law that passed last year.

Pointing to that figure, some committee members argued the cost of implementation would save taxpayers money in the long term by preventing them from paying for future recovery costs. However, some Republicans said they would like to see more documentation to back up the $100 million estimate.

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Rep. Mike Soboleski (R-Phillips) and Sen. Joseph Martin (R-Oxford) questioned whether climate change is impacted by human interference, despite wide scientific consensus, arguing that the climate always varies and there have been severe weather events over the past century. They voted against the bill, expressing concern that it could lead to higher heating and gas costs.

The vote came after advocates, as well as state and municipal leaders, held a rally at the State House Tuesday in support of the measure.

Taxpayers in cities like mine are on the hook for tens of millions of dollars to pay for climate resilience and adaptation projects, cleaning up a mess we didnt cause, said Jean Guzzetti, a Bath City Councilor who helped lead the effort last fall to pass a municipal resolution to support the establishment of a Maine Climate Superfund.

Sarah Woodbury, legislative director for Maine Conservation Voters called LD 1870 an innovative, forward-looking bill that would help futureproof our state and protect our people and communities from the impacts of climate change.

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A multinational British retailer initiated an investigation after a social media user documented what appeared to be egregious food waste at one of its locations, The Grocer reported.

On Jan. 13, Instagram user Supermarkets waste inspector (@food_waste_inspector_) shared a reel depicting trash bins overflowing with edible food behind a Marks & Spencer store.

Text at the top of the clip read: "The shocking waste we find tonight at M&S."

According to The Grocer, the West London man behind the account intends to remain anonymous to continue documenting supermarket food waste in the United Kingdom.

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Food waste can be complicated for grocery purveyors to avoid, as items must be deemed safe for consumption before they can be distributed or donated.

In the video, however, the "vigilante" user documented no fewer than nine trash bins full of bread, sacks of potatoes, fresh flowers, and meat.

The discarded meat products, in particular, undercut potential concerns about safe consumption, as the sell-by or use-by dates had not yet passed when the footage was captured, and at least one package's date was a week in the future.

Throughout the clip, an audibly disgusted Instagrammer reiterated that the immense food waste coincided with an uptick in food insecurity in the U.K.

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"There's a lot of people going hungry, yeah? And people are struggling to put food on the table, yeah?" he laments as he sifts through food that was visibly pristine.

As The Grocer noted, Marks & Spencer has a publicly available food-waste plan stating that the retailer pledged to "halve food waste (against a 2017/18 baseline)" by 2030, and "by 2025, to make sure 100% of edible surplus food finds its way to a dinner plate."

Considering the video was filmed Jan. 13, M&S appears to falling short of its 2025 promise.

A spokesperson for Marks & Spencer acknowledged the video in a comment to The Grocer.

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"It's clear that at these stores, something has gone wrong, and we're investigating that right now," they said, citing the retailer's purported "clear process to manage food waste in-store."

However, the Instagrammer's subsequent efforts to document food waste at M&S led to a new, upsetting discovery: locked bins, presumably to conceal it.

Commenters were enraged by the initial clip.

"I visit a small fruit stall up the street from me and what they don't sell, people working at the food banks pick them up, M&S could do the same," one said. Several called for oversight.

"This really needs investigation and highlighting, please," a user wrote while tagging BBC Panorama. "This food could be being donated and it's happening EVERY DAY."

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Another comment was heartbreaking.

"I'm out of bread. Being elderly, disabled and housebound online shopping is my only option. I don't NEED anything but bread but will have to pay a minimum order 15 plus 3 delivery!" it read, referring to a $20 order and a $4 fee. "A loaf or two of that wasted bread would be just fine.and I'd love a chicken too."

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.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani will call for a tax hike on the richest residents in the five boroughs of New York City.

The mayor made the announcement during a budget announcement at City Hall on Wednesday.

"I will be blunt. New York City is facing a serious fiscal crisis," Mamdani said.

Mamdani spoke directly to New Yorkers saying the city faces an enormous $12B budget deficit.

"We are speaking about a fiscal crisis at this scale greater than the great recession. And so there will not be one single thing that can answer that crisis," Mamdani said.

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The mayor said City Hall will scrutinize city agencies and their spending, but he insists it will take more than that.

"That also means raising taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and those profitable corporations, and it means recalibrating the relationship with the state," Mamdani said.

Mamdani repeated his campaign mantra-raising taxes by 2 percent on millionaires and raising the combined corporate tax rate to just over 22 percent.

He says it's one of the only ways to erase the $12 billion deficit he inherited from the Adams administration.

The mayor said he is less concerned about a business exodus with a tax hike and more concerned with the exodus of working people who are being driven out of the city because of high costs of living.

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Mamdani said housing and child care costs are the top retention issues for employers.

Critics in the city's business community insist that's a mistake.

"Somebody looking to open a new business, start a new corporation, the next Amazon, is never going to make the choice to open in an environment where their 22% tax rate is. They're going to choose Florida. They're going to choose Texas. And that's death by 1,000 paper cuts," Steven Fulop with Partnership for New York City said.

Any tax increase would have to be approved by the state legislature and signed by Gov Kathy Hochul.

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Gov. Kathy Hochul said it is not a "news flash" that Mamdani wants to raise taxes, and raising income taxes on residents remains a non-starter.

"I have said, and the news flash may be to you if you haven't heard me, we are not raising taxes in the state of New York, we are not raising taxes for the sake of raising taxes, so he will continue to say what he needs to say," Hochul said.

But Mamdani believes he can persuade the governor and lawmakers. Cuts to essential services, like the NYPD, he said, are off the table.

"Right now, we are not entertaining the idea of cuts. What we are talking about are savings and efficiencies that can be made but not getting into the place where New Yorkers have to question whether essential quality services will be delivered to come back," Mamdani said.

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Mamdani blamed the deficit on former mayor Eric Adams 'negligent budgeting.' But Adams claimed that he left $8 billion in reserves, suggesting that the new administration doesn't know how to read a balance sheet.

A spokesperson for former Mayor Eric Adams said he "inherited a city facing nearly $10 billion in debt, compounded by the worst public-health and economic crisis in New York City history. COVID devastated the economy, and the City was later forced to absorb billions in migrant-related costs that should not have fallen solely on local taxpayers."

"Despite these challenges, Mayor Adams led a real recovery through steady leadership and tough decisions," the spokesperson said. "Blaming him for decades-old City-State funding inequities is inaccurate and disingenuous."

Mamdani also blamed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

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A spokesperson for Cuomo released a statement that said in part, "Andrew Cuomo inherited an $11 billion deficit when he first took office and managed to close it through hard work and fiscal discipline -- words that just aren't in Mamdani's vocabulary."

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WORCESTER  Albert F. Carabba, the man indicted in September in the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend in Worcester 16 years ago, was arraigned Wednesday, Jan. 28, in Worcester Superior Court on a sole charge of murder.

Patricia Santos was 36 when she disappeared May 19, 2009. She was never found.

On Sept. 23, Carabba  a former boyfriend of Santos who had been a person of interest early in the investigation  was indicted on a murder count by a Worcester County grand jury, due in large part to the efforts of the Police Department's Unresolved Homicide Unit.

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Carabba was taken into custody by the sheriff's office in Jackson County, Mississippi, on Sept. 29, six days after his indictment. He was brought into a state court in Mississippi and arraigned as a fugitive from justice Sept. 30. At that time, Carabba was given the opportunity to sign a waiver of extradition but refused to do so.

As a result, the Worcester County District Attorney's Office began the process of obtaining a warrant from Gov. Maura T. Healeys office for his extradition to Massachusetts.

After the governors office approved the application, the DA's office executed its formal requisition of the governors warrant and submitted it to the office of Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves.

Carabba returned to Massachusetts over the weekend, according to the Worcester County District Attorney's Office.

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Standing in handcuffs in front of Judge Karin Bell, Carabba entered a not guilty plea on the murder charge.

During the short courtroom proceeding, Assistant District Attorney Daniel J. Bennett said Carabba had assaulted, beaten and subsequently murdered Santos.

Bennett and defense attorney Randall K. Power agreed before the Jan. 28 court proceeding that Carabba be held without bail without prejudice, which Bell approved.

Patricia Santos, in photo distributed by authorities after her 2009 disappearance. She has not been located.

Patricia Santos had obtained restraining order

On May 11, 2009, Santos was granted a restraining order against Carabba. Eight days later, she was reported missing.

On May 23, 2009, officers spotted Carabba in Santos' Ford Mustang on Pleasant Street and attempted to pull it over. Carabba sped away, hitting speeds of 100 mph, according to the Worcester police. A state police helicopter soon joined in the search.

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Carabba drove into Paxton, where he got into a crash. He ran into the woods and initially eluded police.

A few hours later, Worcester police saw Carabba walking on Mower Street. He ran from police, but was caught. He was arrested on outstanding warrants and motor vehicle charges from earlier that evening.

A search of Santos' car turned up a newly bought shovel. Authorities questioned Carabba about the disappearance, but he denied any knowledge.

At one point he told detectives that Santos had relapsed into drug use and gone to Florida.

Santos had a history of drug use but had been clean for the two years prior to her disappearance, police said in 2009.

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Carabba remained in custody while the investigation continued. About a month later, the investigation focused on Coes Pond, where a body was spotted in the water off Mill Street. It turned out to be unrelated; the death of a Westborough woman was deemed not suspicious.

Carabba was eventually released from custody.

The disappearance of Santos remained an active case, with Worcester police adding it to its list of unresolved cases.

In the weeks leading up to the indictment, a Worcester police detective collected stories on the case from the archives of the Telegram & Gazette.

Carabba is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 13. Bell told the defense that he does not have to be present in court for his next scheduled appearance.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Carabba returned to Worcester, charged in '09 disappearance of Patricia Santos
A 32-year-old man was arrested after a rabbi was attacked on Tuesday afternoon in Queens.

Police say the victim was punched in his chest and face at Queens Boulevard and 71st Avenue by a man who also hurled antisemitic comments.

Rabbi David Shushan, who was on the way to synagogue at the time, was not injured and was able to take a picture of the suspect, who was quickly arrested at a nearby subway station.

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The 30-year-old rabbi, who is also a father of three, said Wednesday that he is thankful that his injuries weren't more serious following the violent, hate-filled attack.

He said the assault started with a vile slur followed by a punch to the chest.

"I just said, it cannot happen like this, I must fight back and I just give him back," Shushan said. "And I found myself into a fight I never, you know, I'm not a fighter. I'm a rabbi here. And I found myself rolling in the floor in the snow, getting punched into the face."

After his arrest, police say the suspect, Eric Zafra-Grosso, acted erratically while in custody and was held for a psych evaluation.

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Zafra-Grosso was arraigned Tuesday night on charges of assault as a hate crime, aggravated harassment as a hate crime and assault.

"We need to promote light and I talked of goodness and kindness," Shushan said. "So, the darkness will be pushed away automatically."

Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement that said in part, "I'm horrified by the antisemitic assault on a rabbi in Forest Hills. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, New Yorkers were confronted with a painful truth: antisemitism is not a thing of the past. It is a present danger that demands action from all of us."

Im horrified by the antisemitic assault on a rabbi in Forest Hills. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, New Yorkers were confronted with a painful truth: antisemitism is not a thing of the pastit is a present danger that demands action from all of us. There is no place https://t.co/14caMQ1YQp  Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 28, 2026

Elected officials in Queens also issued a joint statement condemning the attack:

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"The rise in antisemitic incidents across our city and country is deeply concerning, and this attack - occurring on Holocaust Remembrance Day - underscores the urgent responsibility we all share to confront hate before it escalates into violence."

Prosecutors requested $40,000 bail but the judge released the suspect on supervised release.

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Police in Northern California found four people dead, including two children, after receiving a 911 call from an alleged suspect

The suspect called 911 to report his own gunfire and reportedly told police he set up "booby traps" around the house

The victims have not been identified, but police said neighbors told them a family of four live in the house

Police in Northern California made a gruesome discovery Tuesday morning when officers found a man, a woman and two children dead in a house after receiving an alleged 911 call from the shooter saying the home was filled with booby traps.

Officials with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office described the scene at the Rancho Cordova home as a murder-suicide and said Tuesday evening that the man found dead is believed to be responsible for the other three deaths, according to local reports from SFGate, KCRA and CBS News Sacramento.

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The Sacramento Bee later identified the four victims as a family of four who lived in the home: David Edward Vallerga Jr., 58, Lindsey Peralta Vallerga, 49, and the couple's 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter.

KCRA reported that police initially received a 911 call around 8:30 a.m. about reports of gunfire in the area. Citing police, the outlet reported that another 911 call came in from Vallerga Jr., who allegedly said he was the one firing a weapon and warned police that he set up traps around the house.

Sacramento County Sheriff's spokesperson Sgt. Edward Igoe told KCRA that responding police then launched a drone into the residence and it was discovered that there was one male subject that appeared to be unresponsive down in the residence.

Officers then entered the home and found the woman and two children dead, Igoe told KCRA.

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"It's always difficult, Igoe said, according to KCRA. A response to something of this magnitude is always extremely difficult. And honestly, as an agency, just our prayers are with friends and families of those involved today.



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Speaking with CBS, the county sheriff spokesperson added: As an agency, as a human, as a father, look out for each other and take care of each other in this very difficult time.

The husband and wife ran two tutoring businesses started in the family's house, the Sacramento Bee reported. CBS reported that there was no prior history of domestic violence at the home, according to police.

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KCRA reporters stationed outside the home cited curious and concerned neighbors who said the alleged murder-suicide was unexpected in the neighborhood.

"It's quiet for the most part, neighbor Cameron Daughtry told KCRA. You'll see people walking their dogs, running. For the most part, we don't have any loud parties going on here and stuff like that. And it's very quiet. Everybody's friendly and peaceful. So to see this, it's wild.

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
The King County Prosecutors Office says Mick Carmichael, 35, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly killing his parents in Federal Way.

On January 22, Grace Carmichael, 69, and Gregory Carmichael, 68, were found dead in their home after police and family members conducted a welfare check, as Grace did not show up for work that morning, according to court documents.

Prosecutors say their son Mick had spent the previous night at the home and when Graces sister and her husband arrived for the welfare check, Mick told them his parents were sleeping and didnt want to be disturbed.

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Mick then reportedly left the home and walked down the street.

The family members found the door to the home was unlocked and went inside.

Court documents show they found Gregory dead in the home, lying in a living room chair, bloodied and covered in a blanket with a belt wrapped around his neck and buckled in place. Grace was found deceased in a bedroom with bruising and hemorrhaging in her neck.

Investigators say Mick has a long criminal history, including multiple incidents of violence between him and his parents.

He also has 19 criminal cases out of Arizona as well as one in Tacoma, where he is accused of threatening a grocery store employee with a knife.

Carmichaels bail is set at $5,000,000 and is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday in King County Court.
A shooting involving a border patrol agent near the US-Mexico border in Arizona has left an accused smuggler in critical condition, local authorities said on Tuesday.

Border patrol agents attempted to stop a car at about 7am, the Pima county sheriff, Chris Nanos, said at a press conference. Several people exited the car and ran off, and the vehicle drove away, Nanos said. About half an hour later, agents relocated the car and attempted to stop it again. The driver fled on foot, and a border agent chased after him.

As the suspect fled, he fired shots at an occupied helicopter, according to Heith Janke, FBI Phoenix special agent in charge. The agent, whose name has not been disclosed, gave chase and fired at the suspect, whom Janke identified as Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34.

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The Santa Rita fire district responded to the shooting and transported Schlegel to a regional trauma center, the district said in a statement. Nanos described his condition as serious but stable.

The agent was not shot.

Schlegel was convicted in federal court of smuggling unauthorized migrants and possessing firearms as a felon in 2023, according to court records. He was sentenced to three years in prison, but was sent to an institutional facility called Dismas Charities to serve a portion of that time. He escaped in 2024, according to court records.

Schlegel is currently being held on a warrant issued for his arrest last year by the US Marshals Service, Janke said. He will probably be charged in federal court with the crimes of assault on a federal officer, alien smuggling and felon in possession of a firearm.

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Let me be clear, any assault on federal officers will not be tolerated, Janke said.

The shooting at the border comes amid a national uproar over a string of shootings and other allegations of excessive force by federal immigration agents carrying out Donald Trumps mass deportation agenda. Immigration officers have shot and killed two US citizens over the last month in Minnesota.

Customs and Border Protections office of professional responsibility is investigating the shooting, a DHS spokesperson wrote in an email.

The FBI and the Pima county sheriffs office are also investigating the shooting.
If Once Upon a Farm PBC performs well in its debut as a public company, the first curtain call should feature Chief Executive Officer John Foraker at center stage, not only actress Jennifer Garner.

The star of and is the kids snacks makers public face  or Farmer Jen, according to the companys filings  as well as a co-founder and board member. Foraker, who was the long-time CEO of organic bunny-shaped cracker maker Annies Inc. before its sale to General Mills Inc. in 2014, brings the experience that investors would do well to focus on, according to one observer.

Most Read from Bloomberg

I think that can really work for the IPO, said Josef Schuster, referring to Forakers presence on the management team. The founder and CEO of Ipox Schuster LLC, which tracks listings performance and offers IPO-linked exchange traded funds, said Annies was a really good IPO back in 2012. The company eventually sold for more than double its first-time share sale price.

The presence of a celebrity helps with marketing an offering, particularly in businesses that appeal to retail investors. The long-term track record is discouraging, however, with the history of star-studded yet ill-fated IPOs going back to at least the 1990s.

Photographer: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Restaurant chain Planet Hollywood, backed by stars including Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis, soared after its debut in 1996 before the magic wore off. Martha Stewarts media company went public in 1999, but the stock never recovered after her conviction for obstructing justice in 2004.

Mark Wahlberg was an early investor in fitness gym operator F45 Training Holdings Inc. ahead of its IPO in 2021. He later took up a position as the fitness gym operators chief brand officer, but couldnt stop the shares from losing nearly all of their value; the firm delisted from the New York Stock Exchange two years after going public and now trades over the counter. Jessica Alba remains on the board of Honest Co., a personal care company she founded, yet its shares have plunged 84% since its debut, also in 2021.

Theres an eight out of 11 chance that you will lose your money in a celebrity IPO, Schuster said in an interview. Most deals backed by Hollywood stars and athletes have done much worse than the market and you would have been lucky that you are actually walking away with some money after four or five years, he said.
A man who confronted Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., at a Minneapolis town hall on Tuesday, and tried to spray her with a substance, was arrested and placed in police custody.

Omar, who has faced a barrage of near-daily attacks from President Donald Trump, had called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be abolished and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment moments before the man lunged toward her.

The suspect, named in the Hennepin County Jail roster as Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, was arrested on suspicion of assault but has yet to be formally charged.

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The man walked down the middle of the room and sprayed a liquid at Omar, appearing to yell, You must resign, before a security guard tackled him to the ground. A person was then heard saying, Oh, my God, he sprayed something on her, adding that it had a foul odor.

Local leaders who had spoken earlier at the event urged Omar to leave the room and get checked, but she said that is what they want.

We will continue, she said. These f------ a--holes are not going to get away with this.

The man was then removed from the room.

A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at Rep. Ilhan Omar, left, during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis on Tuesday. (Octavio Jones / AFP via Getty Images) (Octavio Jones)

Minneapolis police said in a statement that officers observed a man use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid onto Omar, adding that the man was then arrested by officers and booked in the Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault.

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Representative Omar was uninjured and resumed speaking at the event, the statement said.

Minneapolis forensic scientists responded to the scene, police added.

Omar's office said in a statement on her X account that she is okay.

She continued with her town hall because she doesnt let bullies win, the statement said.

U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that the man made an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice.

We are grateful for the rapid response of onsite security and our local law enforcement partners, the statement added. We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.

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Speaking to reporters after the event, Omar said, I survived war, and Im definitely going to survive intimidation and whatever these people think that they can throw at me, because Im built that way.

Omar has long been a focus of Trump's attacks. He mocked her and her home country, Somalia, at a rally in Iowa on Tuesday afternoon, saying immigrants must show that they can love our country; they have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar.

On Monday, Trump said the Justice Department and Congress were looking at Omar.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the town hall incident.

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Omar, who immigrated to the U.S. when she was 12 after having fled Somalias civil war, has previously spoken of her unwavering love for America. The congresswoman wrote in a post on X last month that Trumps obsession with me is beyond weird. He needs serious help.

Kazmierczak's criminal record dates back to 1989, when he was charged and later pleaded guilty to an unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, according to public records. He was ordered to pay $551, the records show. It was unclear whether he was sentenced to serve time or put on probation.

Kazmierczak also has several prior traffic-related misdemeanor offenses on his record in Minnesota, according to court records reviewed by NBC News. He has been married and divorced twice.

In 2009, Kazmierczak was charged with driving while intoxicated in Minnesota and pleaded guilty. A year later, he was convicted again for driving under the influence.

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Divorce records from 2017 showed that he was unemployed at the time and was receiving disability insurance benefits of nearly $40,000.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who has previously bashed Omar, including seeking to subpoena records about her as she accused her of immigration fraud, wrote Tuesday on X that she was deeply disturbed to learn about what happened at the town hall.

Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric  and I do  no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are, Mace wrote.

Several other lawmakers from both parties also condemned the attack.

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In posts on X, Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., called it "totally unacceptable," and Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., condemned it "in the strongest possible terms." Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., called the attack "disturbing and unacceptable."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a post on X that he was "horrified," adding, "Political violence of any kind is never acceptable." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a post that the "attack on Rep. Omar tonight was a despicable act of political violence and intimidation."

The town hall altercation comes amid high tensions in Minneapolis after the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers and as Trump has indicated he wants to de-escalate in Minneapolis.

The incident is also the latest example of political violence in the U.S., from attempts on Trump's life to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. In Minnesota, former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed last year in what authorities called a politically motivated assassination. The man accused of shooting them is also alleged to have shot and injured another Minnesota Democrat, state Sen. John Hoffman.

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More recently, Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said he was punched in the face Friday at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, by a man who is alleged to have told him Trump was going to deport him.

U.S. Capitol Police released an annual report Tuesday on investigated threats related to Congress. It said Capitol Police last year investigated 14,938 "concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex."

The number of investigations increased for a third consecutive year and jumped from 9,474 in 2024.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A man accused of nearly beating another passenger to death aboard a Chicago train will not spend any time in prison, according to local reports.

According to CWBChicago, citing court records, 45-year-old Jesus Ramirez will not serve any prison time after he allegedly beat up a passenger on a CTA Pink Line train on April 10, 2024.

According to the outlet, he pleaded guilty to aggravated battery on Monday. Ramirez was sentenced to two years but received credit for over a year spent on electronic monitoring. His term was further halved under Illinois law, which applies to most charges.

A man accused of a brutal Chicago train attack that left a victim in a coma walks free without prison time after serving electronic monitoring sentence for the assault. (Fox News)

Dhs Brass Blasts Chicago Mayor For Blaming Ice Chief As Crime Rises After Safest Summer Claim

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The Chicago Police Department, in April, asked for the public's assistance after the attack aboard the public train.

According to police, Ramirez allegedly approached the CTA passenger and punched the victim in the face. They said he then continued to punch and kick the victim in the face and body.

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The department said Ramirez and the 37-year-old victim did not know each other when they crossed paths. Authorities said the pair exchanged words and the situation turned physical.

The escalation and attack were caught on surveillance video and the Chicago Police Department released photos of the suspect, later identified as Ramirez.

Jesus Ramirez was initially booked in Cook County, but later released with an ankle monitor following the April 2025 incident.

Grieving Father Says Daughter's Death By Illegal Alien Shows Cost Of Sanctuary Policies

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According to CWBChicago, the victim spent about a week in a coma and roughly two months hospitalized with a scattered brain bleed, traumatic brain injury, broken ribs, a temporal bone fracture, ear damage, and a fractured nasal bone.

During an early court appearance, Judge Ankur Srivastava said Ramirez "nearly beat [the] victim to death on the CTA."

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Police said the attacker came up to a passenger on the train and punched him in the face, and then went on kicking and punching the victim  causing serious injuries.

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Ramirez was initially booked in the Cook County Jail with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm charges, but three months later he was released on an ankle monitor.

Original article source: Man who nearly beat Chicago train passenger to death walks free with no prison time: report
A man sprayed Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar with an unknown liquid at a town hall in Minneapolis on Tuesday, but she vowed not to be intimidated and declined to immediately leave the event to get checked out.

The alleged perpetrator  whom local police identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak  was immediately apprehended and was booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third degree assault, the Minneapolis Police Department told CBS News. Police said Omar was not injured.

Investigators later said the liquid was determined to be apple cider vinegar and water.

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Omar, a Democrat, was calling for the abolishment of ICE and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign when a man sitting in the front row rushed up to her and sprayed her with a substance while yelling at her. Local police said he used a syringe.

Security personnel grabbed the man, who was led out of the room in handcuffs, while other staff tried to get Omar to leave.

Omar refused, saying, "We will continue. These f***ing a**holes are not going to get away with it!"

"Here's the reality that people like this ugly man don't understand: We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us," Omar said, before continuing to speak and take questions for almost 30 minutes.

A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at Rep. Ilhan Omar during a town hall in Minneapolis on Jan. 27. / Credit: Octavio JONES /AFP via Getty Images (Reuters)

Someone in attendance said that whatever was sprayed "smells so bad" and urged Omar to "go get checked."

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The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement: "Tonight, a man is in custody after he decided to assault a Member of Congress  an unacceptable decision that will be met with swift justice."

"We are now working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society," the agency continued.

Omar later posted on X that she's OK.

"I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work," she wrote. "I don't let bullies win."

It is not clear whether Kazmierczak is represented by an attorney. Attempts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful.

Anthony Kazmierczak is seen in in booking photo provided by the Hennepin County Jail in Minnesota. / Credit: Hennepin County (Minnesota) Jail

Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress, has spoken frequently about the death threats she has received, many of which have included racist or Islamophobic language.

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The Congressional Black Caucus said in a statement, "We are outraged by this brazen attack on our colleague and relieved that Congresswoman Omar is safe. We thank the Minneapolis Police Department for their swift response and the apprehension of the individual responsible."

"There is absolutely no excuse for violence and intimidation in our politics," its statement continued. "Congresswoman Omar was faithfully executing her duties to her constituents, and despite being subjected to constant right-wing attacks, she continues to lead and represent Minnesota's 5th District with dignity and courage."

Earlier on Tuesday President Trump, who often criticizes Omar and Somali-Americans, said in a speech in Iowa that Somali-Americans "have to show that they can love our country. They have to be proud. Not like Ilhan Omar. ... This wise guy, you know, she's always talking about the Constitution  'You know, provides me with the following. You know, the Constitution.' She comes from a country that's a disaster. It's probably  it's considered ... it's not even a country, OK? It barely has a government. I don't think it does. They're good at one thing: pirates. But they don't do that anymore."

Mr. Trump later told ABC News that he had not seen the video of the incident and suggested, without any evidence, that the congresswoman may have staged it, saying, "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her."

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When asked for clarification, the White House referred CBS News to the president's recent comments about Omar.

The incident at Omar's event comes during a tense period in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by two Customs and Border Protection agents on Saturday, which prompted days of protests.

Thousands of federal immigration agents have been deployed to the Twin Cities area since last month as part of a crackdown by the Trump administration that has drawn stiff criticism from Omar and other local politicians.

Omar is the second House Democrat to be physically confronted in recent days. In an unrelated incident, Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said Saturday he was assaulted during an event at the Sundance Film Festival. Local police in Park City, Utah, alleged that a man "unlawfully entered a private party" and assaulted the congressman and one other person. He was arrested on charges of simple assault and aggravated burglary, police said.

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Members of Congress have faced a significant uptick in threats in recent years. The U.S. Capitol Police says it investigated 14,938 threats and concerning statements against lawmakers, their families and their staff last year, up from 9,474 in 2024 and 8,000 in 2023.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect that the U.S. Capitol Police investigated 9,474 threats in 2024.

Why Trump may not demand for Noem to step down from her job

Alex Pretti's family reacts to video of scuffle 11 days before death

Man arrested after spraying Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar with unknown liquid
John Turner spent nearly two decades in prison for robbing an Indianapolis bank while holding people at gunpoint, crimes he'd long said he did not commit.

Ever since he was arrested in 2008, Turner has insisted that the witnesses who identified him were mistaken and that the surveillance footage of the crime incriminated another man. But prosecutors and a jury of 12 people did not believe him.

In early 2026, Turner found vindication.

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A Marion County judge overturned his conviction after the discovery of new evidence identifying someone else as the robber  a man who went on to commit more robberies in multiple states, including Indiana, while Turner sat in prison. In her ruling, Judge Marie Kern wrote that if presented to a jury, the new evidence would probably lead to acquittal.

John Turner, who spent two decades in prison for a bank robbery he didn't commit about his experience and moving forward.

The Marion County Prosecutor's Office decided not to retry Turner. Rodney Cummings, one of the deputy prosecutors who tried the case, said the jurors in 2008 convicted Turner based on the "strong" evidence presented. The new evidence  if credible  "certainly justifies" overturning the conviction. He added that the evidence identifying a different perpetrator was not available in 2008. If prosecutors had known about it, he said, "it's highly unlikely that there would have been a trial in this case."

"It's always better for a guilty man to go free than an innocent man to be convicted if there is reasonable doubt," Cummings said.

'I'm living a nightmare:' An anonymous tip helped convict him. It was about the wrong crime

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By the time Turner's conviction was overturned, he'd already spent 18 years behind bars. He was released earlier this year after finishing his sentence.

"It just changed everything, you know?" Turner, whose family has set up a GoFundMe to help him rebuild his life, said of the judge's ruling. "It validates everything ... I've served the full sentence, but in the end, to be validated, to have your innocence validated."

John Turner, who spent two decades in prison for a bank robbery he didn't commit, sits next to his lawyers, Toby Gill and Scott Newman inside his family's Greenwood home.

Turner's case stands out partly because of the unlikely allies who'd worked for years to free him. His legal team consists of former Marion County prosecutors  lawyers who spent part of their careers sending criminals to prison but believe that the agency they once served had put the wrong man behind bars.

"Eyewitness identifications are inherently unreliable, especially when the person does not know the person they're identifying," said Toby Gill, a former Marion County deputy prosecutor and one of Turner's attorneys. "This case is a perfect example of how unreliable it is ... This case has shown me that there must be so many people out there that have been convicted that are innocent."

IndyStar reporting led to new evidence

In July 2025, IndyStar published a story about Turner, who was convicted based on a Crime Stoppers tip, the identifications of three eyewitnesses, and the testimony of a former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department robbery detective.

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He was tried twice. Jurors at the first trial were unable to reach a verdict after only two of the three eyewitnesses identified him. During the second trial, the third eyewitness changed her testimony and Turner was convicted. Cummings, now the elected prosecutor in Madison County, told jurors during closing arguments that the evidence against Turner was "overwhelming, uncontroverted and undisputed." For them to acquit, Cummings said, they would have to believe that everybody  the detective, the eyewitnesses and the tipster  were all wrong.

John Turner was convicted in 2008 for robbing a Chase Bank on Indianapolis' northwest side. The photo on the left is taken from a surveillance video from inside the bank. The image on the right is Turner's booking photo from around the same time.

Turner's attorneys pointed out what they believe to be a glaring problem from the beginning: The tip that put Turner on investigators' radar was about a different robbery.

Det. G. Leon Benjamin, the investigator on the case who has since died, wrote in a probable cause affidavit that the tipster identified Turner "as the person who robbed" the Chase Bank on West 56th Street on Oct. 22, 2007. But that's not what the tipster claimed. The tipster, police records show, said Turner robbed another Chase Bank three miles away on the same day. Yet, Turner was never charged for that other robbery. In fact, before police even received the tip, another man had already been arrested and convicted.

Years later, the eyewitness who changed her testimony during the second trial recanted.

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Armed with what they believed was evidence of Turner's innocence, his attorneys sought a new trial. But the request was denied by a different judge in early 2025. Marion Superior Court Judge Kevin Snyder wrote in his ruling that jurors had "ample evidence" to decide whether or not the person in the footage is Turner despite "confusion" over the tip.

Shortly after IndyStar published its story the following summer, the reporter received an anonymous tip from a person who claimed to know the man in the surveillance footage, which the paper also published. IndyStar passed on the information to Turner's attorneys.

The robber, according to the tipster, is not John Turner.

'No question about this ... That's him'

John Turner was convicted in 2008 for robbing a Chase Bank on Indianapolis' northwest side. New evidence uncovered following an IndyStar story on Turner's case led to the identity of another man, Derrell Hasan Muhmmad, who was later identified by a detective as the man in the bank's surveillance footage. The photo on the left is from the surveillance footage. The one on the right is Muhammad's booking photo.

Mike Banush recognized the robber as soon as he started watching the surveillance videos. The retired Kokomo Police Department detective had seen that face many times. He even recognized the young man's build and the way he walked as he approached the bank tellers.

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It was the same man he investigated in 2010 for robbing multiple banks in Kokomo. The same man with whom he dealt in 2014, as he investigated more robberies in the area, and again in 2016, after the man robbed another bank in Ohio.

"That's Derrell Muhammad," said Banush, who's now an investigator at the Howard County Prosecutor's Office.

Gill, one of Turner's attorneys, had contacted Banush after learning he'd previously investigated robbery cases involving Muhammad and asked him to watch the surveillance videos. After watching the footage, Banush pulled an old booking photo to compare.

Toby Gill, lawyer for John Turner, listens as Turner describes his experience in prison and what he hopes to do now that hes out.

"There was no question about this," he said. "That's him."

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Banush identified Muhammad when he testified at a hearing in late 2025, during which Turner's attorneys introduced new evidence of his innocence. He said that's when he saw Turner for the first time, sitting at the defendant's table.

"That's definitely not the guy in the video," Banush said, referring to Turner. "It made me more confident about my identification of Derrell."

In her ruling overturning the conviction, the judge described Banush's testimony as "credible and grounded in personal familiarity rather than speculation."

Muhammad, by law, can't be charged because the five-year statute of limitation for the crimes has long passed.

'Rooting for justice to be served'

Reinforcing Banush's identification was the testimony of Lora Sims, a facial analysis expert who conducted a detailed, side-by-side comparison of images from the surveillance videos and Muhammad's booking photos.

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The nose and lips in the photos were similar in shape, Sims said. Muhammad also has an attached earlobe that connected to his head, just like the robber in the videos. Sims said this was one of the clear differences with Turner, whose earlobes aren't attached.

John Turner was convicted in 2008 for robbing a Chase Bank on Indianapolis' northwest side. New evidence uncovered following an IndyStar story on Turner's case led to the identity of another man, Derrell Hasan Muhmmad, who was later identified by a detective as the man in the bank's surveillance footage. The photo on the left is from the surveillance footage. The image on the right is Muhammad's booking photo.

Sims, who's director of the Face Center of Excellence at Ideal Innovations Inc., has been familiar with Turner's case since he reached out to her from prison in 2020 to seek help in clearing his name.

"I was so happy to see the judge's ruling in favor of John. I think I had a grin on my face from ear to ear when I was calling my boss and telling her the results as well," Sims said, adding that she and others in her company "have been rooting for justice to be served" for Turner.

IndyStar was unable to reach Muhammad. In 2016, he faced federal charges for robbing a bank in Toledo, Ohio, and was later sentenced to nine years in prison. He was released but was sent back to prison again in 2022 for violating several terms of his probation. He was released in 2023.

Prosecutors fought to keep conviction in place

The Marion County Prosecutor's Office, which fought to keep Turner's conviction in place, declined to comment. In court filings, Deputy Prosecutor Clarke Campbell argued there was no "physical nexus" between Muhammad and the robbery.

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"The most that Turner offers is a claim that there is nothing to dispute that Muhammad could possibly have committed the crime, and he attempts to bolster his claim by asking this Court to make the impermissible inference that because Muhammad was previously convicted of a bank robbery in other jurisdictions, that he must have committed the robbery in ... question," Campbell wrote.

John Turner poses for a photo with his mother, Jacqueline, inside the family's Greenwood home.

But to Gill, who was an attorney for a child advocacy group while representing Turner on the side, the videos plainly show a different man  and this should've been apparent to prosecutors, especially after Banush's testimony.

"I was so discouraged by the fight, by how hard it was to get the right results," Gill said, adding: "I really believe that they didn't care, that there was not any care from the prosecutors or the detective that they got the wrong guy. Winning is great if you feel like you've done it with integrity ... Winning at all cost is not a quality a prosecutor should have."

Turner believed after he was arrested that detectives and prosecutors would see the videos and recognize the difference between two Black men.

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Nearly two decades later, he said, he was "naive."

Contact IndyStar reporter Kristine Phillips at (317) 444-3026 or at kphillips@indystar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Man's conviction overturned after IndyStar's reporting led to new evidence
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  Vern Gardai filled a special role in the US Army as a Chaplain, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. For 28 years, he lightened the burdens of the men and women he served with. He led chapel services, counseled soldiers, attended to the wounded, and prayed over the dead in Vietnam.

As a student athlete in college, Vern decided on a military career while attending a Lutheran Seminary.

When I was in seminary, I told the professors youre getting me wiser, but youre making me physically weaker. I played a lot of sport and I liked the physical. I think the physical and the spiritual is what made me become a Chaplain, said Gardai.

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As a new Lieutenant, Vern went through airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he learned to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Later, assigned to the First CAV division, his unit fought in Vietnams first major battle in 1965: Ia Drang, which was described in the book and movie We were soldiers onceand young.

How Knoxville firefighters stay safe in freezing temperatures, icy conditions

We lost over 200 soldiers. We had at least that many, or more, wounded. My main job was  we had no Chaplains at the forward Aid Station of this battle. And so, I was ordered with a Catholic Chaplain to be one of two Chaplains receiving all of the wounded and all of the dead from Ia Drang Valley, said Gardai.

How did that then deepen your faith? Don Dare asked.

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It increased my prayer life a great deal because there were so many things to pray for and so many guys to pray for, said Gardai.

A month before leaving Vietnam, Vern rushed aboard a Chinook Helicopter on a rescue mission carrying an injured soldier.

A doctor was with us, and a doctor said we have got to get him to Pleiku, 20 miles away, immediately or he is going to die, said Gardai.

However, the helicopter crashed.

We just took off. We shouldnt have been flying because it was night, it was foggy, it was monsoon season. We shouldnt have been flying. But you do a lot of things like that when there is an emergency, said Gardai.

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His leg was broken in the crash. The doctor, pilot and co-pilot survived while the injured soldier died.

Tennessee battles winter storm damage, echoes 1994 ice storm destruction

In the late 1970s, Gardai carried his portable communion box to Iran, where the Army assigned him before the fall of the Shah.

I was a circuit rider as a Chaplain. I had to visit 14 cities and 22 team houses all over Iran. I flew all over Iran, said Gardai.

Gardai is also a founding member of the Veterans Coffee fellowship. He said the group performs at senior living facilities and leads a prison ministry at the Blount County jail.

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Vern and his late wife Judy were married for 62 years.

I just feel that the Lord used me as an instrument of His Kingdom, said Gardai, when asked about his time in the service.

The role of military chaplain was established by George Washington in 1775. Since then, over 25,000 chaplains have served in every major conflict, representing diverse faiths.

Veterans Voices: Hear the stories of those who served

If you know a Veteran who could be recognized, send Don Dare an email at ddare@wate.com or give him a call at 865-633-6923.

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 WATE 6 On Your Side.
WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted that his boss in a high-profile speech to world leaders last week confused Iceland and Greenland, contradicting a denial from the president's chief spokesperson.

During a Jan. 28 congressional hearing, Rubio acknowledged that President Donald Trump mixed up the two island nations while addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The swap was notable, given heightened tensions among NATO allies amid U.S. threats to acquire Greenland, a resource-rich island territory of Denmark. Iceland, by contrast, is a much smaller, independent country about 200 miles away.

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More: 'Red line.' Greenland shuts down Trump on sovereignty for US bases

"They're not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you," Trump said in his speech, referring to other NATO countries. "I mean, our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland has already cost us a lot of money."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes his seat before the start of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing to examine US policy towards Venezuela on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Jan. 28, 2026. US military raided Caracas on January 3 and seized Nicolas Maduro, a longtime leftist nemesis of Washington, and his wife, Cilia Flores. A protestor holds up a sign as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing to examine US policy towards Venezuela on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Jan. 28, 2026. US military raided Caracas on January 3 and seized Nicolas Maduro, a longtime leftist nemesis of Washington, and his wife, Cilia Flores. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) prepares to testify during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 28, 2026 in Washington, D.C. This is the first time Rubio has testified before Congress since the Trump administration attacked Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro, bringing him to the United States to stand trial. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes his seat before the start of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing to examine US policy towards Venezuela on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Jan. 28, 2026. US military raided Caracas on January 3 and seized Nicolas Maduro, a longtime leftist nemesis of Washington, and his wife, Cilia Flores. (L-R) US Senator Chris Coons, Democrat from Delaware, looks on as Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat from New Hampshire, speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to examine US policy towards Venezuela on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Jan. 28, 2026. US military raided Caracas on January 3 and seized Nicolas Maduro, a longtime leftist nemesis of Washington, and his wife, Cilia Flores. Photographers capture images of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he arrives to testify during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 28, 2026 in Washington, D.C. This is the first time Rubio has testified before Congress since the Trump administration attacked Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro, bringing him to the United States to stand trial. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to testify during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 28, 2026 in Washington, D.C. This is the first time Rubio has testified before Congress since the Trump administration attacked Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro, bringing him to the United States to stand trial. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, joined by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID), arrives to testify before the committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. This is the first time Rubio has testified before Congress since the Trump administration attacked Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro, bringing him to the United States to stand trial. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to testify at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. This is the first time Rubio has testified before Congress since the Trump administration attacked Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro, bringing him to the United States to stand trial. Marco Rubio faces Senate questions after US capture of Maduro 1 of 9 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio takes his seat before the start of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing to examine US policy towards Venezuela on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Jan. 28, 2026. US military raided Caracas on January 3 and seized Nicolas Maduro, a longtime leftist nemesis of Washington, and his wife, Cilia Flores.

He later said, "I'm helping Europe. I'm helping NATO. And until the last few days, when I told them about Iceland, they loved me."

Immediately after Trump's remarks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted no mistake had been made.

Read more: With Trump-NATO deal, is Republicans' Greenland headache over?

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"His written remarks referred to Greenland as a 'piece of ice' because thats what it is," Leavitt wrote on social media.

Rubio's comments disputed Leavitt. The former Florida senator told Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, that Trump indeed "meant to say Greenland."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing titled "U.S. Policy Towards Venezuela" on Capitol Hill on January 28, 2026.

He shrugged off the mistake, while taking an apparent swipe at former President Joe Biden, who was also prone to gaffes.

"I think we're all familiar with presidents that have verbal stumbles," Rubio said. "We've had presidents like that before. Some made a lot more than this one."

Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump confused Iceland with Greenland, Rubio admits
Secretary of State Marco Rubio walked back U.S. military threats in Venezuela in his testimony to senators about the Trump administrations next steps in the country after the capture of its longtime leader Nicolas Maduro.

In prepared remarks to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday, Rubio said the U.S. is prepared to use force to ensure maximum cooperation if other methods fail, adding that the administration will never shy away from our duty to the American people and our mission in this hemisphere.

But he later testified that the U.S. is not postured for taking any military action in Venezuela at any time.

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Rubios testimony is the first from any Trump official after strikes on alleged drug-running boats that have killed dozens of people in international waters. It was also the first hearing after a lethal U.S. military operation to capture Maduro, the culmination of President Donald Trumps months-long pressure campaign to topple the autocrats government and run Venezuela with oil companies in tow.

I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time, Rubio said Wednesday. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking Wednesday, denied that the Trump administration will take imminent military action in Venezuela after ousting leader Nicolas Maduro (Getty)

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy pressed Rubio on whether the administration would seek congressional authorization to compel cooperation over oil sales at the center of the U.S. occupation in Venezuela.

Rubio admitted that the administration is required to notify Congress if we're going to be involved in something that's going to put us in there, involved, in a sustained way, but he said he doesnt anticipate that happening.

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Everything is moving in a very different trajectory right now, he said. We dont anticipate it, but it could happen, but we hope not. We dont want it to happen. On the contrary, if we had to take military action, it would set us back on all these other things  were talking about.

Military intervention is not good for, you know, recovery and transition, he said.

Thats not what we hope to see, he added. Its certainly not our goal here. A lot of that will depend on them, but I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time.

After their capture, Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to four charges related to U.S. allegations that the ousted president and top officials in his administration steered a massive cocaine trafficking operation.

Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to four charges related to US allegations that the ousted Venezuelan leader and top officials in his administration steered a massive cocaine trafficking operation (REUTERS)

The U.S. has also seized Venezuelan oil tankers and directed at least 30 attacks on alleged drug-running boats off the countrys coast and in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing more than 120 people since September.

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Democratic Senator Tim Kaine blasted what he called the complete weakness of the legal rationale behind the boat strikes, which lawmakers only received in classified briefings.

I cant tell you why the rationale for attacking Venezuela is hollow because, again, it was shared in a closed setting, including the murder of shipwrecked survivors, Kaine said.

Even in this first public hearing, five months in, theres a lot we cant talk about, he said. If it was such a righteous operation, why is the administration and the [Republican] majority in the Senate so jealously protecting the details about it?

More than 120 people have been killed in US military strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Pacific Ocean and off Venezuelas coast (US Southern Command)

In a press conference after Maduros capture earlier this month, Trump said an interim group with top administration officials will run Venezuela for a period of time until the United States determines a peaceful and just transition can take place.

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Trump did not rule out the possibility of American boots on the ground, though he suggested U.S. military assets would protect the countrys vast oil infrastructure in a nation with the largest proven oil reserves in the world.

Were going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country, Trump said.

The United States will then sell large amounts of oil to other countries, according to Trump.

Were in the oil business, he said. Were going to sell it to them.

Trump, flanked by Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, held a meeting with oil executives January 9 on US plans for Venezuelas oil reserves after Maduros capture (AFP via Getty Images)

Senator Murphy accused the Trump administration of taking their oil at gunpoint.

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You are holding and selling that oil, he said.

Rubio, who also serves as Trumps national security adviser, acknowledged that the Trump administration gave no-bid licenses to two U.S. oil trading companies to get Venezuelan oil to market, which he called a short-term fix while a long-term plan involves direct sales to refineries and an expanded presence from companies like Chevron.

He said the Trump administration has also offered up a short-term mechanism to support basic Venezuelan government services, but Rubio refused to commit to a timeline for a democratic transition.

Three or four or five months from now cannot look like what today looks like, he said.
Trooper Joseph Ward appeared in Plymouth District Court on Tuesday on charges of kidnapping, witness intimidation, assault and battery, and two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

According to the criminal complaint, 25-year-old Ward and the victim, who were in a serious dating relationship, were at their home around 5 p.m. on Jan. 10.

Prosecutors allege Ward wanted to have a serious conversation that the victim did not want to continue, and she intended to end the relationship.

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The victim, a Barnstable police officer, was scheduled to work that evening but was allegedly forced by Ward to call out, according to the complaint.

The victim told police the argument escalated, and Ward blocked the apartment exit, preventing her from leaving. She said she spent about an hour pleading with him to let her go.

During that time, the victim contacted her emergency contact and said she was in danger, according to the complaint. Prosecutors allege Ward saw the text message and became enraged, throwing furniture.

Wards anger continued to escalate, prosecutors said, alleging he picked the victim up by her arms, shoved her onto a couch and then onto the floor.

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The victim told police Ward then picked up six knives from the kitchen and approached her. She said she became so frightened that she blacked out and fell to the floor.

According to the complaint, Ward later grabbed a pistol, loaded a magazine into the weapon and placed the holster on his waistband while continuing to yell that the victim was not leaving.

The victim told police she fled when Ward became distracted, but he chased her, dragged her by the legs and pulled her back into the apartment.

Prosecutors allege Ward later blamed the victim for the confrontation and insisted she get into a car with him, which she did. The victims emergency contact followed them, pulled over behind the vehicle and was able to help de-escalate the situation.

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The victim was then able to leave and go to her parents home. Since the incident, she has reported receiving multiple phone calls from a blocked number and seeing vehicles similar to Wards personal car, according to prosecutors.

The victim claims she moved out the next day, fearing for her life.

Wendy Murphy is the director of the Women and Childrens Advocacy Project at New England Law Boston. Shes served as an advocate and prosecutor for abused women and children.

It broke my heart, she said about the case. Heres a woman whos empowered, a woman with a weapon, a woman who knows the law, a woman who knows her rights... And yet, look how vulnerable she was.

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She claimed domestic violence in Massachusetts has been on the rise.

Regarding victims of domestic abuse, Murphy finished, It is always better to report, always better to tell police, always better to tell someone.

Wards defense attorney said his client has no criminal record and does not pose a risk to the accuser. He also claimed the victims statements to police were demonstrably false, alleging she continued a relationship with Ward after the incident and met with him again. The attorney said cell phone records would support that claim.

Ward was held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on Feb. 2.

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The victim was granted a 30-day extension of her restraining order, although she had asked for a year.

Boston 25 also noticed other Barnstable officers at the hearing standing in solidarity with the victim in this case.

The Massachusetts State Police maintains a zero tolerance policy against all forms of domestic violence. Upon learning of these serious charges, we immediately relieved the Trooper of duty and ensured his transport to the Plymouth Police Department, where he was taken into custody, a Massachusetts State Police spokesperson told Boston 25 News. The Department is fully cooperating with the District Attorneys investigation. We will closely monitor the court proceedings as part of our ongoing internal affairs investigation and take appropriate administrative action upon the outcome of the judicial process.

Joe absolutely denies the allegations, Wars attorney says. Local law enforcement arrested him based entirely on an interview with the accuser, 18 days after the alleged event, which she refused to have recorded. There was no corroboration or even an attempt to verify her claims before police put him in handcuffs. Joe was charged, arraigned, and is now held in custody solely because of the word of one person. Thats a dangerous precedent to set. If our investigation reveals that the accuser lied to law enforcement, we hope the District Attorneys Office will reconsider its position, they added.

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Ward intends to plead not guilty.

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.

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First lady Melania Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday morning, giving her a high-profile platform in the business world as she seeks to build momentum toward the release of her documentary later this week.

The first lady stood on the iconic marble stage, with her name emblazoned in the films signage behind her. She was joined by NYSE President Lynn Martin and Chairman Jeffrey Sprecher, who clapped as the bell rang moments before 9:30 am ET. Trump joined them in clapping as the ringing concluded, then high-fived Sprecher.

The trio turned around to admire the documentary logo, designed by the first lady in black and white, and then posed for a selfie. No one from the first ladys office, the films crew or Amazon MGM Studios joined her on the platform, leaving the first lady alone with the NYSE executives as she celebrated the professional milestone.

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Prior to the bell-ringing, Trump was gifted a commemorative NYSE medallion by Martin, who also attended a private screening of the film in the White Houses East Room on Saturday evening. The event came as the White House was dealing with significant fallout from federal agents shooting Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier that day. Other business titans were present for the screening, including Apples Tim Cook, Amazons Andy Jassy, AMDs Lisa Su and Zooms Eric Yuan.

Trump has pointed to the film  which documents the 20 days around her return to the White House  as a driver of job growth. She described it as an impactful, bicoastal collaboration driving job growth and impact far beyond the screen during a November award ceremony on Fox Nation.

But the documentary also poses a high-stakes test for Amazon MGM Studios, which has made a massive investment in the film with a roughly $40 million deal with Trump and her team, plus a $35 million marketing budget: Will Trumps fans flock to movie theaters, which have suffered significant declines in attendance in recent years, to see the film?

Melania premieres on Thursday at the Kennedy Center, with a theatrical release Friday. A streaming date has not yet been announced.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday he sees no chance of Ukraine joining the European Union in the near future.

"Accession on January 1, 2027, is out of the question. It's not possible," Merz said on Wednesday after talks with his coalition partners in Berlin.

Any country that wants to join the EU must first meet the Copenhagen criteria, a process that usually takes several years, the chancellor noted.

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However, he emphasized that Ukraine needs a perspective that paves the way for accession in the longer term. "We can slowly bring Ukraine closer to the European Union along the way."

"That is always possible, but such a rapid accession is simply not feasible," Merz said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday reiterated his demand for EU membership for his country as early as 2027.

"Ukraine's accession to the European Union is one of the key security guarantees not only for us, but also for all of Europe," he wrote on X after a telephone conversation with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker.

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"Europe's collective strength is possible, in particular, thanks to Ukraine's security, technological, and economic contributions," Zelensky continued.

Merz: Peace negotiations are the priority

With regard to ending the war with Russia, Merz said there are other priorities at the moment.

"We are in close contact with the US and Ukrainian delegations. We have also drafted the documents together, and it is good that direct talks are now being held between Ukraine and Russia," he said.

"We are accompanying these talks with great support and the great hope that they will come to a conclusion as soon as possible."

Foreign Minister Wadephul calls for fair chance of accession

Merz's comments came after his party colleague and foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, said Ukraine deserves a fair chance to join the EU.

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"A lasting peace architecture in Europe requires that Ukraine has a fair chance of joining the European Union," Wadephul said on Wednesday during a question and answer session in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament.

Wadephul did not comment on a possible date for such an accession.

However, the foreign minister had already made it clear with regard to accession candidates in the Western Balkans that there could be no prospect of shortcuts for Kiev.

Wadephul said in the Bundestag: "One of the key security guarantees that we can give Ukraine at this time, and in my view must give, is a realistic prospect of joining the European Union."

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Such a step may seem a long way off today, Wadephul said. But it remains in the core interest of Germany and Europeans to ensure that Ukraine can win its fight against the Russian aggressor, he asserted.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Judy Dimon, arrive to attend a state dinner in honor of Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in 2024. Chase announced Wednesday that it will donate $1,000 to Trump accounts of the children of employees. File Photo by Ting Shen/UPI

Jan. 28 (UPI) -- JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America announced Wednesday that they will match the government's $1,000 contribution to the "Trump accounts" of the children of their employees.

"JPMorganChase has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the financial health and well-being of all of our employees and their families around the world, including more than 190,000 here in the United States," Jamie Dimon, chair and CEO of JPMorganChase, said in a statement. "By matching this contribution, we're making it easier for them to start saving early, invest wisely, and plan for their family's financial future."

Created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the "Trump accounts" give U.S. citizens born from 2025 to 2028 a $1,000 government deposit. Some companies and private donors have given to the accounts already, including BlackRock, BNY, Robinhood, Charles Schwab, Michael and Susan Dell, Ray Dalio and rap artist Nicki Minaj.

Bank of America announced in a separate release that it will do the same, CNBC reported. In a release, the bank said it applauded the administration's "innovative solutions."

Last week, President Donald Trump sued Chase Bank and Jamie Dimon for debanking him after the Jan. 6 riots.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon arrives for a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committee oversight hearing examining Wall Street firms in 2023. Chase announced Wednesday that it will donate $1,000 to Trump accounts of the children of employees. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday dismissed doubts about US President Donald Trump's ability to govern, as rumours about the 79-year-old's health continue to swirl.

"Based on my encounters with President Trump, I have no reason whatsoever to doubt his health," Merz said at a press conference in Berlin in response to a journalist's question.

"I have the impression that he is, yes, fully capable of performing his duties. I have no indication that this should be otherwise," the chancellor, 70, added.

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Despite repeated assurances from the White House, Trumps health remains a frequent topic of debate, with questions over whether the president is showing normal signs of ageing, symptoms of being an overworked head of state, or something more serious.

Bruises on his hand, conspicuously covered up with make-up, have been noticed at public events. Trump attributed the marks to increased doses of aspirin, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier said they were caused by frequent handshakes.

Media reports recently captured Trump closing his eyes during public appearances, but the president dismissed claims that he had fallen asleep, saying he was resting or bored.

A report by Politico on Wednesday said Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was "left shocked" by Trump's mental state following a meeting this month at the president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The news outlet cited unnamed diplomats.

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Fico denied having said this and accused Politico of lying, writing on Facebook: "No one heard anything, no one saw anything, there are no witnesses, but nevertheless, nothing prevented the Politico portal from coming up with lies."
Editor's Note: Find the latest updates for Thursday, Jan. 29 here.

Tennessee's death toll continues to rise as power outages linger in areas of the midstate and crews work to make repairs and remove debris in the wake of Winter Storm Fern.

There were eight confirmed weather-related fatalities in Tennessee, including two in Davidson County, as of Jan. 27, according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Three additional deaths  two in Knox County and one in Davidson  are being investigated as possibly storm-related, officials announced Jan. 28.

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Nashville Electric Service held a regularly scheduled board meeting Jan. 28 and tried to answer questions about the storm response, but Nashvillians seemed unimpressed by the board's answers.

Shelters remain open region-wide as officials work to perform welfare checks and take stranded residents to safety.

Meanwhile, the region is bracing for yet another cold blast over the weekend.

While there is some chatter about the potential for more snow, the National Weather Service in Nashville said chances are slim for flurries and light snow as cold air arrives the night of Friday, Jan. 30. No accumulation or impacts are expected. Forecasters have instead emphasized messaging around temperatures, which will struggle to reach above freezing before the next round of cold air brings single-digit lows and sub-zero wind chills.

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"Daytime temperatures and sunshine will allow for some melting of snow and ice," NWS Nashville said in a Jan. 27 update. "However, very cold overnight temperatures will very likely refreeze any liquid. Continue to use caution if traveling as icy spots will persist."

The region continues to reel after Fern dumped snow, sleet, freezing rain and ice on Nashville and much of Tennessee, crippling roads, snapping trees and power poles, downing power lines and stranding residents.

We'll have live updates rolling here all day. Check back often for new information.

How to keep up with snow storm updates in Nashville

 Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events in your area

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 The latest official weather information for Nashville and Middle Tennessee can be found at weather.gov/ohx.

Tennessees storm-related death toll now sits at 10, TEMA director says

Tennessees storm-related death toll now sits at 10, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Director Patrick Sheehan said at an afternoon briefing Jan. 28.

Thats another two fatalities added to a tally that already had grown the previous evening, including an additional death in Davidson County that Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said earlier in the day Jan. 28 was an individual who officers believe had succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Here are the Tennessee counties where Sheehan said deaths have been reported as of 3 p.m. Jan. 28:

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One fatality in Obion County

One fatality in Crockett County

One fatality in Haywood County

Three fatalities in Davidson County

Two fatalities in Cheatham County

One fatality in Hickman County

One fatality in Knox County

We continue to encourage Tennesseans to not be on dangerous roads  of course, a lot of them have been cleared now  and really urge, if youre using an external heating source or energy source, please make sure your generators are more than 20 feet away from your structure and you hopefully have a carbon monoxide alarm set up, Sheehan said.

Other updates from Sheehan at the Jan. 28 TEMA briefing:

Sheehan said TEMAs top priority from here is supporting a rapid restoration of power, and that means cutting and clearing downed trees that remain in the way of line workers and utility crews. Across Tennessee, Sheehan said teams are working to support local debris clearance and have already cleared at least 3,000 downed trees statewide.

Sheehan highlighted two hotlines intended to aid with storm relief that launched in the past several days. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation opened a hotline to handle requests for welfare checks Jan. 26, though it excludes Davidson County, and earlier on Jan. 28, the state launched a disaster information hotline designed to serve as a centralized resource for up-to-date information about storm recovery, available assistance and community-specific guidance. The latter line operates from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, and can be reached at 1-844-483-6648.

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-Austin Hornbostel

Metro Council Minority Caucus rejects claims of discrimination as Nashville power restored

The Metro Nashville Councils Minority Caucus issued a statement Jan. 28 rejecting claims that have purportedly circulated this week suggesting that Nashville Electric Service is prioritizing power restoration based on race or class.

Per the release, members of the caucus have found no evidence to support those claims, but that hasnt stopped frustrations from running rampant as more than 100,000 Nashvillians remain without power on the fifth day since Winter Storm Fern hit.

The outages reflect the scale and severity of the storm, not discriminatory decision-making, the release reads.

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The release still acknowledges those frustrations, as well as the exhaustion and isolation residents feel when their homes, streets or entire neighborhoods remain without power.

But its also careful to note that some in Nashvilles most affluent neighborhoods are in the same boat as many working-class and historically marginalized communities are.

If there were any indication that race or class was influencing restoration decisions during this unprecedented storm, we would be the first to raise the alarm and hold NES accountable, the release reads. That is not the case here.

The release encourages residents to use one of the warming centers open across Nashville if they remain without access to heat, food or a safe place to rest. Transportation to warming shelters is available by calling 615-401-1712.

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-Austin Hornbostel

NES incorrectly texts woman recovering from surgery that her power was back on

Seven days after double mastectomy surgery, Jess Crosland cooped up in a crowded hotel room  was thrilled to get a text message from NES Jan. 28 saying power was back on at her house.

Fake news.

Right after receiving the text, Croslands husband took their two dogs back to their house in Old Hickory while Crosland and her mom packed up the hotel room. He called 30 minutes later to say there was no power at home.

A current outage map, as of 5 p.m. Jan. 28, 2026, shows areas in red still without power and areas in green that have been restored after Winter Storm Fern swept through Nashville.

It was super defeating, Crosland said. I thought, bro, get your sh** together. Dont send me a text that says powers restored if its not.

Crosland, who co-owns a home repair company with her husband, is one of many who got false flag powers-on texts. Several of those customers complained at an NES board meeting Wednesday.

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Crosland said recovering from the surgery was hard, made much harder by having to move into a hotel four days later.

There are huge incisions on each side of my chest, drains on each side of me, she said.

I feel very uncomfortable and helpless, she said. My movement is limited and I cant lift more than 10 pounds. Someone has to help me put on my pants.

Crosland said shes trying to feel some grace toward NES execs and tech folks.

During the storm, when the rubber meets the road, everyone is just trying to do their best, she said. Their best to make it in a room with too many dogs and people. Their best to get the power back on and trees cleared.

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Did [NES] drop the ball? Yes, she said. Do I want to be more angry at them because I have all these extenuating circumstances? Not really. It would be easy, but they didnt know I have all this going on, ya know?

-Brad Schmitt

Will the Tennessee National Guard come to Nashville?

Five state lawmakers are asking Gov. Lee to send the Tennessee National Guard to Nashville.

"The combination of widespread tree failures, impassable roadways, extended utility interruptions, and ongoing threats to life and property has significantly strained local emergency response capacity," a letter sent to Lee Jan. 28 said.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency already requested support from guardsmen to support statewide emergency response, a news release Jan. 26 said.

But Nashville has not seen many, if any, guardsmen in the city.

Nashville Fire and Office of Emergency Management Chief William Swann said during a news conference Jan. 28 that guardsmen will make their way to the city.

"They'll be removing debris, trees, get them off powerlines. They're doing this throughout Tennessee and now they'll be able to come into Davidson County and assist us," he said. "That's their role and objective and that's their only objective, to assist us and to help us restore power."

Rep. Caleb Hemmer and Rep. John Ray Clemmons, as well as Sen. Heidi Campbell, Sen. Jeff Yarbro and Sen. Mark Pody all signed the letter.

"The people of Davidson County are resilient, but the severity of this event demands a unified statewide response," the letter said. "National Guard support would greatly enhance our ability to restore safe conditions, accelerate recovery operations, and protect residents during this ongoing emergency."

-Kirsten Fiscus

As recovery continues, Nashville mayor acknowledges patience may be running thin for some

As Nashville remains entrenched in efforts to respond to Winter Storm Fern, city leaders say theyre acutely aware that some Nashvillians patience has already worn thin.

Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell is one of them. He said the citys reached the stage of recovery where asking for patience becomes especially hard. But like he did 24 hours earlier, OConnell once again asserted at a Jan. 28 briefing that the winter storm has impacted Nashville on an unprecedented scale.

We know, again, how many people in our community, including members of my own family, still do not have power and have not had power for days, OConnell said at the briefing. When it comes back on, as it did for my parents the other day, it is a huge relief. But I know every moment that is not on, including overnight, it is anywhere from frustrating to scary for so many of us.

Some notes from todays weather briefing, as still more than 100,000 Nashvillians enter another day without power:

Its uncertain exactly when the end might be in sight for those still in the dark. Brent Baker, Nashville Electric Services chief customer and innovation officer, said he didnt have a firm estimate as to when exactly NES would have power restored to everyone as of Jan. 28, but he predicted some outages would likely remain through the weekend. As of Jan. 28, NES is focusing crew deployment to areas with outages affecting 1,000 or more customers.

Metro Water Services Director Scott Potter has already flagged looming concerns of an increased risk of water main breaks in the coming days. Potter said Jan. 28 that Nashvillians should have zero concern about water quality, and also reported that his department was staying on top of the nine active main breaks and seven reported outages underway during his remarks.

Nashville Fire Department Chief William Swann said city workers helped facilitate 426 transports to overnight warming shelters the previous night, with more than 200 staying at the Nashville Fairgrounds.

Phillip Jones, deputy director at the Nashville Department of Transportation, said all of the citys secondary snow removal routes are now clear, save for any areas still obstructed by fallen trees. Jones said NDOT is working daily on its brush removal plan.

-Austin Hornbostel

NES holds board meeting during record breaking ice storm

The Nashville Electric Service held its regularly scheduled board meeting Jan. 28, amending its agenda to focus on answering questions about the record breaking ice storm.

Nashvillians were not impressed.

Dozens of people logged on to watch the meeting, expressing their anger with the utility company in the comments during the online event. Many questioned why NES did not have more linemen and vegetation crews on standby ahead of the storm. Others were upset that they received a text message falsely alerting them to restored power.

Winter Storm Fern resulted in "the highest percentage of customers out of power from one weather event on record" for the utility company, NES President and CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin said during the meeting.

Its been a painful time to be without power, with the temperatures being as low as they are. We recognize that, and were very sympathetic, Broyles-Aplin said during the meeting. We knew this was not going to be a quick restoration.

By 8:30 a.m. Jan. 28, 106,152 people were without power in Nashville, about 200 more customers than two hours earlier.

NES Chief Customer and Innovation Officer Brent Baker said 900 lineworkers and an additional 250 vegetation crews are deployed around the city working 14- or 16-hour shifts to restore power.

"The storm has challenged us at a scale, as Teresa mentioned, that we don't often see," he said. "Preparing for an event like this, we worked with our mutual aid partners ahead of the storm to get 200 crews ready on Saturday. As the storm rolled through and others around our region knew that they were not going to need the resources, they began sending those resources over at our request."

NES remains under intense scruitany after the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) said it offered linemen to help Nashville Electric Service but was turned away.

Baker, during a news conference Jan. 27 said the utility company focused on agreements "we had already," but said he was "not too familiar" with claims they turned away linemen.

-Kirsten Fiscus

TEMA sets up disaster information line

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency set up a phone line for up-to-date storm recovery information.

This call center is truly being operated by Tennesseans, for Tennesseans, TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan said in a Jan. 28 news release. Through strong local partnerships and dedicated volunteers, were able to ensure that those impacted by Winter Storm Fern have a reliable place to turn for help and accurate information.

The line will provide information about storm recovery, available assistance and community-specific guidance, the news release said.

Information line details:

Phone number: 1-844-483-6648

Hours of operation: Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. ti 6 p.m.; Sunday, Noon to 6 p.m.

-Kirsten Fiscus

Prince's Hot Chicken gives away meals in Germantown

Prince's Hot Chicken began serving hot meals out of a food truck in the Kroger parking lot off Monroe Street in Germantown around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28. While organizers initially planned to start serving around noon, they got an early start as people lined up in the sunny but chilly weather.

Around noon, Emmanuel Shaw, 15, was near the back of the line of around 60 people. He walked over to get food for his family. He said their house never lost power, but that he's heard from lots of friends who are still experiencing outages.

"We've been good the whole time," he said.

Shaw, who plays trumpet in the marching band at James Lawson High, said he's seen a lot of damage to trees and cars around his neighborhood.

"I was not expecting Tennessee to get this bad," he said. "I'm just happy ... everybody's OK."

Diane Middlebrooks, 79, said she's fared well during the storm and that she also never lost power. When she saw on Facebook that Prince's would be giving away food, she bundled up and headed over. She said she's never seen anything like the ice storm before. As she and others waited in line, dozens of cars snaked around the parking lot also waiting for food.

"If we have to stand in the cold, they should have to, as well," Middlebrooks said.

Organizers later asked people to park and join the line to clear up confusion.

Up at the front, volunteer Laura Smith was busy helping as the crew inside the food truck worked quickly to keep up with demand.

"The fryers are having a hard time keeping up, but everybody's been very positive and kind and thankful," Smith said.

-Rachel Wegner

Nashville Police report third possible storm-related death

Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said the medical examiner's office is now investigating a third possible weather-related death.

"The individual was at home," Drake said. "His housemate found them unresponsive in a bedroom. When officers responded, they said they could smell fumes that were unventilated. We believe that he succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning."

Drake emhpasized the importance of safe generator use while thousands across Nashville struggle without power.

"It has to be outdoors, not in a garage, not in an attic or anywhere else," Drake said. "It has to be outdoors."

Medical examiners are still investigating if the deaths of two women are also weather related. Drake announced those deaths Jan. 27.

Drake said one was a 90-year-old woman living in an assisted living facility who didnt have power and had fallen inside her apartment, and the other was a woman who slid down a hill near Glendale and Wedgewood Avenues. She was later discovered by a passerby and declared dead at the scene.

-Kirsten Fiscus

Knox County investigating three possible weather-related deaths

The Knox County Regional Forensic Center is investigation three possible weather-related deaths despite the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency's official count of one death, the Knox News Sentinel reports.

Deaths include a:

29-year-old homeless man found outside Jan. 24 near Asheville Highway.

38-year-old man found Jan. 26 in a family's backyard.

72-year-old woman who died Jan. 26 at UT Medical Center after exposure to the cold.

-Kirsten Fiscus

Pancake Pantry offers free meals to line workers in Nashville

The Pancake Pantry is offering free meals to all line workers at its Hillsboro Village and Downtown Nashville locations for the remainder of the week.

"A small thank you for a big job well done," wrote the restaurant in a social media post. "To the linemen who worked tirelessly to keep Nashville safe during this snowstorm, thank you."

To receive the free meal, line workers are asked to simply show their badge or work ID.

The Pancake Pantry is located in Hillsboro Village at 1796 21st Ave. S. and in Downtown Nashville at 220 Molloy St.

-Diana Leyva

Franklin to resume trask pick up in February

Residential trash pickup will resume in Franklin Feb. 2.

For two weeks, you may place extra bags at no cost. Keep extra bags 3-5 feet from containers for automated collection, the citys social media page said.

For those getting rid of tree limbs, please allow 5 feet of clearance between brush and garbage containers.

- Gabrielle Chenault

Courts remain closed because of weather

Most Nashville dockets are stuck beneath a layer of ice.

Nearly all state and local courts are closed in Davidson County on Jan. 28 because of the weather, according to state trial courts administrator Bart Pickett and the general sessions courts website. This includes criminal court and general sessions court, which handles things like traffic tickets.

Probate court, which handles wills and estates, is the only state court open, holding hearings on Zoom, Pickett said.

Nashvilles federal court, meanwhile, opened Jan. 28 at 10 a.m., but some judges still chose to delay scheduled hearings, according to the courts website. A major hearing in the criminal case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia scheduled for Jan. 28 was cancelled.

Some courts are looking to get back on track later this week. The following will be open in Nashville Jan. 29:

Chancery court, which hears constitutional issues and most business disputes

Domestic courts, including dockets for orders of protection

Probate court

General sessions court, except the criminal bond settlement dockets in courtrooms 4C, 5C and 5D

Criminal court and most circuit courts will be closed Jan. 29.

Evan Mealins

Belle Meade warns of sewer system backups amid power outages

Belle Meade is warning residents against dripping faucets, saying their sewer systems might back up into homes as power outages persist.

Every single property and street in Belle Meade suffered damage, the city said, noting it could be weeks before broken and downed power poles are restored and lines are repaired.

"Most of Belle Meades sewer system consists of grinder pumps that will not pump out to the force main lines without power. This means that if the tank is full, it could result in back-ups into your home," the message said. "We know that local news sources are recommending dripping your faucets to avoid burst pipes; however, if you have a grinder pump, that will only fill the grinder pumps tank faster."

The city recommended residents turn off their water and water heaters.

If you need assistance turning off your water valve or having your tank emptied, call Belle Meade Police Dispatch at 615-297-0241.

-Kirsten Fiscus

Freezing fog possible this morning

The National Weather Service Nashville office is warning of hazardous travel the morning of Jan. 28 due to freezing fog.

According to the weather service, fog combined with cold temperatures can create a new thin layer of ice, especially on bridges and overpasses.

"This morning, we are seeing a few stations reporting light fog, but fortunately not much in the way of dense freezing fog yet," wrote National Weather Service Meteorologist Mark Rose.

A freezing fog advisory is issued when fog develops, and surface temperatures are at or below freezing. "Of course, freezing fog could still worsen, but so far we're seeing very little to be concerned about," he added.

Temperatures are expected to remain below normal through the week, with dangerously cold conditions and singledigit lows likely on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1., wrote the weather service in its morning discussion.

Light snow or flurries are possible from the afternoon of Jan. 30 into Jan. 31, with up to an inch of accumulation along the Cumberland Plateau. Another surge of Arctic air will accompany the system, prolonging concerns about coldrelated impacts across Middle Tennessee.

-Diana Leyva

Donelson coffee shop to open for hot meals

Donelson's Caliber Coffee will provide hot meals Jan. 28 for anyone still without power.

"Dear Caliber Family, weve had some neighbors reach out to us and we truly believe in teaching our children that when we see a need, we fill need," the coffee shop posted on Facebook.

The shop will provide pasta dinners with vegetarian or meat sauce, green beans and garlic foccacia bread.

"We ask that you share with your neighbors or loved ones that may have a need for a warm, filled-with-love, home-cooked meal. Always remember, you are so loved," the shop said.

Free Caliber Coffee pasta dinner details:

Noon to 4 p.m., or until out of meals

2513 Lebanon Pike, Nashville, TN

-Kirsten Fiscus

Tennessee conservative commentators take shots at power outage management

Middle Tennessee residents and conservative commentators Candace Owens and Robby Starbuck took shots at the power outage crisis in Nashville and the surrounding region following Winter Storm Fern.

More than 113,000 people in Middle Tennessee, 105,000 of whom live in Nashville, remain without power after a heavy ice storm and continued below-freezing days.

Owens posted on X that most developed countries bury their powerlines, but the United States has yet to invest in that.

"Its much too expensive and really goes against our state policy of managed decline and ugliness. Plus we wouldnt want to take away from our bottomless and ceaseless war budget," she said.

Starbuck responded directly to Nashville Electric Service's 9 p.m. outage update Jan. 27, calling for leadership to resign.

"The way this has been run is unacceptable," he posted on X. "More lineman should have been hired before the storm and its time to make major changes to the disaster/emergency response planning. Everyone appreciates the linemen out risking their lives but poor planning and not enough help endangers them more and puts citizens in dangerous conditions too."

-Kirsten Fiscus

Food Trucks rally to feed locals

If you're in need of a hot meal, several Nashville restaurants are taking their food trucks out into the community Jan. 28, the Nashville Food Project posted on Facebook.

All food is free.

The trucks will set up at the following locations from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., or later if needed:

Nashville Fairgrounds, 625 Benton Ave: Wacamole, QBOP! Korean BBQ

Southeast Community Center, 5260 Hickory Hollow Pkwy #202: Smokin Buttz

Madison Community Center, 550 N Dupont Ave: Roscoe's Smoked BBQ

-Kirsten Fiscus

Power outages numbers declining slowly

About 113,600 people remain without power in Nashville and Middle Tennessee as below freezing temperatures persist in Tennessee.

Power outages as of 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 28

Middle Tennessee Electric  785

Nashville Electric Service  105,956

Cumberland Electric Membership Corp.  6,197

Dickson Electric System  361

Duck River Electric Membership  314

-Kirsten Fiscus

Winter storm death toll rises to 8 in Tennessee

The number of Tennesseans who have died as a result of the recent winter storm and its additional catastrophic effects has risen to eight, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.

Health officials reported deaths across these seven counties as of Jan. 27:

One fatality in Cheatham County

One fatality in Crockett County

Two fatalities in Davidson County

One fatality in Haywood County

One fatality Hickman County

One fatality in Knox County

One fatality in Obion County

According to TEMA, the Tennessee Department of Transportation still advises caution for traveling unless it's necessary. The transportation agency has so far responded to 2,300-plus incidents and cleared more than 1,300 trees.

-Liam Adams

Metro Water Services investigates possible water main break in South Nashville

On the evening of Jan. 27, a Nashville Council member flagged a potential water main break in South Nashville, an issue city officials warned earlier in the day would soon become a bigger challenge.

In an email to constituents sent at 7:03 p.m., District 4 council member Mike Cortese told constituents hed heard reports of a potential main break at the corner of Brooklawn Drive and Nolensville Pike. Cortese said Metro Water Services was investigating, and Metro Water Services spokesperson Sonia Allman later confirmed that investigation to The Tennessean.

Metro Water Services maintains an outage map on the city's website. Across the Nashville metro as of 8:30 p.m. Jan. 27, there were six active water main breaks with repairs in progress and ten possible main breaks under investigation.

-Austin Hornbostel

135K without power around Nashville, Middle TN

Around 135,000 homes were without power as the sun set on Tuesday, Jan. 27 and temperatures again dipped below freezing.

Nashville Electric Service reported at least nine communities with 1,000 or more customers still experiencing power outages as of 4 p.m. on Jan. 27. Those communities included:

Brick Church/North Nashville

Bellevue/West Nashville

Hendersonville

Elysian Fields

Madison

Rosebank/East Nashville

Goodlettsville

Forest Hills

Brentwood

NES customers without power can report by texting OUT to 637797 (NESPWR) from the phone number linked to your account or by calling 615-2340000.

Power outages as of 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 27

Middle Tennessee Electric  1,458

Nashville Electric Service  119,012

Cumberland Electric Membership Corp.  7,634

Dickson Electric System  5,932

Duck River Electric Membership  774

-Andy Humbles

Nashville officials offer rides to warming locations

Nashville leaders are teaming up to offer safe transportation to residents who need help getting to one of the city's warming locations as bitterly cold temperatures continue. Pets are allowed.

To request transportation, call 615-401-1712. Be ready to give them this information:

Your name

Your current location

The number of people who need transportation

Whether there are special needs or mobility concerns among those who need a ride

Whether you have pets (again, pets are allowed for transportation)

"Transportation requests will be handled as resources allow, with priority given to those most vulnerable to extreme cold," the Nashville Office of Emergency Management said in a Jan. 26 news release.

The rides are a team effort between the Nashville Office of Emergency Management, the Nashville Fire Department, the Metro Nashville Police Department and the Department of Emergency Communications.

-Rachel Wegner

Tennessee opens hotline for welfare checks

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation opened a hotline to handle requests for welfare checks in the fallout of the winter storm, according to a Jan. 26 news release. This will also help reduce the call volume to local public safety agencies as emergency response continues.

However, Davidson County is excluded from the hotline. Davidson County residents should still submit welfare check requests through the hubNashville website.

Call 1-800-824-3463 (1-800-TBI-FIND) to report concerns that would typically warrant a welfare check. The line will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT from Monday through Friday. TBI urges the public to only use the line for welfare check requests. Be prepared to provide TBI staff with detailed information, including the person's last known whereabouts, to make sure reports are handled as accurately and efficiently as possible.

-Rachel Wegner

Nashville mayor on winter storm, 230K power outages: 'This is historic'

Just how unprecedented are the impacts of Winter Storm Fern in Nashville? That scope is beginning to come into clearer view.

The biggest issue still plaguing Nashvillians four days after the storm first hit Nashville on Jan. 24  power outages  may be the most glaring illustration of how. In fact, Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell said the 230,000 Nashville Electric Service customers left without power over the weekend was historic.

Lets be clear about what this is  it is a historic ice storm, OConnell said at a Jan. 27 briefing with other local officials. This is the largest single outage in NES history. We do not have these kinds of weather events all the time.

NES crews are ramping up their efforts to respond, chief customer and innovation officer Brent Baker said at the briefing. Overnight on Jan. 26, NES had 631 line workers on the job and brought in still more workers the following morning. He said by the end of the night on Jan. 27, thered be 925 line workers responding in Nashville.

That includes aid from crews hailing from several other states: Florida, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Mississippi and elsewhere in Tennessee. Baker said theyve been making progress in several areas home to 1,000 or more NES customers, including Bellevue, Hendersonville, Madison, Rosebank, East Nashville, Forest Hills and Brentwood.

Safely restoring power to all customers is key, Baker said. Its our top priority, and we have to ensure that we deploy crews safely and in a coordinated way. We cannot compromise that safety.

-Austin Hornbostel

Nashville, Middle TN schools extend closures amid winter storm fallout

Metro Nashville Public Schools and Williamson County Schools will remain closed through Thursday, Jan. 29 as the region struggles to recover from the winter storm. Other major districts plan to remain closed through Wednesday, Jan. 28, including Cheatham County Schools, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, Maury County Public Schools and Wilson County Schools.

Meanwhile, several colleges and universities across the region have announced closures, shifted to virtual operations and kept essential services running on campus.

See the latest updates on school closures across Middle Tennessee here.

-Rachel Wegner

TVA took hit during winter storm, plans to meet demand

The Tennessee Valley Authority transmission system took a hit during Winter Storm Fern that's had a trickle-down effect on roughly a dozen local power companies.

The damage was concentrated in the middle and western portions of Tennessee, as well as Mississippi, TVA representatives said Jan. 26.

TVA announced around 7 p.m. it was still making repairs in Mississippi but had restored lines serving Tennessee.

As a federally-owned power provider, TVA sells electricity to 153 local power companies and maintains more than 16,000 miles of line across its seven-state service area.

TVA has met record electricity demand the past two Januarys.

The grid has remained stable so far this year, TVA representatives said Jan. 25, despite low temperatures throughout the South.

-Knoxville News Sentinel

Earthquakes, too? Nope, 'frost quakes.' What are they?

Those cracks and booms heard outside may not all be caused by falling trees or snapping branches.

Overnight on Jan. 26, many people online reported hearing loud booms, mistakenly assuming they were tremors or earthquakes near Nashville. The noises, however, are unrelated to tectonic activity.

They are actually cryoseisms, better known as ice or frost quakes.

According to the National Weather Service, the startling, but harmless sounds occur when water in the soil freezes, expands, and cracks under pressure.

-Diana Leyva

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NES has meeting as Nashville fury builds over continued outages
Gov. Janet Mills gives her final State of the State address on Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo by Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star)

In her final state of the state speech Tuesday evening, Gov. Janet Mills proposed several measures designed to help Mainers weather a challenging economy, including a new round of direct relief payments and investments in housing and education. She also raised concern about the ongoing impacts of the Trump administration, from heightened immigration enforcement to threatened health care access.

Mills, the first woman elected governor of Maine, has led the state through the COVID-19 pandemic and the deadliest shooting in state history. She has also publicly rebuked President Donald Trump on several issues, from telling the president see you in court when he threatened Maine over its inclusive policies supporting transgender athletes to, most recently, decrying federal immigration enforcement in the state.

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On Tuesday, Mills bookended her speech by pushing back on the administrations operation in Maine, which allegedly is targeting people who have committed crimes but has also detained lawfully present immigrants and threatened volunteer activists.

Tonight, I say to the people of Maine: We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced, she said to applause. And to anyone outside these halls, including any federal officials, I say: if you seek to harm Maine people, you will have to go through me first.

Republican leaders have opposed Mills challenge to Trumps immigration enforcement strategy. In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook) said the solution to the violence weve seen from agents in Minnesota and elsewhere is to bring down the temperature across the board, referring to the governors rhetoric about the operation.

After federal agents fatally shot 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday, Mills said she requested that Trump meet with her so that I can demand in person that his administration withdraw these untrained and reckless ICE agents in Maine and across the country.

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She said these agents are stoking fear in communities, arresting legally present people, including law enforcement officials, and who pose a grave threat to public safety.

Affordability

During the address, Mills announced several initiatives she plans to propose through her supplemental budget to lower costs, including a $70 million investment in affordable housing, making free community college permanent, and providing $300 affordability relief checks to about 725,000 Mainers.

Together, Mills said, the proposals are aimed at providing immediate financial relief while addressing long-term cost drivers tied to housing, education and workforce shortages.

Earlier on Tuesday, Republican leaders from the House of Representatives and Senate laid blame on the Democratic administration for failing to address the affordability crisis.

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The accomplishments of these last seven years have been that Maine has become unaffordable. Mainers are at the breaking point, said House of Representatives Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R- Winter Harbor).The state of the state now is abysmal failure.

Democratic legislators clap while Republicans remain seated in response to Gov. Janet Mills State of the State address on Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo by Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star)

The relief checks, which her administration first offered in 2021 in response to the pandemic, would be funded through Maines so-called rainy day fund and capped by income.

Mills made her case for the direct payments, calling them the fastest way to help households manage rising prices for groceries and other essentials.

Housing affordability emerged as another central focus, as Mills outlined a proposal to build more than 800 new homes and highlighted the nearly $315 million her administration has spent on new units, mobile home parks and affordable rental housing over her two terms as governor.

Education

The final part of Mills affordability package included making community college free.

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The program, first introduced as a time-limited scholarship in 2022, allowed all recent high school graduates to attend one of Maines seven community colleges for free, even if they dont qualify for federal financial aid. The pilot has led to increased enrollment in community colleges and even contributed to an increase in transfer students attending the University of Maine System, but was left in limbo after lawmakers did not fund it for the 2026 school year.

The free community college program has made a life changing difference for thousands of Maine young people, Mills said, making her case for the second time for the Legislature to permanently fund the program, as it was included in her budget last year, but not funded.

Mills also renewed her commitment for the state to meet its obligation to pay 55% of the cost of public education, which Maine did for the first time in 2022.

If the state does not fund its share, school budgets have to rely more heavily on local property taxes. Recently, at least a dozen school budgets across Maine failed to pass, with local voters rejecting proposed tax increases. Mills is asking for $46 million in the supplemental budget to maintain the state share of education costs.

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The governor also addressed falling test scores, which hit an all-time low in 2024, according to a national snapshot of math and reading assessments. As a response, Maine invested in a more hands-on approach that includes helping districts identify evidence-based teaching materials and offering professional development for teachers to include families in learning plans.

Mills also proposed a state-wide cell phone ban in schools, which almost 75% of adults across the country support, according to a Pew Research Center poll.

Health care

Mills, who is running for U.S. Senate, used her speech to advocate for universal health care.

What health care really needs in this country right now is not a series of band-aids, it needs major surgery, she said. Each individual state cannot, and should not, be left alone to grapple with this national crisis.

Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart reacts to Gov. Janet Mills State of the State address on Jan. 27, 2026. (Photo by Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star)

However, despite increasing health care costs and rural hospital closures, the only health care-related proposal she rolled out Tuesday evening is $2.25 million for Maine-based reproductive health care providers that lost federal Medicaid funding.

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Several Republican legislators left the chamber after the announcement, meant to buoy Maine Family Planning and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, which both lost millions in federal funding due to a provision in congressional Republicanss spending package passed this summer.

Sen. Jeff Timberlake (R-Androscoggin) told a news station that he walked out because he could not support the spending MIlls was proposing. We kept hearing all the money she was giving away and all the money she was taking out of the rainy day fund, he said. And then when it got down to it, it was more about abortions and more about killing babies. It was just more than you could take.

In a press conference after the speech, Stewart argued Mills, historically a moderate Democrat, is running to the left in order to rebuff her Democratic primary opponent in the U.S. Senate race, progressive Graham Platner. Stewart said the governor is making expensive promises that Mainers cant afford.
Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar was attacked at an event she was hosting on Tuesday, when an audience member used a syringe to spray liquid at her, Minneapolis police said.

Omar was uninjured and continued to speak. "I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win," she later wrote on X.

Authorities have not yet identified what the liquid was. According to a BBC journalist in the room, it had a sour smell similar to a chemical product.

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Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, has been charged with third-degree assault and is being held in custody, the local sheriff's office said.

Omar, a Democrat who became in 2019 the first Somali-American to serve in the US Congress, is a fierce critic of US President Donald Trump.

She has recently targeted the president's immigration crackdown in Minnesota, during which two US citizens have been shot dead.

On Tuesday, responding to the second fatal shooting, Trump said his administration was "going to de-escalate a little bit".

During her speaking event, Omar called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is one of the main agencies tasked with carrying out the operation and has come under intense scrutiny for its tactics.

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Trump has frequently clashed with Minnesota's Democratic officials, and has often singled out Omar in particular for personal attacks.

Prior to Tuesday's attack on the congresswoman, he told an audience in Iowa that immigrants to the US "have to show that they can love our country, be proud - not like Ilhan Omar".

In the wake of the attack on Omar, the president was asked by ABC News whether he had seen the footage of the incident, and responded that he had not.

"I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud," Trump told the outlet.

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During Tuesday's event, Omar said Trump's key ally Kristi Noem - whose Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees ICE - should "resign or face impeachment" over recent events in her state.

In January, an immigration officer fatally shot US citizen Renee Good. And on Saturday, US citizen Alex Pretti was fatally shot after being stopped by border agents, reigniting local protests as well as a nationwide public outcry.

It was after Omar's comments about Noem that she was attacked.

As he was pushed out of the room following his use of the syringe, the attacker said that Omar was "pitting us against each other". It was not immediately clear what he was referring to.

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Kazmierczak was immediately arrested and forensics were being conducted at the scene, police said.

Democratic Rep Ilhan Omar represents the fifth Congressional District in the House of Representatives [AFP via Getty Images]

Officials pleaded with Omar to end the event, but the congresswoman insisted that she would continue, telling her audience: "We will continue... we are Minnesota strong."

When back at the lectern, she added: "We're gonna keep talking. Just give me 10 minutes. Please don't let them have the show."

One attendee, Alfred Flowers Jr, told the BBC that he "respected her courage and strength to still stay and finish the town hall for the people".

In a post on social media, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said: "Violence and intimidation have no place in Minneapolis. We can disagree without putting people at risk... This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated in our city."

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Omar regularly hosts such speaking events, known in the US as town halls.

On Tuesday, about 100 people attended the gathering in the north Minneapolis basement. They were expecting to hear about the presence of federal immigration officials in their town and ask questions about the recent fatal shootings.

Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, has been charged with third-degree assault [Minneapolis PD/Hennepin County Sheriff]

In 2019, Omar became the first Somali-American, first African-born American, and one of the first two Muslim American women to serve in the US Congress.

Trump's crackdown in Minneapolis was launched in December after some Somali immigrants were convicted in a massive fraud of state welfare programmes. The state is home to the largest community of Somali immigrants in the US.

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The president has regularly criticised the state's Democratic officials, not least Omar, whom he has called a "radical left lunatic" and "disgusting".

Earlier this month, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Omar "should be in jail, or even a worse punishment, sent back to Somalia, considered one of the absolutely worst countries in the World. She could help to MAKE SOMALIA GREAT AGAIN!"

On the same day as the attack on Omar, US Capitol Police - which investigates incidents such as this one - reported a 50% increase in threats last year to lawmakers from both political parties, their families, aides and Congress itself.

The USCP said the number of threats it investigated had risen for the third year in a row, to 14,938.

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Additional reporting by Kristina Volk

[BBC]

Follow the twists and turns of Trump's second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
A Minnesota man who decided his pregnant sister was no longer innocent has admitted to killing her, dismembering her body and leaving pieces of her remains in multiple locations, authorities said.

Jack Joseph Ball, 24, pleaded guilty last week to the murders of 30-year-old sister Bethany Ann Israel and her unborn baby, according to the Dakota County Attorney's Office.

Israel, who was married to Josh Israel, was killed on May 23, 2024. According to court documents, she had gone to her brothers Lakeville home around 6 p.m. to have dinner with him. Several hours later, family members grew concerned when they had not heard from her.

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At about 11 p.m., their mother drove to the home to check on her daughter. When she arrived, she saw Ball tear out of the house, prosecutors said. When she went inside Balls home, she discovered a large amount of blood and called 911.

Officers from the Lakeville Police Department found a bloody saw, hatchet, and large, bloody knives and several dismembered body parts inside the home, according to the DAs office.

Jack Joseph Ball, 24, of Lakeville, Minnesota, pleaded guilty last week to murder in the deaths of his 30-year-old sister, Bethany Ann Israel, and her unborn baby (Dakota County Sheriff's Office)

Shortly thereafter, police received a 911 call from a Rosemount resident reporting they observed a man on a home security camera place what appeared to be a body part on their front step.

After a brief search, Ball was found in the backyard of a neighboring home. He had a self-inflicted injury to his neck and was taken to a local hospital before being taken into custody.

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Investigators later recovered several handwritten journals in which Ball wrote that he was angry at his sister because she was pregnant and no longer innocent, prosecutors said.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office confirmed Israel was between 17 and 18 weeks pregnant, and determined her cause of death was complex homicidal violence.

The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing and horrific  words cant describe what our law enforcement partners encountered during the investigation, Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena said in a statement. My office will work hard to ensure the victims receive justice and will provide the necessary support for the victims family.

A GoFundMe created by Israels family describes her as a cherished wife, daughter, sister, and an expectant mother who had a radiant spirit and unwavering kindness.

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Her love for life, her family, and the friendships she nurtured are the legacies she leaves behind, the campaign continued. As a beacon of warmth and generosity, Bethanys absence leaves a void that cannot be filled.

In January 2025, Ball, who has claimed a defense of mental illness, was indicted on two counts of premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of intentional second-degree murder.

Last week, Ball pleaded guilty to counts one and three of the indictment  premeditated first-degree murder and premeditated first-degree murder of an unborn child. Prosecutors have recommended that Ball serve a life sentence as part of the plea deal.

Minnesota law allows defendants to claim they are not criminally responsible if mental illness prevented them from understanding what they were doing or knowing it was wrong at the time of the offense, Law & Crime reported.

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Ball remains behind bars at the Dakota County Jail. He is set to return to court on May 21, where the State will litigate Ball's defense of mental illness, according to the Dakota County Attorney's Office.

If convicted, Ball faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
If Minnesota officials try to prosecute the federal agents who recently killed two people in Minneapolis, theyll face steep obstacles from a century-old Supreme Court precedent  one that helped sink a similar case just a few years ago.

Minnesota officials have not explicitly said they will bring criminal charges against ICE and Border Patrol agents responsible for the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, but Mary Moriarty, the top local prosecutor in Minneapolis, has opened homicide investigations into both shootings. And Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has strongly pushed back on claims that federal agents cannot be prosecuted.

There is no exemption for federal officers. Nobody gets to commit a crime in Minnesota and be unaccountable for it, Ellison said on cable news Tuesday night.

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But state prosecutors would face significant hurdles.

The 2017 shooting of Bijan Ghaisar by two U.S. Park Police officers in a Northern Virginia neighborhood  and the protracted legal battles that followed  may be the best preview of what Minnesota officials can expect if they pursue criminal charges against federal immigration agents. And the same legal theory that stymied Virginias prosecution may also block Minnesotas.

It immediately popped into my mind this is potentially going to be a thing that has to happen in state courts, Fairfax County Commonwealths Attorney Steve Descano told POLITICO. I immediately thought about the Ghaisar case and all of the different standards and all of the procedural hoops people are going to have to go through if they want to bring state charges.

The FBI investigated the 2017 shooting for two years, but ultimately the Justice Department declined to charge the officers. Following that announcement, Fairfax County prosecutors launched their own criminal investigation but quickly ran into a non-cooperative Justice Department.

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Agents who investigated the shooting were not allowed to testify before the Fairfax County grand jury, and the department did not turn over all investigative materials until after the officers had been indicted.

The DOJ said in 2020 that it would not cooperate with Virginia prosecutors because of the possibility that the department would be called to defend the officers in court, according to a letter from then-assistant attorney general for the civil rights division Eric Dreiband.

It is the longstanding position of the United States that a federal officer may not be prosecuted by a State for actions undertaken in the course of performing the officers official duties, when the officer had an objectively reasonable basis to believe that the officers actions were necessary to fulfil the officers duties, he added in the letter.

Justice Department spokespeople did not respond to questions about whether that remains the department's position.

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Lawyers for the Park Police officers in the 2017 case argued that the states charges  manslaughter and reckless use of a firearm  should be dismissed under a legal doctrine known as Supremacy Clause immunity, which the Supreme Court established in 1890. If a federal officer is indicted by a state for an act which he was authorized to do by the law of the United States where he did no more than what was necessary and proper for him to do, the officer cannot be prosecuted, the Supreme Court said.

A federal judge dismissed the charges against the Park Police officers on those grounds. Virginia appealed the ruling, but dropped the case in 2022 at the direction of newly-elected Republican attorney general Jason Miyares.

Jonathan Fahey, the defense lawyer who made the Supremacy Clause immunity argument in that case, told POLITICO he believes any Minnesota prosecution of the agents who killed Good and Pretti would end similarly.

The immunity issue should break the same way because theyre in the course of their duties and these events happened, Fahey said. Really the only time, at least in my interpretation, where it would not apply would be a situation where theres an agent that just goes off on a lark and does something like robs a liquor store or something that just has nothing to do with what theyre supposed to be doing.

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However, the infrequent nature of such cases and the age of the controlling Supreme Court precedent has contributed to disagreement on the scope of the immunity and the manner in which judges should evaluate cases where it is invoked.

The district court [in Ghaisars case] did what a lot of district courts do in these circumstances, which is to weigh the evidence itself and decide as a matter of fact  that the shooting was justified, said Northern Kentucky University law professor Michael Mannheimer. And thats not what theyre supposed to be doing.

Theyre supposed to be determining whether any reasonable jury could find that the shooting was unjustified, Mannheimer said. And if the answer is yes, then the so-called Supremacy Clause immunity is denied and it should go to trial.

While other cases involving the immunity have percolated through the appeals courts in the past 136 years, none has yet reached the Supreme Court.

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That may finally change.

Local prosecutors from around the country this week announced the formation of a coalition committed to hold federal officials accountable when they exceed their lawful authority. Descano and Moriarty are founding members of the group.

Whether it's through Minneapolis or through anything else, I would not be surprised if in the next couple of years we start to get some clarity from the Supreme Court on the contours of Supremacy Clause immunity, Descano said.




Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee's Summit, presents his proposal for a statewide vote on eliminating the income tax Wednesday to the House Commerce Committee (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).

During Wednesdays hearing on Gov. Mike Kehoes plan to replace Missouris individual income tax with an expanded sales tax, the key word was trust.

The proposed constitutional amendment giving the legislature three years to overhaul state tax policies is open-ended - it allows lawmakers to impose sales tax on any financial transaction exchanging goods or services.

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In his State of the State address, the only parts of the economy Kehoe put off-limits was agriculture, health care and real estate. And as he presented the proposal to the House Commerce Committee, House Speaker Jon Patterson said everything else was up to lawmakers.

The states revenue needs will be protected by revenue triggers  at levels unstated in the proposed amendment  as the individual income tax is reduced and finally eliminated, Patterson said.

It will be up to you to decide what trigger do we want, and make sure that its done in a responsible way, so that we dont have things that have happened in other states, Patterson said.

So were asking the people to trust the legislature to raise their sales tax, to raise any other taxes that they see fit and to trust politicians to make those responsible decisions, said state Rep. Nick Kimble, a St. Louis Democrat.

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Well, not any more than they trust you now, Patterson said, triggering a round of laughter in the packed committee room.

The proposal, as written, puts nothing off limits. It includes a three-year exemption to the Missouri Constitutions requirements that tax increases win voter approval and that any tax upon or measured by fuel used for propelling highway motor vehicles be earmarked for road needs.

Pattersons proposal seeks to end the personal income tax as early as Jan. 1, 2031. Income taxes on businesses and trusts would continue.

The committee did not vote on Wednesday. The next regularly scheduled meeting is next Wednesday and a vote could be held at that time.

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If the measure is approved in both the House and Senate, it could be on a ballot as early as August.

The push to replace Missouris individual income tax is an effort to modernize the states tax structure, Patterson said. The individual income tax was first enacted in 1917 and a sales tax began in 1937.

The income tax is a drag on the states economy compared to states that have no personal income tax, he said. And the sales tax, which mainly applies to physical goods, is outdated because services, such as online streaming services, are exempt, he added.

This is the first step in a long, methodical process that will take place if the citizens so choose to modernize our tax system and give people fairness in the tax system that we have, Patterson said.

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To bolster his arguments, proponents brought Aaron Hedlund, chief economist at White House Council of Economic Advisers, and Grover Norquist, founder of Americans for Tax Reform.

Hedlund is a former University of Missouri professor who now teaches at Purdue University.

About 25 years ago, Hedlund said, Missouri generated about 2% of the U.S. economy, while the share now is 1.5%.

Im sick of Missouri losing, he said. For 25 years, weve oftentimes been in the bottom 10 of economic growth. Prior to the income tax reductions that started about a decade ago, we were oftentimes in the bottom five at economic growth. People are voting with their feet, and theyre not choosing Missouri.

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, asks questions about a proposal for a statewide vote to eliminate the Missouri income tax on Wednesday during a hearing of the House Commerce Committee (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).

Democratic members of the committee were skeptical of whether the tax proposal was the way to solve that problem. House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, noted that Republicans have dominated Missouri politics for the past 25 years.

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The GOP has controlled the state Senate since 2001, the Missouri House since 2003 and held the governors office for 14 of the past 26 years.

I want to make the point that what we have been doing is not working, Aune said. I would posit that this is not the solution.

Missouris personal income tax is almost flat, with a top rate of 4.7% on taxable incomes greater than $9,436. There are significant exemptions from the tax, including all Social Security payments, a share of retirement income and capital gains, which is profits from the sale of property or other assets.

The income tax generates about 65% of the states annual general revenue receipts, which were $13.4 billion in the year that ended June 30.

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Sales tax is more complicated because local governments have a variety of levies they can put on the ballot. The basic state rate is 4.225%, with 3% dedicated to general revenue and the rest earmarked for public schools, conservation, state parks and soil conservation.

There are more than 50 locations in the state where the total sales tax is 11% or higher after adding local option taxes.

Matching the current revenue from the individual income tax without expanding the transactions that are taxed would require raising the sales tax to nearly 13%. .

One of the main focuses of testimony during Wednesdays hearing was who would bear the greatest burden under an expanded sales tax. Opponents of the measure said wealthier Missourians would see their taxes decrease substantially while people of limited means will pay more in taxes.

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After deductions, a married couple with a total income of about $36,000 pays no state income tax. The sales tax, however, would hit every purchase they make, opponents said.

Figures from the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy show that people in the lowest 20% of income pay about one-third more of their income in sales and other taxes in Tennessee, Texas and Florida than the same group in Missouri, said Jeremy LaFaver, a lobbyist for the Missouri Budget Project.

The top 1% of income earners in Missouri pay 5.7%, he said, while the same group in Florida pays 2.7%.

They rely largely on consumer based taxes that impact low income, fixed income people, LaFaver said.

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For one lawmaker, reducing the burden on high-income earners is a benefit of the plan.

Wealthy individuals run the businesses that employ Missourians, said state Rep. Brian Seitz, a Republican from Branson.

The wealthy pay way more in taxes, he said. The percentage may look smaller, but they actually paid quite a bit more, and they are the foundation of our states tax base.

Dennis Ganahl, founder of Mo Tax Relief Now, said the transactions that would be taxed are those used by wealthier people.

The people with the lower incomes are just buying goods, Granahl said. They arent buying CPAs or masseuses or dog walkers or hair stylists or pedicurists or manicurists. All those are services that are used by wealthier people.

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Lower income Missourians use services that would be taxed, Aune responded.

That is one of the wildest things Ive heard in this building, if Im being honest, she said. And Ive heard some crazy stuff.

The Missouri Constitution currently bans sales taxes on real estate transactions and any transactions not currently taxed. Both were added to the constitution after initiative petition campaigns organized by the Missouri Association of Realtors.

The campaigns cost $4.3 million to protect real estate sales from taxation in 2010 and $5.6 million to add protections against sales taxes on services.

Jason Zamkus, a lobbyist for the realtors, reminded the committee in his testimony that voters approved both measures by wide margins. Kehoes statements that he wants to exempt real estate are not included in the proposal, he noted.

While we appreciate the governors statement in the State of the State that its his intent not to impact the real estate industry, unfortunately, the proposals that are pending before you currently are silent on that issue, Zamkus said.

The Realtors could be one of the most important opposition groups if the measure doesnt include the protections for real estate sales.

If we were willing to spend that much a decade ago, he said after testifying, we are certainly going to fight to protect it.

This article was updated at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 31 to correct the hometown of Rep. Nick Kimble.
State Sen. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, looks to the Senate dais in a disagreement over Senate rules on Sept. 10, 2025 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

Gov. Mike Kehoe withdrew two nominees to the Missouri Ethics Commission Tuesday after Democrats pointed out the appointments were based on a congressional map that Republicans contend is no longer valid.

Senate Democrats have refused to allow any gubernatorial appointments to come up for a vote for the past two weeks, arguing that their stall tactics are an effort to restore the chambers role as the more deliberative body. Republicans say the move is simply political payback for the Senate GOP invoking a rarely-used rule four times last year to shut down debate.

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On Tuesday, Democratic state Sen. Stephen Webber of Columbia raised a formal objection to four nominees to the states ethics commission. The appointments are based on congressional districts, Webber noted, and Kehoe relied on the map approved by lawmakers in 2022.

But Republicans are in court arguing that the newly gerrymandered map  which passed four months ago  is in effect. And under that map, two nominees live in the 4th District and two live in the 1st District.

This was only discovered because we decided to take our time, Webber said, and weve slowed things down. I know there are a lot of people frustrated that Democrats are not letting these nominees through. But by doing this vetting, we found problems.

After Webbers point of order, Kehoe withdrew two of the nominees. The other two, along with more than 20 other appointments, are still being blocked by a Democratic filibuster. Unless they are approved by the Senate or withdrawn by the governor by Feb. 6, they will be barred from holding those appointments for life.

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President Donald Trump began pressuring Missouri Republicans last summer to change the states congressional map to give the GOP an edge in seven of the states eight districts, up from six they currently hold. Lawmakers approved the gerrymandered map in September.

In December, opponents of the gerrymandered map submitted more than 300,000 signatures to put it on the statewide ballot. For more than a century, dating back to a 1914 Missouri Supreme Court ruling, submitting referendum signatures automatically suspends the challenged law until voters decide its fate or the signatures are invalidated.

But Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and Secretary of State Denny Hoskins have disregarded that precedent, publicly declaring the new map the law of the land. The ACLU of Missouri filed a lawsuit last month arguing that decision violates the constitution.

Webber agrees with the ACLU that the gerrymandered map is essentially frozen. By relying on the 2022 map for his appointments, Webber contends, Kehoe also agrees.

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The attorney general has asserted the 2022 maps are no longer in effect and the 2025 gerrymandered map is in effect, Webber said. We know from the governors actions that he doesnt agree with the attorney general. And he doesnt agree with President Trump, either Kehoe is with us on this.

Kehoes spokeswoman said in a Friday afternoon email that the governor made the ethics commission appointments before the new map went into effect on Dec. 11.
The Montana bipartisan property tax reform that resulted in lower bills for nearly 80% of homeowners there and a $400 rebate is headed to court, after three Republican state lawmakers filed suit last week against one of the two bills responsible for relief.

The plaintiffsSenate Taxation Committee Chair Greg Hertz, Senate Majority Leader Tom McGillvray, and former Sen. Keith Regierare arguing that the bill violated procedural requirements of the state constitution, effectively buying passage after support for the first proposals stalled.

During the 2025 legislative session, supporters of a massive property tax restructuring bill faced a stark reality: Their controversial legislation was dying. Their solution? Buy its passage with $90 million in cash rebates to Montana votersa scheme they planned in advance and executed through legislative subterfuge, the complaint, published by the Montana Free Press, reads.

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The plaintiffs also allege that their property tax bills went up in 2025, or they expect to see a rate increase in 2026, with Hertz alleging a near 50% spike in his 2025 bill for his $2.9 million primary residence.

If successful, the court challenge could force the state to revert back to its old ways and reverse the changes that gave many longtime homeowners relief from high property tax burdens.

The legal challenge

The suit reads as equal parts procedural drama and personal beef, accusing lawmakers of using behind-the-scenes tactics to rescue a flailing bill.

SB 542s supporters did exactly what the Constitution forbids, the complaint reads. They took a dying, 40-page property tax rate restructuring billone that the House Speaker himself called a Frankenstein billand bought its passage by bundling it with an appropriation for $90 million in one-time cash rebates.

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They're referencing the rocky summer that SB 542 and HB 231 had. While initially introduced as separate bills with separate aims, the two bills became intertwined in the last days of the 2025 legislative session to pull off the property tax relief that Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte had promised.

In their final iteration, SB 542 became an implementation bill, lowering taxable values for most modest residences by raising taxes on higher-value homes and businesses. That change set the stage for the full multitiered homestead system implemented by HB 231, set to take effect in 2026.

To support their claim, the plaintiffs point to internal Microsoft Teams messages between state Rep. Llew Jones, one of the architects of the tax reform, and Megan Moore, a legislative research analyst.

The messages, they argue, show premeditated deception, including title shopping and strategic bundling intended to repackage the bill in a way that would win enough support to pass.

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These practices, the plaintiffs say, violate the states constitutional requirements for laws to contain but one subject, and bar them from being so altered or amended on its passage through the legislature as to change its original purpose.

The shifting tax burdens in the state

The lawsuit marks the latest flashpoint in Montanas ongoing debate over who should shoulder the states growing property tax burden.

In the wake of pandemic-era migration and a surge of out-of-state buyersmany bringing cash and bidding up pricesMontana home values soared, dragging assessed values and property tax bills upward.

In 2024, California buyers alone collectively owned more than $9.5 billion in Montana residential real estate, according to a Realtor.com analysis of Montana Department of Revenue data. Thats over 5% of the states taxable property marketyet they contributed just 3.54% of the residential property tax base in 2023.

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That mismatch helped fuel legislative efforts to retool the system, particularly by raising taxes on second homes and high-value properties, often owned by part-time residents or investors, while shielding primary residences and long-term rentals.

But that carve-out created winners and losers, and two of the three plaintiffs in the suit say theyre on the losing end.

McGillvray and Regier both cited second homescabins that dont qualify for the bills homeowner or long-term rental exemptionsas examples of how SB 542 shifted the tax load unfairly. According to the complaint, both of their cabins tax rates rose from 1.35% to 1.9% as of Jan. 1, 2026.

What would happen if ruled unconstitutional

If the court finds SB 542 unconstitutional, its still unclear how or how fast Montana property tax bills might change.

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The lawsuit targets just one of the two bills in the 2025 tax reform package, but its widely seen as the half with sharper consequences: It set new tax rates, created carve-outs for primary residences and long-term rentals, and raised rates on second homes and high-value properties.

Hertz told the Montana Free Press he hopes the court will force the state to revert to its 2024 tax code, giving the legislature another shot at reform in 2027.

But unwinding the law could put many homeowners in limbo, especially those who saw significant relief under the new rules. State Department of Revenue estimates show that homes valued under $1.7 million generally benefited from a lower effective tax rate. In most counties, the typical homeowner saved hundreds of dollars annually.

By contrast, Hertz claims his 2025 property tax bill for his $2.9 million home jumped nearly 50%.

Whether the court would order a full rollback, or a narrower fix, remains to be seen.
PIEDMONT TRIAD, N.C. (WGHP)  We are starting with cloudy skies, and that has kept overnight temperatures in the lower-to-mid-20s. Our skies become sunny and temperatures rise above freezing by lunchtime. Highs are going to be around 37 degrees today.

A Cold Weather Advisory goes into effect tonight at 7 p.m. and lasts until 11 a.m. tomorrow for Ashe, Grayson (Virginia), and Watauga Counties.

Overnight, were expecting mostly clear skies until just around daybreak. Lows will dip into the mid-teens.

Thursday and Friday, highs will stay in the mid-30s. We will have lots of sunshine through the day on Thursday, but increasing clouds on Friday.

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This weekend, a low is forecast to form off the South Carolina/Georgia coast. Indications are that this low will intensify as it moves to the north-northeast, dragging frigid air into the Piedmont through the day on Saturday. The ultimate track of this low is still uncertain, and that means the amount of precipitation is also unclear at this point. What we do know is the air over the Piedmont is going to be cold enough at all levels for snow if we have the available moisture. Highs are going to be in the lower-20s on Saturday, and the chance of snow is 60%. By Sunday, highs will be in the upper-20s under partly cloudy skies.

Monday and Tuesday, we can enjoy mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies and a steady warm-up. Mondays highs will return to the mid-30s and we can look forward to highs near 40 degrees by Tuesday!

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 FOX8 WGHP.
KFC UK and Ireland (UK&I) is set to introduce a new speciality drinks range, Kwench by KFC, aimed at capturing a larger share of the Gen Z drinks market.

The business will be the first KFC market globally to deploy the concept nationwide, following a trial in Manchester last year across 38 outlets.

According to a LinkedIn post, the rollout to all restaurants in the UK and Ireland is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

The launch is supported by a 38m ($52m) investment from KFC and its franchise partners.

In the post, the fast food chain said that the Kwench range comprises 11 freshly prepared drinks such as iced coffees, boba refreshers, sparkling lemonades and Krunch Shakes. Additional drinks are in the pipeline.

For the wider rollout, restaurants will receive dedicated Kwench counters and branding. In several locations, additional Kwench-branded furniture and other features will also be installed.

KFC UK&I strategy and innovation director Leo Sloley said: Bold, trend-led drinks are playing a much bigger role in how Gen Z engage with restaurant brands, which is a huge opportunity for us.

Kwench adds something completely fresh to our menu, giving people more reasons to visit KFC beyond our iconic chicken, at different moments throughout the day.

Kwench is an important part of our ambition to become the fastest-growing restaurant brand for the next generation, and we cant wait for our customers to try the range.

Last year, KFC launched a new flagship restaurant in central Rome, Italy, to strengthen its European presence.

"KFC to roll out Kwench speciality drinks range across UK and Ireland" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand.




A woman from West Jordan, Utah, has been arrested in Croatia after she allegedly traveled with her four kids abroad without their fathers consent and failed to return home.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Elleshia Anne Seymour was taken into custody on Friday, January 16, in Dubrovnik, Croatia, according to FOX 13. The arrest took place after she was charged with four counts of Custodial Interference - Remove Child from State in December 2025.

Police said that Seymour, 35, took her four children  ages 11, 8, 7, and 3 years old  on a flight to Amsterdam in late November 2025 before they traveled to Croatia. After Seymour and the kids had been gone for weeks, officers determined that enough time had elapsed and she should have returned back to the United States with her kids, according to FOX 13.

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Both of the men that she shares her kids with told police that they never agreed to allow her to take the children out of the country or state.

Colorado Mother Kimberlee Singler, Who Allegedly Murdered Her 2 Kids, Extradited to U.S. From London

Court documents stated that Seymour previously told her kids fathers that she was taking the kids because she believed that end times were near, according to ABC 4.

Meanwhile, her former boyfriend reportedly told police in December 2025 that Seymour "had recently discussed obtaining passports and leaving the country, expressing concerns about biblical events.

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Seymours arrest was confirmed after her ex, Kendall Seymour, whom she shares three of her kids with, explained on GoFundMe that the kids are "trapped in Croatia in a state-run orphanage."

"We have to hire Croatian lawyers who specialize in child abduction, create and submit Hague Convention applications, hire court-approved translators, and extend our stay here by an unknown amount of time. All to work on getting the kids released from government custody," he wrote in the Sunday, January 25, update.

Kendall added that there was a fifth American child in this children's home. He said, My children were traveling with him and his mother. The fifth childs situation is even more difficult than my own kids status. We would like to help him as much as possible - his situation is going to need more legal help and strategy than ours.

After Kendall confirmed that they had located the kids, the childrens grandfather told ABC 4 that he was overjoyed to find out where they were because the family went a little over a month having no idea if theyre even alive anymore or if they were locked in a room somewhere.

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Before the kids were located, Kendall spoke to East Idaho News Courtroom Insider about the search. During the Sunday, January 4, interview, he explained that his kids babysitter informed him that they were missing.

"She was in a panic and just said, you know, 'Your  Kenny, I think your kids are missing,'" he said at the time. "And at first, I thought she was just being, you know, a little paranoid, but the more she talked the more I was like, 'This is, this is serious.'"

Who Is Ruby Franke? 5 Things to Know About the YouTube Star Arrested for Alleged Abuse

Seymour reportedly left two notes behind before she fled the country, with one claiming she received a delusional message from God that said she would be in Italy by Christmas. The second note was a to-do list that involved discarding her phone and buying a prepaid burner phone.

"When we were married, there was nothing like this," Kendall said of Seymours behavior. "We both grew up LDS, or Mormon,  but [there were] none of these beliefs about end times or Salt Lake specifically being destroyed."
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer's badge is seen as federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court in New York City on June 10, 2025. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Multiple parents of students at Ypsilanti Community Schools were detained by ICE agents on Tuesday, according to a letter sent to the district by Superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross.

The arrests came after reports of ICE activity in Ypsilanti, specifically around the school campus, though the letter did not specify which school or schools were specifically targeted. The letter also did not indicate that any students were detained.

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Our district policy remains unchanged. We do not voluntarily cooperate with ICE, nor do we grant them access to our school buildings or property without a proper judicial warrant, Zachery-Ross wrote in the letter, adding that the district is working with the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office to monitor the campus borders.

The arrests reportedly took place at a bus stop in Ypsilanti during student drop-off times, said Washtenaw County Sheriff Alyshia Dyer in a statement to MLive. The number of arrests made was not public as of the time of publication, and Dyer said it can be difficult to confirm as ICE does not provide notice to local law enforcement.

There are no words to fully capture the pain, fear and disruption this causes for our scholars and their loved ones, Zachery-Ross wrote. To see our families targeted in this way is a violation of the sense of safety that every member of our community deserves. We stand in absolute solidarity with those who have been impacted.

A spokesperson for ICE did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
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Oregon Air National Guard ground crew guides one of NASAs newest F-15 aircraft onto the ramp at the agencys Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. | Credit: NASA/Christopher LC Clark

NASA just got a boost in its quest to unlock 'quiet' supersonic flight with a pair of retired F-15 jets from the U.S. Air Force.

The former fighter jets are the newest members of the agency's flight research fleet, which is headquartered at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California's Mojave Desert. The F-15s will now be used to support research flights of NASA's new X-59 'quiet' supersonic jet , an aircraft designed to fly at supersonic speeds without producing the thunderous sonic booms typically associated with breaking the sound barrier. If such an aircraft can be built and commercialized, it could dramatically decrease flight times across the continental U.S. and revolutionize several industries that depend on rapid response times.

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The F-15 jets will be used to support the testing campaign X-59 and the overall mission. "These two aircraft will enable successful data collection and chase plane capabilities for the X-59 through the life of the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator project," Troy Asher, director for flight operations at NASA Armstrong, said in an announcement . One of the jets will fly again as a NASA aircraft, now used for research. The other F-15 will be used for parts to help sustain the fleet. Both were delivered to NASA in December 2025.

NASA has previously used F-15s to carry sensors that measure air pressure differences caused by the shock waves produced by the X-59 as it breaks the sound barrier, and to fly researchers carrying Schlieren photography systems. These specialized cameras can detect changes in air pressure and allow scientists to visualize air flowing away from the X-59 as it flies.

Two NASA F-15 aircraft sit on the ramp at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, in Edwards, California. | Credit: NASA/Genaro Vavuris

NASA's plan is to modify one of the F-15 jets with new equipment and software, so that it can be specialized for research. Most commercial aircraft fly around 30,000 to 40,000 feet (9 to 12 km) above sea level, but the F-15 can maintain a much higher altitude.

Right now, the X-59 cruises at 55,000 feet (17 km) for its test flights, NASA says, and a specially outfitted F-15 jet can follow behind the X-59 at up to 60,000 (18 km) feet in order to collect important data for the mission.

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These aircraft will continue a long tradition of using F-15s for research. "NASA has been flying F-15s since some of the earliest models came out in the early 1970s," Asher said. "Dozens of scientific experiments have been flown over the decades on NASA's F-15s and have made a significant contribution to aeronautics and high-speed flight research."

A NASA F-15 aircraft sits 20 feet off the left side of the X-59 aircraft, with a white hangar and hills in the background, during electromagnetic interference testing. | Credit: NASA/Carla Thomas

After numerous tests, X-59 flew for the first time in October last year, with Lockheed Martin, the X-59's manufacturer, saying the plane "performed exactly as planned."
Cape Canaverals Launch Complex 34 sits as a preserved and haunting reminder of NASAs first major tragedy  one which lives on in the agencys culture as it prepares to send the Artemis II crew around the moon in the coming months.

On an uncharacteristically chilly Florida night, Mark Grissom stood by the pad where 59 years ago that evening, his father ran through space capsule tests in the runup to a mission that was to kickstart Americas Apollo program.

Its good to have this, Grissom said Tuesday, Jan. 27. It kind of reminds people the sacrifices that the family has paid throughout the years.

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On the evening of January 27, 1967, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee sat suited up and sealed inside the command module of the Apollo 204 missions spacecraft atop the Saturn IB rocket for more pre-launch testing.

A fast-moving fire broke out inside the command module, trapping the astronauts and exposing them to deadly toxic gases. The pure oxygen environment at 16.7 psimuch higher than normal air pressurecaused the fire to spread rapidly, preventing timely escape or rescue. The Apollo 1 crew perished.

Every year, the Astronaut Memorial Foundation, Space Force, U.S. Navy, NASA, as well as space enthusiasts gather at Launch Complex 34, the site of the accident, to remember the sacrifice of the three heroes:

Virgil Gus Grissom: Flew two space missions, Mercury/Liberty Bell 7 and Gemini III, before being selected for Apollo 1.

Edward Ed White: Remembered for being the first American to perform a spacewalk during the Gemini IV mission.

Roger Chaffee: Part of NASAs third class of astronauts, Apollo 1 would have been his first spaceflight.

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When is the next Florida rocket launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX rocket launch schedule in Florida

As Artemis II sits on launch pad, NASA remembers Apollo 1

Reflecting upon the last 59 years of NASAs history, and what we have accomplished over nearly six decades: 11 crews carried the baton passed to them by the Apollo 1 crew, having won the space race  delivering six missions, 12 men to the lunar surface and returning them safely home to Earth, said Kelvin Manning, deputy director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Those missions paved the way for everything that followed the Apollo program, most notably 135 space shuttle missions and the Commercial Crew Program (SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner). This enabled a continuous presence in low Earth orbit across 25 years onboard the International Space Station. And now the Artemis program is poised to launch humans around the moon in the near future.

Today, just a few miles from here, you can look up the coast  the Artemis II vehicle sits on the pad ready in just a few weeks, to carry the first humans back to the moon in over 50 years," Manning said.

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That confidence comes with a heavy cost, and one we must not take lightly."

This is also the time of year that two other NASA tragedies weigh on the industry. On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger accident claimed the lives of seven astronauts just one minute past launch. Tragedy struck again February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry, resulting in the loss of seven astronauts.

Now as NASAs Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket sits just up the road at Launch Complex 39B, the space industry is recalling these lessons learned with a vow to launch and return every astronaut safely.

Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: As Artemis II nears, NASA's Apollo 1 is remembered in annual ceremony
A NASA research plane had to make a hard landing when its landing gear failed to deploy.

The incident happened near the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

NASA has stated that a mechanical issue caused the emergency landing and has begun an investigation to determine the specifics of the problem.

Fortunately, both individuals on board were not injured.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
As Nashville remains entrenched in efforts to respond to Winter Storm Fern, city leaders say theyre acutely aware that some Nashvillians patience has already worn thin.

Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell is one of them. He said the citys reached the stage of recovery where asking for patience becomes especially hard. But like he did 24 hours earlier, OConnell once again asserted at a Jan. 28 briefing that the winter storm has impacted Nashville on an unprecedented scale.

We know, again, how many people in our community, including members of my own family, still do not have power and have not had power for days, OConnell said at the briefing. When it comes back on, as it did for my parents the other day, it is a huge relief. But I know every moment that it is not on, including overnight, it is anywhere from frustrating to scary for so many of us.

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Yet the need for patience remains, as still more than 100,000 Nashvillians enter another day without power. That continues to be the focus for Nashville Electric Service, which is moving forward with deploying crews to areas of the city with outages affecting 1,000 or more customers.

There is nobody here working harder than those people on the ground, the men and women dedicated to getting your power on, and well continue to scale our resources so that we can accelerate restoration, NES chief customer and innovation officer Brent Baker said.

Its an effort that OConnell commended Jan. 28, on a scale he said he wouldnt have thought possible compared to Nashvilles last comparable major weather event: the devastating tornadoes that ripped through Nashville in 2020.

For me, Im absolutely recognizing this as the largest outage in (NES) history, and the speed of getting more than 100,000 people online in less than 72 hours, thats performance that was hard to even consider in the wake of the tornado and wind storms six years ago, OConnell said.

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As restoration efforts continue, its still uncertain exactly when the end might be in sight. Baker said he didnt have a firm estimate as to when exactly NES would have power restored to everyone as of Jan. 28, but he predicted some outages would likely remain through the weekend.

That means as even more frigid temperatures approach on Saturday, Jan. 31, city officials are preparing accordingly.

OConnell said Nashville has already been looking to expand access and capacity at warming centers, and he said the city will also likely see an expansion of community-based and philanthropic support starting Jan. 29.

And other city leaders, like Metro Water Services Director Scott Potter, have already flagged looming concerns of an increased risk of water main breaks in the coming days. Potter said Jan. 28 that Nashvillians should have zero concern about water quality, and also reported that his department was staying on top of the nine active main breaks and seven reported outages underway during his remarks.

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But while more work and lingering questions of timeline remain, Nashville Fire Department Chief William Swann had another message for Nashvillians: Dont lose hope.

I want to make sure that you understand that even though these are uncomfortable times, they are, I dont want anybody to feel like theyre hopeless and theyre helpless and theres no hope, Swann said. If you have an emergency, you call 911. We will get to you. We are responding to any and all of those calls. Is it uncomfortable? Yes. But please, dont feel hopeless.

Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him with questions, tips and story ideas at ahornbostel@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashvilles mayor gives update on TN winter storm recovery
The United States Submarine Veterans Inc. Tri-State Base will meet Feb. 7 at King's Restaurant, 785 Middleway Pike, Inwood, West Virginia.

The gathering starts with lunch at 11 a.m., followed by a business meeting, according to a community announcement.

The Tri-State Base comprises members from West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. It meets monthly, rotating locations between the states. Members engage in community and veterans' projects, including participation in parades.

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The group welcomes Navy veterans who are qualified submariners to join. Spouses and friends are also invited to attend. An auxiliary group supports the members with various projects, according to the announcement.

For more information, visit ussvi-tri-statebase.org or contact Commander Stephen Leon at tristatebase@gmail.com or Glen Sherrard at gsherrard274@gmail.com.

This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@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 https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Submarine veterans Tri-State Base to meet Feb. 7
NC Schools Superintendent Mo Green discusses academic gains during a meeting of the State Board of Education, Sept. 3, 2025. (Screengrab: NCDPI video stream)

When Anaston Lassiter graduates in May from Hertford County Early College High School, she will leave with more than a high school diploma. She is set to finish with a business certificate and associate degrees in science and the arts.

Lassiter was among the students spotlighted Wednesday as North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice Mo Green joined other education leaders to launch a six-week campaign called Find Your Fit, Build Your Future.

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State officials said the campaign is meant to draw attention to the range of public school options available to families statewide.

When families think about school choice, they often dont realize just how much choice already exists in public education, Green said.

Republican lawmakers have expanded the states private school voucher program, known as Opportunity Scholarships, in recent years as enrollment in charter schools has grown steadily.

Supporters of the voucher program say families need more options. Critics argue the shift diverts money and attention from traditional public schools, particularly in rural and low-income communities.

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Asked about declining enrollment in traditional public schools, Green said the shift was a predictable result of expanded choices.

Anytime you offer more opportunities, some families are going to choose differently, he said. Where almost all families were once limited to district public schools, those choices have to come from somewhere.

Green said the campaign is meant to steer families toward traditional public school options and that increased funding could help reverse enrollment declines.

With more funding and more visibility, I believe more families will continue to choose public schools, he said.

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North Carolina now has more than 200 charter schools serving about 158,000 students.

Ashley Logue, executive director of the states Office of Charter Schools, said charter schools are often misunderstood.

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools operated by independent nonprofit boards, Logue said. They have the flexibility to create specialized programs that meet the unique needs of individual students.

Trey Michael, a state official who oversees career and technical education programs, said students who complete a full sequence of CTE courses graduate at a 98% rate and often leave high school with industry credentials and college credit.

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Jovonia Lewis of Durham said the range of programs allowed her to tailor schooling for her three sons, who have attended magnet, Montessori and early college programs.

We chose North Carolina public schools because we wanted our sons educated in a place that reflects our community, Lewis said.

North Carolina has 229 magnet programs, 138 early college high schools and 211 charter schools.

Officials said the campaign launched to coincide with National School Choice Week will run through the end of February.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  The Kansas Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments in the case of a man convicted of murdering a Cowley College student in 2007.

Justin Thurber circa 2007 (KSN File Photo)

In 2009, Justin Thurber was sentenced to death for the kidnapping, rape and killing of 19-year-old Jodi Sanderholm near Arkansas City. Investigators said Thurber, then 23, had been stalking members of her college dance team.

Now Thurber is once again appealing his death sentence.

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In 2018, the Kansas Supreme Court sent the case back to Cowley County District Court to determine whether Thurber was developmentally disabled, and therefore constitutionally protected from execution.

The judge later found there was no sufficient reason to believe Thurber had an intellectual disability, ruling that Thurbers deficits were more closely related to antisocial personality disorder.

His own experts said he wasnt intellectually disabled, Deputy Solicitor General Kris Ailslieger told the high court. He was able to maintain, you know, multiple jobs. He was able to live independently; all of that indicates he was not intellectually disabled.

Womans sentencing postponed in deaths of Kansas moms

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But Thurbers attorneys contend the court did not follow a fair process when determining his mental status, saying the judge based the decision on his lack of a diagnosis  without providing him the opportunity to be diagnosed.

The whole point of this hearing is to allow people who havent previously had access to these resources for socio-economic reasons or other reasons to get a chance to a fair determination of their intellect before we execute them, said Caroline Zuschek with the Kansas Capital Appeals and Conflicts Office.

The high court did not issue a decision Tuesday. That written decision will come down at a later date.

Sanderholms family reacts

Jodi Sanderholm

Meanwhile, appeal after appeal has left Sanderholms remaining family tired of the process, and they hope to shift the focus away from the man who killed her and onto Sanderholm herself.

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Her sister, Jen Aldridge, wants people to remember her as the kind, loving and funny person she was.

When I think about Jodi, I instantly think to her bright eyes and her big smile, she said. I always go back to envisioning her dancing. She was a really, really great dancer.

Aldridge said its on her now to carry Sanderholms legacy as the case drags on, as much of her family has moved on or died in the many years since Thurbers original sentencing.

Despite the tragedy of the circumstances, Aldridge points to the good that has come from her sisters death.

It led to the passing of Jodis Law in 2008, which widened what can be considered stalking. Aldridge said shes had other victims of stalking personally thank her since that change has helped them acquire court orders against their stalkers.

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Aldridge also thinks about how her first biological daughter was born just two days after Sanderholms body was discovered in 2007.

Shes in college now, Aldridge said. That puts in perspective how long its been; its been a lifetime.

She imagines a life where her children could visit their aunt, where their kids play with each other  and that is what Thurber took away from them.

(Sanderholm) was really looking forward to being an aunt, Aldridge said. Its one of the greatest losses, that my children did not get to know her as their aunt.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.

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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 KSN-TV.
New Census state population estimates are reflected in this graphic, which features components of Nebraska's population change from 2010 to 2025. In the last year reflected, the state's population increased by 0.61% overall, reaching an estimated 2,018,006 residents. Red represents the trend line for natural change (births and deaths). Gray represents net international migration. Black is net domestic migration. (Courtesy of Center for Public Affairs Research, University of Nebraska at Omaha)

LINCOLN  While Nebraskas overall population increased slightly to an estimated 2,018,006 in the latest Census report, the key component driving state growth in past years plummeted: immigration.

Data released Tuesday reveals a 0.6% annual population bump, or about 12,500 more residents overall from July 2024 through June 2025. The information also shows the three main components of population change.

Josie Schafer, Ph.D., is director of the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. (Courtesy of UNO)

Of the three, international migration was most glaring. More foreign-born newcomers still came to Nebraska than left, but the net growth of 6,599 was half the amount reported the previous year.

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Josie Schafer of the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the states liaison to the Census Bureau, attributes the reversal to federal immigration policies versus any shift in how the data is tracked.

A drop in net international migration is reflected nationally as well, with the Census Bureaus Vintage 2025 estimates showing a historic decline, from 2.7 million in 2024 to 1.3 million in 2025. The drop, the bureau said, was caused by both a decrease in immigration and an increase in emigration (people moving out or being moved out of the U.S.).

A continued pattern in Nebraska would not bode well for population expansion, Schafer said.

If international migration has been our main source of growth and now, at a policy level, we can expect that to be less, that is going to be a challenge to growth, she said.

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Tuesdays Census release shows Nebraskas natural change remained positive  with 6,136 more Husker births than deaths. That net gain was essentially unchanged from the previous year.

Those numbers are nice, said Schafer.

Notable, she said, is Nebraskas improvement in domestic migration. To be sure, more people continue to flee than move to Nebraska. But the gap lessened between 2024 and 2025, going from a net loss of 1,498 people to a net loss of 366. For perspective, Nebraska lost about 6,000 more people than it gained in 2021.

Weve kind of turned a corner on that domestic migration trend, said Schafer.

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That component, however, does not shed necessary light on the persistent problem of Nebraska brain drain, she said. It reflects overall domestic migration and does not hone in on age or education levels.

More detailed demographic and countywide Census data is to come later. Schafer said Tuesdays Vintage 2025 population release are administrative estimates.

Dana Bradford is a leader of the Aksarben Foundation, a business group that has raised alarms about Nebraska falling behind its peers in quality job, wage and economic growth. He finds little reason to rejoice in Nebraskas 0.6% annual population increase and would like to see a 1.25% boost to start seeing growth in the states educated workforce.

Dana Bradford of the Aksarben Foundation and CEO of C3 Brands, an Omaha-based consumer goods company. (Courtesy of C3 Brands)

That more people still leave for other states than come to Nebraska is a concern, he said, calling it a sign of better job and career opportunities elsewhere. Aksarbens focus is on luring high-paying jobs. They argue to do that first and that the qualified workforce would follow.

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Our skilled workforce is in decline, said Bradford.

Schafers examination of the new Census release shows Nebraska ranking 18th among states in overall population growth. She said a handful of states surpassed 1% growth.

In a similar update a year ago, the Census estimated Nebraska hit an overall population of 2,005,465, a one-year addition of 17,601 Huskers. At an annual growth of 0.88%, Nebraska then ranked as the 17th fastest-growing state.

The Aksarben Foundation is among other groups in Nebraska that have commissioned studying the employment and business landscape. Aksarben has formed a nonprofit Strengthening Nebraska Families to educate and stir action to elevate the states competitiveness.

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Other states are taking our workforce away from us, said Bradford, CEO of C3 Brands and former chair of Greater Omaha Chamber, citing the various reports.

Were in a battle for people, he said. Weve got to win that battle.

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Vietnams Kim Long Motor announced that it has partnered with Chinese automaker BYD Auto to build a new electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in Vietnam. The facility will be built within Kim Longs main production hub in Hue city, with an initial production capacity of 3 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of batteries per year for commercial vehicles produced by Kim Long.

The Vietnamese automaker confirmed that as part of the deal with BYD, a second phase of construction will expand the plants production capacity to 6 GWh per year, to supply batteries for passenger cars. The company has earmarked an investment of US$ 130 million for the two phases of construction.

Kim Long is expected to fund the construction of the plant, while BYD will provide full technological support for the project. The partnership is expected to allow Kim Long to gradually develop the skills to become an EV battery manufacturer, from design and manufacturing to quality management capabilities, to ensure its future EVs are competitive and have high levels of safety.

Kim Long expects the battery plant will allow it to achieve a local content ratio of over 80% in its EVs, and to establish a regional-scale vehicle production operation.

"Kim Long, BYD in EV battery partnership in Vietnam" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




Brian Maher, Nebraska's education commissioner, reads a book to a group of mostly 3-year-olds Monday as he and others launch a statewide project to boost reading skills of pre-kindergarteners. The kickoff was at an Educare of Omaha at Indian Hill, 3110 W St., on Oct. 30, 2023. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  Nebraska is looking to require students to retake third grade if they fail a state-mandated reading test  with some exceptions.

The proposal is from the Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, carried by State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, chair of the Legislatures Education Committee. Legislative Bill 1050 would require schools to help students who fail to meet the new benchmarks with an intensive acceleration class featuring a smaller student-teacher ratio to focus on improving students reading level.

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Students could be held back once between third and fourth grade, determined by three reading assessments during the school year. The new requirements would begin fall of 2027.

Nebraska students in kindergarten through second grade would also take three reading assessments three times during the school year to determine whether they were at the correct reading level. Students receiving special education services or accommodations would be exempt under the proposal.

The proposal is a part of the governors focus on education for this session.

Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon posted her support for Pillens proposal on social media Tuesday, saying, Accountability partnered with focused tutoring for students who need additional help will provide an education Nebraskas students deserve.

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The bill had its hearing before the Education Committee on Tuesday. Both supporters and opponents of the bill looked toMississippi as an example. Mississippi turned around its near-dead-last ranking on national tests in 2013 to a top 10 state for fourth-grade reading. It has been dubbed the Mississippi Miracle.

Supporters and Murman used the southern state and its miracle to say that retention was the reason it worked, while opponents said it was extra services that led to success. Some of Murmans committee members hinted that the bill might need some tweaks.

A child who cannot read by third grade is not failing the system. The system is failing that child, Heather Schmidt of Lincoln, a supporter of the bill, said during the hearing.

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Schmidt said the proposal should be strengthened by amending the bill so schools are required to screen for dyslexia, an issue she and her daughter, who has dyslexia, have asked the Legislature to provide more support around. She said the bill is an opportunity to help struggling readers.

Lisa Schonhoff of Bennington, an elected member of the State Board of Education speaking in her personal capacity, expressed her support of the governors proposal. The former teacher said a lot of parents come to her asking why their children are so behind in reading when she offers outside tutoring.

Accountability is paramount, Schonhoff said. This is the accountability piece that we need.

Other supporters of the proposal said it can help students who need it to catch up.

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Opponents of the bill said holding kids back is ineffective and harmful and questioned if the state has the money for those acceleration classes. Stacy Lovelace, for example, said her dad was held back because he didnt read at grade level.

It didnt make him a better reader or a better student, Lovelace said. Instead, it left him with a lifetime of shame and a mantra of Im stupid.

She asked the committee why they are proposing to use 1950s tactics when there are 21st-century treatments and supports available for kids.

Since 2018, schools have been required to identify K-3 students with reading deficiencies and put them on reading improvement plans. That was the result of legislation from then-State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of the Elkhorn area. In her freshman year in 2017, she initially proposed mandatory holding back of struggling third-grade readers before scaling back.

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In his tele-town hall from earlier this month, Pillen said that the state doesnt need more self-esteem crap.

When third graders cant read in third grade, they are not going on to fourth grade, Pillen said last week. I believe this policy will help educators.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday he's launching a probe into allegations that TikTok censored content critical of President Trump.



The Democrat, one of Mr. Trump's most vocal critics, said on social media, "It's time to investigate. I am launching a review into whether TikTok is violating state law by censoring Trump-critical content."



TikTok announced last week it had established a new joint venture to operate its U.S. business that would reduce its Chinese ownership to 19.9 percent and put majority control in the hands of American businesses, including allies of Mr. Trump.



Washington has long sought to tighten control on TikTok, citing national security concerns over the platform's Beijing-based parent company ByteDance.



"Following TikTok's sale to a Trump-aligned business group, our office has received reports -- and independently confirmed instances -- of suppressed content critical of President Trump," Newsom's office wrote on social media.



Newsom shared a screenshot appearing to show a TikTok user unable to send a message reading "epstein" on X because it violated the platform's community guidelines.



Trump's past friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has brought intense scrutiny on the president.

But in a statement, TikTok blamed ongoing technical difficulties for content-related issues.

Video breakdown of fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis

Sneak peek: The Firefighter's Secret

Noem faces internal backlash after Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis, sources say
SACRAMENTO, California  Gavin Newsom called on California law enforcement agencies on Tuesday to exercise their full authority in investigating possible crimes involving federal agents amid a national uproar over the killing of two people by federal agents in Minnesota.

The California governor and state Attorney General Rob Bonta released a bulletin to state and local law enforcement reminding agencies of their concurrent jurisdiction.

Federal and state law enforcement have long collaborated on investigations that result in both federal and state criminal charges, with a presumption that neither law enforcement agency will obstruct the others investigations or thwart the objective pursuit of justice, the governors office said in a news release.

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Newsom  a likely 2028 presidential contender  released the bulletin after federal agents killed Alex Pretti on Saturday in Minneapolis, just weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Good. Minnesota officials have said the Trump administration is impeding them from investigating the shootings.

Our local and state law enforcement are the front line for ensuring due process and public trust, Newsom said in a statement. Every state and local agency must remember its role, exercise its full authority, and always ensure the protection of the people of this state.

California has been an ongoing front in Trumps immigration crackdown, even as focus shifted more recently elsewhere, including to Minnesota. An off-duty U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a man in Northridge on New Years Eve. Two Orange County protesters say Homeland Security officers shot them in the face this month with less-lethal rounds , permanently damaging their vision.
Nigerian military authorities are set to try more than a dozen officers over allegations that they planned to overthrow the government last year, capping months of concerns about security in Africas largest democracy after a series of military takeovers in neighboring nations in recent years.

The Nigerian army arrested 16 service members in Oct. 2025 in what it initially described as a routine exercise over indiscipline and regulation breaches. Authorities, including the presidents office, dismissed news reports at the time linking the move to a coup plot and as the reason for the cancellation of Independence Day commemorations that month. The armys move to now try the officers before a military judicial panel on coup plotting charges comes as campaigning for the 2027 presidential elections gets underway.

Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and presidential candidate expected to contest again next year, compared life under President Bola Tinubu to Nigeria before the return to civilian rule. Not even the military regimes before 1999 damaged our national life and consciousness in the way this administration has done, Abubakar was quoted as saying at a book launch this week.
Hundreds of people flocked to the Roundhouse on Jan. 26, 2026, to urge New Mexico lawmakers to pass legislation to end state and local governments participation in federal immigration detention. (Danielle Prokop/Source NM)

Lawmakers behind the push for a local immigrant detention center ban amended their bill Tuesday to also prohibit police and sheriffs deputies statewide from entering agreements to send immigrants in local jails to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

House Bill 9, aka the Immigrant Safety Act, cleared its first committee after contentious debate last week. The bill now has an amendment that would ban agreements between ICE and local law enforcement  often called 287(g) agreements after the relevant section in federal immigration law  that authorize local law enforcement to serve ICE warrants on arrestees held in local jails.

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The agreements require any immigrant who is served one of those warrants to be transferred to an immigrant detention facility within 48 hours. Only one New Mexico county, Curry County, has such an agreement with ICE, according to an ICE database.

New Mexico Rep. Eleanor Chavez, a co-sponsor of HB9, told Source New Mexico on Tuesday evening that the amendment is necessary to keep the community safe from ICE, especially given what the agency is doing in Minnesota.

We want to create a situation where its consistent throughout the state, where public entities are not cooperating with ICE enforcement, she said. Its really plain and simple.

According to recent data from the Deportation Data Project, three New Mexico ICE arrests occurred through the use of 287(g) agreements. The data shows the arrests occurred between August and October of last year and involved detainees who had not been convicted of a crime.

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The data as of mid-December, which researchers obtain periodically via public records requests to ICE, notes that two of the detainees were still in ICE custody at that time. A third voluntarily left the country to Mexico.

Curry County Sheriff Michael Brockett previously told Source in an email that maintaining agreements with federal law enforcement was important for public safety.

As conservators of the peace, we must maintain these strong relationships, as keeping our communities safe is a team effort, he said in a statement last June.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham authorized the Legislature to take up HB9 during the 30-day session, one of the measures that lawmakers can consider and pass in a session otherwise dedicated to budgetary matters.

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But the governors office has not said publicly whether she supports the Legislature also addressing 287(g) agreements this session. Her Jan. 20 message to the House of Representatives, which details the legislation shes authorizing the Legislature to consider, does not mention 287(g) agreements.

Source asked the governors Communications Director Michael Coleman two weeks ago in an email about whether both measures would be up for debate and passage this session. Coleman confirmed Jan. 14 that the immigration detention ban would be, but he said he was still waiting on an answer then about the 287(g) agreements.

Coleman did not immediately respond Tuesday evening to Sources question about the amendment.

But Chavez said Tuesday she thinks the amendment will also be on the governors call for the session, based on recent conversations sponsors have had with her office.

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The bill is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday afternoon in the House Judiciary Committee. Chavez predicted another long debate about the bill and the amendment.

Im sure there will be lots of questions about it tomorrow during the hearing, she said.
Judge Michelle Evans, who presides over criminal cases in Nez Perce County, said it wasnt a hard decision Tuesday to hand down an appropriate punishment for 33-year-old Skylar Meade.

This frankly is not a hard sentence, at all, to impose, Evans, of Idahos 2nd Judicial District, said in court. You took two lives.

As a result, Evans sentenced Meade to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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In March 204, Meade got help from co-conspirator Nicholas Umphenour to escape from the Idaho Department of Corrections custody after coordinating an ambush at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. Meade, who was serving a minimum 10-year sentence at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, was taken to the Boise hospital after he faked an injury.

Skylar Meade attends a hearing at the Ada County Courthouse in May 2024. (Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com)

Umphenour shot and injured two correctional officers when they escorted Meade out of the hospital. Another officer was accidentally shot by a Boise police officer who responded to reports of an active shooting.

Meade and Umphenour, who knew each other from prison, evaded law enforcement for roughly 36 hours, driving north and then heading back south through Montana before they were arrested in Twin Falls. While the pair were being apprehended, law enforcement in North Idaho were investigating the deaths of two men, 83-year-old James Mauney and 72-year-old Gerald Don Henderson.

Mauney was last seen in Juliaetta, north of Lewiston, while he was walking his dogs, according to Idaho State Police. His body was later found in a desolate area. His wife, Liliia Mauney, described her husband on Tuesday as a wonderful person who loved life, his family and friends, and animals and the outdoors.

Liliia Mauney holds a picture of her husband, James Mauney, dating from 1980 in their Juliaetta home. James Mauney, 83, was killed after he disappeared on a dog walk, and escaped prisoner Skyler Meade was responsible, along with accomplice Nicholas Umphenour.

Before sitting down to have the prosecution read a statement on her behalf, Liliia Mauney walked in between the two court tables and looked directly at Meade, telling him that he didnt deserve to live.

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You took away my life, my peace and my health, Liliia Mauney said in court. There is no forgiveness for you. You are evil. You do not deserve to wake or even breathe  not even in a prison cell.

On the same day Mauney went missing, deputies from neighboring Clearwater County found Hendersons body in his cabin outside of Orofino. Police said shackles that belonged to Meade, along with Mauneys dogs, were found in the cabin.

Hendersons partner, Ron Thompson, described him as a quintessential mountain man whose heaven was his secluded cabin, where hed hike and hunt with his six dogs. One of Hendersons three daughters, in a prepared statement read in court by his ex-wife, described how her father taught her about the outdoors, and how to raise and care for animals  something her three sons wont get to experience.

He was abruptly taken from me in his prime, Donna Henderson said. His retirement years were stolen, and his mountain home  the place he hoped to live and die peacefully  was turned into a crime scene.

Don Henderson is seen preparing firewood outside his North Idaho cabin. The 72-year-old was killed by Skylar Meade and Nicholas Umphenour.

Umphenour and Meade were eventually charged with first-degree murder in the mens deaths. After being convicted of several felonies in Ada County related to the hospital escape, Umphenour and Meade had to face the North Idaho charges.

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In December, Meade accepted a deal with Nez Perce and Clearwater prosecutors and entered an Alford plea in the killing of Mauney and Henderson, and in exchange the death penalty was taken off the table. An Alford plea carries the same weight as a guilty plea, but the defendant does not admit guilt, only that theres enough evidence that theyd likely be convicted in court.

Meade apologized for his actions Tuesday, saying that he wished he could erase the past two years. Theres no explaining what happened or why. It should have never happened, but it did, and its something that I live with for the rest of my life, he said.

Judge Evans countered that while Meade might have to live with his choices, he at least gets to live. But she added that hell die in prison.

You get to live the rest of your life, Evans said. Youve taken that away from all of these individuals  their loved ones are gone because of your actions.

Man in Boise hospital ambush to plead guilty in North Idaho murder case

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Delaware could see a major winter storm this weekend from a potential bomb cyclone moving up the East Coast.

A nor'easter low-pressure system is expected to move in from the Atlantic later this week and hit the cold air in the region causing the bomb cyclone. The storm, named Winter Storm Gianna by The Weather Channel, is still hard to predict as specific details remain uncertain.

According to the National Weather Service, there is a 50% chance of a moderate-impact storm hitting Sussex County. Kent County has a 40% chance, and New Castle County has a 30% chance. According to The Weather Channel, the areas most likely to get hit with heavy snow are North Carolina and Virginia and parts of eastern New England.

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However, it's still early and the forecast will become more specific in the coming days.

Here's what to know about the potential conditions and the forecast.

Car safety in snow: Why is my car shaking when I drive? Snow may be to blame

What is a bomb cyclone?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a bombogenesis, or bomb cyclone, is a mid-latitude cyclone that rapidly or explosively intensifies over a 24-hour period. The storm's central pressure usually has to drop 24 millibars in 24 hours.

Also known as a winter hurricane, the storm is capable of producing blizzard conditions, heavy rains and strong winds.

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Delaware weather: 'Bitterly cold' temps preserve ice, snow  and school snow days

What is a nor'easter?

According to the National Weather Service, a nor'easter is a strong low-pressure system that affects the Mid-Atlantic and New England states. They produce heavy snow, rain, and tremendous waves that can cause beach erosion and structural damage. Wind gusts associated with these storms can exceed hurricane-force intensity.

A nor'easter gets its name from the northeasterly winds blowing in from the ocean.

Delaware weather forecast

Here's a look at the range of forecasts for Delaware this weekend.

National Weather Service: The forecast is calling for snow starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in Sussex County and continuing through Sunday. The chance of snow in Sussex County is 50%. The chance of snow is Kent County is 40%, and the chance of snow in New Castle County is 30%.

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AccuWeather: The forecast is calling for a chance of snow Saturday night, Jan. 31, and then a chance of snow on Sunday, Feb. 1, with the possibility of a major winter storm hitting the state.

The Weather Channel: The forecast is calling for the snow to mostly miss Delaware. Georgetown is expected to receive 2 to 4 inches Saturday, Jan. 31, to Sunday, Feb. 1. Dover is expected to receive an inch, and Wilmington is expected to see a few flurries.

Apple app: The forecast is calling for 1-2 inches of snow on Sunday, Feb. 1

How to prepare for winter weather

Here are a few tips to prepare for the cold weather.

Stock up on snow removal supplies: Add rock salt or ice melt, space heaters and snow shovels to your snow preparation arsenal.

Make sure your snowblower is working: There's nothing worse than having heavy snow and finding out your snowblower isn't working. Before the storm hits, do a test run or take it in for a tune-up.

Clean the gutters. Remove all dead leaves and other debris so that your gutters can do what theyre intended to do  collect water from the roof and channel it down to the ground.

Inspect the roof. Repair or replace any damaged shingles or hire someone to do it for you.

Trim tree branches. Cut or trim back any trees that are close to your house.

Add more insulation. Call in a pro to check your insulation and add more where necessary.

Seal up cracks. Inspect doors and windows for drafts and seal up any openings to avoid the loss of heat and warm air.

Insulate your pipes. Frozen pipes can burst, flooding your home and yard.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What is a nor'easter, bomb cyclone? Delaware weather forecast
Members of the North Dakota House meet May 1, 2025. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)

North Dakota legislative leaders have voted to hire outside attorneys to represent them in a new lawsuit over a ballot measure that would change voter-approved legislative term limits.

The suit, filed last week, argues that the Legislature violated the state constitution when it passed a resolution creating the ballot measure last year.

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The ballot measure, if approved, would alter the 2022 constitutional amendment that established legislative term limits. But that 2022 amendment contains a provision that specifically says state lawmakers may not propose an amendment to alter or repeal those term limits.

Believing the resolution to be a violation of that clause, two North Dakotans who organized in support of the 2022 term limits amendment  former Minot lawmaker Sen. Oley Larsen and Grand Forks County commissioner Terry Bjerke  have sued the Legislature and Secretary of States Office. They filed the suit directly with the North Dakota Supreme Court.

Legislative Management met Tuesday morning to decide next steps. Most of the meeting was held in an executive session. Under state law, a governing body may close a meeting to the public to discuss legal strategy.

The committee then approved a motion to hire third-party attorneys for the suit, as opposed to being represented by Legislative Council or the North Dakota Attorney Generals Office.

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Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, R-Minot, called the provision of the 2022 amendment that forbids the statehouse from proposing amendments to legislative term limits a direct encroachment on the Legislatures power. Another part of the state constitution, Article IV, authorizes the Legislature to recommend constitutional amendments to voters.

Legislative Management meets in executive session Jan. 27, 2026, to discuss how the Legislature will respond to a lawsuit over a ballot measure to tweak term limits in the state constitution. (Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)

Hogue said the lawsuit is an opportunity for the North Dakota Supreme Court to weigh in on whether the provision is constitutional. He added that given the gravity of issues at issue in the case, he supports having dedicated attorneys to advocate on the Legislatures behalf.

Rep. Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks, was the only committee member to vote against the motion.

Ista said he feels it would be more fiscally prudent not to use outside counsel. He added that the attorneys within Legislative Council or the Attorney Generals Office would do the best job representing the Legislatures interests, since they have expertise in North Dakota constitutional law.

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Ista said he also voted against the resolution during the 2025 season, calling it a problematic challenge to the voter-initiated measure.

He said his gut instinct is that the Supreme Court will agree to hear the case. Even if they do, however, the justices may not find it necessary to rule in a way that clarifies the scope of the Legislatures power, Ista added.

It would be my hope that the court will find a way to answer the ultimate question here, he said.

The 2022 constitutional amendment says state lawmakers can serve no more than eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate.

The ballot measure created by Senate Resolution 4008 seeks to change this so lawmakers can serve up to 16 years in either chamber. It would also specify that partial terms dont count against term limits.

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The measure has been approved for the November election ballot, according to the Secretary of States website.

Erika White, the agencys elections director, said the secretary of state must notify county auditors of whats on the general election ballot by Sept. 9.

North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer can be reached at msteurer@northdakotamonitor.com.

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SEOUL, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-firing of an upgraded large-caliber multiple rocket system, state-run media reported Wednesday.

Kim said the test held "great significance in improving the effectiveness of our strategic deterrent," according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

"We have achieved technical upgrading of this weapon system to employ its most powerful characteristics in the most appropriate and effective way, and thus made it possible to apply it in specific attacks," Kim said.

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The North Korean leader cited improvements in the system's self-steered guided flight system, as well as the "intelligence and hitting accuracy of the rockets." He also claimed the mobility of a newly modernized launch vehicle was "perfect."

The launch marked North Korea's second major weapons test of the year, following a Jan. 4 firing of what Pyongyang described as hypersonic weapons.

The test took place ahead of the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, expected to be convened by early next month. The gathering is seen as a forum for the leadership to review policy performance, announce a new five-year economic plan and signal potential shifts in military and foreign policy priorities.

Kim said the upcoming congress "will clarify the next-stage plans for further bolstering up the country's nuclear war deterrent," according to KCNA.

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The KCNA report said four rockets were fired during the test on Tuesday, hitting a target in the sea some 223 miles away.

South Korea's military announced on the same day that it detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched from an area north of Pyongyang into the sea between Korea and Japan.

North Korea did not supply detailed specifications of the system, but it has tested a 600mm multiple rocket launcher on several occasions, most recently in May.

The United States and South Korea refer to the 600mm rocket system as the KN-25 and characterize it as a short-range ballistic missile. Pyongyang has claimed since October 2022 that the weapon can be fitted with a tactical nuclear warhead.

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In late December, Kim visited a munitions factory and praised a new rocket launcher system that can "annihilate the enemy through sudden precise strike with high accuracy and devastating power" and can also be used as a "strategic attack means."

Analysts warn that North Korea's expanding long-range rocket artillery poses a growing conventional threat to South Korea, where much of the population and key military infrastructure lie within range of such systems.
Federal agents block an alley in Minneapolis while they detain a man and his young daughter Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)

A 5-year-old boy, wearing a Spiderman backpack and a bright blue winter hat, detained by immigration enforcement agents after returning home with his dad after preschool. A chaotic scene outside a high school around dismissal time; immigration enforcement agents spraying chemical irritants and tackling people.

The Trump administrations siege against Minneapolis has played out not just in public streets but in schools  places once considered sensitive locations off limits to immigration enforcement activities  and with children. It has many Nevadans wondering whether Clark County School District, the fifth largest school district in the country, is doing  or can do  anything to protect its students and their families if similar surges happen here.

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The Nevada Department of Education says it is not aware of any instances during the current or preceding school year in which federal immigration authorities have attempted to access Nevada school grounds without a lawful order, warrant, or applicable exception. The department clarified to the Nevada Current that it is also unaware of any enforcement actions on school grounds that were deemed allowable.

The Nevada Immigration Coalition and the ACLU of Nevada say they are similarly unaware of any such activity on school grounds.

What we have been hearing from the community is people have been picked up while theyre taking children to school or picking them up from school, said Noe Orosco, coordinator of the Nevada Immigration Coalition, which is led by Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN), Culinary Union and Make the Road Nevada and includes 20 statewide partners.

CCSD, in a statement to the Current, said it cannot verify off-campus law enforcement activity. The Nevada DOE said it could not speak to whether or how individual schools were tracking or reporting off-campus activities.

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Orosco believes the districts responsibility does not begin and end at the school gates.

CCSD operates beyond the physical boundaries of a campus, he says. They have programs in community settings, they have a police department that monitors adjacent streets to campus. I dont think the district should be narrowing its scope and saying it can only do something within the boundaries of any school.

ACLU of Nevada executive director Athar Hassebullah said what happens outside of official school grounds is a free for all. Federal immigration agents are able to engage in those spaces, and because of a recent precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court, they are increasingly profiling people based on perceived race or accent.

The prospect of immigration agents camping out near a school  either looking for specific individuals, or even just using their presence to incite fear  is a real threat, said Hassebullah. Making matters worse are growing reports of AI-generated images and videos of ICE agents outside of schools.

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This could cause additional panic, he added.

Reports, whether intended to protect or to panic, are now common on local social media groups.

Data privacy concerns are also a growing concern, adds Hassebullah, though they are not as widely discussed because they dont involve dark tinted SUVs driven by masked men with tactical gear. The ACLU of Nevada has sued the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, alleging the agency improperly and illegally turned over driver information to ICE.

All of this contributes to a very real fear among students and their families, advocates agree. Nevada has one of the highest shares of school-aged children in immigrant families, behind only California, Texas and New Jersey, according to American Community Survey data analyzed by KFF.

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Mixed-status families, of which Nevada has many, may be rethinking their schedules to ensure that someone less likely to be targeted by immigration officials is picking up the children.

These conversations are being had, says Orosco, though he emphasized that such conversations arent limited to school bell schedules because immigration enforcement is currently happening in a variety of spaces, often without an audience of observers.

On the whole, Orosco feels the conversation is shifting, from immigration enforcement in Nevada is not at the same level as Minneapolis to Nevada is not seeing the same level of enforcement yet.

Yet. he emphasized. The key thing is it is not happening yet.

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He continued, The federal government has essentially shown it has no limitations. How can we prepare? Nevada could be a targeted location.

During a special session in November, state lawmakers passed legislation to prohibit federal immigration officers from accessing school grounds without a warrant. Those provisions were amended into Gov. Joe Lombardos sweeping crime bill after separate, stronger protections being pushed by the Latino caucus were rejected by majority party leaders.

Lawmakers also passed a data privacy bill designed to better protect student data beyond FERPA.

But they should have done much more, says Hassebullah. The ACLU pushed for legislation to bar the expansion of ICE detention centers in the states. That would have helped all people, including students and their families, he added.

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They also could have considered legislation to ensure that local police officers are on the side of Nevadans and not, as Hassebullah sees them, the untrained thugs on immigration enforcement teams who routinely harass and threaten citizens and immigrants alike.

Law enforcement should be required under state law to immediately treat every single incident that comes through, in every single jurisdiction in Nevada, as an emergency, says Hassebullah. They should respond immediately and protect the individual thats being accosted in that fashion.

Adds Hassebullah, Theres a whole lot more that could be done. We could also have a governor that steps up and says something about the issue as a whole.

Lombardo did not respond to requests for comment about events in Minneapolis earlier this week. Early Wednesday morning, he issued a statement reiterating his support for the Presidents efforts to secure the border, but also disapproving of Trump administration officials who decided to draw conclusions related to law enforcement action without having all the facts.

A hotline and engaging

In the absence of action from political leaders, community groups are stepping up.

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Last year, during one of what they said were two immigration enforcement surges in the state, the coalition launched a hotline where people could report suspected ICE activity, which people would then try to verify and spread awareness about. The hotline also provides people with resources.

According to Orosco, the coalition around two weeks ago verified a parent had been picked up by immigration enforcement agents after dropping a student off at an eastside high school. But the incident did not occur on the campus itself.

Orosco said the coalition is engaging with CCSD Superintendent Jhone Eberts office and hopes it can sit down soon to collaborate. Members are hoping to discuss how and what resources the district is making available to students and their families.

Those efforts began before scores of students participated in anti-ICE walkouts. But Orosco thinks the walkouts have made it all the more important for which discussions to happen.

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The students are asking for leadership from the district that does not disappear when it becomes uncomfortable or politically difficult, he said.

Orosco believes many of the students who participated in the walkout did so because the issue is highly personal.

Many of them go to school carrying a question that they should not have to carry, he said. Will my family still be together when I get home? That fear doesnt disappear when the bell rings. It will shape how they learn, whether theyre able to learn.
A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value:

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

How far off is Kooth plc ( LON:KOO ) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex.

Story Continues

After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 3.0%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.1%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2035  (1 + g)  (r  g) = UK4.4m (1 + 3.0%)  (7.1% 3.0%) = UK112m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK112m ( 1 + 7.1%)10= UK56m

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is UK86m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of UK1.2, the company appears quite good value at a 49% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

AIM:KOO Discounted Cash Flow January 28th 2026

Important Assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Kooth as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

See our latest analysis for Kooth

SWOT Analysis for Kooth

Strength

Currently debt free.

Weakness

Earnings declined over the past year.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the British market.

Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Threat

Revenue is forecast to grow slower than 20% per year.

Next Steps:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For Kooth, we've put together three additional items you should assess:

Risks: Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Kooth you should be aware of, and 1 of them is significant. Future Earnings: How does KOO's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every British stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



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.
Jan. 27 (UPI) -- The Federal Aviation Administration ignored warnings about dangerous air traffic conditions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport ahead of the deadly mid-air collision that killed 67 people a year ago, National Transportation Safety Board officials said Tuesday.

Air traffic controllers were overworked and commonly dealt with near-collisions that likely numbed them to the dangers of the many close calls that they encountered at the airport, according to the NTSB officials.

The NTSB conducted a hearing after investigating the crash over the past year and determined the FAA ignored several complaints and warnings of dangers to air traffic made by air traffic controllers and others at the airport.

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"We have an entire tower who took it upon themselves to try to raise concerns over and over and over and over again, only to get squashed by management and everybody above them with [the] FAA," NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said during a Tuesday morning hearing at the NTSB's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

A pilot aboard the Army helicopter confirmed seeing the airliner when asked by the controller, but simulations created by the NTSB suggest it was very hard for the helicopter and airliner pilots to see one another.

NTSB created three simulations of the flight that feature the viewpoints from the helicopter's pilot, the airliner's pilot and the air traffic controller. The helicopter and airliner simulations are included in the same video simulation, while a third video gives an overview of the crash.

The simulations include closed captioning of the communications between the tower and the respective pilots and suggest the helicopter pilot mistook another aircraft for Flight 5342, while the airliner's pilot was not warned of the helicopter's close proximity.

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The helicopter simulation goes black at the moment of the collision.

Homendy said existing flight paths for helicopters and aircraft landing on the Reagan National Airport's runway targeted by Flight 5342 were dangerously close to one another.

"How is it that no one, absolutely no one in the FAA, did the work to figure out there was only 75 feet ... of vertical separation between a helicopter on route four and an airplane landing on runway 33?" Homendy asked.

The crash between a U.S. Army helicopter and American Eagle Flight 5342 at 8:58 p.m. EST on Jan. 29, 2025, killed all 64 passengers and crew aboard the airliner and the three crew members on the Army helicopter, who were undertaking a night training flight.

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The helicopter was a Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk, while the airliner was a Bombardier CRJ-700, which was operated by PSA Airlines on behalf of American Eagle.

Air traffic at the time of the collision was especially crowded, which compounded the problem of the two flight paths being dangerously close to one another.

Homendy and others said multiple federal agencies overly relied on respective pilots to visually identify dangers and maintain a safe distance from other aircraft to prevent collisions, which contributed greatly to causing the mid-air collision.

Low visibility contributed to deadly conditions, and individual errors were made by respective air crews and air traffic controllers, but systemic failures, ultimately, caused the collision, NTSB member Michael Graham said.

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"Individual errors may be noted throughout the course of the day, but I want to make it crystal clear any individual shortcomings were set up for failure by the systems around them," Graham told those attending the hearing.

When the mid-air collision occurred, a single air traffic controller was handling the airplane and helicopter traffic when a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System warning was triggered due to the close proximity of the Army helicopter and Flight 5342.
The NTSB has released its preliminary report into last month's nursing home explosion in Bristol Township, Bucks County, that left three people dead.

The blast occurred on the afternoon of Dec. 23 at the Bristol Health and Rehab Center.

According to the report, the facility's maintenance director contacted PECO around 11 a.m. to report a natural gas odor in the basement boiler room and a first-floor hallway.

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The NTSB notes that Exelon, PECO's parent company, provided natural gas to the facility through a distribution system that includes an underground 1.25-inch-diameter, coated steel service line and an indoor rotary meter set located in the basement.

Chopper 6 was over the scene of the nursing home explosion in Bristol Twp., Bucks County

An Exelon energy technician arrived at 11:50 a.m. and identified a leak on a meter set valve in the boiler room, according to the NTSB.

The energy technician contacted dispatch for repair assistance, the report shows, and an Exelon foreman dispatched a meter services technician to make the repair, who arrived around 1:20 p.m.

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The NTSB report noted that "both the foreman and the meter services technician had less than one year of experience in their current roles with Exelon."

Nursing home personnel told the NTSB that, shortly before the explosion, the smell could be detected not only in the basement and first floor, but also on the second floor as well.

The building exploded around 2:15 p.m.

RELATED: Lawsuit filed after Bucks County rehab center explosion kills 3, injures about 20

Lawsuit filed after rehab center explosion kills 3, injures about 20

Exelon emergency responders arrived at about 2:42 p.m. and isolated natural gas flow to the facility about 3:50 p.m., the report shows.

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The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission directed Exelon to conduct bar hole tests, according to the NTSB, which identified subsurface gas outside of the building at about 5 p.m.

The NTSB said it was able to recover the indoor meter set and excavated portions of the service line that did not hold pressure during testing.

An investigation into the explosion is ongoing.

RELATED: Read the full report at NTSB.gov.

"Future investigative activity will focus on evaluating physical evidence collected at the site and on reviewing Exelon's pipeline safety management system as well as its practices related to personnel training and operator qualifications, task-specific procedures, odor complaint response, documentation, and emergency response," the NTSB report reads.

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About 180 people were inside the building when the explosion happened. Two people were killed in the blast, while a third person passed away in early January. Another 20 people were injured.

The people who died were identified as residents Patricia Mero, 66, and Ann Reddy, as well as 52-year-old nurse Muthoni Nduthu.

"It is damning for PECO," said Andrew Duffy, one of the attorneys representing some of the victims of the explosion.

He says the timeline will be a key piece of evidence in the case.

"There is no acceptable answer for why PECO showed up at 11:50, immediately detected a leak, essentially did nothing except for call a leak tech to come out and fix. And we know what time that leak tech showed up, an

hour and a half later. Where is the urgency?" he said.

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"It's absolutely unacceptable," Duffy said, "and PECO knows that guidelines they have were violated by their own personnel.

PECO released the following statement following the report's release:

Today, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary report on the tragic incident that occurred on December 23, 2025, at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center.

We want to express our most heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, to those who were injured, to the residents who have been displaced, and to the entire Bristol community affected by this tragic event.

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Independent of any external investigation, PECO remains committed to the integrity of our system and ensuring our processes and procedures are designed to address a range of situations. Nevertheless, we recognize the importance of continuous improvement and vigilance with respect to the safe and reliable delivery of electric and natural gas service.

Following any significant incident, PECO promptly identifies and implements opportunities to enhance our service for customers and the communities we serve. Our response to this incident underscores our dedication to ongoing improvement and the importance of maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability.

We have recently taken steps to enhance the safety and reliability of our system, and the safety and performance of our dedicated and highly skilled employees and contractors. Some of these efforts include:

-Assessed existing population of meters currently located indoors and reprioritized relocation of indoor meters to outdoor locations.

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-Strengthened procedures and training with our employees and enhanced processes to help ensure employees responding to issues are equipped to further maintain the safety of our systems.

-Updated our public outreach process.

PECO is committed to reinforcing and enhancing our safety-first culture for our customers, employees, contractors, and entire service area.

As we continue to be an active participant in the NTSB investigation around this event, please direct all questions about the preliminary report and overall investigation to the NTSB.


Ice is thickening and spreading on the Hudson River -- disrupting boat traffic, including key ferries.

Ice is accumulating on the Hudson River due to sustained temperatures below 30 degrees and weak tides, currently aided by a half moon.

The larger the boat, the easier to get through icy patches -- so the Staten Island Ferry is operating as usual, thanks to the size of their vessels.

Service changes are in effect for several other lines, including the complete suspension of NYC Ferry boats across all routes.

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"Operating in heavy ice conditions requires slow speeds and little to no notice regarding landing service suspensions. NYC Ferry crew will continue to monitor evolving waterway conditions and prepare the fleet to ensure service can resume once conditions improve. We will provide ongoing updates regarding resumption of service as soon as it is safely possible to do so," a statement from the NYC Ferry said.

New York Waterway ferry services have been suspended from Edgewater, which is why the ferry service is now busing people from Edgewater to the Port Imperial ferry terminal in Weehawken.

The Liberty Landing City Ferry has suspended service for the remainder of the week through Friday.

Due to ice, The Circle Line has canceled all cruises through Feb. 8.

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Officials warn that ferry services may be impacted the next several days amid extreme cold.

Here's a breakdown of service changes:

NYC Ferry has been suspended.





NY Waterway has been suspended from Edgewater. Passengers can take a bus to the Port Imperial terminal.





The Staten Island Ferry is operating on a normal schedule.





Seastreak Ferry is experiencing delays on Wednesday





The Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry has been replaced by a bus since Jan. 20.





Liberty Landing Ferry has suspended service through Friday





Circle Line has canceled all cruises from Jan. 29 through Feb. 8.

Commuters are urged to check schedules and the latest service announcements before heading out.

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A teacher leads a fourth-grade math class Dec. 10 in Warner. A survey of Oklahoma educators and parents received numerous calls for teacher pay raises and small class sizes. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  Higher teacher pay and lower class sizes topped Oklahoma educators list of needs in public schools, a state Department of Education survey found.

Parents, 5,000 of whom also took the survey, agreed that quality teachers, adequate funding and small class sizes are among their top priorities for their childrens schools. Both parents and teachers emphasized a desire for family involvement in students education, according to the survey, which the Education Department and the Oklahoma State School Boards Association conducted in November and December.

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The 5,800 responding educators expressed numerous concerns for disruptive student behavior and called for more support in managing it.

Several survey answers urged the state to raise Oklahoma teacher wages, last increased in 2023, to retain and recruit more traditionally trained educators. Doing so, some said, would lower class sizes, improve instruction and help manage classroom disruptions.

State Superintendent Lindel Fields said the survey responses played a critical role in determining what legislative priorities he would present to state lawmakers.

State Superintendent Lindel Fields speaks at a press briefing Oct. 7 at the Oklahoma State Department of Education in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

In a hearing Monday, Fields requested a mostly flat education budget but encouraged House and Senate legislators to focus on school security, teacher development, school leader training, improving literacy and raising first-year teacher salaries.

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Multiple survey respondents, though, called for higher wages across the board, not only for first-year educators. Several said veteran teachers should be rewarded.

We have thousands of certified teachers who are opting out of teaching because of the volatile environment, one respondent wrote. Experience cannot be undervalued or cast out. We need experienced teachers to lead new graduates and help us reduce class sizes. So many have left.

The average salary of Oklahoma teachers is $61,330, enough for a middle-of-the-pack ranking among its bordering states, according to Education Department data. However, Oklahoma ranks second-highest in average teacher salaries when accounting for cost of living, the state agencys data shows.

Oklahomas average for first-year teacher pay, $41,152 a year, ranks near the bottom in the region even when considering cost of living.

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About 11% of Oklahoma public school teachers left the profession last school year, Fields told lawmakers in the Monday budget hearing. The state has 725 fewer teachers in public schools than the year before.

The challenge with 11% leaving is were not filling the pipeline to adequately replace those that are leaving, Fields told lawmakers. So, a little work there would go a long way.

Parents told the Education Department which skills they most want their children to learn before graduating from high school.

Financial literacy was at the top of the list followed by critical thinking, reading and literacy, life skills and career readiness.

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They also want their children to learn to communicate effectively, have strong math skills, build strong social and emotional skills, become technologically savvy, and understand civic and historical knowledge, the survey found.

Some parents complained that sports, technology and standardized testing have too great a role in schools. Others gave a more favorable view or didnt mention them as an issue.

Teachers also gave mixed responses on state testing. Some called for it to be eliminated, and others suggested it be reformed. Technology in education and extending the school year had conflicting responses, too, with some teachers in favor and others opposed.

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(The Center Square)  U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall event in Minneapolis on Tuesday night.

During a call for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for the resignation of U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, a man stood up and yelled at Omar. He also sprayed an unknown substance on her with a syringe.

It is unclear from the video what the man said or what the substance was, but Omar did continue with the speech after he was tackled by security and arrested by the Minneapolis Police Department.

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Im ok. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work, Omar posted on social media following the attack. I dont let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.

Omar was not hurt in the attack, according to her office.

Police identified the man as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, who was booked in Hennepin County Jail on assault charges.

The attack came the day after President Donald Trump announced that the federal government is investigating Omar for fraud.

The DOJ and Congress are looking at Congresswoman Illhan Omar, who left Somalia with NOTHING, and is now reportedly worth more than 44 Million Dollars, Trump posted on social media on Monday. Time will tell all.

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Omar is a Minnesota Democrat born in Somalia. A member of the far-left congressional group The Squad, she has been outspoken against the Trump administration since it began its investigations into Somali immigrant-linked welfare fraud.

Almost all Somalis in Minnesota are citizens, she posted recently. Thats why ICE is angry and is killing white citizens who want to document their illegal stops asking for proof of papers. None of this is normal.
GALESVILLE, Wis. (WFRV)  One person was taken into custody Tuesday morning following a standoff that prompted a nearby elementary school to be placed on lockdown.

Around 11:30 a.m., the Galesville Police Department and the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Office responded to the 20000 block of W. Clark Ave. for a reported domestic disturbance.

Green Bay woman arrested in Fond du Lac County after evading police twice at speeds of 130mph

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Authorities said they were informed that firearms were inside the residence and that the man had armed himself with an AR-style rifle and a handgun.

Law enforcement established a perimeter around the home, and Galesville Elementary School, located nearby, was placed into a temporary lockdown as a precaution.

The man later exited the residence and entered a vehicle in an apparent attempt to leave the scene. Officers were able to stop the vehicle while it was still in the driveway of the apartment complex, and the suspect was taken into custody without further incident.

Resident, 2 cats saved from duplex fire in Appleton that caused $50,000 in damages

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The man was transported to the Trempealeau County Jail and is expected to face charges including recklessly endangering safety, false imprisonment, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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.
The Oneida Indian Nations legacy as Americas First Allies is being recognized by the federal government with the release of the United States Mints 2026 Native American $1 Coin, which will feature Oneida heroine Polly Cooper.

The coin honors Cooper for her role in helping save George Washingtons Continental Army during the brutal winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge, when she and other Oneidas carried food and supplies from their homelands in what is now upstate New York to the encampment. Cooper remained there through the winter, teaching soldiers how to prepare white corn and cooking for troops to help them survive.

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The release comes as the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Federal officials and tribal leaders said the coin highlights the Oneida Nations critical role in the countrys founding through an alliance rooted in the belief in sovereignty and self-determination.

Since 2009, the Native American $1 Coin program has recognized the contributions of tribal nations and Native individuals to U.S. history. The 2026 coin depicts Cooper alongside Washington, holding a basket of white corn.

During the Revolutionary War, the Oneida broke away from other members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy to side with the American colonists, fighting in key battles including Oriskany and Saratoga in New York and Barren Hill in Pennsylvania. Their loyalty earned them the name Americas First Allies. Oneida citizens have served in every major American conflict since.

The Oneida people became Americas First Allies on some of the bloodiest battlefields of the Revolutionary War, said Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter. One-third of our ancestors at that time were lost to these conflicts, yet their lives were given proudly for the right of all to sovereignty and self-determination. As we look ahead to the 250th anniversary of the United States, the recognition of this legacy and of Polly Coopers contributions serves as a great source of pride for our people, as well as for all Upstate New Yorkers and all Americans who strive to uphold these principles.

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Coopers actions were pivotal to the survival of the Continental Army.

During a harsh winter, Polly Cooper led Oneida warriors from Central New York to Valley Forge to provide food and relief to George Washingtons army, ensuring their survival, Schumer said. This new coin will ensure the story of Polly Coopers courageous role in the American Revolution lives on for generations to come. With Americas 250th birthday here, it is fitting to honor her legacy with the release of this new coin. I am proud to have fought to establish the Native American $1 Coin to honor heroes like Polly Cooper.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said the recognition highlights New Yorks central role in the nations founding.

New York is home to so much Revolutionary War history, and Polly Cooper and the Oneida Indian Nation are at the center of it, she said. I am proud to see the U.S. Mint highlight the pivotal role that New York and the Oneida people played in the founding of our country.

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Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said the program helps ensure the full story of the nations founding is told.

As the 250th anniversary of the United States approaches, it is especially important that we continue to tell the stories of all who played a part in the remarkable history of its founding, Mullin said. The U.S. Mints Native American $1 Coin program is an important part of these efforts, as it highlights the tribal nations and individuals, like the Oneida Indian Nation and Polly Cooper, who helped establish a country grounded in the rights of all people to freedom and self-determination.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said the coin honors both history and enduring contributions.

Today, we recognize and celebrate the contributions of the Oneida Indian Nation, Jeffries said. That storied history is reflected in the legacy of Polly Cooper, a selfless young woman from the Oneida Indian Nation, who gave starving American soldiers the nourishment they needed to continue the fight for independence during the Revolutionary War. The designation of the 2026 Native American $1 Coin is a small token to honor the impact that the Oneida Indian Nation has had on our past, and will continue to have in shaping our future.

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Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said the recognition extends beyond one tribe.

The U.S. Mints annual Native American $1 Coin program is an important reminder of the critical role Native people have played in American history since this countrys earliest days, Cole said. While this recognition is a great source of pride for the Oneida Indian Nation, it also lifts up all Native people whenever our contributions and achievements are celebrated in this way.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said the honor is especially meaningful to the region.

I am proud to see the U.S. Mint honoring the remarkable patriot Polly Cooper of the Oneida Indian Nation with this years Native American $1 Coin, Stefanik said. The Oneida Indian Nation bravely fought alongside the Continental Army and provided critical support for the patriots throughout the Revolutionary War  including the food and supplies Polly Cooper carried to Valley Forge  making the Oneida people among Americas very first allies.

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Rep. John Mannion, D-N.Y., said the recognition reflects a long-standing partnership.

Our region has always enjoyed a strong partnership with the Oneida Indian Nation, and recognitions like this remind us that this partnership began even before the founding of the United States, Mannion said.

In addition to the new coin, the Oneida Indian Nations role as Americas First Allies and Coopers legacy are also highlighted at the Smithsonians National Museum of the American Indian in Washington and at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.

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Jan 27 (Reuters) - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees in an internal message that ICE is "going too far" with its immigration crackdown, becoming the latest corporate executive to voice concerns about heavy enforcement actions in Minnesota.

Federal agents shot and killed a protester in Minneapolis over the weekend, the second such shooting this month, sparking widespread disapproval of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's actions. More than 60 CEOs have signed a statement calling for de-escalation after weeks of silence.

"What's happening with ICE is going too far," Altman wrote in a Slack message to employees of the ChatGPT maker, a source familiar with the matter said. "There is a big difference between deporting violent criminals and what's happening now, and we need to get the distinction right."

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"I love the U.S. and its values of democracy and freedom and will be supportive of the country however I can; OpenAI will too," Altman said in his message, which was first reported by the New York Times' DealBook. "But part of loving the country is the American duty to push back against overreach."

Altman's comments come as a rift has emerged at Khosla Ventures, an early OpenAI backer. Founder Vinod Khosla and partner Ethan Choi disavowed comments from partner Keith Rabois over the weekend that law enforcement had not shot an innocent person and that illegal immigrants commit crimes on a daily basis.

A number of businesses have been hesitant to criticize U.S. President Donald Trump during his second term.

Since the beginning of "Operation Metro Surge" in Minneapolis in December, major Minnesota corporations had been largely silent about the effects of the immigration enforcement efforts on the city, a liberal Midwestern stronghold as well as a major corporate hub.

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Leaders of companies such as 3M, UnitedHealth Group and General Mills have called for de-escalation since the second shooting over the weekend.

More than 450 employees from firms like Google, Meta Platforms, Salesforce and OpenAI signed a letter on Saturday urging their top executives to pressure the White House to withdraw ICE from U.S. cities, cancel all contracts with ICE and to speak out publicly against ICE's violence.

"President Trump is a very strong leader, and I hope he will rise to this moment and unite the country. I am encouraged by the last few hours of response and hope to see trust rebuilt with transparent investigations," Altman added.

(Reporting by Deepa Seetharaman in San Francisco and Natalia Bueno Rebolledo in Mexico City; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
People thought I would use force, President Trump said on Jan. 21 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, referring to his threats to annex Denmarks Greenland. I dont have to use force. I dont want to use force. I wont use force.

These words laid to rest the fears that NATO, which has kept the peace in Europe since 1949, would dissolve in a war among members.

The same day, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had arrived at a framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland, and, in fact, the entire Arctic region. Although there are no details of the arrangement, the U.S. is seeking greater rights to erect stronger defenses on the worlds largest island.

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Trumps words on Greenland were bold, startling and divisive. No American leader had talked this way since the first years of the 20th century. The fact that Trump pushed annexation told us the world has changed far more than we know.

Progress toward a solution was visible even before Trump made his important concessions at Davos. On Jan. 14, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlands Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.

Then, Rasmussen said, the U.S., Denmark and Greenland would be forming a high-level working group to explore if we can find a common way forward. The meeting was focused on how to ensure the long-term security in Greenland.

Long-term security is in everyones common interest  and all three parties have been at fault for neglecting it for more than three decades. As Trump has repeatedly said, Greenlands defense now consists of two dog sleds. Thats not much of an exaggeration. A year ago this month, Troels Lund Poulsen, Denmarks defense minister, admitted Copenhagen had long neglected the islands defense.

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And, by the way, so has the U.S. The U.S. Navy, for instance, maintains no bases in Alaska and has few ships designed for warfare in cold conditions.

Neglect is no longer an option. As the Arctic ice cap recedes, Russian and Chinese vessels are dominating the region. Trump noticed. As he said earlier this month, you have Russian destroyers and submarines and China destroyers and submarines all over the place.

Nordic diplomats and some analysts dispute this justification for grabbing Greenland, but the president is right about the threat of these vessels, at least as far as the Arctic in general is concerned. In 2024, the Chinese and Russian militaries flew planes on patrols near Alaska for the first time. Chinese bombers took off and landed from a Russian airfield.

Chinese research submarines traveled beneath Arctic ice for the first time last summer  a technical feat with chilling military and commercial implications for America and its allies, reports the Wall Street Journal. The U.S. and its allies expect Beijing will be able to send armed submarines to the North Pole within a few years.

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The big concern is undersea warfare. China is studying and surveying Arctic waters to help submarines navigate and evade detection. Soon, China will station nuclear-armed subs in the Arctic, close to potential targets in North America.

China doesnt field the worlds largest fleet of oceanographic survey ships because they want to save the whales, Hunter Stires, a naval strategist, told the Wall Street Journal. China aims to take the lead in marine and climate science because understanding the ocean and the climate is a critical enabler to success in naval operations, particularly in anti-submarine warfare.

China is also patrolling Alaska with coast guard vessels, which, despite their civilian markings, look like navy frigates.

In short, the Chinese and Russians are quickly militarizing the Arctic. Militarization has consequences because as the ice cap recedes, vessels can transit the top of the world between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans easily, avoiding chokepoints like the Panama Canal and the stormy waters off Cape Horn, at the tip of South America.

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Greenland guards one of the entry points to the Arctic Ocean, not to mention the North Atlantic in general. Trump is right that American security now depends on Greenland, although he should remember there is strength in allies.

China, which calls itself a Near-Arctic state, is not, in fact, an Arctic state. It is not one of the Arctic Five, the five littoral states bordering the Arctic Ocean. Russia, one of the five, is outnumbered.

All of the other four  the U.S., Canada, Norway and Denmark by virtue of Greenland  are NATO members. Of the eight countries with territory inside the Arctic Circle  the Arctic Five plus Finland, Iceland and Sweden  all but Russia are in that alliance.

Thats a powerful combination on Americas side. With the threat of force off the table, NATO once again looks united in the Arctic.

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Gordon G. Chang is the author of  Plan Red: Chinas Project to Destroy America and  The Coming Collapse of China .

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.
Several hundred healthcare workers and community members gathered in Eugene for a vigil on Jan. 27 to remember Alex Pretti, a Minnesota ICU nurse who was shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Local officials, including Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson, state Rep. Lisa Fragala and Springfield City Councilor Kori Rodley spoke during the vigil, along with several healthcare workers.

"These acts of violence against our communities must stop now," Fragala said. "We must stop the occupation in Minneapolis and all communities across our nation and to stop violence against peacefully protesting individuals."

A federal agent carries away a protesters sign past a candlelight vigil at the Eugene Federal Building on Jan. 27, 2026. The vigil was organized for Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse shot by federal agents last week.

The Jan. 27 vigil was organized by Oregon Nurses Association. The crowd squeezed into the plaza at the corner of Seventh and Pearl streets outside the Eugene Federal Building, spilling into the grass that slopes up to the sides. They waved signs with phrases like "I'm a nurse and a mom  am I a domestic terrorist too?" Dozens of live-flame and battery-powered candles lit up the attendees' faces and a small memorial with a photo of Pretti was set up on steps before the crowd.

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Speakers also referenced the commotion that took place earlier that same day where at least six protesters were arrested by federal agents and taken into the building. At least three had been released, but a few hundred feet from the vigil near the front entrance to the Federal Building, dozens of protesters still waited, demanding the arrestees' release.

Speaking about Pretti's death, speakers became choked up. Chris Rompala, who is a registered nurse, ONA board member and executive committee chair at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart, offered a Nightingale Tribute, a tradition for nurses who have died.

"Nursing is a calling, a way of life. It is a service profession that cannot be lived in isolation," Rompala said. "Nurses rely on each other, so that we can collectively care for each other. As we honor Alex and his life's work, we reflect on the impact his loss has on all of us, on our profession and on our community."

Throughout the demonstration, passing cars honked their horns non-stop in support.

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Knudson condemned the violence exhibited by ICE and called for community members to protest peacefully and continue showing up to support those affected by federal immigration policies.

"The federal agencies that have brought this upon our community and communities across this country, they need to leave," Knudson said. "They're not making us safer, they're not protecting anyone. This is not about immigration or federal policies. These are terrorizing actions and they're dangerous."

Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr.

Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene-Springfield nurses hold vigil for Minnesota ICE shooting victim
IG Metall warned of possible escalation against German carmakers as it prepares for wage negotiations later this year, reported Bloomberg.

The German workers union is gearing up for discussions in the metal and electrical engineering sector, with pivotal talks expected in autumn.

The negotiations come as manufacturers and suppliers grapple with intensifying Chinese competition, the effects of US tariffs and weaker-than-forecast electric-vehicle demand.

Employee representatives occupy half the supervisory board seats at major German companies, giving unions significant leverage to shape or halt strategic decisions.

The countrys automotive industry has faced a difficult year, marked by profit warnings and restructuring after producers pared back EV programmes.

Companies across the sector have announced plans to cut close to 100,000 jobs by 2030, with Robert Bosch responsible for the largest share.

At the unions annual press conference, IG Metall chairwoman Christiane Benner said: IG Metall, its works councils, and the employees have delivered. We have ideas, we are actively involved! The employees in our sectors are foregoing billions of euros. In return, we have succeeded in securing tens of thousands of jobs through negotiations and in securing investment commitments for German locations. Without us, things would already be very bleak for German industry!

Volkswagen said last week that preliminary automotive cash flow for 2025 surpassed expectations, mainly because investment projects were delayed.

Supplier ZF Friedrichshafen also reported stronger cash flow after customers withdrew several EV initiatives.

Workforce reductions already outlined include Audi planning to eliminate 7,500 roles by 2029, Continental 10,150 positions, Ford 1,000 jobs at its Cologne EV facility.

Other companies are also planning major job cuts: Porsche will eliminate 1,900 positions by 2029; Bosch, 18,500 roles; Schaeffler, 4,700 jobs; Volkswagen, 35,000 positions by 2030; and ZF Friedrichshafen, 14,000 roles this decade.

Pressure from Chinese rivals such as BYD is rising both in China and through imports into Europe, while domestic vehicle production in Germany has stagnated for a third consecutive year.

Output in 2025 was roughly 11% below 2019 levels.

"Labour union IG Metall warns German carmakers ahead of wage talks" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.




Oxfam says it will not disclose the personal details of its Palestinian staff to Israel, citing its armys deadly attacks in Gaza that have killed hundreds of aid workers.

As part of a crackdown on NGOs providing life-saving aid to Palestinians, Israel last year demanded that some of the worlds best-known charities working in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem hand over detailed information about their Palestinian and international staff, operations and funding.

On January 1, Israel withdrew the licences of 37 aid groups, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee and Oxfam, saying they failed to adhere to the new security and transparency standards.

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But Oxfam has said it will not share data about its Palestinian employees.

We will not transfer sensitive personal data to a party to the conflict since this would breach humanitarian principles, duty of care and data protection obligations, an Oxfam spokesperson told Al Jazeera. More than 500 humanitarian workers have been killed since October 7, 2023.

We call on the government of Israel to immediately halt deregistration proceedings and lift measures obstructing humanitarian assistance, the spokesperson said. We urge donor governments to use all available leverage to secure the suspension and reversal of these actions.

According to rules set out by Israels Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, the information to be handed over includes passport copies, resumes and names of family members, including children. It said it would reject organisations it suspected of inciting racism, denying the state of Israels existence or the holocaust. It would also ban those it deems as supporting an armed struggle by an enemy state or a terrorist organisation against the State of Israel.

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Israel says 23 organisations have agreed to the new registration rules. The others are understood to have refused or are weighing their decisions.

The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) condemned the organisations that have adhered to Israels demands.

PNGO underscores the grave risks inherent in this measure, which constitutes a clear violation of the principles of international humanitarian law and established humanitarian work standards, it said, adding that complying with Israels order poses a direct threat to the safety and security of local staff.

On Saturday, Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, said it was prepared to share a defined list of Palestinian and international staff names, subject to clear parameters with staff safety at its core to Israel, while acknowledging that the demands were unreasonable.

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MSFs decision was condemned by some doctors, activists and campaigners, saying it could endanger Palestinians, given Israel has targeted aid workers throughout the genocide in Gaza.

A former MSF employee, requesting anonymity, told Al Jazeera, It is extremely concerning  that MSF would make a decision like this.

MSF faces profoundly difficult decisions  concede to the demands of a genocidal regime, or refuse and face complete expulsion and an abrupt end to all health activities in the coming weeks. But what is humanitarianism under genocide? There must be alternatives  alternatives that demand a much bolder and more disruptive approach to humanitarianism amid such brutal political decline.

According to the International Rescue Committee, which is is reportedly weighing the demands, Palestinians make up almost a fifth of all aid workers killed since records began.
While meeting with oil and gas executives at the White House earlier this month, President Donald Trump made a bizarre comment when asked about the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis. I feel that I won Minnesota, he said. I think I won it all three times. (He lost the state in 2016, and again in 2020, and a third time in 2024. The margins werent razor thin either: roughly two points, seven points and four points.) Two weeks later, on Jan. 24, within hours of another killing by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis  37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti  Attorney General Pam Bondi was on Fox News making demands for sensitive voting information from the state like some kind of mob boss collecting protection money.

Bondi boasted of sending a letter to Minnesotas Democratic Gov. Tim Walz that called on the state to hand over personal data on millions of its residents to satisfy Trumps obsession with proving election fraud in 2020. On Monday, Vice President JD Vance piled on to suggest that the citys wave of protests against the presence and actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are meant to allow undocumented immigrants the right to vote in federal elections.

The audacity of linking voter roll demands to the ICE and Border Patrol killings in Minneapolis reveals just how far gone this administration is. MAGA is using death and fear as bargaining chips in Trumps long-running tantrum over the 2020 election. Theyre extorting Minnesotas government in broad daylight, and using federal immigration agents  estimated at 3,000 to 4,000, or at least five times the number of Minneapolis police officers  as muscle.

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Even U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez, presiding over Minnesotas request to end what locals officials have called a federal occupation, seemed to recognize the quid pro quo at play. Is the executive trying to achieve a goal through force that it cant achieve through the courts? she asked Justice Department lawyers during a hearing on Monday.

The answer is yes. Bondis demand for Minnesotas voter rolls has nothing to do with immigration enforcement, and there is no evidence that the states elections have violated federal law.

The Somali daycare fraud scandal that seemingly kicked off the administrations scrutiny was a manufactured crisis to justify this crackdown. Trump blew it up into some grand conspiracy to steal elections, despite there being exactly zero evidence linking welfare fraud to voter fraud. Much of the Minnesota Fraud, up to 90%, is caused by people that came into our Country, illegally, from Somalia, the president claimed without evidence on Truth Social. Republicans in Congress then opened an investigation into a larger scheme by Democrats to use illegal immigrants and purported refugees to hijack federal elections. As House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., recently said, No question. One hundred percent, this was a coordinated effort to get more Democrat voters into these states. Bondis voter roll demand is the smoking gun.

The Trump administration has been suing roughly two dozen states  notably, all states Trump lost in 2020  demanding access to unredacted voter registration files that include private data like Social Security numbers and drivers license information. They claim they need it to verify citizenship and clean voter rolls of ineligible voters, and in her letter to Walz, Bondi said that the Justice Department needs to confirm that Minnesotas registration system complies with the Civil Rights Act of 1960.

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Minnesotas Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon, like many officials in other states, has declined to provide the data because he says doing so would violate state and federal privacy laws. Simon told CNNs Jake Tapper on Monday that it was deeply disturbing to receive Bondis letter. Literally hours after the second  lets not forget second  killing of an American citizen in the city of Minneapolis by ICE agents, he said, theres thisransom note.

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.

Notably, Bondi didnt promise to stop ICEs violence or commit to ending the aggressive raids. As Wendy Weiser from the Brennan Center for Justice put it: What do voter rolls have to do with ICE? Nothing. But they have a lot to do with the administrations ongoing efforts to meddle in elections. The subtext is obvious: give us what we want, or the violence continues.

While the administration has been vague about how voter data would be stored, its not hard to see that Trump wants to build, for the first time, a massive national voter database controlled by the executive branch. With access to detailed voter files, the federal government could cross-reference political participation with immigration data, such as running Social Security numbers and drivers license data through a shadowy Homeland Security database, to intimidate communities that already feel targeted. The effect would be chilling  and it would almost certainly drive down voter participation in immigrant communities, many of whom would perhaps be more likely to vote for Democrats.

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The Trump administrations assault on sensitive voter information isnt just confined to Bondis efforts at the Justice Department. Theyre using every lever of government power in their mission. Last week, it was reported that staffers connected to Elon Musks DOGE government efficiency group allegedly routed Social Security data to a group trying to prove that election fraud is rampant.

Walz, to his credit, told Bondi exactly where she could stick her ransom note. I would just give a pro tip to the attorney general, he said. Theres two million documents in the Epstein files were still waiting on. Go ahead and work on those. Federal judges in California and Oregon have already thrown out the federal governments lawsuits, with the California judge warning against unbridled consolidation of all elections power in the Executive without action from Congress and public debate.

But Trump learned from Jan. 6 that there are no real consequences for attempting to overthrow democracy. The administration is just getting started, testing the boundaries to see what they can get away with ahead of the November midterms. The voter roll demands and mass deportations are just one piece of a larger puzzle that also includes attacks on birthright citizenship, purges of federal employees, revenge prosecutions and efforts to control the media. Its all part of the same project: MAGA.

The post Pam Bondis shakedown exposes Big Lie in Minneapolis appeared first on Salon.com.
A Ukrainian soldier has described the moment a passenger train was targeted by Russian drones, killing five people.

When a carriage on the train was hit in northeastern Ukraine, passengers threw themselves on the floor in panic and the military officer told them to get out immediately.

Without his instruction, issued moments before the carriage burst into flames, many more passengers could have died.

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The officer, whose army call-sign is Omar, is part of Ukraine's 93rd brigade. He was among the passengers travelling on a route from Chop, on the border with Slovakia, to Barvinkove, the last stop before the front line in eastern Ukraine.

Five people were killed in the attack, which President Zelensky said was "terrorism" [Omar/93rd brigade]

The first of three Russian drones landed near the train, forcing it to come to a halt.

"Then we heard the rumble of another drone, and then an explosion," Omar tells the BBC. "The blast was so strong that parts of the carriage shattered into splinters."

As the commander of a drone unit, he quickly realised he and the other passengers had to get out as the train could get hit again. In all, 291 people were on the train at the time, officials say.

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"After the second hit, I understood that the drone operator was observing what kind of target it was hitting," Omar says, and a stationary train was an easy target.

The carriage that suffered a direct hit quickly became engulfed in flames. "I am in the military and I am prepared for such attacks," says Omar. "But for others it was a shock to be so close to death."

Many passengers evacuated the train in a state of deep distress, and videos from the scene show people screaming and crying as they move away from the smouldering wreck.

It was too dangerous for such a large number of people to stay near the burning carriages, so he urged them to start moving towards a nearby motorway.

Omar said he realised that the drone operator was keeping an eye on the kind of target he had hit [Omar/93rd brigade]

He then went back to the train with some of the other passengers to check if anyone had been left behind. Inspecting the carriages, he saw a body and continued to look for survivors. Five people lost their lives in the attack.

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In the final carriage, Omar found a young woman with a baby.

"She was very scared and had no idea what to do but thank God she was alive," he says.

She barely had time to put on warm clothes, and screamed she needed to go back to the carriage to retrieve her suitcase and documents, the officer says.

"I came here to bring my son," she told Omar as she was getting off the train. Later, Omar understood she had been travelling to the front line so that her soldier husband could see their child.

The attack on the passenger train was condemned by President Volodymyr Zelensky as terrorism.

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It hit the heart of the railway system - a symbol of resilience in a country where the airspace has been closed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Millions of Ukrainians rely on the 21,000km-long (13,000-mile) railway network to travel around the country and to cross the border into neighbouring countries, from which they can then catch flights.

Although the railways have been targeted in the past, by and large Ukraine's Ukrzaliznytsia rail company has been able to keep people moving on its vast network - although escalating attacks on infrastructure and severe weather have led to increasingly long delays.

Trains to the frontline city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region were eventually suspended last autumn, once the area became too dangerous due to sustained aerial Russian attacks.

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On Wednesday, flags flew at half-mast in railway stations across Ukraine. The daily minute of silence observed across the country was dedicated to the victims of the drone strike on the train.

Hours after the attack had taken place, services were running again on the Barvinkove-Chop line.
Around 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, Westbrook pastor Carlos Nzolameso received a call from a member of his congregation who was searching for a roommate. Evaristo Kalonji, who organizes and plays the music at the church, had not shown up to his job at Chipotle.

Several other congregants also reached out to Nzolameso, concerned that Kalonji, an asylum seeker from Angola, was missing. Nzolameso, who leads the predominantly Portuguese-speaking Rehoboth Christian Church, said Kalonji, who has no family in the United States, is like a son.

He set out to find him.

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Nzolameso spent a couple hours searching for Kalonji in and around South Portland, where Kalonji lives. Nzolameso checked with the police department for any traffic stops or accidents. His efforts yielded no answers. He weighed checking the hospital next.

It wasnt until the pastor made a final trip to retrace Kalonjis commute that he spotted his car  a black Ford Fusion  two minutes away from Kalonjis home. It was parked on Westbrook Street in South Portland. The car was unlocked, he said, and the keys were on the floor.

I was devastated. I couldnt even believe it, said Noemia Nzolameso, the pastors daughter, when she heard the news. I was in shock. Literally.

Though Kalonji has no criminal record, the pastor suspected he could have been detained by federal agents as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security began a widespread immigration enforcement operation in Maine last week.

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But Nzolameso had no way of confirming what had happened until later that day, when he received a brief call from Kalonji, who said he had been detained by immigration agents. He was calling from a detention center in Burlington, Massachusetts, and seemed confused as to why he was there, Nzolameso said.

Kalonji has a pending asylum case, according to the Executive Office for Immigration Review, part of the U.S. Department of Justice. Kalonji originally had a court date scheduled for this year, but it was recently postponed to May 2028, Nzolameso said.

Evaristo Kalonji is active in his church: He plays music, organizes cleaning and helps lead services. He is one of four congregants at his church in Westbrook to be detained by federal immigration agents in the past six months. Photo courtesy Carlos Nzolameso.

Nzolamesco later learned that Kalonji was then moved to a detention center in Central Falls, Rhode Island, according to an online federal database.

On Saturday, a lawyer for Kalonji filed an emergency petition in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts for a writ of habeas corpus, challenging the detention, according to online court records. The detainee locator system showed Kalonji was still in Rhode Island as of Jan. 28.

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A background search in TLOxp, a database from TransUnion, returned no criminal records for Kalonji.

The Maine Monitor asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday why it had detained Kalonji. The agency had not provided an answer as of Wednesday morning.

Officials from homeland security told Fox News last week, when the operation started, that it was targeting approximately 1,400 people in Maine. So far, the agency claims to have detained more than 200 people in Maine. It has only released limited names but said in a press release that it is going after the worst of the worst.

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, however, said that most people who have been detained and sought its help are going through lawful immigration processes and have no criminal background.

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A recent report from the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, found that nearly three in four people detained by ICE in October and early November last year had never been convicted of a crime.

Last week, Maine Monitor reporting found that a mother of four with no criminal history was detained after dropping off a child at school, and a civil engineer with no criminal history was detained by masked agents who smashed his window and left his car running in the street.

Nzolameso, who has been leading the church for five years, has found himself navigating a challenging immigration detention system on behalf of some of his congregants. Kalonji is the fourth congregant of his church to have been detained by immigration officials in the past six months, Nzolameso said. Three other men were detained between August and December, he said, and only one has been released.

Im the pastor. I need to take care them, he said. I preach the word of God for them. But I need to care for them, too, because they have no family.

Carlos Nzolameso, pastor of the Rehoboth Christian Church in Westbrook, searched for a congregant, Evaristo Kalonji, ultimately finding his car with the keys on the floor. Photo by Kristian Moravec.

While sitting at a desk in the basement of his Westbrook home, Nzolamesos phone rang repeatedly as church members tried to reach him. On the night before Kalonji was detained, Nzolameso had told his congregants to reach out if they had any concerns as the immigration operation took on a new force in Maine.

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Many church members have stopped showing up to services, he said, which has led him to start preaching online. Others are not going to work.

Everybody is afraid, Nzolameso said. They dont know whats going to happen.

Please send tips about ICE activity in Maine through this form or contact individual reporters directly.
(The Center Square)  Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued a Delaware-based nurse for mailing abortion pills to Texas residents in violation of state law.

On Tuesday, he sued Debra Lynch, a Delaware-based nurse practitioner who operates Her Safe Harbor, an extremist group that ships abortion drugs into Texas, Paxton said The group says its a groundbreaking online network dedicated to affordable and compassionate reproductive healthcare services nationwide, including medication abortion. It provides medication assisted abortions delivered discreetly to your door, as well as treatments for sexually transmitted diseases, emergency contraception and birth control.

The lawsuit was filed in the District Court of Jefferson County Texas alleging that Lynch operates an illegal abortion-by-mail enterprise. From her home in Delaware, she prescribes and ships abortion-inducing drugs into Texas  "knowingly and willfully violating Texas law, the lawsuit states. Lynch routinely mails abortion drugs, including mifepristone and misoprostol, to women across Texas, including in Beaumont, Fulshear, Tomball, Houston and El Paso, the lawsuit alleges.

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Her operation is part of a growing network of out-of-state abortion traffickers that deliberately target Texas residents and defy this States duly enacted protections for unborn children and their mothers, the lawsuit alleges. Lynch has boasted to media outlets, including the Austin-American Statesman, that she mails a lot [of abortion drugs] to Texas.

By doing so she is violating the Human Life Protection Act, Texas Health and Safety codes and prohibitions on unlicensed practice of medicine, the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit was filed after Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law The Texas Woman and Child Protection Act, which is now in effect. Sponsored by state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, it creates civil penalties of up to $100,000 for producers and distributors of chemical abortion pills in Texas.

Despite Texas legislative abortion bans, abortion medications mifepristone (Mifeprex) and Misoprostol are being delivered in Texas. Through the new law, their sale and delivery are banned and civil liability tools are available to use against those trafficking abortion pills, including those mailing, delivering, or trafficking abortion pills, according to the bill language. The law holds liable manufacturers and distributors of abortion pills and allows women and their family members to bring wrongful death and injury suits six years after being injured by abortion, according to the bill analysis.

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The bill was passed after concerns were raised about the alleged harm the pills cause women and girls. A new report published by Live Action cites health and safety concerns related to chemical abortion pills, including women needing emergency care for infection, hemorrhaging or other life-threatening adverse reactions. It also points to a lack of regulatory oversight of online dispensing with little to no accountability for what is mailed past gestational guidelines or to minors.

The law was enacted, and Paxtons lawsuit was filed, after two tragic cases in Texas occurred involving radical abortion activists and organizations facilitated men illegally purchasing abortion-inducing drugs, Paxton said. According to one lawsuit, a man used the drugs to secretly poison his girlfriend, causing the death of their unborn child, and sending the mother to the hospital, he said.

He appears to be referring to a Parker County case when a Trump administration Department of Justice staffer allegedly ordered chemical abortion pills online and gave it to his girlfriend without her knowledge or consent, The Center Square reported. He was charged with capital murder and denies any wrongdoing.

Lynchs illegal operation endangers the lives of unborn children and their mothers, Paxton said.

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The lawsuit follows a cease and desist letter Paxton sent Her Safe Harbor and Plan C last August arguing they were likely violating the Comstock Act and multiple Texas laws.

The Plan C website states, Abortion access in Texas is restricted, but abortion pills are still available by mail from providers outside of the state. It notes that online clinics sell the pills to those who want abortion pills by mail and follow-up support from a clinician; websites sell the pills to those who want abortion pills by mail without consulting a clinician; and community networks sell the pills to those who cant afford other services and want free pills mailed by volunteers.

The legal action also follows Paxton successfully suing and shutting down illegal abortion facilities in Texas, The Center Square reported.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  The impact of unchecked power just devastating, said Peorias police chief, referring to recent federal immigration enforcement campaigns.

The current state of ICE is a danger to the community, so Ill say that publicly, said Police Chief Eric Echevarria. The impact of unchecked power is just devastating.

Mayor Rita Ali and the chief dedicated several minutes at the end of Tuesdays City Council meeting to ease concerns some residents have regarding the possible use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents within the city limits.

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Echevarria said flatly that while he cant control what ICE agents do, he can control how his officers serve our community, how we are going to protect public safety and how we treat people.

Peoria residents filled the council chambers, on the fourth floor of City Hall, some holding No Ice in Peoria signs. They urged city leaders to take a strong stance against ICE, if they come to the area.

Echevarria said they will ensure a de-escalation policy to stop violence, while keeping everyone in the community safe regardless of immigration status. He said his officers will not assist ICE agents beyond what is required under departmental policy.

Peoria police also will not inquire, the chief said, about a persons immigration status, and officers will always wear body cameras.

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He also said the department will not intervene in lawful federal actions but will not allow violence.

The matter has a personal feeling to the chief and he laid out his own thoughts while reading from a prepared statement.

Ill say just from a from personal standpoint, as an Afro-Latino man, a husband, father and a grandfather, I understand these fears all too well. I understand both sides of the coin. Ive lived on both sides of the coin, so I understand it, and I understand the fears and we cannot control federal policy or decisions, but what we control is how we serve our community, he said.

Just this week, the International Association of Chiefs of Police has asked to have a meeting with the White House to go over national immigrant enforcement. Echevarria told the city council members hes asked for a seat at the table if the meeting happens.

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Mayor Rita Ali told audience members about the states TRUST Act which prohibits local law enforcement from working with federal agents unless they have a judicial warrant.

As of now, there havent been any credible reports that ICE has been enforcing in Peoria.

For some residents, that isnt enough. They said theyre worried ICE agents coming to the area could lead to the people dying.

This comes after Minnesota has become a focus of immigration enforcement, which led to two people being shot and killed by ICE agents.

As the tragic events continue, and since Illinois is similar to Minnesota in being led by a Democrat, we remain at high risk of seeing tactics used in Minnesota seeing them here being used on our community, said Hind Abi-Akar, a Peoria resident.

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Other speakers said they were pleased to hear the mayor and the chief had a plan in place.

This story will be updated.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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By Daniel Trotta and Jasper Ward

Jan 27 (Reuters) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and wounded a human-trafficking suspect who fired on a federal government helicopter in Arizona on Tuesday and later engaged in a shootout with the agent, officials said.

The suspect, a fugitive who had escaped from a halfway house related to a previous smuggling conviction, was in a serious but stable condition after undergoing surgery, the Pima County sheriff and FBI told a news conference.

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The incident near the Mexican border occurred amid heightened tensions in the United States after immigration officers in Minnesota shot and killed two U.S. citizens in recent weeks as part of President Donald Trump's immigration-enforcement surge.

The shooting took place in rural desert near the town of Arivaca, about 10 miles (16 km) from the U.S.-Mexico border, a busy crossing area for migrants and also the site of past tensions between migrant advocates and the Border Patrol.

FBI Special Agent Heith Janke identified the suspect as Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, saying he was expected to be charged with assault on a federal officer, alien smuggling and felon in possession of a firearm.

"Let me be clear, any assault on law enforcement officers will not be tolerated," Janke said. "The FBI will continue to vigorously investigate those who harm or threaten to do harm to those who wear the badge."

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Schlegel was the subject of an arrest warrant for having fled a Tucson halfway house on December 15, 2024, according to federal court documents. In January 2024 he had been sentenced to three years for transportation of illegal aliens and firearms possession.

Border agents had pursued the vehicle Schlegel was driving earlier on Tuesday when several passengers got out and fled, and the driver got away, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told the news conference.

A Border Patrol agent later spotted the same vehicle near Arivaca, where the driver stopped and fled on foot, firing on an airborne Customs and Border Protection helicopter, Janke said.

The Border Patrol agent pursued the man on foot and shot the suspect during an exchange of gunfire, Nanos said.

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The incident comes after the killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse shot multiple times by Border Patrol agents on Saturday in Minnesota.

Coupled with the fatal shooting of Renee Good, 37, earlier this month by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, Pretti's shooting has become a major political headache for Trump.

Trump won the 2024 presidential election after promising a historic surge in illegal immigration deportations.

Masked immigration officers, often in tactical military-style gear, have become a common sight across the country and protests against the crackdown have erupted in several cities, including Minneapolis, where immigration agents have responded with deadly force.

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Public support for Trump's immigration enforcement tactics appeared to be waning both before and after the Pretti shooting, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed. The issue has put Republicans on the defensive ahead of November's midterm elections, when the party's narrow congressional majorities are at stake.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington, Erica Stapleton in Phoenix, Andrew Hay in New Mexico, and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Doina Chiacu, Scott Malone, Matthew Lewis and Michael Perry)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Out with Mr. Potato Head and in with the Rhode Island Red.

Thats what People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is suggesting instead of repealing the Rhode Island Community Food Banks charity license plate.

(Courtesy: RI DMV)

The Mr. Potato Head license plates were created back in 2002 to raise money for the food bank and commemorate the toys 50th anniversary. To date, the food bank estimates that the license plates have raised more than $50,000.

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PETAs proposal comes after Rep. Brian Newberry introduced legislation to repeal the law that created the license plates.

His reasoning for the legislation centers around Hasbros decision to move its headquarters from Pawtucket to Bostons Seaport district by the end of the year.

Hasbro abandoned the state causing untold economic harm and loss of tax revenue, Newberry said at the time. There is no reason we should be advertising their products on our license plates.

RELATED: RI lawmaker wants to repeal Mr. Potato Head license plate

In a letter sent to Newberry Tuesday, PETA said the charity license plates should instead honor a true Ocean State icon.

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We respectfully encourage you to consider amending the bill to suggest replacing the old plate with one featuring the state bird, the Rhode Island Red chicken, the letter reads. This new design would honor a beloved state symbol while driving home the message that chickens and their eggs dont belong on our plates.

PETA emphasized in the letter that proceeds from the license plates could still go to the food bank, especially since most shelf-stable foods donated to food banks are already vegan.

(Courtesy: PETA)

Chicken dinners belong in the rearview mirror, so please kick this change into high gear by suggesting an alternative license plate that will resonate with kind residents, the letter concludes.

PETA shared a mock-up of the alternative license plate, which includes the chicken and the phrase love chickens, dont eat them.

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Lets celebrate these smart, sensitive birds by putting them on our license plates and getting them off our dinner plates, PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk said. PETA hopes state representatives will embrace a bird-friendly charity license plate that will help fund healthy, plant-powered foods for local families in need.

12 News reached out to Newberry regarding PETAs proposal but has not yet heard back.

SEE ALSO: Where are they now? Searching for RIs remaining Mr. Potato Heads

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Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said a public hearing will be held on Friday after the National Park Service removed a slavery memorial at the President's House at Independence Mall last week.

The exhibit opened in 2010 and honored the lives of the nine people enslaved there by President George Washington.

READ MORE | Slavery exhibits at President's House in Philadelphia removed after Trump administration directive

Mayor Parker said the public hearing will address a preliminary injunction request. It comes after the city filed a lawsuit requiring the federal government to return the panels.

People visit the President's House: Freedom and Slavery in Making a New Nation exhibit in the historic district of Philadelphia, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010. (AP Photo)

The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees NPS. The lawsuit also names Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and NPS Acting Director Jessica Bowron.

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The city argues that by removing the panels telling the stories of the enslaved people "without notice," NPS violated several congressional laws, as well as a 2006 agreement the agency made with the city that outlined the terms for creating the exhibit.

SEE ALSO | Philadelphia sues over removal of memorial honoring people enslaved by George Washington

Philly sues over removal of slavery exhibits at President's House

The lawsuit argues that because the city of Philadelphia had an "equal right" under the 2006 agreement to "approve the final design" of the President's House Project, the city should also have the authority to review and approve any changes to the exhibit.

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"You cannot erase our history. You will not erase our history!" Parker said in a video message on Tuesday.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has also filed a legal document in support of the city's lawsuit.

"Donald Trump will take any opportunity to rewrite and whitewash our history - but he picked the wrong city and the wrong Commonwealth," said Governor Shapiro. "In Pennsylvania, we learn from our history, even when it's painful. We don't erase it or pretend it didn't happen... Those displays aren't just signs - they represent our shared history, and if we want to move forward as a nation, we have to be willing to tell the full story of where we came from."

A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior told ABC News in a statement last week that the removal of the slavery exhibit complies with President Donald Trump's March 27, 2025, executive order, "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," which directs the department to remove "divisive, race-centered ideology" and narratives from federal cultural institutions.

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Through the lawsuit, the city of Philadelphia seeks a court order restoring the slavery memorial, a preliminary injunction to block other potential changes to the President's House, and a permanent injunction preventing further alterations to the exhibit.

Further details on the public hearing have not been released.
Where are my pictures, and where's my money? These are just some of the questions dozens of brides are asking after their wedding photographer, Holly Christina Photography, announced it has ceased operations.

Holly Christina Photography posted on social media that it is no longer in business, but many customers say they still haven't received their wedding photos, refunds, or any direct communication from the company.

Bride-to-be Avary Flynn said panic set in the moment she learned her photographer was shutting down.

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"We're not going to have a photographer, this is like, so stressful," Flynn said.

She signed a contract with Holly Christina Photography in September and paid a $1,900 deposit for her May 9 wedding. As months passed with no communication, she said red flags began to appear.

"I did think it was a little weird that we were just over three months out from the wedding and I hadn't heard one peep," Flynn said.

She's not alone. More than 100 brides said they were affected by Holly Christina Photography. Troubleshooter Diane Wilson was first to investigate Holly Christina Photography. Earlier this month, during a Zoom interview, 50 brides and mothers of brides said they paid thousands of dollars to Holly Christina Photography, but can no longer get a response. Some brides said communication stopped entirely.

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"Her phone was no longer working, so there was no way to get a hold of her," said Destiny Mantz.

Other brides said missed meetings and unanswered messages left them panicked with their weddings just weeks away.

"They did not show up to the meeting, and they have not responded to two emails, a text, and an Instagram DM. My wedding is in 60 days," said Alexis Sullivan.

Mothers of the brides are worried, too.

"I've been blocked. I can no longer text or call the number. And she's not communicating with anybody through email," said Dana Chavis. She did hear from the Raleigh-based company last week, and she said it did send the promised engagement photographs.

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Wilson continues to hear from brides who have been affected by the closure of Holly Christina Photography.

Some of the brides who had a fall wedding photographed by Holly Christina Photography said they still don't have their images and want to know when they will get what they paid for in full. Others are questioning why Holly Christina Photography took on new customers as recently as this month, just weeks before it shut down.

One bride paid $7,700 in full on Jan. 10. Her mother shared emails with the Troubleshooter, including a Dec. 29 email from Holly's husband, Chris, confirming wedding date availability and promoting a year-end sale. Another email dated Jan.12 from Holly Christina Photography confirmed payment had been received, and everything was "confirmed." Days later, the company announced it had ceased operations.

Many customers say repeated emails and attempts to contact the company have gone unanswered. Holly Christina Photography first posted on its Facebook page on Jan. 19, stating in part: "Over the past few weeks, our family has been navigating a serious and unexpected medical emergency. Holly has been hospitalized twice, which significantly disrupted communication and our ability to respond as promptly as we always strive to." The statement went on to say, "...all scheduled weddings have continued to be covered." Then on Jan. 25, Holly Christina Photography posted it had ceased operations. The statement said in part, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are no longer able to continue providing photography or videography services. No new bookings are being accepted, and all business operations are in the process of being formally closed." The statement gave an email address for clients to contact them at, and the statement said, "Messages are being reviewed periodically. We appreciate your understanding during this difficult transition."

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On Tuesday, Holly Christina Photography posted on social media: "To affected clients: we are actively working to release photos and videos. Due to large file sizes, delivery is a staged process. We appreciate your patience."

Some brides reported late Tuesday afternoon that they did get an email from Holly Christina Photography that stated in part, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are unable to fulfill existing contracts, and no services will be provided for future events. All business operations are in the process of being formally closed." It went on to state, "We truly regret the impact this has on your plans and encourage you to make alternative arrangements as soon as possible."

Photographers Step Up to Help

Amid the frustration, some local photographers are stepping in to help brides in need. One of those photographers is Avery Wooten of Avery Wooten Photography.

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"I just believe you need to do good where you can," Wooten.

Wooten said she typically donates one wedding a year, but after hearing about the Holly Christina Photography situation, she felt compelled to do more.

"You just can't help but help," she said.

One of the brides she's now assisting, free of charge, is Skylar Rowland, whose story was featured in the Troubleshooter investigation. Rowland is getting married in September, and Wooten has agreed to shoot her wedding. Rowland only has to pay for lodging and a second photographer if it's needed.

"So far, we have four weddings that are official where we're helping them out," Wooten said. "And we've gotten even more inquiries."

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Wilson has also heard from other photographers who would like to help affected brides.

What Brides Can Do Now

As for Flynn, she disputed the charges with her bank and has since found a new photographer offering her a discount and a free gallery. She's relieved that she at least found someone to help her document her special day.

Experts recommend that affected clients:

Immediately file a dispute with their bank or credit card company

Document all communication, contracts, and receipts

The North Carolina Attorney General's Office confirmed that it is now investigating and wants to hear from customers who were affected by Holly Christina Photography. If you believe you were affected, you're encouraged to file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office. You can do that here.
Luminar received an even higher bid for its lidar business as a court-run auction concluded on Monday, according to a new filing in the companys bankruptcy case.

MicroVision, a Redmond, Washington-based company that has been developing its own lidar sensors, submitted a $33 million bid, eclipsing the $22 million that Quantum Computing Inc. laid out a few weeks ago as the stalking horse bidder. (Quantum Computing Inc. had upped its bid to $28 million but apparently was unwilling or unable to go higher.)

In a statement, MicroVision said Tuesday that it is acquiring IP and inventory related to the Iris and Halo lidar sensors, key engineering and operations talent, and certain commercial contracts and orders.

Its no secret that the lidar market has been ripe for disruption and in need of further consolidation, MicroVision CEO Glen DeVos said. Building on our proven executive leadership in automotive, our history of developing and delivering products in defense, and now an even more expansive portfolio of technologically diverse lidar sensors and advanced perception solutions, we believe MicroVision is ready to upend the industry, enabling widespread commercial adoption and significantly increased safety.

The sale of Luminars lidar business will now be subject to approval by the judge in the bankruptcy case. A hearing is slated for Tuesday afternoon.

Its not clear whether Luminar founder and former CEO Austin Russell submitted a bid for his companys lidar assets. Russell, through his new venture Russell AI Labs, tried to buy the company outright in October 2025 before it filed for bankruptcy, and he expressed an interest in making a bid during the bankruptcy process. Representatives for Russell did not respond to a request for comment.

That said, Russell and Luminar spent the first month of the bankruptcy case fighting over a subpoena. The company has said it is still evaluating whether to take legal action against Russell, tied to his resignation last May, which followed a board-run ethics inquiry. While Russell already turned over his computers to Luminar, he had been holding on to his phone until he received a guarantee from the company that any personal information on the device would be protected. Luminar accused him of dodging the subpoena.

Russell ultimately agreed to accept the subpoena last week. Over the weekend, he and Luminar made a joint filing in court laying out the terms of a protective order regarding his personal information.

If the sale of the lidar assets goes through, it could bring about a fairly swift end to Luminars bankruptcy case, which was filed in December. The company has already reached an agreement to sell its other business division, centered around semiconductors, to Quantum Computing Inc. for $110 million.

This story has been updated with a statement from MicroVision.
The woman who captured a critical angle of Alex Pretti's killing on video has spoken out for the first time, further disproving the federal government's account.

Pretti, a 37-year-old VA nurse, was fatally shot by DHS agents on Saturday while observing operations in Minneapolis. Stella Carlson, who has been dubbed the "pink coat lady," was seen in the background of several videos from other observers. Footage taken by her gave the clearest view of the incident, showing that Pretti's legal firearm was confiscated by agents before they killed him.

I know every time I leave my vehicle or leave my house and I put that whistle around my neck, I know because of Renee Good, the risk, Carlson told CNNs Anderson Cooper in an interview. I think we all knew after that happened, it is now at that point, and it could be any of us.

Related: Minnesotans mourn Alex Pretti, man killed by Border Patrol agents

Carlson was on her way to a church where she had been hired to paint children's faces for an event when she encountered ICE agents already roughing up protestors in the street. Pretti was helping to direct traffic, which she said "felt like somebody in my opinion, in my background, who was doing a risk assessment and found his place in this moment to be useful."

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Video taken by Carlson shows Pretti attempted to help a woman who was being pepper-sprayed before ICE agents wrestled him to the ground and took his holstered firearm, which he had a legal permit to carry. While Pretti was restrained on the ground and unarmed, an unidentified weapon held by one of the agents discharged, and two unidentified agents responded by shooting Pretti at least ten times.

I knew he was gone because I watched it, Carlson said. And then they come over to try to perform some type of medical aid by ripping his clothes open with scissors, and then maneuvering his body around like a rag doll, only to discover that it could be because they wanted to count the bullet wounds to see how many they got, like hes a deer.

Prettis death followed another fatal shooting by ICE earlier this month, when queer mother Renee Nicole Good was killed by agent Jonathan Ross. Videos showed Good turning her vehicle away from agents when Ross fired, refuting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's claims that she attempted to run them over.

Related: We've all seen the video. Do Kristi Noem and mainstream media think we're stupid?

Noem and Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller have claimed that Pretti brandished his firearm at agents. While footage already proves this is a lie, Carlson also said that she did not even know Pretti was armed, let alone see him threaten agents with his gun.

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The Trump administration has deployed nearly 3,000 federal agents in Minnesota as part of an aggressive crackdown on supposed fraud. Gregory Bovino, who has overseen "Operation Metro Surge," and an unspecified number of agents have been ordered out of the state seemingly in response to Pretti's killing.

If it wasnt for the collective actions over the past three weeks, I dont know if I would have been able to stay that long, Carlson said. But I knew that this was a moment, and we all have to be brave and we all have to take risks, and were all going to be given moments to make that decision. ... And Im grateful to myself and Im grateful to anybody who was supportive to me after, to make sure I could get to safety and get that video uploaded to the right people.

This article originally appeared on Advocate: 'Pink coat lady' who filmed Alex Pretti's killing speaks out: 'It could be any of us'

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The leader of the Conservatives says the Prime Minister will probably give away the Isle of Wight to China during his three day visit.

Sir Keir Starmer landed in the country to boost trade ties and said said he wants "a comprehensive and consistent approach to China - which he said the Tories didn't have."

But Kemi Badenoch said the PM needs "an actual foreign policy, that's rooted in realism".

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Labour MP for the Isle of Wight West, Richard Quigley said the Conservative leader was using the island for one of her "usual failed jokes" adding "I'd be surprised if she even knew she'd been to the Island".

Badenoch was taking questions from journalists and said she would not be going to China, as Sir Keir Starmer has done, if she was the prime minister.

She said: "No, not now, because I don't think that this is the time to do that.

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"We need to be talking to those other countries who are worried about the threat China is posing to them."

She said: "We should be talking more to those countries who are aligned with our interests.

"Not the country that is doing everything it can to undermine our economy."

She added: "I think that is what the Prime Minister should be talking about and he needs to show strength, not approving a super-embassy which many people think is going to become a spy hub.

"He looks like he gives way every time things get difficult and that is the difference between Keir Starmer and myself."

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"He's probably going to give away the Isle of Wight before he comes back", she added "let's have an actual foreign policy, one that is rooted in realism and focusing on Britain's national interest."

Badenoch visited the Isle of Wight in August when she met local businesses with police and crime commissioner Donna Jones, Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson and shadow chancellor Mel Stride.

Kemi Badenoch visited the Isle of Wight in August 2025 [BBC]

Quigley added: "Whilst Kemi was using the Isle of Wight as one of her usual failed jokes.

"I was with the climate minister on the Island announcing a 20m investment in Vestas wind blades."

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He added: "Kemi and her pals normally only come over for a picture in front of the big flag, I'd be surprised if she even knew she'd been to the Island."

Badenoch also apologised for a party statement which made reference to Fareham and Waterlooville MP Suella Braverman's mental health following her defection to Reform UK.

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MADISON, Wis. (WFRV)  Police in Wisconsin are taking proactive steps to combat speeding on a major highway in the state after a recent incident of a driver going nearly 40 miles per hour over the speed limit.

Fatal house fire in Shawano leaves one dead, one person safely evacuated

According to the Madison Police Department, the driver wasnt just speeding on the Beltline, one of Wisconsins busiest roadways; they had two children in the vehicle, neither of whom was properly secured.

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A three-year-old in the back seat was not in a child safety seat and while the one-year-old was, they were not properly buckled. The driver was cited for reckless driving due to going 93 in a 55, speeding and operating with a revoked license.

Easy access sports betting fuels addiction concerns in Wisconsin

She also received two child safety seat violations.

Wisconsin requires booster seats for children up until about eight years old, and children must be properly restrained in a car seat until they turn four.

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.
The Kissimmee Police Department is in search of a bank robber who used a firearm during the robbery.

According to KPD, on Jan. 23, 2026, at around 9:18 a.m. at the Fifth Third Bank located at 1401 Simpson Road, a male suspect entered the bank, approached an employee, and demanded money while armed with a handgun.

He was described as wearing a long-sleeve fluorescent shirt, blue jeans, brown boots, a face mask, with a camouflage hat, according to KPD.

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Nobody was injured during the robbery, and KPD is offering a $1000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Do you recognize this person?

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Miami Township Police wrote in a social media post that they are seeking a person accused of stealing a cellphone and a bus pass at an RTA Hub.

TRENDING STORIES:

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This happened at the RTA Hub on Lyons Road, according to the social media post.

The department posted the suspects picture on its Facebook page.

Contact Officer Spencer at (937) 433-2301, extension 1493, if you have any information on this persons identity.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
A court in Poland plans to sell thousands of confiscated slot machines as their storage has simply become too expensive, the responsible judge at the district court in Olsztyn told the news agency PAP on Wednesday.

The more than 9,000 slot machines were confiscated eight years ago as evidence in investigations into a criminal gang, the report by PAP said.

The prosecution accuses 22 defendants of money laundering and organizing illegal gambling without a licence. In the proceedings, 1,600 volumes of files have been compiled, but a date for the main hearing has not yet been set.

Market value of machines decreases year by year

The market value of the stored slot machines decreases year by year, said Judge Olgierd Dabrowski-Zegalski. At the same time, he said that the costs for storage have drastically increased.

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Last year, the court paid Caritas, which owns the warehouse, the equivalent of 290,000 ($346,681) for storing the machines.

However, the court's decision to sell the slot machines is not yet legally binding. The legal team of the defendants opposes it, said Dabrowski-Zegalski. It is therefore still unclear when the sale will take place - and whether buyers for the machines will be found.
A fast-growing bagel chain is getting ready to open its first location in Philadelphia.

The co-owners of Call Your Mother Deli have made their big announcement on social media on Tuesday.

Chefs Daniela Moreira and Andrew Dana say they to open their latest location in the city's Fishtown neighborhood.

The flagship deli opened in Washington D.C. in 2018 and has expanded into more than 20 locations in several states, including Maryland, Virginia, Colorado and Illinois.

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The bagels are described as a mix of the classic New York style and the sweeter Montreal-style bagels.

Dana says this Philadelphia location is special for him, as his mother grew up in Mount Airy.

Moreira and Dana say they plan to open the Fishtown shop by spring or early summer.

For more information, visit: CallYourMotherDeli.com/
HARLINGEN  The yearlong drought is over.

After more than a year of talks, Primera officials have entered into a new service agreement with Harlingen, paying a higher rate in exchange for the citys water.

As part of the agreement, Primeras water rate jumped to $1.83 cents per 1,000 gallons from about $1.30 for 1,000 gallons, Roy Rodriguez, WaterWorks interim general manager, said in an interview Tuesday.

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The pact came days after the WaterWorks System called on Primeras residents to demand their officials pay the citys delinquent account to resolve this issue, the agency said in a news release last week, adding it had no desire other than to help our neighboring communities but (it) will not do so on the backs of Harlingen ratepayers.

While Primera owed about $40,000, WaterWorks had given its neighboring city a credit of more than $30,000 amid months of negotiations, Rodriguez said.

For more than a year, sister-city officials had been negotiating, aiming to renew a water service agreement which expired last May, WaterWorks said in its news release.

Meanwhile, WaterWorks continued supplying Primera with water, the release said.

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When WaterWorks moved to raise the water rate on Nov. 1, Primera officials objected, failing to pay the citys entire bill, making the account delinquent, it said.

After Primera filed a complaint with the Public Utility Commission of Texas, citing the rate and pending service interruption, the state requested WaterWorks respond, the release said.

In its statement to Primera, the states Consumer Protection Division stated it was unable to render a determination of wholesale rates or the pending disconnection from (WaterWorks) because the matter falls outside their scope, it said.

The post Primera signs Harlingen water agreement ending rate-hike dispute appeared first on MyRGV.com.
Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart, speaks during a House committee hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (Photo by Tom Davies/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Legislation aimed at boosting residential construction and home ownership has won Indiana House approval despite concerns about limits it would place on local authority over housing regulations.

House members voted 76-15 on Tuesday in favor of House Bill 1001, advancing it to the Senate for action.

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Provisions of the bill target housing affordability by limiting local zoning regulations and streamlining approvals for new residential development. It would prohibit local officials from actions such as imposing requirements on exterior design elements of homes unless a city or county adopts an ordinance to opt out of the limitation.

Bill author Rep. Doug Miller, R-Elkhart, said he would continue working with city and county officials to alleviate worries about the loss of local control.

But Miller argued communities must be open to safe and affordable housing at every single price point.

Some construction standards are necessary for health and safety, but some may be outdated or impose unnecessary design elements that drive up cost, like prohibiting prefabricated materials, requiring certain facade treatments and disallowing certain roof products, he said.

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The legislation comes as various studies have found a growing housing affordability gap in the state.

Millers bill has the backing of Gov. Mike Braun and is a top priority for House Republicans this legislative session.

Rep. Chris Campbell, D-West Lafayette, was among those voting against the bill, citing its limitations on regulations decided upon by local leaders.

Taking away that local decision is not good for my community, she said.

House Speaker Todd Huston acknowledged there is still work to be done on the bill.
Illinois could soon opt into the first federal school voucher program  an initiative long-championed by private school advocates and religious conservatives  but Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to weigh in.

Under the program, part of the Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act, donors can get a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $1,700 for giving to scholarship-granting nonprofits. Those scholarships can go to private school tuition, transportation and other education-related expenses.

Supporters say the program will expand parental choice, and allow low-income students to receive a better or specialized education outside of their neighborhood school.

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But critics argue that the program pulls money away from public schools, and undermines the tradition of American public education. Dozens of public school advocates gathered outside of the Governors Office in the West Loop Tuesday morning, demanding that Pritzker choose not to participate.

We believe that as a public good, public dollars should fund public schools, said Huu Nguyen, a board member at Illinois Families for Public Schools. School voucher programs that take tax dollars to fund private education are the antithesis of public policy that supports the common good.

The group intended to deliver a letter to Pritzker signed by 46 advocacy, civil rights and labor organizations, including the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the League of Women Voters of Illinois. But they were stopped at the buildings entrance by a security guard, who instructed them to mail the letter instead.

A spokesperson for Pritzker wrote in a statement that the Governors Office is still reviewing the tax credit.

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We will evaluate the issue through a lens focused on affordability for working families and what best supports Illinois students, families, and public schools, according to the statement.

In a July email, however, Pritzkers office criticized the program, noting that it could potentially (reduce) state and federal funding for public schools.

Its millions of kids that suffer in the state of Illinois that suffer due to lack of resources in public schools, said Antwain Miller, a community organizer with the nonprofit Lugenia Burns Hope Center. How can we make sense of public school dollars to privatized schools?

Less than half of Illinois 850-plus public school districts are considered adequately funded by the state.

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Under the states Evidence-Based Funding formula, which aims to deliver equitable funding for schools in low-income communities, Chicago Public Schools is only funded at 73% adequacy. District officials estimate that CPS needs an additional $985 million to meet the states adequacy target of 90% next fiscal year.

In states participating in the federal voucher program, taxpayers can claim credits beginning in 2027. Scholarship eligibility is limited to students whose family income does not exceed 300% of their areas median income. Its a relatively high threshold: In Cook County, the cap would be $359,000 for a four-person household, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Conservatives have long fought for a federal school voucher-style program. Until now, all major school choice programs have emerged only at the state level. Earlier drafts of the One Big Beautiful Bill included larger tax credits and mandated state participation, rather than allow governors to opt in.

The American Federation for Children, a prominent national advocacy group for private-school choice, called the tax credit a new opportunity for governors to embrace educational freedom for families and students in a statement earlier this month.

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This is a no-brainer for governors, and states, to create incredible new opportunities that can benefit the next generation of American leaders, wrote CEO Tommy Schultz. States that fail to opt in risk forfeiting millions in charitable support for their own students.

Andrew Broy, the president of the Illinois Network for Charter Schools, said that the nonprofit supports the program, though it remains unclear whether charter school students would be eligible for scholarships. He pushed back on the idea that the initiative diverts local education dollars.

Its a federal tax credit, so it doesnt take any state or local resources, Broy said.

Previously, Illinois had its own, similar tax credit initiative, Invest In Kids, from 2018 to 2023. The program offered a 75% income tax credit to people who contributed to scholarships for low-income students to attend private schools. But state lawmakers ultimately chose not to renew it, facing intense opposition from public school advocates and teachers unions.

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About a third of Illinois counties will see the school voucher program on the primary ballot March 17. But it is ultimately Pritzker who will decide whether Illinois adopts the program.

The debate comes as fewer families opt to send their children to CPS. A recent report found that the districts share of the citys school-aged children fell from 75% to 71% from 2018 to 2023, while private school enrollment remained steady.

Declining birth rates have also jolted Illinois public schools. CPS, for example, has lost 28% of its enrollment since 2002  about 122,000 students. Thats significant because enrollment determines how much federal and state funding a district receives.

For rural districts, even a small loss of students to private schools have devastating fiscal consequences for school district budgets, said Becky Simon, president of the League of Women Voters of Illinois. We urge school district leaders to speak up, and we urge Governor Pritzker to fully fund public education.

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To be sure, many private schools have been subject to the same demographic pressures.

The Archdiocese of Chicago announced the closure of five Catholic schools this week, citing dwindling enrollment and financial strain. St. Stanislaus Kostka Academy, a Catholic elementary school in West Town, also announced its closure earlier this month.

____

(Tribune reporter Olivia Olander contributed.)

____
Archaeological finding unveils Western Han suburban life in China's relic-rich province

Xinhua) 10:30, January 28, 2026

XI'AN, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, have unveiled a well-organized Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-25 AD) settlement during the excavation of the Sanjiu relic site, according to an announcement by the Shaanxi provincial institute of archaeology.

Located 0.6 kilometers to the eastern wall of the ancient Chang'an City, the Sanjiu relic site sits in Xi'an's Weiyang District. The excavation in 2025 also uncovered a Northern Wei cemetery, Song Dynasty graves, and Qing Dynasty pottery kilns.

The Western Han settlement, spanning from the mid-Western Han to the Xin Dynasty, was bisected by a north-south ditch. East of the ditch, eight large courtyard-style houses stood along a cross-shaped road network, collectively forming a central hub for food processing.

West of the ditch included bone-processing and smelting workshops alongside dwellings, yielding 78 kilograms of bone and shell materials, iron tools, and ornaments such as bone earrings and shell beads, evidence of a possible jewelry workshop.

"The settlement reveals previously unknown aspects of suburban organization near Chang'an City," said Zhang Yanglizheng, head of the project, emphasizing its value for studying Western Han social structures.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Lunar, a digital bank operating across the Nordic region, has raised 46m ($54.8m) in new funding.

The company will use the capital to expand its business banking services, develop lending products, and facilitate growth in Norway and Finland.

The funding round included participation from both long-standing and new investors.

Among the new backers is London-based fintech investor 100A, which joins existing shareholders such as Heartland and Orbit Alliance.

Lunar has over one million users across several Nordic countries.

It operates with its own banking licence and infrastructure, which also supports its payments platform, Moonrise.

Lunar CEO and founder Ken Villum Klausen said: We can see that our strategy is working. More users are choosing paid subscriptions, and we are seeing strong momentum in our business customer base reaching 40,000 business users in January.

The new capital allows us to continue scaling what already works for consumer and business banking while increasing our footprint across the Nordics. Weve already come a long way, but we are focused on unlocking a significantly larger opportunity for Lunar while reaching profitability in 2026.

Klausen added: That our existing investors continue to back Lunar means a great deal to us. At the same time, the interest from a new investor shows renewed confidence from the market in where we are heading.

Last year, the bank introduced Lunar Youth, designed for younger users.

Lunar Youth is a banking app aimed at customers aged seven to 17 and linked to parental accounts for oversight and guidance in money management.

"Lunar secures new capital to support Nordic expansion" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.




Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised the progress made in his country's relations with Syria as he welcomed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Moscow.

"The time since our previous meeting has not been wasted," Putin said, adding that significant steps had been taken to restore intergovernmental and economic relations between the two countries.

Al-Sharaa was last in Moscow in October.

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Russia was long considered the protective power of Syria's former ruler Bashar al-Assad, who was toppled in 2024 by a rebel offensive led by al-Sharaa's Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Al-Assad fled to Russia, where he was granted asylum.

Al-Sharaa was appointed as Syria's transitional president.

Putin praised al-Sharaa, who he said has made a major contribution to normalizing ties with Russia. He mentioned joint projects in the fields of industry, sport and medicine, without providing further details.

Relations between Moscow and Damascus are complicated. Moscow provided al-Assad with military support for many years to help him remain in power, and granted him asylum after his fall.

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The new government in Damascus is demanding the extradition of al-Assad, whom it accuses of war crimes. Syria meanwhile plays an important logistical role for Russia, especially regarding its activities in Africa. Moscow also maintains military bases in Syria.
The day that St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili received his proper funeral in Israel, more than two years after the October 7 massacre.

St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili, the final Gaza hostage, was accompanied by thousands lining the streets as his coffin headed for burial in Meitar, his Negev hometown, on Wednesday.

Car containing St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body passes through honor procession in the way to his funeral in Meitar, Negev. January 28. (credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL)

Israeli Police officers and IDF soldiers raise their hands in respect to St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body procession in Meitar, Negev. January 28.Credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL Gvili's body was returned to Israel on Monday as part of Operation Brave Heart.

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The IDF found his remains at around 2:00 p.m. at al-Batesh cemetery in northern Gaza.

The car bringing up the body of the deceased hostage, St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili arrives in Meitar, Gvili's hometown city in the Negev. January 28. Credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-ILGvili was killed on October 7, 2023. That day, after evacuating survivors of the Nova massacre to safety, Gvili and his comrades returned to Alumim to continue the fight against the dozens of terrorists who attempted to conquer the kibbutz.

St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's family in the funeral procession of the deceased hostage in his Negev hometown, Meitar. January 28. (credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL)

Wounded and surrounded, Gvili was overpowered by Hamas terrorists and was subsequently murdered.

Israelis pay their respects as the funeral procession of Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage from Gaza, makes its way to Gvili's Negev hometown of Meitar on January 28. (credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL)

Born in Meitar, a town in southern Israel, Ran was the son of Talik and Itzik Gvili, and the younger brother of Omri and Shira Gvili.

Israelis celebrate the arrival of St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body to his funeral procession in Meitar, Negev. January 28. (credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL)

Leo Feierberg Better contributed to this report.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday on whether President Donald Trumps recent actions justify a foreign country indicting him and then entering the United States to capture him.

Paul argued during a congressional hearing that Trump capturing Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife would be considered an act of war if the United States was not behind it. Maduro was originally indicted in the United States in 2020 on narco-terrorism charges. He is now facing trial in New York.

If a foreign country bombed our air defense missiles, captured and removed our president, and blockaded our country, would that be considered an act of war? Paul asked Rubio.

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The senator acknowledged Maduro could be guilty of the crimes hes charged with and that his election victory has been likely rightfully challenged by other countries, including the U.S., but argued he was indicted under foreign laws, making his capture more than a law enforcement action.

I will acknowledge youve been very consistent on all these points the entire career, no matter whos in charge. So I will point to two things. The first is its hard for us to conceive that an operation that lasted about four and a half hours and was a law enforcement operation to capture someone we dont recognize as a head of state indicted in the United States, Rubio said.

Rubio noted Maduro had been indicted before his capture and that his election victory was not recognized as legitimate by the United States.

Paul pressed further on whether it would be an act of war for a foreign country to capture Trump after hes been indicted under their laws.

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Im probably the most anti-war person in the Senate, and I would vote to declare war if someone invaded our country and took our president, Paul said.

Look, I think ultimately were always gonna act in our national interest, Rubio declared, adding that the equivalency Paul was making does not actually exist in reality.

Paul chalked up the administrations justification for Maduros capture to empty arguments that fall apart under even light scrutiny.

He said:

What Im saying though is that our arguments are empty then. The drug bust isnt really an argument. Its a ruse. The war argument, not a war, is a war, is a rouse. Its not a real argument. And we do what we do because we are  we have the force. We have the might. We do it because its in our interest. So we wouldnt let anybody come in, bomb us, blockade us, and take our president. Weve had arguments about legitimate, illegitimate presidents, bad elections, rigged elections, so theres all kinds of same arguments that weve had in our country that theyve had in Venezuela.

Watch above via CNN.

The post Rand Paul and Marco Rubio Battle It Out Over Whether Trump Committed an Act of War: Its a Ruse! first appeared on Mediaite.
We often learn about the past visually  through oil paintings and sepia photographs, books and buildings, artifacts displayed behind glass. And sometimes we get to touch historical objects or listen to recordings. But rarely do we use our sense of smell  our oldest, most primal way of learning about the environment  to experience the distant past.

Without access to odor, you lose that intimacy that smell brings to the interaction between us and objects, says analytical chemist Matija Strlic. As lead scientist of the Heritage Science Laboratory at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia and previously deputy director of the Institute for Sustainable Heritage at University College London, Strlic has devoted his career to interdisciplinary research in the field of heritage science. Much of his work focused on the preservation and reconstruction of culturally significant scents.

Reconstructed scents can enhance museum and gallery exhibits, says Inger Leemans, a cultural historian at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Smell can provide a more inviting entry point, especially for uninitiated visitors, because theres far less formalized language for describing smell than for interpreting visual art or displays. Since theres no right way of talking about scent, she says, your own knowledge is as good as the others.

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Despite their potential to enrich our understanding of history and art, smells are rarely conserved with the same care as buildings or archaeological artifacts. But a small group of researchers, including Strlic and Leemans, is trying to change that  combining chemistry, ethnography, history and other disciplines to document and preserve olfactory heritage.

Some projects aim to safeguard a beloved smell before it disappears. When the library in Londons St. Pauls Cathedral was scheduled for renovation, for example, Strlic and his UCL colleague Cecilia Bembibre set about documenting the historic librarys distinct smell.

The team first analyzed the chemicals wafting from the collection, which includes books dating back to the 12th century, and the surrounding furnishings, which have barely changed since the library was completed in 1709. They used a process called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which helps separate, identify and quantify volatile organic compounds, to examine air samples theyd captured in the library.

As an analytical chemist, I was able to characterize and quantify those molecules, but how people describe what they felt required a completely different approach, says Strlic. To whittle down the list of compounds identified by the mass spectrometer to the ones that humans can actually smell, the researchers next invited seven untrained sniffers into the cathedral library and asked them to describe its smell using a list of 21 adjectives commonly used to describe the compounds.

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The list included words like green and fatty, which people frequently use to describe the smell of the chemical hexanal, and almond, which is associated with benzaldehyde. Both compounds are released by paper as it degrades. The sniffers were also invited to add any descriptors of their own.

One word that all sniffers used to describe the library wasnt particularly surprising: woody. Others that proved popular were smoky, earthy and vanilla. Such descriptors can help conservators assess the state of old paper, since papers that are slightly more acidic due to decay, for example, smell more sweet, says Strlic. And those that are stable smell more like hay.

Strlic and colleagues next matched the qualitative descriptors the sniffers had selected with their underlying chemical compounds to create a chemical recipe for the scent of the cathedrals library. Such recipes are published in scientific journals and stored in digital research repositories, so a chemist could theoretically whip up the smell of old books centuries from now, even if, in the future, people no longer go to a library or no longer read physical books, and only receive all information digitally, says Strlic.

How musty are mummies?

The work at St. Pauls Cathedral, which ended in 2016, suggested that it might be possible to capture far older scents  including smells from thousands of years ago. For a study published in 2025, Strlic was joined by scientists from Egypt, Slovenia, Poland and the United Kingdom to study nine ancient Egyptian mummies. The aim was to learn about the mummification process and recreate a scent that will be available to visitors of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo from 2026 onward.

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One might expect the scent of millennia-old mummified bodies to be off-putting, to say the least. Yet the smell is surprisingly pleasant, because the ancient Egyptians used so many aromatic compounds, oils and resins that a lot of the original smell still remains, Strlic says.

To capture these chemicals, Strlic and colleagues extracted air samples from the sarcophagi, separated them into single compounds with a gas chromatograph and identified them with a mass spectrometer.

A panel of eight scientists  all trained on the scent of mummification materials  then evaluated the samples smells in terms of quality, intensity and pleasantness. After assessing each sample individually, the group discussed their findings to reach consensus: Woody, spicy and sweet emerged as common descriptors across all nine bodies.

The scent profiles that the team created based on these chemical and sensory observations can now be used to understand which mummies are more degraded than others, and how some of the bodies were mummified in the first place, says Strlic. For example, the team identified embalming ingredients like conifer oils, frankincense, myrrh and cinnamon, as well as more modern compounds, such as synthetic pesticides and plant-based pest oils, which museums have used to preserve the mummies, often without documentation.

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Strlic hopes that such research will help to expand the use of smell analysis as a noninvasive research technique, since it doesnt require removing any physical samples from the studied object. The team also intends to apply its findings to create what amounts to a mummy perfume for the Egyptian Museum. For this, they will select up to 15 key chemical compounds from the mix and adjust their ratios to reflect the natural scent, with panels of sniffers comparing the new creation with the original until theres no perceptible difference between them. This is a repetitive process that involves a lot of trial and error, says Strlic.

Creating even the smell of Hell

While old artifacts offer a convenient starting point for olfactory analysis, many historic smells have not been preserved in physical form. To re-create them, researchers must rely on archival documents and a certain amount of creative interpretation. Thats what a European olfactory heritage project called Odeuropa did for a number of historical events, sites and even ideas, including the Battle of Waterloo and 17th century Amsterdam canals. The team even re-created the scent of Christian Hell as described in 16th century sermons, including notes of sulfur and brimstone and a whiff of a million dead dogs.

Olfaction helps shape our cultures, although it often does so unknowingly or without us noticing, says Leemans, who led the Odeuropa project. When we talk about cultural heritage, we can think about religious rituals, but we can also think about specific scents that weve been cherishing and living with for a long time.

To reconstruct these complex historic smellscapes, Leemans and her colleagues scoured old document archives and images for any related smell references. We search for nose witnesses, people describing those smells, she says. But we also look at the components of that smellscape, such as architectural descriptions listing building materials.

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To accelerate the work, Odeuropa has created an AI-driven database of more than 2.5 million historical smell references, mined from 43,000 images and 167,000 historical texts published in seven European languages.

When its time to create a real perfume based on this data, Odeuropa researchers write a detailed brief outlining the smells relevant components as well as the story behind it. Working with a perfume and fragrance company, they begin evaluating iterations of the scent in different ways  by asking panels of sniffers to assess the scent blind or after a short presentation on the subject, or by approaching curatorial, academic and fragrance experts to peer-review the fragrance.

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To each their own odors

A persons perception of smell is inherently subjective and dependent on their unique biology, personal experience and culture, says neuroscientist Gulce Nazl Dikecligil at the University of Pennsylvania, and lead author of a 2024 Annual Review of Psychology on human olfaction. The olfactory system isnt necessarily optimized for certainty and consistency, she says. Instead of simply identifying molecules from the environment with computer-like precision, our brains are asking, What does this molecule mean to me now, in the context of my history?

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As our oldest sense, evolutionarily speaking, olfaction enjoys priority access to brain regions like the amygdala and hippocampus, which are key in processing emotion and memory, notes Dikecligil. This means that the memories triggered by scents tend to be especially vivid and emotionally significant.

Scent sparks thoughts, memories, ideas and gets people talking about and in front of paintings, which is what I want, says art historian Christina Bradstreet from the Association for Art History in the UK. She recently worked with the renowned Spanish perfumer Gregorio Sola to create three scents to accompany two paintings in a British exhibition on Pre-Raphaelite art. When, in 2022, the Prado Museum in Madrid created 10 scents to accompany Jan Bruegel the Elders painting The Sense of Smell  including jasmine, fig tree and civet  they found that visitors lingered in front of the painting for 13 minutes, compared to the average 32 seconds.

Museums and galleries worldwide are taking note and increasingly integrating scent into their exhibitions. This attracts new visitors and engages them in a different way, not only with the collection, but also with each other, says Leemans. When people start to smell, they immediately start to talk to each other, exchanging their memories, their emotions, their knowledge about the scents. Its a really open conversation that you evoke in the museum space.

This article originally appeared in Knowable Magazine, an independent journalistic endeavor from Annual Reviews. Sign up for the newsletter.
This article was first published in the State of Faith newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night.

On Sunday evening, about 30 rapid-response and mutual aid volunteers in Minnesota gathered on a Zoom call to offer one another spiritual care. The host led the group in a meditation, then in song and a reflection as a video of a crackling fire played on screen.

Next, participants were invited to share a small act of care they had noticed around them or in their community. Responses poured in: hot food and beverage, mutual aid efforts increasing, Thank yous and check ins.

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As ICE has intensified its immigration crackdown in Minnesota, the group has been meeting daily to provide spiritual relief to faith leaders and volunteers serving their communities.

I also learned about the sprouting mutual aid networks in the metro area delivering food, diapers and other necessities to immigrant families who are too frightened to leave their homes regardless of their legal status. Local businesses and churches are functioning as donation hubs and some volunteers are even helping children from immigrant families walk to and from school.

Writer Caitlin Flanagan drew attention to these acts of care in a recent post on X: A lot of Minnesotans are fighting this insanity with the states most powerful weapon: the casserole.

A lot of Minnesotans are fighting this insanity with the states most powerful weapon: the casserole.



There are a lot of people afraid to leave their houses and a lot of good Minnesotan women making deliveries.  Caitlin Flanagan (@CaitlinPacific) January 26, 2026

But within churches, there have been disagreements about how to respond to immigration enforcement.

A police officer detains a clergy member as other clergy members and community activists gather at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to protest deportation flights and urge airlines to call for an end to the Department of Homeland Security's operation on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. | Kerem Yucel, Minnesota Public Radio via the Associated Press

Many Christians argue that faith requires prioritizing compassion for immigrants and newcomers, while others contend that enforcing immigration laws is necessary to maintain safety and order.

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Following the death of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, who was shot by federal agents on Saturday, themes of restraint and human dignity have threaded through statements by religious leaders.

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for calm, restraint and respect for human life in Minneapolis. Speaking during his Angelus address on Jan. 25, Pope Leo XIV urged people to pray for peace in areas torn by violence and conflict, noting that true peace comes from honoring human dignity rather than pursuing political or economic interests.

Archbishop Coakley echoed Pope Leos sentiment: Peace is built on respect for people.

Other faith voices took a more hard-line stance. ICE must leave Minnesota. The officers behind these killings must be held legally accountable, as must any officers who kill civilians, reads a statement from Interfaith Alliance, a coalition of clergy and religious organizers.

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However, Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul sought balance in his messages, inviting people to recognize divine origins in both immigrants and federal agents.

While we rightly thirst for Gods justice and hunger for his peace, this will not be achieved until we are able to rid our hearts of the hatreds and prejudices that prevent us from seeing each other as brothers and sisters created in the image and likeness of God, Hebda wrote in a statement after Prettis death.

That is as true for our undocumented neighbors as it is for our elected officials and for the men and women who have the unenviable responsibility of enforcing our laws. They all need our humble prayers.

Last Sundays church protest that interrupted a service at Cities Church in St. Paul, where one of the pastors also works for ICE, exposed divisions among religious leaders and has brought into focus a question: when should religious leaders take a public stand regarding the governments actions and what means do they use to do that?

Cities Church is seen in St. Paul, Minn., where activists shut down a service claiming the pastor was also working as an ICE agent, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. | Angelina Katsanis

Earlier, Bishop Robert Barron, a prominent Catholic leader who has served on Donald Trumps Religious Liberty Task Force, called for restraint from federal immigration agents, political leaders and protesters alike.

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Bishop Barron suggested that ICE should focus only on undocumented people who have committed serious crimes. He urged politicians to lower hostile rhetoric and asked demonstrators to cease interfering with the work of ICE, warning that constant conflict and mutual demonization are unsustainable. And everyone on all sides must stop shouting at one another and demonizing their opponents.

Where voices across the political and theological spectrum appear to find common ground is in the belief that ongoing violence and chaos are eroding trust in Minneapolis communities and that any inhumane treatment of immigrants contradicts the Christian understanding of all people as children of God.

Archbishop Hebda made this point in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published before Prettis killing, offering what he described as a vision rooted in reality rather than ideology.

He proposed a balanced immigration approach that includes legal status for long-term contributing residents and emphasized that compassion can coexist with law enforcement and border limits.

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He concluded:

As a pastor, I see the human cost on all sides. I minister to immigrant parishioners who are fearful of driving their children to school or shopping for groceries regardless of their legal status. I also serve those who feel abandoned by leaders who have seemed more interested in political posturing than in protecting their communities. The church cant choose one flock over another. Neither should the nation.

Clergy members and community activists gather at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to protest deportation flights and urge airlines to call for an end to the Department of Homeland Security's operation, on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. | Kerem Yucel, Minnesota Public Radio via the Associated Press

Fresh off the press

Catholic Church in Latin America

Over the past decade, the number of Catholics in several Latin American countries has declined, according to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, and a growing number of adults in the region identify as nones  or atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular.

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The number of religiously unaffiliated almost doubled in Argentina, Brazil and Chile, tripled in Peru, and almost quadrupled in Colombia, the report found. In some countries, the nones outnumber the Protestants.

Still, Catholicism remains a dominant religion in Latin America across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

In these countries, the proportion of Catholics has dropped by 9 percentage points over the past decades while the share of the nones has gone up by 7 percentage points.

Pew found that about 90% of adults in these countries say they believe in God and for nearly half adults, religion is very important in their lives. Most people in Brazil, Colombia and Peru pray at least once a day, the report found.

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By these measures, Latin Americans are more religious than adults in many other countries the Center has surveyed in recent years, especially in Europe where many adults have left Christianity since childhood, per Pew.

What Im reading:

In power hubs like Washington, D.C., some Protestants are converting to Catholicism. Roman Catholics exiting their church are disproportionately driving declining rates of Christianity in America. And far more Catholics convert to Protestant denominations than vice versa. But you wouldnt know it if you looked only at places like Washington and some influential university campuses. A small but vocal group of Protestants is converting to Catholicism  and in even smaller numbers to Eastern Orthodoxy. They tend to be ambitious, highly educated and well-connected. Catholics now provide much of the conservative movements intellectual horsepower  and they are picking up Protestant converts along the way.  The Lure of Rome, World

Doctors told these parents their child would have Down syndrome and suggested abortion. The parents did not listen.  The Baby We Kept, Plough Magazine

Long before becoming Pope Leo, Robert Prevost had doubts about his priesthood, saying at one point that maybe it would be better to leave this life and get married; I want to have children, a normal life. Father Paul Galetto, now a priest in Philadelphia, described Prevost this way: There was no whoa, but he was a solid guy. He spoke when spoken to. Always cordial and nice, and not trying to impress.  The Making of the First American Pope, The New Yorker

End notes

This past week, I spent several days in Rome reporting on a fascinating and ambitious project to build a Catholic AI. In the spirit of my subject, I decided to use AI to help me navigate the city in a language I didnt know at all.

I first turned to AI to identify experts relevant to my story who were in fact based in Rome. I was also curious whether any faith-related events were happening during the short window I was there. And sure enough, ChatGPT suggested that an ecumenical Mass was going to take place at the Church of Santa Lucia.

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It sounded intriguing: I had never attended an ecumenical Christian Mass before and I wondered what the experience might be like. After confirming the event on the churchs website, I set out on foot to find it.

I still wasnt sure what to expect until I saw a cross, a lit building and heard the sound of African drums. A group of Ethiopian Christians dressed in traditional white clothing led the procession while playing the drums and chanting. Behind them followed religious leaders from Catholic, Methodist, Orthodox and other churches. I knew I was in the right place.

Throughout the Mass, I pointed my phone at the program and used my iPhones Translate feature, which extracted the text of the readings and translated it into English in real time. There, I learned that it was the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a tradition of 100 years that is celebrated internationally.

Amid the alarms about AI pulling us away from the real world, my experience, at least in this case, suggested the opposite: AI didnt distance me from the world  it led me more deeply into it.
MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint returned to her old stomping grounds Tuesday morning, talking at the State House about some of the top issues facing the U.S. in her eyes, and how the ripple effects could reach Vermont.

Balints main talking point ended up being the deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal officers in Minnesota. She said ICE is violating multiple constitutional amendments, and that Secretary Kristi Noem needs to be impeached, even if it doesnt result in her removal from office.

I think Kristi Noem is doing an appalling job, Balint said. I think she is not qualified for the job that she holds. We will bring impeachment proceedings against Kristi Noem, and I know people will say, Will you have the votes? At this point, we dont care. We dont care. We have to go forward with this. You cannot look at the job that she is doing and say that she should stay in that position.

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Even without full confidence in having enough votes for an impeachment to go through, Balint said she saw numerous fellow Democrats who were on the fence flip their stance following Prettis death, saying impeachment is the right option. She thinks some Republicans might even end up agreeing too, for different reasons.

Republicans see the way in which she is not doing her job also on FEMA, and there are, you know, quote-on-quote Republican states who have gone to the secretary to get relief for their states, and they are absolutely getting the runaround, Balint said.

When asked about Noem Tuesday, President Donald Trump said shes not going anywhere, touting a significant drop in illegal border activity since she took over.

We had a border that I inherited where millions of people were coming through. Now we have a border where no one is coming through, President Trump said.

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Balint added that without a change in power, she fears whats happening in Minnesota could very well happen in Vermont too. She argued the states where ICE is most active arent the states with the most undocumented immigrants  Rather, theyre all Democratic states.

Vermont is on this administrations list, Balint said. I truly believe Vermont is at risk.

The congresswoman also talked about the looming possibility of another government shutdown later this week. The current funding package being looked at would give additional funding to ICE, so thats why many Senate Democrats are not supporting it. If the deal is not passed by the end of this week, there will be a partial shutdown, but it wont have the same impacts as the previous one in October.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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WASHINGTON  As recently as last year, Rep. Julie Johnson bought and sold stocks from Palantir Technologies, a contractor with the federal government that has been key to the Trump administrations efforts to track and deport undocumented immigrants.

Johnson, a Farmers Branch Democrat who was elected in 2024 to represent Texas 32rd Congressional District, bought Palantir stock days before President Donald Trump took office for his second term on Jan. 15, 2025, and again on Feb. 12, 2025, according to congressional financial disclosure reports. She sold her shares a few months later in April and June of 2025, the reports show, and for each sale she reported earning between $1,001 and $15,000.

In a statement to the Texas Tribune, Johnson said the stocks were managed through independent third parties and that she started divesting her holdings in March, and that all Palantir holdings were sold by June.

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I came to Congress after years as a small-business owner and attorney with complex, pre-existing financial holdings, Johnson said. The law did not require me to divest  but I chose to do so because earning the trust of my constituents matters more than personal convenience.

Johnson is part of the House Homeland Security Committee, along with its subcommittees on Border Security and Enforcement and Emergency Management and Technology. In her role as vice ranking member, she urged Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to follow the Constitution in the departments deportation efforts in May, demanding transparency about the Dallas Police Departments cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in August and pressed Noem again in December about ICEs conduct in Dallas.

After federal agents fatally shot a second American citizen in Minnesota this weekend, Johnson spoke in opposition to the House Department of Homeland Security funding bill.

I cannot support funding for a department that has shown repeated disregard for the Constitution, the rule of law and the safety of the people its supposed to protect, she said on the House floor on Thursday. ICE is terrorizing the American people.

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Johnson is running in a Democratic primary race in District 33, against former Rep. Colin Allred, after Texas GOP lawmakers drew her out of her current district under the states new congressional map. She was previously a Texas state representative from 2019 to the start of her congressional term in 2025, when she succeeded Allred in District 32.

No other member of the current Texas congressional delegation has traded Palantirs stock, according to investment research platform Quiver Quantitative. Palantirs stock spiked in 2025 and has been traded by members of Congress in states outside Texas, though of the 213 Democrats currently serving in the House, Johnson is one of only six to have traded Palantir stock since 2021, according to Quiver Quantitative.

Palantirs government contracts nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025, from $541 million to $970 million as the Trump administration directed ICE to ramp up its deportation efforts, according to government spending data. Around the same time, ICE received a huge funding boost from Trumps major tax legislation bill, which was enacted in July.

A Dec. 3 Washington Post report showed that Palantir was assisting ICE with tracking undocumented immigrants and deporting them. The company also built the agency a custom desktop and mobile app in 2014, which ICE has since stopped using, and a platform that allowed ICE to access federally and privately owned databases containing individuals information, according to a September 2025 Guardian article.

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Johnson, once one of Congress most prolific traders, started divesting from all or parts of her 59 stock holdings last summer, the financial disclosure reports show. Among Texas congressional lawmakers, shes made the second-highest number of trades behind Rep. Michael McCaul, amassing $4.24 million, according to Capitol Trades, a database created by a German financial data company called 2iQ Research.

Shes since been outspoken against members of Congress trading stocks, including proposing an amendment on Jan. 14 that would have required members of Congress to divest themselves of all their holdings while they are serving in Congress.

Raihan Alam, a doctoral student at the University of California San Diego who co-authored a study on how congressional stock trading erodes public trust in members of Congress, said there are limited guardrails to prevent members of Congress from using their knowledge and unique position to financially benefit through the stock market.

Even losing money from doing this still impacts your perception of trust, he said. Its not like people are jealous about or resenting members of Congress earning a lot of money. Its about what that process implies for a democracy.

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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has drawn scrutiny due to her and her husbands stock portfolios, which have historically outperformed the S&P 500 by a significant margin. Her retirement drew bipartisan calls to introduce legislation with tighter regulations on stock trading, including requiring members of Congress to put their investment in blind trusts so they have no knowledge of what stocks are being traded on their behalf while in office.

House Republicans advanced a bill last week that would bar lawmakers from buying individual stocks, but would allow members of Congress to keep their stock and continue selling it with seven to 14 days notice. It drew criticism from Democrats for having loopholes that would still allow insider trading.

Delaney Marsco, ethics director at nonpartisan legal organization Campaign Legal Center, said this effort could prevent meaningful reform because it doesnt do enough to prevent conflicts of interest.

People who, like me, have been working on this issue for years and years, are not happy with this bill, she said. It is not a good bill. It is essentially window dressing.
The Republican Party is appealing a New York judge's decision to throw out the congressional lines for a GOP-held district in New York City on Monday.

The judge ruled that the current map for Rep. Nicole Malliotakis' district, which lies in Staten Island and Brooklyn, dilutes the power of its Black and Hispanic voters. The state's Independent Redistricting Commission has now been tasked with creating a new map by February 6.

Republicans filed appeals to the ruling in two separate courts, including a mid-level appeals court and the states highest court, the Court of Appeals.

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The Court of Appeals previously ruled against a Democrat-favored map in 2024. It has not announced a date for when it will take up the case for Malliotakis' district.

Redistricting Battles Brewing Across The Country As Parties Compete For Power Ahead Of 2026 Midterms

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican from New York, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). (Getty Images)

The case is the latest battleground in a war over congressional maps being waged across the country ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Read On The Fox News App

Texas and California have pursued redistricting maps that would grant roughly five seats to the GOP and Democrats respectively.

Meanwhile, the Virginia State Senate on Friday greenlit a constitutional amendment that would clear the way for the Democrat-controlled legislature to redraw the state's House maps in time for midterms.

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Doj Urges Supreme Court To Block California Map, Calls Newsom-backed Plan A Racial Gerrymander

President Donald Trump is pushing for Congressional remapping ahead of the 2026 midterms.

If the ballot measure is approved this spring, the legislature, rather than the current non-partisan commission, would redraw the state's congressional maps through 2030.

Virginia Democrats, who currently control six of the state's 11 districts, are aiming to draw up to four additional left-leaning seats.

Republicans are defending their razor-thin House majority in the midterms, and Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to win back control of the chamber.

Republican-controlled Missouri and Ohio, and swing state North Carolina, where the GOP dominates the legislature, have drawn new maps as part of President Donald Trump's midterm push.

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Florida Republicans, in a move pushed by GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers, are also hoping to pick up an additional three to five seats through a redistricting push during a special legislative session in April.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.





Original article source: Republicans appeal judge's decision rejecting New York City GOP district lines
Republican lawmakers are starting to break with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, as the party scrambles to respond to growing public anger after two US citizens were killed by federal agents.

But even as some Republicans in Washington speak out against the fatal shootings, they've avoided directly criticising President Donald Trump or his broader immigration agenda.

The emerging messaging on Minneapolis points to the party's main dilemma heading into the midterm elections.

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The dilemma is whether and how to distance itself from the biggest controversies of Trump's second term, while running on his overall record on immigration and other issues. That record is popular on the right, and is something that most Republicans helped push through Congress.

The party's response to the fast-moving events in Minneapolis underscores the delicate balancing act.

Public anger forces a new focus

So far, Republicans have focused criticism on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE - the agency at the forefront of the Minneapolis operation - and other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) taking part.

At the same time, Republicans have backed Trump's immigration plans since his return to the White House, but now avoid highlighting their support.

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Last year, the Republican-controlled Congress approved roughly $45bn (33bn) for border security and additional funding for interior enforcement to help the administration carry out Trump's plan to deport millions of undocumented migrants from the country.

That support has continued even as opinion polls consistently show a majority of Americans believe ICE has gone too far in its tactics under Trump. A New York Times/Siena poll out last Friday found that 61% of voters believe ICE's tactics have "gone too far".

The survey came out two weeks after Renee Good, a US citizen, was fatally shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis - and one day before another American citizen, Alex Pretti, was killed by agents in the city, which sparked nationwide protests.

In the same poll, about half of voters said they approved of the administration deporting those living illegally in the US, and about half approved of its approach on the southern border.

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In the face of public outcry over the killings, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, called on Monday for the leaders of ICE and two other federal agencies to testify before his panel next month. The request came alongside calls from other Senate Republicans for more oversight of ICE after Pretti's shooting.

"The tragedy and chaos the country is witnessing in Minneapolis is shocking," Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska wrote on social media. "ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties."

Murkowski's condemnation does not come as a major surprise. The Alaska moderate is one of a small handful of Republicans in Congress who've been willing to openly criticise Trump since he first entered office. Paul also has clashed with the president and administration on issues in the past.

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Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina on Tuesday became one of the first prominent Republicans to call for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to step down.

Noem "has proven to be way out of her depth", Tillis told reporters, adding that her leadership in Minnesota "should be disqualifying."

The White House has said Trump has confidence in Noem.

Facing 'serious, unanswered questions'

Moderate Republicans like Murkowski aren't the only ones in the party criticising the immigration operation in Minnesota.

In recent days some of Trump's allies in Congress also began speaking out against the shootings, though most issued carefully worded statements that didn't explicitly mention the president.

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"There are serious unanswered questions about federal use of force in Minnesota. Transparency and accountability are essential," said Representative Max Miller of Ohio, a former Trump adviser.

Representative Andrew Garbarino of New York, the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, called on the heads of ICE and other agencies to testify before Congress. Garbarino also came out in support of a full investigation into Pretti's shooting.

"Congress has an important responsibility to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the people they serve and protect," Garbarino said.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas issued a more direct criticism of the administration after the Pretti shooting. But he focused on the administration's rhetoric in response to the shooting and didn't break with Trump's larger agenda.

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"What I think the administration could do better is the tone with which they're describing this - that immediately when an incident like this happens, they come out guns blazing that we took out a violent terrorist, hooray," Cruz said Monday on his podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz.

The Republican response is also complicated by the gun ownership debate that has pitted the administration against the National Rifle Association (NRA), a traditional ally of the political right. A Trump-appointed federal prosecutor in Los Angeles said in a social media post after Pretti's death that people who approach law enforcement officials armed should expect that there is a "high likelihood" they would get shot.

The NRA slammed the remarks. "Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalisations and demonising law-abiding citizens," it said in a statement.

Some Republican lawmakers defend immigration enforcement under way in Minneapolis and other US cities. Trump's immigration policies remain popular with the party's base, and after the recent shootings in Minneapolis, some Republican voters in the state told the BBC they didn't think the president should do anything differently.

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"They're just doing their job, which is right," Jay Cielinski, said of ICE in an interview Tuesday in his hometown of Zimmerman, a roughly 50-minute drive north of Minneapolis.

The 59-year-old home inspector and self-described Trump supporter also said protesters, and state and local officials shouldn't interfere with federal immigration operations. That view is echoed by many Republicans, including Trump and other senior administration officials.

"They should stay at home, stay out of the way," Cielinski said of people who protest against federal immigration operations. "Law enforcement officials at the city, state, county [levels] should be encouraging ICE to go in. They should expose the people that are illegal."

Still, the cautious rebukes from Cruz and other prominent Republicans in Washington signalled an attempt to hold the administration accountable without alienating supporters like Cielinski.

Pivoting to a softer approach

The growing criticisms from Republican lawmakers came as Trump shifted his own tone in recent days, after more facts emerged about the circumstances surrounding Pretti's death.

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After the shooting Trump initially called Pretti a "gunman," and other senior US officials claimed the 37-year-old ICU nurse had turned up armed at an enforcement action to try and kill federal agents.

But others have disputed that, saying Pretti was filming ICE agents with his phone then helping a woman pushed on the ground - and that video shows that he had a phone in his hand, not a weapon, when he was shot.

Trump has since softened his rhetoric, and taken steps to try and ease tensions in Minneapolis. This week, he sent White House border tsar Tom Homan to take over the operation there, known as Operation Metro Surge. Homan's arrival represented a shakeup in leadership, as top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino was expected to leave the city.

Trump suggested on Tuesday that sending Homan to Minneapolis was intended to bring calm there. "We're going to de-escalate a little bit," Trump said in a Fox News interview.

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The president also held calls on Monday with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both of whom are Democrats. Frey said afterwards that Trump told him the "present situation" in Minneapolis can't continue.

White House officials pulled back their rhetoric, too.

"Nobody in the White House, including President Trump, wants to see people getting hurt or killed in America's streets," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday. "It is President Trump's hope and wish and demand for the resistance and chaos to end today."

The remarks appear to have opened the doors for more Republicans to voice concern about the shootings.

But the party's future approach to its immigration messaging remains to be seen - both in the run-up to the midterms later this year and in the aftermath of the violence in Minneapolis.

Already, there are signs of a government shutdown battle over immigration policy that could push lawmakers into their partisan camps.

Senate Democrats vowed to block a spending package if it includes additional funding for DHS, setting the stage for a possible government shutdown later this week. The fight could pressure Trump's party to defend his immigration agenda and overshadow Republican calls for investigations into the shootings in Minneapolis.

Republicans also will likely continue taking their cues from Trump. How he responds will shape the debate in the days and weeks ahead.

Ana Faguy and Kristina Volk contributed reporting from Minneapolis

[BBC]

Follow the twists and turns of Trump's second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
The two Republican senators whom President Donald Trump deemed losers for saying that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem needed to step aside sniped back at the president.

Im kind of excited about being called a loser, Sen. Thom Tillis told The Independent. Apparently that qualifies me to be DHS secretary and senior adviser to the president.

Tillis of North Carolina and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska had both called on Noem to resign after the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, by Customs and Border Protection officials. Noem and others officials immediately labeled Pretti a domestic terrorist. Noem claimed that he had brandished a handgun before being shot, but video showed that did not happen.

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In response, calls for her job have increased on both sides of the political aisle and in public.

On Wednesday, the president blasted both senators in an interview with ABC News.

Well, they're both losers, he said. You know, what can I tell you? They're terrible senators. One is gone and the other should be gone.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) talks with reporters about the shooting death of Alex Pretti by federal agents. He said he took Trump labeling him a loser as a badge of honor (Getty Images)

Tillis announced last year that he would not seek re-election after opposing Trumps One Big, Beautiful Bill. Tillis has repeatedly criticized White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller for his talk about taking Greenland by military force.

Trump told ABC News that Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.

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But Tillis said he did not care.

I never really wanted a voice here, I try to stay out of the way of folks who try to rush to the cameras, he told The Independent. Tillis also laughed at the idea of being called a loser.

Murkowski responded in a similar way.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined Tillis in saying that Kristi Noem needed to resign as Homeland Security secretary. (Getty Images)

You know, he obviously disagrees with my assessment of the job that Secretary Noem is doing, and ultimately its his call as to who he keeps in this position, she told The Independent.

Murkowski told The Independent that last year she had voted to confirm Noem but would likely not do so today.

It's his call as to who he keeps in this position, whether it's Secretary Noem or someone else, I understand that, and he'll decide, she said. I think he deserves better.

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Trump and Murkowski have had a contentious relationship. Murkowski voted against his attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and voted to convict him for his actions on Jan. 6.

In Trumps second term, she voted against the confirmation of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel. Murkowski also voted for the One Big, Beautiful Bill that gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement $75 billion.

After the killing of Pretti, Murkowski called for a full investigation, along with a handful of other Republicans.

But even Senate Majority Leader John Thune criticized calling Pretti a domestic terrorist.

You had a citizen in this country killed, but, you know, based on the evidence that I've seen so far, that wouldn't be a characterization I would use, he told The Independent.
LVMH has reported a drop in annual revenue in 2025, citing currency movements and softer demand in several markets amid what it described as a disrupted geopolitical and economic backdrop.

The French luxury retailer posted revenue of 80.80bn ($96.48bn) for the year, down 5%, while profit from recurring operations dropped 9% to 17.75bn.

Organic revenue declined 1% across the full year, with fourth-quarter organic growth of 1%, matching the pace recorded in the previous quarter.

Net profit attributable to the group slid 13% to 10.87bn.

Operating free cash flow, however, increased 8% to 11.33bn, and net financial debt fell 26% to 6.85bn by year-end.

LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault said: Once again in 2025, LVMH demonstrated its solidity and effective strategy upheld by its highly engaged teams. The group was buoyed by the loyalty and growing demand shown by our local customers.

Regional performance was mixed. Europe saw a downturn in the second half while the US expanded on the back of domestic demand.

Japan retreated from the previous year, when spending had been supported by a weaker yen, and the rest of Asia moved back into growth during the latter part of the year.

Results also varied by division. Wines and spirits recorded a 5% organic revenue fall, with profit from recurring operations down 25%, reflecting weaker cognac demand and the effect of trade tensions between China and the US.

Fashion and leather goods reported a 5% organic decline in revenue and a 13% drop in operating profit, while keeping an operating margin of 35%.

Perfumes and cosmetics delivered flat organic sales and an 8% rise in operating profit.

Watches and jewellery achieved 3% organic growth, and selective retailing posted a 4% organic increase in revenue alongside a 28% jump in operating profit, led by Sephora.

At the end of 2025, LVMH employed more than 211,000 people worldwide, including over 40,000 in France.

Corporate tax payments totalled 5.5bn for the year, with around half paid in France.

Within selective retailing, DFS signed an agreement this month with China Tourism Group Duty Free to acquire its operations in Greater China, including Gallerias in Hong Kong and Macao.

Despite ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, the group said it remained confident for 2026 and reiterated its focus on brand development, innovation and investment.

"LVMH revenue slips in 2025 as currency swings and uneven demand weigh" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand.




NORTHAMPTON  A student who claims he was suspended by the University of Massachusetts Amherst for protesting in support of Palestine is suing the university. He alleges the school violated his constitutional rights and breached its contract with him.

In an 18-page complaint filed Tuesday in Hampshire Superior Court, Kivlighan de Montebello, a junior at the university, names UMass; Jeffrey Hescock, its associate vice chancellor of environmental health and safety and emergency management; and Farshid Hajir, its senior vice provost and dean of undergraduate education, as defendants.

In September, de Montebello was one of a number of students to protest the presence of RTX, formerly known as Raytheon  a defense contractor  at a career fair hosted by the Isenberg School of Management.

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A month after the protest, which was dismantled by the universitys Demonstration Response and Safety Team, he says he received five charges of misconduct from the university, for disruptive behavior, threatening behavior, creating a disturbance, failure to comply and violating the universitys picketing code.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst proudly calls on its students to Be Revolutionary. ... The universitys actions are not merely hypocritical  they are unlawful and unconstitutional," the complaint reads.

The lawsuit alleges that UMass Amherst breached a contract with de Montebello when it suspended him for protesting. It also alleges the university violated de Montebellos First and 14th Amendment rights, and that Hajir and Hescock deprived him of his civil rights.

When reached for comment Tuesday, a spokesperson for UMass Amherst said that while the university does not comment on ongoing litigation, its legal response will address the claims made in this filing.

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The spokesperson said the university is committed to protecting the First Amendment rights of its students, faculty and staff.

That commitment is reflected in university policy and long-standing practice, the spokesperson said in a statement. At the same time, the law is clear that expressive activity may be subject to reasonable restrictions that ensure that speech and protest do not block access to campus spaces, disrupt classes or university operations, or interfere with the ability of others to work, teach, and learn.

We dont suspend people for protesting or for their beliefs, the spokesperson said later by email. The student disciplinary process involves violations of the student code of conduct.

That code is designed to promote accountability and restorative outcomes, and sanctions consider a range of factors, including the students prior conduct record, the spokesperson said. They declined to comment about whether de Montebello has a previous record.

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De Montebello is represented by the National Lawyers Guild of Massachusetts and a Boston law firm, Zalkind Duncan & Bernstein LLP.

The university calls on students to be engaged in political and social movements, yet when Kiv answered that call with peaceful protest, they punished him, said Urszula Masny-Latos, executive director of the National Lawyers Guild, Massachusetts chapter, in an emailed statement to The Republican. UMass suspended a student for exercising his constitutional right to protest a weapons manufacturer and supporter of the ongoing war on Gaza. Thats not education  thats censorship."

The allegations

On Sept. 29, de Montebello helped organize a protest at the Campus Center, where a career fair was taking place, the complaint says.

De Montebello is a member of the Students for Justice in Palestine, an activist group with a chapter at UMass Amherst that has actively protested the war in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

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At around 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 29, the complaint says de Montebello used a bullhorn to initiate a call-and-response with other protesters about Raytheons role in the Palestinian genocide, and the universitys alleged complicity.

De Montebello alleges that Hescock confronted him and asserted that the student wasnt allowed to use amplified sound indoors, the complaint said. He alleges Hescock did not cite where in the universitys policies or rules this wasnt allowed.

The complaint alleges Hescock repeatedly read from a prepared document stating, Were here to support your First Amendment rights to free speech and demonstration.

Shortly after making this statement, the complaint alleges Hescock told the protesters to stop using the bullhorn and to stand in a designated corner.

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The complaint further alleges that de Montebello asked for clarification from Hescock about the policy around the bullhorn and was later told that the protesting students would not be allowed to make any noise during the protest. The plaintiff says he and the other students complied with Hescocks requests.

Now prohibited from making any noise, some protesters began placing post-it notes around the area to express their message, while others engaged in conversation with passersby and distributed material about Raytheons role in weapons manufacturing, the complaint said.

De Montebello then alleges that Hajir told students they had to stop trying to speak with students attending the career fair, and that they could not distribute literature in the vicinity of the protest.

At around 2:20 p.m., de Montebello alleges the schools Demonstration Response and Safety Team told protesters, including him, that everyone had to leave or they would be referred to the university for discipline, the complaint said.

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De Montebello was then approached by a member of the safety team and allegedly told he needed to identify himself for disciplinary purposes, the complaint said.

The complaint says that Hajir was the sole person who reported de Montebello to the universitys disciplinary committee, and his report did not accurately reflect what occurred at the protest.

In one instance, Hajir allegedly reported that de Montebello led the protesters in a call-and-response that was intended to drown out the directions of the (Demonstrations Response and Safety Team), the complaint said.

While Hajirs report admits to some of the facts  for example, ordering students to be quiet during the career fair, telling de Montebello to stop using the bullhorn for call-and-responses because it was disruptive, and asking the protesters to leave the protest  the complaint said Hajir repeatedly characterized (the plaintiffs) behavior as disruptive and defiant.

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Contrary to Hajirs report, Hescock later told the safety team that the career fair was successful, bringing 1,000 students to the Career Center.

... There were no disruptions inside the Campus Center; and the event proceeded as planned, Hescocks summary said, according to the complaint.

The complaint also includes student witnesses  including the eyewitness reports of a student journalist who was covering the career fair and another student who was at the fair. Both said the protesters were peaceful in their demonstration and did not cause disruptions, the complaint said.

About two weeks after the demonstration, de Montebello says he received notice from the university that it had received a conduct referral about his actions during the protest, and the next steps would be to meet with a case administrator for a meeting, the complaint said.

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At the end of October, de Montebello had a meeting with a university administrator, who said UMass was charging him with disruptive behavior, threatening behavior, creating a disturbance, failure to comply and violation of the university picketing code. He was told that this was based on the universitys rules on misconduct, de Montebello says.

The administrator then said de Montebello would be suspended from Nov. 7 until May 31, the complaint said.

This meant that de Montebello could not attend classes, register for classes for the spring semester, and would not receive a refund for tuition and fees that he had spent for the fall semester, the complaint said.

The student also was permanently barred from university housing and required to complete a re-entry assessment, reflection paper, and re-enrollment application at the end of the suspension that would determine if hed be readmitted to the university, the complaint said.

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The complaint further alleges the university denied de Montebello his rights during multiple disciplinary hearings after he was suspended.

De Montebello says the suspension has affected his academic record at school and will affect future job prospects, the complaint said.

On Tuesday, de Montebellos attorneys also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction, requesting that a Superior Court judge halt the universitys sanctions against de Montebello. In a 151-page document, they argue that the student is likely to prevail on his claims that the university violated his First and 14th Amendment rights, and that de Montebello is more likely to suffer irreparable harm compared to the defendants because of the suspension.

In de Montebellos lawsuit, he requests that a Hampshire Superior Court judge rule in his favor; declare that the defendants violated his constitutional rights; vacate the universitys decision that de Montebello violated its Code of Student Conduct; vacate the sanctions placed on de Montebello by the university; order the university to expunge any record; and award the plaintiff punitive damages and awards.

He is requesting a jury trial.

David Lowy, general counsel for the UMass system, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The RNC distributed talking points highlighting Border Patrol commander Greg Bovinos false statements about the killing of Alex Pretti just hours before he was sidelined by President Donald Trump  a sign of how quickly the partys messaging has shifted on the events in Minneapolis.

The memo, sent to party surrogates midday on Monday and obtained by POLITICO, encouraged Republicans to cast blame for the shooting on Democrats for inciting protestors to attack and aggressively confront law enforcement in Minneapolis. The talking points also delve into administration officials account of how the shooting took place, including Bovinos Saturday comments that the U.S. citizen killed by immigration agents wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement." The governments initial account has been called into question by videos shot by witnesses as well as analyses conducted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and others.

The memo includes the talking point that Agents attempted to disarm the individual as he violently resisted. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, a Border Patrol agent fired defensive shots. Video from the scene appears to contradict that statement.

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The whiplash between the RNCs promotion of Bovinos comments and his sudden removal shortly afterward from the federal operation in Minneapolis shows how the administration and other Republicans scrambled to contain the fallout from the shooting. A significant number of elected GOP officials have called for an official investigation into the matter, a rare and notable break with the Trump administration.

Immediately following the shooting on Saturday, high-profile administration officials like Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem publicly described Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, as a domestic terrorist.

By that evening, however, Trump was already more cautious in his description of what had transpired. In an interview that day with The Wall Street Journal, the president did not answer directly when asked whether the officer involved in the shooting did the right thing and said his administration is reviewing everything.

Speaking at a restaurant in Iowa on Tuesday, Trump said that he hadnt heard the assessment from Noem and others in his administration, such as deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, that Pretti was a domestic terrorist or assassin, but said that certainly he shouldnt have been carrying a gun. Pretti had a permit to carry a firearm, according to Minnesota officials.

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Mondays talking points memo notably omits reference to any comments made by Noem since the shooting took place. While the White House has publicly stood behind Noem, administration allies have increasingly placed blame on the secretarys handling of the chaotic crackdown in Minnesota as calls among Democrats for her impeachment have grown. On Tuesday evening, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Noem should be out of a job, while Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she should go.

Trump announced on Monday morning that border czar Tom Homan would go to Minneapolis to oversee the administrations immigration operation there, a move seen as an acknowledgement that DHSs leadership had mishandled the situation. Hours later, Bovino had been removed from his post as commander at large, according to The Atlantic.

Kiersten Pels, a spokesperson for the RNC, would not confirm the authenticity of the memo but echoed its overall sentiment in a written statement. Democrats incited this violence by encouraging protesters to confront law enforcement, she wrote. Democrats are demonizing ICE and threatening to defund DHS instead of condemning attacks on officers  while President Trump and Republicans stand with law enforcement and public safety.

Trumps approval rating on immigration has dropped significantly since he first came into office, with only 39% of Americans now approving of the presidents handling of immigration, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. The high-profile shooting in Minneapolis, following the fatal shooting earlier this month of Renee Good in the city, has only brought more attention to the administrations goal of a mass deportation.

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Democrats in the Senate have pledged to vote against funding DHS in a crucial vote later this week unless the bill is amended to add guardrails for the agency  and the RNCs talking points seize on the potential for a partial government shutdown as well.

Now, Democrats are threatening to defund law enforcement later this week by refusing to pass a DHS funding bill, the memo concludes.

While Democrats will stand in the way of ICE and law enforcement to defend terrorists and criminal aliens, President Trump and Republicans are working to keep our communities safe.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a full-throated defense Wednesday of President Donald Trump's military operation to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, while explaining to U.S. lawmakers the administrations approach to Greenland, NATO, Iran and China.

As Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee offered starkly different readings of the administration's foreign policy, Rubio addressed Trump's intentions and his often bellicose rhetoric that has alarmed U.S. allies in Europe and elsewhere, including demands to take over Greenland.

In the first public hearing since the Jan. 3 raid to depose Maduro, Rubio said Trump had acted to take out a major U.S. national security threat in the Western Hemisphere. Trump's top diplomat said America was safer and more secure as a result and that the administration would work with interim authorities to stabilize the South American country.

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Were not going to have this thing turn around overnight, but I think were making good and decent progress, Rubio said. We are certainly better off today in Venezuela than we were four weeks ago, and I think and hope and expect that well be better off in three months and six months and nine months than we would have been had Maduro still been there."

The former Florida senator said Venezuela's current leaders are cooperating and would soon begin to see benefits. But he backed away from remarks prepared for the hearing that Washington would not hesitate to take further military action should those leaders not fully accept Trump's demands.

I can tell you right now with full certainty, we are not postured to nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time," Rubio said. I think it would require the emergence of an imminent threat of the kind that we do not anticipate at this time.

He said Venezuela soon will be allowed to sell oil that is now subject to U.S. sanctions, and the revenue would be set aside to pay for basic government services such as policing and health care. Oil proceeds will be deposited in a U.S. Treasury-controlled account and released after the U.S. approves monthly budgets to be submitted by Venezuela, he said.

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Pushback against skepticism from Democrats

Republican senators, with few exceptions, praised the operation in Venezuela. Among Democrats, there was deep skepticism.

They questioned Trump's policies in Venezuela and their potential for encouraging moves by China against Taiwan and Russia even more so in Ukraine, as well as his threats to take Greenland from NATO ally Denmark and his insults about the alliance's contributions to U.S. security.

Rubio played them all down.

He said the uproar over Greenland within NATO is calming and that talks are underway about how to deal with Trump's demands. The Republican president insists the U.S. needs Greenland to counter threats from Russia and China, but he recently backed away from a pledge to impose tariffs on several European countries that sent troops to the semiautonomous Danish territory in a show of solidarity.

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I think were going to get something positive done," Rubio said.

Rubio dismissed criticism that Trump was undermining the alliance, while repeating the long-running American complaint that member nations need to boost their defense budgets.

NATO needs to be reimagined, Rubio said. I just think this president complains about it louder than other presidents."

He said China's stated goal to reunify Taiwan with the mainland would not be affected by any other world event, including the Maduro operation.

The situation on Taiwan is a legacy project" that Chinese President Xi Jinping has made "very clear that thats what he intends to do and thats going to be irrespective anything that happens in the world, Rubio said.

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As Trump once more threatens Iran with military action, Rubio said there was no current plan to attack. Asked about the potential for a change of government in Tehran, Rubio said that would require a lot of careful thinking because it would be far more complex than ousting Maduro.

He noted that the increased military presence in the Middle East  an aircraft carrier and accompanying warships arrived this week  is to defend against what could be an Iranian threat against our personnel.

More details about the raid in Caracas

The Republican committee chairman, Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, offered new details on the operation in the Venezuelan capital, saying it involved only about 200 troops and a firefight that lasted less than 27 minutes.

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This military action was incredibly brief, targeted and successful, Risch said, adding that the U.S. and other nations may have to assist Venezuela when it seeks to restore democratic elections.

Venezuela may require U.S. and international oversight to ensure these elections are indeed free and fair, he said.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the committee's top Democrat, questioned whether that operation was worth it, considering most of Maduro's top aides and lieutenants still run the Venezuela and the economic situation there remains bleak.

"Weve traded one dictator for another, so its no wonder that so many of my constituents are asking, why is the president spending so much time focused on Venezuela instead of the cost of living and their kitchen table economic concerns?" she asked. From Venezuela to Europe, the United States is spending more, risking more and achieving less.

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Call for eventual democratic elections in Venezuela

Rubio delivered his strongest statement yet of support for democracy in Venezuela, while concerns persist that the administrations stabilization efforts are narrowly focused on oil and U.S. national security interests.

Whats the end state? We want a Venezuela that has legitimate democratic elections, said Rubio, who met Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the State Department after the hearing.

Machado reiterated her intention to return to Venezuela. Dear Venezuelans, we are moving forward with firm steps, she posted on X. I will return to Venezuela very soon to work together on the transition and the building of an exceptional country.

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Before that, Rubio faced tough questioning from Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., about cooperating with interim leaders who had been part of Maduro's authoritarian government. Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, is now the acting president.

The U.S. has said its demands for Rodriguez include opening Venezuelas energy sector to U.S. companies, providing preferential access to production, using oil revenue to purchase American goods, and ending subsidized oil exports to Cuba.

Neither Rodriguez nor her governments press office immediately commented on Rubios remarks. She said Tuesday that her government and the U.S. have established respectful and courteous channels of communication. So far, she has appeared to acquiesce to Trumps demands and to release prisoners jailed by the government under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

In a key step to the restoration of diplomatic relations, the State Department said it intends to begin sending additional diplomatic and support personnel to Caracas to prepare for the possible reopening of the U.S. Embassy, which shuttered in 2019.

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Fully normalizing ties, however, would require the U.S. to revoke its decision recognizing the Venezuelan parliament elected in 2015 as the countrys legitimate government.

___

Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, and David Klepper in Washington contributed to this report.
MOSCOW, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov has won a legal complaint against German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung over an article it published about him, court documents obtained by Reuters show.

In a ruling dated January 23, a Hamburg court prohibited the FAZ from disseminating several statements, including allegations about Usmanov's links to top Russian officials, from an April 2023 article titled "On the Kremlin's instructions".

Usmanov has a net worth of $18.8 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and is subject to European Union and U.S. sanctions and a travel ban that were imposed after the start of the war in Ukraine.

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He has launched multiple lawsuits in Europe with the ultimate goal of having the sanctions lifted. In some, his lawyers contested statements in the media that were used as the grounds for sanctions.

Usmanov's lawyer, Joachim Steinhofel, said in remarks about the Hamburg court's decision that the statements banned from further dissemination "repeated essential parts of the reasoning behind the sanctions against Mr Usmanov."

"This (the court decision) allows for the legally substantiated assessment that the EU sanctions' reasoning is nothing more than an accumulation of defamatory, groundless, and thus illegal allegations," he added.

The FAZ is considering appealing the ruling, a spokesperson for the newspaper said.

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The criteria applied by the Hamburg court would make reporting on individual actors under authoritarian rule extremely difficult, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement, adding: "This cannot be in the interest of press freedom."

Last month, Germany agreed with Usmanov to close an investigation into alleged foreign trade law violations, provided that he pay 10 million euros ($11.98 million). In 2024, German prosecutors dropped a money laundering investigation against him.

(Reporting by Gleb Bryanski, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
For the past 117 years, Samuel Merritt University has been one of California's largest educators of registered nurses. In a big win for the city, it will now be centered in downtown Oakland.

The 10-story, 260,000-square-foot facility is expected to bring approximately 2,000 students and 500 faculty and staff to the city's urban core daily.

City leaders and university officials believe the new campus will be a vital "anchor institution" to revitalize downtown Oakland, a neighborhood hit hard by high commercial vacancy rates and less foot traffic since the pandemic.

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The new flagship campus comes at a cost of $240 million, offering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and nursing certificate programs.

William Hathorn, a current student at the school, says the school's reputation and its connections to other institutions, including strong links to numerous hospitals such as Stanford, Kaiser, Sutte are why he chose this university.

SMU aims to double enrollment over the next decade. Oakland city leaders say this will be a big boost to downtown businesses as city as it positions itself as a workforce development hub.

RELATED: Public safety key to reviving Oakland's economy, chamber of commerce report says

"It's using Oakland's public assets to catalyze public and private investment and to deliver public health. How good could that be! Public health, public benefits for our city," says Mayor Lee.

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East Bay Congresswoman Lateefah Simon, who was also in attendance for the grand opening, presented a million-dollar check to the university. She says she fought hard to get federal funding for the school.

"If you are from the Bay Area, you know Samuel Merritt breeds healers -- that healers are being taught in this building. And with their hands and with their hearts, all of us will be better," says Representative Simon.

SMU president, Dr. Ching-Hua Wang, says the U.S. health care is under strain, highlighted by this week's Kaiser strike. The Association of American Medical Colleges says the United States is facing a nurse shortage and estimates California will have a 17% shortage of registered nurses by 2033.

MORE: Thousands of Bay Area Kaiser workers hit the picket lines amid strike across California, Hawaii

"This campus is our direct response to the call, but taking concrete, or maybe glass and steel actions (referencing the news glass building), where the challenges are real, the stakes are high, and the impact is immediate," says Dr. Wang.
Scout Motors celebrated its groundbreaking Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Blythewood, South Carolina. Vehicle assembly is supposed to start in 2027. (Provided by Scout Motors)

COLUMBIA  South Carolina has racked up $150 million in cost overruns as it works to fulfill pledges it made to lure electric vehicle maker Scout Motors to the state. The states economic development agency wants taxpayers to make up the difference.

South Carolina lawmakers, in March 2023, already agreed to spend $1.3 billion to bring Scout to the Palmetto State. If the General Assembly does not agree to pony up the additional cash in the next state budget, the state Commerce Department would have to tell contractors working on the site that it doesnt have the money to pay them.

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And we would not have the money to pay them for several years under our regular funding, Harry Lightsey, South Carolinas economic development chief, told legislators Tuesday.

Funneling future money from its standing annual budget allocations also means Commerce would have to pass on other companies that may come seeking to build in the state, he said.

The costs

More than half of the over-budget expenses are related to an environmental package meant to offset the wetlands lost when the Volkswagen subsidiary started to build, Lightsey told a House budget-writing panel.

In the agreement with Scout, the state Department of Commerce and Richland County agreed to contract and pay for all of the mass grading work at no cost to the company. And the costs of all associated environmental requirements were to be borne solely by the state and county, the 192-page contract reads.

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At the heart of the issue are tight deadlines Scout Motors set for getting this work done so it could begin assembling vehicles in 2027. Those due dates were redacted in the copy of the agreement Commerce provided to the SC Daily Gazette.

Scout wanted to build this plant and have it in production on an extremely aggressive schedule, Lightsey said. So, there was certainly a lot of time pressure involved in all of this.

That meant Commerce needed a waiver from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to avoid a more lengthy, two-year environmental permitting study.

If we had had to go through a two-year process, that would have killed the project, Lightsey said.

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The company, through a permit filed by Commerce and the county on its behalf, first offered to protect 4,902 acres of wetlands near Congaree National Park and another 155 acres on the Broad River, known as Shelton Island.

To win the Corp approval, the group added 18 miles of stream restoration in Sumter National Forest to its environmental proposal, along with more improvements to land along the Congaree River.

While the group waited for a nod from the Corps, crews had to pause work for five months, tallying up an even greater bill. Equipment the state had rented sat idle.

We wanted to be ready to go to work as soon as we received the wetlands permit. And we were concerned that if we let go of that equipment, that would take additional time and effort to get that equipment back on the site, Lightsey said.

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Once the Corps allowed the state to resume work, Commerce spent an additional $18 million to bring more crews on site and get its construction schedule back on track after the months-long environmental delay and an unusually rainy 2024, Lightsey said.

Also related to the rain, the state Department of Environmental Services required Commerce to build dams on site to hold back rainwater and keep clay and silt from washing onto downstream neighbors property. The cost: $17 million.

Beyond the environmental issues, a third of the overruns were related to road improvements the state and county agreed to make on Scouts behalf.

Scout also ups investment

In his own budget proposal, Gov. Henry McMaster only recommended giving Commerce a third of the money its requesting. Commerce officials did not say how the agency would make up the remainder if the Legislature adopts the governors suggestion.

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Scout Motors did not approach Commerce or the governor about making the budget ask, according to company spokesman Jamie Lovegrove.

In a statement, the company said it appreciates the State of South Carolinas continued commitment to completing the earthwork and site preparation in support of our project.

Scout also pointed out that its own expenses have ballooned. And it is building out a business park to house potential suppliers without requesting any additional incentives from the state.

That brings the companys total investment to $3 billion  a $1 billion increase over the initial announcement.

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Meanwhile, more than 130,000 people have signed up to buy the first Scout vehicles when they roll off the line next year.

Of those pre-orders, 80% of buyers are asking for the hybrid-like models the carmaker announced in October 2024 that it would offer.

These models, which Scout is calling Harvesters, have both a battery and a gas engine that can recharge the battery while the car is still in motion, extending the range of travel to 500 miles between refueling.

Commerce officials said asking Scout to amend the agreement and cover the cost difference would have meant falling short of the commitment the state made to the company, particularly as the property will remain under county ownership.

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As to whether the agency will change how it writes these types of agreements in the future, committing to a set dollar amount rather than being left on the hook when something goes over budget, officials said a shovel-ready site is often an expectation companies have when coming to a state.

Ideally, South Carolina would have had an available site that already was cleared and had supporting infrastructure to support a large manufacturer like Scout. That was not the case, the agency wrote in a statement.

Commerce worked with experts and attorneys who advised the agency that the original environmental package created was enough to pass muster. After the permitting process began, it became clear that was not the case, according to the agency.

Sure, youre not happy about the overrun. Were not happy about it, said Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, D-Charleston.

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But if you knew 2  years ago that it would cost an extra $150 million, would you still have recommended this project to the governor and to the General Assembly? asked the chairman of the Ways and Means subcommittee.

Absolutely, Lightsey replied.

Editors note: This article has been updated with additional information from the SC Department of Commerce.
Traffic congestion is getting worse. Utilities race to generate energy. Public safety departments and resources are strained. These are the concerns of South Carolina leaders as the states population swells.

Between July 2024 and 2025, South Carolina grew more than any other state in the country by percentage, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday.

U-haul says that South Carolina is the number one destination for their moving trucks and vans, said Gov. Henry McMaster during a press conference earlier this month. That means everybody wants to be here.

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South Carolinas population swelled 1.5% between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, beating the growth rate of Idaho, North Carolina and Texas. While birth and death rates remain tight, people moving into the state drives growth in South Carolina, according to the state Revenue and Fiscal Affairs office.

Population growth in the U.S. slowed overall, however, including in South Carolina. Last year, South Carolina had a growth rate of 1.8%, while the U.S.s population grew 0.5%, down from 1%, the previous year. Plummeting international immigration rates contributed to the decline, according to a news release.

South Carolina came in fifth for number of new people to the state, adding nearly 80,000 new residents.

Growth means the state will need to update its infrastructure, including roads, bridges and energy sources. Its also led some state lawmakers to reconsider policies that could encourage more people, including retirees, to come to South Carolina.

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I think none of us is opposed to growth, said state Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, earlier this month. But you want to make sure the growth is coming the right way, and that it is put in the right spots so that it doesnt overwhelm and destroy the things that South Carolinians enjoy.

Not every county in South Carolina is growing, said state Revenue and Fiscal Affairs executive director Frank Rainwater. While urban areas and some coastal counties have seen their populations rise, more rural counties are projected to decline.

There are two different South Carolinas here, Rainwater said. South Carolina is doing well, but not every county is doing well.

Here are a few ways South Carolinas governor and General Assembly are planning for population growth this year:

McMaster requests growth study

McMaster wants to study how South Carolinas government resources and infrastructure will need to accommodate population growth over the next two decades.

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We know that if you cant measure it, you cant manage it, McMaster said. So we want to measure it as best we can, to see how we need to react and what we can expect.

In his version of the states budget, McMaster requested the states Revenue and Fiscal Affairs office search for an outside agency to study growth in South Carolina. The study would look at how steady growth would impact infrastructure and government resources like roads, energy, public safety and health care, McMaster said.

Left unaddressed, our state may face future problems with water and sewer access, traffic congestion, road and bridge repair, demand for electric power generation, public safety, school overcrowding and health care availability, McMaster said. So weve got to do some thinking.

Alleviating congestion and fixing the roads

Hiking registration fees for electric vehicles and allowing express lanes could be avenues for the state to raise money to fix wear-and-tear from more drivers and alleviate congestion.

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Finding new ways to make infrastructure improvements, including adding lanes and fixing roads and bridges, is a priority for some in the General Assembly. A House panel signaled higher fees for EVs could be an option, and a Senate bill also would raise registration fees and allow for congestion lanes. They also want to reduce regulations and take over some of the permitting process to speed up construction times.

Keeping the lights on

South Carolinas utilities are also planning for growing power demand from both new residents and data centers. To meet demand, state-owned utility Santee Cooper will likely spend $10 billion on new generation over the next decade, CEO Jimmy Staton told lawmakers in December.

State lawmakers made sweeping changes to how energy projects are permitted and allowed Santee Cooper and Dominion Energy to build a massive natural gas plant in Colleton County, all with the intention of bolstering power production. Duke Energy is also planning to build a slightly smaller natural gas plant in the Upstate.

Guardrails on tax relief

People who want to retire in South Carolina will have to wait five years to be eligible for the states proposed property tax relief.

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While some states may look for ways to attract more people, a panel of South Carolina lawmakers wanted to keep new residents from taking advantage of a planned $150,000 homestead exemption.

We need to have some protection where people dont just move into the state and end up taking advantage of it, and our citizens have been the ones paying the bill, said state Sen. Shane Martin said Jan. 13.
Scary, nervous, sad, are all words used by experts, analysts, and realtors to describe recent rounds of layoffs at tech companies like Amazon and Meta, combined with reporting that more could be on the way.

Starting Monday, 2,303 Amazon employees will have their final day with the company, part of the layoffs announced in October. In March, Meta will lay off 331. Last week, Reuters reported that another 16,000 Amazon employees could lose their jobs. KIRO 7 reached out to Amazon to confirm, but a spokesperson said Amazon is not commenting on the report. If thats true and the same proportion of workers in Seattle are laid off as were in the October announcement, it could mean an additional 2,600 freshly unemployed workers.

I am very nervous about whats happening, said Joe Nguyen, the President & CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, I think theres a lot of uncertainty, were competing globally, and we dont have an environment right now where I think the political community and the business community are working very well together.

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It comes as the Washington Employment Security Department notes that 16,835 more people are unemployed this year than last, with 111,845 people in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma region searching for work.

This is kind of the scariest time economically for the Seattle region since the Great Recession in 2009. Weve just become accustomed to growing at a lightning pace, and its not clear if and when were gonna grow like that in the near future, said Jeff Shulman, the Chair of the University of Washingtons Marketing and International Business Department.

Both Shulman and Nguyen believe the layoffs at Meta and Amazon are two-foldfinding efficiencies in business to increase profitability while AI platforms and investments change longer-term strategies.

Its a sign of strength to be able to make cost-cutting moves. Eliminate bureaucracy, and become more efficient at earning profit and value for your shareholders. Shulman said.

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For Kimberly Shaeffer, a realtor at John L. Scott Real Estate, Amazon clients made up the majority of her business.

They have fueled my business, and theyve fueled the economy, Shaeffer said.

Though in the last year, shes noticed a dramatic shift. Relocation clients used to flood her desk looking for places in Seattle. Last year, though, of the 23 relocation clients they had, 21 moved out of Seattle, including former Amazon employees.

Its sad to hear when there are any job cuts and just trying to understand how thats going to affect our overall city and not only housing, but also businesses or downtown, Shaeffer said.

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Shaeffer doesnt believe that Amazon workers leaving the region will be enough to drop down home prices, as she says single-family homes are still seeing multiple offers per listing. However, the growth that Amazon brought also changed the kind of housing around Seattle to prioritize more density, and she thinks that momentum could hit the market within the next year.

Downtown visits hit 97 percent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the Downtown Seattle Association, while business traffic was at 60 percent of where it was in 2019. Shaeffer says many of the downtown workers she had as clients also worked in the downtown core.

As companies grapple with emerging trends, we hope this pain is short-term. It would be unwise to bet against Seattle in the long run  the talent pool and fundamental assets are in our favor. The health of our city requires that downtown must be a competitive and attractive place to not only visit and live, but also to locate a business and to grow jobs, said Jon Scholes, the President and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association.

Shulman says diversifying the regions economy away from tech reliance, like what the citys economic makeup looked like historically, is crucial.

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Nguyen sees plenty of opportunity in that in the aerospace, satellite, and space technology, AI, quantum mechanics, and one of the more naturally beautiful regions all work in Washingtons favor. The important piece he sees is lawmakers taking a do no harm approach that can make the situation worse.

We have very good fundamentals and ingredients in this area to be very successful going forward. The part that makes me nervous is that you have to invest in those areas. Economic development is kind of a new thing to talk about within this particular region, just because youve been able to have so much success with the organic nature of the work thats being done. But thats going to be changing.Nguyen said.
For thousands of years, people have told tales of magical beings capable of moving through the world unseenliterally.

From the wish-granting jinn of Arabian folklore to the shadow people of Inuit mythology, creatures possessing the fantastical power of invisibility have long captivated the human imagination. More recently, science fiction and fantasy series have popularized the idea that ordinary humans could become invisible with the help of magical cloaks (Harry Potter), genetic mutations (Marvel superheroes), or advanced tech (Star Trek spaceships).

But is there a science-backed way to produce this most fantastical of illusions? Physicists around the world are working on it.

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Researchers have shown that it is at least theoretically possible to create a cloak that can make ordinary objects vanish. Inspired by these findings, other scientists are designing ways to render buildings invisible to earthquakes and concert halls invisible to sound. All these vanishing tricks rely on a similar approach of cleverly steering waveswhether of light, sound, or seismicityto produce the illusion of empty space.

(Science fiction's warp drive is speeding closer to reality.)

And while there are major hurdles to creating the sort of wearable invisibility cloak of our most cherished fantasy stories, some scientists say its not outside the realm of possibility.

The goal is very simple, says Yun Lai, an invisibility researcher at Nanjing University in China. The key is how to engineer the material to achieve this.

It looks as if three men can be seen through the body of graduate student Kazutoshi Obana during a demonstration of optical camouflage technology conducted by Tokyo University professor Susumu Tachi in 2003. The disappearing coat is part space-age material, part camera trick: A video camera behind the coat sends footage to a projector, which bounces the image off the front of coat's reflective surface. Viewed through a special viewfinder, the coateven when wrinkledappears see-though. In the decades since, physicists have made great strides toward invisibility tech that's more than just a camera trick. Shizuo Kambayashi, AP Photo

Proof that invisibility is possible

Invisibility cloaks jumped from the halls of Hogwarts into the scientific literature roughly 20 years ago.

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In the late 1990s and early 2000s, scientists were beginning to develop a new class of materials, called metamaterials, that exhibit strange and extreme properties not found in nature due to the presence of finely engineered microscopic structures. When physicist Ulf Leonhardt learned of their extraordinary optical properties in the early 2000s, he started thinking about how they might be used to achieve the ultimate illusion: invisibility.

I just thought, This is such a cool thing to do, says Leonhardt, adding that he was reading H.G. Wells The Invisible Man around the time that he learned about metamaterials. What would it take in order to make that happen?

(How scientists learn from the masters of invisibility: octopuses.)

In 2006, Leonhardt and a separate team of researchers at Duke University and Imperial College London published a pair of papers in Science theorizing how to make an invisibility cloak. They imagined that a metamaterial could be engineered with many tiny holes, or other structures, that would steer incoming light waves around the cloak without passing through. Because light would exit the cloak in the same direction that it would have had it not been manipulated, it would create the illusion that light had passed throughand encountered nothing but empty space.

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This is the first time people proved invisibility can be achieved in a scientific way, Lai says.

Several months later, the same Duke and Imperial College scientists reported building the first such invisibility cloak that could shield an object against microwave radiation in two dimensions. In their experiment, a copper cylinder was hidden inside a cloak made up of 10 concentric rings of a material typically used in circuit boards and measuring less than five inches across. The cloak successfully steered the waves around the cloak so that it and the copper cylinder seemed to disappear.

While this demonstration was considered a big step forward, it was clear metamaterials had some major limitations.

For a metamaterial cloak to shield against a particular wavelength of light, the holes need to measure around a tenth of that wavelength, says Sebastien Guenneau, a physicist who studies cloaking at Imperial College London but was not part of the original research team. To deflect visible light waves that are measured in nanometers (a billionth of a meter) would require high-precision nanoengineering.

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You cant imagine Harry Potter dressed up with this kind of metamaterialit would cost billions, Guenneau says.

Another limitation of metamaterial cloaks is that they typically only work for a specific wavelength: A cloak tuned to hide red light wont conceal objects from blue light, for instance. Steering light around an object takes more time than sending it on a straight path, meaning the waves must travel faster than lightspeed to reach the other side without a time delay. This turns out to only be possible for a single frequency at a time.

(The real science inspired by Star Wars.)

Some researchers have used glass or prisms to create broad-spectrum cloaks for hiding objects from specific angles, showing that its not theoretically impossible to achieve. However, metamaterials offer far more promise for sophisticated invisibility technology and, for them, this remains a major challenge.

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Ironically, even if a cloak could be engineered to deflect the entire spectrum of visible light, there would be a new problem from the perspective of the wearer. With no light penetrating the cloak, the person cannot see whats outside. Guenneau says. Harry cannot see Lord Voldemort.

Cloaking at a distance

Metamaterials are not the only path to making objects vanish. During my research, I found there are a lot of ways to realize invisibility, Lai said.

Another option Lai has explored is cloaking objects at a distance by manipulating the scattering of light. Essentially, if a cloaking device is placed at the correct distance from an object, light waves will scatter between the two objects and cancel each other out.

Such a cloak has the benefit of allowing the hidden object to see incoming waves. However, Lai says the design is highly complex and may only be practical for low-frequency waves like radio waves rather than visible light.

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Other researchers have imagined devices that actively emit waves to cancel out incoming onesan approach known as active exterior cloaking. In 2021, scientists showed that by encircling an object with a series of heat pumps, the object could be conceaed from a thermal camera, which detects infrared radiation that otherwise isnt visible to the naked eye. The study also found that heat pumps could be used to give an object a different thermal signatureessentially disguising it as something else.

(Science fiction warned AI could end humanity. We may soon learn if it's possible.)

You can make an apple look like an orange, says study co-author Fernando Guevara Vasquez, a professor of mathematics at the University of Utah.

While metamaterial cloaks have a specific and immutable function, cloaks made with sources of radiation, like heat pumps, can be tuned to different fields. Its essentially software control, Guevara Vasquez says.

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Still, anyone using such a cloak must understand the field they want to cancel out in advance. If, say, military officials wanted to hide an object from radar, which relies on radio waves, they would need to know ahead of time what radio frequencies to shield against. Until they figured that out and set up the cloak, the object would be visible, Guevara Vasquez says.

Research on cloaking objects at a distance remains largely theoretical, with some limited experiments. To find invisibility cloaks that are ready to be deployed in the real world, we need to think bigger.

Seismic cloaking

While the microscopic size of light waves makes it inherently difficult to engineer materials that can alter their course, scientists are also interested in shielding objects from much larger wavessuch as ocean waves and seismic waves from earthquakes.

This turns out to be much more practical.

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Now youre making holes on the order of a few meters, says Guenneau, who has researched seismic cloaks. You can use any kind of drilling machineno more nanotechnology.

Guenneau explains that by drilling a series of concentric holes in the ground around a building that are tuned to match the frequency of incoming seismic waves (which can be predicted by local soil and rock properties), those waves can be redirected. Similarly, concrete columns or rods could be drilled into the seabed to protect an offshore platform from ocean waves. Researchers have been studying these types of large-scale cloaks for over a decade with an eye toward protecting cities, historic sites, nuclear reactors, and even sensitive scientific equipment like gravitational wave detectors.

Guenneau and others have even explored using trees as a natural metamaterial. Research has shown that forests are capable of attenuating seismic waves at Earths surface; by spacing trees out at just the right distance, it may be possible to enhance the effect.

While seismic shielding may seem like a far cry from a Romulan cloaking device, this research might never have emerged if scientists hadnt pursued more science fictional cloaking.

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In my opinion, invisibility is no longer a science fiction concept, Guenneau says. Its something which is extremely useful to improve existing earthquake protection [and] ocean wave protection designs.

Will fictional cloaks become reality?

While a lightweight cloak that a person can vanish under remains the stuff of fiction for now, the field of invisibility continues to see exciting breakthroughs.

In 2024, Lai and his colleagues proposed a new strategy for getting around the bandwidth limitation of conventional metamaterial cloaks. Using a metamaterial cloak consisting of precisely crafted acoustic tunnels that guide sound waves around an obstacle and out an exit surface, the researchers showed that it was possible to produce the illusion that the entire space between where the sound entered and exited the cloak did not exist.

As a result, unlike with conventional metamaterial cloaks, where only a single frequency of light can travel from one side to the other without experiencing a time delay, the researchers demonstrated that soundwaves across a broad acoustic spectrum could traverse the cloak at the same speed.

We find that if space also disappears, you can easily achieve a very broad band invisibility cloak, Lai says. While this work is limited to sound waves for now, Lai wants to extend the approach to electromagnetic waves, including visible light.

While some experts are doubtful that the invisibility cloaks of science fiction will ever be practical, Lai believes that seemingly insurmountable barriers will continue to be overcome with more research.

Maybe one day we can indeed realize Harry Potters cloak, he says. Its important to keep pursuing this goal.
A crash involving a semitractor-trailer shortly before the morning commute has shut down westbound Interstate 70 in Blue Springs, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred about 5 a.m. at I-70 and Adams Dairy Parkway. No one was injured in the crash, the highway patrol said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The force of the crash pushed a concrete barrier from a construction zone in the area into the eastbound lanes, leading to the closure of the left lane of eastbound I-70, the highway patrol said. The highway patrol is currently working with the Missouri Transportation Department to remove the barrier.

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MoDOTs Kansas City District urged drivers to find an alternate route around the crash on their way into work. The closure caused westbound traffic to back up past Grain Valley, where traffic was being forced to exit. Many drivers were using eastbound U.S. 40 to get around the closure.

The highway patrol said it does not know how long the highway closure is expected to last.
MAC Cosmetics head of brand is departing, WWD has learned.

Aida Moudachirou-Rebois, MACs senior vice president and global general manager, is leaving the post she assumed in 2024. Her departure follows a slew of executive shifts at both MAC and parent company the Estee Lauder Cos. under chief executive officer Stephane de La Faverie, including seasoned creative Nicola Formichetti joining the brand in 2025 as global creative director and the appointment of Lisa Sequino as makeup brand cluster president.

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A spokesperson for MAC declined to comment, and plans for a successor could not be learned.

Makeup at the parent company overall declined by 1 percent on a reported basis for the companys most recent financial earnings, for the three months ending Sept. 30. While results for that quarter noted new launches and increased consumer acquisition and brand awareness with its I Only Wear MAC campaign, the category overall posted an operating loss to the tune of $15 million. Prior to that, Lauders annual report for its fiscal year points to MACs decline in face and retail softness for the brand as a driver of a 5 percent drop in makeup sales. In whats widely read as an effort to mitigate those headwinds, the brand is entering Sephora in the U.S. imminently.

That category is now under the purview of Sequino, president of Lauders makeup brand cluster, who returned to the company after stints as chief executive officer of both JLo Beauty and Supergoop. At the time of her appointment last May, her portfolio comprised of MAC, Bobbi Brown, Too Faced, Smashbox and Glamglow. The latter three have been rumored to be for sale for years, and Glamglow went as far as to shutter its own e-commerce capabilities in favor of its Amazon storefront in 2025. The rumored sales, if realized, would leave just Bobbi Brown and MAC under Sequinos purview.

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This story was produced as part of a partnership with NOTUS and the nonprofit, nonpartisan Allbritton Journalism Institute.

Some Senate Republicans say they have lost confidence in Kristi Noems ability to lead the Department of Homeland Security following the death of Alex Pretti, who was killed by federal agents on Saturday in Minneapolis.

In fact, they think she should resign or be removed from the job.

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She should go, said Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

When asked if he had any confidence in Noem, Sen. Thom Tillis told reporters, Not at all. I think she should go.

The Trump administration removed Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, a high-ranking federal immigration official, from Minnesota as the White House tries to calm tensions in the state following the shooting deaths of Pretti and Renee Good. President Donald Trump has dispatched White House border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to work with state leaders and oversee operations there.

But some Republicans are putting pressure on the administration to go further. Many who had previously voiced support for Noem would not say if they still did so.

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Earlier on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that what has been happening in Minnesota was an inflection point.

An opportunity to evaluate and to really assess the policies and the procedures and how theyre being implemented and put in practice, he continued.

When asked whether he has confidence in Noem, Thune demurred.

Thats the presidents judgement call, Thune said.

Coming out of Senate votes Tuesday, NOTUS asked Sen. Susan Collins whether she had confidence in Noem. The senator directed the question to her colleague, Murkowski, who was walking with her.

No, Murkowski said.

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Collins added that she called Noem on Monday and urged her to have a pause in both Minnesota and Maine on this surge of enforcement until we get a better focus. But she did not respond to direct questions on whether Noem should remain as DHS secretary.

In a post on X, Collins said she had spoken with the White House and with DHS Secretary Noem about the ICE operations. She reiterated that she asked Noem to pause the immigration operations in the two states and called for an independent investigation into the tragic shooting of Alex Pretti.

At this time of heightened tensions, these steps are necessary to help improve trust, accountability, and safety, her statement continued.

Her statement on Tuesday evening came after Maine faith leaders staged a pray-in at her Portland office, demanding that she vote against any DHS spending bill that maintains funding for ICE and call for ICE to end its surge of operations in Maine and Minnesota. Nine of them were arrested after spending more than an hour in the hallway outside her office after police warned them to disperse. Those arrested are awaiting a February court date for criminal trespassing.

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Other Republicans similarly refused to answer questions directly.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, who is facing a Senate primary against Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow, is one of several senators to have called for a thorough investigation into Prettis shooting. He told reporters that if that probe were to happen, Wed have confidence in the investigation, but did not address whether Noem should stay in her position.

Similarly, Sen. Rand Paul, chair of the Homeland Security Committee, told NOTUS, I dont have any conclusions.

He pointed to the Feb. 12 hearing where his committee is set to question Immigration and Custom Enforcement acting Director Todd Lyons, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott and Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Joseph Edlow.

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Were going to find out a lot more with the hearing, Paul said.

And Sen. John Cornyn, who is also in a hotly contested Senate primary, quickly walked away when reporters asked whether he was confident in Noems leadership.

Meanwhile, calls from Democrats for Noem to either be fired or impeached are surging.

Already, over three-fourths of the House Democratic Caucus support articles of impeachment against Noem introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly, her office announced Tuesday. The list includes several members in vulnerable seats, moderates and members of leadership. Democratic leadership also came out with a statement Tuesday that theyd begin impeachment proceedings in the House if Noem wasnt fired immediately.

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Sen. John Fetterman, one of seven Democrats who voted to confirm Noem, urged Trump to immediately fire Noem, arguing that she is betraying the Department of Homeland Securitys core mission and trashing your border security legacy.

Sen. Tim Kaine, who also voted to confirm Noem, told NOTUS that the secretary getting removed from her job would be the smart play from the administration.

But I dont want DHS Secretary Steve Miller, Kaine quickly added, referring to Trumps homeland security adviser. Its hard to imagine that there are people worse, but actually there are people worse.

Ultimately, removing Noem from the job, he continued, would be smart for the administration to do it, but it would not be enough.

Maine Monitor reporter Sean Scott contributed reporting.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill faced her first winter storm just a few days after she was sworn in as New Jerseys new leader. And for governors, thats always a big litmus test with voters.

So howd she do?

The Democrat appears to have earned positive marks from both sides of the political aisle  despite a few snags and caveats.

Mayors and governors got a little bit of a break, Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union, told NJ Advance Media. The snow started during the day, during a Sunday. And the snow was kind of fluffy and light. It wasnt during rush hour. The type of storm itself made it easier for the plows. But I dont take anything away from her or any mayors. Because pretty much, it was a good job.

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With several days notice, Sherrill said she and her rookie administration began coordinating with local officials as early as Inauguration Day last Tuesday. She followed up by declaring a state of emergency, suspending all NJ Transit buses and trains, holding two press conferences, sharing a slew of social media posts (including one in Spanish), and conducting a barrage of TV and radio interviews over the weekend, telling residents to be prepared and stay home.

The storm itself unfolded largely as forecasters predicted, blanketing the state with anywhere from a few inches to more than a foot of snow on Sunday.

This was the worst storm in a decade  but we got through the worst of it together," Sherrill wrote Monday in a post on X.

There were a few bumps, though.

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After its day-long suspension, NJ Transit had delays when it returned  a familiar, and irritating, experience for commuters who deal with chronic service outages on normal days.

Parents who often hang by threads before the first cup of coffee dealt with school closings Monday and delayed openings Tuesday. They had negotiate new morning routines. Kids got to sleep in; parents got to age five years before 9 a.m. But that happens with any big storm, no matter who is in charge.

One conservative commentator, blogger Matt Rooney, also suggested at least one of Sherrills response photos looked scripted.

Despite such hiccups, politicians and political insiders offered mostly positive assessments of Sherrills first major weather test. That marks a shift from previous firststorm reviews of former Govs. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, and Chris Christie, a Republican, both of whom received low marks after initial snow events early in their administrations.

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This was a major messup for the last two governors, and this governors team did a great job on our state roads and keeping everyone in the loop, state Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth  who was Sherrills campaign chair last year  wrote in a post on social media.

Dan Bryan, a former Murphy adviser and press secretary, said governors are judged on two key factors during storms: the decisions they make beforehand, such as declaring a state of emergency, and how effectively they communicate with the public.

In both categories, Sherrill excelled in her first storm, Bryan said. She was decisive early on and communicated well.  I think it was a big first test, and I think she passed with flying colors.

Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University and the former press secretary to Democratic Gov. Jim McGreevey, offered a similar assessment.

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State highways were cleared quickly, and we had all the resources we needed, Rasmussen said. Some towns took longer to clear their local roads, so she may want to check in with mayors to make sure the last mile doesnt become a pain point.

All in all, New Jersey was on top of the storm and stayed on top of it, Rasmussen added. We can be tough to impress, but as the person responsible for how effectively our state government runs, if the governor can keep that up every day, she will get the credit for it.

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
One person was shot and is in stable but critical condition in a shooting involving Border Patrol agents near the US-Mexico border, authorities in Arizona said on Tuesday.

Authorities said federal agents were attempting to apprehend a 34-year-old Arizona man suspected of human trafficking during a traffic stop near Arivaca, a community about 16 kilometres from the border.

The man, identified as Patrick Gary Schlegel, fled and shot at a Border Patrol helicopter and at agents, to which the agents returned fire, striking the man and wounding him, according to FBI special agent Heith Janke. Schlegel was transported to a hospital and was recovering from surgery Tuesday evening.

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Agents had attempted to stop the same vehicle earlier that morning, but the occupants drove away. When a Border Patrol agent spotted the car again later that morning and tried to stop it, the driver fled on foot.

Schlegel had escaped a halfway house in December where he had been incarcerated for a previous human smuggling and firearms conviction and was subject to an arrest warrant.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the Border Patrol agent involved in the shootout "acted lawfully," based on information available at this time.

The investigation is still ongoing. There may be other things that show up, Nanos added.

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Nanos was unsure if there was body camera footage from the shooting. He said there was a video, but was unsure where it came from.

The US-Mexico border fence stretches through remote desert terrain near Nogales, 22 July, 2025 - AP Photo

The incident comes after angry protests erupted in Minneapolis after the fatal shooting by immigration agents of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday.

The death of Pretti was the second fatal shooting of a US citizen by immigration officers in Minneapolis in less than three weeks.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday his administration is "reviewing everything" following the shooting.

Parents decry 'sickening lies'

Video verified by US media showed agents shooting Pretti seconds after spraying him with a chemical irritant and throwing him to the icy ground.

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The footage shows Pretti never drew a weapon, contradicting administration officials who described him as an "assassin" who had assaulted federal agents and was found with a pistol.

Tributes to Alex Pretti at the scene where he was fatally shot by a US Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis, 27 January, 2026 - AP Photo

Pretti's parents condemned what they called "sickening lies" about their son in a statement issued Saturday.

The shootings occurred during "Operation Metro Surge," which has deployed thousands of federal immigration agents to the heavily Democratic city for weeks.

Trump has blamed the deaths on Minnesota's Democratic leadership, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, calling the situation "Democrat ensued chaos."
Credit: Reuters

A landslide in Sicily has left houses dangling over the edge of a precipice and has forced the evacuation of 1,500 people.

Photographs and videos showed how the 2.5-mile-long landslide sheared off a vast quantity of rock and soil on the outskirts of the town of Niscemi.

The landslide happened after southern Italy was hit by a cyclone, bringing days of storms and torrential rain.

The town previously sat on a curved bluff that sloped down onto fields below, but it now perches on the edge of a sheer cliff.

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Some houses crumbled down the precipice, while vehicles were left dangling on the brink. Roads and pipelines were cut in half by the landslip.

Vans, cars and the remains of houses could be seen piled up at the bottom of the newly formed cliff.

Some vehicles were left dangling on the cliff

Geologists are examining the area and assessing whether there could be further damage.

So far, there have been no reports of deaths or injuries, but around 1,500 residents were evacuated from houses and flats within 150 yards of the cliff edge.

Fabio Ciciliano, the head of Italys civil protection agency, said: The landslide is still fully active and the situation is critical.

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There are homes that can no longer be saved and it will be necessary to come up with a plan for the permanent relocation of the people who lived there.

Cyclone Harry brought devastation to Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria, causing an estimated damage of 1.5bn (1.3bn).

The Italian government declared a state of emergency and allocated 100m for repairs  a figure that locals said was inadequate.

The landslide occurred after southern Italy was hit by a cyclone - Danilo Arnone/REUTERS

Renato Schifani, the governor of Sicily, described it as an extraordinary event.

Storm surges eroded restaurants and beaches in tourist areas, with giant waves battering the coastline.

Waves that hit the coast of Calabria reached up to nine and a half metres, which means a mass of water as high as a four-storey building hit the coasts for several hours, said Mr Ciciliano.

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Rough seas are believed to have led to the sinking of several migrant boats trying to reach Italy from Tunisia.

An African migrant who was rescued at sea and taken to hospital in Malta claimed that he was the sole survivor of a boat that had set off from the town of Sfax in Tunisia with 50 other migrants.

The Italian coast guard said that as many as 380 migrants might have drowned in various crossings.

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.
Earlier this month, Utah celebrated 130 years of statehood. With the nations 250th anniversary approaching later this year, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall opened her state of the city address reflecting on the significance of constitutional rights, both as a Utahn and an American.

Each of these anniversaries reminds us that history is not something we inherit quietly. History is something we are responsible for, Mendenhall said.

She said her primary responsibility as a leader in local government is to make residents of Salt Lake City feel safe  especially, she said, at a time when divisive politics and dangerous rhetoric feel mainstream.

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In a wide-ranging speech that touched on homelessness, public safety and growth in Utahs capital city, Mendenhall did not shy away from the topic dominating newscasts in the last week from Washington to Minnesota over federal immigration enforcement and the loss of life.

Recent tactics used by the federal government  in Minnesota, in Maine, and elsewhere  are completely and utterly deplorable," she said. These tactics are not making communities safer. They are creating chaos. They are eroding trust in law enforcement. They are resulting in the death of Americans exercising their constitutional rights and have no place in the America I call home.

Nowhere in the United States is this acceptable and I will not stand for that here in our city.

Two weeks ago, Mendenhall said she became aware of a rumored Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in the city. Though it turned out not to be true, she said Tuesday that no facility of that nature is welcome in Salt Lake.

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I want to make it clear that I am prepared to use every tool within my control to protect the values of Salt Lake City and the dignity of every one of our residents, she said. Every one of us is here because of courage, sacrifice, migration, and belief in a future that did not yet exist, but was possible here.

That is the inheritance of this nation. And of this city.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivers the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

Public safety: Understanding SLCs homelessness problem

Mendenhall also made it clear that the Salt Lake City Police Department does not participate in federal immigration operations; rather, the department focuses on what she said were the citys actual safety needs.

One key issue being homelessness.

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Key findings in the 2025 homeless report by Workforce Services found that nearly every subpopulation (from children to veterans) of homeless people increased from the year before. Last year, more than 4,500 Utahns were reportedly homeless, an increase of about 715 people compared to 2024.

Mendenhall said that the majority of homeless people are in some type of shelter or temporary housing. Our police have been especially focused on connecting those living on our streets with the resources they need to find stability, she said, noting that too often homelessness and crime are used synonymously in the conversation of public safety.

She said that only a small portion of the homeless population is repeat offenders who have attempted to seek treatment, whether through medical services or homeless resources or treatment programs, but due to their acute and complex needs, they have fallen through the cracks.

It then becomes a cycle of repeat offenses, getting arrested and then released without effective resolution.

Statistics on homelessness in Utah appear on a screen during Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhalls State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

Nearly all of the police departments most-arrested individuals  96 percent  have experienced homelessness," Mendenhall said. Adding to the complexity, 84% report physical, mental, or behavioral health conditions.

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Last year, when her office released its public safety plan to combat violent crimes in Salt Lake, she said its focus on homelessness, titled Project CONNECT, remains its most meaningful element.

The project focused on the 50 individuals in the city with the highest arrest rates and partnered with them to develop personalized solutions to support their needs.

Since the initiative began, Mendenhall said that 60% of the individuals they worked with have had fewer arrests, and because of the projects success, its expanding.

It is critical to reduce the demand on our officers so they can do their jobs, she said. Because our police officers deserve to see their work be helpful and effective, rather than spending the majority of their time arresting the same people over and over. And because these improvements dont just improve efficiency  they help people who are in desperate need."

Salt Lake City police chief Brian Redd, center, listens as Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivers the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

Earlier this month, Utah Speaker Mike Schultz commended Mendenhall for her detailed approach to public safety. He told the Deseret News Editorial Board that she collaborated with state leadership to prioritize public safety in Salt Lake City and showed state leadership the citys key issues.

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Mayor Mendenhall stepped up, he said. She came back with a very full, detailed report on where all the problems were. And it wasnt just the Salt Lake Police Department, although that was a problem. It was the Salt Lake police department, it was the overcrowding in the jails, it was the judges that have this catch-and-release type mentality, and it was the prosecutors.

Recent audit reports published last month mirror Schultzs concerns. Reports of the Salt Lake District Attorneys Office, the Salt Lake City Police Department, Salt Lake County Jail and Salt Lake Countys Criminal Justice System uncovered a countywide law enforcement ecosystem facing severe structural stress.

Enhancing SLCs streets and promoting growth

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivers the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

Mendenhall acknowledged that maintaining affordable housing options would help address homelessness and is also essential to Salt Lakes growth.

The way we care for shared spaces is a reflection of how we care for one another, she said during her speech. That care is incomplete without housing that allows people to remain rooted here in our community. And in Salt Lake City, belonging cannot be temporary. When teachers and service workers, caregivers, elders and young families are pushed out. We all lose stability.

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Her point was that as the city continues to improve, develop and renovate its public spaces, it is essential to ensure that there are community members to fill and use those spaces. Construction projects across the city include the Salt Lake City Civic Center. She also said that following the open house of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake Temple next year, the city will be in discussion with the church on how best to beautify South Temple.

At its core, this is about beautifying downtown and embedding interconnectedness into our very streets and sidewalks, she said. This wont happen all at once. It will move block by block, shaped by the character of each place and the people who live and work there.

These changes, Mendenhall said, are not just to prepare for the future visitors of the 2034 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, but for the people who call Salt Lake City home.

The Affordable Housing Construction and Preservation Dashboard she presented at last years address found that her administration has invested $135 million into affordable housing, Mendenhall said. Weve supported the creation or preservation of more than 7,600 affordable and deeply affordable units since 2020. Those investments saved renters an estimated $13 million in 2025 alone and $28 million since I took office.

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Over the next few months, Mendenhall said her office plans to present the City Council with a proposal to expand housing options, and later this year, the city will also roll out a program to fund repairs and upgrades to existing affordable housing, while preserving long-term affordability through deed restrictions. The goal, she said, is to maintain buildings, protect tenants, and encourage owners to reinvest rather than sell or demolish properties.

Over the past year, Ive been focused on the work behind achieving these goals, rather than seeking headlines about it. Success will not be achieved with words alone," she said.

Because this is about action. Every. Day. Doing the work, even when the future of our nation is so unclear. Salt Lake City will never stop working to keep our communities safe and growing, our people connected and supported, no matter what comes.

People stand to clap after Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivered the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

A member of the Red Spirit Singers, from the Ute Tribe in Fort Duchesne, Utah, stands after performing before Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivers the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

Jack Deer Cantsee Jr. delivers Indigenous homeland remarks before Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivers the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

The Red Spirit Singers, from the Ute Tribe in Fort Duchesne, Utah, perform before Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivers the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

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Brad Wilson, CEO of Salt Lake City-Utah 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games, speaks before Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall delivers the State of the City address at the closed down Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is launching a new health insurance option for its members.

The program, ChamberCare, is designed for small and mid-sized businesses and is available exclusively to chamber members. It offers competitive pricing, statewide provider access and enhanced customer service features, according to a community announcement.

ChamberCare is a multiple employer welfare arrangement, or MEWA, available to businesses with two to 50 employees. It offers expedited claims, low-cost medications, affordable outpatient procedures and access to every major hospital and health system in Indiana through the TruConnect provider network.

Chamber members are already reaping the benefits

According to the announcement, many employers are already receiving quotes up to 20% lower than comparable competitor rates.

ChamberCare gets a refresh

ChamberCare was formed six years ago and was refreshed this year with new industry-leading providers. The program leverages partnerships with SIHO Insurance Services, CVS Caremark and Delta Dental to deliver a comprehensive package for small business healthcare needs. SIHO, headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, is recognized for its personalized service model paired with robust, statewide coverage options, according to the announcement.

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The announcement quoted Eric Spoonmore, president and CEO of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, as saying that providing affordable, high-quality healthcare options has been an important initiative for the chamber.

A recent member survey made it clear that this was a top priority for local employers, Spoonmore said in the announcement. We heard our members and we delivered  ChamberCare is a meaningful solution that supports small businesses, strengthens our workforce and helps companies attract and retain talent.

Chamber member businesses interested in receiving a quote or learning more can visit ChamberCareHealth.com/Employers.

This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@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 https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington chamber launches MEWA health plan for 250 employee teams
By Kyu-seok Shim and Joyce Lee

SEOUL, Jan 28 (Reuters) - A South Korean court on Wednesday sentenced former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to one year and eight months in jail after finding her guilty of accepting bribes from Unification Church officials in return for political favours.

The court cleared Kim, who is the wife of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol who was ousted from office last year, on charges of stock price manipulation and violating the political funds act.

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The ruling, which can be appealed by the former first lady or prosecutors, comes amid a series of trials following investigations into Yoon's brief imposition of martial law in 2024 and related scandals involving the once-powerful couple.

Prosecutors had demanded 15 years in jail and fines of 2.9 billion won ($2 million) over accusations that include accepting luxury Chanel bags and a diamond necklace from South Korea's Unification Church in return for political favours.

The court found there was not sufficient evidence to conclude Kim was guilty of manipulating stock prices and violating political funding laws, by receiving opinion polls from a power broker in return for influencing the choice of poll candidates.

Kim had denied all the charges. Her lawyer said the team would review the ruling and decide whether to appeal the bribery conviction.

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Kim walked into the courtroom at the Seoul Central District Court clad in a dark suit and wearing a face mask, and sat quietly as the lead judge of a three-justice bench delivered the verdict.

The Unification Church said the gifts were delivered to her without expecting anything. Its leader Han Hak-ja, who is also on trial, has denied that she directed it to bribe Kim.

Yoon, who was ousted from power last April, also faces eight trials on charges including insurrection, after his failed bid to impose martial law in December 2024.

He has appealed against a five-year jail term handed to him this month for obstructing attempts to arrest him after his martial law decree.

($1=1,431.8000 won)

(Reporting by Joyce Lee and Kyu-seok Shim; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Ed Davies)
Look for SpaceX to launch another Falcon 9 rocket during a four-hour late-night window stretching from Thursday, Jan. 29, into the wee hours of Friday, Jan. 30, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Specifically, the rocket is scheduled to lift off between 11 p.m. Thursday and 3 a.m. Friday from Launch Complex 40, then ascend to the southeast and deploy 29 Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit.

Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team blog coverage will start roughly 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space. No Central Florida sonic booms should occur with this Starlink mission  rather, the rocket's first-stage booster will target landing aboard the SpaceX drone ship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.

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Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX rocket launch schedule in Florida

The mission should serve as the second of three Cape launches within less than a week's span. The first lifted off late Tuesday night: Another Falcon 9 launched a Global Positioning System satellite for the Space Force.

SpaceX reported this GPS III-9 national security mission served as the Falcon 9s third Space Force "rapid accelerated mission" with crews integrating and launching the payload to orbit in 41 days.

During a speech Wednesday, Jan. 28, at the Space Mobility Conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, retired Space Force Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno saluted Lockheed Martin, which built the satellite, SpaceX and Space Launch Delta 45 on the successful mission.

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"These people  all of you  have the spirit of space running through your veins," Armagno told a ballroom audience.

Looking beyond Thursday's Starlink 6-101 mission, SpaceX is targeting a similar Starlink liftoff on Sunday, Feb. 1. Brief details:

Mission: A Falcon 9 rocket will launch 29 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit.

Launch window : 6:04 p.m. to 10:04 p.m.

Trajectory: Southeast.

Location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Sonic booms: No.

Live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.

For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly 321 Launch space newsletter.

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Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, where he has covered news since 2004. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX rocket slated to launch Jan. 29 on Starlink mission from Florida
Seattle police have arrested a known drug dealer who was wanted on several warrants.

According to police, officers on a narcotics surveillance at 12th Ave. S and S. Jackson Street in Seattles Chinatown-International District spotted the man, and knew he had warrants.

Police also asked an analyst in the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) to help find the suspect. RTCC staff found the suspect and sent a picture of him to the arrest teams as they moved in on his location.

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As officers approached, the suspect ran off, tossing away his jacket and cash as he tried to get away.

He was quickly arrested.

Police said they retraced the mans steps and found his jacket, which allegedly had fentanyl in it. Officers also found more fentanyl while searching the mans pockets.

According to Seattle police, the suspect is a previously convicted violent felon who is out on release on Department of Corrections supervision. As a condition of his release, he is prohibited from engaging in criminal activity.

The suspect was booked into King County Jail.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, hoping to restore long fraught relations.

It is the first visit to China by a UK prime minister since 2018 and follows a string of Western leaders courting Beijing in recent weeks, pivoting from a mercurial United States.

Starmer, who is also expected to visit Shanghai on Friday, will later make a brief stop in Japan to meet with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

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For Xi, the trip is an opportunity to show Beijing can be a reliable partner at a time when President Donald Trump's policies have rattled historic ties between Washington and its Western allies.

Starmer is battling record low popularity polls and hopes the visit can boost Britain's beleaguered economy.

The trip has been lauded by Downing Street as a chance to boost trade and investment ties while raising thorny issues such as national security and human rights.

Starmer will meet with Xi for lunch on Thursday, followed by a meeting with Premier Li Qiang.

The British leader said on Wednesday this visit to China was "going to be a really important trip for us", vowing to make "some real progress".

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There are "opportunities" to deepen bilateral relations, Starmer told reporters travelling with him on the plane to China.

"It doesn't make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury in the sand when it comes to China, it's in our interests to engage and not compromise on national security," he added.

China, for its part, "is willing to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust", foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun reiterated Wednesday during a news briefing.

Starmer is the latest Western leader to be hosted by Beijing in recent months, following visits by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron.

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Faced with Trump's threats to impose tariffs on Canada for signing a trade agreement with China, and the US president's attempts to create a new international institution with his "Board of Peace", Beijing has been affirming its support for the United Nations to visiting leaders.

- Reset ties -

UK-China relations plummeted in 2020 after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, which severely curtailed freedoms in the former British colony.

They soured further since with both powers exchanging accusations of spying.

Starmer, however, was quick to deny fresh claims of Chinese spying after the Telegraph newspaper reported Monday that China had hacked the mobile phones of senior officials in Downing Street for several years.

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"There's no evidence of that. We've got robust schemes, security measures in place as you'd expect," he told reporters on Wednesday.

Since taking the helm in 2024, Starmer has been at pains to reset ties with the world's second-largest economy and Britain's third-biggest trade partner.

In China, he will be accompanied by around 60 business leaders from the finance, pharmaceutical, automobile and other sectors, and cultural representatives as he tries to balance attracting vital investment and appearing firm on national security concerns.

The Labour leader also spoke to Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil in November 2024.

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- Jimmy Lai -

The prime minister is also expected to raise the case of Hong Kong media mogul and democracy supporter Jimmy Lai, 78, a British national facing years in prison after being found guilty of collusion charges in December.

When asked by reporters about his plans to discuss Lai's case, Starmer avoided specifics, but said engaging with Beijing was to ensure that "issues where we disagree can be discussed".

"You know my practice, which is to raise issues that need to be raised," added Starmer, who has been accused by the Conservative opposition of being too soft in his approach to Beijing.

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Reporters Without Borders urged Starmer in a letter to secure Lai's release during his visit.

The British government has also faced fierce domestic opposition after it approved this month contentious plans for a new Chinese mega-embassy in London, which critics say could be used to spy on and harass dissidents.

At the end of last year, Starmer acknowledged that China posed a "national security threat" to the UK, drawing flak from Chinese officials.

The countries also disagree on key issues including China's close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the war in Ukraine, and accusations of human rights abuses in China.

mhc-isk-mya/mtp
Key Takeaways

This year has started off with a mixed showing from Americas heavy-hitting Magnificent 7 stocks.

Their earnings, which kick off this week, could shed more light on how theyre approaching their challenges and breathe fresh enthusiasm into their shares.

Americas heavy-hitting Magnificent 7 stocks have driven years of market gains. That may not continue to be the case.

This year has started with a mixed showing from the grouping of some of Americas biggest tech stocks, which accounted for over 40% of the S&P 500s roughly 18% total return in 2025. Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) is up some 5% since 2026 began, while Amazon (AMZN) is up about 4%. Tesla (TSLA), Meta (Meta), and Nvidia (NVDA) are little changed. Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL) are in negative territory. The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS) which tracks the group, is about flat.

A more risk-off stance as geopolitical events rattled markets earlier this month could be partly to blame, along with concerns about an AI bubblethough the stocks recent divergence suggests that some are having a harder time winning over investors than others. Magnificent 7 earnings, which kick off this week, could shed more light on how theyre approaching a range of challenges and, perhaps, breathe fresh enthusiasm into their shares.

Why This Matters to Investors

The Magnificent 7 have an outsized influence on major U.S. equity indexes, together accounting for about a third of the S&P 500s weighting. Even if you dont hold the stocks individually, their moves could still affect your portfolio if youre exposed to funds that track them.

For Tesla, which is set to report earnings after the bell Wednesday, that could mean sharing more about its developments in self-driving cars and robotics in the midst of an effort to reposition its business and the perception of the opportunity its stock offers. CEO Elon Musk, whos previously suggested as much as 80% of the companys value could eventually be driven by its Optimus humanoid robots, said in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last week that he expects Optimus could be available to the public next year.

Meta and Microsoft, which also report Wednesday, could face questions about their capital expenditures amid worries about their hefty spending on AI. Investors will want to hear whether and when Microsoft expects to be able to boost its cloud capacity enough to keep up with demand, and if Meta's AI efforts are driving gains in its ad business.

On Thursday, Apple could impress with record sales in what is typically its strongest quarter of the year after signs of better-than-expected demand for its iPhone 17. Many investors are still waiting for Apple to show progress with AI features and devices. Updates about new partnerships or other AI-related developments could help, with some analysts hoping Apple could soon identify an AI partner in China after announcing a deal with Google earlier this month.
In this file photo, a safety flare is seen at a facility on the North Slope. The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission concluded that a company was flaring gas for economic reasons rather than safety. Flames from burning gas stream into air on Aug. 23, 2018, at a facility within the Greater Prudhoe Bay Unit on Alaska's North Slope. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

The state agency that protects Alaskas state-owned oil and gas from waste confirmed Friday that a small North Slope company deliberately burned off state-owned natural gas for almost four months because reinjecting the gas was inconvenient for the company.

In a starkly written order, the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission confirmed a $313,616 fine against Cook Inlet Energy and implied that the firm misled regulators about the reasons for flaring gas from the Badami oil and gas field in 2024 and 2025.

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Last year, the AOGCC fined Cook Inlet Energy almost $358,000 for the flare, but the firm challenged the decision, and the fine was reduced in last weeks final order.

In Alaska, subsurface oil and gas are collectively owned by the states residents, and the state has strict laws that prohibit producers from wasting it. Natural gas is regularly released during oil production, and Alaska law requires that it be captured and reinjected into the ground.

Alaskas no-flare rule is a point of pride for the state, so much so that Gov. Mike Dunleavy once mentioned it in a State of the State address.

The state typically issues exemptions only in cases of emergency, or when a company is drilling test wells and capturing gas isnt feasible.

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One such exemption was granted in 2022 for a well being developed on state land south of Prudhoe Bay.

During AOGCCs decision-making process, CIE claimed it should also have been eligible for an exemption. AOGCC said no.

In the case of Great Bear Pantheon, the agency said, referring to its 2022 exemption, the flaring was needed to help determine project economics. In the case of CIE, the flaring was used to contribute to its bottom-line economics.

According to the AOGCC report, Cook Inlet Energy also claimed the flaring was needed for safety reasons because a power turbine failed on the site. In reality, the report concluded, the flaring was due to a failed vapor recovery unit needed to capture gas for reinjection into the ground.

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AOGCC concluded that in this case, flaring did not occur during the power turbine outage and therefore had no direct relation to personnel safety concerns or the prevention of life-threatening conditions. Rather, the evidence demonstrates that preserving existing oil production was a primary driver for the flaring, as CIE elected to maintain full production throughout the flaring period.

The 51 million cubic feet of gas burned off by Cook Inlet Energy is roughly equivalent to the amount needed to heat 900 homes for a year, according to national annual use estimates by the Environmental Protection Agency.



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State Rep. Ajay Pittman has resigned from office and pleaded guilty to three felonies for trying to fool the Oklahoma Ethics Commission with a falsified check.

Under a plea deal, she was put on probation for seven years.

I believe stepping aside allows my district to be served without distraction, Pittman, D-Oklahoma City, said in announcing her resignation.

Pittman pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Jan. 28, to second-degree forgery, conspiracy to commit a felony and violating the state computer crimes act.

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The guilty plea came hours after she was charged in Oklahoma County District Court and days before the next legislative session begins.

Her resignation was part of her plea deal.

While on probation, she cannot seek state office, cannot work in state government and cannot work for a government contractor. She must make restitution for misuse of campaign funds, with the money going to charity.

Under a separate settlement with the Ethics Commission, she agreed not to run for any state office, city office, county office, school board office "or any other elected position" in Oklahoma for 15 years.

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Prosecutors allege she owes at least $7,858 in restitution. A restitution hearing was set for March 4.

Her probation is a type known as a deferred sentence. District Judge Susan Stallings told her that means her case will be dismissed and she will not be a convicted felon if she completes probation successfully.

"That's a good thing," the judge said. "I have every confidence you will do exceedingly well on your probation and wish you the best of luck."

Pittman, 32, was first elected in 2018 and represented House District 99, which is in northeast Oklahoma City and surrounding areas.

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Leadership is not only about holding office, but its also about knowing when to close a chapter with grace and clarity," she said in the resignation announcement.

Rep. Ajay Pittman is shown in a photo from a news release about her interim study in September 2025 on food supply and food access issues.

The lengthy announcement did not address her criminal case.

In her resignation letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt and House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, she called her legislative service "the honor of a lifetime."

I remain only a phone call away from those I have been elected to serve and will continue to support my community in meaningful ways beyond this office," she wrote.

The House speaker, a Republican, called Pittman's conduct unacceptable and "well below the standard expected of anyone serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives."

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An investigation of Pittman found she emailed an image of a fake $2,500 cashier's check to the Ethics Commission in June. The Ethics Commission had asked for proof she was making required repayments to her own campaign for using donations on personal expenses.

Pittman said on a campaign report she had repaid her campaign account $2,500 on Jan. 27, 2025. The investigation found the Jan. 27, 2025, deposit was actually a $2,500 donation from the Osage Nation.

Agents working for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond began investigating her June 26 at the request of the Ethics Commission.

"Public officials hold a sacred trust with the people they serve," Drummond said after the guilty plea.

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"When that trust is violated for personal gain, it strikes at the very heart of our institutions. This office will continue to hold elected officials accountable when they abuse their positions and betray the public's confidence," he said. "No one is above the law in Oklahoma."

The Ethics Commission reached a settlement in 2024 with Pittman over her misuse of campaign funds. Under the 2024 settlement, she was required to reimburse her campaign $17,858 and pay a $17,141 civil penalty to the state.

Under her new settlement with the Ethics Commission, she must pay what was still owed her campaign  $7,858  to a non-profit organization. She also still must pay the $17,141 civil penalty.

According to the new settlement agreement, Pittman admitted that she converted over $50,000 worth of contributions to personal use. She also admitted that she "personally" committed fraud against the Ethics Commission with the fake check and that she submitted false campaign reports.

Former State Rep. Ajay Pittman leaves an Oklahoma County courtroom after pleading guilty to three felonies on Jan. 28.

Also charged Wednesday over the fake check was Trena Byas, a former legislative assistant for Pittman's mother.

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Byas, 56, of Del City, faces the same three counts  forgery, conspiracy and a computer offense. She could not be reached for comment.

She was questioned after investigators found instant messages about the check between her and Pittman on Pittman's computer, according to a court affidavit.

"Byas admitted she used her computer to alter the check for Pittman by changing the amount, the date and the check number," AG agent Eric VanGurp wrote in the affidavit.

Byas was identified in the affidavit as an executive assistant in the Oklahoma Senate. She was working for Sen. Mary Boren but resigned Jan. 9, the Senate said.

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Oklahoma politicians in the past have been charged with embezzlement for personal use of campaign funds. Pittman was not because of issues proving funds were misused, prosecutors said.

This story was updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Rep. Ajay Pittman resigns and pleads guilty to three felonies
Many claims are denied because people just didn't follow the right steps and adhere to the right deadlines in order to get things done,, says the administrator of Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers, a state agency. (Photo: Getty Images)

Last year, the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers (NAIW) agency, which has nine attorneys in Las Vegas, four attorneys in Carson City, and 20 secretaries and legal researchers, took on around 650 cases.

But NAIW, which operates within the state Department of Business and Industry, has the capacity to take on even more, according to administrator Maria Atkinson. In a year, we can take up anywhere from 600 to over 1,000 cases.

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Many claims are denied because people just didnt follow the right steps and adhere to the right deadlines in order to get things done, Atkinson added.

An injured worker has 70 days to appeal to the hearing division when their claim is initially denied, or if only part of the claim was accepted. They can do so by sending the initial claim denial letter from the insurer and by filling out a hearing request form.

At the hearing division level the worker can represent themselves or they can show up with private counsel, Atkinson said. At this level, injured workers are not eligible for NAIWs representation.

About 10 days after meeting with the hearing division, the worker receives a written decision in the mail. If the worker disagrees with any part of the decision, they can further appeal it to the appeals officer by submitting a form within 30 days of the hearing divisions decision.

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On that form, the injured worker can indicate that they opt to use NAIWs free representation.

But, since many Nevada workers are unaware of the agency, they choose private counsel for representation and forfeit a portion of their claim earnings, if they win, to attorney fees.

NAIW won all 10 of its appeal cases to the Nevada District and Supreme courts in 2025, but lack of public knowledge about their services leaves the agency underutilized, Atkinson told state lawmakers during a legislative Interim Committee on Commerce and Labor meeting last week.

During the meeting, Republican state Sen. John Ellison raised the point of workers being told that theyre going to get all this money but that the attorneys get most of it.

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I believe in private enterprise but sometimes it goes a little too far, Ellison concluded.

Atkinson emphasized that private counsel is important in the legal landscape of Nevada, but also highlighted the importance of having a state-run alternative thats free.

Private practice is still a revenue-based business. They dont work for free, she said. So at some point, the employee still is entitled to benefits, but they might not be benefits that a private law firm can really take fees from.

The lack of private practice availability in 1977 was part of the reason why the agency was created in the first place.

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It was determined that there was an injustice to workers in the state of Nevada being left to lurk with no basis of private attorneys to represent them, Atkinson said. Instead of workers having to fend for themselves with paperwork and deadlines, the state stepped in. The agency was created in order to assist these workers.

Nevadas entire workers compensation system is funded through employer-paid premiums and insurer-paid assessments, which go to the Division of Industrial Relations to fund the Department of Administration Hearings Division and NAIW.

The taxpayers arent paying us, Atkinson said. Its the employers and the people doing business here in workers comp that are actually paying for this agency to run and for us to help injured workers.

Atkinson was appointed as the administrator of NAIW in July of last year after working in private practice for over 20 years.

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I decided that I want to do government work. That I want to help people and not be tapping on doors saying numbers are due, she said. It was a good landing being here now.

In the last fiscal year, NAIW represented 654 compensation cases with 346 decision and settlement wins, a 53% win percentage.

Its a pretty damn good score when we dont get to pick our cases. Private practice should have close to 100% of wins because they get to pick and choose which cases they take forward, Atkinson said.

But sometimes, she noted, its about the fight and not necessarily the win.

We will be there for them regardless, Atkinson continued, to win 50% of cases that nobody wanted or gave up on is not a bad score at all.

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Part of NAIWs purpose is to provide procedural advice and general information about the workers compensation system to the public. The agency fielded 1,154 information calls from Nevadans last fiscal year.

Theres a huge need for our constituents to understand that our services are available to them for procedural assistance so that they dont create other roadblocks that we wont be able to get past by the time they get to our offices, Atkinson told state lawmakers during the interim committee meeting last week.People call us when they get letters from insurance companies with questions and we help them understand what forms they need to get a hold of so that they can appeal letters they disagree with, Atkinson explained. At that stage, all were doing is giving them procedural information with no legal advice.

Workmans compensation claims became a focus point of the November special session with the introduction and passage of Senate Bill 7, which allows first responders to get medical coverage for health issues after years on the job.

Republican state Sen. John Steinbeck, a retired Clark County fire chief, asked Atkinson about workers compensation cases by firefighters and police officers from exposure on the job being consistently denied initially then consistently won during the appeal process.

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NAIW rarely sees those cases, Atkinsons responded, as they are usually represented by private counsel, but has done so in the past.

She noted a case of NAIW representing the widow of a Reno police officer that died from heart disease. The case went to the Nevada Supreme Court where the claimant was awarded workers compensation benefits.

Atkinson hopes the agency can better market itself as a resource for injured workers.

She plans to attend a few events at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV to promote the work that NAIW does to law students.

I want to talk to them and let them know that this agency exists, this work exists and it is a great place to help, she said. Im a native Nevadan, born and raised here, and take this work to heart. I want Nevada to succeed in every way and that includes helping the people here, especially our injured workers.
The Brief

A 23-year-old man is charged with home invasion after allegedly using a machete to enter a neighbors apartment.

Authorities say the incident happened after the suspect's ask to hang out was turned down.

No one was injured, and the man was ordered held in jail following his court appearance.

COOK COUNTY, Ill. - A 23-year-old suburban man is facing felony charges after he allegedly returned to his neighbors apartment with a machete and entered the home after being told they didnt want to hang out.

What we know

The incident happened at around 12:10 a.m. Saturday in the 4000 block of Bonhill Drive in unincorporated Palatine Township.

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According to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, Kevin Patron-Ladino had earlier knocked on his neighbor's door and asked to hang out. Four people inside declined and offered to meet up another time.

Patron-Ladino then returned with a machete, stabbed the door and entered the apartment. The people inside were able to get away, and no injuries were reported.

Kevin Patron-Ladino | CCSO

Responding deputies reportedly found Patron-Ladino holding a machete and took him into custody. He was charged Sunday with felony home invasion and multiple misdemeanor counts of assault.

What's next

Patron-Ladino appeared in court on Tuesday and was ordered to remain in custody at the Cook County Jail.

The Source

The information in this story came from the Cook County Sheriffs Office.
Sudan has moved to the forefront of the global humanitarian landscape, now hosting the worlds largest internal displacement crisis. According to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), approximately 14 million people have been forced from their homes within the country.

These staggering figures in Sudan are part of a broader global surge in forced displacement. UNHCR estimates suggest the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide exceeded 122 million by the first half of 2025.

However, amid geopolitical shifts sweeping the Middle East, a countertrend has emerged. For the first time in a decade, the global number of displaced persons dropped by 5.9 million by mid-2025. This shift raises critical questions: what drives people back to conflict zones, and how do they survive in the ruins?

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Al Jazeera Arabic spoke with experts, officials and returnees to understand the Khartoum case  a phenomenon where civilians are trickling back to the Sudanese capital despite the destruction, driven by nostalgia and a fragile sense of stability following the governments recent return to the city.

(Al Jazeera)

A region in flux

While the global numbers show a slight decline, the regional reality remains grim. The conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023, has placed immense pressure on infrastructure across all Sudanese states.

Elsewhere in the region, the situation is equally dire. In the Gaza Strip, internal displacement affects nearly two million peoplethe vast majority of the population. Many have been displaced multiple times due to the Israeli offensive that began in October 2023.

Adnan Abu Hasna, media adviser for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), describes the situation in Gaza as unique. With 90 percent of homes, schools and infrastructure destroyed, Abu Hasna notes that 2.5 million Palestinians are, in effect, homeless, making a return to normalcy almost impossible amid total destruction.

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Meanwhile, protracted conflicts continue to drive displacement figures in Syria, where 12 million remain displaced, and in Yemen, where the number exceeds five million.

The Khartoum experiment

Khartoum presents a unique case study in the dynamics of return. The recent resumption of government operations from the capital has sent a signal of potential stability.

Adel El-Baz, director-general of the African Centre for Consulting, views the governments return as a direct invitation for citizens to follow suit. Major-General Osama Abdel Salam, former director of the Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, argues that the return of civilians naturally enhances security.

The filling of abandoned neighbourhoods with residents reduces the risk of negative phenomena, prevents theft and spreads an atmosphere of reassurance, Abdel Salam explained.

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However, the infrastructure challenge is monumental. Saad El-Din El-Tayeb, spokesperson for Khartoum State, told Al Jazeera that the government has spent more than a year attempting to clear the debris of war.

We began by cleaning the cities of bodies and burnt vehicles, restarting water stations, and rehabilitating power distribution lines, El-Tayeb said.

He highlighted that Khartoum suffered the largest looting operation of its electrical infrastructure in history. Approximately 15,000 electrical transformers were stripped, with looters targeting the copper in underground cables and motors. Despite this, El-Tayeb noted that authorities are diverting available electricity to critical facilities like hospitals and water stations, while encouraging the use of solar energy.





Nostalgia amid the ruins

For the displaced, the decision to return is often emotional rather than practical. Rimah Hamed, a dentist and journalist, fled Khartoum for Gezira State and later Egypt when hospitals closed and security collapsed.

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She recently returned to her family home in Khartoum. The primary motivation was nostalgia, Hamed told Al Jazeera. The Sudanese character is sentimental. People returned because they missed their homes.

Hamed found her neighbourhood transformed. Her house was empty, stripped of essential items, with no running water or electricity.

There was only one water source in the neighbourhood where everyone went to fill up, she recalled. But gradually, neighbours started coming back. The neighbourhood began to regain its social features, and life returned little by little.

Hamed observed that the community had developed a psychological immunity to the harsh conditions, adapting to shortages through grassroots initiatives.

Prerequisites for peace

While emotional ties drive some to return, sustainable reintegration requires tangible resources. Tom Ndahiro, a Rwandan genocide researcher, suggests that relative peace is the baseline requirement  a sense that the situation has improved enough to survive the night.

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Experts interviewed by Al Jazeera outlined a hierarchy of needs for a sustainable return:

Security: A trusted leadership to organise resettlement and prevent chaos.

Shelter: Even temporary structures like tents, provided they offer safety.

Essentials: Food security and access to clean water are non-negotiable.

Power: Electricity is viewed as the decisive factor for economic stability.

Rami Mahkar, a journalist, emphasised that security must come first. Without security, the displaced are forced to move again, he said, adding that the presence of functioning shops for food and supplies is critical for those trying to rebuild their lives.

As Sudan attempts to turn the tide on the worlds largest displacement crisis, the durability of this return remains untested. As Hamed noted, the returnees are currently fuelled by resilience and longing, hoping to rebuild what the war has destroyed.




Supreme Court President Isaac Amit warns Israels judiciary is under a "full-fledged attack," emphasizing the erosion of judicial independence and the rule of law in the country.

The judiciary in Israel is undergoing a full-fledged attack that goes far beyond the boundaries of legitimate criticism, Supreme Court President Isaac Amit warned on Wednesday.

Amit made the remarks at a ceremonial event in Jerusalem for newly licensed lawyers who had recently passed the Bar exam.

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His comments come amid near-daily verbal and procedural challenges directed at the judiciary. From the judicial overhaul legislation advanced in 2022, through the governments refusal to formally recognize Amit as Supreme Court president, to efforts to remove the attorney-general, tensions between the judicial branch and the legislative and executive branches have reached unprecedented levels.

We are witnessing attempts to weaken the judiciary, harm its independence, and wear down its dedicated and professional judges who have pledged their lives to public service, Amit said.

One of the central flashpoints in the standoff between the judiciary and the government - particularly Justice Minister Yariv Levin - concerns the appointment of judges.

Levin repeatedly refused over the past year to convene the Judicial Selection Committee and advance appointments to the Supreme Court. After a series of High Court rulings compelled the committees convening, Amit was selected as Supreme Court president and assumed office after taking the oath before the president.

Levin declined to recognize Amits appointment

Levin has since declined to formally recognize Amits appointment through ministerial publication and has openly challenged the courts authority in related proceedings, framing the dispute as one over democratic legitimacy and the balance of powers.

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At present, the High Court is weighing a growing number of petitions that test the limits of executive discretion in judicial appointments. Its rulings are expected to shape not only the status of specific appointments, but the future contours of judicial independence and governance in Israel.

The obligation to follow the law and observejudicial decisions is a necessary and basic condition for the existence of a functioning democratic society, Amit said.

When public figures completely ignore rulings that do not align with their views, what message does that send to the public? he asked. If someone in a position of power allows themselves to disregard a judicial ruling that does not suit them, why would an average citizen see themselves as bound by that same ruling?

What Israel is witnessing now, Amit warned, is an erosion of the very idea of equal application of the law - a system that obligates every citizen. If the law is not applied equally, it loses its meaning.
The man accused of killing a woman who was just a few weeks away from giving birth is in custody.

Dorreous Brooks, 36, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with murder and feticide.

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Hes accused of killing Teonia Stokes and her unborn child in a shooting on GW Carver Drive in Monroe on Sunday. A second man was also shot and injured.

On Tuesday morning, police asked the public to be on the lookout for Brooks, calling him armed and dangerous.

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Police say he was arrested with the help of the Walton County Sheriffs Office and Barrow County Sheriffs Office.

Details on what led up to the shooting, as well as Brooks connection to Stokes have not been released.

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Yosef Koperschmidt, a suspected member of a sex-trafficking network, has been extradited from Serbia to Israel and will be questioned by police in connection with an ongoing investigation.

A man suspected of involvement in a sex-trafficking network was extradited from Serbia to Israel this week and is expected to be questioned by police in connection with an ongoing investigation, according to the State Attorneys Office International Department.

Yosef Koperschmidt is suspected of conspiring with others to recruit women abroad and bring them to Israel for the purpose of providing sex services, the authorities shared on Tuesday.

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The investigation was opened in early August 2025, days after Koperschmidt allegedly left Israel. Several suspected associates were arrested shortly thereafter and have since been indicted, according to media reports.

Working in coordination with the Israel Polices Interpol unit, the State Attorneys Office launched an international search for Koperschmidt, which led to his arrest in Serbia on September 11, 2025. A formal extradition request was subsequently submitted to Serbian authorities, culminating in his transfer to Israel this week.

Police are expected to question Koperschmidt under caution in the coming days, with investigators indicating that additional investigative steps are likely to follow, depending on the outcome of the questioning.

Law-enforcement shifts focus to target trafficking

Law-enforcement authorities have, in recent years, emphasized a shift toward targeting trafficking networks and organizers, rather than focusing solely on individual offenses. Human-trafficking cases are typically investigated jointly by police, the State Attorneys Office, and international partners, given their cross-border nature.

The extradition comes amid renewed legislative attention to Israels sex industry. In December 2025, the Knesset Internal Affairs Committee began advancing measures to ban the operation of brothels nationwide, alongside earlier legislation that criminalized the purchase of sex, as part of efforts to curb exploitation and trafficking.
Philadelphia police are searching for the suspect who shot two teenagers during an argument in North Philadelphia.

It happened just after 7 p.m. Tuesday at 24th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

Police say when officers arrived, they found two boys - a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old - suffering from gunshot wounds. One was shot in the foot, and the other was hit in the abdomen.

Both victims were hospitalized in stable condition.

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Police say video shows the shooter and the victims in an argument when the suspect pulled out a gun and fired two shots.

The victims ran to a nearby home to get help.

Police say the suspect was last seen running north on 24th Street. He is described as a male wearing all dark clothing and possibly black-and-white sneakers.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
At an event in Little Haitis Caribbean Marketplace in early January to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the earthquake that struck Haiti, a long roster of local leaders, politicians and activists spoke to the crowded room. But one person who did not speak was the host of the event  the director of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, Dasha Saintremy.

Attendees, including news media, had expected to hear from Saintremy, who took over the job as director last year and is the fourth to lead the institution in only six years, but she didnt even deliver a greeting to open the event.

Her hesitancy was warranted: Weeks earlier, Saintremy was reprimanded and later suspended without pay by the City of Miami Parks and Recreation Department for supposedly violating the citys media relations policy, according to documents obtained by the Miami Herald.

RELATED: Little Haiti Cultural Complexs new leader must tackle old challenges

Saintremys suspension has been met with confusion and frustration by people in the Little Haiti community, who see the scrutiny on her performance as a sign that the city is intentionally looking for ways to push out another manger for a cultural institution that is in great need of steady leadership as it tries to solve multiple maintenance issues and expand programming. Two petitions have been circulating defending Saintremys performance and praising her efforts in reinvigorating the cultural center.

The Caribbean Marketplace, part of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, is one of the iconic venues in Little Haiti. The marketplace has been in need of a new roof for several years. (Courtesy of Florida Humanities)

While Saintremys suspension has sparked backlash, her situation underscores a deeper, decades-long pattern of instability at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, according to former directors and community members in Little Haiti. This ongoing friction between the citys Parks Department, which operates the center, and a revolving door of directors reinforces what past directors call systemic neglect characterized by delays to infrastructural improvements, stagnant funding, and restrictive oversightleaving some in the community to fear that the city is intentionally sabotaging the institutions leadership. All this amid fears in the community that theres a push for the center to focus less on Haitian and Haitian American culture amid the rapid gentrification of Little Haiti.

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Merline Joseph grew up in Little Haiti and worked for late Miami and Miami-Dade County commissioner Arthur Teele, who was a strong advocate for the Little Haiti Cultural Complexs founding before his death. Joseph said there is a pattern of this kind of treatment of the centers directors.

I feel like every time we try to make progress with the center, [the city] shuts us down, she said. Its just like they dont want it. They dont want us, the Haitian community, to have that. Its like they dont want it to growEvery time [directors] try to keep it going and something happens. I dont know why. We just need an explanation.

Were happy that shes here

Saintremy took on the role in February, hired several months after the previous director resigned because of what he called systemic problems that made it impossible to lead the center. In an interview with the Herald after his resignation, Qunyatta Warren cited a long list of repairs to the building that had yet to be started and disagreements with the Parks and Recreation Department concerning staffing and overtime.

There has been a consistent behavior between parks, the center and city administration that leads me to believe theres a disconnect, he said at the time.

Qunyatta Warren was director of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex for a little more than a year. When he resigned, he complained of systemic problems that made his job difficult. (Carl Juste/cjuste@miamiherald.com)

While there has been progress on the repairs to the complex including new HVAC systems in the community and theater buildings, updated drainage systems, mold remediation, dance floor replacement, and fire alarm and elevator upgrades, other issues are still pending, such as a new roof for the Caribbean Marketplace. Helena Poleo from the citys department of communications told the Herald that the roof was currently in the permitting phase and the procurement phase will be completed by end of April. The roof will cost upwards of $5.8 million, according to the city.

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Since becoming director, Saintremy has brought new events to the space, including her monthly Cultural Conversations series, an art exhibit and auction in honor of breast cancer awareness month, Art Basel events, and the continued support of monthly musical series Sounds of Little Haiti.

These are welcomed changes among those who are involved in the Little Haiti community. Terry Louis, co-producer of monthly music series The Sounds of Little Haiti, said Saintremy has ensured the center is culturally active, particularly following a period where it was without leadership.

When she came on board, she started to create cultural activities and reached out to different artists in the communities and getting involved and pushing people to participate and create at the center, he said. Shes very big at cultivating and galvanizing people, especially artists. Were just happy that shes here, at least for now.

Reprimands and suspension

Saintremy had only been on the job for three months before she got her first reprimand. By Dec. 9, she was before the Civil Servant Board having her probation period extended another four months.

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Then, in a Dec. 22 letter, the citys Parks and Recreation Department notified Saintremy she was being suspended without pay for three days for violating the citys media relations policy. It stated that on April 2 and Sept. 19 she spoke with news media, including an interview with the Miami Herald where she detailed her plans for the cultural center.

Saintremy appealed her suspension and also requested an investigation into the parks department, citing their decision to sanction her twice for the same violation after the board already issued an extension of her probation. In response to email questions from Herald, the city said it cannot comment on personnel issues nor did it comment on why the Dec. 9 recording of the Civil Servan Board meeting was not available online.

Two petitions began circulating in support of the work Saintremy was doing at the center after her suspension. One of the petitions, which is signed by Concerned Community Members, Partners, and Patrons of the Little Haiti Cultural Center offered a vote of confidence for her performance stating that since she assumed the role, she has demonstrated professionalism, dedication, and a clear commitment to the mission of the Little Haiti Cultural Center as a space for cultural preservation, artistic expression, and community engagement.

Dasha Saintremy at a community meeting about Haitian Heritage Month last year at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex. (Carl Juste/cjuste@miamiherald.com)

A separate petition posted on Change.org is directed to the Civil Service Board, admonishing them for disciplining her and raising the alarm at her potential removal. The petition starter is identified as Remi Amenze, and was not made available for comment. The LHCC has experienced an unusually high turnover rate in its managerial position, resulting in an enduring pattern of instability, poor employee morale, and eroded trust within the cultural community it was created to serve, the petition states.

Success is not a priority

The Miami Herald spoke with several of the Cultural Complexs past directors and found many shared the same concerns and complaints during their tenures: systemic neglect, budget issues and a confusing media policy that leaves them unable to promote the centers work effectively.

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Sandy Dorsainvil was the centers director on and off for eight years, and sees similarities in the ways that she was treated during her time. Dorsainvil recalled also being reprimanded for promoting an event at the center via a billboard and for speaking with media.

It just lets me know that, it wasnt just me, she said. Theres a problem. I cant put my finger on what the issue is with that beautiful space, but for some reason its success is not a priority.

Sandy Dorsainvil, who was director of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex off and on for eight years and still hosts the monthly Sounds of Little Haiti at the center, said she was also reprimanded for promoting events hosted at the center during her tenure. ((Photo courtesy of Sounds of Little Haiti))

Dorsainvil said Saintremys treatment shows theres something going on beyond issues with leadership. We cant all be the problem, she said.

Dorsainvil also co-produces Sounds of Little Haiti and said there are still roof and leak issues and occasional problems with the air conditioning.

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The city spokesperson sent an outline of repairs that have been done to the facility, including repairs to the roof, a new HVAC system and mold remediation.

Abraham Metellus, who was director from 2016 to 2019, said hes concerned the center could lose another director and is frustrated by the continued delay in improvements.

It just seems like theres this systemic neglect of the Little Haiti Cultural Center by the parks department, he said, adding that work on the dance studio began when he was the centers director in 2019 and wasnt completed until last year. For me, that just shows neglect, he said.

The former directors also criticized Saintremys reprimands from the city, stating a key function of her role is to promote events at the cultural center and that means speaking with media.

A host serves VIPs as Haitian konpa star Richard Cave and his band KAI perform during Sounds of Little Haiti, one of the centers most popular events. (Carl Juste/cjuste@miamiherald.com)

Warren, Saintremys immediate predecessor, said he was not made aware of a media policy until after he spoke to the media early into his tenure, and believes thats what happened with Saintremy as well. He was also reprimanded in front of the Civil Service Board, he said, but the board declined to extend his probation.

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It seems like they want a yes man to stay in line, dont talk to nobody, and keep the center afloat with as little budget and as little staff as theyre going to give you, he said. It does not make the center, nor that position, enticing in any way. Im concerned, and I hope that the community will continue to hold the city accountable.

Metellus said Saintremy and other directors have tried to promote the center and the events, but have hit consistent roadblocks. He is concerned that the directors are being set up to fail.

I think what the City of Miami is doing, is just trying to build a case of like, hey ... we have, quote-unquote, incompetent managers, and its not successful, so were just going to bring in a third party to this run this, he said. I think it would be a detrimental blow to the community.

Dorsainvil said there has also been a sentiment regarding the center that it shouldnt strictly be tied to Haitian heritage and culture given the vast changes in Little Haiti. But Haitians and Haitian Americans deserve their to have an area where they can celebrate their culture akin to Little Havana, Overtown, and Coconut Grove, she said.

Its a valuable space, especially in todays climate, she said. Our community needs a place of communion. Our community needs a safe haven, and the cultural center is that.
A new wave of employer perks could double the value of your childs Trump Account.

Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Intel announced this week theyll match the federal governments deposit into the newly created accounts, giving eligible employees children a $2,000 head start.

Billed as a jumpstart to the American dream, the federal program offers $1,000 to every child with a valid social security card, born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Parents arent required to contribute, though they can add up to $5,000 per year to grow the account.

Bank of America will also let employees contribute to the accounts via pre-tax payroll deductions for any child under 18.

Other major employersincluding SoFi, Charter Communications, BNY, BlackRock, the Investment Company Institute, Robinhood, and Charles Schwabhave made similar announcements.

What are Trump Accounts?

The new investment accounts were created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and are slated to launch July 4, 2026.

Each eligible child will receive a $1,000 deposit from the U.S. Treasury, which will be invested in low-cost index funds. These funds will grow tax-deferred, with income taxes due only when the money is withdrawn.

At a press conference announcing them, President Trump described the accounts as a pro-family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy to lift up the next generation.

Brad Gerstner, CEO of Altimeter Capital and one of the architects of the legislation, emphasized the power of compounding interest.

Children with savings accounts are more likely to graduate high school and college, buy a home, start a business, and are less likely to be incarcerated, he said. Trump Accounts will contribute to the lifelong success of millions of newborn babies.

How are Trump Accounts different from other investment vehicles?

At first glance, Trump Accounts may sound like a 529 plantax-advantaged investment accounts commonly used for education savings. But they differ in several important ways.

For starters, 529 plans are restricted to qualifying educational expenses. Trump Accounts, on the other hand, offer far more flexibility: Funds can be used not just for college, but for any purpose after the beneficiary turns 18.

That flexibility could prove especially valuable as more young adults question the cost-benefit equation of a traditional college degree. The average federal student loan borrower now carries nearly $40,000 in debt; and for one in four graduates, that debt delays homeownership by a decade or more, according to a recent survey.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for talks in Moscow on Wednesday, as the Kremlin seeks to secure the future of military bases vital for its operations in the Middle East.

Russia was a key ally of Sharaa's predecessor Bashar al-Assad during the bloody 14-year Syrian civil war.

His toppling at the hands of Sharaa's rebel forces dealt a major blow to Russia's influence in the region and threw the status of its prized military bases in Syria into doubt.

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Putin has been working to build relations with Sharaa since, though Russia's continued sheltering of Assad and his wife in Moscow remains a major obstacle to improving ties.

"Much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations," Putin said in a televised meeting with Sharaa.

"We have closely monitored your efforts to restore Syria's territorial integrity and I want to congratulate you on the momentum this process is gaining," Putin said, apparently referring to Sharaa's recent offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria's northeast.

Sharaa, in his second meeting with Putin since coming to power, said Russia had a "historic role not only in Syria's unity and stability, but in that of the entire region."

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Neither mentioned Russia's military presence in Syria, though Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier he had "no doubt" the issue would come up in their talks.

Russia has two remaining military outposts in the country, the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base on Syria's Mediterranean coast.

They are Russia's only two official military bases outside the former Soviet Union.

The Kremlin withdrew its forces from the Qamishli airport in Kurdish-held northeast Syria earlier this week.

Syria has expressed a willingness to cooperate with Moscow, though has repeatedly demanded that Russia extradite Assad.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday praised Sharaa as "highly respected" and said things there were "working out very well".

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By Ben Blanchard and David Lawder

TAIPEI/WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Senior Taiwanese and U.S. officials discussed cooperation in artificial intelligence, tech and drones at a high-level forum launched during the first Trump administration, with the U.S. State Department praising Taipei as a "vital partner."

The U.S. is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier in the face of increased pressure on the island from China, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties. The U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue first took place in November 2020.

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The State Department said the sixth round of talks took place on Tuesday, led by Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg and Taiwan Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin, who is visiting the U.S.

The two sides signed statements on cooperation on economic security and on the Pax Silica Declaration - a U.S.-led initiative aimed at securing AI and semiconductor supply chains amid intense competition from China, Washington's main strategic rival.

"Taiwan is a vital partner on these and other important economic initiatives and its advanced manufacturing sector plays a key role in fuelling the AI revolution," the State Department said in a statement.

The talks also included exchanges on supply chain security - including how it relates to AI - certification on drone components and cooperation on critical minerals, it said.

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"Discussions focused on highlighting progress in responding to economic coercion, pursuing mutual cooperation in third countries and addressing tax-related barriers to increase investment between the United States and Taiwan," it said.

Taiwan, a major producer of advanced semiconductors that power AI, has long pushed for an agreement to avoid double taxation, saying it would boost bilateral investment.

Taiwan's economy ministry said both sides agreed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China are "crucial to global economic security and prosperity." They also discussed undersea cable security, low-Earth-orbit satellite cooperation and the training of high-tech talent.

Kung told the Atlantic Council think tank on Wednesday that with U.S. expertise in AI chip design and Taiwan's dominance in chip foundries, cooperation between Washington, Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC and Taipei would deepen over the next five to 10 years.

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Taiwan and the U.S. reached a deal this month to cut tariffs on Taiwan's exports to the U.S. and boost Taiwanese investment in semiconductors and other sectors in the country.

Taiwan companies have pledged to invest $250 billion to expand semiconductor, energy and AI production in the U.S., while Taipei will guarantee an additional $250 billion in credit to support further investment.

Kung said that U.S. companies including Nvidia , Advanced Micro Devices and Micron Technology, were continuing to invest heavily in Taiwan - more than $15 billion - to build a "non-red" supply chain that does not rely on China.

"The actual amount should be much higher than this. And they are also investing in semiconductor supply chains, cloud software services, etc. All of these areas are seeing increased investment in Taiwan," Kung said.

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Taiwan has accused China of involvement in damaging undersea telecom and internet cables, which Beijing denies. Taipei is expanding the use of low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide back-up communications should China sever the cables during a conflict.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own, routinely objects to interactions between Taiwanese and U.S. officials. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard. Additional reporting by David Lawder and David Brunnstrom in Washington. Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus and Mark Potter)
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a notice this week inviting public comment on the American Trucking Associations request to extend the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program for another five years. The ATA wants to keep putting 18- to 20-year-old drivers behind the wheel of Class 8 trucks in interstate commerce, citing what it calls positive safety outcomes.

This is a solution in search of a problem, and the problem they claim exists, a chronic driver shortage, has been thoroughly debunked by everyone from the National Academy of Sciences to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What we actually have is a quality crisis, a training crisis, and an accountability crisis. And the answer to none of those is handing the keys to teenagers.

The Numbers Story

The SDAP program was designed to accommodate 1,000 motor carriers and 3,000 apprentice drivers over three years. The actual results? A grand total of 42 drivers completed both probationary periods. Thats 1.4 percent of the target. Of the 211 carrier applications received, 88 were rejected for failing to meet basic safety standards, and another 55 voluntarily withdrew. The program that ATA claims enjoys palpable enthusiasm couldnt even fill 7 percent of its carrier slots with companies safe enough to participate.

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The ATA points to 2 million safe miles driven without reportable crashes. That sounds impressive until you realize that with only 42 completions, you barely have statistical noise, not meaningful data. FMCSAs own quarterly reports reveal a program that nobody wanted, not the carriers, not the drivers, and certainly not the insurance companies, who would have to underwrite the risk.

The Brain Isnt Ready, And Neither Is the Industry

The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for impulse control, risk assessment, planning, and complex decision-making, doesnt fully mature until the mid-20s. This isnt opinion; its settled neuroscience documented by the National Institute of Mental Health, peer-reviewed studies published in medical journals, and decades of research on adolescent development.

Research from the American College of Pediatricians shows that even 18- to 21-year-olds demonstrate diminished cognitive performance when exposed to emotionally charged or high-stress situations compared to adults over 21. When youre piloting 80,000 pounds of steel and cargo through rush-hour traffic, unexpected weather, or a construction zone at night, youre not operating in cold cognition mode. Youre in exactly the kind of high-arousal environment where immature brains make poor decisions.

Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety confirms what common sense suggests: truck drivers under 21 and in their 20s have significantly higher rates of involvement in both fatal and nonfatal crashes than older drivers. Drivers aged 19-20 are six times more likely to be involved in fatal truck crashes than drivers 21 and older. Thats not a gap that structured training closes in 400 hours.

I Know Something About Early Maturity

I was legally emancipated at age 15 in Virginia, the only known case in the state at that time, if not since. The juvenile court services worker who handled my case, Kathleen Kellar, is still alive, and shell tell you theres a reason most teenagers arent approved for emancipation by the courts: theyre generally not ready or mature enough for early adulthood. Her words about me were simple: Hes just an old soul. I already had a place to live. A vehicle. Multiple jobs. I had seen and experienced trauma most of my life, which led to that emancipation. My daughter is 14 today, and it blows my mind that, at just a year older, I was on my own. Shes nowhere near ready, and shes more mature than most modern young adults.

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Do young people exist who are mature, capable, and ready for adult responsibility at 18? Absolutely. I was one of them. But were the exception, not the rule. The courts recognized that then, and the science confirms it now. You dont build transportation policy around statistical outliers. You build it around the reality that most 18-year-olds are neurologically, developmentally, and experientially unprepared to make split-second life-or-death decisions in a commercial motor vehicle.

The Training Infrastructure Is Broken

Heres a fact that should terrify everyone: Entry-Level Driver Training has no federally mandated minimum training hours. None. Zero. ELDT establishes a curriculum and a registry, but the actual time behind the wheel? Thats left to state discretion, and most states have few, if any, meaningful requirements. A driver only needs to demonstrate proficiency to the training providers satisfaction, which, in practice, can mean whatever the training provider says it does.

We issue over 400,000 new CDLs annually in this country. If we had a genuine driver shortage, wages would spike, turnover would plummet, and carriers would be fighting to retain experienced professionals. Instead, base pay remains flat in real terms, turnover at large truckload carriers exceeds 90 percent, and carriers routinely reject the majority of applicants, not because there arent enough people with CDLs, but because those applicants cant pass basic safety screenings.

The problem isnt that we lack CDL holders. The problem is that were producing CDL holders who arent actually qualified to operate commercial vehicles safely. And now the industrys solution is to make the pool younger and less experienced?

When Carriers Kill, Nobody Pays

On June 21, 2019, Volodymyr Zhukovskyy was driving a truck for Westfield Transport when he was involved in a collision that killed seven members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club in Randolph, New Hampshire. Zhukovskyy was 23 years old. He had obtained his CDL just 10 months earlier. He had a history of crashes, drug arrests, and a DUI charge from just weeks before that should have suspended his license, but didnt, because of bureaucratic failures at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.

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Westfield Transports owner, Dunyadar Gasanov, knew Zhukovskyy for years before hiring him. He knew about the prior DUI. He lied to federal investigators, saying he had just met the driver. He falsified driving logs to evade hours-of-service regulations. Seven people died.

Gasanovs sentence? Two months in federal prison. Two months for falsifying records, lying to investigators, and hiring a driver he knew was a rolling time bomb. The government recommended one year. He got 60 days and a prohibition on driving commercially. Thats the message we send to carriers who cut corners on safety: you might kill people, but you wont do serious time. Gasanovs brother was offered a no-time plea agreement by Massachusetts Federal Prosecutors. He turned it down and will go to trial in March.

This is the industry that wants to hire 18-year-olds for long-haul interstate routes. An industry where carriers who knowingly hire unqualified drivers and falsify safety records face negligible consequences. An industry where the worst operators, the ones who cant attract qualified drivers because of their safety records and working conditions, are the most desperate for warm bodies to fill seats.

There Is No Driver Shortage

A study commissioned by FMCSA itself and conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine concluded that claims of a persistent driver shortage cannot be supported by available evidence. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has found no indication of the wage increases and employment changes that would characterize a genuine labor shortage.

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What we have is a retention problem disguised as a shortage. Turnover exceeds 80 percent at large truckload carriers. Drivers leave because of stagnant pay, unpaid detention time, weeks away from home, and compensation structures that dont respect their time or professionalism. They leave because the job, as currently designed at many carriers, isnt worth doing.

The ATA has spent decades promoting the driver shortage narrative because it serves their members interests: lower standards, easier hiring, downward pressure on wages. They lobbied for policies that relaxed CDL requirements and training standards during the pandemic. The result was an influx of inadequately trained drivers, deteriorating highway safety, and a capacity glut that has contributed to the freight recession, crushing independent operators and family-owned fleets.

Even ATAs own chief economist now acknowledges that the real issue is quality, not quantity. Theyve pivoted from claiming there arent enough drivers to claiming there arent enough good drivers. But they want to solve that problem by lowering the age requirement? Thats not a solution. Thats an acceleration of the same failed approach that created the crisis.

Whats Next?

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supports the ROUTE Act, which would allow under-21 drivers to operate interstate only within a 150-air-mile radius of their normal work reporting location. Thats a sensible, measured approach: let young drivers build experience in familiar environments, close to home, under conditions that dont throw them into the deep end of long-haul complexity.

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Beyond that, we need a minimum number of training hours at the federal level. We need meaningful career accountability when negligent hiring and falsified records contribute to deaths. We need enforcement that treats highway safety violations as the serious public safety matters they are, not the cost of doing business.

We need to stop treating the driver workforce as disposable bodies to be cycled through the system and start treating them as professionals who deserve compensation and conditions that make the job worth doing for the long term. Fix retention, and you fix the shortage.

It Should Be Denied

The SDAP program failed because nobody wanted it, not young people looking for careers, not carriers willing to take on the liability, not the insurance market that would have to price the risk. ATAs request for a five-year extension is an attempt to keep a zombie program alive until they can generate enough cherry-picked data to push for permanent policy changes.

FMCSA should reject the exemption request. Congress mandated a report on the programs safety outcomes before any further action. Lets see that report. Lets have an honest assessment of whether 42 completions over three years produced anything resembling meaningful safety data. My bet? It didnt.

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In the meantime, the public comment period is open for 30 days. If you believe that putting neurologically immature drivers in 80,000-pound trucks to solve a labor problem that doesnt exist is bad policy, say so. Go to Regulations.gov and enter Docket Number FMCSA-2025-1117. Your voice matters.

The industry doesnt need younger drivers. It needs better training, higher standards, and carriers who face real consequences when they prioritize cheap labor over public safety. Until we fix those problems, putting teenagers on the interstate is just adding fuel to a fire thats already burning out of control.

The post Teen Truckers Wont Fix a Problem That Doesnt Exist appeared first on FreightWaves.
UPDATE: On Wednesday, the TBI announced that a man had been charged.

ROANE COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE)  An investigation is underway after a Ten Mile resident was found dead Tuesday in Roane County, according to District Attorney Russell Johnson.

A body was found near Decatur Highway in the South of the River neighborhood. A suspect has been taken into custody and Johnson said investigators anticipate a first-degree murder charge to be filed.

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The victims identity has been withheld pending next of kin notification.

This is a developing story. Download the WATE 6 News app or sign up for our email alerts for updates.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agents are investigating the death. A TBI spokesperson said the investigation remains ongoing.

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 WATE 6 On Your Side.
A 66-year-old man in Tennessee died after suffering a heart attack while shoveling snow at his home in Tennessee, according to multiple reports citing the Haywood County Sheriff's Office.

Paramedics reportedly pronounced the man dead shortly after arriving at his home, WALA-TV reported, citing Haywood County Sheriff Billy Garrett. The outlet said that the man's identity was being withheld until next of kin had been notified.

Heart health experts have warned of the risks associated with the physical strain of shoveling snow, particularly for older adults. While there isnt an official age thats "too old" to shovel, some cardiologists recommend that individuals over 45 should exercise more caution to lower their chances of a cardiac event.

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Shoveling Snow Could Pose Dangerous Health Risk For One Group, Experts Warn

A 66-year-old man in Tennessee died after suffering a heart attack while shoveling snow. (Getty Images)

A 2025 Mayo Clinic review found that just 10 minutes of heavy snow shoveling can push the heart to about 97% of its maximum rate. Exposure to cold air was also found to increase blood pressure and reduce coronary blood flow.

Dr. Navjot Kaur Sobti, an interventional cardiologist at Northwells Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y., told Fox News Digital that individuals above the age of 65 who have risk factors for heart disease should be "very, very cautious about shoveling snow."

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Sobti recommends using a "pushing or sweeping" motion instead of heavy lifting when shoveling snow.

Damaged ice-covered trees and downed power lines block a road during a winter storm in east Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.

Simple Nightly Habit Linked To Healthier Blood Pressure, Study Suggests

The Tennessee Department of Health has reported eight weather-related fatalities across seven counties in a matter of days. The counties include Cheatham, Crockett, Davidson, Haywood, Hickman, Knox and Obion. The Crockett County Sheriffs Office told Wmc-tv that one of the deceased was an 11-year-old boy, though the office reportedly did not share how the child died.

As of Tuesday evening, Tennessee remained at a Level 3 State of Emergency, which is the designation given when "a serious emergency or minor disaster" has taken place.

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The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) said on Tuesday that restoring power remains the state's priority, adding that prolonged cold temperatures have put a strain on the state's utility systems. TEMA also said the state is still seeing hazardous road conditions due to ice and refreezing, as well as "limited effectiveness of treatments in extreme cold."

Aerial view of snow and ice-covered landscape on Jan. 26, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Haywood County Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee Department of Health.





Original article source: Tennessee man dies after suffering heart attack while shoveling snow, adding to storm toll
Thieves crashed an SUV into a liquor store on the Northwest Side Wednesday morning, Chicago police said.

The incident occurred at about 4:23 a.m. in the 4300-block of North Milwaukee Avenue.

Police said three suspects crashed the SUV into the business, made entry and stole merchandise.

The suspects then fled in a waiting Dodge Durango and fled northbound, police said.

No injuries were reported and no one is in custody, police said. Area Five detectives are investigating.

INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood


Crowds are already lining the route from central Israel to the Gvilis hometown of Meitar in the Negev.

The coffin containing St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza, arrived in his Negev hometown of Meitar for burial on Wednesday afternoon after thousands of people had lined the roads of southern Israel as he was en route.

At the funeral, Talik, Ranis mother, began the eulogies by speaking about her son. She started by expressing her gratitude to everyone involved in the effort to bring her son and the other hostages home.

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"A little after he was kidnapped, they invited all the families of the hostages to a meeting in Raanana. It was a rainy day; the sun peeked out, and in the distance, a huge, immense, full cloud appeared. My father and I drove right into the rainbow that accompanied us until we entered it, and then it disappeared. I felt this was a sign from you."

"I just wanted to tell you, my beloved, that the hope you would return to us on two feet, or even one, is what kept me going," she continued. "Since that cursed day, every time a tear wells up, I remember you whispering to me: 'My proud mother.'" She added, "The first to leave, the last to return. Rani, I imagine you in the grandstand above with all those who risked their lives. I see all of you with a glass of arak, everyone is a hero."

President Isaac Herzog delivered a eulogy at the funeral of police officer Staff Sergeant Ran Gvili, the last hostage to be returned home from Gaza. (credit: Ma'ayan Toaf (GPO))

"You became everyone's child, and you're known around the world. Over these two years, I heard eulogies for the fighters, and everyone mentioned you. A proud Golani soldier, a proud policeman who loved his country," his mother added.

"Many thanks to you. Despite our disagreements and opinions, we are one people. The hugs from all sides are immense. 700 soldiers searched for you and found you. This is unity. We are still on a mission to eliminate the terrorists."

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"Rani was the 250th body, and Rani in gematria equals 250. Youre arranging everything for us from above," his father, Itzik, said in his eulogy. "Even the military plot at the cemetery was finished being renovated just a few days ago, in your honor. You are everyones child, and Im so proud to be your father. I miss you every second, every minute. We miss you."

PM Netanyahu meets with captivity survivor Bar Kuperstein at slain hostage Ran Gvili's funeral on January 28, 2026. (credit: AMOS BEN-GERSHOM/GPO)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the family, saying that he and his wife had "embraced you in your pain, and today we embrace you along with the entire nation, as Ran, a hero of Israel, is brought for a Jewish burial."

"I will say this in the language of the Bible, on behalf of my wife Sara and myself: Our souls are bound with yours," he added.

"The closing of the grave of Ran Gvili seals the painful reality of the presence of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip. All of them, the living and the deceased, we have brought them all home from enemy territory."

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He added that watching IDF soldiers in their mission to retrieve Gvili's body made his "heart tremble."

"If we did not believe, we would not have found. If we did not believe, we would not have acted. If we did not believe, we would not have found. If we had not found, the wounds would have remained open forever," he added. "But we believed, we acted, and we found Ran. In doing so, we achieved what we have yearned for throughout these 843 days: to bring all our brothers and sisters home."

He concluded that "whoever raises a hand against Israel will pay an unbearable price."

"To all those who think they can break us, I say: come to Meitar. To all those who think they will defeat us, listen to Tali Gvili, you will not defeat us. We will defeat and crush you," he concluded.

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"The inspiring heroism of Ran Gvili will be a foundation stone in the defensive wall of our state forever. May his memory be a blessing."

President Isaac Herzog apologized to the family and the country for taking so long to bring Ran home.

We stand here today at a sacred and heartbreaking moment, as our beloved hero, Rani, the last hostage, is finally laid to eternal rest in his homeland," he said. "At this moment, I ask, as President of the State of Israel, on behalf of the State of Israel, for your forgiveness. Forgiveness that we were not there for him; forgiveness that, together with so many other families, you were forced to wait for his return for so many long, agonizing days."

Herzog added that Ran's return should kickstart an inquiry into the October 7 massacre.

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"In your memory and by your light, beloved Rani, and in the light of all the heroines and heroes who gave their lives in this difficult war, we are bound by a solemn duty: to look directly at the place of the wound; to investigate thoroughly, to examine deeply, to pursue the truth; to heal and to recover, and together build here a shared Israeli tomorrow, in your memory, dear and beloved Rani, and for us all," he concluded.

His older brother, Omri, remembered the deep friendship the two shared.

"My little brother, but so big. Im so proud to have grown up with you, to have raised you, and to have grown from you. We shared a friendship and love that went beyond everything, with incredible intensity. We loved doing all the unique things that were ours."

"I remember the cursed day and our last conversation," Omri continued. "I tried to joke with you, and you calmly said: 'I'm in an encounter, I'll talk to you later. Let me finish.' And to this day, Im still waiting for that call," he said, in pain. "Today, my hero brother came home. I want you to understand, the pride here isnt just familial, its for all our people. And I wish everyone would be like Rani."

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"Thousands of people came out, cheered, and rejoiced that you were finally brought back. When we were told they had found you, the date updated for me for the first time since that black Saturday," said Ran's sister-in-law, Sharon.

"Im proud of you for who you are and the pride you bring to the whole family. Proud that you stood strong against the hell, eliminated terrorists, defended the homeland, and fought until the last second. I admit that I prayed for a different ending, but if I have to end life at 24, then only this way."

"Your heroic story will be told for generations," Sharon concluded. "Im sure youll watch over us from above, the circle is closed. Rest in peace."

Ran's sister, Shira, said that she thinks of him every day.

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"My best friend. I just can't believe you're here. When Mom told me after October 7th that it would take time for you to return, I didnt think it would take 843 days. Rani, there's not a minute that I don't think about what would have happened if I had fought with you to stay home. I knew that morning it would be the last time I saw you."

"Rani, the schnitzel doesnt taste the same to me anymore," she continued, tearfully. "All I have left are memories, and every memory feels like an arrow to the heart. Every motorcycle that passes brings me back two years. Who will call me Shirosh? Who will protect me from harm? In the last two years, I lost you, and then I lost myself. At the previous ceremony, I promised you that I chose life, and now look, I promise you, I chose life."

"When I flew to America, I had one goal  to bring you home," Shira continued.

"I did everything to bring you back. I spoke, I traveled, I talked, I fought. Now, let me remove the title of 'sister of a captive' and go back to being simply Rani's sister. I ask that you always appear in my dreams."

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At the end of the eulogy, she played a recording of Ran, in which he told her that everything would be fine. She said that is how she will remember him.

Gvili, as a member of Yasam, an elite police unit, was at a hospital waiting to undergo surgery for a broken shoulder on the morning of October 7, 2023, when he learned of Hamass attack on southern Israel. He rushed home, put on his uniform, and joined other personnel heading to Kibbutz Alumim.

Gvili is credited with rescuing around 100 people who fled the nearby Nova Music Festival, and with killing 14 Hamas terrorists. The last word heard from Gvili was when he texted a friend saying he had been shot in the leg.

The military declared Gvili dead based on intelligence in January 2024.

Gvilis remains were found in Gaza City cemetery

Gvilis remains were found in a cemetery in Gaza City and brought back to Israel on Monday. According to military assessments, Palestinian Islamic Jihad likely buried Gvili with other terrorists, not realizing who he was.

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Gvili, an avid guitarist, motorcyclist, and amateur carpenter, is survived by his parents, Itzik and Tali, and a brother and a sister.

Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Thousands gathered in Serbia 's capital on Tuesday accusing the government of a crackdown on universities which have been a main force behind a campaign that has shaken autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic 's rule.

Protesters rallied outside the headquarters of the University of Belgrade on what was a national day of education. The peaceful gathering, dubbed Knowledge is power," was in support of scores of professors and teachers who have lost their jobs or positions for taking part in the anti-government demonstrations.

No government in our history has treated members of the academic community with such arrogance, vengeance and malice and only because the academic community refused to be silent, Vladan Djokic, the head dean of the university, told the crowd.

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The student-led demonstrations were sparked by the collapse in the northern city of Novi Sad of a concrete railway station canopy that killed 16 people in November 2024. Many Serbs blamed the disaster on an alleged corruption-fueled disregard for safety rules during renovation work on the building.

The national protests have become the most sustained and numerous in Serbia for years, drawing hundreds of thousands of people. Vucic has refused to schedule an immediate early election as protesters have demanded but has stepped up pressure on protesters instead.

The Belgrade rally came days after riot police evicted protesting students from a faculty building in Novi Sad in a demonstration of force against possible attempts to renew university strikes. Dozens of police pushed their way into the faculty building and forced the students out, some of whom accused the police of violence.

Djokic also cited financial and legal pressure from the government on universities as well as frequent attacks on protesting professors and students, who are described by officials and pro-government media as terrorists.

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He urged his colleagues to resist the pressure and preserve the dignity of our profession through personal example.

Earlier on Tuesday, several faculties in Belgrade suspended classes for the day in protest.

Serbia has faced international criticism over reports of excessive force and arbitrary detentions of protesters. Vucic is formally seeking European Union entry for Serbia while strengthening ties with Russia and China amid accusations of clamping down on democratic freedoms.

___

This story has been corrected to show the first name of the University of Belgrade head dean is Vladan, not Vladimir.
Three brothers ages six, eight and nine have died after falling through ice on a private pond near Bonham, Texas.

The boys mother said she ran into the freezing lake and frantically tried to pull her sons from the water, but the ice kept breaking beneath them. The accident happened on Monday.



They were just screaming, telling me to help them, Cheyenne Hangaman told the Associated Press. And I watched all of them struggle, struggle to stay above the water. I watched all of them fight.

Hangaman, a mother of six, told CBS that she first learned of the tragedy when her daughter ran over to her, shouting that her sons had fallen into the icy pond which was near the house where the family had been staying.

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The youngest boy fell through first after trying to ice skate on the pond, Hangaman told CBS news. She added that his two older brothers then jumped in after him in an attempt to rescue their sibling.

I tried to fight for my kids life, where I had to watch them struggle and drown and I couldnt help them, she told the TV network.

The boys names were given by family members as Howard Doss, six, Kaleb Doss, eight, and EJ Doss, nine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Washington  Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said Tuesday he has lost all confidence in "incompetent" Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has faced intense scrutiny over a fatal shooting by immigration agents over the weekend.

"I think my position is pretty unambiguous," Tillis told reporters. "I think she should go."

Tillis was the first Republican to call for Noem's ouster, though other members of his party have not been shy about criticizing the Trump administration's response to the killing of Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse who was fatally shot by two Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.

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Tillis, who is retiring, said his doubts about Noem go beyond her department's handling of the immigration clampdown in Minnesota.

"I can't think of any point of pride over the last year," Tillis said. "She has taken this administration into the ground on an issue that we should own. We should own the issue of border security and immigration. But they have destroyed that for Republicans, something that got the president elected. They have destroyed it through their incompetence."

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska later echoed the sentiments shared by Tillis.

"I've lost confidence in her," Murkowski told reporters."We would be better served with new leadership."

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Murkowski and Tillis are known for periodically breaking with the Trump administration. Both senators voted to confirm Noem last year, which Murkowski pointed to on Tuesday.

"I had great hopes for her in the department and I've been disappointed," she said.

President Trump told reporters Tuesday that Noem is "doing a very good job" and is not stepping down, crediting her with a dramatic drop in border crossings over the last year. A day earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Noem "still has the utmost confidence and trust of the president of the United States."

Asked for comment on Tillis and Murkowski's calls for Noem to step down, the Department of Homeland Security referred CBS News to the White House, which pointed to Mr. Trump and Leavitt's remarks expressing support for Noem.

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CBS News reported earlier that Noem is facing internal scrutiny within the administration but is expected to keep her job, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

Noem was at the White House on Monday and faced questions about how DHS handled the Pretti shooting and its response, sources said. Her focus is expected to shift from immigration enforcement operations in the interior of the country to securing the southern border and other priorities.

An effort to impeach Noem in the House is rapidly gaining support among Democrats, including from party leadership. But at least three Republicans would need to join every Democrat for the effort to be successful, which so far appears highly unlikely.

Sneak peek: The Firefighter's Secret

Why Trump may not demand for Noem to step down from her job

Man arrested after spraying Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar with unknown liquid
Eddie Capel: Thanks, Mike. And Good afternoon, everybody. Before we start, I'll just note that I've got a little bit of a sore throat, so I apologize if my voice is croaky. But thank you. Thank you for joining us, as we review our results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024, as well as our outlook for 2025. So 2024 was another very successful year for Manhattan. We surpassed the $1 billion total revenue milestone and achieved new records in RPO, total revenue, operating profit, free cash flow, and earnings per share. I'm also pleased to share with you that our Q4 RPO performance exceeded our expectations.

We have reconciled all non-GAAP measures to the related GAAP measures in accordance with SEC rules. You'll find reconciliation schedules in the Form 8-K we submitted to the SEC earlier today and on our website at manh.com. Now I'll turn the call over to Eddie.

I refer you to the reports Manhattan Associates files with the SEC for important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our projections, particularly our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2023 and the risk factor discussion in that report, as well as any risk factor updates we provide on subsequent Form 10-Qs. We note the turbulent global macro environment could impact our performance and cause the actual results to differ materially from our projections. We're under no obligation to update these statements. In addition, our comments include certain non-GAAP financial measures to provide additional information to investors.

Michael Bauer: Great, thank you Julian. Good afternoon everyone. Welcome to Manhattan Associates 2024 fourth quarter earnings call. I will review our cautionary language and then turn the call over to Eddie Capel, our CEO. During this call, including the question and answer session, we may make forward-looking statements regarding future events of the future financial performance of Manhattan Associates. You are cautioned that these forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties, are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results may differ materially from the projections contained in our forward-looking statements.

Operator: Good afternoon. My name is Julian Bell and I'll be your conference facilitator for today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to Manhattan Associates Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speakers remarks, there will be a question-and-answer period. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, ladies and gentlemen, this call is being recorded today, January 28, 2025. I would now like to introduce you to our host, Mr. Michael Bauer, Head of Invest Relations of Manhattan Associates. Mr. Bauer, you may begin your conference.

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Now we're entering 2025 with strong business momentum and we're optimistic about that growing market opportunity. We do remain cautious on the global economy though, which has become more acute. Near-term headwinds for our services business have surfaced as about 10% of our customers with in-flight implementations reduced their planned services work for the upcoming calendar and fiscal year. And we've adjusted our outlook accordingly. Now services continues to be very important to Manhattan. Firstly, because that team ensures our customers success. And secondly, it keeps us close to our customers.

And these tight partnerships help us provide clarity on our customers' needs, which in turn -- allows us to incorporate that in our future waves of innovation, helping us drive future subscription growth. Now, in 2025, we'll have a record number of customer implementations. And those customers will continue to spend significantly on Manhattan Services, albeit a little less than we had previously planned. So to summarize, this shift in professional services work for future periods. Some deal pushes that we highlighted throughout 2024 and to a lesser extent, reduced customization and higher part utilization will cause services revenue to trough in the first quarter of 2025.

With new service implementation projects steadily increasing throughout 2025, we anticipate solid sequential services revenue growth in the middle of the year before returning to year-over-year growth in Q4. Importantly though, our business fundamentals are solid and we have a large opportunity in front of us. And just like Q4, Q1 is off to a great start from a new software bookings perspective. And we entered 2025 with the benefit of several growth drivers, which include the acquisition of new customers, conversions of on-premise customers to the cloud, and cross-selling into our growing unified product portfolio.

These growth drivers, along with our strong pipeline, provide us confidence that we'll achieve 20% plus cloud subscription revenue growth over the next several years, with cloud subscription revenue surpassing services revenue likely by the end of 2026. Now let's pivot to our quarterly results just for a moment. Q4 was a record quarter that exceeded expectations. Revenue increased 7% as reported to $256 million, highlighted by 26% growth in cloud, and adjusted earnings per diluted share increased 14% to $1.17. RPO or remaining performance obligation increased 25% to $1.8 billion. And if foreign exchange headwinds impacts are removed, RPO exceeded $1.8 billion in a prior outlook. In Q4, customer satisfaction levels remain high.

Win rates were strong, they're about 70%. And demand for our client solutions was solid across our product portfolio. From a vertical perspective, retail manufacturing and wholesale continue to drive more than 80% of our bookings in the quarter. And across our solutions, the sub-verticals are pretty diverse. Some of the cloud deals that we won this quarter, a global multi-brand specialty retailer, a diversified healthcare services company, a global home furnishings company, a supermarket chain, a global life sciences company, a global designer, retailer and distributor of outdoor products, and many others.

In Q4, about one quarter of our new bookings was generated from net new logos and we continue to have a healthy mix of conversions, upsells and cross-sells. And we believe this demonstrates the many and varied opportunities for sustainable future growth. That pipeline continues to be strong with solid demand across our product suites. Net new potential customers represent about 35% of that demand, and we have significant conversion opportunities. As we enter 2025 with just a little over 80% of our on-premise customers yet to begin their migration to our cloud solutions. A key driver in our strong solutions pipeline is Manhattan's commitment to innovation. And in 2024, we invested about $138 million in research and development.

This equates to nearly $1 billion of total investment across our supply chain planning, execution, and omni-channel solutions since we began our journey to the cloud. As I stated before, I believe this level of consistent commitment is unmatched in our industry, and our investments are certainly paying off. For example, late in 2024, we launched Manhattan Active Supply Chain Planning. We introduced Iris, our next [iteration] (ph) of Point of Sale, and developed numerous advancements across supply chain execution. And this innovation is expanding at total adjustable market, and interest levels from our customers and prospects are certainly encouraging. In Q4, we signed our first Manhattan Active Supply Chain Planning customer.

We closed two significant Point of Sale transactions, widened our leadership position in supply chain execution, and strengthened our already industry leading levels of customer satisfaction. And turning now to some of the specifics of our products. On the Point of Sale front, 2024 was a good year for us in terms of successful deployments with some great retail brands. We successfully deployed our Point of Sale systems rapidly in a scale with leading retailers such as PacSun and Arc'teryx. Both of these customers were able to roll out at cloud-native Point of Sale to their entire store fleet in a matter of weeks.

And both of those companies were kind enough to speak on our behalf at the National Retail Federation Conference just a few weeks ago. And they spoke at a number of different settings at that conference, which was great. And at 2024 holiday peak data, we're finally seeing an equilibrium being reached between the percentage of sales transacted online and in-store. And as we suspected when we entered the Point of Sale business a few years ago, it's clear that store presence and performance still remains a vital ingredient for the vast majority of retailers. We believe that large scale store technology replacement cycle is emerging, which is going to fully decouple hardware from software in the store.

In many of that store system, customers are now running on two operating systems in the store, and sometimes even all three of the major operating systems. Now, nowhere was the resurgent interest in Point of Sale more apparent than the National Retail Federation Conference. The customer activity level that we had at our [booth around] (ph) Point of Sale far outpaced anything we'd seen in prior years. Now, this uptick in interest in that Point of Sale was no doubt driven, at least in part, from our recent terrific showing in the Forrester Wave Point of Sale. For the [first point of sale] (ph) -- for the first time, we were named a leader.

And we're certainly honored by this recognition. We believe it reflects the sustained investment that we've made in designing and building world-class user experience, industry leading feature depth and truly differentiated omnichannel capabilities, as well as unmatched ability to scale during peak periods. Now speaking of Forrester, last week and for the sixth time, we were named a leader in the Forrester omnichannel order management wave. Now no other software provider has ever received this distinction 6 times and certainly no other provider has been named the leader in both Point of Sale and order management.

And one final note on Point of Sale this past quarter, Q4, we won what we believe is one of the most significant Point of Sale opportunities available in the Americas in 2024. We were honored to be selected by a leading tool and equipment retailer to power their next-generation store systems. And when this business represents an important milestone for us, as our leading technology platform and next-generation associate experience allowed us to demonstrate differentiating value outside of our historic sweet spot of the smaller footprint specialty retail stores. Turning to one of our other newer offerings.

As I noted earlier, we signed our first Manhattan Active supply chain planning customer in the quarter, and we anticipate having this pet supplies retailer live with planning by about the middle of the year, at which point they'll be using Manhattan Active Warehouse Management, transportation management, store fulfillment and planning. And this early adopter shares certainly our belief that the combination of cloud-native technology and unified applications are the key to enabling operational excellence. And to close out our product update here. I will mention that our transportation management business ended the year on a nice high-note.

We closed several important and highly competitive deals right at the end of the year with a fewer of these being replacements of other Gartner MQ Magic Quadrant Leaders. And we believe the power of the unified supply chain execution platform and our leading technology, again made the difference. So that concludes my business update. Dennis is going to provide you with an update on our financial performance and outlook. And then I'll close our prepared remarks with a brief summary before we move to Q&A. So Dennis?

Dennis Story: Okay. Thanks, Eddie. As Eddie highlighted, in 2024, we set records in RPO, total revenue, operating profit, free cash flow and earnings per share. Congratulations to all our team members around the globe for great execution throughout the year in a challenging macro environment. For both the quarter and the year, we delivered a strong balanced financial performance on top-line growth and operating margin, both our Q4 and full year results exceeded expectations and compare favorably to the Rule of 40. I'll start with recapping our financial performance for the quarter and year. While FX volatility persists, it did not have a meaningful impact to our Q4 full year total revenue growth.

However, it was a $23 million headwind to full year RPO growth and a $33 million headwind to sequential RPO growth. FX also had a meaningful impactful to our 2025 guidance, which I'll discuss later. Now to our results. All growth rates are on an as-reported year-over-year basis, unless otherwise stated. For Q4, total revenue was $256 million, up 7% and full year revenue totaled $1.04 billion up 12%. Excluding license and maintenance revenue, which removes the revenue compression by our cloud transition, Q4 revenue growth was 11% and full year 16%. Q4 cloud revenue totaled $90 million, up 26%, with full year revenue totaling $337 million, up 32%.

We had record bookings in Q4 as we closed out 2024 with RPO of $1.8 billion growing 25% year-over-year and 6% sequentially. Excluding FX impacts, RPO exceeded the high end of our $1.8 billion outlook by $13 million as we experienced strength from across our Manhattan Active suite of products. Service revenue of $119 million was up slightly compared to the year ago period and was $2 million below our prior expectations as budgetary constraints were more pronounced for several customers. Our Q4 adjusted operating profit was $90 million with an operating margin of 35.3%, representing over a 300 basis year-over-year improvement.

Full year adjusted operating profit totaled $362 million with a 34.7% operating margin and represents a 440 basis point improvement over 2023. Both Q4 and 2024 results were driven by strong cloud revenue growth, combined with solid operating leverage, as our cloud business scales. Our Q4 earnings per share increased 14% to $1.17, and GAAP earnings per share declined to 1% or to $0.77. The GAAP decline includes a nonrecurring $7 million or $0.09 charge from a health insurance claim on behalf of an employee. Excluding this claim, GAAP earnings per share would have increased 10%. This resulted in full year adjusted earnings per share to increase 26% to $4.72 and GAAP earnings per share to increase 24% to $3.51.

Moving to cash. Q4 operating cash flow increased to 18% to $105 million with a 39.7% free cash flow margin and a 35.9% adjusted EBITDA margin. Our full year operating cash flow was $295 million while generating a 27.5% free cash flow margin and 35.3% adjusted EBITDA margin. Turning to the balance sheet. Deferred revenue increased 17% year-over-year to $279 million. We ended the year with $266 million in cash and zero debt.

Accordingly, we leveraged our strong cash position and invested $44 million in share repurchases in the quarter, resulting in $242 million in buybacks in 2024, given the strength of our balance sheet, solid cash collections and increasing visibility, our Board increased our share repurchase authority to $100 million, up from the prior customary $75 million. So turning to guidance. Our financial objective is to deliver sustainable double-digit top-line growth in top quartile operating margins benchmarked against enterprise software comps. As noted on prior earnings calls, our goal is to update our RPO outlook on an annual basis.

Additionally, as previously discussed, our bookings performance is impacted by the number and relative value of large deals we close in any quarter, which can potentially cause lumpiness or non-linear bookings throughout the year. All guidance references made on today's call will be at the midpoint of their respective ranges and remind investors that we provide our preliminary parameters using FX rates at the conclusion of Q3. For RPO, we are now targeting $2.11 billion to $2.15 billion with the $2.13 billion midpoint, representing 20% growth. Removing the $33 million FX headwind, our 2025 RPO outlook is $13 million higher than our preliminary parameters.

For the full year 2025 guidance, we now expect total revenue of $1.06 billion to $1.07 billion, the $70 million difference from our preliminary parameters consists of $20 million of FX headwind, and as Eddie highlighted, a reduction in services revenue. This will result in Q1 total revenue of $256 million to $258 million, and we are targeting total revenue of about $266.5 million in Q2, $273 million in Q3 and $269 million in Q4. For 2025 adjusted operating margin, we expect a range of 33% to 33.5% and FX in the range is unchanged from our prior parameters.

On a quarterly basis, at the midpoint, adjusted operating margin is expected to be about 31% in Q1, 33.5% in Q2, 34.5% in Q3 and accounting for retail peak seasonality, 34% in Q4. This results in a full year adjusted EPS guidance range of $4.45 to $4.55 and a GAAP EPS range of $3.05 to $3.15, including -- included in GAAP are $0.15 of non-recurring charges, predominantly from non-recurring health insurance claim. For Q1, we are targeting adjusted earnings per share of $1.01 to $1.03 and GAAP earnings per share of $0.71 to $0.73.

For Q2 through Q4, we expect GAAP earnings per share to be about $0.38 lower than adjusted EPS per quarter with the vast majority accounting for our investment and equity-based compensation. So here are some additional details on our 2025 outlook. For full year 2025, we expect cloud revenue of $405 million to $410 million. At the midpoint, this represents 21% growth and FX, the midpoint is unchanged from our earlier parameters. On a quarterly basis, this assumes $93.5 million in Q1, $99.5 million in Q2 and $105 million in Q3 and $109.5 million in Q4.

For services, we now expect a range of $494 million to $500 million and assumes steady growth improvement throughout the year, as new service projects ramp. On a quarterly basis, this assumes $117 million in Q1, $127.5 million in Q2, $130.5 million in Q3 and accounting for retail peak seasonality $122 million in Q4. For maintenance, we expect a range of $118 million to $120 million or a 14% decline at the midpoint on attrition to cloud. On a quarterly basis, we expect Q1 to be $31.5 million; Q2, $31 million; Q3, $29 million; and Q4, $27.5 million. We expect license revenue to be roughly $13.5 million or 1% of 2025 total revenue.

For Q1, we expect $8 million of license revenue and then between $1.5 million to $2.5 million per quarter. For hardware, we expect revenue to be between $6.5 million to $7 million per quarter. For consolidated subscription, maintenance and services margin, we are targeting about a 50 basis point year-over-year improvement for 2025. We expect our effective tax rate to be 21% and our diluted share count to be 62.7 million shares, which assumes no buyback activity. Lastly, as Eddie highlighted, to better assist investors assessment of our future cloud revenue growth, we are providing incremental color on our financial model that will not be updated on a regular cadence.

Accounting for our solid RPO visibility, strong pipeline and multiple growth drivers, we expect to achieve 20%-plus cloud subscription revenue growth for the next several years, and we'll continue to invest in world-class innovation to drive future growth. So in summary, 2024 was a great year, and were tremendously excited for 2025 and beyond. Thank you, and back to Eddie for closing remarks.

Eddie Capel: Very good. Thank you, Dennis. Well, 2024 was a very successful year for Manhattan. In Q4, we achieved record bookings. And as I mentioned before, Q1 is off to a great start as well. So we are entering 2025 with a very strong software selling motion for sure. And while there's considerable FX noise and continued macro choppiness is causing some near-term services headwinds, structurally, Manhattan's business fundamentals are very, very solid. And we are excited about our growing market opportunity as we enter 2025, but we're the industry leader with world-class technology. Record levels of R&D investment that are increasing our TAM and contributing to our 70%-plus win rates.

We've got industry-leading levels of customer satisfaction and a strong pipeline with numerous drivers for durable growth. So in closing, thanks everybody, for joining the call. Thank you to our global team for all the great work that they do for our customers, and that concludes our prepared remarks. So Julian, we'd be happy to take any questions at this point.

Operator: Thank you. We will now be conducting a question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] And our first question comes from Terry Tillman, Truist Securities.

Terry Tillman: Yeah. Thanks for taking my questions. Good afternoon Eddie, Dennis and Mike. I may have a sore throat thing going on too here, Eddie. I have two or three questions. The first question is just related to the $127 million constant currency RPO. I think the last high watermark was way back in 4Q '21 at [125.5%] (ph), So I mean that seemed like a solid print. But I'm curious, though, you said you got started off to pretty well here in the first quarter. I've been asking repeatedly in the past that you're starting to see a little bit of seasonality, maybe where 4Q and 1Q are the strongest.

Any more you could shed light in terms of 1Q activity and just confidence and visibility around just near-term strength in cloud bookings during the first quarter.

Eddie Capel: Yes. No. I mean, Im going to answer probably the same way I have previously, Terry, doesn't seem to be really any seasonality other than sometimes maybe in the middle of the year, it's a little slowdown due to vacations, particularly internationally and so forth. But -- but yes, Q4 was a record for us, and we are off to a strong start in Q1. So we are excited about that. The balance across the product portfolio, existing customers versus new and the geographies was certainly encouraging as well.

Terry Tillman: Yes. And just a follow-up question, maybe a bit of a tale of two cities. But even towards the end here in your prepared remarks, we're almost in with bated breath. And it sounds like software is actually quite resilient demand-wise. Services, you're seeing some sluggishness -- what I'm curious about in services, and maybe it's too early to tell, but part of this is it's a whole different model with the cloud. And you have three plus versions each year, and so there's new stuff coming out. And so I'm just curious where you think we are on cyclicality versus maybe structural dynamics with services going forward? And then I have a last question.

Eddie Capel: Yes. There's no question that we are becoming much more efficient, implementing our software, that's having some impact. Being the now, I think unequivocal leader in the space, there were more and more particularly Tier 1 partners that are implementing our software, so that's having an impact as well. But there is no question, we've seen pressure on budgets. As we -- as our customers went into their budgeting cycle, call it, August, September, October of last year, they were more bullish, I think, about how much they wanted to get completed calendar year 2025.

And we've got, obviously, a whole cadre of fabulous Tier 1 companies that honestly are going to continue to implement our software during 2025 and spend significant services dollars with us, just not quite as much as the team -- their teams are anticipating when they originally budgeted in the fall of last year. So I think they had their budgets pulled back a little bit, and that trickle down to us.

Terry Tillman: Got it. And just thanks for that Eddie. And Dennis, just another question in terms of -- I'm curious though on free cash flow. I know you don't typically guide to like a hard range or a number for free cash flow, free cash flow margin. But I'm just curious in terms of there's some kind of non-operating things that maybe impact cash flow or maybe they don't. But just anything you could share about relationship of free cash flow to either operating profit or EBITDA or just anything around just any one-time items we should think about for free cash flow. Thank you.

Dennis Story: Yes. I would say just in terms of cash flow through 2025, Terry, we are going to be probably at a run rate of about $300 million a quarter roughly and close out. We are targeting about $1.2 billion on a full year basis cash collections.

Terry Tillman: Okay, thank you.

Eddie Capel: Thank you Terry.

Operator: Thank you. Our next question comes from Joe Vruwink, Baird. Please proceed with your question.

Joe Vruwink: Great. Thanks for taking my questions. SAP on their earnings call overnight, they touched on this dynamic where large customers are also making cloud commitments. But initially, maybe it's only one-third of the potential scope and then the expectation is these customers come back 1 or 2 years later with another contract. Is this at all this dynamic happening with your WMS engagements? I know it's typically you might not grab the full warehouse footprint, and that just represents room for future expansion. Is any of that happening in kind of the changes and kind of service intentions you are noting here?

Eddie Capel: Not really, Joe. That's happened quite a lot for [frankly several] (ph) years now. So oftentimes, our customers, whatever the number may be, they may have 10 or 15 distribution centers and they'll commit to 1, 2 or 3. So that is not a new dynamic for us. We've seen it for several years, and we expect that to be -- we expect that to be ongoing. So it is not a new dynamic and it's not having any kind of near-term impact.

Joe Vruwink: Okay. Thank you for that. Could you maybe provide an update of your year-end RPO mix? I think in the past, you've kind of given a breakout WMS Active on the TMS. And I'm wondering, obviously, it sounds like you got some big wins and end Point of Sales at year-end. Is that product mix begins to shift, does that actually contribute to a shift in kind of services intensity around what needs to happen. And so that also factors and kind of your go-forward Rightsized Headcounts?

Eddie Capel: Yes. Yes. Great. Great set of a couple of conjoined questions there Joe, in reverse sequence though, the answer is not really. There is not really a big difference across the portfolio in terms of services attach rate. So whether it be planning, Point of Sale, WMS, TMS, OMS, or at least directionally, similar services attach rate. In terms of the breakdown of RPO, we don't provide a detailed breakdown there. Id tell you that the preponderance certainly comes from WMS, followed by OMS, followed by TMS and then sort of other. But there is no question. We are  it is slow. It's -- there's nobody more impatient with this than me.

But the Point of Sale, implementation activity, subscription activity and sales activity definitely seems to be picking up. So we are encouraged by that, for sure.

Joe Vruwink: Great. Ill leave it there. Thank you.

Eddie Capel: Great. Thank you Joe.

Operator: And our next question comes from Brian Peterson with Raymond James. Please proceed.

Brian Peterson: Thanks. And maybe just following up on Joe's question. Eddie, I think in the past, you've mentioned some stats on the number of active WM customers that are signed or live. Just as we think about the progress that you've made as we have about 20% through that transition, any help on maybe giving a little more specifics on where we stand entering that transition in '25.

Eddie Capel: Yes. Well, in terms of number of live customers and so forth?

Brian Peterson: Correct.

Eddie Capel: I think we are a little more than 150 live customers, about 600 -- a little over 600 facilities around the world. And yes, we are just a tick below 80% of our customers still on-premise. So the inverse of that is not quite 20% have migrated.

Brian Peterson: Got it. And I just wanted to follow up on Point of Sale. I was out at NRF as well. I'd agree with you that the interest was definitely there. As you've seen a lot of product cycles and macro cycles in the past. I would love to get your sense of what is the customer optimism around this kind of cloud-based Point of Sale refresh -- and how much momentum do you think that you could see there in 2025? Thanks Eddie.

Eddie Capel: Yes, I don't know if I can quantify exactly how much momentum, Brian, I would love to be able to do that probably stay away from the specifics of that. But in terms of the enthusiasm for replacement cycles and so forth. I think look, we've been talking about this for a little while, but I think there is enthusiasm around upgrading technology, store system technology. Some of it is merely driven by the hardware aging out in the stores. It just  it is just aging out, as you probably know as a consumer.

Some of it is driven by the retailer's desire to have a true omnichannel selling strategy in their retail store versus this very bifurcated online and foot traffic strategy. But as you pointed out, as we pointed out in our prepared remarks, definitely a lot more enthusiasm and interest at NRF. You would expect that be in a Retail Federation conference, but we certainly saw a lot of, frankly unsolicited inbound interest at the conference, which was encouraging.

Brian Peterson: Great to hear. Thanks Eddie.

Eddie Capel: Thank you Brian.

Operator: And our next question comes from Quinton Gabrielli with Piper Sandler. Please proceed.

Quinton Gabrielli: Hi guys. Thanks for taking our questions here. Maybe first, it would be helpful to understand kind of the magnitude of deal pushouts that we talked about in Q2 and Q3 and how much that impacted kind of the strong constant currency Q4 bookings here? And is it fair to kind of assume that all of those prior push deals closed in the quarter? Or is there incremental opportunity in Q1 and Q2 for those to catch up?

Eddie Capel: No. They have not all closed. We are obviously not going to give detailed empirical specifics around that. But some of them are closed and some haven't. The good news is of all of those deals across the last 12 months, maybe even longer, that we have been in the pipeline that haven't closed just yet. We haven't lost them, right? So there is still opportunities out there for us. There are certainly circumstances where a company will enter into a buying cycle. And as they get towards the end of it, decide they're going to push out a full year right, the full year of the budgetary cycle.

So not -- we don't like it, but it is not an uncommon phenomenon.

Quinton Gabrielli: Got it. That's helpful. I understand. And then maybe on the services line, obviously, it is creating some messiness here in 2025. I understand there is some FX that's kind of out of your control, but does this accelerate the company's desire or decision to maybe focus more on leveraging large partners and accelerating kind of your cloud transition first and kind of pushing the services to the side? Or how do you balance that decision of pushing services while also accelerating that cloud growth? Thanks.

Eddie Capel: Yes. That's a great question, Quinton. So as I said in my prepared remarks, and we've been frankly saying this for a very long time. In 2026, we expect software revenue to exceed services revenue, okay? Obviously, with the growth -- with 20% or so growth on the software line, that makes perfect sense. Now obviously, that tells you what the trajectory looks like in '27, '28 and so on and so forth going forward. So software is continuing to grow at a faster rate than services. Now services is still very important to us, very important to us.

You could put a case together, it's not as important to long-term top-line growth as software is, of course, because that is the core of what we do, core of what we build and where our innovation investments go, but services are very important for a couple of reasons. One, we feel it is important that we'd be engaged with the client to ensure that they get great success from that software. And second of all, our customers are really an important part of our secret innovation source.

So staying very close to them, so we understand what market trends are we can build innovation to be, as I often say, 1/8 of a pace in front of them in the market is very, very important. But again, you bring up a good point there. But no, no intentions of moving away from the services business. But we certainly expect the software revenue to continue to grow much faster with that line crossing in 2026.

Dennis Story: Hi Quinton, it's Dennis Story. I just need to want to apologize. On the 2025, the free cash flow target should be $300 million with end of year -- full year, $1.2 billion in cash collections.

Quinton Gabrielli: Got it. Thank you both.

Operator: Thank you. Our next question comes from Mark Schappel with Loop Capital Markets. Please proceed.

Mark Schappel: Hi, thanks for taking my question. Eddie, starting with you, what's the sentiment from CIOs that you're seeing out there on moving forward with say, big WMS or even TMS upgrades or expansions. Are you seeing these initiatives being crowded out by other priorities?

Eddie Capel: I would say from a sentiment perspective, now obviously, we have a much more diverse customer base than just retail. But if we think about kind of the concentration of conversations that you are able to have in one place at NRF, which is no question retail. But if we compare January of 2024, with January of 2025. So just a couple, three weeks ago, my view would be the tone was much more enthusiastic than it was 12 months prior.

Mark Schappel: Great. Thank you. And then switching gears a little bit here. With respect to the new supply chain planning solutions. I was wondering if you could just provide some additional color or comments on the reference customers that you built up during the quarter.

Eddie Capel: Yes. Well, we signed our first customer in the quarter which honestly was sort of a surprise. When you launch a mission-critical applications such as supply chain planning. On our prior call, I know there were some questions about when should we expect to see some impact and so forth. And our initial estimates were that we would close our first customer kind of mid-year 2025. So we couldn't be more excited that what 65 days or something like that after launch. We closed our first deal. Now we have seen and continue to see a ton of enthusiasm around bringing finally, supply chain planning and supply chain execution together on a truly unified platform.

But that enthusiasm usually takes quite a while to translate into deals closing. So again, to have our first visionary and early adopter customer after 65 days or so, certainly gives us reason for enthusiasm.

Mark Schappel: Great. Thank you.

Eddie Capel: Thank you Mark.

Operator: Thank you. And our next question comes from William Jellison with D.A. Davidson. Please proceed.

William Jellison: Hi, thanks for taking my question. The first relates to professional services, and I wanted to get an update because in the past, you've spoken to some strong increases in efficiency within that organization, in part related to record low attrition in the services labor force. And I was just curious on where we are with those kinds of trends. And in light of the updated expectations for services in 2025, how are you thinking about hiring in that organization?

Eddie Capel: Yes. Great question. Well, great questions. So first of all, efficiency continues to grow and the efficiency continues to get better. There is no question about that. And we -- our attrition is certainly very low in our professional services organization. So again, that continues to be a driver of efficiency. In terms of hiring, obviously, we've got to balance out supply and demand to state the very obvious. We've seen a downtick in demand, so we'll keep a very close eye on what that profile looks like. We expect it to start picking up in the back half of the year.

But we've got time be able to monitor that situation before we decide specifically what the hiring profile in services for 2025 looks like.

William Jellison: Great. Thanks for taking my question.

Eddie Capel: My pleasure. Thank you, William.

Operator: And our next question comes from Dylan Becker with William Blair. Please proceed.

Dylan Becker: Hi, gentlemen. Appreciate it here. I don't want to continue hammering on the point of services, maybe, but Eddie, for you any additional color on the types of projects that are being pushed here? You talk about kind of the number of record customers onboarding are expected to go live in '25, growing enthusiasm, which I would agree with kind of general tone and sentiment coming out of NRF. But what's causing lower spending? And maybe how can we think about the mix of that $50 million impact between the internal efficiency and partnership versus maybe what's kind of being pushed out from a project perspective?

Eddie Capel: Yes. Well, obviously, we are not going to provide the specifics of how that -- that $50 million exactly breaks down. But the phenomenon goes something like this, that we have a customer with a large scale program that is -- and they're going to roll out maybe WMS across a bigger state or maybe they're going to roll out OMS across multiple brands. Let's say, hypothetically, it was 10 distribution centers they were planning in 2025 or five brands in 2025 in the case of OMS. What we're seeing is the WMS rollout continues. But instead of doing 10 distribution centers in 2025, it is going to be seven.

Instead of doing five brands for OMS in 2025, it's going to be three of the brands. That's the type of phenomenon that we are seeing. We have seen no projects be canceled, right? So there is no project cancellations and so forth. But yes, budgets have been clipped. So our customers have tended to slow down some of those rollouts.

Dylan Becker: Okay. That's really helpful. Maybe one more sticking with you, Eddie here. If we think about, again the early momentum of adaptive planning and the importance of kind of planning and forecasting here. Help us understand maybe where the industry sits from a data readiness perspective, if we think about kind of that adoption curve maybe it ties into cloud modernization. But how that flows through to their willingness or propensity to kind of get more real time in that data and maybe how the latter can help accelerate our fuel performer. Thank you.

Eddie Capel: Yes, the data is ready. The data is available and ready for sure, because they run generally overnight batch jobs. [Theyve got] (ph) all the data queue it up, they run a large batch job overnight to create a forecast on a plan. And to some -- so we are going to be using essentially the exact same data inputs.

But instead of accumulating it and running it overnight, we're able to run it in real time and take a slice of the plan and the forecast at any point along the way, enabling essentially the speed of the planning process to catch up with the speed of execution because the execution systems obviously have gained in pace over the last longer, really, but over the last 10 years or 15 years. And we're -- one of our goals is to make sure that planning starts to catch up with execution pace. So no concerns about the data availability.

Id tell you, just like everything else that we do, it is  there is a lot of change management that goes into moving from a batch-based system to a real-time processing system. So unlikely to be the lack of data availability, more likely to be getting through that change management process.

Dylan Becker: Very helpful. Thanks Eddie.

Operator: And our final question will come from George Kurosawa with Citi. Please proceed.

George Kurosawa: Hi, thanks for taking the questions. Sorry to start with politics here, but maybe just kind of the current house view on how you are thinking about the potential impact of tariffs on your business and if there is any kind of changes to your positioning?

Eddie Capel: Yes, sure. Good question. From our perspective, no tariffs really we expect on our business. Obviously, we are monitoring the situation from a supply chain perspective and if there are any impacts to our customers. Now given that we are largely a finished goods supply chain systems provider. So most of what we do happens when the goods hit the port -- hit the ports from wherever they come from, there is likely to be a little impact on Manhattan Associates, George.

George Kurosawa: Okay. Makes perfect sense. And then I did want to ask on the margin guide, I think maybe ticked down a tiny bit from your initial target. To me, I guess I would intuitively think that with software being relatively stronger than services, maybe there'd be some mix benefit. Are there any kind of OpEx lines that you are looking to invest more in? Or just any kind of color on the change there?

Eddie Capel: Well, look we are always -- we will increase our investment in research and development in 2025. We're, frankly, I'm proud to been able to save for the last 15 years -- 15 years running. We are going to spend more in research and development this year than we did last year. So that is true, again 2025 over the last 15 years for sure. We will spend more money in sales and marketing given that we've got a broader product portfolio. Obviously, we've got the FX noise and some impact from top-line revenue decline.

George Kurosawa: Make sense. Thanks for taking the questions.

Eddie Capel: My pleasure George. Thank you.

Operator: There are no further questions at this time. I would like to turn the floor back to Eddie Capel for closing remarks.

Eddie Capel: Thank you, Julian. Well, thanks, everybody, [for a tough night] (ph) with my croaky voice really appreciate it. I mentioned before, whilst weve seen some choppiness here, weve seen a little downturn in the services business for 2025, our fundamentals are very strong because our fundamentals are built around our product innovation. We are continuing to innovate. The demand for that innovation is strong. So we are as encouraged as weve ever been about our long-term future, and we look forward to telling you more about that in 90 days or so. So thanks again.

Operator: And with that, that does conclude today's teleconference. We thank you for your participation. You may disconnect your lines at this time.

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Manhattan Associates (MANH) Earnings Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
US President Donald Trump has deployed his "border tsar" Tom Homan to lead on-the-ground immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, after two US citizens were shot dead by federal agents in the city in less than a month.

The White House has said Homan, who arrived in Minneapolis on Tuesday, will now be the "main point of contact on the ground" and will hold meetings with city officials.

It comes as Gregory Bovino, the US border patrol chief and public face of the Trump administration's mass deportation drive in cities across the US, is expected to leave the city along with some of his agents.

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Homan, 64, is seen both as a key Trump ally and someone with decades of experience in immigration policy across both Republican and Democratic administrations.

He is also one of the most vocal defenders of Trump's immigration policy and mass deportation drive.

A native of upstate New York, Homan began his career in law enforcement as a police officer before joining border patrol in 1984 in southern California.

He joined what was then called the Immigration and Naturalization Service four years later, climbing through the ranks of US immigration enforcement over multiple years.

By 2013 - under the Obama administration - he held a little-known but influential post heading the Enforcement and Removal Operations arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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Homan had planned to retire in 2017, just days before Trump's first administration began.

An abrupt call at his retirement party from incoming Chief of Staff John Kelly changed those plans.

"I remember him saying, I know it was bad timing, but the president-elect wanted me to stay and run [ICE]," Homan recalled in an interview last year with the Daily Caller. "Monday morning, I called [Kelly] and said I want to come back."

A similar call, this time from current Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, again brought him out of retirement in 2024 ahead of the second administration.

While "border tsar" is an informal term and position, it refers to an executive-branch role overseeing border and immigration policy across multiple agencies. It is not Senate confirmed, and is a policy position directly appointed by the serving president.

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So far in Trump's second term, Homan has been a vocal defender of the president's broad deportation goals, vowing to target the "worst of the worst" and challenge the notion that "those who enforce the law are the bad guys and those who break the law are the victims".

But in practice, enforcing immigration laws and attempting to focus on public safety threats has also ensnared other undocumented migrants who have no criminal background - a fact that Homan acknowledges and blames on "sanctuary cities" that do not work with federal immigration efforts. Officials have said the act of being in the US illegally is a crime in itself.

"We're not going to instruct ICE not to arrest [someone] unless there's a serious crime," he told reporters in July at the White House, where he makes regular appearances.

"What message does that send the whole world? Go ahead and enter the country," Homan added.

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In September, the White House swiftly came to Homan's defence after reports emerged that he was accused in a bribery case that was ultimately dropped by the justice department when Trump returned to office.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described that case - which allegedly saw Homan accept $50,000 (36,300) from undercover agents - as an effort to "entrap" a key Trump ally.

Who is Greg Bovino and why is he being replaced?

Gregory Bovino's aggressive tactics have sparked controversy and criticism from lawmakers - including Republicans [Getty Images]

Unlike Homan, Bovino has spent almost his entire law enforcement career in border cities, having first joined Border Patrol in 1996 and serving in a variety of US domestic postings as well as overseas in Honduras and Africa.

The North Carolina native rose to prominence in Trump's second term, taking the lead during immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans and Minneapolis.

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Bovino has been serving as "commander-at-large" in Border Patrol - an informal role outside of the organisation's formal hierarchy. Border Patrol is one of several immigration-centred agencies that operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

He reportedly answers directly to DHS head Kristi Noem. In his informal role, he works alongside officials like the chief of Border Patrol, a position held by Michael Banks, and the Customs and Border Protection commissioner, a position currently held by Rodney Scott.

Bovino's tactics have been controversial, particularly the aggressive "turn and burn" method of making swift arrests before protesters can arrive to an area.

"We're going to turn and burn to that next target and the next and the next and the next," he told the Associated Press. "We're not going to stop."

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Bovino has also earned a reputation as an official willing to clash with lawmakers.

In recent days, for example, he has publicly sparred with lawmakers from both parties who expressed concern about his operations in Minneapolis.

Will leadership switch mean change in Minneapolis?

Bovino's replacement with Homan in Minneapolis is seen by some political observers as recognition from the White House that an urgent change was needed amid growing public concern.

In practice, however, that change is ultimately unlikely to alter the administration's approach to immigration enforcement.

"Homan has more years at ICE and doing interior enforcement," former DHS immigration official Lora Ries told the BBC, referring to Homan's work in many American cities that are not near the border. "This isn't a surprise to me."

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Ries, now head of the border security and immigration centre at the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation in Washington, added that while Homan has said he's sought to focus "on the worst, first", all deportable undocumented migrants will continue to be "on the table".

For immigration activists, Homan's career - that has included staunch defence of Trump's family separation policy, which led to children being separated from their parents who were in the country illegally - also means that they see little practical difference between him and Bovino.

"I'm not sure it means much. Homan is a career deportation advocate, and the architect of family separation," said Michael Lukens, the executive director of the Amica Center, an organisation which helps immigrants with legal access and services.

"I think the difference is that he is more polished than Bovino. He is better at speaking to the press, and stakeholders," he added. "He's better for what they need, someone to paint their actions as not what they are."

"This is much more about whether the White House sees this as a political issue, not a human one," Lukens added.

"But there is no world in which Homan is a moderate."
Tenants in Germany are not allowed to make profit by subletting their apartment without consent, the Federal Court of Justice ruled on Wednesday.

The legitimate interest of a tenant in subletting is to cover housing-related expenses, not to create the opportunity to make a profit, the Karlsruhe-based court said.

The case regarded a landlady who terminated her tenant's contract because he sublet his one-bedroomed flat in Berlin "for profit."

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The 43-year-old charged 962 ($1,150) per month for the 65-square-metre flat, despite paying only 460 in rent himself.

The tenant argued that he had left the flat fully furnished, including a television, sound system, dishwasher and washing machine.

Germany's tightly regulated rental market includes a loophole for furnished flats, allowing private owners and housing companies to hike prices.

The German Tenants' Association warns that there are no reasonable models to calculate how furniture and household goods should be included in rent costs.

The Justice Ministry in Berlin is currently planning legal rules for the furniture surcharge.

The Federal Court of Justice rejected the tenant's appeal, meaning his eviction notice is final. However, the court did not rule on the question of furnished flats.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  The Topeka Police Department has arrested two people for first degree murder in connection to the death of a five-year-old girl.

Police announced during a press conference that officers responded to a medical call at 6:25 p.m. on Jan. 27 in the 500 block of Southwest Buchanan Street. Police arriving at the scene found a five-year-old girl who was taken via AMR to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Woman accused of killing child in Topeka in 2025

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The TPD said the five-year-old later died due to her injuries. Police arrested 24-year-old Lia J. Corbin and 35-year-old Kyle Valle, both of Topeka, in connection to the girls death.

Valles and Corbins charges include murder in the first degree, aggravated endangering of a child and abuse of a child. Police confirmed both individuals are related to the victim and resided in the same residence together.

Kyle J. Valle (right) and Lia J. Corbins (left) mugshots. (Photos Courtesy/Shawnee County Department of Corrections)

Police name person killed in central Topeka crash

During the TPDs press conference, police also asked people to submit any tips or information they have regarding the shooting death of 43-year-old Stella M. Mahkuk.

Police were called at 2:05 p.m. on Jan. 3 to the 800 block of Southwest Tyler Street on reports of a shooting. Officers arriving at the scene found one person, later identified as Mahkuk, suffering from gunshot wounds. She later died as a result of her injuries.

People with information related to this case are encouraged to contact police at telltpd@topeka.org or by calling 785-368-9400. You can also make anonymous tips with Shawnee County Crime Stoppers by calling 785-234-0007 or by clicking here.

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Topeka police make major change to body camera policy

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
DHAKA, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Dhaka University student Sadman Mujtaba Rafid defied his parents and police to join protests that toppled former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, convinced the rallies were essential to ensure democracy prevailed over dynastic rule.

But ahead of the February 12 parliamentary election - the first since the upheaval - some of Rafids optimism has faded.

We dreamt of a country where all people regardless of gender, race, religion would have equal opportunity, the 25-year-old said. We expected policy changes and reforms, but it is far away from what we dreamt of.

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Tens of thousands of young Bangladeshis, frustrated by years of repression and a lack of jobs and economic opportunity under Hasinas rule, poured into the streets in 2024, eager for radical change and a New Bangladesh.

But while the elections will deliver a government without Hasina for the first time since 2008, there has been no major reform and no new viable alternative party has emerged, according to many, leaving the battle for government mostly between former Prime Minister Khaleda Zias Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami.

Opinion polls put the established, but tarnished, parties as frontrunners.

Reuters spoke to more than 80 students under 30, mostly in the capital Dhaka. Most expressed excitement about voting in a freer election but were disappointed with the choice of candidates.

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OLD GUARD VS STUDENT-ISLAMIST ALLIANCE

Under 30s, popularly known as Gen-Z, drove the uprising and make up more than a quarter of Bangladeshs 128 million voters.

They are politically active and will in all likelihood go to vote and affect the electoral outcome, said political analyst Asif Shahan, who teaches at Dhaka University.

Most were expected to back the newly-formed National Citizens Party (NCP), spearheaded by some of the uprising's leaders, but it has struggled for their support.

An alliance with the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami may have further undermined its appeal.

"They have lost the moral high ground, said Shudrul Amin, a 23-year-old archaeology student at Jahangirnagar University. "Voters who wanted a New Bangladesh free from the baggage of the past now feel they are being forced to choose between the old guard and a studentIslamist alliance.

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Shama Debnath, a 24-year-old Hindu, said politics remained trapped in an either this or that framework with no new vision or choices.

SPIRIT OF REVOLUTION LOST

The interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has also disappointed many in Gen-Z after it failed to rein in mob violence targeting journalists and minorities.

After a year, I feel the spirit of the July revolution is completely lost, said Hema Chakma, a 23-year-old Buddhist student. I am not saying the previous situation was good, but I feel the violence has increased a lot and the interim government is not taking any steps."

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Interviews with young Bangladeshis also betrayed unhappiness with the economy, the spark for the revolt that led to Hasinas eventual exile in India.

NCPs spokesperson Asif Mahmud, 27, who rose to prominence during the protests and served in Yunus government, said the party was constrained by being new and having mostly younger members. It also lacked resources, grassroots organisation and financial muscle, he added.

Mahmud stressed the alliance with Jamaat was strategic rather than ideological and there would be no move towards sharia law.

We will work to fulfill expectations of the youth in the present and also in the future as promised," he said.

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PEOPLE EAGER TO VOTE

Despite their misgivings, most Gen-Z Bangladeshis told Reuters they remained hopeful about the election itself, where 300 seats are being contested.

There will be a simultaneous referendum on reforms to state institutions, including term limits for prime ministers, stronger presidential powers and greater independence for the judiciary and election authorities.

Willingness to vote was as high as 97% among those aged 18 to 35, with an almost even split between BNP and Jamaat, according to a recent poll by the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center, a youthfocused leadership platform.

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People are going to vote and that is enough, said 26-year-old student activist Umama Fatema, a key figure in the 2024 uprising, adding that only a democratically elected stable government could steer Bangladesh.

For some, that means the BNP.

Given that the new students party has shattered our hopes, I have decided to vote for BNP," said 25-year-old Maisha Maliha, saying she believed the country needed a strong, united political party with enough people on the ground.

Others say the Islamists should have a chance. We have seen BNP before, so Jamaat seems like a new option, said 20-year-old Erisha Tabassum.

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NOT READY TO GIVE UP

Tasnim Jara, a doctor who returned from Britain to join the NCP but quit because of the Islamist alliance, is now contesting as an independent, determined to help foster what she calls a genuinely new political culture.

The 31-year-old spent two frantic days going door-to-door to collect the 5,000 signatures required to validate her nomination.

"The July uprising created hope that people like us, who were never part of the old political guard, could finally enter politics and change how it is practised," said Jara.

"I do believe there is hope for a genuine political alternative in Bangladesh. But it will not emerge overnight," she said.

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Such efforts still resonate with some young voters.

H.M. Amirul Karim, a 25-year-old English literature student, said: "I continue to dream that even if not now, the desire for a new political structure will become a reality. I am not ready to give up.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul and Tora Agarwala; Additional reporting by Zia Chowdhury: Editing by YP Rajesh and Kate Mayberry)
In 2022, a couple from Los Angeles was vacationing in a luxury treehouse in Truchas, New Mexico. As part of their stay, the couple booked a tour of the ranch where the treehouse was located, which included the chance to feed bison  an opportunity that allegedly ended with the woman being gored in the arm.

Now, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican, the woman is suing the person who rented out the treehouse, the ranch owner, and the website where the treehouse was booked for unspecified damages related to the alleged incident.

According to the lawsuit, Sarah Fiskin and her partner were feeding the bison pellets from a can. However, the lawsuit claims that once the pellets began running low, one bison, Junior, became agitated and started crowding Fiskin to get more.

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While doing that, according to the lawsuit and per the Santa Fe New Mexican, Junior "violently swung his horns" and gored Fiskin's arm, leaving her with "a massive gaping puncture wound." As a result, Fiskin claims she needed surgery, and the incident left her with permanent and severe physical and psychological injuries.

While the website and the ranch owner declined to comment on the matter, Sandra Webb, the woman who rented the property, shared a different version of events. According to Webb, Fiskin dropped one of the pellets on the ground, which Junior bent down to get. Upon lifting his head, one of Junior's horns caught Fiskin's arm.

Webb also shared that she and her insurance company have tried for the past several years to settle the matter, including an offer of roughly $300,000, but the other side declined.

This is just one in a long line of incidents that show that human-wildlife encounters often end poorly. However, it's important to note that just as often, they also end poorly for the animal involved. If Junior were a wild bison, chances are good that wildlife authorities would have tracked him down and euthanized him for this incident, as that's typically what happens.

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Whether animals appear to be tame, as Webb claimed these bison were, or not, it's advisable to stay far away from wildlife of all kinds to prevent injury.

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.

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In court Jan. 27, Ramon Morales Reyes testified about the day he was chased and assaulted by a man he didn't know while riding his bike in his neighborhood on Milwaukee's south side.

"I remember it as if it was happening now," Morales Reyes said, with a Spanish-to-English translator.

Prosecutors say on Sept. 26, 2023, Demetric Scott, now 52, assaulted Morales Reyes, stabbed him in the side with a small knife, and stole his bike. Then, nearly two years later, while in jail awaiting the conclusion of that case, Scott mailed multiple letters to federal authorities posing as Morales Reyes and threatening to kill President Donald Trump and ICE agents, prosecutors say.

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As a result of the letters, Morales Reyes, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was taken into ICE custody. The case drew national attention after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem publicly touted Morales Reyes' arrest as a win for ICE  days after local law enforcement determined Morales Reyes almost certainly did not write the letters.

Scott's trial, addressing both the 2023 and 2025 case, began Jan. 27 with opening statements and witness testimony.

Representing himself, the Milwaukee man admitted in his opening statement that he wrote the letters attempting to frame Morales Reyes.

"I wrote the letters. I don't deny that. I never denied that. I tried to get him deported," Scott said.

Demetric Scott appears in Judge Kristy Yangs courtroom during his trial on Jan. 27 at the Milwaukee County Courthouse in Milwaukee.

However, Scott told the jury he denies the accusations against him because the bike belonged to him and he was merely taking it back, claiming Morales Reyes was actually the one who committed the theft. Scott also said he does not believe Morales Reyes can prove his identity, and thus Scott should not be convicted of misappropriating his identity.

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The trial has been subject to numerous delays. Scott initially went to trial in January 2024 for the theft case, but it ended in a mistrial after a jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.

Since that trial, several attorneys have withdrawn from Scott's case. In October, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Kristy Yang granted Scott's request to proceed to trial without an attorney, citing safety concerns after Scott threatened to stab one of his previous attorneys with a pencil.

Yang made a note on the record that those involved in the case "have been very patient and have exercised a great amount of restraint in dealing with Mr. Scott" and repeatedly stressed a desire to not delay the trial any further.

The trial is scheduled to last through Jan. 29.

Case spotlighted national immigration enforcement tactics

The day Morales Reyes was arrested, investigators almost immediately determined he almost certainly did not write the letters. Morales Reyes does not fluently speak or write in English, and a sample of his handwriting did not match, Milwaukee Police Detective Timothy Keller testified.

Ramon Morales-Reyes

Despite this, about seven days later, Noem praised Morales Reyes' arrest in a news release that shared his picture and a segment of one of the letters.

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As of Jan. 27, the news release is still on the Department of Homeland Security's website. The only change is a disclaimer at the bottom including a statement that Morales Reyes "is no longer under investigation for threats against the president."

Keller said he asked Morales Reyes if he knew of anyone who would want to get him deported, and was told the only person he had an issue with was the man who stole his bike.

In court, Morales Reyes testified he has lived in the United States for 40 years. He said his wife purchased the bicycle about a month prior to the incident, and both Morales Reyes and his teenage son enjoyed riding it.

He denied Scott's claims that the bike did not belong to him.

Demetric Scott appears in Judge Kristy Yangs courtroom during his trial on Jan. 27 at the Milwaukee County Courthouse in Milwaukee.

As a result of the fake letters, Morales Reyes is undergoing immigration proceedings and faces deportation. He is seeking a U-visa, which is granted to undocumented immigrants who are victims of certain crimes and assist in the law enforcement investigation.

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Morales Reyes' attorneys have said that his arrest by immigration officials could scare other undocumented victims and witnesses away from reporting crimes.

Scott faces a total of 8 charges

Between the two cases, the jury will have to decide verdicts on eight felony counts.

In the 2023 theft case, Scott is charged with four felonies: armed robbery with use of force, second-degree recklessly endangering safety with use of a dangerous weapon, aggravated battery with intent to cause bodily harm with use of a dangerous weapon, and felony bail jumping. Prosecutors say at the time of the theft, Scott was out on bond for a 2022 burglary case, which still remains open.

In the 2025 framing case, Scott is charged with one count of misappropriating a person's identity to harm their reputation, one count of intimidating a witness, and two counts of felony bail jumping.

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Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee man on trial for framing undocumented immigrant
The Trump administration on Tuesday asked a federal court to put on hold a lawsuit from Louisiana seeking sweeping national restrictions on abortion pills while the Food and Drug Administration reviews the safety of the drug and decides whether or not to roll back access.

The court filing stresses that the Trump administration is actively considering whether to keep current federal rules in place that allow access to the abortion pill mifepristone via telemedicine, mail delivery, and retail pharmacies. Allowing Louisianas lawsuit to move forward before that process is complete, the Justice Department argued, would threaten to short circuit sensitive regulatory and scientific work.

The Trump administrations brief filed Tuesday also argues that Louisiana lacks standing, and disputes the states argument that the FDAs policies around the pills have caused "sovereign harm by enabling patients to obtain the drugs despite the states ban on all methods of abortion. The state should sue doctors that prescribe the pills across state lines, rather than the Trump administration, the brief suggests.

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Yet the federal lawyers also stressed that the lawsuit itself may prove as unnecessary as it is disruptive since the FDA may decide on its own to impose the restrictions Louisiana is demanding  citing the review of the drugs safety that FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have both said is now underway. Additionally, the brief warns, allowing Louisianas challenge to move forward could set a precedent that allows lawsuits from progressive states seeking looser regulation of the pills to advance.

Still, the new filing in the Louisiana case is likely to exacerbate the anti-abortion movements frustration with the Trump administration over the lack of federal action in his second term to curb the availability of the pills  which are used in more than two-thirds of all U.S. abortions.

The move is similar to the administrations stance in a separate case last year, in which the Justice Department argued that three other red states  Idaho, Kansas and Missouri  lacked standing to challenge the FDAs authority to decide whether and how patients can access abortion pills.

Louisianas lawsuit, filed last October, seeks to reimpose past federal restrictions on mifepristone that would wipe out access to the drugs across much of the country  particularly in rural areas where clinics are scarce.

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In particular, the lawsuit asks courts to reinstate the requirement that patients can only obtain the pills in person from a physician, banning the increasingly common practices of telemedicine prescription and mail delivery of the pills that the Biden administration permitted. Recent data collected by the pro-abortion rights research group Society of Family Planning estimated that, as of June 2025, more than a quarter of U.S. abortions were provided via telemedicine.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 24.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday minimized the extent to which his administration plans to tone down its immigration operations in Minnesota amid outrage over the killing of two people by federal agents.

Trump said in an interview there would be only minor changes to an enforcement campaign that sent approximately 3,000 agents to Minneapolis to apprehend non-citizens.

I don't think it's a pullback, it's a little bit of a change, he told Fox News.

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The remarks came a day after the president said he had positive conversations with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and dispatched White House border czar Tom Homan to oversee the operation in the face of mounting criticism, even from Republicans.

"We have Tom Homan there now, we put him in there, he's great, and they met with the governor, the mayor and everybody else, Trump said on the Will Cain Show. We're going to de-escalate a little bit."

Trump pushed back on the suggestion that his administration is retreating from its aggressive deportation operation.

I haven't heard that at all, because it's just the opposite, Trump said.

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In addition to sending Homan to Minneapolis, the administration also pulled Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol commander who was supervising the operation, out of the state as he drew intense criticism for aggressive tactics and remarks about the victims of the two recent shootings.

Bovino's very good, but hes a pretty out-there kind of a guy, and in some cases that's good. Maybe it wasn't good here, Trump said.

He praised Homans ability to get along with governors and mayors, just hours after both Walz and Frey said they had productive conversations with the border czar. Still, the mayor said in a statement he told the border czarthat Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws.

The comment made it clear theres still a wide divide between Minnesota Democrats and the White House, which suggested on Monday it would pull Customs and Border Patrol from the state if local authorities cooperated more fully with immigration enforcement.

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Trump also said he doesnt want nor need guardrails around his administrations nationwide immigration crackdown as Democratic lawmakers call for DHS to be reined in, telling Cain: guardrails would hurt us. Congress is barreling toward a partial government shutdown, with Senate Democrats demanding Republicans join them in stripping out funding for the Department of Homeland Security from a six-bill appropriations package.

While Trump called the shootings of both Alex Pretti and Renee Good terrible, he also criticized Pretti for carrying a firearm  despite the fact that the 37-year-old nurse had a permit to do so  and suggested that Good may have been radicalized.

The president also expressed frustration with the attention the shootings have attracted.

"We take out 25 murderers, we take out drug dealers, we take out a whole group of people by the thousands, and if we get one person a little bit wrong: headlines, he said.
President Trump on Monday endorsed Indiana state Senate candidate Tracey Powell (R), making good on his threat to endorse challengers to Republicans in the state who blocked redistricting efforts last year.

Powell is running to replace incumbent state Sen. Jim Buck (R), who has represented the Hoosier States 21st District in the state Senate since 2008. Buck was one of 21 Republicans in the states upper chamber to vote down a new GOP-favored House map last month.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Powell an America First Patriot while blasting the incumbent as a RINO  which stands for Republican in name only.

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Tracey is running against a pathetic RINO incumbent named Jim Buck, who, for whatever reason, voted against Redistricting in Indiana, which puts the United States Congress in jeopardy, the president wrote.

Buck and his RINO friends made Indiana, a State I love and have been very good to, the only State in the Country that essentially said they dont care if Democrats steal Republican House seats to take over the United States Congress, he added.

Powell, in a post on Facebook, said he was deeply honored to receive Trumps backing.

I am deeply honored to receive the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump, he wrote. His America First leadership has delivered historic results for our country, and I am proud to stand with him in the fight to protect Hoosier values, secure our borders, strengthen our economy, and defend our constitutional freedoms.

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The candidate continued, As State Senator, I will never stop fighting for the hardworking families, farmers, and small businesses of Indianas 21st Senate District.

The Indiana Senate voted against the new state House-passed map via a 31-19 vote, with Buck and 20 GOP colleagues, including Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, joining all 10 Democrats in opposition. Trump had urged state lawmakers to pass the new district lines, which could have resulted in House Republicans increasing their edge in Indiana from 7-2 to 9-0 as the 2026 midterms inch closer.

Before the deciding vote, Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith (R) warned that the Trump administration threatened to withhold federal funding from the state if the redrawn map failed. After the rejection, the president doubled down on his vow to back primary challenges to Indiana Republicans who opposed the redrawn map.

The day prior, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) had offered to assist Trump.

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Powell, a Tipton County commissioner since 2020, touts himself as a chiropractor, farmer and small business owner on his campaign website. He is also the vice president of the North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council.

As your next State Senator, Tracey will fight tirelessly to Protect Hoosier Values, Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion our Amazing Farmers and Agriculture, Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Support our Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, Advance Election Integrity, Defend our always under siege Second Amendment, Trump wrote.

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.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

President Donald Trump suggested that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) orchestrated the incident in which a man sprayed her with liquid on Tuesday night.

Omar held a town hall in Minneapolis, where she called for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose agency has overseen a brutal crackdown by federal immigration agents in the city. As she spoke, a man approached the lectern and aimed a plastic-looking syringe at the congresswoman and squirted an unidentified substance at Omar.

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The man was immediately tackled by security and taken into custody.

We will continue, Omar said. This f**king a**hole is not getting away with this.

Police later identified the man as Anthony J. Kazmierczak, 55.

About two hours later, Rachel Scott of ABC News said she had just spoken with Trump and asked him if he had seen the video of the incident.

No. I dont think about her. I think shes a fraud. I really dont think about that. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her, the president told Scott.

Trump added, I havent seen it. No, no. I hope I dont have to bother.

The president has waged a long-running feud with Omar, who is from Somalia and has represented Minnesotas 5th district since 2019. At a rally last year, Trump falsely claimed the lawmaker is here illegally, a charge that prompted the crowd to chant, Send her back!

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Last week, the president called for Omar to be investigated for political crimes.

Trump has also called Omar garbage and said he does not want any Somalis in the U.S.

They contribute nothing. I dont want them in our country, Ill be honest with you, the president said in December. Some will say that is not politically correct. I dont care. Their country is no good for a reason.

The post Trump Floats Conspiracy Theory After Man Shoots Liquid at Ilhan Omar: She Probably Had Herself Sprayed first appeared on Mediaite.
FRANKFURT, Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick tried to persuade Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Kaellenius a year ago to move the German carmaker's headquarters to the United States, but the CEO turned down the offer, he told German news site The Pioneer.

Kaellenius was quoted as saying in an interview that, while the company was global and would invest in the U.S., it could not be "uprooted".

The CEO added that Lutnick's proposal, made early last year, reflected the fierce global competition for capital that industrial centres in Europe are facing.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger, editing by Thomas Seythal)
The News

The Trump administrations immigration enforcement response, starting with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, is under siege from congressional Republicans.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., want Noem gone, with Tillis deeming her out of her depth and concluding that her failure of leadership is casting a pall over broader immigration enforcement.



Its the presidents decision, but I think theres got to be a level of accountability, Murkowski said.



The breaks dont stop there. Several GOP senators disagreed with President Donald Trumps Tuesday comments that Alex Pretti shouldnt have had his gun where the 37-year-old Minnesota nurse was killed by federal agents.



Republicans also panned suggestions by top officials that Pretti was a domestic terrorist  I dont call him that, said Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla.



Whats more, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told Noem directly on Monday to pause operations in Maine and Minnesota. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called Prettis killing an opportunity to evaluate and to really assess the policies and the procedures and how theyre being implemented and put into practice.

The growing internal blowback from a party that spent 2025 mostly falling in line with Trump and his immigration policies marks a clear pivot in Washington as Republicans face grim polling numbers ahead of the midterms. It may not bring much personnel change to the administration, however  Trump publicly affirmed his confidence in Noem on Tuesday  or spare the Hill from a partial government shutdown at the end of the week.

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Trump is acutely aware of the fallout Prettis death has caused, and hes taken steps to shift the administrations response in Minneapolis: The president on Monday tapped his border czar Tom Homan to mediate with local officials and oversee ICE and CBP in the state.

The president also moved Border Patrol commander-at-large Greg Bovino out of Minnesota and has been more careful than some of his own advisers in discussing Prettis death  including by repeatedly saying hes waiting for the investigation to play out.

The feedback from Hill Republicans has been very positive, said one senior White House official on the response to Trumps recent tonal shift in Minnesota.

But conservatives have also blanched at some of the Trump administrations suggestions that Pretti shouldnt have been armed. Republican Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., said that Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms, and the mere possession of a firearm does not represent a threat justifying lethal force.



In addition to Trump repeating that Pretti shouldnt have had a gun, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt  while arguing that Trump absolutely supports Second Amendment rights  said that if you are confronted by law enforcement while carrying a firearm, you are raising the assumption of risk and the risk of force being used against you.

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Thune took a different view: One, its a constitutional right. Two, its legal under the laws in the state of Minnesota. My understanding was, perhaps, that he didnt have an ID, but with that exception, I think he was in compliance with the laws and he has a constitutional right.

The scrutiny will only continue. Top immigration officials will appear before House and Senate panels in February, and Republicans are indicating they may not go easy. Asked if he has confidence in Noem, Senate Homeland Security Chair Rand Paul, R-Ky., said were going to find out.

I dont know how we can have people in the government saying that this man assaulted police officers when theres no evidence that that happened, Paul added.

If youre an American, you deserve to know if you go outside and protest, what is it that you could be killed for. What is an assault on a police officer? Is taking a video of a police officer, is that an assault?

Know More

Trump said on Tuesday he is trying to deescalate in Minnesota even as he insists that the administration is not retreating. The president spent the weekend on calls relating to Prettis death, and is looking to balance a continued hardline approach to illegal immigration while also lowering tensions in the state.

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You have to have cooperation with cities and states. And we didnt see that in Minnesota. So I hope the president and Gov. Walz are going to work together on that now, said Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb.

Trump is also facing renewed internal criticism of Noem  or in some cases, Republicans like Thune and Paul declining to endorse her. He told Fox News on Tuesday he still has confidence in Noem, and pointed to her efforts at the start of his administration to close the border. Asked by reporters whether Noem will step down, he very simply answered: No.

Those comments came after Trump held a two-hour meeting with Noem at the White House on Monday night. The White House official said Trump and his spokespeople have been clear about Trumps support of Noem.

She doesnt work for me. She works for the president. So Im going to leave that to him. What else are we going to do? said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.

Room for Disagreement

Many Republicans are leaning on their calls for an independent investigation into what happened to Pretti before passing judgment about the Trump administrations tactics. (There are no signs that such an investigation will occur.)

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Its hard to get a good feel for that, because were getting glimpses of certain tactics in certain places with certain teams, Lankford said.

We dont have the full context of what the protesters are doing. Theyve got whistles, theyre yelling, theyve got people interfering with them. Its a hard situation for the law enforcement folks. But it is their responsibility to be professional for the entire time.

Notable
Alexander Vindman, the one-time National Security Council (NSC) aide whose testimony before Congress fueled the first impeachment of President Donald Trump, on Tuesday announced he's launching a Democratic Senate campaign in Trump's adopted home state of Florida.

Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, is aiming to challenge GOP Sen. Ashley Moody, who was appointed last year by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to fill the Senate seat left vacant when then-Sen. Marco Rubio stepped down to serve as Secretary of State in Trump's second administration.

Republicans are defending their 53-47 Senate majority in this year's midterm elections, and the 2026 Senate race in GOP-dominated Florida, which Trump carried by 13 points in 2024, was not considered a top target for Democrats. But Vindman's campaign launch could give Democrats a known candidate who would likely bring national attention to the race.

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Vindman, who was born in then-Soviet-controlled Ukraine, was in the spotlight as he testified in front of Congress about Trump's infamous 2019 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that ultimately led to the Democrat-controlled House impeaching the president. Trump was later acquitted by the Senate.

Fired Under Trump, Former Military Officers Launch Democratic Bids For Congress

A combat veteran, Vindman was subsequently fired from his position with the NSC. He became a vocal Trump critic and later wrote two books and worked as a senior adviser for VoteVets, a Democrat-aligned group that helps to elect veterans.

Read On The Fox News App

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"I stepped up when my country needed a soldier, I reported corruption at the highest levels of government, and now Im stepping up again to fight for Floridians," Vindman said in a social media post.

First On Fox: Michele Tafoya Launches Gop Bid To Try And Flip Blue Senate Seat In Minnesota

And spotlighting his past clash with Trump, Vindman charged in his video that "this president unleashed a reign of terror and retribution, not just against me and my family, but against all of us."

Vindman also became one of the first candidates to include a clip of this past weekend's fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, of Alex Pretti, a VA nurse who was protesting Trump's immigration crackdown.

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"Today our country is in chaos. Thug militias attacking citizens," Vindman said in his video under clips of the Pretti shooting as well as the fatal shooting of Renee Good, another U.S. citizen in Minneapolis who was demonstrating against the tactics of immigration enforcement agents.

Vindman also highlighted the issue of affordability, arguing "skyrocketing costs are crushing ordinary people, while the billionaires and career politicians profit."

And Vindman claimed that Republicans "put Moody in the Senate to be a yes vote for Trump and the billionaires. Shes not Floridas senator. Shes theirs."

This year's Senate showdown in Florida is a special election, with the winner serving out the final two years of Rubio's term before having to run again in 2028 for a full six-year term.

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Call To Duty: In Battle For House, Republicans And Democrats Looking To Veterans

Moody, who won two statewide Florida attorney general elections in 2018 and 2022, has been endorsed by Trump and doesn't face any serious competition for the GOP nomination.

Republican Sen. Ashley Moody of Florida is running in the midterms to serve the final two years of now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio's term in the Senate. (Getty Images)

Vindman, who lives in left-leaning Broward County in southern Florida, joins a field of Democratic Senate candidates that includes state Rep. Hector Mujica and Brevard County school board member Jennifer Jenkins.

Whoever wins the Democratic primary will face a steep uphill climb against Moody.

The Cook Report, Inside Elections and Sabato's Crystal Ball, three top nonpartisan political handicappers, rate the race as solid or safe Republican.

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"Florida is a ruby red state and Democrats have no path to flipping its Senate seat in 2026," National Republican Senatorial Committee regional press secretary Nick Puglia told Fox News Digital. "Anyone who thinks otherwise is not living in reality."

Click Here To Download The Fox News App

Vindman isn't the first member of his family to run for federal office.

His twin brother, Eugene Vindman, was elected to Congress in 2024, succeeding now Gov. Abigail Spanberger in a district in northern and central Virginia.





Original article source: Trump impeachment whistleblower Vindman launches Democratic Senate run in Florida
He was ousted in 2014 as Iraq fell into chaos, but has spent the last decade regaining power, recently winning support from key Shiite factions.

US President Donald Trump has called on Iraq to prevent the appointment of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister. Maliki was previously the prime minister when ISIS took over a third of Iraq.

He was pushed out in 2014 as Iraq descended into chaos. However, he has been able to work his way back toward power over the last decade. He secured support from key Shiite factions in Iraq over the weekend.

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Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had heard that Iraq might make the very bad choice of installing Maliki back into the prime ministers office. Trump correctly noted that the last time Maliki was in charge, the country fell into poverty and chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again, Trump warned that the US would not helpIraq if Maliki became prime minister. Make Iraq great again, Trump concluded.

The decision to wade into the internal politics of a foreign country is not that uncommon for the White House. Trump has also made comments about Israels internal politics and has also appeared to support leaders in Latin America. As such, Trumps comments are not entirely unique. What is unique is that Trump and his team clearly are attuned to the problems that Maliki would bring.

Maliki originally came to power almost two decades ago, rising to the level of prime minister first in 2006 and staying until 2014. He is a key feature of the Iraqi political landscape. He is pro-Iranian. Previous US administrations thought Maliki was a strongman who might help sort out Iraq after the US invasion in 2003. However, his sectarian policies alienated Sunni Arabs in Iraq and fueled extremism. The rise of ISIS was one result.

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki reacts at a polling station inside Al-Rasheed Hotel during the parliamentary election in Baghdad, Iraq, November 11, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/THAIER AL-SUDANI)

US officials and Members of Congress are focused on Iraq. US Congressman Joe Wilson wrote on January 27, that he was grateful to support the spectacular efforts of President Donald Trump and Special Envoy Mark Savaya on Iraq issues.

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Wilson has argued Iraq should be free from Irans control. It is critical that Iraqi leaders do not repeat the mistakes of the past by misreading the position of the United States as ambiguous or negotiable.

Iranian influence in Iraq will no longer be tolerated

Under US President Donald Trump, the United States' position is clear and unequivocal. Iranian influence in Iraq will no longer be tolerated. The era in which outside actors imposed prime ministers on Iraq is over. He noted that the new prime minister and government must serve only the interests of the Iraqi people. The practice of sacrificing Iraqs wealth, sovereignty, and stability to serve external agendas has ended.

Wilson also called for the disarmament and dismantling of Iranian-aligned militia groups within six to twelve months. US Envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya also noted, while our team works on the ground in Iraq to support the formation of a new government and to prevent Iranian-backed militias from rising to positions of power, it is equally and even more critical to prepare for confronting the corruption crisis in Iraq.

This effort must go beyond tracking funds that were looted and transferred outside the country. It must also identify where those funds went and how they were ultimately used.

The comments by Trump, Savaya, Wilson, and others show how much the US is focused on Iraq. Washington wants to see Iraq reduce the influence of Irans militias. This is even more essential in the wake of the militias, such as Kataib Hezbollah, threatening to support Iran in any new conflict in the region.
Welcome to Foreign Policys Africa Brief.

The highlights this week: Pushback mounts over the Trump administrations health aid deals in Africa, Gazas Rafah crossing with Egypt is set to reopen, and the United Kingdom pauses legislation to ratify its Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius.

Sign up to receive Africa Brief in your inbox every Wednesday.

Unpopular Deals

As U.S. President Donald Trumps administration has inked $11 billion in health agreements with more than 15 African countries in recent weeks, it is facing increased pushback on the continent, especially in Nigeria and Kenya.

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In Nigeria, the bilateral dealwhereby the United States has committed $2.1 billion in health aid over five yearsis drawing significant backlash across the political spectrum. This has centered on the agreements emphasis, in the U.S. State Departments words, on promoting Christian faith-based health care providers.

Healthcare is a core public good that must remain neutral, inclusive, and universally accessible, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, a member of the African Democratic Congress, a Nigerian opposition party, said last week. Nigerias population is roughly split between the predominantly Christian south and predominantly Muslim north.

In December, Kenyas High Court halted the implementation of a similar aid deal with the United States, pending a legal review over data privacy concerns and a lack of public and parliamentary consultation.

The five-year agreement would see Washington provide $1.6 billion in aid for treatments for HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases in Kenya. In turn, Nairobi would commit $850 million to pay health workers and move toward becoming independent of aid.

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The deal was temporarily suspended after more than 50 rights groups raised concerns that it could potentially give the U.S. government direct access to sensitive personal medical records, compared with the anonymized data used for the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which the new deal seeks to replace.

Civil society organizations and analysts also argue that the deal would give the United States undue leverage over the nations health policies. For instance, it commits Kenya to accepting U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals and U.S. emergency use authorizationswhich, critics argue, would weaken Kenyan regulatory institutions.

A $2.3 billion agreement faces similar pushback in Uganda, where politicians, including opposition leader Joel Ssenyonyi, have criticized the government for failing to seek parliamentary approval. If this is such a good deal, it must be brought to Parliament for review, Ssenyonyi said.

Washington has intended for these deals, which are part of Trumps America First global health strategy, to serve as a kind of replacement to the now-dissolved U.S. Agency for International Development. Unlike USAID, however, the agreements require countries to provide matching funds and directly report health findings to the U.S. government instead of multilateral organizations, such as the World Health Organization.

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The U.S. strategy explicitly prioritizes commercial diplomacy and leverages U.S. pharmaceuticals and medical firms to deliver treatments. It also combines health aid with commercial deals in minerals and rare earths. U.S. health foreign assistance has the potential to be an important counterweight to China especially in Africa, a September 2025 strategy document states.

Meanwhile, Guinea-Bissau suspended a controversial U.S.-funded vaccine program last week. The $1.6 million study, backed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has generated outrage among global health experts for potentially withholding the lifesaving hepatitis B vaccine from newborns in a high-risk region.

The Danish researchers leading the project have been cited by anti-vaccine activists and questioned by some public health experts for over-interpreting past findings. With this latest study, they were seeking to look at negative effects of the hepatitis B vaccine, including death and developmental issues.

The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial, in which 7,000 newborns would receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birthas recommended by the World Health Organizationwhile 7,000 others would instead receive it at 6 weeks of age.

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Global health experts, including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), have argued that the study is unnecessary because the vaccine has long been known to be safe. We are led by the interests of our people in Africa, Jean Kaseya, the director-general of Africa CDC, said. We are not led by the small interests of individual people.

Critics argue that the study is unethical because international law on human research requires that participants receive globally accepted standards of care. Researchers are exploiting a scarcity situation to basically ram through this unethical study, Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases physician at Emory University, told the New York Times.

Africa has one of the worlds highest burdens of hepatitis B infections due to lack of access to vaccines.

The Week Ahead

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Wednesday, Jan. 28, to Sunday, Feb. 1: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and U.S. Africa Command leader Gen. Dagvin Anderson visit Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti in a tour that began on Saturday.

Thursday, Jan. 29: The European Union and Moroccan officials meet to discuss trade relations.

Saturday, Jan. 31: The United Nations Office for West Africas mandate is due for renewal.

What Were Watching

Rafah reopening. Gazas Rafah crossing with Egypt is expected to open sometime this week as part of the U.S.-backed Board of Peace framework. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his government had agreed to a limited reopening for pedestrian passage only, subject to a full Israeli inspection mechanism.

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The crossingGazas only border point with a country other than Israelhas been almost entirely closed since the Israeli military took control of it in May 2024.

Many details of the plan remain unclear, including what it will mean for the flow of humanitarian aid. Israel intends on allowing more people to leave Gaza than entera proposal long rejected by Egypt for fear of mass displacement into its territory.

Wish list. After accepting third-country deportees from the United States in July, South Sudan sent a list of requests to Washington that included U.S. support for the prosecution of an opposition leader and the lifting of sanctions for a senior official accused of graft, The Associated Press reports.

Its unclear whether the requests were granted, or how much Washington paid South Sudan to receive deported migrants. Last fall, the Trump administration sent $7.5 million to Equatorial Guinea to accept third-country nationals.

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Archipelago in limbo. Last Friday, the U.K. government halted legislation required to finalize its deal to hand the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius.

Britain detached Chagos from Mauritius three years before the latters independence in 1968, governing it as the British Indian Ocean Territory. The government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that it would relinquish control of the archipelagowhich hosts a vital joint U.K.-U.S. military base in the Indian Oceanin 2024, a few years after the International Court of Justice found that its separation from Mauritius broke international law.

Under this arrangement, the United Kingdom would then lease the base for around $4.7 billion for a 99-year period.

On Friday, Britains main opposition party, the Conservatives, put forward an amendment calling for the bill, which would turn the Chagos Islands agreement into law, to be paused in the House of Lords in light of the changing geopolitical circumstances. Earlier that week, Trump had claimed that the deal was an act of great stupidity and of total weakness by Britain.

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The U.K. government has said the bill will return to the House of Lords at an unspecified date.

This Week in Culture

The Kenyan government is planning to allocate up to around $774,000 annually for social media influencers, bloggers, and content creators to positively promote the governments image in the wake of widespread anti-government protests among young Kenyans.

Nairobi has allegedly turned to digital platforms before to further its agenda. A November report by Amnesty International accused the government of paying influencers to suppress protest hashtags and amplify pro-government messages on social media between June 2024 and July 2025, at the height of Generation Z-led demonstrations.

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FPs Most Read This Week In Davos, a Tale of Two Speeches by Ravi Agrawal What Spheres of Influence Areand Arent by Stephen M. Walt A Rupture in the World Order by Jennifer Williams What Were Reading

Malawis rare earths. In Finance Uncovered, Jack McBrams and Caroline Henshaw report on how a critical minerals extraction project in Malawi ended up being owned by Chinese state companies.

Malawis government was oblivious as ownership of this crucial resource changed hands twice in two years, in an apparent breach of the law, they write. This game of corporate pass the parcel means millions of tonnes of heavy sands, a major source of critical minerals, are now ultimately controlled by regional state authorities in China.

AFCON attendance. Although Senegals recent victory against Morocco drew a full crowd, half-empty stadiums are a regular feature at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) due to intra-African flights being among the most expensive in the world, Gerard Akindes argues in Africa Is a Country.

AFCON remains a major media event, as evidenced by its rising TV rights, Akindes writes. But participation in the sporting spectacle depend on mobility infrastructure, such as affordable air travel and fast, safe road and rail networks.
Top Democrats issued a clear message to Donald Trump this week: either he fires Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, or they will impeach her.

The ultimatum came after a majority of the House Democratic caucus signed on to articles of impeachment introduced earlier this month in response to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both US citizens fatally shot by federal agents during the increasingly violent immigration enforcement operation in Minnesotas largest city.

The violence unleashed on the American people by the Department of Homeland Security must end forthwith. Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives, said Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, along with his two deputies, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, in a joint statement.

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Trump appeared to back Noem earlier in the day, telling reporters at the White House: I think shes doing a very good job. The border is totally secure.



Its no longer just Democrats  Republican senators Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis on Tuesday said Noem should resign from her post.

Top Democrats give Trump ultimatum on Kristi Noem

Top House Democrats on Tuesday told Donald Trump to fire Kristi Noem or they would launch impeachment proceedings against the homeland security secretary, in response to the weekend killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

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Border patrol commander to leave Minneapolis after shooting of Alex Pretti

Gregory Bovino, the border patrol commander who has become the public face of the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, is expected to leave the city on Tuesday as the Trump administration reshuffles the leadership of its immigration enforcement operation and scales back federal presence after a second fatal shooting by officers.

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US announces multi-day aerial military drills in the Middle East amid Iran tensions

The display of US air power was announced as the White House has suggested it could launch new strikes on Iran after the governments crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, which has left thousands dead and many more in detention with their fates uncertain.

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Minnesota raids continue as DHS report indicates two agents fired at Alex Pretti

The report emerged as Donald Trump signals he may begin reducing the surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agents in the state.

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Abdication: Trump formally takes US out of Paris climate agreement for a second time

The United States has officially exited the Paris climate agreement for the second time, cementing Trumps renewed break with the primary global venue to address global heating.

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Families of two men killed in Trumps military boat strikes sue US government

Civil rights attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against the United States government on Tuesday on behalf of the families of two men from a small fishing village in Trinidad who were killed in a US military airstrike on a small boat in the Caribbean Sea on 14 October.

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Uproar in Italy over ICE security role at Winter Olympics

Two small opposition parties of the European parliament  the Green and Left Alliance (AVS) and Azione  have started petitions calling on the Italian government and the Olympic organising committee to prevent the ICE agents entry and involvement in the security operations. ICE is the militia that shoots people on the streets of Minneapolis and takes children away from their families, AVS said.

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Girl, five, deported to Honduras despite being US citizen, becomes latest victim of Trump crackdown

Five-year-old Genesis Ester Gutierrez Castellanos misses her cousins, classmates and kindergarten teachers in Austin, Texas. Despite being a US citizen, she was deported on 11 January alongside her mother, Karen Guadalupe Gutierrez Castellanos, to Honduras, a country Genesis had never known.

Read the full story

What else happened today:

Catching up? Heres what happened Monday 26 January.
SACRAMENTO, California  President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are so in sync on California water that they're in a race to capture as much of it as possible  even at each others expense.

Trump and Newsom's relative alignment on water issues has been good news all around for farmers and cities that draw from both sides of the state's main water hub: the federally run Central Valley Project, and the aptly named State Water Project, which is state-run.

Water deliveries have ticked up, mostly as a result of back-to-back wet years but also as a result of loosened environmental rules on both sides, much to the chagrin of environmental groups concerned about the collapse of endangered fish populations in the sensitive Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

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But the feds have been steadily squeezing out more water over the course of the past year  to the point where state customers are getting worried that their own supplies could be in jeopardy.

Its on my radar, said Jennifer Pierre, general manager of the State Water Contractors, which represents the 27 water agencies and 27 million people getting state supplies.

Karla Nemeth, Californias director of water resources, has already played out the scenario in which the state would have to reduce its own pumping to keep enough water flowing through the Delta for endangered fish if the feds took a lot of water: We talk in real time about whether or not that has the potential to happen and how to avoid that happening, she said.

It gets tricky, she added. That's where we have an actual harm to the State Water Project.

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In pre-Trump times, the state and federal sides of the projects operated in tandem, obeying the same pumping limits meant to protect endangered fish. But federal and state water managers have been following diverging rules since Trumps first administration, when the Interior Department loosened its protections and the state sued. (Newsom has since ordered his own regulators to maximize water supplies, too.)

The situation worsened a year ago when federal officials ordered large releases from two Central Valley dams against established operating norms in an attempt to send water south for the Los Angeles fires, raising the prospect of chaos in the usually closely coordinated joint system of pumps, reservoirs and canals across the state.

Last month saw more divergence: Both state and feds gave their water managers more leeway over pumping, but the state still has to follow stricter environmental limits. The federal governments more lenient rules allowed it to export roughly 24,000 more acre-feet of water than the state government during the first major storm of the water year in December, according to both state and federal water officials.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum took a victory lap in a press release last week.

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The gains achieved over the past year demonstrate how a disciplined, mission-focused approach can expand water reliability for communities, agriculture and the economy, he said.

Nemeth emphasized that state and water managers are still talking through operations daily. For example, during the first week of January, federal water managers determined that they could increase pumping without harm to fish populations, but the state declined to do so  and the federal government ultimately backed off, according to Bureau of Reclamation spokesperson Tara Jane Campbell Miranda.

State and federal water managers are both planning to appear at the State Water Resources Control Board this week to detail their latest pumping plans, and federal water managers and users are also gathering in Reno for an annual conference.

But Nemeth acknowledged angst among Delta users and advocates about a disconnect.

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This is a complex system where people already do not trust each other on their best day, said Nemeth. That's the story of this political moment, anyway.

The late December and early January storms, which cleared California of drought for the first time in a quarter century, are temporarily papering over the tension: With most reservoirs full, its less obvious if one party or the other may be losing out on potential supplies.

But that may not last as the weather forecast for the coming weeks remains mostly dry. Pierre criticized the state for missing an opportunity earlier this month to capture more storm flows for summer use.

It's frustrating that when we have significant water being released for flood control that we're not even having a conversation about whether some of that water could be used to rebuild our storage, Pierre said.

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The US administration has hung a photograph of US President Donald Trump with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the lobby of the White House.

Source: European Pravda, citing Elizabeth Landers, a White House correspondent for PBS News

Details: The photograph was taken on 15 August 2025 in Alaska, where Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin.

Trump and Putins photo in the White House Photo: Elizabeth Landers on X (Twitter)

A photograph of the US president with his granddaughter is displayed below the image.

Background:

On 15 August 2025, Trump and Putin met in Anchorage, Alaska, marking Trump's first meeting with Putin during his second term as US president. It was also the first encounter between a US president and Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Trump warmly welcomed the Kremlin leader in Alaska, rolling out the red carpet for him, despite Russian forces continuing to commit war crimes in Ukraine on Putin's orders.

Media reports later said that during his meeting with Trump in Alaska on 15 August, Putin launched into a lengthy historical monologue that angered the US president, forcing him to raise his voice and even threaten to leave.

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Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, speaks during the Senate redistricting debate on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.(Photo by Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

President Donald Trump made a new round of endorsements seeking to oust Republican state senators who opposed his push for Indiana congressional redistricting.

Social media posts Tuesday night from Trump threw his support behind primary challengers to Sens. Greg Goode of Terre Haute and Spencer Deery of West Lafayette.

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Trumps post endorsing Vigo County Councilwoman Brenda Wilson against Goode erroneously identified her as a county commissioner.

In a separate post, Trump endorsed Paula Copenhaver, a top aide to Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and the Fountain County Republican chair, in her challenge to Deery.

Trump has now in recent days endorsed five challengers to incumbent Republican senators after he vowed political revenge against those who defied him on the redistricting bill that failed in December.

Those posts have used nearly identical wording, denouncing the current senators as a RINO  for Republican in name only  and an America Last politician.

Rep. Spencer Deery, R-Lafayette, speaks in support of oversight measures in committee on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Goode responded to a request for comment about Trumps post by saying: I was grateful for Brendas advice in October when she said, Greg, dont vote for redistricting.

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Deery said in a statement that he has a proven record of passing meaningful legislation that advances the conservative movement.

Ultimately, voters will decide this race, and they will trust the local voices who know me and know what I have delivered for their towns, schools and counties, Deery said.

Trumps support for their challengers also puts him at odds with two legislators with close ties to top Indiana Republican figures.

Goode is U.S. Sen. Todd Youngs state director, while Deery was a top aide to former Gov. Mitch Daniels while Daniels was the Purdue University president.

Another of Trumps Tuesday night posts endorsed former state Rep. Jeff Ellington for the Republican nomination for an open seat created by GOP Sen. Eric Basslers decision not seek reelection. Bassler, of Washington, also voted against the redistricting bill.

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Trump endorsed Ellington over other Republican candidates Kristi Risk, who is a Beckwith staffer and the Owen County GOP chair, and Vincennes attorney Tanner Bouchie.

This story has been updated with comments from Goode and Deery.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that socialist Cuba is on the brink of collapse.

"Cuba is really a nation that's very close to failing," the Republican president said during a visit to the US state of Iowa.

The socialist Caribbean state used to get its money and oil from Venezuela. They no longer receive this, Trump said.

The United States had taken control of several oil tankers in recent weeks. Trump had previously announced that he would impose "a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers" travelling to and from Venezuela.

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Following a US attack on Caracas  an important ally of Havana  and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in early January, the Trump administration has escalated the rhetoric against the communist government of Cuba. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for example, described the government in Havana as a "huge problem."

About a week after Maduro's capture, Trump urged Cuba to make a deal "before it is too late," without specifying what kind of agreement he was referring to.

Trump also reposted several messages on his Truth Social platform in which users anticipated a possible regime change in Cuba brought about by the US. One post jokingly suggested Rubio - the son of Cuban immigrants - would become Cuba's president. "Sounds good to me!" Trump commented.

Relations between Havana and Washington have been tense for decades. Currently, Cuba is facing its worst economic crisis since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution and is struggling with fuel shortages.

While Venezuelan oil deliveries have declined in recent years and are supplemented by supplies from Russia and Mexico, the Cuban economy could collapse completely if the US halted Venezuelan oil deliveries altogether.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump lashed out at Rep. Ilhan Omar after learning she was attacked with a syringe during a town hall, accusing the Minnesota congresswoman without evidence of staging the incident.

"I don't think about her. I think she's a fraud," Trump told ABC News in a phone interview. "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her."

Omar, a Somali-American and regular target of Trump, was sprayed with an unknown liquid by a man at a town hall event in Minneapolis late on Jan. 27. The man rushed Omar and doused her torso with the substance as she called for ICE to be abolished and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached. The man shouted something toward Omar, but it was unclear what was said.

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Police identified the man who attacked Omar as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak and arrested him on assault charges, according to Minneapolis Police Department spokesman Trevor Folke. Law enforcement officials have cited no evidence to support Trump's claim that Omar had herself sprayed.

A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 27, 2026. A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 27, 2026. A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 27, 2026. A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 27, 2026. US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (R) reacts after being sprayed with an unknown substance by a man as she hosted a town hall in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 27, 2026. The syringe an individual used in an attempted attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during a town hall meeting at the Urban League Twin Cities facility is seen on Jan. 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minn.. A person holding a syringe charged Omar's podium while she spoke to community members. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. A person is subdued after attempting to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during a town hall meeting at the Urban League Twin Cities facility on Jan. 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minn. A person holding a syringe charged Omar's podium while she spoke to community members. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. A person is subdued after attempting to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during a town hall meeting at the Urban League Twin Cities facility on Jan. 27, 2026 in Minneapolis. A person holding a syringe charged Omar's podium while she spoke to community members. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. A person is subdued after attempting to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during a town hall meeting at the Urban League Twin Cities facility on Jan. 27, 2026 in Minneapolis. A person holding a syringe charged Omar's podium while she spoke to community members. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. A person is subdued after attempting to attack Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) during a town hall meeting at the Urban League Twin Cities facility on Jan. 27, 2026 in Minneapolis. A person holding a syringe charged Omar's podium while she spoke to community members. Protests and demonstrations continue around Minneapolis in the aftermath of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good by federal law enforcement. See moment Ilhan Omar sprayed with substance by man at town hall 1 of 10 A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 27, 2026.

"I haven't seen it," Trump said of video of the attack. "No, no. I hope I don't have to bother."

Omar's congressional office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's remarks.

Omar, who was not injured in the attack, vowed to continue the meeting as people begged her to stop to get help. "Please don't let them have the show," said Omar, asking for a napkin. "We will continue  They are not going to get away with this."

A man shouts at U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) after spraying her, during a town hall meeting days after a man identified as Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal immigration agents trying to detain him, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.

Trump has levied verbal attacks and insults toward Omar for years, but he's ramped up his rhetoric in recent weeks after revelations of a massive fraud scheme involving state and federal welfare assistance programs tied primarily to a group of Somali immigrants.

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Hours before the attack, Trump criticized Omar in a speech in Clive, Iowa. "They have to show that they can love our country," Trump said, referring to immigrants. "They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar."

Trump has mocked Omar for wearing her "little turban," called her native Somalia "filthy, dirty, disgusting, (and) ridden with crime" and said she does "nothing but b----." In a Jan. 18 post on Truth Social, Trump said Omar should "should be in jail, or even a worse punishment, sent back to Somalia."

Trump has questioned how Omar, a U.S. citizen since 2000, accumulated her wealth, announcing this week a Justice Department investigation into the matter. According to a financial disclosure filed with Congress, Omar's net worth skyrocketed in 2025 as the lawmaker posted $6 million to $30 million in income through her spouse's stake in a California winery and a venture capital firm.

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) speaks during a town hall meeting at the Urban League Twin Cities facility on January 27, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A person holding a syringe charged the podium as Omar spoke.

The attack occurred as Minneapolis remains on edge following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens amid Trump's surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal authorities in the state.

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"Im ok," Omar said in a statement on X following the attack. "Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work. I dont let bullies win. Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong."

Contributing: Michael Loria and James Powel of USA TODAY

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says Rep. Ilhan Omar 'probably had herself sprayed' in attack
You might know Corning for its iconic kitchen brands, like Pyrex and CorningWare. You might remember that Thomas Edison relied on the company to develop glass for the light bulb, or that in 1970, Corning invented the first glass fiber that was useful for long-distance communication, while in 2007 Steve Jobs turned to Corning, which is based in Corning, N.Y., to create the hard-to-shatter glass that now wraps every iPhone.

You probably dont think of it as an AI company, but a new deal with Meta shows how radically the AI boom is reshaping Americas industrial landscape. The 175-year-old Corning, a longtime fixture of the Fortune 500, has reinvented itself once againthis time as a critical supplier to the worlds largest AI data centers.

Meta announced today that it has committed to paying Corning up to $6 billion through 2030 for fiber-optic cable to wire its expanding fleet of AI data centers. In a CNBC interview, Corning CEO Wendell Weeks disclosed that Corning is expanding a North Carolina manufacturing facility to accommodate growing demand from Meta and other companies including Nvidia, OpenAI, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. When the project is completewith funding from MetaCorning says it will be the largest fiber-optic cable plant in the world. The news today sent Cornings stock soaring 16%.

Instead of sending information as electrical signals through copper wire, fiber uses strands of ultra-pure glasseach one thinner than a human hairto carry data as pulses of light. In AI data centers, fiber-optic cable links tens of thousands of GPUs, allowing them to function as a single supercomputer cluster.

Shay Boloor, chief market strategist at Futurum Equities, told Fortune the Meta deal is big for Corning, likely doubling its annual revenue from that one deal alone from under a half-billion to closer to a billion per year once the plant is fully ramped up.

The deal also likely wont be the last one for Corning, as hyperscalers look to lock in supply. I wouldnt be surprised to see Microsoft do a similar Corning deal, because a lot of these data center investors are moving past plant construction, and they really fear that shortages are going to show up once they get to that next stage, Boloor said.

As my colleague Kristin Stoller reported in Fortune last year, it hasnt always been smooth sailing for Corning. In the 1990s, Weeks was a Corning vice president tapped to run a new optical fiber business to power the burgeoning internetan innovation that drove Cornings valuation to nearly $100 billion at the height of the internet bubble in 2000.
Nouri al-Maliki has condemned the violation of Iraqi sovereignty by the United States following threats from President Donald Trump.

The US president said that he would end support for Iraq if al-Maliki, a former prime minister with ties to the USs longstanding foe Iran, is reinstated to the post. The Iraqi politician rejected that threat on Wednesday, condemning the blatant American interference in Iraqs internal affairs.

Trump said on Tuesday that Iraq would be making a very bad choice should it choose al-Maliki, who just days previously was nominated by the Coordination Framework, the largest Shia bloc in parliament, as its candidate.

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Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq, he said. If we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!

Diktats and threats

It was just the latest in a growing list of interventions in the politics of other nations made by Trump or members of his administration.

The Republican president has been running a campaign to curb the influence of Iran-linked groups in Iraq, which has long walked a tightrope between its two closest allies, Washington and Tehran.

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On Wednesday, al-Maliki rejected Trumps threat, condemning it as a violation of Iraqs sovereignty and democracy. He also insisted that he will not withdraw his candidacy for the top job.

The language of dialogue between states is the only political option for engagement, not resorting to the language of diktats and threats, al-Maliki wrote in a post on X.

And based on my respect for the national will, and the decision of the Coordination Framework endorsed by the Iraqi constitution, I will continue to work until we reach the end in a manner that achieves the supreme interests of the Iraqi people.

Al-Maliki, 75, is a senior figure in the Shia Islamist Dawa Party. His tenure as prime minister from 2006 to 2014 was a period marked by a power struggle with Sunni and Kurdish rivals, accusations of deep corruption and growing tension with the US.

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He stepped down after ISIL (ISIS) seized large parts of the country in 2014, but has remained an influential political player, leading the State of Law coalition and maintaining close ties with Iran-backed factions.

The US wields key leverage over Iraq, as the countrys oil export revenue is largely held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York in an arrangement reached after the 2003 US invasion that toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.




The former Iraqi prime minister has denounced threats made by US President Donald Trump to end US support for Iraq if he were to win power again.

Nouri al-Maliki, who has links to Iran, was selected at the weekend by an alliance of Shia-led parties as its nominee for prime minister.

The US president wrote on Truth Social that Maliki would be a "very bad choice", adding: "Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos."

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Maliki, whose time in office between 2006 and 2014 was marked by sectarian violence, stepped down after Islamic State seized large parts of the country.

In a post on X, Maliki rejected US interference in Iraq's internal affairs and said he considered the comments a "violation" of the country's sovereignty.

After being endorsed on Saturday by a Shia coalition known as the Coordination Framework, Maliki would then normally be nominated by the president, who holds a largely ceremonial role.

Iraq's parliament was set to elect a president on Tuesday but the vote was delayed after the presidential candidate could not be agreed on.

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Influential Shia groups in Baghdad have varying links to neighbouring Iran's Islamic Republic, which is also controlled by Shia clerics.

Washington has voiced concerns about Iranian-linked groups deepening its influence in the region, including Iraq.

Trump said the country would have "zero" chance of success without US support after vowing to "no longer help" the country if Maliki was elected.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern about Maliki's links to Iran during a call with incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Sunday, emphasising "that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq's own interest first".

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Trump has frequently bucked precedent by intervening in other countries' elections, backing fellow right-wing candidates in elections in Poland, Romania and Honduras, where the US-backed winner was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the American military seized then-Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in order for him to face trial in New York.

Maliki was a divisive figure during his two terms as prime minister.

He was Iraq's second prime minister after the US-led invasion in 2003, which led to the overthrow and eventual execution of Saddam Hussein, who had overseen a brutal repression of Shia Muslims and Kurds over three decades.

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His sectarian approach and alienation of Sunnis and Kurds were blamed by many for precipitating the crisis over the Islamic State (IS) group.

In 2014, Iraqi security forces under his direct command collapsed as hundreds of IS fighters seized control of a large part of north-eastern Iraq, including the city of Mosul.

Three months later, Maliki was replaced as prime minister after losing the support of key militia and political leaders form his own Shia community and many outside powers, including Iran.
By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Iraq against picking Nouri al-Maliki as its prime minister, saying the United States would no longer help the Middle Eastern country.

"I'm hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq," Trump wrote.

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He added that the country, without U.S. help, would have "zero" chance of success.

Trump's comments are the starkest example yet of the Republican president's campaign to curb Iran-linked groups' influence in Iraq, which has long walked a tightrope between its two closest allies, Washington and Tehran.

Reuters was not able to immediately reach Maliki for comment.

His warning comes days after the alliance of Shi'ite political blocs that hold a majority in Iraq's parliament picked Maliki, who previously served two terms as the country's prime minister, for the post.

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As part of Trump's pressure campaign, Washington has also threatened senior Iraqi politicians with U.S. sanctions targeting the Iraqi state should armed groups backed by Iran be included in the next government, Reuters reported last week.

Maliki is a senior figure in the Shi'ite Islamist Dawa Party. His tenure as Iraq's prime minister from 2006 to 2014 was a period marked by sectarian violence, a power struggle with Sunni and Kurdish rivals, and growing tensions with the U.S.

He stepped down after Islamic State seized large parts of the country in 2014 but has remained an influential political player, leading the State of Law coalition and maintaining close ties with Iran-backed factions.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Ryan Patrick Jones and Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Lisa Shumaker)
By Trevor Hunnicutt, Jack Kim and Joyce Lee

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Jan 28 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States and South Korea would work out a solution, in response to a query about his surprise threat a day earlier to step up tariffs to 25% on imports from the Asian ally.

The news rattled officials in Seoul who said Trump caught them by surprise with a social media post on Monday vowing higher duties on autos and other goods because South Korea had not lived up to its part in the trade deal struck last year.

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As he left the White House to give a speech in Iowa, Trump told reporters, "We'll work something out with South Korea." But he did not elaborate.

Trump's chief trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, said the U.S. had cut to 15% its tariff rate on South Korean goods from 25%, in exchange for Seoul's pledge to invest $350 billion in the United States, allow more U.S. cars into South Korea, and eliminate some non-tariff barriers.

"But, in the meantime, they haven't been able to get a bill through to do the investment," Greer said on Fox Business Network, adding that the export-heavy economy had not met commitments on agriculture, industry and digital services.

Greer said the U.S. trade deficit with South Korea, which had ballooned to $65 billion during the Biden administration, was "not sustainable and it has to change."

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South Korea's parliament is not expected to hold a plenary session until February to vote on bills.

Five bills that would enact the U.S. investment are pending and ruling Democratic Party members have expressed hope to approve them in February.

The United States has also expressed concern that a South Korean law passed last year tightening oversight of digital services and proposed legislation to regulate online platforms could discriminate against U.S. companies.

A source familiar with internal discussions between the countries has said Trump may have been prompted by recent Korean regulatory actions against Coupang, a U.S.-listed company that has said the moves are unfair and discriminatory.

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On Wednesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Seoul reached out to the U.S. State Department after Trump's vow to raise tariffs, adding, "It is our conclusion there is no direct link to Coupang or the (proposed) online platform law."

South Korea's policy chief Kim Yong-beom said he hopes parliament will approve bills required to kickstart the investment in February, although outflows could take monthsto begin.

"If we are asked to review a specific (investment project), we can look at what it is," Kim said.

"But conducting a proper review requires some serious manpower and budget, meaning we cannot deep dive on those reviews unless relevant law exists."

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Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol told Reuters this month that South Korea plans to adopt the investment package as soon as possible, while warning it could be affected by uncertainty over a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected soon on Trump's tariffs.

But he highlighted prospects for the timeline to be stretched with remarks that the planned investment of $350 billion was unlikely to kick off in the first half of 2026, against a backdrop of weakness in the won currency.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Jasper Ward in Washington and Jack Kim, Joyce Lee, Jihoon Lee and Cynthia Kim in Seoul; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chris Reese, Franklin Paul and Michael Perry)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  President Donald Trump seemed to signal a willingness to ease tensions in Minneapolis after a second deadly shooting by federal immigration agents, but there was little evidence Wednesday of any significant changes following weeks of harsh rhetoric and clashes with protesters.

The strain was evident when Trump made a leadership change by sending his top border adviser to Minnesota to take charge of the immigration crackdown. That was followed by seemingly conciliatory remarks about the Democratic governor and mayor.

Trump said he and Gov. Tim Walz, whom he criticized for weeks, were on a similar wavelength following a phone call. After a conversation with Mayor Jacob Frey, the president praised the discussion and declared that lots of progress is being made.

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But on city streets, there were few signs of a shift. Immigration enforcement operations and confrontations with activists continued Wednesday in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

A group of protesters blew whistles and pointed out federal officers in a vehicle on a north Minneapolis street. When the officers vehicle moved, a small convoy of activists followed in their cars for a few blocks until the officers stopped again.

When Associated Press journalists got out of their car to document the encounter, officers with the federal Bureau of Prisons pushed one of them, threatened them with arrest and told them to get back in their car despite the reporters' identifying themselves as journalists. Officers from multiple federal agencies have been involved in the enforcement operations.

From their car, the AP journalists saw at least one person being pepper sprayed and one detained, though it was unclear if that person was the target of the operation or a protester. Agents also broke car windows.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is visiting Minnesota, said 16 people were arrested Wednesday on charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement in the state. She said more arrests were expected.

NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department of Justice from enforcing the law," Bondi said in a social media post.

Messages seeking comment were left with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol.

Woman tells agents: 'They're good neighbors'

In the suburb of Brooklyn Center, a half a dozen agents went to a house in a small residential neighborhood.

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One agent knocked on the door repeatedly. Another told the AP they were seeking a man who had been twice deported and was convicted of domestic abuse. The agent said the man had run into the home and the agents lacked a judicial warrant to get inside.

A handful of activists blew whistles. One agent said: Theyd rather call the police on us than to help us. Go figure.

As the agents prepared to leave, a woman called out to them saying, You need to know theyre good neighbors.

Kari Rod told the AP that she didnt know these neighbors well, but they had come to her garage sale, kept their yard clean and waved hello when she drove by. She didnt believe enforcement agents to be speaking the truth about whom they arrest, including another neighbor whom she said was deported to Laos last summer.

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I dont trust a single thing they said about who they are, Rod said. From my interactions, I know them way better than anyone else does, any one of those federal agents.

Immigrants are still very worried'

Many immigrant families are still fearful of leaving their homes, and Latino businesses are still closed, said Daniel Hernandez, who owns the Minneapolis grocery store Colonial Market. He also runs a popular Facebook page geared toward informing the Hispanic community in the Twin Cities.

While Colonial Market is open, all but one of the dozen immigrant-run businesses that rented space inside have closed since late December, and none has plans to reopen, Hernandez said.

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The reality is the community is still very worried and afraid, Hernandez said.

Hernandez referenced Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who helped lead the administration's crackdown in the Twin Cities and who has reportedly been assigned elsewhere.

Bovino "was removed, but the tactics so far are still the same," Hernandez said. Nobody now is trusting the government with those changes.

Judge warns ICE about not complying with court orders

In Minnesota federal court, the issue of ICE not complying with court orders came to the fore as Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz said the agency had violated 96 court orders in 74 cases this month.

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This list should give pause to anyone  no matter his or her political beliefs  who cares about the rule of law, he wrote. ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence.

Schiltz earlier this week ordered ICEs acting director to personally appear in his courtroom Friday after the agency failed to obey an order to release an Ecuadorian man from detention in Texas. The judge canceled the order after the agency freed the man.

The judge, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, warned ICE that future noncompliance may result in orders requiring the personal appearances of Acting Director Todd Lyons or other government officials.

ICE didn't respond to an email seeking comment.

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Separately, another federal judge granted a temporary restraining order preventing federal officers from arresting and detaining resettled refugees in Minnesota. The order responded to a lawsuit challenging a new Homeland Security operation to to reevaluate the refugee status of the nearly 5,600 people.

The order called for the immediate release of refugees detained in Minnesota and release within five days of those transferred to Texas.

Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller quickly slammed the judges decision on social media: The judicial sabotage of democracy is unending.

Nurse says Pretti could have been any of us

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Hundreds gathered in the cold Wednesday night for a solemn vigil to honor intensive care unit nurse Alex Pretti, who was killed by immigration agents on Saturday. Some held candles and flowers as people sang and a band played at the spot where he was killed.

Harmonie Pirius, a registered nurse, said she had been feeling depressed, heartbroken and enraged and thought it would be good to get together with other medical professionals.

It could have been any of us, she said. I mean, he was trying to help someone and thats kind of what were all about.

Earlier, Vietnam veteran Donnie McMillan placed a cardboard sign reading In remembrance of my angel at a makeshift memorial for Pretti. McMillan said he remembered seeing Pretti during frequent visits to the Veterans Affairs hospital where he worked.

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The Department of Homeland Security said two federal agents involved in Pretti's death have been on leave since the shooting happened.

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, spoke to journalists one day after a man attacked her during a town hall meeting by squirting a strong-smelling substance at her as she denounced the Trump administration.

What is unfolding in our state is not accidental. It is part of a coordinated effort to target Black and brown, immigrant and Muslim communities through fear, racial profiling and intimidation," Omar said. "This administrations immigration agenda is not about law enforcement  it is about making people feel they do not belong.

___

Associated Press journalists Mark Vancleave in Minneapolis, Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, Michael Biesecker in Washington, Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.
US President Donald Trump has suggested a more moderate course for his administration following the fatal shootings in Minneapolis.

"We're going to de-escalate a little bit," Trump said in an interview with Fox News aired on Tuesday evening. He did not provide details, leaving open whether or to what extent the tactics of immigration officers, which have been sharply criticized by parts of the US population, would change.

Trump initially ruled out a withdrawal of forces from the US state of Minnesota, where Minneapolis is located.

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Two US citizens have been shot dead by federal officers in Minneapolis since the beginning of the year, Renee Good in early January and most recently Alex Pretti.

Trump said, "Bottom line, it was terrible. Both of them were terrible. The other was terrible too."

The fatal shooting of Pretti over the weekend sparked nationwide outrage and put the US government in a position where it had to explain itself, especially as videos contradicted official statements.

Good was shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in early January.

No withdrawal of immigration officers

"I don't think it's a pullback," Trump said regarding the departure of the controversial commander of the Border Patrol, Gregory Bovino, along with some border patrol officers from Minneapolis. "It's a little bit of a change."

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Tom Homan has now been asked to take over the operation. Homan has a decades-long career in border protection agencies and is primarily associated with actions against irregular immigrants during Trump's first term. He is controversial due to his role in the separation of families.

The US administration had sent thousands of federal officers to the city of Minneapolis and the surrounding state of Minnesota. The operations are part of Trump's intensified deportation policy.

In the Fox News interview, Trump seemed to defend the operation in principle: "What they don't say is that Minnesota has low numbers because of the fact that we took 1000s of hardened criminals out of Minnesota, so they had good crime numbers, believe it or not. And that's all working out."
DOES IT SOMETIMES SEEM AS THOUGH too many people have never learned the lessons of the schoolyard? If you capitulate to a bully, you will be bullied forever. If you stand up to him, he will back down. Whats true on the playground is also true in the office, in politics, and in international relations.

Standing up to bullies is not free of risk. You might get bloodied in the process. But afterwards, the bully, having learned that there is a price, will hesitate to push you around, whereas if you fail to stand up to him, he will grow ever more menacing.

All of the bowing and scraping before the re-elected Donald Trump last year by corporate leaders, university presidents, major law firms, leading journalistic outlets, and European allies wasnt just demoralizingit was foolish. If he had met firm opposition in all directions, his power would have been diminished. Each pushback would have inspired others, creating a flood. Instead, we saw a cascade in the other directiona cascade of capitulation.

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Each surrender enhanced Trumps power and inflated the menace we now face. They all had their rationalizations. The voters have spoken. If I raise my head over the parapet, it will just get shot off. Or, from the Europeans (before the Davos/Greenland moment), We must humor him. Hes mad for praise, so lets lay it on thick and hell support Ukraine and NATO.

But the other pathetched in tragedy and martyrdom in Minneapolishas shown repeated success. When you stand up to the bully, he backs down.

When you become a Bulwark+ member, you back us and our pro-democracy mission. Join today.

We dont yet know from whence a national political leader will arise, but the people of Minneapolis have reminded us that this country is still planted thick with inspiring, selfless, heroic people who will put their very lives on the line rather than submit to MAGAs naked barbarism. Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and so many others who have braved bitter cold, pepper spray and tear gas, and even being shot are the best of us. All honor to them.

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Thats the spiritual message of Minneapolis. The political message is this: The bully backed down. In the face of opposition not just from his opponents but from some of his allies who found that their vocal chords were actually operative, Trump announced that the ogre Greg Bovino was being demoted and removed from Minneapolis in favor of the slightly less brutal Tom Homan. Republican Sens. John Curtis, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis, Dave McCormick, and Jerry Moran called for investigations of Prettis murder. Sen. Rand Paul has asked the heads of ICE, CBP, and USCIS to testify on the Hill. Rep. Andrew Garbarino suddenly recollected that his branch has authority in our system. I take my oversight duties for the department seriously, and Congress has an important responsibility to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the people they serve and protect. Another crack in the cement.

They were joined by two GOP governors, a number of conservative commentators like Trey Gowdy and Erick Erickson, podcaster Joe Rogan, a couple of Fox News figures, the New York Post and Wall Street Journal editorial boards, and most dramatically, the Republican candidate for governor of Minnesota, Chris Madel, who announced that he was dropping his bid and his membership in the GOP. I cannot support the national Republicans stated retribution on the citizens of our state. Nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so. The cracks accumulate.

Before there was Minneapolis, there was Chicago. Recall that in September, Trump posted that I love the smell of deportations in the morning. . . . Chicago is about to find out why its called the Department of WAR. A bit over the top for the commander in chief to threaten military invasion of a city in his own country, one might have thought. The governor of Illinois struck back, vowing that his state wont be intimidated by a would-be dictator. Other Illinois elected officials joined in. Thousands thronged the streets in protest, and lawsuits were filed challenging the legality of Trumps National Guard deployment. Eventually, the courts ruled against the administration, and Trump backed down. At the end of December, Trump announced that the National Guard would not be deployed to Chicago, and would be withdrawn from Los Angeles and Portland. He blusteredWe will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time!but that was a rear-guard action as he was backing away.

Trumps climbdown from the asinine Liberation Day tariffs was so swift that it inspired the acronym TACO, for Trump Always Chickens Out. The pushback in that case came from the markets, but the principle holdswhen theres resistance, Trump can be rocked back on his heels.

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Admittedly, sometimes the victories are temporary, as Trumps hamster wheel mind never settles for long. But consider his supposedly chief nemesis in trade matters, China. In an attempt to save face after backing off the most ludicrous Liberation Day tariffs, Trump announced that he was pausing the tariffs on, well, the world, for ninety days, but thundered anew that he would increase tariffs on China to 145 percent. But a month later, he reduced the level to 30 percent, and a few months after that he announced a trade truce with China for another ninety days. That was August. In September, he announced a slew of new tariffs on pharmaceuticals, semi-trucks, kitchen cabinets, and furniture.

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Trumps operating assumption on trade has always been that no one can counter U.S. market power and must tamely accept our termsno matter how capricious or damagingbecause they cannot do without our consumers. But in October, China reminded him that it isnt 1970 anymore and they have cards to play as well. They announced new restrictions on the distribution of rare earths. This is a vulnerability for the United States, which acquires 70 percent of these minerals, which are key to defense and technology, from China. When the two sides met in South Korea in late October, the Trump administration backed off its threats and agreed to reduce its tariffs on China to levels comparable to other Asian nations. As one analyst put it, Xi was ready for Trump in his second term and has a powerful weapon in rare earths. China is getting the better of the US in these recent truce negotiations.

Some climbdowns are so rapid that they almost feel like internal MAGA housekeeping. Trump announced after the capture of Maduro that we would be running Venezuela. Within 36 hours, Marco Rubio and others were clarifying that actually, no we wouldnt. Maduro clone Delcy Rodriguez would remain in charge.

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Finally, the catastrophic Greenland threats, talking menacingly of getting the island the easy way or the hard way, demonstrated to the Europeans that appeasing this ravenous bundle of appetites was not a successful strategy. Europe got tough and Trump deflatedyet further proof that standing up to him works. Our (former?) allies let it be known that they were finished capitulating. Eight NATO nations deployed troops to Greenland to participate in military exercises. The Danish prime minister declared that Europe will not be blackmailed, and adding teeth to this position, a number of European diplomats spoke openly of deploying Europes trade bazooka that would limit intellectual property protections for American businesses and deprive U.S. companies of access to public procurement opportunities in Europe, among other things. Trump caved.

This is not to say that Trump is a paper tiger. He is erratic, frequently irrational, flagrantly immoral, and endlessly acquisitive. If he could confiscate all the wealth of the world, he would do so and still be unsatisfied. Hes dangerousbut the only counter is to resist with everything youve got. Its the right thing to do, and it works.

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The White House is turning up the volume in the Middle East as a massive U.S. naval deployment - led by the USS Abraham Lincoln - hits the region. Central Command (CENTCOM) says it is kicking off multi-day air readiness drills to show exactly how fast it can disperse and sustain combat power.

President Donald Trump is calling this "massive Armada" larger than the one that took down Maduro in Venezuela, and his message to Tehran is clear: "make a deal" or face "speed and violence."

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman

Why the new drills raise stakes with Iran

The military maneuvers coincide with Trump's deliberations on potential strikes against Iran following a lethal crackdown on anti-government protests. Citing data from the Human Rights Activists News Agency, CNN reported that over 5,500 demonstrators have died, with another 17,000 cases pending verification.

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The Guardian noted that HRANA puts the confirmed toll near 6,000, but other activist groups claim the number could exceed 30,000. Verification remains difficult due to government-caused internet blackouts.

Despite the U.S. buildup, key Gulf allies are distancing themselves from potential conflict. According to a Saudi readout of a call between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the kingdom confirmed it "will not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military actions against Iran," The Wall Street Journal reported.

What US, Iranian and Gulf officials are saying about the buildup





Unbiased. Straight Facts.TM



Air Forces Central (AFCENT) described the drills as a way to enhance dispersal capabilities and improve coordination with regional partners to enable flexible military responses. AFCENT said activities will proceed only with host-nation consent and in coordination with civil and military aviation authorities, stressing safe operations and respect for national control.

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CENTCOM also confirmed the arrival of the Abraham Lincoln strike group, which The Guardian noted is the first U.S. carrier stationed in the CENTCOM region in months. The flotilla includes destroyers armed with cruise missiles and is supported by F-15E squadrons based in Jordan.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the deployment as a "massive Armada" prepared to execute its mission with "speed and violence." He urged Tehran to negotiate a "fair and equitable" nuclear agreement, referencing a previous operation he called "Midnight Hammer" and warning that a future strike would be significantly more destructive. However, CNN cited unnamed U.S. officials stating that no final decision to attack has been made.

Tehran remains defiant. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters that the presence of U.S. warships would not alter Iran's defensive resolve, warning of a "regretful" response to any aggression.

Separately, U.S. and Bahraini forces held a live-fire counter-drone exercise. According to The Defence Blog, the event involved a vehicle-mounted defense system, known as M-LIDS, successfully intercepting a fixed-wing drone target.

Yesterday, U.S. forces and Bahrain Defense Forces used a vehicle-mounted counter-UAS system to engage a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft during a training exercise in Bahrain. The exercise highlights the close defense partnership between the United States and Bahrain in strengthening https://t.co/DhunXKRHJI - U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 26, 2026

How the regional military and diplomatic picture is shifting

The Wall Street Journal reports that Washington is deploying additional air defenses and F-15E squadrons to the region to deter Iran while maintaining strike options. The drone drills with Bahrain show growing U.S. concerns about unmanned aerial threats in what officials describe as a "persistent" operational environment.

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CNN journalists observed propaganda posters in the capital depicting a destroyed U.S. aircraft carrier and the 2016 capture of American sailors.

Gulf states, meanwhile, are balancing criticism of Iran's crackdowns with efforts to avoid war. The UAE has publicly committed to neutrality and dialogue, CNN reported. Analysts told the Journal that while Saudi and Emirati leaders view a weakened Iran as beneficial, they fear being dragged into a conflict that could destabilize the region.

What's next for US options and deterrence

While Trump has threatened military action if mass executions occur, he also noted that "the killing has stopped" and suggested Iran is open to talks. A U.S. official told CNN the administration remains willing to negotiate if Tehran understands the terms.

Former commanders told the Journal that while the loss of Saudi and Emirati basing rights would complicate a U.S. campaign, it would not stop one. They noted the U.S. could rely on carrier-based aircraft, cruise missiles, and long-range bombers flying from outside the region. However, experts warned that relying solely on airpower to force regime change or halt repression would be extremely difficult.

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The post Trump warns Iran of speed and violence' as CENTCOM launches air drills appeared first on Straight Arrow News.

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Donald Trump has warned Iran that "time is running out" to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme following the steady build-up of US military forces in the Gulf.

The US president said a "massive Armada" was "moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose" towards Iran, referring to a large US naval fleet.

In response, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country's armed forces were ready "with their fingers on the trigger" to "immediately and powerfully respond" to any aggression by land or sea.

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Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful and has repeatedly denied accusations by the US and its allies that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Trump's latest warning follows his promise that Washington will intervene to help those involved in the brutal and unprecedented crackdown on protests in the country earlier this month.

Demonstrations began after a sharp fall in the value of the Iranian currency, but swiftly evolved into a crisis of legitimacy for the country's clerical leadership.

"Help is on the way," Trump said, before later changing his tune and saying he had been told on good authority that the execution of demonstrators had stopped.

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The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says it has confirmed the killing of more than 6,301 people, including 5,925 protesters, since the unrest began at the end of December.

HRANA says it is also investigating another 17,000 reported deaths received despite an internet shutdown after nearly three weeks.

Another group, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), has warned that the final toll could exceed 25,000.

Trump's latest comments on Iran appeared to focus more on the country's nuclear programme.

"Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS," he wrote on Truth Social.

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He said the naval force in the Gulf was larger than the one he sent to Venezuela before US forces seized the country's former leader Nicolas Maduro.

Trump added that this force was "ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary".

Referring to the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June, which were launched during Iran's 12-day war with Israel, the US president warned: "The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again."

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Iran's parliament, said in an interview with CNN thatTehran was ready to negotiate with the US, but only if talks were "genuine".

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However, did not think that was "the kind of talk the president of the United States is after; he just wants to impose (his will on others)".

"Maybe Mr Trump can start a war, but he doesn't have control over (how it ends)," he added.

Speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Iranian "regime is probably weaker than it's ever been".

"They don't have a way to address the core complaints of the protesters, which is that their economy is in collapse," Rubio said.

He added: "What you're seeing now is the ability to posture assets in the region to defend against what could be an Iranian threat against our personnel."

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Responding to Trump's latest warning, Araghchi said: "Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL - on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation - which ensures Iran's rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS."

"Such weapons have no place in our security calculations and we have NEVER sought to acquire them," he added.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that no negotiations with the US were currently under way, despite "exchanges of messages".

[BBC]

Using open-source tools, BBC Verify has been able to track some of the recent US deployments to the region, with satellite images showing that at least 15 fighter jets arrived at Jordan's Muwaffaq Air Force Base.

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There has also been an increase in the number of aircraft arriving at bases in Jordan, Qatar, and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

BBC Verify has identified dozens of cargo planes and refuelling aircraft arriving in the Middle East, while drones and P-8 Poseidon spy planes have been seen on the FlightRadar24 tracking site operating near Iranian airspace.

A naval "armada", as Trump referred to it, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has also arrived in the Middle East, a US defence official confirmed to BBC Verify.

On Monday an Osprey aircraft's tracker was seen on FlightRadar24 landing in Oman after leaving an offshore location in the Gulf, suggesting that the Lincoln could be operating somewhere nearby.

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"In the past two weeks, the US has surged naval and aerial assets to the region, significantly increasing its regional posture," Megan Sutcliffe, a principal analyst at the risk advisory firm Sibylline, said.

Satellite images show that at least two US guided missile destroyers and three combat ships have been docked in Bahrain for several months.

Meanwhile, Tehran has deployed the IRIS Shahid Bagheri - a drone carrier ship which entered service last year - just off the Iranian coast, satellite images show.

IRIS Shahid Bagheri, shown on a satellite image taken in December 2024 [Maxar Techn]

Under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran was not permitted to enrich uranium above 3.67% purity - the level required for fuel for commercial nuclear power plants - and was not allowed to carry out any enrichment at its Fordo plant for 15 years.

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However, Trump abandoned the agreement during his first term in 2018, saying it did too little to stop a pathway to a bomb, and reinstated US sanctions, which crippled the Iranian economy.

Tehran retaliated by increasingly breaching restrictions under the deal, particularly those related to the production of enriched uranium, which is used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons.

US officials, quoted by American media, have said Iran must stop enriching uranium, limit its missile programme and stop supporting proxy groups in the Middle East, as part of a new nuclear deal.

The last time the US took action against Iranian nuclear sites was June last year, when it targeted three uranium enrichment facilities in Iran: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

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US officials then said the operation - codenamed "Midnight Hammer" - had significantly set back the prospect of Tehran building a nuclear weapon.

However, Hassan Abedini, the deputy political director of Iran's state broadcaster, claimed that the country "didn't suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out" of the facilities.

In retaliation, Iran launched missiles on a US military base in Qatar - an attack described by Trump as "very weak" and "expected".

Additional reporting by Joshua Cheetham, Matt Murphy, Alex Murray, Barbara Metzler and Sofia Ferreira Santos.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump warned Iraq on Tuesday that the U.S. would no longer support the country if its former prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, returns to power.

Trump made the threat days after the dominant political bloc known as the Coordination Framework, a collection of Shiite parties, announced it was backing the nomination of al-Maliki, who the U.S. administration views as too close to Iran.

Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again, Trump said in a social media post announcing his opposition to al-Maliki. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom.

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Trump's intervention into Iraqi politics comes at a fraught moment for Trump in the Middle East as he weighs carrying out new strikes on Iraq's neighbor Iran, which has maintained deep influence in Iraq's government since the U.S. ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Trump has left open the possibility of military action in response to Tehran's deadly crackdown on recent protests against the Islamic government.

Al-Maliki's troubled relationship with Washington

Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani 's bloc won the largest share of seats in Novembers parliamentary elections. But he stepped aside earlier this month after he was unable to form a government. That cleared the field for al-Maliki after the two had competed for the backing of the Coordination Framework.

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Al-Maliki, who first served as prime minister in 2006, is the only Iraqi prime minister to serve two terms since the U.S. toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. Al-Maliki's bid for a third term failed after he was accused of monopolizing power and alienating the country's sizable Sunni and Kurdish populations.

When he came to power in May 2006, al-Maliki was initially embraced by President George W. Bush. Al-Maliki took over as prime minister months after the bombing of the al-Askari shrine, a significant Shiite mosque. It was a moment that deepened sectarian tension in Iraq and sparked a period of intense violence in the country.

But within months, U.S. officials soured on al-Maliki. They saw his government as too often favoring Shiite factions and alienating Sunni populations, which exacerbated the security crisis.

For years, concerns were frequently raised in Washington about al-Malikis closeness to Iran and his ability to govern independently of Tehrans influence.

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By 2014, the Obama administration had lost confidence in al-Malikis ability to manage the security situation, particularly the rise of the Islamic State group, which had seized large swaths of the country.

This is Iraq, so never say never

The Trump administration began publicly signaling its concerns about the political situation in Iraq in recent days, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio telling caretaker Prime Minister al-Sudani in a phone call Sunday that the U.S. was concerned about a pro-Iran government taking root in Iraq.

The Secretary emphasized that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraqs own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts, or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq, said State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott in a statement.

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Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a research fellow focused on the Middle East at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank, said that Trump's public opposition creates a difficult hurdle for al-Maliki to overcome.

But this is Iraq, so never say never, said Abdul-Hussein. And this was a guy whose political life was supposed to have expired many, many years ago, and yet Maliki is still here.

The U.S. also has been pushing Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed groups operating inside Iraq  a difficult proposition, given the political power that many of them hold.

Trump's intervention comes at a fraught moment with Iran

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It's not the first time that Trump has intervened in another country's politics since returning to office. He also offered strong backing last year for right-wing candidates in Argentina, Honduras, and Poland.

The long-frayed relationship between the U.S. and Iran remains tense after Trump earlier this month repeatedly threatened Tehran with military action if his administration found the Islamic Republic was using deadly force against anti-government protesters.

He then said he was holding off on strikes after claiming that Iran had halted the execution of some 800 people detained in the protests  something Irans top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, has strongly denied.

Trump may have been at least temporarily dissuaded from carrying out a strike because of a shift in the U.S. naval presence from the Middle East to South America.

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The aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford was redirected from the Mediterranean Sea in November to support operations targeting drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific as well as this month's capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.

But the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying warships have arrived in the Middle East, U.S. Central Command confirmed Monday. That's raised anew speculation that Trump could soon opt to order airstrikes on Iran for its crackdown on protesters.
Microsoft (MSFT) will release its second-quarter fiscal 2026 financial results on Jan. 28. While the technology giant has been delivering strong financial results with expanding margins, MSFT stock has struggled to gain traction and has recently pulled back.

A major factor weighing on the stock is investor unease around Microsofts rising capital expenditures (capex). As the company scales up its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure, concerns have emerged that spending is expanding too aggressively amid broader market fears of an AI investment bubble.

More News from Barchart

Investors worries intensified after Microsoft disclosed Q1 capital expenditures of $34.9 billion, significantly exceeding its prior guidance of $30 billion. Management attributed the increase to surging demand for AI workloads and cloud capacity, especially within the Azure platform.

While elevated capex has made investors cautious, technical indicators suggest MSFT stock has room to run. Microsofts 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) currently sits at about 50, well below the 70 threshold typically associated with overbought conditions. This level implies that shares could rebound if the upcoming earnings report and managements outlook help reassure the market that higher capital spending will translate into durable growth and improving returns over time.

Derivatives markets are projecting a moderate reaction to MSFTs earnings release. Options pricing implies a post-earnings move of about 4.3% in either direction for contracts expiring Jan. 30, which is lower than Microsofts average earnings-related move of 5.2% over the past four quarters. Investors should note that Microsoft stock declined 2.9% following its previous earnings announcement.

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Microsoft's Q2 Earnings: Heres What to Expect

The momentum in Microsofts business will likely sustain in Q2, driven by cloud and AI strengths. Management has guided for Q2 revenue in the range of $79.5 billion to $80.6 billion, representing year-over-year (YOY) growth of 14% to 16%.

The companys cloud business remains the key growth driver. In the prior quarter, Microsoft Cloud revenue reached $49.1 billion, up 26% from the same period last year. Within the segment, the Intelligent Cloud business delivered $30.9 billion in revenue, up 28% YOY. Azure and related cloud services continue to see strong demand for core infrastructure offerings, with revenue climbing 40% YOY.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to end all US support for Iraq if Nouri al-Maliki, a former prime minister with ties to Iran, returns to the post.

Trump, in his latest blatant intervention in another country's politics, said that Iraq would make a "very bad choice" with Maliki, who has been nominated as prime minister by the largest Shiite bloc.

"Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

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"Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq," he said.

"If we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!" he wrote, adopting his slogan at home.

Maliki left power in 2014 following pressure from the United States, which blamed his nakedly sectarian Shiite agenda for giving rise to the Islamic State group of ultra-violent Sunni extremists.

The United States wields key leverage over Iraq as its oil export revenue is largely held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, in an arrangement reached after the 2003 US invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

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Oil sales account for around 90 percent of Iraqi government revenues.

Trump's statement came days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced similar concerns in a telephone call with the incumbent prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The United States had also sent a letter to Iraqi politicians saying that Washington views Maliki negatively, political sources said.

- Delay in parliament -

By convention, a Shiite Muslim has been prime minister since the fall of Saddam, who ruthlessly repressed the Shiite majority in Iraq.

On Saturday, the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite parties with varying ties to Iran that holds a parliamentary majority, endorsed Maliki.

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Normally he would then be nominated by the president, who holds a largely ceremonial role.

Iraq's parliament was set to elect a president on Tuesday but the vote was abruptly delayed.

The presidency traditionally goes to a Kurd, and the official INA press agency said that the two main Kurdish parties had requested more time to come to a consensus on a candidate.

Before Trump's open call to dump Maliki, an Iraqi political source said that the Coordination Framework was set on moving forward with the nomination, believing that Maliki could eventually allay Washington's concerns.

A pro-Iranian government in Iraq would be a rare boon for Tehran's Shiite clerical state after it suffered major setbacks at home and in the region.

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The Islamic republic has killed thousands of Iranians since mass protests erupted in late December in one of the largest threats to the clerics' rule since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Since suffering the October 7, 2023 attacks, Israel has hit Iran both with strikes inside the country and heavy blows against Tehran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah, while Iran lost its main Arab ally with the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

The United States has enjoyed smooth relations with Sudani, who has worked quietly to prevent violence by Iraqi Shiite armed groups tied to Iran.

Sudani has also cooperated with the United States to bring into Iraq a caravan of Islamic State prisoners from Syria, where the army recently moved on Kurdish fighters who had run the detention camps.

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Even during Sudani's term, Maliki annoyed the then US administration of Joe Biden by helping push through a harsh anti-LGBTQ law.

The United States has long intervened in other countries, but Trump has broken precedent by meddling openly.

Trump has backed fellow right-wing candidates in elections in Poland, Romania and Honduras, where the Trump-backed winner was inaugurated Tuesday.

Trump earlier this month ordered a deadly military operation into Venezuela that removed leftist president Nicolas Maduro, a longtime US nemesis.

burs-sct/dw
The Russians conducted a drone attack on the Bilohorodka hromada in Kyiv Oblast on the night of 27-28 January. A husband and wife have been killed, while their four-year-old child has been given medical treatment. Three other people have also been injured. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

Source: Mykola Kalashnyk, Head of Kyiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram; National Police of Ukraine

Quote: "The Bilohorodka hromada was affected in the attack by the terrorist state.

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A high-rise residential building has been damaged. A fire has broken out on the roof and the top floor."

Details: Kalashnyk noted that emergency and municipal services are working at the scene.

He also said that "residents are being evacuated".

Update: Later, Kalashnyk added that two people  a man and a woman  had been killed in the Russian attack on the Bilohorodka hromada.

Quote: "Four people sought medical treatment. A young woman and two children have suffered an acute stress reaction, while a man has been diagnosed with smoke inhalation."

Details: Kalashnyk added that the fire in the residential building had been contained.

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Update: The National Police of Ukraine reported that Russian forces had attacked Kyiv Oblast. A high-rise residential building, two cars and an office building were damaged in the Bucha district.

Aftermath of the Russian attack Photo: National Police of Ukraine

Damaged house Photo: National Police of Ukraine

Quote from the National Police of Ukraine: "Sadly, a man and a woman were killed. Their four-year-old child received medical treatment at the scene.

Three people were also injured and refused hospitalisation."

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Ahead of Tyler Robinsons next court hearing on Feb. 3, Robinson and his defense team filed a request to ban video footage of conservative activist Charlie Kirk being shot and killed at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Robinson was charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder, less than a week after Kirks murder, and officials are actively pursuing capital punishment.

On Tuesday, his attorneys cited Rules 401 and 402 of the Utah Rules of Evidence as well as the argument that presenting the video  which is admitted to the court by the State as Exhibit 4.1  would hinder Robinsons constitutional right to a fair trial.

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Rule 401 states that evidence is only relevant if it has any tendency to make a fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence; and the fact is of consequence in determining the action." Rule 402 states that irrelevant evidence is not admissible.

The defense also cited Rule 403 as potentially being violated if the video is presented in open court, or if this Court intends to provide the public with access to this exhibit before it is admitted into evidence at trial, if it ever is, the filing obtained by Deseret News, said.

Mr. Robinsons objection under Rule 403 is inextricably intertwined with and therefore also based upon his right to a fair trial under the Utah and United States Constitutions, the filing continued.

If the video is permitted, which they say depicts a close-up color video, with audio, of the shooting of Mr. Kirk, it is inadmissible and should remain sealed until it is admitted into evidence, if it is, at trial.

Why is evidence being shown next hearing?

The Prove Me Wrong tour that took place at UVU lasted only minutes before about 3,000 people witnessed Kirks shocking assassination.

Law enforcement sets up a barricade after Charlie Kirk was shot during Turning Point USAs visit to Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

Last hearing, Robinsons attorneys argued that the Utah County Attorneys Office should be dismissed from prosecuting the case and that it be moved to a different district because one of the defense attorneys had a child who was at the UVU event and witnessed Kirk being shot.

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Fourth District Judge Tony Graf said that the defense didnt offer enough evidence to dismiss the prosecution, but he granted an evidentiary hearing so that they could try to persuade him otherwise. That hearing is scheduled for Feb. 3.

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said during the last hearing that the conflict of interest allegation is an ambush and another stalling tactic to delay these proceedings, the Deseret News previously reported. They also disputed the allegation, labeling it a tactic to find a more lenient and favorable prosecuting authority.

In their Tuesday filing, Robinsons defense team further described their frustration with the national attention and media coverage the case has received, and how that has impeded Robinsons right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

As the highly biased traditional local and national media and nouveau international social media coverage of this case demonstrates, every in-court statement by attorneys representing the state, whether under oath or not, every statement by counsel for Mr. Robinson, and every observation and ruling by this court are under a microscope and subject to micro-surgery by journalists, bloggers, media experts, and others, the filing said.

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The objection further stated, To make matters worse, those media entities which now purport to refer to themselves as litigants in this prosecution, in complete disregard of this courts admonition to the contrary, seek to ensure that every single pleading filed in and statement to this court is available for widespread public dissemination long before a neutral, untainted and reliably unbiased jury is ever impaneled, undoubtedly undermining the ability of this court and the two litigants to do so.

Multiple witnesses are expected to testify at the next hearing, as Graf will be trying to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to disqualify the prosecution from the case.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, plans to visit with voters outside her 3rd congressional district anchored by Johnson County to talk about their priorities for addressing affordability issues, including health care and jobs, (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. House YouTube channel)

TOPEKA  U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids says shes embarking on a four-city sweep  all locations outside her congressional district  to learn more about Kansans priorities for the federal government.

In an interview, the Kansas Democrat said she planned to be in the Statehouse on Thursday with Gov. Laura Kelly and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott. She has scheduled a Friday tour of aerospace research facilities at Wichita State University before visiting small businesses Saturday in Dodge City and a dairy Sunday in Colby.

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Im just looking forward to showing up, meeting people and making sure that folks voices continue to shape the work were doing, Davids said. Im looking at this tour as really a chance to go a bit deeper on certain topics, connect with more communities and really listen to folks.

In addition to opportunities for lowering consumer costs, Davids said she expected to discuss ideas for protecting jobs, strengthening health care and keeping families safe because strong communities make a strong Kansas.

Groceries, health care, gas  I mean everything is so expensive right now, she said. Theres too many policies coming out of D.C. that are causing more chaos. Its not that theyre not making life easier, theyre actually making life harder for some people.

Davids represents the states 3rd Congressional District, which is centered on Johnson County. It also covers Anderson, Franklin and Miami counties and half of Wyandotte County.

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So far, Kansas Republicans have failed to gather sufficient support in the Legislature for redrawing boundaries of the four U.S. House districts in a bid to make it difficult for Davids to win reelection in November. Redistricting has been part of a White House strategy to gerrymander Democrats out of Congress. If the tactic worked as President Donald Trump sought, it could result in the GOP retaining control of the U.S. House through the remainder of Trumps term.

Davids opposed plans by the Legislature to change Kansas congressional districts ahead of 2026 elections. She has considered running for reelection to the U.S. House or campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Roger Marshall.

I can say this tour isnt about some kind of announcement for something different, she said. With the conversations around the extreme mid-decade redistricting, Ive said this before, that no options are off the table. Right now, my focus really is on doing the best job I can by showing up, listening and delivering real results.

It has been unclear whether the Legislature would redraw maps this session, but several GOP candidates for Kansas governor have endorsed pursuit of a new map.

Im going to continue to watch closely, Davids said. I didnt get here by taking anything for granted.
By John Irish and Michel Rose

PARIS, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The European Union is poised to include Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on its list of terrorist organisations after France said on Wednesday it would now support the move.

EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels on Thursday and were due to sign off on new sanctions in response to a crackdown on protests that has seen thousands killed and thousands more arrested.

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"France will support the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the European Union's list of terrorist organisations," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X.

With France, Italy and Germany now on board, the decision is likely to be approved politically on Thursday, although it does need unanimity among the bloc's 27 members.

Earlier on Wednesday, France had been hesitant to back the majority in the bloc, who have pushed to add the IRGC to the EU's terrorist organisation list, joining the United States.

"The unbearable repression of the peaceful uprising of the Iranian people cannot go unanswered. The extraordinary courage they have shown in the face of the blind violence unleashed upon them cannot be in vain," Barrot said.

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The French presidency had earlier announced the decision.

Set up after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution to protect the Shi'ite clerical ruling system, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has great sway in the country, controlling swathes of the economy and armed forces, and was put in charge of Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes.

CUTTING TIES, FEARS FOR CITIZENS IN IRAN

While some EU member states have previously pushed for the IRGC to be added to the EU's terrorist list, others, led by France, have been more cautious.

They feared such a move could lead to a complete break in ties with Iran, impacting diplomatic missions, and also hurting negotiations to release European citizens held in Iranian prisons.

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Paris has been especially worried about the fate of two of its citizens currently living at the embassy in Tehran after being released from prison last year.

Anti-government protests that swept across Iran since December have triggered the bloodiest crackdown by authorities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, drawing international condemnation.

Other diplomats backing the move said the magnitude of the crackdown meant Europe had to send a very strong political signal given the IRGC's role in the clampdown, but also its activities overseas, which they said was tantamount to terrorist activity.

"If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then its probably a duck and its good to call that out," said one senior EU diplomat.

(Editing by Toby Chopra and Bill Berkrot)
KAMPALA, Jan 28 (Reuters) - A Ugandan court on Wednesday released on bail a prominent rights activist whose detention was seen by campaign groups as part of a widespread crackdown on dissent ahead of the country's general election that was held on January 15.

Sarah Bireete, who heads the Centre for Constitutional Governance, a Kampala-based pressure group, was detained on December 30 after questioning the accuracy of the voter register to be used in the poll. She was later charged with offences related to alleged unlawful disclosure of voters' information.

On Wednesday Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko released her on bail saying "the applicant satisfied all the relevant requirements for the grant of bail".

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The official results of the poll showed long-ruling incumbent Yoweri Museveni securing 71.6% of the votes. Opposition leader Bobi Wine, who is in hiding and is being sought by the military, has rejected the results.

After Bireete's detention, CCG said she was being persecuted for helping to "amplify the voices of the oppressed and marginalised". International rights groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been demanding her unconditional release.

The 81-year-old Museveni, already Africa's third longest-ruling head of state, will have been president of the East African country for 45 years by the time his term ends in 2031.

Rights groups and the opposition have long accused his government of using the military to suppress dissent. The government denies those accusations.

(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Wednesday that Ukraine deserves a fair chance to join the EU.

"A lasting peace architecture in Europe requires that Ukraine has a fair chance of joining the European Union," Wadephul said during a question and answer session in the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament.

Wadephul did not comment on a possible date for such an accession.

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However, the foreign minister had already made it clear with regard to accession candidates in the Western Balkans that there could be no prospect of shortcuts for Kiev.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier reiterated his demand for EU membership for his country as early as 2027, despite scepticism in European states.

"Ukraine's accession to the European Union is one of the key security guarantees not only for us, but also for all of Europe," Zelensky wrote on X after a telephone conversation with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker on Tuesday.

"Europe's collective strength is possible, in particular, thanks to Ukraine's security, technological, and economic contributions," he continued.

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Wadephul said in the Bundestag: "One of the key security guarantees that we can give Ukraine at this time, and in my view must give, is a realistic prospect of joining the European Union."

Such a step may seem a long way off today, Wadephul said. But it remains in the core interest of Germany and Europeans to ensure that Ukraine can win its fight against the Russian aggressor, he asserted.
KYIV, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Ukraine's foreign ministry said it summoned Hungary's ambassador to Kyiv on Thursday to protest over Budapest's allegations of Ukrainian meddling in the upcoming Hungarian parliamentary election.

Nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has intensified criticism of Ukraine in recent weeks, seeking to associate Hungary's opposition leader Peter Magyar with Kyiv and the European Union executive as the election campaign heats up.

Orban and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have engaged in a public war of words, with Zelenskiy accusing Orban, without naming him directly, of trying to "sell out European interests."

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In response, Orban called his counterpart "a man in a desperate position" as Ukraine approaches its fourth anniversary of full-scale war since Russia invaded in February 2022.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto criticised the Ukrainian protest on Facebook on Wednesday.

"Based on what was said at the summoning of the ambassador, we must be prepared for the Ukrainians to continue their open and crude interference in the April elections in the interests of the (opposition) Tisza party."

Orban, in power since 2010, is facing a strong challenger for the first time with most polls consistently showing Magyar's centre-right Tisza party ahead of the premier's right-wing nationalist Fidesz after three years of economic stagnation.

(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Max Hunder; additional reporting by Krisztina Than; writing by Max Hunder; editing by Sharon Singleton and Mark Heinrich)
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has summoned Hungarian ambassador Antal Heizer and expressed a formal protest over recent remarks by Hungarian officials who have accused Ukraine of supposedly interfering in Hungary's parliamentary elections.

Source: a statement by Ukraine's Foreign Ministry; Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Facebook, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On 27 January, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's ambassador in Budapest due to what it claimed were attempts by Kyiv to influence Hungary's parliamentary elections in favour of the opposition Tisza party.

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Ukraine's Foreign Ministry summoned the Hungarian ambassador in response.

It was made clear to Heizer that Ukraine strongly rejects any suggestion of involvement in Hungary's election campaign and that such claims harm bilateral relations.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry also called on Hungary to stop its aggressive anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in order to avoid fallout that would affect relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Ukraine stressed that it remains ready to develop constructive cooperation with Hungary.

Szijjarto said he was not surprised that the Hungarian ambassador in Kyiv had been summoned to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.

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"They again expressed their objections to the national referendum through which the Hungarian people will have their say on Brussels' and Kyiv's intentions to spend Hungarian taxpayers' money on supporting and arming Ukraine," Szijjarto wrote.

He also complained that Hungary has not received any explanations as to why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy supposedly insulted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban or why Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha compared Orban to Hitler's henchman Ferenc Szalasi.

Szijjarto added that based on what the Hungarian ambassador was told, he expects that "Ukrainians will continue to openly and crudely interfere in the April elections in favour of the Tisza party".

"However, Ukrainians should be prepared for us to protect the sovereignty of our country and not allow them to influence the outcome of the election," the Hungarian minister wrote.

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Dr. Trevonne Thompson is set to become regional dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford on March 16 pending approval from the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, according to a community announcement.

Thompson will succeed Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green, who is stepping down after 12 years leading the Rockford regional campus, the announcement said.

Thompson currently serves as associate dean for admissions at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He previously was assistant dean for residency preparedness on the Chicago campus, where he helped students transition from medical school into residency.

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He is a tenured professor of emergency medicine and medical toxicology and heads the Division of Medical Toxicology in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Thompson joined the College of Medicine full time in 2009 as an assistant professor and has since worked to advance the colleges mission while mentoring dozens of medical students, resident physicians and fellows-in-training, according to the announcement.

Emergency physician Trevonne Thompson is set to become regional dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford, pending trustee approval.

His clinical and academic work spans emergency care delivery, poisoning management and substance use-related public health challenges. He also contributes to national guidelines and ongoing professional education in his field.

Our candidate pool was comprised of a uniquely qualified group of physicians and academics, said Dr. Enrico Benedetti, interim G. Stephen Irwin executive dean of the University of Illinois College of Medicine. As we are now in the seventh year of offering a unified curricular experience across our campuses, it is gratifying to serve our students in Rockford through leadership deeply familiar with and invested in the educational structure of our college. I am fully confident in Dr. Thompsons expertise, agility, and conscientious leadership.

National roles and academic path

Beyond his work at the university, Thompson has held key posts in national professional groups. He is a former chair of the Emergency Medicine Section of the National Medical Association and is a fellow and member of the board of directors of the American College of Medical Toxicology. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians.

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Thompson serves as a consultant to the Illinois Poison Center and is an associate editor for the Journal of Medical Toxicology.

He graduated summa cum laude from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans with a degree in biology and minors in chemistry and Spanish. Thompson earned his medical degree from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.

He completed his emergency medicine residency at Cook County Hospital, now Stroger Hospital of Cook County, where he served as chief resident. Thompson went on to complete a medical toxicology fellowship at the Toxikon Consortium in Chicago and holds a masters degree in health professions education from the University of Illinois Chicago.

It is an honor to step into this Deanship in Rockford, Thompson said in the announcement. I look forward to leading from a place of service and navigating the unique commitments to which my colleagues, peers, and students attend.

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This story was created by Dave DeMille, ddemille@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: UI College of Medicine Rockford names new dean
Conglomerate MK Group has agreed to purchase Serbian edible oils manufacturer Dijamant from Croatias Fortenova Group.

The deal was announced in individual statements yesterday (27 January) from MK Group and Fortenova, which said the disposal of Dijamant "marks our exit from the agricultural industry and the edible oil industry".

Financial terms were not disclosed, while the transaction remains subject to regulatory competition approvals.

According to Fortenova's website, Dijamant is the leader in the production of edible oils, margarines, vegetable fats, mayonnaise, and mayonnaise-based delicatessen products in Serbia under its own brand name.

In what was formerly operating as the trading company Agrokor before undergoing a restructuring exercise, Fortenovas sale of the Dijamant business is the latest disposal of select food and drinks assets by the Croatian group.

Fortenova CEO Fabris Perusko said in a statement: It is part of our portfolio optimisation process, whereby we have exited operations that are no longer our core business.

"Fortenova Groups focus is on the retail sector, logistics and commercial real estate, as well as beverages."

Perusko added that Fortenova had fully settled Dijamants debts dating from before 2017 and has invested more than 40m ($47.6m) in the companys four-decade-old production facility in Zrenjanin, in northern Serbia.

We doubled production capacities, improved competitiveness and increased market share, Perusko said.

MK Group, which is active across agriculture, tourism, property and renewable energy in Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Slovenia, said the deal would allow it to apply its existing expertise across its food and farming portfolio to Dijamant.

MK Group general director Mihailo Jankovic said: I am confident that the transfer of our know-how, experience and expertise, built through many years of managing agricultural and food companies, will enable Dijamant to achieve significant improvements in processes, quality and innovation, as well as create additional value for employees, consumers, partners and the entire industry.

Fortenova also sold a cooking oils business last year in Croatia and Slovenia. In November, Podravka-owned food group Zito agreed a deal to buy the Zvijezda businesses, which also included spreads, sauces and condiments.

In other disposals, Croatian alcoholic drinks group Badel 1862 struck a deal to acquire local wine, cheese and olive-oil maker Agrolaguna, along with the winery Vinarija Novigrad, from Fortenova.

Divestitures have also included a clutch of food and drinks assets sold to fellow CPG business Podravka. The deal featured fruit and vegetables processor Pik-Vinkovci and grains wholesaler Felix.
The U.S. government agreed not to deport witnesses in a migrant's death that's been ruled a "homicide" at an El Paso ICE detention center.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security attorney Darryl Vereen and attorney for the migrant's family Christopher Benoit agreed to a preliminary injunction preventing six migrants from being deported from the U.S. until they can give depositions on what they witnessed leading up to the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos.

They (Lunas Campos children) are simply seeking in this proceeding the opportunity to make sure we can preserve eyewitness testimony of individuals inside the camp who personally witnessed the death of Mr. Lunas Campos at the Fort Bliss facility, Benoit said. That is what we were able to come to an agreement with and hope the judge will order here in the next day or so.

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Senior U.S. District Judge David Briones accepted the agreement during a hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the Albert Armendariz Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Downtown El Paso.

Family seeks justice, accountability

Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant, died on Jan. 3 in custody at the Camp East Montana detention center, the largest ICE detention center in the U.S. The Medical Examiner Office ruled it a "homicide."

The family is shooting to make sure that there is accountability for whatever happened," Benoit said. "But more importantly, they just want to know what happened.

The testimony of the witnesses provides an independent version of what happened instead of having to rely on the governments version of the events, Benoit said.

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The testimony of independent witnesses who do not work for the facility and do not work for the government is critical to making sure we have a clear picture of what happened, Benoit said.

Benoit said "preservation letters" have been sent to ICE officials to keep and share surveillance videos from inside the facility.

Attorney Max A. Schoening, who is also representing the family, said Lunas Campos' children are left without a father and are searching for answers. Lunas Campos' family did not attend the hearing.

"They are devastated by his death," Schoening said. "They were shocked by the news. They are very committed to ensuring accountability for what happened."

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He added, "What Lunas Campos' children want in this case is to establish the truth about what the guards did to him in this facility by taking his life. They want justice. They want accountability and they want to ensure this does not continue to happen to other immigrants in ICE detention facilities across the country."

Geraldo Lunas Campos

Migrants expected to testify on events leading to death

The migrants who allegedly witnessed Lunas Campos' final minutes include Santos Jesus Flores, Antonio Ascon Frometa, Henry Negrin Bolano, Jenrry Melendez, Mayron Pazpuerto and Cobi Ardenis Nazareth.

The agreement means that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will not deport or move the migrants from the El Paso detention center until the end of February. Lunas Campos' family's attorney will have to get the depositions before the deadline.

Benoit said his team is expected to interview the migrants next week. Once the depositions are taken, a hearing will be held to determine if the migrants will remain in the U.S. as Lunas Campos' family moves forward with a wrongful death lawsuit.

Civil rights attorney Christopher Benoit, in blue, walks with trial lawyers Will Horowitz, center, and Max Schoening on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at the Albert Armendariz Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Downtown El Paso. The attorneys represent the family of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant who died Jan. 3 while in custody at the Camp East Montana detention center.

More: Death of migrant at El Paso ICE center heads to federal court

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Federal authorities allegedly attempted to get Flores and Frometa deported after they spoke to the Washington Post about what they witnessed before Lunas Campos died.

The migrants claimed to hear Lunas Campos repeatedly say in Spanish, No puedo respirar, meaning I cannot breathe in English, states a petition filed by the family to stop the deportation of the migrants.

Flores added that after hearing Lunas Campos say he could not breathe, he could no longer hear his voice.

Another migrant said he heard Lunas Campos telling guards they were choking him, and hearing what sounded like a struggle between Lunas Campos and the guards, including one migrant saying he heard "what sounded like the slamming of a persons body against the floor or a wall."

Wrongful death lawsuit to be filed

The hearing came as Lunas Campos' surviving children  Jasmarie Lunas Pagan, Jeraldo Lunas Pagan and Kary Lunas  prepare to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Akima Global Services, LLC., and Acquisition Logistics, LLC.

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Attorneys for Akima Global Services, LLC, and Acquisition Logistics, LLC, had no objections to the agreement.

Akima Global Services is a federal contractor providing staff and security to Camp East Montana, while Acquisition Logistics, LLC was awarded a $1.26 billion contract to construct and operate the facility.

Lunas Campos had been held for nearly four months at the detention center located on Fort Bliss property in East El Paso before his death in early January.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials claimed Lunas Campos after he became "disruptive" while in line for medication. He suffered "medical distress" as he was placed in segregation, a Jan. 9 ICE news release said.

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More: Autopsy: Neck hemorrhage, rib fractures in ICE death ruled a homicide

Lunas Campos was pronounced dead at the center. ICE officials said an investigation into the death is being conducted.

The El Paso County Medical Examiner Office conducted an autopsy on Lunas Campos' body, stating in an autopsy report that Lunas Campos became unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement.

The cause of death was "asphyxia due to neck and torso compression," the medical examiner's autopsy report states.

The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. The finding is not a legal finding and does not mean criminal charges will be filed against those involved in the incident. FBI officials have declined to comment on whether they are conducting an investigation

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Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: US agrees not to deport witnesses in migrant's 'homicide' at ICE facility
The likelihood of US strikes on Iran increased once again, as Washington deployed a carrier group to the Middle East.

President Donald Trump threatened attacks after Tehrans crackdown on anti-government protests, but seemed to back away. Now, though, the USS Abraham Lincoln and its escorts, along with land-based fighter-bombers, are in the region, and US forces are conducting military exercises; Trump said the beautiful armada should encourage Iran to make a deal.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two key US regional allies, ruled out the use of their airspace or territory, making any attacks more complicated, although not impossible. Estimates of the number killed by the Iranian regime in the recent protests range from 6,000 to more than 30,000.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump sent a message to Iranians who were protesting against the regime, that "help is on its way".

Since then, there has been a slow, steady and significant build-up of US military forces in the region.

America, which is the world's most powerful military, has already shown it can strike Iran. Last June's operation "Midnight Hammer" targeted its nuclear facilities.

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It involved more than 100 aircraft, with B-2 stealth jets flying all the way from the United States to deliver their "bunker-buster" precision guided bombs.

The question now: Is the US getting ready to hit Iran, again?

Donald Trump's latest social media post suggests he may, with him warning Iran that unless it makes a deal to limit its nuclear programme then "the next attack will be far worse!"

The US president said a "massive Armada" was heading to Iran and - like in Venezuela where the US seized Nicolas Maduro - it was "ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary".

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He called for Iran to come to the negotiating table but added that time was "running out".

The US already has a significant military footprint in the Middle East, with up to 50,000 military personnel in the region.

Around 10,000 of those are based at al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar. But the US also has bases in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Over the past few weeks, open source intelligence reporting has tracked scores of additional US military aircraft arriving in the region.

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Photos taken on Sunday of al-Udeid Air Force Base - the largest American facility in the Middle East - show a number of new structures appearing at a site on its periphery.

After the US strikes on Iran's nuclear complexes last year, Tehran launched missiles at al-Udeid. Now, there seems to be new anti-air defences being installed there, experts who were shown the satellite images said.

[BBC]

The Pentagon does not provide a detailed list of those movements. But BBC Verify has been able to track the arrival of F-15 fighter jets and refuelling tankers.

Drones and P-8 Poseidon spy planes have been seen operating near Iranian airspace on the FlightRadar24 tracking website.

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There has also been the arrival of transport aircraft, some of which are believed to be carrying more air defence systems. This may suggest that America is taking steps to defend itself and its Gulf allies from possible retaliatory strikes, if Trump ordered an attack on Iran.

Britain, too, has sent a squadron of Typhoon jets to the area "to boost regional security".

The US Air Force has announced that it is conducting a major exercise in the region, Operation Agile Spartan, "to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across the US Central Command area of responsibility".

Stefan Watkins, who tracks ships and shares his findings on social media, has also recently tracked the arrival of a number of US early warning and spy aircraft which were there during Operation Midnight Hammer  including RC-135s, and E-11A BACN and E-3G Sentry.

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He says that "might suggest" that strikes are "coming sooner rather than later".

Just as significant is the arrival of a US carrier strike group to the region.

The USS Abraham Lincoln shown in 2019 [US Navy via Reuters]

The USS Abraham Lincoln was in the Indo-Pacific region when it was ordered to turn around and head to the Gulf.

While the aircraft carrier has not publicly broadcast its location for more than a week, on Monday an Osprey aircraft's tracker was seen on FlightRadar24 landing in Oman after leaving an offshore location in the Gulf. That suggests the Lincoln could be operating somewhere near Oman.

A carrier strike group is one of the most potent symbols of American military power, with an air wing of around 70 aircraft.

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On the USS Abraham Lincoln, that includes the latest F-35 stealth jets, capable of evading enemy radar.

The strike group also has three destroyers loaded with Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, and is normally accompanied by a nuclear powered submarine, which fires the same weapon.

That is in addition to the two US destroyers already in the region. In the words of President Trump: "We have a big flotilla going in that region and we'll see what happens".

[BBC]

Potential targets

Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the defence think tank Rusi, says that with their current military posture in the region, the US "could probably go almost anywhere in Iran and strike almost anything, apart from the most deeply buried facilities"  which would likely require B-2 bombers.

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So, what might the US target, if Trump gives the order?

Savill, who worked on Iran policy with the UK government, says the US has a range of options.

The first could be Iran's military capabilities, "like its ballistic missile threat or its coastal missile batteries". At the very least that could make it harder for the regime to retaliate, which it is threatening to do.

Iran still has significant stockpiles of short range ballistic missiles and long range drones. That makes some of America's Gulf allies nervous. Some have already made clear they will not support more US strikes.

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Another option would be to target the regime itself.

Savill says "they could go after the centres of military power, including Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and maybe the militias that are suppressing the protesters".

Trying to decapitate Iran's leadership, though, may prove more difficult and dangerous.

Israel did target senior Iranians during its 12-day war last year. That included tracking bodyguards to find their locations. But Iran is likely to have since tightened up security and dispersed.

Savill says the US "could probably find and kill senior individuals, but it is not clear what the cumulative effect would be".

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"We could be witnessing the final death throes of this current regime, but the problem is that could take months or even years to play out," Savill adds.

While President Trump has proved that he is willing to use military force, he has made clear in the past that he has no desire to get involved in a long, protracted conflict.

His military interventions so far have been short, sharp and limited.

He has also not ruled out a diplomatic solution that would require Iran to agree to limit its nuclear programme.

According to Savill, Trump is now having to "weigh the desire to be seen as decisive with the chances of actually achieving a decisive impact".
The prominent Democratic US Representative Ilhan Omar was attacked by a man from the audience during an appearance in Minneapolis on Tuesday evening.

Omar was calling for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in light of the brutal actions of federal security forces in the city when the unknown assailant suddenly stood up, approached her and sprayed her with an unidentifiable substance.

Videos of the incident showed the attacker spraying a liquid on Omar and insulting her. Security forces overpowered the man, brought him to the ground, and then escorted him out of the room.

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In the few seconds before a bodyguard intervened, the man did not appear to attempt to lunge at the representative standing directly in front of him at the podium or to further physically attack her.

Omar continued her appearance afterward. She said that attackers should not be allowed to have the last word. People like the assailant, she said, do not understand that the state of Minnesota and its citizens are strong and resilient.

"We will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw on us," Omar said to cheers and applause from those present. "I'm going to finish my remarks."

Later on the platform X, she wrote that she was fine: "Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work. I dont let bullies win."

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Omar thanked the citizens of her constituency who "rallied behind" her. Her office stated that the attacker used a syringe to spray her with an unknown substance. He has been arrested.

Trump repeatedly launches verbal attacks on Omar

US President Donald Trump repeatedly launches fierce verbal attacks on Omar. Referring to her Somali roots, he has often suggested to the US citizen that she should "go back" to Somalia.

At times, he has also referred to the left-wing representative as "disgusting" or mocked the Muslim woman's headscarf.

For some conservative Republicans, the Democrat Omar is a popular target: She is politically far left, a successful black Muslim and remains defiant despite all criticism.

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Omar has also reported receiving death threats in the past.

Minneapolis in turmoil

The city of Minneapolis, represented by Omar in Congress, has been in turmoil for weeks. The reason is a massive and often brutally conducted operation by heavily armed federal security forces enforcing Trump's strict deportation policy.

The mood in the city is extremely tense, especially after the killing of two US citizens by federal security forces.

When Omar was just 8 years old, her family fled Somalia, a crisis state in the Horn of Africa. She then moved with her family to Minneapolis in 1997.

Since 2019, she has been an elected member of the House of Representatives in Washington.
The US has signalled that security guarantees will only be provided to Ukraine if it agrees to surrender territory in the Donbas to Russia, according to a report.

White House officials are said to have told Volodymyr Zelensky that the guarantees will only be given if a deal is agreed to give Moscow control of the entire Donbas region in eastern Ukraine  a red line for Kyiv.

Sources close to the discussions told the Financial Times that the Trump administration would provide additional weapons to strengthen Ukraines military in the event of a peace deal if Kyiv withdraws its forces from the region. Mr Zelensky has repeatedly stated that Ukraine will not give up any occupied land without first holding a referendum.

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European and Ukrainian officials see Washingtons position as an attempt to place pressure on Kyiv to agree to a deal, with doubts raised over whether the White House is ready to make binding commitments on security.

US president Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to accept a peace deal (AP)

Anna Kelly, the White House deputy press secretary, told The Independent that the FT report was totally false.

The United States only role in the peacemaking process is to bring both sides together to make a deal, she said. Its a shame that the Financial Times is letting malicious actors lie anonymously in order to muck up the peace process, which is in a great place after this weekends historic trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi.

The talks were held behind closed doors, and marked the first time that officials from the US, Russia and Ukraine had sat in the same room for discussions on peace since Russias invasion began in February 2022.

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Officials involved in the talks told the Kyiv Post that both sides had held discussions on key issues, such as territory and the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia power plant, that went beyond maximalist public statements by both sides.

President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan receives the heads of delegations participating in the UAE-hosted trilateral talks (via Reuters)

A US official told the newspaper that both sides were testing how flexible each others red lines really are. Talks will resume on Sunday.

Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines foreign minister, said in an interview with European Pravda published on Tuesday that there had been a qualitative change in the peace talks, specifically in the participants from the Russian delegation.

These are different people, and there were no more pseudohistorical lectures. The conversations were very focused, he said.

Moscows delegation was previously headed by Vladimir Medinski, an aide to Vladimir Putin notorious for holding long historical discussions during the talks. It is now being led by General Igor Kostyukov, the director of Russias military intelligence agency, the GRU.
Students eat lunch at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in South Salt Lake on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

A bipartisan bill to reduce school lunch debt is back, and its headed to the House floor after unanimous approval in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

Sponsored by Rep. Matt MacPherson, R-West Valley City, HB148 would allow Utahns to make a donation towards a school lunch debt relief program through their state tax forms, similar to other voluntary donation programs. The non-tax deductible donation would have no effect on state tax revenue.

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This was a pretty simple bill that we passed last year, it went unanimous in both the House and the Senate, MacPherson told Utah News Dispatch. Last year we ran it in the last two weeks of session, and we just ran out of time.

School meals debts are outstanding unpaid balances for school meals provided to students, according to the bill. In 2025, Utah expanded its free lunch program for qualifying students.

MacPherson, who expects the bill will pass through flying, has garnered bipartisan support. HB148 is co-sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City.

This is a really simple way that we could perhaps provide an avenue for taxpayers in the state to try to help tackle a problem, and it would allow pretty much anyone to make a dent into this, in any amount, small or large, he said to the committee. (It uses) a mechanism thats already established and has operated successfully in a lot of other ways.

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MacPherson emphasized school lunch debt throughout Utah is in the millions, and the bill is not intended to solve the problem, but perhaps make a dent in it.

The bill requires the State Board of Education to gather data on school lunch debt statewide, as well as granting them full authority over the program.

The State Board of Education would identify the total meals debt thats outstanding by school district, and then would receive the funds that come from this account and appropriate it out appropriately to districts based on need, MacPherson said.

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While speaking with the Dispatch, he emphasized that the bill puts power in the hands of Utahs Board of Education, saying were leaving that all up to them, thats my preference.

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All is going to depend on how much money is there. If its a very small pot, they may have to be creative, because only giving a few dollars to each school may not be very effective, he said. They may want to tackle larger debts first. If its a larger pot of money, then maybe theyll distribute it a little more evenly, but I want to leave it to them.

It also includes a provision that would automatically cancel the program if it generates less than $30,000 per year for three consecutive years, according to the bill.

Its pretty simple, and it does have a very minor fiscal impact as far as setting up the fund, he said. Its expected to generate $30,000 but again, if it doesnt, then whatever costs associated (with) this will not be ongoing.

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(NewsNation)  A Utah mother was arrested in Croatia after allegedly kidnapping her own four children.

Last month, police determined Elleshia Anne Seymour had unlawfully taken her kids on a flight to Amsterdam and then Croatia, and did not intend to return to the United States.

Officials acknowledged the period had elapsed from when the time came for Seymour to return the children to her ex-husbands for visitation. Police indicated both dads stated they never agreed to allow her to take their kids out of the state or country.

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Seymour, 35, and the children had been staying with a woman and her 13-year-old child, according to Seymours family members. The 13-year-old told his mom about the situation after seeing there was an endangered and missing advisory for the children.

Bryan Kohberger stabbed four victims more than 150 times: Report

One of the childrens fathers said the kids were located safely in a Croatian orphanage as part of a GoFundMe to help bring the kids back home.

Kendall Seymour, grandfather to three of the children, sayson the page, We are in the country, trying to get the kids out of the custody of the local government. We have to hire Croatian lawyers who specialize in child abduction, create and submit Hague Convention applications, hire court-approved translators, and extend our stay here by an unknown amount of time.

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Croatian officials said authorities from the U.S. would need to go to the country to verify facts before the children are released.

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.
Amid fallout over the killing of Alex Pretti in Minnesota last weekend, Valley lawmakers are pressing for answers.

"I think this gives an opportunity for serious and sweeping reforms within (the) Department of Homeland Security," Fresno Democratic Congressman Jim Costa told Action News.

He is calling for a full investigation.

The shooting was captured on camera and has been widely shared.

Pretti appears to record federal agents as they make an arrest. The incident then escalated as agents pepper-sprayed Pretti and wrestled him to the ground. His legally carried gun never appeared to leave his waistband.

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"The Department of Homeland Security says he was a domestic terrorist. Do you see that?" Action News asked Costa.

"No," he said. "When the ICE officer knocked the woman down, he went to her assistance and asked, 'Are you all right?'"

Republicans view it differently.

Congressman Vince Fong of Clovis wrote in a statement to Action News that what he has seen in Minneapolis "...has moved beyond peaceful into confrontation."

Fong, a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, is echoing the president's "...call for a full investigation into this weekend's tragic incident..." He went on to write that he supports "...the committee's request for an oversight hearing with ICE, CBP, and USCIS."

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"I think the administration is clearly trying to engage in damage control, number one," Costa said.

The White House is now bracing for a partial government shutdown. Senate Democrats are threatening to block a funding package after the House approved support for the Department of Homeland Security last week.

RELATED: DHS report says 2 agents fired weapons in Alex Pretti shooting

"I've always been on the Appropriations Committee," Hanford Republican David Valadao said on Capitol Hill last week. "This is the type of day we dream of."

Valadao celebrated the government spending bills that include funds for DHS, including money allocated to the TSA, Coast Guard, and Customs and Border Protection.

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He did not respond to Action News' request for an interview on Tuesday.

"Appropriations is not easy work, and it's not meant to be," he said last week. "It requires compromise, member-driven leadership, and commitment to getting the job done, and getting the job done the right way."

Costa hopes senators can reach an agreement to keep the government open.

"They could pass the remainder of the appropriation bills and put the Immigration Customs and Enforcement Agency in a separate criteria," he said.

Congressman Fong's Full Statement:

"As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I take the safety of our communities and our federal law enforcement officers seriously. In line with President Trump's call for a full investigation into this weekend's tragic incident, I support the committee's request for an oversight hearing with ICE, CBP, and USCIS.

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All Americans deserve to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful protest. What we have seen in Minneapolis, however, has moved beyond peaceful into confrontation. Obstruction of law enforcement escalates danger for both officers and the public. I encourage Minnesota officials to act as partners, not obstacles, to federal law enforcement. These partnerships are critical to keeping our communities safe which is why sanctuary state and city policies are so tremendously dangerous. Demonizing the men and women of our law enforcement only serves to undermine public safety.

I will continue to pursue accountability rooted in facts - not speculation or political rhetoric - so that we can uphold both our nation's laws and our Constitutional freedoms."

For news updates, follow Gabe Ferris on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
A nurse at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health has been fired after making a series of videos suggesting ways to harm ICE agents.

"Following an investigation, the individual involved in the social media videos is no longer employed by VCU Health," the hospital told Fox News Digital in a Tuesday night statement. "In addition, VCU Health has fulfilled its reporting requirements under Virginia state law."

On Tuesday morning, the hospital said that it and the VCU Police were investigating the nurse over the posts after they went viral on X.

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"We prioritize the health and safety of anyone who comes to us for care. We are aware of a series of videos that appear to have been posted by an individual confirmed to be an employee of our health system," VCU told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The content of the videos is highly inappropriate and does not reflect the integrity or values of our health system."

A Virginia Commonwealth University nurse's TikTok video from Jan. 14, 2025, has gone viral after it was posted by LibsOfTikTok on X. (Fox News)

"VCU Police are assisting with this investigation," the university continued. "Per policy, while the investigation is underway, the individual is on administrative leave and will not be in our facilities or interacting with patients."

The nurse in question used a now-deleted TikTok account, Redheadredemption, and was quickly identified as an employee at VCU Health. Popular X account LibsOfTikTok posted a compilation of three of the nurse's TikTok videos on X, sparking viral outrage.

Read On The Fox News App

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Anti-ice Agitator Allegedly Bites Off Federal Officer's Finger During Minneapolis Attack

In one video, simply captioned with "#ice #resistance #sabotage," the nurse instructed others to use a "sabotage tactic" against opponents.

"I thought of something good," she said.

"Sabotage tactic, or at least scare tactic. All the medical providers, grab some syringes with needles on the end," she said. "Have them full of saline or succinylcholine, you know, whatever. Whatever. That will probably be a deterrent. Be safe."

University Researcher Calls For Assassination Of Conservative Voices In Social Media Post

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Succinylcholine is an anesthetic that causes rapid, short-acting muscle paralysis. The paralytic effect typically lasts for four to six minutes.

In another video where she is dressed in scrubs, she suggests using poison ivy to infect others.

"OK for today's resistance tip, I vote  anybody got any poison ivy, poison oak in their yard? Get some of that, with gloves, obviously, and get it in some water. Like a gallon of water. And get the poison ivy oak water and I'm going to put it into a water gun. Aim for faces, hands."

ICE agents stand at the scene where a woman was fatally shot during an enforcement operation on Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Florida Attorney General Demands Nursing Board Revoke License Of Nurse Who Wished Injury On Karoline Leavitt

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That video was simply titled, "#resist."

In a third video captioned "#staytoxic," the nurse sends a message to single women, telling them to go on dates with ICE agents and spike their drinks.

"Single ladies, where these ICE guys are going, have a chance to do something, you know, not without risk, but could help the cause for sure," she said. "Get on Tinder, get on Hinge, find these guys. They're around. [If] they're an ICE agent, bring some ex-lax and put it in their drinks. Get them sick. You know, nobody's going to die. Just enough to incapacitate them and get them off the street for the next day. Highly, easily deniable."

"I'm just saying, let's get them where they eat," she said. "Somebody's not going to be supporting these guys. Where's the hotel where they eat? Who makes that breakfast? Let's find them."

A Border Patrol member pepper sprays observers after getting into a car accident on Jan. 21, 2026, in Minneapolis.

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Later in the video, she said, "Let's make their lives f------ miserable," and directed her followers to talk with anyone who knows where ICE agents are.

"Talk to the people who work at the places where they are," she said.





Original article source: VCU anti-ICE nurse fired after referencing paralytic drug in video instructing 'sabotage' of ICE agents
Mexico has temporarily halted oil shipments to Cuba amid heightened rhetoric from United States President Donald Trump, who has been seeking to isolate the communist-ruled island nation.

President Claudia Sheinbaum, however, said the pause was a sovereign decision not made under pressure from the US.

Mexico, along with Venezuela, has been providing the bulk of Cubas oil supplies, but Venezuelan crude was cut off from Havana after its president, Nicolas Maduro, was abducted in a military operation and taken to the US on January 3.

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Mexico supplied 44 percent of Cuban oil imports and Venezuela exported 33 percent until last month, while some 10 percent of Cuban oil is sourced from Russia. Some oil is also sourced from Algeria, according to The Financial Times figures.

The erstwhile Soviet Union was the biggest backer of Cuba for decades, but since its fall in 1991, support has dwindled drastically.

So, whats behind the Mexican governments decision and will it exacerbate Cubas deepening energy and economic crisis?

What did Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum say?

Asked at her regular morning press conference whether she denied a media report that Mexico had halted the shipment, Sheinbaum responded: It is a sovereign decision and it is made in the moment when necessary.

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Sheinbaum sidestepped a question about whether Mexico would resume oil shipments to Cuba, answering: In any case, it will be reported.

She also said Mexico would continue to show solidarity with Cuba.

In its most recent report, Mexicos state-owned oil corporation Pemex said it shipped nearly 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba from January through September 30, 2025.

With Venezuela offline, shipments from Pemex have become a critical, though insufficient, lifeline for the island.

Analysts now expect further pressure from Washington to halt those shipments more permanently, given Trumps growing demands that Mexico deliver stronger results in the fight against drug cartels.

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Mexico has been trying to balance its traditional ties with Cuba amid mounting pressure from the Trump administration.

The Reuters news agency last week reported that the Mexican government was reviewing whether to keep sending oil to Cuba amid growing concerns within Sheinbaums government that continuing the shipments could put the country at odds with the US.

Mexico is currently negotiating a trade agreement with the US amid tariff threats.

Cars wait in line to refuel at a gas station in Havana on January 20, 2026. [Adalberto Roque/AFP]

Why isnt Cuba getting Venezuelan oil any more?

Trump has said that no Venezuelan oil or money will go to Cuba after abducting President Maduro and taking control of Venezuelas oil industry.

THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA  ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on January 11.

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Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela, Trump added.

Trump did not elaborate on his suggested deal, but US officials have hardened their rhetoric against Cuba in recent weeks.

However, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has rejected talks. We have always been willing to maintain serious and responsible dialogue with the various US administrations, including the current one, on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect and the principles of international law, Diaz-Canel said.

What to know about Trumps growing rhetoric against Cuba

Following the US attack on Venezuela, the Trump administration has escalated its rhetoric against Cuba, which has been under strict US economic sanctions for decades.

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Last week, the US-based Wall Street Journal reported that Trump aims to remove Cubas leadership and is actively seeking government insiders in Havana who are willing to make a deal with Washington to push out the Communist regime.

Trump on Tuesday said that Cuba is on the brink of collapse. Cuba is really a nation thats very close to failing, he said during a visit to the US state of Iowa.

The US president said that Cuba no longer receives oil and money from Venezuela, a close ally of Havana since the days of former socialist President Hugo Chavez.

Last week, a Cuban diplomat based in Bogota accused the US of international piracy over Washingtons blockade of Venezuelan oil.

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The US is carrying out international piracy in the Caribbean Sea that is restricting and blocking the arrival of oil to Cuba, Carlos de Cespedes, Cubas ambassador to Colombia, told Al Jazeera on Saturday, adding that Havana is facing more powerful US threats than it has in the 67 years since the revolution.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is of Cuban descent and is believed to orchestrate policies towards Venezuela and Cuba, has described the government in Havana as a huge problem.

About a week after Maduros abduction, Trump urged Cuba to make a deal before it is too late, without specifying what kind of agreement he was referring to.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested Rubio could become the president of Cuba. Sounds good to me! he said.

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Relations between Havana and Washington have been tense for decades. The ties were normalised in 2014 under former President Barack Obama, in a major foreign policy shift. But Trump, who succeeded Obama, reversed the decision and reimposed sanctions during his first term.

In 2019, Trump banned cruise ships from visiting Cuba, one of the most popular forms of travel to the island, which earns much-needed revenue from tourism.

Mexico faces its own pressure from Washington, as Trump has threatened to take military action against Mexican drug cartels. Last week, the country transferred dozens of suspected cartel members to the US amid pressure from the Trump administration.

Since Trumps return to power in January last year, the war on drugs has been at the top of his administrations agenda. The US said its action against Maduro was justified, based on claims that Venezuela sent drugs to the US. But Caracas is not the main source of drugs coming into US territory.

How has the US policy affected Cuba?

Cuba is enduring its worst economic crisis since Fidel Castros 1959 revolution, as fuel shortages have caused prolonged power cuts, water and food supply disruptions.

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Analysts say the Cuban economy could collapse completely as Mexican and Venezuelan oil supplies dry up.

A total blockade on oil imports to Cuba is part of possible new tactics by the Trump administration to drive leadership change in the Caribbean country, according to the US-based Politico site.

Al Jazeera could not confirm Politicos report.

Rising geopolitical tensions with the US have also driven tourists away from Cuba, with the number of visitors dropping by nearly 70 percent since 2018.

For decades, tourism  a source of livelihood for millions of Cubans  generated up to $3bn a year for Cuba. Some 1.6 million tourists visited Cuba last year, significantly lower than the 4.8 million in 2018 and the 4.2 million in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

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Havana classic car driver Aldama recalled that he would sometimes work until 9pm. Nowadays, hes lucky if he takes one or two tourists for a spin in a day.

He used to charge $50 for a drive around the capital. Now, given the lack of demand, he has lowered his price to $25 and even $20 if a tourist insists on bartering.

The day that we run out of fuel, well stop driving and look for another job, Aldama told The Associated Press. Theres no other choice.
Daniel Shugar: Nextpower Inc. delivered another strong quarter characterized by solid operational discipline and execution, increased backlog, and continuing focus on customers and innovation. This call represents an important milestone for the company, being the first quarterly earnings report under our new Nextpower Inc. brand. At our Capital Markets Day last November, we outlined our strategic evolution started several years ago from a pure-play tracking system supplier to an end-to-end solar technology platform. We followed that with a technology and market symposium where we engaged directly with customers to showcase our expanding portfolio of value-enhancing products and services. We are building around our core tracker business, including our roadmap to incorporate power conversion solutions for utility-scale solar and battery energy storage.

And now I will turn the call over to our CEO and founder, Daniel Shugar. Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us.

For more information on those risks and uncertainties, please review our earnings press release, shareholder letter, and our SEC filings, including our most recently filed quarterly report Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-Ks, which are available on our IR web page at investors.nexpower.com. This information is subject to change, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or changes in our expectations. Please note, we will provide GAAP and non-GAAP measures on today's call. The full non-GAAP to GAAP reconciliations can be found in the appendix to the press release and the shareholder letter as well as the financial section of the IR web page.

Daniel Shugar, our CEO and founder, Howard Wenger, our president, and Chuck Boynton, our CFO. As a reminder, there will be a replay of this call posted on the IR website along with the earnings press release and shareholder letter. Today's call contains statements regarding our business, financial performance, and operations, including our business and our industry that may be considered forward-looking statements, and such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from our expectations. Those statements are based on our current beliefs, assumptions, expectations, and speak only as of the current date.

Story Continues

Customer response to the strategy has been very positive, and Howard will share more detail on how this is translating into customer adoption. We recently completed the formation of Nextpower Arabia, our joint venture with Abunayen Holding in the Middle East. The JV is already off to a strong start and will supply 2.25 gigawatts of advanced tracking systems to one of the world's largest utility-scale solar projects. With the launch of Nextpower Arabia, we're focused on building local operations, manufacturing capability, and long-term partnerships that support the kingdom's energy ambitions.

Together with Abunayen Holdings, we are advancing the localization of renewable energy technologies, strengthening supply chains, and creating the foundation to locally manufacture and support up to 12 gigawatts of solar capacity annually, with the potential to create thousands of jobs over time. Saudi Arabia and the surrounding GCC sit at the center of one of the most dynamic energy transitions in the world. Rapid growth in electricity demand driven by economic transformation, mega projects, and the expansion of AI and digital infrastructure calls for solutions that can scale quickly, reliably, and efficiently. Solar energy is uniquely positioned to meet that demand.

As the lowest cost and most scalable power generation technology available today, solar is playing a central role in the energy future of Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region. Let's turn to our financial performance. We delivered robust financial results across all key metrics. Q3 revenue grew 34% year on year, to $909 million, and adjusted EBITDA increased 15% to $214 million. Fiscal year-to-date revenue increased 32% year over year to $2.68 billion. We generated solid cash flow and further strengthened our balance sheet.

We also became the first pure-play solar product company to achieve a formal investment-grade rating, reinforcing confidence that Nextpower Inc. can stand behind projects for decades, supporting financing, warranties, service, and asset performance over the full life cycle of these solar generation infrastructure projects. Discerning power plant owners greatly value Nextpower Inc.'s financial strength. Based on our performance and the visibility we have across our business, we are raising our fiscal 2026 financial outlook, which Chuck will discuss in more detail. Finally, I would like to thank our customers for their continued trust and partnership and our employees for their commitment to innovation and execution. We remain focused on scaling our technology platform, creating long-term value for shareholders.

I'll now turn the call over to Howard to provide more color on the quarter.

Howard Wenger: Thank you, Dan. During the quarter, we saw continued strong customer bookings, which drove further backlog growth. We also continued to innovate and release important hardware and software to the market. And we had another strong quarter of financial performance enabled by our global operations team. We manage our business on an annual and multi-year basis, which is consistent with the nature of the utility-scale solar power industry, with large-scale projects spanning multiple quarters and multiple geographies. We are increasing our outlook for the remainder of the year based on the strength and diversity of our backlog, a continued flight to quality that favors Nextpower Inc., and the deep capability and commitment of our global team.

Turning now to regional demand. In the US, bookings were up, and revenue increased 63% year over year, reflecting Nextpower Inc.'s technology and customer experience advantage, or what we call a flight to quality. There also continues to be an increasing demand shift for domestically manufactured systems, which we are able to meet with our robust domestic supply chain and favorable lead times. US project and demand creation continues, with developers generally reporting their ability to move projects forward through to final permitting and financing, and they are doing so across multiple years of completion, providing extended visibility. Encouragingly, several customer projects cited on federal lands that have been on hold have begun to move forward as well.

Demand for our core tracker technology remains strong, as reflected in sustained customer adoption of the NX Horizon Hail Pro Tracker. During calendar year 2025, our systems executed 2,170 hailstorms worldwide, with our customers reporting a less than 0.007% module breakage rate. This is very good news and supports our innovation thesis. Our expanding technology platform is now gaining traction for both tracker and non-tracker offerings, with an increasing and more diverse mix in our order book. For example, this quarter, we booked a 552-megawatt order incorporating a technology bundle on a single project, including our NX Horizon Hail Pro Tracker, EBOS manufactured in the US, our NX Earth Truss Foundation System, and our TruCapture control system.

Moving to the international market. Europe again stood out with record quarterly bookings and expansion into two new countries. We are also excited about the formation of our new JV company, Nextpower Arabia, to serve growing demand across the MENA region. Saudi Arabia alone has ambitions to install 130 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030. We also introduced our NX Earth Trust foundation solution overseas, marking a positive step in the international expansion of our technology platform. As Dan noted, we announced plans at our Capital Markets Day to extend our platform to include power conversion solutions. This project remains on track with customer pilots planned for calendar year 2026. Turning now to project timing and pricing.

Project timing remains stable and manageable on a portfolio basis, consistent with previous quarters, with some projects accelerating and others pushing out. On balance, Q3 saw modest net pull-in. Pricing continues to track the broader solar cost curve, and we continue to invest in R&D and scalable infrastructure to reduce cost while improving system performance. Our culture is to relentlessly serve our customers and deliver maximum value at competitive cost and pricing. In summary, our business fundamentals remain strong. Demand is healthy. Our backlog is large and growing. Project timing and execution visibility is solid. And we continue to strengthen our competitive position through innovation, customer focus, and operational excellence. With that, I'll turn the call over to Chuck.

Chuck Boynton: Thank you, Howard. Good afternoon, everyone. Overall, Q3 was another quarter of strong execution, with results that reflected both healthy end-market demand and continued discipline across the business. For our fiscal 2026 third quarter, revenue was $909 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $214 million, representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 23%. On a year-to-date basis, adjusted EBITDA increased 22% year over year, demonstrating the durability of our margin profile even as we navigate tariffs and invest in growth initiatives. We generated GAAP net income of $435 million year-to-date, underscoring the high-quality earnings power of the business. 81% of Q3 revenue came from the US, with 19% from rest-of-world markets. Year-to-date, our revenue mix was 75% US, and 25% rest-of-world.

This geographic balance gives us both scale and diversification while allowing us to maximize investment returns and prioritize disciplined execution. Turning now to cash flow. We generated $123 million of operating cash flow in the quarter and $391 million year-to-date. Capital expenditures remained modest, resulting in adjusted free cash flow of $119 million in Q3 and $360 million year-to-date. This level of cash generation reflects strong underlying profitability, disciplined working capital management, and the capital-efficient nature of our business. Importantly, it gives us significant flexibility to invest in growth while maintaining robust liquidity. Our balance sheet remains a core competitive advantage. We exited the quarter with $953 million of cash and cash equivalents and no debt.

We also recently achieved a formal investment-grade credit rating, which we view as a meaningful external validation of our cash predictability, disciplined financial management, and the durable business model. This milestone is important to our customers and suppliers while also enhancing our financial flexibility. Our capital allocation priorities remain unchanged. First, we continue to prioritize organic investment in new products and services. Second, disciplined M&A that strengthens our technology platform and creates customer value. Third, return of capital to shareholders. Today we are announcing that the board authorized a share repurchase program of up to $500 million over three years.

This program reflects our confidence in the long-term outlook of the business and our ability to generate durable cash flows while maintaining flexibility to invest for growth. Investments in organic growth and M&A continue to be our top priorities, followed by share repurchases. Moving on to tariffs. As expected, tariffs continued to have an impact on margins, particularly on a year-over-year basis. This quarter, the tariff impact was $44 million, up from $33 million last quarter. This increase was due to the partial impact in Q2, given the effective date of the new tariffs was August 15. Our diversified and increasingly localized supply chain, combined with pricing discipline and operational execution, has allowed us to manage these impacts efficiently.

We currently work with over 25 US partner manufacturing facilities, and Nextpower Inc. was the first to deliver 100% domestic content trackers under US Treasury guidelines, and we're seeing increased customer adoption of these solutions to mitigate tariff exposure. We also continue to work very closely with our customers to manage tariff-related impacts across multiple projects. Looking ahead, we expect tariff-related margin pressure to remain manageable and largely consistent with our prior expectations. Finally, based on our performance through the first three quarters, the strength and the quality of our backlog, and continued demand across our core markets, we are increasing our financial outlook for fiscal year 2026.

We now expect revenue between $3.425 billion and $3.5 billion, adjusted EBITDA between $810 million and $830 million, and adjusted diluted EPS in the range of $4.26 to $4.36. We continue to expect gross margins to be in the low thirties and operating margins in the low twenties. The current outlook for next year indicates another year of solid growth. Our outlook assumes the current US policy environment remains intact and permitting processes and timelines will remain consistent with historical levels. Overall, we feel confident in our ability to deliver sustained growth and profitability while continuing to invest in innovation and long-term value. We continue to execute at a high level while maintaining strong margins and cash flows.

We believe our strategy, team, and platform uniquely position us to deliver long-term shareholder value. Thank you. And with that, we'll take your questions. Operator?

Operator: We will now begin the question and answer session. Please limit yourself to one question and one follow-up. If you would like to ask a question, please raise your hand now. If you have dialed in to today's call, a reminder to please press 9 to raise your hand and 6 to unmute. Your first question comes from the line of Philip Shen with Roth. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

Philip Shen: Hey, guys. Thanks for taking my questions. Great job on the quarter. Wanted to check in with you on bookings in the quarter and booked bill specifically. I know you guys talked about record backlog and backlog being greater than $5 billion. But want to understand if your bookings cleared, you know, a billion in Q3. And then if you can, share some color on the revenue for Q3, what was the mix for the US business of tracker versus non-tracker? And then how might you expect that to trend in the coming quarters or years? Thanks.

Howard Wenger: Hey, Phil. This is Howard Wenger. Thanks for your questions. So, yeah, we're really pleased with the quarter. With everything that we executed, the name change, the Capital Markets Day, coming, you know, being prepared for that and the customer days and the announced our JV. So with all of that, we continue to execute the business really well. Bookings were strong. Revenue, the financials. As far as bookings, to your question, we did have growth in our backlog. It is a new record. We're not giving specific numbers. But suffice it to say that it was one of our stronger quarters that we've had in some time, and we're really pleased with that.

It was a little bit weighted to the United States. Just to give you some color, and as far as tracker and non-tracker on the revenue mix, the non-tracker business is starting to have an impact. And what we're seeing is a little more mix on the US from that because we're rolling out the non-tracker part of our platform first in the United States, and I'm talking about foundations, EBOS, robotic inspection, and other software and services are more focused on the US market first, and that is having some impact on bookings and revenue in the way in the mix weighting there towards the US. Thanks for your question.

Philip Shen: Great. Thanks. Hey, Howard. Very quickly, just can you clarify? You said one of the stronger quarters that you've had in some time. Does that mean for bookings specifically, that this quarter was one of the stronger bookings quarters in a long time? Or does that mean just your quarter overall?

Howard Wenger: I was speaking particularly to bookings when you look at contribution to our backlog, Phil.

Philip Shen: Great. So that would suggest that it was at least $1 billion. Is that fair?

Howard Wenger: Really appreciate the question, Phil, and your persistence. Well, thanks, Howard. I'll pass. We'll leave it right there. Thank you so much.

Operator: And your next question comes from the line of Praneeth Satish with Wells Fargo. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

Praneeth Satish: Thanks, and congrats on the offer. Maybe you could just provide a little bit more detail on the permit freeze. You mentioned that some of the projects on federal lands are still moving forward. I guess, are you seeing any slowdown at the front of the funnel for projects that would be targeting 2028 in-service days that require permits this year? Or are you saying that so far developers have been able to kind of manage around some of these constraints? Just any clarity there would be helpful.

Daniel Shugar: Hey, Praneet. Daniel Shugar here. We were speaking specifically about several projects that are on federal lands that are now moving forward. While in total number, those are a small percentage of the projects that we're working on. It was great to see that those move forward. And so Howard, do you want to take the second part of that question?

Howard Wenger: Sure. So we're in close touch with developer owners and EPC partners both. But on the developer owner side, what we're seeing and hearing is their project portfolios are moving forward. Now some are completely not on public lands, public and federal lands. In fact, a number of many developers that way, they have very little exposure to public lands. And consequently, they're less impacted. But what we're reporting on is both favorable velocity of projects through to the permit phase, both on the public lands and on private lands. And that includes areas where there are a federal nexus.

And just generally speaking, in the US, we're very pleased with the broadening pipeline that we have, and growing pipeline of opportunities. And so developers are navigating. They're very safe harbored. They have a lot of visibility into the future. And it's really quite positive.

Praneeth Satish: Good to hear. Thank you.

Operator: And your next question comes from Dimple Gosai of Bank of America. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

Dimple Gosai: Well, hold on a very nice quarter, and good evening, gents. This quarter, you noted record bookings and rising bundled attach. Could you give us a sense of what the attach rate is for, you know, TrueCapture, EBOS, Ultras, robotics? Any sense and color there would be helpful. And then also give us a sense of just the growth gross margin uplift, you know, for a typical bundle versus tracker only. Especially given that you're seeing some more traction on that side? Thank you.

Howard Wenger: Sure. So this is Howard. I'll take the first part, and Chuck, if you want to talk about gross margin, I can also do that. But on the attached side, first of all, we have both an inorganic and organic approach to innovation and filling out our platform. So we're developing new tech internally, but we're also making acquisitions, as you know. Some of those acquisitions are fairly recent. For example, the EBOS acquisition we made, which is significant, occurred in May of 2025. So it's been, was that, like, eight months? So using EBOS as an example, what we're seeing is by far the pipeline is expanding exponentially in terms of opportunities because of our sales platform.

And we're beginning to see more and more bookings and sales and revenue come through that particular channel. We're not giving specific attach numbers at this time. But suffice it to say we're seeing some very significant projects. The one we highlighted as an example is a 502-megawatt project where we have our trackers, foundations, EBOS, and TrueCapture all bundled together. So we'll be talking more and more about that as our pipeline matures for these other products and services that we call non-tracker. But fill out the platform and complement the tracker. As to financials and margin, do you want to weigh in on that?

Chuck Boynton: Sure. Certainly. Thanks, Dimple. You know, we don't break out in detail the non-tracker revenue splits. Really today, it's all about scaling the technology and the go-to-market. In general, they're roughly at the corporate average. Of course, some are higher. Software, as you know, Dimple, is quite a bit higher, and other ones are kind of around the corporate average. But I would just think of it from a modeling standpoint as roughly consistent with the guidance and the outlook that we provided.

Dimple Gosai: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from Brian Lee of Goldman Sachs. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

Brian Lee: Hey, guys. Good afternoon. Thanks for taking the questions, and kudos on the solid execution. First question I had was, given the higher base of revenue and profit here for fiscal 2026, is there any update on the view for fiscal 2027 that you provided at the Analyst Day last November? Maybe just how should we think about flow through into next year given the stronger results here? And then follow-up with this be on, you know, some of the accounting here with the IRA credit they're down despite higher US mix. Curious, I mean, that does mean ex-IRA gross margins are higher here than the past couple of quarters. But is that timing related?

Or is there something with respect to sharing of credits and pricing that's impacting that dynamic of US sales higher, but IRA credits down? Thanks, guys.

Chuck Boynton: Yeah. The IRA credits are roughly in line with the prior quarter, Brian. What you're seeing effectively is the blending of the tariff impact. And, you know, as I mentioned in the prepared remarks, the tariff impact went from $33 million last quarter to $44 million this quarter. And that's really just because you have a full quarter impact of the overall tariffs. As it relates to our outlook for next year, we just provided our outlook just a couple of months ago at our Capital Markets Day, so we're not updating or changing that.

But I'll just say, you know, with the strength of the business, we feel, you know, really good going into next year, and we're set up for a strong Q4 and feel really good about going into next year with a great backlog.

Operator: And your next question comes from Mark Strouse of JPMorgan. Your line is open. Please go ahead. Mark, your line is open. You may have to unmute.

Mark Strouse: About that. Thanks for taking our questions. Great to see the 2.25 gig NextTracker Arabia order. Know we've talked about in the past kind of the longer-term targets from KSA and whatnot, but just kind of curious just looking out over the next whatever twelve, eighteen, twenty-four months kind of what a reasonable expectation might be. Can we expect to see similar gigawatt scale orders coming through from that JV? And I have a quick follow-up. Thank you.

Daniel Shugar: Hey, Mark. Daniel Shugar here. We just came back from spending a lot of time in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and Saudi Arabia. And that market is really, really strong in terms of the amount of solar that's happening there. I mean, not just in those countries, but the region. Very strong. We're seeing very strong double-digit gigawatt growth happening. Very ambitious targets that are being set and executed upon with multiple public solicitations from some of the largest energy participants in the region. There's national targets, and there's targets at utilities. Really big stuff happening. For example, in UAE, the largest market is Saudi Arabia. And UAE is also a very strong market.

There's a project called the round-the-clock project. Very interesting. Five gigawatts of solar single project with a tremendous amount of battery. It's either 19 or 29 gigawatt hours, I can't remember at this instant. But that enables twenty-four-seven renewable power solar power to be served to the region. That's really quite an interesting project, and we're seeing, but it exemplifies the ambitious scale of what's happening there. I think it also provides, you know, a little bit of context for how cost-effective solar is because, obviously, there's a tremendous amount of oil and gas there. Solar's the lowest cost way to generate power. Even though all those natural resources are there.

And so we're excited to be a participant in the region. We were the first, we did the first utility-scale power plant in the region. The 400-megawatt Sococo project in Saudi Arabia seven years ago, which has performed with exemplary reliability. And there's a strong flight to quality and performance there. We personally visited one of our projects that was in the field, it was outperforming. It was operating at about 105% of expectation, the whole system, and so the customers are really pleased with that. So, yeah, we're very excited about being there. Thank you.

Mark Strouse: Okay. Thanks, if I can ask you a quick follow-up to Chuck, I think I know the answer to this, but, you know, since it's the first time you guys are issuing a buyback author's just want to check just how you're planning to approach that. Is there a base level of buyback activity you're looking to do each quarter, or is it just completely random, completely opportunistic? Thank you.

Chuck Boynton: Yeah. No. It'll be a structured program, Mark. But again, since we're kind of first time in the, we're going to kind of go slow and cautious out of the gates because, again, what's new to us, and so we'll develop our program more formally. But the goal would be, you know, for it to be more of a formalized program versus just opportunistic.

Operator: And your next question comes from Julien Dumoulin-Smith of Jefferies. Your line is open. Please go ahead. Your line is open. Star 6 to unmute.

Vishant: Hi. This is Vishant here for Julien. How are you guys? I just had a quick few questions on the Saudi JV. Maybe if you could share a little bit more about the timing of it and how does the margin cadence look like? Just can we think about it kind of flowing through over time? The 2.25 gigawatts?

Daniel Shugar: I'll start with the timing, and then Chuck, if you want to weigh in on the second part. So the JV has been launched, and we closed it a few weeks ago. It's operational. A 2.25 gigawatt project that we announced. We're already delivering on that project this quarter materially. And we had an existing factory in Riyadh. That's continued to produce. We have a new factory under construction at Jetta. We visited that factory last week. It looks fantastic. It's quite large scale. Additionally, we're continuing to work with some of our legacy supply partners, and we're extremely pleased to be partnered with Abunayen Holdings, a fantastic organization. And we're set up and operating. Chuck, second part?

Chuck Boynton: Yeah. So, you know, the way that I think about this is, as Dan mentioned, Abunayen is a blue-chip company. It's the kind of company that a great Silicon Valley company would want to partner with. So we're really proud to partner with them. As we mentioned in the past, it's structured as roughly a fifty-fifty JV. It's not quite, we will not consolidate. And that is on purpose because effectively, it fits well with our heroic capital light model. And so what you'll see is when the JV sells projects, we effectively will generate revenue by selling some technology into the JV. There'll be a revenue, a royalty, and then, of course, our share of the JV's profits.

So provide a little more color next quarter as we do our kind of 2028 outlook or guidance or 2027 outlook and guidance. So stay tuned, but we're really excited about this opportunity, and we think Abunayen is going to be a great partner.

Vishant: Awesome. Thank you, guys. And then just one quick follow-up. Wanted to talk about the power conversion. Just talk a little bit about how that, you know, how your conversations with customers are evolving there? What does it look like? Got them more focused on best versus solar. How does the competitive landscape look like for power conversion?

Daniel Shugar: I'll speak to that. Howard and I have been in this business since the 1980s. And power conversion has been the opportunity for greatest operational performance of solar and batteries over that for that whole time. Okay? And you know, why are we launching this category? Well, it's because it's not easy. Let's start with that. And we take it very seriously. We're doing it because there's an opportunity to deliver higher efficiency, higher reliability, and availability. Safer and better service of that product category. We have a lot of experience here at the company. With our technical team and our leadership team in this area. And we're factoring in user requirements to be able to achieve higher plant availability.

The number one item on a Pareto to improve the operating fleets around the world is to have better reliability and performance of this particular category. So that's why we're doing it. And we're approaching it where we're not cutting corners, but yet developing a product that's competitive and has local manufacturing attributes starting in the United States. We have operating alpha units. We showed our skid of this particular solution in the field at our Capital Markets Day, and we're looking forward to fulfilling some initial beta projects with customers this year and then scaling the business responsibly after that. Thank you. Next question, please.

Operator: Your next question comes from Vikram Bagri of Citi. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

Vikram Bagri: Good evening, everyone. I wanted to ask a housekeeping question first, and then I have a follow-up. You mentioned the non-tracker margins are comparable to corporate average. At the Analyst Day, the margins for non-tracker were indicated to be about 6%. So are you saying those margins are tracking higher, the EBITDA margin expected to the Analyst Day? And what changed between Analyst Day and now?

Chuck Boynton: Yeah. Nothing has changed. I was talking gross margins, not EBITDA margins. And effectively, because it's a fairly small base, it doesn't really change the overall profile. I'd point out a big part of the non-tracker revenue is software. That's way, way above the corporate average. The other ones are smaller, and therefore, the way to think about it in the short term is kind of blending with the corporate average. It's not going to change a whole lot. Over time, what we outlined at our Capital Markets Day is still intact. Thank you.

Vikram Bagri: Thanks, Chuck. And as a follow-up, you mentioned in your prepared comments, IT rating is important for customers. Can you highlight in which regions is it important? Does it play an important role in Saudi? And if there is a way to quantify, how many customers consider it important, like, how much of an edge does it provide to you relative to your competition? Thank you.

Chuck Boynton: Yes. So investment-grade rating is important to all customers and suppliers, some different. Internationally, it makes a big difference. If you're, you know, working with a large developer or owner, they care deeply about the credit profile of their counterparty. Whether it's a customer or supplier. And so while it may not matter as much to you financial community, it matters a lot to our customers. It's really a testament to how well the company is managed and the disciplined approach that we take to operating our business. Dan, do you want to add anything?

Daniel Shugar: Yeah. What I would add is that if you look at a number of markets, let's just talk about the United States. If you went back five or ten years ago, there were a lot of developers that were then flipping projects. Today, there some of that occurs, but most of those type of organizations have evolved into also operators, owners of systems, independent power producers. Also, we've seen a huge growth in utility ownership of solar. And folks are really concerned about the long-term operation, really optimizing the risk-adjusted levelized cost of energy. And that's really important.

In the Middle East, I mentioned a few weeks ago, there's a huge system there, not with Nextpower Inc., that's being completely dismantled and rebuilt due to, let's just say, performance issues. And folks want to be not be penny wise and pound foolish. So we're really seeing long-term ability to support the development, finance, supply, operation, spare parts, warranty reserve, over the life of the project, really be a much more important attribute as the industry's matured and gone to long-term risk-adjusted levelized cost of energy optimization.

Vikram Bagri: Thank you.

Operator: And your next question comes from Ben Kallo of Baird. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

Ben Kallo: Hey, guys. Congrats on the results. Two questions, maybe bigger picture. Number one, with all the emphasis on bring your own power, has that showed up in your discussions or in orders? And maybe just talk to that. And then the second question, you know, energy storage volumes are very large to say the least. Any way that you guys are thinking about addressing that market or working with that market? And thanks, guys.

Howard Wenger: Hey, Ben. This is Howard. So I'll start, and then Dan will finish. So on the Bring Your Own Power, there's absolutely an amazing dynamic that's happening. In not only the United States, but around the world with respect to AI electrification, which includes electric vehicles, the data centers that power everything that we do, robotics, the energy requirement for chips is just going up and up. So what's happening, what you're seeing in this country, which spills over to other countries, is some of the larger hyperscalers are getting more and more involved. You've seen some announcements directly in making sure that the power is there for their expansion and their requirements.

So there's no question that's the bring your own power is part of the equation. There's no question that we're seeing that in our opportunity base. And as with respect to storage, I'll just start and Dan will finish. There's this great symbiotic relationship between solar storage. And it's the fastest thing that can be deployed to market. We've seen that in the United States, alone, over 80% of the new electrical capacity this year. Well, from January 2025 to November 2025, over 80% was solar and storage. And, you know, companies are reporting, large developer owners are reporting that they span both fossil and renewables, and over 80% of their portfolios are solar and storage.

So it's a logical extension for Nextpower Inc. to offer the solar power platform that extends into storage, and our power conversion system is something that can be used for in the storage category. Dan?

Daniel Shugar: Yeah. Thanks, Ben. When we've heard this bring your own power, it can mean there can be two definitions of that. Okay? Definition one can be install electric generating capacity at some point in the grid that is then contractually generating a certain amount of gigawatt hours that flow through the grid to an end use. Definition number two could be on-site power where the power is right there at the load, which reduces or potentially eliminates the need to be connected to the grid. Almost all the discussion of what's happened and happening and discussed is the first definition. There are some cases of the second thing. So let's just speak to the first thing for a minute.

That's been happening for more than five years. A huge amount of our projects are with our customers are for serving those applications, hyperscalers, data centers, that are buying the energy to support through the wire, but through the wires to support their operation. So people have been bringing their own power that's increasing, but it's not necessarily colocated at the actual facility. We have seen some projects colocated at the actual facility on the customer side of the meter. I do think we'll see some more of that, but customers generally want the grid. And they can supply their own energy through the grid. The grids are a very reliable thing.

It's a kind of a battery, if you will. And then what happens on the customer side of the meter is backup power and uninterruptible power supply. So I'd say it's been happening for quite a while, and we're going to see increased pull as large concentrated loads with data centers increase. With respect to Nextpower Inc. serving battery storage as well as solar, our inverter platform power conditioning system, the fundamental architecture can definitely support both. It was conceived that way. We're keen to evolve it. There are some differences as it goes to final prioritization. For how in software and some of the applications for how those systems interface.

But the fundamental platform can apply to both, and that's how we introduced it at Capital Markets Day and showed folks in the field.

Ben Kallo: Thank you, guys.

Operator: And your next question comes from John Wyndham with UBS. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

John Wyndham: Hey. Perfect. Perfect timing to bring me on. I guess I have a follow-up question. So Dan, you've been in the industry a long time. You've been a leader of it. I'd love to get your thoughts on the potential impact from greater availability of storage in the United States? Obviously, Ford had a very big announcement converting some of their what was supposed to be EV batteries into stationary storage. Celanus and GM could potentially do the same thing. Just your thoughts on the potential impact to solar demand. If we're sort of go to a market that's awash in batteries?

Daniel Shugar: We think it's fabulous to build capacity of making battery cells, packs, containers, in the United States and other major markets. Fantastic development. There's been a lot of tailwind to stationary storage that's come from electric vehicle demand and manufacturing scale-up, and then in the case of a few of the companies you mentioned, repurposing some of that capacity to stationary storage. We think it's awesome. And we think as Howard mentioned, solar and storage go together. Kinda like bass guitar and drums go together. And so what they do is they're quite complementary. And the other thing that's just been amazing to see over the last five years, storage five years ago was predominantly one hour. Storage.

Then you saw a two-hour storage. Now we're seeing four-hour storage. We have some customers with projects that are six or eight-hour storage. I mentioned the project in the United Arab Emirates. That's twenty-four-hour storage. I mean, it's mind-boggling. So what we've seen happen in storage is the same thing that happened in photovoltaic cells. Where there was this cost reduction from the production learning curve effect where every time the cumulative production doubled, cost dropped about 20%. And with this exponential growth in storage, you're seeing a commensurate reduction in the cost. That allows more hours, and allows solar to be more and more ubiquitous as it gets as the deployments continue.

So we're very excited about the manufacturing build-out, and we think that'll be a very good thing for the industry.

John Wyndham: Thank you.

Operator: And your next question comes from Dylan Nassano of Wolfe. Your line is open. Please go ahead. Your line is open. You may have to unmute.

Dylan Nassano: Yeah. Sorry about that. Good afternoon. Thanks for taking my question. I think earlier in the call, mentioned there was a little bit of pull forward in the quarter. And then, obviously, you raised the guidance for the year. So I guess I just wanted to check on that kind of within the context of the preliminary fiscal 2027 guidance that you gave on the Capital Markets Day.

Chuck Boynton: Yes. So like we mentioned before, we're not updating or changing our fiscal 2027 outlook from Capital Markets Day. It was just a couple of months ago. And as it relates to Q3, it was an incredibly strong quarter. When our customers would like us to accelerate schedules, we can. It was overall a very, very strong quarter. We raised the year, and Q3 was just incredibly strong on the heels of customers wanting more product earlier. Howard, do you want to add anything else?

Howard Wenger: No. You well, I'll just say that we're in very close contact with our customers. Some want acceleration, some want to slow down because of a particular situation, a site or timing, and we are just really working to meet the schedules of our customers and have exceptional on-time delivery, which we do have. In this particular quarter, there was a net acceleration of a portfolio of projects we manage on an annual basis, as we've said. And so you can see revenue going from one quarter to the next. But the year looks really good. The next quarter we've talked about Q4, you got that. Q1, FY 2027, looks very strong. And up into the right.

So yeah, we're very pleased with our backlog, and it really gives us visibility to manage the company on an annual basis. Thank you so much.

Daniel Shugar: Okay. Hey. We really appreciate everyone dialing in. Thank you for those that participated on Capital Markets Day. And this concludes this quarter's earnings call.

Howard Wenger: Thank you.

Operator: This concludes today's call. Thank you for attending. You may now disconnect.

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Nextpower (NXT) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
A Virginia court on Jan. 27 blocked a Democratic-led effort to redraw the state's congressional maps before the high-stakes 2026 midterm elections, a loss that could help the GOP keep control of the U.S. House.

Democrats intended to ask voters on April 21 whether the General Assembly should be allowed, under limited circumstances, to redraw congressional and legislative districts instead of every 10 years. Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. struck down the Democrats' efforts, ruling that the lawmakers did not follow proper procedures to approve the proposed constitutional amendment to allow a redraw of the states lines three months before the April election, as required by law.

The judge added that the amendment was improperly adopted and cannot advance to the ballot as scheduled. Virginia Democrats, who had hoped to pick up as many as four seats from the midterms, plan to appeal.

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State Democrats control six congressional seats, and Republicans hold five.

Redistricting efforts

Virginia's court decision is the latest salvo in a nationwide battle of several states seeking to change their district maps ahead of November's critical elections, as President Donald Trump seeks to maintain control of Congress.

"This is a clear attempt to confuse voters and block them from having a say," Keren Charles Dongo, campaign manager for Virginians for Fair Elections, a Democratic-led group supporting the redistricting change, said in a statement on Jan. 27. "Were prepared for what comes next, and Virginians deserve both the right to vote and the chance to level the playing field."

Democratic Texas Representative Gene Wu speaks during a press conference after the passing of H.B. 4, during a session in which Democratic lawmakers, who had left the state to prevent Republicans from redrawing Texas's 38 congressional districts, returned to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. Texas State Representative for House District 95 Nicole Collier sleeps in the House chamber, where she has chosen to remain until Wednesday, after Democratic lawmakers who had left the state to prevent Republicans from redrawing Texass 38 congressional districts returned to the Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 19, 2025. Collier is staying in the chamber because she did not want to sign the required permission slip allowing lawmakers to leave the Capitol under escort by Department of Public Safety agents. Democratic State Senators huddle with staffers as the Republicans' attempt to pass a bill that would redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 22, 2025. State Sen. Carol Alvarado, a Democrat, asks questions about the redistricting process as Republicans attempt to pass a bill that would redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 22, 2025. Republican State Senator Pete Flores looks over redistricting maps as the Republicans attempt to pass a bill that would redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 22, 2025. Democratic State Sen. Roland Gutierrez holds a discussion with Republican State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst and Democratic State Sen. Cesar Blanco as the Republicans attempt to pass a bill that would redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 22, 2025. Democratic State Sen. Molly Cook asks questions to Republican Sen. Phil King as the Republicans attempt to pass a bill that would redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 22, 2025. Democratic State Sen. Royce West asks questions to Republican Sen. Phil King as the Republicans attempt to pass a bill that would redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 22, 2025. State Representative Matt Morgan (R-TX) holds a map of the new proposed congressional districts in Texas, during a legislative session as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. Republican Texas State Representative Todd Hunter, surrounded by most of the Republican members of the House of Representatives, speaks during a session as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. U.S. Representative Al Green attends a protest during a session as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Dustin Burrows bangs the gavel during a session as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. A group of Democratic Representatives refer to themselves as the "Collier 7" take a photo during a legislative session, as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. A computer screen shows a section of the proposed congressional district map while Democratic Texas State Representative Gene Wu sits at his desk during a session as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. Democratic Texas State Representative Diego Burnal speaks during a session as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. Republican Texas State Representative David Lowe wears a button with the words "Big Beautiful Map" during a session as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. Democratic State Rep. Nicole Collier asks questions about H.B. 4 during a session as Democratic lawmakers, who left the state to deny Republicans the opportunity to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, begin returning to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025. Democratic Texas Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez speaks at a news conference outside of the House chamber in the State Capitol on Aug. 19, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Democratic Texas Nicole Collier is being joined by several of her democratic constituents in spending the night on the House floor. Tonight, will mark the second consecutive night that Collier will be spending the night after refusing a mandatory escort by the Department of Public Safety. Collier is one of dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled the state earlier this month after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democratic Texas Rep. Mihaela Plesa tears her Department of Public Safety escort form during a news conference outside of the House chamber in the State Capitol on Aug. 19, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Democratic Texas Rep. Nicole Collier is being joined by several of her democratic constituents in spending the night on the House floor. Tonight, will mark the second consecutive night that Collier will be spending the night after refusing a mandatory escort by the Department of Public Safety. Collier is one of dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled the state earlier this month after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democratic Texas Rep. Penny Morales Shaw displays a poster of Democratic Texas Rep. Nicole Collier during a news conference outside of the House chamber in the State Capitol on Aug. 19, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Rep. Nicole Collier is being joined by several of her democratic constituents in spending the night on the House floor. Tonight, will mark the second consecutive night that Collier will be spending the night after refusing a mandatory escort by the Department of Public Safety. Collier is one of dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled the state earlier this month after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democratic Texas Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez holds a Department of Public Safety escort form during a news conference outside of the House chamber in the State Capitol on Aug. 19, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Democratic Texas Rep. Nicole Collier is being joined by several of her democratic constituents in spending the night on the House floor. Tonight, will mark the second consecutive night that Collier will be spending the night after refusing a mandatory escort by the Department of Public Safety. Collier is one of dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled the state earlier this month after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) People demonstrate, calling for the release of Democratic Texas Rep. Nicole Collier in the State Capitol on Aug. 19, 2025, in Austin, Texas. State Rep. Nicole Collier has spent the night on the House floor after refusing a mandatory escort by the Department of Public Safety. Collier is one of dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled the state earlier this month after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The Texas State Capitol is seen on Aug. 19, 2025, in Austin, Texas. State Rep. Nicole Collier has spent the night on the House floor after refusing a mandatory escort by Department of Public Safety. Collier is one of dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled the state earlier this month after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Lawmakers convene for roll call during a House meeting on Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Texas Democratic lawmakers returned to the state Capitol after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Demonstrators chant as lawmakers are welcomed back ahead of a House meeting in the state Capitol on Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Texas Democratic lawmakers returned to the state Capitol after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Demonstrators chant as lawmakers are welcomed back ahead of a House meeting in the state Capitol on Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Texas Democratic lawmakers returned to the state Capitol after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democratic Texas Rep. Ramon Romero attends a news conference at the conclusion of a House meeting on Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Texas Democratic lawmakers returned to the state Capitol after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Democratic lawmakers are welcomed back upon arrival at a House meeting in the state Capitol on Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Texas Democratic lawmakers returned to the state Capitol after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu attends a news conference at the conclusion of a House meeting on Aug. 18, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Texas Democratic lawmakers returned to the state Capitol after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu attends a news conference at the conclusion of a House meeting on Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas. Texas Democratic lawmakers returned to the state Capitol after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The Texas State Capitol is seen on Aug. 19, 2025, in Austin, Texas. State Rep. Nicole Collier has spent the night on the House floor after refusing a mandatory escort by the Department of Public Safety. Collier is one of dozens of Democratic lawmakers who fled the state earlier this month after a two-week standoff with Republicans over their newly introduced plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a first special legislative session ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas Democrats return, continue to protest redistricting efforts by Republicans 1 of 31 Democratic Texas Representative Gene Wu speaks during a press conference after the passing of H.B. 4, during a session in which Democratic lawmakers, who had left the state to prevent Republicans from redrawing Texas's 38 congressional districts, returned to the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 20, 2025.

State GOP leaders praised the judge's decision.

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"The court confirmed that Democrat legislative leaders unlawfully expanded a Special Session, violated their own rules, and attempted to force through a redistricting constitutional amendment while Virginians were already voting," Delegate Terry Kilgore, the top Republican in the Virginia state House, state Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, and former Republican Congressman Eric Cantor, members of Virginians for Fair Maps, said in a joint statement.

Virginia voters previously amended the state constitution in 2020 to establish a redistricting commission in place to oversee and redraw the states maps every 10 years. Thats why a redrawing of maps required more than simply passing a new law.

Texas can redraw its maps: Supreme Court lets Texas use congressional map favored by Trump

McDougle, who also serves as a legislative commissioner on the Virginia Redistricting Commission, and brought forth a lawsuit, said in a post on X that the case was never about partisanship.

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"It was about process, fairness, and the simple principle that you cannot change the Constitution by ignoring the Constitution. The court made clear that elections matter, notice matters, and the rules apply to everyone  even those in power," McDougle said. "This ruling is a simple, yet powerful statement: Democrats partisan gerrymandering amendment was unlawful, and we hope they dont defy the order of the Court."

Virginia state Dems vow to appeal decision

Virginia House and Senate Democratic leaders also released a statement on Jan. 27 regarding the judge's decision.

"Nothing that happened today will dissuade us from continuing to move forward and put this matter directly to the voters. Republicans who cant win at the ballot box are abusing the legal process in an attempt to sow confusion and block Virginians from voting," the lawmakers said. "We will be appealing this ruling immediately, and we expect to prevail. This was court-shopping, plain and simple."

Highly favored?: Senate Democrats' hope for majority rests on 2026 red-state candidates

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So far, the atypical mid-decade redistricting battle has produced an additional nine congressional seats. Republicans think they can win in states including Texas, which started the redistricting efforts and drew a new map that could add up to five Republican seats.

Other GOP-led states, including Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio, have made redistricting changes, and Florida is also considering redrawing new maps. Last month, Indiana lawmakers rejected a proposed redistricting map to create two new heavily red-leaning districts.

Meanwhile, Democrats are optimistic they can win six more Congressional seats due to new redistricting in California and Utah. In November, California voters passed Proposition 50, a ballot initiative spearheaded by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom that temporarily pauses a nonpartisan commission that draws congressional district boundaries every 10 years.

Prop 50 sailed through with roughly 64% of the vote and was recently upheld by a federal appeals court ruling. California Republicans still plan to appeal all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, as Democrats hope to add up to five seats to neutralize what occurred in Texas.

Contributing: Phillip M. Bailey

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Virginia court strikes down redistricting push by Democrats
Final totals from Virginia State Police show that troopers dealt with hundreds of crashes during the latest weather event that saw the state blanketed with several inches of snow and ice over the weekend.

On Jan. 26, state police sent out its final three-day tally and said the agency dealt with 506 crashes that injured 38 people and killed two, although only one of the fatalities was considered weather-related.

One of the fatalities involved a 7-year-old Danville boy, Briggs Pullin, who was partially ejected after a 2024 Can-Am Defender side-by-side overturned on Jan. 25 in Pittsylvania County, a press release said. The driver, Corey M. Pullin, 35, of Danville, was injured and taken to the hospital. Police said alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the deadly crash.

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Matthew Demlein, a Virginia State Police spokesperson, said the bulk of the crashes took place on Jan. 25 as the winter storm raged. But Demlein said crash totals were on the lower side compared to some past storms and said it appears there were fewer motorists willing to battle the elements.

"It sounded like people heeded the message, and it helped that it was the weekend," he said.

On Jan. 27, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said interstates and primary roads in the Shenandoah Valley and Alleghany Highlands had significantly improved, and clear conditions were reported on Interstate 81 and I-64 in Augusta County.

"Crews are making progress on secondary roads and subdivision streets, but are battling snow and sleet that have iced over from extreme cold overnight," VDOT said.

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State police crash totals for the storm were as follows:

Division 1 (Central Va./Richmond)  108 crashes, four with injuries.

Division 2 (Northwest Va./Winchester/Harrisonburg)  43 crashes, four with injuries.

Division 3 (Central/Western Va./Appomattox)  51 crashes, seven with injuries.

Division 4 (Southwest Va.)  70 crashes, five with injuries.

Division 5 (Hampton Roads) 118 crashes, nine with injuries.

Division 6 (Western Va./Roanoke)  58 crashes, five with injuries, one fatality (Pittsylvania).

Division 7 (Northern Va.)  58 crashes, 4 with injuries, one fatal crash in Fairfax County (not storm related).

More: These restaurants were picked as Staunton's best hidden gems in our poll

More: Teen, now 18, pleads guilty to stabbing man in Augusta County

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Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Virginia State Police release final crash tally following winter storm
Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, on the Senate floor on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)

Washington spent roughly $500 million last year in settlements and jury verdicts in cases involving government misconduct.

The skyrocketing lawsuit payouts are hamstringing state and local government budgets.

Lawmakers pitched one way of dealing with the issue Tuesday. They want to make these civil claims subject to arbitration to reduce costs. For one, legal fees often stack up in these cases, which can end with jury verdicts that reach tens of millions of dollars in damages.

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Legislators also face a budget question, as the state agency that handles these payments is asking for hundreds of millions of dollars to address the rising costs. Legislators punted on dealing with the budget concerns last year.

What has been happening to the budgets of our school districts, our cities, our counties and the state are untenable, said state Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, lead sponsor of the bill requiring arbitration. We are simply at the point in time that we cannot continue to do fiscal management and responsibility without addressing tort liability.

Dhingras bill, if passed into law, wont be a silver bullet. Its unclear how much money it would save, but it likely wouldnt make a huge dent in the surging payouts.

Lawyers who bring these claims are opposed to the bill. They say the state doesnt have the infrastructure to support arbitration in all these cases and that it would be an obstacle to justice for people harmed by the government.

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The state is self-insured, meaning the legal payouts come from agency funding that would otherwise go toward services. Legislation and court rulings have expanded liability in recent years, exposing the state to more lawsuits.

Payments have continued apace after last years record. In the first half of the current fiscal year, which began July 1, the state paid nearly $237 million, according to the Department of Enterprise Services.

The costs represent accountability for the state as it grapples with decades of alleged misconduct, from wrongful terminations to deaths in prison and mishandled child welfare cases. The deluge of lawsuits in recent years shows no signs of slowing down.

The state has also paid roughly $36 million in legal expenses, $13 million of which is going to the state attorney generals office, which represents state agencies. The rest is going to outside firms that provided contracted legal services to the state.

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Lawyers representing people who sue the government can also collect court-ordered legal fees when the state loses a case.

Last year, the state Department of Enterprise Services warned that without a more permanent fix to funding the states self-insurance fund, its deficit could grow to more than $1.3 billion by mid-2027. By mid-2029, the gap could be anywhere from $2 billion to $3.2 billion.

Gov. Bob Fergusons budget plan, released last month, puts $955 million toward addressing the problem. He said last month that on any shortlist of budget challenges the state is facing, tort liability would be there.

The legislation

Senate Bill 6239 looks to deal with the growing liability through civil arbitration for tort claims against the state and local government entities.

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This means a neutral third-party could make a decision on how much plaintiffs win in their cases outside of court. The cases could still go to a traditional jury trial.

The legislation wouldnt limit monetary damages or attorney fees that could be ordered, but would provide an option to resolve cases early, said Dhingra, who chairs the Senate Law and Justice Committee. The two sides would likely split the cost of the arbitration.

The bill is scheduled for a committee vote Thursday. If passed by the Senate and House and signed by Ferguson, it would take effect immediately.

Currently, arbitration is required in civil lawsuits in county superior courts claiming less than $15,000 in damages, or if a judge approves, up to $100,000. Under the measure, all claims against governments would be subject to arbitration.

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The issue looms over not just the state but its local governments, which are similarly dealing with rising liability.

Cities, counties and school districts are in lockstep in support of the legislation. Pierce County has received 140 claims seeking a total of over $320 million related to alleged abuse in the 20th century at the countys juvenile detention center, County Executive Ryan Mello told lawmakers on Tuesday. So far, the county has paid out more than $9 million.

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The size of the claims threatens to undermine the countys funding for core services like elections and criminal justice, Mello said.

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On the other side of the debate, Gabriel Galanda, an influential Indigenous rights attorney in Seattle, called the arbitration bill an assault on civil rights protection.

State juries do justice, Galanda told senators. State juries bring daylight to situations the government tries to hide from daylight. The fact is, facts are learned in front of juries that cannot be learned in any other process.
Erica Raimundo Mimbir delivered her first baby on a school desk, the only dry place she found after days marooned in her flooded home in southern Mozambique.

"I wanted to die because of the labour pains and the conditions," the 17-year-old told AFP in a village in the province of Maputo.

Evacuated by boat the next day, Mimbir took shelter with relatives, among some 650,000 Mozambicans the United Nations says have been affected by torrential rains since December.

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"I don't think I'll return home because I've never experienced anything like this," Mimbir said, recounting that the high waters meant she could not sleep lying down but leaning against a wall.

"It was very painful," she said, holding her baby, Rosita, who was born on January 19 premature and weighing 1.5 kilogrammes (3.3 pounds).

The child was named after Rosita Salvador, whose mother gave birth in a tree that she climbed to escape devastating flooding in Mozambique in 2000.

Salvador, who died this month after a long illness, became a symbol of resilience in a disaster that killed 800 people.

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The southern African country's latest bout of flooding has claimed nearly 140 lives since October 1, according to the National Disasters Management Institute.

Around 100,000 people are sheltering in one of 99 temporary accommodation centres, says the UN's humanitarian coordination office (OCHA).

- 'Heart not at peace' -

In the province's 3 de Fevereiro village in Manhica district, a low-slung school has been turned into one such emergency shelter.

About 500 people sleep on mats in its 11 classrooms, their clothes draped over blackboards and window bars as they take stock of what the floods swept away and how close many came to losing their lives.

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Among them is Elsa Paulino, a 36-year-old mother of five who became cut off from her home after taking her two youngest children to a funeral outside her village.

By the time she returned, the road had vanished under rising water. "The car I was travelling in almost overturned because of the fury of the waters," she told AFP.

Her other three children were still at home. "I was desperate."

Paulino eventually managed to arrange for them to be evacuated by bus to relatives in neighbouring Gaza province, also badly affected by the floods.

But washed-out roads mean her children have still not been able to join her. "Right now I know my children are safe but my mother's heart isn't at peace," she said.

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Across the region, floods have ripped through critical infrastructure -- roads, bridges, power lines and water systems. They have slowed aid deliveries and isolated entire communities.

The N1 highway linking Maputo to the north remains cut. About 325,000 head of livestock have died and 285,000 hectares (704,250 acres) of farmland have been damaged, according to OCHA.

The latest flooding is among the worst Mozambique has seen in years, with officials warning the death toll could rise as more heavy rains loom and a nationwide redalert remains in force.

For Salvador Maengane, a 67yearold farmer sheltering in 3 de Fevereiro, the losses are total.

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"All my farmland was flooded," he said. He was due to harvest maize and vegetables in March and sugarcane in May.

"Everything was lost and I have nothing to sell. All my family's livelihood is gone," he said, his thin frame hunched with exhaustion.

Maengane, who farms five hectares in Xinavane, further north, said that in previous rainy seasons he could still salvage part of his crop.

"This is the first time I have seen a tragedy of this magnitude," he said.

str-fal/ho/br/cw
The Brief

Meteorologists are tracking a potential snow event for northeast Georgia and the Carolinas starting early Saturday morning.

The "European" and "American" models currently disagree on how much moisture will cross into Georgia.

Temperatures will remain below freezing throughout the weekend, meaning any precipitation that falls could stack higher due to dry "snow ratios."

ATLANTA - While the workweek remains quiet, far eastern North Georgia and the Carolinas are bracing for a potential winter weather blast this weekend.

Chance for snow in Georgia

What they're saying

FOX 5 Meteorologist Jonathan Stacey says that while uncertainty remains, the ingredients for a Saturday snow event are beginning to align.

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The primary window for impact is early Saturday morning through early Sunday. High-pressure conditions are expected to keep things clear through Friday, but a shifting weather pattern could open the skies just as temperatures plummet well below freezing.

By Sunday, models suggest the system will push offshore into the Atlantic, likely clearing the way for a sunny but cold end to the weekend.

Forecast could change

What they're saying

Current forecasting models are in "good agreement" regarding the timing of the front, though they differ slightly on how much moisture will reach the Atlanta metro area.

The European Model: Suggests the bulk of the snow will fall on the eastern side of the Appalachian Mountains in the Carolinas. The big question for North Georgia is whether that moisture will cross the state line to impact eastern communities.

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The American (GFS) Model: Offers a more conservative outlook, keeping the "lions share" of accumulation in the Carolinas and leaving Georgia with only meager flurries in the easternmost counties and higher elevations.

Georgia snow accumulation

What they're saying

With temperatures expected to stay below freezing all day Saturday and Sunday, meteorologists have to account for snow ratios. Typically, warmer snow (near 32F) is heavy and wet. However, in deep cold, snow becomes "fluffier" and stacks higher.

For example, the same amount of liquid that produces one inch of slushy snow at freezing might produce two inches of dry, powdery snow at 28F.

While an expansion into metro Atlanta is possible, it is not yet considered likely. Current probabilities favor Northeast Georgia and the Lake Country:

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Athens 40%

Blairsville 40%

Gainesville 30%

Eatonton 30%

Atlanta 20%

Canton 20%

Dalton 20%

Ellijay 20%

Rome 10%

Carrollton 10%

LaGrange 10%

Griffin 10%

Sun after weekend

What's next

Looking toward next week, there is a silver lining. By Groundhog Day, the sunshine is expected to return. Regardless of whether the groundhog sees his shadow, a gradual warmup is likely to follow the weekend deep freeze.

The Source

This is a FOX 5 original report with all information coming from the FOX 5 Storm Team.
For Geoff Foster, the Trump administrations unusual demand for Minnesotas unredacted voter rolls, laden with sensitive personal information, in exchange for federal agents leaving the state, has a familiar ring to it.

Which makes it no less disturbing.

Foster is the executive director of Common Cause of Massachusetts. And the good government group has joined a federal court fight to block the U.S. Justice Department from accessing similar information in the Bay State.

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Its about more than one states voter file, Foster told MassLive. Its about whether the federal government can trample state law, seize our personal data and use it to take control of election administration from the states.

The Trump administration made its initial ask for the Massachusetts voter data last July. Its part of a broader effort to build what observers have described as a national voter database, on its own, bypassing the usual congressional authority needed to take such an action.

And when Secretary of State Bill Galvin, the states chief elections officer, refused last December, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston, asking a judge to force the state to cough up the information.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has faced sharp criticism for her headline-grabbing action in Minnesota, with Gov. Maura Healey, among others, rebuking her for a demand that they say has nothing to do with immigration enforcement.

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Weve seen the attorney general, Pam Bondi, with whom I served, making outrageous, illegal, unlawful threats to state officials, essentially extortion, saying, produce your voter rolls in exchange for ICE leaving town, Healey, a Democrat and a former two-term state attorney general, said Monday.

Since it returned to power in 2025, the Trump administration has asked nearly every state and Washington, D.C., to turn over their unredacted voter rolls. Some have cooperated outright, while others have asked for more information.

Right now, the Bay State is one of 24 states, joined by the District of Columbia, thats duking it out in court with the Justice Department over access to their unredacted voter records, according to a tracker maintained by the Brennan Center for Justice.

Heres a look at why the White Houses demand is so unusual and whats at stake.

What are voter rolls?

Most states have a public version of their voter rolls that includes basic information such as a voters first and last name and address information, The New York Times reported.

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Its not unusual, for instance, for political campaigns to pay a fee to access this information to target voters as they work to build support for candidates and issues.

Unredacted voter files, such as those sought by the Justice Department, contain such sensitive information as drivers license numbers and Social Security numbers, which can be used for voter verification.

And usually, that information is off limits in public records requests  even to the U.S. Justice Department, which Bondi helms, the newspaper reported.

In court filings, the Justice Department has argued that it has sweeping powers to access the voter information that states are required to maintain under the law.

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And if states refuse, the courts have a limited, albeit vital, role in helping the government gain access to those records, the government argued in its Massachusetts filing.

But legal experts say theres no compelling reason for them to want that information, since the authority over elections is granted to states under the U.S. Constitution.

For months, Trumps DOJ has been aggressively trying to gain access to all the sensitive voter information in state voter rolls, Wendy Weiser, the director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center, wrote in a social media post. States have shared redacted copies of their rolls, but most have refused to turn over the private stuff because they are required to protect voter privacy.

The federal government actually has no business collecting voter rolls from around the country (and) keeping those records, Weiser continued in the lengthy thread on Bluesky. In our system, it is the states who are responsible for maintaining (and) protecting voter rolls. And there are federal laws that limit what personal data the feds can keep and how.

Whats happened before?

Since his emergence on the political scene a decade ago, President Donald Trump has regularly tried to leverage the courts for political advantage.

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A charitable assessment of the federal governments involvement is that their heart is in the right place, and they dont have the legal authority (to do it), Stephen Richer, a Republican who was the elected recorder of Maricopa County, Arizona, where he oversaw elections, told MassLive.

A less charitable assessment would be to say they are seeking to interfere with the administration of elections, Richer, a senior fellow at Harvards Kennedy School, said.

Richer lost a primary challenge in 2024, after defending the integrity of local elections in the heavily Republican county.

Richer told MassLive he could not recall an instance where two agencies, in this case, the Justice Department and Homeland Security, had worked together to seek voter rolls.

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A lot of election officials are wondering what the federal governments goal is in obtaining all the information, he said. The federal government doesnt have a role in election administration or voter registration.

Why does it matter?

First off, its not immediately clear why the Justice Department asked for Minnesotas records.

But there is a likely through line: The fallout from the 2020 election and its implications for this falls midterm elections.

Theres been speculation that Bondi wants to share Minnesotas voter information with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to try to ferret out noncitizens, according to published reports.

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Heres why thats a big deal.

Trump has continued to cling to and advance the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him, arguing in part that noncitizens voted that year.

All analyses of state voter rolls have found a very small number of noncitizens who are registered and an even smaller number of noncitizens who have voted, Richer said. He pointed to a recent analysis by Utah state officials showing that, of the states 2 million registered voters, two noncitizens had registered and one who had potentially participated in a previous election.

Does it happen? Yes. Richer said. Is it material? No.

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With control of Congress on the line and impeachment likely to follow if Democrats regain control of one or both sides of Capitol Hill, the stakes are higher for elections that usually end badly for whoevers in the White House.

What they would say is that theyre policing voter fraud. But the states are already policing voter fraud, Jeremy Paul, a constitutional law professor at Northeastern University Law School, told MassLive.

Voter fraud really is a nonexistent problem, Paul continued. So what theyre really after is a way of getting information so they can try to purge people from the voter rolls and scare people out of voting.

The states are supposed to be in charge of voting, so this is a very simple issue. If Congress were to pass a statute that authorized voter rolls, then there would be some very hard issues. But right now, there is no statute. Theres just pure executive action, he said.

Whats next?

An inspection of the federal court file for the Massachusetts case showed the usual volley of paperwork. Galvin, who declined a request for comment citing the litigation, has until Feb. 6 to file a response to the governments initial complaint.

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Meanwhile, court watchers and voting rights advocates are keeping an eye on the progress of the litigation, the rhetoric from Washington and what it means as the midterms close in.

Richer, the Arizona official, said the federal government already has been dealt some early legal defeats and expects that to continue.

I think the federal government, especially the administration, has shown more enthusiasm for election administration than the law gives it permission for, he said.

In March 2025, the president issued an executive order that attempted to make broad changes to election administration. So far, every court has ruled against the president because its not a power of the executive, Richer said.

Foster, who said hes confident the law is on our side, is intent on making sure that Massachusetts voters and our 29,000 members are represented as a party in this lawsuit. We are there with the specific goal to protect voters privacy and to protect the integrity of our election administration in Massachusetts.

Were very confident the court will decide in favor of voters, he said.

Read more analysis from John L. Micek

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
MADISON - Wisconsin will retain millions of dollars in electric vehicle infrastructure funding after a federal judge sided with Wisconsin and other states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration.

In a judgment handed down earlier this month, United States District Judge Tana Lin in the Western District of Washington found that the Trump administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act in its attempt to withhold funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program.

Wisconsin stood to lose $62 million in funding, according to a news release from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, in addition to the jobs and economic activity tied to the installation of EV charging stations.

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This ruling safeguards tens of millions of dollars for projects in Wisconsin against the Trump administrations unlawful attack on this program, Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a Jan. 27 media release. This outcome is good for jobs and clean air in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Attorney General, Josh Kaul, left and Rock County District Attorney, Jason Sanders, hold press conference at the state Crime Lab in Milwaukee on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

In addition to Wisconsin, 15 other states were a part of the lawsuit, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington. Kaul joined the suit in May 2025.

According to a 2025 media release, the funding could be used for grants to spur construction of EV charging stations at such locations as gas stations, restaurants and hotels, in addition to funding planning for reducing pollution, supporting clean energy and making electric vehicles a more practical choice for Wisconsin drivers.

In November, the same lawsuit resulted in the release of funding to Wisconsin to install 26 EV charging stations.

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The Department of Transportation, in a statement, said that work has been done to align the electric vehicle program with the Trump administration's priorities through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, and through that effort, has begun to approve EV plans and issue funding.

"The results of President Trump and Secretary Duffys leadership speak for themselves. In just five months since issuing revised NEVI guidance, Secretary Duffy was able to obligate 39% more NEVI funds than the Biden Administration obligated in 3 years," the agency said in a statement.

In total, Kaul has joined nearly 40 multistate suits against the Trump administration, challenging everything from policies to funding freezes like the one targeting EVs. So far, Wisconsin has been able to retain billions in funding for everything from bridge repairs to health issues.

Kaul is seeking re-election to the office in 2026 in a race that features a rematch with Republican Eric Toney, the Fond du Lac County district attorney.

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Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X @SchulteLaura.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin keeps $62M in EV infrastructure funds with lawsuit win
(The Center Square) - Wisconsins population saw a slight uptick by 0.26% in new U.S. Census estimates for July 1, 2025, as state population estimates have shown the state is now likely to recede in population.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Wisconsin had 5,972,787 residents as of July 1, but school enrollment and employment data has shown an aging state population has begun to diminish the workforce, and the states public K-12 student population has declined and will continue to by an estimated 10,000 students each year.

Overall, the Census numbers showed that the U.S. population grew by 1.8 million after 2024's high of 3.2 million additional people.

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The population trend change led Jonathan Cervas of Carnegie Mellon University to project that Wisconsin will lose one seat in the U.S. House after the 2030 Census.

#NEW: 2030 Apportionment Forecast based on 2025 Census Bureau Population Estimates (January 27, 2026).Forecast prepared by Dr. Jonathan Cervas (CMIST) at Carnegie Mellon University pic.twitter.com/DACPg0Nldf The Redistrict Network (@RedistrictNet) January 27, 2026

Wisconsin leaders have been discussing and working on solutions for the population challenges as the state's population is projected to drop to 5.71 million by 2050, according to the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

Wisconsin had a consistent total of nearly 1.1 million children under 15 until the past 15 years, when those numbers began to drop. The total went down 41,000 between 2010 and 2020 and then dropped by 49,000 over the past three years.

Its hard to grow an economy with a declining workforce, Forward Analytics Director Dale Knapp said at the Wisconsin Counties Association meeting in late 2024. That doesnt mean we cant be a prosperous state. But were going to become a shrinking portion of the national economy if this continues.
One woman was lucky to survive after being attacked by a bear just outside her village in India.

What happened?

The incident happened in Dehradun, and forest officials called it "the first bear attack reported from this area," according to the Times of India.

Local residents rushed to help and scared off the bear, and the woman was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Bear attacks aren't common; according to the World Animal Foundation, there are only around 40 annually.

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However, as habitat loss threatens nearly every animal species on the planet, that number is expected to rise.

Why is this attack concerning?

Habitat loss is the leading cause of human-wildlife interactions. As forests are cleared for agricultural land and urban development, local animals lose access to their food, water, and shelter.

Hungry, desperate animals often venture into human settlements, increasing the risk of interactions.

Interactions can range from sightings to attacks. Even sightings and "friendly" encounters put the animal at risk, as animals that lose their fear of humans are more likely to become food-aggressive and subsequently euthanized.

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Just last year, a bear at Yellowstone National Park had to be put down after showing no fear of humans and repeatedly entering campsites to eat food.

What's being done to prevent human-wildlife interactions?

Habitat loss increases interactions, while habitat restoration reduces them. Restoring natural spaces ensures plants and animals have the resources necessary to survive and thrive.

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.

When restoration isn't possible, such as in human cities, incorporating animal-friendly architecture, like wildlife crossings and green roofs, can also help reduce interactions and keep animals safe.

If you encounter wildlife, such as elk, bears, and mountain lions, keep a safe distance of around 100 feet. Never approach, chase, or feed wild animals, for their safety and yours.

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Holocaust survivors and politicians were among the people commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day across the globe.

Events were held across Europe to mark the day, which is observed across the world on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the most notorious of the Nazi German death camps.

Names inscribed on the Victims Wall are pictured during a memorial service in the Holocaust Memorial Centre in Budapest, Hungary (Tamas Purger/MTI via AP) (Tamas Purger)

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2005 establishing the day as an annual commemoration.

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At the memorial site of Auschwitz, located in an area of southern Poland that was under German occupation during the Second World War, former prisoners laid flowers and wreaths at a wall where German forces executed thousands of prisoners.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki attends a ceremony marking the 81th anniversary of the Auschwitzs liberation (Beata Zawrzel/AP) (Beata Zawrzel)

Polands President Karol Nawrocki was scheduled to join survivors for a remembrance ceremony at Birkenau, the vast site nearby where Jews from across Europe were exterminated in gas chambers.

Candles burned and white roses were placed at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a field of 2,700 grey concrete slabs near the Brandenburg Gate in the heart of Berlin, which honours the 6 million victims and stands as a powerful symbol of Germanys remorse.

Candles burned and white roses were placed at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe(Markus Schreiber/AP) (Markus Schreiber)

In the Czech Republic, a candlelight march is planned for the evening in Terezin at the site of the former Nazi concentration camp Theresienstadt.

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Thousands of Jews died there or were sent from there to Auschwitz and other death camps.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki visited Birkenau (Beata Zawrzel/AP) (Beata Zawrzel)

Nazi German forces killed some 1.1 million people at Auschwitz, most of them Jews, but also Poles, Roma and others.

The camp was liberated by the Soviet army on January 27 1945.

A Jewish man attends a ceremony commemorating the extermination of the Jewish people and their deportation to Nazi concentration camps on Holocaust Remembrance Day in Turin, Italy (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP) (Fabio Ferrari)

In all, some 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust  in ghettos, concentration camps and often shot at close range in the fields and forests of Eastern Europe.

Israel  home to more Holocaust survivors than any other country  marks its remembrance day, Yom HaShoah, on the anniversary of the April 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, emphasising the heroism of the Jewish insurgents who resisted the Nazi terror.

An Indian Jew offers prayers to mark International Holocaust Remembrance (Rafiq Maqbool/AP) (Rafiq Maqbool)

An annual gathering took place at the upper house of the Czech Parliament with Holocaust survivors.

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Pavel Jelinek, a 90-year-old survivor from the city of Liberec  a Czech city with a pre-war Jewish population of 1,350  told those gathered that he was now the last living of the 37 Jews who returned to the city after the war.

Holocaust survivor Stanislaw Zalewski walks near the death wall in the Auschwitz Nazi death camp museum (Beata Zawrzel/AP) (Beata Zawrzel)

There are an estimated 196,600 Jewish Holocaust survivors still alive globally, down from 220,000 a year earlier, according to information published last week by the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Their median age is 87, and nearly all  some 97%  are child survivors who were born 1928 and later, the group said.

Holocaust survivor Bronislawa Horowitz-Karakulska (Beata Zawrzel/AP) (Beata Zawrzel)

Though the worlds community of survivors is shrinking, some are still telling their stories for the first time after all these years.

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In London, a Holocaust survivor addressed the British Cabinet in what Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as a first.

Mala Tribich, a survivor of the Holocaust spoke to Cabinet ministers of her experiences (Alastair Grant/AP) (Alastair Grant)

Government members wiped away tears as 95-year-old Mala Tribich described how Germanys invasion of Poland in 1939 destroyed her childhood.

She recalled being forced into hard labour at the age of 12 as the first Nazi ghetto was established in her hometown of Piotrkow Trybunalski, and spoke of the hunger, disease and suffering there.

The Nazis killed her mother, father and sister. She was sent to Ravensbruck and then to Bergen-Belsen, where she was liberated by the British Army in April 1945.

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She urged the Cabinet members to fight antisemitism  and to remember.

Soon, there will be no eyewitnesses left, she told them. That is why I ask you today not just to listen, but to become my witness.

Many leaders also reflected on the upheaval in todays world.

Members of European Parliament applaud after an address by Holocaust survivior Tatiana Bucci, 88 (Virginia Mayo/AP) (Virginia Mayo)

Kaja Kallas, the European Unions foreign policy chief, warned about rising antisemitism and new threats.

She noted that AI-generated content is now being used to blur the line between fact and fiction, distort historical truth, and undermine our collective memory.

Hungarian Minister heading the Prime Ministers Office Gergely Gulyas, Israels ambassador to Hungary Maya Kadosh, President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary (Mazsihisz) Andor Grosz and Hungarian Hasidic Jewish religious leader and head of the Hungarian Chabad-Lubavitch movement rabbi Baruch Oberlander stand at the Victims Wall during a memorial service in the Holocaust Memorial Centre in Budapest, Hungary (Tamas Purger/MTI via AP) (Tamas Purger)

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country has been under attack from Russia for four years, said that just as the world united to defeat the Nazis in 1945, it must act the same way now.

Whenever hatred and war threaten nations, unity that saves lives is needed, Mr Zelensky said.
The share price of North American Construction Group Ltd. (NYSE:NOA) fell by 2.95% between January 16 and January 23, 2026, putting it among the Energy Stocks that Lost the Most This Week.

North American Construction Group (NOA) Announces Change in Leadership

North American Construction Group Ltd. (NYSE:NOA) provides mining and heavy civil construction services to customers in the resource development and industrial construction sectors in Australia, Canada, and the United States. The company offers mine management services for a thermal coal mine, and construction and operations support services in the Canadian oil sands region.

North American Construction Group Ltd. (NYSE:NOA) announced a significant leadership change on January 21, with Joe Lambert resigning from his position as President and CEO to pursue other opportunities. Moreover, the company revealed that its COO, Barry Palmer, has assumed the role of President and CEO effective immediately. Meanwhile, NOA is assessing both internal and external candidates to permanently assume the leadership role.

Martin Ferron, Chairman of the Board of Directors, commented:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Lambert for his dedication and loyalty to the Company. During his tenure, Joe successfully led the Company to new levels of geographic and commodity diversification while also navigating through unprecedented challenges. In no small part due to his leadership, NACG is now very well positioned to be a strong competitor in the civil construction, mining and earthworks markets throughout North America and Australia. I wish Joe all the best in his future endeavors.

North American Construction Group Ltd. (NYSE:NOA) announced last month that it had signed a C$115 million deal to buy Iron Mine Contracting in Western Australia, strengthening its presence in the countrys thriving mining industry. The company confirmed that, despite the leadership change, the closing activities for the deal remain on schedule, with a targeted closing this quarter.

While we acknowledge the potential of NOA 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: 10 Best Performing Utility Stocks in 2025 and 11 Best Energy Stocks to Buy for Dividends in 2026.

Disclosure: None.
A New Hampshire woman is facing multiple charges after traveling the wrong way on Interstate 95 over the weekend, state police said.

Jenna Jerrett, 40, of Hampton, was arrested and charged with felony reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, misdemeanor charges of aggravated driving under the influence of liquor, and violation-level charges of reckless operation, state police said.

At 1:25 a.m. Saturday, State Police dispatch started receiving 911 calls reporting a wrong-way driver traveling southbound in the northbound lanes on I-95 in Portsmouth.

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Troopers responded to the area and located a black 2023 BMW 3 Series that had crashed into a concrete barrier in the right breakdown lane of I-95 northbound, state police said.

Investigators determined that Jerrett showed signs of impairment at the crash scene, state police said.

Jerrett was held on preventive detention at the Rockingham County Jail pending an arraignment in Portsmouth District Court on Monday.

Portsmouth Fire responded to assist troopers at the scene.

Anyone with information that may assist investigators is asked to contact Trooper Patrick Vetter at Patrick.R.Vetter@dos.nh.gov.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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A resurfaced incident from June 2022 about a Yellowstone National Park bison attack is drawing attention online, as viewers react to yet another reminder of how quickly wildlife encounters can turn dangerous when people get too close.

ABC News reported the occurrence at the time, detailing how a bull bison gored a 71-year-old woman while she visited the park  the third bison attack at Yellowstone that year.

According to park officials, the woman and her daughter were heading back to their vehicle at Storm Point near Yellowstone Lake when they inadvertently approached the animal, causing it to charge. The woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital in Cody, Wyoming.

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The story continues to circulate online as an example of how easily visitors can misjudge wild animals' behavior, especially during peak seasons.

Yellowstone urges visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from bison and other large animals. Despite appearing calm, bison are unpredictable and can run up to three times faster than humans.

"Mother bison are extremely protective of their calves in spring, and bulls can be more aggressive in July and August," Dennis Jorgensen, a bison program manager at the World Wildlife Fund, told ABC News.

Similar incidents have continued in the years since, with Yellowstone reporting additional bison-related injuries in 2024 and 2025, which are often tied to visitors approaching animals too closely for photos or videos.

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Beyond the danger to people, these encounters can also endanger wildlife. Animals that injure humans  even when provoked  may be euthanized, removing healthy animals from protected ecosystems because of human behavior.

Commenters responding to ABC News' coverage on Facebook emphasized that the responsibility lies with visitors, not wildlife.

"I don't understand why such simple rules are broken these are wild animals and you are driving in their home," one person said.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Another commenter wrote: "The Rules are for Humans to follow. These animals are doing what's natural, instinct, it's their home and people should respect these awesome creatures."

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"This is their habitat. Give the animals space and respect," a third user added.

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State Rep. Seth Grove, the ranking Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee, speaks during a committee meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 (Capital-Star file).

A former state House Republican leader who served as the caucus budget watchdog announced he would resign from office effective Sunday.

Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) revealed in May that he would not seek reelection for a 10th term, ending the announcement with Lets get back to work, but no indication he would resign before the end of his term.

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His resignation  the fifth in the House this year  will leave Democrats with a temporary 200-198 majority. Special elections for four seats are scheduled later this year.

Grove said he was leaving public service for a role in the private sector, without elaborating. He told the York Dispatch on Wednesday he was tired. I did my time. Its time to move on, Grove said.

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First elected in 2008, Grove served as chairperson of the House Appropriations and State Government committees and is the ranking GOP member of the Labor and Industry Committee.

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He also championed an expansive overhaul of the commonwealths election code. While then-Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the bill in 2021 over concerns about a voter ID requirement, elements of the bill were later made law.

I am eternally grateful to the people who placed their trust and faith in me over the years, and I thank them for allowing me to be their voice in Harrisburg, Grove said I hope I met the expectations of the homegrown leader they believed I could be and that my work reflected the values and priorities of the community we share.

Voters will elect state representatives Feb. 24 to complete the unexpired terms of former Rep. Joshua Siegel (D-Lehigh), who was voted in as Lehigh County executive, and former Rep. Dan Miller (D-Allegheny), who was elected to the Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.

On March 17, voters will cast ballots for representatives to replace former state Rep. Lou Schmitt (R-Blair), who resigned Dec. 31 to become a Blair County judge and former Rep. Toren Ecker (R-Adams), who was elected to a judgeship in Adams County.

Under House Rules, Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) has 10 days to call for a special election to fill Groves seat. The election must be held no less than 60 days after the vacancy occurs.
Forty years ago, the U.S. space shuttle Challenger set out on a mission to not just launch satellites but to carry the first teacher into space and to inspire the promise of spaceflight into classrooms. The seven crew members reflected a broad spectrum of American society, including two women, the first Asian American astronaut and the second Black astronaut.

One of the women was set to be the first teacher in space and was planning to conduct experiments and teach lessons from the Challenger space trip. The main goal of mission STS-51-L was to launch a second Tracking and Data Relay Satellite. It also carried the Spartan Halley satellite that was supposed to be released by the shuttle, observe Halleys Comet during its closest approach to the sun and then be picked back up by the Challenger two days later.

But shortly after launch on a cold and clear Florida morning, Challenger exploded, killing all seven crew members. It became one of the most devastating moments in U.S. history.

What happened?

On Jan. 28, 1986, Challenger lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla. It had been delayed until 11:38 a.m. ET due to thick ice on the launch pad after central Florida experienced a severe cold wave the night before.

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A catastrophic failure occurred 73 seconds after liftoff as the shuttle emerged from Max-Q, the period of highest mechanical stress in the lower atmosphere. The vehicle broke apart in flight and exploded into a fireball. All seven aboard the shuttle were killed, and searches revealed no sign of the crew.

Crew consisted of 7, including a high school teacher

The crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger mission 51L. From front left: Pilot Michael J. Smith, Commander Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, and mission specialist Ronald E. McNair. From rear left: mission specialist Ellison Onizuka, teacher Christa McAuliffe, payload specialist Gregory Jarvis, and mission specialist Judith Resnik. (NASA via AP)

 Commander Francis R. Dick Scobee

 Pilot Michael J. Smith

 Mission Specialist Ellison S. Onizuka

 Mission Specialist Judith A. Resnik

 Mission Specialist Ronald E. McNair

 Payload Specialist Gregory B. Jarvis

 Payload Specialist Christa McAuliffe, a high school teacher from New Hampshire

McAuliffe was chosen from thousands of applicants to represent educators in space as part of NASAs Teacher in Space Project. This captured the publics attention and made the launch particularly high profile. Hundreds of people watched the launch in person, while schoolchildren across the country watched it live in classrooms from NASA live feeds or through cable news network CNN, which was new at the time, according to History.com. Americans who werent able to watch it live during the traditional workday saw it through taped replays.

What happened in the aftermath?

The space shuttle Challenger lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, shortly before it exploded with a crew of seven aboard on Jan. 28, 1986 . (Thom Baur/AP)

A special presidential commission investigated the cause of the Challenger disaster, resulting in the Rogers Commission Report, which was released to President Ronald Reagan on June 9, 1986. The investigation found that the explosion was caused by the failure of an O-ring seal on one of the solid rocket boosters. The cold weather on launch day rendered the rubber seals faulty, allowing hot gases to escape and igniting the main liquid-fuel tank.

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The report also found communication breakdowns were partly to blame. A number of engineers testified that they had expressed concern about the reliability of the seals and warned that cold conditions for the Jan. 28, 1986, launch could cause failure.

The investigation faulted NASA overall, while contractor Morton Thiokol, which manufactured the booster motors and assembled them at the Kennedy Space Center, was also implicated.

NASA shuttle flights were suspended for nearly three years before resuming, while solid rocket boosters were redesigned and new safety protocols and organizational changes were implemented to better communicate and execute engineering concerns.

40 years later, the astronauts' families still mourn

Every year, near the end of January, NASA observes an annual Day of Remembrance to honor the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a news release, We remember them not to retreat from risk, but to respect it  to learn, to improve, and continue onward. Their sacrifice and the strength of their families will forever inspire us as we continue to reach for the stars and pursue the secrets of the universe.

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As part of NASAs Day of Remembrance, mourners of the crew members killed in the Challenger accident gathered at the Kennedy Space Center for a memorial ceremony last week to honor them.

Alison Smith Balch, the daughter of pilot Michael Smith, tearfully said that her life changed forever on that fateful cold January day, the Associated Press reported. In that sense, she said, we are all part of this story.

Every day I miss Mike," his widow, Jane Smith-Holcott, told mourners. Every day's the same.

A fellow contender for the Teacher in Space Project attended the memorial, remembering fellow teacher McAuliffe. We were so close together, said Bob Veilleux, who is a retired astronomy high school teacher from McAuliffes home state of New Hampshire.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is one of the defense & aerospace stocks gaining from rising geopolitical spending. On January 12, Northrop Grumman secured a $233 million contract for the manufacture and delivery of a new advanced lightweight torpedo. The contract to the US Navy also features a custom-designed warhead for increased lethality.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) Inks $233M Defense Contract as Wall Street Firms Assert Bullish Stance

Michael Fitzsimmons/Shutterstock.com

The company is to handle the integration and initial proof of manufacturing at the Plymouth, Minnesota, facility and at the Allegany Ballistic Laboratory in West Virginia. The advanced weapon was developed as part of a strategic agreement with the Australian Defense Force and the US Navy.

Northrop Grumman is leveraging over 80 years of innovative torpedo technology, combined with our capacity and speed in delivery, to accelerate the design qualification and manufacturing for the advanced lightweight torpedo, said Dave Fine, vice president of armament systems at Northrop Grumman.

The $233 million contract comes on the heels of UBS analyst Gavin Parsons raising the stocks price target to $777 from $770 while reiterating a Buy rating. Citigroup also asserted strong momentum on the stock and raised the price target to $715 from $654 while reiterating a Buy rating.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is a global aerospace and defense technology company that designs, develops, manufactures, and supports advanced systems and products for space, aeronautics, defense, and cyberspace, focusing on national security and human discovery for the U.S. and its allies.

While we acknowledge the potential of NOC 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: Top 10 Materials Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Organic Food and Farming Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 27, 2026) - Nuclear Vision Limited (CSE: NUKV) ("Nuclear Vision" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an operational update further to its December 2, 2025 announcement regarding the award of a drone-borne geophysical survey contract to Endeavour Scientific (Pty) Ltd ("Endeavour" or the "Contractor").

Mobilization for the high-resolution drone-borne radiometric and UAV VLF-EM survey is now in its final stages, with field operations scheduled to commence next week across three of the Company's 100%-owned UA92 Prospecting Licenses in Botswana.

Equipment, personnel, and logistical arrangements are being finalized on site, and all operational planning has been completed in coordination with relevant stakeholders. The survey program is planned to include:

High-resolution drone-borne radiometric surveying to map surface and near-surface radiometric anomalies

UAV VLF-EM resistivity surveying to identify conductive structures potentially associated with uranium mineralization

Integrated data processing, modelling, and interpretation, culminating in a comprehensive technical report

This marks the transition of Nuclear Vision's late-2025 to early-2026 exploration campaign from the contracting phase into active field execution and follows Nuclear Vision's previously announced exploration program.

The Company also announces that Mr. Arno Brand has resigned from the board of directors of the Company in order to pursue other interests. The board has accepted his resignation. The Company thanks Mr. Brand for his valuable contributions and wishes him great success in his future endeavors.

About Nuclear Vision Ltd.

Nuclear Vision Ltd. is an energy transition focused exploration and development company advancing a diversified portfolio of uranium and critical mineral assets in stable, mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company's strategy is to identify underdeveloped assets with strong fundamentals, advance them through disciplined technical programs, and create long-term value through responsible development.

For more information, please contact:

Derrick Dao

Chief Executive Officer

info@nuclearvisionltd.com

+1 825 558 3828

Carrie Howes

Investor Relations

chowes@nuclearvisionltd.com

+1 647 725 9639

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information (collectively, "forwardlooking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian legislation. Forwardlooking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forwardlooking statements and include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the Company's exploration strategy. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable and reflect expectations of future developments and other factors which management believes to be reasonable and relevant, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Factors which may adversely affect the future results or performance of the Company include general economic, market or business conditions, future prices of minerals, changes in the financial markets and in the demand for minerals, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the mineral exploration industry, as well as the risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and in other filings made by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR+ profile. Ongoing labour shortages, inflationary pressures, changing interest rates, the global financial climate and the conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine and surrounding regions are some additional factors that are affecting current economic conditions and increasing economic uncertainty, which may impact the Company's operating performance, financial position, and future prospects. Collectively, the potential impacts of this economic environment pose risks that are currently indescribable and immeasurable. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forwardlooking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned that forwardlooking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forwardlooking information whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.
Nvidia said on Monday it has invested $2 billion in CoreWeave to hasten the data center companys efforts to add more than 5 gigawatts of AI computing capacity by 2030.

The chipmaker, already an investor in CoreWeave, said it had bought the companys Class A shares at $87.20 per share. As part of the deal, CoreWeave and Nvidia plan to together build AI factories (data centers) that would use the chipmakers products.

CoreWeave will also integrate Nvidias products across its platform, including the new Rubin chip architecture (set to replace the current Blackwell architecture), Bluefield storage systems, as well as the chipmakers new CPU line, Vera.

The deal is a strong show of support for CoreWeave, which has come under scrutiny over the past few months for raising billions in debt to continue building out its data center operations. The company had $18.81 billion in debt obligations as of September 2025, according to PitchBook data, and it reported revenue of $1.36 billion in the third quarter.

The companys CEO Michael Intrator has defended its business model (funding operations by raising debt with its GPUs as collateral), and has addressed concerns of circular deals in the AI industry by saying companies have to work together to address a violent change in supply and demand.

The company has managed to successfully ride the AI wave since its transition from a crypto mining company to a provider of data center services for AI training and inference. And since its IPO in March last year, it has been busy fleshing out its technology stack with a slew of acquisitions. It acquired Weights & Biases, an AI developer platform, in March, and then soon after bought reinforcement learning startup OpenPipe. In October, it agreed to acquire Marimo (an open source Jupyter notebook competitor) and Monolith, another AI company. It also recently expanded its cloud partnership with OpenAI.

The company currently counts several hyperscalers as customers, including OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft.

As part of the deal, Nvidia will also help CoreWeave buy land and power for data centers, and work with the smaller company to include its AI software and architecture within Nvidias reference architecture to sell to cloud businesses and enterprises.

CoreWeaves shares were up more than 15% following news of the deal.

For Nvidia, arguably the biggest benefactor and driver of the AI boom, the deal is the latest of several dozen investments in the past year as the company does its best to continue fueling the precipitous pace of investment in, and development of, the nascent technology.
Brussels wants to force drug liberalisation on us," the minister of European Union affairs, Janos Boka said on Facebook.

"A serious message arrived today," Boka said, adding that in a lawsuit initiated by the European Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Hungary had violated EU law when it voted against the common EU position on the classification of cannabis.



"The Hungarian government's position on drug policy is clear: we condemn efforts to liberalse drugs because we consider them to be misguided and dangerous," he said.



Boka said Hungary had a zero-tolerance policy on drugs and will continue to do so in the future. "We will not bow to any pressure that would interfere with our national drug policy or lead the country towards drug liberalisation," he added.



Gulyas: Govt to turn to Constitutional Court over EU drugs ruling



The government has decided to request the Constitutional Court to establish if a recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union on drugs liberalisation is in harmony with the Hungarian constitution, the head of the Prime Minister's Office told a regular press briefing.



Gergely Gulyas said "as long as Hungary has a patriotic government, there will be no liberalisation of drugs."



The European court ruled against Hungary for its voting against the reclassification of cannabis in a United Nations organisation, Gulyas noted. "Regrettably, that ruling  creates the most negative precedent possible: it violates Hungary's sovereignty and takes a step towards the liberalisation of drugs at the same time," he said.



Hungary's sovereignty must not be violated; the EU "cannot give guidance to Hungary on how to vote in another international organisation," Gulyas said.



He said it was "an even more important matter of principle" that Hungary has zero tolerance for drug abuse.



Source: MTI  Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.



Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.



XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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A cookery book was published in 2010 with recipes and food stories from the most famous winemakers of Hungary. 15 years passed and it is fun to look through this book, the smiling faces, the dreams they had mentioned back then.

Tamas Gere was 60-year-old in the book, he spoke about his dream of his son, Zsolt taking over, and about himself, dreaming of a grandchild. Now, Zsolt is managing the winery, and the happy grandpa can spend time with his gorgeous and naughty granddaughter!



In the book Tamas Gere recalled his childhood, when he adored his grandmothers sweet pastries. He also spoke about the travels in the wine regions of the world, from Chile to Portugal, where he realised how much he loved fish.



As for the family gatherings, he is happy to have several women in the family, they can share the duties among themselves, and he can enjoy the festive dishes, for example plates made of their home breed chickens.



Knuckles and steam dumplings with sour cabbage



For 4 persons



For the cabbage base:



1.52 kg sour cabbage, 400 g onion, 350 g mangalitza bacon, 600 g smoked sausage, salt, pepper



 Fry the bacon cut into small cubes. Add the chopped onion, fry them together.

 Wash the sour cabbage in cold water, add it to the fried bacon.

 Add some broth and cook it slowly.

 Add the sausage as well, cut into slices, cook it all until the cabbage is tender.



For the meat:



a big knuckle (4-5 kg), 4 green peppers, 4 tomatoes, 3 green onions, 3 garlic heads, 200 g fat, salt, pepper



 Remove the bones from the knuckle, rub it with salt, pepper and garlic, let it rest for an hour in the fridge.

 Heat the fat and fry every side of the knuckle.

 Add the vegetables, fry them together for a few minutes.

 Add broth and let it cook covered for about 1.52 hours.

 When it is soft and tender, cut it into slices and grill them in the oven.



For the dumplings:



1 kg flour, 1 tbs fat, 50 g yeast, 0.5 l milk, salt, pepper



 Add the yeast to lukewarm milk and wait for the yeast to rise.

 Mix the flour with the fat and some salt, add the yeasty mixture to create a soft dough.

 Form dumplings, cover them with a clean table cloth and let them rise in a warm spot.

 When risen, add them to the sour cabbage pot, and cook them slowly for 45 minutes.

 Make sure there is enough liquid to prevent the dumplings from burning.

 Do not remove the lid so that the dumplings get cooked by the steam.



Serve it with Gere Portugieser!

The contrast of ripe fruit cherries and astringent flavours (cherries) makes it playful. The sip is long enough to hold itself gracefully. Fresh and crispy. It is characterized by a creamy texture, beautiful acids and complexity.



More about the wine



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Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in a Facebook video on Monday that he has instructed Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to summon Ukraine's ambassador to Hungary.

Orban said Ukrainian political leaders, including the president, had issued severely offensive and threatening messages against Hungary and its government last week.



"Our national security agencies assessed this latest Ukrainian attack and concluded that it forms part of a coordinated series of measures aimed at interfering in Hungary's elections," he declared.



The prime minister emphasised that Hungary could not permit anyone to endanger its sovereignty or the integrity of its electoral process. "For this reason, I have instructed Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to summon the Ukrainian ambassador today. Hungary's sovereignty and interests will be protected," Orban declared.



Ukraine Foreign Ministry Summons Hungarian Ambassador



Ukraine's foreign ministry on Wednesday said it had summoned Antal Heizer, Hungary's ambassador to Kyiv, over recent remarks by senior Hungarian politicians alleging Ukrainian interference in Hungarys upcoming general election.



The ministry lodged a protest with the ambassador, denying any Ukrainian involvement in Hungarys electoral process. It stressed that Kyiv firmly opposed "any attempt by the Hungarian side to draw Ukraine into Hungarys election campaign", saying this damaged the development of bilateral relations.



The ministry urged Hungary to "cease its aggressive, anti-Ukrainian rhetoric" to avoid further negative consequences for bilateral ties. It added that Ukraine remained ready for constructive cooperation with Hungary.



The statement also reiterated calls for Budapest to stop blocking Ukraines EU accession talks, arguing that Ukraines membership would serve the interests of both nations as well as those of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.



Election 2026 - Szijjarto: Further pro-Tisza election interference to be expected from Ukraine



The Hungarian ambassador to Kyiv has been summoned to the Ukrainian foreign ministry, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said on Facebook on Wednesday, adding that based on the meeting, "Kyiv is expected to carry on with gross interference into the Hungarian elections in favour of the [opposition] Tisza party."



Peter Szijjarto said the move and the contents of the meeting had been "unsurprising". "They again objected to Hungarians expressing their opinions in a national petition on the intention of Brussels and Kyiv to spend Hungarians' money on operating and arming Ukraine," he said.



"We weren't given an explanation regarding President [Volodymyr] Zelensky's vulgar insults to [Prime Minister] Viktor Orban, or why the foreign minister is talking about Hitler. Based on what was said at the talks, we must be prepared for continued, open and gross interference into the Hungarian elections from the Ukrainians," he said.



"We will protect our homeland's sovereignty and we shall not allow that they interfere with the election results."



He said Ukraine was working for the victory of the Tisza party. "Hungary's future and the matter of war or peace can only be decided by Hungarians," he concluded.



Szijjarto: Govt will not tolerate Ukraine's attempts to intervene in elections



Ukraine's ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry on Tuesday, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said in Pecs, in southern Hungary. The government "will not tolerate any interference in Hungarys elections, including Ukraines attempts ... to intervene in the electoral process in favour of the Tisza Party," he said.



Peter Szijjarto said, according to a ministry statement, that Ukraine had engaged "in an open, shameless and aggressive interference campaign" in recent weeks, with the objective of aiding Tisza's victory at the elections on April 12.



During the meeting, the ambassador was told clearly that "Hungary will not tolerate election interference."



"Our deputy minister told the ambassador in no uncertain terms that Hungary will protect its sovereignty with every tool at is disposal ... it will protect the right of Hungarians to be the only ones to decide over Hungary's future," he said.



Szijjarto said that Tisza would "immediately green-light Ukraine's EU accession" if the party won the elections. "They would say yes to Brussels dragging Hungary to war and ... to funnelling Hungarians' money into operating the Ukrainian state," he said.



"The decision about Hungary's future is made in Hungary, not in Brussels and certainly not in Kyiv."



That decision was at stake at the elections on April 12, Szijjarto said. Further, "it is at stake ... whether Hungarians' money will be used for the benefit of Hungarian families or Brussels will be allowed to send it to Ukraine," he said.



"We are forcefully calling on Ukraine to stop interfering with the Hungarian election procedure in favour of Tisza and to respect Hungary's sovereignty; we, the patriotic sovereign government of Hungary, will protect that sovereignty with all tools at our disposal," he said.

Source: MTI  Hungarys national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.



Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.



XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com



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Budapests streets tell stories long before you step into a museum. Crumbling facades sit next to grand imperial buildings, and between them youll often spot flashes of colour, humour and commentary in the form of stickers, paste-ups and murals. Street art has become one of the ways the city reflects on itself  its past, its politics and its pop culture.

Local street artists dont just decorate walls; they respond to Hungarian life in ways that are playful, nostalgic, critical or quietly thought-provoking. Here are five Hungarian street artists whose work youre likely to come across as you explore Budapest and beyond.



1. 0036Mark







Hungarian street artist 0036Mark grew up in the final years of communism and draws heavily on the visual world of 1970s80s cartoons from the region. One Christmas, he began mentally mixing characters from his childhood with international films and global pop culture  and that mash-up approach has defined his work ever since.



In his universe, the cult Hungarian animation Cat City (Macskafogo) can collide with Die Hard, and the beloved Rabbit with Chequered Ears (Kockasfulu nyul) might reappear as a fashion-obsessed figure carrying Burberry luggage.



Mark mainly works with paste-ups, often large enough to catch your eye  but usually only if youre paying attention. His pieces are most common in District VII (the old Jewish Quarter) and the wider downtown area, though he also marks places when travelling, so his characters occasionally pop up abroad too.



Behind the humour theres often a social angle. One rabbit referenced an eco-friendly decision by a British fashion label, while a witch in District VII warned tourists about buying fake drugs on the street.



Many locals have grown fond of his work because it taps into shared memories. One well-known piece combines characters from DuckTales with Hungarys first democratically elected president, Jozsef Antall. In 1993, a broadcast of the Disney cartoon was interrupted to announce Antalls death  a moment that still resonates with generations who remember exactly where they were.



2. Box With Wings







Over the past few years, stickers of a small flying cartoon box have appeared across Budapest and other Hungarian towns. The artist behind Box With Wings describes themself as a maximalist  a quiet rebellion against the less is more design trend.



They remain anonymous, arguing that the identity matters less than the ideas. After all, people remember Batman, not Bruce Wayne.



Inside the drawn boxes youll often find short messages. Some are in Hungarian and refer to politics; others are in English and more universal in tone:



Irony is not a joke or If you cannot do what you love, love what you can do.



Sometimes the box morphs  triangular, one-eyed, almost godlike, gazing down at passers-by. Keep an eye on street signs, poles and walls in Budapest, but also in places like Szentendre and Pecs. The character travels  the box, after all, can fly.



3. Bamamo Budapest





Drawing on a wave of 1980s90s nostalgia, Bamamo Budapest gives street art a slightly retro, newspaper-like aesthetic. The palette is limited  white, black, greys and a touch of red  but the references are layered.



Floppy disks, everyday objects and pop culture figures appear side by side. One paste-up shows Michael Knight from Knight Rider alongside Taki bacsi from Szomszedok (The Neighbours), a long-running Hungarian TV series from the late socialist era.



For expats, decoding Bamamos work can be an entertaining crash course in Hungarian cultural memory from the past three decades, seen through a graphic, collage-like lens.



4. v.01.d







Void is known for colourful, expressive faces painted inside oval shapes  a motif that has become his signature. The style grew out of years of sketching in a black notebook, and today his characters have become familiar elements of the urban landscape.



One of his most photographed works is a green door near Szimpla Kert, Budapests best-known ruin bar. Its the kind of piece that often ends up on Instagram feeds, but in person the texture and layering are what stand out.



Voids real name is Gergely, and like many street artists he has had run-ins with the authorities. That hasnt stopped him from continuing to add colour to the city, one face at a time.



5. Miss KK







Miss KK is one of the notable female figures in Hungarys street art scene. Although she is also known locally as a fashion designer, she keeps her identity partly hidden in photos, often covering her mouth with her hand.



Influenced by graffiti and hip-hop since her school years, she developed a style based on newspaper clippings and digital editing, creating doll-like female figures. These collages combine model faces, fashion brands and iconic accessories, then move from screen to street.



Her pieces usually appear on worn walls, old phone booths and construction-site surfaces. They often carry short messages, such as Too much ego will kill your talent, blending fashion imagery with commentary on ambition, identity and image.



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DPS Navi Mumbai has taken the first step toward an emotionally intelligent generation, by ensuring that education goes beyond academics. Having collaborated with The Mind Sync, the school has launched the Indias First Mental Health Education Program with the initial stage being a teacher training phase that has certified 37 teachers as the first line of mental health education.

These educators have become true soldiers in the existing epidemic-like mental health crisis, with compassion, strength, and commitment. They are at the forefront of this movement in bringing students towards awareness, balance and emotional strength. The program is a response to the increased demand on a formal education system in mental health, and it is based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Education and the NCERT to include mental health awareness and assistance in the formal education system. The program was conceptualised by Dr Shivam Dubey, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and is getting implemented across schools in India under the leadership of Mr. Manas Dubey, Founder of The Mind Sync.



Through a rigorous and standardised training process led by The Mind Sync, 37 teachers at DPS Navi Mumbai have now been upskilled as certified Mental Health Educators by the Program Director of The Mind Sync- Ms Pragya Joshi. They were trained in a broad variety of modules, such as the pillars of The Mind Sync, SEL Skills, classroom-based emotional learning and regulation strategies, curriculum integration, and the effective communication techniques. Each educator is now also competent to facilitate mental health education to students and also recognize early signs if necessary.

The adoption of the Mental Health Education Program in DPS Navi Mumbai has become possible due to the wise foresight of the school principal, Dr. H. S. Vashistha. His belief that emotional education should be used to accompany academic excellence drove the whole faculty- coordinators and educators to work together with one mission to make strong, self-aware, and emotionally balanced personalities. He says, The Mental Health Education Program by The Mind Sync has played an important role towards the mental health of the DPS Navi Mumbai students and staff. Since we have started implementing this program, we have seen some observable improvements within the behaviour of the students, which, consequently, also resulted in an improved academic performance. Our school encourages students to focus on their mental health and emotional literacy, as a step forward on the path of emotional intelligence.



The results of this vision are evident. According to the Self-awareness Assessment, an impressive 98.86 percentage of students were found to have an increase in their level of self-awareness skills in the first six weeks of implementing the program. This core competency which is viewed as the basis of social-emotional learning is helping students to be more self-regulatory and stay thoughtful in the decision-making process besides becoming more engaged with their academic and social worlds.



This outcome shows that they identify and interpret their own emotions, thoughts and actions, which brings more effective self-management, better school environment and positive interactions in classrooms. Another important aspect that is also evident is the improvement in the learning habits and personal growth of the students. Most students have come to evaluate their learning styles, which strategies they best use and how to manage their time better. This increasing self-awareness is now being translated into greater focus, stable academic achievement and increased sense of control over their actions and progress.



According to Manas Dubey, Founder of The Mind Sync, The program goes far beyond addressing immediate mental health concerns, but it is a step toward a generation of emotionally intelligent students. DPS Navi Mumbai is reinventing the meaning of holistic education by building classrooms that students feel heard, understood, and supported in. Guiding the initiative on the ground, Program Manager Mayuri Godbole oversees all activities of The Mind Sync Program at DPS Nerul and makes it efficient and consistent.

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This initiative is a brilliant example of what schools can accomplish when emotional intelligence is put at the centre of teaching. This is only the beginning. The students will continue to gain increased emotional intelligence, self-awareness and empathy as the program goes on which will enable them to make responsible decisions, build stronger relationships and gain control over their personal growth. Not only is the school making a positive impact on its students, but it is also changing other schools in India to reevaluate education, focus on mental health, and raise a generation of emotionally intelligent and resilient citizens.

(This article is from the Brand Desk. User discretion is advised.)
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is expected to release the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026 notification later this week. The CSE notification has been delayed as the release was originally planned for January 14 due to administrative reasons.

Once published on the official UPSC portal upsc.gov.in the notification will kick off the application process for prestigious posts such as IAS, IPS, IFS and other Group A and Group B services.

The detailed notice will include important information on eligibility, exam dates, syllabus, and vacancies, and applicants will be able to apply online once it is released.

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UPSC CSE exam date 2026

As per the tentative schedule released, the Civil Service Prelims Exam 2026 will be conducted on May 24, 2026, while the Mains Exam will begin from August 21, 2026.

After the notification is released, candidates will be able to have comprehensive details on vacancies, eligibility criteria, exam dates, syllabus, and the selection procedure.

The selection process includes three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Personal Interview.

What is the UPSC cadre allocation policy 2026?

The UPSC Cadre Allocation Policy 2026 has been released by the Department of Personnel & Training, under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, on 23rd January 2026 at the official portal. The Central Government, after due consultation with the State Governments, has revised the cadre allocation policy for the All India Services, namely the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

The revised UPSC Cadre Allocation Policy will use a rotational cycle system covering all 25 states and joint cadres, with each cycle accommodating 25 candidates in order of merit.

Within a cycle, higher-ranked aspirants are prioritized, and if several candidates fall in the same cycle, the one with the better rank gets preference while others move to subsequent cycles. The government says this updated approach will promote greater fairness and improve administrative efficiency in the distribution of All-India Service officers.
Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: A special team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been constituted to probe the aircraft crash in Baramati that reportedly claimed the lives of five people, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and members of the crew.

As part of the investigation, the AAIB team will recover and analyse key technical components, including the flight data recorder, the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and the Digital Engine Electronic System (DEES). Investigators will also examine airframe and engine logbooks, maintenance records, work orders, and other on-board documents obtained from the aircraft operator.

Checl the latest update into the matter

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Officials said the probe team has sought documents from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) related to both the aircraft and the crew. Radar data, CCTV footage from the vicinity, air traffic control recordings and hotline communications will also be reviewed. Statements of witnesses and relevant personnel will be recorded during the course of the investigation.

According to reports, Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati when the chartered aircraft met with the accident earlier on Wednesday. He had been in Mumbai a day earlier to attend a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Following the reported incident, Chief Minister Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning. Addressing the media in Mumbai, he said a decision on Pawars last rites would be taken after discussions with the family.

Ajit Pawar, 66, nephew of veteran leader and NCP founder Sharad Pawar and cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in non-consecutive terms. He held the post six times under different governments, including those led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and his two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

(With inputs from ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed deep grief over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, describing him as a proactive leader who made significant contributions to the development of the state and the nation.

Paying tribute, Prime Minister Modi said Pawar had made a significant contribution to the development of Maharashtra and the country and was known for his proactive approach. He also extended his condolences to Pawars family and to the families of others who lost their lives in the accident.

Addressing the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Rally at Cariappa Ground, PM Modi said, "A tragic plane crash has taken place in Maharashtra this morning. This accident has snatched away Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ji and some friends from us. Ajit Dada has made a huge contribution to the development of Maharashtra and the country. He always worked proactively. I express my condolences to the family of Ajit Pawar ji and the families of others who lost their lives today," he said.

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#WATCH | Delhi: PM Narendra Modi says, "...A tragic plane crash has taken place in Maharashtra this morning. This accident has snatched away Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ji and some friends from us. Ajit Dada has made a huge contribution to the development of pic.twitter.com/ZkNkPJf7RW  ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026

Ajit Pawar Baramati plane crash

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on Wednesday when the private aircraft they were travelling in crashed while approaching Baramati airport for landing.

Pawar was en route to Baramati to attend campaign events related to the Pune zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections when the accident occurred. All five people on board died in the crash, including Pawar, two pilots  one of them identified as First Officer Shambhavi Pathak and two members of his security detail.

The incident has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra and the country, prompting an outpouring of grief from political leaders and citizens alike. However, the tragedy has also taken a political turn, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raising questions over the circumstances surrounding the crash and calling for a high-level investigation.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Pawars death should be thoroughly probed, with the investigation monitored by the Supreme Court. Citing reports that Pawar may have been considering a political shift, she said that under such circumstances, the crash appeared suspicious and could not be dismissed as a routine accident.

Ajit Pawar's political legacy

Known affectionately as 'Dada,' Ajit Pawar was one of Maharashtras most influential political figures, with a career spanning more than four decades. He served as Deputy Chief Minister for a record six non-consecutive terms and worked alongside Chief Ministers Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar and sons Jay Pawar and Parth Pawar.

ALSO READ | Who was Captain Shambhavi Pathak? The young co-pilot who died with Ajit Pawar in Baramati crash
The political landscape of India faced a heavy loss on Wednesday when a CCTV camera near Baramati airport recorded the tragic final moments of a private Learjet 45. At 8:46 AM, a sudden fire and a thick cloud of black smoke marked the end of an era. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, 66, and four others onboard lost their lives instantly as the aircraft exploded upon impact.

The crash, which happened just 35 minutes after taking off from Mumbai, has sparked not only grief but also a renewed political debate. It has prompted a reflection on the alarming past incidents involving India's top leaders.

Mamata Banerjee calls for Supreme Court probe

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed strong concern and offered her condolences while questioning the safety of political figures.

"There is no safety or security in this country, not even for political leaders," Banerjee said.

Pointing to recent social media claims that Pawar was considering a political shift away from the BJP-led alliance, she called for an investigation overseen by the Supreme Court. "We trust only the Supreme Court. All other agencies have been fully compromised," she added, labeling the incident a "great loss for the nation."

A history of miracles: 11 politicians who cheated death

As investigators examine the wreckage in Baramati, the nation recalls the incredible escapes where technology failed but luckor the environmentsaved lives.

1. Morarji Desai (1977): The bamboo grove miracle

On November 4, 1977, then-Prime Minister Morarji Desai survived a crash that should have killed him. His plane hit a tree in the dark, losing a wing and an engine. It fell into a rain-soaked bamboo grove, which cushioned the impact. While the cockpit was crushed, the rear cabin remained intact, and Desai emerged from the wreckage unscathed.

2. Ahmed Patel, Prithviraj Chavan & Kumari Selja (2004)

A senior Congress delegation faced a frightening mid-air crisis in 2004. Despite a serious crash-landing, all three leaders survived, providing immense relief to the UPA government at the time.

3. Amarinder Singh & Partap Singh Bajwa (2005)

A year later, Punjab's leadership narrowly escaped an aircraft accident that many feared would be disastrous. Medical teams reported both leaders were stable following the incident.

4. Sukhwinder Singh Badal: Tactical landing

Former Punjab CM Sukhwinder Singh Badal avoided a likely fatal helicopter crash when his pilot detected a technical issue mid-flight. An expert emergency landing allowed Badal to walk away unharmed.

5. Rajnath Singh & Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (2008): The grassfire scare

In a strange incident in Uttar Pradesh, a helicopter carrying Rajnath Singh and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi landed in a field where the engine's heat caught a pile of dry grass on fire. The aircraft was almost engulfed in flames, but the crew evacuated the leaders just seconds before the fire spread.

6. Ashok Gehlot (2011): Rotor blade failure

Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot survived a critical situation when his helicopter began shaking violently during flight. A rotor blade had come out of alignment. The pilot's calm response allowed for an emergency landing that saved Gehlots life.

7. Devendra Fadnavis (2017): The 'miracle' year

Current Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis gained a reputation for being "invincible" after surviving three aviation emergencies in 2017.

Latur: His chopper got caught in power lines and fell from a height.

Gadchiroli & Mumbai: He managed emergency landings due to engine failures and weight issues. These events led to a complete review of VVIP flight safety rules in Maharashtra.

The fragile line

For those who survived, these incidents became key moments in their political journeys, resulting in stricter aviation laws and a greater awareness of the dangers involved in public service. However, for Ajit Pawar and his family, Wednesdays tragedy serves as a grim reminder that in the high-risk world of political travel, luck eventually runs out.

ALSO READ | Why no SOS? Investigators probe Ajit Pawar's fatal Learjet 45 crash in Baramati
Google's stock continues to show remarkable technical strength, trading at $333.26, up 1.63% on the day with a year-to-date gain of 6.4%. The stock is comfortably above both its 21-day and 50-day moving averages, demonstrating sustained institutional accumulation.

While there is some put activity visible in the flow, particularly at the $300 and $340 strikes, the net sentiment remains overwhelmingly bullish with call volume and premium substantially outweighing protective put buying.

Notably, heavy call volume concentrated in March 2026 expiration likely targets the company's Q4 2025 earnings report (scheduled for early February) and subsequent AI product announcements, while the June positioning suggests longer-term bullish thesis extending through the first half of 2026.

Multiple seven-figure call trades appear across various strikes including $280, $300, $312.50, and $330, demonstrating broad-based bullish conviction rather than concentrated speculation. The diversity of strikes and expirations suggests institutional players are positioning across multiple time horizons.

A massive $3.43 million call purchase at the $340 strike expiring June 18, 2026 stands out as the single largest trade, suggesting conviction that Google will push well above current levels by mid-year. This represents premium paid on 1,104 contracts with a delta of 0.48, indicating these are out-of-the-money calls targeting significant upside.

The concentration of large call trades across multiple strike prices and expirations suggests major players are positioning for significant upside through the first half of 2026.

This options flow data from Google on Monday, January 26th represents exceptionally bullish institutional positioning, with over $3 million in net bullish sentiment and a positive delta imbalance exceeding 162,000.

Let's break down the unusual options flow and what it might signal about the stock's potential direction.

The options flow from Monday suggests institutional traders are betting this AI-driven rally has further room to run.

Alphabet (GOOGL) has been on an absolute tear in 2026, already up 6.4% year-to-date with its market cap surging towards $4 trillion.

Story Continues

The stock has established a pattern of higher lows throughout 2025 and early 2026, with strong support developing around the $300-310 zone. The recent breakout to new all-time highs above $330 has occurred on healthy volume.

This technical strength aligns perfectly with the bullish options positioning we observed, where traders are betting on continued upward momentum through mid-2026.

The combination of price action, moving average alignment, and volume profile suggests the stock is in a strong uptrend with room for further gains.

Recent Catalysts Driving Momentum

Several significant developments are fueling the recent surge in Google's stock price and institutional interest.

The launch of Gemini 3 in December 2025 positioned Google as a serious competitive force in AI, surpassing ChatGPT in performance benchmarks and easing concerns that the company was falling behind in the AI race.

This breakthrough has renewed confidence in Google's AI strategy and long-term positioning.

Google recently scored a major deal with Apple (AAPL), where its Gemini models and cloud technology will power the next generation of Apple's AI features. This partnership validates Google's AI capabilities and opens up significant new revenue streams.

The company's custom Ironwood AI chip has emerged as a potential competitor to Nvidia's offerings, with multi-billion dollar deals including granting Anthropic access to up to 1 million Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). Reports suggest Google may begin selling TPUs to Meta, creating an entirely new hardware revenue stream.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway purchased $4.9 billion in Alphabet stock in late 2025, providing a significant confidence boost and attracting attention from institutional investors who closely follow Berkshire's moves.

On January 8, 2026, Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded Alphabet to "Overweight," calling it the "king of all AI trades" and citing the company's unique position across the entire AI stack from data centers and custom chips to large language models and consumer applications.

Other firms including Citi and Bank of Nova Scotia have raised price targets, with some analysts projecting the stock could reach $370-$380 in 2026.

Risk Considerations

Despite the bullish options flow and strong momentum, Google faces several near-term risks that traders should monitor carefully.

Valuation has become increasingly stretched following the 65% rally in 2025. At roughly 30 times forward earnings, the stock trades well above the Communication Services sector median of 18x, with a price-to-sales ratio of 10x greatly exceeding sector norms. The rich valuation means the stock has priced in substantial growth expectations, leaving limited margin for disappointment.

Antitrust concerns remain a persistent overhang. The company continues to face regulatory scrutiny in both the US and Europe regarding its search dominance, advertising practices, and app store policies. Any adverse rulings could impact the business model or force structural changes.

AI infrastructure spending is accelerating rapidly, with management committing to massive capital expenditures on TPU capacity and data centers. While necessary for maintaining competitive position, this aggressive investment cycle will pressure near-term margins and free cash flow generation.

Competition in AI is intensifying from multiple fronts. OpenAI, Microsoft, Amazon, and others are heavily investing in competing technologies. Google's search business, while currently strong, faces potential disruption from AI-powered alternatives that could change how users access information.

The advertising market, which still represents the majority of Google's revenue, remains sensitive to economic conditions. Any slowdown in ad spending could impact growth rates and disappoint the lofty expectations now built into the stock price.

Trading Implications

While the institutional flow provides potential trading opportunities, traders should consider risk-defined strategies that balance potential upside with downside protection given the elevated valuation levels.

A covered call strategy offers an attractive method to generate income while maintaining exposure to Google's upside potential. Selling calls against long stock positions can enhance returns in a sideways to moderately bullish market while providing some downside cushion through premium collection.

More directionally-focused traders could explore bull call spreads as a capital-efficient, risk-defined strategy. This approach limits maximum loss while still providing meaningful upside participation if the stock continues its advance.

Given the substantial out-of-the-money call buying visible in the flow, traders might also consider calendar spreads, selling near-term options while buying longer-dated calls to capitalize on the expected multi-month rally scenario that institutional players appear to be positioning for.

Conclusion

The significant options flow in Google suggests well-informed institutional traders are positioning for continued upside driven by AI momentum, cloud growth, and new hardware revenue streams.

The combination of strong technical positioning, positive fundamental catalysts, and substantial institutional buying creates a compelling setup for potential further gains. However, the elevated valuation following 2025's rally means expectations are high and any disappointment could trigger meaningful volatility.

As with any options trading strategy, careful analysis, disciplined risk management, and a comprehensive understanding of both technical and fundamental factors are crucial.

Please remember that options are risky, and investors can lose 100% of their investment.

This article is for education purposes only and not a trade recommendation. Remember to always do your own due diligence and consult your financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

On the date of publication, Gavin McMaster 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
Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: The morning of January 28, 2026, began with shocking news that sent ripples across Maharashtra. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati after a chartered aircraft crash-landed while attempting to land at the local airport. The 66-year-old leader, regarded as one of the most influential figures in state politics and Maharashtras longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister, was among five people who lost their lives in the incident.

Upon the demise of Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis declared three days state mourning.

Expressing his grief over the aircraft crash Fadnavis said, "This morning, a very tragic incident occurred. In extremely unforeseen circumstances, the news of the unfortunate demise of our states deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, in an aircraft accident reached everyone, spreading a wave of grief across Maharashtra. For Maharashtra, today is an extremely difficult day. Such leadership takes many years to develop, and at a time when he was making very significant contributions to the states development, his passing is both unbelievable and shocking. Personally, I have lost a strong and generous friend. This is also an enormous loss for his family."

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Check the latest updates on Ajit Pawar plane crash

Several other NCP leaders expressed grief

Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Babasahib Patil and NCP leader Vikram Kale tearfully mourn the demise of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Senior Congress leaders D K Shivakumar and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were among those who expressed grief over the reported death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash on Wednesday.

Taking to X, Siddaramaiah said he was deeply saddened by the tragic loss, calling it a major blow to public life, and offered condolences to Pawars family. Shivakumar also said he was shocked by the sudden passing, describing Pawars death as a significant loss to Maharashtra politics, where he was known for his experience and determination.

Even the Nationalist Congress Party workers, and supporters gathered at the party office in Delhi to pay him the tribute.

Also read: Caught On Camera: Ajit Pawar's plane crashes into pieces, catches fire during landing

Who were on the plane with Ajit Pawar

Along with Ajit Pawar, there four other people on the plane. As per the reports, Vindip Jadhav who was Ajit Pawar's bodyguard, Pinky Mali as a cabin crew, Sumit Kapoor and Shambhavi Patil both the captains on plane died in the crash.

Also read: Ajit Pawar dies: From Baramati to corridors of power, the king who never got crown
On January 28, 2026, Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane crash near Baramati in Pune district. The chartered aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land, killing Pawar and four others aboard.

His sudden death has shocked the state and prompted an immediate public and political response as communities react to the loss of one of Maharashtras most well-known leaders.

What Happened in the Plane Crash

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The private Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK) was flying from Mumbai to Baramati when it crash-landed near the runway early Wednesday morning. All five on board, including Ajit Pawar, his security officers, and the two pilots, were killed.

Officials say the plane caught fire and exploded on impact while attempting to land at Baramati Airport. Emergency crews responded quickly, but there were no survivors.

What Is Closed in Pune

Following the news of Ajit Pawars death, many private shops in Pune chose to close early or shut for the day as a sign of respect and mourning. Residents and shopkeepers expressed shock and grief, leading to spontaneous closures in some areas.

This kind of voluntary closure is common in cities and towns when a prominent public figure passes away suddenly.

What Remains Open in Pune

Despite the shock and mourning, essential services continue to operate normally in Pune:

Schools and colleges remain open.

Hospitals and medical facilities are functioning as usual.

Public transport, including buses and local transport services, is running.

Markets and daily services not affected by individual closures are open.

Remembering Ajit Pawar

Ajit Anantrao Pawar was a towering figure in Maharashtra politics and one of the longest-serving Deputy Chief Ministers in the states history. He was 66 years old at the time of his death.

Born on 22 July 1959, Pawar entered politics at a young age and was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Baramati in 1991. Over more than four decades, he played a major role in state politics and held key portfolios such as irrigation, water resources, and finance. His ability to navigate complex political challenges made him an influential leader in Maharashtra.

Pawars leadership extended beyond politics into social and rural development, where he worked on policies to support farmers and local communities.

His death has led to an outpouring of condolences from across the political spectrum, including senior national leaders.

State authorities have announced three days of mourning in Maharashtra following Ajit Pawars death, with flags lowered and tributes planned in various districts.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are investigating the cause of the crash to understand what went wrong during the landing.

As Pune and the rest of Maharashtra come to terms with this tragic loss, the city reflects both grief and resilience. While daily life goes on with essential services running smoothly, the impact of Ajit Pawars long public service is being remembered across communities. The coming days of mourning, tributes, and investigations into the crash are reminders of his decades of dedication to the state. In this moment of sadness, citizens and leaders alike are united in honouring his contribution and supporting one another through the difficult time.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar and five others died on Wednesday when the private plane he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land near Baramati. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that all six passengers on board were killed.

Check Tweet Here:

 Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) January 27, 2026

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The Learjet 45 had taken off from Mumbai an hour earlier. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos at the crash site, with fire and smoke rising from the mangled remains of the aircraft, while emergency services and residents rushed to assist. Ambulances transported three of the victims to Baramati Medical College, where identification is currently underway, according to the Pune Superintendent of Police.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawars family, including his wife Sunetra Pawar and son Parth Pawar, rushed to Baramati upon hearing the news. Incidentally, Pawars relatives, including his cousin and NCP working president Supriya Sule, had been scheduled to travel to Baramati from Delhi on the same day.

Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to attend a public meeting amid ongoing Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections. A team of DGCA officials arrived at the site to investigate the cause of the crash, while rescue operations continued amid a large crowd of locals who gathered to help.

This tragic accident follows several aviation-related scares for Pawar. In October 2024, a helicopter meant to pick up NCP colleague Sunil Tatkare crashed in Pune, and previous emergency landings have occurred in the region due to adverse weather.

In his final tweet before the accident, Ajit Pawar outlined several key initiatives approved by the Maharashtra government, highlighting his focus on skill development, public welfare, and economic support for entrepreneurs:

PM SeTU Scheme in ITIs: Implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation (PM SeTU) programme in industrial training institutes across Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Pune, aimed at enhancing employability and entrepreneurship among youth, with plans to expand across the state.

TReDS Platform for Contractors: Introduction of the Trades Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) to facilitate payment of pending dues to micro, small and medium contractors involved in public works.

Revival of Dhule Cooperative Spinning Mill: A plan to rejuvenate the Jawahar Farmer Cooperative Spinning Mill with support from the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).

Extension of Government Land Leases: Provisions to extend government land leases under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, and related regulations, particularly for 30-year lease agreements.

Stamp Duty Exemption: A decision to waive stamp duty on the sale and purchase of enemy properties under central or state government control.

Pawar, a seasoned politician, served as Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister under multiple administrations and was instrumental in shaping state policies over several decades. His death marks a significant loss to Maharashtras political and administrative landscape.

Investigations into the exact cause of the crash are ongoing, with officials emphasising that a detailed DGCA inquiry will determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was killed on 28 January 2026 when the private jet he was travelling in crashed and burst into flames while attempting to land at Baramati Airport, authorities have confirmed. The Learjettype aircraft reportedly lost control during an emergency landing attempt at around 08:45 AM after departing Mumbai and was seen breaking into pieces and engulfed in fire and smoke on impact.

Watch Here:

#WATCH | Crash landing in Baramati | Five people onboard the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane, including Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, died as per initial information by the DGCA.



Visuals from the spot. pic.twitter.com/uL8TAyurv1  ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026

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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that no one on board survived. Pawar and four other occupants, including two pilots, an attendant and his personal security officer, died in the crash.

Emergency services, police and locals were at the scene as rescue operations continued amid thick smoke and scattered wreckage.

Pawar, one of Maharashtras most senior political figures, was en route from Mumbai to Baramati to attend public engagements amid ongoing local elections when the accident occurred.

His death marks a major shock in the states political landscape, given his long tenure in Maharashtra politics and his role as a key leader of the NCP.

Leaders across the nation and state have expressed grief over the death of Pawar.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, "Ajit Pawar's death is unfortunate. He was my close friend in politics, and we also had familial relations. His passing away is a huge loss. On behalf of the party, I pay my tributes to him."

NCP-SCP MP Nilesh Lanke said, "This is a huge loss for the entire Maharashtra."

NCP-SCP leader & former Maharashtra Home Minister, Anil Deshmukh, failed to find words and broke down on the news of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's passing away in a plane crash in Baramati

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said," Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra. He was known for his compassion for the people and his unwavering dedication to public service. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers, and admirers."

Further details on the cause of the crash and an official DGCA investigation are awaited.
The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Thursday a batch of petitions challenging the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026.

As per the cause list published on the website of the apex court, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi will take up the matter for hearing on January 29.

Earlier in the day, CJI Surya Kant had agreed to list for hearing a plea challenging the said regulations after the matter was mentioned for urgent listing.

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The CJI had assured the petitioners counsel that the case would be heard after the defects in the petition are cured.

"We know whats happening. Make sure defects are cured. We will list it," the CJI had said.

The petitioners counsel had submitted that the regulations could result in discrimination against individuals in the general category and expressed concern over the denial of effective grievance redressal mechanisms for them.

The plea challenges the UGCs Equity Regulations, alleging that the framework institutionalises discrimination by denying grievance redressal mechanisms to persons belonging to non-SC/ST/OBC categories.

It contended that the regulations violate the principles of equality and fair access to remedies in higher education institutions.

According to the petition, the regulation restricts the scope of "caste-based discrimination" only to members of the "Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes".

Such a definition "accords legal recognition of victimhood exclusively to certain reserved categories and categorically excludes persons belonging to general or upper castes from its protective ambit, regardless of the nature, gravity, or context of discrimination suffered by them", it contended.

The petition further seeks a direction to ensure that Equal Opportunity Centres, Equity Helplines, inquiry mechanisms, and Ombudsperson proceedings under the regulations are made available in a "non-discriminatory and caste-neutral manner", pending reconsideration or amendment of Regulation 3(c). It argued that denial of access to grievance redressal mechanisms based on caste identity amounts to impermissible state discrimination and violates Articles 14, 15(1), and 21 of the Constitution.
As India heads into a crucial election year, the Opposition is sharpening its strategy across key states, from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in a bid to counter the BJPs growing influence. With Assembly polls due in several southern states and the 2027 general elections looming, regional parties and the Congress are gearing up for what could be a defining political test.

In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee remains resolute in defending her Trinamool Congress (TMC) from BJP inroads. We will not allow anyone to dictate terms to Bengal, this is Banerjee's firm message ahead of the polls. In Tamil Nadu, DMK chief MK Stalin continues to hold sway, while in Kerala, the Congress faces its perennial challenge against the incumbent CPI(M), seeking to prevent another Left victory. In Assam, the Congress faces a more daunting battle against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a BJP heavyweight.

BJPs Momentum And Leadership Change

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The BJP began 2026 on a high note, securing a sweep in Maharashtras civic polls, including the high-profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with help from ally Eknath Shinde, and retaining power in Pune, long considered the Pawar family stronghold.

A significant development came with the appointment of Nitin Nabin as the BJPs national president. At 45 and a five-time MLA from Bihar, Nabin becomes the youngest-ever BJP president. His elevation signals a strategic shift, prioritising organisational strength while keeping top leadership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, firmly in control. The party staged a nationwide mobilisation, with leaders from the Centre and states actively campaigning to mark his induction, sending a message of unity and energy.

As per the reports, observers note the Congress missed a similar opportunity when Mallikarjun Kharge became party chief in 2022, a move that could have reinforced outreach to Dalit communities.

South India In Focus

Prime Minister Modi has since turned his attention to the southern states, particularly Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where elections are scheduled for April. While the BJP remains a minor player here, its recent wins in Keralas urban and rural body polls, notably in Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, have provided momentum.

In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF secured over 29% of votes in local polls, narrowly ahead of the CPI(M) at 27%, while the BJP captured 14.7%, signalling growing influence. Modi capitalised on this by holding a high-profile roadshow in Thiruvananthapuram, drawing parallels with his role in Ahmedabads 1987 civic victory, which propelled the BJPs rise in Gujarat.

The PMs Republic Day announcement of the posthumous Padma Vibhushan for former Kerala CM V.S. Achuthanandan also sent subtle political signals, highlighting the states Left legacy.

Tamil Nadu Strategy

In Tamil Nadu, Modi adopted a two-pronged approach, attacking the DMK over corruption, alleged dynastic politics, and mafia connections, while simultaneously expanding the NDA alliance. The BJP has successfully brought TTV Dhinakaran, expelled from AIADMK in 2017, into the fold, strengthening its reach among the Thevar community.

The BJP continues to negotiate with AIADMK over seat-sharing, though Tamil Nadus Dravidian parties traditionally resist sharing power. Analysts suggest the BJPs best-case scenario might be a hung Assembly, where it could exploit divisions among rival parties, especially if the Congress considers allying with actor-turned-politician Vijay and his TVK party.

Keralas Political Puzzle

Kerala presents its own complexities. Congress is strong, winning 18 of 20 Lok Sabha seats in 2024, but internal disagreements persist, particularly around MP Shashi Tharoor. While Tharoor has aligned with party strategy in recent state-level discussions, his absence from a critical Delhi meeting with Rahul Gandhi and other leaders highlighted ongoing tensions.

The Congress strategy in Kerala aims to prevent a Left government from winning, even if it means allowing the CPI(M) to continue in power temporarily. The BJP, meanwhile, seeks to expand its influence and prevent a resurgence of the Congress, viewing the state as a key testing ground for its southern electoral ambitions.

The BJP sees southern victories as critical to maintaining momentum ahead of 2027 polls in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Punjab, which could shape the partys trajectory toward the 2029 general elections. Opposition parties, aware of this, are focusing on consolidating alliances, managing internal divisions, and preparing to counter the BJPs organisational strength and electoral machinery.
After a long and concerning dry spell, the Himalayas have turned into a striking winter landscape. This week, a "river of snow" was filmed flowing through the remote Pangi Valley, as heavy snowfall finally covered the high-altitude tribal area.

A rare phenomenon: The snow waterfall

Residents in the Mindhal village of Pangi were amazed to see thick layers of snow start to surge downhill like a waterfall. Locals used traditional whistlesa regional warning signal - to alert neighbors about the moving "white deluge."

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This phenomenon happens when large amounts of fresh, loose snow are pushed from ridges by strong winds or gravity, creating a fast flow that resembles a river. Although it is stunning to see, authorities warned that such flows can be very dangerous for high-altitude settlements.

Finally a good amount of snow in the Himalayas .After yesterdays snowfall almost all areas are snow covered now.

You have seen water flowing, today check snow flowing through the stream.



Pangi Chamba pic.twitter.com/U0ZcCQsQXV  Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) January 28, 2026

Isolation in the Pangi Valley

The heavy snowfall, which exceeded 12 inches in just 24 hours, has once again emphasized the extreme isolation of Himachals tribal areas.

Road closures: More than 800 roads across the state are blocked, with the Pangi and Lahaul-Spiti regions being the most affected.

Infrastructure strain: In Chamba district alone, over 100 roads are currently unusable, cutting off villages from important services and supply lines.

Makeshift paths: Footage shows villagers carefully navigating frozen streams and buried trails, often balancing on improvised paths as traditional routes have completely disappeared beneath the snow.

The end of the 'snow drought'

This increase in precipitation marks the second major snowfall event of the 2026 season, following an initial snowfall on January 23. Meteorologists link this change to a series of strong Western Disturbancesstorms from the Mediterranean interacting with cold northern winds.

While the sudden downpour has created challenges for travelers and infrastructure, it is being seen as a "white boon" for the region's ecology:

Water Security: The snow is crucial for replenishing the glaciers that supply the Chenab, Beas, and Ganges rivers.

Agricultural Relief: For farmers in the plains of Punjab and Haryana, the accompanying rains provide crucial moisture for rabi crops like wheat and mustard.

Orchard Health: In Kinnaur and Kullu, apple growers appreciate the "chilling hours" needed for a quality harvest.

A climate of extremes

Climate experts observe that while these storms are common, their unpredictable intensity is becoming a bigger concern. The shift from a record-breaking "dry winter" to a sudden and overwhelming snowfall and hailstorms (which also affected Delhi and the NCR) is a trend often worsened by global warming.

As the state remains under various weather alerts, residents of the Pangi Valley continue to deal with the cold, weighing the immediate difficulties of isolation against the long-term importance of a snow-covered mountain range.

ALSO READ | Why no SOS? Investigators probe Ajit Pawar's fatal Learjet 45 crash in Baramati
New Delhi: In a setback to plans for direct-to-device connectivity in the country, India has turned down an application from Elon Musks satellite internet company Starlink for its next-generation satellite system. The rejected proposal related to Starlinks Gen 2 satellites, which are designed to transmit signals directly to mobile phones without the need for ground-based terminals.

Indias space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), did not approve the Gen 2 application. Clearance was granted only for Starlinks Gen 1 system, which supports conventional satellite broadband services that operate through user terminals and ground infrastructure.

Officials said any new technology introduced by Starlink in India would require a fresh round of approvals. Direct-to-device services fall under a separate regulatory process and are not covered by existing permissions for space-based broadband. As a result, the earlier Gen 2 application is no longer valid.

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Starlink had sought authorisation for both its Gen 1 and Gen 2 satellite systems when it applied to operate in India. IN-SPACe approved only the Gen 1 proposal, under which the company can offer broadband services using 4,408 low-earth-orbit satellites. These satellites are intended to provide standard internet connectivity rather than direct mobile phone access.

The Gen 2 proposal did not meet regulatory requirements, IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Kumar Goyal confirmed. Officials said that when the application was submitted several years ago, direct-to-device technology was still at an early stage and lacked clear technical and policy definitions. The technology has developed more recently, prompting the need for a separate and updated assessment.

Gen 2 satellites incorporate advanced features, including direct-to-device capability and the use of new frequency bands. Regulators pointed out that some of these frequency bands are not approved for use in India, and this emerged as the main factor in the decision to reject the application.

At present, India does not permit direct-to-device satellite services. A national framework for such technology is yet to be finalised. The government is still considering its approach, while the Department of Telecommunications is examining policy options. Regulators also need to determine which spectrum bands could be allocated for these services.

Internationally, Starlink continues to expand its satellite network. The company recently secured approval from the US Federal Communications Commission to deploy 7,500 Gen 2 satellites, taking its total global constellation to around 15,000 satellites.

The Gen 2 satellites feature upgraded designs and more advanced technology, enabling higher capacity and newer services. However, Starlink has not indicated when it plans to submit a revised Gen 2 application for the Indian market.

For now, direct satellite connections to mobile phones are off the table in India. Any future rollout will depend on regulatory clearances and the governments policy decisions on emerging satellite communication technologies.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday described the death of his nephew, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in a Baramati plane crash as just an accident, asserting that there was no political angle to the incident.

Calling the tragedy a massive shock for Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar said the state had lost a capable and decisive leader. He added that the pain of the loss was being felt across Maharashtra and urged political parties and the media not to politicise the incident.

In video shared on X, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said, "Ajit Pawars accidental death is a massive shock for Maharashtra. Today, the state has lost a capable leader with the ability to take strong decisions. The loss we have suffered is irreparable, but not everything is in our control. I did not intend to address the media today, but I came to know that some sections of the media have reported statements from Kolkata suggesting that there is politics behind this accident. I want to make it clear that there is no politics involved, this is purely an accident. The pain of this loss is being felt by Maharashtra and by all of us. I request that this tragedy not be politicised."

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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee alleges conspiracy in Ajit Pawar plane crash

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned whether the crash could be dismissed as a mere accident and called for a high-level investigation. Citing reports that Ajit Pawar may have been considering a political shift, she said the circumstances surrounding the incident warranted a thorough probe.

Ajit Pawar Baramati plane crash

Ajit Pawar, 66, was killed on Wednesday morning when the chartered aircraft carrying him crash-landed near the runway threshold while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. All five people on board, including Pawar, his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots, died in the crash.

Pawar was travelling to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections at the time of the accident. A senior political leader, he was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, having held the post for six non-consecutive terms across different governments. He served in the cabinets led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and sons Jay and Parth Pawar.

Pawar's last rites

Following his death, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning. Ajit Pawars last rites will be performed with full state honours on Thursday at 11 am.
Kolkata warehouse fire: A fire broke out in two warehouses in Anandapur, on the southern outskirts of Kolkata, on Monday. In the unfortunate incident, several people died, and many others are still missing. Meanwhile, police have arrested Gangadhar Das, the owner of the burnt-down decorator's warehouse, on charges of death due to negligence.

The decorator's warehouse was adjacent to a Momo company's warehouse, which was also destroyed in the fire. Similar charges have been filed against the owners of the Momo company, but no one from that company has been arrested yet, IANS reported.

Death toll in Kolkata warehouse fire

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The death toll in the fire has reached 16, the police informed on Wednesday. At the same time, several people are still missing, and a search is underway to trace them.

What happened?

The fire broke out in the two warehouses around 3 am on Monday, and it continued to rage until Tuesday afternoon.

Body parts were scattered throughout the burnt-out warehouses. The exact number of people present at the scene at the time of the incident is still not known. Notably, the charred remains have made identification of the bodies difficult.

IANS further reported, citing the police officials, that the DNA testing will be conducted to confirm the identities after getting a court order.

"So far, 16 deaths have been confirmed. However, their identities and places of residence are still unknown. Officially, 20 people are still missing," a senior officer of Baruipur Police District said.

It is still not clear how the fire started or from which warehouse it spread.

Police action in the fire incident

A probe has been launched into the cause of the fire and based on a complaint from the fire department, a case of death due to negligence has been registered at the Narendrapur police station.

Furthermore, the police have also filed a suo motu case under the same section. Acting on these two cases, the Narendrapur police arrested Gangadhar from the Garia area on Tuesday night.

After a medical examination on Wednesday, he will be produced before the Baruipur Sub-Divisional Court.

However, Gangadhar claimed that the negligence was not his. He has told the police that the fire was caused by the negligence of the Momo factory. He claimed his long-standing business has been completely ruined.

Meanwhile, questions are being raised about whether the two burnt-down warehouses in Anandapur had any fire safety measures in place at all.

On Tuesday, the Director General of the Fire Department, Ranveer Kumar, visited the site. He stated that the fire department had not issued any fire safety clearance for the warehouses. The fire chief also said that there might have been some lapse on the part of the department, and the matter will be investigated.

Many are also questioning why the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) did not take any action in this regard.

After visiting the site, Kolkata Mayor and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said, "It is not right to stop someone's livelihood. Otherwise, you yourselves will raise questions again."

Meanwhile, Hakim, on Tuesday, announced that financial assistance will be provided to the families of those killed and missing in the Anandapur warehouse fire. After visiting the fire site, Hakim announced that each family would receive Rs. 10 lakh in assistance. Notably, the minister said that the cheques will be handed over to the bereaved families once the bodies or body parts are identified.

(with IANS inputs)
Orezone Gold has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Hecla Mining Companys wholly owned subsidiary Hecla Quebec for an upfront and deferred consideration of $352m (C$478.04m).

This acquisition will enable Orezone to gain full ownership of the operational Casa Berardi gold mine along with a collection of exploration properties, all situated in Quebec, Canada.

The total consideration includes contingent payments that could reach up to $241m.

The upfront and deferred consideration comprises cash amounting to $160m and $112m in Orezone common shares.

Orezone Gold noted that the contingent consideration comprises $10m tied to gold prices and $231m based upon future permitting and gold production from the mine's proposed principal and West Mine Crown Pillar open pits.

The underground and open-pit gold mine, Casa Berardi, is located in the Abitibi region, recognised as a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction. To date, it has produced more than 3.2 million ounces (moz) of gold.

Orezone Gold will finance the upfront cash consideration through a mix of available cash and a gold stream from Franco-Nevada.

The company has established an agreement for a $100m gold stream. According to the terms, it is obligated to provide fixed gold deliveries of 1,625oz each quarter to Franco-Nevada for the initial five years.

After this period, the stream percentage will be set at 5% of gold production. Orezone Gold will receive a cash payment equivalent to 20% of the spot price for every ounce delivered.

Orezone Gold president and CEO Patrick Downey said: This transaction marks a significant inflection point for Orezone as it adds a proven, cash-flow-generating asset to our portfolio, and provides asset diversification in a Tier 1 jurisdiction.

Casa Berardis established operating history, robust resource and reserve base, and substantial exploration upside across a 37km mineralised corridor, provide a foundation for sustained growth.

The transaction, subject to certain conditions, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.

"Orezone Gold signs agreement to acquire Hecla Quebec" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




Ajit Pawar plane crash highlights: Maharashtra deputy chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar died after a plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday morning.

The aircraft, flying from Mumbai to Baramati, crash-landed at around 8.45 am. Besides Pawar, the aircraft was carrying two personnel, a personal security officer (PSO) and an attendant, along with two crew members, including the pilot-in-command (PIC) and the first officer (FO).

(Also read: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies at 66 in a plane crash: Obituary)

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Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections. He was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which was also attended by state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and senior officials. Further details about the crash are awaited.

PM Modi, President Murmu Express Condolences

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep grief over the untimely and tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati. Describing the loss as deeply shocking and irreparable, both leaders paid tribute to Pawars grassroots connect, dedication to public service, and his significant contribution to the development of Maharashtra.

Ajit Pawar's legacy

Pawars political journey was marked by his leadership within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and his role in shaping Maharashtras governance. A key achievement was his stewardship of development initiatives in his home region of Baramati, where he worked to channel infrastructure investment and expand services for rural and urban communities.

(Also read: A void hard to fill: Who will lead NCP after Ajit Pawars tragic demise in plane crash?)

Pawar also played important roles in the cooperative sector, serving as chairman of both the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank and the Pune District Cooperative Bank in the 1990s, and participated in efforts to strengthen agricultural and economic institutions in the region.
Ajit Pawar's plane crash: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash during landing in Baramati city this morning. Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was among six people killed in the aircraft crash in Pune district, said DGCA officials. The aircraft was a Learjet which is a 6 to 8 seater plane. It took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and the ATC was alerted at 9.12 am about the accident.

"Ajit Pawar, Deputy CM of Maharashtra, was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew (PIC+FO) members. As per initial information, no person on board has survived the crash," said DGCA.

Those killed in the plane crash include Ajit Pawar, his Personal Security Officer (PSO) Vidit Jadhav, his personal attendant, Pilot-in-Command (PIC) Captain Sumit Kapoor, First Officer (FO) and security/staff member.

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The Deputy Chief Minister was visiting his home city for a party-related event. According to the NCP sources, Pawar was present in the helicopter. Some others were injured in the accident.

According to Zee News TV, NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule has rushed to Baramati, where Pawar and other leaders have been admitted for treatment. Sule was in Delhi to attend the budget session of Parliament.

The visuals from the site show fire raging from the crash site. Only the tail of the helicopter appears to be intact, while the front part has reduced to rubble and ashes.

According to NCP sources, the accident happened before landing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to get details of the accident. PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah both contacted Maharashtra CM Fadanvis and received information and updates about the Baramati plane crash, said Maharashtra Government in a statement.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "This is very shocking, painful and heart-rending. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji, Sunetra ji, Parth and Jay. I also express sympathies to lakhs and crores of people in Baramati...Going away like this is very painful..."
Indias trade deal with the European Union has caused ripples from across the border to the United States as well. Not only Bangladesh, Pakistan but even the United States and Turkey will feel the heat of the historic trade agreement between India and the EU. Under the agreement, tariffs on over 90 per cent of EU goods exports to India will be eliminated or reduced, including steep duties of up to 44 per cent on machinery, 22 per cent on chemicals, and 11 per cent on pharmaceuticals, which will be mostly phased out.

Tariffs on EU beer will be cut to 50 per cent, while duties on chemicals, aircraft, and spacecraft will be eliminated for almost all products. The EU estimates the deal could double EU exports to India by 2032 and generate annual duty savings of up to 4 billion euros on European products. However, this will also hurt the enemies of India.

Impact On Turkey

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The relations between India and Turkey went downhill after Operation Sindoor, where Ankara helped Pakistan with drones and loitering ammunition. Since then, the relations between the two nations have been strained. Now, the India-EU trade deal is likely to hurt Turkey as well.

Notably, the EUTurkey Customs Union obliges Ankara to match the EUs common external tariff with any partner country. Ankara has previously raised concerns related to this with the EU, but there has been no headway made to resolve the issue. When the EU lowers tariffs for an FTA partner (like India), Turkey must do the same for that country. However, India wont have an obligation to do the same to Turkey. It will be interesting to see how Turkey responds to this.

Impact On Bangladesh

A few months ago, during an interview, Bangladeshs interim leader Muhammad Yunus said that due to higher US tariffs on New Delhi and lower on Dhaka, Indian companies may shift their bases to Bangladesh. Also, Bangladesh, being the Least Developed Country (LDC), has zero duty while exporting to the EU, whereas India faced higher duties. This helped Dhaka capture a larger market share in the EU.

Reacting to the EU trade deal, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said, India can boost textile exports to Europe from $7 billion to $30-40 billion quickly. We were always asked how Bangladesh exports so much to Europe. They had zero duties and captured a $30 billion share."

With Indian garment exports competing with Bangladeshi products in the EU, the market share of Dhaka will shrink for sure due to pricing and quality.

Impact on Pakistan

A fragile economy struggling to survive, Pakistan is irked with Indias growing ties with the EU. The India-European Union Free Trade Agreement has also irked Pakistan-backed Khalistanis. They feel that close ties between the European Union (EU) and India mean that the latter gains more leverage to target Khalistani elements.

The Khalistan groups, which have made countries such as Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom their base, believe that this proximity between India and the EU would harm their movement. The EU-India defence partnership also includes anti-terror cooperation and thus poses a challenge for Khalistani terrorists.

Also, the United States is miffed with the deal because its pressure tactics on New Delhi did not materialize. Despite President Donald Trump making absurd statements, India refused to bend, and the Indo-US trade deal is stuck. Now, the EU-India trade deal will put more pressure on Trump from his supporters and leaders, as America is missing out on a strategic partnership deal.
Ajit Pawar plane crash: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning. According to the DGCA, five individuals, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8:45 am this morning.

Also Check- Ajit Pawar plane crash live updates: Mallikarjun Kharge mourns Ajit Pawar's death, demands probe into the Baramati plane crash

The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati, and Ajit Pawar's sudden death has sent shockwaves across the political lines and the nation.

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Meanwhile, apart from Deputy CM Pawar, the people onboard the plane, Learjet 45 aircraft (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR, included a personal security officer (PSO), Vidip Jadhav; a flight attendant, Pinky Mali; and two crew members - a Pilot-in-Command (PIC), Sumit Kapur, and a Second-in-Command (SIC), Shambhavi Pathak.

At this time, it has come to light that Pinky Mali, the flight attendant from Worli in Mumbai, who also lost her life in the plane crash, spoke to her father a day before the tragedy struck.

Her grieving father, Shivkumar Mali, on Wednesday said that his only wish was to receive his daughters body so that he could perform her last rites.

IANS quoted him as saying, Yesterday, she called me and said, Papa, I am going to Baramati with Ajit Pawar, and from there I will go to Nanded. That was all we discussed yesterday. For some time, she had been travelling continuously with Ajit Pawar on his recent trips.

Expressing his anguish, he further added, I have lost my daughter. I do not know what exactly happened, as I have no technical knowledge about such incidents. I am completely shattered.

I just want my daughters body so that I can perform her last rites with dignity. That is all I wish for, he said.

Investigation into the crash

A team of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has departed from Delhi for Pune to investigate the deadly Baramati plane crash.

The team will head to Baramati after landing in Pune to initiate the investigation.

Emergency services and senior security officials have reached the site in Baramati. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after the aircraft lost control during the landing phase.

Additionally, according to IANS sources, Ajit Pawar's body was identified by the watch he was wearing at the time of his death.

Notably, the police officials have stated that a black box will be examined to determine the aircraft's technical condition during the flight and whether it was airworthy.

"The cockpit voice recording will provide information about the pilots' conversations and decisions in the final moments," officials said, adding that all records related to the maintenance performed on the aircraft will also be reviewed.

The cause of the tragic crash is under investigation.

(with IANS inputs)
Parliaments Budget session will begin on Wednesday with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of both Houses. The session will run from 28 January to 2 April, with a scheduled intersession break. The first phase will be held between 28 January and 13 February, followed by the second phase from 9 March to 2 April. In total, Parliament will sit for 30 days during the session.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget for 202627 on 1 February, a key highlight of the proceedings.

Ahead of the session, an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was convened on Tuesday to discuss the legislative agenda and ensure smooth functioning of Parliament.

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Meanwhile, the Opposition is preparing to raise several contentious issues during the session. According to news agency PTI, the Congress plans to focus on concerns related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, and environmental matters.

The Congress parliamentary strategy group met on Tuesday at the residence of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi to finalise its approach. Party leaders discussed key topics, including the proposed VB G RAM G Act and the ongoing SIR process, which are expected to feature prominently in debates during the session.

Congress leader Tariq Anwar said, "A lot will depend on what kind of Budget is presented by the Govt. We hope the Budget is in the public interest and improves our economy."

BJD MP Sasmit Patra added, "BJD, as directed by our party President Naveen Patnaik, raised 2 specific issues relating to Odisha that we will raise in the session. First is the distress of farmers of Odisha, paddy procurement is not happening, Mandis are closed, promised MSP worth Rs 3000 have not been given to them... Second is the issue of deterioration of law and order in the state - over the last 2 years since the BJP government came to power, the crimes against women, girls and minors have increased with those against Dalits and minorities. There is a general breakdown of law and order... Revision of coal royalty has not been done in 10 years, and connectivity issues remain. Unemployment is at an all-time high..."

Congress MP Kumari Selja highlighted, "Today the system has completely collapsed, and this government has shown no policy indicating that they are serious about it. Discussion on the budget will take place, and all issues will be raised."

(With ANI inputs)
Gurugram: Four private schools in Gurugram received bomb threat emails at around 7.08 am on Wednesday, triggering immediate security checks and combing operations across their campuses. Police teams, accompanied by sniffer dogs, were deployed at the schools.

As per the reports, the institutions that received the threat emails include Kunskapsskolan School in DLF Phase 1, Lancers School in Sector 53, Pathways World School in Badshahpur, and Heritage Xperiential Learning School in Sector 64.

The district administration said that police teams rushed to the locations as soon as the information was received and standard security procedures were put in place. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was also called in to assist, and the situation continues to be closely monitored, reportedly.

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In a message sent to parents, one of the schools informed that bomb threat emails had been received by their institution and a few others. The message stated that the threat appeared to be a hoax but that police were informed without delay. The school reassured parents that all necessary steps were being taken and that student safety remained the top priority.

As per HT reports, as the search operations were expected to take time, bus services were suspended. Students who had already arrived were sent back, and parents were asked to collect them from designated bus stops. Parents who had not yet dropped their children were advised to return home. Those who had already dropped their wards were assured that the children were safe and could be picked up from the school premises.

An official from one of the schools, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that safety protocols were activated immediately and students were kept calm and under supervision while police conducted checks. The official added that there was no panic on campus.

Police later confirmed that no suspicious object was found during the initial search. A senior officer said all precautionary measures were being followed and the premises were being thoroughly checked as per protocol.

Gurugram police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar said the cybercrime unit was investigating the matter and working to trace the origin of the emails. He said strict legal action would be taken against those responsible.

Authorities urged parents and residents not to panic, reiterating that the situation was under control and adequate security arrangements had been put in place.

Explaining the decision to declare a holiday, Kunskapsskolan Schools director Kunal Bhadoo said students had been advised to stay out of the buildings until screening was completed, but cold weather conditions made it impractical to keep children outdoors for long periods.
WASHINGTON: Claims that the Trump Administration single-handedly defused recent India-Pakistan hostilities have been overstated and risk distorting the reality of how the crisis was resolved, a powerful American Senator has said, and warning that such exaggerated narratives are feeding tensions at a sensitive moment in regional diplomacy.

Mark Warner, Chairman of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, said available information did not support assertions that Washington independently settled the standoff. Everything that I heard and read from members of the Indian government, from the intelligence community, the American Intelligence Committee was that this was settled between Pakistan and India, Warner told IANS in an exclusive interview.

Warner acknowledged that the United States may have attempted to play a supportive role but rejected claims of direct intervention by President Donald Trump. While America may have tried to help, it was not like Mr. Trump did this personally, he said, describing such portrayals as driven by an ego reaction.

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Asked whether the escalation had brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours close to catastrophe, Warner said the situation was serious but not unprecedented. It was a very serious escalation by both sides, he said, noting that India and Pakistan had experienced multiple such crises in the past.

He said the episode followed a familiar pattern. This was again due to something to do with a terrorist incident, Warner said, pointing to longstanding concerns about cross-border militancy. He added that established communication channels between New Delhi and Islamabad were in place for such moments. There are communications between Indian Pakistan for these kinds of occasions, he said.

Warner expressed concern that overstating Washingtons role could damage trust with allies. He said the current tariff dispute with India appeared to be linked to resentment over a perceived lack of recognition. That is the only logical explanation, he said, referring to Trumps belief that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not give him sufficient credit for easing hostilities.

Drawing a parallel with other foreign policy claims, Warner said Trump had a pattern of overstating outcomes. Referring to US strikes on Iran, he said, The American bombers did a wonderful job, but they didnt totally obliterate Irans nuclear capabilities, adding that Tehran retained the ability to rebuild within months.

He warned that such rhetoric had real diplomatic costs. When everyone doesnt salute that language, he then becomes resentful, Warner said, linking that dynamic towards the broader deterioration in trust between Washington and New Delhi.

The senator cautioned that short-term political disputes could undermine long-term strategic cooperation, particularly in defence. You cant switch overnight unless youre sure that that next partners gonna be dependable, he said, referring to Indias gradual effort to reduce dependence on Russian military equipment.

On Pakistan, Warner said the country remained excessively focused on India. It feels to me too often that Pakistan is so obsessed with India and it uses India as the reason why Pakistan itself has not succeeded as a nation economically, he said.

By contrast, he said India had moved beyond that rivalry. Indias since its graduated into a first world power, its moved beyond that competition, Warner said, adding that generational shifts in India favoured closer alignment with the United States.

Warner said exaggerating US involvement risked complicating an already delicate regional balance and diverting attention from the need to stabilise long-term India-US relations.
The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's plane crash incident has taken a new political turn, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refusing to dismiss the incident as merely an "accident" and demanding a high-level investigation.

Raising serious questions, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "Ajit Pawars death must be properly investigated, with the probe directly monitored by the Supreme Court." She hinted that Pawar was distancing himself from the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

"He was with the ruling party, but there were statements suggesting he would leave the BJP. Under such circumstances, this sudden accident appears suspicious," Banerjee added.

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"I'm shocked by the news of Ajit Pawar's death. There is no safety or security for the people of this country. A few days ago, I learned that someone from another party stated Ajit Pawar was willing to leave the BJP. Now, after today's incident, I demand a proper investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court. We trust only the Supreme Court, no other agency," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

BIG! Mamata Banerjee alleges she read on SM that Ajit Pawar was set to leave BJP & links it to todays incident

 "People are unsafe & I demand a Supreme Court probe."



Politicising deaths for gain. How are VULTURES different if we do the same? pic.twitter.com/AUb7MBmflO  The Analyzer (News Updates) (@Indian_Analyzer) January 28, 2026

Baramati plane crash

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in an aircraft accident in Baramati on Wednesday at the age of 66.

Pawar was travelling to Baramati in a private aircraft to attend campaign events related to the Pune zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections when the accident occurred.

The aircraft departed Mumbai at around 8 am. While approaching Baramati airport for landing, the plane crashed approximately 45 minutes into the flight. Visuals from the site showed flames and thick smoke billowing from the wreckage.

All five people on board were killed in the crash.

According to records from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the other victims were identified as Vidip Jadhav and Pinky Mali, Ajit Pawars personal security officer and attendant, as well as pilots Captain Sumit Kapur and Captain Shambhavi Pathak.

PM Modi expresses grief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Baramati plane crash.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, I am deeply saddened by the tragic plane accident that occurred in Baramati, Maharashtra. I share the grief of everyone who has lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray that the bereaved families are granted strength and courage during this difficult time.

Amit Shah calls it a personal loss

Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed deep sorrow over Ajit Pawars demise and conveyed his condolences to the Pawar family.

In a post on X, Home Minister Shah said, Hearing the news of the loss of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague, Ajit Pawar ji, in an extremely tragic accident today has left me deeply distressed. His passing is a personal loss for me as well, in addition to being a loss for the entire NDA family.

Who was Ajit Pawar?

Fondly known as Dada, Ajit Pawar was regarded as one of Maharashtras most influential and dynamic political leaders. He held the post of Deputy Chief Minister longer than any other leader, serving six non-consecutive terms during his political career.

ALSO READ | 'You'll be CM one day': Fadnavis' old remark on Ajit Pawar resurfaces, leaving many emotional | Video
Ajit Pawar Baramati plane crash: Parth Pawar is the elder son of Ajit Pawar, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who died in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28, 2026. Unlike his father, Parth has never entered politics and instead focuses on his business activities. In 2025, he came into the news because of a controversial land deal in Pune.

Family background

Parth Pawar is the elder son of Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar. He has a younger brother, Jay Pawar.

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While his father served six non-consecutive terms as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister under governments led by Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, and Eknath Shinde, Parth chose business over politics.

As a member of Maharashtra's most prominent political dynasties, his name has occasionally appeared in media coverage related to commercial activities and civic matters in the state.

The Mundhwa land deal controversy

In 2025, Parth came under scrutiny over a 40-acre land transaction in Pune's Mundhwa locality.

Amadea Enterprises LLP, where Parth held a significant stake, purchased the land in a deal that attracted allegations of irregularities. Questions were raised about land valuation and stamp duty exemptions granted in the transaction.

The deal was valued at approximately Rs 300 crore for a property estimated to be worth considerably more. This disparity in valuation sparked concerns among opposition politicians and civic groups.

The controversy led to protests in Pune and triggered widespread political debate across Maharashtra. Critics demanded transparency and questioned whether proper procedures were followed in the transaction.

Government investigation

The Maharashtra government ordered an investigation into the land deal following public outcry.

Authorities registered a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the case. However, Parth Pawar's name was not included in the FIR despite his substantial shareholding in Amadea Enterprises LLP.

Opposition leaders and civil society organizations questioned this omission. They demanded to know why Parth was excluded from the FIR when he held a major stake in the company involved in the deal. The matter drew legal attention and calls for a thorough investigation.

After father's death

Despite the land deal controversy, Parth has largely maintained a private lifestyle, distinct from his father's decades-long political career.

With Ajit Pawar's sudden death in the plane crash, political observers expect Parth and Jay to become more visible in public and family affairs.

Ajit Pawar Baramati plane crash

Ajit Pawar, 66, died on Wednesday morning after the chartered plane he was traveling in crash-landed near the runway while trying to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. Pawar, along with his personal security officer, a flight attendant, and two pilots, was among the five people killed in the accident.

The crash killed all five on board: Ajit Pawar, personal security officer Vidit Jadhav, attendant Pinki Mali, and pilots Captain Sumit Kapur and Captain Shambhavi Pathak.

Ajit Pawar's last rites

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the tragedy. Ajit Pawar's last rites will be performed with full state honours on Thursday at 11 am in Baramati. Succession dynamics within the influential Pawar clan are being closely watched by Maharashtra's political circles.

ALSO READ | Who is Rohit Pawar and how is he connected to Ajit Pawar
Ajit Pawar plane crash: Captain Shambhavi Pathak was the co-pilot who died in the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday morning in Baramati.

Baramati plane crash

The aircraft took off from Mumbai and crashed near the Baramati runway at around 8.50 am during its second landing attempt. The plane burst into flames after the crash.

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According to initial reports, all five people on board the aircraft died from injuries sustained in the crash, the aviation regulator DGCA said.

Who was on board

According to records from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the victims were identified as Ajit Pawar, Vidip Jadhav (personal security officer), Pinky Mali (attendant), Captain Sumit Kapur (pilot-in-command), and Captain Shambhavi Pathak (first officer).

According to a report in IANS, Ajit Pawar was traveling on an aircraft operated by the Delhi-based charter firm VSR, along with his personal security officer, Vidit Jadhav, and attendant Pinki Mali.

About Captain Shambhavi Pathak

According to a TOI report, the First Officer (FO) was identified as Shambhavi Pathak.

The report stated that Shambhavi Pathak completed her schooling at Air Force Bal Bharati School before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics, Aviation, and Aerospace Science and Technology from the University of Mumbai.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she later enrolled at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy, where she underwent advanced flight training.

As per a Pune Pulse report, Shambhavi Pathak has a strong academic background in aviation and is regarded as a trained and qualified pilot in the business jet segment.

About Captain Sumit Kapur

According to a report in TOI, the pilot-in-command was identified as Sumit Kapur, who had over 16,500 hours of flying experience.

About Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar, 66, was the nephew of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He has served as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

Political controversy

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has demanded a high-level investigation into the crash.

"Ajit Pawar's death must be properly investigated, with the probe directly monitored by the Supreme Court," Banerjee said.

She hinted that Pawar was distancing himself from the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

"He was with the ruling party, but there were statements suggesting he would leave the BJP. Under such circumstances, this sudden accident appears suspicious," CM Banerjee added.

ALSO READ | 'You'll be CM one day': Fadnavis' old remark on Ajit Pawar resurfaces, leaving many emotional | Video
Non-GAAP net income attributable to New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. increased 6068.6% to $72.9 million. Our core business remains steady, and I'm pleased to share that our new initiatives are gaining traction and making meaningful contributions to the group's overall performance. For the second fiscal quarter, our K-9 new educational business and high school tutoring business reported accelerated year-over-year revenue growth, outpacing the previous quarter. Overseas-related business has shown resilience, delivering modest revenue growth despite the ongoing macroeconomic headwind, exceeding our earlier conservative expectations. Overseas test prep business recorded a revenue increase of 4% year over year. Overseas study consulting business recorded a slight decrease of about 3% year over year.

Stephen Yang: Thank you, Alice. Hello, everyone. And thank you for joining us on the call. I'm pleased to report a strong set of results for 2026. Our continued focus on operational efficiency and disciplined resource management has been a key driver of our solid performance and continues to support our path to sustainable profitability. We are delighted to see strong profit growth accompanied by a significant improvement in non-GAAP operating margin, up more than four percentage points. Again, exceeded our expectations. This quarter, total net revenue grew 14.7% year over year, to $1.19 billion. Non-GAAP operating income more than tripled, rising 206.9% to $89.1 million.

New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable law. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. In addition, a webcast of this conference call will be available on New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.'s Investor Relations website at investor.neworiental.org. I will now first turn the call over to Mr. Yang. Stephen, please go ahead.

Stephen Yang, Executive President and Chief Financial Officer, and I will share New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.'s latest earnings results and business updates in detail with you. After that, Stephen and I will be available to answer your questions. Before we continue, please note that the discussion today will contain forward-looking statements made under the safe harbor provisions of The U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. As such, our results may be materially different from the views expressed today. A number of potential risks and uncertainties are outlined in our public filings with the SEC.

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Our adults and university students business recorded a revenue increase of percent year over year. As for our continued investments in new education initiatives, including non-academic tutoring and our intelligent learning system and devices, deliver solid, sustainable results. Revenue from this business grew 22% year over year this quarter. Our non-dynamic two-front business has been rolled out to around 60 existing fees. Market penetration has grown steadily, particularly across high-tier cities. The top 10 cities contribute over 60% of the revenue. As for our intelligent learning system and device business, that has been launched in around 60 cities. We are encouraged by improved customer retention and scalability of the new initiative.

The top 10 cities contribute over 50% of this business. Turning to our integrated tourism-related business. Our domestic and international study tours and research camp for K-12 and university students were held in 55 cities across China, with the top 10 cities contributing over 50% of the revenue. In parallel, our newly launched tourism offering for middle-aged and senior citizens has been well expanded and well received, now available in 30 key provinces in international markets. We have expanded our product portfolio to include culture travel, China study tour, global study tour, and camp education, all designed to deliver enriching experiences through culture and knowledge sharing and personal growth.

We are now also exploring opportunities in the health and wellness sector for seniors. We will partner with over 30 health and wellness spaces in locations such as Hainan, Yunnan, and Guangxi, piloting the segments with a light asset model. With regards to our OMO system, our efforts in developing and revamping our online merging offline teaching platform continue. These efforts aim to deliver more advanced and diversified education services to our customers of all ages. A total of $28.4 million has been invested during this quarter to upgrade and maintain our OMO teaching platforms. Beyond OMO, we continue to focus on our venture in AI.

Encouraged by the positive market feedback, we have been and will continue to refine and embed AI across our offerings to strengthen New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.'s core capabilities. Simultaneously, we are also leveraging AI to streamline internal operations, thereby boosting efficiency and providing enhanced support for our teaching staff. As an industry leader, we are dedicated to driving long-term revenue growth through a dual focus on product innovation and operational efficiency. In upcoming quarters, we look forward to sharing tangible results and positive highlights on performance that are backed by our investment in AI. Now turning to the East device performance.

I'm pleased to share that during the reporting period, ESA buy remained customer-centric and made strong progress in both product development and supply chain enhancements. EsterBio has expanded beyond its original focus on fresh foods and snacks to offer a broader, more diversified product range. As of the end of the period, private label SPUs reached 801. New categories include seafood, healthcare products, kitchen condiments, meat, eggs, dairy, personal care, household and cleaning items, paper goods, home textiles, apparel, and underwear. These offerings are thoughtfully created to meet customers' growing demand for health, quality of life, and convenience. They have contributed to both sales and profit growth for the group while further optimizing its product mix.

Beyond expanding SDUs, Eastbay also focused on product iteration, cost efficiency, and targeted marketing to build blockbuster products that resonate strongly with the customers. At the same time, Easter buy began exploring offline channels leveraging strong brand recognition and New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.'s learning center network. With the vending machine model now profitable in select cities, we plan to scale this initiative nationwide. All in all, we are pleased to see Easter buy refocused and back on track, making a positive contribution to the group, both top line and bottom line. We expect Easter buy to contribute more revenue and profits to the group in the future while continuously enhancing our brand's influence.

Now I will turn the call over to Alice to share with you about the key financials. Please go ahead, Alice.

Alice Chow: Thank you, Stephen. Let me now walk you through the key financial highlights for the quarter. Operating costs and expenses for the quarter were $1.1251 billion, representing a 10.4% increase year over year. Cost of revenues increased by 11.8% year over year to $556.9 million. Selling and marketing expenses decreased by 1.1% year over year to $194.1 million. G&A expenses for the quarter increased by 15.2% year over year to $374.3 million. Total share-based compensation expenses were allocated to related operating costs and expenses increased by 156.8% to $21.4 million in 2026. Operating income was $66.3 million, representing a 244.4% increase year over year.

Non-GAAP income from operations for the quarter was $89.1 million, representing a 206.9% increase year over year. Net income attributable to New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. for the quarter was $45.5 million, representing a 42.3% increase year over year. Basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. were 29 and 28, respectively. Non-GAAP net income attributable to New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. for the quarter was $72.9 million, representing a surge of 68.6% year over year. Non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. were 46 and 45, respectively.

Net cash flow generated from operations for the second fiscal quarter was approximately $323.5 million, and capital expenditure for the quarter was $23.7 million. Turning to the balance sheet. As of November 30, 2025, New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. had cash and cash equivalents of $1.8429 billion. In addition, the company had $161.6 million in term deposits and $1.8752 billion in short-term investments. New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.'s deferred revenue, which represents cash collected upfront from customers and related revenue that will be recognized as services or goods are delivered, at the end of 2026, was $2.1615 billion, an increase of 10.2% as compared to $1.9606 billion year over year.

Now I'll hand over to Stephen to go through our outlook and guidance.

Stephen Yang: Thank you, Alice. We are very encouraged by the strong results we have achieved this quarter and in the first half of the fiscal year 2026. These outcomes give us greater confidence in our operational resilience and growth trajectory. Looking ahead, we will continue to pursue a balanced approach to revenue and profitability growth. We remain committed to cost discipline and sustainable profitability across all business lines. At the same time, we will take a thoughtful strategic approach to capacity expansion and hiring, ensuring that growth does not come at the expense of quality. We plan to deepen our presence in cities that demonstrate strong top and bottom line performance while continuing to manage resources carefully.

We will closely monitor the pace and scale of new openings, aligning them with operational needs and financial performance throughout the year. Given our positive momentum, including the healthy growth of our K-12 business and the recovery of Easter buy, we are now in a more optimistic position regarding our business outlook. We expect total net revenue for the group, including Easter buy, in the 2026 fiscal year to be in the range of $1.3132 billion to $1.3487 billion, representing a year-over-year increase in the range of 11% to 14%.

For the full fiscal year 2026, we are raising our total net revenue guidance for the group to be in the range of $5.2923 billion to $5.4883 billion, representing a year-over-year increase in the range of 8% to 12%. These expectations reflect our current outlook, taking into account recent regulatory developments as well as our preliminary view of market conditions, and they remain subject to change. I would like to give you an update on our shareholder return plan for fiscal year 2026.

In October 2025, we announced that pursuant to the previously adopted three-year shareholder return plan, the board of directors had approved an ordinary dividend of $0.12 per common share, or $1.20 per ADS, to be distributed in two installments as part of the shareholder return for fiscal year 2026. As of today, the first installment has been fully paid to shareholders and ADS holders. Details of the second installment will be determined and announced in due course. Additionally, we also announced a share repurchase program in which New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. is authorized to repurchase up to $300 million of its ADS or common shares over the subsequent twelve months.

As of January 27, we had repurchased a total of approximately 1.6 million ADS for a consideration of approximately $86.3 million from the open market under this share repurchase plan. To conclude, New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. remains firmly committed to sustainable growth, high-quality offerings to our customers, and creating long-term value for our shareholders. We also continue to work closely with government authorities across provinces and municipalities in China to ensure full compliance with the relevant policies, regulations, and measures, and to adjust our operations as needed in response. This is the end of our fiscal year 2026 summary. At this point, I would like with Alice to open the floor for questions.

Operator, please open the call for this. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. The question and answer session of this conference call will start in a moment. In order to be fair to all callers who wish to ask questions, we will take one question at a time from each caller. If you have more than one question, please re-enter the queue. To cancel your request, you can press star 11 again. For the first question,

Felix Liu: Hi. Good evening, Steven. This is Felix Liu from UBS. First of all, congratulations on the very solid second quarter results as well as on the lift to your full-year guidance. My question is on your guidance. Can management provide some breakdown on the segment growth as much as you can? I'm keen to understand the key drivers for the lift to your full-year guidance. Thank you.

Stephen Yang: Yes. Thank you, Felix. So let us start with this quarter's revenue growth analysis. You know, we are very pleased to see the acceleration. What I mean is the growth of the K-12 business. You know, as you know, I think this our strategy this year is to improve the product quality and service quality. And I we have seen good results in Q2. You know? We have seen the higher student retention rates and the better feedback from the customers. And so this is the K-12 business. And so in the in Q3, I think the K-12 business will be grow somewhere around 20%. Year over year. Yep. Or more.

So let's say it's in 20% plus year over year growth. And overseas, yeah, overseas relative yeah, we meet some the revenue growth pressure. But I think, you know, we in the Q2, you know, we still got the top line growth. Of the overseas test prep by, you know, 4% year over year growth. And, you know, we're quite resilient. And, actually, I think we are taking the market share. From the, from the market. And, so in the Q3, let's say, in the second half of the year, so I do believe you know, the revenue growth will be flattish. Of the overseas related business.

There's still a drag but it is but I think we will do as you know, as good as we can. College business you know, let's say the 14, 15% top line growth. And, yeah, this is a breakdown. And so in the second half of the year, I think, you know, we're quite positive about the revenue growth. And the you know, even the higher margin. Because, you know, since last year, you know, March 2025, we started to the cost control. And I think we have done a great job. And going forward, we'll do more on cost control. So it will improve the margin expansion going forward.

In the second half of the year and the year after. Then it's

Felix Liu: Okay. This is great progress, and thank you

Stephen Yang: Thank you.

Operator: Our next question comes from Alice Cai of Citibank. Please go ahead.

Alice Cai: Good evening, management. Thank you for taking my questions, and congratulations on the strong results. We heard about the business unit integration between your tech and consulting units. There, I have two quick questions. First, what is the expected margin expansion from this merger? And can it effectively offset the headwinds in the U.S. market? Second, regarding efficiency, how much reduction do you expect in the customer acquisition cost? And what is your target for the cross-selling rate? Thank you so much.

Stephen Yang: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Would you yeah. I think, yeah, we I saw the news, you know, of the merging of the overseas test prep business and the consultant business. And as you know, before the merging, overseas test prep you know, the unit and the consulting business, you know, provide the service to their clients respectively. And each side has their own management teams teachers, marketing staff, admin staff. I think you know, we now we put it together. You know, we merged the overseas test lab and consultant business. I think the merge so let's say the restructuring aims to provide a customer with a one-stop service.

And I think the we will provide even the better service to the customers. And also, to be reduced absolutely some cost and expenses. Because, you know, we put it together, and I think the, you know, one person can do more jobs, you know, in stronger than before. So let's wait till the next quarter's earnings call I will share with you about the like, how much cost we can save or even the to how much can get more revenue or improve the top end growth and to save some cost to help the margin profile.

Alice Cai: Thank you. Okay. Thanks. It's very helpful.

Operator: One moment for the next question. Next question comes from Lucy Yu from Bank of America Securities. Please go ahead.

Lucy Yu: Thank you. Hi, Steven. This is Lucy Yu. Congratulations. So my question is on the margin expansion in the second quarter, which has been more than one percentage point. Could you please elaborate on the margin expansion? What is driving that? How should we think about the margin expansion magnitude in the second half? Thank you.

Stephen Yang: Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Lucy, you know, I think your question about margin. Yeah. Even as I said, even though we missed some margin drag, from the overseas related business, but we still got the Group margin expansion in Q2. You know? The non-GAAP OP margin was increased by four hundred seventy basis points. I think the margin expansion was mainly driven by the better utilization, the higher operating leverage, and cost control. And also the profit contribution from the InstaBuy. And I think you know, we will, you know, continuously focus on operational efficiency and discipline resource management. Let's say, in a cost control. You know, we control the learning center expansion plan. And we control the marketing expenses.

You saw the numbers, you know, the result. And I think going forward, even the Q3, and the Q4, the second half of the year, we will get the margin extension. You know? I won't give the detailed guidance because, you know, typically, we don't give the margin guidance. But, you know, we are quite optimistic about the margin expansion in the second half of this year. Lucy?

Lucy Yu: Understood. Thank you so much, Steven.

Stephen Yang: Thank you. For the next question.

Operator: Next questions will come from the line of Yikun Zheng from Citi. Please go ahead. Good evening. This is Yikun Zheng. Thank you for taking my question, and also congrats on the strong results. So my question is about the overseas business. As you mentioned, that's the OSC business have

Stephen Yang: or like, 4% of growth rates.

Operator: Actually, the market condition is quite challenging. So just wondering the future trends and the main reason for the for the for this over the business that I can get such a good result. Thank you.

Stephen Yang: Yeah. I think yeah. As I said, you know, the overseer of the business, you know, needs some impacts of the economy environment, you know, outside. But I think our team have done a great job. You know? They have shown very resilient you know, in the first half of the year. And we believe they will take in the more market share from you know, all the competitors. And, and also, you know, I think the group gave the team more support than before because it needs some pressure. We should help them to do more jobs.

And going forward, in the in the second half of the year, you know, I think I just want to give the guidance. The flattish or little bit of a at low single digit growth because, you know, the outside environment, you know, has no change. But I believe our team will do the great job as they did in the first half of the year. Thank you, Steven.

Operator: For the next question, Our next question comes from D. S. Kim of JPMorgan. Please go ahead. Hi, Stephen. Hi, Alice. Congrats on the great quarter, and I hope that this is first of many, many more quarters to come. Before I actually ask my question, can I double check on Lucy's earlier question? On margin? Can we talk about how much of the margin expansion in 2Q, not the forward-looking, but 2Q came from Core Education versus East Bay to the extent that you can elaborate? And I have my question after this.

Alice Chow: Yeah. Actually, Ethiopi also reported their first year first half results, so you can roughly calculate. So if takeout is to buy all the rest together, our margin expansion is roughly about three per 300 bps. Margin expansion year over year.

Operator: Thank you. And my actual question is for our new education business, it's great that we printed more than 20% growth.

D. S. Kim: What do you think, in your view, is, like, sustainable growth rate for the segment from here? Say, assuming stable 10% capacity expansion for, like, next three to five years, say, you know, like, 10% for the group capacity expansion, maybe that means K-9 capacity can grow maybe 15% per annum and then we can add on maybe four, 5% of ASP growth and couple more points for efficiency gain or utilization gain, if you will. Does that mean that can we continue to expect say, 20% plus growth?

Not I'm not talking about second half, but like, next few years, based on this level of capacity expansion or, you know, the growth algorithm or formula can change versus what we had in the past.

Stephen Yang: Yes. I think that it's a great question. You know, we changed our strategy you know, before the starting of this fiscal year. You know, we slowed down the learning center expansion. From 20, 30%, you know, the year the year before to, let's say, the 10%. So that means we put more focus on the quality and quality improvement. So I think all the business line, even the high school and the K-9 business, the student retention rate is guiding higher. You know? I think even better than we expected. And, also, that means we got a bit better word-of-mouth So we don't need to spend, like, crazy marketing expenses to acquire the new student enrollment.

That means, you know, we get the new student enrollment by better word marks, And so I think in the second half of the year, you know, we got is the 20% plus top end growth of the K-12 business. I believe we will keep the sustainable growth during the year after. Because, you know, the better quality, and also the even the more the high the competitive the ads of New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. I think we deserve to get more student news. Student enrollment. You know, we cut some marketing expenses. And also, you know, definitely, will see more leverage.

Because, you know, we'll we'll just open, like, let's say, 10% new learning centers, but, you know, the revenue growth is something somewhere around 20%. So it will you will see the higher utilization rate and the higher margin of the catalyst.

D. S. Kim: Yes. That thank you so much, sir, and I hope to I hope to see that coming through in many more years to come. Thank you.

Stephen Yang: Yeah. And, also, you know, I want to I do believe we got the add one point to Steve's comments. You know, in the Q3, margin improvement from both core business. And Easter die.

Operator: Thank you, sir. Thank you for the questions. As a reminder, to ask a question, please press 11 and wait for your name to be announced. Our next question comes from Timothy Zhao of Goldman Sachs. Please go ahead. Great. Hi, Steven. Hi, Alice. Congrats on the study results. So my question is that I recall in the last quarter results, you mentioned that think about some of the new AI initiative that you are launching. Just wondering if you can share any tangible results or any updates on the AI investments that you are making? For example, of a new course format, that you launched probably in the late last year. Just wondering if there's any progress on that.

Thank you.

Stephen Yang: I think, you know, in the last three months, I think our team, you know, have done a lot on the new offerings of the new AI product. And I think we need one maybe one quarter to testify, you know, the, new offerings. And, also, you know, and I believe it will contribute more revenue going forward. And one more point is, you know, even the I think the AI technology help us on the existing product You know, you saw the higher student return for rate. Yeah. We put more focus on the, like, the product quality and even the service quality.

But I do believe the AI helps us to guide the even higher the student retention rate going forward. So and also the AI help us to get more efficient and efficiency to save some, you know, expenses and cost So AI helps the whole group, you know, three points new offerings and the existing products improvement and the cost of saving. So, you know, I think we should spend a little bit more on AI technology, but it's not that it's not that much. And we'll control the whole the spending. But I think we will bear more fruit from the AI. Investment going forward.

Timothy Zhao: Got it. Thank you, Steven. Moment four, the next question. Our next question comes from Elsie Sheng from CLSA. Please go ahead.

Elsie Sheng: Stephen and Alice, congratulations on the results. I have a follow-up question on the margin expansion because if we look into the details, in the second quarter, the gross margin is going up and also the marketing expense ratio is also going down. And because I noticed that you all earlier mentioned that you have initiated a cross-department customer service system to improve the service efficiency and also reduce the customer acquisition cost. So I wonder if the decrease in the marketing expense ratio is related to this initiative. And if so, how do we expect the impact of this going forward? Do we expect this trend of lower marketing expense ratio to continue in the next few quarters?

Thank you.

Stephen Yang: I think the situation will continue. Because, you know, yeah, first of all, we put more focus on the product itself. Rather than spend, you know, more money on marketing. But growth is still very healthy. And also, as you said, you know, we set up a new customer service department. And, you know, that means I think we will bring the information within New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. or even the old departments overseas consulting college, K-12 business, high school, K-9. And even other business, and the tourism business that needs to buy. So I think this new department will bring us, you know, more traffic even within New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. customer resources.

So this is a I think that is a very good tool to save more marketing expenses. And also, you know, we just to set up the 10% new learning center this year. So we don't need to spend more money on marketing. And, yeah, even in the Q1, you know, some I know some competitors, you know, did some summer promotion even the free course in the summer. But, you know, we are happy to see more students from our competitors came back to New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. in autumn. So that means, you know, our core competency will be product quality turns to be better.

And going forward, I think the selling marketing expenses as the percentage of the revenue will go down. Going forward. In the second half of the year and the year after.

Elsie Sheng: Thank you. It's very helpful.

Operator: Thank you for the questions. We are now approaching the end of the conference call. I will now turn the call back to New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.'s Executive President and CFO, Mr. Stephen Yang, for his closing remarks.

Stephen Yang: Again, thank you for joining us today. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or any of our Investor Relations representatives. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Operator: That does conclude today's conference call. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect your lines.

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New Oriental (EDU) Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
The tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a Bombardier Learjet 45 crash on Wednesday has reopened a long-standing debate in aviation safety: Why are even high-profile VIPs not equipped with parachutes?

As the nation mourns the loss of the veteran leader and four others, aviation experts note that while a parachute might seem like a sensible safety measure, the physics of high-speed jet travel makes them practically useless and often more dangerous in an emergency.

1. Lethal air velocity

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The Learjet 45 involved in the Baramati crash flies at speeds over 800 km/h (500 mph). At this speed, the air pushing against the fuselage feels as solid as a concrete wall. If a passenger tried to exit the aircraft while cruising, the intense wind force would cause immediate, severe physical injury before a parachute could deploy.

2. The physics of pressurisation

Modern business jets are pressurised to help passengers breathe easily at 40,000 feet. This internal pressure exerts thousands of pounds of force against the aircraft's "plug-type" doors.

The Lock Effect: Unless the aircraft is depressurized (which carries its own deadly risks), a person cannot open the door against the internal cabin pressure.

3. Risk of 'tail strikes' and engine suction

Unlike military cargo planes with rear ramps, private jets have side-entry doors located in front of the wings and engines.

The danger zone: A person jumping from a Learjet would almost certainly be pulled into the rear-mounted engines or hit the horizontal stabilizers (the "T-tail") at deadly speeds due to the slipstream.

4. Hypoxia and freezing altitudes

At the cruising height of a business jet (35,000 to 45,000 feet), the environment is hostile to human life:

Hypoxia: Without extra oxygen, a person loses consciousness within 15 to 30 seconds.

Extreme Cold: Outside temperatures can drop to -50C (-58F), causing immediate frostbite and shock.

5. The 'low-altitude' problem

Data from the DGCA and international safety boards show that 90% of aviation accidents happen during takeoff or landing. In Ajit Pawars case, the aircraft crashed while making a second approach to the Baramati runway. At these low altitudes, there is no time for a passenger to prepare for a jump or the height needed for a parachute to fully deploy.

Why no 'whole-plane' parachutes?

While light aircraft like the Cirrus SR22 are known for having a Ballistic Recovery System (BRS)a parachute that lowers the entire planethis technology does not yet apply to business jets.

Weight constraints: The Learjet 45 has a maximum takeoff weight of over 9,000 kg (20,000 lbs). Current parachute materials and rocket deployment systems cannot safely handle the mass and kinetic energy of a mid-size jet without the parachute tearing apart or the airframe breaking under the "opening shock."

ALSO READ | Why no SOS? Investigators probe Ajit Pawar's fatal Learjet 45 crash in Baramati
Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar lost his life in an aircraft accident in Baramati on Wednesday at the age of 66.

The tragic incident has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra and the country, triggering an outpouring of grief from political leaders and citizens alike.

Fadnavis old remark resurfaces, leaving many emotional

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Following Ajit Pawars death, an old video of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis resurfaced on social media, leaving many emotional.

The video dates back to a Maharashtra Assembly session in 2024, where Fadnavis was seen praising Ajit Pawars political journey. Addressing the House, Fadnavis remarked that while some people referred to Pawar as a permanent Deputy Chief Minister, he wished him the very best and expressed confidence that Pawar would one day become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Some people call Ajit Pawar a permanent Deputy Chief Minister, but I wish you the best. Youll definitely become the Chief Minister one day, Fadnavis had said.

The remark has since gone viral, with many describing it as bittersweet in light of the tragedy.

Reacting on X, one user wrote, His dream of becoming Chief Minister will now remain unfulfilled. Life is fragile and hard for everyone.

"Some people call #AjitPawar a PERMANENT Dy. CM, but I wish you the best. You'll definitely become the Chief minister one day."

: Fadnavis on 19 Dec, 2024



This wish didn't turn to reality. Gone too soon Ajit Dada. Your camaraderie with Deva Bhau will be missed pic.twitter.com/qxTwO2zlQB  The Analyzer (News Updates) (@Indian_Analyzer) January 28, 2026

A political giant known as 'Dada'

Known affectionately as Dada, Ajit Pawar stood out as one of Maharashtras most dynamic political figures. His dedication was evident in his habit of beginning work before sunrise.

Over a political career spanning 45 years, he maintained a strong and influential presence in state affairs. Many regarded him as the Nationalist Congress Partys primary strength and Sharad Pawars natural political heir.

Details of the aircraft accident

Pawar was travelling to Baramati in a private aircraft for campaign events related to the Pune zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections when the crash occurred.

The private aircraft departed Mumbai at approximately 8 am. During its landing approach near Baramati airport, the plane went down around 45 minutes into the flight. Flames and thick smoke were seen rising from the destroyed aircraft.

The crash claimed all five lives on board.

Victims identified

According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) records, the other victims were identified as Vidip Jadhav and Pinky Mali, Ajit Pawars personal security officer and attendant, along with pilots Captain Sumit Kapur and Captain Shambhavi Pathak.

PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah React

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to seek information on the incident.

Prime Minister Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Baramati plane crash.

In a post on X, he said, I am deeply saddened by the tragic plane accident that occurred in Baramati, Maharashtra. I share the grief of everyone who has lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray that the bereaved families are granted strength and courage during this difficult time.

President Murmu mourns Ajit Pawar's death

President Droupadi Murmu also mourned the loss, stating that Ajit Pawar would always be remembered for his significant contributions to Maharashtras development.

In a post on X, she said, The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is deeply saddening. Ajit Pawars untimely demise is an irreparable loss. He will always be remembered for his significant contributions to Maharashtras development, especially in the cooperative sector.

Home Minister Amit Shah calls it a personal loss

Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep grief over Ajit Pawars demise and conveyed his condolences to the Pawar family.

In his message, Shah said, Hearing the news of the loss of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague, Ajit Pawar ji, in an extremely tragic accident today has left me deeply distressed His passing is a personal loss for me as well, in addition to being a loss for the entire NDA family.

Life and legacy

Ajit Pawar was born on July 22, 1959, and passed away on January 28, 2026.

Longest-serving deputy Chief Minister

Ajit Pawar held the post of Maharashtras Deputy Chief Minister longer than anyone else, completing six non-consecutive terms.

During his political career, he served alongside Chief Ministers Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, and Eknath Shinde.

Family and personal life

Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar and sons Jay Pawar and Parth Pawar.

Past aviation tragedies involving prominent figures

India has witnessed several aviation tragedies involving prominent personalities. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani died in an Air India accident in 2025, while Indias first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and his wife Madhulika lost their lives in a helicopter crash in 2021. Renowned physicist Homi Bhabha died in a commercial aircraft disaster in 1966.

ALSO READ | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee alleges conspiracy in Ajit Pawar plane crash, demands probe
Ahmedabad: Security agencies were placed on high alert after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad received a bomb threat email on Wednesday, prompting immediate action by airport authorities and the police. The threat led to the registration of a formal complaint at the airport police station and the tightening of security across the entire airport precinct, officials said.

According to information available, the threat email was sent from an unidentified email ID, aldurham420@gmail.com, bearing the name Amber Durham. The email was received at 11.05 a.m. on the airports official email ID, dtm.amd@adani.com, along with other feedback addresses.

The subject line read BOMB Blast luggage Section. The message stated that Ahmedabad Airport is target, and contained remarks claiming that Sikhs are not Hindus while alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are enemies of Khalistan.

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The email also warned of serious consequences if demands were not met. Following the receipt of the threat, the airports Chief Security Officer and senior officials immediately responded.

Given the seriousness of the message, an emergency meeting of the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee was convened at 11.20 a.m. The meeting, which lasted for around 30 minutes, involved a detailed assessment and verification of the threat.

After evaluation, the committee categorised the email as a non-specific bomb threat. However, as a precautionary measure, comprehensive checks were carried out across the airport premises, including the luggage and terminal areas.

A complaint in this regard has been lodged at the airport police station by Ravikant Bhardwaj, the Landside Security Duty Manager at Ahmedabad Airport, against an unknown person. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and criminal intimidation laws.

A senior police official said efforts are underway to trace the sender of the email with the assistance of the cybercrime cell.

Earlier on January 23, at least 20 schools reported similar emails, prompting security sweeps and parent notifications, though no explosives were found. Police described those emails as hoaxes and have referred them to the cybercrime branch for investigation.
Ajit Pawar Death: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed when the aircraft they were travelling in crashed in Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said. The accident occurred while the plane was attempting to land at Baramati.

Pawar, 66, a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was on board a Lear Jet 45 aircraft (registration VT-SSK) that was flying from Mumbai to Baramati.

The nation is in mourning following the tragedy, with several prominent figures, including actors Riteish Deshmukh, Anupam Kher, and MP Ravi Kishan, expressing their condolences over Pawars death.

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Bollywood Celebs Mourn Tragic Demise

Actor Riteish Deshmukh expressed deep shock and grief over the sudden and tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The actor, who is the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, paid a heartfelt tribute to Pawar, describing him as one of Maharashtras most dynamic leaders.

Deshmukh praised the late leaders unwavering commitment to his work, sharp wit, and forthright nature. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he wrote that he was deeply shocked and terribly heartbroken by the loss, noting Pawars zero tolerance for non-performance and his ability to constantly push and inspire those around him to excel. He added that Pawar never minced his words, possessed unmatched wit, and was widely loved across the state.

Read Here | Ajit Pawar Death: Riteish Deshmukh 'deeply shocked' over Maharashtra Deputy CM's tragic death in plane crash

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar paid tribute to late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar by sharing a message on his X handle. Mourning his demise, the Fashion director described Pawar as a towering figure in Maharashtras political landscape.

Deeply shocked and saddened by the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji . A towering figure in state politics, his loss is irreparable. Thoughts are with Sunetra ji , Parth, Jay, & the entire Pawar family members during this incredibly difficult time. Strength to them. #OmShanti pic.twitter.com/5KJUSoqqXu  Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) January 28, 2026

Actor Anupam Kher expressed that he was deeply shocked by the passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. In a heartfelt note, he recalled Pawar as a gentle and kind personality whenever they met.

Deeply shocked and Saddened by the tragic passing of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dada. Whenever I met him he was very gentle and kind! My thoughts are with his family. Om Shanti! pic.twitter.com/X0deqc6Z0W  Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) January 28, 2026

Actress Nimrat Kaur also mourned Pawars demise, sharing her condolences on her Instagram story.

Also Read | Ajit Pawar Death: Ajay Devgn mourns loss of Maharashtra Deputy CM, says 'shocked and saddened'

Actor Sanjay Dutt shared his thoughts following the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. In his note, he described Pawar as a dynamic leader.

Shocked and saddened by this tragic loss. He was one of the most dynamic leaders, leaving behind a lasting impact. My deepest condolences to the family and everyone affected. Prayers for strength and peace. Om Shanti pic.twitter.com/o0MW3pxHqu  Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) January 28, 2026

Actress Kangana Ranaut shared her reaction with ANI after learning about the news outside Parliament. Expressing her shock, she said, Oh my god, that's horrible. This is such a horrible news. There are not enough words to express. I am speechless. Let me align emotions to give the statement."

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar tragically died in a plane crash near Baramati on Wednesday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that all six passengers on board, including Pawar, lost their lives in the accident. The aircraft went down while attempting to land near Baramati, roughly an hour after departing from Mumbai.

Pawars family has rushed to the crash site following the tragedy.

The Deputy Chief Minister was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting amid the ongoing Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.
New Delhi: Sunny Deols starrer Border 2 brings to life the bravery of Indian soldiers in the 1971 Battle of Basantar. Among these soldiers, Major Amarjit Singh Bal, who was later became brigadier, commanded the B Squadron of Poona Horse and successfully secured the bridgehead over the Basantar River. He served with distinction along with Second Lieutenant Khetarpal and Lieutenant Colonel Hanut Singh, later elevated to the rank of lieutenant general, in one of the fiercest tank battles of the war.

Bal began his career with the prestigious Poona Horse regiment, a cavalry unit that had transitioned from horses to tanks over centuries. The regiment is highly decorated and honoured in the Commonwealth, earning recognition from both India and Pakistan for its valour.

In 1971, Major Bal, then 31 years old and serving as squadron commander, was tasked with capturing the Shakardgarh ridge in Pakistan to secure road links between Jammu and Punjab. From December 4, his unit fought continuously for 12 days. On December 16, the squadron faced a counterattack from Pakistans 13th Lancers, who were equipped with advanced M48 Patton tanks.

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Major Bal led his seven tanks with precision and bravery. Despite being heavily outnumbered, he destroyed several enemy tanks while advancing to support the bridgehead held by three Grenadiers units. He requested reinforcements, and three more tanks, including Second Lieutenant Khetarpals, joined him to strengthen the position.

After the ceasefire, Bal recalled an encounter with a Pakistani officer who admitted, We know you fought well.

The officer had lost all four of his squadron commanders and could not locate their bodies. When he saw Khetarpals tank, he said in disbelief that no one could have fought better.

Khetarpal was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra. Major Bal and Lieutenant Colonel Hanut Singh received the Mahavir Chakra. Major Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, also part of the battle, was awarded the Param Vir Chakra.

The intensity of the battle is evident as two PVCs and two MVCs were awarded in recognition of the bravery.

Brigadier Bals valour traces back to the 1965 war, where, as Captain Bal, he participated in the battles of Phillora, Chawinda and Buttur Dograndi. He served under the First Armoured Division to capture important positions in Pakistans Punjab and secure routes toward Pasrur.

He served in the same command tank, Kooshab, as Lieutenant Colonel Tarapor, who was later killed when his tank came under heavy artillery fire. Bal was seriously injured and hospitalised for over nine months. His courage is a defining example of heroism.

His story inspires all with courage and leadership in the toughest moments.
New Delhi: In a move that could reshape how Indians plan for both retirement and medical needs, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has introduced the NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme as a pilot project under its Regulatory Sandbox Framework. It has been launched as a Proof of Concept (PoC) and the initiative seeks to blend health-related financial benefits with the existing National Pension System (NPS). This offers subscribers a more holistic approach to long-term financial security.

NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme: Key Features Explained

Launched for a limited and controlled period, the NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme is aimed at helping subscribers manage both out-patient and in-patient medical expenses. The scheme will function under the Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF) and will be contributory in nature, meaning individuals will need to make regular contributions. Participation is completely voluntary and open to Indian citizens who wish to add a health-focused layer to their retirement planning.

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In a circular issued on January 27, the PFRDA clarified that the NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme will be rolled out as a separate sector scheme under the National Pension System. The regulator also explained that the scheme is focused solely on providing financial assistance for out-patient and in-patient medical expenses and will function within the Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF).

The NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme shall be introduced as a specific sector scheme under the NPS, intended exclusively to provide financial support for out-patient and in-patient medical expenses, within the framework of the Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF). The Scheme shall be a contributory pension scheme, governed by the provisions of section 12(1)(a) and section 20 of the PFRDA Act and shall be offered to citizens of India on a voluntary basis."

Contribution Rules and Withdrawal Benefits Explained

Under the NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme, subscribers can contribute any amount of their choice, which will be invested by Pension Funds (PFs) as per the Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF) guidelines. Those aged above 40 years are also allowed to transfer up to 30% of their contributions from their existing NPS Common Scheme Account to this health-focused scheme.

The scheme permits partial withdrawals for medical needs, allowing subscribers to withdraw up to 25 per cent of their own contributions. However, the first withdrawal can only be made once the minimum corpus reaches Rs 50,000.

In situations where a single medical expense exceeds 70 per cent of the total corpus, subscribers will have the option of premature exit with 100 per cent lump-sum withdrawal. The withdrawn amount will be paid directly to the Health Benefit Administrator (HBA), Third Party Administrator (TPA), or the hospital. If any amount remains after settling the medical bill, it will be transferred back to the subscribers Common Scheme Account.

Grievance Redressal and Data Protection Measures

To safeguard subscribers interests, the PFRDA has directed Pension Funds (PFs), in coordination with Health Benefit Administrators (HBAs) and Third Party Administrators (TPAs), to set up a strong grievance redressal system. This is aimed at ensuring that any complaints or issues raised by subscribers are addressed quickly and efficiently.

The regulator has also made it clear that sharing of subscriber-level data for claim purposes must strictly follow the provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Explicit digital consent from subscribers will be required at the time of activating the scheme.

As this is currently a Proof of Concept (PoC), the initiative will allow PFRDA to evaluate how feasible it isoperationally, technically, and from a regulatory standpointto integrate health benefits with pension savings under the NPS framework. The findings could help determine whether the scheme is expanded into a full-scale offering in the future.

Eligibility Criteria for NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme

The NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme is open to all Indian citizens who wish to enrol. However, subscribers must have a Common NPS Scheme Account. If an individual does not already have one, it will be mandatorily opened along with the NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme account at the time of registration.

Charges and Cost Structure Under the Scheme

The fees and charges under the NPS Swasthya Pension Scheme will be governed by the rules of the Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF). The PFRDA has stated that all applicable costs will be disclosed clearly to ensure transparency for subscribers. These charges will also include the fees payable to the Health Benefit Administrator (HBA), along with other applicable expenses under the scheme.
US President Donald Trump will reach Ahmedabad Airport with his family at around 11:40 pm, where he will be welcomed by PM Modi himself. From there, they will go directly to Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram. After spending some time in the ashram, they will leave for Huge Motera Stadium directly and then the Namaste Trump program will start at around 1 pm. Reports has been claimed that President Trump will come on stage in Motera Stadium wearing Indian attire i.e., Kurta Pyjama.
The video of avalanche at Sonamarg hill station in Jammu and Kashmir is becoming increasingly viral on social media. In the video, it can be seen how suddenly an avalanche started from the hills.
Pokhriyal announced the UGC guidelines on the academic calendar for the first year of UG and PG students of the universities for the session 2020-21 in view of COVID-19 pandemic The admissions to the first-year programmes for the session 2020-21 will be completed by the end of October 2020 The last date for admissions to fill up the remaining vacant seats shall be November 30, 2020, said the ministry of education
WhatsApp Privacy Controversy: The debate around Meta-owned WhatsApps privacy claims is growing louder. Fresh accusations, a major lawsuit, and criticism from rival tech leaders are putting the messaging apps end-to-end encryption promises under pressure, sparking strong reactions across the tech industry. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov added fuel to the fire, saying one would have to be braindead to believe WhatsApp is secure.

In a post on X, Pavel Durov said Telegram had previously analysed WhatsApps encryption system and found multiple attack vectors. According to him, this showed that the platform was never as secure as users were led to believe. Youd have to be braindead to believe WhatsApp is secure in 2026, he wrote, using unusually harsh language even by his standards.

Youd have to be braindead to believe WhatsApp is secure in 2026. When we analyzed how WhatsApp implemented its encryption, we found multiple attack vectors. https://t.co/BC1TWFAIlc  Pavel Durov (@durov) January 26, 2026

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The controversy has also drawn billionaire Elon Musk into the privacy debate. The Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared a post on X, writing, "WhatsApp is not secure. Even Signal is questionable. Use X Chat." Musk was responding to a post by DogeDesigner that quoted a Bloomberg report on the lawsuit.

WhatsApp is not secure. Even Signal is questionable.



Use Chat. https://t.co/MWXCOmkbTD  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2026

As concerns grow over whether WhatsApp messages are as private as claimed, other high-profile figures have also criticised Meta on X (formerly Twitter). Among them is Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu, who said that when a business relies on ads driven by user behaviour, privacy can never be the top priority.

As a general principle, when you rely on ads based on user habits, privacy can never be the first priority.



The conflict of interest is real and serious.



Combine that with public market pressure for ever greater profit to justify astronomical valuations ("wealth creation" is https://t.co/EK17W9k8YX  Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) January 27, 2026

(Also Read: iQOO 15R India launch date officially confirmed; Check expected display, camera, battery, processor, price and other features)

The Bloomberg report detailed a new lawsuit filed against Meta Platforms, WhatsApps parent company, in a US District Court in San Francisco. The case accuses Meta of misleading users about WhatsApps privacy practices and its end-to-end encryption claims. A recent legal filing by an international group of plaintiffs alleges that Meta misled billions of users by claiming WhatsApp messages are visible only to the sender and the receiver, not the company itself.

WhatsApp response

WhatsApp head Will Cathcart responded to the allegations in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Rejecting the claims, he wrote, This is totally false. WhatsApp cant read messages because the encryption keys are stored on your phone and we dont have access to them. This is a no-merit, headline-seeking lawsuit brought by the very same firm defending NSO after their spyware attacked journalists and government officials.

WhatsApps long-standing promise of end-to-end encryption

As we all know that the end-to-end encryption has always been the backbone of WhatsApps promise to its users. Meta has repeatedly assured WhatsApp users that this technology keeps messages visible only to the sender and the receiver, shutting out everyone else, including WhatsApp and its parent company.

That message is reinforced inside the app itself. At the top of every chat, WhatsApp tells users that only the people in the conversation can read, listen to, or share the messages. The feature is turned on by default, a reminder that appears each time a new chat begins, according to a Bloomberg report.

Global users sue Meta over WhatsApp message privacy claims

The plaintiffs claim that Meta can access many WhatsApp messages that users believe are private. They also accuse the company and its senior executives of misleading billions of users around the world. According to the lawsuit, Meta stores users messages and allows its employees to view them.

The plaintiffs come from Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, and South Africa, and say their claims are backed by information from whistleblowers. Their lawyers have asked the court to allow the case to proceed as a class-action lawsuit. Meanwhile, Meta has rejected the allegations. In a response to Bloomberg, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone told the publication described the lawsuit as frivolous and said Meta plans to seek sanctions against the plaintiffs lawyers.

Past lawsuit fuels fresh questions over WhatsApp privacy concerns

Meta has faced similar legal trouble in the past. In September last year, the company was sued by its former head of security, Attaullah Baig. He alleged that WhatsApp had systemic cybersecurity failures that could put user privacy at risk. (Also Read: OpenAI launches new AI tool Prism for scientists and researchers: Check features and is it free to use?)

Baig also claimed that he discovered around 1,500 WhatsApp engineers had unrestricted access to user data, including sensitive personal information. According to him, employees could move or even steal this data without being detected or leaving an audit trail.
Operating costs and expenses totaled $1,125.1 million, up 10.4% year-over-year. Cost of revenues increased 11.8% to $556.9 million. Selling and marketing expenses decreased 1.1% to $194.0 million, while general and administrative expenses increased 15.2% to $374.3 million. Share-based compensation rose 156.8% to $21.4 million for the quarter.

Yang attributed the quarters non-GAAP operating margin expansion to better utilization, higher operating leverage, cost control, and profit contribution from East Buy. In response to an analyst question, he added that excluding East Buy, the remaining businesses together delivered roughly 300 basis points of year-over-year margin expansion, versus a total non-GAAP operating margin increase of 470 basis points for the group.

On a GAAP basis, operating income rose 264.4% to $66.3 million, and net income attributable to New Oriental increased 42.3% to $45.5 million. Basic and diluted net income per ADS attributable to New Oriental were $0.29 and $0.28, respectively. Non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per ADS were $0.46 and $0.45, respectively.

Executive President and CFO Stephen Yang said the companys focus on operational efficiency and disciplined resource management helped drive a significant improvement in profitability during the quarter. Total net revenue grew 14.7% year-over-year to $1.19 billion. Non-GAAP operating income more than tripled, up 206.9% to $89.1 million, while non-GAAP net income attributable to New Oriental increased 68.6% to $72.9 million.

New Oriental Education & Technology Group (NYSE:EDU) reported fiscal 2026 second-quarter results that management described as strong, citing faster profit growth, improving margins, and traction from newer initiatives alongside steady performance in its core education business.

Positive outlook and shareholder returns: Management raised FY26 revenue guidance to $5.29$5.49 billion (up 8%12% YoY), paid the first dividend installment, and has a $300 million repurchase authorization (about $86.3 million used so far).

Strong Q2 financials: Total net revenue rose 14.7% YoY to $1.19 billion, non-GAAP operating income more than tripled (+206.9%) to $89.1 million and non-GAAP net income increased 68.6% to $72.9 million, driven by margin expansion and operational efficiency.

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Net cash flow generated from operations was approximately $323.5 million, and capital expenditures were $23.7 million.

 3 European Stocks Built to Shrug Off Tariffs

On the balance sheet, as of Nov. 30, 2025, New Oriental reported:

Cash and cash equivalents of $1,842.9 million

Term deposits of $1,609.9 million

Short-term investments of $1,875.2 million

Deferred revenue was $2,161.5 million, up 10.2% from $1,960.6 million a year earlier, which management noted reflects cash collected upfront from customers to be recognized as services or goods are delivered.

Business highlights: K-12 momentum, overseas resilience, and newer initiatives

Management emphasized that K-9 new educational business and high school tutoring posted accelerated revenue growth compared with the prior quarter. Yang said the company shifted strategy at the start of the fiscal year to slow learning center expansion to roughly 10% (from 20%30% previously) and put greater focus on product and service quality. He said the company has seen higher student retention rates and improved customer feedback as a result, supporting better word of mouth and reducing the need for heavy marketing spend.

Within overseas-related businesses, New Oriental described resilience amid macro headwinds. Overseas test preparation revenue increased 4% year-over-year, while overseas study consulting revenue declined about 3% year-over-year. The adults and university students business grew 13% year-over-year.

Yang also discussed continued investments in non-academic tutoring and intelligent learning systems and devices, saying the combined new education initiative grew revenue 22% year-over-year. The company said non-academic tutoring had been rolled out to around 60 existing cities, with top 10 cities contributing over 60% of revenue. Intelligent learning systems and devices were launched in around 60 cities, with top 10 cities contributing over 50% of that business.

In tourism-related initiatives, the company said its domestic and international study tours and research camps for K-12 and university students were held in 55 cities, with the top 10 cities contributing over 50% of revenue. New Oriental also said a newer tourism offering for middle-aged and senior citizens was now available in 30 key provinces and international markets, and that it is exploring senior-focused health and wellness opportunities by partnering with more than 30 health and wellness spaces in locations including Hainan, Yunnan, and Guangxi, using a light asset model.

OMO and AI initiatives

Management said it continued to revamp its online-merge-offline (OMO) teaching platform to provide more diversified services. The company invested $28.4 million during the quarter to upgrade and maintain OMO platforms.

Yang also addressed artificial intelligence efforts, saying the company has been refining and embedding AI across offerings and using it to streamline internal operations. He told analysts that the team had worked on new offerings over the past three months and wanted additional time to test them, while also suggesting AI has already supported improvements in retention and may help reduce expenses through efficiency gains.

East Buy update, guidance raise, and shareholder returns

Yang said East Buy made progress in product development and supply chain enhancements and has broadened its assortment beyond fresh foods and snacks. As of period-end, private label SKUs reached 801, with added categories including seafood, healthcare products, condiments, meats, eggs and dairy, personal care, household and cleaning items, paper goods, home textiles, apparel, and underwear. He said East Buy has also begun exploring offline channels, leveraging brand recognition and New Orientals learning center network, noting the vending machine model was profitable in select cities and that the company plans to scale it nationwide.

For outlook, the company guided third-quarter fiscal 2026 total net revenue (including East Buy) to a range of $1,313.2 million to $1,348.7 million, representing year-over-year growth of 11% to 14%. For the full fiscal year 2026, management raised total net revenue guidance to $5,292.3 million to $5,488.3 million, implying year-over-year growth of 8% to 12%. Yang said the outlook reflects current views and considers recent regulatory developments and preliminary market conditions.

Management also provided an update on shareholder returns. The company previously announced an ordinary dividend of $0.12 per common share, or $1.2 per ADS, to be distributed in two installments for fiscal 2026; Yang said the first installment has been fully paid and that details of the second will be announced later. New Oriental also has authorization to repurchase up to $300 million of ADS or common shares over 12 months; as of Jan. 27, it had repurchased about 1.6 million ADS for approximately $86.3 million in the open market.

About New Oriental Education & Technology Group (NYSE:EDU)

New Oriental Education & Technology Group (NYSE: EDU) is one of China's leading providers of private educational services, specializing in language training, test preparation and consulting for overseas study. The company's 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 Oriental's 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.

The article "New Oriental Education & Technology Group Q2 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat.
New Delhi: India has received an invitation from the United States to join the Pax Silica, a strategic alliance focussed on advancing artificial intelligence and securing supply chains for rare earth elements and critical minerals. It has prompted a policy review within the government. The proposal focusses on strengthening global supply chains linked to critical minerals and semiconductors, two sectors that form the backbone of modern manufacturing, digital infrastructure and advanced technologies.

Pax Silica seeks to ensure stable and reliable access to raw materials and semiconductor components. The initiative is aimed at reducing disruptions in industries dependent on electronics, energy systems and high-end computing. India has not so far taken a decision and is examining the proposal before committing to the arrangement.

An ET report indicates that New Delhi recognises the strategic value of being part of this emerging arrangement. At the same time, policymakers are cautious about preserving domestic policy space. Sectors such as artificial intelligence require regulatory flexibility, and there is concern that participation in a structured international framework could limit Indias ability to chart its own course in important technology areas.

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Supply chain security stands out as the central attraction of Pax Silica. Reliable access to critical minerals and semiconductors is essential for industrial growth. Disruptions in these supply lines can have lasting economic consequences. The initiative proposes coordination across sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, logistics and transportation to ensure continuity.

Pax Silica also offers India an avenue to reduce its dependence on China for semiconductor supplies. Member countries have committed to cooperation across the entire chip ecosystem, with an emphasis on trusted networks and shared standards. The objective is to prevent the misuse of sensitive technologies and protect critical infrastructure.

India presently imports close to 30% of its semiconductor requirements from China, and participation in the initiative could help diversify this dependence.

At the same time, New Delhi is mindful of regional realities. China continues to play an important role in global trade and manufacturing. Abrupt disengagement carries economic and strategic risks. Discussions between India and the United States on Pax Silica is yet to begin. Internal consultations are still underway. Officials have also said that India entered the conversation later than several other countries.

The Pax Silica declaration was signed on December 12 last year by countries, including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, Israel and Greece. The Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar joined subsequently. India received its invitation only in mid-January, a move confirmed by US Ambassador Sergio Gor ahead of his visit to the country.

Several influential players are outside the framework. Taiwan has not issued any statement on joining. The European Union (EU) attended the first summit but maintained a limited role, showing its independent industrial and technology policies.

India is also factoring in parallel diplomatic and economic engagements. Negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement have reached an advanced stage, with a major announcement expected soon. Planned cooperation between India and the EUs 27 member states across multiple sectors adds another layer to the decision-making process.

For India, uninterrupted access to critical minerals and semiconductors is a strategic necessity. Equally important is the preservation of policy autonomy. Any international partnership must balance economic opportunity with national interest. Pax Silica presents potential benefits, along with complex choices that require careful evaluation.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered an immediate freeze on new H-1B visa petitions across all Texas state agencies and public universities, launching a statewide review into what his office described as potential misuse of the federal visa programme.

In a letter issued on Tuesday to educational institutions and government bodies, Abbott said the decision was aimed at ensuring that jobs funded by Texas taxpayers are prioritised for local workers. The economy of Texas should work for the benefit of Texas workers and Texas employers, he wrote, announcing that all new H-1B petitions must be suspended pending further assessment.

Citing recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa programme, Abbott said the freeze would remain in place while both Texas officials and the federal government examine whether American jobs are being displaced. I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter, he said.

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The directive applies to all state agencies overseen by gubernatorial appointees, as well as public institutions of higher education, according to a media release. Under the order, no new H-1B petitions may be filed without written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission until the close of the Texas Legislatures 90th Regular Session on 31 May 2027.

Abbott has also instructed agencies and universities to submit detailed reports by 27 March 2026. These must include the number of H-1B workers they sponsor, job classifications, countries of origin, and documentation demonstrating efforts to recruit qualified Texas candidates before turning to foreign labour.

The governor said the review would give lawmakers time to establish what he described as statutory guardrails for future hiring practices involving federal visa holders, while allowing the Trump administration to pursue broader immigration reforms.

The move follows remarks Abbott made during a Dallas-based radio interview a day earlier, in which he questioned the use of state funds to employ H-1B visa holders in public institutions. We are examining the extent to which Texas taxpayer dollars are being used to pay for any of these people, he said.

Questioning the necessity of foreign workers in public education, Abbott added: For example, what job is it in our public schools in the State of Texas that these H-1B visa personnel are fulfilling that we cant fulfil here in our own public schools? I dont see any reason why we need any H-1B visa employees in our public schools in the State of Texas.

While acknowledging that the H-1B programme is federally administered, Abbott said Texas was assessing its authority where state funding is involved. This is a federal programme, only a federal programme. Its not a state programme, he said.

In his letter, Abbott referenced President Donald Trumps proclamation restricting the entry of certain non-immigrant workers, arguing that the H-1B system was intended to supplement the United States workforce, not to replace it. He alleged that some employers had failed to make good-faith efforts to recruit qualified US workers before seeking overseas hires.

Rather than attracting the best and brightest individuals from around the world, Abbott wrote, the programme had too often been used to fill jobs that otherwise could, and should, have been filled by Texans.

The H-1B visa programme allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialised roles that typically require advanced education or technical expertise. It is widely used by technology companies, hospitals and universities and has long been a flashpoint in national immigration debates.

Texass decision represents one of the most far-reaching state-level actions targeting H-1B usage within public institutions and comes amid renewed federal scrutiny of employment-based visas under the Trump administration.

(With IANS inputs)
Losar is almost here, and for Tibetans, this is about more than just the New Year. It is about survival. They are safeguarding a culture that has endured decades of pressure. From language to religion, these traditions are acts of resistance, keeping Tibetan identity alive. They are fighting to stay who they are.

But China is pushing a different reality. Beijing is not only using soldiers but also controlling the conversation through narrative as well. China wants to rewrite the past. They want to turn a forced takeover into a "liberation". They are replacing real history with a state-approved myth. Here is how China is trying hard to rewrite Tibets storyand why we need to pay attention.

Erasing "Tibet" from the Map

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A major shift in the last 5 years has been the push to kill the word "Tibet". In official documents and news, Beijing now insists on using the Chinese name "Xizang". This is more than just a name change. By using "Xizang", China aims to shrink the world's view of Tibet to only the "Autonomous Region"--all while ignoring large Tibetan communities in Sichuan and Yunnan. Beijing frames the word "Tibet" as a Western colonial label, and at the same time, "Xizang" is presented as a correction. To push this, China launched the "Xizang Panorama" film festival in Nepal in 2025, screening movies that show a happy, developing region while scrubbing any mention of the Tibetan Empire and the 1951 invasion.

Prosperity with Strings Attached

The CCPs main story is simple: Tibet was "backward" until China brought it into the modern world. State media outlets like Xinhua push the slogan "Prosperity Through Unity".

The message to Tibetans is clear that every infrastructure project is a gift from the central government that requires political loyalty in return. A U.S. State Department report found that government aid often depends on loyalty. Some families are reportedly told to replace Buddhist altars with portraits of President Xi Jinping to keep their subsidies.

Apart from this, "modernity" has a cost. The cultural institutions have been repurposed to serve this script. Museums in Lhasa now highlight how Tibet was "always" close to China while hiding its unique religious history. Tibetan culture is accepted only as a tourist attraction. It is a museum piecegood for tourists but stripped of its spiritual core.

The Education Machine: Manufacturing 'New Chinese Citizens'

The most powerful tool in Beijing's kit is the boarding school system. By January 2026, experts estimate nearly one million Tibetan childrensome as young as fourwill be living in state-run schools away from their parents.

In these schools, kids are taught that their heritage was "dark and feudal" and that the Party is their real "parent". This creates a generational gap. By the time these children grow up, they are disconnected from their language and religion. They are trained in the "Three Consciousnesses", i.e., national consciousness, citizen consciousness, and rule-of-law consciousness. Political indoctrination and a re-education campaign launched by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Tibet in May 2022 forced nuns and monks to attend re-education classes.

The Influencer 'Theatre' and Staged Tours

Beijing has updated its propaganda for the TikTok age. Because people don't trust stiff news anchors, the CCP now uses "foreign influencers". These YouTubers get rare access to Tibet to film smiling kids and shiny landmarks, often unaware of the heavy security just off-camera. Meanwhile, real journalists face a wall. In late 2023, a group of 30 foreign journalists was taken on a curated tour of Lhasa and Nyingchi. Reports from the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) noted that these journalists were shown cultural performances and economic hubs, but were strictly kept away from monasteries under a crackdown or boarding schools where children are separated from families. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) annual reports consistently rank the TAR as the most inaccessible region in China, with journalists facing detention or expulsion for attempting unauthorised reporting.

The Digital Silence

While influencers post happy vlogs, Tibetans inside live under high-tech watch. Apps like WeChat and Douyin (the Chinese TikTok) often ban content in the Tibetan language unless it has Mandarin subtitles. Tibetan-language use is restricted/banned on some apps, especially while live streaming. Intellectuals and writers who try to protect Tibetan culture are silenced. For example, writer Go Sherab Gyatso was sent to 10 years of prison in 2021 for advocating for Tibetan-language education.

Spiritual Sovereignty: The Battle for the 15th Dalai Lama

Beijing is currently hyper-focused on the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama, who celebrated his 90th birthday in July 2025. Chinas propaganda outlets have gone into overdrive since the Dalai Lamas historic statement regarding his succession, that his reincarnation will be found in a free country.

Beijing is terrified of this. In 2023, the Chinese Nation Community Consciousness Building Research Centre was inaugurated in Lhasa, Tibet. Chinese authorities and state-aligned religious figures have recently held seminars to push strict protocols for the Dalai Lama's succession. Beijing maintains that the next Dalai Lama must be chosen through the traditional Golden Urn lottery system, a Qing-dynasty-era ritual that the CCP has codified into modern law to assert authority over reincarnated "living Buddhas". Beijings strategy in Tibet is not just about censoring but replacing the truth.
By Jaspreet Singh

Jan 27 (Reuters) - Pinterest will trim less than 15% of its workforce, the social media platform said on Tuesday, as it plans to reallocate resources to its artificial intelligence-focused roles and strategy.

Shares of the company, however, tumbled nearly 10% after its AI pitch failed to ignite investor enthusiasm, underscoring heightened competition from TikTok and Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram for ad market share.

"Without clear cost savings or a concrete path to AI-driven revenue growth, these cuts look more defensive than strategic," said Emarketer analyst Jeremy Goldman.

Pinterest had 5,205 full-time employees as of September last year. The job cut would translate to less than 780 positions.

The company also said it plans to close smaller office spaces related to its acquisitions.

Top executives at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting earlier this month had said while jobs would disappear, new ones would spring up, with two telling Reuters that AI would be used as an excuse by companies which were planning layoffs anyway.

Last week, design software maker Autodesk also announced a 7% job cut to redirect investments to its AI efforts.

"Many companies are having to show investors that their substantial spend on AI is not only worth it but also that they are making cuts elsewhere in order to fund it," said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell.

Pinterest has rolled out Pinterest Assistant shopping tool for personalized product recommendations and the Performance+ ad suite for automating campaigns.

The company said it expects pre-tax restructuring charges of $35 million to $45 million and that it would complete the restructuring plan by the end of its third quarter.

Layoffs.fyi, a website tracking tech job cuts, estimated that more than 123,000 employees were laid off from 269 companies in 2025.

(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Anhata Rooprai in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
A deep freeze is gripping the US in the wake of the worst storm so far this season, leaving the countrys biggest electric grid in emergency status and bracing for record wintertime demand.

PJM Interconnection LLC, which serves 67 million people from New Jersey to Chicago, issued a grid emergency for Tuesday and warned demand may exceed record levels for winter. With another burst of frigid air expected Friday, electricity demand could continue to test the system through the end of the month.

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Freezing temperatures now cover vast swaths of the US, after a weekend storm canceled flights, blanketed roads with snow and left more than 1 million homes and businesses without power. Reaching deep into the South, the storm even knocked out about 12% of the countrys natural gas production, limiting supplies to power plants and home furnaces that burn the fuel.

Photographer: Kate Dearman/Bloomberg

This extreme level of demand coupled with stresses on fuel availability raise a significant risk of emergency conditions that could jeopardize electric reliability and public safety, Michael Bryson, PJMs senior vice president for operations, said in a letter Monday to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

PJMs level-1 emergency means every power plant that serves the region must be ready to run at full capacity. The Energy Department has authorized some plants to run at full tilt, even if they exceed emissions limits. PJM has also asked for authorization to tap backup generators at data centers if needed.

Power consumption on the PJM grid peaked at nearly 138 gigawatts Tuesday morning, 6.3% lower than forecast. While bitter cold, temperatures wound up being around 20F in some instances instead of in the low teens as expected.

Spot prices were higher across the grid Tuesday compared to Monday as more power plants that are typically older and more expensive to run came online to meet surging demand. In some areas of Virginia, prices hit $352.81 a megawatt-hour at 9:30 a.m. Earlier, prices rose above $1,300.

Most power on the PJM grid is procured in the day-ahead market based on forecasts and real-time prices will swing depending on actual conditions. On-peak power for delivery on Tuesday at PJMs benchmark Western hub soared to $638.73, the highest in 12 years and up 542% from the previous day.
Both Republican and Democratic leaders have largely accommodated this carceral logic. While Congress and state legislatures have passed reform to soften criminal sentencing laws, immigration detention remains, technically, a civil jurisdiction and outside their scope. Inside the facilities, the distinction is meaningless. In private prisons across the country, detained persons are herded through secure checkpoints, forced to wear color-coded uniforms, and locked in cells. CoreCivic facilities in Tennessee have come under repeated scrutiny for allegedly allowing violent threats and extortion to run rampant, with guards accused of being unable or unwilling to stop them. In 2023, after officials at GEO Group-operated Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center ignored a recommendation for his release, immigrant Ernesto Rocha-Cuadra was found dead after repeated allegations of physical abuse, medical neglect, and solitary confinement.

Of course, for-profit prison companies arent taking the load simply out of charity. Before agreeing to detain people for the government, those companies typically sign contracts with ICE that include guaranteed minimums where the government pays for all beds, full or empty. That, combined with congressional appropriations bills that often mandate ICE to maintain around 34,000 detention beds every single day, adds more motivation for ICE field directors to round up as many immigrants as they can, lest they appear ineffective and Congress strips away their funding.

It is possible that because of fluctuations in how many people are in prison, the government doesnt want to tie itself to those facilities and those beds and the costs of all that without knowing what the actual prison population is going to be, said Andrea Pitzer, a journalist and author of a book about concentration camp regimes around the world. Private prisons are a way for the government to outsource some immediate costs and pay for beds over time.

Among detained persons as a whole, 90,000 is about 8 percent of the total prison population. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, that number jumps to 90 percent among non-citizen immigrants detained by the Department of Homeland Security.

More than 90,000 people are incarcerated in private prisons across the United States, where the purpose of holding them is dominated by an incentive to maximize profit, as with any successful business. Many more people live in federal and state prisons where private contractors often source the food and medical care, or receive easy labor from its inhabitants. The more people Immigration and Customs Enforcement puts behind bars, the better for private prison corporations like GEO Group and CoreCivic  which is why, according to critics, theyve been eagerly cheering on the Trump deportation agenda.

Immediately after President Trumps election victory in 2024, private prison stocks soared and company executives could hardly contain their glee . As Trumps immigration crackdown has accelerated, so has enthusiasm for the business of keeping people caged.

Continua a leggere

But these stories of abuse and neglect usually only see the light of day under extreme circumstances. The primary difference between public and private prisons, experts told Salon, is that private prisons operate in an even more impenetrable black box than public prisons. Kristie Puckett, a lobbyist who pushes against mass incarceration and the barriers for reentry into society, said that private prisons have long found success hiding information about their treatment of people detained in their facilities.

Private prison companies can justify their non-transparency by saying its a proprietor to sensitive information and trade secrets, so its harder to get those public records, she continued. Its much harder to enter those facilities to monitor conditions, and when abuse happens, when the company faces a lawsuit, they tend to settle those quietly rather than create any meaningful systemic change. If they decided to just terminate the contract in a certain jurisdiction and walk away from the problem, they can do that rather than fix the problem across the system.

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Unlike people held under criminal jurisdiction, detained immigrants lack a public defender or any insight into how long they must stay. The opacity can be useful for those at the top: it limits liability and protects the bottom line. Because operational costs eat into a companys profit, prison managers use the logic of efficiency to lower wages for guards, reduce medical staff, reduce the nutritional content and edibility of meals, and put off the maintenance of facilities. Private prison companies have repeatedly thwarted attempts to break this cycle at the state level. When California attempted to ban for-profit prisons with Assembly Bill 32, the Trump administration and GEO Group sued, successfully arguing in federal court that the state could not interfere with federal intergovernmental immunity. GEO Group did not immediately respond to Salons request for comment.

Brian Todd, a public affairs manager at CoreCivic, emphasized that the company does not enforce immigration laws, arrest anyone or have any input on an individuals deportation or release.

Our responsibility is to care for each person respectfully and humanely while they receive the legal due process that they are entitled to, Todd told Salon in an email. Our facilities are subject to multiple layers of oversight and are monitored very closely by our government partners to ensure full compliance with policies and procedures, including any applicable detention standards. We also have our own detailed Human Rights Policy that clearly outlines our commitments regarding detainee rights and treatment, including legal rights, safety and security, healthcare, visitation and standards of living. We dont cut corners on care, staff, or training, which meets, and in many cases exceeds, our government partners standards.

Todd added that CoreCivic maintains an open line of communication with DHS and ICE officials about the resources we can make available, beyond those we currently provide, and that our facilities are contractually required to uphold rigorous federal immigration detention standards, which is a higher standard than some other facilities are required to meet.

Under a longstanding policy, the company does not lobby for or against policies or legislation that would determine the basis for or duration of an individuals incarceration or detention, Todd noted. According to CoreCivics 2023 Political Activity and Lobbying Report, it does educate federal, state and local officials on the benefits of partnership corrections, and make political contributions where allowed by law and where

management has determined that such contributions will be an effective use of the funds. Critics say that those activities essentially have the same effect. And CoreCivic leaders are certainly conscious of the link between increased detention and shareholder profits, having declared as much in quarterly financial reports.

The private prison industry and the federal government are feeding off each other, Setareh Ghandehari, advocacy director at the Detention Watch Center, told Salon. The government wants to detain more people so it contracts more private prisons, and the companies that own private prisons or are contracted to work in state and federal prisons lobby for long prison sentences, against parole reform, and for building more prisons.

Its clear the Trump administration is still expanding its mass detention project, which equals profits for those in this industry. In December 2025, the administration signed a $140 million contract with Boeing to buy planes for deportations. Thousands more ICE and Border Patrol agents are being recruited, with others offered $50,000 signing bonuses to come out of retirement. And $45 billion in taxpayer money has been earmarked for the construction of even more detention centers, thanks to a budget reconciliation bill passed last summer. Given how few companies exist in this industry, analysts predict most of them will likely be run by GEO Group and CoreCivic.

Under public pressure, the Biden administration ordered the phasing out of private prison contracts under the Department of Justices Federal Bureau of Prisons, but allowed the Department of Homeland Security to continue outsourcing incarceration to corporate giants like GEO Group and CoreCivic. Groups like those have eagerly embraced the Trump administrations mass incarceration of immigrants, pouring money into pro-Trump Super PACs during his three election campaigns and working closely with federal officials on building a much more aggressive policy framework.

Smelling opportunity and anticipating an escalation in anti-immigrant raids, private prison companies quickly converted facilities that had held people charged under criminal law into mass indefinite holding centers for immigrants even before Trump started his second term. After President Joe Bidens executive order, GEO Group rushed to convert Moshannon Valley Processing Center from a private prison to an immigration detention facility, now the largest immigration facility in the Northeast. According to a 2024 report from Temple University, GEO Group earns $3.4 million each month from this facility alone.

On earnings calls, prison executives have described upticks in border crossings not as a humanitarian reality or even a problem in need of fixing, but as tailwinds for their business. In the same way that the dehumanization of whole groups of people as a problem has been used to justify an authoritarian state, its need to imprison them has been used to justify the existence of private prisons. Critics charge this is treating peoples liberties as mere commodities.

An alliance of an unethical, immoral governance, with business who both see opportunity in stripping peoples rights  literally hooking business in and contractors to be providing those [prison] beds  is one of the recipes for how you get to police states and authoritarian regimes, Pitzer said. And even if theres impetus for reform, the outsourcing of repression, the existence of prison infrastructure that can be activated or converted, makes it much harder to reform and much harder to get rid of entirely.

The post Private prisons are cashing in on Trumps ICE crackdown. Theyre just getting started appeared first on Salon.com.
USA Rare Earth (USAR) stock jumped more than 14% on Monday after the miner announced it would receive $1.6 billion from the Department of Commerce in exchange for an equity stake in the company.

Industry peers MP Materials (MP), Energy Fuels (UUUU), and Trilogy Metals (TMQ) all jumped in early trading.

USA Rare Earth said it entered a letter of intent with the Department of Commerce, which also includes a collaboration with the Department of Energy for a $1.3 billion loan and $277 million in federal funding.

Read more: What are rare earth minerals, and why are they important?

As part of the deal, USA Rare Earth will issue to the Department of Commerce 16.1 million shares of common stock and approximately 17.6 million warrants.

The company also announced a $1.5 billion capital raise.

The new funding is expected to accelerate USA Rare Earths mining, processing, and metal-making operations, including its magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Okla., and its Round Top deposit in West Texas, which is expected to begin commercial production in 2028.

The Trump administration took a stake in USA Rare Earth, whose facility in Stillwater, Okla., is pictured. (Nick Oxford for The Washington Post via Getty Images)  The Washington Post via Getty Images

The US's stake in USA Rare Earths is part of the US government's efforts to reduce China's rare earth metal dominance.

Last year, the Pentagon became MP Materials' largest shareholder as it announced the purchase of $400 million of the producer's shares.

The government also took stakes in Lithium Americas (LAC) and Trilogy Metals in deals announced last year.

Rare earth minerals support some of the biggest sectors the United States is racing to dominate, including AI and data centers, advanced manufacturing, defense, energy and technology infrastructure.

Strategists note that growing US investment in rare earth miners provides the industry with a powerful tailwind as companies are no longer reliant solely on risk capital.

"Public sector participation is enhancing revenue visibility, mitigating project risk and increasing the likelihood that new capacity is actually implemented," Sprott Asset Management's Paul Wong and Jacob White wrote in a note earlier this month.

Most recently, President Trump said the "framework" of a future deal with NATO over Greenland would include rights to rare-earth minerals.

Theyre going to be involved in mineral rights, and so are we, Trump told CNBC after announcing the development in a social media post last week.

Ines Ferre is a senior business reporter for Yahoo Finance, focusing on energy, commodities and industrials Follow her on X at @ines_ferre.

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Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) is one of the best AI energy stocks to buy now.

Raymond James Bullish on Cameco (CCJ) Due to Structural Appeal of Copper and Uranium

Image by Markus Distelrath from Pixabay

On January 15, 2026, Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) saw Raymond James raise its price target from C$150 to C$165, reiterating an Outperform rating. Issuing its broader mining outlook, the firm emphasized the structural appeal of copper and uranium amid tightening supply-demand dynamics. The investment firm expects medium- to long-term deficits to support heightened prices, favoring producers with scale and low-cost assets. This outlook positions Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) well to benefit from both market trends and growing policy support for nuclear energy.

Meanwhile, on January 7, 2026, Bernstein raised its price target on Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) from $100 to $101, reiterating an Outperform rating. The investment firm attributed its bullish stance to uraniums tightening supply, rising term prices, and policy-driven nuclear expansion. Furthermore, the firm cited nuclear as a stable AI proxy to power data centers. Analysts expect structurally higher uranium prices through 2029, with term prices already above $85 per pound.

Amid this backdrop, the firm believes Cameco Corporations (NYSE:CCJ) broad fuel-cycle exposure, particularly its large Canadian asset base, supports the companys growth narrative. In 2026, Bernstein expects reactor restarts, utility contracting, and government involvement to provide additional visibility for the company.

Cameco Corporation (NYSE:CCJ) focuses on uranium exploration, mining, milling, and fuel services. It offers low-cost, large-scale uranium production and full-cycle nuclear fuel solutions to global utilities and energy markets.

While we acknowledge the potential of CCJ 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: What Are the Best Stocks to Buy Right Now? and 10 Stocks Under $1 That Will Explode.

Disclosure: None.
RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is one of the defense & aerospace stocks gaining from rising geopolitical spending. On January 21, RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) was awarded a $380.8 million contract for work on Tomahawk missiles. The contract from the US Department of War is a fixed-price incentive and firm-fixed-price modification, totaling $476.5 million.

RTX Corporation (RTX) Pipeline Receives $380.3 Million Boost Following $1.7B Spain Deal

rommma/Shutterstock.com

The contract covers Lot Five and Lot Six Recertification and modernization of Tomahawk missiles, depot operations, and Tomahawk spares. RTX is to perform work under the contract across multiple sites and locations nationwide. The most significant portion is to be performed in Tucson, Arizona; Boulder, Colorado; and Pontiac, Michigan.

The $308.8 million award comes after RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) secured a $59 million adjustment to an earlier Standard Missiles contract. In addition, the company has secured a significant $1.7 billion contract to supply Spain with four Patriot Air and missile defense systems. The contract covers radars, launchers, and command-and-control stations.

On January 14, NASAs Pandora mission launched aboard a Saturn200 minisatellite built by Blue Canyon Technologies, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX). The mission underscores RTXs growing role in space innovation, with Blue Canyon delivering its largest telescope payload to date and providing integration and postlaunch support. This marks the companys 87th spacecraft in orbit, adding to more than 160 active orders, and highlights RTXs broader strength as a global aerospace and defense leader with divisions including Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon.

RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) is a global aerospace and defense company that designs, manufactures, and services advanced systems, engines, and solutions for defense, commercial, and government customers. It focuses on connecting and protecting the world with innovations in areas like missiles, aircraft engines, sensors, cybersecurity, and space technology.

While we acknowledge the potential of RTX 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: Top 10 Materials Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Organic Food and Farming Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Crypto is global, and despite geopolitical conflicts, transactions continue to flow. As of early 2026, while a few countries strictly regulate crypto, the majority, including Russia and Ukraine, recognize that the underlying technology is here to stay.

Centralized crypto exchanges operate, offering services, but as expected, every transaction is closely monitored. After Binance exited Russia, local alternatives thrived. In Ukraine, WhiteBit is especially popular.

On January 23, Russia turned its eyes on WhiteBIT, labelling the crypto exchange as an undesirable organization. Coinciding with this announcement, WBIT, the native token, extended losses, sliding nearly -10% in the last week. Like WBIT crypto, top cryptos like Ethereum are still under immense selling pressure at press time.

DISCOVER: 10+ Next Crypto to 100X In 2026

Russia Strikes WhiteBIT

The Prosecutor Generals Office in Russia said WhiteBIT and its parent company W Group were an undesirable organizatio,n alleging that since the start of the war, they have funneled over $11M in support of Ukraines armed forces. Out of the $11M, the exchange was accused of sending another $900,000 for the purchase of drones.

Russia also accuses WhiteBIT of using gray schemes to illegally move funds out of the country.

This European cryptocurrency trading platform is used by cryptocurrency exchanges and exchangers to carry out various types of transactions, including organizing gray schemes for withdrawing funds from Russia, as well as other illegal activities.

Because of their direct support to Ukraine, Russia, under its laws, has now labeled the exchange a threat to national security and is banning them from operating within the country. All Russian banks and financial institutions, including payment service providers, are prohibited from processing any transactions involving the popular Ukrainian exchange.

Whats more? Russian citizens and entities are barred from engaging with the exchange, and any cooperation could lead to legal penalties. Those who flout this directive and keep using, organizing people to use, or financing WhiteBITs operations in Russia risk prison time ranging from four to eight years.

For regular people, this ban means WhiteBIT is off-limits, forcing them to migrate to other platforms. Subsequently, this could accelerate the shift toward domestically regulated or Russia-friendly exchanges, as the government pushes for licensed operations starting in mid-2026. Meanwhile, authorities in Russia see this move as a success in their efforts to disrupt funding channels to Ukraine, viewing crypto as a tool in hybrid warfare.
While Serhant claims the American Dream was just a slogan created by banks to encourage more Americans to buy a home, it was not created by banks, and the modern mortgage system was a federal government innovation. But the idea did come out of a period when capitalisms survival was not guaranteed, from the economic destiny of the U.S. to the individual version of what that looked like: the Great Depression and the 1930s.

The historically low share of first-time buyers underscores the real-world consequences of a housing market starved for affordable inventory , Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist and vice president of research at the National Association of Realtors, said in a statement. The share of first-time buyers in the market has contracted by 50% since 2007right before the Great Recession.

Even considering his own success is marked by major real estate transactions, Serhant argued in his interview that homeownership is simply hard to achieve for some Americans. Home prices have surged more than 40% since the start of the pandemic, and mortgage rates remain stubbornly high, in the 6% range. This is particularly frustrating for people who want to buy homes because they can vividly remember the sub-3% mortgage rates of the pandemic era. Meanwhile, the average age of a first-time homebuyer also jumped to a record-breaking 40 in 2025, underscoring just how hard its been for younger Americans to break into the housing market.

Serhant, 41, started in real estate in 2008 at Nest Seekers International, where he rose through the ranks to become executive vice president. His breakout came on Bravos Million Dollar Listing New York from 20122021, where he built a bicoastal team handling luxury sales across New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and the Hamptons. In 2020 he launched Serhant, which he calls a Brokerage 3.0, emphasizing AI tools and education through platforms like SellIt.com . By early 2025, his firm hit $1 billion in sales within 35 days, including a record $200 million deal he closed mid-flight to Miami. Serhant is now also the star of Netflixs Owning Manhattan .

But U.S. mortgage history would beg to differ, although Serhant would have a case for thinking the American Dream is more difficult to achieve because of current housing market conditions.

I think it was a slogan created by banks to create interest income on home loans, Ryan Serhant, founder and CEO of real estate referral network Serhant , said in an interview published by The CEO Series. Its like student debt. Everyone needs to go to college. It was a device to create interest payments on student debt.

In an era in which homeownership feels increasingly further out of reach, one real estate CEO is trying to dispel the idea homeownership is the true American Dream.

Story Continues

Historical foundation of the American Dream

Mortgages have been a part of American history ever since the Revolutionbut they looked very different from how they do today. In early America (during the 1700s and 1800s), mortgage terms were much shorter, usually in the five- to 10-year range instead of the 30-year loans we see today. Plus, banks would typically finance only about 50% of the loan, meaning the other half would be a down payment.

A Great Depressionera foreclosure crisis during the 1930s prompted New Deal solutions from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, including the 1933 creation of the Home Owners Loan Corporation, which refinanced distressed loans with longer terms and lower rates. The Home Owners Loan Act was also passed to provide emergency relief with respect to home mortgage indebtedness, to refinance home mortgages, to extend relief to the owners occupied by them and who are unable to amortize their debt elsewhere. The 1934 Federal Housing Administration then insured private mortgages, cutting down payments to 10% and starting 20-year and 30-year amortizing loans to help slash defaults.

The coinage American Dream was nearly synonymous, popularized by James Truslow Adamss 1931 Epic of America. His definition was that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. Within a few years, the FHA started insuring longer-term mortgages (30 years) and slashed down payments to just 10% of a homes price. So no, banks didnt create the American Dream linkage to goose mortgage interest payments; it just sort of happened during a period when economic activity collapsed and faith in capitalism itself was hanging in the balance. The triumphant decades afterward did, however, enshrine wealth building through real estate as a cornerstone of Truslow Adamss vision.

After World War II, the 1944 GI Bill enabled zero-down home purchases for veterans, which led to an 18-percentage-point jump in ownership rates, also fueled by suburban booms and Fannie Maes 1938 secondary market liquidity. Freddie Mac also started handling conventional loans in the 1970s amid soaring rates. All of these changes not only romanticized homes as a major engine for growing personal wealththey also fueled the baby boom and the peak of what Fortune founder Henry Luce himself called the American century.

Then, many years later, the 2008 crash came, resulting in more stringent lending standards and also representing a break with the ever-climbing momentum of every American being a homeowner. While the FHAs 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at first made it easier for more Americans to afford to buy a home, homeownership peaked in the preGreat Recession days, at 69% in 2004, and has not returned to that level since. That year, President George W. Bush announced a range of policies promoting what he called the ownership society, stating his belief that homeownership is the cornerstone of Americas vibrant communities and benefits individual families by building stability and long-term financial security.

On a wider basis, the 2008 crash shattered the illusion of homeownership as the way to prosperity when millions of foreclosures occurred, and builders halted projects, leading to the shortage of roughly 2 million homes currently afflicting the market. This means that not only is it more difficult to obtain a mortgage in the first place, but also the lock-in effect keeps many Americans from selling their homes for fear of losing their low rate, while many aspiring homeowners are simply locked out.

While this confluence of factors means that homeownership has been pushed further out of reach, especially for younger generations, it doesnt mean the American Dream of homeownership was just an illusion created by banks.

Generational hurdles for getting a mortgage

Current homeownership rates are roughly 65%, but younger generations still show signs of struggle in obtaining a mortgage. First-time homebuyers make up just 21% of buyers, according to NAR, because theyre squeezed by inventory shortages and costs exceeding one-third of income.

High mortgage rates, low supply, and economic uncertainty lock out young buyers, spurring multigenerational living and longer periods of renting. Other housing experts have said renting for a longer period of time may not be such a bad thing though, considering the ballooning hidden costs associated with homeownership.

If your goal is to become financially independent at a young age, you probably dont want to go buy a housebut its a very controversial thing to say, JL Collins told The Diary of a CEO podcast in an episode published Jan. 12.

Collins, the bestselling author of Pathfinders and The Simple Path to Wealth, said his reasoning is buying a home dramatically inflate[s] your cost of living. Although mortgage payments and rent payments could be similar on paper, owning a home ends up costing more in the long run and comes with unexpected expensesoften referred to as the hidden costs of homeownership, like insurance, repairs, and updates.

Youre going to wind up with a house thats going to be a burden, Collins argued. You are not buying it from a position of strength. You are stretching to buy it. You are borrowing the most money a banks willing to give you.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
The share price of Sable Offshore Corp. (NYSE:SOC) fell by 10.24% between January 16 and January 23, 2026, putting it among the Energy Stocks that Lost the Most This Week.

Sable Offshore (SOC) Fell by Over 10% This Week. Here is Why

Sable Offshore Corp. (NYSE:SOC) is an independent upstream company focused on developing the prolific Santa Ynez Unit in federal waters offshore California.

Sable Offshore Corp. (NYSE:SOC) suffered a blow on January 23 after Californias attorney general, Rob Bonta, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for asserting federal authority to restart the companys controversial oil pipeline in the state. Mr. Bonta called the federal governments actions of reclassifying the Las Flores pipelines as interstate an unlawful power grab, as they run between two California counties.

The lawsuit marks the latest development in a fiery dispute between the Californian authorities and Sable Offshore Corp. (NYSE:SOC). The company scored a major win last month when the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) approved its request to shift the pipeline from state to federal oversight, citing a national energy emergency declared by President Trump last year. However, the project continues to face strong local resistance, and Sable was also hit with an emergency lawsuit seeking to block the restart on December 26.

While we acknowledge the potential of SOC 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: 10 Best Performing Utility Stocks in 2025 and 11 Best Energy Stocks to Buy for Dividends in 2026.

Disclosure: None.
By Jaspreet Singh and Juby Babu

Jan 28 (Reuters) - ServiceNow forecast annual subscription revenue above Wall Street estimates on Wednesday, signaling strong demand for its artificial intelligence-powered software products.

The Santa Clara, California-based company is doubling down on AI integration across its platform through partnerships with Claude chatbot-maker Anthropic and ChatGPT parent OpenAI, aiming to fend off growing competition from autonomous AI agents.

The company, under its expanded deal with Anthropic, will integrate Claude models more deeply into its products, it said on Wednesday, after signing a similar deal with OpenAI.

"With investments in industry workflows and customer relationship management (CRM), and security and risk, ServiceNow is growing both organically and by acquisition to expand its market opportunity," said Rebecca Wettemann, CEO of industry analyst firm Valoir.

ServiceNow's results come as the company focuses on spending heavily on mergers and acquisitions, which has pressured its stock. Its shares were down over 2% after the bell on Wednesday. The stock lost 28% last year.

The company agreed to buy cybersecurity startup Armis for $7.75 billion, marking its biggest-ever deal. It has bought security firm Veza, AI company Moveworks and sales automation platform Logik.ai, formerly known as Logik.io.

ServiceNow, which helps enterprise clients automate complex workflows and IT operations, said its board had authorized an additional $5 billion for its share repurchase program, with plans for an imminent $2 billion accelerated share buyback.

The company expects fiscal 2026 subscription revenue to be between $15.53 billion and $15.57 billion, above analysts' average estimate of $15.21 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

ServiceNow said its Moveworks acquisition contributed to its annual subscription revenue growth forecast by about 100 basis points.

It forecast first-quarter subscription revenue of $3.65 billion to $3.66 billion, above estimates of $3.57 billion.

ServiceNow's fourth-quarter revenue rose 20.5% to $3.57 billion from a year ago, beating estimates of $3.53 billion.

Its adjusted profit of 92 cents per share also surpassed estimates of 88 cents apiece.

(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru and Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Shreya Biswas and Alan Barona)
SK Hynix Inc. reported its strongest quarterly results to date, underscoring the depth of an artificial intelligence wave thats triggered an unprecedented surge in memory demand.

Operating profit more than doubled to 19.2 trillion won ($13.5 billion) in the December quarter, beating the 16.7 trillion won average of analysts estimates. Revenue climbed to 32.8 trillion won. Its Korean shares were up more than 7% in extended trading.

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Icheon-based SK Hynix also announced it will establish an AI data center solutions firm in the US, backed by $10 billion of capital, to pursue partnerships and investments in the sector. The new company will operate out of a restructured Solidigm, the storage company SK Hynix acquired from Intel Corp., according to a statement. The company said it expects a considerable increase in its capital expenditures this year, as it works to expand capacity to meet runaway demand.

Once defined by sharp boom-and-bust cycles, the memory business is now delivering consistent profits that would have been improbable just a few years ago, lifting valuations across the sector. Shares in SK Hynix, the leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory or HBM for Nvidia Corp.s AI accelerators, have roughly tripled since the start of September. Samsung Electronics Co., which is trying to catch up with its smaller rival in the market, is slated to report full quarterly results on Thursday.

On Wednesday, SK Hynix disclosed plans to cancel about $8.6 billion worth of shares held in its treasury next month as part of broader efforts to boost shareholder returns. And it reiterated its considering a US listing, though had made no decision on that front. Top executives are slated to address analysts on a conference call Thursday morning, just as Samsung unveils its own numbers.

SK Hynixs strong performance reflects the extent of demand for HBM3E, the current cutting-edge version used by Nvidia and major cloud operators. The Korean firm is the exclusive supplier of HBM3E for Microsoft Corp.s custom AI accelerator, the Maia 200, according to a South Korean media report.

Both Korean chipmakers are now vying for certification to sell next-gen HBM4 to the worlds most valuable company.

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says
SoftBank Group is negotiating a potential investment of up to $30bn in OpenAI, according to a source familiar with the matter, reported Reuters.

This possible commitment would contribute to a larger funding round that aims to raise as much as $100bn for the AI company, which could bring OpenAIs valuation to approximately $830bn.

The discussions come as SoftBank continues its strategy of increasing involvement in the AI sector under CEO Masayoshi Son, who previously led a $41bn investment in OpenAI in December, securing an 11% equity stake.

OpenAI is facing increased operational costs associated with developing and maintaining its AI models amid growing competition from Google, owned by Alphabet.

Both SoftBank and OpenAI are also stakeholders in Stargate, an initiative with a projected cost of $500bn to construct data centres for AI training and inference, a project described as significant for US ambitions to maintain technological leadership over China in AI.

SoftBanks shares rose by 3.5% during morning trading in Tokyo following reports of the ongoing negotiations. When contacted, SoftBank declined to provide any comment on the matter.

The publication previously reported that Son had prioritised funding for the initial OpenAI investment, resulting in reduced activity at SoftBank's Vision Fund.

In related developments, CGI announced a new global partnership with OpenAI designed to assist clients in implementing advanced AI capabilities at an enterprise level.

The agreement will see CGI integrate OpenAIs tools into its operations and training programmes, aiming to improve security practices and deployment methods based on practical experience.

CGI also plans to expand its use of ChatGPT Enterprise across its workforce as part of its longstanding internal strategy intended to prepare client organisations for adopting AI technologies within regulated environments.

"SoftBank in discussions for up to $30bn additional investment in OpenAI" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand.




South Korean crypto trading volumes have plummeted after US President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on the East Asian nation, with investors instead turning their attention to the stock market.

Trump took to Truth Social on January 26 to announce a rise from 15% to 25% in car, pharmaceutical, and lumber industry tariffs. He slammed his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae-myung, accusing him of failing to live up to a $350 billion investment bill agreed upon in July 2025.

South Korean stocks took an initial hit on the news, but have since rebounded. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose by almost 3% to reach a record high of over 5,000 index points for the first time ever.

By contrast, trading volumes on crypto exchanges fell rapidly: trades on Upbit and Bithumb fell by 51% and 35% respectively, CoinGecko data shows.

The gap between the traditional stock market and the crypto market has been widening of late, Ryan Yoon, a research analyst at the crypto analytics firm Tiger Research, told DL News. Investors are increasingly feeling exhausted by the volatility. Theyre shifting their fear of missing out away from crypto and toward the soaring KOSPI.

South Koreas case is indicative of a wider trend. Last year, experts in the US said there was evidence that stock and crypto markets were decoupling.

While that seems to be true in South Korea over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin and the crypto market at large tend to trend in tandem with riskier assets like tech stocks in the US.

Frozen into inaction

Retail crypto investors say their inaction is driven by fear.

A lot of fellow traders are telling me theyre just going to hold on to see what happens before making any big moves, Cho, a Seoul-based crypto trader, told DL News. She asked for partial anonymity to speak freely on sensitive matters. I get the sense everyones frozen at the moment, waiting to see where the herd will go.

Despite the retail markets worries, theres no sign that institutional investors are deserting the market. So-called crypto stocks, shares in South Korean companies that hold minority stakes in domestic exchanges, soared.

These include the likes of the Upbit backers, Woori Technology Investment and Hanwha Investment & Securities, which saw their share prices rise respectively by over 4% and 7%.

Yoon said that while the stock market appears to have shrugged off Trumps announcement, the same headlines have sensitively impacted the crypto market.

The KOSPIs record-breaking day did not go off without a hitch. Hyundai Motor share prices dropped by almost 5% shortly after Trumps post went live. But they have since rebounded, ending the day 1% lower than at the close of trading on Monday.

Tim Alper is a News Correspondent at DL News. Got a tip? Email him at tdalper@dlnews.com.
Soybeans are fractionally to a penny higher so far on Monday morning. Futures saw stronger trade late in the Friday session, as front months were 3 to 4 cents higher at the close. March was a dime higher last week. Fridays open interest was up 5,871 contracts. The cmdtyView national average Cash Bean price was 3 3/4 cents higher at $9.98 . Soymeal futures were 20 cents to $3.70/ton, as March rallied $9.90 last week. Soy Oil futures were 5 to 21 points higher, with March up 138 points since last Friday.

Export Sales data from Friday morning showed a marketing year high in soybean sales at 2.45 MMT in the week of 1/15. That was 18.6% above last week and 63.97% larger than the same week last year. China was the largest buyer of 1.304 MMT, with unknown destinations the buyer of 338,300 MT and 218,300 MT sold to Egypt.

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Soybean meal sales were tallied at 412,671, on the high side of estimate of between 200,000 and 500,000 MT in that week. Soybean oil sales were 10,499 MT in that week on the lower half of 5,000-25,000 MT estimates.

CFTC data pegged spec traders in soybean futures and options trimming 2,901 contracts from their net long to 10,060 contracts as of Tuesday.

Brazils soybean crop is estimated at 4.9% harvested as of Thursday according to AgRural, ahead of the 2.9% pace last year. The crop estimate was raised 0.6 MMT to 181 MMT.

Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $10.67 3/4, up 3 3/4 cents, currently up 1/2 cent

Nearby Cash was $9.98 3/4, up 3 3/4 cents,

May 26 Soybeans closed at $10.79 1/2, up 3 1/4 cents, currently up 3/4 cent

Jul 26 Soybeans closed at $10.92 1/2, up 3 1/2 cents, currently up 1 cent

On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder 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
Starbucks (SBUX) posted its first quarter of North America and US same-store sales growth in two years on Wednesday as the company continues its turnaround efforts under CEO Brian Niccol.

In its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 28, Starbucks reported US and North America same-store sales rose 4%, topping estimates for a 2% rise. The increase was driven by a 3% increase in comparable transactions and a 1% increase in the average ticket.

"It is clear from our top line results that are back to Starbucks plan is working, and our turnaround is taking hold," CEO Brian Niccol said in a call with investors, adding that the viral Bearista Cup, healthier food choices, and a stronger value perception drove results.

Starbucks last reported positive same-store sales for its US and North America unit in the first quarter of its fiscal 2024. Starbucks stock rose more than 5% following the results.

The company also reported that same-store sales in China increased 7% in the latest quarter, more than the 2.5% increase Wall Street expected. Foot traffic was up 5% in the region, while the average ticket size was up 2%. Over 60% of Starbucks' store base is in the US and China. During the quarter, Starbucks sold a majority stake in its China business to Boyu Capital in a deal that valued the business at $4 billion.

Niccol said the partnership will help the coffee giant to "expand into more cities, deliver exceptional coffee experiences, create new career opportunities for partners and strengthen Starbucks' position as a global brand for long-term growth."

Global same-store sales posted a second consecutive quarter of growth, increasing by 4%, more than the 2% increase expected.

Overall, Starbucks reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.56, missing forecasts for earnings per share of $0.59. Revenue came in ahead of estimates, tallying $9.9 billion against expectations for $9.65 billion, according to Bloomberg data.

Since Niccol took the helm, he's reduced the menu by 25% to 30%. He said Starbucks is now planning to introduce more "health and wellness" options and an "afternoon platform," including items like sparkling water and blended personalized energy drinks, as well as "snackable" protein and fiber options.

CHANGZHOU, JIANGSU, CHINA - 2026/01/17: The iconic green Starbucks logo hangs above the entrance of a mall location, with "Order Online, Pick Up In-Store" signage on the glass. (Photo by Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)  SOPA Images via Getty Images

For the full fiscal year, the company expects same-store sales growth to increase by 3% or better, led by a 3% or better US same-store sales growth. It expects earnings to be in the range of $2.15 to $2.40.

"Our Q1 performance demonstrates the momentum that we're building in our business and gives us confidence we are on the right path," CFO Cathy Smith added on the call, "We remain focused on driving top line performance and managing our costs to deliver sustainable, profitable long-term growth."
Starbucks chief executive Brian Niccol [Getty Images]

Starbucks has scrapped a $250,000 (181,000) cap on its chief executive's use of the coffee chain's company jet for personal travel because of concerns about his safety.

Brian Niccol uses the jet to commute almost 1,000 miles (1,600km) from his family home in Newport Beach, California, to the firm's headquarters in Seattle.

Until September, his personal use of the plane was limited to an annual cap, after which he was required to reimburse the company.

But Starbucks said it had been lifted after a security review recommended he use it for all air travel due to increased media attention and "credible threat actors". The arrangement will now be reviewed every three months.

The decision comes as many US companies have been beefing up security for executives, after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson last year.

Starbucks said a study carried out by an independent third party had "determined that enhanced personal security measures were necessary for Mr. Niccol's personal safety".

It said: "Given Mr Niccol's chief executive role, the enhanced media attention to which Mr Niccol and Starbucks are subject, and the current threat landscape, the security study for Mr Niccol also recommended that Mr Niccol use private aviation for all air travel, whether for personal, commuting, or business purposes."

Starbucks' compensation committee recommended in September that the cap be replaced by a quarterly review of his personal flights, which was approved by board members.

When Niccol was announced as Starbuck's new chief executive in summer 2024, replacing Laxman Narasimhan, he came under fire when it was revealed he would be commuting almost 1,0000 miles on the company plane.

Critics said there was a discrepancy between Starbucks' public stance on green issues and the lifestyles of its top executives.

Niccol's job offer said he would "not be required to relocate to the company's headquarters", but added: "You agree to commute from your residence to the company's headquarters... as is required to perform your duties and responsibilities".

The document stated that he would be eligible to use the company's aircraft for "business related travel" and for "travel between [his] city of residence and the company's headquarters".

Under a time-share agreement, he would reimburse Starbucks for personal use of the jet above a $250,000 annual cap.

Given the profile of Niccol and Starbucks in Seattle, the third party review also recommended a "dedicated car and driver service for ground transportation" when he travels to the Washington state city where he also has a residence.
Despite the current downturn for crypto, Strategy added even more Bitcoin to its collection. The company bought more than 2,900 Bitcoin last week, bringing its total to over 712,000, according to an X post by cofounder Michael Saylor. The move follows a more than $2 billion purchase earlier this month.

Strategy is the first and biggest digital asset treasury, or a type of company that acquires and holds on to large amounts of crypto. Saylors company began investing in Bitcoin in 2020 and now holds more than 3% of the total supply. This business model has confronted major challenges in the past few months, as the largest cryptocurrency has plummeted since its all-time high in October. Bitcoin is worth about $87,000, down about 31% since then, according to Binance.

One analyst views Saylors purchase as expected, considering the companys business strategy, which is to continually amass Bitcoin on the theory it will appreciate in the long term, and to time purchases to coincide with market dips.

Its not surprising for me to see that theyre really aggressively continuing to purchase [Bitcoin], said Nathan Schmidt, an analyst at CFRA Research. It is certainly the playbook for them these days.

Bitcoins fall from its all-time high of about $126,000 in October was caused in part by a flash crash in the fall, where crypto traders lost more than $19 billion in their positions. Misfortunes for digital assets have only continued this calendar year. The sector dipped as tensions mounted between the U.S. and Europe over Greenland. In addition, major regulatory legislation, referred to as the Clarity Act, has stalled as major figures in the crypto industry spar over its details.

The major cryptocurrency isnt the only one to suffer losses, as altcoins are down as well. Ethereum is down 30% in the last three months to its current price of $2,899, and Solana is down more than 38% to its price of about $124, according to Binance.

Cryptos dip has led to disastrous returns for digital asset treasuries like Strategy. Saylors company stock is down about 64% since July to its current price of about $160.

Schmidt, the analyst from CFRA Research, argues that the biggest risk to Strategy is long-term declines in the value of Bitcoin. He says that the company could survive such a dip in the next few years because of its liquidity, but that over time the company would be in trouble.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
March NY world sugar #11 (SBH26) today is up +0.07 (+0.48%), and March London ICE white sugar #5 (SWH26) is down -4.00 (-0.95%).

NY sugar prices are higher today due to the weak dollar, but London sugar is trading lower.

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Higher global sugar production is weighing on sugar prices. Unica reported last Wednesday that Brazil's cumulative 2025-26 Center-South sugar output through December rose by +0.9% y/y to 40.222 MMT. Also, the ratio of cane crushed for sugar rose to 50.82% in 2025/36 from 48.16% in 2024/25.

The India Sugar Mill Association (ISMA) reported last Monday that India's 2025-26 sugar output from Oct 1-Jan 15 is up +22% y/y to 15.9 MMT. The ISMA on November 11 raised its 2025/26 India sugar production estimate to 31 MMT from an earlier forecast of 30 MMT, up +18.8% y/y. The ISMA also cut its estimate for sugar used for ethanol production in India to 3.4 MMT from a July forecast of 5 MMT, which may allow India to boost its sugar exports. India is the world's second-largest sugar producer.

Sugar prices have been under pressure amid prospects of higher sugar exports from India, after India's food secretary said the government may permit additional sugar exports to reduce a domestic supply glut. In November, India's food ministry said it would allow mills to export 1.5 MMT of sugar in the 2025/26 season. India introduced a quota system for sugar exports in 2022/23 after late rain reduced production and limited domestic supplies.

The outlook for a global sugar surplus is weighing on prices. Covrig Analytics on December 12 raised its 2025/26 global sugar surplus estimate to 4.7 MMT from 4.1 MMT in October. However, Covrig projects that the 2026/27 global sugar surplus will fall to 1.4 MMT, as weak prices discourage production.

The outlook for record sugar output in Brazil is bearish for prices. Conab, Brazil's crop forecasting agency, on November 4 raised its Brazil 2025/26 sugar production estimate to 45 MMT from a previous forecast of 44.5 MMT.

The outlook for smaller future sugar supplies from Brazil is a supportive factor for prices. Consulting firm Safras & Mercado said on December 23 that Brazil's sugar production in 2026/27 will fall by -3.91% to 41.8 MMT from 43.5 MMT expected in 2025/26. The firm expects Brazil's sugar exports in 2026/27 to fall by -11% y/y to 30 MMT.
Tesla (TSLA) is set to release its Q4 2025 earnings on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The stock is trading down 3% for the year heading into the confessional, and this year's price action has been relatively muted by Tesla standards. Let's analyze Teslas Q4 earnings estimates and examine whether the stock is a buy or a sell ahead of the report.

Tesla Q4 Earnings Estimates

Consensus estimates call for Teslas Q4 revenues to fall 3.7% year-over-year (YoY) to $24.75 billion. I believe the estimates are still quite optimistic as the companys deliveries plunged 16% YoY in the quarter. While the Energy segment could be a savior, it might not be able to fill in the void created by the decline in the companys automotive business.

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Analysts expect Teslas earnings per share (EPS) to fall 50% YoY to $0.33. Teslas earnings have fallen significantly over the last couple of years as its once industry-leading margins have withered away amid the price cuts.

www.barchart.com

What to Watch in Teslas Q4 Earnings Call

The overall mood during Teslas Q4 earnings call might not be very different from what we have seen in recent quarters, where CEO Elon Musk has been positioning the company as an artificial intelligence (AI) play rather than merely being an automaker. However, as I have noted previously, the automotive business is still key for Tesla as it brings in the much-needed cash flows that the company can then plow into other businesses like the Optimus humanoid robot, which are currently in the investment phase and at least a couple of years away from full-scale commercialization.

Here is what I would watch in Teslas Q4 earnings call:
By Steven Scheer

JERUSALEM, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries reported strong quarterly results on Wednesday but forecast lower net profit and revenue in 2026 on a more than $1 billion expected loss in sales of its generic version of a cancer and blood disorder drug.

Israel-based Teva, the world's largest generics drugmaker, said it earned 96 cents per diluted share, excluding one-time items, in the October to December quarter, up from 71 cents a share a year earlier.

Revenue was up 11% in dollar terms at $4.71 billion and was boosted by a $500 million milestone payment from French drugmaker Sanofi to begin a late-stage study for a drug to treat ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Analysts had forecast earnings of 64 cents per share ex-items for the company on revenue of $4.32 billion, LSEG I/B/E/S data showed.

The results were also helped by sales of its branded medicines which have driven the group's transition from being a generics pure-play to a global pharmaceutical company.

TRIO OF DRUGS CONTRIBUTING TO REVENUE

CEO Richard Francis noted that Teva would lose more than $1 billion in sales of its generic version of cancer and blood disorder drug Revlimid due to increased competition. This is expected to weigh on group revenue and EPS this year, though core earnings are predicted to rise.

It forecast annual group revenue of $16.4 to $16.8 billion, down from $17.3 billion in 2025. It expects adjusted EPS of $2.57-$2.77, compared with $2.93 in 2025. Analysts forecast adjusted EPS of $2.63 and revenue of $16.9 billion for 2026.

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) are projected at as much as $5.3 billion this year versus $4.9 billion in 2025 excluding the milestone payment.

Teva's New York-listed shares were down 1.1% at $32.17 in morning trade.

Long reliant on copycat medicines, Teva has ramped up development of its own drugs to drive sales and profits.

"We have transitioned the company from pure-play generics to a biopharma," he told Reuters.

After losing multiple sclerosis treatment Copaxone to generic competition a few years ago, Teva now has a trio of drugs - Austedo which is mainly for Huntington's disease, migraine medicine Ajovy and schizophrenia treatment Uzedy - that contributed $3.1 billion of its revenue in 2025. Their sales are expected to grow to as much as $3.6 billion this year.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer, Editing by Louise Heavens and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) is one of the defense & aerospace stocks gaining from rising geopolitical spending. On January 20, Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) secured a $163.4 million contract through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mechanism.

Textron Inc. (TXT) Inks $163.4M Defense Contract in Ukraine as Jefferies Raises Price Target

Pixabay/Public Domain

Under the terms of the contract, the company is to provide 65 Mobile Strike Force Vehicle MSFV Commando Select vehicles and one year of spare parts. It also covers the build and delivery of new cars to strengthen Ukraines military.

Textron Systems has delivered hundreds of COMMANDO vehicles to the U.S. Army over the last two decades, said David Phillips, Senior Vice President, Air, Land and Sea Systems. The COMMANDO Select has demonstrated support to soldiers, serving as a combat-proven armored personnel carrier performing secure personnel movement, military police and constabulary operations as well as command and control operations to support ground mobility missions.

Earlier on January 15, analysts at Jefferies raised Textron Inc.s price target to $115 from $95 and reiterated Buy ratings. The price target underscores the research firms confidence that the company will deliver solid financial results and guidance. The research firm expects the company to post fourth-quarter earnings of $1.41 per share. It also expects 2026 guidance of $6.30 to $6.50, in line with the firms estimate of $6.30.

Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) is a global, multi-industry company that designs, manufactures, and sells aircraft (Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft), defense products (Textron Systems), and industrial products (Jacobsen, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat). It provides financial services and is known for its powerful brands in the aerospace, defense, specialized vehicles, and industrial sectors.

While we acknowledge the potential of TXT 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: Top 10 Materials Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 10 Best Organic Food and Farming Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
BitMine Immersion Technologies, a New Yorklisted company chaired by Fundstrats Tom Lee, has quietly built one of the largest concentrated positions in Ethereum ever disclosed by a single entity.

In an update published on January 26, BitMine said it now holds 4,243,338 ether, giving the company control of roughly 3.52% of Ethereums total circulating supply.

At the time of disclosure, the position was valued at roughly $12 billion, making BitMine the largest Ethereum treasury in the world and the second-largest crypto treasury overall, behind Strategy Inc., formerly Strategy, which holds more than 700,000 bitcoin.

BitMine Accelerates ETH Accumulation as Prices Slide

The disclosure shows how quickly BitMines balance sheet has expanded over the past six months.

Weekly purchase data shared by the company indicates steady accumulation since late October, 2025, with particularly large buying activity in December.

In the week ending January 26 alone, BitMine added just over 40,000 ETH, following purchases of more than 35,000 ETH the prior week and several six-figure ETH buys in December.

Last week the company bought the dip, purchasing $110M worth of Ethereum.

The pace of accumulation has continued even as ether prices softened, with ETH down double digits over the past month amid broader market volatility.

Ethereum is currently trading at $2,940.44, showing a 2.0% increase over the past hour, which suggests short-term buying pressure returning to the market.

Source: Cryptonews

On a 24-hour basis, ETH is up a modest 0.4%, indicating relatively stable price action despite broader market fluctuations.

However, over the past seven days, Ethereum has declined by 8.4%, reaching as low as $2,787.

Source: Bitmine

BitMines total crypto, cash, and equity holdings now stand at $12.8 billion, according to the company.

In addition to its Ethereum position, the firm holds 193 bitcoin, $682 million in cash, a $200 million stake in Beast Industries, and a smaller equity position in Eightco Holdings.

BitMines Ethereum Bet Moves Closer to the 5% Mark

The company trades on the NYSE American under the ticker BMNR and was last priced around $28.50, down modestly on the day and slightly lower over the past week.

The Ethereum accumulation is central to BitMines stated long-term strategy, as it has publicly set a goal of acquiring 5% of Ethereums total supply, a target it refers to as the alchemy of 5%.

Based on current supply estimates, reaching that level would require roughly 6 million ETH.

At current market prices, closing that gap would require several billion dollars in additional capital.
TotalEnergies has entered into an agreement to provide 800 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable electricity over a ten-year period to SWMs three plants in France.

The contract will cover the Papeteries de Saint Girons, PDM Industries and LTR Industries sites.

TotalEnergies will source the electricity from around 50MW of its operational renewable assets in France.

TotalEnergies Flexible Power & Integration senior vice-president Sophie Chevalier said: We are delighted to support SWM in its decarbonisation efforts and pursuit of competitiveness through our clean firm power solutions.

This contract illustrates TotalEnergies ability to offer tailor-made solutions adapted to the specific needs of our industrial customers in France. These solutions are based on our integrated production portfolio combining both renewable and flexible assets.

The arrangement aims to deliver electricity with a consistent supply profile to support SWMs production processes.

SWM vice-president and CIO Giuliano Scilio said: This agreement secures half of our French electricity needs from renewable sources for the next decade, a decisive step toward our commitment to significantly reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2033.

For an energy-intensive industry like ours, this isn't just an environmental milestone; it is a strategic investment that gives us cost predictability and strengthens our ability to offer customers genuinely sustainable solutions.

TotalEnergies has reported an installed gross renewable generation capacity exceeding 32GW as of October 2025.

The company targets more than 100 terawatt-hours (TWh) of net electricity production by 2030, combining solar, onshore and offshore wind, and flexible resources such as combined cycle gas turbines and storage.

Last month, TotalEnergies announced a 21-year power purchase agreement with Google to supply 1TWh of certified renewable electricity from the Citra Energies solar plant in northern Kedah, Malaysia.

"TotalEnergies wins 800GWh renewable power supply contract with SWM" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.




The stock market moved lower last week due to President Donald Trump's earlier threats to annex Greenland, but specific sectors have rebounded even higher once military action started looking unlikely. Trump said he would no longer impose his new tariffs aimed at Europe. He instead announced a "framework" deal, which will give the U.S. control over limited areas of Greenland relevant to American strategic interests.

Critical Metals (CRML) jumped immediately. This company is involved in the Tanbreez rare earths project in Greenland. This is a project that is linked mostly to the Saudi government but could garner attention from the Trump administration. Greenland as a whole has significant rare earth resources, and Critical Metals is one of the only companies with on-the-ground experience there.

More News from Barchart

China's retaliatory measures that restricted rare earths to the U.S. last year drew attention to several rare earth companies. The Trump administration then signed a landmark deal with MP Materials (MP) last year and continued investing in several other similar names to secure rare earths. The U.S. Commerce Department signed a $1.6 billion deal with USA Rare Earth (USAR) this week. With all eyes being on Greenland, Critical Metals could be next.

www.barchart.com

CRML Stock Already Tripled. Is It Worth Chasing?

It's not a secret that this is among the hottest stocks now. CRML used to change hands below $7 earlier this month before briefly surging to nearly $21. It has cooled off since, but the stock may be preparing for another leg up, especially if a deal between Critical Metals and the government is announced.

The company remains pre-revenue, and estimates are few and far between regarding how big the potential is here. Rare earth prices are volatile, and extracting resources from Greenland will be costly and lengthy. Critical Metals reported just $7.3 million in cash and cash equivalents and $171.7 million in total assets in Q3 2025. Yet, it has a market capitalization of ~$2.2 billion. Whether you should chase it at this stage is thus an excellent question.

If you use previous rare earth deals as a yardstick, I still think it's worth buying. The government is willing to pay well above market prices for rare earths and will cover capex as long as it can secure a supply outside of China.
Key Points

SLVP charges a notably lower expense ratio and offers a higher dividend yield than SIL.

Both funds are heavily concentrated in the materials industry, but their top holdings differ significantly.

These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires 

Both the Global X Silver Miners ETF (NYSEMKT:SIL) and iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (NYSEMKT:SLVP) target global silver mining equities, appealing to those seeking exposure to the precious metals sector. However, their cost structures, portfolio compositions, and fund sizes reveal important distinctions for investors to consider when choosing between these two major players in the silver miners ETF space.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Metric SLVP SIL Issuer IShares Global X Expense ratio 0.39% 0.65% 1-yr return (as of Jan. 25, 2026) 276.84% 235.82% Dividend yield 1.3% 0.9%

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

SLVP looks more affordable on fees, with a 0.39% expense ratio compared to SILs 0.65%, and it also offers a higher dividend yield, which may appeal to investors prioritizing income alongside exposure to silver miners.

Performance & risk comparison

Metric SLVP SIL Max drawdown (5 y) -55.56% -55.63% Growth of $1,000 over 5 years $2,945 $2,592

What's inside

Launched 15 years ago, SIL tracks silver miners globally, holding 42 stocks and focusing entirely on basic materials. Its largest positions are Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (NYSE:WPM), Pan American Silver Corp. (NYSE:PAAS), and Coeur Mining Inc. (NYSE:CDE), which are primarily Canadian mining companies. With over 15 years in operation and nearly $7 billion in assets under management, SIL relies more heavily on its top holding, Wheaton, which accounts for over 20% of its assets, compared to the other assets, which arent above 12%.

SLVP has a very similar makeup, holding the same number of companies. Created in 2012, its top three positions are Hecla Mining Co. (NYSE:HL), Industrias Penoles (PE&OLES.MX), and Fresnillo Plc. (FRES.L), having more of a focus on Mexican-based mining companies.

What this means for investors

Although neither SIL nor SLVP holds silver directly, investors need to be aware of silvers volatility and the correlated effects it can have on their portfolios. Silver is one of the most volatile precious metals on the market, estimated to be three times more volatile than gold. So if silvers price rises or falls significantly in a short period, both ETFs can experience greater volatility than normal.
The UK government has introduced a targeted business rates support package for pubs in England in a bid to ease financial pressures on the sector and respond to industry warnings about closures and job losses.

The package, announced by the Treasury on 27 January 2026, includes a 15 % reduction in new business rates bills from April and a freeze on bills in real terms for the following two years, alongside a review of how pubs are valued for tax purposes.

Live music venues that share characteristics with pubs will also benefit from these measures.

Pub sector business rates relief details

Under the new support measures, around 75 % of pubs in England are expected to see their business rates bills either fall or remain unchanged in the coming year, with an average saving of about 1,650 per establishment.

The initiative forms part of a broader response to concerns raised by industry groups about the impact of rising property tax bills, the phase-out of pandemic era discounts, and the effects of recent revaluations.

The relief will be in place for three years while the government conducts a review of the valuation methodology used to calculate business rates for pubs.

Government to publish high street strategy

Alongside the business rates support for pubs, the government said it will publish a High Street Strategy later in 2026 aimed at helping retail, leisure and hospitality businesses navigate ongoing cost challenges.

Officials have acknowledged that nearly 7,000 pubs have closed since 2010, underscoring long-term pressures on the sector from changing consumer behaviour, energy cost increases and wider economic factors.

The valuation review, which will involve industry and valuation experts, is expected to inform changes ahead of the next revaluation in 2029.

Industry response and broader hospitality context

The support package has received a mixed response from business groups. Some hospitality bodies welcomed the targeted relief for pubs and certain live music venues as a necessary short-term measure.

Others criticised the limited scope of the package, noting that restaurants, cafes, hotels and other licensed premises did not qualify for the relief despite facing similar cost pressures.

Trade associations and chambers of commerce have reiterated calls for more comprehensive business rates reform and wider relief mechanisms to support investment and high street vitality across the retail and hospitality sectors.

"UK government unveils tax relief plan to support pubs" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand.
By Paul Sandle and Muvija M

LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Britain said it wanted Google to change its search services to give businesses and consumers more choice, including allowing publishers to "opt out" of their content being used in its AI Overviews or to train standalone AI models.

The proposals come after the Competition and Markets Authority designated Google with "strategic market status" in October, giving the CMA the power to take measures to increase competition in the sector.

Google, which accounts for more than 90% of search queries in Britain, uses content harvested by its search crawler to build its AI Overviews and AI mode, as well as standalone products like its Gemini AI assistant.

News websites and other publishers have seen click-through rates drop sharply as a result of users relying on overviews generated with the help of AI.

The CMA wants to shift the balance by allowing publishers to "opt out" of Google's AI features without affecting their position in general searches.

It also proposed changes to make sure the ranking of search results is fair and transparent and make it easier for people to choose other search engines.

SEARCH IS CHANGING

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said the "targeted and proportionate actions" would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control.

"They would also provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google's AI Overviews," she said.

Google, however, said people were changing how they searched and its AI Overviews were helping them discover new content.

It said it provided publishers with a range of controls and it was "exploring updates" to let sites opt out of search generative AI features.

"Any new controls need to avoid breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people," said Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management.

"We're optimistic we can find a path forward that provides even more choice to website owners and publishers, while ensuring people continue to get the most helpful and innovative search experience possible."

A consultation on the proposals will close on February 25.

($1 = 0.7264 pounds)

(Reporting by Muvija M and Paul Sandle; Editing by Sarah Young, Mark Heinrich and Hugh Lawson)
UPS on Tuesday said it would eliminate an additional 30,000 frontline jobs and at least 24 facilities as part of a multiyear strategy to recharge growth through a planned decoupling from Amazon and downsizing of its parcel delivery network to match lower volume flow.

Efficiency gains from the restructuring helped fourth-quarter earnings exceed forecasts despite a 10.6% decline in average daily domestic volumes. Lower throughput was expected as UPS (NYSE: UPS) sheds Amazon business and lower-yielding Chinese e-commerce volumes.

The integrated freight transportation and logistics giant last year reduced 48,000 operational jobs, including 15,000 seasonal positions, and closed 93 leased and owned distribution centers, resulting in $3.5 billion in savings. UPS reduced warehouse and driver payroll by 34,000 positions after originally estimating 20,000 persons would be cut. The reduced expenditures were offset by about $500 million in transformation costs.

UPS early last year reached an agreement to reduce Amazon volumes in its network by more than 50% by June 2026. Outbound deliveries from Amazon fulfillment centers are not profitable compared to returns and outbound volumes from retailers that sell on the Amazon marketplace. About 60% of UPSs Amazon business is lossmaking.

During a presentation to analysts, management said it expects to handle 1 million fewer parcels from Amazon on a daily basis this year.

Chief Financial Officer Brian Dykes outlined targeted savings of $3 billion in 2026 related to the Amazon glide down, including a reduction of about 25 million operating hours, 30,000 jobs and facility closures. Two dozen buildings are scheduled to be closed in the first half and more facilities could be closed later in the year following further review.

Jobs will be eliminated through attrition, Dykes said, and a second voluntary buyout program for delivery drivers.

An estimated 2,000 drivers took the severance package last year, but UPS never disclosed the actual number of drivers who cashed out. The Teamsters union, which represents drivers, vigorously opposed the buyout offer as insufficient.

UPS deployed automated sorting capabilities in 57 buildings last year, enabling it to maintain service levels as it consolidates its physical footprint. CEO Carol Tome said the company will further automate its network this year, resulting in about 68% of volume being processed in automated facilities by the end of the year compared to 66.5% at the end of 2025.

Youre seeing a cascading effect of sites being closed at our legacy conventional facilities, a lot of labor required to run those facilities to a much more nimble, quicker automated, consolidated facility. And as we bring in all of those peripheral centers, we start to see the efficiencies of feeds, cube utilization, and, of course, any service disconnects can be rationalized right there in one facility. So thats also helping from a customer perspective, said Dykes.
By David Lawder

WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard agreed on Wednesday to begin formal discussions on possible reforms to the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, Greer's office said.

Possible reforms for the USMCA Joint Review include stronger rules of origin for industrial goods, more collaboration on critical minerals, increasing efforts to defend workers and producers, and U.S.-Mexican efforts to combat "the relentless dumping of manufactured goods in our region," the USTR's office said in a statement.

USTR gave no details on timing for the talks and its statement did not say whether Canada would be involved. A USTR spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.

Under the trilateral trade deal that took effect in 2020, the U.S., Mexico and Canada must launch a joint review of the trade pact by July 1, its sixth anniversary, to confirm their intention to renew it for a 16-year period or make modifications, in what USTR has described as a "sunset clause." Greer told lawmakers in December the USMCA's "shortcomings are such that a rubberstamp of the agreement is not in the national interest" of the U.S. He has said the pact is not equipped to deal with surges of exports and investment from non-market economies such as China into the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been more blunt, saying this month that the trilateral trade pact was "irrelevant" for the U.S. despite a highly integrated North American economy.

After Wednesday's meeting, Ebrard called the discussion positive in a social media video, and said the two sides talked about next steps for the USMCA and covered new U.S. tariffs, including those affecting Mexico's auto exports to the U.S.

"This year it has to be reviewed, as you know," Ebrard said of USMCA. "We have already moved forward on many issues so that the review goes as quickly and as well as possible."

USMCA has shielded Mexico from the bulk of President Trump's tariffs, as goods that comply with its rules of origin can enter the U.S. duty-free.

Mexico's Economy Ministry on Wednesday reported that the country's exports reached a record high of nearly $665 billion in 2025, growing 7.6% from the previous year, citing data from the national statistics institute. The United States accounted for 83% of the exports, followed by Canada at 3%, China at 2%, Germany at 1% and South Korea at 1%, according to the report.
The three markets accounted for most of the gains during the month, offsetting a decline in apparel shipments to other destinations, according to the data released by the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF).

During the month, exports to the US rose by 6.49% to $178.29m compared with December 2024.

Shipments to the EU grew by 6.76% to $141m, while exports to the UK increased by 12.95% to $55.12m.

However, exports to other markets fell by 4.06% to $72.8m. Overall, December exports were $23.03m higher than the corresponding month in 2024.

For the full year from January to December 2025, total apparel and textile exports amounted to $5.02bn, up 5.42% from $4.76bn in 2024, an increase of $258.18m year-on-year.

Including fabric exports valued at $526.33m, the sectors total export value reached $5.51bn for 2025.

During the twelve-month period, the EU recorded the strongest annual growth, with exports increasing by 12.48% to $1.58bn from $1.40bn in 2024.

Shipments to the US rose by 2.15% to $1.95bn, while exports to the UK were broadly steady at $679.66m, a rise of 0.74% compared with the previous year. Shipments to other destinations grew by 4.80% to $815.78m.

JAAF stated: Closing the year above US$5.0 billion reflects the industrys consistency across core markets, with the EU delivering the strongest momentum over the year. The December uplift in the UK and continued growth in the USA and EU are encouraging. At the same time, the dip in other markets in December is a reminder that diversifying demand and strengthening non-traditional markets must remain a priority.

These numbers also set the agenda for the months ahead. To sustain growth, the industry will stay focused on improving competitiveness, protecting delivery reliability, and expanding buyer confidence through consistent quality and responsible production. Strengthening access in new and emerging markets will be a key part of that effort.

"US, UK, EU drive Sri Lanka apparel exports in December" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand.




USA Rare Earth (USAR) shares surged nearly 7% higher on Jan. 26 after the Trump administration confirmed plans of investing about $1.6 billion in the miner that specializes in rare-earth elements.

The post-announcement rally pushed USARs relative strength index (14-day) into the extremely overbought territory, signaling potential for a sharp correction in the near term.

More News from Barchart

At the time of writing, USA Rare Earth stock is up more than 85% versus the start of this year.

www.barchart.com

Should You Chase the Rally in USA Rare Earth Stock?

USAR has agreed to sell millions of its shares and warrants to the U.S. government at $17.17 apiece, but the critical minerals stock is currently trading at a sharply higher $26.

This means the market has already priced in future success quite substantially  leaving little to no further upside for late investors.

More importantly, the federal and private investments USA Rare Earth disclosed this morning will prove significantly dilutive for existing shareholders over time, further reducing the incentive of chasing this rally.

According to Barchart, USAR stock has a history of losing more than 7% on average in February, which makes owning it even less attractive in the near-term.

Why Else Are USAR Shares Unattractive to Own in 2026?

Investors are cautioned against investing in USA Rare Earth shares also because the company remains speculative and pre-revenue.

It faces significant capital and execution challenges inherent to large-scale mining operations that frequently exceed initial cost projections.

USAR is broadly expected to remain unprofitable this year, and its negative cash flow projections extend through 2028.

In short, investors entering at current levels are betting on flawless execution not just across mining development but also in construction of processing facility, metal production scaling, and expansion of magnet manufacturing capacity as well.

How Wall Street Recommends Playing USA Rare Earth

Wall Street analysts agree that USARs share-price rally following the federal investment news has gone a bit too far, especially given that the firms recent filings signaled substantial doubt regarding going concern status.
Toronto-based Waabi announced Wednesday that it closed an oversubscribed $750 million Series C funding round. The autonomous vehicle technology company secured an additional milestone-based investment from Uber, bringing total available capital to $1 billion.

The funding, the largest fundraise in Canadian history, will fuel continued advancement of Waabis Physical AI Platform. The platform will accelerate the Canadian trucking technology makers commercial progress and support the companys expansion into robotaxis.

Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners co-led the Series C round, with participation from strategic investors including Uber, NVentures (NVIDIAs venture capital arm), Volvo Group Venture Capital and Porsche Automobil Holding SE.

Financial and institutional investors include funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Radical Ventures, HarbourVest Partners, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Incharge Capital.

Canadian investors participating include BDC Capitals Thrive Venture Fund, Export Development Canada, and TELUS Global Ventures.

The moment is here and fully upon us. Everything is coming together for physical AI to have its moment, with self-driving as the first manifestation at scale, Lior Ron, Waabi chief operating officer and former Uber Freight CEO, said in an interview with FreightWaves. Hardware, technology and customers are all ready.

Waabis dual-focus strategy: Trucking and robotaxis

At the core of Waabis approach is what it describes as the industrys only verifiable end-to-end AI model, combined with what the company calls the most comprehensive neural simulator ever created.

This approach enables a shared brain across both autonomous trucks and robotaxis. Progress in autonomous trucking simultaneously improves robotaxi capabilities, and vice versa.

Ron told FreightWaves that Waabis single-system approach sets it apart from other autonomous trucking technology competitors, who have built purpose-built technology stacks for each vehicle type.

For us, its the same brain, same AI driver, same simulator, Ron said. We take the brain  which already handles surface streets  and incrementally expand its capabilities. Its not a leap; its complementary.

Waabi initially selected autonomous trucking because of the immense opportunity to transform logistics. With its platform now mature and trucking solution approaching deployment, the company holds what it describes as pole position in the commercial trucking market.

The deployment goal extends beyond the highway-only approach that characterized earlier autonomous trucking efforts. Waabi aims to enable trucks to handle complex scenarios, including surface streets, urban cores, distribution centers and stores.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is one of the High-Flying Tech Stocks to Buy. On January 19, DBS reiterated a Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $391. Earlier, on January 16, TD Cowen maintained a Hold rating on the stock and raised the price target from $325 to $370.

Analysts at TD Cowen noted that they have another upside quarterly outlook for the company. This optimistic outlook is based on the company raising its long-term revenue growth target to 25% CAGR from 2024 to 2029.

The company also raised its outlook for the AI and cloud demand and now expects demand to be in the range of mid 50% to high 50%. The firm noted that TSMs 2026 capital expenditure of $52 billion to $56 billion reflects that the company expects demand to remain strong throughout the year, which is also a good sign for the semiconductor sector. TD Cowen also described the guidance of 63% to 65% Q1 gross margins as strong. However, despite this strong outlook, the firm still maintained a Hold rating. This is due to the upcoming dilution from the N2 node ramp and overseas fabs starting in H2 2026, due to higher initial costs. This pressures margins despite near-term strength.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE:TSM), together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells ICs and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the US, and internationally.

While we acknowledge the potential of TSM 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: 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.
Meta announced Wednesday that it will charge developers for running chatbots on WhatsApp in regions where regulators are forcing the company to allow them. The move comes after the companys ban on third-party chatbots on WhatsApp took effect on January 15.

For now, Meta will charge developers in Italy, where the countrys competition watchdog asked the company to suspend its policy last December. The company said that the new pricing for non-template responses will begin on February 16. Meta plans to charge $0.0691/ 0.0572 / 0.0498 per message to developers for AI responses. This could result in steep bills for developers if users are exchanging thousands of queries with AI chatbots every day.

Earlier this month, Meta sent notices to developers creating an exemption for Italian phone numbers and allowing AI chatbots to serve those customers. At that time, the company didnt mention any plans to charge developers.

Currently, WhatsApp already charges companies for using its API for various template responses to customers, which include use cases like marketing, utility, or authentication. This includes messages users receive about payment reminders and shipping updates.

Where we are legally required to provide AI chatbots through the WhatsApp business API, we are introducing pricing for the companies that choose to use our platform to provide those services, a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch. This could also establish a precedent for other geographies if Meta has to cave in and allow developers to operate their chatbots.

Meta first announced this past October that it would block all third-party AI chatbots from using WhatsApp through its WhatsApp Business API.

Meta said its systems werent designed to handle responses from AI bots and were being strained.

The emergence of AI chatbots on our Business API put a strain on our systems that they were not designed to support. This logic assumes WhatsApp is somehow a de facto app store. The route to market for AI companies is the app stores themselves, their websites, and industry partnerships; not the WhatsApp Business Platform, the company said at that time.

Since then, various regions, including the EU, Italy, and Brazil, have started anticompetitive probes. Brazils watchdog initially asked Meta to suspend the policy. However, a court in Brazil sided with Meta last week and overturned the preliminary order blocking the new policy. As a result, the company has asked developers not to provide their AI chatbots to users in Brazil, TechCrunch has learned.

Since the policy has kicked in, developers are forced to send a pre-defined message to users of their AI chatbot on WhatsApp to redirect them to their site or app. Providers like OpenAI, Perplexity, and Microsoft announced last year that their WhatsApp bots would not work after January 15, urging users to access them on other platforms.
As if continuing declines in the bitcoin price werent enough, shares of bitcoin miners who have shifted their business plan to focus on AI infrastructure were mostly sharply lower Monday following Nvidia's $2 billion investment in CoreWeave.

While the investment underscores growing demand for high-performance computing as AI applications expand, it also highlights the challenges for independent miners trying to reposition themselves as infrastructure providers in the space.

Cipher Mining (CIFR), CleanSpark (CLSK), IREN (IREN), and TeraWulf (WULF) were among names 5%-9% lower following the news.

The drop reflects investor concern that CoreWeaves growing lead in the AI infrastructure market could limit the upside for other players.

The declines across the AI and HPC segment tied to bitcoin miners today signal a commitment between NVIDIA and CoreWeave, with GPU allocation increasingly prioritized toward that partnership, said James Van Straten, senior bitcoin analyst at CoinDesk. This could potentially diminish funding prospects for independent miners seeking to pivot into AI infrastructure. The $2 billion capital injection is set to materially expand AI compute capacity for CoreWeave, which would intensify competition and squeeze both margins and market share for smaller players."

Van Straten also noted that CoreWeaves $53 billion market cap is already half the peak valuation of the entire bitcoin-AI mining sector in October.

"As with any maturing industry, consolidation now appears increasingly inevitable, he said.



In addition, Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets at VanEck says CLSK fell about 9% as markets priced in perceived outage risk tied to its Tennessee exposure after state level power headlines, despite its sites being in grid green zones. The drop was compounded by a proxy filing that quantified a roughly $45 million CEO pay package for 2025, raising governance concerns as the firm pivots toward AI, according to Sigel.



The only name showing a sizable gain on Monday is Core Scientific (CORZ). Although CoreWeave tried and failed to acquire CORZ in 2025, the two still continue to have a multi-year data center deal. Shares are higher by just shy of 2% in late-morning trade.

Also outperforming is Hut 8 (HUT), another miner that has diversified into AI hosting and high-performance computing. Along with Core Scientific, HUT also offers infrastructure tailored to large-scale AI applications, giving it a competitive edge as demand for compute surges. HUT shares are higher by 0.2%.

The shift toward AI isnt new. Bitcoin miners, once singularly focused on validating blockchain transactions, have been repurposing their data centers for more profitable workloads, particularly as mining rewards shrink and power costs rise.

Nvidias latest move, however, suggests those resources may increasingly flow to larger, more tightly integrated players like CoreWeave, forcing smaller firms to adapt or consolidate.
Blockchain infrastructure firm Zerohash is in talks to raise $250 million at a $1.5 billion valuation, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The company recently pulled out of acquisition talks with Mastercard, CoinDesk reported, though the payments giant is still considering a strategic investment in Zerohash, and discussions remain ongoing.

The raise comes amid rising demand for enterprise-grade crypto infrastructure, as more financial institutions move to offer tokenized assets, stablecoins and onchain settlement at scale.

Zerohash didn't respond to requests for comment by the time of publication. The amount could change as discussions are still ongoing.

Fortune reported in October that Mastercard was in late-stage talks to acquire Zerohash in a deal that could value the possible takeover candidate at up to $2 billion.

Zerohash raised $104 million in an October Series D-2 round led by Interactive Brokers, valuing the firm at $1 billion.

That round brought in new investors, including Morgan Stanley, Apollo-managed funds, SoFi, Jump Crypto, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, FTMO, IMC and Liberty City Ventures, alongside existing backers PEAK6, tastytrade and Nyca Partners, the company said at the time.

Founded in 2017, Zerohash offers APIs and embeddable developer tools that allow financial institutions and fintechs to deliver crypto, stablecoin and tokenization products.

Its platform supports clients including Interactive Brokers, Stripe, BlackRocks BUIDL fund, Franklin Templeton and DraftKings, serving more than 5 million users in 190 countries.

Read more: Mastercard said to weigh Zerohash investment after ending takeover talks worth billions
The Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a lot of potential value without a lot of complexity. You can earn unlimited flat cash-back rewards and enjoy a solid 0% APR period, with no annual fee.

Learn more about all this card has to offer if youre looking to simplify your credit card rewards:

Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card

Learn more Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card Annual fee $0

Welcome offer Earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening

Introductory APR 0% intro APR for your first 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account (variable APR applies after that; see issuer site for current APR)

Purchase APR See issuer site for current APR Rewards rate Earn 2% cash back on purchases for the first year from account opening; after that, you'll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases Benefits Bank of America Preferred Rewards members can earn up to 75% more cash back on every purchase

Additional info about the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card

The most significant added benefit youll get with the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards card is a long introductory 0% APR period.

For the first 15 billing cycles after you open your account, youll pay 0% APR on new purchases and on balance transfers made within the first 60 days of account opening. After that intro period, any balances still left on your card will accrue interest at the regular variable APR between 17.99% and 27.99%. If you decide to transfer an existing debt balance, youll also pay a 3% balance transfer fee within the first 60 days; after that, balance transfers have a 4% fee.

While 15 billing cycles isnt the longest intro period youll find today, it is competitive with other top 0% APR credit cards which typically range from 12 to 18 months. And with this offer, youll get more than a year without interest to pay off purchases you charge to your card or to get a significant head start toward paying off an existing debt balance .

Other features are standard among most credit cards today, including $0 liability for fraud, account alerts, and overdraft protection when you link your Bank of America checking account.

How to earn rewards

Youll earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make with this card. Whether you use it when you fuel up at the gas station, buy your weekly groceries, or make an impulse purchase while browsing online, youll get the same 1.5% cash back on your spending.

Based on average American spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics , we estimate that you can earn over $423 per year in cash back when you use this card for all your everyday purchases.

Welcome offer

Youll earn a cash welcome bonus worth $200 when you spend at least $1,000 within the first 90 days of opening your Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards card.

Thats a solid welcome offer compared with other best cash-back credit cards today, especially given the realistic spending requirement. Youll need to spend about $300 per month over the first three months to qualify for this bonus.

Related: Best credit card sign-up bonuses

First-year bonus

Boosted rewards earnings dont end with the cash welcome bonus. For your entire first year, you can also earn an increased 2% cash back on every purchase you make  instead of the standard 1.5% this card offers.

Lets say you spend about $15,000 per year with your card, or $1,250 per month. At the regular 1.5% cash-back rate, thats about $225 in annual rewards. But over your first year, youll earn an even better $300 cash back with the same spending.

Preferred Rewards

You can get a significant rewards increase long-term with this card if youre a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member. The bonus youll get depends on the tier you qualify for, based on your combined total balance across eligible Bank of America deposit and Merrill investment account:

Gold tier: 25% rewards bonus

Platinum tier: 50% rewards bonus

Platinum Honors and Diamond Honors tiers: 75% rewards bonus

At the highest bonus tier of Platinum Honors, you can increase your rewards rate by 75%, from 1.5% to 2.62% cash back. Using the same spending example as above, Preferred Rewards could get you a total of $393 in cash back on your $15,000 in annual spending. Thats $168 more in cash back each year over the standard 1.5%.

How to redeem rewards

Bank of America cash rewards are easy to redeem anytime you want with no minimum required. You can cash in rewards for a statement credit to your card account or a direct deposit to your Bank of America checking or savings account. You can also use the cash you earn when you check out using PayPal or shop on Amazon.

Who is the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card best for?

The Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Card excels for its straightforward 1.5% cash back on every purchase (2% for the first year). You should consider this card if youre looking for rewards that you dont have to strategize to earn or redeem. Its a great option for rewards credit card beginners who have great credit but may be intimidated by complicated rewards structures and benefits.

Its also a solid choice if you have a large upcoming purchase to make. Not only can you earn a boosted 2% cash back on that purchase if you make it within the first year of account opening, but you can also take advantage of the cards 0% intro APR within that time frame. Youll be able to finance your purchase for the first 15 billing cycles, though you will start to accrue interest at the cards variable 17.99%-27.99% APR if you dont pay down the full balance by the end of the period.

Finally, the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards card can make a good addition to your wallet if you already have a great travel or cash-back credit card with boosted rewards in your top spending categories. Adding a flat cash-back card is a great way to make sure you maximize every dollar you spend, even when your purchase isnt captured by your other cards rewards categories.

Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card pros

No annual fee: This card doesnt cost anything to add to your wallet, since it charges no annual fee.

Simple flat cash-back rewards: You can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase with this card, and 2% cash back on all purchases for the first year.

Introductory 0% APR: The 0% APR offer on this card applies for both new purchases and balance transfers, which can help you finance a big purchase or pay down debt you already have.

Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card cons

No bonus categories for boosted rewards: Because this card has a flat rewards structure, you wont get boosted rewards in specific categories, like groceries , gas , or dining out at restaurants .

2% rewards end after the first year: The bonus 2% rewards offer only lasts for the first year after account opening. After that, youll earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

Good credit required: For the best chances of qualifying for this card, you should have an established credit history and good credit score .

Where can you use Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card?

The Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards card is a Visa credit card, so you can use it anywhere Visa is accepted and earn cash-back rewards each time.

However, this card does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee for purchases outside the U.S. That can get costly if you decide to use it when traveling abroad. If you travel internationally often, make sure youre prepared with a card that has no foreign transaction fees .

How to make a Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card payment

Online: Log into your online or mobile account with Bank of America.

By phone: Call the number on the back of your credit card.

By mail: Credit card payments Bank of America PO Box 15019 Wilmington, Delaware 19850-5019

In person: Bank of America has 3,700 locations across the U.S. Use the banks online locator to find a branch near you if you prefer to pay in person.

Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card customer service info

Bank of America customer service help for credit cards is available 24/7.

Phone number: 800-732-9194 or call 800-266-0212 for billing questions

Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards login page

Alternative cards to consider

Before you apply, also consider these great credit card options for flat 1.5x rewards or more on every purchase:

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Learn more Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card Add to Compare Annual fee $0

Welcome offer Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

Introductory APR 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then variable 18.49% - 28.49% APR

Purchase APR 18.49% - 28.49% variable Rewards rate 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

Benefits Generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers No foreign transaction fees



Why we like it: Like the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards card, youll earn a flat, unlimited 1.5% cash back with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card . This card also has no annual fee, a long 0% introductory APR period, and a cash welcome bonus. You can get an extra cash-back boost when you use your Quicksilver card to book travel with 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Read our full Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Learn more Chase Freedom Unlimited Add to Compare Annual fee $0

Welcome offer Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Introductory Balance Transfer APR 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months

Introductory Purchases APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months

Ongoing Purchases APR 18.24% - 27.74% Variable Rewards rate Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (includes takeout and eligible delivery service) 1.5% on all other purchases

Benefits You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more Generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers



Why we like it: The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a no annual fee card with a minimum 1.5% cash back on every purchase, but thats not all it offers. Youll also earn 3% back at restaurants and drug stores and 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel. You can redeem your rewards for cash back or use them to book travel with Chase. Other Freedom Unlimited benefits include a cash welcome bonus, introductory 0% APR offer, perks for Lyft and DoorDash spending, and more.

Read our full Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card

Learn more Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card Annual fee $0

Welcome offer Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening, which can be redeemed for a $250 statement credit toward travel and dining purchases

Introductory APR 0% intro APR for your first 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made within the first 60 days of opening your account (variable APR aplies after that; see issuer site for current APR)

Purchase APR See issuer site for current APR Rewards rate Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on purchases No blackout dates or restrictions Points do not expire as long as your account remains open

Benefits Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on purchases No foreign transaction fees Generous intro APR offer on eligible balance transfers and purchases



Why we like it: Instead of cash back, youll earn an unlimited 1.5x points on every purchase you make with the Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card. You can redeem your points toward travel and dining purchases you charge to your card. Other benefits are similar to those youll get with the Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards card, like a solid welcome bonus, introductory 0% APR offer, and Preferred Rewards bonus if youre eligible. Unlike the Unlimited Cash card, youll also save on spending abroad with no foreign transaction fees.

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to the Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the banks website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Costco rating: 3.7 out of 5 stars

Costco doesnt sell its own pet insurance policies. Instead, it partners with Figo pet insurance to offer pet insurance to members. But if you purchase pet insurance from Costco, eligible members can qualify for exclusive discounts, such as 15% off your Figo pet insurance premium and a $25 Costco gift card when you enroll.

Editors note: Even though Costco pet insurance is offered through Figo, Costco has a higher star rating than Figo because Costcos rates came in lower during our analysis. Costcos lower premiums are due to the Costco discount.

Learn more: The best pet insurance companies

Costco pet insurance pros and cons

Pros

Discounts and perks for Costco members

Diminishing deductible reduces your deductible up to $0

Behavioral therapy is covered up to $500 a year

5% military discount available

Cons

Add-ons required for vet exam fees and alternative care treatment

Prescription food only covered with Powerups add-on

Learn more: Is pet insurance worth it?

Costco pet insurance details

Figo pet insurance through Costco provides a solid range of coverage, although there are a couple of downsides: Youll have to buy Powerups to add coverage for vet exam fees and alternative care (such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and magnet therapy). Theres also no coverage for prescription food in the base plan unless you add a Powerup.

But Figo does have some pluses to consider. Its the only pet insurer in our analysis with a 100% reimbursement option available, although you cant get the unlimited annual policy with 100% reimbursement. Figo also has a low $100 deductible option if youre looking to keep out-of-pocket costs minimal, although you cant combine it with the 100% reimbursement level.

Figo also has an advantage when it comes to preexisting conditions. If your pets condition has been cured, and there have been no symptoms or treatment for 12 months, the condition will no longer be excluded from coverage. This does not apply to ligament and knee conditions, however.

Learn more: How does pet insurance work? A complete guide

Costco pet insurance basics

Annual maximum limit choices: $5,000, $10,000, Unlimited

Deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750

Reimbursement choices: 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%

Costco pet insurance waiting periods

For accident coverage: 1 day (waived in some states)

For illness coverage: 14 days

Special waiting period: 6 months for cruciate ligament issues in dogs (can be waived if the dog passes an orthopedic exam in some states)

Learn more: Pet insurance with no waiting period: How it works

Costco pet insurance age restrictions for buying a new policy

Minimum pet age: 8 weeks

Maximum pet age: None

What does Costco pet insurance cover?

Costcos comprehensive pet insurance policy through Figo covers a broad range of care. It doesnt offer an accident-only policy, but you can add a wellness plan to help pay for routine care expenses like vaccinations.

Learn more: Your guide to what pet insurance covers

Costcos accident and illness policy

Hereditary and congenital conditions

Cancer

Diagnostics such as X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds

Dental accidents and illnesses

Prescription drugs

Euthanasia

Costcos pet wellness plan

When you purchase pet insurance through Costco, you have the option to add Figos Wellness Powerup, which will give you coverage for:

Learn more: Why a pet wellness plan is worth considering

Does Costco cover preexisting conditions?

Pet insurance from Costco doesnt cover any preexisting conditions, with the exception of curable conditions. Figo defines a preexisting condition as one of the following:

A chronic condition observed by you or a vet prior to the plan start date or before the end of the waiting period

An illness or injury that first occurred or showed symptoms within the 12 months prior to the policy start date or before the end of the waiting period

An undiagnosed condition with the same clinical signs as those above

Figo will cover curable preexisting conditions if your pet has been symptom-free and treatment-free for at least 12 months prior to the plan start date. This doesn't apply to ligament and knee conditions.

Learn more: Pet insurance that covers preexisting conditions

Does Costco pet insurance include access to a 24/7 vet telehealth line?

Costco pet insurance customers get access to a 24/7 vet helpline through Figo, with unlimited use. If you have questions about your pets health, behavior, or an emergency issue, you can chat live with a veterinary professional at any time through Figos Pet Cloud mobile app.

What does Costco pet insurance not cover?

Costco pet insurance through Figo doesnt cover expenses, such as:

Preexisting conditions (unless cured)

Preventative care, like wellness exams and vaccines

Rehab and physical therapy

Vet exam fees (unless you add separate coverage)

Holistic and alternative treatments

Behavioral problems

Air ambulance and non-emergency pet ambulance transportation

The cost of disposing of a pets remains, unless you add Final Respects coverage

Boarding

Cosmetic and elective surgeries

Injuries or illnesses caused by negligence or endangerment of your pet, such as organized fighting

Medical costs that arise from ignoring a vets recommended treatment

Grooming

Natural supplements and vitamins

Illnesses that could have been prevented by a vaccine recommended by your vet that you refused

Pregnancy and breeding

Vet house calls, unless the vet says its essential in an emergency

Treatments related to parasites, such as heartworms, fleas, and ticks (unless there isnt any preventive medicine for the parasite)

Learn more: Pancreatitis in dogs: Does pet insurance cover it?

Can I increase or decrease my coverage during the policy term?

Increases: You can only increase your coverage when your policy renews. You can only add a Powerup (additional coverage packages), such as wellness coverage, at the time of renewal. If you increase your coverage, it will reset the waiting periods and preexisting condition exclusions.

Decreases: You can decrease your coinsurance, deductible, and plan at any point during the policy period. However, you can only drop optional endorsements when your plan renews.

How much does Costco pet insurance cost?

We found that Costcos average pet insurance premium is lower than average compared to its competitors, at approximately $84.33 per month for a policy with $5,000 in coverage and $129.55 for a policy with unlimited coverage.

Learn more: How much does pet insurance cost?

Average pet insurance costs for a $5,000 annual limit

Costcos average rates are slightly lower than the average for a policy with $5,000 in coverage, based on our evaluation.

Average pet insurance costs for unlimited annual coverage

For a policy with unlimited coverage, Costcos rates were below the average in our analysis.

Learn more: How to compare pet insurance quotes

Does Costco have a multi-pet discount?

Yes, Costco offers a 5% multi-pet discount when you insure more than one pet. Most pet insurance companies offer a multi-pet discount of 5% or 10%.

Does Costco offer pet insurance discounts for members?

Yes, Costco members can take advantage of discounts on their Figo pet insurance policy. The exact discounts and perks available depend on the type of Costco membership you have:

Eligible Costco Gold Star and Business members: Save 15% on your Figo premium

Eligible Costco Executive members: Save 15% on your Figo premium, and get access to Lost Pet Recovery services from 24PetWatch

Eligible Costco members: Get a $25 Costco gift card after purchasing a Figo policy

To claim these discounts, Costco members can get a pet insurance quote on Costcos website. Youll need to enter your Costco membership number at checkout. You can also call Figos dedicated customer service line for Costco members at 1-844-200-2607.

Can Costco pet insurance pay the vet directly?

No, Figo doesnt have a system for paying vets directly. It operates on a reimbursement model where you pay the vet bill and then submit your invoice for reimbursement.

Learn more: Pet insurance that pays the vet directly

How to file a pet insurance claim with Costco

Costco pet insurance claims are filed through Figo. Heres how to submit a claim:

Log into the Figo Pet Cloud: The quickest way to submit a claim is through the Figo Pet Cloud through the app or website. If you prefer, you can download the claim form and email it to records@ifigo.com or fax it to 1-773-796-4907.

Submit your info: Select the Claims icon, then answer the questions.

Upload documents: Attach a copy of your paid invoice and have your vet send Figo your pets medical records, so they can verify their treatment.

Submit your claim and wait to get paid: You can choose to get reimbursed with a paper check or an ACH deposit. Figo says that most claims close in less than three business days.

You can also call the Figo customer service team at 1-844-738-3446 for help with claims.

How long do I have to submit claims to Costco?

You must submit a claim within 180 days from the date of the vet visit to get reimbursed.

How fast does Costco pay pet insurance claims?

Figo will reimburse you for approved vet claims within 30 days of receiving documentation, but the company says that most claims close in less than three business days. You can choose to get reimbursed with a paper check or an ACH deposit.

Costco pet insurance mobile app

Costco pet insurance customers can use Figos Pet Cloud mobile app to file claims, chat with a licensed veterinary professional 24/7, store digital vet records, connect with other pet parents, and more. Users give the Pet Cloud app good reviews.

Figo mobile app ratings

App Store: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Google Play Store: 4.4 out of 5 stars

Costco pet insurance FAQs

Where is Costco pet insurance available?

Costco pet insurance through Figo is available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. But the availability of Costco member discounts and perks will depend on your location.

Does Costco pet insurance require an exam?

Costco doesnt require your pet to get a vet exam to buy Figo pet insurance.

Heres how to get in touch with Figos customer service team when you get pet insurance through Costco:

Phone: 1-844-200-2607 or text 1-216-250-9231 from Monday to Friday (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT) and Saturday (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT)

Fax: 1-773-966-0769

Email: support@figopetinsurance.com

Methodology

We researched the coverage details and prices for 28 pet insurance plans. We then weighted categories, and each pet insurer was scored relative to the others to find the best pet insurance companies. Here are the factors we incorporated.

Coverage types: 40% of score. We examined the coverage provided by the base policy without the extra cost of add-ons. This encompassed coverage for alternative therapy, behavioral therapy, dental illness, euthanasia or end-of-life expenses, exotic pets, hereditary and congenital conditions, preexisting conditions, prescription food and supplements, veterinary exam fees, and advertising/reward for lost/stolen pets.

Average cost: 30% of score. We evaluated costs in five states for $5,000 and unlimited coverage for a mixed-breed dog (age 1), a French bulldog (age 5), and a Labrador retriever (age 8).

Unlimited coverage option: 10% of score. We gave points when pet insurers offered an unlimited annual limit (or a $100,000 limit), which gives pet owners the most robust financial protection possible in the event of a catastrophic pet medical issue.

Direct payments to the veterinarian: 5% of score. We gave points to pet insurers that state on their websites that they accommodate direct vet payments.

No special waiting periods for special conditions: 5% of score. We gave points when pet insurers have no waiting periods for special conditions, such as cruciate ligament conditions.

Routine wellness plan: 5% of score. Companies that offer a routine wellness plan in addition to pet insurance received points.

Multi-pet discount: 5% of score. We gave points when pet insurers offered a discount for insuring multiple pets.

Tim Manni and Jamie Young edited this article.
The tragic death of two people in South Carolina prompted officials to release a warning about the dangers of using generators indoors.

What's happening?

The Greenville News reported that two people in North Carolina's Anderson County died from carbon monoxide poisoning in December after using a generator to heat their home. In response to the incident, County Coroner Greg Shore issued a reminder that using generators indoors is never safe due to the toxic fumes they release into the air.

"Using alternative methods beyond central heating, like gas logs, to keep warm, or using a generator to power things, can emit carbon monoxide," the Greenville News said. "This invisible, odorless gas can be deadly."

Why is carbon monoxide concerning?

Because carbon monoxide has no color, taste, or odor, it can be difficult to detect, and that's why it's so deadly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 400 Americans die each year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires. The agency adds that more than 100,000 people visit emergency departments each year due to carbon monoxide exposure, and that more than 14,000 are hospitalized.

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Generators are not the only appliances that can release carbon monoxide into the home  any appliance that burns fuel, including furnaces, water heaters, stoves, and fireplaces, is a potential culprit. Still, portable generators are of particular concern, and federal data showed that at least 770 people in the U.S. died between 2011 and 2021 due to carbon monoxide poisoning while using portable generators.

What's being done about carbon monoxide poisoning?

The CDC recommends that people install a battery-operated or battery-backup carbon monoxide detector in every sleeping area of the home. The agency also urges people to have gas-, oil-, and coal-burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician annually and to make sure these devices are vented properly.

And if you ever feel symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning  headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion  it's important to get outside immediately.

One other way to help reduce your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is to power your home with solar paired with battery storage for backup. Solar is a safer bet for the home, and a battery setup ensures you have adequate power during blackouts while avoiding the potentially deadly consequences of generator use  a new federal report found that even outdoor generators pose a safety concern.

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.
Iraq and the Betrayal of the Kurdish Administration and Iranian-Backed Parties

(AINA) -- Iraq is being dismantled deliberately. This destruction is not the result of fate, historical inevitability, or the diversity of its people. It is the outcome of calculated decisions made by political elites who chose loyalty to power, parties, and foreign patrons over loyalty to the Iraqi nation. The tragedy of modern Iraq is not that it is pluralistic, but that it is ruled by forces that benefit from permanent weakness, chaos, and fragmentation.

The land that gave humanity its first cities, laws, and written language now struggles to preserve the most basic elements of statehood. Borders are violated, citizenship is manipulated, sovereignty is compromised, and public trust has collapsed. What is unfolding is not merely mismanagement or corruption--it is a sustained betrayal of the Iraqi state by two dominant forces: unaccountable Kurdish ruling parties in the north and Iranian-backed political and militia networks in the south.

This is not an accusation against any people. Iraq's population has suffered collectively. Responsibility lies squarely with political leaderships and armed groups that have hijacked identity, weaponized grievance, and subordinated the country to external agendas.

The Post-2003 Order and the Collapse of Sovereignty

Since the fall of the Iraqi state in 2003, Iraq has existed in a permanent state of transition--one that never ended because instability became profitable. What was promised as democracy evolved into a system of quota politics, party domination, and militia rule. Institutions were hollowed out while real power shifted to armed actors operating above the law.

Instead of rebuilding a unified national state, Iraq was fragmented into zones of influence. Each zone developed its own loyalties and power structures while maintaining the illusion of a single country. This fragmentation created ideal conditions for foreign interference, particularly from regional powers that understood how to exploit weak institutions and divided societies.

The result is a country where sovereignty exists more on paper than in reality.

Northern Iraq: From Autonomy to Party Control

In northern Iraq, what was intended to be a federal arrangement within a unified Iraq has gradually transformed into an unaccountable party-controlled system. Kurdish autonomy, rather than strengthening Iraqi federalism, has been monopolized by ruling parties that fused political authority, security forces, and economic resources into a closed structure.

These parties operate with minimal transparency and little oversight from Baghdad. Parliamentary mechanisms have been weakened, opposition marginalized, and independent voices suppressed. Elections have failed to produce genuine accountability, as power remains concentrated within a narrow elite.

More dangerous is the use of demographic manipulation as a political instrument. Since 2003, large numbers of non-Iraqis have reportedly been settled, naturalized, and placed on government payrolls without national consent or transparent legal procedures. Iraqi citizenship--one of the last remaining symbols of national identity--has been reduced to a tool of political loyalty.

There are persistent allegations that individuals linked to extremist organizations, including ISIS elements and armed factions aligned with the PKK, have obtained Iraqi documents and protection. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, yet its affiliated elements operate openly on Iraqi soil, pulling Iraq into conflicts that serve party agendas rather than national interests.

This reckless approach has weakened Iraq's internal security, damaged its international credibility, and undermined the meaning of citizenship itself.

Southern Iraq: Iranian-Backed Parties and Militia Dominance

In southern and central Iraq, an equally destructive process has unfolded. Iranian-backed political parties and militias have entrenched themselves within the state while systematically undermining it. These groups do not merely influence decision-making--they dominate it.

Militias operate outside the authority of the Iraqi armed forces while receiving state funding and political protection. They control border crossings, ports, and key economic sectors. They interfere in judicial processes, intimidate activists, silence journalists, and suppress protest movements through violence and fear.

Their loyalty is openly directed toward Tehran rather than Baghdad. Iraqi territory has been transformed into a platform for regional confrontation, exposing civilians to instability and retaliation for agendas that are not their own.

Reports of Iranian nationals receiving Iraqi citizenship, salaries, and benefits while Iraqi citizens struggle to meet basic needs have intensified public outrage. Whether through formal mechanisms or informal arrangements, the perception is unmistakable: Iraqi resources are being diverted to serve external interests.

The Human Cost: Salaries, Services, and Lost Futures

While political elites consolidate power, ordinary Iraqis endure daily hardship. Salaries are delayed, reduced, or stolen outright. Public sector employees--teachers, doctors, engineers--wait months for wages that barely sustain their families. At the same time, corruption scandals involving billions of dollars emerge with little accountability.

Youth unemployment has reached alarming levels. Iraq is rich in oil and human potential, yet its young generation sees no future. Many risk dangerous migration routes, fleeing not war but hopelessness. Those who remain are often forced into silence, dependency on patronage networks, or recruitment into armed groups.

Basic services have collapsed nationwide. Electricity shortages persist despite trillions spent. Clean drinking water is unavailable in cities along the Tigris and Euphrates. Hospitals lack equipment and staff. Schools deteriorate. Infrastructure projects remain unfinished or fail due to corruption.

Repeated protests across Iraq--from Basra to Baghdad to Nasiriyah--have delivered the same message: Iraqis are not demanding privilege. They are demanding dignity, accountability, and the most basic rights of citizenship.

The response has been repression, not reform.

Corruption as a Governing System

Corruption in Iraq is not an exception--it is institutionalized. Political parties and militias have converted the state into a vehicle for wealth extraction. Ministries are treated as party assets. Contracts are distributed based on loyalty rather than competence. Oversight bodies are neutralized through intimidation or co-optation.

This corruption is shielded by armed power. Whistleblowers are threatened. Activists are assassinated. Journalists are silenced. Justice is selective and political.

Despite differences in rhetoric, both the Kurdish-controlled north and the Iranian-influenced south operate closed systems resistant to reform. Both criminalize dissent. Both accuse critics of treason while practicing it openly.

Weaponizing Identity and Crushing Accountability

One of the most destructive tactics employed by ruling elites is the weaponization of identity. Political leaders manipulate identity narratives to deflect accountability and justify repression.

Criticism of Kurdish ruling parties is labeled hostility toward autonomy. Criticism of militias is framed as opposition to resistance. This deliberate distortion fractures society while insulating those in power.

In reality, corruption and repression affect all Iraqis. The suffering is shared, but responsibility is consistently evaded.

Iraq Reduced to a Corridor

Today, Iraq functions less as a sovereign state and more as a corridor for regional power projection. Its territory is used for weapons transfers, political bargaining, and proxy warfare. National decisions are constrained by armed actors loyal to foreign capitals.

Borders are violated, airspace is compromised, and the constitution is selectively applied. Authority is fragmented, and the rule of law is replaced by the rule of force.

This reality has severely damaged Iraq's international standing and undermined trust in the state.

Moral Collapse and Historical Accountability

Beyond politics and economics lies a profound moral failure. Iraqi leadership has normalized injustice and inequality. They have accepted that millions live without basic services while a few accumulate vast wealth. They have accepted the killing of protesters and the silencing of critics. They have accepted the erosion of citizenship itself.

History will judge this era not by speeches, but by outcomes.

Conclusion: A National Reckoning

This is not a call for violence. It is a call for national reckoning. Iraq does not need new militias, new parties, or new foreign patrons. It needs the restoration of citizenship, sovereignty, and accountability under the law.

This crisis cannot be resolved by replacing one faction with another. It requires rejecting proxy rule in all forms--whether Iranian-backed militias or unaccountable party regimes in the north.

The Iraqi people are angry, betrayed, and increasingly aware. Silence is no longer neutrality; it is complicity.

Iraq must be reclaimed by Iraqis, for Iraqis. Not by Iranian-backed militias. Not by unaccountable Kurdish party administrations. Not by any foreign-sponsored proxy.

Either Iraqis unite around sovereignty, dignity, and citizenship--or Iraq will survive only as a memory and a warning to future generations.
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The leftist media cabal constantly imagine themselves as the grand embodiment of Democracy and Freedom of Speech, even as they seek to put Republicans in jail and hope to censor them out of speaking on social media. They don't live up to their First Amendment boasting.

For example, there's "CNN International" host Christiane Amanpour, whose leftist ravings are also broadcast on PBS stations. On Jan. 23, Amanpour led off her show with this attack on President Donald Trump: "He says he's bringing free speech back to America, but one year into Trump 2.0, few presidents have done as much to degrade civil liberties and muzzle the free press. Former Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron joins me to discuss how American journalism can survive."

Oh, the overwrought ardor! How will journalism survive as they seek to destroy Trump 24/7? Any pushback on their destruction campaign will be painted as an attack on freedom of the press.

Amanpour mischaracterized Trump's remarks at Davos when he said, "I only get negative press. That means that it has no credibility. And if they're going to get credibility, they're going to have to be fair."

It's true that the media have been almost entirely negative on Trump for 10 years. It's also true that they'd have more credibility with more Americans if they weren't so relentlessly unfair.

But Amanpour claimed Trump was saying that "he needed a good press, implying that it has to be positive about him, otherwise it lacks (has) no credibility." Baron agreed: "(W)hat he means by good press is good for him. What he means by a free press is free to say what he  only what he wants it to say."

In all this moralizing, as Amanpour celebrated Baron for being legendary in "holding the powerful to account," they could not imagine anyone would find them guilty of refusing to hold Democrats to account and suppressing stories Democrats don't like. Exhibit A is the Hunter Biden laptop story right before the 2020 election.

This is where the hypocrisy really kicked in, that their actual belief is "free speech for me, not for thee."

Amanpour argued, "This administration and others like it around the world, populists, nationalists, have used the word 'free' simply for their own side. And anything that criticizes their side, whether it's the extreme right, as J.D. Vance talked about a year ago in Munich, accusing, you know, Western governments of removing the freedom of their people by trying to, you know, stop their hate speech." Baron agreed, arguing that Vance and others distorted "the real meaning of words."

Is it distorting the word "free" for Vance to complain that European governments are jailing people for tweets? Vance added Britain was punishing silent prayer in front of abortion clinics. In Scotland, they warned against private prayer inside your own home if it's near an abortion clinic. In Germany, a man faced a dawn raid with six cops because he called a politician a "pimmel" (slang for penis).

But as we know, the American media like European censorship. CBS's "60 Minutes" even did a whole segment lauding the German censors. If you want to brag you're for freedom of speech and for journalists holding the government accountable, you would advocate it for both sides.

But journalists like Amanpour and Baron live by the slogan "truthful, not neutral," which translates into my leftist beliefs are "truth," and the opposing view is "misinformation" and "hate speech." Seeking neutrality or fairness equals bowing down to Trump. They believe that the "right side of history" gets to punish and censor the "wrong side."

(COMMENT, BELOW)
If cold-eyed American expansionism is the theme, there are few better representatives than the 11th president.

He added more than 1 million square miles to US territory and extended the country all the way to the Pacific, making him the most successful president not celebrated as part of the American pantheon.

Trump's impulse to throw his weight around and assume control of sparsely populated, strategically desirable territory recalls Polk.

A thoroughgoing Jacksonian populist, he unexpectedly won the Democratic nomination for president in 1844 (much of what I relate here, by the way, is drawn from my book "The Case for Nationalism").

00:00 04:06 He ran on a platform urging what Democrats called the "re-annexation" of Texas and the "re-occupation" of Oregon.

Texas was a flash point: Anglos settled there when it was a province of Mexico, rebelled against the dictatorship of Santa Anna, and won independence.

Texans wanted to be part of the United States, but a Mexican threat to fight over annexation helped stay our hand.

When the United States eventually moved to annex Texas in 1845, Mexico was furious  and insisted that its border with Texas was at the Nueces River, two hundred miles north of the Rio Grande.

When Polk sent troops into the area between the two rivers, Mexican cavalry ambushed a party of US dragoons.

We ended up occupying Mexico City and forcing a deal.

Mexico conceded to the United States a border at the Rio Grande, running all the way to the Pacific  giving us California inclusive of San Diego  in exchange for the assumption of Mexico's debts and the price of $15 million.

There's no doubt that Polk had been spoiling for a fight, but the commonly held view of what's now called the Mexican-American War as nothing but US plunder is much too simplistic.

We were within our rights to deal with an independent Texas, which had achieved independence via a just revolution, and Mexico  in the grips of a foolish war fever  fired the first shots.

In his book on the war, "A Country of Vast Designs," Robert W. Merry describes the underlying dynamic.

Mexico, he notes, "was a dysfunctional, unstable, weak nation whose population was insufficient to control all the lands within its domain."

The United States, on the other hand, "was a vibrant, expanding, exuberant experiment in democracy whose burgeoning population thrilled to the notion that it was engaging in something big and historically momentous."

This created a drive "toward expansion into largely unpopulated lands that seemed to beckon with irresistible enticement."

Today, it is Trump personally, rather than the nation at large, tempted by historic acquisitions of territory.

He, too, could be a Thomas Jefferson, or a William Seward  or a Polk, although hopefully without the war.

But there's a difference between a young 19th-century country surging into loosely governed territory around its perimeter  or buying territory that European nations are eager to sell  and a mature 21st-century world power invested in stable borders and important alliance systems.

Mexico circa 1846 wasn't a treaty ally of the United States, and there were enormous benefits to actually acquiring the Southwest.

Today, the United States can presumably get the military bases and mineral extraction we want out of frozen Greenland without formal ownership.

If Trump is going to look to Polk, a more apt antecedent is Polk's handling of the dispute with Great Britain over the Oregon territory.

After making maximalist demands, Polk agreed to an equitable compromise at the 49th parallel.

Trump's withdrawal of his threatened tariffs and talk of a deal at Davos suggest this is just where he's headed.

Polk's example is worth marking in another respect: He really did play 3D chess.

There's no way he'd let ego or emotion get in the way of pursuing the national interest  which in this case includes not needlessly alienating long-time allies when other means are available to achieve our strategic ends.

(COMMENT, BELOW)
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"Comprehensive immigration reform" has failed several times in Congress. The issue is too fraught, too complex, and the parties are too far apart for a fundamentally divided House and Senate to pass far-reaching legislation.

Nevertheless, calling for "comprehensive immigration reform" remains a safe strategy whenever immigration becomes a hot topic. For example, when the public finally caught on to the fact that President Joe Biden had set off a huge rush of millions of illegal immigrants, Democrats ran for political cover. Rather than demand that Biden close the border, which they didn't want to do and would also anger their activist groups, Democrats instead called for "comprehensive immigration reform," which made them sound like they wanted to address the problem." It was a safe harbor in a political storm.

Now we are in another storm, this time over events in Minneapolis. And some politicians, including some Republicans, are again calling for immigration reform.

In an op-ed in the New York Times, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) proposes a "common-sense bipartisan solution" to the violence and disorder that have accompanied President Donald Trump's aggressive effort to enforce federal immigration law in Minneapolis.

"Congress and the president need to embrace a new comprehensive national immigration policy that acknowledges Americans' many legitimate concerns about how the government has conducted immigration policy," Lawler writes. He praises Trump's record of stopping illegal border crossings and deporting 675,000 illegal immigrants. "Any balanced immigration policy would preserve and expand on this progress  but humanely," Lawler writes, calling on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol to "reassess their current tactics."

And then it will be time for immigration reform. "A realistic plan would provide a path to legal status  not citizenship  for long-term illegal immigrants without criminal records," Lawler writes. "This path would be rigorous and fair  those who benefit would face mandatory work requirements, forgo public assistance, and pay fines and any back taxes they might owe."

Would that work? One thing we know is that this kind of talk has been going on for decades. Multiple failed attempts to pass comprehensive immigration reform have taught a few lessons. The first is that Congress will not secure the border. Just not gonna happen. On the other hand, a president can do it, or not do it. Trump is doing it, but the next president could undo that progress at the border, just as Joe Biden did from 2021 to 2025.

The second lesson is that Congress will not legislate Trump-level deportation numbers. And even if it did, it would take measures to ensure that its own law is never enforced. Back in 2006, amid another immigration debate, Congress passed the Secure Fence Act, mandating the construction of fencing on significant parts of the U.S.-Mexico border. The next year, it passed a bill saying that nothing in the Secure Fence Act required any actual fencing to be built.

A third lesson is that when considering a "path to legal status" for "long-term illegal immigrants without criminal records," Congress will create a set of definitions  "long-term," and "without criminal records" and "work requirements" can be very, very flexible phrases  that ends up including virtually everybody.

Take the notion of "without criminal records." So what is a criminal record? In the last, biggest comprehensive immigration reform failure, the Senate's Gang of Eight, lawmakers stipulated that an illegal immigrant could not receive legal status if he had a criminal record. Just what did that mean? Sorry for the long excerpt, but this is from a piece I wrote about the bill in June 2013:

The Gang bill says an immigrant cannot be legalized if he has been convicted of a felony, or if he has been convicted of three or more misdemeanors. But as far as those misdemeanors are concerned, there are some big exceptions.

The first is that the misdemeanor count excludes convictions for "minor traffic offenses or state or local offenses for which an essential element was the alien's immigration status or violations of this Act." So the government simply will not count immigration-related misdemeanors.

Then, the bill says the three misdemeanors that would disqualify an immigrant count as three misdemeanors only "if the alien was convicted on different dates for each of the three offenses." What that means is that if a person is accused of multiple misdemeanors, and convicted of them during a single court session  a fairly common occurrence  the multiple convictions would count as just one conviction for the purposes of the Gang of Eight bill, since they all happened on one day.

"Say that because of court backlogs, an alien is awaiting trial on a misdemeanor committed in June," says one Republican source. "In August, he is again arrested on a misdemeanor, and then a third time in September. Each time he posts bond. In the interest of judicial economy, all three trials are consolidated and held on the same day in December, and the alien is convicted of all three. Three different offenses, but all three convictions occurring on the same date. Under the language of the bill, such an alien is entitled to apply for legal status."

The same principle would hold for any number of convictions, if they happened on the same day. The bottom line is an immigrant could have more than three misdemeanor convictions in his background check and still qualify for legalization.

But that is not the biggest exception in the bill. A few lines later, the legislation gives the Secretary of Homeland Security authority to ignore an immigrant's record and grant legal status no matter how many misdemeanor convictions the immigrant might have. "The secretary may waive [the misdemeanor requirement] on behalf of an alien for humanitarian purposes, to ensure family unity, or if such a waiver is otherwise in the public interest," the bill says.

That's a lot of flexibility. And it is the kind of language that will emerge in any so-called "common-sense bipartisan solution" that comes out of the legislative process.

Democrats will be fully on board, of course. After abandoning old-style labor union opposition to mass immigration many years ago, the Democratic Party has embraced legal and illegal immigration. They can be counted on to push for "comprehensive immigration reform," both because they believe it will help them now politically and because they think it will ultimately mean more voters in the future.

Any new effort is likely to fail, just like the old ones did. What Trump has shown is that simple executive authority, enforcing the law, fixed the border problem. The president also believes it will make a deportation policy work, even after the problems in Minneapolis. The one thing that is not needed is a big new bill on Capitol Hill.
The music was elegant but the observation, I thought, was wrong. The claim reflected a confusion of aesthetic achievement with moral and political achievement  a category error that misses what actually makes Western civilization distinctive and worth defending.

No one would deny that orchestral music can be sublime. But to suggest it represents "everything worth preserving" in the Western tradition is to mistake a flower for the root. The orchestra is a magnificent cultural product, but it is hardly the embodiment of Western civilization's essential values. Other civilizations have produced equally sophisticated artistic traditions  Chinese calligraphy, Islamic architecture, Japanese tea ceremony, West African oral epics. What distinguishes the West isn't its aesthetic refinement but specific political and institutional innovations  liberal democracy, free markets, equal justice, self-government  that raised up humanity in ways never previously seen.

So what would better crystallize those values? If you wanted to choose a single image that captures what's truly essential about Western civilization, what would it be?

I'd nominate Norman Rockwell's 1943 painting "Freedom of Speech." It depicts a working man in a denim jacket standing to speak at a New England town meeting, surrounded by neighbors in suits and ties who listen respectfully. It's a perfect distillation of democratic self-government: citizens deliberating together, everyone's voice mattering regardless of station, decisions made through reasoned argument rather than force or inherited authority.

This is what makes Western civilization genuinely distinctive  not the cultivation of excellence through practice, but the radical idea that political legitimacy flows from the consent of the governed. The town meeting embodies principles you won't find crystallized in any orchestra: equality before the law, individual dignity, tolerance of dissent.

Of course, it wouldn't be hard to come up with other strong candidates:

Consider a photograph of voters queuing patiently outside a polling place in any free society: One that comes to mind is the iconic 1994 image of South Africans in Soweto waiting in long, snaking lines for a chance to cast a ballot in their nation's first free election after the fall of apartheid. It shows the peaceful transfer of power, the revolutionary Western idea that citizens have the right to replace their rulers  not through violent revolution but in a peaceful vote. Democratic elections embody the principle that political authority derives from popular consent, not from hereditary succession or military might.

Or picture a scene in a courtroom, an embodiment of the great Western teaching that everyone  powerful or weak, wealthy or impoverished  is entitled to justice and the due process of law. If you want something that reflects "everything worth preserving" about Western values, then watch Atticus Finch's closing argument to the jury in "To Kill a Mockingbird," the role for which Gregory Peck won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1963: "In our courts, all men are created equal," the lawyer says. "I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and of our jury system. That's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality!" The great innovations that make that possible  trial by jury, the presumption of innocence, the right to confront one's accusers  these matter more to human freedom than even the greatest symphonies.

And what about the messy but extraordinary blessing of market capitalism, the Western embrace of innovation, trade, and property rights that led to an explosion of human prosperity unknown for most of history? I have always loved Voltaire's description of the London Stock Exchange in the 1730s: It was a place, he marveled, "where the representatives of all nations meet for the benefit of mankind. There the Jew, the Mohammedan, and the Christian transact together, as though they all professed the same religion, and give the name of infidel to none but bankrupts." The market civilizes strangers into partners, making mutual benefit possible despite differences that historically meant conflict or prejudice.

Each of these images captures something that no orchestral performance can: institutions and principles that constrain power, protect freedom, and make human flourishing possible.

But we don't actually have to speculate about what best represents Western civilization's values. We can look at what people fighting for freedom choose as their emblems when their backs are against the wall.

In 1989, as Czechoslovakia's communist regime neared collapse, workers across the nation walked off their jobs in a general strike demanding democracy. At a brewery, The New York Times reported, a worker named Zdenek Janicek climbed onto a platform in his grimy overalls and addressed nearly 1,500 of his fellow workers:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident," he said, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Then Janicek added: "Americans understood these rights more than 200 years ago. We are only now learning to believe that we are entitled to the same rights."

Thirty years later, during the massive Hong Kong protests against China's moves to choke off all remaining democracy and human rights in the city, thousands of marchers waved American flags and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner."

These protesters weren't cloaking themselves in American nationalism  they were reaching for the principles that America long symbolized: self-government, rule of law, individual rights, democratic freedom, equal justice. These are values that emerged from Western civilization's long struggle against arbitrary power, from Magna Carta through one-person-one-vote. America has always been an imperfect embodiment of these ideals  more imperfect these days than many would have thought possible. Yet when liberty is on the line, people around the world know what matters most: not aesthetic beauty but political institutions that can secure dignity, human rights, and liberty of conscience.

The orchestra playing Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" suite was performing beautiful music, and there's nothing wrong with celebrating that beauty. Cultural achievement matters. But it isn't what sustains freedom or checks tyranny. Aesthetic excellence can flourish under any political system. After all, the Soviet Union had the Bolshoi Ballet and the gulag archipelago; East Germany had the Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestra and the Stasi. What orchestras need is patronage, training, and discipline, not liberty.

Liberal institutions, by contrast, require something much harder to sustain: a commitment to constraining power, protecting dissent, and treating citizens as equals before the law. Rule of law, property rights, free inquiry, self-government  these are fragile achievements that need constant defense. They are what make Western civilization worth preserving, because without them, human freedom withers  no matter how beautifully the orchestra plays.

Jeff Jacoby is a columnist for The Boston Globe, from which this is reprinted with permission.

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Iraq's Future Held Hostage By the US and Iran

Choosing Iraq's new president is closely linked to that of the prime minister, and veteran politician Nuri al-Maliki might make a comeback to the helm of the country.

This comes amid the threats by the most important pro-Iranian Shia militant group, Kata'ib Hezbollah, which speaks of "total war" after the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East, a sign of another possible attack against Iran.

Faced with this situation of great tensions and uncertainty, the Chaldean Church and its patriarch, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, are calling for prayer and fasting to avert the danger of fresh violence, a portent of more conflict and devastation for the population.

This fear is real, especially given what is happening in other countries, like Syria, where the authorities have engaged in fierce fighting with Kurdish forces, something that could also have repercussions in Iraq.

There is also the controversial decision by the United States to move about 150 Islamic State (IS) prisoners from Hasakah, Syria, to a secure facility in Iraq, as part of an operation that could involve up to 7,000 "caliphate" fighters.

This move risks reopening old wounds in a country that has yet to overcome the tragedies and devastation of jihadi rule in the north, Mosul and the Nineveh Plain, between 2014 and 2017, where tensions with Islamic fundamentalists have never fully subsided.

Kata'ib Hezbollah's "total war"

The first level of attention and concern regards the regional scenario, especially the implications of the protests in Iran and the risk of US (and Israeli) intervention against the Islamic Republic's leaders, with inevitable repercussions for Baghdad.

Iraq has been at the centre of a power struggle between Washington and Tehran for years. Through military force and political influence, especially via proxy militias, they influence the life of the Arab country. To this must be added the return of Nouri al-Maliki, seen as close to but not completely aligned with the US.

The Iraqi militant group Kata'ib Hezbollah has intervened in this game of alliances and spheres of influence, saying it is preparing for "total war" to coincide with the arrival of the US aircraft carrier, which has put the US within "striking range" of Iran.

The new statement from Kata'ib Hezbollah is signed by al-Hamidawi, re-elected as the group's leader in 2022.

Known by the nom de guerre Ahmad Mohsen Faraj al-Hamidawi, the head of the pro-Iranian militia warned that any conflict with Iran "will not be easy". Threatening his adversaries, he said that in the event of a clash, they would "face severe consequences".

Addressing his militants, he urged them to be always "field-ready". "We address our call to our mujahideen brothers ... to prepare for a total war in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he added.

These fighting words come from one of the groups closest to Iran and the Pasdaran, similar in every way to its Lebanese equivalent, Hezbollah, who, like them, have access to a large stockpile of weapons.

Yesterday's statement is just the latest example of how Tehran-backed militias in Iraq continue to threaten Israel, the United States, and the region.

In recent days, such groups have deployed their forces along the Syrian border, claiming to be helping the central government in Baghdad protect the country from potential intruders.

The United States targeted Kata'ib Hezbollah previous leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike in 2020, when he was travelling in the same vehicle as Iranian Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani, killing both.

For their part, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that they were on high alert and ready for any scenario, as tensions escalated.

New president and al-Maliki's return

Meanwhile, two crucial events now dominate Iraq's political life. One is the election of the new president to replace Abdul Latif Rashid, who was involved in a bitter feud with the Chaldean primate after he decided to revoke a presidential decree recognising the latter as a head of the Church. The other event is the nomination of a new prime minister.

According to the constitution, the president should be chosen by 29 January, but just this morning, the Council of Representatives of Iraq (the country's de facto unicameral legislature) postponed the election.

The decision, explained parliamentary Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi, follows a request of delay by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the two main Kurdish parties.

The vote was postponed until further notice, although the next meeting will likely be scheduled for 1 February, to allow the two parties to agree on a name (under the constitution, the president is an ethnic Kurd).

Vice President Farhad Atroushi confirmed the suspension at this morning's parliamentary session, citing the failure to meet the legal quorum required for the vote.

The delay is expected to last only a few days, as requested by the KDP and PUK before today's meeting, to give them more time and flexibility amid precarious interests and alliances.

However, the decision to postpone the vote has raised concerns among those who fear a ripple effect since it would also delay the nomination of the next prime minister and cabinet, and this could negatively impact the country's political stability.

With Rashid's controversial term in office now over, the two candidates vying for succession are likely to by the KDP's Fuad Hussein and the PUK's Nizar Amedi.

The election of the president will be followed by the nomination of the person charged with forming the new government, one of the head of state's first formal tasks.

According to various analysts, veteran politician and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is in pole position for getting the task, as recommended by the Shia-led Coordination Framework alliance (the majority bloc in the Assembly), a choice that is sure to spark tensions and divisions.

In fact, at stake is not only the formation of the next government but, also Iraq's position amid growing rivalry between the United States and Iran, fragile Sunni-Shia relations, and a Kurdish leadership that favours predictability over experimentation.

In a statement, the Coordination Framework stated that al-Maliki -- who was prime minister from late 2005 to 2014 -- was picked "based on his political and administrative experience and his role in managing the state."

He had resigned following the rise of the Islamic State, though he remained an influential political player in the Arab country's sectarian ethno-religious politics.

Various experts note that, while Washington and Tehran are pushing in opposite directions, and Iraqi factions are alternating between principle and pragmatism, the question is not whether al-Maliki can return, but whether Iraq can take in that return without reopening old wounds.

Chaldean Church fasting for peace

Against this backdrop of tensions and uncertainty over the future, the Chaldean Church issued a call to the faithful, urging them to fast and pray for three days on 26-28 January "for peace in the region".

Recently, the Chaldean primate himself, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, published an appeal on the patriarchate's website, underlining his "great concern" over the "alarming news" coming from various parts of the Middle East.

In a note sent to AsiaNews, the cardinal says that we are witnessing an "escalation of conflicts, militarisation, polarisation, and declining stability" in the region.

For this reason, he calls on the country's leaders and people, both Christians and Muslims, to adopt "concrete measures" to promote "peace and harmony" and spare the countries of the region "further calamities".

The prelate also urges the United Nations to "take responsibility and deal with the conflicts and achieve peace through dialogue, so as to preserve the sovereignty of countries and the rights of their citizens."

Furthermore, local governments must "carefully analyse the situation and assume direct responsibility for protecting their nation and guaranteeing freedom, dignity, and a decent standard of living for all citizens."

Finally, regarding Iraq specifically, "the time has come to implement reforms, moving from slogans to action, entrusting the state with a monopoly on weapons and decisively combating corruption. The criteria for building a state," he warns, "are the principles of citizenship, competence, and adherence to ethical policies."

As for religion, Cardinal Sako notes that it "is a personal matter, while public affairs should be based on competence and ability."

Any new government, in his view, must ensure equality among people, while respecting and embracing "religious and ethnic diversity," which is a resource.

Finally, the patriarch calls on the authorities "to sincerely commit to change the discourse in the media, mosques, and churches, and improve educational programmes in schools."
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Internal medicine physician Earl Stewart, Jr. discusses his article Pancreatic cancer racial disparities. Earl examines the devastating pattern of pancreatic cancer claiming Black cultural icons like John Lewis and Aretha Franklin while the medical establishment fails to implement race-specific screening guidelines. He highlights research showing that high-risk individuals undergoing surveillance have a 50 percent five-year survival rate compared to just 9 percent for those diagnosed through usual care. The discussion challenges the current medical inertia that demands perfect data before acting and proposes a three-tier risk-stratified approach to save lives in Black communities. Listen to understand why we must stop waiting for permission to prioritize health equity.

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Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome back Earl Stewart, Jr. He is an internal medicine physician. Todays KevinMD article is Pancreatic cancer racial disparities. Earl, welcome back to the show.

Earl Stewart, Jr.: Oh, Kevin, thanks for having me. Good to be with you.

Kevin Pho: All right, so tell us what this latest article is about and the events that led you to write it in the first place.

Earl Stewart, Jr.: This is an article that is more of a passion project than many of the articles I have penned before in the past, even for the KevinMD blog over the years. I am a practicing physician and I serve as medical director of health equity for my health system, which is the largest non-for-profit health system in the state of Georgia.

I have been keeping a running list of celebrities and individuals of fame in the African American community who have succumbed to pancreatic cancer. That is something I started about five to six years ago at the beginning of really transitioning jobs. I started to notice a trend of these really well-known, powerful public servants, musicians, and just people of remarkable stature in the African American community, and many of them were succumbing to pancreatic cancer.

I have also had some personal connections to this topic. As I mentioned in the article, I lost one of my moms baby brothers to pancreatic cancer on Christmas Eve in 2013. We also had cholangiocarcinoma in the family. I have had some educators in my life, school teachers from my high school, who also passed away from pancreatic cancer. I started to notice this trend of just these very well-known individuals and some not as well-known who are succumbing to this very treacherous cancer.

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All cancers are treacherous. As we know, pancreatic cancer has a really high mortality risk, and the five-year survival rate based on data from the American Cancer Society is just over 13 percent. This article was sort of written to be a clarion call to the medical community, the clinical community, to really catch up with the data. We really need guidelines that are centered on that race-specific data regarding how we are seeing more African Americans succumb to the disease.

Kevin Pho: For some context, what are some of the numbers when it comes to the racial disparities of pancreatic cancer?

Earl Stewart, Jr.: African Americans are 50 to 90 percent more likely to die from pancreatic cancer in comparison to their white counterparts. We see every year, based on data from NIH and from the gastroenterology journals, that over 62,000 individuals were diagnosed in 2023. In 2025, the data is closer to 60,000 to 65,000 individuals being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer across different racial groups.

About 50,000, or 40,000 to 50,000, pass away every year from this cancer. You can see how the data compares for those being diagnosed versus those who actually succumb to the disease.

In terms of lifetime risk based on data also from the American Cancer Society, about one in 60 women will be diagnosed. In terms of gender-related data, about one in 56 men will be diagnosed. Men are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than women will be. It is certainly more common in men. There has been specific data about how to protect African American men and detect it early in African American men. As we know, almost all the time, as soon as we diagnose pancreatic cancer, it has already metastasized.

The purpose of the article, given my work in health equity, was really to call our attention to something that we need to do for the future of medicine to better take care of our patients who are at higher risk of this particular cancer.

Kevin Pho: I just want to echo what you said. By the time a patient presents with the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, it is already at a relatively late stage, unfortunately.

Earl Stewart, Jr.: Yes.

Kevin Pho: Now, you mentioned that disparity of the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, especially in Black patients. What are some of the reasons you could speculate why that is?

Earl Stewart, Jr.: We do not really know, but there is really all conjecture and speculation. Maybe there is some genetic risk there. We do know if individuals have BRCA mutations, particularly BRCA2, if they have a family history of Lynch syndrome, which we know by its scientific name is hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.

We do know also maybe smoking trends, tobacco use such as smoking cigars or cigarettes, is an independent risk factor for the development of pancreatic cancer. Also new-onset type 2 diabetes after the age of 50, as well as a history of chronic pancreatitis, which for the most part is tied to alcoholism or heavy alcohol use.

Some of the data suggest that African Americans may have a higher preponderance of those risk factors and they would be more likely to develop pancreatic cancer as a result of that. But also we know BMI is a big component as well and can be considered itself an independent risk factor for the development of pancreatic cancer.

Kevin Pho: As you know, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force gives pancreatic cancer screening a D rating, meaning that it does not recommend screening for pancreatic cancer. So what is your reaction to the guideline and what would you like to see done?

Earl Stewart, Jr.: As medicine becomes increasingly individualized, we take a more individualistic approach. There are some recommendations out there for individuals who have more genetic risk factors like BRCA and Lynch syndrome. We do know that those exist and there are some surveillance programs. We even have one here in Atlanta with the Piedmont Health System that I have started referring patients to in order to screen individuals who are higher risk and who need additional surveillance.

But I think the guidelines really miss where we are in terms of the data. We have the data. We know the data. Why arent the guidelines following it? I am not knocking our very reputable guideline-making bodies, but this is where the discrepancy exists between what we see clinically, what we see experientially, what we see even in our own families and our own communities. As a Black man, my family has been touched by pancreatic cancer disproportionately as well.

When are we going to catch up to what we are seeing in the community? It is not lung cancer, it is not breast cancer, it is not colon cancer. Those are certainly more prevalent and certainly more incident. But we do know it is the third most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States, and it still impacts people significantly.

As I mentioned in the article that you accepted in October, I think we really fall behind. There are so many different people who would benefit from early detection, additional surveillance, and research endeavors to help us get to the point where we can develop more specific guidelines that include the race-specific data. That is where we are. I think the current USPSTF guidelines sort of fall short.

Kevin Pho: So tell us about what you do in your own practice in terms of the patients that you select for screening, as well as the different tests that you would order for those who would have a higher than normal risk of pancreatic cancer.

Earl Stewart, Jr.: That is absolutely correct. We are very fortunate in our health system, the Wellstar Health System, and other large comprehensive health systems to have specialists, even academic medical centers. They have specialists who can do EUS, endoscopic ultrasound, which is one of the reputable safe ways of carrying out screening and early detection for this particular type of cancer. We can order abdominal MRIs.

I remember as a resident at Brown, we had some discussions on rounds once about a patient whose wife was just remarkably persistent. He had some symptoms. I believe he had painless jaundice, which is a common symptom of pancreatic cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma in the head of the pancreas. We got a CAT scan, and it didnt show anything. We got some additional imaging with IV contrast, and it really didnt show anything. But his wife was persistent about getting an abdominal MRI, and we got the abdominal MRI. Sure enough, it showed a very, very small head-of-pancreas mass, which turned out after biopsy to be pancreatic cancer.

He was diagnosed fortunately at stage I, which is where we want to diagnose people with this cancer. Since that time, those are two of the modalities that I find to be extremely important and useful for patients for whom this is apropos. Individuals with painless jaundice, individuals with acholic stools, individuals with abdominal pain, and individuals with these risk factors that we have already previously discussed are candidates.

Primary care internal medicine is a puzzle. When we put all these pieces together and many of these boxes are checked, it is important for us to act. It is important for us to not just say there is no national guideline for this from the American College of Gastroenterology and no national guideline for this from USPSTF. We treat the patients; we do not treat the guidelines.

The guidelines are helpful in situations where we need clinical decision-making help and expertise, but they are not the be-all and end-all, especially in situations like this where we do not have national guidelines to screen the majority of the population. As I say in the article, I am not calling for all Black people to get CT scans at a certain age. But we need to single out the fact that Black people, Black Americans, and African Americans are more likely just based on that race-specific data to be encumbered by this cancer than other racial groups and ethnicities. From that specific population, lets talk about how we can single out those at highest risk with these risk factors. That is what we are calling for and that is what I look for in my practice.

Kevin Pho: From the perspective of the guideline makers, why has it taken them so long to make any changes when it comes to individualizing pancreatic cancer screening? I was just looking at the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. It hasnt been revisited since 2019. So what do you think some of their arguments are and how would you rebut those arguments?

Earl Stewart, Jr.: I think definitely around the argument of being race-specific. We have seen some of that happen and be operationalized as it pertains to prostate cancer. We have seen some of that being operationalized as it pertains to even colon cancer. Before USPSTF updated the guidelines to screen all adults a few years ago at 45 instead of 50, the ACG, the American College of Gastroenterology, really led the way in terms of starting African Americans at 45 who were average risk in comparison to other ethnic groups and their white counterparts.

I do think USPSTF has a long painstaking process, but I think what is going to really get them to that point is seeing other guideline-making bodies like major specialty societies in gastroenterology and oncology leading the way in terms of giving us a national guideline for this specific ethnicity or race of individuals. Then perhaps they will be able to follow along because the data are there.

I think we cannot ignore the fact that we are seeing time and time again that disparities exist. There was a large review article published in 2023 in *Gastroenterology* that I consulted for the purposes of writing the article. It pretty much called out these disparities that exist in pancreatic cancer screening, diagnosis, and early detection.

I just think USPSTF needs to follow suit. They need to look at updated data. They need to consult experts. They need to follow what we are seeing in clinical medicine. I know it is not always easy. It takes resources. This current geopolitical climate is really impacting our ability to be more individualized in terms of race-specific issues and ethnicity-specific issues. But we still have to go and grow in terms of practicing medicine and take care of our patients as best as we can.

Kevin Pho: How about patients who may be listening to you now? What kind of things in their history, what kind of symptoms should they have in order to perhaps ask their clinician whether they would be a candidate for pancreatic cancer screening?

Earl Stewart, Jr.: That is a great question. I do think most of these conversations take place in the confines of an annual physical or preventive visit. I would call on patients to know their family history. I would call on them to be reminded of the risk factors that we have already discussed earlier in todays interchange. Do not be shy to approach these discussions with your primary care physician. Do not be shy in terms of discussing risk factors in family history even among yourselves and your own families and in your own communities.

Ask these questions: What is my risk of pancreatic cancer? Is there a way because I have a strong family history of pancreatic cancer that I can be tested for Lynch syndrome and genetic mutations associated with it? Or can I be tested with the BRCA? We order BRCA testing all the time in my office. A lot of times patients will come in and request it, especially if there is some family history of breast cancer in a first-degree relative. We always ask the question if we know if this is a hereditary type of breast cancer your mom had, or was this just acquired or due to environmental exposures?

That is where the conversation starts. I call for patient empowerment in these discussions as well because as physicians, we are going to always strive to do our best by our patients, but we need the input of patients in that patient-physician relationship. It is a 50/50 relationship, not 100/0. That is the way I have always looked at it. I love when patients are educated and empowered so it doesnt hurt for them to come in with their list and ask these appropriate questions at the types of visits where it is necessary. These are the conversations that we are having at annual physicals. I know there has been a lot of vitriol written about whether or not the annual physical is still necessary, but we get a lot of good information from those visits. As a practicing physician, I still appreciate them.

Kevin Pho: We are on to Earl Stewart, internal medicine physician. Todays KevinMD article is Pancreatic cancer racial disparities. Earl, lets end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience.

Earl Stewart, Jr.: Yes. Thank you, Kevin. Pancreatic cancer disproportionately impacts Black Americans. We need guideline-making bodies from the American College of Gastroenterology to the AGA, CDC, NIH, and the American College of Physicians, my own professional home, to lean strongly into the data that exists and really take a race-based approach to help stem this tide that we have been seeing for several years personally, clinically, professionally, and really throughout the African American populace here in the United States.

I call on patients to ask the question, to know their family history, to have these discussions, and to be empowered enough when they present to their physicians to have these discussions. I ask them to listen to todays podcast and to know that there are those of us out there who are seeing these trends and we are paying attention to it. We are writing about it and we are speaking about it publicly.

We need to understand that these inequities still exist. Unfortunately, with what we see geopolitically, we have to take alternative approaches to getting the word out where so much has happened from a policy standpoint and in terms of stifling these conversations around race-specific health issues.

I do think it is important for us to tell the patient that we understand what they are going through. While there is no national guideline to screen for pancreatic cancer yet, we are calling on important bodies that make these decisions that help physicians help you to act. We have to do what we have to do and advocate. This is all about advocacy. The whole article is really about advocacy for the marginalized and the people who would benefit from these actions the most.

Kevin Pho: Earl, thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight. Thanks again for coming back on the show.

Earl Stewart, Jr.: Good to be with you, Kevin. Thank you. Happy New Year.

Kevin Pho: Happy New Year.
(Photo by Seoul Museum of History/courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)



A rare diplomatic artifact unseen for more than three decades is now on public display in Seoul.

The Seoul Museum of History has opened a special lobby exhibition titled America in Seoul, the Korean Empire in Washington  Stories of Two Legations, marking the 20th anniversary of the sister city partnership between Seoul and Washington, D.C..

Running from January 27 to March 29, the exhibition traces the shared diplomatic history of Korea and the United States through the legations established in the late 19th century.

Its centerpiece is the 1895 layout map of the U.S. Legation in Korea, unveiled to the public for the first time. The document shows how American diplomats operated from traditional Korean hanok buildings in Jeong-dong without altering their structure, offering rare evidence of early cultural respect in diplomatic practice.

The exhibition also explores the former Korean Empire legation in Washington, D.C., using photographs and archival materials to illustrate Koreas early diplomatic efforts abroad and the later restoration of the site.

Admission is free, with extended evening hours on Fridays.
Turkey's Christians Face the Future With Reasons for Hope, Caution

At the crossroads of East and West, Turkey, also known as Turkiye, is a secular state and a country many would consider at least semi-Western. And yet few places on earth have seen as drastic a decline in their Christian population.

In just one century, Christians went from 20% of Turkey's population to two-tenths of 1%. These are numbers you might expect from Iraq or North Korea or some other land of human rights travesty.

But would you expect such numbers from Turkey? It wants to join the European Union. Its main city is so hip and cosmopolitan. Many of the people seem far more suited to nightclubs than mosques. So where does the hostility come from? Because it must take a great deal of hostility for a country to reduce its Christian population by a factor of 100 times.

There remain some highly resilient Orthodox Christians -- typically Armenian, Assyrian, or Greek -- who have refused to leave despite ongoing monitoring, along with incidents of land theft and assault.

Turkey also has a sizable number of Christian refugees from such fractured homelands as Afghanistan, Iran, and Syria. Though hardly a nirvana of religious freedom, Turkey is better than the currently unlivable conditions from which the refugees have just escaped.

Anti-Christian violence here is not as common as in much of the Middle East. But recent years have seen both lethal and non-lethal attacks on churches in Turkey, as well as violent attacks on elderly worshipers and a group attack on an Assyrian Christian family.

There are also ethnic Turks who have turned to Jesus, though statistics are hard to find, as many conceal their faith for safety.

Though current statistics tend to say Turkey is more than 99% Muslim, many of these nominal Muslims have either given up on religion, or -- in a phenomenon seen in more recent years -- found Jesus.

"Many people are curious about the church," said "Yusuf," who comes from a Turkish secular Muslim family and was an atheist before converting to Christianity.

Yusuf said that many young Turks, like himself, have turned to Christianity after a period of secular indifference toward any religion.

Christianity is "growing slowly but steady," and "most of the converts are young people," said "Mustafa," who is a rare Turkish convert to Catholicism.

A huge portion of the country, though, remains less than accepting of such a transition. "Many people find it strange for a Turk to be Christian," Yusuf said. "Some comment that Turks are only Muslim."

Many Turks, even if not religious, have negative views of other faiths "due to political Islam," Mustafa said.

Christian history in Turkey predates the existence of Islam, and yet Christianity is often regarded as an agent of foreign subversion. Some sources contend that a rising current of Turkish nationalism has intensified this sentiment.

Though much of the population is not especially religious, there is a prevailing sense that anyone who changes their religion has betrayed both family and nation.

"Dangers still exist," Yusuf said, noting he has received death threats for online evangelism.

Mustafa said online harassment of Turkish Christians is "pretty common," and identifying as one attracts "internet toxicity."

Yusuf said, "It depends on the job" whether Christians in Turkey face employment discrimination or workplace difficulties. "I'm a blue-collar worker, and I hide the fact that I'm Christian from my work environment," he added.

Mustafa said he knows of some such cases of discrimination, but it is by no means guaranteed to take place.

One important variable is the particular region: Both Mustafa and Yusuf said that Central Anatolia is the part of Turkey most hostile toward Christianity. This region includes Ankara, which is the nation's capital, despite being far smaller and less famous than the megacity and cultural hub of Istanbul (which, until its invasion in 1453 A.D., had long been the center of Eastern Christendom).

Turkey's federal government is based in Ankara and has shown a tendency toward anti-Christian sentiment.

Recent years have seen a rise in incidents of Turkish authorities targeting foreign Christians. Even though their religious activities are supposed to be legal in a technically secular country, these foreign Christians -- who come from multiple continents -- are labeled as security threats. This includes Christians who have lived lawfully in Turkey for years or decades; some of them have married a Turkish national and are raising a family together.

Mustafa said he hasn't noticed worsening conditions for Christians in Turkey. But he knows his adopted faith has many adversaries in his homeland.

Speaking of his religious conversion, Mustafa said, "I hide it from my parents. But my siblings and close friends know."

*Names have been changed for security reasons
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The Faculty of Architecture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has been on a strike from in-person activities for three months. Authorities stated that 70% of activities are taking place at the faculty, while the student assembly denounced actions that have hindered the resolution of the current conflict.

In an interview with La Silla Rota, Cecilia Gonzalez, a faculty professor, said that professors have resumed activities at a 70% level and that the Center for Industrial Design Research (CIDI), an annex of the faculty, is currently operating.

Seventy percent of professors are already engaging with students and having this dialogue. The facilities that remain closed are the main building and the workshops, she emphasized.

Carolina and Victor, students in the Industrial Design undergraduate program, stressed that the CIDI recently distanced itself from the strike.

We continue to support the Architecture cause because the problems have still not been resolved. Its just that not having access to the facilities is already affecting us a great deal, the student said.

Why did Architecture go on strike?

Context: On September 22, 2025, the Architecture community brought attention to the case of Jorge, a student at the faculty who took his own life by jumping onto the Metro tracks at the Copilco station. Following the incident, students reported an excessive academic workload, mistreatment by professors, and the inability to maintain a balance between personal life and school.

This led to an indefinite strike that took shape in October 2025, and the assembly emphasized that the guiding axis of their list of demands is mental health, approached from different angles.

On this issue, Carolina, who spent a year in Architecture before transferring to Industrial Design, said that the constant tension experienced in that faculty is real.

What doesnt happen here is what happens in Architecture, where professors try to humiliate students or a very toxic environment is created. I did experience it and I did suffer it, but while I was in Architecture. Not so much here, she said.

Victor agreed with the student and added that their degree program involves long hours of study that are exhausting for each of them.

We share that it harms our mental health because we usually dont have free spaces for leisure or time off due to the excessive schedule, and on top of that there are usually assignments. Even though conditions here feel very heavy, we know we are in better conditions than over there, he said.

Obstacles to returning to classrooms

Cecilia noted that one of the conflicts that damaged communication occurred during the dialogue table on teaching, which was attended by professors with labor issues.

Elizabeth Santiago / La Silla Rota

She added that the student assembly requested that dialogue be conducted through a tripartite assembly (students, professors, and workers), but that this was beyond the facultys scope.

The student assembly stated that there has been no resolution due to the unwillingness of administrators to address the demands at their core. In addition, in a statement, they reported the leaking of personal data and smear campaigns on social media against students and professors close to the assembly.

Along with this, they said that the student community was willing to hand over the facilities to lift the strike, but the process led to a disagreement that resulted in an academic strike, which they say is not recognized by UNAM.

Meanwhile, the current semester is at risk, and the 2026-2 term will begin on February 3, putting more than 4,000 students at risk, according to Cecilia Gonzalez.

Mental health dialogue table

Cecilia emphasized that on January 20 a dialogue table on mental health was held, at which a new protocol for student care was proposed. According to the agreement shared by the professor, the protocol includes the following:

Prevention, psychoeducation, and promotion of well-being.

Screening and early detection.

Stepped care according to the needs of the student, academic, or administrative community. The person requesting care will be assigned to the appropriate services based on their level of symptoms and risk.

This will include four approaches: a Gender Perspective, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Systemic Therapy (ST), and Life Skills (LS).

Regarding this dialogue table, the student assembly rejected the meeting and described it as an exercise in simulation.

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Air Macau will resume direct flights between Macau and Taiyuan starting tomorrow, with three weekly round trips on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The airline said the resumption coincides with the Spring Festival travel rush and winter holiday season, providing convenient travel for residents visiting family or traveling for leisure. The carrier said that the flights will expand travel options and strengthen economic ties between Macau and Shanxi. The airline also expects the service to promote exchanges in cultural tourism, business events, and youth educational programs.

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The Executive Council announced yesterday that the SAR Government plans to continue providing tuition subsidies to eligible residents enrolled in non-higher education institutions across Guangdong Province.

However, under new draft rules, students attending the Hengqin School Affiliated to Hou Kong Middle School in the Hengqin GuangdongMacao In-Depth Cooperation Zone will not be eligible for additional tuition and learning supplies subsidies.

Council spokesperson Wong Sio Chak said the measures are part of ongoing education cooperation between Guangdong and Macau.

Meanwhile, acting director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), Iun Pui Iun, noted that more than 26,000 students are expected to benefit from the 20252026 education subsidies.

According to Iun, students at the Hengqin School Affiliated to Hou Kong Middle School will instead be eligible for local education system benefits, including textbook subsidies, free education assistance, or tuition support.

Subsidy amounts will remain unchanged from last year. Preschool tuition subsidies are capped at MOP8,000 per student, while subsidies for primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary students are capped at MOP6,000.

Subsidies for learning supplies also remain unchanged, at MOP1,150 for preschool, MOP1,450 for primary, and MOP1,700 for junior and senior secondary students.

Wong added that the application period has been extended to 26 days to allow applicants sufficient time to submit their materials. Applications will be accepted by the DSEDJ from April 20 to May 15, 2026.

For eligible applicants, subsidies will be disbursed in a lump sum starting in October, through bank transfers to a SAR bank account held by a parent, guardian, or adult student.

Under the rules, tuition subsidies cannot be combined with free education under Administrative Regulation No. 19/2006, tuition assistance under No. 20/2006, or recurrent education under No. 21/2018. Learning supplies subsidies also exclude textbook assistance provided under Administrative Regulation No. 29/2009.

The measures will take effect the day after promulgation.

School materials subsidy applications open in April

The Executive Council also announced that applications for the higher education school materials subsidy for the 20252026 academic year will open in April, with eligible students able to receive a one-off allowance of MOP 3,300.

Online registration will open on April 1 and close on May 29.

Eligible students must hold a Macao SAR Resident Identity Card and be enrolled in higher education courses in Macau or abroad that lead to an academic degree or have a duration of at least two academic years. Courses must be offered by accredited public or private institutions, the Council added.

Requirements remain consistent with last year. Beneficiaries are required to submit documents including the course name, minimum standard duration, and year of first enrollment.

Funds will be deposited within 60 days after the last day of the registration period into a Macao pataca (MOP) bank account opened by the beneficiary at a bank in Macau.

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The local government has reported progress in promoting mental health services, with over 156,000 residents participating in more than 2,700 community activities between 2022 and the third quarter of 2025.

The data was released in response to a written interpellation submitted by lawmaker Vong Hou Piu.

According to Health Bureau (SSM) director Lo Iek Long, the government has focused on three main strategies: early intervention in diseases, decentralization of resources, and changing mindsets to encourage voluntary help-seeking.

In 2025, more than 127,000 people took part in monthly health promotion events, including community health consultation posts and flash health stations, designed to raise awareness of both physical and mental health.

In Vongs interpellation, he queried how the government ensures that mental health services in community neighborhoods are not merely one-way promotional activities, but effectively identify and follow up on high-risk or needy cases, forming a closed loop from outreach to intervention.

In his reply, Lo said that mental health services have been integrated into all nine community health centers, offering outpatient mental health consultations and psychotherapy.

Additionally, non-profit organizations have partnered with the government to provide a 24-hour psychological consultation platform and a support hotline for residents in need.

In Vongs query, he noted that in the Asian sociocultural context, stigma regarding mental health problems remains a challenge, and social prejudices often act as invisible barriers preventing individuals from seeking professional help.

A study by a local university found that self-stigma, such as believing that seeking psychological help is a sign of weakness, is the main factor deterring professional support. For many Asian communities, maintaining face is crucial, which closely affects the willingness to seek help.

The recently released 2025 Macau Secondary School Student Mental Health Survey shows that when students feel stressed, their main sources of support are friends (29%) and family (17%), while fewer than 0.5% seek professional support.

Meanwhile, Lo said the government has established the Community Mental Health Partner Plan, collaborating with more than 100 institutions and reaching over 102,000 workers, offering training, psychological support, and referral services.

Additionally, the Training Base for Physical and Mental Health Support trained over 470 professionals by the end of 2025.

Since the start of the year, reports from the Judiciary Police (PJ) show that the city has seen five cases of unattended bodies discovered.

Macau recorded 91 suicide cases in 2024, marking a new local high and an increase from 88 cases in 2023. Data for 2025 has not yet been released.

The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) encourages residents to be conscious of their psychological and emotional state as well as those of their relatives and friends. If in need, residents can call Caritas Life Hope hotline (28525222) or IAS counseling hotline (28261126).

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Philippine officials yesterday grounded the entire fleet of passenger ships belonging to a company that owned a ferry that sank in the south and left at least 18 people dead, with more than 300 others rescued.

Ten people, mostly crew members and the captain of the M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, which sank early Monday off an island in Basilan province, are still missing. A search led by the coast guard and the navy continued in waters where an oil sheen was spotted, coast guard Admiral Ronnie Gavan said.

Coast guard divers and a remotely operated unmanned vehicle will be deployed to locate and check the wreckage, which is estimated to be 76 meters below the sea surface, as part of the search, he said.

The steel-hulled cargo and passenger ferry, which had three decks, sank off the island village of Baluk-baluk in Basilan province while en route to Jolo island from the southern port city of Zamboanga with 317 passengers and 27 crew members on board.

The coast guard initially reported that it was carrying 332 passengers but later said 15 of them decided not to board at the last minute, Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez said.

At least 316 people were rescued and 18 bodies, including that of an infant, have been recovered, he said.

Lopez said the indefinite grounding of all passenger ships of the ferry owner, Aleson Shipping Lines, Inc., would allow an inspection to determine their seaworthiness. Other companies would be allowed to deploy their ferries and the coast guard may provide free rides to prevent a major transport disruption in a region where ferries are the main mode of travel.

Well make sure that this will never happen again, Lopez said in a news conference, adding that Alesons ferries had figured in 32 safety-related incidents since 2019.

Its not clear how many passengers ships would be grounded. The company did not immediately comment on the government order.

A rescued passenger, Mohamad Khan, who lost his 6-month-old baby, said the ferry suddenly listed to one side, hurling him, his wife and other people into the sea in the darkness. Khan and his wife were rescued but their baby drowned. MDT/AP

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Macau will welcome the opening of the City Terminal for Hong Kong International Airport at MGM Cotai on Feb. 4, the gaming operator announced.

The facility is a collaboration between Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), Zhuhai Airport, MGM, and China Travel Tours Transportation Services Hong Kong Limited, aimed at improving cross-border travel and tourism services within the GuangdongHong KongMacao Greater Bay Area.

This marks the first off-airport and overseas check-in terminal jointly operated by HKIA and Zhuhai Airport in Macau.

According to a statement, the terminal features self-service check-in counters, real-time flight information, and SkyLimo transport links, offering travelers a streamlined experience for flights to and from Hong Kong.

Organizers said the new facility will also support the citys position as a regional tourism hub while enhancing convenience for both business and leisure travelers.

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Chinese tourists to Cambodia up in 2025 despite overall decline in int'l tourist arrivals

Xinhua) 10:35, January 28, 2026

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The number of Chinese tourists to Cambodia increased significantly in 2025 despite an overall drop in international tourist arrivals to the kingdom, said a Cambodian Ministry of Tourism report released on Tuesday.

A total of 1.2 million Chinese visitors traveled to Cambodia in 2025, a year-on-year rise of 41.5 percent, while the total international tourist arrivals to the kingdom dropped by 16.9 percent to 5.57 million last year, the report said.

China was the second-biggest source of foreign holidaymakers to the Southeast Asian country after Vietnam, the report added.

Thourn Sinan, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association Cambodia chapter, said the growth in Chinese tourist numbers reflected a strong and growing interest of Chinese tourists in Cambodia's tourist attractions.

"The rising middle class in China, coupled with targeted marketing and expanded flight routes, should further boost Chinese arrivals," he told Xinhua.

Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the Cambodia-China Tourism Year 2025 had boosted this growth.

"I believe that the growth of Chinese tourists to Cambodia will continue to soar this year thanks to Cambodia's pilot visa-free policy for Chinese nationals, which is set to begin from June 15 to October 15, 2026," he told Xinhua.

Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia's economy, in addition to garment, footwear and travel goods export, agriculture, and construction and real estate.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The Public Security Police (PSP) apprehended a 23-year-old mainland Chinese man on suspicion of sexually harassing a local woman in public. The incident occurred last Friday evening, where the approximately 30-year-old victim said the suspect touched her thigh and buttocks. The victim immediately reported the incident to police. Using a shops surveillance footage and the Eyes in the Sky system, officers located and arrested the suspect at Friendship Square about three hours later. The man admitted to committing the act.

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The Public Security Police (PSP) said it recorded 910 violations at Hengqin Port last year, including 82 cases of illegal parking in no-entry zones, along with 30 traffic accidents. Residents told TDM Forum that private cars often block tourist bus loading areas, creating safety risks when buses are reversing. The PSP noted heavy usage during morning peak hours and confirmed continued enforcement. Authorities will assess traffic facilities and work with the Transport Bureau to adjust planning and improve signage.

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U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is heading to China, seeking a thaw in relations with Beijing at a time of strained ties with the United States.

Hes hoping for an economic boost to Britain, but risks the wrath of China hawks at home  and of U.S. President Donald Trump, whos already heaping tariffs and criticism on Americas closest allies.

Starmer is due to meet Chinas President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang during the visit to Beijing and Shanghai that starts today, the first by a U.K. leader since 2018. He is expected to be accompanied by Business Secretary Peter Kyle and dozens of corporate chiefs as Britain seeks Chinese technology and investment, alongside greater access to the worlds second-largest economy for U.K. financial services, cars and Scotch whisky.

China is no longer just the worlds factory; it is also becoming a global market, said Zhao Minghao, a professor in the Institute of International Studies at Shanghais Fudan University.

The key word stressed by both sides is pragmatic. As Trump roils the world order, both London and Beijing are looking for a more stable relationship.

Chinas government said it sees the visit as an opportunity to enhance political trust and deepen pragmatic cooperation.

In the current complex and volatile international situation, it is in the common interest of both peoples of China and the U.K., as permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, to maintain communication and strengthen cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said yesterday at a daily briefing in Beijing.

From golden era to big chill

Kerry Brown, director of the Lau China Institute at Kings College London, said the trip comes as dramatic shifts in geopolitics create new opportunities for U.K.-Chinese relations.

But he said Starmer is going to be talking to a very skeptical audience.

Britain has not been very consistent in its relations with China. We have been very hot and cold, Brown said.

The relationship has soured since the short-lived golden era proclaimed in 2015 by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, who took Xi to a traditional English pub during a state visit. Beijings restrictions on civil liberties in Hong Kong, Chinas support for Russia in the Ukraine war and growing concern about espionage and economic interference have widened the gap between London and Beijing.

Camerons Conservative successors barred Chinese investment in sensitive telecoms infrastructure and squeezed China out of investment in new U.K. nuclear power plants.

Starmers center-left Labour Party government carried out a review of relations with Beijing after it was elected 18 months ago. It says its approach is one of hard-headed pragmatism  protecting national security from Chinese espionage and interference while keeping up diplomatic dialogue and economic cooperation with the Asian superpower.

Both Britains economy  the worlds sixth largest  and Starmers popularity could use a boost.

His government has struggled to deliver the economic growth it promised and ease a cost-of-living crisis for millions of households. Labour lags behind hard-right Reform UK in opinion polls, and nervous Labour lawmakers openly mull whether it would be better to ditch Starmer for a more charismatic leader, such as Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

Americas allies look to China

Starmers visit to China comes as cracks are starting to appear in his attempt to strike up a warm relationship with Trump  efforts rewarded with a trade deal that reduced U.S. tariffs on Britains key auto and aerospace industries.

For months Starmer refrained from public criticism as Trump attacked the mayor of London, slammed British immigration policy and sued the BBC for $10 billion.

But in recent days, Starmer has spoken out against Trumps desire to take over Greenland  calling it completely wrong  and condemned Trumps disparaging comments about the role of U.K. and other NATO troops in Afghanistan, which Starmer called insulting and appalling.

Starmer says Britain does not need to choose between the U.S. and China. But he travels to Beijing days after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Next month its the turn of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as some of Americas strongest allies hedge their bets against the unpredictable Trump.

Zhao said growing unease among U.S. allies over Washingtons recent policy moves, including on tariffs, Greenland and the war in Ukraine, have triggered a wave among allies to recalibrate their policies to de-risk from the United States.

But rapprochement with Beijing brings the risk of a rift with Washington. Trump has threatened to slap a 100% tariff on all Canadian goods after Carney struck a trade deal with China on his trip this month.

The trip follows U.K. approval of a 20,000 square-meter Chinese Embassy near the Tower of London despite strong opposition from critics who say the mega-embassy will make it easier for China to conduct espionage and intimidate dissidents. JILL LAWLESS, LONDON, MDT/AP

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The U.S. is taking a minority stake in an Oklahoma rare earth miner, the latest government investment in the sector as it seeks to minimize its reliance on imports of a material used prevalently in smartphones, robotics, electric vehicles and many other high tech products.

China processes more than 90% of the worlds critical minerals and has used its dominance in the market to gain leverage in the trade war with Washington.

USA Rare Earth said yesterday [Macau time] that the U.S. Commerce Department is investing $1.6 billion in the company to advance work on a mine in Texas and to build a magnet manufacturing facility in Oklahoma.

Shares of USA Rare Earth jumped more than 13% before U.S. markets opened.

The agreement with the Commerce Departments CHIPS program includes $277 million in proposed federal funding and a $1.3 billion senior secured loan. The Commerce Department will get 16.1 million shares of common stock in return, as well as rights to buy 17.6 million more.

USA Rare Earths heavy critical minerals project is essential to restoring U.S. critical mineral independence, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said in a statement. This investment ensures our supply chains are resilient and no longer reliant on foreign nations.

The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to build up the critical mineral industry in the United States to work to break the chokehold that China has on the global supply chain.

Industry insiders, analysts and lawmakers have warned for years that Americas dependence on China for critical minerals  a list of 50 minerals that includes 17 sought-after rare-earth elements  is a national security vulnerability.

Attempts by President Donald Trump to acquire Greenland is part of that push.

USA Rare Earth, based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is the third U.S. operator in which the Trump administration has invested in recent months.

The Pentagon invested $400 million in rare-earth producer MP Materials. It gave the U.S. company a $150 million loan in August. MDT/AP

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A group of Nigerian military officers will be prosecuted for allegedly plotting to overthrow the Government of President Bola Tinubu, following findings by an investigative panel, the Nigeria Defence Headquarters has announced on Monday, January 26.

At least 16 officers were arrested in October for what authorities described as acts of indiscipline and breaches of military regulations. A subsequent investigation confirmed evidence of a coup plot, according to military spokesperson Samaila Uba.

Uba said the officers identified as culpable would be arraigned before a military judicial panel in line with established procedures, although it remains unclear how many of the arrested officers will ultimately face trial. Authorities have also indicated that additional measures are being taken to

maintain discipline and operational effectiveness within the armed forces.

The alleged plot comes amid a wave of coups and attempted coups across West and Central Africa, including recent incidents in Benin and Guinea-Bissau late last year. Analysts link the trend to disputed elections, constitutional tensions, security challenges and growing youth dissatisfaction.
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Commonly cited statistics on the mortality risk of pregnancy when compared to abortion in the U.S. are a vast undercount, according to a study in JAMA Network Open led by researchers at the University of Maryland and Brown University.

Amid national discussions of the importance of abortion access for maternal health, the goal of the study was to estimate risks using updated data to provide accurate information that could help inform decisions by patients, clinicians and policymakers.

"It is widely understood by scientists that continuing a pregnancy carries a much higher risk of death than having an abortion," said lead study author Maria Steenland, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland's School of Public Health. "Our new analysis shows that it is far more dangerous to be pregnant than to have an abortion, and this gap in mortality risk is even larger than previously recognized."

The findings suggest that abortion bans force pregnant people who otherwise would have sought abortion care to take on the substantially increased health risks associated with continued pregnancy, the researchers noted, including hemorrhage and high blood pressure.

ICD-10 Code Definitions of Pregnancy-Related Deaths Used in This Study. Credit: JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.54793

"Our findings underscore how dangerous abortion bans are for pregnant people: forcing someone to continue a pregnancy puts them at a dramatically higher risk of deathalong with so many other harms," said study author Dr. Benjamin Brown, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School. "The data also highlight the urgent need to lower mortality rates for all pregnant, birthing and postpartum people."

Steenland, whose research goal is to identify policy options to increase the equity and quality of women's health services, and Brown, an OB-GYN with a subspecialty in complex family planning (including complex abortion and contraception care), connected while Steenland was an assistant professor of health services, policy and practice (research) at Brown University's School of Public Health.

The new analysis found that the mortality risk from pregnancy (including up to one year postpartum) is 44 to 70 times higher than the mortality risk from abortionthree times higher than previously estimated. Prior to this study, a commonly cited statistic was that the risk of death associated with childbirth is approximately 14 times higher than that of abortion.

This statistic was based on data from 1998 to 2005, and during that timeframe, mortality rates for people with ongoing pregnancies have been estimated to be between 8.8 and 14.5 per 100,000 live births. The current study, using data from 2018 to 2021, found an annual average of 32.3 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, with the highest rate of 43.9 occurring in 2021.

The study defined pregnancy-related deaths as occurring during pregnancy or within one year from the end of pregnancy. They were further identified by hundreds of specific underlying pregnancy-related causes such as hypertension disorders, obstetric hemorrhage, complications from chronic heart and kidney disease, and various infections occurring while pregnant.

One major factor involved in the new estimates was the availability of new data. In 2003, a pregnancy checkbox option was added to death certificates to indicate whether the deceased person was pregnant. When the checkbox was fully implemented in 2018, it addressed prior undercounting of maternal deaths but also led to a potential problem of overcounting, where the cause of death for the deceased person may have been misclassified as being related to pregnancy.

To calculate pregnancy-related death rates, the research team analyzed data on deaths and births (live and stillbirth) from the U.S. National Vital Statistics System, as well as abortion-related deaths from the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System between 2018 to 2021. Data on the number of abortions during that time came from the Guttmacher Institute, a nonpartisan research nonprofit that monitors abortion surveillance data in the U.S. and globally.

To account for possible overcounting of maternal deaths, the study removed nonspecific causes of pregnancy-related mortality, such as "other specified pregnancy-related conditions," which prior research showed was likely to be misclassified. The study also excluded deaths from COVID-19 and deaths of people whose pregnancy ended because of miscarriage or self-induced abortion.

"Even with this conservative approach to calculating maternal mortality, we found the risk of dying from pregnancy and childbirth far exceeded the risk of dying from abortion," said study author Marie Thoma, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist and an associate professor at the University of Maryland. "People deserve access to updated information about these comparative risks and policies that reflect these realities."

The risk of death due to abortion has decreased since previous studies were conducted, most likely because more people who have an abortion have it earlier in the pregnancy, which is generally safer, the researchers said. They noted that increased restrictions to abortion access will likely affect maternal health going forward.

Publication details Maria W. Steenland et al, Pregnancy- and Abortion-Related Mortality in the US, 2018-2021, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.54793 Journal information: JAMA Network Open
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

When a family breaks up, many children lose their stable home and have to adjust to living between several households. This lifestyle can be exhausting for the child and can exacerbate stress and health problems associated with separation.

Rafaela Lehtme, a Ph.D. student at Tallinn University's School of Governance, Law and Society, shows in her thesis that the solution may lie in bird's nest parentinga form of joint child custody where the children stay in one home after separation and the parents are the ones that move back and forth.

The child's needs come first

Although media coverage suggests that bird's nest parenting is on the rise in Western countries, there has been little scientific research into its benefits or harms. So far, both positive and critical views have been based mainly on personal opinion. Therefore, the aim of the thesis was to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of bird's nest parenting, based primarily on the needs and interests of the child, i.e. whether and how this living arrangement ensures the child's well-being.

To this end, Lehtme explored bird's nest parenting from three different perspectives by interviewing child protection officials and parents and children living in this arrangement.

One house as the foundation for a sense of security

The experiences of the research participants suggest that a stable home environment is more than just a physical space. A fixed home can have a decisive impact on all aspects of a child's well-being. Although bird's nest parenting requires a significant commitment from parents, the effort was well worth it for the parents who took part in the study. The conscious choice to put their children's best interests first made the living arrangements a meaningful and, in practical terms, well-functioning solution that improved the well-being not only of the children but of the whole family.

The benefits of bird's nest parenting:

the children's lives were able to continue as usual without major reorganization, ensuring both physical and emotional stability;

the children were under no pressure to choose between parents or homes;

the children still have a strong sense of home;

living in the same home as their children increased a sense of equality between parents and helped to ease stress;

for the parents, it reduced the burden of organizing their children's lives, making life more comfortable for everyone, e.g. by reducing the stress of packing and transporting the children's belongings;

knowing that their children were happy freed the parents to focus on what was important in their own lives;

the parents' relationships with their children was strengthened through a conscious commitment, as opposed to "hosting" them;

siblings were able to grow up together as a family despite the divorce;

the living arrangements provided children with various opportunities for independence, such as chores, practicing independent living and planning their own time.

The child can be driven by inner need, not logistics

"While the contribution of bird's nest parenting in maintaining the child's sense of security is easy to understand, what was more surprising was how strongly this living arrangement also supported the children's growing independence," explains Lehtme.

The experiences of the families in the study show how living permanently in their own home gave children the security they needed, while also providing opportunities for gradual independence. Unlike other shared parenting solutions, children were able to base their choices on internal need rather than external pressures or logistics.

"Bird's nest parenting shifts the focus from parental rights to parental responsibilities as the family breaks down," Lehtme stresses, underlining the important shift in mindset that the research highlights. It is in the best interests of the children that the changes that come with separation are the adults' responsibility, not the children's.

There is a growing need in society for child-friendly post-divorce solutions. Bird's nest parenting is an innovative approach that raises awareness of children's well-being and supports social change.

At the same time, it is important to emphasize that if bird's nest parenting is not possible, shared parenting between two homes supports a child's well-being more than a situation in which the relationship with one parent is severed.

More information Rafaela Lehtme, Bird's Nest Parenting as a Child-Centred Approach to Shared Parenting: a Phenomenological Study About the Experiences of Children, Parents, and Child Protection Workers, Tallinn University (2025). DOI: 10.60518/etera/95
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Projected ecologically driven impacts of climate change on malaria transmission under SSP 2-4.5. Credit: Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-10015-z

New research published today in Nature warns climate change could substantially increase malaria burden in Africa over the coming decades. The study projects that a middle-of-the-road climate scenario could trigger more than 500,000 additional malaria deaths and over 100 million additional cases by 2050, including substantial impacts on children, predominantly due to damage and disruption caused by extreme weather events that undermine disease control efforts.

The study, led by researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin University, found that, if unmitigated, the disruptive impacts of more frequent and severe floods and cyclones may account for 79% and 93% of climate-driven increases in malaria cases and deaths, respectively, over the next 25 yearsfar outweighing the better-studied effects of gradual changes in temperature and rainfall on mosquito and parasite ecology.

In this world-first modeling study, researchers analyzed 25 years of data on climate, malaria burden, control interventions, socioeconomic indicators, and extreme weather patterns across Africa. Using a statistical modeling framework linked to climate projections, they were able to quantify both the ecological effects of climate change and the disruptive impacts of increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather.

While rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns do influence malaria transmission suitability, the study reveals projected changes in these ecological effects are relatively modest at the continental scale by the mid 2050s.

Across much of Africa, malaria transmission is already ecologically possible, but the current burden is kept far lower than it would otherwise be by housing improvements, mosquito control, and access to effective treatment.

This study surmises the largest projected increases in malaria burden will not arise from small changes in suitability, but when floods and cyclones damage homes, ruin bednets, and interrupt access to timely diagnosis and treatment. If unmitigated, such disruptions could persist for months or even years after an extreme weather event, leading to increases in malaria burden.

Researchers challenge conventional climate assumptions

Lead author, Associate Professor Tasmin Symonswho is a member of the Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), a research group based at The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin Universitysaid the findings challenge prevailing assumptions about how climate change threatens malaria control.

"Most previous studies have focused on how climate change affects mosquitoes and parasites in isolation," Associate Professor Symons said.

"What we show here is that the greatest climate threat to malaria control in Africa comes from disruption, when extreme weather repeatedly damages the housing, health services, and interventions that suppress transmission.

"While changes in transmission ecology are real, they are comparatively small. When those changes are combined with repeated disruption to malaria control, the impacts become substantial, potentially resulting in more than 100 million additional cases and hundreds of thousands of additional deaths over the next 25 years."

Associate Professor Symons said the results underscore the need for climate-resilient malaria strategies, including stronger emergency preparedness, faster recovery of health services after disasters, and malaria control tools that are less vulnerable to climate shocks.

"If global ambitions for accelerated malaria reduction and eventual eradication are to remain achievable, climate resilience must be built directly into malaria policy and health system planning," she said.

Call for climate-resilient malaria strategies

The Kids Research Institute Australia Executive Director, Professor Jonathan Carapetis AM, said the study exemplified the Institute's commitment to research that delivers practical evidence to inform policy and strengthen global health responses.

"By bringing together long-term data, advanced modeling and a deep understanding of real-world conditions, this research gives policymakers and global health leaders the insights they need to plan more effective, climate-resilient malaria strategies," Professor Carapetis said.

"This is exactly the kind of research The Kids strives to deliverresearch that goes beyond discovery to influence policy, guide action and make a tangible difference to lives. Addressing the growing threat of malaria in a changing climate will require this level of evidence, collaboration and foresight, particularly for the children and families most at risk."

Curtin University Faculty of Health Sciences Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Carlo Marra, underscored the global importance of the study in shaping how climate-related health risks are understood and addressed.

"This world-first modeling shows the power of combining decades of data with advanced analytical methods to reveal risks that would otherwise remain unknown," Professor Marra said.

"By bringing climate, health and socioeconomic evidence together at scale, this research sets a new benchmark for global health modeling and provides decision-makers with the foresight needed to plan more resilient malaria control strategies in the face of climate change."

Publication details Peter Gething, Projected impacts of climate change on malaria in Africa, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-10015-z. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-10015-z Journal information: Nature

Key medical concepts MalariaPest Control
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Sahitya Biswas, a graduate student in Virginia Tech's Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, was the lead author for a study published in EMBO Molecular Medicine. Credit: Spencer Coppage for Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech researchers have discovered an indication hidden in the brain that may help doctors identify children suffering from a rare genetic disease earlier. Their findings are published in EMBO Molecular Medicine.

Understanding Leigh syndrome and diagnosis gaps

Leigh syndrome is a severe neurological disorder that affects the mitochondria, which are energy factories found in almost all the cells of the body. This disease typically appears in infancy and can progress rapidly, leading to limited treatment options and poor survival rates.

Prenatal tests for mitochondrial disorders like Leigh syndrome are not commonly administered.

"If there's not any real sign that you have something wrong with you at birth, they're not going to recommend genetic testing or genetic counseling," said Alicia Pickrell, associate professor in the School of Neuroscience.

Without screening, children with Leigh syndrome appear to develop normally until 9 or 10 months old, when they start to display symptoms and quickly decline.

However, a recent clinical study from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia showed that early signs of neurodevelopmental delay can often be seen before the disease starts to impact a patient's motor and respiratory functions.

Researchers search for earlier brain markers

When they learned about the early signs, Pickrell and her collaborators saw a way to help.

"The study is saying that these mutations don't impact these patients out of the blue. These children were born with them," Pickrell said.

Maybe, Pickrell said, we haven't used the right tools or looked at the right areas in the brain. Which means maybe there's a chance people with this disease could be identifiedand someday treatedearlier.

Working with Paul Morton, assistant professor in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and Sahitya Biswas, a student in the Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, Pickrell was able to evaluate Leigh syndrome symptoms in a mouse model.

New findings in neural stem cells

In their study, the researchers observed developmental defects and sluggish activity within specialized neural stem cells soon after birth.

They identified a malformed area centered on a bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum, which is Latin for "tough body." Using microscopy, researchers found a pattern of bad connections in this thick nerve tract that serves as the main line of communication between the left- and right-sides of the brain.

"From the data we've been collecting, it looks like it's just not developing the way it should," Pickrell said. "The neural stem cells aren't generating the types of cells they are supposed to."

But now that they know where to look, there's a path toward identifying children who suffer from Leigh syndrome earlier and getting them into clinical trials.

Publication details Sahitya Ranjan Biswas et al, Impaired Complex I dysregulates neural/glial precursors and corpus callosum development revealing postnatal defects in Leigh syndrome mice, EMBO Molecular Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44321-025-00367-4 Journal information: EMBO Molecular Medicine
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Black and Hispanic patients experience lower survival rates after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) than white patients. But a new Yale study suggests that differences in the use of early do-not-attempt-resuscitation (DNAR) orders don't explain these disparities.

In the study, published in JAMA Network Open, the researchers did find that Black, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native patients were significantly less likely than white patients to have DNAR ordersor a medical order instructing a health care team not to restart their heart or breathing if they stopplaced within the first 72 hours following return of spontaneous circulation, or when the heart restarts beating effectively.

And, among this subgroup who did have an early DNAR order, rates of survival until hospital discharge did not differ by race or ethnicity after adjustment. These findings, researchers say, confirm that there's no easy answer behind the disparities in cardiac arrest survival and, thus, requires further research.

"We already know there are persistent racial/ethnic differences in survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest," said Caroline Raymond-King, an emergency medicine resident at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and corresponding author of the new study. "One potentially modifiable factor is what happens after return of spontaneous circulation, especially early DNAR orders, which can sometimes be associated with less aggressive post-cardiac arrest care.

"The study was motivated by the question: Could differences in early DNAR use be one contributor to survival gaps after resuscitation?"

Cardiac arrest disparities

Nearly 300,000 people experience in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) annually in the United States. Historically, Black patients have had lower survival rates after IHCA than white patients, even after initial resuscitation. Black patients who achieve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after IHCA are still less likely to survive to hospital discharge than their white counterparts.

One possible determinant of survival, researchers speculated, was differences in the use of DNARs, or medical orders instructing health care teams not to restart their heart or breathing if they stop. DNAR decisions are decided by patients themselves or by a health care proxy in situations where patients cannot make decisions independently.

Early DNAR orders after cardiac arrest aren't rare. Past research has shown DNAR timing doesn't always align well with objective prognosis tools; guidelines also recommend waiting at least 72 hours for neurologic prognostication in comatose survivors.

"Prior literature suggests racial differences in advance directives/DNAR decisions exist in other settings, but whether early DNAR after IHCA differs by race/ethnicityand whether that might relate to survival differenceswas unclear," Raymond-King said.

Digging into DNAR timing and use

The research team previously found that women experienced higher rates of DNAR, and early DNAR, setting a precedence to ask this question regarding how race/ethnicity might contribute to the timing of this important medical decision.

To clarify just that, the researchers analyzed data from the American Heart Association's Get With The GuidelinesResuscitation (AHA GWTG-R) registry, which includes standardized in-hospital cardiac arrest data from more than 350 U.S. hospitals. Specifically, they examined data for adults aged 18 and older who had experienced IHCA and achieved return of spontaneous circulation while admitted to a hospital during the years 2018 to 2023. (They defined "very early" DNAR as within 12 hours of ROSC and "early" DNAR as within 72 hours.)

Through their methods, the researchers discovered a few things. First, early DNAR is common: About 1 in 4 white patients had DNAR within 12 hours, and 1 in 3 within 72 hours. Second, compared with white patients, Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native patients had lower odds of DNAR orders being placed within 12 hours and within 72 hourseven after adjustment. Third, among that subgroup who did have an early DNAR order, adjusted survival to discharge did not significantly differ by race/ethnicity compared with white patients.

What the findings mean for care

These findings, researchers say, suggest that differences in early DNAR ordering exist by race/ethnicity after IHCA, but early DNAR differences alone are unlikely to explain racial/ethnic survival gaps after IHCA.

"If you're a clinician, trainee, patient, or family member, the study highlights two practical ideas," Raymond-King said. "Early DNAR after cardiac arrest is common in U.S. hospitals, so the timing and framing of goals-of-care conversations right after ROSC matters a lot. We still have work to do to understand how to mitigate the survival gap for non-white patients after cardiac arrest."

This is an important outcome in the pursuit of reducing disparities in cardiac arrest outcomes, said senior author Sarah Perman, an associate professor of emergency medicine at YSM and an AHA GWTG-R research investigator.

"We can now appreciate that this is not an immediate target to remedy in order to achieve better overall outcomes," she said. "These results do still lend themselves to further investigation. When differences are appreciated, it is always a good opportunity to ask why."

Publication details Caroline Raymond-King et al, Race and Ethnicity and Early Do Not Attempt Resuscitation Orders After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.53504 Journal information: JAMA Network Open
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Credit: Mikhail Nilov from Pexels

Older people are better at reading facial expressions than younger people in real-life situations, according to new research from the University of Aberdeen. The study, published in Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, found that older adults were better at deciphering facial expressions than their younger counterparts but only in a "real-life" context. The effect was reversed when all context was removed.

This, the researchers say, is because older adults can tap into their life experience, and so can identify social cues like tone of voice and body language as well as facial expressions to understand what the other person is feeling. Interestingly, however, this advantage is lost when only the facial expression is shown.

This is important, the team of psychologists from the university say, because understanding each other's emotions is key to healthy relationships and older adults may misinterpret emotions when context is limited. Also, the team say, previous research often considers aging in terms of declinebut these findings suggest that some abilities, including reading the emotions of others, can actually improve with age.

The study compared how well older and younger adults could read emotions when viewing photos and videos of people interacting with each other.

Participants from different age brackets (17 to 26 and 59 to 84) were shown clips of interactions, including scenes from four feature films: The Turn of the Screw, Perfect Strangers, Lost for Words and the Winter Guest. They were then asked to choose words that best reflected the emotions portrayed in the scene.

The research was completed by Dr. Louisa Lawrie from the Institute of Applied Health Sciences and Professor Louise Phillips, Dr. Margaret Jackson and Laura Cowie from the School of Psychology. It was supported by a Ph.D. scholarship from the University of Aberdeen.

Dr. Lawrie said, "Being able to understand other people's emotions is key to getting along with others and maintaining healthy relationships. It's closely tied to our social well-being and can even influence our physical and mental health.

"For instance, loneliness has serious negative effects on health, especially for older adults. That's why it's so important to understand how the ability to read emotions develops and changes over time.

"Most past studies looking at how younger and older adults perceive emotions have used still photographs of facial expressions. While these are useful in controlled experiments, they don't really reflect how we experience emotions in everyday life, where feelings are shown in dynamic interactions and in context.

"In our study, we used materials that better mirror real-life situations, making the tasks closer to what people actually encounter day to day.

"We often think of aging mainly in terms of declinefor example, memory getting worse. But our research suggests some abilities, including reading the emotions of others, can actually improve with age. It can also be a stage of life where people draw on their knowledge and experience to their advantage, especially in social situations that call for emotional intelligence.

"Older adults often find it harder to judge emotions from brief facial expressions or written messages, which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. Younger adults tend to pick up on these fast, visual cues more easily, so they might feel that older adults are 'missing the point,' while older adults may feel unsure or misinterpreted when communication is very short or lacking tone.

"In everyday, real-life conversations, though, older adults often do just as well as, or even better than, young people at understanding how someone feels. When there's tone of voice, body language, and context to rely on, older adults' life experience helps them make sense of emotions more accurately. This means that interactions between age groups usually work best when there's a bit more detail and context. Talking things through, giving background, or using richer communication like phone calls or face-to-face chats can help both younger and older people understand each other more easily."

Publication details Louisa Lawrie et al, Aging and complex emotion perception: the influence of context and multimodal presentation, Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition (2025). DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2025.2548224 Journal information: Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition
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The effectiveness of hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) is unclear. This study used target trial emulation to study violent reinjury or violence perpetration at 1, 2, and 3 years after an index injury in patients who did and did not participate in Boston Medical Centers HVIP. Credit: Annals of Internal Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.7326/annals-25-01678

A hospital-based program that supports victims of gun and knife violence can reduce the likelihood that those victims will be reinjured or commit violence themselves, according to a new Boston University study.

The findings offer hope for similar programs nationwide and may encourage cities to target investment in them to reduce gun violence, according to lead researcher Jonathan Jay, a BU School of Public Health associate professor of community health sciences. Jay calls the study of the Boston Medical Center (BMC)-founded Violence Intervention Advocacy Program (VIAP) "my most important work," because of its potential to provide advocates with evidence in support of such efforts: "If we invest more in hospital-based violence intervention programs, will that help cities get their gun violence levels down?"

For survivors of gunshot and knife wounds treated in the emergency department, VIAP provides post-discharge help with mental health and family support services and assistance, if necessary, with connections to housing, food, employment, education, and other needs. The study found consistent engagement with the program could reduce the likelihood of being revictimized, or committing violence, by 50% two to three years after discharge. BMC, BU's primary teaching hospital, is among more than 60 hospitals in the country with a hospital-based violence intervention program.

"When people's basic social and emotional needs are met, they are far less likely to be involved in violence," says Jay. "People who get shot or stabbed are vastly more likely to have been excluded from systemskicked out of school, kicked out of housing, to have some history of criminal legal system involvement so that it's harder for them to get a job."

The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed the records of 1,300-plus shooting or stabbing survivors, ages 16 to 34, who were at high risk of violence. Almost half of them worked with VIAP sometime in the first month after their discharge, and the researchers found that brief interaction did not appreciably lessen the risk of future violence when compared with patients who never used the program. But the roughly 10% of survivors who regularly worked with VIAP in the first two months after discharge saw their likelihood of being involved in violence cut in half.

"There's an old saying that hurt people hurt people, and that really applies to the work we do," says Lavon Anderson, VIAP's housing coordinator. "VIAP helps prevent future violence by helping people heal from trauma, stabilize their lives, and work toward goals that may not have felt possible before. When people feel supported and hopeful, they're much less likely to return to cycles of violence."

Currently, when someone is admitted to the hospital with a violent penetrating injury, they meet with VIAP patient advocates during their stay or soon after. Those advocates build relationships and conduct needs assessments to help target issuesfrom safety planning to mental health to housing insecuritythat could slow recovery or increase potential involvement in future violence. Many of the advocates have lived experience in the communities the program serves. The mental health support is given in collaboration with BMC's Community Violence Response Team.

While VIAP especially benefits those who frequently avail themselves of the program, Jay says that some patients probably need just a few visits to get back on track post-violence. Other hospital-based violence intervention programs provide stipends to encourage attendance, but Anderson is wary of that approach: "From my experience, we see a higher success rate with participants who engage because they're genuinely ready for change. They're self-motivated, and our program serves as a tool to support the direction they've already chosen."

Data from Jay's broader research into gun violence, adds Anderson, suggests that "when one person chooses not to feed into violence, hundreds of people can be affectedfamily members, peers, and the broader community. Seeing both the scale of that impact and how engagement influences the likelihood of someone returning to harmful behavior was eye-opening. That insight directly led me to increase my engagement with those who are on the fence, striking a careful balance between not pushing and being clearly present when they're ready."

VIAP differs from other intervention programs, Jay says, in its unusually robust servicesit has 13 staffers. Although the study focused on young adults, VIAP is more flexible than many other programs, he says, in its availability to violence victims outside of the highest-risk groups and in letting participants decide how often to avail themselves of its services.

While other programs may limit eligibilityto young adults, for instanceand dictate weekly attendance, according to Jay, "VIAP says, we don't care about that. If you're the victim of violence and you were at the emergency department at BMC, we will help you."

Jay's previous research has examined young people's exposure to gun violence, the connections between urban environments and health/safety risks, and strategies for reducing racial disparities in youth firearm injuries. What makes his VIAP study so pivotal, he says, is its potential to boost support for similar programs, especially since strategies such as gun safety laws are losing ground in many states. The United States saw almost 47,000 gun-related deaths in 2023, the latest year for complete data.

"A lot of other [hospitals] could show these results to hospital administrators and other funders," says Jay.

Anderson has fingers crossed. "I'm hopeful that Professor Jay's findings will support expansion of the program and further strengthen our work. We already share our approach with programs nationwide, and I think his research can really help fine-tune what we do."

Publication details Jonathan Jay et al, Effects of a Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program on Community Violence in Boston, Massachusetts, Annals of Internal Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.7326/annals-25-01678 Journal information: Annals of Internal Medicine

Key medical concepts Mental Health Services
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Narayana Multispeciality Hospital where two Nipah cases had been detected since December is seen in Barasat, in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. Credit: AP Photo

Indian authorities said they had contained a Nipah virus outbreak after confirming two cases in the eastern state of West Bengal, as several Asian countries tightened health screenings and airport surveillance for travelers arriving from India.

India's Health Ministry said Tuesday that two Nipah cases had been detected since December and that all identified contacts had been quarantined and tested. The ministry did not release details about the patients but said 196 contacts had been traced and all tested negative.

"The situation is under constant monitoring, and all necessary public health measures are in place," the ministry said.

Nipah, a zoonotic virus first identified during a 1990s outbreak in Malaysia, spreads through fruit bats, pigs and human-to-human contact. There is no vaccine for the virus, which can cause raging fevers, convulsions and vomiting. The only treatment is supportive care to control complications and keep patients comfortable.

The virus has an estimated fatality rate of between 40% and 75%, according to the WHO, making it far more deadly than the coronavirus.

In this photograph provided by the public relations department of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Quarantine doctors watch thermal scanning of travelers from west Bengal, India at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Samut Prakarn, Thailand, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. Credit: Public relations department of Suvarnabhumi International Airport via AP

There were no reported cases of the virus outside India, but several Asian countries introduced or reinforced screening measures at airports as a precaution. The safety measures were put in place after early media reports from India suggested a surge in cases, but health authorities said those figures were "speculative and incorrect."

Indonesia and Thailand increased screening at major airports, with health declarations, temperature checks and visual monitoring for arriving passengers. Thailand's Department of Disease Control said thermal scanners had been installed at arrival gates for direct flights from West Bengal at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Myanmar's Health Ministry advised against nonessential travel to West Bengal and urged travelers to seek immediate medical care if symptoms develop within 14 days of travel. It said fever surveillance introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic at airports has been intensified for passengers arriving from India, with laboratory testing capacity and medical supplies readied.

Vietnam's Health Ministry on Tuesday urged strict food safety practices and directed local authorities to increase monitoring at border crossings, health facilities and communities, according to state media.

China said it was strengthening disease prevention measures in border areas. State media reported that health authorities had begun risk assessments and enhanced training for medical staff, while increasing monitoring and testing capabilities.

A stray dog roams at the entrance of the Infectious Diseases and Beliaghata General Hospital, in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. Credit: AP Photo/Bikas Das

Earlier Nipah outbreaks were reported in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007, while recent cases have largely been detected in southern Kerala state. A major outbreak in 2018 killed at least 17 people in Kerala.

Key medical concepts Nipah VirusVaccines

 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Credit: Nicola Barts from Pexels

While scientists have long known that living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with biological symptoms of accelerated aging, emotional distress accounts for a significant portion of these effects, researchers found in a recent study.

"Consistent with a chains-of-risk frameworkthe theory that later-life health conditions are triggered by sequential, linked exposures earlier in lifethe findings support our hypothesis that prolonged exposure to contextual socioeconomic disadvantage accelerates one's biological age, and that some but not all of this effect operates through increases in psychological symptoms," said first author Christina Kamis, a professor of sociology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The study's sample population comprised more than 1,440 people living in Wisconsin and included two factorscumulative exposure to neighborhood disadvantage and overall emotional distressthat prior studies have not explored. Co-author Wei Xu, a professor in the Institute for Health and Humanity at the Medical College of Wisconsin, has led a number of studies investigating links between health disparities and neighborhood conditions.

Published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, the paper was co-written by Michal Engelman, a sociology professor and the director of the Center for Demography of Health and Aging at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Kristen Malecki, a professor and the director of the Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health.

Pathways connecting Cumulative Neighborhood Disadvantage, Overall Distress, and Accelerated Epigenetic Aging; Survey of Health of Wisconsin (SHOW) (N=1,448). Note. EAA = Epigenetic Age Acceleration. Only significant pathways (p <.05) shown. Overall distress was measured as the summed DASS-21 score. Credit: The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaf206

Engelman and Malecki were the co-principal investigators for the Researching Epigenetics, Weathering, Aging and Residential Disadvantage project that contributed to this work. The project links the residential histories of respondents of the Survey on the Health of Wisconsin to survey and biomarker data, examining the relationship between long-term exposure to residential disadvantage and DNA methylation patterns and metabolic outcomes. Malecki was the principal investigator of SHOW when the data were collected.

While much of the prior research on accelerated aging, neighborhood factors and residents' emotions focused on depression, the current study also explored stress and anxiety, "and how each of the psychological factors mediated the relationship between cumulative exposure to neighborhood disadvantage and epigenetic aging," Xu said. "What we found is that anxiety appeared to be a really significant mediator between exposure and the outcome."

Kamis said the research used three epigenetic "clocks" that measure an individual's state of biological aging based on patterns of epigenetic changes in the genome. "These epigenetic clocks have different algorithms and assumptions," Kamis said. "If we're seeing similar patterns across several different clocks, we have stronger evidence of the relationship."

The team used two-second generation clocks, the PhenoAge and GrimAge, which, when regressed on chronological age, produce residuals indicating epigenetic age acceleration; along with the Dunedin Pace of Aging clock, which can be interpreted as the rate of biological aging per one year of chronological age, Kamis said.

While the team found that epigenetic age acceleration was common among those in the sample population, the magnitude varied depending on the clock, Kamis said. By the Dunedin PACE, more than 60% of the participants were aging faster than expected; however, the PhenoAge and GrimAge clocks indicated that 46% and 42%, respectively, of those in the sample were affected.

Six census-tract socioeconomic indicatorsincluding median household income, the percentage of rental households and the proportions of residents with a high school education or lesswere used to characterize neighborhood disadvantage.

The researchers also created a composite measure of cumulative exposure by tracking each individual's residential history since the age of 18a unique level of exposure that prior neighborhood-biological aging research has rarely been able to consider due to data limitations, Kamis said.

The team obtained participants' residential data for up to five decades, Xu said. "That allowed us to make more accurate inferences about the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and biological aging, as well as the role of psychological symptoms in that relationship, because we accounted for their cumulative life course exposure, not just that associated with their current neighborhood."

Individuals' psychological symptoms were measured using a 21-item scale that included three subscales that separately assessed depression, anxiety and stress. By clinical measures, about 24% of the individuals in the study had above-normal scores for depression, while 21% had elevated levels of anxiety and 15% had above-normal stress scores, the researchers found. By adding each person's scores on the three subscales together, the team calculated a composite measure called "overall distress."

Cumulative neighborhood disadvantage was a significant predictor of greater overall distress across all three models, and it predicted accelerated aging across all three clocks directly and indirectly through increases in distress, Kamis said.

"Cumulative neighborhood disadvantage and overall distress were both significant predictors of accelerated aging for all three clocks," Kamis said. "One-unit increases in cumulative disadvantage were associated with .187 and .219 additional years of age acceleration by the PhenoAge and GrimAge clocks, respectively, and a .006 increase in the pace of aging by the Dunedin PACE."

For each accelerated epigenetic aging measure, cumulative neighborhood disadvantage had both a significant direct and indirect effect through overall distress, Kamis said. "About 13% of the effect of neighborhood disadvantage operated through overall distress by the GrimAge clock, while that proportion was around 10% for each of the other two clocks.

"When we looked at each of the psychological symptom subscales separately, most of the indirect effect on accelerated aging occurred through anxiety," Kamis said.

More information Christina Kamis et al, How does life course exposure to contextual disadvantage accelerate biological aging? The role of psychological symptoms, The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaf206
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Vials containing the MVA-MERS-S vaccine. Credit: UKE/Leonie Mayer

A new study has shown for the first time that an experimental vaccine against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) induces a stable and functional immune response in humans that persists for at least two years after a booster vaccination. The results mark an important step toward an effective MERS vaccine and strengthen the scientific basis for pandemic preparedness.

The long-term clinical study was conducted by an international research team from the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF). The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.

The vaccine candidate MVA-MERS-S under investigation is based on an attenuated poxvirus vector that presents the spike protein of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) to the immune system.

First identified in 2012, MERS causes severe respiratory disease with a case fatality rate of up to 36%. The virus continues to circulate in animal reservoirs, including dromedary camels. Though human infections are rare, MERS-CoV poses a potential threat of future outbreaks. New MERS cases have been reported in France and Saudi Arabia within the past two months.

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists the virus as a priority pathogen (WHO R&D Blueprint for Epidemics) for which vaccines and therapies are urgently needed. Currently, however, there is no licensed vaccine or specific antiviral therapy against MERS.

Additional booster shot significantly improves long-term immune response

In a Phase I clinical trial, healthy adults in Hamburg and Rotterdam received three vaccinations with MVA-MERS-S. For the long-term follow-up now published, the research team examined how well the immune system of 48 participants from Hamburg remained prepared to respond to the virus 24 months after the third vaccination.

The analysis showed that both MERS-CoV-specific antibodies and specialized immune cells were still present at this timepoint. Notably, antibody levels remained stable at levels that were comparable to the highest levels measured after the second vaccination. In addition, the antibodies were able to neutralize clinically relevant, circulating variants of the MERS coronavirus.

In this context, a long-lasting immune response indicates that the body can still recognize the virus long after vaccination and mount a rapid response upon exposure. The study demonstrates that such durable immunity can be achieved in particular through the administration of a targeted booster vaccination.

"That we were able to measure such a stable immune response two years after the last vaccination was by no means a given," says first author Dr. Leonie Mayer from the Institute for Infection Research and Vaccine Development (IIRVD) at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). "Our results show that an additional booster vaccination significantly improves long-term immunity."

Long-term data show lasting immune response for the first time

To date, the absence of a licensed MERS vaccine is largely due to the rarity and unpredictability of the disease, which makes conducting large-scale efficacy trials difficult.

This underscores the importance of detailed immunological analyses in early-phase clinical trials to gain first insights into vaccine performance. The long-term data now available close a key knowledge gap by demonstrating, for the first time, how durable vaccine-induced immunity against MERS can be.

"This study represents another important step in global preparedness for emerging viruses," says Prof. Dr. Marylyn Addo, scientific lead of the study and director of the IIRVD.

"It shows that we can develop vaccines that not only have short-term effects but also elicit long-lasting immune responses. This knowledge is crucial for containing future outbreaks at an early stage, particularly in high-risk populations, and for better protecting society," adds Addo, who has been Vice Chair of the DZIF Executive Board since the beginning of 2026 and co-coordinates the DZIF Bridging Topic Vaccines.

The findings provide an important foundation for further clinical trials and for the strategic development of vaccines against MERS and other emerging viruses.

Publication details Leonie Mayer et al, Two-year persistence of MERS-CoV-specific antibody and T cell responses after MVA-MERS-S vaccination in healthy adults, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-68248-5 Journal information: Nature Communications
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Credit: Jonathan Borba from Pexels

A simple smart speaker may be the latest tool to help seniors with some of the mental and physical challenges of type 2 diabetes. A new study published in JAMA Network Open reports that using an Amazon Echo Dot helped reduce mental distress in older adults with the condition, while also improving their blood sugar levels and quality of life.

Globally, 1 in 5 people aged 65 and over has type 2 diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation. In addition to health complications, many experience anxiety, depression or frustration. Other challenges include memory loss that makes it difficult to track medications and frailty that can limit daily activities.

High-tech helper at home

Researchers from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil wanted to see if a cheap hands-free device could make life easier for senior citizens with the condition. So they set up a 12-week trial with 112 seniors with type 2 diabetes and split them into two groups.

One group was given a smart speaker that was programmed with daily health tips and educational podcasts. It also provided reminders for blood sugar tests and medication. The second group continued their normal routine, but without a smart speaker. However, they were given a health booklet and access to a website with the same health information online.

Credit: JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.53508

Mental and physical health boost

After 12 weeks, the researchers compared the two groups to see if the technology made a difference. One of the most significant results was the clear boost to mental health. Seniors who used the smart speaker reported a significant reduction in mental distress, meaning fewer symptoms associated with anxiety and depression. They also saw a significant boost in their quality of life.

The researchers suggest these improvements may partly be explained by trial participants feeling a connection with the technology. In fact, nearly 30% of the seniors reported "feelings of humanization" toward the speaker. And because the technology talked to them, they were more likely to take their medication on time and stick to their self-care routines.

There was also an improvement in physical health. Their HbA1c levels, which measure average blood sugar levels over two to three months, dropped by about 0.48%.

These promising results suggest that something as simple as a smart speaker could have significant benefits for seniors with type 2 diabetes, as the researchers note in their study: "This easily implemented self-management intervention could significantly enhance health outcomes in this population."

While the results are exciting, the researchers point out that additional studies are needed. Their trial was conducted for only 12 weeks at a single center. Research with larger groups will help confirm if the benefits last over time.

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 Lucas S. Matzenbacher et al, Interactive Virtual Assistant for Health Promotion Among Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.53508 Journal information: JAMA Network Open

 2026 Science X Network
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Coronavirus. Credit: European Centers for Disease Control

Two emerging pathogens with animal originsinfluenza D virus and canine coronavirushave so far been quietly flying under the radar, but researchers warn conditions are ripe for the viruses to spread more widely among humans. If surveillance and diagnostics continue to lag, influenza D virus and canine coronavirus have real potential to trigger outbreaks, writes a team of infectious disease experts and authors.

The work appears in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

"Our review of the literature indicates these two viruses pose respiratory disease threats to humans, yet little has been done to respond to or prevent infection from these viruses," said co-author John Lednicky, Ph.D., a research professor in the Department of Environmental and Global Health at the University of Florida's College of Public Health and Health Professions.

"If these viruses evolve the capacity to easily transmit person to person, they may be able to cause epidemics or pandemics since most people won't have immunity to them."

Since its discovery in 2011, influenza D virus has been associated with infections in pigs and cows, but it has also been found in many other livestock and wildlife species, including poultry, deer, giraffes, and kangaroos. Influenza D virus is believed to contribute to bovine respiratory disease, estimated to cost the U.S. cattle industry $1 billion a year.

The authors' previous studies of cattle workers in Colorado and Florida found that up to 97% of people working with herds carry influenza D virus antibodies, suggesting the workers had been exposed to the virus. So far, these infections are known to be subclinical, meaning they have not caused symptoms of illness. However, scientists say influenza D virus bears the hallmarks of a virus primed to rapidly evolve. Indeed, a strain of influenza D recently isolated in China has developed the capacity for human-to-human transmission.

"So far, influenza D virus has not been associated with serious infections in humans," said Lednicky, a member of UF's Emerging Pathogens Institute. "However, canine coronavirus has, but diagnostic tests are not routinely performed for the virus, so the extent to which the virus affects the population at large is not known."

Canine coronavirus (CCoV) can cause gastrointestinal illness in dogs, and is not the same virus as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Documented canine coronavirus infections in humans, while still rare, have been linked to pneumonia hospitalizations in Southeast Asia.

In a 2021 study led by Lednicky, a UF team isolated a canine coronavirus from a medical team member who had traveled from Florida to Haiti in 2017 and later experienced mild fever and malaise. The team named the strain HuCCoV_Z19Haiti.

Scientists led by Gregory Gray, M.D., director of the One Health Research and Training Laboratory at the University of Texas Medical Branch, reported the discovery of a new canine coronavirus strain, CCoV-HuPn-2018, in 2021. The strain had been isolated from a child hospitalized in Malaysia and was nearly identical to the coronavirus discovered by the UF team.

Since then, CCoV-HuPn-2018 has been found in people with respiratory illness living in Thailand, Vietnam, and in the state of Arkansas, demonstrating that this strain of canine coronavirus is already circulating across continents.

These recent influenza D virus and canine coronavirus discoveries underscore a familiar lesson from recent pandemics: Without proper preparation, a virus that quickly gains efficient human-to-human transmissibility can easily turn into a large-scale human epidemic. To prevent such a scenario, the scientists say better virus monitoring, more reliable tests, treatments, and possible vaccines are needed.

"Our knowledge of the viruses' epidemiology and clinical manifestations is limited to a modest number of research studies," the authors wrote. "Even so, the limited data regarding these novel, newly detected viruses indicate that they are a major threat to public health."

Publication details Gregory C. Gray et al, Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats from Influenza D and Canine Coronavirus HuPn-2018, Emerging Infectious Diseases (2026). DOI: 10.3201/eid3201.251764 Journal information: Emerging Infectious Diseases

Key medical concepts SARS-CoV-2
An Assistant Police Inspector and three constables of the Anti-Terrorism cell were arrested for allegedly stealing cash and gold jewellery from the house of a woman in Navi Mumbai during a drive to locate illegal Bangladeshi nationals last month, an official said on Tuesday.



Separately, the same set of accused allegedly extorted Rs 5 lakh from another suspected Bangladeshi woman in Kalyan. The accused cops have been identified as API Vijay Sutar and three constables, including a woman, attached to the Anti-Terrorism Cell of RCF police station in Chembur, Mumbai. The incident occurred last month during a drive against suspected Bangladeshi nationals in Navi Mumbai.



The police team raided the house of Asma Gulam Akhtar Poli. They allegedly asked her to sit inside a police van, while they stole around Rs 22 lakh cash and gold jewellery weighing around 15 tolas. The matter came to light when the woman found valuables missing. She contacted the API, following which the accused returned Rs 5 lakh and some jewellery. They also threatened her not to disclose the incident, a police official said.



The same team allegedly raided the house of another suspected Bangladeshi woman in Kalyan in Thane district. They brought her to the police station and later let her go after taking Rs 5 lakh from her. Both women subsequently approached a social worker, who helped them lodge a complaint. The accused were immediately taken into custody and further investigation is underway, the official said. -PTI




The 15-year-old boy who carried three-year-old Janhvi Sonkar after a heavy loudspeaker fell on her said he was unable to secure immediate medical help, alleging that Vikhrolis Ruby Medical Centre refused treatment. The family claims the lack of preliminary care contributed to the childs death.



The incident occurred on January 26 in Vikhrolis Kannamwar Nagar area, prompting allegations of negligence against event organisers and raising questions about emergency medical response. According to the police, the accident took place between 11.20 am and 11.30 am near Bharat Mata Temple in Vikhroli East, when loudspeakers installed on a public road collapsed, resulting in Janhvis death.



Unsafe installation



Police said Janhvi, daughter of complainant Rajesh Kumar Sonkar, was walking outside her residence when two large loudspeakers, allegedly installed by a Devi Pujak Mandal, fell on her. The speakers were reportedly erected without prior permission or adequate safety measures.



Investigators stated that a man carrying a large bundle of cloth scraps brushed against the speaker wires, destabilising the structure and causing the speakers to crash onto the child. Janhvi sustained severe head injuries. The complainant alleged that the loudspeakers were negligently installed on a narrow public road, posing a serious risk to pedestrians. He further claimed that the organisers ignored repeated warnings from residents regarding road conditions and public safety.



Treatment denied



Rajesh told Mumbai Mirror that his neighbour, Prit Jagfade, immediately lifted Janhvi and rushed her to Ruby Medical Centre. They did not provide any medical assistance and said they did not have an ambulance facility. We then took her to Godrej Hospital, where she was declared dead, he said.



He alleged that timely medical intervention could have increased his daughters chances of survival. They did not even examine her or arrange for an ambulance. If medical help had reached her in time, her life could have been saved, he added.



Prit claimed the child was breathing when they reached Ruby Medical Centre. I picked her up immediately and ran. She was breathing, but we were told to shift her elsewhere. We had to take a rickshaw, which caused a delay, he said.



A staff member from Ruby Medical Centre, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the hospital lacked facilities to handle such a critical case. The child had a severe head injury, and our hospital does not have adequate medical facilities or ambulance services, the staff member said.



Janhvis uncle, Jagdamba Sonkar, demanded strict action against the organisers. It is a narrow road with a speed breaker. Residents had asked the organisers to place the speakers elsewhere, but they ignored the warnings. This tragedy is the result of negligence, he said.



Vikhroli police have booked two organisers in the case. Vinod Harji Parmar, 56, and Syed Guran Ali, 55, have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and appropriate legal action will be initiated, Senior Police Inspector Suryakant Naikwadi told Mumbai Mirror. The accused have been charged under Section 106 of the BNS, which deals with causing death by negligence, along with other applicable provisions.




Bal Keshav Thackeray never held public office, never contested an election, and yet, he remained one of the most consequential figures in Maharashtras politics for decades. Thackeray quelled internal rebellions and survived the departure of multiple leaders hed mentored, but 14 years after his demise, the party stands fractured, with an existential battle ahead for his political heirs.



From modest beginnings as a cartoonist to becoming the supremo of the Shiv Sena whose writ ran Mumbai, Thackerays life was a study in contradictions: he was an anti-elitist who enjoyed loyalty from elites, anti-establishment yet politically influential, a provocateur and a protector, all rolled into one.



On his 100th birth anniversary (Jan 23), the legacy of the Shiv Sena founder may have faded, but it hasnt been rendered irrelevant just yet.



From Bal Thackeray to Balasaheb



Thackerays career started in the newspaper world, as a cartoonist with Mumbai-based The Free Press Journal. He later moved to the Marathi cartoon weekly Marmik (meaning pithy), launched by his writer-social reformer father Keshav Prabodhankar Thackeray. As a young cartoonist, his cartoons were sharp, unforgiving and unapologetically political.



However, Thackeray told senior journalist Ambarish Mishra that he found the Sunday pullouts in the Marathi dailies of the time extremely dull and boring to explain the need and success of a publication like Marmik.



There used to be articles on how to cure constipation and how celibacy was good for health, Thackeray said.



He also told the journalist that cartoons were his first passion and a career in politics was never on the agenda.



Over the years, Marmik prominently gave space in its pages to the simmering rage against outsiders in the state who were seen to be taking jobs away from Maharashtrians. The 1960s was also a time of upheaval and uncertainty in the citys once dominant textile industry.



Encouraged - and with the organisations name provided by his father, Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena (Shivajis Army) on June 19, 1966 in a small apartment in Kadam Mansion in Dadar with a handful of members.



It was decided that Thackeray should hold a rally to mark the partys launch, the late Sujata Anandan, veteran journalist and author of a biography of Bal Thackeray told TOI+ in an interview.



But unsure about the turnout, Bal Thackeray was toying with the option of holding the gathering in a closed hall or a school ground. But, on suggestions of his colleagues, Shivaji Park was finalised, she said.



It would remain a venue associated with the party for decades later, even housing a memorial dedicated to Thackeray after his demise.



Prabodhankar, while addressing the rally, famously told the assembled crowd: This Bal (child in Marathi) was mine till today, but from now on he is Maharashtras.



The Shiv Sena would go on to spearhead a campaign targeting South Indian-owned businesses and employees, which was widely condemned but also earned Thackerays fledgling party more support. It would be a template that the party would lean on for decades to come.



The Thackeray effect



Assessing the Shiv Sena over the decades only through electoral results fails to capture the impact the party had on the social and civic fabric of Mumbai. For decades, Thackeray functioned as an extra-constitutional authority, arbitrating disputes and shaping outcomes far beyond the ballot box.



Film stars sought his intervention in disputes, while city industrialists praised him for crushing Communist trade unions that threatened their business interests. Many among the citys elite openly acknowledged owing him favours.



Yet, this same power generated a darker reality for ordinary citizens. The partys musclemen dispensed summary justice and responded instantly to their leaders directives. Mumbais residents lived with spontaneous shutdowns, anti-minority rhetoric and constant disruption that could erupt without warning.



In an obituary, Vir Sanghvi reflected on meeting Thackeray in the late 1970s, long before he transformed himself into the Muslim-hating, Pakistan-bashing figure he later became.



At that stage, he was a strictly Bombay phenomenon, the sort of chap who could bring the city to its knees for a couple of days by getting his Sainiks to beat up shopkeepers and taxi-drivers. But he was not much more than that, he wrote.



But even then, there was always a distinction between the private Thackeray and the Senapati who addressed the cadres at Shivaji Park. The private Thackeray was polite and hospitable (but no, he was never mild-mannered), liked good food and beer, was curious about the world, and like most people of his background, thrilled by the idea of foreign travel, he wrote.



The focus of Thackerays politics shifted, often conveniently, between the subjects of the Marathi manoos(people) and Hindutva. His power was rooted in intimidation, charisma, and mass appeal.



Senior journalist Nikhil Wagle, who faced Thackerays ire and multiple attacks by the party, once wrote the leaders success could be attributed to his refusal to fit into established political and social frameworks.



He practised politics in his own style, his own language, his own rhythm, and was driven by his own passions. From this emerged the Thackeray Effect that has shaped Maharashtras politics over the past 52 yearsan effect that built many lives and shattered others, he wrote in an obituary titled Pyare Dushman (Dear Enemy).



Rebellions and departures, until the party split



In his book Jai Maharashtra, journalist and author Prakash Akolkar wrote about how internal dissent surfaced soon after the Shiv Senas founding. In 1968 and 1969, two leaders attempted to challenge Thackerays authority. However, both failed and strengthened the founders determination to ensure that critics within the party did not succeed.



The first open, and consequential, revolt came in 1991, when OBC (Other Backward Caste) leader Chhagan Bhujbal broke ranks and left the party for the Congress. Then came Ganesh Naiks rebellion in 1995, rooted in a disagreement with Thackerays decision to anoint his son as his political heir.



In 2005, Narayan Rane left, and a year later, Thackerays nephew Raj left to form his own party. However, through it all, Thackeray did not change the partys succession plan or his own politics.



However, the Sena - which was handed over to son Uddhav in 2003 - fractured dramatically in 2022 when Eknath Shinde walked out with over 40 legislators to ally with the BJP.



Since the,n the Thackeray clan has seen a dramatic decline in its hold over the party and power. In 2025, Mumbais civic body  which was the Thackeray familys strongest and final political bastion  slipped from their grasp.



While they may invoke Thackeray, his heirs are now struggling to translate his legacy into political power. Uddhav and nephew Raj  once rivals and presently allies  may invoke lineage and continuity, but Shinde and his supporters argue the family has long abandoned Thackerays politics.



Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, who interviewed Thackeray on multiple occasions, told TOI+ that Thackeray was once an outlier for his times but his militant Hindutva has now become troublingly normalised.



He was, in a sense, a forerunner of a brand of populist politics which is constantly searching for an enemy figure, he said.



The political future of his family remains unclear as their grasp on power and influence only looks set to weaken in the future, but Thackerays politics of nativism might not be irrelevant just yet.



I think Bal Thackeray is still relevant because Hindutva and Marathi asmita (pride), his two key planks, are still part of the political narrative as we saw in the recent BMC elections in Mumbai, said Sardesai.



I like to see Thackeray as a unique leader whose strength lies in the fact that he couldnt be emulated, he said.




Mumbais Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has come under fresh scrutiny after the Progressive Students Forum (PSF) accused the institute of weakening student democracy through its newly announced Students Council constitution.



In a press release, PSF alleged that the revised framework diluted the powers of student-elected bodies while significantly expanding administrative oversight.



TISS officials did not respond despite repeated attempts to seek comment. According to PSF, the constitution  announced on January 23  undermined the autonomy of representative student bodies and enabled deeper administrative interference in campus affairs. The group questioned the legitimacy of the documents preamble, which begins with the phrase, We, the students of TISS, and asked which students, if any, were consulted during the drafting process.



Admin role under lens



PSF linked the latest controversy to developments in 2024, when the institute suspended the functioning of student organisations. It said students mobilised to restore representation on campus after the suspension, but alleged that the newly introduced framework arrived with what it described as serious flaws that reshaped existing power structures within the institution.



At the centre of PSFs criticism is the Office of Students Affairs (OSA). The group alleged that the new constitution granted OSA unprecedented powers by centralising decision-making under the guise of coordination and consultation. It claimed the revised structure strengthened the administrative role of OSA at the expense of student-led organisations and objected to provisions allowing OSA to nominate members to committees instead of relying on democratically elected student representatives.



PSF also argued that the constitution rolled back earlier transparency safeguards. It said the previous student union constitution mandated regular general body meetings and allowed the student president and general secretary to participate in academic councils. According to the group, the removal of these provisions weakened accountability and meaningful student participation in academic decision-making.



Poll process questioned



Concerns were raised over committee representation, with PSF expressing dissatisfaction over a provision allowing only two nominated student representatives. It cited University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines that require at least three democratically elected student members on key bodies, including internal grievance redressal committees. The group warned that reduced representation could mute student voices, particularly on issues related to campus safety and welfare.



Financial governance emerged as another flashpoint. PSF alleged that the constitution remained vague on the control and management of student funds following the renaming of the Students Union Fund  Rs 500 per semester  to the Student Wellness and Welfare Fund. It said the document failed to specify the total corpus, its use, or the extent of student authority over expenditure.



PSF also flagged ambiguity around elections at off-campus centres in Hyderabad and Guwahati, stating that the constitution did not clearly outline the election process. Reiterating that student representation was a fundamental right, the group called for compliance with UGC guidelines and Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.



TISS did not issue an official response to the allegations, and institute officials remained unreachable for comment.




There is a project at New Malabar Hill. Should we invest in it, as the price seems very cheap? asked a relative of mine who is based out of Delhi.



The question left me perplexed, as I had never heard of this location. Thereafter, on checking the details of the project, I learnt the project was not in Malabar Hill, was not close to Malabar Hill, not even in South Mumbai, or for that matter, not even in Mumbai, but outside Mumbai in a location called Badlapur.



Welcome to the biggest pandemic of Mumbai as well as Indian real estate: Location Deception.



This trend has been around for a few years but has really gotten out of control recently. There are two strategies that are employed to deceive the home buyer. The first one is where the builder has a project in a place that is next to a premium location. In that scenario he uses the address of the premium location for marketing his project.



Example: A project in Khar will use Bandra, a project in Deonar will use Chembur, a project in Bhandup will use Kanjurmarg, etc.



Last week, this paper reported about how one such incident even turned political  when a builder claimed a Tilak Nagar project to be Ghatkopar East.



The second one is where the builder creates a new name altogether for his location. This is often used when the address has a negative perception in the mind of the common person. Example: Bhiwandi in Thane is marketed by different builders using different names. And most of the builders rarely even use the word Bhiwandi.



In the first scenario, the builder is trying to gain higher sales and price by advertising an existing but incorrect address. In the second scenario, the builder is trying to drive awareness and sales by advertising an address that is not only incorrect but also non-existent.



The first one is a minor deception; the second one is major. But both should be banned. If all real estate is just about the location, then a builder should not be able to market an incorrect or non-existent location.



Given the rampant use of this strategy, it is obvious that builders believe this deception is effective. They are right. Todays large projects attract buyers from a wide spectrum of geographies. The majority of buyers are from within the neighbourhood and know the ground reality. But there is a minority who are migrating from outside the neighbourhood who arent as aware of the ground reality. Given the scale of large projects, this minority is yet a substantial number of homebuyers for builders to pursue the deception. The approach, however, works for the insider and the outsider. The insider doesnt mind the lie being perpetrated while the outsider is often late to learn or indifferent to the ground reality. Once the insider and outsider both purchase an apartment then they are united in perpetuating the narrative further ahead.



Personally, I am surprised that the regulator RERA has been sleeping over this misleading advertising despite it happening in a brazen manner. It should have been addressed long ago when this practice first began. Technicalities and loopholes that permit this mischief should be closed.



Home buyers need to be vigilant. These tricks are often a precursor to the overall ethos of the builder. Having noticed the players who resort to these tactics and then reading their legal agreements with buyers, I can report that there is a strong correlation. Builders who are deceptive in their advertising also have the highest odds of being deceptive and mischievous in their agreements with home buyers.



Until the regulator doesnt wake up, the buyers are on their own. The circus will stop but it will need a strong ringmaster.



Vishal Bhargava tracks Mumbais real estate




Precious metals soared on Monday  with gold extending its record-run past $5,100 (Rs 4.67 lakh) per troy ounce (31 gram) and silver surging to new highs  as investors continued to load up on hard assets as a hedge against geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.



Gold was up 2.4 per cent on New Yorks COMEX commodities exchange before pulling back; it had crossed the $5,000 threshold for the first time a day earlier. Silver, which tends to be more volatile, spiked 14.6 percent Monday to more than $116 per ounce before paring back. The white metal has more than tripled in value in the past year.



Analysts say the run-up in both metals reflects a broader shift away from dollar-based assets, a phenomenon known as the debasement trade. This isnt a meme rally This is a fundamental rally in terms of the de-dollarisation of the world, as central banks are protecting themselves from US policy, and maybe the unpredictability of what the US does, said Bob Gottlieb, a former metals trader.



Numerous central banks upped their gold purchases in 2022 at the onset of the war in Ukraine, and the buying accelerated in early 2025 as President Donald Trumps trade wars disrupted global markets. Those anxieties have reignited in recent weeks as the Trump administration has assumed a more aggressive foreign policy stance. US and global stocks sold off, then steadied as geopolitical tensions stabilised.



Over the weekend, Trump threatened Canada with a 100 per cent tariff, saying it would happen immediately if Ottawa made a trade deal with China. But Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had announced the agreement a week earlier, initially drawing praise from Trump. The current whack-a-mole backdrop of geopolitical conflict continues to support a risk premium in gold, said strategist Adam Turnquist.



Other metals have gained value, too. Copper was driven higher by a 50 per cent tariff on finished products that the Trump administration imposed in July. Futures tied to platinum and palladium, both used in automotive catalytic converters and other industrial products, have climbed more than 25 percent since the start of the year.



Turnquist said metals also are being pushed higher by the sinking dollar, which fell again on Monday to its lowest point since September. A weaker dollar means foreign currencies are stronger by comparison, boosting foreign investors purchases of non-dollar investments.



Silver prices have been driven higher by growing industrial uses in recent years, including solar panels and data centre projects.



The increasing popularity of gold and silver raises concern with some personal finance experts. Prices are at historic highs, meaning those who buy in late could be at risk in any potential downturn, said Morningstar portfolio strategist Amy Arnott. Even though gold has a reputation as a safe haven, during times of market turmoil it can actually be quite volatile, Arnott said.



Federica Cocco contributed to this report.



The Washington Post




Sonora, CATuolumne County Public Health is seeking volunteers to help count and collect tobacco waste samples to assess its hazardous impact on the county.

This winter, help protect our local environment from contaminants and chemicals from tobacco product waste like cigarette butts and disposable vapes, stated health officials.

This weekend, local health officials are holding a Tobacco & Litter Volunteer Clean Up event in downtown Sonora to address garbage, tobacco waste, and other pollutants. The event for Winter 2026 will be Sunday, February 1, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., meeting at the Farmers Market parking lot at 37 Theall Street near the mural in the parking lot. Gloves and trash bags will be given to each volunteer at the event. Health officials recommend volunteers bring sunscreen and wear clothes and shoes appropriate for the outdoors, steep terrain, and inclement weather.

Since this cleanup includes walking on sidewalks, in parking lots, and near roadways, it is recommended that volunteers be at least 13 years old, added health officials. Children 12 and under may participate but must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.

This latest cleanup event comes on the heels of the successful Fall 2025 cleanup in Groveland on October 4, 2025, where 16 community members, of all ages, removed 1,231 cigarette butts from Mary Laveroni Community Park and the surrounding outdoor area. County health officials relay that they are now scheduling local litter cleanup programs throughout the year.

As part of our Tobacco Prevention Program, we will be counting and collecting samples of tobacco waste to gauge the impact of this toxic waste in our county, shared health officials. We hope to share our findings with the community.

To volunteer, click here to sign up. Additionally, volunteers who complete a survey at the end of Sundays event will earn a $5 gift card and be entered in a drawing. For more event information, call (209) 768-5647.
The world is edging closer to catastrophe than at any point in history, according to the scientists who oversee the Doomsday Clock.

The Doomsday Clock is ticking closer to midnight

The symbolic timepiece now stands at just 85 seconds to midnight, down from 89 seconds last year  itself the closest it had ever been. It marks the third time in four years the clock has been moved nearer to global destruction.

The Doomsday Clock is maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which created it in 1947 to reflect existential threats facing humanity, originally focusing on nuclear war during the Cold War. At its most optimistic point, in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the clock sat 17 minutes from midnight. Since then, it has crept relentlessly forward  so much so that scientists now measure danger in seconds rather than minutes.

Experts cited the growing risk of global conflict, climate breakdown and the rapid, poorly regulated development of artificial intelligence as key reasons for the latest move.

Alexandra Bell, the Bulletin's president and CEO, said: "Of course, the Doomsday Clock is about global risks, and what we have seen is a global failure in leadership. No matter the government, a shift towards neo-imperialism and an Orwellian approach to governance will only serve to push the clock toward midnight."

She continued: "In terms of nuclear risks, nothing in 2025 trended in the right direction.

"Longstanding diplomatic frameworks are under duress or collapsing, the threat of explosive nuclear testing has returned, proliferation concerns are growing, and there were three military operations taking place under the shadow of nuclear weapons and the associated escalatory threat.

"The risk of nuclear use is unsustainably and unacceptably high."

Bell pointed to Russias ongoing war in Ukraine, US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and clashes between India and Pakistan, as well as mounting tensions involving China, Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula. She also warned that nationalism and aggression have intensified among major powers.

The expert said: "Russia, China, the United States and other major countries have become increasingly aggressive and nationalistic."
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A man sprayed an unknown substance on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and was tackled to the ground Tuesday during a town hall in Minneapolis, where tensions over federal immigration enforcement have come to a head after agents fatally shot an intensive care nurse and a mother of three this month.

The audience cheered as the man was pinned down and his arms were tied behind his back. In video of the incident, someone in the crowd can be heard saying, Oh my god, he sprayed something on her.

Just before that Omar had called for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment. Calls are mounting on Capitol Hill for Noem to step down after the shooting deaths in Minneapolis of two people who protested deportations. Few Republicans have risen to her defense.

ICE cannot be reformed, Omar said, seconds before the attack.

Minneapolis police said officers saw the man use a syringe to spray an unknown liquid at Omar. They immediately arrested him and booked him at the county jail for third-degree assault, spokesperson Trevor Folke said. Forensic scientists responded to the scene.

Police identified the man as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak. It was not immediately clear if Kazmierczak had an attorney. The county public defenders office could not immediately be reached.

Omar continued speaking for about 25 more minutes after the man was ushered out by security, saying she would not be intimidated.

There was a strong, vinegarlike smell after the man pushed on the syringe, according to an Associated Press journalist who was there. Photos of the device, which fell to the ground when he was tackled, showed what appeared to be a light-brown liquid inside. There was no immediate word from officials on what it was.

Minneapolis Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw said some of the substance also came into contact with her and state Sen. Bobby Joe Champion. She called it a deeply unsettling experience.

No one in the crowd of about 100 people had a noticeable physical reaction to the substance.

Omar says she is OK and a survivor

Walking out afterward, Omar said she felt a little flustered but was not hurt. She was going to be screened by a medical team.

She later posted on the social platform X: Im ok. Im a survivor so this small agitator isnt going to intimidate me from doing my work. I dont let bullies win.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Tuesday night.

President Donald Trump has frequently criticized the congresswoman and has stepped up verbal attacks on her in recent months as he turned his focus on Minneapolis. During a Cabinet meeting in December, he referred to her as garbage.

Hours earlier on Tuesday, the president criticized Omar as he spoke to a crowd in Iowa, saying his administration would only let in immigrants who can show that they love our country.

They have to be proud, not like Ilhan Omar, he said, drawing loud boos at the mention of her name.

He added: She comes from a country thats a disaster. So probably, its considered, I think  its not even a country.

Omar is a U.S. citizen who fled her birthplace, Somalia, with her family at age 8 as a civil war tore apart the country.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul area is home to about 84,000 people of Somali descent  nearly a third of Somalis living in the U.S.

Officials condemn the attack

Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz expressed gratitude that Omar was safe, adding in a post on X: Our state has been shattered by political violence in the last year. The cruel, inflammatory, dehumanizing rhetoric by our nations leaders needs to stop immediately.

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, also denounced the assault.

I am deeply disturbed to learn that Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked at a town hall today Mace said. Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric  and I do  no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, called the attack unacceptable. He said he was relieved that Omar is OK and thanked police for their quick response, concluding: This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city.

The city has been reeling from the fatal shootings of two residents by federal immigration agents this month during Trumps massive immigration enforcement surge. Intensive care unit nurse Alex Pretti was killed Saturday, less than three weeks after Renee Good was fatally shot behind the wheel of her vehicle.

Lawmakers face rising threats

The attack came days after a man was arrested in Utah for allegedly punching U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida, in the face during the Sundance Film Festival and saying Trump was going to deport him.

Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, peaking in 2021 in the aftermath of that years Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, before dipping slightly only to climb again, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Capitol Police.

Lawmakers have discussed the impact on their ability to hold town halls and public events, with some even citing the threat environment in their decisions not to seek reelection.

Following the assault on Omar, U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that the agency was working with our federal partners to see this man faces the most serious charges possible to deter this kind of violence in our society.

It also released updated numbers detailing threats to members of Congress: 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against lawmakers, their families, staff and the Capitol Complex in 2025.

That is a sharp increase from 2024, when the number of cases was 9,474, according to USCP. It is the third year in a row that the number of threats has increased.

Capitol Police have beefed up security measures across all fronts since Jan. 6, 2021, and the department has seen increased reporting after a new center was launched two years ago to process reports of threats.

___

Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press writers Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu, Mike Balsamo, Lisa Mascaro and Michelle Price in Washington, Hallie Golden in Seattle and Farnoush Amiri in New York contributed to this report.

By LAURA BARGFELD and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM

Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  President Donald Trumps endorsement of U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsins open race for governor led the congressmans top Republican rival to drop out of the race less than a day later.

Tiffany now faces only nominal opposition for the Republican nomination in the battleground state after Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann announced his decision to drop out Wednesday. Schoemann congratulated Tiffany on the Trump endorsement and wished him great success in November.

Trump announced the endorsement in a social media post on Tuesday night, saying Tiffany has always been at my side.

Tiffany has been a fierce Trump loyalist since he was elected to Congress in 2020. Prior to that. he served just over seven years in the Legislature, where he was a firm backer of former Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

Tiffany still faces Andy Manske, a 26-year-old medical services technician, in the Republican primary. Manske vowed to remain in the race, despite raising almost no money so far compared to Tiffanys more than $2 million.

Trump said that as governor, Tiffany would work to grow the economy, cut taxes, secure the border, ensure law and order, support the military and protect gun rights.

Tiffany said he was honored to receive the endorsement and promised that if elected, I will make Wisconsin great again by lowering utility rates and property taxes, cutting burdensome red tape, rooting out waste and fraud, and restoring common-sense leadership to Madison.

Democrats blasted the endorsement.

Tiffany has proudly voted in lockstep for Washington Republicans expensive and unpopular agenda that has hurt families, farmers, and small businesses across Wisconsin, Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Izzi Levy said.

Wisconsins governors race is open for the first time in 16 years, after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers decided not to seek a third term. Prominent Democrats who are running include former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes; current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez; Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley; state Sen. Kelda Roys; state Rep. Francesca Hong; former state economic development director Missy Hughes; and former Evers aide Joel Brennan.

Tiffany faces some historical hurdles. No sitting member of Congress has ever been elected governor of Wisconsin. And in the past 36 years, gubernatorial candidates who were from the same party as the president in a midterm election have lost every time, except for Evers in 2022.

But Democrats have also never held the office more than eight years in a row.

By SCOTT BAUER

Associated Press
The city of San Diego is suing the federal government for building razor wire fencing on city land near the Mexican border, arguing that the fence damages sensitive habitat and trespasses on city property.

The lawsuit, filed with the federal Southern District Court on Jan. 5, names the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other federal officials. It argues that U.S. Marines illegally entered city land in December and built fences in Marron Valley, east of Otay Mountain.

The fences caused irreparable harm to protected plant and wildlife habitats, riparian areas, and vernal pools the city argued, saying the fence blocks city access to the site and jeopardizes conservation programs designed to protect that habitat. The city is asking the court to halt any more fence construction and declare the citys right to ownership and use of the land.

The City of San Diego will not allow federal agencies to disregard the law and damage city property, City Attorney Heather Ferbert said in a statement. We are taking decisive action to protect sensitive habitats, uphold environmental commitments, and ensure that the rights and resources of our community are respected.

The Department of Defense declined to comment, citing pending litigation. The Department of Homeland Security didnt respond to questions from CalMatters, and neither agency has filed responses to the lawsuit yet.

The case represents a new front in Californias battle with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and the role of federal power versus state and local authority.

The most high-profile conflicts have concerned the use of National Guard and active duty military in California cities. In December a federal judge ordered the National Guard to leave Los Angeles and return to Gov. Gavin Newsoms control. Shortly afterward the Supreme Court blocked deployment of the National Guard in Chicago, effectively shutting down the administrations appeals against California.

In this case the fight is over wildlands instead of urban neighborhoods.

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This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

By DEBORAH BRENNAN/CalMatters

CalMatters
BEIJING (AP)  U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that his country doesnt have to choose between relations with the United States and China as he started a four-day trip to China aimed at repairing ties and expanding opportunities for British companies in the worlds second-largest economy.

The British leader arrived in the capital, Beijing, in the late afternoon. Earlier, he told reporters on his plane that he would balance engagement with China with national security concerns.

Im a pragmatist, a British pragmatist applying common sense, he said.

He is the first U.K. prime minister to visit Beijing since Theresa May in 2018. The relationship deteriorated in the intervening years over growing concern about Chinese espionage, Beijings support for Russia in the Ukraine war and its crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong, the former British colony.

Those issues remain, but both sides are emphasizing that they should seek common ground while managing differences, as Zheng Zeguang, Chinas Ambassador to the U.K., wrote in a commentary for The Times of London this week.

The UK sees opportunity in selling services to China

Starmer, whose center-left Labour Party government has struggled to deliver the economic growth it promised, is bringing a delegation of more than 50 British business leaders including executives from British Airways, HSBC bank and Jaguar Land Rover. His agenda includes Shanghai, the nations financial capital and a major port, as well as meetings with Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders in Beijing.

Starmer told members of the U.K. business and culture delegation that they were making history.

Its in our national interest to engage with China, he said, adding that the relationship brought huge opportunities.

Of course, we will have to manage our differences, he added.

China had a huge trade surplus with the U.K. in 2025, exporting $85.1 billion in goods while importing $18.6 billion worth, according to Chinese statistics. But the U.K. had a trade surplus in services.

Wang Yiwei, a European affairs expert at Renmin University of China, said that Britains strengths in finance, consulting and other services dovetail well with a growing appetite in China for services such as health and elderly care. Its a huge market, he said.

The Trump factor weighs on both countries

For many governments, the disruption to global trade under U.S. President Donald Trump has made expanding trade and investment even more imperative.

Both Britain and China have been buffeted by U.S. President Donald Trumps tariffs and are seeking to diversify their overseas markets and the supply chains for their industries. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made a trip to China earlier this month with the same goals in mind.

The approach is not without risks. Trump has threatened to put a 100% tariff on Canada if it reaches a trade deal with China, prompting a swift response from Carney. Canada and China have a preliminary agreement to cut tariffs on electric vehicles and farm goods, but Canada has no intention of pursuing a free trade deal with Beijing, the Canadian leader said.

For many countries, the challenge is finding the right balance in an increasingly uncertain world. Even China, seen by many as a challenger to U.S. dominance in the 21st century, cannot oppose America, Wang said, noting Trumps planned visit in April.

We are not against but we criticize, he said.

Starmer is facing opposition from Trump over the U.K.s agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius. The British government says the move will secure the future of a key U.K.-U.S. military base against legal challenge, but critics argue it opens the door to Chinese influence.

Last week Trump spoke out against the deal, calling it an act of great stupidity, although his administration welcomed it when it was agreed in May.

On his way to Beijing, Starmer insisted the Trump administrations intelligence agencies had reviewed the deal in detail and concluded that it was a deal they wanted to support, did support and did so in very clear terms.

Starmers office said Wednesday it will continue to engage with the U.S. to allay any concerns about the Chagos deal.

Spying and Hong Kong complicate the relationship

Concern about Chinese spying and surveillance has risen sharply in many countries in recent years, complicating trade and overall relations. The U.K. has barred Chinese investment in sensitive telecoms infrastructure and squeezed China out of investment in new nuclear power plants, souring ties.

Starmers government has said it will protect national security while keeping up diplomatic dialogue and economic cooperation with the Asian superpower. The U.K. recently approved plans for a huge Chinese Embassy in London, removing a sticking point in relations but also overriding claims by critics that the mega-embassy would make it easier for China to conduct espionage and intimidate dissidents.

While most Western leaders come under pressure to raise human rights issues with China, they are a particular flashpoint for the U.K. because of its historical links to Hong Kong, a British colony until 1997.

Starmers visit comes less than two months after a Hong Kong court convicted Jimmy Lai, a former newspaper publisher and a British citizen, under a national security law that Beijing imposed on the territory after massive pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Chris Patten, the British governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997, said Starmer should be firm in raising disagreements over Lais imprisonment and other human rights issues.

___

Lawless reported from London.

By KEN MORITSUGU and JILL LAWLESS

Associated Press
The High Court will begin the trial into teacher and blogger Albert Ojwangs death on March 17, 2026, marking a significant moment in a case that has captured national attention and put Kenyas police conduct under intense scrutiny.

Justice Diana Kavedza, who is handling the case, issued clear pretrial directions to keep things moving. She instructed prosecutors to present their witnesses over five consecutive days, with roughly five witnesses testifying each day, so the court can wrap up the trial within a reasonable time.

Though prosecutors plan to call 28 witnesses, Justice Kavedza pushed them to trim that number wherever they can. She suggested that both sides agree to admit some evidence without testimony, which would speed things up and prevent unnecessary holdups.

The trial kicks off on March 17, with more sessions on March 23 when three witnesses will testify, and March 24, when five additional witnesses will take the stand.

Prosecutors told the court theyll present protected witnesses during the first two days. Prosecutor Christine Timoi said five witnesses will testify on opening day.

For the first two days, we shall be calling protected witnesses.

Justice Kavedza ordered prosecutors to reveal the protected witnesses identities to the court while keeping security measures in place to protect them throughout the trial.

The judge also directed prosecutors to give the accused hard copies of all witness materials, while defense lawyers will get digital versions to help them prepare properly.

During the hearing, the court learned about delays involving critical digital evidence. Lawyers explained that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) had struggled to find enough storage space for CCTV footage tied to the case. But IPOA confirmed it secured the necessary storage on Monday afternoon, January 26, 2026.

IPOA said its investigators were reviewing the footage and would share it with all parties by end of business on Tuesday, January 27.

Albert Ojwang died on June 8, 2025, while in police custody. His death triggered public outrage, street protests, and fresh demands for accountability within the National Police Service. Former Nairobi Central OCS Samson Talaam and five others now face charges connected to his death and will stand trial in the High Court.

Police reportedly arrested Ojwang in Homa Bay County after Kenyas deputy police chief Eliud Langat complained about a social media post he made. Officers then transferred him to Nairobis Central Police Station, where he died in custody.

At first, police said Ojwang took his own life by banging his head on a wall. But a post-mortem exam told a different story. Doctors found blunt force injuries, neck compression, and multiple wounds to soft tissue. The medical findings showed these injuries didnt match suicide  they pointed strongly to assault before his death.

As the trial date draws closer, human rights groups, civil society organizations, Kenyans at large and Ojwangs family are watching closely. They see this case as a crucial test of whether anyone will be held accountable for deaths in police custody. The High Court proceedings should reveal more about what happened during Ojwangs final hours and establish who bears responsibility for his death.
A daughter of a late businessman is facing charges for allegedly forging her fathers Will just a month after his death to cut her two sisters out of property and billions of shillings held in bank accounts..

Testifying before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Susan Shitubi, Kalpa Chandarana accused her sister, Dinta Devani Pathanja, of forging the Will of their late father, Balkrishna Ramji Haribhai Devani, to deny Kalpa and their other sister, Shilpa, their rightful inheritance in Pelican Limited, Silverstar Properties, and Stanmore Development Limited.

Kalpa told the court that their father had drafted his Will at Dally & Inamdah Advocates on June 3, 2019.

Is it your evidence that your sister, Dinta, and others forged the Will of your father a month after he died? the prosecuting counsel asked.

Yes. My father died on June 5, 2019, and this codicil is dated July 2019, Kalpa replied.

She added,

It means that he rose from the dead and signed the minutes of a directors meeting, thus altering his Will and granting my sister Dinta the companies to our detriment.

The magistrate heard that the alleged illegal transfer of her shares to Dinta has caused Kalpa physical and emotional suffering, and for the past seven years, she has been fighting to reclaim her shares.

After the business tycoons death, Dally & Inamdah Advocates gathered the family, including their late mother, Dinta, doctors, and a few relatives, to open and read the Will aloud. Kalpa testified that their father had divided his estate equally among his three daughters: Kalpa, Dinta, and Shilpa, who lives in London.

She said that a month after his death, someone filed an inheritance case at Milimani Law Courts, and she was shocked to discover that Dinta had filed a codicil to their fathers Will. The codicil allegedly transferred vast shares of the family estate solely to Dinta.

After the Will, which divided shares in the estate among all of us, none of us raised any objection to the way he had distributed his properties, Kalpa said.

Kalpa discovered the changes in documents filed at the Milimani High Court Division, where the succession case was being handled. She said the amendments threatened her inheritance rights and also affected her sister Shilpa in the United Kingdom.

Besides revoking sections of the industrialists Will, Dinta, along with her husband Abbay Singh Pathanja and two senior employees, allegedly transferred shares in 2018 in Pelican Limited.

Kalpa testified that Dinta, together with Samuel Ngugi Ndinguri and Addah Nduta Ndambuki, forged minutes of a directors meeting while their father was receiving treatment in the UK between July 12, 2018, and February 5, 2019. The minutes falsely claimed the meeting was attended by the deceased and his late wife.

The court also heard that the accused altered Devanis Will without being administrators of the estate. Ndinguri allegedly filed a false affidavit in a succession matter to manipulate the deceased tycoons estate.

All four face charges of conspiring to forge the codicil of Devanis Will, including falsifying suit documents and board meeting minutes of Pelican Signs Limited in Nairobi in November 2019.

The accused denied the charges and applied for release on bond. The prosecution did not oppose the request.

Justice Shitubi granted the accused bond of KSh3 million with a surety of the same amount, or an alternative cash bail of KSh1 million.
Counties across Kenya have failed to meet basic emergency response standards, leaving patients to wait hours before receiving urgent care, according to recent reports from Auditor General Nancy Gathungu.

The audits reveal a dire state of emergency medical services, with nearly one-third of ambulances across the country sitting idle and hospitals poorly equipped, creating life-threatening delays in both urban and rural areas.

Covering financial years 2017/2018 to 2021/2022 and 2021/2022 to 2024/2025, Gathungus performance audit reports highlight systemic weaknesses affecting ambulance availability, hospital preparedness, and overall patient care.

Ambulance Shortages and Delays Put Lives at Risk

The reports show that ambulance services are severely under-resourced. Across multiple counties, response times fall far below international standards, which recommend ambulance arrival within 1520 minutes. In some regions, patients wait up to one or two hours for help.

Of 269 ambulances reviewed, 34 per cent were non-functional, with many lacking basic life-support supplies, the audits reveal.

Counties like Kiambu, Busia, Mombasa, and Nairobi face severe shortages, with Kiambu lacking 11 ambulances and Nairobi missing 30. In other counties  including Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua, Isiolo, Tharaka Nithi, Kisumu, Tana River, and Garissa  ambulances remain grounded due to lack of fuel, missing equipment, or insufficient trained staff.

The absence of a coordinated national dispatch system worsens the problem. Counties rely on outdated communication methods, have no real-time tracking, and in many cases, lack toll-free emergency contact lines. Only Machakos met the recommended dispatch time, while Mombasa recorded delays of up to 60 minutes, Kisumu and Nairobi 2060 minutes, Kiambu 3045 minutes, Narok 30 minutes, Kisii 60 minutes, and Kirinyaga 2040 minutes.

Hospitals Ill-Equipped and Understaffed

Hospitals provide limited relief. Only nine per cent of Level 4 hospitals audited had dedicated accident and emergency (A&E) units, and none had separate pediatric emergency sections. Thirty out of 33 Level 4 hospitals  including facilities in Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, Mombasa, Machakos, and Kisiilack proper A&E departments.

Staffing levels are critically low, with nurse-to-patient ratios at 1:100 in Level 4 hospitals and 1:122 in Level 5 hospitals, far below the World Health Organizations recommended 1:4 ratio. Equipment shortages are widespread: 90 per cent of Level 4 hospitals lack piped oxygen, 84 per cent have no ventilators, and essential drugs are frequently unavailable. Most hospitals also lack intensive care units.

Previous audits released in June 2024 linked inadequate ambulance services and weak referral systems to high maternal and newborn deaths. Reviews of 146 death cases showed many fatalities resulted from delays in accessing ambulances at the community level or during inter-facility transfers.

Auditor General Calls for Urgent Reforms

Gathungu has urged county governments to establish fully operational A&E departments in Level 4 and 5 hospitals, staffed with trained personnel and equipped with essential drugs and functional equipment. She warned that without urgent reforms, preventable deaths will continue to rise.

This is a wake-up call for counties to prioritize emergency medical services. Every delay in response could cost a life, the report notes.

The findings highlight the urgent need for investment in ambulance fleets, hospital preparedness, and a coordinated national emergency response system to safeguard Kenyan lives.
A recent report handed to President William Ruto has drawn a direct line between short-stay rentals, commercial lodgings, and Kenyas worsening gender-based violence crisis, and now calls for mandatory CCTV cameras to help tackle the problem.

The report shows that 1,639 women lost their lives between 2022 and 2024, with 77 per cent killed by intimate partners or people they knew. Women between 30 and 44 were hit hardest, and Nairobi, Nakuru, and Meru counties saw the highest numbers. But officials say the real toll is probably much worse, since so many cases never get reported.

The Technical Working Group (TWG) discovered that some short-stay rentals and commercial places to stay, especially in cities, have turned into sites where GBV happens, largely because regulations are weak and theres little security watching over things. To fix this, the report says all short-stay rentals, lodgings, and commercial accommodations must have security cameras, including CCTV, installed by September 31, 2026.

The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife will team up with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to make this happen. Its the first time Kenya has officially put the hospitality industry at the heart of its plan to prevent GBV.

Former Deputy Chief Justice Dr. Nancy Baraza led the TWG, which found that systemic problems are fueling the crisis. Femicide isnt even recognized as its own crime under the law. Court processes drag on and often retraumatize victims. Families and community elders regularly shut down cases. Scattered data makes it hard to respond effectively. And while social media has helped spread awareness, its also created space for victim-blaming and false information to spread.

The report paints a bleak picture of whats happening nationwide: 34 per cent of Kenyan women have faced physical violence since turning 15, and 13 per cent have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives.

But the TWG wants more than just cameras. The group is pushing for GBV and femicide to be declared a national crisis, for femicide to be recognized as a specific crime in law, and for out-of-court settlements that silence survivors to become illegal. Theyre also calling for more help for survivors, including one-stop recovery centres in every county, better mental health and trauma care, and programs to help survivors become financially independent.

To fix the data problem, the report suggests creating a national GBV and femicide database, a dashboard that tracks femicides in real time, and rules to protect survivors online. It also recommends setting up a National GBV and Femicide Fund and protecting county budgets so the money keeps flowing.

President Ruto promised the government will take a hard look at the recommendations and act on them, calling the findings deeply troubling and saying they need urgent national attention.

Speaking Monday at State House in Nairobi during the reports official launch, the President acknowledged just how big and complicated gender-based violence has become in Kenya. He pointed out that while it affects all genders and ages, women and girls still carry most of the burden.

He praised the task force for meeting people across all 47 counties and for bringing together the voices of survivors, experts, communities, and institutions in the report.

This report is more than a technical document. It reflects the voices, fears and hopes of the Kenyan people, especially survivors of gender-based violence, the President said.

Ruto explained that the recommendations will go through the usual government channels; Cabinet review, checks by relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to figure out the right policy, legal, and administrative steps to take.

Where legislative reforms are proposed, they will be processed through the established constitutional and parliamentary procedures, he said.

The President made it clear that violence against any Kenyan wont be tolerated and goes against the Constitution, national values, and our shared humanity.

Protecting life, dignity and safety is not optional. It is a core duty of the State, he said, stressing that stopping gender-based violence takes everyone working together.

He called on families, religious groups, community leaders, security forces, and ordinary citizens to do their partwhether thats preventing abuse, reporting what they see, or standing by survivors.
Shakahola cult leader Pastor Paul Mackenzie is set to face fresh charges over the deaths of an additional 52 people, prosecutors have announced, deepening one of Kenyas most disturbing criminal cases in recent history.

Mackenzie, the founder of Good News International Church, already stands accused of encouraging his followers to starve themselves to death. Authorities arrested him in 2023 after investigators exhumed 429 bodies, including children, from mass graves in the remote Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

According to prosecutors, Mackenzie allegedly continued orchestrating deaths even while behind bars. Investigators believe he lured the latest victims by writing notes from his prison cell, directing followers to travel to another village where they later died.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said it had received approval to formally charge Mackenzie and his co-accused over the deaths of 52 people at the Binzaro homestead, also located in Kilifi County.

In a statement, prosecutors said Mackenzie was reasonably suspected to have masterminded the deaths and used radical teachings and coordinated structures to lure victims to the remote settlement.

Investigators recovered handwritten notes from [prison] cells occupied by Mackenzie, allegedly detailing transactions conducted through mobile phones, the ODPP said.

Mackenzie has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of manslaughter. With the new charges, he and other suspects now face a broader range of offences, including radicalisation, facilitation of terrorist acts, and murder over the more recent killings, in addition to the original charges linked to the Shakahola mass graves.

Investigators uncovered the Binzaro deaths last year after recovering about 34 bodies and more than 100 body parts from the area, located roughly 30 kilometres from Shakahola along Kenyas Indian Ocean coastline. The grim discovery formed the basis of the latest prosecution decision.

The new charges come just two weeks after a key development in the case, when one of Mackenzies co-accused and the former head of security at Shakahola, Enos Amanya Ngala, pleaded guilty to charges connected to the deaths of 191 children found in the original mass graves.
A Senate committee has summoned Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja after he failed to arrest and present Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit before Parliament, escalating a standoff that now threatens to deepen the contempt proceedings surrounding the governor.

The County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) is seeking to have Governor Lelelit answer for contempt of Parliament after repeatedly ignoring summonses to account for billions of shillings allocated to Samburu County during the 2023/2024 financial year.

CPAC chairperson Senator Moses Kajwang accused the Inspector General of defying lawful Senate directives and undermining parliamentary authority.

The Inspector General of Police should appear before this committee within the next seven days to explain why he is unwilling to implement the resolutions of Parliament, Kajwang said while issuing the summons.

Kajwang warned that the police cannot operate outside the Constitution or place themselves above Parliament.

This committee will not tolerate contempt of Parliament by the IG or his failure to facilitate the work of Parliament, he stated.

The dispute stems from Governor Lelelits continued absence from CPAC sessions convened to scrutinise the use of public funds in Samburu County. After several failed summonses, the committee fined the governor Sh500,000 and ordered him to appear before the Senate on December 4, 2025.

When the governor failed to comply, CPAC wrote to the Inspector General on December 9, instructing him to locate, arrest, and present Lelelit before the committee on December 18.

In a response dated December 18, the Inspector General informed the committee that police officers were unable to trace the governors whereabouts, making it impossible to carry out the arrest.

Unconvinced, CPAC issued fresh instructions directing the police chief to establish the governors location and produce him before the committee on January 26. The Inspector General neither responded to the directive nor produced the governor as ordered.

In a subsequent letter to the committee, Governor Lelelit said he could not attend the CPAC session because he was scheduled to attend the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Governing Council meeting at State House, chaired by President William Ruto.

However, Samburu Senator Steven Lelegwe, who sits on CPAC, said he personally saw the governor at State House during the meeting.

The governor is giving excuses because he is not ready to appear before this committee. In fact, he does not want to appear, Lelegwe said.

Senator Kajwang dismissed the explanations offered by both the Inspector General and the governor, stating that the letters did not shield Lelelit from contempt proceedings.

CPAC members further accused the police chief of betraying his oath of office by failing to support Parliaments constitutional oversight role.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna warned that the Inspector Generals inaction had weakened parliamentary authority and set a dangerous precedent.

We should summon him and deal with this firmly. This is pure contempt, Sifuna said.

The Senate committee now expects Inspector General Kanja to appear and explain his conduct, as pressure mounts for accountability over both the governors defiance and the polices failure to enforce parliamentary resolutions.
Queen Camilla encountered a ghost Dumfries House which left her frozen in fear.

Queen Camilla and King Charles

The 78-year-old member of the British royal family was visiting the 18th century estate in Ayrshire, Scotland, during its renovation in 2007, which was done under the instructions of her husband King Charles, then known as the Prince of Wales.

In the 2018 ITV documentary The Real Camilla, the royal described her terrifying supernatural experience whilst she was walking around the then-dilapidated mansion.

Camilla - who has been open about her belief in the supernatural - said: "If you could have seen it when the prince first spotted it, you wouldnt have believed it was the same house. It was so sad and unlived in, unloved and neglected. And it had a really eerie feel about it. There was definitely a ghost  without a shadow of a doubt.

"I walked up the steps, got into the hall and I thought I can't go any farther. I literally froze. If my hair could stand on end, it would have done. I remember thinking I don't want to come back to that house."

Camilla was convinced the spirit had roamed the neglected halls of the grand property undisturbed for many years, but the renovation work disturbed and dispelled the entity.

Upon returning after the restoration was complete, Queen Camilla noted: "Whatever was there had disappeared. The whole thing seemed to be smiling again."

Camilla's ghostly encounter and the royal family's interest in the supernatural and alien life is explored in Mark Christopher Lee's documentary The King of UFOs  which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

The acclaimed film uncovers historical accounts and intriguing claims surrounding the monarchy's encounters with the unknown.

Camilla's shared supernatural experience underscores the themes explored in The King of UFOs, which includes an eye witness account and evidence that Prince Charles was piloted an experimental craft.

Canadian diver Dan Costello claims to have witnessed Charles being one of three pilots flying a prototype UFO at Sandy Point in Nova Scotia.

Costello claims that the craft was shaped like a UFO and emitted a blue ionic flame which scorched the earth below and turned the soil to grass. He states that Charles was stationed on the nearby HMS Endeavour as a Helicopter pilot and was drafted in on what was called Project Serpico.

In the film, Costellos said: "The craft had dual rotor blades like a helicopter but it would also just sit and hover in the sky with the blades not on and with no sound of propulsion just a faint crackle of electro magnetism. I don't think it was extra terrestrial but might be technology developed by Nikolai Tesla who had a facility here and now this was being used by the US, Canadian and British Military."

Director Lee researched Costello's claims and found validity to them and found evidence that the technology might be what US military personnel such as David Grusch have claimed to have seen at first hand.

Lee said: "What if what we are all seeing in the sky and thinking are extra terrestrial spacecraft are actually just a secret highly advanced earthbound technology? What if Prince Charles was involved with this project - does King Charles know the truth about UFOs? If so he should release this truth to the public. We deserve to know!"

Lee has written to King Charles to ask him about this 1975 event at Sandy Point but to date the palace has not replied.

The King of UFOs is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.
The High Court in Mombasa is set to rule on a plea for leniency from Murad Awadh Mbarak, a truck driver convicted of murdering his wife, Nuru Ibrahim, as prosecutors urge the court to hand down the maximum sentence ahead of sentencing next month.

Mbarak, 40, told the court that his four years in custody had changed him and that he feels deep remorse for his actions. He said he has no family or home to return to and asked the court to consider a reduced sentence or his release.

Spending four years in prison has been a great lesson for me, and I ask for forgiveness for my sins, he said.

The prosecution opposed any leniency, describing the killing as deliberate and exceptionally violent. They told the court that Ibrahim, a mother of six, was stabbed multiple times in front of her children and neighbours. Prosecutors added that Mbarak blocked neighbours from intervening, and one person was injured while trying to enter the house.

Evidence presented showed that Ibrahim was killed on June 19, 2022, at the family home in Kanamai, Kilifi County. Witnesses described a marriage strained by financial disputes and ongoing conflict. Ibrahim had sold her jewellery to help pay for the construction of their home, which was later registered in her husbands name. Tensions escalated over a debt involving her brother.

Relations reportedly worsened after Ibrahim joined Instagram, which Mbarak viewed negatively. Family members said she had expressed fear for her safety and had considered leaving the marriage. Days before her death, she left personal documents and belongings with her sister, suggesting she was preparing to separate.

The court heard that Mbarak threatened to kill Ibrahim or release intimate photographs if she attempted to leave him. On the night of the attack, the couples 11-year-old daughter woke up to her mothers screams and saw her father assault her with a broken piece of wood before stabbing her. Neighbours who tried to help were blocked from entering the house.

Mbarak surrendered to police and was arrested. Forensic evidence showed that blood on his clothes and a knife matched the victim. His claim that an intruder was responsible was rejected by the court, which found the attack planned and intentional.

In November, the court ruled that the prosecution had proved all elements of murder beyond reasonable doubt. Ten witnesses, including relatives and neighbours, described a relationship marked by repeated disputes and threats, requiring intervention from family members.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 19, 2026.
Cultural & Historical Significance

Ayasha holds deep cultural significance within Chippewa (Ojibwe) communities as a traditional name meaning 'little one.' In Indigenous naming traditions, names often reflect characteristics, hopes for the child, or spiritual connections. The name embodies the cultural value placed on children as precious gifts and the future of the community. It represents the tender care and protection extended to the youngest members of the tribe, symbolizing continuity and the passing down of traditions.



Historically, names like Ayasha were carefully chosen by elders and often reflected observations of the child's nature or family aspirations. The name's enduring use demonstrates the resilience of Indigenous naming practices despite centuries of cultural suppression. Today, it serves as a bridge between traditional ways and contemporary Indigenous identity, representing both cultural pride and the ongoing revitalization of Native languages and customs.
In contemporary naming practices, Brando occupies a distinctive position as a recognizable yet uncommon choice that carries both Italian heritage and artistic prestige. The name maintains moderate but steady usage, particularly among families with Italian ancestry or those appreciating its cinematic legacy. While it never reached the popularity peaks of more common Italian names, it has established itself as a solid, masculine option that avoids being trendy or overused. In recent years, the name has seen renewed interest as parents seek distinctive names with strong cultural roots and positive associations. Its easy pronunciation in multiple languages and the enduring fame of Marlon Brando ensure its continued relevance. The name is particularly favored by those seeking a balance between traditional masculinity and artistic sensibility, making it a thoughtful choice for parents valuing both heritage and individuality.
Individuals named Lintun are typically characterized by their practical wisdom and deep-rooted values. They possess a strong connection to tradition and heritage, often displaying patience and methodical approaches to problem-solving. Their personality reflects the name's agricultural origins - they are cultivators in both literal and metaphorical senses, whether tending relationships, projects, or spiritual growth with careful attention and consistency.



Lintuns are often seen as stable, reliable individuals who value community and service. They tend to be thoughtful rather than impulsive, with a natural inclination toward preservation and careful stewardship. Their strength lies in their ability to create environments where things can grow and flourish, mirroring the enclosed, protected space suggested by their name's meaning. While they may not seek the spotlight, they provide essential foundations for others to build upon.
Individuals named Nathrach are typically perceived as possessing keen intuition and strategic thinking, much like the serpent's symbolic attributes in Celtic tradition. They often demonstrate remarkable adaptability to changing circumstances and possess an innate ability to understand complex situations quickly. Their analytical nature combines with a quiet intensity that can be mistaken for aloofness, but in reality reflects deep contemplation. Nathrachs tend to be observant and perceptive, noticing details others miss, which serves them well in leadership or creative roles.



They often exhibit a transformative quality throughout their lives, shedding old patterns and embracing personal growth with remarkable resilience. While they can be reserved in unfamiliar settings, those who know them well appreciate their loyalty and the depth of their insights. Their combination of wisdom and adaptability makes them natural problem-solvers who approach challenges with both caution and creativity. This personality profile reflects the serpent's symbolic attributes in Celtic culturesimultaneously grounded and mystical, practical and profound in their understanding of the world.
Individuals named Petre are typically characterized by remarkable stability and reliability, living up to their name's meaning of 'rock.' They possess a grounded nature that makes them natural anchors in both family and professional settings. Petres often demonstrate practical intelligence, combining traditional wisdom with modern problem-solving skills. Their decision-making tends to be deliberate and well-considered, earning them respect as sound advisors and leaders. While they may not seek the spotlight, their quiet competence and unwavering principles make them influential figures in their communities.



Emotionally, Petres are known for their deep loyalty and protective instincts toward loved ones. They form strong, enduring relationships built on trust and mutual respect. Their communication style is typically direct and honest, sometimes bordering on blunt, but always tempered by genuine concern for others' wellbeing. In challenging situations, Petres display remarkable resilience and inner strength, often becoming the steadying force that helps others navigate difficulties. Their combination of traditional values, emotional depth, and practical capability creates a personality profile that is both respected and deeply valued in Romanian society.
Individuals named Zenobia are often perceived as strong-willed, intelligent, and naturally authoritative. They tend to possess a regal bearing and confidence that commands respect, coupled with strategic thinking and the ability to lead effectively in challenging situations. These personalities typically exhibit a blend of intellectual curiosity and practical wisdom, often showing interest in history, philosophy, and cultural studies. Their strength of character is balanced by a deep sense of loyalty to their principles and those they care about, though they can be perceived as formidable or intimidating by those who don't know them well.



Zenobias are often visionaries who aren't afraid to challenge established norms and fight for what they believe is right, displaying remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. They tend to be independent thinkers with a strong moral compass and the courage to stand alone if necessary. While they may appear reserved or serious initially, those who earn their trust discover a deeply passionate and protective nature. Their combination of intellectual depth and practical capability makes them natural problem-solvers and innovators, though they may struggle with impatience when others cannot match their vision or determination.
A fascinating piece by author Bruce Harris that delves into his latest novel, explaining his thoughts and reasoning behind 'Old Guy Music' an interesting take on his soon to be released crime novel.

Author Bruce Harris

The Music Died

Sad, but not surprising. Bill Massiter, Cougar Bill, the ex-leader of the Cougars pop group, is found hanging from a wooden beam in his home, the great sprawling ex-farm the Cougars once used as a recording studio. Now divorced from his wife Josie and reliant on various illegal imported substances, with his glory days well behind him, no-one sees it as very surprising that Bill might have decided hed reached the end of the road.

But Detective Chief Inspector Max Bellamy, an ex-boy scout, knows a left-handed knot from a right-handed knot, and when he sees the noose still around poor Bills neck was tied with a right-handed knot, memories stir. He can remember visiting the Cougars H.Q, with his pop journalist and music lecturer father in his childhood, and Bills lead guitar hand was his left, the memory easily confirmed by pictures of the band. Why would Bill tie a noose around his neck with the wrong hand?

Bellamy, an ex-journalist himself before deciding to put the bad guys away rather than just write about them, is persuaded that something is wrong, and when Max Bellamy sniffs a suspicion, he doesnt give up until he gets at the truth.

But even the famously unflappable Bellamy could never have anticipated the Pandoras Box he is about to open, including a peer of the realm in his Cornish retreat watching the English Channel for incoming little boats, and naked male bodies dating back no more than twenty years in the grounds of Cavelcombe House, a remote coastal retreat for the Cougars and their friends. Attempts to persuade the police to simply accept Bills death as suicide include Bellamys M.P. wife Louise being shot at as she arrives at a neighbouring constituency office, and even a further attack on the Bellamy home.

The case causes Max and Louise Bellamy to ask themselves serious questions about the cost of public service, until chinks of light start showing for Maxs investigation team. Even then, it needs Louise to continue her political work from a base in Scotland and Max to face a professional hit man before matters are resolved.

The Old Guy Music favoured by Lord Railton, supposedly a Falklands veteran, is heavy metal, which booms away in his coastal mansion as he watches the English Channel for potential illegal invaders. For Max Bellamy, still too young to be an old guy, the favoured music is Chopin, in the quiet study where he does his thinking.

After the success of 2024s The Judas Gene, Harris once again conjures up a tasty brew of characters both criminal and vulnerable, and situations both challenging and mysterious, while featuring contrasting attitudes to the little boats and the people on them. This is a story in and about the world we are living in and the diversity of its characters, providing challenges, adventures and food for thought.

Old Guy Music by author Bruce Harris

Bruce latest book 'Old Guy Music is released: 28/01/2026 ISBN: 9781835743539 Price: 9.99

by Natalie key for www.femalefirst.co.uk


Six Emory students and seven Emory chaplains recently traveled to Washington, D.C., for an interfaith learning experience at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The delegation, which also included local religious leaders and Emory staff, was selected to participate in the museums Interfaith Groups Program. The initiative helps foster productive dialogue across religions through the historical lessons and legacies of the Holocaust and ongoing instances of discrimination and prejudice.

The Holocaust was a singular event that had such a devastating effect on, particularly the Jewish community, but other communities as well, says the Rev. Gregory McGonigle, university chaplain and dean of religious life.

The museum, and the whole Interfaith Groups Program, offers deep religious and philosophical reflection on how humanity could perpetrate these atrocities, and it asks what we need to learn from them for the future.

The trip was sponsored by Emorys Office of Spiritual and Religious Life, and students from several faith backgrounds participated.

Emory Rabbi Jordan Braunig says the visit to the museum was especially meaningful to the Jewish students but also provided a foundation for robust interfaith discussions.

Remembrance of the Holocaust can be a major part of peoples Jewish identity, he says. The imperative to remember is baked in from our youngest years.

But there is a potential for every community to hold its trauma and its sadness alone, and this trip was a reminder that we can share our burdens and share some of the heaviness, grief and loss that we all feel. People from different faith communities can help bear each others loads.

In that spirit of communal support, all Emory chaplains from the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life on both Atlanta and Oxford campus made the trip.

Leaning on each other

As part of the program, the group received a private tour of the museum, met with scholars, screened two films and and held daily debriefings to share reflections on what they learned.

Evie Kirshner, a junior Middle Eastern studies major from New Jersey, says she appreciated the way the group came together after taking in such difficult information.

With seven chaplains in the room, there was no want for processing, Braunig says.

Kirshner is an active member of Emorys MEOR chapter, which is one of several Jewish student groups on campus. Last year, she served on the Inter-Religious Council, a program of the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life that fosters interfaith dialogue among students.

For me, the point of the trip was allyship, being there for each other, and caring about each others histories, Kirshner says. I love religion, and I have a lot of respect for everyone who loves their religion. Feeling support from other people  and knowing that you can return it  makes carrying the burden of loneliness, of being away from home, that much easier.

Cece York, a junior majoring in international studies and religion and philosophy, also joined the trip. She is a member of Emorys Reformed University Fellowship, a student organization that fosters Christian community on campus.

As someone who is Black and Christian, she says she was moved by the groups interfaith solidarity.

Looking at people with compassion and care is central to any moral leadership, says York, from Mobile, Alabama. For me, interfaith dialogue means offering a space to listen. It regifts dignity to people who have lost their own dignity, whether through harmful stereotypes or dehumanization. The intention is to remove the mystery and to sit with one another.

McGonigle says thats exactly the kind of reflection he hoped the visit to the museum would inspire.

We lead trips to sites that explore issues of moral crisis to better understand our role as moral agents, and to reflect on what it means to live a good life and respond to crises as they arise, he says. Its an important part of the ethical and character development opportunities we seek to provide to students through the chaplaincy.

Paying it forward

As part of the Interfaith Groups Program, the Emory delegation is responsible for hosting an event over the next year that inspires connection in its community through the lens of Holocaust history.

The idea, Braunig explains, is that the experience doesnt end when the group boards a plane back to Atlanta. Instead, the work to recognize our shared humanity continues.

Inspired by the Inter-Religious Councils weekly dinner, Kirshner hopes to bring people from across faith backgrounds together for meals on campus. One idea shes had is joint dinners for Jewish and Muslim students during their coinciding holidays of Purim and Ramadan.

Kirshner  who volunteers at a local synagogue  says she grew up in primarily Jewish spaces, and hearing fellow Emory students share their own reflections on the Holocaust was deeply meaningful to me.

She wants to pay that respect forward by continuing to participate in interfaith initiatives and showing allyship in daily life.

Remembering today  and tomorrow

Tuesday, Jan. 27, was National Holocaust Remembrance Day, and the chaplaincy, along with the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies and several campus Jewish communities, hosted an event with keynote speaker Hershel Greenblat, a Holocaust survivor who lives in the Atlanta area.

Attendees from the museum trip also shared takeaways and reflections at the event.

Were at a transition point with the history around the Holocaust, where the generation that survived is dwindling, Braunig says. Its incumbent upon us to find a way to carry these stories forward and to share with new generations the tragedy  the unimaginable and unspeakable violence  but also the resilience and stories of survival, how people were able to forge new lives in the aftermath of so much trauma.

York attended last years Holocaust Remembrance Day event, headlined by another survivor named George Rishfeld.

It was very powerful, she says of Rishfelds story, which sparked her interest in Holocaust history. She and a few other students continued to meet with Rishfeld in the weeks following his speech to hear more about his life experiences.

As a descendent of people of slavery, I cant hear direct accounts from people of that time, York says. And having the opportunity to listen to a Holocaust survivor, I couldnt pass that up. I wanted to learn more about it and hear a story of resilience.

The experience inspired her to research firsthand accounts, collected in the 1930s, of former enslaved people in the South.

Being at Emory, I have access to resources that let me read direct accounts of actual lived experiences and retellings, she says. Im incorporating those into my research and seeking out more individual storytelling.

I encourage people to be curious and seek out new learning opportunities, York adds. Thats what propelled me to my first Holocaust Remembrance Day Event. And I will be there again this year.
SIUs Jan. 31 Yellow Moon Gyroid Concert is a String Music Matinee

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Southern Illinois University Carbondale will host the first concert of 2026 in the Yellow Moon Gyroid Concert Series on Saturday, Jan. 31, in Morris Librarys third-floor rotunda.

The free, public concert begins at 3 p.m. The program, String Music Matinee, will feature performances by musicians who have previously appeared in the series, which was established in fall 2024.

The performers are Noah Brown, who earned his masters degree at SIU Carbondale and is now a doctoral candidate in viola performance at the University of Illinois; Lorenna Brown, Noahs wife, a violinist who previously performed duet pieces in the series; Gabriel Pereira Vieira, a graduate masters student in violin in the SIU School of Music, who is studying under Michael Barta, a professor of violin and chamber music, and series co-founder Reiko Schoen on piano.

The first half of the program will consist of Bohemian composers music  four romantic pieces for violin and piano by Czech composers Antonin Dvorak and violin and viola duet in C Major by Johann Kalliwoda. The second half of the program will be viola and piano music by German Robert Schumann and Englishmen Ralph Vaughan Williams and Frank Bridge.

I am extremely delighted to welcome back Noah and Lorenna in this concert and to be performing with Noah and Gabriel again, Schoen said.

A QR code and a limited number of full concert programs will be available at the event.

Schoen is a member of the Federation of National Music Clubs, and she had the Music Sprouts piano studio in Carbondale for 31 years before retiring in May 2025. She is also a member of the SIU Symphony Orchestra.

Series began in fall 2024

This is the third concert this season in the series, which was established by Schoen and cellist William Cernota, an assistant lecturer in the SIU School of Music. The series honors Schoens late husband, SIU Carbondale professor Alan Schoen, who discovered the gyroid in 1968 while working for NASA. The rotunda is home to Yellow Moon Gyroid made in Schoens honor by algorithmic artist Jesse Louis-Rosenberg.

A gyroid is an infinitely connected periodic minimal surface with no straight lines; a minimal surface has the smallest area possible within a given boundary. Schoen, a physicist, mathematician and computer scientist, taught at SIU Carbondale from 1973 to 1996.

Reiko Schoen said she is grateful to SIU Library Affairs Dean William Walters for accommodating a Saturday concert for the guest musicians and to Richard Kelley, School of Music director, and current yearly sponsors for supporting the concert series.

For information regarding the performance or becoming a yearly sponsors for any amount, contact Reiko Schoen at reikotaka@gmail.com. For information about the School of Music, visit the School of Music website.
SIUs online MBA is the top program in Illinois, according to U.S. News & World Report. (Photo by Yenitza Melgoza)

SIUs online MBA ranked best in Illinois

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Southern Illinois University Carbondale has the top online MBA program in Illinois, according to U.S. News & World Reports 2026 online program rankings released Tuesday, Jan. 27.

The program earned the No. 1 spot in Illinois, among 14 programs, and is ranked 127th in the United States.

Being recognized by U.S. News among the nations Best Online MBA programs and ranked No. 1 in Illinois is an important recognition of the work of our students and the commitment of our faculty and staff, said Marc Morris, dean of the College of Business and Analytics. Our online MBA is built for working professionals and emphasizes rigorous, career-relevant learning while providing strong support for online students. Were encouraged by this recognition and committed to continuous improvement for our students and the employers they serve.

All online and comprehensive

SIU officials said there are a number of reasons SIUs program stands out. With a flexible, totally online format, it is convenient for busy people, especially working professionals. Strong faculty engagement and support for online learners are emphasized to give the students all the tools they need to succeed as they complete the intense curriculum, which emphasizes practical and pertinent education, Morris said. Moreover, the 33-credit-hour cohort can be completed in as little as 14 months. Students in the program are not required to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) to participate in the program.

SIUs online MBA incorporates a comprehensive learning experience to provide a critical understanding of finance, management-level accounting, business analytics, marketing, supply chain management and organizational behavior. Students learn cost behavior and estimation, cost allocation and performance evaluation, how to grow an organizations competitiveness in the global market, and organizational strategies and tools. The program incorporates the most current research and theories on various relevant topics such as group dynamics, leadership, job performance, ethics and decision-making, and it prepares graduates for leadership roles.

Nationally recognized

The college and its accounting program are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, an accomplishment that puts SIU among the top 6% of business schools worldwide.

SIUs online undergraduate business program also earned a place among the top 29% on the best online program list, earning the 73rd overall spot. This a reflection of strength across the colleges online business offerings, Morris said.

The next online MBA session begins March 16. Learn more by visiting SIU's online programs website or calling 855-741-0087.
Alaia Baldwin Aronow is facing jail time over an alleged altercation with bar staff.

Alaia Baldwin Aronow is facing possible jail time

The 33-year-old model - whose sister is Hailey Bieber - was arrested in February 2024 after being accused of assaulting three employees and hitting a bartender with a "used" tampon in a row at a venue in Georgia.

As reported by Us Weekly, this week prosecutors filed four misdemeanour charges for simple battery, simple assault, battery and criminal trespass.

According to documents obtained by the outlet, prosecutors have claimed Alaia - whose parents are Stephen and Kennya Baldwin - hit one person "in the genitals", and "pulled" some hair from another victim's head.

Her arraignment is set for April 23, and if she's convicted, she could face up to a year in prison for the battery charge.

In February 2024, TMZ reported that the owner of Club Elan called police and alleged Alaia got physical with his staff after ending up in the employees-only bathroom.

She was told not to use that restroom and redirected to the public one, but allegedly refused to leave and assaulted three employees.

Bartender Haliegh Cauley told the outlet how she also saw "throw-up to the top of the sink", at which point she waited before returning to the bathroom to check on her.

At this point, she alleged that Alaia flung a "used" tampon at her face.

She recalled: "I said, "Listen, you guys have got to go.' "

Cauley clarified her claim that Alaia swung the tampon at her without letting go, and at that point security were called, and they eventually escorted her out.

As well as pressing charges, at the time the bartender explained she was planning to file a lawsuit "because that's somebody's bodily fluid that touched me".

She added: "That's just not appropriate and that's very uncalled for, especially when somebody's trying to help you."

Alaia has claimed the incident was blown out of proportion and she was acting in self-defence.

A police report shared by E! News said: "Ms. Aronow stated she was forcefully removed from the club.

"She initially denied forcing her way into the bathroom, only stating she needed to use the restroom to throw up and change her tampon."

The report added that while she "initially denied throwing her used tampon", she later said "she did throw it".

Her attorney Drew Findling told TMZ at the time: "On February 24, 2024, Ms. Aronow traveled to Savannah, GA to celebrate the upcoming marriage of a close friend.

"Sadly, what should have been a celebratory girls night out, unfortunately took an unexpected turn.

"Ms. Aronow is embarrassed and saddened by the events of that night and is proactively taking the necessary steps to ensure that it never happens again."
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Tuesday stated on X that the deal accounts for one-third of global trade and supports 25 per cent of global GDP. The agreement brings together two of the world's top economies, aiming to streamline market access and technological cooperation.

As part of the pact, the European Union will abolish tariffs on 9425 lines of Indian exports, unlocking preferential access valued at USD 75 billion. This move is expected to accelerate India's ambition to reach USD 300 billion in engineering exports by providing entry into a USD 2 trillion EU market.

Minister Vaishnaw noted that the deal will focus on "advancing collaboration in future-ready sectors such as AI, clean technologies and semiconductors." This partnership is designed to support India's technological advancement through R&D collaboration and technology transfer.

The agreement further emphasises the enhancement of India's manufacturing capabilities. It aims at "enhancing the competitiveness of the engineering and manufacturing ecosystem" by strengthening MSME networks and regional clusters.

These measures are intended to help Indian firms secure global contracts and integrate more deeply into international supply chains. According to information shared by Vaishnaw, the deal is also geared toward "supporting Indian startups to compete and grow across global value chains," providing them with the necessary framework to scale operations in the European market.

A critical component of the trade deal involves the protection of the knowledge economy. The framework "reinforces intellectual property protections under TRIPS" while firmly affirming the Doha Declaration to safeguard public interest.

India has secured special technical assistance and incentives to strengthen its patent ecosystem. Furthermore, the agreement provides special recognition to India's Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL).

Vaishnaw highlighted that these provisions are essential for "reinforcing innovation and IP protection, supporting India's knowledge economy." (ANI)
Bob Geldof's grief when Paula Yates left him was "worse" than when she died.

Bob Geldof was devastated when Paula Yates left him

The Boomtown Rats frontman's marriage to the presenter - who he wed in 1986 after a decade together- ended in 1995 when she left him for INXS frontman Michael Hutchence and he has recalled how he "didn't want to wake up again" in the months afterwards, but ultimately kept going for their children.

Reflecting on Paula's death from an overdose in 2000, he told RTE1: "It was not as bad - people are probably going to go nuts on me now and I hope, I wish they won't - it was not the feeling of loss. The grief, the agony, was not as bad as when Paula left me. That was worse.

"That required something else in me and, honest to god, I just didn't want to wake up again. You deal with these chasms of grief, these universes of loss, these abysses of pain and not understanding anything.

"If you make the decision - I'm going to live because I have children and I'm going to make sure they're okay - the soul has no proposition except to bind itself together to somehow push itself back. This obliterated thing. And the only way to do that is somehow through love."

Bob - who had Fifi, 32, the late Peaches, and Pixie, 35, with Paula, and also adopted her and Michael's daughter Tiger, 29, following their deaths - went on to find love again with Jeanne Marine, but he admitted in the immediate aftermath of his first marriage ending, he "hated every woman".

He said: "I didn't want to see another woman in my life. I hated every woman. And whether I liked it or not, it took a while, but my soul demanded love.

"It came to me, and I was unwilling, and I resisted - never again, never again - because I will not survive again. I resisted, I resisted. But you have no choice.

"You allow it in, and once it weasels its way in, you begin to be less hateful as a person. You begin to bind again, and you become human again."

Meanwhile, Bob admitted he fears he "failed" when it came to breaking the news of Paula's death to her daughters.

He recalled: "I put down the phone as if it was just a phone call and Fifi said, 'What? Don't tell me, mum something-something.' And I said 'no, no'...

"I remembered the directness of my father [when my mother died], and that's precisely what a child needs - tell me exactly, no obfuscations.

"I just went up and I did what my father did. And they reacted differently.

"I think I failed, actually. I think I didn't do it right. That's bugged me subsequently."

But the I Don't Like Mondays hitmaker is glad he took Paula's daughters to see her body, especially as he wasn't allowed at his own mother's funeral when she died when he was eight.

He said: "I brought them to see her body, which is the thing you do now. And they saw it as an inert thing. Mum wasn't there. And it's like the wakes in Ireland, the person just simply has gone.'

"I think that the psychiatrists or psychologists were right... it was the right thing to do.

"They got to understand, especially Tiger - she got to understand her mum had gone, and understood the logic of life and death."
VMPL Melbourne [Australia], January 28: The Victoria bushfires that ignited on 7 January 2026 have left widespread devastation across regional communities, destroying homes, displacing families, and straining local resources. In response, UNITED SIKHS Australia has launched immediate relief operations, to stand in solidarity with those affected. Current Situation The bushfires have torn through large parts of Victoria, with communities such as Strathbogie, Towong, Mansfield, Murrindindi, and Natimuk among the hardest hit. According to the Victorian Government, thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate, and emergency relief centers are struggling to meet demand. The Minister for Emergency Management has confirmed disaster assistance is now available. Despite these measures, urgent humanitarian needs remain unmet on the ground. UNITED SIKHS Relief Efforts In addition to the community kitchen in Skipton, UNITED SIKHS Australia extended its services to the Ballarat Pony Club, where bushfire-affected families arrived with their horses seeking refuge. Volunteers provided hot meals and essential supplies, ensuring both people and animals were cared for in this time of crisis. Through these combined efforts, the team is serving approximately 100 families and firefighters each day, offering immediate comfort and solidarity to those displaced by the fires. Beyond meals, the team is coordinating with local authorities to distribute emergency supplies such as food, water, and hygiene essentials. Volunteers are working tirelessly to reach vulnerable households and provide immediate support while longer-term recovery plans take shape. To sustain and expand these operations, UNITED SIKHS urgently appeals for donations of the following items: * Non-perishable food items* Essential medicines and first aid supplies* Hygiene kits* Clean drinking water* Temporary shelter materials Voices from the Ground "Our commitment is to stand with communities in their darkest hour," said Gurvinder Singh, Director, UNITED SIKHS Australia. "Skipton is just one of many towns where families are struggling, and we are determined to provide both immediate relief and long-term support." Join the Relief Mission UNITED SIKHS Australia invites individuals, organizations, and businesses to join this humanitarian mission. Contributions of goods, funds, or volunteer time will directly support bushfire survivors and help restore hope in devastated communities. About UNITED SIKHS UNITED SIKHS is an international, non-profit humanitarian organization affiliated with the U.N., committed to empowering disadvantaged and minority communities across the globe. Its mission is to provide support and resources to those in need, advocating for equality, justice, and human rights. Through various humanitarian projects and advocacy efforts, UNITED SIKHS works to uplift vulnerable communities, aiming to make a lasting positive impact on the world. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 28: Panorama Studios has entered into a strategic four-film overseas worldwide distribution partnership with Phars Film (PHF), significantly strengthening its global footprint for Malayalam cinema across key international markets. The deal kicks off with the international release of the Rahman and Bhavana starrer, Anomie, on 6th February, followed by Drishyam 3 (Malayalam) on 2nd April, Tikitaka, and Panorama Studios Production No. 3.

Under the partnership, Drishyam 3--the much-anticipated Malayalam film headlined by legendary Mohanlal--continues one of Malayalam cinema's most commercially successful and globally recognised thriller franchises. Backed by a strong international track record and high overseas brand recall, the collaboration strengthens global distribution, enabling a wider international theatrical rollout and enhanced overseas box-office potential across key markets.

Next in line is Tikitaka, featuring Asif Ali in the lead, and the slate concludes with Panorama Studios Production No. 3, starring Kunchacko Boban and Lijomol Jose, further reinforcing Panorama Studios' focus on strong, content-driven Malayalam cinema.

Under this collaboration, Phars Film, founded by Ahmad Golchin, will be solely responsible for the overseas worldwide distribution and exhibition of these Malayalam films across multiple international territories. Leveraging its strong global distribution capabilities and its extensive cinema network, PHF is a key player in the international market, handling a critical mass of Hollywood, Bollywood, and world cinema content.

Speaking on the association, Kumar Mangat Pathak, Chairman, Panorama Studios, said, "International markets are increasingly central to the success of Indian films. Phars Film's global distribution strength and market understanding make them a strong partner for this slate, which reflects our focus on story-led, talent-driven cinema."

Ahmad Golchin, Founder, Phars Film, added, "Panorama Studios has consistently delivered high-quality, content-rich Indian cinema that travels well internationally. We are excited to collaborate with them on this diverse and powerful slate and ensure they reach audiences worldwide in a meaningful and impactful way."

Both companies see this collaboration as a long-term step toward building a robust global pipeline for Indian films with strong international appeal.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
Canada's plan to increase energy exports to India makes sense, The Globe and Mail reported, citing analysts. India's massive population and rapid economic growth have boosted its demand for fossil fuels. Canada has pitched itself as a reliable partner for supplying energy to India. Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson who was in India for the India Energy Week said Canada is committed to supplying energy to India, asserting that his country will never use energy for "coercion." "We will never use our energy for coercion. We believe middle powers should work together to resist hegemony, and that's why I'm here," the Canadian minister said. Canada is one of the world's largest energy producers. Exporting 98 per cent of Canadian energy to one country is a "strategic blunder," Hodgson said yesterday. The fastest-growing demand for energy in the world will be in India, he added. Susan Bell, senior vice-president of commodity markets at Rystad Energy, told The Globe and Mail that exporting Canadian fossil fuels to India is "definitely worth pursuing." "The country already has a fairly large refining sector that processes roughly six million barrels a day of crude, and it has plans to grow its petrochemical sector," Bell said. "So it's not just an opportunity for crude oil, it could also be an opportunity for naphtha and potentially even ethane," she aded. Canada sells only a limited ammount of crude to India. The bulk of India's heavy crude imports come from Iraq, and could reasonably be substituted with Canadian oil, Bell was quoted as saying. Bell said there is also opportunity for other products such as liquefied natural gas, for which India imports about 5 per cent of the world's supply. With oil demand from China set to plateau over the next couple of decades, "India always comes up as the next big engine for global oil demand," Rory Johnston, an oil analyst with Commodity Context told The Globe and Mail. As per the report, Johnston said oil demand in India is expected to accelerate in 2026. The country is "absolutely" a strategic market to target, he said, given its growing energy demands and massive population. Daily oil demand in India grew at a much slower rate than expected in 2025, rising by roughly 100,000 barrels, rather than the 300,000 forecast by various agencies. The Canadian Energy minister, speaking at the India Energy Week 2026, said, "It is a changing world we live in, and energy is at the centre of that. I'm here because, like you, the way to resist that change is to build multilateral relationships and to double down on diversification of supply." Referring to the US, which has imposed tariffs on countries that import oil from Russia, the Canadian minister said his country is opposed to the view that "might makes right." "We're not going to live in a world where might makes right. We're not going to live in a world where the strongest put tariffs on everyone else," he said during a discussion at IEW 2026. Instead, he said Canada believes in free trade and trusted relationships. He said that diversifying energy needs was key. "We relied on one supplier for natural gas, and that was a very strategic blunder. We can never let that happen again. We need to diversify our supply." Canada used to provide 98% of its energy to one customer. We are committed to diversifying our supply," he said. India imports worth billions of energy annually. India depends on imports for about 80 per cent of its crude oil requirement. Various steps have been taken by the government to increase the production of domestic crude oil and bring down imports, including domestic avenues. (ANI)
India's textile and apparel sector is poised for a significant boost following the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union, which will eliminate import duties on Indian textile exports to the bloc, according to a Jefferies equity research report. The agreement is expected to provide a major boost to India's textile and apparel sector, which currently faces tariffs of up to 12% in the EU, compared with zero duties for competitors such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey. Similar benefits are expected for exports of chemicals, leather products and footwear. EU imports nearly USD 125 billion worth of textiles and apparel annually, making it one of the world's largest markets for clothing and fabric. Jefferies analysts note that India has secured preferential access across 97% of EU tariff lines, covering nearly 99.5% of trade value. As a result, around 91% of Indian exports to the EU will face no import duties from the effective date of the agreement. In return, India will gradually reduce tariffs on 97% of EU exports over a period of five to ten years, translating into tariff savings of more than USD 4 billion for European exporters. With tariffs set to drop to zero in labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, footwear, gems & jewellery, likely by 2027, India's competitiveness will jump. Earlier, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, on the FTA, had said the Indian textile industry is set to benefit from the India-EU FTA, with exports, and has the potential to grow from USD 7 billion to USD 30-40 billion very quickly. He noted that this could generate 6-7 million jobs in the labour-intensive sector. In the auto sector, the Jefferies report said tariffs on cars imported from the EU to India will be reduced from 70-110% to as low as 10%, with an annual quota of 250K units. "We see limited impact on listed Indian OEMs as most of the vehicles, excluding certain high-priced models, of European OEMs are already manufactured in India or assembled from CKD kits that attract just 16.5% import duty," it said. India's annual goods trade with the EU at ~USD 140bn exceeds trade with China or the US. Exports to the EU, at an annualised ~USD75bn (17% of India's exports), are ~80% of those to the US. India-EU trade has been largely balanced, except for the petroleum product surplus India has seen since the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict. The FTA negotiations were initiated in 2007, and a renewed impetus since 2022 has finally led to the agreement now. The procedure steps on both sides imply that the agreement may be implemented in 2027. (ANI)
As of November 2025, PSU Banks accounted for nearly 60% of the total gold loan portfolio outstanding, strengthening their leadership position over the past two years. Their growing share reflects a strategic tilt towards secured lending, as banks prioritise strong collateral amid elevated gold prices and a cautious broader credit environment, the report said.

In contrast, gold-loan-focused NBFCs, while holding a smaller 8.1% share of portfolio outstanding, commanded a significantly higher 16.6% share of active gold loan accounts. This divergence highlights a clear split in business models: PSU Banks are increasingly skewed towards higher-value loans, while NBFCs continue to dominate smaller-ticket, high-volume lending.

The report notes that overall gold loan portfolio outstanding surged 41.9% year-on-year in November 2025, far outpacing growth in total retail and consumption loans.

However, the number of active gold loan accounts grew by just 10.3%, underscoring that growth is being driven more by larger loan sizes rather than new borrowers.

Private sector banks, meanwhile, saw a gradual erosion in both value and volume share, squeezed between PSU Banks' balance sheet strength and NBFCs' operational agility.

Analysts attribute this shift to PSU Banks' ability to fund large-ticket loans at lower costs, while NBFCs leverage specialised gold loan operations, faster processing, and deeper penetration in semi-urban and rural markets.

Despite rapid expansion, asset quality across lender types has improved. Early-stage delinquencies declined across the board in 2025, supported by rising gold prices and strong recovery mechanisms.

PSU Banks reported some of the lowest levels of late-stage delinquencies, while gold-focused NBFCs showed sharp improvement in early delinquencies, reflecting tighter underwriting and portfolio monitoring.

With new RBI guidelines on gold loans, introducing differentiated loan-to-value norms and tighter processes for smaller-ticket loans, set to be fully implemented by April 2026, industry experts expect competitive dynamics between banks and NBFCs to intensify further.

As gold loans cement their role as one of the fastest-growing segments in retail credit, the market appears headed towards a two-track structure: PSU Banks deepening their hold on high-value loans, and NBFCs expanding reach through volume-led growth at the bottom of the pyramid. (ANI)
India PR Distribution Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], January 28: Shivers Jewels today shared the launch of its online website for affordable men's and women's fashion jewellery. Shivers Jewels offers everyday pieces, gift picks, and religious items through its online store, along with an Ahmedabad, Gujarat address for customers who prefer an in-person option. Shivers Jewels keeps shopping simple by grouping items by who will wear them. For men, Shivers Jewels offers chains, bracelets, and rings. For women, Shivers Jewels offers bangles, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, chains, rings, and mangalsutras. Shivers Jewels also has a Religious section with religious bracelets and religious chains. For gifting, Shivers Jewels lists relationship-based sections such as gifts for mother, father, sister, wife, husband, and brother, helping buyers choose faster when shopping for family. Shivers Jewels describes its range as gold and silver-plated fashion jewellery. Shivers Jewels also uses the words "imitation jewellery" in its brand description. Customers should view the pieces as fashion jewellery made for style and regular wear, not as solid gold. "Shivers Jewels is built for people who want simple jewellery they can wear often, and gifts they can buy without stress," said Siddhi Panchal, CEO of Shivers Jewels. "With the website, customers can choose men's and women's categories, shop by relationship for gifts, and order from anywhere in India." A team member of the Shivers Jewels team added, "Many buyers are shopping for fashion jewellery online for the first time. We want them to feel comfortable from start to finish. Clear product groups and clear store rules make buying easier. If someone has a question, chat and email support are available." Shivers Jewels shares key shopping details for online orders. Free shipping is available on prepaid orders above 1500. Shivers Jewels accepts payments by Cards, Netbanking, Upi and all other payment options. Shivers Jewels also offers help through chat and email. For returns, Shivers Jewels shows 5 days after delivery to request a return, along with usual conditions such as unused items, tags kept in place, and original packaging. Shivers Jewels is also running an offer shown in its promotion: Buy 2, Get 1 Free. Customers can apply code B2G1 at checkout. This offer is meant for buyers who want to pick a small set for themselves, share with family, or choose a ready gift combination. About Shivers JewelsShivers Jewels is a trusted fashion jewellery store based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, offering online shopping through shiversjewels.com. Shivers Jewels sells men's and women's fashion jewellery across key categories such as chains, bracelets, rings, bangles, earrings, necklaces, and mangalsutras, along with a Religious section that includes religious bracelets and religious chains. Shivers Jewels also offers gift-focused sections for family members, making it easier for buyers to choose pieces for occasions and everyday use. Shivers Jewels describes its range as gold and silver-plated fashion jewellery and also uses the term "imitation jewellery" in its brand description. Media ContactShivers JewelsEmail: shiverssid@gmail.comPhone: +91 93289 53433Website: shiversjewels.com (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 28: Industrial Automation Magazine, India's most focused and trusted platform dedicated exclusively to industrial automation, proudly marks a remarkable 40-year legacy of serving the manufacturing and engineering ecosystem with credible, unbiased, and high-impact industry knowledge. Learn more at Industrial Automation Magazine. A Founder's Vision That Built a National Automation Platform The journey of Industrial Automation Magazine began with the vision of Dr. Mariannan Arokiaswamy, a pioneer driven by passion for industrial automation and its power to transform Indian manufacturing. Inspired by leading automation exhibitions and specialized industrial publications in Germany, he recognized that India needed a dedicated platform - one that could capture technology progress, publish practical insights, and connect the automation ecosystem in a meaningful way. That vision became Industrial Automation Magazine - a publication built with a single purpose: to serve as India's most focused voice for automation, from shopfloor technology to strategic manufacturing transformation. A Legacy Brand. A Focused Audience. A Credible Platform. For four decades, the magazine has consistently delivered authoritative coverage across factory automation, process automation, robotics, PLC/SCADA, instrumentation, drives, IIoT, smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Unlike generic industrial publications, Industrial Automation Magazine is 100% automation-centric, enabling sharper editorial focus and deeper reader relevance. The magazine is widely respected for its vendor-neutral, unbiased editorial approach--making it a platform readers trust and advertisers value. In addition to publishing, Industrial Automation has also helped shape India's automation ecosystem through industry engagement platforms such as Automation Expo - India's flagship automation exhibition connecting technology brands with real industrial buyers and users. Industry leaders have consistently endorsed the publication for its credibility, technical depth and relevance: "The content is vendor-neutral and unbiased. Production values are high. Focus is strong - automation-centric." - PV Sivaram, Management Consultant "A trusted source of insights and innovation. Essential for industry leaders!" - Dr. B. R. Mehta, Sr. Vice President Retired, Reliance Industries Ltd. "Excellent Magazine covering good technical articles and latest updates on Industry" - V.P. 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BJP MP Arun Govil expressed his condolences over the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a plane crash earlier today. Speaking to media, Govil described the loss as "really unfortunate" and "saddening," acknowledging the immense void left by Pawar's untimely death. He also emphazised the importance of a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. "This is really unfortunate. It is saddening that we have lost such a good leader," Govil added. "It is crucial that an investigation takes place to understand the cause of this tragic event." Earlier, actor Riteish Deshmukh also took to his X account to mourn the loss of one of the state's most influential political figures. "Deeply shocked and terribly heartbroken to learn that we have lost Ajit Dada in a tragic accident. One of Maharashtra's most dynamic leaders, he had zero tolerance for non-performance and constantly pushed and inspired those around him to excel," Deshmukh wrote on X. https://x.com/Riteishd/status/2016384828460212621?s=20 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar, along with his co-passengers, died when the chartered aircraft they were traveling in crashed near the landing runway of Baramati airport Wednesday morning. Visuals from the site showed the plane engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing. Pawar was onboard with two other personnel (one PSO and one attendant) and two crew members. Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. He had been in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present. (ANI)
Film Director Madhur Bhandarkar expressed his deep shock and sadness over the sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, terming it a "big loss" for the state. Speaking to ANI, Bhandarkar shared how the news of the plane crash has left him "extremely saddened." "When I received the news of the plane crash, I felt extremely saddened. This is a very big loss for Maharashtra... He made a very significant contribution to Maharashtra. I have personally met him many times as well... I express my condolences to the entire Pawar family...," he told ANI. Earlier, actor Riteish Deshmukh also took to his X account to mourn the loss of one of the state's most influential political figures. "Deeply shocked and terribly heartbroken to learn that we have lost Ajit Dada in a tragic accident. One of Maharashtra's most dynamic leaders, he had zero tolerance for non-performance and constantly pushed and inspired those around him to excel," Deshmukh wrote on X. Ajit Pawar died after the plane he was travelling in crashed on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with two more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and two crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited. Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present. Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. (ANI)
Bollywood actor and Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut expressed deep shock over the sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, calling the news "horrible" and difficult to process. While speaking to the media, Ranaut struggled to find the right words to describe the tragedy. Visibly shocked by the loss, she said, "Oh my God. That's horrible. This is such horrible news. There are not enough words to express. Apne emotions ko align karke, I will give a statement later." BJP MP Arun Govil expressed his condolences over the tragic demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a plane crash earlier today. Speaking to the media, Govil described the loss as "really unfortunate" and "saddening," acknowledging the immense void left by Pawar's untimely death. He also emphasised the importance of a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident."This is really unfortunate. It is saddening that we have lost such a good leader," Govil added. "It is crucial that an investigation takes place to understand the cause of this tragic event." Earlier, actor Riteish Deshmukh also took to his X account to mourn the loss of one of the state's most influential political figures. "Deeply shocked and terribly heartbroken to learn that we have lost Ajit Dada in a tragic accident. One of Maharashtra's most dynamic leaders, he had zero tolerance for non-performance and constantly pushed and inspired those around him to excel," Deshmukh wrote on X. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar, along with his co-passengers, died when the chartered aircraft they were travelling in crashed near the landing runway of Baramati airporton Wednesday morning. Visuals from the site showed the plane engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing. Pawar was onboard with two other personnel (one PSO and one attendant) and two crew members. Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. He had been in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis on Wednesday announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash this morning. (ANI)
Brooklyn Beckham's wedding planner "didn't see any tension" while helping plan his big day.

Brooklyn Beckham and wife Nicola are estranged from his parents

The 26-year-old chef released a strongly-worded statement about his famous parents, Sir David and Lady Victoria Beckham last week, in which he accused his mother of "hijacking" his first dance with Nicola Peltz Beckham, going back on plans to make his partner's bridal gown, and his mum and dad pressuring him to "sign away the right" to his name.

But Preston Bailey - who worked with Brooklyn and Nicola on their wedding for 11 months and helped throw their engagement party - admitted he is "surprised" by the star's comments about his 2022 big day.

Preston told the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column: "It surprises me that he is taking this stand against his parents.

"Thats not the Brooklyn I met as far as him being this nice, gentle guy. . . He was just a nice, regular person who would say hello and chit chat.

I can tell you about my experience with Brooklyn. While we were planning, clearly as far as the details for the design, he was very much involved. I have always thought of him as a gentle, decent guy. There was never any tension.

Preston - who has counted the likes of Donald and Melania Trump, Mariah Carey, Uma Thurman and Michael Douglas among his clients - dismissed speculation that Nicola is "bossy" or controlling.

He said: I dont remember her being bossy. I remember a lot of affection between them.

Whatever design was done was presented to Nicola, but it was important for her to have Brooklyn approve it.

She wasnt going to do anything without his approval.

Preston was hired in April 2021 but had to step away 11 months later after his schedule got too hectic.

In his Instagram statement, Brooklyn blasted his family and insisted he does "not want to reconcile with parents.

He 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.
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday received Antonio Costa, President of the European Council and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in their honour. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval were among the leaders present. Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, was among the invitees, along with leaders from various fields. Welcoming the European Union leaders, the President said that their presence as Chief Guests on Republic Day, marking the first participation of the European Union in India's Republic Day celebrations, holds special significance, reflecting the depth of "mutual engagement and the trust we place in one another". The President said that India and Europe are connected not only by contemporary interests, but also by shared values such as democracy, pluralism, and an open market economy. These principles guide us in a rapidly changing global environment. She was happy to note that over the past two decades, the India-European Union Strategic Partnership has grown remarkably stronger. She said that this reflects our collective aspiration to shape a stable, balanced, and rules-based international order. The President said that in these times of uncertainty and conflict, India and the European Union share the responsibility of maintaining global stability. Our cooperation sends a clear message in support of diplomacy, multilateralism, and peaceful coexistence. The President said that economic cooperation is a key pillar of India-European Union relations. We view trade and investment as instruments of shared prosperity and social progress. She expressed happiness over the successful conclusion of the historic negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, adding that it will bring significant positive changes to the lives of our people. The President said that impact of technology on society is as profound as its impact on the economy. India and the EU can work together to advance "responsible innovation". She added that the Security and Defence Partnership concluded during this visit will open new opportunities for our defence industries. The President said that India is keen to further strengthen cooperation with the EU in the fields of clean energy, climate finance, and sustainable technologies. The three leaders expressed confidence that the important agreements concluded during this visit will further deepen the India-EU Strategic Partnership. They agreed that India and the EU are emerging as a force for balance, stability, and optimism and together, we can shape a future that is sustainable, inclusive and humane. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nainar Nagendran launched a sharp attack on the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its ally Congress, describing their alliance as a "failed engine", as political campaigning intensifies ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Reacting to Chief Minister MK Stalin's recent remark in which he described the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as a "box engine," Nainar Nagendran on Tuesday said that after the elections, people will clearly know which is the "failed engine," which is the "box engine," and which is the Vande Bharat engine. Continuing his criticism, the BJP state president questioned the stability and cohesion of the DMK-Congress alliance, citing what he described as contradictory statements by Congress leaders. "I hear that the DMK alliance itself is a failed engine. The Congress party keeps making contradictory statements. It is not clear whether Congress will remain in the DMK alliance or whether it will end up as a failed engine," he said, casting doubt on the future of the opposition alliance. Nagendran further claimed that the NDA's presence in Tamil Nadu is set to expand, asserting that additional political parties are likely to join the alliance in the coming days. "There are still seven days left," he said. Commenting on the controversy surrounding film certification, Nagendran said that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) functions as an independent statutory body and that its decisions should not be politicised. "Those who have watched the film know why it was not granted a censor certificate. I do not understand why there is so much publicity being sought only for that particular film," he added. Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday, two ministers from the ruling DMK submitted a petition to the party's Assembly election manifesto preparation committee, urging that "Tiruchirappalli be declared the second capital of Tamil Nadu" and that the demand be included in the party's election manifesto. The plea was made during a DMK Assembly Election Manifesto Consultation meeting held at Jamal Mohamed College, Tiruchirappalli, under the leadership of the party's Deputy General Secretary, MP Kanimozhi. Ministers KN Nehru, TRB Rajaa, Govi.Chezhian, SS Sivashankar, Elangovan, and other senior party functionaries also participated. The consultation aimed to gather public opinions across Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Ariyalur, and Pudukkottai Assembly constituencies. In a meeting with DMK party functionaries, MP Kanimozhi said the DMK manifesto remains the "hero" of campaigns and will reflect public demands. "The election manifesto has always been the 'hero' of elections, and the DMK is preparing it by placing the manifesto at the forefront of the upcoming Assembly elections. As directed by the Chief Minister, all efforts would be made to include projects that reflect the aspirations of the people in the election manifesto," she said. She added that, "Two ministers of DMK have submitted a petition to the DMK Assembly Election Manifesto Preparation Committee, urging that Tiruchirappalli be declared the second capital of Tamil Nadu and that the demand be included in the party's election manifesto." The developments come as Tamil Nadu is scheduled to hold elections in the first half of this year, although the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet announced the official election schedule. (ANI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved several major infrastructure projects, including Metro Line-8 connectivity between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports, during a meeting of the Cabinet Infrastructure Committee held at Mantralaya. According to an official release on Tuesday, the committee approved the 35-kilometre Metro Line-8 connecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) with the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. The project aims to significantly improve urban mobility and airport connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The meeting also approved the implementation of the 66-kilometre Nashik City Ring Road through the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), as well as a revised alignment for a four-lane cement concrete highway from Navegaon Mor to Surjagad in Gadchiroli district to facilitate mineral transportation. Chairing the meeting, Chief Minister Fadnavis directed that land acquisition and all statutory permissions required for infrastructure projects must be completed before work commences. He further instructed that every infrastructure project should be completed within three years after land acquisition. Emphasising the need for timely execution, the Chief Minister said infrastructure projects must not be delayed under any circumstances, as delays escalate costs. He directed that the extended works of the Samruddhi Expressway connecting Nagpur-Gondia and Bhandara-Gadchiroli be expedited. He also instructed that work orders must clearly stipulate completion within three years, according to the release. He further proposed the development of an "auto-mode" system incorporating incentive payments for contractors who complete projects within the stipulated timeline and penalties for delays. While executing the Gadchiroli highway project, space should be ensured along the roadside for future gas pipelines, as a gas pipeline up to Surjagad is planned. Provision for this must be made in advance, the Chief Minister said. The details on the key infrastructure projects approved are as follows: The Metro Line-8 (CSMIA to Navi Mumbai International Airport) project will have a total length of 35 kilometres, comprising a 9.25-kilometre underground section and a 24.636-kilometre elevated stretch. The corridor will include 20 stations, of which six will be underground and 14 elevated. The underground section will run from CSMIA Terminal-2 to Ghatkopar (East), while the elevated portion will extend from Govandi (West) to Navi Mumbai International Airport Terminal-2. The average inter-station distance will be 1.9 kilometres. The project will require land acquisition of 30.7 hectares, with an estimated acquisition cost of Rs 388 crore and the total project cost is pegged at Rs 22,862 crore. The Nashik City Ring Road project, planned in view of the upcoming Kumbh Mela, will span 66.15 kilometres and has an approved cost of Rs 3,954 crore. As a special provision, work orders will be issued after the acquisition of 50 per cent of the required land. For the Gadchiroli Mineral Transport Highway, approval was granted for a revised alignment covering 85.76 kilometres along the Navegaon Mor-Konsari-Mulchera-Hedri-Surjagad route. The four-lane cement concrete highway is intended to support mineral transportation in the region. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) O.P. Gupta, MSRDC Managing Director Dr. Anil Gaikwad, Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation Managing Director Brijesh Dixit and other senior officials were present at the meeting. Additional Chief Secretary (Public Works Department), Manisha Mhaisakar, and CIDCO Managing Director, Vijay Singhal, made detailed presentations during the meeting, the release stated. (ANI)
Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) apprehended two men at Odisha's Bhubaneswar Railway Station for allegedly transporting ganja to New Delhi. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) RPF Dasarathi Patra said that the accused hail from Haryana. "We were conducting routine checks and inspecting vehicles with a dog. During the inspection, we spotted them, and their clothing indicated they were from out of state. Their home address is in Haryana. We will get to know how much ganja they have after getting it weighed," the RPF official told ANI. One of the accused said, "This is our first time here. Someone delivers it here themselves. We don't know who. He boarded the bus with all three bags. He took one bag and left. We are from Haryana. We were taking it to Delhi. Someone from Brahmapur gave it to us." Further details in the case are awaited. In a similar case in Bengaluru, the Viveknagar Police arrested two people for selling a prohibited Narcotic Drug, Ganja. From their possession, the police seized 21 kg 210 grams of the prohibited narcotic drug ganja and two mobile phones used in the offence. The total value of the seized articles is Rs 21,00,000. Meanwhile, in Odisha, in a groundbreaking move to protect public health, the state government has officially banned the manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution, or sale of all food products containing tobacco or nicotine as ingredients in the state. This includes items such as gutkha, pan masala, flavoured or scented food products or chewable food products. The decision came in line with directives from the Supreme Court and follows growing concerns about the harmful effects of tobacco use. As part of the notification by the Health & Family Welfare department, Government of Odisha, all products containing tobacco or nicotine, whether packaged or unpackaged, sold individually or in a manner that allows consumers to mix them, or combined with any other food products, are now prohibited in the state of Odisha, regardless of the name under which they are marketed. In a notification, the Odisha Government explained, "The wide usage of smokeless tobacco along with food items like pan masala, betel leaf, areca nut, slaked lime and other processed/scented/flavoured condiments endangers public health and is especially fatal to the health of children and young adults." (ANI)
INDIA bloc MPs are scheduled to meet on Wednesday at 10 am to chalk out a strategy for the Budget Session 2026-27, which begins today. Congress and Opposition leaders will meet the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The INDIA bloc is set to demand discussions on replacing MGNREGA with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Congress MP K Suresh said, "Tomorrow at 10 AM, a meeting of the INDIA bloc has been called by Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge. We will discuss the current situation of MGNREGA and SIR. After that, we will decide when to demand time for discussion on MGNREGA and SIR in the House." Earlier, Congress MP Manickam Tagore also stated that "vote theft, SIR, procurement of paddy and bringing back MGNREGA" are among the issues the party intends to raise during the session. On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired an all-party meeting that outlined the agenda of the Budget Session. The Budget Session of Parliament will commence today with President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of the two Houses. The Economic Survey of India is scheduled to be presented on January 29, followed by the Union Budget 2026-27, to be presented on February 1. The Economic Survey document, prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance and formulated under the supervision of the chief economic adviser, provides insights into the state of the economy and various indicators for 2025-26 (April-March), as well as an outlook for the next fiscal. The session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. (ANI)
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Sulata Deo has said that her party would raise a range of pressing issues concerning Odisha in all party meetings, including irregular paddy procurement, the drying up of the Mahanadi River, and the rise in crimes against minors, asserting that these matters directly affect the lives of people in the state. Speaking to ANI here on Tuesday, Deo said the BJD's focus remains firmly on Odisha-centric concerns. "We focus more on issues related to Odisha. Paddy procurement for farmers is not happening properly. The Mahanadi River, the lifeline of Odisha, has completely dried up, and we will raise this issue as well," she said. Expressing concern over law and order, the BJD leader said crimes against minors were on the rise. "Rape cases against minors are increasing," she said, also pointing to incidents of mob lynching. "Mob lynching, which never happened in Odisha before, is also a matter of concern," Deo said. She asserted that the party would raise all these matters on appropriate platforms. "We will definitely raise all these issues," she added. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the government convened an all-party meeting ahead of the budget session of Parliament, in which it sought cooperation from the opposition parties for the smooth functioning of the two Houses. The opposition parties talked about the issues they intend to raise during the meeting. The budget session of Parliament will commence on Wednesday with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of the two Houses. Economic Survey of India will be presented on January 29 and the Union Budget will be presented on February 1. The two Houses will be adjourned for recess on February 13 and reassemble on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. The Session will have 30 sittings over 65 days and will conclude on April 2. The first part of the session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2026-27 and discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address. (ANI)
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday paid tribute to Field Marshal K M Cariappa on the occasion of his birth anniversary, calling him a "towering national figure" whose life reflected "courage, determination and valour." In an 'X' post, Kharge lauded his efforts in leading the Indian forces during the 1947 Indo-Pak war and later becoming the first Indian to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949. "On the birth anniversary of Field Marshal K M Cariappa, our respectful salutations to a towering national figure whose life reflected courage, determination and valour. Over a distinguished military career of three decades, he led Indian forces during the 1947 Indo-Pakistan War and became the first Indian to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949. May his exemplary service continue to inspire us all, and may we forever remember and honour his legacy," Kharge wrote on 'X'. Every year on January 15, Army Day is celebrated to remember the occasion of Field Marshal KM Cariappa taking over the command of the Indian Army from British Commander-in-Chief, General Sir FRR Bucher, in 1949 and becoming the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of Independent India. Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, serving from 1949 to 1953. He played a crucial role in transforming the former British Indian Army into a truly national force after independence. Renowned for his integrity, discipline, and exemplary leadership, Cariappa guided the Army through critical phases, including the 1947-48 Indo-Pak War. In recognition of his distinguished service, he was later elevated to the five-star rank of Field Marshal, an honour conferred on only two officers in Indian military history, symbolising the complete transfer of military command into Indian hands. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to "Punjab Kesari" Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary. In a post on X, PM Modi emphasised that Lala Lajpat Rai offered everything he had to liberate India from the chains of slavery, and his life of sacrifice will continue to remain a source of inspiration for every generation. "To the immortal son of the motherland, Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai, heartfelt and respectful tributes on his birth anniversary. He offered everything he had to liberate Mother Bharati from the chains of slavery. His life of sacrifice will continue to remain a source of inspiration for every generation of the country," PM Modi posted. Lajpat Rai was born on 28 January 1865, in a Punjabi Hindu family, as a son of Urdu and Persian Government School teacher Munshi Radha Krishan and his wife Gulab Devi, in Dhudike. Since childhood, he had a desire to serve his country. In 1886, he moved to Hisar, began practising law, and became a founding member of the Bar Council of Hisar along with Babu Churamani. He also founded the Hisar district branch of the Indian National Congress and the reformist Arya Samaj. To shape the political policy of India to gain independence, he also practised journalism and was a regular contributor to several newspapers, including The Tribune. In 1886, he helped Mahatma Hansraj establish the nationalistic Dayananda Anglo-Vedic School, Lahore. In 1914, he quit law practice to dedicate himself to the freedom of India. He was elected President of the Indian National Congress in the Calcutta Special Session of 1920. In 1921, he founded the Servants of the People Society, a non-profit welfare organisation. He was of the view that Hindu society needed to fight its own battle with the caste system, the position of women, and untouchability. Lala Lajpat Rai believed that everyone should be allowed to read and learn from the Vedas, irrespective of one's caste or gender. When the Simon Commission visited Lahore on 30 October 1928, Lajpat Rai led a non-violent march in protest against it. The superintendent of police, James A. Scott, ordered the police to lathi (baton) charge the protesters and personally assaulted Rai. He did not fully recover from his injuries and died on 17 November 1928. (ANI)
Chandigarh witnessed dense fog on Wednesday, significantly reducing visibility across several areas and affecting early morning traffic. According to the India Meteorological Department forecast, the city is expected to record a maximum temperature of 19 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 8 degrees Celsius today, with a mainly clear sky, alongside dense to very dense fog conditions. Meanwhile, the national capital witnessed a slight improvement in air quality on Wednesday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 273 at around 7 am, keeping it in the 'poor' category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The air quality improved slightly from Tuesday, with the AQI at 294. However, large parts of the city remained enveloped in smog. According to data shared by the CPCB, the AQI near Anand Vihar was recorded at 280, placing it in the "poor" category. In the Patpadganj area, the AQI was 304, placing it in the "very poor" category. Several key monitoring stations across the city reported AQI levels in the 'very poor' range. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 362, while Ashok Vihar stood at 323. Bawana reported 332, and Chandni Chowk 340. Dwarka Sector 8 recorded 317, while Mundka reported 323. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rain or thundershowers with strong gusty winds across the day. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and winds at speeds of 30 to 40 kmph are expected during the morning, forenoon, afternoon, evening, and night. The temperature is likely to range from 19 to 9 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has revoked Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR in view of improvement in air quality and forecast trends. While GRAP Stage III is being revoked, keeping in view the winter season, when weather conditions may not always be favourable, and to ensure that AQI levels do not slip further, citizens are requested to strictly adhere to the citizen charter under Stages II and I of the extant schedule of GRAP. (ANI)
BJP spokesperson Prakash Reddy on Wednesday termed the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as "one more success story of PM Modi", asserting that if properly implemented, Indian trade will greatly benefit. "It is the mother of all agreements, like PM Modi said. If the agreement is properly implemented, Indian trade will greatly benefit. Such FTAs will help the Indian economy. This is one more success story of PM Modi," Reddy said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa unveiled the pact during a joint press briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday, where PM Modi said India-EU cooperation would help stabilise a turbulent global order. Under the agreement, the EU will remove tariffs on 99.5 per cent of Indian exports, with most duties dropping to zero once the pact comes into force, while India will provide tariff concessions on 97.5 per cent of traded value. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic signed the joint announcement in the presence of the leaders. As part of the agreement, India will revoke tariffs on all EU chemical products, while duties will be abolished on 90 per cent of optical, medical and surgical equipment. The agreement comes amid fresh tariff pressures on both India and Europe from the Donald Trump-led US administration. With a combined market estimated at over Rs 2091.6 Lakh Crore (USD 24 trillion), bringing unparalleled opportunities for the 2 billion people of India and the EU, the FTA unlocks significant potential for trade and innovation. India and the EU exchanged several agreements and MoUs, reflecting the wide-ranging, multifaceted cooperation under the India-EU Strategic Cooperation. Among the agreements exchanged was the political declaration on the conclusion of negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, signed by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and European Union Trade Commissioner Marcos Sefcovic. The India-EU Security and Defence Partnership document was signed by EU Vice President Kaja Kallas and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while the comprehensive framework on mobility was signed by Vice President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic, and EAM Jaishankar, highlighting the wide-ranging and multifaceted nature of India-EU strategic cooperation. (ANI)
Denise Richards wants a judge to bar Aaron Phypers from getting any of the money she has earned from Only Fans.

Denise Richards wants to protect her earnings

The Starship Troopers actress split from her husband last July after six years of marriage and in the latest filing in their bitter split, the 54-year-old star has asked for the court to deny the businessman's request for half of the $200-$300,000 he claimed she makes every month on the adults-only subscription platform.

Documents obtained by TMZ show Denise - who has a five-year restraining order out against Aaron - argued the request should be denied because he missed a deadline to file an updated income and expense declaration with the court on Friday (23.01.26) and still has not submitted the requested paperwork.

A judge has yet to rule on the request.

Last month, it was revealed that Aaron's mother, Patricia Phypers, had launched a GoFundMe pleading for financial assistance for her son.

The page was titled Please Help My Son Aaron - A Grandmother's Cry for Justice and featured a lengthy message, blasting Denise and claiming that Aaron was being prevented from seeing their daughter Eloise, who Denise adopted as a baby in 2011, with Aaron filing adoption paperwork in 2019.

Patricia wrote: I am a mother and a grandmother begging the public for help. My son, Aaron Phypers, has been destroyed by false allegations, Hollywood power, and a system determined to silence him. But the deepest wound is the loss of his daughter - my granddaughter - Eloise.

She was our light. She adored her daddy. And overnight, she was taken from him and from us without truth, without justice, without mercy.

When my Daughter in law needed help, I was brought in to hold a collapsing home together  36 dogs, 5 cats, endless responsibilities, all hidden from the landlord. I spent my small pension on vet bills, food, and care because no one else would. My son Brett and I were put in impossible, unlawful situations to cover for fraud we never created.

And through it all, I cared for Eloise for weeks, loving her, protecting her, giving her stability while my Daughter in-law traveled. I even cared for her older daughters cats because they wouldnt bother.

Now my son  the man who carried this entire household  has been cut off, slandered, starved, wrongfully arrested, and left with nothing.

No income. No home. No ability to fight back. And no access to the daughter who needs him. We are facing eviction. Our utilities are being shut off. My pension is gone. We are out of options. Please  if you have ever loved a child or grandchild  help my son fight for the truth and for Eloise. Your support may be the only thing that saves him. With a breaking heart, Patricia Phypers. A Big Thank You, to all of you, that have taken the time to read this! And Thank you all you donate and or re-share this to get the word out. 100 per cent of all proceeds will be used towards the above mentioned.. THANK YOU! (sic)"
Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat on Wednesday highlighted the newly introduced University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, saying they reflect the constitutional principles of equality and non-discrimination. Speaking to ANI, Bhagat said the Constitution guarantees equality for all citizens and prohibits discrimination on the basis of caste or gender. He added that the UGC's move was in line with these values and should be welcomed. "There are two important things. The Constitution provides for equality, and if the UGC has taken steps in that direction, then I believe these measures should be welcomed. After the Rohith Vemula case, such issues came to the forefront, and discussions like these began. So this is certainly an effort to ensure equality in the country, so that no one faces discrimination, neither on the basis of caste nor on the basis of gender. These are the principles, and the UGC has framed regulations in line with them," Sukhdeo Bhagat told ANI. Congress leader Udit Raj also hit out at what he called a "casteist narrative" being built around the proposed equity committee in the new UGC regulation, accusing the BJP of spreading misinformation to polarise voters along caste lines. He asked why SCs, STs and OBCs are being portrayed as separate from Hindus, and said legal processes function on evidence and judicial scrutiny, not prejudice. "...I have read the gazette notification. Its committee is being discussed. It is being said that if the committee makes one-sided decisions, it can be against 'Savarna' students...Lies are being spread that the equity committee will make one-sided decisions...I believe that BJP is probably playing a game that 100% of the 'Savarnas' vote for them and it wants to appease SCs, STs, OBCs too...Why is a narrative being built? Secondly, are SCs, ST and OBCs not Hindus?...If a committee has been built to stop discrimination, it is good. But the controversy over it, that one-sided action will be taken against 'Savarnas' and how can action be taken against evidence? Be it a rape or sexual assault or dowry - all laws function just like this. Raise this question there too, that how is a case being registered without evidence? It is the court which does this. This is a wrong and casteist mindset," he said. This comes after new rules notified by the UGC on January 13, which update its 2012 regulations on the same subject, have sparked widespread criticism from general category students, who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them. The new regulations, introduced to curb caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, require institutions to establish special committees and helplines to address complaints, especially from SC, ST, and OBC students. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday sought to allay concerns over the new UGC regulations, assuring that the law would not be misused and that there would be no discrimination in its implementation. (ANI)
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Wednesday levelled serious allegations against Jana Sena Party MLA from Railway Kodur Arava Sridhar, accusing him of sexually harassing and exploiting a government woman employee by misusing his political influence. In a post on X, the YSRCP alleged that the MLA intimidated the woman over an extended period, issued threats to her and her family, and made false promises of marriage. "@JanaSenaParty MLA, Government Whip, Arava Sridhar's Kichaka Parvam (reign of abuse). Harassment of a woman employee by misusing a Facebook acquaintance Jana Sena MLA Arava Sridhar allegedly raped a government woman employee for one and a half years by intimidating her The MLA allegedly exploited a woman employee who had no parents, using threats to subdue her Threatened to kill the woman employee's three-year-old son if she did not comply with his demands Claimed he is an MLA and can do anything, continuing harassment against the woman Continuous harassment through phone calls demanding sexual favors," the YSRCP posted. "The woman employee lived in fear due to the MLA's harassment Later, he allegedly made false promises of marriage to the woman Again threatened the woman, forcing her to divorce her husband Personally called and threatened the woman's husband, demanding divorce Family disputes began after threats were made to the husband, who works as a software employee The woman became pregnant allegedly due to MLA Arava Sridhar MLA Sridhar allegedly threatened the woman and forced her to undergo an abortion Is this the protection you claim to provide to women, @PawanKalyan, @ncbn, @Anitha_TDP, @naralokesh?" the party added. Meanwhile, the Koduru police have registered a case, and an investigation is underway. YSRCP Women's Wing State President and MLC Varudu Kalyani strongly condemned the alleged incident. Addressing the media at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, she said the coalition government had completely failed to protect women, allowing ruling party MLAs to act with impunity under the intoxication of power. (ANI)
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday addressed a joint session of Parliament on the first day of the Budget Session 2026-27, outlining the Union government's vision for social justice, inclusive growth, and a developed India. The President delivered her address to members of both Houses assembled together in the Lok Sabha Chamber on the opening day of the Seventh Session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 270th Session of the Rajya Sabha. In her address, President Murmu said she was "delighted to address Parliament, recalling that the previous year was memorable for celebrating India's rapid progress and rich heritage. She noted that 150 years of Vande Mataram were celebrated across the country, with citizens paying tribute to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. "The country celebrated the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bhadur Ji. During the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the entire country paid him tribute and remembered his tribute to the tribal community. The events related to the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel further strengthened the sense of Ek Bharat Shresht Bharat. The entire country became witness to how Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika's birth anniversary celebrations of filled the country with music and a sense of unity. When the country remembers the contribution of its ancestors, the new generation gets inspiration which further speeds up our journey towards Viksit Bharat," she said. Focusing on social justice, the President underlined that Babasaheb Ambedkar consistently emphasised equality and social justice, values enshrined in the Constitution. "Every citizen of the country should get their full rights without any discrimination. My Government is committed to true social justice," she said. As a result, she noted, nearly 25 crore people have come out of poverty in the last decade, with efforts to empower the poor being accelerated further in the government's third term. "My Government is working for Dalits, the backwards, tribal community and everyone with complete sensitivenss. The vision of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is becoming a positive impact on the lives of every citizen. At the beginning of 2014, social security schemes reached just 25 crore citizens. With the efforts of the Govt about 95 crore Indians have access to social security schemes now," she added. The President also highlighted the new act VB-G RAM G that thas replace the MNREGA. As she praised the provisions of the act the Treasury benches thumped the tables in appreciation while opposition MPs stood and protested and demanded that the law be withdrawn. "For employment and development in rural areas, Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law has been formed. With this new reform, there will be 125 days of employment guarantees in villages," the President. President Murmu also said that with 2026, India has entered the second stage of the 21st century, and the achievements of the last 25 years have laid a strong foundation across sectors, calling this year a crucial base of the journey towards Viksit Bharat. Earlier, the President received a Guard of Honour on her arrival at Parliament of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were present during the address. The Budget Session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2, with a recess from February 13 to March 9 for scrutiny of Demands for Grants by Standing Committees. (ANI)
The Bengaluru Police have registered a case in connection with an alleged data theft worth approximately Rs 87 crore after a leading software company accused its former employee of illegally transferring sensitive source code and proprietary data. The Bengaluru City Police have registered an FIR at the Whitefield CEN Crime Police Station in connection with the case, booked as Crime No. 0050/2026. The complaint was filed by Amadeus Software Labs India Private Limited, a leading technology firm, against its former employee Ashutosh Nigam. According to the FIR, Nigam, who was working as Senior Manager - Research Scientist, allegedly exfiltrated the company's highly confidential source code and sensitive data on October 11, 2025, by transferring it without authorisation through his personal email account. The company became suspicious of a possible data breach during an internal review and subsequently questioned the accused. During the enquiry, Nigam reportedly confessed to the unauthorised data transfer, which was recorded on video. Following this, Amadeus Software Labs terminated his services on December 3, 2025. The company has claimed that the stolen software and source code are valued at approximately 8 million euros, translating to nearly Rs 87 crore, and that the breach has resulted in significant business losses while posing a direct threat to its intellectual property rights. Based on the complaint, police have registered the case under Sections 65, 66, 66(C), and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which deal with computer-related offences, identity theft, and cheating by personation using computer resources. An investigation has been initiated, and a detailed report has also been submitted to the court. (ANI)
President Draupadi Murmu on Wednesday condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and said that the untimely demise of NCP chief is an "irreparable loss." Sharing an X post, Murmu said that the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar is an "irreparable loss" for the nation. wrote, "The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely tragic. The untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji is an irreparable loss. He will always be remembered for his special contribution to the development of Maharashtra, especially in the cooperative sector. I express my deep condolences to his family, supporters, and admirers. May God grant strength to the families of all others who lost their lives in this accident to bear this blow." Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar and his co-passengers died when the chartered aircraft they were travelling in crashed near the landing runway of the Baramati airport this Morning. Visuals from the site showed the plane engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing. Further, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned the demise of Pawar, remembering him as a mass leader with deep grassroots. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, "Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti." Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled the demise of Pawar, saying he was deeply distressed by the tragic news and hailed Pawar's decades-long dedication to public service. In a post on X, Shah said, "Today, the news of the loss of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and our senior NDA colleague Ajit Pawar ji in a tragic accident has left my heart deeply distressed. The way Ajit Pawar ji dedicated himself to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra over the past three and a half decades cannot be expressed in words. Whenever we met, he would engage in long discussions on numerous issues related to the welfare of the people of Maharashtra. His passing is a personal loss not only for the NDA family but also for me." "I express my deepest condolences to the Pawar family. In this hour of grief, the entire NDA stands firmly with the bereaved Pawar family. May God grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," he added. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited. Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present. (ANI)
Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad on Wednesday mourned the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, saying the entire state would be in grief following the tragic incident. Describing his death as "unfortunate," Gaikwad said she was shocked by the news and recalled working with him during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra. "I heard the news about Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. This is really unfortunate. When we had the Maha Vikas Aghadi govt (in Maharashtra), I received the opportunity to work with him. Entire Maharashtra knows his work style...I think entire Maharashtra would be sad today...I express my condolences to him and also on behalf of my party. I am shocked," Varsha Gaikwad told reporters. TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu also expressed sorrow over Pawar's demise, recalling his interactions with him during visits to Baramati. "What happened is very sad. I had a few interactions with him. I had a chance to visit Baramati constituency to understand how the Pawar family- Ajit Pawar ji, Sharad Pawar kji, Supriya Sule ji worked for the farmers there. He was there to handhold us in Baramati," Devarayalu told ANI. DMK leader TKS. Elangovan termed Pawar's death as a loss to the nation. "Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, died in a plane crash... Maybe the civil aviation experts will issue a report. But it is a loss to the country... I convey all my sympathies to his family," he told ANI. Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited. Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present. Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. (ANI)
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday expressed shock over the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and called it a "huge loss", urging politicians to exercise greater caution while travelling, especially abroad. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar and his co-passengers died when the chartered aircraft they were travelling in crashed near the landing runway of the Baramati airport this Morning. Visuals from the site showed the plane engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said he was disturbed after hearing the news and noted that several leaders had been lost in similar circumstances in the past. "Ajit Pawar's death is shocking. I was also shocked to hear the news of his death. We as politicians, should be very careful. We should be careful while travelling abroad. We have lost many leaders like this," he said. Remembering Ajit Pawar as a progressive leader, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister said that Pawar had earned the confidence of many leaders across party lines in Maharashtra. "Ajit Pawar is a leader with very progressive ideas. The Maharashtra Chief Minister had said just the other day that he is cooperating in all works. May his soul rest in peace. May the Lord give his family and supporters the strength to bear the grief," Shivakumar said. He also pointed out Pawar's personal connections with Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru. "His family has also established ties in Bengaluru. He met his relatives on Tuesday," he added. Referring to Pawar's political journey, Shivakumar described him as a senior leader but declined to comment on his past political decisions. "Ajit Pawar is a senior leader. He left the party for a political future and came back. I will not talk about this. He was currently serving as the Maharashtra DCM," he said. Shivakumar also responded to questions about the recent spate of plane crashes, claiming technical faults were to blame. He said it would be premature to comment without an official report. "I will talk about this after a detailed report comes. What do I know about the technical fault? Many people, including friends from Mumbai, have informed me about it," he said. Meanwhile, responding to the opposition's insistence on the resignation of Minister RB Thimmapur over an alleged controversy, Shivakumar dismissed the demand as politically motivated and said the issue was being exaggerated. "In my opinion, R.B. Thimmapur has nothing to do with the controversy. The opposition is exaggerating as much as they want," he said. He further stated that he would discuss the matter with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah before taking any position. "I will talk to the Chief Minister about this in detail and then inform him. There is a political conspiracy going on," Shivakumar added. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the claim of a Haryana-based family that they had converted to Buddhism shortly before examinations to avail minority benefits and sought an explanation from the Haryana government on the issuance of minority certificates. A Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi strongly criticised the attempt and raised doubts about the family's intent. The case arises from a petition filed by Nitin Punia and Ekta Punia, children of Krishan Punia, belonging to a Jat family from Hisar, Haryana, classified under the General category by birth. As per their plea, the petitioners were selected for admission under the Buddhist minority quota in Subharti Medical College, Subharti University, Uttar Pradesh, but could not successfully enrol in the NEET-PG course. The petitioners obtained Buddhist minority certificates issued by the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Hisar, which enabled them to secure admission in the college. However, the Uttar Pradesh government, through a 2016 notification, requires institutions claiming minority status to also obtain recognition from the State of Uttar Pradesh, even if they have recognition from the National Commission for Minorities. The State of Uttar Pradesh had denied such recognition, though the authority concerned granted admission. While hearing the matter, the Bench made strong oral observations and termed the family's conduct as a kind of fraud. "Outrightly dismissed. You want to snatch the rights of minorities. You belong to one of the richest places in the country. You should be proud of your merit. This is another kind of fraud. Don't compel us to make further comments", CJI Kant said, while dismissing the plea. Justice Bagchi also remarked, "Examination ke pehle Buddhist hua? The Court also questioned the role of the district administration, asking, "How has the Sub-Divisional Officer, Hisar, issued such certificates?" The Court noted that the candidates had declared themselves as General category while applying and confirmed that they were General category by birth. "On further inquiry, and as ascertained from counsel for the candidates, it is clear that the candidates appeared as General category candidates as they belong to the General category by birth," the Court noted in it's order. The Bench further observed that the certificates were issued when the candidates were appearing for NEET 2025, even though they did not belong to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). "They do not belong to EWS. How have they been treated as candidates belonging to a minority community?" the Court asked. Seeking accountability, the Court directed the Chief Secretary of Haryana to file a status-report on the guidelines in the State over issuance of minority certificates. "We would like to know from the Chief Secretary of Haryana what the guidelines are for issuance of minority certificatesand on what basis General category candidates, who are not from weaker sections and who disclosed themselves as General candidates, can be treated as belonging to the Buddhist community," the Bench noted. The Court also sought an explanation from the SDO (Civil), Hisar, on the basis for issuing such certificates. "Further directions will depend upon the status report to be submitted by the State of Haryana within two weeks," the Court ordered. The plea has been filed through Advocate Siddhartha Priya Ashok.(ANI)
The Opposition parties on Wednesday staged a protest in a "dignified" manner against the scrapping of the MGNREGA during President Droupadi Murmu's address to both Houses of the Parliament ahead of the Budget Session. The Budget Session of Parliament commenced today with President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of the two Houses. When President Murmu, during her address, highlighted the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, the opposition MPs stood and protested. President Murmu said, "For employment and development in rural areas, Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law has been formed. With this new reform, there will be 125 days of employment guarantees in villages..." As the NDA-BJP MPs thumped their tables in appreciation, Opposition MPs stood up and registered their protest, demanding that the law be withdrawn. Further, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh emphasised that the Opposition will use all democratic means to demand the restoration of MGNREGA. "Today, during the Hon'ble President's Address to both Houses of Parliament, all Opposition parties most respectfully and in a dignified manner protested the bulldozed repeal of MGNREGA. The Opposition will use all democratic means to demand the restoration of MGNREGA," Jairam posted on X. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed the opposition parties for creating a ruckus during the President's address. Rijiju said that the act of opposition makes the country ashamed. He said that the country will never forgive Congress and its allies. "What the Opposition did when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament, makes the country ashamed. The country will never forgive Congress and its allies. Can a responsible MP behave like this? When the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram was being mentioned and tribute was being paid to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the entire Opposition started creating ruckus. When the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was mentioned, Opposition created a ruckus. When Babasaheb Ambedkar's 150th birth anniversary was mentioned, they created ruckus yet again. When centenary celebration of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika was mentioned, they created ruckus...They are insulting them by sloganeering...I think the country will never forgive them," the Minister said. The VB-G RAM G Act was passed in the Winter Session of the Parliament in 2025 and replaces the 100-day employment guarantee with a 125-day guarantee. However, the Opposition has criticised the legislation for removing Mahatma Gandhi's name and for removing the 60:40 share of funds between the Centre and states. The Economic Survey of India is scheduled to be presented on January 29, followed by the Union Budget 2026-27, to be presented on February 1. The Economic Survey document, prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance and formulated under the supervision of the chief economic adviser, provides insights into the state of the economy and various indicators for 2025-26 (April-March), as well as an outlook for the next fiscal. The Budget session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. (ANI)
Leaders from Madhya Pradesh, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and paid their tributes to him. CM Yadav shared a condolence message on social media and prayed to Baba Mahakal to grant him a palace at His lotus feet and provide strength to the grieving family to bear this loss. "Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was always dedicated to the service of the poor, the deprived and the backward sections of society. He made an invaluable contribution to the development of Maharashtra and was a grassroots leader. I pay my tributes to him on his untimely demise. I pray to Baba Mahakal to grant him a place at His lotus feet and give strength to the grieving family to bear this loss. Om Shanti," CM Yadav said in a post on X. Madhya Pradesh assembly speaker Narendra Singh Tomar called it an unfortunate incident and paid his tributes to the departed soul. "The incident is extremely unfortunate and heart-breaking. I pay my tribute to the departed soul and pay to the almighty to grant strength to the bereaved family to bear this loss. The demise of Ajit Pawar is an irreparable loss in the political and social spheres, which cannot be compensated," Tomar told ANI. Meanwhile, former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan described the incident as tragic and paid her condolence to the departed soul. She also remembered her past interaction with Pawar, calling him a good person and essential for politics. Mahajan told ANI, "...I don't know how it all happened but it is unfortunate. I don't think he ever spoke ill of anyone. He made a lot of effort. He tried to maintain harmony even within his party. It is a kind of shock to hear about the incident... He had wisdom. Such a person is essential for politics. I didn't know him very closely, but I have seen his personality and his way of working, and he was a good person. He knew how to keep everyone together. The passing of such a person is very tragic..." Additionally, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari also mourned over the demise of Pawar and prayed that the departed soul rest in peace. "The news of the passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is extremely painful and heartbreaking. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family and supporters to endure this immense sorrow. Om Shanti," Pawatri posted on X. Leader of Opposition (LoP) of Madhya Pradesh assembly, Umang Singhar also termed the incident unfortunate and expressed deep grief over the demise of Maharashtra Dy CM. "The tragic news of the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash is unfortunate. May God grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet and give the bereaved family the strength to bear this deep sorrow. Om Shanti," Singhar posted on X. Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited. (ANI)
Chinese defense minister holds video talk with Russian counterpart

Xinhua) 10:55, January 28, 2026

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun held a video talk with Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov on Tuesday.

Dong said China stands ready to work with Russia to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen strategic coordination, enrich the content of cooperation, improve communication mechanisms, and jointly enhance the ability to address various risks and challenges, so as to inject positive energy into global security and stability.

Belousov said Russia is willing to strengthen strategic consultations between militaries with China, deepen practical cooperation in areas such as joint operations and personnel training, and promote the bilateral strategic coordination to a higher level.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Paris Hilton will feel haunted by her sex tape for "the rest of [her] life".

Paris Hilton has opened up about her struggles

The 44-year-old socialite appeared in a sex tape with her then-boyfriend Rick Salomon in the early 2000s, and Paris admits that she'll never get over the tape being leaked.

She told Us Weekly: "[To] trust somebody and have them violate me like that was just the most horrible thing. That will haunt me the rest of my life."

Asked if she's spoken to Rick about the sex tape since it was leaked, Paris simply replied: "No."

The blonde beauty also insisted that she has no intention to speaking to her ex about the tape.

Paris - who has son Phoenix, three, and daughter London, two, with her husband Carter Reum - still doesn't know how she'll approach the issue with her children.

She said: "I havent thought about what Im going to say [yet].

"Now, [as] a mom, thinking about it makes me even sadder  that I had to go through that so publicly and have people vilify me for it when I was just a 19-year-old kid."

Meanwhile, Paris recently revealed that she thinks there's a "power in being vulnerable".

The socialite was subjected to "a parent-approved kidnapping" at four different youth facilities as a child, and Paris now sees her campaigning efforts as the "most meaningful work" of her life.

The hotel heiress - who has campaigned to improve child welfare in the US - told Sky News: "These places, they really instil that shame in you where you are so ashamed that you don't even want to speak about or talk about or think about it, and that's such a powerful muzzle for abusers.

"I had no idea how the world would react but it was just like this outpouring of love and tens of thousands of survivors reaching out to me, coming up to me on the street and just saying, 'Thank you so much for telling your story. No one has ever believed me, I haven't spoken to my family in this many years and you know it's just affected my whole life and now since you told your story, now my family believes me'."
The Lower House of the Parliament on Wednesday made an obituary reference to the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died during a plane crash in Baramati this morning. The NCP chief was a Lok Sabha MP during the 10th Lok Sabha in 1991. The 66-year-old leader died in a charter plane crash while travelling from Mumbai to Bramati this morning. He was in Mumbai on January 27, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Fadanvis has announced a state holiday and three days of mourning. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, CM Fadanvis said that the decision on Pawar's last rites will be made after consulting his family. Ajit Pawar, 66, was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. Several MPs have expressed condolences to the Pawar family. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered him as a mass leader with deep grassroots. He highlighted Pawar's strong grasp of administrative affairs and his commitment to empowering the poor and underprivileged. "Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti," the X post from PM Modi said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled the demise of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Meanwhile, both Houses of Parliament also made obituary reference for former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who passed away in December last year, while she was undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka at the age of 80. Lok Sabha mourned the demise of former MPs Shalini Patil, Bhanu Prakash Mirdha, Satyendra Nath Brohmo Chaudhury, Suresh Kalmadi and Kabindra Purkayastha. While the Rajya Sabha made obituary references for former MPs L Ganesan and Suresh Kalmadi. The Budget Session 2026-27 began with President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint session of Parliament, outlining the Union government's vision for social justice, inclusive growth, and a developed India. Both houses were adjourned on Wednesday afternoon and will meet on Thursday at 11 am. The Union Budget will be presented on February 1. (ANI)
Senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, describing him as a gentle, affable and dedicated worker who carved a distinct place for himself in state politics. Speaking to ANI, Shinde said Pawar carried out every responsibility entrusted to him with sincerity and depth. "I learned of this tragic incident this morning... A colleague who worked with us and stayed with us for nearly 20 years. When I was the Chief Minister, he also worked in my Council of Ministers. He was known as a very gentle, affable, and helpful worker who assisted everyone... In Maharashtra's political life, he made a name for himself... Whatever work he was given, he did it wholeheartedly, thoughtfully, and with complete depth. Especially, the work he did for the poor, farmers, and cooperatives cannot be forgotten... I express my condolences," Sushil Kumar Shinde told ANI. Meanwhile, Congress MP Praniti Shinde said that the news was difficult to accept and termed Pawar's death a major blow to the State. "The news is just not sinking in. He was a stickler for time. His hectic lifestyle has cost him his life today. He always went out of his way to help his party workers and others. It is just a very sad day for Maharashtra," Pranati Shinde told ANI. Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with two more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and two crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited. Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present. Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. (ANI)
Pathanamthitta District Court in Kerala granted bail to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in an alleged sexual assault case. The court allowed bail on the 18th day of his arrest, in connection with the third rape case. Earlier, on January 17, the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Thiruvalla in Kerala denied bail to Rahul Mamkootathil. Mamkootathil had earlier obtained relief from courts in the first two complaints filed against him, but was arrested and remanded to custody in connection with the third case. According to the prosecution, the third case is based on allegations that the MLA sexually assaulted a woman after allegedly calling her to a hotel on the promise of marriage. This third sexual assault complaint against the Palakkad MLA involves serious allegations such as physical assault, financial exploitation, and forced abortion. Earlier, the bail hearing was conducted in camera following a request by Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) MG Devi to prevent disclosure of the survivor's identity and details. The magistrate sought the opinion of the defence counsel, Shasthamangalam Ajith Kumar, on holding the hearing in a closed courtroom, after which the request was accepted. All persons not connected with the case were asked to leave the courtroom, and arguments were heard at length before the court dismissed the bail application. Meanwhile, in the first sexual assault case, the High Court had stayed Mamkootathil's arrest, while a trial court had granted anticipatory bail in the second case. On December 12, the investigation into the first alleged rape case against Mamkootathil was transferred to the State Police Crime Branch following an official order. The case was earlier handled by the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner. With the transfer, both rape cases registered against the expelled Congress MLA are now being supervised by Assistant Inspector General of Police Poonguzhali, who was already heading the probe into the second case. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar following the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar and expressed his condolences. Ajit Pawar, 66, died this morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots. The crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate. Pawar was on his way to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections. PM Modi, in a series of posts on the X platform today, condoled Pawar''s demise. "Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief," the PM posted In another post on X, PM Modi said, "Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti." Earlier today, Sharad Pawar and his wife drove from their Mumbai residence to reach the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Government Medical College in Baramati, where the mortal remains of all five deceased, including Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, are kept. Ajit Pawar has been closely associated with Sharad Pawar since 1991-92. He was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1991 from the Baramati Parliamentary constituency and later vacated the seat for his uncle, Sharad Pawar. He was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly seven times from the Baramati Assembly constituency. He first won in a 1991 by-election and subsequently in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014. In November 2019, he engineered a split in the NCP and joined a government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and became the Deputy Chief Minister. In February 2024, the Election Commission awarded the party name and symbol to the faction headed by Ajit Pawar. Despite this, Ajit Pawar was known to be very close to his uncle, Sharad Pawar, under whose guidance he began his political career. In the recently held Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Elections, the two rival factions of the NCP came into an alliance and projected a united development agenda for Pune. Ajit Pawar was famed for his straightforward approach and frankness. He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar Earlier today, President Droupadi Murmu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge were among the leaders who condoled the demise of the Maharashtra leader. Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP and two sons Jay and Parth Pawar. The Maharashtra government has announced three days of state mourning. (ANI)
After the adjournment of a joint session of Parliament on Wednesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the act of opposition during the session. He said that the opposition has made the country feel ashamed for the behaviour they displayed in parliament. "What the Opposition did when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament makes the country ashamed. The country will never forgive Congress and its allies," Rijiju said. Pointing out the behaviour of the opposition during the session, he said, "Can a responsible MP behave like this? When the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram was being mentioned, and tribute was being paid to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the entire Opposition started creating a ruckus. When the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was mentioned, the opposition created a ruckus. When Babasaheb Ambedkar's 150th birth anniversary was mentioned, they created a ruckus yet again. When the centenary celebration of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika was mentioned, they created a ruckus. The anniversaries of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Vande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, and Sardar Patel are very important topics, and everyone should bow and salute. All should welcome the while president addresses the parliament, but at such time they are insulting them by sloganeering." Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the country would not stand the insult of prominent personalites. "I can tolerate my insult, but Guru Tegh Bahadur, Bhupen Hazarika, Sardar Patel, 125th anniversary of Birsa Munda, insulting these altogether, and all over that insulting while mentioning the 150th anniversary of Vande mataram. I belevie country will not forgive. Politics can be done in anything, but politics in these matters, I think, the country will not forgive them." Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu addressed the joint session of parliament on wednesday, as the first day of the Budget session 2026-2027. She highlighted the union government's vision for social justice, inclusive growth and a developed India. The president delivered her address to the members of both houses. Both houses adjourned on wednesday afternoon and will meet on Thursday at11 am. (ANI)
Union Minister of State (MoS) Murlidhar Mohol on Wednesday expressed profound sadness over the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, calling it an irreparable loss to the state's political and social life. Recalling his association with Ajit Pawar, Mohol said, "I'm truly at a loss for words right now. I worked with him for many years, and this is a profound shock. He was a popular leader from Maharashtra who had carved a unique identity for himself in the state's politics over the past four decades. He was known as a public representative with a strong grip on administration." "I remember working with him in this city for 2.5 years during the COVID crisis. He was the president of the state's Olympic association, and I served as the vice-president alongside him. And today, Dada is no longer with us--this is extremely painful. This is a great loss for the social and political life of Maharashtra," he added. Mohol further said that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief was among the few leaders who commanded respect across party lines. "The thought that Dada will never return to us is also very painful. There were only a few leaders in Maharashtra politics who ruled the hearts of workers across all parties, whose leadership was always guiding and inspiring--that was Dada. It was my great fortune to have received so much of his guidance and support," he said. He added, "I cannot even imagine the politics and social life of this district and Maharashtra without Dada. This is a loss for society, a loss for Maharashtra. This is a major blow to the Pawar family, but it is equally a blow to the political workers of Maharashtra. I don't know what to say today. The politics of this district and Maharashtra will remain incomplete without Dada. I don't even have the courage to use a word like 'tribute' for him." Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash on Wednesday morning in Maharashtra's Baramati. According to DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning. The crash landing of the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane occurred at the runway threshold in Baramati. Pawar was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew members. Further details about the crash are awaited. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis has announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash this morning. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, CM Fadanvis said that the decision on Pawar's last rites will be made after consulting his family. (ANI)
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday criticised the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, saying the legislation compromises the budget and will impact employment generation in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking to the media outside the Parliament, Yadav said, "Our take on VB Ram G is very clear. In Uttar Pradesh, almost 800 Gram Sabhas have become urban. The budget is being compromised, which will affect their functioning and the generation of employment as expected." The remarks came amid protests by Opposition parties in Parliament over the scrapping of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) during President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint sitting of the two Houses ahead of the Budget Session. President Murmu, in her address, highlighted the VB-G RAM G Act, stating, "For employment and development in rural areas, Viksit Bharat-G RAM G law has been formed. With this new reform, there will be 125 days of employment guarantees in villages." As the NDA-BJP MPs thumped their tables in appreciation, Opposition MPs stood up and registered their protest, demanding that the law be withdrawn. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh emphasised, "Today, during the President's Address to both Houses of Parliament, all Opposition parties most respectfully and in a dignified manner protested the bulldozed repeal of MGNREGA. The Opposition will use all democratic means to demand the restoration of MGNREGA." Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Opposition for creating a ruckus during the President's address. He said, "What the Opposition did when the President was addressing both Houses of Parliament makes the country ashamed. The country will never forgive Congress and its allies. Can a responsible MP behave like this? When the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram was mentioned, when the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was mentioned, and during the centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, they created a ruckus. They are insulting them by sloganeering." The VB-G RAM G Act, passed during the Winter Session of Parliament in 2025, replaces the earlier 100-day employment guarantee with a 125-day guarantee. The Opposition has criticised the legislation for removing Mahatma Gandhi's name and removing the 60:40 fund-sharing ratio between the Centre and the states. The Budget session of Parliament, which began on Wednesday, is scheduled to span 30 sittings over 65 days and will conclude on April 2. The Economic Survey for 2025-26 will be presented on January 29, followed by the Union Budget 2026-27 on February 1. (ANI)
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on Wednesday organised the State Credit Seminar for Himachal Pradesh in Shimla, during which the State Focus Paper for 2026-27 was released. The seminar was attended by key stakeholders from the State Government, Reserve Bank of India and the banking sector. Presiding over the event, Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh Sanjay Gupta said that the total projected credit outlay for the state for 2026-27 has been estimated at Rs 45,810 crore, which is about 8.3 per cent higher than the previous year. "NABARD has released the State Focus Paper today, with an estimated credit potential of Rs 45,810 crore. Agriculture and allied sectors remain our top priority, with nearly Rs 18,000 crore allocated for agriculture, horticulture, fisheries and floriculture, while MSMEs account for around Rs 23,000 crore," Gupta told mediapersons. He said the credit plan has been prepared after compiling district-level inputs and consultations with all stakeholders, including the State Government, RBI and banks. "Agriculture and allied sectors are the pillars of our economy. Rural development and agriculture are the Chief Minister's top priorities. Strengthening these sectors is essential as a majority of livelihoods in Himachal Pradesh depend on them," the Chief Secretary said. Gupta added that the State Government would make every effort to ensure the successful implementation of the plan so that maximum people benefit from various credit-linked schemes. "Through this credit plan, people will be encouraged to avail loans, improve productivity and marketing, and strengthen their livelihoods. NABARD plays a crucial role in supporting our capital-intensive infrastructure needs, along with assistance from the Government of India, RBI and banks," he said. He also informed that a Rs 2,500 crore project has been approved by the World Bank for disaster management and prevention, and work on the project is underway. Meanwhile, addressing the media, Vivek Pathania, Chief General Manager, NABARD Himachal Pradesh, said the State Credit Seminar is an annual exercise aimed at enhancing collaboration and synergy among stakeholders. "This seminar serves as a platform for consultation and convergence. The estimated credit potential for Himachal Pradesh for 2026-27 stands at around Rs 45,810 crore, based on sector-wise credit assessments," Pathania said. He said the MSME and agriculture sectors remain the key focus areas in the new credit plan. "Out of the total credit potential assessed, about 53 per cent has been earmarked for MSMEs, considering their contribution of nearly 43 per cent to the State GDP. Agriculture accounts for around 38 per cent, while the remaining allocation is for other priority sectors such as education, housing and renewable energy," he added. Pathania noted that MSMEs in Himachal Pradesh are largely micro-level enterprises and need support for technology adoption, quality improvement and branding. "We have suggested developing sector-specific industrial estates so that raw materials, infrastructure and support systems can be aligned for focused industrial growth," he said. Separately, Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta also reviewed the situation following the recent snowfall and said instructions have been issued to ensure that road connectivity is restored and that tourists and locals stranded due to the snow are safely evacuated. "Most of the difficulties caused by snowfall have been resolved. Our priority is to keep roads open and ensure no inconvenience to people. The remaining updates will be reviewed by tonight," he said. (ANI)
Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi on Wednesday discussed the outcome of the "Dharma Raksha Sabha" conducted on January 24, where demands were raised to arrest and deport Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslim "infiltrators", and outlined future plans. The Samithi held a press meet at the Press Club in Somajiguda. General Secretary Ravinuthala Shashidhar said thousands had attended the earlier meeting, where demands were raised for action against illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants. He stated that the first phase focused on public awareness and that further programmes would be organised at the mandal and district levels "On January 24th, at the Dharma Raksha Sabha (Religious Protection Assembly), thousands of people from Bhagyanagar gathered and raised slogans demanding the immediate arrest and deportation of Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslim infiltrators," he said. He highlighted that the government has itself admitted that there are 6993 Rohingya Muslim infiltrators in the Balapur police station division alone. "The government itself admitted before the High Court that 6993 Rohingya Muslim infiltrators are present in the Balapur police station division alone. They must be arrested and deported immediately," he added. Further, Shashidhar said that the assembly has raised awareness regarding the problems caused by the Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators and the threats they pose to the future. "This assembly, organised by the 'Jago Bhagyanagar' (Awaken Bhagyanagar) group, was successful in its first phase of creating awareness among the public. We have raised awareness throughout the state about the problems caused by Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators and the serious threat they pose to the future. Now we are raising the slogan, 'Go away Bangladeshi Muslims, go away Rohingya Muslims'," he stated. He also appealed to social groups, trade unions, student bodies and companies to participate, urging employers to verify workers' documents and encouraging citizens to cooperate with the police. The organisation said it would continue awareness drives across the city and nearby districts. "All caste organisations, all trade unions, and all student unions must support this movement. I appeal to all the various organisations working in society to participate in this movement. This is our responsibility," Shashidhar said. He urged companies to conduct proper background checks before hiring to ensure infiltrators didn't seize opportunities meant for nationals. "There are many companies in our city. By employing Rohingya and Bangladeshi manpower cheaply, you are putting the future of our city in darkness. Every company must conduct background checks on its employees," he stated. (ANI)
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting with the Congress leadership of Madhya Pradesh in the national capital. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and other senior leaders attended the meeting. https://x.com/INCIndia/status/2016477697896333353?s=20 This comes as the party continue to hold state-wise meetings to discuss organisational functioning in the state. On Tuesday, Congress leadership met with the leadership of Goa and Uttarakhand. https://x.com/INCIndia/status/2016067878722929052?s=20 https://x.com/INCIndia/status/2016067274130776273?s=20 Earlier, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary KC Venugopal presided over a detailed review meeting at Indira Bhawan with General Secretaries, In-charges and PCC Presidents from the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan (SSA) states. During the meeting on Monday, Venugopal directed the Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) to complete the formation of District Congress Committees (DCCs) within 15 days, Block Committees within 30 days, and Mandal, Gram Panchayat, and Booth Level Committees within 60 days. The instructions also emphasised ensuring proper representation for all communities, including SC, ST, OBC, and minority groups, and organising training programmes at both district and block levels. Under the SSA initiative, DCC Presidents have already been appointed in 14 states, covering 525 DCCs, and the process has been formally announced in six additional states. Sharing updates on X, Venugopal wrote, "Held a detailed and productive meeting today at Indira Bhawan with the General Secretaries, In-charges and PCC Presidents from states where DCC Presidents have been appointed under the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan," he wrote. "As of now, the appointment of DCC Presidents under SSA has been successfully completed in 14 states, with 525 new DCC Presidents appointed. The process has also been formally announced in six more states, marking the next phase of organisational strengthening," he added. "We issued clear directions to PCCs to complete the formation of DCC committees within 15 days, Block Committees within 30 days, and Mandal, Gram Panchayat & Booth Level Committees within 60 days, while ensuring proper representation to all communities - especially for SC, ST, OBC & Minorities. They have also been instructed to hold training programmes at the District and Block levels," the post stated. Furthermore, Andhra Pradesh Congress President YS Sharmila said the discussion in the meeting centred on the organisation's growth. "It was about organisational strengthening. Most of the district presidents in the party have been appointed. The whole discussion was about how to take it up from there, down to the booth level," she said. (ANI)
Quinton Aaron has a rare cyst on his spine.

Quinton Aaron has a spinal cyst

The Blind Side star - who starred opposite Sandra Bullock in the 2009 Oscar winning film - was hospitalised last week after collapsing at his home, and family sources have revealed the outcome of a series of tests.

The insiders told TMZ doctors are now undergoing more studies to determine whether the cyst is benign, but the 41-year-old actor may need to undergo back surgery.

If the operation goes ahead, Quinton will require extensive physical therapy afterwards and could be confined to a wheelchair for some time.

The update comes a day after the actor's wife Margarita revealed he had woken up.

She told TMZ: "He opened his eyes today and gave a thumbs up."

Quinton's family are raising money to cover his medical via a GoFundMe page and they gave an update on his condition.

An update on the page said: "Quinton has opened his eyes and has some feeling in his foot! He is still on life support and going through tests.

"We are looking at quite a recovery time and will need a wheelchair when he is released while he goes through therapy to walk again. "Thank you to all of you for your support and prayers."

Originally, the page confirmed that he had been hospitalised and was "on life support", while the situation was described "sudden, frightening, and overwhelming for his loved ones".

The post on the page continued: "As he fights for his life, his family is facing an immense emotional and financial burden  medical expenses, living costs, and the uncertainty of how long this road to recovery may be.

"When someone is this critically ill, life doesnt pause. Bills dont stop. Expenses continue to pile up. And no family should have to choose between focusing on their loved ones survival and worrying about how they will make it through financially. Thats why we are asking for help."

Quinton's manager, Katrina Fristoe, had told the Daily Mail newspaper the actor is "receiving excellent medical care' and is with family."

She added: "The family deeply appreciates the outpouring of support from fans and the media but respectfully requests privacy during this time."

TMZ.com previously reported the actor had been admitted to a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia last week after collapsing while walking up the stairs in his apartment.
SA Chandrasekhar, director and father of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, on Wednesday said that the Congress could come to power if it effectively utilised the political opportunity being created by the actor. Chandrasekhar participated in the wedding reception of Arumuga Pandian, State Secretary of the Congress party, held at a private marriage hall. Several political personalities attended the event, including Mallai Sathya, who recently split from the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) to form a separate party, and former Vilavancode MLA and BJP leader Vijayadharani. The leaders greeted each other cordially and exchanged pleasantries without any political discussions. During a press meet, Chandrasekhar said that Dravidian parties have ruled Tamil Nadu for over 60 years. He noted that anyone who enters politics with the intention of doing good for society and ensuring true freedom will inevitably face challenges. Referring to controversies surrounding the film 'Jana Nayagan', he said that people are well aware of the facts. He added that those seeking to drive political change will continue to face similar pressures and that the public clearly understands what happened in Karur. Emphasising that Vijay is fearless, Chandrasekhar said that the TVK leader has a bright chance of electoral success. Chandrasekhar further stated that people have been advising Vijay not to align with any party, as doing so could dilute his independent identity. He observed that the Congress party has a rich history, tradition, and legacy, but has weakened over time due to repeatedly supporting other parties, resulting in a loss of power. Vijay says that he is ready to give that lost power back. If Congress comes forward and makes use of this opportunity, it can once again create history," Chandrasekhar said, urging the party to seize the moment. This statement comes ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Earlier, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nainar Nagendran launched a sharp attack on the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its ally, the Congress, describing their alliance as a "failed engine" as political campaigning intensifies ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Reacting to Chief Minister MK Stalin's recent remark in which he described the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as a "box engine," Nainar Nagendran on Tuesday said that after the elections, people will clearly know which is the "failed engine," which is the "box engine," and which is the Vande Bharat engine. Nagendran further claimed that the NDA's presence in Tamil Nadu is set to expand, asserting that additional political parties are likely to join the alliance in the coming days. "There are still seven days left," he said. (ANI)
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday urged people not to politicise the death of his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who lost his life in the fatal Baramati plane crash. The veteran leader said that the plane crash was an accident and "politics should not be brought into this". "This is a huge loss for Maharashtra. Maharashtra has lost a dynamic and decisive leader. Some people are saying there is some politics behind this, but it was an accident, and there is no politics involved. Politics should not be brought into this," Pawar said in a video message. This comes after Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee hinted at foul play behind the plane crash and demanded the Supreme Court's probe into the incident. In a post on X, Mamata Banerjee said, "Deeply shocked and stunned by the sudden demise of Ajit Pawar! The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati this morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss. My condolences to his family, including his uncle Sharad Pawar, and late Ajit's all friends and followers. The incident needs a proper investigation." Supporting Mamata Banerjee, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh, questioned the timing of the accident, claiming that Ajit Pawar had planned to leave the BJP a few days ago. "The death of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is a very sad matter. Our supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has spoken about this. There should be a full investigation into this; it is our party's demand. A few days ago, there was news that Ajit Pawar was planning to leave the BJP and form an alliance with the opposition. At such a time, news of this accident has come. There should be an investigation into this," he said. Moreover, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge called his death "premature" and the accident "unnatural". He demanded an investigation into the accident. "We will demand an investigation into this accident. It is a very sad incident. Ajit Pawar died a premature death. The passing away of a hard-working man has shocked us all. We are with his family in this hour. An investigation must take place because the accident is unnatural. All the leaders and corporate people fly for urgent work. It was a small plane, so why did this happen? It should be investigated," Kharge stated. Ajit Pawar, 66, died this morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots. The crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate. Pawar was on his way to Baramati from Mumbai to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections. Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde. He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. (ANI)
Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday slammed on Union Minister Kiren Rijiju over the scrapping of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) during the Winter Session. Manickam Tagore accused the opposition of using "Vande Mataram" to cover up their failures. Manickam Tagore said, "Dear Kirenji, Stop hiding behind Vande Mataram to cover up your failures. The truth is simple: during the Winter Session, the BJP bulldozed MGNREGA, removed Mahatma Gandhi's name, and snatched away the guaranteed rights of 13 crore people. When we raised this issue, with Gandhi pictures, Instead of answering, you chose to manufacture fake outrage. The Opposition protested for one minute at the beginning--only to demand that MGNREGA be restored and Gandhi ji's name be reinstated. That was our message. Nothing more, nothing less. Do not insult our freedom fighters by spreading lies. Do not insult Parliament by suppressing debate. And do not insult the people of India by hiding the truth behind slogans. The nation knows who stands for Gandhi, and who fears his legacy." Earlier, Kiren Rijiju posted on X, " At least Shri Mallikarjun Kharge ji and Shri Rahul Gandhi ji should have told opposition MPs not to insult Vande Mataram undermining the honour of our great freedom fighters. Instead they both were also standing and disturbing the Honb'le President's speech." Last year, in December, the Lok Sabha's special discussion on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram on Monday saw sharp political sparring, with Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav urging the government to focus on pressing national concerns instead of creating political divides over the iconic national song. Inside the House, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also launched a pointed attack on the ruling BJP, accusing it of attempting to "claim everything as their own" for political mileage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Vande Mataram as a "powerful mantra" that guided India's fight for independence. Addressing the Lok Sabha, he described it as a source of "energy, inspiration, sacrifice and penance," adding that the government aims to "restore its glory for future generations." (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that modern battles are increasingly being fought in "code and in the cloud". The Prime Minister also hailed Operation Sindoor's success as a testament to the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces and the rising power of the defence sector. The Prime Minister shared his personal connection with the NCC, saying, "When I was in the NCC, my sense of 'Nation First' was also strengthened in the same way. And today, seeing you all learning the same in the NCC, I feel immense pride." Recalling the country's recent military achievements, the Prime Minister said, "Operation Sindoor has once again established India's capabilities and the valour of our armed forces." Operation Sindoor has also shown how advanced and high-tech our indigenous weapons are. Highlighting the shift from conventional to digital battlefields, the Prime Minister said, "Today, battles are fought on many fronts. Today's battles are fought in code and in the cloud. Countries that lag behind in technology are weak not only in their economy but also in their security." He further said, "Today, work is being done on Made in India drones. AI and defence innovation are now modernising our forces. This means that the possibilities for you, young people, are expanding greatly, and today I want not only those sitting here, but crores of young people across the country to take advantage of this." Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that a "historic Free Trade Agreement" was finalised with the European Union on Tuesday and noted that it is being praised as "mother of all deals" and a "game-changer". Addressing the annual NCC rally here, PM Narendra Modi said that the FTAs India has signed will create countless opportunities for the country's youth. He said the world is looking at the youth of India with great confidence. "A historic free trade agreement has been reached between India and the European Union. Before this, India had also signed free trade agreements with countries such as Oman, New Zealand, the UK, the UAE, Australia, and Mauritius. All these agreements are going to create countless opportunities for millions of our young people. Today, the whole world is looking at the youth of India with great confidence, and the reason for this global confidence is their skills and values," he said. "The agreement that has been reached with the European Union is being hailed by the world as the mother of all deals. It is being described as a game-changer deal for the world. This FTA is your freedom to aspire. This agreement has been made between India and the European Union, which comprises twenty-seven countries. This will benefit Indian startups. Access to funding and the innovation ecosystem for Indian startups will become easier. This agreement will also greatly benefit our creative economy, including film, gaming, fashion, digital content, music, and design, and will create countless new opportunities for India's youth, from research and education to IT and other professional services...Under this agreement, tariffs on more than 99 per cent of India's exports will be either zero or very low," he added. The NCC Rally marks the culmination of the month-long NCC Republic Day Camp 2026, which witnessed the participation of 2,406 NCC cadets from across the country, including 898 girl cadets.(ANI)
Students, mostly belonging to the general category, staged a protest on Wednesday at Delhi University's North Campus against the newly notified University Grants Commission (UGC) equity rules, demanding their immediate withdrawal. The protesting students claimed that the rules promote discrimination on campuses instead of equality. They pointed out that there was no binding provision for the representation of general category students. The new regulations, introduced to curb caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, require institutions to establish special committees and helplines to address complaints, especially from students belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) categories. The protest became tense as a large number of students gathered near the Vice-Chancellor's office, breaching the first police barricade and attempted to move closer to the administrative block. Police personnel deployed at the spot later closed the main university gate to prevent the situation from escalating further. The protesting students alleged that the new UGC guidelines violate the principle of "educational equality" and exclude general category students from representation. They demanded that the regulations ensure equity for all sections of society. Holding placards, the students raised slogans such as "Equity for all, not for few," "Education with justice builds a strong nation," "Kaala kanoon vaapas lo," and "Rajneeti Murdabaad". The protesters warned that if their demands are not addressed, the agitation would be intensified. Speaking during the protest, Satvik Sharma said the students were seeking a clear rollback of the regulations. He argued that an existing system notified through a 2013 gazette already dealt with grievance redressal and questioned the lack of clarity in the new rules. "There is no clear procedure. The definition of discrimination is vague, and the UGC should clearly list what constitutes discrimination. If there is no rollback, we will go to Parliament and the courts. This black law will not be accepted," he said. Another protester, Akhilesh Tiwari, alleged that the guidelines were tilted in favour of specific categories and did not ensure equity. He claimed, "ambiguities and loopholes in the regulations could lead to misuse and said the movement would be taken to Parliament if necessary." He added that the students were not opposing safeguards against discrimination but were demanding amendments to the regulations based on the principles of natural justice, alleging that the general category had been excluded from the framework. Meanwhile, the new rules notified by the UGC on January 13, which update its 2012 regulations on the same subject, have sparked widespread criticism from general category students, who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday sought to allay concerns over the new UGC regulations, assuring that the law would not be misused and that there would be no discrimination in its implementation. Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kalraj Mishra criticised the newly notified UGC guidelines, calling them unconstitutional and alleging that they promote separatism and caste-based discrimination instead of ensuring equal opportunity for all students. (ANI)
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday strongly criticised those trying to give "a conspiratorial angle" to Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar's death in a plane accident. "Whenever an accident occurs, an inquiry into the incident is conducted. This incident will also be investigated, and therefore, if anyone is attempting to politicise it, it is extremely unfortunate. Senior leader Sharad Pawar has also clearly stated that there was no sabotage involved. It is necessary to console the Pawar family in their grief," Shinde told the media. Shinde said that Ajit Pawar had served in various capacities--as a Member of Parliament, minister, MLA, and Deputy Chief Minister. With his passing, the state has lost an elder brother, a forthright and large-hearted leader, he said, according to Shiv Sena press note. "Immense sorrow has befallen Maharashtra. This is not just a loss for one family, but a loss for the entire state," he said. "I visited Baramati and met the Pawar family. There, his wife, children, Supriya Sule, and the entire family were in deep grief. Seeing their pain was deeply distressing. We all prayed that God would give this family the strength to overcome this tragedy," he added. Shinde further said that this is not the time to level accusations or indulge in politics. A tragic accident has taken place in the state, claiming the lives of several innocent people. "When the entire state is engulfed in mourning, politicising such an incident is extremely unfortunate and uncivilised," he said. "In this context, Sharad Pawar has also clearly stated that this was not an act of sabotage; therefore, no one should spread rumours or give this sensitive incident a different colour. Pawar Saheb has himself come forward and clarified his stand, which must be taken into account," he said. Hailing Ajit Pawar's leaderhip qualities, Shinde said he was a highly experienced, outspoken, and hardworking leader. "As Finance Minister, he closely monitored many of the state's schemes. He made significant contributions to development projects, fiscal management, district-wise planning, and several important initiatives such as the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme. His passing has come as a major shock to the government," he said. Shinde further said that under the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the entire Cabinet, and the Central Government, Ajit Pawar played a vital role in Maharashtra's development. "When the Centre and the state are working in coordination under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ajit Pawar's experience and contribution was extremely important," he said. Shinde assured an investigation into the incident. "Technical aspects would certainly be investigated. The role of airline companies, concerned agencies, technical experts, the captain, or concerned officials would be examined. A thorough inquiry would be conducted into how and why the accident occurred. However, using the inquiry as a pretext for political accusations or conspiracy theories is inappropriate," he said. Shinde informed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the last rites of Ajit Pawar. "Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other Union ministers would attend Ajit Pawar's last rites. Ajit Pawar's popularity was not limited to Maharashtra alone. Thousands and lakhs of people from various districts are arriving for his final darshan. This shows that the entire state is sharing in this grief," he said. Shinde condoled demise of all the people killed in the crash. "The government expresses its condolences to all the affected families. Necessary technical and administrative measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future," he said. "This is an extremely sensitive and tragic incident, and no one should attempt to derive political benefit from it. Maharashtra is a progressive state with a tradition of moving forward together. Therefore, instead of politicising the incident, everyone should unite and work to console the Pawar family in their time of grief," he added. (ANI)
Saket District Court on Wednesday refused to cancel bail granted to an illegal Bangladeshi immigrant, Bilal Hosen, noting that there is no misuse of liberty or violation of bail conditions. The court clarified that the accused is an illegal immigrant, which can not be a sole ground to keep him in custody indefinitely. He is an accused in a case FIR lodged at Fatehpur Beri Police Station in the year 2024. He was arrested on December 28, 2024. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Gaurav Gupta dismissed the plea of Delhi Police seeking cancellation of bail granted to Bilal Hosen by the Magistrate court. The court said that there is nothing to suggest that the accused has in any manner misused the liberty granted to him or that he has violated any of the bail conditions. "The mere fact that the accused is an illegal immigrant cannot be the sole ground for keeping him in custody indefinitely. At this stage, there is no ground made out to cancel the bail granted to the accused," ASJ Gupta said in the order of January 28. The court clarified that if any new facts come to light or any fresh piece of evidence is collected by the investigation agency which warrants detention of the accused, the prosecution will be at liberty to move a fresh application in this regard. Chief Judicial Magistrate had granted him bail on November 24, 2025. The State had moved an application for cancellation of bail. Advocate Harshit Pandey appeared for Accused Bilal Hosen. The case of the prosecution against the accused is that he is a Bangladeshi national who had illegally enteredIndia. Further, he had procured Indian identity documents, including an Aadhaar Card. As per the prosecution, at his instance, various Aadhaar Cards and PAN cards in the names of various persons were recovered. It is alleged that the accused was involved in facilitating the illegal immigration of Bangladeshi nationals into India and procuring Indian identity documents for them. On being asked, the investigation officer submitted that Aadhaar cards recovered from the possession of the accused are yet to be verified, as the reply from UIDAI is still awaited. Accused Bilal Hosen was apprehended crossing the India Bangladesh boarder illegally, and recovery effected at his instance consists of Adhar Cards and five PAN cards in the name of Bangladeshi nationals and Bangladeshi IDs. His brother Anish Sheikh is yet to be arrested, police had said while opposing his bail. It was stated that if the accused is granted bail, he may flee from the process of the Court and warn the other wanted persons. The prosecution had further stated that the manner of the crime involves a threat to national security as well. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attended the Annual National Cadet Corps (NCC) PM Rally at the Cariappa Parade Ground in the national capital. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the recently finalised India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as a "historic" and "game-changer" deal, saying it will create countless opportunities for the country's youth. Modi also underlined the pact's potential to benefit startups, the creative economy, research, education, and professional services, calling FTA a "freedom to aspire." "A historic free trade agreement has been reached between India and the European Union. Before this, India had also signed free trade agreements with countries such as Oman, New Zealand, the UK, the UAE, Australia, and Mauritius. All these agreements are going to create countless opportunities for millions of our young people. Today, the whole world is looking at the youth of India with great confidence, and the reason for this global confidence is their skills and values," he said. "The agreement that has been reached with the European Union is being hailed by the world as the mother of all deals. It is being described as a game-changer deal for the world. This FTA is your freedom to aspire. This agreement has been made between India and the European Union, which comprises twenty-seven countries. This will benefit Indian startups. Access to funding and the innovation ecosystem for Indian startups will become easier. This agreement will also greatly benefit our creative economy, including film, gaming, fashion, digital content, music, and design, and will create countless new opportunities for India's youth, from research and education to IT and other professional services...Under this agreement, tariffs on more than 99 per cent of India's exports will be either zero or very low," he added. Addressing a gathering of more than 2,400 cadets from across the country, the Prime Minister emphasised the role of the younger generation in shaping the nation's future. The Prime Minister shared his personal connection with the NCC, saying, "When I was in the NCC, my sense of 'Nation First' was also strengthened in the same way. And today, seeing you all learning the same in the NCC, I feel immense pride." The Prime Minister further hailed Operation Sindoor's success as a testament to the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces and the rising power of the defence sector. Recalling the country's recent military achievements, the Prime Minister said, "Operation Sindoor has once again established India's capabilities and the valour of our armed forces." Operation Sindoor has also shown how advanced and high-tech our indigenous weapons are. Highlighting the shift from conventional to digital battlefields, the Prime Minister said, "Today, battles are fought on many fronts. Today's battles are fought in code and in the cloud. Countries that lag behind in technology are weak not only in their economy but also in their security." He further said, "Today, work is being done on Made in India drones. Al and defence innovation are now modernising our forces. This means that the possibilities for you, young people, are expanding greatly, and today I want not only those sitting here, but crores of young people across the country to take advantage of this." The Prime Minister also paid tributes to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash. "A tragic plane crash has taken place in Maharashtra this morning. This accident has snatched away Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar ji and some friends from us. Ajit Dada has made a huge contribution to the development of Maharashtra and the country. He always worked proactively. I express my condolences to the family of Ajit Pawar ji and the families of others who lost their lives today," he said. The rally marks the grand culmination, with participation of 2,406 NCC cadets from across the country, including 898 girl cadets. 207 youth and officers from 21 foreign countries participated. The theme of this year's rally is 'Rashtra Pratham - Kartavya Nishtha Yuva', reflecting the spirit of duty, discipline and national commitment among India's youth. The event, held in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, showcased the spirit of "Rashtra Pratham - Kartavya Nishtha Yuva" (Nation First - Duty-Bound Youth) through a series of disciplined displays and cultural performances. Prime Minister also virtually addressed the Wings India 2026 aviation summit, where he announced that India is on track to establish a massive network of over 400 airports by the year 2047, and air travel will become an affordable service for every citizen. PM Modi, while addressing at the Wings, said, "In India, air travel is no longer exclusive; it's becoming inclusive. Our mission is to make air travel easily accessible to every Indian citizen. That's why we have connected Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with airports. In 2014, India had 70 airports. Today, the number of airports in India has increased to more than 160. We have activated more than 100 aerodromes in the country and, along with this, launched affordable flight schemes for our citizens... It is estimated that by 2047, India will have more than 400 airports. This will be a very large network. Not only that, our government is also working on the next phase of the UDAN scheme. This policy will further strengthen regional and affordable air connectivity." Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced that India is transforming into a primary aviation hub connecting the Global South with the rest of the world. He noted that India is also preparing to lead the world in environmental safety by becoming a producer of sustainable aviation fuel. (ANI)
Sharon Stone talks to spirits and embraces "universal consciousness" to inspire her artwork.

Sharon Stone communicates with spirits to inspire her art

The 67-year-old star has been going through an "artistic journey" between acting and painting, and for the latter she has found herself communicating with the unknown to help create her pieces.

She told Extra: " think this channel really opened because so many of my members of my family died and they died really rapidly in these last maybe three and a half years.

I genuinely hear this higher consciousness speak to me. When these portraits started coming through, they really talked to me.

The Basic Instinct actress got emotional as she opened up about how she feels the need to thank spirits after finishing her paintings.

She explained: "I think its really special when they people when they allowed me to see their soul

"Because I believe in universal consciousness, I do believe that someone has allowed me into their consciousness so that I could paint this portrait of someone that I dont know. I feel so blessed.

Sharon noted that one particularly impactful piece titled Him was inspired by a spirit who took a while to really open up.

She said: "Eventually, when he started talking to me, it was so traumatic, and he started telling me that he drowned in a ship where he was chained in the hull of this ship

"When I painted him and I experienced this trauma of him being chained and drowning and unable to get out of his chains, it was so upsetting to make this painting.

The piece was one of several put on display for her Rogues Gallery series.

A statement for the project last month teased: "These never-before-seen works created by Stone are powerful, haunting portraits of the spirits of people from different eras that she recently started to channel while painting.

For Him in particular, Sharon admitted the ghost had "a very hard time" opening up.

She added at the time: He was an enslaved person who drowned in the East China Sea on a slave ship.

"He had a very hard time talking to me, because as an enslaved person he was not allowed to talk openly and freely. He had me experience his drowning with him.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday rejected suggestions that the withdrawal of Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and several agents from Minneapolis represented a "pullback," instead portraying it as a routine adjustment and describing Bovino as "a pretty out-there kind of guy." During a live interview with Fox News in Iowa, Trump said, "I don't think it's a pullback -- it's a little bit of a change." He likened the move to everyday management decisions, adding, "Everybody in this room that has a business, you know, you make little changes. You know Bovino is very good, but he's a pretty out-there kind of a guy, and in some cases, that's good, maybe it wasn't good here." His remarks followed reports that Bovino and some agents were expected to leave Minneapolis on Tuesday and return to their assigned sectors after Saturday's shooting of Alex Pretti. Around the same time, the Department of Homeland Security suspended Bovino's access to his social media accounts after a weekend marked by online exchanges with lawmakers and critics. In response to the shooting, Trump announced that White House border czar Tom Homan would travel to Minneapolis, with the White House saying Homan is set to take charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city. Trump said he had spoken with Homan ahead of the interview and praised his ability to work with local authorities. "Tom is a tough guy, but I've watched over the years, and he's gotten along with governors and he gets along with mayors -- some people don't," he said. Trump also told Fox News he felt "the whole thing is terrible," while mourning the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good this month. As scrutiny intensified, Trump said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is not stepping down, despite mounting political pressure following Pretti's death. He also rejected claims that Pretti was an "assassin," distancing himself from earlier remarks made by senior aide Stephen Miller. Calling for an "honourable and honest" investigation into Pretti's killing, Trump said he would be "watching over it." He added that he had not heard anyone describe Pretti as a "domestic terrorist." According to CNN, Pretti had suffered a broken rib a week before he was shot, after federal officers tackled him while he was protesting their attempt to detain other individuals. Meanwhile, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's office said he met Homan on Tuesday, with both sides agreeing on the need for continued dialogue. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he and Police Chief Brian O'Hara also met Homan and described the discussion as productive. First lady Melania Trump urged unity following the shootings, telling Fox News she is "against the violence." She added, "So if, please, if you protest, protest in peace and we need to unify in these times." Political tensions escalated further after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his leadership team said House Democrats would initiate impeachment proceedings against Noem if Trump did not remove her from office. Separately, House Homeland Security Committee Republicans announced that acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, and US Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow will testify before the panel on February 10. CNN also reported that Chief US District Judge Patrick Schiltz in Minnesota has grown increasingly frustrated with the administration's actions, signalling closer scrutiny of federal conduct linked to immigration enforcement and the Minneapolis case. The developments come amid heightened political and legal scrutiny of the administration's response to Pretti's death and broader immigration operations. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump reiterated his hard-line stance on Iran during a campaign-style event in Clive, Iowa, emphasising both military pressure and the possibility of negotiations with Tehran as tensions persist over the crackdown on protesters and regional security. Pointing to a significant US military buildup in the Middle East, Trump said, "By the way, there's another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now. So we'll see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time. They'd have a country." His comments highlighted Washington's show of force while also leaving the door open for diplomacy. That dual message was echoed in a separate interview with Axios, where Trump said the situation with Iran is "in flux," noting that he has moved major American military assets into the Middle East and suggesting that Tehran may be open to a diplomatic solution, according to The Times of Israel. Amplifying the contrast between force and negotiation, Trump told Axios, "We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela," and added that officials in Tehran have repeatedly signalled a willingness to engage. "They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," he said. Following the interview, a senior US official briefed reporters that the United States remains prepared to enter talks if Iran reaches out under clear conditions. "With regard to Iran, we are open for business. If they want to contact us, and they know what the terms are, then we're going to have the conversation," the official said, as reported by The Times of Israel. Earlier this month, US special envoy Steve Witkoff outlined conditions the administration says would be necessary for any deal, including a ban on uranium enrichment, the removal of already-enriched uranium, capping Iran's long-range missile stockpile, and reversing support for regional proxy forces. While Tehran has expressed willingness to negotiate, it has rejected those terms outright. Trump also referenced previous military action against Iran's nuclear infrastructure. He asserted that US strikes in June had "obliterated" the country's nuclear capacity by hitting three facilities, though the extent of disruption to Iran's enrichment programme remains unclear. "People have been waiting for 22 years to do that," he said while referring to the June bombing campaign. The president's tough stance follows his first-term decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement and pursue a "maximum pressure" campaign aimed at weakening Tehran through sanctions. Despite his warnings, Trump has not yet decided whether to authorise further military action against Iran, Axios reported, even after previously pledging to act if the regime killed protesters -- a crackdown that resulted in thousands of deaths. He is scheduled to hold further consultations with his national security team this week, with military options likely to expand following the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in Middle Eastern waters, according to The Times of Israel. Trump also told Axios that during a 12-day war last June, he prevented an Iranian missile attack on Israel by authorising Jerusalem to strike first, underscoring his administration's emphasis on combining military pressure with diplomatic overtones. (ANI)
The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, concluded their landmark three-day state visit to India, which led to 13 significant outcomes aimed at deepening the India-EU strategic partnership, including the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a defence pact under the Security and Defence Partnership. In a post on X, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that Costa departed on Wednesday following the visit, and von der Leyen departed yesterday. The MEA described the visit as "highly successful", noting the "13 rich outcomes" aimed at deepening the ties between the two nations. "A milestone visit concludes. President of European Council Antonio Costa departs after a highly successful visit. The President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen departed yesterday evening. The visit resulted in 13 rich outcomes which will enhance the depth and breadth of India-EU strategic partnership," the post read. The Ministry added that the outcomes will expand European market access for Indian goods and services. "These outcomes will enhance market access for our goods and services, create more jobs and opportunities and support the progress of our people," it added. On Tuesday, India and the EU signed a "milestone" deal, dubbed the "Mother of All Deals", by concluding their negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The deal is one of India's most strategic economic partnerships, designed as a modern, rules-based trade partnership, which responds to contemporary global challenges while enabling deeper market integration between the world's fourth- and second-largest economies. Both sides also signed a landmark Security and Defence Partnership, marking the first overarching defence and security framework between the two sides, as leaders from both blocs agreed to significantly deepen cooperation across strategic, regional and global security domains. With the signing of the deal, India becomes the third Asian country to have such a deal with the EU after Japan and South Korea. Apart from these, 13 agreements and arrangements were reached during the state visit of the European Presidents covering areas such as trade, security, defence, mobility, clean energy, science, and disaster management. The agreements were signed during the 16th India-EU Summit co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)
Karachi witnessed widespread protests this week after a Pakistani court sentenced human rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, lawyer Hadi Ali Chattha, to a combined 17 years in prison under Pakistan's controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The verdict has reignited concerns over shrinking civil liberties, freedom of expression and the use of cybercrime laws to silence dissent in the country. Scores of journalists, lawyers and civil society activists gathered in Karachi to protest the ruling, calling it an attack on constitutional rights. The demonstrators condemned PECA, arguing that the law is being used to criminalise criticism of state institutions and suppress voices questioning enforced disappearances and alleged human rights violations. According to court proceedings, Mazari and Chattha were convicted for allegedly posting "anti-state" content on social media between 2021 and 2025. The court claimed the posts promoted narratives against the state and accused the military of terrorism. On Saturday, both were sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison on three separate counts, with the sentences set to run concurrently. Mazari and her husband have denied all allegations. They maintain that the case against them is politically motivated and stems from their outspoken stance on enforced disappearances, allegations that the military has consistently denied. Speaking during the protest, journalist Saeed Baloch said the PECA Act violates constitutional freedoms guaranteed to Pakistani citizens. He argued that the law undermines the right to free speech, writing and peaceful assembly, warning that its enforcement would silence journalists and ordinary citizens alike. Protesters demanded the repeal of PECA and the immediate withdrawal of the sentences against Mazari and Chattha, describing the verdicts as unjust and intended to intimidate dissenting voices. Rights activist Qazi Khizer echoed similar concerns, stating that cases involving figures such as Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chattha, Ali Wazir, Mahrang Baloch and Sindhi nationalists reflect a broader pattern of constitutional violations. He alleged that people advocating for legal rights and constitutional protections are being arbitrarily arrested, questioning why state institutions feel threatened by voices demanding accountability and answers. Reacting to the verdict, Shireen Mazari, Imaan Mazari's mother and a former federal minister, termed the conviction illegal. She alleged that the defence was denied a fair hearing during the trial. Human rights organisations have also raised serious concerns about the proceedings, warning that the case exemplifies the narrowing of space for political dissent, civil liberties, and free expression in Pakistan. The sentencing has further intensified debate over the application of cybercrime laws in Pakistan and their impact on democratic freedoms, with activists warning that such rulings risk deepening fear and self-censorship across civil society. (ANI)
An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck Philippines on Wednesday, a statement by the National Center of Seismology (NCS) said. As per the statement, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 40km. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 6.0, On: 28/01/2026 12:17:05 IST, Lat: 6.48 N, Long: 123.83 E, Depth: 40 Km, Location: Moro Gulf, Philippines." https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/2016406909302276154?s=20 The Philippine Sea borders the Philippines to its east, but it's a vast part of the western Pacific Ocean, with its floor being the Philippine Sea Plate; while the Philippines has sovereign rights over its adjacent waters (the West Philippine Sea within the South China Sea), the broader Philippine Sea is a large oceanic basin shared with other nations like Japan and Taiwan. The Philippines lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire, a tectonic belt of volcanic arcs and oceanic trenches in the Pacific Ocean. John Dale B Dianala, assistant professor at the National Institute of Geological Sciences, the University of the Philippines in Diliman, told Al Jazeera that just by virtue of the geographic and geologic setting of the country, the Philippines is home to many onshore and offshore tectonic faults. "The whole length of the Philippines, around 1,800km, is right along the boundary of two major tectonic plates - the Philippine Sea plate and Eurasian plate - part of the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire. These two plates, thousands of kilometres wide, have been pushing against each other for millions of years at two to three times the rate of fingernail growth," he said. "Each earthquake is a manifestation of the periodic release of the stress along long fractures on these plates - what geologists call 'faults' - which rupture several metres of movement along a fault in large earthquakes," he further told Al Jazeera. "When the displacement involves vertical uplift of the seafloor from an offshore fault, like in the Philippine Trench to the east of the country, the movement displaces the water column from the depths of the ocean that then propagate to the surface and coasts in the form of tsunamis. Strong shaking can also cause submarine landslides that can also trigger tsunamis," he added. (ANI)
Noting that war is "not off the table" amid tensions between the United States and Iran, Middle East expert Trita Parsi has said that any US attack would be treated as an act of war by Tehran and would result in a military confrontation. In an interview with ANI, Trita Parsi also said that the United States President Donald Trump does have political capital to carry out an attack and that attacking will cost him more in the US midterm elections, particularly if it is a dragged-out war. He outlined various scenarios and options in case of escalation. Referring to US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in June last year in the face of Iran-Israel confrontation, Trita Parsi said "unlike before, when the Iranians were very keen on avoiding escalation and a direct confrontation with the US, they were willing to take hits and only respond back in a relatively symbolic way, such as striking an empty American base in Qatar, this time around all signals are that that is not going to be acceptable". "Any attack will be treated as an act of war and war will ensue. This is, I think, part of the reason why the Trump administration, who were on the verge of going to war about two weeks ago, ultimately decided not to, instead have been moving a lot of military assets to the region in order to be prepared for a much larger war," he said. "I don't think war is off the table at all. It is just that the reason why he delayed it was he realized that he didn't have the assets in place for the type of larger war very likely will follow any form of attack by the US," he added. President Trump on Tuesday reiterated his hardline stance on Iran during a campaign-style event in Iowa, emphasising both military pressure and the possibility of negotiations with Tehran as tensions persist over the crackdown on protesters and regional security. Pointing to a significant US military buildup in the Middle East, Trump said that there was a "beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran," noting that the Islamic Republic should "make a deal." "By the way, there's another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now. So we'll see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time. They'd have a country," Trump said. On the possibility of a pre-emptive Iranian strike, Parsi said this likelihood remained low, as Tehran would be more inclined to respond after an attack rather than initiate one. He explained that if the US were to strike first, Iran would likely seek to outlast Trump politically by inflicting damage while avoiding a total military defeat. "If the US attacks, the Iranians will strike back most likely. Their aim will be to try to outlast Trump, inflict as much damage as possible on US forces without losing the war in the hope that after a couple of weeks, Trump will do what he did with the Houthis. He will just back off realizing that this is a losing proposition. He may be able to win militarily, but he will lose politically and it will cost him a lot domestically as well. And as a result, just pull back," he said. He said scenario will be different if Iran attacks first. "In that type of scenario, you're going to see a different type of immobilization in the United States. The psychology will be very different. It's not a war of choice in the same way. Rather, it is a response to an attack. And under those circumstances, even if the Iranians manage to last for several couple of weeks and inflict a lot of damage on the US, the likelihood of the Trump administration backing down is going to be much, much smaller....," he said. Asked whether Trump has the political capital to attack Iran, Parsi said he does not. "I don't think he does have that at all. I think he doesn't have the base support either. But I think there are other factors that are at play here. I think him attacking will cost him even more in the midterm elections, particularly if this is a dragged out war. All his talk about being a Peace President, not having started wars have already been disproven by his first year and it's getting worse...," he said "But if you already think that you're gonna lose the midterm elections and you know that the Democrats are gonna take the House, they're gonna take the Senate, and they are going to pursue impeachment as soon as they take power, then you're not increasing the risk of that happening by taking military action, but you might be preparing yourself better financially for the type of legal warfare that you're gonna have to fight internally...," he added. Earlier this month, US special envoy Steve Witkoff outlined conditions the administration says would be necessary for any deal with Iran, including a ban on uranium enrichment, the removal of already-enriched uranium, capping Iran's long-range missile stockpile, and reversing support for regional proxy forces. While Tehran has expressed willingness to negotiate, it has rejected those terms outright. Trump also referenced previous military action against Iran's nuclear infrastructure. He asserted that US strikes in June had "obliterated" the country's nuclear capacity by hitting three facilities, though the extent of disruption to Iran's enrichment programme remains unclear. "People have been waiting for 22 years to do that," he said while referring to the June bombing campaign. (ANI)
Middle East expert Trita Parsi on Wednesday said there was no credible evidence that the exiled crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, was popular among ordinary Iranians. Parsi, in an exclusive interview with ANI, said that some local media outlets have made him popular, but there was also dissent, especially among the diaspora. "I haven't seen any reports or credible reports or polls that would be able to put the number at any place. I can tell you anecdotally that on the one hand, in the diaspora, there has been a massive social media manipulation conducted by the Israelis. This is reported by Haaretz in order to make him popular," Parsi said. He further stated that public support for Pahalvi stems from nostalgia and that the Shah's son would be preferable to the current regime. "Some of that artificial manipulation has translated into organic support. And you do see organic support, undoubtedly, in the diaspora. You also see a tremendous amount of opposition to him in the diaspora. Inside the country, you also see some elements of support. Exactly how large it is unclear. A lot of people I've spoken to say that they don't see any deep support for Reza Pahlavi, but rather this is the most insulting thing they can chant at the regime to go as far as, you know, even support the son of the Shah," he said. Parsi noted a sense of desperation among the public, as previous protests had failed to topple the regime. "There is definitely nostalgia inside of Iran, particularly in certain segments (that) don't even have any memory of the time of the Shah. They just hear stories that it was better. And I think it's more than anything else, a cry of desperation because nothing else has worked in their view. The Mahsa Amini protests and that revolution didn't overthrow the government. Reform didn't bring about the changes that they wanted," he said. He then stated that although Pahalvi's initial call to action was heeded, subsequent calls were not. "So, out of the elimination of all of those other options, he has emerged as someone who has at least a modicum of support. How deep it is and how wide it is are unknown. As I mentioned earlier, although many people heeded his first call to protest on January 8th, they did not heed his subsequent calls for continued protests from their balconies or for strikes in the oil industry. None of that was heeded," he said. Pahalvi's strategy is to show deflection from the regime and to pretend that he has been chosen as the successor. "So it seems to me a phenomenon that cannot be dismissed, should not be dismissed, but also not one that is as big as he and his supporters are trying to make it to make it sound as if he has already been chosen by the people as a successor. But more importantly, I would have to say, his conduct and his strategy do not seem to even be based on trying to win the support of the population, and more importantly, to generate defections from the regime," he said. He added that Pahalvi's strategy is primarily to secure support from US President Donald Trump. "That would be critical if you're actually trying to take over. Rather, his strategy seems to be aimed solely at winning Trump's support in order to have Trump install him from the top rather than him getting to power from the bottom," he said. Parsi said that the regime must already have chosen its successor, and that's how things might play out. "Well, it depends on how things play out. If the plan of the regime, as it was at least until a couple of weeks ago, is that nothing changes. It's just that the supreme leader will be replaced by another supreme leader chosen already at this stage, probably someone who has been chosen or two or three names that have been our candidates," he said. Parsi further said that Iran might go under an IRGC dictatorship. IRGC stands for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's powerful ideological and military force, established after the 1979 revolution to protect the Islamic Republic's system. It operates alongside the regular army, exerts significant economic and political influence, and is often involved in regional conflicts. "But, you know, it's pretty hush-hush about it. There's a lot of public speculation, but nothing confirmed. But if you have essentially a regime change from within, then everything can change. And then I think the likeliest scenario is that Iran will go in a much more clear and military dictatorship direction under the control of the IRGC and perhaps either not have a supreme leader or go back to what the constitution originally envisioned, which was a supreme leader council of three different ayatollahs rather than just one," she said. Earlier on January 20, Pahlavi 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 honour nor humanity." (ANI)
A day after India concluded its neogtiations with the European Union on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which has been dubbed the 'mother of all deals', India is now looking towards a closure on the FTA with the United States. Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said that even as the India-EU FTA was being negotiated, negotiations on the India-US deal had made significant progress. They said that the deal could be "finalised any day now". What remains for the two sides is being described as "just the dotting of the Is and the crossing of the Ts". Sources said there has been a robustness in the recent round of negotiations and talks on the deal. In Davos on January 21, US President Donald Trump had expressed confidence over the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), noting that the two countries are "going to have a good deal", while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a close friend and respected leader. Trump made this comment following his address at the 56th Annual Summit of the World Economic Forum. "I have great respect for your Prime Minister. He's a fantastic man and a friend of mine, and we are going to have a good deal," Trump said when asked about the India-US trade deal by Moneycontrol. Earlier, India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that the much-anticipated first tranche of the India-US BTA is "very near", but stopped short of providing a timeline. The BTA, formally proposed in February following directives from the leadership of both nations, seeks to more than double bilateral trade, from the current USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030. Talks were first announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington in February 2025. On January 9, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "India and the United States were committed to negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US as far as far back as of February 13 last year. Since then, two sides have held multiple rounds of negotiations to arrive at a balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement." Meanwhile, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Tuesday praised the India-EU Trade deal saying that India had come out on top with this deal. "EU is turning to India to try to find a place. The EU is so trade-dependent they need other outlets if they can't keep sending all their stuff to the United States. I've looked at some of the details of the deal so far. I think India comes out on top on this, frankly," he added during his interview with Fox News. According to Greer, India is set to gain enhanced access to European markets and may also benefit from expanded mobility provisions. He highlighted India's competitive advantage, pointing to its low-cost labour and growing manufacturing base. "They get more market access into Europe. It sounds like they have some additional immigration rights. I don't know for sure, but President von der Leyen of the EU has talked about mobility for Indian workers into Europe. So, I think on net, India's going to have a heyday with this," he said. When questioned about the Tariff structure on India in respect to purchasing Russian oil, the US Trade Representative said they expect India to wind down this purchase. "They have made a lot of progress on this. I am in frequent contact with my counterpart in India. I have a great working relationship with him, but they still have ways to go on this point. They like the discount that you get from Russian oil, so it's hard for them. The Treasury Department has put into place, you know, a few weeks ago now, more significant sanctions, so we expect India to continue to wind that down, but we're watching it closely," he said. With India closing the big deal with the EU, it appears that the deal with the US could be the next big trade announcement. (ANI)
The Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held meetings in Beijing on January 26 with senior Chinese leaders, including the Vice President and the Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China. China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that the discussions centred on enhancing OIC-China relations and broadening dialogue and cooperation in political, economic, cultural, educational and health-related fields, with both sides highlighting longstanding ties and shared interests, as reported by the Centre for Uyghur Studies (CUS). The CUS has voiced serious concern regarding this engagement, which comes at a time when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to perpetrate genocide and widespread violations of religious freedom against Uyghur Muslims, while also suppressing other religious communities, including Tibetans and Chinese Christians. These abuses include mass arbitrary detentions, forced labour transfers, extensive digital and physical surveillance, separation of families, destruction and desecration of mosques, and the complete criminalisation of religious life in East Turkistan. CUS stressed that these violations are not isolated events but form part of a state-directed campaign aimed at erasing Uyghur religious and cultural identity. Uyghur Muslims remain systematically denied their right to freedom of religion. Since 2017, the CCP has penalised Uyghurs for basic religious practices such as praying, fasting, wearing the hijab, giving children Muslim names, or travelling to Muslim-majority countries. Many individuals previously held in detention camps have been channelled into coercive labour programmes across China, continuing crimes against humanity under a different guise, according to the CUS press release. Executive Director Abdulhakim Idris stated, "The OIC was established to protect the rights, dignity and interests of Muslim communities around the world. Therefore, 'unwavering support for China on Xinjiang' represents a betrayal of its founding mission. It effectively amounts to endorsing the eradication of the Uyghur Muslim faith through the Sinicisation of Islam. Portraying China as a friend of the Muslim world is blatant hypocrisy," as cited in the release. China's efforts to present itself as a friendly partner to the Muslim world sharply contradict realities on the ground, where Islam is viewed as a threat to be controlled through repression and forced assimilation. CUS urged the OIC and its Member States to honour their founding mandate with moral clarity and principled action. Remaining silent or engaging uncritically in the face of genocide only empowers perpetrators and worsens the suffering of Uyghur Muslims, the CUS release stated. (ANI)
Sales of fully electric cars have overtaken petrol vehicles in the European Union for the first time, marking a historic turning point in the continents shift away from fossil fuels.

Electric vehicle sales overtake petrol cars

New figures published by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) show that battery-electric vehicle (BEV) registrations surpassed petrol car registrations in December, as Europes car market recorded its sixth consecutive month of year-on-year growth.

Across the EU in 2025, a total of 1,880,370 fully electric cars were newly registered - a 29.9% increase compared with 2024. When combined with hybrids and plug-in hybrids, electrified drivetrains now account for more than half of all new car registrations.

Pure battery-electric vehicles alone made up 17.4% of all new registrations last year. This figure still trails hybrids overall, but it represents a major milestone in Europe's long-term transition to low-emission transport.

In its report, ACEA said: "The battery-electric car market share reached 17.4%, in line with projections for the year, yet still a level that leaves room for growth to stay on track with the transition.

Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the most popular power type choice among buyers, with plug-in hybrids consolidating their position in the market."

Petrol car registrations fell by 18.7%in 2025, while diesel sales dropped by a striking 26.6%, reflecting tightening emissions regulations, expanding low-emission zones and changing consumer attitudes across Europe.

The broader European market - which includes the UK and Norway - mirrored the EU trend, with electric cars also overtaking petrol in December.

However, industry figures caution that some obstacles persist. High upfront costs, unevenly distributed charging infrastructure and concerns over electricity prices continue to discourage buyers in southern and eastern EU member states. Hybrid-electric vehicles remain the most popular choice, offering a perceived bridge between petrol and full electrification.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit India in the first week of March. The Canadian Prime Minister's visit is likely to see the signing of deals on uranium, energy, minerals, and Artificial Intelligence. Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said there would be a key focus on trade during PM Carney's visit to India. Meanwhile, Canada has pitched itself as a reliable partner for supplying energy to India. Canadian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson, who was in India for the India Energy Week, said Canada is committed to supplying energy to India and asserted that his country will never use energy for "coercion." "It is a changing world we live in, and energy is at the centre of that. I'm here because, like you, the way to resist that change is to build multilateral relationships and to double down on diversification of supply," the Canadian minister said, speaking at the India Energy Week 2026. The Canadian minister also said his country is committed to supplying critical minerals to India. "Canada is a great supplier of those critical minerals, and we'll be talking about that, and a number of our companies are here at this conference to both help you develop your own critical minerals, but where we have ones to share to help you with energy transition, we will be doing that," he assured. According to reports, formal negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between India and Canada could also start in March. PM Carney is expected to sign smaller agreements with India on nuclear energy, oil and gas, environment, AI and quantum computing as well as deals on education and culture during his visit and a 10-year USD 2.8-billion uranium supply deal is likely to be included. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are also likely to visit Canada soon, while National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will visit Ottawa next month as part of regular engagements between the two countries. On Monday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a productive conversation with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, focusing on strengthening India-Canada bilateral ties. They discussed deepening cooperation in various sectors, including economic partnership, artificial intelligence, and high-level exchanges. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit the United States next week, sources said on Wednesday. The US Department of State had said earlier this month 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. The State Department said in a post on X that 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. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a high-level Finance Ministerial in Washington earlier this month 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. Meanwhile, a United States Congressional delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Mike Rogers, along with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, held discussions with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, centred on strengthening defence cooperation under the recently concluded 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement. The meeting, held on January 27, featured wide-ranging discussions on deepening defence industry collaboration and advancing bilateral military ties, according to the Ministry of Defence. "US Congressional Delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Mike Rogers met Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh today. They had wide ranging discussions including the recently concluded 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement with emphasis on strengthening cooperation in the field of defence industry," the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X. (ANI)
Amid reports that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan is suffering from an eye ailment that could permanently damage his eyesight, the opposition has demanded an immediate meeting between the jailed former prime minister and his family, Dawn reported. On Wednesday, the party said it had learned through credible reports that Imran was suffering from a condition that could lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly. According to a senior doctor at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Imran was brought to the hospital under strict security late Saturday night for a procedure that took considerable time. However, another doctor denied this and declined to comment further, citing concerns that PTI would politicise the matter. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan claimed Imran was taken to hospital over the weekend and then returned to jail, calling the situation "distressing for the nation, the party and the family". "The family should have been taken on board for moving him for medical treatment. To this day, we have still not been informed about the disease for which he was taken to the hospital, which doctor examined him, why he was taken back [to jail] and why the need arose for doing so," he said. Gohar alleged the authorities "are trying to consolidate their power" by changing laws while losing public trust, adding that denying meetings with Imran was fuelling concern. "The government is not understanding, but we will try to make them understand through this press conference; try to understand these problems. Let the meetings happen ... do not deny meetings until February 8 under any circumstances," he requested. "A meeting with the family is very important. We demand that today, if not tomorrow, a meeting be arranged between Khan sahib and his family, and we are informed about his health. This is our demand," he added, urging the government to ease what he described as growing anxiety among the public and Imran's family, Dawn reported. Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas described Imran as Pakistan's most popular leader, saying, "He (Imran) is a former prime minister of Pakistan ... whom Pakistan loves." Gohar termed Imran's being taken to the hospital without informing his family an "injustice", warning, "This is condemnable and they will have to answer for it at some point one day." Abbas also said the government had suffered a decisive defeat in the February 8, 2024, general election, adding, "If the [results] of the Feb 8 polls were accepted, then the political crisis would have ended," and called on citizens to join nationwide protests on February 8. Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said Imran and Bushra Bibi were being kept in isolation, calling it "unacceptable". He noted that Bushra Bibi had last met her daughter on November 4 and said that Imran's personal physician had not been allowed access. Raja added that petitions filed by PTI senators and MNAs in the Islamabad High Court seeking meetings were rejected. "I learnt today that the IHC has refused to hear these petitions as regular petitions. An objection had been placed on both pleas, saying that the petitioners had no right to approach the court," he said. "We mentioned in our petition very clearly that we have grave concerns about the reports regarding Imran Khan sahib's health and that his personal doctors should be allowed to examine him immediately. But we were told that this petition does not qualify for a hearing," Raja added, saying the situation "bordered on barbarism". "We demand that a meeting with Imran be arranged," he said, also calling for an end to solitary confinement. Separately, senior PTI leaders incarcerated at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail appealed for proper medical care for Imran. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Omar Safraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Reasheed urged the chief justice of Pakistan to intervene, warning in an open letter that "Imran Khan's eye infection has resulted in central retinal vein occlusion and may produce permanent damage to the eye and loss of vision, if not treated properly". "This condition is extremely serious and if not treated properly, may produce permanent damage to the eye resulting in loss of vision," the leaders said, calling denial of treatment "shameful" and urging authorities to admit Imran to a hospital of his choice and ensure immediate care, Dawn reported. They added, "We appeal to the chief justice of Pakistan to look into the matter personally and ensure that the recommended treatment is given as soon as possible," stressing, "The action taken in this case should be visible to the people of Pakistan." Responding to the developments, Minister of State for Interior Affairs Tallal Chaudhry said decisions on meetings rested with jail authorities and warned that protests outside the prison could make access "difficult". Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada ke Saath, he declined to confirm whether Imran underwent an eye procedure. "Instead of speculating or sensationalising, I urge people to wait for the reports to be confirmed," he said. Rejecting claims of government silence, Chaudhry added, "It's not like that. The truth is that this is a narrative built by those people (the PTI) who spread propaganda and play the sympathy card about his (Imran) life and health, and how he can't speak to his children and they can't get visas, because their other narratives have failed." He said if a procedure had taken place, "then it confirms that he is receiving all medical facilities". "There are approximately 850 people who have met the PTI founder for hours, including his family, lawyers, his political team and doctors," Chaudhry said. After being told that no meetings had occurred for two months, he replied, "He is in prison and it is the government's responsibility [to take care of him], do not worry." Chaudhry insisted, "I will confirm one thing: the rumours these people spread about his life and health are not true. He is receiving all the facilities ... more so than other prisoners," adding that only jail authorities could approve meetings and warning that continued protest calls would complicate matters. (ANI)
NARA, Jan 29 (News On Japan) - Japans oldest coin is often said to be Wado Kaichin, a name many people remember from school textbooks, but an even older form of coinage was discovered in Asuka Village in 1999, triggering widespread attention and forcing historians to rethink the origins of Japanese currency.

The discovery was made at the Asuka Ike Workshop ruins in Nara Prefecture, a site that revealed clear evidence of Japans earliest coin-minting activity, along with a series of other groundbreaking finds, including the oldest known wooden tablets inscribed with terms still used today, making the site one of the most significant archaeological discoveries linked to the foundations of Japanese manufacturing.

The investigation team visited Asuka Village, often described as the birthplace of Japan, home to numerous firsts in Japanese history, including Asukadera, the countrys first full-scale Buddhist temple, and the Mizuo-chi ruins, where Japans earliest timekeeping device is believed to have been created.

The focus of the investigation was the origins of money, at a location where imperial palaces were built during four different phases of the Asuka period, including the remains of a well associated with Kiyomihara Palace from the reign of Emperor Tenmu, whose era became central to the discoveries made nearby.

For decades, Japans first currency was believed to be Wado Kaichin, minted around August 708, but in 1999, archaeologists confirmed the existence of an even older coin type known as Fuhonsen at the Asuka Ike Workshop site, located only a short distance away, establishing it as the oldest coin known to have been produced in Japan.

The workshop ruins themselves were first identified in 1991, and subsequent excavations uncovered fragments of unfinished Fuhonsen coins, typically found in pairs, providing clear proof that the coins were being manufactured on site rather than imported or produced solely for ritual purposes.

Archaeologists also discovered gold, silver, glass products and earthenware, indicating that the site functioned as a large-scale, integrated production facility, unlike anything previously known from the period.

Roughly 8,000 wooden tablets were excavated from the site, accounting for more than half of all such tablets found in the wider Asuka area, and among them was the oldest known example of the characters used to write tenno, offering vital clues about when the imperial title came into use.

The Asuka Ike Workshop ruins are located within the grounds of the Manyo Culture Museum, which recreates scenes from the Manyoshu, Japans oldest anthology of poetry, using models and visual displays to convey the lives and landscapes of the era, and visitors entering the museum are immediately confronted with the preserved remains of the workshop itself.

The site contains the remains of around 300 furnaces spread across an area of roughly 20,000 square meters, equivalent to about half the size of Koshien Stadium, and archaeological evidence shows that metals such as gold, copper and iron, along with glass, were melted, shaped and processed there, demonstrating an unprecedented level of industrial activity for the time.

Following the discovery, the ruins were carefully reburied for preservation, and the layout revealed through excavation was reconstructed above ground to reflect the site as it appeared during the Asuka period, after it was confirmed that the workshop lay beneath what had once been an Edo-period irrigation pond.

Further investigation into the coin production area revealed more than 500 fragments of failed or broken Fuhonsen coins, indicating large-scale manufacturing and distribution, since completed coins would have been shipped out, leaving only defective pieces behind.

While Wado Kaichin is confirmed to have circulated widely as official currency, historians continue to debate whether Fuhonsen functioned as circulating money or served a more limited role, although documentary records from the reign of Emperor Tenmu align closely with the evidence uncovered at the site, strengthening the case that Fuhonsen represented Japans earliest attempt at coinage.

In addition to coins, the site yielded evidence of advanced glassmaking and gold refining, including high-purity gold fragments, suggesting sophisticated production techniques that may have been introduced by craftsmen from the Korean Peninsula, where similar furnaces and materials have been found.

The workshops location, just 600 meters from the political center of the ancient capital, underscores its role as a state-run facility designed to centralize production, control materials and support the formation of an early centralized government.

The wooden tablets discovered at the site served a wide range of purposes, including production orders, delivery instructions, inventory tags, administrative records and fragments of religious texts, offering rare, direct insight into the administrative and economic systems of the time.

Among them, the tablet bearing the characters for tenno is considered the oldest surviving example of the term, although scholars continue to debate whether it referred explicitly to the emperor as a political title or carried a more religious or cosmological meaning, and even its precise reading remains a subject of discussion.

Due to their exceptional historical value, many of the artifacts uncovered at the Asuka Ike Workshop ruins have been designated as Important Cultural Properties, and museum displays now reconstruct scenes of coin casting, glass production and toolmaking to convey the scale and complexity of operations that once took place there.

The site is now regarded as the starting point of Japans integrated manufacturing tradition, offering a rare glimpse into how the technologies and systems that underpin modern Japanese industry first took shape more than 1,300 years ago.

Source: YOMIURI
TOKYO, Jan 29 (News On Japan) - Reports of measles infections have been emerging one after another across the Kanto region, prompting health authorities to urge the public to remain vigilant.

On January 24th, Tokyo confirmed its first measles case of 2026, involving a man in his 30s who had stayed at restaurants and hotels within the capital and also visited an outlet mall in Shizuoka Prefecture, raising concerns that he may have come into contact with an unspecified number of people.

Local governments are calling on residents to closely monitor their health, as measles is known for its exceptionally high level of infectiousness, with Tokyo Dental College professor Takeshi Terajima explaining that while influenza typically spreads from one patient to two or three others, measles can infect 12 to 14 people, with airborne transmission posing the greatest risk.

Measles is characterized by symptoms including high fever exceeding 39 degrees Celsius and skin rashes, and it is prone to causing complications such as pneumonia, with an estimated one in 1,000 patients dying even in developed countries.

Since the end of last year, measles cases have been reported in multiple locations across the Kanto region, placing local governments under pressure to respond swiftly to prevent further spread.

Source: TBS
Antonio Banderas has been cast in supernatural thriller Unmerciful Good Fortune.

Antonio Banderas has landed a new role

The 65-year-hold Oscar nominee will appear alongside an all-star cast - which includes Rosario Dawson, Scott Eastwood and Susan Sarandon - in a big screen adaptation of Edwin Sanchez's stage play.

The feature film version comes from writer-director Tirsa Hackshaw, and follows Dawson as celebrity attorney Maritza Cruz.

She gets embroiled in a high profile case involving a young woman accused of multiple killings.

However, she claims to have psychic abilities and insisted she has committed murder to prevent worse things happening, which sends Cruz in a spiral of morality and spirituality.

Banderas will play Pito Cruz in the movie, while Eastwood has been cast as Paul Leslie, and Sarandon will portray Dr. Irene Charles.

In a statement, Hacksaw said: Weve been joking in prep that its a murderers row; the talent joining this film is staggering.

Its the perfect lineup to tell this darkly lyrical story that sits at the edge of the psychological and the supernatural.

"Beyond the sheer talent, meeting Antonio and seeing what hes built in Spain unlocked the potential of this movie in ways I hadnt imagined.

"Were thrilled to channel that energy with Antonio and show whats possible when you tap into a place alive with extraordinary creativity.

Tom DeSanto - who will produce alongside Corey Large, Dawson, Brian Kirchoff and Jordan Wilson - praised Banderas as a "living legend and part of Hollywood royalty".

He added: "The talent we have brought together for Unmerciful Good Fortune just shows how good the story is.

"Like Weapons and Black Phone, its a supernatural thriller that is going to bring people back to theatres and have them talking about it for days after.

Banderas' recent roles include the likes of Paddington in Peru, Indiana Jones and Dial of Destiny, and Babygirl.

He has also been focused on producing live theatre in Spain - a venture which has been more about the art than making money, with a production of Company costing around 190,000 with a full live orchestra, technical staff and a large cast.

He told Mundo America: "We filled the theatre to not lose much. But they can't take away the dance from me. I did what I wanted, how I wanted to do it, and with the perfect people."
Libya and Turkey have revived their Joint Economic Committee by holding its 22nd meeting, the first session in 17 years. The minutes of the sssion were signed in Tripoli by Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Libyas Minister of Transport Mohammed Al-Shuhoubi.

Minister Bayraktar said both countries committed to expanding and diversifying cooperation in oil and petroleum product trade between state-owned companies, within a broader energy partnership.

Discussions also focused on enhancing collaboration in Libyas onshore and offshore energy sectors, as well as in renewable energy and mining. Turkey expressed its intent to transform the two nations long-standing historical ties into a mutually beneficial economic partnership, reaffirming Ankaras support for Libyas stability, development, and long-term prosperity.
Airtificial Group, a leader in innovative design and manufacturing solutions for the automotive sector, has announced the signing of new international contracts, including key projects in Morocco within the frame of its geographical diversification and international expansion strategy.

For a well-known car manufacturer in Morocco, Airtificial will develop new technology for advanced steering and transmission systems aimed at the production of next-generation vehicle models. The project will support two OEM automotive groups, one Euro-American and one Asian.

Airtificial will supply high-performance components such as Electric Power Steering (EPS) and Steer-by-Wire, a key technology in electric vehicles that enhances active safety.

The robotic and intelligent line enables production cycle times of under 30 seconds and ensures output of over 105 units per hour. It also incorporates the latest process control technologies to guarantee full traceability, quality and ergonomic working conditions for line operators.

Airtificial provides solutions for the automotive, civil and defence aerospace, infrastructure, and other industrial sectors. The company integrates advanced technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence which, together with human interaction, contribute to sustainable development.

Listed on the Spanish Continuous Market, Airtificial has operational presence in 18 countries across major markets in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The company contributes to the digital transformation, automation, and optimization of its clients industrial processes through sustainable and competitive growth.
Reports suggested that Algerian economist and financial-engineering expert Djelloul Slama has been detained after commenting on the countrys iron-ore megaproject project, marketed as an economic milestone by the regime of Tebboune.

Slama is a well-known media commentator whose analyses on Algerian economic policy, fiscal imbalances and structural challenges are widely disseminated in Algeria. He is not an opposition figure or a politician.

The circumstances surrounding these reports underscore the limited civic and media spaces in an increasingly authoritarian Algeria. Technical commentary in Algeria has become increasingly politicized, especially when it touches on major state projects such as the vast Gara Djebilet ironore mine.

Algeria announced the beginning of exploitation of the Gara Djebilet deposit in Tindouf Province, once part of the Kingdom of Morocco/

The mine is estimated to contain 3.5 billion tons, approximately 1.7 billion of which are exploitable.

Experts have long questioned the projects low potential profitability. The ores high phosphorus content requires costly and technically complex dephosphorization, a process repeatedly cited as a major obstacle to achieving competitive output.

The project also sits atop a historical layer of unresolved regional cooperation. In 1972, Algeria and Morocco signed a joint agreement for the development of Gara Djebilet, including transport of iron through Moroccan territory to the Atlantic. That agreement was not followed up and never implemented; but it remains in place.

This abandoned cooperation still frames regional discussions around logistics and potential export routes, particularly as Algeria pushes ahead with costly rail infrastructure to link the mine to Bechar and the national network.

The mine is central to Algerias longstanding extractivist development model, an attempt to diversify away from hydrocarbons by doubling down on largescale resource projects. Despite government ambitions to build an integrated steel industry and reduce imports, Algeria remains heavily dependent on rawmaterial extraction for economic planning.
The Illusion of Randomness in Oil Markets

Anyone who trades crude oil futures has seen it happen. Price sells off hard into a round number, stalls, and then snaps violently higher. Or oil grinds higher all morning, only to reverse sharply mid-session with no headline, no inventory release, no obvious catalyst. This can be especially confusing for fundamental traders and analysts who try to explain price action solely through data and headlines. To many, these moves appear random.

In reality, they arent random at all. Many of these moves are driven by positioning and mechanical flows happening beneath the surface, even if that isnt immediately visible on the chart.

What appears chaotic on the chart is often the visible outcome of invisible positioning beneath it. Oil does not reverse at random levels. It reacts at structurally important levels created by options positioning, producer hedging, and dealer risk management. Without visibility into those forces, futures traders are left reacting to moves rather than understanding them.

This is why understanding options is becoming essential even for oil traders who do not use them. In this article, we will explain why.

Oil Options Are Not Speculation

To understand why oil behaves the way it does, it helps to start with who uses oil options and why. In equities, options are often used for leverage or convex payoffs. Episodes like the 2020 GME squeeze are a clear example of speculative call buying driving price action. Oil options, by contrast, are primarily tools for protection. Producers buy puts to secure revenues and margins. Airlines hedge fuel costs (those that do). Governments, such as Mexico, hedge national budgets. Physical trading houses manage inventory and logistics risk. These participants arent speculating; theyre transferring specific, real-world risks.

The strike price defines the point where that protection becomes active. As long as price stays on one side, nothing happens. Once its crossed, risk transfers immediately and forces the option seller to act. This is what sets oil apart from equities and why oil options reflect risk management rather than speculation.

As Ilia Bouchouev explains in Virtual Barrels, selling oil options may look like a classic insurance business. Volatility is high, premiums are attractive, and demand is constant. Yet unhedged option selling in oil has historically produced unstable results. Selling crude straddles without managing exposure generates smooth profits punctuated by occasional losses large enough to erase them. The reason is simple: oil options are not meant to be held passively. Their risk changes continuously as price moves. Only by actively hedging with futures do sellers compress tail risk, stabilize returns, and turn options into a viable strategy. This dynamic is the foundation of delta and gamma hedging in oil markets, and it explains why options dont just respond to price. They actively shape it through the hedging flows they create.

Delta Hedging and the impact of price on Gamma Flows.

Delta measures how much an option behaves like the underlying. If a crude oil option has a delta of 0.30, it behaves like 300 barrels of futures exposure per contract. To remain neutral, the option seller trades futures in the opposite direction. But delta is not static. As price moves, delta changes. This change is governed by gamma.

When oil prices fall, a short put seller must sell futures to stay hedged. When prices rise, they must buy. These trades are mechanical. They are not discretionary. They happen regardless of opinion or narrative. Multiply this behavior across thousands of contracts, and you get systematic futures flows that can dominate intraday price action.

This is in practice what market makers are doing to manage their books every day, to ensure that they stay delta hedged. This is also why delta hedging and gamma have gone from being an option concept for options traders to a futures market force.

Why Oil Is Especially Sensitive to Gamma

Oil shows some of the clearest gamma-driven behavior of any major market, largely because of who uses oil options and why. Producers carry structural downside risk, creating steady demand for puts around prices tied to budgets and breakevens. At the same time, oil is exposed to sudden shocks from geopolitics, OPEC decisions, weather, and infrastructure disruptions, all of which stress option positions. While oil futures are liquid, hedging flows are often large enough to move price, especially near expiration or during low-liquidity periods.

The result is a market where options hedging actively shapes price action. One of the most visible effects is price pinning. As expiration approaches, gamma concentrates around heavily traded strikes, and dealer hedging intensifies. When dealers are long gamma, they buy weakness and sell strength, repeatedly pulling price back toward those levels. To traders ignoring options, this looks like unexplained mean reversion. To those tracking gamma, its entirely mechanical. These pinning zones often sit near round numbers, not because the numbers matter on a chart, but because thats where hedgers concentrate their risk.

Producer Hedging Zones Versus Equity Behavior

Producer hedging introduces a critical difference between oil and equities. In equities, hedging flows are often driven by portfolio managers adjusting exposure. In oil, hedging is tied to physical economics. A producer hedging $70 oil behaves differently than an investor hedging a stock.

Producer hedges tend to cluster around economically meaningful levels: marginal cost of production, budget assumptions, fiscal breakpoints. When price approaches these zones, option activity intensifies.

This creates asymmetric gamma profiles. Downside hedging is often heavier than upside speculation. That asymmetry explains why oil sometimes collapses violently, then stabilizes abruptly without a fundamental shift.

Most oil futures traders rely on price, volume, and fundamentals, which work well for longer-term trends but often fail intraday. When price reverses without a clear catalyst, the move can feel random, but its usually hedging flows taking control. Without options positioning, those forces are invisible. Futures charts show the result, not the cause.

When large option positions sit near the money, markets can enter a feedback loop where price moves trigger hedging, hedging moves price, and volatility either compresses or accelerates depending on conditions. Gamma trading focuses on these dynamics, explaining why oil can stall, reverse, or accelerate sharply at specific levels. Understanding this structure helps traders distinguish mechanical, positioning-driven moves from those driven by new information.

How can a WTI futures trade spot these hedging levels

Lets look at the price action of CL as of January 25th to see how one can identify via the option market key reaction zones.

Lets start by looking at the Net GEX. This quantifies the balance of gamma exposure. Positive gamma regimes tend to suppress volatility. Negative gamma regimes allow trends to extend and moves to accelerate. By Looking at the Net GEX we have identified the biggest zones.

Now, while knowing this is helpful, how can a futures trader really simplify this? This is where the Gamma Levels come in. They identify where dealer hedging pressure is likely to be strongest directly on the price chart. These levels act as structural support and resistance rooted in options positioning, not past price reactions.

If we break this down we notice three areas you want to be aware of:

Call Resistance (red): This level marks the area with the highest concentration of call option activity. As price moves into this zone, market makers are typically forced to sell futures to remain hedged, which creates natural resistance. To push decisively above this level, the market usually needs a strong catalyst that overwhelms the normal options-driven hedging flows.

High Volatility Level (blue): This level is important because it often marks the transition into a negative gamma environment. As the price moves closer to and below it, market makers hedging behavior becomes more reactive. Instead of dampening moves, their hedging can start to amplify intraday volatility, leading to faster and less stable price action.

Put Support (green): This zone represents the area with the most put option activity. When the price approaches it, hedging flows tend to push prices higher as market makers buy futures to stay neutral. Similar to call resistance, breaking cleanly below this level usually requires a catalyst outside of normal options mechanics.

Blind Spots extend this framework by incorporating correlated markets. Crude does not trade in isolation. Equities, rates, currencies, and refined products all influence flows. Blind Spots highlight areas where cross-asset positioning can trigger reactions in oil. Market Makers hedge a portfolio, knowing where else there are pressure points becomes another important point. In this chart you see the Blind Spots of correlated assets on your price chart.

Together, these tools turn opaque market behavior into a readable structure.

Why This Matters for Oil Futures Traders

You dont need to trade options to be influenced by the options market. Every oil futures trader operates in a market shaped by options hedging, whether theyre aware of it or not. Ignoring that layer often leads to confusion: breakouts that fail without explanation, reversals that seem to come out of nowhere, and volatility that suddenly expands or collapses.

Futures traders who understand options mechanics approach these moments differently. They expect reactions around key levels, adjust risk as gamma regimes shift, and can tell when price is being driven by positioning rather than fundamentals. This doesnt replace fundamental analysis. It adds context to it.

Oil markets are complex. Supply and demand matter. Inventories matter. Geopolitics matter. But market structure determines how all of those forces show up in price. Gamma trading reveals that structure. It explains why oil often reacts sharply at levels that look meaningless on a chart. Those levels arent random. Theyre where risk is concentrated.

For traders willing to look beneath the surface, oil stops feeling chaotic and starts to make sense.

By MenthorQ for Oilprice.com

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Next month, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is slated to overhaul the level of radiation that Americans can legally be exposed to in response to an executive order issued by Donald Trump in May of 2025. The Trump administration is seeking to loosen regulations related to the nuclear energy industry in the United States in order to jumpstart the struggling sector.

The United States generates more nuclear energy than any other country, but it wont hold that distinction for long if current domestic and global trends hold true. The domestic nuclear energy sector has been in near-terminal decline for decades now, and the United States is now home to an aging fleet and very few plans for new and expanded nuclear energy projects.

In large part, this is due to the reality that building a new nuclear reactor is extremely expensive and logistically and bureaucratically nightmarish, leading to long and frequently delayed timelines. Plant Vogtle, the only new nuclear energy plant to be brought online in the United States in decades, was enormously over budget and years behind schedule. When its final reactor finally came online in Waynesboro, Georgia, in 2024, the plant had taken $35 billion and 14 years to reach completion.

In order to avoid such issues, the Trump administration is seeking to minimize the prodigious amount of red tape involved in developing a new nuclear power plant. And its targeting public safety measures to do so. The May 23 executive order mandates that the NRC reconsider reliance on the linear no-threshold (LNT) model for radiation exposure and the as low as reasonably achievable standard, among other requirements, in order to reestablish the United States as the global leader in nuclear energy.

However, experts contend that loosening or doing away with the NRCs licensing and review process could have some major downsides for public health and for the Trump administration's own aims. The [Trump] administration may be working against its own long-term goals by short-circuiting the public arbitration process moderated by the NRC that is critical to building and maintaining public acceptance and confidence in nuclear energy, warned a recent column from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Moreover, the executive order may not even result in an acceleration of nuclear production while unduly and unnecessarily increasing risk factors for Americans, argues a recent op-ed by Katy Huff for Scientific American. As a nuclear energy advocate and former Department of Energy official, Huff writes, I want to see more nuclear energy on the grid soon. But loosening the protections of the linear no-threshold (LNT) model is not supported by current research.

In the past, such suggestions to the NRC have been tabled because of insufficient evidence to support such a relaxation of radiation protections. Huff argued that, by ignoring these precedents based on rigorous research findings, the executive order is asking the NRC to act politically rather than scientifically. She called for more evidence-gathering on the topic, especially to validate or complicate early findings that raising radiation exposure could pose a particular risk to women and children.

However, many experts agree that change is both needed and overdue in the United States nuclear regulations. While caution is a valuable quality wherever atomic fission is involved, the United States may indeed be overdoing it. Once a world leader in nuclear power, the U.S. is now falling far behind. In less than the time that it took to build Plant Vogtle, China has grown its nuclear energy production capacity by a factor of three, and today has 27 reactors under construction.

Last September, in response to this inertia-fueled imbalance, a panel of experts at the World Nuclear Symposium came to a consensus that regulation must evolve to enable innovation.

"We must build upon a common goal, wider than just safety. A common goal could be tackling climate change, it could be enabling the UN sustainability development goals. But we must ensure proportionate, outcome-focused approaches and show that safety, security, innovation and sustainability can reinforce each other, said World Nuclear Transport Institute CEO Pete Bryant.

"Regulation is not just rules, it is not just process. It's the foundation of public confidence, it's the enabler of innovation, and it's the key to nuclear's role in a sustainable future. And if we work together, regulation won't just keep up with the pace of change, it will help drive it for the benefit of society."

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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Kuwait is preparing to move forward with a major midstream expansion as it opens a $7-billion pipeline project to foreign capital, part of a broader push to fund critical oil infrastructure outside the state budget.

State-owned Kuwait Oil Company is readying a pipeline deal valued at roughly $7 billion that would involve international partners, according to Reuters. The project is part of a broader effort by Kuwait to upgrade transport capacity linking upstream production to export and processing hubs, while easing the financial burden on the state.

The move marks a notable change for Kuwait, which has traditionally relied on public funding for oil infrastructure. Reuters reported that the pipeline project is expected to be structured in a way that allows foreign investors to participate, as Kuwait looks to accelerate energy investment without sharply increasing state spending.

The pipeline plan fits into Kuwaits wider upstream strategy. Kuwait intends to invest around $4 billion in oil exploration by 2030, targeting new reserves and improved recovery rates as it seeks to lift sustainable capacity. The country is aiming to raise crude production capacity toward 4 million barrels per day later this decade, even as regional peers compete for capital and market share.

Kuwait is also positioning itself to benefit from the Middle Easts next wave of large oil discoveries. Much of the regions remaining low-cost resource potential lies in conventional onshore and shallow offshore fields, including areas where Kuwait already has established infrastructure. Expanding pipeline capacity is seen as essential to monetizing those resources and avoiding bottlenecks as production rises.

According to Reuters, details on ownership structure, returns, and timing have not yet been disclosed, and no final investment decision has been announced. Kuwaiti officials have indicated, however, that attracting foreign capital is becoming increasingly important as national oil companies balance ambitious expansion plans with budget constraints.

The pipeline project would be one of Kuwaits largest energy infrastructure initiatives in recent years and reflects a broader Gulf trend toward tapping external financing to sustain long-term oil output growth.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Oil tanker rates are soaring this year, picking up where they left off 2025multi-year highs amid growing supply, longer routes, and disruptions due to sanctions and altered shipping lanes.

At the end of 2025, the global supertanker market tightened as crude supply from the OPEC+ group and the Americas rose, and vessels were making increasingly longer trips. So much the market tightened that several new-built very large crude carriers (VLCC) made empty maiden voyages from yards in Asia to pick up supply from producing countries in the Middle East, the Americas, and Africa, instead of loading fuels made in Asia on their first journey.

Usually, supertankers travel with gasoline cargoes on these first trips, but apparently the market shortage prompted owners to forego this loading and rush to send the tankers on load crude as daily rates soared.

Strong 2025 Tanker Rates

The daily rates for chartering a vessel to transport commodities surged in 2025, with oil tanker rates skyrocketing by 467%, as shippers of growing commodity supply were grappling with a series of route disruptions and sanctions.

Rates reached multi-year highs last year and continued to rally this year, too.

Shipbrokers and analysts expect oil freight rates to remain elevated this year as new geopolitical developments are upending crude flows and tanker markets.

Despite the typically weaker commodity demand period toward the end of each year, the last weeks of 2025 didnt show any weakness in the vessel rates for transporting crude oil.

Supertanker rates on the route between the Middle East and China hit their highest in five years as traders sought alternatives to Russian crude after the U.S. sanctioned Russias biggest oil producers and exporters, Rosneft and Lukoil. Rates for smaller tankers also shot up as traders turned to all available vessels to transport crude.

Stronger 2026 So Far

This year, rates have increased further, as the sanctions on Russia and Venezuela have raised volumes of oil in floating storage held in tankers.

In addition, the new oil order in Venezuela imposed by the Trump Administration prompted the worlds top traders to charter more legit vessels to ship and sell Venezuelas crude to U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast or in Europe and Asia.

In the second half of 2025, the Baltic Dirty Tanker Index  a measure of freight rates on several key global routes for crude  jumped by about 30%. Less than a month into 2026, the index has surged by another 30%, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

As two of the worlds top commodity traders, Vitol and Trafigura, are back trading Venezuelas oil, with the authorization by the U.S. Administration, more tankers will be needed to transport crude out of the worlds biggest oil reserves holder.

A week after the ousting of Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuela trade turned from illicit under-the-radar shipments to China on shadow fleet tankers to flows to U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast on legit vessels chartered by traders authorized by the Trump Administration.

Vitol and Trafigura have also started offering Venezuelan crude to refiners in China and India for March delivery, which will tie up more tankers on longer-haul routes.

Potential redirection of Venezuelan crude oil exports could boost already high tanker rates in the near to medium term due to a shift to the mainstream fleet from shadow tankers, Fitch Ratings said in a note last week.

Volatility linked to geopolitical flashpoints, including in Venezuela and Iran, will likely lead to oil buyers diversifying their sources, further supporting tonne-miles and the earnings of tanker owners and operators, the credit rating agency added.

The supertanker markets, the ones for very large crude carriers (VLCC) capable of shipping up to 2 million barrels of crude, remained firm last week despite a slight weakness from the previous week, the Baltic Exchange said in a weekly report on Friday.

The daily rates for a supertanker remained above $100,000, at $112,394 for the standard Baltic VLCC, according to the Baltic Exchange.

A return to Suez Canal trips has the potential to slash high tanker rates, but any resumption of oil shipments on the shortest route from Europe to Asia remains a distant prospect.

Container shipping giant Maersk tentatively returned, sending vessels on the trans-Suez route connecting the Middle East and India with the U.S. East Coast.

The company earlier this month said it would continue to monitor the security situation in the Middle East region very closely, and that any alteration to the MECL service will remain dependent on the ongoing stability in the Red Sea area and the absence of any escalation in conflicts in the region.

Oil tanker shippers havent started using the Suez Canal route yet amid persistent security concerns, the unrest in Iran, and the latest U.S.-Iran rhetoric.

Most containership operators that ceased transits are being cautious and shifting back only gradually, Fitch said, referring to the Suez route.

For tanker shipping, normalisation of these transits could more than offset any benefit from the redirection of Venezuelan oil, the credit rating agency noted.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Israel is set to achieve record natural gas production in 2026, with expansion projects in the Leviathan and Tamar fields expected to push total output above 3 billion cubic feet per day (cfd) for the first time ever. According to the experts, the Chevron (NYSE:CVX) operated fields are expected to add a combined 600 million cfd in the coming months, with the bulk of the extra gas piped to Egypt after the removal of bottlenecks in the export pipeline network. Israels gas output in 2025 is estimated to have dropped slightly from a record 2.587bn cfd achieved in 2024 as fields were shut-in during Israel's conflict with Iran in June.

Chevron and its partners NewMed Energy (OTCPK:DKDRF) and Ratio Energies (OTCMKTS:RTEXF) confirmed a $2.36 billion Final Investment Decision (FID) in January 2026 to expand the Leviathan field, increasing production capacity from 12 bcm to roughly 21 bcm annually. The expansion involves drilling three additional offshore wells, installing new subsea infrastructure and enhancing the platform's processing capabilities. The expansion aims to significantly increase natural gas exports to Egypt and Jordan. The companies managed to boost production at the Tamar field to increase capacity from approximately 1.1 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) to 1.6 bcf/d in 2025.

Debottlenecking of the export pipeline network is enabling higher volumes to reach Egypt, helping to fill their domestic supply gapsKey projects, including upgrading the Ashdod-Ashkelon pipeline and constructing the Nitzana pipeline (expected to be operational by 2028). The projects are designed to boost exports to Egypt and Jordan by 1.8 billion cubic feet per day. The 46-km offshore natural gas AshdodAshkelon pipeline is undergoing upgrades scheduled for completion in the current year to handle increased capacity. Approximately 55% of the gas flows through the offshore Eastern Mediterranean Gas (EMG) pipeline, while 45% is transported via the Arab Gas Pipeline through Jordan.

The Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP) is currently operating in reverse for localized, regional supply, rather than its original Egypt-to-Turkey export purpose. In August 2025, the 63-km Kilis-Aleppo pipeline was revived, connecting Turkeys grid to Syria to supply 3.4 million cubic meters a day (MMCM/D), with a target to increase flows to 6 MMCM/D. Jordan utilizes the AGP to transport imported LNG from its Aqaba terminal northward. Meanwhile, a new 6 billion cubic meter (bcm)/year capacity onshore pipeline from Ramat Hovav to the Egyptian border is under development. The pipeline is expected to be operational by 2028 and will facilitate greater export capacity to Egypt.

Last year, Israel approved a historic, 15-year agreement to supply Egypt with 130 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas worth $35 billion from the offshore Leviathan field through 2040. The gas deal, the largest in Israel's history, aims to ease Egypt's severe energy shortages while strengthening economic ties, driven by U.S. diplomatic efforts. The deal is expected to generate significant revenue for the Israeli state treasury, estimated at around $18 billion in taxes and royalties over the contract's life. The agreement is considered a significant step in strengthening regional energy cooperation and stability, despite ongoing political tensions between the two nations. Egypts ambitions to be a regional gas hub have reversed over the past couple of years, turning it into a net importer due to declining production at major fields like Zohr coupled with surging domestic demand. The countrys output has dropped by about a third since 2019, with insufficient investment and infrastructure issues crippling export capacity.

The Leviathan and Tamar gas fields are key Israeli offshore natural gas assets, with current capacities of approximately 12 billion cubic meters (BCM) per year and 11 BCM per year, respectively. Both fields are expanding, with Leviathan projected to increase to 2123 BCM annually to meet rising regional demand and exports. Still, the Middle East oil giants have potential for higher gas production.

As of 2022, Israel had approximately 1,087 billion cubic meters (BCM) of proven natural gas reserves, considerably lower than Egypts proven reserves at 77 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). Iran and Qatar share the South Pars/North Dome field, the world's largest natural gas field, with 51 trillion cubic meters (tcm) in total reserves, of which 36 tcm are recoverable. Iran holds 14 tcm (South Pars), while Qatar holds the majority reserves in the North Field.

Iran is the second-largest global gas reserve holder behind only Russia, focusing on domestic use, whereas Qatar is a top global exporter. Russia holds the largest proven natural gas reserves in the world, with estimates around 1,688 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) or approximately 38 trillion cubic meters, accounting for nearly 20% of the global total.



By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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Africas trade finance lender has unveiled a major new funding line for Angolas national oil company, as the country seeks to stabilize crude trading and maintain output in a basin facing structural decline and renewed scrutiny from international producers.

The African Export-Import Bank has announced a $1.75 billion financing facility for Sonangol, according to a statement cited by Reuters on Wednesday. Afreximbank said the facility is designed to support Sonangols oil trading operations and general corporate funding needs, providing liquidity for crude exports.

Afreximbank said the package will be delivered through structured trade finance instruments, though no details were provided on maturities, drawdowns, or cargo-linked arrangements. The bank did not disclose whether the facility is tied to specific buyers or export routes.

The financing comes as Angola faces mounting challenges in sustaining oil output following years of underinvestment and natural decline across its offshore fields. Angola exited OPEC at the end of 2023, arguing that production quotas no longer reflected its capacity as output slipped below 1.2 million barrels per day. Since then, the government has sought to reposition the sector to attract fresh capital and stabilize revenues.

International oil majors have shown renewed interest in Angola despite the basins decline. Shell recently returned to Angolas upstream sector, joining other producers reassessing opportunities in mature deepwater assets amid tighter global supply. However, reversing Angolas long-term production slide remains a significant challenge.

Afreximbank said the $1.75 billion facility will support Sonangols crude trading and general funding needs, but gave no details on pricing, maturity, or how the financing will be drawn. The bank did not say whether the facility will be tied to specific export cargoes or buyers, or how much of the funding will be available upfront versus released in stages. Sonangol has not said how the new facility will fit alongside its existing bank lines or trading arrangements.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Arctic Monkeys have no immediate plans to make new music.

Photo: Avalon

The indie legends returned last week with the War Child charity single, Opening Night, their first release since their 2022 album The Car.

Although this time it was a "one-off" project, drummer Matt Helders insists they aren't done yet.

Appearing on BBC Radio 1s New Music Show, he said of reuniting with his bandmates to contribute to the HELP (2) album: I think we went into this knowing it was a one-off. But then, having done it, we probably went away feeling like we just had a lot of fun making this record.

Theres no conversations about it, but its definitely something we love to do and well always do.

Matt had also recently told Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 of his relationship with frontman Alex Turner: Sometimes we might not see each other for six months, but when we do its like we were never apart.

Thats just how we are with people, with each other. It translates musically as well. We just had a couple of days doing this and it felt like nothing had happened; [that there was] no space between.

HELP(2) - a sequel to 1995's HELP, which raised more than 1.2million for children caught up in the Bosnian conflict - lands on March 6.

All proceeds will go towards War Childs emergency aid, education, mental health support and protection programmes for young people in war-torn countries.

The album was put together during an intense week of recording at Abbey Road Studios in November 2025, overseen by producer James Ford.

He brought together a huge lineup of artists including Anna Calvi, Arlo Parks, Beck, Beth Gibbons, Big Thief, Damon Albarn, Depeche Mode, Foals, Fontaines D.C., Greentea Peng, Olivia Rodrigo, Pulp, Sampha, Wet Leg and Young Fathers.

Damon Albarn teamed up with Johnny Marr, Kae Tempest and Grian Chatten for his track Flags, while Olivia Rodrigo recorded The Book of Love with Blur guitarist Graham Coxon.

Arctic Monkeys said in a statement: When James Ford called and asked if wed contribute to the HELP(2) album we set to work on a song idea and assembled in Abbey Road to record it. We are proud to support the invaluable work War Child do and hope the record will make a positive difference to the lives of children affected by war.
China built a total of 543 GW in new power generation capacity last year, which was more than any other country, with coal and wind capacity at record high, government data released today, and quoted by Bloomberg, showed.

The total power capacity additions in China since 2021 exceed the size of the entire U.S. grid, Bloomberg noted in its report. The U.S. grid has a total generation capacity of over 1,000 GW.

The build-out remains very strong, with super robust numbers going from record to record, Michal Meidan, the head of China energy research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, told the publication. The priority is security of supply, and not just that, but the availability of competitively priced energy.

The Chinese government has signaled repeatedly that while non-hydrocarbon generation capacity was a priority, it would follow an all-of-the-above approach to energy, which explains the massive increase in coal power plant construction. Still, wind and solar capacity has grown to represent 47.3% of Chinas energy mix, the data from the National Energy Administration showed.

Solar additions in 2025 jumped by 35.4% to reach 1.2 billion kW, and wind power additions rose by 22.9% to 640 million kW. Total generation capacity booked a 16.1% annual increase last year, the National Energy Administration reported, adding that wind and solar alone hit 430 million kW in new capacity additions.

Despite the massive growth in wind and solar, China is doubling down on coal as well. Earlier this month, data by net-zero non-profit Global Energy Monitor showed that China was set to commission as many as 85 coal-fired power generating units this year, out of a total global of 104 coal projects slated for start-up in 2026. That number represents a capacity of 55 GW. In 2025, 78% of new coal power plants globally were launched in China.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The offshore Tengiz oil field should return to usual production rates within a week, Kazakhstans energy minister said today, as quoted by Reuters.

The Tengiz field stopped pumping oil earlier this month after a fire destroyed three transformers. The incident has cost Kazakhstan 7.2 million barrels in lost oil production. Earlier this week, the power distribution system of the field was restarted, the consortium operating the field said in a statement. The Chevron-led group also said it had begun restarting oil production at the field.

Tengiz has the capacity to produce 900,000 barrels daily, but before the transformer fire took it out, it pumped around 360,000 barrels daily.

We have restored some of the work of these transformers, and now the field is being launched in stages. The first gas has already appeared, so I think the entire Tengiz will be launched in stages within a week. Maybe even earlier, Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov told the media.

The transformer accident follows a Ukrainian drone attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which is the main conduit for Kazakh crude to world markets. The CPC operates the pipeline from the Caspian coast in northwest Kazakhstan to the Novorossiysk port, which handles most of Kazakhstans crude exports from giant oilfields in Kazakhstan operated by international oil firms, including U.S. supermajor Chevron. CPC transports crude oil from three major fields in Kazakhstan, Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak.

On the flip side, the CPC disruption and the Tengiz outage will help Kazakhstan fit within its oil production quota under OPEC+ requirements, which feature compensatory production cuts after months of overproduction on the part of several members, including Kazakhstan.

Due to the decrease in production and the incident at CPC and Tengiz, I think that we are going just within the stated volumes, the energy minister said.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Kazakhstan has filed a formal bid with the U.S. Treasury seeking authorization to buy out the Kazakh assets of Russias sanctioned oil firm Lukoil, Kazakhstans Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said on Wednesday.

The United States sanctioned Lukoil at the end of October, which prompted the Russian firm, the countrys second-largest oil producer, to seek a sale of its foreign assets.

Soon after, Lukoil accepted a bid from trading house Gunvor for its assets outside Russia, but the U.S. Treasury blocked the sale, saying that the trading group is the Kremlins puppet.

After Gunvor withdrew the bid, companies including private equity giant Carlyle, U.S. oil and gas supermajors Chevron and ExxonMobil, and International Holding Company (IHC) of Abu Dhabi have expressed interest to the U.S. Treasury to potentially acquire Lukoils international assets.

Kazakhstan  where Lukoil is a minority shareholder in huge oilfields and the pipeline consortium shipping crude to Russias Black Sea coast for exports says it has pre-emption rights to buy out Lukoils stakes.

We already said at the end of last year that we have a preemptive right under law to exercise our right to buy out the stake if Lukoil sells the assets in Kazakhstan. The Energy Ministry has sent the corresponding request to OFAC, Akkenzhenov told reporters on Wednesday, as carried by Russian news agency Interfax.

There are various forms to buy out the share package, including some kind of deferred payment or through proceeds from raw material sales. There are many options, and we are considering them all, the Kazakh minister added.

OFAC has issued a general license until February 28, 2026 to enable Lukoil to divest its assets outside of Russia to non-blocked parties.

In Kazakhstan, Lukoil holds 13.5% in the Karachaganak oilfield, a 5% stake in the Chevron-led Tengizchevroil consortium operating the huge Tengiz oilfield, and 12.5% in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which operates the pipeline from the Caspian coast in northwest Kazakhstan to the Novorossiysk port on Russias Black Sea that handles most of Kazakhstans crude oil exports.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The U.S. federal government is discussing the removal of some sanctions on Venezuelas oil industry to make it easier for U.S. companies to boost Venezuelas oil production under a deal worth $2 billion announced by President Trump earlier this month after the ousting of President Nicolas Maduro.

According to unnamed sources who spoke to Reuters, the plan is to issue a general sanction waiver to enable energy companies to return to Venezuela without risking punitive action from Washington. Per the report, there are many who want to return - and they have been applying for individual sanction waivers. These include Chevron, Repsol, Eni, Reliance Industries, and several oilfield service providers.

Earlier this month, after grabbing President Maduro from Caracas to bring him to court in New York, President Trump said Venezuela will have to supply 50 million barrels of crude to the United States. That was just for starters. Trumps plans involve what some see as a takeover of the Venezuelan oil industry by the United States, and for now, the Venezuelan government does not seem to have a problem with that.

In fact, this week, interim president Delcy Rodriguez said she expected new investments in Venezuelas oil to hit $1.4 billion this year, up from $900 million in 2025. Yet not everyone is enthusiastic about potential opportunities to profit from Venezuelas oil wealth. Exxon notoriously called the country uninvestable, which angered President Trump. According to estimates, Venezuelas oil industry needs total investments of some $100 billion over the next decade to reverse the gradual decline it has experienced in recent years.

If the investment materializes, the countrys production of crude oil could grow significantly. Per Enverus, the total could jump to 1.5 million barrels daily by 2035, up by 50% from current production rates. In a best-case scenario, the daily average could rise all the way to 3 million barrels.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

The recent Minnesota shooting has become another tragic case and another story that is spiraling out of control.

There are lessons for both sides.

Before we address both sides, we first must remind our readers that Minnesota is an outlier compared to almost all other states, as those states are seeing triple the arrests of criminal illegal border crossers, but with little controversy or conflict. This is because in most states, ICE is allowed to arrest these suspects when they show up in jail. Yet, some sanctuary states like Minnesota block ICE from doing this, causing agents to go out in the community to make the arrest. The other thing that makes Minnesota unique is the level of hostility its political leaders provoke among its citizens toward ICE.

Here are some lessons for the Department of Homeland Security from the recent shooting:

#1. DHSs claim that the suspect brandished a gun turns out to be false under multiple video reviews.

#2. DHS claiming that the suspect came to the area for the specific purpose of shooting as many Federal agents as possible was not backed up by any evidence*. (* sometimes new evidence is withheld by authorities until the trial which even under this circumstance makes it irresponsible to use it without substantiation).

#3. Having two different spokespersons call the suspect a terrorist and assassin was not backed up by any evidence.

#4. FBI Director and Treasury Secretary claiming that no one should go to a protest with a concealed handgun goes against the rights of people to protect themselves.

Here are lessons for the protestors:

#1. Protestors were using whistles. These tools are used to disrupt an arrest by interfering with law enforcements communication. Using an emergency signal like a whistle also lures innocent people into an unexpected hostile situation, which puts them in harms way. It is also a noise violation. Additionally, this case may reveal that the suspects weapon may have accidentally discharged because the suspects handgun, the SIG Sauer P320 9mm, is known for accidental discharging as there are nearly 100 lawsuits against the gun on this matter. If the weapon was accidentally fired during the movement within the altercation or during the extraction, it means that sound may have been at risk of being misread and misinterpreted during the noise. Simply put, whistles and noise compound problems and judgement.

#2. The suspect entered the middle of the street where an ICE action was underway. Citizens are not allowed to block traffic or direct traffic in the middle of a law enforcement action.

#3. The suspect physically tried to interfere with the arrest/detaining of a hostile protester that ICE was confronting. This is promoted tactic used in Portland where they urge protestors to involve themselves in the middle of an arrest. This is dangerous.

#4. The suspects interference involved actual physical contact with an officer, which is a Felony.

#5. The suspect continued to fight even after he was both instructed to stop and maced to get him to stop.

#6. The suspects resistance to officers was big enough that it took multiple officers to detain him.

#7. The suspects family members shared that they had warned him that his previous involvement was dangerous.

Minnesota and Oregon need to ask themselves whether they are going to have standards and safeguards against violent protesting. If so, then these 6 points above need to be upheld and not violated. These six points are violated at the Portland protests. By not protecting law enforcement, we are witnessing a surge in violent protesting as rioters are allowed to get away with more.

As for Homeland Security, they are not allowed to lie or exaggerate the facts. The public holds them to a higher standard.

There is no room for error.

Consider the latest surveys on the publics view of ICE.

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On July 29, 2023, the BeijingTianjinHebei region was hit by a severe convection event with extreme rainstorm influenced by Typhoon Doksuri. The figure shows that existing modelsNowcastNet and PredRNN v2were unable to provide accurate predictions at a 4 hour lead time, and the PySTEPS model also failed to do so. In contrast, DDMS demonstrated more accurate nowcasting capabilities. Credit: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

In a critical advance for climate resilience, researchers from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed an AI model that can predict dangerous convective stormsincluding Black Rainstorms, thunderstorms and extreme heavy rainfall like those that have hit Hong Kongup to four hours before they strike. This world-first technology, developed in collaboration with national meteorological institutions and powered by satellite data and advanced deep diffusion technology, improves forecast accuracy by over 15% at the 48-kilometer spatial scale compared with existing systems. This breakthrough strengthens the overall accuracy of the national weather forecasting system and promises to transform early warning systems for vulnerable communities across Asia.

This research aligns with the core objectives of the State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities (SKL-CRCC), which was established with the approval of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China last year. The laboratory operates under the directorship of Prof. Charles Ng Wang-Wai, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and CLP Holdings Professorship in Sustainability at HKUST.

The research team includes Prof. Su Hui, the Climate Change and Extreme Weather Direction Lead of the SKL-CRCC, Chair Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Global STEM Professor at HKUST; Dr. Dai Kuai, Postdoctoral Fellow in the same department; as well as scholars from the Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), the China Meteorological Administration's (CMA) Institute of Tropical and Marine Meteorology (ITMM), and the National Satellite Meteorological Center (NSMC). The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences under the title "Four-hour thunderstorm nowcasting using a deep diffusion model for satellite data."

Why conventional forecasts fall short

Extreme weather events have become increasingly frequent in recent years. Hong Kong issued four Black Rainstorm Warnings within just eight days last summer, while regions such as Bali in Indonesia, southern Thailand, and other regions also experienced severe flooding that resulted in significant casualties and economic losses. Conventional weather forecasts rely on numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, which simulate future atmospheric conditions by solving complex fluid-dynamical equations.

However, NWP requires intensive computation and is highly sensitive to atmospheric chaos and limitations in observational data. For rapidly evolving, small scale convective systemsincluding thunderstorms and rainstormsaccurate forecasts are often limited to 20 minutes to two hours in advance. This short window leaves governments, emergency services, and the public with critically limited time to prepare, evacuate, or mitigate damage.

How the new AI model works

To address these challenges, the HKUST led team developed a new AI computational framework known as the Deep Diffusion Model of Satellite Data (DDMS). The model applies state of the art generative AI techniques: noise is added to satellite data during training, enabling the model to learn the reverse process of generating high-quality data.

The team trained the model using infrared brightness temperature data collected by China's FengYun 4A satellite from 2018 to 2021, incorporating professional meteorological domain expertise to accurately capture the evolution of convective cloud structures. Model performance was validated using samples from the spring and summer seasons (May to August) of 2022 and 2023.

Performance gains and key capabilities

The team developed the world's first AI system capable of forecasting thunderstorm development four hours ahead, with accuracy improved by more than 15% at a resolution of 48 kilometers, compared to existing systems.

Other technological breakthroughs include:

High resolution, high frequency forecasts updated at approximately 15 minute intervals, covering a region of about 20 million km 2 , including China, Korea, Southeast Asia, and surrounding areas.

, including China, Korea, Southeast Asia, and surrounding areas. Stable performance across multiple spatial scales (4 km to 48 km) and throughout different seasons, with particularly strong accuracy in the 24 hour forecast window. Within this critical lead time, it excels precisely where conventional models fail most, delivering reliable forecasts with accuracy improvements ranging from 3% to 16% and averaging 8.26%.

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Benefits over radar-based forecasting

Dr. Dai Kuai, the first author of the paper stated, "Conventional weather forecasting models rely mainly on ground based radar, but radar signals are easily affected by terrain and precipitation composition and often detect changes only after convective clouds have already formed. This results in delays in forecast lead time.

"By leveraging satellite data that monitor cloud evolution from space, the new AI model can detect signs of convective development much earlier, enabling more timely warnings. DDMS represents a major advancement in atmospheric monitoring and severe-weather early warnings, enabling faster and more accurate forecasts and strengthening regional disaster preparedness and response."

Broader impact and commercialization potential

Prof. Su remarked, "This research is a collaboration between universities and national level institutions, including the CMA and the NSMC, and provides a valuable new reference model for operational forecasting. The algorithm can be applied to data from different satellites, expanding its coverage and enabling more countries and regions to respond effectively to rising climate risks.

"The system also has strong commercialization potential: it can support industries such as energy and insurance by providing earlier and more precise risk assessments, helping organizations evaluate the potential impacts of extreme weather in advance and enhance overall resilience. We are moving from simply observing weather to intelligently anticipating it, which is a fundamental shift for safety and sustainability in a warming world."

Publication details Kuai Dai et al, Four-hour thunderstorm nowcasting using a deep diffusion model for satellite data, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2517520122 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
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Credit: Current Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.12.017

A new study using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) has revealed that the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago caused only a modest decline in shark and ray species. The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, challenge previous understandings of how severely this mass extinction affected life in the oceans.

AI reshapes the story of shark evolution

Led by Swansea University, the research brings together deep-learning AI models with the most comprehensive global fossil dataset ever assembled for sharks and rays. Using these tools, the team traced shark and ray diversitythe number of speciesacross 145 million years, creating the most detailed long-term picture of their evolutionary history to date.

The researchers found that species numbers comparable to modern levels were already reached during the Cretaceous period, more than 100 million years ago, and that the asteroid impact caused a relatively small decline of around 10% in shark and ray speciesa stark contrast to the mass extinction suffered by non-avian dinosaurs and many marine predators.

The number of shark and ray species peaked in the mid-Eocene period, around 50 million years ago, when oceans supported far more species than exist today. Since their peak, sharks and rays have lost more than 40% of their species, leaving today's oceans far less diverse.

Four-phased 145-million-year reconstruction of species richness trajectories. Credit: Current Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.12.017

These patterns were invisible to previous methods but emerge clearly with advanced AI methods that explicitly correct for spatial and temporal biases in the fossil record, in addition to a new fossil dataset.

Lead author Dr. Catalina Pimiento of Swansea University's Department of Biosciences and of the University of Zurich's Department of Paleontology explains, "We built a new, carefully curated dataset of fossil shark and ray occurrences, which involved reviewing hundreds of studies, extracting data, checking it and resolving inconsistencies, resulting in a global synthesis of fossil occurrences spanning the past 145 million years."

What the new fossil data reveals

Study co-led author, Dr. Daniele Silvestro of ETH Zurich said, "We then applied a new AI method that is far better at recognizing and correcting the uneven and incomplete nature of the fossil record. Previous approaches could account for general differences in sampling, but not for the fact that fossils are unevenly collected across geographic regions or species.

"Our model can learn these patternsfor example, recognizing when fewer fossils in a particular region can reflect limited sampling rather than real biological decline."

The findings also place the modern conservation crisis facing sharks and rays into a deeper evolutionary context.

Dr. Pimiento added, "Today's sharks and rays are the survivors of a long history of change, including extinction events that have only recently become visible in the fossil record. For the past 40 to 50 million years, their diversity has been trending downwards.

"That long-term decline matters today, because it suggests that modern sharks and rays are already starting from a reduced baseline. In other words, they're not just facing human pressures such as overfishing and climate change as a healthy, thriving groupthey have already lost a lot of evolutionary potential over tens of millions of years.

"Understanding their past helps us see how important it is to protect the species we still have today."

Publication details Amanda Gardiner et al, Revealing the hidden patterns of shark and ray diversity over the past 145 million years, Current Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.12.017 Journal information: Current Biology
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A juvenile nurse shark is gently restrained for measurements and sampling. Credit: Shark Research and Conservation Program, University of Miami Rosenstiel School.

A new study from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science shows that juvenile Atlantic nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) grow more rapidly as juveniles and reach smaller maximum sizes than nurse sharks in Bimini, Bahamaslocations so close that these populations have historically been assumed to be the same.

Evidence from long-term fisheries-independent monitoring by the Shark Research and Conservation Program at the Rosenstiel School shows Biscayne Bay is an important nursery habitat for numerous species of shark.

The research is published in the journal Environmental Biology of Fishes.

"Despite human degradation of Biscayne Bay, our data suggests it remains critical habitat for many species of juvenile shark, providing essential resources and protection from predation early in life," said John Hlavin, Ph.D. student in the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy and lead author on the study.

"Using data from nurse sharks captured more than once between 2017 and 2025, we were able to assess their growth rates and estimate the size of habitats they rely on based on the distance between initial and final capture," said Emily Yeager, co-author of the study and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the Rosenstiel School.

"We found significant differences that show more rapid growth at smaller sizes in Biscayne Bay compared to the Bahamas."

The study found that juvenile nurse sharks in Biscayne Bay likely rely on small home ranges while young, which increase in size as they grow, and that their growth rates and maximum size are distinct from nearby nurse sharks in the Bahamas.

"These differences are likely to be driven by variances in access to resources, suggesting that resource availability may be more limited in Bimini, or that juveniles in Bimini may face greater competition from abundant juvenile lemon sharks that share those habitats," said Catherine Macdonald, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, and the director of the Shark Research and Conservation Program.

"These groups may show these significant differences as a result of greater resource availability and/or historic fishing pressure, which has been shown to select for faster growth and smaller maximum sizes."

Because South Florida includes extensive recreational fisheries and a historic fishery targeting nurse sharks for their skin and liver oil, there may be genetic differences in nurse shark populations in Florida that explain the observed differences.

The authors emphasize the importance of long-term monitoring that can provide these kinds of data sets.

"Conducting studies of life-history traits across different habitats within a region can help us better understand how local variation might affect traits that are essential for science-based fisheries management," added Hlavin.

This is especially important for species like nurse sharks that are threatened by poorly managed or unmanaged fisheries in many parts of their range.

More information John F. Hlavin et al, Is the seagrass greener on the other side? Faster growth in Biscayne Bay, Florida's nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) compared to neighboring conspecifics of Bimini, The Bahamas, Environmental Biology of Fishes (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s10641-025-01784-7
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Credit: Cell (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.12.035

Cells organize their molecules into distinct functional areas. While textbooks usually refer to membrane-bound organelles such as mitochondria and cell nuclei, recent studies have also revealed organelles without membranes. These include stress granules and proteasome storage granules (PSGs).

In the past, these membraneless organelles were only visible as "droplets" using a fluorescence microscope. Now, researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, University Medical Center Gottingen, and University of Toronto have defined the detailed structures of molecules in PSGs for the first time, using cryoelectron tomography.

The results are published in the journal Cell.

A proteasome is a large protein complex that works as an energy-powered "protein shredder," eliminating specific unneeded or damaged proteins by chopping them into small pieces. Proteasomes are found in all eukaryotes, from yeast to humans, and are essential for life.

Proteasomes are also essential for tumor cells to respond to some anti-cancer drugs. When certain nutrients or other sources of cellular energy are too low, the locations of proteasomes inside cells are visibly altered. As key executioners of cellular well-being and functions, proteasomes are a critical focus of research.

Professor Brenda Schulman, Director of the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Biochemistry, explains, "Thanks to the collaboration with the pioneer in the field of cryoelectron tomography, Professor Wolfgang Baumeister, we are now able to understand how proteasome storage granules function at the molecular level. We knew that many molecular machines assemble into membrane-less organelles, but to truly understand their function, we needed to see their molecular structure."

Paracrystalline structure of proteasome storage granules

Dr. Cordula Enenkel, an expert in PSG research who works with structural biologist Prof. Oliver Ernst at the University of Toronto, explains, "We subjected yeast cells to energy stress by depriving them of glucose or blocking mitochondrial ATP production. This created ATPthe cells' energy sourcescarcity. In response, the cells shut down their energy-intensive proteasomes by arranging them into PSGs."

Ernst adds, "We recognized that visualizing the structures of proteasome storage granules would be crucial to understanding this fascinating cellular strategy to cope with metabolic stress, but this was not possible with purified proteasomes."

Dr. Xiaomeng Tang, one of the first authors of the study from the MPI of Biochemistry and the University Medical Center Gottingen (UMG), explains, "We studied the proteasome storage granules in their natural environmentinside cells. Cryo-electron tomography (ET) enabled us to view the PSGs with a resolution of 0.9 nanometers, revealing structural details that were previously impossible to see. We saw for the first time that individual proteasomes become arranged into precise, repetitive structures like crystals. This was very informative, because what we saw contradicted expectations that PSGs would assemble into amorphous clusters or dynamic liquid droplets."

The team deciphered the detailed assembly of the PSGs.

"The proteasomes first form trimers. This means that three proteasomes bind together. This has never been observed in cells before," Tang continues. "These trimers then stack up to form fibers. The fibers bind together to form bundles."

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Cryo-electron tomography as a key technology

Co-first author Dr. Lu Qu from the MPI of Biochemistry and the UMG explains, "We were only able to demonstrate this proteasome arrangement within cells, but not in test tubes. When we tried to isolate the PSGs, the structures disintegratedthat's why cryoelectron tomography was essential."

In yeast cells, the PSGs remain fully assembled but inactive, so they do not burn energy during energy shortages.

Qu adds, "The proteasomes are kept in an inactive state by specific protein-protein interactions. The resulting paracrystalline assembly is stable, but it can also be shattered. This allows rapid reactivation of the fully-assembled proteasomes as soon as a source of energy becomes available. When the researchers supplied glucose to the starved cells, the proteasomes returned to their normal functioning structures within an hour."

A paradigm shift: A membraneless organelle where structure determines function

Prof. Schulman explains, "The discovery provides a new view of membraneless organelle formation through contacts between well-structured regions of molecular machines. This allows PSGs to safely store proteasomeswhich are energetically costly to make, and essentialin reserve, ready for deployment when cellular conditions improve."

Prof. Baumeister summarizes, "Studying structures inside of cellslike proteasomes in their native environmentfundamentally changes our understanding of cellular organization and function."

Publication details Xiaomeng Tang et al, Metabolically regulated proteasome supramolecular organization in situ, Cell (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.12.035 Journal information: Cell
BRITs Week has added Olivia Dean, Spiritualized and The Ks to its 2026 lineup.

Photo: PR

The nationwide run of War Child fundraising shows take place around The BRIT Awards in Manchester on February 28.

This years BRITs Week will span Newcastle, London, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Brighton and Manchester, marking the biggest geographical rollout in the events history as the awards leave London for the first time. All proceeds from the shows will support War Childs work with children affected by conflict.

Olivia Dean, nominated for five BRIT Awards including Album of the Year, will play Manchesters Albert Hall on February 26. Spiritualized will perform at EartH Theatre in Hackney on February 18, while The Ks headline Manchesters Gorilla on February 20 following their No.1 album Pretty on the Internet.

The series opens on February 12 in Newcastle with Fatboy Slim at the Boiler Shop, supported by Radio 1 DJ Search winner Max Jones. Lambrini Girls will play The Garage in London on February 16 with support from Bimini. Myles Smith returns to Nottinghams Rescue Rooms on February 24, joined by Saint Raymond.

Jack Savoretti and Katherine Jenkins OBE will perform at Londons Emerald Theatre on February 25, supported by Gabriella Cilmi. Rising R'nB artist kwn will play Patterns in Brighton on the same night with support from CARI.

War Child and The Warehouse Project will host two nights at YES in Manchester on February 25 and 26, featuring Josh Baker and Rossi, with support from Delilah and Alexandria, and Olive F. The run concludes in Edinburgh on February 27, with a show from BRITs Critics Choice winner and Mercury Prize nominee Jacob Alon.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Donkeys are an unassuming yet ubiquitous presence in northern Namibia. They traverse sandy village roads, pull carts stacked with firewood, and graze freely along the northern edge of Etosha National Park.

The story of how they came to occupy such a central role in rural lifeand in such large numbersis a fascinating one that's linked to the country's colonial history, the management of wildlife versus domestic animals, and the role of migrant workers.

We are historians who specialize in Namibia and Southern Africa. Our research focuses on colonial legacies in nature conservation and land. In a research paper we retraced the routes of the domesticated donkey through a conservation landscape.

We found that donkeys occupy a contradictory status in communities in northern Namibia. They are indispensable, yet undervalued. For example, they remain central to tasks such as plowing, hauling water and transporting logs. Yet their social status remains curiously low. They are rarely used in ceremonies, have little monetary value, and are strongly associated with those who cannot afford tractors or cars.

We conclude that this ambiguity has arisen from the long histories of colonial rule, labor migration, conservation and veterinary control that shaped northern Namibia.

The great trek north

We traced donkeys' ability to move across one of the country's most significant borders: the veterinary cordon fence known as the Red Line. The Red Line is an inner-Namibian border, over 1,000 kilometers long, running from west to east and separating the country into two distinct parts. It originated under German colonial rule (18841915) and was fully implemented under South African rule (19151990).

It still exists today.

The Red Line separated the more densely populated northern parts of the country from the settler-colonial heartland, the so-called Police Zone in central and southern Namibia. Etosha Game Reserve served as a buffer zone between the Police Zone and the Owambo region in the central north, conceptualized as a migrant labor reservoir.

Donkeys entered Namibia's central north relatively late, and only became common in the 1920s and 1930s. Their presence across the region was driven largely by migrant laborers working on contract. As thousands of men traveled between the Police Zone and Owambo, many returned home with equinesespecially donkeyspurchased in the south.

Cheap, hardy, and resistant to many diseases, donkeys became essential companions on the workers' long journeys. Donkeys carried heavy loads of clothes, tools and other goods, including gramophones and radios, earned through contract labor.

Since they were associated with commodities, donkeys also became a symbol of modernity expanding from the thriving settler economy in the south.

Today, people still recount how returning labor migrants used donkeys to haul luggage through predator-rich landscapes within Etosha, or how villagers took their carts to meet these men halfway. Donkeys also served as ambulances during emergencies in the Namibian Liberation War (19661989).

Their presence has also been entangled with colonial border regimes and conservation policies.

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The tensions

During the rinderpest epidemic of 189697, in a failed attempt to stop the disease from entering the colony, German colonial authorities established a cordon of military outposts along the southern edge of the Etosha Pan. Although intended to control the movement of cattle, this cordon would later become the Red Line.

The devastation of rinderpest prompted German forces to import donkeys and mules as disease-resistant alternatives to oxen. These animals gradually filtered into civilian hands in the Police Zone, the heartland of settler colonialism in central and southern Namibia, and became increasingly common by the 1910s.

The establishment of Game Reserve 2, comprising today's Etosha National Park and the areas north-west of the Etosha Pan, was part of a policy to seal off Owambo from the Police Zone. Hunting and human movement in the reserve became highly regulated.

In 1915 South Africa defeated the German forces and took over Namibia. The new colonial power maintained the inner border and formalized it as the Red Line in the 1920s and 1930s. They banned cattle movement across the Red Line but allowed equines, provided they carried veterinary certificates.

Donkeys thus became one of the few domestic animals permitted to cross the border legally.

As migrant labor expanded, so too did the flow of donkeys northward. By the late 1920s and 1930s, hundreds of donkeys passed through Etosha each year. In Owambo, they were quickly adopted for local agriculture and transport. Even as motorized lorries and buses began to dominate long-distance travel from the 1930s onward, many migrant workers still preferred to buy donkeys as durable companions.

By the 1940s, however, administrators in Owambo began to worry about the donkeys' impact on grazing. Restrictions were introduced, but donkeys continued to slip into the north through unofficial routes.

From the 1950s onward, the situation changed dramatically as Etosha National Park was transformed into a fenced conservation area. Residents and livestock were expelled, and by 1961 the southern boundary was fully fenced. Donkey traffic through Etosha came to an end.

Meanwhile, the northern boundary of Etosha became a flashpoint. The government of the pseudo-independent new Ovamboland homeland resisted efforts to fence this border and insisted on continued movement of wildlife out of Etoshaespecially zebra, an important local food source. Conservation officials accused communities of using donkeys to disguise poaching tracks and allowing their animals to stray into the park.

New rules

With Namibia's independence in 1990, new animal-movement regulations emerged, but donkeys retained their special status. Unlike cattle, they were still permitted to cross the Red Line.

Their symbolic and practical importance has changed. Migrant workers no longer return with donkeys from the south, and motorized transport dominates even in rural areas.

But donkeys remain deeply woven into the fabric of northern Namibian life. They continue to support poorer households, endure harsh environments, and live in proximity to wildlife. Their presence evokes conflicting memoriesof difficult journeys and colonial border regimes, but also of development and modernity.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Professor Jens-Christian Svenning with a specimen of the species Aspidosperma polyneuron in Argentina. The tree is an example of one of the "slow" species that are declining despite their high ecological value. Credit: Jens-Christian Svenning

Trees play a central role in life on Earth. They store CO, provide habitats for animals, fungi, and insects, stabilize soils, regulate water cycles, and supply resources that humans rely onfrom timber and food to recreation and shade on a hot day.

But the world's forests are entering a new era, characterized by homogenization, biodiversity loss, and weakened ecosystems. This is shown by a comprehensive international study published in Nature Plants.

The researchers analyzed more than 31,000 tree species worldwide and provided a global picture of how forests are likely to changein terms of composition, resilience, and ecological functioning.

According to the study, forests will increasingly be dominated by fast-growing tree types, while slow-growing and more specialized species are at risk of disappearing.

This is a worrying development, according to Jens-Christian Svenning, Professor and Director of the Danish National Research Foundation's Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) at the Department of Biology, Aarhus University, and one of the leading authors of the study.

He warns particularly against the loss of tree species that occur only in very limited areas of the world.

"We are talking about highly unique species, especially concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions, where biodiversity is high and ecosystems are tightly interconnected. When specialized, native species disappear, they leave gaps in ecosystems that alien species rarely fill, even if those species are fast-growing and highly dispersive," says Svenning.

Functional and environmental spaces of tree species. Credit: Nature Plants (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41477-025-02207-2

The backbone of forests is under threat

The most threatened species are often slow-growing specialists, as Svenning describes them. These are trees with thick leaves, dense wood, and long lifespans, often associated with stable environmentsparticularly moist tropical and subtropical forests.

"They form the backbone of forest ecosystems and contribute to stability, carbon storage, and resilience to change," says Svenning.

If current trends in climate change and forest exploitation continue, forests will increasingly be dominated by nature's "sprinters": trees with light leaves and low wood density that allow rapid growth in the short term. Examples include various species of acacia, eucalyptus, poplar, and pine.

"Although these species establish and grow well, they are more vulnerable to drought, storms, pests, and climatic shocks. This makes forests less stable and less effective at storing carbon over the long term," says Svenning.

The study also shows that nearly 41% of so-called naturalized tree speciesspecies that do not naturally occur in a given area but now grow wild therepossess traits such as fast growth and small leaves. This makes them well-suited to disturbed environments, but they rarely perform the same ecological roles as native species, says Svenning.

"Moreover, in landscapes affected by today's and tomorrow's disturbances, naturalized species can make it even harder for native trees to survive, because competition for light, water, and nutrients intensifies," he adds.

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Tropical species are particularly vulnerable

Forest homogenization hits the tropics and subtropics particularly hard, with future rises in tree species endangerment concentrated in these regions.

"This is where many slow-growing tree species with naturally small ranges occur. Because they are confined to very limited areas, these species are especially vulnerable and risk disappearing entirely if their habitats are destroyed or taken over by fast-growing species," explains the study's first author, young professor Wen-Yong Guo from the School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai.

"At the same time, we forecast rising number of naturalized and fast-growing tree species adapted to increasing disturbance throughout the world. Hence, in the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere, the likely dominant dynamic is the invasion of such species," says Wen-Yong Guo.

According to the researchers, human activities are the primary drivers of changes in forest composition.

"Human-driven climate change, deforestation for infrastructure, intensive forestry, logging, and global trade in tree species all play a role. Fast-growing trees are often actively promoted because they produce timber or biomass quickly. But ecologically, they are often fragile and more prone to disease," explains Wen-Yong Guo.

Active ecosystem management is essential

In the study, the researchers modeled how tree species are likely to spread or disappear under future scenarios. The results clearly indicate that already naturalized species are expected to become even more dominant in forests in the coming decades.

This makes it urgent to halt the loss of slow-growing tree species, says Svenning. This can be achieved by giving them greater priority in forest management and through more active ecosystem restoration.

"When establishing new forests, far more emphasis should be placed on slow-growing and rare tree species. This would make forests more diverse and resilient. These species should also be actively promoted in conservation and restoration efforts, where they often interact positively with the recovery of richer communities of large animals, which themselves are also important for future ecosystem functioning," concludes Svenning.

Publication details Guo, WY., et al. Global functional shifts in trees driven by alien naturalization and native extinction, Nature Plants (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41477-025-02207-2 Journal information: Nature Plants
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Credit: University of California, Los Angeles

Researchers at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA published a step-by-step framework for determining the three-dimensional positions and elemental identities of atoms in amorphous materials. These solids, such as glass, lack the repeating atomic patterns seen in a crystal. The team analyzed realistically simulated electron-microscope data and tested how each step affected accuracy.

The team used algorithms to analyze rigorously simulated imaging data of nanoparticlesso small they're measured in billionths of a meter. For amorphous silica, the primary component of glass, they demonstrated 100% accuracy in mapping the three-dimensional positions of the constituent silicon and oxygen atoms, with precision about seven trillionths of a meter under favorable imaging conditions.

While 3D atomic structure determination has a history of more than a century, its application has been limited to crystal structures. Such techniques depend on averaging a pattern that is repeated trillions of times.

In contrast, the precision and accuracy required to map individual atoms in a single, non-repeating structure have been out of reach until recently. Imaging amorphous materials in 3D at the atomic level is expected to have such a widespread impact on science and engineering that this UCLA study appears back-to-back with another paper on the same topic in the journal Nature.

New imaging techniques take center stage

The study focuses on two imaging techniques developed over the last 25 years by corresponding author Jianwei "John" Miao, a professor of physics and astronomy in the UCLA College.

One is atomic electron tomography, or AET, which takes many images from different angles as an electron beam passes through a sample, then uses computation to reconstruct a three-dimensional map of the atoms. The other is ptychography, a computational microscopy technique that records patterns of scattered electrons as a tightly focused beam scans a sample and uses algorithms to reconstruct an image without the need for a physical lens.

Putting the algorithms to the test

To validate their approach, the researchers used rigorously simulated AET and ptychographic data that closely mimic real experiments. Their algorithms had to contend with sources of error such as image noise, small variations in focus and vibrations of atoms caused by ambient temperatures.

All of these factors were incorporated into electron scattering simulations based in quantum mechanics, the counterintuitive rules that govern subatomic particles. The computation also took advantage of known constraints, such as the types of atoms present and the typical distances between neighboring atoms, to refine the final 3D atomic map.

Long-term promise and real-world impact

As a rule, algorithms typically gain power over time from improvements in programming and hardware. So computational microscopy, including AET and ptychography, is poised to provide a long-lasting boost to 3D atomic imaging. What's more, unlocking the 3D structure of amorphous materials is expected to drive both technological innovation and new insights into fundamental aspects of nature.

For example, glass has an amorphous structure and happens to be one of the most ubiquitous and useful materials on the planet. Emerging technologies for ultrathin electronics, solar cells, rewritable memory, medical devices and quantum technologies often rely on materials that also lack long-range atomic order.

In the future, biologists could gain access to 3D imaging once advances make it possible to identify individual carbon and nitrogenatoms that are essential to life, and the close neighbors of oxygen in the periodic table, the element mapped alongside silicon in this study.

Publication details Jianwei Miao, Accurate determination of the 3D atomic structure of amorphous materials, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09857-4. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09857-4 Jian-Min Zuo, Limit of atomic-resolution-tomography reconstruction of amorphous nanoparticles, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09924-w. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09924-w Journal information: Nature
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AI job postings may be increasing, but that doesn't necessarily mean more jobs are being created, Northeastern research finds. Credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how companies operate, but it may not translate into more job creation, according to new research.

That's a major takeaway from a recently published study co-authored by Northeastern University economics and public policy professor Shantanu Khanna.

In the report, researchers examined the long-term results of a government-backed subsidy program in Sweden that provided funding to small- and medium-sized businesses investing in AI for the first time.

One of the study's biggest findings is that although the government funding resulted in firms posting more job advertisements, it did not translate into the creation of more jobs, Khanna explained.

The program was created by Vinnova, the country's innovation agency, and awarded funding to Swedish businesses from 2019 to 2020.

The companies were creative, broad and varied in their project summaries to the Swedish governmentfrom creating image recognition software for plant cultivation to developing online shopping recommendation algorithms to reducing the rate of product returns.

To take a long-term assessment of the program's impact, the researchers cross-referenced data from the programwhich included descriptions of projects, awarded amounts of funding, and start and end dateswith Swedish government business registries to better understand how these projects impacted employee retention, hiring and separations.

The researchers then compared the differences in labor demands between the firms that received funding and the ones that applied but did not receive funding over a five-year period.

"What we found was that five years post award, the firms that were 'treated," which means firms that got the AI subsidies, were 24 percentage points more likely to post a job vacancy relative to firms that were not awarded," Khanna said.

Furthermore, those job postings tended to be for more "white collar" office jobs as opposed to "blue collar" manual-labor-type jobs, he explained.

But, when analyzing changes to employee headcount, the researchers didn't "find any positive or negative impacts."

"There's this discrepancy that you notice between our labor demand impact, which is firms want to hire workers. They are putting out job ads, but employment isn't increasing. Something has gone wrong."

Khanna said this is likely the result of not finding workers to fill these job ads.

"They are just not able to find workers," he said.

Khanna is quick to recognize the limits of this study; it's just one program in one country in Europe.

However, the study provides an entryway to understand the various ways small companies are adopting AI and its overall impact on the job market.

Khanna's study echoes a January 2026 report from the International Monetary Fund, a global financial institution that conducts market research, that found that "although vacancies demanding new AI-related skills post higher wages, they have so far not boosted overall employment in U.S. local labor markets."

That being said, the same report found that nearly 40% of jobs worldwide will be exposed to "AI-driven" changes.

"This underscores the need for proactive and comprehensive policymaking that prepares the labor force for the future of work and ensures the gains from AI are broadly shared," the organization wrote in a blog post summarizing the report.

This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu.
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Global and regional dynamics of livestock antimicrobial footprints (20102020). Credit: Nature Sustainability (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01751-1

After decades of growth, the use of antimicrobialsincluding antibioticsin livestock peaked in 2013 and then dropped by nearly a third by 2020, finds a major new study led by UCL researchers. The decline is positive, as overusing antimicrobials in animals can create drug-resistant bacteria, which can lead to human harm. However, despite this trend, the study also found that richer developed countries continue to drive demand for antimicrobial-heavy products by importing large quantities of foods and products from emerging economies that still use farms with high-levels of antimicrobials.

The research, published in Nature Sustainability, is the most detailed analysis yet of how antimicrobials are used in farming and manufacturing worldwideand how international trade spreads that impact. It looked at data from 2010 to 2020 to calculate each country's "antimicrobial footprint," similar to a carbon footprint, showing how much is used to make the products we consume.

Main findings

Global antimicrobial use in livestock peaked at 118,600 metric tons in 2013, then fell to 84,000 metric tons by 2020.

The sharpest drop came after the 2016 UN meeting on antimicrobial resistance, which pushed many countries to adopt stricter rules.

On average, use per person fell from 15.6 grams in 2010 to 10.6 grams in 2020.

Big reductions came from China and the US, which together account for about 60% of global use. China cut its use by 29%, and the US by 28%.

Antimicrobialsincluding antibioticsare widely used in livestock such as cattle, pigs and poultry to prevent disease and boost growth. But overusing them can create drug-resistant bacteria, which already cause around 700,000 deaths a year worldwide. Cutting use is vital to protect human health. Their use in livestock accounts for about 73% of global consumption of all antimicrobials.

While many developed countries have reduced antimicrobial use at home, they often import products from countries where use is still higheffectively outsourcing the problem. Between 2010 and 2020, the share of antimicrobials used for internationally traded goods rose from 16% to 20%. Surprisingly, about half of this was for non-food items like clothing, chemicals and electronics, which rely on animal-derived materials.

Emerging economies such as India and Indonesia have seen antimicrobial use rise, partly to meet export demand. India's footprint grew by 16% over the decade.

Senior author, Dr. Heran Zheng (UCL Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction) said, "The overuse of antimicrobials in livestock is a serious health concern, posing a potential global health threat. The decline in use in recent years is promising, and shows that government regulation and intervention can be effective. Our research can help inform future guidance for their usage."

Publication details Junya Zhang et al, Livestock antimicrobial use embodied in global supply chains, Nature Sustainability (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01751-1 Journal information: Nature Sustainability
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Google's AlphaGenome hopes to understand the grammar of the human genome to shed light on genetic diseases.

Google unveiled an artificial intelligence tool Wednesday that its scientists said would help unravel the mysteries of the human genomeand could one day lead to new treatments for diseases.

The deep learning model AlphaGenome was hailed by outside researchers as a "breakthrough" that would let scientists study and even simulate the roots of difficult-to-treat genetic diseases.

While the first complete map of the human genome in 2003 "gave us the book of life, reading it remained a challenge," Pushmeet Kohli, vice president of research at Google DeepMind, told journalists.

"We have the text," he said, which is a sequence of three billion nucleotide pairs represented by the letters A, T, C and G that make up DNA.

However, "understanding the grammar of this genomewhat is encoded in our DNA and how it governs lifeis the next critical frontier for research," said Kohli, co-author of a new study in the journal Nature.

Only around 2% of our DNA contains instructions for making proteins, which are the molecules that build and run the body.

AlphaGenome - How it works. Credit: Google DeepMind

The other 98% was long dismissed as "junk DNA" as scientists struggled to understand what it was for.

However, this "non-coding DNA" is now believed to act like a conductor, directing how genetic information works in each of our cells.

These sequences also contain many variants that have been associated with diseases. It is these sequences that AlphaGenome is aiming to understand.

A million letters

The project is just one part of Google's AI-powered scientific work, which also includes AlphaFold, the winner of 2024's chemistry Nobel.

AlphaGenome's model was trained on data from public projects that measured non-coding DNA across hundreds of different cell and tissue types in humans and mice.

The tool is able to analyze long DNA sequences then predict how each nucleotide pair will influence different biological processes within the cell.

This includes whether genes start and stop and how much RNAmolecules which transmit genetic instructions inside cellsis produced.

Other models already exist that have a similar aim. However, they have to compromise, either by analyzing far shorter DNA sequences or decreasing how detailed their predictions are, known as resolution.

DeepMind scientist and lead study author Ziga Avsec said that long sequencesup to a million DNA letters longwere "required to understand the full regulatory environment of a single gene."

And the high resolution of the model allows scientists to study the impact of genetic variants by comparing the differences between mutated and non-mutated sequences.

"AlphaGenome can accelerate our understanding of the genome by helping to map where the functional elements are and what their roles are on a molecular level," study co-author Natasha Latysheva said.

The model has already been tested by 3,000 scientists across 160 countries and is open for anyone to use for non-commercial reasons, Google said.

"We hope researchers will extend it with more data," Kohli added.

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"Breakthrough"

Ben Lehner, a researcher at Cambridge University who was not involved in developing AlphaGenome but did test it, said the model "does indeed perform very well."

"Identifying the precise differences in our genomes that make us more or less likely to develop thousands of diseases is a key step towards developing better therapeutics," he explained.

However, AlphaGenome "is far from perfect and there is still a lot of work to do," he added.

"AI models are only as good as the data used to train them" and the existing data is not very suitable, he said.

Robert Goldstone, head of genomics at the UK's Francis Crick Institute, cautioned that AlphaGenome was "not a magic bullet for all biological questions."

This was partly because "gene expression is influenced by complex environmental factors that the model cannot see," he said.

However, the tool still represented a "breakthrough" that would allow scientists to "study and simulate the genetic roots of complex disease," Goldstone added.

Publication details Danielle Breen, Advancing regulatory variant effect prediction with AlphaGenome, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-10014-0. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-10014-0 Journal information: Nature

 2026 AFP
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's effort to roll back federal particulate matter pollution standards will harm Michigan residents, particularly those who live near emitters such as manufacturing plants and refineries in Wayne County, health and environmental advocates warn.

The move is a "clear giveaway to corporate polluters," said Kindra Weid, a critical care nurse in Washtenaw County who participated in a virtual press conference on Jan. 27 with opponents of the EPA's actions. "People living with heart or lung conditions will feel the impact of these rollbacks and need stronger protections, not weaker ones."

Shortly after President Donald Trump took office last year, the EPA announced plans to reverse course on newly adopted particulate matter pollution standards the agency adopted under President Joe Biden in 2024, describing the stricter standards as a "major obstacle to permitting." EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the standards protect human health and the environment and will "unleash the Golden Age of American prosperity."

The EPA has asked the U.S. District Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., to vacate the Biden-era rule before Feb. 7, when the EPA is set to finalize states' air quality nonattainment areas, which are places where air quality violates Clean Air Act standards.

This month, the EPA said it will stop calculating the financial toll pollution takes on Americans' health but will continue to calculate the financial toll regulations take on businesses. Ignoring the savings on health care spending that follows pollution control means prioritizing business interests over people's health, said Teresa Homsi, executive director of Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action.

"If a standard can save thousands of lives, eliminating it amounts to letting thousands of people die," Homsi said. "For the EPA, that's an uncomfortable, inconvenient truth. Now they're trying to sow doubt in the scientific reasoning that gives us those estimates."

Pieces of fine particulate matter, known as PM 2.5 , are so small they can get deep into people's lungs and blood. Exposure to fine particulates can irritate airways and trigger coughing, sneezing or shortness of breath. Exposure also exacerbates asthma, heart disease and heart attack risk.

Fine particulates are emitted by burning fossil fuels in vehicles, factories and power plants. Smoke from wildfires and other burned material also carries fine particulate matter.

Detroit earned an F grade for particulate matter pollution in the American Lung Association's 2025 State of the Air report. The association believes the stricter pollution standards should be implemented to protect public health, said Kezia Ofosu Atta, its director of advocacy in Ohio and Michigan.

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Returning to looser standards for the pollutant would make air quality in Wayne County even worse, said U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit. She described a scene in Dearborn's southend, part of her district, where schools and playgrounds are adjacent to a heavy industrial area that includes the Ford Rouge Complex, Cleveland-Cliffs' Dearborn Works steel facility, trucks, trains and the natural gas-powered Dearborn Industrial Generation facility.

Parents and others in the neighborhood are "petrified" about the levels of air pollution and are afraid it will get worse with the Trump administration's attempted rollbacks, Tlaib said.

"We already know many of the corporate polluters around our communities violate their own air permits," she said. "Now, I just feel they are never going to be held accountable and it's never going to have the kind of enforcement that needs to happen."

The stricter particulate matter standards the EPA adopted in 2024 would lower the annual standard for fine particulate pollution from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9. Under that standard, three Michigan counties, Wayne, Kalamazoo and Kent, would be considered "nonattainment," meaning the counties' air quality would be poor enough to be out of compliance with the Clean Air Act, Homsi said.

The Biden administration's tougher particulate matter standards were criticized by industry and economic development officials. Mike Alaimo, Michigan Chamber of Commerce senior director of legislative and external affairs, said in a 2023 Detroit News column the pollution limits would "hurt our state's economy and hard-working families."

"Businesses may need to purchase new equipment or make expensive facility retrofits," he said in 2023. "It may involve emission offset credits among our state's industrial and commercial operationsall these costs translate to higher prices for consumers who rely on these products and services."

Tlaib, environmental advocacy groups and people affected by pollution argued the 2024 standards weren't tough enough.

"We were already compromising with the industry in that sense," Tlaib said. "We know this is a direct attack on our health and quality of life."

Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is charged with enforcing federal and state air quality regulations. Tlaib criticized the department for failing to deny air quality permits that allow facilities to pollute even when the pollution takes place in already polluted areas or when the facilities have a history of violating permits.

"EGLE's Air Quality Division remains committed to its mission of protecting the environment and public health," EGLE spokesman Josef Stephens said in an email in response to a question about the federal change's impact on Michigan air pollution. "As part of this mission, the AQD will continue enforcing all applicable state and federal air quality rules and regulations.

"We are aware of the federal government's proposed regulatory updates and are closely monitoring their development. At this time, it is not yet clear what impact federal changes may have should they move forward."

2026 The Detroit News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Portion of hotspot map where green point acts as relative epicenter of the hotspot, the blue circle is a recognized police station, yellow are nearby fuel stations, pink are recognized DFES stations, and the white line is classified as a main road. Blue geometric regions on the map indicate waterbodies. Credit: Science & Justice (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2026.101400

As the next wave of hot days approach, researchers from Murdoch University are urging people living near bushland to be extra vigilant about preparing for arson.

A new study from Murdoch University has identified distinct patterns in the locations and timing of deliberately lit fires across Western Australia.

In the paper, "Crimino-forensic applications to arson prevention: spatiotemporal factors," published in the journal Science & Justice earlier this week, researchers applied criminological theory to forensic data analysis to help locate the next potential arson site.

Led by Ph.D. candidate Tess Meyer, as part of her Master of Forensic Science studies, the team acquired six years of data on deliberately lit fires from the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services and explored it for trends.

"Some of the results confirmed what we always assumed about arson in Perth," Meyer said. "Namely, that it was more common in hotter months, during late afternoon, and was more prominent on weekends and during public holidays, suggesting that illegal fire-lighting coincided with 'leisure time.'"

The study also uncovered new findings about what deterred and facilitated arsonists in starting a fire, which coincided with criminological theories on offenders' behavior.

"Police and fire stations as well as proximity to waterways were all seen to act as deterrents, while access to petrol stations and main roads were facilitators to how arsonists choose locations to set fires," Meyer said.

The study also consolidated Murdoch University's commitment to its strategic themes, using traditional First Nations seasons to explore data trends, as they better aligned with observed weather than the traditional Gregorian calendar. The team believes this is the first use of First Nations seasons in a forensic science context and hopes that it paves the way for future adoption by other researchers.

Meyer said she hoped the research would help the community to prevent future fires.

"I hope the research helps town planners and fire and emergency services to construct neighborhoods that deter fire setting behavior and help apprehend offenders," she said. "Prevention is always the best first option."

More information Tess Meyer et al, Crimino-forensic applications to arson prevention: spatiotemporal factors, Science & Justice (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2026.101400

Key concepts fires
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This image shows the gigantic radio galaxy J1007+3540. After almost 100 million years of inactivity, the galaxy is awakening and emitting a jet almost 1 million light years into space. Credit: LOFAR/Pan-STARRS/S. Kumari et al, Licence type: Attribution CC BY 4.0

When astronomers look out into the cosmos, they see supermassive black holes (SMBH) in two different states. In one state, they're dormant. They're actively accreting only a tiny amount of matter and emit only faint, weak radiation. In the other, they're more actively accreting matter and emitting extremely powerful radiation. These are normally called active galactic nuclei (AGN).

AGN emit radiation from their accretion disks. As the SMBH draws material toward it, it gathers in an accretion disk. The matter heats up and emits optical and UV radiation. AGN can also have hot coronas of material above the disks that can emit X-rays.

But sometimes AGN also emit relativistic jets in opposite directions from their disks. They're sometimes referred to as radio jets because they're most easily detected and observed in radio emissions, even though they emit energy across the spectrum.

These jets can turn on and off, and astrophysicists aren't certain why. Changes in the rate of accretion seem like a likely cause, but magnetic fields and the black hole's spin could also be involved.

But new research has a different take on SMBH and their episodic jets. The scientists found an opportunity to examine how these jets behave inside galaxy clusters. It's titled "Probing AGN duty cycle and cluster-driven morphology in a giant episodic radio galaxy," and it's published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The lead author is Shobha Kumari, a Ph.D. student and lead researcher at Midnapore City College in Kharagpur, India.

"The evolution of radio jet morphology and its energetics is significantly influenced by the environment in which the host galaxy resides," the authors write. "As giant radio galaxies (GRGs) often extend to the scale of entire galaxy clusters (Mpc) and beyond, they are a suitable class of objects for studying jetintracluster medium interactions."

The paper is focused on J1007+3540 (3540 hereafter), a GRG inside a galaxy cluster. The researchers probed the GRG in a multiwavelength study. 3540 produces jets of magnetized plasma that emit radiowaves. It's unique because the researchers found evidence of these jets turning on and off.

"The source exhibits clear signatures of recurrent jet activity, a one-sided, extended, tail-like diffuse structure with a morphological break in the tail," the authors write. "The estimated radiative ages of the inner lobes and outer north lobe are 140 and 240 Myr, respectively."

This figure from the research shows the detail in the jet. Note the extended tail of diffuse emissions, the break, the compressed lobe, and episodic inner jet. Credit: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2026). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staf2038

The features are clear evidence of episodic jets. The bright inner jet is just turning on, while a cocoon of older, faded plasma from previous jets lies further away.

The outer northern lobe has a "distorted backflow signature" aimed toward the southeast, more evidence of interactions with the surrounding cluster. "Such backflowing plasma is often observed when radio jets encounter a dense surrounding medium, causing the lobe material to be deflected and redirected away from the jet axis," the researchers write.

"The inner lobes are younger with radiative ages of 140 Myr," the authors explain. "The outer north lobe appears significantly older with a radiative age of 240260 Myr. This stark difference suggests that the outer north lobe is a relic of a previous jet activity cycle, while the inner lobes result from a more recent phase of AGN jet activity."

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"It's like watching a cosmic volcano erupt again after ages of calmexcept this one is big enough to carve out structures stretching nearly a million light-years across space," said lead author Kumari in a press release. "This dramatic layering of young jets inside older, exhausted lobes is the signature of an episodic AGNa galaxy whose central engine keeps turning on and off over cosmic timescales."

3540 isn't alone in space. It's inside a galaxy cluster, and so is surrounded by the intracluster medium (ICM). The ICM is super-heated plasma heated either by plasma jets from AGN, or from the merging of clusters, or from both. The plasma in the ICM is shaping both the older jets and the newer jets.

"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," said co-author Dr. Sabyasachi Pal, also from Midnapore City College.

The authors say that the host galaxy is an evolved elliptical galaxy with heavy dust extinction. Their observations show that it likely has an active though obscured central engine. "These conditions are consistent with merger-driven fueling or a rejuvenated accretion episode, potentially linked to the observed jet restarting," they explain.

3540 is a scientifically important galaxy because it's giving astrophysicists an opportunity to study how jets turn on and off, and how they interact with their surroundings. It illustrates the fact that galaxies don't necessarily grow peacefully. Instead, 3540 is engaged in an energetic, chaotic struggle with the galaxy cluster it's a member of.

"The morphological asymmetries, jet bending, backflow plasma, episodic AGN activity, a large tail of diffuse emission with a morphological break, spectral gradients, and radiative age distribution collectively point toward a complex history of jetICM interaction and a possible re-acceleration process occurring in the surroundings of J1007+3540," the authors write in their conclusion.

To find out more, deep multiwavelength studies are necessary in the future.

"These findings emphasize the importance of future deep, multiwavelength studies, including X-ray, optical, and multiwavelength radio observations, to further probe the dynamics and energetics of this interesting source," the authors conclude.

Publication details Shobha Kumari et al, Probing AGN duty cycle and cluster-driven morphology in a giant episodic radio galaxy, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2026). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staf2038 Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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Fossils of Nabia civiscientrix were found in Portugal in an area that would have been wetlands during the Late Jurassic. Credit: Eva Carret

A new species of amphibian that lived 150 million years ago has been discovered in Portugal. The tiny animal was one of the earliest species belonging to a mysterious group of amphibians that lived from the time of the dinosaurs right up until the last Ice Age.

As dinosaurs roamed the landscape of the Late Jurassic, a huge diversity of smaller animals crawled among their feet. Many of them are yet to be described by scientists.

One of these animals was a tiny amphibian no more than 5 centimeters long with dry scaly skin, keratin-like claws and eyelids. They also had a ballistic tongue that they projected at their prey, in a similar way to how chameleons hunt.

This tiny creature has recently been described by scientists after hundreds of bone fragments were uncovered at the site in western Portugal. The new species has been named Nabia civiscientrix in honor of the many citizen scientists, most of whom were from the local community, who helped unearth the remains.

Dr. Miguel Moreno-Azanza from the University of Zaragoza in Spain, says, "It's always a good feeling to see local communities involved in this kind of project, especially when they end up highlighting their own paleoheritage. That's why we chose that name."

Details of this new species have been published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.

The bones of Nabia civiscientrix that were found in Lourinha. One of the fossils is placed on a one cent coin for scale. Credit: Natural History Museum

Solving an ancient mystery

The remains were discovered in the Lourinha Formation. This region is well-known among paleontologists for its Late Jurassic dinosaur fossils, such as the carnivorous theropod dinosaur Lourinhanosaurus, the ornithopod Hesperonyx and stegosaurs Miragaia.

But scientists are learning more about the smaller creatures that once roamed this landscape.

"This new species highlights the herpetofauna present in Lourinha during the Late Jurassic 150 million years ago," says Alexandre R. D. Guillaume, a Ph.D. student at the NOVA School of Science and Technology and the Museu da Lourinha in Portugal, who was lead author of the study.

Over 400 bones belonging to N. civiscientrix were collected at Lourinha, with most of them consisting of fragments from the skull and vertebrae. But the remains of N. civiscientrix have also been found elsewhere.

Fossils have previously been discovered in the Guimarota beds, another Late Jurassic fossil site in Portugal.

"The material from Guimarota has been known for a long time," says Alexandre. "We knew it was a new species and it has always been considered as such by other paleontologists."

"But our previous study challenged the original attribution to the genus Celtedens. So, we had to dig deeper."

Uncovering a new amphibian group

To understand more about this new amphibian, several of the best-preserved specimens were sent to University College London where they could be analyzed using micro-CT scanners.

These scanners use X-rays to reveal the internal structure of small objects and create 3D models so the bones can be studied in much greater detail.

Dr. Marc Jones, our curator of fossil reptiles and amphibians, was one of the researchers tasked with examining the remains.

"These bones are really tiny with most being less than 1 millimeter wide. Without a microscope they look almost like tea leaves.

"Although the bones are isolated and sometimes broken, they still preserve remarkable three-dimensional anatomical detail such as joint surfaces, the areas where other bones overlapped and the holes through which blood vessels passed.

"We are also able to host the 3D digital models online for anyone to examine without the need of a microscope."

The new species is from a group of extinct amphibians called Albanerpetontidae. The Albanerpetontidae are closely related to the larger group Lissamphibia, meaning smooth amphibians, which includes all living amphibians.

"This new material is remarkable as it represents some of the oldest albanerpetontid remains that are known to date and the oldest found in the Iberian Peninsula," says Jones. "It's great that we can now learn much more about this group."

The Albanerpetontid amphibians are believed to have lived for more than 160 million years, from as early as the Middle Jurassic through to the Pleistocene.

Until recently, studies on their anatomy have usually focused on just a limited set of easily recognizable bones. But now scientists have been able to conduct a detailed analysis of N. civiscientrix. This will help them to revise the anatomy of this ancient group of amphibians.

Publication details Alexandre R. D. Guillaume et al, New albanerpetontid species (Lissamphibia) from the Late Jurassic of Portugal, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology (2026). DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2025.2580623 Journal information: Journal of Systematic Palaeontology

This story is republished courtesy of Natural History Museum. Read the original story here.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are "huge fans" of The Apprentice.

Baroness Karren Brady is an advisor on The Apprentice

Show advisor Baroness Karren Brady, 56, revealed they request previews of the programme to see the candidates battle it out in a series of tasks for one to ultimately secure tycoon Lord Sugar's 250,000 investment into their business plan, and his mentorship.

During a Q+A session, hosted by journalist Emma Cox, for the BBC show's series 20 launch at London's Soho Hotel on January 13, Baroness Brady shared: "I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, and if I'm not, I'm going to get shot, but I'm going to say it anyway.

"Two huge fans of the show are His Majesty the King and the Queen. And they ask [Lord Sugar] if they can have previews of the show. They like to watch it."

The vice-chairman of West Ham United F.C. suggested The Apprentice could capitalise on the King Charles, 77, and 78 year old Queen Camilla's love for the show by doing a task set in one of their palaces.

Baroness Brady said: "I think it would be great to host one of the tasks at a royal palace.

"So maybe not a task about the royals, but Buckingham Palace would be a great place to set a task."

The Apprentice boss Lord Sugar, 78, could not help but joke about Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, 41, when he pitched his idea for a royal task.

The business magnate quipped: "How about a renegotiation to bring Harry back in the fold?"

Lord Sugar referred to how Prince Harry has been estranged from his family since he settled in Montecito, California, with his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 44, and their children, Prince Archie, six, and four-year-old Princess Lilibet, in July 2020.

Reacting to Lord Sugar's royal task suggestion, Baroness Brady jokingly told him: "Only you can do that!"

Series 20 of The Apprentice kicks off on Thursday (29.01.26) at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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Credit: Pixabay from Pexels

When Apollo 13 looped around the moon in April 1970, more than 40 million people around the world watched the United States recover from a potential catastrophe. An oxygen tank explosion turned a planned landing into an urgent exercise in problem-solving, and the three astronauts on board used the moon's gravity to sling themselves safely home. It was a moment of extraordinary human drama, and a revealing geopolitical one.

The Cold War space race was a two-player contest. The Soviet Union and the United States operated in parallel, rarely cooperating, but clearly measuring themselves against one another. By 1970, the United States had already landed on the moon, and competition centered on demonstrating technological capability, political and economic superiority, and national prestige. As Apollo 13 showed, even missions that did not go as planned could reinforce a country's leadership if they were managed effectively.

More than half a century later, NASA's Artemis II mission will send humans around the moon again in early 2026, this time deliberately. But the strategy going into Artemis II looks very different from that of 1970. The United States is no longer competing against a single rival in a largely symbolic race.

As a professor of air and space law, I research questions of governance and conflict avoidance beyond Earth. From a space law perspective, sustained human activity on the moon and beyond depends on shared expectations about safety and responsible behavior. In practice, the countries that show up, operate repeatedly, and demonstrate how activity on the lunar surface and in outer space can be carried out over time shape these expectations.

Artemis II matters not as nostalgia or merely a technical test flight. It is a strategic signal that the United States intends to compete in a different kind of moon race, one defined less by singular achievements and more by sustained presence, partnerships, and the ability to shape how activity on the moon is conducted.

From a 2-player race to a crowded field

Today, more countries are competing to land on the moon than ever before, with China emerging as a pacing competitor. While national prestige remains a factor, the stakes now extend well beyond flags and firsts.

Governments remain central actors in the race to the moon, but they no longer operate alone. Commercial companies design and operate spacecraft, and international partnerships shape missions from the start.

China, in particular, has developed a lunar program that is deliberate, well-resourced, and focused on establishing a long-term presence, including plans for a research station. Its robotic missions have landed on the moon's far side and returned samples to Earth, and Beijing has announced plans for a crewed landing by 2030. Together, these steps reflect a program built on incremental capability rather than symbolic milestones.

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Why Artemis II matters without landing

Artemis II, scheduled to launch in February 2026, will not land on the moon. Its four-person crew will loop around the moon's far side, test life-support and navigation systems, and return to Earth. This mission may appear modest. Strategically, however, crewed missions carry a different weight than robotic missions.

Sending people beyond low Earth orbit requires sustained political commitment to spaceflight, funding stability, and systems reliable enough that sovereign and commercial partners can align their own plans around them.

Artemis II also serves as a bridge to Artemis III, the mission where NASA plans to land astronauts near the moon's south pole, currently targeted for 2028. A credible, near-term human return signals that the U.S. is moving beyond experimentation and toward a sustained presence.

Two different models for going back to the moon

The contrast between U.S. and Chinese lunar strategies is increasingly clear.

China's program is centrally directed and tightly controlled by the state. Its partnerships are selective, and it has released few details about how activities on the moon would be coordinated with other countries or commercial actors.

The U.S. approach, by contrast, is intentionally open. The Artemis program is designed so partners, both other countries and companies, can operate within a shared framework for exploration, resource use, and surface activity.

This openness reflects a strategic choice. Coalitions among countries and companies expand their capabilities and shape expectations about how activities such as landing, operating surface equipment, and using local resources are conducted.

When vague rules start to matter

International space law already contains a framework relevant to this emerging competition. Article IX of the 1967 outer space treaty requires countries to conduct their activities with "due regard" for the interests of others and to avoid harmful interference. In simple terms, this means countries are expected to avoid actions that would disrupt or impede the activities of others.

For decades, this obligation remained largely theoretical. On Earth, however, similarly open-ended rules, particularly in maritime contexts, created international conflicts as traffic on shipping lanes, resource extraction, and military activity increased. Disputes intensified as some states asserted claims that extended beyond what international law recognized.

The moon is now approaching a comparable phase.

As more actors converge on resource-rich regions, particularly near the lunar south pole, due regard becomes an immediate operational question rather than a theoretical future issue. How it is interpretedwhether it means simply staying out of each other's way or actively coordinating activitieswill shape who can operate where, and under what conditions.

Washington is naming the racewithout panic

During his second Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman was asked directly about competition with China in lunar exploration. He emphasized the importance of keeping U.S. space efforts on track over time, linking the success of the Artemis program to long-term American leadership in space.

A similar perspective appears in a recent U.S. government assessment, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission's 2025 annual report to Congress. Chapter 7 addresses space as a domain of strategic competition, highlighting China's growing capabilities. The report frames human spaceflight and deep-space infrastructureincluding spacecraft, lunar bases, and supporting technologiesas part of broader strategic efforts. It emphasizes growing a human space program over time, rather than changing course in response to individual setbacks or the accomplishments of other countries.

Recent U.S. policy reflects this emphasis on continuity. A new executive order affirms federal support for sustained lunar operations, as well as commercial participation and coordination across agencies. Rather than treating the moon as a short-term challenge, the order anticipates long-term activity where clear rules, partnerships, and predictability matter.

Artemis II aligns with this posture as one step in the U.S.'s plans for sustained activity on the moon.

A different kind of test

As Artemis II heads toward the moon, China will also continue to advance its lunar ambitions, and competition will shape the pace and manner of activity around the moon. But competition alone does not determine leadership. In my view, leadership emerges when a country demonstrates that its approach reduces uncertainty, supports cooperation, and translates ambition into a set of stable operating practices.

Artemis II will not settle the future of the moon. It does, however, illustrate the American model of space activity built on coalitions, transparency, and shared expectations. If sustained, that model could influence how the next era of lunar, and eventually Martian, exploration unfolds.

Key concepts Gravitational interactionOrbits

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Credit: University of Manchester

Astronomers at The University of Manchester have played a leading role in the discovery of a new cosmic object that is much larger than anything astronomers have seen before in the distant universe. This new discovery captures the cosmic moment when a galaxy clusteramong the largest structures in the universestarted to assemble only about a billion years after the Big Bang, 1 or 2 billion years earlier than previously thought possible. This result, made using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and James Webb Space Telescope, is described in a paper published in the journal Nature.

Why this discovery is surprising

The findings will require astronomers to rethink when and how the largest structures in the universe formed. "This may be the most distant confirmed protocluster ever seen," said Akos Bogdan of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) who led the new Nature study. "JADES-ID1 is giving us new evidence that the universe was in a huge hurry to grow up."

The object is known as JADES-ID1 for its location in the "JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey," or JADES. It has a mass about 20 trillion times that of the sun. Astronomers classify JADES-ID1 as a "protocluster" because it is currently undergoing an early, violent phase of formation and will one day turn into a galaxy cluster.

This object was first discovered and reported in an earlier study led by The University of Manchester's Qiong Li using deep JWST data, which was published last year in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

JADES-ID1 is found at a much larger distancecorresponding to a much earlier time in the universethan astronomers expected for such systems, providing a new mystery of how something so massive could form so quickly.

Galaxy clusters contain hundreds or even thousands of individual galaxies immersed in enormous pools of superheated gas, along with large amounts of unseen dark matter. Astronomers use galaxy clusters to measure the expansion of the universe and the roles of dark energy and dark matter, among other important cosmic studies.

"It's very important to actually see when and how galaxy clusters grow," said co-author Gerrit Schellenberger, also of CfA. "It's like watching an assembly line make a car, rather than just trying to figure out how a car works by looking at the finished product."

How telescopes confirmed the protocluster

The Chandra and Webb data reveal that JADES-ID1 contains the two properties that confirm the presence of a protocluster: a large number of galaxies held together by gravity. Webb sees at least 66 potential members that are also sitting in a huge cloud of hot gas detected by Chandra. As a galaxy cluster forms, gas falls inward and is heated by shock waves, reaching temperatures of millions of degrees and glowing in X-rays.

What makes JADES-ID1 exceptional is the remarkably early time that it appears in cosmic history. Most models of the universe predict that there likely would not be enough time and a large enough density of galaxies for a protocluster of this size to form only a billion years after the Big Bang. The previous record holder for a protocluster with X-ray emission is seen much later, about 3 billion years after the Big Bang.

"We thought we'd find a protocluster like this 2 or 3 billion years after the Big Bangnot just 1 billion. Before, astronomers found surprisingly large galaxies and black holes not long after the Big Bang, and now we're finding that clusters of galaxies can also grow rapidly," said Li.

What this means for cosmic evolution

This is yet another sign that structure in the universe is forming much quicker than astronomers had anticipated. After billions of years, JADES-ID1 should evolve from a protocluster into a massive galaxy cluster like those we see much closer to Earth.

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To find JADES-ID1, astronomers combined deep observations from both Chandra and Webb. By design, the JADES field overlaps with the Chandra Deep Field South, the site of the deepest X-ray observation ever conducted. This field is thus one of the few in the entire sky where a discovery such as this could be made.

In an earlier study, a team of researchers led by Li and Professor Christopher Conselice at The University of Manchester found five other proto-cluster candidates in the JADES field, but only in JADES-ID1 are the galaxies embedded in hot gas. Thus, only JADES-ID1 possesses enough mass for an X-ray signal from hot gas to be expected.

"Unique discoveries like this are made when two powerful telescopes like the Chandra and James Webb Space Telescopes stare at the same patch of sky at the limit of their observing capabilities. A challenge for us now is to understand how this protocluster was able to form so quickly, which will require further research and thought," said Conselice, Professor of Extragalactic Astronomy at The University of Manchester.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Research in the Journal of Applied Ecology has identified threats to endangered plants in an urban area, generating information that can be used to guide effective conservation strategies across major cities. Investigators in Germany analyzed data on 1,231 populations of 201 endangered plant species within Berlin's Flora Protection Program. Threats were categorized and their relative importance was quantified at both population and species levels, and across habitat types.

Biological threatsespecially from plant species that aggressively spread or from those that establish themselves as ecosystems changewere most prevalent, followed by threats related to agriculture, nutrient inputs, urban development, and recreation.

Among biological threats, non-native species have been widely perceived as key threats to urban biodiversity, but the study's data suggest that they impact only 15.2% of endangered plant populationsa similar share compared with threats by native species (16.0%).

"Non-native species are often blamed for biodiversity loss in cities, but our results tell a different story. In Berlin, other pressures including highly competitive native speciespose a much greater threat," said corresponding author Ingo Kowarik, Ph.D., of the Technical University of Berlin.

"To protect urban biodiversity effectively, we need to shift the debate and focus our limited resources on the most impactful drivers of decline."

Publication details Relative impact of native and non-native plants on endangered species in a major European City, Journal of Applied Ecology (2026). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.70275 Journal information: Journal of Applied Ecology

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An artist's conceptual image of network antennas supporting the Orion spacecraft. Credit: NASA / Dave Ryan

NASA's Artemis II mission will transport four astronauts around the moon, bringing the agency one step closer to sending the first astronauts to Mars. Throughout Artemis II, astronaut voices, images, video, and vital mission data must traverse thousands of miles, carried on signals from NASA's communications systems.

Through Artemis, NASA is establishing an enduring presence in space and exploring more of the moon than ever before. To achieve this, Artemis missions rely on both the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network. These networks, with oversight by NASA's SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program office, use global infrastructure and relay satellites to ensure seamless communications and tracking as Orion launches, orbits Earth, travels to the moon, and returns home.

"Robust space communications aren't optional; they're the essential link that unites the crew and the exploration team on Earth to ensure safety and mission success, as I learned firsthand living and working aboard the International Space Station," said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in Washington.

"From real-time conversations with mission controllers, to the data that drives critical decisions and research, and even calls homespace communications keep astronauts connected to mission managers, technical experts, loved ones, and everyone on Earth who wants to share in the excitement of our exploration missions. As we push farther into deep space, reliable communications links will enable more challenging missions and maximize the benefit for all of us on Earth."

The Artemis II mission will use SCaNs networks to send vital data down to mission controllers on Earth. This includes astronaut communications, mission health and safety information, images, video, and more. Credit: NASA / Dave Ryan

Specialists will operate its networks in tandem to enable data exchange between spacecraft and mission controllers on Earth. NASA's Mission Control Center at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston will track the Space Launch System rocket, Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, and Orion spacecraft through coordinated handoffs between the networks' multiple assets on Earth and in space for the duration of the mission.

Using ground stations around the globe and a fleet of relay satellites, the Near Space Network will provide communications and navigation services during multiple stages of the Artemis II mission operations. The network, managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has a long legacy of supporting human spaceflight missions near Earth.

The DSN Now tool displays real-time data in the Charles Elachi Mission Control Center at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory during the Artemis I launch on November 16, 2022. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Ryan Lannom

After Orion's translunar injection burn, which will set the spacecraft on its planned orbit around the moon, primary communications support will transition to the Deep Space Network, managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The network's international array of giant radio antennas, located in California, Spain, and Australia, provides a near-continuous connection to Orion and its crew.

"Reliable communications are the lifeline of human spaceflight," said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for the SCaN Program at NASA Headquarters. "Our networks help make missions like Artemis II possible and set the stage for even more ambitious space exploration in the years ahead. These achievements are driven not only by NASA's infrastructure but also by strong collaboration with our commercial partners, who play a critical role in advancing the capabilities and resilience of space communications."

An artist's visualization concept of the O2O laser communications terminal sending data over infrared light links. Credit: NASA / Dave Ryan

In addition to traditional radio network support, the spacecraft will host the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System, a laser communications terminal that will transmit real science and crew data over laser links. Demonstrations like the recent Deep Space Optical Communications payload have proven laser communications systems can send more than 100 times more data than comparable radio networks, even millions of miles away from Earth.

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While laser communications will not be on Artemis III, the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System could pave the way for future laser communications systems on the moon and Mars.

The Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System payload is only one piece of NASA's larger mission to improve lunar and deep space communications. Orion will experience a planned communications blackout lasting approximately 41 minutes. The blackout will occur as the spacecraft passes behind the moon, blocking radio frequency signals to and from Earth. Similar blackouts occurred during the Apollo-era missions and are expected when using an Earth-based network infrastructure.

When Orion reemerges from behind the moon, the Deep Space Network will quickly reacquire Orion's signal and restore communications with mission control. These planned blackouts remain an aspect of all missions operating on or around the moon's far side.

An artist's concept of the lunar relay supporting future missions on the Moon. Credit: NASA / Dave Ryan

Each Artemis mission will build upon existing capabilities, including data processing and handling. For the Artemis II flight test, data from Orion will be compressed after it reaches Earth to manage the large amount of information. Data compression will reduce image and video quality and give priority to crew communications and mission data.

Looking ahead, NASA's Lunar Communications Relay and Navigation Systems project is collaborating with industry to eliminate blackouts and support precise navigation by placing relay satellites around the moon. This network of orbiting satellites will deliver persistent, high-bandwidth communications and navigation services for astronauts, landers, and orbiters on and around the lunar surface. In 2024, NASA selected Intuitive Machines to develop the first set of lunar relays for demonstration during the Artemis III lunar surface mission.

From liftoff to splashdown, NASA's evolving networks will serve as the crew's link home, ensuring that humanity's return to the moon stays connected every step of the way.

Key concepts The Moon

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Representation of the twelve criteria of the Ocean Equity Index. Credit: Joachim Claudet

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations Agreement on the High Seas (BBNJ) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) have demonstrated strong commitment by governments and international organizations in recent years to social and environmental equity in ocean-related projects and decisions. However, progress is significantly hampered by a lack of clarity on how to define, measure, and monitor equity.

To address this challenge, an Ocean Equity Index (OEI) has recently been developed by CNRS scientists within an international research team, with support from the Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB). The OEI is the first global tool for measuring, comparing, and promoting equity in ocean-related initiatives, projects, and policies; it transforms an often abstract concept into a measurable and actionable standard.

Marine protected areas, development programs, and even entire economic sectors can be analyzed and compared to promote initiatives and decisions that benefit coastal communities and marine ecosystems. It also helps identify gaps in rights recognition, participation, and benefit sharing. The Ocean Equity Index is described in an article in Nature.

Examples of Ocean Equity Index ratings for various ocean-related projects and policies. Credit: Joachim Claudet

Free and easy to use, this assessment tool is designed to be accessible to a wide range of stakeholders: local communities, Indigenous peoples, NGOs, scientists, industries, and governments. Available online via a dedicated website and offline through a calculation and visualization form included in the publication, it assigns a score (from 0 to 3) to 12 criteria for each initiative analyzed; the total score is expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible score.

Scientists are calling on governments and international organizations to quickly make use of this tool, as the benefits of ocean industries (aquaculture, maritime transport, offshore energy, etc.) are mostly concentrated in the hands of a few, main players at the expense of local populations and marginalized groups (Indigenous peoples, local communities, women and small-scale fishers) who also suffer the negative consequences of the exploitation of ocean resources.

Publication details Joachim Claudet, The Ocean Equity Index, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09976-y. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09976-y Journal information: Nature

Key concepts resource supply and demand

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Stereomicroscope images of ochre samples A) KM11873:24 from Kolmhaara (Gr 1c); B) 15512:149 from Kolmhaara (Gr 1b); C) KM37849:3122 from Vaateranta (Gr 2); and D) KM37849:3144 from Vaateranta (Gr 2). Photos: E. Holmqvist, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105584

Roughly 5,5006,000 years ago, the area including present-day Finland was inhabited by hunter-fisher-gatherers living in small village-like clusters. Traveling via waterways, these people established permanent fishing systems, and at times, even cleared forests for small-scale farming.

Even though the current concept of land ownership was unlikely to have existed at the time, these communities marked central locations by painting elk and boats on prominent cliffs using ochre, an intensely red earth pigment. They also colored their dead and objects, before burial, with the same pigment.

The fiery red color was undoubtedly meaningful in itself, but other meanings were also associated with the pigment's ritual use.

A study on this topic is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

Ochre brought to graves from different locations

The research group, from the University of Helsinki, demonstrated clear variation in the chemical composition of samples collected from graves and settlement sites associated with what is known as the Typical Comb Ware culture.

"The analysis of ochre samples taken from the same grave revealed that they were not always alike in chemical concentration," says the researcher .

Examples of analyzed ochre samples. A) Ochre-stained soil from Hartikka grave 1 (KM 23591:6); B) Ochre piece from Vaateranta settlement (NM 37849:3122). Credit: M. Ahola, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105584

"By examining the results in relation to the archaeological context of the samples, it was found, for example, that the deceased or their belongings placed in the same grave had been colored with ochres of different origin. Perhaps it was a way to underscore individual identities, or maybe the origin of the ochre, or the journey it took, was somehow meaningful. What is clear is that color was not the only thing relevant to people of the period."

The elemental concentrations of the ochre samples were analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) techniques.

First geochemical analysis of archaeological ochre in Finland

"While it has long been known that ochre was used as part of ritual activity in the Stone Age, archaeological ochre and its geochemical composition have never before been investigated in Finland," says researcher Marja Ahola.

"Certain types of ochre are clearly concentrated in specific geographical areas," says the docent of archaeology.

"The occurrence of chemically similar ochre hundreds of kilometers apart suggests that the substance passed through the exchange network of the era. We posit that ochre was transported over long distances in a network that also conveyed amber from the Baltic region and ring-shaped slate ornaments manufactured in the Lake Onega region. From this perspective, long distances, and objects and raw materials carried over them, are typical of the era."

In addition to the ochre exchange network, the research group found indications that several types of ochre were deliberately used in the same ritual contexts.

Publication details Elisabeth Holmqvist et al, Non-invasive chemical characterisation of archaeological ochres from the early 4th millennium BCE forager graves and settlements in Finland, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105584 Journal information: Journal of Archaeological Science
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

In Finland, the average age of passenger cars is among the highest in Europe, and the majority of traffic-related particle emissions are produced by ICE vehicles that are more than 15 years old. The worst polluters are old diesel cars without a diesel particulate filter.

The study, completed in late 2025, shows that particle emissions are unevenly distributed in Finland, with a small proportion of vehicles accounting for a substantial share of the total emissions. According to the researchers, approximately 50% of all particle emissions are generated by 10% of ICE vehicles during motorway driving and by 5% of ICE vehicles while idling during periodic technical inspections (PTIs).

"We discovered that new ICE vehicles generate particle emissions that are, on average, 70% lower than those of older models under real driving conditions on motorways. The most effective way to improve air quality is to focus on the most polluting cars, instead of relying on general actions applied to all cars," says Postdoctoral Research Fellow Ville Leinonen, who specializes in aerosol physics at Tampere University.

Leinonen expects that the scrapping premium (in Finnish), which was introduced by the Finnish Government at the beginning of 2026 for owners of cars that are more than ten years old, will reduce total particle emissions by accelerating the transition to new low-emission vehicles.

Boxplot of light-duty vehicle PN >23 concentrations from idle test during periodical technical inspection by Euro class and used fuel of vehicles. Credit: Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2025.105092

Vehicle age and engine size affect emissions

Statistical modeling conducted during the study demonstrated that vehicle characteristics, especially engine size and year of first registration, significantly influence particle emission levels. Clear differences were observed between petrol and diesel cars.

"The measurements we carried out during PTIs showed that particle emissions have decreased in diesel cars taken into use from 2011 onward due to the introduction of diesel particulate filters, whereas emissions from petrol cars have remained largely unchanged since the early 2000s. Particle emissions from Euro 5 and Euro 6 petrol cars were found to be higher than those of comparable diesel cars," says Assistant Professor Panu Karjalainen from Tampere University.

Emissions produced under real driving conditions were only slightly lower for petrol cars than for diesel cars.

"As fine particles emitted by ICE vehicles have a substantial effect on air quality, particularly in urban areas, air quality could be markedly improved through actions targeted at a small proportion of vehicles," emphasizes Research Director Santtu Mikkonen from the University of Eastern Finland.

The Euro standards are EU-wide regulations that set limits on harmful exhaust emissions from vehicles. In this system, the higher the number, the stricter the limits (Euro 2Euro 6).

Particle emission levels must be continuously monitored

While PTIs are effective in identifying high-polluting vehicles, the researchers emphasize that achieving meaningful environmental benefits will also require effective policy measures, corrective action and continuous monitoring. Santtu Mikkonen believes that the particle measurements recommended by the EU will eventually be incorporated into PTIs in Finland as well.

In Finland, particle emissions from vehicles are expected to decline rapidly if consumers increasingly choose electric vehicles to replace older, high-polluting cars. At the same time, the relative contribution of other emission sources to overall air quality will grow. Non-exhaust particle emissions are also generated by tire and brake wear as well as the abrasion of paved road surfaces.

"The statistical modeling method we used in the study can also be applied to other forms of air pollution, such as nitrogen oxides, black carbon and particulate matter," the researchers point out.

The study, conducted in collaboration between Tampere University, the University of Eastern Finland and Dekati Oy, analyzed particle data collected during hundreds of periodic technical inspections of vehicles in Finland, alongside measurement data gathered during an earlier study under real driving conditions on motorways. Combined, these datasets provide a broadly representative picture of the passenger car fleet in Finland and enable a comparison between emissions generated while idling and driving.

The article, titled "Detection of high-emitters: Variables affecting particle number emissions in Finnish vehicle fleet," is published in Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment.

More information Ville Leinonen et al, Detection of high-emitters: Variables affecting particle number emissions in Finnish vehicle fleet, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2025.105092

Key concepts particulateair quality
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Dead brown trout from Mustoja river, Estonia. Credit: Anti Vasemagi

A new study published in Communications Biology reveals a critical, yet previously overlooked, environmental consequence of man-made dams constructed across rivers and streams. By investigating a key indicator species of ecosystem health, the brown trout (Salmo trutta), researchers from the Estonian University of Life Sciences and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences demonstrated that small river impoundments significantly elevate water temperatures and drastically increase the pathogenic impact of Proliferative Kidney Disease (PKD).

The hidden hazard

Dams provide essential services for humans but profoundly alter river ecology. While issues like habitat fragmentation are well documented, the new findings focus on the complex interaction between dams, thermal regimes, and disease. The international research team examined juvenile brown trout and measured water temperatures both upstream and downstream of 14 small reservoirs and artificial impoundments.

The results were compelling: reservoirs releasing surface water substantially raise downstream temperatures (by up to 45 C) during the summer. These warmed sections turn into hotspots for the myxozoan parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, which causes a deadly disease among salmonids. Brown trout in these sections exhibited consistently higher infection prevalence, greater parasite loads, and more severe signs of PKD compared to their upstream counterparts.

Reservoirs are warming up water and create algal blooms. Credit: Anti Vasemagi

Implications for river management and climate resilience

"The reservoirs are not just warming the water; they are creating the ideal conditions for an epidemic," explains Prof. Anti Vasemagi, lead researcher. "Below dams releasing surface water, salmonids are caught in a thermal disease trap: higher temperatures spike their oxygen needs just as the water's oxygen-carrying capacity drops.

"Warmer water also increases parasite proliferation and accelerates disease progression, making salmonids anemic and less capable of extracting sufficient oxygen from the water. Ultimately, this deadly synergy leaves cold-water trout defenseless against heat waves, pushing them from the frying pan into the fire."

"Dams are creating micro-climates that fast-forward the effects of global warming," says first author Dr. Magnus Lauringson. "Small dams are everywhere, and our findings show they are amplifying the threat of climate change by simultaneously creating severe thermal stress and an increased disease burden."

The authors urge a shift in the current paradigm for assessing dam removal and river restoration. To prevent widespread fish mortality, mitigation measures, such as nutrient load reduction, dam removal, and improving riparian shading to cool the water, are necessary to safeguard vulnerable cold-water salmonid populations globally.

The study highlights that river management and dam removal decisions must adopt a more holistic approach, formally including the risk of temperature-driven disease in environmental impact assessments. Given that surface-release dams are ubiquitous across global river networks, the study's implications are widespread and highly relevant to global river restoration efforts.

Publication details Magnus Lauringson et al, Dams threaten salmonids by triggering temperature-dependent proliferative kidney disease, Communications Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-09470-1 Journal information: Communications Biology
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

EPFL professor Robert West and invited professor Agnes Horvat discuss how the rise of AI is transforming the dissemination and production of scientific knowledge.

Today, most academics share their research online. The public, journalists, and policymakers increasingly rely on digital media as a primary source of scientific information.

In a landscape where science is often misunderstood, politicized, or sensationalized, how do researchers best promote their work and how is the rise of AI transforming the dissemination and production of scientific knowledge?

EPFL associate professor Robert West, head of the Data Science Laboratory, and Agnes Horvat, associate professor of communication and computer science at Northwestern University, where she directs the Lab on Innovation, Networks, and Knowledge (LINK), sat down to discuss science communication in our digital age.

You have been increasingly interested in how science is communicated in online spaces. What is your observation?

Horvat: We are focused on how information gets lost through that process and how misinformation creeps in. One of the things we are very concerned about is the way this content is sensationalized and overhyped in many ways. Another is misinformation, which is a large-scale problem that affects our entire news and information ecosystem. Finally, we are increasingly seeing AI taint this space.

If a large majority of people get their information from social networks and video channels, isn't it crucial to utilize them to communicate science, yet at the same time clickbait is the method by which most content on these channels engages people so, it's a bit of a double-edged sword, isn't it?

Horvat: That's an excellent question. We can show for a seven-year period that there is a tangible gain from social media participation of scientists in terms of citations, which arguably are the traditional measure of success in science. Interestingly, the gain has been trending lower over the years, which is something to think about. Two key challenges in using social media to communicate science are the extreme compression in content and also today's new AI landscape. We have looked at this in the past year, focusing on how abstracts in biomedical sciences changed in 2024, as opposed to before then, and we found unmistakable traces of LLMs. We identified close to 500 words that give away LLM use, and we can say that at least around 13% of articles went through LLM massaging.

West: Which is funny because that number is roughly what we found for LLM written article reviews also. We did this for the 2024 International Conference on Learning Representations, and at least 16% of the reviews were written at least with the help of LLMs, which creates this absurd scenario where you have AI writing papers that AI is then reviewing and then you have people that ask for AI summaries of the papers.

Horvat: I think the saddest thing for me is that we are so welcoming of these tools and I'm sure there is a sort of homogenization of ideas that we haven't managed to quantify yet. I'm also concerned that these tools have a tendency towards certainty, because they just must give an answer and I think that's a problem when abstracts, research papers or reviews sound more certain than they should. Not to mention that science communication is not only about facts but also about how those facts are presented, impacting which ideas sound appealing and what kind of future research gets done as a result. By surrendering some of this agency to LLMs, we are giving up on those choices to some extent without knowing the consequences.

West: But it's not so clear, it can go either way. The baseline is low because a lot of papers that humans write are badly written, even if they have good ideas. So, this is an example where AI could actually be an equalizer, rather than a catalyst of inequalities.

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We know that there was a problem with misinformation before AI and today on social media platforms there's very little moderation with misinformation spreading very quickly. Is AI furthering this challenge of misinformation?

Horvat: The entire system is vulnerable as a lot of social media content is taken from other sources with unknown provenance. The one mechanism that is very clear is that AI can be quicker at producing any kind of content and if there are more bots producing misinformation, it proliferates more quickly.

West: What we do know is that AI is very persuasive. So, when you prompt it to take a stance and defend that stance, it can do that at a level that is essentially superhuman, and so now you have a perfect propaganda machine that's free. You used to have to pay spin doctors a lot of money to do this. The numbers that we compute running AI detection tools will typically vastly underestimate what's really going on.

If you both had a crystal ball, and you could look ahead to the end of the decade, where would you see this challenge of communicating science evolving, both from a scientific perspective and a more public perspective?

Horvat: Currently all the conversation is around how we present ideas that have been researched by people with AI. Maybe the AI helped write the work up, maybe it helped with the code, maybe it helped with data collection, literature review, whatnot. I think the next step, and perhaps five years is a reasonable time frame for that, is for AI to come up with the ideas we study. That's very different territory because then the AI is providing the hypothesis that needs to be researched. That's a new problem space, and it's so much more complicated than everything else that we've seen so far.

West: Exactly. I agree that it's a very realistic scenario that within five years we'll have AI that does science. Will we even be able to follow the science that the AI is doing at that point? That's one of the reasons we turn to social media for science, because it's kind of a filter also. What should we look at? What are the trends? AI doesn't have that problem because it can just read all the papers.

If AI is coming up with the hypotheses and asking the questions, is it coming up with the right ones?

Horvat: We used to think as humans that we want to have a say in what's being studied and I don't know how AI would negotiate values around what research is important for humanity's future.

West: And does AI care about what is important for humanity's future in the first place? One of the hardest things in science is to know what questions to ask and I often struggle with this a lot. Why are we doing this? What should be done next? So, I think the question is not whether an AI can do this perfectly, but whether it can do it better than us. I'm not so pessimistic in the sense that AI can't do it, which might be pessimistic at a higher level: what if it does it superficially better than us, but really it doesn't care whether it matters for humanity's better future? In five years, we'll talk again.
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This artist's illustration shows supernova 1993J, an exploding star in the galaxy M81 whose light reached us 21 years ago. While we've seen supernova like this one exploding in other galaxies, it's been almost 1,000 years since astronomers have observed a Type II core-collapse supernova in the Milky Way. The Vera Rubin Observatory will change that. Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)

In our galaxy, a supernova explodes about once or twice each century. But historical astronomical records show that the last Milky Way core-collapse supernova seen by humans was about 1,000 years ago. That means we've missed a few. But with the Vera Rubin Observatory poised to begin its decade-long Legacy Survey of Space and Time, no supernova is safe from our prying astronomical eyes.

We all know that core-collapse supernovae are what happens when stars several times more massive than the sun expend their fuel. Eventually, the star's outward pressure is exceeded by its inward gravity, and the star collapses on itself. Then it explodes outward in a massive display of repressed energy that can light up the sky for months.

Astrophysicists are interested in supernovae because of their power and the important role they play in the cosmos. They're cosmic forges that produce the heavy elements needed for rocky planets to form and for living things to use in their tissues. They're also important in understanding stellar evolution, and how neutron stars and black holes form. And supernovae are important indicators in the cosmic distance ladder. Their extreme environments are also like laboratories where theories about nuclear reactions and neutrino physics can be tested.

The more core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) astrophysicists can detect, the more they can learn. While humanity has observed other Milky Way SNe more recently, like the Type Ia Kepler's Supernova in 1604, it's been about one millennia since the last CCSNe was detected. That was SN 1054, a CCSNe that created the Crab Nebula.

When SN 1054 exploded, it left the Crab Nebula supernova remnant behind. The Crab Nebula is one of the most well-studied objects in astronomy. It's been expanding since its progenitor star exploded and is now six light-years wide. This is a composite image from the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University)HubbleSite: gallery, release., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=516106

New research submitted to the Open Journal of Astrophysics shows how the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is well-positioned to observe many more SNe than in the near past. It's titled "Uncovering the Next Galactic Supernova with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory," and the lead author is John Banovetz. Banovetz is from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Physics Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The research is currently available on the arXiv preprint server.

"Supernovae are observed to occur approximately 12 times per century in a galaxy like the Milky Way," the researchers write. "Based on historical records, however, the last core-collapse galactic supernova observed by humans occurred almost 1,000 years ago. Luckily, we are well positioned to catch the next one with the advent of new neutrino detectors and astronomical observatories."

Neutrinos play an important role in supernova detection. While the eye-catching visible light is the most easily observed part of a CCSN, that light doesn't tell the whole tale. When a massive star collapses as a SN, it forms a neutron star. All that gravitational energy has to go somewhere, and neutrinos carry away about 99% of the energy. The visible light and the kinetic energy in the explosion only account for about 1%.

Neutrinos may be fickle, but they play an important role in SNe. They're also the first signal that a Type II SN is exploding. While the shock wave and the visible light take hours to move and propagate through the star's outer shells, neutrinos can't be restrained: they escape from the explosion immediately.

Unfortunately, neutrinos are difficult to detect. They're sometimes called "Ghost Particles" because their electrical charge is zero and they have almost no mass. They travel unimpeded from the exploding star out in all directions, some toward Earth. So our neutrino detectors can detect the supernova neutrino signal long before the explosion's light arrives. And the detectors can alert the Rubin Observatory.

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"Neutrino observatories can provide unprecedented triggers for a galactic supernova event as they are likely to see a supernova neutrino signal anywhere from minutes to days before the shock breakout causes the supernova to brighten in optical wavelengths," the authors explain. "Given its large etendue, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is ideally positioned to rapidly localize the optical counterpart based on the neutrino trigger."

This figure from the research shows the results of placing 100,000 CCSN at a random time of the year and in random locations in the Milky Way. Left: Fraction of stars that explode at night and are available to observe (Available right away). Right: Fraction of stars that explode during the day but are available at night (Available at Night). Credit: arXiv (2026). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2601.12094

To do that, the Rubin needs to quickly take the neutrino trigger signal and scan the heavens for the electromagnetic counterpart. With its wide field of coverage and its relatively deep yet quick exposures, "The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is an ideal facility to detect the EM counterpart from a neutrino trigger," the authors write.

To test the Rubin's ability to find these SNe, the researchers created a simulated model of the Milky Way with different CCSNe candidates at different distances and extinctions. Overall, the model contained 100,000 simulated SNe at random locations, either at night and available to observe right away, or during the day and available to be observed that night.

The results were impressive and suggest that the Rubin Observatory is poised to advance the science of CCSNe.

"We find that the observatory is ideal for initial localization of nearly all observable supernova triggers and has a 57%97% chance of catching any supernova based on theoretical stellar mass density predictions and observations," the authors write.

But like other telescopes and observatories, the Vera Rubin uses filters, and they can't all be used at the same time. The researchers say that if the Milky Way's next CCSNe explodes during the Rubin's 10-year LSST, then it's almost guaranteed that the observatory will detect it. A 30 second exposure is all that's required, though the guarantee only extends to its two reddest filters, and not the bluer filters.

There are other filtering difficulties, however, based on how distant the SN is. "A large remaining uncertainty is the time-difference between the explosion and SBO (shock break-out, when the explosion breaks out of the supernova and travels more freely through space), which determines the lag with which the EM counterpart arrives," the researchers explain. "As the time between the alert and the SBO could range from mere minutes to hours, after the time it takes to slew to the target, a decision will need to be taken as to when and if a filter change should be made to a redder band to increase the probability of catching the SBO."

The researchers say that decisions about filter changes will depend on the filter in use at the time, and the SN's distance. "Optimizing this process will be the focus of future work," they write.

The researchers say that this study serves as a framework for observing the next CCSN, but they also acknowledge that there are many challenges left still to be addressed.

"One of the most important is locating the CCSN in a crowded field, since the galactic plane can have thousands of stars per CCD detector," the authors write. Testing how the alert function performs in these crowded fields is necessary, as is ongoing work into processing pipelines. Processing pipelines are a series of steps designed to function in a specific astronomical setting and are an important part of modern astronomy.

"Combined with current and future neutrino detectors, soon everything will be in place to quickly locate the next galactic CCSN should it occur during the lifetime of the LSST," the researchers explain. "This will give us an unprecedented view into both the CCSN process and neutrino astrophysics," they conclude.

Publication details John Banovetz et al, Uncovering the Next Galactic Supernova with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, arXiv (2026). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2601.12094 Journal information: arXiv
Eve and Jess Gale think Love Island All Stars is getting more dramatic since they appeared on the show.

Eve and Jess Gale think Love Island All Stars is 'getting more dramatic' since they appeared on the show

The identical twins, both 26, first featured on Love Island in 2020 before returning to the villa four years later for the ITV2 spinoff show, and the duo have revealed their verdict on the current series of All Stars.

Speaking with the Daily Mirror newspaper, they said: I feel like All Stars is getting more dramatic now, and the line-up is really good. There are probably more exes this season, so its already pretty juicy.

Some of our friends are in there, like Leanne [Amaning]! Absolutely love her, so were backing her.

When asked whether they would return to the show again, the pair said: Once is enough.

This comes after Curtis Pritchard and Lucinda Strafford flew into the villa for the fourth time.

The pair entered the Love Island All Stars villa as bombshells last Friday (23.01.26), marking the fourth appearance on the franchise for both of them.

Curtis, 29, made his debut in 2019 before joining for Love Island Games in 2023 and All stars in 2025.

Meanwhile, Lucinda, 26, took part in the UKs season seven in 2021, Australias season five in 2023 and Love Island Games last year.

Reflecting on his comeback to Love Island All Stars, Curtis said: I normally throw all my eggs into one basket  Im probably going to end up doing that again.

I like to focus on one person. Ive never been a bombshell before, so I dont quite know what to expect coming in as one. Ill try and talk to everyone the first couple of days.

Lucinda added she was glad she has been given another chance to find love.

She said: I was quite young when I entered the Love Island Villa in Series seven, I was overthinking things loads.

Now that Im older, Im definitely more confident in my own skin with much more life experience, so I think my approach will naturally be different from before.

I am a girls girl but I dont want to be afraid to say what I think and see what happens. I dont want to waste time, Im 26. I want to be with someone I can see a future with.
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Saltwater crocodiles can grow to more than 6 meters in length and weigh more than a metric ton. They often inhabit coastal areas, such as the mouth of the Nilgawa River in the city of Matara in southern Sri Lanka, which is shown here. Credit: Kathrin Glaw, SNSB

Accounts from early expeditions to the Seychelles more than 250 years ago described crocodiles as common along the coasts of the archipelago. But after the first settlers established a permanent presence in 1770, the Seychelles crocodiles were completely wiped out within 50 years. A new genetic study now shows that the crocodiles on the remote Seychelles islands did not belong to a separate species. Instead, they represented the westernmost population of the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). The result confirms an earlier hypothesis that had been based solely on external characteristics.

In their study, published in Royal Society Open Science, researchers from Germany and the Seychelles examined the evolutionary history and distribution of the saltwater crocodile by comparing its DNA sequences. They combined genetic data from modern samples with mitochondrial genomes from historical museum specimens of the genus Crocodylus, including material from the Seychelles crocodile, which disappeared about 200 years ago.

Among all living crocodiles, the saltwater crocodile is the best adapted to life in the ocean. Special salt glands, for example, allow it to excrete excess salt and survive for long periods in seawater. This enabled the species to colonize islands and coastal regions over thousands of kilometers. "The founders of the Seychelles population must have drifted at least 3,000 kilometers across the Indian Ocean to reach the remote archipelago, perhaps even much further," says reptile expert Frank Glaw of the Bavarian State Collections of Natural History (SNSB) and senior author of the study.

Sampling the Seychelles crocodiles. The three incomplete skulls from the Seychelles National Museum are among the few preserved remains of the Seychelles crocodiles. Credit: Kathrin Glaw, SNSB

"The genetic patterns suggest that saltwater crocodile populations remained connected over long periods and across great distances, pointing to the high mobility of this species," explains first author Stefanie Agne of the University of Potsdam. To this day, the saltwater crocodile is one of the most widely distributed reptiles on Earth. Before the Seychelles population was exterminated, its range was even larger, stretching more than 12,000 kilometers from Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

Publication details Mitogenomic Crocodylia phylogeny and population structure of Crocodylus porosus including the extinct Seychelles crocodile, Royal Society Open Science (2026). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.251546. Journal information: Royal Society Open Science

Key concepts migratory species
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More than 1,000 people were evacuated from Niscemi in Sicily after a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) section of cliff crumbled during a storm on Sunday.

Gaetano Ferrera had just a few minutes to grab belongings from his home, one of hundreds evacuated after a landslide in Sicily that experts warn could worsen due to heavy rainfall.

"Being left without anything is bad, it's bad. I've been here ever since I was a child," said Ferrera, visibly emotional as he locked the door behind him.

Ferrera and his family, including two 16-year-old daughters and elderly parents, have no idea whether they will ever be able to return.

The house sits in an area of Niscemi declared a "red zone"and therefore off limitsafter a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) long stretch of the hillside collapsed on Sunday, forcing the evacuation of some 1,500 people.

The town, built on unstable terrain, was battered by a powerful storm which hit southern Italy last week.

Though there were no deaths or injuries, experts say the gulf could extendand topple more houseswhen it rains again.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Wednesday, flying by helicopter over the gashed hillside and deep fissures in fields below.

The Italian authorities are assessing whether people can return to their homes.

She promised quick help, pointing to long delays in compensation from a previous large landslide in the same town in 1997.

Speaking to local officials after visiting the site, she said it still remained to be seen how many people would be "permanently displaced because the landslide is still moving."

Landslide still active

"We need to wait for the rains to stop and for the soil moisture to decrease," Luigi D'Angelo, the Civil Protection Agency's head of emergency management, told AFP.

He said "heavy rain" was forecast in the coming days.

Rubble from a few homes destroyed by the landslide could be seen at the bottom of the cliff, "and there's a risk that another 20 meters or so could fall, impacting other homes," he said.

The agency is using drones to monitor the red zone and satellite images to assess the speed of the landslide.

Parts of Niscemi have been declared off limits.

As locals watched a darkening sky, police patrolled streets empty of all but stray cats, while emergency services stood on standby on the edge of the red zone.

Niscemi, home to some 25,000 people and built on sandstone and clay, suffered a landslide in the same area nearly 30 years ago, and residents said this week's disaster had been long in the making.

Geologist Giuseppe Amato, head of water resources in Sicily for Legambiente, told AFP the landslide should serve as a warning as climate change leads to increasing weather extremes.

"Niscemi is another alarm bell... we must respond by changing our habits" and "choosing not to build in certain ways and in certain places."

"In 2025 alone, Sicily has been hit by 48 exceptional weather events," from wind and rain to extreme heat, showing the Mediterranean island is "a hot spot for climate change in all respects," he said.

According to Italy's Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), over one million Italians live in areas classed as "high or very high risk" for landslides.

'Land simply dropped away'

Rosario Cona, 45, a farmhand, told AFP that on Sunday "the land simply dropped away."

"We watch houses falling, this is normality for us," he said.

Unlike 29 years ago, though, "we have to take responsibility," he said. "The time for sleepwalking is over."

As a mobile kitchen readied hot meals for evacuees, Cona said Niscemi's future was uncertainbut he for one would never leave.

His family may not return to their home, just one row back from the cliff edge, but Cona said he would build a new one if necessary.

"I was born here, and I will die here," he said.

Key concepts landslide

 2026 AFP
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The unusual IPO timing underscores Elon Musk's history of mixing personal whims with business decisions.

SpaceX is targeting a mid-June initial public offering that would coincide with a rare planetary alignment and founder Elon Musk's birthday, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, as the billionaire entrepreneur seeks to raise a record $50 billion.

The rocket company is planning its IPO for when Jupiter and Venus appear very close together in the skya conjunction that occurs for the first time in more than three years on June 8-9, the FT said, citing people familiar with the matter.

The timing, which the report said was subject to change, also aligns closely with June 28, Musk's 54th birthday.

SpaceX is seeking to raise as much as $50 billion at a valuation of roughly $1.5 trillion, according to the Financial Times.

That would make it the largest public listing in history, far exceeding the $29 billion raised by Saudi Aramco in 2019.

The unusual IPO timing underscores Musk's history of mixing personal whims with business decisions.

In 2018, he tweeted about taking Tesla private at $420 per sharea price widely understood as a reference to 420, slang for cannabis consumption.

SpaceX dominates the space launch market with its reusable rockets and owns the largest satellite constellation through Starlink.

Musk had previously opposed an IPO for SpaceX because he had not enjoyed the required scrutiny of publicly traded Tesla, and feared that the market's desire for financial returns was at odds with his ultimate goal of settling Mars.

But the company's latest priorities will require significant investment, prompting Musk to opt for an IPO.

These include developing Starship, the largest rocket ever built, for missions to the moon and Mars, as well as plans to build space-based data centers for artificial intelligence.

Key concepts Planets & planetary systems

 2026 AFP
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A new study demonstrates the first known correlation between latitude and the rate of mimicry evolution in butterflies, consistent with a longstanding theory of biodiversity that can trace its origin to Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-discoverer of evolution by natural selection. Credit: Keith Willmott

In the early 1990s, Keith Willmott and a friend, both undergraduate students from the United Kingdom, arrived in Ecuador with impressionable minds and big aspirations. Willmott initially imagined there might be 20 to 30 butterfly species in the region that had yet to be described; once those had been named, writing field guides would be a mere matter of taking a few photos and spelling out where everything lived.

"We had a long-term goal to write a series of field guides on the butterflies of Ecuador. We didn't realize how long-term a goal it was at the time, because we're still working on them," said Willmott, now a curator of Lepidoptera at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

But, as Willmott noted, they were "hopelessly inaccurate" in their estimates. More than 30 years later, Willmott, his friend, their colleagues and other researchers have described more than 300 new butterfly species native to Ecuador, with no end in sight.

Among Ecuador's many butterflies, one group in particular has been a source of consternation. Seven years before Willmott first set foot in Ecuador, Annette Aiello of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute wrote, "For the past century, Lepidopterists have puzzled over the genus Adelpha  in an attempt to discover the secret character or combination of characters which might lead to a satisfying classification of the 100 or more butterfly species included in this large, neotropical genus. The result has been a hopeless tangle."

There's still a significant amount of work that needs to be done on the long-anticipated field guides, but with the publication of a recent study in the journal Systematic Entomology, Willmott and his colleagues have largely untangled the Gordian knot of relationships among species in Adelpha, with the exception of a few persistent kinks here and there. Along the way, the study authors also gathered support for a longstanding theory of biodiversity that may explain why there are more species in the tropics than there are in temperate regions.

Adelpha may display a rare or overlooked type of mimicry

One of the primary difficulties confronted by those who study Adelpha butterflies is their appearance. Individuals within the same species sometimes look strikingly different, while two species that may only share a distant relationship can look nearly identical. Thus, any attempt to sort out Adelpha relationships based on superficial appearance inevitably leads to a dead end.

Then there's the question of why they look the way they do.

"It's long been thought that there's maybe some mimicry going on in the genus, but they are a very atypical group in terms of what you would expect from mimetic butterflies. They don't seem, to me, to be obviously chemically protected," Willmott said.

Many butterflies that mimic each other accumulate toxins in their bodies from the plants they consume during their larval stage, which makes them unpalatable to birds and other predators. But in several studies in which researchers presented what were thought to be toxic Adelpha butterflies to birds, the birds often showed no compunction whatsoever and eagerly chowed down on the proffered meal. Instead, some researchers think their mimicry might be based on speed and unpredictability.

"They have an erratic flight with sharp dives, and they can change direction very rapidly," said lead author Erika Paez, who conducted the research while working toward a doctoral degree at the L'Institut de Systematique, Evolution, Biodiversite.

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This type of mimicry is currently considered rare and has only been proposed to exist in a handful of animal groups. This includes a case of lookalike butterflies in South Africa, certain flea beetles that catapult themselves away from predators and their ground beetle doppelgangers that can't jump, and a group of ponderous weevils that look like swift-moving flies.

Willmott and colleagues think that Adelpha butterflies are engaged in something called Mullerian mimicry, a sort of strength-in-numbers approach in which all species with a desirable trait look the same.

If you were "it" in a game of tag, and one of your competitors was an Olympian speed runner, you'd quickly conclude that your time would be best spent chasing after some of the slower players. If there were multiple Olympian runners in the group, they'd save a lot of energy if they all wore the same uniform, implicitly telling you not to bother trying to catch any of them.

This is more or less what seems to be happening in Adelpha.

In a separate study, Paez designed an experiment to test this idea. In the experiment, whenever a bird moved to pounce on a butterfly (in this case, a piece of paper the shape and color of an Adelpha tied to a string), Paez yanked the butterfly away, leaving behind an agitated bird with an empty stomach. When she repeated the experiment, the same bird might fall for the ruse a few more times, but it'd quickly learn it wasn't worth the effort and lose interest in attacking anything that looked like an Adelpha.

This was so effective, in fact, that birds learned to avoid the fast "butterflies" in less time than it took them to avoid those that were genuinely unpalatable (an identical paper butterfly that was soaked in a bitter-tasting compound).

Many Adelpha species have large geographic ranges that span the American tropics. When viewed at this scale, there are three mimicry patterns that account for most of the diversity in the genus, each named for a butterfly that bears markings typical of the respective pattern.

In the first, called COCALA, butterflies have dark amber wings with two highly contrasted beams of white that originate near the base of the hindwings and fan out at a 45-degree angle like searchlights, and two smoldering flame-colored bands of equal size across the forewings.

In the second group, called IPHICLUS, the white bands span much of the fore- and hindwings, and the orange scales are reduced to small spots. In the third, SALMONEUS, only oblique orange bands are present.

Adelpha butterflies that evolve and adhere to one of these patterns presumably have a better chance of getting through the day without being eaten, which accounts for the fact that even distantly related species can look alike.

There are also variations of these general color schemes at smaller scales. In the Apure region of Venezuela, seven species appear to have independently evolved a second orange band on their hindwings. Outside of this region, these same species lack the additional band.

The three main mimicry patterns can be conceived of as a strong evolutionary current sweeping Adelpha butterflies along through time and keeping them together. The more localized patterns, such as the one in the Apure region, are like the various eddies and gyres that form within a larger currentall still traveling in the same direction, but with their own distinct shapes and rotations.

Adelpha mimicry might demonstrate biodiversity feedback loop

Not all Adelpha butterflies are mimics. Species in the genus can be found as far south as Argentina and as far north as the United States, with a terminal distribution in Colorado and Nevada. Those in North America seem to have a lower rate of mimicry evolution than species in South America.

Taken at face value, this seems to support a theory that helps explain why the tropics are exponentially more diverse than temperate regions.

Take trees, for example, of which there are about 700 species in North America. In Ecuador, on a plot of land smaller than Hawaii's smallest island, there are more than a thousand, and in the whole of tropical South America, there are at least 22,000 tree species.

Biologists get positively giddy when they encounter natural phenomena of this scale and complexity, and starting with Alfred Russel Wallace (who independently developed the theory of evolution by natural selection at the same time as Charles Darwin), they've put forward several plausible theories to explain it.

Wallace thought it might have had something to do with ice ages, given that glaciers during the recent Pleistocene epoch stretched nearly all the way down to Tennessee in North America, rendering large swaths of land uninhabitable and resulting in a wave of extinctions.

In contrast, he wrote, "Equatorial lands must always have remained thronged with life. In one, evolution has had a fair chance; in the other it has had countless difficulties thrown in its way."

Wallace may have been right, but paleontologists have since learned that the tropics were more diverse than temperate regions long before the Pleistocene, so there must be other factors at play.

According to another theory, high temperatures result in faster rates of genetic mutation, which in turn speeds up diversification. This might make sense for organisms like plants that assume the ambient temperature of their surroundings, but it doesn't account for animals that generate their own heat and maintain a constant body temperature, like mammals. So, if true, this isn't the whole story either.

A third theory with a little more traction and explanatory power states that diversity in the tropics is highly influenced by the interactions among species. In this view, stable habitatsincluding many tropical regions, where seasonal changes are less pronounced than temperate regionscan support a greater number of species. This process creates a sort of diversification feedback loop, in which a greater number of species leads to increasingly complex interactions among them, further spurring diversification and the evolution of new traits.

We have Wallace to thank for this idea as well. In the same sentence in which he mentions glaciers, he adds that equatorial lands "have been unintermittingly subject to those complex influences of organism upon organism, which seem the main agents in developing the greatest variety of forms and filling up every vacant place in nature."

In the case of mimicry, that might look something like a greater number and variety of predators in an ecosystem, which increases the amount of pressure on butterflies to look a certain way.

Scientists tackle three Adelpha mysteries

There's very little that can be inferred about the evolution of mimicry without first having a robust family tree to understand how species are related. Prior to this study, it remained unclear how many Adelpha species really did independently evolve the same color patterns or if they looked similar because they're closely related and inherited their color pattern from an ancestor.

It would also be impossible to say whether the preponderance of mimicry in the tropics was caused by a runaway train of biotic interactions or simply a fluke of there being more Adelpha species in the tropics than there are at higher latitudes.

These are the first two questions the authors set out to answer in their study.

It goes without saying that simpler, more practical questions like "How many Adelpha species are there, anyway?" and "Are any of them in danger of going extinct?" are impossible to answer without a firm understanding of their relationships.

To find out, the study authors extracted and sequenced DNA and RNA from museum specimens. They combined this with DNA sequences used in previous studies, leaving them with data for 83 of the 87 putative species of Adelpha.

This is somewhat less than the "100 or more butterfly species" estimated to exist by Aiello in her 1984 study on Adelpha that preceded Willmott's initial trip to Ecuador. Given the difficulty of identifying Adelpha species based on their looks, it makes sense that butterflies thought to represent multiple species would occasionally be found to represent only one.

There's also a group of six species that look like other Adelpha butterflies but can't seem to make their mind up about which family reunion to attend. All of them live on upper mountain slopes in Central and South America, where clouds run aground and obscure the stunted forests in a near-perpetual haze. But a study published in 2022 suggested that these species actually should be placed in a genus of butterflies called Limenitis, whose species are primarily native to northern more temperate regions.

These six are unusual in that they lay their eggs on plants in the honeysuckle family. And while other Adelpha may not like honeysuckle, it's a staple among Limenitis butterflies, which commonly eat honeysuckle plants as caterpillars.

Paez, Willmott and their colleagues were particularly interested in figuring out what was going on in this group, constituting the third question that needed answering.

By combining and analyzing their data, the authors reconstructed the Adelpha family tree, which they then used to address these questions.

First, they showed that the IPHICLUS wing patternthe one with the longer white bands and the two residual splashes of orangeis likely the oldest pattern in the genus and that it evolved more than 20 million years ago in the ancestors of modern Adelpha. The pattern changed during the intervening eons, at times disappearing altogether in some species only to reappear millions of years later. Living species that sport this pattern are typically close relatives, meaning it's unlikely IPHICLUS evolved independently in different groups but was instead passed down through inheritance.

In contrast, the two other common color schemesCOCALA and SALMONEUSadorn the wings of butterflies that generally bear no close relation to each other, indicating they've evolved the pattern multiple times in response to predation or other selective pressures.

The authors also confirmed that the rate of mimicry pattern evolution really was higher in tropical Adelpha. According to study co-author Marianne Elias, director of research at the French National Center for Scientific Research, "This means that new patterns are produced more often in the tropics."

"In equatorial regions, it seems like the rate of mimicry evolution is faster," Willmott said. "To our knowledge, it's the first time that a link between the evolution of a mimicry color pattern and latitude has been demonstrated."

It's also another compelling piece of evidence that biodiversity on our planet grows in size and complexity the more it interacts with itself.

Finally, they reached a sort of compromise concerning the strange group of Andean butterflies with dueling affinities for the genera Adelpha and Limenitis. The conclusion they came to is that the Andean butterflies cannot be placed convincingly in either group. Instead, they constitute what the authors consider to be a new genus of butterflies, which they named Adelphina.

There's much left to learn about this small segment of Earth's insect diversity. For starters, scientists know practically nothing about the mating habits of Adelpha butterflies, primarily because the females rarely venture close enough for anyone to study them.

Both males and females "almost always fly in the canopy of the forest, but only the males descend to search for minerals, which they likely transfer to females when they are mating. That's why females are very rare in museum collections," Paez said.

It'll also take more research for scientists to feel fully confident in saying that Adelpha mimicry is really driven by evasiveness rather than unpalatability. It's possible that both types of mimicry are present in this group.

More information Erika Paez V. et al, Phylogeny, systematics and evolution of mimicry patterns in Neotropical limenitidine butterflies, Systematic Entomology (2025). DOI: 10.1111/syen.70007
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

SpaceX has launched its latest national security mission, yet another GPS satellite that was originally to have been launched by United Launch Alliance. A Falcon 9 that was delayed from Monday because of weather lifted off Tuesday night on the GPS III-9 mission to bring the satellite to medium-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:53 p.m.

This was the fifth trip to space for the first-stage booster, which made a recovery landing downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, stationed in the Atlantic.

It marked the sixth launch on the Space Coast in 2026, all from SpaceX and all from SLC-40.

It's the second national security mission of the year for SpaceX, which flew the NROL-105 mission from California earlier this month.

ULA had originally been awarded the GPS III-9 task order as part of the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract back in 2023, but as ULA's new Vulcan rocket faced delays in certification, the Space Force, beginning in 2024, began trading out assigned Vulcan missions to go instead of SpaceX.

ULA will in exchange take over the launch of another Phase 2 GPS mission that had been given to SpaceX, and originally targeted to ride on a Falcon Heavy.

It's the third GPS satellite that was taken from an original Vulcan assignment and switched to SpaceX following the Rapid Response Trailblazer launch in December 2024 and the GPS III-7 mission in May 2025.

This particular satellite, Space Vehicle 09, is named in honor of NASA astronaut Col. Ellison Onizuka, who died aboard Space Shuttle Challenger on Jan. 28, 1986.

It's the ninth of 10 satellites constructed by Lockheed Martin to add to the U.S.'s GPS capability in space. It's also part of an accelerated mission timeline laid out by the Space Force for national security missions in which payloads get to space in under three months from the decision to go, compared to the normal turnaround that can take up to 24 months.

"For this launch, we traded a GPS III mission from a Vulcan to a Falcon 9, then exchanged a later GPS IIIF mission from a Falcon Heavy to a Vulcan," said USSF Col. Ryan Hiserote, SYD 80 Commander and NSSL program manager. "Our commitment to keeping things flexibleprogrammatically and contractuallymeans that we can pivot when necessary to changing circumstances. We have a proven ability to adapt the launch manifest to complex and dynamic factors and are continuing to shorten our timelines for delivering critical capabilities to warfighters."

This GPS satellite has been in Florida since July, but is on target to launch within six months of arrival.

"This mission represents an outstanding collaboration across multiple teams and agencies," said U.S. Space Force Col. Stephen Hobbs, MD 31 commander. "It foot stomps our ability to rapidly deploy a high-value space asset, in this case, an additional M-Code-capable satellite that brings significant, immediate value to the Joint Force."

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ULA and SpaceX have shifted roles since the NSSL Phase 2 contracts were originally announced. The five years' worth of task orders announced from fiscal 20202024, were to give ULA 60% of the assignments. All of those were supposed to fly on Vulcan, with its first launches to be completed by summer 2022.

To date, ULA has only managed to fly two of those 26 missions. The first had to shift to an Atlas V rocket in summer 2024 as Vulcan wasn't certified until spring 2025.

ULA, which is a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin that formed in 2006, had originally been targeting mid-2020 for Vulcan's debut. But it faced hurdles from COVID, acquisition of engines from supplier Blue Origin, delays from customer payloads and even a fiery test stand incident that all contributed to a nearly four-year slide.

It flew for the first time in January 2024, but not again until that October, both as part of ULA's efforts to get national security certification. An issue with a solid rocket booster motor detaching during launch on the second flight, though, delayed that certification until March 2025.

ULA did manage its first national security launch on a Vulcan last August and has its second, USSF-87, slated to fly as early as Feb. 12.

In the meantime, the NSSL Phase 3 task orders have mostly gone to SpaceX with launches now being split into two lanes. All of the Lane 1 missions, which feature less stringent requirements and are designed to allow for up-and-coming rocket companies to compete, have gone to SpaceX.

The more demanding Lane 2 missions can only be flown by SpaceX, ULA and newcomer Blue Origin, although Blue Origin's New Glenn has to complete four missions before its certification and as such has yet to be awarded any task orders.

The full five years' worth of Lane 2 missions are worth $13.7 billion for task order assigned from 20252029. The expectation missions will be flown two to three years after assignment. The Space Force said the initial breakdown would dole out SpaceX more than $5.9 billion, ULA more than $5.3 billion and Blue Origin nearly $2.4 billion among more than 54 expected missions.

SpaceX would receive 28 of 54 planned missions, or 52%. Meanwhile, ULA's take is only 19 missions, or 35%, while newcomer Blue Origin would get seven, or 13%.

Key concepts Artificial satellites

2026 Orlando Sentinel. 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:

Illustration of the XFELO system. Credit: European XFEL

A team of engineers and scientists has shown for the first time that a hard-X-ray cavity can provide net X-ray gain, with X-ray pulses being circulated between crystal mirrors and amplified in the process, much like happens with an optical laser. The result of the proof-of-concept at European XFEL is a particularly coherent, laser-like light of a quality that is unprecedented in the hard X-ray spectrum.

Lasing inside a cavity had been challenging to achieve with short-wavelength X-rays for a variety of reasons, includingon a basic levelthat the nature of the light makes it difficult to reflect the beam at large angles. The "XFELO" (short for: X-Ray Free-Electron Laser Oscillator) technique opens new perspectives for scientific investigations, from ultrafast chemical reactions to detailed analyses of the smallest biological structures. The research is published in the journal Nature.

From XFEL to XFELO

Today, free-electron lasers generate X-ray pulses with the help of linear electron accelerators. Electric fields accelerate bunches made from about 100 billion electrons to near-light speed. Next, the negatively charged elementary particles pass through special magnetic structures called undulators. They force the electrons onto a high-speed slalom course. The constant change of direction forces the electrons to send out strongly bundled X-ray light in the forward direction. At the European XFEL, up to 27,000 electron bunches per second speed through the undulators and generate X-ray flashes at the same rate.

Although these X-ray flashes are already of an exceptionally good quality, they still retain a certain blurriness in terms of energy. The new XFELO system helps to dramatically reduce this blurriness and generate X-ray light of an exactly defined energy. For precision experiments, this is particularly important.

In XFELO, the X-ray light bounces through a circuit called a resonator cavity several times. The cavity comprises two sets of diamond mirrors and a row of undulators between them. With every pass, the X-ray light interacts with a "fresh" bunch of electrons from the electron accelerator. "That strengthens and concentrates it every time," explains Harald Sinn, X-ray optics expert and leader of the Instrumentation Department at European XFEL.

A razor-sharp spike

"With every round trip, the noise in the X-ray pulse gets less and the concentrated light more defined," says DESY accelerator scientist Patrick Rauer, whose doctoral thesis laid the groundwork for the resonator cavity and who is now the DESY lead of the implementation. "It gets more stable and you start to see this single, clear frequencythis spike." That spike represents the singular pulse of X-ray light with a razor-sharp definition.

The concept of using the resonator cavity at the European XFEL was first proposed by Jorg Rossbach, who was a professor of physics at the University of Hamburg at the time. In the decades since that proposal, the idea was further studied and modeled for years, before Rauer and other scientists from DESY's accelerator division and scientists and engineers from Sinn's instrumentation teams at European XFEL could design a specific resonator cavity setup. Coincidentally, at a beamtime at the European XFEL examining the results of the resonator, it was Jorg Rossbach, now a professor emeritus, who first noticed the spike among the data.

Unique level of precision

The resonator cavity structure at European XFEL is about 66 meters long. High-quality diamond crystals reflect the light in such a way that it repeatedly moves through the resonator cavity. Optical mirrors ensure additional focusing and stability. Particular challenges included the exact positioning of the crystals and the synchronization of the motion of the X-ray light pulses with the electron bunches. The stability of the 1.7-kilometer-long accelerator in terms of energy, timing (down to femtoseconds) and position (down to micrometers) over multiple days was crucial for the success of the project. "It took years to bring the accelerator to that state, which is now unique in the world of high-repetition-rate accelerators," explains Rauer.

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"The successful demonstration shows that the resonator principle is practical to implement," Sinn says. "In comparison with methods used up to now, it delivers X-ray pulses with a very narrow wavelength as well as a much higher stability and coherence." This in turn enables completely new opportunities for precise experiments in physics, materials science, chemistry, or biology. "With this system, researchers can investigate structures and processes that were until now barely measurable," says Thomas Feurer, managing director at European XFEL.

In the coming years, the team will work on further strengthening the X-ray light, securing the stability over longer operating times, and preparing the technique for a large research user community. DESY Accelerator Division Director Wim Leemans says, "This joint team has made real a long-considered possibility of enhancing the laser characteristics of coherent hard X-ray pulses at the European XFEL, and the users will profit considerably from their efforts." The goal is a new generation of X-ray sources that can achieve exceptional precision and brilliance and enable unprecedented glimpses into the smallest and fastest processes.

Publication details Patrick Rauer et al, Lasing of a cavity-based X-ray source, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-10025-x. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-10025-x Journal information: Nature
Amanda Holden has joked that COVID-19 lockdown boredom helped her debut album soar into the charts - because people were forced to listen to it as they had nothing else to do".

Amanda Holden and Emin at his album launch in London

The former Britains Got Talent judge released her debut album, Songs from My Heart, in October 2020 via Universal Records, right in the middle of the global pandemic which kept people indoors.

The LP was a notable success, peaking at number four on the UK Official Albums Chart and becoming 2020s biggest-selling debut by a UK female artist.

The mother-of-two - who has daughters Lexi and Hollie with husband Chris Hughes - said at the time her children were flabbergasted at her albums success.

Amanda, however, remains humble, crediting the unusual circumstances for helping it climb the charts.

Speaking on Tuesday night (27.01.26) in London at Emins album launch at Nolita Social, Bulgari Hotel, Knightsbridge, Holden said: I was lucky enough to do my own album, in lockdown, which did very well. I think thats because people were forced to listen to it as they had nothing else to do. But it did get to number 4. It was perfect timing as people were under duress.

TV star Holden has returned to her musical roots by collaborating with Azerbaijan superstar Emin.

Amanda and Emin duet together on a cover Somethin Stupid - which Frank Sinatra and his daughter Nancy sang together in 1967 duet. The song has just been released and is the final track of Emin's forthcoming album Maybe Tomorrow, out March 27.

Amanda was "thrilled" when she was invited to collaborate with Emin on Somethin' Stupid - which was also a number one hit in 2001 for Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman.

Celebrating the release of their duet, she said: I was thrilled to be asked to be part of this. I absolutely love singingits where I started. My career took a completely different path; I went off on a tangent. I started in musical theatre, went to drama school, and thats where my first love really is.

She added: So when I was asked to do this, there was absolutely no way I was going to say no. Any opportunity to singIm thrilled.
Authorities say change of land use approved for Royal Caribbean Mahahual project legal after judge grants injunction

Mahahual, Q.R.  Municipal officials say the Mahahual change of land use granted to Royal Caribbean was done legally. The clarification was made Tuesday by the Citizen Planning Council of Othon P. Blanco after an environmental group filed a legal complaint.

Jaime Aguilar Cheluja, who heads the Council, said pseudo-environmental defenders are trying to stop the Perfect Day Royal Caribbean project, which is a large historical investment for the southern zone.

He made the comments after a local environmental group, DMAS, filed a legal complaint against the municipality for failing to hold a public consultation prior to approving the change of land use request made by Royal Caribbean.

According to Defendiendo el Derecho a un Medio Ambiente Sano (DMAS), Royal Caribbeans Perfect Day is A project based on a LAND USE permit granted by the Othon P. Blanco City Council without complying with the LEGAL procedure, they posted on social media January 20.

Aguilar Cheluja defended the modification and December 2025 approval of the Urban Development Plan (PDU) of Mahahual by the Chetumal City Council to Royal Caribbean.

According to Aguilar Cheluja, the municipality was not obligated to hold a public consultation prior to granting permission. He said it is mandatory only when the municipal planning programs and instruments established in its Article 31 are formulated for the first time or are fully updated.

He said that in the case of Mahahual, the change of land use for the Perfect Day project is only on a fraction of the project, 107.67 hectares which represents 3.19 percent of the total of 3,373.25 hectares of the Mahahual PDU.

The complaint filed against the municipality by DMAS resulted in a legal suspension of the Royal Caribbean Perfect Day Mahahual project.

We are concerned about publications that suggest opacity in the authorization of a change of land use for Royal Caribbeans Perfect Day Mexico project due to the alleged lack of public consultation in the process and the provisional suspension granted by a federal judge for the most important private investment project in the history of southern Quintana Roo, he explained.

He said studies were conducted using LiDAR technology and high-precision drones that allowed, among other things, the correct delimitation of the wetland, correcting flaws in the current Urban Development Plan (PDU), which was last updated in 2021.

That outdated PDU, he said, is what has allowed the construction of irregular homes within the mangrove, something that has plagued Mahahual for years.

Aguilar Cheluja said that they are concerned about the Royal Caribbean project being called into question. Not only the decision of the Othon P. Blanco City Council to support it, but also the prestige of the Royal Caribbean group, which is number two globally in the cruise industry.

He says they are concerned that some environmental activists are opposing and hindering the largest private investment project in the history of southern Quintana Roo, an investment project,he says, is needed to boost southern development.

On January 21, Defending the Right to a Healthy Environment (DMAS) filed an injunction against what they said was the illegal reconfiguration of land use on more than 107 hectares in Mahahual for the Perfect Day tourism project.

According to Antonella Vazquez, DMAS President, the ruling implies the suspension of certificates, permits and licenses that were based on this reconfiguration. She also said the organization is not against development, but rather against its implementation without respecting the law, urban planning and the communitys right to a healthy environment.

Antonella Vazquez, DMAS President

On January 25, a federal court granted the injunction to DMAS over their claim of the irregular change of land use approval to Royal Caribbean for the Mahahual project.

The environmental group filed the complaint against the government of Quintana Roo and the municipality of Othon P. Blanco for the irregular modification of the Urban Development Program of 107 hectares.

The hearing to analyze the definitive suspension will be held in the coming days.
What ultimately drives economic growth and development? Is it culture, institutions, norms, innovation, technology, or some combination of all these things and other factors? Is there any way in which we can organize societies that will allow them to escape mass impoverishment? Or must we simply wait for massive technological breakthroughs to occur? And if that is the case, can the impact of such changes be magnified or, alternatively, deadened by political arrangements of any given society?

These are perennial questions, and they continue to produce lengthy responses from scientists, economists, political scientists, moral philosophers, and historians. In some cases, such inquiry is underpinned by the search for the magic bullet that will kill stagnation, or the golden key guaranteed to open the door to prosperity and wider societal improvement. Others focus more directly on understanding the complexity of change and why the same set of factors operative in different societies often leads to vastly different results.

Similar questions are at the heart of attempts to understand the causes of social and economic regression. Sometimes the answers are clear. If you collectivize your economy, you can expect that, at some point, the command-and-control model will induce stagnation and measurable decline. In other instances, the primary reasons for regression are not immediately obvious, and even a great deal of sustained research into these matters often produces very tentative answers that are almost immediately challenged in the scholarly literature.

At the end of the Cold War, when the United States strode the world in its singular moment of global dominance and its great rival, the Soviet Union, had ceased to exist, there were many who were confident that the ways to improve society and the economy were now established beyond reasonable doubt. The economic argument had been won, and the faster that markets and their underlying institutional foundations could be put into place, the quicker would be the transition to a modernity characterized by freedom, prosperity, and order.

Almost 40 decades later, things look quite different. Getting markets in place remains critical for progress, but it is plainly not enough. There are also many who have no strong interest in promoting markets and limited government. Sometimes their reasons are ideological. In much of western Europe, for example, deep attachment to the conviction that societies simply must have a high degree of significant top-down political management has played a role in Europe falling further and further behind the United States in terms of technological development. Nor is there any shortage of individuals and groups who take a dim view of innovation, technological or otherwise, because they think (or recognize) that their position will come under threat when there is a change in the status quo.

There is thus nothing guaranteed about economic development and social improvement more generally, and it is entirely possible for such things to slow down, if not halt altogether. In our time, understanding how this occurs is more urgent, given the decline in many peoples faith that, under the right conditions, we can expect many things to be better.

These realities help to make a new book, How Progress Ends: Technology, Innovation, and the Fate of Nations, by the Oxford economic historian Carl Benedikt Frey, especially timely. The title might suggest that Frey is somewhat of a doomsdayer, but the books content belies that. For, as Frey illustrates in numerous places, we have reason to be optimistic, but only if we understand the complex interaction between institutions and technology and how this has played out in different settings.

Refreshingly, Frey does not provide his readers with a laundry list of factors that diminish the pace of progress. He is also anxious to get beyond the worthy but well-worn debate about the relative importance that ought to be ascribed to bottom-up-driven development via entrepreneurs compared to the significance that should be attributed to political factors. That said, technology and how societies react to technological innovation is a central theme that pervades the book. Frey shows that it is entirely possible for political institutions in once-advanced societies to effectively strangle technological change and to start to fall behind other nations in which there is openness to such change, as well as an acceptance that some significant trade-offs may have to be made that will not please everyone.

Frey begins by outlining what he describes as the mechanics of progress. He pays close attention to the social networks that sustain progress and innovation (such as the coffeehouses at which Enlightenment thinkers congregated) but also the role played by bureaucracyespecially the type that Max Weber studied closely.

These things are often seen as being opposed to each other. But, as Frey points out, there are many occasions when the power of state bureaucracy has been used to clear away obstacles to decentralization, wide market exchange, and economic growth. He notes, for instance, how it was the Prussian state in the post-Napoleonic era that pushed through major domestic reforms that pulverized guilds and their ability to block the emergence of modern businesses and greater economic freedom in Prussia and eventually Germany as a whole. Post-Meiji Japan is another example of conscious political decisions made by the rulers of a centralized state to modernize the country and thereby allow Japan to break out of a semi-feudal framework and, eventually, to advance so rapidly that it was able to defeat militarily a major European power, Russia, in 1905.

A similar process occurred in Britain, insofar as markets were able to integrate faster and deeper than in most other European nations because of Acts of Parliament that upheld property rights and made it harder for guilds to gain traction in the economy and society more generally. To be sure there were plenty of laws passed by successive parliaments that reflected the influence of guilds trying to shore up their position, even to the point of successfully lobbying for the banning of specific technologies such as needle-making machines. Nonetheless, the overall trajectory was toward the steady weakening of guild power that created space for innovation and experimentation.

The challenge that all countries encounter, Frey stresses, is that some of the things that allow progress to occur, such as an efficient and streamlined state bureaucracy, can themselves start to become obstructions to improvement. For example, government bureaucracies will, at some point, start to become ill at ease with the unpredictability of free markets and the ups-and-downs associated with the business cycle. They will consequently attempt to exercise greater control over the pace and nature of progress, and thereby inadvertently undermine the sources of technological improvement.

Having laid out a broad theory of how progress occurs and then starts to die, much of the rest of Freys book involves his exploration of his thesiss cogency through historical case studies. Proceeding chronologically, and beginning with ancient China, before turning to medieval and early modern Europe as well as specific nations such as Prussia and Russia, Frey illustrates how the same pattern consistently recurs. Progress mostly occurs because of technological change, and the process is often aided by institutional arrangements that help to remove barriers to the fuller realization of a given technological innovation. In many cases, this enables nations to catch up to more economically developed countries.

At some point, however, the returns from this approach start to diminish, and outright regression begins to transpire. The causes, according to Frey, vary. One that features prominently throughout the book is the capture of bureaucracies by special interests, which then use state power to try and impede new entrepreneurs and competitors from entering the marketplace. There is also no shortage of cases in which bureaucracies over time develop their own agendas that have little to do with the countrys general welfare or the advancement of progress.

Frey is careful, however, to be nuanced in the way he describes the process of growth and decline. Nineteenth-century Prussia and Czarist Russia, for example, may have both been autocratic states intent on modernization, but there were also plenty of differences that help to explain the different outcomes. Russia, Frey notes, had a weak society but also a weak state. The combination of a population enfeebled by the persistence of serfdom and a Russian state that struggled to implement comprehensive reform created enormous impediments to systematic success in that regard. Making matters worse was the Russian states heavy reliance upon repression to maintain control of society. This generated deep distrust toward the government on the part of important groups such as industrial elites. Other factors included the relative insecurity of property rights as well as the regimes efforts to control private-sector development. In short, while Russia did manage impressive development in the 19th century, especially in areas like railroad construction, the roots of its relative backwardness vis-a-vis countries like Germany and Britain were never comprehensively addressed.

Looking at the present, Frey focuses readers attention upon the two countries that, thus far, have proved themselves the powerhouses of progress in the 21st century. Though China and the United States are vastly different countries, they far outstrip everyone else, something exacerbated by the relative stagnation and absence of technological breakthroughs that has characterized western Europe for some time. Frey, however, worries that neither the United States nor China will be able to master the problems that eventually lead to stagnation.

In the case of America, Frey is concerned that many of its advantages, especially those associated with federalism, are starting to fray as a consequence of the obstacles created by the growth of regulation, the influence of lobbyists on federal and state governments and legislatures, as well as a legal system that increasingly provides enormous scope for people to impede, undermine, or even terminate innovation and technological change. Certainly, American federalism enables people fed up with political basket cases and regulatory behemoths like California, New York, and Illinois to flee to more amenable economic environs like Texas and Florida. But that does not ward off the impact of federal regulation or the influence of lobbyists upon a federal government that is far more powerful than it was in the 19th century.

As for China, Frey sees a different dynamic at work. The decentralizing reforms enacted when Deng Xiaoping was in power and efforts to mildly liberalize parts of the economy in certain areas of the country enabled the Peoples Republic to escape the economic catastrophe of Maoism. The same reforms helped China eventually surpass the economies of Japan and western Europe.

After 2008, however, China started pursuing a different path. Indeed, Dengs political and economic reforms were never about generating any meaningful political pluralism. A hallmark of Xi Jinpings rule has been to crush meaningful political debate within China, including inside the CCP itself. These political developments go together with an ever-expanding curtailment of what were always highly limited property rights. Exacerbating these problems is the nonexistence of judicial independence in China. According to Frey, this adds up to a political and economic environment likely to militate against successful ongoing technological development.

None of this is to suggest that Frey is fundamentally pessimistic about the possibility of nations sustaining progress over prolonged periods of time. Rather, Freys conclusion is one of realism, one that provides an important rejoinder to some of the naivety that characterized discussion of such matters in the 1990s. To that extent, Freys book serves as an important caution to those who think that Chinas rise is unstoppable or who believe that America will eventually make the right policy decisions. In other words, progress, for all its benefits, is never inevitable.
The Japan Edition Beans Denim Field Coat refreshes an archival design with a modern twist, resulting in a jacket built for the ages.

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L.L.Bean is one of the most enduring Americana brands in existence, and its classic, rugged New England style is prized worldwide.

It makes sense then that Japan, one of the cultures most deeply obsessed with traditional Americana, would develop its own offshoot of the iconic brand.

This jacket could fit in just about anywhere, thanks to its archival-meets-modern construction. - Credit: L.L.Bean

Debuting in 2023, L.L.Bean Japan Edition is a collection developed by a specialized Japanese design team to suit the countrys climate and modern trends, transforming classic Bean silhouettes into a seamless blend of American heritage and Tokyo-influenced updates.

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The recently released Beans Denim Field Coat continues this evolution, reworking a traditional piece of New England outerwear into a contemporary street-ready staple.

Retro refresh

Part of the Japan Edition Spring/Summer 2026 collection, the Denim Field Coat blends archival influences with modern materials, resulting in a jacket that feels both fresh and timeless.

Its boxy, oversized fit and technical fabrics offer a sturdy yet sophisticated take on a classic.

Cotton corduroy appears at the cuffs (shown here) and collar. The red lining is polyester. - Credit: L.L.Bean

Rather than the typical nylon of past Beans coats, the new denim take is built with a blend of indigo-dyed cotton and polyester, which reads classic chore coat on the surface but has a little more stretch and durability built in.

The chin strap at the collar is a nice touch. - Credit: L.L.Bean

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The thread itself is not uniform  its complex shape gives the jacket a tactile, textured feel that deviates from standard denim.

The blend also means the jacket is lighter than the average denim, more wrinkle-resistant and quick-drying. The lining is 100 percent polyester.

The jackets boxy, oversized fit is ideal for layering. - Credit: L.L.Bean

Thoughtful details include the 100 percent cotton corduroy collar and cuffs, snap button closures, a zippered left chest pocket and two pockets on either side of the jacket (featuring a smaller pocket nesting within the larger open pocket).

Availability and pricing

The Beans Denim Field Coat, along with the rest of the L.L.Bean Japan Edition SS26 collection, is available now through L.L.Bean Japan and select regional retailers for 28,600 (approx $187).

L.L.Bean Japan Edition Beans Denim Field Coat

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About the Author: Hayley Helms is an associate editor at Gear Patrol specializing in outdoor gear. Once upon a time, she wrote for Mens Journal, Gearjunkie and Shape. Whether its testing a new rain shell or putting a pair of hiking boots through its paces, she leaves no stone unturned (however, she always Leaves No Trace). Hayley Helms is an associate editor at Gear Patrol specializing in outdoor gear. Once upon a time, she wrote for Mens Journal, Gearjunkie and Shape. Whether its testing a new rain shell or putting a pair of hiking boots through its paces, she leaves no stone unturned (however, she always Leaves No Trace).

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.
Shenzhen TV: China announced that the first 2026 APEC senior officials meeting will be held in Guangzhou this February. As the meeting approaches, can you brief us on the preparations for the meeting? What does China hope to achieve through the meeting?

Guo Jiakun: APEC senior officials meetings, held four to five times every year, are the main channel for preparing outcomes for the leaders meeting. As the host of APEC in 2026, China will host the first APEC senior officials meeting and related meetings in Guangzhou from February 1 to 10. This will be the first official event of the APEC China Year. Focusing on the theme of the 2026 APEC Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together and the three priorities openness, innovation and cooperation, the meeting will launch cooperation across the board in all areas and through all mechanisms, have in-depth discussions on specific cooperation, and accumulate outcomes for the Economic Leaders Meeting in November.

There will be over 50 events during the meeting, which are expected to have the participation of about 1,000 representatives from member economies of APEC, the APEC Secretariat and the APEC Business Advisory Council. At the moment, preparations are proceeding smoothly. The host city Guangzhou has a time-honored history and is an important window to learn about Chinas opening up and a core city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. We welcome friends from the media to follow and actively report on the first senior officials meeting and related meetings to share the stories of the APEC China Year with the world.

Yonhap News Agency: Its reported that yesterday afternoon, the DPRK fired ballistic missiles toward the eastern waters. The ROK, the U.S. and Japan said this violates UN Security Council resolutions. Whats Chinas comment?

Guo Jiakun: We noted that relevant parties have different views on what the projectiles are. We hope relevant parties will face up to the root cause of the Korean Peninsula issue, stick to the direction of political settlement, and make an effort for peace and stability in the region.

AFP: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer begins a three-day visit to China today and will meet Chinese leaders tomorrow. Can the Foreign Ministry provide a comment about your expectations for the visit?

Guo Jiakun: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is on an official visit to China from January 28 to 31 upon invitation. The international landscape is witnessing turbulence and transformation. It serves the common interest of both peoples and contributes to global peace, stability and development for China and the UK, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council, to maintain communication and enhance cooperation. Prime Minister Starmers visit marks the first visit to China by a UK prime minister in eight years. During the visit, Chinese leaders will meet and have talks with him for in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. Prime Minister Starmer will also visit Shanghai.

China stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to enhance political mutual trust with the UK, deepen practical cooperation, open a new chapter of sound and steady development of China-UK relationship and together make due efforts and contributions to world peace, security, and stability.

Reuters: The Chinese ambassador to Australia has warned of retaliation from Beijing if the Albanese government forces a Chinese firm to sell the Port of Darwin. Could the Foreign Ministry please comment on these reported remarks?

Guo Jiakun: China reiterates that the Chinese company got the lease of Port Darwin through market means. The companys lawful rights and interests should be fully protected.
China willing to deepen cooperation with Finland for higher-level mutual benefits: premier

Xinhua) 10:59, January 28, 2026

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Finland, and deepen cooperation in sectors including telecommunications, clean technology, special vessel building, new-type urban development, and life and health to achieve higher-level mutual benefits, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said when holding talks with visiting Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Beijing on Tuesday.

Li said China is willing to work with Finland to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries, uphold mutual respect and equality, and deepen and solidify their future-oriented, new-type cooperative partnership for the benefit of both peoples.

Noting that this year kicks off China's 15th Five-Year Plan period, Li said China is ready to work with Finland to leverage the complementary economic strengths of the two countries in an improved manner and unlock the full potential of bilateral trade.

China welcomes more high-quality imports from Finland and encourages its enterprises to invest in Finland, Li said.

"We hope that Finland will continue to provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises there," Li said, calling on the two sides to enhance cooperation in the fields of tourism, local exchange, youth engagement, and language and vocational education.

He noted that at a time when global unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise and impacting the world economy, the two countries should join hands to uphold an open, cooperative international economic and trade order, adhere to multilateralism and free trade, and safeguard the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core.

China hopes Finland will play an active role in promoting the development of China-Europe relations, he added.

Orpo said that China has achieved remarkable accomplishments in economic and social development as well as in sci-tech innovation, and it plays a significant role in international affairs.

Finland is committed to deepening its relations with China continuously, and is willing to enhance exchange with China at all levels and deepen practical cooperation and people-to-people exchange in various fields, said the prime minister.

The Finnish government welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in Finland, and is willing to create a favorable environment for this purpose, he added.

Noting that the current international order is facing severe challenges, Orpo said Finland is willing to enhance communication and coordination with China on multilateral affairs including climate change and sustainable development, and stands ready to safeguard free trade and the multilateral trading system.

The sound development of Europe-China relations is of great significance to both sides, he said, adding that the Finnish side is willing to play a constructive role in promoting the Europe-China relations.

Following the talks, Li and Orpo witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents covering science and technology, housing and urban-rural development, customs, culture and tourism, economy and trade, and energy.

Prior to the talks, Li hosted a welcome ceremony for Orpo in the Great Hall of the People.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
TikTok is facing renewed scrutiny as users report upload failures and message blocks involving videos critical of ICE and references to Jeffrey Epstein.

Some users are currently concerned about the potential political censorship rather than simple technical errors on the platform.

TikTok 'Bugs' Trigger Concern Among Users

While TikTok insists these problems are due to technical glitches, reports suggest errors disproportionately affect content critical of Donald Trump, immigration enforcement, and other politically sensitive topics.

Ars Technica reported that this pattern has intensified worries that the platform's moderation systems may be suppressing specific viewpoints.

Experts Say User Skepticism Is Justified

Media and technology scholars argue that repeated errors affecting the same political themes indicate possible algorithmic or systemic bias. Even if unintentional, such disruptions can erode user trust and raise questions about how TikTok's content moderation operates under new US ownership.

User Trust Erodes, Creators Consider Leaving

As uncertainty grows, TikTok risks losing some of its most engaged users. Data shows a spike in app uninstalls, with many creators publicly discussing migration to other platforms. For a social network built on community and expression, declining trust could have lasting effects.

When some users complained that they couldn't upload anti-ICE clips, TikTok immediately blamed the tech issues, per CNN.

Political Scrutiny Intensifies

Lawmakers are paying attention, with calls to investigate whether TikTok's systems may be censoring content critical of Trump.

According to NPR, TikTok maintains that no algorithmic or policy changes have occurred, but the timing of the glitches has fueled suspicion.

TikTok Users Could Make Adjustments

Experts warn that even subtle moderation issues could reshape TikTok's role in political discourse. Users may adjust to coded language or shift activism elsewhere, but the platform's reputation for authentic expression may never fully recover.

If trust continues to erode, TikTok could face a slow decline, a "death by a thousand cuts" driven by user doubt and disengagement rather than a single dramatic collapse.

Originally published on Tech Times
On January 26, 2026, Vice President Han Zheng met with Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha in Beijing.

Han Zheng stated that China's relations with Islamic countries have a long history, and Chinese civilization and Islamic civilization have long exchanged and learned from each other. The OIC is an important bridge for China to develop its relations with Islamic countries. In 2024, President Xi Jinping for the first time appointed a special representative to attend the 15th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and sent a congratulatory message to the summit, steering the development of China-OIC relations into a new stage. China appreciates the OIC and Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha for valuing the development of relations with China, and hopes that Islamic countries will continue to firmly support the Chinese side on issues concerning China's core interests, including Taiwan and Xinjiang.

Hissein Brahim Taha stated that the OIC sincerely appreciates President Xi Jinping's great emphasis on and guidance in promoting the in-depth development of friendly relations between China and Islamic countries. China's development has set an example for the Global South. The OIC is willing to deepen all-round practical cooperation with China and will continue to firmly support China on issues related to Taiwan and Xinjiang.
On January 27, 2026, Vice President Han Zheng met with President of the Senegalese National Assembly Malick Ndiaye in Beijing.

Han Zheng said that Senegal is an important cooperative partner for China in Africa. In recent years, President Xi Jinping has held meetings with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko during their visits to China, leading the China-Senegal comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to continuously achieve new development. China highly appreciates Senegal's understanding and support on the Taiwan question and issues related to human rights and Xinjiang. China is ready to work with Senegal to consolidate political mutual trust, deepen cooperation for the benefit of the people, further synergize development strategies, promote mutual understanding and forge closer bonds between the two peoples, and maintain close communication and coordination on international and regional affairs, so as to make greater contributions to jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Malick Ndiaye said that Senegal firmly adheres to the one-China principle. The Senegalese side highly appreciates the Belt and Road Initiative and the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping. Senegal is willing to strengthen practical cooperation with China in areas such as infrastructure and smart transport, and work together to advance the development of Africa-China relations.
On the afternoon of January 27, 2026, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council held talks with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li Qiang said that last year, China and Finland jointly celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. This morning, President Xi Jinping held a meeting with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, conducting a thorough review of the valuable experience gained from the sound and stable development of bilateral relations, and providing strategic guidance for further deepening China-Finland relations and cooperation. China is ready to work with Finland to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries, uphold mutual respect and equality, deepen and solidify the China-Finland future-oriented new-type cooperative partnership, and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Li Qiang noted that this year kicks off China's 15th Five-Year Plan period. China is ready to further synergize development strategies with Finland, better leverage the complementary economic strengths, fully unleash the potential of bilateral trade, make good use of platforms such as the China-Finland Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and High-Tech Matchmaking Event, and deepen cooperation in areas such as telecommunication, clean technology, specialized vessel building, new-type urban development, and life and health, to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results at a higher level. China is also ready to import more high-quality products from Finland, encourage more Chinese companies to invest in Finland, and hopes that Finland will continue to provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises there. The two sides should strengthen cooperation in tourism, language and vocational education, and sub-national and youth exchanges, to continuously enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. At a time when global unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise and impacting the world economy, China and Finland should join hands to safeguard an open and cooperative international economic and trade order, uphold multilateralism and free trade, defend the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and better share opportunities and achieve win-win outcomes through open cooperation. China hopes that Finland will play an active role in advancing the development of China-Europe relations.

Petteri Orpo stated that Finland-China relations have developed steadily over the long term, with continuous high-level exchanges and fruitful achievements in economic and trade cooperation between the two countries in recent years. China has made remarkable achievements in economic and social development as well as scientific and technological innovation, and plays an important role in international affairs. Finland is committed to deepening its relationship with China continuously and is ready to enhance high-level visits and exchanges at all levels, and uphold the principles of equality and mutual benefit to deepen practical cooperation in trade, investment, and other areas, as well as in people-to-people and cultural exchanges. The Finnish government welcomes Chinese companies to invest and do business in Finland and is willing to create a favorable environment for this. As the current international order is facing severe challenges, Finland is willing to work with China to enhance communication and coordination on multilateral affairs such as climate change and sustainable development, and to safeguard free trade and the multilateral trading system. The sound development of Europe-China relations is important for both sides, and Finland is willing to play a constructive role in promoting the advancement of Europe-China relations.

Prior to the talks, Li Qiang held a welcome ceremony for Petteri Orpo at the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People.

Following the talks, the two heads of government jointly witnessed the signing of cooperation documents covering fields such as science and technology, housing and urban-rural development, customs, culture and tourism, economy and trade, and energy.

Wu Zhenglong attended the above events.
On the afternoon of January 27, 2026, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhao Leji held talks with President of the Senegalese National Assembly Malick Ndiaye at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Zhao Leji stated that China and Senegal are sincere partners who support each other, pursue common development, and work in solidarity. Over the past two years, President Xi Jinping has met respectively with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, drawing up blueprints for the development of bilateral relations. China is ready to work with Senegal to implement the important common understandings reached by the leaders of both countries and the various measures announced at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), enrich the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, and make greater contributions to jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

Zhao Leji noted that Senegal has publicly reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to the one-China principle, which China highly appreciates. China will continue to support Senegal in pursuing an independent, autonomous development path. Both sides should expand high-quality, mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthen the strategic synergy between China's 15th Five-Year Plan and the "Senegal 2050", and tap into the potential for cooperation in areas such as industrialization and agricultural modernization, trade and investment, new energy, and the digital economy. Taking the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity, the two sides should deepen exchanges in areas such as culture, education, media, youth, healthcare, and sports, and at the subnational level, and strengthen the bonds of friendship between China and Senegal, and between China and Africa. China appreciates Senegal's active support for the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four global initiatives, and is willing to enhance cooperation with Senegal in promoting Africa's strength through unity, safeguarding regional peace and security, and defending international fairness and justice.

Zhao Leji emphasized that the NPC of China is ready to work with the Senegalese National Assembly to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between high-level legislatures, specialized committees and bilateral friendship groups, as well as between NPC deputies and members of the Senegalese National Assembly, and deepen experience sharing on governance, legislation and supervision, so as to create a favorable legal environment for practical cooperation between the two countries. The NPC of China is also ready to work with the Senegalese National Assembly to enhance coordination and cooperation within multilateral mechanisms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union to increase the voice and representation of Global South countries.

Malick Ndiaye said that Senegal firmly adheres to the one-China principle, highly commends the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, and appreciates China's valuable support in Senegal's economic and social development. Senegal is ready to continuously advance Belt and Road cooperation with China, strengthen cooperation in various fields, implement the outcomes of the FOCAC, and jointly uphold international fairness and justice. The Senegalese side highly praises China's practice of whole-process people's democracy. The Senegalese National Assembly is willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with the NPC of China, and to play an active role in promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Senegal and China.

Peng Qinghua was present at the talks.
On the afternoon of January 26, 2026, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President Xi Jinping had a phone call with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam.

Xi Jinping extended congratulations on the successful convening of the 14th National Congress of the CPV and To Lam's re-election as General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee. Xi Jinping expressed his belief that under the leadership of the CPV Central Committee headed by To Lam, Viet Nam will surely fulfill the goals and tasks set forth by the 14th National Congress of the CPV and realize at an early date the two goals set for the centenary of the Party and the country respectively. China and Viet Nam should keep to their paths and not sway in their commitment, unite and cooperate to promote development, and work together towards a bright future.

Xi Jinping emphasized that China is currently working to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, while Viet Nam is also in a new era of national development. The two sides should hold firm to their beliefs, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, fend off and defuse various risks and challenges, jointly defend the cause of socialism, and preserve the political essence of China-Viet Nam relations. Both sides should continue to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning on both party and state governance, make good use of mechanisms such as high-level meetings, theoretical seminars and cadre trainings, and continuously improve the governance capacity of the party and the state. Both sides should further synergize development strategies, and deepen high-level mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples and jointly advance towards socialist modernization. The two sides should strengthen coordination and collaboration in international and regional affairs, jointly oppose hegemonism and bloc confrontation, and work together to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

To Lam expressed appreciation to the CPC Central Committee for the congratulatory message on the successful convening of the 14th National Congress of the CPV, and thanked General Secretary Xi Jinping for the good wishes on his re-election as General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee. He outlined the main outcomes of the 14th National Congress of the CPV, and said that Viet Nam is willing to work side by side with China on a new journey, steadily deepen friendly cooperation between neighboring socialist countries in line with the overarching goals characterized by "six mores". China's development has consistently provided inspiration and valuable experience for Viet Nam's development. Viet Nam will adhere to the one-China policy, and continue to support the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the four global initiatives proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping. Viet Nam is willing to strengthen political mutual trust with China, promote coordination in diplomacy, national defense and public security, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, foster the friendship between the two peoples, enhance coordination in a complex and changing international landscape, uphold multilateralism, oppose protectionism, and advance the building of a Viet Nam-China community with a shared future.

Xi Jinping and To Lam also exchanged greetings for the coming Spring Festival and extended wishes for happiness and health to the two peoples.
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Despite his prodigious height, Barron Trump keeps a low profile, and for a first kid, surprisingly little is known about him. So what are we to make of the news that at about this time last year, he called the police after allegedly witnessing a woman being attacked during a video call? The episode spilled out into public over the past week, after the subsequent case finally went to trial in the U.K.

The whole incident certainly doesnt make Trump any less of a mystery, and it might even make him more of one. But heres an attempt to summarize how the presidents youngest son got involved in a British assault trial.

What is this case, and what does Barron Trump have to do with it?

Last week and this week, a 22-year-old Russian citizen named Matvei Rumiantsev stood trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in east London, for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in January 2025, as well as other charges. Her identity has not been publicly revealed. In the trial, it came out that Trump had called police in London to report a physical attack he said he witnessed while on a video call with the woman. On Wednesday, Rumiantsev was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and of perverting the course of justice. He was found not guilty of rape and intentional strangulation. He is due to be sentenced in March.

Barron Trump allegedly witnessed a crime over FaceTime a few days before his fathers second inauguration, and were just now finding out about it?

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Reports from last week would seem to be the first time this was aired publicly, yesand its pretty eye-popping, I agree.

What is Trumps relationship to the woman he said he saw attacked?

Its a little hazy, especially given that the womans identity is unknown, but it seems possible that one or both of them were interested in each other romantically. In the initial emergency call, a transcript of which was released by the Crown Prosecution Service, things actually got a little testy when the operator asked how Trump knew her. He responded: I dont think these details matter, shes getting beat up, but OK, fine, also I met her on social media. I dont think that matters. To this, the operator shot back, Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions? Trump later described the woman in an email as someone who I am very close with.

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At another point in the trial, a prosecutor alleged that Rumiantsev was jealous of the womans relationship with the younger Trump, which he owned up to, though he added that he was upset because he believed that the woman was leading Trump on.

Did Barron Trump appear at the trial in person?

No, and its unclear whether he declined to or whether there might be another reason. When asked via email to provide a witness statement in May, Trump confirmed his earlier account, but he apparently stopped replying to investigators after that. The White House has not commented on the case.

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Backing up, what exactly did Trump claim to see on the call?

He said that when he called the woman on Jan. 18, 2025, a shirtless man with darkish hair unexpectedly picked up. He then saw the woman getting beat up and picked up by the man. He also said he witnessed the victim getting hit while crying. The whole incident lasted five to seven seconds, and he called authorities about eight minutes later.

Were there any other mentions of Trump at the trial?

There were a few. On police body-cam footage from the incident, the woman stated, I am friends with Barron Trump, Donald Trumps son. An officer responded, So apparently this informant from America is likely to be Donald Trumps son. During cross-examination, the woman said the younger Trump helped save my life, adding, That call was like a sign from God at that moment. And then there was the whole thing with the warning the judge gave about whether to trust Barron Trumps account.

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Related From Slate Its Time to Face the Big Question About Trump That No One Wants to Ask Read More

Wait, why did the judge have to issue a warning about Trumps story?

Though this makes it sound as if the judge was casting aspersions, it seems that this was mostly about the American not testifying in the trial. The judge was making the point that Trumps call to the police amounted to hearsay evidence because he didnt appear in court to be cross-examined under oath about it after the fact. If he had done so, no doubt he could have been asked about things such as whether he ever got a good view of what happened, whether he actually saw [the woman] being assaulted, or jumped to this conclusion on the basis of her screams, British High Court Justice Joel Bennathan said. He also could have been asked about his friendship and whether it made him biased, the judge added.

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Huh! So now that the verdict is in, where does that leave us?

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At the very least, it seems as if Trump is spending a lot of time on video calls and connecting with people via the internet. (Lets not forget a report from last month that claimed that Trump has done at least one video call with the accused sex trafficker Andrew Tate.) Is there any truth to the reports he prefers to socialize over Discord? Might he need to get outside more? In any case, given the Trump familys propensity for suing and being sued, this very likely wont be the last time Barron Trumps name comes up in court.
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The second Trump administration entered office with a theory. President Donald Trump, backed by policy architect Stephen Miller, believed that in a battle of political imagery between camouflaged he-men against leftist protesters, their guys would always win. Law and order would defeat chaos. Those trying to deport immigrants would defeat those trying to protect them.

In Minnesota, that theory didnt just hit its limit, it exceeded it. Now Trump and his team are scrambling to cushion their fall as public opinion has turned on them.

The reaction of elected Republican officials, up to and including Trump, following the Border Patrol killing of Alex Pretti over the weekend has been markedly different from that following the killing of Renee Good, or any other scandalous episode involving immigration enforcement officials thus far. A broad swath of Republican members of Congress have joined Democrats in calling for an investigation into Prettis killing. Trump has removed Border Patrol wannabe-action-star Greg Bovino from his role leading the immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears to beat bestin administrative time-out. Trump has taken a suddenly conciliatory tone with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey after weeks of treating them as useful left-wing foils.

Its important not to overstate whats happening. The administration isnt suddenly coming out in support of open borders and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and on Tuesday, ICE continued operations in and around Minneapolis.

But all signals sure point to Trump wanting to get the hell out of Minnesotaor at least take pains to change the way the public sees the issue.

For the first time, the administration has taken its foot off the gas in its steroidal deportation agenda. After months of ramping up its interventions into blue cities starting last summer and marketing them with an almost trollish devotion meant to please the base, the antics devolved into killings, unaccountability, and lies about what people are seeing with their own eyes. With this devolution has come a turn in public opinion, with Trumps numbers on his once best issueimmigrationtanking. The party finally found a level of public disapproval it couldnt tolerate, and midterms are coming closer than you think.

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The first memorable time that the administration flexed unnecessary muscle the way they did in Minneapolis was last June. A series of clashes between protesters and immigration agents performing raids around Los Angeles prompted the administration to federalize the California National Guard and send in hundreds of Marines. The administration liked the visual and sent Noem there for a photo op and press briefings. During a press briefing, California Sen. Alex Padilla was thrown to the ground by Noems security.

The administration did not offer Padilla an apology. Instead, as the California deployment and divisiveness it caused was underway, Miller was posting about how California used to be a paradise but that mass migration has brought us to where we are now. Miller at the same time was trying to rally energy beyond the lagging One Big Beautiful Bill in Congress, arguing grandiosely that its avalanche of fresh money for DHS made the bill the most essential piece of legislation currently under consideration in the entire Western World, in generations.

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After the Los Angeles operation, the administration federalized the Washington, D.C., police department and deployed National Guard members there, too, giving DHS agents room to ramp up their enforcement in the nations capital. (A man who hurled a sandwich at a federal officer was eventually taken under arrest by a swarm of 20 officers.) Elsewhere around the country, a raid on a Chicago apartment building in the middle of the nightfeaturing agents rappelling down the building from a Black Hawk helicopterearned the administration plenty of controversy, but no apologies. When Trump was asked on 60 Minutes in early November about whether some ICE operations, such as those in Chicago, had gone too far, Trump said he believed they hadnt gone far enough.

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As the videos of over-the-top DHS tactics during raids continued to pile up, the administration stayed remorseless and itched for more fights. The Minnesota social services fraud scandals and the invective they directed at Minneapolis Somali population provided an impetus for Operation Metro Storm.

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But even when an ICE agent killed Renee Good as part of the operation, the White House, the administration, and Republican elected officials showed no wavering from the party line. Good was accused by Miller and Noem of domestic terrorism. Rather than investigate the incident, the Department of Justice wanted to investigate Goods widow. Vice President J.D. Vance, in an appearance in the White House briefing room, chastised the media for its coverage of the incident and described Goods death as a tragedy of her own making.

Full speed ahead. As always.

But under the hood, the Renee Good killingwhich a majority of Americans felt was unjustifiedcaused real political damage. Support for ICEs tactics is in the tank, while support for abolishing ICE is growing. Beyond that, the high-profile nature of the Good incident and the administrations outrageous responses to it made the presidents immigration policies not just something that a majority passively disapproved of; it raised the salience of the issue. And if there is one political issue which Republicans, already heading into a terrible midterm environment due to the cost of living, cant afford to have as a top motivating issue working against them, its immigration. That is supposed to be their bread and butter.

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So this time, when Alex Pretti was repeatedly shot after trying to help someone, and Noem, Bovino, and Miller tried to portray him as a would-be assassin or domestic terrorist, they were isolated in their approach. Trump fielded calls from senators and members of Congress over the weekend pleading with him to tone it down and pivot away from the Minnesota operation. The swaggering paramilitary incursions into overwhelmingly Democratic communities had at last succumbed to public opinion. Trump and a host of senators and Republican congressmen, surely with coordination, signaled deescalation in their statements and social media on Monday.

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Ultimately, are they just going to tweak the Minneapolis model and try it somewhere elsemaybe after a breather? Or is this the beginning of a meaningful retreat from the administrations attempt to snatch every immigrant it can?

The calendar may dictate what comes next, at least in the medium term. The midterms are more front-of-mind now than they were in Trumps first year, and we wouldnt be surprised to see deportation operations select less hostile turf going forward. The Republican Party needs less widespread coverage of immigration raids gone awry, and the best way to have that would be to select fewer immigration targets likely to go awry. The more such incidents take place, the more the future of Trumps mass deportation agendaand Republicans hopes for holding congressional power going forwarddissipates.
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Whether or not money is the root of all evil, the root of our current American oligarchy is a single Supreme Court case. That Supreme Court decision, Buckley v. Valeo, happens to turn 50 years old this week. Its Buckley, and not the often-excoriated 2010 Roberts court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, that created the conditions for the ultrawealthy to transform their vastly unequal economic power into lopsided political power, and for a billionaire like Elon Musk to contribute a staggering $291 million to help elect Republican candidates, including Donald Trump, in 2024. It is going to take a constitutional amendment or Supreme Court reform to make things right againand theres a realistic chance that the current Supreme Court soon makes things worse, not betterbut reform is unlikely because of the power of the very moneyed interests who benefit from the Buckley-created system.

Following President Richard Nixons resignation in August 1974, Congress once again took up the question of money in politics. It had passed the Federal Election Campaign Act in 1971, but it was clear that more was needed after investigations into Nixon and Watergate revealed many campaign finance abuses, such as the Nixon reelection campaign shaking down large American corporations for illegal six-figure donations, delivered sometimes in cash or laundered through foreign accounts.

Newly inaugurated President Gerald Ford reluctantly signed the 1974 FECA amendments, which aimed to fundamentally transform American campaign finance. Among other things, the law put in place a disclosure regime to let voters follow the money; it limited the amount that people could contribute to campaigns and spend supporting federal candidates; it put in place a voluntary public financing system for political campaigns; and it created the Federal Election Commission, a bipartisan agency to collect and disseminate campaign finance reports, police abuses, and advise on disputed legal questions.

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A coalition of conservatives and liberals concerned about limiting money in politics quickly brought suit. FECA itself included judicial review provisions to have any constitutional challenges fast-tracked, and the Supreme Court obliged. When the case made it to the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Warren Burger felt so rushed that rather than assign a single justice to draft an opinion for the courts majority, he divided it up into pieces. The result was a not-wholly-coherent unsigned behemoth of an opinion for the court, with separate opinions from five of the eight justices hearing the case (Justice John Paul Stevens recused).

On the key question of whether contribution and spending limits violated the First Amendment rights of free speech and association, Buckley issued a split decision. The court held that Congress could limit the amount that people could contribute directly to candidates and committees, on grounds that such contributions raised a danger of corruption or the appearance of corruption. But it struck down limits on how much individuals could spend independent of candidates.

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Related From Slate One Furious Judge Finally Showed John Roberts How to Deal With Donald Trump Read More

There, the court reasoned that such independent spending could not corrupt, because to count as independent spending, a spender could not coordinate with the candidate on campaign messaging. Without such communication, the court reasoned, such independent spending could be at cross-purposes with the candidate. The courts conclusion here was negated by the rise of outside independent groups like super PACs, which may be staffed by relatives, staffers, or friends of the candidate and can deploy millions of dollars to support that candidates message without every directly communicating with the campaign about strategy.

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The Buckley court also held that limiting large independent spending on candidates could not be justified to level the playing field. On this point, the unsigned opinion held that such an equality interest was inherently impermissible:

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The concept that government may restrict the speech of some elements of our society in order to enhance the relative voice of others is wholly foreign to the First Amendment, which was designed to secure the widest possible dissemination of information from diverse and antagonistic sources, and to assure unfettered interchange of ideas for the bringing about of political and social changes desired by the people.

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These two holdingsthat independent spending can never corrupt, and that equality was an impermissible basis to ever limit money in politicsare Buckleys original sins. American jurisprudence in this area has had so many twists and turns that it takes a whole book to explain them. Indeed, it took other decisions and rulings, including Citizens United, to get super PACs and nondisclosing political entities that could accept big-money contributions to fund campaigns independent of candidates. But in 1976, and now in 2026, the basic point is the same: American citizens cannot be limited in what they spend independent of candidates to support those candidates election.

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The First Amendment concerns voiced by Buckleys challengers were real and the 1974 law was too draconian. In the middle of the Buckley litigation, an advertisement appeared in the Washington Post criticizing Ford for his pardon of Nixon and his choice of Nelson Rockefeller as vice president. As campaign finance expert Herbert Alexander described it, the political advertisement headlined Would You Elect Ex-Congressman Ford President? urged Republicans, Democrats, and independents to oppose Ford and convince him to withdraw as a candidate. The ad cost $2,368.80, in violation of FECAs $1,000 individual spending limit. It was a technical violation of the law, but not a fair one. There was also a concern that challengers need more money than incumbents, who already had name recognition and other benefits like free publicity from being in office, and so limiting campaign contributions and spending was in the self-interests of the members of Congress who passed the law.

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But whether or not parts of the 1974 FECA went too far, the court was wrong to say that independent spending could never corrupt or create the appearance of corruption, or that there could be no limit in spending by the ultrawealthy. And the results in recent years have been disastrous. As I explained last year at Slate, Musk is not alone among billionaires spending big money:

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In the 2024 elections, the top six donors supporting or opposing federal candidates each reported contributing at least $100 million, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets. Those donorsMusk ($291.5 million), Timothy Mellon ($197 million), Miriam Adelson ($148.3 million), Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein ($143.5 million), Ken Griffin ($108.4 million), and Jeffrey and Janine Yass ($101.1 million)all exclusively supported Donald Trump and other Republican candidates (with the exception of the Yasses, who gave a nominal $1,500 contribution on the Democratic side). The biggest donor on the liberal side was former New York City mayor and publisher Michael Bloomberg, who gave $64.3 million total, with all but $1 million going to the Democratic side.

We have never seen so many nine-figure donors in an election, and with such lopsided giving. In the 2022 midterm elections, the sole nine-figure donor was George Soros ($178.8 million), with his contributions going to Democrats. In earlier election seasons, donations of this size were also rare: There were two in 2020 (Sheldon and Miriam Adelson and Michael Bloomberg), one in 2018 (Sheldon Adelson), and none before that.

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Buckley should have been corrected at some point in the last 50 years. In the early 2000s, the court came close, as justices like David Souter recognized the risks of plutocracy. But now the court has turned in the other direction. If this very conservative court ever overrules parts of Buckley, its going to be to strike down remaining limits on contributions, not to uphold spending limits. A case currently before the court may lead to further deregulation.

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The Buckley court was right that threats to free speech and association, and the dangers of incumbency-protecting laws, mean that courts should closely scrutinize campaign money laws. But that should not doom all attempts to level the playing field or limit the risk of corruption from nine-figure campaign contributions, mostly to ostensibly independent groups. If Congress passed a law with generous contribution and spending limits, and strong disclosure rules, we could have ample breathing room for vigorous and competitive campaigns without the danger of the wealthy swamping our democracy.

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Because Buckley was a constitutional decision, there are only two paths to overturn it. One is to get a court majority to rethink the cases fundamental mistakes. With the current makeup of the court, that seems unlikely. An even harder road is to amend the Constitution to allow for a better balance between the rights of free speech and the risks of corruption and oligarchy.

We should not give up the struggle over our money-in-politics rules. But we must recognize that there will be fierce resistance from the moneyed interests who benefit from a system giving them outsize influence over who is elected and what politicians do once they are in office.

A real democracy deserves better than Buckley.
Samsung's 2026 lineup gives shoppers a broad mix of classic slabs, cuttingedge foldables, and affordable Aseries models, so the "best Samsung phones 2026" depend heavily on how someone prioritizes performance, design, cameras, and price.

This guide walks through the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, and key Samsung Galaxy A series budget options to help readers match features to realworld needs.

Best Samsung Phones 2026 at a Glance

At the top end, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is widely positioned as the best allround Samsung phone thanks to its powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip, long battery life, and versatile camera system.

The standard Galaxy S25 and S25+ keep most of that experience in smaller or more affordable packages, which suits users who want flagship speed without the Ultra's size or price.

Foldable fans will likely gravitate toward the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for productivity and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 for a compact, pocketable design that still offers flagshipclass performance.

For buyers focused on value, Samsung's Galaxy A26 5G and A56 5G stand out in the Samsung Galaxy A series budget segment, combining AMOLED displays, 5G, and lengthy software support at midtolow price points.

1. Samsung Galaxy S25 Series: Mainstream Flagships

The Samsung Galaxy S25 series anchors the 2026 lineup with the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra, all built around the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy and Samsung's latest Galaxy AI features.

Tech publications note that the S25 and S25+ deliver toptier performance and strong cameras, with the Plus model adding a larger screen and battery for users who multitask heavily or game often.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra pushes further with a 200 MP primary camera, multiple telephoto lenses, and a bright, highresolution display aimed at photography enthusiasts and productivityfocused users.

Reviewers highlight its long battery life, extended software update policy, and extensive AIpowered camera tools, while also pointing out its high price and slightly bulky feel in one hand.

For those who want Sseries quality without Ultra pricing, the base Galaxy S25 is often described as one of the best compact Android phones, pairing flagship power with a smaller footprint.

It drops extras like the advanced telephoto array and some premium build elements, but remains a strong pick within the "best Samsung phones 2026" group for everyday users who value onehanded use.

2. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Productivity Foldable

Within the foldable category, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is positioned as Samsung's top device for productivity and media consumption.

Reports and leaks describe a slimmer chassis, refined hinge, and improved durability compared with earlier Fold generations, which helps the device feel more manageable despite its tabletlike inner display.

The large internal screen and tall cover display make the Z Fold 7 well suited for splitscreen multitasking, document editing, and immersive video viewing, especially when combined with Samsung's DeXstyle desktop features and enhanced multitasking in One UI.

Camera expectations sit close to the S25 series, giving users premium image quality without requiring a separate cameracentric device.

However, buyers still need to weigh tradeoffs: foldables like the Z Fold 7 tend to cost more than similarly specced standard flagships, and they are usually heavier than a typical Sseries phone.

For users who frequently juggle apps, read documents, and watch longform content, the Z Fold 7 is one of the strongest "best Samsung phones 2026" candidates; those who mainly text, scroll social feeds, and make calls may find a standard S25 more practical.

3. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Compact Foldable

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 targets buyers who prefer a smaller phone that still feels modern and fun. Leaks point to a larger external display and refinements to the inner screen's crease, improvements that make it easier to check notifications, control music, or snap quick photos without unfolding the device.

Because it can sit halfopen on a table, the Z Flip 7 lends itself to handsfree video calls, vlogging, and creative selfie angles, which appeals to social mediafocused users. Its main and ultrawide cameras may not match the S25 Ultra's versatility, but AIdriven image processing still provides strong everyday photo results.

From a practical standpoint, clamshell foldables often trade some battery capacity and camera flexibility for their compact shape, so the Z Flip 7 is better suited to users who prioritize style, pocketability, and unique use cases over having the absolute best zoom or allday heavy gaming endurance.

Within the overall "best Samsung phones 2026" landscape, it occupies a niche where design and experience matter more than spec sheet dominance.

4. Samsung Galaxy A Series Budget: Value Champions

For many shoppers, the Samsung Galaxy A series budget range offers the most realistic path into the Samsung ecosystem. Samsung's official Aseries lineup page emphasizes accessible pricing, 5G connectivity on many models, and large batteries designed for daylong use rather than cuttingedge benchmark numbers.

Independent guides frequently single out phones like the Galaxy A26 5G and Galaxy A56 5G for offering bright AMOLED displays, uptodate One UI software, and multiyear update commitments at prices far below Sseries or Zseries devices.

These models are often recommended for students, casual users, and anyone who mainly browses, streams, and chats, rather than running heavy games or advanced creative workflows.

The tradeoffs typically include more modest camera systems, mono speakers, and simpler materials, but performance remains adequate for everyday apps and social media.

In the context of the "best Samsung phones 2026," Aseries devices stand out as smart choices when longterm affordability and basic reliability matter more than toptier performance or premium design.

How to Choose the Right Samsung Phone in 2026

For readers comparing the best Samsung phones 2026, a few filters can quickly narrow the field. Those who care most about cameras, display quality, and longterm software support will likely gravitate toward the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, with the S25 Ultra at the top for photography and power users.

People who want their phone to double as a tablet or portable workstation should lean toward the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, while those who value a stylish, compact design with creative camera angles may find the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 more appealing.

Budgetconscious users can focus on the Samsung Galaxy A series budget lineup, especially models like the A26 5G or A56 5G that balance price, performance, and software longevity.

Ultimately, matching screen size preferences, camera expectations, and budget to the right segment, S25 series flagship, Zseries foldable, or Aseries budget, helps buyers pick a Samsung phone that feels well suited not just for 2026, but for years of daily use.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it better to wait for the Galaxy S26 series instead of buying a Galaxy S25 in 2026?

The S26 series will likely arrive about a year later, but the S25 line already offers several years of updates and strong performance, so waiting is only helpful if the buyer is not in a hurry.

2. Do Samsung's 2026 phones still include a charger and wired headphones in the box?

Recent Samsung phones usually ship without a charging brick or wired headphones, so buyers should expect just the phone and cable and plan to use or buy a separate charger.

3. How many years of software updates can buyers expect for 2026 Samsung phones?

Flagship Sseries and Zseries models generally get more years of Android and security updates than Aseries phones, though most Aseries devices still receive a multiyear support window.

4. Are 2026 Samsung phones eSIMonly, or do they still support physical SIM cards?

Many 2026 models are expected to support eSIM alongside at least one physical SIM slot, but buyers should always confirm regional specifications for the exact model they plan to purchase.

Originally published on Tech Times
Jet Wings held off favourite Massive Desire for his first victory of the year in the $30,137 conditioned claiming feature as Miami Valley Raceway returned to action on Tuesday, Jan. 27 with a full card of 14 races after a two-day hiatus caused by a winter storm.

Leaving from post five with regular pilot Trace Tetrick, Jet Wings quickly cleared to the front and led the field past the opening quarter in :28.1. As they rolled through the stretch the first time, the group stayed single file until just before the half as favourite and last week's winner Massive Desire (Brett Miller) pulled first-over from third and began challenging for the lead.

As they passed the midway point in :57.3 and turned into the wind, Massive Desire slowly reeled in Jet Wings, and he got within a length as they hit three-quarters in 1:26.4. But Jet Wings resisted Massive Desire down the lane and won by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.3, with the latter settling for second. Hilltop Sonar got his way out of traffic trouble and charged for third.

The win for Jet Wings was his first since graduating from the Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) program. The son of What The Hill-Schlim Schlamma finished third in the OHSS final on Sept. 27 after victories in two preliminary legs. The four-year-old, owned by Joyce A. McClelland Stable LLC, is now 11-for-43 lifetime. Leading trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. tallied his 17th victory of the early meet.

Later on the card, trainer Josh Rowe celebrated his first career victory as Twice As Much ($3.40) won the 11th race by a neck. The four-year-old Mr Apples-Double Major gelding, a homebred for owner Matt Rowe, scored in 1:55.4 with Brett Miller aboard to give Josh Rowe his first win. The conditioner, a resident of Urbana, Ohio, made his debut on Jan. 8 at now has a 1-1-1 line in eight starts.

Brett Miller led all pilots with three wins on the card, with Chris Page, Trace Tetrick and Tyler Smith ending the night with doubles. Trainer Steve Carter also had two wins.

Live racing continues at Miami Valley on Wednesday night with the usual 4 p.m. post time.

(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)
In a dominant victory among a card full of close finishes, Wild Bill Kelso made quick and easy work of a short field that was reduced to four contenders by a scratch and a break in the featured $10,274 Class-B Trot on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at Batavia Downs.

Wild Bill Kelso flew off the wings to the front for Brett Beckwith and commanded the race at every station. Maintaining at least a two-length lead throughout the event, Wild Bill Kelso cut fractions of :29.3, 1:00 and 1:29.3 before rounding the last bend and bolting to the line 3-1/4 lengths in front of a field that had no answers in 2:00.1. Kruise On Dover (Ray Fisher Jr.) was second, followed by Fashion On A Star (Kyle Cummings).

The win was the third in the last five starts for the heavily backed Wild Bill Kelso ($2.62), who is owned by El Dorado Stables and Mike Torcello. Sam Smith trains the six-year-old son of Crazy Wow-Broadway Jo Ell, who is now 10-for-46 lifetime.

Wild Bill Kelso was one of three wins for Beckwith, who is currently the leading dash-winning driver at both Batavia Downs and The Meadowlands and the third-winningest driver in North America. Beckwith also won with Century Grizzly (2:00.2, $7.60) and the aptly named Twentysevenbelow (2:04.1, $5.28).

Despite the stellar outing, Beckwith wasnt the leading man on a frigid and snowy Tuesday afternoon. That honour went to Jim McNeight Jr., who posted a grand slam on the 11-race card, including a natural hat trick in races five through seven. McNeight Jr. won with Echo De Meautis Fr (2:03.4, $9.44), Memphistennessee N (2:01.3, $6.12), Vondell Kemp (2:03.3, $3.10) and Albright (2:01, $6.12).

Chris Petrelli was the leading trainer on Tuesday with two wins for his efforts.

With no winner of the Pick Five again on Tuesday, there is a sizeable carryover of $2,201, and that has prompted the management of Batavia Downs to announce there will be a guaranteed pool of $7,500 for that wager in the first race on Thursday, when live racing reconvenes at The Downs. The guarantee is made in conjunction with the United States Trotting Associations Strategic Wagering Program, and with that, TrackMaster will provide free downloadable programs (once available) on the USTA website (ustrotting.com) under the Handicapping tab. The Pick-5 at Batavia is a 50-cent minimum wager that starts in the first race and runs through the fifth race.

Post time for the first race at Batavia on Thursday is 1 p.m.

(With files from Batavia Downs)
Carmine Abbatiello, a member of the U.S. Harness Racing Hall of Fame and one of harness racings most successful and popular drivers throughout a career that spanned more than four decades, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 27 according to his family. He was 89.

Mr. Abbatiello, who drove in his first race in 1956, was a fixture on the New York-New Jersey circuits, and over the years captured numerous driving titles in the region  most notably a combined total of nearly 20 at Roosevelt and Yonkers. He attended high school on Staten Island and from there worked eight years with his brother Anthony, another Hall of Famer, before going on his own in 1964.

In 1959, Mr. Abbatiello tied for the driving title at Freehold Raceway before winning multiple crowns there in the early 1960s. He also was a driving champion at Monticello Raceway during the early days of his career.

Mr. Abbatiello enjoyed his first top-25 finish in the national driver standings in 1962, with his 83 victories ranking No. 21. He ranked in the top 20 the next four seasons before breaking out in 1968 with 237 triumphs and $854,482 in purses to finish No. 3 and No. 6, respectively, in those categories in the national standings.

Mr. Abbatiello led the sport in purses in 1975 ($2.27 million) and again in 1978 ($3.34 million), when he shared Harness Tracks of Americas Driver of the Year Award with Herve Filion. In addition, Mr. Abbatiello ranked among the top five in purses on 11 other occasions. He had a total of nine years among the top-five winningest drivers, including second-place finishes in 1970 (with 294 victories), 1978 (387) and 1979 (393).

His final year with more than 1,000 drives came in 1989. At the end of that season, Mr. Abbatiello ranked No. 2 all-time in wins, with 6,944, and No. 4 in purses, with nearly $47.7 million. He ended his career with 7,170 victories and $50.3 million in purses.

Known as The Red Man because of his bright red driving colors, Mr. Abbatiello was elected to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1985. Among other accolades, he received Harness Horsemen Internationals Man of the Year Award in 1982, the same year he was feted with Carmine Abbatiello Night at Roosevelt Raceway  only the second driver, after Billy Haughton  to receive the honour.

Such was Mr. Abbatiellos popularity that he appeared in a beer commercial and had a restaurant  the famed Carmines in New York City, launched by Arthur J. Cutler  named in his honour.

Further details and a full obituary will be posted here when available.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Carmine Abbatiello.

(with files from USTA)
Woodbine Mohawk Park would like to inform all trainers that the draw for the Monday, Feb. 2 card of live harness racing has been carried over to Thursday, Jan. 29.

The entry box will close on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

To view the condition sheet for Monday, click here.

(Woodbine)
1 min read

Wipro and Factory, a leading agent-native software development platform and a portfolio company of Wipro Ventures, announced a strategic partnership to help enterprises operationalize agent-native development across their engineering organizations. Wipro Ventures, the corporate investment arm of Wipro Limited, also announced its participation in Factorys recent funding round.

Tech News Of The Day

Factory enables engineering teams to delegate meaningful portions of software development to AI agents, called Droids, across the development lifecycle. When implemented across an organization, Droids enable feature development, refactors, migrations, testing and more to be completed at a greater efficiency and scale than ever before while preserving existing engineering standards and architectural consistency.

Wipro will integrate Factorys capabilities into its WEGA agentnative delivery platform to further enhance Wipro Intelligence, the unified suite of AI-powered platforms, solutions, and transformative offerings. Factory will be rolled out across tens of thousands of engineers thereby accelerating the creation of production-ready code and helping Wipro shorten innovation cycles, enhance code quality, and unlock greater value for its clients. Wipro will offer Factory-enabled solutions to its clients across key industry sectors including banking and financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and technology.

Al is reshaping how software is built across the enterprise with large scale transformation across engineering, said Sandhya Arun, Chief Technology Officer, Wipro Limited. Our partnership with Factory reflects a broader shift among global enterprises, from Al experimentation towards production-scale adoption. Together we will help clients modernize faster and accelerate development using safe, production-grade autonomous agents.

Ali Wasti, Managing Partner, Wipro Ventures, noted, Enterprises today are under immense pressure to innovate faster while maintaining quality and security. Our investment reinforces Factorys strength as an enterprise-grade AI platform and Wipro Ventures commitment to backing cutting-edge AI platforms that transform enterprise software development.

We are excited to partner with Wipro to bring autonomous software development to global enterprises, said Matan Grinberg, CoFounder and Chief Executive Officer of Factory. Wipros strong enterprise relationships and engineering capabilities, combined with Factorys AInative development platform, create a powerful foundation for organizations looking to significantly improve software delivery performance.
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:

Associate Professor of Data Science Daniel Graham and his recent publication, "Metasploit: The Penetration Tester's Guide, Second Edition". Credit: Alyssa Brown

When Daniel Graham, an associate professor in the University of Virginia School of Data Science, talks about the future of intelligent systems, he does not begin with the usual vocabulary of cybersecurity or threat mitigation. Instead, he focuses on quality assurance and on how to build digital and physical systems we can trust.

"We are moving toward a world where software does not just live in the digital space," said Graham, who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering at UVA. "It's embodied in cars, robots, medical devices and public infrastructure. Once systems can act in the real world, the cost of failure becomes physical. So, the question is not only 'Is it smart?' but also "Is it safe, reliable and high quality?'"

Graham joined the School of Data Science in 2025 after teaching computer science for seven years. The move, he said, was a chance to refresh, collaborate with new colleagues and teach in smaller, more engaged classroom environments.

The intersection of security and safety

Graham's research explores secure embedded systems and networks, particularly those that directly interact with the physical world, including medical devices, water treatment systems, autonomous vehicles and other forms of operational infrastructure.

Early in his career, Graham saw firsthand how vulnerabilities in software could translate into real-world consequences. Over time, this led him to view security not as a defensive activity, but as a measure of system quality and safety.

"We already know how to build incredibly powerful smart systems," he said. "What we need now is assurance." He emphasized that as society increasingly relies on intelligent systems to manage hospitals, transportation networks, power grids and military hardware, those systems must be dependable.

He believes the model already exists. Just as a professional engineer must sign off on the safety of a bridge, he says, future data and AI systems should require comparable review, oversight and certification.

"We have strong regulatory norms for physical infrastructure," he said. "But the digital infrastructure that increasingly runs everything does not yet follow comparable accountability standards. That has to change."

A public voice on responsible system evaluation

Graham also writes and teaches widely on secure systems evaluation and penetration testing. His book, released this year, "Metasploit: The Penetration Tester's Guide (Second Edition)," introduces readers to professional methods for testing and auditing complex systems. Its reach is global, with planned translations in Mandarin, Korean, French and Russian.

"Penetration testing is the digital equivalent of financial auditing," he said. "Just as organizations require audits to ensure the integrity of their financial systems, critical digital and embedded systems should be routinely evaluated for quality and resilience."

Framing cybersecurity in this way, Graham translates a highly technical concept into terms the public can easily understand.

"People understand quality," Graham said. "They understand the difference between something that is built well and something that is built carelessly. We should expect the same quality from the systems that run our world."

Looking ahead

As data science extends further into automation, embedded intelligence and decision-making systems, Graham hopes to help shape how future practitioners view their responsibilities.

"The most important systems of the century ahead will be intelligent, networked and physical," he said. "The people building them must think carefully about safety, reliability and impact. Quality is not optional. It is the foundation of trust."
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:

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File

Britain's competition watchdog said Wednesday that Google should give news sites and content creators the choice to opt out of having their online content scraped to feed its AI overviews.

It's part of a set of proposals from the Competition and Markets Authority aimed at loosening the U.S. tech giant's stranglehold on the U.K's online search market.

The watchdog last year labeled Google a "strategic" player in online search advertising, using new digital powers to promote more competition by forcing changes to the company's business practices.

The CMA's report noted that news publishers have suffered a drop in traffic since Google rolled out its AI Overviewssummaries that appear at the top of some search queriesbecause fewer users are clicking through to the original articles.

The watchdog said Google should give publishers "meaningful choice" over how their content is used in AI-generated responses; be more transparent about the process; and properly cite content used in AI results.

Google said it was looking forward to engaging with the watchdog and would continue discussions with website owners.

"We're now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features," Ron Eden, Google's principal for product management, said in a blog post.

"Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content.

Will Hayter, the CMA's executive director for digital markets, said in a blog post that the measures would support the "long-term sustainability" of publishers and "help people verify sources in AI-generated results and build trust in what they see."

The CMA also recommended that Google rank its search results fairly, and not give priority to websites that have advertising or other business deals with Google. And it proposed making it easier for people to switch their default search engine by requiring choice screens on Android devices and the Chrome browser.

The watchdog will make its final decision after gathering feedback in a consultation that ends on Feb. 25.

 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Report: Encryptionless Extortion on the Rise as Ransomware Groups Shift Tactics

Key Takeaways Ransomware incidents rose 45% in 2025, driven by encryptionless extortion and year-end security gaps.

Manufacturing and SMBs faced highest ransomware risk, with smaller firms targeted due to limited defenses.

Ransomware groups shifted tactics in 2025, favoring data extortion and exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities.

Ransomware attacks continued to climb in 2025 as attackers increasingly timed operations around year-end staffing gaps and shifted away from traditional file encryption, according to a new report from NordStellar.

The report shows ransomware incidents increased 45% from the previous year, climbing from 6,395 cases in 2024 to 9,251 in 2025. Activity picked up late in the year, with December accounting for 1,004 incidents, the highest monthly total recorded over the past two years. Smaller manufacturing organizations were among those most frequently targeted.

"In the final quarter of 2025, ransomware groups exploited end-of-year cybersecurity gaps caused by reduced staffing and monitoring," said Vakaris Noreika, a cybersecurity expert at NordStellar. "However, the trend has been upward the whole year."

Separate analysis from Symantec and Carbon Black's Threat Hunter Team reported that ransomware actors publicly claimed 4,737 attacks in 2025, slightly higher than the 4,701 recorded in 2024. When encryptionless extortion incidents were included, total extortion activity rose to 6,182 attacks, a 23% increase year over year.

Manufacturing Sees the Most Pressure

Manufacturing organizations experienced more ransomware activity than any other sector in 2025. NordStellar data shows manufacturing accounted for 19.3% of all ransomware incidents, with 1,156 attacks recorded during the year, a 32% increase from 2024. In contrast, the education sector accounted for 3.6% of attacks in 2025.

Smaller firms bore the brunt of that activity. Companies with up to 200 employees and annual revenue of $25 million or less were targeted more often than larger enterprises.

The U.S. continued to account for the majority of ransomware activity, representing 64% of reported cases worldwide. NordStellar tracked 3,255 attacks against U.S.-based organizations, up 28% from the prior year. Canada and Germany also saw sharp increases.

"SMBs are attractive targets for ransomware attacks because they often lack security staff and tools and operate within limited cybersecurity budgets," Noreika said. "Smaller organizations are also more likely to rely on outdated software, have limited security monitoring, and rely on external vendors for IT support."

Ransomware Groups Reshuffle

Changes in targeting coincided with broader shifts in the ransomware-as-a-service ecosystem. Several established groups shut down during 2025, while newer operations expanded by absorbing displaced affiliates.

Qilin emerged as the most active ransomware operation, with 1,066 cases, a 408% increase from 2024. Akira followed with 947 cases, up 125% year over year.

RansomHub, which led ransomware activity earlier in the year, went offline in April after internal disagreements. LockBit had already ceased operations following major disruptions in late 2024.

Symantec identified 134 ransomware groups active in 2025, compared to 103 in 2024, a 30% increase.

Extortion Without Encryption

Attack techniques continued to evolve as more groups abandoned file encryption in favor of pure data extortion.

The Snakefly group, which operates Cl0p ransomware, played a prominent role after exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities in enterprise software. In October, the group targeted Oracle E-Business Suite users through a critical vulnerability, CVE-2025-61882. According to Symantec, the vulnerability had been exploited since August.

Researchers also tracked the emergence of Warlock ransomware, which appears to originate from China rather than traditional ransomware strongholds. Warlock was first observed in June 2025 and gained attention the following month after exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint, tracked as CVE-2025-53770.

"The involvement of Chinese espionage actors in ransomware is a growing phenomenon," Symantec's report said. "The attackers behind Warlock appear to be a different breed of cybercriminal, where cybercrime is one of the group's core activities and not a sideline."

Preparing for 2026

Security researchers say organizations should assume ransomware pressure will continue to rise.

"Given the surge in 2025, ransomware incidents in 2026 are likely to exceed 12,000," Noreika said. "Businesses, especially SMBs and those operating in industries where operational downtime is unacceptable, should be on high alert and reassess their preparedness to combat ransomware."

Security firms continue to recommend basic controls such as regular patching, multifactor authentication, and offline backups to limit disruption when attacks succeed.

For the full report, go to the NordStellar site.
New York, US (PANA) - The Holocaust is a warning, that hatred can consume everything  a message that feels more urgent than ever, the UN chief said on Tuesday, as antisemitism rages worldwide
Sir Keir Starmers visit to China has triggered a familiar reaction from the Conservatives. Predictably, they have framed the trip as a surrender and a threat to national security. This language is not only lazy, it is increasingly detached from the realities facing Britain and the wider world.

I am not an intelligence officer. But it does not require access to classified briefings to see where the most immediate threat to international stability lies. It is not Beijing. It is Donald Trump, whose open contempt for allies, international law, and multilateral institutions has done more to undermine global security than any diplomatic visit to China ever could.

Starmers trip marks the most important moment yet in the governments attempt to reset the UKs relationship with China. The chancellor, the deputy prime minister, and the business secretary have already been. Now it is the prime ministers turn. That sequencing matters. It signals intent, not weakness.

Starmer has been clear about his frustration with what he describes as a dereliction of duty by recent Conservative governments in effectively shutting Britain out of Beijing. While other comparable Western economies have maintained strategic engagement, the UK chose self imposed isolation. The Canadian prime minister has been. The French president has been. Britain, by contrast, became an outlier.

That was not principled realism. It was ideological paralysis.

Dozens of British organisations are represented on this visit, spanning corporate, industrial, and cultural life. They include Barclays, Jaguar Land Rover, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. This is not a symbolic delegation. It is a statement that Britain understands where economic gravity lies in the twenty first century.

Starmers core argument is straightforward. China is one of the worlds largest economic players. A strategic and consistent relationship with Beijing is therefore in Britains national interest. That does not require naivety. It requires coherence.

Crucially, engagement is also how difficult issues are raised. Human rights are not defended through silence or absence. They are defended through sustained, direct diplomacy. Shutting doors may satisfy domestic posturing, but it achieves nothing for those on the receiving end of abuses.

The Conservative counterargument centres on the recent approval of a new Chinese mega embassy in central London, which they cite as evidence of a security threat. This is thin gruel. Diplomacy by its nature involves presence. If embassies are treated as capitulation, then Britain should close half of London overnight.

What this criticism really reflects is an outdated worldview. One in which Britains security and prosperity are imagined as inseparable from the so called special relationship with the United States. That assumption is becoming increasingly untenable. An America that openly questions NATO, flirts with authoritarianism, and treats alliances as transactional is not a reliable foundation on which to build a future.

If Britain wants to fast remain irrelevant, it can cling to that illusion. Or it can recognise that the world has changed.

A renewed relationship with China also opens doors far beyond Beijing. Many former British colonies, including Zimbabwe, have increasingly looked east for investment, infrastructure, and trade. Britain positioning itself solely as a Western appendage limits its reach. Engaging China creates indirect and direct pathways back into regions the UK claims to care about but has largely abandoned.

This is not about choosing China over the United States. It is about refusing to be trapped by a false binary. Mature states pursue multiple partnerships. They hedge. They adapt. They act in their own interest rather than outsourcing it to allies whose priorities are drifting elsewhere.

Calling this surrender is a failure of imagination and leadership. Starmers visit is not a threat to national security. It is an acknowledgement that Britain cannot afford ideological nostalgia in a world that has already moved on.

The real danger is not engagement with China. It is mistaking isolation for strength, and loyalty for strategy.
(TBTCO) - Chieu 2/2, tai tru so Bo Tai chinh, Bo truong Bo Tai chinh Nguyen Van Thang, Truong ban Ban chi ao Tong ieu tra kinh te nam 2026 trung uong a chu tri cuoc hop chuan bi cho Hoi nghi trien khai va ra soat, ieu chinh ke hoach Tong ieu tra kinh te nam 2026.
A citizen-led initiative to restore parental rights in Washington public schools will appear before voters in November after Democratic legislative leaders confirmed they will not take action on the measure.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs announced Monday that IL26-001, known as the Parents' Bill of Rights initiative, received enough verified signatures to qualify for consideration. The political committee Let's Go Washington submitted more than 416,000 signatures, exceeding the 308,911 valid signatures required to advance the measure to the legislature.

What the Initiative Would Change

The initiative seeks to reverse changes lawmakers made in 2025 through House Bill 1296, which modified the original Parents' Bill of Rights passed in 2024, according to krem.

Democratic legislators had amended Initiative 2081 by extending the timeline for schools to share student records with parents from 10 business days to 45 days and removing requirements for schools to notify parents before providing medical services or medications to their children.

The changes also eliminated parental access to certain student health and mental health counseling records.

IL26-001 would restore the original parental rights established under Initiative 2081, guaranteeing parents access to instructional materials and school records, requiring notification when schools provide medical services, and allowing parents to opt their children out of surveys and sexual education programs.

Supporters contend these measures are essential for parental involvement in their children's education and medical decisions.

Under Washington law, the legislature has three options when an initiative qualifies: adopt it into law, reject it and send it to voters, or pass an alternative version alongside the original for voters to decide.

Democratic leaders indicated they will not hold hearings or take action on the initiative during the current legislative session, automatically placing it on the November general election ballot, Axios reported.

Broad Support and Ongoing Debate

Brian Heywood, who leads Let's Go Washington, emphasized the initiative has broad bipartisan support, stating that approximately half of petition signers were independents or Democrats.

The measure will appear on the ballot alongside a second Let's Go Washington initiative that seeks to prohibit transgender girls from competing in girls' school sports.

Critics argue the parental rights measure could create safety risks for vulnerable students who rely on school counselors for support when facing challenges at home. Democratic legislators previously defended the 2025 amendments as necessary to comply with existing state laws protecting student medical privacy and ensuring appropriate care.

The initiative represents the third consecutive year Washington lawmakers will address parental rights and student privacy issues related to public education, as per OPB.
Plans for a giant wind farm have environmentalists alarmed that the authorities could fast-track the process with little public participation.

In Serbias public discourse, wind power projects are frequently framed as projects of strategic importance and as evidence of a shift toward renewable energy. In practice, however, almost all existing wind farms in the country are owned and operated by private investors. With the exception of one recently approved state-backed project, the state does not have an ownership role in the wind energy sector, relying instead on regulatory frameworks and private capital to drive expansion.

Accelerated Transition: Laws, Incentives, and the Profit Motive

Over the past few years, Serbia has significantly amended its legal framework to accelerate the development of wind farms and other renewable energy sources.

On paper, laws and strategies speak of transition, decarbonization, and modernization. On the ground, however, there is a growing sense that this very transition is unfolding far from the eyes of the public  through accelerated procedures, non-transparent public consultations, and decisions made before local communities fully understand what is being planned.

The Center for Ecology and Sustainable Development (CEKOR)  based in the city of Subotica, near the Hungarian border  has repeatedly highlighted this gap between the normative framework and its implementation. According to its assessment, Serbia is increasingly adopting a model in which laws formally invoke the public interest, while in practice they are adapted to the interests of large private capital.

The Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources in Serbia explicitly states that the use of renewable energy sources is in the public interest and of particular importance to the state, but its implementation leads to conflicts that require balancing with other public interests: nature protection, spatial planning, and the rights of local communities. This balancing is almost always carried out to the detriment of the public interest, says CEKOR director Natasa Djereg.

The pace of issuing permits can undermine the quality of environmental impact assessments if the institutions involved lack adequate capacity  technical, professional, and/or human, warns energy expert Dejan Stojadinovic, who has been monitoring renewable energy regulation for years. The main problems that can arise are superficial, alternative solutions, weaker field monitoring, shorter public consultations, and insufficient consideration of long-term and cumulative impacts.

Wind power has been gradually expanding in Serbia over the past decade, but it still represents a small share of the national electricity system: around 2.9%of total electricity production in 2023. For comparison, the 2024 average in the EU was 19%. Today, Serbia has 11 operational wind farms with a combined installed capacity of nearly 600 megawatts (MW). Renewable sources contributed 25.8 percent of Serbias total energy consumption in 2024, mostly from hydro plants  in line with the EU average. Most renewable energy in Serbia is consumed in heating and cooling.

Putting Serbias Environmental Laws to the Test

Such concerns could swell into outright opposition if a massive wind farm in the works in northern Serbia comes to pass. The Samos project will, if built, dwarf all others in Serbia. It is already arousing opposition and confusion on the part of local residents.

Construction of the project in the Vojvodina municipalities of Alibunar and Kovacica won approval in November 2025. However, despite the adoption of the planning documents, including a preliminary environmental assessment, the project has not entered the construction phase. No building works have begun, and key practical prerequisites for implementation, most notably the securing of all required land parcels, have not yet been fulfilled. The project envisages the construction, in phases, of 142 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 923 MW, making it the largest wind power project ever proposed in Serbia. If realized as planned, Samos alone would exceed the combined installed capacity of all currently operating wind farms in the country.

Despite the scale of the project, key information about its investment structure remains unclear. Planning documents refer to special-purpose companies established for the two construction phases, but there has been no transparent public disclosure of the ultimate investor, ownership structure, or long-term operator. Unlike earlier wind projects in Serbia, which clearly identifiable companies developed, Samos has so far been presented primarily through planning procedures rather than through official government or investor communication.

For local communities, this lack of clarity has become an additional source of concern, as residents say they still do not know who will ultimately build, finance, and manage a project that could fundamentally reshape one of the most valuable agricultural regions in the country.

In the view of CEKORs Djereg, renewable projects are almost exclusively evaluated through short-term economic indicators, while broader social and environmental effects are systematically neglected. No one assesses cost effectiveness, balances competing interests, or evaluates the public-benefit functions that already exist in a given area, such as biodiversity services, the preservation of agricultural land, tourism potential, or impacts on human health, she says.

Instead, the dominant criteria become the number of jobs and the number of kilowatt-hours produced, Djereg adds.

At first glance, everything appears aligned: the state sends a message that it wants more wind power in the energy mix, and laws are adjusted accordingly. However, the key question remains how public and how just this transition is in reality, and to what extent it is being carried out more in the interest of private projects, relying on the bare minimum of legal obligations.

A wind farm in the wide farmlands of the Banat. Photo by Vladimira Dorcova Valtnerova.

Environmental activists stress that the specific conditions of the southern Banat region set the Samos project apart from wind farms on Western Europes agricultural lands. Here, persistent, strong winds  notably the squally, cold kosava  make the region well-suited for wind energy but also highly vulnerable to wind-driven (aeolian) soil erosion. The region already loses significant amounts of fertile topsoil each year, a problem exacerbated by the scarcity of windbreaks.

Legislation enacted in 2021 abolished the old feed-in tariffs and introduced a system of market premiums, opening the door to the first auctions and a more competitive market. Amendments in 2024 further strengthened the rules for integrating renewables into the system. Amendments to the legislation on planning and construction, and environmental laws, required all procedures to be digitalized and aimed to increase transparency.

The government recently has accelerated the approval of energy projects to achieve what it calls a more efficient process. Yet, according to Dragomir Ristanovic  senior policy adviser at the Regulatory Institute for Renewable Energy and the Environment (RERI), a Belgrade-based think tank  cutting red tape is not merely a technical matter of efficiency, but often a way to narrow the space for public participation.

Amendments to the law on planning and construction, for example, now allow spatial plans for electricity infrastructure projects to be adopted more quickly, with public inspection lasting only 15 days and without early public participation.

The application of this mechanism significantly reduces the space for public involvement and, in complex projects, effectively renders it meaningless, Ristanovic says.

He adds that while the shortened procedure is formally justified as more efficient, in practice it serves a different purpose. I cannot escape the impression that this mechanism is increasingly being abused in order to mitigate or avoid strong public reactions to controversial projects. The argument that saving 30 days leads to substantive efficiency is unfounded, especially given that the preparation of planning documents often takes years.

It is precisely at this intersection of law and its implementation that the story of the future Samos wind farm emerges.

Clean Energy for Whose Benefit?

While institutions and experts point to systemic issues, concerns are most vividly articulated at the local level.

The Ecological Movement of Padina (EKOP) notes that, despite the completed planning phase, the project remains at a standstill in practical terms. It emphasizes that the decisive moment will be the preparation and public presentation of the environmental impact assessment, which has not yet begun and represents the main opportunity for public scrutiny of the projects expected environmental impacts.

The investor is legally obliged to prepare an environmental impact study, and this is the moment when the public can become involved, just as it was during the strategic environmental assessment and the adoption of the spatial plan, EKOPs Blazena Pavelova says. Until that process is completed, it is too early to speak about construction, because public participation could, at least in theory, still influence whether the project goes ahead.

While formal procedures are still pending, the organization says that informal negotiations with landowners are already taking place on the ground. Based on information EKOP has received from people directly involved in these talks, environmental and long-term social impacts are not part of the discussions.

What is happening in practice can hardly be called negotiations, Pavelova says. Issues such as the degradation of agricultural land, environmental protection, or the long-term impacts on the local ecosystem are not mentioned at all. According to accounts we have heard, landowners are contacted by phone, visited in their homes, or invited to the offices of the Kovacica municipality by an intermediary acting on behalf of the project.

EKOP describes these encounters as pressure rather than dialogue, alleging that some landowners have been misled or intimidated.

People are told that they should sell their land because everyone else has already sold,  Pavelova says. If a farmer refuses, expropriation is mentioned, which creates fear, especially among those who are not familiar with the law and do not know that projects of private companies cannot be subject to expropriation, as they do not constitute a public interest. In many cases, this is the point at which people give in and decide to sell.

EKOP points out that Serbian legislation provides clear protections in this regard. The law on expropriation stipulates that property may be transferred to state ownership only when justified by the public interest, while the Serbian Constitution guarantees the peaceful enjoyment of property. They argue that invoking expropriation in negotiations for a privately developed wind farm is therefore misleading and potentially unlawful.

Public interest must be demonstrated in each individual case as real, proportional, and genuinely beneficial to citizens, Pavelova notes. In practice, this legal formulation is often used to justify projects that are essentially private, while the consequences  loss of land, environmental degradation, and impacts on health and quality of life  are borne exclusively by local communities.

Drawing on experiences from places such as Kovacica in the southern Banat region, where several wind farms are already in operation, EKOP argues that local residents see little tangible benefit from such projects. Electricity is neither cheaper nor directly available to them, locals say, while the energy produced is often sold on the market or exported. At the same time, communities are left with noise, altered landscapes, declining quality of life, and permanently degraded agricultural land  land on which many rural households depend for their livelihoods.

If public interest means that communities lose their land, health, and quality of life without any real benefit from the energy produced, then it is legitimate to ask whether this is truly a public interest or private profit presented as a common good, Pavelova concludes. That question becomes even more urgent when the cumulative environmental and agricultural impacts are systematically ignored, and the voices of people who live on this land are pushed aside.

It is legitimate to ask whether the proposed giant wind farm is truly in the public interest, environmental activist Blazena Pavelova says. Photo by Vladimira Dorcova Valtnerova.

RERI and residents of the area are also angered by the Vojvodina provincial assemblys proposal to relocate a meteorological radar station to a protected natural area on nearby Guduricki Vrh Mountain. That would be to make way for the planned wind turbines, which, according to existing Serbian standards, should not be installed in areas where they could interfere with radar operation.

If the radar station is relocated, it would represent a devastating symbol of the collapse of institutions that should represent the first line of defense of the public interest, according to RERIs Ristanovic.

CEKOR warns that in an environment where private projects are leading the promised energy transition, it is difficult to speak of a just transition.

The energy transition is a social process in which everyone, especially affected local communities, must participate. The state is not there to act as a facilitator for investments, but as a guardian of the public interest. Otherwise, this is not a just transition, but a privatized one, Djereg says.

Serbias experience with small hydropower plants provides well-documented examples of how fast-tracked approvals and limited public participation led to environmental damage, protests, and legal disputes.

Ristanovic warns that such an approach could seriously undermine public trust in renewable energy sources in the long term. From the example of small hydropower plants, we have seen how non-transparent and unlawful construction can make an entire concept socially unacceptable. That is a scenario we must not repeat with wind farms.

A Regional Pattern

The situation in Serbia is not an isolated case. Across the Western Balkans, recent studies indicate that the expansion of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, has largely been driven by private investment, while institutional safeguards related to spatial planning, environmental protection, and public participation remain weak.

Within the Western Balkans, Serbia stands out as the central hub of planned large-scale renewable energy development. The country alone accounts for 47 percent of the regions prospective, utility-scale wind and solar capacity, according to a 2024 study by Global Energy Monitor, REScoop.EU, and the CEE Bankwatch Network. This includes 7.9 gigawatts of planned wind power capacity  around 65 percent of the total for the region  as well as 2.9 gigawatts of large-scale solar capacity, or roughly 27 percent of the regional total.

The EU-funded Policy Report on the Green Transition in the Western Balkans (2024) argues that while countries in the region have made notable progress in aligning their legal frameworks with EU climate and energy policies, implementation lags significantly behind. On average, the region has achieved just over 49-percent progress toward decarbonization-related reforms, while performance is substantially lower in areas directly affecting communities, such as biodiversity protection, sustainable agriculture, and cutting pollution. Serbia, in particular, scores relatively high in energy-sector alignment with EU norms, but much weaker in protecting ecosystems and ensuring meaningful public participation.

A separate regional assessment by civil society organizations warns that, as in Serbia, renewable energy projects across the Western Balkans are often planned and approved through accelerated procedures, with limited environmental scrutiny and reduced opportunities for public involvement. Conflicts with local communities over land use, environmental degradation, and unequal distribution of benefits have broken out in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

These findings suggest that the tensions surrounding the Samos wind project reflect a broader regional challenge: a transition formally framed as green and European, but frequently implemented in ways that prioritize rapid investment over environmental integrity, social justice, and democratic participation.

Vladimira Dorcova Valtnerova is a media consultant and journalist based in Serbias Vojvodina province. She is the owner and editor-in-chief of Storyteller.rs, a bilingual Serbian and Slovak news outlet specializing in solutions journalism and narrative journalism.
Central and South America are having something of a moment in the travel world. From the elegant sophistication of Buenos Aires in Argentina to the fascinating Indigenous communities hidden away in the mountains of Bolivia and Peru, there are stunning and unusual places to discover from the top to the bottom of Latin America.

There are plenty of spots in Central and South America that are already world-renowned vacation destinations, but there are also some truly stunning places that are getting more attention this year. Not only are these spots incredibly beautiful, but they also offer a rich, cultural experience that is truly hard to beat. With an extraordinary cultural diversity on show, Latin America provides a unique and fascinating array of traditions, history, art, and culture that makes it one of the world's best regions to explore.

We looked at some of the most authoritative travel guides in the world and cross-referenced several Best Travel Destinations for 2026 lists. From these sources, we've chosen five of the most exciting countries in South and Central America: Panama, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. These destinations should definitely be on your radar to visit in 2026 for a rich cultural experience.

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Read more: 20 Most Dangerous Islands In The World

Panama

Panama City old building at night - angela Meier/Shutterstock

Panama is sometimes seen as just the country of the Panama Canal and retired expats, but there are a whole lot of other reasons why Panama should be your next travel destination. This small, beautiful, friendly country boasts a fabulous climate, some amazing beaches and rainforests, and stunning colonial relics, and it is a wonderfully affordable place to visit as well.

One of the emerging places in Panama that is set to be a standout destination for 2026 is the Chiriqui Province, on the Pacific Coast, about 300 miles southwest of the capital, Panama City. It is a fantastically diverse region, offering a combination of stunning natural beauty, fascinating history, and castaway-style vibes. It is one of Panama's biggest coffee-producing regions, and the Feria de las Flores y Del Cafe in the picture-perfect town of Boquete is a wonderful way to experience the culture surrounding this industry. Even if you miss the festival, a coffee-tasting at one of the many plantations surrounding the town is a great experience.

Chiriqui's natural environment is one of its biggest draws. La Amistad International Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site covering nearly 1 million acres and Central America's largest nature reserve. The Gulf of Chiriqui National Marine Park is also worth visiting, particularly from July to October during the humpback whale migration. The region is also famous for its farm-to-table cuisine, with spots like Finca Lerida in Boquete serving up fabulous Panamanian flavors using local organic produce.

Colombia

A wide view of the city of Medellin, Columbia in the valley of the mountains during a colorful sunset - Matt Lavigne/Getty Images

For many years, Colombia has had a reputation as one of the most dangerous South American destinations to visit, but the last few years have seen it shake off this image, and there are some excellent destinations set to be huge in 2026. The vibrant city of Medellin is emblematic of Colombia's evolution, having gone from the narco capital of the country to one of the most exciting food cities in South America in just two decades. Famed for its buzzy nightlife and ingenious urban sprawl, the cluster of hillside communities that make up this vibey city is filled with incredible places to eat and drink, and the arrival of the $100-million Wake development is set to turbo-charge this foodie atmosphere.

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Colombia's rich cultural offerings continue in the fortified seaside city of Cartagena de Indias. With its wonderfully preserved stone walls, charming historic city center, gorgeous Spanish colonial architecture, and magnificent museums, it is a treasure trove of historical and cultural experiences. Don't miss the Museo de Oro Zenu and the Museo Historico de Cartagena for a chance to explore Colombia's varied and at times dark past.

Brazil

Pampulha Lagoon, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais - Ribeirorocha/Getty Images

Brazil is hardly a hidden gem in South America. From the endless white-sand beaches and vibrant nightlife of Rio de Janeiro to the lush Amazonian rainforests, Brazil has been a bucket list destination for many travelers for years. But there are still plenty of undiscovered gems in this vast country ready to be discovered.

One spot that is being heralded as a breakout star for 2026 is Minas Gerais. One of the largest states in Brazil, it has been overlooked by international tourists for years but is an astonishingly rich and diverse region with a wonderful gastronomic culture, beautiful colonial architecture, and vibrant boteco nightlife. Its capital, Belo Horizonte, is sophisticated and lively in equal measures, with an astonishingly hip and forward-thinking dining scene boasting a series of young, talented chefs like Caio Soter and Bruna Rezende. It is one of the best places in Brazil for contemporary art, with spots like Mercado Novo, Albuquerque Contemporanea, and the recently-opened Galeria Ficus in the city itself, and Inhotim, Latin America's largest open-air art museum, just over 30 miles out of town.

Another fantastic yet underappreciated gem in Brazil is the lush, stunning wetlands of the Pantanal. The world's largest tropical wetland, this enormous region has a truly staggering variety and amount of wildlife, from jaguars, capybaras, and giant otters to caimans, tapirs, and the legendary hyacinth macaws. A seasonal floodplain of epic proportions, it is exceptionally remote and quite a challenge to visit, but this makes it all the more worthwhile.

Chile

Guanaco with a mountain in the background in Chilean Patagonia - Espiegle/Getty Images

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Chile is an extraordinary country. A long sliver of land sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and Argentina, it runs around half the length of South America, bordering Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. Often overlooked in favor of its more famous neighbors, it offers an astounding variety of landscapes, ecosystems, and cultures, from incredible wines and gaucho culture to the wide-open skies of the Atacama Desert and the soaring peaks of the Andes.

Right at the southern tip of the continent, Patagonia is a famous destination for adventure travelers, with Chile's Torres del Paine National Park a favorite. But recently, the lesser-known delights of the north of the region have begun to gain popularity, thanks to its unspoiled natural beauty, incredible wildlife, and magnificent hot springs.

Another relatively underexplored spot in Chile that is primed for a huge 2026 is the Colchagua Valley, Chilean wine country. Chilean wine is often slept on, overlooked in favor of its noisier Argentinian cousin, but the Colchagua Valley boasts some of the world's most impressive wineries, as well as being the center of Chilean cowboy culture. With 2026 marking the 30th anniversary of the inauguration of Chile's Wine Route, it is looking like it will be a big year for this area in particular.

Bolivia

Cityscape of Potosi with the red mountain Cerro Rico in the background - Rchphoto/Getty Images

Bolivia is one of South America's true hidden gems. Known by international tourists and photography fans primarily for the bizarre and beautiful shimmering bone-white landscape of Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, the rest of the country is far less explored. But there's a tremendous amount to discover, and 2026 might be the year it gets the recognition it deserves.

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Potosi is the region that surrounds the otherworldly expanse of Salar de Uyuni and has plenty of other attractions to recommend it to adventurous tourists. The capital city, Potosi, has an extraordinary history intertwined with the silver mines of the Cerro Rico, and popular legend has it that at least one street in the city was literally paved with silver! A UNESCO World Heritage site, the city boasts some truly gorgeous Mestizo-Baroque houses, churches, and theaters, as well as the Casa Real de la Moneda, the former mint now converted into a museum.

The rest of the region is splendidly weird, from the looming summit of Cerro Rico (known as the mountain that eats men due to the vast number of people who died working in its mines) to the crimson waters of the Laguna Colorada. One of the main attractions is the bubbling thermal springs that pop up from the volcanic energy below the surface of the Earth, like the Termas de Polques and the mythical Ojo del Inca, usually known as Laguna Tarapaya.

Methodology

Lake Pehoe in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile - Aoldman/Getty Images

To curate this list, we looked at lists of travel destinations for 2026 from authoritative sources, searching for compelling arguments in favor of particular countries or destinations. We prioritized popular countries with regions or cities that have, up to now, been underexplored or overlooked, as well as places that have a particular anniversary or occasion that would suggest increased tourist interest in 2026. Other considerations were areas that offered specific experiences that were similar to those elsewhere in the country but with fewer visitors.

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.
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.
NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- J.F. Lehman & Company ("JFLCO"), a leading alternative asset manager focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, government, maritime, environmental and infrastructure sectors, is pleased to announce that an investment affiliate of JFL Equity Investors VI, L.P. has acquired majority stakes in Reclamation Technologies USA, LLC ("RTI") and Tradewater LLC & Affiliates ("Tradewater," and together with RTI, the "Company"). The acquisitions of RTI and Tradewater represent foundational investments for a new growth-oriented environmental services platform addressing opportunities in the market for lifecycle management of industrial and refrigerant gases and the mitigation of uncontrolled sources of methane. The platform's formation reflects JFLCO's conviction in the structural growth potential of this sector, driven by regulatory complexity and end-market demand for specialized closed loop services. JFLCO is partnering with a talented management team, led by Jeff Laborsky and Katelyn Imrie, to capitalize on the numerous growth vectors available to the platform.

Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Tradewater specializes in the collection and control of refrigerant and methane gases. The company sources, aggregates, and coordinates the destruction of high global-warming-potential refrigerant gases across the world, eliminating the release of super pollutant gases into the atmosphere. Capabilities also include the locating and plugging of orphaned and leaking oil and gas wells across the United States. Tradewater's operational integrity and impactful work enable the generation of premium carbon offset credits sold to a diverse group of customers across both the compliance and voluntary carbon credit markets in the United States and abroad.

Headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, RTI is a full-service refrigerant recovery and reclamation provider offering end-to-end services, including on-site gas recovery, reclamation, advanced separation of mixed gases, cylinder exchange programs, and reclaimed and virgin gas sales.

The combination of the two businesses establishes a go-to provider of closed loop services, including collection, processing, reclamation and destruction capabilities for gas waste with multiple actionable organic growth levers, and a commitment to full life-cycle refrigerant management. The combination of the two businesses will also serve as a platform for acquisitive growth and capability enhancement.

"We are thrilled to launch JFLCO's newest platform by entering this growing and highly fragmented sector  the investments in RTI and Tradewater establish a market leader with unique capabilities, and represent a strong foundation for continued growth. We're excited to partner with Jeff and Katelyn to build upon the strong foundation that RTI and Tradewater have established," said Glenn Shor, Managing Partner at JFLCO.

Dave Thomas, Partner at JFLCO added "We are partnering with a proven, highly capable management team with demonstrated ability in establishing and scaling specialized environmental services platforms. Together, we see a compelling opportunity to accelerate growth through disciplined M&A and organic investment, positioning the Company as the acquiror of choice in a highly fragmented market."

In conjunction with these acquisitions, JFLCO is pleased to announce Jeff Laborsky as Chief Executive Officer and Katelyn Imrie as President of the combined platform. Jeff and Katelyn bring extensive experience in building and leading businesses addressing complex environmental and waste related challenges. At RTI, Rodney Pierce will continue to serve as President, ensuring continuity of leadership and ongoing operational excellence. Tradewater's Co-Founders Tim Brown and Gabriel Plotkin have also announced the appointment of Kirsten Dueck as CEO of the Tradewater business. Both Tim and Gabe plan to remain engaged with the company and support its next phase of growth. For more information on the appointment of Ms. Dueck, see link here.

"We are excited to partner with J.F. Lehman & Company and our talented teams at RTI and Tradewater to build a leading, differentiated platform in this attractive and growing market. Together, we share a clear strategic vision and a strong alignment around disciplined growth, operational excellence, long-term value creation, and climate impact," said Mr. Laborsky.

A&O Shearman provided legal counsel to JFLCO. Brown Gibbons Lang & Company served as financial advisor to RTI, and Ice Miller LLP provided legal counsel to RTI and its majority equity holders. Cypress Capital, LLC served as financial advisor to Tradewater and Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP provided legal counsel to Tradewater and its majority shareholders.

About J.F. Lehman & Company, Inc.

Founded in 1992, J.F. Lehman & Company focuses exclusively on investing in the aerospace, defense, government, maritime, environmental and infrastructure industries. The firm has over $8 billion in AUM across its private equity and credit strategies and offices in New York and Washington, D.C.

www.jflco.com

SOURCE J.F. Lehman & Company
Protest

In Tiananmen Square (Beijing, China) in 1989, one man stopped four military tanks by quietly standing in front of the lead tank. One man. One voice.

With two shooting deaths and the resulting protests in Minneapolis, it seems to me that the Trump administration, being led by Stephen Miller, is intent on creating chaos through the actions of ICE agents. I fear that the end game is to spread this chaos to other cities throughout our country so as to justify (in their minds) declaring Martial Law  and thereby canceling the 2026 general election. I may be overreacting, but the prospect of the 2026 election being canceled so that President Trump remains in power scares me.

ICE agents are currently grabbing non-criminal undocumented immigrants off of our Tucson streets.

Because I have reached my tipping point, I choose to join other Tucson citizens taking our concerns to the streets. If you, too, have reached your tipping point, go to Take Action Tucson for listings of organized protests.

Randy Garmon

North side

Credit-card stocks

I called two nationwide investment firms and posed this question. Can I put a stock purchase on my credit card? Neither said no. That is insane. At 12% average interest and 5% in commissions and fees, it would take a 17% gain just to break even. In 1999, during the Clinton administration, Glass-Steagall was repealed, allowing commercial banks to invest in securities. That mistake caused the 2008 crash due to the banks borrowing the money to invest, and using depositors' money, creating a fear of runs on the banks. Allowing stocks to be purchased on credit cards could cause a mini-2008, as the investors would not be able to keep up with the high payments for the purchase. And there will be no government bailout to save them. Big mistake.

Jon Langione

Marana

No investigation?

When you read the TPD critical incident reviews (available online), patterns emerge. Officers show remarkable restraint and heroism when suspects ignore instructions to drop their guns, and typically dont fire their weapons until fired upon. On Friday, TPD officers wounded an armed man. There will be two investigations about this incident  one by the University of Arizona police and one by TPD. I dont know what the results of the investigations will be, but the point is, the shooting will be investigated.

Trump Administration officials say the two killings in Minneapolis will not be investigated. They immediately slandered the victims as terrorists. ICE and the Border Patrol are blocking Minnesota officials from examining evidence. The videos we have all seen put the lie to the gaslighting by Noem, Bovino, Vance, and Trump. If their agents are acting correctly, they need not fear independent investigations.

Donald Reese

Southeast side

Locking us into sprawl

Transportation shapes how a region grows. RTA Next points us in the wrong direction.

By prioritizing large road widenings on the outskirts of the region, the plan reinforces low-density sprawl; development that is expensive to serve, car-dependent, and disconnected from daily needs. That growth pattern leaves Tucson paying the long-term costs while jobs, housing, and tax base spread farther apart.

Inside the city, residents are asking for walkability, better pavement on our arterials, safer streets, better transit, and transportation options that support infill, small businesses, and mixed-use neighborhoods. Those investments help people live closer to work, reduce household transportation costs, and make better use of existing infrastructure.

RTA Next largely ignores those goals. Instead, it commits the region to a future of longer commutes, higher public costs, and fewer choices.

Voting no on Propositions 418 and 419 allows us to align transportation spending with smarter growth, growth that strengthens Tucson rather than hollowing it out.

Melissa Mason

Northeast side

Greenland

In a column on Jan. 24, Paul McCarthy told us that since Greenland is a handy spot to put missiles and radar stations and since  by the bye  it has lots of mineral wealth, then the United States has an interest  yeah, an obligation  to own and control the place. He suggests that critics are trying to invoke abstract notions of sovereignty while ignoring practical realities. This is the language of Putin talking about Ukraine, of the Nazis referring to Hungary, Poland and France. It is the language of ambition and greed. Sovereignty is merely an abstract notion?

McCarthy, representing the Heritage Foundation, says, This is not imperial conquest. It is a strategic consolidation. Employing an Orwellian euphemism does not change reality. The fact that Greenland/Denmark have something that Trump wants, and finding a rationale for getting it by whatever means necessary is imperialism. The people of Greenland are not fooled by the euphemism. We should not be fooled either.

Scott Coverdale

Midtown

Trump's colors

If Minnesota and Maine arent white enough for Trump, imagine what hes gonna do to Arizona.

George Timson

Midtown

Faster roads, deadlier outcomes

Over the past decade, roadway deaths in our region have risen dramatically, even as billions were spent through the RTA. Tucson now faces a safety crisis for everyone who uses our streets: drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.

RTA Next doubles down on the same strategy: wider roads designed to move vehicles faster. We know where this leads. Higher speeds mean more severe crashes and more lives lost. This isnt speculation; its well-documented traffic safety research and our lived experience.

The 1st Avenue project shows this problem playing out today. Throughout public outreach, residents have been clear that safety for all users is the top priority. But because the project relies on RTA funding, it must meet vehicle efficiency requirements, limiting the Citys ability to design for safety even when that is what the public is asking for.

We dont need more of the same. Voting no on Propositions 418 and 419 gives Tucson a chance to pursue a transportation plan that actually saves lives.

Gustavo Silva

Downtown

Touch a nerve?

Given the events of the past few weeks, it might be a good time to review the definition of fascism:

"Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian political ideology marked by extreme nationalism, a strong central government led by a dictator, militarism, and the suppression of opposition, prioritizing the nation/state above the individual. Key characteristics include a single-party state, control over economy and society, aggressive promotion of national or racial superiority, and opposition to democracy, liberalism, and communism, often rising through populist movements promising national rebirth.

At the core of fascism is loyalty to tribe, ethnic identity, religion, tradition, or, in a word, nation."

 Merriam-Webster

Tamzen Pickard

SaddleBrooke

'Yes' on Props. 218, 219

In her Jan. 26 guest opinion, Tucson City Councilperson Miranda Schubert (central Tucsons Ward 6) makes the case for several brilliant transportation goals: shaded sidewalks; stormwater irrigation; protected bike lanes; redesigned dangerous streets; electric buses; shaded, clean, dignified bus stops that display bus status; and buses every eight minutes.

Mistakenly, she presents these worthy-but-underfunded goals as an either/or alternative to the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Next proposal, and she urges defeat of the March 10 county-wide transportation propositions.

In a universe of infinite possibilities, why limit the amount of good to which we can aspire?

We need both: all of the $2.3 billion in Pima County general transportation projects proposed (with no new taxes) under Props. 418 and 419; and push the Tucson City Council to fully adopt all of the wonderful transit projects supported by Councilperson Schubert.

Last day to register: Feb. 9. Ballots will arrive by mail.

Vote Yes on Props. 418 and 419. (Details: rtanext.com)

Stephen Yozwiak

Northwest side

ICE

ICE is no longer functioning as it was originally intended, and instead has become an organization delivering domestic terrorism within the United States. It picks up an occasional undocumented immigrant, and every once in a while, it picks up someone with an actual record of criminal violence, but its primary function is now to terrorize the populations in areas that don't support Trump. It is now an organization of domestic terrorism, as defined by the DHS.

For its use of the term domestic terrorism, DHS relies on the definition of terrorism from the Homeland Security Act. It states that terrorism is any activity that:

(A) involves an act that 

(i) is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and

(ii) is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State or other subdivision of the United States; and

(B) appears to be intended 

(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;

(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or

(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping."

ICE is currently checking every one of those boxes in a concerted effort to bully citizens and local governments.

Congress has a duty to immediately stop all funding of ICE and to withhold it until the agency and its priorities are completely reworked. This is unlikely to happen under the Trump regime, so it will need to be defunded until he is out of office.

Saelon Renkes
Jan 27 (Reuters) - Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Riyadh will not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Tehran, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday.

In a phone call with Pezeshkian, the crown prince affirmed his country's support for any "efforts that would resolve differences through dialogue" to bolster security and stability in the region.

Earlier, Iranian media reported that Pezeshkian told bin Salman that Tehran welcomes any process, within the framework of international law, that prevents war.

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The statement by the Saudi de facto ruler follows a similar statement by the United Arab Emirates that it would not allow any military action against Iran using its airspace or territorial waters.

Uncertainty over the possibility of military action in Iran has lingered after U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that an "armada" was heading toward the country but that he hoped he would not have to use it.

Trump's warnings to Tehran were against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme, but the countrywide demonstrations have since abated.

A U.S. aircraft carrier and supporting warships have arrived in the Middle East, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, expanding Trump's capabilities to defend U.S. forces, or potentially take military action against Iran.

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Iran has been embroiled in protests during which rights groups say security forces killed thousands of people, including bystanders. The rights groups describe the unrest as the biggest crackdown since Shi'ite Muslim clerics took power in the 1979 revolution. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest and deaths on terrorists and rioters backed by exiled opponents.

(Reporting by Jaidaa Taha, Menna Alaa El-Din and Parisa HafeziEditing by Gareth Jones and Lisa Shumaker)
Since the January 3 capture of autocrat Nicolas Maduro in a US military raid that killed dozens, Caracas resident "J" has been unable to sleep -- one of countless Venezuelans left psychologically scarred by the event.

When she closes her eyes, she relives the wild shaking of her bed, her teenaged son clinging to her in fear, as explosions lit their apartment in an eery yellow glow and neighbors' screams filled the air.

"I feel insecurity, shame, anger. I feel many things, but mainly I feel fear," the 50-something woman told AFP in a trembling voice weeks after the strike.

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"J" and others who spoke to AFP were too afraid to give their names at a time the state machinery is rounding up anyone perceived to support the US attack.

Venezuela was estimated to have hundreds of political prisoners before the US intervention. And though it has started to release them under pressure from Washington, new arrests of government critics have been reported.

"J" is jumpy, wakes up at the slightest noise at night, and has to take sleeping pills to suppress the fear-inducing memory of the pre-dawn attack on the Fuerte Tiuna military complex, just a stone's throw from her Caracas apartment.

In a country that has not seen war since the 19th century, the unprecedented US military incursion rattled many.

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"People are deeply affected -- we could even say they're experiencing post-traumatic stress. That means they have sleep problems, recurring thoughts, negative thoughts, intense fear," psychologist Yorelis Acosta told AFP.

"They're truly in a heightened state of alert that requires specialized care."

- 'Have to keep going' -

US President Donald Trump has warned that further military action remains possible in Venezuela if its interim government does not toe Washington's line, especially on access to its vast oil resources.

And this worries Venezuelans who never expected to see American bombs dropped on their cities.

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"I know another bombing can happen," said another woman, who called herself "L."

Since witnessing the aerial attack on Fuerte Tiuna, she has a change of clothes hanging near the front door and an emergency grab bag at the ready with canned food, water, a knife and first aid articles.

"I still need to pack a flashlight and some crackers," she said, determined that any future strikes won't "catch me napping."

"I can't put my life on hold just to let terror win. I wouldn't say I don't feel it, but we have to keep going," said L, a mother of two.

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She said she had no intention of seeking out therapy in a country where mental health treatment is taboo and an unaffordable luxury for many.

After the US incursion, the Venezuelan Psychologists' Federation extended the hours of its free hotline.

The phones haven't stopped ringing.

Half of the calls are from people with "symptoms linked to anxiety, panic attacks, callers who are highly agitated and distressed," said hotline coordinator Paola Hernandez, a psychologist herself.

- 'We can only pray -

A third woman, who goes by "M," showed AFP a photo on her mobile phone of an orange and gray plume of smoke rises from Fuerte Tiuna.

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Then she deleted it.

"I can't be walking around with that," she said. "Imagine if they find it on me in the street."

NGOs including Espacio Publico have reported a trend of warrantless cellphone searches at police checkpoints in Caracas and elsewhere.

Officers comb through phones for words such as "bombing," "Trump" or "Maduro" on messaging platforms, and check people's photo galleries.

For her part, "J" says she is equally scared at home or out on the street.

"We can only pray they don't put us in the same situation again," she said.

"All we have is the here and now."

atm/jt/nn/mlr/mlm
DEFIANCE, Ohio, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CarriersEdge today announced that Keller Trucking, operating under Thomas E. Keller Trucking Inc., has been named a 2026 Best Fleets to Drive For honoree. This marks the ninth consecutive year Keller Trucking has earned this distinction, recognizing for-hire trucking companies across North America for delivering exceptional workplace experiences for company drivers and independent contractors.

Keller Trucking Best Fleets to Drive For 9 years in a Row

Now in its 18th year, the Best Fleets to Drive For program highlights fleets that continue to excel despite a demanding operating environment. The 2026 honorees stood out for sustaining strong, driver-first cultures through operational clarity, consistent communication, and practical engagement strategies.

"Being recognized nine years in a row reflects the consistency of how we operate," said Jonathan Wolfrum, President of Keller Trucking. "Our drivers know what to expect here, clear standards, respect for their time, and leadership that follows through."

"Our culture is built into the operation," said Samantha Cleavenger, Vice President of Operations at Keller Trucking. "Clear processes, fast issue resolution, and realistic expectations remove friction for drivers, and that's what sustains trust."

That operational discipline is reinforced across Keller Trucking's leadership team, including Sarah Cates, Director of Safety & Recruiting, who leads a proactive, prevention-focused safety program, and Gabe Vittorio, Director of Dedicated Services, who oversees customized dedicated operations designed to deliver stability and consistency for drivers and customers.

The 2026 Best Fleets results reflect continued change across the trucking industry, with economic pressure and operational complexity testing fleet cultures nationwide. The fleets recognized demonstrated that strong workplaces are built through disciplined leadership and driver-centered decision-making.

"This year's Best Fleets showed that strong cultures are sustained through clear communication and driver-focused leadership," said Jane Jazrawy, Chief Executive Officer of CarriersEdge.

To be considered for the Best Fleets to Drive For program, for-hire companies operating 10 or more tractor-trailers must be nominated by a company driver or owner-operator currently working with them. Fleets are evaluated across compensation, benefits, human resources strategies, professional development, operations, and work-life balance, with driver surveys playing a central role.

About Keller Logistics Group

Keller Logistics Group is a privately held, asset-based 3PL providing customized transportation, warehousing, and supply chain solutions. Through its family of companies, including Keller Trucking, Keller Warehousing & Co-Packing, Keller Freight Solutions and Keller Industrial Properties, the company delivers flexible, customer-focused logistics built on responsive people, resourceful thinking and reliable solutions.

About CarriersEdge

CarriersEdge is a leading provider of online driver training for the trucking industry. Its comprehensive safety and compliance course library, supported by advanced management and reporting tools, helps more than 3,500 fleets train drivers without sacrificing miles or weekend time.

www.carriersedge.com

Media Contact:

Keller Logistics Group

Christine Moen

[email protected]

SOURCE Keller Logistics Group, Inc.
On the afternoon of January 28, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the second meeting of the APEC 2027 National Committee in Phu Quoc Special Zone, An Giang province. The session reviewed the countrys preparations for the APEC 2027 Leaders Week and outlined key tasks for the coming period.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the second meeting of the APEC 2027 National Committee in Phu Quoc  Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Attending the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son, who also serves as Chairman of the National Committee, leaders of central ministries and agencies, officials from An Giang province, and representatives from several businesses.

The committee noted that preparations for APEC 2027 have been proactive, coordinated, and rapidly implemented by relevant bodies at all levels. Key milestones have been achieved on schedule and with promising early results. The committees organizational structure is now in place and functioning steadily, with five sub-committees covering Content, Logistics, SecurityHealth, CommunicationsCulture, and Protocol, alongside the APEC 2027 Secretariat.

Multiple domestic and international workshops have been conducted to shape the agenda for APEC Leaders Week. Draft schedules for ministerial, senior official, and high-level meetings are under development. Communication plans, branding concepts, and security frameworks are also being finalized.

A particular focus has been on infrastructure projects in Phu Quoc. All 21 priority projects have completed investor and contractor selection. Seven of them are either on schedule or ahead of it, including the expansion of Phu Quoc International Airport and the construction of the APEC Conference Center and related facilities.

Delegates also reviewed progress, identified challenges, and proposed key issues requiring government guidance, while discussing major priorities for the next phase of preparation.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang, who heads the APEC Secretariat, emphasized coordination across all fronts. Deputy Head of the Government Office Pham Manh Cuong, leading the Logistics Sub-Committee, addressed physical readiness and infrastructure timelines. Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang, chair of the Communications and Culture Sub-Committee, shared strategies to promote Vietnams image.

Participants agreed that 2026 must be dedicated to completing all aspects of preparation - from content to logistics, human resources, protocol, and security - so that full implementation can commence in 2027. The overarching master plan and supporting project proposals must be finalized and submitted for approval in accordance with the set roadmap.

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed the strategic importance of the event. He echoed General Secretary To Lams statement that APEC Leaders Week in Phu Quoc is a rare and significant opportunity to showcase Vietnam as a dynamic, innovative, and friendly nation. It also serves as a major catalyst for growth in Phu Quoc, An Giang, and the entire Mekong Delta region.

The Prime Minister said that successfully hosting APEC 2027 is not only a matter of local pride but a strategic step in enhancing Vietnams international standing in an era of deep integration and global competition.

Commending the establishment of the five sub-committees, he urged all units to work proactively and efficiently, with a clear mission to deliver a summit that is impressive, aligned with Vietnams stature, and optimized for both substance and visibility.

He instructed the committee to create a detailed roadmap, conduct regular evaluations, address challenges quarterly, and fine-tune the organizational structure to match current realities. A comprehensive master plan for APEC 2027 must be submitted for approval as the foundation for sub-committees to begin operational work.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the summits theme must be relevant, strategic, and reflective of Vietnams role. It should address both global and domestic concerns while aligning Vietnams interests with those of APEC and ASEAN.

He encouraged accompanying topics for ministerial, multilateral, and committee-level meetings that explore solidarity, sustainable development, digital and green transformation, science and technology, AI, multilateralism, and cultural exchange - as well as business forums.

He stressed the importance of progressing from small-scale to larger events, selecting culturally significant venues to spotlight Vietnams heritage, and integrating conference schedules with hospitality services such as accommodation, sightseeing, and shopping.

The Prime Minister also called for efficient, transparent use of funds, combined with efforts to attract sponsors. Logistics must be lean, modern, and secure. Infrastructure investments must be forward-looking, serving national development beyond APEC - particularly for An Giang and Phu Quoc.

He ordered the development of a distinctive logo, cohesive branding, and an official website for APEC 2027. These must be visually engaging, easy to navigate, and blend cultural authenticity with modern aesthetics.

Echoing the views of committee members, the Prime Minister requested that ministries and provinces align with their mandates and swiftly finalize the master plan. The document must be comprehensive yet concise, with clear annexes and references, ready for submission by March 2026.

He urged all stakeholders to act with clarity, urgency, and ambition: We must prepare for APEC 2027 with long-term vision, deep thought, and bold execution - making the most of this opportunity to present Vietnam as a confident, self-reliant, peaceful, and hospitable nation.

All efforts must be coordinated with high determination, strong efforts, decisive action, and a results-first mindset. He stressed clear task assignment, timelines, and accountability across all agencies, while maximizing every available resource to ensure a breakthrough year of preparation in 2026 and a successful APEC Summit in 2027.

VGP
The iPhone 5s, launched in September 2013, still receives updates to preserve service integrity. Photo: Future

Alongside the launch of iOS 26.2.1 for newer models, Apple quietly rolled out this legacy patch on January 26. The update also applies to the first-generation iPad Air, iPad mini 2 and 3, and the sixth-generation iPod touch.

According to Apples technical notes, iOS 12.5.8 is a targeted update designed to renew critical security certificates that power essential services like iMessage and FaceTime. Without this patch, these older devices would lose access to core functionalities due to expired certificates.

With the update installed, users of iPhone 5s and similar devices can expect uninterrupted service through at least January 2027 - stretching the products lifespan well beyond Apples public five-year security commitment.

The move is particularly notable because the iPhone 5s was officially labeled obsolete by Apple in 2024, a status that typically ends all software support. The last time these devices received an update was in January 2023, also for important security vulnerabilities.

The iPhone 6s, released in 2015, has also continued to receive maintenance updates, most recently iOS 15.8.5 in September 2025 and iOS 15.8.6 in January 2026, which included a similar certificate renewal function.

Apples move further highlights the stark contrast in long-term support between iPhones and many Android phones of the same generation. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S4 (2013) and Galaxy S5 (2014) have not received any updates for years.

To its credit, the Android ecosystem is catching up. Since 2024, both Samsung and Google have extended their official support periods to seven years for flagship devices like the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8. Still, Apples 13-year track record for the iPhone 5s remains unmatched.

Even though the company officially guarantees only five years of security updates, the extended life of these older devices is widely seen as a testament to Apples ongoing commitment to its user base and ecosystem stability.

Du Lam
Silke and Kieran, a young couple from the UK, recently visited Vietnam, exploring famous destinations and indulging in its rich culinary offerings.

During their stay in HCMC, they enjoyed a wide range of local favorites - banh cuon, pho bo, and nom bo kho among them. But it was che mam, a signature Vietnamese sweet platter, that left the strongest impression.

They found the dish at a small street-side dessert stall nestled beside an old apartment complex on Su Van Hanh Street, Ward Vuon Lai (formerly Ward 2, District 10).

After browsing the menu, the couple decided to try a full che mam set - and were floored when the tray was brought out.

Silke and Kieran enjoying a tray of traditional Vietnamese sweets on a Saigon sidewalk.

The couple ordered a full dessert platter with 16 varieties of che, priced at just 142,000 VND.

Kieran noted that although the platter was meant for two people, it included a staggering 16 different kinds of che (Vietnamese sweet soup). She even wondered aloud if there had been a mistake: Is this really all for us?

Silke laughed, Do we have to finish all of this? I might need to invite someone else to help.

The couple arrived early in the day, but the eatery was already bustling. Some customers dined in while many others ordered takeout. The owner and staff were continuously busy scooping and arranging bowls for the steady stream of patrons.

After sampling a few items, Kieran shared her surprise at how delicious the desserts were.

I never imagined beans could make such a tasty dessert. But after trying them in Vietnam, I have to say - theyre amazing, she said.

Silke agreed, praising the ingredients and textures.

Some are thick and sticky, others have chewy tapioca pearls, and a few are dry and crumbly. Each one tastes totally different, he added.

They did their best to finish the tray, managing to eat 10 out of the 16 bowls before giving up.

We still have two bowls left here, but honestly, Im full. I can't eat any more, Kieran said, laughing.

I dont think this platter is for two people - it could easily feed ten.

Silke praised the dessert variety while Kieran admitted she was full until the next day.

Each dessert is served in small bowls, allowing diners to sample multiple flavors without feeling overwhelmed. Photo: Ha Nguyen.

The final surprise came when they paid the bill: the entire 16-bowl tray cost only 142,000 VND - about $5.80.

Thats a perfect price for young travelers. As for me, Im definitely full until tomorrow, Kieran joked.

The che mam dishes are served in small bowls, allowing diners to sample a variety of flavors without feeling overwhelmed.

Ngo Thi Thanh Tuyen, owner of the dessert stall, told VietNamNet that the eatery has been in her family for three generations.

Her grandmother began selling hot che before 1975, starting with traditional items like mung bean and banana puddings. Her mother later expanded the menu with a few more varieties. Today, Tuyen has broadened it further to meet evolving tastes.

Our family has been running this stall for about 50 years. We now offer 16 different che dishes, Tuyen said.

Among the options: che dau trang, che troi nuoc, che khoai mon, che chuoi, che me den, che bap, che ba ba, che y, and more.

Because theyre served all together on a tray, customers have long referred to it simply as che mam.

Each bowl ranges from 8,000 to 12,000 VND. The full 16-bowl platter is priced at 142,000 VND, though customers can mix and match as they wish.

Many patrons say the desserts strike a perfect balance - lightly sweet without being cloying, and rich without being heavy.

Thao Trinh
The launch of licensing procedures for providers of crypto asset trading platform services on January 20 is seen as a key step in completing Vietnams regulatory framework and creating fresh momentum for foreign investment inflows, according to the State Securities Commission.

The move follows the Governments Resolution No. 05 on piloting the crypto asset market. On January 20, the Minister of Finance issued Decision No. 96, announcing a set of new administrative procedures to be applied on a trial basis in the sector. These cover the granting, adjustment and revocation of licences for crypto asset trading platform services, with applications to be accepted from January 20, 2026.

Experts believe that licensing Vietnams first crypto asset exchange will serve as a crucial catalyst for attracting foreign capital in a more formal and effective way.

Tran Xuan Tien, General Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Blockchain Association, said the requirement for applicants to have charter capital of up to 10 trillion VND (over 382 million USD) should not be seen simply as a technical hurdle. Instead, it functions as a screening mechanism to identify financially robust institutions, thereby strengthening confidence among foreign investors.

Tran Quy, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Digital Economy Development and Chairman of the MetaDAP digital asset platform, noted that previously, foreign capital often entered Vietnam through informal and difficult-to-be-monitored channels. Under the new framework, foreign investors, both individuals and organisations, will be able to participate transparently by opening indirect investment capital accounts at custodian banks. This approach allows authorities to better manage capital flows, enhances trust among international venture funds investing in Vietnamese blockchain projects, and supports tax collection on cross-border transactions.

Nguyen The Minh, head of research and development at Yuanta Securities Vietnam, described 2026 as a watershed year for the countrys crypto asset market when the Law on Digital Technology Industry comes into force and the first crypto exchange is licensed. With clearer, codified regulations in place, he said, fraud linked to digital assets is expected to fall sharply.

Sharing this view, Assoc. Prof. Dr Tran Hung Son, Director of the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology at the University of Economics and Law of the Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, said apart from provisions in the Law on Digital Technology Industry, the State will also put in place licensing and supervisory mechanisms for exchanges, alongside know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) requirements. These measures will bring service providers under closer regulatory monitoring, rather than allowing them to operate in jurisdictions that evade legal accountability.

However, Son cautioned that even with a comprehensive legal framework, fraud risks remain, largely due to limited financial literacy among investors. He stressed that the recognition and development of crypto assets should be accompanied by structured financial education programmes, enabling investors to better understand the nature and risks of digital assets and protect themselves in the market./.VNA
President of the European Council Antonio Costa arrived in Hanoi on January 28, beginning his official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Luong Cuong. The two-day visit, from January 28 to 29, is set to reinforce the growing strategic partnership between Vietnam and the European Union.

European Council President Antonio Costa arrives in Hanoi, beginning an official visit to Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)

At Noi Bai International Airport, Costa and his delegation were welcomed by Nguyen Dac Vinh, Chairman of the National Assemblys Committee for Culture and Social Affairs; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong; Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao, Head of Vietnams Mission to the EU; and Julien Guerrier, Ambassador of the EU to Vietnam.

Costa is accompanied by senior officials including Anna-Maria Boura, Chief Foreign Affairs Advisor; Veronika Senturk Musilova, Foreign Policy Advisor; and Maria Tomasik, Spokesperson.

On January 29, Costa will meet with key Vietnamese leaders and participate in several official events in Hanoi.

A visit amid global uncertainty - and opportunity

Ahead of his arrival, Costa described the visit as a landmark moment occurring during a time of uncertainty. In a world where mutual trust between nations can no longer be taken for granted, he emphasized the importance of reliable and predictable partnerships.

In a world that is increasingly multipolar, multilateral cooperation must be grounded in trusted, stable relationships, he said.

Costas visit coincides with a significant transition in Vietnams political landscape, as the 14th National Party Congress recently outlined the countrys long-term development strategy.

Vietnam is one of the EUs most important partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1990, the two sides have built one of the EUs most dynamic and wide-ranging partnerships in Asia, spanning trade, sustainable development, innovation, governance, security, and people-to-people exchange.

A prime example of this progress is the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). In effect since 2020, the agreement has boosted two-way trade by approximately 40% in just five years.

Our relationship has outgrown its current framework, Costa said. It is time to elevate our partnership.

He added that this upgrade would reflect the reality of the growing EU-Vietnam relationship and provide a solid foundation for deeper collaboration in key areas such as green energy, advanced technology, workforce skills, and security.

Vietnams growing global role

Costa emphasized that for the EU, upgrading the relationship signals recognition of Vietnam not just as a fast-growing economy but as a strategic partner with a vital role in regional stability and global connectivity.

EU Ambassador to Vietnam Julien Guerrier noted that the timing of the visit - immediately following Vietnams 14th Party Congress - demonstrates how highly the EU values its relationship with Hanoi. Over the past 35 years, the relationship has evolved from early humanitarian support to a multi-faceted, deep strategic engagement.

Guerrier expressed optimism that the visit could usher in a new era for EUVietnam relations. This new chapter, he said, would be symbolized by a shared ambition to elevate the partnership.

Three key pillars - and bold new fronts

The EU seeks to reinforce three existing pillars of cooperation: trade, green transition, and peace and security.

EVFTA has already delivered a 40% increase in bilateral trade over five years. The EU is eager to build on that success, especially at a time when global trade is facing headwinds.

In the green transition, the EU plans to deepen support for Vietnams renewable energy goals, helping the country enhance its energy independence and security - aligning with policy directions set at the 14th Party Congress.

In terms of peace and security, the EU aims to move beyond peacekeeping cooperation into broader areas such as maritime security, crisis management, and the promotion of international law, including in the East Sea.

Beyond these core areas, the EU is also keen to explore new sectors of collaboration, including digital transformation, innovation, and cutting-edge technologies such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and critical raw materials.

With shared aspirations and mutual trust, both sides appear ready to move their relationship to a higher strategic level - one that not only reflects past achievements but also prepares for future challenges and opportunities.

Tran Thuong
On some routes, tickets are unavailable for several consecutive days, with round-trip fares reaching nearly VND10 million.

One of the busiest routes is between HCMC and Thanh Hoa. A check on airlines booking systems shows that on this route, Vietjet Air has sold out all outbound tickets from February 11 to February 16 (the 24th to 28th days of the 12th lunar month).

Return flights from Thanh Hoa to HCMC have been fully booked for six consecutive days, from the 4th to the 9th day of Tet. If passengers book round-trip tickets for the period from February 10 (the Kitchen Gods Day) to the 9th day of Tet, fares reach VND8.67 million, including taxes and fees.

Similarly, Bamboo Airways is also out of tickets for the return leg until the beginning of the first new working week after Tet.

At Vietnam Airlines, Tet flight tickets for the HCMC - Thanh Hoa route are also strained from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to the 10th day of Tet, as the system records both directions are completely sold out.

For those accepting early travel from the 20th-22nd day of the 12th lunar month until after the 10th day of Tet, the displayed price is VND7.5 million/round-trip ticket (including taxes and fees). From the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to the 10th day of Tet, the price is VND8 million/round-trip ticket, and from the 29th day of the 12th lunar month to the 10th day of Tet, it reaches nearly VND9.7 million/round-trip ticket.

However, after domestic airlines added more flights, Tet ticket prices on some routes have cooled down.

For example, on the HCMC - Hanoi route, the price at Vietnam Airlines is around VND8-9 million for an early morning flight on February 10 (23rd day of the 12th lunar month) with a return on February 21 (5th day of Tet). The high price is mainly due to the return leg to HCMC after Tet, starting from VND4.5 million/leg (excluding taxes and fees).

Meanwhile, Vietjet Air and Vietravel Airlines list prices at approximately VND7.2 million/round-trip ticket (including taxes and fees) for the same departure time. The price at Bamboo Airways fluctuates from VND7.3-8.4 million/round-trip ticket.

A representative of Vietravel Airlines said that general ticket prices have not increased compared to the same period and remain competitive. Specifically, the HCMC - Hanoi route recorded prices about 5-10 percent lower than the 2025 Tet.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) under the Ministry of Construction, regarding the HCMC - Hanoi backbone route, there is generally still room for bookings, with high local demand only recorded on some days close to and after Tet. Specifically, the HCMC - Hanoi leg on February 12-13 has reached about 85-88 percent, while the reverse Hanoi - HCMC leg on February 21-23 is up to 80-96 percent.

This agency cited statistics on booking situations of domestic airlines as of January 23, showing that the domestic aviation market for the Year of the Horse Tet 2026 has recorded high travel demand and clearly demonstrates the "one-way peak" characteristic, similar to previous years.

During the pre-Tet period, especially from February 10-15 (from the 23rd to the 28th day of the 12th lunar month), travel demand is heavily concentrated on routes from HCMC to Central and Northern provinces.

Booking rates on many routes have reached over 80 percent, with a series of routes recording 90-100 percent, even reaching full capacity on peak days such as flights from HCMC to Hue, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon, Chu Lai, Dong Hoi, and Van Don.

In the opposite direction, the number of passengers from localities to HCMC during this period is low, with many flights having booking rates below 35 percent, sometimes requiring ferry flights to ensure aircraft for the post-Tet peak.

For routes from Hanoi to Central and Southern provinces during the pre-Tet period, booking rates mostly remain low. Many routes like Hanoi to Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon, and Can Tho have only sold 30-60 percent of seats. Only the Hanoi - Dong Hoi route has a very high booking rate of 88-100 percent during the 3 peak days of February 12-15.

After Tet, especially from the 3rd to the 6th day of Tet (February 21-25), travel demand reverses significantly. Booking rates on routes from localities back to HCMC increased sharply, commonly at 80-100 percent, with many routes from Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon, Chu Lai, Vinh, Thanh Hoa, Hue, and Hai Phong to HCMC being almost completely sold out.

Ngoc Ha
As part of Hanois strategic development plan for 20262035, the city is set to establish five new large-scale urban areas covering approximately 49,700 hectares, with a total projected investment of over $160 billion.

A corner of Dong Anh district, part of the planned northern urban zone in Hanoi. Photo: Thach Thao

The announcement was made on January 27 during the 31st session of the Hanoi Peoples Council, where the city approved a resolution outlining key components of its 100-year capital master plan.

According to the proposal, the five new urban zones will serve as strategic pillars for the capitals future growth and urban restructuring.

The first zone will be developed on both sides of the southern section of Ring Road 4. Spanning 10,000 hectares, it will require an estimated $40 billion in investment. About 55% of the land will be dedicated to housing, while the remaining space will include green areas, social infrastructure, public facilities, and technical infrastructure. Housing distribution will be 80% low-rise (35 floors) and 20% high-rise (2130 floors).

The second urban zone will rise along the western section of Ring Road 4, also measuring 10,000 hectares with a similar $40 billion investment. This area will feature a greater share of high-rise housing - approximately 40% - with the remainder being low-rise homes.

Urban expansion across all cardinal directions

The third development will be located to the north of Hanoi, in the Me Linh  Dong Anh area. With a projected area of 9,000 hectares and an investment of around $32 billion, it will follow a housing distribution pattern similar to the western Ring Road 4 zone.

To the east, Gia Lam will host the fourth urban zone, occupying 8,000 hectares and attracting an estimated $32 billion in investment. Like the northern and western areas, this development will include 40% high-rise and 60% low-rise housing.

Finally, the fifth and smallest project will take shape in Hoa Lac, west of the city, covering 4,700 hectares. It is projected to cost $18.8 billion and will also maintain a 40-60 ratio between high-rise and low-rise housing.

These new developments are part of a broader plan to restructure Hanois urban core, ease congestion, and decentralize population density.

In a related move, Hanoi is also proposing to relocate over 860,000 residents from within Ring Road 3 by 2045 as part of its long-term demographic strategy.

Summary of five strategic urban zones in Hanoi (20262035):

Hong Khanh
Defendant Dang Thi Thanh Huong

On January 19, the Hanoi Peoples Court sentenced defendant Dang Thi Thanh Huong (52, from Tay Ho ward, Hanoi) to life imprisonment for fraud and asset appropriation. The victim in the case was Vu Thi H. (63, from Hanoi), who was defrauded of hundreds of billions of dong.

Huong worked as a freelance real estate broker. Around early 2018, she became acquainted with Ms. H. Seeing that Ms. H. was financially well-off, Huong claimed that her husband was the general director of a real estate company and that she herself had many connections with senior leaders of Hanoi.

Huong worked as a freelance real estate broker. In early 2018, she became acquainted with H. Seeing that H. was financially well-off, Huong claimed that her husband was the general director of a real estate company and that she herself had many connections with senior leaders of Hanoi.

Huong also frequently provided H. with information about companies developing real estate projects in Hanoi. In August 2018, H. noticed a property at No36 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi, with a prime location and wanted to build an office there for lease.

In fact, this property was a stated-owned villa, previously assigned to the Hong Ha Cultural Products Factory and 25 households for management and use. In 2014, the Hanoi Peoples Committee issued a document assigning the former Hoan Kiem district Peoples Committee to continue site clearance solutions to build a primary school, but the plan could not be implemented because the house was classified as a protected villa and many households opposed relocation.

Despite knowing the project's legal status, Huong still affirmed she could help H. buy the entire plot at a price of VND400 million per sqm.

Trusting Huong, H. transferred VND5 billion to Huong as a deposit on August 27, 2018. Huong drafted a contract promising to complete all legal procedures to acquire the project. To further build trust, Huong asked a former Chief of Staff of the Guard Command (Ministry of Public Security) to sign the contract as a witness. This led H. to transfer another amount of VND20 billion.

After receiving the money, Huong frequently sent photos showing herself sitting with Hoan Kiem District leaders to convince H that she was negotiating the deal.

Also in August 2018, Huong suggested that H. buy another plot at No47F Ngo Quyen Street, Hanoi, although this address did not exist in reality.

To demonstrate her capability, Huong also asked a representative of H. to meet leaders of the Economic Division of the former Hoan Kiem district Peoples Committee to receive a land dossier on her behalf. This further increased H.s trust, leading her to transfer more than VND204 billion to Huong.

The indictment determined that from August 27, 2018, to July 19, 2019, H. transferred more than VND229 billion to Huong on multiple occasions. Huong used the entire appropriated amount to repay debts and for personal spending.

Devastated after being defrauded of such a large sum, H. said she attempted suicide several times. She told investigators that the money she gave Huong included funds she had raised from relatives and acquaintances.

On June 16, 2020, H. reported the fraud to the police. During the investigation, Huong initially denied the allegations, claiming there had been no land transactions and that all the money transferred by H. was merely loans for business purposes.

However, after analyzing evidences, authorities determined that Huong had appropriated over VND229 billion.

Huong initially attempted to deflect blame but eventually admitted to the charges and asked for leniency.

Meanwhile, the victim maintained that the total amount transferred to Huong exceeded VND500 billion, not just more than VND229 billion as stated.

Regarding civil liability, H. requested that Huong compensate her for the remaining amount allegedly appropriated, totaling more than VND533 billion.

In its closing arguments, the prosecutors office proposed a life sentence, stating that the investigation had sufficient grounds to determine Huong appropriated more than VND229 billion. The defendant acted alone and had no accomplices, despite the victims request to examine the conduct of several related individuals.

Regarding the appropriated funds, the court ordered Huong to compensate H. and granted the victim the right to file a separate civil lawsuit for other amounts she claimed were also misappropriated.

T. Nhung
The incident involved a YAK-130 jet piloted by Second Lieutenant Dinh Thanh Trung of Air Regiment 940 under the Air Force Officer Training School, Air DefenseAir Force Service.

According to official reports, Trung was conducting a standard training exercise (lesson 5+3) and was cleared for takeoff at 7:27 AM.

At 7:44 AM, the aircraft lost contact. Facing a sudden technical malfunction, Trung attempted emergency troubleshooting but was unsuccessful.

Demonstrating decisive judgment, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft away from residential areas. Upon finding a safe location, he activated the ejection system and parachuted to safety.

He landed in Hoa Hiep Ward, where local residents helped transport him to Phu Yen General Hospital. The hospital confirmed receiving the pilot at 9:03 AM and conducted immediate medical imaging. No serious injuries were detected, and his condition has since stabilized.

The YAK-130 crashed into Hon Vinh mountain, located in Dong Hoa Ward, Dak Lak. Fortunately, no civilians or nearby structures were harmed.

Military units, along with local authorities and search-and-rescue forces, are working together to secure the site and investigate the cause of the accident.

The crash site has been cordoned off for safety and investigation. The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that protecting civilian lives was a top priority throughout the emergency, and credited the pilot for his professionalism and quick decision-making.

Tran Thuong-Hai Duong
Giveaway combats the "lowest energy day of the year"; juice bar also launches new menu items

DALLAS, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Clean Juice, a national juice bar franchise known for its fresh, high-quality ingredients and focus on overall health and wellness, is offering free Berry Acai Bowls at all participating locations nationwide on Monday, Feb. 9, to help Americans reset and recharge after one of the year's most indulgent days.

The day after the Big Game is notoriously one of the lowest-energy and least productive days of the year. With nearly 100 million pounds of snacks consumed on that Sunday alone, Clean Juice's complimentary Berry Acai Bowl offer provides a delicious, nutrient-packed solution to help jump-start the week and restore energy after a day of excess.

The Berry Acai Bowl features a nutrient-dense blend of acai, banana, strawberry, blueberry, honey and almond milk, topped with crunchy granola, sliced banana, goji berries and seasonal fruit, making it the perfect post-indulgence reset.

"The Monday after the Big Game has become America's unofficial 'recovery day,' and we wanted to meet people where they are with a solution that actually works," said BRIX Holdings CEO Sherif Mityas. "Our Berry Acai Bowl is packed with antioxidants, natural energy and whole-food nutrition, which is exactly what is needed after a day of indulgence. This is about more than a free bowl; it's about helping people experience how good clean eating can make them feel, especially when they need it most."

The Berry Acai Bowl giveaway coincides with the launch of five additional bowls designed to support overall health and wellness:

Nutty Acai : Blend of acai, almond butter, almond milk, banana, strawberry, cacao, maple syrup and camu camu, topped with granola, banana and seasonal fruit

: Blend of acai, almond butter, almond milk, banana, strawberry, cacao, maple syrup and camu camu, topped with granola, banana and seasonal fruit Green Glow Acai : Blend of acai, kale, spinach, kiwi, mango, banana, matcha, vanilla, honey and almond milk, topped with granola, banana, kiwi and mango

: Blend of acai, kale, spinach, kiwi, mango, banana, matcha, vanilla, honey and almond milk, topped with granola, banana, kiwi and mango Blue Paradise : Blend of blue spirulina, pineapple, banana, chia seeds, vanilla, honey and almond milk with a coconut cream swirl, topped with granola, pineapple, banana and coconut

: Blend of blue spirulina, pineapple, banana, chia seeds, vanilla, honey and almond milk with a coconut cream swirl, topped with granola, pineapple, banana and coconut Peanut Butter : Blend of cacao, peanut butter, banana, maca root, mushroom blend, honey and almond milk, topped with granola, banana and cacao nibs

: Blend of cacao, peanut butter, banana, maca root, mushroom blend, honey and almond milk, topped with granola, banana and cacao nibs Red Velvet Acai: Blend of acai, beets, strawberry, banana, almond butter, vanilla and almond milk, topped with granola, cacao nibs, goji berries and coconut

The free Berry Acai Bowl offer is available at all participating Clean Juice locations nationwide on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in-store only, with no purchase necessary while supplies last.

For more information about Clean Juice and to find a location near you, visit www.cleanjuice.com.

ABOUT CLEAN JUICE

Founded in 2016, Clean Juice is a national juice bar franchise known for its fresh, high-quality ingredients and focus on overall health, wellness and nutrition, offering cold-pressed fresh and bottled juices, plus smoothies, bowls and other nutritiously clean menu items, such as wraps, sandwiches and toasts. With over 55 stores across 17 states, Clean Juice is owned by CJ Fresh Holdings, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of BRIX Holdings, LLC, a Dallas-based multi-brand company specializing in chains with superior products and attractive growth prospects. For more information about Clean Juice, please visit www.cleanjuice.com.

Media Contact:

Abby Boroski

[email protected]

817-329-3257

SOURCE Clean Juice
The assessment was made at a recent working session among experts from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), FHI360, HelpAge International, and Duc Giang General Hospital on elderly care.

At the meeting, Tran Bich Thuy, country director of HelpAge International, said that on average, each older person in Vietnam suffers from three diseases, mainly chronic conditions that require lifelong monitoring and treatment.

Vietnams aging population structure presents many challenges: 63.28 percent of older people live in rural areas, where access to healthcare and care services remains limited; 58.5 percent are in the young-old group (aged 6069), while nearly 16 percent are aged 80 and above. Women account for as much as 57.82 percent of the total elderly population.

More worryingly, 35 percent of older people live alone, live with a spouse who is also elderly, or live in households consisting only of older people and grandchildren under 15. This group is particularly vulnerable to loneliness, functional decline, and lack of care support.

Less than 40 percent of older people receive pensions, social insurance, social allowances, or benefits for people with meritorious service. Most of the rest have to rely on their children or continue working to make a living.

According to 2024 data from the National Committee on the Elderly, the poverty rate among households with older people is 3.6 percent, while the near-poor rate is as high as 11.6 percent.

Experts analyzed the care needs as well as the affordability of the elderly in Vietnam, and introduced many models being deployed around the world such as: elderly self-caring and being cared for by their families; Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs; community-based long-term care; day-care centers; and social protection centers.

They agreed that, with current socio-economic conditions, Vietnam needs a flexible, reasonably priced, community-based care model on a large scale and maintained sustainably in the long term.

Day-care centers

Among the models mentioned, day-care centers for the elderly are believed to be an important solution in the long-term care system.

According to Thuy, this model focuses on preventive care, integrated and flexible care, targeting older people who are beginning to experience functional decline, partial impairment, or are at high risk due to loneliness, limited mobility, or memory decline.

Older people can come to the center by session or by day, going in the morning and returning home in the evening, suitable for different levels of care from basic to advanced, Thuy said.

Compared with nursing homes, the day care model has many outstanding advantages: strong preventive value, helping reduce the burden on the healthcare system.

Flexible scheduling suits both older people and their families and a community-based approach is easy to link with existing health and social services.

Care costs are more reasonable, especially when there is cooperation between the State, enterprises, community and people. If applying the Public-Private-People Partnership (PPPP) model, the centers can take advantage of public facilities, mobilizing the participation of mass organizations, families, and local clubs.

Legal basis to ensure security

According to Thuy, day-care centers for the elderly have initially had a legal basis, mentioned in the Law on Population, the National Action Program on Elderly Healthcare, and the National Strategy on the Elderly.

This is a model contributing to social security for vulnerable elderly groups, such as those who are alone, homeless, unable to care for themselves, or whose families do not have enough conditions to provide care.

Do Dinh Tung, Director of Duc Giang General Hospital, said that this is an opportunity for the hospital to apply advanced and comprehensive elderly care models.

Tung expressed a desire to continue receiving advice, support, and companionship from UNFPA, FHI360, and HelpAge International in the process of deploying the Elderly Care Center at Duc Giang General Hospital in the coming time.

In late December 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long signed Prime Ministers Directive No35 on strengthening elderly care work in response to population aging.

Under the directive, the Ministry of Health is responsible for guiding localities in developing day care models and community activity centers for older people following the morning pick-up, evening drop-off approach; supporting elderly care at home, in the community, and at elderly care facilities; and promoting the expansion of clubs for older people as well as intergenerational self-help clubs.

Vo Thu
The exhibition, titled Nguyen Thi Binh  The intellect, courage and dignity of Vietnamese women in the Ho Chi Minh era, was launched in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Peace and Development Foundation (HPDF), the Vietnam Womens Museum, and the Southern Womens Museum.

Unable to attend in person, former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh shared her reflections through a recorded message. She expressed deep emotion as the event coincided with the 53rd anniversary of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, which took place on January 27, 1973.

On the morning of January 27, 1973, the Kleber conference hall was glowing under the lights. Outside, thousands of people - Vietnamese expatriates, French citizens, and international friends - waved flags to welcome us. I stepped into the hall, feeling anxious. At 10 a.m., four foreign ministers sat down at the table and signed 32 copies of the Agreement.

With deep emotion, I placed my signature on the Paris Peace Accords. At that moment, I felt I was representing the people and revolutionaries of southern Vietnam - those who had fought on the frontlines and in prison cells - raising the flag of victory, she said.

Madam Binh noted that the purpose of this exhibition is not only to tell her personal story but also to highlight the experiences of an entire generation that lived through war with a deep longing for peace, independence, and happiness.

She emphasized that hers was not the journey of a single woman but of many, particularly the female faces of the Provisional Revolutionary Government delegation at the Paris talks, who demonstrated the resilience and conviction of Vietnamese women during pivotal historical moments.

Through this exhibition, she hopes that younger generations will understand that peace must be constantly protected and nurtured by the entire nation to ensure progress and happiness.

Entering a new era, I hope young people, especially women, will believe in themselves, cherish the values of our history, and contribute to the future with intellect and capability, she said.

The exhibition, running until April 30, is structured into four thematic sections:

Part 1  From family legacy to revolutionary ideals: This section introduces Nguyen Thi Binhs early life as a schoolgirl at Saint Cur de Marie and the granddaughter of nationalist Phan Chau Trinh. It traces her awakening to revolutionary ideas and her commitment to the struggle for national liberation.

Part 2  Madame Binh: The intellect and resolve of Vietnamese diplomacy: Visitors are taken through the historic Paris Peace Accords (19681973), where Binh, the only woman among the signatories, became a symbol of diplomatic strength with her poised, persuasive, and humane approach.

Part 3  A life of service: This section highlights Binhs contributions to education, diplomacy, health, culture, and social affairs during her time as Minister of Education (19761987), Deputy Head of the Partys External Relations Commission, Chair of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee (19871992), and Vice President of Vietnam (19922002).

Part 4  Enduring legacy: The final section presents a portrait of Binh in her everyday life - modest and compassionate - while also showcasing her leadership in peace, cultural, and educational foundations.

Among the featured artifacts are her visa application documents, reflecting the challenges of international travel during wartime, and the ao dai she wore as Vice President - a reminder of her grace and strength in representing Vietnam on the global stage.

The exhibition also includes photos of Madam Binh with President Ho Chi Minh, moments from the Paris negotiations, and her participation in the World Federation of Democratic Youth Congress in the Soviet Union in July 1962.

A notable section invites visitors to Live like her, using interactive technology, archival film, and QR codes to immerse in her story.

Attending the opening ceremony were former President Truong Tan Sang, former Vice Presidents Truong My Hoa and Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, among other dignitaries.

The exhibition sends a clear message, especially to young women and intellectuals: Knowledge is the foundation of freedom and progress. Courage is the anchor of belief. Character is the source of strength and credibility.

In todays fast-changing world, the life of Madam Nguyen Thi Binh reminds us that Vietnamese women can make their mark globally - with intellect, courage, and integrity - when given the trust, opportunity, and support they deserve.

As the only woman to sign the Paris Peace Accords, Binh became an enduring symbol of Vietnams struggle for peace. Her voice and presence left a lasting impression not only in the 1970s but for generations of diplomats and patriots to come.

Her journey, rooted in wartime diplomacy, remains an emblem of Vietnams resilience - fighting for independence and peace, and striving for development and happiness with conviction and heart.

The exhibition is open until April 30, a symbolic milestone in Vietnams journey to national unity.

Dignitaries at the opening ceremony include former Presidents and Vice Presidents.

Madam Nguyen Thi Binh with President Ho Chi Minh and other revolutionary leaders.

Madam Nguyen Thi Binh attending the World Congress of Democratic Youth in the Soviet Union, July 1962.

A wartime visa application by Madam Nguyen Thi Binh, highlighting diplomatic travel under conflict.

A highlight of the exhibition is a series of photographs capturing the historic Paris Peace Accords - a pivotal moment in both Vietnamese and world history.







The exhibition features an interactive space titled Live like her, which incorporates digital technology such as touchscreens, documentary films, and QR codes.







One of Madam Binhs iconic ao dai worn during her tenure as Vice President (19922002).

Visitors explore interactive zones featuring digital archives and immersive content.

Ngan Anh & Phuoc Sang
Redmi Phone. Photo: Gizmochina

Set to launch in China on January 29, the Turbo 5 lineup will include two models: the Turbo 5 Pro and the Turbo 5 Max. While specs for the Pro model remain under wraps, the Max version is already making waves thanks to its extreme battery and performance combination.

The 9,000mAh battery not only provides ultra-long usage but also introduces new utility scenarios. Xiaomi confirmed that the device supports reverse charging at up to 27W via its in-house Surge P3 chip, enabling it to function like a power bank. This means the Turbo 5 Max can recharge other devices - including wireless earbuds, smartwatches, or even other smartphones - at a respectable speed.

To address concerns about charging time, the Turbo 5 Max supports up to 100W wired fast charging, which significantly reduces the time required to fill such a large battery. This balance between size and speed positions the device as a power-user favorite.

Powering the Turbo 5 Max is MediaTeks brand-new Dimensity 9500s processor - a high-efficiency chip tailored for upper-mid-range phones. It offers solid performance for gaming and video streaming while remaining energy efficient, helping maximize the batterys endurance.

Xiaomi is positioning this phone squarely at users who want extended usage without compromising speed, particularly gamers, binge-watchers, and those needing all-day performance on a budget.

In terms of design, the Turbo 5 Max will be available in two color options: Ocean Breeze Blue and Sunrise Orange. The orange variant stands out especially, evoking comparisons to the vibrant finish seen on the iPhone 17 Pro.

This bold, youthful aesthetic complements the phones rugged internals, offering consumers a device that is both practical and stylish.

Even with its enormous battery, Xiaomi claims that the Turbo 5 Max could last longer than some 10,000mAh phones on the market, thanks to optimization between hardware and software. While this claim remains to be tested in real-world use, it signals strong confidence in the new device.

Theres no official word yet on global availability. However, if Xiaomi decides to release it outside of China - paired with its aggressive pricing strategy - the Turbo 5 Max could quickly become one of the most sought-after phones for battery-focused users worldwide.

Hai Phong
Over the past four years, since falling into the profession of patient care, Phong S. (born 1968, Hai Phong city) has become accustomed to sensitive tasks such as emptying bedpans, changing diapers, bathing, and cleaning patients.

He has also grown used to the "eating quickly and sleeping hurriedly" routine, lowering his own personal needs to devote time and heart to caring for the sick.

S. came to the profession by chance. Previously, he and his wife ran a business selling household electrical equipment and lighting devices.

Before passing away, his parents had long suffered from serious illnesses. His father had diabetes, his mother heart disease, and both were in and out of hospital constantly. S. spent 20 years caring for them, both in hospital and at home, and became familiar with patient care. He even taught himself acupressure and massage techniques to help ease their pain when their conditions worsened.

From empathy for patients pain and hardship, a love for the job gradually took root. He found joy and peace in caring for and sharing with patients.

"When I cared for my parents at the hospital, people praised me a lot. Someone joked: 'When S. is free later, he could probably make a living as a patient caregiver. He is skillful, meticulous, and dedicated.' Unexpectedly, I actually stuck with this job," S. recalled.

In 2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, he received a call from a woman. She was from his hometown but lived in Hanoi, and her father then had heart disease, diabetes, and Covid-19. She wanted to ask him to go to the hospital to help care for him.

Without a second thought, he told his wife, "I have business in Hanoi," and immediately hit the road. Arriving at the hospital, he saw the woman in tears, while the patient lay in the emergency room in a very chaotic situation.

His wife had passed away, and his two daughters were both busy and could not stay to care for him. I reassured them: You can entrust your father to me. I will take care of everything. That was my first patient, the beginning of the work I have stayed with until now, S. said.

Awkward situations

S. confided: This job is still subject to gossip. I do not want my family to be affected, so I have always hidden my work. As a result, during four years in the profession, he has kept it secret from his wife and children. Even when his eldest child, studying at university in Hanoi, asked, he only replied briefly: You do not need to ask about your fathers job, because I am not doing anything wrong.

For each client, S. provides care from one week to two months. Sometimes he works in hospitals, sometimes at patients homes if requested. However, he has a principle of not caring for anyone for too long, for fear of exhaustion and even losing passion for the job.

After each case, I need time to rest and heal myself. Sometimes caring for demanding patients is not physically exhausting as much as it is mentally stressful, he said.

His daily work includes managing medication, feeding, personal hygiene, assisting movement, and helping patients exercise. For those in frequent pain, he applies acupressure and massage to help them feel more comfortable.

Most of his patients are men. Only once did he care for an elderly woman, and he felt no reluctance or hesitation.

Over four years, he has met many patients who deeply moved him, as well as some who hurt him. He vividly remembers caring for a male patient in an emergency room who suffered from heart disease and struggled day and night with pain and breathlessness.

That time, S. was almost sleepless for 10 consecutive nights. Every night he sat by the bed, and whenever the patient moved, he would pat his back and massage him to ease discomfort. During the day, he snatched rare moments to nap and regain strength for the nights ahead.

I cared for him through several periods, both in hospital and at home. His two daughters were very grateful and always thanked me. On the day he passed away, I went to light incense in farewell. Even now, they sometimes call to check on me, saying that if I ever need help, they are ready to support me in any way. That really moves me, S. shared.

Ha Nguyen
Health authorities in Hanoi and across Vietnam have launched urgent measures to prevent the entry and spread of the Nipah virus, a highly fatal infectious disease currently affecting parts of India.

Fruit bats are natural carriers of the Nipah virus, which can be transmitted to humans. Photo: HCDC

On January 27, the Hanoi Department of Health issued an emergency directive calling on all localities and medical facilities to prepare quarantine zones, medical supplies, protective gear, and drugs in anticipation of possible cases.

Deputy Director Vu Cao Cuong emphasized the need for early detection and rapid response. All local clinics were instructed to collaborate closely with hospitals and report immediately any suspected infections - particularly those showing symptoms of encephalitis or acute respiratory distress with relevant travel or exposure history.

Vietnam has not recorded any Nipah virus cases to date. However, according to the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health, India has reported five suspected cases between December 27, 2025, and January 27, 2026, with two lab-confirmed in West Bengal.

Given the severity of the disease, Nipah virus is categorized as a Class A infectious disease in Vietnam, warranting the highest level of alert and containment efforts.

The Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC) has been tasked with stepping up surveillance at Noi Bai International Airport, particularly among travelers arriving from regions with known outbreaks, such as West Bengal. Body temperature scanners and specialized screening procedures have been put in place to detect and isolate suspected cases swiftly.

All health facilities in Hanoi must now conduct epidemiological assessments of any patients showing symptoms linked to Nipah, and alert the CDC or local health stations without delay.

Medical staff are also being trained in case management, diagnosis, and infection control. Hospitals are required to ensure availability of isolation units, decontamination chemicals, personal protective equipment, and treatment infrastructure.

At the national level, the Ministry of Health has directed a comprehensive response across provinces. On January 28, the Department of Preventive Medicine issued a similar directive to 31 provincial health departments, five international health quarantine centers, and 26 CDC units.

Hospitals and public health agencies were ordered to bolster infection control practices, particularly among healthcare workers and those in close contact with suspected or confirmed cases.

The Department of Medical Services Administration also issued an urgent notice to all hospitals and health units under central ministries, urging immediate implementation of frontline containment strategies.

Vietnam must act as if the virus is already at our doorstep, stated Nguyen Trong Khoa, Deputy Director of the Department. Early identification, isolation, and control are critical in preventing what could become a national health emergency.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus was first identified in Malaysia in 1999 and has since caused sporadic outbreaks in India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. The virus is transmitted from fruit bats to humans, often via contaminated food or direct contact, and can also spread from person to person through respiratory secretions.

Symptoms typically start with headaches, muscle pain, sore throat, and vomiting, and can escalate into encephalitis, seizures, or even coma. The incubation period ranges from 4 to 14 days, and the fatality rate among hospitalized patients ranges from 40% to 75%.

Currently, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment available for Nipah virus.

Health authorities have been instructed to remain vigilant, continue updating the public accurately to avoid panic, and ensure full compliance with infection control protocols. The Ministry of Health is also working closely with the WHO and regional partners to monitor global developments and adjust strategies accordingly.

N. Huyen - Phuong Thuy
In this free webinar, learn about the benefits of moving beyond traditional site selection models by incorporating patient-centric intelligence into early landscape analysis. Attendees will gain insight into applying a three-pillar, bottom-up approach that combines data intelligence, peer-level investigator outreach and patient organization engagement. The featured speakers will discuss how to identify the right sites and investigators earlier by understanding real-world treatment patterns and the patient journey. Attendees will learn how to improve enrollment feasibility and timelines while supporting more ethical and sustainable rare disease trial designs. The speakers will share real-world case studies demonstrating how patient-informed landscape analysis leads to better trial outcomes.

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In rare disease clinical trials, a comprehensive landscape analysis is essential for identifying the right sites, investigators and patient populations to ensure successful enrollment and retention. Traditional approaches rely heavily on published literature and academic networks as well as historical data from past clinical trials, often overlooking critical insights from local treatment patterns and patient communities. This gap can lead to missed opportunities, inaccurate estimation of enrollment potential and prolonged study timelines. This webinar demonstrates how patient-informed landscape analysis can strengthen site-selection decisions, and registration is now open.

To optimize site selection and recruitment for rare disease studies, it is crucial to conduct a systematic assessment of the existing research, development and market environment within the specific indication of interest. Implementing a three-pillar assessment approach that integrates data intelligence, medic-to-medic outreach and patient advocacy engagement supports more informed site-selection decisions earlier in the planning process.

In this webinar, the featured speakers will share practical insights from a landscape analysis approach and demonstrate why early investment in patient-centric intelligence leads to more feasible, ethical and successful rare disease trials.

Topics will include:

Leveraging comprehensive data sources to understand the competitive landscape, epidemiology, centers of excellence and historical recruitment performance

Conducting structured peer-level conversations with key opinion leaders and investigators to assess scientific interest, patient availability, recruitment potential and protocol feasibility

Building relationships with patient organizations to understand the patient journey and uncover site opportunities

Sharing of real-world case studies to showcase the value of strategic landscape analysis

Register for this webinar to learn how site selection improves when landscape analysis incorporates patient communities, real-world treatment patterns and site readiness signals.

Join experts from Ergomed Clinical Research, Paula Orandash, Director, Patient Engagement; and Benjamen Varsano, Director, Operational Strategy/Office Director, for the live webinar on Friday, February 20, 2026, at 10am EST (4pm CET/EU-Central).

For more information, or to register for this event, visit Site Selection Solutions Using Patient Insights for Rare Disease Trials.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks  The Life Science Community empowers professionals across pharma, biotech, medtech, healthcare and research with the trusted knowledge and collaborative insights that move the industry forward. Powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., Xtalks delivers news, feature articles, webinars, podcasts, videos, expert interviews, curated job opportunities and more designed to support informed decision-making in a fast-evolving sector.

Every year, thousands of professionals rely on Xtalks for timely intelligence, peer perspectives and industry thought leadership. Join our life science community to stay informed, connected and ready for what's next.

To learn more about Xtalks, visit www.xtalks.com

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Contact:

Vera Kovacevic

Tel: +1 (416) 977-6555 x371

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Xtalks
FAIRPORT, N.Y., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Rebecca K. Ledwin, PNP-BC is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for her contributions to Pediatric Nursing and Healthcare.

Rebecca K. Ledwin, PNP-BC has built a respected career in pediatric healthcare, recognized for her dedication to nursing excellence, education, and advocacy for children and families. As a pediatric nurse practitioner, she is known for combining clinical expertise with mentorship, education, and compassionate patient centered care.

Rebecca K. Ledwin, PNP-BC

Ms. Ledwin has demonstrated leadership in advancing pediatric health services. Throughout her career she has functioned as a change agent. She was in the first class at the University of Michigan for Parent/Child Nursing. After graduation she received a job offer for a joint appointment at the University of Rochester School of Nursing and Pediatric Continuity Clinic at Strong Memorial Hospital. While there she developed skill in caring for high risk families and children. Children with chronic medical conditions, disabilities, teen parents, NICU babies in addition to normal newborns and children up to age 21. While visiting new mothers on the maternity ward, it was recognized that a program to educate new moms on breastfeeding, infant care and other topics. 1988 she was hired to be part of the first Patient Education Program at Strong Memorial Hospital. Over a span of 10 years a breastfeeding program was established along with classes for Infant Care, Siblings and individualized breastfeeding support.

Rebecca most notably was the site leader and nurse practitioner for the first Elementary School-Based Health Center in Rochester, New York. This initiative expanded access to essential healthcare services for children and strengthened collaboration between schools, families, and medical providers. The motto was: Healthy Bodies + Healthy Minds = Success in School. Through partnership with the Rochester Primary Care Network, the Rochester City School District and Rochester Regional School-Based Health Care Program, the school was renovated to include a brand-new health center. The city recreation center and library were housed within the school. Academic scores increased with a reduction in school absenteeism and mental health crises.

Her professional expertise spans pediatric nursing, advanced practice nursing, education, mentoring, and public speaking. Ms. Ledwin is actively engaged in lecturing and sharing knowledge with peers and future healthcare professionals, reinforcing her commitment to developing the next generation of nurses.

Ms. Ledwin earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati and completed advanced nursing education at the University of Michigan. Rebecca furthered her education obtaining a Women's Health Care post master's certificate. She is Nationally Certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing ( FAAN).

Her professional affiliations include the American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, a nursing honorary society and the National Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Association (NAPNAP) She has also been involved in initiatives supporting domestic violence awareness and advocacy, reflecting her broader commitment to patient safety and community wellbeing.

Ms. Ledwin's leadership has been recognized through her service as Past President of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Association, highlighting her influence and dedication within the nursing profession. She was at the forefront of advocating publicly to save the school nurses in the City School District when they were cut out of the budget. Gathering support from other providers, administrators and concerned citizens, the school nurses were recognized as vital to the care of the students. The program was continued through a different funding stream.

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Ms. Ledwin enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and volunteering. Looking ahead, she remains committed to continuing her work in support of children and their families while making a lasting and meaningful impact in the nursing field.

Contact:

Katherine Green

516-825-5634

[email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle
Through its Tet is Full, Tet is Love campaign, Carlsberg Vietnam and its local brand Huda have delivered 7,500 Tet care packages containing essential goods to underprivileged families across seven provinces and cities in the central region, continuing a long-standing effort to support communities during the most important holiday of the year.

Andrew Khan, managing director of Carlsberg Vietnam, speaks at the Tet gift-giving ceremony

For Carlsberg Vietnam, growth in Central Vietnam has never been viewed purely through a business lens. Over the past three decades, the company has pursued sustainable development with a consistent focus on community connection, seeking to contribute not only through high-quality products and world-class operations, but also through tangible initiatives that support peoples wellbeing and quality of life.

Huda, born and raised in the Central region, embodies that commitment. Closely tied to local identity and culture, the brand has remained dedicated to standing with Central communities, especially during meaningful moments such as Lunar New Year, when the idea of togetherness holds its deepest value.

A Carlsberg Vietnam representative hands over Tet care packages and engages with local residents during the community programme in Central Vietnam

In 2026, Tet is Full, Tet is Love marks its 11th consecutive year, an enduring journey to support the communities. Over time, the initiative has become a cherished Lunar New Year tradition, rooted in Carlsberg Vietnams long-standing connection with Central Vietnam, where Huda has been part of local life for generations.

This year, the programme carries an especially meaningful theme, Mien Trung vung vang, Tet tran hanh phuc, which means, 'A resilient Central Vietnam, a Tet filled with happiness'. The theme reflects the regions resilience, and Carlsberg Vietnams commitment to staying close to Central communities, in both good times and challenging ones.

2025 was a difficult year for the area, as historic floods and severe storms caused widespread disruption. In response, Carlsberg Vietnam contributed VND1.5 billion ($57,240) to support relief and recovery efforts in Hue and Danang  two of the hardest-hit localities, helping provide urgent assistance for affected households, facilitate home repairs, and aid livelihood restoration.

Carrying that commitment into the year-end season, throughout January 2026, over 7,500 Tet care packages have been distributed across Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri (including areas formerly part of Quang Binh), Hue, Danang (including areas formerly part of Quang Nam), and Quang Ngai. The programme is implemented in close collaboration with the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees in each locality, ensuring the gifts reach the right recipients and the families most in need.

Carlsberg Vietnam representatives, with residents at the Tet gift-giving ceremony, as part of the companys annual community support initiative in Central Vietnam

Each care package is more than practical support; it is also a message of encouragement, reinforcing the belief that progress is strongest when communities move forward together. Through this initiative, Carlsberg Vietnam continues to underline that sustainable growth must go together with social responsibility, and that long-term trust is built through actions delivered consistently, year after year.

Tet is one of the most meaningful moments of the year for Vietnamese families. It is a time of togetherness, gratitude, and new beginnings, said Andrew Khan, managing director of Carlsberg Vietnam. And while it is a time of celebration, it is also a time of compassion  a reminder that a meaningful Lunar New Year is one that everyone should be able to experience, especially those who may still be facing hardship.

Our commitment to Central Vietnam is not just about business development, it is also about creating positive impact so that lives can become more complete, more secure, and more meaningful, he added. Through our campaign, we hope to welcome a brighter new year together with local communities, while continuing to contribute to the regions sustainable development  for a better today, and a brighter tomorrow.

Carlsberg Vietnam continues its long-term journey of community engagement in Central Vietnam

Tet is Full, Tet is Love is one of Carlsberg Vietnams signature community initiatives in Central Vietnam. Over the past 10 years, the programme has supported more than 75,000 households, helping thousands of families welcome the New Year with greater reassurance and dignity.

The company has also invested in long-term solutions that improve everyday quality of life, including the Fresh Water for Beloved Central programme. Now in its seventh year, the initiative has delivered more than 3.3 million cubic metres of clean water to nearly 9,500 households, improving access to clean water for approximately 40,000 people across Central Vietnam.

Tet is Full, Tet is Love is one of Carlsberg Vietnams long-standing community initiatives, reflecting the companys belief that sustainable progress is built through consistent action and shared responsibility

Tet is Full, Tet is Love reflects Carlsberg Vietnams deep-rooted bond with Central Vietnam, shaped through long-term partnership, sustained community support, and a belief that progress only matters when it is shared. As the New Year approaches, the message of Mien Trung vung vang, Tet tran hanh phuc affirms the hope that, after a challenging year, more families can welcome the Year of the Fire Horse with renewed strength, comfort, and optimism.

Carlsberg Vietnam and Grab encourage responsible enjoyment and safer mobility On January 16, Carlsberg Vietnam and Grab signed an MoU to promote responsible drinking and safer mobility across Vietnam.

Carlsberg Vietnam makes progress in diversity, equity and inclusion As leadership expectations evolve, diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is increasingly viewed as a driver of long-term performance. Susanne Skippari, chief people and culture officer of Carlsberg Group, shares her perspectives with VIRs Thanh Van.
China's tech hub crosses 1-trln-yuan GDP threshold

Xinhua) 11:03, January 28, 2026

SHENZHEN, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- A small district in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen punched above its administrative weight as its gross domestic product (GDP) last year exceeded one trillion yuan (about 143 billion U.S. dollars).

Nanshan District, home to Chinese tech giants such as Tencent and DJI, saw its GDP grow from 652.7 billion yuan in 2020 to over 1 trillion yuan in 2025, Li Xiaoning, head of the district government, told the local people's congress on Tuesday.

The figure makes the Nanshan District the nation's first county-level economy to beat the mark and attain a remarkable economic scale. The district covers a land area roughly one-tenth that of Shenzhen, to which it is subordinate.

As a pioneer in China's reform and opening up, Nanshan District has now emerged as a leading hub for technological innovation and advanced manufacturing within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Official data show that the added value of strategic emerging industries accounts for around 60 percent of Nanshan's GDP. In addition to hosting tech giants, Nanshan has also increasingly attracted startups from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and further boosted the development of future-oriented sectors.

Guo Wanda, executive vice president of the China Development Institute, said Nanshan's development demonstrates how technological innovation can overcome resource bottlenecks to unleash the vitality of new quality productive forces, underscoring the vast prospects and great potential of China's economy.

This comes as the GBA pushes forward with integration. The region's combined economic output is expected to surpass 15 trillion yuan in 2025, according to the annual session of the Guangdong Provincial People's Congress.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
ORRVILLE, Ohio, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The J.M. Smucker Co. (NYSE: SJM) invites interested parties to listen to management's presentation during the 2026 CAGNY Conference on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The Company will release its third quarter fiscal 2026 financial results on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. A press release, including financial statements and segment information, supplemental materials, pre-recorded management remarks, and a transcript of the pre-recorded remarks will be available beginning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The Company will webcast a live question and answer session with Mark Smucker, Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board, and Tucker Marshall, Chief Financial Officer, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on that date.

The live webcasts, replays, and other materials for both events can be accessed at the Company's website: investors.jmsmucker.com.

About The J.M. Smucker Co.

At The J.M. Smucker Co., it is our privilege to make food people and pets love by offering a diverse family of brands available across North America. We are proud to lead in the coffee, peanut butter, fruit spreads, frozen handheld, sweet baked goods, dog snacks, and cat food categories by offering brands consumers trust for themselves and their families each day, including Folgers, Dunkin', Cafe Bustelo, Jif, Uncrustables, Smucker's, Hostess, Milk-Bone, and Meow Mix. Through our unwavering commitment to producing quality products, operating responsibly and ethically and delivering on our Purpose, we will continue to grow our business while making a positive impact on society. For more information, please visit jmsmucker.com.

The J.M. Smucker Co. is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein, except for Dunkin', which is a trademark of DD IP Holder LLC. The Dunkin' brand is licensed to The J.M. Smucker Co. for packaged coffee products sold in retail channels, such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, e-commerce and drug stores, and in certain away from home channels. This information does not pertain to products for sale in Dunkin' restaurants.

SOURCE The J.M. Smucker Co.
Photo: Thoibaotaichinhvietnam.vn

The Philippines, Vietnams largest rice export market, plans to import an additional 300,000 tonnes of rice in February 2026, according to the Philippine Department of Agriculture. The volume, around 50,000 tonnes higher than in January, will be purchased after existing shipments clear ports, as part of efforts to ensure supply stability while capping monthly imports to support prices for local farmers.

Latest data from the Philippine Department of Agriculture show that paddy output in 2025 reached nearly 19.7 million tonnes, falling short of expectations by about 600,000 tonnes. As a result, the country is expected to import around 3.6 million tonnes of rice in 2026 to supplement domestic supply, equivalent to an average of 300,000 tonnes per month.

Vietnam remains the Philippines largest rice supplier. Statistics from the Bureau of Plant Industry indicate that total rice imports in 2025 reached 3.39 million tonnes, of which Vietnam accounted for 81 per cent, or 2.76 million tonnes. Myanmar followed with 344,000 tonnes, while Thailand supplied 177,000 tonnes.

Beyond the Philippines, Cote dIvoire, another traditional market for Vietnamese rice, is also forecast to increase imports in 2026. The US Department of Agriculture projects that Cote dIvoire will import around 1.9 million tonnes of rice this year, up 200,000 tonnes from the previous year, driven by rising domestic consumption.

For Vietnam, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment estimates exportable rice output at around 7.7 million tonnes, mainly concentrated in the winterspring crop from March to April and the summerautumn crop from July to September.

To support rice consumption and stabilise paddy prices for farmers, the ministry has proposed strengthening rice import management mechanisms to safeguard domestic production and the rice value chain, as major global rice-importing markets step up efforts to enhance food self-sufficiency.
Chairman of Can Tho City Peoples Committee Truong Canh Tuyen hosting the meeting

Chairman of Can Tho City Peoples Committee Truong Canh Tuyen appreciated Sumitomo's interest in the investment environment in Can Tho in particular, noting that the meeting provided an important chance for both sides to exchange views and explore potential cooperation and investment opportunities in the coming period.

Introducing the citys potential and advantages, the chairman said that Can Tho is the economic, cultural, and sci-tech hub of the Mekong Delta. The city holds a strategically important position in transport, logistics and regional connectivity, with an increasingly well-developed transport and logistics infrastructure and a continuously improving investment and business environment, creating top conditions for both domestic and foreign investors.

In recent years, cooperation between Can Tho and Japan has continued to expand through official development assistance, foreign-invested projects, trade, non-governmental aid, and partnerships across multiple sectors.

Currently, the city hosts 124 foreign-led projects with a total registered capital of approximately $7.45 billion. Of these, Japan accounts for 13 projects with a total registered capital of around $1.65 billion, including notable projects such as the O Mon II thermal power plant and AEON Mall Can Tho.

Regarding the citys investment attraction strategy, Chairman Tuyen said, "Can Tho places particular priority on high-quality, environmentally friendly investments that apply advanced technologies and align with sustainable development goals. These are also areas of strength for Japanese enterprises, including Sumitomo." He expressed confidence that the strengths and potential of both sides are highly complementary.

The city is ready to facilitate discussions and create better conditions for Sumitomo to study and implement effective, long-term projects in Can Tho in areas of mutual interest, such as infrastructure development, IPs, logistics, clean energy and smart cities, especially IP infrastructure, which is a sector the corporation is currently exploring for investment in Can Tho," he stated.

City leaders are committed to accompanying investors, providing timely support, and ensuring a transparent, stable investment environment with the most advantages possible.

Eita Fujikawa, general director of Sumitomo Corporation Vietnam

Eita Fujikawa, general director of Sumitomo Corporation Vietnam, said that in Japan, the group operates in areas such as IP infrastructure, energy and metro systems. In Vietnam, it has invested in several IPs in northern provinces, including three already in operation, one under construction, and one being developed in cooperation with another partner.

"Under the upcoming strategy, we plan to further expand IP development in southern provinces," he said.

Highlighting Can Thos potential and advantages, such as its central location in the region, mild climate and relatively well-connected transport infrastructure, Fujikawa was interested in the investment areas proposed by the city, especially IP infrastructure development.

"I hope that the meeting would help Sumitomo gain a clearer understanding of the local investment environment, paving the way for concrete decisions," he said.

Following the meeting, Can Tho Export Processing and Industrial Zones Management Authority will guide the Sumitomo Corporation delegation on site visits and field surveys at planned IP locations being promoted for investment in the city.

Currently, Can Tho has 13 IPs, of which nine are in operation, while four are under infrastructure development.

Under the citys IP development planning towards 2050, which is actively calling for investor participation, Can Tho plans to develop 15 new IPs during the 2026-2030 period, and a further 12 IPs during 2031-2050.

Sumitomo requests resolution of obstacles for $3 billion industrial park Sumitomo Corporation is pushing to clear obstacles for its $3 billion-plus industrial park in Hung Yen province.

Sumitomo seeks Khanh Hoa backing for LNG and OSW projects Japan-based Sumitomo Corporation is keen on investments in the Van Phong 2 liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant and other offshore wind (OSW) power ventures in Khanh Hoa province.
The meeting was chaired by Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh

Le Xuan Hong, director general of the Department of Judicial Support, and relevant departments under the MoJ convened a meeting with the Executive Authority of the IFC and leading Vietnamese arbitrators nationwide. The meeting aimed to exchange views, discuss and reach consensus on concrete plans concerning the establishment of the centre, its organisational structure, senior leadership and administrative personnel, as well as facilities and other necessary conditions to ensure its effective operation.

The arbitrators expressed strong support for the policy to establish the centre, viewing it as an important contribution to enhancing the effective operation of Vietnams IFC. Moreover, they put forward some recommendations to ensure that it develops into a professional adjudicatory institution with strong credibility and international competitiveness.

To ensure that the centre can be launched by February 9, the arbitrators proposed prioritising the establishment of the centre itself. Other internal operational processes, such as the development of rules and internal regulations, will continue to be studied and finalised in the coming period.

Most of Vietnams leading arbitrators are currently serving at the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC). However, VIAC regulations prohibit them from concurrently serving as members of another centre. Therefore, if they are to serve simultaneously as founding members and arbitrators of the new centre, the MoJ would need to engage with VIAC to seek an exception in this specific case.

From the perspective of the IFC in Ho Chi Minh City, representatives of the Executive Authority agreed in principle to support the operation of the arbitration centre. For specific support measures, the authority will consolidate proposals and submit them to Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee for consideration, based on recommendations from the MoJ and relevant agencies.

The Department of Judicial Support has proposed seeking guidance on several tasks that must continue to be implemented to ensure the international arbitration centre can be launched on February 9, concurrently with the inauguration of the IFC.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Thanh Tinh said, "The establishment must be regarded as a key political task, closely linked to national responsibility." He stressed the need to strictly ensure coordinated and timely execution.

Currently, a Steering Committee chaired by the prime minister has been established, alongside an Executive Council chaired by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, with the MoJ deputy minister serving as a member.

"This clearly defines the responsibilities of the MoJ and relevant units. While the judiciary has been proactive in its implementation, the MoJ must act with equal initiative to avoid delays," Tinh added.

The deputy minister agreed that the proposed list of eight arbitrators is appropriate, ensures quality, and provides a solid initial foundation for the centre.

Tinh called for focus on several key tasks. These include finalising invitation letters to be sent individually to each arbitrator, clearly outlining the governments policy, requirements under the relevant decree, the spirit of coordination, and emphasising that participation represents a contribution to the countrys overall development.

In parallel, the MoJ should continue discussions with Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee, requesting maximum support for the arbitration centre in terms of office premises, equipment, and initial financial support, anticipated over a five-year period. The MoJ also underscored that all procedures are being fully implemented, with completion required before February 9 to ensure readiness for the official launch.

With regard to the leadership of the arbitration centre, the MoJ will report to Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh to seek further guidance. Both proposed leadership options have their respective merits and will be fully presented for consideration by senior leadership.

On implementation, the deputy minister noted that all documentation and procedures for establishment must be completed by February 5, with close coordination with the Department of Organisation and Personnel to report to the minister.

Vietnam's IFC to target global investment flows With macroeconomic stability and strong growth prospects, Vietnam is emerging as a safe anchor for global investors. The newly established International Finance Corporation (IFC) is designed to channel international capital into the heart of the Asia-Pacific.

Global partnerships key to Vietnams IFC development As ASEAN attracts growing global capital, the race to develop credible international financial centres is intensifying, with Vietnams ambitions  supported by policy reform and international partnerships  drawing particular attention. Ren Varma, ACCAs regional head for Mainland Southeast Asia, highlights the countrys strengths and key priorities for success.
Vietnam's export growth during 2021-2025 (unit: billions of USD). Source: Ministry of Industry and Trade

The past five years have seen robust expansion in trade scale, particularly exports, leading to a significant improvement in the trade balance and the maintenance of a continuous trade surplus. At its peak in 2023, Vietnam posted a trade surplus of more than $28 billion.

According to a report from the Department of Customs under the Ministry of Finance in January, import-export activities during the 2021-2025 period stood out as a key highlight, with cumulative trade turnover approaching $3.8 trillion.

In the peak year of 2025, Vietnams total import-export value reached $930 billion, up 18.2 per cent on-year. These figures indicate that Vietnam has significantly expanded its trade activities, particularly in key sectors such as electronics, high technology, machinery and equipment, textiles and garments, and footwear, strengthening its role in regional and global industrial and supply chains.

Alongside the expansion in scale, Vietnams position on the global trade map has also improved markedly. These results have placed Vietnam among the worlds top 15 trading nations, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

While total import-export turnover stood at only around $328 billion in 2015, the figure had risen to $786 billion by 2024 and surged to over $930 billion by the end of 2025.

Despite major global disruptions over the past nearly six years, Vietnams goods trade has continued to perform strongly, demonstrating the resilience of its manufacturing and export sectors.

This year, import-export activity is still expected to have strong prospects, supported by a large and increasingly solid production base reinforced by domestic and foreign direct investment flows, as well as by the utilisation of market access opportunities under free trade agreements covering 65 economies worldwide.

At the seminar on Vietnam's economic outlook last week, Nguyen Xuan Thanh, senior lecturer at the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management, said that import-export activities are expected to remain a bright spot in Vietnams economic landscape in 2026, with stable growth.

"Businesses continue to effectively tap into major export markets such as the US, China, the EU and ASEAN. If export performance is maintained at 2025 levels, shipments to the US and China alone could exceed $220 billion," he said.

Conversely, in a report from early January, Singapore-based UOB cautioned that exports could come under pressure due to the impact of US tariff policies. A potential scenario is that export orders may decline as earlier frontloading demand weakens, and higher prices dampen purchasing power among US consumers.

Additional challenges stem from unpredictable global economic developments, including geopolitical tensions, shifts in trade and investment policies among major economies, and the growing trend of global economic fragmentation.

HSBC, while acknowledging that exports are showing resilience, also warned of the possibility of declining orders. Vietnam is not immune to the risk of a global trade slowdown, the bank noted.

As a result, major export-oriented businesses and industries must closely monitor changes in US tariff policies as well as technical barriers imposed by various markets, in order to adapt appropriately.

From a broader international trade perspective, the World Trade Organization forecasts that global merchandise trade volumes will recover, with growth of around 2.5 per cent in 2026, while trade in services is expected to expand steadily by approximately 4.1 per cent.

This recovery is occurring amid persistent trade protectionism, supply chain disruptions and uneven export demand across regions, meaning that global trade growth is still expected to remain slower than in the pre-pandemic period.

Vietnams wood exports surpass $17 billion Vietnams exports of wood and wood products recorded positive results in 2025, exceeding $17.2 billion, despite falling short of the $18 billion target. The US remained the sectors largest market, accounting for nearly 55 per cent of total export turnover.

Vietnam forecasts rice exports of 7.73 million tonnes in 2026 Vietnam is expected to export around 7.73 million tonnes of rice in 2026, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE).
Toyota Tacoma Named Truck of Texas for the second year in a row at the Texas Auto Writers Association Annual Truck Rodeo

PLANO, Texas, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The fourth-generation Toyota Tacoma made history last year when it was the first midsize pickup truck to win the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) Truck of Texas. It topped itself in 2026, becoming a back-to-back winner when awarded the title Truck of Texas by TAWA at its 32nd annual Texas Truck Rodeo event. This marks the fourth time in five years a Toyota pickup has taken the top award at the Truck Rodeo, with the full-size Toyota Tundra earning honors in 2022 and 2024.

Toyota Tacoma Named Truck of Texas for the second year in a row at the Texas Auto Writers Association Annual Truck Rodeo

"It's great to see Tacoma win the Truck of Texas again for the second year in a row. It caps a great 2025 with its best-selling year ever, continuing a run as the most popular midsize pickup in the U.S. the last 21 years in a row," said Brock Cartlidge, senior manager of Toyota Vehicle Marketing and Communities. "We appreciate TAWA's members recognizing the Tacoma as the first Truck of Texas from a segment other than full-size pickup."

The fourth-generation Tacoma debuted in the spring of 2023 with two new powertrains, including the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain, with a total system output of up to 326 horsepower and a whopping 465 lb.-ft. of torque, a 75 percent increase in torque compared to the previous generation V-6 powered truck. Designed by Calty Design Research in California, engineered by TMNA R&D in Ann Arbor, and assembled for North America, Tacoma offers 11 unique grades to fit various lifestyles and customer needs. The Trailhunter grade builds upon Toyota's legendary off-road and overlanding credibility with purpose-built engineering and robust components.

The Baja-inspired TRD Pro debuted the segment-first IsoDynamic Performance Seat for enhanced off-road driving control and comfort, while the Trailhunter grade is a factory-developed overlanding rig built from the ground up with the latest integrated off-road equipment from ARB, Old Man Emu, and RIGID.

TAWA's annual Texas Truck Rodeo brings together journalists to evaluate automakers' latest trucks and SUVs on an off-road course and a street drive. The fall event was held at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, Texas. Vehicles from the world's top manufacturers were evaluated on interior, exterior, value, performance, and personal appeal.

"Earning Truck of Texas honors for the second consecutive year underscores how the Toyota Tacoma continues to set the benchmark for durability, capability, and real-world performance as judged by the Texas Auto Writers Association," said TAWA President Cory Fourniquet.

TAWA is a Texas-based nonprofit association for automotive journalists promoting professionalism and quality in journalism for more than two decades. TAWA has grown to become one of the most influential and recognized automotive-journalist associates in the U.S. The group produces two annual events  Texas Auto Roundup and Texas Truck Rodeo  that allow members to experience vehicles from various manufacturers in one place, at one time.

For more information on the Toyota Tacoma, visit the Toyota Newsroom.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota's plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Media Contact:

Greg Thome

Toyota Motor North America

469.292.2321

[email protected]

SOURCE Toyota Motor North America
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Lumber Coalition today in a letter urged the United States Trade Representative to communicate to Canada and Mexico that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) binational panel review system needs to be scrapped during the USMCA review process.

The binational panel review system applies when a USMCA country applies its fair-trade laws to another country's imports. The exporting country can challenge actions taken to stop the unfair trade using this special dispute settlement panel process. The binational panel review gives powers to international tribunals that the Constitution reserves for U.S. courts. Foreign panel members are appointed outside of constitutional oversight or democratic accountability.

Canada, in a recent submission to a USMCA binational panel, again sought to dramatically expand the power and authority of these panels. This strengthens the need to scrap the binational review system once and for all.

Specifically, Canada argued that USMCA binational panel review replaces not only review by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT), but also appellate review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC), effectively arguing that a USMCA panel does not need to concern itself with any U.S. Appeals Court decisions or precedents.

"The Government of Canada pushing the idea that a USMCA binational panel is not bound by a U.S. Court of Appeals precedent is, quite frankly, outrageous and incorrect as a matter of USMCA and U.S. law," stated Zoltan van Heyningen, Executive Director of the U.S. Lumber Coalition. "The mere fact that the Government of Canada made this argument reveals Canada's aggressive view that it can achieve through USMCA binational panel review that which it cannot achieve in U.S. courts."

"The absurd but unavoidable extension of Canada's argument that USMCA binational panel review replaces U.S. 'judicial review' in its entirety is that USMCA binational panels also stand in the shoes of the U.S. Supreme Court," continued van Heyningen. "That is plainly untenable and not something to which the United State agreed, nor should it ever do so."

"Canada is seeking to dramatically expand the power of an already flawed and Constitutionally challenged USMCA panel system in an attempt to evade U.S. trade laws, and if allowed to do so there is no end to the damage USMCA panels might do to U.S. trade remedy enforcement with rulings that are contrary to U.S. law," added van Heyningen.

"The U.S. Lumber Coalition urges President Trump to scrap the USMCA binational panel review system in its entirety during the USMCA review process, and as such regain full U.S. sovereign control over the application of U.S. trade laws," concluded van Heyningen.

About the U.S. Lumber Coalition

The U.S. Lumber Coalition is an alliance of large and small softwood lumber producers from around the country, joined by their employees and woodland owners, working to address Canada's unfair lumber trade practices. Our goal is to serve as the voice of the American lumber community and effectively address Canada's unfair softwood lumber trade practices. The Coalition supports the full enforcement of the U.S. trade laws to allow the U.S. industry to invest and grow to its natural size without being impaired by unfairly traded imports. Continued full enforcement of the U.S. trade laws will strengthen domestic supply lines by maximizing long-term domestic production and lumber availability produced by U.S. workers to build U.S. homes. For more information, please visit the Coalition's website at www.uslumbercoalition.org.

CONTACT: Zoltan van Heyningen

[email protected] | 202-805-9133

SOURCE The U.S. Lumber Coalition
Jobs boost promised at new North Wales offshore wind farm

A new offshore wind project off the coast of North Wales is expected to support jobs and economic growth in the region, according to the Secretary of State for Wales.

The Awel y Mor project, planned in the Irish Sea off the North Wales coast, was among those to secure a contract in the UK Governments latest renewable energy auction, announced on 14 January.

The Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, visited the Port of Mostyn on 22 January to meet developers from RWE and discuss plans for the site.

Once fully constructed, Awel y Mor is expected to include up to 50 turbines located around 10 kilometres offshore, to the west of the existing Gwynt y Mor wind farm.

Jo Stevens said: The development of the Awel y Mor project is huge news for North Wales and will deliver more well-paid, highly-skilled jobs and growth to the local area.

The UK Government is working with investors to develop home-grown clean power which will secure our energy supply and bring down bills for good.

Wales is at the centre of this and projects like Awel y Mor will help us achieve those goals.

RWEs project lead for Awel y Mor, Philippa Powell, said the company was moving towards a final investment decision following the auction result.

She said: Following our success in the most recent CfD auction round, it was a pleasure to be able to update the Secretary of State for Wales on our plans for Awel y Mor for the coming year, as we work towards a final investment decision.

Capable of powering more than half the homes in Wales once fully realised, Awel y Mor represents a key part in RWEs commitment to investing in renewable energy here in Wales, alongside the Pembroke Net Zero Centre, and our onshore wind and solar projects.

The auction has been described by the UK Government as the largest single procurement of offshore wind capacity in British and European history.

Across the UK, it secured 8.4 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity, which ministers say is enough to power the equivalent of 12 million homes. The government says the results will unlock around 22 billion in private investment and support about 7,000 jobs.

Alongside Awel y Mor, the Erebus project in the Celtic Sea off the Pembrokeshire coast also secured a contract in the auction.
Salvation Army in Wales and Dogs Trust partner up to support homeless pet owners

The Salvation Army in Wales and Dogs Trust are working together to ensure people experiencing homelessness do not have to choose between a safe place to stay and their pet.

The partnership aims to recognise the important role dogs can play in providing companionship, stability and emotional support for people without permanent accommodation.

Dogs Trust is now working with The Salvation Army across Wales to welcome dogs safely and responsibly into homeless accommodation, called Lifehouses, so that residents will not be separated from their pets.

One person to benefit from the approach is Rodrick Alexander (pictured), 18, from Cardiff experienced homelessness due to an unstable home life. He was worried he wouldnt be able to take his pet dog, Juno, with him into Ty Diogel, The Salvation Army Lifehouse for young people in the city.

Roderick said: The Salvation Army teaming up with the Dogs Trust has been incredible.

Dogs Trust has helped with everything from starter packs to thoughtful gifts for Juno, which has taken a huge weight off my mind.

Knowing my dog is truly welcome here has been such a relief. Juno got me through the hardest time of my life, and having this support means we can both feel safe and cared for.

Catherine Docherty, the Area Operations Manager for Wales Homelessness Services for The Salvation Army said the collaboration has already made a difference: It has been a pleasure to work alongside the Dogs Trust with its Together Through Homelessness endorsement scheme.

The scheme helps us make sure every individual who lives with us can be confident that our Lifehouses are petfriendly and welcoming spaces.

We can now give our clients the support they need to take greater care of their pet now and in the future.

The partnership covers all Lifehouses across Wales, including at Ty Dewr in Wrexham, a hostel for Armed Forces veterans experiencing homelessness.

Abigail Owens, Senior Regional Engagement Officer at Dogs Trust, praised the commitment shown by Salvation Army teams across Wales.

The Salvation Army services I visited throughout the endorsement process offer safe, welcoming spaces where people and their dogs can feel at home, said Abigail.

The compassionate and psychologically informed approach seen at their Lifehouses, embodies the values of Together Through Homelessness. Im proud of what weve achieved through this collaboration.

As part of the partnership, a simple policy and agreement has been introduced to help dog owners access Salvation Army homeless accomodation. Starter packs containing collars, leads, beds and bowls are provided  along with a Christmas gift for the dogs.

People staying in Lifehouses can also access free vet care, including vaccinations, neutering, routine treatments and help with the most urgent health needs as part of the partnership.

A Salvation Army spokesperson, said: Services provided by The Salvation Army recognise the importance of the relationships people have with their dogs.

Wherever possible, staff will seek to accommodate people with their pets. Because each site is different, there may be limits on the number of dogs at a location and owners may be asked to follow local criteria, for example, ensuring dogs are not left unattended.

For more information members of the public should contact their nearest site via the website.
Washoe County and the Nevada Division of Insurance are hosting a community meeting for residents concerned about changes to homeowners insurance as it relates to wildfire.

During the 2025 Nevada Legislative Session, laws were enacted that impact how insurance companies may assess wildfire risk, potentially affecting insurance availability, coverage, and premium rates for some homeowners.

Nevada Insurance Commissioner Ned Gaines will present an overview of the new law and how it pertains to homeowners in fire-prone areas of Washoe County, as well as how insurers may implement the provisions, and what resources are available to homeowners.

Following the presentation, representatives from Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and Washoe County Emergency Management will be available to discuss wildfire preparedness and risk-reduction efforts.

Wildfire happens frequently in our area, and every resident should understand the threat and how they can help protect themselves and their family, Emergency Manager Kelly Echeverria said. We are proud to partner with the State of Nevada to provide this important forum for education and dialogue with residents.

The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. on February 24 at the Washoe County Administration Complex at 1001 E. 9th Street, Building A, in the Commission Chambers.

(Washoe County contributed to this report.)
NYSE: VZLA TSX: VZLA

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Vizsla Silver Corp. (TSX: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA) (Frankfurt: 0G3) ("Vizsla" or the "Company") reports that ten individuals have been taken from its project site in Concordia, Mexico. The incident is currently under investigation, and information remains limited.

Local authorities have been notified, and the Company's crisis management and security response teams are actively engaged. The Company's immediate priority is the safety and wellbeing of the individuals involved.

As a precautionary measure, certain activities at and near the site have been temporarily suspended.

Website: www.vizslasilvercorp.ca

SOURCE Vizsla Silver Corp.
The Washoe County School District is looking to hire for a number of positions at two upcoming job fairs.

Both hiring fairs will be at Debbie Smith CTE Academy at 2880 Sutro Street in Reno.

The first one is Saturday, January 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

And the second is Saturday, February 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WCSD is primarily hiring for non-licensed positions including:

Housekeeping

Transportation

Nutrition Services

Capital Projects

Classroom Aides and Assistants

All other open positions

Human Resources personnel will be on site at these events to accept applications and answer questions from prospective employees. The district offers weekends off, paid vacations, holidays, sick leave, health benefits, professional growth opportunities, and PERS retirement.

Candidates are encouraged to arrive at the hiring fair with their applications already completed. For assistance with the application procedure, they can visit WCSD Human Resources (425 E. Ninth Street, Reno) on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through June.

For information, call (775) 348-0321 or email careers@washoeschools.net to make an appointment.

(Washoe County School District contributed to this report.)
He says refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security would be "beyond reckless."
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Prairie Lithium: Building a Secure North American Lithium Supply Chain

Malibu, CA, Jan 28, 2026 AEST (ABN Newswire) - On a recent episode of The Ellis Martin Report on Money Talk Radio, Ellis Martin spoke with Zach Maurer, CEO of Prairie Lithium Ltd ( ASX:PL9 ) ( PLIXF:OTCMKTS ) ( UDE:FRA ), alongside Dr. Uong Chon, CEO of South Korea-based Hydro Lithium.



The conversation focused on Prairie Lithium's permitted lithium brine project in Saskatchewan and its use of Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology-an approach designed to deliver high-purity, battery-grade lithium while minimizing environmental impact.



This three-nation collaboration between Canada, South Korea, and Australia represents a new model for lithium development, integrating resource extraction, advanced processing, and downstream battery markets into a single, secure supply corridor.

Key discussion points included:



- Lithium brine development in Saskatchewan

- Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology

- Battery-grade lithium refining

- Offtake and downstream integration

- Growing lithium demand driven by EVs and grid-scale energy storage



Prairie Lithium continues to advance toward commercial production, positioning itself as a meaningful contributor to the global energy transition.



To Listen to the Interview, please visit:

https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/65J98NME





About Prairie Lithium Ltd





Prairie Lithium Ltd. (ASX:PL9) (OTCMKTS:PLIXF) (FRA:UDE) is a lithium exploration and development company with its head office in Perth, Western Australia. The company is currently exploring and developing the Prairie Lithium project in Saskatchewan, Canada. The company also has BLM claims for exploration near Lordsburg, New Mexico, USA.

About The Ellis Martin Report

The Ellis Martin Report (TEMR) and Money Talk Radio feature interviews with industry leaders in mining, biotech, energy, and technology. The program is globally syndicated through multiple financial platforms and streaming services.

Related Companies
AceShowbiz - Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty! is an uplifting film that explores grief through the rhythmic world of ballroom dancing. Directed by Josef Kubota Wladyka, this engaging story centers around Haru, a middle-aged widow played by Rinko Kikuchi, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after the sudden loss of her husband, Luis (played by Alejandro Edda).

The film opens with Haru, characterized by her eccentric style of heavy blue eyeshadow and flashy dresses, as she competes in dance competitions alongside her husband in Tokyo. However, her life takes a sharp turn when Luis unexpectedly passes away. Consumed by her sorrow, Haru retreats into isolation, avoiding the outside world until her sister encourages her to join a dance class. It is here that she meets her charming instructor, Fedir (portrayed by Alberto Guerra), who becomes a pivotal figure in her attempt to reclaim joy.

Wladyka's direction masterfully balances moments of heart-wrenching emotion with lighthearted comedy, allowing the audience to experience Haru's fantasies alongside her reality. The film's title, Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty!, may initially seem offbeat, but it cleverly reflects the ironic and humorous tone that defines the narrative.

Rinko Kikuchi, known for her acclaimed roles in Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter and Babel, brings depth to Haru's character as she navigates the complex emotions of loss and newfound attraction. Her performance is particularly poignant when she faces the family of her deceased husband, who wish to take his body to Mexico for burial. Harus resistance stems from her belief that his spirit can only find peace through cremation, showcasing her internal struggle with grief.

As the story unfolds, Haru's infatuation with Fedir rekindles her spirit, pushing her to step out of her comfort zone. She takes bold actions, such as inviting him to dinner, which leads to delightful moments filled with humor and awkwardness. In her quest to learn more about him, Haru even searches online for pictures of Fedir with his wife, discovering he is in an open marriage. Kikuchi's portrayal makes Haru relatable, even when her actions veer towards the absurd, reminding viewers that grief can manifest in unexpected ways.

The film, inspired by Wladyka's own Japanese mother, marks a stylistic departure from his previous works, offering a refreshing perspective on the healing power of dance and connection. Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty! is not just a tale of loss; it is a heartwarming exploration of resilience and the joy found in unexpected places.
AceShowbiz - American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez is a vibrant exploration of the life and career of trailblazing Chicano filmmaker and theater director Luis Valdez. As the creator of the first Chicano play on Broadway, Zoot Suit, Valdez has faced significant challenges, particularly from critics who sought to undermine his artistry. The play, which dramatizes the Zoot Suit Riots, received harsh reviews that often employed coded language aimed at discrediting him.

This documentary aims to celebrate Valdez's impressive career, showcasing his contributions not just to theater but also to film. American Pachuco presents a feel-good narrative that highlights Valdez's most recognized works, including the film La Bamba, which remains the most successful Chicano film to date. Valdez has always viewed his art as a form of protest and a reflection of identity, famously stating, "We are America." His assertive approach to storytelling is akin to an astronaut firmly planting a flag on the moon.
AceShowbiz - Welcome to your Friday viewing guide! Today, we spotlight some exciting new releases, including Bruce Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, and Dwayne Johnson's latest project, The Smashing Machine. Additionally, prepare for an exhilarating adventure with climber Alex Honnold on Netflix.

As part of TVLine's daily feature, we present a curated list of new and returning English-language shows (and select films) debuting or airing fresh episodes across various platforms, organized by release time and in alphabetical order within each time slot.

Here's what you can catch on January 23, 2026:

3:00 AM ET

Coldwater - Paramount+

Tensions escalate when John and Fiona must attend the funeral of a cherished community member. As they navigate their grief, John's hidden truth edges dangerously close to exposure.

Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie - Peacock

In this latest adventure, Gabby (played by Laila Lockhart Kraner) embarks on a journey to Cat Francisco. However, her beloved dollhouse is seized by an eccentric collector, prompting a real-world rescue mission featuring the talents of Kristen Wiig.

The Smashing Machine - HBO Max

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson brings to life the gripping narrative of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr. This true story explores Kerr's relentless pursuit of greatness and the personal costs associated with it, alongside co-star Emily Blunt.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere - Hulu

This biopic delves into the creation of Bruce Springsteen's iconic 1982 album, Nebraska. Featuring Jeremy Allen White in the lead role, the film captures a transformative period in Springsteen's life, with notable performances by Jeremy Strong and Paul Walter Hauser.

Tehran - Apple TV

Tamar finds herself in a precarious situation, yet she cleverly turns it to her advantage, while Peterson's unexpected appearance raises the stakes.

8:00 PM ET

Happy's Place - NBC

As Bobbie navigates the delicate subject of Gabby's potential pregnancy, her well-meaning intentions inadvertently dampen Gabbys excitement.

Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! - HBO (Part 2 of 2)

This docuseries concludes by chronicling Mel Brooks' meteoric rise to fame and the lasting influence of his comedic legacy on audiences and future talents.

Nowhere Man - Starz

In a gripping premiere, Phumza disrupts Lukas and Neos fragile sanctuary at the homeless shelter, resulting in tragedy and igniting Lukass desire for revenge.

RuPaul's Drag Race - MTV

The queens need to create stunning outfits inspired by a blend of two legendary red carpet looks, with guest judge Annaleigh Ashford joining the fun.

Skyscraper Live - Netflix

In a high-stakes live event from Taipei, Taiwan, famed free solo climber Alex Honnold attempts to conquer one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.

8:30 PM ET

Stumble - NBC

When Courtney discovers that an AI company is considering Huddleston as a potential site, the implications for the community unfold in unexpected ways.
RIP Ajit Pawar: Political Rise and the Current Phase in Maharashtra Politics 2

Very unfortunate that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash, on Wednesday (January 28, 2026), in Baramati. Four other people on board the private aircraft, including the pilot and co-pilot were also killed.

Pawar was travelling on a Bombardier Learjet 45 business jet, owned by a Delhi-based firm VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd. The Learjet 45 (LJ45), a mid-size business jet aircraft produced by the Learjet Division of Bombardier Aerospace.

The incident halted the flight operations at Mumbai international airport for an hour and 45 minutes. Photographs of the Bombardier Learjet 45 went viral showing two broken parts from the cockpit portion, due to the impact of the accident.

Ajit Pawar has been a consistent presence in Maharashtra politics for over three decades, primarily in roles connected with administration and governance. His political career began in the cooperative sector and gradually expanded into state-level leadership positions. The trajectory of this rise was incremental, shaped by institutional experience, electoral continuity, and shifting political circumstances.

Pawars early political exposure came through cooperative institutions. His involvement with cooperative sugar factories and the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank provided him with organisational and financial administration experience. This background later informed his functioning within government, particularly in departments related to finance and infrastructure.

He entered the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in the early 1990s and has since represented the Baramati constituency multiple times. Winning the constituency in successive elections established him as a stable political figure within the state. Over the years, he held several ministerial portfolios and was appointed Deputy Chief Minister on multiple occasions, serving under different coalition governments.

As a minister and Deputy Chief Minister, Pawar handled key departments such as Finance, Irrigation, Water Resources, Rural Development, and Planning. These sectors placed him at the centre of policy decisions affecting agriculture, infrastructure development, and budgetary allocation. Several initiatives from these departments were implemented during his tenure, while others were subjects of political debate and public scrutiny.

Pawars administrative style has generally been described as direct and task-focused. Supporters viewed this approach as contributing to faster decision-making, while critics argued that it allowed limited scope for consultation. These assessments have coexisted throughout his career and reflect broader debates on governance styles rather than individual exceptions.

Politically, his journey has included periods of stability as well as significant transitions. Coalition politics in Maharashtra, internal party dynamics, and national political developments have influenced his role at different stages. Events surrounding the formation and collapse of governments in 2019 and subsequent years marked a turning point in how his political position was perceived.

Following the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in 2022, Pawar served for a period as Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Subsequent political realignments led to his faction claiming the Nationalist Congress Partys name and symbol, a decision later recognised by the Election Commission of India. This development formally altered the organisational structure of the party and clarified leadership control.

Ajit Pawar was part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra and served as Deputy Chief Minister. His role today differs from earlier phases when he was seen as the dominant administrative figure within government. Decision-making in the current political framework is distributed among coalition partners, reflecting the realities of alliance governance.

The shift in Pawars political position is not attributable to a single event, but rather to evolving power equations, generational leadership changes, and coalition compulsions within the state. Such transitions are not uncommon in long political careers, particularly in states with complex alliance politics like Maharashtra.

Ajit Pawars record in public life includes both administrative contributions and contested decisions. His tenure reflects the operational challenges of governance as well as the political negotiations inherent in coalition systems. A long-term assessment of his role will likely focus on policy outcomes, institutional impact, and the sustainability of the decisions taken during his various terms in office.

His position represents neither a conclusion nor a continuation of earlier dominance, but a changed phase shaped by contemporary political alignments. As with most political careers, his legacy will be evaluated over time, based on outcomes rather than narratives.

In democratic politics, leadership roles evolve with context.

Authority shifts, responsibilities redistribute, and influence recalibrates.
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From Wikimedia Commons: Carlisle Market Cross from English Street (William Henry Nutter, 1835)

England, one of the worlds oldest nation-states, has long stood as a symbol of continuity, tradition, and cultural propriety. From the consolidation of the monarchy to the expansion of the British Empire, it helped shape Western civilization, anchored in Christian heritage and legal principles (Magna Carta). It also historically protected minority communities, including Jews, from persecution. Yet in the twenty-first century, England (and Britain) faces unprecedented internal crisesin governance, national identity, and cultural cohesionthat suggest, not just a period of transition but the possible unraveling of a once-cohesive civilization.

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With opposing feelings of sadness and schadenfreude, respectively, friends and enemies of Britain are following developments. The country is in the grip of a national identity crisis complicated by institutional decay and cultural fragmentation. A pressing question is whether Britain is dismantling itself as a nation, abjuring its civilizational heritage, and losing the willand abilityto uphold the very foundations of its social order.

England today exists in an uneasy union with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. While historically dominant within the United Kingdom, Englands role is increasingly uncertain as Scottish nationalism and regional devolution gain momentum. The unity of Britainonce a symbol of imperial strengthnow appears fragile.

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Although England remains politically and economically central to Britain, rising regional identities and constitutional confusion suggest a fracturing of the very concept of a unified British (or even English) nation. This development goes beyond political decentralization; it represents a deeper existential uncertainty about what Britain is and whether it has the cohesion to survive as a unified entity.

Post-war mass immigration has dramatically reshaped English society. Cities like London, Birmingham, and Leicester are now hubs of global diversity, home to communities from South Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe. This transformation has created parallel societies with limited integration, linguistic separation, and competing value systems.

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In urban centers, the prominence of foreign religious rites and festivalsalongside the visible retreat of Christian traditionssignals a civilizational turning point. The public square once shaped by Anglican values and Western customs is now defined by religious pluralism, which, while legally protected, has disrupted a shared cultural narrative.

For many nativesespecially in working-class and rural areasthis shift is experienced as alienation rather than enrichment. The disappearance of familiar norms, the marginalization of the English language in some neighborhoods, and the rise of identity politics contribute to a growing sense of cultural exile in ones own country.

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Mistaken for bigoted nostalgia, this actually reflects a psychological crisis. Feelings of dislocation, economic insecurity, and cultural displacement have fueled political resentment, manifesting in populist movements, culture wars, and, notably, the Brexit referenduma desperate, though ambiguous, attempt to reclaim sovereignty and identity.

The central challenge that Britain faces is how to sustain a coherent national identity amid disruptive pluralism. Multiculturalism tends to replace unity with a patchwork of isolated identities. Without a common cultural or moral framework, society becomes atomizeda collection of individuals and groups with competing loyalties and little shared meaning.

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The emotional fallout is evident. Many natives no longer recognize their own country. Their history, faith, and customs are derided or erased in public discourse. National holidays, language, and historical monuments are increasingly contested. Once-proud symbols of identity are rebranded as sources of shame.

If left unaddressed, this erosion of cultural cohesion risks social fragmentation degenerating into civilizational collapse. No society can endure without a shared story about who it is and what it stands for. Britain risks becoming a country in name onlyadministratively functional, but spiritually and culturally adrift.

The claim that Britain has given up fighting for Western civilization is not hyperbole. This civilizationrooted in Greek philosophy, Roman law, Christianity, and the Enlightenmentwas once proudly championed by British institutions. However, the core values of this tradition are increasingly viewed with suspicion or outright hostility.

Secularism, postmodern relativism, and cultural guilt have replaced moral clarity with ambiguity. The very concept of Western civilization is now deemed exclusionary or oppressive in elite discourse. Britain, which once exported its institutions and values globally, now hesitates to defend them at home.

This loss of civilizational confidence is visible in education, media, and public institutions. Classical literature, Christian teachings, and national history are sidelined in favor of a fragmented, grievance-driven curriculum. The result is a generation alienated from its own heritage, lacking a coherent moral compass or sense of national purpose.

Historically, Britains treatment of its Jewish population mirrored the broader trajectory of Western civilizationfrom medieval persecution to legal emancipation and protection. Yet recent years have seen a resurgence of anti-Semitism, particularly in political and academic spaces. Despite legal protections, Jewish communities increasingly question whether British society retains the will to defend them.

This trend is emblematic of a wider failure to uphold civilizational responsibilities. A nation that once prided itself on defending minority rights now struggles to confront hate when it contradicts fashionable ideological narratives. If Britain cannot protect one of its oldest minority communities, what does that reveal about its commitment to the values that it claims to uphold?

Christianity has long underpinned Englands legal system, ethical norms, and cultural rituals. Yet the Church of England is in steep decline, and public life is rapidly secularizing. Church attendance is collapsing, and a growing majority now identify as non-religious or affiliated with non-Christian faiths.

To many, this secular shift represents moral progress. However, critics argue that the abandonment of Christianity is leaving a spiritual vacuumone that cannot be filled by consumerism, state ideology or cultural relativism. The ethical roots of law, justice, and personal responsibilitylong nurtured by Christian teachingare being severed.

This spiritual disintegration poses a profound civilizational risk. Without a moral anchor, societies devolve into moral subjectivism. The rise in crime, family breakdown, mental health crises, and civic disengagement may not be symptoms of isolated issues, but of a deeper loss of collective purpose.

Britains state institutionsParliament, police, judiciary, and civil serviceonce admired for their stability and impartiality, are now widely viewed with suspicion or contempt. A series of political scandals (e.g., rape gangs), the Brexit debacle, and media portrayals of MPs as unserious or corrupt have eroded public trust.

The police face mounting criticism over their inability to maintain public order, perceived bias in enforcement, and a retreat from traditional community policing. Meanwhile, rising crime, especially violent and antisocial behavior, contributes to the perception of a society in decline.

The judiciary, though formally independent, is seen by many as out of step with public morality. Legal rulings that appear to prioritize abstract rights over common-sense justice further alienate ordinary citizens, reinforcing the sense that the system no longer works for them.

Parliament itself suffers from a perceived decline in merit. Many legislators appear more interested in media performance or ethnic-ideological signaling than principled governance. The House of Lords, unelected and increasingly populated through opaque patronage, exemplifies the disconnect between institutional authority and democratic legitimacy.

These trends, if unchecked, threaten the legitimacy and functionality of the state. A society without faith in its institutions loses the capacity for collective action, creating fertile ground for civil war or authoritarianism.

Britain is in turmoil. Its challengesdemographic transformation, loss of identity, institutional decay, and civilizational uncertaintyare not isolated issues but interconnected symptoms of a deeper malaise. The nation that once led the world in law, liberty, and learning now struggles to define itself, govern effectively, and protect its foundational values.

To avoid disaster, Britain should recover a sense of historical continuity, moral purpose, and cultural cohesion. This means reasserting the legitimacy of its civilizational heritage, not as a weapon of exclusion but as a foundation for integration and renewal. It means defending the values of democracy, liberty, and justice by law and in spirit.

Without this renewal, Britain risks a slow-motion collapse because of internal erosion, cultural amnesia, and moral confusion rather than military invasion or economic ruin. The collapse of civilizations is rarely sudden. It begins with the loss of confidence, the fraying of institutions, and the surrender of identity. Britain is not there yetbut it is dangerously close.
Just as it did one hundred and sixty-five years ago, the Democrat Party appears to be making war against the federal government.

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Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz have identified tens of billions of dollars in welfare fraud flowing through the Democrat-controlled state of Minnesota. President Trump has suggested that the level of Minnesota fraud may top a hundred billion dollars as investigations proceed.

The public is slowly learning that members of the states substantial population of Somali immigrants have been abusing state and federal programs to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers. Fraudulent childcare centers were created to siphon federal tax dollars. Fraudulent healthcare clinics were designed to do the same. There are many signs that suggest Minneapolis is home to both a massive money laundering operation and a massive vote fraud scheme.

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Because the amount of financial fraud is so high, it is difficult to believe that Somali immigrants orchestrated this massive theft on their own. Minnesota and Minneapolis have government agencies whose sole function is to seek, police, and prevent exactly these kinds of taxpayer thefts. The idea that immigrants from across the world could arrive in Minnesota and figure out how to manipulate the existing bureaucracy to orchestrate large-scale fraud is unconvincing. It seems much more likely that government bureaucrats, elected officials, law enforcement personnel, and perhaps even judges facilitated such complex institutional fraud. If that is the case, then we are not looking at a massive welfare fraud scandal. We are looking at a government-orchestrated criminal syndicate.

Whether Minnesota governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey have been actively participating in this crime syndicate, we dont yet know. It is difficult to believe that they and the people who work for them could have been totally blind to a multi-billion-dollar fraud operation being run within their jurisdictions. That is why the governors and mayors hysterical responses to the presence of federal agents in Minnesota are particularly alarming. Their state has just been accused of being the home base of one of the largest immigrant-run crime rings in American history. If state and local officials have nothing to hide, then they should welcome the arrival of federal authorities. Instead, they have demonized Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as Nazis, murderers, and Trumps Gestapo.

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As ICE officers and U.S. Border Patrol agents work with other federal agencies to track down criminal illegal aliens accused or convicted of rape, murder, and other violent crimes, Democrat officials in Minnesota are demanding that they leave dangerous criminals on the street. Governor Walz and Mayor Frey have repeatedly run to the cameras demanding that federal agents depart the state and allow violent felons to continue victimizing American citizens. This is bizarre behavior and arguably a betrayal of their sworn duties to the people of Minnesota. Yet the Democrat-aligned propaganda media in the United States continue to frame violent felons as victims and the Democrat officials who wish to defend those felons as civil rights heroes.

Although local Democrat voters can be persuaded to take the side of Walz and Frey, objective Americans watching these events unfold from afar see what looks like a Minnesota-engineered rebellion against the U.S. federal government. The idea that Minnesota Democrats are flirting with the possibility of turning Minneapolis into this centurys Fort Sumter becomes only more credible when we listen to the words coming from prominent Democrats outside of the state. Former Democrat presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have both released statements in which they defend the violent actions of leftist agitators who threatened the lives of federal agents. Both Democrat presidents have portrayed the aggressors as victims and the law enforcement officers as villains. Both Democrat presidents have called for more citizens to rise up against federal authorities intervening in the state and to harass and intimidate those federal authorities until President Trump surrenders the state to Minnesotas lawless state and local officials.

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Minnesotas Democrat members of Congress have attempted to stir up the mobs passions by falsely framing lethal incidents of law enforcement self-defense as federal executions of law-abiding citizens. Democrat politicians across the country have made similar scandalous accusations in an attempt to disseminate a false public narrative that might justify violent mob action in Minneapolis. The most prominent Democrats in Congress, gubernatorial mansions, and city halls from coast to coast are all vocally defending both violent criminal illegal aliens residing within Minnesota as well as the violent actions of Minnesotas Democrat-aligned street mobs.

At what point do prominent Democrats reckless calls for armed resistance against federal authorities constitute a Democrat Party-marshaled insurrection against the federal government? How many federal agents must have their lives threatened before we recognize that operatives of the Democrat Party are inciting violence? How many hotels, automobiles, and federal offices do Minnesotas mobs have to attack before we acknowledge that factions of the Democrat Party are in a state of armed rebellion?

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Among the many activities on the ground in Minnesota that indicate a Democrat Party-organized rebellion against the United States is currently underway, Democrat politicians and staffers are allegedly coordinating anti-ICE resistance in real time. Investigative journalist Cam Higby successfully infiltrated private messaging groups that Democrat-aligned domestic terrorists are using to surveil, identify, harass, sabotage, obstruct, and physically assault federal agents. Democrat-aligned street soldiers are utilizing tactics and conducting operations that have all the hallmarks of a classic military insurgency.

Retired Green Beret Officer Eric Schwalm, a man who fought insurgents in both Afghanistan and Iraq, bluntly assessed the ongoing rebellion in Minneapolis:

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Signal groups at 1,000-member cap per zone. Dedicated roles: mobile chasers, plate checkers logging vehicle data into shared databases, 24/7 dispatch nodes vectoring assets, SALUTE-style reporting (Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time, Equipment) on suspected federal vehicles. Daily chat rotations and timed deletions to frustrate forensic recovery. Vetting processes for new joiners. Mutual aid from sympathetic locals (teachers providing cover, possible PD tip-offs on license plate lookups). Home-base coordination points. Rapid escalation from observation to physical obstruction  or worse. This isnt spontaneous outrage. This is C2 (command and control) with redundancy, OPSEC hygiene, and task organization that would make a SF team sergeant nod in recognition. Replace ICE agents with occupying coalition forces and the structure maps almost 1:1 to early-stage urban cells we hunted in the mid-2000s.

Schwalm concludes: When your own citizens build and operate this level of parallel intelligence and rapid-response network against federal officers -- complete with doxxing, vehicle pursuits, and harassment thats already turned lethal -- youre no longer dealing with civil disobedience. Youre facing a distributed resistance thats learned the lessons of successful insurgencies.

Whether Democrat Party officials are backing an insurgent force on the streets of Minneapolis to distract from their own complicity in a multi-billion-dollar fraud operation, we dont yet know. But Democrats do appear to believe that Minnesota can ignore federal law and threaten federal agents with impunity. That smacks of rebellion and secession and cannot be permitted.

Image: Tony Webster
President Trumps confrontation with Europes leaders over Ukraine, NATO funding, and Greenlands sovereignty has triggered many in Europe to openly insinuate that the United States is no longer a reliable ally and is, in fact, an adversary. This tantrum-like reaction to an American president putting his countrys interests first has prompted European leaders to claim that Europe can compete with the U.S. on the world stage and defend itself without American assistance.

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But can Europe compete with and take over the role of the United States in NATO? The reality is that Europe stands no chance against the U.S. and never will. Europe also lacks the manufacturing and labor base to produce weapons to defend itself against any major aggressor.

On the surface, the European Unions 27 member nations, plus the United Kingdom, should be able to compete with the United States. Their combined population is 520 million, compared with 347 million in the United States. Between the EUs establishment in 1993 and 2008, its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was within 5 % of that of the United States.

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However, during the 16 years between 2008 and 2023, the EUs GDP grew by just 13.5% (from $16.7 trillion to $18.5 Trillion) while the U.S. GDP grew by 87% (from $14.8 Trillion to $27.8 Trillion), a gap in 2023 of over 50%. This gap will widen further to 65% as the International Monetary Fund predicts that Europes GDP will be $23 Trillion by 2030, while the U.S. will hit $38 Trillion.

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Pixabay image, edited.

The primary reason behind this growing disparity is that the EU and the U.S. have long ago chosen different paths and are now experiencing the consequences.

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Europe has arrogantly focused on a lifestyle that demands a vast network of exceedingly expensive social safety nets requiring exorbitant taxation, importing millions of immigrants to offset a dwindling native population, mandating numerous paid vacation days, and preserving the past at the expense of the present and future.

Europe has evolved into being the apathetic curator of the worlds largest outdoor museum. It is an entity without a growth-focused system to survive and prosper in a hyper-competitive global economy, while also being confronted by a massive, imported population that is increasingly hostile to that museums culture. Immigrants hostility and refusal to assimilate means theyre determined to transform their host countries into de facto third-world Islamic enclaves.

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The United States is an economic superpower because it has historically focused on growth, innovation, efficiency, ambition, and the future. This historical focus is again center-stage, and Trump and his team are aggressively promoting it with America First policies and their emphasis on manufacturing, innovation, and avoiding Europes migrant debacle, not just by stopping unchecked immigration but also by deporting millions of illegal immigrants.

The United States also has the advantage of functioning as a single, massive economic engine the size of the European continent. It is a giant unified market wherein a company can target hundreds of millions of people without dealing with national boundaries, tariffs, onerous regulations, and inexplicable legal impedimentsand where a trail-blazing start-up can easily access capital in a business environment that promotes innovation.

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As a result, the U.S. not only has far more capital available for investments but also a culture that rewards high-risk ventures. Therefore, it attracts virtually all the worlds best talent and resources. This is why it leads in every major field of technology, from artificial intelligence to aerospace.

On the other hand, the EU comprises 27 countries with diverse languages, laws, and customs. These countries have had to subordinate their nations to the whims of a central, unelected bureaucracy steeped in Euro-socialism. Its a bureaucracy that is mindlessly focused not on innovation or growth but on regulations, taxes, and tenure, which inevitably foments animosity and resentment among the member nations.

Rather than being an economic superpower, Europe has become a regulatory superpower. Instead of promoting innovation, the EUs bureaucrats are busy writing regulations to control it. As a byproduct of this folly, not only is there little or no innovation, but the best and brightest in Europes technology fields are forced to immigrate to the United States to pursue their ambitions.

Meanwhile, European leaders are begging China to dramatically increase its investments and involvement in Europes economy, particularly the technology sector. By doing so, Europe will bizarrely tie itself to the most unreliable and hostile nation on earth.

Energy also plays a pivotal role in Europes waning competitiveness. The United States has transformed itself into an energy superpower by dramatically expanding oil and natural gas production, not only for domestic consumption but also for export purposes. This determination to develop its resources is a major factor in keeping its industrial base not only growing but massive and competitive.

Meanwhile, much of Europe inexplicably chose to pursue so-called green energy, abandoning coal and shuttering nuclear power plants while constraining oil and gas exploration with so many regulations that the EUs nations are wholly dependent on others for their energy. They are, thus, buffeted by the vagaries of the global oil and gas markets as renewable energy sources have proven themselves to be grossly unreliable and prohibitively expensive.

Virtually all European countries are experiencing the highest electricity costs among developed nations worldwide. Together with excessive regulations, this hampers Europes remaining manufacturing base and further suppresses the development of new industries and start-up companies, as well as undermining Europes ability to produce weapons for its defense.

Lastly, European society is undergoing an irreversible transformation due to apathy, clueless leadership, secularization, and the importation of millions of migrants hostile to Western culture. Except for Poland and other Eastern European nations, there does not seem to be any willingness to act aggressively stop this transformation.

Without a seismic reversal of this societal apathy and a massive change in its approach to economic growth, Europe will continue to fade and could eventually experience civil strife and violent upheaval. Thus, it cannot currently or in the future be competitive with the United States.

As for NATO, the question is not whether Europe can assume Americas role, but whether the U.S. should remain in NATO, particularly given Europes overtures to China and the potential cultural upheaval in many NATO countries.

The only way Europe can hope to be competitive with the United States would be if America descends into the same cesspool. That could well happen if the Marxist-controlled Democrat party were allowed to assume power for an extended period. The partys policies would destroy Americas competitiveness, standard of living, and culture. This highlights, of course, how important the 2026 and 2028 elections will be.
The president of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Moritz Schularick, makes no secret in an interview with the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung that the signs are pointing toward a war economy. It is bizarre to witness how economists succumb to the intellectual mediocrity of central planning.

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Schularick seems to have found the ultimate solution to Germanys economic problems. In conversation with the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung (NOZ), the economist complained about a leadership vacuum in German arms policy. He sees it as central to an active industrial policy that could lead Germany out of its economic woes. Schularick expects that arms production will act as a, in his own words, job booster.

He said literally: If we want Europe to truly stand on its own in defense soon and not remain dependent on the MAGA-USA, then Defense Minister Boris Pistorius must be given the order to work with European partners to eventually replace the USA and its capabilities.

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Fatal War Rhetoric

Order to march, military self-sufficiency -- the vocabulary is both revealing and dangerous. It seems politics and state-adjacent economic research are converging on a common path regarding military policy and increasingly centrally planned industrial management. A return to market principles seems like a fairy tale in circles of German economists -- no one believes anymore in the curative power of freedom from climate diktats, overregulation, and fiscal burdens.

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According to Schularick, politics should implement a top-level arms coordinator to manage investment funds in response to the Russian threat. Perhaps he envisions himself in this role? After all, over 500 billion in defense investments are planned by the end of the decade to reduce security dependence on the U.S.

Production Capacity Shortfalls

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Schularick criticized the extremely slow pace of ramping up arms production. Since the war began four years ago, nothing has been done to significantly increase production capacity.

How many Taurus missiles are finished per month? Not even a handful, he laments. A clear industrial policy deficit, he concludes.

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Here, the new spirit of German economic academia emerges: everything revolves around the much-praised global steering, an active industrial policy now pursued by Brussels and Berlin, dangerously fed by state-aligned research.

What was long predicted with three-quarter conviction now seems to be happening. Central planners, including Schularick, apparently assume they can repurpose idle German industrial capacity for the defense sector. Civil car production, in their view, can easily be converted into tank production. Besides producing goods private households do not demand, this creates yet another subsidy-dependent industry, consuming resources from civilian production and artificially raising civilian costs.

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Germanys Rediscovered Work Ethic in War Mode

Schularick grows euphoric about the promising future of the war economy, astonishingly rediscovering a work ethic long absent in Germany. He notes production is still mostly single-shift, five days a week. Implicitly, we learn, these are the jobs of Germanys economic future.

No one seems to think about what should be produced in the coming years to avoid empty shelves after just three weeks in a potential conflict. Its not just about armored vehicles but also future technologies like autonomous systems, satellites, AI, or robotics, Schularick adds. Everywhere, German industry has fallen behind.

Where does this competitive disadvantage come from, the central planner wonders? Perhaps from German policy and the Brussels bureaucratic apparatus acting as internal antagonists?

The interview highlights the widening gap between economic reality and the hermetically sealed ivory tower of politics, state-backed research, and sympathetic media, which promote this massive economic mismanagement while failing to critically assess Russias actual military strength, which is not capable of a continental invasion.

Weve seen this playbook during the COVID era: once set in motion, the state-affiliated media machine drives narratives across newspapers, radio, and social media bot armies, suppressing open discourse. Stories of Russian occupation are defended in apocalyptic tones, wearing the public down.

The Central Planners Dreamworld

How do technocrats like Schularick, Merz, or von der Leyen envision converting production lines to military goods in practice? Beyond financing, theres the question of knowledge transfer. Do blueprints come from the Internet or Boris Pistorius ministry?

The knowledge transfer required to build a centrally planned war economy from civilian industry is immense and time-consuming. Even after decades of bitter experience with green transformation -- which only drove capital out of Germany -- political learning curves remain negative.

Was this the goal? Ironically: to push industry into a corner with climate policies until it falters, then fill freed capacities with arms production?

Beyond the failed climate subsidy business emerges a new extraction pillar: the European defense sector. Whether this experiment can withstand real-world economic conditions -- falling productivity, rising debt -- is doubtful. Central planners like Schularick will surely have an explanation: they were blocked by forces opposed to European integration, joint war economy, and Brussels debt accumulation.

The Illusion of Central Planning

No deep economic expertise is needed to see that militarization is doomed to fail. A brief glance at 20th-century history is enough. Beyond massive resource mismanagement, there are issues of national sovereignty, divergent EU geopolitical interests, and a divided Union -- especially an Eastern bloc wary of conflict with Russia.

That even economists like Schularick succumb to the lure of powerful central planning shows they are not immune to personal vanity. Surely, they hope their institutes benefit -- perhaps with a ministerial-level position as arms coordinator. Who knows which job descriptions are already circulating in Berlin and Brussels.

It is tragic, yet the motto everywhere seems to be: After us, the flood.

Image: Dustin Preick
A riddle posed simply as a philosophical paradox to stimulate discussion among thinkers of the day dates back to ancient Greece; that riddle proffered, What came first, the chicken or the egg? Paramount to contemplating questions of life stimulated by such philosophical thinking was understanding the law of cause and effect.

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Science eventually provided the riddles answer, determining the egg came first. A birdnot quite a chicken and thus considered a proto-chickenlaid an egg containing a genetic mutation, creating the DNA of the first true chicken.

An analysis of cause and effect is always critical to help resolve problems created as a consequence. Undertaking causes can sometimes unintentionally create negative effects; other times, the consequences may be foreseeable, thus creating an obligation to take action beforehand to limit the negative impact.

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In a recent social posting by New York Citys socialist Democrat mayor, Zohran Mamdani, he made no effort to reflect upon cause and effect. His anti-America post came after ICE arrested a city employee, asserting the act represented an assault on our democracy.

By Mamdanis post, the reader assumed an innocent New Yorker was wrongly apprehended. Of no concern to the mayor was why he was taken into custodyi.e., he was an illegal alien with an arrest for assault detained by ICE to examine his status.

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Although reasons for the arrested mans detention were justified, Mamdanis only interest was in posting his kneejerk reaction to ICE doing its federally mandated job of arresting those who have violated our immigration laws.

While Mamdanis post was irresponsible by failing to provide an explanation as to why ICE did what it did, an even more outrageous observation on a different matter was made by an official in another state. Arizonas Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes effectively created an 1881 O.K. Corral shooting environment for locals by sanctioning the killing of ICE agents. Unbelievably, Mayes, citing the states Stand Your Ground self-defense law as justification, suggested that residents encountering masked ICE agents and feeling endangered had the right to shoot them. But nothing in that law justifies a citizens use of deadly force against a law enforcement officer in the line of duty. One would think too, as attorney general, Mayes would have explained, while the defensive law was meant to empower action when a victims space was being invaded, it would probably be inapplicable when the space of the ICE agent was being invaded by protesters.

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Without any clarification, Mayes added to the confusion with the statement, Its kind of a recipe for disaster because you have these masked federal officers with very little identification, sometimes no identification, wearing plain clothes and masks.

Sadly, on January 24, another ICE-involved killing occurred in Minneapolis. The victim was Alex Pretti and, while the media was quick to portray him as totally innocent, we are learning he was a member of the anti-ICE Signal chat group responsible for coordinating operations against the agency.

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Shooting details remain sketchy but it is known he carried a gun and two magazines. It begs the question whether someone so armed was there to peacefully protest. A struggle ensued, during which Pretti was shot and killed.

Despite the shooting, Mayor Jacob Frey saw no need to warn the public to avoid ICE operations or to designate a safe area away from the ICE operations for protesters to demonstrate. Instead, he foolishly asked questions intent on dodging any responsibility on his part for what happened:

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How many more residents, how many more Americans need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end? How many more lives need to be lost before this administration realizes that a political and partisan narrative is not as important as American values? How many times must local and national leaders plead with you, Donald Trump, to end this operation and recognize that this is not creating safety in our city?

Frey failed to ask a question, the obvious answer to which would restore the safety he supposedly sought for his city. That question is, What can I as mayor do to prevent confrontations between ICE agents doing their job and residents opposed to them doing it?

Frey totally ignored the fact that while Trump does his job as president, ridding our country of illegal aliens, the mayor fails to do his job to ensure the safety of his citizens. Doing so entails warning them against interfering with legal ICE operations and limiting their protesting to distant safe areas.

The failure of Frey and other state and local officials to do this explains why ICE agents have suffered a 1,300% increase in assaults, a 3,200% increase in vehicle attacks, and an 8,000% increase in death threats.

Boiled down to its common denominator, the incidents occurring between ICE agents and anti-ICE activists put two U.S. Constitutional rights into conflict. While anti-ICE activists do have a First Amendment right to protest, ICE agents are within their legal right to perform their federally-mandated duty to arrest illegal aliens. It is that same Constitution that, through the Supremacy Clause, mandates conflicting rights (as long as their congruent with the Constitution), bend to federal authority. This is the point that state and local officials have a responsibility to impress upon their citizens, offering the means by which both groups can effectively exercise their rights.

As evidenced by Mamdani with the arrest of his illegal alien employee, rather than warning NYC citizens about ICE rightfully being able to do so, he rushes to attack it. Yet it is thisthe disrespect for U.S. law such aliens exhibit by illegally crossing our borders and automatically triggering ICEs right to remove themthat Mamdani and other state and local officials choose to totally ignore. It is the cause of ICE doing what it rightfully has to do that creates the risk effect of injury or death to anti-ICE protesters who have chosen to disrespect U.S. law as well by aggressively interfering with ICE operations.

For years now, there have been laws mandating manufacturers provide warnings about their products that may not be known to the public. While the public should be well aware of what risks are undertaken by interfering with an ICE operation, there is a lack of accountability on the part of state and local government officials by their failure to forewarn about this.

Some states recognize the crime of murder by omission. It arises when a person with a duty to act to prevent the death of others fails to do so. No better example is befitting of state and local officials failing to so act to warn against public interference with ICE operations or to provide a safe area for protesters to demonstrate than the actions of those in Minneapolis.

It took time for the first, modern chicken to evolve. How much more time needs to pass and how many more ICE/protester victim lives claimed before common sense evolves among our political leaders?

Image generated by ChatGPT.
The current state of things: Bangladesh-born dudes named Saddam Azlan Salim are working to disarm the oldest of the 13 colonies, and are very likely to be successful, at least until the Supreme Court steps in (God willing):

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 Today, a bill to ban "assault weapons" was voted out of committee in the Virginia Senate-- and it essentially makes gun ownership illegal in the commonwealth.



Its author is State Senator Saddam Azlan Salim, who was born in Bangladesh.



In Virginia's code, an "assault weapon" pic.twitter.com/tNmXB28R3x  Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 26, 2026

The bill aims to ban an assault firearm from private ownership, and by the bills definition, an assault firearm is any semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol that fires a round using combustible material (gunpowder) that can hold more than 10 rounds. For anyone whos not very well-versed in firearms, that definition would encompass most modern guns, excluding only revolvers, bolt-action rifles, lever-action arms, pump-action arms, and single-shot arms (like a blunderbuss or a musket).

And, the bill passed out of the Courts of Justice committee, which means its headed toward the floor for debate and a vote. In a Democrat-controlled Senate, I imagine itll pass there too. Then itll head to the House, which is also now strongly controlled by Democrats (the largest majority in 40 years), likely passing, before it winds up on the desk of Abigail Spanberger, which Im sure, shell gloatingly sign.

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G-Dubs (as hes lovingly referred to in my home), would not be happy: He didnt defy death on the battlefield countless times, having horses blown out from under him at least twice and disrobing after fights only to see his clothes riddled with bulletholes, to see third-worlders take a whopping third-world dump on all the blood he and his men shed to bring about freedom, independence, and liberty.

Neither would Robert E. Lee, who when asked what side he would choose, painfully and sorrowfully opted to fight with his country what we know as the state of Virginia. (In 2026, the idea of a state being a country is foreign, but at a time when statehood and state sovereignty actually meant what the founders intended, and the federal government was subservient to the states, this was the prevailing attitude of Americans.)

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This all brings me to my main point: legal immigration is just as big of a problem as illegal immigration. Saddam Azlan Salim is not an American, and I dont care what papers he has to say he is. He is a foreigner, using a captured and occupied state government for his own hives interests, intentionally undermining the very foundation of our nation. Importing more ethnics from around the world means theyll come here and vote for the established ethnicsAmerica be damned. Somalians vote for Somalians, Bangladeshis vote for Bangladeshis, Indians vote for Indians. (Additional context: the president of the Virginia Senate is Indian-born Ghazala Hashmi.)

Denaturalize and repatriate, by the millions, immediately.

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Image generated by ChatGPT.
We learned that the Washington Post is downsizing, the nice way of saying that people are getting laid off. Now, let me be clear that no one ever wants to see anyone getting laid off, whether you work at a plant moving overseas or a newspaper. So I'm not cheering that these reporters are getting the layoff notice, but it happens. I should add that I'm the only one on my block who still gets a daily newspaper, as the friendly delivery man tells me.

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The story at the Washington Post is about money, as we can see here:

The Washington Post lost around $100 million in 2024 as top journalists defected to the publications competitors, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Advertisement That figure is reportedly approximately 30% greater than The Posts losses in 2023. Advertising revenue at the publication also fell from $190 million to $174 million, WSJ wrote. These losses are reportedly compounded by The Post also losing a significant number of digital subscribers. At least 250,000 people canceled their subscriptions after The Post chose not to issue an endorsement in the 2024 presidential election, breaking a longstanding pattern, the paper reported in October. Advertisement Digital visitors for The Post are also down, dropping from 114 million in November 2020 to 54 million in November 2024, WSJ reported. These struggles have caused internal frustration at The Post, according to WSJ. Several of its top writers have reportedly since left to join other rivals, like The New York Times, The Atlantic and ProPublica. Advertisement As a cost-cutting measure, The Post also said it would eliminate about 100 business roles, WSJ reported. Those positions, which are outside of the newsroom, reportedly account for about 4% of its workforce.

Okay, so all the good writers went to the competition? Or maybe the good writers don't have people reading them.

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The problem with the news media is not that Jeff Bezos is a ruthless businessman or someone who does not want to lose money. No one wants to lose money.

The real problem is that the so-called traditional media have lost the public. It's hard to sell a newspaper or a digital version if the reader does not think that you are straight and honest.

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Choose whatever poll you want to choose, and the result is the same. Trust in the media is down. Let's go to Gallup:

Americans confidence in the mass media has edged down to a new low, with just 28% expressing a great deal or fair amount of trust in newspapers, television and radio to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. This is down from 31% last year and 40% five years ago. Meanwhile, seven in 10 U.S. adults now say they have not very much confidence (36%) or none at all (34%).

Again, it's hard to buy something you don't trust, whether it's a product, a service, or a media source. So the reporters can blame whoever they want to blame, from people not reading print newspapers to cheering President Trump lashing out at media members.

The real culprit here is that the media gave up its credibility in the name of destroying Trump and putting Obama on a pedestal. The fat lady is finally singing and the media does not like her song.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image: Daniel X. O'Neil
Trump has just issued a major threat to Iran, one backed with the might of Americas military. Lets hope he means it.

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Since 1979, Iran has funded Islamic terrorism throughout the world. Most recently, it funded and supplied Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis to destroy Israel, an American ally. Given how leftists have made Israels survival controversial, this has torn apart the West since 2023.

Even before that, though, Iran funded and supplied the Iraqis fighting the U.S. during the Iraq War, prolonging the war and causing deaths and injuries to thousands of troops. And of course, Iran has been responsible for major terrorist attacks around the world, including the murder of 241 American troops in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing.

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In addition to mullahs murderous efforts outside their borders to destabilize the West to make themselves the head of a worldwide caliphate, they have been tyrants within Iran itself, using torture, mass imprisonment, and murder to control their people. Periodically, the Iranian people revolt, only for the mullahs to respond with such force that they again become quiescent.

Worse, America has been passive in the face of these uprisings. In 2009, Barack Obama couldnt even be bothered to give the protesters an encouraging shout-out.

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Beginning this past December, in response to a disastrous economy and a killing drought (and, of course, decades of repression), the Iranian people again rebelled against their government. And again, the government responded with draconian force, killing an estimated 30,000 or more people in just a few days.

Trump broke the Obama pattern by speaking out against what the mullahs were doing and even threatening them. It was heartening. This wasnt just about liberating the Iranian people (some could argue that this is not Americas responsibility). Instead, it was about ending a worldwide scourge that has been in an openly declared war against America since 1979, when its troops stormed the American embassy and started the hostage crisis (which Carter botched so badly).

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And then...nothing. Sure, there were more statements and social media and conservative sites speculated about troops and ships, but really, it was mostly a whole bunch of nothing. That is, until this morning. At 7:12 a.m. Eastern Time, Trump issued a truth on Truth Social, telling the Mullahs that death is stalking them. Their choice: death or capitulation.

A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly Come to the Table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal  NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS  one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didnt, and there was Operation Midnight Hammer, a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Dont make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP Advertisement

Significantly, Trump is not threatening regime change, which has consistently had historically bad outcomes for America, and that has too often led to quagmire wars. Trump hates quagmire wars. Instead, Trump is demanding a specific outcome and, failing that, promising total destruction, which is the opposite of a long war. (Of course, either way, the mullahs know their days are done.)

Lets hope Trump is very serious. If hes not, its an incredible waste of Americas military resources and will reveal America to be nothing more than a paper tiger.

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And while Im on the topic of paper tigers, a lot of people (including me) feel that Trump, by agreeing to pull back in Minneapolis, has shown that he is weak and that leftist street tactics will defeat the United States government as it performs its lawful duties. If thats true, of course, the United States government and the constitutional order are effectively over.

What I hope, looking at Trumps approach to Iran, is that Trump has the same plan for Minnesota: Regroup and return with overwhelming force.

Truth Social (edited using AI).
This republic has changed dramatically in recent years -- politically, morally, and, perhaps most significantly, demographically.

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Section 15 of the Virginia Declaration of Rights (a precursor to The Declaration of Independence) that was adopted by the Virginia Constitutional Convention on June 12, 1776, states: That no free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.

Does that appear to be the case today?

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Lets go item by item. Clearly, many of us are not firmly adhered to justice. Those on The Left routinely take the side of arsonists, thieves, rapists and even murderers as opposed to law enforcement  or those who have been the victims of arsonists, thieves, rapists and even murderers.

Moreover, a two-tiered system of justice has taken hold nationally, in which members of certain groups are deliberately treated differently than others.

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Moderation? Theres a cannabis dispensary on every street corner, liquor stores are open on Sundays, fentanyl kills scores of thousands annually, some states hand out free crack pipes, gambling is systemic and ubiquitous, most of us cannot stop looking at our smart phones, and many more are addicted to video games and/or porn.

Next up is frugality. O.K., I cant even write the word with a straight face. The U.S. is nearing 40-trillion dollars in debt and spends substantial sums of money on things like an Iraqi version of Sesame Street. On an individual level, most of us are determined to get that new Apple iPhone or big screen television whether we need  or can afford  it or not.

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On to virtue. See the aforementioned for starters. There is entirely too much virtue-signaling and not nearly enough actual virtue on display. The moment someone is run over, molested, shot, or set on fire, the majority of bystanders whip out their phones and start recording, rather than offering assistance.

Finally, we have frequent recurrence to fundamental principles. How are we faring in that regard? Do the majority of us fervently long for the days of limited government? I dont see the Ten Commandments around. Do kids even know what they are? When I was growing up, people still frequently talked of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps and keeping your nose to the grindstone and shoulder to the wheel. The Golden Rule and Do unto others were common themes.

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Today? Not so much. Too many dismiss or disdain our Founders, in some cases going so far as to vandalize or topple their statues. The Founders set us on the right path, but we took a sharp turn and went way too far down a road that ought not have been travelled. The question is not can we find our way back, but do we want to.

Its no wonder that we have lost many of our liberties and that so much of our government is injudicious, corrupt and oriented towards the tyrannical.

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Can we, today, truly be said to be one nation? Under God? Indivisible?

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
I take no comfort in the recent Vince Coyner essay here at AT, claiming that Minnesota Shows Why the Left Will Win Americas 2026 Civil War. But I respectfully disagree.

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Coyner argues that African-Americans are a key reason the left will win in its ongoing war on ICE, but African-Americans dont have a dog in this fight.

The leaders of the left's street mobs are opportunists, all the way down to their chromosomes. The fight in Minnesota is centered around illegal immigrants versus ICE. Since illegals are the Democrats new Flavor of the Month for the foreseeable future, and black people are becoming more acutely aware of it, blacks are starting to dislike illegals. Many have opposed them for years.

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My philosophy is that conservatives must accept allies wherever we can find them; the enemies of our enemies are our friends, at least for the time being. The single topic that most animates conservatives is election reform. And the left-wing claim that voter ID laws are racist is, like so many other left-wing claims, laughably ridiculous and effortlessly defeated.

Ask any African-American, in a candid moment, to show a government-issued ID. Unless youre talking to a criminal (or a Somali), that person will be able to produce an ID in a heartbeat. The left-wing claim that blacks are incapable of obtaining IDs is itself a textbook example of the soft bigotry of low expectations.

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So we can enlist the aid of African-Americans who truly love America, to join us in demanding a federal voter ID law. And Mr. Coyner may be pleasantly surprised at the millions who answer that call.

That will be a giant first step toward securing our elections  the next two being a federal law requiring in-person voting, for anyone who isnt immobilized by disability or out of the country on Election Day, and another federal law requiring watermarked, sequentially numbered and indexed paper ballots  and we can expect African-American support for these as well.

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Finally, we need a fourth federal law requiring proof of citizenship when voting. This can be a government-issued ID in states that issue IDs to non-citizens. Again, we can expect a lot of African-American support because, as I said, they dont like illegals.

Republicans in Congress need to put all four of these bills into the hopper within the next 30 days. They could be on President Trumps desk for his signature by April, the start of the warm-weather rioting season.

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Second, Marxist revolutions require a Cadre and a Mass.

Students of Marxist revolutionary strategy know that the Cadre is a few thousand fanatics, and the Mass is millions of summer soldiers. The qualitative difference between the Cadre and the Mass is like the difference between Delta Force and the Boy Scouts. The Mass wont even participate, unless the riot is within commuting distance.

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What we currently see in the Twin Cities is most of their Cadre, plus the local Minneapolis/St. Paul Mass. The lunatic left-wing fringe (LLWF) has poured almost its entire Cadre into the Twin Cities for this. Large numbers of cars bearing plates from California, Oregon (Antifa HQ), New York, Washington, Massachusetts and Illinois have been spotted in the parking lots of Twin Cities motels.

Chop the head off of the snake, and the rest of the snake wont be very dangerous. A totally comprehensive FBI operation in the Twin Cities, starting in those parking lots, spreading to the Cadres motel rooms with search warrants, and then culminating at the airport and the bus and train stations, would round up most of their Cadre.

Third, never underestimate Donald Trump.

Never underestimate Trumps desire to punish his enemies, and the way that he relishes being called such names as Nazi, fascist, and dictator. As Mr. Coyner pointed out, hes already being called those names with maximum frequency and volume. So he loses nothing by first executing the above-described federal operation in the spring, then nationalizing the National Guard during the summer, if the rioting spreads to other cities.

Mr. Coyner produced a very nice bullet-pointed list of the many things Trump can do to crush this insurrection. Trump should, and probably will, do all of the above:

He would put Greenland, Europe, Venezuela, Gaza, and Iran on the back burner  that doesnt mean ignore them  and invoke the Insurrection Act.

He would clear out and charge the protesters in Minnesota and would nationalize the National Guard in any circumstances where ICE agents are being targeted with harassment and violence.

He would immediately begin RICO investigations of the NGOs that are funding these protests.

He would also investigate left-wing judges who are sometimes operating hand in hand with said NGOs.

He would ramp up deportations and allow those deported to appeal from their home countries, while freezing all funds going to states that provide benefits to illegal aliens, as well as all states and locales that act as sanctuary cities.

And finally, he would use every power at his disposal to convince GOP legislators to make the cuts to the budget necessary to choke off the funds going to those behind all of this.

As I said, Trump loses absolutely nothing by doing all of the above. Hes already being called every authoritarian name in the book. And he thrives on it. But Mr. Coyner forgot one important bullet point:

He would expand ICE by 100,000 agents, offering recruiting incentives to every combat arms service member who is leaving the United States military in 2026.

These are the front-line troops in the War Against Illegal Immigration. Veterans already have firearms training.

Similar incentives could be offered to others, such as (slightly) older veterans and the thousands of urban police officers who are hanging up their badges, since theyre tired of being treated like traitors by the very cities theyve sworn to protect.

By taking all these steps, Trump and Congressional Republicans can, and must, strangle this Marxist revolution (and the Second Civil War that it would grow into) in its cradle.

Jim Davis is an IT specialist and paralegal, with degrees in political science and statistical analysis: the underpinning of all science. His work has appeared in Daily Caller, Newsmax and American Thinker. You can find him as RealProfessor219 on Rumble.

Image: Chad Davis Photography, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0 Deed
Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Palestinian activist and former Columbia graduate student, faces a federal immigration judges order to be deported to Syria or Algeria after misrepresenting facts on his green card application.

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What Khalils deportation reveals is not government overreaching but institutional failure. Universities spent years normalizing extremism under academic cover, and now the consequences are surfacing. Khalil is not the cause of this reckoning. He is the result.

For years, universities have served as incubators for ideological movements. Professors have grown increasingly comfortable using their positions to promote the rhetoric of Americas collapse. They speak of dismantling the empire, abolishing white supremacy, and decolonizing by force. Some use language that sounds theoretical, but increasingly language that signals an explicit action and violence is used.

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Khalils deportation is not an anomaly. It is the most visible crack in a system that long protected those operating inside universities while advocating destruction outside them. He is the tree, not the forest.

For years, administrators allowed faculty activism to operate unchecked under academic freedom. Since 2023, however, dozens of federal civil-rights complaints and congressional inquiries have forced universities to impose consequences once considered unthinkable.

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Even Harvards leadership has acknowledged the damage. Earlier this month, Harvard president Alan Garber said the university went wrong by allowing faculty activism to dominate classroom discourse, admitting that it chilled debate and undermined objectivity. His remarks were not symbolic. They were an admission that universities can no longer deny what has been happening in plain sight.

In reality, it was the product of a deliberate campaign funneling ideology through advocacy networks and decades of growing ideological pipelines to cultivate the language and personnel now operating seamlessly inside American academia and, increasingly, within public institutions. The protection is fading as professors grow more explicit about their desire to see the American system collapse.

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In classrooms and faculty networks, phrases borrowed from revolutionary movements and foreign struggles became permission slips for hostility toward the nations institutions and its people. In Virginia, faculty-led training sessions and forums recently exposed showed professors discussing grabbing the gun, crashing the settler state, and recasting violence as liberation. These were organized, faculty-driven events. And yet, we wonder where students get these ideas and narratives from.

After October 7, students, faculty, and the public demanded accountability for faculty who defended Hamas or excused violence. Soon it became more than public pressure and received congressional scrutiny along with federal civil-rights investigations.

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In April 2024, Columbia president Minouche Shafik was questioned in Congress about professors such as Joseph Massad, who glorified violence and supported disruptive encampments. Soon after, the Department of Education launched Title VI investigations into universities including Harvard, Penn, and Columbia. What once passed in the campus echo chambers became major department problems.

At Harvard, that reckoning reached the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Rosie Bsheer and Cemal Kafadar were removed from leadership after sustained criticism that the center tolerated ideological bias. The same institutional shift appeared in the resignation of Mary Bassett, the former dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, following backlash over statements widely criticized as minimizing antisemitism. Harvard offered no formal explanation, but the message was unmistakable: faculty activism was no longer untouchable.

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At Columbia, Katherine Franke, Premilla Nadasen, and Joseph Howley faced professional setbacks amid scrutiny of their activism and rhetoric. At Northwestern, Steven Thrasher and Alithia Zamantakis saw their roles narrowed following repeated controversies. At the University of Pennsylvania, lecturer Dwayne Booth (Mr. Fish) departed after months of backlash over antisemitic imagery. Each case differs in detail, but the trajectory is the same.

Universities are discovering that neutrality is no longer an option. When faculty move from analysis to agitation, institutions inherit the consequences.

Khalils deportation did not create this reckoning. It exposed it.

Khalil did not emerge in isolation. He is the predictable outcome of an academic ecosystem that normalized ideological extremism, rewarded activism over scholarship, and insulated faculty from accountability. What is now being exposed is not a single case, but a system that produced many like him and protected them for years. The reckoning universities face is not about speech, but about responsibility, and whether higher education is willing to confront the culture it allowed to take root.

Image: SWinxy
In the world of foreign policy, grand theories are used by academics in order to try and explain how they think the world works, or how it should work. Some say there is a great power politics model; others assert a new multipolar world order or an old Westphalian sovereign states arrangement. One of the most popular theories is the liberal international order or LIO, which represents a perception that international relations are governed by anonymous (or headless) interlocking, cooperative institutions including the U.N., WHO, USAID, and NATO.

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Liberals and academics are especially drawn to the liberal international order because it satisfies their idealism and their dislike of strong individual leaders. They believe that institutions carry authority and credibility because they appear as objective legal entities untainted by personal characteristics. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Lisa Murkowski also demonstrate the dangerous illusion of institutions as substitutes for leaders. Recently back from Europe, they report that NATO must be preserved and appeal to Congress to save it. No matter that NATO is an empty, leaderless bureaucracy. Those four letters have symbolic and ritual meaning to liberals: They think such acronyms are real and can be conjured through a magic spell by merely invoking their names.

Liberals especially prefer institutional order over individual leadership  though they will blindly follow a cult figure  because they dont trust people, and they dont trust themselves, so they constantly turn to institutions. Liberals dont understand the reality of leadership. But they also prefer institutions because they can hide behind them and undermine their purposes.

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Enter President Trump. There is no hiding in him.

Some liberal academics have come up with a new theory to explain his style: Neo-Royalism. That is, they try to characterize the elected U.S. president as a new emperor who operates within a small elite faction of self-serving royalists. They fail to take into account the very institutional constraints that bind all U.S. presidents, including, by constitutional design, the other branches, along with citizen-voters who put him there in the first place. Then there are the press, the military, and even finance that weigh on a presidents authority. That is why individual leadership is an explicit assumption of American-style government: true leaders must argue, challenge, confront, and negotiate with the entire institutional complex, which, as every U.S. president finds out, has its survival as a priority.

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A great irony is the very nature of academic theories: They come from an intellectual class that deems itself a form of royalty. Its members regard themselves as elites, smart enough to tell others how to live, what to believe, and what the truth is.

That is why political realism, recognizing the concept of competitive power, economic interest, and national security, is the antidote to false, academic theories. The political progressive left cant intellectually process President Trump and his team; they can only find yet another theory to satisfy their preference for abstraction instead of facing reality.

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Those realities include the importance of global energy supplies, the management of borders, the enforcement of law and order, the extension of U.S. power and principles to geopolitics, the vital necessity of new science and technology, and the fundamental organizing reality of what runs America: business and markets that operate without excessive government interference or regulatory overreach.

In 1972, James Barber wrote The Presidential Character: Predicting Performance in the White House. He argued that there are four categories of presidents: active-positive, active-negative, passive-positive, and passive-negative. One might say that Reagan was mild active-positive; Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter classically passive-negative; Obama, a model of subversive active-negative, while Biden and Harris embodied something else entirely.

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President Trump is clearly active-positive because he draws on business experience. Business works only from a positive, can-do state of mind. He also draws on his natural American instincts that rely often on positive expectations and expecting others to naturally embrace the same productive behavior. That is exactly why he and Vance won the 2025 election by a landslide, and turned much of the country, even Illinois outside of Chicago, solid red: Americans by nature are positive, independent, can-do people.

This drives the left mad, because leftists relate to the world in a misanthropic way  that is, they dont really care for, or believe in, the power of intelligent, self-directed individuals, hence their preference for dependent foreign migrants and for bureaucratic institutions that blindly follow the direction of other institutions, largely without independent, thinking people running them or, especially, challenging them.

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In the state of current geopolitics, it isnt headless institutions that will stand for Western principle, as the E.U. has demonstrated. It is a single, strong, combative individual.

Matthew G. Andersson is a former CEO and worked in Russia and Europe. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago and has testified before the U.S. Senate.

Image: Chris Dodds via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
As described in Sean McMeekins To Overthrow the World: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Communism, where it has been adopted, communism has become politically dominant mostly at the point of a spear. In Russia and elsewhere, when Communism first took over the state, famine was an early result. By 1922, Lenin had to adopt a New Economic Policy (NEP), which allowed at least some limited access to market-driven commerce in order to suppress a possible counter-revolution. After Stalins death in 1953, Khruschev was appalled by the empty shelves in Soviet stores.

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Shortly after McMeekins book got off the presses, New York Citys electorate propelled Zohran Mamdani to political prominence. The books epilogue did foreshadow such an event. New Yorkers have become so ignorant of history and economics that they just voted for a shrill advocate for state-imposed misery, while assuming that all kinds of free stuff will make their lives better. They will suffer, and the rest of us are hopefully going to become vaccinated against such folly.

Thanks to modern technology, old-fashioned ideologic communism has morphed into bare naked totalitarian control. Back in 2022, some of the Canadian truckers who dared to protest the governments mandate that they be vaccinated against COVID had their bank accounts frozen. In 2023, dissident E.U. parliamentarian Nigel Farage had the same experience. This has been dubbed debanking. McMeekin traces this back to the Chinese Communist Partys imposition of a social credit system, making ones overall treatment dependent on his political acts and opinions.

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The new point of the spear is the consolidated power of the modern state. Gone is the thin mask of idealism, concealing self-aggrandizement on behalf of the ruling elite. Americas useful idiots have been thoroughly programmed by union-thug teachers at government-run schools. This smacks of inevitability, but theres a catch. Just as enhanced communication allows for debanking and censorship, it also opens up numerous alternative pathways for dissent to reach the interested parties, who are then enabled to hide their true selves from official scrutiny. The point is that Mamdanis inflicted miseries will be prominently showcased globally.

The usual communist tactic of pandering to envy is likely to eventually become a spent force  since these redistributive and public control schemes have yet to ever make life better  except, again, for those few members of the elite political echelons whom we now call oligarchs.

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Meanwhile, California is fiddling with a wealth tax. The tip of the iceberg has billionaires coughing up five per cent of their estates perceived value. As the uber-rich flee the state, the weapons aim will have to be lowered to eventually include most everybody else  even though revenues will continue to plummet. Thus far unmentioned regarding the further taxation of previously taxed assets is the term ex post facto, specifically forbidden by the U.S. Constitution. The plunderers of the peoples pocketbooks remain completely undeterred from their quest.

Socialism, the public ownership of formerly private enterprise, AKA the means of production, was simmering long before Karl Marx came along. What Marx added was class struggle, a very European concept of little relevance to Americas classless society. In fact, our Constitution specifically forbids inherited titles of nobility (Article 1, Section 9). This explains why, after so many years, Marxism remains overwhelmingly unpopular here in the U.S.

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Freaks such as Zohran Mamdani succeed only among carefully selected constituencies. To his credit, however, he achieved his position by winning a genuinely competitive election rather than at the point of a spear. But what does this say about the voters of New York City and elsewhere? And since his policies have always failed to deliver what was promised  wherever and whenever theyve been tried  his political fortunes may already be circling the drain.

Americans, especially, enjoy prosperity. Anyone or anything that conspicuously diminishes that prosperity is politically damaged. Formerly prosperous Venezuela thus far seems to be enjoying the demise of the Chavez-Maduro communist imposition. The only benefit those two performed for the general public was ridding the streets of stray dogs and cats, since other forms of fresh meat became scarce. They may have put a major dent in the rat problem as well. New Yorkers, take note.

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Recently, governors Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott declared the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR to be foreign terrorist organizations. DeSantiss statement included the following:

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The Muslim Brotherhoods Islamist ideology is irreconcilable with foundational American principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, especially including the right to religious freedom and the equal protection of the laws, the executive order states.

Governor Abbott made a similar statement, and added that CAIR would be denied the right to buy property in Texas. He was probably partly motivated by a 400-acre development purchased by the East Plano Islamic Center, that looks suspiciously like an Islamist enclave, although they deny that description.

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But there is even more going on than meets the eye.

A report came out in November 2025 that seems to have been buried by the media, about the inroads that the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have made into our society. And to say their progress is alarming is an understatement. Issued by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), the report documents that the Brotherhood has been quietly infiltrating U.S. institutions and government at all levels since at least 1982. Per Fox News:

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According to the [ISGAP] report, The Muslim Brotherhood allegedly targeted U.S. government agencies for infiltration, including the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Justice, through career appointments and advisory roles. The report dives deep into alleged terror ties within the group along with various funding sources from places like Qatar while making the case that both al-Qaeda and the Brotherhood share the strategic aim of establishing an Islamic state government by sharia and differing only in tactics where the Brotherhood's gradualism allows it to maintain ideological continuity with militant jihad while avoiding direct confrontation. Advertisement The report calls on the United States to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

Think tanks and research groups have warned this country for years about the goals of these groups, without raising any serious alarms or concerns.

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ISGAP did its due diligence on the Brotherhood. They studied documents produced by that group, which explain in detail their plans for global dominance; one 1982 document is called The Project. One source reveals that the dangers are more ominous than they may first appear, and are closer to completion than we may realize:

What is startling is how effectively the Islamist plan for conquest outlined in The Project has been implemented by Muslims in the West for more than two decades. Equally troubling is the ideology that lies behind the plan: inciting hatred and violence against Jewish populations around the world; the deliberate co-opting and subversion of Western public and private institutions; its recommendation of a policy of deliberate escalating confrontation by Muslims living in the West against their neighbors and fellow-citizens; the acceptance of terrorism as a legitimate option for achieving their ends and the inevitable reality of jihad against non-Muslims; and its ultimate goal of forcibly instituting the Islamic rule of the caliphate by sharia in the West, and eventually the whole world. Advertisement

CAIR angrily pushed back against both governors:

Most Americans recognize that Ron DeSantis is a failed politician, [CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed] Mitchell, of CAIR, told The Center Square, who prioritizes the Israeli government over the people of Florida and is always looking for publicity stunts to stay relevant. I would not be surprised if other governors do not decide to take the leap with him and Governor Abbott, given they dont want to end up in court and embarrassed.

The Texas proclamation and the Florida order delve deep into the organizations history to accuse it of ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Sunni Islamist network with no centralized leader that pushes for Sharia law in all aspects of life.

Mitchells criticism of DeSantis is ludicrous, since the governor has been touted as one of the best governors in the country. Additionally, Mitchell is suing DeSantis for the designation:

The lawsuit was filed late Monday [December 2025] by the CAIR-Foundation and CAIR-Florida, its affiliate in the state. The suit asked a federal judge in Tallahassee to declare DeSantis order unlawful and unconstitutional and prevent it from being enforced. He has usurped the exclusive authority of the federal government to identify and designate terrorist organizations by baselessly declaring CAIR a terrorist organization, the lawsuit says.

In spite of the actions of DeSantis and Abbott, the federal government and the other governors responses have been tepid, slow, or non-existent. While President Trump got the ball rolling when he issued an executive order last month that would require certain chapters or subdivisions to be considered for designation as Foreign Terrorist organizations, it doesnt go nearly far enough.

Some states have enacted resolutions to discourage or prohibit working with CAIR or the Brotherhood, but the resolutions are just for show. Otherwise, our leaders and legislators seem indifferent to the threats of both these groups and their related organizations. We have grown complacent and careless regarding Islamist terrorism. Unless more aggressive steps are taken to protect our country, we are in serious jeopardy.

Image generated by ChatGPT.
As the midterm battles heat up, Democrats are doing their best to undermine the GOP campaign. As President Trump appears to be the embodiment of MAGA and the Republicans in general, the blue force constantly attempts to soil him on both foreign and domestic fronts. Their latest ploy? Leveraging European media to push baseless attacks on his age and mental health, hoping to erode his influence and boost their own campaigns.

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This time, the assault comes from Politico Europe. In a piece dropped at 4:38 a.m. CET on January 28, 2026, Politico claimed that Slovakias Prime Minister Robert Fico was left shocked and traumatized after a January 17 meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, describing the President as out of his mind and dangerous due to his alleged psychological state. According to the article, Fico supposedly spilled these concerns to top EU leaders after the meeting, during a January 22 emergency summit in Brussels.

Of course, this is nothing but a blatant fabrication, cooked up by European leftists and amplified by Democrats. Fico himself swiftly debunked it on X, blasting Politico for spreading lies and inventing details about a meeting assessment he never made. He emphasized that the discussion was excellent, open, and friendly, and accused the outlet of targeting small nations like Slovakia that prioritize sovereign policies over the EUs woke agenda. The White House echoed this, dismissing the story as absolute total fake news from anonymous diplomats desperate for relevance.

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I STRONGLY REJECT THE LIES OF THE HATEFUL, PRO-BRUSSELS LIBERAL PORTAL POLITICO.



It is a sad look at the liberal and progressive political and media world. The abuse of criminal law to destroy opponents, the rejection of different opinions, boundless media lies, and attempts to  Robert Fico  (@RobertFicoSVK) January 28, 2026

Its downright thrilling to peel back the layers of this hoax and trace its roots. The timing screams coordination: Releasing at the crack of dawn in Europe ensures the continent wakes up to this horrific truth about Trumps supposed decline, fueling anti-Trump hatred and perhaps, some twisted hope that hell fade away, freeing Europe from what they see as U.S. dictatorship. But this fantasy clashes with reality. As outlined in the U.S. National Security Strategy, Americas goal is to foster a strong, sovereign Europenot the bureaucratic mess Brussels has become, which refuses to own up to its failings.

The early drop also exploits the U.S.-Europe time difference, giving the anti-Trump narrative hours to spread before American voices could counter it. Classic hit-and-run tactics from the left.

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Then there are the authors: Nicholas Vinocur and Zoya Sheftalovich, staunch supporters of the Ursula von der Leyen-era EU with its parade of misguided policies on migration and DEI.

Sheftalovich, of Ukrainian origin, has a track record of biased takes on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. With Trumps America First approach slashing the blank-check aid to Zelenskyys black holeending the Biden eras unchecked billionsits no shock shes emerged as a fierce Trump critic. This anger masquerades as journalism, aiming to depict Trump as a befuddled old man clueless about his role. Psychologists call this projection: It fits Biden to a T, who allowed the great country to be ruled by an autopen, while America suffered, but not Trump, who aces cognitive tests routinely.

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In the end, Politicos hit piece on Trumps mental health is just one cog in the larger machine of Democrats and European leftists working overtime to smear the president and sabotage GOP midterm momentum. Theyre sticking to their playbook: outright lies. But as always, the truth wins out, exposing their desperation for what it is.

Mike Robertson is a contributor to American Thinker. Follow him on X at @Mike_for_MAGA.

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Image from Grok.
Barely two weeks before Christmas, Illinois quietly crossed another moral Rubicon. On December 12, it became the 12th state, alongside Washington, D.C., to legalize physician assisted suicide, rebranded under the soothing sounding banner of medical aid in dying, or MAID. Yet as the new year dawned, this continued shift in how Americans define life and death passed nearly unnoticed.

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Some say they would never do it themselves while claiming to understand why some feel so desperate as to take their own lives. Terminal illness, depression, financial burdens, family and work struggles can create turmoil and instability that the unthinkable becomes a viable option.

Coincidence or not, the assisted suicide debate is not a legislative issue but more about mounting health care costs and escalating government deficits.

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Lost in all the rhetoric is the direct distinction between killing and natural death. Such policy pays no attention to those who live well because of treatment. Public policy is never neutral, and by making the choice of medical suicide a legitimate choice, the balance shifts. What was once unthinkable is an alternative that will be a standard option due to high medical costs.

True compassion means accompaniment, not abandonment and where dignity is protected not by ending a life but by surrounding the suffering with care, and decency. Such an ethic challenges a culture increasingly tempted to treat the sick, elderly, and disabled as burdens rather than worthy of patience and protection.

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Would you want to live like that?

A question the healthy should never ask in judgment of the sick.

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MAID is cloaked with euphemisms that speak of autonomy, choice and compassion in order to assuage the immoral reality that it is the intentional ending of a life dressed up in the lexicon of care.

Compassion, framed as a choice, who could be against that?

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MAID is being endorsed as a choice rather than a crime. It allows doctors to prescribe lethal drug overdoses to patients. In 1994, Oregon voters approved the Death with Dignity Act, transforming the crime of assisted suicide into a medical treatment.

It is the perfect spin for this avant-garde, secular age where we are all just products of evolution in which the government will decide our worth and who survives. This is the definitive triumph of the humanistic, atheistic worldview.

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When suicide is rebranded as healthcare, killing becomes treatment and death becomes a remedy.

Over time, this linguistic shift reshapes cultural aptitudes, normalizing what was once unthinkable and boldly redefines the physicians role from healer to angel of death.

Such health care reform is a threat to human dignity and every persons right to life. MAID is not yet a national option, but its campaign for sympathy and acceptance is gathering at warp speed.

With controlling costs and half of all medical costs coming in the last six months of life, rationed care takes on new meaning. Government will decide which Medicare services have value and which do not. The rich can afford treatment. Whereas the poor and the elderly will be offered an overdose of tasty barbiturates.

MAID ends options and ignores that we live in an age of exploding medical possibilities. To make people feel like their lives have no value and suggest that death is merciful is diabolical.

The tendency of these laws to grow in scope continues as this slippery slope slides into homicide.

It is happening in Europe and Canada.

A society is judged by how it treats their weakest.

At what point will the alleged right to die become the duty to die?

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, it must sadly be reminded that no nation can flourish while embracing death.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.
The e-commerce giant Amazon is finally all set to resolve a long-running dispute over mishandling customer returns and refunds. Amazon has agreed to a return refunds settlement valued at over $1 billion, pending court approval. The brands agreement follows a class-action lawsuit filed by the shoppers in the US. They accused Amazon of failing to issue refunds even after customers returned items properly.

As per the court filings, this case covers Amazon shopping dating back to September 2017. At the time, shoppers claimed that Amazon delayed, reversed, or never delivered their refunds at all. Some Amazon users stated that the brand later charged them again without any notice. The plaintiffs also argued that these practices violated consumer protection laws. At the moment, the settlement still requires approval from a federal judge in Seattle.

This is what Amazons $1 billion return refunds settlement includes

As part of the proposed agreement, Amazon will pay $309 million in cash to affected customers in the US. Amazon will deliver the massive amount to shoppers with unresolved return-related refund issues. The company will also cancel or reverse any disputed charges for the items delivered. Essentially, when combined with refunds, credits, and operational commitments, the total value of the Amazon settlement pushes above $1 billion.

Its worth adding that many consumers may not need to submit claims. The e-commerce giant already has detailed records of all purchases and returns. While some users will receive refunds in their original payment methods, some may receive account credits instead. You should remember that the settlement only applies to Amazon consumers residing in the US.

Also, the refund amounts will vary based on each users return history. Some consumers may also receive interest for long-delayed refunds. Amazon has agreed to the settlement while denying wrongdoing. The company mentioned that system or verification issues prevented the delivery of some refunds. The brand also stated that it has already enhanced return and refund processes.

Why the settlement matters for Amazon and customers

Amazon said that it has committed more than $360 million to improve its return operations. The e-commerce brand is aiming for stronger tracking systems, better shopper notifications, and enhanced verification tools as part of the commitment. Amazon will spend the money to prevent similar issues in the future.

Once approved, Amazon will begin distributing refunds to eligible customers in the coming months. Shoppers should keep an eye on bank statements and their Amazon accounts closely. Amazon may not notify you after sending the payments.
Imagine if the AI assistant on your phone wasnt just the one the manufacturer forced you to use, but one you actually chose because it worked better for you. In Europe, this could become a legal requirement in the near future. The European Commission (EU) has officially put Google on notice, demanding that the tech giant opens up Androids deepest features to third-party AI assistant rivals.

Google must open all Android features to third-party AI assistants, EU rules

Currently, Googles own AI, Gemini, enjoys a home-field advantage. It has access to hardware and software integrations within Android that outside developers can only envy. Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU is stepping in to change that.

The Commission has launched two specific proceedings to draft a rulebook for Googles compliance. The first focuses on interoperability. Brussels wants to ensure that any third-party AI providerwhether its OpenAI, Anthropic, or a small startupcan access the same Android functionalities that power Gemini. If Google can use a specific system shortcut or hardware boost to make its AI faster, the law now says its competitors must have that same privilege.

The second part of this regulatory push targets the very foundation of Googles empire: search data. The EU is mandating that Google share anonymized ranking, query, and click data with rival search engines and AI chatbot developers.

The EU hopes to enable smaller players to optimize their services and offer genuine alternatives to Google Search. The goal is simple: ensure the next big breakthrough in discovery tools isnt stifled to one company.

A six-month deadline and massive stakes

Google has pushed back arguing that that Android is open by design. They expressed concerns that these mandates might compromise user privacy and security. However, the European Commission isnt just asking for cooperation. Instead, they are setting a firm timeline to comply.

The EU plans to wrap up these proceedings within the next six months. While this isnt a formal investigation yet, it is a clear warning shot. If Google fails to meet the Commissions requirement by the end of this period, it could face formal non-compliance charges. In the world of the DMA, that means potential fines of up to 10% of the companys total global annual revenue. This potential figure could reach tens of billions of dollars.
All three Samsung Galaxy S26 devices have been certified by the FCC, and as part of it, all of them have been confirmed to support satellite communication. Just to be clear, were talking about the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra here.

These are the US variants of the three devices, and the certifications are applicable for both carrier-lock and factory unlocked models. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip is confirmed for all three devices in the US.

The entire Samsung Galaxy S26 series will support satellite communication

It has also been confirmed that theyre compatible with 2G (GSM), 3G (WCDMA), 4G (LTE), and 5G NR (mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G) cellular networks. On top of that, they support Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS), and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN).

In case youre unaware, SCS is a regulatory framework defined by the FCC. NTN, on the other hand, is a technical standard established by the 3GPP. This tech basically allows satellite operators to use terrestrial flexible-use spectrum to provide basic satellite connectivity to smartphones when cellular coverage is nowhere to be found.

That feature wont be available in all countries, though

Skylo is expected to provide satellite calling and messaging to the entire Galaxy S26 series. That feature will almost certainly be limited to some countries only, including the US.

What else did the FCC reveal? Well, the Galaxy S26 series includes support for Bluetooth LE, NFC, Ultra Wideband (UWB), and wireless charging (WPT). Thats basically everything.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is expected to launch on February 25. Samsung did not confirm that date yet, but several trusted sources did. The devices are expected to become available for purchase on March 11.

Samsung also recently confirmed the much-rumored Privacy Display feature. The company did not use that name, but it did tease it and released three videos to hype it up.
The digital playground is becoming a restricted zone. Following Australias landmark decision in late 2025 to ban social media for under-16s, a growing list of European nations is considering similar digital boundaries, with France and the United Kingdom leading the charge. In those countries, there seems to be a rising consensus that the current free-for-all on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat is harming a generation of young minds.

Macrons war on algorithms: France moves to ban social media for under-15s

In France, the momentum is moving at an accelerated pace. President Emmanuel Macron has made the protection of minors from American platforms and Chinese algorithms a personal mission. The French National Assembly recently passed a bill with an overwhelming majority to ban social media use for teens. In this case, the restriction would apply to young people under 15.

The French approach is particularly strict. Not only does the legislation target social media accounts, but it also extends a ban on mobile phones into high schools. Macrons government aims to have these measures in effect by September 2026 for new users. Theres a year-end deadline for deactivating existing non-compliant accounts. Centrist lawmakers describe the move as a battle for free minds, arguing that excessive screen time is directly linked to a decline in reading, sleep, and self-esteem among adolescents.

UK Lords back under-16 social media ban

The argument is just as strong across the Channel. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has always preferred a careful evidence-based approach through government consultations. However, the House of Lords recently surprised everyone by supporting an amendment to the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This amendment calls for a ban on social media for under-16s and mandates highly effective age-verification checks.

The pressure on the UK government is coming from all sides. Theres the political momentum with conservative leaders and dozens of Labor MPs urging the Prime Minister to just get on with it. They cite a societal catastrophe in childrens mental health. Then there is the Gen Z perspective where, interestingly, even teenagers seem to support the change. Recent polling suggests that three-quarters of 16-to-24-year-olds want tougher regulations. Many young people even wish they had spent less time on their phones during their formative years.

Plus, there are the safety concerns fueled by high-profile cases of online harassment and the tragic links between self-harm content and youth suicide. This last factor turned the conversation from a matter of screen time to a matter of life and death.

The enforcement challenge

While the political will be there, the technical execution remains the elephant in the room. Critics argue that bans are digital paternalism and warn that teenagers will simply find workarounds. After all, they are already doing something similar with fake IDs for alcohol.

For countries to be successful, they will need to set up strong systems for checking peoples ages. This is where the discussion gets tricky because it has to do with finding a balance between protecting kids and protecting users privacy. But supporters say that even an imperfect ban sends a message to parents and the industry that social media is not a safe toy for kids.

There is a clear backlash against Big Tech, but experts say that a ban is not a panacea or a cure-all. People in both France and the UK are saying that this should be part of a bigger mission. This means better-funded mental health services, more youth clubs that focus on physical activity, and dealing with the things that make teens anxious, like school stress and poverty.

For now, we just have to wait to see the path these bills follow as they move through the various chambers of parliament. However, the message from Europe is clear: the days of tech companies colonizing the minds of minors without restriction might be numbered. The Australian summer of bike rides and board games might soon become a year-round reality in Paris and London.
For owners of legacy Pixel devices, a clever convenience recently turned into a privacy headache. Google has officially confirmed a glitch in Take a Message that, under specific conditions, kept the Pixel Phones microphone active and leaked background audio with callers. To protect users, the company is now making the tough call to disable the Take a Message feature entirely on the Pixel 4 and 5 series.

Google disables Take a Message on Pixel 4 and 5 to Fix mic audio leak bug

The Take a Message tool was designed to be a helpful digital assistant. When you declined or missed a call, it would ask the caller to leave a message while showing you a live transcript. However, a small group of users noticed something unsettling: even after the automated greeting finished, the green microphone privacy indicator remained visible on their screens.

In practice, this meant that while the caller was leaving a message, they could actually hear everything happening around the recipients phone. This was a breach of the private space we expect our devices to respect. Google claims that the bug only affected a very small subset of users. Still, risk was high enough to warrant a swift response.

Why disabling was the only solution

You might wonder why Google didnt simply issue a software patch. The thing is that the Pixel 4 and 5 series have reached their end-of-life status. This means they no longer receive regular Android operating system updates. Without the ability to push a deep system fix, Google opted for an abundance of caution approach.

By remotely disabling Take a Message and Next-gen Call Screen on these specific models, Google ensured that the microphone bug couldnt be triggered again (via 9to5Google). It is a drastic move, but a necessary one. Google is now a company that markets privacy as a core feature. A hot mic active on thousands of devices wasnt acceptable.

If you are still rocking a Pixel 4 or 5, you will notice the feature disappearing from your settings. The good news is that you arent completely cut off. You can still use the standard manual and automatic Call Screening. You can also simply rely on your carriers traditional voicemail.
The mobile industry is bracing for a turbulent year. According to a recent forecast by Counterpoint Research, the smartphone chipset market could shrink by roughly 7% in 2026. While rising costs for components like memory are putting pressure on many manufacturersespecially those competing in the budget segmentGoogle appears to be finding its footing through a long-term investment: the Tensor chip for Pixel devices.

Google Pixels Tensor strategy: A financial shield against 2026 shaking phone market

Developing a custom processor is no small feat. For years, Google relied on off-the-shelf components. The switch to its own Tensor SoC (System on a Chip), on the other hand, is now protecting its strategy. Google has more control over its supply chain and costs because it makes its own hardware.

Analysts say that companies that invest in their own silicon are better able to deal with the current state of the economy. Brands that make entry-level devices might have a hard time because parts are getting more expensive. But Googles premium-first strategy is in line with where the market is really going. More and more people want high-end experiences, and Googles custom chip lets them customize the Pixels software and AI features in ways that generic hardware cant easily match.

Users still want more performance

Even though they are in a good financial position, the road ahead wont be easy. The Tensor project makes sense for Googles bottom line on paper, but a lot of users are still waiting for a big improvement in raw performance. In previous years, Pixel chips have lagged behind competitors in areas like thermal management and pure processing power. Last year, there were high hopes for the Tensor G5 powering the Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel Pro Fold. After all, it was the first chip produced in TSMCs highly regarded factories. However, not even TSMCs advanced 3nm node could compensate for the weaknesses of the latency Tensor SoC. At best, the Taiwanese giants wafers achieved better energy efficiency than Samsungs.

For the everyday user, strategic positioning matters less than how the phone actually feels in the hand. As we move through 2026, the challenge for Google will be to translate its financial stability into hardware that finally silences the critics. The goal is to move beyond being better positioned and become the undisputed leader in performance.

If the analysts are right, the Pixel brand may be able to handle the next big problems in the industry better than most. But the real test of success will come from the community. In 2026, users want a chip that not only helps Google make money, but also gives them the top-notch speed and efficiency they expect from a high-end flagship.
Following the recent discovery that new OnePlus firmware included strict anti-rollback measures, the tech community raised concerns about the future of software freedom on the platform. Reports of bricked devicescaused by attempts to return to older software versionsled many to believe that OnePlus was permanently closing the door on custom ROM enthusiasts. However, the company has now broken its silence to clarify that this lockdown is only temporary.

OnePlus recently told Android Authority that the inability to downgrade from 16.0.2.50x software builds is a planned but temporary move. The company implemented this Anti-Rollback Protection (ARP) to further strengthen device security. The change affected global OxygenOS devices like the OnePlus 13, 13T, and 15, as well as Chinese ColorOS variants.

OnePlus clarifies the anti-rollback crisis: Downgrade support returns soon

OnePlus hasnt detailed the specific vulnerability that triggered this decision. This is normal to prevent potential bad actors from taking advantage of the security hole. The clarification addresses the why behind the sudden wave of bricked phones that frustrated power users last week.

The good news for the enthusiast community is that this is not a permanent change in philosophy. OnePlus has explicitly promised to restore the ability to downgrade software builds in its next routine software update. For most users, this likely means waiting for the next monthly security patch to regain the freedom to experiment with different firmware versions.

Next steps for enthusiasts

If you currently own a OnePlus 13 or 15 and were planning to install a custom ROM or revert to a previous OxygenOS version, the best advice is to stay put. Attempting a downgrade right now remains a high-risk activity that could lead to a permanent hardware failure.

The company also addresses the issue of users who have already bricked their devices. For these cases, the company recommends contacting their official after-sales channels for assistance. While the brands Never Settle mantra took a hit among the modding community, this update suggests that OnePlus still values its tech-savvy audience. However, they will first have to resolve the current security concerns.
Update: Tech tipster @MysteryLupin has shared a new set of pictures of the upcoming charger.

The original article follows below.

2026 will be the year Samsung users stop simply watching from the sidelines as other manufacturers offer ecosystems of magnetic accessories. Everything points to the S26 series having native Qi2 support as one of its main selling points. Furthermore, the latest report practically confirms support for a more powerful wireless charging technology. This time, a leak has revealed the upcoming official wireless magnetic charger designed for the Galaxy S26 lineup and other Qi2-supported Samsung devices that will arrive in the future.

The fresh report comes from SamMobile. They shared a set of images of the retail packaging for the Samsung Magnetic Wireless Charger (model EP-P2900), mentioning not only Qi2 support but also a 25W charging speed. The new charger features a familiar circular puck design with a durable nylon-braided USB-C cable. Its designed to snap onto the back of the phone using internal magnets.

Galaxy S26 Ultra to hit 25W wireless charging via new magnetic puck

The standout feature of this new accessory is its 25W power output. Historically, Samsungs wireless charging capped out at 15W even on its Ultra flagship models. However, it is already safe to say that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will take full advantage of this new 25W wireless charger. The standard Galaxy S26 and S26+ models likely wont be far behind. More specifically, rumors suggest that these models will support up to 20W.

If you own an older device, like a Galaxy S25 or a Z Fold 7, the charger will still work. However, you shouldnt expect a speed boost. These Qi2-ready devices from last year will likely stay limited to the traditional 15W limit. To get the best results, Samsung recommends pairing the new magnetic puck with a 45W wall adapter. This will ensure there is enough overhead to maintain peak wireless speeds.

Magnetic ecosystem on the way

The jump to Qi2 means more than just a faster top-up. The magnetic alignment solves one of the most frustrating aspects of wireless charging: placing your phone slightly off-center and waking up to a dead battery. By using magnets to perfectly align the charging coils every time, Samsung improves efficiency and reduces the heat generated during the process.

The Qi2 improvements within the Galaxy S26 series go beyond just wireless charging. The inclusion of magnets opens the door for a whole new world of cases, wallets, and car mounts that can snap on and off effortlessly. It seems Samsung is no longer just ready for the Qi2 era but heavily betting on it. It is time to say goodbye to the previously mandatory dedicated cases with integrated magnets.
January 26, 2026: Europeans continue to worry about how they will handle the Russian threat. It seems odd that 700 Europeans should be asking 327 million Americans to defend them against 140 million Russians. So far Russia has lost 1.2 million troops in Ukraine and is running out of Russians willing to fight the Ukrainians. Currently Russia is obtaining North Koreas and Cuban troops, plus thousands of foreign military-age men in Russia, to maintain a credible force in Ukraine. Russian forces are not attacking as much as they used to because those attacks are usually pointless against better trained and armed Ukrainians who use lots of drones and defensive tactics optimized to kill or wound as many Russian attackers as possible. Russia is having a hard time maintaining a force in Ukraine that can adequately man the thousand kilometer front line. Russia is no longer a ground threat in Ukraine, but an uninvited guest seeking a reasonable excuse to leave.

The current situation is nothing new. Twelve years ago, Russian threats to use military force against Ukraine were dismissed as bluffing. For over a decade Russia had been struggling to modernize its armed forces, most of which are still equipped with pre-1991 Cold War era weapons and equipment. Despite increasing defense spending by a third since 2008, less than half the troops had modern, post-Cold War. equipment. Moreover, the Russian Army was then smaller than the U.S. Army, a historical first. Worse, a third of the Russian army troops were conscripts, who were on active duty for one year. While the U.S. Army also has a half million reserve troops who are trained and equipped to quickly enter operations, Russia had less than 100,000 similar and less well equipped and trained reserves. Russia also had 200,000 armed men in the Interior Ministry. These were basically paramilitary forces equipped as light infantry. A few were highly trained commandos and riot police, but most were only good for security duties, not heavy combat. A third of the Interior Ministry troops are conscripts.

Russia hoped to buy and distribute sufficient new weapons and equipment so that by 2020 at least 70 percent of its combat troops could have modern equipment. A lot of Russian commanders were not confident that this deadline would be met. These officers noted that since 2008, when the five day Russian invasion of tiny Georgia exposed the equipment and training shortcomings of the army, not a lot of progress had been made to remedy those problems. Russia only had about 100,000 paratroopers, commandos and airborne troops it could really rely on, and these elite forces have to be ready to deal with emergencies across the vastness of Russia. Those hundred thousand troops would be quickly tied down if a similar move were made into Ukraine, which has ten times the population of Georgia and much more capable armed forces. Russia went into Georgia with 20,000 troops, about a third of them pro-Russian irregulars from nearby areas that had grudges with Georgia. That force suffered higher losses and a lot of other unexpected problems. Russian leaders noted the problems and vowed to fix everything. That didnt happen.

Russia had held training exercises in the last few years before invading Ukraine. The Russian army quickly mobilized over a hundred thousand troops for unannounced maneuvers and inspections of readiness, it later was revealed that while the troops turned out, there were a lot of deficiencies. The Russians put a positive spin on this, and they were correct in assessing these snap exercises were a beginning. But Russia was nowhere near the finish line with this modernization process.

Russia was supposed to have a million troops on active duty but because of a shortage of volunteers and an abundance of draft dodgers it barely had 850,000. Lots of money was spent on developing new missiles, tanks, aircraft and ships but there was still not enough cash to replace the Cold War era vehicles that were still the norm. So, Russia relied on subterfuge and deception in Ukraine. The last thing Russia wanted was a situation where they would have to put a lot of their troops and equipment through their paces. The military wasnt ready for that sort of thing yet, especially with all those cell phone cameras ready to record any flubs. Finally, there was the past experience with uncooperative Ukrainians. The Ukraine has always been an unwilling part of the Russian empire and rebelled many times before regaining their independence once more in 1991. There were still elderly Russians who remembered the campaign in the Ukraine from 1945 into the 1950s against Ukrainian rebels. The Ukrainians have not forgotten this and promised more of it if Russian troops returned. Even in Ukraine the Russian speaking portion of the population was largely in favor of remaining a part of Ukraine. Same deal in eastern Ukraine which the Soviets sought to Russify with lots of migrants from Russia. Those migrants may still speak Russian but most think of themselves as Ukrainian. Thus, Ukraine was no place for a paper tiger.
Buying a new smartphone in 2026 might be a bit more painful for your wallet than in previous years. While we have heard warnings about rising tech prices for months, a recent leak regarding Samsungs budget lineup provides the first concrete evidence of how these changes are hitting the market, raising some fears regarding the price of the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.

The Galaxy A07 5G recently launched in Thailand and is now heading to India. According to a retailer leak shared by tech tipster Abhishek Yadav (via SammyGuru), the price jump is quite startling. In India, the base model with 4GB of RAM is expected to retail for approximately $175. Meanwhile, the 6GB version could reach $200. When you compare this to last years Galaxy A06 5G, which launched at roughly $125 and $140 for the same configurations. In other words, we are looking at a potential price hike of nearly 40%.

Why the upcoming Samsung Galaxy A07 5G costs 40% more as per price leaks

The most frustrating part for consumers is that this extra cost doesnt seem to translate into groundbreaking new features. The Galaxy A07 5G retains the same chipset and camera specifications as its predecessor. Aside from a slightly smoother 120Hz screen and a larger battery, the hardware remains largely unchanged.

The main reason for this change seems to be the lack of global RAM supply. Industry analysts have pointed out that budget-friendly devices are the most vulnerable to rising component costs because they operate on very thin profit margins. When the price of memory chips goes up, manufacturers have little choice but to pass that cost directly to the buyer.

Galaxy S26 series to follow?

Naturally, these leaks have caused a bit of anxiety for those waiting for Samsungs next flagship, the Galaxy S26. If a budget phone is seeing such a steep increase, it is logical to wonder if the premium models will follow suit. Flagships generally have more breathing room in their profit margins to absorb some of these costs. However, they are certainly not immune to market fluctuations.

That said, there is a silver lining for buyers in some places. While regions like India and Thailand are seeing immediate hikes, rumors suggest that Samsung might take a different approach in the United States. To remain competitive in the American market in the face of the iPhone threat, the company may choose to freeze prices for the Galaxy S26 series. Even if manufacturing costs rise globally, Samsung might opt to absorb the difference in the U.S. Some rumors also suggest the removal of pre-order bonuses to keep a relatively competitive starting price.

Whether you are looking for an affordable daily driver or the latest high-end tech, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of strategic shopping. If you are outside the U.S., preparing for a higher price tag seems wise. If you are in the States, you might be spared the hike, but you should keep a close eye on those official announcements as we head into the fall.
While its still very early to start talking about what the PS6 controller will look like, a newly discovered patent hints at the possibility of it coming with a series of capacitive buttons instead of physical ones. For many gamers, this might seem like a huge step backward, but its important to remember that a patent is not a confirmation of anything other than the fact that Sony is exploring certain ideas. These are ideas that the company may never use. They could be put into practice during research and development, but ultimately, Sony could decide it doesnt work.

That being said, if Sony is filing a patent for a controller that has capacitive buttons, it cant be ruled out that its looking into this possible hardware for the upcoming PS6. The PS6 is rumored to be delayed until as late as 2030 due to high RAM prices and other factors, so there are still a few years left of using the DualSense if Sony actually decides to change things up.

A PS6 controller with capacitive buttons would need some excellent feedback

The main issue for many gamers with touch controls is that theres no proper feedback. The kind of feedback you get from feeling a physical button as your fingers run over it. This is a big reason why controllers today are preferred for many games on mobile. Because theres physical, tactile feedback you can feel. With touch controls, there isnt.

The big problem with this is that it can lead to improper inputs. Imagine pressing the wrong button on a mobile game where the on-screen buttons are literally what youre staring at as you play. This happens a lot more often than you might think. Now imagine having the same sort of capacitive touch controls, but on a controller you arent looking at. Because youre looking at the screen your PS6 is hooked up to.

To get around this, the PS6 controller, if it actually comes with capacitive buttons, would need to also provide some excellent feedback. Some kind of tactile feedback that feels like a physical button to make missed inputs a rare occurrence. According to the patent, this new controller would support a few things that could help with this. One, it has anchors that would help the controller understand where youve touched the input surface. This would also allow the controller to track your touches and move the inputs accordingly.

Additionally, the patent, which was discovered by xLeaks7 and Sudoku Online Pro, mentions that the controller would support gestures such as tap, swipe, pinch, and joystick-style inputs. Basically, imagine the way touch controls work on mobile phones these days, and thats how these gestures would probably function.
For some time, web publishers and news organizations have expressed concern that Googles AI-generated summaries are essentially borrowing their work to answer user queries directly on the search page. This often means users get the information they need without ever clicking through to the original website, leading to a sharp drop in traffic for the creators. To address this, the CMA is pushing for an opt-out system for AI-powered results, and Google is exploring the options in this regard.

The suggested opt-out system would allow publishers to prevent their content from appear in AI Overviews or for training AI models like Gemini. The most important thing: it would be without losing their ranking in standard search results. The move aims to give businesses more control over their digital intellectual property. This is especially important in an age where AI can summarize a thousand-word report in two sentences.

The UK is forcing Google to rethink Its AI search strategy

Google, which handles over 90% of search queries in the UK, finds itself in a delicate position. The company recently received a strategic market status designation, which gives the CMA the legal teeth to enforce these types of conduct requirements. In response, Google confirmed it is exploring new updates that would allow sites to specifically opt out of generative AI features.

However, the tech giant is also cautious. Google representatives have noted that any new controls need to be simple and scalable. Their main worry is that if the system gets too broken up, it could be hard for regular people who just want quick, useful answers to use. They argue that AI Overviews actually help people discover new content, rather than just replacing the need to visit websites.

What lies ahead

The proposals go beyond just an opt-out button. The CMA also wants Google to be more transparent about how it ranks search results and to provide choice screens on Android and Chrome. This potential change aims to encourage competition from other search engines.

Google has expressed some optimism about finding a middle ground. But they havent shied away from pointing out that heavy regulation can sometimes backfire. They had already said that they were worried that these kinds of actions could stop growth and new ideas in the UK tech sector.

For now, the situation will continue in a consultation phase until late February 2026. Whether you are a casual browser or a professional publisher, the outcome will likely set a better precedent for how AI and traditional web content coexist in the future.
Alan Carr rules himself out of Strictly Come Dancing presenting job with hilarious explanation

Hosting Strictly Come Dancing would be a dream job for many TV stars  but comedian Alan Carr has ruled himself out of presenting the show.

Bosses are currently on the hunt for two new Strictly hosts after longtime presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down from the programme at the end of the 2025 series.

Following his huge success on The Celebrity Traitors last year, plenty of fans named Carr as their pick for one of the posts, but the 49-year-old has explained why he wouldnt be the right choice.

Speaking at a press event for his new Channel 4 programme Secret Genius, Carr admitted: I just think I like watching [Strictly], I dont love it.

Adding that he thinks the presenting job would be better for someone who really, really loves the dance programme, Carr revealed he has previously been asked to take part as a contestant.

Fans are calling for Carr to land a primetime presenting job (Getty Images)

As reported by the Daily Mail, he continued: That show is so adored and so loved. You want someone in there whos like, Yeah, this Paso Doble was. I dont give a s**t. Give it to someone else, yeah.

While Carr has taken himself out of the conversation, one famous face has thrown their hat in the ring. One of the frontrunners is former It Takes Two host Zoe Ball, who said in an interview earlier this month: "Obviously, theres a part of me that would love to do it.

As well as hosting the spin-off show for a decade, Ball made it to the final when she competed on Strictly in 2005. She also has experience of hosting the live shows, having stepped in to temporarily replace Winkleman for three weeks in 2014.

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly stepped down from Strictly last year (BBC)

Other stars rumoured to be in the running include Paddy McGuinness, current It Takes Two hosts Fleur East and Janette Manrara, and Strictly 2018 winner Stacey Dooley. Strictly 2025 contestant La Voix has also voiced a desire to be considered for the coveted role.

While the BBC is yet to confirm when the new hosts will be announced, Balls father, Johnny, claimed in December that a decision will be made in the spring.

He said of his daughter: I think she would love it, I think she would love the job because she took over from Claudia on It Takes Two, and if anything, she did a better job than Claudia.
The email was sent to workers at Amazon Web Services (AWS), the companys cloud computing arm. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters (Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters)

Amazon has told workers it is cutting 16,000 jobs around the world to streamline its operations, hours after sending out a message to staff about the layoffs apparently in error.

It is the second big wave of job cuts at the US online retail company, and comes just three months after the company said it was slashing 14,000 roles. Amazon employs about 1.5 million workers worldwide.

Most job cuts are expected to be in the US, although some roles in the UK may also be affected.

The company said the additional organisational changes were designed to strengthen our organisation by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and removing bureaucracy, according to a blogpost to staff from Beth Galetti, the senior vice-president of people experience and technology.

Galetti said some teams had not been affected by the job cuts announced in October, but this was not the beginning of regular waves of layoffs. Some of you might ask if this is the beginning of a new rhythm  where we announce broad reductions every few months. Thats not our plan, she wrote.

US-based employees who are affected will be offered 90 days to find a new role internally, with the timing for applying for new roles varying in other countries.

Galetti said Amazon would continue to hire new staff and invest in strategic areas and functions that are critical to our future.

The official announcement came just hours after workers at Amazon Web Services (AWS) received an online meeting invitation from a top executive on Tuesday for the following day  subsequently cancelled  that also contained a draft email revealing the cuts.

The message erroneously said that affected employees in the US, Canada and Costa Rica had already been told they had lost their jobs.

It was signed by Colleen Aubrey, a senior vice-president of applied AI solutions at AWS, while the layoffs were referred to in the email as Project Dawn.

Changes like this are hard on everyone, Aubrey wrote in the email, which was seen by multiple news outlets including Reuters and Bloomberg. These decisions are difficult and are made thoughtfully as we position our organisation and AWS for future success.

The email referred to a separate message from Amazons human resources boss, which did not appear to have been sent.

Amazon has been trying to reverse a pandemic hiring spree in an effort to cut costs and slim down its vast operation.

Its chief executive, Andy Jassy, has previously warned white-collar workers at the company that their jobs could be taken by AI in the next few years.

The news of fresh Amazon layoffs came as the US delivery company United Parcel Service (UPS) said it would cut up to 30,000 jobs this year, adding to last years staff reductions, as it focuses on higher-margin shipments.

UPS has been working to cut millions of low-value deliveries it carries out for Amazon, which is its largest customer but increasingly also a delivery rival. UPS has called its business with Amazon extraordinarily dilutive to margins.

It is understood that a few hundred of the job cuts are expected to be in UK corporate offices in London and Manchester, with warehouses unaffected.

Additional reporting by Sarah Butler
Angela Rayner has reportedly told supporters she is not dead yet as allies of the former deputy prime minister claim she would have the support of 80 Labour MPs necessary to back a leadership bid.

She also said Labours current leadership should do better as she hinted at a planned return to government in private remarks at a fundraising dinner, according to The Times.

Her comments emerged just days after Andy Burnham, another rival to Sir Keir Starmer, had his path back to parliament blocked by the prime minister, who voted to bar him from standing in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.

Ms Rayner resigned last year after she admitted she did not pay enough stamp duty on the purchase of her 800,000 seaside flat.

But allies have told The Independent she would have the numbers for a leadership challenge against Sir Keir.

One Labour MP said: Now Andy [Burnham] cannot get into parliament, Angela has become the obvious choice. They added: It cant be [health secretary Wes] Streeting, hes too right wing.

Another said: Angela can get the 81 MPs needed, Im sure. It depends if she wants it.

Angela Rayner has urged Labour and No 10 to do better (PA Archive)

They added: I think the by-election brings things forward. Angela should go for it if Labour come third. Whats the point of waiting until 7 May?

Theres no doubt Wess people are planning the same thing. Its becoming a who will be first to jump and when rather than if now.

Ms Rayner was also reported to have warned of the dangerous threat posed by Reform UK and vowed: I aint giving those keys to No 10 to Nigel Farage. Labour is expected to suffer a series of disastrous election results in May, which will raise further questions about Sir Keirs future.

Speaking to activists in central London at the event last week, Ms Rayner reportedly thanked them for their loyalty since her 2015 election as the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has been blocked by Labour from standing in a Westminster by-election (PA Wire)

She said: Youll remember when I was a young whippersnapper. Ive come through the ranks and had the honour and the privilege to get us into government and become your deputy prime minister. And Im still fighting. Im not dead yet.

Her allies have predicted she would secure more than 1m from donors if she stood for the leadership and said she was wooing them with dinners at her flat in Hove, according to The Times.

Ms Rayner is carrying out a number of speaking engagements at events organised by Labour MPs. She will also speak at a reception next month hosted by Mainstream, a new Labour group co-launched by Mr Burnham.

A spokesperson for Ms Rayner said: Angela is indeed alive and well, but wont be indulging ill-informed gossip or idle speculation.
Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, says Labour wont leave people to struggle on their own. Photograph: Alecsandra Raluca Dragoi/DSIT (Photograph: Alecsandra Raluca Dragoi/DSIT)

Increasing deployment of artificial intelligence will cause job losses, the UK technology secretary has warned, saying: I want to level with the public. Some jobs will go.

In a speech on government plans to handle the impact of AI on the British economy, Liz Kendall declined to say how many redundancies the technology might cause but said: We know people are worried about graduate entry jobs in places like law and finance.

She said: Others will be created in their place.

While some forecasts have suggested the fast-developing technology could create a net increase in employment, Kendall said: Im not complacent about that.

Earlier this month the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, said that without action to use AI as a superpower for positive transformation and creation, it could become a weapon of mass destruction of jobs.

Speaking to an audience of tech and business leaders at the Bloomberg headquarters in London, Kendall, the former work and pensions secretary, pledged Labour wont leave people to struggle on their own.

Related: UK ministers accept $1m from Meta amid social media ban consultation

She announced plans to train up to 10 million British workers in the most basic AI skills by 2030  including members of the cabinet  signalling a focus on helping workers adapt to the coming shifts in the labour markets, rather than resisting them.

She said the governments goal was to make Britain the fastest AI adoption country in the G7 and said jobs will be created around the governments four AI growth zones.

We are on the cusp of great change  an industrial revolution [taking place] in a decade, she said. We have barely begun to see how this technology will transform all our lives  I believe for the better.

The rollout of online AI training for millions of workers  to involve Multiverse, a company founded by Euan Blair, plus a new programme to support women to move into entry level tech roles  would together be the biggest single plan to upskill the nation since Harold Wilsons Open University, she said.

A new future of work unit is also being established in the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) with involvement from trades unions and business leaders.

Ministers have faced criticism they are relying too heavily on US AI companies, whose models could soon be competing with British white collar workers for jobs. It was announced that a $1m (750,000) donation from Mark Zuckerbergs Meta was being spent on a government initiative to build AI systems for defence, national security and transport.

Meanwhile, Anthropic, a US AI startup valued at $350bn, has been chosen to build and pilot a dedicated assistant tool for public services on gov.uk, starting with a model that will give jobseekers career advice. It is providing the services for free. The government also has a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.
The Lords used to have a complete veto on the Commons  until they blocked the then chancellor David Lloyd Georges budget in 1909. Photograph: World History Archive/Alamy (Photograph: World History Archive/Alamy)

Supporters of assisted dying are planning to use the Parliament Act to override the House of Lords if it continues to block the bill. But how could that work  and do its backers have the power to do that?

What is the Parliament Act?

The House of Lords used to have a complete veto on the Commons. That changed after a row over the blocking of the then chancellor David Lloyd Georges budget in 1909. It sparked a general election, with Lords reform on the ballot. The re-elected Liberal government passed the Parliament Act 1911, stripping that veto power in almost all circumstances, though it does allow delay.

In 1949, that delaying power was reduced to a year. If a bill is passed by the Commons but delayed for longer by the Lords, it can be reintroduced in the following session and passed without the consent of the Lords.

It is different from the Salisbury convention, a practice that means the Lords do not vote down a bill in the governments manifesto.

When has this been used before?

Its extremely rare and often relates to deeply contentious issues of the era. Just seven bills have become acts under this procedure.

Most recently, it was used in 2000 for a bill that equalised the age of consent for homosexual acts to 16 and in the Hunting Act of 2004, which banned foxhunting.

Supporters of the private members bill to legalise assisted dying are exploring using this if the bill does not pass the Lords in this current session.

Can it be used for a private members bill?

This is unprecedented  and very complicated. But supporters of Kim Leadbeaters private members bill say if the bill has been delayed for more than a year despite passing the Commons, and fails to pass the Lords, there are ways the Parliament Act can apply.

The bill will automatically fail if it does not pass the Lords by the end of the parliamentary session  expected in May. Given the slow progress and more than 1,000 amendments, this looks likely. That would normally be the end of it, but there are two possible routes for supporters:

A supporter of the bill brings it back in the next ballot of the private members bill.

The government allocates time to the bill in the next session. It would not have to adopt the bill, and could claim it was still remaining neutral, though opponents would dispute this.

What would be the conditions on the bill?

For the Parliament Act to apply, the bill must be exactly as it was passed by the Commons, though some experts believe there may be some limited and complicated circumstances where amendments are still possible. It would mean second and third reading votes again in the Commons, but no amendments.

If it passes, peers would still be able to try to stop the bill, but then the Parliament Act to bypass the Lords and enact the bill could be applied.

How likely is it that it will come up again in the ballot?

Pure chance  though the Labour MP John McDonnell did once come top of the ballot twice.

For any private members bill to have a chance of passing, Leadbeater or one of her backers would need to come in one of the top five slots  and hundreds of MPs enter the ballot.

How likely is it the government will give it time?

The government has tried to remain strictly neutral on the bill, though Keir Starmer is a supporter of assisted dying. Leadbeater could put it forward using something called a presentation bill. These are usually largely pointless, as they are not granted any time for debate.

But the government  especially if MPs applied significant pressure  could grant the time for a debate and vote on the basis that it is undemocratic for the Lords to have blocked the bill. Such action is likely to cause an almighty row, including from Labour backbenchers who oppose the bill. And it might turn some supporters into opponents.

What happens if neither of these options work?

If there is no success in the ballot and the government refuses to play ball, supporters have run out of road.
Assisted dying campaigners protest outside the Houses of Parliament in London. Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA (Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA)

Supporters of assisted dying will seek to force through the bill using an archaic parliamentary procedure if it continues to be blocked by the Lords.

The high stakes move  described by some backers as the nuclear option  would be the first time the 1911 Parliament Act has been invoked for a private members bill.

The acknowledgment by supporters that they are now preparing to use the act is a sign of growing desperation  they have accepted that without a radical change of approach the bill will fall because of the delays it is experiencing in the House of Lords.

If the bill does not conclude by the end of the parliamentary session in May, it will automatically fail despite having been passed by the Commons.

The bills backers, the MP Kim Leadbeater and Lord Charles Falconer, said they have extensive legal and constitutional advice which proves they can force peers to vote on the bill, unamended, in the next session of parliament.

The move is a significant escalation of hostilities between the two sides and is likely to provoke an outcry from opponents of assisted dying, who say the delay in the Lords is not a filibuster but proper scrutiny of a flawed bill.

Falconer said the public and the Commons demanded a proper parliamentary decision was made on the issue. If opponents think this issue will just go away if it is talked out in the Lords then they are wrong. It will continue to demand parliamentary action until it is resolved, he told the Guardian.

Falconer said he hoped there would be a change of approach in the Lords to allow it to move to a vote in the upper house.

Related: Ian McEwan calls for assisted dying rights to extend to dementia sufferers

He said: That is what should happen and that continues to be my aim. However, because the Lords is a self-regulating chamber there is no mechanism to prevent a small minority of peers frustrating the will of the majority who want to see the bill progress through all its stages.

Together with Kim Leadbeater MP, who introduced the bill in the Commons, I have sought advice on the possible ways forward and it is clear to me that while we would strongly urge the Lords to come to a conclusion while there is still time, the Parliament Act is an option.

The Parliament Act allows the House of Commons to reintroduce a bill and force legislation through if the Lords repeatedly block it. Since 1949, when it was revised, it has been used for just a handful of bills to enact laws that have not had the consent of the Lords, including decriminalising homosexuality and banning foxhunting.

After the session of parliament ends, a bill must be reintroduced and passed again in the new session to trigger the acts override mechanism. It must be exactly the same version of the bill as passed by the Commons.

There are two ways to invoke the Parliament Act: by a supporter adopting it at the next private members bill ballot or for the government to give time to the bill for it to return to the Commons.

They would not have to formally adopt the bill and could remain neutral, according to constitutional experts. But for No 10 to give even limited time in the next session to the bill would likely provoke an outcry from opposing MPs  as well as from cabinet ministers such as Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood who are high-profile opponents.

MPs are expected to begin putting pressure on party leaders, including Keir Starmer, to take this approach, warning that if they allow the bill to fall, they would face a large public backlash and risk looking impotent if the bill fell due to the actions of unelected peers.

But invoking the Parliament Act is likely to spark fury among the bills opponents who will say it is a tacit admission that Starmer was never neutral because of his previous support for reforming the law.

On Friday, peers will begin their 10th day of debate on the bill with hundreds of amendments still to consider out of more than 1,200 that have been laid. Of the 59 clauses in the bill, peers have not yet concluded debate on clause 1.

According to analysis by the Hansard Society, the bill is likely to need at least 16 more sitting days to even reach the end of committee stage, but has less than half of that time available.

Last week MPs and peers who support the bill angrily accused a handful of Conservative and cross-bench peers of deliberately filibustering with repetitive speeches and pointless amendments.

Its critics say the bill is deeply flawed and unsafe and does not have the support of any of the royal colleges  and say that ministers and its sponsors are not able to answer even some basic questions about it at the dispatch box, contributing to the delay.

A source close to Leadbeater said they were confident the Parliament Act would apply if the bill was taken through a second time and there are precedents for the government to give time to the bill for conscience issues.

Though Starmer himself is a longtime supporter of changes to the assisted dying law, there has been scepticism about the bill among strategists in Downing Street, some of whom see it as an unnecessary distraction and a risky electoral issue.

Starmer has shown himself unwilling to personally intervene or adopt the bill, stressing the governments neutrality thus far, though he has voted twice in favour of its passing.